Board gathers for first meeting since March

The Eunice Board of Aldermen returned to City Hall for its first official meeting since March.
The Board did not meet in April. At the time, Mayor Scott Fontenot said there was nothing pressing to act upon as a stay-at-home order existed to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
Tuesday’s meeting was held as normal with Board members, the mayor and others seated in their usual locations.
The bulk of the meeting time was spent on the American Legion property on Park Avenue.
The Board passed two resolutions, one stated the city has no use for the building and the other declaring the city had not met the terms of a donation in 1976.
Vernon McManus, city attorney, led the discussion on the building that the Board in March returned to the American Legion Turner-Mornhinveg-Moore Post 129.
The American Legion in 1971 donated the building to the city, but required it be returned to the Legion if the city ceased using it as a public facility. It was discovered that in 1976 there was a second donation and it required the city to apply for grants to refurbish the building.
McManus said he and Ginny Moody, city clerk, could not find any record of the city seeking or obtaining grants.
“The Legion had clear an merchantable title to the property prior to the 1971 donation. Now, in order to revert the property with clear and merchantable title to the Legion it is necessary to declare the 1976 donation null and void because of the nonfulfillment of the “Grant” condition stated in the 1976 donation,” a letter from McManus to the mayor and Board stated.
The Legion has a buyer for the building, but the city’s action is needed to provide a clear title, McManus said.
The Board passed the resolutions and plans a hearing on the issue at its June 9 meeting.
In other business:
— The mayor said City Hall will reopen to the public on Monday. If someone needs to meet with a city official they are asked to call and make an appointment. Payments will be accepted in person.
— The mayor said more city park areas are to be reopened by the end of the week. The city lake, golf course and walking trail are already reopened.
— A “safe zone” for transaction such as custody exchanges will be in place at the Eunice Municipal Complex. The area is covered by 24-hour video surveillance.
— City Court will reopen on Monday. People with traffic citations or other minor issues are asked to report at 9 a.m. to help clear the docket that has about 80 cases.
— The mayor urged people to complete and return their Census forms.
— Code enforcement action on three properties, 100 Fruge St., 451 N. Beulah St., and 541 N. 4th St. was postponed to the June 9 city meeting.
— The amended 2019-2020 budget and the 2020-2021 budget were introduced by title only.
— A 2001 Ford F-150 with 200,000-plus miles and a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria with 156,000 miles were declared surplus from the Police Department.
— Florescent light fixtures at City Hall were declared surplus and worthless and outdoor field lights from the Recreation Complex and Fairground tennis courts were declared surplus. The were repplaced with LED lighting.
— Police and Fire department hirings were approved.
— No action was taken on Police Chief Randy Fontenot’s recommendation for new civil service positions and abolishing four of seven lieutenant positions by attrition.