By Carolyn Roy, Carolyn@natchitochestimes.com, 318-352-3618 ext 219
Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. said he would consider complaints by a resident who said there is a “ping pong” problem between City police and towing services during the holiday season. David Kingsley cited a State statute that prohibits trespassing in his reference to visitors parking on private property. Kingsley said that property owners install fences, barriers and ribbons to keep people from parking on private property but they do it anyway.
“It gets worse every year,” Kinsley said. Why call the police when they tell him it’s a civil matter and he should call a towing service. The towing services tell him to call the police. “You can’t park on your own property,” he said.
He wants the City to enforce the trespassing statutes. Williams said he would take the complaint under consideration.
The council unanimously voted to lease a hangar at Natchitoches Regional Airport to Etiole Patrimony LLC. The annual rent will be $1,150. The owners are trying to sell the hangar and want an extension on the lease.
Two other ordinances received unanimous votes. The first was to award the bid to DPC Enterprises in the amount of $796 per ton for liquid chlorine for the water treatment plant.
The other was to approve the employment contract of City Attorney Alex Washington at an hourly rate of $150 plus expenses in connection with his representation. The contract is through July 31, 2021.
The council introduced an ordinance to award the bid to Thales USA Inc., of Overland Park, Kan., for a stabilizer at Natchitoches Regional Airport. The stabilizer will help pilots landing in the dark and will be paid for entirely by La. DOTD.
The council passed one resolution that will extend the time watercraft can be in the fireworks display fallout area from 3-5 p.m. on Christmas Festival Day. Councilman Dale Nielsen said it will give people more time to leave their boats and visit downtown.
The next scheduled meeting will be Nov. 23.
The City offices will close Nov. 26-27 for Thanksgiving holidays.