St Helena Parish Travel Budget Fallout | Baton Rouge News

St. Helena Parish officials are facing serious scrutiny after an audit revealed they overspent their travel budget by over $125K—spending $206K when only $81K was allocated. Six travel advances totaling nearly $10K went unpaid, with delays from top officials including the former and current Police Jury President and the Emergency Preparedness Director. The audit also found $13K spent on holiday parties in 2024 and 2025, using public funds for alcohol, catering, and a live band despite donations. Some officials have already repaid debts, while others say they’re in the process. The Secretary-Treasurer admitted the advances were on an “honor system,” which clearly failed. In response, the Police Jury President says they’re consulting lawyers to implement new policies and has suspended all travel expenses until rules are approved—vowing to act in the citizens’ best interest. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ee88f7f7095b1359