The City-Parish Council cut the salaries to $1 for the Lafayette Utilities System director and new communications director until more is known about the future of LUS.

Councilman Bruce Conque was behind the move, designed to stop Mayor-President Joel Robideaux from recruiting a new LUS director until the council decides whether to accept a proposal from a private firm, Bernhard Capital Partners, to manage the city-owned utility system.

Bernard's proposal is expected to be presented to Robideaux in mid-September, Conque said. It may not get to the council until October. Council deliberations, he said, may extend beyond Nov. 1, into the new fiscal year covered in the 2018-19 budget.

RELATED: Bernhard says his company can manage LUS better

The necessary skills and experience of the new director will vary greatly if he manages LUS as it exists today, a $250 million entity, Conque said, versus if BCP takes over management.

The salary of the LUS director as it appears in the proposed 2018-19 budget was $115,000 a year.

MORE: Who is Jim Bernhard and why does he want to manage LUS?

Long-time LUS Director Terry Huval was paid between $200,000 and $250,000. He retired in July.

Robideaux's proposed budget also splits off the LUS fiber (communications) division from LUS, creating a new communications department with its own director. The council also reduced that salary to $1 in the 2018-19 budget.

Robideaux, who did not attend Thursday's council meeting, previously said the fiber division is 10 years old and a $40 million to $50 million a year enterprise that needs its own director.

Conque said Robideaux has not presented the council with an organizational chart or any other information about the proposed communications department since presenting the proposed budget in July.

Both salaries can be reviewed and adjusted as needed.

READ MORE:

Huval concerned about sale, management of LUS by third party

What would Lafayette get out of LUS proposal?