Police Jury Meeting Notes: July 18, 2018

Bossier Parish Police Jury members adopted tax millage rates for the year 2018 Wednesday and there was a little good news for parish taxpayers.

Millage rates funding the police jury’s operations in three of five categories remained the same as 2017 while two others showed a slight decrease. Highway maintenance millage decreased from 2.07 mills to 1.99, and health unit maintenance was down slightly from 0.85 to 0.82 mills.

Income expected from the 2018 millages rose by slightly more than $100,000 over 2017. Last year, the millages brought in $15.024 million and this year’s anticipated levy is slightly more than $15.1 million.

According to figures prepared by Assessor Bobby Edmiston, total 2018 tax values in Bossier Parish rose roughly $15 million over last year. Combined 2018 values inside and outside Bossier City showed $977,047,223 in taxable property. Last year, the values came in at just under $967 million.

Parish Engineer Butch Ford had to deliver some disappointing news to jury members concerning paved roads in the parish that had been damaged during the flooding of 2016.

“We were notified July 3 that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has denied our application for road damage...that’s $25 million,” Ford said. “We have until Sept. 3 to appeal and we’re going to be discussing what we can do about information they claim we did not submit.”

Also during Wednesday’s meeting, jury members:

• Adopted $36 per year EMS user fees and acreage tax of 8 cents per acre for 2018, same as 2017
• Awarded a bid for demolition of a home at 227 Shadow Ridge Dr., approved by a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
• Held public hearings on seven separate applications requesting zoning classification changes, plat approval for subdivision developments and plat approval for individuals.
• Agreed to schedule public hearings on August 15 to hear nine separate requests for plat approval on future developments.
• Voted to condemn property in the 3000 block of Sligo Rd.
• Heard a report from the jury’s insurance committee.
• Approved a request from Margaritaville Resort Casino for a letter of no objection to selling alcohol and beer at the second annual SIP, Unlimited.
• Declared a small piece of property surplus and authorized advertising for bids to sell.
• Approved the renewal of utility franchise agreement with Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) for 25 years.
• Reappointed Ms. Eddie Scott, Robert Taylor and Gary Lyles to the Board of Commissioners for Bossier Parish Fire Dist. 7 for two-year terms.
• Agreed to participate in a class action lawsuit concerning the parish’s payment in lieu of taxes (PLIT).
• Approved a change order on the Bossier North-South Corridor project on Swan Lake Rd.
• Approved proposals of Coyle Engineering Co. to stake right-of-way for Eighty Acres Dr., for surveying services for the Swan Lake Rd. at Flat River realignment project and for surveying services at Harbor Landing.