By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

EDGARD – Tuesday’s St. John the Baptist Parish Council meeting in Edgard featured discussion and updates on three public works projects in the works on the east bank.

District 3 Councilman Charles Julien requested updates from administration on the status of the Reserve boat launch, as well as road work along NW Second Street, where ditches are being cleared and asphalt is being put down.

Parish Engineer C. J. Savoie said the street project is very close to substantial completion. He said the street is paved, new driveways have been poured, speed bumps have been put down and properly marked and ditches have been dug out. Savoie said the only thing left is some minor cleanup that includes clearing debris from the ditches.

Savoie said the $560,000 project is funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

A representative from Murray Architects, which is handling the improvements to the boat launch, said Tuesday that dredging work is complete and the old dock has been completely demolished. A pile driver was delivered Friday and underground electrical work on the new dock is scheduled for early next week.

Architects said the project should be 80 percent complete by the end of November, with new asphalt to be laid just before Thanksgiving. New lighting, picnic tables and other features are expected to be in place by Dec. 31.

The $540,000 improvement project should be ready by early January 2011.

District 6 Councilman Ronnie Smith requested an update from administration about the status of bids for drainage work in the Riverlands subdivision.

The parish had received six bids for the drainage work, but came in well above the estimated $1.2 million budget for the project.

The council rejected the bids at a Sept. 28 council meeting, but the parish was working with the contractors to see what could be done to lower the bids. Savoie said he expects revised bids to be ready for the council’s next meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 23 in LaPlace.

The project involves the installation of three new pumping stations that will help move water off residential streets and into drainage canals. The identical pumps, which will be placed at the foot of Chattsworth Drive, on Parlange Loop and on Welham Loop, will tie into the Vicknair drainage canal that runs from LaPlace into Lake Pontchartrain.

In other action, the council approved issuance of a video poker permit for a Pilot Truck Stop at 4301 U.S. Highway 51 in LaPLace near interstates 10 and 55.

The location is an existing truck stop, and the owners told the parish they have no intention of expanding the existing footprint.

Division B Councilman-at-Large Steve Lee, a regular opponent of gaming permits in his part of the parish when it changes zoning requirements, said he favored the permit since no variances or zoning changes were required. He said the owners provided the parish with considerable legal justification for the permit.

The addition of video poker machines at the truck stop is expected to bring about $200,000 into the parish’s recreation budget.

The measure passed by a vote of six to one. Councilwoman Darnel Usry cast the lone dissenting vote, and council members Jaclyn Hotard and Cheryl Millet were absent from the meeting.