What's left of this condemned house in Zachary, located at 4545 Avenue F, will be torn down by Monday, Feb. 4. (PHOTO/Submitted)
Coghlan, a Republican, succeeds Francis Nezianya, an Independent, of District 1.
Coghlan was elected to the Zachary City Council for the first time in 2006 and re-elected without opposition in Oct. 2010.
A city councilman is elected Mayor Pro Tempore and acts as such during the absence of the actual mayor.
At the Jan. 8 City Council meeting, it was discovered that Mayor David Amrhein was overpaid about $3,000 when he announced he would not take his annual pay raise for 2013.
Due to an old city ordinance conflicting with the city's Home Rule Charter, which was revised in May 2010 and which changed the way elected officials are paid, the mayor's salary was incorrectly calculated, as was Police Chief David McDavid's.
The ordinance states that only the elected mayor and police chief are eligible for a two percent pay-raise annually plus half of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage each year.
However, the Home Rule Charter puts a ceiling on the elected officials raises at the CPI percentage.
The discrepancy was not noticed during the prior administration, therefore causing the mayor to be overpaid.
Conversely, interim Police Chief David Courtney and elected Police Chief David McDavid are owed money - about $400 each - due to the oversight.
"I've already paid taxes on this," Mayor Amrhein told the City Council.
Amrhein said he will repay the money by having his paycheck garnished each pay period until the $3,200 is paid back, which should take until the end of the year.
City Attorney John Hopewell said that council members are also eligible for a two percent annual pay raise plus half of any CPI increase in the cost of living, but the raises cannot exceed six percent per year, according to a 1987 ordinance.
Mayor Amrhein and council members agreed to have a new ordinance drafted that changes the way council members are compensated so that raises reflect CPI inflation.
Other agenda items included:
PLANNING & ZONING:
A site plan review was held for Zachary's new Business and Technology park which will be located off Hwy. 67 (Plank Road).
In addition, a public hearing was required for the first proposed lot of the park and its first tenant, ITT Procast, which has chosen to relocate from Flonacher Road.
"ITT Procast is looking to extend, expand and double its employee base," said Randy Bouley, with developer E.J. Cop.
Bouley said that after consulting with Economic Development Director Kate MacArthur, the park's site plans now contain multi-use, multi-purpose plots which are "much more attractive than the cookie cutter lots the previous plans showed."
Bouley said the Zachary business park has been contacted by several restaurants and is similar to Howell Place Business Park near the airport, which has recently partnered with Boutin's.
"We just want what's best for Zachary, I think this is something we can sell," said Bouley.
Zoning for the new biz and technology park is light industrial.
Public hearings for site plan reviews were also held for First South Farm Credit on Hwy. 964 and G360 at 9502 Main St., formerly The Massage Clinic.
WAIVERS: A request for a home occupational license renewal was granted to Aries Clothing Boutique owner Shamita Robins at 3614 Holly Street.
Aries was formally located in a the shopping center at 5810 Main St.
Robins said the clothing is now sold online.
CONDEMNATION: A condemned home at 4545 Ave. F, which was served for demolition, is expected to be torn down by Monday, Feb. 4.
The next meeting for the Zachary City Council will be held on Mardi Gras, Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m.
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