St. James Council Passes 2013 Budget

CONVENT, La. (AP) — The St. James Parish Council has approved a proposed $64.1 million budget for its 2013 fiscal year despite one councilman's concerns over spending parish funds for an expanded mosquito control program.

Parish Council Chairman Jimmy Brazan said during a public hearing prior to Wednesday's council meeting the money should be directed toward more important issues, such as flood control and a parish-wide sewage program.

In this year's budget, the parish provided $101,000 from its general fund for mosquito control.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/VO4u9F ) the 2013 budget calls for the parish to apply most of the $225,000 in savings from its new solid waste contracts to fund a parish-wide mosquito control program.

The program would utilize three employees and chemical spraying from a pickup at a cost of $308,000.