Washington Parish Council



Washington Parish Council

Minutes

October 21, 2013

Regular Meeting -6:00 PM

Washington Parish Courthouse

Council Chambers

Item No. 1– Call to Order – Chairman Route called the meeting to order.

Item No. 2 – Invocation – The Councilman Posey gave the invocation.

Item no. 3– Pledge of Allegiance – Councilman Thomas called for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Item No. 4– Roll Call – Council Clerk Sharon Lyons, called the roll. Present were Kenneth Wheat, Michael Fussell, Charles Nassauer, Andre’ Johnson, Pete Thomas, Greg Route and Aubrey Posey.

Item No. 5 -Approval of Minutes – Councilman Posey offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Fussell to approve the minutes of the public hearings and regular meeting of October 4, 2013.

Roll call vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson, Thomas, Route and Posey

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 6 – Public Hearing on Proposed adoption of Ordinance No.13-577 – An Ordinance establishing No Truck Routes and No Thru Truck Routes

There were no comments during the Public Hearing.

Councilman Posey offered a motion, seconded by Wheat to close the public hearing.

Roll call vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson, Thomas, Route and Posey

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Councilman Fussell offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Thomas to adopt Ordinance No.13-577.

Councilman Posey stated he would like to comment on the ordinance, because he had received a number of phone calls. There has been a misunderstanding about the ordinance where people thought the ordinance would keep milk trucks or delivery trucks off these posted roads. He said that is certainly not the case. This is for routes on roads where large trucks are being used for short cuts and is damaging the roads.

Councilman Wheat stated the Parish has always had truck routes, but this will enhance defining it.

Councilman Fussell stated he had also received calls concerning the ordinance, and he reassured them that in the ordinance it defines where trucks making deliveries or pickups of merchandise products, goods or equipment or excluded.

Attorney Kuhn commented that in the ordinance under BE IT ORDAINED states as follows:

3. Excluded from this ordinance is any person operating a truck of a weight of more

than five (5) tons making deliveries or pickups of merchandise products, goods or equipment in an area where it would be necessary for the truck to use the Parish road in the ordinary course of business.

There were not further comments.

Chairman Route called for a roll call vote on Ordinance No. 13-577 as follows:

YEAS: (7) Posey, Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson, Thomas and Route

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 7 – Introduction of Proposed Ordinance No.13-578 - An Ordinance to amend the 2013 Annual Operating Budget for the Washington Parish Government

This item was pulled from the agenda.

Item No. 8 – Public Participation – Mr. Gene White resident of George Jenkins Road came before the Council and expressed his concern about the load limit on the previous adopted Ordinance. He said he had a hauling business and it went over the ton limits.

The Councilmen reassured Mr. White goose necks trailers would not be affected under the ordinance stated under 3.

Councilman Fussell stated the reason 5 tons was put into place due to the fact that the Parish has some load limits on bridge of 10,000 pounds. This would not concern people making deliveries, but this has been put in place to avoid large trucks using Parish roads as shortcuts. Number 6 under the ordinance will require us to adopt an ordinance and list the road that would come under this ordinance. There will be a public hearing for the road and the public can come and voice their opinion.

President Thomas stated one of the problems the Parish is dealing with is trucks that might be hauling chips that come into the Parish. They take shortcuts to avoid the scales. They need to stay on the main roads. Some people have waited a long time to have their roads blacktopped and do not want them damaged or speeding on parish roads. Also, it is dangerous for the school buses and children. He assured the public he had never had any problems with the milk trucks. It is usually trucks coming in from other States taking these shortcuts. This is an ordinance to preserve our roads and to enforce safety. Also, he assured Mr. White the only issue would be to watch for the signs for tonnage on Parish bridges.

Councilman Johnson stated he has delivered for his company on a ‘No Truck Route’, but he keeps his paper work at hand, if needed, to show law enforcement he is making only a delivery on that road. He said he has never had a problem.

There were no further comments during public participation.

Councilman Fussell offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Thomas to close public participation.

Roll Call vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Posey, Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson, Thomas and Route

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Council members asked Attorney Kuhn if the Council needs to go back and the roads already posted with NO TRUCK ROUTES” and “NO THRU TRUCK ROUTES” be adopted with an ordinance.

Attorney Kuhn recommended they do this, since previously all those roads were not covered under a penalty phase and this supersedes all previous ordinances. He quoted from the ordinance the following:

Item 6. “NO TRUCK ROUTES” and “NO THRU TRUCK ROUTES” will be established or be removed by ordinance of the Washington Parish Council.

Councilman Wheat requested the Transportation Department to get a list of these roads together, so that an ordinance could be created.

Item No. 9 - President’s Report – President Thomas stated reports would be given at this time.

Finance Report: The Finance Director made the announcement as follows:

PURSUANT TO LA R.S. 42:19.1 –

NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF ACTION REGARDING SALES TAX

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Parish of Washington, State of Louisiana will meet on Monday, December 9, 2013, at 6:00 p.m., at the Parish Council’s Office, Washington Parish Courthouse, 1st floor, Franklinton, Louisiana, at which time there will be consideration of action regarding the levy and collection of a one-third (1/3) of one percent (1%) tax upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption, of tangible personal property and on sales of services in the Parish, to be dedicated and used for the purpose of providing, maintaining, administering and operating services and facilities in the civil, juvenile and criminal justice system mandated by state statute to be funded by parish governments. The action is due to favorable passage of the proposition at the election on October 19. 2013.

Councilman Route asked for an update on the Harvey Road Bridge and was told construction is being continued at this time. President Thomas stated it is a main priority to complete the project and hopefully, FEMA will reimburse for the majority of the project.

President Thomas commended the Councilmen for helping promote the adopting of the sales tax. Also, he assured the public it was a dedicated tax for specific mandated expenses. He thanked the public for adopting the tax and stated the parish government will be good stewards of it.

Item No. 10 - Council Discussion – Councilman Wheat stated President Thomas made a real good point. The administration and Council did a great job of promoting and explaining to the public the situation with the mandated expenses and how important the criminal justice system is to the makeup of the parish. He thanked the public for its support and due to this money there is a firm stability now to the process which is mandated by the State of Louisiana. No other referendum has every been this detailed and it confirms where the money will be spent.

Councilman Nassauer commended the road crew for their recent work in the Twin Pines area. He stated he went out to the site and they did a great job.

Councilman Johnson thanked the Citizens for their support for the tax and assured every penny of that money will spent properly. He commended the President for his hard work

promoting the sales tax to the public. The tax was not a want, but a need.

Councilmen Thomas commended his fellow councilmen and President Thomas for their hard work, these last few months, of helping move the Parish forward.

Councilman Fussell commended everyone who made the effort to promote the tax, and get the message out to the public. Also, he stated it was good to have a successful fair. He announced the Solid Waste Committee was to meet next Thursday, but there was some conflict with member’s schedules. He said he would see if it could be moved to the next Tuesday.

Councilman Route thanked the citizen who got out to vote and for adopting the sales tax. He promised that parish government would be good stewards of the money. He announced the next scheduled Council’s meeting is scheduled for November 4, 2013.

Item No. 11 – Adjourn - No further business to come before the council, the meeting was adjourned on motion by Councilman Fussell, seconded by Councilman Posey.

Roll call vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wheat, Fussell, Nassauer, Johnson, Thomas, Route and Posey

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

SIGNATURE_____________

Greg Route, Chairman

Washington Parish Council

SIGNATURE___________________

Sharon Lyons, Clerk to the Council

Washington Parish

(All Ordinances, Resolutions and Attachments in its entirety are available at the office of Clerk of the Council at 909 Pearl Street, Franklinton, Louisiana or .)

This meeting was held in accordance with the Americans Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Sharon Lyons, Clerk to the Council at 985-839-0105 describing the assistance that is necessary.

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