[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6575658,"mediaKeyId","3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890","parentId",3074735,"title","Votes at a glance: St. Charles Parish Council approves contracts, zoning and code amendments","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3641000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890&start=3641&end=3641","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890/thumbnail_3641000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6575658/St-Charles-Parish/Louisiana/Votes-at-a-glance-St-Charles-Parish-Council-approves-contracts-zoning-and-code-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575658-25bb9ec65e6a22ca4163fa6cb774f198/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143918&Signature=WhrqmBL-tI4MCHTOHPsJP78lu~MSWIolJzkmiaSGKv1xXalsdkg8deHiuNsJFGZBw4n-N4lYL-ovTGRltKg-KFebUs0reQytwQHmvpSw29sMbsEBr3poxpxI-DO7oF88oi~u7CYuvNWihO1MkAGM2wnJduSoiR0pEDoMwWMAJoLNI4aUSeKWwX5FbzSwRajiNEJoOEolgpQ1vOvr7v3lvypiRrlNGzkHNxusnCtIwRM6j5sL20J6GSA9ESnrbr95PALJ~a5w~n30ZEu5RxuznBoVMgCgupIvn24OkvvWWHLHHOCNXH1PyiqUGD9oveuRgUgBNcskqf8SoIxCAQLjKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Charles Parish","date","2025-04-22T02:05:56.433Z","article","At the meeting the St. Charles Parish Council considered and voted on multiple ordinances, resolutions and appointments. Below is a concise summary of each formal action read into the record and the outcome announced by the chair.

- File 2025‑0094: Cooperative endeavor with the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs to provide office space in the parish courthouse. Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0095 (amended): Ordinance temporarily transferring functions of the Coastal Zone Management Advisory Committee to the Planning Commission on an interim basis. Councilwoman O'Daniels moved to amend the sunset period from 18 months to six months; the amendment and the ordinance as amended passed unanimously. Council directed staff to support training for the interim panel.

- File 2025‑0096: Technical amendment adding the definition of base flood elevation to the parish flood damage prevention code (NFIP compliance). Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0097: Technical amendment adding language that water supply systems be designed to minimize infiltration of floodwaters. Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0100: Act of sale to acquire Lot 1A (1.06 acres) for project access in the Hahn/King Street drainage project for $115,525. Outcome: passed unanimously; staff estimated roughly $1.6 million in construction savings on the broader project by acquiring the parcel.

- File 2025‑0101: Contract with ARC Mechanical Contractors Inc. for chiller replacement at the Edward A. Dufrin Community Center, $1,007,800. Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0102: Agreement between the Department of Community Services and the Saint Charles Parish School Board for the summer food service program (May 30–July 10, 2025). Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0104: Change Order No. 3 with Casperos Inc. for Concrete Maintenance 2023 (increase of $288,798.91 and 24 days). Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0105: Contract with RLJ Construction LLC for River Oaks lift station replacement ($421,091.99). Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0106 (amended): Code amendment clarifying definition of derelict/abandoned vehicles by changing the test from a three‑part “and” to a two‑part “or/and” formulation and a minor grammatical correction. The council discussed enforcement timelines and due‑process steps; the amendment passed unanimously and the ordinance as amended then passed unanimously. Staff described a multi‑step enforcement process involving planning and zoning notices, legal filings and judicial review that can take many months before removal occurs.

- File 2025‑0107: Contract with Sea Level Construction Inc. for Vernon's pump station No. 1 (East Bank‑West Shore) in the amount of $14,434,000. Outcome: passed unanimously.

- File 2025‑0108: Services agreement for wastewater generator preventative maintenance (not to exceed $105,280). The administration requested indefinite postponement; the council postponed the item indefinitely by unanimous vote.

- File 2025‑0109: Amendment No. 1 to professional services agreement with GEC Inc. for Hornville wastewater treatment plant capacity upgrades (design amendment not to exceed $908,457). Outcome: passed unanimously. Staff said the project will convert to membrane bioreactor technology to increase capacity at lower footprint and cost than a proposed wetland assimilation pond.

- File 2025‑0009: Franchise agreement with Entergy Louisiana LLC (term language and Public Service Commission compliance language updated). Outcome: passed unanimously.

- Resolutions and appointments: the council approved an accessory dwelling unit special permit (file 2025‑0121) and announced upcoming appointments and public meeting dates; the items requiring nominations were set for future meetings.

Several of the ordinances described technical corrections required by FEMA/NFIP reviews, routine capital contracts for community facilities and public works, and personnel/appointment items scheduled for future hearings. In all cases where votes were recorded during the meeting, the chair reported unanimous passage or the action requested in the agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Charles Parish Council Meeting for Apr. 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council voted on a series of ordinances and resolutions, including approval of contracts for flood and utility projects, a zoning amendment to transfer coastal zone duties temporarily, and a change to the derelict‑vehicle test; all items passed or were otherwise acted on as noted.","taxTitle","St. Charles Parish, Louisiana","taxId",62169,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6575663,"Parish approves $14.43 million pump‑station contract, outlines $110 million CPRA projects and local drainage wins",3259,2861000,6120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890&start=2861&end=6120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890/thumbnail_2861000.jpg","/articles/6575663/St-Charles-Parish/Louisiana/Parish-approves-1443-million-pumpstation-contract-outlines-110-million-CPRA-projects-and-local-drainage-wins","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575663-5d2176a49d26b9e2a4b2709f0252877c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143918&Signature=a~z1LZwKuvO-tJFuXKzq7x~AuhASO~FeRmYyMu7IeXabaGqLKFsVSozAkwpAM7ycG-U~CFphuXnLKOo5daGRusLa88rZKxZmfIOEBOjx8tOnsXc-z3FbfhsDc0MO9dLXAoJQIbGaaqHKFB-ZFAa4t2A2T-kb~rmHGCy9M~foGGvi7V8eTVQKDXOIqnQyINq83a-nK88B5MvSRBEWtaUDUttKH5we3jnvNVTnXx6oRYn1raiQJt7OthiCO7w4TRiQUSXCQ4DeaPMKZjwKBZmY~2wNxfgaTXymoXl0Dh1qCYB1dVXEj8oPMjSgqakprtYgdRYVD~8Tlxx81G3LM9wItA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Charles Parish Council voted unanimously to approve a $14,434,000 construction contract with Sea Level Construction Inc. for Pump Station No. 1 on the East Bank‑West Shore hurricane protection levee system, a project public works officials described as a major upgrade to local drainage capacity.

Parish officials framed the pump station as a long‑planned element of the parish drainage master plan. Public Works Director and project staff told the council the new station will supply more than three‑and‑a‑half times the pumping capacity of the existing Prescott station and will protect more than 800 homes and businesses in the service area. Parish President Jewell and Public Works personnel said the project is under the engineering estimate and could improve the parish’s ability to fund and complete a second pump station and related upgrades.

\"This is a great improvement for public works. We need a pump station in this area. It will greatly improve the pumping capacity in this area and do a lot to benefit this neighborhood,\" Public Works representatives said during the presentation. Parish President Jewell noted CPRA (Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority) funding in the parish's annual plan: \"we currently have $110,000,000 of projects in the CPRA annual plan,\" he said, while emphasizing some funds are budgeted across multiple fiscal years.

Council discussion acknowledged the multi‑agency process — including permitting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — and praised staff persistence. Councilman Fisher called the approval \"a big win\" and thanked staff and contractors for long efforts to secure servitudes and funding.

Related drainage and infrastructure approvals on the agenda included:
- Authorization for the parish president to execute an act of sale to acquire a 1.06‑acre parcel (Lot 1A) along Hahn Street for $115,525 to advance the King and Hahn Street drainage project; staff said the purchase saves about $1.6 million in project costs by avoiding additional box culvert work. That ordinance (file number 2025‑0100) passed unanimously.
- A contract award for the River Oaks lift station replacement (file number 2025‑0105), $421,091.99, also passed unanimously.

Officials said construction sequencing will depend in part on river and spillway conditions. Parish staff said a planned bypass channel and laydown area require dry conditions and coordination with the Corps; if the Corps opens the spillway, certain digging activities must pause. Parish staff indicated they are coordinating weekly with Corps staff and that, if the spillway remains closed, they expect to begin canal excavation soon.

The council also heard that the parish has more than $30,000,000 of projects either out to bid or on the meeting agenda, including work on pump stations, shoreline protection and boat launches, and that some major CPRA projects cited by the parish exceed the CPRA line‑item amounts and will require additional funding sources.

File 2025‑0107 (Sea Level contract) passed unanimously; council members asked that staff maintain close Corps coordination and return with schedule updates when the contractor mobilizes.","St. Charles Parish Council approved a $14,434,000 contract for Vernon's (Vermont's) pump station No. 1 and council and administration described $110 million in CPRA annual‑plan projects, a Munce pump‑station agenda item, and a parcel purchase saving the parish about $1.6 million on a drainage project.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6575668,"St. Charles Parish animal control reports higher intake, rising bite cases and expanded shelter partnerships",1674,1275000,2949000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890&start=1275&end=2949","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3074735-302b38a035a61039f9f4e46c262fd890/thumbnail_1275000.jpg","/articles/6575668/St-Charles-Parish/Louisiana/St-Charles-Parish-animal-control-reports-higher-intake-rising-bite-cases-and-expanded-shelter-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575668-4990b3764a06303ba2abd5e7f0d1d1ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143918&Signature=igGvEdeeHlgi8WfygnXjb8HVENMiU5LTQvBF89T6C5VJlAH83HsoOaFb5dnH9QYTSjN8ESArYAVhR~YIAA0XKrupb8jbTa2LW2hjJSWBZGFL-3m3f0U~Vr5S33t-ksepyIXDQWrB48fQcHnRhNp6JOUceobcDBJa7rL3dfg72857OzogSf1aVpPRuRuSEjWhZQDR4klutYkr08HXrebBNpziNR0-8XxbXPth6AIQ5Qjhs0b9SdpIeXGcHH-7oNrjsK-XQnRcWYsrSEcnC77jZ5iVuRccNEqF80Dg1D-tlAnF0lkfmxzhvBulYLAWD1KZhvm0-00Rbby~MfWMYucTHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Charles Parish Department of Animal Control presented its 2024 annual report to the St. Charles Parish Council, reporting steady intake numbers, expanded adoption and transport partnerships, and a notable increase in bite incidents.

The presentation, delivered by Dr. Gina Troxler, noted the shelter is staffed by four animal control officers, two kennel attendants, a kennel officer and a part‑time worker, with one vacant officer position and an active hiring process. \"We have a team that include includes 4 animal control officers... and we are hiring another animal control officer right now,\" Troxler told the council.

Troxler said the shelter took in about 636 dogs in 2024, nearly half classified as strays, and more than 1,000 cats, with roughly half unattached to an owner. She said about 260 cats and 71 dogs were adopted locally, and the shelter used off‑site adoption partners and a biweekly flight program with Greater Good Charities to place animals nationwide. \"We had 260 cats adopted, which is 74% of our cats get adopted through our off‑site facilities,\" Troxler said.

The department highlighted several partnerships and grants: a Petco grant supporting spay/neuter services (about 60 animals spayed/neutered under that grant), a Wings of Rescue grant funding free spay/neuter for bully breeds this week, and $81,000 in donated heartworm/flea prevention plus $160,000 in donated pet food for hurricane events. Troxler said Greater Good Charities contributed flight capacity that would have cost roughly $945,000 if purchased commercially.

Troxler detailed shelter operations and costs: average length of stay for animals is about 11 days; the parish spends roughly $25 per pet per day for basic care; and about $750 of medical care goes into each animal adopted locally. She said in‑house surgeries approached 1,000 last year and the shelter budget for medical care is about $40,000, supplemented by donations and partner support.

Council members asked about public‑safety issues. Troxler reported a 60% increase in bite cases and said the majority involve intact animals about two years old. She explained the parish uses a behavior‑based “spectrum” under ordinance 4‑6 to classify potentially dangerous animals, not a breed ban. \"Most of our bites are 2 year old intact animals,\" Troxler said. She added that about 107 dogs have been deemed potentially dangerous since 2020, 18 declared dangerous and 10 declared vicious, with many dangerous‑classified animals concentrated in a small number of households.

On euthanasia Troxler said owners may surrender animals rather than retain liability; she told the council that a dog declared vicious would not be returned to its owner. She also confirmed anonymous reports of dangerous animals are accepted and that Animal Control will respond when calls indicate immediate safety concerns.

Troxler described outreach and volunteer programs, including in‑shelter orientations, school visits, a hurricane preparedness drive and regular off‑site adoption days that reduce length of stay and handling costs. She said volunteers have increased by 34% after shifting orientation to a digital format and that volunteers provide roughly $20,000 in value annually.

Council members and the parish president thanked Troxler and staff for the work and the presentation. The council used the presentation to remind residents of shelter services and upcoming events, including a rabies drive and the bully‑breed free spay/neuter clinic supported by Wings of Rescue.","Department of Animal Control presented 2024 intake, adoption and public‑safety data to the St. Charles Parish Council, citing steady intake, a 60% rise in bite cases and expanded transport and spay/neuter partnerships.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: St. Charles Parish Council approves contracts, zoning and code amendments

Parish approves $14.43 million pump‑station contract, outlines $110 million CPRA projects and local drainage wins

St. Charles Parish animal control reports higher intake, rising bite cases and expanded shelter partnerships