Council defers decision on Colonial Club ditch cooperative agreement to pursue DOTD engineering

A proposed cooperative endeavor with the state for planning and construction to address the eroding Colonial Club entrance (FP&C project 50‑MC1‑26‑02) was debated and deferred at the Sept. 28 meeting.

Council members questioned whether Harahan should undertake the engineering and matching costs when DOTD might take the project over and perform the work more efficiently. Councilman Chatelaine said he and the administration had discussed turning the money over to DOTD; other members cited limited municipal match capacity and urged deferral so the state could be asked to assume the project. A motion to defer carried unanimously.

Council later agreed to amend a separate budget ordinance to remove a related $78,000 capital item to preserve match resources. No final cooperative agreement was executed; the item will return for future consideration if state arrangements change.