Tuesday’s meeting of the Ville Platte City Council was the last meeting for two councilmen before they go into retirement after decades of public service to the city.
Councilmen Freddie Jack and C.J. Dardeau were presented with a cake and proclamations in recognition for their time on the council. Councilman Jack served for the past 20 years, and Councilman Dardeau served for the past 41 and a half years.
“It has been a thrill working with the city and serving as a council member,” said Councilman Jack. “It had been quite adventurous and much intriguing, and I’ve learned so much throughout the years I have served. I have had the privilege to serve under four different mayors, and every year was a good year.”
“Now, the season has come for me to move on to bigger and better things,” he continued. “It’s not like I’m retiring and going home to do nothing. I have plenty on the fire. I’ll be fully occupied with work to be done.”
Councilman Dardeau expressed, “I enjoyed serving with the city council and the mayor. We had things to tend to, and she took care of it in a very well manner.”
He added, “I’d also like to thank the people of District A for going to the polls and re-electing me for 41 years. I’m thankful for them for doing that.”
Mayor Jennifer Vidrine commented that Councilman Dardeau has served 10 terms on the council and is “one of the longest reigning councilmen in the State of Louisiana.”
The mayor told both councilmen, “It has been a pleasure to serve with you for the last eight years. You are both what a mayor would really want on the council and are both someone who cares about their districts and does for the district the way you all do.”
Also addressing both councilman was Councilman Mike Perron who had served for the past 12 and a half years.
“Freddie,” said Councilman Perron, “thank you for always having my back. You and I have been tight. When I had my heart attack, he came and prayed for me in the hospital. I wish you the best of luck.”
“CJ and I go back to my 16th birthday in the 1960s,” continued an emotional Councilman Perron. “He hired me at his store, and he taught me everything I know. He taught me how to be a public servant, how to work with the people, how to run a business, and how to be a butcher. I owe everything I am today to this man right here. So, thank you for everything you did, CJ.”
During the meeting that preceded the ceremony, the council heard from certified public accountant Vic Slaven about the city’s audit report for the year ending June 30.
Slaven reported the audit report is an unqualified/unmodified opinion like it has been for the past couple years. He said the means “it’s a clean opinion.”
According to the report, total assets in the general fund are $3,754,789.00, and total liabilities are $216,021.00. That leaves a total fund balance of $3,538,768.00, but only $782,536.00 of that amount is unrestricted. As Slaven said, that amount can be spent “at the discretion of the council. The rest is restricted for specific purposes.”
The audit report went on to show total revenues in the general fund in the amount of $3,135,665.00 and total expenditures in the amount of $6,349,202.00 leaving a deficiency of revenues over expenditures in the amount of $3,213,537.00.
To rectify the deficiency, according to the report, the city transferred into the general fund $3,565,987.00. After the transfers and proceeds from capital leases, the city ended the previous fiscal year with a surplus of $435,873.00.
Councilman Bryant Riggs questioned the transfer amounts, and Slaven responded, “If it wouldn’t have been for the transfer in, you would have lost $3 million.” He added, “the transfer came primarily from the utility fund and some other sources like sales tax from bond money.”
The audit report further showed total assets of $23,574,422.00 and total liabilities of $13,192,723.00 in the utility fund. That leaves a total net position in the utility fund of $10,668,739.00, but, according to Slaven, there is a deficit of $277,873.00 in the unrestricted amount. He said, “There is no surplus to use going forward at the discretion as to utility funds.”
Slaven then went over the findings in the audit and expressed “there are no findings that are required to be reported.”
Later in the meeting, the council again heard from Todd Morein about a potential third Internet provider in the city. Morein rehashed similar arguments from his previous times addressing the council on the issue and explained he would provide three different packages. The five meg package with unlimited Internet would cost $49.00 a month while the 10 meg package would cost $75.00 a month and the 15 meg package would cost $99.00 a month.
The mayor said on the issue, “There would also be a fee (Morein) would pay the city for the use of the equipment on the three towers.” She added she checked with the city attorney Eric LaFleur who told her the city would have to do its due diligence “to make sure the fee would be reasonable.”
The mayor then proposed a public hearing before the council makes a decision on the third Internet provider. The city will vote on the cost and will announce the date of the public hearing at its next meeting on January 8, 2019.
In other business, the council:
• approved the city’s holiday closures for 2019.
• heard again from George Morgan about abandoned homes, water bills, and police training.
• heard from Evangeline Parish Police Juror and city resident Bryan Vidrine about the jury’s efforts regarding abandoned property owned by the jury within the city.
• approved the mandatory annual two percent pay raise for the fire department.
• and appointed Councilman Jerry Joseph as mayor pro tempore.
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TONY MARKS Associate Editor