Patterson launches flood control plan

PATTERSON — City officials are ready to look for a flood control solution. Now all they need is some rain.
The City Council on Tuesday approved its consulting engineer’s $31,000 plan to create a computer model designed to pinpoint weaknesses in the drainage system.
Also Tuesday, the council passed a resolution in favor of the deal that would make Ochsner Health System the operator of Morgan City’s Teche Regional Medical Center; talked briefly about a request to sell 30 acres of swampy city property; and appointed a new member to the Patterson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
The flood control plan follows a series of events, including the April 4 and June 5 flash floods and Mayor Rodney Grogan’s participation in a White House meeting for city officials concerned about flood control.
Heavy rains on those two spring dates threatened to put water into homes south of the railroad tracks and on Red Cypress Road, and residents told council members about it.
The Washington meetings let Grogan know that more than $1 billion will be available to Louisiana. Of that amount, $60 million will be shared by governments in eight Louisiana watersheds in October. Grogan told council members that the city will be in a better position to qualify for funding if a comprehensive plan to control flooding is in place.
Engineer Clay Breaud’s proposal is a three-phase plan that starts with eight strategically placed gauges designed to measure differences in flood water depth in areas around the city. Those differences would help find flaws in the drainage system, such as undersized culverts.
The information would be incorporated in a computer model that would predict what would happen in 25- and 100-year floods. The model would chart the flow of water along the north side of U.S. 90 and under the highway and railroad tracks to the Luccia Canal.
The scenarios developed by the model would be the basis for a construction plan and cost estimates for remedies.
“The mayor needs this information,” Breaud told the council. “He needs to have something on paper. ... It’s probably going to be several million dollars.”
The council approved Breaud’s proposal without objection. Now all that’s needed is enough rain to provide data from the gauges.
In other action:
—The council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the proposed agreement under which Louisiana-based Ochsner would operate Teche Regional.
LifePoint, which has operated the 165-bed hospital under lease with St. Mary Parish Hospital Service District 2, is leaving Louisiana. The district’s board has reached an agreement that would make Ochsner the new management company for Teche Regional.
The agreement is now under review by the office of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.
Officials say the hospital is important both for the region’s health care and its economy.
—The council talked about, but took no action on, the possible lease or sale of 30 acres of marshland south of the railroad tracks southeast of the gas plant.
The property, through which two canals run and which is accessible only through privately owned land, has been the subject of a request for sale or lease. But council members don’t know yet what the city’s liability might be on land where people are known to have hunted in the past.
—The council confirmed Gail Dangerfield’s appointment to the Public Housing Authority board. The city government, which sometimes has trouble finding volunteers to serve in unpaid board positions, now has a full housing authority board.
—The council approved a Nov. 2 ALS Walk/Run for a Cure for Nov. 2. The event will start at 9 a.m. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m.
The request came from St. Mary teacher Laura Larive.
—The council got a look at a renewal of an agreement setting out Patterson’s share of the cost of maintaining a Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs office in Franklin. Local governments split the cost of office space at 500 Main St. in Franklin, plus utilities, internet and other expenses.
Patterson’s share is $117 per month.
—The mayor and council praised police officers, public works employees, firefighters and others for their work during Tropical Storm Barry last month.
Barry didn’t bring the heavy rain that was forecast, but it did pack strong wind and caused a nearly parishwide blackout for three days.
“We have an awesome group of people,” Grogan said. “The dedication is there.”