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Washington Parish Council
Regular Meeting – 6:00 p.m.
Courthouse Building
September 26, 2005
Minutes
Item No. 1 – Call to order – Chairman Darwin Sharp called the meeting to order.
Item No. 2 – Invocation – Councilman Miley gave the invocation.
Item No. 3 – Roll call – Clerk Sylvia Forbes called the roll. Present were Kenneth Wheat, Clinton Miley, Rodney Brown, Relton Sumrall and Darwin Sharp.
Councilman Charles Nassauer was absent.
Item No. 4 – Approval of the minutes – Councilman Miley offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Brown to adopt the minutes of the Special Meeting held August 30, 2005. All in favor the motion carried.
Item No. 6 – Adoption of the financial report – Councilman Miley offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Brown to adopt the financial report as presented. All in favor the motion carried.
Item No. 7 – Introduction of an ordinance – The ordinance was held for a future meeting.
Item No. 8 – Public hearing – Chairman Sharp opened the public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the Parish President to enter intro a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the State of Louisiana regarding funding and construction of an animal shelter in Washington Parish.
There were no comments during the public hearing.
Councilman Miley offered a motion seconded by Councilman Brown to close the public hearing. All in favor the motion carried.
Councilman Brown offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Miley to adopt Ordinance No. 05-369. A roll call vote resulted as follows:
YEAS: 6 (Wheat, Miley, Brown, Sumrall, Thomas and Sharp)
NAYS: 0 (None)
ABSENT: 1 (Nassauer)
Item No. 9 – Public hearing – Chairman Sharp opened the public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the Parish President to enter into a contract with Jim Ryan, LLC for administrative services for the FY 2006-2007 LCDBG Program.
No one commented during the public hearing.
Councilman Miley offered a motion seconded by Councilman Brown to close the public hearing. All in favor the motion carried.
Councilman Sumrall offered a motion to adopt Ordinance No. 05-368. Councilman Brown seconded the motion and the vote resulted as follows:
YEAS: 6 (Wheat, Miley, Brown, Sumrall, Thomas and Sharp)
NAYS: 0 (None)
ABSENT: 1 (Nassauer)
Item No. 10 – Public hearing – Chairman Sharp opened the public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the Parish President to enter into a contract with Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation (PEC) for engineering services for the FY 2006-2007 LCDBG Program.
No one commented during the public hearing.
Councilman Miley offered a motion seconded by Councilman Brown to close the public hearing. All in favor the motion carried.
Councilman Brown offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Thomas to adopt Ordinance No. 05-367. A roll call vote resulted as follows:
YEAS: 6 (Wheat, Miley, Brown, Sumrall, Thomas and Sharp)
NAYS: 0 (None)
ABSENT: 1 (Nassauer)
Item No. 11 – Public hearing – Chairman Sharp opened the public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the Parish President to enter into a contract with Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation (PEC) for engineering services for the FY 2006-2007 LCDBG Program.
No one commented during the public hearing.
Councilman Miley offered a motion seconded by Councilman Brown to close the public hearing. All in favor the motion carried.
Councilman Brown offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Wheat to adopt Ordinance No. 05-366. A roll call vote resulted as follows:
YEAS: 6 (Wheat, Miley, Brown, Sumrall, Thomas and Sharp)
NAYS: 0 (None)
ABSENT: 1 (Nassauer)
Item No. 12 – Public hearing – Chairman Sharp opened the public hearing on an ordinance to make permanent Emergency Ordinance No. 05-363.
No one commented during the public hearing.
Councilman Miley offered a motion seconded by Councilman Brown to close the public hearing. All in favor the motion Carried.
Councilman Brown offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Wheat to adopt Ordinance No. 05-366. A roll call vote resulted as follows:
YEAS: 6 (Wheat, Miley, Brown, Sumrall, Thomas and Sharp)
NAYS: 0 (None)
ABSENT: 1 (Nassauer)
Item No. 13 – Public Participation – A number of residents who are making repairs to residential houses and debris cleanup where present expressing opposition to the Emergency Ordinance adopted at the September 13, 2005 meeting requiring an occupational license.
Hershel Creel remarked that people are going to get ripped off regardless of any laws you pass.
Chairman Sharp said he had talked to most of the contractors in the audience prior to the meeting. We will have an infrastructure meeting to fine tune the ordinance and bring it back for a public hearing.
Councilman Sumrall said we adopted that thing too fast. We are kicking the poor people when they are down. We are penalizing the poor people and it is a shame. I represent poor people and I am against it and always will be against it.
Hershel Creel asked how many people are doing contracting without a license?
President Taylor commented this came with much thought and consideration. We at first did not think about insurance. For any work you do in Bogalusa or Franklinton, you have to have an occupational license. We put the insurance in as a way of tracking the contractor. Suppose you enter into an agreement with the property owner and you fall off the roof. Who is going to pay for the hospital bill? If you cut a tree and it falls on the neighbors house, who is responsible? I don’t know what it cost to get $100,000 in liability insurance or workman’s comp. We are trying to protect the citizen as best we can. I don’t care if you don’t have to pay a penny or if you need insurance. You need to come in and get a permit. Our people are so vulnerable right now.
Kelson Penton said he did not do this kind of work permanently. He works at Temple-Inland and makes repairs for old people. He suggested the parish require only out-of-state people get licenses.
Chairman Sharp said he was not sure if we could require only out-of-state contractors to obtain a license.
President Taylor said I don’t think so. Our neighboring areas will do the same thing to us.
Mr. Penton said he had to get a license in Franklinton and Bogalusa, do I still have to get one for the parish. Do I have to get a license to do my aunt’s roof?
President Taylor replied not if you are not getting paid. If you get paid you need a license.
Chairman Sharp said we are not here to put the small people out of business. We can make changes in the final document but we need to know where someone is if they come in here to do a job or two.
Councilman Wheat asked about the cost of insurance.
Hershel Creel said 91% of payroll for roofers for workman’s comp, 28% for general contractors.
Councilman Brown asked do any of you have insurance?
Mr. Penton replied through Temple-Inland and the state. No one else answered.
Councilman Brown commented you are taking a big risk.
President Taylor said why do you think the Town of Franklinton, City of Bogalusa, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes require a license. Things are changing. This is a new day. It is no longer status quo.
Hershel Creel asked what is going to happen to the money the contractors pay.
President Taylor answered it will go into the General Fund to pay another mandated expense.
Item No. 14 – Parish President’s report - President Taylor reported the C-130 that had sprayed for mosquitoes has been to the western part of the state – this is based on need. We will be looking at contracting out with a private company to spray and will be reimbursed by FEMA.
The construction of cells 4 and 5 at the landfill is proceeding. A pre-construction meeting was held on September 14 and construction is scheduled to begin October 3rd.
Construction debris can be taken to the old Bogalusa Landfill off Highway 10.
There have been four sites identified for debris sites. Before the end of the week the primary contractor will start picking up in the parish. Under our contract, work will be done in the City of Bogalusa, Angie and Varnado. The Town of Franklinton has their own contract with the same contractor the parish has.
We don’t have any specific information on temporary housing that will be available in Washington Parish. President Taylor reported he still did not have any information about the Red Cross. He reminded everyone that they are not a governmental agency but a non-profit one.
President Taylor reported that the parish is trying to get the time frame for Washington Parish residents to apply for food stamps extended. Hopefully that will happen in the next few days.
President Taylor asked that we have an infrastructure committee meeting and a finance committee meeting to discuss the storm cost, this year’s budget and the 2006 budget.
President Taylor said that a reply to the questions posed to the Reservoir Commission had been received and copies are available for anyone.
Item No. 15 – Council discussion – Councilman Sumrall asked if debris would be picked up in front of resident’s houses on the state highways and where can they take tin.
President Taylor responded that the state has their own contractors. Tin can be taken to the old Bogalusa Landfill on Highway 10.
Chairman Sharp said that some of the parish roads are so narrow it will be hard for the equipment to get down them to pick up debris.
President Taylor said we are trying to get a waiver to allow them to go onto the property.
Chairman Sharp called for an Infrastructure Committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. on October 10th before the regular meeting. The Finance Committee will be notified of the date and time for the finance committee meeting.
Item No. 16 – Adjourn – Having no further business to come before the council, the meeting adjourned on motion by Councilman Brown, seconded by Councilman Miley.
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Sylvia Forbes, Clerk of the Council Darwin Sharp, Chairman