West St. Mary Port pursuing tenants

West St. Mary Port Commission members met Tuesday.
The commission held a short executive session to hear from legal counsel Eric Duplantis regarding the BP oil spill settlement. The commission agreed to accept the settlement, the amount of which was not revealed by court order.
The $18.7 billion settlement was announced last week.
Executive Director David Allain also reported that he has been in discussion with two potential tenants interested in the industrial park site on the Charenton Navigation and Drainage Canal Both are oil industry related.
Allain said he contacted a realtor to survey lease rates in the area, which amounts to about $4,800 an acre on the water and $1,500 away from water. He said he would pass that information along to the potential tenants.
One interested tenant is interested in 15 acres, the other 25 acres.
There is also a potential tenant at the port site itself, Allain said.
“I think we’re very close to signing these guys up,” he said. He added that he cannot reveal the company under a confidentiality agreement. “It would be good for the port. I’m hoping we can do something next month.”
Signage for the industrial park is being developed, Allain also reported. Cleco has agreed to provide three poles to mount the lighted sign. Total cost with the sign itself is about $11,000.
The sign probably won’t be located on the site itself due to pipeline right of ways. Allain is seeking permission to place it on state right of way along the highway.
The sign at the port office on La. 182 near Franklin will also be replaced with a new logo and structure. The existing sign has been up since the late 1970s.
—Allain proposed several budget amendments which were approved by the commission.
—The commission formally accepted its annual audit report.