Police Jury Meeting Notes: August 21, 2022

Bossier Parish has seen its share of good fortune in receiving state and federal money to help fund parish projects, and Parish Administrator Butch Ford told members of the police jury that the parish hopefully will have success in funding requests to the state's capital outlay program.

"We've given the list of our requests for capital outlay funding to our legislators and hopefully we'll be hearing positive things from those requests," Ford said. "We have received some money from the state Department of the Treasury, and this year we received $500,000 for the LA Hwy. 3 at I-220 project."

A pair of parish parks have already received notice of approval for Treasury grants including $75,000 for additional athletic fields at South Bossier Park and $25,000 for a future park at Kingston Rd.

Also received in 2022 was $300,000 for water and sewer service to the new Teal Jones sawmill project.

A $700,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Land Water Conservation Fund will be used for improvements and additional facilities at Parish Camp on Lake Bistineau.

Ford said most requests for capital outlay funds are targeting infrastructure needs of the parish that will help facilitate growth and alleviate traffic problems. Financial assistance from the state is being sought for projects including:

• Bossier Parish east/west corridor from Benton Rd. to Airline Dr.; cost estimate $8.2 million.
• Improvements to LA Hwy. 3 (Benton Rd.) would add additional lanes from Brownlee Rd. through the I-220 interchange to Viking Dr.; cost estimate approximately $15 million; police jury received $500,000 for the project in 2022 from capital outlay.
• Improvements to LA Hwy. 157, LA Hwy. 3227 to U.S. Hwy. 80 in Haughton; cost estimate $16.4 million.
• Construction of new pavilions at South Bossier Park; cost estimate $192,960.
• Expansion of the north collection system of Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District #1; cost estimate $18.8 million.

"We've heard nothing from capital outlay about these projects," Ford told jury members. "We're trying to find any pot of money we can before we have to go out and borrow money to get these done."

Also during Wednesday's meeting, police jury members:

• Tabled adoption of the Haughton Metropolitan Planning Commission Zoning Map until Oct. 19.
• Approved the Minor Plat for Catherine Vanwinterswyk, located in Section 5, Township 18 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish; located off Stockwell Road.
• Tabled a proposed plat and site plan for Robella Office Park subdivision, located in Section 33, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located on the corner of Wemple Road and Old Brownlee Road.
• Approved the plat of the proposed development of Willow Creek at Benton subdivision, Unit No. 2A, being a resubdivision of Lots 19, 20, and 2000, Willow Creek at Benton subdivision, located in Section 24, Township 20 North, Range 14 West, Bossier Parish; located off Old Plain Dealing Road.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 19 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Belmere subdivision, Unit No. 7, located in Section 4, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Aaron Lane.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 19 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Providence Classical Academy subdivision, being a resubdivision of Tracts 1 and 2, Minor Plat for Bonomo Investment Company, LLC, located in Sections 4 and 5, Township 18 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish; located off Old Brownlee Road.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 19 to consider approval of the Minor Plat for Caddo-Bossier Parishes Port Commission, located in Sections 27 and 34, Township 22 North, Range 13 West, Plain Dealing; located on the corner of LA Highway 3 and Rocky Mount Road.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 19 to consider approval of the site plan for Teal Jones saw mill, located in Sections 27 and 34, Township 22 North, Range 13 West, Plain Dealing; located on the corner of LA Highway 3 and Rocky Mount Road.
• Accepted reports from meetings of the Policy and Procedures Committee and the Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee; adopted change policy manual for concerning employee sick leave.
• Adopted a resolution designating the Parish Administrator to act on behalf of the Bossier Parish Police Jury in all matters pertaining to Bossier Parish capital outlay project - improvements to LA Highway 3 (Benton Road) and I-220 interchange, planning and construction, FP&C project No. 50-J08-22-01.
• Adopted a citizen participation plan/citizen complaint procedure, and approve the appointment of the Parish Administrator as citizen complaint officer in connection with the FY 2023 Louisiana Community Development Block Grant Program.
• Approved the recommendation of the Bossier Parish Industrial Tax Exemption Program review committee, in the matter of the ITEP application of Sierra Frac Sand, 350 Ballard Road, Plain Dealing.
• Approved applications for renewal of Bossier Parish beer/liquor licenses for 2023, subject to approval by the health department.
• Adopted an ordinance, as previously approved on November 17, 2021, authorizing the Parish Administrator or Parish President to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement pursuant to La. R.S. 48:2037 between Tim James, Inc., and the parish of Bossier authorizing Tim James, Inc., to construct, maintain and operate, at its expense, a toll bridge and necessary feeder roadways across privately owned lands.
• Approved a service and usage agreement between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and the Town of Plain Dealing in connection with Carstarphen Heights subdivision.
• Approved a service and usage agreement between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and the Town of Plain Dealing in connection with Demoss Hill subdivision.
• Approved certificate of substantial completion for Project No. 2021-109, Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 expansion of wastewater collection system – Airline Drive.
• Approved change order No. 4 for Project No. 2021-109, Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 expansion of wastewater collection system – Airline Drive.
• Approved supplement No. 1 to the proposal of Beast Engineering, LLC, for resident engineer inspection services (Disaster Relief), RFP 2020-112, DR 4263 PW 910 Paved Roads, Task Order No. 6.