Police Jury Meeting Notes: February 15, 2023

Bossier Parish will be on the receiving end of a pair of grants totaling more than $6.6 million dedicated to construction, improvements and safety measures on several parish roads.

Parish Engineer Eric Hudson told parish police jury members Wednesday that a Local Road Safety Program (LRSP) grant of $3 million will target more than 50 miles on nine roads for striping, signage and other low-cost safety improvements.

Included in the LRSP are 15-plus miles of Old Plain Dealing Rd. from the Benton town limits to Plain Dealing town limits while 10 miles of Bellevue Rd. from U.S. Hwy. 80 to LA 157 will see improvements.

Other roadways included in the program are Linton Cutoff Rd. from Linton Rd. to LA 162; Linton Rd. from Airline Dr. to end of pavement; Parks Rd. from Linton Rd. to Crouch Rd.; Bodcau Station Rd. from the railroad crossing to U.S. 80; Sligo Rd. from LA 612 (Caplis Sligo Rd.) to LA 157; and Johnson Koran Rd. from LA 157 to LA 527.

Hudson told police jury members the Local Road Safety Program grant is provided by the federal government through the state. Projects on three parish roads, estimated to cost just over $3.668 million, will be funded through an Eastern Federal Lands Access Program grant. This grant requires 20 percent participation from the parish.

Roads designated for design and engineering plus paving, road base or surface course projects include Bodcau Dam Rd., Cotton Valley Rd. and Ivan Lake Rd. "These are projects that we'll probably be getting to in about a year," Hudson said.

During Wednesday's meeting, police jury members also:

• Gave special recognition to Wesley Reed for an act of heroism that saved the lives of a family in distress off a beach in Hawaii.
• Removed from agenda consideration of plat of the proposed development of River Square subdivision, being a resubdivision of portions of Lots 16, 17, 24 and 25, Shady Grove Plantation subdivision, located in Section 29, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Benton Road. (Tabled on meeting of February 1, 2023.)
• Approved the plat and site plan of the proposed development of Covenant Church subdivision, located in Section 29, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Highway 3 north of Lafitte Lane.
• Approved plat and site plan of the proposed development of Haughton Tenant Center, located in Section 16, Township 18 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish; located off Highway 80.
• Scheduled a public hearing on March 15, to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Crump subdivision, located in Section 15, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Linton Road.
• Accepted report on meeting of the Animal Control Committee.
• Authorized the Parish Administrator, Parish President, and Parish Treasurer to execute any and all documents in connection with an agreement with 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.
• Ratified approval of Amendment No. 2 to the 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.
• Accepted a proposal from Mike Hefner, Geographic Planning & Demographic Services, LLC, for assignment of polling locations for new precincts created due to redistricting.
• Adopted the Communications Policy for Sensory Impairments in connection with the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant.
• Adopted the Language Access Plan for limited English proficiency persons in connection with the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant.
• Reappointed Billy Jordan and John Mark Robertson to the Board of Directors for Bossier Parish Communications District No. 1 for four-year terms each, terms to expire March 1, 2027; joint appointments with the City of Bossier City.
• Approved the application of David R. Cook, for a 2023 Bossier Parish beer/liquor license at Daiquiri Palace, 1911 Highway 80E, Haughton. (Approved by the Sheriff’s Office and Health Department.)
• Adopted a resolution authorizing the Parish of Bossier to join with the State of Louisiana and other local governmental units as a participant in the Subdivision Settlement Participation Form(s) of the distributor settlement agreement and CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart settlement agreement.
• Approved the Certificate of Substantial Completion for Project No. 2022-100, Bay Hills main entrance improvements.
• Approved Change Order No. 2 for Project No. 2021-130, Contract 1 – Well No. 5 – North Woods well, on behalf of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Approved Change Order No. 2 for Project No. 2022-105, Merrywoods subdivision sewer collection system improvements, on behalf of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Approved Certificate of Substantial Completion for Project No. 2022-105, Merrywoods subdivision sewer collection system improvements, on behalf of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Ratified acceptance of a proposal of Budd’s Construction, Inc., for emergency sewer repair at 244 Cattail Trail, Benton, located in Kingston Plantation subdivision, on behalf of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Adopted a resolution in opposition of a policy change by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) concerning inundated roads during flooding.