Parish Council probes ownership of fire towers

Not knowing how many of the five fire towers in the parish might be available and exactly what would be done with one should ownership be passed, members of the Washington Parish Council on Monday voted to look into the possibility.

As part of Resolution No. 11-528, council members decided to have technology coordinator Dempsey Parden look into the feasibility of the parish owning one or more of the five towers that exist in the parish. Towers are located at Angie, Enon, Sheridan, Sunny Hill and at a location near Ben's Creek Wildlife Management Area.

In other action, council introduced Resolution No. 11-527, voicing its appreciation to the parish election commission and chairmen.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 8.

Parish to consider ownership of fire towers

A brief agenda, pretty much the norm for summer months, faces members of the Washington Parish Council when they meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the first floor court room in the Washington Parish Courthouse.

Two action items are on the agenda, although the agenda could be opened and others added as necessary. Those items are:

            • Resolution No.11-527 – A Resolution in Appreciation to the Election Commission and Chairman.

    • Resolution No.11-528 – A Resolution authorizing a Study to Determine the feasibility of accepting the ownership of the Fire Towers located in Washington Parish,

There are five fire lookout towers in Washington Parish, located at Angie, near the Ben’s Creek Wildlife Management Area, Enon, Sheridan and Sunny Hill.

In addition to receiving public input, council members will hear from Parish President Richard Thomas and department heads.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 8.

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 Council to tackle light agenda Monday

Other than the normal items that appear meeting after meeting, members of the Washington Parish Council will face a one-item agenda when they meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the first floor courtroom at the Washington Parish Courthouse.

That item is Resolution No. 11-526, which will authorize and approve the issuance and delivery of no more than $500,000 of water revenue refunding bonds for the Varnado Waterworks District.

Following that item, the meeting will be opened for public comment, Parish President Richard Thomas will give his report and council members will wrap up the meeting with their comments.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Monday, July 25.

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.

Parish Council faces brief Monday agenda

Members of the Washington Parish Council will face a brief agenda when they meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the first floor courtroom of the Washington Parish Courthouse.

In addition to the regular items as required by law, council members will:

   • Hold a public hearing on Ordinance No. 11-553 – An Ordinance to accept Roads in Riverwood Subdivision (Introduced by Michael Fussell)

   • Introduce Resolution No. 11-524 – A resolution by the Washington Parish Government authorizing Director of Homeland Security Thomas P. Thiebaud to enter into contract (s) with the Louisiana Department of Social Services for the purpose of providing job access and reverse commute transportation services. (Introduced by Aubrey Posey)

   • Introduce resolution No. 11-525 – A resolution approving the holding of an election in Washington Parish Fire Protection District No. 6 on Saturday, October 22, 2011, to authorize the levy of a special tax therein. (Introduced by Aubrey Posey)

Council members will also hear comments from the public and a report from Parish President Richard Thomas and other department heads.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the council will be on Monday, July 11.

Landworks get landfill OK from parish council

George Nobles accuses the review
panel for the Choctaw Road Landfill
of bias against his company in the
selection process, alleging his company
had been "villified" and its name sullied.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Landworks, Inc. won unanimous approval from the Washington Parish Council Monday night to operate the Choctaw Road Landfill. The new pact will be for five years — instead of 10 as in the past — at $746,400 annually.

Landworks was the operator preferred by a seven-member review panel that considered the proposals from each of three companies and then scored them. Landworks was ranked first, Nobles Construction was ranked second and Jerry Creel was ranked third. There were two companies submitting proposals that were not considered because they did not include their contractors' license information, as specified.

The vote did not come without some drama, however, as George Nobles of Nobles Construction spoke and accused the council of bias against his company.

"Knowing that the deck was stacked against us, we decided to go ahead and submit a proposal,” Nobles said. "The council was obviously biased against us and the chairman (of the review panel) went so far as to sully the name of Nobles Construction in order to justify a decision."

Nobles continued, saying his firm "...continues to be villified, yet without Nobles to bash, you've got no way to justify another rate increase." He concluded his comments by syaing he would do whatever necessary to protect the good name of his company, built on 35 years' experience.

Upon finishing his statement, Nobles left the room. He was followed to the podium by former Bogalusa City Councilor Danny Stogner, who defended review panel chairman Mike Fussell and the process followed in reaching a decision.

"I know better than to believe Mr. Fussell is a biased person," he said. "I've sat through too many of their meetings and know how they have worked to believe that."

Bogalusa City Councilor Oneita Graham, who was one of the review panel members, told the council that nothing was said about any business good or bad ... "The discussion was strictly business and about the proposal."

After Fussell had opened the initial presentation by giving a full review of the process followed, including a pair of calls to the Attorney General's office for direction, he ended it by recapping the  two top proposals.

"There is a misconception of the two bids," he said. "One was $49,000 (per month) and the other was $69,000 (per month). The negotiated amount was $62,500 per month and we paid $59,000 last year ... and we feel that difference of $3,500 is justified based on the proposals. We think as a whole, we got a fair deal."

While Fussell did not point it out, Councilman Chuck Nassauer noted the parish request for proposal specified the landfill be open 60 hours per week (six 10-hour days) and staffed with eight people — and that the Nobles proposal was for a 48-hour week and staffing of three people.

"This was a very open and transparent process," Parish President Richard Thomas said after the meeting. "When it first started and they told me two (proposals) had already been thrown out, I said, 'Oh, no!'. but they explained they had not met the specified guidelines and the attorney general said they couldn't be considered.

The Bogalusa City Council will vote on the landfill contract when it meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)

Parish Council to OK Choctaw Landfill pact

Richard Thomas

Landworks, Inc. will get the go-ahead to continue operation of the Choctaw Road Landfill after members of the Washington Parish Council hold a public hearing on vote on Ordinance No. 11-549.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the first floor courtroom of the Washington Parish Courthouse.

Following the May 23 meeting, Washington Parish President Richard Thomas told wpnewsblog that he was comfortable with the process followed to ensure the best operator was selected.

"We held three public meetings where people could attend and ask questions," he said. These proposals were reviewed and it was a studied decision ... it wasn't done like it was in the past."

On Tuesday, members of the Bogalusa City Council will authorize Mayor Charles Mizell to sign the Landworks contract.

Under the existing contract, which expired June 1, Washington Parish is responsible for 58.1 percent of the landfill's operational costs and the City of Bogalusa is responsible for 41.9 percent.

 Other items on the agenda include:
     • Public hearing on Ordinance No. 11-551, which will allow the entering into a lease with Broadband IP, Inc. for space on a communications tower.
     • Introduce Ordinance No. 11-553, which will accept roads in Riverwood Subdivision.
     • Consider Resolution No. 11-552, allowing the entering into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Washington Parish Communications District concerning the Washington Parish emergency communications tower located on Dollar Road.

Council members will also hear a report from Thomas and other department heads and open the meeting for public participation.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)

Council clerk's sharp eye saves thou$ands

FRANKLINTON — Sherry Lyons, who serves as clerk for the Washington Parish Council, has a sharp eye for detail. It was developed after years of service in Tangipahoa Parish before changing jobs.

But Lyons developed more than a sharp eye for detail during her career — she learned the ins-and-outs of state government to such a degree that she's converted that knowledge into money savings.

At Monday's parish council meeting, members adopted a pair of resolutions approving the holding of elections in Fire District No. 5 (Angie) and Fire District No. 7 (south and southwest of Bogalusa) on Saturday, Oct. 22. Their action followed Lyons' recommendation.

While council members would have had to approve the resolution at some point, doing so this early allows the two elections to be held in conjunction with the state's gubernatorial primary. That means Lyon's sharp eye and willingness to speak up saved taxpayers several thousand dollars, because by holding the fire district elections on an "official" date, the state — and not the parish — foots the bill.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogger.com)