City Council - Regular Meeting

What's up, Ron? It's just everything you take. I think everybody

I don't know. Get Get that. [laughter] Uhoh. Oh no. I sporn in the kitchen just the other day for not that.

[laughter]

I didn't know was [clears throat] well was the best mother ever. What's going on, bro? [laughter]

Hello.

I'm going to get ready for what you got. kick it off on the fifth.

Okay. information. He's number

I was going to do it for black history black history for the first meeting. When I was talking to him he was like get over here we've got no we'll take it.

[laughter] What are you talking about?

How's it going, bro? Hey, thank you.

Thank you so much.

So nice. I'm so glad you're all dressed up. [laughter]

[laughter]

You need to sometime go Okay.

Okay.

Is it from the treasury? Okay. Are you going to lose it after we don't You want to set up? What are you going to use it for? Do you know

you have rollover accounts? Father Paul, happy new year. Okay, you might as well work your way on down to the front. in. Okay.

Hey, Grayson. Doing okay. Mhm.

So, I'm John Settle. I'm Steen Theres. I think I did. Your dad used to cycle. Yeah. Madam Clark, you ready? Yeah. Cycle with him every Saturday. Yeah. And you know he didn't look like a runner that pot and then [laughter] he's a fantastic cyclist and then he was out doing running and teaching all those people Virginia just a great guy. I was really know he had chemo. He came on fast. Yeah. Well, I was just

ready. Let's do this. I didn't Good afternoon. The Shreport City Council meeting is now called to order. I'm going to ask Father Paul to lead us in the invocation and Councilman James Green will lead us in the pledge.

Thank you, Madam Chair. [clears throat] Let us pray. Almighty God, our heavenly father, send down upon these who hold office in the city of Shreport, Tabitha Taylor, Gary Brooks, Jim Talia Pharaoh, Grayson Butcher, Alan Jackson, James Green, Ursula Thomas, Thomas Arseno, the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice that with steadfast purpose they may faithfully serve serve in their office to promote the well-being of all people through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Amen. [clears throat] Would you turn and place your hand on your heart and repeat the pledge, please? 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. [snorts] Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Councilwoman Taylor, present. Councilman Brooks. Councilman Tyler Farerrell, here ma'am. Councilman Butcher, here. Councilman Jackson, here. Councilman Green, I'm here. And Councilwoman Bowman, present. Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the special meeting Thursday, December 4th and Tuesday, December 9th in the administrative conference and city council combined meeting Thursday, December 18th, 2025. Second.

So [clears throat] moved by Councilman Green, second by Madame Vice Chair. Any discussion? Let's vote

and this passes with six. Does any council member have any awards, recognition or distinguished guests not to exceed 15 minutes? Yes, ma'am. I do. Madam Madam Chair, I have several. Councilman Green. Uh I have Miss Linda here. Uh, who is your mother? Uh, what you just w Thank you for coming. And I have um Mr. uh Rodri uh Casey. Is he here yet? Chief Casey. He's not here yet. He's not. But he should be coming. And I also have attorney uh Ron Latier who's going to be here also. Okay. Councilman Jackson.

Um I asked Miss Irma Roger to come. I saw her earlier today. I know she ain't had a chance to change, but thank you for coming. Your con how Councilman Green [laughter] and Councilman Jast going to take my mama and my constituent. They just love me. They are not living in y'all's [laughter] districts. Does any other council member have any awards? I see. And also have Mr. Jared B. Oh, he's yours, too. [laughter] Thank you, Jerry. Thank I appreciate you coming, leaving the school board, and making it over here. Thank you here. [laughter] Any other council members? Mayor, do you have any awards, recognitions, or distinguished against not to exceed 15 minutes?

I didn't see anybody else out there. I can Okay. [laughter] Everybody No, [clears throat] ma'am. I don't. Do you have any communications of the mayor relative to city business? No, ma'am. Okay. Does any member have any questions or concern relative to property standards for Mr. Green? Is Mr. Green here? Well, John Stole told us we had to move through this meeting. So, we just trying to get through here. Any concerns for property standards?

Okay. Thank you, sir. All right. All right. Everyone should have received a revenue collection plan and implementation report from finance public hearing. There is none. Madame clerk, will there be any legislation added today? No, ma'am. Today, we hear public comments on agenda items only. Madame vice chair will handle this section of the meeting. You have three minutes to speak. Please state your name and address for the record. Okay, first one, Sammy Mirs.

I was at Advent for 3 weeks in case anyone was worried. Sammy Mirs, 1133 South Point Parkway, apartment 111 Streetport, Louisiana 71105. I want to speak on resolution 92. I believe it's for the month of January. it would be a good idea to recognize January as human trafficking. This has been going on for a long time and it needs to stop like a red light. More than likely, there's been a lot of fruit cakes out there and lily padded fugitive nuts that are getting out there and doing this kind of stuff and they don't have the right to do this. They must quit it or they would end up getting the results from the police that they don't want. So, let's help put an end to this and make sure that the streets are safe and that this will continue for a long time. If you'll vote yes, it would be appreciated.

Thank you, Sammy. Thank you, Sammy. Sammy, happy new year. Happy New Year. Scott Sinclair,

I signed up to speak in connection with one of the items on the agenda. So, can I just reserve time for that? Thank you. Craigley.

I told you about doing that break dancing. [clears throat] [laughter] I'm I'm getting better. Craig 1112 Prospect Street, [clears throat] Shreport, Louisiana. um want to um do an endorsement for Charles Johnson for this new board that's not a new board, but they changed their name. Okay,

which I hate the name change. Visit Shreport Bosure is a crazy name. I think it still should be the Shreport Boer Tourism Bureau. I don't know how they came up with that. I guess it's some crazy stuff about rebranding, but um I'm in full support of um Charles Johnson's appointment. And this comes on a heel. Of course, I guess you guys have read the newspaper because you all have helped to stimulate this economic development initiative in downtown Shreport. I think it was something um Councilman Ber in the tune of a hundred [clears throat] million dollars that Gunit is going to uh invest. 50 million of course comes by the way of support from the state. So, we have to have people on the tourism board of directors who can really see that tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and Shreport, Louisiana has an opportunity to grow in this particular area. There are two primary areas of tourism. Most people focus on leisure travel, but there's another sector that we've not done a great job in, and that's conventions and conferences. When I served on the tourism board of directors back in early 2000, I was the only African-American in the country with a master plan to develop a tourism industry in Shreport. So it is great that Orville Hall representing Gunit Curtis 50 Cents Jackson is in the mix and we need to have some good people on that board who have an understanding of business and promotion because that's what's going to be needed and because Charles is representative of K is the best individual for that position. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you Mr. Robert Rollins. Yeah, I would like to just withdraw my my application to speak after speaking with Council Lady Bowman and uh Butcher Grayson and if that's fine with you all. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Rollins. Jackie. Okay. Okay. That concludes public comments. Jack is here. Is Mr. Casey here from the fire department?

Roger Casey. Roger. Okay. We have the following executive appointments to consider today. Shreport implementation and development authority Frank Daxton III visit Shreport Boer board Charles Edward Johnson and Shri Memorial Library Board Josephine B Wade and Margaret Martin so moved second

so moved by Councilman Green second by Madame Vice Chair any discussion let's vote Okay. And this passes with six.

There are no items on the consent agenda or for introduction or to be adopted. Madame clerk, please proceed to regular agenda legislation. Resolution 160 authorizing the mayor to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement between the city of Shreport and downtown development authority. And there's a request for this to be postponed. So move to postpone. Second. So move to postpone by the chair, second by councilman Ber. Any discussion? Let's vote.

Madam chair, this passage seven. Madam chair, he was looking for Councilman Brooks. He's here now. Madame clerk, proceed, please. [laughter] Resolution one, authorizing the city of Shreport, Louisiana purchasing agent to reject all bids received for pavement improvements, rebid25-081, I mean 80. So move.

So move. So moved by Councilman Talifer, second by Councilman Green. Any discussion? Let's vote. And this passage seven resolution two to recognize January 2026 as human trafficking awareness month. Motion to postpone. Second. Motion to postpone by Councilman Ber, second by Councilman Green. Any discussion? Discussion. Councilman.

Um unfortunately the director uh of the um free coalition could not be here today. Okay. but she will be at the our next meeting, so we want to do it then. But she also wanted me to remind everyone of the proclamation and breakfast Friday, January the 23rd at 7:30 or 8 8:00 and that'll be at Margaritavville. January 23rd. Yes, ma'am. We should have gotten uh all got invitations, I believe, from the clerk. Ma'am, 8 a.m. Yes, ma'am.

Dr. Johnson, will you diary it on the calendar for the council? We'll send it to you. Diary it on the on the on the calendar for the council. Let's vote.

This passes with seven.

Madam clerk, would you proceed with introduction of resolutions not to be adopted prior to January 27th, 2026? Resolution three, authorizing a mayor to execute a lease to own agreement with Striker Sales Corporation. Resolution four, authorizing a mayor to execute a lease agreement between the city of Shreport and North Louisiana Criminalistic Laboratory Commission. Resolution five, authorizing the mayor of the city of Shreport to execute a lease amendment, which will extend the primary term of state agency lease number 22145 with Apex Natural Gas LLC for an additional 2 years. and resolution six granting city council approval for the mayor to pay the premiums and execute documents in connection with the purchase of insurance for city excess workers compensation inland marine for the period beginning January 1st 2026

so moved on introduction second so move an introduction by councilman Ber second by councilman green these items have been introduced madame clerk would you proceed with introduction [clears throat] of ordinances not to be adopted prior to January 27 2026 There are none. There are none. So move. There are none. [laughter] Madame clerk, please proceed with ordinances on second reading and final passage. Ordinance 153 amending the city of Shreport, Louisiana 2026 general fund budget. So move. Second. So moved by Councilman Green, second by Madame Vice Chair. Any discussion?

Let's vote. This passes with seven. Ordinance 154 amending the city of Streetport, Louisiana 2026 capital improvements budget. So move. Second. So moved by Councilman Green, second by Madam Vice Chair. Any discussion? Let's vote. This passes seven ordinance 155 to approve the amendment of articles of and sections of the UDC in regard to appeals to zoning variance decisions. So move second.

So moved by Councilman Green, second by Councilman Butcher. Any discussion? Let's vote.

This passes to seven. Ordinance 156, zoning case 25-119C, an ordinance to approve the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by reszoning property located on the northwest corner of Lynwood Avenue and Mount Zion Road for a proposed track to be reszoned to C4 and the other proposed track to be zoned C3. Council Mr. Motion first. You have a question?

Motion first. Okay. Need a motion. So move. Second. So moved by Councilman Jackson, second by Councilman Ber. Discussion. Um Mr. Jean, what was the background on this? Um I see it was y'all voted to approve it 70.

So what this case they actually asked for that property to be zoned C4 all the way down to Mount Zion Road and is really what the use that they really needed the C4 was really in the back of the property. So when it looked like that we were going towards incompatibility, they they decided that it would be best just to split it in two in two so that the back half would be C4 which would be the same zoning as what the property is behind them and then they would have C up C3 up front which would be more compatible with the properties across the street from them. Was there any opposition to that? No. No was not.

Okay. Thank you. approve. That continues the discussion. Let's vote.

This passes seven. Ordinance 157, zoning case number 25-124C, an ordinance to deny the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by resoning property located on the northwest corner of West 70th Street and Rice Road from C4 Heavy Commercial Zoning District to I1 Light Industrial Zoning District. And there's a request for this to be postponed. Motion to postpone. Second.

Motion to postpone by Madame Vice Chair, second by Councilman Green. Any discussion? Let's vote. [clears throat] And this passage seven ordinance 158 zoning case number 25-126C an ordinance to approve the amendment of the zoning map of the UDC by reszoning property located on the east side of North Market Street approximately 665 ft south of Nelson Street from C3 General Commercial Zoning District and I2 Heavy Industrial zoning district. So I1 light industrial zoning district. So move second

discussion Mr. Jean. I just want to state for the record. This was a unanimous vote by the MPC. Correct? Yes. No opposition from anyone? No. Okay. So move we can vote. Second. There was a motion by Councilwoman Taylor and second by Councilman Green. Yes. in this passage seven. Madam clerk, is there any table legislation to be removed from the table today? No, ma'am. We have no property standards or appeals to consider today? No, ma'am.

We have the following MPC case to consider today. Case number 24213C, appealed by Ronald J. Mashota on behalf of Forbean Bluff Timber Company and Ruth Nordon for 9500 block of Lab Road special use permit and site plan for Alter Group take five oil uh change vehicle repair and drive-thru. Uh motion to postpone and then discussion session.

Motion to postpone by Councilman Butcher, second by Councilman Green. Discussion. So over the last two days, I've been going back and forth with engineering and finally got an answer at about noon today, plus or minus. There are two different site plans from what I understand that um one has a turn lane, one doesn't have a turn lane. And so DOTD So we need a little bit of extra time. And I'm sorry y'all came down. I I should have called and told y'all, but uh I really just found out on the way down here that we knew for sure that we needed a little bit more time. Um so [clears throat] we need we need to let our engineering department review that. So I'm going to move to postpone it for two weeks.

Any other discussion? Let's move to postpone. There's been motion and second. Let's vote. Motion to postpone passes with seven. [laughter] Are there any other appeals? Madam clerk? No, ma'am. Are there any reports from officers, boards, and committees? Madam clerk, is there a clerk's report?

Yes, ma'am. The following letter appointment was received from the mayor's office on January 6, 2026 and is subject for confirmation on January 27, 2026. Director of water and sewer, Brandon Sneo, do you have any additional comments? No, ma'am. Does any council member have any additional comments? Madam Chair? Yes. U Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, Chief um Rodri uh Casey was supposed to come. He's a uh member of He's here. He's here. He's walked in. Oh, come on up. Oh, there he is. Wow.

Thank you, Chief, for coming. Uh tell the people about the big event that's happening in District F on Saturday.

Well, excuse me for my tardiness. uh got caught up and why I thank you uh council and mayor and community. Uh this weekend is the uh Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s uh celebration 318 celebration and I'm a founder of the new crew crew of last year we did a resource fair up at MLK huge success we had close to 500 people come through the doors this year is lucky enough to be in Mortown airport [applause] my vision for this was every year to move it to a different location in the Right. [laughter]

So, next year it may be in one of your districts. We looking to have a good time. It's free to the public. Uh we got vendors, we got healthcare workers, we got uh kids zones, we got free food, we got giveaways. We uh tend to like to help to support those that are trying to attend college, the young folks. So, we got some stuff for them. Feel free to come out, celebrate with us. We're looking to have a good time. Hopefully, we can get another close to 500 people in that in that area also. And uh we look forward to coming to one of you next year. That's right. Mr. Cassie Chief Casey, don't don't go anywhere. Don't go there.

No, cuz we in the middle of a turf war. I got y'all a friends right now. No, we're not. You know how it was last year. I know exactly how it was. Thank you, so tell them where you'll be at church on Sunday morning. [laughter] at your church. He told me last week he'll be working on his sermon. He started working on his sermon early. So [laughter] we'll be celebrating with him that Sunday morning. And also we're going to be participating with some of the other festivities that's going on that weekend throughout the city. So we're just looking to have a great time. It was a really really nice event. Yeah, it's going to be a great time this week. Mr. Casey, one more time, can you tell everybody how to get to District F for those of us who are not familiar where it's located? Again,

it's going to be at airport park. That's 6500 Kennedy Drive. in the Morttown area [cough] at the community center there from 10 to 3. From 10 to 3 10 to 3 Saturday the 17th this [clears throat] coming Saturday. There are a Thank you so much Mr. Casey. There are a number of MLK events that will be happening um this weekend. Um we do have two parades Martigra parades that will be honoring MLK. I think we have crew of Sebeca and crew of Aambe. And then Mount Kanan will have a parade Sunday at 4:00. And then it would have the chorus uh competition, MLK chorus competition that will happen this Friday and Saturday, I think, at First Methodist. And where's the I can't remember where the second one is going to be.

Downtown downtown. I can't remember where the second is going to be, but it's a day at the Strand a day of service. And then the MLK uh neighborhood association will have uh a presentation and the meal that Martin Luther King enjoyed so much at the center. So it's a day of service and there's plenty of services that will be going on in the city of Shreport. Madam Chair, if I if I may, there also is a is a there also is a city uh city recognition of Dr. King's birthday along with the celebration of CC Ancan Park. will be at CC Anwine Park at 9:00 on uh Monday morning. Okay. Wear your coat.

Yes. Wear your coat. There is Yes. It's It's an outdoor event. Yes. Wear your coat. All right. Are there any other additional communications? All right. We will now have election of chair and vice chair. Madam Chair. Councilman Green. I would like to uh nominate um Madame Chair Tabitha Taylor for chair. I'd like to nominate vice chair Ursula Bowman for vice chair. Act that we would vote in that order. Second. So we have a motion for chair for yours truly Tabitha Taylor for vice chair. Yours truly Ursula Bowman. We have a second by Councilman Jackson. Any discussion?

Let's vote. Nom. We move that we close nominations according to Councilman Jackson in District E. The motion for chair for Councilwoman Taylor has been approved. Congratulations. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. [applause] Motion for Ursa Bolan as being vice chair. Second motion. [laughter] Motion by Council Gray, second by the chair. Any discussion? Yes, I'd like to have one, ma'am. Yes.

I'd just like to say before we close this that you all have worked together as a team and uh the work that you have done, you all have done has been second to none. And I'd just like to congratulate you all. You all have worked great. I mean, great together. You brought the council together. And I'd just like to, if I had a hat, I'd like to take my hat off to y'all. Uh but uh thank you all so much and God bless you. Thank you so much. Yes, absolutely.

I echo what uh Councilman Green said. It it's it's been a good year. I feel like that we've got a lot accomplished and um you know I I think that the two of y'all together have done a great job and so look forward to this. I guess it's Councilman Green and my last year so might as well just go ahead and sail into the sunset with with y'all's leadership. [laughter] Thank you. so much. Thank Thank y'all for helping me get my sub stationation. [laughter] Thank you. Thank you. Let's vote. And this pastor seven. Y [applause] congratulations. I

want to take this opportunity to thank you all again and to thank our colleagues for believing in us. But we could not do this without your efforts and believing in us and working collectively together. What we want to see is this city move forward in every way possible. We want to see this city grow in every neighborhood. And what I love about our council is us sticking together and working together to improve every district that is represented in the city of Shreport. So on behalf of myself and madame vice chair, thank you gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you. And I'll add one last thing. What's that sir?

This is the first time in almost seven years that we've had a unanimous vote for chairman AND VICE CHAIR. [applause] THANK YOU. YES, SIR. Is Mr. Mayor, is there a way we can get Denario? Cuz I just heard somebody said today that there's a Marshall in Texas, I believe, and maybe he could get us all over there on his bus [laughter] for the celebration. Somebody was talking about there's Is there one in Texas? I think it's in Alabama. Alabama. Yeah. Yeah, that's close. You don't want to go [laughter] there. Thank you. If there is nothing else, this meeting is ajourned. Wow.

Well, there you have it. Done and done.