Special Meeting Minutes
Thursday, August 31, 2023 6:00 P.M.
Members In Attendance: Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Alderman Leola Keys Alderman Wysinger Cleveland
The Town of Richwood met for a Special Meeting held , August 31, 2023 at 6:00 P.M. at the Richwood Multi-Purpose Center, 2710 Martin Luther King Drive, Richwood, Louisiana to consider the following business:
I. Meeting Called to Order @ 6:00 P.M.
II. Prayer
III. Pledge of Allegiance in unison
IV. Roll Call : The record shall reflect (3) Aldermen present at time of roll call.
Absent: Alderman Simeon Profit Alderman Janice Fleming
V. Adoption of the Agenda:
It was motioned by Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. and seconded by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland to adopt the agenda .
* The record shall reflect a vote was taken to Adopt the agenda with the following results:
(3) Yes Votes to Adopt the Agenda.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes
VI. Update on Forensic Audit information:
Mayor Gerald Brown- advised the Board the contract was updated in terms of the information we needed to change; with my name being reflected as opposed to the Town of Richwood, that information was adjusted on the contract, Mr. Nolan did review that, so that contract has been signed and sent to Digital Forensics along with their payment of $5,000 , I was advised today they did receive that check, so they have received funding for that. The questionnaire they sent to me has been filled out, so I have been advised by them they want to have what is called a case strategy call; what I advised them that I felt it would be appropriate to have Myself, Ms. Woods, Ms. Sims, Mr. Reed ,and Mrs. Keys on that call, so they are wanting to know is when in fact you would like to have that call?
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- addressed the forum and said, Mayor Brown and the rest of these folks, we passed this ordinance and made it clear Ms. Keys, Reed was going to be involved in the whole process of this thang, and the questionnaire sent off , going to have to do this all over again had to be done again, and Ms. Keys and Mr. Reed need to fill out a questionnaire, it was stated in the minutes, along with the ordinance.
** There was some discussion as to the of the inclusion of the Board in the process.
Mayor Gerald – stated, in a case strategy call they would be able to say whatever they wish to say.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- no, we not gonna worry about it, I would like to see the questionnaire you sent off because in the minutes it was stated in the minutes along with the ordinance.
Mayor Gerald Brown- no, it doesn t say anything about a questionnaire, because I don t think any of us knew a questionnaire was going to come out, it was also stated that the three of us would be on a conference call to discuss the 2 proposals, that never happened.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- that was before.
Mayor Gerald Brown- No, that was before that, when I asked Mr. Reed when did he and Mrs. Keys would like to meet, and you let me know the contract was already on the way, Is that correct, am I telling the truth Mr. Reed?
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. but anyway, last week we asked for a meeting and could not have one.
Mayor Gerald Brown last week?
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. last week, we asked for a meeting, and we were told we couldn t have one because there were renovations going on to the building.
Mayor Gerald Brown- which we had told you about the week before.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. but you didn t say we couldn t have a meeting where we could discuss the proposal, we could have had in this area, any area out of the way. The reason for the meeting was so we could stay abreast of what is going on, we didn t have it so that s why we are here today. My understanding is we did pass an ordinance to have this forensic, and additionally the Board stipulated that at least two Aldermen be involved in the process so we could work together the Board and the Mayor.
Mayor Gerald Brown it was stated in the contract.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr.- stated, no in the process, I stated that myself. You excluded us on the questionnaire, now you are telling us now you guys can do it later in a case strategy.
Mayor Gerald Brown- stated, that s what Digital Forensics told me, I asked them did multiple questionnaires needed to be sent out, they said No; they said all the other prospectives could be caught up on the case strategy.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. we were under the impression that you were going to work with us.
Mayor Gerald Brown- so was I, until you guys went off and did the contract without me I understood that wasn t happening.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. we didn t do no contract, sign no contract.
Mayor Gerald Brown- responded, you had it sent to me, we were supposed to sit down and talk to them about the two separate proposals we had, I asked you, I sent you an email When would you and Mrs. Keys like to sit down with talk to Digital Forensics and talk about those proposals? you said it is my understanding a contract is on its way in the mail to you. That means you had spoken to them about something because you knew what was coming.
* For the Record: Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. okay, you came up with a proposal, I came up with a proposal, for the record that date was 6/14, 6/14/ 23.
Mayor Gerald Brown- I thought we were supposed to speak with the forensic auditor.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. stated, 6/14
Mayor Gerald Brown- responded, You keep harping on that, but let s go back to when the two proposals were supposed to be discussed, that conversation, that conference call was supposed to be between you, myself, Mrs. Keys, and Digital Forensics.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr.- we didn t have no conference call.
Mayor Gerald Brown- responded, it never happened, and that is what the Board said you were supposed to do.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – we were going to meet with you the first time you said that, and you said take my name off, you said that, go back and make some corrections
Mayor Gerald Brown- this was after that, this is after, this is when we got the contract.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. what we talking about now is we wanted to have input in the questionnaire.
Mayor Gerald Brown- inquired, would you like them to send you a questionnaire?
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr.- no, what I would like is for us to sit down and do it together.
Mayor Gerald Brown- we didn t start the process out doing it together, the contract was done without my knowledge, without me having any information or input on it , I just got sent a contract with my name on it, which was not supposed to happen, we were supposed to sit down and discuss two proposals, we never even talked about a contract. We talked about two different proposals that we had, and that we were supposed to sit down and discuss why we had two different proposals, that conversation never happened, someone went ahead and had a contract drawn up and advised Digital Forensics to send a contract.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. that was part of the proposal
Mayor Gerald Brown- so why did they do it if nobody told them to do it? We already had the proposals, you had a proposal, I had a proposal but no contracts, so it couldn t have been part of the proposal. When I reached out to you and said, hey when can you and Mrs. Keys get on a conference call and talk with Digital Forensics about these two proposals? You said, it s my understanding that information is already on its way to you.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. that s right.
Mayor Gerald Brown- I never got it , No I didn t get it until I reached out to you again and I said, where is it, where it s at ? You reached out to them again, and then I received something to docu-sign, I get a contract that I m supposed to start signing, we never even talked about proposals.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. – at this point we talking about the questionnaire.
Mayor Gerald Brown- We never discussed the questionnaire #1, and #2 I asked Digital Forensics if multiple questionnaires needed to be sent out they said no, as long as you fill out the questionnaire everyone else s prospective can be drawn from when we have our conference.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- the whole process need to be started again, and Mrs. Keys and Alderman Reed going to be with this questionnaire. It needs to be done again; like you took upon yourself to take everything out of the office and closed the office down, and when we call
Mayor Gerald Brown- inquired, you accusing me of closing the office , when we told you it was going to be closed? We told you we were going to be renovating , we told you that. ( Mayor excused himself from forum)
For the Record:
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. stated for the record, As it concerns the update, the meeting has not been officially adjourned, we can continue discuss the business as it relates to the questionnaire and the ordinance.
For the Record: the Mayor walked out of the meeting while we are trying to discuss this Forensic Audit. The Mayor could have called us and said I received this questionnaire, he said he did it because we did something two wrongs don t make a right.
For the Record: this questionnaire the Mayor filled out there are some issues I would like to have some input on and for the record I would like to do that and for the record that should have happened before.
Alderman Leola Keys- are we entertaining this, this Forensic questionnaire from case # 5535 my question is where did this come from.? My question is since I am on the committee I feel I should have seen this.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- stated, on the record also Ms. Woods, you or Ms. Sims cannot be on the introduction process, because you work in the administration with different people it is a conflict of interest, cause this forensic introduction process should be Mrs. Keys, Mayor and Mr. Reed.
Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. there s a matter of question as to who would be involved in this strategic planning of this forensic audit, to my understanding the Mayor said it himself it was in fact an audit, forensic audit. The main reason from my understanding the Board wanted to do this was to prevent waste and detect any fraud that may have happened, that may have occurred. We didn t say some did occur, we just want to make certain none have occurred over the last couple of years, I think the last time we were here I indicated there had been some discrepancies; we are not making claims or anything that anybody has done something wrong, we are simply saying, we want this forensic done because it will insure us that nothing has been done over the last couple of years. Also, it is in fact an investigative audit, there are a couple of people the Mayor is wanting on this committee, he wants involved in the strategic planning and for example I will just use the Clerk and Fiscal Officer, he wants those people involved in the strategic planning of this investigation, however their work is some of the work that is going to be looked at or investigated, so why would you put them on the planning committee, that doesn t sit well with me the Mayor has on this questionnaire the Mayor has submitted; so that is one of the changes I am suggesting we immediately make, there were some others but since he has taken upon himself to leave prior to that we will just have to do it another time. We have asked the mayor to let 2 people work with us, but he didn t do it .
Alderman / Mayor Pro Tempore Wilbert Reed Jr. stated someone needs to do some kind of motion to do this. Since the Mayor has already submitted his, we can do a supplemental from my understanding, supplemental in addition to what he has input, the Board s input as to what they would like to see in the strategic planning. It would have to be done in the form of a motion for the Board to submit a supplemental questionnaire Case # 553510.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland- are you making a motion?
Mayor Pro Tempore Wilbert Reed Jr. – No the chair cannot make a motion
It was motioned by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland and seconded by Alderman Leola Keys that a supplemental questionnaire be sent to Digital forensics with the input the two alderpersons are assigned on this case with the Mayor their input be sent in, in addition to what was originally sent in.
* The record shall reflect a vote was taken to submit a supplemental questionnaire from the two Aldermen assigned to work with the Mayor on the forensic audit with the following results: (3) Votes Yes
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes
Mayor Pro Temp / Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes
It was motioned by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland and seconded by Alderman Leola Keys and the supplemental questionnaire be submitted within the next 24 hours.
The Town Clerk asked for clarification as to what the 24 hours referred? If the Aldermen would be coming tomorrow to the office to submit the questionnaire. Were they saying that the Mayor, Alderman Keys, and Alderman Reed would be coming on site tomorrow to meet to send in a supplemental questionnaire.
It was motioned by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland and seconded by Alderman Leola Keys that Mayor Temp Reed and Mrs. Keys meet with the Mayor at the Town hall the next day, Friday September 1 to complete the questionnaire along with the supplemental questionnaire to be sent to Digital Forensics.
* The record shall reflect a vote was taken with the following results: (3) Votes yes to meet at town hall with the Mayor to send the supplemental questionnaire.
Alderman Wysinger Cleveland Yes Alderman Leola Keys Yes
Mayor Pro Temp/ Alderman Wilbert Reed Jr. Yes
VII. Adjournment: It was motioned by Alderman Wysinger Cleveland and seconded by Alderman Leola Keys to adjourn @ 6:36 p.m.
