City Council meets in Chamber for first time since 2020

Meetings held in Spitzfaden Center for over a year due to COVID-19 Pandemic and renovations

MANDEVILLE — The City Council met in the Council Chamber at Mandeville City Hall tonight for the first time in over a year, marking the occasion with an uneventfully short meeting.

Council Chairman and Councilman at Large Jason Zuckerman has pushed for the return to the Chamber since he was installed as council chairman last July.

The old bulky courtroom-style desk has been been replaced with tables, creating more room, and the carpeting has been upgraded.

“I was disappointed when the Council meetings were relocated out of City Hall in the first place and have been pushing to move back into Council Chamber for some time. It took some doing but we got it done and I’m really glad to have the Council meetings back in an appropriate setting,” Zuckerman said.

The City Council started meeting regularly in the Paul R. Spitzfaden Community Center across the street from City Hall in March 2021, once in-person meetings were deemed safe again after a number of video-conference meetings during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prior to tonight, the last time the City Council met in Chamber was November 19, 2020.

Zuckerman said a new, larger and more modern Council Chamber is being designed to replace the existing one.

In other business at tonight’s meeting:

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Adoption of Ordinance No. 22-01; AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 21-20, THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE AND FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (Councilman Zuckerman, At-Large) This is for additional expenses from Hurricane Ida
   
   Adopted, 5-0.
   

NEW BUSINESS

1. Approval of the special event application for the Mande-Gras Parade Tailgate party on Friday, February 18, 2022, starting at 6:30 pm located at The Shops at 1200 West Causeway. Tailgate will feature a musical performance by Jenna Hunt, free face painting, games to play & 2 food truck vendors. (Councilman Kreller, District II)
   
   Approved, 5-0.
   
   
   
2. Introduction of Ordinance 22-02; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE TO AMEND THE PAY SCALE RELATIVE TO COMPENSATION PLAN OF THE MUNICIPAL POLICE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (Councilman Danielson, At-Large)
   
   Introduced for Feb. 10, 2022 meeting.
   
   
   
3. Introduction of Ordinance 22-03; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE TO AMEND THE PERSONNEL POLICIES RELATIVE TO THE PAY SCALE OF THE NON-POLICE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE AND TO AMEND THE SALARY OF THE COUNCIL CLERK AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER RELATED MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (Councilman Danielson, At-Large)
   
   See related story: City Council to consider $23K raise for council clerk
   
   Introduced for Feb. 10, 2022 meeting.
   
   
   
4. Introduction of Ordinance 22-04; AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 21-20 THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE AND FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (Councilman Zuckerman, At-Large)
   
   Introduced for Feb. 10, 2022 meeting.
   
   

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