Zachary OKs contract for water distribution system improvements

ZACHARY — The City Council on Tuesday unanimously accepted the low bid of $642,000 from Industrial Enterprises Inc. of Baton Rouge for water distribution system improvements.

The company has also worked on a road rehabilitation project with Zachary, city engineer Bianca Carambat said.

Five other contractors submitted bids ranging as high as $1.3 million.

The bid is to be awarded contingent on approval of the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant Program, which has provided the city with $800,000 for water main improvements. The work will be done in Zachary’s Avenues neighborhood and the Old Slaughter Road area.

Carambat explained that if new expenses don’t arise as the work is completed, the rest of the grant money could be used for further projects. The grant provides that any additional work would have to be done in the same neighborhoods.

Carambat also told the council that the water main from La. 964 to the new Americana Development under construction is nearly complete. The work will cost $130,700, with developers paying $38,500.

Other matters before the council included:

ANNISON HOUSE: The council voted unanimously to delay action for six months on the possibility of returning the antebellum plantation home to the Annison family.

City Attorney John Hopewell said that the city owns the house by “revocable donation,” meaning that the family can take back the property if members feel that it is not properly maintained.

“It’s not a two-way street. Revocability belongs to them as donors, not the city as donee,” Hopewell said. He added that the Annisons could refuse to accept the return of the house.

Zachary Historical Association member Betty Tucker told the council that the private organization received a bid of $11,000 to $12,000 for construction of a bathroom in the home.

She said that the association has the money to pay for the improvement. During the Oct. 9 board meeting, Mayor David Amrhein cited the lack of restrooms as one concern with the public being able to use the house.

HALLOWEEN: The council set trick-or-treat hours for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.