Police jury finalizes road suit paperwork

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 13, 2010

VIDALIA — With a vote of “yes,” the Concordia Parish Police Jury made their final motion in connection with their 2008 road lawsuit.

The suit — filed against the Blain Companies of Natchez, GTL of Alexandria and Bryant Hammett and Associates, the contractor, road designer and project engineers in the 2007 phase I road project — was settled earlier this year.

The jury’s action Monday was to approve final payments to the attorneys who represented them in the case, Davenport, Files and Kelly, and Don Tolar, an engineer who worked with them on the lawsuit.

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The payments to the attorneys were for $3,862.38, and the payment to Tolar was for $2,161.50.

The jury also voted to hire Barron, Heinberg and Brocato as the architectural firm for a new roofing project at the parish courthouse.

Juror Randy Temple said that, based on a set of pre-determined criteria, the firm was the most qualified of those that submitted statements of qualification for the job.

The firm has done similar work to that which is proposed, and were the original designers of the courthouse, Temple said.

In other news:

4The jury voted to purchase a one-ton four-by-four truck for the parish work crews at a cost of $39,954.

The jury decided to go with the one-ton truck because a small crane could be mounted on it, Juror Jimmy Jernigan said.

4The jury approved a letter of support for Macon Ridge Community Development Corporation.

The corporation needed the letter in an application for grant funding from the Louisiana Housing Finance Authority, Jury Vice President Red Tiffee said.

4The jury heard a presentation from Larry Walters of The Institute for Building Technology and Safety.

Walters said IBTS helps several parishes stay current with federal floodplain regulations, and the group would like to work with Concordia Parish.

The jury voted to table the consideration of the matter.