DeSoto Parish Police Jury approves $500,000 transfer for storm debris monitoring; FEMA reimbursement discussed

The DeSoto Parish Police Jury approved a resolution authorizing the parish treasurer to transfer $500,000 from the road fund into the disaster relief fund to cover debris removal monitoring and related costs from the 2026 winter storm. The motion was identified in the meeting as originating from Mister Clark and was seconded by Mister Baker; the chair announced the motion passed after members voted in favor.

Officials said the extra $500,000 is intended to cover monitoring expenses necessary to qualify for federal reimbursement. "With the FEMA reimbursements, if you wanna qualify for that up to 75%, you have to have a monitor," said Unidentified Speaker 2 during the discussion, referencing federal public-assistance eligibility requirements. The speaker added that the monitoring estimate was provided by contractor DRC.

The parish was given a rough contractor estimate "around 850 to 900,000" for debris removal limited to parish-managed material, the speaker said. The speaker also clarified that that estimate "does not include the DOTD stuff, which they're handling on their own," indicating Department of Transportation and Development work is separate from the parish's reimbursable debris removal.

Meeting discussion identified the monitor vendor in the transcript as "Breed Tech," which the speaker said assisted after a previous storm two years earlier; the debris removal contractor was identified as DRC. On disposal, the speaker said parish-collected debris would go to the parish burn pit and noted that, despite a parish burn ban, the parish had obtained an exemption and a burn permit: "we just issued the burn ban. We are exempt from that burn ban ... I went ahead and got a burn permit from 09/11 to be reported to fire district 8," the speaker said, adding that the department would be notified if the fire department received calls about the burn activities.

The chair called for any additional questions before taking a vote; the transcript records successive verbal affirmations and the chair's statement that the motion passed. The meeting concluded with a motion and second to adjourn.

The parish approved the transfer and will proceed with monitoring and debris removal arrangements; reimbursement from FEMA was discussed as the anticipated next step but, according to the record, remains contingent on the monitoring requirements being met and federal review.