City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. INVOCATION - Alderman Samuel Hodge 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 Wiliams, 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 - Motion to approve the Agenda as presented was made by Raymond Williams, 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 James Martin, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the for the December 11, 2023 Regular Council Meeting and the December 18, 2023 Special Called Council Meeting in globo, as a unit, was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 4. HIRING OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL(S) FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Kavasette Thomas - Part-time Police Officer - $10.00 per hour. Police Chief Ryan Nelson requested that this Agenda item be tabled until a Special Called Meeting could be called to address this item. Following his request, motion to table the item as requested was made by Robert Green, Jr., 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: North 50 Feet of Lots 4,5,6, & 7 BLK 32 with a municipal address of 113 N. Walnut St. Vivian, LA 71082; GEO# 221626-33-24. No one was present on behalf of this case and Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith noted that no improvements had been made to the property. Attorney Douglas Dominick read aloud the report sent by Curator Sam Goodwin. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to move forward with Final Condemnation process was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. ii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: Lots 19 & 20 BLK 7, Christian Heights Addition with a municipal address of 331 S. Pardue St. Vivian, LA 71082; Geo# 221626-120-35. Page 1 of 2  331 S. Pardue St. cont’d. No one was present on behalf of this case. Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith noted that he had not seen any significant improvements made to the property’s exterior and he had not been able to view the interior. Attorney Douglas Dominick read aloud the report sent by Curator Sam Goodwin. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to move forward with Final Condemnation process was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Densie Alexander; all approved. iii. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES FOR CONDEMANTION: 1) 308 W. Moore St. - No one was present on behalf of this case and Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith noted that he has not heard from, nor spoken to the owner of the property after making attempts to do so. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to move forward with the Condemnation process was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. 2) 1220 N. Carson St. - Officer Smith reported on this property. However, no action was taken. B. ZONING & CONDEMNATION - ZONING VARIANCE HEARING - Case # 618 619 – 14611 Old Atlanta Rd. – Mr. Merle Carter Zoning/Condemnation Officer Bobby Smith informed those present that the correct case number was 619, not the previously submitted number. Following his opening remarks and report on his work done in this matter Mrs. Dolores Byrd of Vivian and Mr. Sam Curry of Vivian, both heirs to the property in question, were present to make their comments known before granting the Variance request. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to Recess was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. Following Recess, motion to return to Regular Session was made Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. Upon return to Session, motion to approve the Variance following proof of executed deed, was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; all approved. ZONING CONDEMNATION REPORT - Zoning Officer Smith and Council Members had discussion which included questions and answers on the following property: 1) 525 W. Tennessee Ave. Following Officer Smith’s report on this property, motion was made to move forward with the condemnation process by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved, and 2) a new mobile home on Upper State Line Rd. was also discussed. CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - A. CODE ENFORCEMENT - REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer, Johnnie Hough, gave a written and oral report on 37 (thirty-seven) properties, noting that 21 (twenty-one) cases had been opened and 8 (eight) closed for the December report period. He also noted that 8 (eight) cases would be heard at Environmental Court on Wednesday, January 17th at Town Hall. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the airport pre-construction meeting that he had attended and the work to begin on a new hangar, 2) the swimming pool project and a February groundbreaking, and 3) the LMA Mid-Winter Conference that would be held in Marksville in February. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Denise Alexander; all approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:17 p.m. __________________________________ _______________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk Ronnie Festavan, Mayor February 22, 2024 Page 2 of 2