LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / December 18, 1999

LAPLACE – Only five candidates remain in the search for a new executive director for the Port of South Louisiana – but no names were made public, and port commission members agreed to leave the final decision to their successors in January.

“It’s been suggested we let the new commissioners make the final decision,” Commissioner Brent Tregre said after he observed that most of the present commissioners may not have their appointments renewed by incoming administrations.

The commission agreed to pay its executive search consultants the remaining $4,300 owed in their contract, minus $2,500 they would have earned if the full contract was fulfilled.

What remains is the final interview process and employment contract negotiations with the successful candidate.

In other matters, the port commission agreed to advance engineering funds for the sugar warehouse project on the upcoming state Capital Outlay budget.

A $4 million sugar storage warehouse at Globalplex in Reserve is under development for the Louisiana Sugar Cane Producers Co-Op. $2.5 million isbeing funded by the Capital Outlay budget and the remainder from a cash line of credit.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will own the facility and lease spacefor sugar shipment storage. The port will receive dockage and wharfagefees.

Arkel and Co., along with River Consulting, will perform the engineeringfor the 60,000-square-foot warehouse and take three weeks to perform.

However, if the engineering determines from soil borings that $1 million in pilings is necessary, “it would kill the project,” interim port director Don Hays said.

In another matter, construction of the new general cargo dock resulted in the discovery of a number of empty sunken barges which would be a navigation hazard to ships using the dock.

Gator Towing was awarded a $45,000 contract to lift and remove the 90- foot barges.

Finally, Morel and Associates won a $38,794 contract for repair and rehabilitation of the port’s Harbor Services barge in Reserve, a job which will take 18 working days. The port had budgeted $45,000 for the job.

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