Council handles routine business while public works reveals infrastructure problem under I-10

PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Parish Council addressed routine business Thursday, October 23, while receiving reports of a significant infrastructure problem discovered under Interstate 10.

Parish Public Works Director Phillip Bourgoyne revealed during his monthly report that three of four large box culverts under I-10 at the 415 canal are completely clogged with debris.

"The 415 canal where it goes under the interstate, there's four big, huge box culverts," Bourgoyne explained to council members. "Three of them totally clogged up."

The drainage department is working through the permit process to get equipment access to clear the blockage. "We're in the permit process right now trying to get permission to get our equipment in so we can unclog those," Bourgoyne said.

The timeline for obtaining permits and completing the work remains unclear, as does the total cost of the project.

Firefighter Vacation Buyback Approved

The council unanimously approved a $20,000 budget amendment allowing fire department personnel to cash in unused vacation time. The amendment covers both the buyback payments and associated Medicare costs.

Fire retirement system contributions are not affected by the buyback program, according to Finance Director Chance Stephens.

The policy represents step one of a broader compensation approach approved by the fire board, giving firefighters an option to convert accrued vacation time into immediate compensation.

Detention Center Equipment Purchase Delayed

A separate budget amendment for the detention center was denied at the request of Sheriff Jeff Bergeron's office. The amendment would have funded body scanner equipment for security purposes.

Stephens explained that the sheriff wants time to review the equipment options before committing funds. The purchase will be considered during 2026 budget discussions instead.

Public Works Monthly Report

Despite the culvert discovery, Bourgoyne's report showed the drainage and road departments completed substantial work throughout October:

Major Projects:

• Moved approximately 8,500 yards of spoil on Stumpy Bayou that had been waiting for utility pole removal
• Cleaned 3,300 feet of Creole ditch
• Cleared 600 feet on Stumpy Bayou
• Rebuilt 300 feet of bank on Three Canal
• Repaired 400 feet of bank on Stumpy Bayou

Road Department Work:

• Completed all mowing passes for the year
• Installed culverts on Woodland Court
• Dug side ditches on Landry Lane and Cane Bayou
• Assisting town of Brusly with driveway replacements at town cost
• Providing dirt work for new pickleball courts
• Continue assisting with state road maintenance when parish work allows
• Obtaining bids for replacement panels on Commercial Drive where concrete sections need repair

Debris Removal: Through October, grapple trucks picked up 30 loads totaling 75 tons of debris taken to the landfill, plus 46 loads (1,482 yards) taken to wooded burn areas.

Code Enforcement Strengthened

The council approved strengthening the parish property maintenance code, specifically addressing abandoned vehicles and junk accumulation on properties.

The new ordinance, modeled after Port Allen's code enforcement approach, gives the parish clearer authority to require property owners to clean up violations. If owners don't comply, the parish can hire contractors to do the work and bill the costs to property owners.

Planning and Development Director Brandon Bourgoyne said the change provides an "end goal" for junk complaints, similar to the existing 15-day timeline for grass violations. Previously, the parish could only keep taking property owners to adjudication court repeatedly without the ability to ultimately resolve chronic problems.

Public Comment

Resident Carue Summers requested an update on creating a turning lane on the east side of Port Allen High School on Rosedale Road, citing congestion problems when cane trucks return to the area.

Bourgoyne confirmed discussions with the Capital Region Planning Commission about the project and said it will be included in upcoming budget discussions. He mentioned the simplest solution might be widening the school's exit apron to allow buses better movement without swinging into the other lane.

Administrative Updates

Meeting Procedures: The council clarified that "roll call" voting can be conducted either by voice or through electronic voting machines, as long as each individual vote is displayed for the public. The clarification addresses technical compliance with the parish charter requiring roll call votes.

Bridge Certification: The council approved the annual certification of compliance with the state off-system bridge replacement program, a routine requirement for continued participation in state bridge funding programs.

Addis Services Agreement: The council authorized an intergovernmental agreement allowing the parish planning and development office to provide permitting and inspection services for the town of Addis.

Audit Questionnaires: The council approved compliance questionnaires required to begin the 2025 audit process for both the parish council and the utilities department. These questionnaires represent the first step in the annual audit process.

Health Insurance Update

Finance Director Stephens presented the approved cafeteria plan showing a 9.56% increase in health insurance costs. However, the increase applies only to employer contributions — employee premiums will not increase.

The $330,000 additional cost represents strategic budget management to keep employee costs flat while the parish absorbs increased insurance expenses. The increase covers medical and pharmacy claims for the self-funded insurance plan.

Dental insurance received a rate pass with zero increase, while vision insurance increased 16.6%. Both dental and vision are employee-paid benefits with no cost to the parish.

Upcoming Rezonings

The council introduced several ordinances for future public hearings:

TMI Enterprises: Special use permit for a record service and storage facility in I-2 industrial zoning (Public hearing December 11)

Rolling Family Trust: Rezoning approximately 3.5 acres on Burnside Road from agricultural to residential minor, including multiple lots on Birdhouse Lane (Public hearing December 11)

Johnny Gentile: Rezoning 3.5 acres on Conn's Road from agricultural to residential minor, with an amendment adding an additional 0.38-acre lot to the request (Public hearing December 11)

Meeting Schedule

The next planning and zoning meeting is Tuesday, November 4 at 5:30 PM. The next council meeting is Thursday, November 13 at 5:30 PM.

The West Baton Rouge Parish Council meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 5:30 PM at the WBR Governmental Building, 880 N. Alexander Avenue, Port Allen.