Avoyelles Police Jury approves ‘donated work’ offer for Frank Graham Lane

When the parish government doesn’t have money to do needed improvements on your road and the number of residents on the road make it a low-priority for the parish, but you really need improvements to be done on your road and you are fortunate enough to have the money to do those improvements on your road, what can you do?

Thanks to Richard Dugas Jr., we know the answer to that question: You get Police Jury approval for you to pay a contractor to do the work.

The Avoyelles Police Jury did just that this past Tuesday, approving Dugas’ request that D&D Dirt Construction be allowed to do over $200,000 of work on Frank Graham Lane in Bordelonville.

Police Juror Trent Clark presented the proposal to jurors, noting that he has obtained proof of D&D’s liability and workman’s comp insurance.

District Attorney Charles Riddle said this type of private donation of goods and services is legal, but stressed that the parish must ensure anyone working on a parish project is adequately insured.

“One workman’s comp claim could bankrupt the Police Jury,” Riddle told jurors during discussion on proper policies to follow when awarding contracts.

Riddle said other conditions must also be met before the work is done on the parish road. The most important is that the person donating the work must guarantee the work will meet the parish standards for roadwork.

After the meeting, D&D owner Dal Parker said Richard Dugas recently purchased property on Frank Graham Lane from Roland Dugas and is building a camp on the road. Richard Dugas asked Parker to estimate the cost of the needed work on the road.

“I gave him a price,” Parker said. “His only concern was whether the Police Jury would give permission for us to do the work and maintain the road.”

That hurdle was passed last Tuesday.

Under the “scope of work” for the project, D&D will (a) cut grass and weeds where ditches need to be dug; (b) spray existing ditches to kill grass and weeds to minimize debris in dirt used on the road; (c) dig needed ditches on both sides of the road; (d) place and level dirt on road with dozer; (e) install six 24-inch x 30 ft. culverts where needed; (f) compact dirt with drum roller; (g) install filter cloth on road; (h) put limestone on road, 10 ft. wide x 6 inches thick, on entire 2.5 miles of road.

Both Clark and Riddle said after the meeting that this type of offer by a private citizen to donate services -- even if it is primarily to serve their own individual needs -- is to be commended.

“Maybe this will start a trend,” Clark added.

In other business, the Police Jury:

-- Approved increasing its monthly payment to Avoyelles Council on Aging by $200 to pay rent to house the Veterans Affairs Office.

-- Approved repairs to Log Road and Pete Lemoine Road, out of Road District 2 funds, not to exceed $9,000.

-- Requested that an $8,800 state grant, initially to be used for work in Tricia Park subdivision, be reallocated to purchase bridge timbers.

-- Accepted work on Moreauville-Plaucheville Cutoff Road as substantially complete, pending completion of any “punch list” items and receipt of a certificate verifying no outstanding liens on the project. The project’s cost is not to exceed $287,890.50 and will be paid out of Road District 2 funds.