Monthly Meeting Minutes

The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wedenesday, May 11, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at the Levee Board Office, 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana.

The President, James Rabb, called the meeting to order.

PRESENT: ALLEY, RABB, LARKIN, WEBB, LASSEIGNE, SINCLAIR, TOM ARCENEAUX, ATTORNEY AND ROBERT TOMASEK, DOTD ENGINEER.

ABSENT:  BANTLE, BRANTON AND MONTGOMERY.

The first order of business was opening prayer and pledge of allegiance by President Rabb.

On motion by Lasseigne, seconded by Sinclair, unanimously passed, the Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes and approved the minutes of the regular meeting held on April 13,2016.

REQUESTS BY VISITORS:

Jeff Raley, Raley and Associates representing Boomtown Casino appeared requesting a permit to install sheet pile wall adjacent to the existing berm. The President called for public comments. There being none, votes were cast on the motion.

On motion by Lasseigne, seconded by Sinclair, and unanimously passed the Board approved the request from Boomtown, subject to approval from the Corps of Engineers, DOTD, and a letter of no objection from the Levee Board. The Board gave permission to Boomtown allow them to begin their staging area for this project.

Don Durr, Durr Engineering representing Benton Road Storage was tabled until next month.

Randy Denmon, Denmon Engineering appeared to discuss the status of the Red Chute Levee Raising Project. Mr. Denmon stated that he will be sending a request to the Corps to provide an example of the Hydrologic and Hydraulics System Performance Analysis to be used as a guide for our consultant in submitting the additional information to the Corps needed for the 408 review.

Mr. Denmon stated that the district may not need a 408 permit for this project, he advised the Board that he had found the 1965 Chief Engineers, Corps of Engineers in the state archives records which states the levee was to be dictated by this report.

He stated that the District may have authorization to raise the levee north of Cross Bayou and discussed the possibility of removing the levee from the federal system, this action would require approval through a WRDA bill. The negative impact of this action would result in the loss of eligibility for PL-8499 Rehabilitation assistance from the Corps and the Corps would no longer help with flood fighting in this area. Mr. Denmon spoke with the Statewide Flood Control office and they would approve raising the levee in two projects.

Commissioner Sinclair stated that he would like the District’s attorney to review the Chief Engineer’s report and all documents that will be presented to the Corps concerning the levee raising. The President called for public comments. There being none, votes were cast on the motion.

On motion by Sinclair, seconded by Lasseigne and unanimously passed the Board authorized the President to form a committee to meet with Randy Denmon, Denmon Engineering and Mark Long, Operations Coordinator to discuss further the 1965 Chief’s report and present the report to the Corps for their review. Committee: Lasseigne, Larkin & Sinclair. The President called for public comments.

On motion by Larkin, seconded by Alley and unanimously passed the Board authorized the above committee to investigate the possibility of staging a more sophisticated temporary barrier along the levee in lieu of sandbags to better prepare the community for a flood fight event of the nature we have historically experienced. The President called for public comment.

Commissioner Lasseigne asked Mr. Denmon to analyze and evaluate the rise north and south of Cross Bayou and report his findings at the next monthly meeting.

Kurt Nixon, Nixon Engineering gave a report to the Board on the findings of the high water marks of the 2015 Red River Flooding with information provided by Mr. Long and the Corps of Engineers.

Mr. Nixon stated that he had found three problem areas along the Levee and presented this information to the Board.

North of I-220 by the water reservoir for the City of Bossier, the section of levee to be repaired is 1350 feet long with a cost estimate of $231,507.00.

Wildlife Center, south of town, the section of levee to be repaired is 2680 feet with a cost estimate of $511,081.00.

Near Lock & Dam #5, the section of levee is 30,000 feet with no cost estimate, at this time.

On motion by Larkin, seconded by Lasseigne, and unanimously passed the Board asked Mr. Nixon to prepare a proposal for North of I-220 project , as one contract and the Wildlife Center, south of town as another contract and present his proposal at the next meeting.

The President asked for comments from the public. There being none the Board voted as shown.

OLD BUSINESS:

None.

NEW BUSINESS: 

WHEREAS, Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 38, Section 319, mandates that each Board of Commissioners of each Levee District prepare and regularly review and update its emergency procedures manual, and

WHEREAS, the Bossier Levee District’s Emergency Operations Procedure Manual was developed by the Engineering Department, and has been in use for many years, and

WHEREAS, the Bossier Levee District should conduct an annual review of its EOP, and approve it for the District’s operations, and

WHEREAS, the Bossier Levee District has reviewed and updated the current revision of the EOP, with an effective date of June 1, 2016, and recommends approval.

BE IT HEREBY RESOLUVED, That the Board of Commissioner of the Bossier Levee District approves the Bossier Levee District’s EOP Manual with an effective date of June 1, 2016 and authorizes all actions under the EOP and the Statute.

BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED, That the President or Operations Coordinator be authorized to sign any and all documents necessary to carry out the above.

Ayes: Larkin, Sinclair, Rabb, Lasseigne, Alley and Webb

Nays:

Absent: Montgomery, Bantle and Branton

Resolution adopted.

The President asked for comments from the public.

On motion by Sinclair, seconded by Alley, and unanimously passed the Board approved the 2015-2016 Amended Budget as shown.

President Rabb notified the nominating committee to present a slate of officers at the June, 2016 meeting for the term July, 2016 – June, 2018.

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.

- April 19, 2016 – Met with Vicksburg Corps and discussed 408 review; they advised that the information submitted by Dewberry was inadequate for their review.

Red Chute Levee Maintenance

- Received approval to advertise for bids for HDPE pipe liners for two locations between I-20 and State Levee; revised estimated material cost $105,000.00.

- Seeking approval for work to fill in low areas on levee to replace deteriorating sand bags; no cost estimate at this time.

Bossier Drainage Maintenance Initiative

- Work to resume on Red Chute Bayou between I-20 and Dogwood Trail when site conditions dry.

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 has been received by contractor; will be installed when water level recedes.

Red River Levee PL 84-99 Repairs

- 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.

- February 3, 2016 – Spoke with Barry Moore with the Vicksburg Corps and he advised that the PL 84-99 request has been approved and funds are available for the bank stability repairs at levee station 10+80 to 10+87. He anticipates that a notice to proceed will be given in June of this year and the estimated completion date is September 15, 2016.

- March 31, 2016 – Sent Authorization for Entry to Corps for PL 84-99 Work.

Red River Levee Encroachment Removal

- Removed trees from near flood wall at Horseshoe Casino; cost $7,425.00.

2016 Flood Damages

- Bank Caving on Flat River and Red Chute Bayou; concerns on Flat River near Poole Rd.

- April 14, 2016 – channel inspection found 25,310 feet of bank caving; estimated repair cost for repair $19,000,000.00; damages reported to FEMA no determination on eligibility for funding at this time.

Levee and Drainage Crews

- Maintenance repairs on levees at various locations.

- Repairing sand bags on Red Chute Levee.

- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures; cleaning outfall pipes and flap gates.

- Removed debris drift buildup on bridges.

- Breaking Beaver Dams.

- Servicing and repairing equipment.

- Mowing levees and channels.

Equipment

- Ordered two new 110 HP Tractors thru state contract; estimated delivery July 7, 2016.

- Ordered one 3/4 Ton crew cab 4-wheel drive truck for spray crew thru state contract; estimated delivery July 15, 2016.

- Ordered one full size 4-wheel drive SUV thru state contract; estimated delivery July, 2016.

APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURES:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Secretary for the district be and she is hereby authorized to make the payments set forth above in the amount of $66,904.21.

ADJOURNED:

On motion by Alley, seconded by Webb the meeting was adjourned at 11:42.

NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

__________________________  _____________________________
James Rabb, President                 Mary Jane Easterly, Secretary