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Following the Public Dollar: Avoyelles Officials’ Pay Revealed

Following the Public Dollar: Avoyelles Officials’ Pay Revealed

Public salaries are public information, but they are not always easy to find in one place. Some officials receive a straight salary. Others receive salary plus insurance, retirement contributions, travel, registration fees, cell phone payments, expense allowances, or other benefits.

Avoyelles Publishing reviewed official public records, primarily reports from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, to identify verified compensation for public officials serving Avoyelles Parish. When 2025 figures were available, those figures were used. When a 2025 figure was not available, the most recent verified 2024 figure was used. In a few cases, where only six months of compensation was listed for a current official, the figure was annualized and clearly labeled.

The review includes the incorporated municipalities listed for Avoyelles Parish by the official State of Louisiana parish profile: Bunkie, Marksville, Cottonport, Evergreen, Mansura, Simmesport, Hessmer, Moreauville, and Plaucheville.

The goal was simple: use verified numbers, avoid speculation, and show readers where the information came from.

Parishwide and Parish-Level Officials

The highest verified compensation found in this review was for the Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court, whose compensation totaled $240,808 for the year ending June 30, 2025.

According to the Legislative Auditor report, that total included a salary of $193,448, payroll taxes of $2,991, insurance of $12,198, retirement/deferred compensation of $28,301, travel and meals of $2,430, and registration fees of $1,440.

The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff was listed at $229,494 in total compensation for the year ending June 30, 2024. That figure included salary, pension benefits, health and life insurance, travel, and registration fees. Because a newer verified 2025 compensation schedule was not used for this article, the sheriff’s figure is listed as a verified 2024 amount.

The Avoyelles Parish Assessor was listed at $200,838 in total compensation for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024. That included salary of $152,225, insurance of $18,168, retirement of $19,789, and deferred compensation of $10,656.

The 12th Judicial District Court judges are also elected officials serving Avoyelles Parish, but their exact local compensation could not be verified through the Avoyelles Parish audit reports used for this article. District judges are paid through the state judiciary rather than directly through parish government. Local Judicial Expense Fund audits may show local payments such as travel, dues, phone, or continuing education, but they do not show the judges’ full salary and benefits.

A statewide salary review cited by the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana reported Louisiana district court judge pay at approximately $168,949 as of January 2023. That figure was scheduled to increase by 2.5 percent on July 1, 2023, placing the general district judge salary at approximately $173,172, before benefits and allowable reimbursements. Because exact current compensation for the 12th Judicial District judges could not be verified in the local audit reports, the judges are included here for context but are not ranked with the verified local compensation figures.

The District Attorney for the 12th Judicial District was listed at $136,894 in total compensation for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024. The Legislative Auditor report lists this as salary, insurance, pension, reimbursements, and conference travel. The District Attorney serves the 12th Judicial District, which includes Avoyelles Parish.

The Avoyelles Parish Coroner was listed at $64,004 in total compensation for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024. That included salary of $45,000, insurance of $11,707, retirement of $3,375, other benefits of $2,636, and cell phone of $1,286.

Municipal Mayors

Among municipal officials, the highest verified mayoral compensation found was for the Mayor of Bunkie, listed at $52,617 for the year ending June 30, 2024. That figure included salary, health insurance, retirement, and an expense allowance.

The Mayor of Mansura was listed at $48,455 for the year ending June 30, 2025. The audit lists salary of $42,000, payroll taxes of $3,213, registration fees and dues of $400, cell phone of $769, and travel of $2,073.

The Mayor of Moreauville was listed at $27,859 for the year ending June 30, 2025. That included salary of $26,400 and travel of $1,459.

The Mayor of Simmesport has an official salary set by ordinance at $27,000 per year, paid as $2,250 per month. This figure is listed as an official salary set by municipal action, not as audited total compensation. That means it may not reflect benefits, reimbursements, or other payments if any were made. The Simmesport ordinance also shows the Town Council salary at $450 per month, or $5,400 annually.

The Mayor of Cottonport was listed at $6,066 for the six-month period from Jan. 1, 2025 through June 30, 2025. Because that figure covers only six months for the current mayor, it was annualized to $12,132 for comparison purposes. The six-month amount included salary of $4,800, retirement of $672, taxes of $367, and travel of $227.

The Mayor of Plaucheville was listed at $8,058 in the latest verified audit figure used for this article, for the year ending Dec. 31, 2023. Because a newer verified figure was not used, this is labeled as the latest verified figure found, not a 2025 figure.

The Mayor of Hessmer was listed at $7,722 for the year ending Aug. 31, 2024. That included salary of $6,600, benefits of $545, reimbursements of $277, and conference registration fees of $300.

The Mayor of Marksville was listed at $7,109 for the year ending June 30, 2024. The City of Marksville audit lists salary of $6,195 and insurance benefits of $914.

The Mayor of Evergreen was listed at $4,800 for the year ending June 30, 2025.

Municipal Council and Aldermen Pay

Municipal council and aldermen compensation was generally much lower than mayoral compensation. In several towns, these officials receive a small annual amount rather than a full-time salary.

Based on the verified reports and municipal records reviewed:

  • Simmesport Town Council: $5,400 annually each, based on $450 per month set by ordinance.
  • Moreauville aldermen: $5,150 annually each.
  • Mansura aldermen: $4,200 annually each.
  • Bunkie council members: $4,200 annually each.
  • Cottonport council members: $3,600 annually each.
  • Plaucheville aldermen: $2,600 annually each, based on the latest verified audit figure used.
  • Marksville council members: ranged from $2,065 to $6,195 annually.
  • Evergreen aldermen: ranged from $875 to $1,500 annually, depending on the individual member’s compensation listed in the report.
  • Hessmer aldermen: $600 annually each.

These figures show how sharply compensation can vary from one municipality to another. In some towns, council or aldermen pay is only a few hundred dollars per year. In others, it reaches several thousand dollars annually.

Police Jury and School Board

The Avoyelles Parish Police Jury President was listed at $11,556 for the year ending Dec. 31, 2024. Regular Police Jury members were listed at $10,272 annually each.

The Avoyelles Parish School Board President receives $10,800 annually, based on $900 per month. Regular School Board members receive $9,600 annually, based on $800 per month.

These are not full-time salaries in the same sense as some parishwide administrative offices. They are annualized amounts based on monthly or annual compensation listed in official records.

State Legislators Representing Avoyelles Parish

State legislators are not parish officials, but they represent portions of Avoyelles Parish and are often included in public salary discussions.

Under Louisiana law, regular members of the Louisiana Legislature receive an annual salary of $16,800. That salary is the same for regular members of the House and Senate.

That means State Representative Daryl Deshotel and State Senator Heather Cloud, as regular members, are listed at $16,800 annual salary before any per diem, mileage, or other eligible reimbursements.

Louisiana law also provides a $500 monthly expense allowance, which equals $6,000 annually.

Combined, that is $22,800 annually before per diem, mileage, or other eligible reimbursements.

What These Numbers Show

The numbers show that public compensation in Avoyelles Parish is not one-size-fits-all.

Some offices are full-time administrative positions with salaries and benefits that can exceed $200,000 in total compensation. Other public positions, including many municipal council, aldermen, police jury, and school board positions, are paid as part-time public service roles with annual compensation under $12,000.

The figures also show why it is important to look beyond just the word “salary.” In some reports, the total compensation includes retirement, insurance, travel, cell phone payments, or reimbursements. In others, only the base salary is shown.

That is why Avoyelles Publishing used official sources and labeled the reporting year when available. Where the number was clear, it was included. Where the number could not be verified, it was left out rather than estimated.

Editorial Note: Sources Used


The figures in this article were taken from official public records, primarily Louisiana Legislative Auditor reports, municipal records, state law, and statewide judicial salary information.
Readers may review many of the reports through the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Avoyelles Parish audit report page. The LLA page identifies this section as “Audit Reports Issued For: Avoyelles Parish,” although the page may occasionally show a retrieval error depending on the browser or search filters used.
    •    Louisiana Legislative Auditor, Avoyelles Parish Reports:
https://lla.la.gov/reports/audit-reports/by-parish/avoyelles (https://lla.la.gov/reports/audit-reports/by-parish/avoyelles?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
The official State of Louisiana profile for Avoyelles Parish lists the parish’s incorporated municipalities as Bunkie, Marksville, Cottonport, Evergreen, Mansura, Simmesport, Hessmer, Moreauville, and Plaucheville.
    •    State of Louisiana, Avoyelles Parish Profile:
https://www.louisiana.gov/local-louisiana/avoyelles-parish (https://www.louisiana.gov/local-louisiana/avoyelles-parish?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
Specific reports and sources reviewed include:
    •    Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/F7EA72A4F94EF5A086258DB10080A2C1/%24FILE/00009E5C.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/F7EA72A4F94EF5A086258DB10080A2C1/%24FILE/00009E5C.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Avoyelles Parish Sheriff, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/2552A85B64A89EBE86258BFC0051D6BE/%24FILE/000067CB.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/2552A85B64A89EBE86258BFC0051D6BE/%24FILE/000067CB.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This corrected link replaces the older lla.la.gov/publicreports version, which returned an error in testing.
    •    Avoyelles Parish Assessor, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/C20A34878FB488DA86258CD6006A25D5/%24FILE/0000830C.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/C20A34878FB488DA86258CD6006A25D5/%24FILE/0000830C.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Judicial Salary Snapshot
https://parlouisiana.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PAR-Snapshot-6.26.23.pdf (https://parlouisiana.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PAR-Snapshot-6.26.23.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
A Louisiana Illuminator summary of the PAR report states Louisiana district court judges averaged $168,949 as of January 2023 and were scheduled for a 2.5 percent increase on July 1, 2023.
    •    Louisiana Revised Statute 13:691, District Judge Salaries
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78026
    •    12th Judicial District Attorney, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/9FE31378424D550486258D4000595ABE/%24FILE/00009126.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/9FE31378424D550486258D4000595ABE/%24FILE/00009126.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This source lists District Attorney Charles A. Riddle III’s total compensation at $136,894.
    •    Avoyelles Parish Coroner, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/F892772D29D9E58E86258CB300626504/%24FILE/00007E02.pdf
    •    City of Bunkie, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/F091D37AD8E4EBB986258C1C00760D07/%24FILE/00006ABA.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/F091D37AD8E4EBB986258C1C00760D07/%24FILE/00006ABA.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This corrected link opened properly and shows the City of Bunkie report for the year ended June 30, 2024.
    •    Town of Mansura, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.la.gov/publicreports.nsf/0/44d3c1936cf565c786258d9a0068f61a/%24file/00009b1d.pdf (https://app.lla.la.gov/publicreports.nsf/0/44d3c1936cf565c786258d9a0068f61a/%24file/00009b1d.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This source lists Mayor Kenneth Pickett’s total compensation at $48,455 and aldermen compensation at $4,200 each.
    •    Village of Moreauville, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A91F9CE728430CED86258D4D006B7BE9/%24FILE/00009231.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A91F9CE728430CED86258D4D006B7BE9/%24FILE/00009231.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Town of Simmesport Municipal Pay Ordinance
https://simmesportla.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ordinanceformunicipalpay-1.pdf (https://simmesportla.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ordinanceformunicipalpay-1.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Town of Cottonport, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EFDAEEFA85ECD6C386258DE8005F7CE3/%24FILE/0000A771.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EFDAEEFA85ECD6C386258DE8005F7CE3/%24FILE/0000A771.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Village of Plaucheville, LLA FY2023 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/D001685F4556814B86258B5B00431D5C/%24FILE/000052BF.pdf
    •    Village of Hessmer, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EA551BDAB4BDFCE286258D0F004252ED/%24FILE/00008C7E.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EA551BDAB4BDFCE286258D0F004252ED/%24FILE/00008C7E.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This source lists the mayor’s compensation at $7,722.
    •    City of Marksville, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A07ED87771B1F88386258C00006009F7/%24FILE/00006860.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A07ED87771B1F88386258C00006009F7/%24FILE/00006860.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This source lists Mayor John Lemoine’s total compensation at $7,109.
    •    Town of Evergreen, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/C0183BFFD0D25F0686258D9A0068F5C6/%24FILE/00009B1B.pdf
    •    Avoyelles Parish Police Jury, LLA FY2024 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EFA7CCD16571125686258CF9006A9805/%24FILE/00008A89.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/EFA7CCD16571125686258CF9006A9805/%24FILE/00008A89.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
    •    Avoyelles Parish School Board, LLA FY2025 Audit
https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A07F21455ECDAFF786258DC00049702B/%24FILE/0000A146.pdf (https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/0/A07F21455ECDAFF786258DC00049702B/%24FILE/0000A146.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
This corrected link replaces the older lla.la.gov/publicreports version.
    •    Louisiana Revised Statute 24:31.1, legislative compensation
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=84089

Editorial Note: Sources Used

The figures in this article were taken from official public records, primarily Louisiana Legislative Auditor reports, municipal records, state law, and statewide judicial salary information.

Readers may review many of the reports through the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Avoyelles Parish audit report page:

The official State of Louisiana profile for Avoyelles Parish lists the parish’s incorporated municipalities as Bunkie, Marksville, Cottonport, Evergreen, Mansura, Simmesport, Hessmer, Moreauville, and Plaucheville:

Specific reports and sources reviewed include:

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