Mamou council working on warehouse lease agreement

The Mamou Town Council voted to declare the warehouse between the skating rink and the teen center surplus property and eligible to lease. But council members weren’t quite ready to agree to the terms of an agreement offered by Cameron to lease the warehouse, which is known locally as the “white elephant.”
The agreement offered an up-fron, lump-sum payment of $15,000 for a one-year lease, or $1,250 per month. The town’s attorney, Peter Savoy, briefed the council on other terms of the agreement, including liability in case of fire or weather-related damage.
The concern with the agreement was brought up by Councilwoman Leisa Deshotel, who asked if the town would be liable if the warehouse was broken into and the contents were vandalized.
The agreement specified a weight limit for equipment or stored items in the warehouse. But Councilman Charles Reed asked how the town could verify whether the limit was exceeded, and how Cameron decided on the weight limit.
Mayor Ricky Fontenot said he had contacted other warehouse owners who have leased to Cameron and learned there have been no problems. But he suggested the council table the ordinance authorizing the lease to Cameron while Savoy researches the agreement. Also, the council decided to have the town’s engineer examine the foundation of the warehouse to determine what the weight limit should be.
In other business:
•CPA Michael Johnson briefed the council on the amended 2023 budget and the proposed 2014 budget. The council voted to approve the budgets, which will be the subject of a public hearing during the next meeting of the council, December 11, at 6 p.m. The council will then vote to adopt the amended and proposed budgets. Noting the 2013 budget showed a surplus, Mayor Fontenot said, “We continue to cut spending and keep expenses within our means.”
•The council approved the reappointment of Randy Young to the Mamou Fire Protection District No. 1 Board of Commissioners.
•The council also approved of personnel changes to the Mamou Police Department, recommended by Police Chief Greg Dupuis. The changes included moving three part-time employees to three open full-time positions and hiring a former police department employee to fill a fourth full-time opening.