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Joint committee approves Donaldsonville match waiver for $1.22 million stormwater project
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Summary
The Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay approved a waiver of the 25% local match for the City of Donaldsonville’s Stormwater Resilience Project, authorizing up to $1,222,500 in state funds after staff recommended approval and the mayor described the city’s financial strain.
On April 22, the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay approved a waiver of the local-match requirement to allow the City of Donaldsonville to receive up to $1,222,500 in state capital outlay funds for the Stormwater Resilience Project Planning and Construction.
The waiver request was presented by Matt Baker, director of the Office of Facility Planning and Control within the division, who told the committee that under a 2025 law municipalities with populations below the statutory threshold may be eligible for a full or partial waiver of the required local match when they demonstrate an inability to provide it. Baker recommended approval, noting Donaldsonville’s 2020 population of 6,695 makes it eligible and that the division’s review supports a waiver for Project50-M6825-01. "I recommend approval of this match waiver," Baker said.
Mayor Leroy Sullivan told the committee the city faces significant fiscal constraints and frequent flooding in the project area. He said prior capital outlay funding included a water-sector award of about $5,000,000 that required a $1,250,000 local match, which the city covered in part with American Rescue Plan Act funds; he described the city’s poverty level as roughly 47 percent and said recent and planned regional investment should improve future finances. Sullivan said the project would address chronic drainage problems affecting nearby residents.
Senator Lambert moved to approve the waiver and, with no objections, the Chair declared the waiver approved by voice/acclamation. The committee did not record a roll-call vote. The Chair thanked the mayor, and the committee adjourned.
The committee also approved minutes from Jan. 15, 2026, and elected Representative Baccala as vice chair by acclamation earlier in the meeting.
No further conditions or reporting requirements were recorded in the committee minutes for this waiver; the division staff indicated the committee must review such recommendations under current law.
