The Terrebonne Parish Council adopted an ordinance to adopt the 2026 operating and maintenance budget and a five‑year capital improvement plan after extended procedural debate and public hearing.

The motion to adopt the budget as presented was moved by Mister Babin and seconded by Mister Amadee. Councilmember Mister Pleasure had proposed an amendment to exclude changes to the parish compensation plan from the adoption; council attorneys and several members advised that striking the compensation plan from the ordinance after it had been introduced would constitute a "substantial change" and therefore was procedurally constrained by the charter and the ordinance layover rules. Counsel (identified in the transcript as Miss Neil) warned that "after the ordinance is introduced, we can't change the ordinance" and explained the charter’s publication and two‑week layover requirements.

Council members in favor of adoption, including administration supporters, said failing to adopt the budget would force midyear budget amendments and could delay planned raises for sanitation, public works and drainage employees. Parish administration told the council it had cut roughly $1,900,000 to present a balanced budget and argued the budget needed to be approved to avoid operational disruptions.

Opponents said raises were being targeted to a limited set of employees and that many frontline staff had not received increases; some councilmembers said they would rather withhold all raises until the distribution could be made more equitable. The debate included repeated procedural disputes about substitute motions versus amendments; several council members urged adopting the budget and returning in January to consider amendments, while others pushed to vote the substitute motion down.

The chair called for a voice/roll call and, after members responded, declared "the ayes have it" and announced the budget motion passed. The transcript records differing numeric readings during the voice call; the chair announced the motion passed and the meeting proceeded to announcements.

What happens next: With the budget adopted, administration and departments will implement the adopted operating plan and the council indicated it may revisit specific compensation‑plan changes through future amendments or meetings.