Plaquemines Port Council authorizes $80,000 to accept single drydock bid for Plaquemines Pride; approves budget and contract package

The Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District voted unanimously Oct. 10 to authorize its executive director to spend an additional $80,000 to accept a single drydocking bid for the port vessel Plaquemines Pride, after staff said rejecting the lone offer would delay repairs.

The chair moved to suspend the rules to add the item to the agenda and to act immediately. "I'm gonna do a motion to suspend the rules to add to the agenda to authorize an additional $80,000 towards the pride," the chair said on the floor. Port staff had reported that the Department of Transportation and Development received only one bid for the drydocking work, from Thomas E. Marine of Houma, and that the bid came in roughly $400,000 higher than expected. "We can't afford it," the Port Director said during the discussion, stressing the budgetary strain while urging the council to move forward so the vessel would return to service without the weeks-long delay a rebid would impose.

Commissioners discussed whether funds were already appropriated; legal staff advised that if the money existed in the budget, the council could adopt a resolution authorizing the director to incur the additional expenditure. The council first voted to suspend the rules and then voted to adopt the resolution authorizing the extra $80,000 and to accept the single bid. The resolution passed unanimously, with the council recording a 9–0 vote on the item.

The drydocking action was one of several formal items the council handled at the meeting. Commissioner Champagne introduced a package of ordinances and resolutions for introduction, including an employment contract for Charles D. Tillotson to serve as port executive director (contract signing to occur no later than Nov. 30, 2024), the proposed operating and capital budgets for fiscal 2025, and amendments to the port's manpower structure and capital improvement plan. On second reading, the council adopted Ordinance 23-100, authorizing a cooperative endeavor agreement with Plaquemines Parish government for shared resources and services; that measure also passed by a recorded 9–0 vote.

Other approved actions included a resolution adopting an updated civil-service employee handbook (to be finalized with the civil service commission), authorization to advertise phase 2 of the Alliance Booster Station feed-line extension (with related certifications of compliance with public bid laws), task orders for Lanier & Associates to complete survey work, and an RFP to procure grass-cutting services for port and adjacent properties. Minutes from the Sept. 26 regular meeting were approved, and the council adjourned at 6:31 p.m.

In staff reports before the votes, the Port Director said revenue is about $610,000 higher and expenses about $340,000 higher relative to the prior meeting and that the port is pursuing more than $77 million in grant opportunities. Two large grant efforts—listed in staff materials as a land purchase and rail construction—total about $13 million and $21 million and were reported as pending. The port is also advancing the Pointe Lehash ferry landing replacement (target completion January 2025), coordinating a Peters Road bridge and rail-bypass effort tied to Jefferson Parish, and reported that Pelican Marine received a notice to proceed for a Newbill ferry vessel procurement.

What happens next: the council adopted the resolution authorizing the Port Director to spend the additional funds and accepted the single bid; staff said they will complete the drydocking work as scheduled and will present any needed budget adjustments in upcoming materials. Other introduced ordinances (employment contract, budget ordinances and amendments) will follow normal ordinance adoption timelines unless otherwise noted by staff.