Police Jury Meeting Notes: November 4, 2020

Bossier Parish is hoping for some good news from one of the nation’s top credit rating agencies that publishes analysis and financial information affecting bond ratings for public entities.

Parish Administrator Bill Altimus, along with Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson and Police Jury Treasurer Joe Buffington, presented pertinent information during a conference call with S&P Global Ratings (Standard and Poor’s) Wednesday. A report could be coming sometime next week.

S&P’s report will help determine the parish’s rating and could mean better interest rates on bond offerings.

Despite economic slowdowns and setbacks in many parts of the country due primarily to the COVID pandemic, Bossier Parish’s financial outlook remains strong. One example is a reported 4.2 percent year-to-date increase in the parish’s capital projects sales tax collections.

Figures show 516 new construction building permits issued to date, compared to 521 for the year 2019. In the parish, 16 gas wells are currently in preproduction. And, the parish has advertised for requests for proposals on roughly $32 million in road projects.

“Because of the police jury and the citizens of Bossier Parish we’ve done really well,” Jackson said. “There’s a couple of hundred million dollars in construction planned in the future at Barksdale Air Force Base in relation to Global Strike, and Margaritaville is setting records like they’ve never seen. There are silver linings in Bossier Parish.”

In other business Wednesday, police jury members:        

• Scheduled a public hearing on December 2 to consider the application of Anthony Lowrie to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a Conditional Use Approval for the sale of high and low content alcohol for off-premise consumption at a proposed liquor store and daiquiri shop located at 2955 Highway 80.
• Scheduled a public hearing on December 16 to consider the application of the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission to consider an amendment to the Unified Development Code for new regulations pertaining to adjoining and abutting lots.
• Scheduled a public hearing on December 16 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Fairburn subdivision, Unit No. 5, a resubdivision of Lot 2, Fairburn subdivision, Unit No. 4.
• Scheduled a public hearing on December 16 to consider approval of new sewer rates for the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Accepted report from Health, Water Sanitation & Sewer District Committee.
• Accepted report from Insurance Committee.
• Accepted report from Policy and Procedures Committee and adopted new policy.
• Approved applications for renewal of Bossier Parish beer/liquor licenses for 2021.  (Approved by the Sheriff and the health department.)
• Okayed amendment to street names in Magnolia Ridge subdivision, previously approved on September 16,  to change the street names from Ocean Drive to East and West Josie Lane and from Bertolla Street to Joe Ford Drive.
• Voted to accept amendment of approval of a variance of parish regulation to allow a home to be built below the road surface level previously approved on October 7 to reflect that the correct address is 1570 Wafer Road, Haughton.
• Approved Amendment No. 1 to the agreement for engineering services contract between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and Cothren, Graff, Smoak Engineering, Inc., for engineering services for the Lars Road water line improvements project.
• Approved Change Order No. 1 for project no. 2019-119, Contract III-New Ground Storage Tank for Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Set a public hearing for December 16 to consider changing the speed limit from 40 mph to 25 mph on a portion of Old Brownlee Rd.