Council Committee - Regular Meeting

Regular meeting of the mayor and city council, city of Fort Allen, Louisiana, Wednesday, August 13th, 5:33 p.m. Council chambers. Each person must decide before entering the council chamber which agenda item they wish to comment on. If they are not seated in the chamber when the agenda item is heard, they will be notified by an officer to enter the council chambers to address that item. That agenda item agenda. Please silence all electronic devices. Call to order. Pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Roll call, please. Joseph here. Gordon here. Here. Spain here. All present. Okay. Um I have two um items that need to be added to the agenda. Um so I'm asking to amend the agenda. Uh the first item to be added uh is the Pittney Bose agreement. Um and if we can put that as 5A and do we have to vote separately or we can vote. Okay. And the other amendment to the agenda is to add the condemnation report and presentation for 11:34 and a half avenue C.

Can I get a roll call, please? Okay. Miss Joseph, yes. Gordon, yes. Hog, yes. Miss Kee, yes. Ping, yes. Okay. So, one will be 5A and the other will be uh for the condemnation it will be 10 A. 12 A 12 A I'm sorry 12 A. Hey, approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of July 9th, 2025. I get a motion.

Make a motion just the minutes. Okay. Motion by Councilwoman Gordon. Second by Councilwoman Joseph. Roll call, please. Miss Joseph, yes. Miss Gordon, yes. Cole, yes. King, yes. Mr. Payne, yes. Most pass.

Okay. Five. Public comments. Comments from the public are allowed in accordance with LA revised statute 42 11 section 2 through34 and specifically limited to an agenda item to be considered during the meeting. 3 minutes per person and 15 minutes per topic. Anyone sign 5A um and it's um Mr. table for the pitney bows agreement contract a representative a representative from 50 bows met with the mayor and I mid of July I believe it is I forgot what date it was and Um, our postage machine is, for lack of a better term, end of life. And I'm tired of hearing the words end of life on all of our technology over here. But with all the updates that's going on the technological world, our current service contract for the post machine that we currently have, that's $800 per quarter, is going to have to go up to 1,29.81. 81 a quarter. So we're looking at $200 more per quarter or $800 more per year 24 $800 more per year. Um so Larsson act since this is a contract that the mayor has to sign. The Larsson act says the council's got to approve all contracts that involve expenditure

of money. This involves expenditure of money. So we are asking the council to authorize the mayor to sign this contract so we can continue whenever that machine that we currently have they I think they told us less than 3 months I believe in that meeting. Yes that we won't be able to send out bill any questions on that. Okay motion by Councilman Hubble second by councilwoman King. A roll call please. Miss Joseph yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Mr. Hubble. Yes. Miss King. Yes. Mr. Payne. Yes. Thank you.

Six. Consider approving the purchase of a city tent 20 by30 to be used for city sponsored events. Miss Rose. Last week we talked about getting a 20 by 30 foot city of Port Allen. Uh and we were asking for council. The cost will be approximately $7,000. That's page. Yes, sir. And the fabric itself. Yes, sir. Yes. With our logo. Yes. On the top. The tent uh itself is blue with city of Port Allen and white.

Okay. Can I entertain a motion? Motion has motion by Councilman Hubble. Second by Councilwoman Joseph. May I get a roll call? Miss Joseph? Yes. M Gordon? Yes. Mr. Hubble? Yes. Miss King? Yes. M P? Yes. Thank you. Seven. Authorizing Chief Mitchell to advertise and hire two police officers. Chief.

Good evening. Mayor C. Like I explained to you guys last week um my reason on why I was looking to um our two extra officers. Um we short handed I told you we lost one of them because he wanted to get closer to home and lost a cadet hire. So with that being said uh I think hire these two people help operations department so continue. Have you interviewed anybody yet? Um no I haven't. Okay. I I wanted to get um we just had got you. Okay.

Okay. It's motion by Councilman Hubble. Second by Councilman Payne. Can I get a roll call? Miss Joseph? Yes. Gordon? Yes. Hubble? Yes. King? Yes. Mr. Payne? Yes. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. Eight. Consider approving PC to advertise for the 202425 CDBG sewer project contingent upon the required approval for work for the CD CDBG grant. Mr. Eric,

thank you. Mayor, council, audience. Yes. Essentially, what I'm uh we're trying to do here is as soon as we get the uh authority from the CG folks, we want to be able to go ahead and start the job. We did get um uh some comments on the engineering that we've already addressed. Unfortunately, this is a a federal grants program, so there's quite another few other boxes y'all are going to have to check before they'll allow us to uh advertise. One good uh thing that we're seeing uh uh quite frankly, really dramatically in the last 3 months is the the price of a lot of the construction services going way down. Um, just as an example, we had a uh big project in New Orleans that uh was estimated to go about 41 million and it came in for 26. So, it's a it's a significant change.

Any questions? Thank you. Okay. Can I uh get a motion? motion by councilwoman Gordon, second by councilwoman Joseph. Roll call, please. Miss Joseph, yes. Gordon, yes. Yes. Key. Yes. Yes. Motion passes. Nine. Consider approving a resolution to adopt a language access plan for the city of Port Allen. Mr. Dav,

as Mr. Eric just alluded to, we have a lot of boxes to check to get that 1.1 million for the student rehabilitation. One of those things is to adopt a language access plan. The basis of that is that we have in our community, not necessarily, but that the federal grant funds people that do not speak English or way for us to communicate with those people. So we've designated Herissa Antoine as a person to coordinate this. We're trying to differentiate all these different resolutions that's coming before. We did miss her uh Tamika Dur as a 504 compliance officer related to this LCD grant. And we gave Miss Lynette the same for the anti-displacements and we have designated Mr. Clarissa Enron, who's one of our utility clerks to be the coordinator for the language access plan. And part of this resolution and this requirement is that we've got to re-evaluate this plan every single year. It's an annual re-evaluation. So, it be coming before the council every single year if we want to continue to receive funds from that Louisiana Community Development Block rate. Okay.

Okay. Motion by Councilman Hubble. Second. Second by Councilwoman Gordon. Roll call. Miss Joseph. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Mr. Hubble. Yes. M. King. Yes. Mr. Payne. Yes. Mot. Okay. 10. Consider authorizing Mayor Patan to sign the Louisiana Rural Water Association rate study request for the wastewater system clearance requirement for LCDBG. Mr. D.

Another requirement of that LCBD grant is for us to do a rate study on our utility system that's being affected by this grant. So, it would be the sewer system. I think we had a rate study done last year or two years ago that does not qualify for this. says it has to be a current rate study. So, um, looking at one of the race study requirements documents says it had to that the approval to do a race study had to be recorded in the midst of the board. So, we're asking it so we cannot be official like I'm running all these tees that have to be crossed and eyes that have to be dotted for everything that we're asking the board to give formal approval for the mayor to do that enter into that complete application for a formal race day study of our sewer system and part of the LCBD component. It's not just doing the race study. If we want to get that 1.1 million, we're agreeing as part of that 1.1 million that if that race study comes back and says we have to increase our sewer fees, we're going to increase those sewer fees. Any questions?

Okay. Can I get a motion? Okay. Motion by Councilwoman Joseph, second by Councilman Hubble. Roll call, please. Miss Joseph. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Mr. Bubble, yes. M King, yes. Main. Yes. Motion passes. Thank you. 11. Presentation of the monthly financial report. Mr. D.

I sent the entire U revenue and expenditure report as reported by our accounting system. One of the council members showed me in the binder. You've got a copy that in your binder as well that the copy that's in your binder does not have the highlighted things notice. I don't know if you all saw the highlighted notions in the document that we received yesterday. I'm learning new features this time as opposed to printing the report out of encoding then making the copies. I saved the report as a PDF and I have a PDF uh editor feature where I can go in and highlight I did on this report to point out certain things to that I was going to mention in the meeting that if the high I could try changing the highlighter color next month try to make it more user friendly this first time I was experimenting with it but the first thing I launch to u on the first page I highlighted the annual budget that's what the council allocated at their June meeting for our operating budget across all of our funds. So that's the column most important column that's the money that we said we either going to collect in revenue anticipated or what we anticipated on the expense side. Then the year-to- date actual is what we spent or what we posted in July so far of the new budget year. And the last column percent of the yeartoate budget is how much of that budget we should have gotten in revenue or how much in expenses. So 1 12th of a year is 8.33%. Just because we see some numbers above or below 8.33% is not cause for alarm because not everything is equally divided by 12. Some expenses we pay yearly, some we pay monthly. So the first thing I want to call attention to is on the second page the

Jones fun high rate of sales tax. Uh 316,000 for yearto date actual and 375,000. That's something that sales tax does not stay steady. It does fluctuate from month to month. For the majority, our revenue does come from taxes. I'm not concerned that we were down this month. Looking at past historical data, it like I said, it does fluctuate, but we said we were going to collect 4.5 million in sales tax revenue and divided by 12 that would be 375,000. We didn't quite reach that benchmark. before we telling various different department heads that have been coming into my office wanting money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money money for this that and the other we also have to look at where our revenues are so as a council you can appropriate money but if you don't have the money to appropriate it doesn't exist but I said I don't think there's cause for alarm that it's not because historical data that sales tax does fluctuate on the page four which is the administrative uh expense report for the administration. I highlighted the fire insurance, vehicle insurance, liability insurance and I'm and I pretty much highlighted that on each of the individual departments. I'm not going to go through those on each of the individual departments, but if you look at 5,000 52,000 together, we budgeted 57,000 for insurance. And if you add what we spent in July already, 70 plus,000, you will see that trend continued on for most of the departments that what we budgeted for insurance and what we pay for insurance and we pay for insurance by the year. So, we've pretty much paid for our insurance. those line items aren't going to change. But the insurance payments that we've made for

this fiscal year is more than what we've budgeted. And that's what everybody in the world is facing that when they get their new insurance, whether it's automobile, home insurance, or whatever, that they're more expensive than what they've been paying the previous years. And it affected us too as well, particularly the vehicle insurance for certain departments. Um, if we go to the police department page 8, um, I highlighted we spent 10,000 of the 27,000. That's for their computer server upgrade. That's just the hardware. The hardware is being ordered, has not been delivered yet to be installed yet. Some of the other costs will be the installation of that of the 145,000 in equipment. The 18,000 we spent for the body cameras. We've already paid body cameras, but taser bill just came in. So that will be on next month's report. If we go to page 12 in roads and drainage capital outlay the machinery and equipment for 70,000 in capital outlay that we budgeted. I found out recently that when we budgeted X amount for a push hog and X amount for a skid steer or whatever that equipment is called and then something the boarding machine gas that what we budgeted for and like what Mr. Eric said about construction prices going down those prices are way up. So you have to look at other ways of trying to fund those objects uh those things. Um if we go to page 14 animal uh control year to date zero we paid those to West

Bish Parish on quarterly basis. So we paid the second quarter in July, but because it's for the second quarter, it's been moved into last year's fiscal budget already as part of the audit process. So get a more reflected. So we're not going to see a number there hit our financial statements until we pay third quarter and it's going to be so even though it's going to be zero, that 80,000 is spent. We've we've got to pay it. We can't move that 80,000 somewhere else. the the the animal control average is about 20,000 per core.

Um if we go to had a question. No, she said that much. I said that's our just our portion.

Yeah. If you go to page 18, it's the very last page of the Port Allen general fund. I've highlighted the 217,250 from transfer from cap imp fund. I didn't realize this, but working with the financials at 217,000 is our bond payment that's paying for this building. Since we actually have bond payments, we've got bond regulations before we start trying to go spend all our money in reserves. That because we have this current bond, we by state law have to keep certain things in reserves because we have this bond. And this bond payment, I think, is for four more years if I remember correctly. [Music] water and gas fund. Uh page one on the revenue side where we've collected 70,000 out of 200 million that we said we were going to budget it not cost for the loan when we see that 3.41% [Music] because we haven't collected our industrial payment yet. The industrial payment we collected that was supposed to July was in June so it was reversed back out. We will see these numbers more balancing out later we get in part of the autograph. But one of the things I wanted to mention with that 70,000 the mayor and I have discussed briefly that currently our reconnect sir charges are $10 per meter. our deposits for residential and water and gas 75 and 125 for a total of 200 and then the service connections where someone wants to come in and complete put in a water meter or a gas meter that doesn't exist

there. So, our water and gas department has to come in, dig the hole, get the meter, put the meter in, and all the pipes or whatever. Those changes, those amounts are by ordinance. We can't the mayor can't just press a button or say I want we want to do this, we have to look at the orange cost. But those have been the same amount since I was in the field as a meter reader at 400 for a water meter and 600 for a gas meter. I don't know how long before that. It's still been a while. Before uh I think the meter uh water was $50, um when I first started, so it's still been

So we know COVID came and price increase for everything and part of the grants that we are receiving and grants we want to apply to. um they are getting more stringent on how they give out the money and one of the conditions of the money is that for our utility systems and that's part of the Louisiana rural water for on both water gas and sewer that those systems should be self sustaining completely to your manpower all your employee related expenses all of your maintenance for all the equipment that they use the back hose machines and all of that and as we know from our own personal lives trying to get a repair bill done. We want to get tires on our vehicle or oil changes that at least for me my oil change on my own personal vehicle seems to be about way more than what it was 4 years ago, 5 years ago. All those costs need to be factored into your water and gas. So, we are looking at what a reasonable thing would be for the reconnect fee. But again, since it is, we can't just come in tomorrow and say it's going to be this. We're going to have to go through the ordinance processes. Everything is in our ordinances unlike maybe some other municipalities may just have it as a fee schedule. So that's pretty much everything that I highlighted. I think there were some other things like the board machine water and gas department be a budget total of 13,000. As I mentioned earlier, that's going to be more than 13,000. So we have to look at where we can get some additional revenue to or re allocate some of the money that was already allocated in other areas to try to cover for those things. So any questions would explain.

Thank you ma'am. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. You're welcome. Thank you. 12 condemnation proceedings. Uh is that Evan? Well, I'll take that. Okay. Uh good evening, council. We do have one condemnation proceeding tonight. You all have been given a uh packet of all the supporting documents uh for this property so you can follow along um as we do our presentation. Before I get started, I do want to recognize I think the property owner is here tonight. Miss Edna. Yes. Okay. Great. When we finish our presentation, you'll be given opportunity to address the council. Okay.

Okay. Yes, ma'am. She she she has a couple minutes. Okay. So, the property that we have on the agenda tonight is uh municipal address 1134 Avenue Cal, Louisiana 70767. Legal description is lots 10 and 11 of square 46 of the Oaks subdivision PA3-204. Uh the West Bat Rouge Parish Assessor uh shows that Miss Edna Richardson is the current owner of the property with a mailing address of 3683 North Foster Drive in Bats, Louisiana 70805. Um we did uh complete an inspection report. It was completed by uh Mr. Justin Alson who is here uh tonight to give you a presentation on the uh condition of the property as it stands today. That uh inspection was completed on July 10th, 2025 and it does recommend that the structure on the property be condemned uh because it meets the definition of a derelct building. That inspection report is also in your packet as well. Um, in accordance with the city's ordinances, we uh notice to show cause was successfully delivered to uh the property owner at her address on August 1st, 2025. Um, it contained a copy of the inspection report and informed the property owner owner of her parents uh that we needed her here tonight for this proceeding. Um, at this time, I'll kind of I'll turn it over to Justin so he can get his report on the uh condition of the property. and barring any questions from you guys to him, I'll go into uh the questions that I have for him on the the violations.

Good evening, Mayor Council. Um, as a followup from the July 10th visit to the site, I went by the site this afternoon to verify the condition is still the same. And I have some photos that should be coming up here shortly in a slide that shows the condition of the property as of today.

Okay. So, just let me see. Still not This full computer. I don't know. [Music]

But essentially what what was found the building is in the same condition that it was in in the photos in your packet. Um I did notice that 31. up to go. Awesome.

So, the condition of the property, there's some um vehicles that are stored in the lot. Um, there's a travel trailer that is open, stored on the lot. Door was prop open. It looks like there's some um roof leaks on that. The house itself, the cladding is failing on the exterior. Um, they're the main support beams for the floor compromised and sitting on the ground. There's the ceiling is collapsed. There's compromised roof. Siding is rotted. Windows are broken. And the frame agent is exposed. There's rot and what appears to be some possibly termite damage to the structure. They're holes that will allow um rodents, insects, and other animals to freely enter the building. Um the access stairs in both locations are compromised and there is um large holes in the rear of the residence where anything can go in. So, it's it's not closed up. It's not um not sealing out the the exterior conditions.

Does the council have any questions? Okay. Well, if there are any questions, I'll ask you um questions regarding the specific um ordinances that we cited in a notice to show cause and you just tell me if in your opinion if the structure on the property and I just want to be clear that this property does have uh I think inoperable vehicles on it, but this condomination proceeding is particular to the the home structure that's on the the property. Yeah.

Okay. Um that's outstanding. City of Rhode Island's Ordinance uh 38-281 describes a derellet building as one that is structurally unstate unsafe unstable unsanitary constituting a hazard to life because of inadequate exit facilities constituting a fire hazard hazard unsuitable or improper for use or occupancy constituting a hazard to health or safety because of inadequate maintenance dilapidation abandonment or otherwise dangers to life or property. In your opinion, does the structure on the property meet that definition? Yes, it does.

Okay. Ordinance 34-281 describes a derelch building as one that is vacant and whose dwellings and other structures are deemed to constitute a hazard. In your opinion, does it meet that definition? Yes, it does. Okay. Ordinance 34-283A describes a derelch building as one whose loadbearing structures failed to meet the minimum housing requirement by being in good condition and able to support the weight of the building um that by not having extensive termite damage and whose parts they must be level, plum and sturdy. In your opinion, does this structure uh meet that definition of a der building?

Yes, it meets the definition of der. Okay. Ordinance 34-283B defines a Derland building as one whose foundation walls are not level, have large cracks or breaks, cannot keep out buildings or other pests, and whose walls have rotted columns or missing or leaning peers. In your opinion, doesn't meet that definition? Yes, it does.

Okay. Ordinance 34-283C defines a derellet building as one whose exterior walls are not level, have large holes, breaks, or loose or rotting material, and cannot prevent water and wind from entering the building. In your opinion, does this property meet that definition? Okay. Ordinance 34-283D defines a Garland building as one whose roof allows rain or wind to enter the building. It has broken or used material and whose shingles, flashing, felt, paper, or tiles are in poor condition. In your opinion, does the structure meet that definition? Uh the port there were portions of the roof that that does meet that definition. Yes. But not the whole roof.

Not the entire roof. No. Which part of the roof? um in portion on the south west corner of the roof is is peeled back and it allows some it'll allow some water infiltration but the majority is a metal roof and it the metal roof itself is could be repaired. Okay, that the corner that's that's a corner that's

okay. Ordinance 34-283F defines a derelch building as one that is not properly maintained so as to keep out rodents from nesting and to prevent rodent infestation. In your opinion, does this structure meet that definition? Um yes, it meets the definition of Ordinance 34-283G defines a DLED building as one whose garages, sheds, fences, and freestanding walls have excessive deterioration that might cause them to fall apart. In your opinion, does this structure meet that definition? Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Ordinance 34-283H defines a derellet building as one whose stairways, steps, decks, porches, or balconies are in danger of collapsing. In your opinion, does this house meet that definition? Yes, ma'am. Both exit stairs are compromised. So, there are two exit stairs. There's there's one there's one in the front, one on the side.

Okay. The Ordinance 34-283II defines a Derel Lake building as one whose handrails and guard rails are not firmly fastened and capable of supporting normal loads. They are deteriorated to the point where it might collapse and they are not secured or anchored to the road. In your opinion, does this property meet that definition? It does not apply. There's no

Okay. Ordinance 34-283J defines an air building as one that is not secure, one that has broken doors, windows, and or empty doors or window frames on the property. Uh, does the building meet this definition? Okay. Ordinance 34-283K defines a DLE building as one whose doors have significant deterioration, which may include screens with large chairs, broken glass doors, etc. In your opinion, does this property need that? Yes, sir. Okay. And last one, ordinance 34-283L defines a derelct building as one whose windows, skylights or door frames are not in good condition and weathertight. They do not prevent water uh and air entry. Uh the windows are not operable and whose windows are broken or missing in your opinion. Does it get that definition?

Yes, ma'am. Okay. So, those are all the questions I have for you. M council, thank you. Um, council, as you can see, this property is in violation of several uh city ordinances, at least 10 of them. And so, at this time, I just want to give you an opportunity to ask any questions that you may have um to Mr. is that or just any questions or comments before I allow Miss uh Richardson to come and address you with whatever she has to say.

All right. This is for us to demolish it together or they're going to do it theirel. We don't know that yet. We don't know that yet. So your your action would be to condemn and order to condemn and demolish.

Okay. or in order to condemn and allow the property owner an opportunity to repair if you find that a repair is even possible. But it would be for the property owner to demolish if if you were to vote that way, make a motion to vote that way within a certain time frame. Okay. If there are no questions, Miss Richardson, you can come up and you have the floor to address the council with whatever you have to say.

Well, good evening. I'm kind of new to this, but I just wanted to say that uh it goes back to back to your family history. my grandmother and my grandfather owned the property and we used to always come out here and this where we would spend the majority of our time because we was in the country and building the mail bill and we came out here and spend a lot of time and my my my concern is that I just wanted to get it back up to standards just to have something that we can just look back over the time that we enjoy with our family there because we always it was a family house. It was so many of them lived in that house

and we just wanted to keep it I wanted to keep it up and I fell into a hardship because of um restoring uh I know y'all familiar with them. I was trying to get it back together and I used some of my money into my house which they made through throw tow down and it was it was in good shape and I got pictures of my other house. So that put me in a bind because I had two sons that do that kind of work but by them got caught up into they was helping me with my they put me into that. Then it was working with uh restore rest and do what they supposed to do. It just whole lot of confusion came along and put my children in jeopardy and now they just getting ready about they told me within about two weeks they should be back straight what they can help and what I want to do if I have to I'm willing to tear it down because we just got to look at it as God's willing. I rather tear it down if I have to. But if we can take the money and kind of repair uh that would be a great thing. Uh whatever best for the city cuz that's what's considered anyway. You know what's best for each and every one. That's the way I look at it. Whatever we have to do, we got to do it. you know, although it's got good memories there. And I know you know my aunt Edmond, she used to work for the whole house. She was a cook and most of my family they from you know around and it just and I I wouldn't want

to tell you something else whose uh belonging is on my property which I can't do nothing about it because they in a raid right now. So, it's crazy right now what's going on and I can't make them move it. So, it's just a lot of things going on until we can get all that situated. And I'm kind of upset because they won't move their belongings off and it's just a lot going on. So, whatever is best for all of us, that's what I want. But I would like a little time to see whether when they can take time to come and really see what can they do, how much it don't cost. Cuz if it's too much, I've got to let it go. But if they can repair it by cuz my house that I had, I can use some of the lumber because it's the top of the line lumber. I can't I kept it off my old house and I was going to try to use it on that house. which is the top of line is that old stuff. You know, the old stuff is better than the new stuff cuz I went and priced some of my boards. One of my boards cost like $100 that and it's it's not like I wish I had pictures so y'all could see. It' be amazing for you all to see what that old lumber look like. It would just blow your mind cuz one of my nephew, he cleaned it up and polished it. But I tell you, I never saw nothing look like it. Beautiful. So that's where I'm at with that. So whatever we have to do, you do. That's all I got to say.

Thank you, Mr. Council members. Do you have any questions for Miss I have a question. Um so uh if you're asking for time for your children to come to look at it um about what how much time are you?

Okay, I'm looking at maybe about a week uh or two just in between that to really come and really do some good, you know, cuz I don't want them to just run through it and then say it could be and then we find out we can't. I want them to really go up under there and everything because I do a little bit too. I've been trying to work on it myself. And I had a guy to come and try to maintain it a little bit. But I don't I want it done right. And people that just send me, they just in there for the doctor and then when you find out it wasn't what you wanted. So that's where I'm at about a week or two just to see and then I can let you know what we come up with. Uh either tear down or could y'all give me time to res you know to bring it back up and if it's teared down how much time pray y'all could give me to do that with it whatever.

So I guess my question next is to Mr. uh Justin or to Casey um with the findings that we have do we allow time or we we're able to give time for them to or it's not

the ordinance does allow the council to condemn and allow the property owner to repair within a certain time frame. You have to be very specific about what you're allowing to repair. But what I was going to ask bring back uh Mr. Alazan up and just give his professional opinion on the condition of the property as it stands. Is it in a place or in a condition where it could be repaired? Right. Reasonably repaired.

So construction is one of those things with enough time and enough money you can do anything. um the investment that it would take to bring that home up to meet current codes is going to far outweigh the value of what's there now. So, what you run up against when you do repairs and renovations on properties is once your repairs exceed 50% of the value, everything has to be brought up to current codes. all of the electric, all of the mechanical, all of the plumbing, all of the roofing, all of the walls, all of the insulation, um, everything, the energy conservation code that's that's intact today, the majority of the houses building in built in Port Allen that people are living in and they are fantastic homes don't meet that. So, it's going to it would be a significant investment for a house of that size. You're probably looking somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 to $230 a square foot to bring that home up to current and it's tremendously expensive.

Yes, ma'am. Someone that does electric.

The problem is is that all of the wiring that's in the home doesn't meet the code. So, it's all got to come out and be rebuilt. I did my house myself. So, so any you know any contacts or connections you have in that world can potentially help you. Yes. To to get the evaluation and and to give you a bid to tell you how much it's going to cost. But in in my professional opinion, for you to bring it for you to bring it from where it is now

with exposed rotten beams all over the place and exposed and and rotten studs that all have to be rebuilt. It's almost a tear down and complete rebuild anyway from what I've seen because there's so much of it that's compromised. There's a tree growing through the back wall of it, wide open hole and a tree growing through it. So that tree has to be removed and all of that that whole back wall has got to be rebuilt.

Yeah. And all of that what you're saying already have someone that does that kind of work. That's how come saying that uh just with me with the chainsaw not going. So what you're saying it's kind of lining up with what we got going on electric and all that. Well to be not just electric. trees and then those people that you have they have to be licensed with the city. So if they're not licensed with us, yes, they got to be licensed over here, our licensed contractor. Yes. Oh, they licensed. Okay. So they would still have to get um from you all from us, but it would also have to go through a permitting process, right?

And be submitted. And I would I would imagine with the significance of what you're doing, plans would have to be submitted and and you know, it would almost be like a a new plan review, complete rebuild. I know. I exactly know what you're saying. So at that point, what you're the memories that you're holding on to, everything that that's going to be left, it's gone. It's not going to be there anymore because what's what's there is so compromised that you're going to have to remove it to meet the new codes. So

yes, could it be done? Yes, it could. But but reasonably and inexpensively, I just I don't see a path to get there. Gotcha. Thank you. Um the next question is the house that she's in is already grandfathering in with certain code what we can do where she will have to tear down certain part of the house and rebuild where she still would be able to um fix it once, you know, once. Are you like the grandfather in where certain rules apply to that house still or she have to start all over? Correct. Once you tear down that goes away, right? She tear down further and she still be grandfathered in. So

when you say grandfather I mean like the the structure on the house, right? But I'm saying like grandfather in like something distant from the house or whatever they had the code was filling the the building. Yeah, that's what I'm asking cuz I know um I experienced that with one of my family members where they just tore down part of the house and still, you know, build up the structure of it where he wouldn't have to go through all the code to rebuild the house. But long as he kept some of the old part of the house, he was okay. So that I'm just asking Miss She's with that brain with that. What's the current valuation of home? I am not sure. It's in the ass or is it not? Is it the market the market value?

33 33,000. So if the if the cost of the repairs for that home is more than 16 and a half $16,500, you've eclipsed 50% of the value of that home. There is a statute within the building code that states if the repairs are more than 50% of the current value of the home, everything has to be up to current code. So there is no grandfathering at that. Okay. So it all the totality of all the repairs would have to be below $16,500 for that to work.

And how long has this stuff been unattended? about

I knew she probably years might have been around 10 years when I it been a while you know trying to maintain it and get it back up to standards and getting different ones to do what they supposed to do and you find out they not and then you got to go back through someone else. So it been a lot but still in all it is. Thank you. Any other questions?

Okay. Um well, if there are any more questions or comments, that concludes our portion of it. And so I'll turn it back over to you guys to uh discuss and consider any action. My suggestion uh is that uh we can give them um at least the time for her children to um at least look at it. Um I'm I understand family values and I'm live in a family home myself. Um so I do understand that. Um but um just understand we are giving you a time frame. Um and that's if um you know everyone's in agreeance with that. Um so I would say at least because um several neighbors have come about the property to be honest. Um so that's how we got to the point that we are at. Um so I would say that at least by um committee meeting so the first part of September I think that's enough time to give you um to evaluate the uh situation and come back to um so committee meeting is the first Wednesday of September so that dates um would be September 3rd so I'm sorry next council meeting. So, it sounds like council maybe tonight would be vote to condemn it and give the property owner council meeting next council meeting to present the council with a plan on what they want to do with it. And then next month, the council will just decide whether to uh order it to be torn down or allow for repairs to be made.

September. So, just to clarify, there has to be a motion. You're going to condemnation is happening either way. It's either going to be a condemnation to demolish or be condemnation. We're giving you x amount of time to repair. So, what what I what I'm hearing is we're a move to uh condemn, but giving the property owner to assess the enough time to assess the balance to assess the property. And how long did you say you need? She didn't say she said um yeah she said maybe a week or two weeks

and and the reason why I say that cuz we all know how our sons and daughters are when they say they coming mama I'm coming and they never show up. So we might need to give her a little more time than two weeks. I I have a question. So are you guys saying September 10th 10th is for her to have a plan together or what are you guys saying for September? So, she said that she had sons

um that do different things. So, we're giving my suggestion is to give her enough time for them to go out to assess the property. It is my understanding that to fix it maybe more than the value anyway, but to give her that time and give them the time to at least look at it and assess and then revisit the situation and then we go from there. Okay. So September 10th, if if she says cuz I heard him say 16,000. Yeah. Right. That's the threshold for the 50% of the current market value.

So if they go into it September 10th, let's just say from now to September 10th, and make an adjustment, pick some stuff up or whatever, do they revisit that or what are we revisiting September 10th? I think so. So you can you come up to the mall? Yeah. I'm sorry. Okay. So my Go ahead, Council. I just wanted to explain. So tonight, the council is going to vote to either condemn it and order um your mother to demolish property

or they're going to what it seems like what's going to happen is they're going to condemn it and allow her what? two weeks a little more than two weeks to the 10th the the council meeting to the 10th to come back before the council and say hey I have my people sons contractors whoever look at the property I can repair it I cannot repair it but I think there needs to be an understanding that is way more than patching up right yes patching up

and I think it's going to be more than the actual value up. So it's basically if you think you can afford to pay this um you know basically to get it up to code to code and to you know look and so she would just have to come back here next month correct to that's the what the red is got that time yeah that council will assess it. Okay. Thank you. Okay. So, now we have a motion. Yeah. To condemn.

So, can I get a motion to condemn with allowing the time um for the September 10th meeting to address and assess the uh property? Motion by Counciloman Payne. Second by Councilwoman King. Roll call, please. Joseph, yes. Gordon, yes. Bubble. Yes. King. Yes. [Music] passes, ma'am. And Miss Richardson, you'll probably get something a not another notice in the mail from us uh for next month's meeting. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. So, item 13, alcohol beverage permits. Mr. Joseph,

14, announcements and correspondence. Um the first um announcement um our senior roundup is August 21st at Westbrook Community Center from 9 to 1. Um we asking for volunteers um and asking for our senior citizens to come out and enjoy the festivities. Um on August 28th um we will be partnering with Jack's Running Club. That will be our first partnership with them. um don't have to run and walk. Um but if they line up at Jack's Place on the corner of Port Street um at 6:15, I think they leave out. Um the next town hall meeting will be September 8th at 5:30 p.m. Please forward all questions to Miss Rose Rocher or Rocher at portallen.org or myself titan@portallen.org. any questions you have before the town hall meeting. Um again, that date will be September 8th, 5:30 p.m. here on the third floor. Um also tomorrow, um the permit office from the parish is coming to do an hour and a half long um training session with our utility um clerks downstairs um along with um our secretary and Mr. Joseph and myself about permitting and um initiation forms. They have a lot of regulations that's changing. Um so we will be on one accord. Our permits go to them. So uh Miss Jamie from the parish is coming to do a training. So please let your constituents and everyone know. Um we will be closed an hour and a half tomorrow. So if we get any questions, Facebook and whatever, um we are closing um for the meeting so the ladies can properly be able to train and ask the

questions that they need to ask. 10:00 training starts at 10:00 a.m. in the morning.

Um also, um utility bills uh have the 10th of the month on it for past due amounts. So any past dues we've been giving to the 15th of the month um is running into some issues. Um we are training one of the meter readers. Um so we are changing that. The bill stayed the 10th so we're not changing anything as far as that. We've just allowed to the 15th. So the next day um the 11th the next business day should I say um we will start cut offs. So starting September 11th, we will start cut off. So please get the word out to anyone um that you know may have a pass due amount. Um starting September, we will start the very next day uh business day and thereafter we will start the very next business day. Um that's all I have. Do I have anything? Uh the hazardous uh cleanup the hazardous material collection uh I think Miss Rose brought this up at committee meeting is October 25th from 8 to 12 at Alexander Park in Brewing. Um we have flyers here. I think we'll post it probably on the on the website and on our Facebook page. Um what's accepted and what's not accepted. Motion

motion by councilwoman go second by council pain where you got take Yeah.