Police Jury sells bridge, looks to buy building

Selling an old bridge and buying an old building were two topics of discussion at the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury meeting on April 16.

First up was the sale of the “surplus” South Wayside Bridge, located north of Simmesport near the Yellow Bayou Park.

The structure was sold “as-is/where is” to Ashley Kimble for $1,525.

This is the second timber bridge the jury has sold under a new program designed to get rid of scarcely used old parish bridges that would otherwise either have to be repaired or abandoned and removed by the jury. Either option would cost thousands of dollars for a bridge that serves only a few people.

Under this program, the buyer is responsible for the bridge. They can either repair it for their use or dismantle it for the lumber. Either way, the Police Jury receives money instead of being obligated to spend it.

WANTS TO BUY BUILDING

Unless there is a good-natured, civic-minded property owner willing to donate a vacant building for the public’s use, the Police Jury will be spending a lot more on that item than it received for the old bridge.

The Police Jury authorized advertising for a commercial building near the courthouse to house the parish Permit Office, Veterans Affairs Office and offices for several parish commissions. That ad began running in The Weekly News this week.

The building must be within 500 yards of the courthouse, be at least 4,500 sq. ft. and have a level parking area able to accommodate at least 20 vehicles.

The proposals must be hand-delivered to the Police Jury office on the 2nd Floor of the courthouse by 4 p.m. May 13.

The offers will be opened and read aloud at 5:30 p.m. on May 14.

The Police Jury is expected to accept the lowest sale price of a building meeting its specifications, but reserves the right to reject all proposals if the sale prices are too high or do not fit the parish’s needs.

Police Jury President Charles Jones said the public needs a “one-stop shop” for its Permit Office. There is too much coming and going involved in obtaining a permit, he said. Those seeking permits may need to present a deed form the Clerk of Court’s Office and go to the 911 Center for a permit from that office before the Permit Office can issue a permit.

ELIMINATE TRIPS

The envisioned “Avoyelles Service Center” will eliminate those extra trips “and provide better service to the public.”

Jones said the permit clerks in the new office will be able to get the information and documents from other offices needed to complete the permit process.

The Police Jury will collect any fees charged by the other offices and remit those fees to those agencies.

In a related item, the Police Jury also authorized advertising to hire two permit clerks.

Jones said the requirement for a 20-car parking lot was included because the Police Jury would like to expand the use of the building to include a community room for meetings and events, which would increase the public’s use of the site.

At this time, besides the Permit Office and VA, Jones said there would be offices for the Planning Commission, Spring Bayou Lake Commission and possibly other parish boards.

Police Juror Henry Moreau said he wanted to ensure the jury “has the building inspected to determine what it would cost to bring it up to standards” before the jury buys it.

Jones said there will be a full inspection of the selected building before the parish closes the sale.

OTHER BUSINESS

In another “old building” issue, Jones said parish officials will be meeting with the parish engineer and the architect, contractor and subcontractor involved in constructing the parish-owned LSU AgCenter in Mansura.

“There are a number of serious maintenance issues with the AgCenter,” he said.

He said there was a meeting on issues concerning the building four or five years ago, but there are some things brought up then that have not been resolved.

In another bridge issue, Civil Works Director Kevin Bordelon told the jury at its April 11 agenda-setting committee meeting that the state DOTD has completed its inspection of parish bridges “and we had zero closures.” Bordelon said that is “quite an accomplishment, and a real credit to our bridge crew.”

The parish was struck with several bridge closures in the previous round of state inspections.