The Natchitoches City Council voted at its meeting Monday night, June 14, to declare certain buildings unsafe and recommending that same be demolished or put into repair to comply with the building code, authorizing notice to be served, fixing hearing date and appointing curator to represent absentees. See graphics below for a list of properties with photos.
One agenda item that was introduced at the meeting is highly anticipated because it will bring improvements to highly trafficked corridors through the City including Texas Street and Washington Street.
The Ordinance reads: Approve The Terms And Form Of A Cooperative Endeavor Agreement Between The City Of Natchitoches And Natchitoches Community Alliance Foundation, Inc. D/B/A Natchitoches Economic Development Alliance.
NEDA has developed a Business Revitalization & Facade Improvement Program which seeks to provide facade grants to the owners of buildings in specific distressed commercial areas of the City. The program seeks to remove blight by assisting businesses and commercial property owners to improve building appearances and to brings signs, parking, landscaping and building construction into conformance with current codes.
Similar grants have been offered to business owners in the Historic District in previous years, but Mayor Ronnie Williams said the program has never been offered in these other corridors in the City.
From discussion at the meeting there’s plans to install a roundabout at the intersection of Texas and Dixie. There’s $585,000 in Capital outlay funding and it goes to cash July 1, 2022. The City has already entered discussions with DOTD about its design.
There’s another grant currently in the works and the roundabout is considered a key feature of redeveloping the west side of town.
“We need viable business on Texas Street,” added Council member Dale Nielsen, who also echoed his peers’ feelings of excitement for these upcoming projects.
Williams said the grants will go a long way toward revitalizing the area.
Other agenda items included:
PLANNING & ZONING – INTRODUCTION:
Amend Ordinance No. 64 Of 2001 By Changing Zoning Classification Of Property located at 506 and 512 Front Street for renovation and operation of Mayeaux’s Steak and Seafood.
ORDINANCES – FINAL:
Award The Bid For Christmas Lighting Supplies.(BID NO. 0637)
Authorize The City To Lease A Warehouse Located At The Southern End Of The ADM Mill Site Being Located Between Mill Street And The Railroad Right Of Way To Weyerhaeuser Trus Joist Setting The Terms And Conditions Of Same, And Authorizing The Execution Of The Lease By The Mayor, Ronnie Williams, Jr., After Due Compliance With The Law, And Further Providing For Advertising Of The Lease And An Effective Date.
Approve That Instrument Titled Cooperative Endeavor Agreement Between The City Of Natchitoches And Commcare Natchitoches, Which Agreement Provides For Cost Sharing For The Installation Of Utility Infrastructure, Including Electric, Water And Sanitary Sewer, Which Improvements Will Serve The Proposed Nursing Home Facility At 781 Louisiana Highway 494, As Well As Provide For Upgrades To The Existing Infrastructure And Accommodate Future Development In The Area; Prescribing Terms And Conditions For Said Agreement, And Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Ronnie Williams, Jr., To Execute Same, And Finally To Ratify And Affirm A Prior Resolution.
Ratify And Affirm Resolution No. 007 Of 2021.
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:
Award The Bid For The Runway 7-25 And Taxiway B-1 Reconstruction Project At Natchitoches Regional Airport (Bid No. 0636)
Amend the 2021 – 2022 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues and Expenditures.
Authorize The Execution Of A Memorandum Of Understanding Between The City Of Natchitoches (“City”) And The Boys And Girls Clubs Of Acadiana, (“BGC), Whereby BGC Will Operate Within The Ben Johnson Auditorium Providing Educational And Recreational Programming For A Period Of Three Years, Providing For Funding From The City For BGC Programming, And Providing For Other Matters Related Thereto.
Missy Bienvenu Andreti- There’s a gap in youth programs.
RESOLUTIONS:
Fix The Time, Day, Date And Place Of Regular Meetings Of The City Council Of The City Of Natchitoches For The Next Twelve Months.
Establish Meeting Times And Places Of: Natchitoches Planning Commission, Historic District Commission, Airport Advisory Commission, and Waterworks District No.1.
Appoint Members To The City Planning Commission For the City Of Natchitoches.
Appoint Members To The Natchitoches Historic District Commission For The City Of Natchitoches.
Appoint Stacy McQueary As Clerk Of The Council For The City Of Natchitoches.
Appoint The City Attorney And Assistant City Attorneys For The City Of Natchitoches.
Appoint The Auditor For The City Of Natchitoches.
Appoint the Fiscal Agent For The City Of Natchitoches.
Designate The Natchitoches Times As the Official Legal Journal For The City Of Natchitoches For The Next Twelve Months.
Authorize The Mayor To Enter Into A Contract With Alliant Insurance Services Inc., For The One Beacon Insurance Group Casualty Package Insurance Renewal Effective June 30, 2021 Through June 30, 2022.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday, June 28, 2021.
Revitalizing the City of Natchitoches? What part other than Texas St? It’s good to know my City Council Rep. Of District 2 thinks it’s good because the areas in his district needs some attention we can’t get in our community. Sylvan Dr. Is going to cave in from underlying water main leak you keep patching. Maybe some of the members of the newly elected commissioners would do us the pleasure of coming thru, not just ours, but some of the other neglected areas in the beautiful city of Natchitoches.
A roundabout is an economic engine for business development? Must have run out of reasons to justify spending tax money. SMH