City Council

MINUTES REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM 112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 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 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 Samuel Hodge; all approved. 1. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Mayor Festavan used this time to present a Proclamation to the family of Ms. Willie Mae Reddix, a former resident of Vivian, in her memory following her passing on January 5, 2024. 2. 2022-2023 AUDIT REPORT - VICKIE CASE; Cook & Morehart, Certified Public Accountants, Shreveport, Louisiana. - Ms. Case presented the Council Members, Officials and Staff with printed audit report and letters to the Legislative Auditor concerning the Yearly Financial, the American Rescue Plan and the Standard Agreed Upon Procedures audits. 3. SOLID WASTE REPORT - DAVID GREEN; Republic Services. - Mr. Green spoke to the Council about upcoming contract renegotiations with Mayor Festavan for trash services, and the impending rate increase(s). He also introduced employees Jamie Hendrix and Lacey Weathers. 4. 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 James Martin; all approved. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the January 8, 2024 Regular Council Meeting and the January 17, 2024 Special Called Council Meeting in globo, as a unit, was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 6. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 794 OF 2024 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE RELATIVE TO THE SALE OF ADJUDICATED PROPERTY TO ENACT SECTION 21-1 SALE OR DONATION OF INTEREST IN ADJUDICATED PROPERTY OF ARTICLE I - IN GENERAL OF CHAPTER 21 DISPOSAL OF ADJUDICATED PROPERTY OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES ESTABLISHING A PROCEDURE FOR THE SALE OF SUCH PROPERTY PURSUANT TO LA.R.S. 47:2201, ET SEQ., AND OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO. There will be a public hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 794 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Motion to introduce Ordinance # 794 of 2024 was made by Raymond Williams and seconded by James Martin. The following vote was then taken: AYES – 4 (Martin, Hodge, Williams & Green, Jr.); NAYS – 1 (Alexander); ABSENT – 0 (zero). *Following the meeting and conversation with Mayor Festavan and Town Attorney Dominick, the decision was made that the Public Hearing to be held prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 794 would take place at a Special Called Town Council Meeting to be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2024 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana. Page 1 of 3 7. TERMINATION OF POLICE OFFICER - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO TERMINATE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Kavasette Thomas - Part-time Police Officer - Hire date, January 17, 2024. Police Chief Ryan Nelson spoke to the Council and recommended that Ms. Thomas be terminated as a part-time Officer for failure to fulfill the requirements of her hiring, i.e., failure to complete training academy. Following his recommendation, motion to approve his recommendation was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved.  ZONING & CONDEMNATION MATTERS - Officer Bobby Smith A. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION: LOTS 1 through 5 and all of Abandoned Alley adjacent thereto Block 54, together with all buildings and improvements thereon. Geo 221626-55-22 with a municipal address of 213 E. Arkansas, Vivian, LA 71082. No one was present on behalf of this case. Mayor Festavan informed those present that this property had recently been sold to a business owner in town. He went on to say that he had met with the new owner who was going to demolish and clean up the property in an effort to enlarge his present business. Motion was made by Denise Alexander to continue this matter until the May 13, 2024 Regular Council Meeting for review, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved. B. 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 had not seen any improvements made to the property. Motion was made to hold a hearing for condemnation at the March 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting by Denise Alexander, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved. 2) 1220 N. Carson St. – New property owner, Jacob Havard of Grand Cane, Louisiana, was present on behalf of this property. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion to continue this matter to the March 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Sanuel Hodge; all approved. 3) 525 W. Tennessee Ave. – James Singley, of Vivian was present to speak on behalf of this matter. Following questions, answers and discussion, motion was made to 1) authorize Mayor Festavan to provide Mr. Singley with the names of demolition contractors, and 2) to continue this matter to the March 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting by Denise Alexander, seconded by James Martin; all approved. C. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER A REQUEST TO AMEND THE PRIOR ORDER OF CONDEMNATION ON JANUARY 8, 2024 CONDEMNING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: 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. The attorney for the property owner filed suit asking for an amendment to the prior Order for Condemnation and a written list of requests included in the suit was provided to the Council. Following questions, answers and much discussion, motion was made by Samuel Hodge to 1) have her, or an interested party on her behalf, attend the March 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting to show repairs and improvements made to the property, and 2) to present the Council with a contract from a licensed contractor to make necessary repairs and improvements on the property. The motion was then seconded by Raymond Williams and the following vote was taken: AYES - 4 (Martin, Hodge, Williams & Green, Jr.); NAYS - 1 (Alexander); ABSENT - 0 (zero). D. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT -  CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - Officer Johnnie Hough E. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT - Code Enforcement Officer, Johnnie Hough, gave a written and oral report on 35 (thirty-five) properties, noting that 14 (fourteen) cases had been opened and 11 (eleven) closed for the January report period. He also noted that 7 (new) cases and 10 (ten) review cases would be heard at Environmental Court on Wednesday, February 14th at Town Hall. MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) the Republic Services contract renewal and an increase in services, 2) the Aclara lawsuit settlement, 3) the Black History Parade & Festival that would be held on Saturday, February 17th, 4) the Redbud Festival that would be held in March, and 5) the LMA Mid-Winter Conference that would be attended in Marksville on February 27th & 28th. Page 2 of 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none. ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved. Meeting was adjourned at 8:11, p.m. ____________________________ Kellie Morris, Town Clerk _________________________________ Ronnie Festavan, Mayor February 16, 2024 Page 3 of 3