BOGALUSA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015, 5:30 P.M.

POSTED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015, 12:00 NOON

PRESIDING: WENDY O’QUIN PERRETTE, MAYORSTACY SMITH, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIONDALE BRANCH, CITY ATTORNEY

PRESENT: PRESIDENT DRUMMONDCOUNCILMAN RITCHIECOUNCILWOMAN KATESCOUNCILWOMAN SMITHCOUNCILMAN McCREEVICE-PRESIDENT WHITECOUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY

ABSENT: NONE

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Bogalusa City Council Meeting will come to order. Invocation by Councilwoman Fortenberry, followed by the Pledge.

BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: Led the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.

PRESIDENT DRUMMOND……………………HERECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE……………………….HERECOUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………HERECOUNCILWOMAN SMITH……………………HERECOUNCILMAN McCREE……………………….HEREVICE-PRESIDENT WHITE………………………HERECOUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……….HERE

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Next we have approval of the Minutes held on November 17, 2015.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE: I make a motion that we approve the minutes.

BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: Second.

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.

PRESIDENT DRUMMOND…………………….AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………..AYECOUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………….AYECOUNCILWOMAN SMITH…………………….AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE………………………AYEVICE-PRESIDENT WHITE………………………AYECOUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……….AYE

(MOTION CARRIED 7-0 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 17, 2015).

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: At this time we would like to ask the City Attorney Dale Branch to come forward and conduct the annual election of President and Vice-President.

BY DALE BRANCH: Time goes by rather quickly these days it just seems like yesterday we did this. If there is no objection we will do it the same way we have always done it. I’ll ask for nominations for the president. I will receive those nominations and first nominee is voted on first and then we will go on to vice-president. Any objections to that? Of course it take four positive votes to elect anyone or anything. So I will entertain nominations for president.

BY BRIAN McCREE : I would like to nominate Ms. Sherry Fortenberry.

BY DALE BRANCH: Ms. Fortenberry is nominated. Any other nominations?

BY VICE-PRESIDENT WHITE: I nominate Doug Ritchie.

BY DALE BRANCH: Mr. Ritchie is nominated. Any other nominations? There being none we will proceed to the vote. Councilwoman Fortenberry is first. Council Secretary will call the roll.

PRESIDENT DRUMMOND…………………………………..NAYCOUNCILMAN RITCHIE……………………………………….NAYCOUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………………………AYECOUNCILWOMAN SMITH…………………………………..AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE………………………………………AYEVICE-PRESIDENT WHITE……………………………………..NAYCOUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY……………………….AYE

BY DALE BRANCH: Councilwoman Fortenberry is elected according to my count. Congratulations. We now call on the Council for nominations for Vice-President.

BY COUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY: I nominate Tamira Smith.

BY DALE BRANCH: Councilwoman Smith has been nominated.

BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: I nominate Gloria Kates.

BY DALE BRANCH: Councilwoman Kates is nominated. Any other nominations? There being none the nominations are closed. We will vote on Councilwoman Smith first for vice-president.

BY PRESIDENT DRUMMOND: Roll call.

PRESIDENT DRUMMOND…………………………………AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………………….AYECOUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………………………NAYCOUNCILWOMAN SMITH…………………………………AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE…………………………………….AYEVICE-PRESIDENT WHITE…………………………………..AYECOUNCILWOMAN FORTENBERRY…………………….AYE

BY DALE BRANCH: Councilwoman Smith is elected according to my math. Congratulations to you. I think it is customary to pass the torch right now.

BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH: Thank you.

PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT EXCHANGE PLACES.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Now the meeting will come to order. We are going to do the Adoption of Resolution, Vice-President Smith.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH:

A RESOLUTION authorizing the retaining of Robert A. Neilson CPA, to provide Professional Accounting Services for the City of Bogalusa as per engagement letter dated November 16, 2015.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Okay is there anybody out in the audience that wants to speak on this resolution? Okay Fate.

BY FATE FERRELL: 1931 Dewitt Place. I like to know how many CPA’s we are going to have.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: He actually does the audit for the City Council is his capacity and that is the only other CPA that the City Council hires.

BY FATE FERRELL: Okay.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Ms. Smith works for the Mayor’s office and we are required by law to have our own audit and help with the city finances.

BY FATE FERRELL: Okay thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Anybody else? Does any of the Council Members?

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Yes I have a discussion. On page one he indicated, is he here tonight?

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Mr. Neilson, I don’t see him.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: These questions are really toward him. On page one he provided that we would require supplementary information according to the auditory standards and I was going to ask when the audit will be available for this 2015 amended budget that Ms. Smith just handed it to us last week if he was going to do.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: It will be June of 2016 yearly, every year. Your audit will be completed by June 30th each year.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: And that includes the amendments?

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Correct.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Okay, well I was going to ask him what his respective was on how we overcame the deficit the 1.3 million bill within the three year timeline and we are going to be finished with this by the end of this month. Correct Mayor.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: We hope to note the changes if a tornado don’t hit tomorrow. We continue to collect taxes and no major catastrophe happens then we should be able to end the year in a positive and we will be very close if not.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I don’t think he would make the determination on that any way.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: No. But if we finish out the year as planned we come positive $4,063.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I was just saying he was going to make a determination I was going to ask him what his respect was on that.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: he has been working with us on it and all of his recommendations.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Yes okay. Thank you.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I make a motion that we accept this resolution.

BY COUNCILMAN McCREE: Seconded.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Roll call.

COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………………..AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………………AYECOUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………………..AYEVICE-PRESIDENT SMITH…………………………… .AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE………………………………..AYECOUNCILWOMAN WHITE…………………………….AYEPRESIDENT FORTENBERRY…………………………..AYE

(MOTION CARRIED 7-0 AUTHORIZING THE RETAINING OF ROBERT A. NEILSON CPA, TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF BOGALUSA AS PER ENGAGEMENT LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 16, 2015).

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Next is Introduction Ordinances, the first one Ms. Smith is going to read that one.

BY COUNCILWOMAN SMITH:

AN ORDINANCE with respect to the budget of revenue and expenditures of the City of Bogalusa, Louisiana for the year 2016 and levying the necessary taxes to meet the budget and provide for a five year Capital Improvement Program for the City of Bogalusa, Louisiana beginning January 1, 2015 and ending December 31, 2020.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: This ordinance will be up for public hearing at our next regular meeting December 15th. Next Ms. Smith I am going to ask you to read it

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Before we go on Ms. Smith will we have this to review prior to.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: Yes, yes Friday it will be prepared on Friday it will be in your box.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Okay thank you.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: You are welcome.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH:

AN ORDINANCE for the “Sign Regulation Guidelines for the City of Bogalusa, Louisiana”.

It will be up for public hearing at our next meeting.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Now we are going to do the Public Hearings & Adoption of Ordinances. The first on will be by Councilwoman White.

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE:

AN ORDINANCE to amend the 2015 Budget.We were asked if we could table this because there is some discrepancies with formulas in the budget that did not calculate correctly. So we have been asked to table this until we get the correct version.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Roll call.

COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND.…………………………AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………………….AYE.COUNCILWOMAN KATES………………………………AYEVICE-PRESIDENT SMITH………………………………..AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE………………………………….AYECOUNCILWOMAN WHITE………………………………AYEPRESIDENT FORTENBERRY…………………………….AYE

(MOTION CARRIED 7-0 TO AMEND THE 2015 BUDGET).

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: This one is an ordinance by Councilman Ritchie.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE:

AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with the successful bidder of the RFP for the Brownsfield Assessment Grant.This is for our consultant that needs to be hired to fulfill and help us fulfill all the terms of this grant.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Is there any public comments on that? Council discussion.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Yes I do have council discussion. This Brownsfield Grant I discussed it back in June and I had some concerns about it. It indicates in the grant itself about the Bogalusa Comprehensive Plan. It also talked a little bit about Richardson Town. It talks about planning for a smaller Bogalusa. The Poplas neighborhood was hit the hardest and the future land of Poplas was transformed from residential area to transitional land bank. The Terrace neighborhood all played by highly rated infilled and replaced with affordable housing. The Poplas neighborhood was scattered safe housing development including target. The City is currently in outlaw with the developer of solar farms to utilize a portion of a vacant properties in Poplas for alternative energy. My question is although the grant has gone through has this been edited? Because we do not have a Comprehensive Plan and Poplas is not land banking and Terrace is not infilling and agriculture farm is not happening in Richardson Town.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: This is for assessing for hazardous materials within the land.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Where is that in this ordinance?

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Nowhere.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Nowhere in the ordinance but it has something to do with the ordinance. We are passing ordinances and this information hasn’t been—it just hadn’t been—

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: It has nothing to do with—

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: It has a lot to do with it.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: It has zero to do with what you are talking about Ms. Kates. It is not mentioned in here anywhere what so ever.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Here’s some copies. That is from the grant itself. My question is has the grant itself been edited?

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: This doesn’t have anything to do with this particular grant.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: The Comprehensive Plan. I think this would come under this Comprehensive Plan and not necessary the Brownsfield Grant.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: It is in the grant. It is in the grant itself part of the grants language. Well I guess that is a no.

BY DALE BRANCH: The way I read this grant, I’m not an expert on it but from what I saw this is a grant to allow a consultant to come in and assess the hazardous materials that might be in the city like asbestos and whatever that might be. It doesn’t have anything to do with the Comprehensive Plan that I know anything about.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Well if you have seen in the full grant---

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: it is specifics sites Ms. Kates you are incorrect on this. It is specific sites and they are outlined in the grant.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I will be checking with the ETA and I will get an answer for everyone.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I make a motion we accept it.

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: I seconded.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Roll call.

COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND……………………….AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE………………………………..AYECOUNCILWOMAN KATES…………………………….NAYVICE-PRESIDENT SMITH……………………………….AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE…………………………………AYECOUNCILWOMAN WHITE…………………………….AYEPRESIDENT FORTENBERRY……………………………AYE

(MOTION CARRIED 6-1 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER OF THE RFP FOR THE BROWNSFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANT).

BY COUCNILMAN DRUMMOND: At this time I would like that we ask to amend the agenda.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: Seconded.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Roll call.

COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND………………………..AYECOUNCILMAN RITCHIE…………………………………AYECOUNCILWOMAN KATES……………………………..AYEVICE-PRESIDENT SMITH……………………………….AYECOUNCILMAN McCREE………………………………..AYECOUNCILWOMAN WHITE…………………………….AYEPRESIDENT FORTENBERRY…………………………..AYE

(MOTION CARRIED 7-0 TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE).

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: Before I read it I would like to give a little explanation in fact I will let Councilman Ritchie explain this more since it is right next door to his livelihood.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: This is an emergency ordinance. We have a building at 218 Alabama Avenue that was burnt be two years ago this February. The building has been condemned then it was set up possibly the land owner could redo it and time was given for that. To make a long story short the building has started falling. We had a back section of it fall yesterday and hit several cars that Mr. Burdeaux owns on his property. We have asked for an emergency ordinance to take this building down because it is actually a safety hazard for anybody that is anywhere in that area.

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: Well with that explanation I will read the ordinance now.

AN ORDINANCE awarding the bid of Air-Pro Heating and Cooling LLC, for the demolition and removal of the condemned structure at 218 Arkansas Avenue.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: This will come up at our next meeting. So we are going to do Public Participation now. The first one is Mr. John Gallaspy. Come and state your name and address please and you got three minutes.

BY JOHN GALLASPY: 1737 Gaylord Drive. Thank you ma’am. I’m a retired lawyer and a lifelong tree farmer also. As all of you know we had a very frightening accident at the intersection of Sullivan and Louisiana Avenue about a week ten days ago. My son came along just a couple or so minutes afterwards. If he had been waiting on the apron of Founders Drive to pull out he would have been under about fifty thousand pounds of logs in a few minutes. As you probably know a fully loaded paper wood truck going south came through and struck a car which was I think legally making a left turn. The truck went into a jack knife the trailer did going around about a hundred and eighty degrees. The straps broke on the logs and those logs unloaded very neatly right on the apron of Founders Drive. It wasn’t funny I’m just chuckling about it. That situation has gotten a little worse so I don’t know if it is a full moon or people are just getting a little less thoughtless or what. I’m not angry with anybody, I’m not criticizing anybody. I’m just disappointed in the people that are driving those trucks. I’ve seen many of those scale tickets over the years and usually the load is at least fifty thousand pounds. I saw one once that had fifty five hundred board feet on it and it had right at a hundred thousand pounds on it. Stopping one is like stopping a freight train and if you are at highway speed and you try to stop abruptly you do well to get it stopped at a thousand feet without going into a jack knife like this one did. If there had been a full measure of traffic on Sullivan there would have been several cars that

would have been crushed. Anyway it is a bad situation, I’m not criticizing the police I was very happy a few days later to see four police cars in formation there watching that intersection one morning but they can’t have them there all day every day they have other things to do. I have two suggestions for whatever they are worth. I know it is a State Highway but I think DOTD would look with interest at least on a resolution from this council asking to be no more than twenty five mile limit approaching the intersection from both directions. It has even got to the point I go through there every day I’m sure Mr. Branch does also, it has gotten to the point some of those trucks when they are going so fast they can’t stop they will blow their air horns which is a rather arrogant way of saying get out of my way. My son yesterday morning stopped there went to work early about seven o’clock here came on from the north wide open and while he was watching the light the light turned red and the truck came right through it at no less than fifty miles an hour. I have a couple of suggestions one that we ask DOTD to look into that because it is hazardous. The other is I hope I’m not out of order on this that we might ask our industry to take some part in this. I know most of those trucks are under contract to them, they have independent contractors. I know they use to own some of the trucks themselves. There is a bunch of cases on the law books saying if the activity is ultra-hazardous the principal in this incidence our industry can also be liable financially damages or injuries or suffering the results. I think they would have an interest in it and I would think they would at least consider it. They could include in their contract that provision that any company or any driver or any truck that displays a pattern of recklessness within our city limits would not be welcome to come into that mill and that would get the attention from several people. That is just a suggestion but it is honestly offered. If anybody doubts the way those boys are driving these days just come up there and stand in Ms. Manish’s yard for about thirty minutes to watch. So that is my thought on it.

BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you Mr. Gallaspy.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Joel Miller. State your name and address and you got three minutes.

BY JOEL MILLER: 1121 Poplas Street. Forgive me if I go over three minutes I will try to limit it to three. I was glad to see Mr. Gallaspy bringing the concerns about Founders Drive and Sullivan Drive. I also like to bring ya’ll concerns again about the Poplas Street about the bridge. The exits to the bridge. The bridge is fine, beautiful. I still don’t like the monitor the situation with the cars exiting the bridge at each end and still having near misses. I understand ya’ll have a lot of projects going and you are trying to get the city up and going and I commend you for. I see a lot of changes being made. I just wanted you to know that this is part of Poplas Quarters and it is not going to go away with people in narration of the roadway. So I would like to bring that back to your attention. Also I know ya’ll haven’t put the three way signs up for North Border Drive and Montgomery. I also would like to ask a question as to how those grants where Richardson Town can be modified to fit to help with stuff that needs to be done in Poplas Quarters. I want to bring that question to the Mayor and you Ms. Kates.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Well actually there was a public notice meeting in August 5th and there was no one here primarily at that meeting but myself and another individual and Mr. Hall and representative from P.E.C. As a result of that August 9th there was another public notice to review the block grant which some folks in Poplas was concerned about it and they did review it. They had to like the 13th to review it and we did meet with the Mayor or the Mayor met with us after our meeting and as a result of that meeting we had another meeting on like the 17 th. As a result of our overall meeting it was proposed that Richardson Town would receive the grant at hand the sewage grant. An amendment for part of the money’s to go to Poplas. The general consensus was streets in Poplas. Finding out that there this particular grant may not be utilized as a multipurpose grant because of our population here in Bogalusa. I mean multi targeted like Richardson Town and Poplas. I’m sorry I’m getting it backwards. It cannot be multipurpose but it can be multi targeted as long as the target was received as the same purposes. Say for instant the Richardson Town will receive the sewage and the Poplas will get the sewage as well. But as a result of that meeting the money’s could not be split between it was decided correct Mayor the money cannot be split between the two although we have parishes that are applying for $800,000 grants whole parishes but it cannot be split. But the resolution was that they would continue to look for grants for the Poplas area. That was the resolution.

BY JOEL MILLER: I notice you grabbed the mic to address I mean to answer.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: I’ll address it in my administrative remarks when it is my turn.

BY JOEL MILLER: Okay. One other question I know you all gave us an opportunity to speak on the Comprehension Plan and I noticed ya’ll having a discriminate about that. But I thought that Comprehensive Plan I think everybody turned it down and I’m hoping that will go away. I see ya’ll are saying this has nothing to do with it. Okay. I just didn’t want it to ease in on us.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: The only thing it has to do is that the plan was actually in the Brownsfield---

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: They actually had the same words like the, and bank in the same plan and we are going to bring it up tonight. What actually took place?

BY JOEL MILLER; Okay thank ya’ll very much.

BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Mr. Floyd Burdeaux. State your name, address and try to limit it to three minutes.

BY FLOYD BURDEAUX: 1932 Avenue H. Most everybody knows that I had Burdeaux Auto parts over here at 208 Alabama Avenue which burnt down almost two years ago now. I had the parts business there, I had a used car business and I was renting to about seven other automotive related businesses in there. We had our fire and the building on both sides of my building caught on fire too. Go a little bit further back in our history I had another building that I paid stuff on Memphis Street behind the building that I’m occupying now and Katrina tore the third story of the old wooden Labor Temple Hotel off and threw it on the building so I had it demolished so that got rid of one of the buildings. After my building burned in ninety days I had it totally demolished and cleaned up and ready to rebuild. I wanted to rebuild something for the used car business and build the auto parts store back. My daughter wants to run the store for me so if you noticed I’ve built the slab there and all the parking places and everything and it is ready to face Memphis Street. But I want to tell you about last Wednesday morning I was watching the news before I went to work and they said we were going to have a bad storm Wednesday night. Sixty five mph winds and rain and so forth and so on. So when I got over to my store all of my cars were lined up by the old Landry building on my property. I moved a couple of them out of the way didn’t know where else I could put them. I said okay I’ll put them across my property and put them behind the Adam’s building and after I moved one over there I got to looking at the roof and there is a tin roof on that building and it is loose off of the building looks like it is all one piece. I said I can’t move the cars over there if a sixty five mile an hour wind could just kite that and set it right on top of my cars. Now to bring you right up to date and I couldn’t do anything about that so the cars were still over by the old Landry Building. Yesterday morning at ten o’clock I was sitting in the office doing some paper work I heard a loud bang out towards the Landry building. My line of site thought a back window the top of it was open and it looked like smoke coming out. It was really a big dust cloud when that top floor fell in on the bottom floor and put that dust storm out. My first thought was somebody was in there working and somebody could be hurt and I jumped up and ran out there and I stopped four feet in front of a Jeep Cherokee there because I saw the straight building wasn’t straight any more. It was bulging out in the middle. Then I stopped and it burst open in the middle and the rest of it come down. Demolished one of my cars and skinned the side up on another one. I guess I’m lucky I wasn’t I’m eighty two years old but if I would have been fifty years old I would probably been under those bricks because I would have gotten to those windows before that happened. I’m trying to build another building for the parts store and I want to build another building for the car lot a covered car lot. I have things on all sides of it and both sides of me and even on the side where the old hotel got tore up. I got three different things, I am surrounded by things. I’m worried my building is coming in Friday I have the slab poured on everything and a couple of weeks my basic building will be up but I worry about what is going to fall on the building or do I have to start all over again. This ordinance Doug brought up a while ago will probably help us not particular any one building or anything but this whole city needs some way to do something about this type of black and just let it go on in two months it will be two years. Thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Thank you. The next two people forgive me if I don’t pronounce your name right Derana Newton. Come give your name and address and three minutes.

BY DERANA NEWTON: 1504 North Roosevelt Street. I have several concerns but I can only may address one or two but I was under the impression that you have an ordinance for pet control for dogs. My question is why isn’t it enforced? I am a responsible pet owner. I walk my dog on a

leash and in my neighborhood there are stray dogs that I am so afraid to walk you know on my street. There are pit bulls, no one is around policing or checking or whatever the case maybe and I would like to know why isn’t the ordinance enforced?

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Have you called and reported this?

BY DERANA NEWTON: I didn’t know I had to call in.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Well yeah we only have one animal control officer and he works the whole city and unless he knows where to target the area you know it’s not like you drive the whole city. I know I had this problem recently to call him and you can call the Police Department and they will dispatch him or they will give you his number to call.

BY DERANA NEWTON: So there is no ordinance that pet owners has to have their dogs licensed.

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: Yes ma’am it is called a leash law.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Yes and he has to enforce it but you have to get a hold of the animal control officer to get it enforced.

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: And he will gather them up. He will come through and get the dogs.

BY DERANA NEWTON: So there is no one that goes around?

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: No not on a regular bases.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: There is only one and the police is busy doing policeman’s jobs.

BY DERANA NEWTON: Well I’ve been here two years and I have not seen not one person come around checking on stray dogs.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I believe what they are saying Ms. Newton is that once you see the dog in your area to give them a call but you are more than welcome to call me and I will contact them as well, you know my number.

BY DERANA NEWTON: Another issue I have is Mrs. Keller addressed the street in front of Sweet Beulah Baptist Church, I am a member of Sweet Beulah Baptist Church as Mrs. Keller like I said I’ve been here two years now and the street is deplorable. It is just unacceptable. I don’t understand why it can’t be fixed. I don’t know all of the logistics of what goes on behind it. Is it the funding but it is terrible. The litter is terrible I don’t know I just don’t understand. I don’t know what has to be done. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone I’m just asking a question. I just want to know. I love Bogalusa this is my home. But some of the streets are just terrible. Thank you.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Also Ms. Newton that has been ongoing the 1400 block of Roosevelt with Sweet Beulah and I think the last time we actually talked about it Mayor we have an Intergovernmental Agreement that is in place with the Parish.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: I will speak on it when it comes my time after public participation.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Thank you so much. The next on is Shelton Johnson—he is not in here so we move to Fate Ferrell. Come up and state your name and address and three minutes please.

BY FATE FERRELL: 1931 Dewitt Place. We have been here twelve months and I’m listening to Mr. Ritchie and Mr. Burdeaux. The same complaint they bringing to the mic tonight it is a simple fix for the whole city. All we got to do is change these laws so they work. Because the laws we have on the book right now don’t work. It is real simple to do it. I’ve been complaining about this for years. Why am I the only one that sees this? It don’t make any sense the way we letting this city fall apart, really. Seems like when I come up here people gets an attitude and want to call the police on me but it don’t make no sense all I’m doing is speaking the truth but it don’t matter ya’ll call the police on me. I’m still coming back. I will always come back. I’ve been coming back almost twenty years. A man don’t move me, no man but my thing is I would like for us to move

in a positive direction together. That is all I’m about. It is not about Fate Ferrell it’s about us wanting for the city. So when are we going to wake up. Call a town hall meeting and get some ideas together and straighten these laws out. You have a City Attorney over there get with him and straighten these laws out so we can get this place cleaned up. If you go online people is talking about Bogalusa. I was online yesterday some people’s came in this city that use to live here and they were talking about this place like a dog. They said they saw the good, the bad, and the ugly and they say it’s sad. I see it, it is really sad. Mr. Ritchie, I’m going to call on you because you and I can get alone. Let’s get together and shake up these people and get this thing going in the right direction.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I agree with you 100%.

BY FATE FERRELL: Because it is going to take somebody to do it and I’m one that don’t mind stepping on nobody’s toes. I really don’t. I’ve been stepping on toes all my life. I’m like Rosa Park I stand up for what I believe in. She did it sixty years ago to the date. I’ve been doing it almost seventy years and I’m still doing it. So let’s get something going please. Thank you.

BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Thank you Mr. Fate. Okay that is all on the public participation we will go to administrative remarks.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: I would like to thank everyone for coming out tonight. It is important that you do come and voice your concerns. Congratulations President Fortenberry and Vice-President Smith both you ladies congratulations. I’m going to touch on a few things right now the City of Bogalusa has twelve men that are currently weed eating and picking up litter and trash throughout the entire City of Bogalusa that is not including my plumbers and electricians but twelve men covering the entire city twelve men. I have one other thing I would like to remind you all about is that taxes are coming up due and we are doing better at budgeting. But do know this just because we are getting closer to being out of debt we don’t carry our own weight in the City of Bogalusa. The population has shrunk and so is the tax base. We have less tax payers within the city than we did in 1985, than we did in 1995, from 2005. So our taxes are down. Not saying raise but there has to be changes to have money to do the things. There is an Intergovernmental Agreement for the hundredth time for Sweet Beulah but on a Monday morning they sat out there for two hours, I had an employee sit out there for two hours and guess what one car passed. I have to go by highly trafficked areas. One car passed that is true I have no reason to make it up. It is my time to talk at this time. As far as grants and stuff and so forth we are diligently looking for it. The LCDBG grant the $800,000 that is going into Richardson Town if it was split we had more than 100% chance of losing that entire grant. Correct Ms. Kates?

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I’m not certain.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: You are not certain? I think you were in the same meeting with myself, Mr. Branch—

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Because I’ve seen grants split so I’m not saying.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: I believe they told you it would if we noted your comments we would lose it so my thing is this I am not focusing I have to look at the city as a whole. I can’t focus on Poplas I can’t just do one section. There is no budget for one little area of town. We have to spread the love out. Martin Luther King I don’t think everybody was in favor of it but you know what it was a decision that was made. I have major throughways, these businesses that do come to our city are what is making our city stay afloat currently. Am I correct Ms. Smith?

BY STACY SMITH: Yes.

BY PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Thank you. It is not the taxpayers it’s the businesses. I have to accommodate them in order for them to come. If we go splitting grants as we learned in our meeting we lose grants. If there is a discrepancy and we can’t agree that the grant is going to take place we lose the grant all together so nobody gets it. So everybody doesn’t win. We can get $800,000 for Richardson Town or we could split it and say oh we are going to include that they wanted it in Poplas Quarters and nobody gets it. What would you choose? Guess what I chose to do, Richardson Town. That is the kind of decisions that I have to make. It is not a win,

win citation every time but it is important to know that we have this entire city to look at. You have on a little bitty microscope you have to look through a telescope sometimes. We are looking through a telescope and looking at the city as a whole. Right now our focus is going to be on Richardson Town. I’m sorry that everybody is not in agreement with Martin Luther King Drive being milled and they might not agree with the fact that Richardson Town with $800,000 which we still may not receive because of the fact we have included those notes correct Mr. Branch?

BY DALE BRANCH: My understanding yes.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: From Baton Rouge so that being said I just wanted to make sure that was recorded also.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: Madam Mayor, Richardson Town does share two districts. District B as well as District C.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Yes it rather a large district too. I’m sorry that Poplas was not chose right now because it might have been an older residential neighborhood but it is a great point that you made but I had to make a decision where it will go and I chose Richardson Town because that is the majority of where our leaks are going. That is where we have to fix first because it is cost us money. If nothing else I have to say is we have gotten closer than anyone else has in the past tackling our deficit. I think each and every one of you council and the city workers, everyone because we worked hard together at not spending and not doing. Now we can go and do that and keep going eventually our credit cards are about to go up. When I go back in the spring to represent the City before the Bond Commission our credit card was up last spring pretty much. You saw what took place. They don’t want to loan us we still to this day only borrowed seven hundred thousand dollars of the budgetary $1,990,000 loan. That was the last time that was done I was in college a long time ago. So that is something we should all be proud of. I think we are working hard at going into the positive. I was telling someone the other day I said if Rex and I go to Universal Studios we might have to eat red beans a little while but we are going in style and get the meal plan we are not going to get there and eat bologna. That is what we are doing right here. We are saving up our money and we are going to Disney Land but we want it to be done right. You don’t want to do something half way and your name be attached to it or at least I don’t. My papaw use to call that half behind I’m not going to do it. So I think it is important to share the love the entire city has got major problems that have not been addressed and they can’t be addressed overnight. It is no one’s fault. It has been neglected for a long time. We are not going to point fingers. It is time to pull up our pants and be big girls and boys and get to work and get something accomplished. That is the only way we can get it done. Quit saying we might we should have done back in the old days whatever. You didn’t do it so guess what now is the time let’s do it.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I just have one comment Mayor if I may.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Yes.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: With some of the resources grant writers outside of Bogalusa I have been informed if there is a disagreement with a block grant the concern is addressed, it is forwarded to the Louisiana Housing and they note whatever resolution that you are going to give for that concern and there is no money lost because the concern is expressed. By my resource there is no money lost.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: No, it is when- there is money lost. We go on Monday and it is due on Friday Ms. Kates like we tried to do this past grant, LCDBG grant, you come to me on Monday it is due Friday we want to change it. It don’t work that way. They have been working on this for months.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I’m not questioning time limits-

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Well then I don’t know what your point is. It is kind of like this grant here is the same word as bank, land and stuff like that in it. It doesn’t have anything to do with that.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: We do not lose a grant because you mention there is a concern. That is what I’m saying. You make that concern you purpose a resolution.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: That is correct within its right time. Not abruptly and we going to have a special meeting and change it and you can’t do that. If there is an argument about the grant then they don’t want to give it to you so we all lose.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: It was within the time limit.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Yeah a week maybe they have been working on it since August, three months. Well you know what this is the way I see it, the way you are thinking is differently from the way my thinking is. My thinking is if it is $800,000 coming to the City of Bogalusa it is coming to the City of Bogalusa. Celebrate be happy wherever it goes. If it is coming to Bogalusa and it is not going in your district you should be happy still. It’s like your neighbor getting a new car.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: It’s not that I’m not happy.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: Sounds like to me you are. I think you are unhappy because you have caused quite an issue with Baton Rouge and lawyers and so forth. Mr. Branch is here to speak on that behalf if we need to discuss it. I do want to make sure that everyone does know that if we do lose the grant it would be because of your indescrepencies.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I represent the people.

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: And I do too. Thank you so much. Thank you all and remember this is the time for giving it is not just the time for receiving. Toys for Tots is open for Ms. Oneita Graham she is going to be passing out toys so if you would like to put in an application you can drop it off at the Water Department. I look forward to seeing and thank you all for tabling those ordinances because of the fact that we had some printer issues and the formulas change when you hook up and so forth but we want it to be right when you have it so thank you all for that. Everyone have a good evening. I will speak with you all after the meeting. I’m not one to abrupt the meeting it has a flow to it and right now we are in council discussion so I’ll be happy to speak with you after the meeting.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Chief do you have anything to say?

BY MAYOR PERRETTE: No I’m not giving parts.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: So we are going to do council discussion. Councilman Drummond.

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: I’d just like to say those of you that didn’t get a copy of the Brownsfield Grant it is eleven targeted area. A much targeted grant. The Old Colonial Cresol Site on Marshall Richardson Road, it’s the Old Iron Foundry off of Claiborne, it’s the Coca Cola Company it is very specific and it is spread out all over town. It’s not like a land grabbing. I don’t know where that came from because it says it right here very clearly eleven targeted projects.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: The former Mayor Mizell I can give anybody a copy.

BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: They can get a copy so it is much targeted and it is spread out all over town. All they want to do is go in clean it up so that if somebody does want to start a business it’s there and it’s ready. Secondly I was there talking to Mr. Burdeaux yesterday it’s been on my mind believe me. From a time we condemn a property they are still up six and eight years some of them are still up after being condemned. We got to give this law some teeth but I hate to do it but poor widow women can’t afford to fix up their property or even take it down we are going to have to do something a fine on it per day as it stands and get people off the toilet seats so to speak. With that said that is all I have thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilman Ritchie.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: I would like to congratulate the two of ya’ll and I look forward to the next year. I know you both will do a great job for our city. I want to thank everyone for coming, the more we have in here the better job we can do the better voices that we have. The only other thing that I have to announce is that I would like for ya’ll to keep Johnny Holcomb and his family in your prayers. He passed away this morning, he is a former Councilman from 1990 until 2002 so if you would keep him and his family in your prayers. Let’s have a safe and wonderful

holiday and Christmas Season. Let’s remember the reason for the season is. Try to be kind to everyone. Thank you and have a good evening.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilwoman Kates.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight and I appreciate your continued prayers that the right thing is done for the City of Bogalusa. As Mr. Fate indicated this year marks the year of Ms. Rosa Park a very significant role that she played in American History. I would like to congratulate Ms. Smith and Ms. Fortenberry our President and Vice-President. Ms. Smith thank you for your courage in nominating me, thank you.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: Thank you.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Also congratulations to Ms. Cheryl Vermillion I don’t know if any of you know Ms. Cheryl Vermillion that works at the Board of Ethics. She is usually the lady that we talk to if you want to call and ask questions. Cheryl she is going to retire today. She had twenty four years of the Board of Ethics and thirty eight years of state so I told her I would give her a shout out. Happy Holidays to everyone from six to fourteen will be Hanukkah so Happy Hanukkah for those who celebrate Hanukkah. Don’t forget District A Clean-up Day to donate your time an hour until January. Then finally there was a concern that was brought to me by a constituent about the upcoming appointment for District D, if we would be accepting resumes for District D for those who are interested I’m not certain if they send a resume to the council or what have you but I think that is a great jester for an opportunity for all of our citizens to participate.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilwoman is that for the fill in position?

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: The fill in position. Because after the election will be in March?

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: No ma’am. It will be in the fall. It is too late to be on the ballot for March.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Oh there was something in the paper about March. So it is going to be in the fall.

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: I talked to the Secretary of State today and they said it is too late to put it on the ballot for March. So that would move it to the fall election. So whoever we appoint will fill in until then. Whoever is appointed cannot run.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: Exactly. As she indicated whoever is appointed is a temporary position and not actually run in the position.

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: That is correct.

BY COUNCILWOMAN KATES: That is all I have thank you everyone for your time and ears.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Now we go to Councilwoman Vice-President Smith.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: I would like to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy schedule and coming out just to voice your concerns. Continue to pray for us and we will do the same for you. Also let’s remember the reason for the season. I’m still asking for help for the Robert “Bob” Hicks Foundation. You can give me a call if you would do so you can participate and volunteer with the museum. My number is 985-750-1468. Councilman McCree and I are still asking for support at this time. Also if anyone would be interested in coming out to Rest Haven Living Center and volunteering just to spend time and talk to some of the residents. I do know that Mr. Angelo and Ms. Flo and Ms. Donna I see them over there regular. We are just asking for volunteers during the Holiday Season it does get a little lonely and just if you can come and just spend some time with some of the residents and we will greatly appreciate it. That is all I have. Thank you once again.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilman McCree.

BY COUNCILMAN McCREE: Yes I would also like to thank you all for coming out tonight. I also would like to congratulate the ladies, you two. I would like to ask you guys if anybody is

interested in donating baseball gloves, baseball bats, catcher’s equipment, or baseball helmets because I’ve got them coming in from all over the country for the kids so if anybody wants to donate anything just give me a call and it will be much appreciated. Thank ya’ll.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilwoman White.

BY COUNCILWOMAN WHITE: Yes I would like to congratulate the two Council Ladies for your roll and I think you will do a great job and will have the support you need from this group. I would like to say congratulations also to our Senator Ben Nevers who was appointed Chief of Staff by John Bell Edwards our new Governor. This is going to be very beneficial to us I believe since he is from our area. I am excited about it. I’ve been in the budget meetings we have had now four State Budget meetings that I have attended in Baton Rouge. We are not even sworn in yet it is actually historical I have never done this before but the financial state affairs for the State is very, very critical. We are going to work very hard to correct that and I would say any time we could get a grant we need to get it. The money’s are not there for anything but that particular area does have money if we got it we need to get it. It doesn’t matter if it is one area or another it is going to be for Bogalusa as a whole and we need to take that into consideration when we are going through a process like that. It is not easy it is very competitive we are not the only city with a lot of issues and the infrastructure is sad all over the state. We are twelve billion, twelve billion dollars behind in transportation projects. Think about that and that is not all of it. So there is opportunities for us I see them, I’m really excited about the opportunities we will have. I am very appreciative of having a John Bell Edwards for our Governor that lives in Amite. We have never had one this close to our area. He knows how to get to Washington Parish and we are very exciting to be serving with him. With that also I would like to say this is the season for giving and we do need to remember what the season is about. With that I just appreciate everyone coming out. I also would like to make one statement on regards to the budget which is going to be revised is that we look at the retirement system. (Inaudible turned away from the microphone). So that is the only concern I had in that regards to paying into the retirement system. It is not just an issue. Other than that we appreciate you coming out and voicing your concerns and stay involved and you know you can bring it up one time or a million times it will continue to be that way. We all got to work together to make it better. There is no easy solution if there was we would have taken care of it. It is not that easy. Continue to keep all of our Council People in your prayers they are working very hard and diligently and like I said if there was an easy answer we would write a check and have it all resolved today but it just isn’t that easy. With that I would ask for your prayers as we move forward in the State Representative position, I mean that with all my heart. I do know that God is in control and I do believe in all my heart we got good things coming our way even with the deficit like it is in the state. I appreciate it and thank you.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: Councilman Ritchie.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: One other thing I would like to mention on December 12th we are having on Downtown Columbia Street we will be having a Street Fair so to speak. We will have the vendors in the street and it is a good time to go down there and I’ve been down there the last couple of years. My wife loads up on Christmas gifts because there is a lot of neat vendors down there that has some neat stuff. We need ya’ll to help us support those folks. That is December 12th.

BY VICE-PRESIDENT SMITH: I think it starts at 9:00 o’clock.

BY COUNCILMAN RITCHIE: And it is all day long. Thank you. I’m going to hush now.

BY PRESIDENT FORTENBERRY: In closing I just want to say I’m not prepared for this tonight. It came to me as a great surprise but I do accept it graciously and I’m going to do my 100% best. Every one of you that turned out have a right to get behind that podium and talk for three minutes. The thing that I ask and it will not be tolerated is finger pointing, name calling, and remarks unnecessarily made toward this Council. I will not tolerate that but anything else you want to say we are here to listen. Mr. Ferrell I have heard you for a year and I’m going to work on us to getting a town hall meeting. That is a promise I am making to you. I want to say this and I wasn’t going to let it rain on my parade no matter how it turned out my youngest biological daughter has been in school since she was five years old, she is forty six and she graduated nursing school today. She got here Bachelors in Nursing. (Applause). Our next meeting will be December 15th at 5:30 right here. See all of you and bring a friend. Meeting adjourned.