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RIGHT NOW.GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
FIRST UP IS MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON.
WE PRUNE TO RECOGNIZE MAY RICHARDSON, THE SECOND ANNUAL 2, 2 5 FEST.
WHERE IS DWIGHT MAYOR? I LOST MY VOICE AGAIN,
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PROTI AND MEMBERS OF, UH, THE COUNCIL.
UM, TODAY WE HAVE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS.
UH, ONE IS FOR THE 20 24, 2, 2 5 FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS, UH, STARTING WITH MYRA RICHARDSON, WHOSE REMARKABLE EFFORTS, UH, AND THE DEDICATED ORGANIZERS AND PARTNERS BEHIND THE SCENES OF 2, 2 5 FEST FOR 2024.
AND WE ARE APPROACHING THE SECOND YEAR OF 2 2 5 FEST.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY POISED FOR IT TO BE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
THIS FESTIVAL STANDS AS A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF BATON ROUGE'S RICH CULTURE, EMBRACING A DIVERSE RANGE OF ATTRACTIONS THAT TRULY EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, FROM AN ARRAY OF VENDORS TO FOOD TRUCKS AND A SENIOR ZONE MUSEUM TOURS A KIDS ZONE, A MIDI HEALTH FAIR, AN ART WALK, LIVE PERFORMANCES, AND MUCH MORE.
TWO TO FIVE FEST IS A CELEBRATION THAT CATERS TO EVERY TASTE, EVERY AGE, EVERY INTEREST.
IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC TAPESTRY THAT DIVINE DEFINES OUR BELOVED CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO MYRA RICHARDSON AND TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED TO MAKE THIS FESTIVAL A REALITY.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO SHOWCASING THE BEST OF BATON ROUGE IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AS THE FESTIVALS, UH, THE FESTIVITIES RATHER, ARE SET TO UNFOLD ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2024, AND IT CO INSIDES WITH THE ICONIC 2 2 5 DAY TAKING PLACE FROM 12:00 PM TO 6:00 PM IN DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL.
SO LET'S COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY AND EMBRACE OUR CULTURE.
UM, MANY OF THE SPONSORS ARE HERE TODAY AND I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO COME UP.
OF COURSE, I'M GONNA ASK MYRA RICHARDSON TO COME.
COX COMMUNICATION CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM, EMERGENT METHOD CARE, SOUTH MEDICAL AND DENTAL, PLANET FITNESS, LSU, MUSEUM OF ART, COCA-COLA AETNA, URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA, EAST BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL ON AGING, LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM VISIT, BATON ROUGE, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
BRILLIANT CLAYTON ORIGIN HOTEL, RED REED, VODKA EAST, BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY, THE BATON ROUGE AREA, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DIAMOND IN THE DIRT CAPITAL PARK MUSEUM, JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BATON ROUGE, OUR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, THE BATON ROUGE ALLIANCE FOR STUDENTS DRAFT PICKS BARBERSHOP, BOYLE AND RU B-B-R-C-C, BRAILLE ORANGE STRATEGY, LAFE EVENTS ATTORNEY JOHN COLLINS, ATTORNEY BROCK ION.
SO ALL OF THE SPONSORS ARE HERE, UH, RIGHT BEHIND ME AND LAST TIME WE HAD A HUGE GROUP AS WELL.
AND BEFORE WE PRESENT, UH, CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION, UH, TO ALL OF THESE SPONSORS, WHICH WE'LL DO, UH, AFTER, UH, THIS PRESENTATION, I AM GOING TO ASK MYRA RICHARDSON TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ANNUAL 2 2 5 FEST.
LET'S START BY GIVING THEM A WONDERFUL ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
IS IT CRAZY THAT THIS ISN'T EVEN ALL OF THE SPONSORS? SOME OF THEM ARE MISSING, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE APPRECIATION FOR THESE SPONSORS BECAUSE AGAIN, 2 2 5 FEST IS A FESTIVAL THAT CELEBRATES CULTURE IN THE CAPITAL REGION AND WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT LAST YEAR WE HAD 14,000 PEOPLE ATTEND THIS EVENT.
AND RIGHT NOW WITH PRE REGISTRANTS, WE'RE ALREADY AT 17,000
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PEOPLE WHO HAVE PRE-REGISTERED TO CELEBRATE CULTURE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.AND IT'S ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND US, WE WELCOME SOME MORE PARTNERS.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR HISTORIC HIGH SCHOOLS WHO WILL NOW BE AT 2 2 5 FEST CREATING A HISTORIC HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ROLE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL DIVINE NINE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL BE THERE.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE TRULY SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS EVERY ECHO AND SILO OF BATON ROUGE AND HOPING TO BRING THEM TOGETHER ON ONE STREET.
'CAUSE OFTENTIMES IN THE CAPITAL REGION, WE DO STAY IN OUR SILOS AND WE DON'T CELEBRATE THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER AND WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON.
SO AGAIN, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO EVERY SPONSORED PLANET FITNESS JUST WALKED IN THE ROOM.
I SAW THAT IN THE LIBRARY, BUT UM, AGAIN, WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL AND WE WILL AFTER THIS BE TAKING A PICTURE OVER HERE AND ONE IN THE FOYER.
BUT AGAIN, LET'S GIVE A ROUND APPLAUSE TO MAYOR BROOM, WHO MADE SURE TO SUPPORT AND STEP UP.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS.
UM, WE'LL TAKE A BIG PICTURE RIGHT HERE SHORTLY AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER BIG PICTURE RIGHT OUTSIDE THERE.
BUT WOULD YOU CELEBRATE OUR SPONSORS ONCE AGAIN? AND THANK YOU, UH, MYRA, YOU ALL CAN BE SEATED RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, OUR SECOND PRESENTATION TODAY.
OUR SECOND PRESENTATION GOES TO OUR LSU TIGER GIRLS DANCE TEAM.
I'M EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT BY THE LSU TIGER GIRLS DANCE TEAM AS THEY HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS AS THE WINNERS OF DIVISION ONE A KIPP HOP AT THE UCA AND UDA COLLEGE CHEERLEADING AND DANCE TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
WOO, THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS NOT JUST A TRIUMPH FOR THE TEAM, BUT ALSO A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE ENTIRE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
THE DEDICATION, TALENT AND HARD WORK EXHIBITED BY THE LSU TIGER GIRLS NOT ONLY SECURED THEM THE TOP SPOT, BUT ALSO ELEVATED BATON ROUGE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.
THEIR PRECISION, ENERGY AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE HAVE TRULY SET THEM APART, SHOWCASING THE SPIRIT OF OUR CITY AND THE CALIBER OF TALENT THAT RESIDES WITHIN.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, I EXTEND HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LSU TIGER GIRLS DANCE TEAM.
UM, HERE, UH, WITH US WE HAVE ABIGAIL TRAMELL AND YOU COULD JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALESSANDRA BROWN, ALEXANDRIA PRA, AMANI WILLIAMS, ARIANA BELMONT, BRIE POCHE, CHLOE IAN, I'LL BE GOING TO RECOGNIZE YOUR OUTSTANDING TALENT, DEDICATION, AND TEAMWORK, WHICH CULMINATED IN THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT AS DIVISION ONE A UCA AND UDA COLLEGE CHEERLEADING
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AND DANCE TEAM.YOUR VICTORY NOT ONLY BRINGS YOU IMMENSE PRIDE TO THE LSU COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE VIBRANT SPIRIT AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE OF BATON ROUGE.
Y'ALL NOT, DID YOU WANNA SAY IT? I CAN SAY HELLO.
WE JUST WANNA THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE AND HAVING US, UH, GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE SO HONORED TO BRING HOME ANOTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TO BATON ROUGE.
WE LOVE WEARING PURPLE AND GOLD.
WE LOVE LSU AND WE LOVE BATON ROUGE AND WE'RE JUST SO HONORED TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL RIGHT NOW.
AND IF, IF YOU'LL WAIT ONE MOMENT AFTER WE DO OUR LAST, UM, PRESENTATION, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A GROUP PICTURE WITH YOU ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS I KNOW WOULD AS WELL.
AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS GONNA START WORKING ON ALL OF Y'ALL'S NIL DEALS RIGHT AFTER
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
NEXT UP THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT WILL RECOGNIZE JORDAN AND LISA TABOR, PARENTS OF OWEN TABOR AND FOUNDERS OF RAIN WILL BRING FLOWERS FOUNDATION.
IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE TWO EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE TURNED PERSONAL TRAGEDY INTO A POWERFUL FORCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
JORDAN AND LISA TABOR, THE FOUNDERS OF THE RAIN, WILL BRING FLOWERS FOUNDATION, THEIR JOURNEY MARKED BY THE UNIMAGINABLE LOSS OF THEIR SON.
OWEN HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A BEACON OF HOPE SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE AWARENESS, PARTICULARLY AMONG OUR YOUTH.
JORDAN AND LISA HAVE BECOME PASSIONATE ADVOCATES FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
THEIR MISSION AIMED AT REACHING STUDENTS, STUDENT ATHLETES, COACHES AND PARENTS, UNDERSCORES THE URGENCY OF CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT SO MANY IN SILENCE.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE FOUNDATION TEAMED UP WITH THE LSU ATHLETICS AND OUR LADY OF THE LAKE TO HOST THE IMPACTFUL PLANTING SEEDS OF HOPE EVENT AT THE L-S-U-P-M-A-C, INITIATING REAL CONVERSATIONS SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH, BREAKING DOWN STIGMAS AND FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE INDIVIDUALS FEEL SEEN, HEARD, AND SUPPORTED.
IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN SHIES AWAY FROM DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, JORDAN AND LISA TABOR HAVE BRAVELY STEPPED FORWARD CHANGING HOW WE TALK ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S WELLBEING.
THEIR COMMITMENT TO CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE MENTAL HEALTH IS PRIORITIZED, IS INDEED COMMENDABLE AND ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH OUR CITY'S VISION FOR A HEALTHIER, MORE COMPASSIONATE BATON ROUGE.
LET US EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO JORDAN AND LISA FOR THEIR RESILIENCE, COMPASSION, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
THANK YOU MAYOR BLOOM FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, LISA AND I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO TRANSFORM OUR PAIN INTO PURPOSE AND PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY.
ITS FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SON OWEN WAS POPULAR, NEVER BULLIED.
UM, ATHLETIC, GOOD LOOKING CAME FROM A VERY STABLE HOME WHERE HE WAS LOVED AND SUPPORTED IN EVERY WAY.
AND I JUST SAY THAT SO EVERYONE THAT'S LISTENING TO ME WILL KNOW THAT IF OUR SON COULD FALL VICTIM TO SUICIDE, THEN ALL OF OUR RISK, ALL OF OUR YOUTH ARE AT RISK.
AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE, UH, PROVIDE EDUCATION AND MESSAGING, UH, TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO, UH, CHECK, TO TRY TO AFFECT CHANGE TOGETHER.
UH, IT WILL ALL TAKE A VILLAGE AND WE NEED TO DO IT TOGETHER.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK RAIN WILL BRING FLOWERS FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SHELLY MULLINAX, GORDY RUSH, GERALD CALLAGHAN, DR.
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AND ALSO DONNIE JARROW.I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LSU, ATHLETE ATHLETICS, OUR LADY LAKE AND ALSO THE L CLUB AND OF COURSE MAYOR BLOOM.
NEXT UP METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN WILL RECOGNIZE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL KITTEN TROOP 1 0 5 5 1.
AND I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ASSEMBLED HERE.
AND SO THIS AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO STAND HERE AND ACKNOWLEDGE SOME GIRLS THAT HAVE REALLY SHOWN SOME GOOD STUFF.
AND SO I'M ALSO HONORED TO BE STANDING HERE WITH MY GOOD GIRL WHO IS BLANCHE COLEMAN, WHO IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER WHO FOLLOWING ME BECAUSE WHAT SHE FOLLOWS THE BEST
ISN'T THAT RIGHT? UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND SO, UH, BLANCHE IS HERE AND BLANCHE IS A SENIOR AT ST.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR, UH, COME ON.
MAY I GET THIS PICTURE? THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND SO WHAT BETTER TIME THAN THIS? LOOK, BECAUSE BLANCHE WAS ONCE ONE OF THESE GIRLS HERE.
YOU ALL ARE THE LADIES OF THE HOUR.
AND SO THESE YOUNG LADIES HERE, YOU ALL IS THE EPITOME OF WHAT ALL OF US OUGHT TO BE ABOUT.
AND THAT IS THEIR GIRL SCOUT PROMISE.
I'LL TRY TO SERVE GOD IN MY COUNTRY TO HELP PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES AND TO LIVE BY THAT GIRL SCOUT LAW.
EVERYBODY OUGHT TO BE DOING THAT.
SO KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE REPRESENTING VERY WELL AND WE'RE JUST GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE.
AND THEN MANY MAY WAIT, MAY ASK WHY THE BLUE? WHY THE GREEN? WHY THE DIFFERENT COLORS? BECAUSE WE HAVE DAISIES.
WHAT ELSE? WE HAVE BLANCHE, UM, BROWNIES.
EVERYBODY, CADETS LOVE BROWNIE,
AND SO YOU GROW IN THIS THING, PEOPLE.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND I'M GOING TO ASK MS. ANYA VARGAS TO COME ON UP HERE.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE EACH ONE OF THESE YOUNG LADIES A CERTIFICATE.
OKAY? FIRST UP IS KENZIE WELSH.
ALRIGHT, KENZIE, THAT'S YOUR NAME.
ALRIGHT, AND KENZIE, YOU STAND RIGHT OVER.
UM, NEXT IS JOLIE HANDY? SHE'S NOT HERE.
AND NOW CHLOE WRIGHT, SHE'S A CADET.
RILEY SEALS, SHE'S ALSO A CADET.
AND DEMI A AMOR VARGAS, SHE'S A CADET.
AND SO I'M TOLD THAT THE MEGA DROP, WHICH IS WHEN THE COOKIES WILL COME, WILL BE FEBRUARY THE 24TH.
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AND ON THAT NOTE, KENZIE, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE? CHOCOLATE.AH, AND WHAT ABOUT YOU CHARLIE? CHOCOLATE CHIP TWO FOR CHOCOLATE CHIP.
UM, JOLIE, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S AND WHAT DOES SHE LIKE? I THINK JOLIE PROBABLY LIKES LEMONADE.
VIOLET, SHE LIKES CARAMEL DELIGHTS.
THAT'S WHAT I LIKE THAT PLAIN BABY.
AND BRI BRILEY, UH, I LIKE TREY FALLS AND THEM.
I LOVE A GIRL THAT HAS TWO
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
OUR TROOP TROOP 1 0 5 5 1 IS EXCLUSIVE TO THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ORDER ANY COOKIES FROM OUR GIRLS, YOU CAN GO TO SU LAB SCHOOL.COM.
WE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE UP HERE.
WE GONNA TAKE OUR PICTURE RIGHT UP THERE WHILE THEY'RE, UM, TAKING PICTURES.
WE HAVE THE FAVORITES FROM EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SO WE WILL BE ORDERING THEM AND GETTING THEM TO EACH OF THE MEMBERS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE WANNA DO MINE FIRST, THEN HE'S NEXT.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY LOOK RIGHT HERE.
THIS DISTRICT 10, EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING ACKNOWLEDGED TODAY, EVEN ON THESE LSU GIRLS.
ALRIGHT, BIG SMILES ALL HOLD UP FOR ME.
SO GIVE IT UP FOR THESE GIRLS.
NEXT UP WE'LL HAVE METRO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN AND METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER AARON MO TO RECOGNIZE ROBERT A BOGAN BATON ROUGE FIRE MUSEUM.
CAROLYN, GO TAKE OUT, UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, TODAY, UH, SOMETHING SPECIAL AND DEAR TO MY HEART, OF COURSE IS FIREFIGHTERS POLICE AND, UH, EMS, UH, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ROBERT A BOGAN FIRE MUSEUM, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO AN EVENT THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO GO TO.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY AND, AND AND BACKGROUND LIKE THAT.
BUT AS I WAS OUT THERE ONE EVENING, I NOTICED I LOOKED UP AND IT HAD, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT.
IT'S A UNITED STATES FLAG ABOVE THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HIS HISTORICAL AREA.
SO I ASKED AND INQUIRED WITH THE BOARD, UH, WITH SOME OF THE EVENTS, UH, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, RECEIVE IN ADDITION TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE ROBERT A BOGEN FIRE MUSEUM IS AN INSTITUTION COMMITTED TO PRESERVING THE RICH HISTORY OF BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTING HERITAGE.
THE TEAM BRINGS PASSION, EXPERTISE, AND A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROTECTED OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ROBERT A BOGDEN, DURING HIS TENURE AS CHIEF, HE ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS THAT BUILT WHAT COULD BE CALLED A MODEL FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
IN 1925, HE WORKED TO GET THE CITY TO ESTABLISH A FIREMAN'S PENSION FUND TO GIVE SECURITY FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
IN THE TWENTIES, HE BEGAN A SYSTEM OF INSPECTIONS TO REDUCE FIRE HAZARDS IN THE CITY.
HE ALSO WAS A TEAM THAT BROUGHT ONE OF THE FIRST MOTORIZED VEHICLES, UM, MOTORIZED FIRE TRUCKS TO BATON ROUGE.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, HE ARRANGED FOR ALL CITY FIREFIGHTERS TO RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN FIRST AID AND EQUIPPED ALL ENGINES WITH THE FIRST AID KIT, WHICH GOT INTO WHERE THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAME FIRST RESPONDERS BEFORE EVEN EMS, UH, WAS AROUND AND EVERYTHING.
SO THAT'S A QUICK HISTORY OF THE BOGAN EIGHT FIRE MUSEUM.
UH, THERE'S TWO BEAUTIFUL TRUCKS IN THERE.
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THEY HOST DIFFERENT EVENTS.UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US INVEST IN MORE, UM, TO DO WITH THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT I THINK WE CAN INVEST IN, WE, UH, I ASKED MS. CAROLYN TO JOIN ME AND FROM, UH, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND FROM THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, WE WANT TO PRESENT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE BOMAN MUSEUM.
THESE TWO FLAGS TO HANG WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG ABOVE THE FIRE MUSEUM.
BUT WE HAVE A LOUISIANA STATE FLAG TO PRESENT THAT RIGHT THERE IS A ROY AND, AND PROUDLY TO HANG ABOVE THE BATON ROUGE FIRE MUSEUM IS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE FLAG.
I HOPE THEY'RE NOT BIGGER THAN THE UNITED STATES FLAG.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HANG WITH THAT.
BUT, UH, AT THIS TIME, UM, THIS IS MR. CHRISTIAN ROGERS.
HE IS ON THE BOARD AND IF HE HAS A LITTLE INFORMATION TO GIVE ABOUT THE FIRE MUSEUM, AND WE ARE VERY HONORED TO RECEIVE THESE FLAGS.
IT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR REQUESTS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW.
SO WE'RE GLAD THAT IT'S FINALLY COME TO, TO FRUITION.
UH, AND AGAIN, THE FIRE MUSEUM, WE ARE REALLY HERE TO HONOR AND PRESERVE ALL THE HISTORY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, NOT JUST IN BATON ROUGE, BUT ALSO ST.
UM, AND REALLY WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS BECOMING THE STATE FIRE MUSEUM.
UM, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH, UM, CHIEF BOGAN REALLY SETTING THE PACE FOR REALLY ALL THE FIRE, UM, STATIONS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WITH ALL THAT HE'S DONE WITH THE FIRE ACADEMY.
AND I AM PROUD THAT WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE THE VERY FIRST MOTORIZED VEHICLE IN OUR DISPLAY, THE 1919 LADDER TRUCK.
IT IS ACTUALLY ON DISPLAY IN OUR FIRE, UM, MUSEUM THAT THE STATE THAT THE STATE AND THE CITY DID PURCHASE FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS.
SO, UM, AS WE GET THROUGH MARDI GRAS SEASON, WE'LL BE OPEN ON SATURDAYS, UM, KIND OF TO KIND OF COORDINATE WITH THE, UM, THE DOWNTOWN, UM, FOOD MARKET ON SATURDAY MORNINGS.
SO WE'LL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND FOR MOST OF THAT WE ARE FREE TO PUBLIC, UM, AT ANY TIME ON THE DAYS THAT WE'RE OPEN.
SO MORE TO COME CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
AND ON THAT, UH, HEREBY AWARDED TO ROBERT A BODEN BA BOARD OF DIRECTORS BATON ROUGE FIRE MUSEUM.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING THE CULTURAL AND HISTOR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.
THE AESTHETICS OF THE MUSEUM SYMBOLIZES THE DEEP ROOTED CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND ITS FIREFIGHTING HERITAGE AS A VITAL ROLE IN PRESERVING THE HERITAGE OF OUR CITY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE BATON ROUGE FLAG AND THE LOUISIANA STATE FLAG TO BE HUNG ON TOP OF THE BATON ROUGE FIRE MUSEUM.
GIVEN THIS DATE, JANUARY 31ST, 2024.
THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? YES.
WHERE IS THAT MUSEUM? 4 27 LAURELS DISTRICT.
I GAVE HER, I LIFTED IT RIGHT UP THERE.
SHE CAN, SHE CAN, SHE CAN POO POOP, LAY ANYTHING.
NEXT UP WE HAVE METRO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN TO RECOGNIZE BLANCHE M COLEMAN SENIOR AT ST.
JOSEPH'S ACADEMY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE DAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD TO DO THAT THOUGH.
I TOLD, TOLD, TOLD HIM THREE TIMES, I MUST SAY IN ALL.
I MUST SAY IN ALL OF, MANY OF MY PRESENTATIONS.
AND I MADE THIS ONE WHEREBY, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OR WHATEVER PLAN, JUST ONE OF MY, THAT THE RECORD REFLECT WHAT I SAID.
BLANCHE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE GRANDDAUGHTERS.
AND SO BLANCHE, AS I SAID BEFORE, SHE'S A SENIOR AT, UH, ST.
JOE'S ACADEMY AND THEN BLANCHE, UM, HAD TO HAVE OUR, AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S ON.
AND SO BLANCHE IS A SENIOR AT, UH, ST.
AND, UH, I'M JUST PROUD OF THIS LITTLE GIRL HERE AND SHE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GET HER HOURS AND FOLLOW ONE OF THE
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BEST.SO BLANCHE
SHE'S GOING TO BE ATTENDING LSU AND MAJOR AND IN, UM, PRE-MADE PRE-MED.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATIONS FOR THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BRIEF FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
WE'LL RECONVENE THE COUNCIL MEETING IN, IN FIVE MINUTES.
MAYOR, PRESIDENT, YOU WHEN I'M READY.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31ST, 2024 REGULAR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
OUR INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE, UH, DONE THIS EVENING BY ZACHARY COUNCILWOMAN, JENNIFER BOYD, UH, AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE DONE BY THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL.
PLEASE PRAY WITH ME TO HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, FATHER, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL, TALENTED PEOPLE.
GOD THANK YOU FOR THE TALENTS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN EACH OF US.
FATHER, I JUST PRAY THAT YOU STRIKE ANYTHING NEGATIVE OR ANY THOUGHTS OR ANYTHING FROM OUR MOUTHS, FATHER.
AND JUST HELP US POUR OUT NOTHING BUT POSITIVE ENERGY, FATHER AND OUR TALENTS AND USE THEM BEST TO THEIR ABILITIES, UH, FOR EACH OTHER, FOR THE GOOD OF THIS COMMUNITY.
FATHER, WE JUST GIVE YOU ALL THE GLORY.
FATHER, MAY, MAY WE JUST NEVER LOSE, LOSE YOUR WONDER, THE WONDER OF YOUR MERCY, GOD AND YOUR GRACE.
WE GIVE YOU THE GLORY IN JESUS NAME.
I DON'T HURT, RIGHT? THERE YOU GO.
HOW ABOUT THIS? HOW ABOUT Y'ALL STAND HERE.
HOW ABOUT Y'ALL STAND HERE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO COVER STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
GO TO ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.ITEM ONE, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 10TH, 2024, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING OF JANUARY 17TH, 2024 AND THE SPECIAL METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 19TH, 2024 AND THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 9TH, 2024 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, TREASURER.
HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ITEM ONE BY ASO, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[INTRODUCTIONS (Part 1 of 3)]
ASHLEY, PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS.SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, AMENDING THE 2024 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE ALLISON SAINT IRMA LEE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AS TO APPROPRIATE $146,780 FROM THE COLLECTION OF 2024 PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO INCREASE PAYROLL NEEDS FOR RECRUITING AND RETENTION BY ALLISON SAINT IRMA.
FIRE CHIEF NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO APPROVE THE ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT TO INCREASE THE PAY OF ROBERT L JOINER, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER THREE, PAY GRADE 2290 FROM STEP 14 TO STEP 19 BY THE ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
NUMBER FOUR, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND LEVYING AN AVALOR PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE OF 10.0 MILLS IN THE CHENEY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
NUMBER SEVEN OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS COMMENCING WITH THE TAX COLLECTION YEAR 2024 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2033 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURER NUMBER FIVE, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND LEVYING AN VALOR PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE AT THE RATE OF 10.0 MILLS IN THE ALLISON ST.
ARLEE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE OF THE PARISH OF EAST GUT ROOF STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS COMMENCING WITH THE TAX COLLECTION YEAR 2024
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AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2033 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURER.NUMBER SIX, EXPRESSING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL'S INTENTION TO REMOVE BRANDON WILLIAMS FROM THE MUNICIPAL FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD FOR NEGLECTIVE DUTY AND OR MISCONDUCT IN OFFICE.
IN DIRECTING COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TREASURER TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL NOTICE OF A HEARING TO BE HELD AT THE REGULAR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 AT 4:00 PM BY COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON CONDEMNATION.
[CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS]
INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER SEVEN, JOHN CARTER JUNIOR.4 2 8 9 PRESCOTT COURT COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE, NUMBER EIGHT, LEON D JOHNSON AND TIJUANA G JOHNSON.
3 5 3 3 3 5 3 PRESCOTT ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE, NUMBER NINE, THOMAS L DANGERFIELD AT AL.
1 4 9 EAST WASHINGTON STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN ADJUDICATED
[ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS]
PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 10 LOT ONE A SQUARE 12 SUBDIVISION BANKS COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 11, LOT SEVEN AND NINE SQUARE 47 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 12 LOT 24 SQUARE 1 0 2 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 13, LOT FOUR SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION NORTHDALE AND ADDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 14 LOT 45 SQUARE THREE SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE ADEN ADDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 15 LOT 44 SQUARE THREE SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 16 LOT 12 SQUARE 28 SUBDIVISION FAIRFIELD COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 17 LOT 11 SQUARE NINE SUBDIVISION STANDARD HEIGHTS COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 18 LOT 22 SQUARE 39 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 19 LOT 59 SQUARE 15 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 20 LOT 14 SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION VALLEY PARK ANNEX COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCA NUMBER 21 LOT 10 SQUARE 35.SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 22 LOT 14 SUBDIVISION FAIRLAND COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 23 LOT NINE PLUS SQUARE EIGHT SUBDIVISION FORTUNE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 24 LOT 14 PARTS SQUARE 36 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 25 LOT THREE SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26 LOT 24 PLUS SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION BOGAN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 27 LOT 35 SQUARE TWO.
SUBDIVISION COMBU COM I'M SORRY, COM BUZZ ZOO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 28 LOT 30 SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION DAYTON COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
ALL ITEMS REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ.
AND A MOTION TO DELETE ITEM 48 AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS IS ORDER A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE ITEM THAT REFERENCES BRANDON WILLIAMS. ALL RIGHT.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DO WE HAVE THE ITEM NUMBER 24? UM, NUMBER SIX.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
WE NEED, UH, WE DO NEED ITEM 48 DELETED.
COUNCILMAN DUN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ADD 48 TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLE.
I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS SECONDED BY ASO EXCEPT 48 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 48.
SO WE'LL VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST.
UM, ASHLEY OPEN MACHINE MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DELETE ITEM 48 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. PUT YES, UH, MR. HUDSON'S IS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S, UM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CLEAR THAT WE'RE GONNA VOTE FIRST ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION MOTION, WHICH IS TO DELETE ITEM 48.
THAT IS AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO DO WITH MR. WILLIAMS AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. SO THE MOTION WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON IS DELETE 48.
INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. SORRY.
MACHINES ARE OPEN, YES OR NO? MR. COLE IS ERRONEOUSLY SHOWED AS.
YES, THE MOTION STILL CARRIES.
[CONDEMNATIONS (Part 1 of 2)]
MOVE TO, UH, CONDEMNATIONS.PLEASE SEE YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR DPW.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM DPW ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 49 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, AND 66.
UH, I HAVE REQUESTS FROM A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, UH, DEFER ITEMS 50 AND 63 FOR 30 DAYS.
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AND A REQUEST TO DEFER ITEMS 67 AND 55 FOR 90 DAYS.UH, AND A REQUEST TO DELETE ITEMS 56, 56 50 AND 49.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER REQUESTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON CONDEMNATIONS? YES, I'D LIKE TO, UH, 30 DAY NUMBER, UH, 51, GIVE 'EM 30 DAYS TO COMPLETE SUCCESSION.
NUMBER 52, UM, SCHEDULE FOR SELF DEMOLITION.
SO I WANT TO DELETE 52, 53, 30 DAYS IS IN SUCCESSION.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES.
UM, I NEED 90 DAYS FOR ITEM NUMBER 59, PLEASE.
DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THE MOTION WILL BE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 49 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, AND 66 DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEMS 50 63, 51 53 DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 50 56, 49 AND 52.
MOTION BY THE CHAIR? WE HAVE A SECOND.
UM, MR. HUDSON, I THINK YOU MISREAD.
UM, WE HAVE ITEM 50 AS BEING DEFERRED FOR 30 DAYS NOT BEING DELETED.
AND 59 WAS 90 DAYS NOT PROCEED.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO REREAD THAT.
SO MOTION TO PROCEED ON ITEMS 49 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, AND 66 DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEMS 63, 51 AND 53 DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 56 49 AND 52.
MOTION BY THE CHAIR SECOND BY MRO.
SO DO WE HAVE NO, UH, SEE ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE AMAROSA THE ITEM CARRIES MOTION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVE A REQUEST TO TAKE ITEM ON HONOR.
[INTRODUCTIONS (Part 2 of 3)]
TO GO BACK, MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER NUMBER 40.I, IS IT A RECONSIDER OR WAS THE VOTE LIKE COUNCILMAN COLES, UH, SHOWN INCORRECT? WELL, ONCE WE, UM, RECONSIDER THEN WE, ONCE THE VOTE IS PRINTED, WE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER IT.
THERE'S A MOTION TO RECONSIDER A SECOND BY MR. COLE TO RECONSIDER.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? SEE? AND NONE WE WILL RECONSIDER INTRODUCTIONS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF I.
I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 48.
AND ITEM SIX, IS IT ASHLEY SIX? YES.
UH, THE FIRST MOTION IS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NOEL.
MOTION IS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLE.
WE'LL VOTE FIRST ON IF THERE'S NO, IF THERE'S NO REQUEST TO SPEAK, WE'LL VOTE FIRST ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
ASHLEY, PLEASE READ THE MOTIONS.
UM, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO DELETE ITEMS 48 AND SIX AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
I AM GOING TO OPEN THE MACHINES FOR THAT MOTION, PLEASE.
AND WE'RE VOTING FIRST ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
THAT WILL BE TO DELETE 48 AND SIX.
QUESTION IF THESE TWO FAIL, DOES THE PREVIOUS VOTE STAND OR DOES THE RECONSIDERATION NO.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
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NEXT, THE MACHINE'S GONNA BE OPEN ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO DELETE ITEM 48 AND INTRO.INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. I HAVE POINT OF ORDER.
MR. GOEY, CAN WE DEFER THIS UNTIL WE HAVE ALL MEMBERS PRESENT? WE, WE CLEARLY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA REACH, UH, A CONSENSUS AND THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT GONNA INTRODUCE ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THE BUSINESS THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO BE IN.
SO CAN WE DEFER AND COME BACK TO THIS RECONSIDERATION? YOU? YES.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING.
LETTING A MOTION NEED TO BE, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO MO WE NEED, NEED TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE ON THE FLOOR.
I OBJECT TO RECON TO, UH, DEFER IT.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER TO LATER IN THE MEETING BY MR. GOE.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT MOTION? OBJECTION.
ARE THERE OTHER OBJECTIONS? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON THE MOTION TO DEFER MS ITEM THE INTRODUCTIONS.
THE MOTION TO DEFER NO, THE, THE MOTION TO DEFER THE INTRODUCTIONS TO LATER IN THE MEETING.
MR. HUDSON WITHDREW HIS MOTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
THIS IS A MOTION TO DEFER THE INTRODUCTIONS TO, UH, LATER IN THE MEETING.
PROBABLY BEST PRACTICE TO PICK A TIME AFTER, AFTER CONDEMNATION.
AFTER PUBLIC HEARINGS, PERHAPS? YES.
YOU DON'T HAVE 12 MEMBERS PRESENT.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DEFER INTRODUCTIONS TO LATER IN THE MEETING.
[68. 23-01591 ]
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING.UH, ITEM 68, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CEA WITH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR SUBSIDIES FOR INNER CITY RAIL SERVICE BETWEEN BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.
DIRECTOR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 68.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MR. RAFFORD, DO YOU WANNA SHARE? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I AM, I HAVE HAD A CHANCE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO ALL THE, THE MEMBERS HERE.
'CAUSE I DON'T CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T TRY TO GET SOMETHING BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA ASK TO ACTUALLY DELETE THE ITEM TODAY.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT WE MAY HAVE IN REFERENCE TO THE RAIL, UH, STATION AGREEMENT ITSELF.
I ALSO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT THROUGH THE, THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT THE, THE RAISE GRANT FUNDING THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TO HELP FACILITATE BUILDING THE, THE ACTUAL TRAIN STATION ITSELF, UM, HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK IN REGARDS TO GIVE US MORE TIME IN REGARDS TO, TO LOOK AND EVALUATE THE ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, THE REAL REASON, ONE OF THE BIG IMPORTANT REASONS FOR ME IS WE HAD THE TIME, BUT AFTER READING A LOT OF THE EMAILS THAT, THAT, THAT MANY OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE, UH, SENT TO US, WHICH I DID PREPARE A PACKET OF A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR AS BEST I COULD BASED ON THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED.
BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WERE STATED, UH, ALSO IN AN EMAIL, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT AT A COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEING LOOKED AT AND HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH THE, UH, OVERALL RAIL SYSTEM.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, THAT BASED ON, I'VE LISTENED TO THE MEETINGS PROBABLY 30 TIMES ON THE CABLE VISION OF THAT MEETING THAT WE HAD, OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE OF A CONCERN AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN DUNN AND ALSO COUNCILWOMAN BANKS EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EQUITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND AGAIN, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO LOOK AND EVALUATE ALL THE OPTIONS AND, AND PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, A NEED PROCESS REQUIRES TO LOOK AT ALTERNATES.
AND I WOULD RATHER DO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT IN GENERAL AND HAVE SOME FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT WE COULD HAVE TO BE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL.
I THINK BECAUSE OF THE TIMEFRAME DISAGREEMENT, UH, OF THIS OVERALL RAIL CONSIDERATION WAS APPROVED IN 2016.
AND WE ARE HERE, WE ARE IN 2024.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE
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MAY HAVE AGREED TO OR WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING CON UH, BEING BUILT.THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS, WHICH I THINK IS, IS CRITICAL TO GET INPUT AND HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO, TO DELETE THE ITEM.
I WILL PROBABLY BE HOPEFULLY BRINGING IT BACK SOMETIME IN MAY, UH, UH, TO, TO, TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION HAVE MEETINGS.
I, UH, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN BANKS HAS ALREADY STRUCTURED A MEETING FOR ME ALREADY TO, TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA WHERE SHE WAS BROUGHT UP AND ASKED ABOUT.
AND, UH, I WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS SO I CAN AT LEAST PROVIDE YOU THE BEST INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE COST ASPECT THAT FROM THE, UH, SUBSIDIES.
I KNOW THAT WAS AN ISSUE BY A LOT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UH, WHILE I SAID IT WAS AN ESTIMATE, I THINK WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO WHAT THAT ESTIMATE MAY BE IN REGARDS TO THE OVERALL PLAN.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, REQUEST THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I WOULD HOPE YOUR SUPPORT IN, IN THAT HONOR.
THERE'S A MOTION BY THE CHAIR TO DELETE THE ITEM.
[INTRODUCTIONS (Part 3 of 3)]
MOTION TO RECONSIDER.INTRODUCTIONS SECONDED BY MR. THE COUNCILMAN DUNN.
ANY OPPOSITION TO RECONSIDERING, UH, INTRODUCTIONS? SEEING NONE, WE WILL RECONSIDER INTRODUCTIONS.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 48.
WHAT'S THE OTHER ITEM? NUMBER SIX AND ITEM SIX.
ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS ARE INTRODUCED.
[69. 23-01831 ]
MOVE NOW TO ITEM 69, AUTHORIZING THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO DECLARE LOT 1 34 SOUTH DAYTON SUBDIVISION MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 52 45 FRAY STREET, FRY STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND NOT NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE.AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAME PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33 47 12 UNTO TANISHA FLOWERS FOR THE SUM OF $9,600 BY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 69.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY THE CHAIR.
UH, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE? ITEM 69 CARRIES ITEM 70, TEMPORARILY
[70. 24-00001 ]
MODIFYING TITLE SEVEN UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.SIGNS FOR EXISTING LEGAL NON-CONFORMING BILLBOARD SIGNS IMPACTED BY THE INTERSTATE 10 WIDENING PROJECT FOR A PERIOD TERMINATING 12 MONTHS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE INTERSTATE 10 WIDENING PROJECT BY COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER ROCCO.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 70.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK SEE A NON WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BANKS SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
[71. 23-01835 ]
71, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO RECEIVE A GRANT AWARD OF $30,802,100 UNDER LOUISIANA, O-C-D-C-D-B-G NON-FEDERAL MATCH PROGRAM FOR PROJECT WARD CREEK WATERSHED DETENTION BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 71.ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 71? SEE AN NONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA ASK CLAY IF HE'LL COME UP.
UM, AND IT, IF IT'S OKAY, BECAUSE THE ITEMS 71, 72 AND 73, I'LL DEAL WITH THE C-D-B-G-M-I-T GRANT.
I WAS GONNA ASK IF HE COULD JUST GIVE A DESCRIPTION OF THE THREE.
AM I OKAY TO GO FOR THE NEXT THREE ITEMS, CLAY? JUST THOSE THREE ITEMS. UM, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING COMING FROM, I ASSUME FEDERAL SOURCES THROUGH THE STATE TO YOUR OFFICE.
DO I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY? RIGHT.
IS THERE A MATCH? AND IF YOU'LL TALK THROUGH.
SO, SO WHAT THIS IS COUNCILMAN, UH, NORMALLY THIS WOULD'VE BEEN UNDER, UH, THE HOMELAND, I MEAN HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM.
BUT, UH, OCD, THE OFFICE, THE STATE OCD OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS MATCHING, UM, LOCAL FUNDING.
THE 25% THAT WE WOULD HAVE COME UP WITH.
BUT THIS IS THE 25% MATCH COVER.
SO NO, THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE SELECTING CERTAIN PROJECTS TO, TO DO THE GLOBAL MATCH FOR THE STATE.
SO THERE IS NO LOCAL MATCH FOR THESE.
A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL FUNDED? YES, SIR.
FOR WARDS CREEK OR GROOM ROAD.
AND AT MEMORIAL, IS THAT MEMORIAL STADIUM? CORRECT.
SO IT'LL BE, UH, THAT WILL BE A SAFE ROOM.
SAFE ROOM, BUT IT'LL BE DUAL PURPOSE.
AND THEN, UH, BRECK WILL PICK UP THE, UH, INELIGIBLE COSTS.
YOUR OFFICE ADMINISTERS THESE GRANTS? YES, SIR.
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CLAY.ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? SEEING NONE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN GODDE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE? ITEM 71 CARRIES COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE
[98. 24-00062 ]
GONNA TAKE ITEM 98 OUTTA ORDER.UH, ITEM 80 98, UH, CHANGE ORDER RUNWAY 1331, SAFETY AREA AND RPZ IMPROVEMENTS, LOUISIANA HIGHWAY 67 PLANK ROAD, PHASE ONE CONTRACTOR, BOOM.
SERVICES LLC, CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $999,653 41 CENTS.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 98.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 98.
SEEING NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OPEN THE FLOOR TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, THE ITEM CARRIES.
[72. 23-01836 ]
PAGE 15, ITEM 72, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD OF $11,646,500 UNDER THE LOUISIANA O-C-D-C-D-B-G GROOM ROAD STORM SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT BY HOMELAND AND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ITEM 72.ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, SEEING, AND NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY THE CHAIR.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
[73. 23-01838]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $11,608,682 UNDER THE C-D-B-G-M-I-T MEMORIAL SPORTS COMPLEX SAFE ROOM BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 73.ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC SEE AND NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT I SAID C-D-B-G-O-O-C-D CORRECTLY ON ALL THOSE ITEMS.
[74. 24-00004]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE TO ADD, UH, TO AND FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT CONTRACT WITH EAST BATON ROUGE COUNSEL ON AGING.AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $480,480 TO PROVIDE MEALS FOR THE YOUTH AND JUVENILE SERVICE DETENTION FACILITY FOR THE PERIOD OF FEBRUARY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 BY JUVENILE SERVICES DIRECTOR.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ITEM 74.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TWO EMAIL COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 74.
NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION.
OH, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN COLEMAN? UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY DONE WILL, UH, COUNCILMAN GODDE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I WAS GONNA ASK DR. WADE TO COME UP.
YOU PROVIDED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION TO ME.
I POST SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, UM, AS A RESULT OF SOME INQUIRIES I GOT FROM, UH, DISTRICT THREE RESIDENTS.
AND SO I WAS GONNA, UH, ASK YOU TO GIVE THE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT THAT HELPED ME COME TO A GOOD UNDERSTANDING ON THIS ITEM RELATED TO THE NEEDS YOU HAVE AT THE FACILITY FOR THREE MEALS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, DISASTERS, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
AND HOW THAT NEED IS MET, UH, BEING, BEING MET BY THE COUNCIL ON AGING.
SO FOR, UM, JUVENILE DETENTION, UH, WE ARE MANDATED TO HOUSE YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 20.
OUR FACILITY IS 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UH, BECAUSE WE ARE 24 HOURS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AND THE YOUTH RESIDE AT THE FACILITY, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE NUTRITIONAL MEALS PER DAY, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER.
UM, THE THREE MEALS ARE ALSO INCLUSIVE OF THE STAFF PER THE UNION CONTRACT.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE CONT UH, CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW FOR A LUNCH BREAK THEN, I DON'T KNOW, FOR MAYBE THE LAST 15 TO 20 YEARS, UH, WE HAVE ALSO, UM, PROVIDED ONE MEAL PER SHIFT PER EMPLOYEE.
AND THE FOUR 80, THE 480,480 IS A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT THAT RELIES ON IF THE FACILITY WAS AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY 365 DAYS A YEAR.
UM, I HAVE, AM I CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
THE AMOUNT OF 480,480 IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT.
UM, THERE IS, UM, JUSTIFICATION AND FLEXIBILITY.
UM, IF WE HAVE 25 YOUTH, WE RECEIVE
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AND PAY FOR 25 MEALS.AND THAT FLEXIBILITY ALSO, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT FOR ME, THAT WAS APPRECIATED AS WELL.
I, I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WORKING WITHIN A SCHOOL WITHOUT A KITCHEN FACILITY.
SO WE HAD MEALS DELIVERED AND UH, SO MY INTEREST IN THIS WAS PEAKED BECAUSE AT THAT SCHOOL WE HAD ABOUT 150 STUDENTS, PROBABLY 120, UH, EIGHT THAT PROVIDED MEAL OR, OR WERE SERVED, I SHOULD SAY, THAT PROVIDED MEAL.
AND WE HAD TO WORK WITH THAT VENDOR PRETTY CLOSELY BECAUSE SOME DAYS THE MEAL WAS NOT TO THEIR LIKING.
AND SO WHILE WE WERE PAYING FOR A HUNDRED, 20, 40 WOULD GET ACTUALLY EATEN, WHICH MEANS 80 GOES IN THE TRASH CAN AND WE'RE EXPENDING DOLLARS THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE.
SO WE HAD TO MONITOR IT PRETTY CLOSELY.
AND, AND SO THAT DEFINITELY IMPRESS UPON YOU TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF OVERSIGHT THAT THE MEALS, WHICH I'M APPRECIATING ARE BEING PREPARED AS WELL FOR AN ELDERLY POPULATION IF THEY DON'T MEET THE NEEDS OF THE YOUNGER POPULATION THAT ARE HOUSED THERE.
UM, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THAT FLEXIBILITY CONTINUES WHERE THAT'S CONCERN.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, PREVIOUSLY, HOW HAVE Y'ALL BEEN SUPPLYING MEALS TO THE, UM, TO YOUR, TO YOUR RESIDENCE? SO PREVIOUSLY WE OPERATED AS AN ONSITE PROVIDER, WHICH MEANS WE HAD A FULLY STAFFED KITCHEN OF FIVE PERSONNEL.
UM, AS WE BEGAN TO SEE A HIGH TURNOVER RATE, UM, I'LL LET YOU TREAT IT, WE BEGAN TO PUT A PLAN IN MOTION, RIGHT? UM, WE SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO COME IN WITH A BETTER METHOD WHERE WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A STAFF CALL IN, UH, HAVING A STAFF REDUCED TO ZERO, BUT ALWAYS HAVING IN PLACE A PLAN THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE MEALS.
AND SO, UM, WHEN YOU DID HAVE YOUR IN-HOUSE STAFF ABOUT WHAT WAS THE BUDGET A YEAR FOR, UM, FOR FOOD? SO THE BUDGET PER YEAR FOR THE FIVE STAFF CAME TO $214,000, UM, PER YEAR.
UM, THE 270,000 REPRESENTED THE ACTUAL FOOD EXPENSES.
AND SO IN TOTALITY, UH, WE DID IN FACT PAY MORE THAN THE COST OF THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
AND HOW, UM, HOW DID Y'ALL GO ABOUT FINDING THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR? WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE DEPARTMENTS ARE CHARGED WITH FOLLOWING THE PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES, WHICH WAS PROVIDED TO US BY THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE USED THE EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION, UM, PURCHASING ACT, AND WE FOLLOWED IT TO THE LETTER AND TO THE T.
ULTIMATELY, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE THE LOWEST, MOST RESPONSIVE, UM, BID.
UM, I WOULD ADD THAT THE COUNCIL ON AGE AND SERVICES OFFERED ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITIES THAT WAS NOT, OR COULD NOT BE PROVIDED BY OTHER VENDORS, INCLUDING SERVICE IN OUR FACILITIES IN THE EVENING WITH THREE MEALS, HOLIDAYS, CLOSURES, AND IN NATURAL DISASTERS.
UH, THANK YOU LADIES FOR COMING FROM COA.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, YOU DON'T GET TO SEE THE KINDA WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY, MAKING SURE THAT OUR GRANDMOTHERS, GREAT AUNTS, NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, COUSINS, HAVE THE RESOURCE THAT THEY NEED TO, TO LIVE AND, AND, AND WORK AND PLAY.
AND, UH, AS A PART OF THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES, WHEN THEY BUILT THE NEW HEADQUARTERS, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A TOUR.
NOW, WHEN I TOOK A TOUR OF THOSE HEADQUARTERS, THE ONE THING THAT I TOLD TASHA KMAR, THE CEO OF COUNCIL AND AGENT, EAST BROWN PARISH, SHE WAS A GENIUS BECAUSE SHE SAW THE, THE DISASTROUS TIMES THAT WE FACED IN THE PAST.
SHE THOUGHT ABOUT THE TIMES THAT WE POTENTIALLY FACE IN THE FUTURE.
AND HER WHOLE GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT NO PERSON THAT WAS UNDER HER PURVIEW WENT HUNGRY.
AND SO SHE CREATED THE MOST AMAZING KITCHEN WHERE THE ENTIRE BOTTOM FLOOR OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING ALLOWS THEM TO DO WHAT WE CALL MICROWAVEABLE OR WHATEVER YOU CALL WHAT IT CALLED BACK IN THE DAY.
MICROWAVE MEALS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO THEY, THAT MEALS ON WHEELS, BUT IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ASTOUNDING PRODUCTION FACILITIES THAT I'VE EVER SEEN.
AND SHE KNEW THAT ONE DAY WOULD COME AND SHE SAID, THERE ARE, WHILE I'M BUILDING THIS FOR MY SENIORS, I'M ALSO BUILDING THIS FOR MY CITY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HELP OUR SENIORS IN A DISASTROUS TIME, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP OTHERS.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LENDING YOUR SERVICES, FOR LENDING YOUR RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HELP THE, THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN CITY PARISH, UH, WITH THE RESOURCE THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE IN HEAVEN AT FORESIGHT.
AND NUMBER TWO, YOU BROUGHT A POINT THAT WE TALK
[01:05:01]
ABOUT EVERY DAY TODAY WE HAD A DPW THANK YOU LUNCHEON AT THE CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER.WE SERVE 245 WORKERS THAT ARE UNDERPAID, OVERWORKED, HAVE TO WORK LONG WEEKENDS, AND, UM, A LOT OF TIMES GO TO A SECOND JOB AFTER THEY WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR CITY PARISH BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF REVENUES THAT WE PAY.
SO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK SO MUCH IS BECAUSE WE STRUGGLE TO FIND EMPLOYEES NOT JUST IN THE DETENTION CENTER, BUT ALL OVER CITY PARISH, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE PAY STUDY GOING.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO THE RESCUE WITH Y'ALL SUPERMAN AND SUPERWOMAN TAPES ON.
AND, UH, DR. WADE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE YOUR BACK WHEN IT COMES TO THE EMPLOYEES THROUGH THIS PACE STUDY TO BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY FIND A BETTER SOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO GAPS IN EMPLOYMENT.
AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU KUDOS FOR THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AS WELL TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
BUT, UM, WHILE YOU'RE BEING QUESTIONED, EVERYONE UP HERE KNOWS THAT WE CAN'T BACKFILL EMPLOYEES BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE EIGHT TO $10 AN HOUR.
UM, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING THAT, THAT'S THE PUBLISH RATE.
I WILL SPECIFICALLY SPEAK ABOUT A POSITION AT EMPLOYED VR THAT'S CRITICAL TO THAT BUSINESS.
THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING BUT BLACK BACK FLIPS AND PEOPLE JUST WILL NOT APPLY.
UM, SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE, IT'S THAT PEOPLE ARE APPLYING BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO YOU TWO, WORKING TOGETHER TO GOVERNMENT OR QUASI AGENCY AND A DIRECT AGENCY, THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
PAUL NARCISS, COULD YOU COME TO THE MIC PLEASE? AS I ASKED DR. WADE A QUESTION.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A STATEMENT FOR YOU, DR. WADE.
YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER AND I JUST WANT YOU TO REPEAT IT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HEARD IT THE FIRST TIME YOU SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT ABOUT FOLLOWING THE NORMAL, UH, PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT FOR ME AGAIN? YEAH.
WE FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIVES GIVEN TO US BY, UM, PURCHASING FOR THE EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION PURCHASING ACT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS, AS DR. WADE MENTIONED, THIS IS NOTHING UNIQUE, NOTHING DIFFERENT, NOTHING TRULY INNOVATIVE.
ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE OUTSOURCING SERVICES TO PRIVATE VENDORS IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.
AM AM I CORRECT IN THAT STATEMENT, MR. NARCI? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO PRETTY MUCH EVERY DEPARTMENT.
AND LET ME STATE THIS ON THE RECORD.
UH, I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF OUTSOURCING ALL OUR SERVICES, BUT I'M VERY IN SUPPORT OF A HYBRID MODEL OF EMPLOYEE AND CONTRACT.
AND SPECIFICALLY, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING AS A CITY, PARISH, GOVERNMENT, AND MANY OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE FACING AS IT RELATES TO LEGACY COSTS, RETIREMENT, INSURANCE, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS IS THE WAY TO REDUCE THOSE ISSUES THAT, UH, MANY MUNICIPALITIES ARE FACING.
IT'S OUTSOURCING SOME OF THESE SERVICES.
WE SEE THIS IN EVERY BRANCH, EVERY DEPARTMENT OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE VENDOR THAT GOT THE OPPORTUNITY IS THE COUNCIL ON AGENT, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER VENDOR WHO WAS ON THE EMERGENCY VENDORS LIST OR APPLIED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND AGAIN, WE SHOULDN'T ACT LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE.
WE APPROVE THESE TYPE CONTRACTS ALL THE TIME.
IT'S JUST FOR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
AND THE, AND THE VENDOR OR THE RECIPIENT IS NOT THE COUNCIL ON AGENT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVING ALL THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING BECAUSE IT'S THE COUNCIL ON AGENT.
SO CAN WE JUST MOVE FORWARD AND, AND DO THIS LIKE WE DO WITH ANY OTHER, UM, OUTSOURCE CONTRACT AND, AND STOP MAKING THIS ABOUT THE COUNCIL ON AGING.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS,
UM, SO DR. WADE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A CHEERLEADER A LONG TIME AND, UM, AND, AND, AND IT PRECEDES BOTH ME BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOU, UH, WORKING UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION.
BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS COUNCILMAN, UH, DUNN SAID IS THAT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING STRANGE, BUT ACTUALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, IT IS AN ANOMALY.
UM, THE, IT IS A FORGOTTEN THE, UM, IT, FOR MANY YEARS IT'S BEEN A FORGOTTEN PLACE.
AND IT BASICALLY FELL IN LINE WITH, UM, THE FACT THAT WHEN, UH, THERE ARE, ARE, ARE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN THAT ARE IN DISARRAY DUE TO SOME CRIME, THEN THEY DESERVE THE LEAST.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US CONFESSED TO BE CHRISTIANS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JESUS SAID IS, YOU KNOW, DID YOU VISIT THOSE THAT ARE IN PRISON?
[01:10:01]
AND SO OFTEN WHAT THAT IS SAYING IS THAT BECAUSE IT IS IN THOSE MOMENTS, UM, THAT PERSONS WHO ARE INCARCERATED LONG TERM OR SHORT TERM, HAVE A TIME TO REFLECT.AND IT IS NOT THE HARSHNESS THAT MAKES THEM REPENT OR SOFTENS THEIR HEART.
AND SO FOR THAT, UM, I CAN SAY AS IT RELATES TO YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL, THIS IS A MINISTRY FOR YOU.
UM, I KNOW WE VISITED WHEN I WAS AT OMA HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU CRIED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS, UM, OF THE DETENTION AND NOT KNOWING IF YOU COULD GET THE KIND OF SUPPORT THAT, UH, YOU'RE GETTING TODAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ANCHOR MONITORS AND WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT SOLUTIONS, YOU'VE USED YOUR MONEY TO GO OUT AND BUY PANTS THAT WOULD, SO THAT KIDS COULD WORK AND KEEP THEIR JOBS, UM, WITHOUT THE, THE ANKLE MONITORS SHOWING AND, AND MAINTAIN THEIR PRO PROBATION.
I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION BEING A LONG-TERM EMPLOYEE OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WHERE CHILDREN WENT BACK AND FORTH AND WHEREVER THEY LEFT TWO YEARS LATER, THEY WERE STILL IN THAT GRADE, SO THEY DROPPED OUT.
BUT YOU'RE MAKING SURE THAT KIDS GRADUATE AND GET CARNEGIE UNITS.
THOSE ARE NOT THINGS THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, HAPPEN DUE TO STRATEGIC AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP.
UM, THAT IS, UH, YOUR TUTORING SESSION OVER HERE,
UM, I LIKE TO BRING, UM, MR. AMAR UP AS WELL.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I, UM, WHEN I, I STARTED THIS POLICY PROCEDURE, THIS ARRANGEMENT, I THOUGHT ABOUT RECIPROCITY.
I THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT COUNCIL ON AID AND NOT KNOWING THAT THIS NEED WILL COME HAVE AN INTERGENERATIONAL CENTER YES.
WHERE YOU ARE OFFERING ALL KIND OF RECREATION SERVICES FOR YOUTH RIGHT.
TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ELDERS.
BUT THIS IS LITERALLY YOU GETTING A RESPONSE THAT EQUATES TO THE WORK WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN SOARING SEEDS IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND WHEN YOU DID THAT, IT DIDN'T, IT WASN'T, IT COST YOU TO DO THAT.
THOSE ARE SERVICES THAT YOU ARE OFFERING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FREE.
THOSE ARE SERVICES THAT YOU WORK WITH BRECK AND THAT YOUR SENIORS WHO ARE NOW BEING FOSTER GRANDPARENTS, IF YOU WILL, TO YOUTH MM-HMM.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, YOU ALL HAVE PAID A SPENT A LOT OF TIMES WORKING ON THESE RESOURCES, UH, EVEN WITH THE WAY, UM, UH, BOTH OF YOU WORK.
I MEAN, THIS COULD BE CULINARY OFFERED A CULINARY, UM, SKILL THROUGH CAP, THROUGH CAREER AND TECHNICAL WITH EBR MM-HMM.
AND I MEAN, WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WHO WE LET CUT UP THE SALAD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,
BUT THAT COULD BE A CULINARY OFFERING.
AND THEY COULD WORK UNDER THE AUSPICES OF, UM, THE COUNCIL ON AGENT STAFF.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EBR DOES DURING THE SUMMER, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE, I KNOW SOMEBODY RECOMMENDED EBR.
AND DURING THE SUMMER, WE HIRE STUDENTS NOW TO DO THE SUMMER MEAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO, UM, TO APPROVE.
AND HAS IT BEEN SECOND? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LET YOU THIRD IT, HUH? WE'LL LET YOU THIRD IT.
SO I JUST WANNA CONTINUE, COMMEND BOTH OF YOU ALL.
I THINK, UH, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, BUT I CAN SEE THE NEXT TIME YOU, UH, WE HAVE A SERVE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUTH THAT ARE, HAVE, UH, GOTTEN CREDENTIALS FOR CULINARY AND THEY'RE GONNA BE SERVING OUR WEDNESDAY MEAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO THOSE ARE ALL THE, UH, WONDERFUL THINGS THAT I SEE IN THIS, UM, FORGING OF A RELATIONSHIP AND, UH, LITERALLY A MODEL FOR HOW GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFITS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE ON BEHALF OF, UM, THE CONSTITUENTS IN WHICH WE ALL SERVE.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT COUNCILS ON AGINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE ALL FUNDED AND STATUTORILY CREATED BY THE OLDER AMERICAN ACT.
'CAUSE WE GET FEDERAL FUNDS FIRST, AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THIS BOOK UP.
THIS IS OUR, WE CALL IT THE BIBLE, BUT IT'S 552 PAGES OF POLICY THEY JUST UPDATED IN.
ONE THING THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO URGING PUSHING, IS THAT WE WILL DO INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAMS, BECAUSE IF YOU KEEP LIVING ONE DAY, YOU WILL BE THE NEXT SENIOR.
AND THIS INFORMATION IN HISTORY NEEDS TO PASS ON.
SO THAT'S WHY WE OPEN THE GENER INTERGENERATIONAL
[01:15:01]
CENTER, AND IT, IT IS AN ANOMALY FOR YOU ALL.WE, WE FEED THE YWCA EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM.
WE ALSO FEED THE LOUISIANA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND THEIR BAND AND THEIR AFTERSCHOOL CLASSES.
WE'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH THE THREE O'CLOCK PROJECT AND WILSON FOUNDATION TO DO THEIR MEALS.
AND WE CREATED OUR FACILITY, NUMBER ONE, SO THAT IF WE EVER COULD HAVE A FLOOD AGAIN, THE SIZE WE HAD BEFORE THAT, OUR SENIORS WOULD NOT GO WITHOUT.
AND THE BUILDING IS FULLY GENERATED BY ITSELF.
AND SO AS, UH, INTER-AGENCIES WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT AND BE THE LEADERS IN DISASTER TIME AND OTHER TIMES.
AND SO, UM, THOUGH YOU ALL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL ON AGENT DOES, WE DO QUITE A FEW THINGS.
AND IF YOU WOULD, I, I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO COME SEE FOR YOURSELF.
I THINK I'VE INVITED YOU ALL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL COME IN AND TAKE A TOUR AND SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT, AND THE LIVES THAT WE'RE IMPACTED.
AND, UH, YOU'VE ANSWERED ONE OF MY, UH, QUESTIONS AND THAT WAS THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT YOU WOULD BE, UH, THAT HAD REQUEST YOUR SERVICE OR THAT YOU ARE SERVING.
AND SO WITH THIS BEING SAID, I AM SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO EMPLOY SOME MORE PEOPLE.
AS A RESULT OF, OF THIS, AM I CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
AND AT A, A BETTER LIVING WAGE? YES.
HOW MUCH OF THE MEALS PER BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER? THEY ARE SIX FOR, FOR THIS CONTRACT, THEY ARE SIX FOR BREAKFAST, EIGHT FOR LUNCH, AND 10 FOR DINNER.
THAT INCLUDES THE MILK, UM, THE JUICE, THE CUTLERY KIT, UM, AND WE, WE PLATE THEM ALL, THEY'RE ALL PREPL AND, AND, AND DELIVERED AND HOT CONTAINERS BROUGHT INTO THE FACILITY AND SET UP.
I DON'T KNOW ANYWHERE WHERE YOU CAN GET A $6 MEAL TODAY, Y'ALL SIX, EIGHT OR 10, NOT EVEN BREAKFAST.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, SAT HERE AND APPROVED CHANGE ORDERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN ONE INSTANCE, AND OTHER CHANGE ORDERS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO MY MOTION TO APPROVE THIS STATEMENT.
UH, I'LL JUST MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE MOTION, WHICH HAS BEEN PROBABLY MOTION.
AND SECOND, IT, UH, MY ONLY ISSUE WITH THE PROPOSAL IS THE LENGTH OF THE TERM AND THEN THE USE OF THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM AND, AND THE LIMITED BIDDERS.
UM, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE RESOURCES THAT COUNCIL ON AGING HAS.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A, A GOOD SHOT THAT THEY END UP BEING THE MOST RESPONSIVE AND, AND BEST DEAL.
BUT I, I JUST FUNDAMENTALLY HAVE SOMEWHAT OF AN ISSUE WITH, UM, USING LIMITED BIDDERS ON, ON SUCH A LONG CONTRACT.
I THINK WE COULD DO A BETTER PROCUREMENT, A MORE AGGRESSIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND, AND POSSIBLY END UP WITH A BETTER DEAL.
UM, I'VE ALSO HAD ONE CONSTITUENT REACH OUT WITH A SOMEWHAT OF AN OBJECTION THAT, UM, ESSENTIALLY THEIR TAX DOLLARS, THEY FELT LIKE THEIR TAX DOLLARS WERE USED TO FUND SOME OF THE RESOURCES FOR COUNCIL ON AGING.
UM, AND SO ESSENTIALLY THEY WERE SUBSIDIZING SOMEONE THEIR OWN COMPETITION.
UM, AND, AND, AND THAT RESONATES WITH ME AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE'LL, UH, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM COUNCILMAN DUNN, SO WE'LL MOVE THERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE FOLLOW UP COMMENTS ON YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, AND AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REINFORCE THIS IS NOTHING DIFFERENT, NOTHING UNIQUE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EMERGENCY CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE, SPECIFICALLY SOMETHING YOU MAY BE MORE, UM, UH, ACCUSTOMED TO IS LIKE DEBRIS, STORM DEBRIS.
WE HAVE EMERGENCY CONTRACTS IN PLACE FOR THAT.
AND IT'S ONE, SOMETIMES PERSON ON THOSE EMERGENCY CONTRACTS.
SO THE, THE, THE, THE WAY TO RESOLVE THAT IS TO PUT MORE VENDORS ON THAT EMERGENCY LIST.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WHO'S, WHO'S BEEN HERE QUITE A WHILE IN THOSE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, YOU HAVE TO ALREADY BE ON THE LIST TO BE RESPONSIVE.
SO WHEN THAT EMERGENCY HAPPENS BY LAW AND BY STATURE, THEY CANNOT DO A RFP OR DO A SOLICITATION THAT HAS TO DONE, BE DONE PRIOR TO THE EMERGENCY.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT LIMITED BIDS, AND I'M, AND I'M FINE WITH THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO GET MORE BIDDERS ON THE EMERGENCY LIST PRIOR TO THE EMERGENCY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS DONE IN OTHER INSTANCES, IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THIS IS NOTHING DIFFERENT, NOTHING UNIQUE.
THEY FOLLOW THE SAME GUIDELINES THAT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT DOES.
AND WE HAVE THIS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE IN THIS CASE, I THINK IT WAS TWO OR THREE.
WAS IT THREE VENDORS OR TWO? THREE.
IT WAS THREE VENDORS THAT, THAT, UH, COMPETED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE COUNCIL AGENT WAS THE ONLY ONE.
THERE WAS OTHERS WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE HAVE OTHER INSTANCES IN CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE, UH, VENDOR ON THE EMERGENCY LIST.
[01:20:01]
VALID, VALID POINTS.IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
UH, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION YOU CAN SHOW ME? IS OBJECTING ANY OTHER OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE.
[75. 23-01833 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TERRACON TO PROVIDE LEAD-BASED PAINT INSPECTION AND RISK ASSESSMENT.FOR THE SUM NOT TO EXCEED $443,800 BY MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 75.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75? SEEING NONE, MR. BROWN? MR. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 75, COME UP TO THE MIC PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HOW MANY BUILDINGS ARE THEY INSPECTING? ANYBODY KNOW? WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE COME UP AND, AND TRY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? SEEING NOT, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCILMAN GODDE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, MARLEY, IF YOU COULD COME UP.
SO, UM, I THINK THIS, THIS PROGRAM, HEY GUYS, I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT ROLLING OUT.
I I NOTICED THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT THOUGH.
UH, THROUGH JULY, THROUGH JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, CAN YOU JUST SORT OF TALK ME THROUGH WHAT THIS WORK WILL BE, WHERE IT'S FOCUSED, THOSE SORTS OF, UH, QUESTIONS? SURE, OF COURSE.
UH, SO THE DATES OF THE CONTRACTOR, BECAUSE THIS, UH, WE, WE ORIGINALLY WANTED TO, AND HAD, HAD PLANNED TO BRING THIS TO YOU ALL EARLIER, BUT THEN LED REQUESTED US TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT WITHIN THEIR DIGITAL SYSTEM.
AND SO WE'RE A BIT DELAYED IN GETTING THIS TO YOU ALL, BUT THE CONTRACTOR'S NOT DONE ANY WORK FOR US AT RISK.
THEY HAVE NOT BEGUN THEIR PROJECTS.
UH, THE CURRENT ROUND, UH, OR THE CURRENT GRANT YEAR AS IT WERE FOR THIS LED FUNDS ENDS IN JULY AT THAT TIME, WE DO PLAN TO REQUEST AN EXTENSION ONCE THAT GRANT YEAR IS ISSUED FOR US.
AGAIN, THIS IS SIMILAR TO KIND OF OUR ENTITLEMENT FUNDS THAT RUN ON THAT ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, SO, SO PLEASE ANTICIPATE A NO COST CONTRACT EXTENSION TO BE, TO BE EXECUTED.
ONCE WE GET THAT GRANT AGREEMENT IN PLACE, UM, A AS FOR THE NUMBER OF HOMES, YEAH, THANK YOU.
THERE ARE THE SPECIFICS IN THE CONTRACTS, BUT, UM, THERE'S AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND ASSESSMENT.
SECOND ASSESSMENT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE TO MEET HUDS REQUIREMENTS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE OVER X NUMBER OF DUST SAMPLES AND A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, BUT ON AVERAGE, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING FULL ASSESSMENTS FOR AROUND A HUNDRED HOMES.
THAT'S THE GOAL FOR HOW MANY LEAD REMEDIATION PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
UH, THIS, UH, TYPICALLY HOMES CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO, IS IT 8 19 81? 1978.
WHICH IS, UH, A LITTLE OVER OR ALMOST HALF OF THE HOMES IN EAST BATTER PARISH.
I THINK IT'S, UH, 48% OF THE HOMES.
IT IS A, A VERY STRONG PERCENTAGE OF THE HOMES IN OUR PARISH WERE BUILT BEFORE THAT TIME.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE, PARTICULARLY THAT OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY THAT OUR BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS ARE FACING.
UH, ALL OF THESE DOLLARS MUST BE SPENT, UH, AND, AND FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS.
AND THERE HAS BEEN ALREADY AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, A, A VERY LONG, UH, LIST YES.
OF APPLICANTS FOR OUR REHAB PROGRAM.
AND WE ARE ADDING, WE ARE NOT ASKING PEOPLE TO APPLY AGAIN OKAY.
WE ARE ADDING THIS TO THAT APPLICATION LIST.
WE JUST MIGHT BE GETTING SOME UPDATED, YOU KNOW, INCOME DOCUMENTS AS WE WORK THROUGH IT.
UM, BUT, BUT WE WON'T, WE WON'T NEED TO, TO HAVE PEOPLE APPLY AGAIN.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVERYTHING COMING OUTTA OCD AND, AND CREDIT TO YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING THERE, AS WELL AS THE TEAM THAT SURROUNDS YOU.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SEEING AND NONE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODDE, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE.
[76. 24-00002 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH JOHNSON CONTROLS FOR THE OPERATIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON BUILDING EQUIPMENT, METASYS ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CARD ACCESS AND SECURITY SYSTEM, AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM FOR THE 19TH JUDICIAL COURT BUILDING BY BUILDING A GROUNDS DIRECTOR, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 76.SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
[77. 24-00003 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND GROUNDS TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH FEIS ROPP ELEVATOR COMPANY FOR THE OPERATIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT, ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE FOR THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT BUILDING BY BUILDING AND GROUNDS DIRECTOR WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 77.SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[01:25:02]
ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE.[78. 24-00016 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES, TO ACCEPT AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, INCREASING THE AMOUNT, $179,327 FOR A TOTAL OF $560,545 BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 78.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY THE CHAIR, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLE.
ITEM 78 CARRIES WE'LL TAKE ITEM 79
[Items 79 - 84]
THROUGH 84 TOGETHER.ITEM 79, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MESH LLC, INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF $6,500 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $51,500 FOR 2023.
RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 80, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HEALTH, HEALTH ACCESS LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $115,000 FOR A TOTAL OF $175,000 FOR THE 2023.
2024 RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC GRANT, YEAR BY HUMAN SERVICE DIRECTOR.
ITEM 81, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMID SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA.
INCREASINGLY THE AMOUNT TO $156,450 FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT, $650,000, UH, $766 28 CENTS UNDER THE RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 82, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMID SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH HIV AIDS ALLIANCE FOR REGION TWO AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF $105,567 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $665,060 22 CENTS UNDER THE RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 83, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMID SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BATON ROUGE AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT TO $110,449 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $2,845,271, AWARDED UNDER THE RYAN WHITE HIV AIDS PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
ITEM 84, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE, PROGRAMMED TO AMID THE SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH HIV AIDS ALLIANCE FOR REGION TWO AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF $29,378 FOUR TOTAL OF $618,800 54 CENTS UNDER THE RYAN WHITE HIV AIDS MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
UH, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE, OH, I'M SORRY.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 79 THROUGH 84.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED, UH, ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEMS 81 THROUGH 84.
PLEASE SHOW COUNCILMAN DUNN AS OF STANDING ON ITEMS 82 AND 84.
THERE'S A MOTION BY THE CHAIR, UH, TO APPROVE.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY GOD DAY, ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, THE ITEM CARRIES ITEM 85,
[85. 24-00010 ]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED CHRO CHAVIS VERSUS CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 PLUS COURT PLUS COURT COSTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $244 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $50,244 BY PARISH ATTORNEY.OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 85.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY THE CHAIR, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[86. 24-00023 ]
RES, SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDING ON AUGUST 22ND, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS LAIA WEATHERSPOON.OWNER WANTS TO OBTAIN PERMITS TO RESTORE PROPERTY BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 86 SAYING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ROCKA, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE.
[87. 24-00025 ]
RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND.RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS CONNECTICUT STATE'S LLC 69 0 7 GOYA AVENUE.
REASON FOR RESCISSION OWNER INTENDS TO SELL THE PROPERTY BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 87, SEEING AND NONE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
[01:30:01]
ITEM 88,[88. 24-00031 ]
WE'RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE TWO NOTICE TO ATTENDS RECORDED JULY 5TH, 2023 AND THE DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON JULY 28TH, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS LAYLA DAVIS AND THE ESTATE OF CALVIN DAVIS.OWNER INTENDS TO REPAIR THE PROPERTY BY COUNCILMAN HURST.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 88.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.
SECONDED BY THE CHAIR IN THE OPPOSITION.
SEEING NONE, ITEM 88 CARRIES WE'LL TAKE ITEMS
[Items 89 - 92]
89 THROUGH 92 TOGETHER.ITEM 89, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT LO DALE AVENUE, GOODWOOD BOULEVARD, AND LO DALE AVENUE SEVEN OAKS AVENUE IN INTERSECTION.
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $111,749 19 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.
DIRECTOR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 89.
WILL CONTINUE TO ITEM 90 THROUGH, THROUGH ITEM 92.
ITEM 90, AUTHORIZE THE MADE OF PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.
NUMBER TWO FOR FINAL PLAN SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH GO TECH, INC.
FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT CENIC HIGHWAY PARTYING BOULEVARD TO SWAN AVENUE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $352,981 73 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR ITEM 91, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GRESHAM SMITH TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICE DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTH SHERWOOD FOREST BOULEVARD MULTI-USE PATH I 12 TO OLD HAMMOND HIGHWAY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $42,911 68 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
ITEM 92, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER THREE TO A CONTRACT WITH STANLEY CONSULTANTS INC.
TO ADD FINAL PLAN SERVICES TO THE EXISTING MOVE VR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT TERRACE AVENUE, HIGHLAND ROADS PERKINS ROAD, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $47,894 49 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEMS 89 THROUGH 92.
SEEING AND NONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 81.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY ADAMS. SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
ITEMS 89 THROUGH 92 CARRIE, ITEM 93.
[93. 24-00030 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF JUVENILE SERVICES TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CONVENIENT CARE LAKE AFTER HOURS.DBA TOTAL OCCUPATION TO PROVIDE JUVENILE ACCESS TO A CONTINUUM OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES INCLUDING SCREENING, PREVENTION, HEALTH EDUCATION, DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT AS THE ONSITE MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND PROVIDER IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 150,000 BY JUVENILE SERVICES DIRECTOR.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 93.
SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ITEM 93.
MOTION BY TO APPROVE BY ADAMS. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLE.
[94. 24-00033 ]
THE 2024 ANNUAL AND CAPITAL BUDGET SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $5 MILLION FROM DOTD AND $350,000 FROM THE SEWER USER FEE FUND FOR A TOTAL OF 5 MILLION.3 53 $5,350,000 TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE UNIVERSITY LAKES LLC FOR FACILITIES OF MAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.
DIRECTOR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 94.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 94.
COUNCILMAN ROCKA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT CAN SPEAK ON THIS ITEM PLEASE? MR. RAYFORD? YES, MA'AM.
I SEE ON HERE THAT THIS, THE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THIS THROUGH RESOLUTION ON 11 21 23.
CAN YOU TELL ME, JUST GIVEN, GIVE US AN IDEA FOR THE PUBLIC, WHY ARE WE SEEING IT AGAIN AND WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL? BRIEFLY, THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD INCLUDED THAT WHAT DOTD WAS GONNA BE REQUIRED TO PAY US FOR THE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY AND SERVITUDE, THAT'S PART OF THE LAKES PROJECT ON THE INTERSTATE ITSELF WHEN WE HAD THE FUNDING WE AND TO, TO GET APPROVED THROUGH DOTD, THAT'S WHAT YOU APPROVED AT THE ORIGINAL, UH, REQUEST.
HERE WE'RE USING THE 5 MILLION TO UPDATE, TO UPGRADE THE ACTUAL BRIDGE ON MAY STREET AND THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY WITH PART OF THE PACKAGE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
OTHERWISE, WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND SOME FUNDS TO DO THAT.
BUT IN REALITY, I MEAN FROM OUR STANDPOINT, THE CITY WE USE IN FEDERAL, I MEAN STATE DOLLARS TO, TO HELP FACILITATE THE IMPROVEMENT ON THE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT AND ALSO THE, UH, REALIGNMENT OF PART
[01:35:01]
OF MAY STREET ITSELF AND AT, UM,AND SO AS FAR AS THE PROJECT'S CONCERNED, IT'S STILL MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S STILL, EVERYTHING IS A GO.
I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE MAKING VERY GOOD PROGRESS BASED ON OUR MEETINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH AT LAKES PROJECT GROUP.
UH, WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE STEPS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WAS WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED FROM THE, FROM THE START.
IT'S BEEN, UH, MOTION AND PROPERLY SECOND IT.
[95. 24-00034 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN ENTITY STATE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN CONNECTION WITH STATE PROJECT I 12 AT SHERWOOD FOREST PED BIKE SAFETY BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 95.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AROSO.
[96. 24-00039 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR.PRESENT PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH TECHNICAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
TO PROVIDE ONSITE BROADCAST PRODUCTION PERSONNEL FOR SIX PRE-SCHEDULED MEETINGS PER MONTH HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND PERFORM OPERATIONAL CHECKS OF ALL AUDIO VISIO AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT PRIOR TO THE MEETING GOING LIVE.
THIS CONTRACT IS IN AN AMOUNT OF $62,268 BY A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 96.
SEEING AND NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN ROCKA, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE? ITEM 96 CARRIES.
[97. 24-00046 ]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO, UH, TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE COX COMMUNICATION FRANCHISE AGREEMENT TO EXTEND THE TERMINATION DATE OF SET AGREEMENT TO APRIL 30TH, 2024 BY PARISH ATTORNEY.WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 97.
SECOND, NONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE.
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES.PLEASE SEE YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS AGENDA AND I'M GONNA LET ASHLEY READ THESE.
UH, THE ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES, UH, ARE A LOT.
22 SQUARE 1 0 2 COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER CYNTHIA FORD, $700 B LOT 45 SQUARE TWO METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER GREATER COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH, $500 C LOT 46 SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION GREENVILLE EDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HIGH, BETTER, GREATER COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH.
$500 D LOT SIX SQUARE E SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER REDEEMED E LOT 12 SQUARE ONE 12 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WANDA SEALS GORHAM $400 F LOT 11 SQUARE 27 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN COLE.
HI BIDDER STALWORTH REALTY LLC $100 G LOT 44 SQUARE 15 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
HI BIDDER WHITAKER INVESTMENT CO LLC $300 H LOT 12 AND 14 SQUARE 1 63 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER KING'S CARPENTRY $400 I LOT 56 SQUARE 15 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WHITAKER INVESTMENT CO LLC $300 J LOT 67 SQUARE 14 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WHI WHITAKER INVESTMENT CO LLC $300 K LOT 65 SQUARE 14 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WHITAKER INVESTMENT CO LLC $300 L LOT 55 SQUARE 14 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
HI BIDDER WHITAKER INVESTMENT CO LLC $300 M LOT TWO PART SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION ROSEDALE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HI BIDDER.
DISTRICT 10 LLC $3,300 AND LOT 11 SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION RECO COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
JAMES BRADFORD, SENIOR O LOT D SUBDIVISION.
TRAVIS METRO COUN UH UH SORRY.
METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
HI BIDDER WHITMORE AND WHITMORE ENTERPRISES LLC $3,500 P LOT 38 SQUARE TWO.
SUBDIVISION PROGRESS PARK EDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER ASK LLC $4,400 Q LOT THREE AND FOUR SQUARE THREE.
[01:40:01]
DISTRICT FIVE HEARST HIGH BIDDER KINGS CARPENTRY $8,100 R LOT 46 SUBDIVISION COLONIAL HILL COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HIGH BIDDER.HIGH BIDDER WILTON JEREMIAH ALEXANDER $500 S LOT 40 SQUARE SIX SUBDIVISION DELMONT PLACE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER CLYDE EDWARDS, $9,000 T LOT 1 0 4 SUBDIVISION COLONIAL HILL COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE HI BIDDER JACQUELINE WALKER, $500 U LOT 31 PLUS SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION SCOTLAND HEIGHTS COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
HI BIDDER GREGORY LAWRENCE, $50,500 V LOT 18 SUBDIVISION ADDITION TOWAR COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN MODA OWN W LOT FOUR SQUARE 1 0 3.
SUBDIVISION ESMA METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN MODA OWN.
UM, THAT'S ALL OF THE ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES AND WE'LL NEED A MOTION, UH, TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW THESE ITEMS TO BE HEARD TONIGHT.
MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES FROM COUNCILMAN HURST.
SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEE A NONE, UH, WILL HAVE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION.
OH, SEEING AND NONE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING AND NONE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES, NOT THE ITEM.
SO CHAIRMAN, SO JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY SIR, THIS IS ON, YOU'LL NEED TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES AT THIS POINT, NOT ON THE ACTUAL ITEM.
SEEING AND NONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU CAN HAVE THE PUBLIC, WE'LL, WE'LL CALL FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEMS A THROUGH W.
SO NOW WOULD BE THE CHANCE FOR YOU TO COME AND SPEAK.
MR. CHAIRMAN, HAVE SOME UH, HANDOUTS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I AM JEROME BRAZIER CARTER.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE SWOT EDITION SOUTH BATON ROUGE DISTRICT 10 RESIDENCE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO OPPOSE AND REQUEST A DENIAL OF APPLICATION OF THE MOTOR OWNED DOCKET V 23 DASH 0 1 70 76.
WE ARE HANDING YOU A PETITION FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY OPPOSING AND DISPUTING THE CLAIM OF THE MOTOR OWN APPLICATION FILED BY MR. KENNETH SMITH.
IN ADDITION, YOU ARE BEING GIVEN PHOTOS IN THE HANDOUT OF MR. OF MR. SMITH'S CURRENT STATE AND CONDITION OF HIS HOUSE.
UH, MR. SIMS OWNS A DILAPIDATED HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN ABORTED UP UNOCCUPIED AND HAD NOT HAD ENERGY CONNECTION SINCE 1111 2008.
INFORMATION HAS BEEN SOURCED FROM ENERGY OF BATON ROUGE AND ABANDONED EYESORE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND TWO MONTHS IN COUNTY OF UNKEPT YARD IN A BOARDED UP HOME.
IN THE LAST HANDOUT, THERE'S A TIMESTAMP PHOTO OF A MAN CUTTING A LOT, CUTTING THE LOT IN QUESTION THAT IMAGES BEING VIDEOED FROM THE CAMERA LOCATED ON MY HOME ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LOT AT MR. SIMS HOME.
THAT GENTLEMAN IN THE PHOTO WAS ME.
I COULD ATTEST DATING BACK FROM JANUARY, 2019 TO DECEMBER, 2019.
KNOW MR. SIMS. JANUARY, 2020 TO DECEMBER, 2020.
KNOW MR. SIMS JANUARY, 2021 TO DECEMBER, 2021.
KNOW MR. SIMS JA, JANUARY, 2022 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
KNOW MR. SIMS, JANUARY 20, 23 TO DECEMBER 23, 23.
KNOW MR. SIMS, HE CANNOT BE, HE CANNOT BE SEEN ON CAMERA.
NOT ONLY NOT CUTTING THE LOT HE DOESN'T OWN, BUT NOT EVEN DOING THE UPKEEP OF THE HOUSE THAT HE DOES.
ALL THE HANDOUTS AND MORE HAVE BEEN, ALL THE HANDOUTS YOU HAVE AND MORE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO OUR ESTEEMED COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN AS WELL AS THE PA OFFICE.
MR. WILL, AARON, AND THE STAFF AS EVIDENT THE APPLICATION, AN AFFIDAVIT FILED AS A MOMENT OWNED FOR THE PROPERTY LISTED AT 1448 ST.
JOSEPH STREET, SWOT EDITION BY MR. SIMS HAS BEEN FILED UNDER FALSE PRETENSE.
I'M GONNA COUNT UNDER WEATHER.
SO I APPRECIATE, I APOLOGIZE, AS I ONLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO PONDER THIS THOUGHT.
HOW CAN ONE, HOW CAN ONE BE BELIEVED TO MAINTAIN AND UPKEEP A PROPERTY THAT
[01:45:01]
ONE DOES NOT OWN? GET GROSSLY NEGLECT, ABANDON AND IGNORE THE UPKEEP OF A PROPERTY THAT ONE DOES PRESENTLY OWN.ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD KILLER.
WELL, THE THING OF IT IS, THE TRUTH MAY BE TOLD RIGHT NOW, THE THING OF IT IS, I ACQUIRED MY PROPERTY IN 14, SO THAT WOULDN'T BE 15, 15 YEARS.
SO ALL ALTOGETHER I CUT THE LOT FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT MY PLACE.
AND THIS LOT IS ON THIS SIDE, THE RIGHT SIDE IF YOU PLACE FACING THE PLACE.
NOW, WHAT HAPPENED WAS I HAD A STROKE ABOUT 20, 20, 22.
THAT'S WHEN I STOPPED CUTTING IT.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE CITY PARISH WAS CUTTING IT.
SO WHEN I COME BACK, HE CUTTING IT.
SO WHEN, WHEN HE, WE HE CUTTING IT, I'M LIKE, OKAY, THE CITY OF PARIS CUTTING IT.
SO I'VE BEEN TO MISS DONNA OFFICE BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A STROKE, MAN, YOU AIN'T FINNA GET BACK OUT THERE TO EAT AND DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
NOT SAYING I SHOULDN'T HAVE IT, BUT I WAS CUTTING IT FROM 14 TILL I HAD THE STROKE.
AND THEN I'M UNDER THE IMPRESSION, HEY, CITY CUTTING IT NOW HE'S SAYING MY PROPERTY, MY PROPERTY IS BOARDED UP.
NOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS A MAN WITH A STROKE SUPPOSED TO DO? SIT DOWN, WATCH THAT PROPERTY AND KNOW WHO TRYING TO TAKE THE, THE BOYS OFF.
OKAY, I CAN SHOW YOU MY PHONE.
I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE THE PAPERWORK, BUT I CAN GO ON MY PHONE AND SHOW YOU WHERE THIS MAN RIGHT HERE.
THEN YOU LAY AROUND AND YOU WATCH ME CUT IT.
SIR, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
BUT I'M, I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS.
I CAN GO ON MY PHONE AND SHOW YOU A FOREST.
SO YOU BUSH HOG THAT AND YOU BUSH HOG THAT PROPERTY.
ONCE YOU BUSH HOG A PROPERTY, IF IT'S GOT CANE WEEDS, WILD WEEDS, YOU BUSH HOG THAT.
SO YOU DON'T CUT IT EVERY WEEK.
SO HOW WOULD I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE I'M DO, I PAID FOR IT AND I ALSO WAS A PART OF IT.
NOW IN MY PHONE, I GOT PICTURES OF IT AND IN MY DOCTOR'S RECORD I GOT, OKAY, I HAD A STROKE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEMS A THROUGH W SEEING AND NONE WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? YES, SIR.
AND LET ME TELL YOU THAT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE, THE MOTOWN WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM WHAT I GATHER AND IT WAS, UM, DONE BY A, UH, AND THE PARISH ATTORNEY ALSO WAS IN THIS WITH THIS.
SO ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE WAS FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE THAT WAS IN PLACE.
AND SO WHETHER OR NOT THE PAPER THAT WAS NOTARIZED WAS TRUTH OR NOT TRUTH, IT'S BEEN NOTARIZED AND THAT'S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO DEAL WITH.
AND SO I AM GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS, UM, PROPERTY HERE, THAT, UH, THE APPLICANT IS KENNETH SIMS AND THE $200 AND I'M GONNA MAKE THAT MOTION.
SO FOR COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL A THROUGH W UH, NO, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL HAVE A WE'LL VOTE ON THE MOTION, SIR, FOR COUNCILMAN BANKS.
UH, WILL WILLIAM AARON PLEASE COME UP? SO, UM, I WOULD, UH, IN, AS IT RELATES TO THE COMMENTS OF, UH, THE PROCEDURE, UM, I DO KNOW, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ALL THESE CASES THERE, THERE IS A PROCESS EVEN WITH PLANNING THE ZONING.
BUT ULTIMATELY THE DECISION IS THE COUNCIL.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, THE DECISION IS NOT FINALIZED BECAUSE OF A NOTARY, THE NOTARY OR EVEN THE BID, IF I'M CORRECT, IT'S BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS COUNCIL
[01:50:01]
APPROVED BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THIS GENTLEMAN HAS BROUGHT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND PICTURES YOU THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD.UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE, UM, THE, UH, APPLICANT HAS ADMITTED THAT HE HAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF THE PROPERTY.
HE'S ADMITTED THAT HE HAS A MINDSET THAT IF HE DOESN'T, THE CITY WILL, WHICH IS A, A TREMENDOUS EXPENSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE I WILL SUPPORT WHATEVER THE COUNCIL, UH, REPRESENTATIVE WOULD LIKE.
BUT THERE WE, BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE IS LOOKING AT THIS, I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, THAT THE CORRECT INFORMATION IS BEING COMMUNICATED THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE YOU WIN A BID, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ADJUDICATION, CONDEMNATION, ALL OF THE LEGAL PROCESSES IS TO PROTECT THE CITY.
BUT ULTIMATELY THE RESPONSE, THE THE FINAL DECISION IS MADE BY THE VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
AND UH, I JUST WANTED YOU TO EXPOUND ON THAT.
SO, SO IN ANY MOTOR OWN APPLICATION, THE FIRST THING WE DO IS MAKE SURE THE APPLICANT ACTUALLY OWNS THE TRACK THAT TOUCHES THE ADJUDICATED PROPERTY.
WE ALSO CHECK TO MAKE SURE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WEED LIENS OR CONDEMNATION LIENS ON THE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE OF COURSE THAT WOULD MEAN IT HADN'T BEEN CUT.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WE ALSO HAVE THE APPLICANT BRING IN A THIRD PARTY, NOT RELATED TO HIMSELF, A DISINTERESTED THIRD PARTY, IF YOU WILL, WHO CAN STATE YES, I KNOW THIS GENTLEMAN, HE'S BEEN TAKING CARE OF IT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OTHER INVESTIGATION WE CAN DO.
NOW, AFTER HAVING PUT THIS, BEFORE THE COUNCIL, UM, MR. CARTER AND SOME FOLKS HAD SENT THE INFORMATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE HAD ALREADY PUT IT UP BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE COUNCIL GETS TO DECIDE WHICH OF THESE GETS APPROVED AND NOT APPROVED.
SO WE DO THE BEST WE CAN, WE SUBMIT IT TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL DECIDES WHETHER TO DO IT OR NOT.
IF YOU WERE TO DENY IT, THIS FILE COULD STILL BE OPEN AND IT WOULD BE AN OPEN BID AS OPPOSED TO A NON-OPEN BID WITH MOTOR OWN.
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND CAN AN ITEM LIKE THIS, UM, TO SATISFY ALL PARTIES AND ASSUMING MR. SIMS IS NOW WELL ENOUGH, I DON'T KNOW, YOU ARE WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTY? YES, MA'AM.
BECAUSE IT IS IN TOTAL DISARRAY.
AND I KNOW WHEN, UM, USUALLY WITH ME IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, UH, I NEED A PERMIT.
UH, NOT ONLY DOES IT NEED TO BE CUT AS IT RELATES TO THE EXTERIOR, BUT SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO NEED THIS MUCH, UM, WORK THAT FOR ME TO APPROVE, RESCIND OR WHATEVER, YOU HAVE TO GIMME A PERMIT THAT SAYS THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO START CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WERE ABLE TO DO AS WELL? JUST ASKING SIR, IF YOU WOULD, SIR, IF, IF COUNCILMAN BANKS IS GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR YOU AND YOU SAY, MORE ON MY PROPERTY HAS TO BE CONNECTED.
NO, SIR, I'M, WELL, I'M ASKING YOU TWO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU NOW ABLE TO CUT THE GRA YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? YES, MA'AM.
SO HOW LONG YOU BEEN WELL ENOUGH TO CUT THE GRASS? UH, I'D SAY ABOUT 60 DAYS.
YOU'VE BEEN WELL ENOUGH, RIGHT? I'VE BEEN WORKING.
HAVE YOU CUT IT? I MEAN NO, IT WAS, IT WAS, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M, I SAID SO, SO EARLIER, SO WHAT YOU GONNA THAT IT WAS CUT AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION YEAH.
THAT THE CITY HAD WENT THROUGH THERE.
I UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE FENCE LINE IS NOT, WASN'T CUT ALL THE WAY.
SO NOW YOU ARE ABLE TO CUT IT.
AND TO DOWN TO THE, TO THE, WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
AND HOW, WHEN WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO THAT? I'D BE, I'D BE ABLE TO GET IT CLEARED WITHIN 35 TO 40 DAYS.
NOW, AS IT RELATES TO THE BUILDING, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GET A PERMIT AND ARE YOU ABOUT TO DO I HAVE A PERMIT FOR MY, FOR MY HOUSE, THE HOUSE THAT'S ON IT TO START RENOVATION.
I HAVE, I HAVE A HOU A, A A PERMIT.
SO YOU'RE ABOUT TO START RENOVATION? RIGHT.
AND WHEN WILL THAT START? WELL, THAT, THAT'LL START IN ABOUT 30 DAYS.
I NEED ABOUT 30 DAYS TO GET IT TOGETHER.
AND JU AND I'M ONLY, AND I HAVE, LIKE I SAID, I'M GOING WITH WHATEVER MY COUNSEL, BUT I DO HAVE SYMPATHY FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO THIS IMPACTS THEIR, UM, I UNDERSTAND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO FOR ME, I WOULD, AND THIS JUST ME, I WOULD WANT TO SEE SOME EVIDENCE OF THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN, IF YOU, I THINK, UH, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEFER AND GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORS TO SEE HIS WORK IN THE ACTION.
COUNCILMAN BANKS, DO YOU WANT YOUR SECOND FIVE MINUTES? NO.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA ASSUME WHAT, UH, COUNCIL WOMAN'S BANKS, UM, INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE GENTLEMAN SAID, BUT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD HIM TO SAY IS
[01:55:01]
THAT HE STARTED CUTTING THE LOT FOR A TIME UNTIL HE HAD A STROKE AND HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CUT THE LOT.AND WHEN HE SAW SOMEONE CUT IT, HE ASSUMED THAT THAT WAS THE CITY CUT IT.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE, I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT HE SAID HE EXPECTED THE CITY TO CUT IT.
I HEARD HIM TO SAY HE ASSUMED THE PERSON THAT WAS CUTTING IT WAS THE CITY.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE HAVE SOME COMPASSION ABOUT HIS HEALTH CONDITIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND I JUST WANT US TO REMEMBER THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS POLICY WAS CREATED BECAUSE ALL OF THESE LIGHTS ARE BEING CUT BY CITY PARISH, WHICH IS A LIABILITY AND A COST TO CITY PARISH.
SO IF WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT FIT THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE ADJACENT AND HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO CUT IT, EVEN IF THEY HAD A LITTLE BREAK FOR A TIME, I THINK IT'S A SMART THING TO GET IT OFF OUR BOOKS AND TAKE THE LIABILITY FROM THE CITY PARISH AND TURN THE RESPONSIBILITY OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE SO THEY CAN HAVE THAT, THAT LIABILITY AND THAT EXPENSE.
NOW WE DO NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN IT AND KEEP IT TOGETHER.
BUT I I WANT US TO REMEMBER THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS POLICY AND THIS THIS LAW WAS PUT IN PLACE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THIS WAS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, IT BANKS AND WAS WICK WAS WICK COUNCIL DID MOTOR YEAH.
I SAYING COUNCILWOMAN, IF YOU WOULD USE YOUR MICROPHONE.
SO THANK COUNCILWOMAN WICKER FOR PUTTING THIS IN PLACE AND COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN HAS, UH, MADE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD RESPECT HER WISHES OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN HER DISTRICT.
WHEN, WHEN THE APPLICATION IS FILLED OUT WITH THE MOTOR HOME, UH, THEY ASSERT THAT THEY HAVE KEPT IT UP, UP TO DATE? YES.
UP THE TIME OF APPLICATION FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.
SO MY ONLY QUESTION THERE, UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HEARD DOES, UH, US MOVING FORWARD WITH ACCEPTING THIS, WHEN THE APPLICANT PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE, IS THAT LEGALLY TROUBLING FOR US IN THIS INSTANCE OR IN A FUTURE ONE? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT TROUBLES THE PROCESS.
THE, THE GENTLEMAN INDICATED HE HAD TAKEN CARE OF IT.
HE HAS NOT CUT IT BECAUSE THE GRASS MAY HAVE BEEN CUT.
SO I, I THINK THE GRASS IS CUT, SO I DON'T, IT DOESN'T GIVE ME A PROBLEM MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS THAT.
IF THE COUNCIL WOULD WANT TO DENY AND SEND IT TO A BIDDING SESSION, THEN THAT WOULD BE FINE AS WELL.
IT'S REALLY WHATEVER Y'ALL'S PLEASURE IS, BUT IT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, WE'RE FINE TO PROCEED IF THE COUNCIL IS, IS SATISFIED.
IT HAS BEEN MOTIONED TO APPROVE ITEM V BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? C AND NONE? ITEM V CARRIES.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEMS A THROUGH W WITH THE EXCEPTION OF V UH, SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NOEL.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE WHERE WHITAKER INVESTMENT COMPANY IS AND I NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH WOODA INVESTMENT.
IT'S ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT ON HERE TO SEE WHAT THEIR INTENT IS AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING WITH THIS.
ALRIGHT, GIVE US JUST A SECOND WHILE WE COMPILE THOSE NUMBERS FOR JUST A MOMENT.
AND MS. COLEMAN? UM, H IS KING'S CARPENTRY? NO, MY H IS IS WHAT INVESTMENT? A THE HIGH BIDDER IS KING'S CARPENTRY.
YOU HAVE G-I-J-K-L-O-O IS WHITMORE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE ONES THAT I NOTE.
OKAY, SO COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, IS YOUR MOTION TO DEFER THOSE OR? YES.
HOW LONG WOULD YOU LIKE TO DEFER 'EM FOR? SORRY? 30 DAYS.
ALRIGHT, SO MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN COLEMAN TO DEFER ITEMS GIJ, K, AND LI WILL WITHDRAW MY MOTION, MY PREVIOUS MOTION SECOND FROM NOEL IS WITHDRAWN AS WELL.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? ALL OTHER ITEMS? NONE.
AND WHAT WOULD BE MY PROPERTY? JUST APPROVE ALL OF THOSE
[02:00:01]
BY COUNCILMAN NOEL.ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE THOSE ITEMS. NOW WE NEED TO GO BACK AND DO, UH, X ITEM X.
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM X, ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BID DETAILS.
BROWNSFIELD FIRE STATION NUMBER 72.
ADDITION THE LUSTER GROUP, LLC $404,000.
I'LL HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES BY THE CHAIR.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ASO, I HAVE A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES SEEING AND NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY OPPOSITION? UH, WE WILL VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING AND NONE? UH, WE WILL CALL FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM SEEING AND NONE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ITEM X.
MOTION BY THE CHAIR TO APPROVE.
YOU WANNA GO BACK AND DO THE YEAH.
[CONDEMNATIONS (Part 2 of 2)]
WE'RE GONNA BRIEFLY GO BACK TO CONDEMNATIONS, UM, ASHLEY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAD A CONFUSION ON CONDEMNATIONS, SO I NEED A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE CONDEMNATIONS PLEASE.ARE THERE ANY, ANY OPPOSITION? OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE BACK TO CONDEMNATIONS.
AND THEN ASHLEY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE READ THE PROPER.
MS. COLE, YOU HAVE ONE THAT YOU NEED.
63 WAS IT, WAS IT 63 IS MS. HARRIS, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE, UM, ACTIONS THAT, OR THE MOTIONS THAT WERE, UH, TAKEN EARLIER.
THE MOTION WOULD BE TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66 TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
ITEM 50, 51, 53 AND 63 TO DEFER FOR 90 DAYS.
ITEM 55, 59, AND 67 TO DELETE ITEMS. 49 52 AND 56.
THIS BEEN MOTION BY THE CHAIR, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NOLL.
ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS MOVE FORWARD.
[99. 24-00061 Baton Rouge Airport Concourse A Roof Replacement ]
YOU WOULD PLEASE GO BACK TO PAGE 19.BATON ROUGE AIRPORT, UH, CONCOURSE.
A ROOF REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR, LAKE SHORE ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION.
CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT AT 83 DAYS $5,091.
CREDIT OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 99.
SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBER'S MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
SECONDED BY ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? OH, I'M SORRY.
WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DELETE ITEM 99.
SECONDED BY ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE.
[Items 100 & 101]
CITY COURT CONSTABLE.OFFICE RENOVATIONS CONTRACTOR.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 1 0 1.
SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
PROJECT 18 ONE PARISH WIDE CONTRACTOR, VANCE BROTHERS INC.
CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $331,460.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEMS ONE HUNDRED AND ONE OH ONE.
SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND A MOTION BY DONE TO APPROVE.
ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS CARRIED.
[102. 24-00115 ]
ITEM 1 0 2, SALES TAX, STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM.PROJECT 18 DASH ONE PARISH WIDE CONTRACTOR, VANCE BROTHERS INC.
FINAL COST $4,725,779 97 CENTS.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 2.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE.
[103. 24-00065 ]
OF LOW BIDS.ITEM 1 0 3, WE'LL HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
BROWNSFIELD FIRE STATION NUMBER 72.
ADDITION, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 3.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO DELETE BY THE CHAIR.
[02:05:03]
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE BRIEFLY[106. 23-01837 ]
TO ITEM 1 0 6, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.ITEM 1 0 6, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM CHIEF JUDGE DONALD JOHNSON REGARDING EQUAL VOTING RIGHTS AND FAIR REPRESENTATION IN LIGHT OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES EVIDENCED BY THE 2020 CENSUS RESULTS AND THE IMPACTS OF THOSE CHANGES ON REDISTRICTING FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL BY COUNCILMAN DARRELL HIRSCH, WELL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ITEM 1 0 6.
SO WE'LL, UH, WE'LL LET, UH, JUDGE JOHNSON GIVE THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS, I'M THE LONGEST SERVING PUBLIC, SERVING PUBLIC OFFICIAL IN THE PARISH.
UH, MANY OF YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN A TRIAL JUDGE IN THE PARISH.
I WAS THE FOURTH, UH, BLACK PERSON THAT WAS ELECTED TO THE BATON ROUGE CITY COURT.
I WAS OVER THERE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AND I'VE BEEN ON THE DISTRICT COURT FOR ABOUT 23 YEARS.
I HAPPENED TO BE THE SENIOR JUDGE AND THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THAT COURT.
UM, FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, BLACK LOUISIANANS AND PARTICULARLY THE CITIZENS OF OUR PARISH, HAVE BEEN ASKING OUR LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT FAIR MAPS FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK CITIZENS OF OUR PARISH TO GET ON THE FIRST CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL.
AND THE A HUNDRED YEARS WE'VE HAD A FIRST CIRCUIT HAS ONLY BEEN ONE BLACK PERSON EVER TO SERVE THAT BLACK, BLACK PERSON FROM OUR PARISH, PRINCIPALLY FROM DISTRICT 10, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW PRECINCTS OF ADJACENT DISTRICTS.
NONE OF US SITTING HERE ARE ELECTED FROM A DISTRICT WHERE YOU ARE THE MINORITY, NOT ONE.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE ARE FACED WITH.
UH, WELL, 2019 I WENT BEFORE STATE LEGISLATURE AND ASKED THEM TO REDISTRICT THE FIRST CIRCUIT.
WE SEND FOUR PEOPLE THERE, FOUR LAWYERS, FOUR JUDGES, AND THE LINES THAT WERE DRAWN FOR THAT DISTRICT.
WE HAVE TO DRAW WITH THE LEGISLATION AND WITH A LAWSUIT, WHICH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA LOST.
AND WE HAD TO GO TO LAW, WE HAD TO GO TO COURT.
AND WE, EACH TIME WE HAVE TO GO TO COURT TO TRY TO GET FAIR MAPS.
THE FIRST CIRCUIT HASN'T BEEN REDISTRICTED SINCE THE CLARK LITIGATION.
JANICE CLARK, WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS HERE, WHO WAS LEADING THE, UH, UH, THE COUNCIL ON AGING, HER MOM SUED AND WE SUPPORTED HER IN THAT LAWSUIT.
AND WE TOOK HELL FOR IT TO STANDING UP FOR BLACKS IN THIS, THIS PARISH TO GIVE THEM AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON COURTS.
CONSEQUENTLY, WE ELECTED, UH, JUDGE GUIDRY AND HE'S BEEN THERE FOR 27 YEARS.
'CAUSE THE ONLY BLACK SERVANT ON THAT COURT, HE WANTS TO GO TO THE SUPREME COURT.
BUT WE CAN'T EVEN REDISTRICT THE SUPREME COURT, DESPITE FIVE JUDGES UP THERE SAYING, WE, WE NEED TO REDISTRICT SUPREME COURT.
I COME HERE TO ASK YOU TO REDISTRICT THE FIRST CIRCUIT.
2020, OUR CENSUS TOLD US THAT BLACKS MAKE UP 47% OF THIS PARISH.
OTHER MINORITIES MAKE UP 10%, 47 AND 10 IS 57% OF THE MAJORITY OF THIS PARISH.
WHEN THAT WAS THE REVERSE, I SUPPORTED LEGISLATION THAT SENT THREE OF THOSE JUDGES TO THE FIRST CIRCUIT FROM A MAJORITY RACE PARISH.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT NOW IN 2020, BLACK AMERICANS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE PARISH, BUT CANNOT GET EQUIVALENCY ON THE COURT, CANNOT EVEN GET HALF OF THE SEATS.
AND IT, I'M ANGRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT THREE FOURTHS OF A MAN.
AND MY OWN STATE WILL SAY TO ME, JUDGE JOHNSON, WE DON'T WANT TO REDRAW THESE LINES.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEND FROM DISTRICT 10, ONE BLACK PERSON, AND FROM THE WHOLE REST OF THE PARISH, WE'RE GONNA SEND THREE WHITE LAWYERS.
AND OF THE WHOLE COURT OF 12, WE ONLY HAVE ONE BLACK JUDGE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE 16 PARISHES AND THERE, AND THE PAR, THE 16 PARISHES, THE TOTAL IS ALMOST 30% BLACK.
AND I KNOW THAT MY PARISH WILL NEVER SUPPORT A MAP THAT ALLOWS THAT.
SO I COME TO YOU TO SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR THE COUNCIL TO RESOLVE THAT WE DON'T PRACTICE THIS WAY.
WE BELIEVE IN FAIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY PERSON THAT VOTES IN THIS PARISH.
AND THE WAY THE LINES ARE BEING MAINTAINED NOW, THEY ARE STRUCTURALLY DISADVANTAGING BLACK AMERICANS, BLACK LOUISIANAS BLACK PARISH RESIDENTS.
[02:10:01]
A RESOLUTION TO TELL OUR REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR STATE THAT WE BELIEVE IN FAIR MAPS THAT EAST BATON ROUGE PARENTS DOES NOT STAND FOR RACE DISCRIMINATION.WE BELIEVE THAT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, ALL OF US, SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN SERVING AS JUDGES AND LAWYERS ON OUR COURTS.
AND I, I COME TO, TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT ME IN THIS ENDEAVOR BECAUSE IF, IF YOU DO NOT STAND UP FOR ME, HOW CAN I STAND UP FOR YOU WHEN IT, WHEN I SEE UNFAIRNESS AGAINST YOU, I'M FORCED TO DO THAT.
I'VE DONE IT FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.
SO I ASK YOU TO STAND UP FOR ME.
I'M NOT QUALIFIED ANY LONGER TO SERVE ON ANY COURT IN THIS STATE BECAUSE THIS MONTH I MADE 70 YEARS OLD.
SO I, I, I DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ANYMORE.
I'VE LOST MY OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THE WAY I LOOK, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ME.
BUT I DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN AND I DON'T WANT OTHER LAWYERS TO FACE THAT SAME PREDICAMENT.
SO, IF THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT, I STAYING HERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, I CAN GIVE YOU DATA.
I'VE SHOWN YOU THE MAP AND THE DATA SUPPORTS IT.
AND, AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO TELL OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE STATE CAPITOL TO DO RIGHT BY US AND DO RIGHT BY THOSE THAT COME IN BEHIND US.
I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 1 0 6.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCILMAN DUNN, JUDGE JOHNSON, I WANNA FIRST TELL YOU I SUPPORT YOUR RESOLUTION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME INVESTED IN THIS ISSUE IN MANY ISSUES IN OUR PARISH, FIGHTING FOR EQUITY, AND, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN A STALLWORTH AND SOMEBODY ON THE FRONT LINE FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UH, I I WOULD ASK YOU, UH, HAVE YOU, UH, WATCHED THIS BODY SPECIFICALLY DURING OUR REDISTRICTING? YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE STATS AND STATISTICS AND, AND STUFF YOU QUOTED TODAY, MYSELF AND, AND MY COLLEAGUES QUOTED TO THIS EXACT BODY, UH, I WOULD HOPE IN A NEW YEAR, HAS BROUGHT OUT NEW VIEWPOINTS AND MINDSETS ABOUT SUPPORTING SUCH A RESOLUTION.
I KNOW MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES DO, BUT THIS VERY BODY WOULDN'T SUPPORT, UH, REDISTRICTING AND FAIR MAPS FOR THIS BODY, WHICH WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO.
UM, I DON'T LIKE, UH, RESOLUTIONS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU BRINGING IT, THEY'RE NOT BINDING.
THEY DON'T MAKE ANYBODY DO ANYTHING.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO FIRST TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN BUSINESS INSTEAD OF TELLING SOMEBODY ELSE HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BUSINESS.
SO WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THIS COUNCIL FAIR MAPS AND GIVE US EQUITY AND EQUALITY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FOR THE VARIOUS STATISTICS YOU QUOTED.
UM, AND I THINK, AS YOU MENTIONED, I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE LITIGATION TO GET US FAIR MAPS AND ULTIMATELY GET, UH, UF MAPS.
BUT I SUPPORT YOU AND ENDEAVORS.
I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
COUNCILMAN HURST, I, I CLEARLY SUPPORT YOU, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S UNDER MY NAME, BUT, UM, I, I APPEAL TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE SAME THING THAT'S HAPPENED WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, UM, THE SAME THING THAT'S HAPPENED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THE THING, SAME THINGS THAT, UM, WE FIGHT FOR TODAY.
AND JUST IN TERMS OF, UH, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION, I THINK WE'RE TIRED OF SINGING WE SHALL OVERCOME.
AND THE EQUITY THAT IS, IS SO OFF BALANCE IN THIS CITY.
YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES WITH FIGHTING FOR, FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME, AND I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU.
AND OUTSIDE OF, UM, LACK OF EQUITY, YOU HAVE THOUGHT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX A NUMBER OF TIMES TO CREATE PROGRAMS TO PREVENT RECIDIVISM AND TO PROVIDE GREAT FAMILY RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE COURTROOM, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE IN THE COURTROOM.
SO THANK YOU FOR USING YOUR GRAIN, USING YOUR HEART, BUT MOST OF ALL, GOD AND WHAT YOU DO, AND, UH, I WILL SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
I WILL JOIN WITH CLEAVE TO, TO PRESENT IT.
AND, UH, I ASK THAT MY COLLEAGUE SIGN IT AS WELL BASED ON THE DATA THAT YOU PRESENTED TODAY.
WAS WAS A REDRAWN MAP FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT CONSIDERED DURING THE RECENT SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT WAS NOT, I HAD THROUGHOUT LAST YEAR, I WROTE APPROXIMATELY 12 LETTERS.
GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, PRESIDENT OF SENATE, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
AND I ASKED THEM TO CONSIDER THIS ON THE SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHERE WE JUST, UH, ADOPTED THAT
[02:15:01]
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.BUT I GOT, UH, BASICALLY NO RESPONSE.
AND IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
DO I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY? EXACTLY.
IT IS A STATE STATUTE THAT WAS, THAT ADOPTED.
AND, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP 'CAUSE I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AS WE WERE SPEAKING, BUT TIMING IS EVERYTHING AND NOBODY'S GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR REDISTRICTING WHEN THE FIGHT PUT DOWN.
RIGHT? SAME THING WITH US ON THIS COUNCIL BODY.
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT MAYBE THE RESOLUTION, BUT JOINING YOUR FIGHT WHEN WE'RE HAVING A FIGHT OF OUR OWN UP HERE TO GET PROPER REPRESENTATION.
SO NOW THAT THE DUST HAS SOMEWHAT SETTLED, I BELIEVE YOU WOULD DEFINITELY GET MORE SUPPORT IN SHOWING THAT THE ENTIRE PARISH, THE LARGEST PARISH IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA SUPPORT, SUPPORTING THAT DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU CAN CARRY TWO LEGISLATION.
I BELIEVE IT SPEAKS VOLUMES BECAUSE THE VOTERS PUT US IN OFFICE AND WE SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I COLLECTIVELY ASK MY BODY OF, UH, COLLEAGUES AND, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
IT MAY BE A PIECE OF PAPER TO YOU JUST SIGNING YOUR NAME OFF ON IT TO GIVE IT A VOTE.
BUT WHEN IT GOES TO THE STATE HOUSE, YOUR NAME SPEAKS VOLUMES BECAUSE OF PEOPLE PUT YOU IN OFFICE.
COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, UH, JUDGE, UM, MY SENTIMENTS AS WELL, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING AS IT RELATES TO THIS BEING A DECISION BEFORE, UM, OUR STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HAVING, UM, JUST BEEN THROUGH, UH, UH, 2323 RACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD YOU SAY HOW YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, REACHED OUT TO EVERYBODY AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, MY SENTIMENTS ARE, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE SHOWN YOUR DEDICATION.
AND ONE, ONCE I MADE A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, BLACK PEOPLE, BLACK LEADERS GET TIRED OF TAKING THE BLUNT OF EVERYTHING AND YOU LOOK BACK AND NOBODY'S BEHIND YOU.
AND THOUGH IT DOES NOT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE ARE NOT, WE, BECAUSE WE ARE CALLED AND WE ARE, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO MAKE CHANGE.
BUT THE, I CANNOT LET THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, GO WITHOUT, ONCE AGAIN APPEALING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, TO VOTE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TIME YOU, YOU, WE ARE STILL AT THE MERCY OF, UM, PERSONS, UM, WHO MAY NOT OR WHO THINK THAT OUR MAPS ARE FAIR.
BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT WOULD FIGHT, WE DON'T DO IT.
ANY LEADER THAT KNOWS THAT IT'S A UPHILL BATTLE, UM, FOR EQUITY, EQUITABLE, UM, MEASURES ON ANYTHING.
YOU NEED THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE WHO, UM, NOT ARE CHEERING YOU ON OR GIVING YOU PAT ON THE BACK, BUT REALIZE HOW THOSE THINGS IMPACT EVERYTHING CONCERNING US.
AND, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE, UM, STOP THINKING THAT WE ARE, THAT THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING PEOPLE IS TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL.
YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S TO HELP THEM.
AND I JUST THINK FURTHER EDUCATION, PEOPLE NEED TO CONNECT THE DOTS.
UM, I'D CERTAINLY SUPPORT, UH, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT IS, I HAVE TO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF OUR PEOPLE DO NOT GO OUT AND VOTE THAT AND HAVE A REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTS THE DATA BY WHICH YOU, WHICH YOU MENTIONED, UM, THEN IT, IT'LL BE A CONTINUOUS, UM, CIVIL RIGHTS FIGHT THAT IS NOT JUST EXTERNAL, BUT INTERNAL.
AND SO THE NARRATIVE OF THAT WAS NOT THAT PEOPLE CAME OUT, UH, IN SUCH SUPER SUPPORT OF THE, THE PERSON WHO WHO WON IT, WHAT.
BUT IT WAS MORE SO THAT IN SPITE OF THEIR, UM, THEM HAVING THE LOWEST NUMBERS, WE HAD EVEN LOWER MM-HMM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE GOTTA LOOK AT OURSELVES AND SAY, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO SUPPORT THE, UM, PERSONS AND THE NUMBERS THAT ARE REFLECTED IN OUR DATA? UM, SO AGAIN, THE EDUCATION CONTINUES.
PEOPLE GOTTA KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T STOP IN
[02:20:01]
THE BOOTH, BUT THAT IT DOES IMPACT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE PAST 70, YOU KNOW,UM, AND AT 70 YOU ARE WORKING ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO PROVE.
YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING ELSE, UM, TO, TO GIVE YOU A GRANDIOSE SENDOFF.
YOU ARE DOING IT JUST FOR JUSTICE.
AND SO UNTIL PEOPLE REALIZE THAT YOU, THEY ARE HURTING THEMSELVES, NOT THE PERSON THEY DID OR DID NOT, UM, ELECT IT, IT IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
BUT I DO COMMEND YOU FOR KEEPING THE FIGHT.
ANY OTHER COUNCILMAN COLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND SOME SMOKE SIGNALS? THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN COLE
UH, THAT CONCLUDES ITEM 1 0 6, ITEM 1 0 4, RECEIVING,
[104. 23-01735 ]
RECEIVING A REPORT FROM DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY PARISH.OPEN DATA POLICY BY INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AFTER WE RECEIVE THE REPORT.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE, UH, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION ON YOUR DESKS.
UM, TONIGHT I'M PRESENTING ON THE 2023 OPEN DATA POLICY REPORT.
AS A QUICK REFRESHER, IN 2017, THE CITY PARISH ESTABLISHED OUR OPEN DATA POLICY.
THE POLICY ADOPTS AN OPEN BY DEFAULT MANDATE FOR ALL CITY PARISH DATA.
IT ESTABLISHES A CITY PARISH DATA GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MADE UP OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS CALLS FOR INCLUSION OF OPEN DATA REQUIREMENTS IN CITY PARISH CONTRACTING.
AND LASTLY, IT PROVIDES THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE ADOPTED THE POLICY IN 2017, OUR OPEN DATA PROGRAM ACTUALLY BEGAN IN 2015, UM, WITH THE CREATION OF OPEN DATA BR.
SO THE SLIDE SHOWS THAT WE'VE CONTINUOUSLY EXPANDED THE PROGRAM OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS.
IN, UH, THIS YEAR, 2020 OR LAST YEAR, 2023, WE ESTABLISHED THE DATA ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE SECTION IN THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES.
MORE ON THAT LATER, WE COMPLETED OUR WORK IN THE CITY DATA ALLIANCE AND WERE IDENTIFIED AS A TOP 10 DIGITAL CITY FOR THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
SO OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT LAST YEAR WAS THE FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DATA ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE SECTION.
WE CREATED THE DIVISION BY RESTRUCTURING EXISTING IS STAFF INTO A TEAM THAT'S NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR CITY PARISH DATA, PRIORITIZING, UH, THE INTEGRATION OF ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE OPERATION.
AND WE DID ALL OF THAT IN, UH, BUDGET NEUTRAL, AGAIN, USING EXISTING, UH, CITY PARA STAFF, UH, IS STAFF.
SO WE ALSO COMPLETED THE BLOOMBERG'S PHILANTHROPY CITY DATA ALLIANCE PROGRAM.
THAT WAS A 18 MONTH PROGRAM COMPLETED IN 2023, DESIGNED TO IMPROVE OUR USE OF DATA AND TECHNOLOGY ACROSS OUR OPERATIONS.
OUR TEAM FOCUSED ON TWO TRACKS, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND DATA GOVERNANCE.
FOR OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.
WE CAN, UH, COORDINATED, UH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BEST PRACTICES FOR DATA COLLECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
THIS EFFORT SUPPORTED THE FOUNDATION OF A PLAN FOR, UH, DATA TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE SCALED TO MEET MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
WE DEPLOYED THIS PLAN TO CONDUCT A PARISH WIDE SURVEY OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES WHERE SURVEYORS ASSESSED PROPERTIES AND ASSIGN SCORE BASED ON THEIR CONDITION.
THESE SCORES CAN BE CROSS-REFERENCED WITH BUILDING PERMITS, CRIME STATS, AND OTHER DATA TO PRIORITIZE, UH, AREAS OF GREATER NEED IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE BLIGHT REMEDIATION PROJECTS.
THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE USED TO SUPPORT FUTURE GRANT APPLICATIONS.
THE DATA GOVERNANCE PART OF THIS PROJECT FOCUSED ON A C CREATING A CITYWIDE DATA STRATEGY TO SET MINIMAL STANDARDS FOR CITY PARISH DEPARTMENTAL DATA COLLECTION.
ONCE COMPLETE, IT'LL PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES THAT WILL HELP US COLLECT AND MAINTAIN DATA THAT IS USABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND CAN BE INTEGRATED ACROSS CITY PARISH OPERATIONS.
UM, SO OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE DAP, UH, SECTION WORKED TO IMPROVE SEVERAL GIS LAYERS.
WE FEDERATED ALL THE GIS DATA SETS INTO OUR OPEN DATA BR PLATFORM.
[02:25:01]
THAT MEANS THAT OPEN DATA VR IS THE ONE-STOP SHOP TO FIND ANY TYPE OF DATA, WHETHER IT'S THE TRADITIONAL SPREADSHEET TYPE DATA THAT'S BEEN IN OPEN DATA VR OR THE SPATIAL DATA THAT'S BEEN IN GIS.UM, IN ADDITION TO THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, OUR TEAM INTEGRATED GIS DATA INTO SEVERAL SYSTEMS TO HELP IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES.
UH, DSS MS FOUR REPORTING SYSTEM, BATON ROUGE FIRE'S, UH, FIRST DUE SYSTEM AND BATON ROUGE GREENS TREE INVENTORY.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR WAS TO INCLUDE THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE CRIME INCIDENTS INTO OPEN DATA VR AND OPEN NEIGHBORHOOD VR.
SO NOW WE HAVE BOTH BRPD, WHO WAS, UH, PART OF OPEN DATA VR IN 2015, AND NOW WE HAVE THE SHERIFF CRIME INCIDENT DATA.
I STILL HOPE TO WORK WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO INCLUDE THEIR DATA.
SO THAT WILL HAVE A, A TRUE, UM, CONSOLIDATED PICTURE OF CRIME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARISH THAT'S GONNA HELP, UH, DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO THESE EFFORTS THAT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT KEY INITIATIVES LIKE THE REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER AND SAFE, HOPEFUL, HEALTHY BR WORKED WITH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT THE USE OF FORWARD LOOKING, UH, INFRARED SENSORS.
UH, THESE SENSORS ARE SET UP TO MONITOR DISCHARGES IN THE, UH, CATCH BASINS AND, UM, ALLOW DES TO MORE QUICKLY RESPOND TO DUMPING ISSUES IN THE WATERWAYS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY THE NUMBERS.
THESE ARE OUR TOP METRICS FOR 2013.
SO EVERY TUESDAY WE POST OUR HASHTAG TECH TUESDAY, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN ON THE CITY PARISH SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
UM, IN 2023, UH, THE SERIES HAD OVER 1.4 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, UM, OUR POSTS POP UP POPPED UP ON PEOPLE'S FEEDS OVER 1 MILLION TIMES LAST YEAR.
WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY ON DEMAND VIDEOS.
NOW WE HAVE THE LIBRARY OF 25 VIDEOS FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE.
IN TERMS OF DIRECT COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE HELD A TOTAL OF 20 VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS REACHING NEARLY, UH, 1200 PARTICIPANTS BY THE END OF 2023.
OPEN DATA VR UH, PLATFORM WILL CONTAIN 238 DATA DATA SETS REPRESENTING 12.2 MILLION ROWS OF DATA.
THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO 12 MILLION ROWS OF CITY PARISH DATA AND OUR E-B-R-G-I-S PLATFORM CLOSE OUT THE YEAR WITH, UH, 84.4 MILLION LIFETIME VIEWS ON THE 54 PUBLIC DASHBOARD AND THE WEB APPS THAT ARE CONTAINED IN GIS.
SO 84.4 MILLION LIFETIME VIEWS.
THAT MEANS THE THE PUBLIC IS USING THOSE TECHNOLOGIES AGAIN FROM THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
BATON ROUGE WAS NAMED THE TOP 10 DIGITAL CITY.
UH, THIS CONSISTENCY, UM, RECOGNIZES OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES, MOD MODERNIZING KEY SYSTEMS, AND ENGAGING EAST BATON ROUGE RESIDENTS IN AREAS RELATED TO DATA AND TECHNOLOGY.
AND I'LL SAY IT, I'VE SAID IT EVERY YEAR, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY IT, IT'S GOOD TO BE NAMED IN THAT TOP 10, BUT WE'RE, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE STILL HAVE TO, UH, A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT THERE.
AND MOVING FORWARD IN 2024, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, TRY TO, UH, DO MORE ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ACROSS, UH, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, COLLABORATE WITH, UH, BOTH INTERNAL CITY PARISH AGENCIES, BUT EXTERNAL AGENCIES ON DATA.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO, UH, CONTINUE TO DO MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS WITH DATA.
AND LASTLY, UM, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, AS WELL AS A LOT MORE THAT WAS, UH, CONDUCTED LAST YEAR IS ON OUR OPEN DATA REPORT WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S B LA.GOV/OPENDATA REPORT.
AND I'LL CLOSE OUT BY THANKING THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UM, FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PRIORITIZATION OF THE CITY PARISH'S OPEN DATA PROGRAM.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 4.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCILMAN GODDE? THANKS, ERIC.
WOULD YOU INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM? WHO ARE YOUR TEAM? ABSOLUTELY.
SO MELODY, JUSTIN, SO MELODY IS IN HER SECOND YEAR WITH IS RIGHT? NOPE.
YOU'VE BEEN, YOU, WELL, YOU STARTED IN 2023, SO SHE MAY NOT HAVE MADE HER FIRST YEAR YET, BUT SHE HAS BEEN WITH THE LIBRARY BEFORE THAT.
[02:30:01]
OUTREACH COORDINATOR.SO SHE REALLY COORDINATES ALL OF THE, UM, THE DIFFERENT ENGAGEMENTS WE HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC TRYING TO COORDINATE, UM, NOT JUST THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO THE, THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
AND THEN JUSTIN POLA IS, UH, OUR NEW, UM, THE MANAGER OVER THE DAP SECTION.
SO THE FORMER, FORMERLY THE GIS SECTION.
UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WARREN HAS TRANSITIONED OUT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR NOW HE RETIRED AND JUSTIN HAS, UH, STEPPED IN IN HIS PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING HIM, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I, I WAS ASKED THE OTHER DAY IN A MEETING, WHAT ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CITY PARISH, WHAT ARE SOME, SOME WINS? AND IN ADDITION TO A FEW OTHER DEPARTMENTS, I ABSOLUTELY NAMED THE IS DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO AND THAT YOU'VE BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR.
ERIC, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU JUST THE, THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DAP DIVISION, WHAT ARE THE OTHER DIVISIONS OF IS? SO WE HAVE, ON OUR, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE, WE HAVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY HANDLE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN, UH, SPEAK INTO.
SO THE PHONES, THE CELL PHONES, AND ALSO THE PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, NETWORK SUPPORT.
THEY'RE HANDLING ALL THE, THE BREAK FIX ON THE, THE COMPUTERS AND THE LAPTOPS AND THE NETWORK AND SUCH.
AND THEN WE HAVE SERVER ADMINISTRATION WHO'S HANDLING THE SERVER, THE BACKEND SYSTEMS, UH, EMAIL SYSTEMS ON, UH, THE OTHER SIDE, THE ENTERPRISE SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS THE ERP TEAM THAT'S MANAGING THE, UM, THE MUNI AND EXECUTION SYSTEMS, UM, THE DA TEAM.
AND THEN WE HAVE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL, UH, WRITE PROGRAMS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS.
SMALLER PROGRAMS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS WHEN, UM, A COMMERCIAL OFF THE SHELF SYSTEM IS EITHER NOT AVAILABLE OR COST PROHIBITIVE.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE, THE DAP TEAM IS GONNA CONTINUE TO DO.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A DASHBOARD PRESENTATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND CERTAINLY FOR THIS COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE SOME EXCITING THINGS, UH, PERHAPS FORTHCOMING.
WHERE DOES CYBERSECURITY FALL WITHIN WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED? SO RIGHT NOW, UH, CYBERSECURITY IS HANDLED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM.
SO THERE, IT'S, IT'S, UH, WE'RE APPROACHING IT A, A COMMITTEE BASED APPROACH.
SO IT'S MYSELF AND THE THREE PROJECT MANAGERS OF TELECOM SERVERS AND THE NETWORK SUPPORT.
UM, WE WERE, UH, WE WERE APPROVED TO UNFREEZE A POSITION FOR THIS BUDGET, UM, THAT WILL BE A CYBERSECURITY COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY.
UM, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
IT'S JUST CYBERSECURITY IS, IT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
EVERY DAY THERE'S SOMETHING NEW, SOME, SOME NEW ATTACK VECTOR THAT'S COMING OUT.
WE CON WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ASSESS ALL THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO BE QUITE CANDIDLY, A LITTLE BIT DISRUPTIVE TO, TO THE DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE AS WE'RE PUTTING IN MORE SECURITIES, UM, IT'S TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A NECESSARY, UM, EVIL, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET TO THE LEVEL OF SECURITY TO PROTECT ALL THE DATA THAT, THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING HERE.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY, IT'S EVER CHANGED, EVER EVOLVING THE LEVEL AND THE, AND THE TYPES OF ATTACKS THAT CAN COME THROUGH.
AND CERTAINLY FOR A CITY PARISH OR, OR FOR MANY CITY GOVERNMENTS AND, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, I THINK IT'S, IT'S NOT A TOP PRIORITY UNTIL IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BECOME A TOP PRIORITY.
THE MAYOR HAS, HAS COMPLETELY SUPPORTED ME.
THE COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED, WHEN WE HAD, UM, DIFFERENT CONTRACTS COMING UP, WE HAD A, A PORTION OF THE ARC FUNDING BECAUSE ARPA HAD A CYBERSECURITY COMPONENT WAS ALLOCATED.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF, UH, PUT, PUT FORTH A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THAT.
SO I, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, ARE VERY ENVIOUS OF THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT, THAT I HAVE.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
I WAS GONNA HIGHLIGHT THAT'S BECAUSE YOU CONTINUE, YOU AND YOUR TEAM CONTINUE TO RAISE IT TO THE LEVEL THAT, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, IT EDUCATES THOSE OF US WHO MAYBE DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, BUT, BUT IT CONTINUES TO PUT IT AT THIS NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY PARISH.
BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, MANY HAVE FOUND OUT ONCE IT'S TOO LATE, IT'S TOO LATE.
SO THANK YOU ALL TO THE TEAM FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO.
UH, ERIC, I'LL JUST SAY REAL QUICK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, GETTING THEIR DATA TO US.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A, A PRIORITY FOR US AND, AND YOU LATCHED ONTO IT AND, AND KEPT ON HASSLING 'EM FOR IT.
THAT'S A GREAT TOOL FOR FOLKS TO USE.
I USE THAT ACTUALLY EVERY DAY IN, IN MY PROFESSION.
SO, UM, IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR US AND, AND WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT IN THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF THE PARISH.
SEE YOU, NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[105. 23-01834 ]
WILL MOVE TO ITEM 1 0 5, RECEIVING AN ANNUAL REPORT OF PROJECT APPLICATIONS IN THE NORTH BATON ROUGE[02:35:01]
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 2 1 5 BY PLANNING DIRECTOR.WE'LL HEAR THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN OPEN THE HEARING FOR THE PUBLIC.
YOU SHOULD HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION UPLOADED ON THE AGENDA.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THIS, UH, NORTH BATON ROUGE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE WAS CREATED BY PRIOR COUNCIL IN 2016.
PART OF THAT ORDINANCE REQUIRED ANNUAL UPDATES TO THIS COUNCIL AND WE'RE HERE TODAY.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE DOCUMENTATION ON THE AGENDA, THERE WAS TWO NEW RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENTS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT WERE PROCESSED THROUGH THE LED, UM, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THE LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY, WHO IN TURN PROCESSES THAT PAPERWORK ON TWO COUNSEL, IT REQUIRES, ULTIMATELY REQUIRES A COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO THERE WERE TWO PROPERTIES, UH, THEY ARE BOTH HIGHLIGHTED ON, ON THE REPORT.
THE FIRST ONE IS 28 31 MONTEREY BOULEVARD.
UH, THIS WAS A $500,000 INVESTMENT TO AN EXISTING BUILDING.
UH, THE SECOND ONE WAS ALSO ON MONTEREY BOULEVARD, 30 44 TO 30 70 MONTEREY DRIVE.
THIS IS A REHAB OF AN EXISTING STRIP COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE, UH, RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM IS, UH, IT'S A STATE INCENTIVE PRO PROVIDING UP TO A 10 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT OF PROPERTY TAXES ON RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES AND EXISTING OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL USED PROPERTIES AND QUALIFYING DISTRICTS OF THE PARISH.
SO THIS, THIS PARTICULAR UPDATE AND REPORT IS, UH, UNIQUE TO THE NORTH BATON ROUGE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
YOU CAN SEE THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT, THAT ZONE.
THE GENERAL BOUNDARIES ARE THE CITY LIMITS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST, TO THE, UH, MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE WEST AND FLORIDA BOULEVARD TO THE SOUTH.
THE PREVIOUS YEAR WE DID NOT HAVE ANY, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT.
UH, THERE, THERE WERE TWO THIS YEAR.
THERE'S A THIRD ONE LISTED ON THERE, BUT IT WAS, UH, SIMPLY A PROPERTY TRANSFER FROM THE PRIOR OWNER TO A NEW OWNER.
IT DOES REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO YOU WILL, UH, SEE THAT COMING BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL LATER THIS YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE DO.
UH, I DO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO JASMINE THOMAS IN HER OFFICE.
SHE'S, UH, THE SENIOR PRO UH, PLANNER THAT COORDINATES THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE WISH THAT THERE, THERE WERE MORE PROPERTIES THAT WE WOULD SEE.
WE CAN ONLY PROCESS THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE FORWARDED TO US FROM LED.
BUT, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO GO TALK, UH, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AT ANY MEETINGS OR COMMUNITY EVENTS ON THIS PROGRAM AND ANY OTHER, UH, ECONOMIC PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE.
VOTE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 5.
SEE, AND NONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I KNOW YOU REFERENCED IN YOUR STATEMENTS AS I WAS WALKING IN WHEN THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL CREATED THE NORTH BATON ROUGE EMPOWERMENT ZONE.
WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? OKAY, 2016.
AND I JUST WANNA STATE FOR THE RECORD, 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT THIS COUNCIL, UH, WITH AN ITEM AUTHORED BY ME EXTENDED OR EXPANDED THE, THIS NORTH BATON ROUGE EMPOWERMENT ZONE IN 2021.
SO WE DID TAKE ACTION ON THIS AND CREATE THIS RECREATE WITHOUT THE RECREATION, IT WOULDN'T BE IN PLACE.
RYAN, HOW DOES THE, UH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE INTERACT WITH OUR NORTH BATON ROUGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT? SO THERE IS SOME OVERLAP WITH, WITH OTHER PREVIOUSLY, UH, CREATED AN EXISTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE A WEB MAP THAT I, I, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT GIVE CREDIT TO THE IS DEPARTMENT THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL AS THE, IS, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, UM, THAT, THAT IF YOU'RE WITHIN THAT DISTRICT, YOU WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE ADMINISTER, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT.
BUT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC, UH, BENEFITS FOR BEING IN A, IN A DISTRICT.
IF SOMEONE APPROACHES THE NORTH BATON ROUGE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, ARE THEY INFORMING 'EM, UH, OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, OF THIS, UH, AS AN ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE THAT COULD BE APPLIED FOR, UH, DO Y'ALL HAVE COORDINATION, I THINK IS MY ULTIMATE QUESTION? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE, UH, RECENTLY ADDED A, A BANNER ON OUR WEBSITE FRONT AND CENTER, HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A LINK AND A, AND AN INFO BULLETIN
[02:40:01]
THAT HIGHLIGHTS AND CONTACTS AT THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT INITIATES.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT ARE ELIGIBLE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE.
AND THE SIX STARS ON THE MAP YOU PROVIDED ON, ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ARE THE SIX PROJECTS THAT HAVE APPLIED THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
DO I HAVE THAT CORRECT? IN 2023? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
OH, THIS SIX IN 23, BECAUSE I SEE A FEW OF 'EM FALL OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES, SO, OKAY.
COUNCILMAN BANKS MICROPHONE PLEASE.
JUST BRIEFLY, UH, I WHEN, UM, JOHN DELGADO, UH, WAS THE ONE THAT, THAT BEGAN THE, UH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE THAT HAS BEEN AMENDED BY COUNCILMAN, UM, DONE, MY, MY ISSUE IS THAT IT'S LIKE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EDUCATION.
IS THERE IS, WOULD IT BE YOU, RYAN, THAT WOULD, COULD, UM, THAT WOULD LET PEOPLE GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE OP ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONE? AND DO YOU, IN THIS REPORT, I DON'T SEE THE DATA THAT KIND OF LIKE, AND MAYBE, UM, TALKS ABOUT WHO SPECIFICALLY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AND LIKE, UH, WHO THE APPLICANTS ARE, THE PROJECTS WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THAT? IT IS ON, ON THE SPREADSHEET.
I HAVE THE ADDITIONAL ADDRESSES HERE.
LED WOULD HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND EVERY ONE OF THESE PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTED DOES AND DID REQUIRE COUNSEL APPROVAL BY THIS BODY.
UM, SO THAT THE APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COME BEFORE, I DON'T, I REMEMBER SOMETHING PREVIEW, BUT WERE THERE ANY IN 2023? THERE WERE, UH, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE PROCESSED IN 2023.
THERE WERE NOT ANY, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NONE IN 2022.
UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN, QUICK QUESTION AND A FEW COMMENTS.
AND I'M GLAD, UM, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS REFERENCED, UM, UH, FORMER COUNCILMAN DELGADO SINCE WE REFERENCING FORMER COUNCIL PEOPLE WHO, WHO ORIGINALLY AUTHORED THIS, THIS, UH, ITEM.
BUT MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE MAP AND COUNCILMAN MOOCH, UH, BROUGHT UP A VALID CONCERN ABOUT ADJUSTING THE MAP AND INCREASING OTHER PARTS OF NORTH BATON ROUGE THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY IN THE MAP.
DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY OR AUTHORITY TO, UM, EDIT OR CHANGE THIS MAP PRIOR TO THE FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY? UH, RYAN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT CAN BE, UH, THIS BODY DOES, I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE A, A, A CONVERSATION WITH LED, UM, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER, AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER QUALIFYING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND, UH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT.
SO THAT WAS A POINT THAT I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN HERTZ MENTIONED IN OUR SIDEBAR OVER HERE.
DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE AREAS THAT IS EXCLUDED, THAT IS, THAT IS NORFOLK, FLORIDA WAS BECAUSE OF THOSE OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS? OR, I, I CAN'T SAY, UH, I KNOW YOU HAVE TO BE IN A QUALIFYING CENSUS TRACK, UH, THAT DRIVES A LOT OF, A LOT OF THIS, AND IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY, BY THEIR GOVERNING BODY AS WELL.
WHEN, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ITEM TO, TO RECREATED, UH, A CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO LOOK AT THE MAP AND, AND MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ABOUT, UH, OTHER AREAS IN NORTH OF FLORIDA, UH, THAT WE COULD INCLUDE.
UM, IF YOU GUYS WERE PAYING ATTENTION, OR REMEMBER WHEN COUNCILMAN GDO BROUGHT THIS ITEM, THERE WERE NO ECONOMICS INCENTIVES OF THIS KIND IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
AND THIS WAS THE FIRST THAT INCENTIVIZED DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH BATON ROUGE THAT, THAT HE BROUGHT, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH WAS A HUGE, UH, WIN FOR NORTH BATON ROUGE TO INCENTIVIZE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY WHEN, WHEN I GOT ON THE COUNCIL, I, I, I REMEMBERED IT AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, CONTINUE IT AND, AND, AND EXPAND IT.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO LOOK AT THE MAP AND SEE IF WE CAN INCLUDE OTHER AREAS THAT, THAT DON'T DISRUPT ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
[107. 24-00109]
1 0 7.UH, EMERGENCY ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE'LL BE A MOTION TO DELETE THIS ITEM.
ITEM 1 0 7 CONATION ITEM, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 7.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION BY THE CHAIR TO DELETE.
WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, CAN COUNCILMAN COLE GIVE US A MOTION TO, UH, ADJOURN? I CAN, CAN WE SIGN IT? WE, WE OUT