One difficult piece is all that remains to completing the St. Landry Parish School Board budget puzzle for the next fiscal year.

Supt. Michael Nassif intends to propose at the June 2 board meeting a settlement that will put that piece in place.

Nassif said the question of how much plaintiff attorney Marion Overton White will be awarded for his work in the parish desegregation case is the remaining budget issue.

White has asked the federal court for $9.8 million for work over the past 46 years. That’s about 10 percent of the system’s annual budget, a budget already needing $3.2 million more for increased retirement costs.

The board had a finance retreat back in February to review the monetary nuances. Nassif and his staff have been working since to balance the in with the out.

Finance Chairman Harry Fruge of Eunice said last week that his committee will review the proposal prior to the July meeting.

Nassif said if if White’s award reaches $2 million the budget proposal will include laying off 20 to 25 teachers under the board’s formal Reduction in Force policy - which is essentially last in, first out.