Tangipahoa fire board selects American Bank and Trust as fiscal agent for 2026–28

The Tangipahoa Parish Fire District board voted Nov. 24 to contract with American Bank and Trust as the district’s fiscal agent for Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2028. Board members approved the selection after the finance committee reviewed responses to a solicitation and recommended the bank as the most favorable proposal.

Mister Dennis, who briefed the board on the procurement, said the district advertised in the official journal and sent letters to nine local financial institutions; “we received 4 responses back from those 9,” he said, and included a bid tabulation showing the factors considered. Dennis told the board the committee evaluated interest paid on public deposits and any service charges banks would assess.

Board members discussed that American Bank and Trust offered a notably higher return, described during the meeting as a percentage above LAMP (the local liquidity pool benchmark). One member said changing banks involves administrative work but concluded that the higher net return makes the change sensible. “I definitely recommend it,” a board member said before moving the motion.

Mister Havis moved to award the contract to American Bank and Trust; Mister Veil seconded. A roll-call vote followed and the chair announced the motion passed.

The board did not specify the exact interest-rate spread or estimated annual revenue gain in the public discussion; Dennis gave the procurement steps, the number of bidders and the committee’s recommendation. The clerk will complete the contract paperwork and the district will implement the account transition if all administrative requirements are met.

The vote to award the fiscal agent contract was recorded during the Nov. 24 meeting; the board affirmed the motion by roll call.