LAPLACE — Soft spots unexpectedly discovered along the Mississippi River levee near Reserve created concern for St. John the Baptist Council members, especially on the threshold of another hurricane season, one that is predicted above average in activity.

During a discussion focused on authorizing change orders that totaled less than $1,800 regarding construction of the Mississippi River Eastbank Multi-path path, Council Chairman Larry Snyder asked why the parish should be responsible for paying $7,000 for the two soft spots found during the construction of the path, which will ultimately connect New Orleans to Baton Rouge.

Parish capital projects administrator Daron Cooper called the spots “unforeseen circumstances,” in response to Snyder’s question during the council meeting on May 23.

David Dupre of Meyer Engineer Ltd. said the crews had to dig up to an additional three feet deep on the 1,000-foot project to secure a more solid base for the path.

“That makes more sense,” Snyder said.

Project engineer Randy Oustalet of Meyer said he received a call from his crew that they were experiencing “lot of soft spots” on the levee.

Oustalet said the decision was made to dig an additional two feet at a cost of $23,000.

The cost of the project is being shared by the parish and the Department of Development and Transportation.

When asked by Snyder if the parish had soft spots on the levee, Oustalet replied, “In one word, yes, you had a soft spot on the levee.”

“We (added) another three feet of dirt and that worked out,” Oustalet said, adding he would report the soft spots to the Pontchartrain Levee District.

In other council news, an anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan was adopted to complete requirements to receive a $459,690 grant for rehabilitation of the Edgard Water Treatment Plant clarifier.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said the resolution was a standard requirement of the CBDG grant program, but it sparked a lengthy discussion regarding a clarifier that was never built and one that is slated for rehab.

The project was first approved in 2015.

As part of the process Ch2M Hill Engineering from Gulfport, Miss., was the firm selected by Robottom’s staff.

She said the firm was on an approved list of potential engineering firms.

Councilman Marvin Perrilloux asked if the parish was going to go out for bid for the rehab project, but was told no because the firm was named in the initial application.

Confusion appeared to be evident not only among council members but Robottom and her staff as they tried to explain the process.

Robottom said initially, the plan was to build a second clarifier in Edgard but that changed once a water pipe was laid under the Mississippi River, connecting the East and West Banks and negating the need for an additional clarifier.

Now, the parish plans to rehabilitate the existing clarifier using the grant, knowing that when the Edgard plant has to be shut down, the water can flow from the Lyons water plant on the East Bank.

Robottom said Ch2M was selected because many of the firms the parish has used locally were tied up with other projects.

The Council also adopted a resolution dedicating the U.S. 51 Dog Park in LaPlace in memory of Julia Luna, who had a passion of saving animals before she unexpectedly passed away in 2015.

— By Richard Meek