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DeSoto Parish Jury approves $25M detention facility bid, adopts millage and advances subdivision rewrite
Summary
At its May meeting the DeSoto Parish Jury awarded a low bid of $25,025,000 for a new detention facility, adopted the 2025 millage, approved changes to subdivision rules to restrict subdivisions to parish- or state-maintained roads, and authorized planning and property actions tied to a communications tower project.
The DeSoto Parish Jury on May 20 approved a series of motions that commit the parish to major capital work and planning updates, including awarding the low bid for a new detention facility and adopting the 2025 millage.
The jury awarded the detention facility contract to Ratcliffe Construction of Alexandria, Louisiana, after staff reported four bids were received and the low bid came in at $25,025,000—about $1,000,000 under the engineer's budget estimate. Staff said the next steps include a preconstruction meeting and issuance of a notice to proceed.
The jury also moved to adopt the 2025 millage following a motion and second; the vote was taken and recorded in the meeting as passing. Jurors adopted Ordinance 3 of 2025 to install a four-way stop (with blinking stop signs) at Wallace Lake Road, Blossom Road and Stonewall Crossing Road per the engineering sketch.
On planning, the jury authorized a contract with Villavosa and Associates to complete a final draft of the DeSoto Parish subdivision regulations and to develop a parish master plan. The planning commission recommended amendments that clarify an exemption for partitions: lots of 1 acre or larger will be exempt from subdivision rules only when they front on an existing parish- or state-maintained roadway. Planning staff said the change is intended to prevent development relying on unmaintained oil-field roads and to ensure future maintenance responsibility is clear.
Jurors addressed a property transaction tied to a proposed communications tower in the Lula Hunter community. After discussion, the jury approved an alternate motion authorizing allocation of $36,000 (if a parcel on Constitution Drive sells) for the sheriff's office to construct the communications tower, rather than entering a new cooperative endeavor agreement. The alternate motion also authorized the administrator to sign closing documents if the president is unavailable; the remainder of sale proceeds were directed to the jail construction fund.
Other adopted items included the 2025–26 operating budget for the DeSoto Parish Sales and Use Tax Commission, authorization for the treasurer to sign an engagement agreement with CapRisk for actuarial valuations (2025–2029), and a cooperative endeavor agreement with the sheriff to build additional kennels at the animal shelter.
In personnel action, the jury appointed Ron Jackson to replace Dennis Reed on the ambulance/EMS district board for the remainder of the term, and approved a reclassification at the landfill converting two labor positions into one.
The meeting closed after approval of minutes and routine administrative items. The jury adjourned with no further public comment recorded.
