March 11, 2024 Town of Brusly Brusly, Louisiana The regular meeting of the Town of…
Town Meeting Minutes – November 2019
November 11, 2019
Town of Brusly
Brusly, Louisiana
The regular meeting of the Town of Brusly was called to order this date, November 11, 2019, at the Brusly Town Hall, at 6:30 p.m. Attending Veterans led the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call determined the following officials present:
Mayor Pro Tempore Joanne Bourgeois
Council Members: Rusty Daigle, Terry Richard, Shane André, Don Neisler
Town Attorney: Thomas Acosta, Jr.
Absent: Mayor Scot Rhodes
Recognitions & Commendations: None
A motion to approve the minutes of the Town’s regular meeting of October 14, 2019, as written, was made by Council Member André and seconded by Council Member Neisler. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.
Public Works Committee:
Mayor Pro Tempore read the Public Works Report, as prepared by Public Works Supervisor Shane Sarradet, for the month of October. There were 8.1 inches of rainfall in the month; no drainage issues reported or observed; 2 SCADA alarms sounded; one “out of compliance” test result was noted at the sewer treatment facility; no incidents were reported for the Maintenance Department; one culvert program was completed on Ory Drive; DOTD graded ditches in front of the Brusly High School and will continue to clean culverts under the service road and highway; 4 metal trash cans, obtained through a grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful, were installed on the levee top and one at the triangle.
Flags on the highway are flying and will fly through Thanksgiving.
Regular bulk trash will be picked up the week of November 11, 2019. The extra trash pickup will be Friday, November 29, 2019. Christmas decoration installation will begin the week after Thanksgiving.
Planning and Zoning Committee:
There was no new business to be conducted at the October 23, 2019, meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Finance Committee:
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois noted that the “Budget to Actual Comparison Report” was included in the meeting packets for Council Members to review.
Town Clerk Blaine Rabalais reported that the 2018/2019 audit has been completed and the Auditor would present the Audit Report at the next meeting of the Town Council.
Mayor Pro Tempore presented the Beer Permit and Wine Permit applications for Lit Pizza and turned the matter over to the Council for consideration. A motion to approve each application was made by Council Member Neisler; seconded by Council Member Daigle. Mayor Pro Tempore opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.
Recreation Committee:
Bike Share Program kick off will begin with the Safety Saturday Event, November 16th beginning at 10am at Alexander Park.
Personnel Committee: None
Police Committee: None
Governmental Affairs Committee:
Mayor Pro Tempore presented the application for a Landmark Plaque for Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at 402 S. Kirkland, owned by St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. The Grotto was constructed in 1954 by Father Victor Baron and five altar servers, Leonard Aillet, Harold Babin, Wiley Hebert, C.G. Mouch and Eddie Soniat. It is a humbler version of the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, where apparitions of Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous beginning in 1858. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois explained that the concrete dedication plaque with the builders’ names and date has deteriorated with age and is difficult to read. The Landmark & Heritage Commission unanimously recommended to the Town Council that the Grotto at 402 S. Kirkland receive a Town of Brusly Landmark Plaque, along with a bronze plaque to replace the weathered cement dedication plaque.
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois also presented the application for a Landmark Plaque for the home at 370 Lee Drive, owned by Beverly Prejean. The home was built in 1966, by Beverly and her late husband, Rod Prejean, who served as a Brusly Council Member and later as Brusly Mayor, as well as President of LMA. The Landmark & Heritage Commission unanimously recommended to the Brusly Town Council that the home at 370 Lee Drive receive a Town of Brusly Landmark Plaque.
Council Member Bourgeois presented the application for the Former Landmark Site for 136 & 138 S. Kirkland, the 2nd and final location of the Hebert & Mouch Store. The store was moved to this location in the early 1930s due to the Levee Reinforcement Project and remained there until destroyed by fire in the late 1930s. The property is presently owned by Vernon Smith.
The Landmark & Heritage Commission unanimously recommended to the Brusly Town Council that the location be designated as a Former Landmark Site.
A motion to approve all recommendations was made by Council Member Richard; seconded by Council Member André. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.
Consideration of Vetoed Ordinances: None
Hearing and Final Action on Ordinances:
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the public hearing for Ordinance #7 of 2019 to amend Chapter 1.8(b)-Governing Authority, Salaries of Elected Officials; Council Members. Hearing no comments from the public Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois closed the public hearing and turned the matter over to the Council. Council Member Daigle explained that he was not in favor of a raise for the Council or the Mayor due to them getting raises in the last three consecutive terms, whereas the Police Chief only had two raises in that period. Following a brief discussion, a motion to amend Chapter 1.8(b) to read as, effective January 1, 2021, the salary of the Council Members shall be Eighty-Four Hundred ($8,400.00) Dollars, per annum, payable monthly; additionally, the salary of the Mayor Pro Temp shall be Nine Thousand (9,000.00) Dollars, per annum, payable monthly, was made by Council Member Neisler; seconded by Council Member André. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, a roll call vote was had with the following results:
Yeas: Richard, André, Neisler, Bourgeois
Nays: Daigle
Absent: None
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the public hearing for Ordinance #8 of 2019 to amend Chapter 1.8(a)-Governing Authority, Salaries of Elected Officials; Mayor. Kim LeMoine, Brusly resident, questioned whether the Mayor’s position was fulltime or part-time. Town Attorney, Tom Acosta, clarified that there was no distinction regarding those descriptions. Hearing no further comments from the public, Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois closed the public hearing and turned the matter over to the Council. A motion to amend Chapter 1.8(a) to read as, effective January 1, 2021, the salary of the Mayor shall be Fifty-Two Thousand ($52,000.00) Dollars, per annum, payable monthly, was made by Council Member André; seconded by Council Member Neisler. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, a roll call vote was had with the following results:
Yeas: André, Neisler, Bourgeois, Richard
Nays: Daigle
Absent: None
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the public hearing for Ordinance #9 of 2019 to amend Chapter 1.8(c)-Governing Authority, Salaries of Elected Officials; Chief of Police. Hearing no comments from the public, Mayor Pro Tempore closed the public hearing and turned the matter over to the Council. A motion to amend Chapter 1.8(c) to read as, effective January 1, 2021, the salary of the Chief of Police shall be Fifty-Two Thousand ($52,000.00) Dollars, per annum, payable bi-weekly, plus a vehicle allowance of Twelve Thousand ($12,000.00) Dollars, per annum, payable monthly, was made by Council Member Neisler; seconded by Council Member Daigle. Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, a roll call vote was had with the following results:
Yeas: Neisler, Daigle, Bourgeois, Richard, André
Nays: None
Absent: None
Introduction of Ordinances:
Resolutions:
A motion to approve a Resolution applying for the 2019/2020 LGAP Grant, was made by Council Member André; seconded by Council Member Daigle. The Mayor Pro Tempore opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, the motion passed unanimously.
Police Department Report:
Police Department Report for the month of October was given by Asst. Police Chief Southon. There were twenty-five (25) alarms, three (3) suspicious persons, one (1) violations of protective order, one (1) trespassing, eleven (11) miscellaneous complaints, eight (8) disturbance calls, three (3) assist to other agencies, six (6) no insurance tows, four (4) crash reports, one (1) criminal damage to property, one (1) 911 hang up, three (3) unlock calls, five (5) traffic complaints, one (1) criminal mischief, one (1) fire call, three (3) thefts, three (3) battery calls, two (2) medical, six (6) truancy, two (2) contributing to the delinquency, one (1) physical inspections, three (3) warrant arrests and one (1) cruelty to juveniles. For the month, there were 95 total complaints, 157 total citations and 196 total violations.
Mayor’s Report: None
Remarks of Personal Privilege:
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois reported that the winners of the Veteran’s Day Essay Contest were as follows:
1st Place Katelyn Daigle
2nd Place Ashlyn Zimmerman
3rd Place Jordan Patrick
Mayor Pro Tempore Bourgeois also reported that the Veteran’s Day Breakfast was well attended. The program included brief remarks from Coach Henry Knox, Vietnam Veteran. Special thanks for helping with preparations were extended to Debbie Berthelot, Martha Mitchel, Danielle Mitchel, Shane Sarradet and Maintenance Staff, Blaine Rabalais and Brusly Town Hall Office Staff (Jamie, Brandi, Patricia), Brusly Middle School Teacher, Brooke Falcon Harlan and her 8th grade students for drawings, Dorseyville School Teacher Michelle Aukerman and her students for their drawings, and Steve Martin who led the audience in singing. She further thanked the Veterans who attended.
Announcements:
Veteran’s Day Breakfast was held November 11th at 8:30 AM at the Town Hall.
Town Hall closed November 28th & 29th for Thanksgiving.
Bike Share Kick off/Dow Safety Saturday will be November 16th at 10 AM at Alexander Park.
A motion was made by Council Member Richard to adjourn; seconded by Council Member André. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:08 PM.
/s/Joanne Bourgeois, Mayor Pro Tempore /s/Blaine Rabalais, Town Clerk
