City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 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 - Xzayvion Gaye, North Caddo student, 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, Police Chief Ryan Nelson, Town Clerk Kellie Morris, and Town Attorney Douglas Dominick. APPROVE AGENDA - A Resolution to authorize the town to acquire property for a lift station and utility servitude needed to be added to the Agenda as item # 8. Motion to add the item to the Agenda as stated was made by Robert Green, Jr. and seconded by Samuel Hodge. Following the motion and second Mayor Festavan asked for public comments for or against amending the Agenda; none were made. The vote to amend the Agenda was then taken with all approving. Motion to approve the Agenda as amended was then made by James Martin, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; 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 Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the October 9, 2023 Regular Council Meeting was made by James Martin, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 4. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 791 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. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 791 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 11, 2023 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 791 of 2023 was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 5. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 792 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, TOWN OF VIVIAN, to amend Section 18-172 Deposit of DIVISION 2. METERS of ARTICLE III. WATER of CHAPTER 18 - UTILITIES, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 791 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 11, 2023 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 792 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Page 1 of 3  6. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 793 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, TOWN OF VIVIAN, to amend Section 14-2 Collection Rates CHAPTER 14 - SOLID WASTE AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 791 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 11, 2023 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 793 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 7. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 11 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT (LA DOTD) FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE VIVIAN AIRPORT. Motion to adopt Resolution # 11 of 2023 was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. 8. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WILL CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION # 12 OF 2023 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY FOR A LIFT STATION AND UTILITY SERVITUDE FROM SAM DEWITTE CURRY AND GLADYS SARA SHELTON CURRY. Motion to adopt Resolution # 12 of 2023 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. ZONING & CONDEMNATION MATTERS - A. CONDEMNATION HEARING(s) - i. 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. No-one was present on behalf of this case and Town Attorney Dominick read aloud the report from Curator Sam Goodwin. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to continue with FINAL condemnation was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved with the exception of Samuel Hodge who abstained from the vote. ii. 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. No-one was present on behalf of this case and Town Attorney Dominick read aloud the report from Curator Dorothy Jackson. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to continue with FINAL condemnation was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. iii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES FOR CONDEMANTION: 1) 308 W. Moore St. - Town Attorney Dominick presented those present with an email he received from property owner Elijah Johnson stating that funds had been secured via a local loan and requesting additional time to make improvements on the property. Following discussion motion to continue with review on the property was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; all approved. 2) 226 E. California Ave. - Mr. James Stewart of Haughton, Louisiana was present on behalf of this property and photos of major improvements were provided to the Council. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to remove the property from the Condemnation list was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 3) 102 Camp St. - No-one was present on behalf of this case. Following questions, answers and discussion noting improvements made to the property, motion to remove the property from the Condemnation list was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. Additional properties discussed were: 1) 113 N. Walnut St., 2) 331 S. Pardue St., 3) 425 S. Pardue St., 4) 333 W. Kentucky St., and 5) a property on SE Front St. Page 2 of 3 B. ZONING/CONDEMNATION - REPORT Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith was not present but provided a written report on the following properties: 1) 110 Airport Dr., 2) 14587 Old Atlanta Rd., and 3) 1220 N. Carson St. Following questions, answers and discussion motion was made to start the condemnation process on 1220 N. Carson St. by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; all approved. C. DISCUSSION - RULES AND REGULATIONS REGARDING NOTICE REQUIREMENT(s) FOR VARIANCES OF A MOBILE HOME - Attorney Dominick spoke to the Council on the notification requirements, or lack thereof, for mobile home variance cases. He suggested that the Council members give him their thoughts and opinions of the matter for future use. CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. CODE ENFORCEMENT - REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer Johnnie Hough was present to give an oral report on the written report that the Council had received which included the following: 1) the October Court had 7 (seven) cases represented by individuals and 5 (five) had been brought up to standards, 2) a total of 29 (twenty-nine) cases had been opened since October of which 23 (twenty-three) had closed to date, and 3) there would be 7 cases heard at the November 15th court proceedings. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan reported that he had been mentoring North Caddo Senior, Xzayvion Gaye, for several weeks through the ‘Bridge to Success’ program initiated at the high school, and also reported on some of his many accomplishments. Following the report Mayor Festavan presented Xzayvion with a certificate for ‘Outstanding Participation at Vivian Town Hall through the Bridge to Success Program’. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m. __________________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk __________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor November 15, 2023 Page 3 of 3