VILLAGE OF ATLANTA
REGULAR MEETING
March 7, 2013
The regular meeting of the
Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Village of Atlanta was held at the Atlanta
Town Hall, 176 Collier Street, Atlanta, Louisiana, on March 7, 2013. The
meeting was called to order by Mayor Janet L. Finklea at 6:23 p.m. Those
present in addition to the Mayor were Aldermen Angela Hanson, Randall T. Hayes,
and Deborah Whittington.
Announcements & Comments:
The Board discussed the need to fill the vacant office of Village Clerk. Mayor Finklea asked Alderman Hayes if he would take that office. Alderman Hayes said he would be willing to serve as both Alderman and Clerk if he could legally do so, but was concerned that holding both offices simultaneously would violate state law. The Mayor said she thought that holding both offices would be legal since the Clerk position was unpaid, but would try to verify that with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office. Alderman Hayes suggested hiring a Clerk, rather than having an elected official simultaneously hold that office. The Mayor said that the Village did not have the money to hire a Clerk. Alderman Hayes said he would not take the Clerk position until the legality of holding both offices was verified, but that he could perform some of the Clerk’s duties until that office was filled, either by someone else or himself. He said that, for example, the Mayor had the power to appoint someone other than the Clerk for the purpose of taking minutes of Board meetings. The Mayor appointed Alderman Hayes for that purpose and the Board confirmed.
Alderman Hayes distributed packets of information about Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law and said it was important that the Board come into compliance.
Announcements & Comments:
The Board discussed the need to fill the vacant office of Village Clerk. Mayor Finklea asked Alderman Hayes if he would take that office. Alderman Hayes said he would be willing to serve as both Alderman and Clerk if he could legally do so, but was concerned that holding both offices simultaneously would violate state law. The Mayor said she thought that holding both offices would be legal since the Clerk position was unpaid, but would try to verify that with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office. Alderman Hayes suggested hiring a Clerk, rather than having an elected official simultaneously hold that office. The Mayor said that the Village did not have the money to hire a Clerk. Alderman Hayes said he would not take the Clerk position until the legality of holding both offices was verified, but that he could perform some of the Clerk’s duties until that office was filled, either by someone else or himself. He said that, for example, the Mayor had the power to appoint someone other than the Clerk for the purpose of taking minutes of Board meetings. The Mayor appointed Alderman Hayes for that purpose and the Board confirmed.
Alderman Hayes distributed packets of information about Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law and said it was important that the Board come into compliance.
Alderman Hayes said he would
like to see the Village repeal its ban on alcohol sales within the
municipality. He said he did not think government should make those decisions
for people. Mayor Finklea said that repealing the ban would require a
referendum of the voters of the Village. She said that the Village did not have
the money for a special election. Alderman Hayes said that he did not want to
cause a special election due to the expense, but that he would make an
appropriate motion at some later date when any resulting referendum could
coincide with a regularly scheduled election.
The Board discussed the
Village’s practice of contributing funds to help defray the costs associated
with trips made by Atlanta High School students to state or national
competitions. Aldermen Hanson and Whittington said that they supported
continuing the practice because it helped the students and was good for the
community. Alderman Hayes said that he also supported helping the students, but
that the money should be raised through private contributions rather than
through allocations of municipal funds. He said he opposed using taxpayer
dollars for what was, in effect, a charitable contribution. He said in the
future the municipal officers should make personal contributions or otherwise
participate in private fundraising efforts instead of contributing municipal
funds for that purpose.
Business:
Mayor Finklea asked the Board to consider declaring certain pieces of equipment surplus and to consider selling that equipment through Lasyone Auctions.
On motion by Alderman Whittington, seconded by Alderman Hanson, the Board voted unanimously to declare the following equipment surplus: a 1998 Dodge sedan police car, a road grader, and a small dump truck.
On motion by Alderman Hayes, seconded by Alderman Hanson, the Board voted unanimously to sell the above described pieces of equipment through Lasyone Auctions.
On motion by Alderman Hayes, seconded by Alderman Hanson, the Board voted unanimously to allow the Louisiana DOTD to do maintenance such as mowing along the sides of Main Street/Hwy 34 within the Village.
Mayor Finklea said that Winn Correctional Center had asked about using prison inmates to pick up trash along Main Street/Hwy 34 within the Village. Alderman Hayes said he was inclined to vote yes on the question, but would not do so without knowing what sorts of crimes the prisoners had committed. He said he was concerned about the safety of Village residents. Alderman Whittington said that the prisoners were all carefully screened before they were made trustees. Alderman Hanson said she would rather have prisoners pick up the trash than have to hire someone to do it.
On motion by Alderman Hanson, seconded by Alderman Whittington, the Board voted to allow Winn Correctional Center to use prison inmates to pick up trash along Main Street/Hwy 34 within the Village. Aldermen Hanson and Whittington voted yea. Alderman Hayes abstained. Alderman Hayes requested that Village residents be notified in advance of the days on which inmates would be working in the Village.
On motion by Alderman Hayes, seconded by Alderman Hanson, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 8:42 p.m.
_________________________
Randall T. Hayes, Alderman/Secretary
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