The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 10:00 o’clock a.m. at the Levee Board Office, 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana.
The President, James Rabb, called the meeting to order.
PRESENT: SINCLAIR, LASSEIGNE, RABB, LARKIN, ALLEY, BRANTON, BANTLE, and WEBB.
ABSENT: MONTGOMERY.
The first order of business was opening prayer and pledge of allegiance by Commissioner Lasseigne.
On motion by Sinclair, seconded by Alley and unanimously carried the minutes of the December 9 and December 16, 2015 meetings were approved.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
Mark Long, Operations Coordinator for the Board represented Jeff Raley, Engineer, in a request on behalf of Sheldon McCranie. Mr. McCranie requested a permit in 2013 for a bayou crossing on Beniot Bayou with two 8’ diameter tank cars culverts. This permit was approved by the Board and recorded in 2013 under recorded document #1077843; a letter of no objection by the DOTD was attached. The DOTD letter expired in 2015, at this time Mr. McCranie is requesting a new letter by the DOTD which will expire in 2018, this letter will allow Mr. McCranie to complete the work in the original permit.
On motion by Sinclair, seconded by Branton and unanimously passed the Board approved the request subject to the following:
Authorize the amendment of the current permit, to extend the deadline and to tie this amendment to the plans that were submitted in 2012 and reference the 2013 letter of no objection, in the current amendment, with construction to begin on the work before January 1, 2018.
Mr. Butch Ford, Engineer, Bossier Parish Police Jury appeared to give the Board an update on the current Bossier Parish Consolidated Sewage System and advise the Board on the Red River Flood Technical Committee Meetings.
OLD BUSINESS:
None.
NEW BUSINESS:
The Board discussed buying a generator for the office building and reviewed the quote that was submitted prior to this meeting. The Building and Grounds committee met on January 13, 2016 and advised Mark Long, Operations Coordinator, to meet with an electrical engineer prior to the February, 2016 meeting to obtain more information.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Lasseigne and unanimously passed the Board approved a sponsorship for the Red River Valley Association Convention to be held February 17-18, 2016.
LEVEE AND DRAINAGE:
Red Chute Levee Improvement Project
- July 2, 2015 – submitted final plans to Corps and DOTD for review.
- August 6, 2015 – received letter from Statewide Flood Control for Fiscal Year 2016 Funding; $980,100 for FY 15/16; total to date $2,112,115; balance to complete State’s obligation $2,491,345.
- November 10, 2015 – Dewberry submitted additional hydraulic study information for the Corps 408 review; no additional comments from 408 review at this time.
- December 7, 2015 – Conference call with Vicksburg Corps, Denmon, BLD, and Dewberry – Corps advised that additional information needed for 408 permit request; Dewberry is working on additional information needed.
- December 26, 2015 – Jacob Lesue with Dewberry submitted revised hydraulics information for the 408 permit review and was advised by the Corps that it would be a minimum of one month before they could look at the revised submittal.
Red Chute Levee Maintenance
- Place embankment and crushed stone in low areas on levee (approximately 5,000 LF) and remove sand bags. The previously estimated cost of $65,000 will not be sufficient to complete the project due to under estimation of required embankment and damages to levee surfacing when accessing repair sites. Sandbags placed in spring of 2015 removed from levee.
Bossier Drainage Maintenance Initiative
- BLD crews mulching debris removed from Red Chute Bayou.
Red Chute Bayou Levee Sluice Gate Repair
- Received quote of $20,455 to replace a sluice gate and refurbish sluice gate box located on Barksdale AFB. Sluice gate order delayed; Estimated deliver Jan 1, 2016.
Red River Levee
- Request to hire surveyor / engineer to prepare 2015 flood profile / levee profile and to identify areas of deficient free board.
- August 18, 2015 – PL 84-99 Eligibility Determination site visit with Vicksburg USACE to inspect bank caving near Red River Levee station 1080+00 to 1087+00; also area near levee station 2385+00 stability berm is eroding.
- November 10, 2015 - No official confirmation of PL 84-99 approval at this time; we did receive verbal information that the site at 2385+00 would not be approved and the site at station 1080+00 to 1087+00 is still under consideration.
Levee and Drainage Crews
- Mulching trees and logs removed from Red Chute Bayou.
- Hauling and placing crushed stone on Red Chute Bayou Levee north of Dogwood Trail.
- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures; cleaning outfall pipes and flap gates.
- Removing sand bags on Red Chute Levee.
- Breaking Beaver Dams.
- Servicing and repairing equipment.
Equipment
- Replacement bed for service truck; estimated cost $8,300.00.
APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURES:
On motion by Sinclair, seconded by Branton unanimously passed the Board approved the expenditures for December 2015.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Secretary for the district be and she is hereby authorized to make the payments set forth above in the amount of $26,222.45
ADJOURNED:
On motion by Bantle, seconded by Webb the meeting was adjourned at 10:50.
NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
__________________________ _____________________________
Mary Jane Easterly, Secretary James Rabb, President