School water choice due

• By JOHN A. COLVIN
• Advocate River parishes bureau
• Published: May 12, 2009 - Page: 5B

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SORRENTO — Ascension Parish School Board members must decide whether to pay to install water mains for a new primary school in Sorrento or to wait for the town to do the work if annexation proceeds.

Under a land-donation agreement signed in August, Renaissance Development Group LLC, developer of the proposed Orange Grove subdivision, said it will pay Baton Rouge Water Co. to do the work, which must start by May 30, said Jeff Diez, attorney for the School Board.

Renaissance, however, notified district officials April 30 the company would not be doing that, Diez said last week during a School Board committee meeting to discuss the issue.

“We have a bird in our hands, though,” Diez said. “We have two documents making us a party to Renaissance’s deal with Baton Rouge Water.”

He said the School Board can legally give the water company notice to proceed on installing the water for the soon-to-be constructed Orange Grove Primary but would then bear the $450,000 cost, which the school district could collect from Renaissance plus a $100,000 penalty after the new school opens.

Tony Bull, chief financial officer of Renaissance, said it has decided to work with Sorrento instead of Baton Rouge Water, an affiliate of Ascension Water Co.

Renaissance plans to build a 135-acre subdivision on the outskirts of Sorrento near La. 22, but construction of the 349 single-family and garden homes on land surrounding the 10 acres given to the school district is on hold.

Sorrento is moving forward with annexation and intends to install water mains itself to service the area.

“We’ve been pleased with progress of (Sorrento’s) plan,” Bull said. “In our minds, we have very carefully discussed the options. Either way, I think the school will get its water.”

Diez, however, expressed concern that Sorrento doesn’t have a complete plan for the project.

Board members set May 19 as the deadline to make a decision because, Diez said, the agreement with Baton Rouge Water will expire May 30 and the price could go up.

Board members have considered buying land at a different location, but have said there are few options.

Also, drilling water wells on the site for Orange Grove would cost more than $450,000 and would also make the school district responsible for the water quality, said Chad Lynch, director of planning and construction for the school system.