By Jim Smilie
Introduction of the 2023-2024 budgets for the City of Alexandria highlighted a 31-minute meeting of the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night in the council chambers at City Hall.
Council members received an ordinance regarding the Operating Budget for the City of Alexandria for the fiscal year 2023-2024, which starts May 1. Also included in the ordinance were the Capital Budget for 2023-2024 as well as a reorganization plan for the Public Works and the Planning Divisions. No details on the budgets or the reorganization plans were provided during the meeting as the item was simply introduced as part of the consent calendar.
The item was assigned to the Finance Committee for review. It was also announced that public hearings on the budgets, at which time details will be presented, will be held in the council chambers at City Hall at 3:30 p.m. on April 11, April 12 and April 13. The budgets are scheduled for the council to consider for final adoption at its next regular meeting on April 18.
Council President Lee Rubin was absent from the meeting and Councilman Reddex Washington presided over the meeting.
Council members unanimously voted to confirm the appointment of Council President Rubin to the Rapides Area Planning Commission Board. They also approved an ordinance authorizing a cooperative endeavor agreement with the CHRISTUS Cabrini Foundation to co-sponsor the 2023 Wal-Mart CMN Golf Tournament scheduled for May 16 at Links on the Bayou to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
In other action, the council authorized Mayor Jacques Roy to enter into an agreement with LinkedIn for the posting of city job announcements and approved an ordinance to rezone property at 4721 South MacArthur Drive from C-2 General Commercial District to MF-3 Multi-family High Density to allow for the development of an affordable multi-family apartment complex.
Just before the meeting adjourned, District 2 Councilman Gary Johnson noted this year marks 55 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I wonder what he would say if he were here today,” Johnson said. Noting that much progress has been made, including the presence of himself as well as Cynthia Perry, an African American female on the council, “something I don’t think you could have seen in 1968,” there is still much to accomplish.
“I encourage all residents to work to make a positive difference and take our city back from crime,” Johnson said.
