[00:00:02]
ALRIGHT, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING LIVE COUNCIL, YOU'RE LIVE IN FIVE, NOW YOU'RE DOWN TO 3, 2, 1, AND TWO.
[CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR REGULAR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023 AT 3:30 PM FIRST UP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER ROWDY GODDE TO RECOGNIZE THE KIDS ORCHESTRA DRUM CIRCLE, MR. GODDE.
AND IF YOU JUST GETTING HERE, YOU MISSED OUT ON SOME GOOD FUNDS, SOME GOOD COMMUNITY BUILDING.
WE HAD SOME DRUMS SET UP IN A HALF CIRCLE, AND BECAUSE WE COUNCIL MEMBERS LACK RHYTHM ENTIRELY, WE HAD A NUMBER OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE GET UP AND PLAY THE DRUMS AND IT, IT PRODUCED A GOOD SOUND.
WHEREAS MY COLLEAGUES, RAA AND MO AND COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN WERE A LITTLE BIT LACK LACKING IN THAT SIDE.
THEIR MISSION IS TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVE, CONFIDENT, AND SOCIALLY ENGAGED STUDENTS THROUGH MUSIC EDUCATION.
ELLA AGAI, AM I SAYING I'M PUTTING THE EMPHASIS ON THE RIGHT ONE IS THEIR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF SITTING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR M IMPACT, UH, AND WAS SO IMPRESSED, UH, IN OUR MEETING REQUESTED THAT THEY COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION AND THEN GIVE US A LITTLE JOY IN OUR LIVES.
UH, THEY AGREED TO BRING SOME OF THEIR INSTRUMENTS.
AGAI TO COME UP AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WALK US THROUGH A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE KIDS' ORCHESTRA.
SIN ELLA AGASSI, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AT KIDS ORCHESTRA.
UH, ON BEHALF OF KIDS, ORCHESTRA STAFF AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND ESPECIALLY MR. ROWDY GUDE TIRELESSLY WORKED WITH US TO MAKE THIS SESSION HAPPEN.
UM, AS YOU HEARD, OUR, UH, AT KIDS ORCHESTRA, OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVE CONFIDENCE AND SOCIALLY ENGAGED STUDENTS THROUGH MUSIC EDUCATION.
UH, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS BASED ON EL STEMA PROGRAMS, WHICH, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM, THEY ARE A VERY NATIONALLY, UH, RECOGNIZED, UH, ORGANIZATION AND PHILOSOPHY THAT USE MUSIC, UH, AS A TOOL TO CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.
WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING TO CREATE BETTER SIT, UH, BETTER MUSICIANS OR BETTER PERFORMERS, BUT WE ARE USING MUSIC AS A TOOL, AS A VEHICLE TO, UH, CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE, TO TEACH STUDENTS SOME IMPORTANT SKILLS THAT WE AS PROFESSIONALS USE IT IN EVERYDAY LIFE.
UH, LIKE HOW TO, UH, BE A GOOD TEAM MEMBER, HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER, AND HOW TO DO PEER, PEER TO PEER TEACHING.
UH, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IN TOWN THAT IS, UH, WORKING TO TACKLE A SPECIFIC ISSUES FOR THE BETTERMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN BATON ROUGE, TWO AREAS THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UH, BEING OUR MAIN CALLS.
ONE IS THE LACK OF QUALITY AFTERSCHOOL EDUCATION IN LOUISIANA.
ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE MOST RECENT STUDIES DONE BY LOUISIANA AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE, IT SHOWS THAT FOR EVERY ONE STUDENT WHO IS ENROLLED IN AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, FOUR IS WAIT FOR OUR WAITING ON A WAITING LIST.
WE ARE MAINLY WORKING WITH LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH ALICE POPULATION WHO CANNOT AFFORD SUCH PROGRAMS IF IT'S NOT PROVIDED TO THEM FREE OF CHARGE AT A LOCATION THAT DOES NOT ADD TO THEIR TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS, SUCH AS A COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
UH, THE SECOND ISSUE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING IS LACK OF CREATIVE OUTLETS, LACK OF MUSIC, EDUCATION, ARTS EDUCATION IN GENERAL TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THESE ISSUES TOGETHER.
IT'S WHERE KIDS ORCHESTRA, UH, COMES TO LIFE.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL YEAR FOR US.
WE ARE PLANNING TO SERVE OVER 600 STUDENTS.
WE WILL, UH, WE ALWAYS OFFER 10 DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS.
AND WE IDENTIFIED THAT ONE OF THE BARRIERS FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES IS TO AFFORD THOSE INSTRUMENTS, WHETHER IT'S PURCHASING OR RENTING.
SO TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WE PROVIDE INSTRUMENTS FREE OF CHARGE FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO IS ENROLLED.
UH, WE EMPLOY OVER 40 TEACHING ARTISTS, AND THESE ARE TYPICALLY MASTERS AND DOCTORAL STUDENTS AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND L SS U.
AND NOT ONLY WE ARE PROVIDING THEM THOSE FREELANCERS WITH PART-TIME STEADY INCOME, BUT WE ARE, UH, USING SOME OF THE BEST TALENT AND PROVIDING THAT TO OUR STUDENTS.
UH, WE HAD 57 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS, UH, BATON ROUGE LAST YEAR.
AND NUMBER TWO, CELEBRATE BECAUSE WE WERE OUT THERE MAKING MUSIC AND PROVIDING MUSIC, UH, TO OUR SKILL, TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS YEAR, MORE THAN EVER, WE HAVE CLO
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WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IDENTIFYING EIGHT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO BE AT AS YOU ARE GATHERING.HOWEVER, OUR, UH, RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.
SO ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT SAY THAT WE HAVE SERVED ALL THE STUDENTS, BUT WE HAVE BEEN VERY STRATEGIC IN IDENTIFYING SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL BE, UM, SPREAD AROUND ACROSS THE PARISH AND EVERY STUDENT, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT, UH, ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL THAT KIDS ORCHESTRA SERVES AT, THEY WILL HAVE A SCHOOL THAT IT'S CLOSE AND IN A CLOSE PROXIMITY THAT THEY COULD, UH, EASILY ATTEND.
OUR, UM, OUR, UM, POPULATION IS QUITE, UH, DIVERSE AND WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL WITH ADDRESSING, UH, A LOT OF THE BARRIERS THAT ARE SYSTEMATICALLY PLACED FOR OUR MINORITY STUDENTS.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS IN THE FOREFRONT WHETHER WE ARE DOING CURRICULUM, DESIGNING CURRICULUM, OR WE ARE PRIORITIZING SCHOOLS THAT NEED THE SERVICES THE MOST.
WE OPERATE ON A SLIDING SCALE TUITION.
EVEN THOUGH FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT IS ENROLLED, IT COSTS US ABOUT $1,500.
BUT, UH, WE OPERATE ON A SLIDING SCALE TUITION.
AND 82% OF OUR POPULATION, THEY RECEIVE UP TO FULL SCHOLARSHIPS.
I SAID A LOT ABOUT MUSIC, BUT I ALSO WANNA STATE THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES HAS BECOME A VERY BIG PILLAR OF KIDS ORCHESTRA.
WE ALSO PROVIDE, UM, HEALTHY SNACKS AND HOMEWORK HELP AT A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS, UH, THAT WE SERVE AS, UH, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM.
AND, UH, THESE ARE THE, SOME OF OUR PARTNERING SCHOOLS.
AND I WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL TO AND HUMBLE TO GET TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND WE DO IT ONLY BY THE SUPPORTERS OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR FOUNDATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS WHO BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION AND ENABLE US TO GET TO DO THE WORK WE DO.
HOWEVER, WE ARE UNFORTUNATELY A STATE THAT ALWAYS COMPETES WITH MISSISSIPPI FOR THE 50TH PLACE AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION.
SO, UM, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS FOR EDUCATION WHEN IT COMES TO ARTS EDUCATION, THOSE CHALLENGES ARE MULTIPLIED.
WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE, UH, WE NEED YOUR HELP IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY, IN TERMS OF, UM, PRIORITIZING THIS WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING POLICY.
UH, TYPICALLY A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS EL STEM OR PROGRAMS AROUND THE UNITED STATES ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE, UM, EAST THROUGH THE, UH, SCHOOL SYSTEM OR THROUGH THE CITY AND, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT.
SO, UH, WE CANNOT STATE THAT HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO HAVE THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE WORK WITH YOU AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WE LOOK AHEAD FOR THE COMING YEARS FOR KIDS ORCHESTRA.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DENISE AMAROSA TO RECOGNIZE BLUE STAR MOMS INTRODUCTION OF THE SECOND YEAR BLUE STAR BANNER PROGRAM.
I, UM, I FIRST OF ALL WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW BLUE STAR MOTHER PRESIDENT, UH, DENISE SINGLETON.
THE BLUE STAR MOTHERS OF LOUISIANA CHAPTER ONE AND THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERANS AFFAIRS PRESENTS THE BATON ROUGE HOME TOWN HERO BANNER PROGRAM.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNIZE OUR LOCAL SERVICE MEMBERS, ACTIVE MILITARY AND VETERANS BY DISPLAYING THEIR BANNERS IN PROMINENT AREAS OF DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
THE BANNERS ARE EYE-CATCHING AND FURTHER SHOWCASE AND CELEBRATE OUR MILITARY MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THE BANNERS MEASURE APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET BY NINE FEET AND ARE AVAILABLE AS SINGLE SIDE, WHICH IS $85 OR DOUBLE SIDE, WHICH IS $150.
IT'LL DISPLAY THE NAME, THE RANK, THE BRANCH OF SERVICE, AND A PHOTO.
THE BANNERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH THE BLUE STAR MOTHERS CHAPTER ONE WEBSITE.
IF YOU WANNA REUSE A HOMETOWN HERO BANNER FROM 2022, PLEASE VISIT THE LINK FOR INSTRUCTIONS AND PRICING FOR RESUBMITTING.
YOUR DEADLINE FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS AND PURCHASES IS OCTOBER 8TH AT 11:59 PM SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR BANNERS ARE JUST ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW 'EM WHEN THEY WERE DISPLAYED DOWNTOWN LAST YEAR, VERY EYE CATCHING.
UM, BUT IT DOES BRING ATTENTION TO OUR MILITARY THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY WELL DESERVE.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PURCHASE A BANNER TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE IN.
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MISS OUT ON ANYONE.DENISE, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? SURE.
FIRST, WE'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL FOR PARTNERING WITH BLUE STAR MOMS. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, WE'RE MOTHERS OF ACTIVE MILITARY.
UM, OUR CHILDREN ARE SERVING EITHER STATESIDE OR ABROAD.
UM, THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST FOR ACTIVE DUTY.
HOWEVER, PLEASE DON'T FORGET YOUR VETERANS OF TIME'S GONE PAST, UH, THROUGH SURROUNDING CITY PROGRAMS. IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE SOME OF THE OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND THOSE THAT ARE OFTEN, UM, PASSED ON AT THIS TIME.
SO, UM, I WANNA JUST LET YOU KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BLUE STAR MOTHERS OF LOUISIANA CHAPTER ONE DOES HERE IN YOUR CITY.
UH, WE HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WHERE WE OFFER FIVE $1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ANYONE WHO IS ACTIVELY SERVED OR IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE MILITARY.
WE HOST OUR COMMUNITY SALUTES.
HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN AT THE OLD STATE CAPITOL, AND THAT IS FOR OUR SENIORS THAT ARE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL.
WE RECOGNIZE THEM SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, WE CAN CONNECT WITH THEIR MOMS. THAT'S, THAT'S ONE GOOD THING THAT WE DO, UH, OUT OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND WE SUPPORT OUR WAR VETERANS HOMES, UH, WITH OUR SOCKS OF LOVE.
AND WE ALSO, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR PLANT 11,000 FLAGS IN THE GARDENS OF THE STATE CAPITOL EVERY MEMORIAL DAY.
SO, UM, IF YOU'VE NOT HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE, PLEASE VISIT.
SO OUR PROJECTS ARE, ARE NUMEROUS.
WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS STARTED WITH IS, UH, A CHAPTER THAT IS, UH, EMBRACING MOMS WHEN THEIR CHILDREN HAVE LEFT HOME.
WE DON'T, UM, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THAT, THOSE EMOTIONS.
AND BATON ROUGE IS NOT A MILITARY CITY.
SO IF WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SITTING ON A BASE WHERE WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING BATON ROUGE JUST PLASTERED WITH VETERANS, UH, HOMETOWN HEROES.
UM, I DO WANNA BRING UP ONE MORE POINT THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS TOLD TO ME JUST NOW.
WE ARE GOING TO, IN OUR, ON OUR BANNERS, THEY WILL ALSO, UH, RECOGNIZE SINCE WE ARE NOW A PURPLE HEART CITY AND A PURPLE HEART PARISH, THOSE PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS WILL ALSO BE ACKNOWLEDGED ON OUR BANNERS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW ME, I NEVER GET UP HERE, DON'T CRY.
BUT I DO WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT, UM, IN SEPTEMBER WE RECOGNIZE, AND YOU'RE PROBABLY BETTER TO DO THIS THAN ME, OUR GOLD STAR FAMILIES.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GOLD STAR FAMILY IS, IT'S A GOLD, A GOLD STAR FAMILY AS A FAMILY WHO HAS LOST A LOVED ONE WHILE IN ACTIVE DUTY.
UM, WHAT IS IT? THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH IS GOLD STAR MOTHER, SEPTEMBER 24.
SO WE, WE ARE ALSO PARTNERING THIS YEAR WITH LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND THERE IS A, UH, CEREMONY HELD EVERY GOLD STAR MOTHER WEEKEND, WHICH IS GONNA BE FALL ON SEPTEMBER 24TH THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THERE'S A CEREMONY HELD AT THE GOLD STAR MONUMENT IN THE GARDENS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE STATE CAPITOL.
THERE ARE THREE, UH, BLUE STAR MOTHER CHAPTERS IN LOUISIANA.
WE'VE UNITED TOGETHER AND PARTNERED WITH LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND WE'RE GONNA HOST A PICNIC IN THE PARK AFTERWARDS SO THAT WE CAN SOCIALIZE WITH ONE ANOTHER, GET TO KNOW THESE GOLD STAR FAMILIES AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROMISE, A SOLEMN PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO EACH ONE OF THEM, THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND AND, UM, MR. LARRY WILLIAMS WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS THE KEY PERSON CONTACT FOR THAT EVENT.
CONGRATULATIONS LADIES, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER CA CAROLYN COLEMAN TO RECOGNIZE THE SOUTH BATON ROUGE RAMS 12 AND UNDER BASEBALL TEAM WINNING THE LOUISIANA YOUTH SPORTS NETWORK, 12 AND UNDER YOUTH BA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
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AND SO I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT'S DOING THE RIGHT THING.AND SO, WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT SOMETHING HERE.
AND SO THIS IS, AS MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, THE SOUTH BATON ROUGE RAMS, THAT'S IN DISTRICT 10, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BATON ROUGE.
AND SO I HAVE, AND ALSO JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT NO COACHES, NO PLAYERS, NO COACHES, NO PLAYERS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THE COACHES, JABBAR.
AND IF I MESS YOUR NAME UP, CORRECT ME A LOT OF TIME.
GREGORY MARSHALL, PRESTON ALEXANDER JANELLE WALLACE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TEAM MOM THAT BROUGHT THIS GROUP TO MY ATTENTION.
AND SO NOW THE MOMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR OUR FIRST SOUTH BATON ROUGE RAM IS DANIEL WATSON.
AND DANIEL IS 13 YEARS OLD TODAY.
ISN'T THAT SOMETHING? AND SO DANIEL, AND I'M GOING TO READ THE CERTIFICATE.
AND THIS IS WHAT'S ON EVERYBODY'S CERTIFICATE.
AND THAT IS CERTIFICATE OF CONGRATULATIONS IS HEREBY AWARDED TO DANIEL WATSON, SOUTH BATON ROUGE RAMS 12 YOUTH BASEBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2023 LOUISIANA YOUTH SPORTS NETWORK.
12 U YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DATED THIS 13TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.
AND YOU STAY UP HERE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE.
THEY JUST STAND RIGHT OVER THERE.
AND THEN COACHES, YOU ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO FALL IN.
AND Y'ALL CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT YEAH.
JORDAN MCCOY, CARLOS BROOKS JR.
YOU CAN PUT A WHOLE FIVE FINGERS ON THAT.
ALRIGHT, COURT, ARIA BANKS, NAIM SMITH, ERIC HILS, MAY RAY MARION.
PEYTON REAMS. ALRIGHT, COACH ANTOINE, I GUESS YOU ALL THOUGHT I FORGOT YOUR, BUT SOME OF 'EM ARE ALL RAM FOOTBALL PRACTICE, RAM FOOTBALL PRACTICE.
YOU GOTTA PRACTICE IN ORDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE WINNING TEAM.
AND ALSO COACH GREGORY MARSHALL.
[00:20:05]
COACH DARNELL WALLACE.AND WE THANK YOU FOR COACHING OUR CHILDREN AND COACH JABBAR TRIPLET.
JAMON, COME ON, GET IN HERE AND WE'RE GONNA GET A PICTURE.
ANYBODY FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN HERE? UH, I'M HERE.
HERE, RIGHT? I'M STAND RIGHT HERE.
EVERYBODY ALL HOLD THAT FOR GOOD.
CONGRATULATIONS DANIEL WASHINGTON.
RIGHT THERE, UP THERE AT THE PODIUM.
WHAT, WHAT SCHOOL DO YOU ATTEND? SHAW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR PRINCIPAL? DANIEL WASHINGTON.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
ALRIGHT, METRO NEXT, UH, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HURST, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE KNOWLEDGE ON PIERRE COACH AMOS HARRISON AND COACH WILLIE WILLIAMS OF THE KY TRACK CLUB.
I'M GONNA SAY, UH, SPECIAL HONOR BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD, I HAD THE FORTUNE TO BE WITH BOTH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WITH A GUY NAMED, UH, COACH CHUCHO.
SO I PLAYED WITH THE RAMS AND THE PEEWEE, AND I DID BANNON BOYS WITH KY.
AND AFTER THAT, UM, TOOK OVER.
BUT IT'S A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE Y'ALL HERE 40 YEARS LATER, UH, 30 YEARS LATER, DOING THE SAME THING, MAN.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INVESTMENT.
AND SO, TO, UH, HONOR KY TRACK TRACK CLUB, UH, A FEW PEOPLE TODAY, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS IN DES MOINES, IOWA, UM, SOME COACHES AND SOME KIDS, AND DO SOME AMAZING THINGS TO REPRESENT BATON ROUGE AND TO TAKE OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST.
AND, AND THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THOSE KIDS WON'T FORGET.
UM, AND WE DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THE, THE SEEDS THAT THE COACHES, THE PARENTS, THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY MAKE, BUT HOW THAT IMPACTS THE KIDS IN THE FUTURE OF BATON ROUGE.
SO CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO KNOWLEDGE ON PIERRE K Y TRACK CLUB FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2023 JUNIOR OLYMPICS IN DES MOINES, IOWA.
PLACING THIRD IN THE NATION FOR THE 800 METER DASH AND BECOMING AN ALL AMERICAN.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT ACHIEVEMENT AND GIVING THE STATE'S SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023 WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE, COUNCILMAN DARRELL HURST.
NOW THIS, THIS, UH, RESEMBLES WHAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO, UH, COACH WILLIE WILLIAMS FOR 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION AND EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AS HEAD COACH OF KY TRACK CLUB AND YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2023 JUNIOR OLYMPICS IN DES MOINES, IOWA.
LET'S GIVE 'EM A, A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND WE HAVE ONE MORE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO COACH AMOS HARRISON FOR 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION AND EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AS THE OTHER HEAD COACH OF THE KY TRACK CLUB AND YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE 2023 JUNIOR OLYMPICS IN DES MOINES, IOWA.
CAN Y'ALL IMAGINE HOW MANY LIVES THEY'VE AFFECTED? I'LL GIVE ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[00:25:14]
ALL RIGHT HERE QUOTING THE MANE.ALRIGHT, LET'S GET A BIG SMILE FROM YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, GENTLEMEN.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR SERVICE COACHES.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE BATON ROUGE, CHIEF OF POLICE MURPHY PAUL TO RECOGNIZE WILLIE MAE JONES, E B R CITY PARISH IS WEBMASTER ASSISTING IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBPAGE.
CHIEF PAUL, YOU GOT A MAKEOVER, HUH?
THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR ALLOWING US THIS, UH, MINUTE AND I'M, I'M JOINED WITH, UH, MR. ERIC ROMERO AND, UH, MS. WILLIE MAY JONES.
YEAH, WILLIE MA JONES, THE CHIEF IS PROBABLY STUCK IN TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I, I'LL, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE JUST TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. WILLIE MA JONES.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT AGGRAVATES OR BOTHERS YOU MORE ABOUT A WEBSITE,
UM, WE, WE, WE WORK WITH MS. WILLIE MAY AND, AND ERIC'S TEAM, RIGHT, UH, DAILY, I WOULD SAY, IF NOT HOURLY, RIGHT? UH, ON, ON THE WEBPAGE AND, AND DIFFERENT, UH, CONTENT THAT, THAT WE PUT ON.
SO IN, IN MUCH APPRECIATION OF A DEDICATION AND TIRELESS EFFORT IN ASSISTING THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH OUR WEBPAGE CONTENT, WE RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND QUALITY OF WORK.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
AND THIS IS JUST A, ANOTHER CERTIFICATE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE AND DEDICATION, UH, TO YOUR PROFESSION.
SO WE THANK YOU AND, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US.
I'LL
ARE WE GOING? COUNCIL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING, I'D ASK THAT TO TAKE SEATS.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT HERE FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING, I'D ASK THAT YOUR EXIT STAYS LEFT OR RIGHT.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BAT RIDGE PARISH.
GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU TUNED IN.
OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ALWAYS ARE EXCITED TO, TO LOOK BACK AND SEE YOU WATCHING THEM AND SEE IT, UH, ON OUR FACEBOOK AND ON YOUTUBE AND ALSO, UH, ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE BRING IT TO YOU ON.
WE WANT TO THANK TODAY OUR INTERPRETERS, ANNETTE AND VALERIE, WHO ARE DURING OUR SIGN LANGUAGE.
UH, WE WERE THE FIRST GOVERNMENT IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA TO FEATURE SIGN LANGUAGE, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT AND I HOPE TO HAVE IT FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
BUT IN ADDITION, WE ALSO HAVE CLOSED CAPTIONING THAT IS ROLLING ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.
WELCOME, EVERYBODY HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PROTE OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
TO MY RIGHT IS COUNCILMAN LAMONT KOCH.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, DENNIS.
[00:30:01]
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON TO INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS WHO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM, UH, MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO DO AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, I IS ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP THAT ON OUR MINDS AND KEEP IT AS AS A DAY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TAKE AS A SOLEMN DAY.
GEORGE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, COLOR GUARD TO COME OUT AND POST COLORS FOR US.
GEORGE FIRE CAPTAIN SCOTT DUPREE TODAY, UH, HANDLING OUR INVOCATION.
PLEASE STAND SEVEN 2005 7 7 5 EPTEMBER 11 ON THAT DAY.
TODAY WE WERE ALSO
WE REMEMBER HONOR THOSE
FATHER, WE PRAY YOUR MERCY, LOVE
YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS PEACE,
HONOR GOD TO THE FLAG OF 96 OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IS ONE NATION,
THREE, LEFT FAITH FOR THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING ORDER.
DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ONE, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER OF AUGUST 23RD, 2023 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? COUNCIL MEMBER? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
ITEM ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS? SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, CONSIDERING THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM APPLICATION FROM EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION BY THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURER.NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF AN ANNUAL FEE WITHIN THE MELROSE EAST CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICT AND THE AMOUNT OF $200 ON EACH IMPROVED RESIDENTIAL PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT.
AND AN INITIAL PARCEL FEE OF $200 ON EACH IMPROVED COMMERCIAL PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, BEGINNING 2023 AND ENDING IN 2032 BY THE MELROSE EAST CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICT.
NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON BEHALF OF THE BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $350,000 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND STATION REHABILITATION BY THE BROWNSFIELD FIRE CHIEF.
NUMBER FIVE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON BEHALF OF THE LEO S BUTLER COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
NUMBER SIX, AUTHORIZED AND SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED CHANDLE AND HICKS VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $125,000 PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $264 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $125,264 AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH
[00:35:01]
PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.NUMBER SEVEN, ESTABLISHING HEALTH INSURANCE RATES AND PLAN DESIGN FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2024 BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
NUMBER EIGHT, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED BEVERLY HEEL RAFFERTY VERSUS BRADLEY BENNETT IN THE AMOUNT OF $45,515 AND 20 CENTS AND APPROPRIATING $45,515 AND 20 CENTS FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY CONDEMNATION
[CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS]
INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER NINE, FAY BUSTLEY.8 0 4 5 DYER ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE KNOLL NUMBER 10, THE UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF JOSEPHINE HARRISON.
7 1 8 MU STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER 11, MARGARET C. WHITE.
5 2 0 5 CADILLAC STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 12, THE ESTATE OF CURRY RISING 5 1 2 0 BUILDING 15 NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUNN JR.
NUMBER 13, CONNECTICUT ESTATES.
L L C 1 7 1 6 NORTH HAR HARKER DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUN JUNIOR.
NUMBER 14, NERI LEMONS, ROJAS 1 1 3 8 NORTH 49TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 15 DONG LAMB TRAM 1 5 2 1 5 2 3 6.
TIGER BEND ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE HUDSON NUMBER 16 DELLA STERLING.
5 3 9 CAR ALLEY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 17, CARL E. LEE AND ELOISE LEE.
3 2 2 6 EVANGELINE STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 18, CORETTA DAVENPORT 2 5 7 3 YAZOO STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCK.
ALL ITEMS REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ.
AND A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AS AN ORDER.
I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM THREE.
IS THERE A SECOND? MEROSE CEASED.
ANY OBJECTIONS? I I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS. THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO CAN WE GET A SECOND? YEAH, WE GOT A SECOND.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM THREE I.
Y'ALL READY? WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU READY TO VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION OR I'LL WITHDRAW MY MOTION.
THERE'S A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM THREE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM THREE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS NOW GO TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION.
I'LL READ THE RECOMMENDATION AS THEY CAME TO US.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 58 60, 61, 62, 63, 65, 60, 60, 67, 68, 69 AND 71.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? YEAH.
TELL US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND WHICH ITEM YOU'RE HERE FOR.
WHAT NUMBER IS IT? LON WATER SPOON.
WELL MY MAIN THING IS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW DID I GET TO THIS POINT.
UM, WHAT I WAS ASKED TO DO ONCE, LET SEE WHEN I GOT THE HOUSE FROM MY DAD, ONCE HE PASSED, WENT THROUGH SOME THINGS.
SOMEONE WAS STAYING IN THE HOUSE.
IT TOOK ME ALMOST THREE YEARS TO GET 'EM OUT.
UM, WHEN I DID GET 'EM OUT, THEY TURNED AROUND AND SHE HAD HER SON TO COME BACK AND SET MY HOUSE ON FIRE.
SO THAT'S WHY I BOARDED WHEN I WAS REQUEST FROM YOU ALL TO BOARD IT UP.
ONCE THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO DO THEY THING TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS, UM, ARSON OR EITHER AND WHAT THEY DOGS COMING IN TO FIND WHAT A SETTLEMENT THEY USE, I BOARD THE HOUSE UP.
THEY GOT THIS LETTER TALKING ABOUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'LL GET IN THERE TO DO THAT UNLESS THEY CLIMB THE ROOF AND JUMP IN THE HOLE THAT'S IN THE ROOF AND WHERE IT CAUGHT A FIRE.
UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, DEALING WITH OTHER THINGS TO REIN, REDO MY HOUSE, YOU KNOW,
[00:40:01]
I'M GOTTA DO IT OUTTA MY POCKET NOW BECAUSE HOW IT WENT DOWN THIS, IT WOULDN'T INSURANCE ON IT WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T PAY IT.SO NOW I GOTTA COME OUTTA MY POCKET AND THAT'S NOT NO $2 JOB OR $2 WORTH OF WORK THERE.
I GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE.
I PUT UP, I'M GOING TO, I GO DOWN MONDAY TO GET A TEMPORARY POLE SET AT THE HOUSE TO START THAT, TO DEMO AND THEN WORK ON GETTING THE ROOF REDONE.
AND I'M SPEAKING TO MY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 12, MS. RAKER, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE MY, I'M SITTING HERE.
SO, UM, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY HOUSE.
NOT, NOT TO NO BEING CONDEMNED 'CAUSE IT IS NOT.
IF YOU GO IN THERE, IT'S NOT CONDEMNED.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S THERE THAT'S BAD IS THE ROOF WHERE THE FIRE WENT IN AND THAT'S IT.
THE SMOKE YOU SEE OUTSIDE JUST WAS, WAS SMOKED.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY HOUSE.
THAT WAS LEFT TO ME BY, BY MY DAD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE'S EVIDENCE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO GET OUT.
NOW THEY SET MY HOUSE FOR FIRE AND, AND MOVED TO A HOUSE IN CENTERVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.
TWO STORIES SITTING ON 30 ACRES AND THEY'RE TAKING YOU AND THEY PUT ME THROUGH HELL FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN I'M LOSE MY HOUSE BEHIND THAT.
I'M, IF IT'S ANY TIME THAT I CAN GET, I NEED TO GET IT SO I CAN ORDER TO
DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN YOU CAN GET IT TOGETHER? WHEN YOU CAN GET IT BOARDED UP AND MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE CAN GET IN THAT HOUSE? BEEN BOARDED FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
SO DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE TO WHEN AS TO WHEN YOU CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS? WELL, I MEAN, I CAN START ON IT THIS, THIS WEEK BY, WELL, BY MONDAY OR TUESDAY BY GETTING THE TEMPORARY POSTS OUT THERE AND GET IN INSPECTOR, I'M AN ELECTRICIAN.
I WORK FOR MYSELF SO I DON'T GO THROUGH A EIGHT TO FIVE.
I GOTTA, AS THE JOBS COME, I GO TO WORK.
SO ONCE THAT'S HAPPENING, I'M GOOD.
IF YOU TELLING ME THAT TELL YOU THAT I CAN HAVE IT DONE IN THREE MONTHS, THAT AIN'T, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO TYPICALLY WE GIVE 90 DAYS AND IN DISTRICT 12 WE FIGHT BLIGHT EVERY CHANCE WE CAN BECAUSE WE TRY TO FIGHT CRIME.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL GIVE YOU 30 DAYS, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND SITTING, I'LL HAVE MY AIDE COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
AND I'LL HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE PERMITS DEPARTMENT TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT PERMITS NEED TO BE PULLED.
OH, I KNOW WHAT PERMITS NEED TO BE PULLED.
I'M, I'M A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN MYSELF.
SO THE REST OF IT IS THE PERMITS AND INSPECTION IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME.
IT'S MORE ABOUT THE MONEY I UNDERSTAND AND MAKING SURE I GET THE, HAVE THE MONEY TO MOVE ON AND AS, AS YOU KNOW, AS NEED TO BE DONE.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT, ABOUT PERMITS.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF YOU DON'T MIND HAVING A SEAT, I'LL COME AND TALK TO YOU 'CAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR CONDEMNATION LIST.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? COME ON DOWN.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING MS. BONNIE OGLETREE.
SHE LIVES AT 95 42 WEST JAMAICA STREET.
WHAT ITEM IS IT? WHAT'S THAT? WHAT, WHAT ITEM IS IT? YEAH, SORRY.
UM, MS. OGLETREE IS, UH, AN ELDERLY CITIZEN.
SHE IS AN INTER INTERDICTED, BUT HER DAUGHTER IS RECENTLY ACTING, UH, UNDER HER POWER OF ATTORNEY AS HER AGENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST IN, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, THINGS HAVE KIND OF GONE DOWNHILL AND IT'S BEEN RECENTLY, UH, NOTICED THAT, UH, THAT THIS HAS, HAS SLIPPED AND FALLEN BEHIND.
BUT HER DAUGHTER LAURA, IS COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME ROOF LEAKS, UH, AND HOLES IN THE ROOF THAT THERE'S SOME, SOME SOFFIT THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, STARTING TO, TO SAG DOWN IN THE BACK.
UH, THERE'S A BROKEN WINDOW AND THE HOUSE IS UNSECURED.
IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE IT MIGHT'VE BEEN BROKEN INTO IN THE BACK.
THE, THE DOOR WAS OPEN, IN THE WINDOW WAS BROKEN.
MY CLIENT, UM, WENT YESTERDAY AND SECURED THE, THE HOUSE.
SHE PUT PLYWOOD BEHIND THE DOOR.
THE LOCKS ARE, UM, OR ARE LOCKED UP.
NOBODY CAN ENTER THE HOUSE NOW.
UM, AND SHE'S GOT A ROOFING, UH, INSPECTION OR A ROOFER COMING FOR AN INSPECTION ON FRIDAY.
UH, GARCIA ROOFING AND SHE'S GOT LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPING SCHEDULED AS WELL MOVING FORWARD.
UM, ALSO KIND OF JUST AS AN ASIDE, THE CO-OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS, UH, HER HUSBAND'S ESTATE.
UM, AND HER HUSBAND, HER OTHER DAUGHTER WAS ACTING AS THE EXECUTOR OF THE HU OF, OF HER HUSBAND'S ESTATE.
AND WE'VE ASKED HER DAUGHTER, I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT THIS IS THE, THE GOD'S TRUTH, BUT SHE HAS NOT RECEIVED SERVICE OF THIS.
AND, UM, SHE IS A CO-OWNER AS, AS THE EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE.
SO THAT MIGHT ALSO JUST BE SOMETHING TO THINK OF.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD GET A 90 DAY EXTENSION, I COULD PROMISE YOU THAT THIS IS TAKEN CARE
[00:45:01]
OF.THEY HAD ALSO MENTIONED A, A CONTRACTOR WHO'S APPROACHED THEM TO BUY THE HOUSE AND FLIP THE HOUSE.
UM, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THIS WAS, THIS WAS JUST A, A DELAY THAT, THAT FELL BEHIND AND IT BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
COUNCIL MEMBER? YEAH, HE, HE ASKED, THAT'S IT.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY CONDEMNATIONS? NOW WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK, I HAVE YOURS.
IS ANYONE ELSE WITH AN ADJUSTMENT TO CONDEMNATIONS? I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS THE STATED CHANGES.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 60, 61, 63, 66, 67, 68, AND 69.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 64, 65, 58, AND 71 DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
ITEM 59 AND 64 AND DELETE ITEM 57 AND 70.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, DID HE LEAVE? COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN? WE HAVE DEFER FOR 90 DAYS FOR 64 AND DEFER FOR 60 DAYS ON 64, WE'RE GONNA DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
ITEM 64 AND DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
ITEM 59 AND DELETE 57 AND SEVEN AND DELETE 57 AND 70.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
[72. 23-01167]
NOW GO TO ITEM COUNCIL.COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO ON ITEM 72? IS COUNCIL JUDGE IS HERE.
JUDGE IS HERE RECEIVING A REPORT FROM JUDGE GAIL GROVE ON THE CURRENT STATE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE FACILITIES COUNCIL MEMBER GROVE.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, JUDGE GROVE.
I'M, I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING, HAVING JUVENILE JUSTICE JUVENILE COURT ON YOUR DOCKET.
HOW DOING, DOING THIS EVENING? AND, UM, I I WANT TO EXTEND THE THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR PRO TIM AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND IN PARTICULAR COUNCIL, UM, MEMBER HEARST FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE MENTION THAT JUDGE HANEY IS NOT HERE.
THIS EVEN BECAUSE OF A FULL DOCKET.
HE AND I BOTH STAYED UNTIL ALMOST 8:00 PM ON AUGUST 23RD IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
AND SO WE ARE UNIFIED IN OUR CONCERNS.
WE ARE UNIFIED IN OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS.
AND SO HIS ABSENCE HERE SHOULD NOT BE MISTAKEN THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
AND SO BEFORE I START MOVING FORWARD WITH THE POWERPOINT, I DO WANNA GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HURST AND I WERE AT A COMMUNITY EVENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE HAPPENED TO STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION AND THAT CONVERSATION LED TO JUVENILE JUSTICE AND THE JUVENILE COURT, WHICH I WELCOME ANY CONVERSATION INSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER OR OUTSIDE ABOUT JUVENILE JUSTICE AND ABOUT THE JUVENILE COURT.
THAT CONVERSATION LED TO AN OFFER TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU SO THAT YOU TOO WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ABOUT OUR JUVENILE COURT IN PARTICULAR.
SO THIS POWERPOINT IS GIVEN IN THAT VEIN.
AND SO IF YOU COULD START THE POWERPOINT OR LET ME KNOW WHERE THE BUTTON IS TO FAST FORWARD.
AND BEFORE I GET INTO, AND I'M GONNA GO PRETTY FAST, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A FULL, UM, AGENDA, BUT ON THIS, THIS FIRST POWERPOINT, THERE'S FIVE PICTURES AND, UM, I WAS CURIOUS AS IF YOU WOULD KNOW WHICH ONE OF THESE PICTURES, UM, REPRESENTS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND I HAVE THE INTERPRETER, THAT'S THAT TRANSLATOR IN FRONT OF JUAN.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT CAN BE, BE MOVED OVER
SHE IS, SHE IS OVER THE PICTURE THAT REPRESENTS OUR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, UM, JUVENILE COURT, JUVENILE COMPLEX, IF YOU WILL.
AND IF YOU COULD SEE THAT PICTURE, WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IS THAT OUR SALLY PORT IS ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
IT IS WHAT OUR P OUR UM, PUBLIC SEES WHEN THEY COME INTO JUVENILE COURT.
IF THERE ARE ARRESTS, IF THERE ARE EMERGENCIES, WHATEVER'S GOING ON.
AND IF YOU NOTICE IN THE OTHER, UM, PICTURES, WHICH IS ALSO REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OTHER FOUR JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE SO JURISDICTION FOR JUVENILE MATTERS AND HAVE AN INDEPENDENT JUVENILE COURT THAT'S ORLEANS
[00:50:01]
CHU, JEFFERSON AND CATO.AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR JUVENILE COURT WHEN YOU COME IN, YOU'RE LIKE WALKING THROUGH A TUNNEL OF DARKNESS IF YOU COULD SEE THAT PICTURE.
AND SO THIS, THIS IS MY INTRODUCTION TODAY, BUT THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION, INTRODUCTION OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT VISITS OUR, OUR BUILDING THAT TAKE CARE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR FAMILY.
AND WHAT I HAVE HERE IS THAT BEFORE JUVENILE COURT BECAME AN INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTION, JUVENILE MATTERS WAS ACTUALLY HANDLED BY THE FAMILY, UM, COURT AND THE JUDGES WOULD ROTATE OUT AND HANDLE JUVENILE MATTERS.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME, UM, AND THAT'S IN 1990, WE'VE HAD A, A STANDALONE JUVENILE COURT.
AND THIS PICTURE HERE CAN BETTER INDICATE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THIS IS OUR FRONT DOOR, THE SALLY PORT.
RIGHT NEXT TO IT IS WHERE YOU ENTER OUR BUILDING IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SERVICES.
I DON'T KNOW ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE.
AND I VISIT A LOT OF PE PLACES, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THIS AS AN INTRODUCTION INTO YOUR JUVENILE WORK.
JUST SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON IN THAT BUILDING AND WHAT WE ARE DESIGNED TO DO.
IT IS ABOUT DUE PROCESS, FAIR TREATMENT AND JUSTICE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS VICTIMS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT MUST DO BUSINESS WITH US.
WE WANNA ADDRESS THE BEST NEEDS OF CHILDREN, UM, AS WELL AS THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WANT EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVE, AND TIMELY WORK TO BE DONE TO ACHIEVE THAT JUSTICE AND THAT FAIR, UM, DUE PROCESS.
AND LASTLY, IT'S ABOUT COORDINATING SERVICES.
ALL OF THIS IS TO TAKE PLACE IN THIS BUILDING AND I'M LAYING A FOUNDATION SO THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.
ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDE SLIDES, YOU WILL SEE THE NEXT SLIDE.
NOW I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO READ THROUGH THIS ENUMERATED LIST, BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH JUVENILE COURT HANDLING, DELINQUENCIES, CHILD NEGLECT, AND CHILD, UM, ABANDONMENT AND ABUSE CASES.
BUT THERE IS A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THIS BUILDING TO INCLUDE ADOPTION, MENTAL HEALTH PROCEEDINGS, VOLUNTARY TRANSFER OF CUSTODY, TRAFFIC MATTERS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE LISTED.
SO IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT DELINQUENCY OUR COMMUNITY, VISIT OUR BUILDINGS FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS.
ALSO LOCATED AT THIS, UM, COMPLEX, AND I USE THAT TERM LIGHTLY, IS OUR JUVENILE, OUR DEPARTMENT OF UM, JUVENILE SERVICES AS WELL AS AN ANNEX FOR OUR DISTRICT RETURNING THE JUVENILE SECTION SECTION.
THIS PART IS LOCATED IN TRAILERS THAT ARE LOCATED BEHIND THE BUILDING.
I REMEMBER JOINING THAT AREA IN 1999 AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS A PARTIAL TRAILER AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING AND SAYING TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS WHAT WE, WE NEED TO DO IN THIS BUILDING.
SO WE ADDED AN EXTENSION TO THE TRAILER AND THEN WE ADDED AN ANNEX TRAILER.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT PUTTING ANOTHER TRAILER ON THIS SITE.
THE PURPOSE OF JUVENILE SERVICES AND JUVENILE DETENTION IS OUTLINED HERE.
IT IS TO SECURE THE APPEARANCE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF COMMUNITIES.
AND SO IT IS A NEED THAT WE HAVE OUR JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY AND THAT WE HAVE JUVENILE SERVICES TO HELP COORDINATE SERVICES.
BUT WE AGAIN, NEED TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT IS EFFECTIVE, A WAY THAT IS TIMELY AND THAT, UM, ACTUALLY ACHIEVES RESULTS.
AND IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE WHO'S THINKING, WELL, MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A STUDY TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS BETTER.
WE'VE HAD SEVEN BEGINNING IN 1990.
I HAVE A BOOK, A MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE THREE BOOKS ON STUDIES ON WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
SO I JUST WANNA ALLAY THAT THOUGHT.
IF YOU HAVE A THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A STUDY, I CAN, I CAN SEND IT TO YOU, SEND THEM TO YOU.
AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE STUDIES, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IS LOCATED IN THAT BOX.
IN 2010, WE GOT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE COMPLEX MODIFIED TO ADD A TRAILER.
AND THAT IS FOR OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE JUVENILE PROSECUTORS.
[00:55:01]
UNDER ANY GIVEN DAY THAT WE HAVE A HEAVY RAIN.UM, THE YOUNG WOMAN THAT'S WALKING IN THE SECOND FRAME IS OUR PROSECUTOR WALKING FROM THE COURT TO HER OFFICE IN THE TRAILER ON A HEAVY RAIN DAY.
SHE TOOK OFF HER SHOES AND SHE WALKED IN BAREFOOT TO GET TO HER OFFICE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, I ALSO DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS AND THAT NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE IN JUVENILE SERVICES OR THE JUVENILE COURT, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THIS NEXT FRAME.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF OUR HEAVY STORMS, THE POTHOLES AND THE, UM, THE EXISTENCE OF WHERE OUR COMMUNITY PARK WHEN THEY COME TO DO BUSINESS HERE AT, UM, JUVENILE COURT.
THERE HAVE BEEN EFFORTS AND I THANK OUR MAYOR FOR, UM, SENDING THE DEPARTMENT OUT TO LAY SOME NEW, UM, PARKING LOT.
WE'VE HAD HOLES FILLED BEFORE, BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WHEN IT RAINS, THE ASPHALT WILL RISE TO THE SURFACE AND WE JUST HAVE BIGGER HOLES.
THIS EFFORT HAS ACTUALLY REPLACED SLABS AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THEY WILL BE SUSTAINABLE, UM, IN IN OUR NEXT HEAVY RAIN CONDITION.
THIS IS FURTHER THE EXTERIOR WHERE WE CAN SEE DECAY AND DETERIORATION THAT IT'S GOING ON, UM, AS FAR AS OUR DRAINAGE, OUR ACCESS TO THE BUILDING AND OUR, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS TO HAVE DISABILITY ACCESS TO OUR, TO OUR BILLING.
THE AGENCIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH JUVENILE JUSTICE THAT ALSO DO BUSINESS ARE LISTED HERE.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE SERVICES DETENTION, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S AND THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER ARE ALL LOCATED INSIDE OF THIS BUILDING OR WORK INSIDE OF THIS BUILDING AND NEED TO HAVE ACCESS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE AND DUE PROCESS.
NOW LET'S WALK INSIDE REAL QUICKLY.
SO THIS IS OUR FRONT DOOR ACCESS.
THIS IS OUR SOLE POINT OF REAL SECURITY.
AND IN THIS DOOR IS ALL THE DEFENDANTS, ALL THE VICTIMS THAT COME THROUGH THIS ENCLOSED AREA.
AND SOMETIMES, UM, THEY ARE NOT ALL IN DISAGREE IN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER.
AND SO THIS IS THE DEPICT, UM, FIGHTS AT THE, AT THE FRONT DOOR.
AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THERE'S A CHILD THAT IS RIGHT BEHIND THIS DISTURBANCE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DO ADOPTIONS IN THIS BUILDING.
WE DO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN THIS BUILDING.
AND SO THERE ARE CHILDREN OF ALL AGES WHO COME TO JUVENILE COURT WHO DESERVE TO BE SAFE AND HAVE A PLACE IN ORDER TO HAVE THEIR BUSINESS HANDLED.
ALSO, YOU SEE IN ONE OF THOSE FRAMES HOW THE PUBLIC, UM, IS WAITING FOR THEIR CASES.
UM, IN THIS, ON THIS SAME DAY, THERE WERE OTHER PICTURES TAKEN AND WE HAD SOME OF THE FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS SITTING ON THE FLOOR, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO DO THAT LONG ENUMERATED LIST OF THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, IN THIS BUILDING.
UM, AND SO, UM, ONE OF THOSE THINGS WITH JUDGE HANEY WAS HANDLING TODAY THE CHILD, UM, NEGLECT AND ABUSE CASES.
BUILDINGS ARE FULL AND UM, IN ORDER TO HANDLE THE CASES, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN INCREASE IN CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT OR INCREASE IN DELINQUENCY, NO MATTER HOW MANY NUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY GOES UP, IT'S GONNA FUNNEL DOWN TO TWO JUDGES.
LITTLE DELINQUENCY, LOT OF DELINQUENCY, TWO JUDGES, LITTLE CHILD OF ABUSE CASES, A LOT OF CHILD ABUSE CASES, TWO JUDGES.
AND SO WE NEED A PLACE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE.
ALSO IN THIS BUILDING SHOWN HERE IS OUR CLERK OF COURT, OUR RECORDS ROOM.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW ANOTHER PLACE THAT STILL MAINTAIN RECORDS LIKE THIS.
UM, THEY USUALLY HAVE THE ROLL CART WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY EASILY ASSESS RECORDS AND PULL THEM DOWN OFF SHELVES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, THIS IS THE HALLWAY IN THE BACK AREA OF OUR COURT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PICTURE AND YOU LOOK ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HALL, THAT'S OUR WHOLESALE
[01:00:02]
FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COMING FROM PARISH PRISON WHO ARE, WHO ARE IN STATE CUSTODY AND BEING BROUGHT TO COURT TO HANDLE THEIR MATTERS.SO THEY'RE HELD IN THIS PLACE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FURTHER THE, THE FRONT MOST SPACE IN THAT HALL, THAT'S MY OFFICE.
SO I LISTEN FOR THE CLINK CLINK ON THE FLOOR AS THEY'RE BRINGING OUR INMATES.
AND I CALL, AND THEY'RE NOT INMATES, OUR IMPRISONED PEOPLE OR INDIVIDUAL WHO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INCARCERATED.
'CAUSE SOME HAVE NOT BEEN PROVEN GUILTY.
AND WHEN I HEAR THE CHAIN ON THE FLOOR, I KNOW TO STAND THERE TO LET THEM GO BY.
I SPEAK TO THEM AND THEY SPEAK TO ME.
BUT THERE'S NO SEPARATION OF SECURITY AT ALL.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE KITCHEN AREA, YOU TURN THE CORNER, THAT'S OUR KITCHEN.
THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR KNIVES AND FORKS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD NEED AT ANY WORKPLACE FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT.
THE STAFF IS WELL INFORMED ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THE HALLWAYS AND HOW TO LISTEN.
BUT, BUT SHOULD WE HAVE TO DO THAT IS THE QUESTION.
THIS ALSO IS OUR SECURITY CHECKPOINT AND THIS IS OUR CLERK OF COURT OFFICE WHERE PEOPLE FILE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU SEE ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO IS, UM, USING, UM, THEIR WHEELCHAIR AND CANNOT NAVIGATE AS THE FURTHEST HE CAN REALLY COME INTO THAT OFFICE WITHOUT A PROBLEM.
THIS IS THE INSIDE OF THE COURTROOM AND THE AREAS IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE OF OUR COURTROOM, DIVISION A IS ON TOP AND DIVISION B WHERE, UM, I RESIDE, UM, IS LOCATED IN THAT CENTER PICTURE.
YOU WILL SEE A DOOR AND THAT DOOR ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, RATHER, YOU'LL SEE SOME CHILDREN THAT ARE SITTING, ONE OF THE TWO OF THE KIDS HAVE THEIR HEAD AND THEIR HANDS AND THEIR KNEES UP TO THEIR CHEST.
THAT DOOR RIGHT NEXT TO IT IS THE DETENTION.
THAT'S WHERE OUR DETAINED KIDS COME OUT CUFFED IN ORANGE AND IN BLUE AND WALK RIGHT INTO WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE SITTING BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T DO MUCH BETTER IN MANAGING THAT INTERACTION.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE, WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN A CALMING ROOM THAT CAN BE A, A SANCTUARY, IF YOU WILL, FOR OUR CHILD AND ABUSE AND NEGLECT KIDS.
SO AS THEY'RE WAITING FOR THEIR CASE AND HOPE THAT THEY ARE NOT RE-TRAUMATIZED AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I GET INTO THE COURTROOM TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE AWAY FROM THE DETENTION DOOR WHERE THEY CAN SIT.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AGAIN FOR ASSISTING US IN BRINGING THIS TO FRUITION.
IT'S NOT DONE YET, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IT WILL BRING TO THE AREA.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS ASPIRATIONAL IN THE CENTER IS WHAT IS AND AROUND IT IS THE ASPIRATION OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE HAVE A PATHWAY IN NEW ORLEANS AND KAHU AND CATO.
UM, THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARE, BUT THIS IS ASPIRATIONAL WHEN THE TIME WHEN, WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT.
AND IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT FOR US TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO JUVENILE JUSTICE IN A WAY THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES THAN THEIR THEIR BLUEPRINTS.
THIS IS THE FRONT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS IS THE FRONT OF, YOU'RE IN A GOOD PLACE OF THEIR GO BACK.
THIS IS THE FRONT OF THEIR SALLY PORT.
YOU SEE OUR SALLY PORT ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHERE THERE'S SEPARATE OR IT'S IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY NAVIGATE BRINGING IN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND NEED TO GET INTO THE DETAINED FACILITY.
IT IS NOT SITUATED ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, UM, AS AS WE JUST HAVE HAD SINCE THE BUILDINGS HAS BEEN UP SINCE 1954, I BELIEVE.
AND I PROMISE THERE'S JUST TWO MORE.
[01:05:01]
YOU GO.THIS IS THE INSIDE OF SOME OF THE COURTROOM SPACE.
UM, AGAIN FOR UM, CAL KASU AND CADO.
ONE MORE SLIDE IN THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEASURING APPLES WITH APPLES ON THIS.
YOU'LL SEE THE POPULATION IN EACH OF THE REGION.
EAST BATON ROUGE HAS THE HIGHEST POPULATION.
YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBER OF JUDGES.
WE HAVE TWO, THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF THE LEAST AMOUNT OF JUDGES.
YOU SEE THE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED CURRENTLY.
AND I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR JUVENILE DETENTION.
SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE LEFT OFF, UM, WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK TO THE, UM, DETENTION MANAGER.
BUT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA SINCE 1999, I'M KIND OF IN THE NOTE.
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE, WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING AND THIS IS WHAT OTHER REGIONS ARE DOING BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT ALL WITHIN THEIR BUILDING.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE NUMBERS OF OUR CASES, OUR FILINGS FROM 2018, 1,817 IN 2020 2, 23 13.
SO WE ARE INCREASING AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CHARGES THREE OVER 3000.
SO IT IS NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED THE SPACE.
I I ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT JUVENILE COURT AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, JUDGE HANEY AND I WOULD ENJOY A CONVERSATION, UM, THAT COULD LAST LONGER THAN WHAT I'M PRESENTING HERE TODAY.
BUT AGAIN, I REITERATE, I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN OUR PARISH AS IT RELATES TO JUVENILE COURT.
BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ANYONE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
HEY JUDGE GROVER, I KNOW YOU GETTING YOUR EXERCISE TODAY.
UM, NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING BOLD AND, AND SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO HIDE BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY PARISH.
I THINK THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO RIP THE BANDAID OFF AND START TO TREAT IT RIGHT.
UM, AND SOME CONVERSATIONS I'VE HEARD PREVIOUSLY, THEY'VE LOOKED AT THE OLD JETSON CORRECTIONAL SITE, ALL THE ACREAGE THAT WAS THERE AND HAS THE ABILITY TO DO POTENTIALLY SOMETHING NEW, UM, FOR, FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT? I AM.
I'M NOT A PART OF THE SOMETHING NEW, BUT I HAVE BEEN, UM, A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
YES, I'VE HAD THAT BROUGHT TO ME AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL, UH, TO MAKE THAT A NEW PARISH JAIL SITE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THAT CONVERSATION IS EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UM, DOING A BUILDING THAT IS SEPARATE BUT CAN LEVERAGE CERTAIN SERVICES THAT WILL CUT COST ON EACH SIDE, AND THEN TRY TO CALCULATE WHAT THAT COST REDUCTION WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO PUT SOME COST SAVINGS THERE TO AT LEAST, UH, START THE CONVERSATION OF PUTTING A NEW FACILITY IN PLACE.
UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD WANNA BE A PART OF AND A DISCUSSION THAT YOU'D BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN? UM, WE WILL ENTERTAIN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT JUVENILE JUSTICE JUVENILE COURT IN A COMPLEX.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTY OUT THERE IN THE, IN THE OFFICE, THE STATE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.
WE'LL START BUILDING A NEW FACILITY IN THE SPRING OF 2024 THAT WILL BE MORE OF THEIR RECEPTION CENTER ON EVALUATING YOUTH COMING IN.
SO WHEREAS THAT USED TO BE JUST, UM, JETSON, UM, AND THE WOMEN ARE NOW HOUSED THERE, RIGHT? SINCE THE STORM, THEY ARE, THEY ARE ACTIVELY, UM, DESIGNING AND I WANNA SAY THEY HAVE FUNDS ALREADY APPROPRIATED.
THEY HAVE MET WITH JUDGE HANEY AND I TO EXTEND AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR, FOR OUR JUVENILE COURT AND OUR JUVENILE, UM, SYSTEM TO DO SOMETHING OUT THERE WITH THEM AND TO SHARE COSTS IN THE AREAS MAYBE OF, UM, OF THE LAUNDRY AREA CAN BE A SHARED SPACE OR CAFETERIA AREA HELP OUT YEAH.
THAT CONVERSATION HASN'T GOTTEN FAR, BUT THEY'RE BUILDING THEIR SITE HAS, AND SO WE'VE NOT BEEN A PART OF ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS AND I'VE NOT BEEN A PART OF ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR PARISH PRISON BEING MOVED OUT THERE.
WHEN I MAKE THIS STATEMENT, I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT, I DON'T WANNA LOCK UP ANYBODY, BUT MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, INCLUDING PARISH PRISON, WE'RE LOOKING AT 1300,
[01:10:01]
UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE THERE BEING HOUSED.ONLY ONE OF THEM, 100 OF THEM HAVE BEEN CONVICTED.
SO IT COULD BE YOUR CHILD, MY CHILD, ANYBODY ELSE'S CHILD.
AND THE TYPE OF CONDITIONS THAT SOME OF THEM ARE BEING HOUSED IN IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A HUGE DIVE INTO.
UM, NOT JUST STARTING THE DAY WITH YOU, BUT BUT TAKE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, I I'LL BE WORKING WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY TO PUT SOME SORT OF, UH, BOARD TOGETHER OR, OR OR GROUP TOGETHER TO START ANALYZING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
AND I THINK I, I, I'M SPEAKING FOR HIM, BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF US WOULD SET, ACCEPT AN INVITATION TO, TO SIT AT THAT TABLE.
AND YOU MADE A COMMENT ABOUT IT BEING BRAVE TO COME AND TO SPEAK ON THIS, IF NOT US, THEN WHO? I AGREE.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BRAVERY.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A LONG TIME AND THE MAYOR IS DOING WHAT SHE CAN DO.
I, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO POINT FINGERS AT ANYONE.
UM, BUT IF NOT US, THEN WHO? THANK YOU.
YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MO? YES, MA'AM.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE MULTIPLE STUDIES.
UM, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THESE STUDIES.
HAVE I BEEN PRESENT THROUGH ALL OF THESE STUDIES? YES, MA'AM.
THE FIRST STUDY STARTED IN 1990.
I, UM, I JOINED THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN THE JUVENILE SECTION IN 1999, AND HAVE BEEN THERE IN SOME CAPACITY, UM, SINCE THAT TIME.
SO I'M AWARE, BUT HAVE NOT SAT AT THE TABLE AT ALL OF THE STUDIES, BUT YOU PROBABLY REVIEWED THE PREVIOUS STUDIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
HAVE, AT ANY POINT, DID ANY OF THESE STUDIES TELL 'EM TO, TO TEAR THE PLACE DOWN AND BUILD? YES, WE DO.
AND WHAT, DO YOU KNOW WHICH POINT THAT WAS IN ONE OF THESE STUDIES? UM, I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU, SO I'LL GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
SO I, IT WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHICH STUDY SAID WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND WHAT AN ESTIMATE COST OF THAT WAS.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S, THE COST WILL BE OUTDATED.
UM, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT CAN THAT COST, I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHEN IT WAS PRETTY MUCH STATED THAT THIS FACILITY NEED TO BE, NEEDED TO BE GONE AND HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD AND, AND KICKED THE CAN TO THE NEXT AND THE NEXT AND THE NEXT AND SO ON.
BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE EVERY YEAR THAT GOES BY, THE COSTS ARE JUST GONNA GO UP.
I'LL GET THAT STUDY INFORMATION TO YOU.
UM, THIS FACILITY IS OUT BY THE AIRPORT.
AND I, I PICTURE IN THE FACILITY AND LOCATION, IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY WE NEED TO BE OUT THERE? THAT'S A, FOR THE COURT, THAT'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS RENTED BY CITY PARISH AND WE'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO, UM, SHARE THAT SPACE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE, THE, THE WAY THAT OUR, UM, STATUES ARE WRITTEN IS THE GOVERNING BODY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING, UH, THE JUVENILE COURT.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT SPACE HAS BEEN AVAILABLE.
AND WHAT, WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP IN MIND, UM, EVEN WHEN THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COURT MOVING TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA OR TO SOME OTHER AREA, WHAT THAT DOES IS LEAVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR FAMILY IN THE SAME SITUATION.
AND I FEAR THAT IF YOU MOVE THE JUDGES, IT'S JUST EASIER.
AGAIN, I HAVE TO KEEP SAYING THIS, NOT OUR CITY NEAR PRESIDENT, BUT IT BECOMES EASIER TO IGNORE A POPULATION, UM, IF WE MOVE AWAY.
SO I'M JUST, WE ARE, JUDGE HANEY AND I ARE BOTH HESITANT ON SEPARATING THE COURT FROM THE SERVICES.
UH, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I, I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE HAVE A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET HERE WITH A WHOLE FLOOR.
IT HAS THE SALLY PORT AND EVERYTHING.
IT, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, YOU JUST SAID IT YOURSELF THAT WE'RE RENTING THIS PROPERTY FOR A BUILDING THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THERE TO BE DOING THIS.
WE HAVE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COST AND EVERYTHING, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT PUTTING IT ON ANY PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BUILD THE WHOLE PATTERN HERE OF, WE HAVE A FACILITY UP HERE THAT HAS A, SUPPOSEDLY, I HEAR HAS A WHOLE FLOOR AVAILABLE COURTROOMS AND EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE COULD USE.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY WE NEED TO BE OUT THERE PAYING RENT, UM, FOR THAT, WHEN WE CAN DO THAT, MAYBE DO SOME CALL SAVINGS AND BUILDING FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I, I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PROVIDING SERVICES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF WAS WHY WE NEEDED TO HAVE THAT OUT THERE.
[01:15:01]
AND CONS OF COURSE.AND SO, UM, AND THERE'S SEVERAL CONS TO THAT, INCLUDING THAT THOSE JUDGES HAVE SOME IDEAS OF WHAT THEY WANNA DO WITH THAT SPACE.
UM, THE PRO IS, IS THAT IT IS ON A BUS ROUTE.
PEOPLE CAN HAVE EASIER ACCESS THAN THE BUS THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO JUVENILE COURT.
IT COMES LIKE EVERY THREE OR FOUR HOURS.
FAMILIES, UM, CAN'T REALLY USE THAT COURT EFFICIENTLY.
UM, AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PROS AND CONS AND I THINK A ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT WOULD BE WARRANTED.
UH, I WANT TO GET INTO SOME FINANCE.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS OUR, OUR FUNDING OF THIS FACILITY AND ALL THAT ASSOCIATES WITH IT AS FAR AS FUNDING COMING FROM SPECIFICALLY? SO THE OPERATING COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE JUVENILE COURT AND THE JUVENILE SERVICES THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
JUST THERE'S NO DEDICATED, THERE'S NO FUNDING THERE, THERE'S NO PERCENTAGE OF GRANTS, MA'AM.
UM, BUT NOT ANY, WELL, GRANTS COME AND GO.
I MEAN, WELL, THE DEFENSE PROGRAM IS A JUVENILE, IS A JUVENILE SERVICES GRANT.
UM, THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
BUT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YES, SIR.
ABOUT, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PAYING TO JUST MAINTAIN THIS PLACE PER YEAR? IT'S PART OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE'S BUDGET, AND SO IT'S NOT BROKEN OUT FUNCTIONALIZED, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THOSE COSTS FOR YOU AND HAVE THAT FOR YOU.
I, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE, AND I'M TRYING TO RELATE ALL THIS BACK TO THE POINT WHERE, AT WHAT POINT ANY ONE OF THESE STUDIES BASICALLY SAID, GET RID OF THIS BUILDING.
IT, IT IS JUST GONNA COST YOU OVER AND OVER AND, AND ANALYZE WITH THAT AS FAR AS WHAT WE COULD, UH, AGAIN, USE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
I I KNOW WE HAVE COURT COURTROOMS UP HERE.
WE'VE GOT COURTROOMS ACROSS THE STREET, UM, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GET BUILT.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME, UH, IN THE FINANCE PART, A R P FUNDING.
IS THERE ANYTHING AVAILABLE LEFT THAT, THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AS FAR AS DEDICATING TO THIS TO GET A FACILITY BUILT AS RAPID AS POSSIBLE? ALL OF THE A R P FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE DID ALLOCATE SOME TO, TO FIX THE JUVENILE SERVICES FACILITY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET REQUESTS, THE COURT HAD ASKED FOR THINGS FOR SOME SECURITY AND SOME DOORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING FUNDING.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE NO MORE A R P FUNDS AVAILABLE.
WHAT WE WILL DO IN JANUARY IS WE WILL, UM, GO AND LOOK AT WHAT'S NOT SPENT IN A R P AND IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COMMIT IT BY THE END OF 24.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK NEXT, IS LOOK AT THAT POSSIBLE FUNDING THAT'S COMING UP THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN DEDICATED, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED, THEY DIDN'T GO TO USE IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK COUNCILMAN, BUT I THINK THAT THE COST OF A NEW FACILITY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE COST OF A NEW FACILITY FOR THE PARISH PRISON AND THE JUVENILE SERVICES COMPLEX, AND I THINK IT'S VERY COSTLY.
THE PROBLEM BASICALLY IS THAT, UM, YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO DO THOSE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TAX BASE.
AND SO ANY TIME WE'VE DONE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, MOVIE VR, THE LIBRARIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS, WE'VE HAD TO DO THOSE THROUGH A SPECIAL TAX.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT, UM, FROM THE GENERAL FUND TAX BASE, OUR SALES TAX DOLLARS ARE GROWING, BUT WE ALSO, OUR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES ARE GROWING ALSO.
SO I THINK THAT THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO GO AHEAD AND DEFINE WHAT TODAY'S DOLLAR COST, AND I THINK SOMEBODY BROUGHT THAT UP TO DO THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NECESSARY, AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO FIND THOSE THINGS.
I JUST, IF WE, AS FAR AS COST, YOU TALK ABOUT COST ANALYSIS TO SEE AS FAR AS JUST KEEPING IT FUNCTIONING OR COST ANALYSIS IS BUILDING A NEW ONE.
WELL, IT SOUNDS TO ME FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT THAT, THAT THE JUDGES FEEL THAT, THAT THEY NEED A NEW FACILITY.
AND I GUESS I DON'T WANNA GET CAUGHT IN THE SAME TRAP OF WE DO THE COST ANALYSIS.
YOU, YOU'VE BASICALLY GOT SIX MONTHS TO START BUILDING OR THAT THE WHOLE COST ANALYSIS IS GONE.
[01:20:01]
I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT WHEN IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO, TO, TO TAKE IT OUT AND THEN THE YEARLY COST.COUNCILMAN MOR ROCK JUDGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO, UM, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HOUSED IN YOUR AND GO THROUGH YOUR FACILITY BASED UPON THE NUMBERS THAT YOU PROVIDED.
IT APPEARS THAT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HAS AN ES PARISH HAS AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF 460,000 PEOPLE.
AND THEN WE SEE CAL KASU PARISH THAT COMES IN AT ALMOST EXACTLY HALF, AT 223,000 PEOPLE.
AND WHEN I'M LOOKING, I'M ALARMED AT SEEING THAT OUR SPECIAL DETENTION PROGRAMS, THE LIST IS VERY SHORT AT COUNSELING.
UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, CAL CHU PARISH, WHO IS HALF OUR SIZE, PROBABLY WITH HALF OF OUR FUNDING, UM, THEY HAVE VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING AND THEY HAVE PET THERAPY, THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER SMALLER PARISHES LIKE CADO, WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT CENTERS.
UM, AND THEN WE LOOK AT JEFFERSON, WHO'S SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO OUR SIZE.
WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL LIVING AREAS, COMPUTER LABS, AND DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS. CAN YOU SPEAK, UM, TO, IN COMPARISON TO THOSE OTHER PARISHES, WHAT OUR RECIDIVISM RATES LOOK LIKE? OUR REPEAT OFFENDERS ARE, UM, SORT OF WHAT YOU SEE MOVING WITH THESE FOLKS MOVING THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM? UM, I WOULD HAVE TO, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AWAY FROM ACTUALLY OPERATING, UM, THE DETENTION FACILITY WHERE OUR RECIDIVISM RATE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, WAS LESS THAN, UM, 10% USING RA.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA FOR THE HERE AND NOW AND LET'S NOT THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR DETENTION FACILITY.
THERE ARE SOME STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ON OUR DETENTION STANDARD THAT CERTAIN THINGS HAVE TO TAKE PLACE, LIKE MEDICAL EXAMINATION FOR CHILDREN WHO COME IN AT, UM, WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THEY HAVE INITIAL ASSESSMENT.
AND SO OUR DETENTION FACILITY, THEY'RE DOING THAT AND EDUCATION IS REQUIRED.
SO YOU DON'T SEE EDUCATION ON HERE.
AND EDUCATION, UM, IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
AND SO OUR CENTER IS DOING THAT AS WELL.
WHAT'S LISTED HERE ARE A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM THAT'S ABOVE WHAT IS REQUIRED STATUTORILY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, JUDGE, AND I'M GLAD YOU CLEARED THAT UP FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT I, I THINK IN, IN MY OPINION, I BELIEVE THAT TO FIGHT RECIDIVISM, YOU HAVE TO START WITH EDUCATION.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE YOU SEE THE VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL, UM, TRAINING PROGRAM.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE 16, 17 YEARS OLD, UM, SITTING THERE THAT AREN'T DOING ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT'S STATE THE MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS.
WELL, I'M NOT A FAN OF MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING MORE THAT WE CAN DO IF THERE'S A FACILITY THAT WE CAN BUILD, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE FOLKS WITH, WE HAVE AN ENTIRE CITY THAT LOVES TO SIT AROUND.
THEY LOVE TO GET ON THE INTERNET, THEY LOVE TO POST ON NEWS SITES ABOUT CRIME IN OUR TOWN.
BUT WHENEVER YOU TALK ABOUT CHANGING THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS.
IT'S EASY FOR US TO SIT HERE AND BLAME THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE 19TH, J D C JUDGES, THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGES, THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS FOR ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE SYSTEMIC, BUT NOT TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND AN EDUCATED LOOK AT WHAT IS CAUSING THOSE PROBLEMS. AND I THINK SITTING HERE TODAY, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING AT HOME, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND IT'S MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF ALL TIME, BUT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
IT IS EASIER TO BUILD STRONG CHILDREN THAN TO REPAIR BROKEN MEN BY FREDERICK DOUGLAS.
AND IT STILL STANDS TRUE TODAY.
THANK YOU, FRED, WHILE I'M TALKING, CAN YOU GET JOE FOR ME? I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, JUDGE.
ONE, TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED TO US, THE RESEARCH YOU'VE DONE, AND, UH, LAYING OUT THE NEEDS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AT YOUR, UM, FACILITY.
I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN HURST FOR BRINGING YOU IN, BUT, UH, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LEAVE HERE WITHOUT STATING THE OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE WITH OUR JUVENILE FACILITY, BUT SOMEONE FROM OUR ADULT FACILITY COULD HAVE GAVE THE SAME PRESENTATION.
UM, ME AND SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT NEED AND THE NEED TO ACT AND DO SOMETHING.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD, UH, MANY PEOPLE ON THIS BODY IS, IS VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, DOING SOMETHING AND BRINGING A NEW FACILITY TO BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
NOW HOW WE GET THERE, I THINK A WHOLE LOT OF MORE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO BE HAD.
BUT I THINK THE, THE DESIRE TO DO THAT IS HERE.
UM, WE HEAR YOU, WE HEAR YOUR COLLEAGUES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HEAR FROM THE, THE RESIDENTS AND THE FAMILIES AND THE CONDITIONS
[01:25:01]
THAT, THAT, UH, CHILDREN AND ADULTS ARE IN, IN OUR FACILITIES.COUNCILMAN HURST MENTIONED, UM, THE, UH, L T I JACKSON SITE, UM, AND MANY CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOING SOMETHING THERE.
UM, COUNCILMAN MOCH MENTIONED THE COURTHOUSE AND, AND THE FLOOR THAT'S AVAILABLE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US TO, YOU KNOW, GET IN A ROOM AND PUT A REAL PLAN TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF, UH, WHAT WHAT I CALL UNHUMANE CONDITIONS.
AND COUNCILMAN, THAT'S WELL SAID.
AND I, WHAT I, WHAT I DON'T WANT US TO FORGET THAT IT IS NOT JUST DELINQUENCY, THAT ENUMERATED LIST.
WE ARE MAKING FOREVER FAMILIES IN THAT BUILDING BY WAY OF ADOPTIONS.
AND WE ARE PROTECTING CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT GOING TO JAIL, UM, WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
WE ARE HELPING FAMILIES TO TRANSFER CUSTODY TO WILLING FAMILY MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN GET KIDS INTO SCHOOL.
SO THERE ARE REAL PRACTICAL THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING THAT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CRIME, THOUGH, THAT BY ITSELF IS ENOUGH.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER WHOLE LAYER OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT, THAT COME THERE TO RECEIVE SERVICES.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING, THE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING ARE DOING AN AWESOME JOB.
THEY ARE PERFORMING WITH EXCELLENCE.
AND I THINK AS JUDGES, WE OWE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO YOU TO JUST EXPRESS WHAT IS.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE.
IF YOU COULD AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, DO A, A REPORT OR GET AN EMAIL TO ALL OF US ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'RE, UH, SPENDING MONTHLY AND ANNUALLY ON MAINTENANCE WITH THIS FACILITY AND THE, UH, ADULT FACILITY.
YEAH, I COULD, I COULD DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON GEORGE BOARD, HAVE A TALK JUDGE.
I WANTED TO, AGAIN, LIKE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FIRST SITTING THROUGH LAST MEETING.
THAT WAS A DOOZY, RIGHT? SO THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THAT AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT AND, AND THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IT MAY HAVE BEEN SAID, BUT I, I MISSED IT.
DO WE HAVE A PROJECTION, AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR A, A A MINUTE FIGURE HERE.
I DO, WE DO HAVE SOME SORT OF PROJECTION ON CAPITAL COSTS FOR A NEW FACILITY.
UM, NOT THAT'S UPDATED BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY NEW STUDIES, I WANNA SAY, BUT IT HAS BEEN RANGING FROM STUDIES PAST, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, ANYWHERE FROM LIKE 40,000, UM, UH, I WANNA SAY THERE WAS A STUDY THAT MAY HAVE BEEN LYNN FOR CLARITY.
THAT WENT UP TO 40 MILLION, A MILLION, YOU KNOW, SO, NO, WHAT DID I SAY? NO, 44 MILLION.
I SAID THOUSAND, DIDN'T I? YES, 44.
AND THEN, SO JUDGE, DO WE KNOW, UM, AND IF, AND THEN WE CAN PULL THIS UP.
SO IF YOU DON'T, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT YES.
AT ALL THESE OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE MENTIONED ACROSS THE STATE, DO WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT THEY SPENT? CAN WE ADJUST THOSE FOR INFLATION? WHEN I WAS DOING MY RESEARCH, SOME OF THOSE, AND I KNOW SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THEIR FIGURES ARE OUT THERE, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT'S MUCH LESS THAN 44.
ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT IN CALESHU THAT IS LESS THAN THAT.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU FIGURES THAT THEN I'M STUCK WITH, SO, OKAY, NO WORRIES.
YOU, YOU GAVE ME YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, SO I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, BUT I, I'M INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
UM, I, I, I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, A AS WE LOOK AT THESE, UM, WE ALL DEAL WITH THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
WE, WE DEAL WITH THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SOMETIMES, UH, WE BICKER WITH EACH OTHER OVER THOSE DOLLARS SOMETIMES.
UM, AND SO THERE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF ADJUSTING THERE, RIGHT? YES.
THOSE ARE ALL, THOSE ARE ALL S SUMP COSTS.
UM, BUT I, I'VE GOT A LIST OF THE, UH, PARISH DEDICATED MILLAGES ON MY SCREEN IN FRONT OF ME.
UH, BUT LOOK, THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE MY ATTENTION ALWAYS FOCUSES, RIGHT? UM, WHEN WE'RE SPINNING OUR ENERGY AND HAVE SURPLUSES IN SOME AREAS, UH, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE GOT SURPLUSES IN SOME AREAS, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS BEING YOU GUYS AT JUVENILE JUSTICE, UH, COMING AND, AND SHOWING US FACILITIES THAT LOOK LIKE THIS.
UM, IT, IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE TO ME, RIGHT? UH, AND SO I, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN BEATING THIS DEAD HORSE FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
UH, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE A, A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL HELP US DRIVE THAT, UH, DRIVE THAT HOME TO DECISION MAKERS, BUT THEN ALSO TO THE PUBLIC TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE CAN DO A BETTER
[01:30:01]
JOB WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT.UM, WE MAY HAVE TO COME TO YOU FOR MORE.
AND, AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO CRIME, UH, AND DEALING WITH OUR DETENTION FACILITIES AND OUR, AND OUR COURT FACILITIES AND THE PARISH, WE MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING IT'S, I I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS, UM, AND I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS PRACTICAL.
I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY IT MIGHT WORK AND WHY IT NOT, MIGHT NOT, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT A FACILITY AT 9,000 AIRLINE HIGHWAY THAT I, I BELIEVE IS TOTALLY UNDERUSED.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN TALKED ABOUT CONSIDERED? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OLD WO WOMAN'S HOSPITAL? YES.
WELL, JUDGE HANEY WOULD COME AND PROBABLY GIVE YOU A BIG OLD BEAR HUG FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, THERE'S PROS AND CONS FOR ALL OF THIS, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER EXCEPT FOR, TO GET STARTED.
UM, MY HUSBAND DIED UNEXPECTEDLY IN MAY.
I LEARNED THAT TIME IS NOT GUARANTEED, AND I WILL NOT TAKE THIS BURDEN TO MY GRAVE.
I WILL BE AT ANY MEETING IN WHICH YOU CALL.
UM, JUDGE GROVER
YOU HAD, UM, JUVENILE COURT AND ME WITH CHILD WELFARE, AND, UH, OF COURSE YOU WERE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ADAS AND EVEN HELPED MY FAMILY WITH, UM, AFTER MY BROTHER WAS MURDERED.
UM, ANYONE THAT KNOWS, YOU KNOW, THAT AND HAVE EVER HEARD YOU SPEAK, YOU START OFF WITH HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? YES.
AND YOU TAUGHT ME THAT, UM, IT WAS AN AFRICAN PROVERB AND THAT, UM, A TRIBE IN AFRICA, I THINK IT WAS MESSIAH.
MESSIAH, THE MESSIAH, THE MESSIAH.
THEY DON'T ASK, HOW ARE YOU, HOW IS YOUR DAY? THEY ASK, HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? AND THAT THE MESSIAH TRIBE BELIEVES THAT IF THE CHILDREN ARE DOING WELL, THEN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS AN INDICATION THAT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY IS DOING WELL.
YOU DIDN'T THINK I WAS LISTENING TO YOU.
AND SO, HAVING SAID THAT, AND JUST AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, DUNN, WE'VE TALKED SO MANY TIMES ABOUT BOTH, UM, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON, AND THE JUVENILE, UM, DETENTION, WHICH I COULD HAVE KIND OF GAVE THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, HAVING BEEN THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING AND SEEING THOSE, UH, TRAILERS CONGRE CONTINUE TO BE ADDED ON, AND, BUT ALL THOSE YEARS IT HAS FALLEN EVEN FROM THE METRO COUNCIL AS BEING IMPORTANT.
WE, WE DO LIP SERVICE, BUT WHEN WE GET DOWN TO HEARING FAMILIES WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT THEIR RELATIVES THAT ARE DYING UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, HOLDING, UM, PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, THAT'S WHERE THE BUCK STOPS.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE, WE TALK, BUT WHEN IT'S TIME TO PUT A FACE OF A, OF A RESPONSIBILITY LIKE YOU STANDING HERE TODAY, THE BUCK STOPS.
UM, FOR ME, WITH BOTH THOSE FACILITIES BEING IN MY DISTRICT TWO, I HAVE BEEN A PROPONENT OF THEM BOTH BEING, UM, ON THE STATE ALREADY, STATE JUVENILE JUSTICE.
UH, WHEN I WAS IN UNDERGRAD, THEY HAD J R D C, WHICH IS THE DIAGNOSED DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM BRINGING BACK, WHICH I HAVE NO IDEA WHY WE STOPPED.
THEY TOOK IT OUT BECAUSE EVERY JUVENILE WOULD COME THROUGH.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT BEFORE THEY WERE SENT, UM, TO OTHER LOCATIONS.
I ACTUALLY THINK IT SHOULDN'T BE CENTERED AT EVERY LOCATION.
THAT SHOULD BE A J R D C BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE, PROLONGING THAT STAY, UM, FROM GETTING WHERE THEY NEED IT.
I LOVE, UM, WHAT COUNCILMAN ROCKET SAID ABOUT HAVING STUDENTS, UH, LEARN THOSE VOCATIONAL, UM, MY FATHER STARTED, UH, WHEN HE MOVED FROM NEW ORLEANS IN TEACHING, THAT'S WHAT HE STARTED IT, THAT'S WHERE HE STARTED DOING AS AN INDUSTRIAL ART TEACHER AT JACKSON.
SO THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY WOULD SAY, THE KIDS ARE AT JACKSON, BUT THAT'S WHAT HE TAUGHT INDUSTRIAL ARTS KIDS THESE DAYS.
IF THEY, IF IT WAS GOOD, THEN IT'S
[01:35:01]
NOW THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT LINKAGE.AS YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH NOTHING BUT ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION WITH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, TWO YEARS BEHIND.
STUDENTS THAT, UM, ARE, HAVE EXPULSION IN LONG TERM.
SO THEY HAVE A RECORD WITH YOU.
THEY HAVE A RECORD WITH CHILD WELFARE AND ATTENDANCE.
THEY HAVE ONE WITH SOCIAL SERVICES, ALL OF THAT.
BUT AGAIN, UNTIL WE ARE SO INTERESTED IN NOT ONLY HELPING FAMILIES, BECAUSE IT, IT KIDS DON'T JUST GET LIKE THAT BY THEMSELF.
AND IT IS NOT TO PLAY A, A BLANK GAME, BUT WE HAVE TO START HELPING FAMILIES BECAUSE WE ARE NOW IN THREE GENERATIONS OF MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR IN FAMILIES.
I HAD A MOTHER TELL ME TODAY, I'M WITH A THREE AND A FOUR YEAR, HAVE NOT BEEN IN SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
SHE SAID, TRANSPORTATION, AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING HER TO BRING HER CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.
WE ARE DEALING WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US.
BUT UNTIL WE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE GENERATIONS IS REALLY BAD.
BUT SOMETIME THE ONLY PERSON WE CAN DEAL WITH IS WHAT IN FRONT OF US.
SO WE NEED TO GIVE 'EM THE BEST THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT THO THAT GENERATIONAL CURSE, IF YOU WILL, WILL STOP.
IT'S ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, HER FOR BRINGING YOU, BUT WE'VE ALL HAD THESE SAME CONVERSATION.
I THINK WHEN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCKER FIRST GOT ON, THE FIRST THING SHE TALKED ABOUT IS WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT JUVENILE? ALL OF US HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE JUVENILE DETENTION.
I KNOW YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST.
WE GOT ONE GRADUATE OUTTA JUVENILE DETENTION TODAY.
A HIGH SCHOOL, I MEAN, IN MAY, A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
FOR MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENED AND MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS GET CARNEGIE CREDIT.
BUT I TELL YOU, WHEN WE STARTED SOME 15 YEARS AGO, WE WERE EDUCATING KIDS AND WE CONVERTED A CLOSET INTO AN I E P FOR SPECIAL ED.
AND SO YES, INDEED, SHE HAS PICKED UP THAT MANTLE AND MOVED IT TO DEFINITELY A HIGHER LEVEL.
AND SHE, SHE USED TO BE COMMENDED FOR THAT.
YOU USED TO COME SPEAK TO MY STUDENTS WHEN I WAS A PRINCIPAL BEFORE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE VERY QUICKLY.
WE HAVE SOME GUESTS IN TOWN WHO ARE NEEDING TO CATCH A FLIGHT TO ROOM.
[109. 23-01168]
1 0 9, AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION EXECUTE WORK AUTHORIZATION NUMBER EIGHT TO THE CONTRACT WITH AIRPORT MANAGEMENT GROUP FOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT THE BATON ROU METROPOLITAN AIRPORT BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 9? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
[125. 23-01170]
READY WITH THE REPORT? RECEIVING ITEM 1 25, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND COMPENSATION REVIEW PERFORMED BY STEVEN BALDWIN.ARE YOU GENTLEMEN READY WITH THE REPORT? SURE.
DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS YOUR FLIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ON YOU.
I'LL BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
AND TIM
UH, THEY'VE ASKED ME TO KEEP MY, UH, COMMENTS BRIEF THIS EVENING.
UM, ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO, Y'ALL, UH, APPROVED A, UH, COMPENSATION AND, UH, BENEFITS STUDY FOR THE AIRPORT, UM, THAT HAS, UH, BEEN COMPLETED.
MY JOB TONIGHT IS TO REPORT OUT ON THAT.
I'M GONNA MOVE VERY QUICKLY THROUGH THE SLIDES FOR YOU.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY LONG MEETING.
UH, I'LL BE HERE FOR AS LONG AS YOU'D LIKE FOR QUESTIONS.
IT IS SUCH A VITAL AND IMPORTANT ASSET TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
THIS FIGURE IS ACTUALLY FROM A STUDY THAT WAS PERFORMED ON YOUR AIRPORT, UH, IN 2015, GENERATING $1.1 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT AND SUPPORTING OVER 4,500 JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, OBVIOUSLY, WHAT YOU DO AT YOUR AIRPORT, THE DECISION MAKING YOU THAT YOU MAKE FOR YOUR AIRPORT IS VERY CRITICAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF YOUR COMMUNITY, WHICH YOU WERE ALL JUST TALKING ABOUT.
UM, OUR JOB IS TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, THE STAFFING ALLOCATIONS AT THE AIRPORT RESOURCE NEEDS, AND YOUR OVERALL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED TO THE WORKFORCE.
[01:40:01]
UH, THE PROCESS OF THE ANALYSIS, UH, DATA COLLECTION.WE TOOK A LOOK AT YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, YOUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT GOES INTO THESE STUDIES IS HOW DO YOU PULL OFF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN? ARE YOU WELL EQUIPPED? IS YOUR ORGANIZATION ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS YOU'VE STATED IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN? AND ARE YOU POSITIONED TO ACTUALLY, UH, COMPLETE THAT MISSION? UM, WE DID AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK WITH EMPLOYEE STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, AND IN FACT, UH, ALL OF YOU WERE INCLUDED IN A, UH, SURVEY INSTRUMENT.
AND, UH, MANY OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BE INVOLVED IN, UM, WORK SESSIONS AND, UM, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GARNER YOUR INPUT WITH REGARD TO THE AIRPORT.
UM, WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT BENCHMARKING.
AND WE COMPARED YOUR AIRPORT TO A NUMBER OF LOCAL, WELL, WHEN WE TALK THE WORLD OF AIRPORTS, LOCAL REGIONAL AIRPORTS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR IN, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTIC OF BATON ROUGE.
SO WHEN THOSE AIRPORTS WERE SELECTED BY THE, UM, BY THE PROJECT TEAM IN CONSULTATION WITH YOU ALL AS OUR CLIENT, IT WAS AN EFFORT TO MAKE THOSE AIRPORT SELECTIONS TO BE VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE TO BATON ROUGE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CITY GOVERNED AIRPORT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SIM SIMILAR CITY, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC BACKDROP, SIZE OF AIRPORT, IN TERMS OF IN EMPLOYMENT, STAFFING, ET CETERA.
AND THEN WE DID A GAP ANALYSIS, WHICH WAS BASICALLY, WHAT DO YOU, WHERE ARE YOU TODAY? AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO READY FOR THE FUTURE? NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO IN THE, UH, SURVEYS, INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS THAT WERE CONDUCTED, THERE WERE A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMENTS THAT CAME OUT ON YOUR AIRPORT.
UH, THERE, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY PROUD OF THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT.
UM, THEY'RE VERY VESTED IN THEIR WORK, BUT THERE WERE SOME, UH, UH, AREAS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED UP ON THE SCREEN.
UM, AND THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, THE TEAM STRUGGLES WITH REGARD TO, UH, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
OBVIOUSLY, THE WORKFORCE, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY, TECHNOLOGY AND IT SERVICES, WHICH ARE NOT, NOT SUFFICIENT AS THEY CURRENTLY STAND AT THE AIRPORT TODAY.
UH, WHEN WE LOOKED AT COMPARABLE AIRPORTS, UM, WE, AS I MENTIONED, LOOKED AT THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING THE AIRPORTS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE STUDY GROUP.
UH, WE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC INDICES THAT WE WERE GONNA REACH OUT TO THOSE AIRPORTS AND GRAB THAT DATA.
UH, WE GOT THEIR PARTICIPATION IN YOUR STUDY, AND THEN WE GATHERED AND ANALYZED THAT DATA.
THE BENEFIT FOR THOSE AIRPORTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY IS THEY WILL GET A COPY OF THE RESULTS OF THE COMPARISON, AND THAT HELPS THEM AS WELL AS IT HELPS YOU.
UM, THESE WERE THE BENCHMARK AIRPORTS.
AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE, UH, UP THERE FROM THE COLUMNS, UM, CITY, THE CITY LOCATIONS, THE SIZE OF THE AIRPORTS, UH, ET CETERA, AND HOW BATON ROUGE FALLS WITHIN THAT MIX.
THE COMPENSATION REVIEW THAT WAS PERFORMED LOOKED AT, UH, LABOR COSTS IN THREE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES.
AND IT HAS TO BE RECOGNIZED THAT YOUR AIRPORT TEAM CONSISTS OF PEOPLE THAT COME FROM EACH OF THESE THREE SECTORS.
THERE'S A LOCAL LABOR FORCE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED TO BE HIGHLY SKILLED IN AIRPORT OPERATIONS TO EFFECTIVELY DO THE, DO THEIR JOBS.
THAT MIGHT BE YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE.
IT MIGHT BE SOME OF YOUR MAINTAINERS OR YOUR CUSTODIANS.
AND THEN THERE'S A MIDDLE LEVEL, UH, PORTION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT HAS TO BE MORE SO SKILLED AND EDUCATED AND INFORMED ABOUT, UH, AIRPORT MANAGEMENT, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO F A, A CRITERIA, SECURITY TO GET ON THE AIRFIELD, UH, SAFETY, FIREFIGHTING AND RESCUE, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE SENIOR LEVEL OF YOUR AIRPORT THAT IS THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL, LIKE AIRPORT DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WHICH IS VACANT, UM, THAT, UH, COME OUT OF A NATIONAL RECRUITING, UH, ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEY WILL BE SOUGHT, SOUGHT AFTER BY THE RECRUITERS FOR OTHER AIRPORTS WHEN VACANCIES BECOME AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT THE, UH, THE COMPARISON OF LABOR COSTS WERE APPROPRIATELY APPLIED TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS FOR YOUR AIRPORT FROM EACH OF THESE THREE SECTORS.
NEXT, OH, AND I, IF I COULD JUST STEP BACK AND IN THE COMPARISON, WHAT WE NOTICED IS YOUR, YOUR, UH, LABOR OFF YOUR, UH, SALARY OFFERINGS AT YOUR AIRPORT ARE PREDOMINANTLY BELOW THE 25TH PERCENTILE OF LABOR TO ALL OF THESE COMPARISONS IN THE, YOU'LL SEE IN A MOMENT IN THE, UH, MEDIAN AND THE HIGHER LEVEL, UH, UH, PROFESSIONAL, UH, REQUIRED POSITIONS.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT BELOW THE 25TH PERCENTILE.
[01:45:01]
FAR BELOW WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS AT.SO I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BEARER OF THE, THAT BAD NEWS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT TOGETHER A WAY TO, TO REMEDY THAT.
UM, AGAIN, THE, HERE, THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS INDICATED THAT BATTLE CREEK WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT BELOW, UH, THE INDICES AT THE MEDIAN.
THAT WOULD BE THE MIDDLE RANGE, NOT THE AVERAGE.
THE MIDDLE RANGE OF THE SALARIES, UH, SPREAD.
UM, THE REGIONAL CITY GOVERNED, UM, AIRPORTS, UH, THAT ARE LOOKED AT NATIONALLY WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT BELOW THE MEDIAN.
AND THEN WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE COMPARATIVE AIRPORTS THAT WERE, WERE UP ON THE SCREEN A MOMENT AGO, YOU WERE 85% BELOW THEIR MEDIAN, UH, COMPARISON, WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
HERE'S THE ACTUAL POSITIONS AT YOUR AIRPORT AND HOW THEY FALL SHORT COM, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE REGIONAL AIRPORT COMPARISON, NOT TO THE GREATER, UH, NATIONAL AVERAGES THAT WE PUT UP THERE.
SO WITHIN THE 85 PERCENTILE BELOW, BELOW 85% BELOW THE 25TH PERCENTILE.
AND, UH, THIS CAME OUT OF THE AIRPORT BOARD MEETING YESTERDAY.
WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T PRESENT THIS DATA TO THE AIRPORT BOARD IN THIS FORMAT.
UM, BUT IT WAS ASKED OF US TO ACTUALLY GET AWAY FROM SOME OF THE PERCENTAGES AND MOVE SOME OF THIS INTO THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THE DISPARITY OF THE SALARIES.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SLIDE DOES.
SO WE ALSO LOOK AT YOUR BENEFIT PROGRAM.
OH, AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT YOUR BENEFIT PROGRAM IS COMPLETELY ON PAR WITH WHAT WE SEE IN THE INDUSTRY, EXCEPT FOR YOUR EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT THESE DAYS LARGELY FALL UNDER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT ARE OFFERED TO THEM, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THEIR POSITION, UH, LARGELY WITH RESPECT TO PERFORMANCE BONUSES, RETENTION INCENTIVES, AND SOMETIMES SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION, UH, OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, SOME SOMEWHAT POLITICAL NATURE OF THE JOB.
SO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE HERE.
UM, YOU, YOU, YOU, WE ALL HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS SERIOUSLY.
UH, IF YOU ARE GONNA HAVE A FIRST CLASS AIRPORT, YOU NEED TO HAVE FIRST CLASS ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS IT.
AND IN ORDER TO ATTRACT, RECRUIT THOSE PEOPLE AND THEN RETAIN 'EM, UH, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN YOUR OFFERINGS.
UM, ADJUST THE, UH, CURRENT POSITION SALARIES, UM, THAT BELOW THAT FALL BELOW THE MARKET MEDIAN, WHICH IS BASICALLY ALL OF THEM, UM, AND BRING THOSE UP.
WHETHER YOU DO THAT THROUGH A NUMBER OF MECHANISMS, IT COULD BE, UH, PHASED INTO AN ACCELERATED TIME PERIOD.
IT COULD BE A NEW PAY PLAN THAT IS SPECIFIC FOR THE AIRPORT, OR COULD BE THROUGH SOME GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES TO THE MODEL, THE GOVERNANCE MODEL OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, UM, MAINTAIN BENEFIT OFFERINGS, AS I NOTED, UH, IMPROVE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT BENEFITS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE MOST SENIOR POSITIONS.
ONE, TWO, POSSIBLY THREE POSITIONS.
THE MANAGEMENT TEAM AT THE AIRPORT, VERY, UH, TRADITIONAL THESE DAYS IN THE INDUSTRY THAT THOSE OFFERINGS ARE BEING PROVIDED.
UM, UM, AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ONE IS TO CONSIDER HOW YOU'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WORKED IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AT A FAIRLY IMPORTANT POSITION FOR MANY YEARS IN MY, UH, CAREER.
AND I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE, UH, ISSUES YOU GRAPPLE WITH, WHERE A CITY GOVERNMENT HAS TO WRESTLE WITH, UM, THE, THE COMPLEXITY OF MANY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR AIRPORT, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT YOUR AIRPORT IS NOT A TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED, SUBSIDIZED OPERATION.
IT IS A, A COMPLETELY NON-SUBSIDIZED, UM, USER FUNDED, UH, FACILITY.
SO THERE ARE NO TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRPORT.
UH, AND THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IF YOU WANT IT TO RUN, UH, AS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS SOME OF THE AIRPORTS YOU'RE IN COMPETITION WITH.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND, UH, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
FIRST, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
CAN YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT, UH, THE CHANGES TO THE GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE MODEL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES.
UM, THERE'S, IN, IN OUR OPINION, THERE'S BASICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, THREE OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR GOVERNANCE MODEL AS IT EXISTS TODAY, WHICH IS NOT REALLY OPERATING EFFICIENTLY, EFFECTIVELY, OR YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ROLLED INTO THIS, UH, SITUATION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR AIRPORT COMMISSION AND THE EMPOWERMENT THAT YOU OFFER THEM TODAY, AND, UH, AMEND THAT SO THAT THEY'RE FURTHER EMPOWERED TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES MORE LOCALLY, PERHAPS THROUGH A SEPARATE
[01:50:01]
PAY PLAN, THAT THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE INPUT AND SAY ABOUT AT THE AIRPORT TABLE ITSELF, UH, OR PERHAPS AN AUTHORITY.UM, THE THING IS THAT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT AIRPORTS THAT ARE AT YOUR SIZE AND ABOVE, NOT SMALLER ONES, UH, THERE'S TRADITIONALLY ONE ON AVERAGE AIRPORT THAT GOES THROUGH A GOVERNANCE CHANGE ANNUALLY.
AND IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, MANY OF THEM HAVE MOVED INTO AN AUTHORITY FORMAT, GETTING OUT FROM THE CITY, UH, THE CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, FORMAT.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT AIRPORTS HAVE BECOME VERY COMPLEX.
UM, 40 YEARS AGO, YOU SENT SOMEBODY OUT TO THE AIRPORT AND THEY WORRIED ABOUT MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE AIRPORT.
BUT TODAY, AN AIRPORT IS ACTUALLY, IT'S PARKING AUTHORITY.
IT HAS A CONCESSIONS ROW, AND THEY'RE SHOPPING, AND THERE'S MULTIPLE CONTRACTS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE AIRLINES.
THERE'S AN AIRLINE MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT.
UH, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THE AIRPORT, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THE AIRPORT.
YOU HAVE A WATER DISTRICT, YOU HAVE A SEWER DISTRICT.
SO IT'S A BUBBLE OF A CITY WITHIN A CITY.
AND IT, AND IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF BUSINESS AND THE AIRLINES.
AND SO THAT HAS BEEN THE TREND OVER 20 YEARS.
I'M NOT ADVOCATING IT, I'M JUST INFORMING YOU.
SO I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH, I GUESS, WALK ME THROUGH THE, THE DIFFERENCE OF OUR MODEL CURRENTLY VERSUS WHAT AN AUTHORITY, LIKE WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND AN AUTHORITY? WELL, YOU HAVE A LOT OF REDUNDANCIES BUILT INTO YOUR DECISION MAKING.
IN FACT, TWO OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE SIT ON THE AIRPORT BOARD, AND THEY HEARD TONIGHT THE SAME THING THAT THE AIRPORT DELIBERATED YESTERDAY.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF PROTECTED, YOUR INTERESTS ARE KIND OF PROTECTED NOW THAT YOU'RE BEING HEARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THE AIRPORT BOARD.
AND AUTHORITY COULD BE SET UP IN THE SAME MANNER, BUT YOU WOULD LEAVE TO THE AUTHORITY, THE ABILITY TO MAKE SOME OF THESE DECISIONS AND NOT HAVE TO COME BACK DOWN TO COUNCIL FOR SOME OF THESE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE APPROVED.
IT ALSO GIVES YOU A MUCH MORE GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION AND REWARD.
UM, IT ALLOWS YOU TO DEVELOP A TRUE, A TEAM OF TALENT AT YOUR AIRPORT.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING UP YOUR WORKFORCE OF, OF TRUE PERFORMERS.
PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE, UM, AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT, ADVERTISING IN THE TERMINAL SPACE.
WHO DOES THAT? WHO GOES OUT AND DOES THAT? WHERE'S THAT TALENT COME FROM, UH, MARKETING.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE PRETTY KEY DIFFERENCES.
AND THEN, AND TRADITIONALLY IN THE GOV IN THAT GOVERNANCE MODEL, ARE THE APPOINTMENTS STILL COMING FROM THE PARISH, OR ARE THEY COMING FROM MULTIPLE EVERY AGENCIES? YEP.
EVERY AIRPORT THAT GOES THROUGH THIS CHANGE DOES IT DIFFERENTLY.
AND THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT'S TAILORED TO YOUR COMMUNITY, IT'S TAILORED TO YOUR CULTURE AND YOUR MISSION, VISION VALUES FOR THAT AIRPORT.
SO IN SOME INSTANCES, UH, THERE'S MULTI, AND IN FACT, IN SOME INSTANCES, THERE'S MORE THAN ONE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THAT SUPPORTS THE AIRPORT COMMISSION.
SO SOME APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD WOULD COME FROM ONE MUNICIPAL ENTITY, AND SOME APPOINTMENTS FROM THE BOARD WOULD COME FROM ANOTHER MUNICIPAL ENTITY.
IN YOUR CASE, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ALL APPOINTMENTS MADE FROM THIS BODY.
HOWEVER, THAT MECHANISM IS, THAT IS SET UP.
UM, AND WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO KEEP APPOINTMENTS ON THAT BOARD THAT ARE ALSO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR THEY'RE NOT, BUT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM, WE DEVELOP WHAT ARE CALLED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR, UH, A DETAILED RESOLUTION THAT WILL EMPOWER THEM WITH WHATEVER POWERS YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM AND WITH WHATEVER RESTRICTIONS YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM.
SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AN AIRPORT IN TEXAS, AND IN THAT COUNCIL, IT'S A TWO COUNTY, UH, IT WAS A SINGULAR COUNTY AIRPORT COMMISSION.
THEY'RE MOVING TO A JOINT TWO COUNTY SPONSORED AIRPORT AUTHORITY.
AND THEY HAVE SET, THEY ARE SETTING UP A STRUCTURE WHERE THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY HAS STILL HAS TO COME TO THOSE TWO, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL BODIES WITH OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
BUT AS LONG AS THEY'RE MANAGING, OPERATING WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, THEY COME IN AND THEY DO THEIR BUDGET ONCE A YEAR.
THEY STAY WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
IF THEY NEED TO SUPPLEMENT IT, THEY FALL OUTTA THE BUDGET, THEY'VE GOTTA COME BACK.
BUT THEY'RE SORT OF LIBERATED AND THEY KNOW HOW TO PLAN FOR THAT, AND THEY KNOW HOW TO, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD MUCH MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AND SO THERE'S, UH, DIFFERENT MODELS.
WE DID SYRACUSE SOME YEARS AGO, AND INITIALLY THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL PUT A RESTRICTION ON THAT AUTHORITY THAT THEY COULD NOT SPEND MORE THAN $10 MILLION WITHOUT COMING BACK TO THE CITY FOR A RESOLUTION ON SUCH A LARGE EXPENDITURE.
UH, LAST YEAR, THEY LIFTED THAT BECAUSE THE AUTHORITY IS FUNCTIONING WELL AND $10 MILLION DOESN'T GO AS FAR AS IT USED TO.
SO THEY NO LONGER HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT TO DO THAT.
SO THESE TYPES OF THINGS AND MECHANISMS CAN BE BROUGHT, BROUGHT INTO THE DISCUSSION, AND THEY USUALLY ARE, UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, YOU'LL COME OUT OF IT, I THINK, WITH THE MOST OPTIMUM SITUATION THAT FITS YOUR AIRPORT, NOT ALL THE AIRPORTS NATIONALLY.
THAT'S SOME INTERESTING IDEAS.
[01:55:01]
I, I WORRY IF WE INSTITUTED THAT WE MIGHT NOT SEE MIKE AS MUCH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING TO, TO THINK ABOUT.COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, TURN YOUR MIC ON.
I, I AM THE, UH, THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAPPENS TO BE, UM, ON THE AIRPORT COMMISSION, BUT NOT AS, NOT REPRESENTING THE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT I DO SEE THE, WHERE THERE'S A DUPLICATION OF, UM, OF SERVICES AND I, I LIKE ACTUALLY THE IDEA THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED IN TEXAS, UM, IT, IT ALLOWS A, THERE'S STILL A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY, BUT ALSO, UM, CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND, AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO BE, UH, PROBABLY BASED ON OUR CHANGE IN OUR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
UM, BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WEIRD THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT AND ALL OF THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE, UM, I'M EXTREMELY PASSIONATE.
AND THE AIRPORT JUST, WHICH WAS, UM, WHAT A NAVY BASE OUR AIRPORT BASE, ORIGINALLY, I THINK IT, UH, ARMY, ARMY AIR FORCE BEFORE THE YES, THE ARMY BECAME ARMY AIR CORPS, AND THEN THE ARMY BECAME THE AIR FORCE AIR.
THE AIR CORPS BECAME THE AIR FORCE.
SO IN, UM, IN THAT, IN THE AREA AROUND THAT AREA, I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF OUR, OF, UM, NORTH BATON ROUGE SCOTLANDVILLE, THAT'S ONE OF THE, UH, FUEL, BUT FOUR ANCHORS THAT WE, UH, LOOK TO WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO LURE BUSINESSES TO COME TO THE AREA.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT, UH, THE BATON ROUGE ZOO HOWELL PLAYS FOR POTENTIAL SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
UM, THE STICKER IN MY CHIN IS ALWAYS A FACT, A SUBJECT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AND THAT IS WITH A PARISH PRISON ACROSS FROM A AIRPORT AND JUVENILE DETENTION ALSO ON THAT CORRIDOR.
NOW, OF COURSE, THAT HAPPENED WHEN WE WEREN'T LOOKING AS ECONOMIC, BUT IT JUST, IT WAS THE BEST PLACE AT THAT TIME.
AND WE WERE ALWAYS USING IT AS A AIRPORT AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT IS THAT ADDRESSED IN YOUR REPORT AT ALL WITH REGARD TO THOSE TYPES OF USES AND, AND, AND, AND IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER, UM, AIRPORTS, WHAT'S ACROSS THE STREET? NO, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T, WE STAYED WITHIN THE FENCE LINE OF THE AIRPORT.
BUT THAT DOES LEAD TO YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT DOES LEAD TO WHAT AN AUTHORITY CAN DO FOR YOU, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY USUALLY TO TAP INTO BROADER ECONOMIC RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY IF YOUR AUTHORITY IS SET UP TO BE MORE REGIONAL IN SCOPE.
UM, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN TEXAS, IS THEY WANT IT TO TAP INTO A BROADER REGIONAL AREA FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AT THE AIRPORT THAT WEREN'T JUST LIMITED TO WITHIN THE COUNTY OF VICTORIA.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE PURPOSES BEHIND THE RANCH.
SO THE AIRPORT IS ITS OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, CORRECT? IT IT IS CURRENTLY HERE.
I DON'T HAVE I, ISN'T IT? CORRECT.
I DON'T HAVE THAT, THOSE, SO I WAS WONDERING IF THAT, HOW THAT WOULD WORK INTO CHANGING THE AUTHORITY AS WELL.
UM, MIKE LOOKS LIKE HE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, CHANGING THE AUTHORITY AS WELL.
BUT, AND, AND BEFORE I LET HIM SPEAK, I DO WANNA SAY AS IT RELATES TO THE AUTHORITY, WHEN I BROUGHT UP, UM, IN THE LAST 10 OR 11 YEARS ABOUT YOU, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UM, PLANS TO HAVE A CONVENTION CENTER, A HOTEL, RESTAURANTS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THAT, BUT NOTHING HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE'S A STRETCH ON, UM, ON PARKING, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE, WHERE WE PEOPLE PARK.
AND THEN ALSO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A PARISH PRISON AND ALL THAT, AND USUALLY HAVE SHOPPING CENTERS.
UM, WHEN I'VE SEEN SEVERAL TIMES HAVING LIVED IN THE AREA THAT I'LL SEE PEOPLE, UH, LEAVE, UH, THE AIRPORT, WALK DOWN THE GRASS OF VETERANS TO THE CONVENIENCE STORE OR TO THE AIRPORT ACROSS, I MEAN, THE, A HOTEL ACROSS HARDING BOULEVARD.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS LIKE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO, AND, AND THIS MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH, BUT WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO, THAT'S WHY I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THE INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, BECAUSE OF THE, THOSE, UM, ISSUES WITH PARISH PRISON, IT'S LIKE, IT BECOMES, I'M NOT GONNA GET INVOLVED WITH THAT, OR I'M NOT GONNA STEP ON ANYBODY ELSE'S TOES.
BUT I WAS WONDERING WITH THAT INDEPENDENCE WOULD, AS A BODY WOULD, AND THEN ALSO, SORRY, I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE.
LIKE CAROLYN TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE
[02:00:01]
F A A HAS TO APPROVE ALL THE, THE PURCHASES.SO LET'S JUST SAY IT'S PART OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
HOW WOULD THAT WORK WITH F A A, RIGHT? IF THEY WANTED TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BUY A PARISH PRISONER, WE'RE GONNA BUY A JUVENILE, WE'RE GONNA BUY EVERYTHING WE WANT IT ALL PART OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE WANT YOUR EXTRA TIME COUNCIL MEMBER, AND, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE TO PAY YOU MORE FOR THIS PART
WE WANT YOUR EXTRA TIME COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ONLY FOR THEM TO ANSWER
UM, WELL, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE F A A, THE F A A'S FULLY SUPPORTIVE ECO OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON AIRPORTS, AND THEY'RE EVEN SUPPORTIVE OF NON-AVIATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON AT AIRPORTS.
THE A'S PHILOSOPHY IS ACTUALLY THAT, UM, THE FEES THAT ARE CHARGED TO THE AIRLINES SHOULD BE AS OFFSET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FROM NON-AVIATION, UH, REVENUE SOURCES.
SO THEY ENCOURAGE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, UH, OTHER TYPES OF LEASED PROPERTY.
UH, AS LONG AS THAT USE OF THAT PROPERTY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LONG-TERM PLAN OF THE AIRPORT, UM, YOU DO HAVE TO GET THEIR PERMISSION WHEN YOU, UH, OFFER UP THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY'RE USUALLY PRETTY GOOD ABOUT GIVING IT.
UM, BUT NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A PROPONENT OF THAT.
UM, ALMOST ALL OF THE TRANSACTIONS THAT WE DO, UH, DO HAVE A STATEMENT IN THE, UH, ENABLING, UH, WHETHER IT'S A RESOLUTION OR SOMETIMES WE GO TO LEGISLATURE AND GET ENABLING ACT.
UM, THEY USUALLY DO HAVE A STATEMENT IN THERE IN SUPPORT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IF NOT EVEN A MANDATE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S USUALLY A, A COMPONENT OF AN, OF AN AUTHORITY MODEL.
OH, NO, I, NO, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, WE ARE NOT DESIGNATED AS A SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
WE ARE THE GREATER BATON ROUGE.
IT'S GOVERNED BY THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT DISTRICT.
IT HAS TAXING AUTHORITY, BONDING AUTHORITY, ET CETERA.
BUT WE WE'RE NOT A DESIGNATED E D D, LIKE IN, IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT, UH, BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, GREAT DETAIL, BUT IT ALSO, UM, HELPS US SEGUE INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR CITY PARISH, WHICH IS DOING OUR OWN PACE STUDY FOR EVERY OTHER POSITION OUTSIDE OF, MAY INCLUDE THE AIRPORT TOO.
UM, UM, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I GOT OUT OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO RUN THE AIRPORT LIKE A BUSINESS.
YOU, YOU WANNA RUN THE AIRPORT LIKE A BUSINESS WITHOUT LOSING PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT AN AUTHORITY WOULD DO IF IT'S SET UP PROPERLY.
AND THAT, THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT I'VE BEEN, UM, BEATING A DEAD HORSE FOR IN CITY PARISH, IS THAT THE LAYERS OF APPROVAL.
AND SOMEBODY ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, UM, TALKING ABOUT BECOMING THE CHIEF OF BATON ROUGE, AND WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT POSSIBILITIES.
AND I SAID, I'M FOR, UM, INTERNAL PEOPLE BEING HIRED AND GOING UP THE PIPELINE, BUT ALSO KNOW WHY THEY GO OUTSIDE OF THE PIPELINE AS WELL.
BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO ONLY KNOWS THE SLOW PROCESS OF CITY PARISH CAN ONLY FOCUS ON IT IS POINT OF ORDER.
IT IT GOES THE SAME 'CAUSE IT RELATES BACK TO THE AIRPORT.
SLOW PROCESS OF CITY PARISH AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS, WHICH THE SAME THING HAS HAPPEN AT THE AIRPORT.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIRING PEOPLE, LIKE YOU TALK ABOUT GETTING QUALITY TALENT AT THE AIRPORT, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEM A LITTLE WAGE, RIGHT? NUMBER ONE, OR, UH, UH, IN ATTRACTIVE WAYS MORE THAN A LIVABLE.
BUT NUMBER TWO, YOU ALSO WANT PEOPLE WHO HAVE INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND INDUSTRY TALENT THAT CAN BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN WHAT'S ALREADY IN BATON ROUGE MARKET.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE RELEVANCY FOR THE TWO GOING TOGETHER IS WHY I WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS ASKED ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH THE AIRPORT IS NOT, BUT IT IS AN ENTERPRISE ZONE.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH COUNCILWOMAN BANKS AND, AND THE REST OF US, THE BENEFITS OF THAT MICRO? YEAH, SO, UH, WHILE WE'RE NOT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CERTAIN PORTIONS OF OUR AIRPORT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS AN AN ENTERPRISE ZONE.
I THINK WE'VE EVEN BEEN AN ECONOMIC ZONE, UH, ONE OF THE FEDERAL ZONES UNDER THE, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS TAX BILLS WHERE THERE ARE CERTAIN TAX INCENTIVES, JOB INCENTIVES, UH, FOR BUSINESSES THAT RELOCATE OR LOCATE WITHIN THOSE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO A FOREIGN TRADE ZONE.
WE HAVE FOREIGN TRADE ZONE DESIGNATION AS WELL TOO, WHICH HELPS OUT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ENTICE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE AIRPORT, BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY ENTITLED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I WANNA ADDRESS A FEW QUESTIONS THAT COUNCILMAN, UH, HUDSON HAD, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
AS THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED, THERE ARE SEVERAL MODELS, BUT IN MY MIND, I, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD TO KEEP THE APPOINTMENTS IN PLACE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LEGISLATIVE
[02:05:01]
APPOINTEES AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL APPOINTS INDIVIDUALS TO THE COMMISSION.I DON'T THINK WE MESS WITH THAT.
I THINK WE KEEP THAT IN PLACE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ACHIEVE WHAT HE'S PRESENTING.
UH, WE DON'T NEED TO STRIP THE APPOINTMENTS AWAY TO ACHIEVE WHAT HE, WHAT HE'S PRESENTING.
SO I THINK IT COULD BE DONE BY KEEPING THAT IN PLACE.
UM, SECONDLY, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME REAL TIME EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT AUTHORITY CAN DO VERSUS WHAT CITY, COUNTY, OR IN OUR CASE CITY PARISH DOES.
UH, ANYTIME MICHAEL ATTEMPTS TO HIRE SOMEBODY OR EVALUATE THEIR PAY OR GIVE THEM A RAISE, UH, HE HAS TO CONTACT HR AND CITY PARISH AND TALK TO BRIAN.
AND IF THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT, UH, FOR A POSITION AT THE AIRPORT, THEN EVERYBODY ON THAT SAME PAY SCALE OR THAT SAME JOB DESCRIPTION HAS TO BE ADJUSTED AS WELL.
AND BRIAN, IF I'M MISQUOTING OR SAYING SOME WRONG, FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME.
UM, ALSO, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS WITH THE UNIQUE SERVICE THAT A AIRPORT PROVIDES THAT MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM, UH, REQUEST EACH YEAR.
AND OFTENTIMES THOSE JOBS ARE DENIED BY THE PARISH FOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND BRIAN CAN EXPLAIN THAT BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT JUST, JUST THAT, UH, CONFLICT, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM, 'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A UNIQUE SERVICE AND SKILLSET THAT, THAT YOU, YOU ATTRACT WHEN YOU BRING ON SOMEONE TO WORK ON THE AIRFIELD.
ALL THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT T S A AND, AND THE F F FFA REQUIRE IS, IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN MY OPINION, THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE IN CITY PARISH.
SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LUMP 'EM, LUMP THE AIRPORT STAFF IN WITH OTHER CITY PARISH.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
MICHAEL, CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE BODY, UH, WHAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DO, WHAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE TO WORK AT THE AIRPORT, TELL, TELL US EVERYTHING THAT THEY, THEY EVERY CERTIFICATE AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE AS, AS, AS I WAS MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT SLASH FF DEPARTMENT.
OUR FF OFFICERS ARE DUAL TRAINED.
UH, THEY'RE BOTH POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEY HAVE SOME FIRST, FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING, UH, I THINK IT'S AN E M T CERTIFICATION THAT THEY HAVE AS WELL TOO.
SO OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR OFFICERS, EXCUSE ME, UM, WILL WORK A SHIFT AND THEY'LL EITHER SERVE IN ONE OF THE TWO CAPACITIES DURING THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT SHIFT AND, AND, AND ROTATE.
AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SECURITY AND THE POLICING WITHIN THE, THE, THE TERMINAL, THE AIRFIELD, ET CETERA.
UH, AND ANY AREA, THEY ARE POST CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS.
SO THEY DO GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
THEY DO ATTEND A POLICE ACADEMY AND, AND MUST PASS THAT, THAT POLICE ACADEMY.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO HAVE TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER, I BELIEVE IT'S FIREFIGHTER ONE, FIREFIGHTER TWO, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL F A A TRAINING THAT, THAT, THAT THEY HAVE TO DO AS WELL TOO.
SO OUR OFFICERS ARE VERY UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT THEY ARE BOTH POLICE AND FIREMEN AS WELL TOO.
SO ACTUALLY THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF SKILLS THAT THEY COULD TRANSFER INTO OTHER DISTRICTS OR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL TOO.
SO MICHAEL, THREE, THREE CERTIFICATIONS, THE FIRE POLICE AND, UH, E M SS E M S.
AND IS THERE SOME T S A OR F F A? UH, THEY HAVE TO COMPLY, JUST LIKE WE ALL DO WITH, WITH WITH T SS A REQUIREMENTS AS WELL TOO.
MR. PROTE, I'M GONNA NEED A DOUBLE NICKEL ON THIS ONE.
UM, NOW BEGINNING PAY FOR THOSE OFFICERS, OH, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
PAY ANGIE, OR, UH, PULL THAT UP.
UH, BRIAN, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THAT? CAN I HOLD MY TIME, MR. PROTE? SURE.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 32,000 A YEAR.
WHAT'S THE BEGINNING PAY FOR B R P D BRIAN? YEAH, 34,797 IS, UH, THE MINIMUM FOR AIRPORT POLICE SLASH AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING OFFICER, UM, 45,400 TWOS THE MID, UH, CAREER, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNT AT, AT THAT STEP.
AND THEN, UH, THEY MAX OUT AT 59,239.
BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE NINE VACANCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND THE, UH, SHIFT COVERAGE ON THOSE VACANCIES BEING MADE UP BY OVERTIME WORK.
UM, SO WE HAVE SERGEANTS, UH, OUR LIEUTENANT, OUR CHIEF, UH, THEY'RE ALL WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS TO COVER THOSE, UM, THOSE SHIFTS DUE TO THE VACANCIES WE'VE HAD SINCE 2019.
THE OTHER EXAMPLE I'LL GIVE, MANY OF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR, UH, FORMER ASSISTANT AVIATION DIRECTOR, GREG PEARSON, UH, MIKE, AND, AND HIM AND GREG KIND OF ASCENDED IN THOSE POSITIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
[02:10:01]
AN EXAMPLE OF THE INDUSTRY RECOGNIZING THE TALENT THAT HE BROUGHT UH, TO THE TABLE AND THE INDUSTRY RECRUITED HIM AWAY.WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY HIM WHAT THE, UH, THE AIRPORT, UH, AVIATION INDUSTRY, UH, PAID HIM.
NOT ONLY DID WE LOSE GREG, UH, WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL THAT ROLE YET BECAUSE OF THE RATE OF PAY IS SO LOW COMPARED TO WHAT OUR COMPANION OR OUR NEIGHBORING AIRPORTS ARE OFFERING.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, THAT IS HAPPENING WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO RECRUIT QUALITY STAFF AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO RETAIN THE ONES THAT WE HAVE, AND IT IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A, BE A ISSUE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I'LL, I'LL SAY, AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS ASKED ABOUT THE, THE PRISON AND THE, AND THE, UH, JUVENILE FACILITY AIRPORTS, IF YOU GO AROUND THE COUNTRY TODAY, ARE MORE DESTINATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU SEE IN A CITY IN MANY AIRPORTS IS THERE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT, UH, TRAVELERS ARE STAYING AT THE AIRPORT, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT COMFORTABLE AND COZY FOR YOU AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK RESORT ISH.
UM, SO NO, UH, DETENTION CENTERS AND PRISONS ARE NOT IDEAL, UH, STRUCTURES TO BE IN AND AROUND AIRPORTS.
SO I, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN HURST IS DOING AND JUDGE GROVE IS DOING.
I, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT FACILITY UP TO THE JETSON PLACE AND BUILD SOMETHING NEW AND WE CAN REDEVELOP THAT AREA.
MIKE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, OUR AIRPORT COMPLIANCE COORDINATORS, YOU KNOW, THEIR CURRENT, UH, SALARY IS 54, 50 4% BELOW PIER AIRPORTS.
AND WE'VE CONSISTENTLY STRUGGLED TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN FOLKS IN THAT, UH, OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
SO WITH, WITH THE POLICE FIREFIGHTING AND, AND OPERATIONS, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL, UH, POSITIONS TO THE EFFICIENT OPERATIONS, SAFE OPERATIONS AT THE AIRPORT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I COULD CITE A LOT OF EXAMPLES, BUT THOSE WERE TWO IN PARTICULAR OUTSIDE OF ADMINISTRATION THAT I WANTED TO NOTE.
AND BEFORE I CLOSE, UH, PRO TEM, I'M WANT TO GIVE BRIAN AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I BROUGHT UP A SITUATION THAT HIM AND MIKE GOES THROUGH ANNUALLY ABOUT THE NEEDS AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL JOBS AND THE CONVERSATION THEY HAVE.
SO BRIAN, IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF TALK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, LOGIC AND, AND HOW Y'ALL ARRIVE AT, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS ON THAT AND, AND THE CONVERSATION THAT Y'ALL HAVE ANG ON THAT AND WHATEVER CHALLENGES MAY ARISE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UH, NEW JOBS ARE NOT FILLED AT AT HIS REQUEST, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE JOBS AT THE AIRPORT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MANY JOBS THAT ARE SIMILAR AT THE AIRPORT THAT ARE IN OTHER PLACES.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE, UH, AIRPORT OFFICER, UM, THE STARTING PAY IS AT 38 4, I THINK.
UM, I DON'T THINK MIKE HAS ASKED FOR A RECRUITING RATE, WHICH WE COULD BRING 'EM UP TO 40,000, WHICH WOULD PUT THEM EQUAL TO A POLICE OFFICER, A STARTING POLICE OFFICER.
SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS INTERNALLY THAT WE COULD DO, UM, TO WORK WITH HIM TO DO THAT.
UM, SOME YEARS AGO, JUST TO KIND OF REFRESH, UH, MEMORIES AND, AND, UM, MAKE SOME PEOPLE AWARE, UH, WHEN DR.
JIM LORENZ WAS THE HR DIRECTOR, RIGHT? THE AIRPORT HAD CLASSES THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO CITY PARISH CLASSES, RIGHT? UH, A AIRPORT CLERICAL WORKER, A AIRPORT MAINTENANCE WORKER, THEY WERE PAID DIFFERENT FROM CITY WORKERS, RIGHT? A JUDGE OPINED THAT THEY WERE NOT DIFFERENT.
WE BACK PAID MILLIONS AND WE HAVE HAVE HELD THAT STANDARD TO SAY THEY WORK AT THE AIRPORT, BUT THEIR JOBS AND THE COURTS HAVE SAID THAT THEY'RE TOO SIMILAR FOR US TO SEPARATE.
SO IF SOME THINGS ARE GONNA BE DONE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT COMPETITIVE, MAYBE SOME, MAYBE AN AIRPORT AUTHORITY IS WHAT THEY NEED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE REMINDED THAT SIMILAR JOBS BUT EQUAL PAY HAVE TO BE PAID EQUALLY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND BEING JOINING US TONIGHT.
COUNCILMAN, WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS REAL QUICKLY 'CAUSE WE HADN'T PAID ONE BILL TONIGHT.
[75. 23-00984]
ITEM 75 AMENDING THE 2023 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET SO AS TO ESTABLISH AN OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND AND APPROPRIATE SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,050,650 AND 72 CENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOUISIANA STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPIOID LITIGATION MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BY MAYOR PRESENT.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75?
[02:15:01]
ANYONE? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOROCCO SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.[76. 23-00988]
NOW GO TO ITEM 76, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF EAST RIDGE PARISH IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000 FOR A COURT INTERVENTION PROGRAM.TO ASSIST IN THE OPIOID ABATEMENT INITIATIVE, THERE'S ANYONE HERE ING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 76.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOROCCO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[77. 23-01052]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE EASTBOUND ROUGE PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $310,000 TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT STRATEGIES TO ASSIST IN THE OPIOID ABATEMENT INITIATIVE.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 77? COMING NOW? ORDER TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[78. 23-01053]
ITEM 78, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXIT THE CONTRACT WITH SET FREE INDEED MINISTRY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 TO SUPPORT FATAL OVERDOSE CRISIS RESPONSES AND PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT TO ASSIST IN THE OPIOID ABATEMENT INITIATIVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, BY THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN WILL TAKE ITEM 79
[Items 79 - 88]
THROUGH 88, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT 1009 14 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.LP LOCATED IN 1 7 6 0 6 0 AMERICA STREET.
ITEM 80 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT 1,000,414, EXCUSE ME, $1,414 PER YEAR AT THE R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT 2 1 1 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 81 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT 1 6 7 3 PER YEAR.
R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT 2 1 5 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 82 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,495 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 2 1 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 83 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT 1,423 PER DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 2 3 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 84 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,429 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 2 9 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 85 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,429 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 3 7 BRYCE STREET.
ITEM 86 GRANDING, A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,498 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 4 7 BRYCE STREET.
A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,426 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 4 9 BRIGHT STREET AND ITEM 88 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,381 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT $1,762 AMERICA STREET.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 79 THROUGH 88? COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT OPPOSED TO ALL ITEMS 79 THROUGH 88.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 79 THROUGH 88 COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOCH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ITEM 79 THROUGH 88 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
ITEM 73 RECEIVING A REPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN ON COLEMAN'S KIDS SUMMER CAMP BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA.
YOU LADIES COULDN'T JUST TALK ON THE PHONE.
COURSE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT PRISON AND ALL OF THIS.
WELL, CORTLAND IS GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE DID FOR SIX WEEKS WITH APPROXIMATELY 75 STUDENTS.
AND UH, THIS WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCILWOMAN EMMA ROSA.
HELLO EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CORTLAND JONES AND I'LL BE PRESENTING ON THE DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN'S KIDS CAMP.
ALL RIGHT, SUMMER CAMP OVERVIEW.
THE PURPOSE OF COLEMAN'S KIDS SUMMER CAMP WAS TO ENHANCE, UM, NOT ONLY ACADEMIC BUT ENRICHMENT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CURRICULUM.
THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM WAS SIX WEEKS FROM JUNE 5TH THROUGH JULY 13TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM WE HAD TWO, UH, LOCATION SITES.
CSAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS FOUR GRADES K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, AND MCKINLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS FOUR GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHTH, UM, WITH APPROXIMATELY 75 STUDENTS BETWEEN THE TWO SITES.
THE, UM, COLEMAN'S KIDS CAMP REGISTRATION PROCESS.
UM, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS ABOUT 2022 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, PROPER PLANNING PREVENTS
[02:20:01]
POOR PERFORMANCE.UM, AND SO WE STARTED OFF DEVISING THE FLYER AND THE APPLICATION WHERE PARENTS WERE ABLE TO COME IN A FRIDAY EVENING, UH, FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FOR THEIR CHILD OR CHILDREN ALONG WITH SELECT ENRICHMENT CHOICES, UM, THAT THEY, UH, THOUGHT WOULD BEST INTEREST THEIR CHILD.
HERE IS OUR CAMP REINFORCEMENT FORM THAT WE USE, THAT SERVED AS OUR PRE-TEST FORM AND IT ALSO HELPED US, UM, DEVISE THE CURRICULUM FOR THE COLEMAN KIDS CAMP.
UM, WITH THIS FORM WE HAD TO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOLS THAT THE APPLICANTS WERE ENROLLED AT AS WELL AS THE TEACHER SO THAT THEY CAN COMPLETE THIS, UH, TO HELP US WITH THE PLANNING INSTRUCTORS.
IF YOU KNOW COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, YOU KNOW, SHE LOVES THE BEST AND HER STAFF WAS HANDPICKED.
UM, THE INSTRUCTORS HAD TO RECEIVE A TWO DAY ORIENTATION PROCESS.
UM, AND WITH THAT PROCESS THEY WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE PRE THE REINFORCEMENT FORMS FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SUMMER CAMP, AS WELL AS SUPPLIES GATHER THEIR CLASSROOMS. UM, AND THEN DR.
JACQUELINE MAM'S LICENSE THERAPIST, SHE, UM, SPEARHEADED THE EMOTIONAL WELLBEING PIECE OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS PROCESS WAS MANDATORY AND STAFF WAS HANDPICKED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BEST PARENT ORIENTATION.
UM, THAT WAS ALSO MANDATORY FOR EACH CAMP STUDENT THAT WAS ENROLLED IN COLEMAN'S KIDS CAMP.
UM, THEY, THEY PARENT ATTENDED THE ORIENTATION, THE ORIENTATION PROCESS.
UM, PARENTS WERE ABLE TO COME AND RECEIVE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SUMMER CAMP AS WELL AS PURCHASE WHAT YOU SEE ME WEARING, COLEMAN'S KIDS CAMP SHIRT, WHICH WAS MANDATORY FOR EACH, UH, SUMMER CAMP STUDENTS TO HAVE ON.
SO THAT WAY WE WENT ON FIELD TRIPS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND SINCE WE WERE AT A SCHOOL, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE KIDS ENROLLED IN THE CAMP EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
THAT PIECE WAS SPEARHEADED BY DR.
JACQUELINE MIMS. SHE IS A LICENSED THERAPIST AND SHE WAS ABLE TO COME IN AND ASSESS STUDENTS AS WELL AS PARENTS WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY HAD IN REGARDS TO THEIR CHILD.
AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, SHE ALSO GAVE AN ASSESSMENT FORM TO EACH PARENT ON WHAT SHE HAD COLLECTED ON EACH STUDENT AT THE CAMP.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF OUR DAILY SCHEDULE.
THIS SCHEDULE STARTED AT 8:00 AM WITH BREAKFAST INCLUDED, UM, E L A AND MATH TIME, THE ELECTIVES DREAMING WITH COLEMAN.
UM, THAT WAS A TIME WHERE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS THAT SUPPORTED US WITH THE CAMP WERE ABLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK WITH THE KIDS.
AND OUR END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL, UM, DUTIES AND OUR DISMISSAL HERE IS THE PICTURE OF OUR JUNE AND JULY SUMMER CAMP EVENTS FOR GRADES PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
UM, EVENTS WERE FIELD TRIPS AS WELL AS, LIKE I SAID, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT CAME IN.
UM, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT GO RIDE, UM, OUR VERY OWN MAYOR BROOM.
SHE WAS ABLE TO COME IN AND SEE WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THE CAMP.
THIS IS ALSO A JUNE AND JULY SUMMER CAMP EVENT FOR GRADE SIX THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS.
UM, AND THOSE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER, EA SPORTS, UM, AS WELL AS TOUR W B R Z, EXXON MOBIL BROOKS POOL.
SHE CAME IN AND EDUCATED THE KIDS ABOUT THE DOSS AND DON'T DON'TS OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION.
JUST A FEW PHOTOS OF OUR, UH, FIELD TRIP THAT, UH, PICTURE AT THE TOP.
THAT'S WHERE WE WERE ON OUR, THE CAT'S BUS.
WHEN WE WENT PLACES WITHIN EAST BATON ROUGE, THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR US, UM, AS WELL AS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THOSE STUDENTS THAT, UH, SIXTH GROUP THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE THAT ATTENDED THE LAW CENTER, EA SPORTS THAT'S IN THE STUDENT UNION ON SOUTHERN'S CAMPUS, THEY RECEIVED HEADPHONES AS WELL AS KEYBOARDS.
THIS SLIDE HERE IS OUR CULMINATING PROGRAM.
THE CULMINATING PROGRAM WAS A PROGRAM THAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF CAMP, WHICH ALLOWED THE KIDS TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS AND A SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY LEARNED.
UM, DURING COLEMAN'S KIDS CAMP, UM, THROUGH PERFORMING ARTS, UH, PORTUGUESE, WE HAD AN INTRODUCTORY CLASS WITH PORTUGUESE AS WELL AS, UM,
[02:25:02]
A HOST OF MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE CAMP.AND THAT'S THE FLYER THAT WENT OUT TO PARENTS AND SUPPORT US TO COME AND ATTEND THE LAST DAY OF CAMP.
WE WANTED TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
AND SO AT THE CULMINATING PROGRAM, WE ASKED THAT EACH STUDENT AND PARENT COMPLETED THE SURVEYS.
THE ONLY LOOK LIKE CONCERN WAS THAT THE CAMP WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH AND THAT THEY WANTED ONE LOCATION FOR, UH, PARENTS THAT HAD MORE THAN ONE CHILD.
WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS.
UH, BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, BRECK BATON ROUGE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION, KATZ CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT, EAST BATON ROUGE MAYOR'S OFFICE, EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, EAST BATON ROUGE SHERIFF OFFICE, AND GOR.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN FOR HOSTING SUCH A GREAT CAMP FOR THE STUDENTS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COURTLANDS DAILY AND NIGHTLY PERSISTENCE IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT WHICH WE HAD DISCUSSED AND EXPECTED TO HAPPEN FOR THESE CHILDREN, THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND SO THE ONLY CHARGE FOR THESE CHILDREN WAS FOR THE PARENTS TO BUY A SHIRT AND THAT SHIRT WAS $10.
SO IF THEY WANTED TO BUY ONE, IT WAS JUST MANDATORY THAT THEY REPORTING THAT SHIRT EVERY DAY.
SO THAT MEAN THERE WAS SOME WASHING GOING ON.
AND SO THAT WAS THE ONLY CHARGE THERE.
AND THE PARENTS WERE, I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST EXCELLENT AND UH, WE JUST DID A PLETHORA OF GOOD STUFF, YOU KNOW, THAT CHANNEL TWO, THAT TV THING.
I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T TELL THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT A PART OF THAT STATION.
WE ALSO DID THE GUN SAFETY, SO IT WAS A LOT, A LOT.
AND THEN IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE PARENTS CALENDARS SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS, UH, WERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARO, THAT'S GONE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE REASON I DID THIS WAS BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAME BEFORE US AND WE HAD TO GET IT APPROVED.
AND ONE THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT LATELY IS EDUCATING KIDS, KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE, GETTING THEM ON THE RIGHT TRACK, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE DOING WELL, WHICH, UM, THIS COUNCILWOMAN HAS DONE THIS SUMMER.
AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE HER PASSION AND HER DESIRE AND FOR HER CHILDREN TO DO WELL AND THE CONCERN FOR THESE CHILDREN.
[89. 23-01084]
MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD, WE GO TO ITEM 89, AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR PRE PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENT OF AGREEMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE CONTRACT WITH RAMSEY HALEY, HER AND ARCHITECTS FOR THE ADDITIONAL DESIGN, SERVICE, AND CONNECTION WITH THEIR CONTRACT FOR THE NEW DES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FACILITY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $67,449 AND 48 CENTS BY THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 89? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. GO AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN, GO AHEAD.
UH, MR. SMITH, IF WE COULD DELETE THIS ITEM.
IT'S A DUPLICATE OF, UH, AN ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT AT THE PRIOR MEETING.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS
[90. 23-01094]
BEEN DELETED.FUSION ARCHITECT FOR ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, SERVING AND CONNECTION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX H TWO BUILDING RENOVATIONS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $275,244.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 90? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM ON ANY OBJECTIONS
[91. 23-01132]
WE GO TO ITEM 91, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF BATON ROU POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FROM LOUISIANA'S HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMISSION IN AN AMOUNT OF $1,030,700.SET TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCILORS.
IS THERE ARE MOTION? SO MORE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
[92. 23-01133]
ITEM 92, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 HIGHWAY SAFETY GRANTING AMOUNT UP TO $98,500 ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE CITY COURT FROM LOUISIANA HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMISSION FOR THE OPERATION OF THE BATON ROUGE CITY COURTS D W I SOBRIETY COURT BY THE CLERK OF COURT JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 92, GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
[93. 23-01135]
[02:30:01]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM THREE THERE AS A MOTION TO DE FURTHEST I REQUEST TO DEFER THIS ITEM.AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE CREATIVE INFORMATION LEARNING CENTER.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF AREA RESIDENCE CREATIVE INFORMATION LEARNING CENTER IS TO PAY $300 PER MONTH TO CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE OFFICE SPACE AND EQUIPMENT STORAGE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HURST.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? THERE'S A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED.
[94. 23-01137]
94 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENTS EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE WALLS PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT OF 38,500 LAWS TO ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY ACCESS.AND FURTHER AUTHORIZE THE REALLOCATION OF 200, EXCUSE ME, OF THE 2023 GENERAL FUND BUDGET APPROVED BY GREATER BAT ROUGE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 94? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HER SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN? ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO
[95. 23-01027]
ITEM 95, AUTHORIZING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE PARCEL 19 DASH FOUR AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF THE SAME TO LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SUMMER OF $37,624.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 95? WHEN NOW GO TO COUNCILORS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY THE CHAIR.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDY.
[96. 23-01136]
WE'RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT COUNCIL DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON JUNE 28TH, 2022 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE BY JOEL R PENTON.REASON FOR RESCISSION OF PROPERTY IS UNDER CONTRACT TO SALE AND THE NEW OWNER INTENDS TO DEMOLISH STRUCTURE, CLEAR A LOT OF THE JUNK, TRASH AND DEBRIS, AND MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN ONE HERE, WHICH WILL SPEAK ON ITEM 96.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GO.
[97. 23-01148]
GO NOW TO 97 RESCINDING AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF COURT.THE COUNCIL DECISION IN ORDER TO RECORD IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS CP PROPERTY GROUP, L L C 2 0 5 8 SOBER STREET.
REASON FOR DECISION PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD AND A NEW OWNER INTEND TO CLEAR THE VIOLATIONS ON THE PROPERTY BY THE CHAIR.
AND AB, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MOVED BY THE CHAIR.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLER BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[98. 23-01150]
GO TO 98.WE'RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT.
THE COUNCIL DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON AUGUST 12TH, 2022 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE BY MOSES MILES AND DALE L JACKSON.
TRAVIS FOSTER, DIMONT FOSTER, JUANITA CARTER.
REASON FOR DECISION PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD TO A NEW ORDER.
INTENT TO CLEAR THE VIOLATIONS ON THE PROPERTY BY THE CHAIR.
OH, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
ANY AB AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN? ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 98 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[99. 23-01151]
ITEM 99, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH SIGMA CONSULTING GROUP, INCORPORATED FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE BEYOND CAPACITY PROJECT JONES CREEK ROAD IN THE MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED FORTY THOUSAND TWENTY THREE THOUSAND TWENTY SEVEN CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 99? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[100. 23-01152]
GO TO ITEM 100, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS.L L C TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LANCASTER AVENUE AND POLAND PARKWAY.
SIDEWALK PROJECTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100? WHEN I WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THE MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOR ANY OBJECTIONS WE
[101. 23-01153]
GO TO ITEM 1 0 1.AUTHORIZE A MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR WITH D R C EMERGENCY SERVICES.
L L C FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AND CONNECTION WITH THE ANNUAL PARISH WIDE CHANNEL CLEARING PROJECT RESULTING IN AN INCREASE TO THE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,400,000 BY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 1? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS SOMO BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[102. 23-01154]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM 1 0 2.AUTHORIZE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH TERRE ENGINEERING L L C ASSOCIATED WITH NORTH REGIONAL WASTEWATER CONSOLIDATION PROJECT AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED SIXTY NINE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FIFTY ONE CENTS.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 2? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODA.
[103. 23-01155]
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES WITH SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS L L C FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE CAPACITY PROJECT OLD HAMMOND HIGHWAY, SEGMENT ONE, PHASE A.ANY AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $297,000 BY TRANSPORTATION RANGE DIRECTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[104. 23-01156]
TO ITEM 1 0 4 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXCEED THE CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH SUSTAINABLE[02:35:01]
DESIGN SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH REGIONAL WASTEWATER CONSOLIDATION PROJECT AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $137,340 BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
WE GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER'S MOTION.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO TO 1 0 5
[105. 23-01158]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT TO THE ENTITY STATE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT.BRIGHTSIDE GU FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION IS 3.16 MILLION AT 1% AT A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL AND REMAINDER AT 80% FEDERAL, 20% PARISH BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 5? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM.
[106. 23-01159]
1 0 6 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, CITY OF BATON ROUGE.TO PROVIDE A DETOUR OF LA 3 27 VIA EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ROUTES BURBANK DRIVE, STARRING LANE AND HIGHLAND ROAD BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 6? FRED, YOU WANT TO SPEAK OR YOU JUST WAITING FOR QUESTIONS? OH, COUNCIL MEMBER GODAD.
SO FRED, THIS, UH, OBVIOUSLY IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT.
THERE WAS A RECENT, UH, SENIOR HOUSING, SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
SO THIS BRIDGE AND THE, AND THE PROJECT ITSELF IS CRITICAL TO ME.
A PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALK WOULD BE, UH, TREMENDOUS FOR THAT TO, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO, UM, A CAT'S, UH, BUS SHELTER.
UH, AND THEN I WOULD ALSO ADD, AND AND WE'VE HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, THAT, UH, A NEW BUS STOP DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THIS SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, WOULD BE PREFERABLE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU AND ANYONE ELSE TO SEE THAT THAT GETS ADJOINED TO THIS PROJECT.
I I I HAVE ALREADY HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ON RELATIONSHIP TO THAT.
'CAUSE IT IS ALSO GONNA BE REPLACING THE BRIDGE THAT AT BAYOU FOUNTAIN, RIGHT AT THAT LOCATION.
AND WE WANT TO HAVE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO WALK.
'CAUSE I ALSO WANTED TO TIE IN THE BURBANK WHERE IT WOULD GO DOWN GUARD DEER AND GET TO THE PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT'S GONNA NEED TO BE A, A CHANGE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THAT.
UH, I, I HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE UNDER MY ROAD TRANSFER CREDIT THAT WE COULD LOOK AT USING.
SO I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS JUST ONE WORD SIR.
IF WE COULD ADD LIGHTING ANYWHERE UP AND DOWN.
I DON'T, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S ONE LIGHT POLE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I ASK FOR.
I I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO HAVE LIGHTING AND UH, AT THIS POINT IT'S NOT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, WHICH ALLOWS US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT.
WHAT OUR GOAL WOULD'VE TO BE IS IF THE PEOPLE ALONG THE ROADWAY DO WANT ADDITIONAL LIGHTING OR UPGRADE OF LIGHTING, THEN WE'D HAVE TO GO TO THEM AND LOOK AT TRYING TO GET TO DO A LIGHTING DISTRICT FOR THAT PARTICULAR STREET.
BUT I'VE, I'VE ASKED THAT ALREADY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME LIGHTS HERE AND THERE, BUT THOSE ARE HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
THAT, BUT THAT, THAT PROPERTY GOTCHA.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I THINK WE HAD THAT ALREADY.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GOEY SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROCKER.
[107. 23-01160]
I GO TO ITEM 1 0 7 TO AMEND THE 2023 CURRENT EXPENSE MONEY FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO APPROPRIATE $5 MILLION FROM THE FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED TO PROVIDE FOR INTERGOVERNMENT TRANSFERS TO LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TON HOSPITALS FOR UPPER PAYMENT LIMIT MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 7? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GOD IS NONE OBJECTIONS WILL NOT GO TO ITEM
[108. 23-01161]
1 0 8.AMENDING THE 2023 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
SO AS TO APPROPRIATE 650,000 FROM EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO PURCHASE TEN FIRST RESPONDER UNITS BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTORS.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 8.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES.WE GO TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, A 23 DASH 0 1 2 6 1.
AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE 1 8 9 4 0 ADOPTED JULY 26.
2023, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCTS WITHIN WARD ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
RIDGE PARIS DESIGNATING POLLING PLACE.
[02:40:01]
FOLLOWING POLLING LOCATIONS, WARD ONE PRECINCT 68 FROM BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO EVIL LA GUARD CENTER, WARD ONE PRECINCTS 12 A, 12 B 47 A AND 47 B.NAME CHANGE ONLY FROM KENWORTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL TO BATTER CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL, WARD ONE, PRECINCTS 48 AND 48 B FROM BATTER ROO CENTER VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET SCHOOL TO BATONS FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACADEMY IMMERSION MAGNET SCHOOL AT WARD ONE PRECINCT 59.
NAME CHANGE ONLY FROM VALLEY PARK CENTER TO BATTER ROUGE FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACADEMIC IMMERSION MAGNET SCHOOL AND WARD ONE PRECINCTS 1184 FROM GLEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL DESIGN CITY SCHOOL AND REESTABLISHED DESIGNATED POLLING LOCATION FOR ALL OF THE PRECINCTS WITHIN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
REASON FOR EMERGENCY IS TO ALLOW VOTERS TO BE NOTIFIED BEFORE THE OCTOBER ELECTION.
I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THERE.
ANY OBJECTIONS ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? RIGHT.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? IS THERE NOW WE OPEN UP TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[110. 23-01210]
WE NOW GO TO ITEM ONE 10 APPOINTMENTS, CONCURRING WITH THE MAYOR.PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO REAPPOINT AND REPLACE ERIC DESTER, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023.
CURRENT BALLOT IS ERIC DEA TO THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
UH, YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA DO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER? TRY TO TAKE 'EM ALL TOGETHER? YEAH, THAT'S OKAY.
[111. 23-01211]
ITEM ONE 11, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT CONCURRING WITH THE MAYOR.PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND REPLACE SCOTT HEDGINGS, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH.
UH, JOSH HOLLINS HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO BE APPOINTED.
[112. 23-01212]
CONCURRING IN THE MAYOR.PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE JUDE MELVILLE THE THIRD WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH.
[113. 23-01213]
ONE 13.DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, CONCURRENT WITH THE MAYOR.
PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE MELANIE MONTERO, WHOSE TERM LIMITED TO HIS TERM LIMIT EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023.
TARA TETON TITONE IS REQUESTING TY TONE.
ANYONE HERE WISH YOU TO SPEAK ON THESE APPOINTMENTS? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HU TO APPOINT EVERYONE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU INDIVIDUALS.
[Items 114 - 117]
14.HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING SHIRLEY BOWER, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 23RD REPLACING SARAH BRINA.
WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 23RD? REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING GENEVIEVE PROSSER WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 23RD AND THEN REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING BYRON WASHINGTON, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.
GREATEST DAY IN THE WORLD IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
UH, ON THE LIST TO BE REAPPOINTED, SHIRLEY BALLER, SARAH BRINA, BAILEY MOSS, JAKE PULASKI, GENEVIEVE PROS AND BYRON WASHINGTON.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE 14 THROUGH ONE 17 OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON THE GREATEST DAY IN THE WORLD? YOU MOVE.
AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ITEMS 1 14 15 16 1 17 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[118. 23-01220]
GO TO ITEM ONE 18.HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, BOARD OF COMMISSIONER LANE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.
CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING AND REPLACING DONNA KLEIN, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2020 THIRD.
CURRENT BALLOT IS DONNA KLEIN.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT DONNA KLEIN? SO MOVED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? NO.
[119. 23-01242]
GO TO CHANGE ORDERS.ITEM ONE 19, MAINTENANCE DETENTION EQUIPMENT AT THE EAST BARR PARISH PRISON IN JUVENILE COURT AND OTHER PARISH LOCATIONS.
CONTRACT INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE AND CONSULTANT INCORPORATED CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $95,000.
IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 19? WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME MORE BY COUNCILMAN MCDON? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN, AKA.
ANY OBJECTIONS WE GO TO ITEM ONE 20.
[120. 23-01169]
FINAL ACCEPTANCE IS REPRESENTATIVE THEATER FOR PERFORMING ARTS IMPROVEMENTS.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 20? COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM ONE 20.
WELL, NOW I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE 20.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR AND THEIR OBJECTIONS.
[02:45:01]
ITEM ONE 20 HAS BEEN APPROVED.[Items 121 - 123]
1 21 THROUGH 1 23.WE'LL TAKE TOGETHER ITEM 1 21.
8 2 3 DASH ONE 16 JANITORIAL FOR RIVER CENTER BRANCH LIBRARY, PATRICE W GRANT, $100,950.
ACCEPTING LOCAL POLICE RECEIVED FOR THE BAT.
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT, EAST RIDGE, PARIS, LOUISIANA.
TAXIWAY B TWO CONNECT TO HENDRICK CONSTRUCTION, INCORPORATED.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 1 21 THROUGH 1 22.
JANITORIAL SERVICE FOR E B R CITY COURTHOUSE BUILDING ELITE PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICES L L C EIGHTY NINE THOUSAND FIFTY SIX THOUSAND SIXTEEN CENTS.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 21 THROUGH 1 23? WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1 21 THROUGH 1 23.
SO MOVED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ITEM 1 21 THROUGH 1 23 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[124. 22-01760]
RECEIVING A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM EAST PARENTS PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.UH, JIM VERLANDER, DIRECTOR FOR THE EAST PITTON.
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE QUARTERLY UPDATE REAL QUICK ON, UH, THE PROGRESS THAT THAT WE'VE MADE ACROSS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FRONTS.
UH, ONE OF 'EM WAS THE 9 1 1 FEE INCREASE, UH, THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
WE HAVE SENT NOTICE TO, UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT CARRIERS.
UH, ABOUT 50% OF 'EM HAVE STARTED REMITTING THE NEW AMOUNT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE 50% ARE THE ACTUAL ABSOLUTE SMALLEST CARRIERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM ARE, WE'RE REMITTING A DOLLAR 50 AND NOW THEY'RE REMITTING A DOLLAR 99.
SO, UH, CAN'T SPEND THAT MONEY JUST YET.
SO, UH, MOST OF THE LARGER CARRIERS HAVE NOT STARTED REMITTING THE NEW AMOUNTS.
WE HAVE SENT NUMEROUS NOTICES TO THEM.
THEY'RE GENERALLY VERY SLOW TO MOVE ON THESE TYPE OF THINGS.
UH, I HAVE NOTICED WITH AT AND T, UH, ON MY OWN PERSONAL PHONE BILL THAT, UH, IN JULY, IT STILL HAD THE OLD AMOUNT, EVEN THOUGH WE SENT NOTICE IN JUNE, UH, IN AUGUST, I SAW THAT ON MY BILL.
UH, THOSE DOLLARS WON'T BE, UH, REALIZED UNTIL AT LEAST, UH, THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE IF AT AND T IS STARTING TO, UH, SEND THAT NEW, UH, FEE AMOUNT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO, BUT THE OTHER LARGE CARRIERS ALSO HAVE NOT SUCH AS VERIZON OR T-MOBILE.
UM, AS WE'VE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRACK THAT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE A BETTER UPDATE TOWARDS, UH, THE LAST QUARTER, UH, OF THE YEAR ON THAT ONE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, PROCEEDED REALLY NICELY WITH THE BUCK, THE BACKUP UNIFIED COMMUNICATION CENTER FOR, UH, THE PARISH, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE, UH, A BACKUP CENTER AND ADDITIONAL, UH, SPACE FOR OUR, UH, 9 1 1 OPERATORS AND DISPATCHERS DURING TIMES OF EMERGENCY.
UH, THAT FACILITY IS, UH, COMING ALONG REALLY NICELY.
WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, JUST ABOUT ALL OUR FURNITURE IN, WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ELECTRICAL.
WE'RE STILL WAITING ON A BACKORDER, UH, U P S SYSTEM, THE BATTERY BACKUP.
SO THAT SHOULD BE IN, UH, HOPEFULLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I'M SO, AND THEN CAN GET SOME ELECTRICAL FINISHED UP SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THAT, UH, FACILITY UP AND OPERATIONAL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE PROCEEDED TO, TO GO LIVE WITH THE NEW 9 1 1 SYSTEM THAT I SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UH, THE NEW, UH, DIGITAL CLOUD-BASED SYSTEM, UH, FROM N G A 9 1 1.
UH, WE HAVE GONE LIVE AT TWO OF OUR LOCATIONS, UH, WHICH IS THE BAKER, UH, PSAP, WHICH IS AT THE BAKER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
GEORGE, UH, SECONDARY PSAP, WHICH, UH, THEY NOW HAVE THEIR 9 1 1 TRANSFER TRUNKS AND ADVENT LINES, UH, GOING THROUGH N G A.
SO WE'RE IN A BRIEF PAUSE RIGHT NOW UNTIL, UH, WE BASICALLY LET THAT SOAK A LITTLE BIT, MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE ADDITIONAL AGENCIES.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY REFERENCE, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM AND NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, UH, JIM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE CARRIERS NOT, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE FEE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ENFORCEMENT ANGLE? UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT.
THE STATE LAW, UH, IT EXPRESSES EXACTLY
[02:50:02]
WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REMITTING, BUT THERE'S NO TEETH IN THE LAW THAT THAT HOLDS THEM TO ANY TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.SO, UH, WE GENERALLY, IF WE DO SEE NON-COMPLIANCE ON CERTAIN ISSUES, WE DO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
THE, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DOESN'T REALLY REGULATE THE 9 1 1 ASPECT OF THINGS, BUT THEY DO REGULATE A LOT OF THE PHONE COMPANIES.
SO GENERALLY THEY'LL MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS FOR US.
SO DO, DO YOU FORESEE IF SOMEONE COMES INTO COMPLIANCE, UH, HYPOTHETICALLY IN NOVEMBER, WOULD IT BE RETROACTIVE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS? I WOULD HOPE SO, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY, AGAIN, IT IS KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE.
AND ALSO SOME OF THE CARRIERS REMIT, UH, MONTHLY, SOME OF 'EM QUARTERLY, SOME OF 'EM ANNUALLY.
SO DEPENDING ON EXACTLY HOW THEY REMIT ALSO DETERMINES WHEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY SEE THAT THE OFFICIAL START DATE WAS WHEN? OF JULY.
SO YOU MEAN YOU OBVIOUSLY BASED YOUR BUDGET OFF OF COMPANIES BEING IN COMPLIANCE.
HAVE YOU BEEN AND THE PRIMARY, UM, UH, THING BEING FUNDED WITH, UH, THE FEE INCREASE WAS MORE STAFF FOR YOU? HAVE YOU MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT? UH, SO WE, THE 2023 BUDGET WASN'T RELIANT AT ALL ON THIS FEE INCREASE.
WE HAVEN'T PROPOSED THAT YET TO HAVE THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
UH, IN IT, UH, WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD, BUT YES, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT, SOME ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AND STUFF.
THAT WOULD BE BASED OFF OF THOSE FEE INCREASE.
YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE THOSE TILL 2024? THE HIRING AND THE MAJORITY? NO.
UH, WE DO, WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, POTENTIALLY FILL TWO POSITIONS IN 2023, WHICH WE HAVE SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT ARE OKAY.
UH, THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE, TO THE BOARD AT THIS COMPANY MEETING.
THERE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF QUARTERS BACK.
THERE WERE SOME COMMUNICATIONS ISSUES, SOME, SOME BREAKDOWNS, UH, FOR 9 1 1, MEANING WHEN FOLKS CALLED, THEY DIDN'T GET TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO GO.
UM, THE SWITCH WAS MADE, UM, TO A NEW, UH, I WON'T GET THE TERMINOLOGY RIGHT, BUT HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY SIMILAR BREAKDOWN ISSUES? UH, THERE HAS STILL BEEN CONTINUED, UH, ISSUES WITH THE, UH, EXISTING 9 1 1 SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, WHICH, UH, WAS THROUGH INTRADO.
UM, AND THE ACTUAL PHONE NINE ONE ONE PHONE SERVICE WAS THROUGH AT AND T.
SO, UH, WE HAVE STILL HAD SOME, SOME MORE MINOR, THE ONES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WERE PRETTY MAJOR ISSUES.
THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO, UH, DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THE, THE CAUSES WERE AND WERE ABLE TO, TO GET THAT.
IT WOULD, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO CALL BUT THE CALLS WERE BEING DROPPED.
SO YEAH, SO IT WAS, IT WAS VERY PROBLEMATIC.
UH, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE AGENCIES ON THE NEW SYSTEM YET, SO WE'RE STILL IMPLEMENTING THAT, UH, THROUGH THIS GO LIVE PROCESS OVER THE NEXT, PROBABLY ABOUT THREE MORE A WEEK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
[126. 23-01236]
TO BE ADOPTED AS AN EMERGENCY AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE IS 1 8 9 4 0, ADOPTED JULY 26.2023, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCT WITH WARD ONE, TWO, AND THREE EAST BARRENS PARISH AND DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES.
SO AS TO CHANGE THE FOLLOWING POLLING LOCATIONS, WE NEED A MOTION TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
UH, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON IT? IS THERE A MOTION TO DELETE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MAGGOTY SECONDED BY COUNCIL.
REMEMBER ADAMS, THE ITEM HAS BEEN DELETED.
[74. 23-01050]
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO PAGE 11.AND THAT IS RECEIVING A STATUS REPORT FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON THE CASE ENTITLED MIKE MICHAEL MCCLANAHAN, ETAL VERSUS LAMONT COLE, I DIDN'T GET YOU NOTHING, MIKE, BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
BANKS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER PROTEST.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? HUH? COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS DOESN'T WANT TO GO IN, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, IS THERE A, IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOCH.
SECONDED BY THE, BECAUSE BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER MOCH, WHILE WE GOING, THAT MAY HAVE AN ADVERSE VERSE.
[02:55:01]
ALRIGHT.ANY OBJECTIONS? YES, WE HAVE ALWAYS TWO OBJECTIONS.
WE NEED TO HAVE OUR NEW INTERPRETER ON THE SCREEN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE? NO, I HAVE, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO REQUEST.
UH, I'LL, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER AMAR.
MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA SECONDED BODY COUNCIL.
AS ALWAYS, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND READ TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING WITH TO THEM.