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Water Sector Commission approves extensions and several funding increases, defers several large requests
Summary
The Water Sector Commission approved deadline extensions for two sewer grants, approved multiple increases for small-to-mid projects, approved a $5 million top-up for a regional consolidation effort, and deferred several substantial funding requests pending further information.
The Water Sector Commission met and approved a string of procedural and funding actions, including two three-month deadline extensions for sewer grants and multiple requests for additional funding, while deferring several large or complex requests for further review.
Tracy Watts, with the division, told commissioners that “we have an unobligated amount of 33,021,750.” That balance, plus a separate line for terminated or rescinded grants (about 15,800,000 on the handout), framed members’ decisions on extensions and supplemental awards.
Why it matters: The commission is distributing a finite pool of state program funds while many previously awarded grants have not yet drawn funds. Commissioners repeatedly referenced projects that have not expended money and asked staff to seek status updates so the division can redeploy money if grantees do not move forward.
Key outcomes included: the commission approved motions without recorded roll-call votes for the following items during the meeting. Where the transcript records a motion and a unanimous voice approval (“hearing or seeing none”), those items are reported below as approved; if the transcript shows a deferment or no recorded disposition, that is reported as such.
- Approval of minutes: motion by Senator Bass; approved by voice. - Delcom extension: approved (three-month extension to provide match verification). Motion by Representative Miller; no objection recorded. - Generate extension: approved (three-month extension to provide match verification). Motion by Representative Borriault; no objection recorded. - Calcasieu phase 4/5 bid advertising extension: approved (phase 4 extended to Feb. 28, 2025; phase 5 to July 31, 2025). Motion by Senator Reese; approved by voice. - Breaux Bridal (water project) additional funding: approved. The project requested an increase (water sector share about 286,431; local match about 19,569), which would change the match from 76% to 53%; Representative Miller moved to approve and the motion passed by voice. - Belmont Water Works additional funding: approved (increase about 365,903; water sector 292,722; local 73,181). Motion approved by voice. - Maurice water project additional funding (small increase): approved; JLCB approval not required. - A regional consolidation project represented by Gary Beard (the multi-community sewer consolidation) — the commission approved an additional $5,000,000 commitment from Water Sector funds to help close a roughly $9.8 million shortfall; members asked staff to recalculate match and return with updated numbers.
Deferred or held for later review: - Jennings scope-change / large additional request: commissioners agreed to defer for more detail and value-engineering results and to return next month. Motion to defer was approved. - Iberia Parish Sewer District No. 1 additional funding request: deferred to next month to allow the district to pursue other local options and to preserve a contractor’s bid hold period where possible. - DuSall (referred to in transcript as "Doosan"/"DuSall") water project: deferred to next meeting for additional financial information and bonding capacity analysis; motion to defer approved.
Other procedural items: staff reported 178 Phase 2 applications were received (114 water, 64 sewer) requesting a combined total far larger than available program funds. Staff said they will provide scoring and funding recommendations by Jan. 27.
The commission took several of the actions listed above by voice motions that were recorded in the transcript as having no objections. There were a number of items that commissioners explicitly deferred so staff and applicants could provide additional financial detail (bonding capacity, value-engineering results, revised match calculations) before final decisions.
What’s next: Staff will follow up with applicants who have not drawn funds and those with zero expenditures to determine viability. Deferred applicants were asked to return at the commission’s next meeting with the requested information; staff will also recalculate match percentages where state funds or SRF loans would change match math.
