Town Meeting Minutes – September 2017

September 11, 2017
Town of Brusly
Brusly, Louisiana

The regular meeting of the Town of Brusly was held this date, September 11, 2017, at the Brusly Town Hall, at 6:30 p.m. Council Member Daigle led the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call determined the following officials present:

Mayor:                        Scot Rhodes
Council Members:      Rusty Daigle, Joanne Bourgeois, Terry Richard, Shane Andrè, Don Neisler
Town Attorney:          Thomas Acosta, Jr.
Absent:                       None

A motion to approve the minutes of the Town’s regular meeting of August 14, 2017, was made by Council Member Bourgeois and seconded by Council Member Richard. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.

A motion to approve the minutes of the Town’s special meeting of August 21, 2017, was made by Council Member Neisler and seconded by Council Member Daigle. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.

Public Works Committee:
Upon the recommendation of Mayor Rhodes, a motion to amend the agenda to hear a progress report from property owners of 429 & 441 Gwin Street was made by Council Member Andrè; seconded by Council Member Bourgeois. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments a roll call vote was had with the following results:

Yeas:         Neisler, Daigle, Bourgeois, Richard, Andrè
Nays:         None
Absent:      None

Ms. Betty Sanders Grant reported that repairs and improvements are being done on the house at 441 Gwin Street as funds became available. Mayor Rhodes reported that he had viewed the progress being made on the house. A motion to review the progress on the property in three months was made by Council Member Richard; seconded by Council Member Andrè. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.

Planning and Zoning Committee:
Upon the recommendation of Mayor Rhodes, a motion to reappoint Mrs. Claudette Purnell to the Planning & Zoning Commission was made by Council Member Andrè; seconded by Council Member Bourgeois. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comment. Hearing no comments, the motion passed with a unanimous vote.

Finance Committee:
Upon the recommendation of Mayor Rhodes, a motion to approve the 2016-2017 Audit Compliance Questionnaire was made by Council Member Andrè; seconded by Council Member Neisler. Mayor Rhodes opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, the motion passed unanimously.

Mayor Rhodes referred Council Members to review the “Budget to Actual Comparison Report” in their meeting packet.

Personnel Committee: None

Recreation Committee: None

Police Committee: None

Governmental Affairs Committee:
A motion to appoint Scarlet Callicoatte as a non-voting, Advisory Board Member to the Landmark & Heritage Commission was made by Council Member Bourgeois; seconded by Council Member Richard. The Mayor opened the floor for public comments. Hearing no comments, the motion passed unanimously.

Council Member Bourgeois reported that the Landmark Plaque Ceremony was held on August 27th during which 6 homes were awarded plaques and one property was recognized as a Former Landmark Site. Council Member Bourgeois thanked Brian Falcon, Debbie Berthelot and Jamie Loupe for their help in organizing the ceremony.

Consideration of Vetoed Ordinances: None

Hearing and Final Action on Ordinances:
Mayor Rhodes read aloud Ordinance 4 of 2017, Chapter 19, the Re-zoning from B-1 (Transition) to R-3 (Single-Family Residential) of 438 East Main Street for Susan Thomas. Having been favorably recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission, a motion to approve was made by Council Member Andrè; seconded by Council Member Bourgeois. Mayor Rhodes opened the public hearing. Hearing no comments from the public a roll call vote was had with the following results:
Yeas: Daigle, Bourgeois, Richard, Andrè Neisler
Nays: None
Absent: None

Introduction of Ordinances: None

Resolutions and Commendations: None

Police Department Report:
Police Department Report for the month of August was given by Asst. Chief Southon. There were six (6) alarms, three (3) animals at large, five (5) assists to other agencies, one (1) battery, six (6) civil complaints, fifteen (15) miscellaneous complaints, nine (9) traffic complaints, seven (7) disturbance calls, two (2) harassing phone calls, one (1) indecent behavior with a juvenile, five (5) medical calls, 23 insurance tows, one (1) recovered stolen vehicle, two (2) auto accidents, one (1) suspicious person/vehicle, two (2) thefts, one (1) unlock and four (4) vehicle burglaries. For the month, there were 94 total complaints, 238 total citations and 361 total violations.

Correspondence: None

Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Rhodes attended a meeting with Town & Parish Officials to discuss pertinent points in preparing for the 2020 Census. The Mayor and Blaine Rabalais also attended a Department of Economic Development seminar arranged through the offices of the LMA.

Remarks of Personal Privilege:
Council Member Bourgeois acknowledged the anniversary of the 9/11/2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks, with comments by Town Attorney Acosta noting that our country continues to be in a state of war.

Announcements:
There will be a Veteran’s Day Program held at the Brusly Town Hall on Friday, November 10, 2017 at 9:00 AM.

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 6:48 PM.

/s/Scot Rhodes, Mayor                                                       /s/Blaine Rabalais, Town Clerk