05/12/2026
This budget vote mattered.
On the City of Kenner’s Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025–2026, the council record shows the budget passed 4–2.
Voting in favor:
Councilwoman Dee Dunn, Councilman LaHatte, Councilman Branigan, and Councilwoman McKinney
Voting opposed:
Councilman Tom Willmott and Councilman Scharwath
Absent: Councilman Brennan
KFFA wants to thank Councilman Tom Willmott and Councilman Scharwath for voting opposed and recognizing that this budget process did not adequately protect the long-term pay and retention of Kenner firefighters.
This was not just a routine budget vote, any vote that didn't oppose this budget negatively impacted Kenner Firefighters.
The administration’s budget that passed helped set the stage for the firefighter pay plan that followed — a plan that may have improved starting pay, but reduced long-term earning potential for firefighters over the course of their careers.
That matters to our members, and it should matter to the public.
Firefighters were told the millage and budget process would help fix pay, improve retention, and strengthen the department. But the pay plan that followed failed to properly account for years of service, experience, education, certifications, and the long-term value of keeping trained firefighters in Kenner.
A pay plan that weakens long-term retention does more than affect a paycheck. It affects experience levels, staffing stability, morale, and ultimately public safety. Kenner residents deserve a fire department that can recruit new firefighters, retain experienced firefighters, and protect the public with the staffing and experience this city depends on.
