Town of Independence
Regular Meeting
December 9, 2025
5:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER.
Roll call was read by Town Clerk, Julie Peterson.
Present was Larry Cardaronella, Gaye Guzzardo, Eric Costa, Joe Galofaro and Mike
Muscarello. Quorum was present.
Prayer was led by Larry Cardaronella.
Pledge was led by Mike Polito.
Public Input: None.
A motion was made by Eric Costa, seconded by Joe Galofaro to approve the minutes
from the November 10, 2025 Regular Meeting. Voting to approve was as follows:
YEAS: Larry Cardaronella, Gaye Guzzardo, Eric Costa, Joe Galofaro, Mike Mus-
carello.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAINED: None.
Motion to approve minutes from November 10, 2025 Regular Meeting was passed
unanimously.
8. A motion was made by Eric Costa, seconded by Larry Cardaronella to adopt the
financial statements-budget to actual for the time period of July –
October 2025. Voting to approve was as follows:
YEAS: Larry Cardaronella, Gaye Guzzardo, Eric Costa, Joe Galofaro, Mike
Muscarello.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAINED: None.
Motion to adopt the financial statements – budget to actual for the time period of
July – October 2025 passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
None
NEW BUSINESS:
a. Mike Polito with the Independence Sicilian Heritage Festival was present to
request the approval of the lease and road closure for the 2026 Independence Sicilian
Heritage Festival and the annual Spaghetti Cookoff. The spaghetti cookoff will be held
on Saturday March 7th and the Festival will be held March 13th – March 15th 2026. A
motion was made by Eric Costa, seconded by Joe Galofaro to approve the lease and
road closure of East Railroad Ave on March 7th for the Spaghetti Cookoff and also from
March 13th – March 15th 2026 for the Sicilian Heritage Festival.
Voting was as follows:
YEAS: Larry Cardaronella, Gaye Guzzardo, Eric Costa, Joe Galofaro, Mike
Muscarello.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAINED: None.
Motion to approve lease and road closures for the Independence Sicilian Heritage
Festival and the Spaghetti Cook Off passed unanimously.
b. The board was presented with the 2026 Regular Meeting Schedule. A
motion was made by Eric Costa, seconded by Mike Muscarello to adopt the meeting
schedule listed below.
Voting was as follows:
YEAS: Larry Cardaronella, Gaye Guzzardo, Eric Costa, Joe Galofaro, Mike
Muscarello.
NAYS: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAINED: None.
Motion to approve 2026 Regular Meeting Schedule passed unanimously.
Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month unless otherwise
noted.
Meetings start at 5:30 pm unless otherwise noted.
January 13, 2026
February 10, 2026
March 10, 2026
April 14, 2026
May 12, 2026
June 9, 2026
July 14, 2026
August 11, 2026
September 8, 2026
October 13, 2026
November 10, 2026
December 8, 2026
c. The board was informed of an addressing issue that has been discovered due to
the combining two streets (West 4th Street and Hickory Street) into one street in 2018
which was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Street. There is also a dead-end part of
the road that was West 4th Street that is creating issues for 911 to properly map and
assign new addresses as property is being developed. After much discussion with the
Director of Operations of Tangipahoa 911 and several visits by Tangipahoa Parish 911
to measure and map the road, the best solution was determined to be was to rename
that dead-end portion of the road back to West 4th Street. Town Attorney Nicky Mus-
carello recommended that a new ordinance be introduced at the January Meeting that
addresses this issue.
REMARKS:
Mayor Pro-Tem Larry Cardaronella: Thanked Jeanette Patanella for her hard working
making the Christmas parade a success. Stated that he hoped everyone was able to
make it to the luncheon held on Friday, December 12th at the KC Hall.
Gaye Guzzardo: Stated that she thought the parade was awesome and wanted to
commend the maintenance department on how fast they got the streets cleaned back
up. She thanked Donielle Bickford for decorating City Hall and wished everyone a
Merry Christmas.
Mike Muscarello: None
Eric Costa: Stated that the Christmas parade was a success and he hoped to see
everyone at the luncheon Friday.
Joe Galofaro: None
Mayor Paine: Thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and hoped to see every-
one at the KC Hall on Friday.
Police: Absent.
Fire: Absent.
Jim Paine, Mayor Julie Peterson, Town Clerk
Cost of notice: $132.83