Power Cut For Nonpayment

Power Cut to a Fire Station: The Latest Symbol of a Department in Financial Freefall

ST GEORGE, LA — Just weeks after two damning audits exposed years of mismanagement inside the St. George Fire Protection District, another shocking example of the department’s fiscal instability has come to light: a fire station under this administration once had its electricity disconnected by Entergy due to non-payment. And another was put on notice!

Let that sink in — a first-response facility lost power because the bill wasn’t paid. FOR DAYS on generator power the firemen continued to do their jobs!

In a department responsible for protecting lives and property, keeping the lights on isn’t optional. It’s basic. It’s urgent. And under the current leadership, it was neglected.

This incident isn’t isolated — it fits a pattern of financial collapse that’s been growing for years:

• Over $4.4 million in deficit spending

• Missed bond payments

• Illegal budgeting practices

• Millions in uncollateralized public funds

• No permanent station built after $20M in taxes collected

• Now, utilities at firehouses going unpaid

“Power being cut to a fire station is more than embarrassing — it’s dangerous,” said union officials. “And it shows exactly why this department cannot afford another month of indecision at the top.”

As Chief Gerard Tarleton quietly announces a vague “succession plan” without detail or deadline, the department remains rudderless. Meanwhile, the Board of Commissioners continues to defer action, despite multiple warnings from audits, the union, and the public.

This is the price of inaction:

• Firefighters stretched thin.

• Fire trucks unmanned

• Taxpayers left in the dark — sometimes literally.

• A fire district one step away from financial collapse, still led by the same people who brought it here.

Local 4524 continues to call for immediate leadership change, transparency from the Board of Commissioners, and a new direction focused on accountability, service, and restoring trust.