[00:00:01]
ONE.[CALL TO ORDER]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS DECEMBER 14TH, 2022.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER LORI ADAMS TO RECOGNIZE NORM RYAN OF THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM COLE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UM, MY, MY FRIENDS FROM THE GBA PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME UP, COME UP.
RONNIE HARRIS AND, AND NORM RYAN JEAN, IF YOU WANNA COME UP.
Y'ALL COME, EVERYBODY, Y'ALL COME UP.
SO, UM, IF THERE IS A JOB IN THE CITY PARISH THAT IS HARDER THAN THE ONES THAT WE HAVE, MY FRIENDS, I THINK.
UM, IT IS, IT IS THE VOLUNTEERS WHO, UM, WHO RUN OUR HOAS, OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, AND OUR PROPERTY OWNER, UH, OWNER ASSOCIATIONS.
AND, UM, I HAVE THE HONOR, UH, THIS AFTERNOON OF, UM, UH, GETTING TO, TO SHINE SOME LIGHT ON ONE OF OUR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS IN THE CITY PARISH.
UM, MR. NORM RYAN HAS SERVED THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR, I'M SCARED TO ASK EXACTLY HOW MANY YEARS NORM? A LONG TIME.
UM, BUT JUST LIKE WE GET CALLS, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, UM, UH, NORM, AS THE HEAD OF THE GOODWOOD PROPERTIES OWNER ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN, UH, FRONTLINE PERSONNEL, UM, IN THE BIGGEST, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION IN THE CITY PARISH.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, THE ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN.
UM, THEY'VE HAD A, A WONDERFUL, UH, SECURITY OPERATION THAT HAS, UM, TURNED INTO A C P I D THAT WAS JUST, UM, JUST PASSED.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE, OF THE GUBER PROPERTY OWNERS WHEN I SAY, UM, THAT, THAT MR. RYAN'S LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY AND HAS MADE, UM, A HUGE, UM, DIFFERENCE IN, IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, I'D LIKE TO, UM, TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO MR. RONNIE HARRIS, WHO IS THE INCOMING PRESIDENT OF THE GUBA PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
HE HAS SOME VERY BIG SHOES TO FILL, WHICH I THINK HE IS PERFECTLY, UH, CAPABLE TO DO, CAPABLE OF DOING.
BUT I'D LIKE TO LET RONNIE SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, MR. RYAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ENTIRE METRO COUNCIL BECAUSE IT IS VERY GRATIFYING TO SEE OUR CITY LEADERS RECOGNIZE ONE OF ITS OWN, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT JOB.
BUT AS LORI SAID, UH, THE ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID MYSELF IS THAT IT IS A TOUGH JOB.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUBLIC OFFICIAL AND A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT IS Y'ALL GET PAID.
UH, THE ASPECT, THE ASPECT OF THE G P O A, UH, NORM HAS SERVED THE G P O A FOR 20 YEARS, AND IN THOSE 20 YEARS, HE'S SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR 12 AND HE'S COMPLETING HIS SEVENTH YEAR AS PRESIDENT.
AND, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANNA SAY IS THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS HONORED, UH, NORM WITH A, HIS VERY OWN DOGGY STATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HIS PLAQUE ON IT.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS CLEANING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S NORM'S LEGACY.
UH, BUT THE THING ABOUT NORM THAT I DO WANT TO SAY IN ALL SERIOUSNESS IS THAT HE DOES THE JOB OF A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT.
BUT BECAUSE HE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF THIS, UH, A LEADING COM, UH, MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR SO LONG, HE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP PEOPLE.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST A PERSONAL COMMITMENT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I TRULY APPRECIATE HIS POSITION AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.
I'VE ADMIRED HIM EVER SINCE I'VE KNOWN HIM.
I WANT TO SAY TO KNOW HIM, IT'S A BLESSING AND IT'S A CURSE BECAUSE IT'S A BLESSING, BECAUSE OF HIS ACTIONS AND WHAT HE DOES AND HOW HE LOVES THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, IT'S A CURSE BECAUSE HE GETS YOU TO DO STUFF THAT YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO.
SO I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO FILLING THOSE BIG SHOES, LAURIE.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S VERY HIGH TIME THAT WE HONOR ONE OF OUR OWN.
ENORMOUS IS CERTAINLY DESERVING.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, AND, UH, NORM'S WIFE, UM, IT'S IS JOHN.
UM, WE KNOW BEHIND EVERY, UM, PUBLIC SERVANT IS, UM, IS A SUPPORTIVE SPOUSE.
SO WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AS WELL.
AND SO NORM, I HAVE THIS PLAQUE TO PRESENT YOU WITH, UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, IT HAS BEEN A JOY, UM, GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
THANK, I HAVE TO THANK THE COUNCIL CUZ I'VE WORKED WITH MANY OF YOU IN THE PAST.
I HAVE TO THANK MR. RAFER, WHICH WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON MANY PROJECTS.
IT WAS A BLESSING TO GET TO KNOW LORI.
I'VE WORKED WITH SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS BETWEEN THE TWO DISTRICT AND COUNCILMAN LAMONT COLE
[00:05:01]
HAS WORKED WITH ME AS PART OF THE DISTRICT AND LORI IN THE, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.BUT THERE'S NOTHING I COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE, THE ASSOCIATION ITSELF AND NEIGHBORS BEING NEIGHBORLY AND A BOARD THAT STOOD BEHIND ME AND BACKED ME WHEN I WAS WRONG AND HELPED ME DO THE RIGHT THING.
UH, I I I'M GLAD RONNIE'S FILLING MY SHOES, SO THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS, NORM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GONNA BE IN RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL BEGIN THE MEETING AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST PAT ROUGE PARISH.
GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU TUNED IN.
HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WERE SAFE TODAY AND SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU WATCHING OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT ON METRO 21.
IT'S THE 12TH MONTH OF THE YEAR, AND SO WE LIKE TO FEATURE A COUNCIL MEMBER ON THEIR MONTH.
AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA FEATURE THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS DISTRICT 12 ON THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THAT HAS BEEN GOING BY THE WAY SINCE 1983.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY IS JEN ROCKA.
SHE IS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF BATON ROUGE.
SHE IS A GRADUATE OF LSU AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
SHE IS A PRACTICING FAMILY AND CRIMINAL LAW ATTORNEY AND THE BENEFITS CONSULTANT.
IN JANUARY, 2020, JEN ROA WAS APPOINTED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO COMPLETE THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM FOR THE SEAT VACATED BY BARBARA FREBERG.
FOLLOWING HER APPOINTMENT, SHE WAS ELECTED, SHE SEES HERSELF AS A PROBLEM SOLVER, AND ALL OF US SEE THAT.
ALSO FOR THE 38,000 PLUS RESIDENTS OF SOUTH DOWNS, MAYFAIR, KENILWORTH, VALLEY PARK, POLLARD, AND MANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
IN DISTRICT NUMBER 12, JIM'S PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE HER TWO SONS, AUSTIN, UH, 2022 CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, BEAR GRADUATED, WHO ATTENDED LSU HONORS COLLEGE IN THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM.
AND LIAM, WHO IS THREE YEARS OLD AND ATTENDS A LEARNING CENTER AND KEEPS EVERYONE ON THEIR TOES.
SHE'S OUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT 12 COUNCIL MEMBER JEN ROCKA.
AND WE'RE READY TO GO WITH TONIGHT'S MEETING.
BUT BEFORE WE START, JUST ONE WORD FROM LUKE IN THE BIBLE, FORTU US IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID, A SAVIOR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.
AND THIS SHALL BE ASSIGN UNTO YOU.
YOU SHALL FIND THE VA WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LYING IN A MAJOR.
IT'S WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT.
AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PROTE OF EAST PAT ROUGE PARISH.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH DENNIS.
UH, GOOD, GOOD E GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 2022 AT 4:00 PM THIS WILL BE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING OF THE YEAR.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? ASHLEY? WE HAVE A QUORUM AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR GUEST TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
YOU KNOW, UM, THE PERSON WHO'S SAYING THE PLEDGE TODAY AS THE FAMOUS GLORIA GRIM, SHE'S BEEN IN YOUR YARDS WITH HER IPAD.
SHE'S BEEN ON THE STREETS WHEN IT FLOODS.
SHE'S OUT AND ABOUT AND SHE IS THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN DISTRICT 12.
AS MS. GLORIA COMES UP, I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT HER.
RECENTLY SHE WAS SPOTLIGHTED AND HIGHLIGHTED IN A HISTORY HARVEST FOR THE VOICES TO VOTE.
EXHIBIT FUN FACT ABOUT MS. GLORIA.
SHE WAS BORN IN ONTARIO, CANADA.
SHE CAME TO AMERICA WITH HER PARENTS AT AGE ONE.
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JUST SPEAKING OF WAS, UH, SHE WAS THE SUBJECT.AND, UM, I GUESS THE, THE BEAUTIFUL FACE OF BECOMING AN AMERICAN CITIZEN VOICES TO VOTE IS A TRAVELING EXHIBIT, EXHIBIT BY THE SMITHSONIAN'S TRAVELING EX EXHIBITION SERVICE.
AND IT CONNECTS AMERICANS TO SMITHSONIAN COLLECTIONS.
SO IF YOU WERE, IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE HER OVER AT THE OLD STATE CAPITOL, SHE WAS THERE ON A VIDEO.
SO TONIGHT I CELEBRATE HER AND I'M ASKING HER TO LEAD US WITH THE PLEDGE.
IT IS TRULY MY HONOR TO GIVE THE PLEDGE IN FRONT OF YOU, MY COUNCIL, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE VISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
AND NINE FIVE VOCATION MS. ROCK.
SO NOW FOR THE PRAYER, ALL OF US HERE AND ALL OF YOU LISTENING HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AT ONE POINT, WE WERE ALL CHILDREN.
TONIGHT, THIS PRAYER IS FOR THE CHILDREN, THE YOUNG AND THE OLD FROM ST.
NICHOLAS, THE PAINT AND SAINT OF CHILDREN.
JUST GIVE IT UP TO SANTA CLAUS.
WHAT WE DOING? WE STAND FOR PRAYER.
PLEASE GOD, OUR FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU'LL PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, KEEP THEM SAFE FROM HARM, AND HELP THEM GROW HEALTHY IN MIND AND BODY.
GIVE THEM STRENGTH TO KEEP THEIR FAITH IN YOU AND KEEP ALIVE THEIR JOY IN THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS TIME.
MR. MAYOR PRO TIM, IF I MAY TAKE A PRIVILEGE POINT TO RECOGNIZE SOME PEOPLE, PLEASE.
HEY, MAN, YOU AND YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER HERTZ BEEN HANGING OUT TOO MUCH, MAN,
AND I KNOW IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, I I'VE, I'VE WATCHED Y'ALL.
I I'VE SEEN WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
I I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING SOME AMAZING WORK AND EVERYTHING, AND Y'ALL HAVE BEEN GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE LIST.
SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL FOR WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
UH, IF SOMEBODY COULD HAND THESE OUT, UH, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER BRANDON, NO.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER SHOWING AT BANKS.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER.
ROWDY GOD, DAVE, DISTRICT THREE.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS.
YOU GOT, HE'S GOTTA, YOU GOTTA WATCH HIM.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER C CLEVE DUN JR.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA DENISE, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER DENISE ASO, DISTRICT EIGHT.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER DWIGHT HUDSON, DISTRICT NINE.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN, DISTRICT 10.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
SANTA METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER LORI ADAMS, DISTRICT 11.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER JEN ROCCA, DISTRICT 12.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SANTA CLAUS.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, SANTA CLAUS HAS TO WATCH SO MANY THINGS AND KEEP UP WITH A LOT OF STUFF THROUGH CHRISTMAS.
WE HAVE TO WATCH ALL THE GIRLS AND BOYS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOOD.
BUT I'VE BEEN WATCHING Y'ALL AND THERE'S ONE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT OBVIOUSLY RECOGNIZES AND KEEPS UP WITH PEOPLE MORE THAN SANTA CLAUS IN HIS OWN DISTRICT
SO WITH THAT, WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK AND HIS DEDICATION TO HIS DISTRICT IN RECOGNIZING THE MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT HE ENJOYS WORKING WITH IN HIS DISTRICT.
METROPOLITAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER DARRELL HURST.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
AND HERE'S YOUR STACK OF CERTIFICATES THAT YOU CAN USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
[00:15:08]
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.THEY WANT A GROUP PICTURE WITH YOU VERY QUICKLY.
OKAY? AND THEY WANT YOU TO WEAR THE SUIT FOR THE ENTIRE BEATING NO MATTER HOW WARM IT.
SO HEAVEN STARTED, RIGHT? GOOD.
MIGHT IN TROUBLE FROM THE BIBLE COME PREVENTING OTHER RELIGIONS.
MISS DENISE, WHAT YOU COME IN WITH US TONIGHT? PROBABLY NOT.
I GOTTA HOLD THE SMILE THE WHOLE TIME.
I'M GONNA GET, I'M GONNA GET ONE MORE RIGHT HERE.
GOTTA BE A GOOD ONE IN THERE SOMEWHERE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEM ONE.
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM ONE IS, UH, APPROVED ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 22ND, 2022 AND THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING OF DECEMBER 7TH, 2022 AND THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF DECEMBER 6TH, 2022 BY DOMESTIC POLITAN COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, TREASURERS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MONROE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOROSA.
ASK YOU, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTION
[INTRODUCTIONS]
SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, AMENDING TITLE IX LICENSING AND REGULATION OF TRAYS AND OCCUPATIONS.SO IS TO ADD SUBSECTION 12 TO CLARIFY THE PROHIBITION OF SMOKING IN BARS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT BY THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL.
THR UH, NUMBER THREE, AMENDING TITLE 12, CHAPTER NINE, SECTION 12, COLON 6 0 3.
SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT SELLING ALCOHOL, SELLING AND SERVING ALCOHOL AND HOOKAH BARS IS PROHIBITED BY ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL NUMBER FOUR, AMENDING TITLE, TITLE 12, CHAPTER NINE, SECTION 12 6 0 2.
SO AS TO ADD LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY THE PROHIBITION OF SMOKING AND VAPING AND ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SELL AND SERVE ALCOHOL BY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL NUMBER FIVE, AMENDING, I'M SORRY, AUTHORIZING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO RECORD THE DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION GRANT BUDGET AS AWARDED BY THE LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,453 FOR THE GRANT.
2023 BY THE OFFICE OF THE CONSTABLE CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER SIX, JUANITA WILLIAMS ET AL.
95 64 GASSY STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER SEVEN, ROBERT W FLORIDA AND SHARON, FLORIDA.
25 40 CLOVER STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER EIGHT, GOOD DEEDS LLC, 48 77.
PAGE STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT FIVE HEARST.
NUMBER NINE, VENTRELL K CAREY AND VICKY CAREY.
PAGE STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HURST NUMBER 10, HAZEL BOCHE ETAL 5 4 68 PACKARD STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HURST.
NUMBER 11, BERNARD KOBE, 24 22 AND 24.
24 WILLOW STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 12, KIMBERLY GARNET PAYNE 2042 SOBER STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 13, TOM MENZEL GREEN, UH, 26 51 CEDAR
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AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 14, THE HARMONY CENTER, INC.1285 LAUREL STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 15, J C D F P, BATON ROUGE LLC 26 68 BAYLIS DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCA ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 16 LOT 10 SQUARE THREE SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 17 LOT 13 SQUARE SEVEN SUBDIVISION JORDAN TERRACE.
COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 18 LOT 37 SQUARE 36 GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 19 SQUARE 15 PLUS SQUARE 51 SUBDIVISION BANKS COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 20 LOT 18 PLUS SQUARE 71 SUBDIVISION BANK COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 21 LOT 44 SOUTH MARYDALE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HURST NUMBER 22 LOT 40 SUBDIVISION HOLIDAY WOODS COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HURST NUMBER 23 LOT 34 AND 35 SQUARE SIX SUBDIVISION BANK COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 24 LOT 18 SQUARE 1 0 5 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 25.
NUMBER 25 LOT 20 SQUARE 1 0 5 SOUTH BATON ROUGE SUBDIVISION COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26 LOT 26 SQUARE 1 0 5 SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 27 LOT 27 PLUS SQUARE THREE.
SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE ADDITION COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 28 LOT A DASH TWO DASH A SQUARE 29 SUBDIVISION LELAND COLLEGE ANNEX COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 29 LOT 19 SQUARE THREE SUBDIVISION BABIN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 30 LOT 24 PLUS SQUARE 45 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 31 LOT SECTION FIVE SQUARE WD TWO SUBDIVISION TRACK FOUR DASH B COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 32 LOT THREE 12 SUBDIVISION EAST GATE COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT, AMAROSA NUMBER 33 LOT EIGHT SQUARE THREE.
SUBDIVISION DELMONT PLACE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 34 LOT 39 SQUARE I BOOKER TOWN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 35 LOT 21 SQUARE 19 SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
HAVE BEEN READ A MOTION TO DELETE ITEMS 2, 3, 4 42 54 AND 59 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS AS AN ORDER.
MR. SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, GO AHEAD.
THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE DELETED ARE ITEMS TWO, THREE, FLOOR 16, 17, 42, 54 AND 59.
IS THERE A MOTION? YES, THAT'S THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN BEEN INTRODUCED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE ITEMS MENTIONED.
IF YOU GO TO THE SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION,
[CONDEMNATIONS]
I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS THEY ARE.THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, AND 77.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER DONNA HAVE DUNN JR.
I HAVE YOU ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? YES.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 69, 70, 71, AND 77.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 65, 67, 72, AND 75 DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WILL GO TO YOUR
[Items 87 - 89]
SEPARATE, IF YOU GO TO PAGE 87, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 87 THROUGH 89 TOGETHER.WE'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA READ THEM TOGETHER, IF NECESSARY, WE WILL VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I KNOW THIS IS A UNIVERSAL OR PARISH WIDE ISSUE, SO IF YOU RUN OUT OF TIME AND YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, ARE GERMANE TO THE TOPIC, THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE TOPIC, AND, UH, ARE RELEVANT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO HEAR, WE, I'LL GIVE YOU MORE TIME.
UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND SO THOSE WHO MAY NEED TO COME UP, UH, AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM 'EM IN A TIMELY FASHION.
HOWEVER, WE DON'T WANT TO RUSH.
SO WE WANT TO HEAR ALL THE INFORMATION.
ITEM 87, AMENDING RESOLUTION 5 601 ADOPTED NOVEMBER 10TH, 2021 IN ORDER TO ADOPT A NEW FEE SCHEDULE FOR DUMPING AT THE EAST BARREN PARISH, NORTH LANDFILL SITE.
AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE
[00:25:01]
TOO.EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2023 BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 88, AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION AND RECYCLING PROCESS AND SERVICES TO THE SELECTED VENDOR, BFI WASTE SERVICES, LLC.
DOING BUSINESS AS REPUBLIC SERVICES OF BATON ROUGE.
AND AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR A TENURE YEAR TERM BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 89, AWARD THE CONTRACT OF OUT CAR COLLECTION SERVICES TO THE SELECTED VENDOR.
RICHARD'S DISPOSAL INCORPORATED AND AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR A TENURED TERM BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE BEFORE ME, UH, A FACT SHEET AND IT SEEMS AS IF THOUGH, WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
ONE OPTION IS TO KEEP WHAT WE HAVE AT TWICE A WEEK AND GO UP $13 TO $35 AND 23 CENTS, OR TO SAVE THE CITIZENS AT LEAST $7 BY GOING TO ONCE A WEEK AT $28 AND 97 CENTS.
NOW, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BEFORE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF THERE'S INFORMATION, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED, PLEASE COME UP AND EXPLAIN THAT NOW BEFORE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
CAUSE I'D RATHER YOU EXPLAIN INFORMATION SO THAT WHEN CITIZENS OR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THE ITEM, THEY'LL HAVE THE INFORMATION PRIOR TO, UH, THEM SPEAKING.
SO, DOES ANYBODY NEED TO COME UP AND SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS CURRENT CONTRACT? FRED, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE JUST A FEW ITEMS THAT, UH, I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS TOOK PLACE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO ALSO KNOW THAT, UH, WE DID SELECT, UH, GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND SELECT A CONSULTANT TO HELP US PREPARE THE RFP, UH, FOR THIS GARBAGE COLLECTION CONTRACT, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
WE WANTED TO HAVE THE BEST GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND THAT WAS BURNS AND MCDON MCCONNELL, UH, ENGINEERING GROUP WHO HELPED PREPARE THE RFP FOR US.
IN THAT PROCESS, IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO HAVE SOME COMMITTEES TO, TO BE, AND PART OF THAT PROCESS, UH, THE MAYOR WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE HAD, UH, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING, LOOKING AT WHAT THE PROPOSALS WERE COMING IN AT, AND ALSO PUTTING THEIR INPUT INTO THAT.
AND WE ALSO HAD A COMMITTEE THAT WAS ALSO DEVELOPED AND THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SOME OF 'EM ARE, WELL, DONNA COLLINS LEWIS, UH, ED LINSKY, UH, I THINK TED STEVENS, UH, TED TREY GODFREY, AND PAT LA DUFF AND THE, UH, WHO, AND MR. HILL WAS ALSO ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE.
IN THAT PROCESS, WE WANTED TO GET, TRY TO GET THE BEST PROPOSAL WE COULD PUT TOGETHER.
THAT'S WHY WE LOOKED AT A GROUP TO HELP US AND WE WILL HELP HIM FACILITATE THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GOING BACK TO THEM BACK AND FORTH.
AND THE RP WAS FINALLY PREPARED.
AND IT WAS DONE BY THE END OF APRIL OF, OF LAST YEAR, EXCUSE ME, OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO THE SEEK PROPOSALS, WHICH WE DID.
UH, WE ALSO HAD PROPOSALS THAT CAME BACK.
NONE OF 'EM CAME BACK FOR, UH, OUT OF COURT OR TRASH PICKUP IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICE, WHICH DID, WAS VERY INTERESTING CUZ WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE, WHEN WE BROKE IT OUT TO VARIOUS CO UH, PROCESSES, BUT ALSO LOOKED AT VARIOUS AREAS TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP SO WE COULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT.
THE MORE COMPETITION, THE BETTER THE PRICE NO ONE SUBMITTED FOR AT THAT POINT.
THAT WAS A CONCERN TO US BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE GARBAGE WITHOUT HAVING TRASH OR RECYCLING.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
WE PUT ANOTHER PROPOSAL TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THAT.
UH, UH, TRY TO OPEN IT UP AS MUCH AS WE COULD.
WERE ABLE TO GET A SUCCESSFUL BIDDER AT THAT TIME, WHICH IS RICHARD'S DISPOSAL AT THAT.
UH, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL AND WE MET AND DID DO THE NEGOTIATIONS BOTH WITH, UH, REPUBLIC AND ALSO WITH, UM, RICHARD'S DISPOSAL.
THAT WAS COMPLETED SOMETIME IN LATE JUNE OR JULY.
UH, AT THIS POINT, EXCUSE ME, AUGUST WAS WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD THE FINAL REVIEW WITH, UH, THE, UH, OUT OF CART, UH, SERVICE FOR TRASH PICKUP.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WERE, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT.
WE WERE DOING THE NEGOTIATIONS AND I THINK AT SOME POINT WE DECIDED TO GET, BE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL WAS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE PROCESS.
WE WANTED TO LEAST LET YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE AT THIS POINT.
AND, AND WE PROVIDED THE DATA TO THE COUNCIL, UH, THROUGH A PROCESS AND, AND GOT SOME INPUT.
AND, AND CERTAINLY A LOT OF YOUR INPUT WAS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT, IT CERTAINLY MAKES A REFLECTION ON WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO FOR, FROM THE SERVICE FOR THE BATON ROUGE AREA.
WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE'RE HERE TODAY, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE TWO PROPOSALS AND I DID PREPARE A FACT SHEET TO GIVE TO EACH ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE, CUZ THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I'M NOT, I CAN'T DENY THAT.
BUT I THINK WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS.
WE DID HAVE, WE HAD COMPETITORS WHO ALSO
[00:30:01]
SUBMITTED THE BIDS.SO, AND WE WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATION AND WHEN I, I, I DON'T LIKE USING RFPS TO A POINT WHERE PEOPLE SAID YOU DIDN'T BID THE R P IS A BID, BUT IF YOU GO THROUGH A NEGOTIATION, SO WE DID TAKE THE PROCESS, WE DID FOLLOW A PROCESS AND I THINK THAT PROCESS WORKS OUT VERY WELL FROM OUR STANDPOINT.
BUT THE TYPE OF SERVICE IN THIS FACT SHEET THAT I WAS, THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU ALSO ON A TWICE A WEEK GARBAGE.
I MEAN IT'S TWICE A WEEK GARBAGE, ONCE A WEEK RECYCLING AND ONCE A WEEK OCD, WHICH IS OUTTA COURT, UM, PER RESIDENCE.
UH, THE SERVICE FOR THE ACTUAL GARBAGE IS $16 AND 53 CENTS, WHICH WILL BE, UH, HANDLED THROUGH REPUBLIC.
THE ONCE A WEEK RECYCLING IS $6 AND THAT WILL ALSO BE HANDLED THROUGH REPUBLIC.
THE ONCE A WEEK, UH, WITH THE TRASH PICKUP IS FOR, UH, RICHARD'S DISPOSAL AND IT WAS AT $7 AND 50 CENTS.
WE DO HAVE A DISPOSAL THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, OF THE, ON THE MATERIAL THAT COMES IN AND IT'S AT THE LANDFILL.
AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, LANDFILLS ARE NOT CHEAP.
AND, UH, THE, YOU COST MONEY TO, UH, HELP KEEP 'EM FUNCTIONING AND STILL HAVE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND ALSO LANDFILL TIPPING FEES, WHICH ALSO IN IT, WHICH SETS UP A RATE AROUND $3 AND 48 CENTS.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE HAS TO HANDLE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, DEALING WITH GARBAGE COLLECTION.
AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE DO, BUT IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE AT THAT POINT.
FOR A DOLLAR DOLLAR 39 AND THE NEW CARD EXPENSE WAS AT 36 CENTS, WHICH TOTALED AROUND $35 AND 23 CENTS FOR TWICE A WEEK GARBAGE SERVICE.
I REALIZED THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD ON THE SHEET WERE A LITTLE HIGH, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU WHAT THE WORST, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
BUT THIS POINT WE BELIEVE, WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THESE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND AS YOU SEE, THE COURT COSTS WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN REPUBLIC AND THE CITY PARISH.
UH, SO THE DISPOSAL ADMINISTRATIVE IS ABOUT FOR ABOUT 133,000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, FOR THAT GARBAGE SERVICE.
THE ONCE A WEEK SERVICE GARBAGE AND ONCE A WEEK RECYCLING.
AND ONCE A WEEK, OH, UH, TRASH PICKUP FOR PER RESIDENT.
IT'S AT $11, UH, THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH FOR AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS REPUBLIC.
WE'LL ALSO BE DEALING WITH THE RECYCLING, WHICH IS ONE ONCE A WEEK, WHICH IS AT $6.
AND THE ONCE A WEEK, UH, TRASH PICKUP, WHICH IS WITH RICHARD AT $7 AND 50 CENTS.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE IS ABOUT A DOLLAR 20, I MEAN A DOLLAR AND 2 CENTS.
AND THE NEW CARD EXPENSE IS AROUND 92 CENTS FOR A TOTAL OF $28 AND, AND 97 CENTS.
I I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, TO GET IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE DID FOLLOW A PROCESS AND IT WAS A GOOD PROCESS AND WE DID DO, UH, DUE DILIGENCE OF DOING NEGOTIATIONS.
AND I REALIZED THAT THE COST IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE EXPECTED IT TO ME.
BUT, UH, IT CERTAINLY, UH, WE DID EVERYTHING WE CAN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DID RECOMMEND A ONCE A WEEK TO GARBAGE SERVICE BECAUSE IT WAS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THIS PARISH, UH, UH, WILL STRUGGLE TO PAY THOSE FEES.
AND, AND WE WANTED TO TRY THE LEAST, REDUCE IT TO THE LEAST AMOUNT WE COULD AND STILL PROVIDE A SERVICE THAT'S NEEDED FOR OUR PARISH AND, AND KEEP OUR OUR PARISH HEALTHY AND AND CLEAN.
WITH THAT, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, RICK IF HE CAN CLEAN UP SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, OR ADDITION THINGS HE MAY WANT TO INCLUDE.
BUT I THINK OVERALL, I THINK THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE DOING, WE, UH, WOULD HOPE WE COULD GET COUNCIL SUPPORT IN REGARDS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM.
CAUSE IT ISN'T, IT IS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD THE CONTRACTOR, UH, ACCOUNTABLE, GETTING THINGS DONE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY GETTING THE EQUIPMENT ORDER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, RICK SPEAR, DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES THAT FRED DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE PROCESS AND THE, AND, AND WHAT'S IN THE FEES.
THE ONLY THING I I WANTED TO ADD IS FOR THE, YOU'LL SEE THE EXPENSES, AND THESE ARE EXPENSES FOR THE ONCE A WEEK IS 28 97, BUT, UH, THE ACTUAL PROPOSED TIPPING FEE OR FEE FOR THE SERVICE WILL BE 28 50.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF MONTHS, TWO MONTHS THAT'S UNDER THE EXISTING CONTRACT.
AND THOSE, THOSE COSTS ARE ABLE TO LOWER SOME OF THE COSTS FOR THE REST OF THE 10 MONTHS.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S A 47 CENTS DIFFERENCE.
WE ALSO, UH, ESTIMATED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ONCE A WEEK ABOUT MAYBE 50,000 RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE A SECOND CART, YOU KNOW, CUZ THEY DO THE SECOND DROP.
YOU HAVE THE SECOND PICKUP AND THEY PUT THE CART OUT.
DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY PUT INTO IT, BUT, UH, THAT'S INCLUDED
[00:35:01]
IN, INTO THIS BUDGET PROCESS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S AT $7 A MONTH FOR THE SECOND CART.AND IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA LIMIT IT LIKE WE DO NOW.
WE LIMIT IT TO 1 64 GALLON CART.
THE SECOND CART WILL BE THE SAME SIZE CART, 96 GALLON.
IF THEY WANT A THIRD CART AND PAY FOR THE THIRD, THIRD CART, IT'S FOR EACH ADDITIONAL CART THAT THEY WANT TO USE.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA LIMIT IT, JUST, JUST ONE EXTRA CART FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, DESIRE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL CARTS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME OUT THERE.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT FRED IS SAYING.
I'M GONNA, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, SHARON MANN.
EVERYBODY KNOWS SHE'S THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR REPUBLIC.
HEY COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
I'VE SPOKE TO SEVERAL OF Y'ALL.
UM, I WANNA INTRODUCE MY TEAM.
UM, I'VE GOT PAUL DENTON HERE, STEVE SMITH, WILLIE PRADER EDLEY, KENNY PAYETTE, AND CHAD REDINGER.
UM, I COULDN'T DO WHAT I DO EVERY DAY WITHOUT THEM.
I CAN TELL YOU, UH, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE MY BACK AND THEY DEFINITELY HAVE THE CITY'S BACK TOO.
UH, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS NOW.
NO, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA, OH, I'M SORRY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
I, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. ALVIN, RICHARD FOR RICHARD'S DISPOSAL AND COME UP AND SAY HI.
I APOLOGIZE FOR COMING LATE, BUT HAD A LOT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER GETTING HERE.
UH, MY NAME IS ALVIN RICHARD JR.
I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE IN BATON ROUGE FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS FOR YOU, AND IT'S A PLEASURE COMING BACK TO TRY TO GET THIS NEW CONTRACT TO SEE IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH SERVING THE CITIZENS OF, UH, BATON ROUGE AGAIN, AND APPRECIATE US BEING HERE TODAY.
FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM JOLENE JOHNSON.
HI, MY NAME IS JOLENE JOHNSON.
I WORK WITH WASTE PRO AND I JUST WANTED TO, ON ITEM NUMBER 88, I WANTED TO CLARIFY IN THE LETTER, UM, FROM MR. SPEAR, IT SAYS THAT THEIR PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED FROM THREE FIRMS, AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
WE SUBMITTED A LETTER OF NO BID, AND THAT ISN'T A PROPOSAL.
SO I JUST WANTED TOLAR CLEAR, CLARIFY THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT BECAUSE IN OUR LETTER WE EXPLAINED THAT THE DECISION TO PASS ON THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
WE BELIEVE THE RFP REQUIREMENTS DID NOT ALLOW ALL PROPOSERS AN EVEN FIELD.
THE FOLLOWING THREE ITEMS WERE FLAGGED AS WEAKNESSES IN THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEY MADE US REALIZE THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE, WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE ONE BY NOT REQUIRING NEW EQUIPMENT.
THE CURRENT CONTRACTOR HAS AN ADVANTAGE BY NOT HAVING THE CAPITAL OUTLAY OF ALL THE NEW EQUIPMENT.
TWO, BY NOT EQUALIZING THE SCORING FOR CONTRACTORS THAT WOULD HAVE THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING A NEW C N G STATION, THE CURRENT CONTRACTOR HAS AN ADVANTAGE.
AND THREE, BY NOT SPLITTING THE SERVICE AREA INTO MORE MANAGEABLE SECTIONS, THE CITY PARISH IS SEVERELY LIMITING THE CONTRACTOR POOL AND LIMITING YOUR CHOICE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, AND HERE'S SOME COPIES IF I, UH, FOR Y'ALL MM-HMM.
WE DID NOT SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR NUMBER FOR ON AN 88 AND THEN, UM, AM I TO SPEAK ON 89 RIGHT NOW TO YOU? SURE.
ON 89, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, WE DID SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR THE OUT CART.
UM, BUT IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE THE ONLY PROPOSER THAT SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL FOR ALL THREE SECTIONS WHEN, WHEN THE CITY PARISH BROKE IT UP INTO THREE SECTIONS.
AND SO WE ARE KIND OF, WE, WE HAVE OUR OFFICE, OUR BUSINESSES HERE IN, IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE OVER ON NORTH FLANNERY.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST KIND OF UNDER, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WEREN'T EVEN SPOKEN TO OR TALKED TO ABOUT THE ONE SECTION THAT THE OTHER CONTRACTOR RICHARD'S DISPOSAL DID NOT BID ON.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS ITEM NUMBER 88, WE WOULD, UH, LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU NOT AWARD THE CONTRACT AND, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE YOUR EXTENSION FOR ONE MORE YEAR AND MAKE AN EVEN PLA AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD AND PUT OUT A NEW RFP FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT SERVICE.
AND THEN FOR ON 89 FOR THE OUT CART, WE WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THAT AND, UH, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, BECAUSE WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL FOR THE ONE LARGE SECTION TO, UH, ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY PARISH FOR THAT.
NEXT, WE'LL HERE FROM WOODY JENKINS.
[00:40:10]
MR. PROTO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL.AND I WANNA THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS FOR YOUR HARD WORK THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THAT'S A THANKLESS JOB AND YOU PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO IT.
I'M HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG OPPOSITION TO THIS PROPOSAL.
UH, WE REALLY DISLIKE THE IDEA OF GOING TO ONCE A WEEK AND WE THINK IT PROPOSES, UH, IT HEALTH HAZARDS, SAFETY HAZARDS, ESPECIALLY IN MORE DENSE AREAS.
UH, INNER CITY WHERE I LIVE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE OR THEY LIVE IN A LARGE LOT OR A RURAL AREA MAY NOT HAVE AS MANY PROBLEMS. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE LARGER FAMILIES AND WHEN YOU'RE MORE DENSE POPULATIONS AND YOU HAVE GARBAGE SITTING AROUND FOR A WEEK, THIS IS A PROBLEM.
WE WANT TO HAVE A GREAT CITY, WE WANT TO HAVE A WONDERFUL CITY.
WE WANNA MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN IN OUR QUALITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THIS LAST LADY WHO TESTIFIED, I THINK SHUT DOWN THE MEETING AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IF WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED, UH, OR, OR MADE THIS BID SO TIGHT THAT SOMEONE LIKE THIS COULDN'T, UH, PARTICIPATE, THAT'S DEEPLY CONCERNING TO ME.
SO, UH, I THINK WE WOULD FAVOR, UH, REBIDDING THIS HAVING A NEW RFP.
UH, AND, AND LET'S DON'T GO DOWN IN OUR QUALITY AND BOUNDARIES.
LET'S ALWAYS GO UP, LET'S MAKE IT BETTER, BUT HAVE MAKING HALF THE SERVICE AND HALF THE QUANTITY OF GARBAGE.
ACTUALLY, IF YOU READ THE PROPOSAL AND INCREASING THE FEE, NO, THIS DOESN'T WORK.
AND I DON'T THINK IT WORKS FOR MOST PEOPLE.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 87 THROUGH 89? IF YOU COME UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND PLEASE BE REMINDED.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
BUT COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON 80, UH, NUMBER 89, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TABLE IT, UM, I'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE A P PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS IN THE PROTEST.
SO IF SOMEONE COULD, UM, ANSWER THAT FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
AND THE PERSON WHO HAS THE ANSWER FOR THAT QUESTION BE COMING NEXT, PLEASE.
GOING DOWN IN QUALITY OF SERVICE IS JUST NOT THE ANSWER AND THE PRICE GOING UP, IT JUST, NOTHING MAKES SENSE TO ME.
AND I'VE WENT TO A SEVERAL MEETINGS ABOUT THE GARBAGE CART HAVING, UM, THE WAY THEY WAS DAMAGING THEM AND IT WAS LIKE, OH, JUST ORDER ANOTHER ONE.
UH, LET'S SEE WHERE WE CAN CUT DOWN COSTS ON THEIR END.
THANK YOU CHRIS GORES AND PURCHASING DIRECTOR.
SO IF I ADDRESS THE FIRST QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE PROTESTS, THE PROTEST IS, UH, A PERIOD AFTER WHICH WE HAVE DECIDED TO AWARD THE CONTRACT.
OBVIOUSLY WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE METRO COUNCIL.
THE METRO COUNCIL GIVES US THE AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED.
SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UH, ULTIMATELY WHAT ARE WE PROTESTING? AND BASED ON THE MERITS OF THE PROTESTS WOULD DICTATE HOW WE HANDLE THAT.
BUT IN ALL PUBLIC PURCHASING, EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST.
I WISH, UM, WE HAD ADDRESSED ANY CONCERNS AROUND THE SCOPE.
THERE IS A PERIOD FOR QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES.
OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO BE INCLUSIVE AND IF WE CAN, WE CAN AMEND, UH, AN EXISTING RFP OR A BID OUT THERE AT THAT TIME.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THEN, UH, OKAY.
I LIVE AT 70 81 MODESTO AVENUE, RIGHT HERE IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
AND I'M REPRESENTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE ABOUT 180 PLUS, UH, HOMEOWNERS IN THERE.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
UH, WE THINK IT'S A BAD DEAL, UH, WHEN WE GONNA GO TALK FROM TWO TO ONE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS JUST HEARING THE PROPOSALS AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
THEY SAID THEY THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD CONTRACT.
UH, WHEN IT'S A GOOD CONTRACT, THAT MEANS IT'S GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE.
I CAN'T SEE WHEREBY WE GOING TO COME, UH, FROM, FROM TWO, UH, UH, PICKUPS A WEEK DOWN TO ONE AND THEN STILL PAY MORE FOR THAT.
SO I, I'M, I'M LIKE, UH, WOOD, I HEARD WHAT EVERYTHING HE SAID, WE THINK WE NEED TO TAKE, SEND THIS THING BACK AND LET US RENEGOTIATE.
I THINK THAT THE COUNCIL HAS POWER AND RENEGOTIATING, IF ANYTHING, WE WON'T GO DOWN.
IF ANYTHING, UH, I EXPECT Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE ALL OF OUR INTEREST IN HEART.
CAUSE WE GONNA BE PAYING THE MONEY, WHATEVER Y'ALL DECIDE, WE GOING TO PAY IT.
[00:45:01]
UH, CONSTITUENT, I MEAN, I JUST DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE MONEY FOR LESS SERVICE.THAT JUST DOESN'T SOUND GOOD TO ME AT ALL.
AND MY LAST STATEMENT IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW WHY I STAY AT, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE TO COOK.
WE DO JAMBALAYA, WE DO CRAWFISH, AND I CANNOT SEE SITTING FOR A WHOLE WEEK IN SOMEBODY'S YARD THAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT RODENTS OR WHATEVER ELSE IS BAD.
AND MY LAST STATEMENT IS, WE HAVE ENOUGH TRASH ALREADY IN BATON ROUGE.
I DON'T WANNA SEE US GAIN ANYMORE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE ELSE? ARE YOU GETTING UP TO COME AND SPEAK ON THE ITEM, MR. CORSON? YES.
HEY, NOW SPEAKING, OKAY, WE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, I I WANT TO CLARIFY AND DISCUSS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS AND, UH, FRED OR RICK, I THINK, UH, IF Y'ALL COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, UM, Y'ALL KNOW, I WAS ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT RECYCLING.
SO I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR THE INCREASES AND, UH, AND COSTS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN IT COMES TO SERVICES AND GOODS, UH, WITH INFLATION THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.
I KNOW, UM, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO OWN BUSINESSES, YOU'VE SEEN IT IN, HAVE AN INCREASED SALARIES AND, AND PAY, UH, FOR EMPLOYEES AND CERTAINLY FUEL COSTS AND, AND EVERYTHING, UH, THAT FUEL COSTS TOUCH, YOU KNOW? AND SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS ANTICIPATING NOT SEEING INCREASES.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES, AND WE HEAR A LOT AND UNDERSTAND IT, THE, HEY, WE'RE HAVING LESS SERVICE FOR MORE MONEY.
AND WHILE THAT'S TRUE, UH, THE REALITY IS YOU COULD KEEP STATUS QUO SERVICE AND THAT IS AN OPTION HERE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE FOR EVEN MORE MONEY.
AND THAT IS AN OPTION AND IT'S A REALISTIC ONE.
UH, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO, UH, FIND OUT AND DISCUSS, AND, AND I'M, I'M GETTING THOSE ANSWERS AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL WORKING ON IT, WAS MY QUESTION WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT RECYCLING.
UH, WE KNOW A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PARISH DO NOT RECYCLE.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT A 40% PARTICIPATION RATE.
SO, UH, FIRST OPTION WAS TO SAY, WELL, IF YOU DON'T RECYCLE, CAN YOU JUST NOT PAY FOR IT? AND THOSE WHO WANT TO RECYCLE, PAY FOR IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT, AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE ADDRESS THIS TO ME AND I UNDERSTAND IT, THEY SAY, WELL, IF I DON'T WANNA RECYCLE, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA SUBSIDIZE SOMEBODY ELSE'S DESIRE TO DO SO.
UH, SO I SENT THAT AND I THINK RICK, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND, AND, AND I THINK YOU GAVE A VALID ANSWER AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THAT, UH, BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT IT.
SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE DID AN ANALYSIS FOR YOU.
IF WE JUST TAKE THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT IS SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE 133,000 RESIDENTS, WHICH IS $6, AND AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS IN HERE, BUT WHAT IF WE JUST CHARGE THAT STRAIGHT TO THE, THE, UH, RECYCLING COMMUNITY ONLY IT, WE WOULD LOOK AT RECYCLING GOING UP ALMOST TWO AND A HALF TIMES FOR THAT COST.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PROPOSE ON THAT.
AND WITH THAT TWO AND A HALF TIMES INCREASE JUST FROM $6 TO WELL OVER $15 PER PERSON, I WOULD EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE RECYCLING SAY, WHY WOULD I DO THAT? WHY DON'T I JUST GET A SECOND CART AND ONLY PAY YOU GARBAGE AND A SECOND CART? AND SO THAT INCREASES OUR AMOUNT OF TONNAGE GOING TO LANDFILL.
WE'RE WE'RE APPROACHING THE END OF THE LANDFILL LIFE.
AND THAT WOULD JUST SHORTEN THAT TIMEFRAME EVEN MORE SO.
SO WE ALSO, THEN I LOOKED AT, UH, WELL, HOW ABOUT IF WE JUST INCREASE THE RECYCLING A LITTLE BIT AND ONLY CHARGE IT TO JUST TO THE RECYCLERS AND, AND NOT THE PEOPLE PICKING UP GARBAGE AND NECESSARILY WE WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THE, THE CHARGES ON GARBAGE ALSO.
SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A VERY, I, I CONSIDER, UH, A SUCCESSFUL RECYCLING PROGRAM IS WHAT WE CALL IS AN OPT-IN PROGRAM.
EVERYBODY PAYS YES, BUT YOU, EVERYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO JOIN AT ANY TIME THEY WANT
[00:50:01]
TO.AND THEN THAT'S, THEY'RE A RECYCLER.
WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING ANYBODY AND, AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET A RECYCLING CART.
I SUSPECT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T RECYCLE, THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR BOXES IN THEIR GARBAGE CART.
WELL, IF YOU GET A RECYCLING CART AND JUST PUT YOUR BOXES INTO RECYCLING CART, THAT'S GONNA REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GARBAGE YOU'RE GOING IN THERE, INCREASING THE TONNAGE, GOING TO THE RECYCLING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR THE, THE CITY PARISH, YOU KNOW.
SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE, UM, IN, IN THIS SCENARIO, IF WE DO ONCE A WEEK, IF THAT'S WHAT WE GO WITH, WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN CONTAMINATION IN THE RECYCLING? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA START UTILIZING THE RECYCLING BIN TO PUT TRASH IN WHEN THEY'RE OVERFLOWING? SO, UH, I I, I GUESS MY, AND AND, AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT MY QUESTION IS, HAS HAS THAT BEEN CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE PROCESS WHEN Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE CONTRACT? YES.
AND YOU KNOW, UH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I, I'M A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A SUBSET OF THE CONFERENCE OF MAYORS MM-HMM.
THEY DO SEE A, A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE PEOPLE MAY, UH, THE CONTAMINATION MAY GO UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT GOES BACK TO NORMAL.
AND THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE HAVING THE OPT-IN WHERE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES LIKE CLEVELAND HAD, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GET A CART AND BEING A RECYCLER, THEY HAD 80% CONTAMINATION MM-HMM.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I, I CREATED A NEW, UH, UH, UH, RECYCLING COORDINATOR POSITION BECAUSE I WANT TO INCREASE RECYCLING, WANT IMPROVE OUR RECYCLING PROCESS, AND, YOU KNOW, SO, AND I'M LOOKING TO GET GRANTS TO TRY TO REACH OUT AND, AND, AND, AND INCREASE THAT, THAT PARTICIPATION.
UM, MS. MANN, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEW TRUCKS THAT ARE COMING IN.
UH, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT I SEE, UM, I, I THINK IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE PARISH, BUT CERTAINLY IN MY AREA IS, UH, THE TRUCKS, UH, AS, AS THEY'RE DRIVING AROUND, THEY'RE CAUSING LITTER.
YOU'RE SEEING IT FLY OUT OF THE TRUCKS, UH, AND IT'S FROM PEOPLE NOT BAGGING THEIR TRASH.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, AND THAT'S A, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE I HAVE THE LANDFILL IN MY DISTRICT AND ARE ON 61 ANYWHERE AROUND THERE, BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF THE TRUCKS, I THINK THEY LEAVE THERE LESS WEIGHT AND A LITTLE BIT THAT'S LEFT AND THE, THE WIND'S HITTING IT AND PICKING IT UP AND IT'S A CONSTANT ISSUE.
SO TO THAT PART OF THIS CONTRACT IS REQUIRING THE NEW TRUCKS, WHICH YOU SHOWED US THAT HAVE A, A SIDE LOAD THAT IS GONNA ELIMINATE THAT.
WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE ON ORDERING THOSE? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT AS FAR AS HOW LONG THAT'S GONNA TAKE? I KNOW YOU TOLD US QUITE CLEARLY YOU'RE WAITING ON THE APPROVAL OF THIS CONTRACT TO SEND THAT OUT.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT A TIMELINE TO RECEIVE 'EM AND PUT 'EM IN PLACE? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, UM, ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE REALISTIC TIMELINE ON THOSE? SO REALISTICALLY IT'S ABOUT 12 TO 14 MONTHS.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA START GETTING SOME IN, AT THE END OF THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.
UM, HOW ABOUT, UH, IN, ARE WE LOOKING AT HAVING THAT AS FAR WITH THE RECYCLING TRUCKS TOO? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE GONNA COMPLETELY AUTOMATE RECYCLING AS WELL.
AND CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T AWARE OF WHAT THE TRUCKS ARE GONNA DO AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA WORK? YES.
SO JUST LIKE I SHOWED Y'ALL, THE ARM IS, UH, A MUCH BETTER ARM ON THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK.
IT KEEPS THE CART IN THE POSITION.
THIS IS ONE OF THE ARMS THAT MCNE IS DOING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW FOR US TO TRY THIS OUT, BUT YOU, THE CART CAN BE IN ANY POSITION, WHETHER IT'S FRONTWARDS OR BACKWARDS, IT WILL STILL LIFT IT.
THE GOOD PART ABOUT THE LITTER CONTROL IS WHEN IT'S LIFTED, IT'S GOING TO, THE CART'S GONNA GO COMPLETELY INSIDE OF THE TRUCK.
AND THEN WHEN, IF IT'S TOO HEAVY, WHEN IT GETS TO THE TOP, THE CART, THE GRABBER WILL GRAB IT AGAIN SO THAT THE CART WON'T FALL IN AND THEN IT COMES BACK AND IT PUT, COMES BACK DOWN AND PUTS IT IN THE SAME SPOT.
THE ARM ITSELF DOES NOT MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
[00:55:01]
STAYS IN THE POSITION AND IT JUST GOES UP THE RAILS.COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT I'M GONNA ABSTAIN FROM THIS ITEM.
UH, WE'VE DONE BUSINESS WITH REPUBLIC SERVICE IN THE PAST, BUT, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ASHLEY, I STILL WANNA MAKE COMMENT.
I THINK I'M IN WELL WITHIN MY RIGHT.
UH, SO LONG AS YOU GIVE THE REASON FOR YOUR ABSTENTION, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE COMMENTS.
OKAY? AND I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY MY ATTORNEYS AND THE PARISH ATTORNEYS TO NOT VOTE ON THE ITEM.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I'M ABSTAINING.
HOWEVER, UM, I'M ADAMANTLY AGAINST GOING FROM ONE DAY A WEEK, FROM TWO DAYS A WEEK TO ONE DAY A WEEK.
I THINK AS I'VE EXPLAINED TO THE ADMINISTRATION, IF I, TO MY COLLEAGUES, AS I'VE EXPLAINED TO REPUBLIC SERVICE, I DON'T SEE HOW ANYBODY CAN DIGEST A DECREASE IN SERVICE AND AN INCREASE IN PRICE.
THERE'S NO DENYING THAT THE COST OF BUSINESS TODAY HAS INCREASED FROM YESTERDAY OR PRE COVID, FEW COSTS, SUPPLY CHAIN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
I THINK THE CONVERSATION SHOULD, SHOULD BE SURROUNDING MAINTAINING THE SERVICE THAT WE HAVE AND SEE WHAT VALUE OR WHAT PRICE WE CAN GET THAT SERVICE AT FOR THOSE TWO DAYS A WEEK.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO, TO DO THAT AND GET BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO DO THAT.
UM, MY LOGIC ON THE TWO, TWO DAYS A WEEK, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS FROM TIME TO TIME, WHETHER IT BE, UH, WEATHER, WHETHER IT BE THE DISTANCE FROM THE LANDFILL, WHETHER IT BE A TRUCK BROKE DOWN, TYPICALLY YOU MAY GET MISSED ON YOUR FIRST DAY WHERE IT'S NOT A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE, OKAY, YOU MISSED ME ON MONDAY.
YOU CAN CATCH ME ON WEDNESDAY, YOU MISS ME ON TUESDAY, YOU CAN CATCH ME ON THURSDAY.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION THAT WEEK, THEN YOU HAVE ALL THAT GARBAGE AND THAT TRASH REMAINING FOR TWO WEEKS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID, UH, AND JUST TRY TO, UH, GET TRUTH AND, AND DISPEL SOME OF THESE, UH, MYTHS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I NEED SOME OF YOU GUYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
THE FIRST ONE I'VE HEARD CONFLICTING INFORMATION.
IS THERE AN EXTENSION AVAILABLE? SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE, THERE'S A THREE YEAR EXTENSION AVAILABLE.
SOME PEOPLE THAT SAID THERE, THERE'S NOT, WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT? AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS WHAT I'M REFERENCING.
UH, THE CURRENT CONTRACT HAS A SIX MONTH EXTENSION THAT IT CAN BE UTILIZED FOR TRANSITION PERIOD BETWEEN IF WE'RE CHANGING CONTRACT.
SO IT'S THE TR IF WE AWARD A CONTRACT, THERE IS NO TRANSITION PERIOD ON THE EXISTING CONTRACT.
SO THAT'S STRICTLY WHAT IT'S FOR.
SO, BUT WE ARE HAVING A TRANSITION PERIOD.
YOU MAY I ADDRESS THAT OR YOU, SO, SO NO, I'M SPEAKING TO AN EXTENSION.
UNDERSTAND OF THE CURRENT SERVICE IS, IS THAT AVAILABLE TO US OR NOT? LIKE I SAID, THERE IS A SIX MONTH TRANSITION, NOT NOT TRANSITION IN THE, IN THE EXISTING OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT ON THE AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT THAT SIX MONTH TRANSITION EXTENSION IS AVAILABLE AND IT'S IF NO CONTRACT IS AWARDED, OKAY, ONCE THE CONTRACT AWARDED THAT, THAT IS NOT ABLE TO BE EXECUTED.
SO WE CANNOT AWARD A CONTRACT TONIGHT AND EXTEND THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR SIX MONTHS.
ALSO SOUND KIND OF SHAKY IN YOUR ANSWER THOUGH.
ARE YOU SURE RICK, IF YOU AWARD THE CONTRACTOR IS NO SIX MONTH? NO.
MY QUESTION WAS, IF WE DO NOT AWARD THE CONTRACT TONIGHT, CAN'T WE EXTEND THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR SIX MONTHS? ONLY IF NO CONTRACT IS AWARDED.
IF ONCE THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED THAT, THAT TRANSITION EXTENSION, CHRIS, YOU WANNA CLARIFY? MAY I HELP OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT? SO OUR, OUR CONTRACT IS RUNNING ITS TERM, IT IS A SERVICE CONTRACT.
WE ARE ALWAYS LET NEGOTIATING GOOD FAITH.
NOW THAT WOULD REQUIRE US OBVIOUSLY TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
IT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHOICE.
SO I THINK WHAT RICK'S TRYING TO REFERENCE IS TO ENSURE WE HAVE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS AND THE EVENT WE WERE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR, THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO SUPPORT US FOR SIX MONTHS.
WHY WE WOULD CONVERT THAT TRANSITION? BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL IF THE CONTRACT TERMINATED, FOR INSTANCE, 1231.
AND BUT WHAT IF WE DON'T AWARD THE CONTRACT? ARE THEY STILL OBLIGATED TO, TO SERVICE US FOR SIX MONTHS? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS HOW THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAIN NEGOTIATING GOOD FAITH.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE AS, AS A FORTUNE 100
CAN WE GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT? SOME DEFINITE CLARITY ON THAT BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU? I KNOW THE CONTRACT IS EXPIRED, WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO NEGOTIATE.
WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO NEGOTIATE
[01:00:01]
WITH US IS UP TO THEM AND THEIR ATTORNEYS, AND OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO COME BACK AND, AND GET APPROVAL OF IT.WE, WE STATED THIS ON SOME ITEMS LAST NIGHT.
UM, WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SOME ITEMS WITH THIS TONIGHT.
UM, AND THE PUBLIC HAS EXPRESSED THIS, UM, A LOT OF ITEMS COME BEFORE US AND IT'S AN EMERGENCY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT FEES AND RATES INCREASE IN CHANGING IN SERVICES, WE WOULD LIKE THE COURTESY OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN VET IT SO WE CAN GET IT TO THE PUBLIC AND WE CAN ANSWER THE, THE PUBLIC'S QUESTIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS RFP DUE IN APRIL OR, OR FINALIZING APRIL, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT IS LOOK ENTERTAINING, A FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT, WHETHER IT'S LOOKING AT WHAT BRANDON WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE RECYCLING, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
SO I THINK WHETHER IT'S SIX MONTHS, WHETHER IT'S A YEAR, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AN EXTENSION TO HAVE THAT FURTHER DIALOGUE WILL GIVE US MORE CLARITY AND GIVE US MORE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THAT.
UM, AND THIS IS A QUESTION DIRECTLY TO RE DIRECTLY TO REPUBLIC OR MAYBE RICK AND, UH, GREG CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
UH, CONSTITUENT ASKED ME SPECIFICALLY TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THESE NUMBERS.
WHAT WAS THE FORMULA? HOW DID YOU GET TO THESE NUMBERS? LET ME JUST, JUST SAY, WHEN WE PROVIDED THIS SHEET, THIS WAS THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EACH, UH, WITH THE FIRM.
UH, WE ASKED ABOUT THE, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL COSTS THAT THEY SUBMITTED.
UH, WE LOOKED AT OTHER PLACES WHERE THE SERVICES WILL BE IN PROVIDED, AND WE WANTED TO TRY TO GET DOWN TO THE LOWEST REASONABLE COST FOR, FOR, FOR GARBAGE PICKUP, THE RECYCLING PART AND ALL THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WHAT WOULD, WHAT WENT INTO THIS PRICING? HOW DO WE ARRIVE AT THESE NUMBERS? DO, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? UH, I WAS NOT ENTIRELY A PART OF THE NEGOTIATION.
I PROBABLY CAN ASK RICK OR SOME OF THAT PART.
SO WE RECEIVED THE PROPOSAL IN AND WE HAD ONE RESPONSE THAT WE, WE DID GET THREE PROPOSALS ON THE DAY OF, OF THE SUBMITTAL.
AND, AND THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THAT RESPONSIVE RES PROPOSAL.
SO, SO RICK, THEY GAVE YOU SOME NUMBERS AND THEY ACCEPTED THOSE NUMBERS? OR DID WE NEGOTIATE, DID WE COUNTER OFFER? YES.
WE, WE, WELL, WE WENT, WE WENT IN AND NEGOTIATED THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE ARRIVED FOR THE ONCE A WEEK CONTRACT IN, IN THE, ON THE SHEET THAT WE GAVE YOU, YOU'LL SEE FOR THE GARBAGE.
THAT IS THE PROPOSED NUMBER THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US.
YOU KNOW, CUZ UNDER GOOD FAITH WE WERE NEGOTIATING TRYING TO GET THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE, UH, PRICES DOWN SO WE CAN HAVE A REASONABLE, UH, FEE FOR THEM.
BUT YOU CAN, THE A FORMULA CAN THAT BE PRESENTED.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FORMULA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THAT BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE US A PRICE AND, AND WE NEGOTIATED AND IT TALKED ABOUT, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BUY THE CARTS, THE CITY PARISH'S GOING TO CONTINUE BUYING THE CARTS, REPUBLIC'S GOING TO DO THE MAINTENANCE AND, AND DIS DISTRIBUTION OF THE CARTS, WHICH WE THINK IT'LL BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME, UH, THE, THERE'S GONNA BE A CALL CENTER SET UP MM-HMM.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY, THERE'S NOT A FORMULA.
IT'S JUST A, A GIVE AND TAKE DURING NEGOTIATION.
CAN YOU DO BETTER? CAN WE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT? YEAH.
LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS SO I DON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE TIME.
I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO SPEAK IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.
AND ANY NEGOTIATION, A GOOD NEGOTIATION, A GOOD NEGOTIATOR IS LOOKING FOR A WIN-WIN.
WANT BOTH PARTIES TO LEAVE AWAY FROM THE TABLE WITH A WIN, NOT, NOT A WIN LOSS.
WANT BOTH PARTIES TO GET A WIN-WIN.
IN MY OPINION, THIS IS NOT A WIN-WIN.
I, I DO THINK THE CITY OF PARIS IS SENSITIVE TO THE RISING COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND WHAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? SO THE VENDORS COULD BE PROFITABLE.
WE DON'T WANT 'EM NOT TO BE PROFITABLE, BUT I ALSO THINK THE VENDOR, THE CURRENT VENDOR, IS SENSITIVE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND OUR CITIZEN FACE WITH HIGH RISING COSTS AND INFLATION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I THINK WE CAN MAKE A BETTER EFFORT AT GETTING THE WIN-WIN FOR THE CITIZEN OF EAST BAT ROUGE PARISH THAN WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE TODAY.
AND I'LL, I'LL REST WITH THAT.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER HER, AYE, SO I'VE PROBABLY BEEN THE, UH,
[01:05:01]
THE, THE THORN AND THE SIDE ON THE ONE DAY A WEEK ALONG WITH CLEVE SINCE THIS STARTED.UH, ONE THING I DON'T THINK WE'VE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS HOW WE HAVE A HUGE INITIATIVE WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH A R P FUNDS AND OTHER CITY FUNDS TO FIGHT BLIGHT.
AND WHEN YOU GO TO URBAN AREAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE, WE TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION PROCESS OF USING PILATES.
SO I, I'LL GIVE Y'ALL A LITTLE HISTORY.
I RODE AROUND WITH REPUBLIC WASTE AROUND MY DISTRICT SO THEY COULD TELL ME WHAT THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR, WHAT REGINAL BROOMFIELD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND WHAT RICK PIER AND UM, RACHEL LAMBER WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
CAUSE IT'S THREE DIFFERENT AREAS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE.
AND THEY CONFUSED THE HECK OUT OF ME THAT DAY TO DETERMINE WHAT GROUP WOULD PICK UP WHAT PILE OF TRASH.
SO WE TALK ABOUT A EDUCATION WINDOW OF THREE TO SIX MONTHS.
I'VE BEEN AT A COUNCIL FOR A YEAR, FOR A YEAR, AND I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE SOME OF THESE PILES OUT.
THE BIGGEST THING THAT I SAW WAS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE VACANT LOTS HAD TRASH PILED UP TO THE TOP.
UH, WE DID A HEAVY JOB OF LIFTING THOSE TRASH, THAT THOSE TRASH PILES ARE DESIGN CITY.
AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, RESTORED TO THAT MAGNITUDE SINCE THEN.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DONE VERY WELL.
BUT BY REDUCING DOWN FROM TWO DAYS A WEEK TO ONE DAY A WEEK, I GUARANTEE YOU NOBODY'S GONNA SEE A STINKY TRASH IN THEIR HOUSE FOR SEVEN TO 10 DAYS OR WHATEVER.
CAUSE IF YOU MISS IT, IT'S ANOTHER WEEK.
RIGHT? SO WHAT'S GONNA END UP HAPPENING IS, IS THAT THESE PILES OF TRASH ARE GONNA START PILING BACK UP ON THOSE VACANT LOTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THESE PILES OF TRASH IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES.
THE ONE THING I'VE FOUND OUT THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS IS THAT IF THERE'S NO WATER METER THERE, THAT MEANS REPUBLIC WASTE WILL NOT PICK THAT TRASH UP BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THERE'S A FIELD THERE THAT ALLOWS THE WATER COMPANY TO PROCESS THE BILL ON BEHALF OF REPUBLIC WASTE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
SO THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DOES NOT KNOW THAT.
SO WE END UP WITH MORE PILES OF BLIGHT TRASH.
AND I THINK WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT, UH, WE TALK ABOUT MULTIPLE, UM, FAMILIES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE KIDS.
AND I REALLY NEED TO COMMENT ON THIS.
SO YOU GRABBING THE MIC, I'M JUST GOING TO SAVE MY LITTLE SPEECH, BUT, UM, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WITH 40% OF THE PARISH DOES TWO DAYS A WEEK.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS TWO DAYS A WEEK I'VE PUT OUT TWO CARDS ONE DAY A WEEK.
Y'ALL, I'M JUST REITERATING WHAT A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY SAID.
CAUSE I'VE HAD THESE EXACT SAME CONVERSATIONS WHEN MR. RAYFORD HAVE, I HAVE A CRAWFISH BALL ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND MY TRASH IS NOT GETTING PICKED UP UNTIL NEXT FRIDAY.
SOMEBODY MADE A JOKE ABOUT THROWING IT IN A DUMPSTER.
SO NOW WE ENCOURAGING THE LEGAL DUMPING, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE GONNA DO WITH CITY COUNCILMAN AS POLICE OFFICERS, AS ANYBODY ELSE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA ENCOURAGE CRIME BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GO TWO DAYS A WEEK.
UM, THE OTHER PART ABOUT IT IS, I HEARD ABOUT THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU DID.
NEXT TIME YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF COMMITTEE, MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND ASK THEM TO PROVIDE ONE PERSON FROM THEIR DISTRICT BECAUSE EACH DIFFERENT DISTRICT IS DIFFERENT.
AND WHAT THE, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, WE REPRESENT A DIFFERENT MINDSET AND SUBSET OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ADD A DIVERSE APPROACH TO THE, THE CONVERSATION AND DECISION MAKING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN D P W.
I HEARD THE NAMES THAT YOU DID, YOU NAMED BRAD BRA, Y W C A.
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY MAKING THE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY THAT CAN AFFORD A 35, THEY CAN AFFORD TRASH.
IF IT WAS $72 A MONTH, THAT'S NOT REPRESENTING THE AVERAGE CITIZEN THAT CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
ALL THAT SAYS, I CAN'T AFFORD IT.
BUT I'D RATHER MAKE THAT SACRIFICE AND HAVE A 30 COMMUNITY.
SO MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE MEMBER FROM EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO BE A PART OF THOSE BOARDS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A VOICE EVEN IF WE ARE NOT PRESENT OR ALLOW, WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON THOSE BOARDS SO THAT WE HAVE DIRECT COMMUNICATION BACK WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I I, I WON'T, I I WILL TELL YOU THIS.
UM, IT WAS A LITTLE DISTURBING ABOUT THE WASTE PRO PIECE AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF SHE COULD COME BACK UP TO THE MIC, UM, AND JUST TELL, RE RESTATE THE PART WHERE YOU WERE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED.
AND I WANT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, CAUSE KRISTEN ANSWERED THE QUESTION DIRECTLY.
WHY WA WHAT, WHAT PIECE DID YOU, UH, NOT GET ACKNOWLEDGED ON IN THE BID? UM, ON 89 FOR THE OUT CART, WE WERE THE ONLY PROPOSAL.
THERE WAS TWO PROPOSALS, RICHARDS AND WASTE PRO.
AND UH, IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING RICHARD'S ONLY BID TWO.
AND YET WE WERE NEVER TALKED TO ABOUT THE ONE THAT WASN'T BID ON.
BUT YET RICHARDS IS BEING AWARDED THE WHOLE CONTRACT FOR ALL THREE SECTIONS.
CAN SOMEBODY ANDONI WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED.
UH, THEIR PRICE WAS, AS I RECALL, UH, ABOUT 40% HIGHER THAN RICHARD
[01:10:01]
ON THEIR PROPOSAL.WHAT IF RICHARD DID BID ON AND, AND, AND AS I RECALL, THEY BID ON ONE IN, IN THE FORM THEY SUBMITTED WAS FOR ONE AREA OF THE THREE AREAS.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE ALSO LOOKED AT IT.
SO THE COMMITTEE REVIEW COMMITTEE IS THE ONE AUTHORIZED US TO GO IN THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH RICHARD.
AND I NEGOTIATED WITH RICHARDS TO PICK UP ALL THREE OF THE AREAS, YOU KNOW, CUZ I DIDN'T FEEL THAT ONE PART OF THE PARISH SHOULD PAY A LOT MORE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE DID.
AND THAT'S WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF WE JUST AWARDED IT WITHOUT NEGOTIATION.
SO THAT'S WHY WE, WE ENDED UP WITH THAT NEGOTIATION.
BUT IT WAS FROM A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SELECTION, FROM THE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I WANNA SAY SELECTION COMMITTEE.
THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM.
SOMETIMES I KNOW THESE THINGS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, IF IT DOESN'T GET, UH, UH, UH, DEFERRED TONIGHT, THEN I'M GONNA MAKE A SUBSTITUTE.
A I'M MAKE MAKE AN AMENDMENT FROM THE FLOOR THAT WE ADOPT, UM, THE TWO DAYS A WEEK IN THE CONTRACT AND NOT THE ONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE PARISH ATTORNEY OR SOMEBODY'S HERE, WE CAN'T MAKE THE AMENDMENT ACCEPTED.
WAIT, WAIT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
I'LL MAKE, I'LL MAKE A SAY THAT.
SAY SAY THE NUMBER THAT'S OH, YOUR FACT SHEET.
SO I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, UH, TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT AT $35 RATE FOR TWO DAYS A WEEK.
CUZ I, I, I CAN'T, UM, AGAIN, SEE AS WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
I KNOW WHAT YOU, THAT'S THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'M GONNA COME BACK TO YOU, BUT I WANT YOU TO GET, I WANNA GET THE MOTION CLEAR.
YOUR MOTION IS $35 AND 23 CENTS FOR TWICE A WEEK.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR, I'LL SECOND THAT ITEM, SIR.
NOW GO BACK TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING, I, I, I, I, MY, MY FINAL THING IS THAT I TELL PEOPLE I'M IN SALES FOR A LIVING.
I WON'T EAT MYSELF AND I CAN'T EAT THIS DOG FOOD.
I CAN'T SELL CONSTITUENTS TO PAY MORE AND GET LESS.
AND THAT'S THE REASON I MADE THAT MOTION.
AND SO I DID THE MATH, AND MAYBE I'M WRONG ON IT'S, CAUSE THE NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED BASED ON WHAT I USED, BUT IT'S ABOUT A DOLLAR ADDITION, ABOUT A DOLLAR, UH, $2 A WEEK ADDITIONAL TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE BETTER SERVICE.
AND THOSE $2 A WEEK WILL ENSURE THAT BLIGHT DOES NOT BUILD AND GROW IN BATON ROUGE.
SO I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN IN, IN SUPPORT.
I JUST WANT TO RESPOND UP ABOUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE ONCE A WEEK AND TWICE A WEEK.
AND CERTAINLY WHEN THE QUESTION IT WAS, IT WAS OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO TRY TO KEEP THE COST DOWN AS LOW AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE MANY PEOPLE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO AND ALSO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE RELAYED THAT COST WASN'T AN ISSUE TO THEM.
AND CERTAINLY WE WANTED TO TRY TO KEEP THE COST AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
AND ONCE A WEEK SERVICE WAS ONE OF THOSE WAYS TO DO IT.
I KNOW THERE ARE GONNA BE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE THE, UH, THE ONCE A WEEK AND NEED IT TWICE A WEEK.
IN REALITY, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE NUMBERS HERE SET UP FOR THE ONCE A WEEK OR THE TWICE A WEEK.
I, THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT WE BELIEVE THAT TRYING TO KEEP THE, FOR THE FIXED INCOME PEOPLE AND ALSO THE LOW INCOME PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
WE WANTED TO BE SURE THEY HAD AN OPTION TO DO SO.
SO WHAT I MEAN, I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO DO IT TWICE A WEEK, WELL THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT TO DO THAT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THE CONTRACT WHERE WE HAVE THAT'S HERE FOR, FOR DISCUSSION IS ON A ONCE A WEEK SERVICE POINT OF CLARITY.
AND IT'S FRIENDLY QUESTION IF THE, IF THE, IF THE CONTRACT IS ONLY ONCE, WHY DO WE HAVE THIS THAT SAYS WE HAVE A OPTION FOR TWICE? I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THE FACTS AND THE NUMBERS OUT THERE.
BECAUSE THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND WE WANTED AT LEAST LET THEM KNOW WHAT THOSE CALLS WERE DIRECTLY TO THAT, TO EITHER THE ONCE A WEEK OR THE TWICE A WEEK SERVICE.
I HAVE A POINT OF CLARITY ALSO, IF I MAY.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE, THE APPROVAL OF THIS CONTRACT TONIGHT, BUT WE STILL HAD TO BRING BACK THE ACTUAL FEES AND, AND WHAT WE SELECTED IN JANUARY.
THE FEE WOULD COME BACK, UH, AT THE, WHATEVER IS RECOMMENDED, WOULD COME BACK WITH THE FEES ASSOCIATED IN THE ORDINANCES IN JANUARY.
SO WHAT IS RECOMMENDED TONIGHT, WHICH COULD BE EITHER OR, OR ONLY WHAT WE IS ON THIS ITEM HERE, THE, THE CONTRACT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE, WHAT'S PART OF THIS PACKET IS FOR ONCE A WEEK, TRUST ME, IS FOR ONCE A WEEK SERVICE.
THAT WAS WHAT WE, WE, WE WERE CONSIDERED.
AND IF IT WAS GOING TO GET AMENDED, THEN WE THAT WE CHATTED WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE SURE HE VERIFIES THE O ULTIMATE DECISION, BUT WE COULD NOT
[01:15:01]
AMEND THE CONTRACT AT THIS POINT.WE COULD COME BACK AT LATER TO DO SO TO, IF THAT WAS THE CHOICE OF THE, UH, COUNCIL TO DO THAT.
ASHLEY? UH, I I MEAN, I, I WANT TO HEAR LISA OR ANDY'S OPINION ON IT, BUT I THINK, I THINK THE MOTION IS IN ORDER TO AWARD THE CONTRACT, THE, THE, THE AGENDA ITEM DOESN'T STATE, UM, WHAT, HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK THE P PICKUP IS GOING TO BE.
BUT IF THEY APPROVE IT AT TWO DAYS A WEEK, IF THAT'S THE MOTION, UM, AND, AND THAT, UH, OFFER IS ON THE TABLE BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S A, A MOTION THAT'S IN ORDER.
BUT, SO, UM, TWO THINGS TO, UH, MENTION.
ONE OF WHICH IS THAT IT DOES CHANGE THE PRICE OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THE, UH, PUBLIC NOTICE FOR EVERYONE, UH, SEEING THE CONTRACT AND BEING ABLE TO REVIEW IT WOULD BE OKAY.
I WOULD DEFER TO ASHLEY ON THAT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UH, I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO TOUCH BASE WITH FINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE FUNDS TO, UH, SIGN THIS CONTRACT WITH THE TWICE A WEEK BECAUSE IT WILL RAISE THE RATE, UH, THE CONTRACT.
LET'S GO IN, IN MEANTIME WHILE WE FIGURE THAT PART OUT.
SO IT SEEMS AS IF THE BIG CONVERSATION HERE IS ONCE A WEEK OR TWICE A WEEK.
AND I DID HAVE A CONSTITUENT ASK ME THE OTHER DAY.
SHE SAID, SO IF MY GARBAGE IS SUPPOSED TO BE PICKED UP ON MONDAY, THEY DON'T SHOW UP, WHICH SOMETIMES IT DOES.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S REASONS WHY, UM, THAT IT DOESN'T.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MOST, A LOT OF TIMES YOU COME THE NEXT DAY OR WE DO KNOW THAT THAT SECOND DAY IS COMING.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO GO TO ONCE A WEEK AND IT'S NOT PICKED UP? ARE WE LOOKING AT TWO WEEKS GOING TWO WEEKS WITHOUT OUR GARBAGE PICKED UP? NO.
OR CAN YOU, IN THE CONTRACT, THERE'S STIPULATIONS IN THERE THAT STATE, IF A RESIDENT CALLS IN AND SAYS THEY WERE MISSED, WE DIDN'T SERVICE 'EM, WE HAVE 24 HOURS TO GO BACK TO THAT RESIDENT AND SERVICE THEM.
WE, THEY WON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK.
AND ONE THING I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WHEN, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, NOEL WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TRUCKS, WE ARE GOING TO PUT ARM, UH, CAMERAS ON THE ARMS OF THE TRUCKS THAT'S GONNA VIDEO ALL DAY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SERVICING EVERY RESIDENT OF BATON ROUGE.
SO IF YOU CALL IN AND SAY THAT WE DIDN'T SERVICE YOU, WE'RE GONNA CLEARLY BE ABLE TO SEE IT IN THE CAMERA, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENT AS WELL.
AND I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
ANNUAL, ANNUAL HOLIDAYS, LET'S TALK ABOUT A HOLIDAY.
THANKSGIVING ALWAYS FALLS ON A THURSDAY.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO ONCE A WEEK GARBAGE THURSDAY WE'RE, WE ARE NOT GONNA RUN ON THURSDAY, IT WILL BE SERVICED ON FRIDAY, AND THEN WE'LL SERVICE THE FRIDAY CUSTOMERS ON SATURDAY.
SO WE WOULD JUST BE RUNNING ONE DAY BEHIND.
AND I THINK I WAS GONNA ASK FRED QUESTION ABOUT THREE 11, BUT HE TOOK OFF.
I, I, I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME, SOME QUESTIONS RAISED AND, AND THERE'S SOME DISCUSSIONS GOING ON.
I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES, UM, REGARDING THE, THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE.
THIS IS A VERY, OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SHOULD MAKE A CHANGE THAT'S SUBSTANTIAL ON THE FLIGHT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY SAY YOU CAN DO IT OR NOT, UH, WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE MEETING, IT'S A, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU, I WILL LIKELY OFFER UP A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER TO PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT SORT OF A CONVERSATION.
FINANCE, LEGAL RESIDENTS, UH, PARTICULARLY, UM, I, I I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A, A POLICY OR A CONTRACT OR A A RATE THAT WOULD SATISFY 133,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
THERE'S, THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL HERE.
UM, SO LET ME EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, UH, TO DATE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK.
AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN 12 PEOPLE GET IT, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERING IDEAS.
WE ALL HAVE INPUT, WE ALL GET GOOD INPUT FROM RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, UH, AND WANT TO HAVE OUR SAY.
SO AGAIN, NOT, NOT AN EASY TASK AND NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
UM, WHETHER, WHETHER WE, UH, THE, THE ITEM BEFORE US TONIGHT GETS APPROVED OR NOT.
WHAT I WOULD SAY, AND, AND I'LL LOOK AT ALL OF THE REPUBLIC FOLKS BECAUSE KNOW MOST OF YOU HAVE WORKED WITH, UH, MOST OF YOU THROUGH THE EXISTING CONTRACT, IS WHAT WE REALLY ARE TALKING ABOUT IS OUR RESIDENTS WANT CERTAINTY.
[01:20:01]
GO TO ONCE A WEEK, I THINK FOLKS COULD ADJUST TO THAT AS LONG AS THEY HAVE CERTAINTY.UH, AND THAT'S OUR JOB AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S HOW WE DEVELOP IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT IS WHAT'S OUR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE RESIDENTS NEED TO HAVE THAT CERTAINTY SO THAT THEY CAN CARRY ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THE GARBAGE IS GONNA BE PICKED UP WHENEVER IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PICKED UP AND YEAH, COME ON.
AND IF IT'S MISSED BY CHANCE THAT IT'S MISSED, WHICH WILL INEVITABLY HAPPEN THAT THEY CAN LEAVE IT OUT FOR 24 HOURS AND IT'S GONNA BE PICKED UP ON THE BACK END.
SO WHAT I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOU IS THIS COMES DOWN TO SERVICE.
IF THIS ITEM GETS THROUGH TONIGHT AND WE HAVE A CHANGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY WILL ADJUST.
WE WILL ADJUST, BUT IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO SERVICE DELIVERY.
IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO HOW YOU ALL STAND BEHIND THE SERVICE YOU'VE COMMITTED TO.
AND I WILL SAY THIS, IF, IF THERE ARE HICCUPS IN THAT, IF WE REVISIT WHERE WE WERE A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS AGO, RESIDENTS WON'T STAND FOR IT.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR IT AND WE WON'T.
I'LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO SAY, PULL OUT THE PENALTY PROVISIONS FROM THAT CONTRACT AND LET'S START HAVING SOME SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK YOU'LL HAVE MANY PEOPLE DOING THAT.
SO I, I I, I INTENDED TO SAY THAT IN A VERY ENCOURAGING WAY.
CAUSE I THINK IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE DELIVERY OF SERVICE, UH, WHATEVER PATH WE GO DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR.
UH, YOU WERE GONNA SAY SOMETHING.
SO TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S, I MENTIONED THE CAMERAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND TO ASSURE THAT IF A RESIDENT CALLS 3 1 1, THAT WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND WE'RE GONNA SERVICE THAT RESIDENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT, AND I UNDERSTAND BATON ROUGE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES LIKE IBERVILLE PARISH AND LAFAYETTE, AND YOU KNOW, OTHER AREA, LIVINGSTON PARISH AND ASCENSION PARISH, UH, THEY ALL HAVE ONCE A WEEK GARBAGE SERVICE.
AND MOST OF THOSE AREAS ARE CART CONTENTS ONLY.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE AN OUT OF CART OPTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE CHIMED IN AND WE SERVICE SOME OF THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
AND IT REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THAT IT'S DOABLE.
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ABOUT 85% OF THE MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS ARE ONCE A WEEK CURRENTLY.
BATON ROUGE CURRENTLY HAS A LOT OF SERVICES.
YOU'VE GOT TWICE A WEEK, GARBAGE ONCE A WEEK, RECYCLING ONCE A WEEK OUTTA CARD ONCE A WEEK, BOOM, TRUCK ONCE A WEEK, UH, FLATBED TRUCK ONCE A WEEK, TIRES.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF SERVICES AND A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES DON'T HAVE ALL THOSE SERVICES ANYMORE.
BUT THERE'S TO SAY, WHEN YOU WANT THOSE SERVICES, UNFORTUNATELY WITH INFLATION AND HOW IT IS, AND THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK COUNCILMAN NOEL OR, OR ACTUALLY COUNCILMAN DUN TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASES IN JUST SUPPLY CHAIN AND FUEL AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT WE AGREE SERVICE IS SOMETHING WE WANT.
THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THE ADDITIONAL TRUCKS IN LAST YEAR DURING COVID WHEN WE WENT FROM PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, OUR NORMAL SERVICES AT THE CURB, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT INCREASED TO 35%.
SO WE HAD TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
WELL, THOSE VOLUMES DIDN'T REALLY GO DOWN.
SO WE BROUGHT IN THAT EQUIPMENT AT REPUBLIC'S PRO, UH, WE PAID FOR THAT.
THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WE'RE SEEING THAT THINGS ARE HAVE CHANGED, SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL WORKING FROM HOME AND PEOPLE ARE AT HOME.
SO WE ARE SEEING THOSE INCREASES.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK RICK AND THEM PUT IN THERE FOR THE ADDITIONAL CART.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS IN BATON ROUGE THAT CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 10 CARTS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE, BUT IT'S WHAT THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL HAVE THAT OPTION TO DO THAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHEN BRANDON ASKED ME ABOUT THE TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY GOOD WHEN C NNG TRUCKS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOOD FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE CONTRIBUTING TO HELP WHEN HELPING WITH AIR QUALITY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE PERSON TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING C N G, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS AN ADMINISTRATION BEFORE Y'ALL THAT 10 YEARS AGO, THE PREVIOUS MAYOR TOLD US THAT WE HAD TO PUT C N G IN AND THAT'S WHEN WE HAD TO SPEND 10 MILLION FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL SERVICE YOU ONCE A WEEK.
WE WILL SERVICE YOU TWICE A WEEK.
THE COST OF, OF TWICE A WEEK WAS WHAT PEOPLE WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE THERE WERE CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING TO PAY THOSE ADDITIONAL FEES.
ONE MORE STATEMENT, SIR, AND THEN I'LL BE DONE.
AND, AND, UH, I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, INFLATION CERTAINLY, UH, IS, IS IS REAL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I THINK THE INCREASE OF $5 AND 50 CENTS A MONTH AND THE DECREASE TO ONCE A A WEEK IS A WAY TO MITIGATE THE COST INCREASES.
AND, AND THIS INDUSTRY THAT YOU'RE IN IS, IS NOT, UH, ALONE IN THAT.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE ALL CAN RECOGNIZE THAT IT,
[01:25:01]
IT WILL TRIGGER IF, IF IN FACT THIS GOES THROUGH AND WE GO TO ONCE A WEEK, IT WILL TRIGGER SOME, SOME CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR, UH, WITH RISING COSTS AT GAS STATIONS, AT GROCERY STORES.MY FAMILY HAS MADE CHANGES IN OUR BEHAVIOR.
I'M SURE OTHERS CAN, UH, RELATE IN THIS ROOM.
IT WILL CHANGE SOME BEHAVIOR, UH, FOR FOLKS IF THEY'RE GETTING ONCE A WEEK SERVICE.
UH, AND I THINK IF, IF WE'RE CONTINUED PARTNERS ON THIS, WE'VE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THOSE.
WE NEED TO BE READY TO ADAPT AND ADJUST TO THOSE CHANGES IN BEHAVIORS TO ADDRESS THEM.
BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES HERE HAVE SOME VERY VALID CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF PLACE AND BEAUTY OF OUR CITY.
THE, THE EMOTION ON THE FLOOR IS, IS GOOD.
SO WE, WE ARE GOOD WITH THAT MOTION.
NO, IT'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT? YEAH.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A TRANSITION PERIOD, NOT AN EXTENSION PERIOD, BUT THE TRANSITION PERIOD.
AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS SO THAT, THAT WE CAN DO IT GRADUAL TO WHERE THE RESIDENTS CAN GET USED TO IT.
SO WHAT WE, WHAT WHAT WE PROPOSED AND TALKED TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT, AND THEY ALSO BROUGHT IT TO US, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FEE WOULD GO INTO EFFECT MARCH 1ST.
BUT BEFORE THAT, FROM JANUARY TO FEBRUARY, THE END OF FEBRUARY, THERE WOULD BE AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH EDUCATION ALLOWING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND ASK QUESTIONS, GOING TO EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT MEETINGS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THEN THE FEE WOULD GO INTO EFFECT MARCH 1ST.
AFTER THAT, WE WOULD CONTINUE WITH THE SAME SERVICES FOR PEOPLE TO GET USED TO THE FEE.
SO TWICE A WEEK WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL JUNE 1ST.
JUNE 1ST, WE WOULD GO TO ONCE A WEEK.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE STILL PICKING UP THE OUTER CART, WE'RE STILL DOING EVERYTHING LIKE WE WERE.
AND THEN THE OUTER CART CHANGES WOULD NOT START UNTIL SEPTEMBER ONE.
SO YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT A SIX MONTH TRANSITION PERIOD THAT WOULD HAPPEN THAT WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTS TO GO TO GET MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THINGS, GET USED TO IT, AND ALSO HAVE THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST AND THE END OF FEBRUARY.
SEE, UM, THE, THE MAYOR DID WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH, WITH SHARON IN REPUBLIC, TRYING TO SET THAT UP WHERE THERE WAS A TRANSITION PERIOD.
BUT IT, IT REALLY DOES COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL'S DECISION IN TERMS OF ONE DAY OR TWICE A WEEK.
AND THE MAYOR WANTS TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE TWO PROPOSALS.
SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT COSTS FOR THE CITIZENS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, US, UH, IF I COULD GET MR. GOSSEN UP FIRST, MR. I WANTED TO FIRST ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE IN THIS WASTE PRO LETTER.
UM, SO THERE'S THREE POINTS HERE.
THEY TALK ABOUT BY NOT REQUIRING NEW EQUIPMENT, THEIR CURRENT CONTRACTOR HAS AN ADVANTAGE BY NOT HAVING THE CAPITAL OUTLAY OF ALL NEW EQUIPMENT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS A REQUIREMENT OF THE RFP FOR ALL NEW EQUIPMENT.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, THERE IS A, AN AGE WITH WHICH WE'LL ACCEPT THE EQUIPMENT AND THAT'S REALLY BASED ON RELIABILITY.
UH, WE DON'T WANT GARBAGE TRUCKS BROKEN DOWN THROUGHOUT THE PARISH.
AND THEN MS. MANN, IF, IF YOU WOULD COME UP, WE, WE ARE IN FACT GETTING ALL NEW TRUCKS WITH THIS CONTENT, CORRECT? YES.
NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING BRAND NEW TRUCKS, BUT WE'RE ALSO GETTING BRAND NEW TRUCKS FOR RECYCLING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONVERT TO AUTOMATED TRUCKS.
AND I, I MIGHT CALL YOU BACK TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE TRUCKS IN A MINUTE, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE.
ANOTHER POINT IN HERE TALKS ABOUT NOT EQUALIZING STORING, UH, SCORING FOR CONTRACTORS, UH, THAT DON'T USE, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BUILD A CNG FACILITY UNDER PUBLIC BID LAW.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO EQUALIZE SCORING FOR SOMEONE? NO, I WOULDN'T IN THAT WAY.
I WOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
SO IF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RESPONSIVE TO THE PROPOSAL WERE TO USE COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS, THEN IT'S A, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THAT PROVIDER TO HA NORMALIZE THAT COST OVER THE 10 YEAR PERIOD.
SO IF IT WAS A 10 MILLION INVESTMENT, I WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY'RE CARRYING A MILLION DOLLARS AND THEY'RE BASICALLY BUILDING THAT BACK INTO THEIR PRICE.
BUT I HAVE NO WAY TO SAY WE HAVE ONE VENDOR THAT CAN DO IT THIS WAY, BUT YOU DON'T WANNA MAKE THE INVESTMENT TO DO IT.
SO IF THE SCOPE AND THE SPECS REQUIRED A CNG SOLUTION, THEN IT'S INCUMBENT ON THAT PROVIDER TO PROVIDE ONE TO US.
UM, AND THEN THEIR LAST POINT WAS BY NOT SPLITTING THE SERVICE AREA INTO MORE MANAGEABLE SECTIONS, THE CITY PARISH IS SEVERELY LIMITING THE CONTRACTOR POOL AND LIMITING YOUR CHOICES.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO DIVIDE THE PARISH UP INTO SMALLER SECTIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, SO IN ONE SENSE THERE'S, UH, ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AS WE TRY TO DO THREE DIFFERENT AREAS, THE OTHER ONE ACTUALLY BECOMES PRICING.
SO WITHOUT GETTING INTO A BUSINESS MODEL FOR THEM, IT'S GONNA BE A DISTANCE FACTOR.
[01:30:01]
FOLKS IN ST.GEORGE ARE GONNA BE DRIVING OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA TAKE LONGER TO GET ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
SO NOW WE DON'T WANT PRICING FOR FOLKS IN SCOTLANDVILLE VERSUS ZACHARY AREA VERSUS CENTRAL VERSUS ST.
WE'RE TRYING TO NORMALIZE IT FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
THE OTHER ISSUE BECOMES WHOSE FAULT IS IT THAT DAY? AND SO I I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, AND WASTE PRO IS A VERY REPUTABLE COMPANY.
THEY DID NOT ACTUALLY BID ALL THREE.
THEY SAID I'LL BID ONE AND AS WE E ESTABLISHED OURSELVES, WE'LL NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND ANOTHER ONE AND ANOTHER ONE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S KIND OF MISLEADING.
THERE WAS, THEY DID NOT PROVIDE US A SOLUTION FOR ALL THREE.
NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON OUT OF CART NOW, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND, AND SO FOR THEM TO HAVE BEEN A, I GUESS A QUALIFIED BID, THEY WOULD'VE NEEDED TO HAVE BID ALL THREE FOR OUT OF CART? YES.
THEIR PROPOSAL JUST SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO STAGGER IT OVER TIME, WHICH THEN MEANT I HAD TO GO NEGOTIATE WITH OTHER FOLKS AND DO EXTENSIONS.
ANYTHING ELSE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE ACCEPTABLE? IT WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE BIDED ON ALL THREE.
UM, RICK AND FRED, IF Y'ALL WOULD, UM, SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT OTHER FACTORS OTHER THAN COST, UH, DID WE LOOK AT WHEN LOOKING AT ONCE A WEEK SERVICE? UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS EXTENSIVELY ABOUT WE HAVE A, A BIG CONCERN COMING UP WITH THE I 10 WIDENING, UH, PROJECT.
UM, DO WE THINK THAT, UH, A MOVE TO ONCE A WEEK SERVICE IS GONNA HELP US NAVIGATE THOSE CONCERNS AND THAT TYPE OF THING? CERTAINLY THERE'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE REGARDLESS, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THAT, UH, KEEPING THE TRUCKS OFF THE STREETS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING THAT TIME USING THE INTERSTATE, PARTICULARLY FROM THE SOUTH PART OF THE PARISH BECAUSE OF GETTING TO THE LANDFILL, MOST, UH, BIG GARBAGE HAULERS DO USE THE INTERSTATE, WHICH IS GONNA REQUIRE THEM TO LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATE WAYS.
BUT, UH, THAT, THAT WAS A, A FACTOR THAT WE LOOKED AT TOTALLY.
BUT REALITY, NOBODY HAD THE FARM NUMBERS YET AT THAT POINT WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY GONNA BE DOING THE WORK.
BUT IT'S NO QUESTION THAT IT'S A PLUS BY LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
UH, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT USE OF THE SECOND DAY SERVICE AS WELL.
THE, THE, THE OTHER ITEM YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, SINCE RIGHT NOW THE GARBAGE TRUCKS, WHICH ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST TRUCKS ON OUR STREETS, GO THROUGH EACH NEIGHBORHOOD TWICE A WEEK WITH ONCE A WEEK.
THEY'RE ONLY GONNA BE GOING IN THROUGH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ONCE A WEEK, WHICH INCREASES PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT USE OF THE SERVICE FOR THE SECOND DAY A WEEK.
YOU GUYS SENT OUT A FACT SHEET TO US PREVIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK IT WAS ON THE CURRENT FACT SHEET, BUT, UM, ONLY ABOUT 40% OF THE RESIDENTS ACTUALLY USE THEIR SECOND DAY OF SERVICE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT.
AND EVEN THE, THE RESIDENTS THAT DEUCE SECOND PICKUP, THEY MAY ONLY HAVE ONE BAG.
I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE, I PUT IT OUT CUZ THEY'RE SERVICING IT, NOT BECAUSE THEY NEED IT, IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ONE BAG AND THEY WANT, SO, SO THERE'S EVEN A, NOT ONLY DO ONLY 40% OF THE PEOPLE USE IT, BUT IT'S ALSO A LIGHTER LOAD ON THE SECOND SERVICE DAY.
UM, AND THEN I'VE HEARD SOME REPORTS, AND I'VE ANSWERED A TON OF EMAILS ABOUT THIS, SO I WANT TO ASK IT ON THE RECORD AND, AND GET IT CLEARED UP HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT WOODY WASTE AND BULK TRASH SERVICE ARE GOING AWAY.
PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE AND EXPLAIN HOW THAT SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS IT'S GOING TO BE A LIMITED NUMBER OF ITEMS. UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY PROPOSALS WE GOT FROM BOTH FIRMS WAS ON THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF DEBRIS PICKUP.
AND THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AS 10 ITEMS. NOW IT COULD BE 10 BAGS OF LEAVES, IT COULD BE 10 BUNDLES OF BRANCHES, OR IT COULD BE TEN SIX INCH BRANCHES THAT ARE FIVE FEET LONG, THAT WEIGH 40 POUNDS EACH.
40 POUNDS IS, IS AN OSHA STANDARD FOR, AND THAT'S PRIVATE CONTRACTORS HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE OSHA STANDARDS ON THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE CITY DOESN'T, BUT THEY DO.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTOR, IF, IF SOMEONE HAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS AND THEY NEED IT PICKED UP AND THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, THEN THEY CAN NEGOTIATE WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
HE'S GONNA LEAVE AN S CARD WITH THEIR NUMBER ON THERE AND THEY HA THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED RATES FOR THOSE KINDS OF COLLECTIONS THAT ARE, WILL BE SCHEDULED ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
SO, UM, WHEN THIS WAS PRESENTED TO ME, IT WAS PRESENTED AS AN OPTION
[01:35:01]
OF TWO TIMES A WEEK, ONE TIME A WEEK.THE PRICE DIFFERENCES WERE FOR A COST MITIGATION EFFORT AND AN ATTEMPT TO, UM, LOWER THE COST OR ABSORB THE RISING COSTS OF INFLATION.
UM, I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY CONFUSED JUST THINKING THAT WE WERE RISING THE COSTS AND REDUCING THE SERVICES JUST AT OUR, AT, AT ON OUR OWN WILL.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, THE WAY THAT IT WAS BROUGHT TO ME WAS THAT WE HAD THAT OPTION AND WE HAD TO EVALUATE WHETHER WE WANTED THE 35 PLUS DOLLARS OR WHETHER WE WANTED TO STAY THE SAME AT $28.
UM, JUST TO CLEAR UP THAT LITTLE PIECE OF MISINFORMATION THAT'S BEEN FLOATING AROUND SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAD BEFORE WE GOT HERE TONIGHT AND SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD FROM CONSTITUENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I JUST WANNA REITERATE THOSE QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WHEN WAS THE RFP? AND WE HEARD THAT THE RFP WENT OUT IN APRIL.
UM, WHO DRAFTED THE RFP AND THERE WAS A COMPANY AND CAN YOU RESTATE THE NAME PLEASE? IT, IT WAS BURNS MCDONALD.
AND IT WAS A DIVISION THAT DEALS WITH THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS NATIONWIDE.
HOW MANY COMPANIES REQUESTED A COPY OF THE RFP? UH, I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IT GOES THROUGH THE, AN INTERNET PORTAL WHERE THEY COULD DOWNLOAD IT, BUT WE HAD 25 DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS ATTEND THE PRE-BID MEETING, 25 AT THE PRE-BID MEETING.
AND HOW MANY COMPANIES ACTUALLY RESPONDED TO THE P? WE HAD THREE COMPANIES.
RESPONDERS OF WASTE, PRO WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND REPUBLIC SERVICES.
AND THEN WHAT WAS THE STEP AFTER THAT? THE, THE, THE FIRST STEP WAS WE PRESENTED THOSE, THE WRITTEN PROPOSALS, THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSALS TO THE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND WE ONLY HAD ONE RESPONSIVE.
THE, THE OTHER TWO SAID, THANK YOU, BUT NO THANK YOU ESSENTIALLY.
AND THEN THEY HAD BOTH HAD DETAILS FOR THAT AND THEY REVIEWED THE TECHNICAL AND SCORED THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL.
SO, UH, THEY HAD TO HAVE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF POINTS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE PROPO COST PROPOSAL.
AND IN YOUR SIMPLEST TERMS, PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT DOES ONE RESPONSIVE MEAN? NON-RESPONSIVE OR ONE, THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NON-RESPONSIVE AND THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS RESPONSIVE.
WELL, YEAH, ONE RESPONSIVE BY REPUBLIC SERVICES.
THAT MEANS THEY GAVE US A RESPONSE TO EVERY QUESTION AND EVERY REQUIREMENT IN THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL THAT WE WANTED.
THEY GAVE US THE COLLECTION INFORMATION, THEY GAVE THEIR CONTRACT INFORMATION, THEY GAVE CONTACT INFORMATION IN, IN HOW THEY PROPOSED TO DO THE SERVICES.
AND, AND SHOULD THAT BE LEFT OUT THEN THAT SHOULD A COMPANY LEAVE OUT ANSWERS TO ANY OF THE QUESTIONS, THEN THAT IS CONSIDERED NON-RESPONSIVE, CORRECT? NO, THAT, THAT THEY JUST WOULDN'T GET A SCORE.
ON, ON THAT PORTION OF, OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR YET AGAIN, WHAT IS THE CURRENT COST FOR TWICE A WEEK PICKUP? THE CURRENT COST? UH, YOU TALKING ABOUT FOR THE REPUBLIC COST TO, TO, TO US OR THE, THE MONTHLY COST THAT IS PUT ON A BILL THAT, UH, E EV R IT'S $23 A MONTH.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT IS THE COST OF ONCE A WEEK PICKUP AND I HAVE HERE ONCE A WEEK PICKUP WOULD BE INCREASED TO 28 97, IS THAT CORRECT? SO THAT SHEET HAS THE COST OF SERVICES FOR THE CITY.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS $28 AND 50 CENTS.
AND THEN WHENEVER WE ARE, UM, TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE TWICE A WEEK PICKUP, WHICH WAS PRESENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE, THAT COST WAS $35 AND 23 CENTS.
CORRECT? THAT'S THE COST, YES.
AND THEN THE ADDITION OF A CART FOR THOSE OF FOLKS THAT WANTED TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CART, IF SERVICES WERE ONLY TO BE ONE TIME PER WEEK, THAT WAS $7? CORRECT.
AND AND THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ON BOTH SERVICES? ON BOTH SERVICES, YES.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SERVICE OVER THE YEARS AND THIS IS NOT A DIG AT REPUBLIC BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE WITH REGARD TO MY OFFICE AND MY DISTRICT.
YET THERE'S STILL BEEN SEVERAL SERVICE ISSUES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, COMPLAINTS ABOUT THROUGH THREE 11 OR JUST THROUGH, DIRECTLY THROUGH, UM, MY DISTRICT EMAIL.
OUR PENALTIES ARE WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACT, CORRECT? WELL, THERE'S PENALTIES ARE IN THE EXISTING CONTRACT AND WE'VE SET IT UP AS ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES CUZ PENALTIES, YOU HAVE TO
[01:40:01]
GO THROUGH THE ATTORNEY PROCESS AND, AND THROUGH THE COURT'S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, UH, CHARGES WOULD BE DONE BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR, UH, THERE'S A WHOLE LITANY OF, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, CHARGES THAT COULD BE APPLIED FOR MIS SERVICES, MIS SERVICES FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT'S ESCALATING ON, ON THOSE THINGS.SO LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS ACTUALLY FACTUAL.
I HAVE A RESIDENT IN MY DISTRICT THAT PROVIDES ME WITH A SPREADSHEET EVERY TIME THAT TRASH IS MISSED AND THE COST OF EACH TRASH, TRASH COLLECTION BASED UPON THEIR CURRENT BILL WITH THAT PERSON IN THEIR SPREADSHEET FOR THE MIS COLLECTION TIMES OR DATES.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES THAT WOULD, THAT PERSON COULD PURSUE UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT? WELL, THAT, THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THE THREE 11 REPORT FIRST.
RIGHT? AND REPUBLIC HAS TO, UH, RESPOND TO THAT SERVICE.
AND IF THEY RESPOND TO THAT, THAT SERVICE REQUEST, THEN THERE IS NO ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT THINGS PICKED UP BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES ARE MEANT TO IMPROVE SERVICES, NOT TO JUST PENALIZE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES.
WE WANT THEM TO PICK UP, WE WANT THEM TO BE RESPONSIVE AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GOING TO ONCE A WEEK.
UM, SO LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, WORST CASE SCENARIO, THERE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES.
WHAT IS THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE AND HOW IS THAT APPLIED? SO THAT, HOW IS THAT ENFORCED? THAT, THAT WOULD BE ME NOTIFYING IN WRITING TO REPUBLIC SERVICES.
THIS IS THE MISSED SERVICES THAT WE HAVE BY REPUBLIC SERVICES AND THIS IS THE CHARGES THAT YOU HAVE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY BACK TO, UH, FOR THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
THOSE CHARGES WOULD BE DEPOSITED INTO THE ENTERPRISE FUND FOR THE COLLECTION.
AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE ENTERPRISE FUND FOR COLLECTION IS.
SO MY DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETELY, UH, UNDER AN ENTERPRISE FUND, ONE FOR SEWER, ONE FOR COLLECTION, ONE FOR THE LANDFILL.
SO THEY'RE SEPARATE FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND THEIR SPECIFIED USES FOR THE, THE FUNDS.
AND THE FUNDS IN THE COLLECTION FUND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR COLLECTING, UH, IN DISPOSING OF, OF TRASH AND GARBAGE AND COLLECTING RECYCLES.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED MUCH ABOUT, AND IF WE HAVE, I'M SORRY I MISSED IT.
WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THERE'S A 4% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR THAT'S ATTACHED TO THIS CONTRACT AND WRITTEN IN.
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THAT? WHAT THAT IS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND, UM, THE IMPACT ON THE BILL? SO THAT 4% IS ON THE CONTRACT AMOUNT AND IT'S A YEARLY INCREASE.
UH, IN THE RFP WE HAD, UH, C P I INDICES SET UP FOR THIS CONTRACT AND FOR THIS YEAR, IF WE HAD THOSE THINGS IN PLACE LIKE AUSTIN, WE WERE LOOKING AT EIGHT TO 10% INCREASING OUR PRICES.
SO PART OF THE NEGOTIATION, WE NEGOTIATED THE PRICE COMING DOWN, WE ALSO NEGOTIATED TO SETTING THE, THE INDICES AT 4% A YEAR FOR THE CONTRACT PRICE.
IT'S NOT ON THE 28 50, IT'S ON THE CONTRACT, THE $11 AND THE $6 AND THE SEVEN AND A HALF DOLLARS.
SO IT'S NOT ON THE TOTAL BILL.
UM, AND FOR THE LAYPERSON, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT CPI IS? CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.
UM, YOU TESTED ME ON THAT ONE, SIR.
THIS ONE MADE ME LOSE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT CAUSE HE WON'T HUSH
UH, FEW THINGS HERE, UH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON, UH, COMING UP.
BUT DOES THIS, UH, I GUESS TO REPUBLIC OR ANYONE, DOES THE SELECTION OF THE ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE INVESTMENT THAT REPUBLIC WILL MAKE AS FAR AS EQUIPMENT AND WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING? SO OBVIOUSLY THE PRICE IS DIFFERENT RIGHT? FOR TWICE A WEEK AND IT WILL COST MORE.
UM, WE WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A, A FEW MORE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
UM, BUT FOR US, IF YOU WANT ONCE A WEEK, WE GAVE A, WE
[01:45:01]
HAD A PRICE IN THE RFP FOR THAT AND WE HAD A PRICE FOR, FOR TWICE A WEEK.NOW, I, I UNDERSTAND THE PRICES ARE DIFFERENT TO THE, TO THE CONSUMER OR WHATEVER, BUT IT DOES, IT, DOES IT CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR INVESTMENT IN EQUIPMENT? YOU SAID YOU JUST MENTIONED A SECOND AGO THAT YOU WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE TO GET MORE TRUCKS.
DOES THAT TRANSLATE INTO CHANGING THIS FROM 35, 23 AND GOING HIGHER POSSIBLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO INVEST MORE EQUIPMENT? NO.
WELL, WE DID THE BID THAT THAT COST WAS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UM, BUT REMEMBER OUR PRICES IN THE 35 RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE THE CONSTITUENTS WOULD BE, WOULD BE BILLED.
OURS IS THE LESSER FEE WHEN IT'S BROKEN DOWN.
WHEN YOU LOOK, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BROKEN DOWN SHEETS.
Y'ALLS IS TWICE A WEEK GARBAGE.
BUT THE TOTAL TO THE CONSUMER IS GONNA BE 35, 23 OF WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
ORIGINALLY WHEN THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US, IT WAS PRESENTED TO US AS $38 AND SOMETHING, UM, I, I KNOW IT'S SEMANTICS, BUT IT READS DIFFERENTLY.
AND YOU'RE GETTING, I MEAN, ACTUALLY YOU'RE GETTING STILL TO TWICE A WEEK SERVICE.
YOU'RE GETTING MORE SERVICE, I FEEL LIKE IN THE, UM, OUT CART, I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING GOOD SERVICE IN THE RECYCLE.
UH, A LOT OF THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER A LOT BETTER WITH A, UM, 10 OR $12 INCREASE OVER 10, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PREVIOUS 10 YEARS WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING.
UM, I GUESS THE, THE BIG THING TO ME IS, DOES ANYTHING ELSE CHANGE BY US SELECTING THE TWICE A WEEK? DOES ANYTHING, ANY DIFFERENCE IN SERVICES OR ANYTHING ONCE A WEEK VERSUS TWICE A WEEK? SO THE, THE ONLY OTHER DIFFERENCE, IF YOU LOOK AT FOOTNOTE ON TWICE A WEEK, UH, THE, THE PURCHASE OF THE CARTS ARE, UH, 20,000 ARE IN THE GARBAGE FEE.
SO WOULD THAT, WHAT IS THAT GONNA CHANGE THE PRICE? WHAT, WHAT'S CHANGING THE PRICE? NO, THAT, THAT'S NOT CHANGING THE PRICE.
THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE.
IF WE TAKE IT OUT, YOU KNOW, THEN IT MIGHT CHANGE THE PRICE.
WHEN WE, IF WE SELECT TWICE A WEEK, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY USER FEE OF EXPECTING 50,000 RESIDENTS TO ADD A SEPARATE CART, DOES THAT ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE CONTRACTOR CHANGE ANYTHING? NOT FOR THE CONTRACTOR.
UM, NEXT THING IN THIS, WHAT I WAS TOLD EARLIER WAS THIS ORDINANCE, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S SOMETHING COMING BACK TO US IN JANUARY.
IT'S, IT'S THE, THE ORDINANCE THAT DES THAT GOVERNS THE SERVICE FEE CHARGED TO THE RESIDENCE AND IT OUTLINES THE, THE, UH, THE SINGLE RESIDENCE SERVICE FEE.
IT'LL OUTLINE THE SECOND CART FEE BEING CHARGED TO THE RESIDENCE, AND ALSO THE, UH, MULTI-FAMILY, UH, DUMPSTER FEES.
THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THAT ORDINANCE.
AND THERE'S DEFINITIONS INCLUDED IN THAT ORDINANCE.
IT'S AN EXISTING ORDINANCE WE'RE AMENDING CORRECT.
SO IN JANUARY, WE'RE AMENDING THE ORDINANCE BASED ON THE SELECTION THAT WE MAKE ONCE A WEEK OR TWICE A WEEK.
AND WE'RE SOLIDIFYING THAT BY ORDINANCE, UM, TO START BILLING PEOPLE AT THAT COST IN ON MARCH 1ST.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE END ON 12 21, 12 31.
UM, CONTRACTS COMING TO THE END.
THERE IS NO PUSHING IT FORWARD.
WE NEED TO GET EQUIPMENT ORDERED AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN, IN MY OPINION, THIS THIS CHANGE.
AND, AND IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE SMALL TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT THIS $35 IS AN OPTION AS FAR AS TAKING BACK TO THE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICE TO CONTINUE THE TWO TIMES A WEEK.
PLUS THE, THE ADDED BENEFIT OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING WITH THE, WITH THE CAMERAS, WITH THE EQUIPMENT.
I, I THINK HONESTLY, I THINK SERVICE IS GONNA BE SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THIS NEW CONTRACT.
BUT IF THE PEOPLE WANT THE TWO TIMES A WEEK, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN OUT BASICALLY BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT WAS WAY TOO MUCH OUTTA OUTTA LINE FOR THE TWO DAYS A WEEK.
I'VE BEEN TOUTING ONE DAY A WEEK AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, AT THIS, THE, THE TWICE A WEEK'S A GOOD SELLING POINT AND IT CAN WE PASS THE COUNCIL MEMBER? MO, ARE YOU GOING ONE MORE TIME LATER? POSSIBLY? I, I'M, WELL, WELL, WE'VE ALREADY SMOKED TWICE, SO I'M, I CAN GIVE YOU TIME NOW.
UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO NOW.
[01:50:01]
SO ANYWAY, IT'S, WE'RE GOING TO, CAN WE SELECT, WE NEED TO SELECT A VENDOR THAT'S CORRECT.IN THIS THING, IN THIS ORDER TONIGHT, WE'RE SELECTING THE VENDOR.
THE VENDOR IS REPUBLIC, IS THERE, AND RICHARD TO KEEP THEM MOVING FORWARD AND TO KEEP EAST BAT ROUGE PARISH MOVING FORWARD.
AND I KNOW THEY GOTTA GET EQUIPMENT ORDERED.
CAN YOU SELECT THE VENDOR AND SELECT THE KNOWING THEY GOT THE CONTRACT AND IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING IN PURCHASING EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN MAKE THE CALL THAT JANUARY WHAT WE'RE GONNA SOLIDIFY ON THE ONE WEEK OR ONE ONCE A WEEK OR TWICE A WEEK AT THAT JANUARY MEETING? UH, YES, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND, AND THEN WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND, BUT SHE CAN GET STARTED WITH, WE, WE WOULD COME BACK AND TO AMEND THEIR CONTRACT.
REFLECT THE, INCREASE THE FEES POINT, POINT OF ORDER YOU'RE SAYING? YES, BUT I DON'T, WE NEED A LEGAL, UH, POSITION ON THAT.
CAUSE I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT UNDER THE GO AHEAD.
THE ITEM IS ACTUALLY AWARDING THE CONTRACT ITSELF.
SO IF YOU APPROVE THE CONTRACT AS IT IS TONIGHT, WHICH IT'S WRITTEN WITH, UM, ONE SERVICE PER WEEK, THEN THAT'S THE WAY IT WILL MOVE FORWARD.
AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO COME BACK IN JANUARY AND AMEND THAT CONTRACT FOR TWICE A WEEK OR ANY OTHER, UH, AMENDMENT THAT BOTH PARTIES AGREE TO, YOU CAN DO THAT.
SIR, WE APPROVE TONIGHT AT TWICE A WEEK.
SAME IF WE APPROVE TONIGHT AT TWICE A WEEK, WE CAN STILL DO THE SAME.
IF BOTH PARTIES AGREE, YOU CAN COME BACK AND AMENDMENT, AMEND IT AS LONG AS THAT TERM THAT YOU WANNA AMEND IS LEGAL.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
I I JUST, I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD BE CLEAR TO GO AHEAD AND, AND OF COURSE SELECT THE VENDOR, BUT THEN, AND I KNOW WE HAVE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND ALL, BUT SELECT THE ACTUAL, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO AMEND, SELECT THE ACTUAL, UH, TYPE OF CONTRACT THAT WE WANT OR THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE WANT ON THAT JANUARY 25TH.
WELL, BUT WE CAN AMEND THE CONTRACT.
I WANT, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S CLEAR.
THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AWARDING THE CONTRACT.
SO WHATEVER WE APPROVE TONIGHT, WHETHER IT'S TWICE OR ONCE A WEEK, WE CAN COME BACK AND AMEND IN JANUARY.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO AWARD THE CONTRACT AT TWICE A WEEK.
DO WE HAVE TO APPROVE EITHER ONE? NO, I'M SORRY.
THE CONTRACT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW AT ONCE A WEEK.
BUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TWICE.
WELL, IT'S NOT AMENDMENT A MOTION TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT, BUT THAT WON'T AMEND THE CONTRACT TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE TO, DO WE HAVE TO APPROVE ONE OR THE OTHER WITH THIS ORDINANCE TONIGHT? HOLD UP, HOLD UP, SHAWNA.
YES, THE WAY, THE WAY THE RESOLUTION IS WRITTEN, YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO CHANGE IT TONIGHT.
CAN WE, CAN I MAKE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO NOT SELECT EITHER ONE OF 'EM, BUT AWARD THE CONTRACT TO REPUBLIC AND THEN MAKE THE SELECTION THAT WE WANT ON THE 20 ON JANUARY? BECAUSE THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS I, AND I APPRECIATE THE MOTION AND EVERYTHING AS FAR AS THE TWICE A WEEK AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE ONCE A WEEK, BUT WE'LL HAVE TWO, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING FLOATING OUT THERE THAT I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC COULD FEEL LIKE WE'RE STUCK IN UNLESS WE GO BACK THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
I MEAN, AM I WRONG ON THAT? YES.
WHY CAN'T WE SELECT? BECAUSE THE WAY, THE WAY THE CONTRACT, THE WAY THE ITEM IS WRITTEN IS THAT THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED AT ONCE A WEEK, WHAT YOUR SUGGESTION IS.
WE AWARD A CONTRACT WITH NO TERMS TO SELECT THE TERM.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND DISCUSS TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT HAVING SOMETHING PERMANENTLY SELECTED.
AND I KNOW WE CAN AMEND AND CHANGE, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT IT, I I FEEL LIKE IN THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION, IN THE PUBLIC EYES, WE'RE GONNA SELECT SOMETHING HERE TONIGHT AND IT COULD POSSIBLY NOT GET CHANGED OR OR SO ON BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GONNA KEEP IT OFF TONIGHT.
YOU SHOULD AHEAD HAVE TAKEN THE DEAL.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO CAUTION EVERYONE, THE TIME NOW IS 5 48.
WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS LEFT IN THIS MEETING AND WE'RE ONLY ON ITEM ONE.
SO, UM, SO, UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE FOR REPUBLIC SERVICES TO MAINTAIN, UM, THE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF THE ECONOMIC DRIVERS IN MY DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, UM, I I THINK WE'RE MISSING A BIG POINT.
[01:55:01]
AS IT RELATES TO THE R F P, UM, THE R F P AND THE, THESE ARE THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME TO, UH, ME AND POSSIBLY SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, OUR COLLEAGUES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE R F P, CHRIS, SHARON, RICHARD, THE, WHAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT THE R F P WAS ORCHESTRATED AND WRITTEN TO FAVOR REPUBLIC SERVICES.SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, RICHARD, OF COURSE, THEY ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS.
IF THAT IS TRUE NOW, AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR REBUTTAL, THEIR COMMENTS, UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
WHEN DID, WAS REPUBLIC INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL? IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE R F P? NO.
NO CONSULTATION WITH THEM BY A REPUBLIC SERVICES PERSON THAT REMAINED ON THAT.
THEY BEGAN WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFERS ON THIS IN JANUARY, JUST TELLING YOU.
IF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING FROM JANUARY TO FEBRUARY ON THIS PROPOSAL, ALL OF THE P ALL THE THINGS THAT SHARON JUST MENTIONED YOU WOULD WANT TO DO FROM JANUARY TO MARCH.
THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I CONSIDER BRICK ONE OF THE MOST EQUITABLE PUBLIC, UM, AGENCIES IS BECAUSE THEY DO SURVEYS AND OUTREACH BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING.
WE, WHETHER WE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DISTRUST IN IN GOVERNMENT ON THE COUNCIL WITH ITS ADMINISTRATION IN GOD WE TRUST AND ALL OTHER THINGS BRING DATA.
IF THERE'S A FACT, IF YOU ALL HAD A CONSULTANT, WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE CONSULTANT.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU, WE SHOULD HAVE NOT DID DID WE KNOW ABOUT IT? YEAH, YOU, YOU APPROVED THE CONTRACT.
OKAY, SO WE, WE HAD WHEN WAS THAT? IT WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 21.
OKAY, SO IN SEPTEMBER 21, SO IT, FROM SEPTEMBER 21 TO SEPTEMBER 22, DID WE RECEIVE ANY FEEDBACK AS IT RELATES TO THAT CONTRACTOR'S WORK? NO.
UM, IT WAS A $60,000 CONTRACTOR.
SO WE GAVE, THEY, WE GAVE THEM $60,000, WHICH IS GOOD.
THEY POSSIBLY WORKED WITH, THEY WILL ADD THEM TO THE PLAYING FIELD WHERE THEY PROBABLY WORKED WITH THE CITY, POSSIBLY REPUBLIC, POSSIBLY PURCHASING.
ALL OF THAT DOES NOT VALIDATE AND BRING INTEGRITY TO IT IN IT.
AND I'M SORRY THAT I DON'T REMEMBER A CONTRACT FROM, BUT I UNDERSTAND.
BUT ANYWAY, THE OTHER THING, PENALTIES, I DO UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE PENALTIES IN IT, BUT LET ME ASK YOU, IS IT WRITTEN SO THAT THERE CAN BE, THAT IT IS, NO, IT IS AN AUTOMATIC PENALTY OR IS IT SUBJECT TO SOMEBODY'S APPROVAL OR DISCRETION? IT'S NOT A DISCRETION, IT'S A DEPENDENT ON THEIR PERFORMANCE.
AND WHAT'S, I AM GETTING THE DATA OUT OF THREE 11 AND HOW THAT, UH, RESPONSE IS.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT'S SUBJECTIVE BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE REALLY GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND MY WHAT MA WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT, THAT WE HAVE THAT WITH IEP AND WHEN PEOPLE COME AND THEY CAN EXPLAIN THE WAY THE ISSUE, THEY GET PAST THE, UM, THE PENALTY.
SO I DON'T FEEL A PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF COMFORT IN HA SAYING THAT WE HAVE A PENALTY.
MY OTHER CONCERN IS, AND I'M NOT REALLY VERSES THIS, BUT I'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT WHERE AT ONE POINT, UH, WHERE ONE OF THE THINGS WASTE PRO, YOU SAID THAT THEY, THEY, THERE WERE THREE AREAS.
SO YOU MEAN THEY WERE GONNA WORK WITH DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SO WE, WE SET UP THE RFP FOR THE OUT CART AND THREE ZONES, AND THOSE THREE ZONES CORRELATE WITH THE MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY GARBAGE AREAS.
AND, AND WE HAD THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS AND EACH ONE STIPULATED ON THAT ONE.
NOW WHAT ARE THE THREE SERVICES? I ALWAYS, I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THAT IF WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, THERE WERE THREE SERVICES.
SO IT'S OUT OF CAR, WHAT ELSE? RECYCLING.
SO WASTE REPUBLIC SERVICES HAS ONLY THE GARBAGE AND RECYCLING CUZ THAT'S WHAT THEY PROPOSED ON.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY PROPOSED.
SO WHY DIDN'T OUR RFP EITHER REQUEST THAT, WHICH IS WHAT THE MAYOR SAID IN 2016 THAT SHE WOULD HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS? OR HOW,
[02:00:01]
WHY DIDN'T WE SAY YOU, I MEAN, WHY DID THEY HAVE THE DISCRETION TO CHOOSE TWO OUT OF THREE? SO, AND THAT'S THE WAY THE, UH, RFP WAS SET UP.SO WE COULD TRY TO GET MORE CONTRACTORS INVOLVED WITH THIS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THE GARBAGE RECYCLING COLLECTION.
WE HAVE THE OUT OUT CART, UH, SELECTION AND THE RECYCLING PROCESSING AS ANOTHER, UH, PORTION OF THE, BUT THEY PAY, THEY YOU SAID THERE WERE THREE? THEY DID TWO OUT OF THREE, YEAH, THEY DID THE GARBAGE RECYCLING AND THEY GAVE US A PRICE FOR THE PROCESSING.
BUT THAT, AND BECAUSE THEY, THEY ONLY HAD THE ONLY PROCESSING FACILITY IN THE AREA.
SO, SO YOU ARE, YOU ARE SAYING THAT THE ONLY REASON THEY WERE GIVEN THEY CHOSE THOSE TWO OUT OF THE THREE IS BECAUSE YOU CITY GOVERNMENT FELT IT WAS A BEST DEAL? WELL, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY PROPOSED ON.
BUT YOU SEE DIDN'T, HOW THEY LEADING, YOU SEE HOW THEY DRIVING THE, THE, THE, THE SHIP.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE ENDED UP HAVING TO PUT OUT ANOTHER R F P FOR THE OUTER CART TO TRY TO GET A CONTRACTOR.
BUT STILL, THEY STILL, BUT YOU DIDN'T, BUT THEY, THEY WERE, I'M SAYING THEY STILL GOT TO CHERRY PICK WHICH AREAS AND EVERY CONTRACTOR GOT TO HAVE THAT OPTION THOUGH.
THEY HAD THAT OPTION TO PROPOSE ON IT.
SO AGAIN, I'VE HAD PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WHERE THEY CHOSE, AND I'VE READ NATIONALLY AS IT RE AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SERVICES BEING A FORTUNE 500, THAT THAT IS THEIR NEW BUSINESS MODEL TO ONLY DO AUTO CART AND RECYCLING AND NOT OUT CART GARBAGE AND RECYCLING.
SO IT DON'T, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S, THIS IS NOT A LOCAL THING.
I KNOW, BUT YOU DIDN'T, WEREN'T SAYING THAT THIS IS BASICALLY DRIVEN BY THE WAY THEIR INDUSTRY WORKS.
UH, REPUBLIC SERVICES NATIONWIDE HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN WHERE THEY AND PLAN TO INCREASE YEARLY THAT BASICALLY THEY WANNA GET OUT OF.
THEY THAT WHEN YOU DEALING WITH MUNICIPALITIES, I MEAN, I KIND OF READ UP ON IT MUNICIPALITIES THAT IF YOU DON'T, ARE NOT INCREASING YOUR RATES YEARLY, BASICALLY YOU GETTING, YOU GONNA GET SCREWED.
SO TODAY, AND EVEN THE, THE TRUCKS, ALL OF THAT IS DRIVEN NOT BY THIS CONTRACT THAT IS DRIVEN BY REPUBLIC SERVICES NATIONALLY.
SO WHETHER THEY GET THIS TRUCK OR NOT THIS CONTRACT OR NOT, THEY STILL GOTTA BUY TRUCKS THAT IS THROUGHOUT.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT IS A REAL CONCERN.
FOR INSTANCE, UM, COUNCILMAN NOEL HAS 80%, ZACHARY, ZACHARY DON'T EVEN GET A REPUBLIC.
THIS NOT EVEN PART OF THIS CONTRACT.
I HAVE 80% OF BAKER, BAKER IS NOT PART OF THIS CONTRACT.
AND WE STARTED THIS A LOT DURING THE FLOOD TRUCKS, THE REPUBLIC TRUCKS.
AND THIS IS MY CONCERN THAT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE WOULD PAY FOR ALL THESE NEW TRUCKS, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE THE MAYOR BAKER, THE MAYOR OF, UH, ZACHARY AND THE MAYOR OF CENTRAL WHO'S ALLEGEDLY WANT OUT.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA PLAY THE SAME GAME WE PLAYING.
SO THE CITIZEN BATON ROUGE ARE GONNA PUT THE PRICE OF ALL OF THIS.
BUT THE WHOLE PARISH, I MEAN WE HAD, EVEN DURING THE FLOOD IN ALL THAT, WE HAD TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, IBERVILLE OR IN LAFAYETTE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT ONES, BUT IT'S GOING BE, WE ARE GONNA PAY FOR IT, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONNA BENEFIT BECAUSE THESE LOOK, THESE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, REPUBLIC NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH THEM.
SO MY CONCERN IS, AND I CAN'T CONTROL ALL THE FACTORS, BUT I DO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE TWO A WEEK AT 35, 23.
I DO FEEL, UM, THAT THAT IS A FAIR, UM, SITUATION.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS A PRICE, A PROBLEM WITH IT GOING UP.
THEY, EVERYBODY KNOWS INFLATION.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, YOU ARE NOT, I MEAN, YOU, YOU ARE GONNA BUY WHAT YOU NEED.
SO I I, I, UH, AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN, UM, HEARST THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 35 23.
I THINK IT'S A FAIR AND EQUITABLE, UM, MEASURE.
WE CANNOT ASSUME THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA CHANGE BEHAVIORS.
CAUSE I'M NOT CHANGING BEHAVIORS.
I WORK TOO HARD TO BE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT ONCE AND TWICE A WEEK.
I'M GONNA PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE AND THAT'S JUST GONNA BE IT.
BUT BY THE OTHER TOKEN, UM, I JUST COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S, THAT'S 13 MINUTES, SO, OKAY.
[02:05:01]
I'M GONNA, I'M TOTALLY GONNA STOP BECAUSE NOW OWE YOU $50.COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. GO AHEAD FRED, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS AND COUNCIL, I JUST LIKE TO BE, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO A COMMENT WAS MADE AND I CAN APPRECIATE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR, I LIKE TO WHAT THEY CALL IT, UH, POINT OF ORDER.
I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO BE SUBJECTED TO I GOT, I GOT, I GOT IT.
UH, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER HOURS.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT MY TIME, YOU'VE GOT, IT'S OKAY.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMENT THAT, THAT REPUBLIC WAS PART OF THE RFP PROCESS.
IT, THEY WERE NOT, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S TOTALLY LEGAL.
AND PART OF THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS ARE MADE ON ALL SIDES AND WHAT PEOPLE TALK TO.
BUT, UH, AND WHILE I, I WAS NOT TOTALLY INVOLVED, BUT I WAS INVOLVED IN PART OF THIS PROCESS AND AT NO TIME THAT I'M AWARE THAT ANYBODY FROM REPUBLIC COME IN AND PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION IN REGARD TO HOW WE WERE PROPOSING TO DO THE WORK ON THIS RFP.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT FROM A CLARIFICATION STANDPOINT.
THANK YOU FRED, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
UM, SO, UM, IN ANTICIPATION OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS CONTRACT, IF, IF ST.
GEORGE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS IN THE, THE COURT SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, WERE TO BE STOOD UP AS A CITY AND INFORM A CITY IN, IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH ST.
GEORGE AND THE REPUBLIC CONTRACT? WOULD, WOULD ST GEORGE STILL BE UNDER THAT CONTRACT? WOULD THEY RECEIVE SERVICES FROM A PUBLIC OR WOULD THEY HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY FUND A NEW GARBAGE SERVICE? UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UH, CERTAINLY WE, WE DID ASK THAT AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE, WE ARE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT THAT CERTAINLY BE, I THINK THAT FROM A LEGAL ASPECT THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN THEIR PARISH, I MEAN PARISH ATTORNEY IN THE CITY OF, OF ST.
BUT UNDER OUR PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW, WE, WE INCLUDED ALL OF IT BECAUSE, AND WHILE I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER IT IS REALLY A ST.
GEORGE OR NOT, BUT IN REALITY IT IS NOT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS THE PARISH, AND THAT'S HOW WE LOOKED AT, UH, THE SERVICE FROM THAT, THAT STANDPOINT.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS CONTRACT WITH IT THAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY EXCLUDE THAT AREA.
SHOULD IT FORM INTO A NEW MUNICIPALITY? NO, MA'AM.
IT WOULD STILL, SO, UM, IS THERE SOMEONE WHO CAN, CAN SPEAK TO THAT? WHO, WHO'S INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTRACT FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT? LISA, BOB, I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL IS.
ALL RIGHT, NOW IT'S SIX O'CLOCK.
JUST LIKE WE HAD TO DO WITH CENTRAL AND WHAT, WE'LL, PROBABLY, UH, IF ST.
GEORGE IS FORMED, THERE'LL BE A CAUCUS BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS TO DECIDE WHAT SERVICES WE KNOW WE WILL BE PROVIDING SEWER BECAUSE THAT'S A PARISH WIDE EVEN.
UH, WE PROVIDE SEWER TREATMENT FOR BACK BAKER AND ZACHARY ON A FEE BASIS.
SO SOME OF THE SERVICES WILL GO FORWARD.
UH, OTHER PARTS WILL BE IN PART OF TRANSITION.
UH, USUALLY WHAT WE TAKE UP IS, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, MAINTENANCE, THOSE THINGS WE TRANSITION DEPENDING ON HOW THEY STAND THEMSELVES UP.
SO IF THEY WANT TO TAKE OVER AND NEGOTIATE THEIR OWN GARBAGE CONTRACT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH THE REPUBLIC AT THAT TIME.
UH, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO AUTOMATIC DISCONTINUING OF SERVICES.
YEAH, I MEAN THE, THE PE THE CONSTITUENTS ARE PAYING FOR THE SERVICE, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE PARISH OR ST.
GEORGE RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS I KNOW, CENTRAL'S STILL IN AND THAT'S IN THE MODEL.
BUT, UH, GOING FORWARD, IF THEY WANT OUT, THEN, UH, RIGHT, THAT'S, WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD BE.
UH, REPUBLIC MIGHT SAY IT'S 23 CENTS MORE, 23 CENTS LESS, RIGHT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, AUTOMATIC, UH, YOU HAVE GARBAGE SERVICE ONE DAY AND YOU DON'T HAVE IT THE NEXT DAY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO, NO, THERE'LL BE AN INTER INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON THE TRANSITION OF SERVICES OF ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO ST.
GEORGE AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT'LL HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED.
UM, QUESTION, UM, LINDA, UH, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH, UM, LINDA HUNT, AND I'LL ASK IT WHILE YOU, WHILE YOU HEAD UP HERE TO SAVE ON TIME.
HOW, HOW MUCH BAD DEBT HAVE WE PLANNED FOR IN, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR SOLID WASTE, UM, BUDGET CONTRACT
[02:10:02]
AND, AND, AND WHAT, WHAT SUCCESS RATE DO WE HAVE IN COLLECTING THAT, THAT BAD DAY BED DEBT? I DUNNO THE EXACT PERCENTAGE.COUNCILWOMAN, BUT IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S VERY LOW.
AND THE REASON IT'S VERY LOW IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH BATON ROUGE WATER AND THAT THEY COLLECT OUR FEE.
AND IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR FEE, WE CAN DIS WE CAN, WE CAN TURN YOUR WATER OFF SO PEOPLE PAY THEIR FEE.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE FEES THAT WE HAVE A VERY LOW ON, COLLECTIBLE ON.
AND, UM, SO, AND, BUT WE DO, DO WE AND WE OKAY.
450,000 A YEAR, UM, OUT OF A $58,000 REVENUE.
UM, AND WE DO WORK TO DE COLLECT THAT BAD DEBT.
WE, YES, THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS, HAS A, UM, COLLECTION COMPONENT OF THEIR OFFICE.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOME INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE PRIVATE WATER THAT WE DO PURSUE IT IF THEY DO NOT PAY.
AND THAT'S MOST, THAT IS THE MAJORITY OF THIS BAD DEBT.
IS THIS SOMEONE HAS PRIVATE WATER? YES, MA'AM.
AND THE LOOK, THIS NEXT QUESTION IS GONNA BE BE FOR YOU AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF, OF SENIOR CITIZENS ON A FIXED INCOME, EVERYTHING IS GOING UP FOR THEM.
UM, BUT, BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UM, THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS, THEIR PENSION IS NOT, UM, IS NOT RISING.
SO, UH, MY CONCERN, UM, IS IF IT'S THE WILL THE COUNCIL AND WE GO TO THE TWICE A WEEK AND THE 35, UM, DOLLARS A MONTH, UM, SOME OF THESE SENIOR CITIZENS, THEY'RE LITERALLY PRODUCING MAYBE ONE OR TWO BAGS OF GARBAGE A WEEK.
THEY'LL BE PAYING FOR TWICE A WEEK SERVICE.
UM, IS THERE, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF HARDSHIP, UM, IS THERE ANY KIND OF, UM, UH, UM, I'M SORRY, INCOME LEVEL, IS THERE ANY KIND OF A WAY TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS BILL FOR, FOR SOME OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ARE GONNA BE STRUGGLING? SO THE, THE, THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW IS NOT FOR, UM, IT'S NOT BASED ON SENIOR CITIZENS.
WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS.
AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS THEY QUALIFY THROUGH THE LIE HEAT PROGRAM THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, THROUGH DH DS, OUR DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND SO IF THEY QUALIFY FOR LAW HEAP, THEY CAN ALSO QUALIFY FOR A DISCOUNT ON, ON THEIR, UM, MONTHLY SERVICE.
BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ONE THAT IS SENIOR CITIZEN BASED.
SO, BUT, BUT THEY, A SENIOR CITIZEN COULD BASED ON THEIR INCOME.
WE MEAN, SO THAT, THAT THRESHOLD, AND WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN DO UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND, UM, SO THAT YOU DON'T, IT'S NOT PERCEIVED AS A DONATION CUZ THIS IS A USER FEE.
AND I KNOW THAT THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGE IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THAT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO SHARON.
UM, HEY SHARON, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT AND, AND WE'RE JUST, I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT I'D LIKE TO GET SOME MORE CLARITY ON IS, UM, THIS CONTRACT, UM, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGES TO THE THREE 11 SERVICE.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? MY MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT, THAT Y'ALL WERE GONNA BE HIRING PERSONNEL TO DEAL WITH THREE 11 CALLS OR THAT, UM, SO Y'ALL WERE GONNA BE MORE, UM, INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN OUR THREE 11 CALL SYSTEM WITH REGARD TO REPUBLIC CALLS SPECIFICALLY.
SO WHAT YOU, YOU AS COUNCIL PEOPLE AND, AND THE MAYOR AND THE THE RESIDENCE DON'T WANT US ANSWERING YOUR CALLS.
RIGHT? SO FOR A REPORTING PURPOSE, THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THREE 11.
SO YOU'VE GOT A DOCUMENT DOC DOCUMENTED CONVERSATION THAT THAT PERSON CALLED IN.
WE THEN WOULD IMMEDIATELY GET IT JUST LIKE WE DO NOW THROUGH, THROUGH THE THREE 11 SYSTEM OR THE Q ALERT SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ACTUALLY ARE CALLING CUSTOMERS BACK.
AND SO IT'S THE SAME PROCESS, BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE DECIDED, AND NOT WE REALLY, THE ADMINISTRATION DECIDED THAT Y'ALL NEED A WAY TO TRACK YOUR CALLS AND NOT ASSUMING, AND HOPEFULLY I'M SURE WE WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT YOU COULD SAY, WELL, DID YOU ONLY REALLY GET A HUNDRED CALLS OR DID YOU GET A THOUSAND CALLS AND YOU ONLY REPORTED US TO THAT? WE GOT A HUNDRED.
SO YOU WANT THAT DOCUMENTATION THROUGH THREE 11.
SO, SO THE STAFFING ON YOUR END IS GONNA REMAIN THE SAME WITH WITH HANDLING.
WELL I NEED TO BRING IN SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME WITH THE CAMERAS.
SO THAT WE CAN GO IN AND MAKE SURE WE, WHENEVER A THREE 11 RESIDENT CALLS IN AND SAYS, HEY, I DIDN'T RECEIVE SERVICE IN THREE 11, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ATTACH THAT PICTURE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE REVIEWING A LOT OF THOSE, THAT CAMERA AND THOSE PICTURES COMING THROUGH SO THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT THE COM AND, AND IT CAN GO BACK TO THE RESIDENT PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, AND ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH GARBAGE DOES THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IN, IN, IN THE CITY PARISH PRODUCE?
[02:15:01]
SO IN BATON ROUGE, I MEAN, NORMALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, AND WITH COVID IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S USUALLY ABOUT 1.1, 1.2 TONS PER HOUSEHOLD PER YEAR.BUT WE'VE GOTTEN AS HIGH LOCALLY AS 1.9.
SO THE, THE PEOPLE ARE PRODUCING MORE GARBAGE.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF INFLATION, MEANING I'M GONNA GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, I'M NOT GONNA EAT OUT AS MUCH, I'M GONNA COOK MORE.
I ACTUALLY PAID ATTENTION THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN I WAS COOKING AND HOW MANY CANS I OPENED AND HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, I WAS GENERATING MORE GARBAGE BY DOING THAT INSTEAD OF JUST PICKING UP SOMETHING ON THE WAY AND JUST OPENING THE PACK AND EATING OUT OF IT.
WE SAW OUR HIGHEST VOLUME OF THANKSGIVING THIS THIR THIS, THIS YEAR MM-HMM.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
SO, UM, I'VE CERTAINLY GOTTEN A, A LOT OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS.
UM, MY CONSTITUENTS, A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SAID THAT THEY CAN LIVE WITH ONCE A WEEK GARBAGE SERVICE.
UM, BUT THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, ABOUT RAISING FEES.
AND SO I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT GOING TO TWICE, TWICE A WEEK BECAUSE I, I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OUR RESIDENTS, UM, I CAN THINK OF PROBABLY SIX ON MY STREET THAT I DOUBT EVEN FILL UP A CART A WEEK.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ABILITY TO HAVE ONCE A WEEK SERVICE AND, AND KIND OF LEVEL OUR SERVICE AND HAVE, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO NEED ONCE A WEEK SERVICE RECEIVE ONCE A WEEK SERVICE AND THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO HAVE LARGER HOUSEHOLDS WHO PRODUCE MORE GARBAGE, WHO NEED MORE SERVICE, UM, BE ABLE TO GET THAT SECOND CART AND AND PAY AN ADDITIONAL $7 A MONTH, UM, SEEMS TO ME, UM, IT'S KIND WE'RE, IT SEEMS TO MEAN LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH, UM, WHEN WE COULD REALLY HAVE A MORE TAILORED APPROACH THAT WOULD FIT THE, THE VARYING NEEDS OF, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, YOU GOT 30 SECONDS.
IT'LL BE 45, BUT LOOK, CAUSE I ADDED ANOTHER PIECE.
SO, UH, MS. MANN BROUGHT UP SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN SHE WAS USED.
SHE STAY, SHE BROUGHT UP DURING THANKSGIVING PEOPLE AT HOME SO YOU GET MORE TRASH COLLECTION, RIGHT? THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO WHAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE MULTIPLE KIDS GET ON A WEEK ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND THERE WAS SOME SIMPLE MATH THAT I THINK EVERYBODY'S MISSING IN HERE.
35 23 IS CHEAPER THAN 35 97 AND 35 97 IS ONE DAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL CARD.
SO I HAVE A, IF I HAVE AN OPTION TO PICK $28 AND 97 CENTS AND PAY AN ADDITIONAL $7 TO PAY MORE FOR LESS SERVICE, I'M GOING TO DO 35 23 AND GET MORE SERVICE FOR A FEW PENN LESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, BOY, YOU ACTUALLY MADE SOME GOOD SENSE THEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER MO, YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN THREE TIMES.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN THREE SON, SON.
THAT WAS THE END OF THE, THE THIRD TIME YOU SPOKE FOR 15 MINUTES.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CO ALL RIGHT.
I, UH, AS THE GENTLEMAN, WELL LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS LAST NIGHT WE TOLD A CONSTITUENT THAT CONVERSATIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAD BEFORE WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
AND REALLY THAT'S A CON THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE.
JUST A BIT MORE CONVERSATIONS, UH, BEING HAD BEFORE WE GET TO THIS POINT WITH WHATEVER'S BEING SAID.
AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC AND ALL OF THIS.
AND I TELL YOU AS WE WERE SO FLUIDY HERE TONIGHT WITH BEING ABLE TO SAY STRAIGHT UP WHAT IS MM, I DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, CHICKEN BROTH, 99 CENT WAS NOW IS 2 49 AND THEN TALKING ABOUT SOME MAY NEED ONE A WEEK AND SOME MAY NEED TWICE A WEEK.
AND WE NEED A TAILORED WHATEVER BUD.
IF WE GO IN THE STORE, THAT PRICE OF THAT CHICKEN BROTH IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, AND I LOVE OPTIONS.
SO WHEN WE RECEIVE THIS FACT SHEET WITH OPTIONS ON IT, THAT'S GOOD.
WE TALKED ABOUT FIXED INCOME, EVERYBODY IN HERE, INCOME IS FIXED.
AND SO, AND AS THAT GENTLEMAN SAID, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING UP, CLEANING UP EVERYBODY CLEAN UP AND YOU ARE CORRECT MR. AND SO THAT TWO A WEEK AT THAT 35, 23, YES, THAT WOULD
[02:20:01]
DO THAT.I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO DO IS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BAG THEIR TRASH.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT PICKUP IS DONE.
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT PICKUP BEING DONE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT CONVERSATIONS, TRAINING IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE ADDED UP FOR THE EMPLOYEES, FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS IS.
AND SO I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT 4% THAT WAS ALLUDED TO.
WILL THAT BE AND JUST A YES OR NO? WILL THAT BE IN ADDITION OR ON, I SHOULD SAY THAT $35 AND 23 CENTS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANNA KNOW FROM SOMEBODY UP THERE.
I WANT SOMEBODY TO COME UP HERE TO THAT PODIUM AND ANSWER ME.
CAN ANYONE ANSWER THAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN? I'M SORRY.
I WAS ANSWERING A TAX ON SOME OF THESE.
BUT IT WAS TALKED ABOUT THE 4% INCREASE.
SO IF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE PAYING 35, 23 FOR THE TWICE A WEEK, I WANNA KNOW ABOUT THAT 4% HOW THAT FACTORS IN FOR THEM.
IS THAT ON THAT 35, 23 OR TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT PLEASE, MR. RAP.
IT IS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THO THAT FACTOR WOULD BE LOOKED AT FROM ACTUALLY MARCH ON, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS TO, TO SEE WHAT THAT 4% WOULD REPRESENT, IT, IT APPEARED TO BE ANYWHERE FROM 82 80 CENTS TO A DOLLAR, UH, PER MONTH.
THAT ADDITION PER YEAR, THAT WOULD BE INTO THE OVERALL COST ASPECT.
SO APPROXIMATELY 80 CENTS TO A DOLLAR PER MONTH, IT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL, UH, IN AT THAT POINT? YES MA'AM.
ON THE FACTOR PER YEAR, THAT'S PER YEAR.
THAT'S PER YEAR PER YEAR INCREASE.
SO I AM GOING TO UH, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT I TELL YOU, UH, THE UH, CONSTITUENTS, I THINK THEY JUST, UH, REALIZED ABOUT THIS TWICE A WEEK OR THEY MUST HAVE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT AN OPTION.
AND SO I'VE BEEN INUNDATED WITH SAY TWICE A WEEK, SAY WHAT WE NEED TWICE A WEEK.
SO I GUESS THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY THAT 35, 23 AND THAT 4%.
THEY, IT WILL BE AN INCREASE ON A YEAR, YEARLY BASIS.
AND I I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER THEY'RE GONNA BE FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS CUZ IT WILL NOT BE THAT THAT 4% WILL BE HAVE TO, UH, HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED TO IT ON, ON A YEARLY BASIS.
AND THEN REALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, IT'S, IT'S THE COST OF SERVICE THAT WILL BE DIRECTED ON THOSE INCREASES AT, AT ANY TIME.
SO THAT 4% WILL BE FOR THAT FIRST YEAR IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? IT WILL BE, BUT IT WILL BE FOR ACTUALLY FOR EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
SO IT WILL NEVER INCREASE FROM 4%, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? IT WILL BE 4%.
I DON'T WANT GIVE I'M ASKING FOUR FOUR.
IT WON'T BE ANYTHING GREATER THAN 4%, BUT IT COULD BE LESS THAN 4%.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER MO, IT'S CHRISTMAS.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ONE MINUTE.
I KNOW WE WAS TAKING SOME TIME LIKE TRYING TO GET AN ATTORNEY UP THERE.
MY LAST QUESTION WAS WITH THE SELECTION, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IT 10, WILL THERE BE CONCESSIONS AT WHEN THEY START WORKING ON THE IT AND EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE CONGESTING ALL THE LOCAL STREETS DURING ALL THE IT 10 N WORK AND IT'S GONNA CAUSE THE FEES AND THE POSSIBLE MYTH TO GO STRAIGHT UP.
IS THERE GONNA BE A CONCESSION GIVEN BY EACH PARISH POSSIBLY AT THAT TIME TO NEGATE THAT? BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL COME ARGUE THAT YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING THE FEES, YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING THE FEES, AND THEY'RE GONNA GO ARGUE THAT, WELL, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON THE FEE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND I THINK NUMBER ONE, AND I, I THINK I'VE TRIED TO DEFINE THE FACT THAT THE 4% WILL BE AN INCREASE EVERY YEAR AT THAT POINT.
NOW CERTAINLY IF WE GO TO TWICE A WEEK SERVICE, WE STILL HAVE TO DO SOME NEGOTIATIONS IN REFERENCE TO THAT.
AND THAT MAY BE, COULD BE IMPROVED ALSO.
BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT IT, ALL I CAN KNOW IS THAT THE FEE WILL BE LOOKED AT AT 4% PER YEAR.
[02:25:01]
NUMBERS THAT WE RAN BASED ON THE MODEL IT SHOWED ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT, I I APOLOGIZE MR. FRED.I I WASN'T ASKING ABOUT THE 4%.
I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE FEES AND THE FINES THAT WE PUT ON THEM FOR NOT PICKING UP.
I'M PROBLEM WITH THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM PRACTICALLY SHUTTING DOWN OR ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT CONCESSIONS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MIGRATE AROUND BATON ROUGE? OH, THAT'S YOUR LAST QUESTION.
GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR, AND THEN WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER
UH, CERTAINLY THAT HAS TO BE A FACTOR IN REGARDS TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER ROUTES THAT CAN BE USED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, UH, IN OUR OPINION, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE A DECISION THAT MR. SPEAR AND PROBABLY A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD LOOK AT TO DO THAT, TO MAKE THAT DECISION WHETHER THAT THAT ADMINISTRATIVE COST SHOULD BE AS ASSIGNED TO IT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UH, AGAIN, PLEASE SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN JR.
ABSTAINING THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS, UH, TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT AT TWICE A WEEK AT A PRICE OF $35 AND 23 CENTS PER MONTH.
THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
UH, WE'RE GONNA, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION FIRST? ANY OPPOSITION? NO, BUT I'LL WANNA TO DO, SHOULD WE ADD HOLD, HOLD ABOUT THE 4%? HOLD.
OH NO, I JUST WANNA, DO WE NEED TO ADD IN THAT, IN THAT COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE 4% OR NO? WELL, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT ALREADY.
SO WE'LL BE COMMUNICATED IN THE OUTREACH, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE SHOW, WE SHOW ONE PERSON IN OUR POSITION.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE MACHINE? WE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES? ACTUALLY, WE GONNA, YOU WANNA VOTE ON 'EM SEPARATELY? WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEM 86 FIRST.
EXCUSE ME, LET ME READ IT FOR THE RECORD.
ITEM 87 SAYS, A AMEND THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 2021 IN ORDER TO ADOPT A NEW FEE SCHEDULE FOR DUMPING EASTBOUND PARISH, NORTHLAND FOR SITE, PROVIDING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
HIS HIS MOTION IS RELATIVE REALLY JUST TO ITEM 88.
CORRECT? I WOULD ASK THAT WE VOTE JUST ON 88 FIRST.
YEAH, WELL WE CAN VOTE ON, UH, WE, WE'LL TAKE ALL THREE OF 'EM SEPARATE.
SO 87, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I, I JUST WOULD.
I THINK THAT IF YOU, ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO TO 88.
IS THERE A MO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE'LL VOTE ON THE MACHINE.
I JUST WANNA GET OUTTA HERE WITH ALL ITEMS. VOTE.
ON 88, AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION, RECYCLING PROCESS SERVICES SELECTIVE AND THE BFI WASTE SERVICES LLC.
DOING BUSINESS AS REPUBLIC SERVICE OF BATON ROUGE AND AUTHORIZING AMERIC PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR A 10 YEAR TERM.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TWICE A WEEK.
MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HER SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
DID YOU SAY SOMEONE OBJECTED? MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
CAN WE NOW GO TO ITEM 87? AMENDING THE RESOLUTION.
5 601 ADOPTED ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 2021 IN ORDER TO ADOPT A NEW FEE SCHEDULED FOR DUMPING EAST BE PARISH NORTH LANDFILL SIGHTING PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS OF LATER THERE.
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2023 BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE ALREADY HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? ITEM 87.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 87 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 89, AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR OUT OF COST COLLECTION SERVICES TO THE SELECTED VENDOR.
RICHARDS DISPOSAL INCORPORATED AND AUTHORIZED THE MERIT PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR A TENURED TERM BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTORS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? ITEM 89 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[78. 22-01319]
MEMBERS WILL NOW GO TO ITEM 78 PRETTY FAST.PULL MY COTAIL IF I NEED TO STOP ESTABLISH OF METROPOLITAN COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OR ISSUES INVOLVING CRIME PREVENTION, CORRECTION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COURT SYSTEMS, RECIDIVISM, AND OTHER RELATED MASTERS BY COUNCIL MEMBER ER.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 78? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER BROCKER? YES, SIR.
UM, WE HAVE BIG THINGS COMING WITH THAT COMMITTEE, HOWEVER WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME MORE TIME TO GET THAT ESTABLISHED AND ROLL IT OUT.
I'M ASKING FOR A JANUARY DATE, PLEASE.
SO YOU WANNA DEFER TO JANUARY? YES PLEASE.
MOTION TO DEFER TO JANUARY 2ND BY THE CHAIR IN THE OPPOSITION.
ITEM 78 HAS BEEN DEFERRED AS A REC.
[79. 22-01502]
DEFER ITEM 79.REPEALING THE STORMWATER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT CREATED BY RESOLUTION 56 55 60 AT THE METROPOLITAN
[02:30:01]
COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 22 BY COUNCILWOMAN LAUREN ADAMS. IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? THERE'S A REQUESTED THE FURTHEST ITEM FOR HOW LONG? COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. UH, WHAT JANUARY DAY? WHAT, WHAT WHAT DATE? JANUARY 11TH.COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS WE HAD, UH, ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEMS, I'M SORRY.
IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 79, WE'RE GONNA DEFER JANUARY, UH, 11TH ON 78 AND 79.
[80. 22-01607]
GO TO ITEM 80, AMENDING THE 2022 CURRENT EXPENSE AND CAPITAL BUDGET SO AS TO ADJUST ESTIMATED REVENUES AND APPROPRIATION AND AUTHORIZED DIRECTOR FINANCE TO MAKE CERTAIN INTER DEPARTMENT OF INTER FUND TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE BUDGET ACT AND THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 80? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 80? COUNCIL MEMBERS? I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 80.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEARST.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
IS ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 80 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[81. 22-01635]
THE RESOLUTION PROVIDE A CAMERAS CENTER RETURN AND DECLARING A RESULT OF THE COLLECTION OF HEALTH IN PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022.FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING RENEWAL AND LEVEL OF THE COLLECTION OF THE 1.06 MILL AOR TAX TO BE USED ENTIRELY AND EXCLUSIVELY, PROVIDE FUNDS TO PURCHASE, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE MACHINERY, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR USE OF ERA ERADICATION, ABATEMENT AND CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES, OTHER ENTERPRISE AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE AND ENROLLMENTS FOR A 10 YEAR PERIOD BY BONDING COUNCIL, IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 81? WE NOW GO TO COUNCILORS.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 81.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL.
SECONDED BY THE CHAIR AND THE OBJECTIONS.
[82. 22-01636]
82.A RESOLUTION PROVIDING IN COUNSELING RETURN DECLARING A RESULT OF THE ELECTION OF THE BROWNSVILLE FIRE PROTECTION NUMBER THREE IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE DISTRICT ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZED RENEWING THE LEVEL OF COLLECTION OF THE 10 MEALS.
ADD VALOR TAX TO BE USED ENTIRELY AND EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT.
IMPROVEMENT OF OPERATION, MAINTENANCE OF FIRE PROTECTION FACILITIES AND DISTRICT.
AND PAYING SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN THE DISTRICT PERSONNEL.
PAYING THE COST OF OBTAINING WATER FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES AND PAYING THE COST OF HIRING RENTALS AND SERVICE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS BY BOND COUNCIL.
ANYONE HERE SPEAK ON ITEM 82? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK.
ANY OBJECTION? ITEM 82 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[83. 22-01579]
THE DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO COUNCIL DECISION ORDER RECORD ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS 2049 19TH STREET, LLC.REASON FOR RESCISSION OF PROPERTY OWNER HAS APPLIED FOR A PERMIT FOR THE PROPERTY.
IS ANYONE SPEAK ON ITEM 83? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[84. 22-01589]
84.WE'RE SITTING IN THE RECORDING TO CLERK OF COURT TO COUNCIL.
DECISION TO ORDER RECORD ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2022 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF COURT, BATON ROUTE, CITY OF BATON ROUTE VERSUS RESIDENT WEBB 15 ONE SCENIC HIGHWAY.
REASON FOR RESCISSION OF PROPERTY OWNER HAS A CONTRACTOR TO DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 84? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ITEM 84 HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
[85. 22-01600]
85 AMENDING TITLE TWO, CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARIS EAST BATON ROUGE.TO FURTHER ESTABLISH UNIFORM AND STREAMLINE PERMITTING AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.
AND MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 85 WILL NOW GO TO COUNSELORS DURING ARE MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 85 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[86. 22-01615]
TITLE ONE MUNICIPAL IN PARISH ORGANIZATION.CHAPTER THREE, PERSONNEL PART FOUR EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
THE CODE OF ORDINANCE SO AS TO PROVIDE A CALCULATION OR FINAL AVERAGE COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERS EFFECTIVE JULY 14TH.
UPON PASSAGE OF THIS AMENDMENT BY RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR, IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 86? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 86? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY THE CHECK BY COUNCIL MEMBER GOK.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS 87 AND 89 THROUGH 89.
TOGETHER, WE ALREADY DID THAT.
[90. 22-01530]
90, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS EXECUTING AGREEMENT ON, CAN'T PRONOUNCE THAT WORD.ELEVATED COMPANY FOR THE ELEVATOR.
MAINTENANCE FOR THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT AND THE MOUNTAIN OF $56,437 AND 20 CENTS BY THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GOK.
ITEM 90 HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION.
[91. 22-01532]
GO TO 91.PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS TO EXECUTING AGREEMENT WITH JOHNSON CONTROLS FOR THE OPERATIONS SERVICE.
[02:35:01]
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FOR THE BUILDING EQUIPMENT AND ANNUAL TESTING OF FIRE ALARMS. FIRE EXTINGUISHING SOME SPRINKLE SYSTEMS FOR THE 19 JUDICIAL COURT BUILDING IN THE MOUNT OF $162,372 BY THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 91? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 91 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[Items 92 - 96]
ITEMS 92 AND THROUGH 96 TOGETHER.ITEM 92 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH METHODIST TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE CITY PARISH ORACLE DATABASE SURVEY ENVIRONMENT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 CONTINGENT UPON THEIR APPROVAL OF THE 2023 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET BY INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO, EXCUSE ME.
PRESENT ATTENTION TO AN AGREEMENT WITH VIN MADIC LLC FOR SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE CITY PARISH MICROSOFT SQ L DATABASE SERVER ENVIRONMENT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 BY INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 94 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH SOLID GROUND INNOVATIONS LLC FOR CONSULTING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO SUPPORT CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,000 BY THE ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR 95 AUTHORIZED AMER PRESENT TO AN AGREEMENT WITH EMERGING METHOD LLC TO PROVIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES TO ASSIST WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DEPLOYMENT AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $95,000.
ITEM 96 AUTHORIZING AMERIC PRESENT TO A TWO YEAR AGREEMENT WITH NEAR MAP US FOR SERVICES TO PROVIDE BIANNUAL AREA OF IMAGERY AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $121,000.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 92 THROUGH 96? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE COUNCIL MEMBER HEARST.
UH, I'M MORE ABSTAIN FROM 92 THROUGH 96.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER HURST SUSTAINING.
SO MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
92 THROUGH 96 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[97. 22-01540]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY BOARD AND CONTROLLED WITH UPLIFT IN THE AMOUNT OF 344,000 FOR GROUND MAINTENANCE SERVICES IN THE ENTIRE LIBRARY SYSTEM BY THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 97? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 97? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 97 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[98. 22-01552]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH LAW FIRM OF BRAZIL SAXON WILSON.THE MAXIMUM COMPENSATION OF 156,000 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 98? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, SO Y'ALL KNOW WE HAD PLENTY OF DISCUSSIONS ON THIS, UH, ON THESE INCREASES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND UM, WHEN I, I THINK THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS AN INCREASE, CHIEF WAS HERE AND WE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, HE WAS, HE WAS, UH, WORKING THROUGH A CULTURE CHANGE AND HE WAS GETTING SOME PUSHBACK.
AND UH, I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT AND RESPECTED THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE GOING FROM 78,000 TO 156.
BEYOND THAT, UH, WHAT WE'VE NOW DISCOVERED IS WHEN THEY WERE HERE ASKING FOR THAT 1 56 INITIALLY, THEY HAD ACTUALLY ALREADY BLOWN PAST THAT, WHICH IS WHY THEY CAME BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR ASKING FOR, I THINK UP TO 230,000.
SO THERE WAS A OBVIOUS, UM, DISREGARD FOR THE NUMBER AT THAT TIME THAT WAS ON THE CONTRACT, UH, WHICH IS BEING HANDLED BY ATTORNEYS.
UM, SO, UH, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND ON THIS, I, I TOLD THE CHIEF AT THE TIME THAT I LOOK AT PERFORMANCE METRICS AND I LIKE TO SEE, UM, THE MISSION OF THE POLICE IS OBVIOUSLY TO KEEP US SAFE AND REDUCE CRIME.
AND SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON THIS, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS CONTRACT BACK DOWN TO THE 78,000 THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY AT WHEN WE TOOK OFFICE.
AND, UM, WHEN IT HITS TWO THIRDS OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT OF MINE, WHEN THE BILLING GETS TO THAT POINT, I, I WANT THE, UH, AND I WANT THIS IN THE CONTRACT, I'D LIKE TO AMEND IT AND I'M, MY MOTION IS GONNA BE TO REDUCE IT TO 78,000 AND TO HAVE THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CONTACTED WHEN BILLING IS TWO THIRDS OF THE 78,000 SO THAT THEY CAN BE, UH, BEGIN, UM, GETTING, UH, UM, CAUGHT UP ON THE CASES AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE OVER ONCE IT HITS THE TOTAL OF THE 78,000.
THERE'S THE MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL TO, TO, TO, TO AMEND THE CONTRACT.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER.
HEY, SO I, LOOK, I'M NOT A LAWYER,
[02:40:01]
SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, ANDY DOTSON TO, UH, COME UP OR COURTNEY OR SOMEBODY JUST WHO IS AN EXPERT IN THE LEGAL FIELD.CAUSE I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS, UM, THIS, UM, MATCH BETWEEN BRAZIL SACHS AND, AND, AND THE COUNCIL.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS, IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONCE A LAWYER IS ENGAGED, WHAT, WHAT IS THE OBLIGATION TO THAT, TO THAT CLIENT BEFORE THEY DISENGAGE AND THEN A MIDDLE LIT LITIGATION? ZERO.
SO, I MEAN, THE THING, AND I, AND I HATE TO BE DRAMATIC ABOUT IT, THE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE, UH, A DUTY TO YOUR CLIENT TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, PROPER LEGAL SERVICES.
IF THEIR CLIENT DECIDES THEY NO LONGER WANT, WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO, TO, TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, THEN THAT CLIENT CAN ASK THAT THEY OBTAIN OTHER COUNSEL AT ANY TIME.
UH, AND THEN OTHER, OTHER, OTHER COUNCIL WILL THEN STEP IN.
UM, WHAT COUNCILMAN NOEL IS ATTEMPTING TO DO IS JUST TALKING TO ME ABOUT FUNDING.
SO, UH, AND Y'ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUND THE CONTRACTS AS Y'ALL SEE FIT.
UM, SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I'M ANSWERING BOTH SIDES OF THE, THE QUESTION, OKAY.
I, I, I, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ONE IS CONTINGENT TO THE PER SE CHECK THEIR RELATIONSHIP OFF AT ANY TIME.
I MEAN, DOES THE LAWYER HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO CONTINUE UNLESS THERE'S A PAUSE FOR CAUSE THAT, THAT, THAT'S A DEPEND QUESTION.
SO A LAWYER JUST CAN'T POP UP AND SAY, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT IS IN THE LITIGATION, UH, CERTAIN TIMES THEY HAVE TO ASK THE COURT TO BE ABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM A CERTAIN CASE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE STATUS OF THE LITIGATION IS.
UH, IN GENERAL, AN ATTORNEY CAN PUT A CLIENT ON NOTICE THAT BECAUSE OF A CONFLICT, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS, UNETHICAL THINGS A CLIENT MAY BE ASKING 'EM TO DO, THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER PROPERLY REPRESENT THEM AND GIVE THEM NOTICE.
AND THEN IF, AGAIN, IF IT'S A CASE THAT IS BEFORE THE COURT ASK TO WITHDRAW, IT'S NOT BEFORE THE COURT.
THEY CAN GIVE CLIENT NOTICE PURSUANT TO WHAT THE CONTRACT STATES BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY AND THE CLIENT.
THAT'S WHAT GOVERNS THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
AND LOOK MAN, I'M, I'M NOT SAYING THAT Y'ALL DON'T DO A GOOD JOB CUZ Y'ALL THINK Y'ALL REALLY DO.
BUT, BUT, AND I DON'T, THIS IS PROBABLY THE WRONG, UM, WAY TO SAY IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY ABOUT SOMEBODY WITH, WITH MULTIPLE MASTERS, RIGHT? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, IS YOU GUYS ARE GOVERNED BY THE COUNCIL.
SO THEN WE'RE GONNA BRING THE POLICE CHIEF UP HERE WHEN HE RUNS OUTTA MONEY AND SAY THE SAME PEOPLE.
IF WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, THE SAME PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT US, NOT REPRESENT HIM.
THAT'S THE SAME ISSUE WE HAD WITH THE MAYOR WHERE I, WHERE I TALKED ABOUT THE PLANET GOVERNMENT.
I, I WENT TO ASHTON AND SAID, HEY MAN, HOW CAN WE GET THE MAYOR OWN MONEY SO THAT SHE IS SEPARATE FROM US BECAUSE I BELIEVE SHE NEEDS HER OWN LEGAL COUNSEL.
AND THE PLA THE PLANET GOVERNMENT JUST DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THAT.
SO NOW YOU GONNA HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT MAY BE COMPLETELY AT ODDS THAT DOESN'T TO MEETS IT WELL.
SO REDUCING HIS MONEY DOWN TO $78,000, KNOWING THAT IN PREVIOUS YEARS IT WENT TO 156, THEN 280, I JUST, I THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR A DISASTER.
SO, UM, I WOULD ACTUALLY ASK THAT IF HE APPROVED AS IS WITH BRANDON'S LANGUAGE IN THERE FOR THREE FOURTHS, AND AT THAT, THAT POINT WE CAN MAKE IT TO TWO THIRDS.
AND AT THAT POINT WE CAN MAKE, UM, A DECISION OF IF WE WANT TO, TO, UH, EXTEND OR AMEND IT TO, UH, DO SOME CHANGE ORDERS, TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS LONG AS THEY CAN VALIDATE THE, THE, THE BILLABLE HOURS, UM, THAT THEY PUT IN AND WHY WE WOULD NEED TO EXTEND THAT SERVICE MOVING FORWARD TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION.
I DON'T WANT Y'ALL REPRESENTING US, THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF AND I, AND I RESPECT, AND I'LL JUST SAY THIS, UH, COUNCILMAN, WE REPRESENT EVERY ENTITY WITHIN THE CITY OF PARISHS.
WE REPRESENT D P W REPRESENT D E S, WE REPRESENT, UM, SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
UH, REPRESENTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE FACT THAT WE REPRESENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW AND WE REPRESENT CHIEF KIM.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S DOABLE, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
YEAH, I JUST WANT, WHEN THE, WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMES, EVERYBODY SMILES CAUSE IT COME WITH A SAVE OF LIFE WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMES, EVERYBODY RUNS AND SO IT, IT, IT, IT CREATES, AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE THAT'S AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ISSUE WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO MY SUBSTITUTE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE AS IS WITH BRANDON'S TWO THIRD.
UM, AND I'M ASKING, SO YOU SECONDING THAT.
ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU? MOTION SUBSTITUTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE AS IS WITH TWO THIRDS LANGUAGE.
UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, DEPUTY CHIEF DANIELS.
DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? UH, YES, SIR.
UM, THE COUNCIL DID, UH, SEND US WITH, UH, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF A DEBATE LAST YEAR.
AND WE WENT BACK AND WE MADE CHANGES TO OUR OWN PROCESS.
[02:45:01]
THAT PROCESS, WE ELIMINATED CERTAIN THINGS TO ENSURE THAT WE WOULD BE WITHIN OUR BUDGET JUST TO PROVIDE YOU WITH UP TO DATE.WE'VE REMAINED WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
WE'VE SPENT $130,000 AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS TO, TO DECREASE THOSE SPENDINGS.
BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT MONEY IN MY OPINION.
UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT MAKING A CULTURE CHANGE AND WE'RE SEEING IT, YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD THAT WE, WE NEED THOSE NUMBERS AND, AND WE DO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.
WE CAN START SHOWING THAT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR USE OF FORCE IS DOWN 46% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THAT'S UNHEARD OF AROUND THIS COUNTRY.
OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMPLAINTS, OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMPLAINTS, UH, IS DOWN 53% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING.
AND THOSE ATTORNEYS, UH, PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR US TO HELP HOLD ALL OUR OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE AND WE'RE VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR SERVICE.
AND I THINK THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE DESERVE THAT.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY CHIEF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
I THINK, UM, JUST SOME CLARITY ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE AT THE TIME THAT THIS CAME UP LAST YEAR, UH, IT GOT DILUTED.
UM, AND SO FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE CHIEF FOR HIS DEPARTMENT, THIS IS ALL COMING AS A RESULT OF AN ATTORNEY GOING INTO A HEARING AND SAYING, WE CAN BE HERE ALL NIGHT.
AND ANOTHER ATTORNEY THAT HAD HAD A CONTRACT FOR THE CITY FOR YEARS THEN CAME IN AND ASKED TO RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT.
THEN SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING BILLABLE HOURS THAT WERE FIRST NOT GIVEN TO US ACCURATELY AND WERE REDACTED AND DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION.
WHAT A WHAT, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW LONG A HEARING WOULD TAKE.
SO WE WAITED, WE WAITED, AND THEN WE GOT THOSE BILLABLE HOURS.
AND THEN AFTER SCOURING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE HOURS, WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS BILLING ON THIS CONTRACT, SOME OF WHICH WEREN'T EVEN NAMED IN THE CONTRACT.
THEN LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AFTER DOING ALL OF THAT ALL AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, WE, WE COME IN HERE AND IT'S, IT'S LABELED AS AN ATTACK ON THE DEPARTMENT OR AN ATTACK ON, ON THE POLICE.
THIS WOULD'VE NEVER STARTED HAD SOMEONE NOT MADE AN UNPROFESSIONAL COMMENT WITH REGARD TO TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO NOW WE'RE HERE, AND THIS IS SIMPLY US LOOKING AT THIS CONTRACT, WHICH WE DON'T DO TO ALL CONTRACTS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE COURSE OF, UM, THE COUNCIL AND WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH REGARD TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IN EVERY SETTLEMENT THAT WE'VE APPROVED FROM THAT DATE UNTIL NOW, WE'VE ABSOLUTELY EXERCISED THAT POWER AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL REVIEW.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE QUESTIONING THIS CONTRACT.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT AFTER LOOKING AT THOSE RECORDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, JILL KRAFT CAME IN WITH SYA KRILL.
WE LEARNED THAT HE, THAT CASE COST THE CITY OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BILLABLE HOURS ONLY FOR THE ATTORNEY TO COME IN AND ASK US TO SETTLE THAT CASE FOR $90,000.
AND FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU OPEN YOUR NEWSPAPER, FLIP BACK OR GOOGLE, CPRI DIDN'T KILL ANYBODY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS CONTRACT.
WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.
THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE AT THE $156,000 WITH THE TWO THIRDS, UH, LANGUAGE ADDED TO THE MOTION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE AT 75,000 78, 70 8,000 WITH TWO THIRDS LANGUAGE ADDED COUNCIL MEMBER GO TO, SORRY, I JUST, I I FEEL COMPELLED AND EVERY AMOUNT OF RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUE, THE, THE, THE REFERENCE YOU JUST MADE, THAT ATTORNEY HAD A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE TONIGHT.
HE HAD A, HE HAD A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
I JUST WANTED TO, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO CHALLENGE YOU.
[02:50:01]
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD THAT.LET, LET, LET, LET HIM WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
I'M WE GOING BACK TO YOU, YOU'RE ON THE SPEAKER TO SPEAK.
COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS SPEAKING, MIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, DUN JUST SPANK MY HANDS FOR MAKING, UH, STATEMENTS AND NOT LISTENING SOURCES.
UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S THE KIND OF NIGHT IT IS.
HOWEVER, I, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A LONG PROCESS OF TALKING ABOUT INFLATION AND HOW MUCH THINGS COST AND THOUGH WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT MORE TANGIBLE THINGS, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SERVICES ARE NOT INCREASING BECAUSE EVEN WITH LAWYERS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY ALSO ARE IMPACTED BY INFLATION.
UH, WHETHER IT'S, UM, HIRING NEEDS, MATERIALS, GAS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, I DO BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A MEASURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AS IT RELATES, UM, TO THIS CONTRACT.
SO I, UH, AGREE THAT IT IS, UH, IT MAKES SENSE TO YES, A, UM, ALLOW FOR THE INCREASE, BUT PUT, UM, A MEASURE IN PLACE WHERE THERE IS A NOTIFICATION TO THE COUNCIL ON WHERE WE ARE.
UM, I I HOPE THAT THE AMENDMENT WOULD DO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A FURTHER CONCESSION, IT WOULD BE THAT WE'LL APPROVE IT FOR THE ONE 50 WITH INSTEAD OF THE TWO THIRDS, WHICH WOULD BE A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WHAT IS THE OTHER AMOUNT? 70 THAT WE, WE SET THE BUZZER AT THE 70, 78,000 AND THEN WE, WE HAVE THAT, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK IF AND, AND REAL AND ADDRESS THIS MATTER AND BRING UP WHY OR NOT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD APPROVE IT, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING, WE GOT SOME MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.
I WAS GONNA ASK, I DT KNOW IF THAT'S A MOTION, UM, THAT IS MORE PALATABLE.
WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? UH, BUT IF SO THAT, THAT JUST MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO APPROVE IT, BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S THE TWO THIRDS OR THE 78, WHATEVER THE, UH, MAJORITY OF US WOULD APPROVE, I THINK THAT THAT PUTS US, PUTS US IN A GOOD POSITION.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT, UM, ANDERSON DOTSON, CAN YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? PARISH ATTORNEY ANDERSON DOTSON.
UM, COUNCILMAN GOE, SO ELOQUENTLY JUST REFERENCED SOMETHING THAT JIM RAINS STATED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A REBUTTAL TO THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IT VIOLATES PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW TO POTENTIALLY SAY SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS TO WHETHER OR NOT I CAN EXPRESS MY REBUTTAL.
I I THINK THE, THE KEY TO EXECUTIVE SESSION IS THAT IT'S PRIVILEGE.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
SO, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU PROVIDE CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS THAT A PRIVILEGE, YOU, YOU, UH, TAKE THE POSSIBILITY OF WAIVING THE PRIVILEGE OVER THAT PARTICULAR COMMENT OR INFORMATION.
SO AGAIN, AM I ABLE TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EFFECT IS GONNA HAVE ON IT.
SO Y YOU WERE PRESENT, I THINK, UH, MS. HUMPHREYS WAS PRESENT AT THAT TIME.
UM, IT WAS WITH REGARD TO, I REMEMBER THE DAY I REMEMBER IT WAS SAID, AND I HAD STEPPED OUT AT THAT TIME WHEN THAT INFORMATION WAS SAID.
UH, AND I, THEN I CAME BACK INTO THE ROOM.
SO I THINK MS. HUMPHREYS WAS PRESENT.
SHE ACTUALLY BROKE UP A, UM, HEATED CONVERSATION.
SHE CAN COME UP IF YOU WANT TO COME UP.
MS. HUMPHREYS, DO YOU REMEMBER ON THAT DATE? UM, THE ATTORNEY IN QUESTION A GAVE US A VERY LONG AND VIVID EXPLANATION AS TO HOW AND WHY HE MADE THAT COMMENT.
AND HE ALSO KNEW THE TWO PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY REPORTED HIM SAYING THAT COMMENT.
I RECALL, UH, A CONVERSATION GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SAID, BUT AS IT RELATES TO WHAT COUNCILMAN GOE HAS JUST SAID, I DON'T KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN GOE IS REFERRING TO WHAT TOOK PLACE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT WITH REGARD TO THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE AND THE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY HE MADE THAT COMMENT, UM, THERE WAS A CHILD ILLNESS, HE WAS AT WORK FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THEN HE, IT IDENTIFIED EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN THE ROOM WITH HIM WHENEVER HE MADE SAID COMMENT.
DO YOU RECALL THAT CONVERSATION? I RECALL SOME STATEMENTS BEING MADE ABOUT, UM, SOMETHING
[02:55:01]
TO THE EFFECT OF A CHILD BEING IN A HOSPITAL.WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE AT 1 56 WITH A TWO-THIRDS CLAUSE.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, CORRECT.
GIVE WE VOTE TO NOTIFY COUNCIL.
HUH? WE VOTED WE GONNA VOTE ON MACHINE COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE I OPEN THE MACHINES.
Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED 12 EMAIL COMMENTS ON THIS ALL OPPOSED TO ITEM 98.
WE'RE VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION SUB TO APPROVE AT 1 56 WITH A TWO-THIRDS CLAUSE TO NOTIFY COUNSEL, I'M, I'M UNLOCKING YOU.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED, ADDING THE TWO-THIRDS CLAUSE.
FAILS TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE AT 78 WITH, UH, TWO THIRDS CLAUSE MACHINES ARE OPEN.
OH, IT WAS MENTIONED ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT IT WAS, UH, TWO THIRDS TO, UM, NOTIFY THE COUNCIL, BUT IT'S TO NOTIFY THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE, WE NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT WAS ITEM 98.
[Items 99 - 107]
99 THROUGH 1 0 7 TOGETHER AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGES POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH T L G JANITORIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE JANITORIAL SERVICE AT ALL POLICE DISTRICT OFFICERS.THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $75,000 BY POLICE CHIEF ITEM 100, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 10 TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE OFFICE OF STATE POLICE CRIME LABORATORY AND FORENSIC SIGNS PARTNERSHIP.
THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $182,000 BY POLICE CHIEF ITEM 1 0 1 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTENTION TO AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH STAR SERVICES TO PROVIDE HVAC SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX.
THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION AGREEMENT WILL BE $435,000 BY POLICE CHIEF ITEM 1 0 2 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTENTION TO AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH SHOT SPOTTED GUNSHOT DETECTION AND PROVIDE GUNSHOT DETECTION SERVICES FOR DESIGNATED AREAS WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN EAST BATONS PARIS.
THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION FOR THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $265,418 BY POLICE CHIEF ITEM 1 0 3 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATONS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE RENEWAL AND OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH EXXON ENTERPRISES TO PROVIDE CLOUD STORAGE IN CAR AND BODY CAMERA VIDEO SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE TASERS.
THE ANNUAL ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $1,285,000 BY POLICE CHIEF ONE OH.
ITEM 1 0 4 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, TO AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTACT EASTRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT.
THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF AN AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $88,288 AND 38 CENTS.
ITEM 1 0 5 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MA INCORPORATED FOR THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SERVICES.
THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $150,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.
ITEM 1 0 6 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RENEW CITY PARISH OPERATIONAL SERVICES WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED FOR ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION AND COMMAND CENTRAL AWARE PROGRAM.
THE ESTIMATED COMPOSITION AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $139,400 BY POLICE CHIEF.
AND ITEM 1 0 7 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ENTERED TO A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR COUNSEL OF E B R IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 BY POLICE CHIEF.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE ZERO, EXCUSE ME, 99 THROUGH 1 0 7.
REVEREND ANDERSON IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 2 AND 1 0 7.
UH, AND ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3 TOGETHER, AND I SIMPLY HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THOSE THAT, UH, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE DATA AND WE WOULD HOPE, AND I'M ASSUMING WE DID NOT DO ITEM NUMBER 78.
IS THAT CORRECT? TONIGHT? WE DID.
HADN'T GONE THROUGH ITEM NUMBER 78 THAT I THINK ITEM NUMBER 78 WOULD'VE ACTUALLY BEEN HELPFUL IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3.
[03:00:01]
OF WHAT WE KEEP DOING IS WE KEEP DOING THESE CONTRACTS, WE KEEP DOING THESE POLICIES IN SILOS, AND IT'S NOT A SILOED, UH, SITUATION.AND SO THAT IS OUR CONCERNS ON 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3 IS THAT THERE IS DATA THAT IS COLLECTED, AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT CHAIN OF CUSTODY.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SUCCESS OR THE LACK THEREOF.
WE HAVE NEVER LOOKED AT A MAP.
AND THE CITIZENS OF THIS PARISH DESERVE TO KNOW HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE WORKING.
THERE ARE SOME VERY REAL ISSUES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ABOUT THESE ISSUES, PARTICULARLY FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUES.
AND ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7, I HAVE SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE COUNCIL IF THAT ITEM CAN BE DEFERRED.
I AM CONCERNED, AS I MENTIONED LAST NIGHT, THAT WE ARE CONTINUALLY AS A PUBLIC AND THE TAXPAYERS BEING ASKED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO APPROVE THINGS AFTER THE FACT.
AND I SIMPLY BELIEVE IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ELECTRONIC MONITORING, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BOND DETACHMENTS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO FAMILIES AND HOW DESTRUCTIVE SOME OF THESE TOOLS ARE, AND THE IDEAL THAT WE CANNOT HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS WHERE THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS PRIOR TO APPROVING DOLLARS.
AND I HAD SOMEBODY SAY TO ME BEFORE I CAME UP HERE, OH, THOSE ARE APER DOLLARS.
THOSE ARE STILL TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHETHER THEY COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT, OR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND IF I CAN END WITH ONE LAST THING, I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS BEEN RECEPTIVE TO THE INFORMATION WE HAVE SHARED.
BUT I HAVE SAID IT, AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.
I AM AT THE RIVER CENTER LIBRARY ON TUESDAY SUPPORTING FAMILIES.
I HAVE BEEN IN THIS WORK FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
AND THE TRUTH IS, THERE IS A BOND SEASON.
THESE BOND DETACHMENTS ARE DESTRUCTIVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT DESTRUCTIVE ACROSS THE BOARD.
THEY IMPACT ONE POPULATION, ONE PART OF TOWN, AND ONE TYPE OF GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND BY FAR, THE NUMBER ONE CALLS I GET EVERY SINGLE DAY CALLS TEXAS AND EMAILS ARE PRIMARILY FOR FAMILIES WITH SOMEBODY SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS OR ADDICTION AND THEIR NIGHTMARE SCENARIOS WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT IN THESE SYSTEMS. SO I DO THINK THAT IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE COUNCIL.
WE ARE NOT OPPOSING OR APPROVING.
WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING FOR A WINDOW FOR THE CJ CCC TO BE ABLE TO GO TO EACH OF YOUR COUNCILS AND EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, SIR.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL, 28 29 YORKTOWN DRIVE.
UH, WITH ME IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRIS SANKA.
UH, ALSO YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
B R P D HAS RECEIVED THE FUNDS, ARRA FUNDS TO, UH, START A PILOT ELECTRONIC MONITORING PROGRAM.
AND I'M ON ITEM 1 0 7 ELECTRONIC MONITORING PROGRAM, UH, THAT'S GOING TO ASSIST THE 19 J D C IN GETTING DATA.
UH, WE DID HAVE JUDGE WILL JORDAN HERE.
HE HAD TO LEAVE, UH, HE HAD SOME OTHER OBLIGATIONS.
HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU ASK ANY JUDGE, ANY D DA, ANY PUBLIC DEFENDER ABOUT WHO'S ON PRETRIAL RELEASE, WHO'S BEING SUPERVISED, HOW MANY VIOLATIONS THERE'S BEEN, NOBODY HAS THE NUMBERS.
SO THIS PILOT PROGRAM HAS BEEN CREATED SO WE CAN AT LEAST STUDY THE ONLY JUDGE THAT WILL BE RUNNING THIS PILOT PROGRAM OUT OF THE EIGHT JUDGES THAT ARE HANDLING CRIMINAL MATTERS WOULD BE JUDGE WILL JORDAN.
HE'LL BE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S DOING IT.
THERE ARE PRIVATE VENDORS WHO DO PRETRIAL MONITORING SERVICES.
WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH SOME TYPE OF, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
THE CONCERN IN THIS PARISH HAS ALWAYS BEEN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS PROGRAM DOESN'T CHANGE ANY BONDS.
NOBODY'S GETTING OUTTA JAIL WHO CANNOT POST THE BOND.
THIS PROGRAM JUST ALLOWS JUDGE WILL JORDAN TO STUDY WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT THE 19 J D C.
AND AS I STATED BEFORE, THE FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UH, BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY RECIPIENT, RECIPIENT OF THESE FUNDS.
WE ARE JUST SIMPLY ASKING THAT
[03:05:01]
THIS COUNCIL ALLOWED BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ALLOW THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL TO, UH, RUN THE PROGRAM PROBABLY FOR ONE YEAR, GET SOME DATA, AND THEN WITH THAT DATA WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, HEY, WE DID THIS FOR A YEAR.OR WE MAY SAY IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL.
WE JUST WANT TO DO AWAY WITH THE PROGRAM, BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO START COLLECTING DATA AT OUR 19 JDC WHEN THE MEDIA HAS QUESTIONS.
WE NEVER HAVE REBUTTALS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO COLLECT THE DATA.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS COUNCIL TO CONSIDER APPROVING OF THIS.
ITEM 1 0 7, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE, UH, ZERO SEVEN OR ANY OF THE ITEM 99 THROUGH 107? DEPUTY CHIEF DANIEL? YES, SIR.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT, UH, THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, UH, THIS PILOT PROGRAM IS AS WAS WHAT WAS SAID, A, UH, AN ATTEMPT TO LOWER AND REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL ENTITIES INVOLVED IN, IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CJ C C, BUT THE DA IS ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS AND HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS.
AND WE NOT ONLY INCLUDED THE DA, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SO EVERY ENTITY IS, UH, ON BOARD AND, AND PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THIS DONE.
AND THIS WILL NOT BE AN INCIDENT OR AN ISSUE WHERE IT'S RANDOMLY ISSUED.
WE'RE, WE'RE GO ONLY GOING TO, UH, USE THIS PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY THOSE WHO MAKE BOND AND ADD AN ADDITIONAL, UH, CONDITION TO THEIR BOND TO WEAR A MONITOR.
AND THE, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ARE OUR TRUE REPEAT OFFENDERS.
AND WELL AS THOSE WHO WHO, WHO POSE AN ISSUE FROM A DOMESTIC, UH, VIOLENCE CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY THERE ARE, LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE PRIVATE VENDORS THAT CURRENTLY CHARGED FOR THIS SERVICE BECAUSE THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM ONLY GOING THROUGH JUDGE JORDAN'S COURT.
THERE'S GON WE, WE TALKED ABOUT COSTS, BUT IF THERE IS COSTS, IT'LL ONLY BE COST TO DEFER THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PAYING.
THERE'S NO PROFIT, UH, THAT WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GAIN HERE.
SO THIS IS ONLY FOR DATA PURPOSES AND TO ALSO SEE HOW THIS WILL IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WHEN NOW GO TO COUNCIL NUMBER COUNCIL.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMON IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 0 2.
HEAR? I ORIGINALLY JUST WANTED TO ABSTAIN FROM 1 0 3, 1 0 4, 1 0 6.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA GO INTO THAT.
I, I I ABSTAIN ON THE RECORD FOR MANY TECHNOLOGY CAUSE I'M IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD, WHETHER IT'S DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO WHAT I DO OR NOT
BUT BECAUSE I'M IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH NILES AND THE DIRECTOR.
AND I THINK THE PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS GREAT.
BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS THERE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE NOT PROVIDING GREAT DATA.
THERE'S A DISPARITY IN, UH, IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE WAY THAT THEY RUN THEIR BUSINESS, WHAT TYPE OF, UM, ANKLE MONITORS THEY USE.
AND WE ALWAYS WANT TO GO TO THE BIG FISH.
BUT I TOLD NILES AND I TOLD HIS, UH, HIS DIRECTOR THAT IF YOU GIVE ANY ONE OF THESE COMPANIES $200,000, THEY COULD FIND SOME ONLINE TOOLS THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE THAT REPORTING DATA.
UM, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY, YOU CAN SET MOST OF THESE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS.
YOU CLICK WHAT DATA YOU WANTED AUTOMATICALLY GIVES YOU THE DATA THAT YOU NEED FROM A REPORTING STANDPOINT.
SO IF I TOOK THIS $200,000 AND CLOSED MY EYES AND POINTED AT ANY ONE OF THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING THAT SERVICE, I WOULD CHANGE THAT BUSINESS OVERNIGHT.
UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUMBER ONE, I DON'T WANT TO HURT THE SMALL BUSINESSMAN THAT'S CURRENTLY HAS THIS LIVELIHOOD OFF OF THIS.
SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT, THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE WITH THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN WAS FIND A WAY TO INCLUDE THEM, NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO, IF YOU WANT TO STREAMLINE TO A CERTAIN MONITOR.
CUZ I WAS TOLD IN THIS PROCESS THEY ALSO RENTED THAT THESE ARE NOT OWNED BY THE UH, COMPANIES.
AND NUMBER THREE, $200,000 IS FINED.
BUT FINDING A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODEL.
CAUSE WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT A ARPA DOLLARS, A ONE TIME FUNDS.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO BEYOND ARPA DOLLARS? BECAUSE ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT THEY MADE WAS THAT THESE CURRENT PEOPLE ARE SPENDING ANYWHERE FROM 3:00 AM I RIGHT? THREE TO $500 TO UH, TO THE ANKLE MONITORING COMPANY EVERY MONTH.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA CHARGE 'EM ANYTHING.
AND I SAID, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT WHEN THEY, SOMEBODY'S GIVING YOU $200,000, BUT HOW YOU GONNA
[03:10:01]
SUSTAIN THAT MOVING FORWARD? BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE TAXPAYERS, I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT IT.SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER, AT LEAST AS IT RELATES TO ME, FIND ANOTHER MODEL.
AND I'VE EXPLAINED TO Y'ALL WHY IT'S NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S NEEDED.
I THINK WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE PRIORITIES OVER THIS, RIGHT? BUT WHERE'S THAT SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODEL COMING FROM? NOW IF THE CHIEF OF POLICE WANTS TO CARVE OUT SOME MONEY OUTTA HIS BUDGET EVERY YEAR AND GIVE THAT TO YOU, I'M ALL FOR IT.
CAUSE HE'S ALREADY GOT THAT MONEY ALLOCATED.
BUT BEYOND 2023, YOU NEED TO HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN THAT SHOWS WHERE THIS FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
CAUSE WE'RE IN THERE FIGHTING FOR PENNIES NOW ON OTHER TOPICS AND OR CREATE A BUSINESS MODEL THAT FORCES THE CURRENT VENDORS TO STREAMLINE WHAT THEY DO SO THAT THAT DATA DOES COME TO A CENTRAL LOCATION AND NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL, WHICH IS SOME OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
CAUSE I BELIEVE IF WE TOOK THE ATTEMPT TO WORK WITH THE CURRENT VENDORS, WE COULD HAVE ACHIEVED THIS SAME GOAL.
AND I LOVE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UM, BUT MOVING FORWARD, FIND A WAY TO WORK WITH THE CURRENT VENDORS.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT STREAMLINING AND ALSO FIND A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL.
FIRST I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 1 0 7 AND DEFER ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7.
UH, REVEREND ANDERSON HAS COME TO ALL OF US AND SHE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, NOTICE MANY OF THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HAD AND OTHERS HAVE HAD ON OTHER ITEMS AND JUST WANTED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, MORE CONVERSATIONS ON THE FRONT END.
SO I HAVE THAT MOTION ON THE FLOOR AS I MAKE MY, UM, COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS.
UM, MY DAD HAS BEEN IN HOME MONITORING FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I DON'T DOUBT THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME STRUCTURE THERE BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME STRUCTURE.
UH, I ECHO DARRELL SENTIMENTS.
FROM A SMALL BUSINESS STANDPOINT, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE YOU GUYS WORK WITH THE CURRENT VENDORS THAT ARE NUMEROUS VENDORS THAT ARE ALREADY MONITORING PEOPLE.
YOU CAN DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM AND GET THE DATA THAT YOU NEED TO GET.
YOU CAN MANDATE THAT THEY, UH, AS A PART OF THEIR MONITORING, THAT THEY COLLECT THE DATA.
YOU CAN EVEN FUND ANY ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO COLLECT THE DATA IF THEIR CURRENT EQUIPMENT DON'T COLLECT THAT DATA.
I HAVE A SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT GOVERNMENT GETTING IN THE FREE MARKET AND GETTING THE FREE ENTERPRISE AND COMPETING AGAINST SMALL AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
UM, AND MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS? WHY DO WE NEED TO FUND B R P D OR GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS? IS TO, IS THE END GOAL IS FOR YOU TO DO THIS AND ELIMINATE THE, THE FREE MARKET.
I IS, THIS COUNCIL HAS MANY DECISIONS TO MAKE TODAY AND NEXT MONTH AND THE MONTH AFTER THAT.
BUT I KNOW THIS COUNCIL WOULD PREFER TO MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS INSTEAD OF JUST MAKING A GUT INTUITION TYPE DECISION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT DATA CAN BE COLLECTED BY THE VENDORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY MONITORING.
WHY DO, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO COLLECT THE DATA? THAT IS TRUE, BUT EVERY VENDOR IS USING DIFFERENT SOFTWARE, HAVE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT THEY ALREADY HAVE THERE.
BUT WHY YOU CAN'T NEUTRALIZE THAT AND PUT POLICY IN PLACE TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT DATA, SEE HOW A CERTAIN SOFTWARE WORK, DECIDE IF WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THIS COMPANY AS FAR AS WITH THE GPS ANKLE MONITORS, ANOTHER COMPANY, THE VENDORS.
LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE CUZ I DON'T WANT YOU TO USE ALL MY TIME.
WELL, WELL, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU NO, NO, IT'S MY TIME.
WE'RE GET A CHANCE TO RESPOND.
UH, I SERVED ON THE POLICE BODY CAM, UH, TASK FORCE OR COMMITTEE THAT WAS CREATED BEFORE WE GOT THE BODY CAMS. MM-HMM.
WE PUT THOSE ON THE, UH, TESTING MODEL.
WE PUT THOSE BODY CAMERAS ON ACTIVE B R P D WHO WAS OUT PATROLLING AND WE DIDN'T BRING IN ADDITIONAL, UH, PATROLMEN JUST TO MON TO TO USE THE MONITORS.
WE USE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY OUT THERE PATROLLING.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE PARTNERS THAT'S DOING THIS WORK WITH THE COURT, WHY NOT UTILIZE THEM? WHY YOU WANT TO BRING A THIRD PARTY OR HIRE STAFF? YOU KNOW, WE DID THE SAME THING WITH BODY CAMS. YOU USED WHAT WAS IN PLACE.
THERE IS SEVERAL VENDORS THAT ARE DOING THE PRETRIAL MONITORING HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN OTHER STATES THAT HAVE COME UP WITH A SYSTEM WHERE THE MONITORING IS ACTUALLY DONE FROM THE COURTS ARE DONE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEY HAVE A BETTER, THEY HAVE BETTER, UH, UH, FOR A LACK OF BETTER WORDS, THEY HAVE BETTER RESOLUTIONS TO CASES.
THEY'RE ABLE TO DOCUMENT AND HAVE THE DATA.
SO I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN HURST AND COUNCILMAN DONE.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THE PRIVATE VENDORS INVOLVED.
BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO COLLECT THE DATA IS TO COLLECT, UH, TO CREATE STANDARDS FOR THESE PRIVATE VENDORS.
SO THE GOAL IS TO ELIMINATE THE FREE MARKET AND REPLACE THE VENDORS.
[03:15:01]
PILOT PROGRAM.RUN THROUGH ONE JUDGE COURTROOM.
THERE'S SEVEN OTHER JUDGES THAT CAN USE WHATEVER VENDORS THEY WANT TO USE.
AND ONCE THE PROGRAM IS OVER, WE'LL HAVE THE DATA AND WE'LL HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS.
AND PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS WILL BE DOING AWAY WITH THE WILD WILD WEST MODEL WHERE NOBODY'S ACCOUNTABLE TO ANYONE AND COMING UP WITH A MODEL THAT ALL THE PRIVATE VENDORS MAY BE ABLE TO USE.
SO WE CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL WE HAVE THE DATA.
WHAT WE DISAGREE IS, I THINK YOU SHOULD WORK WITH THE CURRENT VENDORS TO COLLECT THE DATA.
I THINK IT IS A WILD, WILD WEST.
YES, I DO THINK OBSTRUCTION NEEDS TO BE THERE, BUT THE ELIMINATION OF THE FREE MARKET SEND SENDS THE SIGNAL FROM THE BEGINNING.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOUR GOAL IS.
UH, SOME GOVERNMENT AGENCY REPLACED THE FREE MARKET.
I'M OPEN TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS AND MY MOTION STILL STANDS.
APPROVE OUR ITEMS AND DEFER THIS ONE FOR 30 DAYS.
THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE ITEMS 99 THROUGH 1 0 6 AND DEFER ITEM 1 0 7 FOR 30 DAYS.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALL COUNCILMAN DUNN, YOU NEED TO DEFER IT FOR EITHER 45 DAYS OR 60 DAYS.
WHICH ONE DO YOU PREFER? 45 DAYS.
UH, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR IS, UH, LET'S GO TO COUNCILMAN BANKS.
UH, MR. HAMMAN, HAVE YOU ALL, UM, ARE HAS IT, DO YOU KNOW WHETHER OR NOT JUDGE, UM, JORDAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF THE JUDGE, THEY, THEY, UH, PREFER WORKER WITH CERTAIN VENDORS.
I, I'M NOT SURE AS TO, AND WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRIS SANKA.
DO YOU, SO WHEN WE START, I'M SORRY, CHRIS SANKA, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICES.
WE HAVE A QUESTION NOW MM-HMM.
SO JORDAN, WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WITH THE POLICE AND THE DA AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE JUDGES, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, THE JUDGE'S DA AGREED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANNA USE THE PRIVATE VENDORS.
YOU REMEMBER THE QUESTION? YES.
THE HE DOES NOT HAVE A PREFERRED.
SO, UM, HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED INTO, WHICH SINCE HE'S BEEN ON THE BENCH, WHICH, UH, VENDORS HE HAS USED? YES.
HE, IF ANY, YES, HE, HE DOES USE VENDORS BECAUSE HE ASSIGNS LIKE ALL THE JUDGES.
DO YOU, HOW MANY ARE, DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONES? THERE ARE ROUGHLY FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT FLOAT THROUGH THE COURT THAT ARE, THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT HE USES THAT ALL THE JUDGES USE.
LET'S BE, I'M BEING SPECIFIC, SINCE YOU'RE SAYING ONE JUDGE, HE WOULD'VE TO COME TELL YOU WHICH ONES HE USE.
WHAT? SO THAT MEANS, I DON'T KNOW.
SO WHAT I, AND, AND, AND THIS GOES IN LINE WITH THE FACT THAT IF, LET'S JUST SAY THAT'S $20,000 AND THEY ARE FIVE VENDORS, IT DOES MAKE SENSE.
AND TO GET REAL DATA IS TO FIRST START WITH WHERE YOU ARE.
SO IF WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT VENDORS THAT ARE USING, UM, MULTIPLE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES INTO THE DATA, BEING ABLE TO ASSESS WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.
YOU, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT WORKS AS IT RELATES TO EQUIPMENT.
THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT IS THAT YOU HAVE VARIED EQUIPMENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE VENDORS THAT POSSIBLY HAVE OTHER THINGS, THAT, THAT'S AN EASY, THAT'S AN EASY, UM, WAY TO NOT ONLY PULL OUT THE DIFFERENT ONES, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY USING IT.
SO IT'S NOT A TRIAL AND ERROR.
UM, THE, I I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY, BUT, UM, IN APPROVING THIS, I WOULD, IF YOU ALL HAD THAT INFORMATION, AND MAYBE WE'LL GET IT IN A 45 DAYS IF IT'S, YOU ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE VENDORS AT LEAST ONE, UM, THAT DEALS WITH CERTAIN WHATEVER, DIFFERENT KIND OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU ARE ALL ALLUDING TO AND LIKE RE AND, UM, WORK WITH THEM.
UH, I TOO THINK IT'S TOO MUCH BIG BUDDY INVOLVED.
IF YOU HAVE THE POLICE ARRESTING AND MONITORING, I MEAN, THERE'S NO, UM, THAT'S JUST TOO MUCH ON ONE THING AND THE POLICE OUGHT TO HAVE MORE GOING ON, UH, THAN TO BE WORDED, THAN TO BE MONITORING.
MONITORING IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN, UH, REVEREND ANDERSON CAME UP, YOU KNOW, MONITORING IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR THOSE THAT ARE MENTALLY ILL, UH, THAT NEED TO WORK, THAT TRACK THEIR VIOLENCE.
UM, ECONOMICALLY, THEY COULD STILL WORK, THEY COULD STILL GO TO SCHOOL.
SO EVERYTHING ABOUT ELECTRONIC MONITORING VERSUS INCARCERATION IS A PLUS, ESPECIALLY,
[03:20:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC AND FOREVER, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S EVER SUCH THING AS POST COVID, WHICH I DOUBT, BUT, UM, SO I AGREE THAT THE MORE WE ARE ABLE TO BRING IN PEOPLE, AND IF YOU ARE SAYING THAT IT IS TO SEE WHAT WORKS, THEN PULL THOSE DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC USERS AND, UH, TOGETHER, AND THAT'S HOW YOU ATTRACT THE DATA.SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT NILES AND THE REST OF MY STAFF HAVE SPENT THE LAST TWO MONTHS INTERVIEWING, UM, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND PROVIDE THE HARDWARE.
AND YOU, YOU'RE ALLUDING TO WHAT HE'S SAYING.
YOU'RE, SO WHAT WE, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS ONCE YOU GET THAT DATA, IT'S GONNA HELP YOU CHOOSE A LARGE VENDOR THAT WILL SERVICE ALL THE 19TH DISTRICT AND WHAT, AND SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE SAYING IS PLAYING RIGHT INTO WHAT THE CONCERN IS.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT THE COUNCIL IS, MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN OR SAYING IS, NO, WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE AND DIVERSIFY AND USE SMALL BUSINESSES TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING IT.
AND IF YOU WANNA HELP THEM, THEN YOU HELP THEM BY SUPPORTING THEM, NOT BY TAKING IT AWAY FROM THEM SO THAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE BASICALLY PLAYING INTO THE REASON WHY THIS ITEM IS BEING DEFERRED.
YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU GET THAT, THEN YOUR NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU GONNA BE BRINGING A CONTRACT AND SAYING, WELL, UH, JOE, WE DID THE DATA AND, UH, KNOWS ELECTRONIC MONITORING MEETS ALL THE CHECK BLOCKS AND YEAH.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, MR. HAMER MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, US NOT TAKING THINGS AT FACE VALUE AND, AND, AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE DATA.
I, I WILL TELL YOU WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, WILL JORDAN COMING TO ME WITH A PROGRAM TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME AND TO DO BETTER MONITORING, I DON'T MIND TAKING THAT AT FACE VALUE.
I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO SIT IN HIS COURTROOM AND, AND LISTEN TO HOW HE GIVES CONSIDERATION TO BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE ACCUSED.
UM, IF THERE IS ANOTHER JUDGE IN HERE THAT, THAT IS MORE SINCERE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME CRIME, I'M NOT AWARE OF IT.
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I I I THINK THAT IF YOU READ THE PAPER, IF YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OFFENDERS, UH, THAT ARE OUT ON BOND THAT ARE CAUSING MURDERS, RAPES, VIOLENT CRIMES, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT, THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND WE NEED TO DO IT QUICKLY.
UH, AND THE WAY THAT THIS IS PROPOSED WILL HELP US ADDRESS IT, UH, MORE QUICKLY.
SO I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1 0 2 TO 1 0 7, UM, 99 THROUGH 1 0 7 99 THROUGH 1 0 7.
THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 99 THROUGH 107.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SAY IT AGAIN.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS TO APPROVE ITEMS 99 THROUGH 1 0 6 AND DEFER ITEM 1 0 7 FOR 45 DAYS.
COUNCILMAN MORK, WAIT A MINUTE, DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MAGO.
COUNCILMAN ROCKA, UH, MR. HAMMER, CAN YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOUR COHORT, UM, AS WELL, MR. ZONCA? SO EXPLAIN TO ME EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROCESS WILL BE, WILL LOOK LIKE, COLLECTING THE DATA IF IT WERE APPROVED MOVING FORWARD ON ONE ONE.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, WELL, I, I CAN TELL YOU THIS AND I KNOW CHRIS WILL KIND OF COME IN BEHIND ME.
THE FIRST STEP OF THE PROCESS IS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ONCE JUDGE JORDAN TAKES DUTY IS ONLY GONNA BE ON JUDGE JORDAN'S DUTY WEEKS, WHICH ARE EVERY EIGHT WEEKS.
AND HE WILL BE SETTING BONDS EVERY EIGHT WEEKS DURING HIS DUTY WEEK.
IF HE SEES THAT SOMEBODY HAS COMMITTED OR IS ACCUSED OF COMMITTING A SERIOUS CRIME, HE'S GONNA SET THE BOND THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT PARTICULAR OFFENSE.
HE WILL PUT A CONDITION AT THAT PERSON IS ABLE TO MAKE BOND THAT THEY WILL BE MONITORED BY, UH, THIS ELECTRONIC MONITORING PROGRAM.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO ON DAY ONE IS TO PROVIDE THE DA'S OFFICE, UH, B R P D AND ALSO THE JUDGE'S OFFICE WITH DATA FROM, UH, VIOLATIONS OF HIS CURFEW FROM EXCLUSION ZONE VIOLATIONS THAT DARRYL HIRST BROUGHT UP.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO PRINT IT OUT AND COLLECT THE DATA.
AND I DON'T JUST ON ONE INDIVIDUAL, BUT ALL INDIVIDUALS, WE TEND
[03:25:01]
TO BELIEVE THAT IT'LL SHOW AT LEAST 80% OF THE PEOPLE DON'T REOFFEND.AT LEAST 80% OF THE PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO COURT.
WE THINK THE DATA WILL SHOW THAT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE START THE PROGRAM.
AND WHEN WE TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, THE DIFFICULT PART OF TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT THE 19 J C, WE CANNOT FOLLOW UP WITH NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES.
AND I THINK THIS PROGRAM CAN HELP US MOVE TO A BETTER, UH, ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM IN THIS WHOLE PARISH, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH SEVERAL PRIVATE VENDORS OR THROUGH ONE PRIVATE VENDOR.
WE NEED A, A BETTER BLUEPRINT FOR HOW WE DO ELECTRONIC MONITORING.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME OFFENDERS THAT OBVIOUSLY DON'T REQUIRE, UM, ELECTRONIC MONITORING FOR BOND PURPOSES OR OTHER OFFENDERS THAT ARE ABLE TO BOND WITHOUT HAVING ANY ASSISTANCE, UM, THROUGH ASURITY BOND OR THROUGH A PROPERTY BOND.
UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHO AS BEST YOU CAN MM-HMM.
THESE ARE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS.
UM, PEOPLE ACCUSED OF SERIOUS BOND.
SPEAKING OF MIKE FOR ME NOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS, PEOPLE ACCUSED OF SERIOUS CRIMES SUCH AS THE, UM, MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER, ARMED ROBBERY.
THESE ARE SERIOUS PEOPLE THAT WE WANNA MONITOR TO SEE NU NUMBER ONE, PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT NUMBER TWO, TO COLLECT THAT DATA TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THIS COUNCIL AND TO THE PEOPLE AT THE 19 J D C HOW THIS PROGRAM CAN WORK.
F IS IF WE BRING IN MORE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE PRIVATE VENDORS RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THE PRIVATE VENDORS, I, ONE OF THE PRIVATE VENDORS I'VE KNOWN SINCE I WAS A CHILD, I KNOW THESE PEOPLE.
I WORK WITH 'EM, I'M A FORMER CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, SO I KNOW 'EM ALL VERY WELL.
I DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE THEIR BUSINESSES OR ANYTHING, BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING BETTER THAN WE ARE IN MONITORING PEOPLE WHO ARE ON PRE-TRIAL RELEASE.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB IS IF WE STUDY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AT THE 19 J D C.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PILOT PROGRAM WILL ALLOW US TO DO.
SO, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING, BACK TO THAT AND SOMEONE THAT IS ON BOND, THAT CURRENTLY COSTS A LOT OF MONEY FOR SOME FOLKS.
UM, IS THIS SUBSIDIZED IN ANY WAY OR IS THE OFFENDER OR ALLEGED OFFENDER STILL HAVING TO PAY FOR THE, THE BOND, UM, THE MONITORING SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE, BECAUSE SOME OF, SOME OF THE DE DETERRENTS, UM, IS HAVING TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT EACH MONTH MM-HMM.
SO TELL ME WHAT THE FINANCIAL SITUATION LOOKS LIKE WITH REGARD TO WHO, WHEN IT'S APPLIED, HOW MUCH DOES THE DEFENDER OR DEFENDANT HAVE TO PAY? UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO MOST OF THE PRIVATE VENDORS CHARGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 350, 400 TO $500 A MONTH TO BE ON ELECTRONIC MONITORING.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THAT THE ACTUAL COST IS MORE LIKE MAYBE $4 A DAY.
IF YOU MULTIPLY $4 A DAY TIMES 30 DAYS, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE 20, NO MORE THAN ONE 50 A MONTH, SOME MONTH.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO STUDY HOW A PROGRAM CAN WORK.
UH, THERE MAY BE CONVERSATIONS OF, UH, JUST PAYING THE EXACT COST WHERE WE ARE NOT MAKING A PROFIT, IT'S JUST, UH, PAYING THE COST OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAM.
BUT WE HADN'T MADE THAT DECISION FULLY YET BECAUSE WE KNOW THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS PROGRAM IS TO, UH, ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO COLLECT THAT DATA.
AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER REASONS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND DEFERRING COSTS AND ALL THAT.
SO, BUT I, I GUESS I ASKED THAT QUESTION.
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FOR YOU CLEAR ENOUGH BECAUSE HE'S LAWYERING IT AND I I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM.
FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THIS FOR THE ONE YEAR, THERE WILL BE NO COST OF THE DEFENDANTS TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT WITH GRAND FUNDS.
NOW, IF WE GO TO SUSTAIN THIS LONGER, WE'LL BUILD A MODEL WHERE AT THE MOST IT WOULD BE THE ACTUAL COST INCURRED AND NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.
BUT FOR THIS ONE YEAR PROGRAM, ANYBODY ATTACHED TO THE MONITOR WILL NOT BE CHARGED OR ANYTHING.
AND SO THESE PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT MONITOR THESE FOLKS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT REALTIME REPORTS AS TO WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE VIOLATING A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
UM, THEY BASICALLY MAP QUESTING OUT EXACTLY WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, IF THEY'RE GOING TO WORK, SOME OF THEM ARE ON HOUSE ARRESTS, SO THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO LEAVE FOR,
[03:30:01]
UH, PARTICULAR TIME AT PARTICULAR TIMES.UH, WHO WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT MONITORING FOR YOU GUYS? WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT? DO YOU HAVE A PRIVATE PERSON THAT DOES THAT? WE'RE GONNA HIRE, WE'RE GONNA HIRE SOMEBODY WHO, PREFERABLY SOMEBODY WHO'S FORMALLY, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO STILL MAINTAINS A COMMISSION BECAUSE PART OF THE AGREEMENT WOULD BE THAT IF THERE IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE BOND, THAT WE CAN FIND THAT THAT PERSON WOULD'VE ARREST CAPABILITIES TO BRING THAT PERSON IN.
UM, THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT THE CASE IN ANY VIOLATION.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY LOOK TO US TO DO THIS, RATHER THAN LOOK TO THE PRIVATE VENDORS TO DO THIS, IS CUZ THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE JUDGES, THE DA THE POLICE AREN'T GETTING THE REPORTS.
JUDGE GEORGE JUST SHARED A STORY WITH ME THAT HE GOT AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF THE PRIVATE VENDORS THAT SAID, HEY, A WEEK AGO THIS GUY WENT MISSING.
SORRY, I I HAVE MY THREE MINUTES LEFT.
UM, SO PART OF HAVING THIS, THE PRIVATE FOLKS, UM, I'VE HAD DEFENDANTS THAT HAVE POPPED ON A DRUG TEST OR THEY HAVE, UM, ABSCONDED FROM JUSTICE FOR A DAY OR TWO.
BUT HAVING THAT PRIVATE PERSON BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THEM, THERE'S OFTEN REASONS WHY THEY'LL SELF-REPORT, GO TO THE JUDGE.
DO YOU THINK HAVING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THERE MONITORING THOSE PEOPLE, UM, EVEN FOR THOSE MINOR OFFENSES, WOULD DETER THEM FROM POTENTIALLY BEING HONEST WITH THEM AS TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING? BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, NO DEFENDANT, NO DEFENDANT THAT HAS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE DECIDES ON DAY THREE OF BEING ON BOND THAT THEY'RE NEVER, EVER DOING DRUGS OR HAVING AN ISSUE AGAIN, IT'S A BATTLE AND IT TAKES CONSTANT TREATMENT.
SO IT'S A PROCESS FOR THAT PERSON TO GET THROUGH THAT TREATMENT PROCESS TO BEGIN TO BE HEALTHY.
DO YOU THINK HAVING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MAY DETER THEM HAVING THAT OPEN CANDID CONVERSATION? SO I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU THIS.
SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON, UH, PRETRIAL RELEASE, I'M SORRY.
SOMETIMES WHEN INDIVIDUALS ON PRETRIAL RELEASE, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DRUG TESTS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE THEFT CLASSES OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLASSES, WE ARE LIMITING THIS TO ELECTRONIC MONITORING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE LIMITATION.
WE WE'RE NOT CHECKING TO SEE IF THEY'RE, UH, HAVE PASSED A DRUG TEST OR THEY SIGNED UP FOR, UH, THEFT DE DETER CLASS.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING ALL OF THAT.
THE ONLY THING THAT THIS PROGRAM WOULD DO WOULD BE THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING PART OF IT.
AND I, I KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE CLIENTS THAT HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL MORE THAN LIKELY WANT TO CONFIDE IN THEIR PRETRIAL SUPERVISION OFFICERS.
SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES THEY BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
THIS IS JUST LIMITED TO ELECTRONIC MONITORING.
WE'RE TAKING ALL THE REST SO MUCH TIME NOW IS 7 26.
HEY MR. LAWSON, YOU MIND STEPPING TO THE MIC, SIR? IT'S ONLY ONE IN THE BUILDING.
SO SINCE THIS FUNDING IS COMING FROM ARPA DOLLARS THAT Y'ALL RECEIVED, WHAT DOES THAT SUSTAINABLE MODEL LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE HE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING A RETIRED COMMISSION FOR OFFICER ONTO THAT FORCE AND I BELIEVE PROVIDE A LIVABLE WAGE, WHICH I WOULD IMAGINE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 50 AND $60,000 MINIMUM TO TAKE THIS ROLE ON.
SO EVEN IF THEY ARE NET, HAVING A NET NEUTRAL COST OF $150 OR WHATEVER THE ANKLE MONITOR'S GONNA COST AND THE SYSTEM IS, WELL THE ANKLE MONITOR, THEN THE SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE PERSONNEL.
AND ARE Y'ALL EXPECTING ONE OR TWO PEOPLE IN THIS PARTICULAR ROLE? ONE PERSON, NO MORE THAN 50 SPEAK PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU TALKING ABOUT STILL BRINGING SOMEBODY ON BOARD.
SO THE SUSTAINABLE MODEL AFTER THAT WILL STILL LEAVE ONE PERSON IN PLACE, CORRECT.
OR MULTIPLE PEOPLE? WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE COLLECT THE DATA.
SO LET'S JUST SAY ONE PERSON AT 50 K PLUS THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN A NET NEUTRAL COST, WHICH MEANS THEY, THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY FOR THE NONPROFIT, WHICH IS OKAY.
WHERE Y'ALL GET THAT FUNDING FROM.
SO RIGHT NOW, I, I GO BACK TO WHAT'S BEEN SAID.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF THIS WORKS OR DON'T WORK.
WE'LL HAVE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT, TO DECIDE WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT.
BUT, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND STEP OUT AND MAKE THIS STATEMENT IF IT SHOWS THAT IT WORKS.
BECAUSE WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THAT MOST CRIME IS COMMITTED BY VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE RECIDIVISM.
SO IF WE SHOW THAT IT DOES WORK AND IT'S, UH, REDUCING CRIME, UH, $200,000 WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM TO FIND IN OUR BUDGET TO SUPPORT IT.
AND, AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS, IS USING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DEPARTMENT SECOND, IS THERE A WAY OR, WELL, NOT EVEN A COMMENT IS, UH, A QUESTION.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT YOU FIND A WAY TO INCLUDE THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT LIKE MR.
[03:35:01]
DUN SAID, CREATE THE POLICY AROUND IT THAT STREAMLINES HOW THEY OPERATE SO THAT IT'S A STRAIGHT LINE AND NOT SEND 'EM TO THE POOR HOUSE.CAUSE WE WANNA GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
I, UH, I, THE ONLY GOAL THAT WE HAD WAS TO REDUCE CRIME.
THIS RIGHT HERE WAS AN EXTENSION OR ADDED PIECE TO P S P, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PROJECT THAT WAS ROLLED OUT AND THAT THEY DID THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
WE WANT TO GET THE DATA AND SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CREATE SOME STANDARDS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS AND I KNOW FROM MY STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT IN THE PROCESS OF AFFECTING ANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESS.
UM, JUST POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AFTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT AND RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION AND THE LINE OF WORK THAT, UM, I NOW WORK IN, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEST THAT ABSTAIN FROM THIS.
ITEM 1 0 7, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE ITEMS 99 THROUGH 1 0 7.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
I MEAN, I AIN'T WANT ITEM, ITEM FAILS.
WE NOW GO TO THE, THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE ITEM 99 THROUGH 1 0 6 AND DEFER ITEM 1 0 7 FOR 45 DAYS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK ABSTAIN ON ITEM 1 0 7 MACHINES.
ARE YOU VOTING ON ITEMS 1 99 THROUGH 1 0 6? YOU WANNA ABSTAIN FROM ALL? OKAY,
UH, SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ITEM ONE ARE GONNA PASS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1 0 3.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO 1 0 3? ITEM 1 0 3 PASSES.
SO MOVED BY MO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MAGDA.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NO.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MAGDA SECONDED BY ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 2.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN ADAM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN.
UH, IS THERE A, A MOTION TO MOVE? SO MOVED BY DONE, SECONDED BY HUDSON SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER HE ABSTAINING ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 4.
SECONDED BY ADAMS SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER HEAR SUSTAIN ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 5.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 6 SHALL MOVE BY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HEARS SUSTAINING ANY OBJECTIONS AND THEN THERE IS A MOTION TO DEFER.
ITEM 1 0 7 BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST IS THERE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON THAT ITEM.
WELL FIRST IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SHOWS SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER ABSTAINING ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 7 HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR 45 DAYS.
[Items 108 - 110]
THROUGH ONE 10 TOGETHER, UH, AUTHORIZED MAYOR, PRESIDENT EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENT AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE CONTRACT AND THE APPRAISAL SERVICES WITH TODD TIDWELL APPRAISING CONSULTING LLC FOR SERVICE ASSOCIATED MOVE PASTOR PROJECT JONES CREEK ROAD, TIGER BEND AIRLINE AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $81,840.ITEM 1 0 9 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTED CONTRACT FOR APPRA SERVICES WITH JDM SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVER CAPACITY PROJECT LEE DRIVE TO HIGHLAND ROAD TO PERKINS ROAD AND IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $137,280.
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH ACA US INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILE CAPACITY PROJECT LEE DRIVE TO HOLLAND ROAD TO PERKINS ROAD IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $79,675 AND 15 CENTS.
EXCUSE ME, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 0 8 THROUGH ONE 10? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? 1 0 8 TO ONE 10.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOK SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 8 THROUGH ONE 10 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[Items 111 - 114]
ONE 14 WILL TAKE TOGETHER AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR BOSCOE TO AMEND AGREEMENT WITH THE CAPITAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR AN ADDITIONAL $26,000.[03:40:01]
ITEM ONE 12 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT OR BOSCOE TO APPROVE A SUPPLEMENTAL, A SUBMITTAL OF THE LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT FOR THE SOUTH TREATMENT PLAN BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.ITEM ONE 13 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OR BRASCO TO APPROVE A SUBMITTAL OF LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT FOR THE NORTH TREATMENT PLANT BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM ONE 14 AUTHORIZED MAYOR PRESENT AND OR BRASCO TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE TO THE CONTRACT AND ANDREW BOATNER FOR INSPECTION OF PRIVATE SEWER SYSTEMS RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION FOR $26,000.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 11 1 14 WILL NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEMS. SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO SECOND AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. OBJECTION.
ITEM 1 4 11 TO ONE 14 HAVE BEEN APPROVED WHEN I'LL TAKE ONE 15 AND 1 22
[Items 115 - 122]
TOGETHER.AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR PRESENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSIONER EXECUTE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTOR RUNWAY SAFE LLC TO PROVIDE EMS REPAIR SUPERVISION FST IN THE INSPECTION IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,000 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
ITEM ONE 16, AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR PRESENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE THE SUPPLEMENT AGREED NUMBER FIVE WITH VOCAL INCORPORATED FOR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES CONSTRUCTION SERVING REAL ESTATE SERVICES FOR RUNWAY 1331 SAFETY AREA R PZ.
IMPROVEMENT IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 6,000,540 3003 $49 AND 55 CENTS BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
ITEM ONE 17 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE A MODIFICATION OF NON-FEDERAL REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENT FOR THE RELOCATION OF FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND CABLES AND SUPPORT OF IMPROVEMENT BY RUNWAY 1331 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $900,341 AND 54 CENTS.
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH COT LOGIC, THE AMOUNT OF ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES WITH THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH S JB GROUP LLC TO PROVIDE DB AND A C D B E CONSULTING SERVICES IN THE MOUNT TIC EXCEED $60,000 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MMR COMMUNICATIONS TO PROVIDE CCTV, ACS AND PA SYSTEMS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 165,600 BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR PRESENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION EXECUTE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH VERMA SYSTEMS AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 60,000 BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSIONER EXCEEDED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONDUCT WITH RESTORE SERVICES INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE HVAC SYSTEM AND EMS MAINTENANCE AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 317,000 BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE 15 THROUGH 1 22? ANYONE HERE AND NOW WE GO TO COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOES SECOND IN BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO.
ITEM ONE 15 THROUGH 1 22 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[123. 22-01603]
AUTHORIZED MAYOR PRESIDENT TO A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THE PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE AND BATON ROUGE TO SUPPORT ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED HOWARD PARK BREEZE CENTER CLINIC EXPANSION AMOUNT OF $100,000 BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 23? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
UH, ITEM 1 23 HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NOR OBJECTION REGARD TO ITEM 1 24.
[124. 22-01613]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A GRANT FUNDED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON PARISH OF EAST BATON AND MAYOR'S HEALTH CITY INITIATIVE FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $525,000 BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON IT? 1 24.
WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
SHALL COUNCIL MEMBER HER SUSTAINING ON ITEM 1 24? ITEM 1 24 HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION.
[Items 125 & 154]
THROUGH 1 54 TOGETHER.NO, WE'RE TAKING IT WITH ON UH, ITEM 1 25 AUTHORIZING AM MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND TO AMEND THE BUS BENCH FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON PARISH, SO EAST BATON ROUGE AND VIVID OUTDOOR ADVERTISING INCORPORATED DURING BUSINESS AS DERIVE ADVERTISING GO BENCHES A NATIONAL COUNTRY TO EXTEND CURRENT FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR SIX MONTHS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2023 TO JUNE 30TH, 2023 AND SIGN ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME ITEM 1 54.
ITEM 1 54 READS A DISCUSSION THAT'S NOT ITEM 1 54.
A DISCUSSION OF THE CASH BENCH PROGRAM FOR THE 2023 BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
WE'LL TAKE THOSE TWO ITEMS TOGETHER.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK OR ITEMS 1 25 AND 1 54? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK? COME ON DARRYL.
UM, THE BUS BENCH CONTRACTS WERE ASKING TO
[03:45:01]
EXTEND FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD TO ALLOW CATS TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT PROGRAM OVER AND I'LL HAVE CATS EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE GOING FORWARD.ARE YOU DINA WALLACE? DEANNA? YES SIR.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
SO WE'RE WEIGHING TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
ONE IS TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH UM, THE VENDORS THAT CURRENTLY ARE COVERED IN YOUR CONTRACT AS A CITY.
UM, AND THE OTHER WOULD BE TO BRING IT IN HOUSE AND DO IT OURSELVES.
SO WE HAVE UM, REACHED OUT TO THE CURRENT VENDORS TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM.
WE DO HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, REGARDING ADA COMPLIANCE THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED THEM TO UM, MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THEIR CURRENT BUS, UH, BENCHES AND UM, THE AREA AROUND THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT.
IF THEY CAN'T DO THAT, WE UNDERSTAND.
UM, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON INTERNALLY.
WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE GRANT MONEY NECESSARY TO DO THAT, UM, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO TALK WITH THEM AND SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON.
AND SO WE WOULD ASK WHAT POINT OF AUM MR. PROTE.
MS. WILEY, CAN YOU JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH KATZ? YES, SORRY.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR KATZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILMAN MO.
YOU HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS HERE.
SO, UH, I BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID AT THE END YOU'VE HAD PROVIDED A GRANT.
YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDED A GRANT TO DO THESE BUS BENCHES.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED GRANTS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THAT WE CAN USE FOR THIS SPECIFICALLY IF WE DECIDE TO TAKE IT IN-HOUSE.
SO THAT TELLS ME THAT YOU HAVE FUNDING TO BUILD THE TYPES OF BENCHES THAT CITY PARISH HAS PUT OUT PREVIOUSLY THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING YOU HAVE FUNDING NOW.
SO THE BUS BENCHES THAT ARE OUT NOW ARE, ARE DIFFERENT? NO, WHAT I'M ASKING IS THE BUS BENCHES THAT WERE PROPOSED BY CITY PARISH, THE METAL BUS BENCHES WITH THE CONCRETE PADS AND THE LITTLE GARBAGE CAN SITTING NEXT TO IT AND THE LITTLE SLATS ON IT AND SO ON.
DO YOU HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT NOW TO DO HOWEVER MANY CAN BE DONE WITH THAT FUNDING? WHATEVER.
HOW MUCH IS THE FUNDING AND CAN YOU DO A HUNDRED OF 'EM? CAN YOU DO 50 OF THEM? WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 71 AND WE DO HAVE THAT BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET THAT IS GOING TO BE APPROVED HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK, UM, BY OUR COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE FUNDING, YOU HAVE FUNDING FOR THE UPDATED BUDGET DESIGN FOR 71 OF 'EM POSSIBLY? YES.
THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED 71 AT THIS TIME THAT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH TO START.
HOW MANY BUS STOPS ARE THERE NOW? THERE ARE A LITTLE OVER 1500 TOTAL.
HOW MANY ARE YOU REDUCING? TWO.
WELL WE, WE DO PLAN TO REDUCE.
UM, HOW MANY ABOUT, SORRY, LET ME CLARIFY.
WE NOT EVERY STOP HAS A BENCH.
SO EVERY BUS BENCH THAT HAS A STOP, EVERY STOP THAT HAS A BUS BENCH IS ABOUT HOW MANY AND HOW MANY ARE YOU PLANNING TO REDUCE TO, Y'ALL HAD A MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO OR WHATEVER AND Y'ALL STATED A NUMBER THAT YOU WERE REDUCING TO AND I WOULD LIKE THAT STATED PUBLICLY RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 71 CURRENTLY THAT MEET OUR SERVICE STANDARDS.
WE HAVEN'T PUT A SPECIFIC NUMBER ON ANY SORT OF, THIS IS THE ONLY AMOUNT THAT WE'LL DO WHAT WE UH, SAID IS THAT WE ALSO WILL CONSIDER OUTSIDE OF SERVICE STANDARDS REQUEST FOR THINGS LIKE, UM, A UM, SPECIFIC SENSITIVE NEED AREA.
UM, THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OF BOARDINGS AND A LIGHTINGS THAT WOULD MEET OUR TECHNICAL SERVICE STANDARDS.
BUT IT'S STILL AN AREA WHERE MAYBE THERE ARE A CONCENTRATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO SEEK A SERVICE OR THERE'S A DOCTOR'S OFFICE NEARBY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE 71 AND I DON'T RECALL HOW MANY, UM, TOTAL BENCHES THE VENDORS TOLD US THAT THEY HAVE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE SOME OF OUR OWN AND THEY HAVE OKAY.
THAT'S STILL MY ORIGINAL FIVE MINUTES.
UM, I I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT BRINGING THIS IN-HOUSE DIRECTLY TO CATS AND THE ABILITY OF, I MEAN F ONE NOT ONLY MANAGEMENT BUT FUNDING AS FAR AS KEEPING UP WITH THESE TYPE OF BENCHES AND EVERYTHING.
UM, Y'ALL AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THAT MEETING THAT Y'ALL HAD, WHAT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WHEN I GOT A CALL AFTER UM, ONE OF THESE MEETINGS WAS TO MEET THE, I GUESS THE REQUIREMENTS OR TO MEET CERTAIN THINGS.
THERE WAS MINIMUM ABOUT A BUS BENCHES THAT YOU NEED AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING TO BE POSSIBLY REDUCED TO.
UM, I'M ONE IN FAVOR OF MAKING SURE THAT THE VENDORS THAT WE HAVE HAVE THE ABILITY AND CAPABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.
[03:50:01]
I WOULD ASK YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFINITELY LOOK AT WORKING WITH THESE VENDORS.IT, MY ARGUMENT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT THE STYLE AND, AND THE WHAT THE CITY PARISH WANTS AND THE QUALITY OF THE BUS BENCHES AND EVERYTHING.
IT HAS BEEN ABOUT ALLOWING AND EMPOWERING THE VENDORS WHICH ARE, UM, MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED.
MILITARY VENDORS THAT WE HAVE NOW, I DON'T CARE IF THEY WORK UNDER Y'ALL'S DIVISION OR WHATEVER, BUT I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO REALLY WORK WITH THEM AND NOT MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS WITH THE NEW BUS BENCHES BY NEGATING HALF OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'VE PUT OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S A VERY BIG CONCERN AFTER THE LAST PHONE CALL THAT I GOT OF POSSIBLY.
UM, AND HE WAS IN Y'ALL'S MEETING, HE CALLED ME CUZ I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT AND COUNCILWOMAN BEEN WORKING ON IT.
UM, THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING TO HEAVILY REDUCE THE BUS BENCHES TO WHAT YOU NEEDED TO QUALIFY OR SOME KIND OF, UH, MEASUREMENT THAT Y'ALL HAD TO MAKE? I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF MISCOMMUNICATION WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBLE CONSENT ORDER COMING OUT OF AN A D FEDERAL LAWSUIT.
WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH WHATEVER CONSENT ORDER COMES UP.
IS THERE A MINIMUM BUS BENCHES THAT YOU NEED TO QUALIFY FOR ADA? WHAT'S THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF BUS BENCHES THAT YOU NEED FOR TO QUALIFY TO KEEP THAT CONSENT OUT? SO THAT'S, IT'S NOT A MINIMUM NUMBER OF BENCHES.
SO WHAT THE CONSENT ORDER WOULD LAY OUT IS HOW MANY WE ARE REQUIRED, UM, PER OR ON A CERTAIN TIME LEVEL, A TIMETABLE TO UPGRADE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT.
CUZ RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM THAT ARE NOT ADA COMPLIANT.
SO THAT'S THE PERCENTAGE AND THE, UM, MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS REPLACING THOSE WITH ADA COMPLIANT ONES.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONSENT ORDER YET.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THAT AND THAT BASED ON THAT CONSENT ORDER, WE'LL HAVE TO PRIORITIZE, UM, THE UPGRADING OF THE BENCHES BASED ON WHATEVER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, AGREEMENT THAT WE COME TO IS.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THERE'S 600 BENCHES AND I'LL ROLL THROUGH, IF THAT'S NOT MY SECOND TIME.
UH, CURRENTLY THERE'S 600 BENCHES LOCATIONS OUT THROUGHOUT EAST BAT ROUGE PARISH AND SO ON.
UM, POSSIBLY MORE GIVE OR TAKE.
ARE Y'ALL GOING TO, THERE'S GONNA BE CHANGES.
I KNOW Y'ALL LOOKING AT ROUTES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S WORKS, WHAT CAN FIT CERTAIN PLACES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
ARE WE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN A MA? UH, AGAIN, THERE'S AN ATTRITION OF WHERE THINGS CAN BE AND CAN'T BE.
AND I KNOW THE POSSIBLE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS, WELL, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT'LL FIT WHERE AND SO ON, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 600 BENCHES.
WHAT DO YOU SEE OR POSSIBLY SEE COMMUNICATING, AND Y'ALL HAVE MET ABOUT THIS, THE AMOUNT OF BENCHES TO MAINTAIN OR BRING UP TO THESE STANDARDS? AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE CONSENT DECREE.
IT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THE AGREEMENT IS AS FAR AS UPGRADING THE BENCHES TO ADA COMPATIBLE, UM, IN BY THE DEADLINE, PUT IN THE CONSENT DECREE.
UM, AND THAT'S THE 71? NO, THAT'S A SEPARATE NUMBER.
UM, SO 71 IS WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, UM, IN OUR CURRENT SERVICE STANDARDS AS WHAT WE WOULD PUT UP TO START WITH IF WE WERE TAKING IT IN-HOUSE AND THEY WERE TAKING THEIR BENCHES AWAY COMPLETELY.
UM, THE 71 IS WHAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR AT THIS POINT AND WHAT MEETS OUR SERVICE STANDARDS.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO CONSIDER ANY ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR SENSITIVE NEEDS AREAS, UM, IN ADDITION TO THOSE 71 COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THAT, IF WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VENDORS, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE 600 STOPS, UM, ARE GOING TO BE UPGRADED AT SOME POINT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT.
UM, AND FOR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME THE CONSENT DECREE, UM, IN THE FEDERAL CASE REQUIRES, WE WOULD HAVE TO START MEETING THOSE BENCHMARKS PUT FORWARD IN THE SET IN THE CONSENT DECREE.
AND THAT WOULD KIND OF GUIDE US IN HOW QUICKLY WE UPGRADE THEM AND HOW MANY WE DO PER YEAR OR IF THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER PER QUARTER THAT WE HAVE TO UPGRADE.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE AREAS OF HIGHEST USE FIRST.
UM, SO WE HAVE THAT DATA TO SAY THIS STOP IS USED, UM, YOU KNOW, BY 200 PEOPLE A DAY.
SO WE WANT TO DO THAT ONE FIRST AND NOT FOCUS ON A STOP THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY ON AVERAGE.
AND MAYBE IT'S JUST ONCE EVERY MONTH.
SO, SO, SO BASICALLY MY, MY STANDPOINT IS, THE REASON I GOT INTO THIS, UM, WHEN WE HELD OFF THE CONTRACT AND EXTENDED IT, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR, A LITTLE BIT LONGER, UM, WAS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE AS A COUNCIL THAT REALLY TALKED ABOUT WAS OUR, UH, OUR MINORITY AND, AND MILITARY AND, AND, UH, DISABLED
[03:55:01]
BUSINESSES.AND THIS, THIS PROGRAM RIGHT HERE IN EAST BAT ROUGE PARISH OR CITY PARISH WAS ONE OF THE, THE MAJOR BIGGEST ONES THAT REALLY, CUZ ALL THREE OF THE VENDORS I BELIEVE QUALIFIED, UM, TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING A SERVICE AND WE, WE AS A CITY PARISH, AND I, I AGREE WITH IT, WE WANT NICE BUS BENCHES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE INCREASED A CERTAIN THING TO LOOK A CERTAIN WAY.
I WOULD ASK THAT Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL TAKE THIS UNDER YOURSELF INSTEAD OF UNDER US, THAT YOU CONSIDER MAINTAINING THAT AND, AND GIVE THEM A WAY AND AN OPTION TO MEET THE STANDARDS THAT WE SET BEFORE TO KEEP WORKING WITH THOSE VENDORS IN EVERY ASPECT OF IT.
NOT JUST, OH WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FUNDING TO DO THESE ON OUR OWN, THEREFORE WE ARE.
UM, THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ON THAT.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WORKING WITH THEM, THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD PREFER, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL KNEW THAT IF THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE DO HAVE A SECONDARY PLAN, UM, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST HOPING THIS WORKS OUT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PLANNED IN ADVANCE.
JUST IN CASE SHAUNA, I'M GONNA NEED YOU TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO EIGHT 30.
CAN YOU DO THAT? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE EXTEND THE MEETING TO EIGHT 32ND.
ANY OBJECTION? GO AHEAD, MS. BANKS.
UM, DARREN, SO IF YOU RECALL, UM, THE PLAN TO WORK TO HAVE THESE THREE CONTRACTS AND CATS WORK TOGETHER WAS SOMETHING THAT I BORROWED BEFORE THE COUNCIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO MM-HMM.
SO WE, IT WAS COMING TO THE END AND THEN LAST JAN, UM, SO IT CAME TO AN END, UH, JANUARY, 2021 I BELIEVE.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT THEN WE EXTENDED IT SIX MONTHS FOR THIS SAME VERY PURPOSE AND THAT IS SO THAT CATS AND COULD GET WITH THE VENDORS TO HAVE A MORE, UM, SYNCHRONIZED AND UNIFORM BENCHES.
SO THESE THREE VENDORS HAVE ALWAYS, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL MM-HMM.
SO THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN THE ISSUE.
THE ISSUE WAS AGAIN, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY REGULATIONS.
SO THE, THE OUT THE SYSTEM THAT BEEN USED FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS HAD BEEN THE CONCRETE, UH, BENCHES WITH THE WOOD AND THE WOOD AND THEY HALF OF 'EM BROKE UP AND RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, UNSIGHTLY AND ALL OF THAT.
SO IN LARGER CITIES, WHAT I BROUGHT, UM, TO THE ADMINISTRATION WAS, UM, WE HAD EVERYBODY DOING BENCHES HOWEVER THEY WANTED TO AND THEN WE HAD CATS DOING THE COVER MM-HMM.
40 MINUTES BECAUSE THE BENCHES AT SOME POINT HAVE BECOME PART OF OUR BLIGHT PROBLEM.
AND THOUGH WE DEFINITELY, I, FOR ME, I DEFINITELY WANNA KEEP USING THESE, UM, THREE VENDORS.
BUT BECAUSE BETWEEN, UH, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU NOT BEING ABLE TO SPECIFICALLY SPEAK TO THE NUMBER, BUT ONE THING WE ARE DOING, MOVE VR I ICON THINGS CHANGE AS IT RELATES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
A LOT OF AREAS THAT, UM, WHERE THERE ARE BENCHES LIKE ON SCOTLAND AVENUE, WE'RE NO LONGER BE ABLE TO USE IT.
WE'VE HAD TO MOVE BENCHES FROM UM, BE DUE TO CRIME OR HOMELESSNESS MM-HMM.
AND SO WHAT I, UM, THINK THE SIX MONTHS IS GOOD AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, BUT I HAD ASKED TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION POINT BECAUSE THIS WAS AN IDEA THAT I BROUGHT, UM, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND HAD AN IDEA ON HOW WE COULD DO IT AS IT RELATES TO THE ADA, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS A PART THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY BE HANDLED BY CATS, BUT IT'S A REVENUE GENERATOR TO HAVE THE KIND OF, UH, COVERED BENCHES WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY ADVERTISE.
UM, NOW WHETHER THAT, YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE CANNOT DO THIS ISOLATED, UM, FROM HOW THE DESIGN FROM MOVE VR IS GOING TO BE WORKING.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN PLAN.
ALSO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REALLY DO NEED TO BE INVOLVED ON THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR.
THEY'RE JUST PUT, I WAKE UP IN BENCHES EVERYWHERE, BUT NO CONSULT, NOT ASKING, IS THIS A GOOD PLACE? WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON? SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER REGARDING THE PLANNING, BUT IT'S NOT GONE.
LIKE YOU PUT 'EM ALL OUT AND YOU DONE FOR FOUR YEARS, IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT AND IT WILL NOT WORK IF
[04:00:01]
WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW.SO I DO, UM, APPRECIATE THE SIX MONTHS EXTENSION AND I HOPE WE CAN GO BACK TO WHAT WAS PROMISED TWO YEARS AGO AND THAT HAD THAT I COULD BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD.
CUZ I DID HAVE, WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP, I DID HAVE A, A SPECIFIC IDEA, UM, TO BRING UP WHICH OUR EXPERTISE AND WORK WITH, AND IT MAY EXPLAIN WHAT WE DID.
I I THINK IT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO.
THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY JUST COULDN'T AFFORD TO DO IT.
WE, WE TRIED TO NEGOTIATE AND, AND REALLY I THINK THE BEST VERSION IS FOR CATS TO DO IT.
WE CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF THE LOCATIONS, THE ADA ISSUES, ET CETERA, BUT AGAIN, REALLY DOES WORK AGAIN.
UM, UH, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I SAID, YOU'VE MOVED FORWARD WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE, THE PLAN THAT WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MM-HMM
THESE ARE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO CITY, PARISH IN MM-HMM.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH US JUST AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMING, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I WANT NECESSARILY FOR CATS TO JUST TAKE IT OVER UNTIL Y'ALL GET A LOT OF YOUR THINGS STRAIGHT YOURSELVES.
BUT I DO WANT TO AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING GOOD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I, I DO THINK I'M TIRED OF US PRIVATIZING TO THE POINT WHERE WE JUST LEAVING SO MANY BUSINESSES OFF AND I, AND UNTIL, UNTIL I HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY, AND THEY WERE ALL COVERED BENCHING.
THEY WERE NOT BENCHES WITH, WITH CANS ON IT.
UM, WHEN WE INITIALLY TALKED, THEY WERE ALL COVERED BENCHES WITH THE ADVERTISEMENT IN THE BACK AND ON BOTH SIDES.
AND SO, UM, A MOTION, THIS IS A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE DID THAT, BUT, UM, I DEFINITELY DON'T THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM WHEN SOMEBODY COME UP AN IDEA AND THEN ADMINISTRATION JUST TAKE OFF WITH IT AND NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING, NOT KNOWING, NOT MEETING THE ORIGINAL IDEA.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? ITEM 1 25 AND ITEM 1 54.
ITEM 1 25 AND 1 54 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO ITEM ONE
[Items 140 & 141]
40 AND 1 41 ST.GEORGE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, CONSIDERATION OF REAPP REPORTING AND REPLACING DARRELL ALSO, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
EFFECTIVE JANUARY THE SECOND, 2023.
CURRENT BALLOT IS CHARLES DEVA, SUSAN NELSON, DARRYL ALSO, AND CHRIS ROSENDO.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 40? IS THERE A MOTION, UH, REAL QUICKLY, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TWO EMAIL COMMENTS ON ONE 40 THROUGH 1 41.
ONE IN FAVOR OF CHARLES DALLI.
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS? COME ON DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WAS HERE WITH MY BORIS SCOUT, SO GLAD TO BE BACK AGAIN AND, UH, HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REAPPOINT MR. DARRYL ORSO.
UH, THESE COMMISSIONERS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
UH, THE VOTERS SEEM TO THINK SO WITH THE PASSAGE OF THEIR RECENT TAX.
SO I JUST ASK Y'ALL TO PLEASE SUPPORT THESE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB FOR THE CITIZENS MOTION TO REAPPOINT THEIR ALSO SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTION? CONGRATULATIONS MR. ORSO.
GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSION.
CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTED, CHRIS ROSENDALE WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
THIS IS A TWO-YEAR TURN CURRENT BALLOT.
CHARLES DELEY, SUSAN NELSON AND CHRIS ROSENDO.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER? MAKE A MOTION.
SET SIMILAR MOTION FOR ITEM 1 41 FOR MR. CHRIS ROSENDO.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, ADAM, ANY OBJECTIONS? CONGRATULATIONS MR. ROSENDO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS WE'RE GONNA GO TO VERY QUICKLY, WE'RE GONNA GO TO CHANGE ORDERS.
[Items 146 & 147]
RUNWAY 1331, SAFETY AREA, RPZ IMPROVEMENTS, LA HIGHWAY 67, PLANT ROAD, PHASE ONE CONTRACTOR BOONE SERVICES.WE GOING? WE GOING BOONE SERVICES LLC.
CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT UNDER 11 295, UH, 40 CENTS.
CONTRACT TIME INCREASED 237 DAYS.
ITEM 1 47 CLAYTON STREET, AREA 88, TRANSITION PROJECT CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $27,432.
[04:05:01]
TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 46 AND 1 47? IT'S, IT'S A TYPO.UM, SO TRANSPORTATION ASKED THAT WE WOULD CORRECT IT TO $27,432.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1 46 AND 1 47.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO SECONDED BY THE CHAIR, THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED.
[148. 22-01709]
S WW TP BAR SCREEN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACTORS, LAMOIN COMPANY LLC.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY 1 48 COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN ADAM, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A ACCEPTANCE OF LOPEZ BIDS
[Items 149 - 153 (Part 1 of 2)]
1 49 TO 1 53 TOGETHER SALES TAX STREET AND ENROLL REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT 18 TWO.TIGER BEND STREETS IN OAK PLACE PARK AND HIGHLAND SHADOW SUBDIVISION M TRACK, LLC $3,222,775 AND 25 CENTS.
ITEM ONE 50, PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX BOILER REPLACEMENT, GALLO MECHANICAL LLC $677,000.
ITEM 1 51 EBR R P MISCELLANEOUS BRANCH LIBRARY RENOVATIONS, CHERRY HONORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY $330,000.
ITEM 1 52 RIVER CENTER, A H U REPLACEMENTS, BOB BERNARD BERNHARD AND ASSOCIATES MECHANICAL LLC.
$4,019,000 AND I IN ITEMS 1 53 EASTRIDGE PARISH, I MEAN EAST BARON FLOODED WITH RISK REDUCTION PROJECT BY YOU FOUND CLEARANCE SNAGGING SOUTHERN SITE DEVELOPMENT $1,653,075.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 49 THROUGH 1 53? WE GO TO COUNCIL NOW THERE.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1 49 THROUGH 1 53.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MAGO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
WE HAVE SOME EMERGENCY ITEMS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET APPROVED TONIGHT.
EMERGENCY ITEMS WILL BE ADOPTED.
[158. 22-01662]
AUTHORIZED THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INSTITUTE AMICABLE EARLY ACQUISITION PROCEEDINGS AND TO TAKE SUCH ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY CONNECTION WITH THE EARLY ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR MOVE CAPACITY PROJECT FOREST EXTENSION.THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ITEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 64 42.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED IN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VERDICT METROPOLITAN COUNSEL THAT MOTION TO DECLARE ITEM.
SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN SECONDING BY THE CHAIR.
IS ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION BEING DECLARED? ITEM? WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 58.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME MOVE BY DONE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. WE NOW GO
[159. 22-01674]
TO ITEM 1 59.AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT INTO A THREE MONTH EMERGENCY EXTENSION CONTRACT WITH THE GENERAL LIABILITY CLAIMS ADJUSTING SERVICES THROUGH MARCH 31ST.
2023 WAS SAID CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICES INCORPORATED BY PARISH ATTORNEY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 64 42.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS ITEM? EMERGENCY? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION? WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MADAM.
[160. 22-01675]
ONE 60.AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO ENTER TO A THREE MONEY EMERGENCY EXTENSION CONTRACT.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS ADJUSTING SERVICES THROUGH MARCH TH 31ST.
WHICH CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICE INCORPORATED BY PARISH ATTORNEY IN ACCORDANCE WITH 1 64 42.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNSELORS.
THEIR MOTIONS ARE MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER AND ANY OBJECTIONS? WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
HERE WE GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
ITEM ONE 60 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[161. 22-01701]
1 61, THE RESOLUTION APPROVED IN ANNUAL PAVEMENT IN LIEU OF TAX RELATIVE TO PROPOSED SOLAR FORM TO BE CONSTRUCTED BY ST.LANDY PARISH AND THE MOUNTAIN.
NOT TO EXCEED THE CURRENTLY PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT IN THE ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CAPITOL AREA FINANCE AUTHORITY AND PRAIRIE REN SOLAR FORM LLC BY THE CHAIR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON, EXCUSE ME, THE ACCORDANCE WITH ORDERS 1 6 4 42 ITEM MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VERDICT METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION SHALL MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.
ANY OPPOSITION? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.
[162. 22-01708]
AUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATE 550,000 FROM THE THE AIRPORT'S CASH AND COUNTY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS REPLACED FROM THE PASSENGER BOARD BRIDGES PROJECT TO FUND THE INSTALLATION OF SIX NEW PASSENGER BOARDING BRIDGES, BIDDING CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION BY AVIATION DIRECTOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH 1 6 4 4 2 2 THIRDS TO DECLARE THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY.SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? ANYONE HERE? BACK TO COUNSEL.
DONE, SECONDED BY ADAMS. THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[163. 22-01751]
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR.PRESIDENTS EXECUTING AWARD LETTER FROM LOUISIANA, COMMISSIONER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION GRANT IS ANYONE, EXCUSE ME, IN ACCORDANCE 1 64.
TWO THIRDS TO DECLARE TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ROCKER.
[04:10:01]
OBJECTION? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL.SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
[164. 22-01696]
AUTHORIZATION FOR MAYOR PRESENT CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION.NEXT CHIEF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTING AND ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE REPLACEMENT OF PASSENGERS BOARDING BRIDGES THAT PROJECT AT THE B T R METROPOLITAN AIRPORT IN THE MOUNT TIC SEA.
$498,219 BY AVIATION DIRECTOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 64 42.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED BY TWO THIRDS VOTE.
ANY OBJECTION? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL.
MOVED BY, DONE SECOND BY ADAM.
[Items 136 -139]
WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO TO ITEMS ONE VERY QUICKLY WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM ONE.I WANT TO GO TO THE AIRPORT COMMISSION.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS 1 36, 1 38 AND 1 39.
TOGETHER THOSE ARE ALL REAPPOINTMENT, CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING MATTHEW BUTLER, CLEVE DUNN, JR.
AND JOHN FIFE, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
THIS APPOINTMENT IS A FIVE YEAR TERM.
PLEA DUN JUNIOR IS 1 38 AND 1 39 IS JOHN FIFE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON 36 38? 1 38.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN TO REAPP APPOINT MATTHEW BUTLER, PLEASE.
TO ANY OPPOSITION TO THOSE PEOPLE BEING REAPPOINTED.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED.
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 37 CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING JAMES TODDS, WHO IS NOT SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2ND.
THE CURRENT BALLOT IS PAUL ARRIGO, MATTHEW, EXCUSE ME, BRITTANY JONNA AND THERESA PORTER.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? I DO SEE JOHN ARRIGO.
I SHALL BE BRIEF BY PAUL ARRIGO 1550 BRIDGELAND DRIVE, BATON ROUGE.
UH, MY CAREER SPANS FIVE DECADES IN THIS INDUSTRY.
YOU'VE ALL GOT COPIES OF, UH, LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION.
I'VE MET WITH THE, UH, UH, AIRPORT DIRECTORS AND, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT'S INVOLVED.
AND I'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE NOW GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. PAGO.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. RIGO? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GOE.
UH, ANY OBJECTIONS? LET'S VOTE ON THE MACHINES VERY QUICKLY.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPOINT MR. ARRIGO ON, ON THE MACHINE TO POINT MR. RIGO TO THE, UH,
WE NOW GO TO, WE NOW GO TO I GOT YOU.
[142. 22-01735]
IT.VISIT BATON ROUGE CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING NORMAN.
SHOULD HAVE HEARD THIS IS THREE-YEAR TERM AND MUST BE MADE FROM A NOMINATION OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
CURRENT BALLOT IS MARTY INQUEST.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 42? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
THEY SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADDRESS TO APPOINT MARTY EQUALS ANY OBJECTIONS WE
[143. 22-01737]
GO TO ITEM 1 43.CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTED KIM GIIN WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
KIM GI HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER TO BE REAPPOINTED.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 43? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLES.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.
ANY OBJECTION? KIM AGAIN, HAS BEEN REAPPOINTED.
REAPPOINTED REPLACING ROBIN ME'S TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
THIS IS THREE ATTORNEY MUST BE ARCH COUNSEL NOMINEE ROBIN MERRICK RECEIVED A LETTER AND ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE GO TO COUNCIL.
SO MOVE BY GOK, SECONDED BY ADAMS. MS. AMERICA'S BEEN REAPPOINTED.
[145. 22-01739]
REASON BATON ROUGE CONSIDERATION TO REAPPOINTED REPLACING MARY STEIN WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST.ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM NOW GO TO THE COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY GOK, SECONDED BY ADAMS. NO OBJECTIONS.
[126. 22-01645]
AND GENTLEMEN, WE NOW GO BACK TO ITEM 1 26.ATTEMPTED TO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE OPTIONS FOUNDATION INCORPORATED FOR USE OF THE ICY OF ONE 13 NORTH 22ND STREET AS A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR HOMELESS AND MENTALLY IMPAIRED ADULTS BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 26? WE NOW GO TO THE COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY ROCKER, SECONDED BY ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? MOTION HAS
[04:15:01]
BEEN APPROVED.[127. 22-01646]
AUTHORIZED AMER PRESIDENT INTO COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH LOUISIANA PAROLE PROJECTS FOR USE AND OCCUPA OF ONE 11 NORTH 22ND STREET AS A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR PAROLE PROJECT CLIENTS.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 27? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. AND THE OBJECTION ITEM 1 27 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[128. 22-01276]
CAPITOL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SCRATCH REPLACING PERRY THOMAS WHO RESIGNED.THIS TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOT GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER WE'RE GONNA ASK, UH, TO DEFER THIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE QRC COMMITTEE, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
DEFER TO WHEN? DEFER UNTIL JANUARY 11TH.
ALRIGHT, MOTION TO DEFER TO JANUARY.
LETTER SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 28 HAS BEEN DEFERRED.
[129. 22-01714]
GO TO ITEM 1 29, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTED REPLACING BRIAN LAF, WHO'S TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023.THIS IS A FIVE YEAR TERM CURRENT BALLOT.
IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY DUN, SECONDED BY ROCK ITEM 1 29 HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
[Items 130 - 134]
30 TO 1 34 WILL TAKE TOGETHER BILL BATON ROUGE APPOINTMENT KNOWN AS EAST BATON ROUGE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CONCURRING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT IS REAPP.APPOINTMENT REPLACED BY BRAS WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2023 DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.
CURRENT BALLOT, MS. RODNEY BRAXTON, BILL BATON ROUGE.
ITEM 1 31 CONCURRENT WITH THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT'S REAPPOINTED AND REPLACING WILL CAMPBELL WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
DISAPPOINTMENT IS FOR A FIVE-YEAR TERM CURRENT BALLOT.
BILL BAT, FORMALLY KNOWN AS EBR R.
REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CONCURRING THE BRAS REPLACEMENT OF BRIAN HAMAN, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
THE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2023 DISAPP APPOINTMENT IS A FIVE YEAR TERM CURRENT BALLOT.
ITEM 1 33 BILL BAT, FORMALLY KNOWN AS EBR R REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, CONCURRING IN BRAS, REAPPOINTMENT AND REPLACING CHARLES LAMB WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
THIS APPOINTMENT IS A FIVE YEAR TERM BY CHARLES.
CURRENT BALANCE IS CHARLES LANDRY AND BILL BATON PERFORMING ON HIS BUREAU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CONCURRENT THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S REAPP APPOINTMENT OF REPLACING SUSAN TURNER WHOSE TERM EXPIRES DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
THE APPOINTMENT IS FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.
CURRENT BALLOT IS SUSAN TURNER.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE 30 THROUGH 1 34.
NOW COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 33.
ALL RIGHT, SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN TO APPOINT ALL THOSE MEMBERS.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM ONE 30 THROUGH 1 34 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[135. 22-01722]
ITEM 1 35 EAST BEWI PARISH MOSQUITO AND ABATEMENT DISTRICT CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING DANIEL SWELL, WHO'S NOT SEEKING REAPP APPOINTMENT.MUST BE AN ENTOMOLOGIST AND WE WILL DEF ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO ITEM ONE 30, I MEAN TO THE COUNCIL.
SOME MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ITEM 1 35 HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR 60 DAYS.
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
TO SEPARATE SHEET FOR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER 8 2 2 0 1 7 5 3 AUTHORIZING AM MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES HEAD START PROGRAM TO RECEIVE AND RECORD FROM THE RECEIVING RECORD FROM THE ADMINISTRATION OF CHILD, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
$3,494,370 IN CARRY OVER FUNDING TO PURCHASE AND COMPLETE APPROVED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND TO SIGN ALL DOCUMENTS CONNECTED THERE WITH THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS THE EXPIRATION OF FUNDS MOTION TO APPROVE.
WE A MOTION TO READ THE RULES.
MOTION TO WEIGH THE RULES BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, UH, ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTIONAL WAY THE RULES.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION? THE WAY THE RULES BE, THE MOTION TO INTRODUCE ITEM.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANK, SEC BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ITEM B 20 21, 7 54 AMENDING TITLE ONE, CHAPTER FOUR, SECTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISION SUCH AS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF LIVA FOR IN INFORMAL QUOTES AND MATERIALS.
PARAGRAPH D TO 60,000 BY PURCHASING DIRECTOR INTRODUCED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON JANUARY 11TH.
THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY PARIS PURCHASING THRESHOLDS WITH THE RECENTLY REVISED STATE THRESHOLDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.
NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
SO MOVE BY BANK SECOND AND BY COLEMAN PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS THERE ARE ANY OPPOSITION TO WAIVING THE RULES? THE MOTION TO INTRODUCE THE ITEMS. SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
WE NOW GO TO ITEM C, RESCHEDULING THE JANUARY 25TH, 2023 METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING
[04:20:01]
ON TO JANUARY 18TH, 2023.IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING BY THE CHAIR.
THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS TO RESCHEDULE THE MEETING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AS I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ON THAT DATE, WE MOTIONAL AWAY THE RULES MOTION.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTIONAL WAY OF THE RULES IS ANY OBJECTION TO THE, THE WAY THE RULES YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN FOR THE RECORD IN THE PUBLIC.
THE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 25TH WILL BE MOVED TO JANUARY 18TH.
WE'LL BEGIN THAT MEETING RIGHT AFTER OUR PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING.
I THINK WE HAVE COVERED ALL OF THE ITEMS. UH, COUNCIL
[Items 149 - 153 Part 2 of 2]
MEMBERS WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEM 1 49.LISA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT, IS THAT 1 49? OKAY.
WE NEED TO RECONSIDER RECONSIDERED BY THE CHAIR.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTION? WE WILL RECONSIDER.
ITEM 1 49 READS, ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS SALES TAX, STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECT PROJECT 18 DASH TWO.
TIGER VAN STREETS IN OAK HILL'S, PLACE PARK AND HIGHWAY SHADOW SUBDIVISION MTRA, LLC $3,222,775 AND 25 CENTS.
I LIKE, LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE REMOVED THAT WE HAD A VALID BID PROTEST AND WE HAD TO ACTUALLY THROW OUT ALL THREE BIDS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD DEFERRED IT AND I FAILED TO GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU TO ASK YOU TO TAKE IT OFF THE AGENDA.
SO YOU WANT TO DELETE? YES, SIR.
MOTION TO DELETE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. THE ITEM HAS BEEN DELETED.
GENTLEMEN, I DO WANT TO READ THIS
[157. 22-01633]
VERY QUICKLY COMING FROM THERE.WE MISS ITEM 1 57, I'M SORRY, THE BRA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT END OF YEAR PRESENTATION BY THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION
DONNA, YOU GOT SEVEN MINUTES? OH, WE CAN DO IT IN FIVE.
UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR GIVING US SOME TIME TO, TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UH, TONIGHT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH 2022.
YOU ALL HAVE THIS PRESENTATION IN YOUR, UH, EMAILS.
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS AFTER, FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW UP.
UH, WE CAN GO INTO SPECIFICS WITH PROJECTS OR WHAT'S, WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A POWERPOINT UP, WHAT'S COMING.
SO WHAT I WANNA LET YOU KNOW IS WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR AND THEN WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR.
UH, SO LAST YEAR OF COURSE WE HAD AMAZON COMING INTO THE MARKET.
SO WE ANNOUNCED A THOUSAND JOBS.
WE WERE AT A LITTLE OVER 1200 JOBS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021.
SO JUST AFTER COVID SPENDING IS STARTING TO PICK UP.
UH, BUT DUE TO SOME LARGE INVESTMENTS WITH, UH, AMAZON AND RURAL SOURCING AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SHOP, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE A LITTLE OVER 666 MILLION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE BATON ROUGE IN 2021.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE CLOCKING, UH, A LITTLE OVER 530 JOBS.
AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WERE, UM, VERY ONE-SIDED.
WE, OF COURSE, WE HAD MORE ADDED MORE LOGISTICS TO THE MARKET, UH, BUT WE ALSO ADDED A LOT MORE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING.
SO WE'RE SEEING 2, 3, 4, 6 PROJECTS THAT CAME THROUGH, UM, IN A SEVENTH THAT, UH, MY NEW COLLEAGUE WILL TOUCH ON IN JUST A MINUTE WITH A GROUNDBREAKING THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST MONDAY.
UH, BUT ONE I I DID WANNA TOUCH ON IS YOU SEE PROJECT FRESH AT THE BOTTOM AND GROCERY.
AND THE REASON I WANTED TO PUT THIS IS IT'S BEEN A PRETTY HOT TOPIC FOR NORTH BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IN GENERAL.
UM, BUT THE REASON IT'S LOGGED HERE IS I WANTED YOU TO SEE THE CAPEX.
SO WHAT IT COSTS, UH, FOR THIS IS THE, UM, UH, THE, THE ROUSE'S PROJECT THAT IS GOING ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD AND DENWOOD.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S GONNA BE NORTH OF A HUNDRED JOBS AT THAT LOCATION, UM, ALL HIRED LOCAL AND SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY'S BEEN BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
SO IN LINE WITH ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND LINE WITH, UH, EXTENDING DISTRIBUTION AND LOGISTICS, WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO START BRINGING SOME NEW GROCERY, UH, INTO THE MARKET.
UM, SO ONE THING THAT WAS DONE FOR ME WHEN I CAME INTO THIS POSITION SIX YEARS AGO, UH, SOMEONE HELPED TRANSITION, UH, FROM THEIR ROLE INTO MINE.
AND I WANNA DO THE SAME FOR YOU TONIGHT.
SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UM, MY REPLACEMENT, YOUR NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPER FOR BATON ROUGE TO, TO CARRY ON THE REST OF
[04:25:01]
THIS REPORT.UH, SO JOSH COMBS, GOOD EVENING.
UM, SO AS DONNIE MENTIONED, I'M THE NEW MANAGER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT BRA, UH, FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND SO JUST BUILDING UP THE MOMENTUM THAT DONNIE'S, UH, BEEN ABLE TO HAVE FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON, UH, A FEW PROJECTS AND GIVE YOU A, A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
SO WITHIN THE REGION, RIGHT, NOT IMPACTING BATON, WELL, I DON'T WANNA SAY NOT IMPACTING, NOT DIRECTLY.
IN BATON ROUGE, WE HAVE 34 PROJECTS, UM, ROUGHLY 3,600 JOBS WITH 114 MILLION IN PAYROLL WITH A 26.5 BILLION, UH, CAPEX.
SO THE BULK OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE WITHIN THE TRANSITIONAL ENERGY, UH, SECTOR WITH BLUE AND GREEN HY HYDROGEN AMMONIA AS WELL.
AND SO SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THAT BRA INTRODUCED THE CARBON REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
AND SO THAT'S PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO ATTEND A BIOFUELS ECONOMY, UH, CONFERENCE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST NATIONALLY IN BATON ROUGE, RIGHT? AND SO ONE OF THE POINTS OF EMPHASIS IS TO MAKE BATON ROUGE A NATIONAL LEADER AND TRANSITIONAL ENERGY, AND WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ASSETS TO DO JUST THAT.
AND SO SPECIFICALLY, UH, FOR BATON ROUGE, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE AT LEVEL EIGHT TWO PROJECTS, UH, WITH 1,143 JOBS, UH, 18 MILLION IN PAYROLL AND A 163 MILLION, UH, CAPEX.
AND SO WITH THAT, IT'S THEIR LOGISTIC PROJECTS.
AND AS, UH, DONNIE MENTIONED, THAT'S BEEN SOME OF OUR FOCUS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WITH, UH, THAT WITH AMAZON, THE ADDITION OF AMAZON AND FORTHCOMING IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME TRANSITIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS.
SO BE LOOKING, UH, FOR AT LEAST FIVE PROJECTS AT THE BEGINNING OF TWO 2023 TO BE ON THE PIPELINE AND TO HOPEFULLY BE APPROVED WITHIN THE FIRST QUARTER, SECOND QUARTER OF, UH, 2023.
DONNIE MENTIONED, UH, THE BIG WIND THAT WE HAD FOR NORTH BATON ROUGE AND AS WELL AS BATON ROUGE WITH BERELL AVIATION.
GROUNDBREAKING TOOK PLACE 1212.
UH, WE HAD GOVERNOR JOHN BELL EDWARDS IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL AS MAYOR BROOM, AND AS I ALSO SAW A LOT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE AS WELL.
AND SO WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR COMMITMENT.
UH, TI BATON ROUGE IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
IT'S A PART OF, IT'S ONE OF CERT ONE OF TWO CERTIFIED SITES IN, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND SO IT'S UPWARDS UP TO 1500 JOBS AND THEY, IT, THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO AIR CARGO AS WELL AS CODE STORAGE.
AND SO THEY WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO RECRUIT OTHER BUSINESSES TO THE BENON ROUGE AREA AND HAVE, UH, CREATE MORE JOBS FOR NORTH BATON ROUGE.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO EXTEND, UM, I'M SORRY, EXTEND, EXTEND RECOGNITION TO DIRECTOR MIKE EDWARD AND ALL HIS WORK THAT HE DID, UH, WITH BURRELL AVIATION AND AS WELL AS, UH, THE AIRPORT COMMISSION AND EVERYONE THAT HAD A, UH, THAT PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT.
AND TO WRAP UP, YEAH, I'M, I'M WRAPPING UP.
ALL RIGHT, SO, UM, LASTLY, FOR EVERY $1 THAT WAS SPENT, UH, WITH THE INVESTMENT WITH BRAC, BATON ROUGE SEES ABOUT A $9 AND 59, UH, SENT TAX, UH, ADDITION TO THEIR TAXES, RIGHT? AND, UH, EXCUSE ME, TO THEIR TAX REVENUE.
AND LASTLY, BRIGHT, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEVER LEVERAGE OUR ASSETS AND WITH THE PENNING BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER AND LIFE SCIENCES DONNIE'S HEADING THE RECRUITMENT FOR THAT.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO UTILIZE THE WATER CAMPUS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND LSU AG CENTER TO CONTINUE IN THAT TRANSITIONAL ENERGY SPACE, UH, THAT I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, AS WELL AS BATON ROUGE AIRPORT.
UH, JUST MENTIONED THE BURRELL AVIATION, UH, PROJECT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE BRICK AND BATON ROUGE ZOO TO CONTINUE TO BOLSTER THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OUR BATON ROUGE RESIDENTS.
SO IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A MEETING OFFLINE, I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO MEET WITH YOU.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TEACHING EVERYONE.
FROM MAYOR DEFER ITEM, WE'RE GOING TO ITEM
[155. 22-01543]
1 55, DISCUSSION OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN RELATION TO ASSIGNMENT OF THE US AND LOUISIANA VERSUS CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT BY COUNCILMAN MOKE AND COUNCILMAN ADAM, COUNCIL[04:30:01]
MEMBER ADAMS. IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO THE COUNCIL.IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER FOR HOW LONG? JANUARY TO NEXT MEETING? JANUARY TO JANUARY 11TH IS DURING OPPOSITION.
[156. 22-01544]
DISCUSSION WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE STATUS OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST SUBMITTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ADAM ASO HU MOK NOR ROCK ON OCTOBER 20TH BY COUNCIL MO AND COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER? SO MOVED BY ADAM, SECONDED BY MOK TO THE JANUARY 11TH MEETING AT THIS TIME FROM MAYOR BROOM'S OFFICE.
TONIGHT IS DAR GUS'S LAST COUNCIL MEETING AS CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
HE HAS BEEN WITH THE OFFICE SINCE OCTOBER, 2017.
THIS SUMMER, HE LOST HIS LONGTIME EMPLOYEE WHO MANAGED HIS BUSINESS FOR, SHE PASSED AWAY WITHOUT MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES.
AND NOW DAR IS RETURNING TO HIS BUSINESS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING ON RETIRED MAJOR GENTLEMAN.
BARRY, YOU WANNA COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? THANK, THANK YOU.
I, I, I TOTALLY BROUGHT IN THE MAYOR THAT WHILE I WON'T BE HERE, I'LL BE ABLE TO USE INSIDE KNOWLEDGE ON THE OUTSIDE.
I MEAN, I COME FROM THE COMMUNITY SIDE, LIKE EVERYBODY HERE DOES.
AND I'LL BE CERTAINLY BE INVOLVED IN ALL THE CITY GOVERNMENT STILL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, DAR AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND WE NOW WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MAJOR GENERAL GLENN CURTIS TO REPLACE DAR AND ARE VERY SA AND VERY EXCITED.
SAD TO SEE DARYL EVEN EXCITED TO SEE MAJOR COME.
COME ON, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, GENTLEMEN.
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALL OF YOU.
YOU BRIEF LIKE THAT FOR THE, YOUR TENURE.
UH, LET ME SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US ALL YEAR, UH, WHO COME TO THE MEETINGS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO WORK FOR THE CITY PARISH, ALL THE WAY FROM THE MAYOR ROOM TO THE NINTH FLOOR.
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, YOUR EFFORTS.
HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.
IF YOU CELEBRATE HANUKKAH, HAPPY HANUKKAH, YOU CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE, HAPPY CELEBRATION.
AND AS ALWAYS, UH, PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
READ TO YOUR CHILDREN, JOIN A HOLIDAY BREAK, AND WHEN YOU ARE DONE READING THEM, HAVE THEM READ BACK TO YOU.
AND WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL MEMBER AROSE, SECONDED BY EVERYONE MEETING, ADJOURN.