The Kinder Council authorized the mayor to sign an agrement with the Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office to collect its ad valorem taxes at Monday’s meeting.
The council approved a resolution allowing five percent of monies collected to be paid to the sheriff for this service. The goal is to streamline the payment of ad valorem taxes and to make it easier on citizens. At the moment the town’s staff collects the taxes at city hall, so this will free them of these duties. The sheriff’s office will also handle tax sales for nonpayment of taxes when situations arise.
Councilwoman Latoya Tunwar asked if citizens could pay those taxes to the sheriff’s office. She said that issue had risen over the years for those persons who reside outside Kinder but still have property here. Several council members believe that option was available at the sheriff’s office. They also discussed taxpayers could not go to one location to pay ad valorem taxes.
The attorney explained the sheriff’s office has a tax collection department to handle this task. He said similar to the way the school board collects sales taxes for the town, the sheriff will do so with ad valorem taxes.
It was agree unanimously to allow the mayor to sign the agreement. It will be for four years and renew until it is terminated by the council.
A request to host Halloween in downtown Kinder this year received confirmation from the council. Jerry Courville, Veronica Karam and Kent Andrews, all members of the local hospital foundation, were present. Courville said since construction is underway at the hospital, he asked if they could organize a trick-or-treat area to give candy to area children for Halloween. The event will be Saturday, October 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. The street between Hwy 190 and U.S. 165 would be closed from Eighth Street to the gazebo. Families are encouraged to attend and can tailgate to give candy to the little goblins. Also, they are inviting churches and other organizations to put up booth space and give out candy. The organizers were told to meet with Police Chief Paul Courville.
In other business, the council:
•Approved a high/low content for liquor consumption to be sold for off-premises at The Buzz, a new store on Hwy. 190.
Heard an update from its engineer, Wesley Miller, on upcoming grants and other money sources for its sewer project.
