Thursday’s meeting of the Oakdale City Council (January 6) included addressing the Louisiana Attorney General’s statement regarding the Open Meeting Complaint (21-0024) that was filed in September 2021.
Attorney Ray Rush, as well as Councilman Jeremy Smith, both read the letter to the public. A portion of the letter states that pursuant to the Open Meetings Law, the public body must give public notice of the meetings 24 hours in advance, must give the date, time and location, as well as an agenda of the items that will be discussed. This agenda must be posted in a public place, including one of three areas, the office of the public body, the office where the meeting is being held, or the official journal. This was said to be violated when the complaint was filed by not notifying members of the council about the alleged meeting on September 9th. Upon reviewing the complaint and information provided by Administrative Assistant Katelyn Waggoner, the attorney general’s office determined there was no violation at this meeting.
After reviewing this decision with the council and members of the public at the council meeting, there was much discussion over what actually transpired. Smith reported the letter be placed in public record and that the full letter be reviewed so the correct context could be taken. He stated he officially filed the complaint as well. Smith said he did not want to get into a “he said – she said” but would like to provide actual facts to the public. On September 2, 2021, there was a notification in the Oakdale Journal that there would be a public hearing at 9 a.m. on September the 8. The date is different than the one on the complaint. Smith showed an article that was released the following week by the journal covering the open meeting. Mayor Gene Paul stated “That is just hearsay from the Oakdale Journal.”
(The Oakdale Journal is the official press of the City of Oakdale and conducts interviews and derives its article straight from facts, specifically public meetings.)
The mayor stated when they discovered that the Journal “for whatever reason” had the wrong dates, they could not hold the meeting. (Upon further review, it was solidified that this was the date that the journal was specifically asked to run). Paul said “on that day, we did not have a meeting. Katelyn and I went to the court room just in case someone showed up.” Gene also wondered aloud how one can violate an open meeting law, if there is no meeting conducted. The meeting was actually conducted the following day, September 9, which is seemingly where the complaint came from.
After much debate, Paul stated he would rather move on. However, Smith wanted to finish his statement that he was presenting to the public. Smith stated that Carissa Hebert, executive editor for the Oakdale Journal contacted Katelyn pertaining to the September 9th meeting. After conducting an interview with her via phone, she was able to write the article that was printed in the paper the following week. Smith stated “This kind of stuff has happened before. It is serious? Yes, to me it is. If you are circumventing the will of the people, if you are circumventing the will of the public, it is serious. Has it always been taken seriously? No, probably not.” Smith also goes on to say that since the report has been filed, everything since then has been conducted appropriately. This has been one positive outcome of the complaint filed. Smith says that if he did not know the meeting was happening, how do the citizens of Oakdale know. The citizens have a right to know about all meetings conducted by the City Council. Smith says “I owe it to the people to stand up for what is right.” He also said that the journal has freedom of press and that’s part of American culture. The grant that the mayor had specifically called the meeting for did not get applied for.
Paul said that he can understand Mr. Smith’s opinion and his desire to do the right thing, like they all do. He specified that he always consults with the attorney or engineers before making decisions. He stated they were advised how do it and he conducted it that way. He said “If we had a meeting and went through with it like Mr. Smith said happened, the speculations, then I can see a complaint being filed.” In reality, the meeting that Mr. Smith filed the complaint about was conducted the following day rather than the meeting that the mayor is speaking about.
The mayor said “I’m not listening to anymore. This is my meeting.” Smith’s rebuttal, “This is the city’s meeting,” was met with deaf ears.
The mayor also added a discussion to the agenda on the new water meters installed. Almost 10 percent of all meters are installed in the city limits. The meters are electronic and are computer read. The mayor stated that it will be an adjustment but they are looking as a whole to have all the kinks out in approximately three-to-four months.
A public hearing was held before the November City Council meeting to allow the public to allow citizens to provide comments on the ordinance declaring property within the corporate limits of the City of Oakdale. Only two council members were in attendance at that meeting, therefore there could not be a vote. This was the first thing on the agenda at the January meeting. There was a discussion to present an ordinance declaring property within the corporate limits of the City of Oakdale as surplus property and note it is no longer needed for public purpose. The city would like to authorize the disposal of this property by abandonment to the adjoining landowner.
Rush (attorney) presented an ordinance declaring property within the corporate limits of the City of Oakdale to be a surplus property and no longer needed for public purposes. Disposing of the property by abandonment to the adjoining land owner was approved.
The city approved to extend the hours for bars inside city limits to be open on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13. They are allowed to open at 2 p.m. until one hour after the game ends.
Eureka Wade presented a permit for In-N-Out #5 to have a liquor licenses. This is where the Circle K was. The city voted to pass this permit and In-N-Out can now sell alcohol.
The police chief asked to pass a resolution to negotiate the cost from different vendors for the electronic enforcement for speed, traffic and signage. This goes for inside the city limits of Oakdale. He also informed the council that the police department had a vehicle donated from a sheriff’s office down south for free of charge.
The police report was read. There were 403 calls for service, 85 citations issued, 23 arrest made and 44 unlocks. This brings to total citation violation to 582.
The police chief also made the following recommendations:
•Approved to hire part-time patrolman Andrew Ware and Matthew Willis.
•Passed on the vote to hire Kelsie Strother as a part-time dispatcher.
•Approved to terminate Marilyn McCullough as a patrolman.
•Approved to promote Magnolia Nelson from part-time dispatcher to full-time.
•Approved to move Kaitlyn Ware from part-time dispatcher to part-time patrolman.
•Approved the request for non-essential employee holidays off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 17.
Fire Chief Eric Maricle read the monthly report for the Fire Department. There was one structure fire, four medical calls, one medical jail, two vehicle accidents, four landing calls, three public assist, and one grass/trash fire and two structure fires inside of the district area for 18 total city calls. Eric also made the recommendation to give non-essential employees Martin Luther King Jr. Day off on January 17th. This was approved. The council also address the Fire Chief’s probationary period of six months ending. The vote was unanimous to lift the probation. He also will get an increase in his salary starting on the next pay period.
