Ville Platte Gazette
May 14, 2026
Legal Notice
CITY OF VILLE PLATTE
REGULAR MEETING
APRIL 13, 2026
Mayor Ryan LeDay Williams called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
After an opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance, role was called. In attendance were Alderwoman Sam, Alderwoman Frank, Alderman Roy, Alderman Jagneaux, Alderman Riggs, Fire Chief Soileau. Absent were Alderwoman Lemoine, Police Chief Thomas, and City Attorney Ludeau.
The first item of business was to approve March 10th meeting minutes. Motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderwoman Sam. Motion passed unanimously.
Second item was approval of the February financial reports that were emailed to the council. After review by the council, a motion to approve the monthly financials was offered by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.
Following council comments, Mayor Williams asked for any public comments on the agenda. There being none, the first item of business was to recognize coaches and members of the Sacred Heart Power Lifting Team which recently placed second in state competition. Mayor Williams congratulated the coaches and competitors and presented plaques to the coaches and state champions.
Second agenda item was to approve an ordinance authorizing the sale of adjudicated properties at public auction scheduled for June 29, 2026. Motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.
Third, Fourth and Fifth agenda items were to approve the introduction of ordinances for the sale of property to adjoining landowners. The properties are located at 813 N Stagg, 714 N Stagg and 812 NE Railroad St in Ville Platte. Motioned by Alderwoman Jagneaux and 2nd by Alderman Sam. Motion passed unanimously.
Sixth agenda item was a review of the adjudicated property sales that took place on March 30, 2026.
Seventh agenda item, Compliance Officer Candace LeDay presented to the council the process for handling blighted properties going forward.
Eight item was a presentation from Natasha Edwards, who presented on her organization, Girl, Grow LLC. A community-based organization formed to help empower girls with confidence, growth and purpose.
Ninth item was an invitation from Sarahi Sawtelle inviting the public to the opening of The Tutor House at 104 W Cotton St on April 20th from 12-1 pm.
Item Ten was to discuss damages done by a city worker backing a city truck into a parked car in a parking lot. A motion to pay $271 claim was made by Alderwoman Frank, 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.
The Engineer’s report was tabled.
Fire Chief Soileau reported for the month of March,
• In March, the fire department was dispatched to 11 incidents in the city and 4 incidents in the surrounding fire district, totaling 15.
One of the incidents in the city was the commercial structure fire on Northwest Railroad. Firefighters were able to control the incident and extinguished the fire preventing damage to adjacent occupancies.
• Firefighters completed 40 additional smoke alarm installations in March, in addition to the dozens of alarms installed during the “Sound the Alarm” event on March 14th.
• I would like to recognize 2 more firefighters who earned their Fire Service Instructor I certifications in March: Career Firefighter/Operator Dennis Scott and Part-Time Firefighter/Operator Spencer Bordelon. Both of these men are dedicated to sharing knowledge and skills and building up our members to be effective team members.
• Annual pre-incident occupancy reviews and response planning was completed in March and crews began performing annual attack and supply hose pressure testing on each apparatus. These activities will continue this month along with spring cleaning.
• New Central Fire Station Bid process is commencing within the next few weeks.
• End of my report.
Police Chief Thomas’s report was read by Alderman Jagneaux: during the month of March the police department responded to a total of 420 calls for assistance, up by 72 from February. 14 citations, up by 2, for a total of 33 arrests, up by 4. This included 6 felony arrests, down by 3. Officers also responded to 19 accidents, which was up by 4. There were no fatalities. This concludes the chief’s report.
APRIL MAYOR’S REPORT
Wastewater treatment plant update:
The city is currently awaiting a response from the state regarding our SLRF application, which includes a favorable interest rate of 0.95% along with subsidies. The request submitted was for up to $8 million to completely revamp the wastewater treatment plant, which was originally placed into service in the mid-1980s and has seen minimal maintenance over the years.
Since taking office, I have dedicated significant time and effort to addressing the city’s infrastructure needs, with the wastewater treatment plant being the final major component. While we have made substantial progress and are in a much stronger position than before, this remains a critical priority.
After exploring multiple options, the most feasible and economical approach is to upgrade the existing system that has served the city for over 30 years, including the boat clarifier and rotor setup. This decision is further supported by cost estimates exceeding $17 million for full replacement options.
Moving forward, the city will be advertising for bids for a new boat clarifier, repairs to existing wall structures, and the removal of accumulated sludge. These steps will allow us to proceed with necessary upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant in a responsible and cost-effective manner.
Clearance grant project update:
The clearance grant project has been successfully completed, with over 25 homes abated, demolished, and removed. Now that we have a full understanding of how the program operates, we will be applying for additional funding to continue addressing more properties throughout the city.
Our streets and drainage crew have also been actively working to address dilapidated structures. I would like to personally thank Mr. Challis Green, Codie Jackson, Malcom Seria, Rj Anderson, Neal Alfred, and all supporting staff who continue to work tirelessly to keep our city moving forward.
To date, the city has cleaned up over 25 properties, with many more identified for future action. One of the primary challenges has been the availability of dumpsters for debris removal. Due to high demand, it can take up to a week or more to have dumpsters emptied.
To address this issue, I took the initiative to secure a roll-off dumpster system for the city. Within the next two weeks, the city will have its own system consisting of four dumpsters. This will significantly improve our ability to address blighted properties without delays. I strongly believe in ensuring our teams have the tools and resources necessary to get the job done efficiently.
Workforce development:
The city will be partnering with the Acadiana Works office to participate in their work experience program. This program provides up to 440 hours of work at no cost to the city, including workers’ compensation coverage. We anticipate starting with two to three participants, which will further support our operational needs.
Parks Project:
Significant strides have been made by the current administration to improve the overall quality of life for our citizens, especially our youth, through continued investments in our city parks and recreational facilities. These efforts have included upgrades to multiple city parks, the installation of new playground equipment, the addition of splash pads, and the resurfacing of basketball courts with creative sports tiles.
These improvements were strategically initiated to demonstrate to the State of Louisiana that the City of Ville Platte was actively moving the parks project forward in an effort to retain the Capital Outlay request that had been in place since 2017 under the administration of Governor John Bel Edwards. The city remained committed to showing progress and good-faith efforts toward completing the project despite ongoing financial challenges.
Unfortunately, the City was recently informed that the Capital Outlay request previously secured for the parks project has been withdrawn under Governor Jeff Landry’s HB#2 budget priorities, which are currently focused more heavily on statewide infrastructure projects. Nevertheless, this administration remains proactive and committed to continuing improvements throughout our parks system. Funding for additional park enhancements will be incorporated into the City’s upcoming budget, and we will continue pursuing strategic planning opportunities and self-initiated projects to ensure our citizens and youth have access to safe, modern, and enjoyable recreational spaces.
In closing, this administration remains committed to moving the city of Ville Platte forward through strong leadership, strategic investment, and a focus on long-term sustainability.
This concludes the April mayor’s report.
There being no further business to come before the council, Alderwoman Sam motioned and Alderwoman Frank seconded to adjourn. Motion unanimously passed and the meeting was adjourned at 6:10 PM. April 13, 2026
Signed: ______________________________
Mayor Ryan LeDay Williams
Attested: ____________________________________
Donald Bergeron, City Clerk & Tax Collector
051426
Cost is $225.00