City Council - Regular Meeting

The agenda June the 6th, I'm sorry, June the 2nd, 2026. Myself, Mr. Fowler, Mr. Larvidan, 445 PM. Elephant City Council meetings and council committee meetings are broadcast live and may be viewed live by the public on Optimum Cable Channel 4. A rebroadcast may be viewed on Optimum Cable Channel 4 and the City of Alexandria website, www.cityofalexandrialuisiana.com. One item on the agenda, to consider final adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the award of $2 million from Louisiana DOTD Transportation Alternate Program TAP for the construction of downtown sidewalks improvements, phase one, item 27. Mayor? Yes.

That's called TAP, we call it, but call it. But in any event, we received a grant award of $2 billion for those purposes. It will cover the Rapides Parish Courthouse area, the Rapides, across from that, the GATA side as well, the Rapides Parish Jail and Garage, the COA Customer Service Building, the RAPC area, which is over Johnson, the COA city court, the genealogical library, and KLB areas. So Johnston to 6th to 9th, Foise to Soda to Washington, 8th Murray to Washington, Washington Street, Foise to 5th. That's the scope of the work. Sidewalks and associated curb ramps will be included. The sidewalk design and construction will conform to previously constructed sidewalks and curb with bulb outs, tree wells and installation of conduit and junction boxes for future street lighting. We have made sure that any tree wells will not repeat some of the sins of the old where the wells were small. There were some designs done way back in both Ned and probably it could have been some in Spark wherever The grates and the wells, you see where the trees can get too big and the roots. So it's a common thing happening in cities where you get some push-up from that in the ground. So this is going to be different sized than that to make sure that we don't have that happen. The previously constructed improvements include the area surrounding the Central Louisiana Community and Technical College. And we went over all of those areas. There's a map that we'll Really wish I could have it blown up for you guys, but I'm going to pass it down to the committee members and y'all can take a look at the scope and scale. So good project. Sidewalks in those areas would cover the places most walked, if you think about it. It's the government infrastructure, some restaurant infrastructure, KLB, around the jail and all that. So if you look at the focus, it would be in the most walked areas for new sidewalks. Needed it for quite a few years. Pretty excited about that one.

I'll make a motion. Second. Before we go farther, Mayor, it's hidden in committees. On Foise Street, do we go all the way back toward Monroe to Rapids to the hospital? I'm looking at this now.

Foise is DeSoto Street to Washington.

Okay.

So some of the area... So some of that area, good question, Mr. Green. would be picked up in the Foysey Street MPO road project. So we'd pick it up on that end. And that way we can focus more in this walk part here.

Okay. I know we discussed it in MPO meetings. I just wanted to make sure for the public themselves to be aware of what was inclusive in this project.

So as you've led on MPO for that, you've just hit it. That big project we have for foys in the MPO that's coming up, that would be where we would catch anything on the sidewalks on that end.

Okay. Because Fonzie Street itself is horrific. It is. The whole city knows. You need a front end line that wants you to drive down it. All right. Mr. Larvin.

I made a motion to be seconded.

Seconded. All right. With the motion and second, we move this forward to the regular committee meeting at 5 o'clock. That's item number 27. And I thank you, administration, for your explanations and the map. Do you have another map?

I do.

Thank you.

And we'll make copies and bring it down for full council.

Thank you. Economic Workforce and Planning and Development Committee concludes. Thank you all. Googie, you still own stuff around?

Meetings are broadcast live.

It may be viewed live by the public on Optum Cable Channel 4. A rebroadcast may be viewed on Optum Cable Channel 4 in the City of Alexandria website. We're going to have the invocation by Councilman Fowler and the pledge of allegiance by Councilman Green.

Please watch over us while we have this meeting.

May I 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,

We have approval of amendments taken from the regular meeting held on May 19th. I need a motion for that, please. And a second? Second. Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman Johnson. Any public comments? What section of the written minutes would you like to make a comment on? If it's not in the written minutes, there will not be any discussion or comments, only in the minutes. If you have any questions pertaining to any item on the agenda, please contact the administration before or after the meeting. Discussion? Public comments? All in favor?

Aye.

Oh, I'm sorry. Come on, Mr. White.

Thank you, Madam President. We appreciate you.

You're welcome.

My name is Mr Cornelius Lawson White, Jr. I live at 3638 10th Street. My zip is 71302. My phone number is area code 3184466934. First, I heard about you talking about your husband. I hope and pray he'll be all right and everything and you'll be better. Thank you. The only thing I disagree with the minutes, ma'am, is that I spoke out about something and I got a bill from the city. And I don't think that was right. What kind of bill you would give? Well, I told about trash pickup and I told about the street sweepers not coming in our neighborhoods and stuff. And so I got charged $300 for limbs.

That's something you're going to have to take up after the meeting or with the administration, Mr. White? That's not in the...

Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. I do appreciate you letting me sit.

You're welcome. Public comments? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

F, consent calendar. Number one, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low-bid submit by hydrants and related accessories. Number two, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low bid submitted for Clemson Coplands. Number three, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low bid submitted for sulfur dioxide, technical grade, liquid type, one ton cylinders for the wastewater department. Number four, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low bid submitted for natural gas, welding services for the gas department. Madam President, we did not receive any bids today on this item, and the administration is requesting that this item be re-advertised. So I need a motion and a second. Second.

Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman Johnson.

Public comments.

Public comments. Discussion.

That's item number five? Item number four.

All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number five, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the local submitted for minimum of 130 passenger trolley. Number six, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a professional service agreement with Ballard CLC Inc. for downtown sidewalk improvements, phase one. Number seven, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Terracon Consultants for Environmental Engineering and Consulting Services. Number eight, introduction of the ordinance. Authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Control Devices Inc. for testing, calibration, and maintenance of substations and the DG HANA generating station, relays, meters, and related equipment.

Second. Second. Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman Johnson. Any items to the committee? Okay.

G, resolutions. Resolution authorizing the acceptance of the Cassatchewan 24-inch bypass phase one project.

Motion, please. Move. Second. Motion by Councilman Beloyed, second by Councilman Fowler. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 10, resolution authorizing the mayor to submit the 2025-2026 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report, CAPER 2 HUD.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second.

Second.

Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? Discussion? Yes.

You go first, Brother Lee. Here we go. Item 10, page 17. of this agenda. I saw the planning director in here. My question is, public housing is administered by the City of Alexandria Housing and AAH. During the course of the last two weeks, Mayor, I want to know, and I got to put my book Sunday, so I didn't continue anything. The Saints were over at 4015 Lakeside Drive. It also states that the residents have monthly meetings But I got several calls, and the people say when they report anything, they retaliate against them and want to evict them. The sanctuary. These people are living in deplorable conditions, as we spoke a couple weeks ago about slums, and I can truly say it's slummish. Grants is high. Trash hadn't picked up in a while. And I noticed that they said that there are some city employees that are part of this board. Is Mr. Smith available to talk to us about that, or can you discuss? The sanctuary, it's a private property, but they receive HUD funding. So since this is going to be a HUD-submitted thing, excuse me.

They may receive vouchers or whatever from HUD, but they're not part of the city's paper or plan. And I don't think, Mr. Green, they would be part of the AHA. interact with AHA in contracts etc as you said but the AHA is a separate political subdivision from the city so okay to remove the sanctuary is a private business although I would join you in your assessment of its operations correct I did speak with the manager on duty the regional manager in Shreveport and the owner of

from New Jersey called me and said he's in the process of trying to sell it. My next statement on this, sir, city codes, the grass is high. We write citizens' tickets for grass. We ticket them for trash. Code enforcement, where they stand in doing something, I know it's private property, but it's in the city limits of Alexandria.

Code?

Sorry?

Within the complex, if it's open and obvious code enforcement violations, code enforcement can do things and should. Typically, a closed complex like that would not. There's so much other area that they have to cover. They would not, but we are aware of the complaints and are intending to follow up on those complaints separately. We would not go through all of those here, but the sanctuary... Again, I'll join you in it and maybe have some additional intel about the operations there. They need to not only comply, they need to have management rethink the way in which they operate the sanctuary. That's my opinion.

I appreciate that. You say enclosed. Are you thinking it's an extension? A gated community is not gated. You could drive through one.

No, I just mean that typically code enforcement does not go into a complex like that at the same level it does open and obvious things on the street because they're responsible and do things different. It's a commercial operation. So, for example, trash on the street, the city picks up and it's part of what taxpayers receive. Theirs is all commercial. Like, what's operated in there, they're supposed to provide for. They're supposed to keep clean. And unless we get a complaint like we now have, but it's mostly from official complaints that came by way of what people saw on social media, we wouldn't necessarily know. So, like you, our notice of it came strongly that way.

Okay.

But that's nothing to do with... That's not the caper. Sir? That has...

That's what I'm going to do with the caper. To get it clear, like I said, I got this Monday, Sunday evening, and I didn't get a chance to follow through and send you anything.

Okay.

But the fact of the matter is that I myself went to the Louisiana Health Department along with Representative LaVanne and filed a complaint against these people. So this is just atrocious that someone lives like this and within the citizens of Alexandria like that. Thank you for your response. Thank you, Madam President.

So the complaint was filed against the owner of this That's actually a complex. Okay.

May I go? Okay. Mayor, what is this report? What is what? We just went over it two weeks ago. Well, yeah, but I mean, I know you went over it, but I mean, let's kind of refresh because I know people watch and may have some questions and they don't have the book.

I'm not sure how to state it. It states what it is. It's the 2006-27 Draft annual action plan. Each year, any cities that are participating cities that receive community development block grant and home funds must submit a yearly report. They also have to submit a five-year CAPER plan. And this is the one year that we look at each year, and then there's a five-year plan. All of this is subject to federal law in the Code of Federal Regulations, which are the fill in the big the skeleton right so if the if the federal statutory scheme is the skeleton all the little parts that get filled in come by way of the regulations and there are a lot of them and as you know shirley branham is the person responsible for those compliance items the caper each year we prepare as an action plan and that describes all the projects and activities that you would implement within the specific year, and it has to carry out the strategies of the consolidated plan, including the five-year plan. The document is May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. And so in this one, we took note of, as we discussed two weeks ago, the demand for owner-occupied homeownership of affordable housing as a significant increase in both our focus and what we want this to shift to.

So pause right there. So the city is working on helping current homeowners improve their property?

Yes, and in trying to help folks obtain homeownership. Okay.

All right. Now, I get the first part. That makes perfect sense. I see there's a property going on off 3rd Street, I think the 2800 block of 3rd.

Douglas.

Tell me about, let's revisit the efforts that the city has undertaken to help people acquire homes.

Okay, well we'll just prepare a separate report and go over that in detail. Okay. As you know, I issued an executive order that gave planning the directive to shift all of the historical activity toward homeownership, to stop focusing on other things as much as that. And they have done that. And they've issued a report and we've published it. And so if you give me specific questions you want, I'll not only come back and answer them here, I'll make sure we do an FAQ and put that out as frequently asked.

Home ownership is very important to me. I just want to make sure, I guess, for the people and for myself to know the efforts the city has undertaken to help improve that.

Okay. And look, just to let people know, we'll go over how we provide for occupied housing rehab. That's one method, as you just said. But the real increase is toward affordable housing opportunity. So separately from taking care of fixing someone's house would be this move toward how do we help people secure housing down payment gaps and those kinds of things that get them into a home. And in the CAPER at page four, you can see under B, under the executive summary, so it's section two, subsection B, it speaks toward those things. It lists the amount of properties and we also talked about last, two weeks ago, to focus the remaining $748,500 on home new construction efforts. So you can see a real shift since the two of us started and the team started this push off of historical what we did toward home ownership. As you know, Mr. Lauderdale, those challenges came from lots of the owned homes properties couldn't qualify for the fix-up because there's someone renting in them. So what we're trying to do is get people into purchasing a home and owning that home and that shift has been sort of long awaited and I was happy to see this council really champion that more than councils in the past. There's been always a focus on rental and I think it was the proper thing to do to pivot toward ownership.

Okay, so how much time do you think you need to get that report?

We'll have that for the next meeting. But if you tell me specifics, you won't answer.

Well, it's kind of hard for me to know the specifics when you guys do all the working of it, you know, the whiz divage. I'll go behind the council, the curtain. We don't get to go back there to see all the internal workings. Now, if you've invited me to go, I'll gladly go, so I can't have more specific questions.

Well, so I would say I appreciate that. But this is now the two times common, yet no questions come in between the meetings. And so I would say that it's easier to answer if we know these are the things you'd like to see. We can help prepare any customized frequently asked questions you want. But it's all in here. There's an executive summary that answers.

I'll look through it, but, you know, just a lot of people who are watching and listening, they don't have the privilege of looking and

Well, I could go over that in more detail now if the council wants. I can read the executive summary. Sure. You won't like me to read the whole executive summary?

Well, you don't need to read it, man. You can paraphrase it, man. But I want people to know that this city and council is committed towards affordable housing. You know? Right. Well... Have I caught y'all going, Mayor? Have I caught y'all going?

No, not at all. Okay.

All right.

Yeah. Okay. It just... I know what you're doing. You're trying to.

No, I'm not trying to catch up.

But I get it. It's election season.

No, I'm not trying to do that. I just want to hear about this program.

It's just if you ask a question like what does the caper do, that was your opening question, and you look at a document, this is just the summary document, and you think about the five-year plan, it's a bad question in It does a lot of things, but I can go through it. So I'm willing to read the short executive summary, but now you're asking me to summarize the summary like I'm taking a test, and it's not intense.

We're not doing that. Why don't we just take and meet with you so we have our own questions.

Tell you what, why don't we just do another presentation? Yes.

I have one comment before we move on. So on page 13, one thing that stuck out to me that I just wanted to highlight, it talks about, well, first of all, we see the condemnations that we do and the houses that we tear down and we put a systematic effort to, you know, make, clean things up and the houses that are dilapidated and causing issues, we know that we tear down a lot and we have, but really we don't see the other side of what their office sees but I was pleased to see that the city successfully motivated 77 homeowners to voluntarily demolish their own substandard structures so to me that was a really good thing to notice because like you said we see yeah the day-to-day workings all the time and get all that feedback and so that was to me that was a big number of people that are actually taking responsibility for their own properties and taking care of it. And so then that is more taxpayer dollars that can go toward other things. So anyway, I just wanted to highlight that, and I think that's very well done by that department.

Those 77 houses probably saved the city a million dollars.

Yeah. Yeah, a lot of money. And probably made a lot of neighbors very happy to not have these homes that are falling down next door or across the street or wherever. Okay.

So all I have to do is take care of the grass now that it's a lot. And that's better than seeing her sore-eyed home.

That's good.

And really, more on the homeownership if we need to today.

And I give credit where credit's due. I appreciate the administration and the steps you've taken to deal with blight. Thank you. Yes.

You had a lot of houses.

Yeah, I appreciate that. So I give credit where credit's due. So kudos to you, Mayor, and your staff for getting that done.

We expect to identify another 150 properties in Blight. Again, the home, that's the acronym, H-O-M-E, homeowner assistance activities of up to $100,000 per qualified purchaser to provide an opportunity for homeownership as well as provide $40,000 in CDBG housing counseling, homeowner education services, for all to improve the financial readiness and promote sustainable homeownership. That's really in a nutshell what that homeownership program does. The CDBG program delivery funds can be used to pay soft costs that are for the housing counseling and homeowner assistance programs. And what I started out with, which is I think the most important thing, is that remaining $750,000 toward new construction efforts.

Now, what are soft costs, Mayor? For the people listening, that'd be closing costs?

Yeah, legal and other types of things that go into it. You want to give a list of all of our soft costs? They could differ in the commercial versus this, but I think it's private. For this, I believe it's primarily down payment assistance.

There's the financial education piece. which isn't required for the transaction, but of course it's good practice.

It lists the soft costs as the counseling, homeowner, and all that, but as lawyers, we would call soft costs a little different than that in the commercial.

Try to get the credit, show them how to get the credit scores up, things like that.

Do we have quite a few participants that actually participate in that program?

Good question.

Can you give us an idea of the level of success you have with that program?

Well, this is forward-looking for the homeownership assistance program piece. I know that they've done...

This is new.

Yeah, well, I do know that they have... As you know, you've been a part of, is moving toward homeownership off of... the more traditional route.

And as we saw two weeks ago in that, so that was the looking back, what they've done over the previous year, in previous years, they have done that homeowner assistance, credit counseling, that kind of home buyer assistance program before, not in terms of developing the properties themselves, but I don't have the numbers before, but I know that they have had people participate in those programs to get education, finance education, how to make their mortgage payment, all that stuff.

So the city actually offers that training, or are you working with a third-party vendor to do that?

I'm actually not certain of that, but I can find out if we can get you more information. All right.

It's offered in consultation, and if you go to page six, you can see some of the citizen participation programming and how we do that outreach, where the target areas are, and then there are also some attachments that... show you the goal descriptions, and then lay out each thing that are happening. But again, the pivot toward the ownership is the newer focus than we've had in years past, and that's been by choice. Years ago, your brother had always been an ownership guy, if you will. I was always an ownership guy, but in times past, councils felt strongly that rental was critical and that had tended to be the focus. It doesn't make either of them wrong. It does, in my opinion, having looked at this for years enough to get a continuum, if you will, longer look at it, a view, I think that the focus on rental is not something we should be only married to. We should really, really strongly look at ownership because it changes the way people feel about their neighborhoods. It changes the engagement in a neighborhood. When you own, it leads to better results. And so the counseling and education, while great, I think the councilman is making a point without saying, and I'll make it, which is to say that's great, but if you don't have the money assistance part to get there, I was going to say hollow. I wouldn't say useless. I would say it could still help people get educated and know where to go, but close. If you don't have the assistance, the cash, then it won't matter as much. And so through all of this, I guess the biggest thing to say is just really proud that they're moving on it, but proud that this council sees Not that it was wrong, written in the past, but that this council sees that pivot in American society today is critical if you're going to see some change at that deeper level.

So these other meetings that Ms. Shirley used to have, I kind of remember her having the meetings at the convention hall and one at Broadway on Bolton Avenue, getting the people to come fill out the applications. and try to qualify them for the home?

Yes.

Is that the same program?

It is, but I would just say that the degree to which that was a focus in many, many years for the city of Alexandria is changed with this. Look, it's not being political or being wishy-washy or scared. When you hear me pause about saying there's nothing wrong with rental, I do that on purpose because so many people rent here. And we have never thought that's not part of the pie. You have to have that. And, in fact, some young folks that are well-to-do in larger cities, they choose to rent. There's a whole thing about that. What we're saying here is Alexandria's unique problems need a big piece of the pie, a bigger piece than in years past, focused on getting people in a home that they own because it transists the neighborhood positively.

Yes. Are you done? I'm done.

Thank you, ma'am. 751 clients assisted. That was your answer. That's good.

All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Number 11, resolution authorizing advertisement for bid for annual vehicle bid current model year or newer.

A motion, please. Move. Second.

Second.

Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman The Lord. Public comments, Mr. White?

Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome.

The only thing I say is I say always all these local car businesses and stuff, we need to try to shop local and stay local. I know Hickson used to have the... law enforcement contract and stuff like that. So let's try to shop local and be local and give our local car businesses the business.

Thank you, Mr. White. All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Number 12, resolution authorizing advertisement for bids for Jackson Street gas main replacement.

Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second. Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 13, resolution authorizing advertisement for bids for liquid chlorine one-time cylinders for the water and wastewater department.

Motion, please. Move. Second.

Second.

Motion by Council Member Lloyd, second by Councilwoman Felder. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. H. Can we stop right here and let me recognize the the Deltas because I believe they have something to go to if that's okay with you guys. Well, it's about respect. So if y'all can see all that red out there, you already know who it is. But we have the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. It's a nationally recognized organization. We're happy to have them and some of their members here today. Do you have anyone that just would like to make a small comment about your organization? Okay. Okay.

Good evening, Mayor, council members, and guests. I am Connie Baker, the president of the Alexandria, Louisiana Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Our 113-year-old sorority is dedicated to sisterhood, scholarship, service, and social action. On behalf of our officers and members, I would like to thank you for welcoming us to tonight's council meeting. We appreciate the opportunity to be here and to observe the important work that you do on behalf of the citizens of Alexandria. Thank you for your service, your leadership, and commitment to the community. We are grateful for your hospitality and look forward to continuing to support, for you to continue to support and serve our communities, and we can do that together. Ladies, would you just stand to be recognized?

I have a question. Ms. Baker, how many active members do you have in this? 117.

Here?

That's good.

Well, I would like to thank you all for the services that you also provide to the community. There are things that you guys do that is so important to help the community. So for that, I thank you all.

Thank you. Madam President, may I say one thing? I want to thank the Deltas for coming and my mom was Janetta Robinson White and she was one of the founding sisters of the Deltas of Alexandria and stuff. I know she loved y'all and stuff, and she would really love to be here to see this, and thank you for giving the tribute to all the Deltas. So God bless you, Deltas, and God bless America.

Thank you, Mr. White. Thank you. Okay. Ready.

H, ordinances for final adoption subject to public hearing. Number 14, to consider final adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the low bid submitted for gas meters and ITRON Earths. The administration is requesting that this item be delayed for two weeks. Motion delayed. Second.

Motion delayed by Councilman Fowler. Second by Councilman Johnson. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 15, to consider found option of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept a low bid submitted for janitory supplies.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Floyd. Second. Second by Councilman Johnson. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 16, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with FLOC to provide investigative support for the Alexandria Police Department. Madam President, the administration is requesting that this item be delayed. Motion delayed.

Motion delayed by Councilman Beloyed. Second by Councilman Fowler. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 17, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Taylor's Gates for landscape maintenance services at Alexandria Gateways.

Motion, please. Move. Motion by Councilman Beloyed. Second. Second by Councilman Fowler. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

Motion carried. Number 18, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Tailorscapes for landscape maintenance services at Acadian Park.

Motion, please. Move. Motion by Council Member Lloyd. Second.

Second.

Second by Councilwoman Phil to public comments, discussion.

All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 19, to consider final adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Tailorscapes for landscape maintenance services at HDQ Park.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second.

Second.

Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 20, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Taylor Scapes for landscape maintenance services at Compton Park.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second.

Second.

Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? All Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 21, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the lowest proposal received from Taylor Scapes for landscape maintenance services at 3rd Street, Rain Garden.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Johnson, second by Councilman Fowler. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 22, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the lowest proposal received from Taylor Scapes for landscape maintenance service at Bolton Avenue Rain Gardens.

Motion, please. Second. Second. Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman Valort. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 23, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the lowest proposal received from U.S. Lawns of Alexandria for landscape maintenance service at Rapeseed Trail.

Motion, please.

Move.

Second. Second. Motion by Councilman Lauerding. Second by Councilman Johnson. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 24, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Yankee Holder doing business as Yankee Clipper for landscape maintenance service at Holocaust Park.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second.

Second.

Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? Okay. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 25, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to renew the existing contract with Kaplan's Inc. for uniformed beer for the police department.

Motion, please. Motion by Councilman Beloyed. Councilman Fowler. Second. Second. Second by Councilman Johnson. Public comments? Mr. White? Thank you, Madam President. You're welcome.

So I'm glad that we're looking at Kaplan's. I've shopped there many a time. My dad shopped there. My godfather, who was the city marshal here, Big Jim Bird, shopped there many a time. So I'm hoping and praying that you'll, like I say, shop local, stay local, buy local. And Kaplan's have been a loyal customer of the Alexandria Police Department and other police departments, military police and sheriff's departments and stuff like that.

Thank you, and I agree with you on shop and local, Mr. White. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 26, to consider filing adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a professional services agreement with Booth and Associates on an electric load study for Twin Bridges substation in the LA-28 West area.

Motion, please. Second.

Second.

Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second by Councilman Beloyed. Public comments? Discussions? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Number 27, to consider file adoption of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to accept the award of $2 million from LADOTD Transportation Alternative Program TAP for the construction of downtown sidewalks improvements baseline.

Motion, please. I'm sorry.

Move.

Mr. Green?

No, I said I found through a motion.

Okay. A second?

A second.

Motion by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Lomberdine. Public comments? Mr. White?

That's 27? Mm-hmm. Okay. The only thing I wanted... say, too, I know in our community we need sidewalks back because the old folks disabled and the kids are walking out in the middle of the street in my area. So I don't know if you can have some funding to put sidewalks in our areas to keep our kids and elderly and stuff like that disabled from being in the middle of the road to get hit or anything like that. So I just wanted to bring that up.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. White. Discussion? All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Number 28, consider following the option of an ordinance rezoning property located at 1776 Elliott Street from B3, General Business District, to the SF2, Single Family District, to allow for residential use and other matters with respect thereto.

Motion, please. Move. Motion by Councilman Beloyed, second by Councilman Fowler. Public comments? Discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried.

Aye. Resolution public hearing community development number 29 to continue public hearing to consider condemnation on the following structure located at 1505 2nd Street Richard Hunter Holloway et al.

Motion please. Second. Motion by Councilman Fowler. Second by Councilman Johnson to open the public hearing. Motion by I'm sorry, public comment. Public comment? Discussion? All in favor?

Just open the hearing.

Okay, just open it up.

Any opposed? Motion carried. Ms. Alway, do you have anything you'd like to say?

We need to turn it over to the administration.

Okay, very briefly, this property is 1505 2nd Street, also known as 1505 Main Street. It is located near the overpass where the Pineville Expressway goes over the river near the CLCTC has a building over there and it's a White House with a... So that's the house at issue. The administration is requesting that the council condemn it at this time. Notice was served on the owners. I checked the USPS tracking. It did get delivered. The owner is here so notice was successfully accomplished. So we request that it be condemned. Oh, yes.

Yes. Yes.

Councilmember, my name is Marion French. I'm an attorney. I'm here representing Mr. Richard Holloway. Mr. Holloway and his sister own this property, and right now he is in the process of trying to enter into a contract for two different people to purchase this property. And we would respectfully request that you continue this to give him time to effectuate that contract. Hopefully he can put a deal together where he can sell the property and try to put it back into commerce, which would be good. So the property's been there a while. We understand that. It used to belong to Mike Jenkins. We all know Mike Jenkins. It used to belong to his mother. His mother used to live there. As a matter of fact, his mother was born in that house. So we're working with a couple of different entities to try to effectuate a sale to do something with the property, and we wish you would give us time to do that. If you'd please consider that.

And how much time are you asking for?

We're asking for... Well, we have no objection if you want to defer this matter to the United Nations, and we can get that decided by December of next year.

But as an alternative to this, 90 days would be good.

Please. Is the house boarded up? No.

Currently, there are transits and vagrants who are getting into the structure. The city would like to have it go ahead and condemned, but that's up to the council. It's a public safety issue.

I have a question. First of all, I love that house. It reminds me of my house on Polk Street, some of the architecture of it.

Oh, yeah.

So I've always loved it. Now, if the house is in condemnable condition, us condemning it I mean, that's not going to change whether it sells or not. I mean, I think it's safe to say that the house is in that condition.

The people who are interested may want to consider doing something with it, and that may be part of the deal that they entered into. So I hate to preclude that.

Right. So, I mean, it's my understanding that they would still be able to have the option of rehabilitating it,

That's correct. The condemned structure can still be rehabbed. Often when we make the recommendation that it gets demolished, that's really a financial consideration. Right. But it is up to that person whether they want to rehab it or demolish it. It would start the clock, though. So condemnation, once notice is received, they would have 30 days, at which point the city would turn it over to a city contractor.

Right.

So regardless of ownership.

I think 90 days is a little long. We'll take 60. Can we give Google 60?

Well, Mr. French, now, I understand your advocacy for your product, and I appreciate what you're doing here, but my concern is if you are successful in selling it and the new person gets the house and they sit on it, then where are we?

Well, he'd have the same problem that we're having. They would be purchasing it with the idea and the intent of doing something with it, whatever that may be, whether it's to... to, you know, resurrect the house, put it back together, or to demolish it and do something else with the property. We would like to have that alternative in our bags so we can negotiate with that. I just don't want to have this thing, a condemnation order implemented while we're trying to negotiate the sale of it. It would certainly assist us if it... Are you actively negotiating as we speak?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

I just want to point out this is a pretty serious situation. We already continued this once. That was because I had spoken with Mr. French and said that we were going to continue it from March to June. I didn't know that it was set for hearing here. Was it set for hearing here in March? It came up and the city voluntarily continued it because we had that discussion that it wouldn't come up until the summer. We did have that conversation quite some time ago.

Because I know that house has been like that for years and Even today when I passed by and I was like, what are we going to do about this house?

Yes, ma'am, something needs to be done with it.

I realize it is an I, so I thought it was like a historical home or something, but it isn't.

It actually is the second, well, excuse me, it's the oldest house in Alexandria in the same place because they moved the Kent house, so that is the oldest house in Alexandria in the same place.

Well, I'll forgive him the extension. I mean...

I wish that... Something's going to be done with it, y'all. We know that's going to happen.

But we know how long will something be done with it. That's the question.

The people I'm talking to, two different people I'm talking to, one of them is wanting to move fairly quickly and rehabbing it. If you look on the inside, it's very sturdy on the inside. Yes, I understand that little piece on the porch fell or whatever, but inside it's

There's a rear wall that's missing. There is. I mean, it's open to the elements in the back.

Something's got to be done.

We don't dispute that. We just wish we had that time in order to effectuate something. And I don't have a condemnation order implemented while we're trying to make that discussion. Put that together.

My thing is, if they really want to do it, 60 days and how come i can save the city the cost of tearing it down or whatever but if 60 days doesn't happen i can't go anything i can't go any further okay and i like to save the city some money and if y'all can get it done without us putting money in it more power to you yeah i got a question how does this process work in the event

That Mr. Holloway is able to sell it in 30 days and there's a new owner and for some reason they said we must start this process all over again. May I respond?

If we sell it to a prospective buyer and their intent is to do something with the property, they would then come here before the council and say here are our plans, this is what we're going to do and this is our timetable. So that way you know that nobody's dragging their feet, nobody's trying to put this off and nobody's trying to delay it.

To answer your specific question, these notices are filed in the mortgage records, but it is good for third parties. So I believe the statute would say that we wouldn't necessarily have to start over. But starting over is 10 days notice, so it wouldn't be difficult to get a new owner back in front of the council.

I'd say go back just 30 days, because then you've got 30 days and you've got 30 more days until they come back here and you've got another 30 days.

That'd be $60,000.

So that's $60,000.

Mrs. Smith and Mr. French and Mr. Holloway, is it possible for you all to board the place up now while in the process of waiting for the sale of the property?

Yes, sir.

That would be a big help in boarding it up because the homeless people are in and out.

They are in it. They are in it. I've seen it myself in it.

And it would be greatly appreciated if you would take the initiative to board it up. At least we know what you're trying. Yes, sir. And the 60 days that the council is speaking of would work well. Thank you.

I have another request. I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Are you good? Mm-hmm. I don't know if you have already filed a no trespassing with the police department on that property.

Well, they said just put signs up, and I have some around the house.

Okay, so if you can file that with the police department, that way that if there are homeless people or people that are not, you know, authorized to be on the property, they have the authorization to get them to leave.

The no trespassing signs are up.

Correct me if I'm wrong, we still need...

There's a specific authorization and implementation for the police department.

It's a very simple thing. Let's do this right here. Let's say the sales fall through, and you guys know it's going to fall through. Could you guys come back and give us a heads up? So 60 days pending your sale. Sure.

And the board's up before the weekend?

The board's up before the weekend. Probably do it all the weekend.

That's fine.

And we get it boarded up. How's that? 60 days boarded up house by the weekend.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

And I did have a question for y'all. Maybe y'all know. I don't know. But I had always heard that when the historical group came in here in the 70s, maybe, and they made a downtown historical district and every facility in downtown was a historical building. I mean, I actually looked it up, but I didn't bring it with me. But it did have to be. Not his. No.

Sorry.

I'm just saying, I thought it was because it said that it wasn't a historical building, but it is a historical building. I mean, it was recognized officially as one back in the 70s.

But nobody took the initiative to actually find out if it was a historical building because if someone would have done that, then I'm sure by now the historical organization would have maybe went and restored the home?

Well, we've actually tried to find that out, and all I was able to find online was the thing where they came in in the 70s and they put all of downtown Alexandria as a historical location.

in the historic district, but I don't know that that actually puts it on the historic register.

It doesn't. It doesn't. Okay, so 90 days, board up by Wednesday. 60 days. I'm sorry, 60 days, board up by the weekend.

And I do have one more question. Just for our knowledge, if you aren't able to secure a buyer for the property, what is your intention, to demolish the property?

I'd have to, yeah. Okay, all right.

Okay, can we have a motion? Move. And second? Second. To close the public hearing. All right. No, no, no, we've got to vote. We've got to vote. Public comments. Oh, public comments. Public comments. Discussion.

Can we clarify which meeting that will be, just so we're all clear? Because, you know, 60 days falls in the middle of the week. Would that be the August 11th meeting? Is that correct?

I'm not really sure because I don't know.

I'm not sure. So, in other words, this item will be on the August 11th agenda. The clerk will clarify for us later. We'll make sure that you guys know. And we'll send another notice. Okay. Yes. Thank you. Thank y'all. Okay. Thank y'all for your attention.

Okay. We'll be looking for that boarded-up house.

All in favor? All in favor?

Any opposed? Motion carried. Public hearing.

We need a motion and a second to close the public hearing.

A motion to close the public hearing.

Second. Second.

Motion by Councilman Fowler, second by Councilman Johnson. Public comments? Public comments. Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carried. Public hearing is closed and the meeting is adjourned.