The Tallulah City Council during Thursday's regular meeting tabled a longstanding request for de-annexation by a Tallulah resident until further research can be conducted on the matter.
The decision to table the request for de-annexation of the property at 123 Savanah Drive by property owners Roosevelt and Terry Washington came after a public hearing on the matter where a number of proposed solutions came from the audience. Washington's request has been on and off city council agendas for months and stems from the owners' wish to operate as a farm on property inside the city limits of Tallulah, but bordering the city limits and those of Madison Parish. While still located inside the city limits, the property owners are prohibited from owning livestock, such as cows, horses and chickens. Washington also pointed to costly city services, such as water and sewer, which will be needed on his property, were he to remain inside city limits.
Attorney Moses Williams and City Attorney David Doughty each weighed in on possible solutions for Washington, which would allow him to remain inside Tallulah city limits, with each proposed idea bringing its own set of issues Mayor Pro Tem Marjorie Day said would need to be researched before a decision could be made. District 5 City Councilman Toriano Wells has been the most outspoken councilperson against the de-annexation request and continued Thursday to voice concerns over the council entertaining any requests of that nature. Wells has consistently argued in favor of annexing a number of properties into the City of Tallulah, including portions of Madison Parish Hospital's property.
The council also heard a presentation by Larry Walters of the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS). Walters' presentation included a proposal for IBTS to provide services for building code and standards inspection inside the City of Tallulah. Walters said his firm handles many municipalities in northeast Louisiana and has done work for the City of Tallulah in the past. IBTS is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), which would not charge fees to the city, but would collect them from private customers.
Wells also questioned Walters over problems which occurred with buildings constructed by the Madison Parish School District, which IBTS oversaw. Walters acknowledged what he called design flaws in those buildings, but said the responsibility for any issues ultimately lies with the engineers on the project in question.
The council did not vote on Walter's proposal during Thursday's meeting.
In other business, the council: approved the minutes of the Thurs., Nov. 10, city council meeting; approved the 2022 Louisiana compliance questionnaire; approved an occupational license for Shemeka Amin, owner of Brooklyn Heights Apartments.
* Mayor Pro Tem Day presided over Thursday's meeting, as Mayor Charles Finlayson was absent due to illness.
