City officials say Elton paid for former employees’ health insurance

ELTON, La. (KPLC) – Financial hardship continues in Elton. Officials found that the city continued to pay for health insurance for several former employees for up to a year and a half after their employment ended.

Over the last few months, we have been informing you about the city’s financial problems, including: overdue bills Down unpaid federal payroll taxes. Now officials are determining where the city stands on the table financially.

During Wednesday evening’s special council meeting, Interim Mayor Mike Pierrotti said there is currently about $248,000 in the city’s general fund. The city owes the IRS $215,000 in unpaid federal payroll taxes.

“Once you take that amount into account, there’s not much left in the general fund,” Pierrotti said.

Federal payroll taxes were not paid from the last quarter of 2022 through the third quarter of this year.

The $215,000 amount does not include any interest or penalties the city may face.

“I sent a letter asking for the waiver of penalties and interest due to the change of staff, the change of mayor and the change of officials,” Mayor Pierrotti said.

The issue of insurance for employees in the city remains under discussion.

Mayor Pierrotti says that as of October 26, there were 13 employees on the list of people covered by health insurance through the city. Seven of these people are no longer employed by the city of Elton, which means the city pays for the former employees’ insurance.

“With seven people who should be removed from premiums, that would mean $35,434 in premiums,” Mayor Pierrotti said.

Mayor Pierrotti said some of these people have not been employed in the city for over a year and a half.

Going forward, the city will only pay 60/40 instead of 100 percent of health insurance through the city.

The city authorities also discussed projected budget cuts.

“We were spending a lot of money on toilet paper and sprays, so again, after talking to Bruce and some of the council members, we felt like we might be moving away from Sintile completely soon,” Mayor Pierrotti said.

Mayor Pierrotti stated that he has chosen not to receive gas and health insurance benefits through the city.

According to Mayor Pierrotti, former Mayor Kesia Lemoine received a $50 per month fuel allowance, which will now save the city $600 per year. She also received $783.40 in monthly health insurance, which means $9,400 will be returned to the city annually.

Councilmember Elton and Mayor Pierrotti assured residents they were not aware of any unpaid 941 bills or taxes.

“Let me ask you this. Since you weren’t mayor at the time, I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page. You all served on the board under the former administration, under the former official, and as far as you know, did any of you know or know that the bills were not being paid, that 941 were not being paid? Councilwoman Kay Hebert asked.

The council and Mayor Pierrotti responded that they were not aware of this.

After the dismissal of former mayor Lemoine, Piertotti did running for the official title of mayorquestioned by former councilor Marilynn Granger, who helped initiate the recall effort.