The Natchitoches Parish Council started its first meeting of the new year on Jan. 21 with an election of officers. Mark Kerry made a motion for Wayne Halm as Chairman of the Council for 2025, but Marty Cheatwood, Bobby Braxton and William Allen voted against him, so the motion failed. Cheatwood then made a motion for Allen to be Chairman. This motion passed with a no vote from Kerry and Halm.
The Council went into public hearing, out of order from the official agenda, due to a forecast that said the weather for the evening would continue to get worse after 6 pm.
AGENDA:
Action on Proposed Ordinances:
A. Council to Adopt Ordinance-024-2024 Commercial vehicle Enforcement for commercial vehicles operating in the parish of Natchitoches along with the creation of a commercial vehicle enforcement unit (CVEU) that shall enforce applicable ordinances adopted by Natchitoches Parish on all roadways maintained by Natchitoches Parish. It shall be vested with the authority to direct, control, and regulate all traffic in the Parish of Natchitoches Commercial CVEU.
B. Council to Adopt Ordinance-028-2024 to amend the parish personnel manual to include CVEU officer job description and salary range.
C. Council to Adopt Ordinance 019-3-2025 an Ordinance adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025, and for Capital Budgets, and making appropriations for each department, project, and account.
Resolutions:
A. Council to approve the amended 2024 Budget and the Proposed 2025 Budget for the operations of the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory Commission.
B. A resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the special election held in the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana, on Saturday, December 7, 2024, to vote upon the adoption of an amendment to the current Natchitoches Parish Home Rule Charter.
Other Agenda Items:
Council to approve February regular meeting to be changed to Tuesday, Feb. 18 due to Presidents’ Day.
Re-appoint David Guillet to the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau Board.