City Council

MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021 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. 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 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 Angela Channell, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - for April 12, 2021 regular meeting. Motion to approve the minutes of the April 12, 2021 regular meeting was made by James Martin, second by Raymond Williams; all approved. 4. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 755 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2021 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST the Ordinance; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 5. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL ADOPT ORDINANCE # 755 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE Page 1 of 4 MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2021 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 755 of 2021 of the Town of Vivian, Louisiana was made by Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander. The vote recorded was; AYES - 4 (four), NAYS - 1 (one), ABSENT - 0 (zero). Ordinance # 755 of 2021 was adopted. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 756 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDNANCE # 748 OF 2020, AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S ADMINISTRATIVE COURT FOR ADJUDICATION OF BLIGHTED PROPERTY, ABANDONED PROPERTY, AND VIOLATIONS OF SUCH TOWN ORDINANCES ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH; GRASS, WEEDS AND WILD GROWTH; LITTER; HOUSING AND PROPERTY STANDARDS; AND JUNK, WRECKED AND ABANDONED PROPERTY INCLUDING REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLATIONS. This will change the notification times to interested parties from 30 days to 15 days with regards to being notified prior to any administrative hearing. 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 # 756 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - SEE AGENDA ITEM # 6. Motion to amend Ordinance # 756 regarding Section 5 dealing with increase in penalties for code violations as follows 1) 1st Offense Grass, Weeds and Wild Growth - $300, 2) 2nd Offense Grass Weeds and Wild Growth - $500, 3) 1st Offense Litter - $300, 4) 2nd Offense Litter - $500, 5) 1st Offense Junked, Wrecked and Abandoned Property - $300 and 6) 2nd Offense Junked, Wrecked and Abandoned Property - $500 was made by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams. Following discussion, the vote to amend Ordinance # 756 of 2021 was AYES - 3 (three), NAYS - 2 (two), ABSENT - 0 (zero). Motion carried, amending Ordinance # 756. Motion was then made to adopt Ordinance # 756 as amended by Denise Alexander, second by Raymond Williams. The vote recorded was AYES - 3 (three), NAYS - 2 (two), ABSENT – 0 (zero). Ordinance # 756 of 2021 was adopted as amended. 8. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 757 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S BUDGET ORDINANCE # 742 OF 2020 - To reflect the appropriate revenues and expenditures. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 757 at the Special Called Town Council Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 28, 2021 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Page 2 of 4 9. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 758 OF 2021 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - TO ADOPT THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S 2020-2021 BUDGET OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 758 at the Special Called Town Council Meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 28, 2021 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 10. INADVERTANTLY OMMITED FROM THE PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA - 11. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE OPENING OF A NEW CHECKING ACCOUNT - A CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN; REVENUES AND EXPENSES. Motion authorizing the opening of checking account was made by Raymond Williams, second by Denise Alexander; all approved. 12. REVIEW OF POLICE DEPARTMENT HIRES’ PROBATIONARY STATUSES - 1) Warren Williams, Part-time Officer, hire date 12/14/2020 and 2) Dawyne Jones, Part-time Dispatcher, hire date 3/8/2021. Motion was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin. Following discussion, Police Chief Ryan Nelson made the recommendation to continue the employment of both employees. The vote to continue the employment of both employees was then taken in globo, as a unit, with all approving. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - No report given. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer Melysa Crowson gave a report on the following: 1) tall grass, 2) twenty 10-day notices have been written/given, 3) and the first Environmental Court will be on Wednesday, May 12. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) Special Called Meeting to discuss Police Budget will be on Monday, May 17, 2) the LMA District Meeting will be held in Springhill on Monday, June 21, 3) the Town has been nominated for an LRWA Award that will be presented at an awards luncheon in Lafayette on Wednesday, July 19, 4) the LMA Convention will be held July 29-31 in Baton Rouge, 5) moving forward with the purchase of the electronic, digital, bulletin board sign, 6) the matching funds recreation pool grant has been awarded, 7) the Legion Hills baseball field and basketball goals, 8) the work at the Park by the Community Center is 90% completed, 9) re-opening of the rental centers, 10) an up-date on the new Police Station, 11) the up-coming budget process, and 12) the American Rescue Plan monies and planned distribution of same monies. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - 1) Alderman Channell announced that NCMHS Graduation would be held at the high school on Page 3 of 4 Monday, May 24 at 7:30, and 2) Alderman Guthrie asked about the purchase of the grocery store that had been discussed at a previous Council Meeting. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, second by James Martin; all approved. Meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m. _____________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor ______________________________________ May 24, 2021 Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Page 4 of 4