LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / July 15, 2000

LAPLACE – The South Louisiana Port Commission approved three major contracts Wednesday, but not without dissent.

Conestago Rovers and Associates were selected in a 6-1 vote to carry out the remaining demolition of the old Godchaux-Henderson Sugar Refinery buildings at Globalplex in Reserve.

The company was recommended by Executive Director Joseph Accardo Jr.

from among nine applicants. Three of those nine made presentations tocommission members on June 20, and this company got the nod because of its experience in demolition work, including that of a sugar mill in Florida and cleanup of a Baton Rouge chemical plant site, Accardo said.

In the same vote Gulf South Engineers was approved to conduct the Globalplex master drainage plan, recommended out of a field of 15 applicants.

Finally, Sizeler Architects was selected to conduct a space-needs survey toward a new headquarters office building for the port, recommended out of a total of 13 architectural firms.

St. Charles Commissioner Jay Roberts spoke out in opposition because hesaid the contracts did not spell out exactly how much would be spent.

“There’s no not-to-exceed figures,” Roberts observed. “It seems to beopen-ended.”Accardo said those chores would be worked out by the port’s engineers as tasks are defined and budgets are fine-tuned. The contracts also have atermination clause if the work begins to run over-budget or the work is unsatisfactory.

“Your method of paying them is nowhere near the industry standard,” Roberts cautioned. “You negotiate the price before you sign the contract.We don’t want to spend money and not know what’s happening.”St. John commissioner E.J. Martin commented, “If we can’t trust thedirector to do his duty, we’re in sad shape.”In other business, the commission heard a report from Glen Smith, chairman of the Louisiana Airport Authority, on plans to develop a new regional airport.

Smith said the $1.5 billion project already has several groups of privatecompanies “ready to cut the check” to start construction. He added thatAscension, St. James, St. John and St. Charles parishes have already kickedin $25,000 each to fund development of the airport.

He said the Federal Aviation Authority should, in two weeks, approve the conducting of a risk analysis study. This 18-month study would include, inits first six months, site selection for the planned facility.

Murray suggested the port also kick in an amount of money to help the cause and also sharing Geographic Informational System Information already in the port’s computers.

In another matter the commission approved a right-of-way for Delta Beverage for its effluence line to the river from their plant on West 10th Street, Reserve.

Finally, the commission heard a report from marketing director Steve Windham on ongoing marketing efforts on behalf of the port and from engineering director David Beck on the cargo dock expansion project.

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