Board asks city to fix Lakeside drainage

Drainage district officials have come up with a permanent solution to fix problems in Morgan City’s Lakeside Subdivision, but the board chairman says the district isn’t authorized to do the work required.
At Tuesday’s Morgan City Council meeting, Lee Dragna, chairman of St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity Drainage District 2, requested that city officials find a way to fund and complete drainage work that he said the district legally cannot do.
Lakeside Subdivision has had drainage problems for many years, so the district hired engineering firm T. Baker Smith to determine four possible permanent fixes to the problem, Dragna said.
The best solution would cost $950,000 and would permanently solve the issue. With that solution, officials could leave the floodgate on Walnut Street Canal open until the canal reaches a height of 2.5 feet, he said.
The floodgate is located at the corner of Walnut Drive and Lake Palourde Drive.
Under the present drainage system, streets in Lakeside begin to take on water when the Walnut Street Canal reaches a height of 1.75 feet, the mark at which the district legally must close the floodgate, Dragna said.
The fix involves putting collection basins under four of the seven outfall pipes that drain about 2/3 of Lakeside Subdivision, Dragna said. Officials could put four pumps in the collection basins and pump the water out so the floodgate could be left open.
However, it’s illegal for the drainage district to do any improvements to subsurface drainage, Dragna said. The drainage district is only authorized to maintain levees, feeder ditches and pump stations unless an emergency is declared.
Officials currently have the Walnut Street floodgate closed. On Tuesday, the canal was about 1.6 feet high, and drainage officials expect to probably open the floodgate by Thursday.
In the summer, the water is normally at 1 foot or less, but the water’s higher than normal.
“We’re trying to appease everybody,” Dragna said. “Right now, we have the internal people in Lakeside happy. But we have the people on the canal mad. And I understand that they’re mad. They want to use their boats.”
Walnut Drive resident Greg Green said part of the reason Lakeside Subdivision doesn’t drain properly is because many drainage pipes are broken or clogged.
Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said officials need to find a way to fix the drainage problems in Lakeside that have been an issue for 27 years. But, determining the appropriate action to choose will take much more thought and planning, Grizzaffi said.
City officials can work on a resolution that would allow the city to fund the solution without transferring ownership of the canal to the city, Grizzaffi said.
Councilman Louis Tamporello also said the situation needs to be examined more before deciding where to get money to solve the problem.
State and parish officials don’t have much available funds, “and we have even less, but we gotta find something, somewhere,” Tamporello said.
Federal grant money may be a possibility to fund the project because there are instances of recurring flooding in some Lakeside residents’ homes, Dragna said.
Also during the meeting, the council approved the insurance committee’s recommendation to implement a self-funded health insurance plan for city employees with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acting as the agent.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana will still be the health insurance provider for city employees.
Self-funded insurance means the city will pay a management fee to Blue Cross, and then the city will manage its own expenses and pay its own claims. The city previously had a fully insured plan, which meant that Blue Cross handled all claims.
Councilman Barry Dufrene was the lone dissenting vote on the insurance proposal.
The insurance contract will start in July and last through the end of the calendar year. Employees won’t see any change to their benefits under the contract, Insurance Committee Chairman Dwayne Barbier said.
The only changes for employees will be a new identification card in July, Eric Pearson of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. said.
In other business, the council
—Adopted the city’s millage rates for the 2016 tax year. City officials reduced millage rates in order to remain revenue neutral.
—Accepted the city’s Flood Damage Prevention Progress Report.
—Authorized signature for a cemetery lease.
—Authorized signature for Sun & Fun Water Rentals to operate at Lake End Park.
—Approved Lanzer Robinson to hold an Art Fashion Food Market in Lawrence Park pending consultation with legal counsel.
—Approved Jeepers for the Creatures to be held Oct. 15 in Lawrence Park.
—Approved the finance committee’s recommendation to re-allocate $11,000 to be used to buy a zero-turn lawnmower.
—Approved 2016-17 liquor and beer license renewals and liquor and beer permits for Morgan’s Restaurant and Lounge.