By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish officials are asking for a six-month extension on an agreement with a Baton Rouge firm for design work on three intersections along Airline Highway in LaPlace.

The parish entered into an agreement with Buchart Horn Inc. in June 2009 to draw up improvements to Airline Highway at the Belle Terre Boulevard, Hemlock Street and U.S. Highway 51 intersections as part of the 2009 bond issue, but parish officials said delays in state prioritization of road projects have set the work back.

“Since we are dealing with state highways, the parish and the firm are consulting with the State Department of Transportation on the project,” said St. John Chief Administrative Officer Marie Brown-Mercadel. “The project is not one of the state’s priorities.”

Mercadel said the original agreement with Buchart Horn, which pays the firm more than $417,000 for the design work, was scheduled to end in March of this year, so the parish is asking for the extension. Mercadel said the extension comes at no cost to the parish.

The parish is also requesting an extension to an agreement with the University of New Orleans for the design of a regional wastewater plant in the parish.

Mercadel said the UNO Research and Technology Foundation is managing several projects tied to wastewater facilities in the parish, including a $125,000 Environmental Protection Agency funded expansion at the River Road sewer treatment plant. She said the agreement was from January 2008 through August of 2010, but the parish is asking the council to extend it through August 2011.

The parish is also requesting approval for an $18,720 task order to Murray Architects for inspection services as part of the Reserve Boat Launch improvements. Mercadel said under the task order, Murray, the architects who designed the improvements, would be responsible for ensuring the work is being done according to state standards.

The parish broke ground on the project earlier this month and hopes to have it completed within the next six to 12 months.

The council meets Tuesday night at the Percy Hebert Building, 1801 W. Airline Highway, LaPlace at 6:30 p.m. The council meeting follows a Finance Committee meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.