Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the St Mary Donation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bossier Parish panel agrees to seek funding help as it weighs donation of St. Mary water system
Summary
The Health, Water Sanitation & Sewer District Committee heard that the St. Mary Community Water System is debt-free but rated D by DHH, and it gave consensus to pursue funding assistance through The Coordinating & Development Company while studying governance options including creation of a new consolidated district.
Chairman Philip Rodgers opened the committee meeting by presenting a request from the St. Mary Community Water Corporation Board to donate the St. Mary water system to the parish. Parish Administrator Dr. Ken Ward summarized recent history, saying the system carried roughly $50,000 in debt that "has been paid in full and the system is now debt-free," but remains under an Administrative Order from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) because of financial instability and water-quality issues.
Committee members discussed operational, financial and regulatory implications of accepting the donation. Mr. John Ed Jorden said the St. Mary board wishes to donate the system and emphasized the need to support growth in the northern parish. The committee reached consensus that parish staff should move forward with assisting the St. Mary board in exploring funding available through The Coordinating & Development Company (CDC); Chairman Rodgers said the committee will reconvene on February 18, 2026, to consider whether to recommend acceptance of the donation to the police jury.
