City Council

MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. INVOCATION - Alderman Michael Guthrie opened the meeting in prayer. PLEDGE - Mayor Festavan led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL - 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 and/or staff members: Ronnie Festavan - Mayor, Ryan Nelson - Chief of Police, Kellie Morris - Town Clerk and Douglas Dominick - Town Attorney. APPROVE AGENDA - Motion to approve the Agenda as presented was made by Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander; all approved. 1. PUBLIC COMMENTS - There were none. 2. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT - Financial report including budget-to-actual comparisons was presented by Mayor Festavan. Following the report and discussion, motion to accept as presented was made by Denise Alexander, second by James Martin; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the minutes of the October 12, 2020 regular meeting was made by Angela Channell, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. 4. SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON WATER LOSS INSURANCE - MR. DAN DANSBY, REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, NLC SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM. Mr. Dansby came before the Council to speak about an optional program that would insure residential water and sewer lines for Town of Vivian utility customers at their expense. No action was taken. Page 1 of 4 5. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 749 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE # 461 OF 1998 CONCERNING SPECIAL EVENTS. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 749 at the Regular Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 14, 2020 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 6. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 16 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT (LA DOTD) FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE VIVIAN AIRPORT. Motion to adopt Resolution #16 of 2020 of the Town of Vivian, Louisiana was made by Denise Alexander, second by Michael Guthrie; all approved. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE MAYOR’S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE CURRENT FACILITY GUIDELINES & RENTAL FORM - A RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING RENTAL OF COMMUNITY EVENT CENTERS. Following discussion, no action was taken. This matter will be brought back to the Council at a later date. 8. DISCUSSION OF THE TOWN’S COST OF WATER METERS, AND WATER METER HOOK UP COST FOR NEW HOMES/NEW CONNECTIONS TO THE TOWN’S WATER SYSTEM - THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE TO SET FORTH FEES AND COST FOR NEW WATER METERS AND NEW WATER METER HOOK UPS TO THE TOWN’S WATER SYSTEM. Motion to have the Town Attorney prepare an Ordinance setting forth fees & cost for new water meters & new water meter hook-ups to the Town’s water system, and present the Ordinance for introduction at the December 14, 2020 Council meeting was made by Angela Channell, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. 9. HIRING OF POLICE OFFICER - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE & COMMISSION THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: ReCarrus O’Neal - Part-time Police Officer - $13.00 per hour Motion to approve Police Chief Nelson’s recommendation to hire & commission ReCarrus O’Neal was made by Angela Channell, second by Denise Alexander. A substitute motion was then made to hire & commission O’Neal on a probationary basis and reconsider his position at the February 8, 2021 Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, second by Angela Channell; all approved. Page 2 of 4 10. DETERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT STATUS FOLLOWING 90-DAY PROBATIONARY PERIOD - THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE OFFICER LADARIOUS FORD AS A PART-TIME OFFICER WITH THE TOWN OF VIVIAN AND TO CONTINUE HIS PROBATIONARY STATUS UNTIL THE TOWN’S FEBRUARY 8, 2021 TOWN MEETING. (It was recommended that this matter be held in executive session pursuant to LA R.S. 42:17.) Motion to go into executive session to discuss Agenda item # 10 was made by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. Following discussion of Agenda item # 10 in Executive Session, motion to re- enter regular session was made by Denise Alexander, second by Angela Channell; all approved. Upon reconvening in regular session Police Chief Ryan Nelson recommended that Officer Ford’s probation period be extended until the February 8, 2021 Council Meeting. Motion was made not to extend the probation period and to terminate Officer Ford’s employment by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith presented reports on the following properties: 1) 220 S. Bird St. concerning a portable building that was moved in without following proper procedures and is sitting too close to the street. Motion to give the resident 15 days to remove the portable building was made by Angela Channell, second by James Martin; all approved. Should the building not be removed within the 15 days, the resident would then be given a summons. 2) O’Reilly Auto Parts contractor states that the foundation will be poured soon, 3) 108 W. Atlanta St., 4) the Old Vivian Fire Station will begin paving a driveway on the property, 5) 209 McArthur Dr. is inhabited, has no water, is in violation and is adjudicated property. Officer Bobby Smith recommended that the residence be condemned. Motion to place the residence on the condemnation list was made by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - No report given. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the Corona Virus status, providing written information to the Council and Staff from the Louisiana Department of Health and other sources. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - 1) Alderman Michael Guthrie stated that he would like to have the dumpster at the Cedars Apartments located on the corner of W. James and S. Spruce Streets looked into as it continues to ‘over-flow’ and spread, and 2) Alderman Angela Channell reported that Rick Rowe with KTBS Channel 3 would be reporting from the Old Vivian Fire Station on Wednesday morning, November 11th. Page 3 of 4 ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. ______________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor ______________________________________ November 16, 2020 Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Page 4 of 4