City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2023 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, Samuel Hodge, Raymond Williams, and Robert Green; absent was Denise Alexander. 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 Samuel Hodge; all present approved. 1. SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - There were none. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - The following individuals were present and made comments as indicated: 1) Ms. Gail McKenzie of 220 E. Oklahoma Ave. in Vivian asked the Council if there was going to be an Ordinance to cap AirBnB’s and/or Short-term Rentals in the Town, and 2) Mr. Justin Courtney, P.O. Box 250, Ida, Louisiana made comments concerning the elections in the fall and announced his candidacy for Juvenile Court Judge. 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 by Robert Green; all present approved. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - for the February 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting. Motion to approve the Minutes of the February 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved. 5. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 783 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, TOWN OF VIVIAN, TO AMEND SECTION 18-191 ESTABLISHED OF DIVISION 3. RATES OF ARTICLE III. WATER OF CHAPTER 18 – UTILITIES. (This will be an Ordinance to increase the water rates.) There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 783 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2023 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 783 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. 6. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 784 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO LEASE IMMOVABLE PROPERTY THE REASONS FOR SAID LEASE, TO FIX THE MINIMUM PRICE OF SAID LEASE AND THE TERMS OF THE LEASE. FURTHER TO DECLARE SAID PROPERTY SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NO LONGER NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE, SAID PROPERTY BEING A 30 BY 30 FOOT LOT OUT OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF THE NORTHEAST (NE 1/4 OF NE 1/4) OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 22 NORTH, RANGE 16 WEST, CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 784 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2023 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Page 1 of 3  6. cont’d from page 1 - Motion to introduce Ordinance # 784 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. 7. REVIEW OF POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBATIONARY STATUS - 1) Shadaviyuna Brooks - Part- time Dispatcher - Hire date, January 9, 2023 and 2) Vanessa Hughes - Part-time Dispatcher - Hire date, January 9, 2023. Motion to approve Chief Nelson’ recommendation to remove the two Police Department Employees from probationary status was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. 8. PROMOTION OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO PROMOTE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL TO CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - Nichols Ellis - Full-time Officer - Hire date, July 11, 2007. Prior to Chief Nelson’s comments motion to approve the Chief’s request that the officer be promoted as indicated was made by Robert Green and seconded by Samuel Hodge. Chief Nelson then recognized the visitors and Police Department employees that were present in a show of support of Officer Ellis and then went on to express her many qualities and attributes to him and the department. Following all comments made the vote was taken with all present approving. Chief Nelson then ‘pinned’ Officer Ellis. ZONING, CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. FINAL CONDEMNATION HEARING(s) - i. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL REVIEW THE STATUS OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: E/2 OF LOTS 2, 3 & 4, BLK 7, CHRISTIAN HTS. ADON., VIVIAN, CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA: Geographical number 221626-120-0031-11, with a municipal address of 405 East Bailey St., Vivian, LA 71082. This case was continued from the January 9 and February 13, 2023 Regular Council Meetings. Mr. Leroy Scott (1445 Lakeside Estates Dr. - Apt. # 2315, Houston, TX 77042) was present on behalf of this property. After much discussion, questions and answers, on the property Raymond Williams made a motion to continue review of this matter until the April 10, 2023 Regular Council Meeting, which was seconded by Robert Green; all present approved. In addition to this property the Council also spoke with Mr. Scott about an additional property located at 224 W. Virginia. ii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMNATION: LOT FOUR (4), and THE EAST TWENTY-THREE (23) FEET OF LOT FIVE (5), BLOCK EIGHTEEN (18), TOWN OF VIVIAN, CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA AS PER PLAT RECORDED IN BOOK 17, PAGE 273 OF THE CONVEYANCE RECORDS OF CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA, Geographical number 221626-019-0020-00; the “property” having a municipal address of 314 West Tennessee Ave., Vivian, Louisiana. Town Attorney Doug Dominick stated that the Curator had been in the hospital and had not provided his report. Therefore, Mr. Dominick recommended that this matter be continued until the April 10, 2023 Regular Council Meeting. Motion to approve Mr. Dominick’s recommendation was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved. iii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMNATION: A TRACT OF LAND IN SW/4 OF NW/4 OF SEC 36-22-16 PER ASSRS. COUNTRY PLAT 221636-0-61 with a municipal address of 1501 S. Pardue St., Vivian, LA 71082. Town Attorney Doug Dominick stated again that the Curator had been in the hospital and had not provided his report and recommended that this matter be continued until the April 10, 2023 Regular Council Meeting as well. Motion to approve Mr. Dominick’s recommendation was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all present approved. B. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - In Officer Bobby Smith’s absence a written report was provided to the Council and others present. The addresses included in the report were 1) 323 E. Arkansas Ave., and 2) 319 Christian Ave. C. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer, Debra Ramage, was present to give her report on 48 (forty-eight) properties; some open, some closed. She also stated that she had served 2 (two) Summonses and 1 (one) certified mail Summons for Administrative Court will be held on April 5th. Page 2 of 3 MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) a reminder about Redbud Week, 2) the ribbon cutting of the Little Cottage Academy will be at 12:00 noon on Friday, March 17th and an invitation was extended, 3) the sewer study that is being prepared by Louisiana Rural Water Association, 4) the lien for condemnation expenses for the property at 1504 S. Pardue St. has been paid, and 5) new state-of-the-art security systems have been installed at Legion Hills, the Community Center, the Armory, & the Ball Park, and other locations will be added in an effort to alleviate crime in those locations and/or areas. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m. _______________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk _______________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor March 21, 2023 Page 3 of 3