BOGALUSA CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014
PRESIDING:
CHARLES E. MIZELL, MAYOR
JERRY BAILEY, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION
DALE BRANCH, CITY ATTORNEY
PRESEN T:
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND
COUNCILMAN O’REE
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM
ABSENT:
COUNCILMAN HODGES
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Bogalusa City Council meeting will come to order.
Invocation by Councilman O’Ree, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: Led the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE:
Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND……………….HERE
COUNCILMAN O’REE………………………..HERE
COUNCILMAN HODGES…………………….ABSENT
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE……………....HERE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE………………………...HERE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS………………HERE
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM………………..HERE
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Next on the agenda is the approval of the minutes on the
meeting held on Tuesday, November 18, 2014.
BY COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS: I make a motion they be accepted.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: Seconded.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND…………….AYE
COUNCILMAN O’REE…………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN HODGES………………….ABSENT
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE…………...AYE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE……………………...AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS…………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM…………….AYE
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES HELD
ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 MEETING).
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next there are no Introduction of Resolutions.
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: I’d like to amend the agenda at this time.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: Seconded.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
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COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND…………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN O’REE…………………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN HODGES………………………..ABSENT
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE…………………AYE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE……………………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS…………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM…………………...AYE
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT TO AMEND THE AGENDA).
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND:
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the retaining of Robert A. Neilson CPA, to provide Professional
Accounting Services for the City of Bogalusa as per Engagement letter dated November 26, 2014.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: This will be3 up for public discussion at the next meeting
December 16th. Next we have an ordinance by
Councilwoman Williams.
BY COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS:
AN ORDINANCE to authorize the Mayor of the City of Bogalusa to enter into a contract with
the low bidder D.M. Bass, Inc. for the Austin Street Improvements.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE:
AN ORDINANCE to authorize the mayor of the City of Bogalusa to enter into a contract with
the low bidder Grady Crawford Construction Co. Inc. for the FY 2013 LCDBG Water
Distribution System Improvements in the Terrace Area.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Both of these ordinances will also be up for public hearing on
December 16, 2014. Next we will move on to public hearing, Councilman Drummond.
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND:
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the retaining of Robert A. Neilson CPA, to provide Professional
Accounting Services for the City of Bogalusa as per engagement letter dated November 26, 2014.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: This ordinance will be up for public hearing at our next regular
meeting held December 16, 2014.Next we move on to public hearing, Councilman Drummond.
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND:
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Mayor of the City of Bogalusa to enter into a lease
agreement/contract with Susan Stewart to operate the Deli in the Park in Cassidy Park.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Anyone in the public wishing to speak for or against this ordinance
please step forward. There being none council discussion.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: I make a motion it be accepted..
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: Seconded.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND…………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN O’REE………………………………..AYE
COUNCILMAN HODGES…………………………….ABSENT
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE……………………….AYE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE…………………………………..AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS…………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM………………………AYE
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(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT AUTHORIING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF
BOGALUSA TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT/CONTRACT WITH SUSAN STEWART TO
OPERATE THE DELI IN THE PARK IN CASSIDY PARK).
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next is an ordinance introduced by the Finance Committee, VicePresident Perrette.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE:
AN ORDINANCE, with respect to the budget of revenues and expenditures for the City of
Bogalusa, Louisiana for the year 2015 and levying the necessary taxes to meet the budget, and
providing for a five year Capital Improvement Program for the City of Bogalusa, Louisiana,
beginning January 1, 2014 and ending December 31, 2018.
This is introduced by the Finance Committee.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Anyone in the public wishing to speak for or against this ordinance
please step forward. Being none council discussion.
BY GLORIA KATES: 1012 Poplas Street. I had an opportunity to review the 2015 Budget and on
Page 21 it does indicate that the council was open to new ways to revise and to amend and to
expand upon the budget. I have just a couple of questions, one being that will the council
consider to implement a participatory budget program whereas the participants the
constituencies the voters can participate the needs of each district? That is my first question and
my second question is there is a 10.84 mills for general municipal and other mills that were
implicated for maintenance and operations and my question is will this go to general fund for
parks and roads and if so what percentage will go to be appropriated to each district? My third
question is there is a special revenue fund on page 50 that talks about street maintenance that
was last year if that could be broken down on what was allocated for each district? Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Would you like to address that Finance Committee?
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: I would like to say one thing first. When we do budgets, when
we do any programs in the City, we do not say this is specifically to help one district. We treat
our City as a whole in anything we do.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: The Millages are in a dedicated fund. They are not combined into
general fund, any millage in general City wide. That is a State rule, State law.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: It has to be spent in according to the voting. When you voted
the millage in, it has to be spent according to that.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: There is rules for the Louisiana Law and they supersede all of us
and that is following the rules. The City is treated as a whole. It is wherever it is needed the most
at that particular time.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: It benefits everyone when it is done.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: It is not divided by districts.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Anyone else? Council discussion? Is there a motion?
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: I do have one thing. When we first got our budget I went to see
Mr. Bailey and I told him I was concerned because of the big deficit we have in the retirement
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fund and I was told that during this calendar year that we have paid into the fund more than
went out and that he did increase our funds that will be going into it in the year 2015 and I think
that is a wonderful thing. It will help take care of part of that deficit but there will be a few years
to correct it.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: I move that we accept it.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Seconded.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Roll call.
COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND…………………AYE
COUNCILMAN O’REE…………………………….AYE
COUNCILMAN HODGES…………………………ABSENT
VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE……………………AYE
PRESIDENT RITCHIE……………………………….AYE
COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS…………………AYE
COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM………………….AYE
(MOTION CARRIED 6-0 WITH ONE ABSENT WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET OF REVENUES AND
EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF BOGALUSA, LOUISIANA, FOR THE YEAR 2015 AND LEVYING
THE NECESSARY TAXES TO MEET THE BUDGET, AND PROVIDING FOR A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF BOGALUSA, LOUISIANA, BEGINNING JANUARY 1,
2014 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2018).
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next we move to public participation. Victor Robinson.
BY VICTOR ROBINSON: 228 Second Avenue. Our concern is about the Willis Avenue Project as a
whole. I live down in that dead end, with this road getting ready to be constructed will anybody
in that area be affected by this road?
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: The dead end of Second Avenue will they be affected by the new
road? It is rural.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: Between the creek and the property at the end of the street.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: It is not a straight shot from the end of the bridge to Willis Avenue there is a
curvatage to it that is coming out. It is not supposed to interrupt any residents the way it is. It
has already been surveyed through that area.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you. Mr. Ferrell.
BY FATE FERRELL: 1931 Dewitt. I would like to know I don’t have a problem with the road coming
through but I would like to know how we get money for one road and we can’t get money from
the other streets that have been torn up. We are tearing up our cars on these streets.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: If I’m not mistaken this is a State funded project. It is not a City funded
project. That is my understanding is that correct Mayor?
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Funds comes from different various sources specific to the areas sometimes
it is specific to the income level other things are about traffic count whether it is a federally
funded roadway or State or if it is a local. Lots of different variations in there. Nobody sends you
money just to allow you to do as you please.
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BY FATE FERRELL: I noticed something’s when you want money for you can’t get it but other
things the citizens not asking to be fixed ya’ll can get money for. I see a whole divide there, it is a
big divide. We need to get these streets fixed and number one we need to do something in our
black community because I see all the work going on in the white community. It is time out. We
got people protesting all over the world because we not getting equal justice, it is time out. Black
people holding their hands up, hands up don’t shoot. It is hands up we want justice in this City.
We want roads fixed, we want to be treated right by the Police Department, and we want to be
treated right by the elected officials, we want some changes in Bogalusa. It is time for Bogalusa
to turn around and get positive, Bogalusa has been too negative. I’ve been here looking at this
City for quite a few years. I’m a come here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I think it is time for
everybody to get on the right page and do something to clean Bogalusa up.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: I drink to that.
BY FATE FERRELL: It is ridiculous when people come in here and see Bogalusa looking the way it
looks. It is plum embarrassing. I just buried my son on the eighth of this past month. People came
in here from all over the country to his funeral and they talked about what is going on in
Bogalusa where is ya’ll money going? They say it is not going into the City and I agree with it. We
need things to change here. If anybody got proud enough to get up and take a bath they should
get up and get this city straightened out. That is the way I feel about it. Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you. I have to agree with you there.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: I’ll drink to that.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Ms. Fortenberry.
BY SHERRY FORTENBERRY: 1207 Van Buren Street. Last Saturday the Youth Department from
Monroe Street Church they are doing a monthly community service they chose to fix up our park
up on Jackson and Robertson Street. Thanks to Mr. James Hall and Landon Tims they came out
there when I called them and I said we are not asking ya’ll to do but I want to know if we can do
this, can this be done and that be done? It got done. I rode by that way on the way here, I bought
a net to go on a basketball goal, and it is still on the basketball goal. It was put up Saturday.
Several little black boys showed up at my house yesterday and they knocked on my door, don’t
know any of them. Ms. Fortenberry we were told we had to ask you if we can play basketball I
said no you don’t have to ask me anything. The only thing I say is do not destroy it. Do you have
a basketball? No ma’am but we going to get one. I bought one of my children a basketball goal
for Christmas and now those little boys has a basketball. That is what I got to say. I just want to
thank Mr. Hall and Landon for helping us. Another thing on a serious note if I can say this
without crying, Saturday morning I got a knock on my door, I don’t know how they knew but they
come and tell me my brother drowned at Indian Village in Slidell. I do have a brother, I have a
brother that is 65 that was my first cousin Rodney Varnado. He was an employee of the City of
Bogalusa for thirty years. He is going to be at Poole’s Funeral Home tomorrow afternoon from 510 and his funeral is going to be at one o’clock Thursday. If ya’ll could find it in your heart just to
go by there since he was an employee of the city, he was a good person. We never called him
Rodney I always called him Bubby, he was always Bubby to us. He was raised by a man that was
a brother by my daddy, so we were both raised just alike. That is just what I wanted to say.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you Ms. Fortenberry. Anyone else in the public?
BY JOEL MILLER: 1121 Poplas Street. I see I broke another one of ya’ll chairs over there but didn’t
intend too.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Be careful and don’t fall out of that chair Joel.
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BY JOEL MILLER: My sympathy to Ms. Fortenberry and her family. I want ya’ll to get on board
with this tree now from two different administrations.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Here is the work order on it and it says private tree with power
line turned into Entergy. I turned it in and here is the report back and made sure I brought it to
you tonight.
BY JOEL MILLER: Praise the Lord number one and maybe if I continue my prayers will come true.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: You can talk to Mr. Hall and thank him.
BY JOEL MILLER: Mr. Hall. Where is he at? Thank you Mr. Hall. I will close my mouth for tonight, I
feel much better. I know them people in Poplas Quarters will feel better because the last time
that happened when we had that storm that tree caught that optic line and made the power go
off for quite some time. I’m going to hush and take my seat, thank you.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you Joel.
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: Be careful Joel.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Don’t flop.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Next we will move on to administrative remarks, Mayor.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Joel I’m so proud we started out four years ago you were 1822 on the list
and you finally made it there I’m so proud. As with keeping with our first of the month reports
from our supervisors we will start off today with the Airport Manager, Louis Busby.
BY LOUIS BUSBY: Good evening. With the weather being a little bit cooler we are getting more
and more aircraft in. We had over fifty visitors this month that signed the guest book and our
pilots are flying more with this cool weather when it is not raining on us. Mr. Farley has the
hanger slab down so we have a lot of I think twenty one trucks worth of slab down at the airport
for his four new hangers. The apron and ramp from the parking area to the actual hangers is
being framed up today and tomorrow and should be formed in the next couple of days. The
hangers should be up hopefully by Christmas. You will see some new buildings out there at the
airport. I got an email yesterday or day before yesterday the Capital Improvement Plan with the
State and FAA that we summited last month is being reviewed this month so by the end of this
month beginning next year we should know what projects we are having funded through the
State and FAA. The Drainage Project materials have been ordered that is the State grant we got
for the airport. All the materials that we ordered and hopefully in two weeks we will start
digging up some of those catch basins and have that done at the end of December or beginning
of January if we don’t get rained out. That is all I got.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Thank you Louis. Landon Tims, Parks and Recreation.
BY LANDON TIMS: Good evening. I would like to first start out by saying that you all have voted
tonight to accept Mrs. Susan Stewart as the new tenant of the Deli in the Park. She is actually
back there in the back corner, Mrs. Susan is in my opinion going to be an asset to the City as well
as Cassidy Park. She has come in and she has already has done a lot of work on her own to the
inside of the Deli to make it suitable to her. People pass and they come in and use it and she
wants it a certain way. She has invested her time and her money into that building and I know
the City greatly appreciates it. I hope when she has her grand opening that everybody goes out
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and supports her and I think it will be a great asset. Today I got in the mail the go ahead for the
recreational trails grant. Hopefully we will start that grant sometimes after the first of the year.
What the grant is it is going to be a walking path that will connect Cassidy Park with Goodyear
Park. I know that the State wanted a grant to connect one park to another park in a close vicinity
so we thought that so many people walk in the Goodyear Park and walk in Cassidy Park a trail to
connect them where you can walk from Cassidy Park and back it will be a three mile walk we
thought that would be a great grant and we got it and will start that. I was at the Monroe Street
Youth work day and it was a site to see. It was very good to see that the people in the community
in their personal private- not private their personal community park take pride in what they have
and they want it to succeed and do well. I went out there and watched the youth clean up the
park. We put some swings up and painted the toys and it was really good to see and there was a
neighbor that lives across the street and when there is people out there not doing what they are
supposed to do she comes outside and tells them to stop. She runs them off when they try to tear
things up. You got to have people that takes pride so it will last. So I think that park is going to be
really beneficial in that community as well. Some high points for some dates to keep in mind in
January we start working on all of the baseball fields in town because baseball season starts in
March and that is usually a really big project because it is about twelve fields and they are really
hard to get ready in time. We are going to have another movie night some night in February, I
haven’t locked that date down yet because I don’t want to conflict with other things that might
be going on in the city. The cook-off is March 21st. The Gospel Festival is March 28th and the
Easter Egg Hunt which was also my sons first birthday is April 4, 2015. Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Thank you Landon. Chief Moody, Fire Chief.
BY CHIEF MOODY: Good evening. You all like me Thanksgiving eat too much. Unfortunate like
Landon said it is a bad season for us. We had 10 structure fires, 16 grass fires, 16 motor vehicle
accidents, 61 medical assist, 2 natural gas/power lines, 11 false alarms, 1 vehicle fire and 21
distress/assist calls for a total of 138 calls. It being our last council meeting I would like to thank
Councilman O’Ree for being able to be on the council. A person that has been a friend to the Fire
Department and has been there if I need him for advice or anything.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: But you are jumping the gun we have one more to go.
BY CHIEF MOODY: Yes but this is the last one we will be at talking. I’ll get to see you at the
Council meeting and I just wanted to tell you in the public that I’ve enjoyed serving with ya’ll and
the Mayor also. I enjoyed nineteen years as Chief under him. I hope I’ve done my job like I was
suppose too and I think I have. I just want to tell everybody Merry Christmas and be safe.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Merry Christmas. Applause.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Police Chief, Joe Culpepper.
BY CHIEF CULPEPPER: Good evening. Well looks like the complaints for the month of November
dropped a little bit a 1018 out of a hundred and a half below what the average has been. 171
arrest, 40 traffic accidents, 23 escorts, we picked up 124 bags of garbage and serviced 16
community service workers. When did you say your next council meeting was?
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: The 16th.
BY CHIEF CULPEPPER: Mardi Gras is kicking off the 13th. So we are getting ready for that and I
talked to some folks from Slidell and the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office about our visual aid
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agreement to have people ready for that. The parties are coming up so be careful and make a
conservative effort to not drink and drive. I want to wish ya’ll Happy Holidays.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Thank you Chief. Director of Administration, Jerry Bailey.
BY JERRY BAILEY: First of all I would like to thank ya’ll for approving the budget. I have a couple
of things as you can notice from the sales tax chart we jumped up from 1.0% last month to 3.2%
for this month which basically if you look in that second to last column we collected $189,885
more through October this year than we did through October of last year. You can see from the
graft it is a fine line but it is going upwards. It is trending upwards and that is what it has been
doing for quite some time and I hope that it keeps up the same velocity. The other thing I wanted
to tell you yesterday the property tax bills went out so hopefully in the next week or two we will
start getting rich over here again. I’m going to be here until the last meeting so I will save what
all the nice things until then.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Director of Public Works, James Hall.
BY JAMES HALL: Good evening. I want to start by telling the council all your work that you do
doesn’t go away. A year and a half or two ya’ll passed an ordinance that consist of Entergy
cutting trees and how they should cut trees. For the last three weeks Landon and I have been
battling them, they brought a crew in here cut the trees and butchered the hell out of them. A lot
on Villery all through the Terrace. Well made a phone call to Harbors and he came up took
pictures of the trees and I told him before he left I would write him a citation. He come to pieces
on me. So he had Ms. Harris come up and Ms. Harris promised me these trees would be cut and
the stumps would be ground just like the ordinance says that ya’ll passed. Don’t think you pass
them and we don’t enforce them. The only way we can make Entergy not cut the center of the
tree and not leave the tree hanging over the road which they are right now but that will be taken
care of. But the ordinance did work, thank ya’ll. We have been busy putting up Christmas lights,
Christmas lights and more Christmas lights. Christmas banners like everybody wants banners put
up this year. We should get a lot more ditches dug since it is not so much mowing to do. We are
trying to get caught up on our fire plug repairs. That is an ongoing battle and we can spend more
time with it if we don’t have a broken water main this time of year which we usually do it’s not
the little ones it is the main. Working on pot holes and we are moving some trees ourselves, we
are still mowing with our boom mower getting some alleys and ditches we don’t get to in the
summer. For the November code enforcement we had 6 citations issued, 3 citations issued for
failure to appear, 4 citations issued resorting to drop charges due to compliance, 49 code
violations brought into compliance and 4 vehicles moved from the City right of way. Thank ya’ll.
BY COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you James.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Joel this is government nothing is easy, nothing is simple. Director of
Personnel, Sandy Bloom.
BY SANDY BLOOM: Well it has been a busy month and a lot of it led up to some of our activities
last week and I’m going to kind of hit the high spots for Robin’s report. She is not here but she
has done a fabulous job downtown. The latest business to open is the new restaurant 437 and if
you haven’t been there you are missing a treat. They are not open tonight but they will be open
tomorrow through Sunday. There was a great Christmas Parade and Kay Kay helped coordinated
that and we had a huge participation and more entries in it than we had in several years and so
that was a real success. It is all a part of effort that the Mayor spear headed to try and build
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some excited moral around the holiday season in Bogalusa. Not only to bring people to the
Christmas in the Park but be able to see the other things our city has to offer. So we do have a
facebook page and it is called Rocking around the Christmas Town. So if you have a Christmas
activity at your church, in your community that you know about let Kay Kay or myself know so
we will make sure to put the information on there. It is a way to kind of have a one stop shopping
for people that wants to know what is going on in Bogalusa. The street stroll I’m told was a
success I was under the weather so I didn’t get to make it and I’m sad about that. I think we had
a good turnout we had good vendors and it is something that we can build on year after year.
We are working on a couple of grants one is a Brown Field Grant, what that does it identifies
areas that have contamination and it does abatement for those areas and we have chosen an
area of the Terrace as part of what we are going to write this grant for because of the foundry
building that was there. We think we have an opportunity to expand some development in that
area. The other one is our LGAP Grant which we do every year and for the last two years we’ve
used it to move and refurbish the old library building that use to be down here and we all agree
it looks a whole lot better now than it did since we spent this year’s money to get it painted and
getting the porch put on and windows replaced. So the dream is to have that be a welcome
center not only for Bogalusa but for Washington Parish and the State of Louisiana. I’m not going
to go on because I think I’m the only thing standing in between me and the door but I do want to
echo Chief Moody’s comments about the pleasure it has been to work with Mr. O’Ree and Ms.
Graham on the council has always been very helpful. I appreciate you and going to miss you.
BY MAYOR MIZELL: Okay thank you Sandy and thank you to all of the supervisors. This is
something I started when I first came into office. You asked for more information what we were
doing, how we were doing it and giving you the opportunity to look at the supervisors and I hope
you have been satisfied with the results from that. As we move forward with the transitioning
here and working with our new Mayor here and bringing her in here offering our help to
anything she needs. You will be seeing less of me and more of here between now and January 1
in preparation for a new year with a new leader. I’m kind of getting excited about it myself not
only will I have some free time but I’m looking forward to a some newness and some youth in
here. We are going to move aside in the leadership and we are going to be behind pushing a
little bit. We are kind of slow but we will be there. I do appreciate the council, it has been a great
council to work with and I think Wendy and I actually had a conversation last week never could
remember a council that was more in tuned with whatever the agenda was that was set forth
here. I just appreciate that. Mr. O’Ree you have been very stable and strong leader but you are
going to be that in your community too and that is a great thing. God has called him to do his
work and he will be great at that. Ms. Graham is never going away she is always going to be
here. I can tell you we appreciate you and we appreciate you keeping everyone in order certainly
do and of course the others that are here. I too have some other meetings to go to but I’m going
to take a minute or two tonight because I was in the office this evening looking over some things
and we have some grants that are here and some things that are quite exciting in the city but we
are going to move those on along on the side. A guy by the name of Jim Metcalf has been a real
favorite of mine for years and years and I don’t know how many of you like poetry but I’m not
going to excuse you from it if you don’t like it. I’m going to read something here which is called
Some Distant Star. I think this will be a good parting message for a Mayor like me and it goes
something like this:
And what would have happened,
If on that day we set our sights
Upon a certain goal
And headed with determination toward it,
We had taken the other path
That seems to beckon with almost equal promise…
The one that led the other way
And toward another, different life.
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And do we now regret the choice…
Now that the choosing’s over?
Perhaps there are those who do…
I am not one of them…
And do we think of what might have been
Had we walked along the road not taken?
To me that other way,
The way I might have gone,
Was too safe to offer challenge…
Too predictable to be exciting…
Designed to make of me a servant of another’s deeds…
To display another’s creativity…
To teach the thoughts of other men…
To speak their words… a parrot
Mouthing sounds to please a master…
Sounds without emotion.
And the goal I follow… still eludes me…
For I am not really certain what it is or if it is…
But the joys that came my way along the trails
That may one day lead me to it
Have made the journey worth the taking.
And if it were to end today,
It would still have been far better
Than the other way that might have lasted longer.
And should I find the light
From the distant star
I have pursued…
Is an illusion…
That it is but a lingering ray
From a rock in space
That has been dead ten million years…
If that light should fail
And tell me my dream was dead
Before I was born…
Then I will look above
For another light
And I will follow another star…
And I alone will choose the one to follow.
I thank you and I bid you a good night.
BY COUNCIL MEMBERS: Thank you Mayor. Applause.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Council discussion, Councilman Drummond.
BY COUNCILMAN DRUMMOND: Yes, I just like to thank everyone for turning out tonight it is a
good crowd. I also would like to wish Ms. Sue all the luck in the world in her new location.
Looking over things with all indications we are due for a hard winter this year so keep an eye on
your neighbor and go ahead and winterize so you don’t have to bark about your water bill when
you have to run your water. Especially protect your pets and be ready for a pretty hard winter
according to the old farmer’s almanac. That is all I got.
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BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Councilman O’Ree.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: I want to say to the Department Heads thank ya’ll for the comments
and the Mayor. I want to address a few and I will save the rest for next week. I want to say I have
had the honor and a great time working with Landon. In certain areas we didn’t get to play
football how we wanted it but we gave it a shot and it didn’t work out. I had a great time
working with Ms. Sandy for the past eight years but I thank God for you as well. I know whatever
you decide you will be great at it and I know I will see you somewhere. Chief Moody I thank God
for you too man I really had a great time working with you. I know if I ever have to call you down
the road hopefully not for a fire, I will call you for something so I thank you. I had the opportunity
to work with Chief Culpepper thank you as well I hope I never have to call you again but if I call
you be ready to help me but I thank you as well and I had a great time working with ya’ll. Mr.
Busby I never got the chance to interact with you but the most I talked with you was yesterday.
You are doing a great job man. Mr. Hall man I know you doing a great job so man I thank you for
all I know I called you more than anybody and you always call me back or answer the phone that
is big to me. Most people won’t call you back and want to deal with you so I appreciate you for
that. Ms. Sue I don’t know you but I want to give you one of my recipes. I’m serious too I’m going
to get with you, I got a good one for you. It is just for you, I can’t tell you somebody might know
that I told you. It’s going to be one on one you can take it and run with it. I got a good one for
you. I can’t die with all of them with all the information to cook. I can cook for real, I ain’t just
joking anybody that knows me now and I ain’t just saying this now. I got some good stuff out
there. The3 last thing I want say is I don’t like talking much but Ms. Brenda I don’t want to forget
you great spirit, great attitude, great heart I have had a great time working with you and I’m
want to say this week and next week and that is why I said that today and I’m going to say some
more next week. Council thank all of ya’ll I will save the rest for next week. I’m going to miss, I
don’t want to lie, I’m going to miss something’s and something’s I won’t so but I will save the
rest for next week. God Bless ya’ll. I do want to say one thing I am upset with you Councilwoman
Perrette because we have been working together for eight years and for eight years I’ve only
have seen those peppermints and the last meeting you come here with my favorite candy. We
could have been eating good for eight years.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: That would be our secretary’s fault.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: We could have been eating good for eight years but I’m going to get a
few tonight so bring some to the next meeting.
BY BRENDA FORD: That was donated by Ms. Donna Talley.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERRETTE: Thank you.
BY COUNCILMAN O’REE: Well thank you I appreciate that it is my favorite candy so I’m going to
take half of this with me and I will say something at the next meeting. That is all I got.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Vice-President Perrette.
BY VICE-PRESIDENT PERETTE: I would like to welcome Ms. Sue into the park. Thank Ms. Sherry
for getting the memorial together to do the park and the ones that is working with her. I’m sorry
Monroe. I would like to remind you all there is a soccer camp from 9 till 1, December 13th and
their spots are limited and the cost is $40.00. You can call 985-732-2561. I have enjoyed working
for everyone here. That is all.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Councilwoman Williams.
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BY COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS: First I would like to start off by saying good evening. Thank
everyone for coming. I also would like to welcome Ms. Sue to the Park. I came out and watched
the parade Christmas I didn’t participate because it was too cold. I can’t take the cold. I stand
out and waved and it was a nice parade. I was told that Kay Kay helped with this and it was nice,
real nice. Also I want to thank the Departments for your reports and I’m going to say it was a
pleasure for the last four years working with Mayor Mizell also with Councilman O’Ree and Ms.
Graham.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Councilwoman Graham.
BY COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM: It is not our last meeting so I’m not saying goodbye to
everybody yet. Give me time, next meeting and it won’t be goodbye then. To all our Department
Heads, our Chief’s, whatever your position is here with the City, our Mayor and our Council I
think we’ve had a good four year term and I have never gone to any Department Head whether
it be a question or even been free to talk to people under them. If I have a question about
something that is going on or something that is coming up so that we can be aware of what we
are doing come to this council table, every time I’ve gone to somebody I’ve always been able to
get the information I needed. I am so thankful for that because we don’t want to serve in the
blind. We want to know what we are doing and to represent our City and that is the only way we
can do it. This administration when it started said it would be an open policy and it has been and
I appreciate that. The reason I’m saying that Department Heads tonight ya’ll sound like ya’ll not
coming to the next meeting. Well if ya’ll don’t then good-by but I have talked to most of you and
those that I haven’t just because I’m not on the Council does not mean I haven’t stop loving my
City. It doesn’t mean that I won’t do anything I can whether I get out there and look stuff up or
pick up trash like I’ve done a few years myself, whatever I can do call on me I will be more than
happy to do it. I might even have a little more time to do it now who knows. It has been a joy and
I will say good-by next time to everybody else. Thank you.
BY PRESIDENT RITCHIE: Thank you. I’m not going to say good-by to anybody tonight either
because we have another meeting. I do want to say welcome to Ms. Sue and good luck to you
and we will be out there visiting with you. I didn’t get out there the night of the parade and I
hear you had some great hot chocolate, some cider and stuff. I was at the parade for a short
period but my wife had surgery so I was babysitting her and got her back home so I could take
care of her some more. Everybody was praying for her and wasn’t even praying for me but I
guess that is the way it is. One thing I see our sales tax, I look at our sales tax report that we get
and our sales taxes are going up. It bugs me because I’ve been in the funeral business and it
doesn’t have anything to do with this but I’ve been in retail also. I’ve seen back then how people
will leave Bogalusa and shop and spend their money. Those folks in St. Tammany Parish could
care less about us except for our tax money. Those people in Hattiesburg, Columbia they love our
money. They don’t remit any of it back to Bogalusa. We’ve got a lot of new stores on Columbia
Street, we’ve got a Super Wal-Mart. We need to make every effort that we possibly can to shop
local. That’s how we grow our City. Folks aren’t going to give us any money, it ain’t going to
happen. We are expected to do what we did twenty five years ago on the same money we got
twenty five years ago. The only way to do it is to help ourselves and we can help ourselves by
shopping local. With that being said I’m going to stop preaching and looking forward to seeing
ya’ll at the next meeting. We had a good crowd here and appreciate ya’ll being here and I hope
to see ya’ll again at the next meeting. Let’s continue to move this City forward. Good night and
meeting adjourned.
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