Shreveport Focus SB/The Inquisitor
September 25, 2026
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MINUTES
REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM
112 W. ALABAMA AVE. VIVIAN, LOUISIANA MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
INVOCATION - Alderman Samuel Hodge opened the meeting in prayer.
PLEDGE - Mayor Festavan led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL / VERIFICATION OF QUORUM - Board of Aldermen present for Roll Call were Samuel Hodge, Raymond Williams, and Robert Green, Jr.; absent were James Martin and Denise Alexander. Following Roll Call the Town Clerk verified that a quorum was present. Also present were other elected officials and/or staff members: Police Chief Ryan Nelson, Town Clerk Kellie Morris, and Town Attorney Douglas Dominick.
APPROVE AGENDA - Motion to approve the Agenda as presented was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved.
1. PUBLIC COMMENTS -
a. Joey Paulette was present to voice his concerns about 1) abused animals and 2) overgrown property, including some that is owned by the Town, and
b. Huge Holland was also present and introduced himself as a candidate for Caddo District Judge.
2. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT - Financial report including budget-to-actual comparisons was presented by Mayor Festavan. Following the report and discussion, a motion to accept as presented was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all present approved.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the August 10, 2026 Regular Town Council Meeting and the August 31, 2026 Special Called Town Council Meeting in globo, as a unit, was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Wiliams; all present approved.
4. REVIEW OF POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBATIONARY STATUS - Demetria Stroy - Part-time Dispatcher - $11.00 per hour. (Hired August 10, 2026)
Mayor Festavan called on Police Chief Nelson who stated that Ms. Story had resigned from her position at the Department and that he would be getting her letter of resignation to the Clerk.
5. HIRING OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Tana Nicholson-Wilder - Part-time Police Officer - $18.00 per hour.
Mayor Festavan called on Police Chief Nelson who spoke about his desire to hire Ms. Nicholson-Wider, who would specialize in handling the homeless issue in town, then asked her to introduce herself. Following her introduction, she informed all present of her past work history, education, experience, plans to address the problem and her desire to be here. Motion was then made to approve Police Chief Nelson’s recommendation to hire Ms. Nicholson-Wilder by Robert Green, Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved.
* ZONING & CONDEMNATION MATTERS - Officer Bobby Smith
A. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT -
1) 308 W. Moore St. - Property owner, Robert Kovacs, was present on behalf of this property and spoke on the progress made and the work that will continue. Officer Smith then recommended that the matter be continued. Following his recommendation, motion to continue at the October 12, 2026 Regular Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved.
2) 106 Kansas Ave. – Mr. Crye, property owner, was present on behalf of this property who stated that he was in the process of cleaning up the yard, the ground, at this time and Officer Smith recommended that this matter be given one more month. Motion to continue this matter at the October 12, 2026 Regular Town Council Meeting was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all present approved.
3) Additional addresses if applicable -
a. 235 W. Atlanta St. - There have been no improvements and no response from the owner. Motion to continue at the October 10, 2026 Regular Council Meeting was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all present approved.
b. 211 E. Oklahoma Ave. - There have been no improvements, and repair work is needed. Also, the owner is deceased. Motion to place this property on the Condemnation List was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; all present approved.
c. 322 Camp Vivian St. - The owner of the mobile home at this address has been given 15 (fifteen) days to remove it from the property as the mobile home placed at the address is not the mobile home that was presented to the Council for the Variance at the August 10, 2026 Council Meeting.
* Police Chief Nelson exited the Meeting at 6:36 p.m.
Town Attorney Dominick also reported on the following addresses on the Condemnation List - 1) 202 Penrod Ln., and 2) 314 Penrod Ln.
* CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - Officer Johnnie Hough
CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT -
Officer Hough gave the following written and oral report: 24 (twenty-four) properties; 12 (twelve) new cases opened, 14 (fourteen) cases closed, and 1 (one) case was set to be heard in Environmental Court on Wednesday, September 16th.
MAYOR’S REPORT - There was none.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none.
ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all present approved. Meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
Kellie Morris, Town Clerk
Ronnie Festavan, Mayor
September 21, 2026