Meeting Summary

The St. Charles Parish Council held its regular meeting on December 2, 2024, following an earlier committee session where staff walked through proposed changes to water rates, meter installation fees, and meter deposits. The council recognized several Festival of Charities royalty and a resident honored for stopping an act of animal cruelty, heard updates on parish infrastructure projects including sewer and drainage work, approved several engineering and construction contracts tied to wastewater and drainage improvements, and set a December 16 public hearing on a slate of new ordinances covering everything from water rates to a new economic development district in Luling. The council also confirmed Holly Fonseca and Walter Pilié as its 2025 chairman and vice chairman.

Watch Items

• Water rate and fee ordinance still needs a fix. The proposed ordinance amending Chapter 23 (Water) of the parish code, covering new water rates, meter installation charges, and meter deposits, was introduced as 2024-0409, but staff acknowledged clarifying language was left out of the draft. The council plans to add that language before the ordinance comes back for a public hearing and final vote.

• Public hearing set for Monday, December 16, 2024, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, Courthouse, Hahnville, on the following newly introduced ordinances:

- An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Change Order No. 1 (Final) for the Automated Water Meter Reading Installation Program (Project No. WWKS 106), to decrease the contract amount by $124,520.00. - An ordinance to rescind Ordinance No. 24-5-10 and to approve a purchase and/or expropriate a 10,275 square foot perpetual drainage servitude designated as Parcel P-100 and a 1,432 square foot temporary construction servitude designated as Parcel T-100 over property owned by Cristina & Lauricella, Inc., for the Montz Pump Station and Drainage Modification Project. - An ordinance creating the "Luling Bridge Economic Development District No. 1 of the Parish of St. Charles, State of Louisiana" to encourage economic development projects in accordance with Part II of Chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and defining the boundaries thereof. - An ordinance to amend the 2024 Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget to adjust Beginning Fund Balances to Actuals and to adjust Revenues and Expenditures in various funds. - An ordinance adopting the St. Charles Parish Council Road and Bridges Capital Program Budget for fiscal year 2025 through 2027 in accordance with the Parish Transportation Act. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8, Elections, Section 8-2, Visible voting precinct boundaries and polling places, to merge certain voting precincts and establish new boundaries for merged precincts. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, to change the zoning classification from R-3 to C-3 and R-1A to O-L across approximately 44.5 acres designated Lot 1, Lakewood West subdivision, Luling, as requested by Robert V. Gilbert Jr. for Nancy Reese Bush, et al. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Services Agreement with Dynamic Group, LLC, to perform Emergency Repairs and/or Debris Removal for Parish buildings and facilities. - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Contract between Jones Construction Solutions, LLC, for construction services for the East Bank Bridge Park Improvements, Lighting Rebid (Project No. RECEBI23), in the amount of $1,067,000.00. - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23, Water, Article I, Section 23-2, Water service charges, and Section 23-3, Water user charges (c) and (d). - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Pontchartrain Levee District and St. Charles Parish, under which the parish would take over ownership, maintenance, repairs, and operations of the Cross Bayou Pump Station.

• Future drainage work in Hahnville. Councilwoman La Sandra D. Wilson asked the administration to prioritize drainage improvements in the Bamboo Road and King Street areas of District 1 ahead of anticipated future development. The Parish President's office said scoping and engineering are underway, alongside a separate plan to expand capacity at the Hahnville wastewater plant.

• Streetlight outage in Destrehan. A stretch of lights near Longview and a local donut shop on River Road was reported out, with the cause still unconfirmed. The Contract Monitor's office said it is following up and owes the council an answer.

• Riverbend Drive drainage, St. Rose. The design approved for Riverbend Hydraulic Design (Project No. P240701) is described as a short-term fix; a more permanent, long-term drainage solution for the area is still being developed as part of the ongoing design process.

• Turtle Pond Lift Station relocation. The parish is looking to acquire property across the street from the current lift station site to build a larger replacement station; that acquisition and design work is ongoing.