Calcasieu Parish Police Jury approves budget allocations, contracts and accepts multiple repair projects

Calcasieu Parish Police Jury members on April 24 unanimously approved a slate of budget allocations, service contracts and project acceptances, including funding for drainage and fire-district equipment, awards for engineering and technical services, and the acceptance of several hurricane repair projects as substantially complete.

The jury approved the budget committee report, which included local allocations to drainage and fire districts and three economic-development grants. "The budget committee of the police jury met today at 05:15PM and recommended the following items be approved," Police Juror Andrew Ponte said during the meeting as he moved the committee report. The motion passed after a second by Juror Steli.

Why it matters: the approved items provide equipment and operating funds for local fire districts, invest parish funds in economic-development events and youth athletics, and finalize several construction and repair contracts. Several approvals also clear legal and property steps needed for planned road, waterworks and industrial-area improvements.

Votes at a glance

- Approve applications for liquor and beer permits and ratification of a special-event permit — motion: Abshire; second: Burley; outcome: approved. - Adopt Ordinance No. 7840 ordering demolition and removal of the house at 2966 Bergstedt Road, Lake Charles — motion: Eason; second: Quinn; outcome: approved. - Authorize notices to property owners to show cause at public hearing (condemnation list of properties) — motion: Burley; second: Steli; outcome: approved. - Approve minutes of the March 20, 2025 regular meeting — motion: Steli; second: Lewis; outcome: approved. - Approve budget committee report, including: Ward 1 — $40,500 to East Calcasieu consolidated gravity drainage district No. 2 for a spray buggy and equipment trailer; Ward 2 — $17,185 as matching funds for a fire-truck engine; Ward 8 — $100,000 for rescue truck purchase; Economic development — $8,286 to Visit Lake Charles for the World LNG & Gas Series Summit; $15,000 to LHSAA for boys basketball championship costs; $25,000 to the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association — motion: Andrew Ponte; second: Steli; outcome: approved. - Adopt resolution approving contracts for services between Ward 4 Fire Protection District No. 2 and Rose Bluff industrial-area facilities — motion: Quinn; second: Abshire; outcome: approved. - Approve an act of donation for Opelousas Street improvements — motion: Steli; second: Smith; outcome: approved. - Approve permanent public-facility servitude and access servitude agreements for the East Calcasieu consolidated waterworks project — motion: Landry; second: Lewis; outcome: approved. - Approve acts of donation for Baghdad Road improvements — motion: Burley; second: Lewis; outcome: approved. - Adopt resolution approving a multi-jurisdictional agreement for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds — motion: Guillory; second: Barty; outcome: approved. - Approve payment of current invoices and accept budget-to-actual advice — motion: Andrew Ponte; second: Bowers; outcome: approved. - Advertise RFP for a one-stop operator for the American Job Center; advertise RFQ for retail services at Calcasieu Point Landing bait and convenience store; advertise bids for Big Woods–Starks Road bridge replacement — various motions/seconds; outcomes: approved. - Approve qualification-based awards for engineering and technical services (post-negotiation) to Oakley & Associates, Blue Wing Civil Consulting, CH Fenstermaker & Associates, Meyer & Associates, Principal Engineering, and Wagoner Engineering — motion: Barty; second: Bowers; outcome: approved. - Accept low bid from Bolton Ford for two vehicle purchases: $126,985 for a 2023-or-newer 4x4 1/2-ton extended-cab pickup (staff recommendation); and $77,990 for two 2025-or-newer 1/2-ton extended-cab pickup trucks — motions: Eason (first); Smith (second); outcomes: approved. - Adopt resolutions accepting as substantially complete: 901 Lakeshore Drive hurricane repair; Magnolia Building hurricane repair; East Calcasieu Parish Road & Drainage Rehabilitation — motions: Lewis and others; outcomes: approved.

Multiple items were passed on voice motion after a mover and a second and the chair calling for questions or objections; the minutes record each item as "carries," indicating approval by the jury.

Details and clarifications

- The budget committee report provided explicit dollar amounts for six items; the jury record shows those allocations were approved as part of the committee motion moved by Andrew Ponte and seconded by Steli. - Staff recommended Bolton Ford as the low bidder for the vehicle purchases; the staff recommendation was read into the record and the jury approved acceptance of the low bids. - The engineering qualifications list cites firms recommended for contract awards; contracts are to be finalized after negotiations, per the motion.

Meeting context and next steps

Most items were routine or consent-type matters that passed without extended public discussion. Several approvals enable follow-up administrative steps: staff will proceed with contract negotiations, procurement steps for awarded bids, property-notice mailings for condemnation proceedings and scheduling of construction/completion tracking for the accepted repair projects.

Quotes in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript of the April 24, 2025 Calcasieu Parish Police Jury meeting.