Votes at a glance: Port board approves tariffs, leases, servitude, service contract amendment and equipment purchase

The Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District board approved several agenda items by voice vote at its Jan. 29 meeting.

Key approvals included: - Submission 2024-001: Revision of district tariff O13 to (1) require a stevedore for loading/unloading at terminals and (2) correct the security-fee percentage previously submitted. Staff presented the changes and the board approved the revision.

- 02/2002: Amendment to the lease agreement with Phillips 66 to cover a five-year term for the green coke pad and certain silos at BT-1, granting Phillips 66 primary use of the silos while the port pursues a new coke pad lease arrangement for the former chip pad.

- Submission 2024-003: Servitude agreement with Venture Global CP Express LLC to install a pipeline across port property near the Ellinger Bridge and to rent roughly six acres of laydown area; the port would receive a one-time payment of about $251,000 for the servitude and laydown rental.

- Submission 2024-004: Authorization to amend resolution 2021-043 to increase the design fee to Bouz Navarre LLC by $300,000 for work on two vault material ship loaders at BT-1 because of contractor delays; staff noted liquidated-damages provisions exist in the contractor agreements.

- Submission 2024-006: Purchase of a Caterpillar D3 dozer from Louisiana Machinery on the state contract for BT-1 operations; budgeted at $245,000 with an actual cost of $247,000 (approximately $2,000 over budget).

Votes were recorded by voice; the meeting transcript records the motions, seconding and the chair calling the voice votes but does not include a full roll-call tally for each item in the public transcript.

The board also moved to an executive session at the end of the public meeting; no further public actions were recorded in the transcript.