Meeting Summary

The Parish Council held its regular meeting on February 10, 2025, opening with recognition of Chief Barry Minnich for 50 years of service with the Luling Volunteer Fire Department and several community proclamations. The bulk of the meeting covered routine finance, infrastructure, and risk-management reports along with a series of ordinances and resolutions, most of which passed without discussion. Two significant items, an ordinance dedicating Special Revenue Fund 123 to outer levee pump station maintenance and a 99-year Entergy franchise agreement, were postponed indefinitely for further review.

Watch Items

• Entergy Franchise Agreement (2025-0009): The council postponed this ordinance indefinitely so the legal department can rework the proposed 99-year term. Parish President Matthew Jewell reported discussions with the Louisiana Public Service Commission about an alternative structure, such as three consecutive 30-year terms with automatic renewal, that would give the parish more flexibility. A resident, Joseph Coco, raised concerns about the agreement that were not fully addressed and may be revisited when the ordinance is reintroduced.
• Special Revenue Fund 123 Ordinance (2025-0005): This ordinance, which would have formally dedicated flood-protection funds to pump station maintenance costs, was postponed indefinitely after the administration concluded that existing millage language already covers the intended use and that a separate ordinance could cause confusion.
• Entergy Power Quality Concerns in Montz: Council members raised resident complaints about recurring power dips ("power quality events") in Montz, including damage to home appliances. Entergy committed to performing inspections and providing the parish with a report and prevention plan, but no timeline was given.
• Entergy Grid Hardening in St. Rose: Entergy could not confirm whether hardening (pole replacement) work in St. Rose is scheduled for 2025 or would be pushed to a later phase; council members were told to expect a follow-up list of planned projects.
• Bike Path Project (Kellona/Waterford area): The long-stalled Army Corps of Engineers bike path project is being restarted after being dropped from federal review in 2017. Design work is resuming from the point where it left off (about 60% complete), but routing challenges near the Waterford III plant remain unresolved.
• Keller Park Improvements: Layout planning for restroom facilities and playground equipment is still underway; no final plan has been presented to the council yet.
• Public Hearing set for Monday, February 24, 2025, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Courthouse, Hahnville, will consider the following ordinances for final passage:

- An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, to change the zoning classification from R-1A(M) to R-2 on Lots 35 and 36, Square E, Oak Ridge Park Subdivision, 925 and 935 Paul Frederick Drive, Luling as requested by Danny Alexander. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, to change the zoning classification from R-1A to M-1 on Lot 127X, Coteau de France, 16076 Highway 631, Paradis as requested by Pether Alonso. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, to change the zoning classification from C-1 to R-1A(M) on a Portion of Lot 1 of the P.R. Vicknair Property, 167 Post Street, Killona as requested by Bruce Pitre and Robin Rogers. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, to change the zoning classification from C-2 to C-3 on Lot 25A, Good Hope Subdivision Annex "C", 196 Good Hope Street, Norco as requested by Malcolm Darensbourg, III for M.A.D. III, LLC. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 23-7-7, which approved a Professional Services Agreement with Bryant Hammett & Associates, LLC, to perform additional surveying services for the Texaco Road Survey (Project No. P230601), in the lump sum amount of $21,015.00. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Change Order No. 1 for the St. Charles Parish East Bank Water Treatment Plant Hurricane Ida Repairs (Project No. WWKS 109), to increase the contract amount by $134,919.00 and to increase contract time by 50 days. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Change Order No. 3 (Final) for the Destrehan Pump Station (P.S.) No. 2 Conveyance Improvements, (Project No. P181101), to decrease the contract amount by $64,132.57. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 20-8-13, which approved an Engineering Services Agreement between N-Y Associates, Inc., to facilitate requested changes at the intersection of Carriage and Dunleith Canals for the Carriage/Dunleith Canals Drainage Structure (Project No. P200706), in the amount of $44,403.00, resulting in an overall contract value not to exceed $473,378.00. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Change Order No. 2 (Final) for the Des Allemands Phase 1 Bulkhead (Project No. P210601), to decrease the contract amount by $118,000.72 and decrease the contract time by sixteen (16) calendar days, for a total contract price of $6,949,452.71 and total contract time of two hundred fifty-three (253) calendar days. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Contract with Thompson Consulting Services, LLC, for Storm Debris Monitoring 2024, (Project No. P241002). - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Alpha Testing and Inspection, Inc., for testing and inspection services for the Capital Project Testing and Inspection (Project No. P250107), in the not to exceed amount of $250,000.00. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Terracon Consultants, Inc., to perform engineering services for Roadway Coring - 2025 (Project No. P250106), in the not to exceed amount of $100,000.00. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Amendment No. 2 to Ordinance No. 21-4-7, which approved a Professional Services Agreement with GIS Engineering, LLC, to perform engineering services for the Montz Pump Station No. 1 (Project No. P210301), in the amount not to exceed $797,379.50, which increases the overall contract value to $1,525,535.50. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Barowka and Bonura Engineers and Consultants, LLC, to perform engineering services for the Cousins Canal Bank Stabilization (Project No. P241103), in the not to exceed amount of $618,000.00. - An ordinance of the Parish of St. Charles providing that the Code of Ordinances, Parish of St. Charles, be amended by revising Section 15-5, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, of said Code, to provide for the installation of "NO PARKING" signs on both sides of Williams Street in Boutte.