ATCHAFALAYA BASIN LEVEE DISTRICT
P. O. Box 170
Port Allen, Louisiana 70767-0170
Phone (225) 387-2249
Fax (225) 387-4742
May 2, 2012
A Regular Board Meeting of the Board of Commissioners for the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District was held at the Office of the Board in Port Allen, Louisiana at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 2, 2012. President John Grezaffi called the meeting to order. Mrs. Janice Jarreau called the roll. The following members were present:
COMMISSIONER PARISH
Glenn Angelle Iberia
Gerald Alexander Ascension
Cory Chustz West Baton Rouge
Bill Flynn West Baton Rouge
John Grezaffi Pointe Coupee
Daniel Hebert Iberville
Karen Jewell Iberville
Stephen Juge Pointe Coupee
Moise LeBlanc St. Martin
Gerald LeGrand St. Martin
Harry Marionneaux Iberville (arrived late)
Earl Matherne Assumption
Barry Soileau St. Landry
Absent:
None
Also Present:
INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTING
Matt Jewell Citizen
Pat Theophilus Citizen
Rick Dugas CPRA
Steve Marionneaux Levee Board Attorney
Cecil Tessier Assistant Executive Director
Richard Sparks Levee Board Operations Superintendent
Bruce Guidry Levee Board Police Captain
Janice Jarreau Administrative Program Manager
Peggy McCutcheon Accounting Technician
Kristy Jewell Human Resource Analyst
Crissi Canezaro Administrative Coordinator
Tiffany Weber Administrative Coordinator
Will Tyson Executive Director
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President John Grezaffi asked for any public comments. Hearing none, Mr. Will Tyson advised the Commissioners that he has now received the final figures from the Assessors' offices, and asked the Commissioners for approval to advertise a public notice to roll the mileage forward for next year. Commissioner Earl Matherne moved, seconded by Commissioner Daniel Hebert and unanimously carried to authorize the staff to advertise to roll the mileage forward for next year.
After review, Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Gerald LeGrand and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the April 4, 2012 meeting and that they be published in the official journal of the Board.
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Mr. Tyson reported that he received a request from the Corps of Engineers for a Right of Entry for four stockpile areas for levee crown surfacing materials. The location of the stockpiles are within the existing right-of-way on the East and West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee, Pointe Coupee, Iberville, and St. Martin Parishes. He said this stone will not quite be enough to finish what we need, but it will be close. He recommended approval of their request. Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Gerald LeGrand and unanimously carried to approve the request for Right of Entry.
The Commissioners reviewed a request for a Letter of No Objection from Fenstermaker & Associates, Inc. for a proposed pipeline for Katrina Energy. Mr. Tyson said this is in the same corridor as one we did earlier. He asked if the board wished to follow the same procedures and use the same language as before. The consensus of the board was to turn this over to our attorney to prepare the language.
Mr. Tyson advised the board of a request for Right of Entry from the Corps of Engineers to make repairs to four relief wells in connection with the Mississippi River Levees. Commissioner Moise LeBlanc moved, seconded by Commissioner Cory Chustz and unanimously carried to approve the request.
Commissioner Earl Matherne moved, seconded by Commissioner Steve Juge and unanimously carried to approve a request for Right of Entry by the Corps of Engineers for the purpose of surveys, soil borings, environmental and cultural resource investigations and hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste assessments in connection with the Mississippi River Levees, Morganza Lower Guide Levee, Baseline Stations and Borrow Area, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana.
Commissioner Gerald Alexander asked Mr. Tyson if we hired Mr. Chuck Ward this year to lobby for the levee district and monitor bills that could have an effect on the district. Mr. Tyson said we hired Mr. Ward last year because there were several bills affecting the levee boards, but this year we have had only one bill to monitor.
Mr. Tyson said that last month we gave a partial Right of Entry to the Corps of Engineers in Iberville Parish. Since then, he has met with them and they are requesting the Right of Entry outside of our Right of Way for survey purposes only. They are asking that we contact the landowners under Title 38 in this tract, stating they will be going in to do surveys and drainage studies. Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc and unanimously carried to approve the Right of Entry requested by the Corps of Engineers to do surveys and to notify the landowners of same.
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Mr. Rick Dugas of CPRA addressed the Board. He commended the Board on their 1st Quarter Inspection Report, and reminded the Commissioners of the workshop to be held tomorrow. He said the web-based permit project should be set up soon.
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A meeting of the Equipment Committee of the Board of Commissioners for the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District was held at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the Board Office in Port Allen, Louisiana. Commissioner Moise LeBlanc called the meeting to order. The following members were present:
Moise LeBlanc, Chairman
Gerald Alexander, 1st Vice Chairman
Harry Marionneaux, 2nd Vice Chairman
Glenn Angelle, Member
Gerald LeGrand, Member
John Grezaffi, Ex-officio Member
Bill Flynn, Ex-Officio Member
Absent:
None
Also Present:
Commissioner Karen Jewell
Commissioner Earl Matherne
Commissioner Barry Soileau
Richard Sparks, Levee Board Operations Superintendent
Bruce Guidry, Levee Board Police Captain
Janice Jarreau, Administrative Program Manager
Kristy Jewell, Human Resource Analyst
Peggy McCutcheon, Accounting Technician
Crissi Canezaro, Administrative Coordinator
William Tyson, Executive Director, Levee Board
Receive and discuss motor grader bid - Mr. Tyson advised the committee that we received one bid, which was opened and read at the last board meeting from Doggett Machinery Services in Baton Rouge. He said he feels the bid is good, and meets our specifications. He will let Mr. Steve Marionneaux review the bid before the next regular board meeting to make sure he agrees. Commissioner Alexander asked how the John Deere equipment compares to Caterpillar. Mr. Tyson said they are both first class operations and have good service. Mr. Tyson said that even though we received only one bid, other companies could have bid, since we allowed exceptions. Mr. Tyson presented modifications to the equipment section of the budget for the committee's review. He said this will reflect the cost of the motor grader under the heavy equipment line item. Commissioner Marionneaux moved, seconded by Commissioner Alexander and unanimously carried to approve the bid from Doggett Machinery, and to propose approval of the budget modifications as stated by Mr. Tyson to the full board at their regular meeting.
Commissioner Alexander asked when we have the next auction scheduled for used equipment. Mr. Tyson stated we have had several auctions already. We put minimum bids on the trucks previously, and we need to check with the attorneys representing the class action lawsuit for the Ford trucks to see if we can dispose of the trucks at this time. Mr. Tyson said we have been selling our used equipment through sealed bids instead of auctions recently. He informed the committee that he is looking into the possibility of adding some equipment in the state auction that is held at the foot of the bridge in Baton Rouge.
There being no further business, upon motion by Commissioner Marionneaux, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/Moise LeBlanc, Chairman /s/Gerald Alexander, 1st Vice Chairman
/s/Harry Marionneaux, 2nd Vice Chairman /s/Glenn Angelle, Member
/s/Gerald LeGrand, Member /s/Bill Flynn, Ex-Officio Chairman
/s/John Grezaffi, Ex-Officio Chairman
Mr. Tyson advised the Commissioners that a single bid was opened for a motor grader at the meeting. After review, he recommended we approve this bid, which was submitted by John Deere. Commissioner Moise LeBlanc moved, seconded by Commissioner Earl Matherne and unanimously carried to approve the bid for the motor grader and the minutes of the April 11, 2012 meeting as presented.
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A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Commissioners for the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District was held on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at the Board Office in Port Allen, Louisiana. Chairman Steve Juge called the meeting to order. The following members were present:
Steve Juge, Chairman
Harry Marionneaux, 2nd Vice Chairman
Barry Soileau, Member
Moise LeBlanc, Member
John Grezaffi, Ex-Officio Chair
Bill Flynn, Ex-Officio Chair
Absent:
Daniel Hebert, 1st Vice Chairman
Also Present:
Commissioner Gerald Alexander
Commissioner Karen Jewell
Commissioner Glenn Angelle
Commissioner Earl Matherne
Commissioner Gerald Grand
Jake Kern, Basin Ice Program
Arthur Kern, Basin Ice Program
Bobbie Kern, Basin Ice Program
Shane Verret, St. Martin Land Company
Richard Sparks, Levee Board Operations Superintendent
Janice Jarreau, Administrative Program Manager
Kristy Jewell, Human Resource Analyst
Crissi Canezaro, Administrative Coordinator
Peggy McCutcheon, Accounting Technician
William Tyson, Executive Director, Levee Board
Steve Marionneaux, Levee Board Attorney
1. Request from Mr. Arthur Kern to make presentation to committee regarding Basin Ice Program - Mr. Arthur Kern addressed the committee relative to a request for permission to install vending machines to dispense ice, water, soft drinks, snacks and live bait in Henderson. Commissioner LeBlanc moved, seconded by Commissioner Soileau and unanimously carried to ask Mr. Kern to move forward to get approvals from the Corps of Engineers and the CPRA before coming back to the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District for approval of their permit. Commissioner Juge asked Mr. Kern to work with Mr. Tyson to get the forms necessary to complete this task.
2. Request to appear before the committee from the St. Martin Land Company - Mr. Shane Verrett of the St. Martin Land Company appeared before the committee to request a permit for two separate subdivisions north of I-10 in Butte LaRose. Mr. Verrett said he has recently taken over this project, due to the death of Mr. Theriot, who previously handled the matter. He said he has several permits from the parish government, and he now needs approval from the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District for on ramps. Mr. Tyson said he needs a letter from CPRA, which use to be the DOTD Flood Control. Mr. Tyson further stated that we have a policy in place that requires each individual camp site to have a $500 bond and a $500 campsite fee. There are 50 lots, which would total $50,000. The $500 bond is for cleanup in case there is a high water event and we have to clear debris. Mr. Steve Marionneaux said that one of the issues to be considered is if you have an individual that owns part of the levee, there is no need for him to post a bond or be permitted until the application is made to put a camp there. We have a situation here with a division of lots for camp sites, so we have to determine at what point in time do we assess the fee. Commissioner Harry Marionneaux moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc and unanimously carried to ask Mr. Verrett get with Mr. Tyson and determine what he needs to do to move forward. He will need to proceed with getting the approval from CPRA, and then come back to the levee district. Commissioner Barry Soileau moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc and unanimously carried that all fees are to be paid up front prior to issuing a permit.
3. Discuss the police officer starting pay - Mr. Bruce Guidry advised the committee that he has checked with other surrounding parishes to determine their starting salaries for officers in the sheriffs' offices; and he proposed that he be authorized to hire an officer starting at 7% below $31,500. When the officer becomes post certified that he be paid $31,500. Commissioner Barry Soileau moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc and unanimously carried to approve the request.
4. Discuss employee merit increases - President John Grezaffi advised the committee that we would be able to grant a pay adjustment for our employees if the agency has the money available. Commissioner Harry Marionneaux moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc, and unanimously carried to grant a 4% pay adjustment for all classified and unclassified employees effective October 1, 2012.
Commissioner Steve Juge said the next two items have been placed on the agenda for discussion. The items include: (1) discussion of the change in term of board officers to two year term limits, and (2) elect board officers. Commissioner Juge asked that these two items be taken off the agenda today. Commissioner Harry Marionneaux said he feels this does not have to be on the executive committee agenda, since any member can place an item on the board's agenda at any time. Commissioner Alexander asked if this could be addressed in executive session. He was informed that it does not meet that criteria. Mr. Steve Marionneaux advised the committee that they can elect officers at any time, but there is no definite time frame set by the bylaws. Commissioner Moise LeBlanc said the bylaws are very vague on this, but he feels it should be something that comes up every year for consideration. Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Moise LeBlanc to table the two items and remove them from the agenda at this meeting. The motion carried.
There being no further business to come before the committee, upon motion by Commissioner Barry Soileau and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/Steve Juge, Chairman /s/Harry Marionneaux, 2nd Vice Chairman
/s/Barry Soileau, Member /s/Moise LeBlanc, Member
/s/Bill Flynn, Ex-Officio Chairman /s/John Grezaffi, Ex-Officio Chairman
After review, Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Gerald LeGrand and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 11, 2012 as presented.
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Mr. Steve Marionneaux reported that in reference to the Lemoine Industries bid on the hunting lease, he has been in contact with Mr. Brent Lemoine and his bonding agent. They have chosen to pay the damage between their bid and the second bidder out right.
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Commissioner Steve Juge moved, seconded by Commissioner Earl Matherne to waive the reading and unanimously approve the following memorial resolutions after the death of Mr. Huey Brown, a former member of the Board of Commissioners for the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District; and Mr. Hubert Sparks, who retired from the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District as an Equipment Operator 3 with 27 years of service.