Regular Meeting -6:00 P.M.
Courthouse Building
January 14,2008
Item No.1 -Call to order -Mr. Kenny
Gatewood, legal counsel for the Parish Council called the regular meeting to
order and asked that a motion be made to open the nominations for
Chairman.
Councilman Thomas offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Posey to nominate Dr. Charles "Chuck" Nassauer as
Chairman of the Council.
Councilman Posey offered a motion, seconded
by
Councilman Nassauer, with no opposition was
elected Chairman.
The meeting was relinquished to the chairman,
Councilman Nassauer.
Chairman Nassauer stated that nominations
were open for Vice-Chairman.
Councilman Route offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Johnson to nominate Councilman Posey for Vice-Chairman.
Councilman Wheat offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Thomas that the nominations be closed. All in favor, motion
carried.
Councilman Posey, with no opposition, was
elected Vice-Chairman.
Item No.2 -Invocation - Councilman Wheat gave the innovation.
Item No.3 -Roll Call - Clerk to
the Council, Sharon Lyons, called the roll. Kenneth Wheat,
Michael Fussell, Charles Nassauer, Andre' Johnson, Randy Thomas,
Item No.5 -Approval of Minutes -Councilman Posey offered a motion, seconded
Item No.6 -Adoption of Financial Report -
Councilman Thomas offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Fussell to accept
Kushner and LaGraize for the audit of 2007. All in favor and motion carried.
Councilman Wheat offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Thomas to adopt a resolution authorizing John Taylor and Leo
Lucchesi to sign a certification to Kushner and LaGraize that funds made
available through the Parish Transportation Fund have been expended in
accordance with the standards established by LSA-RS 48:753 and 48:755 regarding
use of funds and system administration. All in favor, motion carried.
Councilman Wheat offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Route to adopt a resolution authorizing the Council Chairman to
sign a certification to Kushner and LaGraize that the funds made available
through the Parish Transportation Act were expended during 2006 in accordance
with standards established by LSA-R.S. 48:758 (c). All in favor, motion
carried.
Item No.7 -Public Hearing - An
ordinance authorizing the Washington Parish Communication District to change
the road currently identified as
There were no comments.
Councilman Route offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Fussell to close the public hearing. All in favor and the motion
carried.
Councilman Route offered a motion, seconded
by Councilman Fussell to adopt the Ordinance 08-450. A roll call vote resulted
as follows:
YEAS: 7 (Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson,
Thomas, Route and Posey)
NAYS; 0
ABSENT: 0
Item
No.8 - Public Participation
-There was no comments.
Item
No.9 - President's Report -
President Thomas introduced the President's new secretary, Jeannine Bickham and
welcomed her to the Washington Parish Government.
President Thomas stated that each Councilman
had been given a Charter and Operation Manuel which had been voted on by the
people of the Parish.
Also President Thomas stated that we will be
doing a large amount of work before the next meeting on January 28, 2008, which
is two weeks away from tonight. I am sure that by then I will have a much
larger report to submit to the council.
Item
No. 10 - Council Discussion
-Councilman Posey stated that he would like to thank the voters for the
opportunity to serve and he hoped that the Council could do everyone well. He
stated he looked forward to working with the other members of the Council and
hoped as a council that we will think things through and not make hasty
decisions. I think you are going to see that this year. I look forward to
moving this Parish on forward into the future.
Councilman Route said he would like to thank
the people of District 6 for placing their trust in him, by electing him to
this council seat. Also he stated he believed that the Parish has a group of
men here that is good for Washington Parish, which will enable the Parish to
move to the forefront, in the future. He said he thought that after Katrina
Washington Parish needed to come alive, because it seems we were a forgotten
Parish during hurricane Katrina. He stated that he thought this group of men
could bring this Parish alive, and we have a President that can keep it alive,
so he was looking forward to serving the people of the Parish and going
forward.
Councilman Thomas stated that like the other
councilmen he appreciated the opportunity serve on the council; however, he
stated there was something that was on his mind and that is the full funding
for the health unit that is presently under construction. He stated that he was
anxious about and more than anything else, if we have enough money to complete
the project. He stated he did not know who to address this to find out the
answers, but he would like a report to satisfy his mind that we do have funds to
complete this project.
President Thomas stated the Parish does have
enough money to complete the contract, but of course if there are change orders
and things like this, then it could present a problem. I will be working within
the next two weeks to find out all the answers to the project. Mr. Lucchessi, Public Works Director, might have something that
is further abreast of the situation, but just talking in general that could
become a problem, but I think we have some solutions to take care of the problem.
Councilman Thomas stated that it is with his
appreciation that we will nail these solutions down before we get overly
committed.
President Thomas stated that he did not know what
the Council considered over committed, but that we are committed, because the
contract has already been signed. We definitely will be working on this
situation.
Leo. Lucchessi,
Public Works Director, stated that the project is monitored daily by an engineer
firm and myself. The contactor is very much qualified.
In fact, he was told at a health unit meeting that he left large amount of
money on the table. The contractor stated that he was confident in his bid and
would make money. Mr. Fauntleroy did a great job with the design, and I do not
think we will be faced with any surprises.
Chairman Nassauer stated that the Parish
Government has designated funds for the health unit construction project.
Councilman Johnson stated that when he
started this quest for this seat that he was in right now, he fully understood
that the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the Parish in its entirety was on
the council. He said that he did not take this lightly. It was never about him,
but the people of the Parish. It is about the people that he met when he
walked, from door to door and asked them to vote for him, and he kept this to
heart with him on a day to day bases. The Parish has
many pressing issues, and he felt confident about the people here sitting there
beside him that they have the best interest of Washington Parish as a whole. He
said he would like to ask the public for patience with the council and give the
council a chance to move this Parish forward.
Councilman Fussell stated that he appreciated
everyone's support for him and the Parish as a whole. Allot of stuff will be
happening in the next several months. Again, he said he would like to reiterate
Andre's comment about support and patience with the Council, because we have a
learning curve here, but one of the largest issues that drove him up here to
this council seat is the landuse ordinance and most
everyone here realized this. Richard and 1 talked about this today. He said he
was going to be following up on the issue, but we are trying to get our arms
around it and see what we are going to do with it. If you have any comments,
questions or support on the issue come see us. We need your input. Also, he
stated this issue is what got me into this and here 1am, so I will try to do
the best I possibly can for you in future.
Councilman Wheat stated that he was certainly
grateful for this opportunity to serve. He said for the short time he had been
allowed to get to know everyone he felt even more confident and positive that
great things could be done here in the future for the Parish.
Chairman Nassauer stated that he just wanted
to say that he appreciated the guys for letting him run the meetings. He said
that he wanted to run a fair meeting and wanted to respect the councilmen and
respect the public. He felt like this government is moving in the right
direction. He said that he wanted to thank the people of District 3 for letting
him represent them again. They are my friends, family and constituents. We all
want to do what is best for home, but also for Washington Parish as a whole to
bring us together. He stated that he thought we can do this and have success
for the Parish.
Item
No. 11 - Adjourned
-No further business to come to the council, the meeting adjourned on motion by
Councilman Posey, seconded by
Sharon Lyons,
Dr. Charles "Chuck" Nassauer
Clerk of the Council