Council Committee - Regular Meeting

the other one. Nobody's here from You got anything up? [Music] Regular meeting of the mayor and the city council, city of Port Allen, Louisiana, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers. Each person must decide before entering the 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 agenda item. Agenda, please silence all electronic devices. Call to order. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. 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 pap. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of May 14th, 2025. I make a

motion to approve the minutes. Motion by Councilwoman Gordon. Second by Councilman Payne. Anyone from the audience? Roll callley. Mild here. Yes. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Mr. Hubble. Yes. Miss King. Yes. Payne. Yes. Motion passes. Number five, public comments. Comments from the public are allowed in accordance with LA R-S 42 col1 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. And uh number six, special recognition of the following employees who are retiring from the city of Port Allen. Um we asked for Terry Coy to come up. So I just want to say um it was a pleasure to work with you. Of course, I found you here once I when I when I started. Um but um I enjoyed getting to know you and your family. Um we grew I grew with you all. Um you started well I started I before I was married before I had my second child. So you were there for all those events and I just want to say thank you. Um, and I appreciate you, your work ethic, and we are going to miss you, but we do think you've trained our guys very well. So hopefully we won't have to call you back anytime soon. So, um, this says, "City of Port Allen, Terry P. boy in recognition of 29

years of dedicated and professional service to the water and gas department as a meteor April 1st 1996 to retirement date May 30th 2025. So you want to say something first? U what you mentioned was family and that's what it's all about and everybody had their ways of you know the family and this is part of my family being with the community. Okay. Thank you. Come on. Come on. You know picture my pain. Okay, real quick. If your family wants to come take a picture real quick. Are you

Okay. Then we have uh Mr. Right. Christopher from the police department. And we have the boxes so y'all can get the boxes before you do. Yeah. Good afternoon everyone. I'm sorry. Good evening everyone. We have uh Sergeant Christopher here standing before who's given 33 years of service to the community and to the agency and he is retired. Um, I like to congratulate him um for a job well done. And it's sort of fitting to kind of be right here in in this position because when I first got hired by Port PD in 2014, I was assigned to none other than Sergeant Chris Ship and and I worked that shift um for many years. Learned a lot from him. He was a great leader. Um I think all all the characteristics the one that talks to most the the most to me is his compassion, right? Your compassion will take you a long way. You can know a lot. You can be a leader, but you also have to be compassion. Um that's your ability to connect with other people and um issues they may be going through, be able to pat them on the back, whatever they need to continue in this job field. So I'm really excited for him. Time is one thing that you can never buy back. And although I'm glad that he gave 33 years, I'm more excited because now he can spend every minute of his day strictly dedicated to himself and his family. So mind give him a round of applause for

I just want to say something. Uh it was a pleasure working with you. Um even though we uh football season we were rivalries, we always and the two Gmen are together, but um we always uh clowned around about Southern and Garland. So uh he was one of two. Uh Mr. Ivory is my first Gman that um you know I I very fond of and and Freddy is the the second re you still working on it. But um you know we always clowned about it. But seriously um I appreciate you looking out for Jaci. She was supposed to be here but she had to work. She was going to surprise you. But she wanted to tell you congratulations as well. And like I said from my family to yours, we do appreciate you helping during the tragic event we went through and I would always um you know appreciate you for that. Come on up. Take a picture. Thank everybody. Thank God all of this went through all these years. Thank Keith Brown got it right. He gave me a chance. Thank my wife. She put up with me. All y on the board. I know everybody. Hey, almost everybody here. Thank y'all. Uh I'm going still be around. So I'll still be here. We'll talk in November. Why you classic? You feeling? That's right. That's right. One more. One more.

All right. Thank you. Get your wife. Supreme. Come up here. Take a picture with your husband. It's good. I got it in the other picture. Get in. I'll take the picture. [Music] [Music] Got it. All right, another round of applause. Can I say a little bit? Uh the last six years I've had the opportunity to work with officer Christopher and um I'm at the middle school middle school and um there are days that if he wouldn't be there we don't know what we would have done but he's always remained calm and cool and he's old school and that's what we need you know the respect and the humbleness and we're going to miss you. Thank you. Um, I just want to say as a longtime resident of Fort Allen for my dad retiring and also Mr. Christopher, um, just I appreciate the appreciation um, having you in that seat, you know, um, admiring the people that work for

this town for so long. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you. Y'all don't have to sit here, retirees, welcome to It's up to you. Okay. Number seven, consider approving Adrien Dagel as director of finance. Um I brought this to the council uh some months ago with the retiring of um our CFO. Adrian was the assistant at that time. Um he stepped up then. um he's stepped up even more now um in the shoes to fill he doesn't mind questioning um he doesn't mind uh figuring out and I think he's a a good person for that position um and I'm asking the council um to consider him as the director I know we listed as that but he was interim so I'm I am asking um that we put him in the director position so we had to open it up for any of we advertised it advertised in the advocate um already. So, we went through that. We did. So, um I'm just I knew we had it was I didn't hear anything else about it. Yes, we did. Uh we didn't get any um Okay. But, uh it is different from our Westside Journal, but we did advertise. We have the advertisements to be on the safe side. So, um we do have them. Um but I motion to um Aiden. Okay. So there's motion by Councilwoman Gordon, second by Councilman Hubble. Anyone from the public wish to comment? Hearing none. Joseph, yes. Gordon, yes. Yes. Miss King. Yes. Main. Yes. Stuck with us now.

Um, you want to say anything? You have plenty to say. I know. Yeah. the agenda. I'm now on here. I'll be speaking next. Okay. Number eight, consider approving revisions to the preliminary plat of West View Crossing. Mr. Tatum. Yes, ma'am. Mayor and council members. I'm Jim Tatum with Tatum Engineering representing the Dennis Carlin and the other folks that are developing West Crossing. Uh, as you recall, we were in here a week ago talking about making some minor changes to the preliminary plan. Uh, over the last week, nothing has changed. I'll be glad to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have and ask for your support to approve the preliminary platform. And also, mayor, I tell you, you certainly run a pleasant meeting. That's right. They're not all not up to you all, but certainly been a pleasant meeting. So, if there's anything any questions or any concerns you have, please let me know and we'll we'll address that. Can I get a motion? Okay. Motion by Councilwoman Joseph, second by Council Councilman Payne. Anyone from the public wish to be heard? A roll call, please. Mrs. Joseph, yes. Mrs. Gordon, yes. No. Mr. Ke, M. Mrs. King, yes. M. Mrs. Pay, yes. Motion pass. Good. Thank you. Thank you. Number nine. Authorize the mayor to sign the managed service agreement with Essential Solutions for July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026 period in the amount of 47.50 per month. Mr. Uh Bob White

[Music] mayor, I know you talk very low all the time, but we need you to speak up so everyone can hear you. I'm going to pass out docu [Music] I think they're going to ask me to talk about a few different things. We're on my desk both right now. Okay, I'm just going to talk a little yelling at you. I'm Bob White. I'm with Essential Solutions. Uh I see some faces I recognize and there's some some new faces. Uh we do the IT for the city for about the past two decades. Um the current contract is $4,000 a month, 48,000 a year. We're asking for an increase uh to 4750 or $57,000 a year. That is for all the IT for the city. Uh every device the city owns, every piece of software that you have in place that uh you know, nothing new. If there's any support that's needed, we come out and do it. We're also here every Monday um as a scheduled visit and we take care of any needs that happen then and we cover the PD 247. On the on the left side of your folder there are some usage numbers. Our contract is based on usage rather than just devices or anything like that. So the first sheet we we calculate on calendar year. So this is all the numbers for 2024. And if you look at the actual column, there's two highlighted numbers, this generate, this shows you the power of our contract because we had there was an outage with income. It was a a problem.

I won't go into details, but you can see that there was 114 hours in one month and then 55 was another month and they said didn't pay a dime extra for any of that time. I had somebody on site I think two weeks straight sorting out those problems since it's not truly unlimited contract. That's that's the value of the contract. Now when we decide what we're going to request for the next uh you know for the next fiscal year your fiscal year uh I normalize those two months to the average of the other 10 so that it wouldn't inflate the numbers. So you can see that if we our normal rate is 125 an hour. If you paid that per hour, it would be 4958. Just that's your average. So you still would save 20833 a month if the usage stays the same in your next fiscal year. The next sheet, because it's so long since we did that, I wanted to get the current the five months we just got. So this is the average again from June 24 to May 25, the most recent month that has ended. So that's our actual usage. You can see it's gone up a little bit. It would be uh 5,145 paid hourly. Uh there there's no change still is still the 4750 is what we request. There's also a copy of the contract. I know was kind enough to send this to everyone. Y'all have any questions on contract usage? What we do? So when you say all of the it means all of this we're looking at where I'm still seeing D2 and Lacy but that take consider all of the it they don't do these don't do these monitors. We would.

Yeah, they can, but they they mark the the Somebody just has to say come change any request for any piece of equipment that the city owns, we will take care of. So, if it's saying the wrong name, we just need to come we just need to tell Jada when she comes in next Monday. Okay. Never even thought about it cuz I knew y'all weren't the the actual company, but Well, the problem with this software is it's it's done by a third party. So we we would help them assist. We would request the changes. We would make the phone call, but we probably can't actually do it. We would contact them. The same thing with your end code. When you have a problem with call in code, you're going to move to Edmonds sometime next year. We'll we'll be communicating with Edmonds and making sure that And the only reason I asked that question was because you said all in the Yes, sir. Yeah. But maintenance um maintenance department. sew department us. Okay, I'll make that motion to approve. Motion by Councilwoman Gordon. Second second by Councilwoman King. Um, Miss Maggie, I think you signed up. Is it that one? You said it. No. Okay. Mrs. Mrs. Joseph. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Mr. Hubble. No. King. No. M. Pay. No.

motion failed. So, do we have to go find another guy to come do our it or what? Because I mean this a good price go up. So, I don't know. the contract. Uh, we need to make a decision by July 1st. Correct. Correct. And this price will still stay the same by July the 1. You're not going to go up. That's our That's our price. Okay. Well, you know, you can always change your price. So, I just want to make sure. Well, I mean, we won't have by July 1st, we won't have a new number. Um but but yeah, the contract uh the contract rene is August 1st. So the city would notify us by July 1st. You don't want to continue the contract. Um so if you plan to do a bid, we would love to bid. We know what our bid would be. Okay. I would love to answer any questions of people who before who know. If there's an issue I can address, please let me know. I wasn't quite satisfied with um I was willing to give you a chance but I wasn't quite satisfied with with what you asking what you satisfied with with all satisfied me but um the monitor if we paying for $5,000 not for this monitor I Wait, wait. But just let me explain myself. You're asking a question, but let me explain myself. But you're going backwards. No, I'm not going backwards. Go ahead. Go ahead. But just let me explain. If we paying you that kind of money, but we have other people that we paying to. With that kind of money, you need to be

servicing everything. So we paying three different people, right? We do for sure. Okay. But we need to be careful. You need to be servicing everything for that type of money. So I mean I'm will I was willing to give you a chance. But with that type of money, money is just going everywhere. So, I'mma I'm going say this. Um, since I've I've been here, um, and not in the mayor's role, but as an employee, um, this was something separate under the former administration. We already had essential set up at that point. So, I guess it was up to that administration to decide whether what needs to be service and what doesn't. So, we can't hold him accountable for these monitors. Um, yeah, you're right. You know, for these monitors and we purchased these after I I'm not sure what the the issue is. System. This is a separate system with a separate contract. There is no contract. Well, yeah, but this was that's the problem. This was a proprietary system. What was the company, Mr. Link integration system, right? So it was totally different from essential but there was a maintenance agreement that was proposed that was never accepted to where now he's going to well he would have essential was involved in getting link the the company that put this system in they coordinated to get it on the networking to do all of the things that tied in to what Essential does. But essential was never consulted about this. This was link integration system who provides a similar system for the parish. Form administration

chose to go that route. Link installed all of the the hardware. They designed the software to where it's supposed to operate the way we um conduct our meetings. It's never worked like it's supposed to. Now we can't explain that. What I do know is Miss Rose can attest to this. Other employees can attest to this. We have come up here on meeting days to test this equipment out and it works fine. And when the meeting starts, it doesn't. And all I can tell you is is that they offer a separate maintenance agreement that was not mentioned during the initial negotiation. Link, not link. Correct. in order to maintain the system going forward perspective that that maintenance agreement was not accepted. So to to clarify what we do when you have a system from someone else like Enco Edmonds we didn't write the software our job is to you tell us there's a problem we can talk technical to them so that they're not trying to talk over your head and spin around in circles. we coordinate with them and call them when there's a problem. Um I don't know of anytime we've been called into this room on a normal visit or or thing at all. I know we had I think a year ago we put in a ticket and we asked for a call back from I don't even remember who that was but that even that was dropped from the prior administration. But as far as software packages and and audio video audio visual package, which is what this is. We would coordinate with that vendor that you have that agreement. We we can't warranty their equipment, their their setup. We wouldn't even know how to do it. That that's proprietary

software that they can't touch. Only the company that sold you and owns that software are really the only ones that can mess with that software. We would facilitate the phone call with them and hold their feet to the fire from a technical standpoint. Some of them have to be straightened up. the city may need to go to a different vendor and get a different system and we can we can work with you to to do that get that done and you know make sure it's something that we can support too not just some proprietary system that you know they only they know how to deal with and they insist on a maintenance agreement that decision is going to pay for because it wasn't talked about up front. I think what we have to do is go back to the people who installed the monitor and see what what agreement can we make with them to work fix it. So okay let's clarify some things so we can't blame them. No, no, this has nothing to do with essential, but just to get kind of through it in a nutshell, this system cost a little under $100,000. That was software, hardware, installation. That did not include any maintenance. The maintenance agreement was offered at 8,000 I think annually or give or take or something and it was not acted upon. Now, how we got here, that's a conversation for another day and other people. All we really needed was a system to record the meetings. Meetings are being record the meetings have to be recorded. We were looking for a digital recording system and that's all we needed. The prior system was a hard drive-based system that had not been changed I think since city hall was

built a new in approximately 2009 or so. When I came up here to create space on the hard drive and said I needed 330 CDs to download that information. So I went to the mayor found some systems. This is the decision that was made. That's what happened. Essential had nothing to do with it. They didn't write the code. They didn't install anything. All they did was coordinate with link to get it on the network because it is on the network. It uses internet you know services or what have you. But other than that nothing to do with it essentially at all. link integration, installed it, designed it, wrote the software, and since it's been malfunctioning, we have tried to engage an expert who can come in and advise us on how to have this communication because the reality is that unless you're a tech expert, then you you're not going to know what to what you even talking about in order to rectify the situation. But once again, decisions were made that didn't afford that to happen. This is where we are. So I would not advise replacing this system. We don't need electronic voting. I mean, we've been doing fine with voice voting for decades and we still using voice voting since this system been put in place. All you need is a digital recording system. It's a computer and some microphones. And at the time that we proposed that I proposed it, it was $5,000. That's not the decision that was made. That's all that's what happened in a nutshell. Okay. And it all happened in this room because it was all proposed and voted on by previous councils and things of that nature.

So, um I think going forward we'll have to um probably put it on the um give everyone some time to look over some paperwork um and possibly put it on the agenda for next month. When does the contract expire? Um he said August, but he would need to know by July. The contract stipulates that you should have a copy in your folder there contract. Does it go on a month-to-month basis after that? It's it renews for a year of year. So if you don't give 30 days notice the notice by July 1st, it will renew for another year at the current rate. This this was to renew it at a higher rate higher rate current at at the current rate which is not in that is not in the contract has not been signed in two administrations I believe um the council has improved our increases as addendums to the contract. So the contract as written right now is is actually a much less uh amount than what's on there, but it's auto renews and the council has approved the increase in between. So it's a contract. Can we have a special meeting? Do anybody have any other questions before I get answer? Okay. So we'll be in touch with you. Number 10. Consider still need. [Music] Um

the more Right. In light of the prior vote, we'll ask that item number 10 be deferred to another meeting as well. We can get a motion on that. And we need a motion to um defer item number 10 to the same meeting um for the IT discussion. Motion motion by Councilwoman Joseph, second by Councilman Payne. Anyone from the audience wish to be heard on that? SM I don't know if you can I worked at LSU in computer science. Um I'm going to leave y'all the information to contact David Traml. He's a director of IT at LSU. give my name and ask him if he has a graduate student that maybe would come here for a nominal fee and do an assessment just from listening. There's too much time. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Maybe he can evaluate it and it may take starting fresh. I don't know. Um, but there's some very smart graduate students and I think that they

would be more than willing to come over here and do an assessment and give a a evaluation of the entire system and I'll leave the information. I'm not going to call him myself just say that I recommended him. Okay. Thank you. Roll call, please. Mrs. Joseph, yes. Miss Gordon, yes. Yes. Miss King, yes. Yes. Motion passes me. Okay. So, 11. This should be as 12. public hearing to obtain views regarding the adoption of a resolution ordering and calling a special election to be held in the city of Port Allen, parish of West Baton Rouge, state of Louisiana, to authorize the renewal, levy and collection of special taxes therein, making application to the Louisiana State Bond Commission, and providing for other matters in connection thereof. Say Adrian This will be it on this will be for the police department uh tax that is a 10-year tax burden by the voters. It is set to expire the end of this year. So if we want to continue keeping it, we would have to go through this process. The process started with me advertising any advocate that we would have this meeting there. The council would vote to go with it if they so decide. So, this gives a chance for the public to speak if they so choose. And I'll leave it to the public if the public has any questions for me or if y'all have any questions for me.

Anyone from the public wish to be heard? Can I get a motion? No, this is just the public hearing. So 13. Adopt a resolution ordering and calling a special election to be held in the city of Port Allen, Parish of West Baton Rouge, state of Louisiana to authorize the renewal, levy, and collection of special taxes therein making applications to Louisiana State Bond Commission and providing for other matters in connection thereof. All right. A resolution in its entirety. A resolution honoring and calling a special election to be held in the city of Maryland, Paris, West Bat Rouge, state of Louisiana to authorize the renewal, levy, and collection of special taxes therein, making application to the Louisiana state bond commission, and providing for matters in connection therewith. Whereas the city council acting as the governing authority the governing authority for the city of Port Allen Parish of West Baton Rouge state of Louisiana. The city previously submitted to the qualified voters of the city a certain advalarian tax proposition the taxes and whereas this governing authority desires to call an election the election authorizing the renewal of the taxes and to take all necessary actions and solar there too. And now therefore be it resolved by this governing authority the city that section one election call subject to the approval of the Louisiana state bond commission state bond commission and under the authority conferred by the constitution of the state of Louisiana 1974 article 7 sorry article 6 section 30 thereof the applicable provisions of the Louisiana election code and other constitutional statutory authority a special election election is hereby called in order to be held in this city

on November 15th, 2025 within the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in accordance with the provisions of Louisiana Revised Statute 18 col 541 and at the states election that shall be submitted to all the registered voters qualified and entitled to vote at the said election under the constitution and laws of the state and the constitution of the United States the following proposition to what? City of Port Allen, Parish of West Bat Rouge, State of Louisiana Proposition, Police Department Tax Real Citywide. Shall the city of Port Allen, State of Louisiana, the city be authorized to renew the levy and collection of the tax of 5.02 mills on all property subject to taxation in a city. An estimated 285,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year. The tax for a period of 10 years beginning with the year 2026 and ending with the year 2035 with the proceeds of the tax after paying the reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collection and administering the tax to be dedicated and used for the purpose of paying the maintenance and operating expenses of the city police department. Section two, publication of notice of election. A notice of special election shall be published in a newspaper or general circulation within the city and being the official journal of the city once a week for four weeks for four consecutive weeks with the first publication to be made not less than 45 days or more than 90 days prior to the date fixed for the election. Which notice shall be substantially in the form attached here to as exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference the same as if it were set forth herein in full. Section three, canvas. This governing authority shall meet at its regular meeting place, third floor council chamber, city of Allen, 375 Court Street, Pelon, Louisiana, on December 10th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. and shall then and there open in public

session or proceed to examine in canvas the returns and declare the results of the elections. This governing authority reserved the right to postpone the date and time set forth above from the canvas of the returns without any further publication of notice of the change in the date, time, and or location. Section four, polling places. The polling places set forth in the app for set notice of special election are hereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said election and the commissioners in charge and commissioners respectively will be the same persons as those designated in accords with the law. Section five, election commissioners voting machines. The officers designated to serve as commissioners in charge and commissioners pursuant to section four hereof of such substitutes therefore as may be selected and designated in accordance with the Louisiana revised statute 18 colon 1287 shall hold the said special election as herein provided and shall make due returns of set election for the meeting of this governing authority to be held as provided in section three here. All register voters in the city are entitled to vote instead special election and voting machine shall be used. Section six, authorization of officers. The municipal clerk of this governing authority is hereby empowered, authorized and directed to arrange for and to furnish to set election officials, election officers in ample time for the holding of said election. The necessary equipment, forms, and other paraphernelia essential to the proper holding of said election and the mayor and our municipal clerk of this governing authority are further authorized and powered and directed to take any and all further action required by the state or under federal law to arrange for the election. Section seven, furnishing election call to election officials. Certified copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to the secretary of state, the clerk of court and exofficial parish custodian of voting machines in and for West Bat Rouge Parish and the register of voters of West Baton Rouge Parish as

notification of a special election hearing called and order that such may prepare for set election and inform their respective functions as required by law. Section 8, applicable to state bonding commission. I'm sorry. Application the state bond commission. Application is made to the state bond commission for consent and authority to hold a special election as hearing provided. And in the event that election carries for further consent and authority to dedicate the proceeds of tax, a certified copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the state bonding commission on behalf of the governing authority together with a letter requesting the prompt consideration and approval of this application. Exhibit A, notice of special election, pursuant to the provisions of a resolution adopted by the city council of the city of Port Alen Parish of West Baton Rouge, state of Louisiana, acting as the governing authority, the governing authority for the city of Port Alen, Parish of West Bat Rouge, state of Louisiana city on June 11, 2025, is hereby that special election will be held within the city on November 15, 2025. And that at sale election will be submitted to all registered voters in the city qualified and entitled to vote at the sale election under the constitution laws of the state of Louisiana under the constitution of the United States. The following proposition to it city of Port Allen Parish of West Baton Rouge state of Louisiana proposition police department tax remove citywide shall the city of Port Allen State of Louisiana of the city be authorized for renew and levy and collection of a tax of 5.02 02 mills of all properties subject to taxation in the city. An estimated 285,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for entire year of the tax for a period of 10 years beginning with the year 2026 and ending the year 2035 with the proceeds of the tax after paying the reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collection and administering the tax to be dedicated and used for the purpose of paying the maintenance and operating expenses of the city police

department. The special election will be held at the following polling places situated within the city which polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. In accordance with the provision of Louisiana revised statute 18 program code 54012 precinct 0006 Rley High School 658 North Balm Drive precinct 00/9 KC Hall 679 North Jefferson Avenue present 00/10 city Court 330 South Alexander Avenue present 0011 KC Hall 679 North Jefferson Avenue Present 00/ 138 K Elementary School Activity Center 805 North 14th Street Present 00/14A LSU A Center West Bat Rouge Extension 210 Turner Road Crescent 00/14B LSU A Center West Back R West Bat Rouge T Extension 210 Turner Road Present 00/15 County Elementary School Activity Center 805 North 14th Street the polling places set forth above are hereby designated as the polling places in which to hold the said election and the commissioners in charge and commissioners respectively shall be those designated according to law. He said special election will be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of chapter 5, chapter 6A and chapter 6B of title 18 of Louisiana revised statutes of 1950 as amended and other constitutional and statutory authority and the officers appointed to hold the set election as provided in this notice of special election or sub or such substitute therefore as may be selected and designated in accordance with the Louisiana revised statute 18 col 1287 will make due returns thereof to say governing authority and notice is hereby further given that the governing authority will meet in his regular meeting place third floor council chamber sitting at port 375 port street

Louisiana December 10th 2025 at 5:30 p.m. shall then and therein open and public session proceed to examine and canvas the returns and declare the results of the said special election. All registered voters in the city are entitled to vote in a say special election and voting machines will be used there. Notice further given that a portion of the monies collected from the tax prescribed in the proposition above shall remit to certain state and statewide retirement systems in the manner required by law. The estimated cost of the election as determined by the Louisiana Secretary of State based upon the provisions of chapter 8A of title 18 and actual cost of similar elections is $3,400. Can I get a motion? Have a motion by Councilman Hubble. Second. Second by Councilwoman Joseph. Anyone from the public wish to be heard? Roll call, please. Mrs. Joseph, yes. Gordon, yes. Hubble. Yes. Miss King. Yes. Mr. P. Yes. M. 14. public hearing to obtain views regarding the adoption of an ordinance to amend the 2024 2025 lowincome housing fund budget of revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025 to be in compliance with the Louisiana budget law. Mayor's going to hand out some copies. So, we brought in last month. Um, this particular part of your agenda, what it's accomplishing is, um, as I mentioned last month, the low-income

housing, your section 8 grant fund. Um, it's got more grant money coming in. So, of course, the corresponding expenditures are up. And in accordance with the state budget act, since it exceeds 5% of that budget, it requires a budget amendment. So that's what this accomplishes. And this is the opportunity from anybody in the public to comment on it. Uh we did advertise for that over the course of last month after we met. So um for sure set up to adopt it if you so choose, but this would um avoid a compliance finding in your audit. So that's that's the purpose of it. beat that game last year for this particular so that again good news is you get more money in support more households anyone from the audience wish to be heard on this a motion oh I'm sorry this consider adopting an ordinance to amend the 2024 2025 lowincome housing fund budget of revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025 to be in compliance with the Louisiana budget law. First, Ordinance number five of 2025, an ordinance of the city of Rhode Island to amend the 2024 2025 lowincome housing fund budget of revenue and expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025 to be in compliance with the Louisiana budget law and related matters. I get a motion motion. A motion by Councilwoman King. Second. Second by councilwoman Gordon. One from the public. Roll call, please. Joseph, yes. Gordon,

yes. Hel, yes. King, yes. Pain, yes. Motion passes, m 16. Public hearing to obtain views on adopting an ordinance to provide for the operating budget of revenues and expenditures for the city of Port Allen for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2025 and ending June 30th, 2026 for the general fund, water and gas fund, sewer fund, lowincome housing fund, and municipal complex debt service fund. Thank you, mayor. Um, what this does for you, this this is the purpose of this for anybody to comment on the overall budget. This establishes your budget for next fiscal year, July 1 to June 30th, 2026. Uh, we went over that document last month at the last council meeting. And um, this is an opportunity for anyone from the public comment. Um, one change from last finance finance committee last week that I recommended um after speaking with Adrian today, uh, we did place in here for technology for the city hall that you're apparently in need of replacing your network and some other computers and the price tag it gave me was 50,000. So, I did make that revision in in the budget just to get it in and get a clear picture of what next year's going to look like. Um, so I did make that change and um, so you can consider that as part of this um, part of your budget. But beyond that, pretty much the document we went over last last month in May is identical to what we have here. So within absence of that one change, um, did did publicly advertise for that as well. Um, along with the budget amendment we just talked about. And so that's all set up for you to consider adopting the ordinance tonight. Any comments? Any comments from the public? Public hearing close.

Okay, public hearing is closed. 17. Consider adopting an ordinance to provide for the operating budget of revenues and expenditures for the city of Port Allen for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2025 and ending June 30th, 2026 for the general fund, water and gas fund, sewer fund, low income housing fund, municipal complex complex debt service fund. Mr. Ordinance number six of 2025, an ordinance to provide for an operating budget of revenues and expenditures for the city of Port Allen for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30th, 2026 for the general fund, water and gas fund, sewer fund, low-income housing fund, and municipal complex debt services fund and related matters. I need a motion. And this is a motion to approve the presented budget with the amendment discussed. Motion by Councilwoman Joseph. Second by Councilman Payne. The roll call, please. Miss Joseph, yes. Miss Gordon, yes. Mr. Bubble, let me just preface my vote. The uh overall budget is good. There's an inaugmental capital outlay that I do not agree with and I haven't and that's the uh restrooms on the 11. So that being in there, I have to vote no. Mr. Payne, yes, Miss King. Yes. Motion pass. Thank you. 18. consider approving costs associated with the sewer tie-in at 1151 Avenue C for Harry Brown. Uh I brought this uh to committee meeting um last uh last week

and uh presented you with some information. Um just left the amount up to you all. We have not discussed it since. So I'm not sure someone wants to speak on it. Um the amount that may have come up with or something. I make a motion that uh I mean we said 64% was the last one that we we did pay 60%. With 60% you made a motion second. Okay. So motion by Councilman Payne, second by Councilwoman Gordon. Anyone from the audience wish to be heard? Can I say one thing? The address is 11 31. 11:31. Okay. I apologize. Miss confused about this cuz I came to the meeting last week. seem like to me, let's say I'm a builder, nothing improvements. I don't understand this. There should be a policy. I looked on the city's website and they have it broken down into how all their sewers are done and the charges and it's done by feed, it's done by this and that and the other. according to what you do uh or how much the city has to absorb. So the more you do, the less your cost is or whatever. But it's there on a scale so that when you go to get your permit or you go to get this done, you know, not maybe per se the cost, but you can kind of fall apart it. Uh I don't

think we have that. I think that would be a good idea so that you know before and me as a person if I was doing improvements on my house and I they probably didn't know this was going to happen but still I would like to know I don't want surprises and that's kind of a large bill. So with this coming up, I think it's an issue that needs to be addressed and just have a scale on what people can expect. And with no surprises, not going back to this, looking it up, which you did 5 years ago, that it it let's say you didn't want to give him a credit and he got into it. he's halfway into it and then he figures out he's got a $40,000 sewer tie, then you can't finish. So then what are you going to do? You know, it's just too too we need consistency so that when people get into improving their homes or developing or whatever, at least they know what to expect. I was kind of in shock because that could have ended up in a bad day for them and maybe somebody else down the road. So just think about that and some kind of guidelines or if you have a contractor doing this which I heard that you know it's leaning towards that way have a contract right so that people know what they're getting into. Thank you. You want to elaborate? Sure. No, I mean look, I understand the con concern. It it is definitely some eyepopping numbers from time to time. The the problem with with our situation is that we have a fourman sword system team. They cannot do tieins on a regular basis and manage

all of the other things that they have to do. Baton Rouge has a billion dollar budget. They probably have their own sewer team that does tieins and sewer work dedicated for that express purpose. Here we don't have shoring boxes. OSHA requires a shoring box. Anytime you dig over 4 and 1/2, 5 ft. So that is our cut off. If it's 4T or less, we try to do it ourselves. But as we learned this week, sometimes that creates an issue. Um, that being said, no contractor, we've tried to have discussions with a contractor to try to manage the cost to see if we dedicate all the work to one person, but then you got the issue of bid issues and things of that nature, public bid law and the like. So we have some lines in the city that are 15 ft deep and we have some lines that are 7 ft deep and the price is always commissionerate with the depth. If the contractor has to dig two days, he's going to charge you more if he has to dig one day. Um, it's unfortunate, but there's no way to anticipate what the cost is going to be because most of the the lines are the depth is determined by the main line. Most of the main lines run in the middle of the street. So, you have to cut the road, dig it out, assess, do your do your work, and come back. I would love to be able to give people a scale or range, but you just can't do it under the circumstances that we face. That being said, uh these issues are going to come back. The better approach is what was what happened here. I mean, you know, oh, let me back up. Our ordinance addresses

this, by the way. The cost the cost is is 100% on the property owner. That's what the ordinance says. Let's just be clear. However, the city has made concessions in the past, and that's all this is an attempt to do is to at least treat the next person how you treated the last person. And that's where the the percentage came in. That's how the percentage was determined. And I would say, excuse me, that it was a bigger amount also. So, I just want to put that out there. I did give you the paperwork, but I just want to put that out there. the amount was different last time. It was much higher than the amount is now. So, if that's what you want to stick to, that's fine. But I just want to personally say that the amount was higher. So, that's where the 64% came into play. And and just to clarify for I believe in transparency for everybody on the same page, the last issue was too tight, right? At $6,350 a piece. That was five years ago. This is one at 7,600. That's probably just what the price how the price fluctuated over the last five years. That's why the number was large. It was 137 for two. Okay, that makes sense. They were right next door because it was it was three houses in a row. The house in the middle cut the two houses on the side off. In this instance, you had two houses next door and one house could not enter the other property to reconnect. So the these things are going to happen, but that's how the percentage issue came up with that. That's what the percentage was last time and you know that was the recommendation. So but that being said, that's just no way to anticipate these calls. Um I mean we we we get these on a regular basis. Uh and by and large keep in mind you don't have to do this. This is not a common thing. You know more often than not your tieins

they they they last. Okay. But there are some instances where you have to leap and and it's just the nature of the beast. Um especially when we talking about terracotta lines and a lot of oak trees. Oak tree roots are going to go toward the water. And so you have terracotta lines. You might have water in a location that is not nice that it's not supposed to be, you know, for the most part. So cuz we do have infiltration that that occurs because the lines are made out of terracotta and that's and changing that you don't even want to know what that number's going to be. So you just do it as you go and hope for the best. So any questions? Thank you. So you want to go the same but it was 64 60%. The city will absorb 60. What was the last one was? The last one was The last one was 64, but it was 42. So, I just wanted to It was on the paperwork. So, just to clarify, I I want to The two addresses were on that paperwork. So, um Okay. Motion by Councilman Payne for the 60%. That's a second. I Okay. Second by Councilwoman Gordon. Okay. One from the I didn't know if anyone else is the same. Mrs. Joseph, yes. Miss Gordon, yes. Yes. M King, yes. Main. Yes. 19. Consider a Mayor Pen to con consider authorizing Mayor Pen to continue with the assignment of Miss Shenisha Jackson to assist in the water and gas office and roads and drainage office. Um, this was brought to my attention that uh when

I previously brought this up, I asked for 6 months. Um, so I am asking for more time. I will not put a number on it this time. I'm not sure how long it will take. Um, I do have a description that I think y'all were provided. Is it in the books? Oh, I didn't put it in. Okay. Um, I do have the job description. So, um I mean I can go through them right quick or I can give them to you um you know to look at um but I I have her and um Miss T's uh both separated. I asked for this just in case I needed it. Um but she is um she was already reassigned from asked to be moved from sewer to roads and drainage uh before I took office. Um she is currently now in the office. Um she's helping with different state projects. Um and like I said, she's she's doing a very good job. She's handling most of the um inputting information for uh those different projects that we have. I know through the duration of this year and then I'm sure they'll start back up for next year um that we were behind on for from the previous year. So, um, I will not put a a number on it. Um, but just know she is doing a a great job in there helping with that and I wanted to bring it back to the council. Um, since like I said, it was brought to me that um, the 6 months was up. So, I wanted to ask for more time. So, when her when her time is up, whatever time we have, and she goes back to rolling drainage and who going to do her job after that? hopefully. Um I'm not she's not per se I guess doing anything. I guess by then it'll be updated because like I said

she's doing behind um some of Mr. Landry stuff that was not done for the state audit. So um I mean I can't answer that if she leaves um goes back to her regular duties. Um you know she still is helping with Rose and Dra. is just not outside physically um on the equipment. Motion. Can I get a motion? Motion. Motion by Councilwoman King. Second by Councilman Hubble. Anyone from the public wish to be heard? Roll call, please. Mild. Yes. Score. No. Mr. Hubble. Yes, Mr. King. Yes, M. King, I'm sorry. And Mr. P. [Music] Motion pass. M. Considering IND 20, consider entering into executive session to discuss a lawsuit in accordance with LA revised statute 42 col 17A two strategy sessions or negotiations with respective to collective bargaining prospective litigation after formal written demand or litigation when an open meeting would have detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body. We need a motion to go into executive session. Motion by council, second by counciloman Gordon. Miss Joseph, I'm sorry. Anyone from the public? Okay. Miss Joseph, yes. Miss Gordon, yes. Yes. Yes. Hey, just Yes.

Hey, can I Um get a ask for a motion to make the motion to come out of executive come out of the executives section. Okay. Councilwoman uh Gordon and Councilman Hubble. Miss Joseph. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Hubble. Yes. Miss King. Yes. Pay. Yes. 21. Sorry. Go ahead. [Music] 21. Consider authorizing the payment for a lawsuit fee to Louisiana Municipal Risk Management Agency in the amount of 2500 from the discussion of the executive session. I make a motion. It was motioned by Councilwoman Gordon, second by Councilman Hubble. Anyone from the public wish to be heard? Can I get a roll call, please? Joseph. Yes. Miss Gordon. Yes. Bubble. Yes. King. Yes. Pain. Yes. Pass it to me. 22. Presentation of the monthly financial report. [Music] Any questions? Uh, did we email it to you on Friday. Uh, some of you do have two email address. If you do not want me emailing it to both of yours email addresses, please let me know. I remove it cuz I've now created a group as opposed to typing in each individual email address. So, all I have to do now is just hit my group. So, if you don't want things going to both email addresses, let me know. Um, again, our taxes are over what we budgeted that because of our sales tax. We had conservatively underestimated our sales tax revenue. And also when we roll forward our property taxes, we collected more in property taxes than we thought we would because we rolled forward last

year. We're not going to have that luxury next on this coming budget because we already know what our millage rates are. So our revenues are not going to be at least on the property tax side like it is right now. Just happened to be a luck of the nature, luck of the draw. I don't know what terminology we use there. Um, going through this, one of the things that also stuck uh out with me, if you look at this is as of May 31st, so we're 91.67% left. So, we want our revenues to be there or above. Most of it is meeting that. Um, our expenditures we want to be there or less and most of that we're falling there. The one thing that if you look at protective inspection, we're over 100%. And personnel services, that's not just salary. Personnel services includes health insurance premiums, uh, workman's comp, etc., etc. And I've researched that because it is a abnormality when I look at everything else. That is because of how we decided to code our non-stop payments. Uh, non-stop is our debit card that our employees have as part of their health insurance. It we pay both a blue cross premium and then we pay a non-stop payment every month. The non-stop, as has been done in the past in American correct me if I'm wrong, we just take that non-stop payment and we divide it by 10 of the 10 different departments. We've got one person in protective inspection. So that one person should not really be paying onetenth of the non-stop premium. Hopefully I have that corrected in the next budget going forward. Um I've also discovered and it's not in

here because it was just done. So it will be reflected the June budget uh the June report. Our liability fire insurance etc etc. it those insuranceances cover July 1st through June 30th. So they're going to be paid within the next two to three weeks in this budget that applies for something in next budget. So the way the auditors, which I've learned within the last two weeks, has done this is that when we pay them in June 30th in this budget, when they make the financial statements in the audit, they take what we pay in June, move it to prepaid expenses, which doesn't show up on your financial statements or these financial statements, and take the prepaid expenses that they moved to last year, and put it back in as expenditures in the current budget. I've done a step ahead. I've set that up. The uh it is going to be in the June thing as opposed to waiting for the auditor to come and do it. I've already set it up. Uh you don't see it in here because it had to be a journal entry and the auditor does not want the person that does the journal entry to also approve and update it. They want two separate eyes on journal entry transactions. And the two sets of eyes, they want them to be people who know what they're doing. So just because I did the general transaction, I can't go to employee A or B and say here post this update this. So Faulen Winkler when they came that week after I've done it, which just happened to be I think Monday of this week and not in time for me to do this, she posted that so it will show up. It's another reason to keep in Faul and Winkler right now is that checks and balances to make sure we've got as we are just two trained sets of eyes looking at our finances [Music]

and uh in the capital outlay for community development is where we're putting the expenditures for the $75,000 Now the grant that we have, we did receive the first payment earlier this week of 37500. So if you've already received half the payment and that's going to be in Arthur. Yeah, I'm new at this. Archer is going to have to explain to me on how to that 75,000 is for Louisiana fiscal year, which I think is like January 1st, December 31st. I don't know. Is it just that? But we got 375 in the first half and 375 that will be in the second half. But we got expenditures across both. So then we'll be making the adjustment. So even though we see that 25,000 that throws off the community development, it is compensated by that $75,000 grant that we received. And we did have some employees that were getting one in particular that was still getting paid out of the roads and drainage department budget that had transferred to another department. Uh that has been corrected and not in time for this. That was another journal entry that we did that we couldn't and for whatever reason when we when employees move it's not just saying they move from this department to the other department. Incos system is very, for lack of a better word, combo that you can't just press one button. It takes you check marks on three or four or five different screens and one check mark wasn't checked off that yeah, we moved that person for workman's comp. We put it on the list that he's going to be he or she's going to be in this department, but unfortunately we did click the little tab next to the salary distribution that says twist that. So we have corrected that and hopefully we

won't have those mistakes as much going forward. Anything. Thank you. Thank you. 23. Condemnation proceedings at this time. 24. Alcohol beverage permits. I don't think we have any um at this time. Um I have a few announcements. Um the first announcement um I think under the former administration um Mr. Walt Grow was on the planning and zoning. He was suspended. um does not get paid. Uh but he was he was he was put on um a leave better words. Um so um he came to me months ago um I'm guessing after um this was done um he received his verdict. Um and uh he just came to talk to me um I think last week maybe um and I had talked to I think week before said I talked to DA Clayton um last Thursday and um he assured me that nothing was found. He was not found guilty. Um so when it was asked under the former administration, you know, that it would fall on me, I said whatever the law said. So I'm sticking to that. So, the law did not find him guilty. Um, I did my paperwork, uh, my research and, um, like I said, I talked to them. Um, nothing was found guilty. Um, although what he did may have not

looked in the eyes of the citizens um, to be ethical, um, the board did not say, they said otherwise, that nothing was wrong. So, I am appointing him back to the planning and zoning committee um effective immediately. Um so, I I wanted to be transparent about that because like I said, it was going out the former administration, but it was asked what would I do. Um but I did my research and he was not found guilty. So, um he will be back appointed. And mayor, you're not even appointing him back. you know, he was he maintained the appointment the whole time. It's just on administrative while the process played out and now that that process has played out, he's just being taken off of reinstated. Yes. Correct. Okay. Um, also I want to thank everyone who attended the town hall meeting, the council and the citizens. Uh, I think it was very productive. Our attorneys were there. Um, it's very productive. Um, I think we were able to have a more one-on-one um, question and answer session. Um, we had learned a lot more about our blighted properties um, going forward and so uh, I think it really turned out great. Um, you know, again, I appreciate the ones who showed up and and asked the questions, sent the questions in before um, and they were still able to ask questions when they um, attended. So, the next one will be in September. So we will give a date later later about that. Um also Junth celebration is the 21st and 22nd at William and Lee Park. Uh it's both days starting at 12:00 p.m. Um fireworks will be Saturday night at dark and um that's it. We're going to try to have some fun and stay hydrated. Literally say that the senior dinner only going to be this

Sunday. Yes. So senior dinner will be that Sunday only. Yes, we don't have the tickets. Okay, I need to speak on her. Okay, so that Friday night, u we will have our first uh we'll have our reception for Yeah. Junth pageant will be that Friday night from 6:00 to 8. 6 to 8 at the William Community Center. Yes. All right. All right. So on the 17th is the um district meeting for um LMA. So yeah, don't we go to addit at at 6:00 instruction? Huh? On the 17th 16 17 I'm sorry 17. Yeah. 17 and 16. That's Tuesday. Um I think they can bring a guest. I'll check and let you know, but normally you can bring a guest and uh it's a nice affair. So, I did kind of temporarily put everybody's name. Hopefully, y'all don't embarrass me. They going to have food for everybody. I don't want too many to go, please. Hi, I'm Tammy Martin with West Bat Parish Library and I just came tonight to give y'all an update on summer reading. Um, when school gets out, we get busy. So, uh, we have a lot going on. Um, I'll start with just just what's going on in the next week here in Port Alen. Not even talking about what's going on in Brley. Um, so tomorrow our wonderful Port Allen PD is going to do a

children's story time, talk about safety with parents. Um, it's going to be great. And we're it's pastries and police. So, come get some past tomorrow morning at 10. 10. Mhm. Um, and then on Friday we're having paint and collage art inspired by Eric Carl. If you're familiar with the Very Hungry Caterpillar, that's Eric Carl. And so they're going to do a community art piece where all the children participate in one art piece. And that is Friday from 1 to 3. And then Monday at 10:00 a.m. we try to have stuff at 10:00 because kids have limited attention span and after 10 it's time to go home, get lunch and get a a nap. But um nature on the go and that is for prek and up and that is wild animals in the library. It's it's really fun. Um every Tuesday at 10 we have story time. Um but next Tuesday afternoon um at 1, we'll have sidekick circuits for 6th to 12th grade. They will take an apple and make a battery out of it with circuits. It's it's really cool. Um and then on Wednesday the 18th um at 10:00 is the Yuck Show, which is slime and all that good stuff that the kids love. They love it. They really do. Um, and okay, so for adults, we don't have as many programs for adults, but the programs for adults are bigger. Um, we have, you know, three or four things a week for kids. We just focus on one a week or one every other week at at each branch for adults, but

we do them really big. So last night at Brley, we had a cookie dough class and this Friday in Port Allen is a Nerf battle. Um, come we'll provide all the snacks and the Nerf guns and take it out on the people that um really really deserve it, right? All right. Um, one other thing before I I go. Um well no actually a couple more things. Um one is I need it's raining. I need to push Dolly Parton's Imagination Library again. Um it is completely free. There is no cost to the child. Every child under the age of five in West Baton Rouge qualifies. All they have to do is live in West Baton Rouge and we will send them a book every single month for them to keep. Sign your kids up. We have like 450 kids signed up and I know we have more than that. Way more than that. And the other thing is, as as you're probably aware, the library tax did not get renewed in March. We are also going to be on that November 15th ballot. And so, I had some questions after the election that I wish I had gotten prior to the election. So, in response to those questions on our website, I've posted all of our budgets, all of our meeting minutes have always been on there, but also our audits. For the last two years, we have had completely perfect flawless audits, and I'm very proud of that. So, if anybody questions our finances, I'm more than happy to discuss it. I'm proud to discuss it. But if you have any any concerns or questions about services or anything concerning the library, my door is always open. Um, if I'm not sitting

in my office, I'm in that little blue car running back and forth between branches. But I got a cell phone. It's in my email signature. Call me. Come talk to me. Okay, that's all I got for y'all tonight. I am leaving these. These are sort of calendars of what's going on. And you can see they're thick. And one's for adults and one's for children. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um the last uh announcement I have uh I think um in the past um administration right towards the end um we kind of asked about um meter reader trainee after Terry kind of announced that he was retiring. So we did advertise. So we do have um interviews tomorrow starting at 9:30. um for those who want to participate um it's only two that can come from the council um but we are advert uh we are interviewing tomorrow I think and starting at 9:30 um or 10 9:30 I think tomorrow morning when we going to advertise for a job the assistant position um right now um I'm not going to um try to fill the position It is still open. It's still in the budget. Okay. Um I did, you know, leave it in the budget. Um but right now we're we I think we are fine. We're trying to get rid of the taxes. We kind of talked about that. Um you know, he he stepped in and he was able to get them, but they had new administration coming in, so we would have to have a new meeting with them to see if they're still willing to uh you know, take over the property tax. That's the sending out the tax bills and collecting the tax. That's not through the election. It's not through the millage adoption document. Still have to do that. Right.

Right. That's it. Motion. I make motion to motion by councilwoman. Second byoman Joseph.