by Malcolm Butler
Two existing Ruston businesses are expanding their operations following action taken Thursday night by the Ruston Board of Aldermen.
During a special-called meeting at Ruston City Hall, the budget was also adopted for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027.
“We do this during August so that we can introduce our budget, which will be coming up in September, September 14th, when we’re meeting,” said Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker.
No action was taken on the budget Thursday. Walker said the proposed spending plan will be discussed at the council’s Sept. 14 meeting.
However, the main order of business was that aldermen unanimously approved two cooperative endeavor agreements that will allow the city to sell separate pieces of property to businesses planning expansions.
The first involves Reaper Boats LLC and approximately 18 acres of the former city power plant property on McDonald Avenue. City Attorney Bill Carter said the property has a long history with the city, but the building located there has been vacant for a number of years.
“The Reaper Boats group plans to come in, renovate the building and possibly construct some additional improvements on the property, all in connection with a boat manufacturing business,” Carter told aldermen.
Reaper Boats is currently operating out of the former Hart Electric building in Ruston and will move at least part of its operation to the McDonald Avenue property. Walker recognized Zach Randall of Reaper Boats, who attended Thursday’s meeting along with members of his staff.
“We build aluminum hunting, fishing boats, as well as future outdoor products is what we’re looking into as well,” Randall said.
Carter said the project will put the vacant property back into productive use while generating property and sales tax revenue and maintaining jobs in the area.
The second transaction approved Thursday involves approximately four acres in the Ruston Business Park.
The council approved a CEA with High Rise Properties Holdings LLC or High Rise Innovation LLC for the sale of Lot 2 in the business park.
Carter said the property is directly north of and across Innovation Drive from Lot 1, where the microchip manufacturing facility is planned.
According to Carter, the local entity purchasing Lot 2 intends to construct a building on the property and lease it to an existing business for use as a warehouse. Carter said that development also is expected to generate property and sales tax revenue while maintaining jobs.
“That’s the first of two pieces of property we’ll sell tonight,” Walker said after the Reaper Boats vote. “Both of them with existing businesses within our city that are expanding. So we’re very excited about that.”
In other business, aldermen approved a cooperative endeavor agreement between the city and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development related to additional improvements along Tarbutton Road at Interstate 20.
Public Works Director John Freeman said the agreement is another step toward development of a frontage road extending west from Tarbutton Road and will allow the city and DOTD to work together on improvements involving the interstate on-ramp and the first portion of the planned frontage road.
Aldermen John Denny and Bruce Siegmund were absent from Thursday’s special meeting.
