City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2022 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. INVOCATION - Rev. Ricky Jeane, Vivian United Pentecostal Church Pastor, 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, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. 1. SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - School Announcements and introductions were made by Mayor Pro-Tem, Angela Channell, due to the absence of school representatives. North Caddo ELEMENTARY-MIDDLE School - 1) Elementary Student-of-the-Month AND Student-of-the-Year is Keven Curtis, and 2) Middle School Student-of-the-Month AND Student-of-the-Year is Anniyah Range. North Caddo Magnet HIGH School - 1) 9th grade Student-of-the-Month is Kevin Peace, 2) 10th grade Student-of-the-Month is Analyce Jeane, 3) 11th grade Student-of-the-Month is Ashley Hume, and 4) 12th grade Student-of-the-Month is Daley Deschler. Ms. Channell also announced that Friday, January 14 is a non-teaching day, and Monday, January 17 is a holiday for all students. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - There were none. 3. 2020-21 AUDIT REPORT - TRAVIS MOREHART OF COOK & MOREHART, CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA. Complete written report with letter to the Legislative Auditor was distributed to the Council Members, elected Officials/Staff, and oral report was given by Mr. Morehart on the Audit that was conducted in November. 4. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT - Financial report including budget-to-actual comparisons was presented by Mayor Festavan. Following the report and discussion, Page 1 of 3 motion to accept as presented was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all approved. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the December 13, 2021 regular council meeting was made by James Martin, seconded by Angela Channell; all approved. 6. HIRING OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE / RE-HIRE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Vernon Davis - Part-time Police Officer - $14.00 per hour. Motion to approve the Chief of Police’s recommendation to re-hire Mr. Davis as Part-time Officer at $14.00 per hour was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. 7. REVIEW OF POLICE DEPARTMENT HIRES PROBATIONARY STATUS - 1) Aaron Swangsri - Part-time Police Officer - Hire date October 21, 2021, and 2) Mark Brock - Part- time Police Officer - Hire date October 21, 2021. Motion to open discussion on the Agenda item and review the status of each Officer was made by James Martin, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved and discussion followed. 1) Following discussion on Officer Aaron Swangsri a substitute motion to discontinue his employment for failure to complete his probation period was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 2) Following discussion on Officer Marc Brock a motion was made to continue his employment as a Part-time Officer by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; the vote was: AYES - James Martin, Denise Alexander, Michael Guthrie and Raymond Williams; NAYS - none; ABSTAINED - Angela Channell. 17. 8. ZONING, CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. CONDEMNATION HEARING(s) - i.) THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL CONDEMNATION OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY, TO WIT: Lots 19, 20, 21 & 22, blk. 14, Christian Heights addn., and having a municipal address of 509 South Pardue St., Vivian, Caddo Parish, LA together with all buildings and improvements located thereon (Geographical Number 221626-127-0032-00) and, Lots 23 & 24, blk. 14, Christian Hts. addn., and having a municipal address of 509 South Pardue St., Vivian, Caddo Parish, LA together with all buildings and improvements located thereon (Geographical Number 221626-127-0033-00). This case was originally heard and continued from the November 8, 2021, Regular Council meeting. Daughters and family members of Dorothy Davis were present in regard to the Agenda item. Shondra Miller of 111 Lovett Dr. in Vivian asked for an extension to continue to make improvements on the property, and Chaka Thomas of 933 Deer Park Rd. in Shreveport asked questions concerning property taxes. Following a question-and-answer period, which included comments from Alderman Raymond Williams, motion to table this Agenda item and grant the family an extension to continue to make improvements to the property until the April 11, 2022 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Page 2 of 3  B. COMPLETE ZONING/CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - No report was given due to the absence of Officer Bobby Smith. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the Monterey Hills construction project should be getting started in the next 30 days, 2) a request from Police Chief Ryan Nelson for the Town to purchase body cams and supplement equipment, 3) the LMA Mid-Winter Conference will be held in Baton Rouge in February, 4) the new digital sign that has been installed, 5) the Town’s website has been updated with a tab for Adjudicated Property and FOR SALE signs will be ordered and placed on Adjudicated Property locations in town when the website update is complete. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - Denise Alexander made an announcement that there would be a Redbud Festival this year! ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:06 p.m. _______________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk _______________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor January 12, 2022 Page 3 of 3