The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 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.
ROLL CALL PRESENT: ALLEY, MONTGOMERY, MOORE, AND STELLY
ABSENT: BANTLE AND WEBB
The first order of business was opening prayer by Commissioner Montgomery and the Pledge of Allegiance by Commissioner Larkin.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Alley, and unanimously passed, the Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes and approved the minutes of the regular Board Meeting held on November 13, 2019.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
DDR & E Investments, LLC appeared to request permission for a permanent encroachment of the Bossier Levee Board’s easement for Lot 1, Willow Chute Commercial Subdivision, Unit No.1, (5510 Airline Drive) for the construction of a 2,500 square foot building with parking spaces for retail space on the north end of the property. The Applications Committee and the Board recommended that this permit request be postponed until the next meeting, which will be held on January 8 th , 2020: to continue discussions with the Parish Engineer regarding the location of the floodway, and the Levee District to reevaluate the high bank.
Smith Engineering on behalf of Total Properties requested the use and occupancy of a portion of the outer 50 feet of the District’s 100 foot wide Access and Maintenance Easement along the right descending bank of Willow Chute Bayou, located at the southwest corner of Airline Drive and Vanceville Road intersection, for a parking area for a proposed 7500 square foot Dental Clinic.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Stelly, and unanimously passed on recommendation from the Applications Committee the permit request for the location of the building and the parking lot as shown in the plans submitted was approved, subject to the applicant providing the Bossier Levee District with the plan for fill and excavation. No comments from the public.
Mr. Cole Cummings who resides at 366 Cattail Trail, Benton, LA located in the Kingston Plantation, Unit No. 2, requested a permit to install a 4’ tall chain link fence in his backyard connecting 2 pre-existing neighbors’ fences that would encroach 65 feet into the Bossier Levee District’s Control Area.
On motion by Stelly, seconded by Montgomery, and unanimously passed on recommendation from the Applications Committee the fence permit request was approved, subject to verification that the fence was not in the Willow Chute floodway. This permit request will be reviewed further by Mark Long, Operations Coordinator for the Bossier Levee District for issuance. No comments from the public.
Dr. Chris Trosclair met with the Applications Committee to discuss the potential purchase of a piece of property from Mr. Mark Roberts in Willow Chute Estates, Unit No.1, off of Wemple Road where he has plans of building a future permanent structure/home near Willow Chute Bayou that would encroach 50 feet into the Bossier Levee District’s Control Area.
On recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board discussed the proposed building site and they both advised Dr. Trosclair should discuss the encroachment and project near Willow Chute in further detail with Butch Ford, Parish Engineer to determine possibilities and future risks associated \ with his anticipated building plans. No action taken.
OLD BUSINESS:
Jacob LeSue with Dewberry and Kurt Nixon with Nixon Engineering were present and they both updated the Board and discussed the ongoing Red Chute Mitigation Analysis and gave examples and ideas for possible mitigation plans for mitigating flood reduction improvements. No action taken.
The Applications Committee and the Board reviewed the Pre-Application Notice Cross Horizontal Alternate Unit Well HA RA SUI & RA SUG, Swan Lake Field, letter received from Blanchard Walker on behalf of Comstock Oil & Gas – Louisiana, LLC.
The Committee and the Board advised Mark Long, Operations Coordinator and Tom Arceneaux, Attorney for the BLD to investigate further and to be mindful of possibilities. No action taken.
NEW BUSINESS:
The Bossier Levee District did not receive any proposed plats for approval from the MPC nor any other agencies, therefore no discussion was needed.
Tim Larkin, President appointed Commissioner Mr. Michael Moore to be an additional member of the Applications Committee, in which he will serve in addition to other committees.
On motion by Stelly, seconded by Alley, and unanimously passed the Board approved the yearly contract renewal with Blanchard, Walker, O’Quinn, and Roberts for the year 2020 to represent the Bossier Levee District in litigation approved by the Attorney General. No comments from the public.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Montgomery, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the BLD to provide lunch, not to exceed $500.00, during the final 2019 safety and employee recognition meeting. No comments from the public.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Ally, the Board approved a resolution to retain Mr. Tom Arceneaux with Blanchard, Walker, O’Quinn, & Roberts as the Bossier Levee District’s legal counsel and renew his contract for the 2020 year.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Montgomery, and unanimously passed the Board approved the transfer of $250,000.00 from Huddleston Smith to the checking account for upcoming expenditures including payroll and construction projects. No comments from the public.
LEVEE AND DRAINAGE REPORT:
Red Chute Levee Improvement Project
- January 9, 2019 at 9:30 am. – opened bids on Red Chute Bayou Levee Improvement Project; with low bid of $5,145,791.49 from Testament Construction Services, LLC.
- March 22, 2019 – contract signed with Testament Construction.
- July 23, 2019 – Started Time Charges.
- November 21, 2019 – Work approximately 41% complete. Red Chute Levee Raise Project
- Mitigation analysis for levee raise is being conducted by Nixon Engineering and Dewberry Consultants.
- October 31, 2019 – Nixon Engineering delivered mitigation report.
Red Chute Bayou Channel
- Recent high-water events have caused several slope failures on the bayou inside Barksdale AFB; work is needed to remove trees and stabilize slope failures near levee.
- July 24, 2019 – Vicksburg Corps conducted a damage assessment of high-water damages on Red Chute Bayou; no determination as of November 11, 2019.
- October 1, 2019 – Began work removing fallen trees from bayou on BAFB.
- November 4 - BLD crew with hired labor completed work of removing trees from channel on BAFB, remaining work of tree disposal to begin after BAFB hunting season. Tree removal ongoing on Red Chute Bayou between Dogwood Trail and BAFB.
- December 9, 2019 – Donald Walker, Chief of Vicksburg Corps Emergency Management called and advised that the Vicksburg Corps would be providing funding for approximately 10 bank caving sites along the levee.
- December 10, 2019 – Captain Papia with the Vicksburg District made a site visit to assess the bank repair areas.
Red River Levee Certification
- Levee certification expires September 30, 2019.
- May 8, 2018 – sent letter to Corps requesting their services in providing new levee certification.
Red River Corps Study
- 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.
- August 28, 2019 – the Vicksburg Corps met with the Flood Technical Committee and briefed the Committee on the preliminary findings from the Study. The Study has produced a new 100-year flood profile which indicates that a portion of the levee north of Lock and Dam 5 has less than the minimum 3-foot free board; the new 100-year flood profile will also require new Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) be established. The Study is scheduled to be completed in March or April of 2020. Shona Gibson with FEMA Region 6 was also at the meeting and she said the Corps and FEMA will be working together to produce the new BFE’s; she also said that our levee system will not be re-certified due to the deficient levee height north of Lock and Dam 5. We have been in communication with the Corps to obtain a copy of the new 100-year flow line.
- September 18, 2019 – Received Red River 1% WSE Profile from Corps in an Excel file, the information provided was not compatible with existing levee profile information on file at BLD.
- September 18, 2019 - requested Vicksburg Corps to plot profile of new 100-year water surface elevation onto existing NLD Plan and Profile drawings of Red River Levee.
- December 6, 2019 – we received the new 1% river profile grades for the Red River Levee from the Vicksburg Corps; waiting to receive levee plan and profile with 1% river profile.
Flat River Erosion Repairs
- Nixon Engineering – working on survey and preliminary design for erosion control work north of Sligo Road.
Red Chute Bayou Levee Culvert Rehab
- May 9, 2018 – approval given for contract to line remaining unlined CMP Culverts on Red Chute Bayou Levee in the amount of $138,317.52.
Bossier Levee District Facility Upgrades
- March 18, 2019 – M&M Builders started work on Bossier Levee District Facility Upgrades.
- November 11, 2019 – New Shop Building 99% complete; paving and incidental work 95% complete.
- December 9, 2019 – work is substantially complete except for repairs needed to correct ponding in concrete drive, security camera repairs, and waterline protection sleeves, and various other punch list items.
Levee and Drainage Crews
- Mowing levees and drainage channels.
- Herbicide basal treatment on trees in drainage channels.
- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures; cleaning outfall pipes and flap gates.
- Removing fallen trees from Red Chute Bayou.
- Breaking up beaver dams.
- Repairing gates on levee.
- Trimming tree limbs on levee.
- Various site work at Bossier Levee District yard.
- Servicing and repairing equipment.
Equipment
- March 14, 2019 submitted purchase order for a new F-450 Crew Cab 4X4 Work Truck for tractor crew. Truck scheduled to be built October 7, 2019; estimate delivery mid-October.
- November 19, 2019, received truck.
Surplus Equipment
- Requesting to declare the following as surplus equipment to be sold at auction:
1) 2003 Case MX 110 with 5313 hours; Equipment # 205.
2) 2016 John Deere 6135E with 459 hours; Equipment # 380.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Montgomery, and unanimously approved, the Board authorized the Secretary for the District to make payments in the amount of $291,119.35 as set forth in materials provided for the Board.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Moore, the December 11 th , 2019 Bossier Levee District Board Meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:00 p.m.
__________________________ _____________________________
Tim Larkin, President Deanna S. Rabb, Secretary