[00:00:01]
WE'RE GETTING READY TO GET STARTED.
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU AS A PART OF OUR BROADCAST.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING FROM OUT OF TOWN, IT'S HOT IN BATON ROUGE.
WE'VE BEEN IN TRIPLE DIGITS FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS.
THAT'S FROM, UH, JULY THE THIRD THROUGH AUGUST THE 11TH, AND IT'S GONNA CARRY ON A BIT LONGER THAN THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL DROP DOWN AND GET A LITTLE COOLER IN THE UPPER NINETIES.
WELCOME TO OUR BROADCAST, WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING, AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AM I RIGHT? COUNCILMAN LAMONT COLE.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DENNIS.
THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED
[CALL TO ORDER]
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS AUGUST 9TH, 2023 AT 4:00 PM AND TODAY IS WEDNESDAY.OUR INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY CHAPLAIN DAVE LL, AND OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY COMMANDER RONALD CROWLEY MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART REGISTER, CHAPTER 1 77, BATON ROUGE, CHAPLAIN ROWELL, JOHN UNCOVER HEAVEN.
AND FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU THAT, UH, FOR THE HONOR THAT'S BEEN BESTOWED UPON US AS PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVANT'S HEARTS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THEM BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO, TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND THE PARISH.
LORD, I THANK YOU FOR JUST, UH, LOVING US, BEING A GOOD, GOOD FATHER.
AND I THANK YOU, FATHER FOR THE, YOU GIVE US, YOU BESTOW ALL BLESSINGS UPON US.
SO I THANK YOU AND, UH, I JUST PRAY THAT TODAY WE WOULD BE ABOUT HONORING YOU AND ALL OF OUR LIVES, AND WE JUST THANK YOU IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
LUKE, MY PLEASURE IN THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU AND GENTLEMEN, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM ITEM ONE, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 26TH, 2023, AND A GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF AUGUST 1ST, 2023 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOOCH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTION
[INTRODUCTIONS]
SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, AUTHORIZING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO, TO DECLARE POSTAL 19 DASH FOUR AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAME TO LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PURCHASE AGREEMENT, CASH SALE, CLOSING DOCUMENTS, AND ALL DOCUMENTS IN FURTHER OF THE SALE WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO PREPARE, REVIEW, AND OR APPROVE SUCH DOCUMENTATION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED AMANDA SMITH VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE AMOUNT OF $60,000 PLUS COURT COSTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $264 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $60,264 AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR THE SUCH PURPOSE BY PARISH ATTORNEY.
NUMBER FOUR, AMENDING THE 2023 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGETS AND CAPITAL BUDGETS SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $18,322,960 FROM EXCESS GENERAL FUND SALE AND USE TAX FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR VARIOUS BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS, GRANT INITIATIVES, QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, AND TO APPROPRIATE AND OR TRANSFER FUNDS UP TO $7.1 MILLION IN EXCESS SALES AND USE TAX DEDICATED TO STREET MAINTENANCE, EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS AND FUND BALANCE AND ASSIGNED FOR THE PARIS STREET MAINTENANCE FUND FOR STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECT, AS WELL AS REALLOCATE $3.5 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND FROM FUND BALANCE AND ASSIGNED TO FUND BALANCE ASSIGNED FOR STORMWATER BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT CONDEMNATION
[CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS]
INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER FIVE, MARY HUGGINS BONDS, 1 1 9 4 5 ENGLEWOOD STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER SIX R AND J HOLMES, L L C 1 9 4 8 DENVER DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, GOD, DAY NUMBER SEVEN, THE ESTATE OF HENRY C GRAYSON JUNIOR AND THE ESTATE OF DORIS O. WILLIAMS GRAYSON, 1 2 6 4 8.MOLLY LEE DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR MOOCH NUMBER EIGHT, JUDITH ELLEN COBB, WHITAKER AND WILLIAM JOSEPH COBB, 5 1 3 8 GLEN OAKS DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST, NUMBER NINE, GLORIA JOHNSON BELL, 6 2 1 3 DUTTON AVENUE COUNCIL, DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 10,
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THE ESTATE OF JERRY RAYMOND, 1 0 6 5 NORTH 46TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 11 2 49 19TH STREET, L L C 2 49 SOUTH 19TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 12.CARRIE L THOMAS AND IRVIN L THOMAS, 2 1 2 3 NORTH BOULEVARD COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 13, THE ESTATE OF MELVIN BROWN IN THE ESTATE OF DAISY BROWN.
6 3 5 TERRA STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 14, JEFFREY MEAD 2 9 2 5 CEDAR CRAFT AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS. ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRED READING HAVE BEEN READ.
THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST TO DELETE ITEMS 20 AND 22 BY THE DEPARTMENTS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 22 AND 23? EXCUSE ME.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK.
ANY OBJECTIONS ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED? WE NOW GO TO SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS.
I'M GONNA READ THEM IN THE ORDER THAT WE RECEIVED.
WE ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 43, 44, 45, 46.
THE, THE INTRODUCTION OF ITEMS. MM-HMM.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO GO BACK TO INTRODUCTION OF ITEMS? MOTION TO RECONSIDER RECONSIDER.
MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE INTRODUCTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DON JR.
I WAS WORKING ON ANOTHER PROJECT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS EXCEPT FOR ITEM 33.
SAY ALL ITEMS EXCEPT 33, 20 AND 22.
ALL ITEMS EXCEPT 33, 20 AND 22.
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE, THE, THE ITEMS BEING EXCLUDED? YOU SHOULD COME TO THE MIC.
YOU DELETED SHAUNA, COME TO THE MIC IF YOU'RE TALKING TO US.
SO WE EXCLUDING 30 22 AND WHAT? 20 NO, 33.
WHAT ELSE? ALRIGHT, WE GOT, WE GOT, WE HAVE SOME, SOME MORE INFORMATION.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA READ THE ITEM AGAIN.
GIVE EVERYBODY TIME TO LOOK AT 2022 AND 33.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN QUESTION OF BEING DELETED FROM BEING INTRODUCED.
WE JUST GOT MORE INFORMATION ON ANOTHER ITEM.
WHAT ITEM IS THAT? WE NEED TWO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, MR. RAYFORD HAS REQUESTED TO DELETE 32 THAT IT'S A DUPLICATE ITEM.
SO THE REQUEST FROM DEPARTMENTS ARE 20, 22 AND 32.
SO THE, THE CORRECT MOTION WOULD BE WHATEVER OTHER ITEMS Y'ALL WANT TO DELETE, BUT THE MOTION WOULD BE TO DELETE ITEMS 20, 22, 32, ANY OTHER ITEM AND 30 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS AND 33 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. THAT'S THE MOTION.
YOU NEED A SECOND? I'M GONNA OBJECT TO THE DELETION OF ITEM 33.
AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON, ON ITEM 33.
SIMPLY WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON ITEM 33.
SO THIS IS A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 33.
SOME PEOPLE AREN'T LOGGED IN YET, MINE.
I, I'D LIKE TO, UM, ALSO DELETE AN ITEM.
WHAT ITEM MAKE A MOTION TO THE 24.
AND WE'RE, OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT, UH, ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO WE HAVE AN ORIGINAL MOTION TO DELETE 30, I'M SORRY, AN ORIGINAL MOTION TO DELETE ITEMS 20 22, 32 AND 33 BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH.
AND THEN THE, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY MS. BANKS IS TO DELETE ITEMS 20, 22, 24 AND 32.
YOU GOT IT RIGHT, SHA HONOR, YOU'RE STRAIGHT.
[00:10:01]
AND 32 ARE ALL REQUESTS BY DEPARTMENTS.AND THE, AND THE, THE, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 20 22, 24, AND 32.
IF COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TIME TO REVIEW 20, 22, 24, AND 32, PLEASE TAKE THAT TIME.
NOW REVIEW THOSE ITEMS SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON.
THAT IS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
CAN I, CAN I BE CLARIFY SOMETHING? CORRECT.
WAS THERE A MOTION TO DELETE 33? OH MY GOD.
OKAY, THAT'S THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE ITEMS? WE GOING, EVERYBODY? IS EVERYBODY LOGGED IN? I'M NOT, BUT I TELL, BUT I'LL TELL YOU.
WE'RE WAITING ON A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LOG IN.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WHILE WE WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO LOG IN, THAT WE ALL JOIN HANDS AND SING KUMBAYA,
WE'RE VOTING ON A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WHICH IS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 20 22, 24, AND 32, 20, 22, 24, AND 32.
SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
MS. COLEMAN, CAN I VOTE PLEASE? WOULD YOU, MS. COLEMAN? AYE.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS 33 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 20 22, 32, AND 33.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 20 22, 32 AND 33.
I REMOVE MY SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER.
DUNN REMOVES HIS SECOND FROM THE ORIGINAL ITEM.
THE MOTION IS IN NEED OF A SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO TO INTRODUCE AND RE AND, AND, AND EXCLUDE 20 22, 32 AND 33.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO.
WE ARE VOTING FOR THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
MACHINES ARE OPEN NATION ORIGINAL MOTION FAILED.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 20 22, 32 AND 33.
COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL MOTION TELLS COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE STAFF, WHICH ARE 20 AND 22 AND 32 AND 32.
THAT'S MY MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF ITEMS? 20.
YOU MEAN ALL INTRODUCTIONS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEMS 2022 AND 32, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2022 AND 32.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU GO TO YOUR NEXT SHEET
[CONDEMNATIONS (Part 1 of 2)]
FOR CONDEMNATIONS? ALRIGHT, THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63 AND 64.ITEM 60 AND DELETE ITEMS 42 AND 44.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS? ANYBODY? WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? COUNCIL MEMBERS? I GOT ONE HERE.
ANY COUNCIL MEMBER? I'M GONNA READ.
[00:15:04]
THE GENTLEMAN, IF YOU WOULD COME BACK.I'M COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON? YEAH, RIGHT UP.
GIVE ME, UH, GIVE ME YOUR NA NAME AND ADDRESS.
WHAT, WHAT ITEM NUMBER WERE YOU? UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I I I, I DON'T HAVE MY ITEM NUMBER ON ME.
UH, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 32 YEARS AND NOBODY'S EVER PAID ME THIS MUCH ATTENTION.
ALRIGHT, I WANNA GET 90 DAYS ON THAT ONE.
WHAT ITEM IS IT? AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE I GOT THAT LETTER.
ALMOST 61, LIKE THERE, BUT IT'S 90.
ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 62, AND 63.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 42, 44 AND 56.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WITH A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'D LIKE TO, UH, DEFER 63 FOR 30 DAYS.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, LET'S PAY ATTENTION NOW.
43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 4, 9, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, AND 62.
DELETE ITEMS. 42, 44 AND 56 IS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATION? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MINNO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOROCCO.
ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE NOW MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW ITEMS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AS SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEM 1 21, RECEIVING A SECOND QUARTER REPORT FROM SAFE HOPE AND A HEALTHY COMMUNITY SERVICE BY PUBLIC SAFETY, BY COUNCIL MEMBER LAURIE ADAMS. AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN.
ADMINISTRATIVE, I'M GONNA TAKE IT NEXT, BUT I'LL TAKE IT EARLY.
WE ON, WE'RE ON ITEM 1 21, RECEIVING A SECOND QUARTER REPORT.
WHO'S GIVING A REPORT? WHO'S GIVING A REPORT? IF THEY IN THE HALLWAY, YOU'RE WATCHING THE TELEVISION.
COME ON OUT OF TIME OUT INTO THIS CHAMBER.
I NEED EVERYBODY TO PAY ATTENTION TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT EVERYBODY TO PAY ATTENTION.
OKAY, I'M GONNA TAKE IT LAST BECAUSE I WAS ASKED TO TAKE IT FIRST.
I WAS CALLED AND ASKED TO TAKE IT FIRST.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA DEFER THAT ITEM TO LATE IN THE MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM ONE 20,
[120. 23-00995]
RECEIVING A PRESENTATION FROM THE YOUTH COALITION BY COUNCILWOMAN LAURA ADAMS, COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN TO GET THAT TO ROWDY OR GIVE IT TO US ALL.GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY AND ALSO FOR THE TIME THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE TAKEN TO LEARN ABOUT THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION.
MY NAME IS LUCAS SPIELFOGEL AND FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION, OR WHAT I'LL REFER TO HE FORTH AS BRICK, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S HELPING UNDERSERVED STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY EXCEL IN HIGH SCHOOL, NOT ONLY ENTER INTO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, BUT
[00:20:01]
ALSO CONVERT THEIR POST-SECONDARY DEGREES INTO JOBS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE SLIDESHOW THAT I'LL MOVE THROUGH.
SO I'LL JUST SAY SLIDE WHEN I'M MOVING TO THE NEXT ONE.
I ALSO WANT TO CALL OUT THAT ALMOST ON EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF THIS SLIDE SHOW, YOU'LL SEE THE FACE OF A BRICK ALUM WHO REPRESENTS A CAREER SUCCESS STORY, A STUDENT WHO'S BEEN WITH US SINCE HIGH SCHOOL AND WHO HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS IN THE PROFESSIONAL FIELD.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE HERE, BRANDON VINCENT, WHO RECENTLY FINISHED HIS WORK WITH SAFE, SAFE, HOPEFUL HEALTHY BR, AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING HIS MASTER'S OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT MOREHOUSE.
THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS HAS NOT ONLY BEEN HELPING STUDENTS TO ENTER AND EXCEL IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, BUT ALSO TO CONVERT THEIR DEGREES INTO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I'M SIMPLY HERE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT BRICK IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUE PRODUCING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS IT RELATES TO CHURNING OUT, UM, ACTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE WORKING IN JOBS IN EVERY IMAGINABLE SECTOR.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO APPEAL TO YOU THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER MAKING A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION SO THAT WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR IMPACT AS IT RELATES TO CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AS IT RELATES TO POST-SECONDARY ATTAINMENT IN OUR STATE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE SLIDE HERE, ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BACHELOR'S OR ASSOCIATE DEGREES.
AND IF WE WERE TO ISOLATE THAT POPULATION JUST DOWN TO THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS MOST FINANCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, THEN THAT POPULATION IS OF COURSE GOING TO SHRINK.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT BY 20 27, 60 5% OF JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY AND 56% OF JOBS IN THIS STATE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME HIGHER EDUCATION.
AND WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY MEETING THAT MARK.
WHAT THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF REGENTS HAS DEMANDED US TO DO IS INCREASE THAT LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT IN DEGREES AND CREDENTIALS BY 12 PERCENTAGE POINTS OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTE INCREASE OF 45,000 PEOPLE.
IT'S A DAUNTING TASK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS EFFORT, WE'LL SEE UP TO $3.4 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUES, $535 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL SALES TAXES FOR OUR CITY, 1.26 BILLION IN MEDICAID SAVINGS AND SO MANY OTHER FORMS OF FINANCIAL BENEFIT FROM EDUCATION.
THE THING THAT I CAN TELL YOU HAVING DONE THIS WORK FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS IS THAT THERE SIMPLY ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO HELPING THE STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST UNDERSERVED TO ACTUALLY SUCCEED LONG-TERM.
IT'S ONE THING TO GET STUDENTS INTO A DEGREE PROGRAM, IT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING TO GET THEM OUT OF THAT DEGREE PROGRAM AND INTO A CAREER WHERE THEY CAN BE FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT AND POTENTIALLY CHANGE THE PROSPECTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AND SO WHAT I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU IS THAT WE NEED A REALLY ROBUST, DEEP, AND ENDURING INTERVENTION, AND THAT'S WHAT THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION HAS BEEN FOR 15 YEARS.
AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE COULD AMPLIFY THAT EFFORT.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE I'M NOT HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE FULL SCOPE OF THE WORK THAT BRICK DOES.
WE START WITH STUDENTS IN EIGHTH GRADE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SNAPSHOT, WE WRAP AROUND SUPPORT SERVICES ALL THE WAY THROUGH POST-SECONDARY AND INTO THEIR CAREERS.
I'M SIMPLY SHOWING YOU THE SLIDE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT FOUR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS, THEY NEED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN PERSIST AND BE SUCCESSFUL FINANCIALLY.
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
YOU'LL SEE HERE AN EXAMPLE OF A, A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED KAISHA BRUMFIELD.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THE TIMELINE, SHE'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION FORMALLY FOR 12 YEARS.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY AN ALUMNI SUCCESS STORY.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF BRICK BEING DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH A STUDENT FOR 12 YEARS AND COUNTING.
SHE JOINED US AS A SOPHOMORE FROM SCOTLANDVILLE, STARTED L S U IN 2013, BUT IN 2015 HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL FOR MANY OF THE SAME REASONS THAT NINE OUT OF 10 LOW INCOME STUDENTS DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES, AND IN HER CASE, STRUGGLING TO BALANCE TAKING CARE OF HER YOUNG SON WITH SCHOOL IN 2017, BRICK HELPED HER TO RESUME COLLEGE.
AND IN 2019 TO JOIN OUR FULL-TIME, OR EXCUSE ME, JOIN OUR STAFF PART-TIME WHERE SHE COULD EARN MONEY, WHERE SHE COULD HAVE FLEXIBLE HOURS AND WHERE SHE COULD CONTINUE HER EDUCATION, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO HER NOW WORKING FULL-TIME AT BRICK AS AN HR SPECIALIST.
AND SHE'S ON TRACK IN 2023 TO FINISH HER BACHELOR'S IN HR.
THIS IS ONE OF COUNTLESS DOZENS, I MEAN HUNDREDS OF EXAMPLES OF STUDENTS WITH WHOM WE'VE MADE THIS LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.
AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT THAT IS NECESSARY IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT SEEING LIFETIME TRAJECTORIES CHANGING WITH LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IS THIS ALL PRODUCING.
[00:25:01]
HERE YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN HER LIFE SINCE SEVENTH GRADE.SHE'S A BRICK ALUM AND SHE'S NOW WORKING FULL-TIME AT THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION'S RESULT UP TO POST-SECONDARY.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS THAT BRICK IS OUTPACING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE COLLEGE PERSISTENCE RATE BY A FACTOR OF FIVE AS IT RELATES TO FOUR YEAR COLLEGES AND A FACTOR OF SIX AS IT RELATES TO TWO AND FOUR YEAR COLLEGES.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST OUTPACING THE COMPOSITE A C T SCORES OF THE CITY, STATE, AND COUNTRY, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING NEARLY FOUR UP TO IN, IN SOME CASES FOUR POINTS OF GROWTH PER YEAR IN OUR STUDENTS, WHICH HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR WHATEVER POST-SECONDARY DEGREE PROGRAM THEY'RE DOING.
BUT THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IS, IS NOT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS BRICK IS ACHIEVING FROM A THROUGH POST-SECONDARY, BUT RATHER TO TALK ABOUT THE WAYS THAT WE'RE CONVERTING THESE SUCCESSES INTO CAREER SUCCESSES THAT ARE BECOMING ACTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS JUST A SELECTION OF A POLICE OFFICER, A DEEP SEA WELDER, A NEONATAL NURSE, AGAIN, A SMALL HANDFUL OF THE, OF THE WIND THAT WE'RE SEEING AS A RESULT OF THE SUPPORT THAT BRICK IS PROVIDING.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE FACE OF THE ONLY PERSON ON THE BRICK TEAM WHO IS DOING THIS WORK, AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH.
IT'S ONE SUPERHUMAN WOMAN WHO IF WE HAD THE NECESSARY FINANCIAL SUPPORT, WE COULD AMPLIFY HER EFFECTIVENESS AND HAVE SO MANY MORE SUCCESS STORIES IN TERMS OF STUDENTS BECOMING ACTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW THIS ONE PERSON HAS PUNCHED ABOVE HER WEIGHT CLASS THROUGH FIVE FORCE MULTIPLYING STRATEGIES.
SO NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE, SHE'S PROVIDING DIRECT INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT TO HELP STUDENTS PERSIST THROUGH THEIR DEGREE PROGRAMS, BUT SHE'S ALSO PARTNERING WITH B R C C L S U, UM, THE UL SYSTEM AND A BUNCH OF OTHER POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS FORMALLY SO THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO WRAP AROUND THE STUDENTS THAT WE SHARE.
BRICK IS ALSO LAUNCHING SOMETHING CALLED PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES.
WHAT THIS IS, IS AFFINITY GROUPS OF ALL OF OUR ALUMNI WHO ARE PART OF THE SAME, UM, PROFESSIONAL FIELD.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HEALTHCARE, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN EDUCATION LAW AND BEYOND.
WHY SHOULDN'T THOSE STUDENTS BE SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER? AND SO AGAIN, BRICK IS AMPLIFYING.
ITS RELATIVELY LIMITED MANPOWER BY MAKING SURE THAT, UM, OUR ALUMNI ARE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT A, A FUTURE MED SCHOOL STUDENT SHOULDN'T BE REACHING BACK AND SUPPORTING A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO'S ASPIRING TO THE SAME THING.
THIS PERSON, CATHERINE MOANA, WAS ALSO PROVIDING DIRECT FIN, UH, EXCUSE ME, DIRECT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUPPORT TO OUR ALUMNI IN THE FORM OF EVERYTHING FROM RESUME WRITING TO COVER LETTER WRITING TO SALARY NEGOTIATION AND BEYOND.
THESE ARE PRO, THESE ARE SERVICES THAT YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING AT THEIR POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, BUT THERE'S A FAMILIARITY AND A TRUST, A RELATIONSHIP EQUITY THAT THAT IS COMPELLING THEM TO REACH BACK OUT TO BRICK ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE HAVING TREMENDOUS SUCCESS ACTUALLY PLACING OUR STUDENTS IN JOBS IN EVERY IMAGINABLE SECTOR.
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT TO CONVERT INTO, UH, VALUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT, OUR ALUMNI POPULATION IS BALLOONING STARTING THIS YEAR IN SIX WITH 670 AND THEN MORE THAN A THOUSAND IN THREE YEARS.
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW POWERFUL IT WOULD BE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF WORKING ON THIS.
WRAPPING UP HERE, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AGAIN, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS FOR FOLKS TO CONSIDER A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO QUADRUPLE THE SIZE OF OUR PERSISTENCE TEAM AND OUR CAREER SERVICES TEAM, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE MODEL IN PLACE AND ALL WE NEED IS THE SUPPORT TO AMPLIFY IT.
THIS WOULD FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES, WHICH IS CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS DIRECT SUPPORT OF OUR ALUMNI IN THE FORM OF, UH, POST-SECONDARY PERSISTENCE AND ALSO DIRECT PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS.
IT'S ALSO AMPLIFYING OUR LIMITED CAPACITY THROUGH SYSTEMS BUILDING BY, AS I MENTIONED, THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO MAPPING CAREER PATHWAYS.
IF YOU'VE SPENT ANY TIME RECENTLY IN A HIGH SCHOOL HERE, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT STUDENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING NEXT.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET FROM A TO B TO C.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IF WE COULD COORDINATE AND MAP THEM SO THAT STUDENTS OF ALL ACADEMIC LEVELS UNDERSTOOD WHERE THEY WERE GOING, IT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND THEN FINALLY, BRICK COULD BE PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER AND OTHERS WHO HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL AS IT RELATES TO THE STUDENT'S GROUND LEVEL EXPERIENCE.
AND WE HAVE THAT, WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS IN THE TRENCHES UNDERSTANDING WHAT THESE STUDENTS NEED.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TO, TO CLOSE OUT, I THINK THESE TWO SUCCESS STORIES ARE TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL.
THESE ARE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH BRICK SINCE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, AND I PICKED THEM OUT BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, IT IS THE RESULT OF BRICK'S DIRECT FACILITATION AND CONNECTIONS
[00:30:01]
THAT THEY HAVE, THE JOBS THAT THEY DO, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T EARN THEM, BUT WE ALL KNOW IT SOMETIMES COMES DOWN TO WHO, YOU KNOW, OUR RELATIONSHIP INTRODUCTIONS LED AIDEN WILLIAMS TO BECOME A NICU NURSE AT O L O L AND KARI STEVENS TO BECOME A CONSULTANT AT TWO LANES INFINITE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTING PROGRAM.SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE ARE TWO FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS WORKING FULL-TIME WITH BABIES, WORKING FULL-TIME WITH OUR NEXT GENERATION.
AND I THINK IF YOU COULD ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY MORE SUCCESS STORIES WE COULD HAVE WITH YOUR INVESTMENT, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THE FOLKS MAY HAVE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A REPORT? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A REPORT? COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
HEY, I WANT TO, UH, COMMEND YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
UH, WE HAD THE, THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE BRICK HEADQUARTERS A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND WE WERE FLOORED BY THE DATA THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, BY THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT YOU HAVE AND BY THE IMPACT THAT YOU'RE MAKING ON THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE.
AND JUST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALL THE TIME, I ASKED FOR NUMBERS AND THINGS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY REASONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WISELY SPENDING CITY PARISH DOLLARS.
AND WHAT YOU SHOWED US IN THAT PRESENTATION, UH, FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, UH, I WON'T SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE TYPE OF DATA THAT WE NEED THAT PROVES YOUR IMPACT, BUT ALSO PROVES HOW WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN OUR PARISH AND, AND, AND SERVICES LIKE YOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE KIDS HAVE THE, THE RIGHT GUIDANCE TO TURN INTO YOUNG ADULTS AND THEN HAVE THE STILL YOUNG ADULT GUIDANCE AS THEY, UM, MATRICULATE THROUGH THE EARLY YEARS OF THEIR CAREER PATH.
SO THIS JUST A PAT ON THE BACK AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
COUNCILMAN ADAMS. LUCAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND, AND FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
UM, HAVING WORKED IN IN EDUCATION FOR, FOR 17 YEARS AND WORKED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, I I I COULD REALLY SEE HOW EVERY EVERY YOUNG ADULT IN OUR, IN OUR CITY COULD BENEFIT FOR THIS.
AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT THE, THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT THE MOST ARE RECEIVING IT.
UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED THE TERM RELATIONSHIP EQUITY.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU DIG IN ON THAT AND EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH DOZENS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, AND SOMETIMES I THINK WE LAMENT THAT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE AS WE WANT THEM TO BE.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT COMES DOWN TO TRUST AND THE FACT THAT BRICK IS INVOLVED WITH OUR STUDENTS FROM THE TIME AS EARLY AS EIGHTH GRADE, THAT COULD BE MORE THAN 10 YEARS, IT COULD BE UP TO 12 YEARS.
IT'S THE TRUST THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS THEM TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN INFLUENCE THEM, WHERE WE CAN SUPPORT THEM.
SO WE CAN COME UP WITH THE BEST INFOR UH, INTERVENTIONS IN THE WORLD.
WE CAN HAVE THE BEST TECHNOLOGY, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S ABOUT ARE THE STUDENTS GOING TO UTILIZE AND ACCESS THE RESOURCES THAT WE SPEND MONEY ON? AND IT ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO TRUST THAT'S GOING TO MOVE THEM TO ACCESS THEM.
SO IT COMES DOWN TO A REALLY BRICK IS GOING TO HAVE A REALLY HIGH YIELD, A REALLY HIGH RATE OF SUCCESS BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT THE TIME BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP EQUITY KIND OF LIKE YOU BUILD EQUITY IN YOUR HOUSE BY PAYING YOUR MORTGAGE COUNT.
UM, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH BRICK.
UM, MY, MY, UH, NIECE SHALANDA, I MEAN FALLON HOLLANDS WAS, UH, IN BRICK, UH, GOD, HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE SHE'S GRADUATED.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WITHOUT HAVING, OTHER THAN HER FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE, THE FACT THAT WE NEVER HAD TO ASK HER TO GO AND IT WAS AFTER SCHOOL OR WEEKENDS, AND I BELIEVE, UH, IT WAS ONLY THROUGH BRICK THAT SHE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A, UM, COLLEGE VISIT.
UM, AS YOU INDICATED, A LOT OF THESE BEING I WORK IN HIGH SCHOOLS, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL OFFERED WERE, UM, QUITE FRANKLY THINGS THAT MYSELF AND OTHERS PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS JUST DON'T GET TO DO.
UM, MOSTLY PAPERWORK ORIENTED.
SO I KNOW FOR SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT A BENEFIT, AND FALLON IS STILL IN COLLEGE AND I THINK SHE'S A MANAGER SOMEWHERE.
BUT, UM, KAISHA IS ANOTHER STUDENT, UM, THAT I HAD AT, UM, CRESTWOOD MIDDLE
AND, UM, I THINK SHE FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SHE FOUND THAT, UM, AND IT, IT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES SUCCESS ISN'T WHETHER YOU ARE A GOOD KID OR A BAD KID, IT'S ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO YOU.
[00:35:01]
I, I MEAN, I KNOW KEISHA'S PERSONALITY AND SO I, UH, DO THANK YOU.UM, THIS IS LITERALLY THE KIND OF, UH, PROGRAM THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON A COUNCIL, I HAVE WISHED WE WOULD BE DOING.
UM, IT WORKS LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, HER SAID DATA, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE COMING HERE WITH PICTURES OF INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS STORIES.
YOU'RE COMING IN WHERE YOU ARE GIVING A TIMELINE FROM ENTRANCE TO WHERE THEY ARE.
YOU'RE NOT SAYING WE HAD 20 MEETINGS AND WE HAVE 50 YOUTH COME.
SO THOSE, THAT'S WHAT WE GOTTA GET OUT OF DOING BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING.
SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, VERY SPECIFIC AND DIRECT SERVICE, UH, PRESENTATION TO US BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, EACH DOLLAR SHOULD REPRESENT A CHILD.
AND SO I, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHY YOU'RE HERE.
UM, I GUESS EVENTUALLY IT IS ABOUT MONEY, BUT LITERALLY, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE GETTING, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SERVE OUR YOUTH.
AND IT IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP, IT IS ABOUT TRUST, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT OUR KIDS IN A LOT OF INCIDENTS NEVER EXPERIENCED UNTIL THEY MEET SOMEONE LIKE YOU IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, ARE YOU WORKING WITH ANY CITY PARISH ENTITIES RIGHT NOW? YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF UNDERSTANDING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WITH CITY PARISH OR INVOLVED WITH ENTITIES THAT WORK WITH CITY PARISH? NO, NONE RIGHT NOW.
AND Y'ALL ARE STILL SUCCEEDING LIKE YOU ARE, I TELL YOU, UM, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND, AND GETTING THE CHANCE TO COME BY AND SIT AND TALK WITH YOU, UH, AND I THINK IT'S ONE THING THAT A, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HIT ON HERE TONIGHT IS THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SHOWING THE SUCCESS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHOWING THE DATA, THE NUMBERS, THAT EVERYTHING, AND I, I THINK I EVEN TOLD YOU IN THAT MEETING, IT'S TO SEE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT, THAT NOT ONLY YOU TALKED ABOUT, BUT HAVE SHOWN AND PROVEN IN INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT IS, UH, ABOUT WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE AND HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND, AND BEEN WITH AND STAYED WITH AND HAVE, HAVE MADE THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA OR EAST BAT ROU PARISH.
AND SO IN KEEPING WITH EVERYTHING I'VE DONE SO FAR, I WANT TO BE VERY DIRECT AND, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH YOU.
ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR DATA IS IN THE PROFESSIONAL REALM.
AND THAT'S PRECISELY WHY I'M HERE.
SO WE HAVE, WE RIGOROUSLY TRACK EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
WE RIGOROUSLY TRACK, UH, POST-SECONDARY COMPLETION, BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WHO ARE, WHO MAY BE IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AN ALUMNI ORGANIZATION, IT TENDS TO GET REALLY HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THEY ALL GO.
SO WHAT I CAN CONFIDENTLY TELL YOU IS IT'S AN APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS.
WELL, WELL, WHAT I WILL SAY IS, WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT MORE THAN 80% OF OUR STUDENTS STAY IN STATE FOR COLLEGE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT STARTING POINT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD TO THEN CONVERT INTO EMPLOYEES.
NOW, I DON'T WANNA LIE TO YOU AND TELL YOU I KNOW WHERE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IS PROFESSIONALLY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'LL SWITCH AND NOT TELL ME, YOU KNOW? BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE HAVE CONNECTION WITH ALL 670 OF OUR STUDENTS.
THAT'S HOW TIED IN WE ARE WITH OUR ALUMNI.
BUT, BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT JUST Y'ALL STAYING CONNECTED TO THEM, THEM BY MAKING A POINT OF IT.
THEY ACTUALLY STAY WITH Y'ALL.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY KNOW THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU'VE BUILT.
AND, AND THEY, THEY COME TO Y'ALL.
AND SO WHAT I, WHAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN, I KNOW THIS IS GETTING INTO THE OPERATIONAL WEEDS, BUT OUR, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ALL OF THIS SUCCESS.
AND I DON'T SAY THAT IN A, IN A BRAGGING WAY AT ALL.
I MEAN IT VERY FACTUALLY, WE'VE BEEN HAVING ALL OF THIS SUCCESS BY PULLING IT TOGETHER WITH OUR CURRENT STAFF, OUR STUDENTS.
RIGHT NOW, OUR 700 ALUMNI DON'T EVEN FORMALLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A CAREER SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF THEM TODAY, IT WAS FUNNY, I'M GOING OFF HERE, BUT I SAW A STUDENT MAKE A POST TODAY ABOUT HER PROFESSIONAL AMBIVALENCE.
AND I SAID TO HER, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE BUILDING AN ENTIRE TEAM AROUND CAREER SERVICES.
SO ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO PROPERLY DEVELOP AND BUILD THIS AND THEN MARKET IT TO OUR 700 AND ACCOUNTING ALUMNI, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA COME POURING IN FOR REQUEST FOR SUPPORT.
AND, AND THAT TAKES ME TO, TO THE NEXT PART IS IF, IF WE GET THE FUNDING FOR YOU AND, AND ITEMS THAT, THAT YOU'RE REQUESTED, WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE NEXT ABSOLUTELY STEPS AS FAR AS DIRECT RESPONSE TO WHAT WE DO AS A COUNCIL HERE TO HELP Y'ALL? THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS ARE TO HIRE THIS TEAM BY THE END OF OCTOBER.
SO THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE WORKS, AND WHEN Y'ALL CAME TO VISIT, I EXPLAINED THAT THIS IS NOT ME PRESENTING, ASKING FOR SOMETHING NEW.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO FOR FIVE YEARS, BUT IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY HARD, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, TO DO THIS
[00:40:01]
THROUGH FUNDRAISING ALONE.YOU COULD IMAGINE HOW MUCH MORE WE COULD BE DOING IF WE HAD AN INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY.
AND SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO HIRE THIS TEAM BY THE END OF OCTOBER, TRAIN THEM UP, AND THEN TO ROLL IT OUT FORMALLY TO OUR ALUMNI SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH THEY CAN GET OUR SUPPORT.
RIGHT NOW IT'S HAPPENING PURELY ON RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THAT SPEAKS TO THE TRUST, RIGHT? SO IT'S HAPPENING ON, HEY, MR. LUCAS, CAN YOU LOOK AT THIS COVER LETTER? HEY, MR. JOSH, HOW DO I NEGOTIATE THIS SALARY? IT'S THAT LEVEL OF TRUST.
WE WANT TO SYSTEMATIZE THAT, RIGHT? AND THEN SCALE IT.
AND SO THAT'S THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP.
I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT WORK.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S THE FACT OF PROVEN RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR EAST PAT ROU PARISH IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
UH, YES, THANKS LUKE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND JUST TELLING IT LIKE IT IS AND LIKE IT'S NOT.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AND THE MEASURABLE RESULTS THERE THAT YOU'RE SHOWING.
AND THIS IS THE EPITOME OF WHAT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS AND ALL AROUND OUGHT TO BE RECEIVING WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND ACADEMIC AND ALL THE GOOD STUFF.
SO I WANT TO SAY THAT, TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE THERE, WE TALKED ABOUT MASTERY PREP.
TALK TO ME ABOUT MASTERY PREP AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, MASTERY PREP IS A, A LOCALLY FOUNDED AND OWNED TEST PREP COMPANY, UM, THAT WAS ACTUALLY RECENTLY ACQUIRED BY A NEW YORK BASED VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM.
SO THEY HAVE A PRESENCE NATIONALLY.
AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE AFFILIATED WITH THEM IS BECAUSE I'M THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK CALLED THE COLLEGE PLAYBOOK, WHICH IS A COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID ADMISSIONS GUIDE THAT HAS BEEN SOLD 120,000 TIMES.
AND, UH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MASTERY PREP IS BOTH PARTLY THAT PARTLY SORT OF A REVENUE BASED PARTNERSHIP WHERE THEY SELL THE BOOKS, WE GET A, WE BRICK GETS SOME REVENUE, BUT ALSO WE SERVE AS A SORT OF A, A LABORATORY IN WHICH THEY TEST THEIR PRODUCTS WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND THE RESULT OF THAT IS THAT BRICK RECEIVES BASICALLY ALL FREE A C T RESOURCES.
HOW ARE Y'ALL FUNDED NOW? RIGHT NOW WE ARE ENTIRELY PRIVATELY FUNDED, ENTIRELY FUNDED THROUGH PHILANTHROPY.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THAT WE JUST RECENTLY WERE INCLUDED IN EBRS BUDGET.
BUT UM, IT GOES TO SAY, YOU MEAN E B R'S SCHOOL SYSTEM? E B R SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET.
BUT THAT IS STRICTLY TO COVER OUR K 12 PROGRAMMING.
WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT ONLY THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN STUDENTS ARE SEEKING POST-SECONDARY AND CAREERS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 1 22
[122. 23-00926]
VERY QUICKLY AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL, ATTENTION TO A THREE YEAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE FOR BOOKING SERVICES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED PERFORMANCES EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR EAST RIDGE PARISH LIBRARY, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORTING IN THE MOUNT C $1,050,000 OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD BY LIBRARY DIRECTOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THE ITEM OF EMERGENCY? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS IN DECLARING THE ITEM IN EMERGENCY? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? AND I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE MOTION? SO MOVE YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COME ON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK EMPHATICALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM BECAUSE, UH, JUST VISITING THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD ON LAST WEEK, WE HAVE A LARGE DEFICIENCY RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO ART AND, UH, AND THE ARTS AND PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK MAKING A MOVE LIKE THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE KIDS THAT ARE NOT STELLAR ATHLETES THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE ARTS, ART HAS A SENSE, HAS A TENDENCY TO, UM, APPRECIATE OVER TIME, AND IT'S A VERY LUCRATIVE INDUSTRY.
AND THEN BY GIVING KIDS THAT OPPORTUNITY, THAT'LL BE A GREAT THING.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THIS MOVE.
UH, WE AT HELIX I M D, UH, I WORK AT HELIX DOING EXTERNAL RELATIONS WITH THEM, AND WE'RE REALLY BIG ON PUSHING OUR ART PROGRAM AHEAD.
AND THE ART COUNCIL HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER WITH US, SO I THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD DEAL.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK TONIGHT? COME ON DOWN.
I'M THE PRESIDENT, C E O OF THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THE POINT THAT, UM, THIS CONTRACT ALSO AFFORDS MANY, MANY JOBS FOR ARTISTS WHO WORK IN OUR AREA WHO ARE HIRED FOR THESE LIBRARY PROGRAMS. SO THIS CONTRACT FUNDS AN AN ECONOMY BEYOND ALL THE GIFTS THAT THE ARTS GIVES AND EDUCATION, AND THEN RESOURCES TO THE LIBRARY, WHICH IS SO ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TO OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO CREATES AN ECONOMIC STREAM FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO THRIVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
[00:45:02]
THANK YOU.ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MOTION TO APPROVED BY COUNCILMAN GODDE, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 22 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[65. 23-00927]
CONSIDERATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM, APPLICATION OF INTERNAL MEASURE TECHNOLOGIES BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 65 NOW WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY, COUNCIL MEMBER GOEY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE GONNA TAKE AN EMERGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ITEM A 2 3 0 1 0 89
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER ITEMS]
INTRODUCTION OF THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROU FIRE DEPARTMENT UNION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HURST.REASON FOR EMERGENCY TO ALLOW THE ITEM TO BE HEARD TODAY.
IS THERE A MOTION? WEIGH THE RULES.
SECOND, MOVE TO SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST AND ROCKER.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTIONAL WA THE RULES? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION ON THE MOTIONAL WA THE RULES? IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, IS THE GENTLEMAN HERE? COME ON DOWN AND SPEAK ON THE ITEM IS YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO PRESENT TO REPRESENT MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT IS AN HONOR OF A LIFETIME TO BE ELECTED BY YOUR PEERS TO REPRESENT SOMETHING THAT YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT.
I'VE BEEN A FIREFIGHTER FOR THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR 11 YEARS, AND I'M CURRENTLY STATIONED RIGHT HERE ON GOVERNMENT STREET.
I'M ALSO A TEAM LEADER FOR OUR STATE USAR PROGRAM AND AN INSTRUCTOR AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP.
I'VE LIVED IN BATON ROUGE MY WHOLE LIFE, WENT TO CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW I'M RAISING MY FAMILY IN THIS GREAT CITY, ACTUALLY IN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS DISTRICT.
SO, AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M BOUGHT INTO THIS PROFESSION.
I RAN FOR THIS POSITION AND WAS ELECTED OUR ASSOCIATION'S PRESIDENT BECAUSE I KNOW HOW SPECIAL OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS.
OUR ASSOCIATION'S PURPOSE IS TO KEEP OUR PROFESSION GREAT AND FIGHT FOR OUR MEMBERS, PAY BENEFITS, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS FOR OUR CITY AND FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, AND WE THANK YOU.
THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IS LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH GREAT FIREFIGHTERS DEDICATED TO RISKING THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR PROPERTY EVERY DAY.
NOW IT'S MY JOB TO HELP PROTECT THEM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND HELPING OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT STAY GREAT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 66,
[66. 23-00952]
WAIVING THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE NINE, CHAPTER 18, SECTION 1 0 0 6 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.SO EXCESS 10 HOURS OF OPERATION, THE CLASS SAY IN OUR LICENSE HOLDINGS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, ACCEPTING THE THE CITY OF ZACHARY BACON CENTER TO TWO HOURS FROM 12:00 AM TO 2:00 AM ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2023 BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
UH, REAL QUICK, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT, AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 66.
SO ON THIS PARTICULAR DATE, THERE IS A HOME FOOTBALL GAME AND, UM, IT IS A THREE DAY WEEKEND, SO WE'RE JUST SIMPLY EXTENDING THE HOURS, UM, FOR THAT, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THAT GAME.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN ROCK.
A SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[67. 23-00919]
A RESOLUTION APPRO AND THE ISSUANCE TO SALE DELIVERY OF NOT TO EXCEED 15 MILLION REVENUE ANTICIPATION.GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER TWO IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO BY ST.
GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[68. 23-00422]
68 FIXING AND ESTABLISHING THE ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT FOR THE TERM COMMENCING JANUARY 1ST, 2025 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 4.02 OF THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 68? COME ON DOWN, SIR.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JARED MARTIS.
UM, JUST LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR LISTENING TO MY COMMENTS.
SO I'D JUST CURIOUS, UH, ABOUT THE
[00:50:01]
INCREASE FOR 2025.UH, WE'RE NOT SURE WHO WILL HOLD THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRESIDENT IN 2025, UM, 'CAUSE THAT ELECTION HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE YET.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF THIS, UM, IS A PERFORMANCE SPACE INCREASE OR IF THIS DUE TO INFLATION? UH, THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY COMMENT.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? UH, YAL.
UH, I, I DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, UH, BUT SINCE I HAVEN'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT THE LATEST MOTION IS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M SUPPORTING.
UH, I SUPPORT AND A PAY UPGRADE, UH, BOTH FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND THE OFFICE OF CONSTABLE.
I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS WHO THE HOLDER OF OR THE HOLDERS OF THOSE OFFICES ARE.
IT MATTERS WHAT THOSE OFFICES ARE, UH, AND WHAT THEIR PAY SHOULD BE COMPARED TO OTHER HOLDERS OF SIMILAR OFFICES IN OTHER CITIES THAT ARE NOT AS BIG OR AS COMPLICATED AS BATON ROUGE.
OR IN THE CASE OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, THE ENTIRE CITY PARISH.
UM, IF THERE IS A MOTION AND DEBATE ON THE, ON THE MOTION EITHER, UH, ON 68 OR 69, UH, I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLY TO RETURN AND SPEAK TO THAT.
UH, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, I LIVE IN SHERWOOD FOREST.
I HAVE THE HONOR TO BE REPRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH AND I WORK FOR THE MANASA GALE LAW FIRM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS IN COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS DISTRICT.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HAVE A MOTION, BUT BEFORE I MAKE MY MOTION, ASHLEY, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO THOSE IN THE CHAMBER AND THOSE IN THE PUBLIC WATCHING, UM, THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST OF ANY OFFICE HOLDER, BUT THIS IS JUST A PART OF THE, UH, CHARTER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO EVALUATE THIS? YES.
UH, SO THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT THE RATE OF PAY AND SALARY FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT BE SET, UM, IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO WHEN THE PERSON IS GONNA TAKE OFFICE.
SO THIS, UM, SALARY SETTING MUST TAKE PLACE AT SOME POINT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE CONSTABLE.
THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT BE DONE.
AND I, MY MY HUNCH IS THAT IT WAS DONE IN ORDER TO REMOVE IT FROM THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
IT IS NOT RELATED TO WHO HOLDS THE OFFICE IS, IT IS RELATED TO THE, UH, JOB DUTIES OF THE OFFICE.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE MAYOR'S ANNUAL SALARY AT 1 95, SECONDED BY JEN ROCKHAM.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ARE ANY OBJECTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON? COUNCILMAN GODA, YOU WANT TO NO, GO AHEAD.
UH, I, I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH AN INCREASE.
UM, I I JUST FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE SOME DATA IN HAND BEFORE WE SET WHAT THAT INCREASE IS.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE DONE A REAL STUDY.
I, I CERTAINLY THINK, I SUSPECT THERE, LIKE I SAID, THERE IS ENOUGH DATA OUT THERE TO SUGGEST THAT WE DO AN INCREASE.
UM, MY QUESTION, I GUESS WOULD BE TO ASHLEY IS, UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PUT TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF REPORT FOR US, LETTING US KNOW WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING ON BOTH OF THESE POSITIONS? UM, AND KIND OF WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE? I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
UM, I CAN, UH, DO A SURVEY OF OTHER CITIES IN LOUISIANA OR SIMILARLY SIZED CITIES IN THE SOUTH AND, UM, REPORT BACK IF THAT'S Y'ALL'S REQUEST.
AND SAME FOR THE CONSTABLE AS WELL.
UM, I, I, MY QUESTION IS, I GUESS TO MY COLLEAGUES, HOW DID WE ARRIVE OR HOW DID, HOW WAS THE RECOMMENDATION MADE TO THE 1 95 K? THANK YOU.
I WAS GONNA ACTUALLY ADDRESS, UH, DWIGHT'S QUESTION.
A CONCERN ABOUT EVALUATING OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, JUST SIMPLY DID THAT AN EVALUATION OF WHAT OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE PAYING, UH, OF EQUAL SIZE OF RESPONSIBILITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE NEW ORLEANS MAYOR IS BEING PAID IS 180 4.
IF YOU LOOK AT BIRMINGHAM IS 1 0 7.
YOU LOOK AT ATLANTA IS 2 0 2, UM, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
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OF BATON ROUGE IS THE BIGGEST PARISH IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.AND I THINK THAT'S COMPARABLE TO BE AT 1 95.
THAT'S HOW I ARRIVED AT THAT NUMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, THE SALARY OF 1 75 HAS BEEN SET FOR, THE POSITION HAS BEEN SET FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS NOW.
UM, THERE'S NO INCREMENTAL INCREASE OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S, IT'S UP TO US TO DECIDE TO DO THIS.
AND I MEAN, IN DOING THE NUMBERS WE'RE, WE'RE THAT THE 1 95, ACTUALLY, IF YOU DID FOUR YEARS AT 4% FROM 1 75, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 1 96, 8 51 A YEAR.
AND THAT'S JUST A FIVE, A 4% INCREASE FOR FOUR YEARS.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE WHOLE EIGHT YEARS.
UM, THE POSITION OF THE MAYOR ITSELF, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST TAKE THE PERSON OUT OF IT.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A $20,000 RAISE AFTER EIGHT YEARS.
AND THE EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON NOT ONLY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THROUGH COVID, THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, UM, ALL THE NEW REGULATIONS, ALL THE NEW STUFF, $20,000 AFTER EIGHT YEARS