City Council

MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2019 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. INVOCATION – Alderman Raymond Williams opened the meeting in prayer. PLEDGE – Mayor Festavan led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance. VERIFICATION OF QUORUM – Board of Aldermen present for Roll Call were James Martin, Denise Alexander, Michael Guthrie, Raymond Williams and Angela Channell. Following Roll Call the Town Clerk verified that a quorum was present. Also present were other elected officials/staff members: Ronnie Festavan - Mayor, Ryan Nelson - Chief of Police, Douglas Dominick - Town Attorney, Kellie Morris - Town Clerk, David Jones, Jr. - Deputy Clerk, Kevin Hartzo - Water Production Department Head and Perry Hart - Deputy Police Chief. APPROVE AGENDA – Motion made by Raymond Williams; second by James Martin; all approved. 1. PUBLIC COMMENTS – Mr. Joe Ragsdale of Vivian was present to address the Council about the poor condition of the home and property located next door to his home. 2. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT – Financial report was presented by Mayor Festavan. 3 & 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR (3) MAY 13 REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING and (4) MAY 20 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING – Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by Michael Guthrie to approve all minutes as presented in globo, as a unit; all approved. 5. RE-INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 718 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT THE TOWN OF Page 1 of 4 VIVIAN’S BUDGET ORDINANCE # 708 OF 2018 – TO REFLECT THE APPROPRIATE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 718 at a Special Called Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on June 27, 2019 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 722 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2019 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST the Ordinance; none were made. Mayor Festavan then declared the public hearing closed. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL ACCEPT THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 722 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2019 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by Angela Channell; all approved. 8. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 723 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT, SECTION 18-24 – PROHIBITED DISCHARGES TO NATURAL OUTLETS TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: a person shall not directly or indirectly discharge, or allowed to be discharged, the contents or effluent from any plumbing fixtures, vault, privy, portable toilet, or septic tank, into any road, street, gutter, ditch, watercourse, body of water, or onto the surface of the ground. reference LAC 51:XIII.305. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST the Ordinance; none were made. Mayor Festavan then declared the public hearing closed. 9. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 723 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT, SECTION 18-24 – PROHIBITED DISCHARGES TO NATURAL OUTLETS TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: a person shall not directly or indirectly discharge, or allow to be discharged, the contents or effluent from any plumbing fixtures, vault, privy, portable toilet, or septic tank, into any road, street, gutter, ditch, watercourse, body of water, or onto the surface of the ground. Motion was made by Denise Alexander, second by Michael Guthrie; all approved. 10. RE-INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 724 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – TO ADDOPT THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S 2019-2020 BUDGET OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. There will be a public hearing Page 2 of 4 prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 724 at a Special Called Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on June 27, 2019 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 11. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 725 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA – AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCE, TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA, TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT CHAPTER 2 – ADMINISTRATION - ARTICLE III. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES - DIVISION 3. POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADD SECTION 2-89 - Mandatory Employment Contract with all newly hired non-post certified police officers. (This will require all newly hired Police Officers who are not post-certified to reimburse the Town of Vivian the cost of the Academy and basic firearms training program on a prorated basis if they accept employment as a Police Officer with another government entity within 2 years of hire.) There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 725 at a Special Called Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on June 27, 2019 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 12. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION # 7 OF 2019 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN – A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MAYOR FESTAVAN TO EXECUTE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF VIVIAN AND CADDO COUNCIL ON AGING (“CCOA”) - This will allow the CCOA the use of the Martin Luther King Community Center owned by the Town of Vivian, located at 1004 S. Pardue St., Vivian, Louisiana to be used as a congregational site to provide meals and activities to the senior citizens of the Town of Vivian. The use will be for 3 weekdays a week during the hours of 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin; all approved. 13. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CONFIRMATION OF SELECTION OF THE CADDO CITIZEN AS THE TOWN’S OFFICIAL JOURNAL – For the period of July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by Angela Channell; all approved. 14. CHANGE IN PAY STATUS FOR POLICE OFFICER – The Board of Aldermen will consider the Chief of Police’s recommendation to place the following Police Officer on SALARY at the indicated amount: (Effective July 1, 2019.) Nichols Ellis, Captain, $690.00 per week. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin; all approved. 15. CHANGE IN STATUS & PAY FOR POLICE OFFICERS – The Board of Aldermen will consider the Chief of Police’s recommendation to change the status and increase the hourly pay of the following Police Officers: (Effective July 1, Page 3 of 4 2019.) Mark Trenor, Part-time to Full-time Police Officer, $14.00 per hour -AND- Ashley Ellis, Part-time to Full-time Police Officer, $14.00 per hour. Motion was made by Denise Alexander, second by Angela Channell; all approved. 16. HIRING OF NEW POLICE OFFICER – The Board of Aldermen will consider the Chief of Police’s recommendation to hire and commission the following individual for the Vivian Police Department: (Effective July 1, 2019.) Dameon Cummings, Part-time Police Officer, $11.00 per hour. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by Angela Channell; all approved. PROPERTY CONDEMNATION REPORT – No report given. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT – Deputy Police Chief Perry Hart presented Report with Log Sheet for the period of May 1 to June 10, 2019. The report contained the following: 1) Total Properties Inspected = 9; 2) Properties Brought to Standard = 4; 3) Summons Issued/Pending = 2; 4) Properties Currently Awaiting Follow-up = 3; and 5) Properties Awaiting Further Investigation = 0. (Two properties discussed with Council were 505 North Cypress St. -AND- 404 West Alabama Ave.) MAYOR’S REPORT – Mayor Festavan reported on the following: 1) the Swimming Pool closure; 2) the Vivian Railroad Museum Town Office closure; 3) his recommendation that the Old Fire House be declared surplus and sold; 4) the National Guard Armory facility’s financial losses and the facility being evaluated for a possible Police Complex; and 5) a new water bill due date of the 15th each month! ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN – Raymond Williams expressed appreciation and gratitude for the hard work and the sharing of information and transparency shown by Mayor and staff. ADJOURN – Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin; all approved. Meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m. ___________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor ___________________________________ June 13, 2019 Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Page 4 of 4