Evangeline Economic Development Authority public meetings in 2025

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority will meet to receive committee reports and an industry presentation. The agenda consists primarily of procedural items and standing reports.

• Industry presentation (TBD)
• Executive Committee Report
• Finance Committee Report
• Communications Committee Report

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority will hold its regular meeting on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the SoLAcc Ville Platte Campus Conference Room. The agenda is procedural and includes standard items such as invocation, approval of previous minutes, committee reports, and public comments.

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority approved the opening of a new account at Evangeline Bank and Trust Company to hold state funding. The board also accepted the previous meeting's minutes and discussed a funding application submitted to treasury appropriations.

• Approved opening a new account at Evangeline Bank and Trust Company (unanimous)
• Approved previous meeting minutes with correction (unanimous)
• Proposed Chairperson Opal Andrus sign MOU with Solacc for office space

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority is meeting to approve previous minutes, hear committee reports from Executive, Finance, and Communications committees, and discuss continuing and new business. An industry presentation is listed as TBD. The agenda is largely procedural with no specific action items or dollar amounts mentioned.

• Approval of previous meeting minutes
• Industry presentation (TBD)
• Executive Committee report by Secretary Liz Chatelain
• Finance Committee report by Eric Fontenot
• Communications Committee report by Maggie Eades

The board approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Members received reports on tax status and the DRA Grant application process. No other formal votes on new business were recorded.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The board will convene to approve previous meeting minutes, receive committee reports from the Executive, Finance, and Communications committees, and hear an industry presentation. Continuing business includes an update on a grant for Strategic Planning and a DRA application. The meeting is open to the public for comments.

• Industry presentation (TBD)
• Update on grant for Strategic Planning and DRA application
• Executive Committee Report by Liz Chatelain
• Finance Committee Report by Eric Fontenot
• Communications Committee Report by Maggie Eades

The board approved the previous meeting minutes. Members received updates on tax filings, logo design, and a state economic development workplan. No other substantive votes were recorded.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority is meeting to discuss updates on a grant for strategic planning and the structure of a DRA proposal, including data needs and submission timelines. The board will also hear reports from executive, finance, and communications committees, and follow up on an extended RFP deadline with CPAs.

• Update on grant for Strategic Planning and DRA proposal structure, data needs, and timelines for submission
• Finance Committee report: follow up with CPAs for extended RFP deadline
• Executive Committee report by Secretary Liz Chatelain
• Communications Committee report by Maggie Eades
• Approval of previous meeting minutes

The board approved a contract for tax filing services and tabled rebranding efforts pending grant funding. The board also noted a requirement from the Evangeline Parish Police Jury to collaborate with the Industrial Development Board on a solar project PILOT.

• Approved contract with Casey Ardoin of Kolder Slaven & Co. for annual tax returns
• Tabled rebranding and logo design until grant funding is confirmed
• Submitted DRA SPG application

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The authority will receive an industry presentation from Representative Rhonda Butler and reports from the executive, finance, and communications committees. Members will discuss a grant for strategic planning and the DRA proposal structure. The finance committee will provide an update on extending an RFP deadline with CPAs.

• Industry presentation by Representative Rhonda Butler
• Finance committee update on extended RFP deadline for CPAs
• Update on grant for Strategic Planning and DRA proposal structure

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The board approved the previous meeting's minutes and established a Grant Application Committee, chaired by Liz Chatelain, to assess the feasibility of a DRA proposal. Representative Rhonda Butler informed the board that the state legislature approved a funding expenditure to support the EEDA.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Established Grant Application Committee to assess DRA proposal feasibility

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The board will hold a public meeting to discuss committee reports, including a follow-up with CPAs for an extended RFP deadline, and an update on UL Strategic Planning and DRA proposal structure, data needs, and timelines for submission.

• Update on UL Strategic Planning and DRA proposal structure, data needs, and timelines for submission
• Follow up with CPAs for extended RFP deadline
• Industry presentation by Pastor Kevin Lalonde
• Approval of previous meeting minutes
• Public comments

The authority approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Members received updates on the organization's digital presence and 501(c)(3) status. No other substantive votes were recorded.

• Approved previous meeting minutes

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The board approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Members received reports on RFP drafts and strategic mission objectives, and noted that the AES solar project is on hold.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• AES solar project put on hold until further notice

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Parish Industrial Development Board will hear an industry presentation from Tojo Ward, receive committee reports, and discuss updates on solar projects and UL Strategic Planning. The meeting also includes a public comment period regarding New Turkey Creek Power Company.

• Industry presentation by Tojo Ward (Evangeline Parish IDB)
• Finance Committee follow-up with CPAs for extended RFP deadline
• Update from Police Jury on Solar Projects and mileage
• Update on UL Strategic Planning and DRA proposal structure, data needs, and timelines
• Public comments on New Turkey Creek Power Company

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The SoLaCC Board will consider a motion to extend the CPA RFP and vote on adopting bylaw amendments. The meeting also includes committee reports and public comments.

• Motion to extend CPA RFP
• Adoption of Bylaw Amendments
• Strategic Planning Update

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority approved amendments to its bylaws and extended the deadline for a CPA request for proposals. The board also received a $2,000 grant from the Evangeline Parish Police Jury.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Extended CPA RFP deadline by 60 days (unanimous)
• Approved bylaw amendments (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority will discuss adopting bylaw amendments and review a letter of support for the Ville Platte Fire Department. The meeting also includes an industry presentation from the Louisiana Workforce Commission and committee reports.

• Adoption of Bylaw Amendments
• Review Letter of Support for Ville Platte Fire Department
• Industry presentation by Deanna Toliver of Louisiana Workforce Commission
• Executive Committee Report by Vice Chair Liz Chatelain
• Finance Committee Report by Eric Fontenot

The board unanimously approved a letter of support for the Ville Platte Fire Department's FEMA infrastructure grant application for a $4,000,000 facility. The board also approved the previous meeting's minutes and tabled bylaw amendments until April.

• Approved letter of support for Ville Platte Fire Department FEMA grant (unanimous)
• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Tabled bylaw amendments until April (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Alliance (EEDA) will hear an industry presentation from Charm Industrial, receive committee reports on executive and finance matters, and discuss proposed changes to bylaws. The board will also consider establishing a monthly finance meeting schedule and obtaining quotes for accounting services.

• Industry presentation by Charm Industrial (Alison Kelman)
• Proposed changes to EEDA bylaws to be approved at next meeting
• Establishment of organizational checking account in accordance with bylaws
• Obtain quotes from accounting firms for general business CPA and annual audit
• Status update on Boards and Commissions website

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority approved the establishment of a checking account at Evangeline Bank. The board also authorized the Finance Committee to seek quotes for business and audit CPA services. A $500 donation from the Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau Federation was announced to assist with startup costs.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Approved utilizing Evangeline Bank for EEDA checking account (unanimous)
• Approved establishing checking account requiring dual signatures from Executive Committee members (unanimous)
• Approved Finance Committee solicitation of quotes for general business and annual audit CPAs (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority approved the Ville Platte Gazette as its paper of record. The board also established a Finance Committee and a communications committee to handle branding and public relations.

• Approved previous meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Approved Ville Platte Gazette as Paper of Record (unanimous)
• Approved Jason Fontenot and Eugune Burge to serve on Finance Committee (unanimous)
• Approved Maggie Eades as chair of the communications committee (unanimous)

Evangeline Economic Development Authority

The Evangeline Economic Development Authority will vote on creating an executive committee and a finance committee, and may form other committees as needed. The board will also select a paper of record and consider a meeting space rental agreement with SolAcc.

• Meeting space rental agreement with SolAcc for 2nd Thursday of each month at 5:30pm
• Determine a paper of record
• Establishment of executive committee (chair, vice chair, past chair, treasurer, secretary)
• Establishment of finance committee (chair, vice chair, treasurer, commissioner 1, commissioner 2)
• Motion to allow formation of other committees as needed