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Jury approves $43,000 contract to develop DeSoto Parish drainage ordinance
Summary
The Police Jury authorized staff to hire outside engineering services (proposal ~ $43,000) to draft parish-specific drainage ordinances; funding to come from the professional services budget and staff will seek grant reimbursement.
The Police Jury authorized parish staff to obtain professional services to develop a drainage ordinance tailored to DeSoto Parish.
A juror said the parish engineer recommended hiring an outside firm because drafting specialized drainage rules is outside routine staff capacity. The presenter said a proposal from an engineering firm (recorded in the transcript as "half an associate") for about $43,000 was under consideration and that the parish would pay from the professional services budget; staff indicated they would also seek grant money that might reimburse some of the cost.
The presenter explained the ordinance would set technical ground rules for new subdivisions, oilfield and industrial developments — for example, by requiring engineers to model runoff, retention or diversion and to analyze impacts on downstream properties. He said the goal is to avoid creating future drainage problems as the parish develops.
Jurors asked about fee structure and whether additional work would trigger return to the jury for supplemental authorization. The presenter said the proposal set a not-to-exceed amount unless the jury directed additional work; the motion to authorize the staff to obtain services passed.
Next steps: staff will contract with the selected firm, begin ordinance drafting and seek grant funding to offset the $43,000 professional-services expenditure. The draft ordinance will return for committee and jury review.
