OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF

CADDO LEVEE DISTRICT

AT REGULAR MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

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At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Caddo Levee District held at 10:00 a.m., September 8th, 2022, at 1320 Grimmett Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana, the following members were present: Patrick Harrison, Kandi Moore, James T. Sims, Carolyn C. Prator, Jackie Baker, Gary Procell, and Willie Walker.

Robert Tomasek, P.E., LA Department of Transportation; German Velazquez, P.E., LA Department of Transportation and Development; John Barr, Regional Director, Senator John Kennedy’s Office; C.S. Ross, Senior Service Hydrologist, National Weather Service-Shreveport Office; Ali M. Mustapha, P.E., Executive Director; Penny Adams, Assistant Executive Director; and Sam Brimer, Forester, were also present.

The meeting was opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

President Harrison asked for any comments from the public regarding agenda items or other issues. There were no public comments. 

President Harrison stated that the minutes from the August 2022 meeting had been emailed for review and asked for a motion to approve. Mr. Sims made a motion, with a second by Mr. Walker, to approve the minutes from the August 2022 meeting. The motion unanimously passed.

Kandi Moore discussed the August 2022 monthly financial reports. She reported that the operating expenses were in line with the monthly averages for this time of year. Also, she reported that oil & gas royalty income continues to improve to provide additional revenues for operation and maintenance of the District’s flood control system.

The Board reviewed payments and invoices for the month of August 2022 and subsequent bills for the month of July 2022. Mrs. Moore made a motion, with a second by Mr. Sims, to ratify payment of the invoices for the month of August 2022 and subsequent bills for the month of July 2022. The motion unanimously passed.

The Board unanimously approved the attendance of the Executive Director, Commissioners, and Board Legal Counsel at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Levee Boards of Louisiana to be held on November 29^th to December 1st, 2022, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a motion by Mr. Sims and a second by Mr. Procell.

The Board opened bids for Capital Project - Shiftail Canal Panel Repair which was advertised for bid. The sole Bid that was received was submitted by Beaty Logging Company, Inc., in the amount of $106,481.00.  There were no bids submitted electronically on BIDSYNC.

Mr. Sims made a motion, with a second by Mrs. Prator, for the following resolution accepting the sole bid from Beaty Logging Company, Inc. in the amount of $106,481.00 as the apparent lowest responsive and responsible bidder contingent upon further review by Ali Mustapha, P.E., Executive Director.  The motion was unanimously approved.

BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Caddo Levee District, in legal session convened, that the bid from Beaty Logging Company, Inc. in the amount of $106,481.00, contingent upon further review be accepted as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the  Shiftail Canal Panel Repair, and the President is authorized to execute such contract documents as appropriate to implement this project, subject to the examination and approval of the Board’s Executive Director, Ali Mustapha, P. E.

The Board received no bids for Capital Project – Black Bayou Slide Repair. This project will be re-advertised for bids during September with the bid opening @ 10:00 A.M., October 13, 2022.

The Board unanimously approved the transfer of a Campsite Permit from Barbara Proctor to Daniel Kreamer for approximately one (1) acre known as Lot# 99 located on Little Goose Pond (Jeems Bayou), in SW/4 of Section 14, T21N, R16W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana with a motion by Mr. Procell and a second by Mr. Moore.

The Board unanimously approved the transfer of a Campsite Permit from Lloyd Proctor to David Kreamer for approximately one (1) acre known as Lot# 101 located on Jeems Bayou, in Section 23, T21N, R16W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana with a motion by Mrs. Moore and a second by Mr. Walker.

The Board unanimously approved the transfer of a Campsite Permit from Colby Downs to Roscoe Nolan Clay Jr. for approximately one (1) acre known as Lot# 142 located on Ed Road on Black Bayou, in Section 9, T22N, R15W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana with a motion by Mrs. Moore and a second by Mr. Walker.

The Board unanimously passed the following resolution to approve a Surface Access Passage Right of Way Servitude Agreement to SAYE Energy, LLC on to drill a mineral well located on Caddo Levee District’s property in Section 1, Tl9N, R16W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, with a motion by Mrs. Moore and a second by Mrs. Prator:

WHEREAS, on or about July 11, 2022, the office of the Board of Commissioners received a request from SAYE Energy, LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company represented by Jon Saye., for the granting of a surface (proposed a non-exclusive easement or right of passage across and on lands owned by the Caddo Levee District in Section 1 (Tl9N, R16W), Caddo Parish, Louisiana, as depicted on Exhibit "A" attached hereto.

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Caddo Levee District has received an email dated July 11, 2022, from Jon Saye stating that Saye Energy, LLC is interested in acquiring a surface right of passage servitude agreement for use to dill and operate one or more wells on an oil and gas lease covering land in Section 1, T19N, R16W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, as depicted on Exhibit "A" attached hereto.

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Caddo Levee District Desire to Execute a Surface Use and Right of Passage Servitude Agreement (AGREEMENT) with Saye Energy, LLC. for use to dill and operate one or more wells on an oil and gas lease covering land in Section 1, T19N, R16W, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, as depicted on Exhibit "A" ang the “AGREEMENT” attached hereto.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Caddo Levee District, in legal session conveyed, that it does hereby agree to the terms of the AGREEMENT with Saye Energy, LLC and its President, Patrick Harrison, be and hereby is, fully authorized to execute for and on behalf of the Board of Commissioners the “AGREEMENT” with Saye Energy, LLC containing such terms and conditions as he, in his sole discretion, deems proper and necessary, to fully effectuate the intent of this Resolution.

Marshall Jones was not present and had no report.

President Harrison had no report.

Mr. Mustapha reported that twenty-one (21) permit requests have been received, reviewed, and processed by Caddo Levee District in 2022.  Also, he reported that the 208/408 and the 404 permits for the New W. Agurs Pump Station Project have been approved by the USACE’s Levee Safety Section and the General Environmental Division.  The Design Plans and Specifications for the Project are complete, and we will be advertising the project for bids with the bid opening on the Board’s October 13, 2022, Meeting.

Mr. Mustapha also reported that the 5-year video inspection of the culverts, which is required to comply with USACE regulations, that were inspected in 2017 are due this year and he will be hiring Compliance Environmental Services (CES) from Baton Rouge to perform this specialty service, same company that provided the service in 2017.  The estimated cost for the inspection is approximately $16,000.

Also, Mr. Mustapha reported that the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, administrator of the Red River Navigation Feasibility Study Shreveport to Texarkana, will be establishing a bank account for the project and soon the Levee District and all the participating parties will be required to deposit their funding shares into the account.  $150,000 was approved by the Board to fund the Study.  The Study will be advertised in late September with a request for submittal of Request for Qualifications (RFQ’s) from interested contractors -engineers.  A 5-member selection committee with 2 members from the Louisiana participating parties and 3 members from Arkansas will review the RFQ’s and select a contractor.

Also, Mr. Mustapha reported that the Red River Waterway Commission and the State’s Wildlife and Fisheries Department are planning to construct a boat launch on Twelve Mile Bayou East of I-49 on the property that was acquired by the USACE from Franks Management for mitigation of the Red River Waterway Navigation Project.  The access to the proposed boat launch will be from US HWY 71.  Also, he reported that Caddo Parish Parks Department is working with Black Bayou Board on planning the construction of a fishing Pier and other recreation improvements at Robert Nance Park on Black Bayou in Hosston and the Parish is preparing an agreement for execution by the Levee District to allow the expansion of the park on the adjacent Levee District property.

Mr. Mustapha reported that Black Bayou Commission is working to obtain grants for the Robert Nance Park in Hosston for expansion and improvements to the park and the construction of a fishing pier, but nothing has been requested from the District at this time.

 Mr. Mustapha also reported that the auditor, Mrs. Lenora Krielow, CPA, had completed the 2021-2022 Financial Audit of the Caddo Levee District fiscal year and has submitted the report to the State’s Legislative Auditor for approval and release.   A copy of the approved final report will be emailed to the Board members and Mrs. Krielow will attend the October 13, 2022, via ZOOM to present the Report and answer questions. The draft report that was submitted indicates that there are NO Findings.

             There was no Legal Counsel Report.

Sam Brimer reported that the field crews are busy maintaining the levees and ditches. Also, he reported that lumber prices and lumber demand is high, but the interest by the logging companies in harvesting timber is low and is not predicted to improve until next year.

Robert Tomasek, DOTD, reported that the Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with the Department to provide construction inspection service for Shiftail Canal Panel Repairs and the Black Bayou LA - 530 repair projects are ready for execution. Another MOU will be prepared and executed for the New W. Agurs Pump Station project will be executed once Caddo Levee Receives Bids on the project and award the project.

There was no Personnel Committee Report.

There was no Legal Committee Report.

There was no Equipment Committee Report.

The Recreation Committee Report was included in the Executive Director’s Report.

With no further business to be brought before the Board, Mr. Sims made a motion to adjourn, with a second by Mr. Walker. The motion unanimously passed, and the meeting was adjourned.

President                                                                                                 Executive Director