Legal Notice

CITY OF VILLE PLATTE

REGULAR MEETING

JANUARY 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 Lemoine, Alderwoman Sam, Alderwoman Frank, Alderman Roy, Alderman Jagneaux, Alderman Riggs, Police Chief Thomas, Fire Chief Soileau and City Attorney Ludeau.

The first item of business was to approve December 9th meeting minutes. Motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderwoman Sam. Motion passed unanimously.

Second item was approval of the November financial reports that were emailed to the council. After review by the council, a motion to approve the monthly financials was offered by Alderwoman Lemoine and 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.

Mayor Williams asked for any public comments on the agenda.

There being none,

the first item of business was to elect a mayor pro -tempore. In keeping with the council’s traditional rotation, Alderwoman Frank nominated Alderman Jagneaux. The motion was 2nd by Alderwoman Sam and Alderman Jagneaux was elected unanimously.

2. agenda item was to set the date, time and place for regular monthly meetings of the council. Motion by Alderwoman Frank to keep the meetings at 5:30 pm in the council chambers, was 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.

3. agenda item was to approve a service contract with SRI Inc. for assistance with collecting delinquent property taxes and to handle our property tax sale and all notifications to delinquent property tax payers. Motioned by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.

4. agenda item was a discussion on projects to apply for LGAP and CWEF funding. After discussion, a motion from Alderwoman Lemoine to apply for funding for additional street cameras to be installed at strategic locations in the city with LGAP funds and a motion to fund upgrades to the city’s water system with CWEF funds. The motion was 2nd by Alderwoman Frank and passed unanimously.

5. agenda item was the introduction of an ordinance to sell adjudicated properties at public auction on March 30, 2026. A public hearing on the ordinance will be held prior to the February 10th meeting at 5:15 pm in the council chambers.

6. agenda item was to consider and adopt the 2026 holiday schedule. A motion by Alderwoman Frank to adopt the schedule as presented was 2nd by Alderman Roy and passed unanimously.

7. item was to approve the sale of beer and alcohol on February 16th for the Swamp Pop reunion dance. Motion by Alderman Jagneaux and 2nd by Alderwoman Frank. Motion passed unanimously.

8. item was a presentation from Edward Robinson on an upcoming event, the 3rd Annual Autism Fun Day. More details will be announced once finalized.

9. item was an update on plans by Southwest Louisiana Credit Union and their request to lease the old city hall building. On a motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderman Jagneaux it was agreed to enter into a 10-year lease agreement that has been reviewed by city attorney Ludeau. Motion passed unanimously.

The Engineer’s report was given by Ronnie Landreneau of Landreneau & Associates, who reported the city has 3 water sector projects on going. The sewer lift station is near completion with the only remaining items is the installation of generators at two lift stations. Phase 4 of our water distribution project, material has been ordered and we are waiting on delivery. Right of Way Agreements are currently being acquired. Land owners along Washington St, LaSalle, and Main St are encouraged to call or come by city hall to help expedite the right of ways. We expect the work to begin in February. The third project, to dig a new water well, had a preconstruction meeting today and the contractor, Trek Construction, was given an order to proceed. He will be ordering material for well #12 funded in part by a 1.6-million-dollar Water Sector grant. He will begin in February with a test hole and anticipates completion by September. A site at the end of South Railroad has been identified and was appraised for $21,000. The next step is to make an offer to the land owner. Mayor Williams asked the council for a resolution to enter into a buy sell agreement for $20,000.00 Motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderwoman Lemoine. Motion passed unanimously. The fourth project is the parks project. The project is currently on hold awaiting funding from the state. The city has contributed all required matching money toward the project with the installation of splash pads, playground equipment and ground work. This concluded the engineers report.

Fire Chief Soileau reported for the month of December,

• In December, the fire department was dispatched to 12 incidents in the city and 9 incidents in the surrounding fire district, totaling 21.

• For the year of 2025, the department was dispatched to 203 incidents which included:

21-Non-working Residential Fire Dispatches, 11-Non-working Commercial Dispatches, 30 investigations for odor of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, 25-vehicle crashes with injuries, 1-mutual aid commercial fire, and 49-incidents in the surrounding fire district. 29 of the incidents were working structure fires: 26 residential, 1 camper, 2 commercial.

• We have been fortunate to have mild weather and residents are out cleaning and raking the yard. Please remember that burning leaves and limbs is prohibited by city ordinance due to the proximity of residences from each other for pollution and fire safety issues. Bagged leaves will be picked up on the regular pickup day if placed at the street next to the garbage tote.

• I am requesting approval of a 3% increase in wages for our career personnel. The current starting wage is 11.02. A 3% increase was budgeted in July and will increase starting wage to 11.35 hourly. Additionally, wages for part-time replacements should be increased, on a certification-based scale, to help eliminate manpower shortages during week days, as leave is taken approximately 8 days monthly. The current part-time wage is $10.75/hr. A motion to approve the pay raise was offered by Alderwoman Lemoine and 2nd by Alderwoman Frank and passed unanimously.

• End of fire chief’s report.

Police Chief Thomas’s reported during the month of December the department responded to a total of 472 calls for assistance. 4 citations. There were 36 arrest which included 1 felony arrests. 24 were male and 12 were female. Officers also responded to 15 accidents in December. Between November and December, calls were down by 46, citations were up by 2. Arrests were up by 19, felonies down by 5. Accidents were down by 6 and there were no fatalities. Chief Perry introduced a potential new hire, Rasiem Fredrich. After a short interview, the council approved the hiring, pending all paperwork and background checks out right. Motion by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderwoman Sam. This concludes the chief’s report.

In his mayor’s report, Mayor Williams said;

• Update on phase IV Water Distribution Project

I am pleased to report continued progress on the city’s Phase IV Water Distribution Project, the contractor is expected to begin construction within the next few weeks, starting on Washington Street.

The city is encouraging all residents and property owners located between Main Street, LaSalle Street, Washington Street, and Tate Cove Road to visit city hall to review and sign any necessary right-of-way agreements. If needed, the city will also have staff go door-to-door to ensure these agreements are signed and properly notarized. A sample notice letter for affected residents is attached.

I am extremely thankful that this project is moving forward. Once the water project is completed, the city will continue working with the state to address the final improvements and overlay Main Street and LaSalle Street.

• Evangeline Economic Development Authority update

last Thursday, I had the opportunity to serve as a guest speaker at the Evangeline Economic Development Authority meeting, where I provided an update on the daily progress the city of Ville Platte is making across multiple areas. It was important to share the positive direction our city is headed and the work being done to strengthen infrastructure, economic development, city services, and long-term growth.

• LGAP and CWEF grant initiatives

the city continues to pursue funding through the local government assistance program to be utilized for purchasing additional street cameras and the community water enrichment fund will be used for system upgrades in our city’s water dept these programs are critical to helping the city address essential infrastructure needs

• Update on the old city hall building

significant progress has been made at the old city hall building. A new central air conditioning system has been installed and is operating properly, roof issues have been addressed, and interior renovations are currently underway. All of this work is being completed in preparation for welcoming Southwest Louisiana Credit Union and putting this building back into operation.

This building has been vacant since approximately 2017–2018, and I am proud to see it being revitalized and returned to active use for the benefit of our community.

• New water well #12 project update

today, the city held a pre-construction conference for the development of a new water well, to be designated as well #12. Construction on this well will begin soon. Well #12 is designed to produce approximately 850 gallons per minute and represents a major step forward in strengthening our water system.

The age of many of our existing wells makes this project essential. Water is one of the most basic and necessary resources in life, and ensuring a reliable supply is a top priority. This project is expected to be completed by late August or early September. The city currently operates well #6 & 8 (1986), well #9(1990), well #10(1997), and well #11 (2003), new well #12 (2026)

• Update on the city’s wastewater system

The City’s wastewater system remains one of our most critical pieces of infrastructure. When I took office, addressing long-standing compliance issues at the wastewater treatment facility was one of my top three priorities for my first term. I established a targeted timeframe to confront these challenges, and I am pleased to report that meaningful progress is now being made and that we are moving in the right direction.

Progress at the wastewater treatment plant was initially delayed due to contractual constraints inherited from the previous administration. Specifically, the City was unable to take corrective action while bound by the Sustainability Partners contract executed in August 2022. Under the terms of that agreement, ownership of the wastewater treatment plant was transferred away from the City, leaving Sustainability Partners as the owner upon execution of the contract.

After a thorough review, my administration presented documentation demonstrating that the City had entered into an illegal contract, as it involved the incurrence of debt without the required approval of the State Bond Commission. The State subsequently confirmed this deficiency, which allowed the City to exit the agreement. Following a negotiated settlement of $10 million to be repaid to Sustainability Partners, the City was able to regain full control of its wastewater assets.

In March of 2026, the City expects to learn the amount of subsidy funding it will receive through the State Revolving Loan (SRL) Program, following our request of up to $8 million. The SRL Program offers an interest rate of approximately 0.95%, which is exceptionally favorable in today’s economic climate and significantly better than any financing options previously available to the City.

Prior to this administration, in 2022 the City had entered into a highly complex and costly agreement with Sustainability Partners totaling approximately $15 million to rehabilitate the existing wastewater treatment plant. As part of that arrangement, Sustainability Partners also paid off approximately $8 million of low-interest debt owed to the Louisiana Department of Health from the City’s 2009–2010 water distribution project. However, this structure also required the City to make payments on approximately $8 million in bonds previously paid off by Sustainability Partners, with interest rates ranging from 9% to 12% or higher. Upon careful analysis, it became clear that this agreement was overly convoluted and financially detrimental to the City.

With the support of the City Council, this administration halted that project after fully outlining the risks and long-term financial impacts. As a result, the City is now positioned to move forward with a far more sustainable, transparent, and cost-effective solution for its wastewater infrastructure—one that protects taxpayers and ensures long-term compliance and stability.

I want to thank Mr. Charles Jones our (city’s wastewater superintendent) for his dedication and the hard work he puts in daily at the plant. It’s greatly appreciated. Mr. Jones has shared that the plant had been neglected for many years before me, and he is very thankful for the progress made under this administration. Many tests that were previously failing are now passing staying below permit requirements. I also want to thank our wastewater and sewer employees for the difficult and often unseen work they do—literally getting it out of the sewer when duty calls. I strongly believe in giving credit where credit is due.

• Update on the new fire station project

the city continues to make progress toward the construction of a new fire station. I want to give special recognition and thanks to State Senator Heather Cloud and State Representative Rhonda Butler for securing over $2.8 million in funding for this project. Their support and advocacy for Ville Platte are greatly appreciated.

Last week, myself, Donald, and fire chief Chris Soileau met with USDA representatives to discuss options for securing the remaining funding. We are also exploring potential financing through the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority, which offers favorable rates and options. If everything falls into place and the remaining funding is secured, we anticipate construction could begin late this year or in early 2027.

This project has been in the making for over seven years, and I want to recognize fire chief Chris Soileau for his persistence and dedication. This project highlights the importance of a strong fire department, quality fire services, and the many safety and insurance benefits they provide to our community.

This concludes the January mayor’s report.

A resolution to adopt a Citizens Participation Plan as a requirement for the Love Louisiana Grant Project to assure that all citizens interested in reasonable access to local meetings have the opportunity to do so, was offered by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd Alderman Roy. Motion passed unanimously.

Before the meeting was adjourned Alderwoman Frank asked to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters. There being no objection, Alderwoman Lemoine 2nd the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

A motion to renter into the regular meeting was offered by Alderwoman Frank and 2nd by Alderman Roy.

There being no further business to come before the council, Alderwoman Frank motioned and Alderwoman Sam seconded to adjourn. Motion unanimously passed and the meeting was adjourned at 6:31 PM. January 13, 2026

Signed: ______________________________

Mayor Ryan LeDay Williams

Attested: ____________________________________

Donald Bergeron, City Clerk & Tax Collector

020526

Cost is $140.00