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LAPLACE — Hurricane Season is still in its infancy, but St. John the Baptist Parish is already putting contingency plans in place.

The Parish Council awarded an emergency response, management and recovery services contract to CrowderGulf, LLC of Mobile, Alabama and a disaster restoration and recovery services contract to Emergency Restoration, Inc. of New Orleans during its meeting this past Tuesday night in LaPlace.

CrowderGulf will provide expedient removal of storm debris within the parish and recovery technical assistance, according to Interim Director of Emergency Preparedness Travis Perrilloux.

Perrilloux said the parish has used CrowderGulf for the past eight years.

In a similar contract, Perrilloux said Emergency Restoration of New Orleans will provide service for the parish’s 36 buildings in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. He said the services of either company will only be activated as needed.

Perrilloux and Hotard each emphasized the contracts are required should the parish elect to pursue FEMA reimbursement in the aftermath of a storm.

In other council matters, the administration was granted approval to solicit bids for water meters and meter transmission units. Director of Purchasing and Procurement Peter Montz said the meters and transmission units will be used on an as-needed basis for new construction permits and maintenance and repair work orders.

Council members also agreed to use Capital One, NA as its fiscal agent for the next four years. Montz said the financial institution was the only proposal submitted that was reviewed and scored by the Source Selection Committee.

Montz said Capital One will act on behalf of the parish to perform “various financial duties and finance-related tasks to support the fiscal policies and objectives of the parish.”

The council approved the resolution 7-1, with Councilman Warren Torres the lone dissenter.

With the West Shore Levee Project under construction, the parish is planning for when the massive undertaking is completed.

The parish is also advertising for a Request for Qualifications for a hydraulics and hydrology analysis and drainage capital improvement, which will be used to revise local flood maps in line with the combined protection of the levee and the interior drainage system, Hotard said.

“The results will identify long-term drainage capital needs within the levee system for further drainage improvements and ultimately flood insurance premiums for St. John residents,” she said.