Council to discuss moving Hayes Bridge $$

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, March 13, 2019

The Iberia Parish Council will meet tonight with a series of financial and budgetary items on the agenda — including a move of $339,000 to the Royalty Fund for unspent bond funds intended for bridge construction.

The previous council bonded $6 million in 2015 to fund a dozen bridge projects across the parish. The projects were split between Sellers and Associates and Wayne Labiche Engineering. 

The Sellers projects were finished in 2017. The LaBiche projects have been the subject of delays, which ran up costs due to inflation to the point that the funding remaining from the initial bond issue is no longer enough to replace the Hayes Road bridge.

The council will hear a report from Iberia Parish Mosquito Abatement District Executive Director Herff Jones on the status of a grant for the district. 

Later, during the Executive Committee hearing, the council will also discuss a proposal from District 8 Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin to hold a special election to allow the use of IPMAD funds for road maintenance projects. The item was discussed in November, but tabled without a decision to allow it to be brought back up. Gonsoulin said the tax, which is now dedicated solely for mosquito control and drainage projects, could be used to alleviate the parish’s lack of a dedicated road maintenance funding source. The tax would not be raised, but would have to be brought to the people for a vote before any of the funds could be spent for anything besides mosquito control or drainage.

In other business, the council is schedule to:

• Consider a resolution to correct project carryovers for SHSP 2018 in the amount of $25,764, carryover unspent grant funding in the amount of $34,800 for LGAP – Technology; and provide for grant funding award in the amount of $32,800 for LGAP – Coroner’s Van.

• Consider a resolution for the 2019 Waterworks District No. 3 Fund Budget in the amount of $166,589 to provide for a FP&C grant project.

• Consider a resolution supporting the “Geaux Red for Ed” campaign as proposed by the Iberia Association of Educators and the Louisiana Association of Educators.

• Consider a resolution amending the 2019 Public Buildings Maintenance Fund Budget in the amount of $181,194 for carryover from the second floor courthouse renovations in the amount of $146,805, the courthouse in the amount of $20,000, and the Public Works Facility in the amount of $14,389.

• Consider a resolution amending the 2019 Royalty Fund Budget in the amount of $1,192,886 to carryover unspent federal grant funding in the amount of $594,364 for house demolition, carryover unspent state grant funding in the amount of $52,074 for well improvements, carryover unspent Parish funding in the amount of $207,261 for water improvements projects near McClain Subdivision, and carryover the $339,187 for Hayes Road Bridge.

• Consider a resolution amending the Drainage Maintenance Fund Budget in the amount of $66,800 to provide for carryover of funding for engineering fees for studying of Parc Perdue, Norris Branch, Deblanc Coulee, Petit Anse and Delahoussaye Channels and Canals.

• Consider a resolution amending the Road Projects Construction Fund Budget in the amount of $8,015 to correct carryover of funding for Breaux Estates and Belle Terre.

• Consider a resolution amending the Public Library Fund Budget in the amount of $290,803 to provide for carryover of construction funding in the amount of $199,950 for the Coteau Branch, carryover construction funding in the amount of $31,036, transfer between line items in the amount of $24,319 for the Loreauville Branch; carryover of building repair funding in the amount of $40,817, additional funding needed in the amount of $4,000 for the Lydia Branch; and building repair funding in the amount of $15,000 for the St. Peters Branch.

• Consider a resolution asking the state Department of Transportation and Development to install merging lane signs on S. Lewis Street near the intersection of La. 83.

During the council’s Finance Committee hearing, there will be a discussion on the 2019 millage rates. Because 2020 will be an assessment year, any millages not being collected at their maximum would have to be rolled up or the council may lose the ability to move them higher in the future without another vote to raise the millage rate. This would especially affect to the Parish Library Operating Fund millage, which is now being collected at 3.5 mills instead of the voter-approved 6 mills.

The Iberia Parish Council will meet at 6 p.m. in the parish council meeting room on the fourth floor of the Iberia Parish Courthouse, 300 Iberia St.