ORDINANCE NO. 840
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AN ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2027
WHEREAS, the annual financial budget attached hereto and made a part hereof reflects estimated revenues and anticipated expenditures for the City of Ponchatoula, LA for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PONCHATOULA:
SECTION ONE: The attached detailed estimate of revenues and such other fiscal exhibits and information as required by LA R.S. 39:1301, Louisiana Budget Act, is hereby adopted to serve as the Budget of Revenues for the City of Ponchatoula for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
SECTION TWO: The attached detailed statement of expenditures as reflected in the consolidated statement is hereby adopted for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
SECTION THREE: The adoption of the budget of expenditures is hereby declared to operate as an appropriation of the amount therein set forth within the term of the budget classification.
SECTION FOUR: As required by LA R.S. 39:1301-1314 plus amendments, the adopted budget and any duly authorized adopted amendments shall form the framework from which the Mayor and members of the governing authority of the City of Ponchatoula shall monitor revenues and control expenditures. The Mayor shall advise the governing authority in writing when:
1) Revenue collections plus projected revenue collections for the remainder of the year, within a fund, are failing to meet estimated annual revenues by five percent or more.
2) Actual expenditures plus projected expenditures for the remainder of the year, within a fund are exceeding the estimated budget of expenditures by five percent or more.
3) Actual beginning fund balance, within a fund, fails to meet estimated beginning fund balance by five percent or more and fund balance is being used to fund current year expenditures.
The written notification as required by this Section, as well as any responsive action taken by the governing authority shall be transmitted to and retained by the Mayor, who is Chief Administrative Officer.
SECTION FIVE: Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit expenditure of funds in cases of emergency. For purposes of this section, an emergency means an unforeseen event bringing with it destruction or injury of life or property or the eminent threat of such destruction or injury.
SECTION SIX: Where the governing authority has received notice of a five percent variance figure pursuant to LA R.S. 39:1310, it shall adopt a budget amendment in an open meeting. In no event shall a budget amendment be adopted proposing expenditures, which exceed the total of estimated funds available for the fiscal year.
A motion was made by Mr. Toomer to adopt the ordinance and was duly seconded by Mrs. Batiste.
This ordinance having been introduced on May 11, 2026 by Mrs. Batiste notice of public hearing having been published, said public hearing having been held, and been read by the title at a regular meeting of the City Council on June 8, 2026 and called for final passage and having been put to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: Sandifer, Toomer, Elstrott, Batiste, Wright
NAYS: none
ABSTAIN: none
ABSENT: none
s/J. Wesley Daniels, Mayor
s/Nikki James, City Clerk
Delivered to Mayor: June 9, 2026
Received from Mayor: June 9, 2026 Cost of notice: $166.75
Effective Date: June 9, 2026 Ordinance
Annual Budget For July 1, 2026 Through June 30, 2027
General Fund
Proposed
FYE
6/30/2027
Budget
Revenues:
Taxes $ 5,031,000 4.43%
Licenses, Permits and Fees 857,800 1.76%
Police Department Revenues 432,900 3.44%
Fire Department Reimbursements 853,100 2.47%
Sanitation Revenues 1,154,000 12.60%
Judicial Department 101,800 0.79%
Grants and Supplemental Pay 360,000 -39.23%
Other Revenues 393,000 -31.74%
Total Revenues 9,183,600 -0.43%
Expenditures:
Legislative (Council) 65,500 3.97%
Judicial (Court) 232,400 27.06%
Executive (Mayor) 332,989 5.98%
Financial 823,175 7.45%
Building Official 137,843 -33.56%
Other General Administration 647,500 31.10%
Police Department 4,510,300 2.90%
Fire Protection 2,941,300 9.48%
Civil Service 11,400 1.79%
Downtown Revitalization Program 10,265 -48.16%
Streets 4,868,500 137.42%
Sanitation 1,211,900 11.18%
Cemetery 159,500 251.32%
Community Center 269,208 -12.14%
Athletic Park 541,300 -17.70%
Jaycee Park 8,100 107.69%
Kiwanis Park 20,000 4.17%
Memorial Park 46,300 -24.10%
John Pine Park 9,200 130.00%
Tasker Park 40,800 -79.17%
Ponchatoula Wellness Plaza 5,000 194.12%
Industrial Park 38,200 -33.33%
Collinswood Museum/USSP/Locomotive 25,800 13.16%
Public City Transportation 40,000 -26.87%
Hickory Street Parking 7,000 -11.39%
Youth Education Alliance 76,500 0.00%
Resource Center 6,600 29.41%
Other Miscellaneous Programs 8,300 2.47%
Total Expenditures 17,094,880 24.57%
Excess (Deficiency) of Revenues
Over Expenditures (7,911,280) 71.13%
Other Financing Sources and (Uses)
Proceeds From Sale of City Property 60,000 100.00%
Economic Development Util Improve - 0.00%
Sewer Improvements (750,000) 100.00%
Water Improvements
Transfer In From 1965 Sales Tax 4,480,000 0.34%
Transfer In From Police Millage 420,000 1.23%
Transfer In From Fire Millage 145,000 5.00%
Total Other Financing Sources and (Uses) 4,355,000 61.51%
Net Change in Fund Balance (3,556,280) 0.00%
Fund Balance, Beginning 3,829,760 -33.54%
Fund Balance, Ending $ 273,480 -93.12%