Gonzales’ City Council voted to approve an amended General Fund (Operating) Budget for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year last night, the third time being the charm after rejecting Mayor Tim Riley’s proposal on May 27 and July 14. The amendment was sprung upon Mayor Tim Riley and at least two council members by Councilman Kirk Boudreaux, with no forewarning, and approved with support from Tyler Turner and Terri Lambert. After seeking to table the vote, because she had not seen the amendment prior to Monday’s meeting, Cynthia Gray James joined them in approving the amended budget in a 4-1 vote.
“I can’t comment on the budget specifics because I am seeing the 12-page document amending our General Fund Budget for the first time tonight. It is encouraging that three members have finally staked out an actual position on the budget after more than 100 days since my initial proposal,” a circumspect Mayor Riley said in a post-meeting conversation.
Riley first introduced the budget on May 5. It failed by a 3-2 vote on May 27.
He reintroduced the same version on June 9. It failed again on July 14 by a 2-2 vote when Councilman Boudreaux was absent (any ordinance requires a majority of the council membership to approve).
With no communication from the recalcitrant council members, the mayor introduced the General Fund Budget for a third time on July 28. It was on council agenda for Public Hearing and Final Vote last night.
Before that could happen, Kirk Boudreaux offered the following amendment:
“I’d like to move and introduce an Amendment to the proposed Annual General Fund Budget of the City of Gonzales Fiscal Year 2025-2026 by adding Pages 8-A, 8-B, 9-A, 10-A, 10-B, 10-C, 11-A, 12-A, 13-A, 14-A, 17-A, and 18-A (attached) in order to provide itemized budgeted salary amounts for each specific department position. All to be included in the proposed budget.”
The “itemized budgeted salary amounts for each specific department position” include titles in nine categories.
- Fire Department
- Administration
- Police Department
- Planning and Development (Code Enforcement)
- Sanitation
- Streets and Drainage
- General Government
- Recreation
- Buildings and Grounds
” We are going to get with Faulk & Winkler, the firm that helped us prepare the original budget proposal, and our City Attorney to figure out how this budget amendment affects our ability to operate going forward. They didn’t know this was coming either,” Mayor Riley explained. “We’ll figure it out and, hopefully, we can put this budget battle to rest.”
Riley chose his words carefully, declining to address the potential for a mayoral veto.
“Look, I believe we all want what is best for the City of Gonzales. Obviously, there is disagreement over how to get to that result,” he said.
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