Architect recommends accepting low bid for annex expansion; council reviews contract amendment and road updates

Mid Victory Architects presented a bid analysis for the parish annex expansion and renovation and advised the council to accept the low bid from Castle Grove Construction if available funds cover the difference.

Lynn Guidry, an architect with the firm, reviewed bids received July 2 and reported the low bid as approximately $1,891,890 (about $364 per square foot). Guidry said the bid was roughly $60,000 higher than an earlier November estimate and attributed the increase to inflation; she told the council there are three levers to reduce cost—quantity, quality and time—and recommended accepting the low bid to preserve project quality and avoid further inflationary increases.

Separately, parish staff reported an amendment to a services contract with Broderick Hospital: an IT/keyboard/computer services item from the original 2019 agreement has not been implemented and the hospital requested deleting that portion until the next renewal; the remainder of the contract will remain unchanged.

Parish officials also provided emergency‑management and road project updates. Staff reported sandbag staging across the parish (about 9,000 bags staged across locations and roughly 2,700 dispersed in upper St. Martin for the recent rain event), purchased pumps staged for potential use, and described upcoming preconstruction meetings and contractor mobilization for several district road jobs. One road segment on Herman Dupuy Road was reported as prepped for asphalting pending weather and contractor schedules.

Guidry said the contractor has 12 months for construction and that staff should decide whether to accept the low bid and secure funds; council asked staff to confirm available funds and to return with procurement and budget details before formal acceptance.