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Commission approves Bridges Group contract amendment after debate; 5–3 vote
Summary
Commissioners approved a resolution adding travel‑policy and public‑bid language to the Bridges Group contract to close an audit finding after debate about seeing the full amended contract; commissioners Schultz, McCarty and two others expressed concern, and Districts 3, 5 and 8 voted no.
The Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District commission voted 5–3 to authorize the executive director to amend the Bridges Group contract to add clauses requiring compliance with the port travel policy and Louisiana public bid laws, closing an internal audit finding.
Commissioner Schultz said he had not seen the amended contract and told the commission he was “not comfortable voting on it” without reviewing the full text. Commissioner McCarty said she found the recent Bridges Group study lacking key investor information and said the port should reevaluate deliverables before renewing or extending contracts. “Basically, it was missing answers about investment... It's missing some basic business information to attract investors,” McCarty said.
Executive Director Charles D. Tillotson and staff responded that the proposed amendment inserts standardized language into port contracts to require pre‑approval of travel, adherence to the port travel policy, and compliance with public bid laws going forward. Tillotson said the change was intended to document prior practice and prevent future audit findings: “the travel that the Bridges Group that they've made in the past was always approved, but we will make sure that we do everything in writing.”
Commissioner Josh (Speaker 12) and others asked for more time to review documents; staff said the draft amendment had been circulated in December and agreed to resend the full contract language on request. Despite those assurances, several commissioners pressed to defer the item; the chair proceeded to a vote after no motion to defer carried.
On the roll call the clerk recorded three no votes (Districts 3, 5 and 8) and five yes votes; the measure passed 5–3. The amendment was described as addressing a prior audit finding and not as creating new substantive procurement authority or a larger scope of work for the Bridges Group.
The commission’s action requires the executive director to execute the contract amendment and to ensure Bridges Group expenses comply with the port’s travel policy and public bid requirements; commissioners requested circulation of the amended contract language to the full commission.
