Posted: May 22, 2014 at 12:00 Noon



Washington Parish Council

Regular Meeting

Washington Parish Courthouse

908 Washington Street

Franklinton, La 70438

Upstairs Courtroom

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January 11, 2021

Monday – 6:00 PM

Item No. 1. - Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman –

Attorney Kuhn opened the floor for nominations for Chairman.

Councilman Harry nominated Councilman McMasters for Chairman. Councilman King seconded the nomination.

No other nominations made; nominations closed.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Attorney Kuhn opened the floor for nominations for Vice Chairman.

Councilman Rice nominated Councilman King for Vice Chairman. Councilman McMasters seconded the nomination.

No other nominations made; nominations closed.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 2. - Call to order – Chairman McMasters called the meeting to order.

Item No. 3. - Invocation – Councilman Fornea gave the invocation.

Item No. 4. - Pledge of Allegiance – Councilman King led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Item No. 5. - Roll Call – Council Clerk Sarah Cook called the roll. Present were Joe Culpepper, Shawn Rice, Kim Wagner, Clark Harry, Rusty Fornea, Reginald McMasters and Carley King.

Chairman McMasters entertained a motion to open the agenda and add Resolution 21-1061. A resolution of appointment for the Washington Parish Fire District #9.

Councilman Fornea offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Rice to add Resolution 21-1062 to the agenda.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 6. – Approval of Minutes – Approval of minutes dated December 28, 2020.

Councilman King offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Culpepper to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 28, 2020.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 7. – Adopt Resolution 21-1058 – A resolution stating the Washington Parish Government is in compliance with the Parish Transportation Act.

Chairman McMasters: “This is an annual resolution stating that Washington Parish Government is in compliance with the parish transportation act. Would anyone from the public like to come forward and speak before the council votes?”

No one came forward.

Councilman King offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Fornea to adopt resolution 21-1058.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 8. – Adopt Resolution 21-1059 – A resolution stating the Washington Parish Government is in compliance with the Parish Transportation Act.

Chairman McMasters read the title aloud and ask Consultant Jim Ryan to speak.

Mr. Ryan read the Process verbal a loud.

Chairman McMasters: “Would anyone from the public like to come forward and speak before the council votes?”

No one came forward.

Councilman Fornea offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Culpepper to adopt resolution 21-1059.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 9. Introduction of Ordinance No. 21-675 – An Ordinance directing the renewal of the levy and collection of an ad valorem tax of ten (10) mills tax on assessed valuation of all property subject to taxation in the Parish of Washington, State of Louisiana, for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2022 and ending with the year 2031, for the purpose of constructing, improving, maintaining and resurfacing Parish roads and bridges, including incidental drainage and the acquisition of equipment therefor, with the proceeds of the tax subject to being funded into bonds for such capital purposes to the extent and in the manner provided by the laws of Louisiana.

Chairman McMasters: “This is an introduction only and we will be having a public hearing on Monday, January 25, 2021 at 5:45 pm.”

Item No. 10. Adopt Resolution No. 21-1060 – A resolution authorizing the Washington Parish Government to enter in a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Louisiana State Treasurer and administer a grant to upgrade the HVAC system at the parish jail.

Chairman McMasters: “Washington Parish Government applied for a $400,000 grant through State Capital Outlay for upgrading the HVAC system at the parish jail. Would anyone from the public like to come forward and speak before the council votes?”

No one came forward.

Councilman Rice offered a motion, seconded by Councilman King to adopt resolution 21-1060.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 11. Adopt Resolution No. 21-1061 – A resolution of appointment for the Washington Parish Fire District No. 9. Board of Directors.

Chairman McMasters: “This is a resolution of appointment for Al Ortiz of the Washington Parish Fire District No, 9 Board of Directors, whose term will expire December 31, 2022. Would anyone like to come forward and speak before the council votes?”

No one came forward.

Councilman Culpepper offered a motion, seconded by Councilman Harry to adopt resolution 21-1061.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 12. – Public Participation –

Chairman McMasters: “Would anyone from the public like to come forward and speak? Please state your name and address for the record.”

No one came forward.

Councilman Fornea offered a motion, seconded by Councilman King to close public participation.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Item No. 13. President Report –

President Thomas: “First I would like to say congratulation on your chairmanship. Tonight, we have a few presentations and we will start with Ms. Kelsey Knight for the animal shelter updates.

Kelsey Knight: Animal Shelter Manager at 23046 Yack Road located off of Hwy 10

• 1,000 animals adopted through Washington Parish through many organizations.

• December 5, 2020 held a low-cost clinic which vaccinated over 50 animals along with rabies shots.

• Partnered with many organizations to help get animals new homes.

• We are currently a dog only shelter, as of right now.

Councilman King: “Appreciate you coming and sharing with us and thank you for all your hard work.”

George Martinez: Permit Department

Mr. Martinez handed out an activity report for 2020 and did a brief review and entertained questions. Mr. Martinez also handed out several pictures of inspections they do on a regular basis to show what the permit office deals with daily.

All council thanked Mr. Martinez for coming and presenting activity report and expressed their appreciation of the work being done at the permit office.

Parish President: “I appreciate you so much for coming by and giving this presentation. These inspections are to save live and it also keeps insurance rates down. We have less house burnings due to these inspections. I appreciate you all for what you do for our parish. These permits have not gone up on almost 11 years and I think you all are doing a wonderful job, please continue.”

Donna Graham: Finance Director

Projects for 2020

• Landfill completed and opened cell 7 and should operate for the next 10 years.

• May 2020, we signed documents with the City of Bogalusa for full ownership of the Landfill.

• We signed an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Bogalusa executing an operating agreement for the disposal of residential garbage for the citizens of Bogalusa. Residents can also bring their garbage to the landfill and not have a tipping fee.

• Varnado Water Works off of Hwy 436 received a 1.2 million LCDBG project for a water well and is now 50% complete and should be finished by March 2021.

o LCDBG put up $935,000

o CWEF $75,000

o Varnado Water Works funded the remainder

• State Park bicycle trails of 1 mile has been completed and working with the State to start on 5 miles of beginner trails that are state funded.

• Preliminary report for the year 2020 as we are closing out our books for 2020. All funds are positive balances we will have something prepared soon.

• We recently had our insurance renewal and I need the council’s approval for Parish President to sign a waiver of declining uninsured motorist of our large fleet. This is for no passengers other than employees and this is a savings to the parish of about $15,000.00. All employees had to sign a form and acknowledge they are not to carry other people in vehicles that are not employees of Washington Parish.

After further discussion of waiver, Chairman McMasters entertained a motion to open agenda to add the item.

Councilman Fornea offered a motion, seconded by Councilman King to open agenda and add item.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Chairman McMasters entertained a motion to adopt resolution 21-1062, a resolution by the Washington Parish Council to authorize the Parish President to sign a waiver declining uninsured motorist coverage for the Washington Parish Government’s large fleet for the year 2021.

Councilman Culpepper offered a motion, seconded by Councilman King to adopt resolution 21-1062.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Ken Wheat: Publics Work Director – accomplishments for 2020

• Watershed Initiative Grant 3 approved for application

o Bridge to Culvert Program 4 million dollars

• Poole’s Bluff dredging Project

• Flood Damage Prevention

o 2020 competed 80 flood plain elevations

• Minor and Major Subdivision – 2020 completed 60

• Capital Outlay Jail HVAC system

• Council Chambers renovation

• Franklinton Sidewalk Project

• Relocation of location one to Magee Feed Property

• Location 2 upgrade of building

• Capital Improvement Programs – contract Barriere – 13 miles

o Monroe Creek

o Bethel

o Parker

o Ray Stogner

o Singley

• Washington Parish Government Crews over-laid 40 roads

o Larry Sylvest’s crew did 3 shot on 20 miles

o Danny Knight’s crew asphalt over-laid 35 miles

• Graded 1,940 miles of road

• Drainage on 150 roads covering 20 miles

• Bush hogged 2,558 miles

• Kelvin Brown’s crew picked up over 2,500 bags of litter

• Our crews assisted our local municipalities, schools at 22 locations across the parish involving roads and parking lots

• Bogue Chitto Park

o State Funds and Washington Parish Government funded Phase 1 of 8 miles costing $170,000

o Phase 2 of 10 miles which is currently ongoing costing $500,000

Parish President: update for Homeland Security Covid-19

• Weekly increase from January 3 -8 with 156 new cases

• 9 deaths during the week of January 3 -8

• Ages 70 and up Covid-19 vaccinations

o Creels Pharmacy call 848-5555

o Sumrall Pharmacy call 986-4433

o Bogalusa Health Unit call 732-6615

o Franklinton Health Unit call 839-5646

o You can find more information at the Department of Health website ldh.

o Washington Parish Website at

o Washington Parish Facebook or call our office for any questions

President Thomas: “Washington Parish Government Office will be closed January 18, 2021 for Martin Luther King’s Day. I have not heard if the annual program held at the Franklinton Primary School is going to be held due to Covid, but we will find out if it is still scheduled. I would like to ask for prayers for Donnell Merritt, Ray Merritt and Rickey Beaver. These are some of our employees who are still out with Covid. Some have had some serious complications and doing better. Mr. Ray Merritt is still I the hospital due to a relapse. This has been a very trying year and I do believe we got a lot done. I can’t believe some of the things that this parish has accomplished, and I appreciate all of the employees. I appreciate each of the council, this has been the best bunch. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Item No. 14. Council Discussion

Councilwoman Wagner: “Thank you all for coming out and Happy New Year to everyone. Thanked the staff, council, Attorney’s, Sarah Cook and David Miller.”

Councilman Harry: “Happy New Year to everyone. Please continue to wear mask and stay safe of the covid-19.”

Councilman Fornea: “Thank you all for being here. Congratulations Chairman McMasters and Councilman King. Thank each and every one of you for the confidence you put into me last year. Last year was a trying year for all of us. Administration side did a marvelous job adapting and keeping things moving forward. The council has come a long way and we are simulcasting meetings now and we made it all happened and the Government still functions. We didn’t buckle and close down and made it happen to continue to move forward. This is going to be a big year for a lot of us and Chairman McMasters is going to lead us ahead on a lot of different stuff. Everything form renovations of the Council Chambers and I know we are all excited about having that. Dealing with issues of boards and commissions, which is getting better all the time. One thing we did learn last year, with all the adjustments we had to make, is how much we need to update our policies and procedures that govern our parish. We are working with something that is 23 years or older now and it is something that I feel we need to focus on this year, going through to make sure we can meet the new century challenges like the simulcasting due from the epidemic. Thank you all.”

Councilman Rice: “Congratulations to Chairman McMasters and Vice Chairman King and thank you councilman Fornea for last year. I just want to take a minute to say, we repetitively tell the administration how appreciative we are of their work. Just to recap 2020, it being my first year, you guys really gave me some guidance and I wanted to tell you all from the bottom of my heart, I really appreciate it. Donna, to always having an open-door policy and answering any of our questions, thank you. Ken, coming to my defense with a room full of thirty guys trying to take my head off, I appreciate it very much. Mr. President, we can’t thank you and your staff enough. Sarah, appreciate you keeping us on track from day to day.”

Councilman Culpepper: “Thanks you all for coming out tonight. It was pretty obvious when we took on this job that there was a solid administration in place to take care of all problems. You had done a superb job. Reginald and Carley, congratulations.”

Councilman King: “I do appreciate everyone that is here, thank you all so much. Rusty, I hope no other chairman as to go through what you been through, as far as learning on how to get through these zoom meetings, technology and equipment and appreciate it. I appreciate the council in the vote of confidence in me, and I take that as a compliment. Ms. Terry Morgan, it is good to see you back. I talked to Mr. Donnell today, and he is on the better side of this and he is still on oxygen and I look forward to him coming back.”

Chairman McMasters: “I would like to thank everyone for entrusting me as the seat of the chair and congratulation to Carley. This is my second term and the administration done a great job from five years to where we are tonight. Ms. Donna gave a fund balance report tonight that is greater than what it was from when I first came aboard, that means we are doing the right thing and moving forward. I would like to thank everyone that makes up our government, so hats off to you all. We must continue to pull together during this epidemic time. We are losing people and we never know when it will happen to us or hit our family, so please keep everybody in your prayers. Attorney Kuhn, we appreciate you and Attorney Menard, thank you and appreciate everything you do. Also, thanks to our daily news person here tonight, Mr. Perry Talley and our guest that is here tonight. Sarah, thank you and appreciate you. Rusty, you did a fine job. I always said you were the perfect person for the first year because you are computer savvy, so hats off to you to making sure we reached our constituents through zoom and kept the meetings rolling. I pray I can do just as good a job.”

Item No. 15. – Adjourn – No further business to come before the Council, meeting was adjourned on motion by Councilman King seconded by Councilwoman Wagner.

Roll call of vote as follows:

YEAS: (7) Wagner, Harry, Fornea, McMasters, King, Culpepper and Rice

NAYS: (0)

ABSENT: (0)

ABSTAIN: (0)

Order of Voting:

Kim Wagner Carley King

Cark Harry Joe Culpepper

Rusty Fornea Shawn Rice

Reginald McMasters

Next meeting will be held on Monday, January 25, 2021

In accordance with the Americans Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Sarah Cook, Clerk to the Council at 985-839-7825 Ext. 313 describing the assistance that is necessary.

(All Ordinances, Resolutions and Attachments in its entirety are available at the office of Clerk of the Council at 909 Pearl Street, Franklinton, Louisiana or at (985)839-7825 or .)

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