Council also awards sewer rehab contract, renews trash service, and honors Shiloh MBC

PORT ALLEN — The Port Allen City Council unanimously approved a budget amendment on July 8 to fund the appraisal and potential acquisition of approximately 31 acres of land for a new municipal wastewater treatment facility.

The ordinance authorizes the city to allocate sewer fund money for an independent appraisal and sets up a contingent purchase agreement subject to appraised value, economic review, and site suitability. The motion was made by Councilman Garry Hubble and seconded by Councilman Gregory Payne.

Details on the property's location, the landowner, and the projected cost of a new treatment facility were not discussed at the July 8 meeting. WBR Independent has requested additional information from the city.

Sewer rehab contract awarded

The council authorized the mayor to award the federal Community Development Block Grant sewer rehabilitation contract to Grady Crawford Construction Company for $847,447.50. The bid was the lowest of several received when bids were opened on June 23.

Engineer Tony Arikol told the council the award is contingent on approval from the LCDBG grant funding agency. The project is 100 percent grant-funded.

Republic Services renewed, WastePro missed its chance

The council renewed its service agreement with Republic Services for trash collection. The contract includes a rate increase of $1.29 per unit.

Mayor Terecita Pattan said WastePro, a competing trash hauler, visited city hall to introduce themselves and requested information to put together a proposal but never followed through.

"He said they dropped the ball," Pattan said. "So they will have to wait until the five years is up with Republic."

Copier upgrade approved

The council approved a lease agreement with Applied Business Concepts (Sharp Electronics) to upgrade copiers, printers, and scanners across all city departments, running from August 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

CAO Philip Mason noted the utility collections scanner on the first floor has not worked in four years. The lease model allows the city to swap equipment as technology changes rather than owning aging machines.

City can now post jobs online

The council adopted Ordinance 7 of 2026, allowing the city to advertise job openings on its website and social media for seven consecutive days instead of paying for publication in the official journal (The Advocate).

Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church honored

Mayor Pattan presented a proclamation honoring Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church on its 127th anniversary. The church, located on 7th Street, was founded in approximately 1899.

The proclamation was requested by Valencia Allen and presented to a church representative. The church's current pastor is Reverend Dr. Raymond E. Allen Sr. The church held its anniversary celebration on July 26.

Schedule change

The August 5 committee meeting has been moved to July 30 due to the Louisiana Municipal Association conference.

The Port Allen City Council meets on the first and second Wednesdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 375 Court Street, Third Floor.