April 2023 Regular Meeting

Town of Farmerville

Regular Meeting

April 10, 2023

The Farmerville Town Council met in regular session at Farmerville Community Center, located at 407 South Main Street, Farmerville, Louisiana, April 10, 2023.  The council members present were Mayor John Crow, Alderman  Robert Allen, Caroline Gatson, and Ricky Johnikin.  Alderman Thomas Nation and Kerry Hill were absent.

The roll was called and with a quorum present Mayor Crow called the meeting to order and invocation was offered by Keith Jeselink. 

 

As state law requires, Town Clerk, Gay Nell Pepper, offered the public the opportunity to voice their opinion on all agenda items at this time. There were no comments.

 

On motion by Gatson, seconded by Johnikin and unanimously approved to approve the minutes from March 13, 2023, regular meeting.

On motion by Allen, seconded by Gatson and unanimously approved to approve the payables from March, 2023.

 

On motion by Gatson,  seconded by Johnikin and unanimously approved to accept the monthly revenue and expenditure report for February as presented.

On motion by Nation, seconded by Johnikin and unanimously approved to appoint Charquel Phillips as Street Supervisor for a ninety day probation period.

On motion by Allen, seconded by Johnikin to declare the Police K-9 as surplus.  After much discussion the motion was resended.

On motion by Allen, seconded by Johnikin and unanimoualy approved to close the requested streets downtown for the Watermelon Festival to be held on July 28th and 29th of this year.

On motion by Gatson, seconded by Allen and unanimously approved to adopt Resolution No 03-23 pertaining to DRA Grant.

RESOLUTION NO 03-23

WHEREAS, the Delta Regional Authority (hereinafter "DRA") was created by Congress by the Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000, as amended, as a federal/state partnership now comprised of 252 counties and parishes within the eight states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee in order to remedy severe and chronic economic distress by stimulating economic development and fostering partnerships that will have a positive impact on the Delta Region’s economy; 

WHEREAS, the Town of Farmerville, acting by and through its board of aldermen proposes to apply for a award with DRA for the Fiscal Year 2022 federal award program cycle;  

WHEREAS, DRA requires that a person be designated, appointed, and given the authority to perform certain duties and administration of said award for and on behalf of the Awardee;  

WHEREAS, the Town of Farmerville met in a regular session on April 10, 2023,whereby the following members were present, constituting a quorum;  

WHEREAS, a motion was made by Gatson, was seconded by Allen, to designate and appoint Mayor John Crow to perform all duties and administration of said award, which carried unanimously by voice vote and was recorded on the minutes;  

WHEREAS, a motion was made by Gatson, was seconded by  Allen, that in the event of an administration change, the new Town of Farmerville shall continue to have such authority under this Resolution.  

READ AND ADOPTED, this the 10th day of April, 2022.  

On motion by Gatson, seconded by Johnikin and unanimously approved to adopt Resolution No 04-23 pertaining to calling for a tax renewal election for Fire Department.

RESOLUTION NO.  04-23

A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD BY THE TOWN OF FARMERVILLE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TO AUTHORIZE THE CONTINUATION OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A SPECIAL AD VALOREM TAX THEREIN; MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Alderman, acting as of governing authority (the "Governing Authority"), of the Town of Farmerville, Parish of Union, State of Louisiana (the "Town"), that:

SECTION 1.Election Call. Subject to the approval of the Louisiana State Bond Commission, and under the authority conferred by Article VI, Sections 30 and 32 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974, the applicable provisions of Chapter 5, Chapter 6-A and Chapter 6-B of the Louisiana Election Code, and other constitutional and statutory authority, a special election is hereby called and ordered to be held in the Town on Saturday, October 14, 2023 between the hours of seven o’clock (7:00) a.m., and  o’clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541, and at said election there shall be submitted to all registered voters qualified and entitled to vote at said election under the Constitution and laws of this State and the Constitution of the United States, the following proposition, to-wit:

Shall the Town of Farmerville, Parish of Union, State of Louisiana (the "Town"), continue to levy a special tax of seven and ninety hundredths (7.90) mills on all the property subject to taxation in the Town (an estimated $190,724.64 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2024 and ending with the year 2033, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating fire protection facilities and for purchasing fire trucks and other firefighting equipment for said Town?

SECTION 2.Publication of Notice of Election.  A Notice of Special Election shall be published in Farmerville Gazette, a newspaper of general circulation within the Town, and being the official journal of the Town, once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks, with the first publication to be made not less than forty-five (45) days nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the date fixed for the election, which Notice shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by reference the same as if it were set forth herein in full.

SECTION 3. Canvass.  This Governing Authority shall meet at its regular meeting place, Town Hall, 407 S. Main Street, Farmerville, LA, on NOVEMBER 13, 2024 at FIVE O'CLOCK (5:00) P.M., and shall then and there in open and public session proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the results of the said election.  The Governing Authority reserves the right to change the date and time set forth above for the canvas of the returns (without any further publication of notice of the change in the date, time and/or location).

SECTION 4. Polling Places.  The polling places set forth in the aforesaid 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 accordance with law.

SECTION 5. Election Commissioners; Voting Machines.  The officers designated to serve as Commissioners-in-Charge and Commissioners pursuant to Section 4 hereof, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1287, shall hold the said special election as herein provided, and shall make do returns of said election for the meeting of the Governing Authority to be held on NOVEMBER 13, 2023 as provided in Section 3 hereof.  All registered voters in the Town are entitled to vote at said special election and voting machines shall be used.

SECTION 6. Authorization of Officers.  The Clerk of the Governing Authority is hereby empowered, authorized and directed to arrange for and to furnish to said election officers in ample time for the holding of said election, the necessary equipment, forms and other paraphernalia essential to the proper holding of said election and the Mayor and Clerk of the Governing Authority are further authorized, empowered and directed to take any and all further action required by State and/or Federal law to arrange for the election.

SECTION 7. Furnishing Election Call to Election Officials.  Certified copies of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the Louisiana Secretary of State, the Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Parish Custodian of Voting Machines in and for the Parish of Union, State of Louisiana (the "State"), and the Registrar of Voters in and for said Parish, as notification of the special election herein called in order that each may prepare for said election and perform their respective functions as required by law.

SECTION 8. Employment of Counsel.  It is recognized, found and determined that a real necessity exists for the employment of Legal Counsel in connection with the election; accordingly, Boles Shafto, LLC, located in Monroe, Louisiana, is hereby employed as legal counsel to perform comprehensive, legal and coordinate professional work with respect to the election.  Counsel shall (i) prepare and submit to the Town for adoption all proceedings incidental to the election; and (ii) counsel and advise the Town with respect to the election. The fee to be paid Bond Counsel shall be an amount equal to the Attorney General's then current Bond Counsel Fee Schedule for hourly rate work and other guidelines for comprehensive, legal and coordinate professional work, together with reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred and advanced in connection with the election, said fee to be payable by the Town subject to the Attorney General's written approval of said employment and fee.

SECTION 9. Additional Notice Requirement. This Governing Authority made the announcement with respect to the adoption of this resolution required by La. R.S. 42:19.1, at its public meeting on March 13, 2023 and published said announcement in the Official Journal on March 16, 2023.

SECTION 10. Application to State Bond Commission.  Application is made to the Louisiana State Bond Commission for consent and authority to hold the special election as herein provided, and in the event that election carries for further consent and authority to dedicate the proceeds of the Tax, and a certified copy of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the Louisiana State Bond Commission on behalf of this Governing Authority, together with a letter requesting the prompt consideration and approval of this application.

This resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:

YEAS: JOHNIKIN, ALLEN, GATSON

NAYS: NONE

ABSTAIN: NONE  

ABSENT: NATION, HILL

And the resolution was declared adopted on this the 10th day of April, 2023.

Gay Nell Pepper, Town Clerk

John Crow, Mayor

On motion by Johnikin, seconded by Gatson and unanimously approved to authorize mayor to sign agreement with CSRS for grant consultant services.

On motion Johnikin, seconded by Gatson and unanimously approved to add Public Works Director to the agenda.

On motion by Johnikin, seconded by Gatson and unanimously approved to advertise for a Public Works Director.       

There being no further business to come before the council Mayor Crow adjourned this meeting the 10th day of April, 2023.  Upon motion by Gatson, seconded by Johnikin and unanimously approved.

Gay Nell Pepper, Town Clerk

John Crow, Mayor