Business to add 200 jobs
Published 4:13 am Wednesday, September 13, 2017
In a special called meeting of the Bogalusa City Council on Monday, Bogalusa Mayor Wendy Perrette was authorized to enter into a lease agreement between the city and General Dynamics Information Technology that will mean around 200 more jobs in the industrial park.
Ryan Seal, director of the Washington Economic Development Foundation, said that would put General Dynamics at approximately 1,000 jobs “when all is said and done.” He said that would make General Dynamics one of the largest privately owned employers in Washington Parish.
In other business, the council adopted a resolution to give approval to the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness of the City of Bogalusa in an amount not exceeding $350,000, for the purchase of a new fire truck, making application to the State Bond Commission for approval of the Certificates, and providing for other matters in connection therewith.
The council also adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for improvements at George R. Carr Memorial Airport.
The council adopted a resolution to authorize Perrette to execute the submittal of an application, acceptance of an allocation of funds, and execution of a grant agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration for an airport improvement plan at the airport.
“The work will be 100-percent paid,” Perrette said. “It will all be paid for by the federal and state governments. No city money will be used. This is to accept grants that have already been approved.”
Another resolution, which would have authorized the mayor to acquire the Navigation Easement authorized by ordinance number 2484, by means of expropriation under the city’s eminent domain authority, was tabled.
The council additionally adopted three ordinances, including the one for General Dynamics, which Perrette called “a great company.”
Another authorizes the mayor to enter into a contract with the successful bidder, Eddie Pearson Roofing, LLC, for the roofing of multiple municipal buildings, including fire stations.
The third authorizes Perrette to enter into an intergovernmental agreement between the city and the Bogalusa School System, pertaining to the circle drive pick-up and drop-off points in the Bogalusa High School parking lot.
Although several members of the public were in attendance, there was no one signed to speak during the public participation portion of the meeting.