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MINUTES
REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
VIVIAN TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM
112 W. ALABAMA AVE.
VIVIAN, LOUISIANA
MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2025
6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Festavan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
INVOCATION - Alderman James Martin 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 James Martin, Denise Alexander, Raymond Williams, and Robert Green, Jr.; absent was Samuel Hodge. 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 Robert Green, Jr.; all present approved.
*Alderman Samuel Hodge entered the meeting at 6:01 p.m.
1. PUBLIC COMMENTS – J. LaCaze of Vivian, Louisiana was present to make comments about the Lighthouse dumping ground and Airport Dr. performance issue.
2. ADDRESS TO THE COUNCIL - MR. RICHARD PUNGELLO
Mr. Pungello of Sun City Center, Florida was in attendance to speak on ‘ReVIVify’, his plan for the Town. Handouts were presented to the Council & Staff that included his plan to ‘Purchase Adjudicated Properties to increase Livable Homes & Drive Residential Growth’.
3. 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 Robert Green Jr., seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Motion to approve the Minutes for the July 14, 2025 Regular Town Council Meeting was made by James Martin, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved.
5. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE # 807 OF 2025 OF THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA - AN ORDINANCE DECLARING CERTAIN ADJUDICATED PROPERTY TO BE SURPLUS AND TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN TAX COLLECTOR, OR A DESIGNEE, TO SELL THE TOWN OF VIVIAN’S TAX INTEREST IN CERTAIN SURPLUS ADJUDICATED PROPERTY, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO. There will be a Public Hearing prior to the adoption of Ordinance # 807 at the Regular Town Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2025 at the Vivian Town Hall, located at 112 W. Alabama Ave. in Vivian, Louisiana.
Motion to introduce Ordinance # 807 of 2025 was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved.
6. HIRING OF POLICE PERSONNEL - THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONSIDER THE CHIEF OF POLICE’S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL(S) FOR THE VIVIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT - 1) Chad Carroll - Part-time Patrolman - $14.00 per hour.
Chief Nelson introduced Mr. Carroll to those present which was followed by questions, answers and discussion. Motion was then made to approve Chief Nelson’s recommendation by Samuel Hodge, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved.
ZONING & CONDEMNATION MATTERS - Officer Bobby Smith
A. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY - Trailer Park @ 402 Memory Lane - Mr. Jessie Heard of Vivian, owner, was present on behalf of this matter. Following Officer Smith’s report on the improved status of the property, motion was made to continue this matter at the September 8, 2025 Regular Town Council Meeting by Raymond Williams, seconded by Robert Green, Jr.; all approved.
B. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY(IES) FOR CONDEMANTION - 308 W. Moore St. - Mr. Robert Kovacs of Bossier City, owner, was present on behalf of this matter. Following questions, answers and discussion concerning the progress made on the property, which included Mr. Kovacs & Officer Smith, motion to continue to the September 8, 2025 Regular Town Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all approved.
C. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL HOLD A HEARING AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
PROPERTY FOR FINAL CONDEMANTION - West 100 feet of East 1290 feet of North 80 feet of South 920 feet of Northeast Quarter of section 23, township 22 North Range 16 West, Caddo Parish Louisiana, with a municipal address of 121 Milner Street, Vivian, LA 71082. Geographical Number 221623–000–0251–00.
Mr. Kerry Lawrence of Vivian was present on behalf of this matter. Following a lengthy question, answer, and discussion period, concerning the status of ownership and progress on work done which included Mr. Lawrence & Officer Smith, motion to continue to the September 8, 2025 Regular Town Council Meeting was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all approved.
*Alderman-at-Large Robert Green, Jr. exited the meeting at 6:41 p.m.
D. ZONING VARIANCE HEARING(s) - Case # 636 – 132 E. Mary Ann St. – Christopher Ware, Caddo Lake Properties (Randy Maricle).
Randy Maricle of Shreveport was present on behalf of this case in owner Christopher Ware’s (Caddo Lake Properties) absence. Following questions, answers and much discussion, motion was made to deny the variance by Denise Alexander, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved.
E. REVIEW OF CONDEMNATION LIST - 1) 425 S. Pecan St., 2) 121 Milner St., 3) 308 W. Moore St.,
4) 520 W. Georgia Ave., 5) 304 E. Oklahoma Ave., 6) 616 Magnolia St., 7) 421 E. Texas Ave., and 8) 327 E. Oklahoma Ave.
During review of the List, updates and discussion the following actions were taken on the subsequent address: 7) 421 E. Texas Ave. - Following updates from Attorney Dominick and Officer Smith motion to continue the condemnation process at the September 8, 2025 Regular Council Meeting was made by Denise Alexander, seconded by Raymond Williams; all present approved.
F. ZONING/CONDEMNATION REPORT - All properties were reported on during preceding Agenda items.
CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS - Officer Johnnie Hough
A. Code Enforcement REPORT - Officer Hough gave the following written and oral report: 21 twenty-one) properties; 10 (ten) cases closed, 14 (fourteen) cases opened, 4 (four) properties were to be abated, plus 2 (two) new cases would be heard in Environmental Court on Wednesday, August 20th.
MAYOR’S REPORT - Mayor Festavan gave a report on the following: 1) a walk-through visit at the Caddo Parish maintenance facility on Finley St. on Wednesday, August 13th.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY BOARD OF ALDERMEN - There were none.
ADJOURN - Motion to adjourn was made by Raymond Williams, seconded by Samuel Hodge; all present approved. Meeting was adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
Kellie Morris, Town Clerk
Ronnie Festavan, Mayor
August 15, 2025