Port Priority project reaches completion

The West St. Mary Port Commission held their monthly meeting Tuesday night in Franklin, with Executive Director David Allain’s report carrying the bulk of the meeting’s content.
Allain reported the completion of the port’s Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Port Priority State Project, along with the port’s reimbursement of $839,405, as $170,000 was approved to be reimbursed by the state, “coming shortly.”
The “closing out” of the project included: The approval of a change order for “overrun” of $857, a resolution for project acceptance, a certificate of substantial completion, approval of payment to a contractor, and approval of payment to Miller Engineers. The DOTD project had been underway since January of last year.
Allain also requested and was approved a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Emergency Management Agency following building damage sustained at the port during Hurricane Barry. “We’ve met with them (FEMA) about three times,” he said. “We have another meeting coming next week. We are working through the application on some damage at the port, on our Superior building and the railroad.”
He also stated that he would discuss with FEMA representatives the proposition of possible mitigation to a waterway at the railroad’s damage site, adding, “We will have to see how it goes.”
Allain’s proposed amendments to the commission’s 2019 budget were also a point of discussion, the adjustments coming to a total of $105,728 due to building repairs, overages, acts of God, and unexpected project contingencies during the year.
As for the proposed 2020 budget, commissioners were sent home with copies and were asked to peruse them to be ready to vote on its possible approval by next month’s meeting.