City Council

MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 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 and Raymond Williams; absent was 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. AMEND AGENDA - A new item of business, an Introduction of Ordinance # 752, needed to be added to the Agenda. Motion to amend the Agenda was made by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams, at which time Mayor Festavan explained the need for Introducing the Ordinance and placing it on the Agenda. Mayor Festavan then opened a Public Hearing for anyone wishing to speak for or against amending the Agenda. There being no comments for or against placing the new item on the Agenda the Hearing was closed. Mayor Festavan called for the vote to amend the Agenda; all approved. In doing so the Agenda’s number sequence was changed accordingly. APPROVE AGENDA - Motion to approve the Agenda as amended was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin; 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 Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander; all approved. 3. & 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the minutes of the November 9th Regular meeting (Agenda item #3) AND the December 3rd Special Page 1 of 4 Called meeting (Agenda item #4) in globo, together as a unit, was made by James Martin, second by Michael Guthrie; all approved. 5. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER GRANTING A VARIANCE ON AN EXISTING SIGN - A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A NEW SIGN TO REPLACE THE EXISTING SIGN AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: 900 S. PECAN ST. (VIVIAN UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH) Reverend Ricky Jeane addressed the Council on behalf of his church with a request to place a new sign in the present sign’s location. Following discussion and viewing of a photograph of the old sign and design of the new sign, motion to grant his church a variance to place the new sign in the present sign’s location was made by Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander; all approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 749 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE # 461 OF 1998 CONCERNING SPECIAL EVENTS. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST the Ordinance; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 749 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - SEE AGENDA ITEM # 6. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 749 of 2020 of the Town of Vivian, Louisiana was made by Denise Alexander, second by James Martin; all approved. 8. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 750 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO SET FORTH FEES AND COST FOR NEW WATER METERS AND NEW WATER METER HOOK-UPS TO THE TOWN’S WATER SYSTEM. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 750 at the regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on January 11, 2021 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 9. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 751 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - STREETS, SIDEWALKS & OTHER PLACES - There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 751 at the regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on January 11, 2021 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 10. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 752 OF 2020 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE LEASE WITH OPTION TO PURCHASE AND COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH ALLEN’S ELECTRIC MOTOR SERVICE, INC., BEING AN ORDINANCE TO SELL, LEASE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS VIVIAN INDUSTRIES (VIP BOATS) PLANT 1 LOCATED AT 680 Page 2 of 4 SOUTH PARDUE, VIVIAN, LOUISIANA UNTO ALLEN’S ELECTRIC MOTOR SERVICE, INC. - There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 752 of 2020 at the regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on January 11, 2021 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana, where at such time any and all objections to the proposed lease, sell and/or transfer will be heard and considered by the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Vivian. The Board of Aldermen of the Town of Vivian will thereafter consider the final adoption of Ordinance # 752 of 2020. The above and foregoing was read aloud and announced by Mayor Festavan. 11. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 17 OF 2020 - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO PURCHASE PROPERTY LOCATED ON W. LOUISIANA AVE. Motion to adopt Resolution # 17 of 2020 was made by Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander; all approved. 12. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE OPENING OF A NEW CHECKING ACCOUNT - A CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR RECREATION; REVENUES AND EXPENSES. Motion authorizing the opening of checking account was made by James Martin, second by Michael Guthrie; all approved. 13. HIRING OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Warren Williams - Part-time Police Officer - $11.00 per hour. Motion to hire and commission Officer Williams at the recommended rate of pay on a probationary period until the March 8, 2021 Town Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, second by James Martin; all approved. 14. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL HOLD A FINAL CONDEMNATION HEARING TO DETERMINE WHY ANY AND ALL BUILDINGS AND/OR STRUCTURES WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE BELOW DESCRIBED PROPERTY SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED, TO WIT: 317 W. ATLANTA ST., VIVIAN, LOUISIANA 71082; E. 65.6 FT. OF LOT 102 & E. 65.6 FT. OF LOT 103 GALLOWAY & BEAZLEY ANNEX, TOGETHER WITH ALL BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON; GEO #221623-15-116. Following discussion with Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith and consideration of this matter, motion was made to move forward with the condemnation of said property by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith gave a report on the following properties: 1) 209 McArthur Dr., 2) 1602 N. Pine St., and 3) 220 S. Bird St. concerning an illegally placed portable building and vehicles parked across the street from this address. Page 3 of 4 CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer Adrian Hopkins gave a report on the following properties: 1) Madie’s Treasurers on N. Pine St., 2) 110 Shelton St., 3) 402 W. Nevada Ave., 4) 604 NE Front St., and 5) 917 S. Pine St. A tentative date for the first Environmental Court was also discussed. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the age, mileage and need for public works vehicles, 2) the building formerly known as the Country Crow on E. Louisiana Ave. has been purchased and a new business will be opening after the first of the year, 3) continued Museum restoration, 4) hiring of a new accountant, 5) the possibility of purchasing a small piece of property in the North Industrial Park, 6) the property located at S. Pine St. and Airport Dr. has been purchased by North Caddo Medical Center, 7) the Airport recently passed inspection and 8) a meeting on the removal and new construction of the main hangar at the Airport. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m. ______________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor ______________________________________ December 22, 2020 Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Page 4 of 4