Meeting Minutes
CORRECTED MINUTES
Regular Council Meeting
City of Tallulah
June 25, 2025
A regular council meeting of the Mayor and City Council was held on Thursday, June 25, 2025 at 5:30 P. M., in the Council Room Chamber of Tallulah City Hall.
Mayor Charles M. Finlayson called the meeting to order, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and prayer was led by Councilman Wells.
A roll call of Council Members is listed as follows:
Scott Present
Houston Present
Harris Present
Day Present
Wells Present
Public Commits on the Agenda:
Citizen Antonio Wilson asked the Council to try and adhere to the Ordinance in place regarding regular meeting dates.
Councilman Wells asked about the Budget Ordinance and why the Public Hearing was not on the agenda. He was told that a mistake had been made by the City Clerk and that the Budget Ordinance Introduction process would have to begin again. Councilman Wells asked that it be made a part of the official record that the Budget Introductions were published by the Clerk prior to the actual meeting date.
Approval of the minutes of the June 12, 2025 minutes brought the following comments:
Councilman Wells asked that his question to the attorney regarding had she mailed the directed Demand Letter to Archie Jones for financial information for Madison Pointe and her response that “the letter was in draft form”, be added to the minutes. He also stated his concern regarding how long it was taking for the information to be sent out.
Motion to Approve the Minutes of the June 12, 2025 Regular Meeting, with the necessary changes made by Councilperson Day and seconded by Councilperson Houston. Motion carried unanimously.
Presentation was given to the Council by Mr. Anthony Rollins and Mr. Robert Coleman regarding (1) Plans they have for a new business in Tallulah and (2) Potential Purchase of the Coca Cola Building. The City will have the attorney look into the potential sale of the building and rely that information to the Council and to and to Mr. Rollins and Mr. Coleman. During their presentation, Citizen Cheryl Fisher provided the Council and audience with potential business/recreation planning she is working on.
Motion to Approve a Resolution Adopting July 2025 as Fair Housing month was made by Councilperson Houston and seconded by Councilperson Scott. Motion carried unanimously.
Approval of a Contract with Magnolia Water Service UOC for sharing Customer information brought about a lengthy discussion to include (but not limited to):
1. Councilman Wells questioned why Councilperson Day’s request at the June 12, 2025, Council Meeting to ask Magnolia UOC to provide the water usage list as an in-kind service was not done. He asked the question after Attorney Grady stated that she was never directed by the City to ask for the in-kind service from any City official. Councilperson Wells said that the Council had voted for the attorney to ask Magnolia if the water usage list could be provided as an in-kind service and she did not do that and that the Council tabled the item in order for her to do so.
2. Councilman Wells stated that the agenda item should not have been on the agenda as it was previously voted down by the Council and if it were brought back, should have been listed as a “Motion to Reconsider Approving a Contract with Magnolia Water Service UOC for Sharing Customer Information and that there was a process that needed to be done to bring the item back since it had been previously voted down.
3. Attorney Grady stated that there were legal opinions that stated this matter could be brought back on the agenda, as many times as wanted, since the council did not take an “affirmative” action on the item. She also stated that she thought the safest way to handle the matter was to have a “motion to reconsider” made by one of the members who voted the contract down.
4. Discussion between Councilperson Wells and Attorney Grady on the timing of the motion to reconsider and whether or not a recension of the previous action needed to be on the agenda.
Motion to Reconsider Approval of Contract with Magnolia Water Service UOC For Sharing of Customer Information made by Councilperson Day and seconded by Councilperson Houston. At this juncture, Councilperson Wells called for a Point of Order to research the recension issue. He asked that the following statement “I inquired for a point of order to be done in regards to Item #8 and the motion to rescind. The attorney and the Mayor refused to address the Point of Order.”
Attorney Grady then acknowledged Councilperson Wells’ Point of Order and told the Mayor that her advisement to the Point of Order is that it is acceptable for the Mayor to vote on the Motion to Reconsider. She added that the Mayor can decline the Point of Order once he has been advised. Councilperson Wells vehemently objected and said that the Point of Order could not be declined. He further asked that the Clerk add to the minutes “That the Attorney, Mrs. Pamela Grady said that the Mayor could deny a Point of Order.” He again stated that the previous action (the council’s previous vote on the action) needed to be rescinded or repealed, prior to a motion to reconsider.
Citizen Antonio Wilson questioned whether or not the motion and second could be done during discussion and questioned the attorney’s advice to the Point of Order.
Unknown Citizen (name not given) asked if the Council was educated on the meeting rules and laws.
Citizen Tony Barber stated that he believed the item should not have been on the agenda and that the only person who could bring it back was one of the members of the prevailing side (when it was originally voted down).
Prior to a Roll Call vote, Councilperson Wells asked for clarity of what was being voted on. He was told Councilperson Day made a Motion to Reconsider Item #8. Attorney Grady then explained that she’d spoken with a Municipal law expert and that she’d been advised that the contract could come back on the agenda due to the Council not taking an “affirmative” action (meaning the council did not vote “to do” the action). She again advised that the motion to reconsider was her legal advice and what she deemed “the safest way to do things.”
Roll Call Vote:
Scott Yea
Houston Yea
Harris Nay
Day Yea
Wells Nay
Motion to Approve a Contract with Magnolia Water Service UOC for the Sharing of Information and Disconnection/Reconnection of Service made by Councilperson Scott and seconded by Councilperson Houston.
Roll Call Vote:
Scott Yea
Houston Yea
Harris Nay
Day Yea
Wells Nay
Set Special Meeting Date to Introduce Ordinance to Amend FY 23/24 Budget and Ordinance to Introduce Adoption of FY 25/26 Budget tabled for collection of further budget/financial information for Council and information regarding financials/tax credits, etc. from Madison Pointe via 10-Day Demand Letter sent to Archie Jones. Motion to table made by Councilperson Wells and seconded by Councilperson Harris. Motion carried unanimously via roll call vote.
Public Comments:
1. Councilman Wells asked about the current status of the Water Plant Rehabilitation Project (we are under Emergency Order), was the name still Water Plant Rehabilitation Project or Water Improvements Project (Water Plant Rehabilitation Project) and status of funding (Tallulah has not received word from either USDA or Water Sector that funds allocated for Tallulah have been de-obligated). Councilperson Wells also asked if we had received word from any other party that our funds had been de-obligated. He was told no.
2. Cheryl Fisher asked (1) If there was a Strategic Plan for Tallulah and (2) Due to the Receivership, was there a moratorium placed on growth (housing, economic development, etc) for Tallulah.
3. Councilperson Wells asked if the Mayor would address the letter disseminated regarding the city’s finances.
4. Citizen Antonio Wilson asked if the Mayor had any communication with the Governor’s Office or the Department of Health regarding the Water Plant and made comments regarding police officer conduct.
5. Citizen Frank Williams discussed the condition of the water at his property.
6. Citizen Chadrick McNeal asked if Tallulah could or could not control water revenue.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.
Attest
/signed/ Gerald Odom /signed/Charles M. Finlayson, Mayor
Published in the Madison Journal in
Tallulah, Louisiana for a total cost
of $408.74 on August 7, 2025
