Police Jury Meeting Notes: May 18, 2022

Bossier Parish agreed Wednesday to join three other local public bodies to help keep the old Jimmie Davis bridge clean once the structure becomes a linear park with the construction of a new bridge over the Red River.

Police Jury members voted unanimously to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Caddo Parish Commission, City of Shreveport and City of Bossier City to provide the necessary cleaning maintenance services.

Included in the MOU are the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development and the Louisiana Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has told the local entities the state is willing to accept the old bridge into Louisiana's park system.

Parish Administrator Butch Ford told jurors the MOU would mean all entities agree to help pick up trash and to keep the linear park clean. Once the bridge is declared a linear park, pedestrians and bicycles would be allowed access.

"With this agreement, all of us would be responsible to provide adequate trash receptacles and liners, to replace these on a weekly basis, the sweeping of debris and any other maintenance required to keep it clean," Ford said. He also said each local governing body would take on the duties over three-month periods.

"The whole gist of this is we get a new four-lane Jimmy Davis bridge if they (the state) make this a linear park," Ford explained.

Jury President Tom Salzer said the idea of presenting an MOU rather than forming an Economic Development Commission with the partners boiled down to money and responsibility.

"An EDC would require all entities to put up money and incur administrative costs," he said. "This (MOU) shows them we're willing to take on some responsibility but not take on financial or liability issues."

Also at Wednesday's meeting, police jury members:

• Awarded bid for Project No. 2021-127, Eastwood drainage improvements, in accordance with bids received May 10.
• Awarded bid for Project No. 2022-106, Glendale Lane street improvements, Phase IV, in accordance with bids received May 10.
• Awarded bid for Project No. 2022-112, White Oak ditch sanitary sewer, in accordance with bids received May 10.
• Awarded bid for Project No. 2021-121, DR 4263 PW 910 Paved Roads, Task Order No. 9 and Project No. 2021-124, DR 4263 PW 910 Paved Roads, Task Order No. 12, in accordance with bids received May 10.
• Approved the plat of the proposed development of Miciotto subdivision, Unit No. 1, located in Section 16, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off West Linton Rd.
• Approved the plat of the proposed development of Willow Chute Ranch subdivision, located in Sections 27 and 28, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Myers Rd.
• Approved the application of Bryan Scott Gibson to the Bossier City-Parish MPC for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 1.691 acres, more or less, located at 117 Bodcau Station Rd., Haughton, from R-A, Residence-Agricultural District, to B-1, Business, Commercial Office District, for commercial marketing purposes.
• Amended Chapter 110 of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances “Subdivisions,” to add and/or amend certain sections or subsections.
• Agreed to remove from the agenda amending Chapter 10, Article III, of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances “Public Interest and Special Events”, to amend Section 10-38(c)(3).
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 15 to consider adoption of an ordinance amending Chapter 82 of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances of Bossier Parish, “Parks and Recreation” to add Article III “South Bossier Park.”
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 15 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Linton Road subdivision, located in Section 10, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Linton Rd.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 15 to consider approval of the Minor Plat for Tamara B. Wynn located in Section 34, Township 18 North, Range 11 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 15 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Dalco Brownlee subdivision, located in Section 33, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish.
• Agreed to condemn property located at 308 Pease Road, Haughton, and property located at 210 S. Clover Leaf Drive, Haughton.
• Accepted reports on meetings of the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 Board of Appeals and the Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee.
• Adopted a resolution approving the holding of an election in South Bossier Parish Fire District No. 2 of the Parish of Bossier, State of Louisiana, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, to authorize the levy of a special tax therein.
• Authorized execution of a Letter of Support for The Port of Caddo-Bossier in connection with their Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant application for Interstate 69 (I-69) frontage road connector roadway.
• Adopted a resolution proclaiming May 22, 2022, as National Maritime Day.
• Approved a Multi-Jurisdictional Agreement for the Seventh Planning District Consortium Workforce Development Board.
• Adopted resolutions supporting applications for funding through the FY2021-2022 Local Government Assistance Program and Community Water Enrichment Fund.
• Adopted resolutions supporting applications for funding through the FY2022 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant.
• Approved proposal of Carlisle Thompson, LLC, for professional services for infrastructure grants.
• Approved an agreement between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and Aethon Energy Management, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, for reconstruction of a portion of Mayflower Rd.