BOGALUSA CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015, 5:30 P.M.
POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 12:00 NOON
PRESIDING:WENDY O’QUIN PERRETTE, MAYOR
DALE BRANCH, CITY ATTORNEY
PRESENT:VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY
PRESIDENT DRUMMOND
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH
ABSENT:COUNCILMAN McCREE
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Bogalusa City Council Meeting will come to order.Invocation by Councilwoman Smith, followed by the Pledge.
BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: Led the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Alright Ms. Kay KayRoll call.
VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE……………………..HERE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……….HERE
PRESIDENT DRUMMOND……………………HERE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE……………………….HERE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………HERE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH……………………HERE
COUNCILMAN McCREE……………………….ABSENT
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND:Next we have approval of the Minutesfor the last regular scheduled meeting held on October 20, 2015.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I make a motion that we accept.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: Second.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.
VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE……………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY………..AYE
PRESIDENT DRUMMOND…………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH…………………….AYE
COUNCILLMAN McCREE………………………ABSENT
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT TOAPPROVETHE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 20, 2015).
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Our guest speaker is under the weather tonight but he is rescheduling so we will still hear from him just not tonight. Next is Councilwoman Fortenberry with the amendment.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda to place the resolution canvassing the election returns.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: First we have to vote on the amending of the agenda.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Second.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.
VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE…………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……..AYE
PRESIDENT DRUMMOND………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………..I’m not certain what this amendment is about.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: It is a proposal that we voted on October 24th about the taxes that passed and we have to have it approved by the Council for it to go into the minutes and send to David Wolf.
COUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN McCREE……………………..ABSENT
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT TO AMEND THE AGENDA).
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Okay now you can read your resolution.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY:
A RESOLUTION providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the result of the special election held in the City of Bogalusa, State of Louisiana, on Saturday, October 24, 2015, to authorize the renewal of a special tax therein.
That proposal did pass it showed 1,327 votes in favor of the proposal and 1,187 votes against the proposition. It was a difference of 140 votes so it passed.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: If anyone who isn’t familiar it is solely for the retirees.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: It is presented every ten years. It has to be renewed every ten years.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Anyone from the public wish to speak? Council?
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I make a motion it be accepted.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE: I seconded.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.
VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE……………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY…………AYE
PRESIDENT DRUMMOND…………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH……………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN McCREE…………………………ABSENT
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT PROVIDING FOR CANVASSING THE RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULT OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN THE CITY OF BOGALUSA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015, TO AUTHORIZE THE RENEWAL OF A SPECIAL TAX THEREIN).
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next is Introduction of Ordinances, Councilman Ritchie.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE:
AN ORDINANCE with the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Washington Parish Communications District and the City of Bogalusa.
This is going to be held up for public discussion on November 17th but it is dealing with the 9-1-1 call center where we are moving some of our people to the call center to help fill those calls due to the fact they have a lot better equipment than we do. This will be up for discussion at our next meeting on November 17th.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Alrighty. Next Councilwoman Fortenberry.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY:
AN ORDINANCE to rescind Ordinance 2377.
That is the ordinance where back in the previous people before we got elected passed an ordinance to accept Columbia Street from the State from the Parish and take over that road and we are just not financially able to upkeep that road, fill the pot holes and do whatever that needs to be done. So we are not going to accept that from the State.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: That will be up for discussion in two weeks. Next we have no public hearing. Public participation. Ms. Susan Williams.
BY SUSAN WILLIAMS: 510 Virginia Avenue. I would like to talk about the spraying for mosquitoes. We have a bad mosquito problem in that area and also down where Ms. Kates lives. The mosquitoes over this way is terrible if you walk outside you will get bite several times. There is nobody spraying over that way. You need to address that and try to get somebody to spray. Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Alright thank you.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Question Ms. Williams, has anyone sprayed, has anyone come into the community and sprayed, they have not sprayed at all? Well there is a work order submitted.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next, Fate Ferrell.
BY FATE FERRELL:1931 Dewitt Place. It’s coming up on one year since you all been in office. I notice that some of ya’ll have been sitting up here eight years some been here twelve years. I think before ya’ll took office this past January you all should have come in here with a plan to straighten this city out. I haven’t seen a plan. I have called for a town hall meeting haven’t no one agreed to have a town hall meeting. So what that tells me we have the wrong peoples elected.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: You know Fate you come in here every time and you say the----
BY FATE FERRELL: No, no, no.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: It’s the same stuff every two weeks.
BY FATE FERRELL: You not doing nothing.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: You don’t have a plan either.
BY FATE FERRELL: I got a plan.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Well you won’t share it.
BY FATE FERRELL: I got a plan.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: That’s enough.
BY FATE FERRELL: You need to leave me alone while I am talking. I don’t mess with you when you talking.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Well you say the same thing every two weeks.
BY FATE FERRELL: Well do something.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: We do something.
BY FATE FERRELL: And Ms. Mayor you have been here twelve---
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Now that is enough.
BY FATE FERRELL: Oh no, no, no. I have freedom of speech.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Not in here.
BY FATE FERRELL:I have freedom of speech. Everybody have freedom of speech.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: No.
BY LEVON SEAL: It’s time for you to go.
BY FATE FERRELL: Tell them to let me talk. He ain’t right.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Well say something different don’t just keep saying the same thing.
BY FATE FERRELL:You need to do something.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: We all do something.
BY FATE FERRELL: You don’t do nothing.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: You should be preaching to the ones that aren’t doing anything.
BY LEVON SEAL: That’s enough.
BY FATE FERRELL: When are you going to change, to get the code enforcement law to change.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: That’s enough.
BY FATE FERRELL: Huh.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Go sit down. That is enough.
BY LEVON SEAL: Go sit down you are interrupting the meeting.
BY FATE FERRELL: No. We fought to get freedom of speech. We fought to have the right of speech. We can’t speak that is ridiculous.
BY LEVON SEAL: Sit down Fate.
BY FATE FERRELL: It ain’t no right in Bogalusa. Ya’ll get up here and pray and say the pledge and what good does it do. You know you don’t mean what you are doing. You need to cut it out. I’m sick of this mess. Ya’ll just---
BY LEVON SEAL: Sit down.
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Sit down.
BY LEVON SEAL: Sit down.
BY FATE FERRELL: Don’t tell me what to do.
BY LEVON SEAL: Sit down.
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: He is being disrespectful.
BY FATE FERRELL: All night long. You won’t let me talk.
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: It’s disrespectful, have a seat.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next Joel Miller.
BY JOEL MILLER: 532 Austin Street. Good evening. I have two things on my mind tonight. I was thinking of the corner of North Border Drive and Montgomery Street where the traffic coming around that curve from the west headed east. For a long time it use to be a traffic light up there, a caution light but I was wondering would ya’ll consider putting a three way stop sign up there. I know funerals comes out sometimes and I noticed about the last three funerals it has almost been some bad accidents there because cars come around that curve so fast but I see you have some signs up now about a bus stop.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: That is coming up the hill?
BY JOEL MILLER:Coming up around North Border Drive.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Coming up the hill though right?
BY JOEL MILLER: Right.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Yes Mr. Joel during one of our Public Safety Meetings some time back we were submitting the Local Road Home Safety Grant that was one of the areas that was abscessed and in fact it was recommended by the analysis, the person that did the analysis that we would put a ECD light up there similar to a caution light up there but of course we can also speak with Public Safety with our Chief about something more expeditiously with stop lights and see where it goes with that.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: It was also recommended to reduce the speed limit there.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Yes. Exactly reduce the speed limit because that is a bad terrible curve.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Because that curve is flat.
BY JOEL MILLER: The only other question I have the mentioned of something about the Resilience Plan there is a property that has been abandoned and I see signs going up will you explain a little bit more to me how if we were interested in buying some property in the area.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Well a couple of meetings ago I did announce with the adjudicated property to my knowledge the process that the city has in place is Civic Source.com where it list the adjudicated property as well as foreclose property. I announced about the red and black signs gone up but you can contact them they do have a number as well 888-387-8033 for adjudicated and foreclosed property and they can give you the particulars of it. You know the fees or what have you on it. Does anyone know anything additional?
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Everything you said was 100% correct.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: The name of the company is Civic Source.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Civic Source. Because I received a phone call actually from individuals that were out of town they were heirs of property and they needed to know how to you know how to obtain their property of their relatives. That was the advice I was given.
BY JOEL MILLER: I see where ya’ll are doing some work on Martin Luther King Drive getting ready to resurface thank ya’ll for that it has been way overdue. Thank you so much.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I don’t think it is going to be resurfaced don’t get me wrong.
BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: It is going to be smoothed over it is not going to be black topped or anything just going to smooth the surface and redo some potholes just to make the ride a little smoother.
BY JOEL MILLER: It will probably be better than what it’s been a looking I can tell you that.
BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: It will be and I’m glad.
BY JOEL MILLER: And when I was thanking last week Ms. Kates I want to thank the ones that help me not against anybody that didn’t because when I called on you and I called on you and I called on you I got help and I appreciate that. I didn’t want to I know we have a right to our opinions to speak and I would like to thank whoever that was involved in getting it done the driveway. Thank you.
BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you Mr. Miller.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next Ms. Keller.
BY THERESA KELLER: 1620 Jackie Robinson Street. I came tonight to appeal to our Council and Mayor concerning the problem that we are suffering through on the street in front of my church. I’ve been here before. I though and under the impression that after several months from June something would have been done. That was the understanding that I had. But nothing has been done. The reason that I am so concerned more than anybody I would imagine is that my husband was in the war and he was shot in his leg. As time went on he had to retire after forty years because of this injury. Now he is paralyzed and he has a category four wound. He is totally disable but we carry him to church and we go down that road, that road is so bumpy and raggedy it just tears my husbandsore loose. I have received word from the parish that they would do that work for four thousand eight hundred dollars from the City of Bogalusa. Just four thousand eight hundred dollars they would do that road. It was in the paper it was listed but I don’t know where the area it is and they said all they need is an intergovernmental agreement from Bogalusa. They told me that is all they needed that was the only hang up. So what I am here to ask you to please look into that. If it is anyway possible to take care of that. I appreciate it if you would look into it and see if it is anything that you can do. Thank you.
BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you Ms. Keller.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Anyone else from the public? Alright we will move on to Administrative Remarks.
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Speaking of Martin Luther King I would like to let everyone know that it was mill is what it is called because of the street, the asphalt was cracking and it made just seem like potholes, but wasn’t pot holes. The street was so bad and we can’t fix the street right now because it is a three to four million dollar job. We have sand where the sewage system is and we have a quote on that job. It was three and a half million dollars to fix the sewage and do the street overlay. But this would provide a smoother ride and surface for us rather than what we are currently riding on. It was originally twenty two thousand dollars that was left from this job over here on Austin Street and it was actual the cost to the city two thousand. The actual cost was two thousand. So it went from twenty two to two thousand so that is a really good deal. Also I would like to say thank you for the tax retirement system renewal. The importance of that tax if that would not have passed I would have been here Monday if I was a part of that system retiring because it would have been belled up and we all would no longer be meeting at City Hall. We would have had to close our doors that is how important that tax was to the city. It is for our employees it’s not the city it goes straight into their retirement fund. Also I just wanted to say thank you all we had a great event for business on the block there acting as a chamber at even though we don’t have, that group is organized and all these businesses have gotten together and basically going to probably be a new look at our new chamber without it being the Chamber of Bogalusa because it is an inactive source right now. Also I want to mention Civic Source on the adjudicated property all municipality use is encouraged by Louisiana Municipality Association. Also next week it is Veterans Day and it is important for us all to honor our veterans. Also Ms. Keller we are in an intergovernmental agreementalready with them so that is already taken place months ago. So I just wanted to say that. That doesn’t mean your street is fixing to be done but an intergovernmental agreement on my end has been done. That doesn’t mean it is fixing to be done tomorrow. Also Prayer Day is this Saturday at Cassidy Park, it is for all religions, and all races to come together to pray for the betterment of our city as a whole. We all know the power of things work when we do it in volumes and prayer is something that I ask you all to come out and join us that day. It is at ten o’clock in Cassidy Park. Great, great job of gathering all the preachers in our community. All these great men has joined and made friends and haven’t been together in a long time since Katrina actually. They had an association and now we are getting them back together. They are men of God to pray for our city and I ask that the public come out and I encourage you all to come out. If you are unable to come out pray from your home for the betterment of the city for us all. Not for one for all of us. That is all I have at this time. Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Thank you. Next is council discussion, Councilwoman Fortenberry.
BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: I don’t have anything to say except I’m glad ya’ll came out and ya’ll have a good weekend and good week.