The Board of Commissioners of the Bossier Levee District met in regular session on Wednesday, August 12 th , 2020, at 10:15 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, BANTLE, LARKIN, MONTGOMERY, MOORE, AND STELLY
ABSENT: 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 Bantle, and unanimously passed, the Board dispensed with the reading of the minutes and approved the minutes at the regular Board Meeting held on July 15th, 2020.
REQUESTS BY VISITORS:
Eddie and Karen Hoek, homeowners, have submitted a fence permit request for their property that is currently under construction, located at 2517 Caplis Sligo Road in Old River Place, Unit No. 2.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Alley, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board approved to grant a nominally 50 ft easement reduction from the high bank, however, it was stated that if a flood fight was fought and the whole area was needed then the fence would have to removed and replaced at their expense. No comments from the public.
Reid (Mac) Langdon and Daphne Langdon, homeowners, who reside at 2515 Caplis Sligo Road, in Old River Place, have submitted a fence permit request for a current fence that was not previously permitted by the original homeowner(s) that they purchased the property from. Mr. Shane Earnest, homeowner, has also submitted a fence permit request like his neighbors for his property located at 2513 Caplis Sligo Road in Old River Place, Unit No. 2.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Stelly, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board denied both of the after the fact permit requests and stated that after the surveying was completed then it would be discussed further. No comments from the public.
Encroachment permit on behalf of homeowners, Michael and Julie Farris who reside at 2503 Caplis Sligo Road in Old River Place with a proposed shed relocation. No action taken.
Jody Theimann, submitted an encroachment permit request for the installation of a proposed deck and a set of stairs on the north side of the cabins that reside at 1947 Poole Road in Elm Grove, LA that would extend closer than 100 feet from the high bank of Flat River, therefore, impeding into the Bossier Levee District’s Control Area.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Stelly, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board approved the request with the stipulation that if the need arose, that both items would be removed at the owner’s expense. No comments from the public.
Dexter Grogan, Engineer with Forte & Tabula on behalf of the Bossier Parish Police Jury are requesting a permit for the replacement of the Caplis Sligo Road timber bridge over Red Chute Bayou with a concrete bridge.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Stelly, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board approved the bridge replacement over Red Chute Bayou. No comments from the public.
Charlie Coyle with Coyle Engineering on behalf of his clients, Ronald and Cassandra Walker are requesting permission to encroach onto the Bossier Levee District’s Control Area to construct a proposed gravel driveway beginning at the west right of way of Myers Road and approximately 580 square feet on Lot 2 located in Walker Estates.
On motion by Alley, seconded by Montgomery, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board approved the construction of the gravel driveway. No comments from the public.
OLD BUSINESS:
Mr. Long discussed the Red Chute Widening Project with the Board that included time management and staffing concerns, change orders and the approaching forecasted bad weather that could potentially cause more problems as well.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Bantle, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee, the Board decided that another meeting with Mr. Tim Larkin and Mr. Arceneaux, and the BLD’s Legal counsel was needed to discuss the Red Chute Widening Project’s construction completion deadlines with the contractor, Testament Construction. No comments from the public.
Mr. Mark Long discussed with the Board some repairs that need to be made to the main building of the Bossier Leve District and the potential cost associated with this project.
On motion by Bantle, seconded by Montgomery, and unanimously passed, and following the recommendation of the Applications Committee the Board approved all facility repairs and improvements be made but not to exceed a total cost of $65,0000.00, based on a low quote of $51,622.00. No comments from the public.
NEW BUSINESS:
Mr. Mark Long updated the Board on a recent Channel Inspection Report received from the UACOE on Loggy Bayou and potential improvements that would need to be made No action taken and no comments from the public.
Mr. Long requested authorization from the Board for 2 – 48” CMP replacements on Red Chute Bayou.
On motion by Stelly, seconded by Montgomery, and unanimously passed, and following the recommendation of the Applications Committee the Board authorized the replacement of the equipment and asked Mr. Long to check with DOTD on backfill material recommendation. Low Quote received was for $105,000.00, therefore, authorized not to exceed maximum authorized amount. No comments from the public.
Mr. Long also discussed the need and sought approval for sluice gate repairs located on the Red River Levee.
On motion by Montgomery, seconded by Stelly, and unanimously passed, and on recommendation from the Applications Committee the Board recommended that the repairs be made. These repairs need to be made by the BLD because DOTD declined to do them. The Board approved the low quote of $24, 958.00 and awarded the contract to F.J. Burnell to make repairs. No comments from the public.
Discussion and approval sought to approve a drop pipe replacement for Flat River. The Applications Committee recognized that this was a repair and that this request did not need Board approval. No action taken.
Resolution for President Tim Larkin to sign letter giving the Board’s consent to authorize the BLD to Furnish the auditors with Broussard and Company, CPA’s all of the information requested to enable them to perform the 2019-2020 fiscal year audit.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Bantle, and unanimously passed, and with the recommendation from the Applications Committee the Board approved Mr. Larkin to sign on behalf of the Bossier Levee district. No comments from the public.
Deanna Rabb, Secretary discussed and updated the Board on steps that would be needed to adopt the roll forward or to do a not roll forward for the Ad Valorem Tax Millage for 2020.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Bantle, and unanimously passed, the Board expressed that they approved the Bossier Levee District to roll forward to 4.30 instead of staying at 4.17 for the reassessment year of 2020. 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.
- January 6, 2020 – Work approximately 50% complete.
- June 1, 2020 – contractor resumed work activities.
- August 10, 2020 – Work approximately 54% complete; estimated rain days added to contract time 132 days, as of this date approximately 109 days remaining before contract time plus rain days expire.
Red Chute Levee RW South of Hwy 80 – Cleanup
- Hired contractor to finish cleanup of levee RW south of Hwy 80; cost $8,444.50.
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.
- December 8, 2019 – Kurt Nixon and Jacob Lesue presented the board with mitigation study results.
- March 11, 2020 – Kurt Nixon submitted a revised mitigation study report with recommendations for a levee raise and mitigation.
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.
- 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.
- March 30, 2020 – received letter dated March 24, 2020 from the colonel of the Vicksburg District Army Corps denying our request for PL 84-99 funding for bank caving repairs.
- Waiting for further direction from Corps on repair requirements.
Levee Inspection Compliance
- BLD has substantially completed an inspection and report of deficiencies on the Red River Levee including items listed on the USACE 2019 Levee Inspection Report. Our plan of action is to start removing all unwanted vegetation and other encroachments in areas where permission can be obtained from property owners.
- Work on north end of levee is underway removing encroaching trees and brush.
- Awaiting quote for sluice gate valve and stem repairs.
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.
- December 6, 2019 – we received the new 1% WSE river profile grades for the Red River Levee from the Vicksburg Corp.
- December 13, 2019 – we received plan and profile drawings with new 1% WSE river profile.
- February 7, 2020 – we received word from Craig McRaney with the Vicksburg Corps that the levee can be raised above elevation of Lock and Dam 5 Road; Mr. McRaney also advised that the levee district should submit a request for a 408 permit to raise the levee in the areas with insufficient freeboard.
- February 10, 2020 – a conference call was held with several members of the Vicksburg Corps; the purpose of the call was to seek guidance on how to expedite the permit for the levee raise and to request that the Corps provide assistance in obtaining the permit. Very little new information was obtained from the call; the Corps did say that they would research the Congressional Authorization for the levee to determine if any restrictions such as an additionally congressional authorization would be needed to raise the levee.
- August 6, 2020 – Corps held a WebEx meeting and discussed the summary report; they also provided copies of the report.
Red River Levee Surfacing
- Advertised for bids for 7.9 miles of levee aggregate surfacing beginning at the north end of the levee; estimated cost $600,000.00 to $625,000.00; an additional $90,000.00 is anticipated for access road improvements.
- Opened bids at 10:00 am July 14 th and received a low bid from Newt Brown Contract in the amount of $641,580.00.
- August 10, 2020 – Access road bridge replacement anticipated to be substantially complete on August 12, 2020.
- August 10, 2020 – issued notice to proceed with work on levee surfacing contract effective August 13, 2020.
Flat River Erosion Repairs
- Nixon Engineering – working on survey and preliminary design for erosion control work north of Sligo Road.
- Drop pipe replacement planned pending design from DOTD; location approximately 2 miles upstream of Sligo Rd.
- Bank repairs and work on lot at 5825 Bayou Drive in Golden Meadows Subdivision scheduled to start by August 17, 2020 subject to receiving right of entry agreement from owner.
Herbicide Channel Maintenance
- August 10, 2020 - Annual herbicide channel maintenance contract with Superior Forestry Services, Inc. for backpack application on various levee district channels is underway; contract quantity 250 acres; contract amount $42,500.00.
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.
- August 10, 2020 – obtained quotes for replacing a double 48” x 193’ CMP with a new 10-gauge Poly coated CMP; with a low quote in the amount of $105,000.00 from F.J. Burnell, Inc.
Bossier Levee District Facility Maintenance Repairs
- Plans are being made for several facility maintenance repairs for office building and shop; see attached list of proposed repairs.
Levee and Drainage Crews
- Herbicide application on levee fence rows and drainage channels.
- Inspecting levees, channels, and drainage structures; cleaning outfall pipes and flap gates.
- Removing fallen trees from levees and channels.
- Mowing levees and drainage channels.
- Breaking up beaver dams.
- Repairing gates on levee.
- Clearing trees and brush along Red River Levee.
- Servicing and repairing equipment.
The following vehicles have been ordered thru the State Contract
1 – Diesel 4x4 Crew Cab F-350 $47,369 x 1 = $47,369
2 – Diesel 4x4 Crew Cab F-250s $40,459 x 2 = $80,918
3 – 4x4 Crew Cab F-150 $30,023 x 3 = $90,069
$218,356
Note: The previous request was for 1 – 4x4 Crew Cab F-150 and 2 – 4x4 Extended Cab F-150s; the dealer said we missed the deadline to order the Extended Cab F-150s, we changed the order to 3 – Crew Cab F-150s; other adjustments to previous estimated cost included adding a dual wheel option on the F-350; net increase in cost for all options and fees $3,770.
Surplus Equipment
- The following equipment is scheduled to be sold as surplus.
1) 2003 Case MX 110 with 5313 hours; Equipment # 205.
2) 2016 John Deere 6135E with 520 hours; Equipment # 380.
3) 2016 John Deere 6135E with 326 hours; Equipment # 381.
4) 2009 John Deere 7230 with 4975 hours; Equipment # 207.
5) 2009 John Deere 7230 with 4705 hours: Equipment # 208.
6) 2007 Ford F-450 with 103,566 miles; Equipment # 108.
7) 2000 John Deere Track Excavator with 4790 hours; Equipment # 203.
On motion by Moore, seconded by Stelly, and unanimously approved, the Board authorized the Secretary for the District to make payments for the month of July in the amount of $194,498.07 as set forth in the materials provided for the Board.
The August12 th , 2020 Bossier Levee District Board Meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:35 a.m.
__________________________ _____________________________
Tim Larkin, President Deanna S. Rabb, Secretary