City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2023 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. INVOCATION - Alderman Robert Green, Jr. 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, Samuel Hodge, Raymond Williams, and Robert Green, Jr.. Following Roll Call the Town Clerk verified that a quorum was present. Also present were other elected officials and/or staff members: Mayor Ronnie Festavan, Town Clerk Kellie Morris, and Town Attorney Douglas Dominick. APPROVE AGENDA - Motion made to approve the Agenda as presented by Raymond Willliams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; 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 Denise Alexander, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the September 11, 2023 Regular Council Meeting was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by James Martin; all approved. 4. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 789 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S BUDGET ORDINANCE # 776 OF 2022 - To reflect the appropriate revenues and expenditures. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST Ordinance # 789; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 5. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 789 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - See previous Agenda item. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 789 of 2023 was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE # 790 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA, TO RE- ZONE PROPERTY AT THE FOLLOWING MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 110 Airport Dr. Vivian, Louisiana. Mayor Festavan opened the public hearing for comments FOR or AGAINST Ordinance # 790; none were made. He then declared the public hearing closed. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE # 790 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - See previous Agenda item. Motion to adopt Ordinance # 790 of 2023 was made by James Martin, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 8. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 7 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE LA DOTD, DIVISION OF AVIATION, PROVIDE FUNDS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS AT THE VIVIAN AIRPORT - as described in the Capital Improvement Program application for state financial assistance dated September 2023. Page 1 of 3 8. Cont’d. Motion to adopt Resolution # 7 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. ZONING & CONDEMNATION MATTERS - A. FINAL CONDEMNATION HEARING(s) - i. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: East 50 ft of lots 98,99 & 100, Galloway, Beazley Annex to Vivian; GEO# 221623-015-014-00 with a municipal address of 308 W. Moore St., Vivian, LA 71082. Mr. Elijah Johnson, of Nacogdoches, Texas was present on behalf of this property that he recently purchased, and spoke of his plans to make improvements and live at this address in the near future. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to continue this case for review at the November 3, 2023 Regular Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. ii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: Lots 72 & 73, Plainview Annex, a subdivision of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, as per plat recorded in Book 650, Page 303, of the Conveyance Records of Caddo Parish, Louisiana together with all improvements located thereon. Property being municipally located at 326 Lowland St., Vivian, Louisiana 71082; GEO# 221635-003-0072-00. Motion to discuss this matter was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; NO vote taken. Town Attorney Dominick shared information on this case that was sent by the appointed Curator. Following the report, questions, answers and discussion, Mr. Dominick suggested that this case be continued. Following his suggestion, motion was made to continue this case at the November 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting by Raymond Williams, seconded by James Martin; all approved. iii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: Lot 1, Blk 7, Christian Hts. Addn., Vivian, Caddo Parish, Louisiana with a municipal address of 301 S. Pardue St., Vivian, Louisiana; GEO# 221626-120-0001-00. Attorney Dominick stated that he had spoken with the appointed Curator who is in the process of locating interested parties and recommended that this case be continued in an effort to contact said parties. Following the recommendation, motion was made to continue this case at the November 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. iv. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES FOR CONDEMANTION: 1) 226 E. California Ave. - No one was present on behalf of this case. Condemnation Officer, Bobby Smith stated that he had not been able to do an inspection on the inside of the property. Motion was made to continue for review at the November 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting by Raymond Williams, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; all approved. 2) 102 Camp St. - No one was present on behalf of this case. Officer Smith stated that he could see that improvements have been made on the property. Motion was made to continue for review at the November 13, 2023 Regular Council Meeting by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. B. ZONING/CONDEMNATION - REPORT i. ZONING VARIANCE HEARING - Case # 612 - 201 Edwards Dr. - Ms. Eular Williams. (Continued from the September 11, 2023 Regular Council Meeting) Ms. Williams, property owner, and Ms. Regina Grundy of Vivian were present on behalf of this case, in favor of granting the request for the variance, and Ms. Susie Pickett of Vivian was present and spoke against granting the variance. Following questions, answers, comments, and much discussion including information and input from Town Attorney Dominick, a motion to deny the variance was made by Raymond Williams and seconded by Denise Alexander. Voice votes then followed: Martin - “to deny”; Alexander - “to deny”; Hodge - “to deny”; Williams - “to deny”; and Green, Jr. - “against the denial”. Motion to deny the variance request passed by a vote of 4 (four) to 1 (one). ii. INFORMATIONAL REPORT - Mobile Home Park - 14591 Old Atlanta Rd. - Alderwoman Denise Alexander read aloud a statement from the property owner, Mr. Dane Searle, which was also made available to those in attendance. Those in attendance, most of which were Old Atlanta Rd. residents, that spoke on this Agenda item were as follows: 1) Suzie Richie, 2) Mary Hunt, 3) James LaCaze, 4) Susan Cross, 5) Pam Walker, 6) Amy Schichner, 7) Peter Coppen, 8) Todd Inman, and 9) Deborah Coppen. Page 2 of 3 B. ZONING/CONDEMNATION - REPORT - Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith gave a written and oral report on the following properties: 1) 410 Memory Ln., 2) 333 W. Kentucky Ave., 3) 625 SE Front St., and 4) 331 S. Pardue St. CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. CODE ENFORCEMENT - REPORT - New Code Enforcement Officer, Johnnie Hough, introduced himself and spoke about his work to those present, then gave a written and oral report on 43 (forty-three) properties. He also noted that Environmental Court would be held at 3:00, p.m. on Wednesday, October 18 at Town Hall. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE MAYOR’S RECOMMENDATION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION - Concerning the following litigation: Town of Vivian vs Alcara Technologies, LLC, (United States District Court, Western District, Case NO. 5:22-CV-05207) Mayor Festavan stated that there was nothing to report, therefore no need to go into Executive Session. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan made a comment on the fall activities coming up; Scare-on-the- Square. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:54 p.m. __________________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk __________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor October 19, 2023 Page 3 of 3