Terrebonne council declares CDBG‑DR weather‑station project an ‘urgent need’; no new spending required, staff says

The Terrebonne Parish Budget & Finance Committee on Feb. 24 voted 9–0 to declare the CDBG‑DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) weather‑station project an “urgent need,” allowing the parish to site monitoring stations across the parish rather than restricting them to low‑to‑moderate‑income areas.

Parish staff told the committee that the declaration follows guidance from the Louisiana Office of Community Development (OCD) after OCD approved the weather‑station project. “No, ma’am, we’re not taking anything away. This was part of all of the allocations,” a parish staff member said, adding that the urgent‑need designation permits parish‑wide placement of sensors.

The designation was moved by Councilman Danny Babin and seconded by Councilman John Amity. Council members asked for practical details before the vote: where stations will be sited, who will maintain them and what budget impact maintenance will have. A council member asked explicitly whether the weather‑station line item had been included in prior CDBG‑DR applications; staff confirmed the project was part of the originally submitted allocations.

On maintenance, staff said the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) will manage upkeep and that maintenance costs are expected to be modest; the exact annual maintenance cost was not specified at the meeting. Committee discussion also noted that the parish will front costs and seek reimbursement through CDBG‑DR drawdowns. Staff said reimbursement requests historically have been processed quickly and that once proof of payment is submitted the parish typically receives reimbursement within a few weeks.

Council members pressed for follow‑up information. Councilman Carl Harding asked whether the roughly $200,000 figure discussed earlier in the meeting would be paid up front; staff confirmed the project would use emergency‑recovery funds and that reimbursement would be sought. Staff also said they would provide specific maintenance‑cost figures and locations for the council before subsequent budget amendments are brought forward.

The committee’s action does not appropriate new funds; staff said it simply relieves the low‑to‑moderate income location requirement for these stations under CDBG‑DR guidance. The motion carried without dissent, 9–0.

Next steps: staff said the parish will return to the council with project specifics and budget amendments as reimbursements and project approvals come through.