Landmark & Heritage Meeting Minutes

MINUTES OF THE BRUSLY LANDMARK & HERITAGE COMMISSION
April 18, 2016

A meeting of the Brusly Landmark and Heritage Commission was held on Monday April 18, 2016, Brusly Town Hall, Brusly, Louisiana.

Chairman Rills called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. Commissioner Bourgeois led the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call determined the following officials present:

Commission Chairman:                           Jim Rills
Commission Members Present:             Billy Bourgeois, Shirley Jordan, Henry Soniat
Commission Members Absent:              Margaret Canella, Sara Grady, Rose Jackson,
Advisory Members Present:                    Brian Falcon
Advisory Members Absent:                     Kevin Durbin, Billy Hebert

Others present: Joanne Bourgeois

Commissioner Rose Jackson arrived immediately after roll call.

Upon motion of Commissioner Bourgeois; seconded by Commissioner Soniat, the minutes of the January 25, 2016, meeting were approved as written.

Landmark Plaque Applications:
Brusly Council Member Joanne Bourgeois presented a Landmark Plaque application for the structure which was formerly known as Morales Grocery located at 947 E. Main Street. The following narrative accompanied slides regarding the site:
In 1940, George Hebert bought a lot from Lynn Dupuy and built Hebert’s Cash Store. The building also included the Brusly Post Office until 1968, when a permanent building was constructed at the present location on East Main Street. George Hebert sold the store and property to Wilbert Morales, Sr. and Alton Hidalgo in 1960. Wilbert Morales later bought out Alton Hidalgo’s interest, and the store became Morales Cash Grocery. The property remained in the ownership of the children of Wilbert and Rome Dupuy Morales who leased the store to a tenant manager. The building was purchased by Kimberly & Kelvin Paul in 2015.
Advisory Member Brian Falcon stated that even though the building had been expanded it was still recognizable as the original and still retains the basic appearance to be designated a historic building.
Chairman Rills pointed out that the addition to the building was at least 50 years old in itself. After discussion, a motion to recommend the structure to the Town Council as a Landmark Plaque Recipient was made by Commissioner Bourgeois; seconded by Commissioner Jordan. The motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Bourgeois presented a second Landmark Plaque application for the home located at 332 E. Main Street owned by Leslie Purnell, Jr. Ms. Bourgeois explained that the house was originally owned by Warren Crockett and was built in 1945. The house suffered a serious fire in 2014 and is currently undergoing repairs. Commissioner Soniat pointed out that the entrance to the house originally located at the front has been changed to the side. After a brief discussion, a motion to motion to recommend the house to the Town Council as a Landmark Plaque Recipient was made by Commissioner Soniat; seconded by Commissioner Bourgeois. The motion passed unanimously.

Former Landmark Site Applications:
Brusly Council Member Joanne Bourgeois presented a Former Landmark Site application for 402 S. Kirkland Drive, the former site of the Bourgeois House/Physician’s Office, most recently known as the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Office. The following narrative accompanied slides regarding the site:
Located in front of the Babin Home is the site of a lost landmark along the River Road, the home of Dr. Eugene Bourgeois. Due to lack of maintenance and poor renovation from KV construction efforts by former owners, this historic home is no longer part of our community. Built in 1901, adjacent to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Dr. Bourgeois and his wife, Eva Sarradet Bourgeois resided here with their family. A native of St. James Parish, Dr. Bourgeois, who provided many valuable services to the community, was highly regarded by Town residents. He served as an Alderman upon the incorporation of the Village of Brusly Landing in 1901, later as Mayor; he also operated a printing press which he used to create funeral notices before the advent of telephone service and the wide availability of newspapers. In the early 1980s, the home was sold to the church by a Bourgeois family descendant. The home then served as the Church Office until 2007 when it was sold. New owners moved the home near the intersection of US Hwy 190, on Rougon Road, east of the Erwinville Community, and plan to restore it.
After the discussion, a motion to recommend 402 S. Kirkland Dr. to the Town Council as the Former Landmark Site of the Dr. Eugene & Eva Bourgeois Residence/Physician’s Office, was made by Commissioner Bourgeois; seconded by Commissioner Jackson. The motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Bourgeois presented the Former Landmark Site application for 438 N. Vaughan Street, the former site of Brusly’s first full service gas station. After some discussion, a motion to table the application until the wording could be discussed with Bill Beatty, the owner of the property, was made by Commissioner Rills; seconded by Commissioner Bourgeois. The motion passed unanimously.

A tentative date of August 21, 2016, was set for the next Plaque Presentation Ceremony.

Other Business:
Ms. Joanne Bourgeois gave a brief update on the progress of the “Welcome to Brusly” sign.
Ms. Bourgeois also reported that State of Louisiana Historical Markers for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and Union Baptist Church had been erected at each location. Council Member Bourgeois stated that a new State of Louisiana Historical Marker had been installed at the Back Brusly Oak Tree to replace the one damaged by bad weather in December.

Secretary Thibodaux reported that after reviewing the Town’s Ordinance governing the Landmark & Heritage Commission she discovered the following:
1. All voting members of the Commission must be reappointed every 5 years by the Mayor and Town Council.
2. All non-voting members of the Commission must be reappointed every 2 years by the Mayor and Town Council.
3. The Commission’s officers, Chair and Vice Chair, must be elected yearly by the board.
Ms. Thibodaux also reported that the office of Vice Chair for the Commission was currently not filled.
It was decided to have an election for Vice Chair at the next scheduled meeting of the Landmark & Heritage Commission.

Public Comment: None

A motion was made by Commissioner Bourgeois to adjourn; seconded by Commissioner Jordan. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Commission Chairman Rills adjourned the meeting at 7:19 P.M.

/s/Patricia Gaudet Thibodaux, Secretary