Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hazard Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parish engineers, OEP report hazard mitigation approval; proposal for state‑supplied Bardville tower raises $60,000 a year funding question
Summary
Joey of OEP said the parish hazard mitigation plan was approved and will be on the next meeting agenda; jurors were also told the state will supply radio equipment for a new Bardville tower but expects the parish to commit about $60,000 annually to secure/operate the site, prompting debate over funding responsibility.
Joey, representing the Office of Emergency Preparedness, told jurors the parish’s hazard mitigation plan has been approved and will be presented for a formal vote at the next regular meeting. He said FEMA has begun releasing funds again and encouraged attendance at a June 2 hurricane preparedness meeting to coordinate municipal and emergency services.
Separately, jurors discussed a state‑funded radio tower site in Bardville. The transcript indicates the state has purchased the radio equipment and antennas and will supply the infrastructure, but the parish was asked to commit roughly $60,000 annually to secure the tower. Jurors raised funding and fairness concerns: several noted multiple state and local agencies would use the site and questioned why the parish should carry the full annual cost. Options discussed included seeking contributions from other agencies, identifying grant sources, or reallocating current parish funds.
Pan‑American and Delta engineering reports intersected with emergency planning: Delta noted the parish is pursuing hazard mitigation and other grant applications that could offset local costs for road projects and infrastructure, and Pan‑American confirmed several federal and state grant lettings are moving forward.
Why it matters: the hazard mitigation plan approval positions the parish to receive federal assistance for resilience projects; at the same time, the Bardville tower would improve emergency communications but requires a local financial commitment that jurors say must be resolved before the parish can accept long‑term responsibilities.
No formal binding commitment to pay the tower’s annual cost was made at the meeting; jurors asked staff to identify potential funding partners and to clarify whether the requested $60,000 is a one‑time or recurring obligation and what services it will secure.
