Street overlay projects discussed

Some six miles of Ruston city streets will be resurfaced under a project approved at last night’s city council meeting.

Public Works Director John Freeman said the project would take about 120 calendar days.

Said Freemen, “The lowest responsive bidder was Diamond B Construction, LLC, out of Alexandria, LA in the amount of $3,647,295.”

He said some of the streets were near schools and would need to be gotten underway quickly so as to be complete before school starts later this year.

Edgewood Street resident Mary Moore spoke to the council regarding the condition of her street.

“My street is very narrow; I’ve addressed this several times with the council,” she said. “We have wash-aways… thankfully no bus has turned over. Cars cannot pass when any trucks on the street,” she added.

She said that after the gas company had put in new gas lines, that potholes had developed that were damaging cars.

Mayor Ronny Walker said he hoped that a $2 million block grant that has been applied for could be used for street work in that neighborhood.

The city’s annual audit was presented, with no issues reported.

Advertisement

Ruston City Council meets Monday

Ruston’s Board of Aldermen will meet Monday, June 5, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

See here the agenda.

Tarbutton/Grambling frontage road survey underway

A $600 thousand agreement was approved at last night’s meeting of Ruston’s Board of Aldermen that will start surveying and engineering for a proposed service road along I-20 westbound from the Tarbutton exit to the Grambling exit. That service road would be part of infrastructure improvement necessary for a Buc-cee’s Travel Center to locate at Tarbutton.

Public Works Utilities Manager Andrew Halbrook said, “This resolution for a professional services agreement is with Stantec. They will begin the survey, right-of -way design, and first phase of infrastructure design to support the development.”

Mayor Ronny Walker noted that traffic count studies were already underway.

According to reports, the frontage road and other infrastructure will cost up to $24 million. Funding for the projects apparently hasn’t been secured.

The council also adopted an ordinance creating the Economic Development District No. 2, also for the Buc-cee’s project.

Sales and use taxes from the district would be used to finance economic development projects within the district.

Shreveport attorney Mike Brusada, who specializes in public finance, said, “You will be the board of the district, as the Board of Aldermen. Those taxes will be used to help fund and finance the Buc-cee’s.”

At the meeting’s beginning the council certified the recent local option election held last month, and introduced a city ordinance amendment setting licensing fees for businesses that sell alcohol.

Ruston City Council tonight

Ruston’s Board of Aldermen will meet tonight, Monday, April 3, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

See here the agenda.

Special Called Meeting for City Council

A special meeting of Ruston’s Board of Aldermen has been called for Tuesday, March 14, 6:00 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

Here is the agenda.

To be considered is an ordinance to amend the 2021-2022 budget for the city. A public hearing prior to the vote will be held.

See here the proposed budget amendment summaries.

The 2022 budget year ended on 9/30/2022, five and one-half months ago.

Liquor vote, zoning discussed last night

The upcoming March 25 referendum on liquor sales in the City of Ruston was discussed at last night’s meeting of the city’s Board of Aldermen. The issue was related to a zoning code amendment that concerns the regulation of establishments that serve or sell liquor. What parts of the ordinance go into effect will depend on the election’s outcome.

City Attorney Bill Carter noted that an entertainment overlay district would be created for those establishments.

“The ordinance actually creates the entertainment overlay district – it provides for the boundaries. I20 on the north, Vienna and Bonner on the east, California on the south, and Tech Drive on the west.”

See here a map of the district.

The ordinance also regulates how closely bars could be located to one another should proposition 3 pass.

Here are the propositions that will be on the 3/25 ballot:

• Proposition 1 (Currently Allowed): Grocery/Convenience Stores will be allowed to sell low-alcohol beverages.
• Proposition 2 (Currently Allowed): People will be allowed to drink low-alcohol beverages at a bar.
• Proposition 3: People will be allowed to drink high-alcoholic beverages at a bar.
• Proposition 4: Retail stores over 15,000 square feet will be allowed to sell packaged high-alcohol content beverages only for off-site consumption.
• Proposition 5 (Currently Allowed): Restaurant establishments will be allowed to sell both high and low-alcohol beverages.

Earlier in the meeting, the council approved a resolution that expands the economic development area to include the Tarbutton Road area where the proposed Buc-ee’s may be located.

Also approved was a resolution to sell a building and property located adjacent to the Ruston Sports Complex to Lifepont Church for $915 thousand.

Ruston City Council meets Monday

Ruston’s Board of Aldermen will meet Monday, March 6, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

Here is the agenda.

Hotel, entertainment center deal discussed

DBUZ Ruston, LLC will get a sweet deal for property at the Ruston Sports Complex after approval last night of cooperative endeavor agreements between DBUZ and the City of Ruston.

Two parcels of land at the complex totaling almost 6 acres with an appraised value of $500 thousand will be sold to the company for $50 thousand.

In return for that deal, the company will agree to “create a specified number of jobs in the City within a specified period.”

If that doesn’t happen, “DBUZ agrees to pay the full appraised value for the Property based on the appraised value set forth in the Appraisal.”

The 2.8 acre parcel near the complex entrance on which the hotel will be located is appraised for $275 thousand, and the other 3.1 acre parcel is appraised at $225 thousand. That parcel is located near the Ruston High School ball field.

The entertainment center will consist of “arcade, games, maybe a climbing wall. Some have putt-putt golf, some have go-carts – things like that,” said Mayor Ronny Walker.

Both agreements were passed unanimously by the council.

A budget amendment of $575 thousand was approved that will allow the Ruston Fire Department to purchase a light rescue truck was approved.

Fire Chief Chris Womack said that the truck being replaced was 23 years old.

Ruston City Council Monday

Ruston’s Board of Aldermen will meet Monday, February 6, 2023, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

Here is the agenda.

Two ordinances are to be considered to sell property at the Ruston Sports Complex to DBUZ, LLC, a Choudrant-based that is planning a hotel and entertainment center.

According to the documents, …”the City will agree to sell the Property to DBUZ for a price which may be less than the appraised value reflected by the Appraisal pursuant to certain terms and conditions…”, and …”DBUZ has agreed to create a specified number of jobs in the City within a specified period…”, among other terms.

See the proposed ordinances here and here.

LPSO responsible for prisoner medical care, per agreement

The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the health and medical care of prisoners and detainees at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, per a cooperative endeavor agreement signed in June, 2020 by Sheriff Stephen Williams and detention center commission Chairman Joe Henderson.

The agreement expires 6/30/2024.

• “The SHERIFF agrees to provide for the basic routine health care needs of the Detention Center inmates, with all health care personnel responsible for dispensing medical services to inmates meeting all necessary certification and licensing requirements required by law.”
  
• “The SHERIFF also agrees to maintain sufficient first aid supplies and equipment necessary to support the overall basic routine medical treatment of the Detention Center inmates, which first aid supplies and equipment shall be maintained in accordance with prescribed standards recognized or approved by a licensed recognized health authority which possesses the expertise to evaluate, assess and determine the potential need or conditions of the required first aid supplies and equipment.”
  
• “The SHERIFF is authorized to contract with third party medical service providers for the purpose of providing non-routine medical services, such as emergency services, hospitalization, surgical, optical or dental services to the Detention Center inmates.”

The sheriff claims to have “special knowledge, expertise, and training” in jail operation.

• “WHEREAS. the maintenance and operation of a parish detention center requires special knowledge, expertise and training in order to comply with the Louisiana Basic Jail Standards and various laws of this state regarding jails and prisons and the rules and regulations of the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, Louisiana State Health Department. and Louisiana Department of Corrections;”
• “and WHEREAS, the SHERIFF has offered the knowledge, expertise and training capabilities of his office and staff in connection with the future maintenance and operations of the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.”

See here the complete document.

Last year, the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, the detention center commission, several unnamed deputies, and two nurses were sued for alleged negligence in the care of Demerious Jones, who was diabetic and serving a 60-day sentence in the jail.

At last week’s meeting of the jury, an executive session to discuss the matter was held that included an attorney and the jury’s insurance carrier.