LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- Current state Senator Gerald Boudreaux has served with the department of parks and recreation in Lafayette for over four decades. He’s now taking steps in a new direction toward retirement.

However, it wasn’t his intention in doing so.

“When we say retire, I want to be crystal clear that I resigned as my position as director because my direction is different than this administration is going,” Boudreaux said Friday.

Boudreaux said it’s partly because of Lafayette’s new mayor-president.

“As we stand here today, we simply cannot afford many of the things we enjoy and that enrich our community. We have to make difficult choices in a timely manner,” Mayor-President Josh Guillory said in a press conference last month announcing Boudreaux’s exit.

Last year, the Parks & Recreation Department had a budget cut of over 17%. This year, the mayor was pushing for every department other than the safety departments to cut their budgets by another 20%. Boudreaux complied and slashed the budget by another 20% this year before leaving.

“So, my decision to resign was based on a clear path that we wouldn’t get where I wanted to be,” Boudreaux said.

Before his departure, an internal email was sent out claiming Boudreaux was responsible for these budget cuts. However, he says he was only taking orders.

“The accusation was made that I orchestrated that and I approached to see who and what level of the administration it was- because I don’t need to orchestrate anything,” Boudreaux said.

Mayor-president Josh Guillory responded to Boudreaux’s resignation last month with this statement: “Yeah, I don’t have a response except that I’m going to serve the best way I can.”