Amite River Basin Commission approves land purchase due diligence, three resolutions to advance Upper Amite restoration

The Amite River Basin Commission voted Thursday to begin due diligence this week on a planned land purchase for an Upper Amite River restoration project after approving three resolutions that correct contract wording, authorize environmental services and confirm available matching funds.

Commissioners adopted a correction to Resolution 11-90 to fix the vendor name, authorized engagement of environmental services under Resolution 11-92 and confirmed matching funds under Resolution 11-93. Executive Director Paul Sawyer said the commission has executed a purchase agreement and, with passage of the resolutions, will start due diligence immediately. “We will commence with due diligence this week,” Sawyer said.

Why it matters: The land acquisition is a preparatory step for a larger restoration effort the commission expects to fund partly through state capital outlay and other sources. Sawyer said the commission has a 120-day window, commonly described as a 100–120 day due-diligence period, and intends to compress that schedule where possible while complying with Louisiana capital outlay program rules.

Sawyer told commissioners the commission has a $2,000,000 capital outlay allocation currently designated as a Priority 2 award. He said he is coordinating with state officials, including the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee chairman, the State Bond Commission and the Division of Administration, to try to elevate that allocation to a cash Priority 1 allocation. “We do expect to be before the State Bond Commission sometime this fall, September, October time frame,” Sawyer said.

Legal counsel Larry Bankston told the commission staff has worked with the sellers’ attorney and with the Division of Administration to ensure purchase and sale language meets the state’s requirements. “We have worked with the sellers attorney to revise the documents to ensure that the purchase and sales agreement and the sample cash sale would be acceptable to the state and we have been able to get that confirmation,” Bankston said.

The commission approved the three resolutions by voice vote. A motion to correct Resolution 11-90 was made by Commissioner Quintmall and seconded by Commissioner Parker; a motion to authorize engagement of ESA (environmental) services (Resolution 11-92) was made by Commissioner Quintmall and seconded by Commissioner Parker; and confirmation of matching funds for facility planning (Resolution 11-93) was moved by Commissioner Quintmall and seconded by Commissioner Bailey. No recorded opposition was announced at the time each resolution passed.

Discussion-only items recorded during the session included staff plans to compress the due-diligence timeline where practicable and the requirement to follow Louisiana capital outlay program rules, and a staff pledge to report back on state-level meetings and progress toward elevating the capital outlay allocation.

The commission also discussed outreach and transparency steps tied to the project: Sawyer said staff will continue to expand outreach and improve the commission’s website and newsletter to increase public participation and distribution of project information. He said the commission’s email list numbered about 200 contacts and that the website contact feature has been the primary means of collecting addresses.

No binding procurement contract beyond the executed purchase agreement was announced at the meeting, and no implementation dates were set beyond the stated due-diligence window.

Ending: The commission directed staff to proceed with due diligence after the resolutions passed, continue coordinating with state officials about the capital outlay allocation and to report back to the commission on progress and any required follow-up actions.