NEW ROADS - The Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury is laying off nine parish employees and taking other cost-cutting measures to bring its budget in line with lower-than-projected revenues.

The police jury sent layoff notices to the nine workers Thursday. Six more positions were never filled after employees left, bringing to 15 the number of full-time positions that have been cut from the budget.

Juror Justin Cox, who serves as chairman of the Police Jury's Finance Committee, sent out a memo announcing the parish's reduction efforts - most of which were decided upon during a special meeting Wednesday night.

Cox said the parish hasn't made any workforce reductions in at least 16 years.

Jury President Cornell Dukes said the layoffs were unavoidable.