White Castle mayor says police department has ‘exhausted its budget’

WHITE CASTLE, La. (BRPROUD) – The mayor of White Castle says his town is navigating an unprecedented situation that may temporarily change the way public safety is carried out.

In a Friday, June 2 letter to citizens, Mayor John Morris III said “the White Castle Police Department has essentially exhausted its budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year.”

With four months of the current fiscal year left, White Castle officials must make swift decisions to ensure their town retains an appropriate level of law enforcement presence.

Morris said local leaders are considering three options in this regard. The first would involve tapping into the town’s fund balance to shore up the police department’s budget. A second option would be to fund the chief of police only and temporarily transfer other White Castle police duties to deputies with the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office. The third option officials are considering would allow White Castle’s Police Department to operate but with reduced personnel.

Town leaders have much to decide in a few days. They intend to meet Wednesday, June 7 for a budget conference.

During the conference, the reasons for the police department’s financial issues will be addressed.

Morris says some of the factors that led to the current budget crunch have already been revealed. He identified three, which are listed below. All other factors will be brought up and discussed in Wednesday’s meeting.

What caused the budget crunch?

• The police department’s hiring expenditures exceeded its allotted budget.
• The police department’s hourly pay exceeded its allotted budget.
• A broken time clock resulted in erroneous reported hours.

How concerned should people be?

Though the situation is serious, Morris emphasized that it is not dire, and officials are prepared to handle it.

He assured the public that their safety will continue to be a priority, and though the way public safety is carried out may look different in the coming days, it will not be interrupted.

In addition to this, he confirmed that the town recently received a clean audit, which means there’s no reason to suspect a larger problem when it comes to money management.

Morris also stated, “The town of White Castle is not financially strained, however, the Board and I are committed to building a substantial reserve fund for a rainy day, so this matter can impede our efforts.”

The mayor’s full letter is available to read below.