New Iberia council approves multiple ARPA projects, awards contracts and defers excavation ordinance

NEW IBERIA, La. — The New Iberia City Council on Dec. 3 approved several contract awards and budget adjustments tied to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, moved forward a state-funded sidewalk project, extended the Steamboat Pavilion construction schedule and voted to defer an ordinance tightening rules for utility excavations on public property.

Why it matters: The actions allocate federal ARPA dollars to visible public projects — restrooms and park facilities, gateway signage, canal cleanup and public-safety infrastructure — and advance long‑running agreements with state transportation officials for downtown sidewalks. Council members said the projects respond to repeated public requests and to deadlines for spending ARPA funds.

Ordinances and resolutions approved

- Annexation ordinance (Ordinance No. 202431): The council approved an ordinance enlarging New Iberia’s municipal boundaries to add about 13 acres for residential development. The motion to open and move the ordinance was made and seconded on the floor; the council then voted on the main motion and returned the item approved (mover and second recorded during debate).

- ARPA budget amendment for restroom renovations (Ordinance No. 202432): Council approved a budget amendment reallocating ARPA funds for restroom renovations at multiple community centers and Bank Street Park. City staff said the total project budget is about $478,000; roughly $80,000 of that is allocated to Bank Street Park, with the remainder split among the gyms and community centers. The work will be bid; staff estimated contractors could begin in roughly six to eight weeks and said the work will be staged so facilities can remain partly open.

- Hopkins Street Gateway project contract (Resolution No. 24155): The council awarded a contract to E and L Construction Group LLC for an ARPA-funded Hopkins Street gateway project. City staff reported a contract amount of $293,333.33 after selecting a base bid and accepting a first alternate with value engineering. The scope includes 15 small vertical district signs and larger gateway signage at two prominent entrances to the cultural district; the signs are fabricated aluminum with automotive paint and were described as having roughly a 10-year color retention.

- Major drainage cleanout, Area C (Resolution No. 24156): The council awarded a contract to Iberia Aggregates and Construction Materials LLC for the third phase of a canal-cleaning drainage program funded through ARPA. Staff said the overall drainage program was $1,000,000 divided into four phases and that the third phase must be wrapped before the ARPA deadline; one council member pressed staff to ensure large trees blocking flow are removed and to coordinate work with Iberia Parish to clear the parish side of canals.

- State sidewalk project authorization (Resolution No. 24157): The council authorized the mayor to act on behalf of the city for state project H‑012295 (LA 182, New Iberia sidewalks). City staff said the state‑funded work will install new sidewalks on Main Street and Saint Peter to replace older, non‑ADA sidewalks installed during a 1970s urban renewal project. Council members noted the project does not include broader drainage work on Main Street, which remains a separate state issue.

- Steamboat Pavilion change order (Resolution No. 24158): The council approved Change Order No. 4 to extend the contractor’s substantial‑completion date to Jan. 6 to account for rain, festival scheduling and a brief plumbing verification that required extra time. Staff reported the pavilion work is roughly 85% complete, and that reclaimed bricks from a site warehouse were reused in the project. Staff said the current superintendent increased on‑site production and recent progress has been rapid.

Items introduced or set for public hearing

- Police radios and vehicles (Introduction: Special ordinance noted as 2024–2025–3 and related ordinance 202434): The council introduced an ordinance to amend the budget to buy replacement New Iberia Police Department radios under a seven‑year swap program and to purchase two additional police vehicles. Staff said the radios will be purchased via state contract with a seven‑year swap/replace warranty; council members asked why only one vendor (Motorola) bid the contract and discussed interoperability with the city’s dispatch and existing Motorola equipment. A companion ordinance to award related equipment and communications services was introduced and set for public hearing on Dec. 17.

- Acadiana Crime Lab payment (Introduction, ordinance amending budget): Council introduced a budget amendment to carry over funds to make a final payment under a payment plan to the Acadiana Crime Lab (payment to "Bo Dewey" referenced in the meeting). The ordinance was set for public hearing on Dec. 17.

- Camera infrastructure Phase 2 (Introduction): The council introduced an ordinance to award a contract to Ultimate Technologies for Phase 2 of the city’s camera infrastructure. Staff said the award follows state grant and private funding and that an earlier phase placed cameras at more than 125 locations (described in the meeting as four cameras per location, roughly 500 cameras total across the project so far), plus license‑plate‑reading (LPR) cameras. The next phase adds cameras paid in part by a $250,000 state allocation; council members discussed vendor support, maintenance response times and integration with existing Motorola systems.

- Excavations on public property (Introduction, Ordinance No. 202435 — deferred): Council introduced an ordinance to tighten rules and penalties for utility excavations and related repairs on public property, intended to reduce recurring damage to newly renovated streets and sidewalks. During discussion council members raised repeated problems with open utility boxes (AT&T, cable) and damage left by contractors who work in the city. Members said the draft required more work — including consideration of easements, enforcement timelines and larger fines — and voted to defer the ordinance so staff can revise it and address additional items raised in discussion.

Dilapidated properties and demolition batch

City code enforcement staff presented a new batch of properties the city deems dilapidated or dangerous and recommended that they proceed toward hearings and potential demolition. Addresses presented included (examples): 1219 Jane Street; 713 Toriac Street; 110 Reynolds Street; 507 Silver Street; 202 North Chestnut Street; and 225 Hortense Street. Staff said the city continues to use targeted batches to encourage owners to address conditions and to prioritize the worst properties for possible demolition or remediation. The city also noted an ongoing state demo grant process and that the current queue includes dozens of properties; staff asked for a short window to complete notice and hearing scheduling.

Votes at a glance

The meeting recorded motions, seconds and roll‑call votes for the items above; the transcript records that the council called for votes and instructed members to "please vote your machines." The transcript does not publish individual roll‑call tallies for each item. The council took the following formal outcomes in open session (tallies not specified in the public transcript):

- Ordinance 202431 (annexation, ~13 acres) — approved. - Ordinance 202432 (ARPA restroom renovations budget amendment) — approved. - Resolution 24154 (general engineering services agreement authorization) — approved with a stated per‑project cap referenced in discussion ($5,000 for small projects as described by staff). - Resolution 24155 (Hopkins Street Gateway contract to E and L Construction Group LLC) — approved; contract amount cited $293,333.33. - Resolution 24156 (drainage cleanout, Area C, award to Iberia Aggregates and Construction Materials LLC) — approved. - Resolution 24157 (state LA‑182 sidewalk authorization) — approved. - Resolution 24158 (Steamboat Pavilion change order #4) — approved; new substantial‑completion date Jan. 6. - Ordinance 202435 (excavations on public property) — deferred for additional revision and community/staff input.

What the council asked staff to do

Council members repeatedly asked staff for additional implementation details: firm start dates and phasing for restroom renovations; a map and parish coordination for the drainage cleanout areas; exact sidewalk plans and whether drainage work would be paired with the state sidewalks; vendor support and termination clauses for camera and radio contracts; and a revised excavation ordinance that would address open utility boxes and higher fines.

Meeting wrap and next steps

Council members set Dec. 17, 2024 for several public hearings tied to the introduced budget and contract ordinances. Staff will return with revised excavation language, formal contract documents and implementation timelines.

The council adjourned after members’ remarks; the clerk recorded the meeting’s close and noted the next council meeting date.

Ending: The council’s December actions move multiple projects into contracting and procurement phases; several items remain subject to follow‑up details and a public hearing schedule on Dec. 17.