By John Summers | WBR Independent Published: February 9, 2026
BRUSLY — The Brusly Town Council’s Feb. 2 committee meeting laid bare a growing dispute with a defaulted sewer lagoon contractor, revealed that road overlay bids have exceeded state thresholds, and previewed a residential variance request headed for formal action — all during a session that packed several developing stories into a single evening.
Sewer Lagoon: Contractor Wants Remaining Funds Redirected After Default
The most significant discussion centered on the ongoing sewer lagoon project and the town’s relationship with Spinks Construction, which has received a letter of default on the contract.
Town Engineer Toby Fruge reported that since receiving the default letter, the contractor has declined to sign a revised pay application. Instead, the contractor is requesting that $47,356 remaining from Change Order 3 be redistributed into a new change order to cover bridge repairs at the project site.
The bridge repairs were not formally requested by the town or the engineer’s office. However, a superintendent with Spinks Construction told the council there was an operational reason for the work.
“The reason why we had to do the bridge — we couldn’t get no pump truck across to pour it,” he said. “So to get the truck across, we had to repair the bridge.”
Toby confirmed the contractor took it upon himself to hire a third party for the repairs without prior authorization from the town.
“He took it upon himself to — I’m assuming — hire a third party,” Toby told the council. “I don’t think he physically did it, but I think he hired somebody to do it.”
When asked whether an engineer had verified the structural soundness of the repaired bridge, Toby confirmed that no independent testing or verification had been performed beyond the contractor’s own assessment. The contractor reportedly told Toby that heavy equipment had crossed the bridge without issue and that he was “very confident that the bridge is sound.”
“I have no engineer backing that up,” Toby said. “I did no testing. Nobody did any kind of further verification other than his word and that one visual test.”
Town Attorney Thomas Acosta Jr. pushed back on the request, advising the council against offering a prospective opinion on a change order that hasn’t been formally submitted.
“He needs to spell out chapter and verse exactly what he’s asking for in a change order — what he’s spent the money on,” Acosta said. “The auditor is going to make sure we do that. Then the council will have something to make an intelligent decision on — not just a request for a sum of money.”
No written documentation has been submitted. Toby said if the contractor formally submits a request, a change order could be drafted for consideration at the Feb. 9 regular meeting.
Construction Update: Approximately One Month to Completion
A Spinks Construction superintendent appeared before the council to provide a firsthand update on the project’s progress.
He said crews planned to pour the walls the following morning after a delay caused by cold temperatures that prevented concrete delivery the day of the meeting. All other structures are in place.
Once the concrete is poured and passes a break test — expected within three to four days — crews will need approximately one week to remove forms and begin piping, followed by roughly two weeks to connect valves, piping, and install filters, which are already on site.
“I’m saying about — to be safe on it — about a month to finish it off completely,” he said, adding that estimate assumes five-day work weeks at 10 hours per day with no weather interruptions.
The superintendent also described significant challenges encountered during the project, including repeated collapses of sheet piles due to sandy soil conditions along the levee.
“The whole wall would collapse — the whole row of sheet piles just collapsed inside,” he said. “We had to redo that four times before we were able to stabilize it.”
Crews ultimately laid a foot of 610 crushed limestone to create a stable working surface.
Road Overlay Bids Exceed State Threshold
The town’s planned road overlay project hit a procurement snag after two of three requested quotes came in above the state’s $250,000 bid threshold.
Toby told the council that specs were completed and sent to three contractors under the assumption that the work would fall below the threshold, allowing the town to proceed with a simpler quote process. That assumption proved incorrect.
A third quote is still pending. If all three exceed the limit, the town will be required to reject the quotes and proceed with a formal sealed bid process — or reduce the scope of the project to bring costs below the threshold.
“Depending on how they all come in, we’ll have a discussion and figure out which way we want to go,” Toby said.
Details of the submitted quotes were not disclosed, as the process involves sealed pricing.
Variance for Metal Shop Deferred to Next Monday
A request by Laken Bourgoyne to build a metal shop at 1505 Live Oak Drive received a favorable recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 28 but will require formal council action at the Feb. 9 regular meeting.
Bourgoyne is seeking a variance under Section 120-145(3) of the town’s R-1 Single Family Residential zoning code to reduce the front setback from 30 feet to 20 feet and the side setback from 10 feet to 5 feet.
The Planning and Zoning recommendation was contingent on two conditions: obtaining a letter of no objection from a neighboring property owner and installing a gutter on the structure for watershed management. Bourgoyne told the council she has obtained the letter.
The structure would be placed in front of the home. Bourgoyne explained her property lacks rear access, leaving the front as her only option.
“I’m just trying to get a shop,” Bourgoyne told the council. “If I had a backyard, I’d put it in my backyard, but I don’t have that.”
Bourgoyne was asked to return for the regular meeting for the formal vote.
Public Works: January Report
The Public Works Department reported 6.75 inches of rainfall across three rain events in January, with zero drainage issues reported and zero violations at the sewer treatment facility.
Other highlights from the report:
- A chlorine line was repaired at the sewer treatment facility.
- Two sewer blockages were reported and cleared — a mainline blockage on Oak Plaza Boulevard and a resident-side blockage on Richard Street.
- Grease traps were checked at two locations; both are in compliance.
- One culvert program job was completed on Lee Drive.
- Sinkholes were repaired in Brusly Oaks, Live Oaks, and on Elaine Street.
- Two potholes were repaired on River Oaks Lane.
- Debris was removed from the servitude between Ory Drive and Live Oak.
- Five driveway culvert upgrades were completed on Elaine, Ory, and Live Oak. Three driveways were caving in and blocking street drainage, while two on Elaine Street were undersized — 30-inch pipe feeding into 24-inch, creating a bottleneck. The parish assisted with the work.
Smoke testing was scheduled to begin Feb. 3 in the Brusly Oaks subdivision, expected to take two days. Bulk pickup was scheduled for the week of Feb. 9.
Finance: January Bills Reviewed
The council reviewed January bills without significant concern. One item flagged was a $406 energy bill at St. James Park, which the council attributed to electricity usage during the Christmas season hitting the January billing cycle. The park’s only regular electrical draw comes from the air conditioning unit in the restrooms, with all heating units being electric.
The five driveway culvert repairs appeared on the maintenance side of the bills. The town subcontracted portions of the work, with the parish providing assistance. The town’s direct costs were limited to culverts and concrete.
Police Report
A police department representative briefly addressed the council regarding an incident on LA-1 earlier that day that had generated public calls and questions. The incident was described as a motorist complaint that was investigated without incident, with all parties released without arrest.
“It was much worse than it looked,” the representative said.
Announcements
Brusly Town Hall will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 17, for Mardi Gras.
The meeting was adjourned on a motion by Councilwoman Sheri Young, seconded by Council Member Mike Chustz.
WBR Independent covers West Baton Rouge Parish government, public safety, and community news. Tips? Email editor@wbrindependent.com.
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