By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Council on Tuesday approved a pair of resolutions to allow the parish to apply for state funding for a new hangar at the parish’s airport in Reserve.

The application for funds through the state Department of Transportation and Development’s Division of Aviation General Aviation Enhancement Program sets up funds to enact the airport’s five-year, $13 million master improvement plan. The plan includes construction of a new four-unit hangar with an estimated cost of $307,000.

Parish officials said existing hangars at the airfield are filled to capacity, and there is a well-documented waiting list for hangar leasing space. Parish approval of the master plan allows consultants to seek money for projects at the airport, including expansion of the runways.

In other action, Parish President Natalie Robottom agreed to a council request to allow parish employees an extra day off on Oct. 31. The following day, which is All Saints Day, is already an established holiday.

Council members said the extra holiday will be a good way to show appreciation for the more than 200 employees working for the parish.

The council also approved a letter of no objection to ArcelorMittal of LaPlace for their work to rebuild part of the Mississippi River bank to stabilize its operations on the river side of the levee.

The work along the riverbank involves stabilizing the bank with steel plating and rip rap, maintenance of the facility’s access road over the levee and clearing of land to enlarge and maintain foundations for an oxygen tank and two other machine elements. The area was washed out during the period of river flooding this spring.

In a Finance Committee meeting, the council approved the addition of 50 homes to a federal repair program for parish residents whose houses were damaged by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The houses were added to existing contracts held by Affordable Residential Modifications LLC, Family Homes by Tommy and Sheila Inc., Chatmon Construction LLC, and E & L Construction and Real Estate LLC. The contractors were chosen in a request for proposals conducted earlier this year.

Residents must own the homes and meet income requirements to be eligible for the program.

The contracts, including administrative costs, will be increased by $736,000.

The parish was able to increase the number of homes in the program because of additional federal financing.