By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Council recently approved a cooperative agreement with the state Department of Health and Hospitals that will enhance the parish’s response to potential bioterrorism events.

The agreement, part of the federally funded Cities Readiness Initiative, will enhance the parish’s procedures for rapidly dispensing medications to residents in the event of a bioterrorism emergency.

The parish was designated as a strategic national stockpile for medications back in 2007 as part of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

St. John public information officer Paige Braud said the agreement is a two-year contract between the parish and DHH.

The project is funded through a $33,757 grant from the federal government with no local match requirement.

Braud said under the plan the parish will participate in strategic national stockpile/cities readiness initiative collaborative planning that will enhance 48-hour mass dispensing response capabilities. This includes drafting a plan, commencing drills and determining points of dispensing for antibiotics when needed.

In other action from last week’s meeting, the council allowed for the parish to go out for bids for the St. Peter drainage basin project in Reserve.

The project will improve canals, culverts and drainage flow in the area around St. Peter Church, which has been prone to flooding.

The estimated budget for the project is $3.2 million, which will be funded by the 2009 bond issue.

The council also approved an $8,900 work order with Murray Architects to add security lighting to the newly renovated parish Health and Human Services Building.