LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – The Louisiana Airport Authority still hopes for a $75,000 donation toward its efforts to develop a regional airport by the South Louisiana Port Commission after a legal opinion is received. Attorney Joel Chaisson advised Executive Director Joseph Accardo that if the proposed study resulted in a direct monetary benefit to the port, only then could the port contribute to the funding. “I’d like to help them,” Accardo said, “but while it’s generally good for the region, it has to be good for the port.” The comments came at the end of Wednesday’s commission meeting. On the other hand, the governments of St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Charles parishes quickly anted up $25,000 donations of their own toward the cause. The topic caused a disagreement among the commissioners at the Nov. 14 meeting, with St. Charles Parish’s Jay Roberts and P. Joey Murray III upset over the delay on making a decision to await a legal opinion. At the Jan. 10 meeting, with Roberts absent, Murray said he is still hopeful that once the written opinion is received, the port can proceed. Murray added that once the opinion is received from Chaisson, he as chairman of the commission’s Aviation Committee would call a meeting to produce a recommendation to the full commission. “If we paid and received a copy of the report, I understand that would not only be legal, but sufficient,” Murray said. Murray continued, “Because of the Louisiana Airport Authority’s mandate to include cargo, the Port of South Louisiana should be an integral part of this.” In other matters, the Kinder-Morgan Manitowoc crane which has been used at the Globalplex bulk-cargo dock since 1992 is in need of extensive renovations. Accardo reported to the commission that the crane, first built in 1962, needs to have the turntable replaced, along with the counterpin, hook house, rollers and track assembly, all totaling $300,000. Originally, the crane had been in operation on a floating barge before it was acquired by the port in 1992. Payment for the renovations will be reimbursed through a revenue-sharing agreement with Kinder-Morgan, along with increased dockage fees and money on hand in the Globalplex maintenance fund. Finance chairman E.J. Martin also reported to the commission that a 1997-1999 audit report, due by law to be received by the state by Jan. 31, will be complete next week.