Vermilion Parish Clerk’s Office feels effects of oil prices

East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court Doug Welborn announced earlier this week that his office has laid off 12 employees.
Welborn cited declining revenue for his office during the last two years as the deciding factor in the move.
While Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court Diane Meaux Broussard said she has no plans in place at this time to make a simliar move to her counterpart in East Baton Rouge, she said the decline in oil and gas has an effect on her office’s revenue.
“It definitely has,” Broussard said Wednesday afternoon. “We have no more abstractors here abstracting. We went from around 40 abstractors a day when things were steady to around 30 a few weeks ago.
“Today, we have two.”
Abstractors, or landmen, doing research accounts for around 25 percent of the revenue stream for Broussard’s office. When things are going well, Broussard said that aspect has been a great benefit for her office.
“We have been very fortunate,” Broussard said. “Most clerks don’t have oil and gas.”
The flip side is that when oil and gas is low, it is not supplemented by other means.
“Louisiana clerk’s of court offices get no state or federal funding,” Broussard said. “We live on what we make. I made it through the 80s (oil crash) and I know it’s a snowball effect. If you don’t have any money, you’re not going to use a lawyer, who is not going to use our office. You are maybe going to put off getting married and not get a license from us or a passport to go on a honeymoon.
“It slows everything down.”
Broussard has served as Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court since 2004.
“I wasn’t here in the 80s,” Broussard said. “I know they had layoffs then. I am holding my breath. We still have a big volume of work here that needs to be done. I feel like everyone’s job here is valuable.”
With that, Broussard said the reality of the state’s economic climate cannot be ignored.
“If you don’t have the money that is a reality,” Broussard said. “We don’t get any tax money through a millage.
“Whatever we make, we live on.”
The operating budget for her office this year is an estimated $2 million, with around $850,000 dedicated to salaries.
“You also have insurance and retirement out of that,” Broussard said.
In fact, people looking for jobs have come to the clerk’s office.
“I have gotten 22 job applications since Jan. 19,” Broussard said. “There are a lot of people looking for jobs.”
Broussard communicates regularly with peers around the state.
“Everyone has the same problems,” Broussard said.
Again, she said at this time the solution at her office will not be layoffs.
“As of today we have no plans to let anyone go,” Broussard said. “I do pray every night that oil field picks up, for so many reasons.”
Until that time, Broussard said her office will be operating as it has under her watch.
“We’re going to serve the community with a smile,” Broussard said.