Jan 26, 2022 Metropolitan Council

SO WE'LL GO WITH THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL TAKE, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC MAY PRESIDENT.

ROUGE IS ONE OF 15 CITIES IN THE WHITE HOUSE, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION, COLLABORATIVE, WHICH CONVENES MEETINGS FACILITATE SPIRIT OF PEER LEARNING AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CITIES WITHIN THE COLLABORATIVE.

THANK YOU, MR. PRO TIM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE FROM THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE GOOD WITH TIME.

AND I WAS JUST TOLD THAT THEY ARE OKAY IF NOT, I WOULD HAVE FIELDED TO THEM.

UH, BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UH, THIS AFTERNOON TO, UH, DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AS YOU KNOW, UH, SINCE 2017, IT HAS BEEN MY INTENTION TO CONTINUE, UH, THE WORK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATION.

AND, UH, WE ARE DOING THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

OF COURSE, THIS TRANSPARENCY INCLUDES PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I KNOW OUR RESIDENTS AND METRO COUNCIL DESERVE TO RE UH, RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE FULL PICTURE AS IT RELATES TO VIOLENT CRIME AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE WERE TAKING TO KEEP SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

NOW BATON

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THIS COLLABORATIVE EMPOWERS OUR BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM TO SHARE IDEAS, EXPERIENCES, AND BEST PRACTICES IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR ONGOING INITIATIVES AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.

IN ADDITION TO THIS INTER CITY COLLABORATION, WE ARE CONNECTING WITH PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES, INTEGRATE PROVEN, AND INNOVATIVE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES AND HELP THE PARTNER CITIES SCALE AND CONDUCT THESE EFFORTS.

THIS PARTNERSHIP IS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE EMPOWERING AND STRENGTHENING THE WORK OF OUR ADMINISTRATION, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS.

NOW, ONE OF OUR SUPPORT PARTNERS IS THE COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WHICH WORKS TO ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY CHOICES, FACING THE NATION AND BUILD SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

I RECENTLY, ALONG WITH 500 OTHER PEOPLE IN AMERICA ATTENDED A WEBINAR THAT THEY HOSTED SAVING LIVES, 10 ESSENTIAL ACTIONS THAT CITIES CAN TAKE TO REDUCE VIOLENCE.

NOW, YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THIS REPORT IN THE PACKET THAT WE JUST PROVIDED YOU NOW, WHILE WE STILL HAVE ROOM TO GROW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BATON ROUGE HAS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MULTIPLE ACTION STEPS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS WEBINAR, AS WELL AS THE REPORT THAT I JUST GAVE YOU.

THE FIRST SENTENCE READS AS 2022 BEGINS AMERICA CITIES CONFRONT AN ONGOING SURGE IN VIOLENT CRIME, PARTICULARLY HOMICIDES THE COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE DOCUMENTED A 30% RISE IN MURDERS NATIONWIDE IN 2020 WHILE POLICE DATA FROM LARGE CITIES REVEALS ANOTHER 7% INCREASE IN 2021.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, LSU CRIMINOLOGISTS, DR.

PETER SCHARF SPOKE TO W AFB ABOUT HIS FEAR THAT THE CURRENT RATE OF VIOLENCE APPEARS TO SHOW NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN ANYTIME SOON.

AND IT IS APPARENT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIME EXPERTS ACROSS OUR NATION AGREE VIOLENT CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN OUR NATION.

NOW I WANT TO MAKE THIS EXTREMELY CLEAR.

IT IS PAST TIME FOR US TO WAKE UP AND UNDERSTAND THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO SIT BACK AND LET THE WEIGHT OF VIOLENCE FALL ON ONE PERSON, ONE AGENCY OR ONE ORGANIZATION.

THE EXPERTS HAVE STATED THIS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT I'M ENCOURAGED THAT WE ALL HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE AN IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS.

OUR CITIZENS DEPEND ON IT.

SO YOU'LL FIND THAT THIS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE APPROACH OF HOUSING, STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR VIOLENCE REDUCTION EFFORTS AT THE TOP IS CITED ON NUMBER SIX.

ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES AS YOUR MAYOR PRESIDENT IS TO COMPREHENSIVELY TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME NOW.

AND SO TO DO THIS, WE HAVE FOCUSED EFFORTS ON BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM OF PUBLIC SAFETY BUILT UPON LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES, THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR ADMINISTRATION, THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY CONNECT ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

AND THIS WILL CONTINUE AS WE WORK TOWARDS POSITIVE RESULTS IN OUR PARISH.

I ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER, AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO WE'VE MADE VALUABLE STRIDES AND INVESTMENTS IN ADDRESSING POVERTY, INEQUALITY, AND OTHER UNDERLYING SYSTEMIC CAUSES OF VIOLENCE THROUGH THE LENS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACHES THE COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT ALSO IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR BOTH A SHORT-TERM AND A LONG-TERM APPROACH.

THE FOUNDATION OF THIS VIOLENCE REDUCTION IS ALREADY INACTION AMONG OUR CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND JUDICIAL PARTNERS.

THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE BEST OF WHAT WE ALREADY ARE DOING, THAT WE KNOW IS WORKING, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO CHANGE.

AND SO TODAY

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I STAND BEFORE YOU IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERS FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, I'M JOINED TODAY BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY HILLAR MOORE, THAT CITY POLICE, CHIEF MURPHY, PAUL AND EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE MAJORS, TODD MORRIS, AND MAJOR ANTHONY PANTANO WHO ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF SHERIFFS, SID, BOTH TROPE.

AND SO NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING NOW AND OUR SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM ACTIONS.

I'M GOING TO ASK THAT CHIEF PAUL MAJOR MORRIS AND MAJOR PANTANO COME UP IN THAT ORDER.

GOOD EVENING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SO WE CAN DISCUSS SOME OF THE COOPERATIVE EFFORTS OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REDUCE CRIME IN OUR CITY.

UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY FROM YOUR APPROVAL, FROM MY AA OR P DOLLARS, UH, THE MERIT INCREASES AND THE RAISES THAT, UH, WERE LED BY MAYOR OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

I TELL YOU YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

A STRATEGIC PLAN REQUIRES A HOLISTIC APPROACH WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND ENFORCEMENT, AND IT INVOLVES NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT A RESPONSE INVOLVING ALL STAKEHOLDERS, EDUCATION, BUSINESS, FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER DISCIPLINES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, OUR LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNER, THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE, I WANT THIS BODY AND OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING HARD WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS THAT I JUST MENTIONED TO REDUCE CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY.

OUR STRATEGIES ARE BASED AROUND BOTH COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVES AND POLICE LED INITIATIVES.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, OUR MAYOR IS LEADING AN EFFORT WHERE ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL BE WORKING WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO CREATE AN EAST BATON ROUGE STRATEGIC PLAN, TO REDUCE VIOLENCE INCLUSIVE OF EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT MAYOR OUR EFFORTS OVER THE PAST YEAR, UH, WE'VE NOT ONLY HAD TO ADDRESS THE INCREASE IN HOMICIDES AND SHOOTINGS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW AND I WANTED TO SAY IT BECAUSE I KNOW I RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM SOME OF YOU HERE TODAY.

UH, STREET RACING AND LARGE GATHERINGS WAS SOMETHING THAT BEGAN TO HAPPEN EVER SINCE, UH, THE EPIDEMIC.

AND WE HAD TO ADDRESS THOSE EFFORTS BECAUSE WHEN WE SHUT DOWN THE COMMUNITY, OUR YOUNG FOLKS WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THE DATA.

UH, WHEN I RECEIVED THOSE COMPLAINTS OF STREET RACING AND GATHERINGS, WE, UH, HAD A DIRECTED PATROL EFFORTS IN LOCATIONS WHERE WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE WROTE 460 CITATIONS.

WE SEIZE 89 VEHICLES WERE TOLLS 24, FORETOLD, 27 GUNS.

AND SEVEN OF THOSE WERE ASSAULT RIFLES.

I WANTED TO SHARE THAT DATA WITH YOU, BUT THROUGH OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER AND OUR CRIME STRATEGY UNIT, WE'VE TAKEN A DEEP DIVE INTO THE DATA THAT HIT, THAT HAVE, THAT ARE RELATED.

WE NEED BOOTS ON THE GROUND, UH, FOR THESE STRATEGIES TO WORK, WE HAVE TO FEEL THESE VACANCIES.

THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

AND I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.

WE MET WITH OUR CHIEF ADVISORY COUNCIL YESTERDAY AND ASKED EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE CHIEF ADVISORY CONSOLE TO BRING TWO NAMES.

IT'S G E A U X, PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN.

G E A U X B R P D.COM.

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS A HEART TO SERVE, PLEASE LEAD THEM IN OUR DIRECTION.

THIS IS A GREAT REWARDING CAREER.

I WANT

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TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL STRATEGIES.

FIRST OFF FEDERAL TASK FORCE PARTICIPATION WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT WE HAVE THREE BRP D OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO THE SAFE STREETS, TASK FORCE RIGHT HERE IN BATON ROUGE.

AND THEIR MISSION IS TO BUILD AND DEVELOP COMPLEX INVESTIGATION CASES ON GANGS AND DRUG ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

ONE OF OUR DETECTIVES HANDLES LOCAL DRUG AND ORGANIZED CRIME CASES.

AND ONE DETECTIVE ROLE IS NOW, UH, TO ASSIST LOUISIANA STATE POLICE WITH GANG VIOLENCE IN AN EFFORT TO LOWER VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, WE HAVE FOUR BRP DETECTIVES ASSIGNED TO THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, AND THEIR MISSION IS TO COMBAT STATEWIDE DISTRIBUTION OF NARCOTIC CASES WITH A SPECIFIC NEXUS TO BATON ROUGE, AS WELL AS DEVELOPED CASES THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS SOPHISTICATED INVESTIGATION TOOLS TO DISRUPT AND DISMANTLE GROUPS INVOLVED IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS AND VIOLENT CRIME TO SPECIFIC, UH, TASK FORCES THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.

ONE IS THE TACTICAL DIVERSION SQUAD AND THEIR ROLE IS TO FIGHT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC WITH THEIR MAIN FOCUS ON FENTANYL IS FENTANYL IS THE, UH, DRUG THAT IS INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE FATALITIES AND OVERDOSES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN BATON ROUGE.

ONE DETECTIVE, UH, HAS A CANINE AND HE CHECKS PACKAGES AND PARCEL SERVICES AND STATIONS TO INTERCEPT NARCOTICS PACKAGES BEING SHIPPED ILLEGALLY AS WELL AS MONEY SEIZURES.

UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THERE ARE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE USING PARCEL SERVICES TO DISTRIBUTE DRUGS AROUND THE, THE GULF COAST HEIDI INITIATIVE, WHERE THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERSTATE AND ADDICTION, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY SEIZURES.

WE HAVE THREE OFFICES ASSIGNED TO OUR FUGITIVE TASK FORCE WITH THE U S MARSHALS WHOSE SOLE JOB IS THE APPREHENSION OF FUGITIVES ALONG WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK WITH ATF DA, UH, IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IN OUR CRIME GUN INTELLIGENCE CENTER, WHERE WE ARE TRACKING ALL OF THESE GUNS, ALL OF THESE SHOOTING INCIDENTS AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE AREN'T RELATED.

WE HAVE MET WITH OUR PARTNERS AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT SHORTLY, BUT I WANT TO, BEFORE I GET INTO THAT BEAT AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR P AND I ARE PLACED NETWORK INVESTIGATION, AND THAT IS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY WHERE WE'RE NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THE CRIMES, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT, HOW CRIME RELATES TO CERTAIN PLACES.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE CHRONIC AREAS AREAS WHERE WE'VE SEEN CHRONIC VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY AREAS OR HOUSES THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED SEARCH WARRANTS ON MULTIPLE TIMES, WHAT'S DRIVING THAT LOCATION RIGHT THERE, HIDDEN NETWORKS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING LED, UH, THROUGH, UH, COURTNEY SCOTT, AS WELL AS, UH, DOW GESELL, UH, AS WE PREPARE TO IMPLEMENT THAT LONGTERM TERM STRATEGY, UH, IN REDUCING, UH, VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY, OUR PATROL STRATEGIES, OUR PS, ONE STRATEGIES WHERE WE ARE PLACING POLICE OFFICERS IN SPECIFIC PLACES, BASED ON THE INTELLIGENCE, BASED ON OUR, UM, OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER DATA, UH, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE INFORMATION SERVICES AND CREATING DASHBOARDS.

WE HAVE SEEN SOME SUCCESS WITH THAT, THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU SHORTLY.

OUR SPI INITIATIVE, WHERE OUR PRIMARY GOALS IS TO DECREASE VIOLENT CRIME AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY.

AND THEN THERE'S OUR FOCUS DETERRENCE EFFORTS IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TRUCE, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THOSE AT-RISK YOUTH AND HELP THEM, UH, BY MEETING WITH THEM, BY REFERRING THEM TO SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE VIOLENT CRIME THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, SUPPORTING THE MIRROR, SAFE, HOPEFUL, HEALTHY BATON ROUGE INITIATIVE.

THAT'S THE PREVENTION, THE INTERVENTION.

NOW LET ME TALK ABOUT THIS ENFORCEMENT PIECE, CAUSE THAT'S, WHAT'S KEEPING A LOT OF YOU UP AT NIGHT.

I GET IT.

MY PHONE RINGS EVERY TIME THERE'S AN HOMICIDE.

THE MAYOR PHONE RINGS EVERY TIME THERE'S ON A SIDE.

SO WHEN WE SAID KEEPS US UP AT NIGHT, LITERALLY IT DOES ON JANUARY 4TH, I MET WITH ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IN MY OFFICE, EBR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE FBI, DEA, ATF, LSP, US MARSHAL'S OFFICE, US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE DA'S OFFICE.

AND DURING THIS MEETING, WE IDENTIFIED ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT WILL ASSIST US IN REDUCING CRIME AND BATON ROUGE.

AND THIS IS HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS WENT.

WHEN I SHARED WITH THE MAYOR AND I TALKED TO THE MAYOR ABOUT THESE STRATEGIES, SHE'S LIKE, WELL, IS IT WORKING? WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY, CHIEF?

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I WANT THESE NUMBERS TO GO DOWN.

WHAT ARE WE DOING? DIFFERENT? WHAT ARE WE DOING DIFFERENT? SO WE HAD A HEART-TO-HEART CONVERSATION.

IT GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL WITH MY FEDERAL PARTNERS AND WE, WE PUT EAGLES TO THE SIDE, WE PUT JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES TO THE SIDE AND THEN SUM IT UP.

UH, ACTIONABLE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS HOW WE GATHER INTELLIGENCE, CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE, INFORMATION, CRIMINAL DATA.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER COLLECT THAT DATA ON THAT SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT'S INVOLVED IN CRIME AND THE MICRO AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE TALKED ABOUT DEA AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD THE EFFORT WITH SOME NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT AND VERY TARGETED AREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE FBI CONTINUING TO LEAD THE EFFORT ON SOME OF THESE COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING THAT VERY KEY GROUP OF PEOPLE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE US MARSHALL SERVICE WE'VE IDENTIFIED RIGHT AROUND 250 WARRANTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WE BELIEVE ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

WE DO NOT HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE YET TO ARREST THESE INDIVIDUALS.

IF WE DID, THEY WILL BE IN JAIL, BUT WE CREATED A PLAN.

AND THAT PLAN IS COOPERATION WITH STATE.

WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE, WHERE WE HAVE DIRECTED PATROL RIGHT NOW, THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTELLIGENCE HAS ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE INTELLIGENCE UNIT, ALONG WITH THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE INTELLIGENCE UNIT OR GATHERING INTELLIGENCE, OUR OPERATIONS WILL BE LED BY THAT AND THOSE INTELLIGENCE EFFORTS, THE INTELLIGENCE THAT'S COMING IN IS COMING FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS.

IT'S COMING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

IT'S COMING FROM SOCIAL MEDIA DATA FROM OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER INFORMATION FROM THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE FUSION CENTER DATA FROM THE EBR CRIME STRATEGY UNIT AND COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, IF YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES AND YOUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE GO TO CRIMESTOPPERS REPORTED.

ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS PART OF OUR STRATEGY.

OUR STRATEGY WILL ALSO INCLUDE WEEKLY CUSTOM NOTIFICATIONS TO AT-RISK PERSONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE RECEIVE ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE ON INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE OUR NEXT VICTIM.

TODAY'S SUSPECT CAN BE TOMORROW'S VICTIM AND VICE VERSA.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE AT RISK WEEKLY CUSTOM NOTIFICATIONS TO PREVENT THE NEXT SHOOTINGS FROM HAPPENING.

HOW DO I DIRECT IT? PATROLS? LOOK, YOU'RE GOING TO GET COMPLAINTS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR OUR DIRECTED PATROL EFFORTS, A LOT TO OVER POLICE DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES.

IT'S NOT THOSE DIRECTED PATROLS OR TO HAVE PRESENCE IN THE PLACES WHERE CRIME IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AND IT'S TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY WHO THOSE BAD ACTORS OR THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THOSE AREAS.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SRT, I'LL SWAP.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE STREET CRIMES.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DRONES.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HELICOPTERS.

WE ARE VERY, VERY DIRECTED AND I EFFORTS.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON REPEAT ADDRESSES THE HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOT UP THREE OR FOUR TIMES, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WE'VE ARRESTED, BUT YET CONTINUE THEIR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

SO I'M ASKING THIS BODY TO SUPPORT OPERATION RED STICK.

AS WE CONTINUE TO PUT THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE INTELLIGENCE PHASE HAS ALREADY STARTED, THAT'S A DIRECT RESPONSE TO WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR.

THAT IS SHORT TERM.

SOME OF THE INITIATIVE THAT THE MAYOR

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SPOKE OF ARE LONGTERM, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FINAL REPORT WHEN OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS LEAVE HERE THAT WILL BE MADE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION AND YOU HAVE AN OUTLINE.

I'M SURE THE MAYOR IS GOING TO PROVIDE TO YOU WHAT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN WILL LOOK LIKE.

THERE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND MAKING THE CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, I'M MAJOR TODD MORRISON, CHIEF OF CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND SPECIAL OPERATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVE MADE YOUR ANTHONY PANTANO HERE.

HE IS THE CHIEF OF OUR COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT, OUR STREET CRIMES UNIT, OUR WARRANTS DIVISION, OUR CORONERS INVESTIGATORS.

UM, ON BEHALF OF SHERIFF GO STRAIGHT.

HE SENDS HIS APOLOGIES FOR NOT MADE TO BE TODAY.

HE, HE WAS ON AVAILABLE.

UM, BUT I WANT TO SHARE THEIR COUNSEL.

UH, AND SHERIFF GO-TOS TOO, THAT SHERIFF GOTO IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISE IN VIOLENT CRIME.

HERE THAT'S OCCURRED IN OUR PARISH.

UM, HE IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUED THE RESOURCES THAT HE HAS ALREADY TASKED OUT.

UH, CHIEF PAUL SPOKE ABOUT ALL THE VARIOUS TASK FORCE FROM DIFFERENT FEDERAL PARTNERS THAT HAVE THE PERSONNEL ON THOSE.

WE HAVE PERSONNEL ON THOSE TASK FORCE ALSO, AND WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS, UH, WE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP TO TARGET SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS CAUSING VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR CITY.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM FROM MEASURE.

PANTANI JUST COMMUNITY POLICING, OUR STREET CRIMES UNIT.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SHERIFF GAUTREAUX BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.

AS CHIEF PAUL SAID, IT TAKES A COMMUNITY EFFORT, A COMMUNITY APPROACH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THIS PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

AND SO SHERIFF GAUTREAUX HAS COMMITTED THOSE RESOURCES TO THAT.

UH, CHIEF PAUL TALK ABOUT, UH, SOME DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ALL INVOLVED INTO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIPS, OUR CRIME GUN STRATEGIES, UH, UH, PROGRAM OR CGI GROUP, UH, AS A RESULT THAT SHERIFF GAUTREAUX, UH, EXPANDED OUR ORGANIZATIONAL, HE CREATED A NEW POSITION AND WE HIRED A CERTIFIED FIREARMS EXAMINER.

WHO'S AT THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE CRIME LAB, WHO IS A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE TO HELP US WITH OUR GUNS THAT WE'RE GETTING OFF THE STREETS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR INITIATIVES AND DATA ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE, WHICH IS WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WE HAVE USED WITH, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, WE'RE GOING TO SPECIFIC AREAS BASED ON INTELLIGENCE, BASED ON DATA.

THOSE DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO US IN OUR INVESTIGATIVE AND OUR EFFORTS TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME THIS YEAR ALONE.

UH, AS A RESULT OF THOSE DIRECTED EFFORTS TO THE SMALL AREAS, WE'RE HAVING ISSUES FROM OUR UNIFORM PATROL FROM OUR STREET CRIMES UNIT, FROM OUR DETECTIVES DIVISIONS, WE HAD AN INCREASE IN SEIZING 22% OF ILLEGAL GUNS USED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WITHIN OUR PARISH.

AND THOSE GUNS WERE SEIZED NOT ONLY IN THE PARISH, BUT IN, WITHIN THE CITY ALSO TO CAUSE OUR STREET CRIMES, UH, MAJOR PONTOON HIS GROUP FOCUS, NOT ONLY IN THE PARISH, BUT IN THE CITY ALSO TOO, IN EFFECT TO ARREST AND SEIZE ILLEGAL GUNS WITHIN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE ALSO.

SO THAT THAT'S A 22% INCREASE AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS AREAS AND POTENTIAL HOTSPOT AREAS THAT WE GO TO A DIRECTIVELY BASED ON THAT INTELLIGENCE AND BASED ON DATA, WHICH RECEIPT CHIEF PAUL TALKED ABOUT AND MENTIONED OUR CRIME STRATEGIES UNIT LED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY MORE, THAT WAS A COM EFFORT FROM HIS, UH, BRAINSTORM AND NEW IDEAS.

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THEY PUT OUT VERY GOOD INTELLIGENCE ON REVEREND SHORE SHOOTINGS AND SHOT SPIRES DATA.

AND WE TAKE THAT ALSO.

AND ONCE AGAIN, WE REDIRECT OUR, OUR PATROL EFFORTS DAILY AND WEEKLY AS IT RESULTS TO THE INFORMATION THAT IS COMING IN.

UM, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME CHARTS THERE THAT ARE WITH YOU IN FRONT OF YOU ABOUT SOME NUMBERS AND CRIME DATA, UH, FROM OUR, FROM OUR, FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE CITY POLICE.

I WANT TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT JUST A MINUTE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT ON NARCOTICS AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR OPIOID DEATHS AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR FIT AND ALL THAT ARE A BIG ISSUE.

NOW IN OUR OVERDOSES, OUR NARCOTICS DIVISION HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF TARGETING MID AND HIGH LEVEL ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING LARGE QUANTITIES OF NARCOTICS GUNS AND MONIES, WHICH OF COURSE FEEDS THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE NARCOTICS, UH, ILLEGAL TRADE HERE IN OUR AREA.

SO THAT HAS BEEN A VERY DIRECTIVE APPROACH THAT OUR NARCOTICS DIVISION HAS DONE AND BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT AND TARGETING MID AND UPPER LEVEL DEALERSHIPS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE HAVE DONE DIRECTED PATROL AND, UH, KEVIN PENNER JENKINS HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF DIRECTING HIS INVESTIGATIONS TO THOSE MID-LEVEL AND UPPER LEVEL DEALERS.

AND IT'S BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL AND WE'VE SEEN THE RESULTS OF THAT.

AND ALL THAT IS DONE BY INTELLIGENCE INTELLIGENCE IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS.

AND WE WORK INTELLIGENT ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS AT THE CITY AND THE STATE POLICE IN SHARING INTELLIGENCE, WHICH WE GET, NOT ONLY WE PASS IT ON TO THE APPROPRIATE, IF IT'D BE THE CITY POLICE, UH, CAPTAIN MICHELLI DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF MEETING DAYS, MEET REGULARLY ON, I MEAN, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, THEY'RE MEETING TOGETHER AND PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, UH, AND NOT ONLY DO WE PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WALKS WHO FROM REVERENCE TO TRUCE, WE ALSO DO THOSE INDEPENDENTLY.

WE WERE HAVING SPIKE AREAS FOR MAJOR PONTON IN HIS GROUP.

ALSO

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SO THEY WILL CALL AND INFORM US AND GIVE US INFORMATION, WHICH HAS BENEFICIAL TO IDENTIFYING THOSE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIMES AND VIOLENT CRIMES WITHIN THOSE AREAS.

AND THAT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE FROM US AND THE WALKS THAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS TO OUR AREAS THAT WE FEEL LIKE, THAT WE NEED SPECIAL, MORE ATTENTION TO.

AND THEY'RE JUST SMALL AREAS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, A BIGGER SECTOR OF OUR PATROL DISTRICTS IN OUR AREAS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

UM, SHERIFF GAUTREAUX HAS COMMITTED THOSE RESOURCES.

HE IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO WORK COLLABORATIVE WITH ALBOURNE LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.

HE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AT HIS DIRECTIVE, AND WE'RE DOING THAT.

AND WE'RE COMING IN WITH A PLAN WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON HERE IN, UH, THE 1ST OF FEBRUARY FOR A LONG RANGE PLAN.

BUT SHERIFF GO TRUST, COMMITTED THOSE RESOURCES.

HE'S COMMITTED HIMSELF AND ON OUR OFFICE AND WE TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE STATISTICS THAT YOU HAVE THERE IN FRONT OF YOU FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BECAUSE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE, THE, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE BENEFICIAL.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, I WANT TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE IN OUR CLEARANCE RATES AS IT RELATED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE LOCALLY IN BATON ROUGE FROM OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STATISTICS THERE, YOU SAW, UH, AN INCREASE IN OUR ROBBERIES, OKAY.

AND WE DID HAVE AN INCREASE, BUT ALSO WE HAVE AN INCREASE OF OUR CLEARANCE RATE.

WE CLEARED 54% OF THOSE ROBBERIES, BUT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF CLEARANCE FROM THE EL PASO, TEXAS IS ONLY 27.5%.

AND THIS PAST YEAR WE CLEARED 54% OF THOSE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, WE'RE ALMOST DOUBLE THE PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE NATIONALLY FROM OUR BIG CITIES OR SMALL CITIES.

AND THESE ARE TAKEN BY THE FBI AND COMPOUNDED YEARLY OF THE, OF THE CRIME STATS THAT ARE OCCURRING.

AND SO WE'RE DOING THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT SEX OFFENSES, WE DECREASED IN OUR SEX OFFENSES THAT WE HAD REPORTED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FROM THE FBI ON CLEARANCE ON SEX OFFENSES IS 31%.

OUR DETECTIVES SHERIFF'S OFFICER CLAREN 81 AND 83%, THE PAST YEARS OF OUR SEX OFFENSIVE CASES.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CLEARANCE RATES OF A HOMICIDES, I KNOW YOU HAVE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, AND WE HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT, BUT CONSISTENTLY, AND YOU GO BACK FOR YEARS, OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION CLEARS 80 TO 90% OF THE HOMICIDES.

IF YOU LOOK AT, FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF POST FROM THE SHOOTINGS AND SHOTS FIRED HOURS ARE ACTUALLY DOWN FOR A 20, 21 OVER 2020.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S A RESULT OF REDIRECTING OUR UNIFORM, PATROL OUR SCAT DIVISIONS IN OUR AREAS.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A DECREE, A DECREASE, IT DID NOT INCREASE.

AND SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE'RE USING THAT INFORMATION THAT WE GET FROM NOT ONLY OUR INTELLIGENCE AND OUR DATA AND OUR CRIME STRATEGIES UNIT, AND WE'RE REDIRECTING THOSE PATROLS.

UH, SHERIFF GAUTREAUX IS COMMITTED TO THAT.

HE'S COMMITTED TO THIS PARISH.

HE'S COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT, UH, HE USES EVERY RESOURCE THAT HE HAS NOW, AND HE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT, TO ADDRESS THE VIOLENT CRIME AND EVEN NON-VIOLENT CRIMES IN OUR, IN OUR PARISH.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF HIM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE COMMITTED THESE RESOURCES AT THE DIRECTION OF SHERIFF GAUTREAUX.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT WITH OUR LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENHANCE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

THEY WILL ENHANCE OUR PLANS TO BE ABLE TO DO A SMALL FOCUS GROUP ON OUR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING THESE CRIMES.

AND THAT'S, WHO'S GOING TO BE OUR FOCUS, UH, CONTINUED FOCUS BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE THAT THIS PAST YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT AND ENHANCE THAT WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, BUT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AM I GOING TO HOLD Y'ALL TOO MUCH, BUT I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE CAPTAIN WALKER.

HE'S A LOT OF SCAT TEAM.

UM, THIS GUY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB, EH, UH, LIKE THEY AVERAGE 10 PEOPLE.

NOW THEY'RE DOWN TO SIX PEOPLE AND THEY COVERED THE WHOLE PARISH.

SO THEY, THEY, THE WHOLE PARISH.

SO NOT JUST SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT ALSO INSIDE THE CITY AND GET NUMEROUS CALLS.

AND WE'VE BEEN SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH A COUPLE OF YARDS ON THE BOARD AND SEVERAL WALKS WITH Y'ALL.

WE ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO CALL US AND TO ENGAGE WITH US.

IF YOU DON'T TELL US, WE DON'T KNOW A BUNCH OF Y'ALL HAVE OUR NUMBERS, PLEASE CALL MYSELF OR CAPTAIN WALKER.

WE'D BE GLAD WE LOVE DOING THIS.

OUR HEART IS IN THIS, AND IT STARTS AT THE TOP WITH OUR BOSS.

HE LOVES THE COMMUNITY AND WE LOVE THE COMMUNITY.

SO IF YOU NEED US, CALL US, WE'RE THERE FOR Y'ALL THANK Y'ALL.

WE WANT TO, UH, THANK THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, FOR COMMUNICATING, UH, THERE ARE STRATEGIES THAT THEY ARE EMPLOYING MANY OF THEM, OF COURSE, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS BEST PRACTICES AND COMBATING CRIME.

AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.

UH, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES OF COURSE, INCORPORATE IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, ARE CALLED FOCUS, DETERRENCE STRATEGIES.

UM, YOU MAY RECOGNIZE A FOCUS DETERRENT STRATEGY AS TRUCE SIMILAR STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FRAMEWORK FOR CREATING SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK OR INVOLVEMENT WITH VIOLENCE.

WITH THIS IN MIND, I'M

[00:45:01]

GOING TO HAND THE FLOOR OVER TO OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY HEALER MOORE, AND HE'S GOING TO DISCUSS THE WORK HE'S DOING TO HELP OUR COLLABORATIVE INSTILL ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CONSTANT PEOPLE.

HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? SO, YEAH, BATON ROUGE HAD A REALLY BAD YEAR.

LAST YEAR.

WE HAD ONE THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT LAST YEAR WAS PARTICULARLY BRUTAL, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, THE MURDERERS IS NOT RANDOM PARTNERS, PRETTY MUCH AMONGST FOLKS OF GROUPS, DRUG DEALING, GANGS, WHAT FORTUNATELY LAST YEAR, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE REVEREND ANDERSON IS HERE.

SHE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR ALONE.

WE HAVE 35 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR INTIMATE PARTNER RELATED HOMICIDES.

THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING NUMBER WHEN YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO OR FOUR IN A BIG YEAR.

LAST YEAR WAS 19.

SO A YEAR BEFORE, BUT THIS PAST YEAR 35.

SO I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BATON ROUGE, YOU MAY NOT FEEL THIS PEOPLE AT ALYSSA MAY NOT FEEL OR TO, THIS IS ACTUALLY A SAFE PLACE UNLESS YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A GANG AND GANG DEALING INVOLVED IN DRUG ACTIVITY AND DRUG DEALING BECAUSE THAT INVOLVES CONS OR UNFORTUNATELY IN A BAD DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH ENDS IN VIOLENCE.

AND THAT COVID HAS JUST REALLY EXACERBATED EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CRIME.

SO AS BAD AS THE NUMBERS ARE, IT'S A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.

IT'S NOT A NATIONWIDE FIX, IT'S A LOCAL FIX, BUT WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN THOUGH AT OUR OFFICE, FROM THE FILES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT IN IS THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR CASES NOW ARE GUN-RELATED AROUND 2,500, AROUND 2,500 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED CASES IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.

AND OUR STAFF HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE CHANGES.

SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS, HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR STAFF ADDRESS GUNS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMMEDIATELY PUT AN END TO IT.

UH, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT NOW TO SEE IF WE CAN RESTRUCTURE FIRST THING I THINK THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO DO.

AND I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING ON THIS AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, A HUNDRED FOLKS OR A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING DOWN.

CAN YOU IMAGINE OPERATING THAT LEVEL WITHOUT THAT MANY PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TO DRAW FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO GO OUT AND FIGHT AND INVESTIGATE A HOMICIDE, BUT I'M SO PROUD TO STAND NEXT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY AND THE MAYOR TO WORK, PUT THE MEN AND WOMEN, THE OFFICERS, AND THE DEPUTIES TO WORK THEIR TAILS OFF ALL NIGHT LONG.

UH, AND THEY TRY TO DO THE BEST, BUT JUST THINK IF THEY WERE ABLE TO BE HEARD TO CLEAR IT'S RIGHT AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DON'T HAVE IT, THE NUMBER BY THE BATTERIES POLICE DO, BUT JUST THINK IF THE AVERAGE PLACE FOR COMPLETELY FULLY STAFFED, THEY HAD MORE THAN THEY HAD IN JUST THE HOMICIDE IN THE MAJOR ASSAULTS DIVISION.

IF YOU SAW THE CAUSE THAT THESE GUYS GO TO IT'S UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY MURDERS.

THEY GO, THEY GO TO SUICIDES DEATHS TO GO ON A DRUG OVERDOSES, BUT YOU ONLY REALLY GET TO SEE THE HOMICIDES JUST TAKE.

IF THOSE DETECTIVES COULD HAVE TEAMS OF DETECTIVES THAT WORK EVERY HOMICIDE LIKE JOHN F. KENNEDY WAS KILLED, LET'S TAKE THEIR CREDITS, RIGHT.

WOULD BE TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO THAT IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES OR NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS.

THINGS WOULD BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, BUT THAT UNFORTUNATELY TAKES A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF EFFORT AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE MONEY TO PUT INTO THAT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FOCUS THIS YEAR ON FIREARMS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

AND SOME OTHERS WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS ON KEEPING THOSE FAKE FOLKS OR A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IN JAIL.

THOSE ARE OUT OF MULTIPLE BONDS.

CHURCHES HAVE VERY DIFFICULT JOBS TO DO WHEN THEY SET A BOND, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE CRIME THAT'S FOR THEM WITH A PRESUMED INNOCENT AND THE RIGHT TO BAIL ON A BOND.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO A BETTER JOB OF INFORMING THE JUDGES AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB TO DO.

WE RESPECT THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER AT THAT.

BUT OUR CHALLENGE EVERYONE IS THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, AND LOOK AT LOUISIANA, WHERE WE LOOK AT BATTERIES WHILE WE RANKED, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION, POVERTY, CHILDHOOD PREGNANCY, TRUANCY, EDUCATION, BY AND LARGE, AND WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OR THE TOP OF EVERY LIST THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE AT, BUT WE'RE FIGHTING HOMICIDES ON ONE END.

WE'RE NOT REALLY FIGHTING ENOUGH ON THICK ON THE FRONT END FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES.

AS A RESULT, WE HAD TO MOVE MONEY AT THE BACK END FOR POLICE.

TA'S YOU NAME IT? SO I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, NOW WE HAVE TO WORK ON THE BACKEND.

WE HAVE SUCH A BACKLOG RIGHT NOW OF CASES, JUST MURDER CASES, OVER 200 TO BE TRIED IN OUR OFFICE LAST YEAR, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO TRY 16 JURY TRIALS, EVEN BEFORE 12, BECAUSE OF COVID FEDERAL COURT ONLY HAD TWO.

SO THE BAD GUYS KNOW WHEN THAT SYSTEM GOES DOWN.

THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH THINGS.

A PRISON POPULATION WENT FROM 2000 TO A THOUSAND.

AND I THINK FOR GOOD REASON FOR COVID RELATED REASONS.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO KEEP THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT IN JAIL, LET THE OTHERS ARE PENDING COURT,

[00:50:01]

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO WORK WITH OUR YOUTH THAT ARE HIGHLY AT RISK, AND THEN WAVING OUR HANDS AT US.

LIKE I'M GOING TO BE TROUBLE WILL BE A PROBLEM AND EFFECT THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

I THINK WE SHOULD GENERATE THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND LIKE WE DID NAME IMAGE AND LIKE THIS FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS THAT COME FROM THE SAME AREAS THAT OUR SHOOTERS WOULD COME FROM, BUT THEY'RE TALENTED PEOPLE THAT SOMEONE IS TAKEN THEM OUT OF WHERE THEY ARE AND PUT THEM A PEDESTAL.

AND THEY DOING WELL TO GET EDUCATED, TO GET DOCTORS, GET MEDICINE, GET EVERYTHING THEY CAN.

THE OTHER KID THAT WAS SITTING NEXT TO HIM AT SCHOOL THAT MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE THAT TALENT.

AND THE ONE THAT IS REALLY MOST, MOST AT RISK, BUT REALLY DON'T PAY A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF EFFORT TO HIM UNTIL THIS HAPPENS.

AND THEN IT'S TOO LATE.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO EXAMINE ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS TO SEE MAYBE WHERE WE'RE FAILED IN THE PAST, WHERE THERE'S GAPS IN SERVICES.

WHY DID THAT KID EVER GET TO BE THAT POSITION? I THINK WE'LL BE BETTER OFF FOR THAT, BUT IN THE LONG RUN.

SO AS BAD AS THE LAST YEAR WAS A REALLY BELIEVED THAT NOW THAT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER YEAR, I DON'T THINK WE CAN REPLICATE 35 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES.

I'LL BE SHOCKED TO SEE THAT.

I THINK THAT BASED ON SOME MEMBERS, WOULD I GO INTO DETAIL NOW? I THINK THAT 20, 22 IS GOING TO BE A BETTER YEAR.

IT HAS TO BE BETTER YEAR, BUT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE IT BEST AS FOR ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER.

UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU GUYS, INDIVIDUALLY FOR WHAT YOU DO, ALL THE WORK THAT THESE OTHERS THAT YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE, ME THAT DO A LOT OF THINGS FALL ON YOUR SHOULDERS.

A LOT OF DELICATE ISSUES THAT COME HERE, IT'S ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO FUNDING.

AND I KNOW NOT EVERYONE ASKS FOR MONEY AS THEIR HANDOUT, WE ALWAYS DO SO.

UM, BUT UH, YOU HAVE GOOD PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU IN THESE DIFFERENT OFFICES.

YOU SHOW, WE MESS UP, UH, AND YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE MESS UP OR WE TRY TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHEN WE MESS UP AND, UH, WHAT YOUR SUPPORT.

AND I THINK THAT THE, PARTICULARLY THE AREAS THAT ARE MOST EFFECTED THAT WE SEE MORE AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT'S, WE ALWAYS SAY, OH, 2 0 5 0 6, BECAUSE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THOSE ZIP CODES, THOSE SUBDIVISIONS, WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH, FUCK OUT THE DOOR, AND I GRABBED THESE PEOPLE AROUND THEIR NECK AND SAID, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK? AND THAT'S THE TRUTH OF IT.

THERE'S ONLY A VERY FEW SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THOSE ZIP CODES HURT THE MOST THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE.

AND WE NEED TO DO THE BEST FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

SO YOU CAN GET ON THEIR PORCH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND A GOOD DAY, LIKE ALL OF US CAN AND OTHER ZIP CODES.

AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO PUT THEM OUT AS ZIP CODES, BUT THAT'S HOW WE DO.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORK WITH YOU IN THIS PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH THAT WE HAVE.

WE'LL HAVE TO TREAT IT AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM, JUST LIKE SEAT BELTS, JUST LIKE SMOKING.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY THAT THEY HAVE TO LOT A GUARD RAILS AROUND PREJUDICE, NEVER HAD THEM BEFORE, UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED DYING.

AND WE, WE HELPED TO PUT GUARD RAILS UP.

IMAGINE THAT.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT 149 MURDERS? YOUNG KIDS ARE KILLING EACH OTHER.

WE NEED TO FIND SOME GUARD RAILS TO PUT AROUND THESE YOUNG MEN, YOUNG KIDS.

SO I'M HERE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS IN THIS EFFORT AND WE HAVE A GREAT 2022.

$500,000 FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIAL PROSECUTORS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS OR MATTERS RELATING TO THE ONGOING BACKLOG OF CASES, SHORT TERM ACTION.

THANK YOU, HEALER.

AS WE CLOSE OUR PRESENTATION, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION INITIATIVES, AND YOUR HELP WITH YOUR SUPPORT.

UH, WE HAVE ALLOCATED AN ADDITIONAL $14.2 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVES.

SO FOR OUR LONG-TERM ACTIONS, WE'RE ALLOCATING $1.8 MILLION TO INCREASE THE BATON ROUGE, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR A PLATE READERS AND COMMUNITY CRIME CAMERAS FOR OUR LONG-TERM ACTIONS, WE'RE ALLOCATING $3.3 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT GUN VIOLENCE, REDUCTION STRATEGIES, AND INCREASE COMMUNITY POLICING FOR OUR LONG-TERM STRATEGIES.

WE'RE ALLOCATING $8 MILLION FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PATROL UNITS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

NOW WE KNOW THE SHORT TERM ACTIONS ARE NEEDED AND ARE VITAL RIGHT NOW.

SO FAR SHORT-TERM ACTIONS.

WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED DOLLARS TO AID PROGRAMMING FOR OUR DA'S OFFICE, INCLUDING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR CHANCE'S INNOVATIVE GUN VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND WHERE THE EXPANSION OF THE HOSPITAL VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM, AND 150,000 FOR THE INNOVATIVE OPEN YOUR WEIGHT PROJECT.

THIS PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED THEY BREAK DOWN AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

YOU HEARD IT FROM OUR DA, YOU HEARD IT FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

OUR COURT SYSTEMS ARE BACKLOGGED LEADING TO DELAYS AND TRIALS, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE ALLOCATING

[00:55:01]

SO THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME FUNDING THAT WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE, UH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE A GREAT AMOUNT OF IT TO SOLVE THE VIOLENT CRIMES THAT WE FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND AS YOU'VE HEARD, IT TAKES COLLABORATION, DEDICATION, COMMITMENT FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OUR RESIDENTS.

OUR NEXT ACTION STEP WILL BE OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP HOSTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE THE FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY.

AND AS YOU HEARD, AND YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION IN YOUR FOLDERS AND SAY COORDINATED AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

SO IT WILL HELP US ENHANCE BOTH OUR SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES, BUT IT WILL ALSO PUT OUR ACTION ON PAPER AND IN THE FIELD.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I BELIEVE THAT THE DATA THAT WE'RE USING, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR WORK COLLABORATIVE WITH EVERYONE INVOLVED IN SOLVING VIOLENT CRIME WILL TAKE US AS OUR DA SAID TO A BETTER 20, 22, UH, WE'RE USING THE BRAIN TRUST OF ALL OF OUR LOCAL EXPERTS TO ENSURE THAT WE LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED IN OUR EFFORT TO CREATE A SAFER BATON ROUGE.

AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS ALIGNMENT OF AGENCY'S RESOURCES AND GOALS WILL AID EVERYONE IN OUR MISSION TO KEEP OUR CITY AND OUR PARISH SAFE AND INFORMED.

UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS INDEED A TOP PRIORITY AND I AM, AND I KNOW YOU WILL JOIN ME IN REMAINING STEADFAST IN A VISION OF CREATING A SAFE, HOPEFUL, AND HEALTHY BATON ROUGE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.

YOU MAY HAVE WRONG MISSOURI, EVERYONE HERE BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM, WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, RUBBING ANDERSON GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M GOING TO ALEXIS ANDERSON.

WHEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PREACH, I AM ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUB COMMITTEE FOR THE LOUISIANA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNCIL.

I WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE WE ARE NOT ON ONE ACCORD, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED TRUST.

WE CANNOT HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICING AND NOT BRING UP OUR HUMAN POWERED OR ARCHIE WILLIAMS OR 640 CASES FROM THE BATON ROUGE NARCOTICS DIVISION.

WE CANNOT HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE DO NOT PUT CONTEXT TO THINGS.

I AM CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT DID NOT COME UP WAS THE ISSUE OF THE PROTECTING OF LOW WEALTH COMMUNITIES FROM BLINDED AND TARGETED PROPERTIES.

I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A DISCUSSION OR ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATE AND SAFE WRITING IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST TARGETED.

I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHO WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THIS PLANNING.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST RECREATION CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY WITH BRICK.

WE HAVE SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A PSYCHOLOGIST, WE HAVE YOUTH PROGRAMS. WE HAVE COACHES, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES TO BRING TO THE TABLE.

AND YET WHAT I HEARD WAS WE'RE JUST GOING TO SPEND MORE MONEY WHERE WE'VE ALREADY SPENT IT.

AND MY POINT IS THIS.

IF YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU WILL KEEP GETTING WHAT YOU'VE GOTTEN AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I AM IN THE COURT OBSERVING AS DA MOORE SAID, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG, LONG TIME.

ONE THIRD TO ONE HALF OF THE CASES WE ARE SEEING IN A NIGHT, CHIEF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND YET THE TOOLS FOR PREVENTION.

WE'RE NOT STRESSED.

I AM OLD ENOUGH THAT I HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD.

I WAS HERE DURING THE EIGHTIES.

I WAS HERE WHEN WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO ARREST

[01:00:01]

OUR WAY AND BREAK UP FAMILIES AND NOT TREAT DRUG ADDICTION AS DRUG ADDICTION.

AND THEN WE ENDED UP WITH STORIES THAT LASTED FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS.

I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.

WE ARE NOT HAVING AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT GUNS COME FROM.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE SHOOTING.

WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHERE THOSE GUNS ARE COMING FROM, AND WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT TASK FORCES TO USE A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR THE 32 AGENCIES WHO OPERATE IN THIS PARISH.

AND I JUST WANT TO FINISH WITH ONE LAST LINE.

WE ARE NOT HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MANY OF THE GUNS ARE COMING FROM THEFT OF UNSECURED VEHICLES.

AND IF WE PLAN ON TARGETING THOSE COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS WE DO LOW WEALTH COMMUNITIES.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE ELSE HERE, WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM.

WE DO HAVE ANOTHER NUMBER.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND GOOD EVENING.

UM, MY NAME IS EVA SMITH.

UM, ASCENSION PARISH, EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH PRISON REFORM COALITION MEMBER AS A MOTHER OF BLACK CHILDREN.

UM, OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE ASPIRING FOR FREEDOM OF EQUALITY, PEACE LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.

FREEDOM TO VOTE TO AN EDUCATION JOBS, TO LIVE OUT THEIR DREAMS OF PROSPERITY AND US HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CAREER ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS, REAPING THE BENEFITS OF SIX DEATHS GROWTH AND A LONG LIFE.

BUT WHOSE CHILDREN ARE WE SPEAKING OF THOSE THAT HAVE, AND NOT THE HAVE NOT THE HAVE NOTS, UH, THE CHILDREN WHO WILL NOT FINISH GO BECAUSE THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVES, NO MENTORSHIP.

THEIR FAMILY DYNAMICS DOES NOT, UM, INCLUDE A TWO-PARENT HOME WITH COLLEGE EDUCATIONS.

YES, WE NEED PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, UH, FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

BUT, UM, AND AS SOMEONE SAID, BATON ROUGE IS NOT A BAD PLACE.

SO I BELIEVE WE CAN COME BACK CRIME BY THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ADDRESSING SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, ACADEMIC LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE, AND SUPPORT FROM THE FAMILY.

THEN WE CAN BE A FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

MA'AM IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 15? ANYONE ELSE HERE? FINAL CSUN WILL LET ME KNOW.

HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, GET THE MANPOWER IN PLACE TO DO A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE.

WE'RE GOING BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS COUNCIL MEMBERS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, THOUGHTS, IDEAS, COMMENTS, ANYONE? NO ONE I'LL GO TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.

HUSSON COUNCIL NUMBER.

MARK IS FIRST THOUGH.

UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I, I SEE WE GOT, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE.

UM, I THINK, UH, THE SHORT-TERM PLAN, UM, REALLY SEEMED VERY PROGRESSIVE AND I THINK IT'S GONNA WORK OUT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONGTERM PLAN, AND I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT LATER ON, AS FAR AS FUNDING FROM THE 14 POINT SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS, UH, THAT'S COMING FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN THAT WE'RE INVESTING INTO, UH, ONE-TIME PROGRAMS AND STUFF.

FROM WHAT I CAN TELL REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, UH, GUN DOLLARS REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND TALK ABOUT IS WHAT IS ONE OUR SHORT TERM AND A MAYOR OR, UH, CHIEF, UH, PAUL, UH, WHAT IS OUR SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM PLAN AS FAR AS REDUCING OR INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OUR DEPUTIES.

UM, AND I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ALSO, UH, IN TALKING WITH, UM, MR. SID GAUTREAUX.

I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS PLENTY OF TIMES FOR, UM, THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AS FAR AS, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, THE AMOUNT OF OFFICERS ON THE STREET, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE'RE A HUNDRED TO 150 DOWN, WHAT IS OUR SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM PLAN TO GET THE FUNDING TO ONE.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INCREASING PAY AND WE'VE DONE THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING, BUT OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE NEED TO GET THESE PEOPLE HIRED AND HIRED QUICKLY TO GET THEM OUT ON THE STREET.

I THINK THAT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST DEFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD IS JUST NOT HAVING THE MANPOWER,

[01:05:01]

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES THAT WE REALLY SHOULD LOOK AT RIGHT NOW.

SO, SO AS IT RELATES TO RECRUITING, I HAVE OUR RECRUITING STRATEGY, UH, THAT IS ALSO GOING TO BE PART OF OUR OVERALL STRATEGY, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITING.

WE, SO LET'S, LET'S TALK FACTS.

WE DON'T HAVE 150 VACANT.

WE GOT A HUNDRED TO A HUNDRED WHEN THAT COMES TO BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

OVER THE PAST DECADE, WE'VE ALWAYS CARRIED ABOUT 50 VACANCIES.

SO WE NEVER HAD A FULL COMPLIMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS.

SO WE'RE ABOUT 50 OFFICERS LESS THAN WE HAVE FOR THE PAST DECADE.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE ABOUT 20, 25 OF THOSE IN ACADEMY.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UM, BACK WHEN REFORM STARTED, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY, UM, THERE WERE MORALE ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, WHEN LEGISLATION WAS CHANGED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, UH, UH, AFTER GEORGE FORD'S, UM, MURDER, WHAT WE SAW WAS, UH, IN 2020, THERE WAS A 40% INCREASE IN RESIGNATIONS NATIONALLY.

THERE WAS AN 18% INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS NATIONALLY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS OUT, WE WRITE OUT AROUND A 9% TURNOVER RATIO, UH, FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CLASSES RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE 21, WE LOST A FEW, UH, THROUGH THE PROCESS.

WE HAVE 21, WE HAVE FIVE GRADUATING ON MONDAY.

THESE ARE POLICE OFFICERS FROM OTHER AGENCIES WHO COME OVER AND WE HAVE, UM, UH, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED, UH, THE PROCESS FOR OUR NEXT ACADEMY CLASS, WHICH STARTS IN JUNE AND WE'RE SHOOTING FOR ABOUT 40 OR 50.

SO WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE, UH, ON, ON HOW WE RECRUIT, WE'VE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY IN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS.

UH, I JUST, UH, UM, APPROVED, UH, RIGHT AROUND $50,000 IN ADVERTISING VIDEOS.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE US ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME BILLBOARDS.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE US SOME COMMERCIALS, UH, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A VERY AGGRESSIVE RECRUITING CAMPAIGN.

SO WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS COMPARED TO WHAT OTHERS ARE RECRUITING, WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD ON THE RECRUITMENT SIDE AND ON THE TURNOVER SIDE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.

I KNOW I GOT 30 SECONDS TO SPEAK, I GUESS WHAT IF I MAY ASK WHAT WOULD BE YOUR EXPECTED TIMELINE TO BE BACK TO WHAT YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED FULL DEPARTMENT OR FULL CAPACITY? AND I RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN 25, 25 OR 50 DOWN.

UM, WHAT KIND OF TIMEFRAME WITH ALL THESE INITIATIVES BEING TAKEN PLACE, OR ARE YOU EXPECTED TO BE BACK AT WHAT YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERING FULL CAPACITY TO AS OPERATION AS FAR AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE 50 NORMAL VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE.

LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

I WANT TO GET THE PROCESS TAKES A WHILE, BUT, BUT WE BELIEVE WHAT OUR CURRENT, UM, COMMUNITY, UM, UM, SUPPORT IN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS.

WE THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY ATTAINABLE GOAL.

UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT PUTTING THIS ITEM ON OUR AGENDA AND COMING AND HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WITH US.

UM, UH, MY QUESTION LARGELY WAS ALONG THE SAME LINES IS, UH, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MODE.

SO I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT WE DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RECRUITING, UH, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, BUT WE HAVE BENCHMARKS SET ASIDE AS WELL.

UM, I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR, SINCE I REPRESENT A PART OF THE PARISH, THAT'S LARGELY COVERED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR IF YOU GUYS HAVE SIMILAR BENCHMARKS, UH, AND A SIMILAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

YES, OF COURSE YOU DO HAVE VACANCIES AS EVERYONE ELSE, BUT WE DO HAVE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE A NEW RECRUITING VIDEO.

THE SHERIFF HAS, AND HE, WE HAD ESTABLISHED A NEW RECRUITING DIVISION ITSELF THAT WE HAD NOT HAD OVER THE PAST.

WE JUST, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, HE FORMED THAT NEW DIVISION ALSO HAS PERSONAL INTERNET.

IT'S STRICTLY, IT GOES OUT AND TRYING TO RECRUIT THE BEST IN NEBRASKA THAT WE CAN.

AND THOSE INTERESTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, OF COURSE, WE NEED THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US ALSO TO, AND SO THE SHERIFF DOES HAVE A PANEL PLACE.

I JUST HAVE THOSE PARTICULARS WITH ME, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY THE, BUT HE DOES HAVE A VIDEO BEING MADE.

WE HAVE A RECRUITING DIVISION THAT HE HAS STARTED UP TRYING TO RECRUIT THOSE PERSONNEL TO FILL OUR VACANCIES ALSO.

AND SO TO BE CLEAR, Y'ALL HAVE A BENCHMARK SET THAT YOU THINK YOU'LL ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.

AND I DON'T, LIKE I SAID, THE RECRUITING DIVISION SHERIFF WOULD HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE VACANCY IS RIGHT NOW.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS.

I APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BE SURE, I MENTIONED, UM, IT, IT, WASN'T SO MUCH A PART OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION, BUT I KNOW I'VE HEARD IT IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY AND THAT'S A COLLABORATION WITH OUR COURTS.

[01:10:01]

SO I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE SOMEONE CAN COME AND TOUCH ON THAT.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND COLLABORATING WITH THE COURT SYSTEM.

UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE MECHANICS OF HOW THAT'S BEING DONE.

WHO'S GOING TO BIG QUESTION.

SO AFTER THAT MEETING I TALKED ABOUT IS WE PREPARED OUR STRATEGY.

IT WAS IMPORTANT TO US, FOR US TO MEET WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

WE MET WITH THE 19 JDC WE MET WITH, UH, JUVENILE COURT JUDGES, AS LONG AS, AS WELL AS ALL THOSE OTHER PARTNERS.

I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING BECAUSE I HAD A, BUT, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS WAS THERE AND I'LL LET HIM GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK ON, ON SOME OF THE AREAS WE ALL CAN APPROVE ON, GET A GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF AND DANIELS, UH, S CHIEF STATED, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE REALIZED A LONG TIME AGO THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A ISSUE THAT AS HAS SAID, THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS EXACTLY THAT A SYSTEM.

SO WE'VE HAD THOSE MEETINGS, UH, WITH THOSE PARTNERS SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE ALSO AT MEETINGS WITH OUR JUDGES FROM THE 19 JDC, AS WELL AS OUR JUDGES FROM OUR JUVENILE DIVISION, UM, IN THOSE MEETINGS, UH, THEY ALSO DISCUSS SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD, UH, HELP DURING THAT PROCESS TO INCLUDE, UH, THE TIMES THAT THEY ACTUALLY LOOKED AT DOCUMENTATION TO ACCEPT BONDS, UM, ARE TO, UH, ACCEPT BONDS.

THEY ALSO HAD, UH, QUITE A FEW OTHER THINGS TO LOOK AT, TO INCLUDE BOND HEARINGS AND THINGS, TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD ALL THE FACTS AS THEY MOVE TO SET BOND.

AS WE TALKED BEFORE, UM, AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UH, MADE THAT POINT, THAT PROCESS IS A LOT HARDER THAN WE ALL KNOW, THOUGH.

WE ALL GOT EDUCATED IN THE PROCESS.

UH, SOME FROM, UH, WE EDUCATED THEM ON SOME THINGS AND THEY EDUCATED US ON SOME THINGS AS WELL.

HEY, GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR BROOME AND HER TEAM AND ALL OF THOSE MEMBERS LAW ENFORCEMENT NOW WITH DA FOR COMING DOWN PUBLIC SAFETY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR.

THE PUBLIC PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL SAFE.

AND, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT I WAS GOING TO GET READY TO TALK TO THE GENIUSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

COULDN'T COMMIT A CRIME, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

WE WANT TO SAY SOME COUNSELING TO CALL THEM.

I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, THE COUNCIL WOMAN COLEMAN, LET THE RECORD REFLECT AS I SIT HERE.

FIRST OF ALL, ALL OF YOU OUGHT TO BE COMMENDED.

SO, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE, THE SHERIFF, THE DA, THE MAYOR, EVERYBODY, THIS IS COLLABORATION ADDED SPINE THIS.

AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT A LOT IN THIS TO COME AND, AND DO.

AND THEN SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HOLD ON TO THAT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AND BELIEVE CAN WORK.

IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WE MUST BE, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT ON THE SHOULDERS OF ONE PARTICULAR OFFICE.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND AS COUNCIL PERSON SITTING UP HERE, WE REPRESENT BATON ROUGE.

AND SO WHEN YOU ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, WHEN WILL THE POSITIONS BE FEEL, AND THIS IS NOT JUST WITH THIS ENTITY, THIS IS STILL OUT WHERE FOLK WITH NO JOBS AND WHATEVER, AND FOLK ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH FILLING.

AND SO WHAT WE MUST DO IS BE RESPONSIBLE, BE A PART OF THIS COLLABORATION AND SAY, I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I REACH OUT AND SEE WHO IT IS THAT I CAN BRING TO THE TABLE THAT I CAN GIVE AS SOME FOLK I'VE ALREADY GOT TO A CHIEF.

SO I GOT THAT FOR YOU.

AND SO CRIME ARROGANCE OF CONCERN.

YEAH, I REPRESENT 10 AND 10 HAS SOME AREAS THAT ARE OF CONCERN.

AND SO I AM GLAD FOR THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND, AND, AND, AND A LOT OF, FOR THAT, IT CAN GET STARTED QUICKLY.

THEY ARE.

AND SO, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT

[01:15:01]

IT IS TIME OUT.

IT IS TIME OUT FOR US TRYING TO MAKE WRONG, RIGHT.

IF IT'S WRONG, IT'S WRONG.

AND WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THAT, WHICH IS WRONG.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU ALL ARE IN THE POSITIONS THAT YOU ALL ARE IN.

AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE.

AND I SAID, AGAIN, I, AND I THINK THE REST OF US WANT TO SEE ALL OF YOU ALL GO HOME SAFELY.

NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COLLABORATION.

AND I THINK THAT WAS, UH, MOCHA, SOMEONE THAT MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE JUDGES.

AND SO LET THAT NOT BE A MISSING PIECE, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE WITH ALL THE, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE HERE AND IT'S NEEDED, LET THE RECORD REFLECT IT IS NEEDED.

AND WITH ALL THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE, WHEN THE RULES, THE LAWS, THE WHATEVER, A BROKEN AND THEY ARE INCARCERATED, THEY SHOULD NOT BE RIGHT BACK OUT AND, AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD WITH THIS AND THAT OUR JUDGES ARE DEFINITELY INCLUDED IN THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

AND SO I SAY TO ALL OF YOU, UM, FROM, FROM THE, I'M GONNA SAY THE MAYOR, CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE LADY IN THE HOUSE, THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF YOU GENTLEMEN, KNOW THAT WHATEVER WE CAN DO IN TAN, WHATEVER WE CAN DO IN 10, THAT WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

AND I BELIEVE THE REST OF MY FOLK IN HERE ARE READY TO STEP FORWARD AND HELP.

AND SO THIS IS EXCELLENT, WHAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT TOGETHER.

AND SO I KNOW, AND THEY KNOW LONG WASN'T BUILT OVERNIGHT.

SO YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND PERFECT, AND THEN GO BACK.

SO I THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL WOMAN, COLEMAN COUNCIL NUMBER DONE.

VESTED, BEING IN ALIGNMENT OF, OF US DEVELOPING SAFE, HOPEFUL, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES IN THIS CITY AND PARISH.

A LOT HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT THE VACANCIES AND P D A THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AND A LOT OF COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND, AND THAT APPROACH.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA FOCUS ON THAT, BUT, UH, REVEREND ANDERSON AND HEAL UP, MADE SOME GREAT POINTS.

AND I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT US TO OVERLOOK THOSE.

UM, AS REVEREND ANDERSON SAID, WE'VE HAD THIS WAR ON DRUGS, TOUGH ON CRIME APPROACH SINCE THE EIGHTIES, BUT YET WE'RE STILL BUILDING MORE PRISONS.

WE'RE STILL LOCKING MORE PEOPLE UP.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T MURDER RATES HIGHER THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.

SO WE KNOW BY EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS, THAT THOSE ARE NOT THE TURNS TO CRY.

I IN FIRST OF ALL, CRIME IS A POVERTY ISSUE.

IT'S A LACK OF OPPORTUNITY ISSUE.

AND FOLKS DON'T HAVE JOBS.

FOLKS DON'T HAVE INCOMES.

FOLKS DON'T HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA LEAVE A POOL WITHOUT OTHERS GOING TO TURN TO ALTERNATIVE MEANS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, TO TAKE CARE OF RENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING YOU DO, BUT WE'VE SEEN IT OVER AND OVER.

FOLKS ARE TURNING TO THE STREETS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO CREATE MORE JOBS, MORE INCOME OPPORTUNITIES, MORE EDUCATION TO CATCH INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THEY ENTER INTO THE MINDSET TO GO TO CRIME, BECAUSE I'M, UH, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ONCE THE MINDSET, IS THERE MORE POLICE NOT GOING TO STOP IT? MORE POLICE IS NOT GOING TO STOP.

IT'S NOT GOING TO TURN IT AROUND AND I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THIS GENERATION.

BUT TO BE HONEST, SOME OF THESE FOLKS, BUT NOT GOING TO BE A RE REHABILITATED, SOME WILL SOME WON'T THE KEY IS TO CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH.

AND THAT'S ABOUT THE FRONT END THAT HILO TALKED ABOUT INVESTING MORE MONEY ON CRIME TO TURN MENTOR TUTORING, EDUCATION JOBS.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS.

I THOUGHT REVEREND ANDERSON SAID SOMETHING ALSO, YOU KNOW, AK 40 SEVENS ARE NOT MANUFACTURED IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS IN HERE.

THEY NOT MANUFACTURED IN THE BOTTOM AND TIGER MAN.

AND THE PARK AND DIXIE, YOU KNOW, KILOS GROUNDS ARE NOT PACKAGED AND MANUFACTURED IN HOUSES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS EITHER, BUT YET THEY, WE FIND

[01:20:01]

THEM THERE.

SO SOME FOCUS NEEDED TO BE MADE ON THESE BOATS, PLANES AND VEHICLES THAT BRINGING THEM INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE INNER CITY GETTING TIME AND, AND, AND GETTING THROWN AWAY WITH SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL AND NUMBERS OF YEARS IN JAIL.

BUT WE KNOW THAT THESE RESOURCES, THE DRUGS AND THE GUNS DON'T ORIGINATE IN THE INNER CITY.

SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FOCUS ON THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME AND COMING TO REPORT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON OUR MINDS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M GLAD THAT THIS TOPIC CAME UP TODAY.

THE MAYOR NOW, I JUST HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION YESTERDAY.

UM, COUPLE OF COMMENTS OR, AND HOW DO WE GET THERE? AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT PIECE OF IT OUT, BUT HOW DO WE MEET THE NATIONAL AVERAGE TO PLAY POLICE OFFICERS? SO OFFICERS, SO WE DON'T USE SOME OF OUR LOSE SOME OF OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST TALENT THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE, MOVING TO ATLANTA, MOVING TO DALLAS, AUSTIN, HOUSTON.

AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS TO SOLVE IT.

ALL RIGHT, NUMBER, NUMBER TWO IS, UH, THEY HIT IT ON THE HEAD TWO OR THREE TIMES IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT MARTY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT CRIME IS, IS IT STARTING UP FROM, BUT, AND THE MAYOR, AND I TALKED ABOUT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR NORTH BATON ROUGE THAT MAY TAKE ABOUT 15 YEARS, RIGHT? IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE DAY.

IT WON'T BE FIXED IN A DAY, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS LEVERAGE OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS.

I STARTED OPENING THEM UP AFTER THE COUNCIL AND AGENT LEAVE AND STARTED DOING YOUTH PROGRAMMING ON A CONSISTENT BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND OUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INTERESTS OF THE KIDS, EXCUSE ME, THAT ARE RUNNING AROUND IN THE STREETS.

HOW CAN WE MEET THEM, WHERE THEY ARE AND PUT PROGRAMMING IN PLACE TO MITIGATE? BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IDLE TIME IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP, RIGHT? AND SO WE GET RID OF SOME OF THAT IDLE TIME.

WE PUT PROGRAMMING IN PLACE THAT ENSURES THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

NUMBER ONE, FOOD, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS OUT THERE.

SOME KIDS LEAVE SCHOOL.

THE LAST MEAL THEY HAD WAS AT TWO 12, O'CLOCK MAYBE THE BROWN BAG.

AND THEY TOOK HER HOME.

SO IF THEY ATE IT AT THREE, THEY'RE HUNGRY BY SIX OR SEVEN, WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO GET THEIR FOOD? OKAY.

MAYBE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MUSIC OR MAYBE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN STEM PROGRAMS. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M DOING IN DISTRICT FIVE IS TALKING WITH EXXON ABOUT CREATING A STEM PROGRAM IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AFTER HOURS.

THAT WAS A MAJOR CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH THE MAYOR.

HOW DO WE FUND THAT? HOW DO WE FUND THE, AFTER OUR WORKERS? SO MY BACKGROUND IS WORKING WITH KIDS.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I HAVE A PASSION FOR THE YOUTH.

SO THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.

AND I WELCOME ANY CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND CONVERSATION AND COLLABORATION TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP.

CAN I GIVE YOU ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING TO YOU? YOU WANTED TO COME NOW BEFORE THEY TALK OR YOU WANT TO WAIT, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR HOUSE? WHAT DO YOU WANT? OKAY, ANYBODY ELSE WANTS COMMENTS? COME ON, MAYOR, BRO.

I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF BECAUSE I, YOU ALL HAVE A LENGTHY AGENDA, BUT I, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ROBUST AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD HERE.

AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE TALKED FOR YEARS ABOUT CRIME, THE APPROACH TO CRIME, BEING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.

AND WE ARE NOT NEGLIGENT WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE PROGRAMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S ALL A PART OF THIS COMPLEX EQUATION.

AS YOU ALL RECALL LAST YEAR, WE DEDICATED MONEY FOR OUR SAFE, HOPEFUL, AND HEALTHY INITIATIVE.

YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT? CAUSE WE HAD TO COME BEFORE YOU ALL TO, TO GET IT APPROVED.

AND SO WE HAVE INVESTED A $2.5 MILLION IN 2021 TOWARDS PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES JUST LAST YEAR, WE HELPED, UH, 95 FAMILIES WHO WERE IN CRISIS THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS.

YOU HEARD ME TALK EARLIER ABOUT THE $14.9 MILLION.

THAT'S ALL PROGRAMMATIC WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE A, ANOTHER CONVERSATION APART FROM A COUNCIL MEETING, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, WHAT HAPPENS IN COMMUNITIES, POVERTY, ALL OF THE, UH, DISINVESTMENT AND HOW THAT FEEDS IN TO, UH, BAD BEHAVIOR.

I HAD FEEDS INTO COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU HAVE HIGH CRIME.

UH, BUT I DO THINK CERTAINLY AS I, I I'VE HEARD ALL OF YOU ALL SPEAK HERE THIS EVENING.

AND AS WE'VE HEARD OUR PRESENTERS TONIGHT, I BELIEVE WE ARE ON A TRAJECTORY TO TURN THINGS AROUND.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SO CONCERNED, BEING

[01:25:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THE COMMUNITIES, THROUGH THE POLICE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR.

I MEAN, WHEN I MET WITH HER YESTERDAY, IT WAS YES, YES.

AND YOU KNOW, EVEN WILLING TO SHIFT SOME THINGS TOWARDS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHEN WE DO ENGAGE, SHE IS RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT MAYOR COUNCILOR MO.

YES.

UM, I JUST LIKE TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH, WITH THE MAYOR AND KIND OF WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN SAID, UH, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT PROGRAMS AND PROGRAMS IN PLACE AND REACHING OUT AND, AND, AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY THESE AREAS AND PEOPLE AND GET THEM INTO THE RIGHT PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING.

AND WE SPEAK ABOUT WHAT PROGRAMS WE'VE IMPLEMENTED QUESTION TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, OR ANYONE THAT COULD SPEAK TO THIS.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT ARE NEEDED OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT MORE PROGRAMS TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE GOALS? BECAUSE WE TALK A LOT OF THE TIMES ABOUT STUDYING AND, AND PROGRAMS AND DOING THIS AND THESE OUTREACHES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THAT DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I, I TRULY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WE'D DONE AS A PARISH TO, TO IMPLEMENT A LOT OF THESE THINGS AND, AND, AND KICK THEM OFF.

BUT DO WE, DO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ENOUGH PROGRAMS IN PLACE MAYBE JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO, TO, TO IMPLEMENT THEM OR DO WE NOT HAVE ENOUGH PROGRAMS? AND WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT MORE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE GOALS THAT COUNCILMAN DONE, IT'S SPOKE ABOUT.

EXCELLENT QUESTION.

AND I'M, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT WE, I HAD RECENTLY A CONVERSATION WITH A GROUP OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONISTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WE'RE GOING IN THE COMMUNITY.

I'LL ALL I DID PRIMARILY WAS LISTENED TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ENCOUNTER IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE END OF THEIR COMMENTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD, AND I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, I'VE HEARD IT ON, WHEN REPORTERS PUT A MIC IN, SOMEBODY STAYS IN THE COMMUNITY OR SOMETHING, AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS. AND THEN I START THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW WE HAVE HERE IN THIS CITY AND PARISH THIS EVENING, WE JUST, UM, UH, RETIRED PAT FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

AND I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE A LIST OF PROGRAMS. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE FALLING.

SHORT.

PEOPLE ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE RESOURCES.

WE AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT EXIST, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST GENUINELY DON'T KNOW.

WE THINK NOWADAYS THAT AS SOON AS WE PUT SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF DOING THEM.

AND THEN I SAY, WE, I MEAN OUR OFFICE, EVERYBODY, BUT ON TOP OF THAT COUNCILMAN, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE NEED TO INVEST ON THE FRONT END WITH PROGRAMS EVEN MORE.

BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT, I AM CONVINCED THAT WE WILL SEE BETTER RESULTS.

AND THAT THAT'S WHERE THE CHANGE NOT ONLY TAKES PLACE IN TERMS OF TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES TO CRIME.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CITIZENS IN THE CITY, A COMMUNITY WHO ARE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY OVERALL.

AND SO YES, WE DO HAVE PROGRAMS. WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE, UH, UH, WE HAVE, YOU ALL PROBABLY GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF REQUESTS, ALMOST THAT I DO ABOUT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING THINGS FOR STUDENTS AND FOR, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

UH, BUT WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THOSE.

WE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CONNECTING, AND THEN I THINK IT'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF ADDING TO EXISTING PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

I AGREE.

I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

I, YOU KNOW, WHAT I TOOK OUT OF THAT RESPONSE WAS, YEAH, WE DO HAVE THE PROGRAM IN PLACE.

WE NEED TO BETTER IMPLEMENT IT, GETTING PEOPLE AND CONNECTING WITH THOSE PROGRAMS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN THINKING, WELL, HERE WE GO, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER PROGRAM.

WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER GROUP.

WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER DESK AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

AND HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THAT? AND I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT FOR THE PUBLIC.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS IN PLACE.

I AGREE.

WE DO NEED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO CONNECT THESE PEOPLE'S THESE AREAS, THESE DIFFERENT WAYS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

FACEBOOK, TWITTER, FLITTER WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.

IT'S THE WAY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, DIRECT INTO

[01:30:01]

SHERIFF'S, UH, DA'S OFFICER, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND, AND LAST THING I'D LIKE TO REITERATE ON IS, YOU KNOW, THESE, THE REASON I WANTED TO BRING UP THESE PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING PROGRAMS, THEY DO WORK.

THEY, WE, WE GET THEM CONNECTED, WE DO THINGS, BUT THEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT PEOPLE STILL ARE GOING TO GET SOMETIMES IN THAT MINDSET.

AND I'LL REITERATE WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN SAID IS WHEN THEY DO THAT, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED ON THE BACK END TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE COURTS AND THE DAS AND, UH, AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT DOES KEEP THOSE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AT ONCE.

ONCE THEY DO MAKE THAT DECISION AND THEY CROSS THAT LINE, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO, TO EXECUTE WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THOSE PEOPLE DON'T GET BACK ON THE STREET ALSO.

SO AGAIN, A FOLLOW UP CLOSING WITH, I THINK THIS WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION.

I THINK EVERYBODY HAS PRETTY MUCH HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

POLENTA, GO TO CONDEMNATIONS, GO TO YOUR SECOND SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION.

UH, ANYONE ELSE, ANYONE TO STUDY SO MUCH MORE ROOM FOR OUR REPORT, WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO CAME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION.

UH, WE ARE NOW COUNCIL NUMBERS,

[CONDEMNATIONS]

THE DEVIL DON'T GO TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UH, SCHOOL, YOUR SECOND SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION.

I'M GOING TO READ THE DPW RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY ARE PROCEED.

WHAT ITEM? 63 65 66 67 68 69, 70 71 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 81 AND 82.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? JEFF.

KENNY IS HERE TO SPEAK.

JEFF.

KENNY IS JEFF.

KENNY HERE.

WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY ONE COUNCIL MEMBER ITEMS. UM, I D I DIDN'T NUMBER 82 NEEDS TO BE DEFERRED FOR 45 DAYS.

YEAH, WE ARE.

60 DAYS.

FIRE WAS THAT WE DON'T HAVE 45 CAUSE THEY USED TO SO 65.

GOOD.

WE GOT IT.

ANYONE ELSE NEED, I'M SORRY.

UH, ITEM NUMBER 63 30 DAYS OR WHICHEVER? WHENEVER THE NEXT MEETING.

6, 3, 3.

GOTCHA.

ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.

ITEM NUMBER, UM, 68 A CAN.

WELL, THAT CAN BE DELETED, BUT 16, 9 30 DAYS, 71, 30 DAYS, 70 TO 60 DAYS, SOUTH RAMONA CALLED IN 72 WAS, UH, RECOMMENDED TO ME DELETED NEIGHBORHOOD BERLIN.

DID YOU TAKE IT TO OKAY, LET ME MAKE SURE I HAD IT MARKED ON MY AGAIN AND NOT DELETED.

LET'S GO BACK TO THAT.

UH, WE CAN DEFER IT OR NOT DELETED.

AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS GIVE NUMBER 72, THOSE 60 DAYS, 60 DAYS FOR 72, I GOT IT.

UM, 64, 74, UH, 79, 60 DAYS.

SO WE HAVE A PLAN OPEN 10, AND I NEED TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

AND WE PROCEED IN WHAT THEY DO.

ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, LET ME READ HIS RECOMMENDATION.

AND THE STATED CHANGES THERE ARE TO PROCEED.

WHAT ITEMS? 65 66 67 68, 70 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80 81 DEFER FOR 30 DAYS ITEMS 63 64, 66 69 AND 71 PREFER FOR 60 DAYS, ITEM 72, 74, 79 TO 82 AND DELETE ITEM 64.

IS THERE A MOTION WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA DELETE ONE.

WE'RE GONNA DEFER DELETE ITEM 64 AND NOT DEFER ITEM 64 AND DELETE ITEM 64.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL CONDEMNATIONS MOTION BY ADAMS? YOU DIDN'T SAY THE LEAST 68.

DID YOU A COUNCIL NUMBER? CALL THEM DELETE 68.

I'M GOING TO READ A GAME.

WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS. 65 66 67, 70 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80 AND 81, THE FIRST 30 DAYS, 63 66 69 TO 71 REFER FOR 60 DAYS.

ITEM 72 74, 79 82 AND DELETE ITEM 64 AND 60 DEATH AND A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS,

[01:35:01]

SEGMENTED BY COUNCIL.

NO MATTER MOROSA ANY OBJECTIONS SHOWING NONE, ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

[149. 22-00063]

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 49 COUNCIL MEMBERS, 1 49.

WE HAVE SOME GUESTS HERE FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WHO ARE ONE TIME CONSTRAINTS, ITEM 1 49, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REGARDING EASTBOUND BLOOD WITH THIS PRODUCTION PROJECT INTENDED TO REDUCE FLOODING ALONG THE FIVE-STAR BASINS THROUGHOUT THE PARIS, INCLUDING JONES CREEK WAR CREEK BY YOU FILING IN BLACKWATER BY YOU AND BEAVER BY YOU ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER, LORI ADAMS. YES.

THANK YOU, KAREN.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE COURT TO GIVE A PRESENTATION AND AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND ON A FIVE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT.

THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, UH, UM, ACTUALLY EXPRESS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND MAYOR HAS BEEN VERY, UH, ADAMANT ABOUT TRYING TO GET THE CURRENT ROLE TO COME KIND OF CUT OUT AND MAKE IT TONIGHT.

BAILEY INDICATE WHY, BUT WE HAVE TWO OF HIS TOP ASSISTANTS WHO CAN ALSO CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE, UH, MAY BE ASKED THAT WE'LL BE DOING A PRESENTATION, UH, IN REFERENCE TO THAT.

AND YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT JOAN'S CREEK, UH, PART OF THE CLEARING AND GRUBBING, UH, CONTRACT WE'LL, WE'LL BE ASKING FOR COUNCIL TO COMMITMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.

WE DID GET SOME BIDS AND AWARDS ON THAT.

SO WE'RE ALL MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I KNOW SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER THAN PEOPLE LIKE TO SAY, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK TODAY, I THINK WE CAN GET THE COURT TO GIVE A LITTLE ABOUT INFORMATION, ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.

AND I KNOW THIS, I WON'T MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL WILL UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY MUCH UPFRONT, LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE.

AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE PUT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE BED, BECAUSE REALISTICALLY THE AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED, WE DIDN'T GET, WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE.

THAT WOULD BE VERY UPFRONT.

LET PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.

WHAT'S IT COSTING? SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THOSE ISSUES ARE.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE, FOR ME, I KNOW MS. LAURA MAY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I'LL GRANDMASTER THE CALL TO COME ON UP AND GET READY FOR THE PRESENTATION MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL.

IT CERTAINLY IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MARK WINGATE.

I'M THE SENIOR CIVILIAN AT THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS OUT OF THE NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT.

UH, AND CERTAINLY, UH, SEND MY REGRETS, UH, ON BEHALF OF COLONEL STEPHEN MURPHY.

HE IS OUR DISTRICT COMMANDER.

HE VERY MUCH WANTED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

UNFORTUNATELY HE DID HAVE SOME PERSONAL MATTERS TO TAKE CARE OF, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY SHARE WITH YOU, THIS PRODUCT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HIM.

UH, HE IS TRACKING THAT I AM, I AM HERE TONIGHT AND I WILL CERTAINLY BE BACK BRIEFING HIM ON ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WITH ME TONIGHT.

I DO HAVE MR. NICK, SAM SU, I WANT TO TRY TO GO ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND I'M GOING TO ASK MR. NICK SIMMS TO COME ON UP AND ACTUALLY MAKE ABOUT A FIVE TO 10 MINUTE PRESENTATION ON THIS.

UH, WITH ME ALSO, I HAVE MR. DAVID BRADLEY.

I HAVE CAPTAIN A WESTLAKE AS WELL AS LIEUTENANT DERAY, UH, WITH US, UH, TWO NIGHT.

UH, WHAT, UH, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO THIS AFTERNOON? I REALLY WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK UPDATE AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS, THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT US JUST AS A SUMMARY, AND THEN NICK WILL COME UP AND ACTUALLY WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE.

OF COURSE, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT.

IT'S A FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

UH, SOME MAY CONSIDERED A DRAINAGE PROJECT, BUT IT'S A VERY LARGE PROJECT AT $255 MILLION.

AND BEFORE I WANT TO GIVE YOU A DETAILED UPDATE ON THIS PRESENTATION, THIS IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT.

IT'S WHAT WE WOULD CALL A CIVIL WORKS PROJECT.

UH, CIVIL WORKS PROJECTS ARE COMPLEX.

UH, THEY TAKE A TEAM EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT WHILE I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS NOT DOING THIS BY HERSELF.

IT TRULY IS A TEAM EFFORT, A TEAM SPORT, AND THAT TEAM SPORT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SECURING THE FUNDS, CERTAINLY TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO THE STATE LEVEL.

WE CERTAINLY ARE BLESSED TO BE WORKING WITH A GREAT ADMINISTRATION WITH MAYOR BROOM AND FRED RAYFORD, AND CERTAINLY MAYOR BARROW OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL, BUT JUST BACK TO THE TEAM SPORT, CERTAINLY THOSE PLAYERS, YOU WOULD IMAGINE THEY'D BE INVOLVED, BUT IT'S ALSO DOWN TO THE HOMEOWNER WHO LIVES ALONE, THESE CHANNELS THAT WE NEED ACCESS TO THEIR PROPERTY.

IN MANY CASES, IT COMES DOWN TO WORKING WITH A WILLING UTILITY COMPANY TO RELOCATE LINES, OR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR UTILITIES ARE.

SO THIS IS A MAJOR EFFORT, A MAJOR COLLABORATION EFFORT TO PULL THIS $255 MILLION PROJECT OFF.

BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY BLESSED TO HAVE THESE RESOURCES IN THE CITY PARISH OF BATON ROUGE.

OF COURSE, THIS HAS MADE POSSIBLE ABOUT THE EXECUTION OF A PROJECT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE CITY PARISH OF BATON ROUGE IN NOVEMBER OF 2019.

SO THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, UH, TO MOVE THIS PRODUCT FORWARD.

AND THAT AGREEMENT

[01:40:01]

IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MAJOR PLAYERS.

THAT'S THE CITY PARISH AND THAT'S THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER A FEW OF THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY PARISH.

THEY ARE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR.

THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING 25% OF THE CASH ON THIS PROJECT.

THAT'S ABOUT $65 MILLION THAT THE CITY PARISH HAS TO COME UP WITH FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

WHEN THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINISHES THIS PROJECT, WE WILL TURN THAT PRODUCT OVER AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY PARISH TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE PROJECT AT A HUNDRED PERCENT LOCAL COST SHARE.

AND THE THIRD THING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S OFTEN THE FIRST THING OUT OF THE GATES TO BUILD THESE PRODUCTS IS A CITY.

PARIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ALL THE RIGHT AWAY TO PROVIDE US ALL THE LAND.

IT'D BE VERY MUCH LIKE IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO BUILD THE HOME, BUT YOU NEED A LOT TO BUILD THE HOME ON.

AND IT'S, IT TAKES TIME TO GET THAT LAND.

AS I MENTIONED, TEAM SPORT, WORKING WITH THE LANDOWNERS WORK WITH UTILITY COMPANIES, GETTING LAUNCHED, RELOCATED, ET CETERA.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CORE? THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS ROLE IS TO PAY 75% OF THIS PRODUCT.

THAT'S ABOUT $190 MILLION, CERTAINLY TO DESIGN THE PROJECT AND TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT.

AND ALONG THE WAY, OF COURSE ACHIEVE ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.

SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS SINCE EXECUTING THIS PARTNERING AGREEMENT BACK IN NOVEMBER 29? WELL, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THIS WAS NO EASY TASK JUST TO GET THIS AGREEMENT IN PLACE.

YES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IN 2018, THAT $255 MILLION IS COMING TO THE TABLE.

PRIOR TO THAT POINT, NO ONE WENT TO CITY PARISH AND SAID, START BUDGETING FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO WE FIRST APPROACHED THE ADMINISTRATION AND SAID, GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

YOU'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH $65 MILLION.

THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO FIND $65 MILLION.

ALSO, THEY STARTED COORDINATING THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT.

AND PLUS CITY PARISH HAD INVESTED SOME MONEY IN THIS PROGRAM PRIOR TO THE AGREEMENT AND THEY RIGHTFULLY WANTED CREDIT FOR THAT.

SO WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH THOSE TERMS. WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, UH, PRIOR TO SIGNING THE AGREEMENT.

SO AGAIN, WHAT HAVE WE DONE SINCE SIGNING THE AGREEMENT, UH, TWO YEARS AGO? WELL, THINK ABOUT THIS, THIS PLAN THAT IS AUTHORIZED FOR THIS FLOOD RISK MEASURE PRODUCT WAS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED IN THE NINETIES, WAS DEVELOPED IN THE NINETIES.

SO A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE NINETIES.

SO WHEN THESE MONIES FIRST CAME TO US, WE KNOW THAT EAST BATON ROUGE, THE POPULATION GROWTH ALONG THESE CANALS AND COOLIES HAS, HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

SO WE ESSENTIALLY HAD TO EMBARK UPON A MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN FOR THESE FIVE MAJOR CHANNELS.

ONE TO MAKE SURE IT'D BE EFFECTIVE FOR BATON ROUGE, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THAT WE WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR NEIGHBORS DOWNSTREAM.

SO WE HAD TO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH LIVINGSTON ASCENSION AND EMERYVILLE AND EAST BATON ROUGE TO MAKE SURE WE COULD HAVE A PLAN THAT EVERYONE COULD SUPPORT.

AND I'LL TELL YOU TODAY, RIGHT NOW I HAVE NO KNOWN OPPOSITION BASED UPON THAT HYDRAULIC WILL, BASED ON THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE DONE.

SO CERTAINLY THAT IS A CHECK MARK ALONG THE WAY.

OF COURSE, THIS PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE NINETIES, THERE WEREN'T MANY HOMEOWNERS ALONG THESE CHANNELS.

WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT IT NOW AND STARTED DOING THE COUNTS, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A THOUSAND HOMEOWNERS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE IMPACTED.

SO WE WANTED TO RE-ENGINEER THE PLAN, REDUCE IT.

SO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTABLE BY THE PARISH IN TERMS OF ACQUIRING REAL ESTATE.

SO THAT TOOK SOME, SOME TIME AND WHAT SCORES WE WANTED TO REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS.

SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE WOULD NOT BE AS EXTENSIVE WE'VE RE-ENGINEERED THE PLAN.

AND WE THINK WE'VE GOT A VERY GOOD PLAN MOVING FORWARD THAT CAN IN FACT BE IMPLEMENTED AND AGAIN, WITH NO KNOWN OPPOSITION.

SO I LOOKED AT HIS CHECK TOO.

SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE PLAN IN PLACE, EAST BATON ROUGE IS REALLY ABLE TO, BASED ON THAT PLAN, START MOVING OUT AND GETTING THE REAL ESTATE RIGHTS, IDENTIFYING UTILITIES, WORKING WITH THOSE UTILITY COMPANIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GO IN AND BUILD THIS PLAN.

OF COURSE, AT THAT POINT, I NOW KNOW THE PLAN.

I CAN REALLY ADVANCE MY ENGINEERING.

I CAN ADVANCE MY ENVIRONMENTAL WORK.

SO AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND, THIS PLAN WAS FROM THE NINETIES, SO WE COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY JUST GO TO CONSTRUCTION.

WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD PUT A PLAN IN PLACE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BATON ROUGE, UM, FISH TO BATON ROUGE, BUT ALSO NOT HARM OUR NEIGHBORS DOWNSTREAM.

IF WE COULD JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND NICK AGAIN IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THAT KIND OF LAYS OUT THE CHANNELS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACROSS EAST BATON ROUGE.

I'M GOING TO LET NICK HIT THAT.

BUT BOTTOM LINE IS SO WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW? WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW WITH RESPECT TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING THIS PROJECT? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP AND YOU KIND OF SEPARATE IT IN HALF, YOU'VE GOT LOWER THREE, WHAT I CALL TWO AND A HALF CHANNELS.

AND IN THE UPPER PORTION, YOU HAVE THE OTHER HALF OF THE PROJECT.

WE ARE IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW TO AWARD THE LOWER HALF OF THIS PROJECT IN ABOUT THE NEXT THREE MONTHS TO AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION.

AND WE'LL BE COMPLETE WITH CONSTRUCTION IN ABOUT 12 MONTHS FROM TODAY ON THE LOWER HALF OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, IN TERMS OF THE UPPER HALF, YOU CAN SEE SOME RED COLORS IN THAT MAP AND YOU CAN SEE SOME YELLOW COLORS.

THAT'S WHERE THE CHANNELS HAVE TO GET A LITTLE BIT WATER WILL HAVE TO BE WORKING WITH A LOT OF LANDOWNERS AND SO FORTH AND US PARTICULARITIES THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE, AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT

[01:45:01]

MORE COMPLEX.

SO I'M ACTUALLY EMBARKING ON A PRETTY MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT CALLED AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT IS UNDERWAY THAT WILL GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT LATER THIS YEAR, AROUND THE SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME AND PENDING NO SIGNIFICANT COMMENTS.

AS A RESULT OF THAT PUBLIC REVIEW, WE'LL BE IN A POSITION TO START AWARDING CONTRACTS IN THE UPPER REACHES AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023.

AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, ALL THE REAL ESTATE AND UTILITIES.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE SUMMARY OF WHERE WE ARE.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, IN MY OPINION, SINCE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT TO RE-ENGINEER THIS PLAN TO GET IT EFFICIENT FOR BATON ROUGE, MAKE SURE NO NEGATIVE IMPACTS DOWNSTREAM, GET THROUGH ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS, GET THE DESIGN GOING, WORKING WITH THE CITY POWERS, GETTING THE REAL ESTATE.

AND I THINK WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY START SEEING SOME DIRT, DIRT, DIRT TURNING HERE PRETTY SOON.

NICK, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST COMING AND GIVING A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE COULD YOU TELL ME THE LOWER HALF YEARS EXPLAINING? YEP.

I'LL TOUCH ON THAT.

I THANK YOU, MARK.

THE AFTERNOON COUNSEL HAS MARTIN MENTIONED, MY NAME IS NICK SIMMS. UH, MARK KIND OF GAVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.

I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON MORE OF THE SPECIFICS.

SO THE INDIVIDUAL STREAMS AND UPCOMING WORK THAT WE HAVE.

SO YOU SEE THE MAP THAT WE HAVE HERE.

THIS OVERALL PROJECT WILL HAVE CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS TO FIVE STREAMS IN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, STARTING FROM THE NORTH.

YOU SEE THE TWO STREAMS AND CENTRAL AS BEAVER AND BLACKWATER BY YOU.

AND THEN THE LOWER THREE STREAMS THERE, LOWER JONES CREEK WARD CREEK.

AND BY YOU FOUND, SO THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS TO OVER 50 MILES OF STREAMS. THE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS WILL VARY BY STREAM AND LOCATION.

BUT LOOKING AT THE COLORS YOU SEE THERE, THE RED THAT'S CHANNEL ENLARGEMENT, THE YELLOW IS CONCRETE RIP RAP, AND THE GREEN IS CLEARING AND SNAGGING.

SO THERE THE CHANNEL ENLARGEMENT REACHES THAT'S SOME WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN THE TWO STREAMS BLACKWATER BY YOU AND BEAVER BY YOU, THE CONCRETE, A CONCRETE RIPRAP THERE ON THE UPPER JONES CREEK PORTION.

AND THEN THE REST OF THE WORK THERE IS DECLARING AND STAGGERING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO THAT KIND OF JUST GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW AND LET YOU ORIENT ON WHAT THE WORK IS AND WHERE IT'S LOCATED.

WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO NOW LET'S KIND OF DIG DOWN INTO THE INDIVIDUAL STREAMS AND WHERE WE STAND WITH EACH OF THEM.

SO THESE NEAR TERM CHALLENGE IMPROVEMENTS, THIS IS THE WORK THAT MARK REFERRED TO AS THE LOWER TWO AND A HALF STREAMS. UH, THIS IS THE CLEARING AND SNAGGING CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'LL SEE ON LOWER JONES CREEK WARD CREEK.

AND BY YOU FOUNTAIN CONSTRUCTION IS EMINENT ON ALL THREE OF THESE STREAMS. WE'VE COMPLETED THE DESIGN, WE'VE GOT ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS, ALL UTILITY COORDINATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE REAL ESTATE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED.

SO GOING INTO EACH INDIVIDUAL STREAM, FIRST, YOU GOT LOWER JONES CREEK, WHICH IS THERE IN THAT BLUE BOX.

THAT'S ABOUT 3.3 MILES OF, UM, CLEARING AND SNAGGING STARTING FROM THE AMY RIVER UPSTREAM TO O'NEAL LANE.

THIS PROJECT RIGHT HERE, WE WILL HAVE AWARDED HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK TWO WE'VE COMPLETED EVERYTHING.

WE ACTUALLY OPENED BIDS, AS FRED MENTIONED ON THIS PROJECT A FEW WEEKS BACK.

SO WE WILL BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON THAT ONE VERY SOON.

NEXT STREAM WE HAVE IS BY YOU FOUNTAIN.

THAT'S ABOUT 4.6 MILES OF IMPROVEMENT, STARTING FROM BAYOU.

MANSHACK UPSTREAM TO BURBANK DRIVE FOR THIS ONE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A CONTRACT ADVERTISEMENT IN FEBRUARY.

WE'VE GOT ALL THE REAL ESTATE, ALL THE UTILITIES IDENTIFIED FOR THIS ONE ALSO.

AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE FINAL REVIEWS ON THE DESIGN.

SO ADVERTISEMENT ON THIS PROJECT AGAIN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE FINAL STREAM AND THIS THIRD, UM, THIRD GROUP AS WE'RE CALLING IT IS WARD CREEK.

THIS ONE, AGAIN, 3.3 MILES OF IMPROVEMENTS FROM SOUTHERN HILLS AVENUE UPSTREAM TO PQ LANE.

BUT THIS ONE, ALL DESIGN IS COMPLETE AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY PARISH TO GET THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION FOR ENTRY, LOOKING TO ADVERTISE THIS CONTRACT AROUND THE APRIL TIMEFRAME.

SO AGAIN, FOR THESE THREE STREAMS WITHIN THE, BY SPRING OF 2022, YOU WILL SEE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION BOOTS ON THE GROUND, DIRT BEING TURNED FOR THESE THREE STREAMS. NOW, ONE THING THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS WHILE THIS IS JUST A PORTION OF THE WORK, THERE WILL BE GREAT BENEFIT ONCE THIS WORK IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

ONCE THIS IS IMPLEMENTED, WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM SIX INCHES TO FOUR FEET OF STAGE REDUCTIONS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.

SO THAT IS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT FOR THESE AREAS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THE RESIDENTS.

ONCE STAGE ARE CONSTRUCT OVERALL, AS MARK SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A NINE TO 12 MONTH CONSTRUCTION DURATION ON THESE.

UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHEN THOSE BENEFITS WILL START ACCRUING.

THAT'S THE NEAR TERM.

IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO NEXT I'LL TOUCH ON THE REMAINING CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS IS THE UPPER TWO AND A HALF, AS MARK MENTIONED.

NOW, THESE STREAMS HAVE MORE COMPLEX IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, WE ARE COMBINING THAT CLEARING AND SNAGGING WORK THAT WAS DONE A LOWER, LOWER REACHES WITH CHANNEL ENLARGEMENT AND THAT CONCRETE RIP RAP WITH THOSE CON THE MORE ROBUST

[01:50:01]

IMPROVEMENTS.

AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT STAGE LOWER RINGS AROUND THE FOUR-FOOT RANGE ON THESE PARTICULAR STREAMS TOO.

SO AGAIN, TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO THE RESIDENTS LIVING IN THIS AREA.

BUT AS MARK MENTIONED, WITH THOSE MORE COMPLEX SOLUTIONS, WE DO HAVE TO DO A LITTLE MORE WORK.

THESE ARE SUBJECT TO THE COMPLETION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT IS BECAUSE TO DO THIS WORK.

WE'VE GOT TO GET OUTSIDE OF THE EXISTING CHANNEL BANKS, WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON IN A SECOND, BUT THAT INCREASES THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS HAD ALSO INCREASED THE REAL ESTATE AND UTILITY IMPACT.

SO AGAIN, AS MARTIN MENTIONED, THESE ARE TAKING A LITTLE MORE TIME, BUT TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUAL STREAMS FIRST, WE'LL LOOK AT, UM, UPPER JONES CREEK.

THAT'S IN THE BLUE BOX, THAT'S UPPER JONES CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES LIVELY BY YOU AND WIENER CREEK HERE IN THE YELLOW.

YOU CAN SEE, I THINK IT'S BLOCKED BY OUR SCREEN, BUT THE YELLOW IS WHERE THE CONCRETE RIP RAP WILL BE.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE CLEARING ADDITIONAL CLEARING AND SNAGGING NORTH TO THOSE OF THOSE VALUES.

AND THEN MOVING INTO THE STREAMS IN THE CITY OF CENTRAL AND THE YELLOW BOX.

YOU'VE GOT BLACK WATER BY YOU, AND IT'S MAIN TRIBUTARY, A LITTLE OVER 14 AND A HALF MILES OF IMPROVEMENTS.

THERE THAT'S INCLUDING CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT OR CHANNEL ENLARGEMENT, WHICH YOU SEE THERE IN THE RED AND THEN ADDITIONAL CLEARING AND SNAGGING.

AND THAT'S GOING FROM THE CO MEET RIVER TO GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD UP TO MAKALA ROAD.

AND THEN THE FINAL STREAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS BEEPER BY YOU AGAIN, EIGHT MILES, SIMILAR IMPROVEMENTS, CHANNEL ENLARGEMENT AND CLEARING AND SNAGGING.

AND THAT'LL GO FROM FRENCHTOWN ROAD TO HUBS ROAD.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND REMAINING ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH AND KNOW WHERE TO GET TO CONSTRUCTION, TO INITIATE AND COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION ON THESE THREE STREAMS? WELL, THE FIRST ONE I'VE MENTIONED IT, MARCUS MENTIONED THAT WE'VE GOT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE, UNLIKE THE LOWER THREE STREAMS, WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK FROM WITHIN THE CHANNEL.

WE HAVE TO GET OUTSIDE OF THE BANKS DUE TO THE CONDITIONS WE ARE ENLARGING SOME OF THESE CHANNELS.

SO THAT IS INCREASING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'VE GOT TO DO, WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, THIS IS NOT A SHORT DOCUMENT.

THERE IS A LOT OF COORDINATION AND A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO DOCUMENT THESE IMPACTS.

IF YOU'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH AND DO EXTENSIVE FIELD SURVEYS TO DOCUMENT CULTURAL SURVEYS AND HTRW REQUIREMENTS, WE'VE GOT TO DETERMINE MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR IMPACTED HABITAT COORDINATION WITH OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND ALSO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC.

SO AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS NOT A SHORT PROCESS, BUT IT IS UNDERWAY.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THAT DOCUMENT GO OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AS MARK MENTIONED AROUND THE SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER TIMEFRAME, SO ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES AND REMAINING ACTIVITIES, AGAIN, RELATED TO THE TYPE OF WORK AND GOING OUTSIDE OF THE CHANNEL WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION, YOU'VE GOT THE REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION AND THE UTILITY, UM, COORDINATION.

AGAIN, IT'S JUST MORE ROBUST BECAUSE WE ARE IMPACTING HEY, LARGER AREA.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE'VE GOT THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCING AS MARK TOUCHED ON.

ONE THING WE HAVE TO BE SURE OF IS THAT WE ARE NOT INDUCING IMPACTS TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF THESE STREAMS. SO EACH OF THESE HAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED FROM DOWNSTREAM UP AND THAT IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE PLAN.

SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, THOUGH, THE TEAM AT THE CORE AND THE PARISH AND THE CITY OF CENTRAL, WE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE THREE STREAMS. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON THESE IN EARLY 2023.

SO THAT CONCLUDES THE BRIEF I HAVE.

BUT IN SUMMARY, AGAIN, BY BY SPRING OF 2022, YOU WILL SEE BOOTS ON THE GROUND CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE THREE LOWER THREE STREAMS. AND ONCE THOSE ARE CONSTRUCTED, AGAIN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AROUND FOUR FEET OF STAGE LOWERING, SO TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITIES.

AND THEN WITH THE HIGHER STREAMS, THE UPPER STREAMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE WORK, A LITTLE MORE ROBUST IMPROVEMENTS, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE IN EARLY 20, 23.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 49, ANYONE HERE, BRIAN CAMPBELL, BRIAN CAMPBELL, SENIOR TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 49.

WOULD YOU MIND? YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK? OKAY.

COUNT ANYONE ELSE, EITHER WISHING TO SPEAK.

WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING.

I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY, UM, FOR Y'ALL TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, POST THE, THE FLOOD IN MAY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND I THINK THE, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UM, VOICE IS, IS CRITICAL AT THIS TIME.

UM, WE ALL KNOW FRED AND WE HEAR FRED TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

AND SO FOR THIS RIGHT HERE, YOUR VOICES IS, IS SINGULAR AND VERY, VERY HELPFUL.

UM, ONE OF MY CONCERNS AT THE MOMENT IS, IS FUNDING.

I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPY YOUR HOUSES, BUT, UM, EVERYTHING IS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AND MY HOME.

AND SO MY CONCERN

[01:55:01]

NOW IS, IS THIS 255 MILLION, UM, IN 65 MILLION, ISN'T GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE.

THESE PROJECTS DONE.

UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL WOMAN.

UH, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

BACK TO EARLIER.

I MENTIONED WE HAD TO RE-ENGINEER WE NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THIS PLAN BECAUSE IT WAS DEVELOPED NEARLY 25 YEARS AGO.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO HAD TO LOOK AT WAS AS WE REDESIGNED IT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD IN FACT IMPLEMENT THIS AT THE $255 MILLION, I WILL TELL YOU, I CAN'T, I CAN'T GIVE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT SOME OF THE EARLY BIDS THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED, THEY'RE VERY FAVORABLE.

SO WE, WE RIGHT NOW, CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.

UH, WE'VE WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WE KNOW COMI IS TO THE NORTH.

AND WE SAW WHAT THE, THE RECENT BILLS HAVE DONE IS ADDED SOME EXTRA SENT TO THOSE PROJECTS.

UH, BUT WE, WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW AT OUR OKAY.

BUT THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

UM, ANOTHER QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS ARE WHO WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THESE PROJECTS AND WHERE WE ARE FROM WEEK TO WEEK, MONTH TO MONTH, WHERE SHOULD THEY BE TUNING IN, LOGGING ON TO WHERE THEY, SHOULD THEY BE GOING FROM THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION? YES, MA'AM.

SO THE MOST, THE BEST PLACE WOULD BE ON OUR CORE WEBSITE.

AND I CAN SEND YOU THAT LINK AND YOU CAN GET IT OUT TO EVERYBODY.

UM, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND THE MOST INFORMATION, BUT LOOK, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS BY MONTHLY MEETINGS, WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.

UM, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THERE WILL BE PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THAT.

BUT ANYTIME, UM, YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING OR AN UPDATE, WE CAN MEET SMALL GROUP AS LARGE GROUP, WHATEVER YOU LIKE, BUT JUST FOR DAY-TO-DAY STUFF, THE PUB, THE POOR WEBSITE WOULD BE THE BEST PLACE TO GO.

AND I'LL SEND YOU THAT LINK.

TERRIFIC.

I WANT TO MENTION, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT HOW CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? BUT I ALSO HAVE CHATTED WITH THE CALL.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TRYING TO GET THAT SET OUT WHAT I STONE WANT A MASTER PLAN AND HAVE THAT ON THE LINK SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT PROJECTS ARE DOING BECAUSE WHEN WE GET THE PLAN UNDERWAY, THAT'S WHERE ALL OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKED AT FROM.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE ABOUT GETTING THIS SET UP FOR THE LINK.

SO PEOPLE CAN BE A LITTLE EASIER TO FOLLOW UP ON IT, ON THE PROJECT AND THE STATUSES.

THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE GOING TO THAT LOCATION.

UM, OKAY.

SO YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, DIRT TURNING, UH, SPRING OF 2022, WHICH HAS, HAS GOTTEN ME VERY, UM, HAPPY.

ARE THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE HORIZON THAT COULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THAT? IS THERE ANYTHING WITH REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION? IS THERE ANY, ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT THAT COULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO US SEEING DIRT TURN, UM, OR THIS PROJECTS B BE MOVING AND THEN JUST A COUPLE MONTHS.

SO AS I MENTIONED FOR THE FIRST TWO STRAINS, LOWER JONES CREEK AND, UH, BY YOUR FOUNTAIN THOUGH, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN ACQUIRED DESIGN DONE, JUST FINALIZE THE DESIGN ON ONE LITTLE PIECE, NO ISSUE ON THOSE WERE CREEK.

AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THE PARISH TO GET THAT CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION FOR ENTRY, UM, THAT HAS TAKEN MORE TIME THAN WE ANTICIPATED, BUT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THAT.

AND I DO NOT SEE THAT BEING A DELAY.

UM, BUT IT IS CONTINGENT ON RECEIVING ALL OF THE REAL ESTATE TO GET THAT CONTRACT AWARDED AND GOING UNDER.

SO THERE'S SOME THAT HAS NOT BEEN WORKED OUT AT THIS POINT.

THERE IS ONE AREA.

BUT YOU'RE OPTIMISTIC.

YES, MA'AM.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S ALL, I, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

TEAM ARE WORKING VERY HARD, UH, TO, TO ACQUIRE THOSE RIGHTS.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION ALL OVER THIS.

UM, COURSE MY DISTRICT IS A LOT OF THE UPPER AREA, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK REAL QUICK QUESTION, FOLLOW UP ON COUNSEL, A WOMAN ADAMS, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.

I SEE IT.

AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE RAN INTO WITH THE COBIT RIVER DIVERSION CANAL.

AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT DROVE UP THE PRICE AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT DELAYED AND SO ON AND SO FORTH IS RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION.

AND THAT IS THE BIGGEST QUESTION.

AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS TO TAKE HER AND YOU GAVE ME, YOU GAVE THE BEST ANSWER THAT YOU COULD.

BUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE HAVE NOT FINISHED ALL THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE LOWER RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION OR ACCESS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.

AS FAR AS MOVING IT TO COMPLETION.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.

Y'ALL GOING TO START IN THE NEXT MONTH, A MONTH OR TWO AND SO ON, BUT THERE IS THAT POTENTIAL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STOP.

DO YOU RUN INTO SOMEWHERE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, YOU DON'T HAVE THE ACQUISITION THAT YOU NEED.

IT COMES TO A SCREECHING HALL, AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIND SOME MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE EITHER GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT.

DO WE JUST WORK AROUND THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY AND CONTINUE FORWARD? OR IS IT ALWAYS GOING TO BRING THE WHOLE THING TO A SCREECHING HALL.

YEP.

LET ME TAKE A FIRST SWING AT THAT AGAIN.

AND I'LL REPEAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, NO ONE WANTS A BIG BROTHER, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMING INTO LOCAL LEVEL AND BUYING UP PEOPLE'S LANDS.

SO THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHY IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SPONSOR.

SO I KNOW THAT FRED AND HIS

[02:00:01]

AND THAT'S WHY I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT.

IT'S A TEAM SPORT.

UH, SO THOSE, THOSE LOCAL HOMEOWNERS AND PRIVATE LAND OWNERS AND UTILITY OWNERS, THEY ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS FOR THE BIGGER, BIGGER PICTURE.

THIS IS FOR THE BETTER GOOD.

SO WE NEED THEIR HELP.

WE NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE TO GET THE LAND THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

IT'S EVERY CIVIL WORKS INVESTMENT PROJECT IS ANY PROJECT THAT YOU BUILD IN A PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO ACQUIRE THE LAND.

NOW WITH ALL THAT SAID, IF THE CITY PARISH OR THE SPONSOR IS UNABLE TO GET A PIECE OF PROPERTY AS ENGINEERS, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK AROUND THAT, BUT THAT'S MORE TODD AND MONEY BECAUSE NOW I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND REDESIGN, AND IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE.

IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING STAGING AREAS, IF, IF A A NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR CAN'T QUITE GET THIS AREA, MAYBE WE CAN USE ANOTHER STAGING AREA, BUT WE ARE LOOKING HARD ON THAT SPONSOR, YOU KNOW, TO ACQUIRE THE LAND.

UH, BUT AGAIN, IT IS A TEAM EFFORT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH FRED AND OTHERS TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS WE CAN WITH THE DESIGN, TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THOSE LANDS WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE WILLING, WILLING OWNERS AND, AND WILLING UTILITY COMPANIES TO MEET OUR SCHEDULE.

THEY'RE NOT ON OUR SCHEDULES.

AND THAT'S AGAIN WHERE IT COMES TO THE TEAM SPORT PIECE.

FRED, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT A COMMENT, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT CITY IS AND RESPONSIBLE FOR DUTY ACQUISITION PARK, UH, EITHER FROM A TOTAL ACQUISITIONAL RENTAL PROPERTY, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CALL.

WE HAVE THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE EARLY ON.

WE HAVE THE SURVEYS THAT ARE DONE OUT THERE AND WE PRESENT THE SURVEYS AND WE PROVIDE THE APPRAISERS TO GO OUT.

AND DO YOU HAVE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THOSE TRACKS? IN MOST CASES, WE DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES WE DO.

AND WHEN WE START RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, I DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION SERVITUDE ON THE LOWER FACE.

BUT WHEN WE GET UP INTO PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND HAVE TO DO ACQUISITION, I GUESS, TO BE A LITTLE MORE OF A CONCERN FROM THE HOMEOWNER AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS, AND THAT WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES, THEY'LL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL OUR BAR STANDARDS.

AND YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, I THINK AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WHEN WE PRESENTED A BUNCH OF THE CORPORATION PROCESSES THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH, I DON'T LIKE TO EXPROPRIATE PROPERTY.

THAT IS NOT THE INTENT, BUT IN REALITY, WHEN WE MAKE THE OFFERS AND, AND WE TRY TO MAKE COUNTER OFFERS AND THERE'S STILL A NO, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE STEPS TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE, WHAT I CAN, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE BETTER, GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY TO GET THESE PROJECTS UNDERWAY.

UH, I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT.

THIS IS A LITTLE UNIQUE SITUATION TO ONE ON, ON WATCH CREEK, BUT THAT'S GOING TO GET RESOLVED HERE VERY SOON, BUT I THINK, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE A PROBLEM WORKING WITH THE OWNERS.

MY CONCERN IS BIG CHORE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN PLACE WHERE WE CAN DO TO DO THE ACQUISITIONS.

SO FOR ALL OF THESE LOWER HALVES, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE PROCESS OF THE, THE LAND ACQUISITION OR WHATEVER THAT WE NEED.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT STILL INTO DETERMINING, ARE WE STILL IN THE DETERMINING PHASE OF WHAT LAND WE NEED? ARE WE IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THIS LAND, THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING EVERYTHING WE NEED ON THE LAW PHASE THAT, UH, MR. SIMS JUST MADE REFERENCE TO JONES CREEK THE, BY YOU FOUNTAIN AND ALSO THE, UH, UH, WATCH CREEK, THE BOTTOM PORTION.

WE HAVE THAT.

WE GOT ONE PROPERTY YOU AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH, AND WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA RESOLVE THAT ISSUE HERE VERY SOON.

OKAY, GREAT.

UH, I WISH WHEN WE HAD OPEN DISCUSSION LIKE THIS, WE COULD GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT I ONLY HAVE TWO, FIVE MINUTE TIMES.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ROLL INTO MY NEXT FIVE, IF THAT'S OKAY.

UH, I'M GONNA JUMP TO THE UPPER JONES CREEK BLACKWATER BEAVER BY YOU.

UM, YOU TALKED, YOU MENTIONED 20, 23 GETTING STARTED WITH THAT, WHERE IT, AND WHEN WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES HERE, SO LET'S JUST STICK TO THE DETAILS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY, WHERE ARE THE FROGS ARE, WHAT TREES NEED TO BE SAVED, ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH ALL THIS.

WHERE WAS HE AT ON THAT ENVIRONMENT? IMPACT STUDY, HAS IT STARTED? IS IT ALMOST COMPLETED 80, 60, 20%? WHERE ARE WE AT? I WAS MENTIONING EARLIER, TYPICALLY AN EIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TAKES ABOUT 24 MONTHS.

UH, WE ARE READY TO GO TO PUBLIC REVIEW AROUND SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

WHERE DOES PUBLIC REVIEW MEAN AS FAR AS WHERE IT'S AT? SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END, BECAUSE IF I CAN GET LOTS OF PUBLIC REVIEW IN SEPTEMBER, I SEND THAT DOCUMENT TO THE PUBLIC.

I'VE RECEIVED COMMENTS AND ASSUMING THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION TO OUR GAME PLAN, THEN I CAN FINALIZE THAT DOCUMENT AND I WILL HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE COMPLETE.

IN THE LATTER PART THAT OF 22, WHICH THEN ALLOWS ME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AWARDS IN EARLY 23.

SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THE STATEMENT, ASSUMING NO PUBLIC'S CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN.

NOW I HAVE TO REWORK THE PLAN.

THEN I CAN BE IN A POSITION TO START MAKING AWARDS IN EARLY 23, ASSUMING I'VE GOT THE LANDS MADE AVAILABLE TO ME.

THAT GOES THROUGH EVERYBODY'S MIND IS, OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

AND THE REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP, CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN EVERYBODY MENTIONS STUDY, IT'S THE FIRST THING

[02:05:01]

YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PLAN THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE NINETIES AND UNDERSTAND THE NINETIES, THINGS CHANGED AND SO ON.

AND I RESPECT THAT.

OKAY, LET ME MAKE A COMMENT ON THE STUDY.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE TODAY WE HAVE $255 MILLION TO DO THIS PROJECT.

IF WE HAD NOT DONE A STUDY IN THE NINETIES WOULD FRED AND I REMEMBER COMING HERE IN NINETIES DOING THAT STUDY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE 255 MILLION.

SO NONE OF US LIKE TO DO STUDIES, THE REASON WE HAVE MONEY ON COMI, WE HAD TO STUDY WEST SHORT.

WE HAD TO STUDY EAST BATON ROUGE.

WE HAD TO STUDY THOSE STUDIES WERE ON THE SHELF AFTER THE STORM.

AND THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THOSE DOLLARS.

SO WOULD THESE STUDIES PRE BEING DONE AND EVERYTHING ELSE? I'LL GO BACK TO THE 255 MILLION.

UH, AGAIN, AND I'LL MAKE REFERENCE TO THE COLUMBIA RIVER DIVERGENT CANAL AND THROW IT IN, IN THE LAST TWO, THREE WEEKS, 128 MILLION, 2,520 8 MILLION BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF MONEY AND YET AGAIN, TO FINISH IT, THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT IN THE SAME BOAT WITH THIS ARE, WE COULD POSSIBLY BE THAT'S WHAT WE RUN INTO WITH THIS.

SO THE 125, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

THE $125 MILLION THAT WAS ADDED FOR COMING.

IT'S NOT FOR COST OVERRUNS AND IS TO INCREASE RESILIENCY OF THE PROJECT.

IT IS WHAT WE SAW WHEN HURRICANE IDA CAME IN AND IT HIT THE HISTORY SYSTEM.

IT WAS RESILIENT AND IT STOOD UP AND WE WANT TO ADD RESILIENCY TO COMEY.

THAT IS WHAT THE A HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS WAS FOR.

THAT IS WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, PUT THAT MONEY IN THERE FOR ITS RESILIENCY FEATURES.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

UM, I GUESS THIS NEXT ONE GOES TO FRED.

UM, LET ME JUST STAY ONE COMMENT TO THAT.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE COMPONENTS IN THERE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAIN MAINTENANCE OF IT.

SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GET ADDED TO HA HAD THE STABILITY AND LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OF IT IS CERTAINLY A PLUS FOR US.

TO CLEAN OUT THESE CHANNELS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, I GUESS THIS IS WHERE THE COURT WOULD STEP IN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THESE FIT REACH PARISH RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE A GROUPS IN THE RIVER OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER ITSELF THAT ARE LOOKING AT CLEARING AND CLEARING AND SNAGGING, NOTHING TO DO WITH DREDGING.

I WON'T STATE THAT PUBLICLY, NOT EVEN TOUCHING DREDGING RIGHT NOW.

WE WANT THAT.

WE WANT TO TRY AND GET THAT COMPLETED ALONG IN LINE WITH THE COCONUT RIVER DIVERSION AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A THREE TIER APPROACH AS FAR AS KEEPING THE RIVERS CHANNELS CLEAN.

SO WOOD DOESN'T BACK UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

WHAT HAS THERE OUTSIDE OF WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW? HAS THE CORPS LOOKED AT ANY OTHER PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE AS FAR AS ACTUAL DREDGING OF COMI AND AMY RIVER OR ANY LOCATIONS THERE OF ON TO THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, SIR.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT ANY DREDGING ACTIVITIES ON THE CAMINO OR THE AMY AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.

UH, WE DID BEGIN A LARGE COMPLEX STUDY ON THE, A MEET, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE AMY BASIN.

THAT WOULD BE A COMPANION TO COME EAT WOULD BE A COMPANION TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE, FIVE CHANNEL PROJECT.

UH, AND THAT PLAN IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.

IT IS LOOKING HEAVILY AT, UH, NON-STRUCTURAL MEASURES TO RAISE HOMES AND SO FORTH, UH, AND BIZ AND DRY FLOOD PROOF, UH, BUSINESSES, BUT IT IS NOT LOOKING AT ANY DREDGING ACTIVITIES ON THE AMY TO THE HOMEMADE.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME COMING HERE AND ANSWERING TO THE BEST WE COULD.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON.

I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING.

THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION, UH, AS I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THAT, I'VE, I'VE THE ONE THING THAT I'VE BECOME A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH IS YOUR PROCESS, RIGHT.

PROCESS FOR THE ULTIMATE CORE APPROVAL.

UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THAT MAY ALL ALMOST BE SELF-INFLICTED RIGHT.

UM, SO I'M CURIOUS W WHO COMES UP WITH THE CORE PROCESS FOR APPROVAL AND ULTIMATELY WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SHORTEN THAT? UH, I, I UNDERSTAND, AND I SEE THE VALUE IN SOMETHING LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS, UM, FOR, TO GET THAT DONE, I'VE GOT RESIDENTS THAT ARE FLOODING ON SPRING EVENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS SINCE 2016.

UM, AND SO I LOOKED AT THE, TO THE GREATER ISSUE, YOU KNOW, UM, SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THE PROCESS OR ANY KIND OF REFORMS BEING LOOKED AT FROM THE COHORT ON YOUR, ON YOUR PERMIT APPROVAL PROCESS? SURE.

THE, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION AND DEPENDING ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S THAT'S IN, UH, THEY ALL WORK TO MAKE REFORMATIONS FOR PRODUCT DEFICIENCIES.

OF COURSE, THAT'S BEING MADE, UH, NATIONWIDE.

UH, AND SOME OF THAT'S LED OBVIOUSLY BY, UH, AT THE ADMINISTRATION LEVEL, ABOVE THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IF, IF CITY PARISH WANTED TO GO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

YOU'D HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

UH, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS.

IT'S, IT'S A PERMIT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE PERMITS TO GO BUILD A PRODUCT.

YOU WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE, YOU HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

I WANT TO DRIVE.

I WANT

[02:10:01]

I WANT TO PUT ROCKS ALONG AND I WANT TO GO INTO POTENTIALLY, AND UNFORTUNATELY WIDEN INTO PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.

I'VE GOT TO GO DISCLOSE THAT TO FOLKS.

I'VE GOT TO COMMUNICATE.

I'VE GOT AT PUBLIC MEETINGS AND I GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS I GOT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT HURTING DOWNSTREAM NEIGHBORS.

THESE ARE TOUGH COMPLEX ISSUES.

DRAINAGE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THIS AREA IN SOUTH LOUISIANA THROUGH THIS COUNTRY FOR YEARS, AND IT WILL BE INTO THE FUTURE AND THEY'RE TOUGH ISSUES TO OVERCOME.

SO TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE SIGNED THIS AGREEMENT TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN WE'RE GONNA BE BREAKING GROUND NEXT MONTH ON A PLAN THAT REALLY HAD TO BE FROM THE BEGINNING, WHEN THAT MONEY WAS, WAS, WAS PROVIDED THE CITY PASS THROUGH THIS JOB.

AND THEY, NO NOTIFICATION WAS GIVEN TO THEM.

THEY HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR THAT PROJECT.

AND HE'S SITTING IN THIS POSITION AND LOOK, I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE MONEY IMMEDIATELY, GO TO CONSTRUCTION.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.

I'M NOT SUGGESTING TO YOU, THINGS CAN IMPROVE.

WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO THE TEAM SPORT.

FRED CAN BE READY TO GO.

NICK CAN BE READY TO GO, BUT IF, UH, IF A LANDOWNER AND THEY'RE IN, WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH THAT.

IF A UTILITY IS THERE.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO MAKE THE PROJECT WORK.

UM, SO I DON'T HAVE A BETTER ANSWER TO THE OVERALL QUESTION.

WE RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROCESS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT LOOKING FOR A, I GUESS FROM THE COURSE PERSPECTIVE, DO YOU ALL AGREE THAT THERE IS A DEFICIENCY IN YOUR PROCESS AND THE TIMELINE AND THE, AND THAT THERE ARE WAYS OUT THERE TO IMPROVE IT? LIKE, WELL, I'M CERTAINLY NEVER GOING TO STAND IN FRONT OF SOMEONE.

JUST SAY THAT WE HAVE THE PERFECT ANSWER.

THERE'S ALWAYS WAYS TO IMPROVE IN ANYTHING THAT WE DO IN LIFE.

SO CERTAINLY WHERE YOU CAN IMPROVE UPON SOMETHING.

WE WANT TO DO THAT.

WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO DO THAT.

UH, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON THE EAST BOUNDARIES PRODUCT.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE, ON THE LOWER HALF OF THIS PROJECT, UH, BUT, BUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IS, IS REQUIRED ON THE, ON THE UPPER HALF.

AND THAT IS WELL UNDERWAY.

AND THEN TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILMAN MOAKS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AMY, UH, DREDGING.

UM, HAVE YOU GUYS EVALUATED THOSE CHANNELS FOR DREDGING? IF NOT, WHAT DOLLARS DO WE NEED TO GO OFF AFTER FOR THE STUDY TO, TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN LET A PROJECT? WELL, THAT WOULD LEAD TO THAT BAD WORD OF STUDY, YOU KNOW, UH, RIGHT.

IT'S THE PROCESS THEN, BUT THAT IS A PROCESS.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET IN THIS POSITION TO RECEIVE THE CONSTRUCTION FUND.

SO WE HAD A STUDY GOING ON, WE STILL HAVE IT GOING ON TO AMY RIVER BASIN.

UH, IT'S, IT'S PARTNERED WITH LA DOTD HERE.

I WILL TELL YOU, WE DID NOT LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR AREA THAT WAS NOT IN THE SCOPE.

WE DO KNOW AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT IS BEING WORKED AND OUR CONGRESSMAN GRAVES HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT.

THAT PROBABLY WOULD COME BACK TO US, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH A PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT AS A CORE CIVIL WORKS INVESTMENT PROJECT, UH, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.

WELL, I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE YOU AS THE COUNCILMAN FOR THE AREA, RIGHT? UH, NAME YOUR RIVER BY YOUR MANSHACK.

UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LOOK AT IT.

ANYONE ELSE? WISHING TO SPEAK ON LINE 1 49, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

NOW I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IF YOU WOULD TURN TO PAGE 18, ITEM 1 0 8, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGED ON THE SHIP BY THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, HEAD OF ALL OF THE POLAK AND MARSAL DECAL.

THERE IS FRANK HAYDEN RECAST OF B BY HE'D BY BIRTH TAIL TABLETS.

EXCUSE ME, TOLD LISTEN, PIANO BY IVAN, MR. VICK, MIGRATING PEOPLE BY IVAN MESSAGED WITH DESTINY FOR CHARITY ENVIRONMENTS AND BUILD OFFICE IN THE PARKWAY WITH SOME BARREL MONUMENT TOMORROW TO KING BY THE SILVER MUD HERE TO WE REFER TO AS THE WORST BY MAYOR'S OFFICE.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0 8.

ANYONE WHO WAS BEHIND HIM WAS THE HERO.

COME ON DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, UH, RENEE SHUTTLING FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE.

AND THIS IS, UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS MERELY TO FORMALIZE THE RECORD SO THAT WE HAVE THE CITY PARISH SCULPTURES, UM, OWNED BY THE OFFICIALLY OWNED BY THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN SEEK FUNDING TO MAINTAIN AND TO, UH, RESTORE THESE GREAT WORKS THAT ARE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.

UM, THEY, THEY CERTAINLY DON'T INCLUDE ALL THE WORK, ALL THE WORKS OWNED BY THE CITY, BUT THESE HAVE URGENCY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE TO START THAT PROCESS.

AND WE'D LIKE TO SEEK MORE NATIONALLY.

WOULD YOU NOW GO TO ITEM 96, 96 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FROM THE BURN JUSTICE

MA'AM WHERE ANYWHERE ELSE HERE, WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0 8.

ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK.

I, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SMALL MOST TO APPROVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.

ADAM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, GO TO ANY OPPOSITION HAVING NONE.

I AM CARE AS I DON'T WANT ZERO EIGHT HAS BEEN APPROVED.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

[96. 21-01767]

[02:15:01]

ASSISTANCE JAG 2021 IN THE AMOUNT OF $106,714 TO ALLOW THE BATTLERS POLICE DEPARTMENT OF PURCHASE LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT BY POLICE CHIEF.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 96, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 96 AND THAT WOULD HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN ITEM 96 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW GO

[107. 22-00047]

TO ITEM 1 0 7, AMEND THE 2022 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

PARIS OF EASTBOUND WAS ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE 1 8 3 7 4.

SO THAT'S THE CHANGE.

THE ALIGNMENT OF POLICE DEPARTMENT AS FOLLOWS EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022 LAND TO BE FUNDED WITH EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUDGET POLICE ADD ONE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, JOB CODE 30, 70 BY POLICE CHIEF AND HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0 7, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ITEM 1 0 7.

NOW GO TO ITEM 1 0 1 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATTLEFORDS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO AMEND A PREP FOR HAS A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT ENTERED INTO AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARIS OF EASTBOUND WAS ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF THE PARENTS' ATTORNEY AND TIMID DW, HARDY OR BRAZIL, SAXON WILSON.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY CUT COUNCIL MEMBER CALLED AND SAID, GOODBYE.

THE CHAIRS, ANY OPPOSITION SHOWING NONE ITEM 1 0 7 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

IF YOU

[101. 21-01777]

THE AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE THE MAXIMUM COMPENSATION EFFECTIVE MARCH 19TH, 2020 BY $80,000 FROM 150,000 TO $230,000.

ALL OTHER TERMS THAT CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT, INCLUDING OPPOSITE TO AMEND THE SCOPE AND TERM BY POLICE CHIEF.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ALL IDLE 1 0 1, COME ON DOWN AND STATE STATE'S NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

COBELL 1855 OLD CARRIAGE LANE.

UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY EXPLAIN ABOUT IN THE DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.

IS THIS THE SAME THING THAT Y'ALL, Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT, UH, AN ATTORNEY, UH, THE CHIEF'S ATTORNEY FEE, MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE LIBRARY WHEN Y'ALL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

IS THIS FOR THE SAME ISSUE OR IS THIS A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY WITH A DIFFERENT ISSUE? I REMEMBER THAT THAT ISSUE HAD TO DO WITH SPENDING MORE TIME WITH MUNIS MUNICIPAL BOARD MEETINGS.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY BUMPED THAT NUMBER UP.

AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THIS WAS THE SAME FOR BUMPING UP AGAIN FOR THAT.

AND I'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE EXPLANATION ON THAT, BUT YES MA'AM.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE AT REVEREND ANDERSON? AND CAN I SAY BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENTS, DID WE FORGET TO PAY FOR THE HEAT? BECAUSE IT'S COLD UP IN HERE.

I'M JUST SAYING MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS ITEM IS THE SAME ONE.

I BROUGHT UP THE LAST MEETING, WHICH IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN ITEMIZED REASON WHY THESE COSTS ARE GOING UP.

AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE, AND MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY SEEN IT IS THAT WE WILL, ONCE AGAIN, ON THE NATIONAL NEWS FOR THE FRAMPTON CASE, WE HAVE ONE LAWSUIT AFTER ANOTHER LAWSUIT, AFTER ANOTHER LAWSUIT, I CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I'VE BEEN AT ONE OF THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE SETTLEMENTS.

AND I DO THINK THAT, AND I AM ASKING THE COUNCIL, IF WE CAN START REPORTING OUT WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT ITEM AND KEEPING A RUNNING TALLY, I THINK THE CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW IF THE FRAMPTON CASE IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE NEEDED TO INCREASES, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

AND I DO THINK, AND I ASKED, WELL, I'M NOT ASKING.

I'M ACTUALLY SUGGESTING VERY HIGHLY THAT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN TERMS OF A BUDGET THAT IS ALREADY ALMOST 60% PUBLIC SAFETY, IT, PART OF THE REASON WE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON LAWYERS IS BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING INAPPROPRIATE POLICY DECISIONS.

HAD TO SIT THROUGH THESE LONG CIVIL SERVICE HEARINGS AS TO THE REASON WHY THESE ATTORNEY'S FEES ARE GOING UP.

OH, I WILL FORM A COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

WICKED IS WHAT IS THIS EVENING? HOW YOU DOING? SHE LEAVING EARLY.

YOU WEREN'T DISMISSED.

MS. BOOKER.

YOU GOT TO STAY TO THE END, BUT A GOOD EVENING THIS EVENING.

UH, NO, I'M JUST JOKING.

I'M JUST JOKING.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0 1.

ANYONE ELSE COME ON DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, SIR.

MY NAME IS JOHN SMITH, 1 47 77 BUILDER ROAD, ZACHARY LOUISIANA.

I'M ALSO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

AND I'VE ALSO

[02:20:01]

UH, MY OPPOSITION TO IT IS WE MADE A REQUEST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO TO INCREASE OUR CIVIL SERVICE ATTORNEY, A FLORIDA FALCON, HIS BUDGET BY $9,600 A YEAR INCREASED AND IT WAS REJECTED.

AND THEN WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS REQUEST FOR $230,000 A YEAR BUDGET BY THE POLICE CHIEF'S ATTORNEYS, I WAS PRETTY UPSET.

OH, WAIT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN SEARCH OF A, A NEW ATTORNEY BECAUSE OUR OLD ATTORNEY STEPPED DOWN BECAUSE WE COULDN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

AND, UH, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT EVEN ABLE TO HEAR ANY OF THESE HEARING.

SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR ANY OF THESE ATTORNEY'S FEES THAT WE'RE, THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE FOR.

BUT, UH, I JUST THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME HAVE, MAKE MY COMMENT AND I COULD NOT GO WITHOUT COMING UP HERE SAYING ANYTHING.

UH, I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE, ITEM 1 0 1, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, OR A MOTION TO APPROVE? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HUSTON, UH, ADDIE, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE.

YES.

TO, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION IS ON THE ITEM.

I'M CURIOUS IF, IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO NOTICE THIS ITEM WITH THE ABILITY FOR US TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GERMANE TO ANYTHING THAT WOULD, UH, TECHNICALLY FALL INTO A CATEGORY THAT IS SUCH A SUBJECTIVE TO, UH, HAVING, UH, EXECUTIVE, UH, PUT IT INTO A, UH, INTO THAT KIND OF CATEGORY.

EVEN IF WE WERE GOING TO DISCUSS THE TRACK RECORD OF THE ATTORNEYS AND THEIR ABILITY ON THE ON OR THEIR TRACK RECORD ON CASES.

UNLESS YOU GET INTO THE SPECIFIC WEATHER CASES OR INFORMATION THAT'S DEALING WITH THE CASES, I DON'T THINK IT MEETS THE CRITERIA TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I THINK IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LAWYERS AND WHETHER THEY FULFILL THE CONTRACT AND WHETHER THEY MET THE CRITERIA, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE IN ARENA HERE.

GOTCHA.

UM, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION, OH, ANNIE, NOT DONE.

NOT GONNA LET YOU GET AWAY THAT EASY BROTHER.

I'M FINE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ONE.

UM, UH, NOT QUITE A YEAR AGO.

I THINK IT WAS, UH, WE DISCUSSED THIS TOWARDS THE END OF 2021.

UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THIS ITEM AS THAT THESE ARE ALL EXPENDITURES FOR 2021.

THIS IS ALL, UH, BASICALLY WE'RE, WE'RE FINISHING OUT 2021 WITH THIS AMOUNT.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE RAISED OBJECTION TO, UH, NOT JUST DISAGREEMENT, BUT THE IDEA THAT WE APPROVE EXPENSES LIKE THIS AFTER THE FACT QUITE OFTEN.

SO WALK ME THROUGH, WHY, WHY DID WE WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT, ESPECIALLY AFTER SO MUCH, UM, CONSTERNATION THAT THIS GENERATED LAST TIME, WHY WOULD WE WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT TO APPROVE THESE DOLLARS? AS YOU CAN SEE COUNSELING, I LOVE TO BE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT IT'S NOT MY ITEM.

SO IT'S PUT UP BY THE POLICE CHIEF.

SO HE WOULD BE THE ONE TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHY IT'S BEING BROUGHT UP AT THIS TIME AND WHY, UH, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHY WENT INTO THIS TIME TO BRING UP? I WOULD TELL YOU GENERALLY THOUGH THAT, UH, YOU ARE CORRECT.

THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PAY OFF THE, THE, UH, THE BILLS THAT ARE DUE TO THE 20, 21 CONTRACT AND NOT TO THE CONTRACT THAT BEGINS, UH, THIS YEAR.

WHO MAKES THE DECISION AS TO WHEN TO SEND THIS TO US? IS IT THE ATTORNEYS OR IS IT THE CHIEF, OR IS IT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO WHO'S ULTIMATELY HAS THAT CALL? THE BILLS ARE SENT THEM? SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SETS FORTH WHEN JIM AND MIKE, UH, WE HAVE A CONTRACT THAT SETS FORTH THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHEN AND HOW TIM AND, UH, TIM HARDY AND JIM REIGN SHOULD BE THE CASE THAT THEY SEND HIM.

THAT I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE.

CHIEF, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THAT ONE, I'LL LET THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTS.

YEAH, THIS IS JIM RANGS, WHO WAS ONE OF THE PARTNERS THAT WORKS ALONG WITH TIMOTHY HARDY, FROM BRAZIL, SEXY AS THE CHIEF'S COUNCIL.

BUT TWO QUESTION IS, WHY DID WE WAIT? WELL, WE SUBMIT BILLS, BUT I CAN'T GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU MYSELF.

SO, UM, THE CITY IS AWARE OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE CONTRACT PROCESS.

AND WHEN THEY'RE READY TO PUT US IN FRONT OF YOU,

[02:25:02]

DID HE BILLS ON A REGULAR BASIS AS THE AMOUNTS ARE INCUR? UH, BUT THEY CAN SEND IN THE BILLS, BUT THE FUNDING ONLY GOES TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT.

SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SITTING IN THE BILLS IN TO BE TINTED AND TO BE PAID, ONCE THE FUNDING IS ENDED, THEN THE CITY PARENTS DOESN'T RECEIVED THE BILLS, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE REQUISITE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS.

AND SO THEY, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T WAIT UNTIL, AND THIS, I MAY BE WRONG BY THIS.

AND MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY THIS, BUT I WAS SUSPECT, OR I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BILLS WAS SITTING IN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THE WAY THE BILLS WORK IS THAT THEY'RE SENT IN FROM THEIR OFFICE TO THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UH, AND THEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT TO US JUST FOR US TO HAVE FOR RECORD.

BUT THEN IT'S PAID OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S PART OF CHIEF PAUL'S BUDGET, UH, THAT THIS COUNCIL IS PAY.

I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS ANSWER.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I, YOU KNOW, TO ME, WE KNEW WHEN WE APPROVED THIS IN LATE 20, 21, THAT, THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

UH, WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT THIS ITEM.

SO WHY NOT? AT THAT TIME, COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH A PROACTIVE ITEM THAT SAYS, HEY, WE PROJECTED, WE'LL RUN UP TO, I GUESS IT'S $230,000 NOW.

I MEAN, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND FOR THE LIFE OF ME.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR AFTER THE MONEY'S NOW BEEN SPENT.

UM, AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO APPROVE THE ITEM OR NOT.

WE KNOW IT'S CONTROVERSIAL, SO YOU'RE STANDING UP HERE.

I, I FEEL, I DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THE APPROPRIATE PERSON TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

UM, BUT I MEAN, ULTIMATELY WHO DECIDES TO GIVE, TO GET COUNCIL APPROVAL WHO DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT TO GET APPROVAL BEFORE THE EXPENSES MADE OR AFTER THE EXPENSES MADE, WHOSE JUDGMENT CALL IS THAT, AND WHY WAS THE DECISION MADE, SO HAVE TO HEAR FROM, YEAH, SO WE, WE, WE IDENTIFY SOME ISSUES WITH THE PROCESS AND HOW TO DEAL.

I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.

UH, WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BILLS ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO US WHILE WE'RE SITTING AT THE FINANCE SO THAT IT WON'T BE ABLE TO BE EXPEDITED.

AND WE WON'T HAVE THESE GAPS IN THE SYSTEM, IN THE BILLING PROCESS.

SO WE'VE ALREADY MADE THAT.

I WAS TRYING TO FIND THAT EMAIL, UM, FROM MY FINANCE DEPARTMENT ON SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO EXPEDITE IT IMMEDIATELY.

SO WE WON'T HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AGAIN, BUT I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF IT AS THE CHIEF.

I APOLOGIZE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND CHIEF, IT'S NOT TO BE FAIR.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR.

IT IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH BRP.

THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, WHERE, WHERE WE END UP SOMETIMES WITH CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT, THE WORK'S BEEN DONE AND WE'RE BEING ASKED TO THEN APPROVE IT AND BASICALLY BE A RUBBER STAMP.

UM, AND ON THIS ONE, I I'VE BEEN QUITE CRITICAL OF THIS ARRANGEMENT.

UH, I THINK WE CAN DO IT FOR CHEAPER IN HOUSE.

AND, AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OF IT TONIGHT.

UM, I APPROACHED THE ANDY WITH THIS QUESTION, UH, BEFORE THE MEETING.

SO, UH, JUST WALK US THROUGH AND COUNCILMAN COLE, YOU CAN TELL ME IF THIS IS NOT GERMANE, I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT, IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT.

UH, AS FAR AS BILLING, I KNOW WE HAVE $150,000 SET ASIDE, BUT HOW MUCH HAVE WE BUILT SO FAR? AND WHAT ARE WE LOOKING LIKE AS A PROJECTION? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THIS AGAIN MID YEAR TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? RIGHT.

SO WE WORK ON A CALENDAR YEAR, SO WE JUST STARTED, SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY BILLS.

UM, WE BUILD IN JANUARY, WELL, WE'RE WORKING IN JANUARY.

WE WILL BUILD THAT TIME IN FEBRUARY.

SO I LOOKED AT IT THE OTHER DAY, UM, COMING INTO THIS MEETING AND WE WERE, I HAVE MAYBE A COUPLE OF TIME KEEPERS, SO IT'S NOT JUST ME.

IT'S NOT, IT'S MAINLY ME LEO, AND THERE'S PROBABLY TWO OR THREE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DO WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S NOT JUST A ONE PERSON SHOW.

UM, SO I MAY HAVE A TIMEKEEPER OR TWO THAT HAVEN'T, DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF THEIR TIME IN, BUT AT THAT TIME WE HAD MAYBE $3,000 IN FOR THE MONTH.

SO, UM, I CAN'T PROJECT OUR BILLS AND OUR TIME ARE SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT ON HOW THE OFFICERS HANDLED THEIR DISCIPLINE.

SOMEBODY TALKED EARLIER ABOUT WHAT TYPES OF CASES WE'RE DEALING WITH.

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE OF OFFICERS.

LAWSUITS AGAINST THE CITY OR LAWSUITS AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT WE DO HANDLE, UH, AN EMPLOYMENT, A FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT CASE THAT'S CURRENTLY PENDING BEFORE THE FEDERAL COURT.

IT'S NOT ABOUT

[02:30:01]

BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, UM, EVERYTHING THAT WE HANDLE IS INTERNAL DISCIPLINE, UM, WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, THOSE, TH THOSE CASES GO BEFORE THE CHIEF OR THE DEPUTY CHIEFS TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT DISCIPLINE.

THEN THOSE GET APPEALED UP TO THE BOARD, WHICH, UH, MR. SMITH, AS A PART OF, UM, THEN FROM THERE, IT GETS APPEALED TO THE 19TH JDC, THE FIRST CIRCUIT, AND IT KEEPS GOING FROM THERE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST REITERATE AGAIN, MY POSITION THAT, UM, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A REALLY CLOSE LOOK AT THIS ARRANGEMENT.

UH, I DO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO WATCH THE TREND VERY CLOSELY.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THIS FOR CHEAPER.

SO, UM, I'LL JUST LEAVE WITH THAT, BUT THANKS.

THANK YOU ALL WELL, TO THAT POINT, I'LL SAY THAT WE HAVE MODIFIED AT THE, AT THE VERY END OF LAST YEAR, WE'VE MODIFIED SOME OF WHAT WE DO SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE OVERALL COST AND EXPENSE TO THE DEPARTMENT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY, EVERY WEEK, PRETTY MUCH LAST YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT 80 CASES THAT WENT TO DISPOSITION, MEANING THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF OR THE CHIEF MADE A DECISION ON DEPARTMENTAL DISCIPLINE.

UM, IN THE PAST WE ATTENDED EVERY ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS.

WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

THEY RECORDING THOSE WELL, THAT'S A FEW HOURS EVERY WEEK OUT OF OUR TIME THAT WE WERE SPENDING.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE TIME.

THAT'S NO LONGER BUILT TO THE DEPARTMENT.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO THE DEPARTMENT OVER THE YEAR.

UM, WE'RE ALSO VERY MUCH WORKING WITH, UH, COUNSEL ON THE OTHER SIDE TO TRY TO GET THESE THINGS TO CONSENT AGREEMENTS.

SO WE DON'T HAVE THESE LONG TRIALS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.

SO, UM, WE ALSO, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A WILLING PARTICIPANT ON THE OTHER SIDE TO RESOLVE THOSE CASES, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, BUT THAT'S ENCOURAGING.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

YOU MENTIONED ON THAT.

UM, AND I DO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT THE CHIEF HAS EFFECTIVE LEGAL COUNSEL.

UM, WE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE IT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A CULTURE WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE IS A BAD ACTOR THAT, THAT, THAT GETS CORRECTED.

AND I THINK CHIEF IS DOING A GOOD JOB ON A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.

UM, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, GOTTA KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE TRENDS.

SO I THINK, THANK YOU GUYS.

SO WE SHUT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MONK.

UH, THANK YOU.

SO IT, WITH THE ATTORNEY THERE, YOU MENTIONED THAT BASICALLY YOUR BILLING'S A MONTH BEHIND YOU, YOU WORK FOR JANUARY, YOU SEND THAT OUT AT THE END OR BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH, THEY DON'T GET LIVE TIME BILLING, RIGHT.

SO I DON'T PUT TIME IN FOR TODAY.

AND IT COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT TODAY, RIGHT? CORRECT.

I DO THE SAME THING AND IT WORKS.

WE WORK ALL WEEK AND WE PUT UP ALL THE BILLS FIRST BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE 10TH, WE SEND THEM OUT.

SURE.

BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION THAT GOES TO THAT IS IF YOU'RE BILLING EVERY MONTH AND WHAT IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN ANSWER THIS, OR WHATEVER, IF YOU'RE BILLING EVERY MONTH, A MONTH BEHIND THE PREVIOUS MONTH OR WHATEVER, HOW DOES IT FALL? $80,000 BEHIND IF YOU KNOW, WHAT BILLS ARE COMING IN FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND HOW MUCH THOSE BILLS ARE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT $150,000 BUDGET FOR THAT AREA.

HOW DO THOSE BILLS DID WE RACK UP $80,000 WORTH OF BILLS ONE MONTH? DID WE NOT PAY BILLS PREVIOUS MONTHS? I KNOW YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T ANSWER THAT, BUT, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.

WE GOT THIS $80,000 GAP.

SO THAT'S TIME THAT ACCUMULATED TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR, ONCE THE CONTRACT RAN OUT.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE $80,000 ACCUMULATED IN ONE MONTH, IT'S ONCE THE MONEY RAN OUT, WE'RE KIND OF DUTY BOUND TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT.

SO I'M, WE'RE DOING THE WORK THAT IS SENT TO US RELATED TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS CASES.

UM, BUT THE DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING ON GETTING BACK BEFORE YOU TO GET APPROVAL.

ALSO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, AND I WANT TO REITERATE THIS TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT SPOKE OR WHATEVER, THIS IS NOT FUNDING OR INCREASING THE BUDGET FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UH, AND IT'S NOT FUNDING FOR CASES AGAINST THE CITY PARISH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THIS IS STRICTLY INTERNAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, UM, DISCIPLINARY BETWEEN THE POLICE CHIEFS, ATTORNEYS AND CIVIL SERVICE BOARDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO ONCE YOU GET THAT OUT THERE IN PUBLIC, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I TOTALLY RESPECT THAT WE'RE NOT INCREASING THE BUDGET BY $80,000, BUT EACH BUDGET HAS A LINE ITEM.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS WHERE IS THIS $80,000 COMING FROM INSIDE THE BUDGET TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THIS CONTRACT, THE SAVINGS, THE LARGEST AREA OF SAVINGS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS

[02:35:01]

AT THE SALARIES.

WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES THEY HAVE, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, VACANCIES BUDGETED AT THAT NUMBER.

SO THAT IS, THAT IS WHERE THE SAVINGS WOULD COME FROM, WOULD BE FROM THE SALARY ACCOUNT.

SO WITH THAT SAID, WHAT'S THAT YOU MIGHT REMIND ME CHICKEN.

CORRECT.

UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, AND I GUESS THAT GOES BACK TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION WE HAD IN THE FIRST, UH, CRIME MEETING WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, APPROACH OR HOPEFULLY FILL ALL OUR POSITIONS MINUS THE 50 THAT'S NORMALLY UNFILLED AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

UM, IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT AND BRING US BACK TO THE NEXT POINT OF HAVING TO INCREASE THE BUDGET TO MAKE UP FOR THAT WHEN WE START THE HIRING PROCESS, BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING AWAY EIGHT $80,000 TO MOVE INTO THIS CONTRACT, POSSIBLY.

SO, SO BUDGETS ARE BASED ON, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

SO THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 21 EXPIRED AT THE END OF 21.

SO NOW WE'RE IN THIS YEAR.

AND SO I THINK WE HAVE $156,000 BUDGETED FOR THIS CONTRACT THIS YEAR.

SO IF THE CONTRACT GOES OVER THE HUNDRED 56,000, WE'LL HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FIND AND HAVE THE AMOUNT OVER THE 156,000.

AND, UM, WHAT, WHENEVER SOMEONE HAS A NEED IN EXCESS OF BUDGET, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK THEM, WELL, IF YOU, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE IT, BUT CAN YOU FIND IT WITHIN YOUR EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS? AND THEY CAN, THAT'S THE WAY WE HANDLE IT.

IF THEY CAN'T, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT USING SOME RESERVES FOR THAT PURPOSE, IF, IF WE WANT TO PROCEED WITH THAT EXPENSE.

AND I APPRECIATE IT'S XML, IT'S JUST, IT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE THAT WE MAY RUN INTO THIS WHEN WE'D GO THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS BECAUSE OF WHERE WE'RE POSSIBLY MOVING THE MONEY FROM.

EVEN IF IT WAS $10 FROM EACH CATEGORY, THIS SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE 22 BUDGET.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

NO, THANK YOU.

UH, MR. HARDY, UM, YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR WHERE THERE'S, THERE'S HEARINGS THAT Y'ALL, AREN'T SHOWING UP AT AS YOU WERE BEFORE, AND THAT'S REDUCING THE BILLABLE HOURS WHO MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

THOSE ARE IMPLEMENTED BY THE CHIEF.

UH, I WOULD IMAGINE CHIEF, THAT WAS BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS HAD IN AUGUST WHEN WE UPDATED LAST TIME.

RIGHT.

THAT WAS BASED ON, UM, SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS BODY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

UH, AND WE MADE SOME REAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

THEY DON'T SIT IN, BUT A FRACTION.

SO BASICALLY THOSE HEARINGS WERE BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION THAT IT COULD BE SERIOUS DISCIPLINE OR TERMINABLE.

THEN THEY'LL SIT IN, WHICH IS NOT THE MAJORITY OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS CASES THAT WE LOOK AT.

GOOD.

UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, MR. HARDY, W WHEN THESE CHANGES WERE MADE, YOU WERE MADE AWARE OF WHY, RIGHT.

BASED ON KIND OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAD BEEN HAD IN THIS BODY IN AUGUST, THAT'D BE YEAH.

ACCURATE.

WELL, CHIEF AND I HAD HAD CONVERSATIONS OVER TIME ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE CALL.

W WHAT WERE YOU, WERE YOU AWARE OF THE MEETING THAT WAS HELD WHEN THIS WAS YOU? WERE YOU HERE? I WASN'T HERE, BUT I WAS, I WAS TOLD.

SO TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN THESE, THIS EXTRA 80,000 WAS INCURRED, OBVIOUSLY BEING AN ATTORNEY Y'ALL HAVE THE CONTRACT AND YOU Y'ALL MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO BILL ABOVE THE, A LOT OF THE AMOUNT ON THE CONTRACT, CORRECT? SURE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE A DUTY TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN, WE'RE IN BY FOUR OR FIVE APPEAL CASES CURRENTLY, WE'RE IN A FEDERAL COURT CASE RIGHT NOW.

UM, WE WERE ASKED TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WOULD SEEK A REQUEST FROM YOU ALL TO, TO PAY FOR THE OVER.

SO YOU, YOU, YOU, Y'ALL CONSCIOUS, Y'ALL MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO GO ABOVE THE CONTRACT, KNOWING THAT POTENTIALLY THERE'S A CHANCE YOU WOULDN'T BE COMPENSATED FOR IT BECAUSE IT IS IN FACT OUTSIDE OF THE CONTRACT.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE, WHEN COUNCILMAN HUDSON SAID THE MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT, IT HASN'T, YOU JUST HOPE, RIGHT.

YOU CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT IS ASKED OF YOU.

YOU EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME BEFORE YOU AND ASKED TO BE PAID.

SURE.

AGENDA ITEM, IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, THE AMENDMENT TO, UH, THE COMPENSATION EFFECTIVE MARCH 19TH, 2020.

WE MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION NOT TO LEAVE THE CITY AND ALERT.

SO, UM, AND, AND THIS IS A QUESTION I'M JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS ACCURATE.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE

[02:40:01]

IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE 20, 20 OR 2020? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AN AGREEMENT FROM 2020 OR 2021 DO EAT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS ACCURATE.

AND WE CLARIFY IF NEED BE, TRY LUTEIN IS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 20, 21 TOO.

I'M NOT HERE.

AND, UH, REVEREND ANDERSON HAD A GOOD POINT TALKING ABOUT, UH, UH, LINE ITEMS, UH, ON, ON SOME OF THE CASES.

I, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT TODAY, AND I DIDN'T REACH OUT BEFORE, BUT DO WE HAVE, OR CAN WE BE PROVIDED WITH LINE ITEMS OF THIS EXTRA 80,000 WHERE IT WENT SPECIFIC TO CASES? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALL COULD PROVIDE? UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT HAS BEEN THE SUCCESS RATE SINCE THE INCREASE IN AUGUST ON THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN HEARD, WE HAVE FORMED REVEREND ANDERSON AT THE LAST MEETING.

AND, UH, WHEN MAN DONE KIND OF, UM, TOLD HER WHAT THE PATH WOULD, THE BEST PATHWAY FOR HER TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, OKAY.

THEN WE'LL EVALUATE WHAT IS PRIVILEGED AND WHAT'S NOT PRIVILEGED.

AND THEN SHIP IT PROVIDED THAT JIM WILL GET, WE'LL SEND IT TO JIM AND HIS STAFF, AND THEN THEY'LL DETERMINE WHAT THEY CAN GIVE US.

AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT ALL INTO REVENUES.

BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS IT BE GIVEN TO THIS BODY, IF YOU REQUEST IT TO BE GIVEN TO YOU, I THINK THAT'D BE, BUT IT'D BE BY PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS AGAIN, AND WHATEVER, IT'S NOT, PRE-VISIT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OUR CLIENTS.

SO WE'LL LOOK AT IN DIFFERENT ANGLES, BUT YES.

UM, AND THEN, UH, ONE OTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED AS THOUGH THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SPENT THUS FAR THIS YEAR ON THE NEW CONTRACT.

UM, BUT AS WE HEARD EARLIER, THERE'S NOT BEEN AN ADHERENCE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ATTORNEY ON THE OTHER SIDE, IS THAT CORRECT? NO.

WELL, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT, THERE'S NOT AN ATTORNEY, THERE'S NOT AN ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD CURRENTLY.

UM, THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND PROBABLY WILL HAVE ONE FAIRLY SOON, BUT THAT'S WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HEARING SO FAR THIS YEAR.

UH, THAT WOULD BE A REASON, BUT WE ALSO SETTLED THE CASE THAT WE HAD FOR JANUARY.

WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE HEARING SCHEDULED EVERY MONTH BEFORE THE BOARD.

AND WE SETTLED OUR, WE HAD, UH, WE CAME TO A CONSENT AGREEMENT IS WHAT YOU CALL IT, UM, WITH THE PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CASE FOR JANUARY.

SO YEAH, JUST ONE LAST COMMENT.

AND THEN I'M, I'M THROUGH, I, I I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE AN ITEMIZED LIST OF, OF WHERE THAT $80,000 WENT TO AND WHEN IT WAS, UH, SPENT, THANK YOU, COUNCIL NUMBER ADAMS. UM, LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UM, WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE LEGAL BILLS, UM, HAD BEEN RISING.

AND I KNOW ANDY, IN DECEMBER, WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A TEMPORARY THING.

IS THIS A BLIP ON A SCREEN? UM, OR IS THIS A TREND? UM, SO ANY, ANY MORE CLARITY IN YOUR MIND AS TO WHEN WE'LL KNOW IF THIS IS A TREND THAT WARRANTS THE HIRING OF A, ANOTHER, UM, STAFF ATTORNEY? UH, NO COUNSEL, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN INDICATE THAT AT THIS TIME.

I THINK THIS YEAR WILL BE THE BEST INDICATION BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MANY MATTERS ARE NOT SETTLED.

JIM AND EMMA MADE A GREAT EFFORT OF TRYING TO SELL AS MANY MATTERS.

THEY CAN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CHIEF, THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL MEASURES TO TAKE AWAY A LOT OF THE TIME, THE GYM, THE GYM, AND ALL OF HIS ATTORNEYS SPENT WORK WITH THE CHIEF IN CERTAIN MEETINGS THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING ANY LONGER.

BUT I THINK ONCE THESE CHANGES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND PUT TO USE AS WELL AS HOW THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE GOING FORWARD.

AND A LOT OF THIS NEW OUTLOOK THAT THEY'RE DOING WILL GIVE US A BETTER INDICATION.

I THINK OF WHETHER THIS CONTRACT IS SUFFICIENT AT HIS CURRENT TERMS TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD FOR SOME YEARS TO COME.

I WOULD SAY WE PROBABLY WOULD NEED TO, IF NOT THIS WHOLE YEAR, THE BETTER PART OF THIS YEAR, AND JIM COULD ADD ONTO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE, I'VE TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER, BUT ONE OF THE INDICATIONS OF THE BILL IS GOING TO BE, HOW MANY CASES DOES INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAVE LAST YEAR WAS KIND OF A RECORD NUMBER YEAR FOUR.

IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE I SAID, OVER 80 CASES THAT GOT DECIDED.

SO THAT'S MORE THAN ONE A WEEK, RIGHT.

UM, THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS HAVE NOT SEEMED AS BEST AS LAST YEAR.

UM, AND WE'VE ONLY GONE TO ONE HEARING, I GUESS SO FAR IT WAS TODAY.

SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE INTERNAL AFFAIRS CASES.

I'M HOPING THEY SLOWED DOWN.

I'M HOPING THERE'S A BETTER YEAR AND THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

FEES IN HERE? ANY SUPPORT STAFF? I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT WOULD BE ATTORNEY HOURS.

SO THIS WHOLE 230,000, THIS, THIS ALL ATTORNEY HOURS THAT THEY'RE, ARE THERE ANY PARALEGAL

[02:45:01]

JUST ACTIVE HOURS ON CASES.

AND JUST AS A, AS A STATEMENT, I W I WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO, THERE ARE VERY GOOD STAFF ATTORNEYS IN THE CITY WHO, WHO REPRESENT NO, NOTHING ON YOU, BUT THEY'RE VERY GOOD STAFF ATTORNEYS IN THE CITY WHO ARE REPRESENTING, UM, AGENCIES AND IN PUBLIC, UM, INDIVIDUALS AND, AND WINNING CASES, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENTLY.

SO, UM, A STAFF ATTORNEY IS BY NO MEANS I'M NOT AS QUALIFIED AS, AS YOU ARE, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR HELP.

AND CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING TO A COUNCIL ON AN AD TO SAY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL ON MADISON, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE PARENTS ARE TRYING TO SOLVE SAID THAT HE COULDN'T HANDLE EITHER.

THIS IS A, THIS WAS A REQUEST BY CHIEF PAUL TO HAVE THE COUNCIL THAT HE SELECTED TO REPRESENT HIM.

AND, AND, AND SINCE IT WAS WITHIN HIS BUDGET, I HAD NO ISSUE WITH HIM PROCEEDING IN THAT MANNER.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT AS A BACKDROP TO, SO, YEAH, JUST, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE UP IT REFERRING BACK TO, UH, THE PREVIOUS MEETING WE HAD WHEN WE DID THIS SAME THING, REFERRED TO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TONIGHT.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, NOAH TALKED ABOUT METRICS AND, AND, AND WHAT WERE INCREASING AND SO ON AND GETTING INFORMATION.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE GOT THAT INFORMATION.

WE NOW HAVE BEFORE US ANOTHER, UH, INCREASE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH COUNSELING TO KNOW ON THE, I THINK WE NEED TO REPORT, I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THIS $80,000 WAS, UM, KIND OF LIKE WE GET THE INFORMATION FROM YOUR OFFICE FOR OUR OTHER CASES WITH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

UH, I HAVE NO DOUBT.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SAID CORRECTLY A WHILE AGO, AS FAR AS I DON'T THINK WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO DO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.

WE'RE JUST REQUESTING THIS OPENLY IN THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, YOU CAN DO COUNSELING.

I MEAN, I'VE HAD SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS DO THAT, MAKE A PUBLIC WORKS REQUEST.

SO YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO, AGAIN, YOU ARE THE CLIENT.

AND IF YOU'RE REQUESTING A REPORT THAT MR RAINS CAN DO A REPORT THAT HE WILL SEND TO MY OFFICE, I'LL REVIEW IT TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT'S PRIVILEGED IN CASE OF RELEASE, IT GETS RELEASED, BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.

AND I WILL INSTRUCT YOU WHEN I SEND IT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, THAT IT IS A ATTORNEY-CLIENT AND WORK PRODUCT PRIVILEGE.

AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU NOT FORWARD IT ON TO ANYONE ELSE, OR EVEN BEFORE THE EMAIL TO ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER, I GUESS, WITH THAT CAVEAT, WE WOULD SEND THAT TO YOU YESTERDAY.

I WOULD, I WOULD WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THAT.

I GUESS IF THIS IS MY PUBLIC REQUEST, ALONG WITH HIS, UM, COUNSEL KNOWS OR WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IN.

I THINK THE WHOLE COUNCIL NEEDS TO GET IT, BUT WE DO IT FOR ONE.

WE'LL SEND IT TO EVERYBODY.

WE'VE HAD OFFICERS CHALLENGING REPRIMANDS.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT, AND EVEN IF SOMETHING DOES COME BACK INTO IT OR WHATEVER THAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO, I'D LIKE TO JUMP BACK OVER TO COUNCILMAN HUDSON'S STATEMENT A WHILE AGO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NEXT TIME, IF THIS COMES UP ON THE AGENDA, I THINK IF IT CAN BE DONE, UH, PUT A TAGLINE IN THERE THAT THIS COULD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IF THERE'S ANY REFERENCE OR WE NEED TO MAKE ANY REFERENCE TO THE PARTICULAR CASE THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THIS REPORT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT OPTION IN THERE, IF IT CAN BE, UM, THAT WE NEED TO GO DO THAT.

SO I GUESS WITH THAT COUPLE OF COMMENTS BEING SAID THAT RIGHT THERE, I WOULD LIKE TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL WE GET THE REPORT AND KNOW WHERE THIS $80,000 AND WHAT THIS INCREASE IS FOR.

AND DOESN'T MAKE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION, MOTION, MOTION, SIR.

UH, HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO DEFER UNTIL A SPECIFIC DATE.

UH, WHAT'S THE FIRST COUNSELING TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKS FROM, WE WERE AT NIGHT MOTION TO THE FRONT IN FEBRUARY 9TH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.

CAN I SAY SOME PLEASE, MAN, PROTEST.

I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO YOU COUNSEL AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND, AND I RESPECT YOUR DESIRE TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT THE LAW SETS FORTH THE CRITERIA BY WHICH AMANDA CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE.

AND WE, CAN'T SUCH A VERT THAT BY SAYING THAT WE MAY WANT TO DISCUSS SOMETHING THAT MAY OR REFER TO A SPECIFIC REPORT.

IF THERE IS A LADDER THAT MEETS THAT CRITERIA, WE CAN GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

AS FAR AS I CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ITS OWN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I'LL REVIEW IT AGAIN.

ONCE WE, ONCE WE ISSUE THE REPORT AND SEE, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, SORRY, I, I, IT DOES, IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE CAN'T PROCEED IN A MANNER THAT, THAT WE KIND OF JUST DISCUSSED A MINUTE AGO, BUT I WILL LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME WAY THAT IT WOULD MEET THE CRITERIA.

AND IF IT DOES, AND I BOUGHT ME AS WELL, WHERE MEET YOUR WISHES IS MAKING IT EXECUTIVE SESSION.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD.

I'M JUST LOOKING TO, I GUESS, FORWARD-THINKING IN CASE SOMETHING DOES COME UP AND, AND I TOTALLY RESPECT, I DON'T LIKE THE WHOLE GOING TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR EVERY LITTLE THING.

AND I PROBABLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A SPECIFIC ITEM THAT WOULD BE, UH, HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT ONCE WE GET THE REPORT AND WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS

[02:50:01]

80,000, THANK YOU.

AH, JUST FOR THE LOOK, I DON'T WANT TO STAY AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, I THINK THE ATTORNEYS IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING THIS WORK.

HOWEVER, UH, WHEN THERE ARE MATTERS OF DISCIPLINE, IT BECOMES SOMEWHAT OF A CONFLICT FOR THE PARENT'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO, TO REPRESENT BOTH THE OFFICER AND CHIEF.

SO WE COULD RUN INTO A CONFLICT THERE.

NUMBER TWO, I THINK WHEN A CHIEF MAKES HIS PROJECTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE NEEDED, UH, FOR THOSE OFFICERS WHO CHALLENGE DISCIPLINE, HE BASES HIS ON HOW MANY OFFICERS HAVE CHALLENGED DISCIPLINE IN THE PAST.

I THINK IN 2021, WE SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF OFFICES, CHALLENGING MINOR DISCIPLINE ISSUES.

WHEREAS IN THE PAST OFFICERS DIDN'T CHALLENGE MINOR DISCIPLINE ISSUES.

WE HAD OFFICERS CHALLENGING, UH, THINGS THAT WOULD EXTREMELY MINOR, BUT THE WORD TERMINATION, UH, DISCIPLINE, THERE WERE EXTREMELY MINOR ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO DISCIPLINE.

AFTER OUR LAST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE REQUEST TO INCREASE THE BUDGET.

I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF AND I WENT OUT TO HEADQUARTERS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND THINK ABOUT AND WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW THIS ACTUALLY WORKS.

AND WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT THEIR OFFICES WHO HAVE IN THE PAST EXCEPTED DISCIPLINE, NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS TO MOVE FORWARD, AS LONG AS THEIR JOB WASN'T IN JEOPARDY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY DIDN'T CHALLENGE THE DISCIPLINE.

WHAT WE SAW IN 2021 IS EVERY LITTLE DISCIPLINE THAT WAS APPLIED TO AN OFFICER FOR SOMETHING HE OR SHE MAY HAVE DONE THAT THE CHIEF FELT WAS NECESSARILY TO BE UNNECESSARY, TO BE DISCIPLINED.

IT WAS CHALLENGED.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, THE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE CHIEF IN THESE MATTERS ARE GOING ABOUT THE CONTRACT, I DON'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THIS MANY ISSUES OR THIS MANY OFFICERS WOULD COME FORWARD AND CHALLENGE THE PROCESS.

A REPORT ABOUT EVERY SINGLE OFFICER WHO IS CHALLENGING, THE PROCESS OF BEING DISCIPLINED, UNDERMINES THE LEADERSHIP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I, FOR 1:00 AM NOT NECESSARILY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE CHIEF HAD DISCIPLINING OFFICERS, UNLESS THEY'RE SAYING, UH, THEY ARE GORGEOUSLY BEING TREATED UNFAIR.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE IN EVERY ORGANIZATION WHO DO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE DISCIPLINE.

IF YOU WORK IN LEADERSHIP, WELL RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES.

AND SOME OF THOSE MISTAKES REQUIRE DISCIPLINE TO BE APPLIED.

IT'S NOT LIKELY THAT EVERY SINGLE DISCIPLINE ISSUE IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGED, BUT WE SAW THAT SO MANY WORDS CHALLENGED IN 2021.

SO WE THINK ABOUT THE $80,000 INCREASE.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A LINE ITEM.

I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL OF LOOKING AT EACH OFFICER AND WHY HE IS, SHE CHALLENGED HIS OR HER DISCIPLINE.

WE MAY END UP INTO ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE WE SAY, UH, CHIEF WE'LL NEED TO GIVE YOU EVEN MORE MONEY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW MANY SMALL ISSUES OF BEING CHALLENGED.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

AND I WOULD ASK ALL OF ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR EXTREMELY CONCERNED TO GO OUT TO HEADQUARTERS, HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH LEADERSHIP AND LOOK AT HOW SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

I THINK YOU WOULD FIND THAT WHAT THE REQUEST IS TONIGHT IS NOT ENORMOUS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET.

AND THEN WHAT HE'S PROJECTED IN TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.

AND THEN WHAT WE SAW HAPPENING IN 2021, UH, I THINK SOMEBODY ADJUSTMENTS TO CHIEF AND THE ATTORNEYS THAT MADE ARE GOING TO DECREASE THESE NUMBERS.

AND I THINK SOME OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH LEADERSHIP AROUND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OFFICERS AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN RECRUITMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE GOING TO CHANGE THAT OUR CHIEF, I SEE YOU STANDING UP AS IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT.

I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING IT CAUSE I WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT IT.

CAUSE I HAD THIS REPORT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURAL CHANGES LAST YEAR IN 2021, THE MAJORITY OF OUR COMPLAINTS WERE INTERNAL.

SO THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT HE WORKED, IT WASN'T, THE PUBLIC SAID WE DID SOMETHING WRONG.

IT WASN'T A USE OF FORCE.

IT WAS A POLICE OFFICER WHO INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION, EITHER A SUPERVISOR OR ANOTHER OFFICER.

SO THIS A BELIEF THAT WE DON'T HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.

ISN'T TRUE.

IF YOU LOOK AT 2019, WE HAD 44 INTERNAL CASES, BUT 4620 20, WE HAD 74 IN 2021.

SO THE MAJORITY OF OUR CASES ARE INTERNAL, NOT EXTERNAL POLICE OFFICERS ADDRESSING MINOR POLICY VIOLATIONS, UH, HELPING MENTOR OR USING DISCIPLINE BEFORE AN OFFICER DOES SOMETHING THAT WILL LEAD HIM TO DO HIS JOB.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WHEN I SEE THIS INFORMATION, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT COME BEFORE ME AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE ARE INTERNAL, NOT EXTERNAL.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.

WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I THINK THE ATTORNEYS THAT DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF REPRESENTING US AND UH, UH, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THANK YOU.

THERE IS A MOTION.

UH, OH GOD, I

[02:55:01]

THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.

I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE WANTING TO SEE THAT INFORMATION.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS A CITY GOVERNMENT, WE DON'T LEAVE FOLKS OR IN LIMBO AT THE BEGINNING OF A CONTRACT, I WOULD HOPE THAT SHE WOULD TELL ME IS, DON'T SAY YOU DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WE ARE DEFERRING PAYMENT FROM LAST YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL LIVED ON THE WORK.

I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU DON'T WALK AWAY.

WE STAY, UH, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS HELPING TO MANAGE THEIR BELIEFS FOR STUDIES MORE 21ST CENTURY THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COLEMAN THE QUESTION AND DON'T WE PAY LEGAL FEES FOR THE LIBRARY AFTER THE FACT.

NO, MA'AM WHAT WE DID.

AND I, AND I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE HAD PAID A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LEGAL FEES FOR THE LIBRARY AND WE JUST THOUGHT Y'ALL VOTED LAST WEEK OF A, NOT MISTAKEN TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT, TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS FOR THE LIBRARY.

SO I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY YES TO MY QUESTIONS, RIGHT? YEAH.

SO, BUT I JUST DIDN'T REMEMBER.

IT WAS 20, 21.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER THE TIMEFRAME, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS THE CLOSEOUT 20 MINUTE SHOW, BUT I THINK IT WAS TO CLOSE OUT 2021.

YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WAS THAT? YOU READY? FOR WHATEVER.

GONNA HAVE A SECRET CONVERSATION AT THE MIC? YEAH.

AND SO W OKAY, SO COUNCIL MEMBERS Y'ALL KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU SIT HERE AND YOU SAY THAT, AND IF YOUR ATTORNEY, IF YOU DECIDE TO STOP IT, Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, IF, IF THE ATTORNEY YOU CAN STOP REPRESENTING BASED ON YOUR DUTY, EVEN IF THE FEES ARE AT STAKE IN THAT, CORRECT.

YEP.

THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD TO DO WITH THAT.

SO THERE YOU GO.

SO, AND I, YEAH, I RESPECT ALL, I CAN'T JUST SIT Y'ALL, I'M GONNA TELL YOU TOO, THAT I'M NOT BUILT LIKE THAT.

AND SO ON ONE HAND, WE'RE TELLING THESE OFFICERS GO OUT THERE AND WORK AND TELL THEM THE CHIEF, GET OUT THERE AND DO HIS JOB AND THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT HERE.

AND NOW WE MOANED IN OVER $80,000 FOR ATTORNEYS.

AND YOU WANT THE SAME ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THE CHIEF.

THAT'S REPRESENTING THE FOLK.

THAT'S GOING AGAINST THE CHIEF.

THAT'S CRAZY.

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT.

AND SO I AM GOING TO, SINCE YOU CAN'T MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, I AM GOING TO MAKE, UH, UH, MAY APPROACH TIM.

AND MY SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS THAT THIS BE APPROVED.

AND AS WE VOTE, I WANT YOU ALL TO REMEMBER THIS, THE SAME THING THAT WE DO FOR THE LIBRARY.

THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM.

ONE ITEM WAS, IS 1, 1 0 1.

THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1, 0, 1 7 BY THE CHAIR.

UH, ANYONE, ONE OF Y'ALL WANTED TO MAKE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE ITEM.

FIRST VOTE ON THE SUPPORTIVE, I THINK A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UM, ON THE LIBRARY THAT WE VOTED LAST WEEK, THAT WAS CONTINUING LITIGATION FOR THE REFUND.

THE REFUND OF THE, UM, WHAT I GUESS YES.

IT'S ONGOING LITIGATION.

THIS ISN'T SPECIFIC TO ONE CASE TO THE LIBRARY, TO THE LIBRARY, AS FAR AS THEM REFUND OR PAYING THE CITY PARISH.

I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THAT.

IT'S A SUIT AGAINST ALL THE OFF THE TOPIC.

AND THEN OFF THE TOPIC WHEN THEY SPENT JUST TRYING TO GET A CLARIFICATION OF THE SCOPE THAT IS BEING THE SAME AS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE.

I WILL JUST TELL YOU IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME, SIR.

YES.

ATTORNEYS HIRED BY THE CITY TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN A SPECIFIC CASE.

NOW THE LIBRARY IS ONE CASE AND THE FACT THAT HE REPRESENTS SEVERAL DIFFERENT CASES, THERE'S NO DIFFERENT, HE'S STILL REPRESENTING THE CITY AND THE CITY'S INTEREST AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INTEREST.

SO IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE.

UH, SO THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS DIDN'T GET ALL INFORMATION.

SO WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

FERGUSON.

THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO APPROVE ITEM 1 0 1 MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO NOW VOTE ON THE DEAL, WINNING THE MOTION, WHICH WAS TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.

[03:00:01]

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN THE OPPOSITION ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED? BUT YEAH, I'M GOOD.

IF YOU WERE, WE GO TO ITEM ONE 17 AUTHORIZED IN THE MIRROR PRESENCE.

ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED.

ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR TWO WEEKS.

UH, WE NOW COUNCIL MEMBERS,

[117. 22-00065]

THAT'S CUTE.

A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CSRS FOR GRANT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,823,375 BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 17? WE GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIR? SECOND BY MARK.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ITEM ONE 17 HAS PASSED, UM, SORRY.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I HAD ONE, UM, EMAIL COMMENT THAT WAS OPPOSED.

ITEM ONE 17 THAT Y'ALL RECEIVED TELL SOMEONE WAS, WELL, NOW WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO WE'RE

[148. 22-00002]

NOW GOING TO GO TO ITEM 1 48, SEEN WHERE SIMILAR REPORT.

WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO FLEW IN FROM MY GO AHEAD AND I WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE ON A ROLL, BUT I DON'T WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VOTE AND CONFIDENCE.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, MR. MUSCLE.

I HAVE A GOOD EVENING, UH, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM ADMINISTRATION ON THE TESTING PROTOCOL, 14 PROCEDURE WITH JOSEPH, THE TESTING AND FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT FOR COVID POSITIVE CITIZEN, THAT THE SPENDER WAS PARIS PRISON BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE DID HAVE A REQUEST FROM DR.

ANDERSON.

YOU WANT TO HEAR A REPORT BEFORE YOU SPEAK YET? WELL, WE GOT TO FOLLOW THE POLICY AND PROTOCOL.

WE CHANGED THE DYNAMICS AND NO DON'T BE MAD AT ME GO, RIGHT.

LET ME COME BACK TO YOU.

GO WITH THE REPORT FIRST.

I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

UH, MY NAME IS DONNA ROBERTS.

I AM WITH TURNKEY HEALTH CLINICS, I'M VP OF CLINICAL OPERATIONS.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN IN PLACE IN THE PRISON FOR 26 DAYS.

UM, IN REGARDS TO OUR COVID TESTING PROTOCOL, UM, UPON INTAKE BEFORE ANYONE HAS EVEN PROCESSED INTO THE JAIL, THE FIRST THING THAT THEY RECEIVE IS A COVID, UH, SCREENING.

UM, IF THEY ARE SYMPTOMATIC OR IF THEY REPORT THAT THEY'VE BEEN POSSIBLY EXPOSED, THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY TESTED.

UM, IF THEY ARE NOT, THEY DON'T REPORT ANY SYMPTOMS. THEN THEY ARE PLACED IN QUARANTINE.

ONCE THEY'RE BOOKED INTO THE FACILITY.

UM, ONCE WE GET OUR TEST RESULTS BACK, WE, UM, THEIR QUARANTINE WE'D FOLLOW THE CDC RULES.

UM, AND THEY HAVE JUST RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR GUIDELINES FOR PRISONS AND JAILS.

THEY WERE RECOMMENDING A 14 DAY QUARANTINE AND THEY HAVE, UH, MOVED IT TO A 10 DAYS.

SO WE, UH, JUST YESTERDAY MOVED TO THE 10 DAY CORN TEAM.

AND SO BY DOING THAT, UM, THAT WE'LL HOPE WITH HELP WITH HOUSING ISSUES AND MOVING AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT ELSE THEY'RE WANTING TO KNOW THAT WE DO, BUT, UM, WE TEST ALL SYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE.

UM, WE DO THE PCR TESTING THROUGH THE STATE LAB, AS OPPOSED TO THE RAPID TEST.

WE'RE NOT DOING THE RAPID TEST RIGHT NOW.

UM, AGAIN, WE'RE DOING IT UPON REQUEST.

IF THEY COME TO US AND SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE TESTED, WE'RE TESTING THEM, OR IF THEY PRESENT WITH SYMPTOMS OR POSSIBLE EXPOSURE, UM, THE TREATMENT, UM, IS IT INHERENT TO THE RECOGNIZED, UH, STANDARD MEDICAL PRACTICE? THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME KIND OF, UH, TREATMENT PROTOCOLS IF THEY WERE TO GO TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.

AND, AND THAT, THAT KIND OF THING, AS FAR AS PREVENTION GOES, UH, PATIENTS, UM, IN A HIGH RISK CATEGORY ARE PUT ON PERSONALIZED PREVENTATIVE REGIMEN, WHICH INCLUDES VITAMIN D.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO OFFER AND ENCOURAGE THE VACCINES.

ALL EMPLOYEES ARE MANDATED TO WEAR MASK, AND WE CONTINUE TO OFFER AN ENCOURAGE THE USE OF MASKS FOR THE INMATE POPULATION.

UM, AS FAR AS OUR PROTOCOL SUCCESS, UM, THE PRISON HAS A LOWER RATE OF POSITIVE, POSITIVE PATIENTS THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.

UM, OUR NUMBERS ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE POSITIVE CASES ARE NEW INTAKES COMING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.

UM, WE ALSO LAST FRIDAY MET WITH, UM, UH, THE MEDICAL OF, UH, INFECTIOUS DISEASE FROM THE, FROM THE HOSPITAL.

UM, SHE REVIEWED OUR, OUR PLAN, OUR PROGRAM, WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, SHE WAS VERY COMPLIMENTARY, SAID WE WERE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT.

UM, WE WERE EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED WHAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDING FOR, FOR THE CDC TO DO, UM, AND TO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOING

[03:05:01]

A GREAT JOB AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM, WHEREVER DANSON.

UM, THANK YOU FOR COUNCILMAN AMELIA HERRERA.

UM, NOW I'VE HEARD OF SUSANNA.

UM, I'LL JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, WE HAVE FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, PRISON REFORM COALITION AND FAMILY SUPPORT WITH THE TURNKEY CLINICS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE PARISH, ALL CONCERN IS NOW THE PARISH IS WHAT? 90% ISOLATION, I'M SORRY.

UM, QUARANTINE.

AND I HEARD WORDS LIKE FRO GETTING FRONT OF THINGS AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A CONNECTION.

SO WHAT I'M, I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HE'S WEARING WITH PARISH PRISON IS THE ONE OF THE DEADLIEST PRISONS IN OUR NATION.

NOW WE HAD ONE OF THE DEADLIEST VIRUSES COUPLED WITH THE DEADLIEST PRISON.

ME FOR ONE, I HAVE A CHILD IN THAT PRISON.

I WANT TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN, I WANT TO ASK, I WANT TRANSPARENCY.

I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND I HAVE WEIGHT ON MY SHOULDERS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE SAYING, WE WANT TRANSPARENCY.

I KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS OF COVID IS EXTREMELY HIGH IN THE PARISH.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS KIND OF ANSWERED A VERY BAD SITUATION.

I AM AWARE OF THAT, BUT I'M ALSO, I'M SPEAKING FROM A HEALTH PROFESSION POINT OF VIEW.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE LIVES THAT ARE INSIDE OF THEIR PARENTS.

FOR THE DETAINEES LIES.

THEY ARE NOT TRUSTING THE NURSING STAFF.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE HAVING THESE SENTENCE.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE, UM, SOME PEOPLE PRESENT ASYMPTOMATIC.

SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE TESTING IT, THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC.

I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, LIKE I SAID, 90 TO 95% OF THE LINES ARE HAUNTING.

I THINK IT'S JUST ONE LINE.

THERE'S NOT A WARRANTY.

AND, UM, I'M SO AFRAID.

I'M SO AFRAID THAT I'LL GET THAT PHONE CALL SAYING THAT NOT MY CHILD, SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILD, MY CHILD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN EXPOSING AND HAS NOT.

HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEEDED.

SO I NEED YOU TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT AND START TELLING US THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOL, THE CDC, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

AND I, AND, AND FOR ME, FOR ONE, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EYE ON THE PRIZE.

I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EYE ON TURNKEY BECAUSE I'M VERY UPSET AS A PARENT BECAUSE I KEEP HEARING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

I'VE LOST FIVE PEOPLE, FIVE PEOPLE TO COVID AND I'LL DO NOT TWO PEOPLE DIED IN THE PARISH FROM IT.

SO PLEASE, PLEASE, AS A PARENT, AS A PERSON WHO KNOWS WHEN HE HAS A CHILD, PLEASE DO YOUR JOB.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

I WANT TO, UM, GIVE CREDIT FOR SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED.

UH, THE TURNKEY FOLKS HAVE IN FACT, UH, JOINED US FOR OUR JANUARY GENERAL MEETING AND WE'RE WILLING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

THEY HAVE MADE, UH, STAFF AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

UH, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON REFORM COALITION CREATED A COVID, UH, BROCHURE TO BE HANDED OUT AT THE, UH, JAIL.

OUR CONCERNS ARE THE SAME ONES.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE FOLK WHO ARE HOUSED THERE OR, OR CAPTIVE.

SO THE MINIMUM STANDARDS AND NAMING THE STANDARDS OF PRISONS AND JAILS IS NOT THE SAME THING AS MEETING THE STANDARDS OF CONGREGATE LIVING.

THE SECOND PIECE IS THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUSED.

THERE.

IT IS.

THOSE WHO WORK THERE, IT IS THE VENDORS WHO ARE COMING IN AND OUT OF THAT FACILITY, AND THEN COMING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE ARE ASKING FOR FOUR THINGS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS ASKED FOR ONE UNIVERSAL TESTING.

THERE'S NO EXCUSE IN TODAY'S WORLD TO NOT

[03:10:01]

DO UNIVERSAL TESTING.

THE SECOND THING IS WE HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT HERE, THE LSU WASTEWATER PROJECT THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED ON A DIME AT THAT FACILITY AND SHOULD BE THE THIRD THING IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LITERALLY HANDING OUT IN THE MYRIADS IN 95 MATHS.

I WATCHED THE COURT EVERY DAY.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THAT FACILITY, NOT TO HAVE THE BEST EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR AND WHETHER OR NOT ANYBODY ELSE DOES IT, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO TAKE OUR EYES OFF.

WE WANT TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES BASED ON A 100% UNIVERSAL TESTING MODEL.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHO HAS DIED, WHO HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED THE DASHBOARD.

AND AGAIN, THEY ALL REPORTING OUT THE NUMBERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FAMILIES HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.

AND DOC REPORTS OUT THEIR NUMBERS BY A FACILITY THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK UNIVERSAL TESTING.

JUST IT'S EASY.

THE IDEA THAT WE WON'T USE SOME OF OUR OWN TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE, NOT JUST, AND I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH.

IT IS NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN THE JAIL, WHATEVER YOU THINK IT IS.

THE FACT THAT PEOPLE COME IN AND OUT OF THAT FACILITY, GO HOME, GO INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, GO TO WALMART, EVERY PLACE ELSE FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS THERE.

I PROMISE YOU DOES NOT STAY THERE.

1, 2, 3, 5 WAVERLEY DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.

WISHING TO SPEAK ITEM 1 48.

MY NAME IS LINDA FRANKS.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND ACTUALLY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY RESPECTFUL OF OUR CONCERNS AND HAS BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BOARD OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO BE EDUCATED ON WHAT IS GOING ON FOR US TO HAVE A BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE.

AND SO I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND HER AND YOU FOR HAVING THIS REPORT BEING READ TO YOU.

BUT I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO IS LEARN FROM THE LESSONS OF THE PAST.

WHEN I BROUGHT CORRECT HEALTH IN HERE TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH HEALTHCARE IN THE PARISH, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO CALL IT A PRISON BECAUSE IT IS A JAIL.

IT IS A PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTER AND THOSE CITIZENS IN THERE, WHATEVER YOU MAY THINK OF THEM OR WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF DOING HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF DOING SOMETHING AND HAVE NOT HAD THEIR DAY IN COURT AND HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED OF CRIME.

SO THEY ARE DOING THEIR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE.

AND IT WAS FOR THIS BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DOING ITS DUE DILIGENCE TO MONITOR WHAT IS IN YOUR PURVIEW TO MONITOR AND HAVING TURKEY, BEING VERY RECEPTIVE TO OUR, UM, FOR MEETING WITH US AND TO, TO, TO, UM, DIALOGUING WITH US AND MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED BECAUSE THERE ARE CITIZENS OF THIS PARISH WHOSE CHILDREN, WHOSE WIVES AND HUSBANDS, FOR WHATEVER REASON.

AND I THINK THAT IF YOU AVAIL YOURSELF OF SOME OF THE STATISTICS, YOU WILL, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE IN THAT PARISH.

IN FACT, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT JAIL ARE NOT THERE FOR KILLING OR ROBBING OR, OR, OR, UH, UH, THE HEINOUS CRIMES THAT WE WOULD WANT TO GIVE OURSELF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE TO MAKE, TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO LOOK AWAY WHEN THEY ARE BEING MISTREATED.

SO AGAIN, I DO WANT TO JUST SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS BEING BROUGHT.

WE HOPE THAT YOU DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO BE ABLE TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE WHAT THE TAX PAYERS ARE PAYING TURNKEY TO DO AND TAKING CARE OF OUR CITIZENS IN THAT FACILITY.

COMES IN, THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO THAT.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 48? SURE.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS, COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF, IF, UH, MA'AM, IF YOU COULD COME BACK UP AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE POINTS, PARTICULARLY THE 90% QUARANTINE FIGURE, IS THAT A LEVEL OF QUARANTINE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY AT? AND IF SO, WHAT DOES THAT FIGURE LOOK LIKE WHEN WE SAY QUARANTINE OR RECORDING LINE BY LINE? UM, OR YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME TOO, BECAUSE I'M STILL LEARNING THE FACILITY IN THEIR LINES AND THEIR UNITS.

BUT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT, UM, EVERYBODY THAT'S BOOKED INTO THE JAIL, THEY GO INTO QUARANTINE OR IF THEY ARE POSITIVE, THEY GO INTO ISOLATION FOR THAT 10 DAYS.

SO WHOEVER

[03:15:01]

THERE IS NO, I CANNOT NOT DO THAT.

EVERYBODY THAT COMES INTO THE JAIL OR THAT IF SOMEONE IS INSIDE THE JAIL AND THEY PRESENT, BUT AS FAR AS IT BEING 90%, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S 90%, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL NUMBER TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CDC, WHEN THEY CHANGED THEIR QUARANTINE PERIOD, WE WERE ABLE TO RELEASE 32 ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE BACK INTO THE GENERAL POPULATION.

AND, UM, SO THAT CLEARED OUT A HUGE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD THERE.

UM, UM, SO, OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, SO FOR THE INTAKE QUARANTINE, BUT PAINT ME A PICTURE OF, OF INTAKE.

QUARANTINE LOOKS LIKE COMPARED TO SAY SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, RIGHT? SO IS THAT, IS THERE A LINE WHERE, UH, IS, IS THERE A LINE WHERE, UM, THE INTAKE FOLKS ARE QUARANTINED AS A GROUP OR WHEN WE SAY QUARANTINE, ARE WE, ARE WE BASICALLY DOING SOLITARY CONFINEMENT? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON A POD, THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING TO HOUSE EVERYBODY INDIVIDUALLY.

SO THERE ARE PODS OR UNITS SET ASIDE FOR THOSE WHEN THEY COME IN.

AND SO THERE MAY BE 30, 40 PEOPLE ON EACH, YOU KNOW, LINE OR UNIT, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CALL THEM.

SO THEY'RE NOT IN THERE BY THEMSELVES.

UM, WE ALSO, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE, UM, THEY ARE IN THE ISOLATION UNIT.

AND AGAIN, BECAUSE OF HOUSING ISSUES, THERE ARE SEVERAL POSITIVES HOUSED ON THE SAME UNIT BECAUSE THAT'S THE RESTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK IN.

UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS IN ALL OF OUR PLACES.

SO, UM, THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE STANDARD PRACTICE WHEN IT COMES TO TESTING, ARE WE PROACTIVE AND OFFERING TESTS? I'VE SEEN IT IN YOUR REPORT THAT, UM, YOU SAY UPON REQUEST OR PRESENTATION OF SYMPTOMS, BUT ARE WE PROACTIVELY ENCOURAGING AND THAT KIND OF THING FOR FOLKS TO GET TESTED? YES.

UM, MY NURSES, WE, THEY, WE HAVE SICK CALL AVAILABLE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

IF THEY WANT TO BE TESTED, THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT IF WE SEE SOMEBODY THAT WE THINK, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO BE TESTED, THEN WE WILL GET THEM TO MEDICAL.

WE WILL GET THEM TESTED.

UM, WE ENCOURAGE THE VACCINATIONS.

THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE RIGHTS, THEY HAVE CHOICES, THEY CAN REFUSE, WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO DO ANYTHING.

UM, WE CAN ONLY OFFER IT.

SO, UH, I DO JUST WANT TO SAY IN REGARDS TO THE MEDICAL STAFF, THAT'S IN THERE, UM, THEY ARE IN THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO WORK.

UM, IT'S NOT GLAMOROUS WORKING IN A JAIL MEDICAL, AND THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR NURSES AND DOCTORS RIGHT NOW, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THERE THEY'RE IN THERE BECAUSE THEY CARE AND THEY'RE IN THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR THEIR PATIENTS TOO.

THEY DON'T LOOK AT THEM AS, AS INMATES.

UM, WE DON'T KNOW THEIR CHARGES, WHAT THEY'RE IN THERE FOR, TO US, THEY ARE PATIENTS.

UM, AND WE'RE IN THERE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, JUST LIKE IF THEY WERE IN THE HOSPITAL.

SO I JUST WANT, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.

UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, PEOPLE ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE THERE.

UM, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE BEST PLACE TO WORK.

SO CERTAINLY THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO REFUSE A VACCINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ONE OF THE FOLKS, UH, BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF UNIVERSAL MANDATORY TESTING.

IS THERE NO ABILITY FOR Y'ALL TO DO THAT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE CONSIDERED? I DON'T SEE HOW YOU COULD DO TESTING.

UM, I MEAN, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO CARE.

IF THEY HAVE RIGHTS MEDICAL AS A WHOLE, WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO DO IT.

NOW, IF DETENTION WANTED TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING, THEN WE COULD GO THAT ROUTE.

BUT MEDICAL OURSELVES, WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO BE TESTED FOR ANYTHING OR TO TAKE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WANT THEM TO DO TO HELP THEM BE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE.

YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, I CAN'T MAKE THEM.

WE CAN TRY TO EDUCATE THEM AND SHOW THEM ALL THE REASONS WHY THEY SHOULD DO THESE THINGS.

BUT AT THE END THEY HAVE THE CHOICE.

I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE CARE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THE FOLKS OUT THERE.

83, YOUR RESOLUTION FOR PROVIDING A CANVASSING OF, UH, TERMS IN DECLARING WHO WAS OUT OF THE COLLECTION OF THE CHAIN OF YOUR FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

WE'LL NOW, UH, GOING TO MOVE ON.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GONNA MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY.

WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, 37 MINUTES LEFT IN OUR REGULAR TIME, UNLESS YOU WANT TO EXTEND.

UH, SO I'LL TRY TO GET US DONE BEFORE EIGHT O'CLOCK, UM, ITEM

[83. 22-00006]

NUMBER SEVEN, THE PARENTS OF THESE BANDWIDTHS, THEY'LL BE THERE ON A SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11TH, 2021

[03:20:02]

FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING RENEWAL OF THE LEVEL OF COLLECTION OF 10 MEALS.

I HAVE ALARM TAX TO BE USED IN ITALIAN MISCUES, LEAVE TO ACQUIRE CONSTRUCT, IMPROVE, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES IN THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF FIRE TRUCKS AND OTHER FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, AND TO PAY THE COST OF RETAINING THE WATER AND FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSE, AND INCLUDING A HIDER RAIL AND SERVICE AT A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, CONVINCING THEM WITH THE TAX COLLECTION VIA 20, 22.

AND THEN WE DID TWO, TWO, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2031, AND PROVIDING A MATTERS CONDITION DEALT WITH BY THE BOND COUNCIL.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 83.

WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOST TO APPROVED BY COUNCIL, THEN WE'LL GO THERE.

SECOND ABOUT HERS.

WE'RE TO TAKE ITEMS

[Items 84 - 89]

4 84 THROUGH 89 TOGETHER.

WE SENDING IT TO RICK AND THE CLERK COURT.

THE COUNCIL DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON AUGUST 16TH, 2020 1, 1 4 2 9 40 FOURTH STREET.

AND HE'S A FORMER CITIZEN.

THE PROPERTY OWNER IS WINTER BUYING THE PROPERTY AND PLANS TO MOVE BACK BY THE CHAIR.

ITEM 85 WAS SITTING IN THE REGULAR THIRD QUARTER COUNSELING DECISION ORDER RECORD ON MAY 24TH, 2021 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE BY THE LISA JONES OR, OR HE SAID TO ME, THE WILL SAY, UH, ASHLEY WILL SAY IN TASHA C 5 0 6, 5 0 1 6 STREET.

REASON FOR RESCISSION TO PROPERTY IS BEING RENOVATED AND PLAYS BACK INTO COMMERCE ABOUT A CHAIR ITEM 86 WAS SITTING IN THE RECORD CLERK COURT, A COUNCIL DECISION IN ORDER RECORDED ON MAY 19TH, 2021 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS ALONZO TELLER, 206, EVERGREEN DRIVE, REAL SHED UTILITY TRAILER AND REASON FOR RESCISSION.

THE HOMEOWNER HAS THE AGREEMENT TO SELL THE PROPERTY AND THE NEW ORLEANS INTENDS TO ACQUIRE AND PERMANENT THE MAZDA HOME AND REBILL BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN ITEM 87% IN DIRECT IN THE COURT RECORD.

THE COUNCIL DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON NOVEMBER 16TH, 2021, NO MATTER WHAT CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS BRUCE JAMES, THE ARTIST, JOAN 2 9, 6, 6, 12 AVENUE WAS THE REASON FOR RESCISSION.

THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS CLEANED THE PROPERTY, PUT UP A FENCE THAT PAINTED THE BUILDING AND HAS HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO REPAIR THE ROOF.

MY COUNSEL MEMBER COLEMAN ITEM 88 WAS SENDING A DIRECT AND CLEAR RECORD OF COUNCIL DECISION TO ORDER ON THE SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2021, NO MATTER WHAT CITY OR BAND OR THE VERSE AND BYRON IS COLD EIGHT TO FIVE SOUTH 16TH STREET WE'RE USING FOR RESCISSION TO PROPER NUNA HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE CONTRACT AND ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN A PERMIT TO REPAIR AND MOVING TO THE RESIDENCE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE NIGHT AND MADE A NINE AND SITTING IN A WRECK AND A CLEAR RECORD THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY IN ORDER TO RECORD ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2021 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PLEASE BRIAN IT WITH GRANT AND A FIVE ZERO WITH STEREO STREET.

HOW SOMEBODY SHARED A REASON FOR SENDING PRIVATE CITIZEN, THE PROPERTY OWNERS MISTAKENLY ALLOWED TO PROCEED TO COMBINATION THE HOMEOWNER HAS COMMITTED TO REMEDIATION OF THE PROJECT BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO BE ITEMS 84 THROUGH 89 COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBER COMA.

SECOND ABOUT HERS, ANY OPPOSITION? WE NOW GO TO

[90. 22-00048]

ITEM 90 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF CLAIM OR FRANKLIN DBA F PROPERTIES, LLC, FOR DAMAGES RESULTING IN THE SEWER BACKUP IN THE FOURPLEX FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $33,550 AND 54 CENTS, WHICH YOUR SHOULD BE PAID FROM THE ACCOUNT DESIGNATED INSURANCE BY PARENTS, ATTORNEYS, ANYONE HERE THAT WE SHOULDN'T SPEAK ON 90.

AND I WOULD HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY GO DAY SEVEN.

AND BY MOLT ANY OPPOSITION, WE GO TO 91

[91. 22-00053]

AUTHORIZE THE SETTLEMENT CLAIM PROGRESSING TOTAL THE VERDE INSURANCE COMPANY.

SO TURNS THE BIRD FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE AND AMOUNT OF $10,403 AND NINTH.

WE SENT TO BE PAID BY PER REQUEST OF PALOVERDE INSURANCE COMPANY, AS SURROGATE OF TENS LABORED BY THE PARIS ATTORNEYS.

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON 91, ANYONE GO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GO.

THESE MOTIONS TO APPROVE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, LET'S SEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KNOLL AND THE OPPOSITION

[92. 22-00059]

TO GRID ITEM MONEY TO AUTHORIZE.

INSTEAD OF IN YOUR CLAIM WITH NANCY BAKER FOR DAMAGES WAS ONLY FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN A HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $14,773 AND 32 7 BY PARENTS, ATTORNEYS, ANYONE WHO SPEAK ON 92, WE GO TO COUNCIL NOW, MOTION TO APPROVE.

I GO THEY SECOND.

AND BY ADAMS, I WAS WONDERING WHERE YOU WENT, BUT A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ANY OPPOSITION TO GO TO 93 AUTHORIZED

[93. 22-00060]

SETTLEMENT OF CLAIM WHERE EVELYN PEARSON, THE DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP AND A FOURPLEX FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $45,571 AND 85% BY THE PARISH ATTORNEYS ANYWAY, TO SPEAK ON 93, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAM SECONDED BY THE CHAIR ABOUT MONTH BY OPPOSITION.

WE GO TO ITEM 94

[94. 22-00068]

IN ORDER TO SETTING FORWARD TO 2021 TO 2020 CENSUS COUNTS IN EACH CURRENT CITY PARIS METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ELECTION DISTRICT AT DETERMINING WHETHER REDISTRICTING AS REQUIRED BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ITEM 94 WITHOUT GO TO COUNSELORS, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS, THE MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BUYERS, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SETTING IT BY.

YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL MEMBER BOLT.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAM SETTING THE BUYERS COUNCIL.

NOTHING THAT'S BEEN DRAWN UP.

UM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE HAVE, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP THAT WE'VE SET FORTH IN DOING THE, UH, REDISTRICTING AND EVERYTHING FROM A CITY PARISH STANDPOINT.

AM I CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

WE HAVE NO MAPS OUT THERE.

WE HAVE

[03:25:01]

THEY HAVEN'T STARTED WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU JUST DISCUSS THE WORKSHOP POSSIBLY AND EVERYTHING, BUT TECHNICALLY NOTHING SHOULD BE OUT THERE.

UM, NOTHING OFFICIAL SHOULD BE OUT THERE.

I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE DRAWING MAPS FOR WHAT THEY THINK THAT METRO COUNCIL DISTRICTS SHOULD BE.

UM, BUT OUR DEMOGRAPHER HAS NOT DRAWN ANY MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT TO US.

THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO STATE IT FOR THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL PHONE CALLS THIS WEEK ASKING ME WHY I'M LOOKING TO APPROVE A COUPLE OF MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT THERE AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, WE'VE DONE NOTHING AS FAR AS OTHER THAN THIS FIRST MEETING RIGHT HERE IN IMPROVING THIS PROCESS TO GET STARTED.

THAT'S THE FIRST THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, FROM A CITY PARISH STANDPOINT, THIS, THIS JUST SAYS THAT Y'ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO REDISTRICT.

TO 95, RAN A SALES TAX REBATE ESTIMATED AT, BUT NO MORE THAN $498,880 TO LA HERMANA MARRIOTT LLC LOCATED AT 4 5 1 FLORIDA STREET.

JUST WANT TO GO OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC MOSTLY TO APPROVAL BY ADAM SETTING THERE BY HERS.

ANY OPPOSITION ITEM 94 CARRIES.

WE GO

[95. 21-01776]

THIS PROJECT WE'RE CREATING SEVEN NEW FULL-TIME JOBS BY PLANNING DIRECTORS, ANYONE HE HAD TO SPEAK ON ITEM 95.

WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOHLER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 97.

WE DID

[97. 21-01768]

96 97 AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.

NUMBER ONE TO THE CONTRACT POST ARCHITECTS, GOOD EVAN AND JOINT VENTURE FOR ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTRACT FOR SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARIAN AND AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $34,500.

IS ANYONE HERE? EXCUSE ME, BY THE BUILDING AND GROUND DIRECT ANYONE TO SPEAK ON 97, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL? MY BOTTOMS SECONDED BY MO ANY OPPOSITION.

WE GO TO ITEM 9 8 1 2 3 4 5.

[99. 21-01771]

AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR PREFERENCE ACCEPTED.

GRANTED NEED TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OF OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES WITH THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF NARCOTICS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,370,571 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.

I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO SPEAK ON ITEM 99.

WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER THE MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, ADAM, SETTING IT BY GO DAY.

ANY OPPOSITION WITHOUT OH, SUE SPEAK, SPEAK, SPEAK.

WELL, YOU SECOND IN THERE.

I DO KNOW.

I WANT TO ASK MS. 13.

SHE'S HE LOVES WHEN I CALL HER UP HERE.

UM, I, THIS ONE, THE NEXT ONE IS BURNING ME.

IF YOU'LL STAY UP.

I JUST WANT YOU TO TALK THROUGH WHAT SERVICES ARE OFFERED.

WE GOT 1.37 MILLION COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, GET THE WORKFORCE COMMISSION.

SO UNDER THIS GRANT WHERE WE HELP THE COMMUNITY WITH RENT, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, UM, MEDICATION, UH, TO QUALIFY, UH, RESIDENTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS CAN CONTACT THE EAST BATON ROUGE OFFICES, SOCIAL SERVICES FOR, UH, TO FIND OUT IF THEY QUALIFY.

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENTS, EXCEPT THE RENT, AN INTENT TO CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, OFFICER SERVICES, SOCIAL SERVICES WITH THE LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION FOR LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND AN AMOUNT OF $559,271 BY HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR.

IF YOU'LL HANG ON, I'LL DO A QUICK, UH, ROUTINE ON THE NEXT ONE.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, ADAM SECONDARY BY MO ANY OPPOSITION.

WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 100,

[100. 21-01772]

AND I WANT YOU TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100, NOT WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL.

IF YOU WOULD MATCH, JUST PLEASE SPEAK TO THE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED WITH THIS 600,000.

THIS IS OUR LIE HEAP ENERGY PROGRAM THAT HELPS FOLKS WITH UTILITY BILLS.

THIS IS JUST OUR ADMINISTRATIVE COST TO ADMINISTER THAT PROGRAM.

OH, THIS IS ADMINISTRATIVE.

SO THIS IS NOT FUN.

PEOPLE CAN APPLY FOR THAT'S.

1, 0 3 AUTHORIZED MAYOR PRESIDENT

THIS IS JUST ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF THAT, RIGHT? UM, THE PUBLIC CAN APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE.

WE'VE BEEN HELPING SINCE THE COVID.

WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST $3 MILLION HELPING FOLKS TO KEEP UTILITIES OLD OR RESTORATIVE SERVICES AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

EXCUSE ME.

I'M SO SORRY TO SPEAK OVER FOLKS IN CONTACT, UH, ALSO SOCIAL SERVICE.

THANK YOU, MS. BERNADINE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SETTING THE BAR GO DATE.

WE NOW MOVE TO ITEM 1 0 2.

[102. 21-01780]

WE DID.

ONE-ON-ONE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT OFFICER OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY BORDER CONTROL PROTECT SUCH ATHENS HAS MADE ME NECESSARILY RECONFIGURED TRACK OF THE RAFT IMPORT PROPERTY.

BANNER IS CONSISTING OF TWO ACRES.

SO AS FAR TO RE LOCATED THE LIBRARY MAIN ENTRANCE TO ROSEANNE SQUARE AVENUE AND EXCHANGE, AND WE SUBDIVISION OF AN ADJACENT PROPERTY BY THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0, 2, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ITEM 1 0 2, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY NO SECOND EMBARGO DAY, WE GO NOW TO ITEM

[103. 21-01781]

[03:30:01]

TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE OF THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 19TH, 2020 BY IN BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND SOUTH CENTRAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FOR THE TECHNICAL SERVICES FOR PERMITS AND ESPECIALLY TO PROVIDE AN INCREASE IN 2 21, 20 21 CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $19,337 AND 50 CENTS FOR TOTAL 2021 CONTRACT VALUE OF $682,337 AND 50 CENTS BY THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1, 0 3.

THERE'S NO OPPOSITION AUTHORIZED.

IS THERE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1 0 3.

SO MOVED BY.

LET'S SEE YOU.

WON'T GO WITH YOUR DAY.

MYSELF CHAIR, SECONDED BY ADAMS. WE NOW

[104. 22-00004]

GO TO ITEM 1, 0 4.

THE MAYOR PRESENTS ACCEPTED GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,500,000 AND THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR.

IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 4.

WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY ENECO SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OPPOSITION

[105. 22-00025]

WOULD GO TO 1 0 5 AUTHORIZED THE FINANCING DIRECTOR TO REFUND AND IRANIANS PERMITTING OF SALES AND USE OF GALENA EQUIPMENT RENTAL, LLC, AND AN AMOUNT OF 114,380 2009, 9 CENTS FOR A MEETING SALES AND USE TAX OF EASTBOUND WITH PARIS ON EQUIPMENT DELIVERED OUTSIDE THE PAIRS BY THE FINANCE DIRECTORS.

AND WE WANT YOU TO SPEAK ON 1 0 5.

WHEN I WOULD HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOST TO APPROVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECOND OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM

[106. 22-00030]

1, 0 6 WITH NO OPPOSITION AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ARI BRASCO TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FUNDING, ANY SERVICES WITH CIVIL SOLUTIONS CONSULTING GROUP, INC, WITH A SUB CONSULTANT.

DME IS INCORPORATED IN CONNECTION WITH DAN WWTP FINAL CLARIFY NINE SLOW REPAIR PROJECT FOR A FEE NOT TO EXCEED $85,000.

IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 6? WHEN I GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY ADAMS? IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND BY THE CHAIRS AND THE OPPOSITION SHOWING NONE NOW DEAL 1 0 7 AND 1 0 8.

WE NOW GO TO 1 0 9

[109. 22-00051]

AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENTS EXECUTED CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES WITH SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS, LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH WILL BE OUR CAPACITY PROJECT.

BEING A ROAD, REALIGNMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND JOURNEYS DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 9.

NOW I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE 1 0 9, SOME MOVED BY ADAMS. SOMEBODY WANTS TO, OH, I DON'T PROBABLY MOTION BY ADAMS SECONDED BY NOLAN.

WAS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ITEM CARES? WE NOW GO TO

[110. 22-00052]

ITEM ONE 10, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT EXECUTED SOMETHING.

WHEN I'VE READ THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER SERVICES WITH GEC INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOOD BR CAPACITY, PROJECT BLUE BOND AND BOULEVARD, PERKINS ROAD TO PROCARDIA AND AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $213,617 AND 66 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION IS RANGED DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ITEM ONE 10.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE, 10 COUNCIL MEMBERS MOBILE BY ADAM'S SECOND VOTE A NO OPPOSITION.

ONE

[111. 22-00054]

11 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT EXECUTED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.

NUMBER ONE TO A CONTRACT WITH BONTON ASSOCIATES, LLC.

SO INCLUDING AN ADDITION IN AN EPISODE, IF THE SIDEWALK BEARS ALONG JACKSON AVENUE, WASHINGTON AVENUE, FAIRFAX AVENUE, AND EXISTING FAIR FOR THAT AREA.

ADH TRANSITION PROJECT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,813 BY TRANSPORTATION AND CHINESE DIRECTOR.

THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM TO SPEAK ON ONE 11 BACK TO COUNCIL.

SO MOVED BY THE CHAIR, SECONDED BY ADAMS.

[112. 22-00055]

WE NOW GO TO ONE 12 WITH NO OPPOSITION AUTHORIZE.

THE MAYOR.

PRESIDENT TAKES YOU TO CONTRACT WITH DESTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES WITH ECM CONSULTANTS INCORPORATED WITH SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVIE OFF CAPACITY PROJECT, SOUTH, TALK TO A DRIVE AND AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $298,000 A DAY.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 12.

WE NOW GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SOMEONE WILL BUY ITEMS. SECOND.

THEY BUY THE CHAIR AND THE OPPOSITION WOULD GO TO ITEM ONE 13

[113. 22-00056]

AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR OF PRESIDENT EXECUTED CONTRACT PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVIE, OUR CAPACITY PROJECT ON THE HIGHWAY, SOUTH IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,992,921 AND 40 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON 13, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVED BY ADAMS. SECOND.

IF I GO THERE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A REQUEST TO DO, TO DEFER ITEMS ONE 14 AND ONE 15 TO THE FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING AUTHORIZED THE METROPOLITAN AND I'M GOING TO TAKE THEM TOGETHER.

AUTHORIZED THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE A LOT 1 68, A LESSON AND ACCEPT ORIGINAL LOT 1 68, A WILMINGTON ESTATE.

SECOND FOLLOWING SUBDIVISION AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING TO SELL THE SAME PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33 CODE AND 4 71 2 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY ITEM ONE 15 AUTHORIZING METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE A LOT 1 69, 8 LESS AND ACCEPTING THE ORIGINAL LOT OF 1 69 OF WILMINGTON.

THE STATE'S SECOND FILING SUBDIVISION AS SURPLUS, PROBABLY NOT NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAYING PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33 CODE AND 4 71, 2 ON TWO JUSTIN WAYNE FOR NOT LESS THAN THE SUM OF $2,000 BY A PARIS ATTORNEY.

IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ONE 14

[03:35:01]

AND ONE 15, GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAMS OR EXCUSE ME, MOSTLY TO THE FIRST BOTH ITEMS TO THE FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING BY ADAMS SECONDED BY NEWELL.

BOTH ITEMS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED.

GO DOWN TO ONE 16,

[116. 22-00064]

AUTHORIZING THEIR PRESENT EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH GEC INCORPORATED WITH SUBSTANCE SALTERS, GO TAKE INCORPORATED.

STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES INCORPORATED IS SOUTHERN EARTH SCIENCES INCORPORATED FOR ANY OF THEIR SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CITY PARIS PROJECT AND AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $1,466,280 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 16, WE GO TO COUNCIL.

ANY MOTION, MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.

I ALMOST 16 HAS PASSED.

WE DID ONE 17 COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE NOW GO TO ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES.

[Items 118 - 135]

I HAD WANTED SEEING A LOT EIGHT SQUARE, 15 SUBDIVISION DUCHENNE PLACE, DISTRICT 10 AND HIGH BID, A MICHAEL TUCKER, $300.

I DIDN'T WANT FOR ONE 18.

I'M GOING TO TAKE ONE 18 ALL THE WAY THROUGH 1 35 TOGETHER.

ONE 19 LOT, 17 PLUS GRADE SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY PLACE BANKS.

LARRY CAUGHT A $100 HIGH BIDDER ITEM, ONE 20 LOT 25 AND 26 SQUARE AT 35 SUBDIVISION BANK, DISTRICT 10.

I'VE BEEN IN MARVIN AUGUSTUS, $4,100 ITEM 1 21, NOT EIGHT SQUARE, FIVE SUBDIVISION MILES CITY, METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.

I'VE BEEN A LUCKY HSA.

YARBRO $11,000 21, 22 LOT 70 SQUARE ONE-ON-ONE SUBDIVISION, SOUTH BATON ROUGE AND MUCH CONFERENCE AT 10.

HAPPY TO WANTING TO SEALS LAWRENCE GORHAM, $30,000 LAWRENCE CORNEUM JR.

$30,000 ITEM 1 23, LOT 47 SUBDIVISION.

NEW FAIRFIELD DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER, ANGELA ROBINSON, $100 ITEM 1 24, A LOT 47 TO 48 SQUARE AT 33 SUBDIVISION FORTUNE DISTRICT FIVE HERTZ.

I BEEN IN THE RENZO HUDSON, $500.

I DIDN'T WANT 25 LIVE 41 8 SUBDIVISION SUMMER PLACE DISTRICT TWO BANKS, HIGH BIDDER, MARY AND GOSHA JUNIOR $1,000.

I DIDN'T 1 26 BY 21 SUBDIVISION, ONE CHESTER DISTRICT FOR A MOAT HIGH BETTER CALL FERGUSON $6,000, ONE TWENTY SEVEN LOT 23 SQUARE 28 SUBDIVISION EAST FAIRFIELD DISTRICT SEVEN COLE BEEN TO MARSHA CAUGHT A $15,000 ITEM, 1 28, LOT, 2 42 SUBDIVISION NORTH MARY DALE DISTRICT FIVE HERTZ HOT BITTER SOUTHERN UNITED AND INCORPORATED $63,000.

1 29 LOCKED 66 PLUS SUBDIVISION FOUND IN PLACE.

DISTRICT FIVE HERTZ PIPEFITTER KENOSHA, $63,500.

ITEM ONE 20, EXCUSE ME.

I AM ONE 30 LOT, THREE AND FOUR SQUARE, 10 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE, DISTRICT 10, CALL THEM.

AND I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE AS LONG AS COREY I'M $700 ITEM, 1 31, A LOT 43 SQUARE 51 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE, EXTENSION DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BID DOC DIANA OLIVER, $500 ITEM 1 30, 2 LOT EIGHT AND NINTH GRADE SUBDIVISION EATON PARK DISTRICT SEVEN POLE HIGHER BID SHIRLEY CATO, $22,800.

ITEM 1 33 LOT SEVEN PLUS SQUARE SEVEN SUBDIVISION LELAND COLLEGE ANNEX DISTRICT TWO BANKS, HIGH BIDDER, VIVIAN KING, $6,500 ITEM 1 34 LIVE FIRE SQUARE, 13 SUBDIVISION PROSPERITY DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER.

ALONZA CSUN IS $100.

I DON'T WANT 35 LOT NINE PLUS SQUARE 49 SUBDIVISION IN SOUTH BATON ROUGE, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BID AND WON THE SEALS.

LAUREN'S GONE $8,000.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE 18 THROUGH 1 35.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS? COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAMS SECONDED BY AMARILLO.

SO NO ADMINISTRATIVE

[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]

MATTERS, NO ADMINISTRATOR.

WE DO ONE ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER.

COUNCIL MEMBERS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, EXCEPT ONCE A LOW BID SHIFT IN SARASOTA DRIVE VR REPLACEMENTS MT.

INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC, 3 MILLION, $127,815 AND 10 SENT BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINERS DIRECTOR.

READING IS EITHER BEING REQUESTED AS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS, TIME SENSITIVE CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO SHIT.

80% FEDERAL 20% LOCAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ENTITY, STATE AGREEMENT.

DLT HAD DOTD HAS SECURED THE CONTRACT SIGNATURE AND CITY PARIS NEEDS TO STAY WITHIN THE 45 DAY GUIDELINE.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES ARE THERE MOST OF THE WAY TO WAS SOME MOVED BY ADAM.

SECOND TO BY THE CHAIR, WE NOW HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOST WAY TO ROUTE.

I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION WAY THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THE MOST OF THE WAY, THE RULES, ANYONE IN OPPOSITION TO THE MOST OF THE WAY TO RULE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED THE HEARING.

WE NOT OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM, BUT NOW I HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE.

THERE ARE MOST APPROVED.

SOME MOVE BY ITEM.

SECOND BY HERS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER HAD BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW GO TO APPOINTMENTS, CAPITA ATTORNEYS, THE SYSTEM BOARD OR COMMISSION CAT'S KIND OF OUT.

AND MELISSA DEGENERATES.

PATRICK DOW IS MEGAN JACKSON, JONATHAN HILL AND SUMMIT.

PIERRE PARIS, TILLER, JONATHAN

[03:40:01]

, UH, SENT LETTERS REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT.

WHEN HE DOES SPEAK OF ITEM 1 36.

I DIDN'T WANT HERE.

CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTED OR REPLACING JONATHAN HILL, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2021 EFFECTIVE JANUARY CURRENT BATTLE.

IS THERE A MOTION OUT COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, UM, MOVE THAT WE APPOINT MELISSA TO GENEROUS TO THIS SEAT.

UH, COUNSELING MATTERS.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THE TWO THAT WERE APPOINTED FIRST? I MEAN THAT WHILE WE'RE ON THE BOARD FIRST AND BEN GO TO MELISSA.

YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW? OR DOES IT MATTER? LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO LET'S OKAY.

LET'S GO.

UH, LET'S TAKE JONATHAN.

HE'LL ANSWER ME UP THERE FIRST.

THEN WE'LL GO TO YOUR PERSON.

SO, UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT JONATHON HILL? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPOINT JOHN TO HILL THE SECOND.

SO MOVED BY COLMA.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION, JONATHAN HERE YOU'VE BEEN APPOINTED AND 1 37

[137. 22-00009]

MELISSA DEGENDER WAS PATRICK DOWNS.

MEGAN JACKSON, ANTOINETTE PIER AND PARIS.

TAYLOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? TELL ME, SO THE FIRST ITEM MORE FOR LOU WASN'T REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT AND I'LL NEED A MOTION TO APPOINT JONATHAN HILL ON THIS ITEM ON ITEM 1 37.

I MAKE THE MOST TO A POINT JONATHAN.

HE'LL SECOND BY CAROLYN COLEMAN.

NO OPPOSITION.

WE APPOINT THEM ON 1 37.

WE GO BACK TO ONE 30 NOW GO TO 1 39 39.

[139. 22-00011]

TO REAPPOINT AND REPLACING ANTOINETTE THAT PA CURRENT BATTLE.

MELISSA GENERALISTS, PATRICK DOWNS, PARIS TELLING THE ANTOINETTE PIER MOTION.

AND THEN WE'LL SPEAK.

NO MOTION ANSWERED THAT SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OPPOSITION ANTOINETTE.

NOW WE GO BACK TO 1 36, CORRECT? YES.

NOW I WANT

[136. 22-00007]

36.

IT AGAIN, CONSIDERATION.

REPLACING MORE BLUE IS NOT SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT.

MELISSA DEGENERATES, PATRICK BOUNCED DOWN THE HILL AND PARIS.

TAILORS IS THEIR EMOTIONS MORE SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ADAMS TO APPOINT MELISSA TO GENEROUS.

IS THERE A SECOND FROM MELISSA TO JANUARY'S COUNCIL MEMBER? HUDSON, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 38

[138. 22-00010]

CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING LAWRENCE LAMBERT WHO IS NOT SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT.

CURRENT VALID PATRICK DOWNS.

MEGAN JACKSON, PARIS CHILLER.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPOINT.

MEGAN JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND FOR MAYOR JACKSON OR SOMEBODY ELSE HAD SECOND BY HERS? ANY OPPOSITION TO MEGAN JACKSON, THERE WAS OPPOSITION TO THREE.

YOU WANT TO MAYBE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPOINT PATRICK DOWNS.

HOLD ON.

BEFORE WE GO THERE, WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO WANTED TO SPEAK.

I APOLOGIZE, SIR, BUT MY NAME IS PATRICK DOWNS.

5 8, 8, 8 CLEMATIS DRIVE.

I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR THE CAT SPORT.

I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH MS. COLEMAN ON THE CATS BOARD THAT I HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NOW, THE TENANT YOU CAN DO THE BALLOT.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE'LL DO THE BALLOT.

WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE NAMES AS THEY ARE APPEAR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO VOTE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PRESS A NO JUST DON'T VOTE AT ALL.

SO WE'LL TAKE THEM IN ORDER.

AND THEN THIS I'M SORRY IN THIS ROUND THAT YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE.

SO, UM, FOR WHEN I'M GOING TO CALL EACH CANDIDATES NAME AND YOU CAN ONLY VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE IN THIS ROUND AND I'LL ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE IN A SECOND ROUND.

IF THAT'S WHAT WE GO TO, THE MACHINES ARE FIRST GOING TO BE OPEN FOR PATRICK DOWNS.

WHERE ARE YOU? OH, OKAY.

SO HE GETS SEVEN VOTES.

SO MR. NOW YOU'VE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE CASH BOOK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE NOW GO TO ITEM

[140. 22-00125]

ONE 40, EXCUSE ME.

ONE SECOND.

CHANGE ORDERS ITEM ONE 40 IN WWTP ADMINISTRATION, DEALER RENOVATION, CONTRACTOR TECH CONSULTING, CONSTRUCTION, LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $35,219 AND 79 CENTS.

AND WE WANTED TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 40.

NOW WE GO TO COUNCIL.

ANY MOTION TO APPROVE ON 40.

SO MOVE ITEMS SECONDED BY MRL.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIGHT OUR ACCEPTANCES.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEM

[Items 141 - 145]

1 41 TO 1 45 TOGETHER ON 41 IN WWTP FINDING INFLUENCE PUMP ELECTRICAL UPGRADES, EARNEST ELECTRICAL, 2 MILLION, $195,000, 1 42.

WE AND HIGHWAY 67 FOREST MAIN RELOCATION

[03:45:01]

TO SPARTAN DIRECTIONAL LLC.

$1,409,975 ITEM 1 43, FEW CROSS STREET, GRACIE STREET AREA, ADA TRANSITION PROJECT TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION, LLC, $279,950 AND 1 CENTS.

ITEM 1 44 TWIN OAKS DRIVE BRIDGE OVER CYPRUS BY YOUR BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, COASTAL CONTRACTORS, LLC, $1,450,775 AND 80 CENTS.

ITEM 1 45.

HE SPENT IT WAS FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, LOWER JONES CREEK CLEARING AND SNAGGING VANGUARD ATLANTIC LLC, $1,312,860 AND 40 CENTS.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 41, 1 45.

WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY MOKE.

SECOND IT BY EXCUSE ME, THAT COUNSEL.

I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT, BUT YOU DID RECOMMEND VANGUARD COULD, IT WAS THE SECOND LOW BIDDER, BUT THE REASON THE FIRST LOW BIDDER WAS REJECTED BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MEET THE SMALL BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS TO CALL JUST ABOUT, UH, ADVISE OUT THERE YESTERDAY.

AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE WENT TO THE SECOND LITTLE BIT.

THAT'S ALL MOTION BY MARK SECONDED BY GO TO, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ITEM IS APPROVAL.

[146. 22-00023]

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 46, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY PARIS OPEN DATA POLICY.

WE GOT 11 MINUTES COME ON DOWN HERE.

I WHITTLED MY 67 SLIDE PRESENTATION DOWN TO JUST SEVEN FOR Y'ALL CAUSE I KNOW NO IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT.

SO TODAY WE'RE PRESENTING OUR ANNUAL OPEN DATA POLICY REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2021.

SO JUST AS A REMINDER IN 2017 MAILROOM AND THE COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE OPEN DATA POLICY AND I'M GOING TO JUMP TO THE YEAR IN REVIEW.

UM, SO IN 2021, WE ADDED FOUR NEW DATA SETS ALONG WITH MAJOR UPDATES TO TWO ADDITIONAL DATA SETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR POPULAR COVID 19 DASHBOARD, WHICH TRACKS STATISTICS SPECIFIC TO EAST BATON ROUGE.

TO DATE THAT DASHBOARD HAS RECEIVED OVER HALF A MILLION VIEWS.

WE'VE ALSO ADDED SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX DATA FROM THE CDC, WHICH HAS BEEN VAL A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE MAYOR'S HEALTHY CITY INITIATIVE.

WE ALSO CREATED A DATA SETS OF DATA SETS, WHICH IS BASICALLY A CATALOG OF EVERY PIECE OF DATA THAT WE HAVE ON EITHER OPEN DATA BR OR THE EBR GIS PROGRAM.

UM, ALSO EARLIER IN 2021, WE, UH, LAUNCHED OR RELAUNCHED OPEN BUDGET BR UM, THAT PORTAL ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO VIEW THE CITY PARISH BUDGET AND IT USE USER-FRIENDLY FORMAT ALONG WITH ITS COMPANION APPLICATION, OPEN CHECKBOOK BR THE PUBLIC CAN NOW SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN BUDGETED BY CITY PARISH, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SPENT BY CITY PARISH, UM, EVERY DAY.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE STATE WAS AGAIN, UM, IMPACTED BY A MAJOR HURRICANE THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR EAST BATON ROUGE WAS ALSO AFFECTED.

WE HAD A LOT OF MAPS AND DATA COLLECTION TOOLS THAT WERE USED TO PREPARE FOR THE STORM AS WELL AS SUPPORT RECOVERY EFFORTS.

ONE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS, WE DON'T JUST, UH, PRIORITIZE PUBLISHING DATA, BUT WE'RE, UM, TRYING TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND COLLECTING DATA.

SO THROUGH FRED'S STORM WATER MASTER PLAN WE'RE MAPPING AND COLLECTING DRAINAGE RELATED DATA THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING OVER THE 70,000 STORM TRAINS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY UNMAPPED.

SO, AND WE'RE NOW BUILDING APPLICATIONS TO TRACK THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE, UH, DRAIN THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM, UM, SOMETHING MORE THAN TO SKIP TO, UH, PUBLIC OUTREACH.

SO THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH OUTREACH CONTINUES TO BE A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS.

UM, WE CAN'T JUST SIMPLY MAKE DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE DATA AND HOW TO USE THE DATA.

UM, THIS, OUR LAST YEAR WE LAUNCHED A HASHTAG TECH TUESDAY SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT ANY NEW DATA AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS RELEASED.

UM, WE PARTICIPATED IN OPEN DAY-TO-DAY SOUTHERN CITIES, WHICH WAS A, UH, A VIRTUAL EVENT THAT WAS HOSTED BY, UM, UH, UH, BATON ROUGE, PLUS FOUR OTHER CITIES.

THE MAYORS, UH, EXPLAINED HOW OPEN DATA IS IN TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR, UM, ADMINISTRATIONS AND THE DATA LEADS EACH PROVIDED INSIGHTS TO THE CITY'S SUCCESSES.

WE ALSO HELD OUT SEVENTH ANNUAL GIS DAY.

UM, SINCE THERE WAS A LULL ON COVID CASES, WE HOSTED A HYBRID EVENT WHERE WE HAD A 40 SOCIALLY DISTANCE ATTENDEES AND THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AND ANOTHER 35 VIRTUAL ATTENDEES.

I WANT TO TOUCH ON OUR CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY ON DEMAND SAID SERIES, WHICH I FEEL IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPACTFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR.

UM, IN 2020, WE HELD OUR FIRST CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY WITH, UH, THREE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UM, TAKING THE PUBLIC FOR THE BASICS OF OUR PLATFORMS

[03:50:01]

ALL THE WAY TO MORE ADVANCED FEATURES IN 2021, WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT APPROACH.

SO WE STARTED CREATING, UM, VERY SHORT NAIR NARRATED TUTORIALS ON HOW TO ACCESS AND USE THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN OPEN DATA AND GIS.

SO WE HAVE 21 VIDEOS THAT THE PUBLIC CAN NOW ACCESS, UM, VIA THE WEBSITE OR THE CITY PARISH YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

UM, SO THIS ALLOWS THE CITIZENS TO FOCUS ON THE TOPICS THEY'RE INTERESTED IN INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SIT THROUGH A LONG PRESENTATION.

UM, WE, UH, YEAH, SO WE HAVE A VERY SHORT SNIPPET.

IT'S 30 SECONDS LONG WARREN, CAN YOU PLAY NOW WILL SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU CAN DRILL DOWN DEEPER INTO THE BUDGET DATA.

AS LONG AS THE ITEMS YOU EXPLORE HAVE A NESTED RELATIONSHIP, YOU CAN LEFT CLICK ON AN ITEM IN THE CHART OR FROM THE LEDGER TO DRILL DOWN AND EXPLORE DEEPER INTO THE DATA.

WE'LL USE THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES.

IN THIS EXAMPLE, LET'S BREAK DOWN THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET BY CATEGORY INSTEAD OF FONT, MOST OF THE BUDGET IS FOR EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND THE MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT CLICKING ON OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SHOWS THAT ABOUT $500,000 IS BUDGETED FOR AUTO WRITING.

ALL ABOUT $100,000 IS BUDGETED FOR COMPUTERIZED SYSTEMS. ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S AGAIN, JUST A SHORT SNIPPET OF, UH, THE TYPE OF VIDEOS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC.

UM, MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING INTO 2022, SOME OF THE DATA SETS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TARGET AS CODE ENFORCEMENT IN BLIGHT COURT.

WE'RE HOPING THAT THOSE SAY TO SETS CAN HAIR HELP WITH THE MAYORS, UH, BLIGHT AND LITTER, UM, INITIATIVES.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT LANDFILL AND SOLID WASTE COLLECTION.

AND ALSO NOW THAT ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE ON A NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UM, WE'RE GOING TO RENEW EFFORTS TO NOT ONLY INCLUDE THE BATON ROUGE POLICE CRIME INCIDENTS, BUT ALSO CRIME INCIDENTS FROM THE SHERIFF BAKER CENTRAL AND ZACHARY.

THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE A HOLISTIC VIEW OF CRIME ACROSS THE ENTIRE PARISH.

SOMETHING THAT IS VERY RARE ACROSS ALL PARISHES AND COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY.

UM, BESIDES LOOKING AT NEW DATA, WE WANT TO BE MORE STRATEGIC ON HOW WE USE THE DATA WITHIN CITY PARISH TO WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME RESTRUCTURING IN IIS, ALL BUDGET NEUTRAL TO, UM, KIND OF COME UP WITH, WITH A GROUP.

THAT'S GOING TO LOOK MORE AT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND DATA ANALYTICS SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY ENHANCE THE INTERNAL PROCESSES ACROSS CITY PARISH, GOVERNMENT.

AND LASTLY, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, CONTINUE TO CREATE, UM, VIDEOS FOR THE CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY.

AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL, WE CAN RETURN TO IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS COUNCIL.

OUR, UH, TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE, RECEIVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN JULY.

WE ACHIEVED WHAT WORKS CITIES, SILVER CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS A NATIONAL STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN DATA DRIVEN CITY GOVERNANCE.

AND FOR THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW, THE CENTER OF DIGITAL GOVERNMENT RANK BATON ROUGE AS A TOP 10 DIGITAL CITY.

SO THIS YEAR WE WERE, OR LAST YEAR WE WERE NAMED THE SEVENTH, MOST DIGITAL CITY AMONG MID-SIZED CITIES.

UM, IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OUR TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS AND REMIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING OR PARTICIPATING IN ANY COMMUNITY, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UM, IN YOUR DISTRICTS, AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING US COME SPEAK TO, UH, OPEN DATE OR A GIS OR ANY OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

AND NOT AS QUICK AS COUNCILMAN COLE CAN READ, BUT THAT IS MY REPORT.

THANK YOU HERE.

UH, APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

WE NOW GO TO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL REPORT OF PROJECT APPLICATIONS IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ON ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 2 1 5 BY PLANNING DIRECTOR THAT THREE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES, UNLESS YOU WANT TO COME BACK NEXT TIME.

THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

MAYOR PRO TEM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, AS REQUIRED UNDER ORDINANCE 1 6 2 1 5.

UM, THIS IS THE REPORT FOR THE NORTH BATON ROUGE, UH, OPPORTUNITY ZONE ACTIVITY.

UNFORTUNATELY IN 2021, THERE, THERE WAS NO ACTIVITY.

UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE STATUS OF THE REPORT IN THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.

I, UH, COUNCIL MEMO, BUT, UM, WHAT, WHY WAS NO ACTIVITY? IS THIS UNUSUAL OR, AND IN 2020, WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY.

UM, THE NATURE OF THE PROGRAM, WE, WE REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, BUT NOBODY'S SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO OUR OFFICE.

AND THEN, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR BATON ROUGE.

UM, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO, UH, THE NEW DIRECTOR AT THE BATON ROUGE, NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.

WE ALSO ANTICIPATE THE MID CITY REDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO BE IN PLACE.

[03:55:01]

SO WE DO HAVE THOSE THREE PARTNERS, UM, AND THEY'RE ALL WITHOUT THEIR DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WITH NO ACTIVITY.

HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN IN PLACE? I BELIEVE THE FIRST YEAR IN 2017.

THERE WAS ALSO NO ACTIVITY.

MOVE TO A JAR.

YOU CAN'T TAKE THE MISS AMAUROSIS THUNDER.

I WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WE WILL HAVE TO GET MOST OF THE GIANT COUNCIL MEMBER WILSON MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COUNCIL MEMBER.

MOROSA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOLT.

WE ARE JARRING.

WE NOW GO TO ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT AS ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND READ TO YOUR CHILDREN.

AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING TO THEM, A LOT OF THEM TO READ BACK TO YOU.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBER CALLED COLEMAN.