From snowflakes to sewerage…St John taking care of business

   Council and administration moving projects forward in fourth quarter

ST. JOHN – St John officials point to the close of a successful fourth quarter in 2009 in which a host of projects and initiatives were approved and millions in grants were awarded. 

            In the spirit of the holiday season, the Public Works department installed large illuminated snowflakes and holiday banners throughout the parish. The Parish also released Phase I of the Historic Redevelopment Plan which included Garyville and the Westbank. Phase II of the Historic Plan, which includes Reserve and LaPlace, is expected to be released January 2010. The Council authorized the administration to settle a dispute, stalled for over three years, with the Archdiocese of New Orleans over the right of way needed to operate the ferry between Reserve and Edgard. This settlement clears the way for the State to resume ferry service.

            In a short time, the administration and the Council kick-started the majority of the projects associated with the 2009 Bond Issue, totaling $12,452,000. The approved projects include: the St Peters area drainage improvements, the Old Riverlands drainage improvements, the completion of Phase 1 of the Westbank Park Complex, the new gym to be built at Regala park in Reserve, a drainage improvement project on Balsam street in LaPlace, the design of the Westbank Courthouse expansion, and the first phase of water tower refurbishments.  At the Dec 22nd Council meeting, the Administration is asking for approval to replace the Greenwood and Country Club Drive bridges.

On December 8, the Council approved the 2010 budget. Despite the sluggish national economy and the completion of the Marathon expansion project, the Administration was able to present a tight but balanced budget that invested in infrastructure and compensated for increases in mandated employee benefits. In 2009, the parish was able to reduce the overall overtime amount by $47,000 compared to 2008's total.

            The parish was awarded $5,771,568 in Coastal Improvement Assistance Program funding to perform coastal restoration projects at the Reserve Relief Canal at Lake Maurepaus and along the shoreline of Lac Des Allemands. Construction on these projects is expected to begin in 2011 and will prevent further erosion of vital shoreline.

On December 8, 2009 the St John Council authorized the selling of $15,000,000 in revenue bonds to finance the construction of a $10,000,000 expansion of the River Road Sewerage Treatment Plant and $5,000,000 worth of sewer line repair and replacement work throughout the parish.

In November, the administration received approval on its proposal of projects, valued at $6,984,655, to be funded by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) funding. The projects are: renovations to the Godchaux House in Reserve, cleaning of major drainage canals, boat launch repairs, fifteen large generators for parish facilities, sewer line repairs, and housing weatherization. All LRA projects are expected to begin in 2010.

In 2009, St John received $6,840,714 in grants and loans to fund a variety of projects: $250,000 in CSBG funds for activities at the Homer "Boogie" Joseph Center, $135,714 to refurbish the Ruddock Water Storage Tank, $50,000 to update the parish's hazard mitigation plan, $1,500,000 to fund drainage projects, $548,000 to overlay Historic East Street in Garyville, $564,000 to overlay NW 2nd Street in Reserve, $890,000 for Phase II of the Mississippi River multi-use trail, $1,359,000 to perform sewer line repairs, $565,000 to fund the lighting project at the Belle Terre Exit on the I-10, $860,000 to complete the study for the Eastbank levee, and $119,000 for Urban Flood Control projects.

            "It has been with the help of the Council that we were able to move so many projects forward in such a short period of time," said Acting Parish President Pat McTopy.

###