By John Brice
Correspondent
The LaFayette City Council met on Monday, December 16th of 2024 at the Chambers County Farmers Federation Agricultural Center at the ALFA building in LaFayette. In attendance were Mayor Kenneth Vines, Councilman Terry G. Mangram, Councilman David Ennis, Councilman Toney B. Thomas and Councilwoman Tammie B. Williams. City Clerk Louis T. Davidson, City Attorney Joseph M. Tucker, Fire Chief James Doody and LaFayette Police Department Chief Christopher Trice were also present. The meeting began with an invocation led by Mayor Vines and standard procedures such as roll call as well as approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.
First up on the agenda was a City Christmas Party announcement which Clerk Davidson mentioned would be held on Wednesday, December 18th at 12pm CST in the ALFA Building. Moving on to the next topic was the reappointment of Ms. Martha Holloway as LaFayette Housing Authority Commissioner which was approved swiftly by the council. Another motion was approved for the FY 2023 Audit acceptance immediately following that. During the hearing of petitions, applications, complaints, appeals, and communications portion of the meeting, Councilman Thomas took the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Councilwoman Williams then raised the issue of a proposal for a new project with a cost of $98,186 related to work on the bridge on 2nd Street. Initially believed to be a bid by Harmon Engineering, after a brief discussion it was clarified that it was instead a proposal from a different company as opposed to a bid. Since the details on the proposal had not been fully reviewed by all the members of the council, it was agreed upon to revisit the topic when the council meets again in January.
Mayor Vines then took the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and thanked the Christmas Committee for their efforts in making the LaFayette Christmas Parade 2024 a success. Moving on to the auditing of accounts, Clerk Davidson informed the council that there were claims owed by the city amounting to $306,438.68 which the motion was approved to pay. Rounding out the meeting was a review of Resolution No. 2024-12-16-01 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding Official Use Authorization. Previously the council had agreed to use these funds for premium pay for city employees which Davidson clarified that it would be necessary to formalize that decision along with the use of remaining funds for work on the city’s fire hydrants.
After that motion was approved with a roll call vote, Resolution No. 2024-12-16-02 Fire Hydrant Assembly Purchase Change Order was reviewed as well. Davidson explained that the bids had come in at a lower cost than expected and more funds would be available for the water project so changes to the related expenses would need to be agreed upon which was then approved with another roll call vote. Finishing up the meeting was a review of Resolution No. 2024-12-16-03 Fire Hydrant Replacement & Installation Project Change Order which led to a third motion being approved with a roll call vote and the council then approved a motion to adjourn.
