Council approves $506,000 payment as project nears completion; road overlay, police hires also on agenda
BRUSLY — The Brusly Town Council voted 4-1 Monday night to approve a $506,213.20 payment on the long-running sewer lagoon project, effectively settling a months-long dispute over an unitemized $47,356 balance tied to a lump sum change order the council approved nearly a year ago.
The March 9 meeting also saw the council approve a road overlay contract, renew employee health insurance at a 15.78 percent increase, add two officers to the police department, and table a staffing contract that the town attorney said needed significant revision before it was ready for a vote.
Mayor Scot Rhodes was absent. Project engineer Toby Fruge was also out sick.
Sewer Lagoon: Project Reaches 96 Percent Completion
The payment covers Pay Application 5 on the sewer lagoon project, a $3.7 million infrastructure improvement that has been shadowed by contractor delays and change order disputes since last year.
At issue Monday was the final $47,356 balance from Change Order 3, a $70,000 lump sum the council approved in July 2025 to cover costs the contractor incurred after a bridge providing access to the work site was found to be weight-limited. Pay Application 4, approved in January, paid $22,644 of that amount, leaving the balance now before the council.
Council members acknowledged they had no itemized breakdown of what the $47,356 paid for and expressed discomfort with that, but concluded they had little legal standing to withhold it.
Town Attorney Thomas Acosta Jr. read the key language from Change Order 3, signed by the mayor in July and by the contractor and engineer shortly after. The final sentence stated that a lump sum price was negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the owner and contractor.
"We basically already approved the change order back in July," one council member said. "I don't know how we can go back and throw additional conditions on it now."
Council Member Rusty Daigle cast the lone no vote, consistent with his position throughout the project. Daigle argued that some of the work the change order was meant to cover — including short-loading concrete trucks — was never actually performed, and that the council should only pay for work that was done.
The payment brings the project to 96.3 percent completion, according to figures presented at the meeting. The total approved payment of $506,213.20 reflects 95 percent of the $532,856 period amount, with the remaining 5 percent held as retainage.
Road Overlay: RJ Daigle Gets the Contract
The council unanimously approved awarding the town's annual road overlay contract to RJ Daigle, which submitted the lowest of three quotes at $200,001.07.
Epic Paving came in at $268,115 and Barrier Construction at $220,881.50. Public Works Supervisor Shane Sarradet confirmed all three companies met the required standard of work.
Town Attorney Acosta clarified for the record that the project went out for quotes, not a formal bid, noting the town is well below the state bid law threshold. Work is expected to be completed before June.
Lifehouse Staffing Contract Tabled
The council did not vote on a proposed contract with Lifehouse Staffing, a program that houses and employs men working to get back on their feet, after town attorney Acosta raised concerns about the contract's language.
The town had been exploring using Lifehouse to provide summer labor, with a projected savings of about $6,000 per year over what it currently pays for temporary workers.
Acosta said the contract was poorly written, contained missing words in several places, and included a vehicle use provision in Paragraph 3 that created liability exposure for the town. The paragraph stated Lifehouse employees were not authorized to drive or operate any vehicles owned or leased by the town, but council members noted that Lifehouse had verbally indicated its workers could drive the town's side-by-side utility vehicle — directly contradicting the written language.
"Sentence two is the direct opposite of sentence three," Acosta said of the vehicle section.
Council members said they wanted Acosta to review a revised contract before taking a vote. Shane Sarradet, who said seasonal leaf cleanup was coming and the town needed to move quickly on staffing, indicated he could manage until the contract was ready. The item was tabled without a motion.
Health Insurance: 15.78 Percent Increase Approved
The council approved renewing the town's employee health insurance through Nationwide with Employee Benefits Services at a 15.78 percent rate increase, effective May 1.
Town Clerk Blaine Rabalais presented the options, noting the town's claims spiked this year, which drove rates up. Switching back to a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana statewide plan would have meant a 26.13 percent increase, according to the presentation.
Council Member Chris Kershaw, who made the motion to approve, said the increase was not unusual given broader insurance market trends.
"There have been several companies that I know that their rates have gone up 30 and 40 percent," Kershaw said. "I'm not happy with the 15 percent, but you can see it's been shopped."
The vote was unanimous.
Police: Two Hired, Two Out
Police Chief Jonathan Lefeaux told the council he had two resignations and two new hires to present.
Harold Stansberry resigned to take a position with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office. Corey Miller resigned to work at a chemical plant, citing better pay and family obligations.
The council approved hiring Mikael Franklin as a part-time officer at $20 per hour, effective February 15. Franklin has three years of experience with the Addis Police Department. The council also approved hiring Cody Barron as a full-time officer at $21.85 per hour, effective March 2. Barron comes from New Roads Police Department and Simmesport Police Department and has four years of experience.
Both candidates passed background and drug screening requirements.
The department handled 100 calls for service in February, with 157 citations issued and 179 total violations. Flock license plate reader highlights included assisting Port Allen Police Department in identifying a hit-and-run suspect vehicle and taking a domestic abuse battery suspect into custody after an LPR alert flagged a vehicle traveling southbound on LA-1 near Brusly High School.
Resolution 2 of 2026
The council adopted Resolution 2 of 2026, the town's annual Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Environmental Audit Report required by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The resolution commits the town to supporting operations and maintenance of the Lemna Treatment System and continuing to address known problems in the wastewater treatment and collection systems.
On the Horizon
Council members noted the Brusly High School basketball team was headed to the state semifinals the following night, Tuesday, March 10, in Lake Charles. A bus was arranged for students to attend after school. The Panthers went on to win.
The next regular Brusly Town Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2026.
