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Jury weighs renting Cameron multipurpose building and leasing fisheries facility; staff to bring policies and tenant proposals
Summary
Officials discussed whether to lease the Cameron Multipurpose Building and Cameron Fisheries building to private operators; staff reported past operating losses and said public-bid law and community access must be considered. A local prospective lessee plans to present a proposal in May.
Parish staff told the police jury that industry interest has arisen in leasing long‑term office space at the Cameron Multipurpose Building and at the Cameron Fisheries building. The multipurpose building was rebuilt with FEMA funds and has been used for community events, but staff said it operated at a loss in recent years (about $78,000 in 2024). The jury discussed whether to permit long‑term private leases while protecting community access.
"We were approached by 1 company," staff said of prior temporary leasing, and warned that some offers could "lock it down" and prevent community use. Staff emphasized that public‑bid law applies and that decisions would typically come back to the jury for case‑by‑case approval.
On the Cameron Fisheries building, staff and a subcommittee reported that a local operator, Chris McCall (Family Legacy), is preparing a presentation on repairs, utilities and business plans; jurors asked that he present in May with investment and lease terms so the jury could consider negotiations. Staff also noted that the property owner (the Henry family) supports occupancy and that utilities have been turned on recently.
A juror asked staff to draft a policy to allow the parish to pursue leasing opportunities where those arrangements do not displace essential public uses. Staff said they can proceed with case‑by‑case negotiations and bring options and recommended contracts to the jury for approval.
Next steps: a prospective lessee will present a formal proposal at the May meeting; staff will prepare policy options and financial analyses for jury consideration.
