Mary Parish Council first regular meeting December 10 2025 6 p.m. Parish Council meeting room fifth floor Frank courthouse of Franklin Louisiana. Our invocation will be honorable James Davis in the pledge of the by honorable Mark Dewhorn. Please stand and for the son, Holy Spirit. As we gather this day, grant us wisdom, unity and peaceful hearts. Guide our discussion so that all we do may strengthen our parish and serve your people in this holiday season. Inspire us a spirit of generosity that we may give with joy, lead with compassion and reflect your love in all our decisions. Bless our work and keep us always in your care. Amen. Yeah. The flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God invisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, man. Appreciate it. Hollywood's calls. Yeah. Okay, then again, we are having trouble with our monitors. If you all hadn't if you came in after we know that there is a glitch. Hopefully we can get through the meeting. Um, roll call. Mrs Morgan. Yes ma'am. Reverend Matthews president. Mr Ina Mr Olander president. Mr Heal president. Mr Raw. Mr A bear president. Mr Davis president. Mr Do on president. Mr Adams president. Dr Rain present and Mrs Adalgo president. You have a form present ma'am. Item five reading of the minutes of the previous meeting. Five a second regular meeting November 19 2025. I'm sure I moved that we dispense with the reading and accept his written have a motion by Mr Olander second by Dr Rain any discussion all in favor. Any opposed motion carries. Item six. Yes, we have Miss Janet Oakland to appear before the council to discuss animal control and overpopulation of peril straight cats approach. My name's Janet. Oh, I love it. 34 North Brett Street in Amelia and currently we have overpopulation of barrel straight cats in that area. Um, they are contaminate in your I have a pet that has been personally affected by it. He caught looking worms and he's been going with medication therapy for the last four months. Um, has autoimmune disease and I am here to ask the council if they would start enforcing the laws that have written and policy because currently it's not been told by animal control that we are allowed to trap on certain days to catch these animals. Um, they have refused to pick them up and we just want some accountability and some enforcement for these aeroports and straight cats in our area. Yeah. I know we talked so quick. Um, and I've talked to Mr Cedric at the animal control when he said he's been going out there to pick up some of these cats. So I mean, I don't know in your case if you, um, following him and he's not coming out or you know, I've talked to him and he is going out there making, you know, making calls, going check these traps. They are taking cats away from there. So, you know, I don't know, Mr Paul, if you had some information, you know, I spoke to Mr Cedric today too and he says he knows you and has been working with you and there's another group out there. He says that's been trapping cats and he said he's got a gentleman who watches some of the traps and he tells me that when he gets called that there cat to be picked up that we do go pick it up. We have actual residents in the neighborhood that's going out all over a million and putting piles and piles of food all over in business parking lots, all over in the subdivisions, all over down the main street, down barrel streets. I mean, it has to stop because all of this is coming back into these neighborhoods and contaminating the jails. It's not fair to us that we have to maintain our yard, pay taxes on that property and then have somebody come in and cause a nuisance within the parish. And it's not fair to my pet or anybody else's pet in the parish. They're going to get sick from it. I don't know that the parish has any has an ordinance in place now regarding feeding. We don't. That's correct. Okay. So I think Morgan City has one and Burwick has one, but we don't. So I don't know that we could enforce the people feeding the cats without something, you know, having some teeth in it. Madam Chair, I'd like to make a recommendation to get our legal counsel to research the ordinance in Burwick in Morgan City and put something together and put it to be introduced and put under my name, please. Appreciate that. You know, working with talking to Miss Oakland, she had sent me a video one night or I don't know, maybe early morning there. There at the family dollar in Amelia, there, the group or whatever went fed these cats and they were like 12 to 15 cats feeding in this vacant parking lot. And it's like, you know, it's overpopulated. So something really needs to I know they have a take them, spade them, neuter and whatever, put them back out. But we no longer have that. But you don't have funding for that to do that anymore. You know, but ordinance that state that shall recognize the TNR program. So if volunteers and nonprofits are going through the parish performing that they're doing governmental duties, which they don't have authority unless they have bug rate in contact with the parish or with the municipalities. Currently, there's none. Madam Chair, you know, a while back, they were picking up the captain. I mean, they were putting out traps a couple years ago. And now something happened with the with the group they were dealing with. That gave me some grants and I've had all had complaints on the other end of the media to okay. Something together. Okay, I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, item seven public comment. I don't have any, but is there anyone would like to talk? Okay, moving on to item eight report from parish president, Mr. Sam Jones. I'd like to postpone. Okay, item nine report for personnel. Mr. Paul Gouvenard, our CAO. Thank you, madam chair. I do not have a written report tonight. I do have the Mandy was not able to be here tonight and I do have the files on the items that she's got up for approval by the council. If you have any questions about that. Dina, no, I'd like to get an update on the compensation studies that have been started at some point in time. Where are we at? We have been working with them. We've got a little delay in the paying of them because we haven't been able to get reimbursement for what we've already paid. So they kind of put a hold on it and we're trying to work out the money situation now responsible for the grant. It's a reimbursable type. Yeah, great. Yes. But we paid and then we paid some of it and we submitted it for reimbursement and there were some problems with the grant that we're trying to work through. We've met the people came here, we've met with them. They said it's nothing intermountable but that they're gonna work with us to try to get the money released so we can pay the next one and work like that. What's outstanding? What's left to be paid? We paid probably not quite half of it. Total amount. About 50,000. About 50,000, 50 to 60. Paid roughly 30. Another 30 left. So is there any ETA on the grant time to get that around? Because I mean, it could be another month, two, three, four. They're telling me anytime. And up until now we're starting to get a little taxing. So we're starting to get a little relief for you know, to pay everything that we've been kind of holding. So you know, we'll see what you can do. We're just getting that relief now. So we'll see what we can do. We have $30,000 that we can since we know we're getting it back. We have we don't have any money that we could pay to get that. Like I said, we're just getting some of the tax monies now. Of course, the bulk of it comes in January. So I'll probably be able to pay for it then. But I was hoping that the money would come through. According to the grant, it's gonna come any time now. But there again, I'm not seeing the check. I could get that completed so we can know where we stand, especially since we completed something that we're gonna put out out to the public here. Try to get that done as expedient as possible. I'll do what I can. Reverend Matthews. Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr Gouvenault. The um, a few years back under the previous administration, there was a fund allocation for the reconstruction of Verdon Lane in Verdonville. Um, I want to say maybe three or four years back. Has that project taken any flight? Is that tiger in Bird Lane? Um, I know it was specifically for Verdon Lane. Yeah, I think we got that funding. Maybe it was capital outlay, but it was it was at least four or five years ago. Just the same when you're talking about. They pulled that funding from us. That was our consultant was working with them and for some reason I still can't get the straight of why they pulled it. But we did not get funded. If it's tiger in burden lane is the project that I'm thinking of. And it was a few years ago. Yeah. So when you say pulled the funding, was there something that we failed to do that we that we not meet our obligation or I mean, as usually there's a reason for that. Yes. And I believe it's something to do with our consultant, our consultant. Who's the consultant? Um, it was Jim Furman's office, community design groups office was working with them and I'm not exactly sure what happened because I can't get a straight story. But I know I would like to get a straight story. That was a very important project. And it's something that had been in the works for many, many years. And so to finally get to a point where we got a promise of funding from the state and then to wait for years for the prize. I was told a couple of times, oh, we there's been let out for bid. We're gonna be starting soon and it's just you know, it's been just constantly kicking down the road. And so now we have a community that was expecting some relief that's now not gonna get it. That warrants some explanation about the same project. Yeah, that warrants some explanation. Matthew, since I've been in office, I've had about seven people asked me when are we gonna finish that road? I didn't even know that it had been fun. And I presume it was all done in the previous administration. Correct. So could we have an update at the next meeting? Since we'll be back to back with the meeting. Can we have a public update on that? So constituents can know if they put an application in in Baton Rouge, I presume that's where it was. Yes, if they put if they put it in, they can't get funded at the earliest until the next next time they meet, which is in April, April to June. Right. So so we have to get a sponsor. Yeah. So when this was originally done, the application was submitted, it was approved, we were notified that it was approved. And I mean, you know, when we hear that kind of report as a counselor, as a legislative body, then we're expecting it's in the administration's hands to move it forward. And again, I know that was in the previous administration, but here we are several years later and there's no project and there's no money and and I'm gonna follow up on it. I think we're talking about the same thing, but I want to make sure. Yeah, at a minimum, we should know what the reasons are. And I mean, if it's something, if it's some type of negligence, negligence on the part of the consultant, then that's a big deal. Because I mean, this is the this is the same consultant group that's handling numerous projects for us. And that brings concern to me if that is the reason or whatever the reason is, I would like to know. Okay, don't don't hold me to that exact. But I will find out. Thank you. That's what is Paul. Is that the same area that they're doing that they're putting in their new water lines and sewer lines? Is that burden lane in in in burden? There's not a sewer project on burden lane. But it's on burden lane, right? That was on the whole project was supposed to coincide with each other. As soon as they got done, they was to do the overlay. That's what I'm guessing. That's what we're talking about now. Correct. Right. Um, so anything else? Mr. Guggenau? Out at this point, there might be some more later. Thank you. So item nine, um, a through C. I make a motion we approve of a motion by Mr Adams. Second by Mr. A bear. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries item 10 report of council meetings 10 a public hearing report November 19 2025, combined 2026 budget. I'll make a motion to dispense with the reading and stuff that's written motion by Dr. Rain second by Mr Davis. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries item 11 report of meetings other than council meetings. Madam Chair, okay, I went to the drainage district two a meeting last night and they requested us to have a executive session next next meeting so they could come and discuss things with the two a pump and station. Who was that? Paul, Paul, rapid with the drainage district. Have another meeting with us executive session probably about the lawsuit. We'll need the names before the next meeting of everyone that will be coming into executive session. Day bear. Yeah, just one item to report. Saturday this coming Saturday at 5 30. They got the Bernice Street Christmas lights that would be going on. That's welcome to the public. You can park your car and walk up and down Bernice Street. They have all kind of, you know, snacks and all kind of stuff. All the different residents provides hot chocolate and cocoa and popcorn and sort of all kind of stuff. Pretty cool little event. I just want to let the public be aware of it. That's this Saturday and starting at 5 30 on Bernice Street, Morgan City. Thank you. Where is where is Bernice Street for the people who don't know where one street off of Victor to Boulevard? Uh, I Rouse's yes, like over from Rouse's like behind the police station. The China King. No, the China King is right there. Yeah, yeah. Who would supply the old friend? Everybody parked in. So it's the black parking lot. And then I walked down the street. I'm sorry. Thank you. I might as well make mention of some good news. The wreck district number five in four corners, the four corner sorrow area held the annual Christmas gala, which is free and open to the constituents of that area open to the community. Um, that was held on last Saturday with about maybe 125 people in attendance. That facility has been operating for 18 years now. And that event has been open and free to the public for 18 years. Uh, and it's a very nice affair. I want to thank Miss Beverly DiMaggio for attending on. She had an opportunity to interact with a lot of the seniors in the community on that night. Um, and so on next Saturday, the 20th, they're gonna be hosting their youth banquet. They have a banquet for the adults and then a banquet for the youth. So if you know of any young people in and around the West St. Mary Parish area, please pass that on. Um, and they can, they can, they're welcome to attend that event. Item 12 introduction of ordinances for introduction is an ordinance calling an election in St. Mary Parish to submit to the qualified electors. The proposed amended home rule charter as submitted by the St. Mary Parish home rule charter revision commission pursuant to the L. A revised statutes 331395.9 one and ordinance number 2371. What did y'all wishes? I'll introduce introduced by Reverend Matthews. Thank you. Item 13 adoption of ordinances 13 A for adoption is an ordinance adopting the 2026 combined budgets of revenues and expenditures for the parish of St. Mary's state of Louisiana and B for adoption and ordinance adopting the proposed five year capital outlay program for the years 26 27 28 29 and 30 which I wish us Madam chair, I'd like to move up item 16 D Yeah. It's the indeed the revenue Matthews. Fine with me. Read everything in the record. Let's vote on 13 A and B, please. Okay. What now? A through D. Or does that have something to do with the budget? Have something to do with the 26 budget? Or is that 25? You're asking for this year. However, I'm asking for it right now. Okay. I'll make a motion will approve A and B like motion by Mr Adams. Second by Dr. Ray discussion. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yes, there is some discussion on those. I'm sorry, Mr. Hill. You wanted to go first. Well, let me ask a question. Um, the this this proposed ordinance. Does it reflect the recommendations that came from the budget finance committee? The last time we met, there was one particular recommendation where the committee wants the council to restore the allocation to St. Mary Community Action Agency at 100%. Does that does this budget instrument reflect that? No, this is the original budget that was introduced in October, which we can't make any changes. You know, y'all have to propose changes to it and vote on it. So, you know, that we can't change it. I'm going to be introduced tonight before this is adopted. Yeah, you have to do an amendment. Okay, then I'd like those recommendations to be reflected before this is adopted, please. They will. Okay, well, able what? Very emotional. That's a table. A and B What do you mean? We have to take have motions on a and B to adopt the ordinance as is. And if y'all are making amendments, we're gonna have to table that and then adopt it after the amendments are made. But we can make the amendment now. Can we can we adopted with the amendments? Because I mean, this is something that that that we met about as a budget finance committee and agreed, I believe almost unanimously, with the exception of maybe one or two that this needed to be reflected in this combined budget instrument. So I assumed that it was gonna be in here. But if it's not, then I would like that amendment to happen before this. This actually takes effect. And in previous years, it hadn't been a big deal. Usually it hadn't been a big deal before. Okay, usually we just approved the amendment amendment and approved the amended budget. Yeah, we got the amendment passes have got adopted altogether. Correct. Yeah, you can do it with the amendments, but it's the way y'all want to do it for this motion. So do you want to amend the current motion or scratch it and start over with the amendments? Well, that's what I was hoping to do. But the motion came before I could get it out. Yeah. If he agrees to a man, I don't care. I mean, he could make the amendment he wants and we just vote on it. If it passes, we're gonna. But we have a motion on the floor. We have a motion on the floor. He's a man. We're like that motion. No, we always make amendments and if the amendment passes, it goes with the with the whole thing. That's how we did it in the past. Yeah, right. But the motion on the floor now has to be amended. Yeah, he could make that motion. But it's your most. So you have to agree to amend your most. Yeah, that's fine. Okay. So we're gonna amend the current motion on the floor to I'm sorry. That's one of the amendments. I believe there might be another one in question. Yes. Also, Mr Hill, you can go ahead. The $500,000 $500,000 that was taken out of the will be taken out of three tenths that we vote as a budget committee. We voted approved taking that out of the budget as well. Recommended to take it out. So I like that be in the amendment as well. To reflect that okay, Matt, respond to that. That is to help the work that's being done for the water lines where people are trying to flush their toilets and stuff like that. If you don't want that, I guess you'll just let him do it. If you don't want grants, if you don't want to do it all that way, working on grants to work to get all that done. Well, they're having troubles now. And look, I'm fine if you don't want to do it. And if we need the money January 15th, whatever date, we always request the money out of the three tenths. If we have that, I'm sorry. I mean, I don't understand why. Why he wants to get rid of the money to help the people. By this. That don't make good sense. If they get a grant later, that's fine. But I think the point is from my understanding, it's three tenths of money the same way we fixing the vote on Reverend Matthews at any meeting he could put in the meeting to take the money out three tenths and we're gonna prove it the same way we would with any other allocation. He can do that. He can do that. And he can go explain it to the people invited us. Thanks. So we are we gonna amend? No, I'm not a minute. Nothing else. I agree to the other one, but I'm not I'm not doing okay. So will we do you want us to take a vote on your motion as is? Or do you want to rescind your motion? Yeah. I just wanted to vote on the motion. We'll get to run run for the Paris business. Okay, so we still have Yeah, so the motion on the floor currently is to adopt a and B as is. Dean, you wanted to amend it to include what Craig? Yes, yes, he could. He made that. I thought he made that motion. Did somebody second? No, you're supposed to. You have the motion on the floor. No, somebody else can amend it anytime. Okay, so I'd like to offer an amended motion. So we can put this to rest to for this. These combined budget instruments to reflect the two recommendations that came from the Budget Finance Committee at our last meeting in November, which is to which is St. Mary Community Action Agency being restored to 100% and then removing the $500,000 allocation for the five and five and eight 3 10 sales tax from that that budget. A second that. Okay, so we currently have an amendment and a second on the floor now. So now we'll do a vote on that. Yeah. Okay, we're gonna take a vote on the amendment first. So if there is there any other discussion? Yes. The when we had this in our budget finance meeting, I voted against it for the community action. And my reason was that if we can't fund everyone back to 100%, I can't vote to fund just this one organization 100%. So I just want to make it clear that my views hadn't changed. I'd like to see everybody brought back to 100%. But if they're not willing to do that, I just I can't pick and choose give the 100% compared to who we cut in 25% and in some cases more than 25%. Reverend Matthews. Yes, ma'am. I do have a response to that. Um, every every councilman up here has the liberty to recommend and had the liberty at that meeting to recommend restoring any organization that you believed should have been restored to that 100% mark. We we talked at length about two particular programs within community actions umbrella. And I understand the value of all of these initiatives and I support all of them. But those recommendations didn't come to the floor. So let that let that also be reflected in the record. Madam, let me say something to about this. Um, I haven't talked about the budget yet, but I guess now's the time. I believe this year we're gonna turn the corner. It's been three years, maybe four. I don't know exactly where it's been not in the black, but in the red because money was spent that wasn't there doing things that we couldn't afford to do. I spent my time. Paul staff has spent their time trying to get us back to where we used to be. The bankruptcy that we had in the first one in 2023 was the one that I can find that happened in 200 years, 200 years. It takes some time to recover. We're doing yeoman's work to try to recover not against anything that you're saying. Whatever y'all want to do is fine, but it's on you. All right. So to clarify what we're voting on, we're voting on 13 a and b with the two amendments, which is the restore the community actions funds and to remove the $500,000 out of the budget. Yes, vote mean that you're in a favor of the amendment. No vote mean that you do not want it. Any questions? Okay. Reverend Matthews. Yes, ma'am. Mr. I know. Mr. Olander. No, ma'am. Mr. Heald. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Roth. Oh, ma'am. Mr. Bear. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Davis. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Do horn. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Adams. No, ma'am. Dr. Ring. No, ma'am. And Mrs. Hidalgo. Okay, we have seven years work for nays and the amendment passes. Do you need a motion on what about the first motion with the amendments? Okay. I'm sorry. Repeat that emotion on what now it's adopt 13 a and b with the amendment. Yes. Okay. All right. Everybody's ready. Mr. I know. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Olander. What are we voting on again? Oh, adopting the budget. We're adopting the budgets with the amendments. Yes. I'm sorry. Was that a no? All right. Okay. No, no. Thank you. Mr. Heald. Yes. Mr. Roth. No. Mr. A bear. Yes. Mr. Davis. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Do horn. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Adams. Yes, ma'am. Dr. Ring. No. Mrs. Hidalgo and Reverend Matthews. Unacquivocally. Yes. We have eight days and three days in the they carry those two ordinances carry with the amendments. Okay, next we have C for adoption is an ordinance compliance with ordinance number 1973 chapter five procedures divisions 5.4 general procedures for public hearing sections 5.4.2 rezoning zoning map amendments for the E and F property holdings L. O. C. D. Is for adoption is an ordinance and compliance with ordinance number 1973 chapter five procedures divisions 5.4 general procedures for public hearing sections 5.4.2 rezoning zoning map amendments for hope a bear and E is for adoption is an ordinance declaring multiple tax adjudicated properties a surplus property and to authorize the parish to proceed with the process for advertising in sale of such adjudicated properties. What is your wishes? I'd like to move on items 13 C. D. And E. Second. Motion by Mr. Olander second by Dr. Ray. Any discussion? Thank you ma'am. This is on items 13 C. D. And E. Mr. Olander. Yes ma'am. Mr. Heal. Yes ma'am. Mr. Roth. Mr. A bear. Yes ma'am. Mr. Davis. Yes ma'am. Mr. Dew home. Yes ma'am. Mr. Adams. Yes ma'am. Dr. Ray. Yes ma'am. Mrs. Hidalgo Reverend Matthews. And Mr. I know we have 11 years and the ordinances carry. Thank you. I'm 14. A is a resolution. Let me read it first and you can tell me resolution of recognition from Alma. Alma B Williams on her 101st birthday. Mr. Hill. What is your wish? I'd like to table this into the first meeting of January. Okay. It's almost age 101. She's kind of having a bad day today. Mr. Heal would like to table this until the first meeting in January. Do I have a second? Okay. All in favor. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Okay. This is a resolution establishing a temporary moratorium on the development, establishment and or construction of the solar forms in the unincorporated areas of same year parish for a period of 12 months. What is your wish? Yes. I so move have a motion by Mr. A bear. I'll second it. Second by Reverend Matthews. Any discussion? Roll call. Mr. Morgan. Thank you. This is on item 14 B. Mr. Heal. Yes ma'am. Mr. Rock. Mr. A bear. Mr. Davis. Yes ma'am. Mr. Do on Mr. Adams. Yes ma'am. Dr. Green. Yes ma'am. Mrs. Hidalgo. Reverend Matthews. Yes ma'am. Mr. I know and Mr. Olander. Yes ma'am. We have 11 days and the resolution carries. Thank you. I don't 15 old business. This is referred from the August 13th 2025 regular meeting appointments to the following boards and commissions. So real Community Park Advisory Committee has four vacancies and Latasha Charles M Charles has submitted her application. What is your wishes? I'd like to offer a motion to appoint Mr. Latasha Charles. Have a motion by Reverend Matthews. Second by Mr. I know any discussion. All in favor. Opposed. Motion carries item 16 new business 16 A is informational um be 16 B is Mary Alice Fierer. MSW LC SW has written to resign from the Youth Planning Board effective November 20 2025. I will thank her and I have to investigate whether we have to run this this one or not. Y'all I'll let y'all know for sure. I know 16 C Rachel Kidder has written to resign from the ST Mary Parish Recreation District number three effective immediately. I will thank her and I will advertise the vacancy Reverend Matthews to request an allocation of $5000 from wards 12347 10 3 10 sales tax fund to the Recreation District number five for certain equipment upgrades. What is your wishes? I'd like to offer that motion. I'll second. So moved by Reverend Matthews. Second it by Mr. Hill. Thank you. Discussion. Yes, ma'am. I have a question. It's for this year next year. Um, immediately this year. Can't you wait a week? I'd rather not. Well, we might have to. Why would we have to gotta have the money. So that poses an interesting point, particularly because we just adopted a new budget for 2026. And the process is such that you as parish president oversee the administrative team in preparing this combined budget instrument for us to review and adapt. Am I correct? Yeah, that's the process annually. Yeah. And so so we take much deliberation to ponder what you and the administration proposes to us. And throughout the course of the year, different council members make certain allocations or motions for allocations from this instrument that you and your administrative team proposes to us to adopt. And so when we make those gestures to allocate or to appropriate monies that are reflected in your instrument, you tell us what you just did. You gotta see if it's there. Why would you propose something and not know if it's there? Because we're not finished because you what? The year is not finished. You just said it will be finished in two weeks. It'll be finished in two or three weeks. So you don't know if you have $5000 in two weeks from a from a from a fund balance of almost $600,000. No, we don't. That's a problem. Well, that is the problem because there's not been there's only been one other allocation from this one. There's only been one. Thank you, madam chair. I have the floor. There's only been one other allocation from this sales tax fund for District one in the course of these 12 months. And it was a previous $5000 to the town of Baldwin to support police protection. You said we didn't have the money then. Aside from some of the other stuff we take care of, which I understand street lighting and some other infrastructure needs. But that's a that's a tall drop from the total fund balance that we started this fiscal year with. And you're telling me that out of almost $600,000 fund balance that you're not able to make a $25,000 allocations. That's right. That's a problem. That's right. That's a problem. And it's a problem because I don't believe it. That's right. Number one. Number one. The thing for Baldwin is in our it's in the budget for 26. We're paying it now. Okay, well praise God you're paying that one. So why can't this $5000 allocation take place tonight? Because you know, it's just it's just you want to fight. No, it's not about a fight. Let me tell you what it's about. I want to run this place to where we are functional. We got money. We're not digging in the holes and everything else. And I'm gonna do it no matter what anybody else. Okay, we're gonna do it. Okay, not gonna bankrupt this place. We're not. Okay, this place has never been bankrupt. First of all, it was bankrupting. Reclaiming my time. Reclaiming my time. The problem is this. You're the one that wants to start a fight because you want to pick and choose what you decide to fund. And if it's not important to you, you don't want to fund it. That's the problem we're having here because we have not had this problem until you took office. I've been sitting up here almost 16 years, sir. We have never had this problem. And you're lying if you want the public to believe that this parish has been bankrupt for 16 years. That's a lie. It's in the book. That's a lie. It's in the books. That's your interpretation. I'm beginning to wonder, do you really know how to read budgets? Go look at the 2023. I look at the budgets every day. I wasn't even here. I look at them every day. I wasn't even here and it was 400,000 and something in the red. We don't operate that way. You can't spend money you do not have. When the money comes in, then we can spend it. No matter how much you want to spend money that isn't existing, you cannot do it. Yet you still choose to pick and choose what projects and what expenditures you want to fund. That's what you've been doing based upon your perception, based upon your priorities, and what you feel comfortable with. If you don't support it, if it's something we recommend, then you say we don't have the money. Because you're the parish president, that means you could ignore the legislative actions we take up here. That's not how that works. Okay, well we'll wait for the Attorney General's opinion on that because that's not how this is designed to work. This is not a dictatorship. You don't get to decide what goes on in this parish by yourself. We do not. If that's the case, what the hell you got 11 people up here elected for? We do not spend money. That's not how this works. We do not spend money we do not have. I know you like you spend the money you want to spend. Just say it. You like say it to the public. You spend the money you want to spend. You bankrupted things. You spend the money you want to spend. We're not doing that. Madam Chair, if I could get back to my presentation. So almost 20 years ago, Rec District 5 Board of Commissioners was formed. And when that district was formed, we set out with a vision to develop a recreational park in the Four Corners, Sawrelle, Glencoe, Ashton, Sharrington, St. Peter Street communities, which is the west end of St. Mary Parish, where anybody who lives in southwest Louisiana knows that this is one of the poorest communities that exists within this parish for sure. And one of those that has been the most disenfranchised. There are others in St. Mary Parish, but certainly this one has had a limited amount of investment, a limited amount of economic development. And so there are some mindsets that when we set out on this vision over 20 years, about 20 years ago, that felt that it was a wasted investment, felt that it should not have happened. Some people even called me, some people in political office, called me and predicted that the building would be falling down within the first 10 years. That was a disgraceful perception for anybody to make, because that would suggest that the people in communities like this one don't deserve that type of investment, don't deserve that type of consideration, don't deserve to have these types of public amenities like some other communities have. And if there's, there could be nothing further from the truth. And we defied all of those concepts because this building, almost 20 years later, is not only still standing, but it looks just as good today as it did 18 years ago. And perhaps some people would know that if they even came to visit. But my point is this, it has taken us almost 16 years to get to a point where from the investment of the people in that community, the rec district board, and with some support from the St. Mary Parish Council, we invested in a forty thousand dollar master plan, which is what you see the drawing of on the screen above you. The only part of that image that stands today is the top part of that blue roof, that top blue roof, and the parking lot above it, which is the north parking lot. Everything else is proposed. Everything else is what the community has envisioned that it would like to see. We brought people from the community in, from each sector, public, private, the low-income sectors, we brought people in that could share with the board, the rec district board, and some members of the parish council that might have been present, to describe what they would like to see on these 16 acres of property that this single blue roof has occupied for the last 18 plus years. And this is what they described. So if you look at the legend that I provided for each of you, I know it's probably too small for you to read on the screen, but it features things like the second blue roof that you see at the bottom, which is an additional or an annex building that would feature a weightlifting room, an exercise room with the different types of exercise equipment, a fitness center, I guess you can call it. Just behind that or below that, you see a pickleball court or a court that could be used for pickleball, racquetball, tennis, and other sports. You see a new parking lot, a brand new extension to that parking lot built adjacent to that second blue roof at the bottom. You see if you move just south of that or to the east of that, there's a little pond which serves two purposes. One, there has to be a retention pond on the property in order to accommodate for additional drainage, plus it allows for some fishing activities. There is a walking trail that goes around the entire property, which is about 1.5 miles in distance or diameter that would allow people to exercise and walk around that beautiful perimeter without having to be in danger, such as right now people are using the parking lot, the only existing parking lot, around the building to exercise with traffic coming in and out. School buses are using the property to park their school buses when during the off hours when kids are not being transported to school, so it poses a safety hazard. But it's the only place in this entire district that people have to go and exercise so they make the best use of it. In addition to that, you see the green space that features a, I guess you can play hockey there, you can play soccer, and several other sports, as well as baseball. It can also be used as a baseball field. To the left of that, you see a splash pad, a water splash pad, and then just south of that, there's a 200-seat amphitheater that people can enjoy concerts and other types of other outside activities, as well as pavilions throughout the property. Just a beautiful landscaping. And so this is a total projected cost of about a little south of 15 million dollars that we're now putting into the hands of the parish government to do what has been done in other communities throughout this parish, throughout the history of St. Mary Parish, and make this a priority to submit as a part of the capital outlay applications going forward, and also finding ways to reserve some of the money in our parish to put towards matching funds, such as you've described in many of your rents, Mr. President. So we have tonight the opportunity to embark upon what I consider a preliminary to phase one of bringing this vision to pass for St. Mary Parish, particularly the people in District 1. And so this is the embarkment of the $5,000 allocation that I'm making tonight to this recreation district so that they can make certain equipment upgrades to begin preparing to embrace this vision. So I'm happy to answer any questions that my fellow colleagues may have or any feedback, any comments, anything you might want to interject, any support you might want to offer. Yes, sir. This is a beautiful master plan. Thank you. Thank you. You can make it happen. Thank you. Reverend Matthews, I'll help you any way you can. I can help y'all do anything I can to go to the capital and help y'all acquire this. I appreciate that. Thank you very much. Madam Chair. Jones? Uh, I am not opposed to this. This is a long time, uh, venture. But I want to remind you something, Miss Matthews. Back in the day when I got to Baton Rouge, the big the big concern was the number of people getting killed on the highway. Remember that? Oh, how do how well do I remember? Let me test your memory. Go ahead. Yeah. You know who funded that? I know exactly who funded who? I know the people that I requested who funded who seemed to have forgotten me. I funded that yourself. Funded. That's exactly right. Let me remind you later. No, I have the floor now. Okay. And I'm on. I want to respond later. Jog his memory. And later when it was funded and you know what? I had to go find the money. It was money that was being sent back when I was in the house. It was money that was being sent back to Washington. I had to go find the money to do this and get that project done. And I did that when the thing was finished, the governor of the state came, cut the ribbon. The only two people that insulted him was David Hannah grip and you period. That was what that was the thank you that they got. The idea that you don't think that I don't care about that district. The district that you have is insane. It's insane. I've been there hundreds of times in my life, talked to lots of people. I got lots of friends there. I returned their calls. I do anything I can for with the thing that you're doing. You want to have a fight. You want to have a mess. This is ridiculous. We have a, an obligation and we have a job to do here. All this screaming and fighting and everything is useless. Useless. Hey, madam chair, let me tell you what I remember. I remember requesting a meeting at the West St. Mary's Civic Center where Department of Department of Transportation and Development then secretary Ankhner came with his cabinet and you accompanied him about 12 people in black SUVs. Secretary Ankhner. He was the secretary of D.O.T.D. at that time. Not surprised you don't remember that. You accompanied him and there was a meeting before we addressed the public of District 1 that was sitting in that Civic Center in that gymnasium waiting to hear and to address the concerns about my neighbors and family members that have died at that intersection. And I accompanied you and his cabinet in the conference room adjacent to the kitchen for about 20 minutes before we went into the gymnasium to address the people. And the conversation in that back room was of the sort planning what was going to be said, who was going to be said, who was going to say what to go out into that gymnasium and tell the people of District 1 that there was no money and that that intersection was going to be closed off. That's what y'all had planned to tell them. But I stood in the back and listened to that bull crap. And when we went out in the gym, I took over that meeting and turned it into what was supposed to be 30 minutes, turned into a three and a half hour meeting with Secretary Ankner at the end of that meeting making a commitment to find the money. I remember looking at you in a corner, shaking your head and pacing the floor because of what I was doing and putting him on the spot, putting you on the spot. But most of the remarks weren't even addressed at you. They were addressed at him. You don't remember that. That's how that decision came about. Now I don't doubt for one moment that you used your political prowess as a member of the House to go back and lobby and make sure that it happened. But that night you were just as dead set against it as he was that it wasn't going to happen. Tell your public that because that's what they remember. And that's what I remember. And so if I insulted you and if I insulted Governor Edwards at that meeting, at that ribbon cutting, it must have been for a damn good reason. It was not for a damn good reason. Well that's your opinion. Because the thing got built. Your opinion, opinions vary. Madam Chair, can I have that? And I don't agree with a lot of your opinions just like you don't agree with mine. But you know what? You're entitled to have them and so am I. What I'm going to say is the truth and what I did. You didn't say that part. Why are you interrupting me? Go ahead. I went and you know where I found the money? He didn't find it. I found it. It was in money being sent. Just stop and listen for a minute. Glad you found it. The money was being sent back to Washington. Not only did we do that one, we did the one in Patuville and we put a road into general because it was going to be locked out. It's great. Locked out. That's great. Never got a thank you from you. Never got a thank you to the governor. Just the nasty talk and everything that you could do. It was embarrassing. He talked to me on the way back how embarrassing it was. That's no way to run things. That's no way to get things done. So Madam Clerk, I remember. I remember everything. And you don't talk about that. What I also remember was the improvements that we've done for hundreds of thousands of millions of dollars and got a thank you from you. Never. Okay, I'm done. I have to say something. Well, now he's gonna leave because they didn't go. No, I'm not. We have. We have sitting here. I'm not running away from you. He had said here from day one. I'm here to have a conversation and we have Mr Jones. All due respect. We have sat here and listen to you talk about 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, um, getting money, whatever, whatever, way back when. And then here we are arguing about 30 years, 20 years ago for money. It's like, let's live in the right now. The future. What? What we need to go and get. Go get it now. If we could go to Baton Rouge to get the money, go get it. Let's not worry about what we got 20 30 40 years ago. Let's do it now. We need it now for these people in this public. I'm tired of sitting up here listening to this, and I'm sure everybody else saying here the audience at home is tired of hearing this about 20 30 40 years ago. Getting money. We need to. We're never gonna be united. Never. We that's obvious, and the public knows it, and we need to work together to go get it now. What? What can we get it now? This is a beautiful facility. Why? Why? Go get it. Let's go get it. We have different other ones. Miss Beverly's organization needs money. Go get money for her. We need her from her. Put her in this budget for tonight. I mean, I have. I am like, live it. I'm like, probably sound like a crazy lady, but I am tired of this. I'm tired of this arguing. It's ridiculous. Let's go get it now. We grants. Yes, we got grants. The arguing has to stop. We started from day one with this listening to this. I'm tired of it. I am tired of it, and I'm gonna announce tonight that I will not be running again when the next election comes around. I've had it had it with people. It's it's it's I mean, enough's enough. That's all I'm gonna have to say. Madam Chair, May I ask you a couple of questions? Um, I want to get back to the topic at hand. Do we have an idea and a list of what these specific upgrades are? And if this is just a little tip of what we need to start these upgrades to get this project started, what are we looking at as a initial investment amount? I guess would be the terminology to use to even get the project moving forward. In my convert, excuse me. Thank you, Dr. Rain in my conversation with the engineers that developed this master plan for us this afternoon driving here. Um, they have several recommendations because, um, they work with different parishes on capital outlay requests. And so, um, what I've done is I've asked them to attend one of our meetings at some future date to give us their insight as to what, I guess what phase we should begin this master plan request for funding at. And so, uh, that's forthcoming. The monies that we're asking for tonight is just internal upgrades on equipment that the Civic Center needs right now. They need computers. There's a computer lab with with about 12 computer stations with one functioning computer among other things that they've listed that they have need of. And so, you know, and this is just to help prepare for the major ask to get them over where they are right now. That district brings in a minimal amount of Avalorum taxes, and it's barely enough to be able to take care of the things that they need to take care of as far as operation and maintenance. Last year, they replaced, I think, three, if not four, A. C. Units at almost $30,000 apiece. Um, they replaced some the fire suppression system. Uh, they've spent probably about $240,000 on replacing equipment. And, you know, rightfully so. I mean, the building is almost 20 years old, so things are starting to go out, and they're just doing their best to maintain it. Kind of touched on it a little bit. But did these designers give any breakdown as far as phases of development? There is one section in the narrative part of this, but the handouts that I gave you that on page three, um, and this, this was their initial recommendation before we actually got the more concrete cost estimates that's in the Excel spreadsheet, which is this page that shows the actual projected cost to be a little bit north of 14 million. The first, the first estimates were very rough, very preliminary based upon just conversations. They came and attended several meetings with the Red District Board, people from the community present. And so based upon those very, very rough conversations, this is what they, this is what they laid out on page three of the narrative part of it, which is on the West St. Mary's Civic Center letter here. Um, and it shows, um, at a total cost of phase one of 6.2 million in year one, which would be for the engineering, surveying and permitting and boring costs, um, a projected total of about a half a million dollars. 75% in state funds, 25% in a local match. So that comes to a total of about a half a million dollars. Total match by the parish based upon those preliminary numbers was 517,000. So I would think that once we actually begin determining what we want to include in the first capital outlay request that it be, it be focused on those engineering, surveying and permitting costs, which are probably going to end up being somewhere around a million dollars based upon our conversations today. All right, I guess my second question too is going to be, uh, you know, I mean, it's been our problem across the parish's maintenance of this facility. I mean, it's a beautiful complex and it would be nice if we could have this in multiple areas across the parish, you know, as a master plan. But that's going to be a big crux as far as maintenance because we already have issues with maintaining just the smaller current parks that we have. So what's the plan long term as far as maintenance? Well, I want to commend the rec district because they're doing their part right now. They spent an entire day in a board staff retreat last week that I had the privilege of attending. And so they're already, they've already agreed to go into a restructuring, reorganizing process. The first steps they've taken is for the first time in 18 years, they developed a mission statement defining what their purpose is and what their focus should be. And they're going, they've already taken a look at their contract, the rental contract, they're going to restructure how they rent the space because they had been giving away a significant amount of money by just allowing people to come in and pay us a flat rental fee and not pay for all of the other amenities such as many other civic centers and multipurpose venues charged for all of those different spaces and features. And it's been going on forever. But this facility had relaxed all of that. And so while they've been bringing in roughly about 30 to $40,000 a year in rental fees, they're looking at ways now where through this restructuring, they can almost triple that because the facility is very widely used. Now, it's going to make them more competitive so people are going to have to decide, do I want to have my event at the West St. Mary's Civic Center where I used to get all of this stuff for free or do I want to go somewhere else? Where are you going to pay for it anyway? But I think they've earned, we've earned the reputation and we've earned the support of, you know, local people and even people from outside of St. Mary Parish, outside of Louisiana, coming back to this community to host their events. Am I right, Miss Vanessa? You live in that community? And so I think there's an opportunity to generate more revenue independently. But then, of course, it's going to take some additional support. And I think that's a golden opportunity for us to be able to shift some of our $3.10 that are dedicated to that community to help support this effort in the future. And that's what I'm looking at. Thank you. Yes, Madam Chair. I have a closing comment to make. I want to be clear when I say this. I don't work for you. I don't work for anybody here. I work for the people in this parish. I will continue to do what I think is right. I will pull us out of this muck we've gotten into with the bankruptcy and all this. And when it's done, I'm gonna go home because nobody else wants to do this. All the screaming and hollering and everything. Nobody asked for money. No one asked for all the years I was there. No one asked for anything. That's all I have to say. Thank you. Okay, we have motion on the floor. Okay, so we have to vote. Ocean Allocating the 5,000. We we had a motion in the second and we had a discussion. So all in favor. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Item 16 each. I'm just gonna read it. It is informational. But Miss Betty Hicks, chair of ST Mary Parish Home Rule Charter Revision Commission, has written on behalf of the board of commissioners and in accordance with ordinance 2371 is extended by ordinance number 2403 in the requirements of the L. A. R. S. 3313951395.6. I hereby formally submit the commission's proposed amended Home Rule Charter approved by the motion of the commission on November 20th, 2025 for action by the ST Mary Parish. Can we get a copy of that? Is it ready to dry up? The left. It's attack today. It's being introduced today on the act. The charter is in the the ordinance also. That would dress for yes. But by tomorrow you will get everything by link that will have it all on there again. Chair, chair, what is it supposed to go on the ballot? This is for introduction only tonight. It's gonna lay over 20 days after it lays over and everything's been met. Then the bonding attorney or the election attorney is going to submit all of the documents and I'm thinking that it's gonna be on the July meeting. I'm not positive. Don't quote me on that. But yes, it will go in front of voters and y'all will have to vote on this as an ordinance. But per the statues, you'll have to agree to it and that's gonna be in January. That's because we have to agree. You'll have to. You'll have to agree on it. Yes. The way we wrote the ordinances we had to present the recommendations as they recommended it. That was the whole purpose of forming this commission rather than doing it any other way. Okay. So the rate it looks like it'll be on the July election. Yes, sir. Is that a is that a major election or is that a do we know are we funding that 100%? I don't know what the election is, but the obligation is to put it on the soonest available and I believe that's what the attorney determined to be the first available. Yeah, he couldn't make the April one so it have to be your line. They got too many, too many layovers and times that you have to get straight with the election committee to do that. Is that a recommendation from the journey? That's a definite. That's a definite. So I'll let y'all know next time. 12 a that was introduced. I have 12 a in there. No, I don't see it. 1314. I can get y'all one. Just email it to me. Okay. Okay. Item 16 F is informational and entertainer Madam Chair. After most of us receiving a massive headache, I moved that we adjourn. Second motion by Mr. Land, a second by Mr. Heal. Any discussion? Yeah, sketch, it