The Kinder Council had lots of housekeeping duties at Monday’s meeting, October 3, in regards to ordinances and resolutions on Monday’s agenda.
The first ordinance proposed, No. 874, failed due to no second during the motion part of the process. No public comment was received on Ordinance 874, which would adjust city utility payment dates when the 15th of the month fell on a holiday or Friday. The city presently sends text messages and utilizes other technology to tell residents that utility payments are due. If they are not paid by the 15th, late fees will be applied. In May, residents approached LaToya Tunwar, councilwoman, when they had written checks and realized a late fee was applied to their bill.
Councilman Christopher Fontenot asked Tunwar how many complaints did she receive and she answered about six and all in the elderly population on fixed incomes.
Tunwar said two to three months of the year, it happens when the 15th occurs on a Friday and city hall closes at noon. She wished to allow time for those payments to be made without penalty and asked if the ordinance could be adjusted to read when the 15th falls on a Friday, weekend or holiday, residents would be allowed to pay utilities on the next business day until 4:30 p.m. without penalty.
Tunwar answered several questions from the council and the motion was made to approve the ordinance. No second was given and it failed.
The next ordinance, No.875 was introduced to amend wording in the city’s application process for alcoholic beverage. The ordinance would update the wording to include applications can be given to citizens of the United States and permanent residents of the United States to follow the law set up by the national government. The last few years has included an applicant, who is not a citizen of the United States but has permanent resident status. In the past, the town attorney advised the council to approve liquor licenses for this particular individual based on court cases and the national, as well as state laws. He said a citizen of the United States and permanent residence should be treated the same in regards to commerce. He gave an example of driver’s licenses, etc. He said the updated ordinance would bring Kinder’s ordinance into line with laws in regards to commerce and citizen status. He gave another example of why the redefining of this ordinance was necessary when the government asked the city to address same-sex marriage in regards to employees and benefits. He said they just redefined it and changed the ordinance. This was a similar situation.
Questions of whether the state would trump the city’s law, the city’s past dealings with this particular person’s application and the legality of the city’s actions were asked of the town’s attorney, Michael Holmes. He said it wasn’t illegal, and he was asked at that time whether the applicant, with a permanent U.S. citizen status, would qualify under the state law. He said he suggested the city to approve the application because of information he had researched in regards to commerce.
One council person thought the other was being unprofessional in their questions addressed to the attorney. Another said that council person could vote they way they thought to vote. Finally Mayor Wayland LaFargue banged his gavel and called for a motion to introduce the ordinance. The council will decide whether to approve the changes at its next meeting.
The council gave permission for the mayor to work with the Town Engineer Wesley Miller, Pan American Engineers, on the application development for LGAP (Local Government Assistance Program) and CWEF (Community Water Enrichment Fund). The council also approved a resolution to pay the engineering fees for the fiscal year 2023 in regards to any LCDBG grant it may receive so extra points could be attached to the application process. This was also done for payment of grant administration fees.
In other business, the mayor reported the work on the roof at the community center was completed, along with upgrades and refurbishments at city hall. He said the canopy over the basketball court in the Nixon Subdivision was being put together, and workers would begin digging on Nixon Road, Park Road and a few other locations. He said the city was waiting for materials to make repairs to the Park Road Bridge. He said with the police jury’s assistance, the bridge should be completed in about two weeks.
Police Chief Paul Courville asked and received approval for the hiring of Christian Guillory.
The town approved an alcoholic beverage license application for LaRumba, its minutes for September 6, meeting and adoption of the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire as required by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor.
