Council Meeting Minutes (Special Session) - 2008-11-18

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING HELD NOVEMBER 18, 2008.

The Council of the City of Alexandria, Louisiana, met in special meeting session at its regular meeting place, on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 1:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers.

There were present the Honorable Roosevelt L. Johnson, Harry B. Silver, Chuck Fowler, Charles F. Smith, Jr., Everett C. Hobbs and Louis Marshall. Absent was Chuck Fowler. Also present were Chief Operating Officer Kay Michiels, City Attorney Chuck Johnson, City Council Attorney Trey Gist and City Clerk Nancy L. Thiels.

The Council of the City of Alexandria, State of Louisiana, was duly convened as the governing authority of said City by the Honorable Louis J. Marshall, who stated that the Council was ready for the transaction of business.

Mr. Marshall reported that he would have to recuse himself from voting and participating in any discussions pertaining to the item on the agenda, because of his employment with the hotel that is in litigation with the City. Therefore, he turned the meeting over to Mr. Lawson, Vice-President.

EXECUTIVE SESSION TO BE HELD PURSUANT TO R.S. 42:6.1 (A) (2) ON THE FOLLOWING ITEM

The item on the agenda was to discuss the N.R. Group Hotel litigation and any obligations owned to the City.

A motion was made by Mr. Silver and seconded by Mr. Johnson to go into Executive Session and the roll call vote was taken as follows:

YEAS: Silver, Hobbs, Lawson, Johnson, Smith.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: Fowler.
ABSTAIN: Marshall.

It was announced that there was a quorum present to go into executive session. It was stated by Mr. Johnson, City Attorney, that Mr. Earnest Sasser of Payne, Moore & Herrington, auditors for the City was present and was invited to participate in the Executive Session. Mr. Jonathan Goins, Councilman-elect for District 3 was also asked to participate. Mr. Ed Larvadain, III, Councilman-elect for District 1 was not in attendance.

BACK IN SESSION

The meeting was reconvened by the Vice-President with a motion by Mr. Fowler and seconded by Mr. Silver and the roll call vote was taken as follows:

YEAS: Fowler, Johnson, Silver, Hobbs, Lawson.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: Smith and Marshall.

Mr. Johnson, City Attorney was recognized. He read a resolution into the minutes with the following action that was taken.

Mr. Fowler moved to add the following item on the agenda, which was seconded by Mr. Hobbs and was approved unanimously. The Vice-President asked for any public comment. There being none, the following action was taken.

Mr. Fowler moved for the adoption of the following resolution which was seconded by Mr. Hobbs, to wit:

RESOLUTION NO. 8504-2008

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY 
ATTORNEY TO SEEK JUDICIAL DETER-
MINATION AS TO THE LEGAL STATUS OF
THE LEASE BETWEEN THE CITY OF
ALEXANDRIA AND N.R. GROUP.

The President asked for any discussion, there being none, a vote was called for and resulted as follows:

YEAS: Fowler, Johnson, Silver, Hobbs, Lawson.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: Smith and Marshall.

The resolution was thereupon declared adopted on this the 18th day of November, 2008.

There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned.

/S/ LOUIS J. MARSHALL
PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

/S/ NANCY L. THIELS
CITY CLERK

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