Police Jury Meeting Notes: September 19, 2018

One Bossier Parish park has officially grown by an additional 12 and one-half acres with the purchase of property adjacent to the parish park located on southern Lake Bistineau.

Parish Administrator Bill Altimus told police jury members Wednesday that documents were signed last week to buy the Roberts property, a parcel that adjoins the parish park on its eastern boundary.

With the purchase, the parish park nearly triples in size. Cost of the land is approximately $235,000.

“We’re working on a master plan for the property. We know basically what it looks like because we’ve walked it,” Altimus said. “We think it’s going to be a great addition to the parish.”

Altimus told jury members that the additional acreage is currently covered in thick trees and vegetation. Plans call for the clearing of the property as soon as possible.

“We have a diamond in the rough there,” District 1 jury member Bob Brotherton said when the police jury authorized the purchase. “I believe there is a very bright future for the camp and for our people.”

A water well has been drilled at the park and plans call for that to be used to supply water for a future bathroom and shower facility. Brotherton said additional RV slots and hookups for water and sewer were in the future along with an enlarged boat launch.

Wednesday also saw jury members adopt a resolution calling for a special election in Police Jury District 2 covering five propositions relating to alcoholic beverage sales. The election will be held Dec. 8. Propositions listed include:

• Shall the sale of beverages of alcoholic content containing not more than 6 percent alcohol by volume be permitted by package only and not for consumption on the premise?
• Shall the sale of beverages of alcoholic content containing not more than 6 percent alcohol by volume for consumption on the premises be permitted?
• Shall the sale of beverage alcohol containing one-half of one percent by volume and above for consumption on the premises be permitted?
• Shall the sale of beverage alcohol containing one-half of one percent by alcohol and volume and above be permitted by package only and not for consumption on the premises?
• Shall the sale of beverages of high and low alcoholic content be permitted only on the premises of restaurant establishments that have been issued an “R” permit as defined by law?

Bossier Parish Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson said Dist. 2 voters should understand there could be “unintended consequences from the votes...” that will be cast in December.

During Wednesday’s meeting, police jury members also:

• Remanded to the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) a request for a zoning reclassification.
• Closed one case in the property standards division and moved to consider condemnation of two parcels in the parish in Merrywoods Subdivision and on Woodlake Dr.
• Agreed to adopt a resolution requesting that the Louisiana Congressional Delegation support legislation to impose a $.10 per pound fee on all seafood imported into the U.S. to be utilized to improve imported seafood safely. Jackson said the reason for consideration is some restaurants are selling a foreign fish that resembles catfish, but isn’t. “There’s no mechanism in place to protect against inferior goods,” Jackson said.
• Voted to accept street and drainage for Sawgrass Parkway into parish road system.
• Agreed to a proposal from Aillet, Fenner, Jolly & McClelland, Inc. for design services for Palmetto Road Widening and to authorize execution of documents.