Police Jury Meeting Notes: March 17, 2021

A Tuesday kickoff meeting of a special management team has signaled the beginning of millions of dollars-worth of future projects to repair asphalt roads in Bossier Parish damaged during the historic floods of 2015 and 2016.

Assistant Parish Engineer Eric Hudson told members of the Bossier Parish Police Jury Wednesday that the team of engineers and consultants will help the parish work through requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “…so we will have a seamless process as we move forward.”

Bossier Parish will have approximately $32 million in FEMA money to spend on asphalt road projects as the result of an unprecedented win of an appeal heard by a panel of judges in Washington, D.C. last year.

That panel ruled the parish had proved its case that massive damage to roads had been the result of major flooding, overriding FEMA experts that had denied Bossier’s requests for federal assistance.

“We could be going out for bids on the projects around early summer,” Hudson said.

Hudson also told jury members that paving on the West Linton extension project has been completed and sidewalks should be poured soon. Also, bids on replacing the bridge on Caplis Sligo crossing Red Chute Bayou are scheduled for letting, he said.

In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, police jury members:

• Approved plat of the proposed development of Meadows Hills Subdivision, located in Section 14, Township 20 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish (Located on Butler Hill Road north of Bob White Lane). Item was tabled on March 3.
• Approved the application of Mohr and Associates, Inc., to the Haughton Parish MPC, for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of approximately 40 acres, more or less, north of Sligo Road and approximately ¼ mile west of Highway 157, located in Section 8, Township 17 North, Range 11 West, Bossier Parish, from R-A, Residence Agriculture District, to R-E, Residence Estate District, for a single-family subdivision. (Located on Sligo Road just west of the intersection of Highway 157, Johnson Koran Road and Sligo Road).
• Scheduled a public hearing on April 21 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Canal Place Subdivision, Unit No. 1A, being a resubdivision of Lots 21 and 22, Canal Place Subdivision, Unit No. 1, located in Section 32, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish. (Located off Old Brownlee Road on Erie Circle, Canal Place Subdivision, Unit No. 1).
• Scheduled a public hearing on April 21 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Candy Acres Subdivision, Unit No. 1-B, being a resubdivision of Lot 3, Candy Acres Subdivision, located in Section 2, Township 18 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish. (Located off Wafer Road, across from Amanda Lane).
• Agreed to schedule a public hearing on April 21 to consider closing Collinsburg Rd.
• Accepted report on meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee.
• Accepted report on meeting of the Policy and Procedures Committee which included changes in qualifications for officers in the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit.
• Accepted report on meeting of the Recreation Fund Program Committee.
• Approved report on meeting of the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 Board of Appeals, including four disconnects and one closed account.
• Approved the application of Anthony Lowrie for a 2021 Bossier Parish beer/liquor license at Station 80, LLC, 2955 Highway 80, Haughton. Application approved by the Sheriff and the health department.
• Approved implementation of sewer impact fees for the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier. Fees set at $1,500 per new construction of homes hooking onto the system.
• Adopted a resolution declaring the intention of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier, State of Louisiana, to issue Taxable Utilities Revenue Bonds, in one or more series, in an amount not to exceed Seven Million Dollars ($7,000,000) for the purpose of paying the cost of construction and acquiring improvements and extensions to the sewerage portion of the combined waterworks and sewerage system, and providing for other matters in connection therewith.
• Adopted a resolution by the Bossier Parish Police Jury, on behalf of the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier, stating that the annual Municipal Water Pollution Prevention (MWPP) Environmental Audit Report to maintain permit requirements contained in the Louisiana Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Permit No. LA0126152, for the yearly period of 2020 is complete and that no actions were necessary; A copy of the annual MWPP, along with a Certified copy of the resolution will be on file for examination by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at their pleasure.
• Approved proposal of Civil Design Group, LLC, for professional surveying and engineering services for an engineering study and right-of-way plats in connection with Covington Road Extension to LA Highway 614.
• Approved an Amendment to Agreement between the State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, Office of Community Development and Bossier Parish, to implement a grant under the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program through the Restore Louisiana Infrastructure: FEMA Public Assistance Nonfederal Share Match Program.
• Approved amendment to the proposal with Coyle Engineering Co., Inc., for engineering and surveying for construction documents for Bobby Byrd Ditch, and authorize the execution of documents.
• Approved Change Order No. 5 for Project No. 2019-132, West Linton Road Extension to Fairburn Avenue.