Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Members In Attendance Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Alderman Simeon Profit Alderman Janice Fleming Alderman Leola Keys Alderman Wysinger Cleveland
The Town of Richwood met for a Regular Meeting held April 15, 2021 7:00 p.m. at the Richwood Multi-Purpose Center, 2710 Martin Luther King Drive, Richwood, Louisiana to consider the following business:
I. Meeting Called to Order by Mayor Gerald Brown at 7:05 p.m.
II. Prayer- Mayor Gerald Brown
III. Pledge of Allegiance – Unison
IV. Roll Call: The record shall reflect all (4) Aldermen present at roll call.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Alderman Simeon Profit Alderman Leola Keys Alderman Wysinger Cleveland
• Alderman Janice Fleming arrived @ 7:41 p.m.
V. Adoption of Agenda:
Mayor Gerald Brown – advised the Board there was a request by Shandreaka Marshall to be added to tonight’s agenda, that she would like to open a business in Richwood.
It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Simeon Profit to add Shandreaka Marshall to the agenda. .
• The record shall reflect a vote was taken to add Shandreaka Marshall to the agenda with the following results: All (4) Aldermen present voted Yes to add as Item X.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – stated he would like to add a discussion of the use of the Municipal building also known as the Multipurpose Building to the agenda.
The addition to the agenda, Discussion of the Use of the Multi-Purpose Center was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Leola Keys
• The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the agenda with the following results : All (4) Aldermen present voted yes to add the Discussion of the Use of the Multi-Purpose Center on the agenda as item # XI.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
• The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the revised agenda with the following results: All (4) Aldermen present voted yes to adopt.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
VI. Adoption of January 28, 2021 Special Meeting Minutes, February 25, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes and March 18, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes.
Special Meeting Minutes January 28, 2021:
Mayor Gerald Brown- inquired if there were any corrections, issues or omissions needed?
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – stated he has a suggestion, there are certain items in the Special Minutes be omitted due to the degree of emphasis of the comments being what he would call personal.
Mayor Gerald Brown – inquired if there were any questions as to what Mr. Reed was saying?
Mayor Gerald Brown- stated, let me see if I can sum up what was said is you would like to get with the Clerk and have those things stricken from the record?
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr- stated yes.
Alderman Leola Keys- stated she had read what Mr. Reed was talking about and she agreed that some of that was just personal and should be removed.
• It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland to table the Special Minutes of January 28, 2021 until items can be reviewed.
• The record shall reflect a vote to table Special Minutes of January 28, 2021 until revisions could be made was taken with the following results: All (4) Aldermen present voted yes to table.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
February 25, 2021 Regular Minutes:
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – stated on Regular Meeting Minutes February 25, 2021, Item # 6 showing a motion made but no second.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – stated there is another item #7 on the same page shows a second but not the person who motioned .
• It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland to table the vote on these items until the respective revisions could be made.
• The record shall reflect a vote to table Regular Meeting Minutes February 25, 2021 until revisions could be made was taken with the following results: All (4) Aldermen present voted yes to table.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
March 18, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes :
It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland to adopt the March 18, 2021 Minutes as presented.
*The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the March 18, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes with the following results: All (4) Aldermen present voted Yes to adopt as presented.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
VII. Adoption of Financial Reports
It was motioned by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland and seconded by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. to adopt the Financial Statements as presented.
• The record shall reflect a vote was taken to adopt the financial reports as presented with the following results: ( 4) Votes Yes to adopt the Financial Statements.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
VIII. Public comments As they relate to the Agenda.
**None** Agenda moved forward.
IX. Mayor’s Dialogue:
Mayor Gerald Brown- stated, they may have noticed the signs the Department of Transportation had put out in connection with the work that will be taking place on Richwood Road # 2 in the next couple of weeks.
Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the forum the budget is currently being compiled and if there were any questions, or anything the Board would like on the budget this would be the time to answer those type of questions.
Mayor Gerald Brown- addressed the forum and advised he wanted to clear something up dealing with Code Enforcement and the line item relating to demolition of derelict structures.
We can not just go out and tear down structures, we cannot use public funds for private uses; these funds are for structures which have undergone the court process and at the end of the process the judge has ordered the structure torn down, ,
Alderman Leola Keys- inquired if there was a grant that could be found to help people to demolish some of these dilapidated houses, there are people that just can’t afford to pay for the house to be demolished.
Mayor Gerald Brown- stated, that he has been made aware that the Town of Richwood should be receiving funds from the Stimulus package somewhere around the end of June in the amount of $ 1.5 million dollars which he believes will go into our general fund; as of yet he has not been advised of how these funds can be used, but at this time he recommends we continue with our regular budget.
Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the forum of the upcoming election, which early voting is going on now would be the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Judge runoff between Marcus Hunter and J. Garland Smith and two items dealing with taxes; these are not new taxes these are renewals.
They are both are for Ouachita Parish Schools; one is for 24.15 mills that’s a renewal that tax contributes almost $19 million to Ouachita Parish Schools on a yearly basis, again this is not a new tax but a renewal.
The second tax ½ cent sale tax it is not a new tax but a renewal, that tax contributes almost $8 ½ million a year to Ouachita Parish Schools.
Again early voting is going on now and will end on the 17th and regular voting on the 24th which will be at the Richwood Middle School.
X. Shandreaka Marshall’s Request for Occupational License
Shandreaka Marshall- addressed the forum and stated she is requesting an Occupational License authorization from the Board for her business Lucious Drinkz, which she plans to open.
Shandreaka Marshall – advised the forum her plan is to sell packaged alcoholic drinks which includes baskets etc. with no consumption on premises.
• It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Simeon Profit to grant an occupational license for business contingent on Shandreaka Marshall obtaining her Alcohol Beverage license from the State.
Alderman Janice Fleming- inquired for confirmation that there will be no alcohol consumption or sit- in drinking?
Shandreaka Marshall- answered No consumption on site.
• The record shall reflect a vote was taken with the following results: All (5) Aldermen voted Yes to grant occupational license contingent on obtaining an alcohol beverage license from the State.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Simeon Profit Yes Alderman Janice Fleming Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
XI. Discussion of the use of the Richwood Multi-Purpose Center
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – addressed the forum and voiced his concern with the obstructed flow of traffic due to the use of the Richwood Multi-Purpose Center being used as a site location for a concert the past weekend.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. -advised he had been approached concerning this issue.
Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the forum these events are usually held in the park, but the park was not suitable due to the rain. The gentleman that had this event he has done this before and usually his events are not that populated, he has done this a couple of times before where it rained, and the event had to be relocated to the building. It` may have been due to the pandemic or whatever the reason this was a larger event that usual.
Mayor Gerald Brown- advised all of our officers were on duty and directing traffic.
Mayor Gerald Brown- stated he had spoken with Mr. Dickens and we talked about this.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- addressed the forum and advised he initially attempted to have the event at the park, however due to the weather it had to be moved.
Mr. Dickens- advised , this was planned for the park but due to the rain, he had to change the sites because he did not want people coming in and tearing up the park area.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- advised, we are in Phase 3 and he had consulted with the proper channels to make certain he was in the guidelines of required occupancy requirements and Covid Protocols; he also checked with the crew and lined up cleanup for after the concert.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- stated, he has Richwood in his heart and has done everything he can to help Richwood.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens – stated he has donated turkeys and hams and assisted in any way he can to help the Town of Richwood.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- stated, his concern with the Mayor being held in the fall out of the concert being held at the Multi-Purpose Center against the Mayor and indicated that any fall-out would be on him, and to come at him not the Mayor.
Public Attendee- stated, that she had to go around to Richwood Road # 2 to enter the Town because of the traffic.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- apologized to the attendee for any inconvenience that may have happened.
Alderman Leola Keys- stated she had witnessed the block in traffic and had to go around to Richwood Road # 2 to get home and the citizens had contacted her concerning this.
Mr. Tyrone Dickens- stated the Richwood Police Officers were on duty directing the traffic flow and he apologizes to the citizens and the Town of Richwood if anyone was inconvenienced and that he meant no disrespect.
XII. Attorney Nolen ( Update regarding litigations)
Attorney Jay Nolen- advised he has attempted to contact the attorney for Foster Construction but has not received a response back at this time.
Attorney Jay Nolen – advised he had spoken with Clifford Thomas and had some concerns relating to his work history and recommended the Town did not pay him.
XI. Adjournment
It was motioned by Alderman Simeon Profit and seconded by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland to adjourn meeting @ 8:25 p.m.
