[00:00:03]
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER
[CALL TO ORDER]
OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.AND ON BEHALF OF OUR 12 COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ARE HAPPY THROUGH.
YOU'RE WATCHING OUR BROADCAST ON COX CABLE ON, AT AND T ON OUR STREAMING CITY WEBSITE, ALSO ON FACEBOOK LIVE AND THAT'S IN HIGH DEFINITION WORLDWIDE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT YOU'RE WATCHING.
WE ARE IN LOUISIANA'S CAPITOL CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
WE'RE ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
IT'S THE HOME OF THE TALLEST STATE CAPITOL IN THE US, THE HOME OF THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAGUARS IN THE LSU FIGHTING TIGERS STANDING BY AS OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURER, ASHLEY, BACK WITH ROLL CALL.
PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, COUNCILMAN LEMONT, COLE, COUNCILMAN.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH DENNIS MCCAIN AT AT THIS TIME, I LIKE TO CALL OUR COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A FORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
WE WILL BE LED TODAY, UH, IN AN INVOCATION BY TRAVIS MCALLEN, CHAPLAIN OF THE BATTERY'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND HE WILL ALSO LEAD US AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, CHAPLAIN, MCCAULEY.
I'D LIKE TO START BY EXTENDING OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO MASTER TROOPER ADAM, GO BEAR AND HIS FAMILY DURING THIS TRAGIC TIME OF LOSS, WHERE THEY FIND PEACE AND COMFORT IN OUR LORD, GOD, OUR GRACIOUS FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS DAY, WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN US.
WE INVITE YOUR PRESENCE INTO THIS MEETING.
WE ASKED FOR WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT UPON THIS COUNCIL BODY.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL TO GOVERN AND SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
MAY THE BUSINESS CONDUCTED HERE TODAY, IT'D BE DONE IN A WAY THAT NOT ONLY HONORS THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT CITY, BUT FIRST HONORS YOU LORD AND FATHER, AS WE HONOR AND EXALT YOUR GREAT NAME.
MAY YOU ALLOW OUR CITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR GREAT NATION TO HEAL AND PROSPER.
HEY MAN, YOU WANT ME TO PLAY DITCH? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL BECKY CHAPLAIN, MCCAULEY.
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AT HOME.
AND THOSE OF YOU ARE HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY OF US ARE WEARING PINK TODAY IN HONOR OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
AND SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE LOST A FAMILY MEMBER OR A LOVED ONE TO BREAST CANCER, UH, WE OFFER OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE SURVIVED, WE CELEBRATE YOU TODAY.
THIS IS JUST OUR WAY OF SAYING YOU DESERVE TO BE CELEBRATED.
SO FOR ALL OF THOSE, UH, CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY PARIS, YOU WORKED FOR THE CITY PARIS ANYWHERE.
AND I WAS CITY PARIS WHO HAVE SURVIVED BREAST CANCER.
WE LIKE TO CELEBRATE YOU AND JUST TELL US IF EVERYBODY ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR CELEBRATES YOU TODAY,
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM ONE APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2021, AND THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF OCTOBER 5TH, 2021 BY THE COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATOR AND TREASURER.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE EXCEPT A MINUTES.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
ASHLEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ INTRODUCTIONS SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS.NUMBER TWO, CONSIDERING THE I TAP APPLICATION FROM INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2021 BY THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURE, NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERING THE
NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZED IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH ACTION AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT BY THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT, BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.
NUMBER FIVE, AMEND THE 2021 PAY PLAN FOR THE CAT CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED CONTRACT FIRE AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH SHOULD BE SPAT NERS.
SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 6TH, 2021 TRAINED RETIRED ADMINISTRATOR FROM PAY GRADE 2322 PAY GRADE 2340 BY RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
NUMBER 6:00 AM IN THE 2021 ALLOTMENT
[00:05:01]
OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF BATON ROUGE.SO AS TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF THE RETIREMENT BOARD, ADD ONE RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR BY RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES, DIRECTOR NUMBER SEVEN, ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING AD VALOREM TAX MILLAGE RATES WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF THE FOLLOWING TAXING JURISDICTIONS ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY, EXCEPT THAT THE MILLAGE RATE FOR THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT SHALL BE LEVIED ON REAL PROPERTY ONLY TO BE LEVIED DURING THE YEAR 2022 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OPERATING TAX 3.15 MILS CITY OF BATON ROUGE OPERATING TAX 5.75 MILS CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX 0.87 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, AND RODENT CONTROL DISTRICT 1.06 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE, PARIS MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, AND RODENT CONTROL CONTROL DISTRICT ADDITIONAL 0.65 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH LIBRARY, 10.52 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE COUNCIL ON AGING, 2.13 MILS MENTAL MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES.
1.4, TWO MILLS, UM, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, 3.13 MILLS BATON ROUGE, MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
6.0 MILLS CONSOLIDATED ROAD LIGHTING DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, 1.85 MILLS, ALISON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE, 10 MILLS, ALISON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE, ADDITIONAL FIVE MILLS BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, 10 MILLS BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FIVE MILLS BROWNSVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL 10 MILLS BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL 10 MILLS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 10 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER ONE NINE MILLS PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT, 10 MILLS PROD FIRE PROTECTION, DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT, ADDITIONAL 15 MILS CHERRYVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, 10 MILLS CHERRYVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL 10 MILLS BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
NUMBER EIGHT AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DIRECTOR TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE A GRANT APPLICATION FROM THE LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE PARKS ACTING AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OF THE F W H A RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $85,000 BY THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
NUMBER NINE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT APPROPRIATE AND ALLOCATE A SECOND ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDING FROM THE U S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THERE WITH TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 5,957,000 777, 70 $5 AND 44 CENTS BY THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
NUMBER 10, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT FROM AA RP IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 TO THE ARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE GRANT BY THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DISTRICT DIRECTOR, NUMBER 11, AMENDING THE 2021 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $73,110,127 OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT TO PROVIDE FUNDING AS DESCRIBED IN THE REQUEST FOR THE BUDGET SUPPLEMENT BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT NUMBER 12, AUTHORIZING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE A LOT 42 AND 43 SQUARE 21 FORTUNATE ADDITION SUBDIVISION MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 5 0 4 4 STERN STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF THE SAME PURSUANT TO A RECENT REVISED STATUTE, 33, COLON 47, 12 AT SEC TWO NORTH TORONTO HUDSON FOR THE SUM OF $21,000 AND AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PURCHASE AGREEMENT, CASH SALE, CLOSING DOCUMENTS IN ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE SALE, BUT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO PREPARE REVIEW AND OR APPROVE SUCH DOCUMENTATION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 13, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT, SORRY, AUTHORIZING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE A LOT 22 SQUARE FIVE DELMONT PLACE SUBDIVISION MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 49 55 LONGFELLOW DRIVE BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE IN AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF THE SAME PURSUANT TO LORI LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33, COLON 47, 12 AT SAC UNDER TIMOTHY D. WILLIAMS FOR THE SUM OF $13,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PURCHASE AGREEMENT, CASH SALE, CLOSING DOCUMENTS AND ANY, AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS AND FURTHER INTO THE SALE WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO PREPARE, REVIEW AND OR APPROVE ALL SUCH DOCUMENTATION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS, NUMBER 14, PILGRIM REST BACK DISCHARGE 1 9 6 1 0 BARRETT CUTOFF ROAD DISTRICT ONE, KNOLL NUMBER 15, STEVEN BECKAM AND LANA WILLIAMS, 4 7 2 7 4 9 TANNER STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 16, THE ESTATE OF ALBERT CARTER AND THE STATE OF HARRIET CARTER.
2 0 0 5 FEAR CHILD STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER 17, RICHARD DUDLEY SMITH CHAINED JANE REED AND THEODORE MELISSA 1 6 5 1 1 VERMILION DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR, MOAT NUMBER 18, OZZIE CUNNINGHAM AND THE ESTATE OF ESTELLE CUNNINGHAM 2 0 3 8 PLANK ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE NUMBER
[00:10:01]
19.AND THE ESTATE OF ELLA DAVIS, VALERIE 2 9 4 6 WASHINGTON AVENUE, CAPITAL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 20 RRC RC INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC.
2 42 5 RHODODENDRON AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 21, ETHEL DENISE JOHNSON GREER 4 4 0 2 CLAYTON STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE NUMBER 22, HAROLD JAMES MITCHELL JR.
9 69 COLUMBUS DON DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE NUMBER 23, DARRYL WAYNE WHEELER 9 7 0 COLUMBUS DUNN DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE NUMBER 24, ANDY BE RIGHT, ONE TO FOUR NORTH 25TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 25, ESTELLE STOOP STEWART SIMMONS 2 0 8 5 GODSHAW STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26 ELARA D FERNANDA, UH, J FERNANDEZ 2 41 TILDEN STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 27 LA PROPERTY KING LLC, 1 9 1 3 HIGHLAND ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
ALL ITEMS ARE READING HAVE BEEN READ EMOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AND AMENDING ITEM 47 TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO ALSO ACCEPT THE GRANT IS AN ORDER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY MOPE, BACK IN ABOUT HUDSON? ALL ITEMS REQUIRE READING UP FOR INTRODUCTION, HAVE BEEN READ COUNCIL
[CONDEMNATIONS]
MEMBERS.IF YOU WOULD REFER TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS, A FIRST READ THE DPD RECORD DPW RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 48 49, 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57, 58, 59, 60 61 62 63 64 65 AND 66.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HAVE SOME CHANGES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ARE THERE ANYONE NEEDING TO MAKE CHANGES ON THE FULL COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? UM, ITEM 62 30 DAYS, ITEM 63, A DUMPSTER AND 30 DAYS, UH, AND ITEM 60 FOR 30 DAYS.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS ITEM 65, 30 DAYS.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? LET ME READ THE CHANGES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DID GIVE YOU A LIST, BUT I'M 54 ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM CONDEMNATION.
54 IS GOING TO BE DELETED 54 DELETED AND 53 IS SOMEWHAT TIME.
SO THE CHANGES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 50 50, 1 52 57, 58, 59 AND 66 DEFER FOR 30 DAYS ITEMS 55, 56 62 63 64 AND 65 DIFFER FOR 60 DAYS ITEMS, 53 AND 61 DIFFER FOR 90 DAYS ITEMS 48, 49 AND 60.
AND TO DELETE ITEM 50 FOR ANYONE ELSE FOR CONDEMNATION.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND STATED TERM ITS MOTION TO APPROVE BY AMOROSA SECONDED BY, UH, ADAMS.
[67. 21-01264]
NOW COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL PROCEED TO ITEM 67, ITEM 67 RESENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT.THE COUNCIL, THE DECISION TO ORDER RECORDED ON JUNE 25TH, 2021, THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS FRED H REST.
THE THIRD ON YOUR GINA HYDE ARRESTS, 1 37 4 BUCKLEY AVENUE HOUSE IN REAL SHIT.
THE OWNER HAS AGREED TO MAKE HER PAY IT ON HOME BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M ALSO ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 67.
WE TURNED TO COUNSEL MY MIND MOROSE MS. AMOROSA.
SO MOVE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. THEY GO TO ITEM
[68. 21-01275]
68 AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR.PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSIONER SHOULD AT LEAST AGREEMENT WITH NEW LIFE BAIL BOND INCORPORATED FOR A BAIL BOND OPERATION LOCATED GENERALIZED AND SMITH DRIVE FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS, A ONE FIVE-YEAR MUTUAL OFTEN TO RENEW AT A RENTAL RATE OF $2,510 AND 91 CENTS PER MONTH OR 30,103 $31 PER YEAR AS FOLLOWS BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ITEM 68, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 68 COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR.
EVERYONE'S BEING SO QUIET AND SO NICE.
[00:15:01]
GET MY EMAIL STAIRWAY? NO MA'AM OKAY.SO I'M A LONG TIME, A LONG PROBLEM WITH THE BAIL BOND CONTRACTS.
ARE THESE THE ONES THAT ARE OPERATED IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS FROM EASTBOUND, WHICH PAIRS PRISON? UH, THEY'RE ADJACENT TO THE PARKING LOT? UH, YES, MA'AM IT'S UH, THREE, UH, MOBILE OR PORTABLE BUILDING.
SO IS ADJACENT TO SAME THING AS ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE, I GUESS THE EXIT TO THE, TO THE PRISON.
BECAUSE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THESE IS BEAUTIFICATION, IF YOU WILL.
AND, UM, LIKE THE PARKING LOT IS HORRIBLE.
UH, IT REALLY DOES NEED PAVING.
UM, THEY NEED THEIR OWN, THEIR DESIGNATED NATIVE PARKING.
THERE'S ALWAYS A PROBLEM IN TRYING TO, UH, PARK BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT IS NOT IN USE.
OUR PEOPLE EITHER HAVE TO COMPETE WITH THOSE THAT ARE VISITING PARISH PRISON.
AND SO WHAT I WAS WONDERING IS, I MEAN, AND I'VE, I LITERALLY BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION FOR 20 YEARS WHEN I WAS A POWER PROTECTION INVESTIGATOR.
UM, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD BE MADE BETTER? UH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WE COULD LOOK AT DOING SOME LANDSCAPING OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT REALLY MORE THOUGH.
THE, I GUESS THEY COULDN'T HAVE A, WHAT THEY CALL IT, THE LOOSE ROCK GRAVEL, LIKE IT'S ALL GRAVEL.
AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THERE'S THE THREE PORTABLE BUILDINGS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? BECAUSE EACH OF THEM HAVE LIKE TWO PARKING SPACES IN FRONT OF THEM.
THERE'S ANOTHER PARKING LOT NEXT DOOR.
THAT'S NOT ON AIRPORT PROPERTY.
THAT'S ALSO, I BELIEVE GRAVEL.
UM, AND SO THIS IS LIKE IF YOU GONE TO PARISH PRISON AND THEY HAD AN ENTRANCE WHERE YOU HAVE TO SIGN IN, THIS IS PROCESS, RIGHT.
SO THAT PARKING LOT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THESE LEASES.
ARE THEY RIGHT CLOSE TO IT? COULD, THEY ARE OF, IT'S LIKE A GRASS KIND OF STRIP, UM, THAT SEPARATES THAT LOT FROM THESE, UH, THREE, UH, THESE THREE LOTS, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME, BUT I JUST ASSUMED THEY WERE ALL PART OF, I DIDN'T KNOW.
BUT ANYWAY, SO DO YOU, SO YOU DON'T OWN THAT OTHER PART? IT'S A, IT'S AN AIRPORT, SO I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT TRY TO GET THE AIRPORT.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT TACKLED THE PEARS PRISON PART, BUT, UM, I WOULD JUST WONDERING, I DON'T KNOW IF I ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS CONTRACT ARE OF ANOTHER, BUT IT REALLY IS A PROBLEM WHEN, UM, BECAUSE, UH, WITH THE, THE GRAVEL AND DESIGNATED PARKING, CAUSE I THINK PEOPLE PARK WHEREVER, THEY COULD FIND A PARKING LOT, WHETHER THEY'RE VISITING PARISH PRISON OR DOING BAIL BOND.
BUT I DO KNOW CHAMA AND I DON'T KNOW THE, UH, AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THERE IS, BUT I KNOW YOU SAY THERE ARE TWO PARKING SPACES.
UM, YEAH, EACH, EACH BUILDING HAS APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE SPACES.
THE LOTS ARE, THE SPACES ARE GRAVEL BASES.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THEY ARE PORTABLE BUILDINGS.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I DO THINK, I THINK IT IS KIND OF PROBLEM.
WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO AS THE LANDLORD TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SCREWS THINGS UP.
NOT LIKE PLANT TREES, NOTHING LIKE THAT, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT THE, I REALLY WOULD LOVE IT TO BE PAID, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT BUDGET IN THAT.
69 HAS BEEN MOTION TO APPROVE BY DONE SECONDARY BY COLEMAN.
WAS THERE ANY OPPOSITION 69 PASSES? WE GO NOW ON ITEM 70 AUTHORIZATION FOR MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO SUBMIT THAT WAS 68.
[69. 21-01276]
EXCUSE ME.WE GO TO 69 NOW AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION EXECUTED LEASE AGREEMENT WITH AA BAIL SERVICES INCORPORATED.
MY BUSINESS HAS BILL ONE FOR A BAIL BOND OPERATION LOCATED ON GENERAL ISAAC SMITH DRIVE FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS WITH ONE FIVE YEAR MUTUAL OPTION TO RENEW AT A RENTAL OF $5,310 AND 91 CENTS PER MONTH OR $63,731 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 69 BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY DONE SECONDED BY COLEMAN.
[70. 21-01277 ]
NOW GO TO ITEM 70 AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH 2023 FOR THE NORTH GENERAL AVIATION DEVELOPMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.[00:20:01]
ON ITEM 70 MOTION TO DELETE? THERE'S A MOTION TO DELETE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE SECONDED BY THE CHAIRS.ANYONE IN OPPOSITION OF DELETING THIS ITEM ITEM 70 HAS BEEN DELETED ITEM
[71. 21-01278]
71 AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO FORMALLY REQUEST THE LOUISIANA DOTD DIVISION OF AVIATION TO PROVIDE FUNDS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BANDWIDTH METROPOLITAN AIRPORT TO PROVIDE FOR A $20,000 LOCAL CONTRIBUTION BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 71, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK TO ITEM 71, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY DONE, SECONDED BY ANYONE, ANYONE SECONDARY BY COLEMAN.
WHEN WE GO NOW, ANY OPPOSITION,
[72. 21-01279]
WE GO NOW TO ITEM 72, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE A GRANT AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE CITY CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WHERE THE 20 21 22 DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THE BATON WAS PARIS SCHOOLS.THE AMOUNT OF $72,612 BY THE CONSTABLE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 72? WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
[73. 21-01301]
WE GO NOW TO ITEM 73, A MENTAL TIDING TITLE, TWO STREETS, ALLEYS, SIDEWALKS, BACHELORS, AND SEWERS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE.SO AS TO ADD CHAPTER 10 EXCAVATIONS REGARDING THE INSTALLATION OF CONDUIT DOOR, EXCAVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER RELATED MATTERS BY DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 73, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 73, PROBABLY GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, A MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAMS. I SEE MR. RAMP SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS? CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, UNDERSTAND ANY OF WHAT I JUST READ? YES, SIR.
SO, UM, THIS ITEM BASICALLY AMENDS THE ORDINANCE, THE, UH, LISTED ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE A DIG ONCE PROVISION.
SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZE A STRATEGIC STRATEGIC FIBER STUDY TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE WE AS A PARISH WAS MOST LACKING IN BROADBAND.
SO THIS IS EVEN BEFORE COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND THE BROADBAND ISSUES THAT IT UNCOVERED.
WE WERE VERY AWARE THAT, UH, BROADBAND EXPANSION WAS NEEDED IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE PARISH.
THE STUDY WAS PERFORMED BY ONE OF THE INDUSTRY LEADERS IN BROADBAND CONSULTING, CTC TECHNOLOGIES, AND THEY PROVIDED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY PARISH TO CONSIDER CANDIDLY, THERE WERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND FIBER TO THE HOME, WHICH WAS NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE FOR CITY PARISH, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT WE WERE JUST COMING OFF OF, OR WE WERE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE 2016 FLOODS.
HOWEVER, OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE ADJUSTING THE WAY THE LIBRARY USES THE RATE OF FUNDING AND THE STIG ONCE ORDINANCE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO DIG WANTS BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE WANT TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'RE DIGGING UP THE, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAY THE VARIOUS RIGHT AWAY.
SO ANY TIMES OUR ROADS DRAINAGE OR SEWER CREWS OR OUT DOING CONSTRUCTION, OR WE WANT TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND INTENTIONAL IN, UH, COORDINATING EFFORTS WITH THE, UM, PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, AND IN THAT WE HOPE TO EXPAND, UM, BROADBAND ACCESS AS WELL.
SO THE MOST EXPENSIVE ASPECT OF BROADBAND EXPENSE EXPANSION IS DIGGING UP THE GROUND AND PUTTING THE FIBER INTO THE GROUND.
SO BY COORDINATE COORDINATING EFFORTS, WE'RE HOPING THE PROVIDERS WILL, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAY AS WE HAVE IT OPEN AND START LAYING CONDUIT DOWN.
UM, AND BASICALLY IT MAKES IT MORE FEASIBLE FOR THEM TO LAY THE FIBER AND EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS.
SO IN SHORT, IF THE GROUND'S ALREADY OPEN, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO EXPAND THEIR BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO CONSIDER ALL THE CONSTRUCTION THAT WERE, WILL BE HAPPENING AS PART OF MOVE BR IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO PAVE A ROAD AS PART OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN A PROVIDER COME TO US A MONTH LATER, SIX MONTHS LATER, OR A YEAR LATER AND SAY THAT THEY NEED TO DIG IT, DIG UP A PORTION OF THE ROAD TO PUT IN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE WANT TO MINIMIZE THAT BY ONLY DIGGING ONCE.
SO WE WERE VERY THOROUGH IN DEVELOPING THIS, UH, THIS CHANGE.
UM, WE BUILT IT ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CTC.
WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO, TO SEE THAT HAVE ADOPTED THIS AND TO SEE, UM, WHAT WORKED FOR THEM AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK.
WE HAD EXTENSIVE MEETINGS WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE, UM, ESPECIALLY TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS A CITY PARISH COULD,
[00:25:01]
UH, COULD HANDLE THE CHANGE.AND WE FEEL THAT THAT THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS, UM, REPRESENTS AN IDEAL COMBINATION OF, OF WHAT THE STAKEHOLDERS, UM, INPUT WE RECEIVED AND BEST PRACTICES AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON COUNCIL MEMBER GO.
I, AND I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION, UM, BUT YOU DID A THOROUGH JOB ONLY TO SAY, UH, TO YOU AND TO THE MANY OTHERS WHO WERE INVOLVED.
THIS, THIS ORDINANCE TOOK A LOT OF, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO CRAFT AND GET IT RIGHT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY AND EFFORT THAT YOU AND SO MANY OTHERS PUT IN.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION HOW COOL IT IS TO HAVE COUNCILMAN MRO.
SO UP HERE, GETTING TO VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THE FIBER STUDY THAT ERIC MENTIONED, UH, COUNTY COUNCILMAN, BUDDY AMORUSO AND PROBABLY SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE WHERE WE'RE BIG CHAMPIONS OF THAT.
AND SO IT'S REALLY NEAT TO SEE, UM, US THIS FAR DOWN THE LINE, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF SOME OF THE VISION AND LEADERSHIP THAT OUR PREVIOUS, UH, COUNTERPARTS HAVE HAD.
ANYONE ELSE? THE MO THERE'S BEEN A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDARY BY GO.
THERE IS ANY OPPOSITION ITEM, 73.
[74. 21-01316 (Part 1 of 2)]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 74, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A SUBCONTRACT AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000 BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.ON BEHALF OF THE BATTERY CITY COURT TO PURCHASE INSTALLED AND OPERATE AN OLI, UH, OUTDOOR STANDING KIOSK IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC MORE CONVENIENT MEANS OF PAYING FINES AND FEES BY THE CORPORATE COURT JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 74, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 74? I DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK, BUT ARE IN SUPPORT.
UH, LINDA FRANKS IS IN SUPPORT.
SO EXCUSE ME, MA'AM COME TO THE MIC.
MA'AM IF YOU WANT, IF YOU GO AHEAD, WE HAVE REVEREND ANDERSON WHO WAS HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK OVER HERE.
UH, REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH PRISON REFORM COALITION.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM.
I WANTED TO KNOW WHO IN FACT IS GOING TO BE THE OWNER OF THIS KIOSK.
SINCE THE AGENDA ITEM APPEARS TO SAY THAT THE CONTRACTS OF GRANT IS GOING TO BE BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS IS A LEASE RENTAL OR PURCHASE AND HAS THE METRO COUNCIL REVIEWED THE GRANT THAT AUTHORIZES THESE PAYMENTS? IS THERE A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT AND IS THE GRANT COVERING THOSE COSTS? WAS THERE A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS OR WAS IT BYPASS BY NOT HAVING THE PURCHASE DONE THROUGH THE PARISH IS A SURCHARGE GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO THOSE, USING THE KIOSK TO PAY FINES AND FEES.
AND ALSO HAS THE METRO COUNCIL BEEN GIVEN ANY INFORMATION ON THIS KIOSK OR THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING THIS VENDOR.
AND FINALLY, DOES THIS VENDOR HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARISH AND IF NOT, WAS THERE A DVE OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS MISSING? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. ANDERSON, MS. ANDERSON, I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM THE NEXT SPEAKER, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK MR. ELLIS, DID HE COME UP AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? MS. FRANKS, DID YOU WANT TO, I HAVE A CARD FOR YOU THAT SAYS, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK, I AM IN SUPPORT.
YES, MA'AM OPPOSING UNTIL, OKAY.
AT LEAST THAT DADDY WAS, I THOUGHT WE SAW MR. ALFORD.
HE IS, UH, AND IS ANYONE FROM THE PARENT'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME RESPONSES TO THOSE QUESTIONS? CAUSE I THOUGHT I SAW MR. ALFORD.
I DON'T SEE HIM IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
WE, WE, UH, WE HAVE BOB AND MY STAFF TOOK A LOOK AT THE CONTRACT THROUGH THE GRANTS COMMITTEE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE DAY TO DAY, UH, INFORMATION ELSE.
THAT WOULD BE THE BEST ONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
I CAN CALL THEM AND SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM HERE.
I'M SURE YOU STILL ACROSS THE STREET.
WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL POSTPONE THIS ITEM.
CAN WE DO THAT? WE'LL MOVE ON AND COME BACK TO A REVENUE AND SOMEONE ELSE GETS HERE.
[75. 21-01319 ]
GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 75, AUTHORIZING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO REFUND AND IRANIANS REMITTANCE OF SALES TAX.TO TOP OFF USA, BATON ROUGE, LLC, IN THE AMOUNT OF $97,118 AND 48 CENTS FOR PAYING A SALES TAX AND A CURING USE TAX OF NON TAXABLE ITEMS ON PRODUCTS SHIPPED OUTSIDE THE STATE FOR THE AUDIT PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2017
[00:30:02]
THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2019 BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE ON ITEM 75 MOTION TO APPROVE BY DON SECONDED BY HUDSON.
WE DO HAVE A QUESTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE.
HOW YOU DOING? JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY ON WHAT HAPPENED? OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A MISSTEP SOMEWHERE I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT WARRANTED THE, UH, MS. DELPHIN AND THE REIMBURSEMENT.
SO WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS THE TAXPAYER ACTUALLY CONTACTED US BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD ERODED MOSTLY REBUTTED THE SALES TAXES ON ITEMS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE, BUT WE ADMITTED THEM ON.
SO WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS AND WE HAVE A REFUND REQUEST, WE HAVE A WHOLE SECTION AND A WHOLE DIVISION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT DOES REVENUE SALES TAX AUDITING.
AND SO WE SEND THOSE THAT TEAM OUT THERE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE CLAIM MAY BEING MADE BY THE COMPANY TO DETERMINE IF THEY WERE IN FACT NOT TYPE CORRECTLY.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOES SECONDARY BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
[76. 21-01320]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 76 ITEM 76 IS TO AMEND THE 20, 21 11 MINUTE POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.SO AS TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 14TH, 2021 TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE ADMINISTRATION AT ONE SPECIALIST PROJECTS, ENGINEER, TRANSPORTATION, ADVANTAGE, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, SPECIAL PROJECTS IN THE NEAR TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE AND BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 76, ANYONE WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL NUMBER GO.
THEY ARE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. WE NOW GO
[77. 21-01321]
TO ITEM 77, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF 3 MILLION, $638,001 ONTO THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM.FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE ROOM TRAINING CENTER BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 77, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY DONE 70 BY THE CHAIR.
[78. 21-01322]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 78 QUESTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MODE ALL 77, CORRECT? NOPE.DID WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM, UH, THE EOC OR ANYONE THAT COULD SPEAK ON THIS? THERE'S ALSO NO WAY.
CAN YOU GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THIS FIRST RESPONDERS, SAFE ROOM AND OVERVIEW? LIKE YEAH, LIKE WHAT, WHAT ARE WE, ARE WE ADDING SOMETHING ON? AND, UH, WE, SO IT'LL BE A BUILDING.
IS IT A PLACE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO GO LIKE JOURNEY OUTSIDE OF THE EOC ITSELF? AS FAR AS JUST ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING WHERE THE VOC IS NOW BETWEEN EMS AND, UH, EOC ATM BUILDING.
IT'LL BE, UM, APPROXIMATELY 16,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
BUT LIKE DIRTY, I GUESS THERE ARE STORMS OR ANY KIND OF STUFF WHERE WE'RE ACTIVATED EOC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ANY FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, AS FAR AS A MEETING PLACE OR MEETING AND AN ORGANIZING AND THINGS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A DUAL PURPOSE BUILDING.
IF THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE OR FROM THE, UM, FROM FEMA ALLOWS US TO BUILD A STRUCTURE THAT WE CAN HOUSE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN.
UH, WE, WHEN WE STAGED DURING AN ACTIVATION, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, DURING HURRICANE IDA, WE HAD, UH, WE DIDN'T NORMALLY USE THE AIRPORT.
WE USE HANGARS PLACES LIKE THAT TO STORE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND STAY ENDING THE STORM ITSELF.
BUT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A PLACE TO PUT FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, TO WORK OUT OF.
AND THEN, UM, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS A PLACE FOR LIKE LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS OR IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WAS, UH, WHEN WE ACTIVATE OUTSIDE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT MAY COME IN, I E UM, I BELIEVE EMS BROUGHT IN SOME PEOPLE, UM, DURING THE LAST STORM OR, YOU KNOW, DURING THE COVID THING THEY BROUGHT IN FOR EXTRA PERSONNEL AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WE USE FOR.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
UM, SO WE ALSO HAD A GRANT FOR 2016 FOR STAGING.
WHAT IS IT CALLED? SAFE HOUSES.
[00:35:01]
AN AGREEMENT WITH BRICK.AND I KNOW ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT, UH, ON AIRLINE BY THE STATE.
FAIR IF I RECALL MAYBE GREENWOOD PARK, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE THOSE, I KNOW THERE'S ALSO, UM, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AND THOUGH, SO IS THAT GOOD? IT JUST ROLLED INTO WHATEVER THEIR IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO THOSE DIFFERENT PURPOSE.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, UM, DO YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE BUILT SEPARATELY OR, BUT AGAIN, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE I HAD, HAVE THOSE BEEN DONE OR, BUT THERE ARE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AT THOSE FACILITIES.
ARE THEY JUST MAKING IT AS PART OF THEIR ENTIRE OVERALL THEY'RE IN PHASE ONE? THIS IS PHASE TWO.
THIS IS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTION.
SO PHASE ONE IS THE DESIGN TO WHEN WE, WHEN THEY FINISHED THE DESIGN, I'LL BRING THAT THOSE TWO PROJECTS BACK.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST ONE TO COME OUT OF THAT.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? THERE'S BEEN A MOTION TO APPROVE BY DONE SECONDED BY THE CHAIR, ANY OPPOSITION ITEM CARERS.
WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM 78, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $6 MILLION UNDER THE LOUISIANA WATERSHED INITIATIVE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FLOOD RISK MITIGATION AND THE JONES CREEK WATERSHED BY THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 78, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 78, GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOSTLY TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
[79. 21-01323 ]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 79, AUTHORIZING A SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED JUDE WHITEHEAD VS EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH PRISON AND AMOUNT OF $50,000.PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $944 AND 97 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $50,944 AND 90 CENTS.
THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 79? WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKER CARDS.
UH, FIRST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EMILY AND HER HERRERA, EMILIO.
SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SPEAK, BUT SHE IS IN SUPPORT.
IS THIS WIFE WHITE ASHLEY WHITE, COME ON DOWN.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WASN'T AVAILABLE.
HI, DO I NEED ADDRESS EVERYTHING LIKE 800 SOUTH 16TH STREET BAND RIDGE, LOUISIANA, 7 8, 2 I'M ASHLEY WHITE WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON REFORM COALITION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FACTS OF THE MR. WHITEHEAD SETTLEMENT THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW.
I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE OVERALL TREND OF NEGLIGENCE AND NEGLECT WITHIN OUR PRISON SYSTEMS THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, WHEN MR. WHITEHEAD WAS BROUGHT TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON, HE INFORMED THE MEDICAL STAFF THAT HE HAD RECENTLY HAD A HEART VALVE, TRANS A TRANSPLANT, AND MAYBE THEY TOOK NOTE OF THAT.
MAYBE THEY DIDN'T, BUT THEY DID NOT NOTE THAT ALL OF THE MEDICATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR HEART TRANSPLANT PATIENT, THOSE WEREN'T NOTED ON HIS FILES.
SO WHEN HE BEGAN HAVING SPASMS, THE MEDICAL STAFF DIAGNOSED HIM WITH HAVING HEROIN WITHDRAWALS.
HOWEVER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ADEQUATE STAFF TO MAKE THAT DIAGNOSIS.
UM, WHEN HE WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE, THEY THEN BROUGHT HIM TO LOCK DOWN.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY TREAT THOSE THAT ARE SICK IN THE JAIL DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE AND PROPER MEDICAL CARE.
UH, MR. WHITEHEAD SUFFERED SEVERAL STROKES WHILE IN THE CUSTODY OF EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH PRISON, AGAIN, NOT HAVING THE ADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE TO TREAT THOSE NEVER BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL UNTIL AFTER THE SECOND STROKE.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS A PATTERN, RIGHT? WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT WITH THE 55 DEATHS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PARISH PRISON.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON HERE.
AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RFP FOR A NEW MEDICAL PROVIDER, WHICH I THINK NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED EXPEDITIOUSLY.
UM, IT'S BEEN TOO LONG THAT THESE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND KILLING PEOPLE.
AND AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS IS A TAXPAYER FUNDED BUILDING, THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THESE PEOPLE ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE THE MAYOR TO CONSIDER AND TO ACT ON THIS RFP THAT HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
THANK YOU, MS. WHITE, OUR REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON.
[00:40:03]
YEAH.METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I WANT TO REITERATE, UH, WHAT ASHLEY SAID AND POINT OUT TWO THINGS AS YOU READ THROUGH, UH, THE SUIT THIS SUIT WAS, AND I BELIEVE 2015, AND YET IT READS ALMOST WORD FOR WORD LIKE THE LAST SUIT THAT CAME BEFORE THIS METRO COUNCIL, ONE SUIT AFTER ANOTHER ONE SUIT, AFTER ANOTHER ONE SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE RECTIFIED AND HAS COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND SO I CAN ASK THAT AS WE ARE PRAYING THIS, THAT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A SOLUTION.
WE HAVE A SOLUTION, THERE WAS A PROCESS THAT WAS PUT FORTH AND WE NOW NEED TO JUST CONCLUDE IT AND THAT NO OTHER FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE THIS METRO COUNCIL, BECAUSE MONEY DOES NOT TAKE PLACE OF THE HARM THAT IS DONE.
WE ARE ASKING THAT THAT MEDICAL RFP BE PROCEEDED, EXPEDITIOUSLY THAT THE FINALIST BE PRESENTED TO THIS METRO COUNCIL AND A DECISION BEING MADE AND BE MADE IN THE PUBLIC ARENA.
METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, LINDA FRANKS 1, 2, 3, 5 WAVERLEY DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 7 0 8 0 6.
THIS IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR FOR ME AND MY FAMILY ALSO LOST A LOVED ONE IN THAT PARISH.
WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE WITH SOLUTIONS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING SIDE BY SIDE TO GIVE SUBJECTIVE INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING RFP.
WE'VE BEEN RESPECTFUL OF THE PROCESS.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY IS ACCEPTABLE? 50 TO 152.
HOW MANY SUITS, HOW MUCH MONEY OR TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY BEFORE WE GET SERIOUS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON? HOW MANY THAT'S ACCEPTABLE? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU ON MONDAY, MY SON WOULD BE 32 YEARS OLD, AND THIS IS THE SEVENTH YEAR THAT I'VE HAD TO SPEND A HO A BIRTHDAY WITHOUT HIM.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE FOR YOU? JUST LET US KNOW WHEN WE HAVE SOLUTIONS.
WHEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY, TO NOT BE A SKIRT AND A LAUGHING STOCK IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WITH THE WAY THAT WE TREAT OUR ON ADJUDICATED INCARCERATED PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME, PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THEIR BAIL AND THEIR FIVES AND THEIR FEES, HOW MANY THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
AND WE'VE BEEN PUTTING FOR SOLUTIONS.
WE HAVEN'T JUST BEEN SCREAMING AND CRYING OUT LOUD.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING THE WORK OF EDUCATING AND OF WORKING AND ADVOCATING.
WE CAN DO THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 79? ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 79, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, SPEAKING TO THE MC COUNCIL MEMBER, PLEASE LAND AVAILABLE, PLEASE.
W WHO DID YOU REQUEST? GORANSON CHRISTOPHER? UM, NO, CHRIS.
UM, HE IS IN HERE, SO, BUT I HAVE PUT AN AGENDA ITEM TO INTRODUCE, UM, A TIMELINE PROCESS AND, AND A CONCLUSION FOR THE MEDICAL RFP.
UM, SO I'M PUTTING IN THAT WE HAVE A REPORT, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEING INTRODUCED TO 27, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING PROBABLY WON'T BE UNTIL THE 10TH.
IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THAT AS AN INTRODUCTORY ITEM.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME OF THE ANSWERS, UM, THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING TODAY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCCA.
[00:45:01]
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? SO ONE OPPOSITION.IS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER OPPOSITIONS LET'S VOTE ON THE MACHINES? WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MACHINES ARE OPEN ON TO APPROVE ITEM 79.
[80. 21-01324]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 80, AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT AND THE MATTER OF NASHUA MED AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AT ALL.AND THE AMOUNT OF $140,000 FOR THE COURSE CALLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $95 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $140,095 AND APPROPRIATING $140,095.
THIS MATTER BY DISCUSSION EXECUTIVE SESSION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 80, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 80, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN ITEM 80, NO ONE MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE ROCKER SECONDED BY DONE.
[81. 21-01331]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 81, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANYIS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 81, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 81, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY ROCCA SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[82. 21-01334]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 80 TO AUTHORIZE A SETTLEMENT OF CLAIM OF ERIC MILLER FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 82, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 82, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER MOST TO APPROVE BY ROCKER SECONDARY BY THE CHAIR.
[83. 21-01330 ]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 83 RECEIVING THE 2020 S OH BILL.WE DON'T GET TO THEM RECEIVING THE 2020 CENSUS DATA AND DIRECTING THE ACCOUNTS THAT ADMINISTRATIVE TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO BEGIN THE REAPPORTIONMENT PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.0.
ONE OF THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 83 WHEN I GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? OH, YES.
MA'AM HI, JENNIFER CAR WHILE 1855 OLD CARRIAGE LANE.
UM, I JUST, UH, AM HOPING, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DISCUSSION IS.
I HOPE THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD CHOSE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY TO, TO WORK ON THIS, AND I HOPE THAT THERE'LL BE SOME DISCUSSION BEFORE Y'ALL MAKE ANY CHOICES ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE HANDLED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, ITEM 83, MOTION TO APPROVE BY, EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER GO THERE.
MS. BECK, CAN YOU TALK THROUGH WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE? YOU INCLUDED A HELPFUL MEMO ON THE AGENDA.
UM, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY WE, WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR AS TRANSPARENT PROCESS AS POSSIBLE.
CAN YOU JUST OUTLINE WHAT THE TIMELINE IS IN YOUR PROCESS? SURE.
SO, UM, THE WAY THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK IS, UM, THE DATA IS NOW OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU.
SO THE CITY, UM, IS GOING TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE DEMOGRAPHY SERVICES, UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE INTERNALLY FOR THAT.
WE DO HAVE EXPERTISE IN THE GIS FIELD.
SO, UM, OUR GIS STAFF IS PREPARED TO MAKE MAPS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EXPAND OR CONTRACT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, UM, WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A QUALIFIED DEMOGRAPHER.
UM, ONCE THAT WORK BEGINS, UM, THE GIS STAFF WILL DRAW SOME DIFFERENT PLANS THAT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT TH THAT THE DEMOGRAPHER SETS FORTH AND WE'LL PRESENT THOSE BOTH TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UM, SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, HOPEFULLY IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS OR COMBINE A COUPLE OF DISTRICTS, EITHER IN COMMUNITY CENTERS OR IN LIBRARIES, UM, THAT WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE PROPOSED PLANS.
ULTIMATELY IT WILL BE UP TO Y'ALL TO VOTE ON THE PLAN THAT IS SELECTED TO, UM, BE IN THAT WE'LL HAVE THE NEW METRO COUNCIL BOUNDARIES DISTRICT BOUNDARIES THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE NEXT ELECTION.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVAL BY COUNCIL MEMBER BARAKA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS ITEM 83 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[74. 21-01316 (Part 2 of 2)]
ITEM 74, UH, REAL QUICKLY REVEREND ANDERSON, UH, UH, MR. ALFORD WAS NOT HERE.WHEN YOU ASKED A QUESTION, WOULD YOU COME BACK AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS
[00:50:01]
AGAIN FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? MA'AM AND MR. ALFORD IS MR. ALFORD HERE? DO I SEE HIM? DID I SEE HIM? OH, HE'S HERE.SO SHE HAS SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS SHE WANTED TO ASK.
AND SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, SIR, GO AHEAD AND REVENUE.
WHAT, WHO, WHO IS THE OWNER OF THE KIOSK? IS THIS A LEASE RENTAL OR PURCHASE? HAS THE METRO COUNCIL REVIEWED THE GRANT THAT AUTHORIZES THESE PAYMENTS? IS THERE A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT AND IS THE GRANT COVERING THAT COST? WAS THERE A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS OR WAS IT BYPASS BY NOT HAVING THE PURCHASE DONE THROUGH THE PARISH IS A SURCHARGE GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO THOSE, USING THE KIOSK TO PAY FINES AND FEES.
HAS THE METRO COUNCIL BEEN GIVEN ANY INFORMATION ON THIS KIOSK OR THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING THIS VENDOR? DOES THIS VENDOR HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARISH AND IF NOT, WAS THERE A DVE OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS MISSED AS A LOT OF QUESTIONS? SO I THINK I CAN REMEMBER SOME OF THEM.
AND, AND ONCE YOU FINISH, UH, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A BRIEFING WITH HER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A SHOT FOR THE RECORD A BIT.
UH, SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, UM, IF I REMEMBER, UH, THE KIOSK IS A PURCHASE, IT IS NOT A LEASE THOUGH.
THE CITY CARS ON IT OUTRIGHT, UM, THERE, UH, IS A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT ATTACHED TO IT, BUT, UH, THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FALLS UNDER THE CURRENT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
WE ALREADY HAVE A FOUR HOUR, UM, UH, CARD ACCESS, UH, CHARGES ON ALL OF OUR CARD.
SWIPERS, UH, IS PRIMARILY SOFTWARE IS WHAT'S THE MAINTENANCE, UH, THE CONVENIENCE FEE IS THE SAME CONVENIENCE FEE THAT'S CURRENTLY CHARGED OR CREDIT CARD PAYMENT, UH, THAT YOU WOULD PAY.
SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FEE, BUT THE KIOSK, UH, WHAT ELSE DID SHE ASK? UM, WAS THERE A BID PROCESS? UH, THAT WAS NOT A BID PROCESS, UM, OR THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, IT WAS UNDER THE $10,000, UH, THAT WE WERE, UM, ABLE TO, UH, PURCHASE IT ESSENTIALLY.
UH, WHAT WE DID WAS, UH, WE HAD ALREADY GOTTEN THE PRIZE FOR THE KIOSK AND THEN THE MACARTHUR GRANT JUST CAME IN AND PURCHASED IT FOR US.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, REVEREND, AND SO PLEASE CLC IN THE BACK.
IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 74? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
NO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY WANT TO SPEAK NOT ANYMORE.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO ITEM 74 ITEM 74 CARERS WENT NOW GO BACK
[84. 21-01332]
TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, ITEM 84 AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER, VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, AND PEOPLE'S INITIATIVE TO PLAN HEALTH LAW CLINIC ADVOCACY PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE USD HHS OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH AND SUPPORT.THE BATTLE IS ADVANCING HEALTH LITERACY, FR HANDSOME, EQUITABLE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO COVID BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 84? ANYONE? WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY DONE SECONDED BY BANKS.
[85. 21-01328]
ITEM 85, AMEND THE 2021 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARIS OF EASTBOUND ROADS ADOPTED.SO AS TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AS FOLLOWS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 14TH, 2021 MAYOR, PRESIDENT OF BATON ROUGE ADVANCING HEALTH LITERACY TO ME, COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST TWO BY THE MAYOR PRESIDENT AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
IT IS AN UNCLASSIFIED POSITION ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST.
NON-CLASSIFIED IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 85, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 85, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION TO APPROVAL BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
[86. 21-01326]
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME.ITEM 86 PROVIDED LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT OF CITY OF BATTERIES, AND THE PARENTS OF EAST BATON ROUGE PROPOSED FEDERAL OFF SYSTEM HIGHWAY BRIDGE PROGRAM FOR THE 2021 TO 2023 FEDERAL FISCAL YEARS.
AND TO AGREE TO CERTAIN STIPULATIONS REQUIRED BY LA DOTD AS PREREQUISITES FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ALL SYSTEM BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 86? WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAM SECONDED BY BANKS.
[87. 21-01327]
87, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO GRANT APPROVAL TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.PUT, SUBMIT CERTIFICATION TO LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
[00:55:01]
DISASTER AND RECOVERY FOR URGENT AND FUNDING NEEDS FOR BRIDGE REPLACEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE GUSTAF STOPPED BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.DIRECT ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 87, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS HAS MOTION TO APPROVE SECONDED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER ROCCO.
[88. 21-01329]
88, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A UTILITY RELOCATION AGREEMENT WITH DEMCO FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILE CAPACITY PROJECT MCU ROAD AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $432,869 AND 23 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 88, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 88, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY, BY KNOLL, SECONDED BY ROCCO.
[89. 21-01333]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE EAST ASCENSION CONSOLIDATED GRAVITY DRAINAGE DISTRICT ONE TO PROVIDE CLEARING AND SNAGGING OF THE BAYOU MANSHACK CHANNEL FROM AMY RIVER TO THE PARIS LINE OF ASCENSION EVERY BUILDING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 89, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 89, WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
I JUST WANTED TO REAL QUICKLY SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE APARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE MR. FRED RAYFORD AND THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION FOR HOW AGGRESSIVELY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PURSUING THESE, UH, DRAIN IS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS WITH OUR NEIGHBOR AND PARISHES.
UH, THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS IN THE SOUTHEAST PORT PART OF THE PARISH, BUT AS THIS IS THE DRAINAGE WAY FOR, YOU KNOW, TWO THIRDS OF THE PARISH, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME TO SEE US OPERATING AT A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, UM, AND JUST KIND TO GOES TO YOU GUYS FOR, FOR AGAIN, HOW AGGRESSIVE YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL MEMBER.
I, I'M GOING TO ECHO THOSE COMMENTS, BUT PLEASE TALK THROUGH, UH, AND, AND KUDOS TO YOU AND THIS ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR WORK AND REGIONALLY.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT RESIDENTS, UH, ARE ASKING FOR.
CAN YOU JUST TALK THROUGH WHAT THIS WORK WILL BE? THE FUNDING SOURCE, UH, THOSE DETAILS.
WE'VE GOT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND CERTAINLY, UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE, UH, AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, WATER AND ACTUALLY KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES.
AND SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ASCENSION AND ALSO EVER BILL PARISH, WHAT YOU'LL SEE NEXT MONTH, UH, NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR APPROVAL.
BUT FROM A SESSION STANDPOINT, WE HAD OUR MEETING.
WE DID WORK VERY CLOSELY ON HOW TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. THEIR PROBLEMS ARE OUR PROBLEMS. AND AS I THINK ALL THIS COUNCIL KNOWS THAT, UH, BETWEEN WATCH CREEK AND BY YOUR FOUNTAIN, WHICH STRANGE, PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, AND ULTIMATELY ENDS UP GOING THROUGH BAYOU MANSHACK.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET YOUR OUTFALLS CORRECTED AND SO IT CAN HANDLE THE WATER FLOW AND WE'VE DONE ENOUGH INSPECTIONS TO KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR IS TO ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO DO SOME CLARINET SNAGGING OF THE TREES THAT ARE BLOCKING LOTS OF THE WATERWAYS AND OUR ROAD, THE ENTIRE CHANNEL IN A BOAT WITH THE BATON RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, SAW A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
AND PART OF THIS PROGRAM WHERE WE ALLOW US TO WORK WITH ESSENTIAL PARISH THROUGH THE GRAVITY DRAINAGE DISTRICT, UH, PARISH PRESIDENT CLINT MONT IS THE ONE WHO WE MET WITH TO WORK OUT THAT THE AGREEMENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY OUR HALF FOR THE TREES THAT ARE FALLEN ON OUR SIDE OF THE PARISH LINE.
AND THEN AT ASCENSION PARISH, WE'LL DO PAY THEIR HALF OF THE TREES THEY NEED TO REMOVE FROM OUT OF THE CHANNEL AT THIS POINT.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLAN FOR, TO ADDRESS.
ALSO, WE'LL MENTION TO YOU THAT, UH, THE FUNDING SOURCE WILL BE COMING TO YOU ON THE 27TH OF THIS MONTH.
IT'S IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT PHASE TWO IS FOR $1.5 MILLION THAT'S TO DO THE CLEARING AND SNAGGING.
AND WE WILL ALSO LOOK AT PROBABLY SOMETIME BY THE END OF THE YEAR, LOOKING AT SOME SELECTIVE DREDGING OF THE CHANNEL.
CAUSE THERE ARE MANY PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE SO PATIENT THAT HAS BUILT UP SO HIGH, THE WATER CAN'T GET OUT OF THE AREA.
AND THAT'S BEEN SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES OF THE ELEVATIONS ALONG THE CHALLENGE ITSELF.
UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY WANT IN THAT PITCH PLACE, WE'LL BE BACK TO THIS COUNCIL TO INFORM THEM ON EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND WHEN, UH, WHAT CONTRACTOR WILL BE SELECTED AT THAT POINT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALSO THE PARIS PRECEDENT, UH, CLINT MARTIN AND HIS STAFF, BECAUSE THEY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH US.
UH, THEY ALSO SAW THAT WE HAD ISSUES TO DEAL WITH AND IT AFFECTS BOTH PARISHES AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT EVERY WHEEL COULD OUT DO THAT NATURALLY, BUT IT'S BEEN A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WORKING TOGETHER WITH THESE PARISH PRESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, AND CERTAINLY WHEN WE CAN GET IT WORKING THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, I THINK WE'LL FIND LESS IMPACT TO THEM.
MANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE LIVING IN EVANSVILLE
[01:00:01]
IS IN ASCENSION AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.THANK YOU FOR YOUR KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THOSE PAST PRESIDENTS, AS WELL AS OUR MAYOR PRESIDENT FOR GETTING THAT DONE, WE DESPERATELY NEEDED.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 89? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GO.
THEY SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
[90. 21-01335]
ITEM 90 AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BATON ROUGE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH LITERACY IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE TARGET AREA FUNDED BY THE U S D H S OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH TO SUPPORT THE BANNER OF ADVANCING THE HEALTH LITERACY FOR ENHANCING EQUITABLE COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO COVID BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90 BY BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[91. 21-01340]
GO TO ITEM 91 AMENDING THE 2021 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET.SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $34,646 AND 79 CENTS FROM FUND BALANCE RESTRICTED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT OR PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING MONITORS UTILIZED DURING METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETINGS, PLANNING AND ZONING MEETINGS, AS WELL AS PUBLIC MEETINGS, A BUDGET SUPPLEMENT 8, 7, 4 OR FIVE BY THE COUNSELOR ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 91 BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILOR? MAGONIA SECONDED BY ADAMS. WE NOW GO TO ADJUDICATED
[ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES]
PROPERTIES.COUNCIL MEMBERS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 92 THROUGH ONE 10.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY IN 92 BY SIX EIGHT ASH.
TO BE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE HIGH BIDDER ROBBINS RENTALS, LLC.
$1,700 93 LOT EIGHT PLUS SQUARE 28 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION DISTRICT SEVEN HIGH BIDDERS TRAVIS DAY $3,200.
ITEM 94, A LOT 31 SQUARE AT 29 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER TRAVIS DAY $4,100 AND 95.
LOT 32 SQUARE 29 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION METRO DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER MIESHA JOSEPH $4,200 96 LOT ONE SQUARE 15 SUBDIVISION STANDARD HEIGHTS DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
HOW BETTER TO SHED LAWSON CANON $2,600 ITEM 27 LOT M SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION BABIN DISTRICT SEVEN COHABIT, A ROBBINS RENTAL LLC, $9,000 AND 98 LOT 22 SQUARE 10 SUBDIVISION, SCOTLAND, HIGHEST DISTRICT TWO BANKS, BIT HIGH BIDDER, DEWEY ALLEN, $8,500 99 LOT NINE SQUARE EIGHT.
SO DIVISION SCOTLAND, HIGHEST DISTRICT TWO BANKS HAVE BETTER DO ALLEN $25,300 ITEM 100, A LOT OF ONE SQUARE, 15 SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE, DISTRICT TWO BANGS HIGH BITTER DELETED DUPLICATE FILE.
SO DIVISION SHORT EDITION DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER JUSTIN JEMISON, $7,600.
ITEM 1 0 2 LOT 25 SUBDIVISION BEACHWOOD COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
HI, BETTER DIANE E. GRIFFIN, $4,500.
ITEM 1 0 3 SUBDIVISION GRAND TRACT ADDRESS FALL STREET, DISTRICT 10 TO HIGH BIDDER MYESHA JOSEPH $800 LOT 1 0 4, A LOT.
ONE SQUARE, ONE SUBDIVISION ELLIS LEE DISTRICT, 10 COLEMAN HIGH BITTER CUTTING TO BEIJING, $6,500 1 0 5, LOT TO SQUARE.
ONE SUBDIVISION STANDARD, HIGHEST DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER CONTAINER BEJO $7,100.
1 0 6, LOT 11 AND 12 SQUARE 28 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER MR. JOSEPH, $4,000, 1 0 7 LOT 10 SQUARE, 28 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE, EXTENSION DISTRICT SEVEN HIGH BIDDER MYESHA JOSEPH $3,000 AND 1 0 8 LOT SEVEN AND EIGHT SQUARE SEVEN SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY, CITY DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
HI, BETTER DO WE ADD ON $2,000, 1 0 9 LOT 11 SUBDIVISION LANG WAS FIELD LANEWATCH VEAL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER, AKIBA WILLIAMS, $12,500 ITEM ONE 10 LOT D TWO E ONE B SUBDIVISION, DW BERENGER TRACK DISTRICT NINE, HUDSON HIGH BIDDER TO WANT A CANON $15,000.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? 92 THROUGH ONE 10.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER KNOLL SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOKE.
WE NOW GO TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS,
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, A AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE 18 0 0 4 ADOPTED JANUARY 13TH, 2021, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCTS WITHIN WARS ONE, TWO AND THREE IN THESE BARRACKS, PARIS AND DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES.SO AS TO CHANGE THE BUILDING OWNERSHIP FOR WARD ONE PRECINCTS 73, 8 AND SEVEN, THREE BEAT, AND WE DESIGNATED POLLING LOCATIONS
[01:05:01]
FOR ALL THE PRECINCTS WITHIN THE PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE BY THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR.I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES SOME OLD BY DONE SECOND BY ADAMS? WELL, NOW I HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? AND NOW WE'LL VOTE ON THE MOTION TO MAKE THE RULES THERE AND THE OPPOSITION ON THAT MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES, NO OPPOSITION.
WE WILL NOW HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM ITSELF.
IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM.
WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM A HAS BEEN APPROVED.
ITEM B AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH GROWTH SERVICES OF LOUISIANA IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000 TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDING A ENHANCED, EQUITABLE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND THROUGH BATTERY'S ADVANCED AND HEALTH LITERACY GRANT CONTINGENT ON CONTRACTS REVIEW AGENDA.
WE NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES ARE SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MARACA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE.
WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION THE WAY THE RULE IS THERE.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WEIGH THE RULES? IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? WHEN NOW WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM B, IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM B WITHOUT ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM B? SO MOVED BY ADAM SECONDED BY DONE.
WE NOW WE'LL GO TO NO APPOINTMENTS THIS EVENING.
[CHANGE ORDERS]
CHANGE ORDERS.ITEM ONE, 11 TRAFFIC CENTER, CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION INSTALLATION, CONTRACTOR, EARNEST PEOPLE, ELECTRICAL INCORPORATED CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT IS $237,870 AND 85 CENTS.
ITEM ONE 12, SARAH PARKWAY, JAMES REPAIR, CONTRACTOR, KCR CONTRACTORS, LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, WHICH IS THE CREDIT IS $30,000, $406 AND 28 CENTS.
AND NOW I'LL GO TO, I DIDN'T WANT 1370 SECOND AVENUE, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACT TO GO STATES, CONTRACTORS, LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $24,914 AND 28 CENTS.
THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS. ONE 11 THROUGH ONE 13 ITEMS, ONE 11.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[FINAL ACCEPTANCES]
ACCEPTANCES.WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS ONE 14 TO ONE 17 TOGETHER.
SARAH PARKWAY, JAMES REPAIR, CONTRACTOR, KCR CONTRACTORS, LLC.
FINAL COST $437,443 AND 38 CENTS.
ITEM 1 17, 1 15 70 SECOND AVENUE.
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACTED GULF STATES, CONTRACTORS, LLC.
FINAL COSTS $560,930 AND 53 CENTS.
ITEM ONE 16 MALL OF LOUISIANA BOULEVARD BACK COURT DRIVE, BRIDGE AND ROADWAY BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC.
$2 MILLION, $224,396 AND 9 CENTS.
WE GO TO ITEM 1 17 70 SECOND AVENUE, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, FACE TUNE.
I WANT TIM TO PLAY ROLE BOONE SERVICES, LLC.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? ONE FOUR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 14, 21 17 SHOWING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? ONE 14 THROUGH ONE 17.
[118. 21-01148]
GO TO OTHER ITEMS RECEIVING A SECOND QUARTER LAND BASE UPDATE FROM BEALE BATON ROUGE.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BY THE ADMINISTRATION TREASURER, UH, DECIDING WAS DEFERRED.
WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
WHEN I GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, FOR HOW LONG FOR TWO WEEKS WE DEFER ITEM ONE 18 FOR TWO WEEKS, MOTION BY BANK SECOND.
AND BY THE CHAIRS TO THE OPPOSITION COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO GO TO ITEM ONE 20 AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS ONE 19.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 1 19, 1 21 AND 1 22 TOGETHER.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
I'M GOING TO READ THEM AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE ITEM OUT ALTOGETHER.
ITEM ONE 19, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REGARDING ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN.
EXCUSE ME, IF IT'S SO CLEAR WITH THE COUNCIL,
[120. 21-01091]
I'D LIKE TO TAKE ITEM ONE 20 AND THEN LET THE LAST THREE ITEMS BE OUR LAST ITEM FOR THE EVENING.I LIKE TO TAKE ITEM ONE 20 RECEIVING THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE 2021 REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR PERFORMANCE, FOR GARBAGE TRASH, BULKY ITEM, WOODY WASTE AND RECYCLE PICKUP BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 20? UH, THERE HAS BEEN ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
NO COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON WHO WANTS TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.
UH, MR. RICH BEER, ISN'T HERE THIS EVENING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS, BUT THE MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON SAID ANYBODY CHAIR, ANY OPPOSITION TO DEFERRAL.
WE NOW GO BACK TO ITEMS 1 19 1 21
[Items 119, 121 & 122]
AND 1 22 RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION IS PLANNING TO CLEAR THE THREE-YEAR BACKLOG OF DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS AND ENSURE THAT THERE IS A FULLY OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.MOVING FORWARD REPORT TO INCLUDE AN ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL REVENUE
[01:10:01]
REQUIRED TO FULLY FUND THE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.ANY IDEAS CURRENTLY BEING EXPLORED OR SUPPORTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPLY FUNDING AND FULL ACCOUNTING OF FUTURE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED TO DRAINAGE, MAINTENANCE AND DRAINS CAPITAL PROJECTS BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON ITEM 1 21, RECEIVING A REPORT AND PRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DRAINAGE, MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
AS A RESULT OF THE APPROVAL OF THE $22 MILLION FROM THE LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS RECEIVED THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OUTLINING AT MINIMUM, THE DRAINAGE WORK COMPLETED THE WORK REMAINING TO BE COMPLETED INEXPENSIVE TODAY BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROWDY, GO DAY AND ITEM 1 22, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE ON THE STATUS OF THE PARISH WIDE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE AND CLEANUP PROJECT BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMA ROSA, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 19 1 21 AND 1 22 MA'AM WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE REPORT FIRST BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENTS? SO WE'LL HAVE THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, MR. HILL.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SHARE OUR CURRENT THINKING FOR, UH, HOW WE PLAN TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE FOR THE CITY PARISH.
UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
SO I WANT TO COVER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND.
SO, UH, WE ARE ALIGNED ON HOW MUCH TERRITORY THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO COVER, UH, WITH THIS WORK.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE WORK ITSELF, WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY DO VERSUS THE WORK THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE MUST DO.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO DO THAT WORK.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE THINK THE COST OF DOING THAT WORK WOULD BE AND THE IMPACT OF OUR ABILITY TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE, AND THEN SHARE OUR THOUGHTS AROUND, UM, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO, TO COVER UP WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
SO, UH, BACKGROUND, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, UM, SADIE PARISH IS, UM, UH, UH, UH, A BEAK AREA, UH, ROUGHLY THE PARISH IS, UH, 469 SQUARE SQUARE MILES, UH, OF SPACE.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT 440,000 RESIDENTS BASED ON THE LAST CENSUS COUNT, UH, IN THAT AREA.
UH, WE RECEIVE ROUGHLY 63 INCHES OF RAINFALL A YEAR.
AND ON AVERAGE IT RAINS ROUGHLY 200 OUT OF THE 365 DAYS.
NOW THIS YEAR SEEMS LIKE A BIT MORE THAN THAT.
UM, UH, WE GOT OUR 63 INCHES PRETTY EARLY THIS YEAR AND THE YEAR ISN'T OVER YET.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE NUMBERS CHANGE.
UM, WE DO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PARISH DRAINS, WE HAVE, UH, OVER 700 MICRO WATERSHEDS THAT WE LOOK AT ACROSS THE PARISH.
UH, WE COMBINED SOME OF THOSE, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ROUGHLY ABOUT THE 12 MAJOR WATERSHEDS THAT, THAT WE LOOK AT, UH, FOR, FOR DRAINAGE, UH, WITH THIS REPORT.
SO WE HAVE OVER 6,600 STRUCTURES THAT COLLECT STORM WATER.
THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS, THE WATER HITS THE GROUND AS IT GO FROM THE GROUND TO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN OR TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
IT'S BASICALLY, UM, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH TONIGHT.
THERE ARE OVER 63,000, UH, SUBSURFACE, UH, CONVEYANCE SYSTEMS THAT COLLECT THAT WATER, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND MOST OF THOSE ARE STORM PIPES.
UH, ABOUT 6% OF THOSE STRUCK 16% OF THOSE STRUCTURES ARE SOME TYPE OF DITCH CANAL OR, UM, UH, CONVEYING URBAN CONVEYING SYSTEMS OR STRUCTURE OF SOME SORT.
UM, MOST OF OUR SYSTEM IS GRAVITY FED.
WE DO HAVE FIVE PUMPING STATIONS THAT WE MAINTAIN FOR STORM WATER.
UM, AND THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS HAS BEEN PRETTY FLAT.
WE, WE INVEST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT TO EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AND STOLE MORTAR, UH, THROUGH OUR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAINTENANCE.
SO THAT SPENDING HAS BEEN TRENDING UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE'VE SUBMITTED A BUDGET OF $9 MILLION FOR A 2022.
UM, BUT, UH, ON AVERAGE WE SPEND ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON DRAINAGE.
IF WE'LL GO TO NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
SO HOW DO WE GET THAT WORK DONE? OUR CURRENT ALLOTMENT WITHIN A MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT FOR MAINTENANCE DRAINAGE IS NINE NEGATE, UH, INDIVIDUALS ON, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THE RATIO OF CITIZENS TO, UH, UH, DRAINAGE WORKER
[01:15:01]
IS ABOUT 4,500 TO ONE FOR THAT ALLOCATION, BUT WE REALLY HAVE 98 PEOPLE WORKING EVERY DAY.WE NORMALLY RUN ABOUT A 30% VACANCY RATE.
SO THAT RATIO TURNS INTO CLOSER TO 6,400 TO ONE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN APPRECIATION OF HOW MANY RESIDENTS THAT OUR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES TRULY SUPPORT OUR CAPACITY FOR WORK, UH, WE CAN DO AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED.
AND THESE ARE NUMBERS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO ABOUT 49, UM, STORM DRAIN REPAIRS A YEAR WE CAN DO ABOUT 2,600, UM, CLEAN OUTS, UH, OF OUR STORM DRAIN SYSTEMS A YEAR.
AND WE CAN DO JUST UNDER 500 KVNS A YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE WITH THOSE 69 WORKERS, UM, THAT, THAT WE EMPLOY DAILY THROUGH THE MAN HOURS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR BACKLOG, UM, 30 PER 36% OF OUR BACKLOG TENDS TO BE IN ROADSIDE DRAINAGE TYPE ISSUES.
THE OTHER 16% IS CAVE IN REPAIRS.
UM, THE, WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT CAVE-IN REPAIRS IS A LOT OF THE PIPES THAT ARE IN THE GROUND ARE REALLY OLD.
UM, AND, UM, CONCRETE REINFORCED PIPE WILL LAST ABOUT 30 YEARS OR SO.
SOME OF OUR CONVEYING PIPING SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN THE GROUND IS 40, 50, 60 YEARS OLD.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT THE RATE OF CAVE ANS IS INCREASING VERSUS, UH, HISTORICALLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN A REQUEST TO REMOVE DEBRIS IN THE WATERWAY IS ABOUT 11% OF WHAT'S IN OUR BACKLOG.
BUT THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE ABOUT BACKLOG IS, IS TWO THINGS.
ONE, A BACKLOG IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO PROPERLY PLAN AND SCHEDULE OUR WORK.
THE SECOND THING IS IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF SERVICE REQUESTS THAT THE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE TEAMS CLEARS EVERY WEEK, WE GET AN EQUAL OR MORE AMOUNT OF SERVICE REQUESTS COMING IN EVERY WEEK ON AVERAGE, THEY CAN CLEAR 300 TO 350 SERVICE REQUESTS AND WE'LL GET IN 400 TO 450 NEW SERVICE REQUESTS.
SO WE REALLY CAN'T, UM, GET AHEAD OF THE WORK BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MAN HOURS, WE HAVE TO APPLY TO DO THE WORK SO STRATEGICALLY.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET THE BACKLOG CLEANED UP SO WE CAN GET THE WORK IN FRONT OF US, AND THAT WE CAN BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE SERVICE REQUESTS WHEN THEY COME IN AND RESPOND TO THEM QUICKER.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO KIND OF PUT THIS STRATEGY IN PLACE IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, UM, KIND OF THE SCOPE OF WORK, UM, AND, AND HOW OUR WORK KIND OF MUST CHAIN.
SO A STAR WARS, TRYING TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF TRADITIONAL MAINTENANCE DRAINAGE TASK THAT WE DO.
AND IT'S WHAT I'LL CALL A TOP FIVE.
AND THESE TOP FIVE, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH TIME, HAVEN'T CHANGED OVER THE LAST 10, 12 YEARS, IT'S ROADSIDE DRAINAGE, REPAIRS, CAVE IN REPAIRS, NON ROADSIDE DRAINAGE REPAIRS THAT WE MAKE REQUESTS, UM, TO REMOVE DEBRIS FROM THE WATERWAY, UH, ARE REALLY THE TOP FOUR OR FIVE THINGS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY DO.
AND WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS, IS THAT THAT ABSORBS ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE WITH 68 WORKERS DOING THE WORK.
NOW THERE WORK THAT WE MUST DO THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY CURRENTLY DOING.
AND I LIKE TO COVER THAT WITH YOU.
SO WHAT WE MUST DO IS STRUCTURAL CONTROLS.
WE MUST DO MORE CONTROLS AND PUT MORE CONTROLS IN PLACE TO PREVENT POLLUTION FROM GETTING TO THE WATERWAYS.
MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT WE STOP THE, UM, THE, THE LITTER AND TRASH BEFORE IT GETS INTO OUR CONVEYING SYSTEMS. IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, THEN WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON COLLECTING THAT LITTER AND TRASH ONCE IT'S IN OUR CONVEYING SYSTEM.
AND IF WE MISS IT THERE, THEN WE HAVE TO COLLECT IT ONCE IT HITS THE OUTFALL, RIGHT? AND, UM, THE MOST, UH, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO COLLECT THAT LITTER AND TRASH IS BEFORE IT GETS INTO OUR SYSTEM.
THE WORST WAY WE COULD DO IT IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE WAY TO DO IT IS TO DO IT AFTER IT, IT'S OUT IN THE WATERWAY.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT ONE.
THE NEXT ONE IS POST CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
UM, WE NEED TO BE REINFORCING THE BMPS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE DONE FOR,
[01:20:01]
UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS AFTER THOSE DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMPLETED AND TURNED OVER TO CITY PARISH, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT THE BMPS ARE GOOD, THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE.AND AT LEAST FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A STORMWATER ISSUES FROM WHAT WAS DONE IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AND OUR ROADWAYS.
WE PRETTY MUCH DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT THIS ONE NOW.
UH, BUT IT'S REALLY COLLECTING THE LITTER IN THE ROADWAY.
SO A DOESN'T GET INTO A STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
THE PRIMARY WAY WE HAVE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, TODAY IS WITH STREET.
SWEEPERS IS SWEEPING THE STREETS.
UM, THE NEXT IS FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS.
UH, THIS REALLY HAS TO DO WITH HOW DO WE CHANGE, IMPROVE OR MODIFY OUR CURRENT, UH, DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO ENHANCE FLOOD CONTROL MAKES ONE WOULD BE PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, AND FERTILIZERS.
UH, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND IT'S PART OF DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE TO MEASURE AND MANAGE ON MUCH HERBICIDES AND FERTILIZER AND THINGS THAT ARE PUT INTO THE STORM WATER SYSTEM, UM, W THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST ELICIT DISCHARGE AND IN, AND, UH, IMPROPER DISPOSAL.
I THINK EVERYONE REALIZES THAT WE HAVE AN ILLEGAL DUMPING ISSUE IN OUR PARISH, UM, THAT, THAT ILLEGAL DUMPING CREATES, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RISK TO US, TO OUR STORM WATER SYSTEM, TO THAT LITTER AND DEBRIS GETTING IN OUR SYSTEM AND AS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, LITTER IN OUR WATERWAYS.
SO THAT IS THE WORK, AND THAT'S OUR KIND OF VIEW OF HOW OUR WORK TO GO FROM WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY DO TO WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW, HOW DO WE ORGANIZE THE WORK? THIS IS NOT A, UM, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, CHART, BUT IT'S KIND OF A, UH, A CHART THAT SHOWS WHAT WORK THAT OUR CURRENT MAINTENANCE DRAINAGE ORGANIZATION DOES.
RIGHT? SO WE, WE, WE MANAGE THE COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN THROUGH OUR CUE ALERT SYSTEM.
TYPICALLY, UH, WE FOCUS ON DITCH MAINTENANCE, RIGHT? AND THAT'S ROADSIDE AND NON AND NON ROADSIDE IS HOW WE KINDA CLASSIFY THAT.
THEN THERE'S WORK THAT WE DO WITH EROSION REPAIR, BOTH AGAIN ON THE ROADSIDE AND NON REAL SIDE.
WE DO HAVE A HERBICIDE SPRAY PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE DO, UH, OUR DPW CREWS DO THE ROADSIDE PROGRAM.
WE CONTRACT OUT THE NON ROADSIDE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THREE STREET SWEEPERS THAT SWEEP THE STREETS AND, UH, HISTORICAL STRATEGY HAS BEEN TO SWEEP EVERY STREET WE HAVE WITH A CURB AND GUTTER.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT A BIT WASTEFUL AND INEFFECTIVE, AND WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR STRATEGY FOR HOW WE THINK ABOUT DOING THAT.
AND WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND RESOURCES DOING CAVE IN AND SEEING REPAIRS, RIGHT? THAT'S THE CURRENT WORK THAT WE DO.
IF I COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, THIS IS KIND OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION WORK AND HOW WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE ORGANIZE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I WOULD START WITH STRUCTURAL CONTROLS, BOTH STRUCTURAL CONTROLS NEED TO BE DESIGNED INSTALLED, AND WE NEED TO SET UP A PROCESS BY WHICH THEY BE, THEY ARE INSPECTED.
WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM CLEAN AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM REHABBED.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO DO POINT REPAIRS WHILE WE HAVE CAVE IN AND EROSION FAILURES.
ALL OF THAT FOR US, FEELS LIKE STRUCTURAL CONTROLS THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE.
FLOOD CONTROL IS THE NEXT MAJOR BUG BUCKET.
AND IN, IN FLOOD CONTROL, WE BELIEVE THAT NEEDS TO BE DITCH MAINTENANCE, CANAL, MAINTENANCE, AND OUTFALL MAINTENANCE.
AND IF YOU WOULD PERMIT ME TO BACKREST JUST A LITTLE BIT, WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF EFFORT CLEAN AND DRAIN BOXES.
THEN WE SPEND EFFORT CLEANING DRAIN PIPES.
BUT IF WE DON'T SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND ENERGY IN CLEANING OUR OUTFALLS, THEN WE END UP WITH CLEAN SYSTEMS THAT ARE SURCHARGED, AND WE STILL CAN'T GET THE WATER OUT OF THE STREET AND INTO THE ALCOHOL.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY ABOUT CONNECTING THE DOTS OF THAT WORK.
SO WHEN WE CLEAN A BOX AND CLEAN A PIPE, WE ALSO CLEAN THE ALCOHOL.
WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND OUR RESIDENTS AREN'T SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD, WONDERING WHY THEIR STREETS STILL IS HOLDING WATER.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY CRITICAL THAT WE LINE THESE THINGS UP ON THE FLOOD CONTROL.
[01:25:01]
SO WE CAN MANAGE, UH, KIND OF GETTING THE WATER FROM THE STREET TO THE OUTFALL AND THROUGH THE OUTFALL, THE NEXT BOX HAS INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT THERE.WE WOULD PUT OUR HERBICIDE SPRAY PROGRAM.
WE WOULD PUT OUR PUMP STATION MAINTENANCE, AND WE WOULD DO OUR DATA ANALYTICS WITHOUT GOOD DATA ANALYTICS.
YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR WHERE YOUR PROBLEMS ARE, ALL THE PROGRESS YOU'RE MAKING AGAINST THEM, AND, UH, HOW YOU NEED TO MODIFY OR GESTURE PLAN BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING STREET SWEEPING IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
UM, THE W WHAT WOULD CHANGE IN THAT BOX IS SIMPLY THIS.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHICH OF OUR STREETS HAVE THE MOST LITTER ON THEM.
AND THEN WE NEED TO ADJUST THE FREQUENCY BY WHICH WE SWEEP THOSE STREETS AND SWEEP THOSE STREETS MORE OFTEN AND STREETS THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE LITTER, BUT WE RUN UP AND DOWN THEM JUST BECAUSE IT HAS A CURB AND GUTTER WE NEED TO MAYBE REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THAT INSPECTIONS IS ONE.
AND OUR STRUGGLE WITH WHETHER WE CALL THIS INSPECTIONS OR COMPLIANCE.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
UH, WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO, UH, DELIBERATELY LOOK FOR AND MANAGE, UH, ELICIT DISCHARGES INTO A STORM WATER SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO DO MORE AROUND MANAGING AND DRIVING COMPLIANCE WITH BMP PLANS, UH, AND, AND, AND MANAGING SPILLS.
AND, UH, OUR ALSO PUT COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR SERVICES IN THIS BOX, BECAUSE ANY COMPLAINT OF REQUESTS WE GET HAS TO START WITH AN INSPECTION.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NOW, IF THAT'S THE WORK, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT RESOURCES? SO IF WE LOOK AT OUR EXISTING ALLOTMENT OF 98, WE HAVE 29 VACANCIES AS WE STAND HERE TODAY.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU, THIS HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SEEM TO HIRE, WE, WE, WE, WE SEEM TO LOSE MORE ON THE TOP END AND STILL KIND OF OPERATE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
WHAT A 30% VACANCY RATE, WE CANNOT GET OUR WORK DONE, UH, THE WAY WE WANT TO DO IT AT A 30% VACANCY RATE.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S REQUIRED, UH, WE WOULD, UM, ADD ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENT TO MANAGE COMPLIANCE AND INSPECTION, WHICH IS THE BIG GAP WE HAVE.
AND WE WOULD ALSO BRING IN THIRD PARTY RESOURCES TO HELP US DO THE WORK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT DOING.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY SAYING WE NEED TO DOUBLE OUR WORKFORCE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN HIRE THOSE FOLKS INTERNALLY TO CITY PARISH, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE CAN, UH, PROCURE THEM THROUGH THIRD PARTY CONTRACTING.
UH, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT FOR US, BECAUSE IF YOU PROCURE IT THROUGH A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTING, THEY WOULD HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED.
THEY WILL HAVE THE EXPERTISE THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THOSE COSTS WOULD GO AWAY WHEN THAT WORK IS, IS COMPLETED AND NOT BE A BURDEN ON OUR, UM, GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SO IF THAT'S THE WORK AND THAT'S THE RESOURCES, UM, KIND OF, WHAT DO WE THINK THE COST OF DOING THIS WOULD BE IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE? UM, I THINK THE TRUE COST OF DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $40 MILLION COULD BE 42.
IT COULD BE 38, BUT I THINK IT'S IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE IN THESE BUCKETS 3.9 MILLION OR SO FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, SUPPORT A 1.2 MILLION OR SO FOR COMPLIANCE, $9 MILLION FOR OPERATIONS IS BASICALLY, UM, THE FUNDS WE'LL ALREADY HAVE.
I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO ADD $21 MILLION FOR CONTRACT, UM, SUPPORT TO DO THE REPAIRS.
UM, WE NEED ENGINEERING SUPPORT, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE TODAY.
WE STRUGGLE WHEN WE HAVE A COMPLEX REPAIR TO GO MAKE OUR GROUP, DOESN'T HAVE AN ENGINEER TO HELP ENGINEER THE SOLUTION FOR THAT COMPLEX REPAIR.
SO WE REALLY HAVE A BIG VOID IN ENGINEERING SUPPORT FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE, UM, AND, UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO SPEND ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION FOR MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES TO SUPPORT THE WORK WE DO, MOSTLY REPLACING PIPE AND AGGREGATE.
THIS IS WHAT THAT WOULD COVER.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE BIG NUMBER ON THAT LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE 21 MILLION.
HOW DOES THAT BREAK OUT? WHICH IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WERE ASKED
[01:30:01]
TO TO ANSWER.SO THE 21 MILLION AND OUR ESTIMATE WOULD BE SPENT ON BOX CLEANING.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS, WE SPEND ABOUT 1.8 MILLION ALREADY AND CLEAN AND DRAIN BOXES AND PIPES.
AND WE PULLED ALMOST 4 MILLION POUNDS OF SEDIMENT OUT OF OUR SYSTEM, AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET.
SO WE KNOW THAT A PRETTY VALID NUMBER, PIPE INSPECTION AND CLEANING 5 MILLION PORT REPAIRS, 3 MILLION MANHOLE AND INLET REPAIRS, 3 MILLION DITCH CLEANING, 2 MILLION, UH, CON CONCRETE CHANNEL REPAIRS, 2 MILLION CON CONTROL STRUCTURE CLEANING $1 MILLION AS WE STAND TODAY.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED, UH, RESOURCE FOR, UH, DOING CONTROL STRUCTURE CLEANING.
IF WE HAVE TO GO CLEAN CONTROL STRUCTURES, AND WE ONLY HAVE THREE OF THEM, I'VE GOT TO STOP THE CRITICAL MAINTENANCE WORK TO GO DO THAT, RIGHT, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MAN HOURS TO DO BOTH.
SO, UM, IN, I WOULD TELL YOU, WHEN WE SAY INFER THAT WE WANT TO CLEAN STRUCTURES TO A MILLION DOLLARS, WELL, WE'RE ALSO TELLING YOU IS WE NEED TO PUT IN MORE CONTROLLED STRUCTURES THAN WHAT WE HAVE, AND THAT WOULD BE A CAPITAL PROCESS AND MAINTENANCE DRAINING THAT WE WOULD UNDERGO.
AND WE WOULD NEED TO SUPPORT INSPECTIONS, BUT 2 MILLION AND 1 MILLION FOR PUMP STATION MAINTENANCE.
UM, SO IF THAT'S HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR COSTS, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT FUNDING? SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, THE CONCEPT WE WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER IS FOR US TO ESTABLISH A STORM WATER UTILITY.
UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS, UH, NOT A NEW IDEA, BUT IT'S AN EFFECTIVE IDEA FOR US.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE DRIVERS AND OBJECTIVE OF THIS CONCEPT WOULD BE, WE WOULD HAVE RESILIENCY AND THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT WE ESTABLISHED.
UH, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE SOME RESILIENCY AND FUNDING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A DEDICATED FUNDING STREAM.
AND IT WOULD, YOU, YOU COULD GUARANTEE THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO TO DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE.
SO SOME OF THE COMPONENTS WOULD BE THINGS THAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
UM, THERE'S, UH, TECHNICAL DILIGENCE THAT WE WOULD DO THERE'S ROUTINE OPERATIONS THAT WE WOULD DO THERE'S ROUTINE MAINTENANCE THAT WILL BE DONE, INSPECTIONS, CLEANING, AND MINOR REPAIRS.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE PLANNING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND, UH, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, BE VERY DILIGENT AND MAINTAINING, UH, COMPLIANCE TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE.
WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
SO OUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE THAT WE LOOK AT A FEASIBILITY STUDY NEXT PAGE, BUT I LOSE MY, UH, PAGE FLIPPER.
SO, UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO A FEASIBILITY EVALUATION.
THIS IS CRITICAL BEFORE BECAUSE THE NUMBERS I'VE SHOWED YOU ARE OUR ESTIMATES.
UH, WE WOULD, WE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE CITY PARISH, UH, AND THEN, AND THE COUNCIL TO, TO REALLY, UM, EMBARK ON THE FEASIBILITY STUDY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORK SHOULD BE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCES ARE REQUIRED TO DO THAT WORK, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COST OF THOSE RESOURCES WOULD BE, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE OPTIONS OF HOW TO FUND, UH, THOSE COSTS, UH, WOULD BE, WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, AND THE TASK ASSOCIATED WITH GETTING FROM WHERE WE STAND TODAY TO ACTUALLY, UH, GETTING A FEASIBILITY EVALUATION HAS SHOWN ON THE, ON THE CHART TO YOUR RIGHT.
SO, UM, THERE WOULD BE, UM, SOME DEVELOPMENT, SOME DESIGN, SOME PLANNING, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, HOW, HOW THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND HOW WOULD WE SUPPORT THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOME POLICY AND ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
UM, AND WE THINK, UH, THAT WORK WILL TAKE US ANYWHERE FROM THE NEXT EIGHT TO 12 MONTHS TO,
[01:35:01]
TO ACCOMPLISH.IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, I LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH KIND OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF FUNDING THIS YEAR, WE SPENT OR GONE TO SPEND 8.4 MILLION, UM, IN DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE.
UH, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE, UH, 22 MILLION THAT SPENT APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE GOING TO COVER A REPORT FOR HOW WE'RE USING THOSE FUNDS HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UH, WE HOPE, UH, THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER APPROVING, UM, THE SECOND PHASE OF FUNDING THAT WOULD TOTAL UP TO 41 MILLION FOR US, FOR DRAINAGE, WE WOULD THEN STEP INTO 2022 BY INCREASING OUR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE BUDGET TO $9 MILLION.
WE WOULD, UH, THEN ALLOCATE AS A PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE, UM, PLAN FUNDS, 15 MILLION TO HELP ESTABLISH OUR NEW MAINTENANCE DRAINAGE, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT I'VE JUST COVERED WITH YOU IN THAT 15 MILLION, 5 MILLION WILL GO TO SETTING UP THAT ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE NEED 10 MILLION WOULD GO TO ACTUALLY DOING MORE, UH, SPECIFIC DRAINAGE PROJECTS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WITH THE EXISTING AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS.
UH, AND IN 23, WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE A STORM WATER UTILITY ESTABLISHED THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE $42 MILLION.
WE WOULD NEED TO OPERATE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE GOING FORWARD.
OF COURSE, THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
UM, AND THE FINDINGS FROM THAT STUDY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR OR APPROVAL.
WHAT QUESTIONS DID YOU HAVE? WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST, BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON, UH, ITEMS 1 19 1 21 AND 1 22, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? MARIE CONSTANTINE 6 57 SPANISH TOWN ROAD.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, OUR STORMWATER COALITION IS HERE TONIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOWN AT THE COACH OF BAR CELEBRATING.
THANK YOU, KELVIN AND MAYOR BROOM.
OUR COALITION IN STUDYING THIS ISSUE, AND WE KNOW WE'RE 34 YEARS BEHIND AND WE KNOW 41 STATES HAVE THIS PROGRAM AND WE KNOW WE'RE SUFFERING TERRIBLY BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY PUT THIS IN PLACE YEARS AGO AND OUR ANIMALS ARE SUFFERING TOO.
AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE NO VOICE.
IT'S LIKE THOSE PRISONERS HAVE NO VOICE AND SOMEBODY HAS TO SAY SOMETHING AND BECAUSE WE HAVE NO PROGRAM, THIS IS HOW THEY'RE SUFFERING.
THE ANIMALS ARE DYING OF DEATH BY LITTER.
AND IT'S SO SIMPLE IN MIAMI, THEY PAY $5.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR PRICE WILL BE.
AND A 10 YEAR PERIOD, THEY BRING IN 310 MILLION.
AND YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE ANIMALS THAT WOULDN'T BE SUFFERING AND THE PEOPLE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES AND THE LITTER THAT WOULDN'T BE EVERYWHERE IF WE HAD HAD 310 MILLION, YOU KNOW, OVER 10 YEAR PERIOD.
AND SO KELVIN, I CAN'T THANK YOU.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL REPORT AND WE WILL BE DOWN A COACH OF CELEBRATING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
COME ON DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
HI, MY NAME IS RENEE VARMA AND WITH THE LOUISIANA STONE MORTAR COALITION.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK KELVIN AND MAYOR BROOM, UM, FOR, FOR TAKING THESE STEPS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE PASSED A STORMWATER FEASIBILITY RESOLUTION.
IT'S, IT'S A STUDY AND WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH SECRETARY BROWN AT THE, UM, LDQ ON THIS FEASIBILITY STORMWATER STUDY.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU, WHAT WE'RE DOING, PERHAPS IT COULD BE OF HELP AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR FEASIBILITY STUDY.
AND, UH, WE ARE HERE TO HELP TO BE A RESOURCE AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE AND WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ONE-ON-ONE WITH ANYONE AND CALL US, REACH OUT WE'RE HERE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS? 1 19 22 AND 21, 1 19 21 AND 22 COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
KELVIN, YOU MIGHT WANT THEM ON BACK DOWN, TELL YOU MICHAEL ECHO, WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAID.
[01:40:02]
UM, IT'S VERY OBVIOUSLY OBVIOUS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE A LOT OF DETAILED WORK AND RESEARCH.UM, BUT ALSO JUST LIKE MS. CONSTANTINE INDICATED, UM, OUR CITY PARISH IS PROBABLY 30 YEARS BEHIND AND, UM, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING CAME TO A HEAD OF COURSE IN 2016.
AND THAT MEANS THAT WE WERE, UM, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS BEHIND, BUT ONE OF THE, UM, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE CONSIDER FIRST.
AND I ACTUALLY WOKE UP THIS MORNING THINKING ABOUT, UM, AS A YOUNG ADULT, HOW MANY PEOPLE TOOK PRIDE IN WORKING FOR THE CITY PARISH? UM, I ACTUALLY REMEMBER, UM, PEOPLE SAYING I'M TRYING TO GET ON WITH THE CITY PARISH AND, UH, I'M TRYING TO GET SOME SO-AND-SO WOULD LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, ARE, UH, HAVING BLACK REPRESENTATION, UM, ON THIS COUNCIL IS NO MORE THAN LIKE PROBABLY 45 YEARS.
SO I REMEMBER FOLKS SAYING, REACHING OUT TO WHOMEVER, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, WHETHER WHETHER IT WAS JUUL NEWMAN, UM, UH, MAYOR, FARMER, MAYOR, KIPP ODIN, AND WHOEVER HELPED ME GET A JOB WITH THE CITY PAIR.
AND I'M WONDERING WHY NOW IT'S THAT SAME LEVEL OF, UM, DESIRE ISN'T THERE? UM, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING SUBSTITUTE FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN WORKFORCE.
AND THOUGH I'VE HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE MANPOWER AND THE MAN HOURS, UM, B PRIOR TO HAVING AMERICA RESCUE MONEY.
I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY IN POSSIBLY MEETING THOSE WAGES, RECRUITMENT, WHATEVER, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GROW YOUR OWN WORKFORCE WITH THESE EXPERTISE.
IF NON-PRO, IF THESE CONTRACTORS CAN FIND AN ENGINEER, THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS WHY CAN'T THE CITY.
IF THE CONTRACTOR CAN BUY THE EQUIPMENT, WHY CAN'T THE CITY? IF THE CONTRACTORS CAN, UH, USE SKILLED LABORERS, UM, AND RECRUIT AND GIVE ADEQUATE PAY, WHY NOT THE CITY? AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT, OR MAYBE YOU DON'T, BUT I THINK THAT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD IN NOT THIS SETTING, BUT JUST AS YOU'VE GIVEN THIS REPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT EFFORTS TO BUILD YOUR OWN WORKFORCE, BECAUSE I SEE WHERE THROUGH CONTRACTS, THE OTHER THAN THE, UNLESS WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF PAYING PEOPLE RETIREMENT, UM, AND BENEFITS, WE REALLY SHOULD GROW OUR WORKFORCE INTERNALLY.
UM, THIS CITY PARISH, I, I HAD, UM, MY, MY AC BROKE AND THE CONTRACTOR THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY CAME OUT AND HE WAS A YOUNG MAN.
HE SAYS HE, HE LEARNED FROM THE CITY, HE LEARNED A SKILL ON HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND MAKE THE REPAIR.
HE WAS, HE'S ONLY DOING THE DIAGNOSIS, BUT IN ANOTHER JOB HE DOES REPAIRS, BUT HE LEARNED THOSE SKILLS FROM THE CITY.
ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT, UM, VOLUNTEERS AT MY COMMUNITY CENTER, HE'S A RETIRED ELECTRICIAN.
HE LEARNED THOSE SKILLS FROM THE CITY.
HE SAID HE NEVER WENT TO A SCHOOL.
HE LEARNED FROM THE OTHER TRADESMEN.
AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IS IT THAT OUR CITY PARISH IS NOT FOCUSED ON BUILDING A WORKFORCE, THE SAME KIND OF WORKFORCE THAT WE HEAR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TALK ABOUT IN OTHER COMPANIES, UH, WORKING, PARTNERING WITH OTHER, UM, COMPANIES TO DO.
I JUST REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A SUBSTITUTION FOR THAT.
AND I THINK AT THE END, THERE IS A COST SAVING, AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN GROWING, UM, PEOPLE THAT WORK AND THAT ARE DEDICATED AND FAMILIES BUILDING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE PRIDE IN THIS COMMUNITY IS ALSO SUPPLEMENTED, I THINK.
I THINK I HEARD A QUESTION IN THERE AND I, AT THE TIME COUNCIL MEMBER WHO DON'T.
UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, UM, TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I, I THINK, UH, THE INSIGHT YOU
[01:45:01]
GAVE ALSO CONTAINS THE ANSWER.UH, WHEN YOU SAY YOU, YOU YOU'VE MET PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP SKILLS IN THE CITY, BUT NARROW ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY USING THOSE SKILLS, THEY'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE THEY MAKE MORE MONEY.
RIGHT? SO OUR ISSUE IS, IS NOT THAT WE DON'T RECRUIT OR WE DON'T HIRE OUR ISSUE IS THAT WE INVEST IN OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEN WE GIVE THEM TRAINING AND THEY GET SKILLED UP, THOSE SKILLS ARE VALUABLE AND THEY CAN MARKET THEMSELVES ON THE MARKET AND MAKE MORE MONEY ON THE OUTSIDE THAN THEY CAN IF THEY STAY WITH CITY PARIS.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T NEED MORE TIME.
A BIT EFFORT TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
SO THE AMERICAN RESCUE, UM, FUNDS ARE A LOT OF FUNDS, BUT THEY'RE ONE TIME FUNDS AND, AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SOLVE A, UM, A WAGE ISSUE.
ONE TIME, IT HAS TO BE AN ONGOING SOURCE OF, OF REVENUE.
NOW, YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT, UM, ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE A FLEET REPLACEMENT FUND AND OUR CITY PARISH DRAINAGE, MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE NEWEST AND BEST EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US.
AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY WE SPEND IN BETWEEN SEVEN TO $8 MILLION A YEAR, REPLACING OUR EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES WITHIN IN FLEET.
SO THEY HAVE NEW VEHICLES, THEY HAVE THE, THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED.
WE JUST DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE MANPOWER TO, TO RUN THOSE.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHERE IS THE CONCERTED EFFORT? JUST LIKE YOU RAN THOSE NUMBERS WHERE YOU HAVE LOOKED INTO, HOW DO WE GET SKILL? HOW DO WE BE COMPETITIVE? WHAT WILL THAT TAKE? YES, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT NOW.
SO YOU ALSO INDICATED THAT A STREAM OF INCOME WOULD BE TO ADD A DRAINAGE FEE OF, I DON'T KNOW IF THE LADY SAID 10 MILLION A YEAR, BUT 310, 310.
SO I'VE GOT, I'VE HEARD A MILLION HERE AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, AND I'VE HEARD HOW YOU COULD, YOU COULD SEND IT OUT THE DOOR TO CONTRACTORS, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ON HOW YOU KEEP IT HERE.
AND THAT IS WHAT, FOR ME, AS A TAXPAYER, I WOULD NOT WANT TO DO A DRAINAGE FEE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, TO MAINTAIN UNSUSTAINED PEOPLE WHO CAN GET CAREERS, NOT JOBS, CAREERS WITHIN CITY PARISH, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I WAS IN THE OLD DAY.
YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE SAME COMP COMPETITORS EXIST, BUT PEOPLE LEFT PRIVATE SECTOR FOR THE SECURITY THAT CITY PARISH BROAD.
AND SO UNTIL THE ONLY STUDY FOR, AS I'M CONCERNED THAT WE NEED IS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAN UP AND PAY PEOPLE, COMPETITIVE SALARIES? I COULD TELL YOU NOW MONEY, EVEN MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING.
I WORK AT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I COULD MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IF BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND I HAD A GOOD REPUTATION WITH SOMEBODY ELSE.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WHY I STAY THERE, CHARTER PAY MORE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? HE BR I COULD, I COULD GUARANTEE YOU, I'M GOING TO GET A CHECK EVERY MONTH.
SO I'M NEVER GOING TO RUN TO A CHARTER SCHOOL.
WHEN I KNOW THAT EBR, I'M GONNA GET A CHECK 365 DAYS A YEAR, AND I KNOW WHAT DAYS I'M OFF AND ALL THAT STUFF.
AND THAT'S WHERE I, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S THE KIND OF REPORT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS WHERE, WHEN, WHEN BRICK HAS A TEXT, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY KEEP ON STAFF CATS.
TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY KEEP ON STAFF, UH, WHO ELSE WE DO LIBRARY? HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY KEEP ON SAYING, ONE OF THE, WHEN WE DID THE LIBRARY, THE MAIN THING THEY SAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO LAY PEOPLE OFF PEOPLE OFF.
THAT'S WHAT IMPACTED PEOPLE FOR OUR LIBRARY.
AND SO UNTIL THE CITY GETS TO THE POINT WHERE THEY DECIDE AM GOING TO GROW MY OWN THING IN MY OWN BACKYARD, I'M JUST NOT ABOUT, I DON'T LIKE US ALWAYS THROWING MONEY OUT THE DOOR.
JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE PLAN I PRESENTED DOES BRING IN 40 NEW EMPLOYEES VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, HUSBAND, KEVIN FIRST, THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH REPORT.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY WAS ONE OF THE MOST THOROUGH REPORTS I'VE EVER SEEN SITTING IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL.
[01:50:01]
I'M GOING TO START MY QUESTIONS ON THE UTILITY DISTRICT, AND THEN I'LL SHIFT OVER TO AMERICAN RESCUE AFTER THAT.UM, SO ON THE UTILITY DISTRICTS, WHAT FUNCTIONS DO YOU ENVISION THE UTILITY DISTRICT WILL HANDLE VERSUS WHAT FUNCTIONS THE CURRENT DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WILL HANDLE? UM, AND THEN EXPLAIN TO ME THE, HOW THE WORKFLOW WILL HAPPEN, RIGHT? SO, UH, A COMPLAINT COMES IN, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHETHER THAT COMPLAINT GOES TO UTILITY DISTRICT OR THE CURRENT DRAIN DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT? OH, THAT'S A LOT TO UNPACK.
UH, LET ME, LET ME MAYBE UNPACK IT THIS WAY.
OUR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
IT ALSO REQUIRES IN THAT MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE A DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DIVISION, AND ALSO STIPULATES THAT IN THAT DIVISION, THEY WILL DO THINGS LIKE ROADSIDE, DITCHES, CLEANING, CANALS, DOING CAVE INS.
I MEAN, IT, IT REALLY SPELLS IT OUT IN THE, IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE ENHANCES THAT.
SO THE WORK THAT WOULD BE DONE IN A STORM WATER UTILITY GROUP WOULD BE THE SAME OR SIMILAR WORK THAT WE DO AND DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE, THE WAY YOU SEPARATE THE WORK WHEN IT COMES IN IS YOU SEPARATE IT BASED ON HOW YOU PLAN AND SCHEDULE THE WORK.
SO THE FIRST PRIORITY WOULD BE, IS TO FULLY LOAD THE SCHEDULES OF OUR CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES.
ONCE THEY'RE SCHEDULED IS FULLY LOADED.
THE OVERFLOW OF SCHEDULING SHOULD GO TO THIRD PARTY CONTRACTORS, AND WE WOULD TAKE THE, THE BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE INVESTIGATE THOSE, PULL OUT OF THOSE AND PLAN AND SCHEDULE THOSE TO GET DONE WITH THE, WITH THE THIRD PARTY RESOURCES.
SO IT IS, I W I DON'T WANT TO SAY, UH, A SIMPLE WAY TO DO IT, BUT THE WAY TO DO IT IS IN HOW YOU PLAN AND SCHEDULE THE WORK.
UM, SO, UH, SIMILARLY THEMED QUESTION IS HOW THE MONEY WILL FLOW FROM THE UTILITY FEE.
DOES THE UTILITY FEE SIMPLY GO TO THE UTILITY DISTRICT OR CAN THE UTILITY FEE ALSO GO TOWARDS OUR CURRENT DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT? UH, AND THEN I'LL JUST ADD THE QUESTION THAT, DO YOU ENVISION THE FUNDING FOR THE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO GO UP OR DOWN IN THIS WITH THIS PROPOSAL? UH, LET ME, LET ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION THIS WAY.
IT IS MY VISION THAT ALL OF DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE IS FUNDED WITH THE FUNDING STRING FOR STORM WATER UTILITY, AND WHAT WE CURRENTLY FUND WITH THE GENERAL FUND FOR STORM ORDER, UM, MAINTENANCE.
UM, WE, WE REALLY WOULD NEED TO DO THAT AND GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE WOULD FUND ALL OF STORM WATER MAINTENANCE INSIDE THE UTILITY.
AND MY VIEW OF THAT IS THAT WOULD COVER THE STORM WATER DRAINAGE, MAINTENANCE DIVISION.
THAT'S INSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAINTENANCE, THE PEOPLE AND THE EQUIPMENT, AND THINGS WOULD STAY IN MAINTENANCE, BUT WOULD BE FUNDED, UM, WITH THE STORM WATER.
I, WHERE DO YOU ALL ENVISION THE $9 MILLION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE BUDGETED FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE? WHAT WILL WE, WHAT WILL WE BE DOING WITH THAT $9 MILLION? UM, PROBABLY FIGHTING OVER IT.
SO I THINK THAT THERE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.
ONE THOUGHT WOULD BE, WE COULD, WE CAN TAKE THOSE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR STORM WATER MAINTENANCE.
WE COULD TAKE THAT $9 MILLION IN POTENTIALLY FUN.
UM, AND I ALMOST DON'T WANT TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I PROBABLY GET IN TROUBLE, BUT WE COULD POTENTIALLY FUND, UH, PAY INCREASES FOR DPW WORKERS.
SO, SO I THINK THERE WILL BE A BIT OF A DEBATE, A HEALTHY DEBATE OVER WHAT THE PROPER WAY TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY FREE UP IN THE GENERAL, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, I'LL JUST THROW THIS OUT THERE FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT WE COULD FUND A RETIREE HEALTHCARE LIABILITY TRUST, WHICH WOULD EXPONENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, COULD, COULD REALLY PROVIDE A LOT OF LEVERAGE.
SO I JUST WANT THAT OUT THERE IN THE ATMOSPHERE FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER, I WOULD LIKE TO FIGHT.
UM, WILL THE UTILITY DISTRICT OR OUR CURRENT DRAIN IS MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TAKE OVER MAINTENANCE OF SUBDIVISION, RETENTION PONDS.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE USUALLY HEAR WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH
[01:55:01]
ZONING ISSUES IS RESIDENTS SAY, WELL, WHO'S GOING TO TAKE OVER THIS POND.AND WE SAY, WELL, WE'VE GOT A MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT WITH THE SOON TO BE HOA, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.
THE HOA IS DISSOLVED SOMETIMES, AND IT JUST DOESN'T GET DONE.
SO DO WE ENVISION THAT THE UTILITY DISTRICT WILL TAKE OVER MAINTENANCE OF THESE RETENTION PONDS? NO, NOT AT THIS POINT.
UM, OUR VIEW RIGHT NOW IS THOSE RETENTION PONDS ARE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF THE HOA AND THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE SUBDIVISIONS.
AND WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR FUNDING THAT LET ME ASK IT THIS WAY.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, UM, FOR US TO CHANGE HOW WE REQUIRE I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR NEW, NEW SUBDIVISIONS, RIGHT.
UH, SO NOT FOR EXISTING SUBDIVISIONS, BUT FOR NEW SUBDIVISIONS, IF WE REQUIRE THE DEVELOPERS TO GIVE US A DRAINAGE SERVITUDE AND THE RETENTION PONDS, THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.
SO AS A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, CAN WE INCLUDE IT FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT, THOSE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN WHAT I'VE SHOWN YOU TONIGHT? AND THEY WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL.
I'M GOING TO SHIFT REAL QUICK, UH, TO AMERICAN RESCUE.
UM, SO YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND I, I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID IN REGARDS TO VEHICLES, BUT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY.
THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET FROM, FROM MAINTENANCE OFTEN IS ON THE EQUIPMENT.
SO TRACTORS, UH, I THINK THE MINCY MUCK IS THAT THE NAME OF THE MACHINE THAT THEY RELY ON SO MUCH BACKHOES.
AND THAT SORT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET IS THAT THEY ARE OFTEN STRUGGLING WITH THOSE.
SO IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE DOLLARS, UH, DO YOU CURRENTLY, OR CAN WE AT LEAST CONSIDER SOME ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT IN THE FORM OF BACKHOES, MITZI, MUCKS, TRACTORS, THAT KIND OF STUFF? WELL, OF COURSE, THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED, UM, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HELP ME WITH WHICH, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE THAT WE, WE THINK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
SO, UM, THEY'RE THERE, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, RELIABILITY, UH, CAN BE A CONCERN OF SOME, UH, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT, BUT WE ROUTINELY REPLACE OUR TRACTORS ROUTINELY REPLACING OUR DUMP TRUCKS.
OUR MSI MUGS AREN'T THAT OLD, BUT THEY CAN BE REPLACED IF THEY REQUEST A REPLACEMENT FOR THEM.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE FUNDS ESTABLISHED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT EQUIPMENT, AND WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF TAKING THE INCREMENTAL FUNDS THAT WERE, THAT WE HAVE AND USE IT MORE TOWARDS THE PROJECTS OF GETTING THE DRAINAGE DRAINAGE DONE, BUT SURE.
IT COULD BE APPLIED TO EQUIPMENT IF WE CHOOSE TO DO.
UM, SO THERE WAS $9.6 MILLION AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FOR THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND A SIMILAR QUESTION ON THE $8 MILLION FOR POLICE VEHICLES AND $1.8 MILLION FOR POLICE TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL THE DOLLARS ARE GOING TOWARDS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE ENTITIES.
HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO OUR, OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN THE PARISH, ARE THE FIRE DISTRICTS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED.
UH, MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TEND TO THINK ABOUT JUST THE, THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE TOUCH, RIGHT.
UH, WHICH IS A NATURAL IN A VERY NATURAL WAY TO DO IT.
UM, BUT THE FACT IS OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, THESE DOLLARS ARE SUPPOSED TO, TO BENEFIT ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO FOR INSTANCE, IN DISTRICT NINE, MY CONSTITUENTS ARE LARGELY SERVED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, EAST SIDE FIRE AND ST.
UM, SO ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE ANY, ANY DOLLARS FOR ANY OTHER FIRE DISTRICTS OR PUBLIC SAFETY? I WOULD HAVE TO PHONE A FRIEND ON THAT ONE.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN ASK ANSWER.
SO ONE, UM, ON YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN, I'VE HAD SOME INQUIRIES, UM, ONE, THE PARISH FIRE DISTRICTS.
AND SO I SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE PARISH FIRE DISTRICTS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR EQUIPMENT NEEDS ARE FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE ROUNDS OF FUNDING ON THE FIRE DISTRICTS.
UM, YEAH, THE FIRE DISTRICTS DID RECEIVE SOME, UM, FUNDING ONE-TIME FUNDING THROUGH THE LOUISIANA CARES ACT LAST YEAR FROM, UH, THE STATE ALLOCATION, WHICH I, I FEEL THAT THEY COULD HAVE USED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT NEEDS.
AND THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY, UM, ANY CAPITAL MONEY TO HELP THEM ADDRESS THEIR EQUIPMENT AID.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE PARISH FIRE DISTRICTS AND SEE WHAT THEIR NEEDS
[02:00:01]
ARE AND GET, AND GET THOSE REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION.THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
AND SO I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF EVERYBODY HERE, A JOB WELL DONE ON YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU ANTICIPATED, UH, QUESTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED AND YOU ANSWERED.
SO THAT'S WHAT A GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENT DOES.
AND I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MARIE CONSTANTINE AS MS. STORM WATER MIST ON WATER.
SO MARIE, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP WELL AND ALSO FREQUENT THAT OTHER PLACE THEY ARE.
NOW MY CONCERN AS, UM, WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER ABOUT THAT THIRD PARTY OUTSOURCING THE THIRD PARTY OUTSOURCING BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT OUR NEEDS FOR EMPLOYEES, AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY, UM, CONCERNS AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GETTING FOLK EMPLOYED AND GETTING FOLK EMPLOYED WITH ALL THE, WITH BENEFITS, BECAUSE THEY MUST UNDERSTAND, AND THEY KNOW IT'S NOT JUST A RIGHT NOW THING THAT WE MUST LOOK AT, BUT DOWN THE LINE.
SO MY CONCERN IS THIRD PARTY OUTSOURCING.
AND AS YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST AT AN EXXON MEETING.
AND SO MY CONVERSATION WITH THEM WAS ABOUT THAT, UM, THE HIRING OF FOLK WHAT'S THE MAKEUP AND ABOUT HAVING THE, UH, FOLK THAT WERE JUST COMING IN AS CONTRACTORS.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY, BUT I THINK WHAT FOLK NEED TO KNOW NOW THAT THERE ARE MAINTENANCE POSITIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE TESTING, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU, IN MY OPINION, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE GOES, UH, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A PERSON WOULD HAVE TO BE TESTED TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THAT LOW LEVEL.
AND THEN WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ARE PAYING IN THEM AND THOSE EXPECTATIONS, AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, EMPLOYEES NOT COMMITTING TO, SO MAYBE THAT OUGHT TO BE A PART OF YOU.
YOU TALKED ABOUT WHEN YOU TRAIN THEM, THEY LEAVE.
SO MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT AND THAT'S DOABLE.
SO FOLK THAT ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.
I AM ONE THAT FIND THE YES AND A THING, NOT WHY IT'S NOT WORKING, BUT LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
AND SO EVEN WITH THAT TESTING AND, AND THE, THE TRAINING FOR THE TESTING, I HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER USE MY COMMUNITY CENTER TO DO THAT.
UH, WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH THE POPULATION THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO, TO, TO GET, TO COME AND WORK WITH YOU, YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN A COMFORTABLE PLACE AND NOT ALWAYS COME INTO YOU, BUT YOU COME TO THEM.
AND SO THEY, THERE COULD VERY WELL BE, UH, OPPORTUNITY WAY OR, UH, THEY ARE COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS.
AND FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, SOME TEACHING UP THE TESTING ITEMS THAT WILL BE RISK, THAT THEY WILL BE EXPECTED TO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHEN DO, AND THEN SEE IF THAT IS TRULY UPDATED.
AT THIS POINT HERE, I, I LOOKED AT THE, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THEN THE STUDY GUIDE.
AND I, I QUESTIONED IF IT'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE POSITIONS.
AND SO WE NEED TO JUST BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING
[02:05:01]
SOMETHING A CERTAIN WAY, DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS THE WAY IN.SO WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL, AND THEN ALL SHOW, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW, THIS, BUT EVEN SOME OF THE OTHER PERSONS IN POSITIONS, UH, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE.
AND SO SOME OF THE OTHER PERSONS IN POSITIONS THAT HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WITH US, GO IN AND TALK WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES AND ASK THEM TO ASSIST IN THIS PROCESS OF GETTING SOME FOLK TO COME AND WORK.
AND I'LL HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING A COUPLE OF FOLK TO COME TO WORK FOR THE CITY.
SO, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
AND BY ALL MEANS, YOU KNOW, MCDONALD'S PAYING MORE THAN $10 NOW.
SO WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TO PAY A MAN, $10 TO RUN A HOUSEHOLD.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
AND SO EVEN WHEN WE MENTIONED ABOUT THE, A FEASIBILITY STUDY, THAT'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY.
THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE WITH STORM WATER.
YOU KNOW, I WONDER HOW FEASIBLE ARE STUDIES.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID, YOU'RE THE GURU, AND YOU SAID THAT THAT MAY BE NECESSARY, BUT LET'S LOOK AND BE MORE COGNIZANT OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY FEASIBILITY.
WE KNOW IT'S THERE, YOU LAID OUT A BEAUTIFUL PLAN THERE.
SO DO WE HAVE TO PAY SOME MORE FOLK TO COME IN HERE AND SAY THAT THIS IS FEASIBLE OR WHATEVER.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US, AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT THE STORM WATER GROUP HAS.
THEY ARE AND SEE HOW WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND HOW THAT CAN BE, UH, USED.
I DID A BURGERS AND BREW, AND MY INTENT WAS TO REALLY HAVE THE DPW FOLK TO COME HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
WHEN YOU TALK WITH FOLK, YOU CAN REALLY FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO FIND OUT THE WHY, THE, WHY, THE, WHY FOLK NOT WANTING TO COME AND WORK FOR DPW NOW, AS THEY DID IN THE PAST FOR THE CITY NOW, AS THEY DID IN THE PAST.
AND SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO.
AND SO IN THE LAST, I THINK THING IS THIS ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND THIS I GUESS IS FOR THESE CONSTITUENTS OUT HERE, AND THAT IS THROWING STUFF OUT THE WINDOW.
YOU CLEANING OUT HOUSES, JUST PUTTING STUFF ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS OVERWORKING WHEN THEY ARE NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE.
SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE IT'S ILL, LEGAL, SO LEGAL NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT ILLEGAL DUMPING THERE.
AND THEN THAT WILL ALSO HELP US WITHOUT MONEY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO SOMETHING WITH RAISING THE SALARIES, RAISING, AND THEN REMOVE AND RE RE REVISITING ALL OF THIS TESTING TO CLEAN UP.
I'D LIKE FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP SOME OF OUR PEOPLE, UH, AND HIRE THEM AND NOT THIS THIRD PARTY OUTSOURCES, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SKIN IN THE GAME.
YOU HAVE ASKED A QUESTION THAT YOU JUST MADE SOME STATEMENTS, RIGHT? WHERE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR CAROLYN.
SO I BELIEVE HE KNOWS WHAT I BELIEVE WE COULD.
UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE PRESENTLY HAVE A SEWER USER FEE IN EFFECT IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
UH, FOR WHICH THE EAST BATON ROUGE SEWERAGE COMMISSION WAS SET UP, WE CALL IT A BRONCO.
UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, A STORMWATER UTILITY FEE, A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT WOULD BE ENVISIONED.
YEAH, WE THINK THE STORM WATER UTILITY CONCEPT WAS FLOW IDENTICAL TO HOW THE SEWER, UH, BOARD WAS SET.
AND MY APPRECIATION ON THE SEWERAGE FEE IS THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED FOR UNDER OUR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
THAT IS CORRECT FROM YOUR PRESENTATION.
WOULD THE VISION FOR THE STORMWATER UTILITY FEE BE THAT THEY BE COLLECTED UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF MAINTENANCE? UM, WE WOULD, UH, DESIRE TO HAVE THE STORM WATER UTILITY SET UP UNDER
[02:10:01]
DES ALSO UNDER DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.RIGHT? NOT ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT WITH THAT FEE WOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY DES WE DO, WE DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR NOW WITH SEWER AND THAT SEWER PAYS FOR ACTIVITIES THAT OCCURRED OUT IN OTHER DEPARTMENT.
THE, UH, PROPOSED 40 MILLION AS THE ESTIMATE AS IT STANDS TONIGHT.
UH, I BELIEVE I HEARD YOU SAY IN YOUR COMMENTS EARLIER WOULD, WOULD NOT BE IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT 8.4 NEXT YEAR, PROPOSED 9 MILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT'S CURRENTLY COLLECTED.
DO I HAVE THAT ACCURATE? THE 40 MILLION IS NOT OVER AND ABOVE THE CURRENT 8.4? NO, THE 40 MILLION INCLUDES, UM, ACTUALLY THE 9 MILLION THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR 2022.
SO IT'S 9 MILLION OF PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2022 PLUS 31 MILLION OF INCREMENTAL FUNDS.
SO PART OF THAT 40, NOW I'M GOING TO GET REALLY CONFUSING HERE, BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 9 MILLION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 9 MILLION COMING IN VIA TAXPAYERS, RIGHT.
AND SO THE STORM WATER UTILITY NUMBER COULD BE 31 TO GET TO 40.
UM, IT IT'S GOING TO BE, YES, IT COULD BE 31 TO GET THE 40, BUT WE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE UTILITY FUND ALL $40 MILLION, THAT WOULD FREE UP THE GENERAL PRESSURE ON THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY TAKEN OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, AND WE ARE TALKING, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE VISION FOR A STORM WATER UTILITY FEE, A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, AS WELL AS A COMMERCIAL COMPONENT.
WHEN WE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A STORMWATER UTILITY, IT COVERS BOTH RESIDENTIAL, UM, STONEWATER WATER IMPACTS AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL STORMWATER IMPACT COVERS BOTH.
I'LL GIVE SOME KUDOS TO THE GROUP.
THAT'S HERE, THE STORM WATER COALITION.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE AND RESEARCH.
I THINK THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE TO HAVING THEM, UH, AT THE TABLE WITH THAT INFORMATION, IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE, UH, TO PUT TOGETHER A, THIS FEE FEE FEASIBILITY EVALUATION.
UH, SO I THINK THAT THEY, THEY CAN CERTAINLY ADD SOME VALUE TO THIS CONVERSATION AND PROCESS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ALSO A PRESENTATION ON THE ARP FUNDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING PUT? YES, WE DO.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THAT WHEN, WHEN THE COUNCIL IS READY.
KEVIN COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. HI, CALVIN.
UM, QUESTION THE STREET SWEEPERS.
DO THEY GO DOWN ALL THE ROADS OR JUST THE CITY PARISH ON ROADS? I'M THINKING ABOUT THE STATE-OWNED ROADS AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE SEE WITH LITTER IN THOSE STREETS.
THEY DO, UH, THE CITY PARISH ROSE WITH CURVES AND GUTS.
SO LIKE BLUE BONNET OR SN AS AN EXAMPLE ON THE INTERSTATE, AS AN EXAMPLE IS A STATE INTERSTATE.
THEY SQUEAKED, THEY UNDERSTATE WHAT THEIR OWN STREET SWEEPING CONTRACT.
SO SOME OF OUR MAIN ROADS ARE STATE ROADS ARE NOT GETTING CLEANED, BUT BY THE CITY PARISH IT'S BY THE STATE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHO I SAID, THAT'S WHO I SHOULD CALL HIM FAST THAT, UM, A QUESTION.
UM, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT THIS, AND I THINK, WELL, IT'S RESCUE DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 4 MILLION IN PREMIUM PAY.
UM, WHAT IN THE RESCUE, IN THE RESCUE FUNDS, UM, WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHICH WORKERS THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR? UM, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO CALL A FRIEND FOR THAT ONE AS WELL.
BEFORE, BEFORE YOU RESPOND, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR IS JUST RESCUE DOLLARS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE OR THE ONE WE JUST INTRODUCED.
CAUSE IF IT'S THE ONE WE JUST INTRODUCED PROCEDURALLY, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THOSE DOLLARS UNTIL WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT.
SO IS THIS RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS THAT WERE INTRODUCED TONIGHT THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO? SO PROCEDURALLY, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THAT THIS EVENING.
I KNOW A COUNCIL MEMBER HUSTLIN SNIPPED IT IN ON ME, BUT UH, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THAT THIS EVENING BECAUSE IT WAS INTRODUCED TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS INTRODUCTORY ITEMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, ANDY, MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE WITH US IF WE DISCUSS SOMETHING WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PAUL, HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE ITEM ITSELF.
[02:15:01]
SAY IT AGAIN.WHEN I THINK THOSE WERE DOLLARS THAT WERE ALREADY APPROVED AND THE 22 MILLION, NOT NECESSARILY THE ONES THAT WERE INTRODUCED TONIGHT.
I TYPICALLY DEFER TO MS. BECK.
I LET HER TAKE THE FIRST TIME BETTER THAN I GOT TICKETS TO HAVE IT.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, IT WOULD VIOLATE THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
SO ALL OF US COULD GO TO JAIL.
SO WE DON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THAT THEN COUNSEL AND NOTICE, NOTICE MY OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD BY THE PUBLIC OR KEY.
SO MS. ADAMS, I'LL GIVE YOU A TWO AND A HALF MINUTES BACK.
I ALWAYS GET IN TROUBLE AND WHEN MR. DODSON COMES UP.
UM, THE, THE WORK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, LET'S SEE, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
SO IN THE FIRST SET OF RESCUE DOLLARS HAD, UM, HAD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE, THAT WERE TRIBUTARIES THAT WERE BY USE ABOUT $5 MILLION.
UM, SO, SO NOW IN THE RESCUE, I THINK WE HAVE MORE MONEY FOR KNOW, MAINTENANCE OF TRIBUTARIES.
HOW DOES THIS WORK ARE COMBINED WITH THE FIVE BY USE PROJECT? ARE THESE TWO COMPLIMENTARY, ARE WE DOUBLING UP? HELP ME GET THAT, THE ANSWER THAT IN THE SECOND REPORT THAT WOULD GIVE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'LL COVER THAT A SEPARATE REPORT.
I APOLOGIZE, MS. ADAMS, I JUST WANT TO STAY FREE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE, AS FAR AS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, WHEN DID, HOW LONG DID YOU ANTICIPATE FOR THAT TO TAKE OR WHAT DO YOU, WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING? HOW LONG DO YOU, I GUESS, GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW LONG WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY BEFORE WE COME BACK AND THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A DETERMINATION OF WHAT THE FEE WE, THAT WOULD POSSIBLY PRESENT IT TO THE PUBLIC.
A FEASIBILITY STUDY TYPICALLY TAKES SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS KIND OF TIMEFRAME.
MICK COULD GO EIGHT TO 12, DEPENDING ON, UM, HOW MUCH DATA THEY HAVE TO, UH, ANALYZE AND GET THROUGH.
BUT IT, THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD BRING BACK TO US, BRING BACK TO THE COUNCIL, UM, CONFIRMATION OF, OF WHAT THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE WORK IS, THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THAT WORK THEIR PERCEPTION OF HOW TO SET UP A FUNDING MECHANISM TO FUND THAT WORK.
SO THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD RECOMMEND THOSE THINGS.
AND THAT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M TAKING IT AS FAR AS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
I'M JUST GETTING A SENSE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A FEE PER CITIZEN.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE UTILITY FEE AND STORMWATER FEE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, IF THAT GOES FORWARD, WHICH I HAVE NO DOUBT OF WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD GO FORWARD WITH THAT PRETTY QUICK.
UM, AS FAR AS THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, I KNOW WE HAVE THE STORM WATER MASTER PLAN THAT COMES UP MIDDLE, MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR, ALONG WITH THE MORATORIUM ENDING MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, IF I, I GUESS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A STUDY, WE GET ON IT.
IF WE COULD PUT A TIME LIMIT ON IT TO AT LEAST WRAP UP ABOUT THAT TIME, WHERE ALL THAT COMES INTO FRUITION TOGETHER, UM, CAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO START PRESENTING FEES AND, AND, AND I GUESS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LABEL IT MORE, UH, COST TO THE TAXPAYERS, UM, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST BRING IT ALL IN TOGETHER.
SO EVERYTHING CAN BE PRESENTED AT ONE TIME, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF THIS POSSIBLE STUDY, HANGING OUT THERE EVEN LONGER.
UM, I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY HERE AND THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR DRAINAGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THE STORM WATER MASTER PLAN HAS TO DO WITH DRAINAGE AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING TO BE PROPOSED IN THAT TYPE OF STUFF AND EVERYTHING, AS FAR AS DOING THAT'S WHERE I'M MAKING THE TIE IN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS UTILITY IS FOR ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF WHEN WE FINISHED THESE PROJECTS AND WHAT THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDS US DOING, OR EVEN WITH THE CORE, UH, DOING THEIR WORK ON THE FIVE BY USE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE OVER THOSE MAINTENANCE ISSUES, CORRECT? YES, WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE ON THE AMY DIVERSION AND THE TRIBUTARY, UH, WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF LEADS INTO MY NEXT QUESTION IS ON THE, UM, CONEY RIVER DIVERSION CANAL, ONCE THAT IS FINISHED IS, IS AN ANTICIPATED THAT THIS STUDY OR THESE $40 MILLION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALLOCATING IS THAT
[02:20:01]
IS THE COMI RIVER DIVERSION MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING ANTICIPATED TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT $40 MILLION CAUSE I'M GUESSTIMATING OR WHAT I'M BEING TOLD IS THAT COULD BE UP TO $10 MILLION, UH, EVERY FEW YEARS, AS FAR AS DREDGING AND CLEARING AND KEEPING THAT CHANNEL OPEN TO SPECIFICATIONS.UM, I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT NUMBER, BUT, UM, THE, THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THOSE CHANNELS WOULD BE A PART OF THIS.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO FUND THE WORK OUT OF THE UTILITY IF IT'S SET UP, UNLESS THERE IS A SECONDARY, UH, FUNDING STREAM FOR THAT MAINTENANCE THROUGH SOME GRANT OR SOME OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS. OKAY.
LIKE I SAID, I, I JUST, IT'S, IT'S A BIG THING ON MY MIND WITH THE, WITH THE DIVERSION CANAL.
AND, UH, I JUST, YOU KNOW, THE THING WITH THE PUBLIC IS IF WE GO SET UP THESE, THIS STRUCTURE TO COVER OUR COSTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE KEPT IN MIND BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK EITHER BACK TO THEM OR SCRAMBLING TO FIND STUFF, TO KEEP THAT CHANNEL OPEN, BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE CORE IS GOING TO BUILD IT.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONE AFTER THAT.
THEY, THEM FOR ALL THEIR WORK, THEY THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT ONCE THEY'RE DONE, THEY'RE GONE.
AND ANOTHER CONCERN IS, IS THE OTHER PARISHES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COULD COME BACK IN BEFORE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH CHANNEL.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE THAT TO US ALSO.
YEAH, WE, WE ARE PAINFULLY AWARE OF, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, EXERCISE MAINTENANCE ON THOSE CHANNELS WHEN THEY'RE COMPLETED.
UM, THERE WOULD BE FUNDING IN THIS PROPOSAL TO COVER OUR MAINTENANCE INITIALLY, BUT THE CHANNEL BEING NEW, UH, THE MAINTENANCE WON'T BE QUITE SO, UM, TAXING ON US, BUT AS IT AGES, UH, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE HAVING TO SPEND MORE MAINTENANCE DOLLARS ON, ON SOMETHING LIKE THE CO MEET AND, AND THE AB WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO DO.
I WANT TO JUMP OVER TO, UH, MAINTENANCE WORK.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CRUISE.
IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE CREWS OR KEEPING THERE.
THE CREWS ARE GETTING SO MANY JOBS DONE PER WEEK OR PER MONTH, AS FAR AS KEEPING UP WITH THAT, BUT THERE'S JUST AS MANY CALLS COMING IN AS THEY'RE GETTING DONE, UM, WITH THIS, WITH THIS MAINTENANCE THING OR WITH THE TOTAL OF THE 40 MILLION, 20 MILLION LAST GO ROUND AND SAID, WE'LL KEEP IT TO THAT.
UM, WELL WE BRING IN ON BASICALLY DOUBLING THE CREWS OR EVEN DOING MORE TO GET THEM CAUGHT UP FASTER.
IF, IF, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, THE RESOURCE PROPOSAL THAT EFFECTIVELY DOUBLES THE MAN HOURS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US TODAY, SO THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO GET CAUGHT UP AND TO MANAGE NEW ACTIVITIES THAT WE NEED TO GO DO THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY DOING, BEING THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN THE EXTRA CREWS, WHICH IS BASICALLY PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO BRING IN EXTRA CREWS, ALL WE'D BE ABLE TO INSTEAD OF JUST GOING BY COSTS.
SO I GUESS YOU'RE DOUBLING THE MAN HOURS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COST OF OUR MAINTENANCE CREWS AND THEN BY PRODUCT, EITHER BRINGING IN THE CONTRACTORS, DOES THAT ALLOW US TO BRING IN MORE THAN JUST DOUBLING THE MAN HOURS? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? DOES THAT QUESTION MAKES SENSE? AND WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THERE WAS A QUESTION BROUGHT UP A WHILE AGO ABOUT PRIVATIZING AND BRING IT IN HOUSE AND SO ON.
AND, UH, I GUESS WHAT I'M SEEING IS THE MORE EFFICIENCY OF BRINGING ON CONTRACT CREWS AND PRIVATIZATION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS AND EVERYTHING NOT GETTING RID OF, OF WHAT WE HAVE OR ARE NOT LETTING ANYBODY GO, I'M NOT GOING THAT ROUTE OR ANYTHING, BUT, BUT EVENTUALLY INSTEAD OF COMPLETELY BRING IT ON CRUISE TO THE PARISH LEVEL.
SO WHEN WE GET MORE OUT OF THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS, LET ME GIVE YOU A TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF, OF HOW THAT COULD WORK FOR US.
OUR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE CREWS ONLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF DOING ABOUT 2,600, UM, DRAIN BOX CLEANINGS A YEAR.
WE DID ALMOST 31, 3200 STRUCTURES IN EIGHT WEEKS WITH CONTRACT CREWS.
SO, UM, THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT WITH A CONTRACT CREW, YOU CAN ASSIGN THEM OR DEDICATE THEM TO SPECIFIC TASKS.
THEY SET UP TO DO THOSE TASKS.
THERE ARE EFFICIENCIES AND DOING MULTIPLE TASKS OF THE SAME NATURE.
AND SO YOU'RE NOT PULLING THEM OFF HERE TO GO DO SOMETHING ELSE OVER THERE AND THEY'RE COMING BACK HAVING TO RESET UP.
SO YOU DO GAIN QUITE A BIT OF EFFICIENCY BY ASSIGNING SIMILAR WORK,
[02:25:01]
TO SIMILAR RESOURCES AND LET THEM DO THAT WORK CONTINUOUSLY.YOU WILL GET A LOT MORE BANG FOR THE MONEY DOING IT THAT WAY.
AND WE, AND WE S WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN SPADES WITH THE WORK WE'VE DONE WITH THE EXISTING DRAIN BOX.
UH, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT OUR EMPLOYEES.
I, I LOVE OUR EMPLOYEES TO DEATH AND EVERYTHING.
I, I THINK THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB WITH THE TASKS THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THIS.
BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THE OTHER SIDE, AS FAR AS THE CITY PARISH AND BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS FAR AS HIRING ON, OR BRINGING MORE ON INS VERSUS CONTRACTING OR, OR PRIVATIZING.
NOW, UH, ONE FINAL QUESTION, UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK REAL QUICK IS, UH, IN OUR SEWER DEPARTMENT, THERE IS A MONTHLY FEE AND A TAP FEE.
DO YOU ENVISION, UH, THAT WE'LL HAVE THE SAME THING WITH THE STOLEN WATER IN ADDITION TO THE MONTHLY FEE? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT UNTIL A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS DONE.
I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE THE WAY TO, TO REALLY JUDGE WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
WELL, LET ME SAY, UM, EXCELLENT JOB WITH THE PRESENTATION IN TERMS OF THE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS THE DELIVERY, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING WE ALL COULD UNDERSTAND, EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE YOU GIVE THAT PRESENTATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID IN A PRESENTATION, I DO WANT YOU TO MAKE MENTION, YOU SAID THAT WATER IS REMAINING IN OUR STREETS, UH, STAYING IN THE STREETS.
UH, OUR OFFICE GETS THE MOST ABOUT FLOODING.
AND IN TERMS OF WATER NOT GOING DOWN, COULD YOU SAY WHAT YOU SAID AGAIN ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN OR THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT HAPPENS IN A WAY THAT THE WATER GOES DOWN OR RECEIVES, UH, IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT? MAYBE, MAYBE THE WAY TO SHARE THAT IS TO GIVE YOU A TANGIBLE EXAMPLE.
WE HAD SOME ISSUES AND THE OAK HILL AREA WITH WATER RETAINING AND THE STREETS AFTER RAIN EVENTS, BOB CSR CONTRACTOR WAS ABLE TO GO IN AND CLEAN OUT THE DRAIN BOXES IN THE PIPES, BUT WE STILL HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE WATER RETENTION BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS WHAT WE CALL SURCHARGED.
SO IT COULDN'T GET TO THE OUTFALL.
AND IF YOU LOOK UNDER SIEGEN LANE RIGHT THERE BY THE CHURCH, BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD, WHAT'S AN ALCOHOL IS WHERE THE WATER DEPOSITED THE POSITS ITSELF INTO A LARGER WATER BODY.
EITHER A TRIBUTARY OR A LAKE OR RIVER, SOME LARGER WATER BOTTLE.
I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, FOR THE OAK HILL EXAMPLE, WE CLEANED THE BOXES.
WE CLEANED THE PIPES, BUT THE WATER WAS STILL STANDING.
IT WASN'T MOVING AND IT WASN'T UNTIL WE CLEANED THAT OUTFALL.
AND THAT WAS DONE BY REGIONAL'S TEAM.
THEY WENT IN AND CUT THE TREES, CUT THE BRUSH, DUG, UM, UH, THE DEBRIS FROM, IN FRONT OF THE DISCHARGE PIPES AND ALLOWED THAT WATER TO FLOW UNDER THE SIEGEN LANE THROUGH TO THE CANAL THAT COULD GET IT TO THE OUTFALL.
AND ONCE THAT WAS DONE, THE WATER THAT WAS STANDING IN OAK HILL DISSIPATED AND WENT AWAY.
AND NOW WHEN YOU SEE IT RAIN, YOU CAN SEE A, A VERY GOOD FLOW WATER COMING FROM THE OAK HILL SUBDIVISION AREA THROUGH THE PIPES.
YOU CAN SEE IT JUST FLOWING RIGHT OUT INTO THE CHANNEL, ON THE SEATING LANE.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS IT, WE, WE NEED TO GET ORDER FROM THE STREET INTO OUR BOXES.
THEN WE NEED TO GET IT FROM THE BOXES THROUGH THE PIPES, BUT WE NEED TO GET IT OUT OF THE PIPE AND THEN TO THE OUTFALL.
AND UNTIL YOU DO ALL THREE, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE DRAINAGE ISSUES.
I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AS A CITIZENRY IS NOT UNDERSTANDING OUR WORLD AND ASSISTING IN THAT PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY A CITY.
PARIS HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE CALL ON THE CITY PARIS TO COME OUT AND ADDRESS THE CONCERNS WE HAVE.
BUT ALSO WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE IN HERE TO ASSIST WITH THAT PROCESS.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK IT'S WISE TO DO SOME EDUCATION SEMINARS ON HOW CITIZENS CAN ASSIST IN THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT PIECE IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE UTILITY FEET, IS THAT AN EVERY MONTH FEE FOR CITIZENS? AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE FEE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND MS. CONSTANTINE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR WORK AND YOUR TEAM SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU, UH, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER THANK YOU, CALVIN, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH ANY, UH, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION BY, BY ANOTHER REPORT.
YES, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER REPORT.
I THOUGHT ALL, WE TOOK THEM ALL TOGETHER.
THAT WASN'T WHAT, THAT WAS THAT ONE REPORT.
WASN'T A REPORT THERE, BUT WE DID TAKE THEM ALL TOGETHER.
[02:30:02]
WE'LL COME ON DOWN.I THOUGHT WE WERE READY TO GO.
UM, WELL HERE, WE'RE GOING TO DO A POWERPOINT, CAUSE I DO KNOW THAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A DRAFT OF A POWERPOINT AND WANT THE POWERPOINT PRESENTED.
MANY TO THE, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE.
WELL, FIRST OFF, LET ME FIRST SAY, I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND OFFICE NUMBER ONE FOR ACTUALLY LISTENING AND TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE PARISH SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH FOR SOME TIME, JUST LIKE YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE WHICH WAS CALLED AMERICAN RESCUE ACT NUMBER ONE, WHICH I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE BECAUSE WITHOUT Y'ALL'S APPROVAL, WE WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE, WHERE WE ARE WITH A STATUS.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, UH, ALL WE WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT THIS POINT.
NO, UH, NOT, NOT REALLY, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE VERY QUICKLY, BUT I ALSO WILL SAY THAT, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TYPE OF WORK THAT Y'ALL JUST TALKED ABOUT, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE YOU WERE DOING AND UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT REALLY IMPACT WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
AND I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS THAT, UH, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD PRESENTED TO START WITH.
FIRST OFF, LET'S GO WITH THE BACKGROUND NEXT.
WELL, LET'S JUST GO TO AN AMERICAN RESCUE.
I DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP TOO MUCH ON IT.
Y'ALL ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE FUNDS WHO ARE CAUSE YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED IT AT THIS POINT, BUT IT WAS ABOUT TOTAL $165 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS PROGRAM OVERALL.
AND CERTAINLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE $40 MILLION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING IS CERTAINLY A BIG ASSET FOR US TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE PAST, BUT ALSO LOOK AT WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, YOU LOOK AT THE USE OF FUNDS UP, WE ALLOCATED ABOUT 21.1 MILLION IS ROADSIDE DIGGING.
UH, YOU HAD YOUR CLEANING AND, UH, OF THE ACTUAL ROADSIDE DITCHES.
AND I'M GOING TO GO INTO A LOT OF THE DETAIL, BUT I'LL GET SOME OF THE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT, CONCRETE LINE, CANAL REPAIRS, UH, ONES THAT I WAS EXCITED ABOUT AS TRYING AND, UH, I GUESS PRIME BOX PIPE CLEANING, UH, UH, VERY, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL ON WHERE WE WERE TO NEED IT TO BE ON THAT.
I'M ALSO EXCITED ABOUT LOOKING AT THE ALFOND'S FOR A BRIDGE.
UH, THIS BRIDGE HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SOME TIME.
WE WERE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOT ONLY FIXING OR REPLACING A BRIDGE, BUT ALSO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE DRAINAGE ISSUES.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE THE MAGNOLIA WOODS, WHICH WAS $900,000 A WIG.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT S REPORT WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS.
WE HAD A TEAM GOING THROUGH THAT AND I'LL DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER, NEXT SIDE, COMPLETE WORK NEXT.
I LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL THAT YOU AS A COUNCIL AND ALSO THAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS TO SEE FROM THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY PUBLIC WORKS.
I WILL TELL YOU THE DRAINAGE OF THE BACH, WHERE THE STORM DRAIN BOX AND PIPE CLEANING WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE SET UP THE CRITERIA OR WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT 2,400 BOXES.
WE BETTER GET TO, WE'VE ONLY GOT, WE ONLY WERE ABLE TO GET TO ABOUT 1,500, BUT WITH THAT SAYS, AS MR. HILL SAID EARLIER, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THE TONNAGE THAT WE REMOVED FROM THE BOXES AND ALSO TO PIPE, WHICH PRETTY SIGNIFICANT A LOT OF THESE AREAS THAT WE, WE ORIGINALLY PROGRAM WHERE 80 TO 25 TO 75% BLOCKED.
WE KNEW THAT THROUGH THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION THAT WAS DONE, UH, WITH H TB THROUGH CES, AND THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT OR LOOKING AT HOW AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, AS SOON AS THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT FUNDING, UH, WE WENT RIGHT TO WORK.
WE BROUGHT IN CES, WHO'S A CONSULTANT, THE CONTRACTOR WHO WAS DOING A LOT OF NO WORK FOR ALSO THE SEWER DEPARTMENT THAT CLEANING SEWER, UH, PROBLEMS THEY HAVE, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO USE THEM TO COME IN AND START TO WORK.
THEY'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF THIS.
I WILL TELL YOU IF YOU LOOK AT IT AND SOME OF THE PHOTOS THAT I HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S ABOUT 20, A HUNDRED PERCENT BLOCKAGE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
AND LOOK AT THAT FIRST PHOTO THERE, THAT'S NOT A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAD, BUT I'LL ALSO WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THROUGH THEIR PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS OF THEM, MUCH OF THAT MATERIAL, THAT'S IN THERE DIDN'T FALL FROM THE SKY.
YOU KNOW, AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT ELICIT THIS DISCHARGE AND MATERIAL, GETTING PUT IN THIS STORM SYSTEM, INSTEAD,
[02:35:01]
SHOULDN'T BE THERE.WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A RAIN EVENT, DROP A TIRE IN A STORM DRAIN BOX.
BUT I MEAN, WE DO HAVE THAT PROBLEMS, MANY PLACES IN THE PARISH.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS INTENTIONALLY WANT TO DO THAT, BUT IT IS A PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS OUR SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.
THE PROGRESS OF THE STORM DRAIN CLEANING, UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT FROM THIS PART OF THE W YOU KNOW, IT WAS A STEADY PROGRESS.
SOON AS WE GOT APPROVAL FROM THE COUNCIL, WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS, WE WERE OUT ACTUALLY GOING OUT, LOOKING AT THE LOCATION WE HAD TO NOT THE ACTUAL MAPPING THAT WE WANTED TO DO AND WENT INTO EVERY AREA THAT WE COULD DO WOULD HAD A 25 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT BLOCKED OFF 75% BLOCKAGE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVERY ONE, OR YOU GOT SOME PART OF THE ACTION THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, BECAUSE THERE WERE ENOUGH PROBLEMS OUT THERE THAT WE COULD SPREAD IT AROUND ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO BE SHARED THAT WE HIT THE AREAS THAT WHERE THE MOST COMPLAINTS ARE.
AND NORMALLY MOST OF THESE WERE THE OLDEST.
ONCE THEY WERE IN THE 3, 1, 1 SYSTEM TO TRY TO GET ADDRESSED.
SO, BUT WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT.
AND WE ORIGINALLY SAID HERE, IT HAD ABOUT FOURTEEN HUNDRED, FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE CATCH BASINS.
WE ACTUALLY FINISHED UP ABOUT 51,500 RACES, AND ALSO ABOUT 60,000 LINEAR FEET OF PIPE.
AND I ASKED THE CONSULTANT, OUR CES TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE OUT OF SIGHT IS OUT OF MINE.
WELL, I TOLD HIM, I SAID, I WANT IT.
I WANT YOU TO VIDEO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING.
I WANT YOU TO VIDEO IT AFTER IT'S COMPLETE.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T SEE THESE TYPES OF THINGS, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND SAY, HEY, IT WAS A PROBLEM.
WE FIXED THE PROBLEM HERE IS WHERE WE ARE.
AND WE ALSO VIDEO, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE STORM DRAIN PIPE ALSO WHEN WE WERE DOING THE CLEANING.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BEFORE AND AFTER THAT, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
YOU WANT WATER TO MOVE OFF YOUR STREET.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE RUN TO THE BOX AS MR. HILL STATED, YOU KNOW, TO COME OFF THE STREETS AND WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE YOUR STREETS ARE PART OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT IS PART OF THE SYSTEM.
AND SOMETIMES THE STREETS WILL FELL OFF.
BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT IF THEY'RE DRY, IF IT DRAINS OFF, IT'S DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT FROM OUR INSPECTIONS, WE DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT NEXT SLIDE.
I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAD SOME VARIETY OF LOCATIONS THAT WE HAD, SO YOU CAN SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER IT'S, IT WAS RATHER SURPRISING IN SOME OF THE LOCATIONS THAT WE HAD.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE TO PLEASE, JUST, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME GENERAL INFORMATION OF WHAT WAS IN THESE BOXES AND WHICH HAD, WHAT YOU HAD IN THE BOX WAS PRETTY MUCH SOME OF THE SAME MATERIAL THAT WAS SITTING IN THE PIPE SOMETIMES EVEN WORSE.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS TOO, ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR CES.
AND I WANT TO MENTION TONIGHT TOO, ALSO, THEY'RE HERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM CS, CS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO WORK WITH OUR SYSTEM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY WERE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH.
THEY BROUGHT IN MANY TEAMS CHEVELLE TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. CERTAINLY YOU WILL SEE, AND I'M NO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE, BUT WE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A FUND SET UP FOR MORE STORM DRAIN CLEANING.
AND THAT WILL BE IN THE NEXT, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE ACT TO, UH, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO TRY TO ENHANCE THE DRAIN SYSTEM TO GET IT OFF THE STREETS AND GET IT TO THE PIPE AND GO TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO AT THIS POINT.
AS I SAID ON THAT, IT'S ABOUT 60,000 LINEAR FEET OF PIPE THAT WE WERE ADDRESSING.
AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I WANT IT TO HAVE VIDEOS OF WHAT WAS THAT BEFORE AND AFTER.
AND IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY WATER DON'T RUN THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
WELL, NOW WHEN YOU SEE WHAT'S AT BEFORE, AND WHAT'S AFTER YOU'LL SEE, CERTAINLY IT WOULD ENHANCE AND IMPROVE THE OVERALL DRAINAGE OF THE OTHER SIDE OF VISION OR THE STREETS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
THAT'S JUST SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THERE, CLEANING AND DRYING.
AND I'LL ALSO MENTION TO YOU, SOME OF THIS IS METAL PIPE.
AND AS MR. HILL HAS MENTIONED TO, UH, ALSO DURING THE PRESENTATION, WHAT WE WALKED, WE WORKED WITH A LOT OF THIS PIPE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE REPLACED PRETTY SOON.
YOU LOOK AT IT AS KIND OF BOWING AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S MANY PLACES WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, FROM MY INSPECTIONS THAT WERE DONE, THAT WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SPEND SOME SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDS TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE EXISTING SYSTEM AS IT STANDS TODAY.
NEXT, THE FURNITURE DEBRIS THAT WAS REMOVED.
UM, I KNOW MR. HILL TOOK ALL OF MY THUNDER ON SOME OF THE STUFF THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TELL ALL THE TOTALS AND STUFF.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, 3 MILLION, 400,000
[02:40:02]
POUNDS OF MATERIAL, THEY COME FROM OUT OF ABOUT 1400 OR 1500 BOXES AND PROBABLY 6,000 LINEAR FEET OF PIPE, UH, THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.AND I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVEN'T CLEANED EVERY ONE.
AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF OUR NEXT PRIORITY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO GET THE WATER FROM THE STREET, GET IT TO THE PIPE, GET IT TO THE DITCH.
AND I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OUTFALL ISSUES NEXT.
EXCELLENT MAGNOLIA WORDS, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT.
UH, THIS IS ONE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR SOME TIME.
I KNOW THE HOMEOWNERS, UH, PRETTY WELL BECAUSE THEY CALL ME JUST ABOUT EVERY TIME IT RAINS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT CERTAINLY, I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A PROJECT.
I'M THANKFUL FOR THE COUNCIL APPROVING THIS PLAN.
AND I WILL TELL YOU AT THIS POINT FROM WHERE WE ARE, I SWEAR, I SAID THAT IT'S NOT COMPLETE, BUT IT'S IN PROGRESS AND WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE BOYD ENGINEERING, WHICH IS COUNCIL APPROVED, WAS FARMED.
WE ALSO ASKED HIM TO LOOK AT, UH, THE TYPE OF RAIN EVENTS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I'M WANTING TO DO SOME MODELING TO BE SURE THAT DO WE WANT TO LOOK AT A 50 OR A HUNDRED YEAR STORM COMPARED TO 15 YEAR STORM? AND THOSE THINGS ARE TAKING PLACE AS WE SPEAK.
UM, THE PLANS ARE, ARE, ARE PROBABLY 40, 50% COMPLETE.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE WILL BE NECESSARILY RIGHT AWAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ACQUIRE.
AND THAT IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITHIN THE COUNTRY AND THE COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT OVERALL TIMEFRAME WILL BE ABOUT 150 DAYS.
NOTHING HAPPENS VERY QUICKLY WHEN YOU GET INTO THE ENGINEERING FIELD, UH, OR, AND LIKE SOME PEOPLE SAY IN GOVERNMENT, BUT I WILL SHOW YOU THAT IT IS A PRIORITY FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS LIST, UH, BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS APPROVED THE MAYOR, AND ALSO, I BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL IS SET THAT, UM, ANDY ATE EIGHT THAT SAYS, GET IT DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR GOAL AND OBJECTIVE IS FOR THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT TOO.
UH, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET, UH, WANT TO KNOW HOW AM I GOING TO, WHEN IS THIS BRIDGE EVER GOING TO GET FIXED? WELL, WE'RE IN THE PROGRESS OF DOING THAT.
WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE, UH, LOW, BETTER OMEGA.
THEY HAVE SET OF POINTS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A LOW BID FOR $1.4 MILLION.
UH, THEY W YOU SHOULD PROBABLY SEE THEM UNDER CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
AND I'LL SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING, BUT WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND WHEN WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY SHOOT A CANNON OFF UP THERE.
AND THE NORTH PART OF THE PARISH FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET THE BRIDGE REPLACE THAT RIGHT, WHERE WE WON'T HIT THE BRIDGE, YOU WRITE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, AND I'LL TELL YOU, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE REASON WHY.
NUMBER ONE, AS MR. HILL MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
AND THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PART IS SOMETHING THAT I ASKED THE, AND I ASKED KELVIN TO, TO LOOK AT IT AND I NEED THE CAPABILITY OF HAVING A TEAM TO BETTER HELP FACILITATE GETTING THESE THINGS THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS.
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE GOT THE FEDERAL RULES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND THEN, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M VERY THANKFUL TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
WHO'S WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH ME AND ALSO THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BECAUSE WE WENT FROM A STACK OF PAPERS THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT TO GO THROUGH, WHICH IS ABOUT 400, YOU KNOW, THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT YOU'RE GOVERNED BY.
AND SOMEBODY HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL THE AGREEMENTS, AND IF THEY DIE IN THE AGREEMENT, THEN, THEN YOU MAY NOT BE GETTING THAT PROJECT DONE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WERE NECESSARY, THANKS TO FINANCE, AND ALSO TO, UM, I GET PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR HELPING SCALE THAT DOWN, SET IT UP IN A FORMAT TO WHERE I THINK NOW IT'S EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
AND ALSO, I THINK WE CAN ALSO MAKE SURE WE CAN MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.
YOU CAN SEE AS PART OF THE SERVICES, IT'S JUST A PROGRAM STRATEGY.
UH, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN, UH, THE PRO UH, PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PERMITTING.
AND I SAY PERMITTING, CAUSE YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE LAST SLIDE OF THIS PRESENTATION, ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
IT, IS IT JUST POINT? WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
I WANT THE PROGRAM MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATES FOR THIS, FOR THE MAYOR AND FOR THE COUNCIL.
SO WHEN THEY ASKED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, INFORMATION.
CAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, THAT MATTER.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S EXEMPT FROM PAYING FEDERAL DOLLARS, SO WE ALL HAVE TO PAY.
SO, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING.
[02:45:01]
BALANCE THAT THE PLAN NOT GOING TO, THERE YOU GO.AS I'VE MENTIONED, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES, WE DID GO THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS.
UH, WE HAD SIX FIRMS THAT WERE, UH, UH, WHO SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS I'M ACTUALLY IN THE NEXT PHASE OF THE ADDENDUM, NUMBER THREE, WE'RE EVALUATING THE ACTUAL COST PROPOSAL THAT'S SUBMITTED FOR THE RFP THAT WAS DONE.
AND ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU TWO FOR APPROVAL TO, UH, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE PROGRAM MANAGER WILL BE OVERSEEING LOOKING AT.
THAT IS, AGAIN, THE THINGS I JUST MENTIONED TO BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, THE MAGNOLIA WOODS, ALSO THE ROADSIDE DIGGING AND ALSO CAVE-IN REPAIRS.
AND I WILL MENTION TO YOU THAT WHILE IT IS IMPERATIVE, THAT WE LOOK AT THE CAVE IN REPAIRS, NOT JUST NECESSARILY FROM, FROM, FROM THE AESTHETICS, BUT JUST FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT, MANY PLACES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE, WE TRIED TO OPEN, WE'D DONE A VERY GOOD JOB.
MAINTENANCE IS ON A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO KEEP IT OPEN, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
AND SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED UNDER THE, UH, CAVE AND REPAIRS.
HERE'S ONE THAT WE HAD THE MOST TALK ABOUT AND, UH, PROPOSE CHANNEL CLEARING.
LET ME FIRST SAY THAT THESE, THESE CHANNELS THAT ARE ON THIS LIST WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT.
THAT'S THE FIVE CHANNELS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS, IS TO, IN MY OPINION, IF YOU'RE NOT DRESSING THE OUTFALL WHERE ALL THE WATER RUNS AND MAKE SURE IT'S FUNCTIONAL AND IT'S CLEAN AND IT'S DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO WELL, THEN ALL THE OTHER WORK UPSTREAM, AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHERE IT DOES, BUT IT WON'T MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WHY WE'VE HAD THE FIVE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT, WHICH IS A $255 MILLION PROGRAM.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE HAVE FIVE CHANNELS AND TWO OF THEM IN THE CENTRAL AREA, BLACKWATER AND BEAVER, AND THE OTHER THREE, OR THE AWARDS CRAVE BY YOUR FOUNTAIN AND ALSO JONES CREEK.
UH, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS WITH THOSE, BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT THESE HERE GO HAND IN HAND WHERE THOSE PROJECTS STOPPED, WHERE WE STOPPED DECLARING AND SNAGGING.
THESE PROJECTS HERE, PICK UP FROM THAT BECAUSE THAT'S STILL PART OF THE OUTFALL THAT TIE INTO ALL THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE HE'S DRAINED.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THREE QUARTERS OF THIS PARISH DRAINS TO THE EMIT RIVER OR THE COHMAD RIVER THREE QUARTERS, ONE QUARTER GOES TO THE MISSISSIPPI.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE COMMENT DIVERSION, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT, UH, THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS TO LOOK AT OUT OUR FUTURE AND DRAINAGE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PLANS, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM THIS LIST, I'M EXCITED TO THE POINT WHERE THAT I THINK THAT WHEN WE ADD WHAT'S TO THE TRIBUTARY PRODUCTS AND WHAT THESE PROGRAMS GOING TO DO, I'LL FALL, FALL WORK VERY, VERY WELL.
THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN TRYING TO MEET YOUR OVERALL GOALS OF IMPROVING DRAINAGE AND REDUCING THE FLOOD RISK FOR PEOPLE IN OUR PARISH.
THIS IS, UH, WHY I'M, I'M REALLY KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THE PERMITTING BECAUSE I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING A DITCH, PERMITTING IS GOING TO BE A ISSUE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH, AND YOU WILL BE DEALING WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
WELL, BECAUSE OF HOW MANY CHANNELS WE HAD, I ACTUALLY ASKED PERMISSION FROM, UH, ADMINISTRATION TO BETTER USE OF FUNDS OUT OF MY BUDGET, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ACTUAL PERMITTING OF SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE THIS TAKES SOME TIME GOING THROUGH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY DID DRONES BLOW DRONES IN EVERY ONE OF THESE CHANNELS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THAT WHAT'S ON THAT LIST.
WE ALSO DID SOME PHYSICAL INSPECTION THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO LOOK AT LOCATIONS THAT WHERE WE MAY BETTER HAVE INGRESS AND EGRESS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE CHANNEL, BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN WALK IN THEM, BUT YOU CAN'T ALSO BE RUNNING HEAVY EQUIPMENT IN WHAT THEY CALL WETLAND AREAS.
AND WE DON'T DEFINE THEM WETLANDS THE CORE DUSK.
SO THAT'S WHAT PART OF THE PROCESS IS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT GOES FROM IN THE LIGHT GREEN TO THE DARK ORANGE, OR GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
TO THAT AREA, THAT GIVES YOU THE ACTUAL DEFINITION OF WHAT THOSE COLORS REPRESENT.
AND TO BE HONEST, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT HAVE CHALLENGING, I THINK, BUT I THINK MOST
[02:50:01]
OF ALL, BASED ON THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WE SUBMITTED IN SEPTEMBER TO DECOR, UH, THEY'RE GETTING, UH, SOME OF THE REVIEWS BACK.I HOPE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ANSWERS IN THE NEXT MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF ON WHERE WE STAND FROM A PERMITTING ASPECT THAT IS CRITICAL WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO FOR CONTRACTING OUT THESE SERVICES, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT.
IT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ASK OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT THAT DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO DO, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONTRACT OUT AND TRY TO GET THESE CHANNELS OR THE OUTFALLS, WHAT I CALL THE MAJOR OUTFALLS CLEAN.
SO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT TAKES PLACE, WE KNOW AT LEAST FUNCTIONS FROM THAT POINT ON DOWN TO YOUR MAJOR RIVERS, I WILL ALSO TELL YOU NEXT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS, THIS WAS THE NORTH BRANCH OF WATCH CREEK.
UM, THAT WAS AN AREA THAT WE WANTED TO, TO LOOK AT.
THAT WAS PART OF THE, UH, TRIBUTARIES PROJECT.
ALSO, UH, IT WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH UNDER THE CORE, THE 2 55 DIDN'T GO AS FAR IN 1997, AS IT DOES IN 2022.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT AND COOPERATING.
THESE AREAS TO MOST OF THESE AREAS ARE IN THERE.
WE'RE PART OF THE ORIGINAL TRIBUTARIES PROJECT.
I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AT THAT POINT.
AND I ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE FACT WHEN WE HAD MEETINGS THAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO THESE AREAS.
AND WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CUT IT WITH THE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT, BY WORKING WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE PROGRAM, WE WILL HONOR THAT COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ONCE IT'S DONE, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE THAT THE, UH, THE WATERWAYS WILL BE FUNCTIONING.
LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO THE LAST THING I WANT TO GET THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DRONES.
IF YOU GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HIT THEM.
SEE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS GO WALK THE DITCH.
I MEAN, BUT I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THOSE TO LOOK AT, BUT IN IT IS, UH, WOW, THIS IS THE NORTH BRANCH OF WARDS CREEK.
YOU CAN SEE US SOMETIME IT'S HEAVILY WOODED.
AND A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION THAT WAS FORWARDED ON TO THE CORE FOR THEM TO DO THE EVALUATION AND ALSO OTHER DETAILED INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT BECAUSE ON THESE CHANNELS, YOU KNOW, IF ONCE WE'RE FINISHED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEE WAYS TO BE SURE WE CAN FUND IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP IT MAINTAINED.
LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO, YOU CAN, THAT NEXT THING IS QUESTIONS.
AND I'M SURE THAT I'LL HAVE SOME AND IF NOT, THAT'S OKAY TOO.
UH, FRED, EVERYONE HAS ALREADY ACTUALLY SPOKEN TWICE AND NO ONE CAN ACTUALLY ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR SPEAK, EXCEPT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT, OR IF THERE'S A UNANIMOUS CONSENT BY THE COUNCIL TO ALLOW SOMEONE TO SPEAK.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, UH, UH, AS EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER, ROCCA, HASN'T SPOKEN AT ALL GO TO COUNCIL MOMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR YOUR REPORT FOR ANSWERING MY CALLS, MY TEXTS AT RANDOM TIMES.
UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU FOR IT.
THAT'S PART OF THE TEAM PROCESS.
I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING MY CALLS ON YOUR DAY OFF.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO COUNCIL MEMBER MOLT ASKING A QUESTION? ANY OPPOSITION, ANY OPPOSITION COUNCIL MEMBER MO? WELL, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.
YOU SAID YOU GOT ABOUT 1500 BOXES DONE.
ABOUT HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE LEFT? DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY ARE LEFT? I KNOW THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY OVER, I THINK SINCE 60,000 STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE JOINING BOXERS THAT WE ENDED UP HAVING TO 2000 TOTAL.
UM, LAST THING WE HAVE PLENTY OF PLANS ABOUT PURCHASING THESE LARGE TRACKS OF LANDS AND, AND BASICALLY MAKING DRAINAGE AREA.
I THINK PART OF THE 6 MILLION THAT WE APPROVED TONIGHT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SHERWOOD FOREST, UH, IN THAT OLD AREA.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME PART IN, UH, SOUTH BATON ROUGE THAT, UH, I FORGET HOW MANY ACRES WE WAS LOOKING TO BUY, OR WE GOT TO RECHANNEL SOME OF THESE TRIBUTARIES TO DRAIN THAT, OR THOSE IN LOCATIONS WHERE THE NATURAL FLOW WILL JUST STORE WATER.
I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE
[02:55:01]
THERE WAS SOME OF THE RETENTION AREAS ALONG WATTS.I CAN'T TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ISSUE AND JONES CREEK, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ITEM THAT'S COMING UP IN THE AGENDA THAT NEXT STEP.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU OUR GOAL AND OBJECTIVE, YOU KNOW, IS CERTAINLY FIXED THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE, BUT ALSO LOOK, AND THAT'S WHAT PART OF THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN IS GOING TO ALSO PROVIDE TO US IS OPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO IT.
LOOK AT A WATERSHED, WHICH WE HAVE 11 AS MR. HILL MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER, WE HAVE 11 WATERSHEDS.
SO WE WANT TO LOOK AT THESE AREAS AND SEE WHAT IT GAVE US THE BIGGEST BENEFIT.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN GENERAL, RETENTION HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES DO THEY FIND? WELL, HE PLACES FOR WATER TO RETAIN AND HOLD AND DOING MAJOR RAIN EVENTS.
AND THEN ONCE THE CHANNELS GET BACK INTO NORMALCY, THEN THAT WATER WOULD COME BACK OUT AND FLOW.
LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, I THINK YOU'LL SEE MANY, MANY LOCATIONS ALONG WARD'S CREEK.
UH, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME ALONG JONES CREEK AND YOU'LL PROBABLY GONNA SEE A FEW ON, ON BY YOUR FOUNTAIN, UH, THAT WE'LL LOOK AT DOING JUST WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I CAN'T GET INTO A WHOLE LOT OF DETAIL BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME OF THE MODELS, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT RETENTION IS CERTAINLY A BIG COMPONENT OF OUR REDUCING THE FLOOD RISK.
UH, AND AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS SAID.
YOU KNOW, EVERYONE Y'ALL ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE'RE ALLOCATING FOR Y'ALL AND USING IT WISELY AND GETTING THE JOBS DONE.
AS I SAID, A TEAM, IT'S A TEAM, A BUILDER, WHAT WE DEAL WITH OUR GROUP.
I THINK WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN MOTION BY DONE SECOND TO BY OMAROSA AS ALWAYS THERE'S AND GENTLEMEN, READ TO YOUR CHILDREN.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING TO THEM, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY READ BACK TO YOU.
WE HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT, UM, JUST A REMINDER THAT, UM, THE CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM IS HOSTING, UM, THE NEGRO MOTORIST GREEN BOOK, UM, EXHIBIT IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE CAPITOL PARK AND MUSEUM FROM TODAY TO NOVEMBER 14TH, 2021.
UM, AND THIS IS, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, BILLY NUNGESSER AND LOUISIANA STATE AND MUSEUM.
AND ALSO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT GREEN BOOK EXHIBIT, THEY ARE DOING A GREEN BOOK CLUB WITH ERICA GREEN, BUT THE BOOK THAT WE'RE READING THIS MONTH IS OVER GROUND.
THE OVERGROUND RAILROAD BY CANDIDACY TAYLOR AND OUR MEETING DATE WILL BE OCTOBER 30TH AT 10:00 AM.
YOU CAN GET YOUR FREE BOOK AT A COURTESY OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AT THE RESTED READS, UM, OFFICE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.
AND WE WILL EVEN HAVE THE AUTHOR PRESENT AND THE CURATOR OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT EXHIBITION THERE AS WELL, OCTOBER 30TH, 10:00 AM.