City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, I'm going let that gavl stand. Good evening everybody. Our um November 10, 2025 meeting is now called to order. Um we're going to have invocation by yours truly and then Councilman Harrington is going to lead us in prayer. Will we all stand for prayer and pledge? Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight with grateful hearts for the privilege of gathering to serve the people of Nacades. Lord, we thank you for this city, for its beauty, it history, and the joy that fills our hearts during this festive season. We ask for your hand of truth to guide every decision made here tonight. Let honesty and integrity lead our conversations and may wisdom from above light our path forward. We pray for safety for every resident, visitor, and worker who calls this city home. Protect our neighbors, our celebrations, and those who serve to keep us safe. And Father, we ask for joy that the spirit of unity and festivity will fill our hearts and overflow into our community. May this season be one of peace, laughter, and [clears throat] neighborly love that reminds us how blessed we are to live in Nacades. Bless this council and bless every person here tonight. May all that said and done bring you honor and good to our city. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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.

All right. Thank you, Councilman Harrington, for leading us in the pledge. Uh we next well before we get before we get to that um just want to say uh silence your cell phones and just remember that u on items that we vote on individuals have uh up to 3 minutes to speak and we certainly don't want to be repetitive or anything like that but uh we do welcome public uh engagement. We just want to keep it uh decent and in order. Um, now we have on our agenda the reading and approval of the minutes from our October 27th meeting.

Mayor, I like to make motion that we dispense with the reading of the minutes of October 27, 2025 and that they be red and that they be adopted as recorded if no corrections. Second. All right. Motion made and seconded to uh adopt the me the minutes as they have been recorded. Any uh comment about this particular motion? All right, seeing none, Mr. Stacy, roll call vote. Eli, yes. Nelson, yes. Smith Kirkind Doll, yes. Harington, yes. PT,

yes. All right, that motion carries. Um, next we have something that's on for introduction. And Councilman, I'm sorry that's not correct. We're going to get to that. But we do have an employee of the month I think is on the next slide. uh Miss Casey Rashelle. So she falls under she works at the utility service center. So that's ultimately under the finance director which is uh Mrs. Clarissa Brown Smith. Uh Clarissa uh just and we don't have Casey here. We always offer that as I say all the time, but main thing we want to recognize uh those employees. So uh Mrs. Brown Smith.

Yes, Casey is one of our what we call uh in the pit workers. uh she's uh at the front desk uh when you uh get ready to pay your utility bill. Uh Casey is a really really great person um in itself. Uh a great uh co-orker um very polite, very just outgoing in her position. Um so we were definitely honored to have her uh join our staff. It's probably been a little bit over a year maybe that Casey has been with us, but she's definitely have made a lasting uh impression on all of us. So, she is definitely welld deserving. [snorts]

And I met Casey for the first time when we shot this picture. And I would concur with everything that Clarissa said. Seems like the personality that you will want to greet the public because that is not for everybody, all right, to greet the public, especially about their utility bill. So, we certainly appreciate her effort, her work, um, you know, that she uh provides to the city of Agnes to the residents ultimately. All right. Um, so and again certainly look at the Facebook page. I think we posted on last week uh those kind of interesting things about Casey. Um, [clears throat] next we have a planning and zoning uh piece that's for introduction and Councilman Nielsson is taking care of that one.

Thank you, Mayor. Ordinance number 38 of 2025 is for introduction. Ordinance amending ordinance number 64 of 2001 by changing zoning classification of property described as follows. U containing 438 acres shown on track 2A on plat by Robert L. Davis dated September 8, 2021 recorded at map slide 834-B and physical address being 1041 Washington Street. [snorts] Whereas the planning commission of the city of Nacades, state of Louisiana, has recommended at their meeting of November 4, 2025, that the application of Walter Walter L. Dar to reszone the property described above from R1 to R1 special exception to operate a short-term rental be approved. And if I'm correct, this one does have several properties already around it, but again, it's for introduction.

Yeah. Come on, Shantrell. Tell me what we Is this They're trying to do a short-term rental here. Is that You are This house was originally built for his daughter to attend college at Northwestern State University. Now, since she's graduated, they're returning home. So, they're wanting to sell the property, but in the meantime, until it sells, they want to do an Airbnb with the property. There has not been any [snorts] objections or opposition to it. Um, across the street, there are several rentals. Um, further down the street on the opposite end, there are other Airbnbs. Yep. Yeah, I've seen it for sale. Looks like a nice property. It is.

Did we say it hasn't been there? been actually the structure the original structure they built around it. It was a white and green structure that was I want to think they moved did they move a property in and then started that wasn't they did her dad was a contractor from Lake Charles. Okay, that's what it was. And he did a great job. Mhm. Council, y'all got any comments, questions, anything?

All right. Again, this is just for introduction. So, we will see it again at our meeting which is the 24th. 24th. All right. Okie dokie. All right. Next, we've got an ordinance on for final is dealing uh with the tiny houses and it's read by Councilman PT.

Thank you, Mayor. Ordinance number 036 of 2025. An ordinance to amend and reenact section 81 of chapter 8 of the code of ordinances entitled building and building regulations. Said amendment being made to adopt appendence AQ of the international residential code titled tiny homes to reflect current building codes as the official building codes of the city of Nagage, Louisiana. providing for advertising, further providing for Chevability and further providing for a repealer [clears throat] and effective date of ordinance. I read entitle only. Uh I so move to adopt ordinance number 036. Second.

Motion made and seconded. Some of the things we talked about the last time just some of our lot sizes particularly in West Natish you know are you know our audences have changed since then right? Um, and you know, I certainly think we don't have a particular place identified to where you could do a community of them, but that's something we could do do some thought to and maybe identify that for a potential builder to come in with some tiny homes. But I see the the energy efficiency nature of it. Um, you know, I I think it could fit a number of people, different walks of life, so forth, so on. So, um I don't know if there were any questions since we last introduced this, but um at this time, if there's any comment or question, we certainly want

Oh, God bless you. Certainly want to hear it at this time. [clears throat] Yeah. Yeah. Please. [clears throat] My name is Wayne Holm. Um I'm sorry I couldn't be here last time. Is is this just adopting the international standards or national standards for electricity and plumbing and stuff or is or is this the city to tiny homes? Is this the city actually making something new

to have? Yeah. To to amend our ordinances to include tiny homes into it basically. Is is that is that what I'm saying? Right. So all of the this is what we adopted from international code council setting the standard for the development of a tiny home. This is actually the first building structure that we set the minimum building size for. In our ordinances we don't normally state what size a building can be built to. We regulate the lot size. In this case we will actually be regulating the size of the structure. So this sets the building materials. It sets the electrical plumbing HVAC etc. Oh, okay. I I thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. H. Any other questions or comments? May I just speak real briefly on it? I just really love the idea of the tiny homes because you have like a lot of people that had these lots and they had like shotgun houses on it which since been torn down. So, you just kind of stuck with a small lot and I think this will work perfect in that case. You can't comply, right? If you try, especially if you got a structure right beside it or something. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. The only question I have, and I kind of apologize for not catching it last time, is I I would assume we don't want these in established neighborhoods or large lots,

right? So, each application that's presented to us for a tiny home will be subject to individual review to determine where they want to place them, how they're going to be placed. So if it's already an established neighborhood, we will look at the character development of that subdivision or that area, making sure that these will not be placed in established neighborhoods where lot size are three times, four times bigger than what's around them. And then the the removing the the chassis the chassis is there talk of that or

we have the talk we have talked about if we're going to make this a permanent settlement. Um, currently that's what's that's the direction is to make sure that when they're placed they will be permanent that they won't be moved. If it comes that if it is brought to our attention that we actually want a make a I guess you can say a RV type park. I mean that will have to be something totally different. But right now this is just regulating an individual placement of a tiny home. But we always can come back and we can always come back and twist and tweak it to make it fit. [clears throat] But I think the affordability and energy efficiency is is good.

Ma'am, please state your first and last name and then get into your remarks. But that's not My name is Jennifer Franklin. I do have a question about that. Does that is that included like the storage buildings that people are turning into homes these days? Because you talked about removing the chassis underneath them. I mean there's two different styles of of tiny homes. One of which people are taking like the portable storage buildings and turning into homes versus actually physically building like an RV style.

Okay. So question most of those portable buildings when they are manufactured the development will actually put on the plans not for residential use. So when they submit plans to us and we review those plans if it states on that this cannot be used for residential use then that knocks it out. But if someone goes to an architect and say, "I want to do a develop uh a tiny home." That developer would have to build up to our standards. Okay. Yeah. I just didn't understand because I mean I've seen lots of portable buildings that didn't state anything about not for residential use. So I was just curious about that. Is that around here or just in general other places?

Well, you know, I was actually raised in Texas. So that was and I've only been here in Nacades for three and a half years. Most of the city most of y'all know who I am, but in Texas like the mobile the the store buil storage buildings that you buy don't say not for residential use. I actually used to live in one in Livingston, Texas that was a a like a 14x40 14 by 35 somewhere out there. And I mean it was it had a full-blown kitchen, bathroom, everything in it. But nowhere on the plans because my dad actually owned it. Did it state not for res? You're saying that's a difference in the aesthetics between that and

right because they are moving up in the quality of them. I mean I looked at one the other day that was like 16t wide by 50 foot long and it's a storage building. Mhm. That's the size of my mobile home that I live in. Right. But again, they have plans have to be submitted to the state fire marshall's office for review also, [clears throat] not just through our office. And the ICC states that the minimum size or the max is 400 square feet. So there are regulations that stipulate the building size. What counts as a tiny home? Yeah. I was just curious cuz you said removing the chassis and I'm like people are turning these things into tiny homes. So thank you. You're welcome.

All right. Thank you. Any other comment or question? All right. Seeing no Mr. Stacy roll call vote. Eli. Yes. Nelson. Yes. Smith Kirkind Doll. Yes. Harrington, yes. PT, yes. All right, the motion carries. Next, we've got a piece on about the NAT [clears throat] story foundation. That's Councilwoman at large Smith Kirk.

Thank you, mayor. This is introduced in the last meeting of um so I'm just going to read this in title only. This is ordinance number 037 to 2025. an ordinance authorizing the mayor of the city of Nacades, Louisiana to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with Nacadesh historic foundation whereby the city of Nacades will lease to the Nackage Historic Foundation the ground upon which the rock house is located and the Nackage Historic Foundation will lease ground and facilities to the city of Nacage providing for advertising servability and further providing for repealer and effective date of ordinance. And I move for adoption adoption ordinance number 037 2025.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Um as councilwoman at large uh Smith Kirkall stated this was introduced at our last meeting. We had Mr. Vinnie Baron again, Dr. Baron and we got Miss Lee I want to say Aken. I got it. Akin. All right. [clears throat] She was here. She's the new president of Magnus Historic Foundation. So, we're ready to um when there are weddings and events down there, we've worked out the details um uh to have this facility open. Uh it's mainly the restrooms, right, that I think uh you might not clearly see um there. And I think there's some uses like if there's a wedding or something that um a bride maybe uh could have. So, we're excited about it. I think it's going to do great. I mean, there's been M Dr. Baron has talked about, I think at our last meeting as well, the extensive work that has gone uh through. So, it's just a a great project on uh the riverbank. Um and we're certainly [clears throat] from the city standpoint looking forward to um you know, it being open again. We've done some work as well, the Bojard Dan. Um I know that was under what Shauna did, got some work done there. So, um we think it's going to be great for the city. I don't know uh councelor if you got any comments or questions about this project but I see no negatives.

Any other public comment about this item? Did Dr. Baron want to say anything again or not? He's here. She's here. He he didn't want to speak again. [laughter] Mr. Cy, roll call vote. Eli, yes. Nelson, yes. Smith, yes. Harington, yes. PT, yes. All right, that motion carries. All right, we've got this one. Alex, I think you wanted to say something about this next one, which is an introduction. [snorts]

Yeah, I was asking that um ordinance 039 be tabled for us to look at the um where the poll is located and substitute and I bring that information back to the council. We move forward. So, do an examination where the poll is located, I think is what you're saying. Okay. All right. So, we ask that it be tabled. We don't move forward. Okay. I'll um ask for ordinance number 39 to be tabled for further review.

I motion made and seconded like Alex said, just to do a little bit more examination as to where the polls are and where they may have [clears throat] to be, I think is where what we're talking about here. Okay. All right. Any comment or question about that? No. All right. Seeing none, Mr. Stacy, real combo. Eli, yes. Nelson, yes. Smith, Kirkindall, yes. Harrington, yes. PT, yes.

All right, that motion uh carries the table that um look our I guess our first announcement is that tomorrow um is Veterans Day. So, we are certainly appreciating our veterans, those who are serving in the armed forces, have served. Um, so, um, make sure you show do what you can. I know that there's at least one program happening. Um, I know Chief Collins was at the win Central. I wanted to be there. Maybe Chief Win, maybe you went as well. I wanted to be there, but I just couldn't get there. But I think at what do they call it? Veterans Park over here.

So, 4:00 tomorrow, Veterans Park. So there is an opportunity to uh be a part of a program that and they do a really good job honoring you know they start on time and they um they have their songs and they have a good speaker so it's a really good program. 4:00 tomorrow um our next our next meeting is going to be on the 24th just in two weeks. Look, we always encourage people to download these two apps and that's uh uh regroup and [clears throat] um go nacadish about events going on. We may have a few more things happening. All right. Okay. Naga Central made it to the playoffs in football. Okay. [clears throat] All right. And uh that's good. You know, we at Naga Central, we are a uh basketball powerhouse. And I they got something going on in volleyball as well right now. I think they're building that up. But um you know, football, it's good to make to the playoffs. We play a team called Terabone. Um I think they're number eight or so. That's going to be I think it's going to be on Thursday. Anybody knows when the game's going to be? It's not up there. Friday, I think.

Oh, it's Friday. Mhm. St. Mary's is Thursday. Okay, that's what it is. St. Mary's is Thursday. So, one of them is going to Terabone, which is kind of New Orleans area. That's going to be central. I think St. Mary's is going to Pla. Somebody said somebody told me Plaam is where they're going. That has to be verified. But so, we got two teams in the city limits in the playoffs in football. That is, I think, pretty cool. All right. Um, and Steve, I think the next line is going to have St. Mary schedule, but okay. No, it doesn't. All right. So, looks like we have just a couple more farmers market opportunities. All right. What's that? Our last one. This will be the last one.

Yeah. Yeah. It's about to be the 15th. Okay. This is the last one. All right. So, just one more. So, if you haven't made it again, [clears throat] we only do six in the fall. So, it's a short season on that one. Of course, the spring going into summer season is longer, but um certainly come out and enjoy that. I think they saying they got a photo booth and Friendsgiving finale and some some different things happening. Uh Naga Central Jazz Band, I think you said, is going to be there, too. All right, that's cool. So, Veterans Day. All right, this looks like we've got something else. Okay, so NRMC tomorrow morning, they've got a Veterans Day program honoring all veterans. Free breakfast. And this is going to be at the Mariners's Lakefront restaurant uh out on the bypass and um so again that that's great. So that's happening. I'm I don't know is it for the entire community I guess free breakfast but they're certainly honoring those veterans. And so if you again are looking for another event to um [clears throat] honor the honor those men and women who have you know sacrificed their lives in terms of you know their time and and serving in these various places. Uh certainly want to encourage you to go out to that. Jingle and Mingle is taking place through the service league. It's going to be November the 11th uh which is tomorrow. And it's always a cool little kind of uh jazzy thing uh to do. Uh sit up, shop, be social at the Fruden Rookie House in downtown Aker. So that's uh taking place on tomorrow. I'm not sure the specific time, but um uh that is that is happening. Uh Friday the 21st. Uh, Riverbank, they actually um Riverbank in partnership with the I'm sorry, library partnership with the city, our Jennifer Brmplin did a good job with the uh Hotel Transennsylvania, but this one is uh author Christmas. So, I think that's a really good, you know, they had a good turnout. They said, "Let's do it again." Now, they're saying, "Bring your blanket, blank your chair, and your concessions. We know

it's going to be a little cool, but bring the things that you need so you can enjoy a Christmas uh movie. So, I certainly want to be be there to take part in that. All right, we've got Light the Way 5K. This used to be put on by the chamber. Is this the one? I think that's uh Well, maybe it still is. Let's see. It's uh but it's taking place on November 23rd, Sunday, downtown uh Nagatish. just a $35 uh admission fee. Is this the one now? That's the Boys and Girls Club. Yes, sir.

That's what I thought. Boys and Girls Club. So, this is kind of a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club. They've got $25 for the mile fun run, $15 for kids. So, again, it's a fundraiser. So, um we want to go out and support what the Boys and Girls Club what they're doing. Coach D and her staff are doing a fabulous job uh with our youth in that capacity. So, again, that's looking forward to that. And really just a just a couple Sundays. All right, we we know this is big, y'all. This is year number 99. 99 years of celebrating Christmas in Nacatish. And again, we do it like no others. We have people call all the time. They want to know our secrets, where you get your lights from, all that stuff, you know. Um I just kind of ignore them and hope they forget, right? But um but so we're looking at 99 years. That means 100 is coming up next year, but we're going to celebrate this year really well. Uh they've already announced who um I think Vicky Johnson is going to be the grand marshal. All right. Vicky Johnson from Kashetta. She was inducted in the sports hall of fame last year I think.

This year. This year. Was it this calendar year? Okay. This calendar year. All right. Um [snorts] but look, you can get your tickets. I'm sure there going to be some drone shows. Uh Miss Sandra, how many drone shows do you Three Three uh drone shows. Look, you've seen and and Tim, he he wanted to keep it from me, but I think I don't know. I think it's going over well. The little kind of train. Did y'all see the train piece in the in the little circle? I think it's kind of going over well. And I'm sure that's some somebody pointed out a Is that new? The alligator, the crawfish pulling the alligator. Is that new? No. Oh, that's been there. Okay. Somebody did a post about it though cuz it went away for a little while.

No, it's been there. It's just been so crowded down on the river bank that everything was bled into everything else. Oh, okay. Cuz yeah, she made a post about it like it was something to I was like, "Oh, that's that's kind of cool." All right. All right. Well, anything else? Anything we got? There he is.

Okay. [laughter] Okay. I like it. I like it. I like it. So, look, um, nagging.com 99th year festival day is December 6 and uh we always we're always praying for great weather and everything like that uh to be on our side. All right. Okay. That's what we've got. We're going all the way through I think January 6 on that. So, uh, we're looking for a really good time. All right. If there's nothing else, council, we'll hear a motion to adjourn. I make a motion we adjourn. Second. All right. All in favor? I meeting is ajourned. Y'all have a great night, folks. [laughter]