In a Bogalusa City Council meeting that started with the vote on a new president and vice president, the council also passed two resolutions, introduced two ordinances, and condemned three residences.

The 2018 president will be District A representative Gloria Kates, and the new vice president is District E representative Sherry Fortenberry. They were the only council members nominated for the positions.

Both of the passed resolutions had to do with the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant Program. The first is to bring Bogalusa into compliance with a requirement that all grantees are required to complete and adopt a Language Access Plan for Limited English Proficiency persons, such as when communications must take place with a Spanish-speaking contractor. James Hall, Director of Public Works, was appointed as the Language Access Coordinator.

The second resolution addresses a prerequisite to the city’s participation that the procurement must be set forth, adopted, and made part a part of the guidelines for Bogalusa as it relates to the grants.

The council also introduced an ordinance that will approve and adopt the Bogalusa Operating Budget and Capital Budget for the fiscal year, beginning Jan. 1, 2018. The second ordinance that was introduced would authorize the mayor to enter into a lease agreement with Carroll’s Electric, LLC, to rent a building in the Industrial Park. Both ordinances will come up for public hearing and adoption at the next meeting on Dec. 19.

In other business, the council condemned a structure at 618 East Fifth St. and one at 715 East Fifth St., and gave the owners 60 days to bring them into compliance. It also condemned a house at 616 East Fifth St., and gave the owners 90 days to bring it into compliance. Action on a burned house at 703 Virginia Ave. was tabled until the next time condemnations come up.

Fire Chief Richard Moody, who said he was pleased to be getting a new fire truck the following day, reported that in November the Bogalusa Fire Department responded to one structure fire, three grass fires, one vehicle fire, six motor vehicle accidents, seven false alarms, six service calls, 74 medical calls, and three hazardous materials or power line calls.

Police Chief Kendall Bullen reported that in November the Bogalusa Police Department responded to 1,223 complaints, 38 accidents, did 12 escorts, and four DWI checks. The BPD also made 265 arrests, of which 91 were for misdemeanors, 24 for felonies, and 150 were for traffic.

The council’s next meeting will be Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 5:30 p.m.