MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING Monday June 9, 2025

[City Clerk]

CITY OF JEANERETTE JEANERETTE, LA
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING -BOARD OF ALDERMEN Monday June 9, 2025
Proceedings of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Jeanerette, State of Louisiana, at their Regular meeting place held Monday June 9, 2025 at for the Public Hearing/Meeting at 6:45 p.m. The Mayor called the meeting to order and the prayer and pledge were just done in the Public Hearing for the Millage. To repeat the roll call that was called in the Public Hearing .those present were: Mayor Carol Bourgeois Jr., Alderwoman Charlene Moore. Alderman Garland Bourgeois, Alderwoman Christia Simmons, Alderman Ray Duplechain, City Attorney Lucretia Pecantte and City Clerk Susan Colden. Alderwoman Mariah Clay, was absent. Mayor Carol Bourgeois Jr. determined that a quorum was present. Alderwoman Moore requested to expand the agenda to consider a Resolution regarding the sewer plant. After a brief discussion it was agreed that the discussion of the sewer plant in item 10C would address the issue. There were no public comments on agenda items.
6A. Approval of Minutes from last meeting, May 13, 2025 - Motion by Alderman Bourgeois, second by Alderwoman Moore to approve, Voice vote of all yea no nay and no abstain, motion carried.
C. Approval of Minutes from the June 3 Finance Committee meeting - Motion by Alderwoman Simmons, second by Alderwoman Moore to approve, Voice vote of all yea no nay and no abstain, motion carried.
D. Approval of Minutes from Public Works & Safety Committee June 3, 2025 - Motion by Alderwoman Moore, second by Alderman Bourgeois to approve, Voice vote of all yea no nay and no abstain, motion carried.
7. Correspondence -The group BeeThe1ToHelpSomeone sent letters to all the board to remind them June is Men’s Mental Health Month.
8. Announcements-The Mayor announced that the End the Gun Violence organized by the Forever Oshaun Foundation was successful. There will be a Juneteenth program at King Joseph Recreation Center grounds on Saturday June 14, from 11 am to 6 pm there will be food vendors. The Mayor also told council that he has contacted a number of representatives in Baton Rouge regarding the water sector commission and the funding for the sewer project. The next meeting of the commission has not been set yet. The Mayor recognized the Chief of Police, over the weekend they had a major drug bust, collecting a lot of guns, and the paperwork for the cases going to the DA’s office is well done.
A. Statewide Electric report on Sewer and Water operations-Brandon Domingue reported They have been spot flushing as needed. He has met with Fire Chief Landry to help paint fire hydrants starting by the nursing home and working towards town. The Mayor commented that the water quality received a grade from LDH of A, which is great. The city applied for an LMA achievement award for the work at the water plant. Brandon also added that all of the parts for the special gate valve has arrived and the ball valve is ordered. A spare booster pump for the chlorine room is on order. The Mayor said that we may have found a company in Shreveport that sells brine and hopefully give us a quote. The sewer plant had some wiring damaged by lightening affecting an aerator, working to fix that. Lift stations are good but the station at city park needs a bigger motor.
. A. Appointment-Official Journal: The City is required to select a newspaper as its official journal annually and submit this information to the Secretary of State in accordance with R.S. 43:141. On Motion by Alderman Bourgeois and second by Alderwoman Simmons to appoint the Daily Iberian as the official journal, roll call vote
Yeas: Alderwoman Moore, Alderman Bourgeois, Alderwoman Simmons, Alderman Duplechain
Nay: None
Absent: Alderwoman Clay
Abstain: None
Motion Carried
B. Approval of bids for Chlorine, Salt, Sulphur Dioxide, Limestone and Potassium Permanganate, Ms Colden informed the board that there was only one bidder for each category. She reviewed the current vendor and price and the new bid costs. For the Limestone the bid from Acadiana Shell & Limestone, there is no price change. Sulfur Dioxide as bid by PVS had an increase of $26/cylinder. Potassium Permangate bid by TMB, had an increase of $2.75 per 55 lb pail. Chlorine bid from PVS, had no price change over last year. Salt, brine bid from Cargill, was 0.525 per gal after July will be 0.5257 until Jan of 2026 and then it will rise to 0.5474/gal. Finally, Cold Mix, asphalt, bid from Material resources had an increase from 0.066 per pd to 0.067 per pd, the cost of the 50 lb bags was unchanged. On Motion by Alderwoman Moore and second by Alderwoman Simmons to accept the bids for the 25-26 year, roll call vote
Yeas: Alderwoman Moore, Alderman Bourgeois, Alderwoman Simmons, Alderman Duplechain
Nay: None
Absent: Alderwoman Clay
Abstain: None
Motion Carried
C. Sewer Rehab Project-Mr. Nick Sonnier of Sellers & Associates addressed the board. For the rehab of the current plant Mr. Sonnier had given the board a projected schedule. Nick stated that they had reached out to Barry, and JH Wright the contractor to get a better understanding of the scope of the project. Mr. Sonnier went on to say that this is all contingent on the Water Sector approving a change of scope, the commission should be meeting, according to Ms. Watts at the end of July. He also went on to say that this also depends on the funding sources such as the matching funds coming from the DEQ loan and the million from FP&C. There was a discussion on the amount of match required by the city. When the Mayor spoke with Ms. Watts she hoped that the commission would see this as valued engineering in the change and the hopefully lower costs. Alderwoman Simmons asked about the engineering contract approval, specifically what is being approved? Mr. Sonnier said that the existing contract was to build a new plant and the current proposal was to rehab the current plant. The costs of new agreement is unknown so the engineering fees is not set but you can estimate between 12-15% of project cost. Alderman Duplechain asked if Sellers and Associates were on board to do this project since there was some doubt at the last meeting. Mr. Sonnier replied yes but there still are concerns about achieving permit test results going forward and the height of the levee not within required flood evaluation. Also, there should be grit removal added so the grit does not seep into the oxidation ditch. So the concern is you are going to spend these funds and still not meet the permit levels. Alderman Bourgeois stated that he felt that the board needed a second opinion. Alderwoman Simmons asked Mr. Sonnier since you have concerns would you be able to support this project to the water sector commission. Mr. Sonnier said if asked he would tell of concerns to water sector and to DEQ. Additionally, DEQ would require new paperwork that would take about 6 months to generate. Then it would take 2 months to close the DEQ loan and advertise for bids. It would have to be a very aggressive schedule to close out the project by December of 2026. This aggressive schedule leaves little time for equipment delays. Alderman Duplechain asked since this is a new project is the city under any responsibility to go with Sellers & Associates and Mr. Sonnier said no. Alderman Duplechain then asked if Sellers & Associates would have any objections to the City getting a second opinion on this project, Mr. Sonnier said no. Alderman Bourgeois stated that the board has been saying for a while that they wanted to rehab the current plant. Mr. Sonnier addressed the past steps. The Mayor was addressing the role of the City Attorney which generated a heated responses regarding access to original contract. Alderwoman Simmons said she wanted to see the new contract, and Mr. Sonnier said it is not done yet. The Mayor gave a verbal review of the proposed rehab and he thought the cost was around 4.3 million. Alderman Bourgeois said the equalization pond is not part of this project. They want to do the sewer I & I project first and see how that helps the high flows to the plant during rains. Mr. Sonnier he is recommending adding a new headworks with a grit removal system and a new lift station for the return sludge and waste sludge. Alderwoman Simmons asked if the new plant was using the same methods of treatment as the current plant. Mr. Sonnier said that the current plant uses an oxidation ditch to treat which is sized to treat 1.3 million gallons per day and meet 30/30 limits. The new plant is an oxygen extended aeration pond that will have diffusers, blowers so it is a similar process but with different components. They have designed an aeration basin, chlorine contact chamber, clarifiers all of the structural items make it a different project. There was discussion of the cost of the new plant and the belief that if the current plant is cleaned out and the blowers and different aerators added it should work. Mr. Sonnier expressed concern about the tubing in the oxidation ditch and said the grit could settle and clog up the tubing in the ditch. He added that is why the grit removal in the front end is necessary. There was agreement those components need to be added but there was frustration that original design didn’t work. Mr. Sonnier said after they get more information they can get a cost estimate together. At the next Water Sector Commission meeting that project information can be presented. Mr. Sonnier said he still has concerns and if asked by Water Sector he will address. Alderman Bourgeois said the board needs to get a second opinion. During the discussion Mr. Sonnier again brought up the base line elevation of the plant and said we could be told it needs to meet the current standards. There was also discussion of how the grant funds would be used for the rehab. There is one million in Capital Outlay and that can be used towards the match for water sector. The 5 million dollar grant for water sector requires a 107% match. So, it would give about 2.5 million towards the project. The city would need to find the other 1.5 million. That is where the DEQ loan might be needed and DEQ has restrictions on the funds. Alderman Duplechain said the group needs to decide if they want to risk doing the rehab and then DEQ can require the levy has to be raised at a cost of 2 million. The board wanted to wait till they had cost estimates on the rehab. On motion by Alderman Bourgeois and second by Alderwoman Moore to table agenda item 10C, motion carried on voice vote of all yeah, no nay and no abstain.
12. 1. To adopt Resolution 6 of 2025 to Adopt the Adjusted Millage Rates, Resolution read by Susan Colden, motion by Alderman Duplechain and second by Alderwoman Simmons to adopt, roll call vote
Yeas: Alderwoman Moore, Alderman Bourgeois, Alderwoman Simmons, Alderman Duplechain
Nay: None
Absent: Alderwoman Clay
Abstain: None
Motion Carried
12.2 To adopt Resolution 7 of 2025 to set forth the Adjusted Millage Rates and roll forward to Millage rates not exceeding the Maximum authorized rates, Resolution read by Susan Colden, motion by Alderman Duplechain and second by Alderwoman Simmons to adopt, roll call vote
Yeas: Alderwoman Moore, Alderman Bourgeois, Alderwoman Simmons, Alderman Duplechain
Nay: None
Absent: Alderwoman Clay
Abstain: None
Motion Carried
13A. Adoption of Ordinance 2025-05A Amended budget for year 2024-2025 & Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget – Motion by Alderman Duplechain, second by Alderwoman Simmons to leave regular session and enter public session motion, carried on voice vote of all yeah, no nay and no abstain, There was a question about the amended and next fiscal year on the same document and Ms. Colden said she was advised by the auditor that as long as the years were clearly defined if was acceptable. Next Ms. Withrow ask how many officers there currently are and how many are in the budget. Chief Moore said 5 officers, and more are budgeted. Motion by Alderwoman Simmons and second by Alderwoman Moore to leave public session and return to regular session motion, carried on voice vote of all yeah, no nay and no abstain. Motion by Alderwoman Simmons and second by Alderwoman Moore to adopt Ordinance 2025-05A roll call vote
Yeas: Alderwoman Moore, Alderman Bourgeois, Alderwoman Simmons, Alderman Duplechain
Nay: None
Absent: Alderwoman Clay
Abstain: None
Motion Carried
14.Adjournment Motion by Aderman Moore second by Alderman Bourgeois to adjourn, motion, carried on voice vote of all yeah, no nay and no abstain.





_____________/s/___________________
Carol Bourgeois Jr., Mayor


ATTEST:





____________/s/__________________
Susan Colden City Clerk