Watching details results in savings on parish road projects

"The proof is in the numbers, and the numbers are impressive," said Washington Parish Council member Ken Wheat.

Wheat was talking about the bottom-line on the parish's 2011 road improvement program, which began with a materials budget of $31,500 per mile and a plan to rework 41.97 miles.

Now, with 33 of 51 roads and 25.75 out of 41.97 miles completed, council members are learning that there's a constant fine-tuning going on as the road work is being done.

"We talked with other places to see how they do things," explained Lavelle Stogner, parish transportation manager. "We're always looking to see what we can do better."

As a result, the material costs thus far are coming in an average of $1,406 per mile — which means enough money has been saved thus far to pay for another 1.15 miles at the budgeted rate.

"If people will just look at what they are getting for their money," Wheat said. "In 2009, the average materials cost per mile was $35,000 ... in 2010, it came down to $32,000 and now, it's just a little over $30,000 per mile.

"There's a lot more that goes into this than the public realizes. There's a lot of fine-tuning."

Wheat and his fellow council members got the project update from parish Public Works Director Leo Lucchesi and Stogner as part of a department head report at Monday's regular meeting of the parish council.

Earlier, council members had unanimously approved Resolution No. 11-526, which authorizes the issuance and delivery of not more than $500,000 of water revenue refinancing bonds by the Varnado Waterworks District.

Parish Finance Director Donna Alonzo explained that by refinancing the bonds, the district would obtain a lower interest rate and save more than $90,000 over the life of the binds.

Parish gets kudos from audit firm

Donna Alonzo

A healthy audit report on the Choctaw Road Landfill and Washington Parish Government from Wilson LaGraize of Kushner LaGraize, LLC was certainly good news for members of the parish council, but the best was yet to come.

LaGraize, presenting his firm’s audit report to the council, told them that a year ago the parish was cutting it close, with a minimal amount of funds on-hand but, he said, there was a dramatic improvement this year, despite the economy.

LaGraize noted parish government had taken an aggressive approach toward managing expenses during a period when revenues were down.

LaGraize specifically cited auditor Donna Alonzo and pointed out Alonzo renegotiated the parish’s insurance coverage, resulting in a savings of $800,000.

After the meeting, Alonzo said the parish’s new policy is with United Health Care, the carrier for the Louisiana Police Jury Association. She said by making the change, the parish realized savings of 45 percent.

“I don’t know what we would have done (without the savings),” she said. “We couldn’t have balanced the budget otherwise.”

In other action:

   • Council held a public hearing and voted to accept roads in Riverwood Subdivision into the parish road inventory.

   • Introduced a resolution allowing Tommy Thiebaud to enter into a contract with the Louisiana Department of Social Services for the purpose of providing job access and reverse commute transportation services.

   • Introduced a resolution approving the holding of an election in Fire District No. 6 on Saturday, Oct. 22. to authorize the levy of a special tax.

The next council meeting will be Monday July 11.