Police Jury Meeting Notes: May 15, 2019

After weeks of thunderstorms dumping heavy rains in northwest Louisiana, Bossier Parish seems to be escaping many of the severe problems during flood events of years past. That doesn’t mean parish officials aren’t keeping an eye on future weather developments.

Administrator Bill Altimus told Bossier Parish Police Jury members Tuesday that members of the parish emergency preparedness team will be revisiting National Weather Service forecasts later this week to determine what might be expected.

“The accuracy of a (NWS) forecast beyond 48 hours is a consideration,” Altimus said.

Assistant Parish Engineer Eric Hudson said the heavy rains that fell in the northern part of the parish have sent a lot of water to south Bossier. Some low-lying areas and pasture land has taken on water, but levels are not rising rapidly, he added.

Some homes in the parish were flooded, Hudson said, but many seem to be in areas that have experienced problems in the past with rising waters.

“We had 36 homes that were flooded,” Hudson said. “We had 19 in Bossier Parish and 17 in Bossier City. We plan to do damage assessments Wednesday.”

Hudson said Ian Snellgrove, director of the Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, is applying for assistance after the parish signed an emergency declaration last week.

In south Bossier Parish, construction on repairs for Davis Rd. will kick off as soon as the weather permits, Hudson said. Damage to the road is extensive following months of heavy oil field equipment traffic, and an oil company has agreed to pay for the repairs. All that’s necessary “…is a good dry spell so the contractor to start,” Hudson said.

On another issue impacting parish roads, the police jury ratified approval of an agreement with HNBT Corp. for professional engineering and technical expertise to assist the jury’s appeal to FEMA for funds relating to the 2016 flood.

Bossier Parish’s first request for funds to help pay for many flood-damaged asphalt roads was denied. But with the assistance of the local and state Congressional delegation, the parish received an extension on its appeal and has been gathering information to support the claims.

Parish Engineer Butch Ford said earlier the parish is attempting to prove to FEMA that flood waters topping highways for a long period can compromise the road’s subsurface and cause the asphalt surface to fail.

During Tuesday’s meeting, police jury members also:

• Adopted property tax millage rates for 2019 including general alimony, highway, library, health unit and correction facilities.
• Adopted EMS user fee for 2019.
• Adopted acreage tax for 2019. 
• Awarded bid for Fiscal Year 2018 LCDBG Sewer System Improvements - Oak Hill Mobile Home Park project, in accordance with bids received May 9.
• Awarded bid for Sligo Road bridge over Foxskin Bayou in accordance with bids received May 9.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 19 to consider abandonment of streets and easements in Rosedale Park Subdivision.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 19 to consider the application of Travis Beaty, Beaty Land, LLC, to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification on 56.453 acres on the northeast corner of LA Highway 614 and Interstate 20 from R-A, Residence Agricultural, to R-LD Residential, Low Density District, for a residential subdivision.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 19 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Hickory Hills Subdivision, Unit No. 2 Correction Plat.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 19 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Bay Hills Subdivision, Unit No. 2-A.
• Scheduled a public hearing on June 19 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Bay Hills North Subdivision, Unit No. 3-A.
• Heard and accepted report on meeting of the Insurance Committee.
• Ratified approval of an Agreement for Cobra Services between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and COBRA Professionals, Inc.
• Approved a release of option to purchase immovable property in favor of the Bossier Parish Police Jury contained in that certain cash sale deed from the Bossier Parish Police Jury to Coordinating & Development Corporation, dated December 28, 2005.
• Amended Chapter 14, Article II, of the Bossier Parish Code of Consider amendments to Ordinances “Dogs,” to amend certain sections pertaining to rabies vaccines.
• Accepted streets and drainage in Heartwood Acres Subdivision, Unit No. 1, into the parish road system for permanent maintenance. 
• Approved change order No. 14 for State Project No. H.003854.6-R1, North/South Corridor Swan Lake Road (I-220 to Flat River).

Contractors bore for a subsurface sample to help bossier parish in its appeal to FEMA for flood funding.