Port board OKs $500k more in contingency funds for emergency center

Port of Morgan City officials authorized spending up to $500,000 more on its already roughly $9.5 million Government Emergency Operations Center, if needed, to be able to accommodate tenants at the building.
The Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District commission approved spending up to $500,000 in contingency funds for the center offering up to 2,000 square-feet in additional space at the building site on La. 182 across from the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.
The two-story building is estimated to encompass about 33,000 feet, but with potential additional space could be up to 35,000 square-feet, Port of Morgan City Executive Director Raymond “Mac” Wade said.
The Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District commission met Monday at the Port of Morgan City.
The new facility will serve as a command center during emergencies, but will also be able to house governmental agencies on a daily basis.
When an emergency situation occurs, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA and others will assume command of the center, according to an April news release.
State legislators also got an extra $6 million in potential cash funding for the center during the legislative session, State Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, said.
Jones said state legislators have gotten a total of $13.1 million put in the state capital outlay bill for the emergency operations center. Of that money, $1.2 million in Priority 1 cash funding, $5.9 million in Priority 2 funding, which is subject to bond sales, and $6 million in Priority 5 funding, which consists of potential additional cash in the future, Jones said.
The port has to put up a $2.3 million match for the operations center.
Jones encouraged port officials to focus on economic development given the deepwater boom the area is experiencing may continue for at least 10 to 12 years according to industry leaders, Jones said. “If we don’t take advantage of what’s out there, then shame on us,” Jones said.
Port officials hope to have the center completed by the beginning of the 2015 hurricane season, Wade said in May.
Project Manager Walt Adams said the subsurface geotechnical analysis was completed and found resistance at an average of 50 feet to 60 feet below the surface, Adams said. Engineers for the project recommended rigorous pile and load testing at the site in an abundance of caution, he said.
The port commission authorized spending up to $40,000 to drive more test piles at the center site on La. 182. At the May port meeting, the commission already approved up to $25,000 to be spent on test piles.
Adams said project officials plan to break the project into two “packages.” The first package would include site preparation and foundation work, Adams said. The port plans to spend its matching funds upfront, Adams said.
The second package of work needs to be under contract by the state bond commission hearing Aug. 8 in Baton Rouge, Adams said.
In other business, the commission adopted its 2014 millage rate of 4.49 mills on the dollar.