Parish president says fiscal reserves, infrastructure projects position Iberia Parish for growth

Parish President (name not stated) told residents Thursday evening that Iberia Parish’s finances have improved dramatically since the administration took office, and he highlighted a slate of infrastructure and industrial projects planned or under way.

“We went from 29 days cash on hand to … right now we have some 380 days cash on hand,” the president said, describing a shift to “running this more like a business.” He said the parish’s general fund holds roughly $8 million and that annual general-fund spending runs near $5 million.

The address cataloged projects across multiple departments: airport hangar construction and plans to pursue international cargo operations at the Acadiana Regional Airport; water and sewer improvements, including a new 2,000,000-gallon-per-day water plant; and large private investments such as the First Solar and Delta Biofuel projects. The president credited a mix of parish, state and federal funding and private investment for advancing the projects.

On public services, the president said the parish will seek voter approval next March to renew a 4.5-mill library tax expected to generate about $2.6 million annually; he said library operations cost roughly $2.4 million per year and the renewal is intended to continue current services.

The president closed by thanking council members, parish staff and community organizations and by urging residents to remain engaged with parish government. The administration also promoted a redesigned parish website as a gateway for economic development and constituent services.

The address did not include formal motions or votes; it was an annual report to citizens and stakeholders. The administration outlined next steps for several projects and said more detailed project schedules and bids will be made available as engineering and procurement advance.