PONCHATOULA, La. — Monday night, the Ponchatoula City Council passed its annual budget. On paper, it sounds like an improvement, but Chief Bry Layrisson feels his department has been shorted.
You’ll remember last month, every officer called out sick, citing an unfair pay structure and underpayment.
Chief Bry Layrisson brought his concerns to Monday’s council meeting but feels he’s been ignored.
Here’s what happened.
The new budget does give officers a three-percent raise, but the chief says it’s the lowest percentage of all city departments.
It also increases the department’s budget by 4.5 percent, but the chief says the rising cost of health insurance, retirement, and other benefits actually outweigh the increase, and it actually leaves the department at a 25-thousand dollar deficit.
And last: the new budget effectively downsizes the department from 27 to 25 officers, even though the city of Ponchatoula is growing.
Ponchatoula Mayor Bob Zabbia has been less than sympathetic to the issue and has previously said that the chief wasn’t spending money properly and that the department is well-staffed.
A new administration takes office this summer.
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