Mayor and City Council

The Emergency meeting called by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Gretna, Louisiana was held on Tuesday, April 25, 2025; at Gretna City Hall, 740 Second Street, Council Chambers, on the second floor, Gretna, Louisiana. Notice of Emergency Meeting (Emergency Repair of broken water line, LA23) Notice of the Emergency Meeting of the Mayor and City Council was duly posted on the bulletin board, main entrance of Gretna City Hall Building; 740 Second Street, Gretna, LA 70053; and on the City’s Website. 1. Call to Order and Roll Call: Mayor Belinda C. Constant was in the chair; the City Clerk was present; Mayor Constant called the meeting to order at 9:06 AM. The roll was called; a quorum of five Council Members was present; Wayne A. Rau, at Large; Rudy S, Smith, District 1; Michael A. Hinyub, District 2; and Randy S. Carr, District 4. Absent: Mark K. Miller, District 3 2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance Upon opening of the emergency meeting, Councilman Carr offered a prayer. Thereafter the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. Opening Remarks by the Mayor: Mayor Constant reiterated this was an emergency meeting based on a emergency repair situation that was necessary of 12” water line leak beneath LA Highway 23. Mayor Constant acknowledged a representative from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development was in attendance of this meeting. This breakage has been leaking for quite some time and seemed to have gotten worse. Mayor Constant proceeded to read a letter: To whom it may concern, On Friday April 25, 2025, at 9:00 am, a publicly advertised emergency council meeting was held where the City of Gretna declared and certified an emergency due to a significant water leak in a 12” waterline that runs across the full width of LA23 (Belle Chasse Highway) and the adjacent New Orleans & Gulf Coast Company (NOGC) Rail Line. After declaring and certifying this emergency, a public notice was printed in the New Orleans Advocate on Wednesday April 30, 2025, to alert the public. Both LADOTD (Scott Boyle – Corbett Hollier) and NOGS (Michael Agee) agreed that this is an extreme emergency, and a contractor should be put on the emergency repair as soon as possible. The 12” water line leak has become dire. The City of Gretna is concerned that the 12” waterline is on the verge of a complete blowout. When this blowout occurs, it will cripple all LA23 transportation (motor vehicles and rail) from Venice, Louisiana north to Gretna, Louisiana (LA Highway 90-Westbank Expressway). Additionally, the City is concerned about the degree of roadway and rail sub-base coarse that have already been washed away beneath LA23 and the rail line. If emergency repairs are not completed as soon as possible a catastrophic train derailment and/or a section of LA23 collapse will occur. The catastrophe will cripple commerce and put lives at risk. Please see the attached figures showing the length of LA23 and NOGC rail that will be shut down if this emergency leak repair is not performed as soon as possible. DOTD and NOGC have expedited their permit process to accommodate the emergency water line leak repair and the hiring of a selected contractor (BLD Services). Because of the dire situation the water leak is causing, we have requested a letter bid from: BLD Services LLC 2424 Tyler Street, Kenner, LA 70062 Page 1 of 3  April 25, 2025 – Emergency Meeting Emergency repair of 12” waterline BLD will mobilize Friday April 25, 2025, and perform the directional drilling of the new 14” HDPE and make connections on Monday April 28, 2025, to Tuesday April 29, 2025. LaOne Call will be on site to mark underground utilities. After the tie ins are completed, water sampling will commence. Once a positive chlorine residual is confirmed the water service will resume. BLD will be working under their Jefferson Parish Maintenance contract with set unit prices. Sincerely, Belinda C. Constant Mayor, City of Gretna Mr. David Boyle, City Engineer said it was assumed that the casing underneath LA23, extended across the four width of Belle Chasse Highway and the rail line, after speaking with a BLD employee, who worked on the section of this waterline 30 years ago; the casing was not extended when Belle Chasse Highway was widened. Due to so many unknowns and the additional efforts to remove the existing waterline, they have elected to abandon that casing and fill it in, remove the existing waterline and install a brand new 14” HDPE pipe that will be directionally drilled underneath by the rail line and Belle Chasse Highway; it was a cleaner, faster less expensive solution. Councilman Rau questioned what would happen with the underground 24” casing, will that in the future cause any problems with the highway. – Mr. Boyd replied, that was the reason why they will fill in the casing, so that no subsidence or deterioration of the CMP would affect the roadway or the rail line. Mrs. Raylyn C. Stevens, Chief Financial Officer – State Bid Law “The requirements for advertising and letting to the lowest responsible bidder do not apply in cases of an “emergency” or an "extreme public emergency." It should be noted that the definitions of an "emergency" and “extreme public emergency” [LRS 38:2211(A)(5)] are very limited. An “emergency” is defined as an unforeseen mischance bringing with it destruction or injury of life or property or the imminent threat of such destruction or injury or as the result of an order from any judicial body to take any immediate action which requires construction or repairs absent compliance with the public bid requisites.” -Mrs. Stevens explained that considering the unknown cost, bid law requires that you go out with an advertised bid for a project that cost more than $250,000.00. State bid law does allow you to declare an emergency or the extreme emergency, and this situation has been declared as an extreme emergency and is supported by DOTD as well as the railroad. In consulting with the Auditors, the process was discussed and they concurred that this was allowed under the extreme emergency process as detailed in State Law. Councilman Smith asked for clarification on who would affected. -Mr. Boyd explained that if they were to be LA23, in the wash out, then the roadway would be shut down and not be able to cross to get to the Westbank Expressway. It would affect traffic coming from Venice, Louisiana north to Gretna, Louisiana (LA Highway 90-Westbank Expressway), it will cripple all LA23 transportation (motor vehicles and rail); and the Gretna Post Office will be affected by the water turn off. Mayor Constant clarified that the Post Office on Gretna Blvd. will be affected; and for the rest of the area, the water pressure will be monitored. Water turn could occur on Monday or Tuesday; and the public will be notified when water turn off will occur. Will continue to post on Facebook as the city go through the process of this repair. The Post Office will be provided with a comfort station for the two days. On a motion by Councilman Carr and seconded by Councilman Hinyub, IT WA RESOLVED to authorize Mayor Belinda C. Constant to execute a contract for and on behalf of the City of Gretna, Louisiana between the City of Gretna and BLD Services LLC 2424 Tyler Street, Kenner, LA 70062, for the emergency repair of the significant water leak of a 12” waterline that runs across the full width of LA23 (Belle Chasse Highway) and the adjacent New Orleans & Gulf Coast Company (NOGC) Rail Line; and the same was approved by the following vote: Yeas: Councilmen Carr, Hinyub, Rau, and Smith. Nays: None Absent: Councilman Miller Abstain: None No comments from the public or Council members. Page 2 of 3  April 25, 2025 – Emergency Meeting Emergency repair of 12” waterline Extreme Emergency Declaration – Water leak On a motion by Councilman Rau and seconded by Councilman Smith, IT WAS RESOLVED, to Gretna approve and declare an extreme emergency situation due to the significant water leak of a 12” waterline that runs across the full width of LA23 (Belle Chasse Highway) and the adjacent New Orleans & Gulf Coast Company (NOGC) Rail Line; and the concerns that this leak could be on the verge of a complete blowout; and that a contractor should be put on the emergency repair as soon as possible; and the same was approved by the following vote: Yeas: Councilmen Rau, Smith, Hinyub, and Carr Nays: None Absent: Councilman Miller Abstain: None No comments from the public or Council members.    5. Meeting Adjournment. There was no further city business to conduct, and on a motion by Councilman Rau and seconded by Councilman Smith, the Emergency Meeting for April 25, 2025, adjourned at 9:21 AM; and the same was unanimously approved. /S/ NORMA J. CRUZ, LCMC /S/ BELINDA C. CONSTANT CITY CLERK MAYOR CITY OF GRETNA CITY OF GRETNA STATE OF LOUISIANA STATE OF LOUISIANA Page 3 of 3