[EBR Library Board of Control on June 15, 2023.]
[00:00:10]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE JUNE 15TH, 2023 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL MEETING.
CANDACE, WHY DON'T YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 18TH, 2023.
ANY OPPOSED? MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.
SPECIAL ORDERS PRESENTATION OF THE EARL K LONG HOSPITAL SITE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
MR. J DANIELS IS HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS TOPIC.
I'M THE CEO ROUGE PARISH HOUSE AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS PARTNER SOUTHEAST, WHICH IS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ARM.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND PRESENT TO YOU, UM, OUR BEAUTIFUL CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT FOR NORTH BAT SOME TIME AGO, BACK IN 2013, UM, LEGISLATURE DIRECTED THE SALE OF THE PRIOR EARL K LONG HOSPITAL TO MEET THAT PARISH HOUSING AUTHORITY.
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO THE, THE SITE CURRENTLY IS OWNED BY, UM, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY.
AND SO OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE AUTHORIZED THE SALE TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF WHICH WE ARE PRIMED OF.
NOW, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, LOOKING BACK, WE'VE COORDINATED WITH DIFFERENT STUDY GROUPS, UM, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE LAUNCHED OUR TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY, WHICH IS CALLED ACCESS.
AND WHAT WE DO WITH ACCESS, WE LEVERAGE OUR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE GREATER ACCESS AND RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK TO IMPLEMENT OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL STRATEGY, WE LOOK FOR PARTNERS WILLING AND CAPABLE PARTNERS THAT HELP US EXECUTE CREATING GREATER AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT NORTH POINT.
SO AS WE BEGAN THIS VISIONING PROCESS, WE BEGAN TO TALK WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS AS IT RELATES TO HEALTHCARE, AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION, AS IT RELATES TO ALL THE OTHER SERVICES THAT OUR, THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
ESPECIALLY IN DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES, EDUCATION IS A, IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER.
SO AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS, IF WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE POVERTY RATES, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES THROUGH VERY INTENTIONAL INVEST INVESTMENT.
THAT INTENTIONAL INVESTMENT COMES WITH PARTNERS AND COLLABORATION OF WHICH YOU SEE RIGHT BEHIND.
OUR ANCHOR PARTNERS THAT TWO, WELL, THREE YEARS AGO NOW, WE MET RIGHT THERE IN ONE OF THE LARGE CONFERENCE ROOMS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THE EARL K LONG REDEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE'RE PROUD OF THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE.
SO AT THE LAST MEETING, WHAT EVERYBODY'S TASK WAS TO GO BACK TO THEIR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND THEIR CONSTITUENCIES AND PRESENT THE EARL K LONG.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING A ROAD SHOW OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, TALKING WITH THESE DIFFERENT BOARDS, ALLOWING THEIR LEADERSHIP TO TEE UP THEIR BOARDS TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE INVESTMENT INTO THE SITE.
SO EXHIBITING, WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO CREATING A DESTINATION.
THAT'S WHAT ACTIVITIES THEY CAN MAKE AN INVITING EXPERIENCE, DESIGN FOR UNIQUE PLACE WHERE WE OFTEN COME, ALL RIGHT, A DESTINATION PLACE WHERE WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNER TO EXECUTE.
SO HERE IT IS, THE HIGHLIGHTS, OBVIOUSLY EDUCATION LIBRARY.
YOU SEE THE ALIGNMENT AND EMISSIONS.
[00:05:01]
THE SMART PILOT THAT YOU ARTICULATED IN YOUR, IN YOUR LONG STRATEGIC PLAN IS VERY, IS VERY INTEGRAL TO HOW WE IMPLEMENT THIS PARTICULAR REDEVELOPMENT.WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GREEN SPACE, Y W C A, EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING, A TEACHER'S VILLAGE WITHIN, UH, WITH NEW SCHOOLS OF BATON ROUGE.
UM, THE ARTS COUNCIL, AGAIN, USING ART AS A REDEVELOPMENT TOOL, CARE SOUTH HEALTHCARE, GETTING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE TO OUR DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS.
UM, TRANSPORTATION, AS YOU KNOW, THE NEW NORTH TERMINAL FOR THE CATS IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED RIGHT NEXT TO LSU MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH IS JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS UP.
UM, THE FARMER'S MARKET, AGAIN, ACCESS TO FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE ACCESS THAT CREATES GREATER COMMUNITIES AND SUSTAINABILITY AND ALSO MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
SO THIS IS HOW THE PLAN TENNESSEE PLAY PLAYS OUT.
YOU CAN SEE IT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
AGAIN, SENIORS ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT AFTER THE FLOODS, THE STATE SAID THAT OUR SENIORS ARE MOST VULNERABLE WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT DISASTERS.
SO WE WANT TO BE BE AT THAT LEADING EDGE OF ASSISTING OUR SENIORS IN THESE MOST VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE POSITIONS IN THE, UM, TWILIGHT OF THEIR YEARS.
SO WE HAVE 116 UNITS THAT ARE TEED UP TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE PARTNER.
SOUTHEAST IS THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ARM OF THE HOUSE AUTHORITY, ALONG WITH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE AWARDED THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, INVESTMENTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SECONDLY, CHAIR SOUTH, YOU LOOK AT NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS THE TOP OF THE CORNER.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THESE STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, YOU HAVE SENIOR HOUSING OVER TO THE, TO THE LEFT OF THE PARCEL, YOU HAVE, UM, THE HEALTHCARE COMPONENT WITH CAROUSEL.
MOVE OVER TO COUNCIL ON APRIL WITH THIS DATA AS NUMBER SIX, POSSIBLY NUMBER TWO, WITH A NEW SMART LIBRARY AT THE BOTTOM, I MEAN AT THE TOP NEXT TO THE COUNCIL ON ASIAN COMMUNITY GARDENS.
THAT ROUND, THAT ROUNDS OUT THAT CORNER.
OVER TO THE, TO THE RIGHT ADDITIONAL HOUSING TO THE BOTTOM ON, ON THE SIDE.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, WHICH IS NUMBER FOUR Y W C A A TEACHER'S VILLAGE, AGAIN, ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
AND NUMBER 13, AND FARMERS WORKING.
THAT PROVIDES HEALTHCARE, HEALTHCARE AND HEALTH ACCESS TO FRESH AND HEALTHY MOVEMENTS.
SO YOU LOOK AT IT, IT IS A VERY INTENTIONAL AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
VERY INTENTIONAL OF HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES.
AND IT COULD ALSO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BE A ONE STOP AS WE CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN NORTH BAT.
NEXT, THIS IS JUST A, A LAYOUT OF SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGES AND THE SIZE AND DENSITY.
NEXT WE'RE PROJECTING THIS, THIS TOTAL OFF DEVELOPMENT CAN WORK, UH, INVEST OVER TO, UH, 35 TO 40 MILLION OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
THIS SHOWS THE STAGING OF THE PARTICULAR PHASES.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE SENIOR PHASE IS ALREADY TEED UP.
CAROUSEL IS READY TO GO IN WITHIN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 MONTHS.
AND THEN WE'LL BUILD OUT OUR LATERAL PHASES.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER 3D GRAPHICAL EXPRESSION OF THEIR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT AS WELL, THIS IS NOT TO BE BUILT OUT AT ALL AT ONE TIME.
ONE THING ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN, UM, FINANCING MECHANISMS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO WHATEVER PARTNER COMES INTO THE DEAL, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, BUILD OUT YOUR PARTICULAR PARCEL AT WHATEVER PACE THAT YOU NEED.
THIS IS THE RENDERING OF OUR SENIOR DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK YOU HAVE THAT PDF, SO THAT'S FINE.
ALRIGHT, SO ONCE AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT THE PHASING, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT, UM, 30 TO 60 DAYS FROM LSU.
AT THAT POINT, WE'VE ALREADY BEGAN SOME PLAN EXERCISES.
WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT THE, UM, APPLICATION FOR THE SENIOR DEAL.
UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, HOPEFULLY, IF WE'RE AWARDED, UM, WE WILL HAVE 116 SENIOR UNITS ON SITE, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 MONTHS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE CAPITAL OUTLAY FROM THE STATE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW OUR ASK TO THIS BOARD IS JUST NEARLY A COMMITMENT FOR INVEST FUTURE INVESTMENT.
WE UNDERSTAND CAPITAL OUTLAY INTERNALLY, BUT THE END OF THE DAY IS WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING TO BE EXECUTED IN WHATEVER TIME THAT YOU TIMEFRAME THAT YOU FEEL NECESSARY.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A WILLING PARTNERS TO HELP US EXECUTE THIS OVERALL CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT FROM OUR FAMILY.
AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS THE TIMETABLE? I KNOW YOU SAID THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL, WILL BUILD IN THIS DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME, BUT IS THERE A TIMETABLE THAT Y'ALL KIND OF HAVE SOMETHING, SOME IDEAS IN FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, OR,
[00:10:02]
I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? I MEAN, WELL, IDEALLY, SO, SO I'LL GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE.WE'VE ALREADY, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE SUBMITTING OUR, UM, APPLICATION FOR OUR SENIOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE AWARDED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
THAT MEANS WE'RE BREAKING GROUND SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THOUSAND 20.
SO THAT'LL BE THE FIRST PHASE.
IF YOU SAW IT, IT KIND OF STRATEGICALLY KIND OF WENT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON SITE.
SO, SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR PARTNERS TO, TO INCREMENTALLY DEVELOP THEIR SITES AT THEIR OWN PACE, GIVEN THEIR OWN, UM, FUNDS AND SOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
WILL THE, WILL THE DEVELOPMENT HAVE A KIND OF A SELF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MONEY GENERATING SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN IT? OR, I MEAN, WHAT'S KIND OF A MECHANISMS TO KIND OF MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY AND, AND THAT KIND OF STUFF? AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
SO HOW WE DEVELOP IT AND HOW WE ANTICIPATE IS VERY SIMILAR TO AN INDUSTRIAL, UM, INDUSTRIAL PARK WHERE EVERY, UH, UH, TENANT, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, EVERY OWNER WILL OWN THEIR OWN DIRT, RIGHT? UM, MOST LIKELY THE, THE INTERIOR STREETS WILL BE OWNED BY THE CITY.
SO THAT'S THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT'LL BE DEDICATED BACK TO THE CITY AT THAT POINT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE MAINTENANCE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'LL BE INCUMBENT UPON THE CITY TO MAINTAIN.
I ENVISION AT SOME POINT, GIVEN THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR, MOST LIKELY THERE PROBABLY WILL BE A ASSOCIATION, UM, ACCORDING WHETHER YOU HAVE HAVE TO MAINTAIN LANDSCAPING AND ALL THE DIFFERENT AMENITIES THAT REALLY BEAUTIFY THE PROPERTY.
I THINK THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD EQUALLY SHARE.
I THINK THERE'S A FORMULA THAT WE ALL COULD WORK THROUGH.
NOTHING THAT COMMITS ANYONE TO SOME EXORBITANT PRICE, BUT JUST LIKE, LIKE YOU HAVE IN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR ANY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATIONS, THAT WILL BE SOME TYPE OF COMMITMENT OR OWN ONGOING EXPENSES AS IT RELATES TO, UH, THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTY.
WHAT ABOUT SECURITY? DOES THAT BE MAINTAINED WITH CITY OR SHERIFF? OR IS IT GONNA BE SOME, SOME, SOME PRIVATE SECURITY INVOLVED IN? WELL, UM, SO I'VE BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR A WHILE.
UM, I THINK SECURITY IS ALWAYS A, A CONCERN TO EVERYBODY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING AS A, AN ASSESSMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I THINK IF YOU HAVE A, A GROUP OF ANCHOR PARTNERS LIKE WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, I THINK WE EXPECT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF, OF, OF BEHAVIOR, CERTAIN LEVEL OF, OF, UM, SAFETY TO BE, TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE SITE.
I THINK YOU COULD HAVE, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF IT.
WE DON'T WANT THE PROPERTY TO GO DARK AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK, WHICH IS WHY WE CREATED SOME OF THESE GREEN SPACES.
VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE HERE AT
AND I THINK THAT ACTIVITY CREATES, CREATES MOVEMENT, IT CREATES SAFETY, CREATES A COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE ARE REALLY ANTICIPATING THAT SAME TYPE OF SAFETY AS RELATES TO COMMUNITY AS VERY SIMILAR.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE AT THANK SOME OF THE LIBRARY, IF THE LIBRARY CHOSE TO LOCATE THERE, IT WOULD OWN ITS OWN PIECE OF PROPERTY TO DEVELOP THE SAME WAY AS BRECK AND THE Y.
UM, THEY'LL OWN THEIR OWN PIECE OF, UH, PROPERTY.
AND SO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, POSSIBLY IN THE, UM, THE SOUTH BRANCH IN THE RUANNE, YOU WILL HAVE, UM, UH, YOU'LL HAVE LIKE A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION OR NASDAQ WILL BE UNDER THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OR UNDER CITY PARISH OR WHAT MIGHT BE PARTNER OF SOUTHEAST.
PART OF SOUTHEAST IS ACTING AS THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PARTNER SOUTHEAST.
AND ITSELF ONLY THE, WHO OWNS THE PROPERTIES.
AND NOW, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S OWNED BY LSU.
WE'RE CLOSING IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.
PARTNER SOUTHEAST WILL BE CLOSING ON THE PROPERTY AND WE'LL OWN THE PROPERTY.
PARTNER SOUTHEAST IS, UH, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
IT'S THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ON THE HOUSING.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? IS THIS IN THE NEW LINUX, LINUX SPECIAL DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE DOING THE FUNDING FOR SECURITY FOR THAT WHOLE AREA? UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT RECENTLY PASSED? YES.
I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT I CAN, I CAN DEFINITELY DO RESEARCH ON THAT.
THIS NEW SCHOOLS FOR TEACHERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT IS? IS THAT IT'S, IT'S A CONCEPT OF, UM, I THINK, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS.
SO IN, IN, IN THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD, TEACHERS NEED A SAFE PLACE, RIGHT? SAFE PLACE FOR CONTINUED EDUCATION, SAFE PLACE FOR SOCIAL ASPECT.
AND SO WE WANT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HAVE CONTINUING EDU EDUCATION CLASSES.
[00:15:01]
IS THERE ANY, UH, ANY ORGANIZATION OR WHATEVER THAT'S, UH, APPROACH TO ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THEY USED TO HAVE, UH, THEY MAY STILL HAVE, I THINK, OFF OF FLORIDA.C E, UM, RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE, CAN YOU ELABORATE? I'M NOT AN EDUCATION EXPERT.
UH, I KNOW NO SCHOOLS, BATON ROUGE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, PROMOTED AND SUPPORTED THE TITLE.
SO, UM, I CAN COME BACK TO YOU AND TALK ABOUT WITH THAT PARTICULAR, I THINK THERE ARE SOME PERFECT EXAMPLES IN LAFAYETTE WHERE THEY HAVE A TEACHER'S VILLAGE, AND I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE MODELING THAT PARTICULAR CONCEPT OF THE LAFAYETTE MODEL.
THE L RCE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS A RESOURCE CENTER AS WELL AS THE TRAINING CENTER WHEREBY, UH, YOUNG TEACHERS CAN GO AND, UH, ACCESS RESOURCE, ASK QUESTIONS AND GET TRAINING AS WELL.
SO WILL THERE BE ANY SUCH FACILITY LOCATED IN YOUR VENUE AS SUCH FOR TEACHERS? I THINK IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE OKAY.
AND POSSIBLY LOCATE THAT, THAT'LL BE EXCELLENT.
THAT WAY WON'T, WON'T BE STARTING GROUND UP.
I HAVE THE PRESENTATION I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH.
LET ME GO GET THIS DIGITALLY AFTERWARDS.
YES, THEY HAVE THE CHECKLIST AND THE, UM, THE OTHER
UM, WELL THEN I'LL GO THROUGH IT AND THEN I'LL GO VERY SLOWLY, YOUR QUESTIONS AND THE PRESENTATION.
LIKE CHRIS HAD MENTIONED, I SERVE AS OUR SERVICE CHAIR FOR FORM 2 25.
UM, PREVIOUS ROLES WITHIN FORUM WERE VP OF LEADERSHIP, VP OF SERVICE, AND THEN ANOTHER SENT AS, UM, CHAIR OF SERVICE.
BEFORE I GET TOO DEEP INTO THIS, ARE WE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH FORM 2 25 OR SHOULD I GO THROUGH WHAT THAT ORGANIZATION IS? SHARE, SHARE.
UH, FORUM 2 25, FORMALLY KNOWN AS FORM 35, IS THE LARGEST YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT PILLARS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN ALL DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, TODAY I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SERVICE, BUT THERE'S ALSO LEADERSHIP AND THERE'S ALSO, UM, OUR PHILANTHROPIC ARM WHEN IT COMES TO OUR, UH, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU MAY SEE DIFFERENT SOCIALS AROUND BATON ROUGE.
UH, YOU MAY SEE DIFFERENT SERVICE ACTIVITIES, UH, OR YOU'VE HEARD OF OUR, UM, BARTON LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH FALLS UNDERNEATH OUR LEADERSHIP PILLAR, WHICH IS A, UH, YOUNG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT REALLY CALM AND WALK YOU GUYS THROUGH IT VERY SLOWLY.
CAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE NOTES TO RIGHT ON.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY FRIDGE INITIATIVE.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN OUR BOARD MEETING, SO SOMETIME LAST SPRING.
AND WE SAW THAT THERE ARE TWO COMMUNITY FRIDGES LOCATED ON GOVERNMENT STREET HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
AND WE'RE SEEING REALLY GOOD TRACTION WITH THAT.
UM, ONE OF OUR POLICY PILLARS WITHIN OUR, UH, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS TO BRING ATTENTION TO BOOT INSECURITIES IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
AND SO WITH THIS COMMUNITY FRIDGE, OUR GOAL WAS TO FIND A PARTNER WHO WE COLLABORATIVE TO WORK ON THAT INITIATIVE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
UM, AND WE FOUND A LOVELY LOCATION AT THE DELMONT GARDENS LIBRARY.
UM, ANOTHER ASIDE, I WORK FOR LOUISIANA FISH FRY, WHICH IS RIGHT BEHIND DELMONT GARDENS.
SO IT'S A LOVELY PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE AT LEAST SOMEONE MEET, UH, WHO'S ABLE TO GO OVER TO THE FRIDGE AND CHECK ON IT PRETTY, UH, FREQUENTLY.
UM, BUT SO WHAT IS A COMMUNITY FRIDGE? IT'S ZERO BARRIER.
UM, AND IT IS MAINTAINED BY THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO VOLUNTEERS FOR CLEANING, THAT'S THE COMMUNITY, UM, FUNDING AND PROVIDING THE ACTUAL FRIDGE THAT WOULD BE FORMED.
BUT OUR FUNDS COME FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ALSO THE ACTUAL LOCATION.
UM, THAT WOULD BE OUR PARTNERSHIP HERE FOR THE LIBRARY.
UM, WHO CAN TAKE FROM THE FRIDGE? ANYONE? UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE.
THERE'S NO ONE BY THE FRIDGE TO POLICE IT OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO IN THERE WITH A GROCERY BAG AND CLEAN IT OUT,
[00:20:01]
THERE'S NO JUDGMENT.RIGHT? TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND DONATE WHAT YOU CAN.
SO I DO WANT TO TALK THROUGH, UH, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF DONATIONS, RIGHT? AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES HERE TO MAKE IT KIND OF PRACTICAL SO WE CAN THINK ABOUT THIS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
PER, UM, THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DONATIONS THAT FALL WITHIN THE GOOD SAMARITAN ACT, AND I HEAR YOU'LL GET THIS DIGITALLY.
SO THERE ARE LINKS WHERE YOU CAN USE THESE YOURSELVES, BUT A PERSON WHO DONATES GROCERY ITEMS THAT MEET QUALITY AND LABELING STANDARDS.
SO THOSE LABELING STANDARDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF IT'S AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT, THAT'S THE FDA, RIGHT? SO THAT'S, IF IT'S, UM, LIKE A PRODUCE ITEM OR HEAT ITEM, THAT SORT OF THING THAT'S REGULATED BY FDA.
IF IT'S SOMETHING WITH A NUTRITIONAL FACT PANEL, AN INGREDIENT STATEMENT, AND A BARCODE, THAT'S THE U S D A.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, HERE WOULD BE, UM, YOU'VE GOT CANNED GOODS AND YOU'RE DONATING THEM TO THE FOOD BANK.
YOU KNOW THAT THOSE CANNED GOODS ARE, MAYBE THEY'RE DENTED OR MAYBE THEY ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MONTHS SHELF LIFE ON THEM.
YOU GOT 'EM FROM THE GROCERY STORE.
THEY PASSED THE USDA'S REGULATIONS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE DONATIONS AT BLUE.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE HERE IS DONORS.
AND THAT DONOR COULD BE A PERSON, IT COULD BE A RESTAURANT, IT COULD BE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION.
DONORS WHO DONATE FOOD ITEMS THAT DON'T MEET THOSE STANDARDS, QUITE INFORMS THE, UH, ORGANIZATION, THE ORGANIZATION UNDER RECONDITIONS THOSE ITEMS TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN MANUFACTURING, UM, WE CANNOT SELL PRODUCT TO A GROCERY STORE WITH LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
SHELF PIPELINE PRODUCT IS STILL GOOD, STILL EDIBLE, IT'S STILL DELICIOUS, BUT WE CAN'T SELL THAT PRODUCT, RIGHT? WHAT WE COULD DO IS DONATE GOOD, UH, TO THE FOOD BANK, FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED AMONGST PEOPLE.
UM, IF YOU VOLUNTEER THERE, UM, THEY RECEIVE SAMPLES, I'M SORRY, UM, FOOD ITEMS ALL THE TIME.
IF A GROCERY STORE RECEIVES A BUNCH OF SMASHED BREAD, THEY CAN'T SELL THAT SMASHED BREAD.
VINCENT DEPAUL CAN TAKE THAT SMASHED BREAD, MAKE SANDWICHES, AND GIVE OFF THOSE SANDWICHES.
SO LONG AS THE GROCERY STORE SAYS, HEY, ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL, HAVE THE BREAD SMASHED, CAN YOU USE IT? UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, A U S D.
A EXAMPLE, AN FDA WOULD BE, UH, LIKE BANANAS, FOR EXAMPLE.
IF A GROCERY STORE HAS A BUNCH OF BANANAS THAT ARE TOO RIGHT TO BE SOLD, IT CAN GIVE THEM TO ST.
VINCENT HOME, CAN MAKE BANANA, UM, AND THEN HAVE THESE RESOURCES FOR AVAILABLE.
SO I KNOW WE TALKED TO QUESTIONS LAST, BUT ARE THERE QUESTIONS AS I'M GOING THROUGH THIS? I FEEL LIKE THAT QUITE A BIT NODDING, BUT DO ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, HOW COMMUNITY FRIDGES ACROSS LOUISIANA ARE MANAGING? SO I TOOK QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT, UM, SAMPLES HERE, BUT THIS IS A NATIONAL INITIATIVE.
THERE ARE COMMUNITY FRIDGES ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
I'VE JUST PULLED SOME HERE FROM LOUISIANA.
THERE'S TWO THAT I MENTIONED HERE IN BATON ROUGE ON GOVERNMENT STREET.
I HAVE A LAHAN EXAMPLE AND NEW ORLEANS.
THERE ARE OVER 20 FRIDGES IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT I JUST PULLED A SMATTER IN HERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW COLORFUL THEY'RE, HOW INVITING THEY'RE AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE HERE IN A COUPLE THINGS.
AS I'M GOING THROUGH THESE FRIDGES AND EVEN FROM THE FRIDGES THAT HAVE CLOSED, I LOOK TO SEE WHY ARE THESE PRODUCERS SUCCEEDING? WHAT MAKES THEM SO SUCCESSFUL? THE NUMBER ONE IS CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE SIGNAGE.
UH, FOR SOME EXAMPLES, THEY HAVE THEM IN SPANISH, IF IT'S IN A SPANISH SPEAKING NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? SO MEETING THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE, UM, WE'VE GOT, HERES, UH, DONATION GUIDELINES AND EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANING, THAT'S ALL WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET? UM, AND THOSE GUIDELINES FOR DONATION, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ME AND THE LIBRARY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER THAT, THAT DONATION GUIDE.
SO FOCUSING ON THE COMMUNITY, FOCUSING ON MUTUAL AID, FOCUSING ON THE PEOPLE WHO WE'RE SERVING, NOT NECESSARILY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT EXAMPLE I GAVE SOMEONE CAME AND TOOK ALL THE FOOD.
THAT'S NOT A NEGATIVE IN OUR PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT, RIGHT? UM, A SUPPORTIVE AND COMMITTED VOLUNTEER NETWORK WHO IS MISSION ORIENTED, RIGHT? WHO'S COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE SERVING, WHO'S COMMITTED TO BRINGING, UM, AWARENESS OF THIS, THIS FOOD ISSUE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS FOR AS WELL.
UM, WITHIN THAT, THAT VOLUNTEER NETWORK.
SO THESE TWO FRIDGES RIGHT NOW ARE WITHIN THE NETWORK OF THE BAT ROUGE COMMUNITY NETWORK.
UM, THEY HAVE A VERY ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.
THEY HAVE A LISTER, THEY HAVE AN OUTREACH PROGRAM, THEY HAVE A SLACK CHANNEL USED TO THAT TYPE OF, UH, COMMUNICATION.
[00:25:01]
UH, SO THEY HAVE A GOOD NETWORK FOR US TO TAP INTO FOR VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS WHAT WE HAVE WITHIN T2 FIVE, UH, ENGAGED COMMUNITY AND DEMONSTRATED NEEDS.SO THAT'S ONGOING USE OF THE FRIDGE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES OF FRIDGES THAT I SAW CLOSING WERE THE PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T USE THEM.
THEY DIDN'T NEED THEM, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE, RIGHT? PEOPLE DON'T NEED A HUGE BRIDGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO LONG AS THERE'S A DEMONSTRATED NEED, SO LONG AS THE POLICES ENGAGE WITH THE PROJECT, THOSE TYPES OF BRIDGES WILL SUCCEED.
AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHO'S GONNA MANAGE IT? WHO'S GONNA CLEAN IT? WHO'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE GETTING, YOU KNOW, LYSOL AND, AND PIPING THINGS DOWN? UM, SO I'VE GOT 4 52 5 ON THE LEFT IN THE LIBRARY ON THE RIGHT.
SO FIRST THING IS ESTABLISHMENT AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE, RIGHT? SO WE PLAN TO FUND THE FRIDGE AND THE SHELTER NET WILL BE, UH, HOUSED IN, WE'LL DESIGN IT, WE'LL BUILD IT.
UM, WE WILL PURCHASE THE REFRIGERATOR, UH, WITHIN THE SPACE.
UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A WORK IN PROGRESS DONATION BAG FOR US TO LOOK AT.
WE'LL FACILITATE THE VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN, SANITIZE, REMOVE FOOD THAT ARE, IS EITHER NOT LABELED CORRECTLY OR EXPIRED OR IS JUST NOT PERMITTED.
UH, WE'LL ORGANIZE, TIDY, AND THEN PICK UP TRASH AROUND THE REFRIGERATOR AS WELL.
UM, SO THERE IS A DUMPSTER JUST OFF TO THE RIGHT OF THE FRIDGE OR THE STRUCTURE, THE FRIDGE, WHERE IT'S GONNA BE.
UM, AND I'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED THAT WITH, UH, LOUISIANA FIRST FROM MY EMPLOYER, THAT IT WAS OKAY TO USE THAT, THAT DUMPSTER.
IF WE NEED TO DO MAX HAULS OF, OF TRASH GARBAGE.
SO SHOULD THE FRIDGE NEED TO BE REPLACED, WE'LL SUPPORT IN THAT COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING TO REPLACE THE REFRIGERATOR.
UM, IT'S EXPECTED THAT THE SHELTER MAY NEED SOME SERVICE FROM TIME TO TIME.
HURRICANE SEASONS, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH HONEYBEE CONSTRUCTION, WHO HAS GRACIOUSLY DONATED THEIR TIME TO BE THE CONTRACTOR ON THIS PROJECT.
AND THEY HAVE OFFERED US, UM, FREE OF SERVICE, FREE OF COST FOR ONE YEAR, UM, AFTER IT'S BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
FROM THE LIBRARY'S PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE LOOKING TO GARDENS TO HOST THE PROPERTY, AND THAT IS HAVING A CEMENT PAD, WHICH IS ALREADY LAID AND THEN RUNNING ELECTRICITY TO THAT FRIDGE.
UH, OTHER INSTANCES WE'LL LOOK TO THE, TO THE LIBRARY TO COMMUNICATE PRETTY PROMPTLY IF THERE'S EVER AN ISSUE, RIGHT? SO LET US KNOW WHAT THE BAT ROUGE COMMUNITY, FRIDGE NETWORK KNOW IF THE FRIDGE IS OUT OR IF THERE WAS VANDALISM OR WHATEVER THAT IS, LET US KNOW SO WE CAN, UH, TAKE CARE OF THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
CAUSE I THINK THIS IS FUN TO LOOK AT, RIGHT? UM, SO EXCUSE ME, I QUESTION.
SO, UM, SEE WHEN YOU VOLUNTEERS HAVE TIME, HOW OFTEN YOU'ALL HAVE THAT IN WRITING? LIKE, YOU WON'T COME OUT THERE EVERY WEEK, EVERY TWO WEEKS.
IS THERE A TIME TO TAKE A LESSON IN WRITING FOR THAT COMMITMENT? SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, MONTHLY HAVING A MONTHLY ROTATION, UM, AND ASSESSING THAT NEED, RIGHT? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING OUT THERE MORE OFTEN, AND YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT BEING TINY OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEN WE'LL NEED TO ASSESS LIKE MAYBE IT'S FIVE WEEKS, WEEKLY OR WEEKLY OR WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THAT'S KINDA WHERE THAT COMMUNICATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? UM, IF SOMEONE IS AT THE FRIDGE AND THERE'S NO FOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEY GO INSIDE, THEY SPEAK TO THE STAFF AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S NO FOOD, OR, HEY, THE DOORS ARE RIPPED OVER, OR WHATEVER THOSE ISSUES MAY BE, LET US KNOW SO WE CAN GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
SO WHAT MADE YOU ALL CHOOSE THE DELMONT BRANCH? WAS THAT WAS GOOD.
UM, DECISION HAVING THAT, SO THAT WAS A COLLABORATION WITH KRISTEN.
WHEN WE ORIGINALLY HAD THIS IDEA OF A COMMUNITY FRIDGE, I BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY, MY BOARD AND I WAS VERY CLEAR THAT I, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE IN MID CITY.
WE NEED TO REALLY SHOWCASE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE LEAD OR LEAD, LEAD AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT, THAT SERVICE.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT QUITE A FEW LOCATIONS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO WHY BRIDGES ARE SUCCESSFUL AS HAVING A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER, RIGHT? SO THOSE WHO ARE FOCUSED ON THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN THE NEGATIVES THAT MAY POTENTIALLY ARISE.
AND I FOUND THAT KRISTEN HAS BEEN WONDERFUL IN BEING COLLABORATIVE AND IN TRYING TO BRING THIS TOGETHER.
CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A COMMON INTEREST IN BEING A SOLUTION TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN AT CHARLES, CHARLES PARK, KELLY CENTER, THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
DO THEY PROVIDE SOMETHING LIKE THIS? FOOD THEY GIVE TO THE PUBLIC? NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
[00:30:01]
THAT THE PD CENTER ON THE OTHER SIDE? YEAH, NOT THAT I KNOW OF.UM, I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A, UM, HALFWAY HOUSE JUST ACROSS THE BLOCK.
SO THERE ARE SOME RESOURCES THERE, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS, UM, BE IN DANGER, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THERE ARE SOME NEEDS JUST DOWN THE STREET.
IN TERMS OF THE DESIGN OF THE REFRIGERATOR, WILL IT BE, WILL IT BE SOME BRANDING THAT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE LIBRARY HAS CREATED? YES.
SO WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN DOWN TO HOW WE'RE GOING PAINT AND HOW THE EXTERIORS LOOK.
UM, WE DO WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS WORTH FOR YOU CAUSE AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WORKING FROM YOUR LIBRARY.
SO WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DESIGN OF PAINT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL PROBABLY COME SEND, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING.
UM, ONE THING THAT'S, UH, NOT UP TO DATE OR NECESSARILY ACCURATE ON THIS COMPOSITION IS THAT THERE WILL BE DOORS ON THE SHELTER, DIFFERENT PROTECTS THE FRIDGE AND, UM, THE CONTENTS OF THE SHELTERS.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT COSTS FOR, UH, ELECTRICITY, THAT'S, THE LIBRARY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ELECTRICAL COSTS.
DO YOU, UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT YOU THINK IT'S GONNA BE AND ALSO HAVE, UH, THE TWO THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN MID CITY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, BUT, UH, HAVE YOU, UH, ENCOUNTERED ANY, UM, PROBLEMS THAT YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH WITH THOSE TWO, UH, FACILITIES THAT YOU HAVE IN CITY? VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, SO AS FAR AS COST FOR ELECTRICITY, UM, SO I HAVE SPOKEN TO THOSE LOCATIONS.
IT'S RANGED BETWEEN 30 AND 50 A MONTH FOR THAT ELECTRICITY THAT INCREASED.
UM, AS FAR AS ISSUES AND PROBLEMS, UM, THE LOCATION AT, UM, THE RED SHOES, THEY HAD SOME ISSUES WITH PEOPLE, UM, LIKE USING THE CHARGER, LIKE THE, THE ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES AND THINGS.
AND SO WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS JUST GOT AN ELECTRICAL BOX TO GO OVER IT TO WHERE ONLY THE FRIDGE IS POWERED.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN THEIR DONATION GUIDELINES THAT ANYTHING THAT'S NOT IN A CAN, BUT IT'S STILL A PANTRY ITEM MUST GO IN THE FRIDGE.
UM, IN TALKING TO HER, SHE, SHE SAID, UM, WELL HERE'S RATS.
WE'RE GETTING RID OF THIS THING.
SO SHE VERY CLEAR WHAT THOSE DONATION GUIDELINES ARE, AND SO LONG AS IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEING ADHERED TO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXCITED.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO ISSUES I'VE HEARD FROM I, I'M CONCERNED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE, LET'S SAY, IN THE MID OF THE AREA IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT THERE'S A GREATER NEED MAYBE OVER GENTILLY, UM, NINTH WARD, IS THERE PROCESS IN PLACE WHEREBY WE CAN REQUEST OR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY HAVE OF PERIODS BUILT IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS? AND I'M FROM NEW ORLEANS, JUST KINDA PICTURES AND THINGS.
SO MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS IN THE BACK OF THIS.
I CAN SEND YOU A CONTACT WITH THE NEW ORLEANS, UM, UH, COMMUNITY BRIDGE NETWORK.
THEY'RE INDEPENDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY FRIDGE NETWORK.
AND THE TIME IS STILL THE SAME FOR THE NEW ORLEANS? 25 NEW ORLEANS, NOT FOUR, IT'S 25 ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WITHIN NEW ORLEANS, THEY, IT'S THE, I'M GONNA MESS UP THE RECORD, BUT IT'S NOT THEIR YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION WHO RUNS THAT.
IT'S COMMUNITY BRIDGE NETWORK.
WHO ELSE WOULD REGULATE THIS? IS THERE ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR, UH, DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION? ARE THERE ANY RULES IN PLACE, UH, THAT WOULD DO IT THROUGH, UH, DH OR THROUGH THE, UH, COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE? NO, UH, SO LONG AS THE FOOD THAT'S BEING DONATED ADHERES TO THE U S D A FDA AND THE CDC GUIDELINES, WE'RE ALL GOOD THERE.
SO THERE ARE NO, UH, LOCAL OR SAFE REGULATIONS COMING.
THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD INTERNALLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF THE HEALTH INSPECTOR SHOWS UP WITH THIS, UM, THE THING IS, IT'S NOT A RESTAURANT, IT'S NOT A COMMERCIAL SITE.
UM, IT IS A DONATION SITE, SO THAT WOULD JUST BE A CONVERSATION WITH THE HEALTH INSPECTOR, BUT HE OR SHE SHOWS UP AND KNOW THAT.
HAVE YOU HAD THAT CONVERSATION YET? I HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION YET.
THE OTHER TWO, LOOK AT THE MID CITY LOCATIONS, UM, IS IT A PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE DONATE THINGS THAT DON'T NEED THOSE? NO PEOPLE EXCEPT AT THE RED SHOES ABOUT, UM, LIKE ITEMS THAT REFRIGERATOR, UM, SO WITHIN THAT, THAT LOCATION, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'VE PARTNERED WITH RESTAURANTS, UM, THEY GET SAMPLES, UH, PRODUCTS FROM PANERA BREAD, FOR EXAMPLE,
[00:35:01]
LIKE BREAD THAT, YOU KNOW, BAKED THE DAY BEFORE.THEY'LL PUT THOSE IN FRIDGE AS WELL.
FACT, THE, THE PICTURES FOR ME, THERE ARE TWO OCCASIONS.
IN CANNIBAL AND THE OTHER IS AT THE RED SHOES.
IS THERE, IS THERE SIGNAGE ABOUT SEE THIS WOOD FOOD AND ALL THAT? IS THERE SOME SIGNAGE ON THESE, ON THESE EXAMPLES? YEAH.
THERE'S, THERE'S TELLING PEOPLE, OKAY, THIS IS ALLOWED, THIS ALLOW ALL THAT AND LIKE, PUSH ARE THESE DOORS, THEY'RE QUITE LARGE IN SOME OF THESE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IN, IN THOSE GUIDELINES, UM, THERE ARE FRIDGES THAT HAVE COOLERS AND THINGS WHERE YOU CAN PUT, UM, LIKE DOG TREAT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I DON'T, WE'RE NOT PUTTING DOG TREAT AND DOG FOOD.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALSO PLACES FOR, UM, HYGIENE ITEMS OR CLEANING SUPPLIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY'RE ALSO ACCEPTING OF THESE LOCATIONS BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR OF KEEPING IT VERY SIMPLE AND KEEPING IT JUST TO FOOD ITEMS THAT ARE VERY, VERY CLEARLY INDICATED.
WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT IS ACCEPTED, NOT ACCEPTED, I'M SORRY.
UH, THE, YOU SAID, IS IT, HOW OFTEN IS THIS CHECKED? IS IT CHECKED ONCE A WEEK OR DO YOU HAVE WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, ONCE A MONTH.
UH, AND THEN SEEING HOW FREQUENTLY IT'S, IT'S USED, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO ASSESS AND MORE FREQUENTLY THAT'S THAT SOMETHING DANGEROUS, THEN YES.
UH, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WOULD PROBABLY BE PROBLEMATIC IF, UM, ONCE A MONTH.
UM, THAT'S ONLY, AND I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD PART LIFE TOGETHER AT ROUGE OR WAS DOING THE FOOD DESERT, UM, PROGRAM, BUT, UM, TO CHECK IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN OR IF YOU, YOU KNOW, GONNA GET VOLUNTEERS TO PARTNER WITH ANOTHER GROUP JUST TO MAYBE ONCE A WEEK RATHER THAN ONCE A MONTH.
IT'S FINE FOR GANDER PACKAGE FOODS, BUT FOR, UM, FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, IT MAY BE, ESPECIALLY YOUR GUIDELINES, TALK ABOUT CUTTING UP FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.
I, I DON'T THINK MIGHT CUT UP FRUIT AND VEGETABLES OR LAST, UM, A MONTH IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
SO YEAH, THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S OUR, BOTH OUR, OUR OUR GOAL AND HOPE THAT IF WE PUT FOOD IN THE FRIDGE, IT'S NOT GONNA SIT THERE A MONTH.
AND THAT BRINGS ME BACK TO THAT, THAT OTHER BULLET POINT, RIGHT, IS IF WE ARE GETTING DONATIONS AND IT'S NOT BEING USED AND WE'RE SEEING FOOD SIT THERE MONTH AND MONTH OVER TIME, I THINK THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT IS THIS FRIDGE SERVING THE COMMUNITY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
UH, SO THIS IS JUST THE LOCATION, UM, COMING THROUGH THE, THE TOP, I'VE GOT THE, THE COMMUNITY CENTER, LOUISIANA FISH FRY, AND THEN THAT MARK SPOT OF WHERE THE SWEAT CURRENTLY IS, AND THEN THE OVERALL TIMELINE THAT WE'RE WORKING AGAINST.
UH, SO THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE BY THE END OF JULY, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE RUNNING THE ELECTRICITY.
UM, ONCE THE ELECTRICITY IS RUN, THEN WE'LL BEGIN THE ACTUAL BUILD, ANTICIPATING TWO DAYS FOR THE BUILD AND THEN THE INSTALLATION ONCE IT'S BUILT.
AND THEN PAINTING, UH, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A RIBBON CUTTING, UH, PR EVENT IN THE FALL.
ONCE EVERYTHING IS DONE COMPLETE, THAT WAY WE CAN OFFICIALLY LAUNCH TO THE COMMUNITY.
YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY OF THE, THE FACILITY OR THE FOOD IN THERE.
SO WITHIN THE ACTUAL FOOD, THAT'S WHY WE'RE COVERED UNDER THE, UNDERNEATH THE FOOD MANAGE ACT.
AND THEN FOR THE STRUCTURE ITSELF, UM, WE HAVE ONE YEAR FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, MISTAKES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IF IT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER HA THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN WE AS FORM, WE DO HAVE OUR OWN LIABILITY INSURANCE.
SO WE'LL WORK THAT OUT WITH, UH, OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND THE LIBRARY, I MEAN, THE LIBRARY'S COVERED UNDER YOUR INSURANCE.
WE HAVEN'T, UH, DONE A CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, WE COULD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PROBABLY PART NUMBER TONY'S BABY
UH, BEFORE MOVING ON, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS DISCUSSED UNDER ROMAN
[00:40:01]
AL THREE ON THE AGENDA? SPECIAL ORDERS, SEEING NONE.MOVING ON, REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR, MS. ETTE WILL DELIVER THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
THANK YOU FOR 2023 OPERATING EXPENDITURES THROUGH MAY 31ST.
OUR $17,926,753 AND 22 CENTS ARE 33.39% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH MAY.
WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 42% OF THE BUDGET CASH COLLECTIONS FROM PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2023 REMAIN AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2022 AS WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILLION AND 5% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? THANK YOU.
SYSTEM REPORTS, MS. MARY STEIN WILL DELIVER THE AROUND THE PARISH REPORT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE DO HAVE, SHOW AND TELL.
MY EYES ARE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.
OKAY, SO WOOHOO, SHOW AND TELL.
THE FIRST THING I LIKE TO DIRECT YOUR EYES TOO IS ONE OF OUR, UH, SUITE OR, OR OUR, OUR FLEET OF GET DOWN AND CLEAN UP LITTER KITS THAT WE, UH, PRACTICED DEPLOYING A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND NOW THEY ARE AT THEIR BRANCH HOMES.
THEY COME WITH SAFETY VESTS, LOTS AND LOTS OF GRABBERS, ENOUGH SAFETY VESTS SO THAT EACH PERSON CAN HAVE ONE PLASTIC BAGS.
THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS AND, UH, THERE'S EVEN TOTES THAT COME WITH IT IF YOU'RE SPLITTING UP YOUR TEAM, UM, ALL OVER THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
THESE ARE BEING DEPLOYED THROUGH, UH, A STATEWIDE PROGRAM.
SO WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO GET WITH THAT PROGRAM.
AND THESE HAVE STARTED DEPLOYING, SO THEY CHECK 'EM OUT JUST LIKE A BOOK.
THEY DO NOT RETURN THE GARBAGE TO US.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW.
AND, UH, THEY, THIS KIT HAS ALREADY BEEN USED THREE TIMES FOR A GOODWOOD, UH, GOODWOOD PICKUPS RIGHT OUT FRONT, FURTHER ON YOUR SHERWOOD AND ONE OTHER LOCATION.
AND, UH, PEOPLE ARE VERY THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM.
IT DOES TAKE TWO PEOPLE TO PICK UP THE TOTE.
I'M JUST SAYING SOMETHING ELSE I WANT TO BRING, UH, TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UH, IT'S NICE TO HAVE HAPPY NEWS.
SO, UH, ON THE COVER OF THE, OF THE PRESENTATION THIS MONTH, INSTEAD OF JUST A BIG FLAT SCREEN, I'VE INCLUDED THE SWEETEST, UH, OPINION FORM THAT WE GOT A WEEK OR TWO AGO FROM A PATRON AT ZACHARY.
AND THEY SURE LOVE THEIR STARS AND I LOVE THEM.
I ESPECIALLY LOVE THAT THEY SAID THAT IT FEELS LIKE HOME AND EXCEEDS COMMUNITY STANDARDS.
AND THE DAY BEFORE, WE HAD GOTTEN A BEAUTIFUL LETTER IN THE MAIL HANDWRITTEN BY SOMEONE, UM, PERHAPS MY GRANDMOTHER'S AGE, UH, AND SHE SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO GET OUT ANYMORE.
SO SHE CALLED ON THE, ON THE TELEPHONE AND, UM, SHE SAID, WHAT SHE SAID WAS, UM, HER, SHE HAS SOME COGNITION I ISSUES AS AN OLDER PERSON.
SHE SAID IT MAKES IT, UM, GIVES HER A LOT OF TECHNICAL ISSUES AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT HER DIFFICULT FOR HER.
BUT SHE SAID, AGE HASN'T TAKEN AWAY MY LOVE OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE PLEASURE OF BOOKS.
AND WHEN SHE DOES ENTER THE LIBRARY, SHE FEELS LIKE SHE'S VISITING FRIENDS OLD AND NEW.
SO THAT JUST GAVE ME ALL THE FEELS, DIDN'T IT? AND THEN REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON
[00:45:03]
DECIDED TO INCLUDE THE LIBRARY IN HER RISING TIDES AWARD CEREMONY.UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING HER THIS SUNDAY, AND THEY HAVE DESIGNATED THE LIBRARY, UM, AS, AS SOMEONE, AS A GROUP THAT HELPS GROW THE COMMUNITY AND, AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE COMMUNITY UP.
UH, SO THAT, THAT WAS REALLY LOVELY.
IT'S NOT WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO, BUT IT, IT IS NICE TO SEE.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW THAT TO YOU FIRST AND THEN I'M GONNA SHARE IT WITH THE STAFF.
REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON IS, UM, THE, THE BRAINCHILD OF PREACH.
AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR PRETTY MUCH TWO DECADES.
SHE HAS TAUGHT FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES.
SHE'S BEEN OUT THERE ON THE PLAZA WITH, UH, COMPANION ANIMAL ALLIANCE AND ALL PAUSE ON DECK.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN AT EVERY BRANCH THAT WE HAVE.
UH, FOR FIRST TUESDAYS WHEN, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME GO AND NEED A FRIENDLY FACE, SHE'S EVERYWHERE.
AND THE LIBRARY TREASURES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HER IN ALL OF HER MANY FACETS.
I TOLD HER SHE WAS LIKE THE EVER READY ENERGY BUN BUNNY.
SO SUMMER READING HAS BEGUN, Y'ALL.
UH,
I EXPECT YOU ALL TO BE REGISTERED ON THE BEANS STACK APP.
UM, IF YOU ARE TRACKING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY ON THAT APP, IT'S EASY TO DO.
I TRACK MY GRANDSON AND WE HAD A FABULOUS KICKOFF AND WE HAVE HAD FABULOUS PROGRAMS SO FAR.
OVER 1500 ATTENDED THE CHILDREN'S ROOM, COUNTED 1 5, 5 2 IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY INDIVIDUALLY REGISTERED L UH, ALMOST TWO WEEKS AGO, RIGHT OUTSIDE AND INSIDE AND ALL AROUND THE TOWN.
ALL OF THE USUAL STEM PARTNERS CAME BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, OUR FOCUS FOR THE PAST MANY YEARS HAS BEEN ON STEALTH LEARNING, STEM AND STEAM.
AND EVERYONE FROM CODE FOR LEARNING WOODWORKERS WERE HERE.
UM, STEM, BATON ROUGE STEM WAS HERE.
UH, THE GENTLEMAN IN THIS FAR CORNER, LET ME TELL YOU, HE'S LIKE A ROCKSTAR SCIENTIST.
PRISTA CHAKRABARTI, WHO WAS PART OF OUR SATURDAY SCIENCE PROGRAMS. AND HE'S THE ONE WHERE I THOUGHT THERE WAS GONNA BE A RIOT IN THIS ROOM.
WHEN HE DID A LECTURE, Y'ALL, HE, THAT'S A FISH THAT IS THE UGLIEST FISH YOU'LL EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFE.
AND PEOPLE WERE FASCINATED BY IT.
WE BLEW THINGS UP, WE BUILT THINGS, WE LOOKED AT THINGS.
WE, UM, WENT OCULUS OR OCULI WAS REALLY FUN.
MY FAVORITE THING WAS THE CARDBOARD CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY JUST THREW CARDBOARD IN THIS ROOM, Y'ALL.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME NUTS AND BOLTS KIND OF PLASTICY KIND OF THINGS.
SO IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A BLEND BETWEEN ERECTOR SET AND CARDBOARD.
AND THE KIDS JUST TOOK CARE OF THINGS.
THEY, THEY MIGRATED TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
THEY FOUND THEIR AFFINITY GROUPS AND THEY JUST STARTED WORKING TOGETHER.
I LOVE THESE GIRLS RIGHT HERE.
UM, IT, IT WAS SO FASCINATING AND IT WAS KINDA LIKE PARENTS GET OUT OF THE WAY.
IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THEM WORKING.
YOU SEE, THEY HAD SOME KIND OF ERECTOR SET LOOKING TOOLS IN THAT PICTURE YOU CAN SEE.
AND, UM, STAFF WAS WITH THEM AND HAD SCISSORS IF NEEDED.
THE OTHER FAVORITE THING FOR ME WAS THE TAKE APART MAKE ART, UH, SESSION IN ROOM 1 0 2 AND THE STAFF JUST BROUGHT IN BROKEN THINGS AND JUST AGAIN, GOT OUT OF THEIR WAY.
I JUST LOOK AT HIS FACE, HE'S LIKE, YES.
SOME OF THEM WERE VERY INTENSE.
SOME OF THEM WERE LIKE, MOM MOVE.
AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO SEE THE CREATION.
UH, SO AS YOU KNOW, THE THEME IS ALL TOGETHER NOW, AND IT'S A SUMMER OF KINDNESS AND COMMUNITY.
AND I WAS SO STRUCK BY THE RIVER CENTER BOARD IN THE CHILDREN'S ROOM, BE THE EYE AND KIND.
I THINK EVERY LIBRARY IS GONNA BE COPYING THEM SOON.
[00:50:01]
BUT FRIENDS MEETING ALL OVER DOING FRIENDLY CRAFTS.UM, I AM DETERMINED TO HAVE FRIENDSHIP ROCKS IN THIS BUILDING SOON.
AND I THREATENED TO HAVE THE, UM, THE BOB ROSS HAPPY LITTLE CLOUD EVENT.
ANOTHER WAY TO SHOW COMMUNITY IS THROUGH UNITY.
SO WE, WE ARE PARTICIPATING TOMORROW NIGHT IN THE UNITY FEST DOWNTOWN AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH.
AND IT WON'T JUST BE A PARTY OUTSIDE.
THERE WILL BE AUTHORS, THERE WILL BE READINGS, UM, THERE WILL BE ARTS ACTIVITIES.
UM, THERE'LL BE, UH, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, YOGA AND JIG AEROBICS.
THERE'LL BE A SEPARATE BEAUTY TENT BEHIND GALVEZ STAGE, UM, MUSICAL ACTS ON THE STAGE.
SO THAT IS FROM FOUR TO EIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT DOWNTOWN AT YOUR BEAUTIFUL RIVER CENTER BRANCH LIBRARY.
AND, UH, IF YOU CAN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PUT THAT ON YOUR SCHEDULE.
NOW, THE TEENS, OH, WE LOVE OUR TEENS.
AND, AND THEY HAVE COME BACK IN A BIG WAY, AS YOU KNOW, SINCE COVID, THEY ARE ANXIOUS TO GET OUT OF THEIR SHELLS TOO.
SO THESE ARE PICTURES FROM THE FIRST ESCAPE ROOM THAT WENT OFF AT THIS ONE'S FROM JONES CREEK.
BUT WE DO THESE ALL OVER THE PARISH.
AND AGAIN, IT'S COOPERATIVE LEARNING, IT'S CRITICAL THINKING.
IT'S PROBLEM SOLVING AND IT'S SILLY.
SO EVERYTHING I LIKE, UH, AND THERE IS SOMEONE, ARE THEY GETTING INTO DANGER OR ESCAPING? I WILL NEVER TELL.
THE TEENS ALSO ARE DOING EGG DROPS AGAIN, IT'S CRITICAL THINKING, BUT IT'S A WHOLE LOT OF FUN.
AND THESE KIDS DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER.
AT LEAST THEY DIDN'T WHEN THEY CAME IN THIS ROOM.
AND I MUST SAY THEIR EGG DROPS WERE SPECTACULAR
NOW WE HAVE TO BE REAL CAREFUL.
WE DON'T WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THROW THINGS OFF THE BUILDING.
BUT IN THIS CASE, THE TEENS UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS, THIS IS THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE NORM.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE EGGS, UM, SOME OF THE EGGS DIDN'T MAKE IT.
Y'ALL, UH, CAREER COOL CAREERS IS BACK.
THIS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL SERIES.
IT WAS DESIGNED FOR TEENS, BUT WE WILL EVEN LET YOUNG ADULTS COME IN.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS WITH THE CAREER, UH, THE CAREER CENTER.
WE'LL BE HOSTING LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION HERE IN TWO WEEKS FOR A BIG JOB FAIR.
WE'VE BEEN GOING OUT TO JOB FAIRS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SEEING PEOPLE AT JOB FAIRS AND PROMOTING THE LIBRARY'S CAREER CENTER AND, UM, ALL THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
AND I WAS SO THRILLED AT THE RISING TIDE CELEBRATION.
ONE OF THE OTHER RECIPIENTS REPRESENTED THE LOUISIANA CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND THEY WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND WHO ARE UNDEREMPLOYED OR NOT EMPLOYED.
AND THEY SINGLED OUT THE CAREER CENTER FOR THEIR PATIENTS AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE INTO A NEW PLACE, UH, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND CAREER-WISE.
AND SO THAT WAS NICE TO HEAR BECAUSE WE THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE SURE GET A LOT OF LETTERS FROM PEOPLE WHO COME BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YES, I GOT THE JOB.
BUT IT'S NICE TO HEAR IT FROM SOME OF OUR PEERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WILL BE HOSTING FUNDAMENTALS MAKING AND TINKERING WITH STEM.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR TEACHERS OF EARLY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, SO PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE EDUCATORS OR ANYONE WHO WORKS WITH THEM.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOMEONE WHO IS A TEACHER.
IT COULD BE A SCOUT LEADER, IT COULD BE, UH, UH, A VOLUNTEER WHO'S WORKING WITH AN AFTERSCHOOL ORGANIZATION.
AND THIS IS WITH KNOCK KNOCK MUSEUM, UH, FUNDED BY DOW.
AND THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS.
THEY'RE GONNA HOST THIS AT THE GREENWELL SPRINGS BRANCH, WHICH IS, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE COLOR BOMB BRANCHES.
AND, UH, THE ORGANIZER HAS ALREADY BEEN OVER THERE AND SHE'S THRILLED.
SHE IS TICKLED PINK WITH THE GREEN SCREEN.
UH, KRISTEN HAS WORKED WITH A GROUP THAT SHE AND I ARE PART OF, WHICH IS, UH, THE LOUISIANA.
WAIT, UM, UH, NOW IT'S GONE OUT OF MY HEAD.
UH, WE JUST MET YESTERDAY WITH, UH, SOMETHING FROM THE BOARD OF REGIONS WHERE THE STATE IS DIVIDED INTO
[00:55:01]
SPECIAL STEM CATEGORIES, UH, GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS TO PROMOTE STEM THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS.AND KRISTEN AND SUMMER HAVE PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND WE ARE HOSTING SPARK YOUR SUMMER FOR SINGLE MOMS AND THEIR KIDS.
JUST LIKE WE DISCOVERED WITH WHEN WE DESIGN PRIMETIME FAMILY READING TIME, YOU CAN'T HAVE A PROGRAM FOR PARENTS IF YOU HAVE NOT AS ESTABLISHED SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS BECAUSE THE PARENTS CAN'T COME TO A PROGRAM THAT WE KNOW WILL BE WONDERFUL FOR THEM IF THERE'S NOBODY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS.
SO WHEN WE DESIGNED PRIME TIME, WE DESIGNED IT AS PARENTS AND KIDS TOGETHER.
AND THEN IF THERE WERE YOUNGER CHILDREN, WE ACTUALLY ARRANGED FOR A DIFFERENT SESSION FOR THE YOUNGEST ONES.
WELL, WITH SPARK YOUR SUMMER, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SINGLE MOMS AND THEIR KIDS TOGETHER IN THE MAKER SPACE.
AND THEN THEY'LL GO APART AND THEN COME BACK TOGETHER.
AND THE RIVER CENTER STAFF IS WORKING WITH THEM.
THE MAKER SPACE IS WORKING WITH THEM AND C TECH IS WORKING WITH THEM.
UH, SO CAPITAL AREA STEM IS OUR, IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
AND THEN THAT, THAT STATEWIDE NETWORK IS BASED AT THE GORDON A KANE STEM, UH, CENTER FOR STEM LITERACY.
SO WE'RE THRILLED TO BE PART OF THAT.
OTHER PARTNERS, Y'ALL BUCKLING UP LOUISIANA, THEY WERE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THEY WERE.
THERE WERE CHILDRE SAFETY IS A THING, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AND ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING YOUR CHILDREN AROUND THAT MAY NOT BE THE NORMAL CHILDREN.
IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW CAR SEATS ARE AFFIXED AND PROPERLY.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, THE SUMMER FEEDING IS BACK THERE.
YOU SEE SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM E B R SCHOOLS THROUGH THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM.
THEY ARE AT EIGHT LOCATIONS AND THEY ARE HAVING TO GO BACK HOME AND GET MORE FOOD BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS.
ANOTHER PARTNER THAT I JUST HAD TO SHOW YOU, UM, OUR SWEET SADIE ROBERTS, JOSEPH, UH, WHO WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL PART OF LIBRARY EVENTS AND EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS, UH, IS BEING CELEBRATED, UH, WITH AN EXHIBIT BY FOLK ARTISTS, JUDITH BRAGGS AT GREENWELL SPRINGS.
SO I INVITE YOU TO GO, UH, CHECK OUT THAT EXHIBIT THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN, UM, NOT JUST PARTNERS, BUT PARTIES WITH SUMMER FILMS BACK ON THE PLAZA.
THE DANCE PARTIES ARE BACK, Y'ALL.
I'LL JUST SAY WEAR YOUR COMFORTABLE SHOES.
WE ARE ALSO DIGGING DEEP INTO GARDENING THIS MONTH'S DEEP DIVE IN THE NEWSLETTER.
YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT TIES IN PROGRAMS WITH SOME OF THE FABULOUS RESOURCES THAT WE PROVIDE, WHETHER IN PERSON PHYSICAL FORMAT OR DIGITAL FORMAT IS ALL ABOUT GARDENING.
AND THERE WERE SO MANY GARDENING PROGRAMS GOING ON THIS MONTH.
UH, I REALLY LOVE THIS ONE THAT THEY DID AGAIN AT GREENWELL SPRINGS, UH, AT HOME WITH NATURE.
AND THEY USED NEWSPAPER TO MAKE LITTLE POTS AND IT WAS FOR ALL AGES.
AND THERE THEY ARE IN THE GREENWELL SPRINGS LITTLE MAKER ROOM, ALL AGES.
UM, SO YOU'LL BE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THOSE KINDS OF PROGRAMS. WE WILL BE HOSTING LPB SOUTHERN STORYTELLERS, A KIND OF PREMIERE IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY IN THIS ROOM.
THEY'LL DO SNIPPETS OF THIS NEW PROGRAM AND HAVE A PANEL HOPEFULLY OF SOME OF THE SOUTHERN STORYTELLERS HERE.
WE'LL SEE VIRTUAL AUTHOR TALK STILL GOING STRONG AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY ENJOYING THOSE.
AND AS A SPECIAL TREAT, THE AD FOR LSU ATHLETICS, SCOTT WOODWARD IS GOING TO BE OUR GUEST ON STRICTLY BUSINESS.
REMEMBER YOU REGISTER FOR THOSE IN ADVANCE, BUT IF YOU MISS 'EM, THEY ARE ARCHIVED.
UH, THEY'RE ARCHIVED ON THE BUSINESS REPORTS WEBSITE.
NOW, UH, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SHARE TWO THINGS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO GET THE REAL NEWSPAPER, I KNOW YOU SAW THIS WONDERFUL FINDING HISTORY, UH, LOOKING FOR BATON ROUGE AREA ANCESTORS.
A CENTURY OLD BOOK WAS UNCOVERED AND UH, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR GENEALOGY LIBRARIANS
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AND WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH IT.WE HAD SO MUCH INTEREST FROM THE ONLINE VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE, WHICH CAME OUT SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE PRINT VERSION.
IT'S REALLY DRIVEN A LOT OF TRAFFIC TO THE STAFF IN THE GENEALOGY DEPARTMENT, AND THEIR WORKSHOPS ARE GOING WELL AS WELL.
AND ONE OTHER THING, JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER, IT WILL BE THE DEEP DIVE FOR JULY HAS TO DO WITH ALL THE WONDERFUL INTERACTIVE PLATFORMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE DIGITAL LIBRARY.
FOLLOWING ALONG IN THE PATH OF GAIL COURSES AND LINKEDIN LEARNING AND UDEMY AND CELL ED, WE ALSO HAVE STARTED ARTIST WORKS FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE MUSICAL ARTS.
WE'VE, WE HAD ALREADY STARTED CREATIVE BUG.
WE HAD DONE THE ENGINE REPAIR, WE'VE GOT THE OCULUS FOR HAND, UM, HAND WORK IN H V A C, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, UH, REPAIR OF YOUR BUILDING.
AND, AND THE TWO NEWEST THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED, WELL, ONE IS THE NEW LANGUAGE LAB, UH, L UH, LOT FOUR KIDS LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IS A NEW RESOURCE THAT USES BOOKS.
IT'S DIFFERENT FROM MANGO AND PRONUNCIATION AND MUZZY WHERE IT'S A LESSON IN THIS NEW ONE DESIGNED FOR THE, THE ELEMENTARY AGE KIDS, WHICH WE WERE KIND OF SKIMPY ON.
SO YOU ARE IMMERSED IN SOMETHING THAT THAT DEMANDS THAT YOU PAY ATTENTION IN THE LANGUAGE.
IT DOES HAVE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS AS WELL, BUT THAT IS A NEW PLATFORM.
AND THEN THE OTHER NEW PLATFORM THAT I'M ESPECIALLY EXCITED IS CALLED HIVE CLASS, WHICH STARTED AS SOMETHING FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION, WELLNESS, LITTLE MINI COURSELETS ON HOW TO DO SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE, UM, HOW TO DO A GOOD SOCCER, UH, DRIBBLE OR HOW TO DO A GOOD LAYUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT ALSO HAS MINDFULNESS FOR YOGA AND PILATES.
IT HAS SAFETY AND IT, THEY DESIGNED IT FOR KIDS, BUT WE SEE SUCH SUCH PLAY FOR OUR SENIORS.
SO WHEN THE BOOKMOBILE STAFF THAT SERVICES THE SENIOR CENTER SAW THIS, THEY'RE LIKE, WE WANT THIS BECAUSE IT HAS STUFF TO DO WITH KEEPING YOUR CORE NOT FALLING AND ALSO ENGAGING THE LITTLE GRAY CELLS.
SO A LOT GOING ON AT THE LIBRARY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I WILL GET YES, I'M, I'M SORRY, MARY, UH, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE, THE, THE ONE THAT THAT SHOWS YOU HOW TO DO SPORTS AND STUFF? HIVE CLASS.
AND WE HIVE CLASS LIKE A BEEHIVE.
SO, UM, THAT WILL ALSO BE ON THE COVER OF THE JULY SOURCE.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE USING THESE WITH OUR OWN PROGRAMMING, BUT IF YOU WERE A, UH, IF YOU HA WERE A BIG BUDDY, IF YOU HAD A YOUTH GROUP, IF YOU HAD SCOUTS, IF YOU WERE DOING AFTER SCHOOL WITH FOUR KIDS AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, UGH, FOUR KIDS AT MY HOUSE.
YOU CAN GET 'EM OFF THEIR CELL PHONES AND, AND MOVING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND THEY'VE DONE ALL THE WORK FOR YOU.
SO SIMILAR TO THE WAY CREATIVE BUG TEACHES YOU HOW TO CREATE THINGS AND CRAFTSY DOES TOO.
THIS, UM, GETS YOUR BODY MOVING.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE, THE NUMBERS AS WE, AS WE CHECK ALL THAT.
OKAY, I'M GONNA GET OUT OF THE WAY.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN DARRELL HURST HAS, UH, JOINED US TODAY IN MY EIGHT PLUS YEARS ON THE BOARD.
WE'VE NEVER HAD A COUNCILMAN JOIN US, SO THANK YOU.
THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME AND FOR US, AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND SEEING US.
THE PROJECT THAT, UM, THAT IS BEING DONE OVER AT THE OLD EARL K LONG THAT WE WERE TALKED, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IS ALSO BEING DONE IN HIS DISTRICT.
UH, SO, UH, HE, UH, HAS A VESTED INTEREST THERE AS WELL.
AND HE AND JAY ARE OBVIOUSLY TALKING
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN NURSE FOR BEING HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO ONTO MAINTENANCE REPORTS.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THEIR, UM, WORK ORDER REPORT IN FRONT OF THEM THIS MONTH.
WE ARE KEEPING IN LINE WITH, UH, UPGRADING L E D LIGHTING.
THE NEXT UM, BRANCH ON DECK IS ZACHARY.
THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED, SO THAT WILL HELP AGAIN WITH SOME OF THAT ENERGY SAVING IN OUR UTILITY BILLS.
THE BRIO KEY CARD ACCESS SYSTEM, UM, HAD A BIT OF A DELAY.
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BEEN DONE BY NOW, BUT UH, THERE WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BACKEND PROGRAMMING OF THE SOFTWARE.BUT THE HARDWARE REPLACEMENT IS COMPLETE AT FAIRWOOD CENTRAL JONES CREEK, RAMEL SPRINGS AND RIVER CENTER AND MAIN HARDWARE REPLACEMENT IS STILL HAPPENING.
AND BRYCE, FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME IF ANY OF THIS IS WRONG CUZ I HAVE A LOT MORE ON MY PLATE THESE DAYS.
UM, WE WILL HAVE NEW KEY CARDS PRINTED WITH BADGES ON THEM AND STAFF ENROLLMENT IS ONGOING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
WINDOW WASHING, UH, THE, THE EXTERIOR WINDOW WASHING ACROSS THE SYSTEM HAS STARTED.
THE MAIN LIBRARY IS COMPLETE AND RIVER CENTER AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING OUT AT CARVER.
AS FAR AS UH, CHILL CHILLERS GO.
ZACHARY RECEIVED THEIR FINAL PARTS LATE LAST WEEK AND THEY DID THE REPLACEMENT.
UM, EARLY THIS WEEK, UH, CARVER HAD A VALVE THAT WAS LEAKING FREON THAT LEADS TO THE COIL, WHICH WE JUST RECENTLY REPLACED.
UM, BUT THAT WAS FIXED ON THE 13TH OF THIS WEEK AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE OF THAT AIR HANDLING UNIT ISSUE THAT I, UM, REPORTED ON LAST MONTH, OUR FACILITY STAFF HAS GONE THROUGH THE REST OF THE AIR HANDLING UNITS IN THIS BUILDING.
UM, BECAUSE AS A REMINDER, THEY ARE NOW 10 YEARS OLD.
THEY RUN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, 24 HOURS A DAY.
SO THEY'RE REALLY IN THEIR MIDLIFE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ONLY ACTUALLY, THEY'RE PROBABLY A LITTLE PAST THEIR MIDLIFE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO, UM, THEY DO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERVENTION THESE DAYS THAN THEY USED TO.
SO THIS MAY, YOU KNOW, START COMING UP A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN, BUT THEY DID FIND, UM, BAD BEARINGS IN AIR HANDLING UNITS 2, 5, 7, AND 10.
AND WE ARE ORDERING THE PARTS TO GET THOSE, UM, REPLACED.
UH, THE ROOF AT RIVER CENTER NOW SEEMS TO BE NO LONGER LEAKING.
I SAY THAT WITH A LITTLE HESITANCY CUZ WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE HOW MUCH WE BELIEVE IT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A COUPLE REIGNS SINCE THE UM, FIX WAS COMPLETED AND STAFF HAS NOT REPORTED ANY LEAKING AND THE FACILITY STAFF IS GOING TO BE HAVING THE, UM, TERRACE PRESSURE WASHED.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY NEW LEAKS, THEY SHOULD BE BE FOUND.
SO THEY HAVEN'T REPLACED THE CEILING TILES QUITE YET.
ALVIN REALLY WANTS TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR A COUPLE MORE RAINS JUST TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE AGAIN, THOSE CEILING TILES ARE MUCH BIGGER AND THEY'RE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE.
SO HE WANTS TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
CHRISTIAN, REAL QUICK, WHO'S THE VENDOR FOR THE ROOF FOR THE, SO, UM, THE ORIGINAL INSTALLER WAS INDUSTRIAL ROOFING AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE CITY PARISH CONTRACT FOR ANY REPAIRS, UM, OF ROOFS THROUGHOUT THE SEA, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT IT'S NOW IN THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AND THAT'S WHO FIXED IT.
AND I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU CUZ I DON'T RECALL WHO IT IS.
ONTO OUR SMALLER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, THE HARDWARE AND LOUVERS FOR THE JONES CREEK REPAIR HAVE COME IN AND THEY SHOULD BE INSTALLED, UH, VERY SOON.
SO THAT WAS, UM, WHAT, EIGHT WEEKS AGO THAT THEY FINISHED THE REST OF THE CEMENT WORK AND IT TOOK THEM THAT LONG TO GET THE HARDWARE FOR THE DOORS IN, UM, CHILLER REPLACEMENT, WE RECEIVED A REVISED BUDGET FOR ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS AND THE FIRST ADVERTISEMENT IS SET TO GO OUT, UM, NEXT WEEK.
AND WE WILL HAVE A PRE, UM, PRE-BID MEETING ON THE 27TH, UM, FOR OUT OUTREACH.
THREE BAR HAS BEEN SET IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT AND BACK DRIVE AS WELL AS THE CEMENT WAS POURED LATE LAST WEEK, SO IT SHOULD LOOK NICE AT LEAST ON THE FRONT SIDES AROUND THE, THE STREETS.
UM, AND SO THEY'LL BE STARTING TO RIP UP THAT MIDDLE PORTION OF THE FRONT PARKING LOT VERY SOON.
UH, THE NEW STAIRS IN THE BACK ARE BEING FORMED AND A NEW ISLAND IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT HAS ALSO BEEN FORMED.
THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY DISCOVERED THEY NEEDED WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS WITH, UM, MOVE E B R, UM, PLACEMENT OF THE SHORELINES, WHICH ARE THE CHARGING STATIONS FOR OUR BOOKMOBILES.
THOSE, UM, PLACEMENTS HAVE BEEN FINALIZED, UM, STILL WAITING ON THE REVISED POCKET PARK DRAWINGS, BUT THEY ARE ABOUT 60% COMPLETE.
UM, AND MOSTLY THEY'RE WAITING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE INPUT FROM MOVE.
E B R UH, DUCT CLEANING IS SCHEDULED TO START TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO TOMORROW.
AND WHILE THE, AND THE STAFF WILL NOT
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BE WORKING IN THE BUILDING DURING THAT TIME, AND THE CEILING GRID IN THEIR MAIN WORKROOM AREA HAS STARTED TO GO IN OUR ONGOING ROOF REPLACEMENT CONTRACT IS STILL GOING.UM, THE REMAINING PAINTING OF FASCIA IN PREPARATION FOR THE FINAL GUTTER INSTALLATION AT BLUE BONNET, UM, HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND AND NOW HOPEFULLY THE GUTTER WORK IS COMPLETED, BUT THEY MAY TAKE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
UM, NEW FENCING WAS INSTALLED AT DELMONT GARDENS, UM, HOWEVER THE SUBCONTRACTOR MISSED THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE THE PUSH BAR OPENING, SO THEY'RE COMING BACK TO INSTALL THAT AND HAVE, UM, THE LOCKING MECHANISM INSTALLED AS WELL.
UM, THERE ALSO IS A LEAK IN THE ROOF, THE BRAND NEW ROOF THAT POPPED UP IN THE STAFF LOUNGE.
THEY THINK THEY HAVE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION AND THE ARCHITECTS ARE WORKING WITH A CONTRACTOR TO ADDRESS THIS.
AND THERE IS STILL NO WORD ON THE CUPOLA WORK AT JONES CREEK.
BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE A PROJECT MEETING COMING UP, UM, SCHEDULED NEXT, UH, TUESDAY.
AND WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR AN UPDATED PROJECT SCHEDULED FROM THE CONTRACTOR.
WE DID CHANGE PROJECT MANAGERS.
THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH CONTRACTORS SINCE THEN, UM, BUT STILL A BIT OF A STRUGGLE.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND WE CAN WRAP THIS UP SOON.
UM, THE MISCELLANEOUS REPAIR PACKAGE, UH, WE ARE ALSO WAITING ON AN UPDATED SCHEDULE, BUT THE PAINTING AT FAIRWOOD IS NOW COMPLETE AS WELL AS PAINTING AT DELMONT GARDENS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE FLOORING INSTALLATION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING THIS COMING WEEKEND SO THAT WE COULD USE UTILIZE THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY, THE MATERIAL HAS BEEN DELAYED AND SO THAT WILL HAVE TO BE RESCHEDULED POTENTIALLY FOR JULY 4TH.
UH, THEY COMPLETED PRESSURE WASHING AT CARVER AND CEILING OF THE MASON MASONRY AND ANOTHER DELAY IN ORDERING OF MATERIALS FOR THE BATHROOM WORK AT CARVER.
SO THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO INSTALL THE NEW COUNTERTOPS AND EVERYTHING AT MEMORIAL DAY AND THEY WEREN'T UNABLE TO.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT EITHER THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY OR THE 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY WILL BE ABLE TO BE UTILIZED FOR THAT.
UM, THE BLUE BONNET INTERIOR RENOVATION, WE'RE WAITING ON THE REVISED MECHANICAL DRAWINGS AND REVISION TO THE MAKER SPACE AND REFERENCE WORK ROOM.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MAINTENANCE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE BRYCE COME UP AND DELIVER THE PORTION OF THE MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS THAT DEAL WITH COMPUTER SERVICES.
COME ON UP YOUR TURN, KRISTEN.
THE, UH, ROOF REPAIR, YOU SAID IN THE CEILING TILES THAT WE'RE HOLDING ONTO, ARE THEY GONNA COVER THE CEILING TILES OR ARE WE COVERING THE CEILING TILES? SINCE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND I HAVEN'T ASKED THAT YET.
IF IT'S, UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THEIR WARRANTY, UM, I'LL ASK AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT YESTERDAY AT THE METRO COUNCIL, UH, THE RESOLUTION FOR OUR NEW WEBSITE WAS PASSED.
SO WE ALL RIGHT NOW WAITING, JUST GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED AND THEN WE'LL BE READY TO START THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE REPLACED OUR PC AND PRINT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
WE MOVED FROM PRODUCTS BY ENVISION WEAR TO PRODUCTS BY T B S.
THE ROLLOUT WAS A BIT BUMPIER THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED AS THE SOFTWARE WAS NOT FULLY CONFIGURED BEFORE IT WAS DEPLOYED.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME LINGERING ISSUES.
UM, BUT THE SOFTWARE IS NOW AT LEAST AT A STABLE PLACE AND WORKING AS EXPECTED.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THE ADDITIONAL HOTSPOTS THAT WE ORDERED THE 225 HOTSPOTS, AND WE ARE GETTING THEM READY TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE BRANCHES.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
AND MRS. STICKLE, I BELIEVE YOU ASKED LAST MONTH ABOUT THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT, UM, OR THE AVERAGE TIME THAT PATRONS HAVE HOTSPOTS CHECKED OUT.
WE CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND MOST PATRONS KEEP THE HOTSPOTS BETWEEN NINE AND 12 WEEKS.
UM, AND WITH THE MAX, THE MAX PERIOD OF TIME ALLOWED BEING IN 12 WEEKS.
OUR PATRON VDI TERMINALS HAD A MISHAP THIS PAST MONTH THAT
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MEANT THAT THE ZACHARY AND SCOTLANDVILLE LIBRARIES, THEIR PATRON COMPUTERS WENT DOWN FOR ABOUT A WEEK DUE TO A LICENSING ISSUE.UH, AFTER SPENDING THREE DAYS TALKING ON THE PHONE WITH OUR VARIOUS VENDORS THAT SUPPLY OUR LICENSES, BUT GETTING NO RESULTS AND NO FEEDBACK, UH, COMPUTER SERVICES STAFF PULLED OUR STOCK OF PHYSICAL COMPUTERS AND CONFIGURED THEM FOR PATRON USE.
AND THAT WAS LED BY JASON, OUR, OUR TECH HERE TODAY, AS WELL AS THREE NETWORK TECHNICIANS.
THEY WORKED TO GET THOSE PCS CONFIGURED, UM, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME IN PLACE AT SCOTLANDVILLE AND ZACHARY UNTIL THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED.
IT HAS SINCE BEEN RESOLVED, BUT WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS ALONG THE WAY.
WE'LL BE TRYING A DIFFERENT RESELLER NEXT, NEXT YEAR WHEN THIS COMES UP.
THIS CAME UP NOW BECAUSE THE RESELLER THAT WE HAD BEEN USING WAS NO LONGER ON STATE CONTRACT.
AND THE NEW RESELLER THAT WE HAD TRIED TO USE THAT WAS ON SKATE CONTRACT, UM, USED A DISTRIBUTOR THAT JUST BECAME UNRESPONSIVE.
UH, SO WE WILL, WE WILL TRY FOR A DIFFERENT RESELLER NEXT YEAR THAT IS ALSO ON STATE CONTRACT, AND WE'LL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO, UM, BE A BIT MORE PROACTIVE, UH, WITH IF, IF THE LICENSING BECOMES AN ISSUE.
AT THE BUDGETING WORKSHOP, I MENTIONED THE NETWORK SECURITY VENDOR THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING GOOD SUCCESS WITH THEM.
SO I WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF INSTANCES IN THE PAST MONTH THAT WE, UM, UH, REQUIRED OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.
SO A STAFF MEMBER HAD DOWNLOADED AND INSTALLED A PROGRAM THAT WHILE NOT MALICIOUS IN AND OF ITSELF, IT COULD BE USED WITH MALICIOUS INTENT.
SO IT WAS FLAGGED BY OUR NETWORK SECURITY VENDOR.
THEY CONTACTED US AND WAS ABLE TO ISOLATE AND CONTAIN THE PC UNTIL COMPUTER SERVICE STAFF AND NOW SPECIFY UNTIL JASON WAS ABLE TO GO OUT AND RETRIEVE THE PC AND WIPE IT, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAN AND READY FOR STAFF TO REUSE AGAIN.
IN A SEPARATE INSTANCE, UH, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT A STAFF MEMBER CLICKED ON A LINK THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE AND IT WAS A MALICIOUS LINK.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO REACH STAFF AT THE LIBRARY AND HAVE THEM SHUT THE COMPUTER DOWN, UM, REMOVE THE NETWORK CABLE AND UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO RETRIEVE IT AND WIPE IT CLEAN.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY SATISFIED WITH THE ALERTS AND THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE VENDOR.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE SERVICE THAT THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING HAS BEEN GREAT IN PROTECTING THE LIBRARY'S NETWORK SO FAR.
FOR THE YEAR TO DATE STATS, OUR SELF CHECKOUT KIOSKS, AS OF MAY 31ST, 30% OF CHECKED OUT ITEMS WERE CHECKED OUT AT A KIOSK THIS YEAR, WHICH REPRESENTS 130,219 ITEMS FOR CREDIT CARDS.
AS OF MAY 31ST, THERE HAVE BEEN 769 CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS MADE THIS YEAR BY 717 PATRONS FOR A TOTAL OF $12,053 AND 21 CENTS.
$153 AND 80 CENTS OF THIS AMOUNT WAS CONVENIENCE FEES AND 13.67% OF ALL PAYMENTS MADE HAVE BEEN CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS IN HOTSPOTS.
HOTSPOTS HAVE CIRCULATED 1,961 TIMES BY 573 PATRONS AND FOR OUR IT SUPPORT IN THE MONTH OF MAY 241 TICKETS WERE CREATED AND 199 TICKETS WERE RESOLVED WITH THE SLIDE UPTICK IN TICKETS, MOSTLY DUE TO THE ROLLOUT OF THE NEW PC AND PRINT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, KIOSKS.
YOU SAID THAT 30% OF UM, ITEMS ARE CHECKED OUT THAT WAY.
IS THAT INCREASING OR IS IT STAYING ABOUT THE SAME? IT'S STAYING ABOUT THE SAME.
UM, SOMETIMES WE DO SEE SMALL INCREMENTAL CREASES, BUT IT STAYS ABOUT THE SAME.
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, YOU RECEIVE AN ALERT WHEN, UH, WHEN SOMETHING IS BEING DOWNLOADED THAT MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, DO RECEIVE THAT ON JUST STAFF, UH, OR DO RECEIVE IT ON PATRON UH, COMPUTERS.
ALSO, IT'S ALSO PATRON COMPUTERS.
SO IT'S, IT'S ANYTHING THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE THE SOFTWARE INSTALLED ON THAT IS ALSO INSTALLED ON THE PATRON COMPUTER.
SO WE DID, WE DO GET ALERTS FOR THOSE AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE MANY, UH, YOU, YOU CITED TWO PROBLEMS, BUT DO YOU HAVE MANY FROM PATRON COMPUTERS OR NOT AS MANY BECAUSE THE OF THE WAY THAT THE COMPUTERS ARE CONFIGURED AFTER
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THE END OF A SESSION, THE COMPUTER GETS REBOOTED TO A CLEAN STATE.SO THERE'S, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT, THAT WE SEE FROM THOSE AREAS.
AND, AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO SEE, WE KNOW ARE, WE DO STILL INVESTIGATE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, UH, IT'S, IT'S LIKE I SAID, THE SESSION IS WIPED CLEAN AND THEY START WITH A NEW SESSIONS.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
OUR, OUR ALERT SOFTWARE, I GUESS ARE, UH, THANK YOU.
AND THEN REGARDING THE WEBSITE, NOW THAT IT'S BEEN APPROVED, IS THERE, UM, A TIMELINE ON, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT A TIMELINE FOR THE PUBLISHING OF THAT? RIGHT.
DO YOU KNOW THE TIMELINE FOR THE, FOR THAT PARTICULAR YES.
SO, UM, THERE'S, THE RESOLUTION HAS TO BE, UM, FORMULATED AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VENDOR.
UM, BECAUSE WE KINDA, IN THE RESOLUTION ASK FOR THE, THE MOST POSSIBLE AMOUNT.
BUT SITTING DOWN AND NOW ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO TALK WITH THE VENDOR THAT WAS SELECTED WITH THE INTENT THAT THIS IS THE AWARDED, YOU'RE GONNA GET THE CONTRACT, NOW WE CAN SAY THIS IS REALLY WHAT THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE AND WHAT THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE OUR, UM, NEED WILL BE AS FAR AS THEIR EFFORT.
AND SO THAT CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT WE PUT ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME NECESSARILY AMOUNT, UM, BECAUSE IT MAY, IT MAY BE LESS THAN THAT, AT LEAST FOR THE INITIAL KICKOFF.
SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS FIRST AND THEN, UM, PURCHASING HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THE CONTRACT.
PARISH ATTORNEY HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THE CONTRACT, THEN THE MAYOR HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THAT CONTRACT.
AND THEN WE, THEN YOU MAY HAVE A TIME, THEN WE WILL HAVE A KICKOFF MEETING WITH THE ACTUAL VENDOR TO GET INTO THE REAL WORK OF, UM, THE PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE FUN PUBLICATIONS OF, HEY, WE WANT YOUR INPUT, WE WANT Y'ALL'S INPUT, OUR STAFF'S INPUT, EVERYBODY'S INPUT ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE, THE WEBSITE TO LOOK LIKE AND, AND, UM, GET INTO THAT.
AND IS THAT THE PA IS THAT THE TIME AT THAT POINT WHEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THE TIMELINE WOULD LOOK LIKE? YEAH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT, WE HAVE NO TIMELINE.
AND THANK JASON FOR HELPING TO GET OUR PATRONS BACK ONLINE.
GOOD, GOOD NEWS CUZ I HEARD SOME PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ONLINE AND THEN IT, IT SEEMED TO EXTEND A LITTLE LONGER THAN THEY WERE EXPECTING.
SO THANKS FOR THE GOOD EFFORT AND GETTING OUT THERE AND GETTING THAT TURNED AROUND FIXED FOR THEM.
SO I'M GONNA START OFF WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR FACILITY MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE HELD A KICKOFF MEETING ON MAY 31ST WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH COMPRISES OF ALVIN, BRYCE, PATRICIA, MARY, AND MYSELF AND SEAN JOHNSON, THE CITY PARISH ARCHITECT.
UM, WE DISCUSSED THE NEED OF FORMATION NEEDS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND A STAFF ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT MR. DANIELS IS STILL IN THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE WE IDENTIFIED HIS DEPARTMENT AND HIM, OR IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TIME, WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT TIME COMMITMENT YET FOR THAT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE.
IT'S GOING TO COMPRISE OF 30 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, WE WILL SEND OUT A FORMAL INVITATION, BUT SEVERAL CITY PARISH DEPARTMENT LEADERS, UM, THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUSINESS NONPROFIT LEADERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND OF COURSE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL MEMBERS.
WE NEED THREE OF YOU TO COMMIT TO ATTEND TO THOSE MEETINGS, WHICH MOSTLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL BE WITH THE CONSULTANT WHO WILL BE ON SITE NEXT MONTH, UH, THE THIRD WEEK OF JULY.
HE'S GOING TO BE TOURING, UM, ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
AND HE DOES PLAN TO COME TO THE LIBRARY BORDER CONTROL MEETING NEXT MONTH TO AT LEAST MEET YOU ALL IN PERSON.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, BY THE END OF JUNE, WE SHOULD SEND OUT THE FORMAL INVITATIONS TO ANYONE ELSE, UM, THAT WE ARE INVITING.
UM, I HAVE A MEETING WITH HIM NEXT WEEK WHEN I AM IN, UH, CHICAGO FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.
AND THEN WE AS A STEERING COMMITTEE HAVE SET UP ESTABLISHED, UM, REGULAR MEETINGS TO CHECK IN ON HIS PROGRESS OF THIS WHOLE, UM, PROJECT AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW, UM, CONSULTANT.
SO THE REPORT WAS SHARED WITH THE STAFF.
YOU ALL RECEIVED A COPY ON MONDAY.
WE SHARED A COPY, UM, WITH THE MAYOR,
[01:25:01]
HER CHIEF OF STAFF AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, UM, THIS WEEK.SO, UH, WE WILL HAVE THAT NEW ORGANIZATIONAL CHART POSTED TO THE WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THE, THE ROLE, THE POINT OF THAT IS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT.
AND HOPEFULLY, CUZ YOU KNOW, I GET SOME INTERESTING EMAILS THAT I'M LIKE, I'M NOT THE PERSON, I'M NOT THE PERSON FOR THIS.
SO, UM, THIS MAY HELP, UM, FIELD SOME OF THOSE CALLS AND EMAILS TO THE PROPER PERSON SO THAT THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING THE RUN AROUND.
UM, AND THEN IT WILL, UM, CLARIFY SOME THINGS FOR OUR STAFF TOO, IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON A FEW ADDITIONAL CHARTS THAT WE'LL DELVE INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, FINE DETAIL ON THE LIBRARY SERVICE COORDINATOR LEVEL COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
THESE THINGS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS IN SOME OF THOSE PERSONNEL, UM, REQUESTS THAT, UH, WE COVERED ON MONDAY.
WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE NEW ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS TO SUBMIT WITH THAT BUDGET REQUEST.
SO WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THAT DONE AND WRAPPED UP BY Y'ALL'S BUDGET MEETING OR Y'ALL'S NEXT MEETING WHERE YOU WILL OFFICIALLY VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE MET WITH COUNCILMAN COLE, MS. COLEMAN, MS. ADAMS, AND MS. AMAROSA.
UM, EVERYTHING WAS VERY POSITIVE.
MOSTLY THEY'RE GETTING KIND OF AN UPDATE LIKE WE DO HERE, UM, BUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF CATCHING THEM UP.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE ANSWERED ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE HAD.
AND, UM, SO FAR THEY'VE BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
WE HAVE, UM, A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH COUNCILMAN MOOCH ON THE 28TH AND COUNCILMAN HURST, UM, HAS ACCEPTED, BUT WE ARE HOPING TO WORK SOME DETAILS OUT, UM, WITH HIM THIS EVENING.
BUT WE WILL GET THOSE, UM, FIGURED OUT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS BECAUSE BEFORE YOUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE COUNCIL, UM, MEETINGS ON THE BOOKS CLOSED UP AND DONE UNTIL, UM, UNTIL WE NEED TO MEET WITH THEM AGAIN.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? NO.
UM, THE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXECUTED WITH FRANKLIN AND ASSOCIATES.
SO WE WILL, UM, REACH OUT TO THEM NEXT MONTH AS WELL TO START WORKING ON, UM, THAT PROJECT WITH THEM, WHICH WAS TO ASSIST US IN ESTABLISHING AN INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
UM, GAUGING ENGAGING WITH THE STAFF TO SEE HOW OFTEN, HOW FREQUENTLY THE TYPE OF CONTENT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN COMMUNICATIONS FROM LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION.
UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON DOING SOME OF THAT ALREADY IN ADVANCE OF THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, SHARING THE ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW STUDY, GIVING THEM A MID-YEAR UPDATE.
AND SO FAR THE ENGAGEMENT, UM, ON OUR INTRANET HAS BEEN POSITIVE.
I'VE BEEN RECEIVING LIKES AND A FEW POSITIVE COMMENTS DIRECTLY TO ME.
SO, UM, WE DEFINITELY SEE BOTH FROM THE ORGANIZATIONAL STUDY AND THIS INTERACTION AND COMMENTING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, UM, REALLY NEED TO WORK ON WITH OUR STAFF.
UM, AS A REMINDER, THE TRUSTEES AND BOARD LUNCHEON AT THE LOUISIANA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IS ON FRIDAY, JULY 7TH.
UH, ROSANNA HAS PURCHASED ALL OF YOU TICKETS, SO YOU HAVE ONE, UM, AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU ARE ABLE TO COME.
I THINK MOST OF YOU ON MONDAY HAD SAID THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COME, SO TOOK CARE OF THAT.
AND THE INVITATION WAS SENT OUT FOR THE STAFF LUNCHEON, WHICH IS THE DAY BEFORE THURSDAY, JULY 6TH.
THAT WILL BE HELD HERE IN THIS MEETING, THE LARGE MEETING ROOM AT 11:30 AM UM, I BELIEVE ROSEANNA ASKED FOR YOUR RSVP BY JUNE 25TH FOR THAT.
UM, WE HAVE EXTENDED THE INVITATION TO, UM, DANTE BIDWELL, THE MAYOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR BECAUSE THE CERTIFICATES AND THE PINS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO THE STAFF FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE ARE PROVIDED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
WE ARE SIMPLY PROVIDING A SPACE AND THE, UM, PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ARE PROVIDING A LUNCH TO.
SO TO SHOW THEM, UM, THAT ADDITIONAL APPRECIATION FROM THE LIBRARY.
NOW GETTING INTO THE REAL, REAL STUFF YOU WANNA HEAR.
[01:30:01]
LET ME TAKE A DRINK.SO OUR MEETING WITH THE MAYOR WAS ON TUESDAY.
UM, IT WAS PRODUCTIVE, PERHAPS MAYBE NOT AS POSITIVE AS WE WOULD LIKE, BUT UM, WE STILL HAD SOME GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF IT.
SO, UM, THEY LET US KNOW THAT, UM, A REQUEST FOR AN OPINION FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED, UM, BY CITY PARISH HR TO INQUIRE AS TO WHETHER THE, UH, RETIREMENT DIRECTOR AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT CAN BE PULLED OUT OF THE CITY PARISH PAY SCALE AND GO TOWARDS A CONTRACT TYPE, UM, POSITION OFFERING.
BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO SELF-GENERATING FUNDING.
THEY DO NOT IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND, BUT UM, THEY, HOW THEY ARE FORMED IS DIFFERENT THAN THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL.
SO WE STILL ALSO DO NEED TO WAIT FOR THE OPINION FROM THAT WE REQUESTED FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HAVE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE LIBRARY, UM, DIRECTOR AND YOUR ABILITY TO SET THE PAY SCALE, NOT ONLY OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, BUT OF ALL LIBRARY EMPLOYEES.
THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DID CALL ME, UM, BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT OPINION IN WRITING.
SO WE KNEW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THEY DID REQUEST, UM, A COUPLE EXTRA WEEKS TIME BECAUSE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, RECEIVED LIKE THE SIMILAR REQUEST AND OTHER REQUESTS IN THE, UM, LAST FEW WEEKS THAT ARE ALSO VERY URGENT.
AND, UM, I DON'T WANT THEM TO RUSH.
I REALLY DO WANT THEM TO LOOK THOROUGHLY INTO THIS.
AND SINCE, UM, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GIVE THEM RIGHT NOW, SO I DO HAVE, UM, I WILL BE HAVING A ANOTHER CALL WITH THEM NEXT WEEK AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALL, UM, WITH THAT ACTUAL OPINION, UM, UH, IF NOT BEFORE AT THE JULY, UM, BUDGET MEETING.
SO, UM, WE CANNOT DO A SIGNING BONUS AS WE WERE REQUESTING.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE SIGNING BONUSES THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND HEADSTART WORKERS ARE TIED DIRECTLY TO ARPA FUNDING.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ARPA FUNDING.
WE COULD NOT APPLY FOR ARPA FUNDING ON OUR OWN, THE CITY PARISH AS OUR, UH, GOVERNING AGENCY IS THE ONE THAT HAD TO APPLY FOR ARPA FUNDING.
UM, SO IN THE OPINION, I AM ALSO STILL WAITING FOR CLARIFICATION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN, UM, DO A, UH, ACHIEVEMENT INCENTIVE, WHICH IS TIED TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR HAVING THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD OF EXAMINERS CERTIFICATION.
UM, THE MAYOR WAS NOT OPPOSED TO THAT AT OUR MEETING.
IT'S JUST WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION AND, UM, AND THEN WE, Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU ARE WANTING TO SET AS THAT SIGN, AS THAT CERTIFICATION AMOUNT.
UM, THE MAYOR DOES UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF FILLING THIS POSITION AND THEY SUGGESTED RAISING THE ENTRY LEVEL SALARY RANGE EVEN MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD SUGGESTED TO YOU ALL.
SO IT WOULD BE AT A STEP 10 THROUGH 16 AND THIS MAY ATTRACT SOMEONE FOR, AGAIN, ABOUT TWO TO THREE YEARS BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD REACH THE TOP OF THAT STEP, UM, OF THE PAY SCALE.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, JUST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THROUGH TO $120,000.
THE, THEY ARE FORMALLY WORKING ON A WAY TO IMPROVE THE PAY SCALE.
UM, ACTUALLY COUNCILMAN HURST WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, HE UM, INTRODUCED WANTING TO DO A PAY SCALE, UM, A PAY STUDY.
AND THAT HAS PASSED AND THERE IS SUPPORT FOR IT.
SO THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT A FORMAL PAY STUDY WILL TAKE SOME TIME QUITE, UM, UM, A BIT OF TIME.
SO IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANOTHER CITY PARISH RAISE.
UM, WHILE THERE WAS NO COMMITMENT,
[01:35:01]
UM, FROM THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE WAY THAT THE, UH, CONVERSATION WAS GOING, THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD, WHILE THEY WOULD LIKE TO, IT'S TOO EARLY IN THEIR BUDGET PROCESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET PROCESS IS DIFFERENT THAN THEIRS AND WE'RE, WE'RE PREPARING OUR STUFF AHEAD OF THEIRS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON IT BEFORE WE CAN SUBMIT IT TO THEM.SO, UM, WE WILL BE CHECKING IN NEXT MONTH TO SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, OFFER ANY TYPE OF ACROSS THE BOARD PAY INCREASE FOR CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES.
WE DID LET HER KNOW, AS WE LET YOU ALL KNOW IT, OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP ON MONDAY, THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO SUPPORT SOMETHING OF UP TO A 5% INCREASE, BUT AT THIS TIME, NO PROMISES, UM, CAN BE MADE.
SO, SO WELL, SO HOW DOES THAT HELP US STARTING OUR SEARCH WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS? WELL, I MEAN THE PAY, THE PAY RANGE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ADVERTISING IS ALREADY, THAT'S WILL BE 20.
WE'RE GOOD GO ALMOST $20,000 MORE THAN YOU INITIALLY DID LAST FALL.
AND THAT'S, AND IT'S GOING UP TO 120, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE NATION AS THE LOW END OF A HIRING RANGE.
AND SO WITH THE COST OF LIVING DIFFERENCE HERE IN THE LOUISIANA, WE DO FEEL LIKE SOMEONE WILL, WE WILL GET MORE CANDIDATES AT THAT POINT IN TIME BECAUSE IT AT LEAST IS STARTING ABOVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, YOU, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T FEEL VERY HOPEFUL THOUGH THAT THAT WILL RETAIN SOMETHING CORRECT.
BUT I, WE CAN'T AT THIS POINT IN TIME SPEAK TO RETENTION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT OPINION FROM THE CITY PARISH, UM, ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, IT IS MY HOPE THAT WITHIN THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE POSITIVE NEWS ON THE ENTIRE ISSUE THAT WE FACE OF FILLING OUR 126 VACANCIES AND OUR INABILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT OUR, YOU KNOW, PATRONS WANT AND BETTER MANAGE THE CURRENT SERVICES THAT WE DO HAVE.
UM, SO WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN AGAIN, WITH AS FAR AS RETENTION GOES, AT LEAST HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY PARISH IS INVESTING IN A PAY SCALE STUDY, THAT'S AGAIN, A GLIMMER OF HOPE ON THEIR HORIZON THAT THEY WILL TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND FIX IT.
UM, AND THAT KNOWING THAT THE MAYOR IS SUPPORTIVE OF IT, AS LONG AS SHE KNOWS, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN AFFORD WHATEVER PLAN IS, YOU KNOW, IS SUGGESTED AS PART OF YOUR DISCUSSION ALSO, UM, MOVING SOME OF THE POSITIONS UP, IT WAS, THERE WASN'T AS MUCH, UM, FOCUS OR SUPPORT ON THAT.
AND SO WE KIND OF, AND WE KIND OF FIGURED THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE MORE IMMEDIATE NEED.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT PARISH ATTORNEY'S OPINION, UH, CUZ THAT MAY GIVE US SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE THE ABILITY TO CON CON IN ESSENCE, THAT POSITION WOULD BE A CONTRACT POSITION.
IS THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY? THAT'S, THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE OPINION DISCUSSION THAT CAME FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OKAY.
THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF.
BUT WE MAY NOT BECAUSE WE ARE STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE TWO AGENCIES IN WHICH THEY SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED IT FOR.
BECAUSE WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE THAT THEN HAS TO WORK WITH OUR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT AND ALSO HAS TO WORK WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS AS FAR AS AT LEAST THE REST OF THE, UM, CLASSIFIED POSITIONS GO.
SO US THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR BEING UNCLASSIFIED MAY GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN THE REST OF THE POSITIONS.
SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE IMMEDIATE THAN, UM, WITH THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR GOING IN THERE AND DOING Y'ALL'S BEST TO, TO EXPRESS THE, THE NEED THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
[01:40:01]
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.AND WE DID DISCUSS SOME OF THE, UM, THE SUGGESTIONS THAT PATRICIA CAME UP WITH AS FAR AS EXPANDING OUR POOL OF APPLICANTS AND MAKING THE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS OF TECHS.
AND AGAIN, THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION TO THAT.
SO IT'S FOLLOWING UP WITH THE HR DIRECTOR, UH, ONCE HE GETS BACK FROM VACATION AND GOING INTO THAT MORE AND FINDING OUT THE STEPS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO ENACT THOSE.
AND WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND WE WILL BE INTERVIEWING SOON.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET A, A FEW, UM, A FEW OF THOSE POSITIONS FILLED.
AND IF WE, UH, DO NOT HAVE A SATISFACTORY POOL FOR SOME OF THOSE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED, THE TECH ONE AND THE LIBRARIAN ONE, WHILE NOT SUPER FUN TO GO THROUGH THE EXERCISE, BUT IT MAY GIVE US MORE, UM, EXAMPLES OF OKAY, WE STILL DID NOT FIND SOMEONE WITH THESE QUALIFICATIONS FOR US TO HIRE.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY TO, UM, OPEN UP THE CANDIDATE POOL AND GET BETTER AND DIFFERENT CANDIDATE NAMES.
UM, AND RELATED TO THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR SEARCH, MARY DID REACH OUT TO BRADBURY MILLER TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A NEW HIRING RANGE AVAILABLE FOR THEM AND, UM, SENT THEM THE, THE REVISED, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE A CALL WITH THEM TO KIND OF HEAR WHAT THEIR AVAILABILITY IS LIKE SO THAT WE CAN GET Y'ALL, UM, A TIMELINE SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF KICK BACK INTO GETTING THE DIRECTOR SEARCH REINSTATED.
IF THERE'S NO COMMENTS BY THE BOARD, UH, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS LISTED AT UNDER ROMAN NUERAL FOUR ON THE AGENDA REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, UH, NO COMMITTEE REPORTS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS UPDATE ON SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY, MS. PATRICIA HUSBAND WILL DELIVER THIS REPORT.
SO THE BIDS CAME IN MAY, THIS IS FOR SOUTH BRANCH.
THE BIDS CAME IN MAY 18TH, THEY WERE OVER BUDGET.
WE, UM, WE MET WITH ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES THIS PAST MONDAY.
WE MET WITH ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES AND WITH, UM, WITH THE ARCHITECTS AND WITH THE, THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, UH, WHO WAS DOING SOME VALUE ENGINEERING BECAUSE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES REACHED OUT TO THEM AND REACHED OUT TO THE ARCHITECT AND ASKED THEM TO WORK WITH THIS PERSON TO SEE IF WE COULD VALUE ENGINEER YET AGAIN.
SO THEY DID, THEY GAVE US A LIST.
UH, WE GOT THAT LIST LAST FRIDAY OR THURSDAY, AND WE WENT OVER IT INTERNALLY TO KIND OF DECIDE WHAT WE DID AND DID NOT FEEL WE COULD ACCEPT.
AND THEN WE HAD THE MEETING MONDAY AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME REVISED NUMBERS.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A FEW THINGS TO TWEAK AS FAR AS THINGS LIKE THE TYPE OF FLOORING WE, WE HAVE TO TWEAK, TWEAK THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UM, A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO GET FINAL NUMBERS ON.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT SAVE ABOUT 190,000, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO WORK ON MEETING THAT, THAT BID UM, MEETING THAT NUMBER.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME FINAL NUMBERS FOR THAT.
SAY IT WAS OVER HOW MU I MEAN, WAS THAT A LOT OVER A MILLION? YEAH, IT'S A LOT.
AND ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD ALREADY VALUE ENGINEERED THE FIRST TIME, SO, UH, BEFORE WE WENT OUT TO BID.
SO IT'S, IT IS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE, THE MANUFACTURERS, THE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN HOLDING THEIR QUOTES FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND, AND SOME ARE REDUCING THE, THE QUOTE DOWN TO SEVERAL HOURS.
SO THAT'S HOW LONG THE QUOTE'S GONNA BE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A TIGHT MARKET AND IT'S, AND IT'S NOT GOING DOWN YET, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO FIND
[01:45:01]
A WAY TO WORK THROUGH THIS.THIS, THIS, YEAH, THIS DISCUSSION WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE BUDGET, OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.
SO IT'S, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP ALL THIS INTO CONSIDERATION YEAH.
AS WE GO FORWARD WITH ALL THESE CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION PROJECTS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO ADD ABOUT THAT? IF WE NEED TO A, IF WE NEED TO, UH, GO TO THE METRO COUNCIL AND ASK FOR, UH, SOME SORT OF, FOR MORE MONEY FOR THE SOUTH BRANCH, CAN WE, ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT OR NOT? WHEN WE EXECUTE THE ACTUAL CONTRACT WITH THE CONTRACTOR? THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE IT.
SO ONCE THIS VALUE ENGINEERING PROCESS IS DONE, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL KNOW WHAT THE CONTRACT AMOUNT WOULD BE BEING EXECUTED FOR.
SO RHONDA WILL HAVE TO ADD SOME FUNDING TO THE CAPITAL PROJECT.
SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT TO HAVE TO, UH, COME UP WITH IN, UH, IN, IN CHANGES AND, AND, AND ADJUSTMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR RELATIVE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR BRANCH LIBRARY.
AND SO, UM, AND I'M SURE IT'LL WORKING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO ADJUST THE NUMBERS, BUT, UH, THAT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE ASK.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE WOULD DO IS REBID IT OUT AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL COME IN ANY LESS.
IT'LL PROBABLY COME OUT AS MUCH OR EVEN MORE COME IN MORE.
SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO CHIP AWAY AT THAT ONE, AT THAT $1 MILLION.
WE DON'T KNOW KNOW YET WHAT THAT WILL BE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO, THE CONTRACTOR IS ALSO NOT EXTENDING THE TIME IN WHICH, SO THEY HAVE 30 DAYS, WE HAVE THIS 30 DAY PERIOD TO START THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEM TO EXECUTE THEIR CONTRACT BECAUSE PRICES ARE GOING UP ON SUCH AN EXPONENTIAL TIMELINE AND AN EXPONENTIAL AMOUNT.
THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO GIVE US AN EXTENSION AND SAY, CAN WE HAVE 45 DAYS TO VALUE ENGINEER? BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT IF THEY EXTEND IT, ALL THAT'S HAPPENING IS PRICING IS GOING UP THAT THEY'VE, THAT THEY'VE SECURED AND THEY'VE MADE THIS, UM, BID OUT FOR.
SO THAT ALSO TELLS YOU IF WE GO BACK OUT TO BID, WHICH IS THE ONLY OTHER OPTION WE'RE GONNA SEE, UH, AN EVEN LARGER INCREASE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MEET THAT, THAT COMBINATION OF VALUE ENGINEERING, UH, THOUGHTFULLY AND ACCURATELY, BUT ALSO NOT EXTENDING THAT, THAT TIME TOO MUCH SO THAT WE CAN GO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT.
BECAUSE I AGREE, IF WE GO OUT TO BID, IT'S, IT'S LIKELY TO BE EVEN MORE.
WHAT, WHAT KIND OF PERCENTAGE? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT.
I MEAN, IF, FROM WHAT WE KIND OF HAD A ESTABLISHED, YOU MEAN FROM THE, THE YEAH.
BUDGETED AMOUNT INTO WHAT WE'RE, I MEAN WE LOOKING AT 20% MORE.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT, I MEAN, LET SEE IF I CAN DO THE MATH HERE.
I'M, I'M SAYING, WELL, A MILLION AND WE HAD SEVEN, SIX, OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT, OUR ESTIMATED AMOUNT WAS $7,650,168.
SO IT WAS ABOUT A MILLION, 1,000,001 WITH, WITH THE AD ALTERNATES.
SO THAT'S WHAT, 15% ROUGHLY? I'M JUST DOING MATH IN MY HEAD, RIGHT? YEAH.
I'M JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER OUR CONVERSATIONS MONDAY REGARDING, YOU KNOW, WITH BUILDING COSTS GOING UP.
AND I, I REMEMBER US HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO, WHAT WE NEED TO PROJECT OUT.
I, WELL, YEAH, I THINK IT'S, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA CHANGE ANYTIME SOON.
I MEAN, I'M KIND OF, I'M KIND OF WORRIED NOW.
DID, DO WE
I MEAN, UH, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE FROM OUR EXPERTS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT YEAR.
THERE COULD BE SOME MAJOR COOLING OFF.
SO THEN IF YOU DO THE OVER BUDGETING, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MONEY SITTING TIED UP RIGHT.
[01:50:01]
ACCOUNTS THAT YOU CANNOT ACCESS FOR YOUR OPERATING COSTS, THAT THAT MAY GO UP.SO WE HAVE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO GET THE MONEY WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
SO WHEN DO YOU AN ANTICIPATE HAVING SOME SORT OF A DECISION AS FAR AS THEY, THEY HAD TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION BY TOMORROW.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
AND, AND WHAT IT IS, PART OF IT IS, SO WE CHANGED THE TYPE OF FLOORING, UH, FROM A RUBBER TO A, A VINYL TILE, WHICH IS, WHICH WILL SAVE US MONEY.
WE HAVE VINYL TILE THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM, SO IT'S WORKED WELL.
UM, AND SO, SO THEY HAVE TO FIND, UM, THEY HAVE TO DO THE MATH AND, AND GET THE QUOTES TO SEE WHAT, WHAT IS THAT SUBSTITUTE GONNA COST AND WHERE WE GONNA, AND WE'VE, WE HAD ALREADY DECIDED WHERE WE WERE GONNA PUT IT AND WHAT, WHAT AREAS WE WANTED TO BE WITH VINYL TILE AND WHAT AREAS WE WANTED TO BE WITH CARPET INSTEAD OF THE, THE RUBBER FLOORING.
SO WE HAD ALREADY DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT HOMEWORK LAST WEEK.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME FAIRLY GOOD DIRECTION ON THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE AND THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO THERE.
AND THEY ARE SO, THEY HAD, THEY HAD MORE DIRECTION, AND SO THEY CAN LOOK AT THE TYPE OF FLOORING THAT WE NEED TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON.
AND THEN THERE WAS A, A, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER ESTIMATES THAT, UM, WHERE WE REMOVED SOME CONCRETE, THE CEILING AND THE, THE ACOUSTICAL CEILING TILES, WE CHANGED THE TYPE OF ACOUSTICAL CEILING TILE.
SO, SO THERE'S SOME THINGS WHERE IT WAS VERY EASY, THIS IS, THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU'RE GONNA SAVE.
AND WE'RE LIKE, YEAH, LET'S JUST GO WITH THIS.
SOME OF THE THINGS WERE AN ABSOLUTE NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THIS.
WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE NEED THIS FOR THE BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN SOME OF THEM WERE, YEAH, LET'S TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT AND LET'S DO PART OF THIS AND PART OF THAT.
SO, SO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ESTIMATES, GET, GET NEW ESTIMATES AND TELL US HOW MUCH WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY GONNA SAVE ON THAT.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SAVINGS.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, AND RIGHT.
SO THE ITEMS THAT THEY CAME UP WITH, SOME OF THEM WERE SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BUT SOME OF THEM WERE REAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAY YES TO SOME OF THOSE.
AND THEN WHAT PATRICIA'S ALLUDING TO AT THAT MEETING, THERE WERE THINGS THAT ADDITIONALLY NEITHER THE ARCHITECT NOR THE CONTRACTOR SAW, AND WE SAW IT AND SAID, LET'S DO THIS BECAUSE I FEEL, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL SAVINGS.
SO IT, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A FULL MILLION DOLLARS, BUT IT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT CAN BE VALUE ENGINEERED OUT.
AND LAST FALL WE DID THE SAME THING.
WE SAT DOWN AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THOSE COMMENTS AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE FLOOR PLANS, WE JUST MADE A LIST AND SAID, OKAY, HERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD CHANGE AND HERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD CHANGE AND HERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD CHANGE AND, AND REDUCE WITHOUT REDUCE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT MATERIALLY CHANGING THE APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING OR THE FUNCTIONALITY OF IT.
BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A, UH, OF COURSE THE FOLKS IN THE AREA KEEP ASKING WHEN, WHEN, WHEN OUR LAST THING WAS POSSIBLY THE END OF JUNE.
BUT THE MORE YOU KNOW, UM, CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO REDUCE THE, UH, THE BUDGET.
I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A, A TIMELINE AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO I CAN TELL THAT TO THE, TO THE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WELL, YOU CAN TELL THEM THIS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CONTRACT WITH THE CONTRACTOR ON THE JULY MEETING FOR THE METRO COUNCIL TO APPROVE IT.
BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAVE ONE IN JULY.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN IT'S GONNA BE ON.
AND THEY'RE VERY MOTIVATED TO GET THESE ADJUSTMENTS MADE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA BE SAVING, UH, FROM THE VALUE ENGINEERING.
SO FOR THE, FOR FREE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, AS WE DESIGN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DESIGN IN MIND THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO VALUE ENGINEER FOR THE NEXT FEW PROJECTS AND MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUTH? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
LET ME MOVE ON TO SCOTLANDVILLE.
WE DID HAVE A PRE-BID MEETING ON MAY 25TH AT THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH.
WE EXPLORED OPTIONS FOR DEALING WITH THE CRATE MYRTLES BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOVES TREES
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AROUND HERE.AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE MINDFUL AND INTENTIONAL.
SO WE ASKED THE ARCHITECT TO GET US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WOULD IT COST TO MOVE THESE TREES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND WHAT WOULD IT COST TO REPLACE THEM.
AND THE COST WAS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT.
UH, MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL TO REPLACE THEM.
SO AS RELUCTANT AS WE ARE TO, TO GET RID OF TREES, THE INTENT IS TO PLACE OTHER TREES THERE, UM, IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND KRISTEN CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A STORY WALKOUT AT SCOTLANDVILLE WITH TREES ALONG THE STOPS.
SO, UM, GIVEN THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE COMING IN OVER BUDGET, IT MADE MORE SENSE TO TAKE THE MORE PRUDENT APPROACH.
AND, UM, SO WE WILL BE PLANTING NEWER TREES.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FRUIT TREES, BUT
AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO THEN THE COMMUNITY COULD COME AND JUST PICK SOME SAT SUMMAS OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN WE CAN REGISTER THEM WITH THE CITY CIRUS.
UM, SO THE OTHER THING IS THE BID OPENING WAS HELD TODAY AT 2:00 PM AND, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES TO LOOK AT THE BIDS AND, UH, EVALUATE THEM AND GIVE US THEIR, THEIR OPINION AS TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS, UH, LISTED UNDER ROMAN NU ON AGENDA UNFINISHED BUSINESS? SAY NONE.
NEW BUSINESS GOTO APPROVE UPDATED MAKER PAGE.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE AT YOUR PLACE, UM, BOTH THE ONE THAT YOU VOTED ON, UH, APRIL 21ST, 2021, AND THEN THE UPDATED ONE MAY 31ST, 2023.
SO ON PAGE ONE, THE EIGHTH PARAGRAPH DOWN WHERE IT SAYS, DISASSEMBLY OF EQUIPMENT, INTENTIONAL DAMAGE, OR CARELESS OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT IS THE CHANGE.
IT WAS INTENTIONAL DAMAGE FOR THE CARELESS OPERATION.
SO, UM, WE MAKE THESE CHANGES BECAUSE WE LEARN THINGS AS WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THEM.
SO I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND THEN ON PAGE, THE BACK PAGE, UM, NUMBER THREE HAS BEEN ADDED INFORMED STAFF OF ALL SOFTWARE UPDATES, FIRMWARE UPDATES, EQUIPMENT ALTERATIONS, OR MAINTENANCE NEEDED INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE IT YOURSELF.
I MOTION TO APPROVE PEOPLE LOVE TO HELP.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES, IS THERE, UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE ITEM OF THE ITEM LISTED IN SEVERAL ON THE AGENDA BUSINESS? OKAY.
SEEN ON COMMENTS BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, TO MENTION THAT, UH, AGAIN, I'M JUST EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO STAFF WHO'VE BEEN STAYING ON TOP OF LEGISLATION DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT THAT IS AFFECTING, UM, THE LIBRARY AND CERTAINLY OUR BOARD MEMBER AS WELL.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO REPORT OUT TO YOU ALL THAT, UH, IN MEETING WITH THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD THIS MORNING, UM, STAFF IS DEFINITELY PREPARING TO SUPPORT OUR LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE IN ASSISTING WITH THE POLICIES THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN ONCE THAT, THAT LEGISLATION FOR, UM, SENATE BILL SEVEN, UH, IS SIGNED INTO LAW, AND, UH, THEY ARE GATHERING AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, AND OF COURSE I TOOK THE PERSONAL PRIVILEGE OF, OF, UM, DOTTING ON HOW E B R PARISH LIBRARY, UH, AND ITS STAFF HAS PUT TOGETHER A, A, A REALLY GOOD POLICY, A SOLID POLICY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT WAS GOING OUT THAT MOST LIBRARIES IN, IN LOUISIANA D DON'T HAVE A POLICY, WHICH WAS NOT TRUE.
BUT CERTAINLY OURS, I THINK, UH,
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IS REPRESENTATIVE OF BEST PRACTICES AND CERTAINLY CAN BE USED TO PARE DOWN FOR SMALLER LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT, UH, THE STATE.SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE ADJOURNED.