Hobby Lobby is coming to Natchitoches. The Natchitoches City Council introduced an ordinance to create the Economic Development District D to levy a 1% sales and use tax on a 7.5 acre tract of land for the construction of a 50,000 sq ft Hobby Lobby with a few store units in the front of it. This project will be located on Keyser Avenue between the Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home and Chili’s. The projected opening date is May 2021.

The estimated amount of time the district will be in place in order to make this project work is about 10-12 years. After that the Tiff district will go away. This ordinance will be up for final voting at the Council’s meeting Monday, Feb. 24 at 5:30 pm.

In other business, an open house for Parc Natchitoches will be held Thursday, Feb. 13 at 5 pm. The City has already been handed the keys and will hold a bigger opening on April 4 for the big kick off of League play.

Another ordinance was introduced to authorize a concession agreement with Lasyone’s Meat Pies Inc. to handle concessions including food, beverages, confections, merchandise products and other similar items. Mayor Lee Posey hinted that while there will be the regular ball park food one might expect, there will be other special food options. They’re even considering implementing a notification system where you can take a pager with you to be notified when your food order is ready.

In other business, Air Evac EMS Inc. came before the Council again to reintroduce an ordinance to lease Lot 7, Lot 8 and Lot 20 of the Natchitoches Regional Airport. The company was originally looking at leasing a different lot, but realized there was power and water run to an existing pad at the airport. Their projected date of operation is around the end of April.

Other agenda items included:

PROCLAMATIONS:

Proclaim February 2020 as African American History Month in the City

ORDINANCES – FINAL:

Award Bid For Natchitoches Event Center Roof Replacement Project to Southern Roofing and Vinyl Siding LLC of West Monroe in the amount of $235,000

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:

Award Bid For LA – 6 West Turn Lane And J-Turn to Regional Construction LLC of Natchitoches in the amount of $232,288

Authorize A Lease Of That Area Under Fence At The Natchitoches Regional Airport For Hay Operations With James Russell Stacy

Enter Into A Lease Of A 25 Acre Tract In The Industrial Park For Hay Operations With James R. Stacy

Enter Into A Lease Of A 29.7 Acre Tract In The Industrial Park For Hay Operations With M & M Farms Of Cane River, LLC

Authorize A Beverage Agreement In Favor Of Shreveport Coca-Cola Bottling Company, To Provide Beverages At Parc Natchitoches

Amend The 2019-2020 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures.

Amend The 2019-2020 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures.

Amend The 2019-2020 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures.

RESOLUTIONS:

Approve The 2020 Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Audit Report For The City Of Natchitoches.

Authorize The Mayor To Advertise And Accept Bids For Water Treatment System Renovations, Backwash Effluent Transfer System.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday, February 24, 2020.

The offices of the City of Natchitoches will be closed Monday, February 17, 2019 in honor of President’s Day