City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022 6:00 P.M. 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, 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 - Police Chief, 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 James Martin; all present approved. 1. SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS – Ms. Stacy Brumley, North Caddo Elementary- Middle School Elementary Coordinator, made the following school announcements: 1) the Thanksgiving lunch and play to be held on November 17th, and 2) a program to be held after school on November 29th. She then announced the following Students-of-the Month: a) November’s Elementary Student-of-the-Month, Jackson Cox, and b) October’s Middle School Student-of-the-Month, Jacey Driskell. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - There were none. 3. 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 James Martin, seconded Denise Alexander; all present approved. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the October 10, 2022 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all present approved. 5. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 779 OF 2022 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT CHAPTER 2 ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE II - MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN, SECTION 2- 28 - COMPENSATION - OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN. Page 1 of 4 Motion to introduce Ordinance # 779 of 2022 was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 779 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12, 2022 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 6. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 780 OF 2022 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT CHAPTER 2 ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE III - OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, DIVISION 2 - CHIEF OF POLICE SECTION 2-66 - COMPENSATION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 780 of 2022 was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 780 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12, 2022 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 18 OF 2022 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FOR FUNDS FROM THE (CWEF) COMMUNITY WATER ENRICHMENT FUND PROGRAM. Motion to adopt Resolution # 18 of 2022 was made by James Martin, seconded by Denise Alexander; all present approved. 8. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 19 OF 2022 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FOR FUNDS FROM (LGAP) THE LOUISIANA GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROGRAM. Motion to adopt Resolution # 19 of 2022 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. 9. REVIEW OF POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBATIONARY STATUS - 1) Ricky Reider - Part-time Officer - Hire date, June 13, 2022 and 2) Jarvis Edwards - Part-time Officer - Hire date, June 29, 2022. Prior to Chief Nelson’s comments motion to approve the Chief’s request that the officers be removed from Probationary Status was made by Raymond Williams and seconded by Denise Alexander. Chief Nelson then made the following comments concerning the officers and their job performance: 1) Officer Reider had done well, and 2) Officer Edwards has done an exceptional job. Following comments on this Agenda item the vote was taken to remove the Officers from probationary status with all present approving. 10. CHANGE IN STATUS FOR POLICE OFFICER - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE STATUS OF THE FOLLOWING POLICE OFFICER EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - Warren Williams - Part-time to Full-time Officer - Hire date, December 14, 2020. Page 2 of 4 Prior to Chief Nelson’s comments, motion to approve the recommendation to change Officer Williams’ status to full-time was made by Denise Alexander and seconded by Raymond Williams. Chief Nelson then made the following comments concerning the officer and his job performance stating that Officer Williams recently graduated from the Police Academy and is now post-certified. Following further discussion on the Agenda item, the vote was taken to approve Chief Nelson’s recommendation to change the Officer’s status to full-time with all present approving. ZONING, CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. CONDEMNATION MATTER(s) - i. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL RECONSIDER 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- 00330 0033-00). This case is continued from the November 8, 2021, and the January 10, April 4, 2022 and August 8, 2022 Regular Council meetings. Councilman Raymond Williams spoke on this Agenda item as the property is in his Ward and noted the progress that had been made on the property. Following discussion which included property taxes he recommended that 1) the structure(s) on the property be removed from the condemnation list and 2) that the Town continue to monitor the property standards of the property, grass/weeds/blight. Michael Guthrie then made the motion to follow through with Councilman Williams’ recommendation(s), which was seconded by James Martin; all present approved. ii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR REVIEW REGARDING PROPERTY STANDARD VIOLATIONS: 917 S. Pine St., Vivian, Louisiana - Geo # 221635-000-0221-00 The Council, Staff and Mr. Courtney were provided with photos taken of said property that morning, Monday, November 14th. Attorney Justin Courtney of 668 Jordan St, in Shreveport, LA was present on behalf of interested party, co-owner, Anita Weston. Mayor Festavan asked Mr. Courtney if he had received correspondence that he had Attorney Dominick send to him regarding the condemnation issue to which he replied that he had. Following discussion Mayor Festavan recommended to the Council that they bifurcate the Agenda item and remove the house from the condemnation list based on the improvements that have been made to date. Motion was then made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin to approve Mayor Festavan’s recommendation to remove the house from the condemnation list with all present approving. The Council then began the discussion concerning the grass/weeds/blight and a damaged metal building that is still present on the front of the property. In conclusion it was the Council’s opinion that the property was not up to the code enforcement regulations set for the Town. Following discussion, a motion to continue to monitor the property standards at the property and to continue the matter at the December 12, 2022 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander with all present voting. Page 3 of 4  B. COMPLETE ZONING/CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - Zoning/Condemnation & Code Enforcement Officer Bobby Smith sent a written report in his absence that was discussed by the Council. Properties discussed were 1) 933 S. Pine St., 2) 308 W. Moore St., 3) 121 Milner St., 4) 310 California St., and 5) 405 Bailey St. The Mayor also informed those present that a new Code Enforcement Officer has been hired and would be starting in the future. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, 2) the Country Christmas Town Lighting on Tuesday, November 29th, and 3) the Chamber’s Santa Sunday & Christmas Parade to be on December 4th. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 6:58 p.m. _______________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk _______________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor November 28, 2022 Page 4 of 4