Editor, The Era-Leader:
The Town of Franklinton budget meeting of 10/28/25 had a few surprises.
The first was the proposed budget that the council was going to vote on, was found to be “illegal”. Alderman Descant advised the board that since this proposed budget wasn't advertised at least 10 days before, it couldn't be considered. Alderman Butler questioned this, even after Town Attorney Knight gave the number and section of the Louisiana Code that covered this. Alderman Butler has been serving on the town board since 1997 and yet, was clueless about this legislation.
Secondly, the changes made to the original budget the mayor had prepared were “illegal” because they weren't done in an open public forum. So, back to square one with the original budget without any changes.
Three board members, per Alderwoman Crain's comment (see town meeting video of 10/14/25 at time marker 10:37), had met “off the books” and discussed the budget on their own. She stated they met “individually”. This is “illegal” since state law makes all budget proposals and discussions a matter to be conducted in an open public forum. So much for the transparency that Alderwoman Crain and Alderman Butler constantly state they want.
Alderwoman Crain was against giving a 3% raise to the department supervisors along with a 2% raise for town employees. She didn't think this was fair for everyone. An attempt was made to explain that the difference is there because supervisors don't get overtime as regular employees do. But, it didn't make any difference to her.
Alderman TJ Butler went off on what is becoming his usual rant about the town police department and its budget. He went on to “predict” that soon the town policing would be taken over by the parish deputies. I seem to remember that during Greg Route's administration, he put forth this proposal to pay the Sheriff one million dollars to police the town (Town meeting 11/14/2023). In effect, doing away with the police department. Which, by the way, is illegal according to state law.
What puzzles me is that, with all his ranting about how the town spends its money, Alderman Butler had not one word about Route spending $67,000 on two virtually useless EV chargers. Even though this was federal grant money, it was wasted. Also, these EV chargers continue to cost the town money on a monthly basis. The town could use a new fuel pump, not EV chargers.
Alderman Butler had not a word to say about the town having to spend $138,423 in penalties and fines because Route's administration assistant was incompetent in her job doing the payroll (See town meeting 09/24/24). No rant about that, Alderman Butler.
IMHO, there is a pattern here, folks. These 3 board members, Crain, Butler, and Reed, consistently vote together. Remember, they were the ones who voted against the hiring of more police officers to fill the existing vacancies in the department, following the first mass shooting in Franklinton. They voted against the original budget that had a $60 difference from the previous budget proposed during the Route administration. Go figure, huh! And who knows how many little “off the books” meetings they have had concerning the administration of the town. The transparency is laughable.
Ben M Sarro
Franklinton
