City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting or 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, Raymond Williams, and Robert Green; absent was Samuel Hodge. Following Roll Call the Town Clerk verified that a quorum was present. Alderman Samuel Hodge entered the meeting at 6:02, p.m. Also present were other elected officials and/or staff members: Ronnie Festavan - Mayor, 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. 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, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for 1) the May 8, 2023 Regular Council Meeting, and 2) the May 23, 2023 Special Called Meeting together in globo, as a unit, was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all approved. 4. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 785 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2023 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST Ordinance # 785; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 5. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL ADOPT ORDINANCE # 785 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE 2023 TAX YEAR IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 785 of 2023 was made by Robert Green, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 786 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE DECLARING CERTAIN ADJUDICATED PROPERTY TO BE SURPLUS AND TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN TAX COLLECTOR, OR A DESIGNEE, TO SELL THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S TAX INTEREST IN CERTAIN SURPLUS ADJUDICATED PROPERTY, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST Ordinance # 786; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 786 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - See previous Agenda item. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 786 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. Page 1 of 2 8. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE SELECTION AND CONFIRMATION OF THE CADDO CITIZEN AS THE TOWN’S OFFICIAL JOURNAL - For the period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Motion to confirm the Caddo Citizen as the Town’s Official Journal was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all approved. 9. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER - The time of day to hold Special Called Meetings. This item was discussed with no action taken. ZONING, CONDEMNATION & CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. FINAL CONDEMNATION HEARING(s) - - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: E/2 OF LOTS 2, 3 & 4, BLK 7, CHRISTIAN HTS. ADDN., VIVIAN. Caddo Parish, Louisiana geographical number 221626-120-0031-11, with a municipal address of 405 East Bailey St., Vivian, LA 71082. Mr. Christopher Ware of 10821 N. Central Expressway, apt. # 1223 in Dallas, Texas 75231, was present on behalf of this case. Following discussion on this property and report of progress being made motion to review at the July 10 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. B. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - Zoning / Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith was present and provided a written and oral report to the Council and others present, then followed up with discussion on the addresses and violations included in the report: 1) 9384 Hosston Rd., 2) 201 Edward Dr., 3) 121 Milner St., 4) 213 E. Arkansas Ave., 5) 415 W. Kentucky Ave., 6) 308 W. Moore St., 7) 407 W. Nevada Ave., and 8) 405 (E.) Bailey St.. Following discussion on each property the following actions were taken: 5) 415 W. Kentucky Ave. - Motion to place the home on the Condemnation list was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 6) This home is on the Condemnation list (unknown to new owner) and motion to reconsider at the July 10, 2023 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Robert Green; all approved. 7) 407 W. Nevada Ave. - Motion to place the home on the Condemnation list was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. 8) 405 E. Bailey St., above. Also discussed was The Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development property at 800 S. Pardue St. (Hwy 170). C. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - A written report was delivered in Code Enforcement Officer Debra Ramage’s absence which indicated that for the period May 5 to June 5, 2023 she had issued 15 (fifteen) violations for Grass, Weeds & Wild Growth, 5 (five) for Litter & Debris, and 1 (one) for Junk. 710 W. Nevada Ave. was also discussed. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the 2023-24 budget process, 2) the adjourned Legislative Session which included items that pertain to Municipalities (matching funds no longer required for Capital Outlay projects for municipalities under 6,000 residents, an increase in Police supplement pay, and a commission to study small townships that have financial difficulties) all of which are on the Governor’s desk to be signed, and 3) being recreation ready and liability responsible on the Town’s properties. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Robert Green, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m. _______________________________ _______________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Ronnie Festavan, Mayor June 26, 2023 Page 2 of 2