ST. FRANCISVILLE - Qualifying employees with the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office will receive $8,000 as part of a prepayment negotiated with Hut 8, which is building a multi-billion-dollar data center in the area, Sheriff Brian Spillman said.

Spillman said that as part of its Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement, Hut 8 negotiated a $10 million prepayment to the parish. The sheriff's office received $800,000 of that prepayment, with Spillman saying the full allocation will go toward employee retention and recruitment.

"Under the program, qualifying employees will receive $4,000 on August 1, 2026, and an additional $4,000 on January 15, 2027," Spillman said. "As a prospective supplemental compensation program, the payment is structured as additional compensation for services to be rendered during the applicable term of employment, funded entirely through this non-recurring revenue source."

The supplemental compensation program is contingent upon continued employment through each respective payment date, according to officials.