The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at the Levee Board Office, 3404 Industrial Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana.
The President, Tim Larkin, called the meeting to order
PRESENT: ALLEY, LARKIN, MOORE, STELLY, WEBB, TOM ARCENEAUX, ATTORNEY AND ROBERT TOMASEK, DOTD ENGINEER.
ABSENT: BANTLE AND MONTGOMERY.
The first order of business was opening prayer by Commissioner Webb and the Pledge of Allegiance by Commissioner Larkin.
On motion by, Moore seconded by Stelly, unanimously passed, the Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes and approved the minutes of the regular board meeting held on September 13, 2017.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
Jacob Champion, GEP Haynesville, LLC appeared at the Applications Review Committee Meeting prior to the regular board meeting to discuss his request for a well pad location and access on the levee. Commissioner Alley and Mark Long, Operations Coordinator discussed the GEP request and stated that the well pad, well location, and a temporary access could be approved and encouraged applicant to find an alternate access route other than the levee for permanent access to the new well site and future well sites; applicant will be submitting additional information for the proposed access road, which will be provided at the November meeting.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Stelly the Board approved the permit request for the well location and well pad.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Stelly the Board granted a temporary 90 day access along the levee for construction of the well pad and well. No comments from the public.
Kurt Nixon, updating the Board on the Beniot Bayou Study was tabled until next month.
James Sterritt representing Mrs. Irene Wilkes, appeared requesting that the Levee District’s easement and the Levee District’s standard plat language not be placed on the subdivision plat map for Hickory Ridge Subdivision, re subdivision Lot 2, Block A, Bossier
Parish, LA. This matter was continued from the September meeting.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Stelly and unanimously passed the request was denied. No comments from the public.
OLD BUSINESS:
The Board reviewed a proposal from Wetlands Unlimited Inc. to complete the wetland permitting (404 permit) for the Red Chute Levee widening.
On motion by Webb, seconded by Alley and unanimously passed, the Board approved the proposal from Wetlands Unlimited Inc. at an estimated cost of $21,000.00.
The Board reviewed a document from Mohr and Associates for LP Development (Legacy subdivision) inquiring about an easement reduction to 70 feet granted in 2004. No action was needed at this time.
The Board discussed the Borrow Pit Lease and Surface Soil Removal Agreement with Atkins-Sonnier Family Lands which will expire on December 31, 2017.
On motion by Webb, seconded by Stelly and unanimously passed the Board authorized the President to appoint a committee to renegotiate and approve a new Borrow Pit Lease and Surface Soil Removal agreement prior to the December 31, 2017 deadline.
Committee: Larkin, Alley, Stelly, Moore and Mark Long.
No comments from the public.
NEW BUSINESS:
Mark Long, Operations Coordinator tabled his request for a utility trailer until the November meeting. No comments from the public.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Stelly and unanimously the Board approved the transfer of $300,000.00 from Huddleston Smith to the checking account for expenditures and payroll. No comments from the public.
Mark Long, Operations Coordinator advised the Board that he had hired an engineer to prepare plans for the Pecan Valley ditch and construction will start after the plans have been completed.
LEVEE AND DRAINAGE REPORT:
Red Chute Levee Improvement Project
- July 2, 2015 – submitted final plans to Corps and DOTD for review.
- April 19, 2016 – Met with Vicksburg Corps and discussed 408 review; they advised that the information submitted by Dewberry was inadequate for their review.
- June 15, 2016 – Met with Vicksburg Corps to discuss 408 H&H submittal.
- July 21, 2016 – Met with Statewide Flood Control manager and discussed building the project in two phases; Phase 1 being from ground line up to current levee elevation and Phase 2 being from current levee elevation up to new levee design grade when approved by Corps. Billy Williamson, Statewide Flood Control manager, spoke favorable of the plan for 2 phases of construction; at this we have not received an official approval.
- July 29, 2016 – Approved contract for Dewberry for additional work required for Corps 408 permit H&H submittal in the amount of $71,210.00.
- October 11, 2016 – Submitted plans for Red Chute Levee Widening Project to the Vicksburg Corps for permit approval.
- November 7, 2016 – Received Letter dated July 21, 2016 advising of additional funding from Statewide Flood Control for Fiscal Year 2017 in the amount of $2,491,345 bring the project to be fully funded at $4,603,460.00.00.
- December 6, 2016 – Received call from Vicksburg Corps, Neal Lewis, Ray Wilson, and James Harper advising that the levee widening permit request requires an H&H study.
- February 14, 2017 – Received call from Mike Miller with Vicksburg USACE Regulatory advising that we need to submit a new 404 permit request.
- February 27, 2017 – Vicksburg Corps members by conference call advised that the proposed levee widening project would require a full H&H Analysis as currently designed; they implied that if the levee widening could be shifted to the land side of the levee the H&H Analysis would not be needed.
- April 25, 2017 – Dewberry submitted an additional H&H analysis for the levee widening project to the Vicksburg Corps.
- June 2, 2017 – Received call from Neal Lewis with Vicksburg Corp; he stated that he thought the levee widening permit would be approved; additional reviews are required by MVD; estimated time to receive 408 permit 30-45 days. In addition, a 404 permit is required and will not be approved until after the 408 permit is received.
- August 7, 2017 –Vicksburg Corps Senior Staff, James Ross, Henry Dulaney and others meet with BLD and discussed the ongoing 408 review for the Red Chute Bayou Levee Improvement Project; they made suggestions for revising the permit request letter and funding needs for the Corps 408 review.
- August 23, 2017 – mailed revised 408 request letter to Colonel Derosier for Red Chute Levee Widening Project.
- September 27. 2017 – Received letter from Colonel Derosier advising that his staff work with the levee district to obtain a 408 permit for the levee widening project.
- Borrow Pit Lease scheduled to expire 12-31-2017.
Flat River Erosion Repair
- Received quotes for channel slope repair on Flat River on the north side of US 80, with a low quote of $71,255.00 from Newt Brown Contractor. Work has not started; revised quotes needed.
- F J Burnell started work on ditch repairs on the Flat River Later Ditch located on the north of Sligo Rd on the south side of Golden Meadows Subdivision, work was completed on September 22, 2017; final cost for contract work $75,660.25; with net overrun of $34,899.25 from the original estimate of $40,761.00. Overrun due to design changes required for constructability purposes.
Red River Corps Study
- March 15, 2017 – Received email from Rich Brontoli advising that the Vicksburg Corps had received funding for the Sediment Survey and Hydraulic Model for the Red River.
- March 29, 2017 – Received schedule of activities for Corps Sediment Study and Hydraulic Analysis for the Red River; estimated time for Hydraulic Model to be finalized is July 2019 and the estimated time for the Sediment Model to be finalized is December 2019.
Bossier Drainage Maintenance Initiative
- Work ongoing, with BLD crew and equipment, clearing brush and small trees from banks of Red Chute Bayou between Hwy 80 and Dogwood Trail on east side of channel.
Drainage Channel – Herbicide Maintenance
- Received quote from Superior Forestry Service to back pack spray 206.1 acres at $170.00 per acre; total $35,037.00.
- Work began on August 31, 2017 and completed on September 9, 2017. Original acreage reduced by approximately 9 acres for a total amount of $33,524.00
Levee Surfacing
- Red River Levee surfacing repairs, approximate station 520+00 to 567+50 and station 1453+00 to 1471+00, combined length 6,550 feet. Received quotes for work with a low quote of $55,419.00 from Newt Brown Contractor. Work started on September 5, 2017 and completed on September 11, 2017.
- Red Chute Levee Surfacing; 0.73 miles of levee surfacing at north end of Red Chute Bayou Levee (State Levee). Received quotes for work with a low quote of $49,539.00 from Newt Brown Contractor. Work started on September 12, 2017 and was completed on September 14, 2017.
Red Chute Bayou
- Red Chute Bayou CMP Repair; requested quotes to install HDPE Pipe Liners for repair of existing 72 inch diameter CMP culverts; received low quote of $144,100.00 from Cambridgemoen LLC. Authorized contractor to order pipe.
Red River Levee Improvements
- Hired Denmon Engineering to survey and develop a preliminary plan for gap closures at two locations where the Red River Levee alignment and UP Rail Road cross between Viking Drive and Shed Road. During the June 2015 flood event the water surface elevation was within approximately 1.9 feet of low points of the Rail Road crossings.
- September 13, 2017 – Denmon Engineering authorized to provide concept plan details for gap closure designs at two Union Pacific RR crossings at a cost not to exceed $5,000.00.
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.
- August 29, 2017 - Corps Hired Labor Crew began work on Red River Levee Bank Caving repairs at levee station 1080+00 to 1087+00 near A. R. Teague Parkway.
- October 6, 2017 – Corps Hired Labor Crew completed Red River Levee Bank Caving repairs at levee station 1080+00 to 1087+00 near A.R. Teague Parkway.
Equipment
- Ordered two new John Deere 6145M Cab Tractors thru state contract in the amount of $91,972.64 each; total $183,945.28. Estimated delivery date January 2018.
Levee and Drainage Crews
- Clearing brush and small trees from east bank of Red Chute Bayou between Hwy 80 and Dogwood Trail.
- Herbicide application on channels and levees.
- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures; cleaning outfall pipes and flap gates.
- Cleaning debris from bridges on Red Chute Bayou and Flat River.
- Made repairs to Flat River Cut-Off Dam near LA 157.
- Repair work on Red River Levee Ramp near levee station 147+00.
- Mowing levees, drainage easements and channels.
- Servicing and repairing equipment.
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 $285,518.97.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Webb the meeting was adjourned at 11:43.
__________________________ _____________________________
Tim Larkin, President Mary Jane Easterly, Secretary