A rural Bossier Parish water district is getting off the hook for a huge percentage of an unpaid bill arising from an emergency that occurred when a major winter storm hit Bossier Parish and northwest Louisiana on December 27-28, 2022.

Parish Police Jury members unanimously agreed Wednesday to accept a payment of $7,700 to settle a $77,000 bill for water that was delivered to the Bellevue Water System when customers’ service was shut down by the storm.

“The parish had the contract (for water and delivery), and we did what needed to be done,” Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson said.

“The bottom line is they do not have the money to pay the bill,” he explained to jury members. “They have offered money to drop the lawsuit. They have offered an amount they can afford to pay.”

Jackson said the Bellevue board’s offer was only 10 percent of the total bill, “…but it’s better than nothing.”

Jackson told jury members the Bellevue system board of directors in place at the time of the storm requested assistance and authorized the water to restore the system. While roads were practically impassable and people were sleeping in their stranded cars, “…we secured, at great expense, a contractor to provide water.”

Previous Bellevue board members also directed the police jury to attempt to take over the water system because of needed infrastructure needs, but that effort failed, Jackson said.

“The new board doesn’t want to transfer the system to the parish and when it came time to pay, they didn’t want to do it. I would recommend that in future emergencies they get their own contractors,” he added.

Jury member John Ed Jorden said he thought the parish would be “…hurting people if we don’t help.” He later said the board of directors that approved the emergency water purchase is not the board that is refusing to pay the bill.”

Jackson said by refusing to pay for services that were delivered under extreme conditions, the Bellevue board of directors could be placing themselves and the system in a precarious position.

“If there’s another emergency they’re cutting off their nose to spite their face. In emergencies, it’s expensive to do business. We got somebody to deliver, they delivered. Everybody will understand they may not pay their bill so who will come to their rescue We do not know,” he said.

Also during Wednesday’s meeting, jury members:

• Agreed to a pair of requests for a variance of Bossier Parish subdivision regulations governing the percentage of signatures required on petitions for developments. Also, set dates for three public hearings, two of which are asking for plat approvals in the subdivisions where variance was granted.

• Accepted a certificate of substantial completion of the Sligo Rd. extension (Arthur Ray Teague Parkway) overlay project.

• Named Suzette Hadden to the Bossier City-Parish MPC board of adjustments for a five year term.

• Agreed to appoint Mel Allen to the Bossier Parish Communications District No.1 board of directors for a four year term. The position is a joint appointment with the City of Bossier City and must receive approval from the city council.

• Approved a $58,000 change order on the North/South Corridor Phase II (Flat River to Crouch Rd.) project.