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Plaquemines Port council approves lease, insurance and rehearing resolutions; defers CEA amendment
Summary
At a Sept. 26 meeting the council passed a lease ordinance for overflow parking, approved insurance and legal rehearing resolutions (all 9‑0), deferred an amendment to a cooperative services agreement over incorrect percentages, approved minutes and adjourned (motion passed with seven yes, one no, one abstention).
The Plaquemines Parish Council acting as the Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District took several formal actions on Sept. 26, approving a lease ordinance and multiple resolutions by unanimous vote and deferring a cooperative‑services amendment for clarification.
Key votes and outcomes
- Lease ordinance (Popovich building overflow parking to Bridgette's Barber Shop): motion offered by Commissioner Champagne and seconded by Commissioner McCarty; council approved the ordinance 9‑0. The ordinance authorizes a lease of a portion of the Popovich building south parking lot at 8056 Highway 23 in Belle Chasse for overflow parking, described in the meeting as limited to overflow use.
- Amendment/readoption of CEA (cooperative endeavor agreement) — deferred: Council introduced an amendment to Ordinance 23‑100 (CEA between the Port and Plaquemines Parish Government) to add shared grant‑writing services and grass‑cutting responsibilities, but several commissioners (notably Commissioner Schultz) flagged incorrect employee‑percentage allocations in the document and asked for clarity on grant‑writing scope and resource allocation. The council deferred the item so staff can correct percentages and align the CEA with an upcoming grass‑cutting RFP.
- Insurance resolution (2024 coverage for port assets): motion offered by Commissioner Champagne and seconded by Commissioner McCarty; passed 9‑0.
- Litigation/rehearing resolution (Plaquemines Port v. State DOTD): after suspending the rules by unanimous vote, the council approved a resolution authorizing special counsel Danny P. Garrett III to seek rehearing of a First Circuit Court of Appeal opinion in docket 2024 CA 0099; suspension and the rehearing resolution each passed 9‑0.
- Minutes: The council approved the regular meeting minutes for Aug. 22, 2024, by a 9‑0 vote.
- Adjournment: A motion to adjourn (moved by Commissioner Schultz, seconded by Commissioner Newsom) passed with seven votes in favor, one vote recorded as opposed and one abstention (the meeting closed at 6:09 p.m.).
What was deferred and why
Councillors specifically deferred the CEA amendment because the copy before them contained outdated employee‑percentage allocations (parish/civil service/secretary splits) that commissioners said did not reflect earlier votes and would need verification. Commissioner Schultz asked whether adding grant‑writing responsibilities would distract from port priorities; the executive director said Rockwood Steel (the existing grant‑writing contractor) will 'piggyback' and bring additional resources and the port will verify the percentages before returning the item for a vote.
Procedure and next steps: staff will correct the percentages in the CEA, coordinate the grass‑cutting RFP with the CEA update, and return both items for consideration at the next port meeting.
