[00:00:01]
AND THE TWO.[CALL TO ORDER]
EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING.
FIRST UP, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN, TO RECOGNIZE THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE 2022 DISTRICT 10 CITY PARISH TROY DRIVE, COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ALL RIGHT, SO GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
AND SO JUST WANT TO FIRST LET YOU KNOW MY RATIONALE, MY REASONING FOR STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND IT IS FOR RECOGNITION OF PARTICIPANTS AND SUPPORTERS OF OUR 2022 TOY DRIVE OVER THERE IN THE DISTRICT 10.
AND SO THERE WERE SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS AND SUPPORTERS, AND SO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE PERSONS ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVED.
AND SO, I'M GRATEFUL, I'M GRATEFUL, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ASK IF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ANY OF THESE OFFICES THAT I CALL IS HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GET YOUR CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2022 DISTRICT 10 CITY PARISH TOY DRIVE.
AND SO THAT'S THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES.
YOU GOT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, MISS VERONICA LAW.
I THINK WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.
MS. WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO MS. THING.
AND THESE WERE PARTICIPANTS, YOU ALL SUPPORTERS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT REAL SUPPORTERS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
MS. JEITA JONES, ON BEHALF OF JAFA G ACCESSORIES AND MORE COUNCILWOMAN.
COUNCILWOMAN CAME WITH A TRUCK OF STUFF FOR THESE CHILDREN.
AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SHAUNA BANKS.
AND THESE ARE OTHER SUPPORTERS AND GIVERS AND PARTICIPANTS.
MICHAEL ROBINSON AND CARL RUSS WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR CERTIFICATES.
AND NOW, FOR THE MOMENT THAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, COME ON, JEFF.
[00:05:01]
OUR THIRD PLACE TOY DONOR, WILL GO TO THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT.YOU TOLD ME YOU WAS GONNA DO THIS, DIDN'T YOU? YES.
OUR SECOND PLACE, UH, IS THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
THEY MUST HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING.
AND SO, FOR OUR FIRST PLACE, WHEN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PURCHASING, IF EVEN KNEW WHAT WAS GOING LIKE YES, INDEED.
AND ALSO PURCHASING CAME TO SEE THAT WE WERE REALLY PASSING THESE TOYS OUT.
YOU KNOW, MS. COLEMAN, LAST YEAR, YOU SHARED THE TOURS WITH ME FOR MY TOW DRIVE THIS YEAR YOU DIDN'T DO ANY, YOU DIDN'T DO THAT.
SO I'M TRYING TO WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO GIVE IT UP FOR THESE PEOPLE, YOU ALL THESE GIVERS.
AND I THANK YOU ALL AND MR. COLE.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HURST TO RECOGNIZE SURREAL BLANKS.
21 YEARS OF SERVICE AT D HDS, OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME INTO THIS ROLE AS A COUNCILMAN, OR JUST AS A, A COMMUNITY SERVANT, UH, YOU REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES YOU TAKE HOME THINGS LIKE NURSES OR DOCTORS OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS BECAUSE YOU ARE THE COMMUNITY LIAISON FOR REPAIR, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
RIGHT? BUT WHAT I REALIZE IS THAT WE HAVE REAL LIFE HEROES THAT WORK IN CITY PARISH EVERY DAY, AND THEY COME THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF, UH, UH, D HDS IN SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND SO THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GET, REALLY, GET ENOUGH CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY DO.
AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE CHARLES R. KELLY CENTER, WE HAVE AN AMAZING LADY NAMED MR. RELL BLANKS, WHO DAY IN AND DAY OUT, HERE'S THE PROBLEMS OF THE CONSTITUENTS.
SHE ENSURES THAT THE LIGHTS GO ON.
SHE WILL STAY THERE TILL SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT WHEN THE DAY ENDS AT FOUR 30 TO MAKE SURE THAT NO CHILD GOES HOME WITHOUT UTILITIES ON IN THEIR HOME.
AND SO, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T SEE IN CITY PARISH, WHERE WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
I'M GONNA ASK EVERYBODY TO BE QUIET AND GIVE MS. ADA THE RESPECT THAT SHE DESERVES.
UM, BUT SHE IS SHOWN TO BE A TESTAMENT OF WHAT A TRUE CITY WORKER IS.
AND I AM THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED.
I TELL HER EVERY DAY HOW IMPRESSED I AM.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE THINKS I'M TRYING TO BUTTER UP BECAUSE I WANT SOMETHING, UH, FROM HER DOWN THE ROAD, BUT IT'S NOT AS TO TRULY SEE HER WORK, UH, AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, FROM DRUG ADDICTS TO, UH, TO, TO PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND SHE TAKES THIS, HAS TO COM, UH, COMPACT IT MENTALLY, THEN GO HOME AND DEAL WITH HER FAMILY.
AND SO, WHILE WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO US INTERNALLY, SHE DOESN'T FOR THAT REASON, WITH 21 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, OFFICE OF SERVICE SOCIAL SERVICES, WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AS A FAMILY SERVICE WORKER AT THE CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER, SERVING AS THE VITA SITE COORDINATOR, HELPING THE REPAIR AND SUBMIT IRS TAXES, UH, TAX RETURNS FOR THE COMMUNITY, YOUR CHARACTER, HARD WORK, AND OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE YOU SERVE DAILY
[00:10:01]
IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.I WANT EVERYBODY TO GIVE MISS BLANKS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
UM, I GO TO WORK EVERY DAY JUST TO DO A JOB FOR THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, I DO FEEL LIKE I'M JUST A PIECE OF A LARGE PUZZLE, BECAUSE IT TAKES MORE THAN ME TO HELP AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU ALL ARE, Y'ALL NEED A BREAK? Y'ALL READY? Y'ALL GONNA TAKE THE PICTURE? GO AHEAD.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
ON BEHALF OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF EAST BANNER ROUGE PARISH, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR, JANUARY THE 11TH.
AND AS ALWAYS, WE ARE THRILLED THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE JOINED US ON METRO 21.
WE'RE LIVE, UH, STREAMING ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'RE ON COX CHANNEL 21, AND AT AND T CHANNEL 99.
AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PRO 10 OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, THIS JANUARY 11TH, 2023 AT 4:00 PM AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO PASS IT.
LET ME SAY, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.
AND THIS TIME I'M GONNA PASS IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER BRANDON, NO.
TO INTRODUCE US, OUR GUEST WHO WILL LEAD US IN THE IMPLICATION IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEG.
NO, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, THIS EVENING I HAVE A, THE PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU FIRST, UH, FOR OUR INVOCATION TO, UH, MS. JENNIFER BOYD.
UH, MS. BOYD IS, UH, SHE WAS A RECIPIENT OF THE 2021 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR IN ZACHARY.
SHE'S A GREAT VOLUNTEER AND, UM, FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, SHE'S A GREAT MOTHER AND WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING.
AND, UH, JUST MOST RECENTLY, COUNCILWOMAN BOYD HAS BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE ZACHARY CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE, AND SHE'S GONNA GIVE US OUR INVOCATION.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME AND COUNCILWOMAN BOYD.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY FULL OF GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE FOR YOUR GRACE AND MERCY, AND GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO GLORIFY YOUR KINGDOM.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THIS MEETING AND BLESS THOSE MAKING THE DECISIONS FOR US ALL.
PLEASE GUIDE THEM, GIVE THEM THE DISCERNMENT THAT THEY NEED TO FULFILL YOUR PLAN.
WE PRAY THAT YOUR WILL BE DONE AND NOT OUR OWN.
AND WE PRAY ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS' NAME.
AND NEXT, FOR OUR PLEDGE, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING MR. DAVID MCDAVID.
UH, MR. MCDAVID WAS PREVIOUSLY THREE TERM POLICE CHIEF IN ZACHARY, AND WAS JUST RECENTLY ELECTED AS AN INSTALLED AS OUR NEW MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ZACHARY.
PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING MAYOR DAVID MCDAVID.
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
AND I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE WELL, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNTO GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD PICTURE.
[00:15:01]
Y'ALL MORNING.WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING IF YOU LIKE.
THEY HAD THEIR FIRST ONE LAST NIGHT.
IT'S VERY NICE TO SEE YOU, PASTOR.
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
A QUO ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 13TH, 2022 IN THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 14TH, 2022 BY THE COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
ASHLEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS? SECTION 2.12.INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, AMENDING THE 2023 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FUND TO ADJUST ESTIMATED REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS TO REFLECT ANTICIPATED USER FEES AND PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE BEGINNING MARCH 1ST, 2023, AS APPROVED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2022, BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZED IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE APPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVE BER CAPACITY PROJECT JEFFERSON AT CORPORATE INTERSECTION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE APPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVE BR CAPACITY PROJECT SHERWOOD FOREST EXTENSION GRAHAM SPRINGS ROAD TO JAW ROAD BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
NUMBER FIVE, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH, CHEVY BATON ROUGE, TITLE IX LICENSING AND REGULATIONS OF TRADE IN THE OCCUPATION.
SO AS TO AMEND SECTION 9 12 50 HOTEL AND MOTEL REGISTRATION RELATIVE TO INCREASE THE APPLICATION FEE TO ESTABLISH AN ANNUAL RENEWAL PERIOD TO ESTABLISH A CALLS FOR SERVICE ROOM RATIO FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUSPENDING OR REVOKING A HOTEL MOTEL PERMIT, PERMIT TO MANDATE A HOTEL MOTEL CEASE OPERATION WITHIN 72 HOURS OF ISSUANCE OF A NOTICE OF REVOCATION TO MANDATE INSPECTION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT PRIOR TO REISSUANCE OF A HOTEL MOTEL PERMIT TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE CITY.
IN PERISHED BY COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS, COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON COUNCILWOMAN, DENISE SAMSO AND COUNCILMAN CLEVELAND DUNN, JR.
NUMBER SIX, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER, PAUL CLEVELAND AT AL VERSUS CHARLES BRIDGES, MD AT AL ON THE DOCKET OF 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 PLUS COURT COSTING THE AMOUNT OF $6,449 AND 98 CENTS, AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
NUMBER SEVEN, AMENDING THE 2023 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO, SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $80,000 FROM FUND BALANCE ASSIGNED FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS FOR INNOVATIONS AND FURNISHINGS OF THE CENTER.
THESE FUNDS WERE GENERATED THROUGH PRIOR YEAR RENTAL REVENUES AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER BY COUNCILMAN DARYL HURST.
ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ IN A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AS AN ORDER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE, UH, INTRODUCTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY THE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST, ANY OPPOSITION? ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
[CONDEMNATIONS]
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU GO TO YOUR SECOND SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS, I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM D P W AS THEY ARE, THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, AND 68.AND THEY ARE TO DELETE ITEMS 44, 49 AND 65.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? YEAH, I GOT ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS ITEM MS. JUANITA WILLIAMS. EXCUSE ME.
SHARON LEE IS IN FAVOR BUT DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK, UH, ON ITEM 59.
UH, ROBERT, FLORIDA IS HERE ON ITEM 60, IS YOU WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM 60? COME ON DOWN ON 48.
THIS IS A ADJUDICATED PROPERTY I BOUGHT AT JEFF SALE, AND, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE RECEIVED A NOTICE LIKE THIS.
SO I WANT TO KNOW, WILL I BE ALLOTTED TIME TO, UH, MAKE REPAIRS TO THIS PROPERTY? I HAVE BEEN DOING SO, UH, SO FAR.
THAT IS IN COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS DISTRICT, AND SHE IS NOT HERE, UH, AT THE MOMENT.
THAT IS WHO YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO.
OKAY? SO WHAT I'LL DO IS WE'LL DEFER THE ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS AND GIVE YOU TIME TO SPEAK TO HER ONE WEEK.
WE'LL DEFER FOR ONE WEEK AND YOU CAN SPEAK TO HER AND THEN, UH, WE'LL, SHE'LL LET US KNOW HOW SHE'D LIKE TO PROCEED.
SO YOU NEED TO CONTACT COUNCILWOMAN BANK'S OFFICE BEFORE NEXT WEDNESDAY.
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER? NO, SIR, I DO NOT.
[00:20:01]
HARRIS, MY MS. HARRIS IS HERE.THIS GENTLEMAN, UH, REGINA CAN YEAH, HELP THAT YOUNG LADY RIGHT THERE IS GONNA HELP YOU GET THAT CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO WE'LL DEFER FOR ONE WEEK, AND THEN NEXT WEEK, SHAWN CAN LET US KNOW HOW SHE LIKES TO PROCEED.
EXCUSE ME, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS CAN LET US KNOW.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? COME ON DOWN, MA'AM.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON, UH, GRID INVESTMENTS.
UM, THE CONDEMNATION AT 9 0 3 NORTH 17TH STREET.
WHAT, WHAT ITEM IS THAT? NUMBER? 44.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, GO AHEAD, SIR.
UH, WELL, THE FACT IS THAT, UH, RIDDICK INVESTMENTS IS NOT THE LAWFUL HONOR, TRUE AND LAWFUL OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
AND I HAVE A, A COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN THAT REGARD.
UH, I AM IN POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY SINCE MY, UH, HALF OF THE VACATED TRIAL HAS NOT BEEN ADJUDICATED YET.
SO I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE NOTICE OF THE CONDEMNATION, BUT, UM, I, I'D FILED THE, UH, JUDGMENT YESTERDAY, AND THE JUDGE HAS TWO WEEKS TO SIGN IT.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD HAVE MAYBE LIKE A MONTH MORE TO WAIT FOR THE JUDGE TO SIGN THE, UH, SIGN THE, THE JUDGMENT OR NOT.
UH, UH, MA MOO, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP AND GIVE US A LITTLE CLARITY ON THAT ONE BEFORE YOU RESPOND, MS. UH, COLEMAN? NO.
UH, WE ARE AWARE THAT HE IS NOT THE OWNER, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE RECOMMENDED IT BE DELETED ON THE AGENDA, AND IT WAS DELETED WHEN YOU READ OUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE'LL BE PROCEEDING WITH THE CORRECT OWNER.
SO WE, WE DO KNOW WHO THE CORRECT OWNER IS.
SO, SIR, THAT'S ITEM IS GONNA BE DELETED, OKAY? AND THEN, UH, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
UM, WILL I BE CONTACTED BY MAIL OR SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.
AND IF YOU WANNA STAY CONNECTED, UH, YOU CAN TALK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S ASSISTANT, JEFF, RIGHT HERE, AND HE'LL HELP YOU.
WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE CONDEMNATIONS.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS? I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU WANT TO CHANGE? 48.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ALL RIGHT, SO, OKAY, SO 44 WILL BE DELETED? MM-HMM.
UM, HOW MANY DAYS? NO, WE PROCEED NOW.
THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY MADE A, THEY DEFERRED IT LAST TIME, SO I NEED TO KNOW FROM THEM WHERE WE ARE WITH 52.
WE ARE, WE'RE GOOD TO PROCEED ON THAT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM, UH, 30 DAYS THERE TO, TO, UH, TO HAVE STARTED THAT PROCESS.
ON 55, THEY'VE GOTTEN A PERMIT AND DOING A ROOF.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO THE SAME THING, 30 DAYS THERE ON 66, NO, ON 67.
I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STATED CHANGES.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 45, 46, 47, 50, 51, 52, 57, 58, 59, 62.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR ONE WEEK ITEMS, 53 AND 60 DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEMS 54, 55, 56, AND 68 DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
ITEMS 61 DEFER FOR 90 DAYS, ITEMS 64, AND TO DELETE ITEMS 44, 48, 49, 63, 65, AND 67.
IS THAT IT? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS? MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON CONDEMN.
[00:25:01]
ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL NOW GO TO ITEM
[69. 22-01319]
69, ESTABLISHED A METROPOLITAN COUNCIL COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION ON ISSUES INVOLVING CRIME PREVENTION, CORRECTIONS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COURT SYSTEMS, RECIDIVISM, AND OTHER RELATED MA MATTERS BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? REVEREND ANDERSON? AND, GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON AND HAPPY, UH, NEW YEAR.
I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN RAA WOULD KIND OF EXPLAIN TO US WHAT, UH, SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, AND WE COULD COMMENT ON THAT ONCE WE HAD SOME CLARITY ON IT.
WAS I MISTAKEN ON THAT? COUNCILWOMAN? I'M SORRY.
I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA GIVE US AN OUTLINE OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE DOING, WHAT ITS SCOPE WAS, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
WELL, IT PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK FIRST, AND THEN I'M ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
WELL, LET ME, LEMME SAY IT THIS WAY.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER WANTS TO PUT THE COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND LET THE COMMITTEE DECIDE WHAT THIS, THE NEXT STEPS ARE GONNA BE.
I THINK SHE'S JUST SENDING THE INITIAL PHASES OF DECIDING, ESTABLISHING THE COMMITTEE, AND DECIDING WHO'S GONNA ACTUALLY SERVE ONY.
IS THAT CORRECT? COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER? YES.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA ASK TO DEFER THIS ITEM.
I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN ON MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH SEVERAL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA TO PROPERLY ROLL THIS OUT AND HAVE EVERYTHING, UM, IN PLACE.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A RECOMMENDATION TO DEFER.
SO MAY I MAKE THEN SOME COMMENTS BASED ON WHAT LITTLE YOU SAID? SURE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AT LEAST I DO.
UH, IS IT JUST GOING TO BE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE GONNA BE ON, UH, THE PERCEIVED, UH, COMMITTEE? IS IT GOING TO BE, UH, A PUBLIC METRO COUNCIL PARTNERSHIP? UH, IS THERE GONNA BE, UH, A DEFINED SCOPE OF TOPICS? SO ARE WE ABLE TO, UH, RECOMMEND, UH, UH, DEATHS IN CUSTODY? ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND TOPICS THAT THE, THE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY LOOKS AT? AND IS THE COMMITTEE GONNA BE, UH, JUST ADVISORY, OR IS IT GOING TO BE, UM, GIVEN A SCOPE OF TIME, SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, OR THAT KIND OF THING? SO I REALLY, REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, WHAT THIS IS SO THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BETTER, UH, MAKE A, A, A COMMENT OR AN OPINION ON IT, SO THAT I, I REALLY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS POINT.
REVEREND ANSON, AND IF I MAY ANSWER HER QUESTION, UM, WELL, HOLD ON.
LET'S, LET'S, OKAY, LET'S LET HER EXHAUST ALL OF HER TIME BEFORE WE GO TO YOU.
DO YOU, HAVE YOU COMPLETE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS? AND AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S THE SCOPE.
ARE WE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, HOW THE 32 PLUS AGENCIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER? I REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD DO AND WHAT ITS SCOPE OF, UH, POWERS OR LACK OF POWERS I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAS INVESTIGATIVE, UH, POWERS.
AND IS THIS GONNA BE UNDER THAT PROVISION, OR IS THIS SIMPLY GONNA BE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT IS NOT PLANNING ON MAKING, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ON LEGISLATION? SO, I, I REALLY THOUGHT WE'D GET KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE, THE, UH, CONCEPT WOULD BE, AND THEN WE COULD COMMENT AND PUT OUR INPUT IN IT.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S MY DIFFICULTY, IS THAT I, I THINK IN CONCEPT IT SOUNDS LIKE A, A GREAT IDEA, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT IS, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SAY SOMETHING IS GOOD OR BAD.
ANY, ANYBODY? WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU, JEN.
ANYONE ELSE HERE? WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? GOOD EVENING.
UM, DISTRICT SEVEN CONSTITUENT.
AND, UM, I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH VOTE.
UM, VOTE STANDS FOR VOICE OF THE EXPERIENCE, THE, THE EXPERIENCE BEING INCARCERATION.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR ORGANIZATION KNOWS SOME OF YOU FOLKS AND HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING AND WORKING WITH SOME OF YOU ON ISSUES.
UM, WE ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE SAFE AND FREE COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WE'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, JUST IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION, IT WAS, WAS FOUNDED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, 40 PLUS YEARS AGO, INSIDE OF ANGOLA.
BUT IT IS FOUNDED AND, UH, LARGELY LED BY FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE.
AND WE REPRESENT A BASE ACROSS THE STATE, BUT HERE IN BATON ROUGE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WHO, UM, LARGELY HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
[00:30:01]
UM, SOME OF THE, MOST OF THE WORK OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON HAS BEEN AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WE ARE REFOCUSING TO REALLY GET MORE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITIES.UM, AND IN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THE, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL HAS EXPANDED RIGHTS AND CHANGE CONDITIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS LOUISIANA.
AND WE WANT OUR FOLKS HERE IN BATON ROUGE TO REALIZE SOME OF THOSE, UM, WINS HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL.
SO, UM, THE STRENGTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION REALLY IS THE EXPERIENCE, THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE TO TELL, UM, THE, THE REALLY LIKE, DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, OKAY? AND SO WE REALLY FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IMPACTED PEOPLE NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE WHEN DISCUSSIONS ARE ARE HAPPENING, AND DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE, UM, AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, UM, WE REALLY WANNA SIT DOWN WITH YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, RACA, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO IS INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, WE'RE JUST HERE TODAY, KIND OF LIKE THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT REVEREND ANDERSON HAD.
WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OURSELVES AS A RESOURCE HERE TO COUNSEL.
UM, PEOPLE, I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE HERE.
UM, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT IMPACTED PEOPLE ARE, ARE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE, UM, IN WHICHEVER WAY YOU PUT IT TOGETHER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 69, MS. CARAL? GOOD AFTERNOON.
JENNIFER CARAL, 1855 OLD CARRIAGE LANE.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE.
UM, I AM THE, UH, UH, CHAIRPERSON FOR TOGETHER BATON ROUGE'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UH, ACTION TEAM.
AND AS, UH, AS THAT ROLE, UH, I'M GONNA ECHO WHAT, WHAT MY TWO PREDECESSORS SAID IS THAT THIS LOOKS GOOD, UH, ON PAPER.
UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, IT, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD WHEN ALL THE, ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE CAN GET TOGETHER AND TALK.
UM, WHAT I LIKE, UH, ABOUT THIS AT THE METRO COUNCIL LEVEL IS EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS ARE, UH, WHAT THE CRIME NEEDS ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT, AND THAT CAN HELP, UM, INFLUENCE THE CONVER OR INFORM THE CONVERSATION.
UM, HEARING COUNCILWOMAN RAIS SAY SHE'S WORKING WITH SOME BUSINESS LEADERS TO IRON THIS OUT BEFORE WE BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, PERK MY EARS UP, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TALKING TO THE BUSINESS LEADERS, UM, WHO ARE YOU NOT TALKING TO? SO, I, I WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS LEADERS I WOULD ASSUME HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE OF CRIME, AND THAT'S GREAT.
UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE TOGETHER, BATON ROUGE HAS A LOT OF OLDER FOLKS WHO COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS.
SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE DOING THE CRIMES, SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS ARE THEIR HOUSES ARE BEING SHOT UP.
SO IT'S, IT'S, WE'VE GOT BOTH SIDES OF THE, UM, BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM, AND THEY ALL NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE.
SO, UH, I HOPE, I HOPE THIS IS NOT JUST AN ATTEMPT TO, UM, DIRECT WHAT THE MAYOR DOES.
I HOPE IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO REALLY BRING COMMUNITY VOICE, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF THAT FACETS OF COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING FORWARD TO, TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON 69? GOOD EVENING.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AMELIA HERRERA AND I'M WITH VOICE OF THE, OF THE EXPERIENCE VOTE.
AND I WANNA KIND OF LIKE, PIVOT OFF OF WHAT REVEREND ANDERSON, JENNIFER, AND JENNIFER SPOKE TO.
COMMUNITY IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT.
UM, WE DO HAVE BUSINESS LEADERS THAT ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
AND, UM, BEING FORMALLY INCARCERATED, I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND I KNOW MUCH OF THEIR CONCERNS, AND I KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO BE AT THAT TABLE WHEN YOU CONSTRUCT THIS TYPE OF COMMITTEE.
AND WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 69? GOOD EVENING, AVA SMITH, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON REFORM COALITION, AND NOT KNOWING WHAT IS ALL ON THE PROGRAM, WHO'S ALL, UM, GOING TO BE REPRESENTING, UH, THE PROGRAM AND, UH, UH, COMING OFF OF WHAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ARE JUST SAYING.
WERE JUST SAYING, I, UM, WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IT'S ABOUT TIME.
AND IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT THIS SERIES TV, TV SERIES THAT
[00:35:01]
CAME ON, UH, BACK IN THE SIXTIES.IT'S ABOUT TIME, IT'S ABOUT SPACE.
IT'S ABOUT STRANGE PEOPLE IN THE STRANGEST PLACE.
SO, UM, IT IS ABOUT TIME, IT'S ABOUT HASTE, ABOUT OUR PEOPLE IN THE HUMAN RACE.
IT'S ABOUT THE FIGHT FOR CRIME PREVENTION AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT, ABOUT BRAVE PEOPLE WITH BRAND NEW VIEWS, AS THOUGH THE BARRIERS THEY ONCE KNEW PASS THE COURT SYSTEMS, PASS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, PASS RECIDIVISM, AND OTHER MATTERS TOO.
IT'S ABOUT TIME FOR YOU AND ME TO MEET THESE PEOPLE OF AMAZING FEATS.
IT'S ABOUT A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND HOW THEY EDUCATE THE METRO COUNCIL, THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT HASTE AND ABOUT OUR PEOPLE AND THE HUMAN RACE.
THEY LIVE IN THE STREETS OF POVERTY.
WHERE WILL THEY GO? WHAT WILL THEY DO IN STRANGE, IN THIS STRANGE PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING IS NEW? WILL THEY MANAGE TO SURVIVE? WATCH EACH WEEK AND SEE WILL THEY GET ACCUSTOMED TO THE NEXT CENTURY? IT'S ABOUT TIME, IT'S ABOUT, UM, IT'S ABOUT TIME FOR OUR GOOD DEEDS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL IN NEED.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING US BACK TOO.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 60? COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA.
UM, SO THE IDEA FOR THIS COMMITTEE WAS BIRTHED AFTER WE, THE METRO COUNCIL, SAT AND LISTENED TO SOME FOLKS TALK ABOUT, UM, A BABY BEING FOUND DEAD IN ITS BED AFTER IT WAS SHOT BY A STRAY BULLET.
UM, THEN AFTER WE SAT AND LISTENED TO DRAG RACING ORDINANCES BEING PLACED ON THE BOOKS, AND THEN LATER WE HAD THE ALLEY RICE MURDER, UM, THAT CAME UP AND WE WERE ADDRESSED BY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
AND FOR ME, LOOKING AT, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I MADE A DECISION ON MY OWN, UM, TO ATTEMPT TO DO SOMETHING AS A COUNCIL.
SINCE WE DO HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE BUDGET TO EVALUATE WHERE WE HAVE DOLLARS AND HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED.
THE OTHER POWER THAT WE HAVE IS TO CREATE ORDINANCES.
AND AS WE SAW WITH THE RECENT DRAG RACING ORDINANCE, IT WAS WRITTEN AND THEN SOMEONE WAS KILLED ON COLLEGE DRIVE, AND THEN IT WAS AMENDED.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME ISSUES ON SEGAN ROAD AND ON THE OUR INTERSTATE.
SO WE CAN WRITE, WE CAN PUT PEN TO PAPER, AND WE CAN WRITE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY WANT, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT AND WE DON'T HAVE ACTION ON THE ORDINANCES THAT WE WRITE, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? THE POINT IS A STUMP SPEECH OR A TELEVISION, UH, A BROADCAST ON THE NEWS OR AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER.
SO MY THOUGHTS WITH THIS COMMITTEE IS TO HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS. IF THERE IS LACK OF ENFORCEMENT FOR ORDINANCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, FIND OUT WHY.
IF WE DO HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE, FIND OUT IF THEY'RE WORKING.
WE HAD ANOTHER ORDINANCE COME UP AND IT INVOLVED HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND RECENTLY WE SAW, UM, AN EMPLOYEE AT A STORE TAKE MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS BECAUSE SHE WAS FRUSTRATED WITH PEOPLE CAMPING OUTSIDE OF HER STORE.
SO WHAT I'M HOPING THAT THIS COMMITTEE CAN DO, WORKING WITH OTHERS, IS TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS FROM TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
AND US AS A COUNCIL, LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE THINGS FORWARD TO FIGHT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, TO CURE IT, TO KEEP RECIDIVISM RATES LOW.
AND WHETHER THAT'S WORKING WITH OUR JUVENILE COURT SYSTEMS, OUR COURT SYSTEMS, OUR PROGRAMS, UM, CORRECTIONS, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CRIME, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THERE WITH AN OPEN MIND AND AN EAR TO ALL OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. THE OTHER PIECE IS, WHENEVER I SAID WE ARE ROLLING IT OUT WITH OTHER FOLKS WE'VE TALKED TO, UM, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL FOLKS WITHIN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL LEADERS, UM, FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTIVE, UM, WITH FOLKS THAT WORK WITH THE YOUTH AND YOUTH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT BATON ROUGE.
NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH ANY OTHER FOLKS IN
[00:40:01]
NO, THESE ARE JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THIS LAUNCHED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THEN OTHER FOLKS WILL BE INVITED IN AROUND THE TABLE.UM, WHEN WE'RE TACKLING EACH OF THESE ISSUES, WHO IS GOING TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VETTING AND WORKING OUT.
I DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO BE A COUNCIL ONLY COMMITTEE WHERE WE GO AND WE INVITE FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC TO COME IN AND ADVISE US ON WHAT THEIR PROGRAMS ARE OR WHAT THEIR IDEAS ARE, OR IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE FROM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
THE OTHER PIECE, UM, THAT I THINK REVEREND ANDERSON BROUGHT UP, IS THIS AN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE? NO, IT'S NOT.
WE'RE NOT USING OUR INVESTIGATIVE POWERS AT THIS TIME TO, TO GO IN AND, UM, SUBPOENA RECORDS OR DOCUMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT MY INTENTIONS ARE, ARE THAT WE USE OUR POWERS AS A COUNCIL WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET AND WITH REGARD TO ORDINANCE WRITING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT CRIME, TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM, AND TO REHABILITATE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM THAT CAN GET OUT AND BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE SOCI OF THIS SOCIETY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY INTENTION AND GOAL, BUT AGAIN, I'M GONNA ASK FOR THIS MATTER TO BE DEFERRED UNTIL, UM, THE MEETING ON THE WEEK OF THE 25TH, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS FINALIZED BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT? I DON'T KNOW THE DATE THOUGH, THOUGH.
UM, FEBRUARY 18TH OF ONE WEEK.
YOU WANTED DEFER FOR ONE WEEK? WELL, DIDN'T WE HAVE, UM, DIDN'T WE RESCHEDULE? THAT'S NEXT WEEK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE? WISHING COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN HEARS? YEAH, I JUST, UM, JEN IS BRINGING UP SOME AMAZING POINTS AND I WANT TO JUST APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUE FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TACKLE THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW CRIME, WE KNOW RECIDIVISM, WE KNOW SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE EXTREMELY STRONG.
SO, AND I TALKED TO A LOT OF THESE GROUPS THAT HAVE COME TO THIS MIC TODAY, AND I JUST ASKED THAT TO APPROACH THIS WITH AN OPEN MIND, BECAUSE IT'S NEW.
A LOT OF TIMES WE FORMULATED OPINIONS OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE, BUT HEAR WHAT WE PLAN TO DO FIRST, GIVE YOU OPINION, AND THEN AT THAT POINT, UM, ALLOW US TO, TO DO WHAT THE FOLKS ELECTED US TO DO, UH, ELECTED G TO DO AND, AND MAKE THOSE INFORMED DECISIONS BY TALKING TO SEVERAL GROUPS OF WHAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH SMALL GROUPS, OR WHETHER IT'S CREATING A COUNCIL BOARD.
BUT I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD HER FOR, UH, BEING BOLD ENOUGH TO STEP UP TO EVEN TAKE THIS CHALLENGE.
CAUSE WE KNOW FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT THE KIND OF FEEDBACK OR EVEN PUSH BACK THAT YOU'LL GET FROM THIS.
SO, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT YOU GUYS BE PATIENT, UM, AS YOU COME UP.
CAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU, YOU SIT NEXT TO HER.
I FELT THE AGGRESSION FROM THE MIC, AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE IS.
SO WE'RE BEATING HER UP BEFORE WE EVEN GET STARTED.
SO BE A FRIEND AND THEN SHE'LL BE A FRIEND BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED.
AND WHEN YOU, CUZ WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOUR CLAWS COME OUT, SOMETIMES WE UNINTENDEDLY PULL OUR CLAWS OUT AS WELL, AND IT BECOMES THE WRONG TYPE OF CONVERSATION.
SO MAKE SURE Y'ALL APPROACH WITH RESPECT AND WE'LL DO THE SAME THING IN RETURN.
THERE'S A MOTION TO DEFER THE ITEM FOR ONE WEEK.
IS THERE A SECOND? SO MOVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN AMAROSA AND THE OPPOSITION ITEM HAS BEEN
[70. 22-01502]
DEFERRED FOR ONE WEEK.WE GO TO ITEM 70, REPEALING THE STORMWATER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT CREATED BY RESOLUTION 5 6 5 60 AT THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2022 BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 70? MS. CARLISLE? I HAVE TO LEAVE SHORTLY, SO I HAD TO GET ALL MY COMMENTS IN REAL FAST.
UM, SO I'M NOT EXACTLY CLEAR, UH, WHAT THE CONTROVERSY IS OVER THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I WAS HERE WHEN THIS ORIGINAL THING PASSED, AND I FEEL LIKE IT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE A FEE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I I I'M NOT TOTALLY CLEAR.
YEAH, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONTROVERSY IN THE NEWS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTUAL ROUTE OF IT IS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT COASTAL COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING TO INSTITUTE PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO THIS.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE'RE HAVING BIGGER STORMS, WE'RE HAVING MORE FLOODS.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD STORMED, HE WAS A BIBLE STUDY AT MY CHURCH AT FIRST METHODIST ON THE CORNER, AND IN THE HOUR THAT HE WAS IN BIBLE STUDY, THAT LITTLE BART ON NORTH BOULEVARD FLOODED IN HIS CAR WAS FLOODED.
WE KNOW IT'S HAPPENING, AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO FIX IT.
UM, AND I NOTICED THAT ONCE A FEAST STARTED BEING DISCUSSED, PEOPLE STARTED GETTING UP IN ARMS. UM, AND THAT BOTHERS ME.
UM, BECAUSE FOLKS, UH, AND FOLKS IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS, FOLKS IN MY FAMILY EVEN, UM, DON'T HAVE
[00:45:01]
PROBLEM DROPPING $50,000 ON A NEW CAR OR ON A KITCHEN OR ON A CAMP OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY VALUE AND WANT FOR THEMSELVES.AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE A FLOOD, THEY'RE THE FIRST ONE STANDING OUT THERE SAYING, WHERE'S MY FEMA MONEY? AND WHY DIDN'T THE CITY DEAL WITH THIS? AND IT, IT JUST, IT MAKES ME ANGRY BECAUSE WE KNOW WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS AND WE KNOW IT'S GONNA COST MONEY.
AND THOSE OF US WITH MONEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM DROPPING IT WHEREVER WE WANT WHEN IT BENEFITS US.
AND SOMETIMES WE NEED TO STEP UP AND DROP IT WHEN IT'S GONNA BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF THERE'S AN ACTUAL PROBLEM, AN ACTUAL CONTROVERSY, HAVING A STORMWATER DISTRICT, THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE COME UP WHEN WE VOTED FOR IT THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
UM, IF THE PROBLEM IS PEOPLE DON'T WANT A NEW FEE, UH, I'M PAYING MORE IN FLOOD INSURANCE.
I'M SURE MOST OF Y'ALL ARE PAYING MORE IN FLOOD INSURANCE.
LET'S DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS. WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS WE NEED TO FIX 'EM.
I I HAVE A T-SHIRT THAT SAYS COST MONEY, PAY YOUR FRICKING TAXES.
I FELT LIKE WEARING IT TODAY, BUT I'VE GOT OTHER PLACES TO GO, SO STUFF COSTS MONEY.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 70? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER MO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 70 SEVERAL, SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, SEVERAL TIMES WE THERE WHEN ALL THIS CAME UP.
THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS ON THE BOOKS, AND I JUST WANTED TO, FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IN THE PUBLICLY UNDERSTAND IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO WAS CREATE THE STORMWATER UTILITY DISTRICT.
OKAY? SOME OF US VOTED ON IT, SOME OF US DIDN'T.
BASICALLY WHAT THE UTILITY DISTRICT DOES IS, AND, AND WE HAVE TO, UM, PRETTY MUCH STILL HAVE TO HAVE IT AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD.
DID THIS, THE DISTRICT CREATES THE STRUCTURE UNDER WHICH EAST BAT ROUGE PARISH WILL OPERATE.
WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE STORMWATER UTILITY, WHE WHETHER WE MOVE TAXES, WHETHER WE FEED OR, OR WHATEVER ELSE HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE, THE DISTRICT TO ME STILL NEEDS TO BE THERE.
BECAUSE WHAT ALL THAT DID WAS IT, IT RESTRUCTURED ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, DPW, ALL THE DIFFERENT ONES, SOME UNDER D P W MOVED UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL SO THAT THEY COULD DO STORM WATER STUFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE DID FUND IT WITH SOME MONEY BECAUSE WE HAD TO BRING HIS DIRECTOR ON AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND AT ANY POINT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
SO THE FEE AND EVERYTHING, AFTER WE CREATED THE DISTRICT, WE HAD TO HAVE THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO DO THE FEE PART.
WELL, WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT.
WE ALL KNOW WHERE THAT WENT, AND WE ALL KNOW THE BACKSTORY ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF, I MEAN, I'M NOT REMOVING IT, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED THAT STRUCTURE.
WE'RE GONNA NEED THE, THE IDEA OF HOW IT'S GONNA WORK WHEN WE GO TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE OF, UM, WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED THE OTHER DAY AT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT THIS DISTRICT IS AND WHY.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DELETE IT OR REMOVE IT, UH, OUT OF THE BOOKS.
UM, SO I BROUGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE THIS, UM, THE STORMWATER UTILITY DISTRICT, IT REALLY IS A NEW CONCEPT.
THE CRE, THE ONE THAT WAS CREATED HERE IN BATON ROUGE IS THE FIRST ONE IN LOUISIANA.
UM, THESE DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN CREATED IN, UH, I THINK ALL OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES STATES, UM, EXCEPT FOR, UH, MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA.
AND NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT THIS ONE WAS CREATED, UM, IT, I THINK IT'S JUST MISSISSIPPI THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO WE BEAT MISSISSIPPI AGAIN, GUYS.
UM,
AND, UH, NORMALLY, UM, FOR THIS, THIS TYPE OF EFFORT, YOU WOULD SEE, UM, A LENGTHY PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
I WAS AT A, UM, THE CEX CONFERENCE, UH, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AND, UM, HEARD A GROUP FROM NEW ORLEANS THAT IS PROPOSING A STORMWATER DISTRICT IN NEW ORLEANS, AND THEY HAVE A THREE YEAR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, UM, WHAT MS FOUR IS ABOUT, WHAT A STORMWATER, UM, DISTRICT IS ABOUT.
UM, AND WHAT PROBLEMS, UM, THESE, THESE MECHANISMS, UM, ARE USED, UM, TO HELP, UM, THAT THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR US.
UM, I THINK IT'S, I THINK, I THINK OUR DISTRICT WAS, WAS PASSED UNDER A CLOUD.
[00:50:01]
THE VOTE, UM, TO, TO TO, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT.UM, I THINK THERE WERE, THERE WERE THINGS SAID THAT, THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT, THAT THINGS WERE ONE WAY WHEN THEY WERE, WHEN THEY WEREN'T EXACTLY THAT WAY.
UM, SO MY, MY CONCERN HAS BEEN THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS DISTRICT, UM, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING.
UM, AND SO MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, AND THE PUBLIC, UM, HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE INPUT ON THE DISTRICT.
UM, THERE ARE APPARENTLY 2,500 OF THESE, OF THESE DISTRICTS, UM, AROUND THE UNITED STATES.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING NEW TO US, NOT SOMETHING, NOT SOMETHING NEW TO THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UM, I DO, UM, WITH COUNCILMAN MOK THINK THAT, UM, WITH REGARD TO OUR MS FOUR PERMIT AND, AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR MS FOUR PERMIT, UM, WE, WE NEED A DISTRICT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD DISTRICT THAT ADDRESSES THE ISSUES, UM, THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR, WITH OUR WATER QUALITY.
UM, I'VE HAD A REQUEST TO, UM, DEFER THIS ITEM AGAIN.
UM, WHAT I WANNA DO, BECAUSE SOME, SOMEONE NEEDS A PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AT THIS POINT THAT THEY, THEY WANT TO HAVE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, BECAUSE WE, I I FEEL LIKE I KEEP EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY KIND OF ON GO, LIKE, ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT? ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT? ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT? I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE DELETE THIS ITEM, UM, LET THE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION GET, GET THE PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET TOGETHER TOGETHER.
AND THEN WHEN I REINTRODUCE THIS ITEM, WE WILL NOT DEFER IT.
WE'LL, ABSOLUTELY 110%, UM, HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
SO THAT'S A MOTION, MOTION TO DELETE.
SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ITEM HAS BEEN DELETED? EXCUSE ME.
I JUST HAD A QUICK, UH, QUESTION FOR, UM, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO I, I, I APPRECIATE THE FACT OF DELETING ITEM, GETTING FINALIZER, GETTING INFORMATION TOGETHER.
UM, I GUESS JUST FOR PUBLIC WISER INFORMATION, WE'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER, DOING SOME MORE RESEARCH INTO THE UTILITY AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE MAY COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC OR COUNCIL DISCUSSION FOR POSSIBLE, UM, KIND OF AMENDING IT TO, TO MAKE IT A BETTER PROGRAM OR POSSIBLY DELETING IT, UH, REMOVING IT COMPLETELY OUT OF CITY PARISH.
UM, WERE WE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE? SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO, GREG, DO YOU WANNA YES, LET, LET ME SPEAK TO THAT.
AND COUNCILMAN, LEMME JUST SAY THIS, I DID ASK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ADAM TO LOOK AT DEFERRING THE ITEM AT THIS POINT.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR SHE WANTS TO BUILD, UH, TO REESTABLISH A, A, A COMMITTEE TO AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND START AND LOOK AT THE DETAILS, INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE A BETTER DECISION ON HOW WE WANT TO GO MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UH, I DON'T QUESTION THE FACT THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T DO A REAL GOOD JOB OF PUTTING OUT THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO.
AND I'VE, THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T WANT TO PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY OF DE DELETING, I MEAN, UH, ABANDONING THE, THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE WE MAY NEED THAT.
I MEAN, IN REALITY WE MAY OR MAY NEED TO BE AMENDED TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE MEMBERS FROM THE COUNCIL WILL ALSO BE ASKED TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
SO EVERYBODY WILL AT LEAST KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT.
UH, AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER RIGHT NOW TRYING TO ESTABLISH THAT GROUP TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, I KNOW WE CREATED THE UTILITY, WE PUT SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET FOR IT.
WE, ARE WE OPERATING WITH THAT DISTRICT NOW? UH, UNDER THE CURRENT, WHAT THE BUDGETING THAT WE DID? YES.
UM, I GUESS IF YOU COULD, UH, TWO MINUTES, 57 SECONDS AND KIND OF REITERATE HOW THE STRUCTURE AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC, HOW THIS STRUCTURE IS THE US UTILITY DISTRICT AND WHAT, WHAT WE ACTUALLY CREATED IN THAT PART IN A NUTSHELL.
SO WE, WE CREATED THE DISTRICT WITH THE CONCEPT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MANAGE FLOODING ISSUES IN THE PARISH.
WE NEED TO MANAGE THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION AND UPKEEP OF THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO MANAGE THE MS FOUR PERMIT FOR THE WATER QUALITY.
THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE THREE LAYS OF THE STOOL FOR THE UTILITY DISTRICT.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE IN THE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, THE, NONE OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE HAVEN'T BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
[00:55:01]
UNDER THE STORMWATER DIVISION OF DS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING A R P MAINTENANCE WORK.WE ARE, UH, IMPROVING OUR STORMWATER, UH, PERMITTING, UH, INSPECTIONS.
AND WE'RE, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THOSE THINGS ALSO.
SO BASICALLY, I MEAN, WE CONSOLIDATED AND, AND BROUGHT SOME DEPARTMENTS UNDER YOU, UM, ENHANCED SOME DEPARTMENTS, UM, THAT YOU ALREADY HAD UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THE STORMWATER UTILITY, ALL THE STORMWATER, UH, WORK OR INFORMATION AND MS FOUR PERMITTING AND ALL THAT STUFF UNDER ONE COALESCE DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE, THE CONCEPT NOW.
WE DID NOT MOVE THE, UH, DRAINAGE DIVISION OF MAINTENANCE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL EXISTS, IT'S STILL FUNDED, THEY'RE STILL DOING WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST MANAGING SOME OF THE OTHER ASPECTS, YOU KNOW, THAT WITH CONTRACTORS WITH THE A R P FUNDS AND TO IMPROVE AND CATCH UP ON THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS POINT.
AND JUST ONE MORE QUESTION, RICK.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STORMWATER DIVISION AND THE STORMWATER UTILITY? WELL, THE UTILITY IS, IS THE SYSTEM OF THE MS FOUR IS THE DITCHES.
THAT, THAT IS YOUR PHYSICAL UTILITY AND THAT'S UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, THE STORMWATER DIVISION IS THE OPERATOR.
IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO WITH THE BRASCO.
BRASCO IS THE UTILITY AND IT'S HEADED BY THE COUNCIL.
D E S IS THE OPERATOR OF NEBRASKA.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T OWN THE UTILITY, WE JUST OPERATE AND MANAGE THE UTILITY.
MY, MY, MY CONCERN WAS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO MS FOUR.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY NEED, UM, PUBLIC, PUBLIC EDUCATION.
SO WE WILL, UM, AND, AND THAT'S THE, THE, THE BIG POINT OF STARTING OUT WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THAT COMMITTEE SO THEY CAN GUIDE US AND HOW WE NEED TO GET IT OUT AND GET THE INFORMATION AND THE EDUCATION WE NEED, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THE MS FOUR REALLY, IT TAKES ALL, IT TAKES ALL OF US, RIGHT? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
NO, YOU CAN'T LOOK AT MS FOUR AND DRAINAGE SEPARATE.
THEY'RE REALLY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S WHAT WE, THE CITY PARISH OWNS AND OPERATES FOR OUR STORM WATER.
ITEM HAS BEEN MOTIONED TO DELETE, SECONDED
[71. 22-01660]
AND APPROVED.WE NOW GO TO ITEM 71 AUTHORIZING AMER PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT REIMBURSEMENT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $135,831 FOR OFFICER OVERTIME AND VEHICLE UNIT USAGE COSTS FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2022.
STATE OF LOUISIANA GULF COAST, H I D T A GRANT FUNDS FOR JEFFERSON PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS APPOINTED FIDUCIARY AND BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SUBGRANTEE.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION GRANT WITH NO MATCHING FUNDS BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 71? COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY HER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HU.
[72. 22-01697]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 72.AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION EXECUTE THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE CIVIL AIR PATROL LOUISIANA WING, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AUXILIARY FOR OCCUPANCY OF THE OFFICE BUILDING LOCATED AT 4,514 BLANCHE, NO ROAD FOR A PRIMARY TERM OF 10 YEARS WITH THE ONE FIVE YEAR OPTION TO RENEW AT THE RATE OF 18,000 PER YEAR BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 72 WILL NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNNS JUNIOR, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEARST AND THE OPPOSITION ITEM
[73. 22-01711]
CARRIES.ITEM 73, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES.
QUESTION SMITH FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOBILE, SHE WITH FOREST BOULEVARD MULTI-USE PATH AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED YOU, $142,746 AND 63 CENTS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 73? COUNCIL? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR, ANY OPPOSITION? ITEM 73 HAS BEEN
[74. 22-01712]
APPROVED.ITEM 74 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.
NUMBER TWO FOR GEOTECHNICAL SERVICES WITH TERRACON CONSULTANTS FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOBILE CAPACITY PROJECT.
LEE DRIVE HIGHLAND ROAD TO PERKINS ROAD.
ADDITIONAL LUMP SUM AMONG NOT TO EXCEED $2,500, BRINGING THE CONTRACT TOTAL TO $57,728 AND 33 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 74? WE NOW GO THE COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER, SECONDED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN JR.
[75. 22-01728]
75 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR BRASCO EXECUTE[01:00:01]
SUPPLEMENT ON AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE CONTRACT WITH BLACK AND VE CORPORATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN, OPERATION SUPPORT FOR A FEE NOT TO EXCEED $350,000 BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 75.
HEY, CAN RICK COME UP PLEASE, SIR? I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH BLACK AND BEACH AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BID FOR OPERATIONS AS IT RELATES TO, UH, CUZ BOTH THESE OPERATIONS ARE WARNER'S PERSONNEL PRIMARILY DRIVEN.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WHY ARE WE DOUBLE SPENDING MONEY? WELL, NO, WE, WE HIRED BLACK AND VE LAST SUMMER TO AUGMENT OUR STAFF AT THE SOUTHWEST WATER TREATMENT PLANT TO, TO HELP OPERATE THE PLANT BECAUSE WE ARE SEVERELY SHORT ON STAFF.
SO THIS IS JUST AN AMENDMENT TO CON CONTINUE DOING THAT UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE A PERMANENT CONTRACT.
SO RICK, AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THAT EVENTUAL LONG-TERM CONTRACT.
I, I CAN RECALL SEEING THE AGENDA SPACE REQUEST COME THROUGH, UM, AT ONE POINT AND THEN IT, IT HASN'T, SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN SOME SORT OF DELAY IN THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
YEAH, THAT THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE NEEDED TO, TO LOOK AT AND, AND, AND WE HAVE DONE SO.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION IS IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING OUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO, SO DO WE FEEL LIKE THIS DELAY IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS THOUGH IS BASICALLY COSTING US $350,000 HERE? SO YES AND NO.
PART OF IT IS WE HAD TO INCREASE IT TO BECAUSE OF THAT DELAY AND YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO AMEND IT AGAIN IF WE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE ON TOO MUCH LONGER.
SO, SO SO YOU'RE SAYING EVEN BEYOND, UM, SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE, YOU MAY HAVE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND 350.