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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2023 AT 3:30 PM FIRST UP, WE WILL HAVE OUR MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BROOME, TO RECOGNIZE THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGES 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND CELEBRATION OF THE SIXTH CHANCE FOR MY FRIEND DR.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TODAY TO HELP MARK THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TO CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED LEADERSHIP OF ITS SIXTH CHANCELLOR, AS YOU JUST SAID, DR.
WILLIE SMITH, B R C C HAS HAD A REMARKABLE QUARTER CENTURY OF COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND THE NURTURING OF A VIBRANT LEARNING COMMUNITY.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1998, B R C C HAS REMAINED STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO FORTIFY THE LOCAL WORKFORCE AND CONTRIBUTE TO SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, THE GROWTH OF BATON ROUGE.
B R C C HAS HAD, UM, I HAS ADDED RATHER IMMEASURABLE VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY'S JOURNEY, IGNITING THE EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS OF COUNTLESS STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE EMBARKED ON THE PATH TO HIGHER EDUCATION OTHERWISE, DR.
WILLIE SMITH TOOK THE HELM AS CHANCELLOR OF B R C C IN 2020, A PERIOD MARKED BY THE CHALLENGES OF THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC.
CHANCELLOR SMITH, IF ANY OF YOU ALL KNOW HIM, HE IS A VERY PASSIONATE, WARM, AND TRULY ENGAGED, UH, CHANCELLOR HERE IN THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO B R C C HAS BEEN APPARENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, COUPLED WITH HIS TREMENDOUS PASSION FOR THE WORK, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE STUDENTS UNDER HIS STEWARDSHIP.
B R C C HAS EXPERIENCED A REVIVAL OF RELEVANCE, TRANSFORMING THE INSTITUTION INTO A SOUGHT AFTER PARTNER FOR BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS ASPIRE TO GRADUATE.
THE FACULTY FINDS RENEWED PURPOSE IN THEIR WORK KNOWING THEY ARE AFFECTING CHANGE UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, UH, YOUR TEAM AND WE SHARE YOUR VISION.
UH, YOU HAVE BECOME A BEACON OF INSPIRATION, UH, TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO YOUR STAFF, AND TO THE FACULTY.
AND SO WE TAKE IMMENSE PRIDE IN HAVING BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS AN INVALUABLE INSTITUTION.
AND CHANCELLOR WILLIE SMITH AS ITS ESTEEMED LEADER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CELEBRATE THEM THIS AFTERNOON? CHANCELLOR, THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION, UH, IN CELEBRATION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUT ALSO IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION AND FOSTERING A VIBRANT LEARNING COMMUNITY.
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE HELPED TO MAKE B R C C A LEADING COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE NATION.
AND WE HERE IN BATON ROUGE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOU WHY YOU SAY A FEW WORDS, CHANCELLORS.
THEN WE'LL BRING UP YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR PRO, TEMP, AND COUNCILMAN, CERTAINLY MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.
IT'S ALWAYS REFRESHING TO HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THIS COUNCIL AND CERTAINLY MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING B R C C.
WE WANT TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO, BUT ALSO THE MAYOR AND WHAT THIS CITY STANDS FOR.
I'M EXCITED TO BE TO HELM AT THE HAMA B R C C AND ON BEHALF OF THE FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS OF BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THANK YOU.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
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NEXT WE'LL HAVE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON RESTON BROOM TO RECOGNIZE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM GRADUATES MAYOR BROOM.SO, UM, A LITTLE OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HAD THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF BEING PART OF A VERY SPECIAL EVENT THAT CELEBRATED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OVER 100 YOUNG INDIVIDUALS FROM VARIOUS CORNERS OF LOUISIANA.
THEY WERE THE GRADUATES OF THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM, AND THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE RIGHT NEXT DOOR, UH, IN OUR RIVER SITTER CENTER THEATER.
THE THEATER WAS FILLED TO CAPACITY BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT.
AS HUNDREDS OF PROUD PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS GATHERED TO WITNESS THIS REMARKABLE MOMENT, IT WAS A MOMENT THAT MADE ME TRULY APPRECIATE THE IMMENSE EFFORT AND DETERMINATION THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HAD PUT INTO THEIR JOURNEY.
AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL IMMENSE PRIDE IN THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
FOR THREE DECADES, THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM HAS SERVED AS A BEACON OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG ADULTS.
DURING THEIR TIME IN THIS PROGRAM, YOUTH LEARNED THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH.
IT'S EARNED THROUGH COMMITMENT, RESILIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE.
THEY DISCOVERED THE VALUE OF HARD WORK, THE POWER OF UNITY, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SURMOUNTING OBSTACLES.
SEVERAL OF THE PARTICIPANTS EARNED COLLEGE CREDITS COLLECT, AND COLLECTIVELY THEY DEDICATED MORE THAN 4,000 HOURS TO BEAUTIFICATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
WE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD TO BRING EIGHT OF OUR OWN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH GRADUATES HERE TO THE METRO COUNCIL.
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM ARE NOTHING SHORT OF SIGNIFICANT AT, AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE MAKE THEM FULLY AWARE OF HOW VITAL THESE ACHIEVEMENTS ARE FOR THEIR FUTURE SUCCESS.
AS LEADERS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, IT IS OUR DUTY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TO CONTINUALLY INSPIRE THEM ON THEIR LIFE'S JOURNEY.
I THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN, UH, EIGHT PEOPLE HERE.
WE HAVE THREE WHO ARE HERE TODAY, BUT WE HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF THE, THE JOB, THE JOB CHALLENGE,
SO EVERYBODY JUST COME ON DOWN SO THEY CAN SEE.
UH, BUT WE HAVE THREE OF THOSE, UH, GRADUATES SPECIFICALLY.
YOU ALL CAN COME ON DOWN SO THEY CAN SEE YOU ALL.
AND, UH, THREE OF THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS OF THE EIGHT ARE HERE, UH, FROM THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION GOES TO BRIANNA QUINN, UH, GRADUATING FROM THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM.
UH, AND WE EXPRESS OUR SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M HAVING A SIDEBAR WITH OVER HERE.
SHE WAS THE VALEDICTORIAN AND, UH, WHAT, UM, YEAH, TELL WHAT AREA ARE YOU FROM? TELL 'EM A LITTLE BIT.
'CAUSE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE MAY BE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
HE'S NOT HERE YET, SO HE MISSED OUT ON YOU SINCE TODAY.
BUT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA REMIND HIM THAT YOU WERE HERE.
CONGRATULATIONS, ANAYA FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE, UH, LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM.
AND WHAT AREA ARE YOU FROM? YOU WANT, UH, I'M FROM CENTRAL LOUISIANA.
HE'S MISSING OUT ON ALL OF, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE HAVE JOLIE YET.
JOLIE ON YOUR, WHERE YOU FROM? CENTRAL
I WAS JUST UP THERE THE OTHER DAY.
WELL, LET'S CELEBRATE ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, WHO HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
DO Y'ALL WANNA SHARE YOUR PLANS? WHAT YOUR PLAN COULD
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DO FROM HERE? I'M ALREADY THERE.TELL 'EM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW.
UM, I'M CURRENTLY IN A E M S PROGRAM, LEARNING TO BE A E M T.
YOU'LL BE HIRED SOON, BRIANNA.
I PLAN ON APPLYING TO L S U TO BECOME A COURT REPORTER.
UH, I PLAN ON ENLISTING IN THE MARINES WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS.
SO WE, UH, PROUDLY RECOGNIZE YOU TODAY, UH, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK, AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, ASK THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE PROGRAM IF YOU'LL COME UP SO WE CAN SEE YOU AND YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AS WELL.
UH, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN COUNCIL.
I'M LIEUTENANT COLONEL BARRY RILEY.
UH, I AM THE DIRECTOR, THE U CHALLENGE PROGRAM AT THE GILLIS LONG CAMPUS.
WE HAVE THREE CAMPUSES, UH, ONE IN MINDEN, UH, ONE IN ALEX, NEAR ALEXANDRIA IN PINEVILLE, AND THEN I'M THE MORE SOUTHERN CAMPUS HERE IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH GILLIS LONG, USED TO BE THE OLD HANSON CENTER.
YES, THAT'S WHERE OUR SCHOOL CAMPUS IS CURRENTLY LOCATED.
I'M THE COMMANDANT OF THE YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM, SO, UH, I'M HEAD OF THE CRE DEPARTMENT WHO SUPERVISED THE CADETS 24 7.
UM, AND I ALSO OVERSEE THE WELFARE AND SAFETY OF THE, UH, OF THE CADETS OF THE YOUTH CHALLENGE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON RESTON BROOM AND ELENA ZARO MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERAN AFFAIRS ACTING CHAIR MEMBERS CITY OF BATON ROUGE FLAG POLICY.
TODAY I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE A NEW FLAG POLICY FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
OUR GREAT CITY PARISH RECOGNIZES THE DIVERSITY AND RANGE OF DEPARTMENTS OPERATING WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES, AND IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT GUIDELINES FOR DISPLAYING OUR FLAGS WITH HONOR AND RESPECT.
THIS POLICY IS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURES AND POLICIES GOVERNING THE FLYING AND DISPLAY OF THE OFFICIAL UNITED STATES FLAG, THE OFFICIAL LOUISIANA FLAG AND OTHER FLAGS AT CITY PARISH GOVERNMENTAL BUILDINGS.
THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL FLAGS FLOWN ARE IN STRICT ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THEM.
EACH DEPARTMENT WITH THE CAPABILITY TO FLY FLAGS WILL BE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THIS POLICY TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRESERVING THE CONDITION AND DIGNITY OF THE UNITED STATES FLAG.
THE LOUISIANA FLAG AND OTHER FLAGS FLOWN AT THE RESPECTIVE CITY PARISH, GOVERNMENTAL BUILDINGS.
THIS POLICY APPLIES TO ALL CITY, PARISH, BRICK AND MORTAR DEPARTMENTS, AND IT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT RESPECTING OUR NATION'S AND OUR STATES FLAGS IS A YEAR-ROUND RESPONSIBILITY AND ONE THAT EXTENDS TO THE EVERYDAY WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR DEPARTMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERAN AFFAIRS FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN ESTABLISHING THESE PROPER FLAG POLICIES FOR OUR CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT.
THEIR DEDICATION TO ENSURING THAT OUR FLAGS ARE DISPLAYED WITH THE UTMOST HONOR AND REVERENCE IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.
AS MAYOR BATON ROUGE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS POLICY WILL FURTHER CEMENT OUR COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF FLAG ETIQUETTE AND PATRIOTISM.
OUR FLAGS ARE A SYMBOL OF UNITY, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND WE MUST TREAT THEM WITH THE RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE.
I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, ELENA ZARO, WHO IS, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERAN AFFAIRS, UH, TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
SHE'S ALSO AN EMPLOYEE IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE WANTS YOU TO KNOW SHE'S A VETERAN MARINE.
THANK YOU MAYOR SO MUCH AND THANK YOU VALUED COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO SHOW OUR VETERANS AND OUR COUNTRY THAT WE ARE LEADING ROLE MODELS FOR PATRIOTISM AND THE RESPECT THAT WE HAVE FOR THE VETERANS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND MAKING THE CITY A BETTER PLACE AS A WHOLE.
AND TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WITH THE FLAG POLICY, MADAM MAYOR AND THE OTHER PORTION THAT, UH, IS BEHIND THAT COLORED BEAUTIFUL BOX.
UM, THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT STATES THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TO GET A COPY OF OUR FLAG
[00:15:01]
POLICY AS WELL AS WHAT THE CURRENT RESOLUTION IS LOOKING AT, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO ESTABLISH SIMILAR PROJECTS IN THEIR CITIES OR THEIR LOCALES.SO WE TRULY ARE AS BATON ROUGE WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS.
AND, UM, WE WANT TO, UM, WE HAVE A FLAG HERE THAT YOU WANNA SHARE.
MAD MAYOR
OH, OH, LOOK AT THAT, RIGHT ON THE SIDE THERE.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
UM, I ALSO, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR CARPENTRY EFFORTS IN CREATING THIS FLAG RETIREMENT BOX.
AND SO I'M GONNA ASK JOSEPH BUTLER, UH, TO COME UP.
UH, JOSEPH IS O ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS OVER, UH, BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE, AND, UH, HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING, UH, THIS FLAG BOX.
AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ALSO, I THINK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE JASON, UH, GETAWAY.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS WORKING AND HE'S GONNA TAKE THEM, THEIR, UH, CERTIFICATES.
EVERYBODY COULDN'T LEAVE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS.
THANK YOUR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND ELENA, WE HAVE ONE FOR YOU TOO.
ALL YOUR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'LL RECESS TILL FOUR O'CLOCK.
IF THOSE OF YOU STAND FOR THE MEETING, PLEASE STATE, BUT WE'LL, WE RECONVENE AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THOSE OF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE MEETING.
UH, DO WE HAVE OUR NUMBER? HELLO EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
GLAD THAT YOU HAVE ALL JOINED US FOR OUR BROADCAST.
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE WATCHING TODAY.
WISH YOU WERE HERE, BUT SINCE YOU'RE NOT, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE WATCHING EITHER ON COX AT&T FACEBOOK LIVE YOUTUBE BAR STREAMING ON OUR WEBSITE@VRLA.GOV.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING FROM OUT OF TOWN, THIS IS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
IT'S THE MOST POPULATED PARISH IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
NUMBER ONE AHEAD OF JEFFERSON AND ORLEANS AT THIS TIME.
HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH DENNIS, AS I'D LIKE TO CALL
[CALL TO ORDER]
THIS MEETING IN ORDER.DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO PASS IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN, TO INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS WHO WILL LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN SAY, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
AND THIS DAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2023 AT THREE 30, I HAVE THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF HAVING ONE OF OUR PILLARS IN DISTRICT 10 TO OVER 38 YEARS TO, UH, RENDER THE INVOCATION, PASTOR GUS SPURLOCK AT FAIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH.
ALSO, I HAVE THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING KINGSTON LEE, WHO'S THE FOURTH GRADER AT EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF BATON ROUGE FOR LEADING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TODAY.
YES, AND THIS WILL BE FOR YOU, CORRECT EVERYONE, THEIR HEADS ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU AT THIS MOMENT, AT THIS HOUR, BUT YOU HAVE SAID
[00:20:01]
THAT IF YOUR PEOPLE IMMA CALL BY YOUR NAME, WE JUST HUMBLE THEMSELVES TOGETHER AND PRAY, SEEK YOUR FACE, TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM HEAVEN.YOU'LL FORGIVE OUR SINS AND HEAL OUR LAND.
LORD GOD, WE COME ASKING FOR HEALING IN THE LANDS THAT ARE FAR IN THE DISTANCE FROM THIS PLACE THAT IS GOING THROUGH SO MUCH TYRANNY.
WE ASK FOR HEALING IN OUR NATION, HEALING IN OUR CITY.
WE ASK THAT THOSE FATHER THAT ARE LEADERS IN THEIR DISTRICT AND THE MAYOR OF THIS CITY CONTINUE TO BE LED BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AS YOU HAVE APPOINTED THEM.
YOU ASK FOR UNITY IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THAT WE WOULD JUST COME TOGETHER AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
WE PLACE THIS COUNCIL MEETING IN YOUR HANDS, USE THEM FOR YOUR GLORY.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, IN LIBERTY, WHERE JUSTICE AND ALL THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR PICTURE, YOUNG FELLOW.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET ME SAY AT THE START OF THE ONSET OF THE MEETING, UH, THE LAST TWO WEEKS SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, UH, THIS COUNCIL, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE READ IN THE PAPER, HAS RECEIVED, UH, SOME PRETTY AGGRESSIVE EMAILS, SOME, UH, EVEN THREATENING EMAILS TO THOSE OF US WHO SERVE ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE SOME NEW RULES FOR THE CHAMBER.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, WE'D ASK THAT YOU SIT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROOM, ON THE SIDE SEATS.
UH, IF YOU ARE VISITING WITH US, WE ASK THAT YOU SIT OUT, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND THEN IF YOU ARE HERE VISITING AND THERE IS NO SEAT IN THE AUDIENCE, THERE IS EXTRA SEATING ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR, WE'D ASK THAT YOU NOT STAND AGAINST THE WALLS.
UH, SO PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE SEATS AVAILABLE, UH, OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE MAKE ROOM FOR SOMEONE TO SIT.
THERE'S ADDITIONAL SEATING ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR, AND AGAIN, WE WANT, UH, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER, UH, REMAINS SAFE, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S BEEN DONE AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE EMAILS WE HAVE RECEIVED, UH, ABOUT POSITIONS WE'VE TAKEN ON PARTICULAR ITEMS. AND SO, UH, PLEASE, WE'D ASK YOU TO ADHERE, UH, LET ME STATE FOR THE RECORD AS WELL.
I'D RATHER NOT SEE ANYONE HERE, UH, BE REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER OR ARRESTED AS A RESULT OF ANY DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
HOWEVER, UH, LET'S MAKE SURE WE CONDUCT OURSELVES IN A WAY THAT IS CIVIL, UH, A LEVEL OF RESPECT AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE, UH, WE DO SO TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
UH, ASHLEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE KNOW ITEM NUMBER ONE,
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING A SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023 BY THE COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
UH, ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
INTRODUCTIONS.ASHLEY, PLEASE REACH INTRODUCTIONS SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,509 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 1 1 2 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER THREE, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,580 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 1 1 0 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER FOUR, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,496 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 1 1 8 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER FIVE, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED
[00:25:01]
AT $1,509 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT LOCATED AT 1 1 2 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER SIX, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,632 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.LP LOCATED AT 1 2 0 DELPHINE STREET.
NUMBER SEVEN, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,425 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 1 2 2 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER EIGHT, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,555 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 0 4 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER NINE, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,555 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED 2 0 6 DOPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 10 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,627 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED 2 0 8 DOLPHIN STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 11 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,624 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 1 0 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 12 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,624 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT.
LP LOCATED AT 2 1 2 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 13 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED $1,624 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT 2 1 4 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 14 GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $1,552 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT 2 1 6 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 15, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT.
I SUBMITTED $1,552 PER YEAR FOR R B R GOVERNMENT LP LOCATED AT 2 1 8 DELPHINE STREET BY PLANNING DIRECTOR NUMBER 16 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WASTE PRO OF LOUISIANA INCORPORATED FOR DEBRIS HAULING SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000 BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
NUMBER 17 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED JIM ALVARADO AND BRANDON TAYLOR ETAL IN THE AMOUNT OF $140,000 PLUS COURT COST AMOUNT OF $641 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $140,641 AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS
[CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS]
NUMBER 18, THE ESTATE OF FRED L DAVIS AND TANDEM CAPITAL L L C 9 2 7 2 SEEN AND HIGHWAY COUNSEL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 19, MY NEW PLACE RENTAL PROPERTY L L C 5 6 3 5 ST.CATHERINE AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST.
NUMBER 20, AGNES WELLS 1 0 5 7.
UH, NORTH 40TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 21, ANGEL D BON BON VELAZQUEZ 5 2 9 6 5 LYNDEN STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN NUMBER 22, CRAIG T JOHNSON AND FANNIE MAE GIBBONS 2 6 0 8 WASHINGTON AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 23 OBIA Y LA KEANO 5 9 6 4 EVANGELINE STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 24, WANDA STEVENS SEYMOUR.
9 3 4 5 REDMOND LAKE DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE HUDSON NUMBER 25 ELAINE BREMMER UA FIVE UH, I'M SORRY, 2 5 3 WEST HARRISON STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26, EMILY L. MARTIN 2 5 8 2 70 THIRD AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 27, CAROLYN N. THOMAS IN THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 4 6 2 9 ALDRIDGE DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCKA ADJUDICATED PROPERTY
[ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS]
INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 28 BUT FOUR PLUS FOUR AND FIVE SQUARE 10 SUBDIVISION PARADISE PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 29 LOT SIX AND EAST 20 FEET OF LOT EIGHT SQUARE 25 SOUTH BATON ROUGE SUBDIVISION COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 30 LOT 22 SQUARE FIVE SUBDIVISION BOGAN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 31 LOT 15 SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 32 LOT 10 SUBDIVISION PARKLAND TERRACE COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS NUMBER 33.VARIOUS LOTS IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN AND COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 34 LOT Q SQUARE 31 SUBDIVISION GRACIE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ.
A MOTION TO DELETE ITEM FIVE AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS IS IN ORDER.
I'LL LET ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AT THIS TIME.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HU SECOND AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ARE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ITEMS BEING INTRODUCED? ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD GO TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS.
I'M GONNA READ THEM AS THEY HAVE STATED, THEY ARE
[CONDEMNATIONS]
TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65 AND 66.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK? WE NOW GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY ADJUSTMENTS
[00:30:01]
AT THIS TIME.ANYONE ELSE? HMM, UM, FOR NUMBER DAYS, 56 60.
I GOT YOU WAITING ON COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, THE CHANGES THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 55, 57, 58, 59, 65, AND 66.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 62, 63 AND 66, EXCUSE ME.
ITEM 62, 63 AND 66 TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 60 AND 61 TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
AND ITEM 56 YOU SAID FOR 60 DAYS, RIGHT, SO AGAIN, THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 55, 57, 58, 59, 65.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 62, 63 AND 66 THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
ITEMS 56, 60 AND 61 AND THEY ARE TO DELETE ITEM 64, THEY ARE TO DELETE ITEM 64.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ONE OF THE CONDEMNATION ITEMS AT THIS TIME? I WILL ENTERTAIN AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATIONS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO IMPROVE CONDEMNATION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD, VERY QUICKLY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEM
[98. 23-01419]
98 VERY QUICKLY AS AN EMERGENCY ITEM.UH, WHEN AN, AN ELECTION HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND, ITEM 98, AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE 1 8 9 6 9 ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCTS WITHIN WARDS ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN EAST SPANISH PARISH DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES SO AS TO GEOGRAPHICALLY DRIVE GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVIDE THE FOLLOWING PRECINCTS AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE LAW FOR PRECINCTS CONTAINING MORE THAN 2200 ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS.
FURTHER TO CREATE A DESIGNATE POLL IN PLACE FOR NEW PRECINCTS.
FURTHER TO ADJUST PRECINCT BOUNDARY BETWEEN WARD THREE, PRECINCT 56 AND WARD THREE, PRECINCT 70.
FURTHER TO REMOVE THE ALPHABETICAL SPLITS FROM THE FOLLOWING PRECINCTS.
AND FURTHER TO CHANGE POLLING AND LOCATION FOR WARD THREE.
ALL EFFECTIVE FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER 18TH, 2023 ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW BY REGISTER OF VOTERS REASON FOR EMERGENCY IN ORDER TO MEET THE STATUTORY DEADLINE FOR DIVIDING AND COMBINING PRECINCTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED IN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS ITEM? AN EMERGENCY MOTION TO DECLARE THE ITEM EMERGENCY.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GO DAY.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ITEM BEING DECLARED? EMERGENCY.
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 98? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 98? OKAY, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE BY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 98 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE, UH, I KNOW MANY OF YOU'RE HERE FOR ITEM 71.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT, UH, MOMENTARILY.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT ITEM MOMENTARILY.
UH, THERE IS SOMEONE WITH, UH, WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
WHO'S GONNA BE HERE, UH, WHO HAS INFORMATION AND SO I'M JUST WAITING ON THEM.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT ITEM MOMENTARILY.
I'M NOT GONNA KEEP THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE WAITING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THAT ITEM, UH, REAL QUICKLY, BUT THEN BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[78. 23-01317 ]
[00:35:01]
WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 78.WE'RE SENDING A DIRECTING THE FIRST RECORD TO COUNCIL NOTICE ON THE 10, RECORDING ON MAY 19TH, 2023.
AND A DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON AUGUST 14TH, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE V RANDY BARS, UH, 3 6 5 LASO.
THE REASON FOR RESCISSION ERROR, THE ASSESSOR'S RECORDS DEPICTING AN INCORRECT ADDRESS.
THEREFORE, THE OWNER WAS NOTED BY THE CHAIR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 78? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODA.
[79. 23-01316 ]
79, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT FOR ABSTRACTING SERVICES WITH GO SOUTH.
TITLE, LAND RESOURCES L L C BEFORE ABSTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE BEYOND CAPACITY PROJECT LEAD DRIVE TO PERKINS' SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR AN ADDITIONAL $5,100 IN THE EXISTING CONTRACT, THE COMPENSATION SHALL NOT EXCEED.
$71,694 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 79? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 79? AND WE NOW GO TO COUNCILORS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 79? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 80,
[80. 23-01318]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT.TEXT YOU TO SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR THE ENGINE AND SERVICES.
STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MO VR CAPACITY PROJECT CONSTANTINE DIJON AVENUE, PHASE TWO, MIDWAY TO BLUE BONNET, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $126,577 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THERE ARE MOTION TO APPROVE.
[81. 23-01320]
THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH G E C WITH SUB-CON CONSULTANTS.TEX STANTEC, CONSULTANT SERVICES INCORPORATED, SOUTHERN EARTH SCIENCES INCORPORATED FOR ENGINEERING SERVICE IN CONNECTION WITH TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM CONSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PHASE 19 AND THE AMOUNT NOT EXCEED $1,755,975.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE BY THE TRANSPORTATION? AND JAN DIRECTOR? IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'LL MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO 83
[83. 23-01322 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO APPLY FOR TWO FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANTS TOTALING $11,226,009 THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR USE BY THE NICKOLSON PLANK BUS, RAPID TRANSIT BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.ANYONE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEM 83? WE'RE NOW WITH COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ASHLEY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 83.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 83 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[84. 23-01323]
MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A LIGHTING AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 84? WE'RE NOT WITH A COUNCIL.
THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS. SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
AND 85, UH, ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 84 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[85. 23-01327]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENTAND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $400,000 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER NOR YOUR PLEASURE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KNOWLES.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 85 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[82. 23-01321 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH G E C INCORPORATED WITH SUB-CONSULTANTS.TEX STANTEC CONSULTANT SERVICE INCORPORATED SOUTHERN EARTH SCIENCES FOR INCENT SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH SALES TAX AND STREET ROAD REHABILITATION AND PROGRAM CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION.
SUPPLEMENT PHASE 20 FOR THE AMOUNT NOT EXCEED $1,058,180 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAIN DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'RE NOT WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 82 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE WILL NOW
[71. 23-01308 ]
TAKE ITEM, UH, 71.I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST BY THE DEVELOPER TO DELETE, TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST BY THE DEVELOPER TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
WE WILL HEAR, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM, YOU WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THERE WILL BE A, THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST FROM THE DEVELOPER TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
SO, UH, WE WILL PROCEED WITH ITEM 71.
AN ORDINANCE CREATING AN AZTEC COAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND DEFINING BOUNDARIES FROM THE AREA OF PARISH SALES TAX INCREMENTS WILL BE DETERMINED AND USED TO FUND A PORTION OF THE COST OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTION.
THE ORDINANCE ALSO DESIGNATES THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, ALONG WITH PLEDGING THE DEDICATED INCREMENTAL SALES TAX COLLECTED WITH THE BOUNDARIES TO BE USED AND SET ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BY
[00:40:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, WE ARE GOING TO GO IN ORDER OF THOSE WHO HAVE FILLED OUT SPEAKER CARDS TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.SO JUST GIVE THEM A WHOLE YEP.
UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR.
UH, WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, UH, WITH JACKIE BERNARD AND SARAH JOHNSTON.
ARE YOU ALL WILLING, WANTING TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WE'RE NOW GOING TO THOSE WHO ARE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, UH, CHARLES PERLOW.
I'VE ASKED JOE DORITO TO SCOPE, EXCUSE ME FIRST, EXCUSE ME, IF THAT'S OKAY.
LEADING WHAT? INTO THE RECORD.
I, IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE COUNSEL, I'VE ASKED JOE TORITO SPEAK FIRST.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, JOE.
WELL, I GOT IT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I GOT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ALREADY.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE A VOTE ON THIS, CORRECT? NO, I MEAN, HE'S PULLED IT, HE'S DELETED THE ITEM.
DOES THAT VOTE? IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
THERE'S GONNA BE A VOTE TO DELETE THE ITEM.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE MOTION WE MAKE.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE THE METRO COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 1 0 4 2 O PICO LANE.
SO I'M REALLY JUST WITHIN A COUPLE MILES OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
I'M OPPOSED TO THE E D D AND TO, GIVEN THE TAX DOLLARS TO WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN OR A DEVELOPER FOR HIS OWN PRIVATE USE WITHOUT ANY OF THE FUNDS, ANY OF THE TAX DOLLARS GOING DIRECTLY TOWARDS BENEFITING THE CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF OUR PARISH.
THE E D D PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO ASSIST BUSINESSES THAT NEEDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN AN AREA THAT IS OR MAY BECOME STAGNANT AND NEEDS REVITALIZATION AS WELL AS TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT IN THAT AREA.
THE FACT THAT THIS COMPLEX WILL BE BUILT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE E D D IS APPROVED OR NOT, IS A VERY STRONG INDICATOR THAT THE E D D SHOULD BE DENIED, UH, THESE TAX DOLLARS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AS CITIZENS, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A TAX BREAK TOO, BUT WE CAN'T EXPECT TO GET THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT AVAILABLE TO US.
SO WHY GIVE IT TO A A, A BUSINESS THAT REALLY DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR WHAT THE, THE, THE ORDINANCE OR THE RULE WAS, WAS, UH, MADE FOR AND PROVIDED FOR.
SO WITH THIS, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DENY THE, UH, AZTEC COVE E D D.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM THE COUNSEL TO THE ITEM BEING DELETED, THEN I THINK, I THINK WE CAN FOREGO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
HOWEVER, IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION, I DON'T WANT TO FOREGO THE, THESE FOLKS THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE RECORD.
I WAS GONNA ASK, JOE, WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ALLUDING TO THAT YOU, IF, IF, IF THE ITEM WAS GONNA BE DELETED, THAT YOU ARE READY TO GO HOME AND, WELL, I MEAN, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY AND SPEAK ON THE ITEM, BUT IF, IF THE, IF THE DEVELOPER HAS MADE THE REQUEST AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE AN OBJECTION FROM THE COUNSEL AND THEN THESE FOLKS.
YEAH, Y'ALL WANNA SPEAK? GO AHEAD, CHARLES.
I LIVE AT 1 6 0 4 6 HIGHLAND BLUFF COURT.
I ATTENDED THE 47 MINUTE MEETING ON MONDAY HELD BY MR. COMETH AND HIS ATTORNEY, AS DID COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOE AND COLEMAN.
MR. GOE EXTENDED THE MEETING FOR 30 MINUTES AFTER MR. COME LEFT.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS WERE INVENTED TO JUMPSTART DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS NEGLECTED BY PRIVATE INVESTORS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED ON MONDAY, BUT PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION WAS THIS, MR. COME, IF THIS PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IS NOT APPROVED, WOULD YOU STILL PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT? HIS ANSWER WAS AN UNEQUIVOCAL YES, AND THERE WERE A HUNDRED WITNESSES TO THAT ANSWER.
[00:45:02]
MR. COMETH HAS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE DID NOT NEED ANY HELP FROM THE TAXPAYERS, BUT WOULD PROCEED ANYWAY.BUT THE ONLY REASON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS IS TO FUND PROJECTS THAT THE FREE MARKET IS NEGLECTING.
SO A GROCERY STORE COMPLEX IN NORTH BATON ROUGE WOULD BE A CANDIDATE, BUT ONE IN SOUTH BATON ROUGE WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE.
AFTER THE MEETING, I SPOKE WITH TWO LADIES WHO HAD ATTENDED.
I ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH NEXT DOOR.
THEY WERE CONSTITUENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN AND JUST WANTED TO GET BETTER INFORMED.
THESE TWO LADIES WHO DID NOT LIVE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CAME BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY AND HOW TAX FUNDS WERE USED.
YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF FLORIDA BOULEVARD, ALSO CARE ABOUT THEIR TAX DOLLARS.
ONE OF THE LADIES ALSO SAID THIS PROJECT SHOULD BE NEAR BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
IT WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF ACCESS TO COMPUTER SAVVY STUDENT INTERNS FOR HIS BUSINESS OR OTHER AREAS THAT NEED REVITALIZATION NORTH OF L S U OR CLOSE TO SOUTHERN.
THIS WOULD BE A DREADFUL PRECEDENT.
EVERY PROPOSED RESTAURANT OR SHOP OWNER IN THE FUTURE WILL WANT THE SAME SWEETHEART DEAL AND SALES TAX REVENUES WOULD DECLINE.
DIVERTING SALES TAXES TO SUBSIDIZED DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ONLY GO INTO AREAS IN NEED.
THIS IS NOT AN AREA IN NEED OF SUBSIDY.
PLEASE VOTE NO TO THIS PROPOSED GIVEAWAY OF MORE THAN $700,000 PER YEAR FOR 40 YEARS OF OUR TAX MONEY.
NEXT, WE'RE HERE FROM KELLY SWEENEY CLEMENTS.
HI, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS.
AND THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS ARE MEANT TO HELP AREAS OF BLIGHT OR AREAS THAT HAVE JUST KIND OF FALLEN IN A LITTLE BIT OF DISARRAY AND NEED SOME ECONOMIC STIMULUS IN ORDER TO, UH, REVITALIZE THEM.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS AZTEC COVE DEVELOPMENT IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM MEETS THAT CRITERIA.
WE DO NOT NEED ANY INFUSION OF TAX DOLLARS TO MAKE THE AREA WHERE THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE BUILT, UM, TO BE BETTER OR TO HELP WITH VITALIZATION.
IT WOULD BE A GRAVE INJUSTICE TO A LOT OF AREAS IN BATON ROUGE TO FUNNEL OUR TAX DOLLARS INTO AN AREA THAT DOES NOT NEED ANY REVITALIZATION.
THERE'S SO MANY AREAS THAT COULD BENEFIT SO MUCH MORE FROM A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS BEING IN THEIR BACKYARD.
SO I WOULD STRONGLY URGE PEOPLE TO VOTE NO TO THIS PROPOSAL.
AS MR. PERU SAID, IT, IT, IT'S A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE.
AND I THINK ONCE YOU START APPROVING ANY DEVELOPER FROM DRAWING A, YOU KNOW, AN IMAGINARY LINE AROUND THEIR PROPERTY AND CALLING IT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHAT'S TO STOP EVERYONE FROM WANTING THE SAME DEAL? AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY TAKE A LOT OF REVENUE AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO MUCH MORE COULD USE IT.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM CAROLYN RICE.
HELLO, I'M CAROLYN RICE, PRESIDENT OF HIGHLAND RIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AT 1 31 SUMMER RIDGE DRIVE.
I AM VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR AZTEC COVE ON HIGHLAND ROAD.
IF GRANTED, THIS SALES TAX REBATE WOULD ALLOW A PRIVATE DEVELOPER TO MAKE A PROFIT WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
PLUS THE PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IS NOT AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREA.
TO THE CONTRARY, IT IS, IT IS A TAX ADVANTAGE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA WHICH NEEDS NO ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT.
IT ESSENTIALLY COMMITS THE CITY PARISH TO RETURNING SALES TAX TO PAY FOR A PRIVATE DEVELOPER'S
[00:50:01]
MORTGAGE COST.THIS IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF AN E D D AND IT OFFERS NO BENEFITS TO THE TAXPAYERS.
MR. KAMATH HAS SAID HE WILL DO THIS DEVELOPMENT WITH AN E D D, SO HE REALLY DOES NOT WITHOUT THE E D D.
SO HE REALLY DOES NOT NEED IT.
HE HAS ALSO SAID HE CHOSE THIS LOCATION ON HIGHLAND ROAD BECAUSE THERE ARE NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS BETWEEN HIS HOUSE AND THE SITE ON HIGHLAND ROAD.
REALLY IN THE PUBLIC MEETING THAT HE HELD MONDAY.
HE ALSO STATED THAT 80% OF THE DORM ROOMS THAT WILL BE BUILT FOR HIS EMPLOYEES.
WE WANNA ENCOURAGE MR. KAMA TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION IN BATON ROUGE WHERE AN E D D IS NEEDED.
NOT SURE WHY MR. NITTON WAS ALLOWED TO GO BACK IN THESE BACK ROOMS BACK HERE AND TALK TO SOME OF THE COUNCILMEN.
THEY TELL ME I COULDN'T DO THAT, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY HE DID IT.
BUT PLEASE VOTE NO AGAINST THIS DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM RANDY RICE.
AND AGAIN, WHILE RANDY IS COMING, I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST OF DELETE THE ITEM AGAIN.
WE WILL, WE CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST TO DELETE THE ITEM BY THE DEVELOPER HIMSELF.
SO WE CAN STILL CONTINUE IF YOU ARE AS WANT TO.
I LIVE AT 1 31 SUMMER RIDGE DRIVE IN BATON ROUGE.
AND I AM OPPOSED TO THE AZTEC COVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AS PROPOSED MEMBERS OF THE METRO COUNCIL.
I'M SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE LOOKS LIKE.
INSUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, SEWER, DRAINAGE, POLICE, GARBAGE PICKUP, AND ON AND ON.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO YOU THINK THE CITY CAN REALLY AFFORD TO GIVE $35 MILLION IN SALE TAX REVENUE AWAY? I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
WHY SHOULD YOU AND I AND EVERY TAXPAYER IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE BE ASKED TO FUND IT AS WELL-INFORMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IN SOME AREAS OF BATON ROUGE.
ISN'T THIS PROPOSED E D D IN THIS AREA OF BATON ROUGE KIND OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO REPRESENT AREAS THAT NEED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? THIS PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WOULD BENEFIT ONE INDIVIDUAL IN AN AREA THAT QUITE FRANKLY IS NOT HURTING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AT LEAST NOT WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER AREAS IN THE PARISH.
THIS PROPOSAL, IF APPROVED, WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OR SERVICES IN THE AREA.
IT WOULD ONLY BENEFIT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
MR. CAME WITH WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THE PROPOSED E D D FOOTPRINT TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA HE FLATLY DECLINED SO THAT HE CAN LINE HIS POCKETS IN HIS POCKETS.
ONLY MR. KAATH HAS GONE ON RECORD AS SAYING THE AZTEC COVE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE BUILT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE E D D IS APPROVED OR NOT.
SO WHY WOULD THE COUNCIL VOTE IN FAVOR OF GIVING MR. KAMA THE E D D WHEN HE CLEARLY DOES NOT NEED IT TO BUILD AZTEC COVE? WOULDN'T THAT KIND OF BE LIKE SOMEONE ASKING A BANK TO APPROVE A LOAN THAT THEY REALLY DON'T NEED? MAKE NO MISTAKE, IF YOU VOTE YES AND THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IS APPROVED, EVERY DEVELOPER IN BATON ROUGE WILL LINE UP BEFORE YOU AND EXPECT THE SAME RESULT.
I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO FOR THE PROPOSED AZTEC COVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
LAURA METCALF IS LAURA UPSTAIRS.
IF SHE COME DOWN WE'LL TAKE HER.
[00:55:01]
THOSE OPPOSED BUT WISH NOT TO SPEAK.PEGGY DAIGLE, DOTTIE TORITO, ROBERT SSON, ZARA SSON, PHILLIP WILLIAMS AND RANDY AMAR.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYONE UPSTAIRS WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, I'LL, I'LL CONTINUE THE MEETING, BUT IF YOU COME DOWN AND WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, I'LL ALLOW YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
YOU WANNA COME AND SPEAK IF YOU WANNA STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
IF I HADN'T CALLED IT ALREADY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY CLUB OF LOUISIANA, AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA.
WE'VE BROUGHT A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT THAT HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, INCLUDING CONTACTING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMING OUT IN AWFUL WEATHER, IN OPPOSITION OF THIS E D D.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL TO VOTE TONIGHT.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M A REALTOR HERE IN BATON ROUGE AND THERE IS A PROPERTY THAT IS LITERALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHURCH.
THIS AREA DOES NOT NEED AN E D D.
IN ADDITION, AS A REALTOR, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH YOUR PROPERTY AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT ALL THE PROPER PERMITS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BUT TO COME TO US AS IN OUR CITY AND ASK FOR US TO HELP PAY YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT.
TAKING AWAY MONEY FROM OUR CITY THAT NEEDS LOTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE LEADS, LOTS OF MONEY FOR LOTS OF OTHER AREAS, EVEN THOUGH IF THIS PASSES, KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS VACANT LAND IS GONNA BE COMING AND ASKING FOR IT.
AND THERE'S NOW A PRECEDENT IF YOU PASS THIS.
I'M NOT ONLY ASKING YOU NOT TO SAY NO FOR THIS, BUT ALSO EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BENEFIT, BENEFIT ME AS A REALTOR TO SELL ALL THESE PIECES OF PROPERTY.
IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE FOR OUR CITY BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THAT MONEY COMING OUT OF OUR COFFERS FOR THE REST OF THE ENTIRE CITY, IT'S GONNA BE DEPLETED WHEN EVERYBODY'S TAKING THEIR PORTIONS AND KEEPING IT FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THEN WHERE ARE WE GONNA GO? YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK TO US.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTING THEM FOR THAT 2% ALL OVER.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING ADDITIONAL MONIES TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT 2%.
AND NOT ONLY SAY NO, BUT ALSO LOOK AT WHATEVER RULES YOU HAVE FOR COMING FORWARD.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR PROTECTING OUR CITY, PROTECTING OUR MONEY, AND MAKING WISE CHOICES WITH OUR MONIES.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
I'M 1 3 4 CHARTER RIDGE COURT.
UM, I'LL KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF.
UM, I'M SURE WE'RE ALL KIND OF ECHOING THE SAME SENTIMENTS HERE, BUT UM, AS A CONCERNED RESIDENT OF BATON ROUGE.
UM, YEAH, THE WORD DANGEROUS PRECEDENT'S BEING THROWN AROUND HERE.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WANNA CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO DO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE VOTE YOU INTO OFFICE BASED OFF OF YOUR CHARACTER, YOUR INTEGRITY, YOUR TRUSTWORTHINESS.
IF THIS GOES TO VOTE, VOTE BASED OFF OF YOUR CHARACTER, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE WATCHING.
I'M BEGGING YOU AS ONE OF THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS HERE, DO SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.
PLEASE VOTE BASED OFF OF YOUR CHARACTER AND SOMETHING THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD BE PROUD OF.
ON DOWN STATE NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT 2 3 4 6 PALM HILLS AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF GREATER BATON ROUGE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.
I'VE BEEN MONITORING THIS COUNCIL FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS.
AND I'M REALLY DISCONCERNED THAT THIS LEGISLATION IS FLAWED ON MANY PLANES AND IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF APPROVING THIS TYPE OF E D D DEVELOPMENT.
[01:00:01]
GO FURTHER THAN JUST THIS NECK OF THE WOODS OVER HERE.IT GOES TO THE ENTIRE PARISH, IT GOES POTENTIALLY TO THE ENTIRE STATE BECAUSE EVERYBODY GETS TO DO THE SAME LEGISLATION WITH EDDS.
I'M NOT GONNA BEAT THE DEAD HORSE.
THESE GUYS HAVE ALREADY ELOQUENTLY STATED THE CONCERNS AROUND THIS.
MINE IS REALLY AROUND THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
THAT'S MY CONCERN FOR ALL OF OUR 110 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS.
IT ALMOST FELT LIKE IF YOU HAVEN'T A PROJECT AND YOUR COUNCIL PERSON DOESN'T LIKE WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, I CAN GO SHOP FOR ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN MONITORING.
SO ONE PERSON ALREADY MENTIONED AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM GOING FORWARD.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK AT WHAT COULD QUALIFIES AND WHAT DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR AN E D D AND PUT SOME LANGUAGE AROUND THAT SO IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR BECAUSE THIS ONE RIGHT NOW ISN'T AND WE CAN'T HAVE LEGISLATION LIKE THAT GOING FORWARD.
AND I'VE WITNESSED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER STATES TO PEOPLE BEFORE THIS BODY.
IF YOU ARE GONNA BUILD SOMETHING IN MY DISTRICT, YOU BETTER COME AND TALK TO ME FIRST.
THAT'S A GREAT PRACTICE AND POLICY AND I THINK WE NEED TO CARRY IT FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DO THE RIGHT THING TONIGHT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ALRIGHT, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED 312 EMAILS OPPOSED TO ITEM 71.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ATE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MANNING AMAROSA.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? YES, GO AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER SS I'M GONNA VOTE TO DELETE IT, BUT, UM, I DO WANNA MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT AND IN MY OPINION, OF WHAT A GOOD E E D LOOKS LIKE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT A BAD ONE LOOKS LIKE, BUT COMING UP ON JEWEL ROAD AND PRESCOTT, WHICH IS A DISINVESTED AREA, UM, WHERE WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE DEVELOPER WHO IS SO, UH, WILLINGLY PUT FORTH 14 ACRES TO PUT A GROCERY STORE THERE.
ALL RIGHT, I'VE SPOKEN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MOOCH AND I SAID, LOOK, THIS IS THE CORRIDOR.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO AMAZON COMING FROM CENTRAL.
IT'S A BLOCK AWAY FROM WHERE HIS DISTRICT STARTS.
UM, I'VE TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL AND I SAID, LOOK, EVERYBODY FROM BAYWOOD CHENEY THAT COMES TO BATON ROUGE THAT COME DOWN JEWEL ROAD, IF YOU STAND THERE IN THE MORNING, IT'S PROBABLY SOME OF THE STRONGEST TRAFFIC THAT PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE INTERIOR OF THE CITY.
I TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN AND SAID, LISTEN, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS START RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT OAKVILLE AT THAT RACE TRACK.
I SAID, SO YOUR PEOPLE WILL SERVE THIS AREA.
UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE VANESSA LAFLEUR COVERS THAT AREA.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DENISE MARCEL HAS JUMPED IN AND SAID, I WANNA BE A PART, BECAUSE THEN SHE STOPS RIGHT WHERE CLEVE DUNN'S AREA STOPS.
AND THE PEOPLE FROM THAT AREA, WHETHER IT'S IN THE DISTRICT OR NOT, WE'LL STILL VISIT THIS GROCERY STORE.
UM, HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYORS WHO'S IN EXTREME FAVOR OF IT AND HAS ASSIGNED A GROCERY STORE EXPERT TO COME WORK WITH US, TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THAT DIVESTED, DISINVESTED, UM, DILAPIDATED AREA AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING THE CITY BE PROUD OF.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE WORKED WITH, UH, MATT VALE CARE SOUTH.
IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL THERE, BUT I'VE ASKED HIM TO BE THE DEVELOPER.
THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THROUGH HIS FQHCS TURNED CARE SOUTH FROM NEGATIVE $700,000 TO 50 MILLION IN THE BLACK IN FIVE YEARS AND 75 MILLION IN FOUR YEARS, BRINGING ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
AND IF HE BUILDS A SHOPPING CENTER, HE'LL BRING THE HEALTHCARE ALONG WITH IT.
SO THAT WE'LL NOW HAVE, WE'LL CLOSE THE GAP ON FOOD INSECURITIES WHILE WE CLOSE THE GAP ON HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES.
I SAY THIS BECAUSE I WILL BE ASKING FOR AN E D D AND I HOPE THE NEWS IS THERE THEN.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT CHAMPIONING EFFORT IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
THAT DOESN'T EVEN NEED A STUDY.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW CAN CLOSE THEIR EYES.
IMAGINE AN AREA AND REALIZE IT'S NOT A GROCERY STORE WITH GREAT MEAT AND GOOD VEGETABLES WITHIN A MILE OR TWO FROM THERE.
SO, UM, IN THIS EFFORT YOU'LL HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH AN E D D, BOTH AT THE STATE AND THE LOCAL LEVEL.
YOU HAVE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE INVOLVED.
HOPEFULLY FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TOTAL
[01:05:01]
WILL JUMP ON BOARD.BUT MY POINT IN SAYING THAT IS THAT IS WHAT A GOOD ED LOOKS LIKE.
AND I'M, I, I HOPE TO SET THE PRECEDENCE OF WHAT IT DOES IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
AND IF LANGUAGE HAS CHANGED, THEY USE THIS BUSINESS AS A MOTTO.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO JUMP ON BOARD WITH ME PUBLICLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS THING MOVES FORWARD.
I WANNA FIRST THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND VOICING YOUR CONCERNS AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.
UM, MANY OF YOU WHO CAME TO THE MIC, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US COULD GIVE MUCH OR LITTLE PUSHBACK TO THE CONCERNS YOU BROUGHT.
THE CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE IS WE BROUGHT FORTH NOT A $35 MILLION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IN SOUTH BATON ROUGE, BUT A 240 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
SOME EIGHT MONTHS AGO, I THINK IT WAS MAYBE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WAS AGAINST IT.
3, 4, 5 TIMES THIS IN, IN A NON-ECONOMIC DEPRESSED AREA JUST LIKE YOURS.
SO THE ISSUE I HAVE IS THE INCONSISTENCY AND THE LAST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THIS COUNCIL WAS BROUGHT BY ME IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, THE CAR CORRIDOR OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
YOU WANNA KNOW THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WAS MOST VOCAL AGAINST IT.
YOUR COUNCIL PERSON, COUNCILMAN ROWDY GOE AND COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON.
HE VOTED IN FAVOR, BUT HE WAS AGAINST IT AND SIGNIFICANTLY AGAINST THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PIECE OF IT IS MY TIME, SIR.
YOU GUYS MADE THE STATEMENTS, YOU GUYS STATED THE FACTS WHERE THESE EDDS WERE DESIGNED TO GO.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT IN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED AREAS, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S CHAMPIONED AGAINST THIS ONE WAS AGAINST GOING, ONE, GOING IN NORTH BATON ROUGE TO PROVIDE THAT SAME COMMUNITY, UH, IMPACT THAT YOU DESIRE FOR THIS ONE.
SO DON'T IF IF SOMEBODY DON'T HAVE A A, A WEALTH, A WEALTHY NAME OR LONGEVITY IN THIS COMMUNITY, DON'T COME OUT AGAINST THEM.
BUT WHEN THE BIG NAMES, BIG DEVELOPERS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND WE DON'T SEE YOU, THERE WAS THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE HERE AGAINST IT.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR SOME CONSISTENCY COUNT.
YEAH, I, I THINK I WANNA FIRST THANK COUNCILMAN DUNN.
I THINK YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT AND I THINK, UH, IT IT DOES, IT IS WORTHY OF DISCUSSION.
SO I WANNA PROVIDE A LITTLE, LITTLE CLARITY, A LITTLE CONTEXT TO THAT.
UM, FIRST I'LL START WITH THE HARVEST IN E D D.
UH, THERE'S A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARVESTING, UH, AND THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED VERSUS AZTEC COVE.
UH, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT HARVESTING IS THAT IT INCENTIVIZED A WORLD CLASS CHARTER SCHOOL TO COME AND PROVIDE EDUCATION IN AN AREA THAT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH SCHOOLS.
UH, AND IT SPECIFICALLY, UH, PROVIDES SEATS FOR CHILDREN IN THE GUARDIAN AREA, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND HAS ISSUES.
UM, THAT AREA IS ALSO ONE OF OUR LONGEST WAIT TIMES FOR E M SS SERVICE.
UM, AND IT INCENTIVIZED, UH, AN E M SS STATION, A FIRE STATION TO GO OUT THERE.
UH, IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE LONGER AREAS WHERE WE HAVE ISSUES WITH, UH, SHERIFF SERVICE, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY ISSUES WITH SHERIFF SERVICE.
SO THAT E D D HELPED TO INCENTIVIZE THAT.
UH, AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE PIECE THAT'S MISSING IN THIS PROPOSAL.
UH, IS THAT WE ARE MISSING THAT PUBLIC INVESTMENT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THERE'S STILL ARGUMENTS TO BE MADE.
WHETHER OR NOT HARVESTING WAS, UH, WAS A GREAT DEAL.
UM, I WAS THE HOLDOUT VOTE ON THAT, IF YOU REMEMBER.
I DID END UP VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT, UH, BECAUSE WE WANTED THAT, THAT CHARTER SCHOOL THERE.
UM, BUT, UH, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S WORTH NOTING, IS THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A PIECE OF ANY FURTHER EDDS IS THAT PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
UM, AND, AND JUST TO SPEAK ALSO BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, THE FLORIDA BOULEVARD, E D D, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE WITH THAT FOR ME, UH, AND, AND IT'S AGAIN, IT, IT TIES BACK INTO THIS ONE, UM, IS THAT, UH, IT DID THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT PART OF IT WAS THE ISSUE FOR ME ON THAT ONE BECAUSE IT INCENTIVIZED, UH, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE GREAT.
UH, BUT I KNOW THE, THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER IS GONNA BE OUR GENERAL FUND.
OUR GENERAL FUND IS WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED.
WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TROUBLE FUNDING THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
UH, AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND THROUGH THE E D D AND THEN FURTHER SPEND MORE MONEY ON A COMMUNITY CENTER FROM THE GENERAL FUND, IT REALLY BECOMES AN ISSUE, RIGHT? WE, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR SERVICES AS IT IS.
SO I, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK TO, UH, THE FUTURE AS WE START EVALUATING FUTURE EDDS OR CREATING A FRAMEWORK.
AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD, SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON, IS CREATING A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW WE EVALUATE THESE EDDS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO.
SO THANK Y'ALL AND I APPRECIATE
[01:10:01]
THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD AROUND THIS.COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS COMMENTS ARE SIMILAR TO, UM, TO COUNCILMAN DUNN.
UM, I THINK, UH, WE, WE HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH RIVER BEND.
UH, I, I REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT INCLUDES THE ALLISON COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS, UM, A 55 YEAR HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.
UM, AND FOR THAT LONG, THAT'S HOW LONG THE PEOPLE IN ALLISON AND SAINT ER LEE HAVE COME DOWN TO THIS COUNCIL FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE IFICATION OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS CAUSED IT TO BE, UH, TOTALLY WIPED OUT FOR THE MOST PART.
AND THAT WAS A, UM, I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF IT, BUT IT WAS A IMPACTED RIVER BEND.
AND I REMEMBER BEING THE ONE PERSON THAT VOTED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, I CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS, BUT THAT IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE RIVER BEING RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, THAT'S BEEN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
AND THOSE RESIDENTS SWORE ABOUT ALL THAT WAS HOLY.
UH, FOR ONE THING THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALLISON AND ST.
UM, THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT RONALDSON FIELD.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, UM, ANY OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT HAD IMPACTED THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO FROM THAT PUBLIC HEARING, THEY LEARNED OF IT AND THEY SWORE THAT WE, WE'LL BE HERE THE NEXT TIME.
UM, NOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T TAKE NAMES AND DO A CHECKOFF, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY OVER THE YEARS, THE LACK, WE'VE HAD TWO MORE ADDITIONAL ISSUES AND THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
UM, UH, HAVING PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, UH, THAT LIVE IN COUNTRY CLUB AND HEARING, UM, THE GREAT RAH RAH AND P PEPE, YOU ALL WERE HAVING TO COME AND SPEAK BEFORE US, IN WHICH I RESPECT.
UM, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES CANNOT, UH, GET A 55 PASSENGER, UH, BUS.
THEY CAN'T HAVE ANY PRE UH, SOCIAL EVENTS AT THE CITY CLUB.
UM, AND THAT IS NOT TO RAIN ON YOUR PARADE, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HERE WE ARE ONCE AGAIN WITH A TALE OF TWO CITIES, YOU KNOW, KINDS OF ISSUES.
UM, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THIS CITY PARISH, THROUGHOUT THIS CITY.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING THE TALE OF TWO CITIES.
AND AT SOME POINT WE, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR MANY OF US TO SAY ONE DAY, THIS, UH, THEY'RE GONNA NEED US.
WELL, THIS MIGHT BE THAT ONE DAY, BUT ALL OF US, I WOULD, I COULD SPEAK FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I KNOW WE DON'T VOTE LIKE THAT.
WE AREN'T UNDER THE KIND OF PRESSURE THAT MANY OF OUR REPUBLICAN, UH, COLLEAGUES ARE FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO VOTE AGAINST THINGS THAT HELP, UM, MINORITY DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF ISSUES THAT I UNDERSTAND BY SOME FACES.
THEY MAY DISMISS THAT THEY MAY THINK, WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH? BUT THE THING ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN GO BACK, UM, AND JUST JUST SAY THAT WE ARE ALL LINKED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND JUST AS WE'VE SEEN WHEN WE THOUGHT CRIME ONLY HAPPENED IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, AND STILL IT START UNTIL IT START HAPPENING AT L S U, AND THEN SOME OF PEOPLE THAT DID NOT LOOK LIKE US WERE, UM, WERE HARMED.
SO ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT, YEAH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRICE THAT WE PAY, THERE ARE NO BORDERS.
JUST LIKE THERE ARE NO BORDERS AS IT RELATES TO WATER.
AND THOUGH I TOO WILL NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, MY VOTE.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED THIS TO GO FORTH.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ON TAPE ALL THESE TESTIMONIES OF HOW EDDS SHOULD BE IN BLIGHTED COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT WHEN, AND I CHALLENGE ALL FOUR OR FIVE OF MY COMMUNITIES LIKE SCOTLANDVILLE, THAT I REPRESENT ALLISON, UH, GUS, YOUNG EDEN PARK, UM, ALL THOSE AREAS THAT WE WILL WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WHERE SHE, THROUGH HER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP, UH, WE'LL ASSIGN SOMEONE TO EACH ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DOING JUST LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN HUR SAID.
AND THAT IS MAKE, TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH OF US HAVE A PET PROJECT
[01:15:01]
THAT WILL QUALIFY FOR AN E D D.AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET, HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I KEPT YOUR EMAILS AND, UM, I, I THANK YOU.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS COUNCIL MEMBER MLK, SEE WHERE COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN FLIPPED IT ON ME.
FIRST OF ALL, FEW COMMENTS ON THE, THE E D D THING.
AND THIS IS WHAT I THINK, UM, EACH ONE OF Y'ALL IN THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE 300 EMAILS AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE GOT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SHINE A LIGHT ON, NOT NECESSARILY THIS PROJECT PER SE, BUT THE E D D PROCESS ITSELF.
SO I THINK YOU CAN GIVE YOURSELF A BIG HAND FOR THAT PART THERE.
AND WHAT WE DO GOING FORWARD FROM HERE WITH EDDS.
NOW, DO I COMPLETELY GET ON BOARD WITH EDDS CAN ONLY BE USED IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS? I, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK THERE'S SOME PLACES THAT IT'S GONNA BE CALLED FOR.
WE'VE WITH PUBLIC SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN HUDSON BROUGHT UP AND, AND THE DIFFERENT SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, IF WE GET INTO BREAKING THIS WHOLE E D D PROCESS DOWN, THEN, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GONNA BREAK THE WHOLE CITY DOWN INTO WHAT'S CONSIDERED ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED? IS CARTIER ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO SUCH AND SUCH IS IS THE, UH, NOW THE AMAZON CENTER IS AT CARTENA AND THE MILLIONS IN THE GROWTH THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS AT AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREA THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO NO MORE EDDS.
SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY START ON PROCESSES OF EDDS AND WHAT CONSTITUTES, AND IT JUST, I DON'T THINK, AND, AND, AND THIS IS WHAT THIS PROJECT HERE SHED A LOT OF LIGHT ON, AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS TELLING THANK Y'ALL FOR, IS THIS PROCESS RIGHT HERE, GOING THROUGH THIS, OPEN THAT UP.
AND IT, AND IT, IT ALLOWS US ON THE COUNCIL TO START WORKING ON POLICIES AND EVERYTHING AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE SOME ED EDDS I LOOK AT FROM THE EMPLOYMENT ASPECT, HOW MANY EMPLOYMENT PEOPLE, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU GONNA BRING INTO BATON ROUGE TO EMPLOY? I'VE STATED THIS PLENTY TIMES BEFORE, IEPS, EDDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE DO A GREAT JOB OF WONDERFUL PROJECTS THAT WHEN EXXON GOES TO GROW OR THEY, THEY LIKE THE RECYCLING FACILITY THAT WE DID.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY A E D D, IT'S AN IEP AND SO ON LIKE THAT.
BUT THEY COME IN, THEY BUILD THE PLANTS.
BUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR JUST LIKE BRINGING CORPORATIONS IN? WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR PEOPLE TO, TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS, TO BRING EMPLOYMENT, TO BRING POPULATION, TO BRING YOUNG FAMILIES AND STUFF TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND SO I DON'T WANT TO BREAK UP THE CITY INTO TWO DETAIL OF TWO CITIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I SEE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AS A WHOLE.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON WHERE WE'RE GONNA STABILIZE AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AND POLICIES.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE BALL OFF OF ALL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE ARE ONE BODY, WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE ONE COUNCIL THAT SHOULD WORK TOGETHER FOR ALL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
AND SO I, UM, JUST HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY, AND THAT IS, I CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN DUNN.
I CONCUR WITH SOME THAT HAVE BEEN SPOKEN BY COUNCILMAN MO.
I CONCUR WITH SOME THAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN BY COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.
AND, AND SO I, I HEAR THE WORDS BLIGHT.
I HEARD THE WORD TRAFFIC ISSUES.
AND THEN I, I, I HEAR AND TRAFFIC, IF WE GO TO A GAME, IT TOOK US THREE HOURS TO GET HOME.
AS FAR AS FOR TRAFFIC, WHAT REALLY CONCERN ME IS THIS, SEE, WHEN, WHEN WE DON'T WANT TO EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE AND OURSELVES AND WE WANNA REMAIN SEGMENTED AND REMAIN ELITENESS AND REMAIN AND NOT WORKING TOGETHER.
AND THEN THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 90 PERMANENT JOBS AND 88 NONE TECH JOBS.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE, THINK ABOUT SILICON VALLEY, THINK ABOUT ALL OF
[01:20:01]
THAT.A MOST, UH, AFFLUENT AREA, AND I'M SPEAKING, UH, AN AFFLUENT AREA WHERE APPLE IS.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THE, THE GENTLEMAN THAT HAS COME BEFORE US, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST E D D, THERE'S BEEN OVER 20 SOME PLUS.
SO NOW IN MIDSTREAM, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CHANGING RULES, DEVELOPING RULES.
AND THAT CONCERN ME, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, WHEN A CERTAIN POPULATION COME BEFORE US, THEN WE WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES AND THE REGS AND THEN NOT BE FAIR AT ALL.
AND SO WHY, WHY, WHY? BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THAT'S WHY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT, THE VIRTUAL, THE UPCOMING AND ONGOING THAT WILL BE.
BUT I WONDER IF WE WANT TO ADVANCE AND WE TALK ABOUT A BETTER BATON ROUGE AND WHAT BATON ROUGE OUGHT TO BE AND THE INCLUSIVENESS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND WE TALK ABOUT FOLK WANTING HANDOUTS.
THIS AIN'T NOTHING BUT A HAND UP.
I MEAN, IT HAS THE MONEY, BUT WE WANT WINE ABOUT THAT.
SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYMENT, PUTTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO WORK WITH OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE EPITOME OF WHAT WE SAY OUT OF ONE SIDE OF OUR MOUTH, AND THEN OUT THE OTHER SIDE IS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
AND SO WE JUST NEED TO BE MINDFUL.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL YOU ALL DON'T NEED ANY TAX DOLLARS OUT THERE IN THAT AREA.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU DON'T NEED ANY ENCOURAGEMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT THEN WE TALK ABOUT A ONE BATON ROUGE AND A BETTER BATON ROUGE.
AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE REAL YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WHEN THE YOUTH CHALLENGE FOLK CAME UP.
I SAY, THEY GOING TO DO THIS THING DIFFERENTLY.
THEY GOING TO SHOW US HOW TO REALLY LIVE HOW TO, HOW TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND I JUST WANT TO BE AROUND AND BE A PART OF IT, AND THEN NOT LEAN ON WHAT PREDECESSORS TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND HOLD ON TO AND MAKE SURE WE DON'T LET CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN.
I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE AND WITNESS THAT AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT THIS IS NOT PERSONAL.
AND THIS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT.
UM, I DO WANNA PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY FOR SOME WHO MAY NEED IT, SOME MAY NOT.
UM, BUT BASED ON SOME OF THE EMAILS WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
'CAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC AND WE TALK ABOUT NOT NEEDING THE DEVELOPMENT THERE, UM, THIS DEVELOPMENT AS STATED BY THE DEVELOPER, UM, HE, HE DOES STILL PLAN TO DO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN ACCORDING TO HIM.
UM, AND A COURT HAS ALREADY STATED THAT WE HAVE TO ALLOW HIM TO DO IT.
THAT BATTLE HAS BEEN FOUGHT AND THAT'S OCCURRING.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE E D D, WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, UM, IT WAS, I WAS LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT, THE, THE DEVELOPER BASICALLY STATED, HEY, THE COURT HAD RULED IN HIS FAVOR AND ALLOWED HIM TO DO IT.
AND SO HE CAN BUILD IT AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, MORE THAN LIKELY HE COULD BE AWARDED SOMETHING IF HE SAW DAMAGES FOR THE TIME THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BILL.
AND, BUT HE WOULD NOT BRING THAT, THAT SUIT FOR DAMAGES.
OR, AND I, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M STATING THAT INCORRECTLY, IF THIS E D D WAS GRANTED.
AND SO FOR ME, I START LOOKING AT, OKAY, A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND TRYING TO QUANTIFY, UH, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
IS THAT BENEFICIAL? AND, UM, WHAT I KEPT COMING BACK TO WITH A QUID PRO QUO LIKE THAT IS, IT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC FROM, AND THIS WAS MENTIONED SOMEWHAT THIS EVENING FROM A PRECEDENT STANDPOINT,
[01:25:02]
UM, THAT THEN ANYONE COULD COME AND SAY, HEY, I THINK I HAVE A CASE, BUT I WON'T BRING IT IF, AND THOSE TWO THINGS NEED TO BE SEPARATED.UM, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT IS A, FOR ME, IT'S NOT TOTALLY LOOKING AT, HEY, WE'RE CHANGING THE RULES IN THE MIDDLE FOR SOMEBODY AND NOT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT TOOL WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX.
UH, WHETHER IT'S E D D OR PILOT OR ITEP.
UH, I'VE VOTED FOR ALL OF THOSE, AND I BELIEVE IN ALL OF 'EM.
AND I THINK THEY'RE A YOUTHFUL TOOL WHEN A, WHEN USED APPROPRIATELY AND IN THE RIGHT SITUATION.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THAT BEFORE.
UH, I DID IT WHEN I SERVED IN ZACHARY BEFORE, AND I'VE DONE IT SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE.
UM, SO I, I, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF STRUCTURING THEM.
SOMETIMES I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN MOOCH.
UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS IN AREAS THAT ARE NECESSARILY DISADVANTAGED FROM A AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
UH, SOMETIMES IT'S, HEY, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PROJECT.
THE NUMBERS DON'T WORK THIS WAY.
BUT IF WE CAN HAVE SOME ASSISTANCE, IT MIGHT MOVE IT FORWARD IN A BETTER MANNER OR FASTER.
AND THERE'S ALL KIND OF DIFFERENT WAYS IT CAN BE STRUCTURED.
IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL TYPE PRODUCT.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE TWO DISCRETIONARY CENT, SOMETIMES IT'S ADDING A CENT ON TOP AND USING ONE OF THE DISCRETIONARY AND ONE ON TOP.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE SIZE FITS ALL, BUT FOR ME, UM, CERTAINLY I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, PUBLIC BENEFIT.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE END ALL BE ALL.
SO AS WE GO FORWARD CRAFTING, UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL, THAT WILL HAVE A, A, YOU KNOW, A DEFINITION OF, HEY, THESE ARE THINGS QUALIFIERS FOR E D D.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO BOX THAT IN.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, UM, AND MAYBE KEEP A LITTLE BIT OF BROAD BASED APPROACH, UH, AND REALLY TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WHERE IT MAY FIT AND MAYBE AN APPROPRIATE TOOL.
UM, BUT IF IT COMES, WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO LOOKING AT, OKAY, HEY, I WON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ACTION IF, FOR ME, THAT BECAME REAL PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THE, UH, WHEN YOU TRY TO QUANTIFY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE, THE PRECEDENT THAT THAT WOULD SET AND THE, UH, INDIRECT DOLLAR BEYOND FROM WHO KNOWS HOW MANY THAT WOULD BRING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST BECOMES REALLY, UH, A FAR LARGER NUMBER AT THAT POINT.
SO, UH, ANYWAY, BUT JUST TO MAKE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND AGAIN, THE DEVELOPER CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT IS HIS CHOICE.
A COURT HAS ALREADY DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY AND VOTING ON IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE CAUGHT ONTO THAT, BUT SOME HAVE STILL THOUGHT MAYBE THAT'S, THIS STOPS THAT DEVELOPMENT AND, AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
WHAT WE DO HERE TONIGHT, MAY, NO, SIR, WHAT WE DO HERE TONIGHT MAY, UH, DOES NOT HA AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN START THAT DEVELOPMENT POLE PERMITS TOMORROW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY.
I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
UH, BEFORE WE VOTE, I WANT TO FIRST OFF, RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, UH, FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, YOU, YOU WORKED THE PROCESS, YOU WORKED THE PROCESS VERY EFFECTIVELY.
UH, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU DID.
UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON AND I HOSTED A PUBLIC MEETING LAST TUESDAY.
UH, I WOULD SAY NEARLY A HUNDRED PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT MEETING.
UH, 80 PEOPLE SIGNED CARDS OF OPPOSITION THAT HAVE BEEN ENTERED INTO THE RECORD FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, THE DEVELOPER HAD A MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK, DOWNTOWN, 50 PEOPLE OVER 50 PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT MEETING.
AND YOU VOICED YOUR CONCERNS IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER.
WE, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE FIELDED MORE THAN 200 EMAILS.
UH, AND, AND ALL OF THOSE EMAILS WERE RESPECTFUL AND ABOUT THE POLICY ISSUE.
IT IS RARE WHEN WE HAVE 312 COMMENTS SUBMITTED FOR A COUNCIL MEETING.
THERE ARE HOT TOPIC ITEMS AND WE WILL GET, UH, SUBMISSIONS.
UM, BUT IT IS RARE WHEN WE RECEIVE THIS MANY.
SO YOU HAVE WORKED THE PROCESS VERY WELL.
I WOULD ALSO ADD, THERE WAS A, AN ADVERTISEMENT PLACED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
THERE WAS A LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
UH, YOU HAVE SHINED IN ENGAGING YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS FOR THAT.
UM, ON THE TOPIC OF EDDS, UH, I, I DO THINK WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO HAVE A THOROUGH DISCUSSION.
UM, I WOULD OFFER UP TWO EXAMPLES AT THE MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK AT THE LIBRARY, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, UH, ALSO ATTENDED.
THANK HIM FOR ATTENDING BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS.
[01:30:01]
CROWD THAT WAS THERE, WHICH WAS LARGELY FROM THE HIGHLAND ROAD AREA ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL FOR AN E D D IN HIS DISTRICT FOR A GROCERY STORE.AND HE GOT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR IT.
I THINK FOLKS SAID THAT'S WHAT THESE ARE INTENDED TO DO, AND SHOW THEIR SUPPORT TO HIM IN THAT ENDEAVOR.
UH, AND, AND IT'S MY HOPE TO ENGAGE WITH HIM FURTHER ABOUT THAT EFFORT.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHEN FOLKS SHAKE THEIR HEAD AND SAY, THAT'S WHAT THESE TOOLS ARE MEANT TO BE USED FOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND ONE, MY, MY FRIEND COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE FLORIDA BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I TELL THAT STORY VERY DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DO.
UM, BECAUSE YOU, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING THAT DISTRICT CRAFTED WHAT YOU FELT WAS BEST FOR THAT DISTRICT, UH, I DID HAVE CONCERNS, BUT I HAD THE RESPECT TO CONTACT YOU AND ENGAGE YOU ABOUT THOSE CONCERNS.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I LISTEN TO YOU AND WHEN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT A COMMUNITY CENTER MEANS FOR YOU, THAT THAT LACKED IN YOUR COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS, THAT IT WAS AN ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
I CAME AROUND TO YOUR LINE OF THINKING.
SO I INVITE YOU TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE OF HOW YOU TELL THAT STORY.
'CAUSE I VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE OF THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I TELL THAT AS A SUCCESS STORY FOR THIS COUNCIL.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THIS PROCESS SHOULD WORK.
UM, I, I, I THINK WE AS A COUNCIL CAN DO MORE AND DO BETTER IN HOW WE ENGAGE IN THAT.
UH, AND I, AND I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT NUMBER.
I MADE SOME MISTAKES IN THIS PROCESS, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO STAND UP AND ADMIT IT.
UM, SO I'LL OFFER UP THAT I COMMIT TO THIS COUNCIL TO DO A BETTER JOB.
OKAY? SO UNLESS THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'LL GO WITH THE MOTIONS OR TO DELETE THE ITEM.
THERE'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN OSA.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE DELETION OF THE ITEM? ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN DELETED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE NOW GO TO ITEM 67,
[67. 23-01250 ]
ESTABLISHING HEALTH INSURANCE RATES AND PLANS AND DESIGN FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.I WAS GONNA SAY, LET'S JUST TAKE A SECOND AND LET EVERYBODY CLEAR OUT.
WE'RE GONNA BE IN RECESS UNTIL, UH, THOSE WHO ARE HERE FOR ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN HEARD HAVE EXITED, HAVE THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL.
WE DO HAVE OTHER ITEMS, AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA RECONVENE ITEM 67, ESTABLISHING HEALTH INSURANCE RATES AND A PLAN DESIGNED FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2024 BY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WHO BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD, SO YOU CAN CLEARLY EXPLAIN TO US WHAT IS GOING ON, ANY EVENT THAT WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
SO, MR. BERNARD, IF YOU WOULD, GOOD AFTERNOON, UM, WE HAVE A, A BRIEF PRESENTATION AND I'LL HAVE, UH, OUR HEALTHCARE CONSULTANT, UM, MR. SCOTT FONTANO, COME FORWARD, AND THEN WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AFTER THAT.
HELLO, MY NAME'S SCOTT FONTANO.
UM, THEY ASKED ME TO PRESENT AN AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
BASICALLY, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IS SELF-FUNDED WITH A $1.5 MILLION EXCESS LIMIT.
THAT MEANS ALL CLAIMS UNDER 1.5 MILLION.
THE CITY PAYS THE PLAN IS ADMINISTERED BY BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, AND HAS EXPRESS SCRIPTS AS YOUR P B M.
UM, THE PLAN EXPERIENCE FOR THE LAST YEAR.
UM, C B O, UH, CITY OF BATON ROUGE OFFERS EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES, UM, THREE HEALTH PLANS, AN ACTIVE PLAN, A PLAN FOR RETIREES WITHOUT MEDICARE, AND A PLAN FOR RETIREES.
WITH MEDICARE, WHAT WE DO IS WE TAP INTO
[01:35:01]
BLUE CROSS AND EXPRESS SCRIPTS.WE PULL ALL THOSE CLAIMS FROM THEM, AND WE PRESENT TO YOU THE LOST RATIOS BY PLAN AND BY TYPE OF EMPLOYEE FOR YOUR ACTIVE PLAN.
HAS A 82% LOSS RATIO WITH A, UM, PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR COST OF $10,500.
YOUR RETIREE WITHOUT MEDICARE HAS A 167% LOSS RATIO WITH A PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR COST OF $22,000, MUCH HIGHER.
THE RETIREES WITH MEDICARE HAS A 99% LOSS RATIO WITH THE COST OF 11,500.
YOU ALSO OFFER A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN TO THESE SAME RETIREES WITH, WITH, UH, MEDICARE.
AND THE ANNUAL COST FOR IT IS ONLY $3,600.
NOW, WE ALSO BREAK DOWN THE TYPES OF PLANS YOU OFFER.
YOU OFFER THREE PLANS TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, AN H M O A POINT OF SERVICE, AND A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN.
YOUR H M O PLAN HAS A 95% LOSS RATIO, AND THE COST TO YOU IS ONLY $11,800 PER YEAR.
YOUR POINT OF SERVICE PLAN HAS 109% LOSS RATIO, AND IT COSTS YOU 13,000 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR.
YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN IS THE PLAN THAT'S RUNNING THE WORST FOR YOU HAS 119% LOSS RATIO, AND IT COSTS YOU $16,000 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR.
NOW, WE EXPECT THAT THIS PLAN WILL END LIKE LAST YEAR.
THAT LOSS RATIO ON THAT PLAN WAS 134%.
IT WILL ALSO RUN AROUND 130 TO 140% LOSS RATIO BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
ON THOSE THREE PLANS, 3000 EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES ARE ON YOUR H M O 900 ARE ON YOUR POINT OF SERVICE.
AND 1,480 ARE ON YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN.
BASED ON YOUR 2023 PLAN EXPERIENCE, THE LOSS RATIO IS EXPECTED TO BE 112% INFLATION HAS HIT YOUR PLAN.
FOR HEALTHCARE COST, WE EXPECT A DEFICIT OF 7 MILLION, $7.89 MILLION DEFICIT TO SOLVE FOR THIS, WE RECOMMEND AN 8% RATE INCREASE AND A PLAN MODIFICATION OF YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S RUNNING THE WORST FOR YOU.
WE RECOMMEND A $500 DEDUCTIBLE INCREASE AND A THOUSAND DOLLARS DEDUCTIBLE INCREASE FOR YOUR FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR PLAN.
SO EACH YEAR WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE MONITOR THE PLAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND EARLY ON THIS YEAR, WE SAW, BASED ON THE, UM, INFLATION IN MEDICAL COST AND THE INCREASE IN THE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, WHICH IS ABOUT PROJECTED TO BE ABOUT $4 MILLION MORE THAN IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
WE KNEW AT MID-YEAR WHEN WE TALKED THAT WE PROBABLY WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AN 8% RATE INCREASE IN SOME PLAN DESIGN CHANGES.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN 8% INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYEE RATE AND THE EMPLOYER RATE AND THE DEDUCTIBLES.
UM, THE INCREASE IN THE DEDUCTIBLES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO WHEN WE MET, WE WERE GIVEN MANY OPTIONS.
WE WERE GIVEN 12 OPTIONS, BASICALLY ON WAYS TO SAVE MONEY, UH, IN THE PLAN.
A LOT OF THOSE OPTIONS, UM, DEALT WITH A DECREASE IN EITHER BENEFITS OR A DECREASE IN CHOICE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ON, UH, WHAT HOSPITALS YOU COULD USE, WHAT NETWORKS YOU COULD USE, WHAT DOCTORS YOU COULD USE, FORCING THE RETIREES TO HAVE THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AS OPPOSED TO BEING IN THE REGULAR PLAN.
UH, AT THAT TIME, WE WERE SOLVING FOR ABOUT A $10 MILLION PROBLEM.
AND SO THIS IS THE WAY WE SOLVED IT.
TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WOULD COME OUT OF INSURANCE RESERVES.
SO THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO ABOUT A $7.5 MILLION PROBLEM.
WE HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH RETIREES MOVING TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN.
SO WE MADE AN ASSUMPTION THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB AT THAT, AND WE ARE GONNA MOVE MORE PEOPLE TO THAT PLAN.
THAT WOULD SAVE US ABOUT $828,000.
WE DECIDED TO GO WITH THE PLAN DESIGN CHANGE ON THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE SINCE THAT PLAN WAS THE MOST UPSIDE DOWN WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE PREMIUMS VERSUS THE EXPENSES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE, THAT WERE PARTICIPANTS OF THAT PLAN.
SO WE FELT THAT THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATE CHANGE.
SO THAT LEFT ME $5.8 MILLION TO SOLVE FOR.
AND THE WAY THAT WE DID IT, BRIAN AND OUR TEAM, WE TALKED ABOUT MANY THINGS, BUT WE RECOMMENDED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
[01:40:01]
THAT WE DO AN 8% INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYER PREMIUM AND, AND AN 8% INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYEE RETIREE PREMIUMS. SO THE WAY THAT THAT BREAKS DOWN IS THAT THE CITY PARISH, THE EMPLOYER, THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING ABOUT 4.5 MILLION OF THAT INCREASE WITH THE EMPLOYEES PAYING 1.3 MILLION OF THAT INCREASE.AND THAT IS THE PROPOSAL, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU THE EVENING.
WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOW WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ANY, ANY, ANY OBSERVATIONS OR COMMENTS OR IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES QUESTION.
MR. SCOTT, CAN I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS? SURE.
SO WE MET EARLIER, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WELL, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, AND, AND THIS IS A LOT FOR ME TO ABSORB BECAUSE I'M NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH INSURANCE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN WHERE, UH, OURS FALLS AS COMPARED TO INDUSTRY STANDARD, YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN IS LOWER THAN INDUSTRY STANDARD.
SO YOU HAVE A $2,000 DEDUCTIBLE AND THEN YOUR PLAN PAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT OVER THAT $2,000 DEDUCTIBLE.
MOST PLANS HAVE INCREASED THAT DEDUCTIBLE EACH YEAR BY A LITTLE BIT TO KEEP THAT PLAN AS YOUR LOW COST OPTION.
IT IS DESIGNED FOR EMPLOYEES, BASICALLY, WHO ARE HEALTHY MM-HMM.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN.
UM, AND YOUR DEDUCTIBLE IS ON THE LOW SIDE.
WE, THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMENDED WE'VE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE.
WHAT'S THAT? WE'VE JUST GOT A LOW, HIGH DEDUCTIBLE.
WE, WE RECOMMENDED IT ALSO BECAUSE YOUR TWO OTHER PLANS, YOUR H M O AND YOUR POINT OF SERVICE HAVE AN OUT OF POCKET OF $2,500.
YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN ONLY HAS A OUT-OF-POCKET OF 2000.
SO WE BROUGHT IT TO PARODY WITH YOUR OTHER TWO PLANS.
AND THEN WE DISCUSSED FURTHER HAVING THE OUT OF POCKET INCREASED BY 500 AND AN 80 20.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IS THERE? WHAT SOME GROUPS, UM, HAVE DONE TO CONTROL THE COST OR LOWER THE COST FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES IS THEY RAISED THE DEDUCTIBLE, LET'S SAY TO $3,000.
AND THEY PUT ON AFTER 2000, THEY PUT IN 80 20 COST SHARING WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES RATHER THAN, UM, PAYING NOTHING LIKE YOU DO FOR THE FIRST 2000, YOU WOULD STILL DO THAT.
BUT ANYTHING OVER THE 2000, UP TO $3,000, YOU WOULD HAVE AN 80 20 COST SHARE THAT YOU WOULD PAY 80% OF THE COST AND THE EMPLOYEE OR RETIRE WOULD PAY 20% OF THE COST.
AND ARE YOU SEEING MORE OF THAT AS FAR AS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD? WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THAT.
AND SO THE, THE PROPOSAL HERE, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT.
IS THAT ACCURATE? AND RATHER THAN HAVING 80 20 SHARE AFTER 2000, THIS WOULD JUST AUTOMATICALLY GO TO 2,500.
SO YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THE EMPLOYEE OF THE RETIRE, YOU'D HAVE TO PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST UP TO 2,500.
AND SO, BUT THEY COULD PUT THAT 2,500 UP TO $4,150 INTO A HEALTHCARE SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
AND USE THAT MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS.
AND WHEN IT COME, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE, UH, PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION THAT SOME OF THEM REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE BRAND NAME OR SPECIALTY ITEMS, THOSE WE WERE SEEING ARE, UM, HIGHER USAGE AFTER WE SEE IT RIGHT AFTER YOU SAID FIRST, SECOND QUARTER, AND THEN BEYOND.
AND OUR FOURTH QUARTER IS WHEN WE HIT THE HARDEST 'CAUSE PEOPLE'S DEDUCTIBLES ARE FINISHED.
POISON RETIREES PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST UNTIL THEY GET TO $2,000.
AND SO, UM, THERE IS HIGH UTILIZATION IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR BECAUSE EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS ON AVERAGE TO GET TO THAT DEDUCTIBLE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY EARLIER THAT THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN IS SOMEWHAT DESIGNED AND DESIRABLE FOR
[01:45:01]
YOUR REALLY HEALTHY, I THINK YOU MENTIONED LIKE 30 YEAR OLD EMPLOYEE, IT, IT WOULD APPEAR, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT IT'S BEING UTILIZED IN OUR SYSTEM MORE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THE HEALTHY 30 BECAUSE CORRECT.THE FEES GET RATCHETED UP ONCE THEY, THEY ACTUALLY USE IT ALL AND THEN CONTINUE.
IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, THAT IS ACCURATE.
YOU'RE LIKE I SAID, THE COST FOR YOUR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN SON IS $16,000 PER PERSON PER YEAR.
WHERE YOUR H M O PLAN IS YOUR BEST PLAN, MOST COST EFFECTIVE PLAN IS ONLY 11,800.
SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENCE IN COST.
SO THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE IN DEDUCTIBLE OF 500 BUCKS.
AND YOU THINK THAT SOLVES THE ISSUE AND NOT GOING FURTHER TO THE 80 20 ON THE COINSURANCE? THERE'S THOSE OPTIONS ARE, ARE FOR YOU, YOU REC DID YOU RECOMMEND THOSE ORIGINALLY? WE, WE, WE DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY.
WE OUTLINED ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
LIKE I SAID, OUR ACTUARIES PULL YOUR CLAIMS MM-HMM.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO TELL YOU IF YOU INCREASE THE COPAY BY $5, WHAT IS THE EXACT COST SAVINGS? WE KNOW IF YOU INCREASE THE DEDUCTIBLE BY $500, WHAT IS THE COST SAVINGS? 'CAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF YOUR DATA.
SO WE OUTLINED 12 DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR YOU MM-HMM.
YOU'RE BASICALLY THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY.
WE'RE YOUR ACTUARIES WHERE WE TELL YOU WHAT THE RATES SHOULD BE BASED ON YOUR PLAN.
IF YOU DO NOTHING, THE RATES SHOULD BE 17% HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE.
NOW WITH THESE CHANGES, YOUR RATES CAN BE ONLY 8%.
AND I'VE HAD THE COST, IT WAS ONLY, I MEAN, YOU COULD, I PRESENTED TO MANY OF YOU MM-HMM.
ONLY $5 PER MONTH INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE COSTS.
SO LET ME GET TO SOME MORE OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING.
WE, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL FOR LOOKING AT, UM, THOSE OVER 65 MEDICARE, THAT SCENARIO, WHICH I THINK WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE LEGALITIES OF WHO'S GRANDFATHERED AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE BY ORDINANCE.
SO WE CAN THAT THIS VOTE TONIGHT IS NOT, WE CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE ANYTIME, I BELIEVE.
WHAT'S THAT ON, ON ON THE, THE MEDICARE AND WHO, WHO, WHO GOES TO MEDICARE OR YOUR ADMINISTRATION HAVE TO, OR ANY OF THAT CAN BE DONE BEYOND THIS? THE ADMINISTRATION HAS, HAS BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB OF, WE'VE ONLY DOING AN OPEN ENROLLMENT.
WE'D HAVE TO HAVE AN OPEN ENROLLMENT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OPEN ENROLLMENT IF YOU MAKE CHANGE OFF PLAN CYCLE.
IT HAS TO BE COMMUNICATED AT LEAST 60 DAYS IN ADVANCE TO THE RETIREES.
RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES BY 60 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
THEY HAVE TO GET SOMETHING ELSE THAT GOT DISCUSSED WAS, UH, THE POTENTIAL, AND IT'S SOMETHING I I BELIEVE Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT.
AGAIN, THIS GOES ALONG THOSE INDUSTRY STANDARD IS WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE EXPENSES OF SOME OF THOSE MEDICATIONS, THERE'S POTENTIAL THAT WE CAN HAVE A, HEY, IF THERE'S A GENERIC, YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE GENERIC.
IF YOU GO WITH THE BRAND OR THE SPECIAL, IF IT'S A SPECIALTY, I GUESS THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
BUT IF YOU GO WITH THE BRAND OVER THE GENERIC, THEN MORE OF THE COST IS SHIFTED BACK TO THE EMPLOYEE OR THE PERSON REQUESTING IT BEYOND THE GENERIC.
I THINK I'M PHRASING THAT CORRECTLY.
BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, DO WE NEED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE NOW IF WE DO THAT? OR CAN WE MAKE THAT CHANGE BEYOND AND WOULD THAT TRIGGER ANOTHER OPEN ENROLLMENT? UM, YEAH.
YOU CAN MAKE THE CHANGE TO A, HOW A BENEFIT IS PAID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUT IT'S GONNA AFFECT YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON BRAND NAME DRUGS, WHERE THERE IS A GENERIC AVAILABLE.
IT'S A, IT'S PRETTY NOISY WHENEVER YOU PUT THAT TYPE OF PLAN IN PLACE.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S ON A BRAND NAME AND IF THERE'S GENERIC AVAILABLE, THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COST BETWEEN THAT EXPENSIVE BRAND NAME DRUG MM-HMM.
SO SOME OF THESE MEDICATIONS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO, AND WE PRESENT ALL THAT TO YOU.
WE PRESENTED A 43 PAGE REPORT, WHICH OUTLINED ALL YOUR PHARMACY COSTS, BUT ALL YOUR MEDICAL.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY SOME OF 'EM, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'VE JUST GOT TIME.
WHEN YOU SAY THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, AND AGAIN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S ON THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN AND THEY'RE FINISHED PAYING THAT DEDUCTIBLE, THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY SAY GIMME THE BRAND, THE GENERIC, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PAYING IT.
'CAUSE IT'S BEING COVERED A HUNDRED PERCENT HERE.
I MEAN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THESE NUMBERS.
I, I BELIEVE IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S ACCURATE.
I MEAN THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I THINK SOME OF THESE CHANGES WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO LOOK AT AND WHETHER WE MADE THE CHANGES TONIGHT, UM, ARE GOING FORWARD.
I, YOU KNOW, I DO WISH WE HAD A LITTLE MORE TIME ON THIS,
[01:50:01]
BUT I, I THINK REALLY WE SHOULD HAVE A LOT MORE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE AND LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS WHERE WE CAN MAKE THIS BENEFICIAL.AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND LINDA, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING, UH, TO THIS, THE, THE ONE ITEM WAS THE 500 INCREASE IN THE CO-INSURANCE AND THAT WOULD BRING ABOUT, UH, 7% AND 7% ARE, UM, 8% RIGHT.
TO THE EMPLOYER AND THEN 4% INCREASE.
SO WHAT I THINK WOULD HAPPEN SINCE, SINCE RIGHT NOW THE EMPLOYER'S PAYING 79% OF THE PREMIUM AND THEN THE EMPLOYEES PAY 21%.
IF YOU SHARED IN THE SAVINGS FROM GOING UP WITH DOING A CO-INSURANCE SITUATION MM-HMM.
BUT WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS, LINDA, REAL REAL QUICK, REAL QUICK.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M RUNNING OUTTA TIME, I WANT YOU TO FINISH THAT THOUGHT.
BUT, BUT AT THE END OF IT AND ANSWER THIS QUESTION, IF WE DEFERRED THIS ITEM AGAIN TO EXPLORE SOME OF THESE OPTIONS, WHAT WOULD THAT DO EXACTLY TO OPEN ENROLLMENT AND HOW BIG OF A DEAL WOULD THAT BE? SO I HAVE TO ANSWER THAT, LET BRIAN ANSWER THAT.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD PUSH IT INTO FEBRUARY.
I THINK YOU WOULD GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE SOME PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING THEIR F SS A TO BE LOADED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ENROLL IN JANUARY, THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AND THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN F S A DURING JANUARY.
UM, IF PEOPLE WANTED TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THEIR HSAS FOR THE FULL CALENDAR YEAR, THEY COULDN'T JUST DO IT OUT OF A PAYROLL DEDUCTION.
THEY MAY HAVE TO, UM, MAIL SOME CHECKS IN.
BRIAN, AM I COVERED IT?
SO, SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD DO, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THE, IF, IF, IF WITH THE DEDUCTIBLES ON THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE, IF WE WERE GOING UP A 500 AND A THOUSAND MM-HMM.
IF, IF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UTILIZERS OF THE PLAN, IF, IF LET'S SAY YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT REACHES 5,000 AND 10,000, THOSE PEOPLE WILL HAVE PAY AN ADDITIONAL THOUSAND AND 2000 MM-HMM.
SO YOU, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY WITH THIS THAT YOU'RE DOING, PUT THE $2,000 INCREASE A YEAR ON AN EMPLOYEE.
PLUS IF YOU BRING THE MONTHLY PREMIUM DOWN TO HALF, YOU COULD BE TALKING ABOUT IN ADDITION $50 A MONTH TO AN EMPLOYEE.
ON TOP OF THAT, YOU'RE SAYING AS PROPOSED OR IF WE DO THE CO-INSURANCE, IF WE DO THE CO-INSURANCE AND, AND I THINK THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE'LL LET ANDY GET UP HERE, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE DECIDE TO DO THE CO-INSURANCE AND DO THE ADDITIONAL ON THAT, THAT WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO REENTER, REINTRODUCE WE HAVE A PUBLIC AND, AND GIVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE NEW PROPOSAL.
SO ONE LAST QUESTION AND I APOLOGIZE.
IF, IF, IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PRESCRIPTION SITUATION AND THE MEDICARE, COULD THAT POTENTIALLY GIVE A BIG ENOUGH OFFSET AND CORRECT IN LIEU OF MAYBE PURSUING THE CO-INSURANCE INCREASE? UH, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, IF SCOTT IS BETTER TO SPEAK TO THAT OR, I MEAN, I KNOW IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PLUGGED IN AND QUANTIFIED, BUT COULD THAT HAVE A BIG ENOUGH IMPACT TO WHERE WE MAYBE DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD? SO THE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON AFTER THE MEETING ON THE, UM, FORCING ALL THE RETIREES THAT ARE OVER 65 TO BE ON THE MEDICARE, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.
WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING THERE.
SO NOW DO I THINK KNOW IT'S AN IMPACT, THINK THAT CAN GET DONE BEFORE THE PLAN YEAR STARTS? NO, SIR.
I, I, NO, I, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY ACTUALLY.
HOW ABOUT THE PRESCRIPTION PART OF IT? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT COULD THAT HAVE IF WE FORCED GENERIC, WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE, WHAT DO, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF A SAVINGS THAT MIGHT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT IN THAT SCENARIO? WE WOULD HAVE TO GET THOSE NUMBERS FROM E S I.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE BASED ON YOUR CURRENT DRUG UTILIZATION.
THAT'S A CHANGE THAT COULD BE MADE DURING THE PLANNED YEAR.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT JANUARY 1ST.
SO IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT YOU ALL DESIRE MM-HMM.
IS THERE AN AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERIC AND BRANDS? IT, YEAH, IT CAN VARY.
THERE'S VERY EXPENSIVE GENERICS AND THEN THERE'S GENERICS THAT COST LESS THAN $10 WHEN YOU GO TO FILL 'EM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT EVEN THE PRICE OF THE COPAY.
[01:55:01]
THE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BRAND AND A GENERIC? IT, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE DRUGS BECAUSE IT VARIES A LOT.AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DRUGS THAT ARE $3 AND YOU HAVE DRUGS THAT ARE $3,000 IN THE GENERIC CATEGORY AND EVEN HIGHER.
SO JUST BEING A GENERIC DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN CHEAP.
IT JUST MEANS THAT THAT'S THE, UM, IT'S NOT A NAME BRAND THAT'S AVAILABLE.
THE DRUG OPTIONS THOUGH, WE CAN ACTUALLY SPREAD THOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND THEN YOU ALL CAN MAKE DECISIONS LATER IN THE YEAR AND DO THINGS FIRST QUARTER, SECOND QUARTER.
UM, SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO FALL ON THE JANUARY 1ST PLAN DESIGN YEAR.
AND THAT WON'T TRIGGER ANOTHER OPEN ENROLLMENT IF WE MADE THOSE CHANGES.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUN BRANDON WAS CHANNELING HIS INNER AARON AND DARRYL OVER THERE.
UH, WE, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN THE SAME MEETING AS YOU GUYS KNOW.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WENT OVER, YOU KNOW, THE PLAN AND WHAT YOU PRESENTED DETAIL, VERY DETAILED, LOOKED AT ALL THE OPTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE OPTIONS, UH, WERE IN LINE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND MANY OF OUR PEER CITIES HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DO IT, DO SOME OF THAT STUFF.
IT, IT SEEMS AS IF WE'VE ARRIVED AT THE CONCLUSION TO JUST RAISE THE RATES AND NOT, UM, EXECUTE ON SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS.
UM, WE DISCUSSED AND TALKED ABOUT AND EVEN LOOKED AT SOME MODELS IF WE, UH, IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I DON'T THINK ALL OF THE COUNCIL HAS LOOKED AT THOSE.
SOME OF US HAVE, HAVE LOOKED AT 'EM AND HAD DISCUSSION.
I I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE EXPLORED EVERYTHING AND, AND, AND READY TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK DEEPER INTO SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS AND SEE WHAT, UH, DECREASES OF, OF, OF, UH, RATE THAT THEY WILL BRING.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE PATH FORWARD.
I KNOW WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE OPTIONS WE BROUGHT UP THAT WILL POSSIBLY TRIGGER REINTRODUCING THE ITEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN LINE WITH, WITH THE LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I ALSO KNOW THAT, UH, WE'RE UP AGAINST THE OPEN ENROLLMENT DEADLINE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT I'D ASKED US TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, TAKING A DEEPER DIVE IN SOME OF THESE OPTIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING THAT WE WAS IN.
UH, THERE WAS A PREVIOUS MEETING BEFORE US AND HAVE THE COUNCIL LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS.
UH, WE LOOKING AT THIS, UH, 8%, UH, RATE INCREASE ON BOTH SIDES, THE EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYEE.
BUT I DO THINK SOME OF THESE CHANGES IN, IN PLANS AND SOME OF THE INDUSTRY, UH, BEST PRACTICE STANDARDS THAT, THAT, THAT YOU GUYS RECOMMENDED WOULD DECREASE THAT INCREASE, UH, OF RATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE STAND, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY GOT A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE, THE MODELS THAT WE WERE PRESENTED AS AS SOON AS OR AS LATE AS 30 MINUTES BEFORE THIS MEETING AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO.
UH, SO I'LL JUST OFFER THAT UP AND, AND, UH, SIT BACK AND LISTEN FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
UH, WE, THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER MA MOROSA.
THERE IS A REQUEST BY THOSE IN OPPOSITION THAT WE VOTE ON THE MACHINE.
SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, CONTINUE THE CURRENT RATE TO 2024 DARRYL'S NOT HERE.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
I MADE A MOTION TO, TO, UH, CONTINUE THE CURRENT RATES INTO 2024.
JUST INTO THE FIRST PART OF JANUARY OF 2024 THROUGH MAY.
I, MAY I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? GO AHEAD.
SO HOW, HOW WILL THAT LEAVE THEM WITH ANY GAP? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, MR. BERNARD, I DIDN'T HEAR COUNCILWOMAN.
WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? LIKE ME? SHE ASKED A, SHE ASKED THE QUESTION, WOULD THAT LEAVE THEM WITH GO AHEAD, ASK QUESTION GAP.
WOULD THAT LEAVE THEM A GAP? IN A GAP OF, OF HAVING AN, UM, HAVING INSURANCE AND ALL? NO, THAT WOULD NOT LEAVE A GAP IN EMPLOYEES HAVING INSURANCE.
IT WOULD DEFINITELY LEAVE A FUNDING GAP FOR THE CITY THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE UP BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE UP THE 8% INCREASE THAT WERE GONNA BE PASSED ON TO EMPLOYEES PLUS THE RATE INCREASE TO THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE THAT WE HAD RECOMMENDED.
SO THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIND THAT ADDITIONAL.
HOW MANY MILLION? WELL, SO, WELL IN TOTAL IT IS 7.5 MILLION.
SO, BUT WE WERE ALREADY PUTTING UP 4.5.
LET LET ME ASK YOU WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIX.
SO FROM TODAY, WHICH IS OCTOBER 11TH MM-HMM.
I MEAN, WOULD, UH, COME INTO, UH, PRACTICE WHEN JANUARY, JANUARY 1ST JANUARY WE, WE'D HAVE OPEN ENROLLMENT WITH THE CURRENT RATES, CURRENT PLAN
[02:00:01]
DESIGN, AND JANUARY ONE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF NEXT YEAR, THESE RATES WOULD CARRY THROUGH.SO BASED ON THE, UM, THE PRO TEM, WHAT HE'S SAYING ABOUT JANUARY, WILL THAT GO FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 2024? YES, IT'LL, OKAY.
AND SO WHAT LINDA IS SAYING THAT THAT WOULD BE $7 MILLION? YEAH.
IT, IT'S 7 MILLION IN, IT'S 7.5 MILLION WAS THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS SOLVING FOR MM-HMM.
AND 1.3 MILLION OF IT WAS BEING, UH, GENERATED THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE INCREASE.
SO IF I HAD TO GENERATE MM-HMM.
AND I'M GOING TO CUT 74% OF THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I'M GONNA FUND IT OUTTA RESERVES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY THINGS THAT I WAS FUNDING OUTTA RESERVES NEXT YEAR WERE EQUIPMENT FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE, WELL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO NOT DO THAT AND FUND THE INCREASE IN THE, UM, IN THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS IN, IN THE, TO, TO BALANCE THE PLAN BY THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT MAKES US HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
I CAN'T, SO THE, UM, THE OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAW WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OPTIONS IS MOVING THE RETIREMENT.
I KNOW E B R DID THAT LIKE 10, MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO WHERE THEY DID A H WAS IT A DIFFERENT H M O.
AND SO THAT WAS A, IN CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS AND IT DID NOT JEOPARDIZE BOTH ACTIVE AND INACTIVE OR RETIREES.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN, WE, WE, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE PAST MM-HMM.
AND WHAT IT BASICALLY SAYS IS THAT THE RETIREES, AS A RETIREE, YOU HAVE AN OPTION TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT IS EQUAL TO THE ACTIVE EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT IS WHY IN THE PAST WE HAVEN'T FORCED PEOPLE TO LEAVE AND GO ONTO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN.
BUT WE'VE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THEM, MAKE A, HAVE A GOOD PLAN MM-HMM.
BUT WE HAVE NOT FORCED THE SIX AGE 65 PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO LEGALLY DO THAT YES MA'AM.
THAT WOULD SAVE, I THINK IT'S $10 MILLION.
SO, SO THE ONLY THING STANDING BETWEEN THAT DECISION AND NOW IS THE, IS THE ORDINANCE.
WE WOULD HAVE A PLAN OF GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD HAVE NO, IT'S NOT, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT AND MAYBE WE NEED TO GET THE PARISH ATTORNEYS OFFICE HERE.
BUT WHAT I BELIEVE IT TO BE IS, IS THAT THEY HAVE A PROPERTY RIGHT.
AND SO USUALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE ALWAYS SAY THOSE CHANGES HAVE TO BE MADE ON NEW EMPLOYEES.
MY, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN THAT IS THAT WHEN WE MAKE BENEFIT CHANGES, WE DO IT TO NEW EMPLOYEES.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PROPERTY.
AFFORDED IN RETIREMENT, IT'S THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT MM-HMM.
SO MY, I MEAN MY MOM WAS A EAST BAY RIDGE PARISH RETIREE WHEN THEY MADE THE CHANGE.
UM, SO IT MUST BE SOMETHING AND SHE WAS VERY HAPPY, DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING AND REALLY YES MA'AM.
IT PUT HER IN A POSITION TO, UM, GET EXTRA WITH THE MEDICAID OR MEDICARE, ALWAYS GET 'EM CONFUSED.
UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY NOT WHAT WE HEARD AND TALKED TO SAY E B R AND SAY WHAT, WHAT GAVE WHAT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY EMPLOYEES NOT HAPPY WITH IT.
AND I KNOW IT DEFINITELY WASN'T A BENEFIT FOR MY MOM.
I, I TRULY BELIEVE, AND I REMEMBER WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD DID THE CHANGE MM-HMM.
AND THEY GOT BECAUSE CHANGE YES, MA'AM IS SCARY.
BUT I DON'T, I THINK THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SITUATION IN THEIR, IN THEIR CODE OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THEIR STRUCTURE THAT, THAT AFFORDED THE RETIREES THE SAME RIGHTS AS THE ACTIVE EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK FOR.
AND ALL I'M SAYING IS I WOULD PREFER TO KNOW YES MA'AM.
SO YOU ALL HAVE WITH THE, WITH, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN SECOND, BUT IN SECONDING MY SECONDING LIKE SOUND LIKE SECONDING, UH, BUT HAVING GIVEN A SECOND TO, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, COS UH, I THINK IT WOULD GIVE YOU A YEAR FOR US TO REALLY KNOW, UH, AND IF YOU WOULD MEET WITH US QUARTERLY, SO WE WON'T WAIT AND THEN YOU ARE PUTTING IT DOWN, BUT SO THAT WE COULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE INFORMATION IS AS WE GO.
[02:05:01]
ASSIST IN EVERYBODY IN MAKING A BETTER DECISION.COUNSEL ON SECOND THOUGHT, I I I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT IN THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, UH, LET'S STAY UP.
I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN AND ISSUE IS JUST THE RATE INCREASE, BUT NOT ADJUSTING THE PLANS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET A COMMITMENT THAT THOSE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AND BROUGHT UP WERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES AND SOME OF OUR PEER CITIES ARE DOING THEM AND WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AND HADN'T DONE THEM QUITE YET, THAT WE CAN GET THOSE THINGS DONE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS A YEAR FROM NOW AND WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER RATE INCREASE WHEN WE KNOW WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PLAN TO MINIMIZE SOME OF THESE DEFICITS.
SO CAN ONE OF YOU GUYS SPEAK TO THAT? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS INTRODUCED TONIGHT WAS THE, UH, THE PACE STUDY.
WE ARE GONNA LOOK HOLISTICALLY AT OUR ENTIRE COMPENSATION PLAN FOR THE PACE STUDY DURING THE PACE STUDY.
AND IF MOVING, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL RETIREES TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE THEM LOOK INTO.
UM, AND THAT COULD BE A THIRD PARTY, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO US THAT IT'S NOT US, IT'S NOT YOU MAKING IT, IT'S AN INDEPENDENT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANALYSIS BEING DONE BY A THIRD PARTY THAT COULD GIVE US THAT INFORMATION.
AND, AND JUST TO SHED LIGHT ON THAT ONE, THAT WAS ONE THAT STUCK OUT TO ME, UH, VERY MUCH AND, AND MANY OTHERS.
YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT THAT MOVE WOULD SAVE $10 MILLION.
SO IF YOU IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR SOME FORM OF THAT, DEPENDING ON WHO WE GRANDFATHER IN OR ILLEGALLY ABLE TO GRANDFATHER IN, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF STEPS THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO CONSIDER AND, AND MAKE HAPPEN.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BE BACK HERE NEXT YEAR IN THE, IN THE PRE IN THE NEXT YEAR DURING A RATE INCREASE.
SO I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT AND, AND I WANTED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT DEFERRING TO GIVE THOSE WHO DIDN'T SEE THAT INFORMATION OR HEAR THAT INFORMATION, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIGEST THAT.
BUT IF YOU GUYS ARE FINE WITHOUT EVALUATING THAT INFORMATION AND MOVING FORWARD, I'M FINE.
BUT I, I, WE TALKED ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS MM-HMM.
AND IF THE, UH, CONSULTANT, THE, UH, CONSULTANT VENDOR COULD COME UP, I FORGET HER NAME AND IF I COULD JUST ONE SECOND.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, GI MS. GI, MS. GI, WHAT WAS THE TERM THAT YOU USED? 'CAUSE I KNOW LINDA USED A MORE OF A MANDATE TERM, AND WE DON'T WANNA USE THAT, BUT HOW DID YOU DESCRIBE THE EXAMPLE OF US, UH, DOING THAT TRANSITION? YOU USED A TERM THAT I LIKE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OTHER, UH, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TRIED, THERE'S A LARGE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE LAKE CHARLES AREA.
THEY DID WHAT THEY CALL AS A POSITIVE OPT-OUT.
AND SO THEY INVITED ALL THE RETIREES TO A MEETING SO THAT THEY COULD GO OVER THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, TALK ABOUT ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF THAT PLAN COMPARED TO THE, AT THAT TIME, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE PROGRAM.
AND THEN IF YOU DIDN'T WANNA GO INTO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, YOU HAD TO SIGN A WAIVER SAYING THAT YOU OPTED OUT AND THAT YOU WANTED TO REMAIN IN THE ACTIVE PLAN.
AND THAT'S HOW THEY HANDLED IT.
BUT THEY WEREN'T, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT SAME ISSUE THAT YOU ALL HAVE WITH THAT ORDINANCE.
WAS IT AN ORDINANCE OR, YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ORAGE PIECE, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE SAVINGS OR THE BENEFITS FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO TRANSITION AND THE SAVINGS THEY SAW AND THE BENEFITS THEY SAW? SURE.
SO, UM, THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN IS A FULLY INSURED MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN.
IT'S ADMINISTERED BY BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA.
THE CITY PAYS, UH, RIGHT NOW THE RATE IS, I BELIEVE, $304 A MONTH.
AND IT'S A FULLY INSURED RATE.
MEDICARE GOES BEHIND AND PAYS FOR THAT RETIREE'S CLAIMS. SO YOU'RE SHIFTING THE COST THAT THE CITY PAYS TODAY UNDER YOUR PLAN TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IN ESSENCE.
AND BLUE CROSS IS ADMINISTERING IT.
THESE PLANS ARE DESIGNED TO TAKE CARE OF RETIREES.
THERE'S A LOT MORE BENEFITS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PLAN, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION.
THEY HAVE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, CASE MANAGEMENT AND NURSES WHO REACH OUT TO 'EM.
THEY GET FREE GYM MEMBERSHIPS THROUGH THE SILVER SNEAKERS PROGRAM STARTING JANUARY 1ST, THAT PLAN'S GONNA HAVE A $2,000, UM, FULLY EMBEDDED DENTAL PROGRAM, SO YOUR RETIREES WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR DENTAL COVERAGE.
YOU'LL HAVE A $300 VISION BENEFIT FOR THEIR, THEIR FOR EYE EXAMS. IT ALSO HAS AN $1,100 HEARING BENEFIT, WHICH YOUR ACTIVE PLAN DOESN'T COVER HEARING AIDS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ADVANTAGES TO THAT PROGRAM.
IF THE RETIREES WILL ATTEND THE MEETINGS THAT BLUE CROSS IS HOLDING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT MORE.
AND THEN THEY CAN ALSO CHECK ALL OF THEIR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO SEE HOW THEY'RE COVERED.
THE, UM, DRUG PROGRAM, GENERIC DRUGS IN TIER ONE, IF THEY GO TO A PREFERRED PHARMACY, THOSE WILL BE $0
[02:10:01]
COPAYS FOR UP TO 90 DAYS.SO YOUR MEMBERS CAN GET FREE GENERIC DRUGS ON THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ENHANCEMENTS THERE THAT ARE ACTUALLY BETTER THAN YOUR ACTIVE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, DANTE, LINDA, AND BRIAN, COULD YOU ALL THREE OF YOU GUYS COME TO THE MIC, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
I WANT A COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, EXPLORING AND PUTTING SOME OF THESE CHANGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS INTO ACTION.
YES, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO DO THAT, COUNCILMAN.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, UM, AS WE GET THROUGH WITH THE, THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, UM, IF THAT HAPPENS SOON AFTER THE, THE PAY STUDY IS DONE, WE HAVE ANOTHER OPEN ENROLLMENT IF THAT'S THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND THE COUNCIL WANTS TO MOVE ON, THAT WE ACTUALLY WOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
WE COULD IMPLEMENT THAT AS SOON AS WE COULD GET IT TO THE COUNCIL AND WE COULD GET IT PASSED.
DANTE? YEAH, THE ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE I SAID HERE, AND ABSOLUTELY WE ARE GONNA LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS IN WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB AND SEE HOW MUCH SAVINGS WE CAN GET.
ONE THING THAT I'LL SAY IS AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE WERE ASKED TO TRY TO DO OUR ABSOLUTE BEST TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT TO THE EMPLOYEES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT DOES THAT, UM, WITHOUT LIMITING OPTIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS, OR THAT WAS A NUMBER OF THE OPTIONS IN THE LIST OF 12 THAT WE HAD, THAT YES, WE COULD HAVE CUT COSTS, BUT WE WOULD'VE, LIKE YOU SAID, LIMITED THE ACCESS TO CERTAIN TYPES OF DRUGS, OR WE WOULD'VE HAD TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALS THAT FOLKS WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO.
UM, AFTER TONIGHT, THOUGH, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE GOING BACK AND ENGAGING WITH COUNCIL PEOPLE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
UH, COUNCILMAN MADAMS. I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE MENTION TO THE COUNCIL IF THERE, IF WE WANT TO REVOTE ON WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEFORE US, WE CAN DO SO.
UH, COUNCILMAN ADAMS. SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE THE MAYOR PRO TIMM READS MY MIND, UM, LOCKED IN
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK THE ADMINISTRATION.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THESE, THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE, ARE REALLY HARD, BUT I ALSO THINK THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE.
COSTS ARE, ARE REALLY SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL.
AND, UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I HOPE THAT WE CAN BE YOUR PARTNERS IN TRYING TO, IN TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
THAT'S, THIS IS CERTAINLY MY INTENTION.
AND WITH THAT STATEMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
SECOND, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RECONSIDER APPROVE, YOU CAN JUST MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
WILL WE, WE MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND DEFER.
OH, YOU WANNA DEFER? YOU CAN JUST MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER.
I, OR I CAN WITHDRAW MY MOTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.
MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, I'M A, I'M GONNA MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS TO DEFER BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MA ROCHA.
THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO APPROVE, AS IS BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY GOD, SECONDED BY GODAD.
I'M SORRY, MS. JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU FLOWERS.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BUT, BUT COUNCIL, I'M, I'M COMING TO YOU RIGHT NOW, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, I WITHDRAW MY MOTION.
SHE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS HAS WITHDRAWN HER MOTION.
HEY, I, I GO BACK TO THIS AND, AND I MADE THIS COMMENT EARLIER, AND I DO WANT IT ON PUBLIC RECORD THAT I SAID, IF WE ALWAYS DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DID, WE ALWAYS GET WHAT WE ALWAYS GOT.
SO IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING THAT AS WE DO INCREMENTAL INCREASES EVERY YEAR THAT WE INCREMENTALLY INCREASE THE INSURANCE, THEN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WE'RE GONNA BE FIGHTING THE SAME BATTLE.
SO EVEN IF IT'S JUST A ONE OR ONE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE EVERY YEAR, SOMETHING VERY MINIMAL WHEN THAT FIVE YEAR MARK HITS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T SCARED OUTTA THE WAZOO WHEN WE COME WITH SOME NUMBERS LIKE THIS.
AND I, AND, AND THEY HAD SOME REALLY GOOD STATEMENTS AS TO WHY IT COULDN'T BE DONE.
AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH 'EM BASED ON WHAT I WAS TOLD.
BUT I KNOW EVERY WHY CAN'T BE DONE.
SO I ASKED THAT YOU EXPLORE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THOSE OPTIONS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN SLICE IT AND DICE IT.
WE HAVE TO COMPARTMENTALIZE CERTAIN WAYS TO DO THIS, TO NOT BE IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH.
UM, THAT THIS BE AN OPTION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT HERE IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE AS IS.
[02:15:01]
ON THE MACHINES.MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE PASSES.
[68. 23-00920 ]
TO ITEM 68, APPOINTED THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF EAST RIDGE PARISH SEWAGE COMMISSION FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER, CURRENT PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT IS COUNCILMAN ROCKA AND COUNCILMAN DUNN.I WOULD LIKE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO BE LEAVE THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS AS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
[69. 23-01264]
A RESOLUTION PROVIDING THE US FLAG RETIREMENT BOXES IN EASTBOUND REPAIRS BY COUNCIL MEMBER DENISE AMAROSA.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER MOROSA.
GOING A LITTLE BIT DIRECTION HERE, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT QUITE SO SERIOUS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT THIS BOX THAT'S HERE UP IN THE FRONT OF OUR, UM, PODIUMS. AND, UM, SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE MADE A RESOLUTION, WHICH I'D LIKE TO READ, JUST PART OF IT.
WHEREAS THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE SEEKS TO PROVIDE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH FOR FLAGS TO BE DEPOSITED FOR PROPER AND RESPECTFUL RETIREMENT OF THE FLAG, AND THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA WILL PROVIDE US FLAG RETIREMENT BOXES THROUGHOUT THE PARISH AS SELECT LOCATIONS SO THAT THE FLAGS CAN BE DEPOSITED AND RESPECTFULLY RETIRED.
ADOPTED THIS 11TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023, INTRODUCED AND DISCUSSED AT A PUBLIC MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
THAT THE MET, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAYOR PRESIDENT'S VETERANS ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERANS AFFAIR DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND OBSERVE THE PROPER RESPECT FOR THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY, AND HEREBY PROVIDES US FLAG RETIREMENT BOXES AT VARIOUS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH GOVERNMENT LOCATIONS.
UM, EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SITTING AT THEIR DESK, THEY HAVE A QR CODE THAT HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE FOUND.
UM, THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THIS QR CODE THAT IT IS THE FIRST, WE HAVE THE FIRST INTERACTIVE ORDINANCE IN HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
SO IT IS CONSIDERED A LIVING DOCUMENT IN THAT IT CAN CHANGE.
SO IF YOU SCAN THE QR CODE, IT WILL RIGHT NOW GIVE YOU THE LOCATION OF THE BOXES, THE FLAG, THE CODE OF OUR FLAG, AND THE FOLDING INSTRUCTIONS.
AND SO AS OUR, UH, UH, PRESIDENT OF OUR VETERANS COMMITTEE OVER THERE SEES FIT, SHE WILL GO IN THERE AND CHANGE THINGS ON THAT, UH, ON THAT SITE.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THESE ARE GOING TO BE LOCATED AROUND THE PARISH AT OUR LOCAL LIBRARIES.
SO THE, THE BOX WILL ALSO HAVE THE QR CODE ON THE FRONT, SO IT WILL ALSO TELL YOU OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE OUR BOXES WILL BE LOCATED.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROOSA, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[72. 23-01262 ]
TO ITEM 72, AMENDING THE 2023 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE CITY CONSTABLE'S EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FUND, AS TO APPROPRIATE $54,430 FROM THE FUND BALANCE AND ASSIGNED BY THE CONSTABLE.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM NOW? GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 72 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[73. 23-01286 ]
73, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO AMEND THE CURRENT B R P D ON ENTERPRISE CONTRACT TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL PAYMENT BY THREE HUNDRED ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND EIGHTY CENTS FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1,205,894 75 CENTS BY THE POLICE CHIEF.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 73 WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIR? UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 73 IS BEEN APPROVE.
[74. 23-01306 ]
AMENDING THE TITLE SIX, CHAPTER FOUR, PART TWO, CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROU TO AMEND SECTION SIX, CODE FOUR.SO AS TO ADD PENALTIES FOR ENFORCEMENT BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS.
ANYONE HERE WE CAN SPEAK ON? ITEM 74, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 74.
ANYONE HERE, COUNCIL MEMBERS? MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIR.
[02:20:02]
ANYONE.ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 74 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[75. 23-01307 ]
TITLE SIX, CHAPTER FOUR, PART ONE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE TO AMEND SECTION 6 3 7 9.SO AS TO ADD PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, ANYONE HERE WE SHALL SPEAK ON ITEM 76.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 75.
I HAVEN'T CHECKED THAT TO REDUNDANT.
IS THERE A MOTION? IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75 FOR THE 70 COUNCIL MEMBER? MEMBER WILSON? I GOT IT.
CAN SOMEBODY COME IN AND EXPLAIN THE CHANGES, THE, THE, UM, PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENTS AND I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT 74 AND 75 ARE BASICALLY THE SAME THING? YES MA'AM.
74 AND 75 ARE EXACT SAME THING IN THE ORDER AND THE WAY IT WAS, THE WAY IT'S DONE IS THAT ONE'S INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF ONE'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF BOTH HAD TO BE DONE.
UH, THE CHANGE IS ANYTHING NOW THAT GOES TO BLIGHT, UM, IS WHETHER IT'S ON THE PROPERTY OR ON THE RIGHT OF WAY IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, HAS TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE SIX WEEKS TO TWO MONTHS OF HANDING OUT, GOING TO BLIGHT COURT.
THIS ALLOWS ON THE STUFF ON THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG TO GO GET IT.
IT ALLOWS US TO DO 72 HOURS, PUT A NOTICE OUT THERE AND THEN JUST SEND A UH, UM, SEND A LETTER FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A FINE.
IF IT'S NOT PICKED UP WITHIN A 72 HOURS, IT'S JUST A SHORTER WINDOW FOR THE STUFF ON, NOT, NOT WHAT'S ON THE ACTUAL PROPERTY ITSELF THAT GOES, HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED.
THAT STAYS THE SAME PROCESS OF HAVING TO CERTIFIED MAIL SOMEBODY HAVING TO GIVE THEM THE TIME TO CLEAN UP BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DO THAT.
SO IT'S GONNA EXPEDITE THE WHOLE FOR THE, FOR ON PROPERTY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 75? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO HOLD ON REAL QUICK ON THAT FINE THING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXPEDITING THE FINE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER? YES.
OR IN FRONT IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DEEMED TO BE BLIGHT AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, WOULD GO THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS AND BE BLIGHT FOR THAT ANYWAY.
IT'S NOT ADDING ON SAYING THAT WE CAN GIVE A NEW CHARGE.
THEY TAKE SOMETHING OUT TO SOMEBODY, THEY TAKE SOMETHING OUT TO THEIR, TO THE ROAD.
THIS IS DUMPING ON THE ILLEGAL, THEIR IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE BY THE ROAD.
I MEAN, AM I MISUNDERSTANDING THIS? SO YOU PUT A SIGN OUT THERE AND 72 HOURS LATER OR WHATEVER, THEN WE CAN FIND THEM.
IF IT'S DEEMED BLIGHT, NOT GARBAGE, NOT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERE.
ILLEGAL DUMPING EVICTION DEBRIS AND WHAT SOMEBODY PUTS OUT FOR THEIR GARBAGE COLLECTION.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE TENANTS MOVE OUT OF A, A RENT HOME AND THEY DUMP EVERYTHING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD? YES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO 72 HOURS, WE SEND IT OUT AND THEN IT GETS PICKED UP.
WE WILL THEN THAT THEN GIVES US ABILITY TO GO AHEAD AND WE WILL THEN PICK THAT UP AND BE ABLE TO SEND A A, A LETTER WITH A FINE ON THAT.
BUT ALONG WITH THIS LETTER WITH A FINE, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT AND PICK IT UP AND GET IT DONE.
IT ALLOWS US TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA WAIT UNTIL WE SEND A FINE WAIT FOR 'EM TO PAY THE FINE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
JUST MAKING SURE THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS THERE BECAUSE IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE THAT.
BUT STUFF'S STILL GONNA SIT DOWN OUTSIDE, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
IT ALLOWS US, WE'RE PICKING UP RIGHT NOW BASICALLY BEFORE, BECAUSE IT'S ON THE RIGHT OF WAY, A LOT OF IT'S BEING PICKED UP BEFORE IT GOES TO BLIGHT COURT BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T LEAVE THAT THERE.
THIS ALLOWS US A LITTLE, THE, THE LEEWAY TO ACTUALLY SEND A LITTLE BIT OF THE FIND OUT.
NOW WHAT ABOUT DUMPING IN GENERAL AREAS LIKE, UM, ADAM TOOK CARE OF A GREAT PROCESS FOR ME ON MAMMOTH.
UM, JUST A OPEN WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, OPEN LAND.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DUMPING STUFF.
THERE'S DIRT, A, A, A BURNOUT DUMP TRUCK THERE ALSO.
NOW THE DUMP TRUCK, YOU COULD PROBABLY GET THE SERIAL NUMBERS OFF OF IT OR BIN NUMBERS AND STUFF.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS THERE? SAME THING.
WE JUST, WE PICK IT UP, BUT THERE'S NOBODY TO FIND.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MEMBER ROSA? I SAID SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.
COUNCILMAN M I MEAN COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.
VINCE, SORRY, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION THAT GOT TRIGGERED WHEN COUNCILMAN MOGUL SPEAKING.
UH,
[02:25:01]
HOW, BUT HOW WOULD YOU IDENTIFY IF IT'S MULTIPLE OWNERS AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO PUT IT THERE? THAT WOULD BE THE LANDOWNER.BECAUSE SOMETIMES MULTIFAMILY ISS OWNED BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, A FOURPLEX AND IT'S CONDOMINIUMS. YOU'VE GOT FOUR OWNERS.
HOW WOULD WE, I'LL HAVE TO, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.
THAT WASN'T UNLESS RACHEL, YOU WANT TO HELP? YEAH.
SO THEY ALL OWN A PIECE OF TRACT LAND, RIGHT? SO WHEREVER THAT, THAT DEBRIS WOULD BE SITTING ON, THEY, THAT PERSON WOULD GET FINED FOR THAT.
BUT USUALLY IT WOULD THE, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT OF WAY YEAH.
IT WOULDN'T, THEY DON'T OWN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE STILL WITHOUT THESE CHANGES FOR MAINTAINING THE RIGHT OF WAY ON YOUR PIECE, FOR YOUR PIECE OF BREAK DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOUR PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THAT IS EACH PROPERTY OWNER IN THIS PARISH'S RESPONSIBILITY.
SO IT WOULD BE PROBABLY COMMON GROUND, MAYBE THE H O A WOULD BE FINED IN A SCENARIO WHERE IT'S CON BECAUSE IN A, IN A CONDO YOU DON'T OWN A PIECE OF LAND IN A TOWN HOME, YOU DO A CONDO, YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE RENT, THERE'S STILL A ONE PROPERTY OWNER, LIKE IF THERE'S A FOURPLEX ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY MM-HMM.
AND THERE'S STILL A PROPERTY OWNER FOR THAT, THAT LAND.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S, UM, WHAT PEOPLE WOULD CALL, I WOULD SAY A BIG COMPLEX, RIGHT? YES.
SO THERE WOULD BE COMMON AREAS.
NO, THERE'S SCENARIOS WHERE THERE'S LIKE A FOURPLEX MM-HMM.
THEY ONLY OWN FROM INTERIOR WALL SPACE THROUGH.
AND SO, AND THAT, AND IT'S INDIVIDUALLY OWNED, BUT THERE'S COMMON AREA IN AN H O A.
WOULD THE H O A THEN BE FINE? YES.
'CAUSE THE COMMON AREA IS OWNED.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, I I'M GONNA PIGGYBACK OFF OF BRANDON AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE H O A BECAUSE AS A CONDOMINIUM OWNER, WE DON'T OWN THE FRONT FACING OR ANY, UH, UH, COMMON AREA, BUT MULTIPLE OWNERS MOW OWN MULTIPLE UNITS THROUGHOUT THAT COMPLEX.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THE H O A 'CAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU WON'T ALL THE TIME FIND THE DEBRIS IN FRONT OF A SPECIFIC SITE.
THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A LEGAL ENTITY THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, WE'LL CALL IT GROUNDS UPKEEP AND IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S THE HR THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO, SO THAT THEY WOULD BE THE PERSON THAT WOULD BE, YEAH.
YOU NEED TO EXPLORER LOOKING AT THAT.
THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN ASO.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOCH? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO ITEM 75? ITEM PASSES COUNCIL MEMBERS, I SKIPPED ITEM, UH, 70
[70. 23-01287 ]
A RESOLUTION CREATING A JUVENILE JUSTICE AND E B R JAIL TASK FORCE DESIGNATED THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE IN SETTING THE DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL HIRST.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE GO TO? COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? TIM WILKINSON, YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SIR? I'M GOOD.
UH, ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 70 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[76. 23-01313 ]
NOW WE DID 71.YEAH, WE WE SPENT THREE HOURS ON 71, SIR.
ITEM 76 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF CLAIM OF MURRAY TATE AND DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEYS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 76? WE'RE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY THE CHAIR THERE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 76 HAS BEEN APPROVED 77
[77. 23-01319 ]
AUTHORIZING A SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER ENTITLED PEGGY FIELDS VERSUS EAST RIDGE PARISH IN THE AMOUNT OF $28,000 PLUS COURT COST IN THE AMOUNT OF $274 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $28,274.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
THE OBJECTIONS ITEM 78 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[86. 23-01326 ]
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE CONTRACT WITH JACOB ENGINEERING FOR STORMWATER DIVISION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $400,000.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 86? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT OPPOSED TO ITEM 86.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? 86 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[87. 23-01332 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO AMEND THE EXISTING PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT AND TO THE, BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON[02:30:01]
PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON THE OFFICE OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY BY TIMOTHY W. HARDY OF BRAZIL, SAXON, AND WILSON.L L C INCREASE WITH COMPENSATION BY 60,000 FOR SERVICES PERFORMED IN PRIOR YEARS BY P R P D.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT OPPOSED TO ITEM 87.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM.
IS THIS, IS THIS FOR PAST, UM, INVOICES TO ANDY PARISH ATTORNEY AND DAWSON IS COMING.
THE TWO PARTNERS FROM THE LAW FIRM THAT I HANDLE THIS MATTER, TIM HARDY AND JIM RANGE ARE HERE AND THEY CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
I'LL STEP IN IF I, IF NEED BE.
AND HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH DID WE OWE YOU FROM 2021? $84,220 AND 30 CENTS, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
AND SO IS THAT A, WILL THAT BE A PAID IN FULL BILL? WE'LL CONSIDER IT PAID IN FULL.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR THIS MOMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR PARISH ATTORNEY ANDERSON DODSON.
UM, JUST TO CLEAR UP, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE MEDIA AND ONLINE.
SO, UM, $60,000 IS WHAT IS OWED TO BRAZIL SAXE BECAUSE THEY EXCEEDED THEIR CONTRACT IN 2021 WITHOUT HAVING COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR THOSE FUNDS.
WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED IS, IS THAT, UH, OKAY, UH, WHAT I REMEMBER HAPPENING IN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN AND, AND DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS, UH, IS THAT, UH, THEY WERE A LOT OF THE CERTAIN AMOUNT, UH, PER THEIR CONTRACT, AND THEY DID GO OVER THAT AMOUNT, AND THEN THEY SOUGHT TO HAVE THE CONTRACT INCREASED TO COVER THE AMOUNT THAT HAD BILLED OVER THAT AMOUNT.
THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER FROM INCORRECT.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE ORIGINAL, DO YOU REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT? I, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, THEY STARTED OUT IN 78, BUT IT WAS INCREASED ONE TIME AND THEY STARTED TO GET IT INCREASED AGAIN.
I THINK IT WAS ONE 50 AT A TIME.
I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.
AND THEY BUT THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER STOPPED PERFORMING SERVICES, CORRECT? NO.
THEY, THEY, THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND PROVIDED, UH, REPRESENTATION TO THE CHIEF.
BUT THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER STOPPED REPRESENTING THE CHIEF AT ANY POINT IN TIME, DID THEY? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY HAVE NOT.
AND THEY NEVER WITHDREW FROM ANY OF THOSE CASES, DID THEY? NOT AT THIS TIME.
BECAUSE THE CHIEF IS MAKING A NARRATIVE THAT HE NO LONGER HAD SERVICES BECAUSE HIS CON HIS LEGAL FEES WERE DENIED BY THE COUNSEL.
BUT THAT'S NOT ACCURATE, IS IT? RIGHT.
YOU HAD TO ANSWER CHIEF THAT ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO REPRESENT THE CHIEF.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING MA'AM AS WELL.
UM, PRIOR ADMINISTRATION, WHENEVER I WORKED IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS IF SOMEONE EXCEEDED THEIR CONTRACT WITHOUT COUNSEL APPROVAL, UM, THAT CONTRACT AND THOSE SERVICES WOULD BE DENIED.
HAS THAT POLICY BEEN CHANGED WITH YOUR OFFICE? I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT POLICY WHEN I TOOK OVER.
UH, IT'S HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE AND WE'VE HAD IT HAPPEN MANY TIMES BEFORE WHERE ATTORNEYS ARE JUST FEVEROUSLY WORKING ON A FILE.
THEY GO OVER, UH, THERE'S NOT MONEY THERE TO PAY THEM AND THEN WE COME TO COUNCIL TO GET AN INCREASE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNCOMMON.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT POLICY.
SO, AND MOVING FORWARD, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, UM, A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONFLICT COUNSEL FOR SOME MATTERS THAT HAVE ARISEN.
DO, DO YOU FORESEE ANY ISSUES THAT, HOW KNOW THAT COUNCIL, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ALREADY? COUNCILWOMAN? I JUST, I JUST KNOW HOW YOU KNOW THAT ALREADY, SIR.
SO DO WE HAVE, UM, SAFETY MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ATTORNEYS AREN'T EXCEEDING WHATEVER THEIR CON HOW, TELL ME HOW WE HAVE PROTECTION COUNCILWOMAN, THE WAY THAT IT ALWAYS WORKS IS THIS, AND THEY, AND YOU KNOW THIS 'CAUSE YOU WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SOMEONE IS HIRED ON A CONTRACT.
THE CONTRACT IS SET FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
THEY'RE GIVING A A HOURLY BILLING RATE, WHICH IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION, EXCUSE ME, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SET RATE, ABSENT SOME KIND OF SHOWING OF A SPECIALTY OR NEED TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT.
90% OF OUR CONTRACTS, AND DON'T HOLD THAT, BUT I'LL SAY THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONTRACTS ARE AT THE ESTABLISHED ATTORNEY GENERAL RATE.
UH, THEY ARE NOT TO EXCEEDING, THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT TO EXCEED THAT AMOUNT.
THEY SEND IN QUARTERLY STATEMENTS TO THAT EFFECT, UH, EVERY NOW AND THEN.
BUT, UH, THEY ARE TOLD WHEN THEY ARE HIRED THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR AMOUNT AND THEY'RE NOT EXCEEDED IT.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES THAT THEY MAY EXCEED IT BY A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $2,000 JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING AND THEY DON'T REALIZE IT UNTIL THEY GET THEIR BILL TOGETHER THAT THEY'VE GONE OVER THAT AMOUNT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ANY, UM, INTENT OF ANYONE TO GO OVER TO SEEK ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS.
I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S JUST WHAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF REPRESENTATION.
[02:35:01]
YES, SIR.THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR OFFICE HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH BRAZIL SAXE TO ELIMINATE SOME, SOME BILLING ISSUES AND, UM, THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.
CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE CHANGED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T EXCEED OR THEY DON'T GO OVER THE BILL AND, UM, SOME OF THE MECHANISMS THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE YOU PUT IN PLACE LIKE CONTACTING US WHEN THEY REACHED TWO THIRDS OF THEIR CONTRACT AMOUNT? MM-HMM.
I, I I WILL SAY THIS, UH, THERE WAS AN OVERALL DISCUSSION, UH, WITH BRAZIL SAXE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHERE 10 OTHER COUNCIL WAS AND THINGS THAT MAY NEED TO BE CHANGED, BUT THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAKE CERTAIN CHANGES AND DO CERTAIN THINGS, AND I'LL LET THEM ELABORATE ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, AND TO ANSWER, I'M TRYING TO, I'M SORRY, I LOST THOUGHT ON THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
UH, I THINK IT WAS, UM, REGARDING WHAT, SAY IT AGAIN, THE SECOND PART.
SO, SO BOTH, UM, MY POINT IS BOTH THEIR OFFICE AND YOUR OFFICE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT SOME SAFETY MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO SEE THAT THEY DON'T EXCEED THE MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THOSE HAVE WORKED, I THINK COUNCILMAN NOEL HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, OH, THE TWO THIRDS IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT.
SO THAT, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND COUNCILMAN, UH, NOEL BOTH REQUESTED AND THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH, UH, RECENTLY, UH, AT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR WHEN THEY WERE ANALYZING WHERE THEIR FUNDS WERE, THEY SAW THAT THEY WOULD, THEY WERE AT THAT TWO THIRDS AMOUNT AND THEY NOTIFIED MY OFFICE.
WE BEGAN MEETING, UH, INTERNALLY ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE YEAR AND HOW MY OFFICE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSITION THOSE CASES IF NEED BE.
SO THAT MECHANISM WE PUT IN PLACE AND THAT MECHANISM WORKED IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, IS THERE A PROJECTION MOVING FORWARD, WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR FOR OUR CLIENT? FOR THIS FIRM? YES, SIR.
THEY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AS WELL AS WHAT THEY PUT IN, WHAT, WHAT MECHANISM THEY PUT INTO PLACE.
ITEM 88 IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL 50,000.
SO THE BUDGET GOT CUT IN HALF AT THE END OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR FOR, FOR THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR $50,000 TO FINISH OUT THE YEAR.
AS YOU PROBABLY SEE THE NEWS, THERE'S LIKELY GOING TO BE A UPTICK IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS CASES TOWARD THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE OUT OF MONEY AND WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE TO FINISH OUT THE YEAR.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS THIS YEAR AND WHAT, WHAT THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS? JUST 78,000.
78,000 WITH AN ADDITIONAL 50,000 ON TOP.
WHICH COMES IN LESS THAN LAST YEAR, CORRECT? YEAH, YEAH.
IT'S STILL LESS THAN WHAT IT LAST YEAR.
AND WHAT WAS LAST YEAR'S AMOUNT, IF YOU REMEMBER? ONE 50.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK I HEARD THAT THEY WERE OWED SOME $80,000 AND I THINK IT'S 84 AND SOME CHANGE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHY IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT? I THINK THEY NEED TO ANSWER, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM YOU.
I'M ASKING WHAT THEY TOLD COME UP AND GIVE ME TERMS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WERE CON THERE WAS SOME CONCERN.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT WAS THEIR, UH, I THINK IT WAS THEIR INTENT TO SHOW THE COUNCIL THAT, AND I, AND I TOLD THIS TO COUNCILMAN NOEL EARLIER, I THINK IT WAS THEIR INTENT, MY INTERPRETATION, THEIR INTENT TO SHOW THE COUNCIL THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT GETTING A DOLLAR, OKAY.
IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEM DOING THE WORK FOR THE CHIEF AND DOING THE WORK THEY THINK THEY WERE DOING AND TRYING TO GET SOME KIND OF RECOVERY FOR THE AMOUNT THAT THEY ACTUALLY PUT IN THE WORK.
UH, THE, UH, AND, AND, AND PROPERLY BILLED GETTING SOME RECOVERY ON THAT AMOUNT.
JIM HAS FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCREPANCY OR SOME DISAGREEMENT ABOUT, OF ROUGHLY $16,000 THAT WAS BILLED TO THE CITY.
AND THEY, IN GOOD FAITH, ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 8,000 AND ROUNDED IT OFF TO $24,000 TOTAL.
THEY'D BE WILLING AND SOME CHANGE, THEY'D BE WILLING TO TAKE OFF THEIR BILL FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OWE THAT NOW BE, WOULD NOW BE 60,000.
MR. HARDY? MR. HARDY, YOU CAN ADD, UH, YES.
UH, COUNCILMAN WHAT WE DID, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKED ON THE FILE, AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR IN THE CONTRACT THAT BEFORE OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE ADDED BY NAME, WE GET AUTHORITY ACTUALLY FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, TO BE VERY BLUNT IN THAT INSTANCE, THAT INDIVIDUAL'S WORKING PEOPLE KNEW THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS WORKING, BUT WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS TO GET THAT PERSON APPROVED.
SO TO SHOW GOOD FAITH WHAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO, SO TO MINIMIZE ANY CONTROVERSY, WE HAVE NOT ONLY REMOVED THOSE PERSON'S RATES THAT THEY FILED THE TOTAL FEES, BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE A CONTROVERSY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS SOME KIND OF WAY UNSAVORY.
THANK YOU MR. HARDY, APPRECIATE YOU EVALUATING THAT SITUATION AND, AND MAKING THOSE STEPS IN GOOD FAITH.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UH, UPLIFT THE FACT THAT, UM, WE ALL SEE THE INCREASE, UH, NEED FOR REPRESENTATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE THIS CHIEF HAS IMPLEMENTED A 21ST
[02:40:01]
CENTURY POLICING MODEL WHERE HE'S HELD, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO A STANDARD, UH, MUCH HIGHER AND ACCOUNTABILITY MUCH HIGHER THAN THAN PREVIOUS CHIEFS HAVE.SO NATURALLY, UM, THOSE CASES WILL INCREASE AND HIS NEED FOR REPRESENTATION WILL INCREASE SPECIFICALLY WITH WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
RECENTLY WE'RE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS BODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE CASES, THERE WILL BE MORE NEED FOR REPRESENTATION, AND I'D IMPRESS UPON US TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GIVE OUR CHIEF, UH, THE BUDGET AND THE RESOURCES TO HAVE THIS REPRESENTATION.
I WANNA QUICKLY ECHO CLEVES, UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN'S SENTIMENTS ABOUT MR. HARDY AND THE FIRM, UH, IN ITS ENTIRETY AND, AND YOUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH US.
UH, THE ITEM THAT WE VOTED ON IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR WAS ACTUALLY 230.
RIGHT? UM, AND, AND SO I THINK THAT AMOUNT DOES HIGHLIGHT THE NEED THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAD SOME CHANGES TO MAKE.
RIGHT? UH, AND I WANNA THANK THE CHIEF AND EVERYONE INVOLVED FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE GOT THESE COSTS BACK UNDER CONTROL.
UM, SO I'M, I'M VERY, UH, ENCOURAGED BY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THE CONTRACTING OUT SERVICES IN MANY INSTANCES MAKES SENSE.
IT MADE SENSE WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
WE JUST NEED TO GET THE COST AND THE CONTROL.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT EFFORT, AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU HAVE A MOTION, MR. A MOTION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MCDON.
SO I'M GONNA, UH, ECHO SOME OF THESE SENTIMENTS.
SO, UM, I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU GENTLEMEN ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE STEPS Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN TO, UH, BE COGNIZANT OF THE BILL.
AND, AND WE CAN SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE COME IN WITH A $78,000 CONTRACT, AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 50 MORE THIS YEAR VERSUS 150 OR 230, UH, JUST SOME CONTEXT FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS CAME OUT OF.
UM, SO THERE WAS A CONTRACT THAT, UH, IF I UNDERSTAND WAS, WAS 78, AND THEN IT, IT GOT INCREASED.
UH, Y'ALL CAME AND ASKED FOR AN INCREASE.
UM, AND WOULD WE DISCOVERED AFTER GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE BILLING, IS AT THE MOMENT THAT THIS MEETING, AND THAT WAS IN 21, I BELIEVE, WHEN THAT MEETING OCCURRED, THE, THE BILLING HAD ALREADY GONE BEYOND WHAT WE WERE APPROVING AT THAT MEETING.
SO THAT'S WHY THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER REQUEST FOR, UH, I THINK THE 84, WHICH WAS PUTTING US AT THE 230,000.
AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ONLY TOOLS WE HAVE BUDGETARY, UH, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS NOBODY WATCHING THESE DOLLARS.
AND THEN, AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS ON PURPOSE, IT WAS JUST EVERYBODY WAS DOING THEIR ROLES.
YOU GUYS WERE REPRESENTING THE CHIEF WAS, UH, TAKING ACTION THAT HE NEEDED TO TAKE.
AND, BUT NOBODY WAS LOOKING AND, AND WE WERE BLOWING PAT, I THINK I SAID IT MANY TIMES BACK THEN, IT WAS LIKE, WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE A NUMBER ON THE CONTRACT IF NOBODY'S WATCHING IT? AND SO THAT'S WHERE THESE DISCUSSIONS STARTED BECAUSE WE WERE AT 230,000 AND WHEN Y'ALL WERE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE THE FIRST TIME, YOU HAD ALREADY GONE PAST IT.
AND, BUT NOBODY SAID, HEY, BY THE WAY, WE'RE HERE NOW, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE BACK IN A FEW WEEKS BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GONE PAST WHAT YOU'RE APPROVING TONIGHT.
SO FROM MY STANDPOINT, IT, IT FELT, IT FELT DISINGENUOUS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT, BUT I WAS LIKE, OKAY, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO'S WATCHING THIS? SO I FELT LIKE SOME OVERSIGHT WAS NEEDED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT INTO PLACE, UM, IT, I KNOW IT, IT WAS STATED THAT IT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND I, ON THE TWO THIRDS, IT WAS ACTUALLY VOTED ON BY THIS BODY TO DECREASE THE CONTRACT TO 78 AND BE CONTACTED AT THE TWO THIRDS WHEN IT HIT TWO THIRDS SO THAT WE COULD DO THIS.
AND I, AND AGAIN, I THINK I APPLAUD Y'ALL BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOTTEN THE COST DOWN.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S COGNIZANT OF IT AND WATCHING, WHICH IS THE POINT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT, HEY, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE EVERYBODY'S TAX DOLLARS AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE WATCHING IT.
SO YOU ALL HAVE DONE THAT AND THEN YOU CONTACTED THAT TWO THIRDS LAID OUT.
HERE'S THE CASES THAT WE HAVE COMING.
AND, UM, I THINK, UH, MOST OF US, IF, IF, IF WE KNOW ABOUT 'EM, THESE ARE AGAIN, SOME BAD ACTORS WHO I THINK THE CHIEF IS MAKING THE RIGHT MOVE ON.
AND THESE THINGS NEED TO BE, UM, SEEN THROUGH.
AND SO, UM, I THINK, AND I KNOW I'M KIND OF TALKING ABOUT ITEM 88 WITH THE 50,000 INCREASE AND NOT NECESSARILY THE ARREARS, BUT, UM, SPEAKING ABOUT THE 60,000 FROM WHAT SHOULD, SHOULD BE, UM, FROM Y'ALL'S STANDPOINT IN 84, UH, I KNOW IT'S AN ABSOLUTE TECHNICALITY WHEN WE WENT THROUGH AND SCRUTINIZED, BUT I HOPE Y'ALL UNDERSTAND, AND I
[02:45:01]
KNOW JIM, YOU ASKED ME ABOUT THAT.IT'S LIKE, HEY, DOES ANYTHING ELSE GET SCRUTINIZED? WELL, THINGS GET SCRUTINIZED WHEN OUR CONSTITUENTS ASK US TO SCRUTINIZE 'EM.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A CONTRACT AND WE SEE THAT, OKAY, THERE'S SOMEBODY WORKING ON THIS WHO, YOU KNOW, ALL WORDS HAVE MEANING ATTORNEYS HAVE TOLD ME THAT MY WHOLE LIFE.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT AND WE SEE THAT THAT WAS MISSED AND THAT WAS IMPROPERLY BILLED BECAUSE IT WASN'T APPROVED PROPERLY, IT'S, FROM MY STANDPOINT, I, I FEEL LIKE THAT CAN'T BE UNKNOWN OR UNSEEN AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE GOT TO THAT POINT.
AND I THINK Y'ALL, I, I THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT AND THEN GOING A STEP FURTHER AND REDUCING IT EVEN MORE.
SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S APPROACH WITH THIS, UH, IN GOOD FAITH TO EVEN GO 50% MORE OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A DISCREPANCY IN DRIVING THE 24,000.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT STEP FORWARD.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE, UH, THE ACTIONS Y'ALL ARE TAKING TO HELP ACTUALLY HELP US HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AS THEY'RE USING THIS MANNER.
MOTION BY COLEMAN, SECOND BY DUNN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM CARRIES.
[88. 23-01333 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO AMEND GENTLEMAN STATE SEAT.STATE, STATE STANDARD, RIGHT THERE, TO AMEND THE EXISTING PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT ENTERED INTO BY THE, BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND TIMOTHY W. HARDY OF BRAZIL, SAXON WILSON, L L P FOR AN AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE THE COMPENSATION BY 50,000 FOR CURRENT, CURRENT SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED.
ARE, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 88.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON YOUR AWARD.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING, REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON, 2 48 STEEL BOULEVARD.
UH, MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE THAT AS THESE CONTRACTS ARE CONTINUALLY BEING BROUGHT UP, AS LAWSUITS ARE CONTINUALLY BEING BROUGHT UP AND WE ARE TRYING TO PLAN FOR A TRANSITION TO NEW LEADERSHIP, MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE, UH, MAKING PLANS TO DO A FORENSIC AUDIT OF ALL THE EXPENSES, ALL OF THE BUDGETING, ALL OF THE LAWSUITS, ALL OF THE CURRENT, UH, ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON SO THAT ANY FUTURE CANDIDATES MIGHT HAVE A VERY CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE INHERITING? I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS JUST GOOD STEWARDSHIP TO ANALYZE WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IN EACH OF THESE MEETINGS WE ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING EXCEPTIONS, WHICH TENDS TO SAY THAT THE BUDGETING PROCESS ITSELF MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, UH, ACCURATE.
AND AS I'VE MENTIONED ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS, THERE ARE CONSTANTLY SETTLEMENTS AND LAWSUITS ON ALMOST EVERY SINGLE AGENDA.
SO I DO THINK, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT SUGGESTION AS A CITIZEN, THAT, UH, THIS METRO COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER PRIOR TO, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SEARCH TO MAKE A, A VERY THOROUGH FORENSIC AUDIT SO THAT ANYBODY COMING IN KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE INHERITING.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS? UM, I GUESS MR. RAINS, ARE YOU, ARE YOU KIND OF LEAKED ON THESE CASES? YES.
UM, HOW MANY CASES ARE Y'ALL WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? UM, FOR THE, THE POLICE CHIEF? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE HAVE OPEN RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU, YOU CAN GUESS I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA, I MEAN, LIKE, IT'S NOT THREE, IS IT 10? IS IT NO, IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN THREE.
UH, WE'VE HAD 40 SOMETHING THIS YEAR.
AND SO WHAT TYPES, WHAT TYPES OF, WHAT, WHAT TYPES OF OFFENSES ARE YOU SAYING? WHAT TYPES OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS? OH, IT VARIES A A LOT.
I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE SOMEBODY GOT A D U I, RIGHT? RIGHT.
OR, UM, WE HAD A CASE EARLIER THIS YEAR WHERE SOMEBODY WHO WAS, UH, AN OFFICER STOLE SOMETHING FROM A STORE, SWITCHED SOME PRICE TAGS, UM, AND THE CHIEF TERMINATED HIM, AND THEN HE APPEALED IT.
AND SO THEN WE WENT TO TRIAL ON THAT HERE.
HOW MANY OF THESE WOULD YOU SAY ARE, UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO, HOW TO PHRASE IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EXCESSIVE FORCE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOMETHING THAT MAKES AN OFFICER A HARM OR, OR COULD POSSIBLY CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, HARMFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, OKAY, SO THERE ARE PROBABLY, BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SEE IN THE NEWS, MAYBE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CASES THAT DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE.
UM, I HAVEN'T DEALT WITH ANY OF THOSE THIS YEAR YET.
UM, BUT WE HAVE HAD, UH, UNLAWFUL
[02:50:01]
SEARCHES.I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT EXCUSE HAPPENED.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE WIND OUTSIDE.
SO WE WERE SUPPOSED GO TO TRIAL LIKE LAST TWO WEEKS AGO ON TWO CASES BACK TO BACK BOTH DEALING WITH, UH, WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF HOMES.
AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THEN IF YOU DO THAT AND IT'S NOT RIGHT, THEN IT AFFECTS THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE CASES.
SO IT DOES IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT DIDN'T, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S I WAS ASKING.
SO, BUT, BUT OTHERS ARE FOR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, CERTAINLY YOU DON'T WANT A POLICE OFFICER CHANGING A PRICE TAG ON SOMETHING, BUT THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY AN OFFENSE.
IT'S, IT'S THEFT TO THE COMMUNITIES, BUT IT'S NOT DIRECT HARM TO AN INDIVIDUAL.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE NEWS I'M TRYING TO MEASURE MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU, SO HOW DID Y'ALL COME UP WITH THE, THE $50,000 ESTIMATE MOVING FORWARD? ARE YOU BASING THAT ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON WE HAVE THIS MANY CASES ON AVERAGE.
THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THESE CASE COSTS.
I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THIS.
THIS NUMBER WE WERE JUST PROJECTING IS WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD, BASED ON, SO, UM, WHEN WE WERE AT TWO THIRDS, RIGHT? BY THE TIME WE GOT THROUGH PREPPING FOR TRIAL AND EVERYTHING, AND COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER, BY THE END OF AUGUST, WE'RE BASICALLY OUT, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE COVERING SEPTEMBER, AUGUST, UH, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO, SO THIS IS FOR THE LAST, FOR THE LAST QUARTER.
WELL, THIS IS BASICALLY THE LAST QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
SO, UM, AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I JUST WANNA, UM, WALK THROUGH A FEW NUMBERS.
SINCE 2018, UM, THE CHIEF HAS, HAS SPENT, YOU KNOW, OVER $500,000 ON, UM, OUTSIDE LEGAL, LEGAL COUNSEL.
UM, 172,000 OF THAT WAS SPENT ON JUST TWO OFFICERS WHO DID NOT HAVE, UM, WHO WERE NOT BEING, UM, CHARGED OR DISCIPLINED FOR ANYTHING THAT WAS, UH, A HARM, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT WAS HARMFUL TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN EXCESSIVE, EXCESSIVE FORCE.
UM, THE, THE 20 OFFICERS THAT, THAT THE CHIEF MENTIONED TWO WEEKS AGO WHO'D FIRED OR RESIGNED, THE LEGAL COST FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WAS, UM, $127,000.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UM, TO KEEP AN EYE ON THESE AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE ONLY BRINGING IN OUTSIDE COUNSEL WHEN, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING HARD TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AND, AND NOT, UM, JUST GIVING, UH, PEOPLE A BLANK CHECK TO, UM, TO SPEND MONEY TO, UM, TO, I MEAN, 172,000 ON TWO OFFICERS THAT DID NOT, UM, DO ANYTHING HARMFUL TO AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S A LOT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MAYBE MAKE COMMENT ON, ON REVEREND ANDERSON'S COMMENTS.
UM, I, I, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE, DOING A DEEP DIVE ON THE FINANCES AND BEING ABLE TO, UM, TO GIVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SEARCH.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE CLARITY OR, OR FOR THOSE WHO DON'T REALIZE THIS BODY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SEARCH OR THE HIRING OR FIRING OF A CHIEF AT ALL LIES WITH THE MAYOR.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT STATEMENT AND THAT APPROACH WOULD, WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO BE, AND SHOULD BE ARTICULATED TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SEARCH COMMITTEE FORMED.
AND SO, UH, OR, OR A, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A SEARCH COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, A COMMITTEE FORMED TO, UM, MAKE A DECISION ON THE CHIEF OR HELP MAKE THAT DECISION.
SO I THINK THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THIS, THIS BODY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HIRING, FIRING THE CHIEF OR POLICIES WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO, WHO'S HIRED, FIRED, BAD ACTORS, ALL OF THAT.
UM, BUDGETARY IS THE ONLY APPROACH WE HAVE, WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, WHICH THESE AGENDA ITEMS ARE FOR.
THAT'S OUR ONLY TOOL WHEN IT COMES TO ANY OF THIS.
SO, WHO'S FIRED, WHO'S DISCIPLINED, YOU KNOW, HIRING AND FIRING OF THE CHIEF, ALL WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, NOT THIS BODY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE.
COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, JUST A QUICK NOTE HERE.
ANYONE WHO TAKES A POSITION, THE FIRST THING THAT THEY DO IF THEY'RE SMART, IS TO DO AN AUDIT.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING.
SO JUST THOUGHT I'D LET THAT BE KNOWN.
[02:55:03]
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN, UM, IN MINIMIZING AND, UH, PUTTING A VALUE ON, ON THE DEGREE OF POLICE, UH, POLICE, UH, WRONGDOING.UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT, UH, UH, HOW A LITTLE FOX, YOU KNOW, SPOILS THE HOLE, WHATEVER.
I'M SURE I GOT THAT SCRIPT WRONG.
BUT ANYWAY, Y'ALL GOOGLE IT AND GIVE IT TO ME BEFORE I FINISH
BUT ANYWAY, MY WHOLE POINT IS, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO MY, TO THE ALTON STERLING, Y'ALL, Y'ALL GOOGLE IT BEFORE I GO NOW.
JUST GOOGLE, FOX AND A APPLE AND GO, YEAH, YEAH, ALL OF THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, OH, MY PASTOR AND I WATCHING.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN OFFICERS DON'T, DON'T START BIG IN BECOMING ROLE OFFICERS, THEY START WITH SMALL ACTS THAT WE ALL, THAT ARE OVERLOOKED AND THEY CONTINUE TO FESTER AND GROW.
AND BASICALLY THAT'S HOW ALL CRIME STARTS WITH, WITH PETTY CRIME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WITH SO OFTEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE FACT THAT WHEN ALTON STERLING WAS MURDERED, ALL HE WAS DOING WAS SELLING ILLEGAL CDS.
HE WAS NOT A HARM, DOING ANY HARM TO ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
JUST LIKE THE GUY WHO CHANGED THE POLICE OFFICER CHANGED THE, THE PRICE TAG.
AND JUST FROM THAT ONE LITTLE THING THAT A ROLL COP WHO HAD BEEN, WHO HAD GOTTEN AWAY WITH AN ATROCITY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, IT COST JUST, IT COST A $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO HIS FAMILY.
IT CAUSED, UM, UH, I THINK $3.2 MILLION IN OVERTIME FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IT CAUSED BUSINESSES TO CLOSE DOWN.
SO IT CAUSED ONE OF HIS AUNTS TO HAVE A STROKE.
SO WE CANNOT IN ANY WAY BEGIN TO SAY, UH, WHAT DOESN'T HARM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT CAUSED THE INDIRECT CAUSED SIX OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE AMBUSHED.
SO FROM, FROM ONE PERSON SELLING ILLEGAL CD IS NO DIFFERENT FROM A POLICE OFFICER CHANGING THE TAG.
AND SO WHATEVER IT COSTS FOR THOSE TWO, YOU CANNOT PREDICT ANY OF US WHERE WE BECOME PASSIVE AND DISMISSIVE ABOUT ROLL COPS AND SAYING, AND EQUATING THAT TO A PRICE OF WHAT THE CHIEF HAS TO DO.
THE OTHER THING IS ALL THOSE OTHER CH ALL THE OFFICERS ARE LOOKING, AND IF THEY SEE THAT BECAUSE WE MINIMIZED AND DEFUNDED OUR POLICE CHIEF'S OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD ANY OFFICER ACCOUNTABLE, THEN WE ARE SENDING A MESSAGE TO AN ENTIRE FORCE THAT WE LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
SO I COMMEND AND I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU ALL REPRESENT, REPRESENTING, UM, THE POLICE CHIEF I KNOW, UM, ATTORNEY HARDY HAD IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I, I DON'T KNOW YOU SIR, BUT I'M IMPRESSED BY YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU ALL ARE THE OUTSIDE COUNCIL AND, UH, CERTAINLY ANY FUNDING THAT YOU NEED THAT IS IN REASON AND YOU CAN JUSTIFY, I DON'T SEE WHY ANY REASON ANY OF US WOULD NOT.
AND WHILE WE AT A SOLOMON TWO 15 AND SEVEN BELI FOXES THAT SPOIL THE VINES FOR OUR VINE HAS TENDER GRAPE LITTLE FOX REFERS TO ATTITUDES AND HABITS THAT WE OFTEN OVERLOOK.
EXCUSE BIBLE CHAR OF BIBLE CLASS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR CHURCH, SAY AMEN.
MOTION ON, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE MOTION? ITEM 88 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU WOULD NOW COUNT ITEM 90, EXCUSE ME.
[89. 23-01331 ]
AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO RENAME THE EAST RIDGE PARISH PRISON TO THE EAST RIDGE PARISH JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIRST.IS ANYONE HERE WISH? WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MR. HARDY? COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 89.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 89? COME ON DOWN.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
[03:00:01]
GOOD EVENING.I AM HERE TO TELL YOU ONE THING.
CHANGING THE NAME OF THE PARISH PRISON, IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE THE CONDITIONS AND WHAT FAMILIES HAVE TO GO THROUGH BEING A PERSON WHO HAS INCARCERATED LOVED ONES, A PERSON WHO WANTS MYSELF WALK THROUGH THE PARISH PRISON, BUT GOD SPARE SPARED ME.
YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE CHANGE, THE NAME OF A PRISON.
ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE THE INSIDE OF IT? ARE YOU GONNA GIVE THE FAMILIES MORE CONFIDENCE THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER'S GONNA BE SAFE INSIDE OF IT? I ASKED YOU TO DELAY THIS.
DO MORE RESEARCH INTO INCARCERATED FAMILIES WHO HAVE PEOPLE IN THERE AND SEE WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT YOU CHANGING THE NAME OF A PLACE.
IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S NOT GONNA STOP PEOPLE FROM GOING TO JAIL AND TO CHANGE IT TO A CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
CORRECTIONAL CENTERS, YOU'RE NOT REHABILITATING THEM THERE.
THE PARISH PRISON IS A PLACE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO FOR PRETRIAL.
YOU'RE, YOU SUPPOSED TO BE THERE UNTIL YOU GO TO COURT.
THEN YOU GO, IF YOU'RE GOING IN DUE TIME, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE D O C SYSTEM.
IF YOU WANNA CHANGE SOMETHING, CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INSIDE, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH THE INCARCERATED FAMILIES, WORK WITH THE PEOPLE INSIDE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PARISH PRISON.
MM-HMM
CHANGING A NAME IS NOT GOING TO STOP.
SO I ASK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE INCARCERATED FAMILIES THAT I REPRESENT, THAT I WORK WITH IN THE COMMUNITY, GIVE RID, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THIS.
REACH OUT TO THEIR INCARCERATED FAMILIES.
FIND MORE REENTRY PROGRAMS TO HELP REHABILITATE.
GO OUT MORE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH OUR YOUTH AND EVERYBODY TO STOP THEM FROM GOING TO THE PARISH PRISON.
SO TONIGHT I ASK YOU ALL, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE GONNA DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT CHANGING THE NAME IS NOT GONNA CHANGE THE SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY DEALING WITH THE PAST PRISON.
SO I'M ASKING Y'ALL, I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME AND I HAVE A LOVED ONE, INCARCERATED LOVED ONE.
I WORK WITH FAMILIES AND ON BEHALF OF THEM CHANGING THE NAME IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE SITUATIONS INSIDE.
BUT I'LL BE WILLING TO WORK TO HELP TO CHANGE THE THINGS THAT'S GOING INSIDE THE PARISH AND WITH THE INCARCERATED FAMILIES.
A NAME AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN PARISH PRISON.
STATE'S NAME, ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, I WANT TO JUST PIVOT OFF OF WHAT ALTA IS SAYING RIGHT THERE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES INSIDE OF THIS FACILITY, THE INHUMANE TREATMENT, THE CRIMINALIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH, POOR AND INADEQUATE HEALTHCARE, THAT VIOLENT CULTURE THAT LEAVES FAMILY MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF AFRAID WHEN THAT TELEPHONE RINGS.
SO WHEN, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN HURST BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S REALLY LISTENING.
WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING, FIGHTING AND FIGHTING SAYING THIS IS NOT A PRISON, THIS IS A PRETRIAL DETENTION FACILITY.
SO I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND PRETRIAL, BUT OF LATE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STAYING IN THAT PLACE FOR SIX AND SEVEN YEARS.
SOME FOLKS DON'T EVEN COME OUT.
IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A DEBT TO THAN IT IS, UM, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WAITING INNOCENT UNTIL THEY'RE PROVEN GUILTY.
SO LET ME GO BACK AND SAY THAT IF WE INVEST IN SOLUTIONS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED AND STOP CRIMINALIZING POVERTY AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THEN I, I, I, I, I FAILED TO SEE THE NEED TO CHANGE THE NAME.
I KIND OF MOVED TOWARD REMOVING THE PLACE ALTOGETHER.
DO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
ONCE AGAIN, REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON, 2 48 STEEL BOULEVARD.
UM, MANY YEARS AGO WE MET WITH THE SHERIFF AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS AN INAPPROPRIATE NAME FOR A PRETRIAL FACILITY.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE GOT A WHOLE LITANY OF ALL THE REASONS WHY WE JUST COULDN'T AFFORD TO DO THIS.
AND AT THAT TIME, I THINK WE WERE PROBABLY AT THE 18TH OR 19TH DEATH IN THAT FACILITY.
THE NAME IS NOT THE PROBLEM IN THIS PARISH.
WE JUST GOT A NEW CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER.
WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO MAKE SURE, FIRST OF ALL, A PRETRIAL FACILITY IS NOT INAPPROPRIATELY HOLDING PEOPLE BECAUSE THE COURT SYSTEM IS DISABLED.
AND THAT IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM
[03:05:01]
RIGHT NOW.THE SECOND PIECE, AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO THIS ISSUE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AS WE CONTINUE TO NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE STRUGGLE OF, WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT FORENSIC HOSPITALS, BUT EVERY TIME SOMEBODY GETS A SANITY COMMISSION, A MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION, AND THERE IS NO PLACE TO PUT THEM, THEY ARE TERRORIZED AND VICTIMIZED BECAUSE THEY WILL SIT IN THAT FACILITY EVERY SINGLE TIME.
THIS COUNSEL, NO MATTER HOW WELL-MEANING CRIMINALIZES, UNSHELTERED THIS, CRIMINALIZES THINGS THAT DON'T REQUIRE, THAT HAS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PRETENDING THAT A 17 YEAR OLD CHILD IS NOT A CHILD.
WE ARE IN FACT PUTTING THEM IN HARM'S WAY.
AND I HAVE SAID IT AS MANY TIMES AS I'M GOING TO SAY IT, WE ARE ON THE NATIONAL NEWS, THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS.
WE ARE COVERED CONSTANTLY, NOT ABOUT OUR OUTSTANDING NUMBER ONE LIBRARY SYSTEM, NOT ABOUT OUR OUTSTANDING NUMBER ONE, UH, RECREATION SYSTEM, NOT ABOUT OUR FINE UNIVERSITIES, BUT ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO BE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE FACILITIES WITH IN-DEPTH CUSTODY.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
JENNIFER CARLISLE, 1855 OLD CARRIAGE LANE.
UM, I AM ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL.
I'M ONE OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, APPOINTEES TO THAT BOARD.
AND WE HEAR, UH, WE JUST HEARD STORIES FROM, UM, JUDGE GROVER ABOUT HOW IN THEIR PRETRIAL, IN THE JUVENILE PRETRIAL THERE, THERE'S A, A PERSON THERE FOR 750 DAYS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ADULT FACILITY.
UM, AND, AND AS IT WAS SAID, THEY'VE, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THAT FACILITY THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
UM, AND COUNCILMAN KNOWLES SAID WORDS MATTER AND WHAT WE CALL THINGS AND WHAT WE SAY MATTERS.
IS THIS A JAIL? IS THIS A PRISON? IN THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN IN, I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, WE'VE GOTTA STOP REFERRING TO IT AS A PRISON.
IT IS A PRETRIAL FACILITY HERE.
I'M READING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS.
SO IF WORDS MATTER AND WHAT WE CALL THINGS MATTER AND HOW WE USE THEM MATTER, I'D LIKE SOME CLARITY ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
KIND OF SOUNDS LONG TERM TO ME.
IF OUR EAST PAR, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON IS SUPPOSED TO BE A JAIL, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PRETRIAL FACILITY, WE NEED TO TREAT IT THAT WAY.
UH, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SYSTEM THAT WE CAN'T GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT IN AN EXPEDIENT MATTER.
UM, I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY WORDS MATTER AND WE SHOULDN'T CALL IT A PRISON.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU PUT IT ON HERE AS A JAIL, BUT I DO THINK, UM, WE NEED TO START TREATING IT THAT WAY.
AND ALSO, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING PRISON, WHERE WE'RE GONNA STICK PEOPLE FOR A LONG TIME.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO GET THEM IN FRONT OF THE COURTROOM.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COME ON DOWN.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
LARRY GRIFFIN, UH, 2001 SOUTH SHE FOREST BOULEVARD.
UM, IN 2020 WHEN SAE CLAIBORNE, UH, DIED IN THE JAIL, UH, THERE WAS A A, A MEETING THAT WAS HELD WITH THE CONSTABLE, THE MAYOR, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN BANKS AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT CHANGES IN CONDITIONS AND REALLY ATTACKING THIS THING.
UM, AND SINCE THEN, NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.
YOU REALLY LITERALLY HAD OVER A DOZEN DEATHS PLUS SINCE THEN, AND THAT'S JUST NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY CONSIDERING PER CAPITA.
AND PEOPLE CONSIDER BATTERY, WHICH A SMALL CITY, THAT'S A LOT.
I THOUGHT OF THAT 65 AND JUST SAID IT WAS 70.
THAT'S, THAT'S WAY TOO MANY IN A FACILITY THAT IS CALLED A PRISON, BUT A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, IT, IT STILL WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING BECAUSE HUNTS, THE PRISON IS CALLED THE CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE SENTIMENT OF CHANGING IT TO JAIL IS VERY IMPORTANT EVEN TO PRETRIAL FACILITY, BUT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK NEEDS TO BE LET OFF.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND WHY, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE CORRECTION DURING THAT TIME.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS ME, I THINK MORE THINGS NEED TO BE IN PLACE.
UM, JUST TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO WHEN THE BELL PROJECT LEFT BATON ROUGE, I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU HAD A LARGE INCREASE OF, UH, PEOPLE DETAINED THIS FACILITY.
IT WENT FROM 900 TO MAYBE A THOUSAND, AND NOW IT'S UP TO 1800 PLUS PEOPLE IN THE FACILITY THAT ONLY HOLDS SUPPOSED TO HOLD 1200.
IF YOU'RE IN A GROCERY STORE AND IT'S TOO CROWDED, YOU NOTICE IF YOU'RE IN A SCHOOL AND IT'S TOO CROWDED, YOU'LL NOTICE IF YOU ARE IN A
[03:10:01]
L S U STADIUM AND IT'S FULL, YOU NOTICE.SO, UH, I, I REALLY DO THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE, UH, RETHOUGHT OF, AND THERE NEEDS TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY INPUT AS FAR AS CHANGING THE NAME BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE DONE THE WORK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, WHO HAVE TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT AND MAKE THESE CHANGES.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S NECESSARY THAT COMMUNITY HAS MORE INPUT ON THESE THINGS THAT AS FAR AS THE DECISION TO, NOT EVEN JUST BRING IT UP, BUT ALSO WHAT NEEDS TO BE SEEN ON THE INSIDE OUT.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE'RE NOW WITH TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? COME ON, LYNN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR PRO TEMP COUNCIL.
I'M JUST HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SHERIFF OF THE SHERIFF AT THE MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
HE SENT ME A NOTE WHILE HE RESPECT THE DECISION FOR THE MAYOR OF PRESIDENT CITY PARISH.
I APPRECIATE THOSE THAT HAVE SOUGHT AND CONSIDER MY INPUT SUCH AS CONSTABLE HIRST.
I SUPPORT COUNCILMAN HURST AND ITS INITIATIVE TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE EAST FAMILY PARISH TO THE EAST BAT PARISH JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
IN ADDITION, IF THE DECISION IS MADE BY THE CITY PARISH TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THEIR FACILITY, I HAVE AGREED TO ASSIST WITH THE EXPENSE BY FUNDING THE ALTERATION OF THE FOLLOWING, INTE SIGNAGE, STATIONARY FORMS AND RELATED ITEMS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND UPDATES, TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES, DECALS.
AS ALWAYS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING ALL WE CAN TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL AND RE REHABILITATION EFFORTS AT THE PARISH FACILITY.
I'M FREDERICK TOM, I'M A CAPTAIN FOR THE SCHOLAR OF SUBSTATION, THE PERSON THAT'S IN MY AREA OF PATROL.
I WANNA LET Y'ALL EVER KNOW WE ARE.
LISTEN TO EVERY CONCERN THAT Y'ALL HAVE HERE TONIGHT.
WE REALLY ARE, BUT WE GOTTA HELP EACH OTHER.
THE COMMUNITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERYBODY GOTTA WORK TOGETHER.
I WORK WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL EVERY DAY, SO WE GONNA GET BETTER PEOPLE.
WE JUST GOTTA STICK TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS WORK.
I GOT A NEPHEW RIGHT NOW IN THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
IT HURT ME EVERY DAY TO GO SEE HIM.
I GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND SEE HIM ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS.
MY OLDEST BROTHER WENT TO THE, UH, STARTED OFF AT THE PARISH PRISON, WENT TO THE STATE PRISONS.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN THERE, SO I KNOW EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY TALKING ABOUT THE FACILITIES, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW IT IS TO BE LOCKED UP.
BUT I EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND.
BUT WE ALL GOTTA WORK TOGETHER.
SO THE CITY COUNCIL'S DOING WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THE MAYOR'S DOING WHAT SHE HAVE TO DO.
EVERYBODY DOING WHAT EVERYBODY HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
IS IT GONNA GET BETTER ONE DAY? I'M SURE IT WILL.
BUT THE SHERIFF JUST WANTED ME TO BE HERE.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, HE IS LISTENING TO THIS MEETING.
HE HAD A MEDICAL PROCEDURE AND THAT'S ALL I CAN DO.
JUST PRESENT A STATEMENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SIR, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, AS CAPTAIN THOMAS JUST SAID, AS HE READ THE STATEMENT FROM OUR SHERIFF, UH, SHERIFF TRO HAS AGREED TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF THESE COSTS IN MY JOB AS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IS TO COME UP WITH WHAT THESE COSTS ARE.
UM, AND SO OUR BUDGETING CREW HAS COME TOGETHER WITH WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE AN ESTIMATED COST TO CHANGE THE NAME.
UM, AND SO THAT INCLUDES THE SIGNS, EXTERIOR, INTERIOR SIGNS, THE UNIFORMS FOR THE PRISONERS, INMATES, UH, THOSE INCARCERATED, UH, ALL THE FORMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED, WHAT WE CALL PRE-PRINTED FORMS THAT HAVE THE NAME OF THE FACILITY ON THEM.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE ALL THE OFFICE TYPE THINGS LIKE STAMPS, BUSINESS CARDS, ET CETERA.
UH, THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE THAT CAPTAIN THOMAS MENTIONED, AND ALSO THE DECALING OF THE UNITS.
AND SO AS, UH, HE SAID THE SHERIFF HAS AGREED TO THE CERTAIN PORTIONS, OUR PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT $46,000.
UM, WE ESTIMATE THE CITY PARISHES PORTION TO BE AROUND $335,000.
THE BULK OF THAT IS THE PRISONER UNIFORMS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED.
UM, AGAIN, I HAVE BACKUP ON ALL THAT DATA I CAN SHARE WITH YOUR FINANCE CREW.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT IS, UH, WHAT I HAVE ON THAT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[03:15:02]
RENAMING THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.SHERIFFS TRO WROTE A LETTER JUST LIKE THAT, LISTING THOSE SAME EXPENSES, WHY HE WAS AGAINST THE CHANGE.
TELL ME WHAT HAS CHANGED, I GUESS TIME, JUST LISTENING TO THE LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS, I GUESS MA'AM SITTING, UH, HE'D BEEN TALKING TO A COUNCILMAN HURST, SO I JUST BASICALLY GOT ON IT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
BUT I CAN CONTACT THE SHERIFF FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE, AND I BRING IT TO YOUR OFFICE AND, UH, NO, NO, WE NEED TO DO THAT TONIGHT.
SO HE HAS A AND THEN MAYBE HE COULD COME.
I NEED COUNCILMAN, UH, HURST DUNN HAS ASKED HIM TO COME.
I'VE ASKED HIM TO COME FOR YEARS AND HE DOES NOT SHOW UP.
I'LL GET HIM HERE FOR YOU, MS. BLACK.
THE OTHER THING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR, FOR SINCE 2018 OKAY.
IS THAT WARDEN GRINDS BE REMOVED.
SINCE THE SHERIFF SUDDENLY IS LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, WILL HE ALSO REMOVE WARDEN GRIME? WE'VE HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR, THE SHERIFF, AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS PART OF THE COMMISSION.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT COALITION C COALITION.
HOW, WHO ARE THE MEMBERS? LET 'EM COME TO THE MIC, SEAN AND COME BACK.
UH, THREE DAYS BEFORE ELECTION.
WE, WE GETTING A CONSENSUS HERE WITH THE SHARE.
THREE DAYS THAT WE GONNA PAY, THEY'LL BE HERE SATURDAY THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY $300,000 FOR THE MAYOR ON THIS CONSERVATIVE BUDGET AND HE GONNA PAY 41.
UM, MISS, TELL NAME ALL THE MEMBERS THAT THE COMMUNITY BEEN ASKING THE SHERIFF TO REMOVE.
I DON'T, UH, YOU WANT THE GROUPS? YEAH, IF YOU NAME THE GROUPS.
UM, CAN SOMEBODY HELP HER? YEAH, IT'S A LOT.
IT IS A, WE ALL MET, IT WAS A ROOM FULL.
WHERE, UH, WHAT WAS HER NAME? UH, THE GIRL.
WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? UM, YOU KNOW, OH, JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SHEREE THOMAS WITH JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THERE.
PROMISE OF JUSTICE INITIATIVE.
UH, I CANNOT SPEAK FOR VOICE OF THE EXPERIENCE.
SO VOICE, THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAMES? I FORGOT.
YEAH, YOU, YOU GOT MY POINT? YES.
ALRIGHT, SO, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE EAR OF, OF OUR SHERIFF, WHO, WHO MOST CERTAINLY PROBABLY WILL BE ELECTED, UM, IF I MAY MAKE A MOTION TO DEFERRED FOR TWO.
YOU THINK HIS PROCEDURE HE'LL BE ALL HEALED AND WELL, HE SHOULD MA'AM.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DEFER THIS ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE THIS IS THE EXACT SAME.
UM, OH, DO YOU WANNA GET RID OF IT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
UH, RENAMING THE EXACT COPYCAT AGENDA.
SO, WHEW, THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
BUT ANYWAY, WHAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH FOR A LONG TIME.
I'LL ADD MY AGENDA ITEM AS WELL.
AND IF WE COULD TAKE IT AS A COMPANION, UM, ITEM, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THIS, THIS, THIS DIDN'T JUST SHOW UP.
WE HAVE MET, MET, MET, BEGGED, PLEAD TO.
NO, BUT WE GOT HIS EAR NOW AND THAT'S JUST WONDERFUL.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE THE THING BETTER FOR YOU, MA'AM.
ILL, I'LL HAVE THE SHERIFF HERE WITH ME.
SO, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN HONOR OF, UH, AND OUTTA RESPECT FOR COUNCILMAN HURST, WOULD YOU WILL PREFER TO DEFER THIS VERY SAME ITEM ON SEPTEMBER 25TH, 19 THAT I PUT IN THE SHERIFF LISTED THOSE SAME THINGS THAT WILL CAUSE THIS COMMUNITY $300,000 WHILE PEOPLE ARE DYING OF HYPOTHERMIA, WHEN THEY'RE DYING OF A HEAT STROKE WITH, WITH THREE DIGIT DEGREE WEATHER.
AND WE WANNA GIVE $300 AND GIVE 'EM NEW RED UNIFORM, NEW ORANGE UNIFORM THAT THAT'S ALL THE CHIEF CAN PLAY.
AND THEN WHEN THEY DIE AND BE SICK IN PARISH PRISON, AND HE PUT, HE SENDS THEM TO THE HOSPITAL, HE SAYS THEY DIDN'T DIE IN PARISH PRISON, THEY DIED AT THE HOSPITAL NEGLECTING THE MEDICAL NEGLECT AND THE CARE THAT THEY RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE CONDITIONS IN BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON.
WOULD YOU COUNCILMAN LIKE TO DEFER OR DELETE THIS ITEM? I WOULD NOT.
WHICH ONE? I JUST ASKED YOU WHICH ONE WOULD YOU NEITHER.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DELETE THIS ITEM.
[03:20:01]
MEMBER COLEMAN, WE GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUNNING.LET ME FIRST SAY, I THINK COUNCILMAN HIRST, UH, PARTY IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND HAVE HEARD THE VOICES OF MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE THE NAME OF THE FACILITY BEING A PRISON AND CHANGING IT TO A JAIL.
JENNIFER BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS ABOUT THE EXTENDED, EXTENDED LANGUAGE OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BEING UNCLEAR.
UH, I THINK THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT MY OVERALL, UH, OPINION ON THE MATTER IS WITH THIS PROPOSED $400,000, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT NOT SPENT THE NAME CHANGING, THE NAME OF SIGNS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT SPENT INTO HEALTHCARE FOR THE INMATES SPENT INTO FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE SPENT INTO PROGRAMMING.
I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE, UH, THAT TYPE OF MONEY SPENT IN CHANGING SIGNAGE.
UM, I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE MADE THE POINT.
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE FACILITY.
IT'S OLD, IT'S OUTDATED, RIGHT? AND NOT ONLY PUT THE INMATES AT RISK, BUT IT ALSO PUT THE STAFF AT RISK FROM A HEALTHCARE CARE STANDPOINT, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT MOVE AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT FOR OBVIOUSLY REASONS WE CAN REPURPOSE THAT LAND AND DEVELOP THAT LAND FOR SOME MIXED USE AND MOVE THIS FACILITY UP TO, UH, NORTH TO THE JETSON SITE.
UM, MANY OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WORKING ON A PLAN COLLECTIVELY ACROSS PARTY LINES.
TO RAISE MONEY TO BUILD A NEW FACILITY.
MANY OF US HAVE DISCUSSED THAT.
UH, NOT ONLY US ON THIS COUNCIL, BUT OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE LANGUAGE, THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSATION NEEDED TO GO ABOUT REPLACING THE FACILITY, IMPROVING THE FACILITY, GETTING THEM TOTAL NEW FACILITY, NOT SPENDING $400,000 ON, UH, CHANGING SIGNAGE THAT DOESN'T CHANGE OUTCOMES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO UTILIZE THIS FACILITY.
YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT, UH, PARTNER AND STAKEHOLDER INTERFACING WITH US ON MANY ISSUES.
UH, I CAN'T SAY THE SAME FOR YOUR BOSS.
UH, I DO THINK IT'S, UH, IRONIC THAT IT, THAT YOU EVEN SENT THE, HE SENT THE LETTER THIS TIME.
I WONDERED IF THAT'S CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THE ELECTION TIME.
OH, I DON'T THAT MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH IID ABOUT THESE ISSUES, ABOUT BEING A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO UTILIZES TAX DOLLARS COMING HERE, INTERFACING WITH US, ASKING QUESTIONS, ANSWER QUESTIONS, BEING A PART OF THE PROCESS.
BUT HE HAS ROUTINELY REFUSED TO DO THAT.
AND IN MY MIND, THAT'S OFFENSIVE TO NOT ONLY US IN THIS BODY, BUT ALSO TO THE TAXPAYERS.
WE HAVE NO JURIS DISTRICT OR NO AUTHORITY OVER HIM.
UH, HE'S, YOU GUYS ARE FUNDED TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM US.
HOWEVER, YOU DO UTILIZE TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND YOU, HE SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
MY QUESTION WILL BE ON SATURDAY NIGHT, WILL THIS, UH, PROCEDURE BE OVER WITH AND DONE? AND WILL HE BE OUT, YOU KNOW, SHAKING HAND KISSING BABIES AND CELEBRATING THIS REELECTION? WELL, I'M MAKE AGREEMENT TO YOU, MR. DON.
I'M GONNA START ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS.
SO ANY QUESTION? YOU NOT THE SHERIFF.
I KNOW I'M NOT THE SHERIFF I KNOW, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION TO THE SHERIFF.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THE SHERIFF GONNA BE HERE.
WELL, WE GOT, THAT'S SOMETHING I GOTTA BRING UP TO THE SHERIFF, SIR.
WE NEED TO BECAUSE THE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THE SHERIFF.
UM, I, I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR COUNCILMAN HURST.
HE AND I HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT HE'S HAD IN THIS.
UH, YEAH, I'M ONE OF THOSE FOLKS THAT'S ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT THE COST.
SO COUNCILMAN HURST IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, UH, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MAJOR EXPENSE HERE IS THE UNIFORMS. AND I THINK WHAT YOU'VE WORKED OUT WITH THE SHERIFF IS THAT THE UNIFORMS WILL BE PHASED IN AS THEY'RE NATURALLY GONNA BE REPLACED ANYWAY.
RIGHT? SO THIS 300,000 THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR UNIFORMS IS NOT A COST.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR CONVERSATION.
IT'S NOT A COST THAT WE WILL SEE, UH, AS A, AS A BUDGET SUPPLEMENT OR AS A, UH, AS AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE.
IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA CA THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, RIGHT? YEAH.
I, I WON'T SAY WHAT WON'T HAPPEN, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH WARDEN GRIMES, WITH, UH, THE FINANCE AND WITH, UH, MARY ENGELSON, THE, THE, UH, LEGAL, UH, COUNSEL FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS THAT IT'S A NATURAL CYCLE OF CHANGING OUT THE UNIFORMS ANYWAY, RIGHT? AS JUST AS D P W UNIFORMS GETS SWAPPED OUT BECAUSE IT GET HOLES THAT ARE, OR POLICE UNIFORMS GET SWAPPED OUT, IT'S THE SAME CYCLE.
SO AS UNIFORMS GET OLD AND HAVE WEAR AND TEAR, THEY'LL BE CYCLED OUT WITH NEW UNIFORMS THAT HAVE THE NEW NAME ON THERE.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
UH, WHAT WILL BE DONE IMMEDIATELY ARE THE DECALS ON THE VEHICLE, THE SIGNAGE ON THE BUILDING, WHICH IS, WHICH AT THE END OF THE DAY ARE MINIMAL COSTS.
AND, AND THEN I WANNA ASK BRIEFLY, UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, BUT THE NAME THAT YOU HAVE HERE IS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
UM, WALK ME THROUGH THE IDEA BEHIND JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
WELL, I SENT Y'ALL AN EMAIL TO EXPLAIN THE LEGAL, UH, TERMS OF WHAT YOU
[03:25:01]
STOOD OUT.UH, WHAT THE LEGAL TERMS OF THESE ARE.
SO, NUMBER ONE, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IS AN UMBRELLA TERM THAT IS USED TO COVER JUVENILE FACILITIES, COVER ADULT FACILITIES, BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM JAILS AND PRISONS, DETENTION FACILITIES.
OKAY? I TOLD THE SHERIFF, I SAID, HEY, I WANT A JAIL.
RIGHT? I SAID, BECAUSE WE NEED TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT THIS IS.
THE DEFINITION OF A JAIL IS A, UH, PRETRIAL FACILITY IN MOST CASES, BUT IF IT'S A POST-TRIAL FACILITY, IT'S FOR SENTENCE IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR.
AND OUT OF THE 1300 PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN EAST BATONS PARISH PRISON, ONLY 100 HAVE BEEN CONVICTED AND ARE UNDER D O C MANAGEMENT.
SO A PRISON IS FOR A YEAR OR LONGER, BUT IT ALSO HAS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL MEDICAL, OTHER THINGS THAT COULD PUT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN LIABILITY FOR THE NAME.
BECAUSE D O C MANAGES PRISONS, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES MANAGE JAILS.
THE SHERIFF SAID, HEY, WE'RE DOING TWO THINGS HERE.
HE SAYS, I SUPPORT THE TASK FORCE AND I WANNA FIGHT FOR A NEW FACILITY AS WELL.
WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT BEING REMOVED FROM THE AIRPORT'S PROPERTY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHY WOULD WE CREATE A NEW FACILITY AND KEEP AN OLD NAME? SO THESE TWO REALLY GO HAND IN HAND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, IT'S LIKE PUTTING, IF YOU GO TO THE BIBLE TRYING TO LOOK UP THIS SCRIPTURE ABOUT PUTTING NEW WINE AND OLD WINE CANS, WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? WELL, I, WHY, WHY WOULD WE COUNCILMAN HUR? SO WE'RE PUT THIS TIME, SO YOU'VE ANSWERED, I'M, YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BUT THAT ULTIMATELY THAT THAT IS THE ANSWER TO IT, IS THAT THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
SO CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IS AN UMBRELLA TERM.
AND WHAT THE SHERIFF WANTED ON THERE IS THAT WHEN WE PUT A NEW FACILITY IN PLACE, IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE NAME, HE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT CORRECTION WAS A PART OF IT.
BECAUSE LONG TERM THAT'S, WE WANT TO DO THE SAME THING.
YO GROVER CAME IN AND SAID THE OTHER DAY IS TO ADD THE CORRECTION COMPONENT TO IT, BUT WE HAVE VOCATIONAL AND OTHER THINGS IN THESE FACILITIES, SO THIS WILL BE NO DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHY THAT THANK YOU, SIR.
THAT'S WHY THE SHERIFF ASKED FOR THAT PARTICULAR PART.
THERE'S NO POINT ARGUING ABOUT IT.
I, I DO WANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID HERE TONIGHT.
UH, LOOK, I, I THINK, UH, I'M NEVER GONNA TRY TO SPEAK FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT I, I WILL TELL YOU IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY DOES HAVE TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACILITY.
AND YES, WE DO NEED A NEW FACILITY.
UM, WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES THERE, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING THERE AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE, THE LARGER COMMUNITY SAFE.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS ALL PART OF AN EFFORT TO, TO END UP IN THAT, IN THAT SPACE.
UM, SLAVERY ENDED, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO TRIED SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE WHO ARE IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS, UM, THAT DIDN'T ACHIEVE THAT TASK.
AND YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE EVER STOPPED TRYING TO END SLAVERY, WHICH IT DID, RIGHT? ALL OF US WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE DESEGREGATION.
SO, JUST BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN 2019, AND LET ME BE CLEAR, THERE WAS NEVER AN ITEM IN 2019 TO BE VOTED ON.
IT WAS ONLY A DISCUSSION THAT WAS ASKED TO BE BROUGHT FORTH, SENT TO COUNCILWOMAN BANKS BY JUDGE DON JOHNSON.
I HAVE ALL THE EMAILS ASSOCIATED WITH IT IN MY EMAIL WHERE HE SENT ME AND HE ASKED CH COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, I I, I'LL PUT MY EMAIL ON THE SCREEN IF YOU NEED ME TO WHERE HE ASKED HER TO BE A PART OF IT.
SO, AND, AND THE NAME WAS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
SO THE SAME PERSON WHO IS, WHO DOESN'T WANT IT NOW, IS THE SAME PERSON THAT SUGGESTED CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN 2019.
NOW, THERE IS A TASK FORCE THAT'S BEING PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A BETTER FACILITY.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK IT.
I WAS ASHAMED THAT I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND THAT THAT FACILITY WAS THERE AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS ELECTED TO GOVERN BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN DISTRICT TWO, IT REPRESENTS EVERY CHILD LOVED ONE THAT'S EVER BEEN THERE.
MY MY YOUNGER SISTER SPENT TIME IN THERE.
I MEAN, SO Y'ALL THINK THAT IT'S JUST Y'ALL.
I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THERE.
I HAVE GONE AND VISITED PEOPLE AND THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS SINCE I'VE BEEN A COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE OF FLOODING CERTAIN PLACE, YOU CAN TOUCH THE CINDER BLOCK WALL AND IT COLLAPSES.
YOU CAN PULL THE WIRES OFF THE CEILING.
IT IS RUSTED ON THE DOOR THAT THEY'RE MAKING SHANKS OUT OF.
AND YOU WONDER WHY THE DEATHS ARE HAPPENING.
SO LISTEN, I DID LISTEN TO Y'ALL.
I HEAR EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES TO THIS MIC AND TALKS ABOUT THE POOR STATE OF THE FACILITY, A TASK FORCE IS TO GET PUBLIC INPUT, TO GET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
[03:30:01]
INPUT THAT HAS TO CREATE THE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR IT, BUT ALSO TO GET THE CITY PARISH INPUT.NUMBER TWO, THE SHERIFF IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, FOR THE FACILITY.
HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLOSE.
WE ARE AS A CITY PARISH RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING A FACILITY AND MAINTAINING IT.
THE SHERIFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATING IT.
SO I AM COMING HERE AS THE BODY, AS THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR A NEW FACILITY, BUT ALSO AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS A NAME THAT ACCURATELY DEPICTS WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE.
AND NUMBER TWO, KEEPS THE CITY OUTTA LITIGATION FROM NOT BEING, UH, MET WITH WHAT THE PRISON REQUIREMENTS ARE FROM D O C.
SO WHEN YOU SAY I'M NOT LISTENING TO YOU, WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE TASK FORCE.
I DIDN'T TRY TO PUT A WHOLE JAIL TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, NO COMMUNITY INPUT.
SO THERE WILL BE CITIZENS THAT SIT ON THIS TASK FORCE THAT REPRESENT MULTIPLE BODIES.
WILL THEY HAVE 25 PEOPLE? NO, BUT I'M GONNA MAKE SURE AS A LEADER OF THIS TASK FORCE, THAT WE SIT IN THESE SAME SEATS, THAT YOU HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE TASK FORCE AND GIVE INPUT SO THAT YOUR VOICE CAN CONTINUE TO BE HEARD AS WE BRING ABOUT PLANS.
NO DIFFERENT THAN REDISTRICTING OR ANYTHING ELSE.
I DO HAVE LOVED ONES THAT HAVE GONE IN THAT FACILITY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOKED AT LEHIGH, UH, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL, THEY CHANGED THE NAME FROM ROBERT E. LEE.
OKAY? THEY CHANGED THE NAME FROM ROBERT E. LEE BECAUSE THE HISTORY THAT SUPPORTED ROBERT E. LEE DID NOT ADD VALUE TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A CITY PARISH IN THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE A PATH FORWARD.
USING THE WORD PRISON FOR A PRETRIAL FACILITY DOES THE EXACT SAME THING THAT ROBERT LEE LEE DID SITTING ON A BUILDING AND THE OTHER NAMES THAT ARE SITTING ON L S U BUILDINGS AND, AND THE STATUES IN NEW ORLEANS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
SO WHAT I'M DOING NOW IS TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU A VOICE THAT ALLOWS TO HAVE AN ACCURATE DEPICTION.
I'M TRYING TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD THE AGENDA ITEM THAT COUNCILWOMAN BANKS PUT ON THERE IN 2019.
IF SHE WANT A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, IT'S ON THERE.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THE SAME THING THAT THE SHERIFF AND I WERE DOING IS COMBINING OUR VOICES TO SAY, I WANT JAIL.
SHE WANTS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BASED ON THE LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT THEY ARE.
AND WHEN I SAY I, IT'S BASED ON THE LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY US FROM THE, UH, PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH FACILITY DOES.
AND A JAIL IS MANAGED BY THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY.
SO WE'RE CHANGING PRISON JAIL.
SHE WON A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, WHICH IS AN UMBRELLA TERM, BUT ALSO ALSO TALKS ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGE BY PEOPLE IN THERE.
I WANNA BRING THINGS, JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, LIKE VO-TECH, B R C C.
SO AS THEY ARE INCARCERATED, THEY CAN LEAVE AND CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION.
SO IT'S BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU THINK WE DO HEAR YOU.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, BANKS AND LINDA, HAVE ANY ACTIONS EVER BEEN BROUGHT, UM, AGAINST THE CITY OR THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE NAME? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT THERE'S NONE THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.
THAT I CAN REMEMBER, BUT I CAN'T TELL TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BEFORE I TOOK OFF.
GREG ROME HAS BEEN HERE LONGER, RIGHT? NO, HE HAS NOT.
WELL MAYBE BY, BY A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT YOU MAY, MAY ANSWER.
I KNOW HE DOES WITH LITIGATION.
BUT I KNOW EVERY CASE THAT COMES THROUGH THIS BUILDING, SO NOT SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.
AND NO CAUSES OF VACUUM SINCE I'VE, OKAY.
SO, SO YOU, YOU'VE BEEN HERE HOW LONG ANDY? UH, FOUR GOING ON, I THINK FIVE YEARS.
AND YOU'VE BEEN, AND YOU WERE HERE TWO YEARS EARLY, SO THAT'S SEVEN YOU WITH OUR OFFICE LONGER THAN THAT? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT LITIGATION 80 YEARS IN LITIGATION, SO ABOUT THREE YEARS BEFORE ME.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S EIGHT YEARS AND I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL 10.
SO IN EIGHT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN NO, UM, NO ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST THE CITY OR STATE BECAUSE OF THE NAME, THE CITY OR NOT BECAUSE OF THE NAME? NO.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE, UM, CAPTAIN THOMAS OR OR THE WARDEN? EITHER ONE.
DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF UH, CORRECTION IN ANY WAY, UM, MANAGE YOUR OPERATIONS? MA'AM, I HAVE NO IDEA.
YOU HAVE TO ASK THE WARDEN, WARDEN.
[03:35:12]
DOES THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS MANAGE IN ANY WAY YOUR FACILITY? YES, THEY DO.TELL ME HOW, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE D O C INMATES THAT ARE INSIDE OF THAT PRISON.
SO DOES IS THAT, WHAT ARE, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE SAY RIGHT NOW? HOW MANY WHAT? D O C? PROBABLY ABOUT 60.
AND ARE THEY TRANSIENT? ARE THEY STAY THERE? THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT TRANSIT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STAYING THERE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ASSIGNED THERE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE THE JUDGE SAYS THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE ACTUALLY, UH, THEY ARE SENTENCED TO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
AND BECAUSE THEY'RE SENTENCED TO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, THEY'RE IN A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, THEY'RE CALLED OUR REENTRY PROGRAM THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING PAID FOR BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION.
UH, AND SO WE KEEP ABOUT 60 TO 70 INMATES THERE AT ONE TIME THAT ARE D O C INMATES.
AND THEY STAY ON AN AVERAGE OF WHAT TIMEFRAME? DEPENDS ON WHAT THEIR TIME IS, WHAT THEIR SENTENCE TO OUR REENTRY PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE NOW ARE KEITH SEMINARY, IF THEY'RE SIX YEARS AND BELOW, THEY QUALIFIED TO BE IN THAT REENTRY PROGRAM.
SO THERE ARE SOME THAT STAY THERE SIX YEARS.
SO THEY'RE STAYING THERE TILL THEY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM IS, THE PROGRAM IS SIX WEEK, SIX WEEKS TO A 90 DAY PROGRAM.
SO THEY'RE ONLY THERE SIX TO 90 DAYS.
SOME OF 'EM ARE, THERE ARE SOME THAT STAY LONGER THAT HAVE SHORT TERM, THEY'RE THERE LONGER.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE USE AS THE TRUSTEES THAT YOU SEE WALKING AROUND IN THE BLUE UNIFORMS. YEAH.
SO I'M, I'M TRYING TO STAY, I'M TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH YOU.
SO MY FIR INITIAL QUESTION, WELL, YOU SAID THEY ARE THERE FOR THE REENTRY PROGRAM AND THEN YOU SAID THAT THE PROGRAM IS SIX WEEKS TO 90 DAYS.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT'S WHERE I GOT FROM THERE.
BUT THEN THE, AS A TRAINEE, IS THAT AN EXTENSION TO THE REENTRY OR IS IT, YOU SEE WHAT I'M ASKING? THAT IS A PART OF THE REENTRY.
I IN INDIVIDUALS I KNOW, BUT IF THAT EXTENSION, BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME IT'S UP TO A 90 DAY PROGRAM.
SO ONCE THEY FINISH THAT 90 DAY PROGRAM, IS THAT LIKE A GRADUATION GIFT THAT THEY BECOME A TRUSTEE? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THEY ALREADY TRUSTEES.
SO THEY'RE TRUSTEES FROM THE SIX WEEKS.
THEY'RE TRUSTEES WHILE THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE D O C INMATES.
THERE IS A SIX WEEKS TO A 90 DAY PROGRAM.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THAT INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
SO, SO BASED ON THIS QUESTION, SO ARE THE 90 DAY, SO WHEN THEY BECOME THAT, YOU SAID THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRUSTEES BECAUSE THEY'RE D O C.
SO ARE THE D O C INMATES ALL ALSO TRUSTEES? NOT ALL OF THEM.
SO I'M JUST THE ONES THAT ARE IN THAT PRO.
THERE, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S AT THAT JAIL.
YOU HAVE YOUR PRETRIAL INMATES THERE.
AND YOU HAVE YOUR D O C INMATES THAT ARE THERE.
THOSE INMATES THAT ARE D O C ARE THE INMATES THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN SENTENCED.
YOUR PRETRIAL INMATES ARE THE INMATES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SENTENCED AND THERE ARE MORE PRETRIAL MM-HMM.
EVERY LOCAL JAIL WILL HAVE D O C INMATES.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, THOUGHT.
'CAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE D O C INMATES ARE IN LOCAL JAILS BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROOM IN THE STATE FACILITIES.
SO YOU HAVE MORE INMATES EVERY YEAR THAT ARE DISCHARGING THAT ARE DLCSS YEAH.
THAT ARE DISCHARGING OUT OF LOCAL JAILS.
SO IF YOU ALL CHANGE THE NAME WITH THE D O C, DOES THAT HELP OR HURT OR DOESN'T IN ANY WAY IMPACT THAT? BECAUSE AS YOU INDICATED ALL LOCAL, WHICH WHEN I DID MY RESEARCH, I DID FIND THAT OUT ALSO ALL 'CAUSE I, WHEN I CALL WEST BATON ROUGE, THEY ALL SAY THAT THEY ALL HAVE A POPULATION.
BUT THAT HAD, DOES THAT HAVE IN ANY IMPACT, ANY IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT D O C WILL SEND AN INMATE TO YOU? ACTUALLY, THE INMATES THAT ARE SENT TO US FROM D O C ARE INMATES THAT ARE GOING TO THAT PROGRAM.
THE INMATES THAT ARE OURS THAT TURN D O C, BECAUSE WE HAVE INMATES TURN D O C C EVERY DAY.
SO, SO, UH, THE ITEM WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND WHAT, UM, THE COUNCILMAN, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S SAYING THE SHERIFF SAID THIS, IS THAT BECAUSE, BUT IF YOU DON'T CHANGE, WE DON'T CHANGE THE NAME, THEN YOU ARE GONNA GET SOME KIND OF HIT FROM D O C C.
UH, I'M, I'M, I'M JUST SAYING WHAT IS THE IMPACT? I'M TRYING TO CONNECT HIS, THE D O C ISSUE WITH THE NAME CHANGE.
I JUST THINK THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF, UH, THE NAME CHANGE AS FAR AS ADDING A JAIL TO A CORRECTION FACILITY IS BASICALLY BASING ON THE TWO INDIVIDUAL INMATES THAT YOU HAVE THERE.
ONE IS THAT YOU HAVE A PRETRIAL GROUP OF INMATES THERE SURE.
[03:40:01]
CONSIDERED TO BE THOSE ONES THAT ARE COMING THERE, THAT ARE GONNA GO TO COURT.'CAUSE MY TIME IS IN, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE INSIDE THE PRISON, DO YOU SEE THAT THE CULTURE CHANGES WITH THE NAME? THAT'S A YES OR NO? NOT A STATEMENT, NO.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, DID YOU, DO YOU THINK THE NAME IN 2019 WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP, DID YOU THINK THAT WAS A NEED FOR THE NAME AS IT RELATES TO THE COST? BECAUSE THE REASON WHY, AND I AGREE NOW TOO, THAT THE NAME THAT WE DON'T, SHOULDN'T PUT $300,000 IN THE NAME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITION IN THE SUMMER AND WE DON'T HAVE HEAT IN THE, IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, IN THE WINTER.
AND THAT IS A LOTTERY REASON THAT WE AREN'T, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TO PROPERLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE, THE MEDICAL, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO CHECK EACH M A SAY FOR COVID.
WE ARE TOLD THAT YOU ALL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE AND MANPOWER OUR MEDICAL STAFF TO BRING EVERYBODY TO CHECK 'EM FOR COVID, TO CHECK 'EM FOR STDS.
SO WHEN I SEE $300,000, I SEE US HIRING, HIRING MORE OFFICERS.
WE'RE TOLD THAT THEY'RE, UM, ARE NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THE EVERY ONE OF THE WINGS.
THEY WERE TOLD THAT WOMEN DON'T HAVE, AS YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT SANITARY SUPPLIES OFTEN ENOUGH.
SO WHEN I SEE $300,000 AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY DAY, I JUST WANNA KNOW, DO YOU, DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO SPEND IT ON BRICKS AND MORTARS FOR A PRISON THAT WE HOPE GET GRAZED DOWN? LIKE WE WANT THE BRAVE CAVE AND MOVED? OR DO YOU SUPPORT $300 BEING SPENT ON A NIGHT? SEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S 15 MINUTES.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU, SO YOU WANNA GO ON.
SO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER, HUH? YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER WHAT? WANNA DO? YEAH, I JUST WANT YOU TO ANSWER JUST MY QUESTION.
YOU CAN ANSWER HER QUESTION, BUT THAT, THAT'S HER TIME.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT ULTIMATELY THE BUILDING ITSELF, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IS ACTUALLY THE CITY PARISHES RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY PARISH.
WE HAVE NO OPPOSITION TO WHETHER THE NAME CHANGE HAS NO EFFECT TO US WHATSOEVER.
WE'RE NOT IN OPPOSITION TO IT.
AND I WOULD DO, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID ARE NOT EVEN TRUE.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE REST OF IT, THAT'S THE CITY'S PARISH RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I, COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, COUNCIL MEMBER DUN.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? I'M SORRY, I'M, I DON'T NEED YOU, WARREN.
I JUST WANT A CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
THERE'S A MOTION TO DELETE BY MS. BANKS.
AND A SECOND BY, BY MS. COLEMAN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HUDSON HAS BEEN A CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER OBJECTIONS TO THE DELETION? HE CALLED FOR THE QUESTION.
SO PER RULES OF THE, THE, THE I CALL PLAN OF GOVERNMENT, IF WE STATE ON THE ITEM LONG IN 30 MINUTES AND SOMEONE CALLS FOR THE QUESTION, WE CAN VOTE ON IT.
IS IT, ASHLEY, CAN YOU GIVE IT A CLARITY ON YOU CAN CALL FOR, UH, THERE CAN BE A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION WHICH ENDS DEBATE ON THE ITEM.
SO YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO END DEBATE ON THE ITEM.
I WOULD OBJECT TO ENDING DEBATE.
SO PLEASE MAKE THE MOTIONS, OBJECTIONS, MOTIONS TO CALL.
VOTE THE TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY THE CHAIR.
WHAT IS THIS FOR? TO END CALL THE QUESTION END DEBATE ON THE ITEM END DEBATE.
IF YOU WANT INATE ON THE ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE DELETING THE ITEM.
YEAH, THAT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER.
I DO JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU IF Y'ALL WOULD GET, IS HE OUT THERE STILL? ALL RIGHT, WELL THEN I'LL CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
[03:45:01]
Y'ALL KNOW AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE THAT I DO HEAR YOU.I, I, I DO UNDERSTAND AND, AND IT'S A REASON WHY I'VE BEEN SO PASSIONATE ABOUT, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR AFTER I LEFT THE FACILITY.
'CAUSE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AS THE CITY PARISH.
AND SHE STATED THAT SHE HAS SOME THINGS IN, IN MOTION.
AND I'VE GONE TO THE FACILITY, I'VE TALKED TO THE SHERIFF, I'VE TALKED TO THE WARDEN, I'VE TALKED TO OTHER DEPUTIES ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THERE.
THIS SUMMER WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONERS WERE OUT, I AM GOING TO TAKE UP FOR JOE BUTLER.
'CAUSE I DID HAVE A CALL FROM DEPUTIES ABOUT THE AIR CONDITIONING AND IT BEING OUT.
HE SAID, MAN, IT IS HOT AS HADES IN THERE.
AND I HAVE CALLED ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY TRYING TO FIND AIR CONDITIONING PARTS TO, TO GET 'EM NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO TO EVEN GET, UH, TEMPORARY UNITS TO PUT IN THERE.
SO HE DIDN'T JUST SAY NO TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE AND SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT HERE.
HE ENDED UP FINDING THOSE THINGS AND BRINGING THEM THERE.
TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN ANYBODY WOULD'VE WANTED, ESPECIALLY IF I HAD A LOVED ONE IN THERE OR IF I DIDN'T.
BUT HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT DONE.
'CAUSE I DID CALL HIM ABOUT THAT AND QUESTION HIM, YOU KNOW, WHY IS IT THE AIR OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER IN LOUISIANA? HE EXPLAINED EMPHATICALLY THAT I'M DOING EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO GET IT DONE.
I SAID, MAN, IF YOU DON'T GET IT DONE, IT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM.
NOT JUST FOR US, THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT FOR US, THE CITY PARISH AND, AND THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.
HE SAID, I ASSURE YOU I'M DOING EVERYTHING THAT I CAN DO AND I'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE.
AND THEN WHEN, WHEN IT WAS RESOLVED, HE REACHED OUT TO ME AS WELL.
SO THE MAYOR KNOWS WE NEED A NEW FACILITY.
UM, THE, THE BILLINGS AND GROUND PERSON KNOW THAT WE NEED A NEW FACILITY.
THE WARDEN SAYS WE NEED A NEW FACILITY.
THE SHERIFF SAYS WE NEED A NEW FACILITY.
THE COUNCIL SAYS WE NEED A NEW FACILITY FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
EVERYONE AGREES ON A NAME CHANGE, INCLUDING, INCLUDING COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.
SO MY POINT IN SAYING THAT IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING FOR, TO NOT LET IT BE CALLED TO PRISON, TO PUT A TASK FORCE TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A NEW FACILITY IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING TONIGHT.
WE ARE NOT MAKING THE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THE FACILITY WILL BE LIKE.
WE'RE NOT USING 3000, 300,000 OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IMMEDIATELY.
WE'RE GONNA PHASE IN AS WE DO ANYTHING ELSE IN CITY PARENTS WHEN IT COMES TO UNIFORMS. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTION OUTSIDE OF ME BEING THE ONE PUTTING IT UP FOR, UH, FOR, UH, FOR A VOTE ON TODAY.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT THAT'S THE ONLY ISSUE IS THAT IT DIDN'T GET PASSED IN 2019.
AND TODAY I HOPE THAT IT GETS PASSED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE SHERIFF, THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR, THE SUPPORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE SUPPORT OF THE 19 J D C DON JOHNSON, WHO'S TRYING TO DO WAY MORE PRETRIAL, THE SUPPORT OF B R C C AND ENGAGING IN BRINGING RESOURCES INSIDE THE FACILITY.
THE SUPPORT OF JUVENILE JUDGE GAIL GROVER, THE SUPPORT OF THE DETENTION MANAGER, THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL SAID YOU DON'T WANT TODAY IS THE SAME THING THAT YOU, THAT WE'RE DOING ON, ON, UM, AS A PART OF THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL AS THE TASK FORCE.
SO OTHER THAN JUST SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE INPUT, YOU DID, YOU COME TO THE MIC ALL THE TIME AND TALK ABOUT THE FACILITY AND THAT WE NEED TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER TO DO IT.
THE TASK FORCE IS WHAT DOES THAT, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISIONS WITHOUT YOUR INPUT.
BUT IF WITHOUT A TASK FORCE, NOTHING GETS DONE.
IF YOU, IF IT'S NOT A PRISON, THEN WHAT DO WE CALL IT A JAIL OR DO WE LEAVE IT AS A PRISON? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ASK YOU WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO.
WE USED LEGAL DEFINITIONS, WHICH TELLS US WHAT TO DO BY LAW.
AND IF COURTNEY IS HERE, COURTNEY'S TO YOU, SHE'S GONE.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THESE ARE LEGAL DEFINITIONS THAT DEFINE WHAT WE CAN CALL IT BASED ON WHAT IT IS AND BASED ON WHO GOVERNS IT AND CHANGING IT FROM A PRISON TO A JAIL IS WHAT WE DID BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY, UH, IN TERMS OF LEGAL TERMS, NOT THEM NAMING IT.
AND ALSO FROM THE SHERIFF OF WANTING TO DO MORE CORRECTION AND JUST NOT BE A PLACE TO HOLD.
THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
SHE GAVE, SHE GAVE ME DIRECTIVES.
COUNCILMAN, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THE MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED US TO, TO TALK ABOUT.
JUST TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCES AND, AND, AND WHY THIS IS CHOSEN.
I I, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THIS AND I LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING TONIGHT.
AND SO I THINK THIS, THIS SUFFICE IS TO SAY THE REASON WHY AS WE'VE RE, RE REITERATED SEVERAL TIMES A NIGHT THAT HE WANTS TO REFER TO AS JAIL IS THAT JAILS ARE SHORT-TERM FACILITIES THAT HOLD INMATES AWAITING TRIAL, AS THE WARDEN SAID, OR SENTENCING OR BOTH.
SO THAT'S WHY THE MONIKERS FOR THIS PRISON, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT 97% OF THE PEOPLE ARE THERE FOR AS THE WARDEN STATED.
NOW, THEREFORE PRE-SENTENCING, UH, OR PRETRIAL.
[03:50:01]
THING IS THE REASON WHY THERE'S A CORRECTIONAL CENTER ASPECT OF IT TO IT IS BECAUSE THE SERVICES OR PROGRAMS AT THE SHERIFF OFFICE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROVIDES ARE GENERALLY OFFERED BY A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.WE TALKED ABOUT THE REENTRY PROGRAM AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THEY HAVE AT THE PARISH PRISON, WHICH IS WHY THAT MONIKER CAN BE ADDED TO THESE BATON ROUGE PARISH.
SO THEY COULD BE CALLED EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LEAVING IT AS A PRISON.
UM, OR THAT MONIKER WHEN IT'S NOT A PRISON.
'CAUSE PRISONS ARE LONG-TERM FACILITIES WHICH HOLD PERSONS FOR LONGER THAN THE YEARS WE STATED AND PROVIDE LONG-TERM LIVING PROVISIONS.
RIGHT? AND SO LEAVING THAT EAST BATON NU PARISH FACILITY WITH THAT MONIKER IS, UH, ALLOW REQUIRING IT TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD.
SO IF YOU ARE CALLING YOURSELF A PRISON, WHICH IS A, UH, A FACILITY WHICH HAS A HIGHER STANDARD BECAUSE IT HAS, UH, OR IS KNOWN TO HAVE LONG-TERM FACILITIES, IT'S GONNA BE REQUIRED TO HAVE HIGHER DEGREES OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE, UH, DONE AND NEED TO BE CHECKED OFF.
AND SO BY CHANGING THE NAME BACK TO A JAIL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, IT TAKES SOME OF THAT, UH, SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS OFF.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY COUNCILMAN HURST, UH, HAD US RESEARCH IT.
UH, MR. DAWSON, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM, VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DELETE.
[100. 23-01339 ]
RECEIVING AN UP-TO-DATE REPORT FROM THE BATON ROUGE CHIEF OF POLICE MURPHY PAUL AND MAYOR PRESIDENT SHARON RESTON BROOM REGARDING THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING THE BRAVE CAVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.THE REASONS FOR EMERGENCY IS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AND CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER AND ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THE ITEM IN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTION TO DECLARING THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY? WE HAVE AN OBJECTION TO DECLARING THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY.
ANYBODY ELSE OBJECT TO DECLARING ITEM IN EMERGENCY? TWO.
OBJECTED TO DECLARING ITEM IN EMERGENCY.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON DECLARING THE ITEM AND EMERGENCY.
IF YOU WANTED TO DECLARE THE ITEM IN EMERGENCY, THIS IS ITEM 100.
HAS NOT BEEN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.
[99. 23-01338 ]
RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PRISON OF THE ABILITY TO USE PUBLIC FUNDS TO ADDRESS AND REMEDIATE PRIVATE PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM ACTIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND EXECUTING WARRANTS, INCLUDING DAMAGE CAUSED BY PRIVATE PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF THE BRAVE CAVE RELATED ARREST OR DETENTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.REASON FOR EMERGENCY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AND REACH A RESOLUTION ON THIS MATTER AND ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED IN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO DECLARING THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY? WE HAVE ONE OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER OBJECTIONS TO DECLARING THE ITEM IN EMERGENCY? TWO.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DECLARE ITEM 99.
[97. 23-01311 ]
97 REQUESTING A REPORT.TALKING ABOUT JUST IN GENERAL FOR MOVING FORWARD.
OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, UH, PLEASE MAKE A MOTION.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEMS 57 65 AND 58, WHICH ARE CONDEMNATION ITEMS. UH, RECONSIDER 57, 65 AND 58.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THANKS.
ANY OBJECTIONS NOW ITEM 57 WAS YOUR
[03:55:01]
PLEASURE MR. NOLL? 90 DAYS.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 57? 90 DAYS ON 57.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON ITEM 58? COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS 90 DAYS AND 90 ON 65.
SO ITEM 57, 65 AND 58 HAVE BEEN DEFERRED FOR 90 DAYS.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER KNOWLES.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
ANY, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 57, 65 AND 58.
ALL THREE HAVE BEEN DEFERRED FOR 90 DAYS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE'S A MOTION TO DELETE.
[103. 23-01413 ]
1 0 3 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO AND EXECUTE A SUB SHIPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND CAMPBELL PROPERTIES.FUND ONE L L C TO ADDRESS THE FACADE AND CODE VIOLATION REPAIRS IMPACTING COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY AND THE SUM OF $269 $227 AND 73 CENTS.
AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND CONNECTIONS THEREWITH BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THE MOTION TO DELETE? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 1 0 3 HAS BEEN DELETED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ITEM 90.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'LL GO DOWN TO CHANGE ORDERS VERY QUICKLY, HUH? WE'LL GO TO, UH, CHANGE ORDERS VERY QUICKLY.
UH, I LIVE TO MAKE YOU HAPPY, MARLEY? YES, INDEED.
[90. 23-01340 ]
E M S CASTILLO STATION RENOVATIONS CONTRACTED TERRY HONORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INCORPORATED.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 90? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 90.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[91. 23-01416 ]
SALES TAX, STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM.PROJECT 18 DASH THREE STREETS IN THE LEE STANFORD PERKINS AREA CONTRACTOR.
BARRY A CONSTRUCTION L L C CHANGE YOUR ORDER AMOUNT IS $26,417 40 CENTS, WHICH IS A CREDIT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'LL NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MONROE.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MCC COLEMAN.
[92. 23-01412 ]
CHAMBER COMMUNITY CENTER, W W T REPLACEMENT CONTRACTING.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 92? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 92.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
[93. 23-01418 ]
SALES TAX AND STREET REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT TO 18 STREET STREETS IN LEE STANFORD.PERKINS AREA CONTRACTED AREA CONSTRUCTION, L L C.
FINAL COST $2,806,097 AND 80 CENTS.
IS ANYONE HERE WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 93? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? ITEM 93 SHALL MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MOROSA.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 93 HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[94. 23-01365 ]
LANDSCAPED IN ARBORISTS AND FLOWER BEDS IN EAST RIDGE PARISH LIBRARIES.CORPORATE GREEN L L C DOING BUSINESS AT GREEN SEASONS $78,210 AND 9 CENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 94? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 94? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.
[95. 23-01208 ]
A REPORT.THERE'S A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM OF, TO DEFER TO, UH, NOVEMBER 8TH, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE ST.
GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ON THE MEDICAL AND SAFETY TRAINING OFFICE.
THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY BY COUNCIL MEMBER AOSA.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MOTION TO DEFER BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA TILL NOVEMBER 8TH? YES.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 95 HAS BEEN DEFERRED.
[96. 23-00031 ]
THERE IS A, A REQUEST TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS.RECEIVING A THIRD QUARTER OF 2023.
REPORT FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR PERFORMANCE FOR GARBAGE TRASH.
BULKY ITEM WOODY WASTE AND RECYCLE PICKUP BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ITEM 96 HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR TWO WEEKS.
[101. 23-01341 ]
UH, 9 1 0 1, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO INFANT TO, AND THEN EXECUTE A SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ONE, ONE LP L L C, TO ADDRESS THE FACADE[04:00:01]
AND CODE VIOLATION REPAIRS IMPACTING COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY AND THE SUM OF $269,227 70 CENTS AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENT CONNECTION THERE WITH BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.THE REASON, THE REASON THIS ITEM IS FOR AN EMERGENCY DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL BY O C D WAS UPDATED AND THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY TO SUPPORT THE HISTORIC TAX CREDIT INITIATIVE BY THE CONTRACTOR, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2 DECIDING MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VERDICT OF METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
MOTION DECLARED AN ITEM EMERGENCY.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN SECOND ABOUT THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM? GO AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUS MARLEY ARE, ARE YOU THE POINT PERSON FOR THIS ONE? SO, JUST, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE SEEN IT COME ON AND OFF OUR AGENDA A COUPLE TIMES.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IS REAL SIMPLE, JUST WITH WHAT DEGREE OF, WITH WHAT DEGREE OF CERTAINTY ARE WE SURE THAT THIS ITEM IS COMPLETELY COMPLIANT WITH ALL C D B G REQUIREMENTS? YES.
SO WE ARE CERTAIN, THE REASON IT'S COME ON AND OFF IS ACTUALLY BECAUSE OF THE STATE HISTORIC TAX CREDITS, THE DEVELOPER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THEIR ATTORNEY TO UNDERSTAND WHICH L L C IT NEEDED TO BE UNDER.
SO WHILE THE AGREEMENT'S NOT CHANGED, THE ONLY CHANGE THAT HAS BEEN IS WITH THE NAME OF WHO AND, AND THEY'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON IT, BUT THEY'VE CONFIRMED IT WITH THE STATE.
THIS IS THE NAME THAT IT NEEDS TO BE UNDER TO NOT REDUCE THE STATE RESOURCES THEY CAN BRING TO THE PROJECT, WHICH IS OF COURSE, ALWAYS, ALWAYS GOOD.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S NO LIKELIHOOD THAT WE'LL GET A LETTER FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ONE DAY TELLING US THAT WE'VE GOTTA PAY THIS MONEY BACK.
UH, WELL, OF COURSE,
BUT, UH, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, NO, THAT, THAT WON'T BE THE CASE HERE.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ITEM 1 0 1 HAS BEEN APPROVED WHEN THERE'S A REQUESTED DELETE
[102. 23-01390 ]
ITEM 1 0 2 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO AUTHORIZE EXECUTIONAL OF CONTRACT WITH THE METRO CITY DEVELOPMENT COALITION TO COMPLETE RENOVATIONS FOR 23 BLANCHE COURT HOME REHABILITATION FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $350,000 BY MAYOR'S OFFICE.REASON FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS IMPACTED BY THE COMMENCEMENT DATE.
IS THERE A MOTION? UH, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE'LL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DELETE SOME MORE? BY COUNCILMAN OSA? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS? ANY OBJECTION? ITEM 1 0 2 HAS BEEN DELETED.
[97. 23-01311]
A REPORT FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON THE GROUP HOMES AND THE PARISH.THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP HOMES, THE NUMBER OF THE GROUP HOMES IN EACH DISTRICT, THE PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING GROUP HOME AND THE ORDINANCE, STATE STATUTES, FEDERAL LAWS, AND PERTAINING TO GROUP HOMES BY COUNCIL MEMBER GLORIA ADAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. UM, LET ME TURN THIS OVER TO PAOLO AND GIL.
UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE PREPARED A, UH, A REPORT.
WE'VE GOT A NICE LITTLE PRESENTATION THAT GIL PUT TOGETHER, AND BASICALLY WHAT WE WANNA DO IS KIND OF JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF HOW WE ENDED UP WITH GROUP HOMES, WHERE WE ARE NOW, THE PROCESSES.
WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER SLIDES THAT'LL SHOW YOU WHERE THE, PRIMARILY THE GROUP HOMES ARE, UH, LOCATED.
AND THEN SOME OF THE PROCESSES BY WHICH, UM, WE HAVE NOW AND SOME OF THE STEPS THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE TO KIND OF, UM, CHANGE SOME OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, THAT'S JUST A, BASICALLY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, THE 1968 THINKING.
IT MAY BE THE, THE SECOND SLIDE, ACTUALLY, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IN 1968 ESTABLISHED, UM, WHAT MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN DO AS FAR AS LAND USE ZONING AND EXCLUDING WHO COULD BE, UH, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND, AND NOT, UH, ESSENTIALLY WHO WERE FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
UM, THAT CAME INTO PLAY IN 1988, WHICH ADDED FURTHER PROTECTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A DISABILITY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY LEADS US TO THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, WHICH DEFINED WHAT A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES IS OR IS NOT.
AND THERE'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT, WHEN SOMEBODY IS CONSIDERED DISABLED AND WHEN THEY ARE CONSIDERED A PROTECTIVE CLASS.
AND THE PROTECTIVE CLASS IS REALLY ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE GROUP HOME'S DEFINITION IN THE U D C IS YEAH.
[04:05:01]
THE OXFORD HOUSE CASE, UM, WHICH WAS OXFORD HOUSE VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE LOST THAT CASE, AND IT REQUIRED US TO CHANGE THE NAME, UM, TO, AND WE CAME UP WITH THIS DEFINITION THROUGH THE GUIDANCE OF THE COURT.
AND BASICALLY IT'S A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY THAT PROVIDES ROOM AND BOARD AND MAY INCLUDE, UM, HABILITATION SERVICES AND SUPERVISION IN A FAMILY SETTING FOR A DISABILITY, WHICH THE DISABILITY IS THEN DEFINED BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT SUCH USES ARE PERMITTED IN ALL RESIDENTIAL ZONES WHERE THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED AS OF RIGHT NOTWITHSTANDING ANY ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE HAVE BY, RIGHT IN THE BATON ROUGE, THERE ARE ZONES THAT WILL ALLOW BY RIGHT GROUP HOMES.
AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE GONNA BE YOUR MULTI-FAMILY DISTRICTS AND YOUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS A ONE ZONING, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY, UH, CONCERN FOR MOST OF THE RESIDENTS IN BATON ROUGE.
MOST OF, UH, MOST OF Y'ALL AS WELL.
SO HOW WE ENDED UP TO WHERE WE ARE NOW STEMS FROM A CASE, OXFORD HOUSE VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
IN THAT OXFORD HOUSE IS A LARGE CORPORATION, AND THEY SUED THE CITY SAYING THAT WE VIOLATED THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT AND SPECIFICALLY STATING THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE RECOVERING ALCOHOLICS AND DRUG ADDICTS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LIVE IN A ONE ZONING UNDER GROUP HOMES.
THE COURT RULED THAT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE DID NOT, UM, WAS, DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER PROCESSES IN PLACE TO AFFORD PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN GROUP HOMES.
ESSENTIALLY, WE WERE VIOLATING THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IN AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT.
THE COURT CAME BACK AND SAID THAT WE HAD TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
NUMBER ONE WAS PROVIDE FOR A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION CHECKLIST, WHICH IS ON THE, THE PARISH'S WEBSITE ON THE, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING'S WEBSITE.
AND THEN IT PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAD TO REDEFINE WHAT GROUPS HOME, GROUP HOMES WERE.
WE HAD A PREVIOUS DEFINITION THAT EXCLUDED CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION AND WAS RULED TO BE DISCRIMINATORY ON THE FACE OF IT.
SO WHAT HAS TO OCCUR FOR A PERSON TO BE CONSIDERED A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION? IT MUST BE REASONABLE AND NECESSARY.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED REASONABLE IS REALLY UP TO US AS A PARISH TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S AN UNDUE HARDSHIP OR FISCALLY DIFFICULT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT PUTS ON A DIFFICULT BURDEN FOR THE CITY TO ADMINISTER AND DOES IT UNDERMINE THE BASIC PURPOSES OF THE ZONING? OKAY.
AND THIS IS, IT LOOKS AT NOISE TRAFFIC, CRIME RELATED COMPLAINTS.
AND THE COURT FOUND THAT WE DIDN'T, WE, THE CITY DID NOT PROVIDE, DID NOT PROVE THAT THIS WAS AN UNDUE HARDSHIP.
WE DID NOT, DID NOT ALSO PROVIDE, IT WAS AN UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE CITY FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT.
AND IS THE ACCOMMODATION NECESSARILY, AND WILL IT AFFORD THE PERSON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE THE DISABLED? DOES THE ACCOMMODATION MAKE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE PERSON'S DISABILITY? AND THE COURT HELD THAT THIS ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD ALCOHOLISM OR DRUG DRUG ADDICTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT AND NECESSARY THE COURT FURTHER HELD THAT BATON ROUGE TREATED THE PROTECTED CLASS HARSHER THAN A NORMAL CITIZEN BECAUSE OF THE DEFINITION OF SPECIAL HOMES THAT WE HAD.
SO THE ORDINANCE WAS FACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY IN AND OF ITSELF.
SO WHAT WE DID TO CURE IT WAS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT, WE DELETED THE SPECIAL HOMES, CREATED THE GROUP HOMES DEFINITION THAT ESSENTIALLY CURED THE FACIAL DISCRIMINATORY ACT.
UM, AND THEN WE ADDED THE, A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION CHECKLIST ON THAT WEBSITE.
WELL, WHAT HAS COME OUT IN 2020 WAS A FORT LAUDERDALE CASE, AND THAT WAS SAILBOAT, SAILBOAT BEND SOBER LIVING L L C VERSUS THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE THAT CAME OUT IN 2020.
UH, IT HAS GONE UP AND ULTIMATELY IT IS STANDS AS GOOD LAW IN THE 11TH CIRCUIT OUT OF FLORIDA.
[04:10:02]
AND THAT CASE IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS IN DIRECT CONFLICT TO THE OXFORD HOUSE CASE IN BATON ROUGE.ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT COURT CAME BACK AND SAID WAS THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE, UH, HAD A SAME DEFINITION OF HIS FAMILY AS IF THERE WERE THREE OR MORE UNRELATED PEOPLE, THEY COULDN'T LIVE IN THE SAME HOME.
AND THE COURT CAME BACK AND SAID, YOU'RE ACTUALLY TREATING THE PROTECTED CLASS BETTER THAN A NORMAL CITIZEN THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DISABILITIES.
AND SAID, YOU CAN'T TREAT PROTECTED CLASS BETTER THAN A UNPROTECTED CLASS.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE WAS ACTUALLY DOING, WAS PUTTING THE PROTECTIVE CLASSES IN A BETTER POSITION WHERE YOU COULD HAVE FOUR UNRELATED PEOPLE, THEY COULD LIVE TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DISABILITY YET FOUR UNRELATED PEOPLE THAT HAD A DISABILITY COULD LIVE TOGETHER.
AND THEY SAID THAT YOU'RE TREATING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT RELATED, THAT HAVE NO DISABILITIES IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.
SO THE COURT CAME BACK AND SAID, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GONNA ENFORCE THE ZONING RESTRICTIONS THAT THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE HAD, UH, IN THERE.
SO THAT PUTS US ON A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE NOW FROM THE, THE FORT LAUDERDALE CASE VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE CITY OF, UM, IN THE OXFORD HOUSE CASE CITY, THE FORT LAUDERDALE CASE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED AND FAILED TO FOLLOW AND SAID, WE ARE NOT GONNA FOLLOW THE OXFORD HOUSE CASE IN BATON ROUGE.
AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LITTLE DISTINCTIONS THAT THEY MADE, BUT, UH, ULTIMATELY CAME BACK AND SAID, WE ARE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THAT CASE AND ALLOW THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE AND THEIR RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE TO STAND.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND WHERE WE ARE NOW? SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, UH, FOR A GROUP HOME, YOU NEED TO COME IN, YOU NEED TO, TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION, AND THEN THAT APPLICATION IS PROCESSED.
IT IS ULTIMATELY SENT TO ME FOR REVIEW.
UPON REVIEW, WE LOOK AT THE, UM, BASICALLY WE LOOK AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE HOME AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
WE VERIFY THAT THEY ARE A, IN FACT, A PROTECTIVE CLASS.
SOME PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A PROTECTIVE CLASS POTENTIALLY IN BEING AN ALCOHOLIC OR A DRUG ADDICT IS NOT A PROTECT PROTECTIVE CLASS PER SE.
IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED A PROTECTIVE CLASS, IF YOU'RE AN ALCOHOLIC OR A DRUG ADDICT, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE PROOF THAT YOU ARE IN FACT A ALCOHOLIC OR A DRUG ADDICT VIS-A-VIS AN AFFIDAVIT.
AND YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT THE GROUP HOME LIVING WILL SUBSTANTIALLY LEAD TO AN IMPACT IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU COULD NOT OTHERWISE GET IF YOU WERE NOT IN A SOBER LIVING FACILITY.
THOSE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT, UH, WILL NEED TO BE MET.
ONCE WE GET THOSE IN PLACE, THEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE, AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE, UM, WHAT THEIR, THE DISABILITIES ARE, AND WE MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER THAT ARE IN FACT QUALIFIED, UH, FOR A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST.
ONCE THEY GET A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT THE STATE AND LOCAL FIRE MARSHAL FOR REVIEW BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS LIVE IN THAT PLACE SUCH THAT, UM, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE CARED FOR IN THE CASE OF A FIRE, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, THAT IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE, UM, FIRE EXTINGUISHERS HANDRAILS IF NECESSARY.
SO THEY WOULD NEED TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY UPON THAT.
SOME OF THE REASONS THAT CAN BE DENIED, UM, UNDUE HARDSHIP OR FINANCIAL, UH, BURDEN ON THE CITY.
WE HAVE NOT REALLY EVER HAVE RUN INTO THAT.
THAT'S NOT A, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS BIG ON OUR END, UNDERMINING THE BASIC PURPOSE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, NOISE, TRAFFIC, AND CRIME RELATED COMPLAINTS.
THIS IS GONNA BE DRIVEN BY THE CITIZENS ON A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT, THE NUMBER OF HOMES IN AN AREA, AND IS THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION NECESSARY AND WOULD THAT ACCOMMODATION AFFORD AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DISABLED AT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, POINT PAULO? YES.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND.
WE STARTED AT FOUR THREE, IT'S NOW 7 58.
SO, UH, MOTION TO EXTEND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ADAM, SECONDED BY THE
[04:15:01]
CHAIR.IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO EXTEND.
SO THE MEETING WILL END AT 8 0 3, SO YOU HAVE EXACTLY FOUR MINUTES TO CONTINUE TO, OKAY.
LET'S JUST GO TO THE LAST SIDE.
LEMME JUST SHOW YOU THE HEAT MAP.
AND THE HEAT MAP SHOWS YOU THE NUMBER OF GROUPS, HOMES, AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
WE'VE ALSO BROKEN 'EM DOWN BY THE NUMBER IN THE DISTRICT.
SO DISTRICT SIX CURRENTLY HAS, AND LET ME STRESS THIS, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
OKAY? THERE ARE A TON OF GROUP HOMES THAT ARE OPERATING THAT HAVE NOT COME IN WITH A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
IF A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT IS FILED AND IT IS VERIFIED BY THE, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT, THEY WILL RECEIVE A LETTER, BE ISSUED, A CITATION, AND EFFECTIVELY CAN BE SHUT DOWN.
THEY WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESSES.
BUT DISTRICT SIX HAS 35 FOLLOWED UP BY DISTRICT FIVE, THAT HAS 22.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE KNOW ABOUT.
WE KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE MULTIPLE GROUP HOMES AND MULTIPLE DISTRICTS THAT ARE OPERATING WITHOUT ANY OVERSIGHT IN A VERY CAVALIER MANNER.
IN FACT, WE HAD ONE THAT CAME UP THE OTHER DAY, THERE WAS OPERATING, UM, NOT A PROTECTED CLASS.
UM, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT WENT OUT THERE AND ISSUED THEM A CITATION.
THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE, THE KIND OF GROUP HOMES, THE ORIGINS OF THEM, HOW THE CITY ENDED UP, UH, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND KIND OF SOME OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE BEING FOLLOWED.
MR. UH, PROAM, LET ME MAKE A, A MOTION TO DEFER SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS AT THE NEXT MEETING.
A MOTION TO DEFER THE ITEM BY COUNCILMAN MADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOSA.
ANY OBJECTION TO DE FRONTAL END? COUNCILMAN MADAMS. NEXT MEETING.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD DEFER IT TO A COUNCIL ZONING MEETING? IS THAT APPROPRIATE? NO.
UH, OCTOBER 25TH MEETING, UH, OCTOBER THE 25TH.
ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED.
MOTION TO ADJOURN HAS BEEN A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSA SECONDED BY EVERYONE.
AS ALWAYS, AFTER THE LAST TWO MEETING, IT'S SAFE TO SAY, PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING TO THEM, HAVE THEM READ BACK TO YOU.
BEST WAY TO IMPROVE READING COMPREHENSION.