A millage rate of 8.590 that will result in ad valorum taxes of about $100,000 for the small city was passed unanimously by the Madisonville town council Wednesday night. The rate is based on assessed values of the homes in the town, said Mayor Peter Gitz.

The council approved a number of requests for fundraisers, including the reservation of the date of Oct. 23-24, 2010 for the Wooden Boat Festival which benefits the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum; use of the Community Center by the Fraternal Order of Police on Dec. 18, 2009; and use of the streets and the ball park on Pine Street by the Madisonville Junior High PTA for their fun run and fair March 20.

Tanya Leader of the St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission explained the plans and events for the first Dragon Boat races to be held in the area April 17, 2010. In addition to teams of 22 people for each boat, the event is anticipated to be a boon to local restaurants. The council approved the event, but would like concessions and refreshments to be sold by city non-profit groups instead of being brought in from outside corporations. Leader said that they will work with the city and event planners to do what they can to boost the city’s economy and tourism for the event.

Leader said they hope to get teams and competitors from all over the country because of the unique and new venue of south Louisiana. Promotional material will focus on “Dragon Boat Festival-Greater New Orleans International in Madisonville, Louisiana” because participants are more likely to relate to the location of New Orleans rather than Madisonville.

The event is hoping to attract 25 teams of 22 people each and the ornately decorated boats will be provided and reused by different teams.

For more information on how to enter a team, call the Tourist Commission or Mike Cambre at 687-9088.

The Madisonville Christmas parade will be held Dec. 5 and in conjunction with the event, trees along the riverfront will be lit. Decorations will include lighting the tree itself instead of the wrapping of trees because wrapping can not be used from year to year. The new decorations will save time in installation and money because of their durability and ongoing use from year to year.

Also on Wednesday:

• A new business, Orlando’s Seafood Restaurant LLC was granted a liquor license permit.

• A request by Thomas Drake to rezone property from A-residential to C-commercial was once again tabled until next month.

• It was announced that the bulkhead project, including some of the projects on Pine Street, will cost an estimated $300,000. No date has been set for beginning the project.

• It was announced that the next Madisonville Art Mart will be held in time for Christmas shopping on the riverfront Nov. 21.