The Natchitoches Parish Council approved a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement at its meeting Monday night, Nov. 15, between the Parish Government and the US Forest Service to improve Kisatchie Falls Road beginning at the point where it intersects LA Hwy. 118 to that point where it intersects National Forest Service Road 350. The project involves the reshaping of the road bed and hauling and placement of stabilizing material and surface aggregate. The Forest Service is of the opinion that the project will greatly increase accessibility to Kisatchie National Forest, so they’re putting $95,137 in funds toward this project.
In other business the Council removed cost of living raises (COLA) from the revised 2022 budget. Council members agreed that merit based raises are the way to go and will do more research to this end.
Other agenda items included:
Re-appoint Ludlow McNeely, Amanda Former, Michael Dawson, and Mark Waskom to the Fire District #6 Board
Re-appoint Travis Guin to the Planning Commission Board
Re-appoint Mardi Tyson Summerlin to the Natchitoches Tourist Commission
The Council voted down appointing Michael Sesvold to the Natchitoches Parish 911 Board (Hoover and Salter voted no and Kilcoyne abstained from voting)
Appoint Mary Williams to the Natchitoches Fire District 10 Board
Re-appoint Jesse Rachal to the Natchitoches Fire District #2 Board
Re-appoint Shawn Hall to the Natchitoches Fire District #7 Board
Approve the adoption of Ordinance #015-2021 a revised budget for the final year beginning Jan. 1, 2022 and ending Dec. 31, 2022 and making appropriations for each department, project, and account and capital budgets. Revisions include:
Exhibit A- Revised Capital budget that includes the addition of Brickyard Road and an updated projected project cost for each project
Exhibit B- Cost Allocation Plan for the Natchitoches Parish Office of Community Services as required by the various grant programs which fund the Community Services provided by the Natchitoches Parish Government
Approve adoption of Ordinance #016-2021 for the 2021 General Fund, Solid Waste, Criminal Court, Library Fund, Sales Tax, Public Safety, and Highway Funds.
Seek a resolution 053-2021 to request an investigation from the EEOC for the hiring and firing practices for the Natchitoches Parish Government
Seek a Resolution 054-2021 for Thomas, Cunningham, Broadway and Todtenbier to check the Highway Department procedures to make sure they are following the Parish Transportation Act to make sure the Parish stays in compliance
Approve insurances for the Parish including but not limited to health, retiree supplemental health, dental and vision
Award insurances for the Parish including but not limited to worker’s compensation, auto, inland marine, cyber security, property, and public officials liability
