By Pat Culverhouse

Sibley town council members voted unanimously Monday to amend an existing town ordinance and begin collecting a one-half cent sales tax on retail sales of digital products.

According to the new amendment, digital products are defined as any digital audiovisual works, audio works, books, codes, applications and games, periodicals and discussion forums “…and any other otherwise taxable tangible personal property transferred electronically, whether digitally delivered, streamed or accessed…”

Council members amended an ordinance passed in a special election of 2010 which approved the implementation on the one-half cent sales tax on “…certain properties, sales and assets within the town limits of Sibley.”

In a December, 2024 special session of the state legislature, municipalities in the state were given authorization to broaden taxation of digital products beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

Some items in the amended ordinance described as digital products are exempt from the tax. Among those exempted are telecommunications services, cable TV services, direct-to-home satellite or satellite digital audio radio services and video programming services.

Prior to passing the ordinance, council members convened a public hearing on the subject. No members of the public in attendance addressed the council.

In other action, council members set a public hearing for Monday, May 12 on another proposed ordinance amendment. This would address inspection fees charged by the town for sewer taps.

Sibley currently charges a $35 fee for inspections under the ordinance first  adopted in 1998. Consideration includes a study of similar fees charged by surrounding towns to determine if an increase is warranted.

Mayor Robert Smart told the council he would be meeting Tuesday with officials from the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) concerning the replace of a bridge inside the town limits on Hwy. 371 spanning railroad tracks.

“They want to reroute traffic through our neighborhoods and I’m not in favor of that,” Smart said. “These twenty-four foot long 18-wheelers cannot negotiate the curves on those streets and it would be a hazard for our people.”

Smart said DOTD had been talking about constructing a new road in the areas to handle the traffic, but it was an idea that did not have his support.

“I’ll express our reservations about their plans, but this is the state we’re dealing with and we’ll have to see what happens,” he said.

Smart also announced to council members that Sibley would play host to a Small Town Mayor’s Conference sometime in August or September.

“This conference brings small town mayors together for round table discussions on common problems and possible solutions,” he said. “We will have mayors from all across north Louisiana, and perhaps from other parts of the state as well.”

Smart said he had attended one conference in Alexandria where mayors mostly from towns in central Louisiana got together.

“These are usually a regional type of meeting, but they’re great places to find common ground,” he said. “We have many new mayors and it will be a very educational exchange.”

Expenses for the conference will be picked up by the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA), “…and it won’t be costing us anything. It’s all done through the LMA,” Smart said.

During Monday’s meeting, council members also:

• Discussed an audit report from the Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

• Heard reports from both the town’s police and fire departments.

• Reviewed the town’s monthly financial report.

• Discussed plans for a proposed budget workshop.