City Council

February 16, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4 Regular Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 16, 2023 7:00 P.M. Members In Attendance: Alderman Simeon Profit Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Alderman Janice Fleming Alderman Leola Keys The Town of Richwood met for a Regular Meeting held on February 16, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Richwood Multi-Purpose Center, 2710 Martin Luther King Drive, Richwood, Louisiana to consider the following business: I. Meeting Called to Order by Mayor Gerald Brown at 7:05 p.m. II. Prayer- was offered by Mayor Gerald Brown III. Pledge of Allegiance - recited in unison. IV. Roll Call- Mayor Gerald Brown called roll with the following results: (4) Board Members Present at roll call. • The record shall reflect all (4) Aldermen present at roll call Present: Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Alderman Simeon Profit Alderman Janice Fleming Alderman Leola Keys Absent: Alderman Wysinger Cleveland V. Adoption of the Agenda- It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Janice Fleming to adopt the agenda as presented. • The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the agenda as presented with the following results: All (4) Alderman voted to adopt the agenda as presented. February 16, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 • Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Janice Fleming Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes VI. Adoption of the January 19, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes. It was motioned by Alderman Profit and seconded by Alderman Janice Fleming to adopt the January 19, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes. • The record shall reflect a vote was taken with the following results: All (4) votes yes to adopt the January 19, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes. Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Janice Fleming Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes VII. Adoption of Financial Reports It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Janice Fleming to adopt the Financial Reports as presented. • The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the Financial Reports as presented with the following results: 2 Abstain and 2 Yes Votes. Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Abstain Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Janice Fleming Yes Alderman Leola Keys Abstain VIII. Public Comments as they relate to items on the agenda ** No Comments, Agenda proceeded. IX. Mayor’s Dialogue Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the Board in their packet was a letter from the Richwood High School Track Team requesting a monetary donation supporting their efforts to the girls and boys track team. The information provided to you includes contact information for the coaches. In addition to monetary donation, they will also accept water, juices, and small snacks. X. Discussion of Potential Committees Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the Board there was also a letter in their packet pertaining to the potential of us creating some committees; and to work on several agenda items I feel we need to work on and stress in our community. What I thought was potentially two Alderpersons, February 16, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 myself, and a key employee beginning those committees and then once we get those started we would be reaching out to other stakeholders in the community in terms of some citizens, businesses leaders, and things of that nature to include them on those committees. You will see the names of some of those committees and these are just ones I thought of and maybe you can think of some others that are needed. What I am asking is to look at these and kind of think about what committee you might want to participate on so that next month when we come back for our regular meeting we can possibly discuss this in more detail and get started on some of these committees and get started on some of this work that needs to be done. Mayor Gerald Brown –stated to the forum, Governor John Bel Edwards went last week to Washington D.C and met with President Biden and a lot of the Infrastructure monies are getting ready to come down the pike. We know that for the State of Louisiana those folks, our Senators, and House of Representatives are going into session next month and that is when much of this money is going to be discussed in terms of how it will be given out from parish to parish and city to city. I think it’s important for us to start putting some plans together and somethings in line so when we go to Senator Jackson or Representative Moore we got somethings in place that we want to concretely ask them about. Mayor Gerald Brown- another thing I would like you to consider and think about before we get to our next Regular meeting is two things, #1 we need to get a contract with an engineer, that way we will be able to put together some small applications for some of these monies for roads, drainage, sewer, that kind of these. The other thing I want to ask you guys to do is to select an auditor as well for this particular audit and then we can go on to the next one in a timely basis; not having an auditor is holding us back. We have a small grant for technology for this building, but we can not access those monies until we finish the audit. XI. Jonathan Loftin from R2 Rental Mayor Gerald Brown- introduced Jonathan Loftin as the owner of what was previously known as Better Way Garbage, which was purchased from Mr. Goins. Mr. Jonathan Loftin- addressed the forum and introduced himself and invited the community to attend an information luncheon on Thursday, March 2nd where he would like to have an informal discussion with the community pertaining to garbage service. XII. Codarion White: Requesting Permission to open Beaux’s Kitchen & Kocktails Mr. White – introduced himself and addressed the forum and advised he was requesting the permission of the Board to open Beaux’s Kitchen & Kocktails at the location where the Hot Spot was previously. February 16, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4 Mr. White- indicated to the forum the establishment would be open Monday thru Thursday 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and Friday thru Saturday 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed, Jr. and seconded by Alderman Simeon to grant permission to Mr. Codarion White to open Beaux’s Kitchen & Kocktails. . • The record shall reflect a vote was taken to allow Codarion White to open Beaux’s Kitchen & Kocktails with the following results: 4 Votes Yes to Allow Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Janice Fleming Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes XIII. Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-05 (An ordinance amending Ordinance 2022-01 an ordinance amending the Town of Richwood Code of Ordinances to provide for the enforcement of certain traffic violation by automated means and provides for civil penalties for certain traffic violations enforced by automated means, and otherwise providing with respect thereto.) It was motioned by Alderman Janice Fleming and seconded by Alderman Simeon Profit to vote on the Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-05 • The record shall reflect a vote on the Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-05 was taken with the following results: 4 No Votes ( Veto Remains) Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. No Alderman Simeon Profit No Alderman Janice Fleming No Alderman Leola Keys No XIV. Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-06 (An Ordinance regarding the Town’s Districting Plan) It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Janice Fleming vote on the Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-05 • The record shall reflect a vote on the Adoption of Vetoed Ordinance 2022-06 with results as follows: 2 No Votes and 2 Yes Votes ( Veto Remains) Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit No Alderman Janice Fleming No Alderman Leola Keys Yes XV. Adjournment: It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Janice Fleming to adjourn @ 7:53 p.m.