City Council

Minutes of the proceedings of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Town of Gueydan, Louisiana, taken at regular meeting held Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 6:00 o’clock P.M. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Town of Gueydan, Louisiana met in regular session with Mayor Jude Reese presiding and the following Aldermen present: Present: EFREM LIVINGSTON, JOHN LASETER, LAUREL PORTIE’, ANITA DUPUIS, & JASON SUIRE Absent : NONE Public Comment any item on agenda (3 minutes per person) Motion was made by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER, and carried, that in as much as each member of the Board of Aldermen received a copy of minutes taken at Regular Meeting of July 2, 2024, that the reading of said minutes be dispensed with and same be adopted as written. Motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by LAUREL PORTIE’ and carried, that the reports of the Bookkeeper and Tax Collector and the actual to budget reports be approved as filed. Motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER and carried to accept the LAMP Interest report as filed. Motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER, and carried that the following transfer, on the date, and amount from fund is hereby ratified and approved: To General Fund: July 9, 2024 Utility System Fund $30,119.78 To General Fund: July 12, 2024 Utility System Fund $ 1,682.64 To General Fund: July 22, 2024 Utility System Fund $27,129.17 To General Fund: July 12, 2024 Sales Tax Fund $ 8,139.94 To Utility Fund July 12, 2024 Sales Tax Fund $ 1,682.64 Motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER and carried to approve and accept the billing adjustments of $54.89 for the month of July 2024. Larry Cramer, engineer with Sellers & Associates informed the governing authority of the update of the pump station project. The Town of Gueydan has paid $23,033.75 to the Vermilion Parish Police Jury for the Phase One of the project. Larry Cramer informed the governing authority that awaiting on additional correspondence of additional funding from GOHSEP and FEMA for the pump station project. Mr. Cramer will meet with the contractor and inquire if some alternatives are available to reduce the price of the contract bid. Mr. Cramer informed the governing body that the LCDBG Clearance Project has received approval to extend the project by six (6) months. The Louisiana Water Initiative project is awaiting the grading/approve for the Request for Qualifications along with the Request for Proposals. Mr. Cramer gave an update of the rate study for Electrical Rates. Rob Carter, representative of Kolder, Slaven & Company, presented the 2023 audit. Rob Carter, representing the firm of Kolder, Champagne, Slaven & Co., gave the annual audit report for the year ending December 31, 2023. After a brief discussion motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER to accept the Audit Report for the year ending December 31, 2023. The following resolution was offered by JOHN LASETER seconded by LAUREL PORTIE’ and carried: RESOLUTION 4-2024 BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Town of Gueydan, Gueydan, Louisiana, that the Governing Authority does hereby accept the year 2022 audit report from auditors, Kolder, Slaven & Co., LLC as presented at this regular meeting August 6, 2024. This resolution having been submitted to a vote; the vote thereon resulted as follows: YEAS: EFREM LIVINGSTON, JOHN LASETER, LAUREL PORTIE’, ANITA DUPUIS & JASON SUIRE NAYS : NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE And the resolution was declared adopted on this 6TH day of August 2024. S/Roxanna Richard S/Jude Reese Clerk Mayor Since Notice has been published in the Town’s Official Journal that a Public Hearing would be held to consider the adoption of the Ordinance “ AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ORDERING THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED AGAINST THE PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF GUEYDAN, LOUISIANA, AND SPECIFYING THE AMOUNT OF TAXES TO BE ASSESSED AND COLLECTED AGAINST EACH DOLLAR OF ASSESSMENT VALUATION OF SAID TOWN” and there being no opposition voiced for or against Mayor Jude Reese closed the public hearing. The following Ordinance was offered by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER, and carried: ORDINANCE 2024-2 AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ORDERING THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED AGAINST THE PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF GUEYDAN, LOUISIANA, AND SPECIFYING THE AMOUNT OF TAXES TO BE ASSESSED AND COLLECTED AGAINST EACH DOLLAR OF ASSESSMENT VALUATION OF SAID TAX. SECTION I: BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE TOWN OF GUEYDAN, LOUISIANA, that a public meeting convened on this 6TH day of August, 2024, which Article VII, Section 23 (C) of the Constitution, that the following millage rate (s) be, and they are hereby levied upon the dollar of assessed valuation of all property subject to advalorem taxation within said Town for the year 2024, for the purpose of raising revenue: MILLAGE General Alimony 4.22 SECTION II: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDAINED, ETC. that this Ordinance be recorded in the Official Records of the Parish of Vermilion, Louisiana, that copies be filed with the Tax Assessor of said Parish, and that same be published in the Official Journal of the Town of Gueydan. SECTION III: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDAINED, ETC., that the Assessor of the Parish of Vermilion, shall extend upon the assessment roll for the year 2024 the taxes herein levied, and the Tax Collector of said Parish shall collect and remit the same to said taxing authority in accordance with law. SECTION IV: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDAINED, ETC, that all taxes are due and payable by December 31, 2024, and after this date thereof a penalty will be assessed at 1% per month until paid in full. Should notices of delinquency have to be mailed all charges for postage, and copies will be added to cover cost associated with mail out. SECTION V: BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, ETC., that inasmuch as Notice of proposed adoption of this Ordinance has been published in the Official Journal of the Town of Gueydan, Vermilion Parish, as required by law on July 17, 2024, and no opposition having been filed thereto, this Ordinance having been considered Section by Section and submitted to a vote upon the whole, the vote thereon resulted as follows: YEAS: EFREM LIVINGSTON, JOHN LASETER, LAUREL PORTIE’, ANITA DUPUIS & JASON SUIRE NAYS : NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE And the Ordinance was therefore adopted on this 6th day of August 2024. S/Roxanna Richard S/Jude Reese Clerk Mayor Motion by JASON SUIRE seconded by JOHN LASETER and carried to approve the millage rate of 4.22 for the year of 2024. Councilman Efrem Livingston requested to be on the agenda concerning Civic Center Rental Fee. After a discussion on the rental rates which were amended in March 2024 it was decided that the meeting room will no long be rented and the half hall (front half) will no longer be rented. Persons interested in renting the Civic Center will be required to rent the whole hall with no exceptions effective immediately. Audit findings of credit card statements included interest fees, all credit cards must be paid on time so that the interest fees/late fee payments will not occur. Police Chief Cru Delcambre requested to be included on the agenda to address the governing authority. Motion y JASON SUIRE seconded by JOHN LASETER and unanimously approved and carried to include Chief Delcambre on the agenda. Chief Delcambre informed the governing authority a recent meeting was held with Sheriff Eddie Langlinais, and it is recommended that hiring of a School Resource Officer for the Gueydan schools be considered. There was no action taken of this matter. Chief Delcambre presented the mayor and board of aldermen the Intergovernmental Agreement for the Local Agency Compensated (LACE) Detail and explained how the program operates. Motion by JASON SUIRE, seconded by JOHN LASETER and carried to approve the intergovernmental agreement for the Local Agency Compensated Enforcement (LACE) Detail. There being no further business to come before the meeting thereupon motion by JASON SUIRE seconded by JOHN LASETER, and carried the meeting thereupon adjourned at 7:35 o’clock P.M. on this 6TH day of August 2024. S/Roxanna Richard S/Jude Reese Clerk Mayor