LeLeux declares public emergency in Sulphur

In order to provide all citizens of Sulphur with required police and fire protection, safe ingress and egress on city streets, water quality and production, and wastewater collection and treatment, the city will need to take appropriate actions to provide these services, which have been limited as a result of Hurricane Rita. To do this will require the declaration of a public emergency.

Louisiana Public Bid Law provides in R.S. 38:2212, that all public work including labor, materials and all purchases of materials or supplies exceeding the sum of $15,000 must be advertised and bid, with an exception as stated in R.S. 38:2212 (D). This section of the law will not apply in cases of extreme public emergency where such emergency has been certified to by the public entity and notice of such public emergency is made available to the public.

In the current fiscal year, appropriations were allocated for emergency situations. The cost for restoring basic city services, which were interrupted by Hurricane Rita, is not known at this time, but is not expected to exceed $500,000. The city will make every effort to secure reimbursement from FEMA for any and all funds expended.

Therefore, a public emergency is hereby declared by Mayor Ron LeLeux as of Sept. 26, necessitating required purchases and services for the restoration of basic city services without the normal formalities.