BOGALUSA CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015 5:30 P.M.
PRESIDING: WENDY O’QUIN PERRETTE, MAYOR
STACEY SMITH, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION
DALE BRANCH, CITY ATTORNEY
PRESEN T: COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH
COUNCILMAN McCREE
COUNCILWOMAN WHITE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY
ABSENT: NONE
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Bogalusa City Council meeting will come to order. Invocation by Councilwoman Kates, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Led the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………..HERE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………HERE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………..HERE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH…………………….HERE
COUNCILMAN McCREE………………………..HERE
COUNCILWOMAN WHITE…………………….HERE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY………..HERE
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next we have the approval of the minutes on the meeting held on December 16, 2014. Is there a motion?
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: I make a motion they be accepted.
BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: Seconded.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH………………………AYE
COUNCILMAN McCREE………………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WHITE………………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY………….AYE
(MOTION CARRIED 7-0 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES HELD ON DECEMBER 16, 2014).
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next at this time it is time for the election of the new President and Vice-President of the City Council. I call on the City Attorney, Dale Branch.
BY DALE BRANCH: The Charter requires that you elect officers every year and that officers be President and Vice-President. It doesn’t provide any particular way by doing the election. Doug ask me to do the election and I have no authority to do that but the way to do it is I will call for nominations for the president and if there is more than one nomination we vote in the order that they were nominated. The Charter also requires that any action that you take on anything including this has to have four votes so we will vote in the order that they were nominated. The first person that gets four votes will be the person elected. We will do that for vice-president too. If anyone has any objections to that let him speak now. By not hearing any I assume there isn’t any so we will proceed if that is okay Mr. President. I call for nominations for president.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: I would like to nominate Councilman Drummond.
BY DALE BRANCH: Any other nominations? No other nominations then we will vote on Councilman Drummond as president. Like I said you have to have four votes.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH……………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN McCREE…………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WHITE……………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……………AYE
BY DALE BRANCH: We now call for nominations for vice-president.
BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: I would like to nominate Malinda White for vice-president.
BY DALE BRANCH: Any more nominations? I take it there is none.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN SMITH……………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN McCREE…………………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WHITE……………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY………….AYE
BY DALE BRANCH: Congratulations to the new officers and all the new faces that sit here today. You are taking on another four years of running the City.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Thank you Dale. (Applause).
PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT EXCHANGE PLACES.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Okay we will move into Introduction of Resolutions but we have no resolutions. Introduction of Ordinances we have no ordinances at this time. No Public Hearings also. Public Participation, Mr. Joel Miller.
BY JOEL MILLER: Good evening. 1121 Poplas Street. Happy New Year to all of you. Good to see some new faces here. I would like to bring to your attention about portions of District A and I don’t want you to forget about Poplas Street Bridge, not the bridge itself but entrance and exits on both sides of the bridge as well as the policing on Austin Street and as well as the tree that I have been trying to get cut now for ten years or more. City Code Enforcement Officer has been by my house several times to make me remove a car that was running. Went to court for that twice and cleared me of that but still he didn’t go next door to see all the debris of overgrown trees and all the stuff between Martha’s Flower Shop and the Austin Street house refusing to do anything to the other place the record place about that and I would still like to see that carried out. He is doing some of his job but not all of his job. I would like to see the council work together this time and one accord and let’s get some things done and change in the city which is very much needed. Also I would like to say on that Poplas Street Bridge entrance and exits I’ve noticed two cars having to meet on that street/bridge and they side swiping each other, you can see the tire marks on the side of the concrete on the shoulder and still a dangerous situation. I would like to see the council get together and get that corrected. Thank you.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: May I speak, I would like to address some of Mr. Joel’s concerns especially reference to the Austin Street Project. There was an ordinance that was tabled in the December 16th meeting and I believe the statues is at this point there will be an engineer assessment that will be considered in order to determine what will be the best options for Austin Street. Hopefully we will have more than a portion of Austin Street addressed with that particular project for those particular funds.
BY JOEL MILLER: Okay will you say anything about Poplas Street Bridge?
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Okay as for as the Poplas Street Bridge is concerned early on a couple of months ago I had submitted to the Administration concerns about Poplas Street Bridge and I will follow up as far as an assessment done on it and I will get back with you.
BY JOEL MILLER: Thank you.
BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: You are welcome.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next Ms. Marcelle Hanemann.
BY MARCELLE HANEMANN: 621 Richmond Street. I wanted to invite everybody to what I think is going to be an extraordinary event in the Cassidy Park Museum this weekend. We have a speaker Francis Broussard who I’ve known since the seventies and a really cool guy. He has for decades collected integrity of Native American Agent and all different kinds of stuff. He has had an exhibit in the Native American Museum but we change it out and moved it out of the way but he is going to describe some of the things that he has given us at our new museum. That includes pouches and weight for atlatl and other stuff and some pieces that might have been used for jewelry. But the truly extraordinary experience I think is going to be he is going to bring and demonstrate his Tibetan and singing bowls. If anybody has not ever heard a singing bowl they need to come and if you have heard one I’m sure you will want to come because it is very, very cool. The sound that is made has been used to support meditation for healing through sound for thousands of years. Two o’clock Sunday the Native American Museum in Cassidy Park. Ya’ll please come.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next Fate Ferrell.
BY FATE FERRELL: 1931 Dewitt. I would like to say congratulations to each one of you all for your new positions. I also like to say that I hope 2015 will be a better year than I have seen here in Bogalusa since I have been here. Those are powerful works coming from me. In other words we have a new group, I like to see new things happen here in Bogalusa. I suggest that the new Mayor and the new Council get together with some of the citizens and let some of the citizen’s work with you all to try and bring Bogalusa forward. Some of the citizens in Bogalusa has some great ideas. They might have some better ideas than some of you all sitting up here but in order for it to move forward we need everybody to work together and the way Bogalusa is looking now I think we ought to welcome anybody that has ideas to come aboard. Also I would like to say that we don’t need to do the same thing that I’ve seen over the years when I was filming all these meetings, people supposing working for the betterment of the City and for the people but I saw people here working for the circle. I’m sure everybody here in Bogalusa knows what the circle is. I don’t like the circle and I done told the circle I don’t like them and everybody here should tell the circle they don’t like them. It is no good for the city to have certain group of people controlling everything. That is why Bogalusa is in the fix it is now. Believe that. So I ask you all to stay away from the circle and do the right thing and let’s bring Bogalusa forward. I also would to say we have a music event Saturday night at 7:00 P.M. at the Grill on Plum Street. We are asking each and every one of you all to come out and enjoy some good music from people from Bogalusa and around you know. Let’s come up with some ideas please to help clean this city up because that is one of my favorite things to talk about in Bogalusa. Cleanup, I don’t like the filth that I see I really don’t. I will be the first person to join in to help bring some ideas to make this city better. I will not come to fight just come to work and I hope you all will let me help you. Thank you.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Mr. Ferrell, you said a singing Saturday night?
BY FATE FERRELL: At the Grill.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: The Bogalusa Grill?
BY FATE FERRELL: Right.
BY TAMIRA SMITH: What time?
BY FATE FERRELL: 7:00 o’clock.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Anyone else wish to speak?
BY ANGELO PEPE: I didn’t sign up to speak but I would like to make a comment. I have lived in Bogalusa all my life and have attended Council meetings for twenty years.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: What is your address Mr. Pepe? Your current address?
BY ANGELO PEPE: My current address I live outside the city limits but I am a citizen of Bogalusa.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: For our record what is your current address Mr. Pepe that is all I am asking.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Mailing address.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Mailing address we just need it for the record.
BY ANGELO PEPE: Okay I live on Dynamite Road off of 1074.
BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Do you have an address?
BY ANGELO PEPE: P.O. Box 203, phone number 735-8655. The last four years I’ve come before this council the old council to discuss the city charter that we voted on in 1977. In the last four years I have picked out and have listed eleven violations of this city charter. I had tried to find out what department is supposed to enforce this charter? Is it Mr. Branch the City Attorney, is it David Duke the City Prosecutor or who? Who can I go to, to bring these claims to the violations of this city charter? Mr. Branch are you the one I’m supposed to bring it to?
BY DALE BRANCH: You and I have had this discussion before and you won’t tell me what those violations are.
BY ANGELO PEPE: I will tell you. If you are willing to listen I will tell you. I have them all listed the eleven violations of this city charter. I will be glad to meet with you at your convenience and give you a list of all of them that I feel are violations to see whether or not you see if they are violations and see whether or not they are violations and whether you can enforce them.
BY DALE BRANCH: Well I’m not an enforcement officer but I can point you to the person that is.
BY ANGELO PEPE: Well you name the time and place and I will be there.
BY DALE BRANCH: I’m booked this week but give me a call, I don’t know if I have your phone number but I will get it from you after the meeting.
BY ANGELO PEPE: Okay I will do that then.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Anyone else?
BY JOEL MILLER: I just wanted to say I was talking about the code enforcement officer I wasn’t speaking in reference to Mr. Melvin Keith he does a fine job. I am speaking of Rodney McGehee harassing people.
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Let’s not call names it is just your opinion that he was harassing people.
BY JOEL MILLER: Well let me just say Mr. Rodney was the one that confirmed (inaudible speaking without microphone).
BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Well thanks for clarifying that. Anyone else? There being none we will move on to Administrative remarks.
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Mayor Mizell implemented something with the Department Heads a report from each department and it was a good thing because it let the public know what was going on. That is something I would like to continue. At this time I would like to ask the Director of Personnel, Sandy Bloom.
BY SANDY BLOOM: So does that mean you are not saving the best for last?
BY MAYOR PERRETTE: I’m sorry, Kay Kay typed up the list.