During Tuesday’s Bogalusa City Council meeting, the council passed a resolution that could get the Robert “Bob” Hicks Civil Rights Museum funded federally.

The resolution approves applications for federal funds from the National Park Service’s fiscal year 2017 African American Civil Rights Grant Program. The Civil Rights grants are funded by the Historic Preservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service, and applications are now being accepted.

The resolution states that the Robert “Bob” Hicks Foundation is a non-profit organization in need of funds to support a broad range of planning, development, research projects, and restoration at the Hicks house historic site, which is associated with African-American civil rights in the 20th Century, and vital for the development of a civil rights museum in Bogalusa.

A non-federal matching share is not required, but preference will be given to non-profits, such as the Hicks Foundation, “that show commitment through non-federal match and partnership collaboration.”

The vote was unanimous, with only Councilman Scott Ard absent.

The council also unanimously passed a resolution to acquire, by means of expropriation, the air space above a property near the George R. Carr Memorial Airport.

The resolution says the owner of the property is deceased, and that “there appears to be no objection from the heirs.”

The council unanimously passed an ordinance that authorizes the mayor to enter into a contract with Hunt Telecom for 36 months. Services rendered by the communications company will involve the phone system at Bogalusa City Hall.

The council also introduced five ordinances that will be up for public hearing at the next council meeting.

During the public participation period, Fate Ferrell urged the council to have the water leak fixed in one street, and to get the residents of one block of Dewitt Place to clean their properties.

“Let’s put politics aside and work together to clean up Bogalusa,” Ferrell said.

During the administration and council remarks periods, Mayor Wendy Perrette and then the council members congratulated the organizers of last weekend’s successful Bogalusa Blues and Heritage Festival.

The next council meeting date was pushed to Tuesday, Oct. 24, due to the Washington Parish Fair.

In other business, the council heard from District Judge candidate Reggie Laurent of Slidell.