Feb 21, 2024 Metropolitan Council

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

LAURA PHILLIPS 700 LAKELAND DRIVE, BATON ROUGE.

THIS DEFIES LOUISIANA'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION AGAINST LEGISLATING BY REFERENCE.

HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE METRO COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

I AM HERE TO ADDRESS A THREAT TO THE PHYSICAL SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND MY HOME.

THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF OUR HOUSE IS UNSHADED TO THE WEST.

LAST SUMMER, WE WERE UNABLE TO COOL OUR HOUSE BELOW 90 DEGREES.

WE ARE PEELING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION'S DENIAL OF OUR REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR OUR PROPOSED SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

UH, SLIDE B UM, IN THE HEATWAVE LAST JULY, THE PRESIDENT ISSUED AN ADVISORY RECOMMENDING PAINTING ROOFS WHITE TO COOL HOUSES.

THE HPC DENIED OUR APPLICATION FOR A-C-C-O-A TO PAINT OUR ROOF WHITE WITH A ROOF COATING SYSTEM.

THIS IS OUR APPEAL OF THAT DECISION.

PAINTING A ROOF WHITE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROTECT A BUILDING FROM HEAT.

IT CAN COOL THE ROOF BY

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50 DEGREES.

THIS PRACTICE IS THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD.

SLIDE C, THE H PC'S DENIAL OF OUR COA WAS UNLAWFUL FOR SEVEN REASONS WHICH WE WILL PRESENT.

SLIDE D FIVE SPANISH TOWNHOUSES ALREADY HAVE WHITE ROOTS, SO OUR PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH SPANISH TOWN'S VISUAL ATTRIBUTES.

SLIDE E ON JANUARY 22ND, DEPUTY PARISH ATTORNEY COURTNEY HUMPHREY, EMAILED THE HPC BOARD STATING THAT SPANISH TOWN GUIDELINES ARE SILENT ON ROOF PAINTING.

YET SHE ADVISED THE BOARD THAT THEY MAY REFER TO A DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR PUBLICATION FOR LEGAL GUIDANCE.

AT THE JANUARY 23RD SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD, SHE ADVISED THE BOARD THAT THEIR DECISION WILL MAKE LAW SLIDE F.

THE UDC ALLOWS RELIEF FROM HISTORIC PRESERVATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AN UNDUE HARDSHIP.

I HAVE CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES AND THERE'S, UM, ON THE SLIDE, THERE'S A, A COPY OF A LETTER FROM ONE OF MY DOCTORS DOCUMENTING THE IMPERATIVE OF KEEPING MY HOME ADEQUATELY COOLED.

AT THE JANUARY 23RD SPECIAL MEETING, MY HUSBAND WENT INTO A HUMILIATING PERSONAL DETAIL ABOUT HOW WE TRIED TO COPE WITH THE HEAT, THE STIFLING HEAT.

THE BOARD DID NOT GIVE THOSE CONCERNS.

A SECOND THOUGHT REVEALING THAT IN ADDITION TO BEING UNLAWFUL, THEIR DECISION IS UNETHICAL AND CALLOUS SLIDE G.

THE UDC REQUIRES THE HPC TO NOTIFY US IN WRITING OF THE REASONS FOR DENIAL LET YET DIRECTOR HOLCOMB'S JANUARY 23RD LETTER DOES NOT DO THIS CONFIRMING OUR IMPRESSIONS THAT OUR DENIAL LACKED ANY VALID LEGAL OR TECHNICAL BASIS AND THAT THE DENIAL WAS INSTEAD ARBITRARY AND PREJUDICED.

SLIDE J MY HUSBAND IS A VETERAN WHO DEFENDED ALL OF OUR RIGHTS IN THE TIME OF WAR.

AS SUCH, IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFF DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO WATCH THE GOVERNMENT UNLAWFULLY AND ETHICALLY UNETHICALLY TRAMPLE ON OUR LEGAL PROPERTY.

COMMISSIONER SHIRLEY BLEY.

WE HUMBLY ASK THE METRO COUNCIL TO OVERTURN THE HPC VOTE THROUGH THE APPEAL WE BRING TO YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM, WE'LL TAKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS FIRST.

IF YOU ARE HERE IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM, PLEASE COME NOW.

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD IF THERE IS COMMISSIONER SHIRLEY BALLER, IF ANYONE.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPPOSITION.

IS THIS IN FAVOR OR, AND, UH, SHE SAID IN FAVOR.

ALRIGHT, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, GRANT THEIR REQUEST.

WE TALKING ABOUT 50 DEGREES, UH, COOLER.

ALL OF US OUGHT TO BE TRYING TO PAINT OUR ROOFS.

WE HAVE SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA HERE FOR ENTER ENERGY TO DISCUSS ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUNDING.

AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS BE PASSED, APPROVED SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND PAINT THEIR ROOFS AND THAT WE WILL CONSIDER SUCH THINGS FOR OURSELVES.

UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN.

THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

JUST SO I'M CLEAR, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ANYONE? WE CAN SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.

ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

COUNCIL MEMBER MO? YEAH.

JUST A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW, HOW LONG HAVE Y'ALL LIVED AT THIS HOME? GO TO THE MONTH.

YEAH, WE MOVED THERE IN JUNE OF PULL IT DOWN.

2021.

JUNE OF 2021.

WHAT? OKAY.

WAS THE HOUSE IN THIS CONDITION WHEN YOU MOVED IN? YES.

IT WAS IN THE SAME SHAPE THAT IT WAS IN NOW AS FAR AS IT GOES.

UM, BUT LAST SUMMER WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HOT.

I I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT REAL ESTATE, REAL ESTATE OR REALTORS OR WHATEVER ELSE, BUT WHEN YOU MOVE INTO A PLACE WITH A, ESPECIALLY A HISTORIC AREA, THEY GO OVER EVERYTHING WITH YOU.

DO THEY TELL YOU EVERYTHING AS FAR AS WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO? AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT THAN A HOA YEAH.

BUT WE WERE TOLD THERE'S AN HOA WE WERE PROVIDED WITH THE GUIDELINES.

WELL, I DON'T, THIS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

NOT WITH ANYBODY.

THIS IS NOT H HOA.

THIS IS A HISTORIC DISTRICT.

WE WERE TOLD THERE'S A HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT.

WE WERE PROVIDED WITH THE SPANISH TOWN GUIDELINES.

UH, THE UDC GUIDELINES MAKE CLEAR THAT PAINTING IS MAINTENANCE AND THAT MAINTENANCE IS NOT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THAT.

THE GUIDELINES ARE SILENT ON PAINTING THE ROOF.

AND,

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NOT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE H-P-C-H-P-C MAINTENANCE.

NOT OKAY.

AS FAR AS THE COOLING THE SIDES OF THE HOUSE OR PLANTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

Y'ALL WAS AWARE OF ALL THAT? WELL, WE DID NOT KNOW WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOUSE.

'CAUSE WE HADN'T, WE SAW THE HOUSE IN THE SPRINGTIME.

SO WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOUSE, WE DID NOT KNOW UNTIL WE MOVED INTO IT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS GOING TO BE TO.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THE TIMELINE CORRECT BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS, LOOK, I ONE REASON I DON'T LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A HOA , I'M NOT GONNA HAVE 'EM TELLING ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO AND SO ON.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT MY NEIGHBORS AND SO ON AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BUT, UM, IT JUST SEEMS SOME OF THESE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GO TO PURCHASE AND OBVIOUSLY YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW HOT IT WAS GONNA BE.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME ANSWERS ABOUT THE QUESTIONING OF THE, UM, THE LEGALITY OF THE ADVICE.

SOMEBODY CAN COME SPEAK ON THAT FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

SO WHAT ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE, UH, YOUR LEGAL ADVICE WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

WHY, WHY AND WHAT GROUNDS ARE THEY SAYING THAT IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ON? I'M NOT SURE.

THAT'S, THAT'S AN ASSERTION THAT THEY'VE MADE, BUT I, OKAY.

SO UNDER THE ASSERTION THAT THEY'VE MADE, WHAT IS THE, THE COUNTER TO THAT ASSERTION? SO THE COUNTER WOULD, UH, UH, TO THAT WOULD BE, THEY ARE ACTUALLY CORRECT.

THERE IS NO, THERE ARE NO GUIDELINES ABOUT PAINTING ROOF, UM, IN THE SPANISH TOWN.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT GUIDELINES, UH, OR THE UDC, HOWEVER, UH, ONE OF THOSE BODIES, THE, THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE OR THE SPANISH TOWN PRESERVATION DISTRICT GUIDELINES ACTUALLY REFER TO THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR GUIDELINES AS BY REFERENCE.

AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE GUIDELINES, THAT DOES SPEAK TO, UM, WHAT THE APPLICANTS HAVE TRIED TO DO.

I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS SHE WAS SAYING THAT, OR, OR, YEAH.

AND THAT'S THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF HAD RELIED ON AT FIRST.

UH, IT SOUNDED LIKE SHE WAS SAYING THAT YOU GIVING LE YOU WERE GIVING LEGAL ADVICE TO SPANISH TOWN.

I'M, I'M ACTING AS THE BOARD ATTORNEY.

UM, OKAY.

THIS IS DEANNE FRAZIER.

SHE IS GOING TO BE THE, THE PERMANENT BOARD ATTORNEY FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT.

SO YOU WERE ACTING IN CAPACITY YEAH.

AS THE BOARD ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.

SO I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE MEETINGS, UH, TO SERVE AS THE BOARD ATTORNEY.

AND SO AT THE MEETINGS WHEN THEY, WHEN THE BOARD ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO DELIBERATE MAKE A DECISION, I LOOKED AT WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF HAD RELIED ON.

AND IN LOOKING AT THAT, THE UDC OR THE SPANISH, SPANISH TOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT GUIDELINES, THEY SAY LOOK TO THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR GUIDELINES FOR GUIDE, YOU KNOW, FOR GUIDANCE.

AND SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR, SO IT'S OKAY, IT WAS OKAY FOR YOU TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE BECAUSE YOU WAS DOING IT AS THE PRESERVATION AS THE BOARD BOARD'S ATTORNEY.

THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY.

TAKE CARE OF THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL PART.

UM, I'M GOING TO ROLL THIS IN TO THE NEXT FOR A COUPLE THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW IF PLANNING NEEDS TO ANSWER THIS OR IF Y'ALL AS BOARD ATTORNEYS, BUT WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS OPEN UP OR POSSIBLY OPEN UP FOR? UH, WELL, PREVIOUS RULINGS, HAS ANYTHING BEEN LIKE THIS AS FAR AS PREVIOUS AND, AND UPHELD? AND WHAT IS THIS THE FIRST ONE AND WHAT DOOR DOES THIS OPEN? I THINK RYAN CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY REASON APPEALS OF THE DECISION OF THE HPC, BUT THERE HAS BEEN ONE, UH, THAT WE LOOKED AT IN TWO, UH, 2018 WAS THE LAST KNOWN APPEAL OF THE HPC DECISION.

AND WHAT WAS THAT? UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

UH, AN AN, AN OPPONENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, APPEALED A FAVORABLE DECISION OF THE HPC.

AND THAT WAS, UH, DENIED BY THIS BODY.

AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION TO THE HPC.

I'M GONNA GO TO THE WHITE ROOFS.

UM, I'VE GOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 HOMES ALREADY IN SPANISH TOWN WITH THE WHITE ROOFS.

WHAT MAKES THIS ONE DIFFERENT? SO THAT WAS DISCUSSED AND BROUGHT UP BY THE APPLICANT

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IT WAS ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT THOSE, UH, ROOFS IN QUESTION CAME FROM THE MANUFACTURER ALREADY WITH THAT COLOR APPLIED.

UM, SO IT WAS, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A DIFFERENT, UH, CIRCUMSTANCE OKAY.

THAN, THAN WHAT WAS DISCUSSED HERE.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT'S BEING APPLIED SECONDARY OF REPLACING THE ROOF? THAT'S CORRECT.

COUNCILMAN, THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.

IT'S, IT'S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND KNOWN TO ME.

IT'S THE, OKAY.

SO BACK TO THE BOARD MEMBER BOARD ATTORNEYS, IF THEY WERE TO REPLACE THE ROOF INSTEAD OF PAINTING, DOES THAT MAKE IT LEGAL OR WOULD THAT MAKE IT APPROPRIATE? UH, WHERE IT WOULD MATCH THE OTHER FIVE? I'M, I'M, THERE'S, THERE'S FIVE HOUSES IN SPANISH NOW WITH WHITE ROOFS ALREADY.

THEY WERE DENIED.

THEY DENIED.

DENIED.

DO SECOND, I DUNNO, THAT'S A LEGAL QUESTION, BUT WHAT'S THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS A LEGAL QUESTION, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF ROOF THAT THEY PUT ON THERE RIGHT NOW? IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS TO PAINT THE ROOF.

WHETHER IT COMES I ALREADY DONE THAT WAY.

SO IF THEY STRIP THE ROOF OR REROOF IT, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM.

AND THEY BUY A WHITE ROOF, OR IF A STORM COMES THROUGH, DAMAGES THE ROOF AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACED AND THEY PURCHASE A WHITE SHINGLES TO BE APPLIED TO THE ROOF.

THAT'S OKAY.

WOULD THAT BE OKAY? UNDER THE, UNDER THE STANDARDS, AGAIN, THESE ARE GUIDELINES INTENDED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE HBC AND PART OF THOSE GUIDELINES SUGGEST THAT ROOFING MATERIALS SHOULD BE REPLACED IN KIND, SO AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE TO WHAT EXISTED HISTORICALLY ON THE STRUCTURE.

AND, AND LOOK, I I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S INFORMATION.

I JUST, I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE FIVE OTHER HOMES HAVING WHITE ROOFS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THESE HISTORIC HOMES BEING BUILT.

UM, MAYBE THEY WERE ADDED ON LATER ON.

MAYBE THEY ADDED ON BEFORE THE, UM, THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, OR IT BECAME BEFORE IT BECAME A HISTORICAL DISTRICT OR WHATEVER.

AND SIR, IF IT'S WORTH NOTING THIS, THIS IS A COMPLAINT DRIVEN PROCESS, MAYBE THEY PUT THOSE ROOF UP.

NOBODY COMPLAINED, BUT SOMEBODY FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE PAYING THEM, SO THEY COMPLAINED.

RIGHT? YEAH.

WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE THE COMPARISON.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A SECONDARY PROCESS VERSUS ACTUAL REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOF.

, UM, WHERE THEY WOULD ORDER A WHITE ROOF.

SURE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SEE.

AND THEN, AND POSSIBLY IF THE MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL COULD, UM, AND I KNOW MONEY'S MONEY, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT IF THAT WAS AN OPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE THE ROOF REPLACED WITH WHITE INSTEAD OF PAINT IT BECAUSE I, I GOT A FEELING THE NERVOUSNESS IS, AND PROBABLY WHERE THE COMPLAINT CAME FROM WAS YOU'RE DOING A WHOLE NEW PROCESS THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO INCUR WITH THE LOOK OF THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, VERSUS COMPLETELY REPLACING THE ROOF WITH THE DESIGN SPECIFICATION THING.

SO, UM, AND SIR, WHAT I RECALL AT THE TIME OF DELIBERATION BY THE HPC BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT THEY WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE GUIDELINES DO PROVIDE, WHICH IS THAT YOU REPLACE BECAUSE IT'S A HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT THAT YOU REPLACE THE MATERIALS IN KIND SO THAT YOU TRY TO, YOU KNOW, LIKEN IT OR MATCH IT UP AS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND IF YOU ALL WOULD, LIKE, THEY DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE HBC BOARD HERE, THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT.

WELL, I'VE ONLY GOT 32 SECONDS LEFT IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW THAT QUESTION.

'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THESE PEOPLE CAN'T DO WHAT FIVE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DONE.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THESE FIVE OTHER HOMES WERE BUILT WITH WHITE ROOFS THAT EVENTUALLY WEREN'T CHANGED OUT.

AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND IF NOBODY COMPLAINED, IT HAPPENED.

SOMEBODY HAPPENED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ONE AND I THINK THE ONLY REASON THEY COMPLAINED WAS IF THIS IS A NEW PROCESS AND THEY'RE NERVOUS ABOUT IT.

SO IF THE BOARD WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT.

I HAVE, I'M DONE.

I ONLY HAVE FOUR SECONDS LEFT.

COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T LIKE TO TAKE UP ALL MY TIME.

I AM A MEMBER OF HBC.

HOLD UP.

HOLD UP MA'AM.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, COUNCIL MEMBER MO UH, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.

WELL MA'AM, COME ON UP AND LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

'CAUSE OF 'CAUSE YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION.

I SUPPOSE.

I I HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION IN THAT.

IS IT THE CONCERN OF THE COMMISSION THAT THERE'S A WHITE ROOF OR THAT THERE'S PAINT ON THE ROOF? IT'S NOT THE COLOR OF THE ROOF.

IT'S THAT THERE'S PAINT ON A ROOF ON A MATERIAL THAT IS NOT TRADITIONALLY PAINTED.

GOTCHA.

THAT'S ALL THE, THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU.

IN THE GUIDELINES IN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, UH, THAT THE HBC WOULD TYPICALLY USE.

UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, TAKE A SEAT.

AND THEN, UH, RYAN, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE, UM, THE STIPULATION FROM THIS.

I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS IT THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR OR WHAT EXACTLY IS THE STIPULATION THERE? SO, AS IT WAS STATED, UH, THIS TYPE OF REQUEST IS, IS UNIQUE FIRST OF ITS KIND.

SO IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED

[00:25:01]

BUT, UH, AS THE PARISH ATTORNEYS NOTED, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARD.

UM, AND THOSE GUIDELINES ARE TO BE DRAFTED CONSISTENT WITH THOSE STANDARDS.

AND THE INTERIOR DESIGN, UH, SECRETARY OF INTERIOR DESIGN STANDARDS STATE THAT APPLYING PAINT OR COATING TO A ROOFING MATERIAL THAT WAS NOT COATED HISTORICALLY IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

SO THAT ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, BECAUSE THE GUIDELINES WERE SILENT, WERE PASSED ON TO THE HBC MEMBERS IN THE STAFF REPORT JUST FOR CONSIDERATION.

SO, SO TELL ME, AS A, IF I'M A CONSTITUENT AND I'M NAVIGATING THIS PROCESS, UM, HOW, HOW DO I GO ABOUT FINDING THAT STANDARD? I MEAN, WHEN I, WHEN YOU TELL ME TO GO LOOK AT THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS, HOW DO I FIND THAT, HOW DO I FIND THE SPECIFIC SECTION? WHAT, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? SO IT'S, UH, THERE'S A STATE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

UH, THEY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND DOCUMENTS AND THERE, THERE'S INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE.

UM, BOTH, BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

I'LL ONLY SAY THAT, UM, I AM A REALTOR.

I DO KNOW ABOUT REAL ESTATE.

I, I, I WOULD IMAGINE DURING THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS, YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE, UH, CONSIDERED THERE ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HEAT WOULD BE THIS EXCESSIVE, CERTAINLY THAT IN THESE OLDER HOMES, THAT KIND OF ISSUE COMES UP.

AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU GUYS ARE EXPERIENCING THAT.

UM, I WOULD SAY MY, MY PROBLEM WITH, UH, THE RULING OF THE COMMISSION IS, UM, THIS ENDS UP BEING A VERY ONEROUS PROCESS ON THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GO IN AND, AND WE'VE GOTTA NAVIGATE A UDC, WE'VE GOTTA NAVIGATE A BUILDING CODE.

UH, AND THEN NOW TO THROW IN A, ANOTHER FEDERAL GUIDELINE ON TOP OF THAT, LIKE AS A, AS A CITIZEN, I, I'M GONNA HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE UPDATING MY HOME IN A COST EFFECTIVE WAY, UH, IF I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, COMPLY WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND KIND OF GETTING THE RUNAROUND FROM GOVERNMENT.

SO THAT'S MY BIG PROBLEM WITH IT.

UM, I, I WOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION TO, UH, TO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN'S POSITION.

COUNCILMAN MENO.

RYAN, CURIOUS, READING THE, THE WRITEUP FROM MS. HUMPHREY, UM, WHEN SHE'S REFERENCING THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S A, B, C, D AND ALL OF THEM END WITH IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

ARE ALL OF THE, UM, ITEMS IN, IN THOSE STANDARDS LISTED AS NOT RECOMMENDED? OR ARE SOME OF THEM DEFINITIVE STATING, NOT ALLOWED? AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.

SO THEY'RE NOT REGULATIONS, UM, THEY'RE NOT PART OF AN ORDINANCE OF REGULATIONS.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE MEANT TO BE GUIDANCE FOR THE HBC.

SO THEY WOULD ALL SAY, NOT RECOMMENDED.

NOT, CAN'T DO IT DEFINITIVELY.

IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED.

TO SEE IN THAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND, AND, AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS BECAUSE THAT VERBIAGE ALONE TENDS TO GIVE SOME DISCRETION TO A BODY JUST AS WE HAVE DISCRETION HERE TODAY, UM, FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

AND I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH, UH, WITH APPROACHING IT THE WAY Y'ALL DID, UH, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN IT SAYS NOT, NOT RECOMMENDED, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BODIES THAT NEED TO EXERCISE MORE DISCRETION AND SOME THAT I THINK SHOULD PULL BACK.

AND SO I THINK, YES, IT'S ONEROUS THAT IT'S LANDED HERE, BUT I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO GO AHEAD AND APPLY DISCRETION.

AND I'M COMFORTABLE DOING THAT, BUT I, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT Y'ALL MADE THE WRONG MOVE AND APPLYING THESE STANDARDS THE WAY THEY'RE BEING READ EITHER.

SO, COUNCIL MEMBER MO, DID YOU GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, RYAN? IF YOU STAKE NOT PINK IN THE MIDDLE WHEN YOU GET THERE, BRING COUNCIL MEMBER MO .

NO, I GUESS, I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION IS, WE WET THIS, THIS ROOFING THING IS BEFORE WE SIT HERE AND, AND, AND LOOK, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT ONE TO, I DON'T LIKE TO OVERTURN BODIES THAT HAVE, HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND SO ON.

BUT THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION TO BE WOULD, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF I WAS TO NOT MAKE A MOTION RIGHT NOW, BUT EVEN IF I WAS TO ASK FOR A DEFERRAL, I WOULD ASK THE OWNERS THAT IS A NEW ROOF REPLACEMENT AN OPTION? AND THEN I WOULD ASK THE BOARD IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO LET THEM DO, TO MATCH THE EXISTING HOMES IN THERE.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR RELUCTANCE TO TRY A NEW THING.

UH, UH, YOUR, I CAN'T IMAGINE PAINTING A ROOF.

I'D HAVE TO SEE THAT WHOLE PROCESS, UM, AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND SO ON.

AND I CAN IMAGINE YOUR RELUCTANCE

[00:30:01]

SO THAT WOULD BE MY TWO QUESTIONS TO THE OWNER, IF THAT IS A CONSIDERATION, IF YOU GOT, IF YOU WANTED TO GET A PRICE, IF YOU WANTED TO CHECK ON IT AND TO THE BOARD, UM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER CONSIDERING THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE HOME AND EVERYTHING AND THE HEAT.

WELL, THE, WE WOULD CONSIDER IT, BUT THE ROOF IS RELATIVELY NEW.

IT'S LIKE SEVEN YEARS, 30 YEAR ROOF.

SO THAT'D BE AN ENORMOUS EXPENSE.

I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE ATTRACTION OF THIS.

SURE, SURE.

WELL, THE, THE ROOFING MATERIALS THEMSELVES ARE A HISTORIC, THEY WERE ALREADY, UH, THE ORIGINAL, UH, SHINGLES WERE ALREADY REPLACED.

THESE ARE MODERN ASPHALT SHINGLES.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, THEY WERE ALREADY A HISTORIC, AS WAS THE REMOVAL OF THE DORMER IN THE FRONT OF IT.

UM, REGARDING THE REFERENCE TO THE, UH, DESIGN GUIDELINES, I HAVE THE UDC RIGHT HERE.

I COULD READ IT.

UH, OKAY.

UH, UH, JUST MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER? WE'D CONSIDER IT AFTER GETTING A PRICE OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE AND TO THE BOARD.

IS IT SOMETHING THE BOARD WOULD CONSIDER LETTING THEM DO? I DON'T WANT THEM TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS PROCESS AND EVERYTHING THEY GET ACROSS, THEY GET PRICE.

THEY GO TO Y'ALL AND SAY, LOOK, WE GOT THIS PRICE.

IT'S TOO HIGH.

WE'RE GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.

YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET OVERTURNED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL ALLOW, HEY, THEY ACCEPT THE PRICE, THE QUOTE THAT THEY GOT, THEY'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP ACCOMMODATE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND KEEP IT IN PLAY OF WHERE IT'S AT.

AND I DON'T WANT THE BOARD GOING AFTER 'EM.

OH NO, WE'RE STILL NOT GONNA ALLOW THAT.

SO THAT'S MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD.

IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER LETTING THEM REPLACE THEIR ROOF WITH THE WHITE STUFF IF THE QUOTE COMES IN SUSTAINABLE? AND FOR THEM, MR. MO, I'M GONNA CAUTION, UM, ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD FROM GETTING UP TO MAKE A, A DEFINITIVE STATEMENT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON WHAT A BOARD WOULD DO WHEN WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEMBER.

THERE'S SOME OPEN MEETINGS ISSUES WITH, WITH, WITH THAT.

THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A CHARACTER.

I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS FOR ONE MEETING.

AND I KNOW WE'RE COMING BACK NEXT WEEK, UM, JUST TO LET THEM GET A QUOTE.

LET THEM SPEAK TO THE BOARD.

IF THAT'S MS. MS. CAROLYN WOULD LIKE, IF NOT, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

YOU ALL TAKE YOUR SEATS UNTIL YOU FALL BACK UP.

WE GONNA GO, WE GOTTA DO 30 MINUTES.

COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.

SO I THINK, AND NOT ONLY, UM, I THINK SO OFTEN PEOPLE GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT CHARACTER MEANS, WHAT HISTORIC DISTRICT ALLOWS, WHAT AMBIENCE MEAN.

AND BASICALLY THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT HAS TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MATERIAL.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COLOR.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WHETHER YOUR GARAGE IS ON THE FRONT AND THE BACK, WHETHER YOU HAVE A SWIMMING POOL, WHETHER YOU'RE NOT.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

UH, AN EXAMPLE AS IT RELATES TO ROOFING, AS IT FOR, UH, A HISTORIC DISTRICT WHERE IF ALL THE ROOFS HAVE A PITCH AND SOMEBODY COMES IN, THEY WANT A FLAT, IT'S NOT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MATERIAL, THE COLOR, WHETHER OR NOT YOU USE WOOD PANELING.

UM, WHETHER YOU, NONE OF THAT MATTERS.

IT IS ONLY TO, BECAUSE FOR ONE THING, NOT ONLY WEATHER, BUT MATERIAL GET OUTDATED.

UM, ALL KIND OF MATERIALS CONSTANTLY CHANGE.

IT HAS ZERO TO DO WITH THE MATERIAL.

IT HAS ZERO TO DO WITH IF HE WANTED.

THEY DON'T EVEN NEED A REASON TO PAINT THEIR WOUND.

'CAUSE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHARACTER.

THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AMBIENCE.

IT ONLY IF HE WANTED, HE WAS GONNA, IF ALL THE HOUSES, UH, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WANTED TO DO, MAKE A HAY, MAKE HIS, UH, ROOF OUT HAY OR OUT OF WHAT ELSE? WHAT ELSE? SO, YOU KNOW, OUTTA WOOD COLOR TERRA OR EVEN TERRACOTTA, THE COLOR TERRACOTTA IS FINE.

THAT IS NOT, THAT IS NOT WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND SO OFTEN WE DO THIS OVERKILL BECAUSE WE, IF IT HAD, IF IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RESIDENTIAL USE, UH, UM, MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER WOULD BE IF YOU HAVE A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND SOMEBODY BUYS A HOUSE AND THEY OPEN A DAYCARE THAT'S MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER.

OR IF, UH, EVERY HOUSE IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE BACK IN THE SIXTIES AND SOMEBODY DECIDE TO PUT A, A MANSION AT THE TOP, YOU KNOW, A TWO STORE.

IF ALL, EVERYTHING ONE STORE, SOMEBODY DECIDES TO DO A TWO STORY OR, UM, THE FARM, UH, EVERYBODY HAVE ENCLOSED GARAGE, BUT THIS PERSON WANTS THEIRS SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE HOUSE.

[00:35:01]

NOT THE COLOR, NOT THE MATERIAL THAT THEY USE.

UNLESS IT IS LIKE CRAZY.

AND I, WE WE'RE, YOU, WE ARE MISINTERPRETED AND WE'RE DOING OVERKILL ON A WHITE ROOF, WHICH NOTHING IS WRONG WITH.

IT HAS NOTHING IF JUST IF THEY WANT A WHITE ROOF BECAUSE THEY WANT A WHITE ROOF, THEY DON'T HAVE TO, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S 20 DEGREES.

THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHARACTER.

THAT HAS TO DO WITH UNIQUENESS AND DISTINCTION.

AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT DOES THAT IS ALLOWED, IF THEY WANTED TO PAINT ALL OF, IF EVERYBODY ELSE HAD, THEY SAID DIDN'T HAVE GRASS IN THE FRONT, AND THEY DECIDED TO PUT A FLOWER BED THAT THEY COULD DO THAT WE DON'T, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF, OF CHARACTER OF THE HISTORIC, YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR WINDOWS, YOU COULD DO A LOT OF THINGS.

MOST OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT BACK IN THE DAY, THEY HAD WINDOWS THAT WERE LIKE FOUR INCHES LONG, WHERE IF SOMEBODY COMES IN, THEY WANNA MAKE IT 12 BECAUSE NOW IT'S SAFE.

AND YOU, IF A HOUSE CATCH ON FIRE, YOU CAN'T GET OUT.

YOU CAN'T, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS NOT GONNA CHANGE YOU FROM, UM, LENGTHENING YOUR WINDOWS IN, IN 2024.

COME ON FOLKS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE MOTION OF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALL FOR, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, TO APPROVE AS IS, I MEAN TO OVERTURN.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

AND THERE'S A SECOND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. MM-HMM.

DID, DID, WAS THERE A SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE? NO, I DON'T KNOW.

NO, I THINK SOMEBODY STARTED TALKING BEFORE WE COULD ASK FOR IT.

I'LL SECOND THE SUBSTITUTE SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE BY COUNCILMAN MADAMS. COUNCILMAN ADAMS? I DON'T KNOW.

THERE RESPOND.

UM, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, FROM, FOR THE LADY FROM THE HPC TO COME UP AND JUST, UM, KIND OF JUST LET US KNOW WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS, WHAT THE VOTE WAS.

UM, YOU MADE IT ALL THE WAY HERE.

I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO SPEAK.

RECEIVING A, THE 2023 ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE EAST FAIR RIDGE PARISH COMPLETE STREET CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ITS PROGRESS, IMPLEMENTING COMPLETE STREETS POLICY AND IMPLEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENT, SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, IMPROVE MOBILITY, SAFETY, ROUTES TO PUBLIC PLACES, AND ACCESSIBILITY IN THE OTHER AREAS IS PRIORITY FOR IMPLEMENTING SAFETY IN THE PARISH AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK BY COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN.

UM, YES.

UM, I AM A MEMBER OF THE HPC.

MY NAME IS AMY FRANON.

I DO LIVE IN SPANISH TOWN.

UM, THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT THEY WANT A WHITE ROOF.

IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO PAINT THE ROOF WHITE.

AND THAT IS NOT AN A, IT IS NOT A TRADITIONAL USE OR TRADITIONAL WAY TO TREAT ROOFING MATERIAL IS TO PAINT IT.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE PROBLEM.

UM, I AM SENSITIVE.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE HOUSE IS HOT PROFESSIONALLY.

I DO NOT THINK THAT THE WHITE PAINT IS GOING TO GIVE THEM THE RESULTS THAT THEY WANT.

UH, AS A, I AM AN ARCHITECT, THAT IS MY BACKGROUND, AND I DO WORK IN CONSTRUCTION AT PRESENT.

I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH PAINT AND MATERIAL AND SO FORTH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA GIVE THEM THE RESULTS THAT THEY WANT.

I ALSO NOTE THAT THIS HOUSE, WE HAVE SEEN PICTURES FROM THE PAST.

THIS ROOF LINE OF THIS HOUSE WAS CHANGED SOME YEARS AGO, AND MAYBE LIKE 15 OR SO YEARS AGO, THE ROOF LINE CHANGED THAT SOMEONE AT ONE POINT REMOVED THE DORMERS.

I THINK THERE IS A GREATER PROBLEM TO THE HOUSE OVERHEATING THEN THE MATERIAL OF THE ROOF.

IF THOSE DORMERS WEREN'T, IF THAT DORMER WASN'T REMOVED AND THE ROOF VENTS WEREN'T REMOVED, I DO BELIEVE THE HOUSE WOULD BE COOLING MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN IT IS NOW.

WHAT WAS THE VOTE? THAT WAS, UH, TWO, TWO PEOPLE VOTED TO, UH, WANTED TO PASS IT AND THEN THE REMAINDER DID NOT.

SO MAYBE IT WAS TWO TO FOUR.

ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST.

THERE'S A MOTION TO DEFER ITEM FOR ONE WEEK MOTION BY MO TO THE NEXT MEETING.

EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK.

MOTION BY MOOCH.

SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. UH, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.

MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DEFER FOR ONE WEEK.

MOTION FAILS.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE, WHICH IS TO OVERTURN ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM CARRIES.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 67,

[67. 24-00063]

AND COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

WHO'S DOING THE REPORT? GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M, UH, MARK MARTIN.

I LIVE

[00:40:01]

AT 5 0 5 UNIVERSITY WALK HERE IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE.

AND, UM, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE JOINED.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMPLETE STREET CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT A LATER ON THE CO-CHAIR, JESSICA KEMP.

WE'LL COME UP TO ADDRESS, UM, ANOTHER ISSUE OR ANOTHER POINT OF OUR PRESENTATION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO COME DOWN TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR PROGRESS OVER THE YEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO, YAY.

UM, I DO WANNA MAKE THIS SUCCINCT AND QUICK, BUT I'M GONNA START WITH A LITTLE PROLOGUE BECAUSE I WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW HOW WE GOT WHERE WE ARE.

SO, WHEN I STARTED IN 1940 WITH THE, UH, THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CITY PARISH PLANNING COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED BEFORE THERE WAS A CON JOINED GOVERNMENT IN WORLD WAR II, INTERVENED, 1947, WE HAD THE COMBINED GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS WHERE THIS BODY CAME FROM.

1950 WAS THE FIRST MASTER PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PARISH IN 1950.

ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMPONENTS OF THAT PLAN WERE ABOUT AUTOMOBILES AND MOTOR VEHICLES ONLY.

SO YEARS ROLL BY, WE HAVE MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY PLANS.

THEY ALL TALK ABOUT AUTOMOBILES ONLY.

WE GET TO 1974, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S A BICYCLE MASTER PLAN.

SO 20 YEARS LATER, THAT PLAN IS APPROVED AND THEN SHELVED.

THEN WE MOVE FORWARD.

IT'S NOW 65 YEARS AFTER WE STARTED OUR FIRST PLAN WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NOTHING BUT AUTOMOBILES.

AND THIS BODY WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT APPROVING THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS YES, THE SLIDE IS UP.

SO THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY IS A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW OF TRANSPORTATION.

IT TALKS ABOUT ALL ROADWAY USERS, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY'RE USING THE ROADWAY, NOT JUST IN CARS, BUT ON FOOT, ON BICYCLE IN PERSONAL MOBILITY DEVICES, YOU NAME IT.

THIS IS A MAJOR CHANGE FROM THE PRECEDING 60 YEARS OF BEHAVIOR.

I'D LIKE TO, UH, REALLY THANK FRED RAYFORD AND THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT FOR HAVING EMBRACED THESE CHANGES.

SO THE POINT OF THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY IS TO GO IN AND TRY TO MAKE THE STREETS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE TO USE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH ROADWAY DESIGN AND BEST PRACTICES.

AND WE STARTED DOING THAT THROUGH THE POLICY.

BUT THEN THE NEXT YEAR IN 2015, WHICH WOULD BE SLIDE THREE, PLEASE.

SO, UH, 2015 WE GOT THE COMPLETE STREETS CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH HAD BEEN SUGGESTED BACK IN 1996 IN A PREVIOUS REVIEW OF POLICIES.

THIS IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER GROUP THAT IS BROUGHT FROM A WIDE SPECTRUM OF COMPONENTS OF THE PARISH.

THESE WERE INSTITUTED BY ORDINANCE, AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE.

UM, WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HERE, IF YOU WOULD.

UM, CITIZENS TAKING AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

SO IT'S STRUCTURALLY IT'S SET UP.

SO THE POLICY IS THERE, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, THEY WORK TOGETHER TO GENERATE THESE OTHER THINGS.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR REVIEWING AND RECOMMENDING ORDINANCES, POLICIES, DESIGN CRITERIA, ET CETERA.

WE'LL TALK IN MORE DETAIL LATER ABOUT RECOMMENDING, UH, METRICS TO MEASURE WHETHER WE'RE DOING SOMETHING OR NOT.

AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT TO THIS COUNCIL.

NEXT SLIDE.

YOU'LL SEE FROM THIS SLIDE THE, UM, THE SCOPE OF REPRESENTATION FROM THE COMMUNITY.

UH, THERE ARE TWO CITIZENS WHO CAN STEP UP AND ASK TO SERVE, AND THEY'RE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT.

SO WE'RE NOT ONLY GETTING AGENCIES, BUT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER.

MAY I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS A DEMONSTRATION, SOME GENERAL VIEWS OF WHAT A COMPLETE STREET MIGHT MEAN.

I WOULD REFERENCE MORE THAN THIS IMAGE.

THE, UH, RECENT WORK ON GOVERNMENT STREET, WHICH TOOK A FOUR LANE STREET, BROUGHT IT DOWN TO THREE, TWO TRAVEL LANES, LEFT TURN LANE BIKE LANES, COMPLETE SIDEWALKS WITH CURB CUTS ALONG ITS LENGTH.

THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPOSITION TO THAT PROJECT, AND MANY PEOPLE'S MINDS, THERE STILL IS OPPOSITION.

BUT THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER JUST RECENTLY PUBLISHED A REPORT SHOWING THAT THAT REDESIGN DROPPED THE CRASH RATE

[00:45:01]

BY 50%.

IT ALSO HAD THAT KNOCK ON EFFECT OF INCREASING TAX REVENUES, ABOUT 14% ABOVE THE REST OF THE PARISH.

SO IT'S WORKED.

IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

THIS IS A, IT ALSO DOESN'T TALK ABOUT HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REINVESTMENT AND NEW INVESTMENT HAVE GONE INTO THAT DISTRICT FOR THAT STRETCH OF ROAD, IN PART BECAUSE OF THAT ROAD DIET.

IT'S A COMPLETE STREET THAT WORKS, AND IT'S A TERRIFIC EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE WE GO.

SO WE, THERE ARE SURVEYS IN LOTS OF PLACES, AND THE FUTURE BR SURVEY ASKED PEOPLE HOW MU HOW LIKELY WERE THEY TO START WALKING AND RIDING BICYCLES IF IT WERE SAFER? NOT SURPRISINGLY, MOST PEOPLE AGREED THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO DO THAT IF IT WERE SAFER.

MIKE BATON ROUGE DID A SURVEY SOME TIME AGO ASKING THE SAME QUESTION.

THEIR OVERWHELMING RESPONSE IS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO THIS MORE IF THEY FEEL SAFER.

HOW DO YOU MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPLETE STREETS? AND PART OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION, YOU'LL SEE THE MULTI-USE TRAILS HAVE INCREASED BY NEARLY 30 MILES.

SIDEWALKS HAVE GONE UP, WHAT, A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING MILES.

SO WE'RE DOING IT, WE'RE MOVING IT FORWARD.

WE'RE BEGINNING TO AFFECT IN A POSITIVE WAY HOW PEOPLE CAN GET AROUND IN TOWN.

YEP.

SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS? WELL, THE UNI UNIT, HMM.

UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AS BEEN MODIFIED TO ACCOMMODATE THESE NEW THINGS.

THE MOVE VR AND THE GREEN LIGHT PLAN PROJECTS HAVE INCORPORATED, UH, TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER.

THE COMPLETE STREETS FACILITIES MOVE VR MORE SO THAN GREEN LIGHT PLAN.

BUT THE GREEN LIGHT PLAN DID USE A LOT OF THE AMENITIES, MONEY TO PUT IN SIDEWALKS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

THE, UH, ACCESSIBILITY AND BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S HOT.

WE KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S NICE TO HAVE SHADE.

PART OF THE BEAUTIFICATION IS TO ADD TREES, URBAN TREE SCAPE TO THESE PROJECTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE MORE COMFORTABLE.

THE BRETT GREENWAYS, WHICH IS FORMERLY THE, UH, CAPITAL AREA PARKWAY PLAN, HAVE, UH, ADDED WARDS CREEK PENNINGTON AND IS ABOUT TO MOVE ON ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT THAT WILL CONNECT, UM, DOWNTOWN TO BLUNT ROAD, MEANING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF FACILITY.

IT'S A MIX OF FACILITIES THAT WILL GO ALL THE WAY FROM THE SOUTH END OF THE PARISH TO THE NORTH END OF THE PARISH.

IT PROVIDES A REALLY NICE SPINE FOR ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES.

ALONG THE WAY, WE ALREADY HAVE THINGS ON THE GROUND THAT GO TO THE EAST AND WEST, PARTICULARLY GOVERNMENT STREET AND THE TWO FROM SOUTH NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST, GOING FROM THE LAKES OUT TO, UH, PERKINS ROAD PARK.

SO WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A BEGINNING.

WE WILL, UH, WE'RE WORKING NOW.

WELL, THE DOWNTOWN GREENWAY HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT, PARTICULARLY THIS LATEST EDITION, WHICH WAS THE LOUISIANA STREET CONNECTOR, WHICH NOW CONNECTS THE GREENWAY TO GOVERNMENT STREET, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE CAN GO UP IN THE LEVEE OUT TO, UH, THE MAIN LIBRARY IF THEY WANT TO.

IT'S ABOUT FIVE MILES, AND THEY HAVE FACILITIES WHICH THEY DID NOT HAVE BEFORE.

WE'RE WORKING ON THE UPDATE OF THE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE MASTER PLAN.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, UH, A MAP THAT'S A SIMPLIFIED GRAPHICAL VERSION OF WHAT'S ON THE GROUND NOW AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

SO LOOK FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT'LL BE A LOT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU CAN SEE IT.

WE MENTIONED METRICS, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER, THE COMMITTEE HAS CREATED THIS METRICS LIST.

THERE ARE NO NUMBERS ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE DONE IT.

IT'S A BASELINE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT IN THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT YOU GOT, YOU GOT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE THERE.

BUT WITH THESE IN PLACE, WE CAN NOW TRACK YEAR TO YEAR WHAT PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING IN FAIR AMOUNT OF GRANULARITY.

SO THAT'LL HELP US FOCUS ON WHERE WE NEED TO DO WHAT WORK WE NEED TO DO.

THIS IS ALSO NEW, AND SO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FROM A CO-CHAIR, JESSICA KEMP, WILL COME UP AND ADDRESS

[00:50:01]

THAT COMPONENT.

THANKS, MARK.

UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.

UH, ALL OF THE GREAT PROGRESS THAT MARK HAS, UM, REVIEWED FOR US, UH, THE ORDINANCE IS A NEXT STEP TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THAT PROGRESS.

AND SO THE POLICY THAT HE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS PRESENTATION WAS ADOPTED AS A RESOLUTION.

IT PROVIDES A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF GUIDANCE AND VISION FOR COMPLETE STREETS IN BATON ROUGE.

UM, AND WE SEE THAT BEING REALIZED THROUGH THE WORK OF THE LAST DECADE.

UM, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING WILL, UM, CODIFY THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES, THE RELATION, THE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ENTITIES AND THE COMPLETE STREETS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, UM, ALL WITH AN EYE TO STANDARDIZING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE GREAT PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.

AND SO THIS HAS BEEN AN EFFORT, UM, THAT, SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH AN INTRODUCTION.

I'M JESSICA KEMP WITH THE CENTER FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE AND, UH, I'VE SAT ON THE COMPLETE STREETS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, UM, AND HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN THIS PRO THIS PROCESS AND THIS PROGRESS, UH, SINCE, SINCE THE DAYS OF THE RESOLUTION.

UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN CP E'S CENTER FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE HAS BEEN DOING KIND OF THE HOMEWORK AND THE LEGWORK.

UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FULL COMPLETE STREETS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CITY, UM, SPREAD, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

SO THIS HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A JOINT EFFORT AND THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS NOW IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE GO AHEAD FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY, WE ANTICIPATE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF YOU TO SIT DOWN AND KIND OF GO OVER THIS POLICY AND, AND HEAR, YOU KNOW, TALK WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS AND, AND GET YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR INPUT.

UM, AND THEN, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, INTRODUCE IT TO THE COUNCIL FOR, UM, ADOPTION, UH, IN THE SPRING, HOPEFULLY.

DID I MISS ANYTHING? ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GO TO ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE ANYONE HERE? IS, IS THAT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION? UH, I BELIEVE SO.

WORK, OUR BEAUTIFICATION SIDEWALKS, WHATEVER.

BEFORE WE GO TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? LET'S GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN BANKS.

WELL, UM, I, I COMMEND YOU ALL.

UH, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A, A, A REALLY BIG FAN OF COMPLETE STREET ADVISORY.

UM, UH, THEY, YOU ALL ARE BACK ON THE UPSWING.

THEY'VE HAD SOME, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE DIDN'T HEAR A LOT.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING ARE IN, UH, FULL THROTTLE.

UM, I GUESS ABOUT WHEN I, UH, THINK ABOUT THE MOVE, UH, VR PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING, UM, ACTIVELY, UH, CONSTRUCTED AND HA AND OVER THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS, AND CURRENTLY THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMPLETE STREET ADVISORY BOARD DURING PROBABLY, UH, 20 16, 15, 16, PROBABLY 15 MM-HMM.

AND, UM, SO I, I LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT YOU DO ANYMORE INVOLVEMENT AS IT RELATES TO WHICH PRO WHICH STREETS GET, YOU KNOW, THE STREET PLANS, WHETHER IT'S A BRICK, UM, THE CITY, PARISH, TRANSPORTATION, ALL THAT.

WHAT IS YOUR, UM, INVOLVEMENT AT THE, I GUESS LOW LEVEL, LIKE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? UM, IT WAS REALLY THE KNOWLEDGE I GAINED FROM COMPLETE STREETS TO DETERMINE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF BAD ROADS, BUT THEY WERE LIKE, THINK ABOUT WHERE THERE SCHOOLS, WHERE THERE CHURCHES, WHERE THERE ARE HOMES WHERE THERE ARE SOCIAL SERVICES THAT ARE ALL CONNECTED.

AND IT WAS, IT WAS THAT ADVICE, UM, THAT HELPED ME, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DETERMINE OF A, A LOT OF PROJECTS WHICH WANDS.

SO I WANT TO KNOW, NUMBER ONE, UH, ARE Y'ALL, DO YOU ALL WORK WITH THAT? AND NUMBER TWO, UM, JESSICA, WELL, WE JUST RECENTLY HAD A MEETING AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE, UH, RAIL FROM BATON ROUGE TO NEW ORLEANS.

AND I, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT TRAVEL, A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL MORE EFFICIENTLY.

UM, IT'S ALSO ADDS TO ANOTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

AND IN SOME WAY I WOULD THINK THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH COMPLETE STREETS.

SO MY QUESTIONS ARE LIKE, ON WHAT LEVEL ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION REGARDING PRIORITIZING

[00:55:01]

AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS, ARE YOU ALL IN ANY PART, UH, INVOLVED WITH, UH, THE DISCUSSIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE RAIL? HMM.

INTERESTING.

UM, THANK YOU.

THAT'S FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.

MOST OF OUR WORK DEALS WITH THE, THE EARLIER WE CAN GET INTO THE DESIGN PROJECT ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

SO ON THE ZERO LEVEL OR 10% DESIGN LEVEL IS WHERE WE CAN GET OUR MOST EFFECTIVE INPUT.

AS WE'RE WORKING ON THE BIKE PET MASTER PLAN, AS YOU WILL SEE EVENTUALLY WHEN WE GET THE MAP DONE, WE'RE WORKING ON, WE'RE LOOKING AT CREATING A NETWORK OF INTERCONNECTED UNIFORM ROUTES THAT WILL GET PEOPLE FROM PLACE TO PLACE IN A SENSIBLE WAY WITHOUT GAPS.

AND THAT PLAYS PART OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR WHERE, WHERE DO THEY GO.

AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THAT, TALKING ABOUT WHICH OF THE, UH, HOW WE DEAL WITH EACH OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT.

YOU KNOW, GRANT, MS. THANKS YOUR MIC.

YEAH, THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE EVEN THE DRAFT THAT YOU ASKED TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY HERE HAVE SEEN IT, BUT I'M THINKING ALL OF, UH, I PROBABLY THE LEASTS STUDENT AS IT RELATES TO A MAP AND TRANSFER, BUT A LOT OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE, NOT EXPERTISE, BUT THEY KNOW IT.

THEY KNOW.

AND SO IF WHEN YOU GO TO THE POINT YOU ARE APPROVING THAT AND IT'S LIKE, LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CATCH QS, YOU, THEY'LL PUT BOOK BY, I MEAN, BUS THINGS AND YOU'RE LIKE, DON'T NOBODY EVEN GO DOWN THIS STREET.

SO ARE YOU COMMUNICATING PRIOR TO THE DESIGN AND EVEN THE CHOICE? YEAH.

UH, I, I THINK THE HABIT AND THE, THE, THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT IN THE PAST IS NOT THAT, UH, THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHAT RESPONSIBILITY WE HAD TO TALK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE PROCESSES.

SO WE WILL IMPROVE THAT.

WE WILL COME KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR.

WE'LL DO THAT A LOT MORE SOON BECAUSE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE YOU.

AND IN FACT, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RELUCTANCE WAS TO SEND THE ORDINANCE OUT.

I THINK THAT WE HADN'T SENT THE ORDINANCE OUT BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL AMORPHOUS, IT WAS STILL BEING DISCUSSED.

THE PARISH ATTORNEY.

WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.

THERE WAS A, A LOT OF TURMOIL.

SO ONCE WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET IT OUT THERE, AS JESSICA SUGGESTED, WE WILL GET IT TO YOU BEFORE IT COMES UP FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

HOPEFULLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THE MASTER PLAN, THE BIKE HEAD MASTER PLAN, IT SHOULD BE FINISHED IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT IS, IS REPRESENTED.

, I BELIEVE THAT THE ROUTES ARE BEING FINALIZED AND THE REST OF THE CONTENT IS BEING FINALIZED.

IS THAT WHAT BRE BRE IS, IS COUNCIL MEMBER YOU NEED MORE TIME? UH, YES, PLEASE.

THE BRECK IS THE LEAD ON THE, UH, COMMITTEE TO DO THE REDESIGN.

AND, AND THE UPDATE IT DOES INVOLVE BECAUSE IT DOES INVOLVE THE ENTIRE PARISH.

THE CITY PARISH IS REPRESENTED, BRECK IS REPRESENTED.

PART OF THE THING THAT'S GOING ON HERE IS THAT NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD ON THESE PROJECTS, THERE ARE A LOT OF AGENCIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

AND WHAT I'M TELL, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M, YOU'RE MISSING OR I'M MISSING IT.

YOU, YOU COULD DO ALL THAT AND THEN YOU PUT IT BEFORE, UH, COUNCILMAN MOOCH AND HE IS LIKE, I DON'T WANT THIS AT ALL IN MY DISTRICT.

SO YOU WASTED ALL THAT TIME.

, YOU'VE GONE SO FAR.

YOU THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL OR FRIENDS I KNOW MAY KNOW SOMETHING THAT'S GONE ON IN MY COMMUNITY.

YOU ALL ARE PLANNING, LET'S JUST SAY YOU'RE PLANNING ON SCE, GOING UP AND DOWN SCENIC HIGHWAY, BUT THEN IN MY DISTRICT, I MIGHT KNOW THAT, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO A OVERPASS.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT'S FOUNDATIONAL AND FUNDAMENTAL TO GET WITH EACH ONE OF THESE COUNCILMEN.

THE, THE, THE PARISH ATTORNEY ONLY DEALS WITH THE LEGAL LANGUAGE.

NOT THE PLAN.

SO YOU PUT A PLAN BEFORE THEM TO APPROVE THAT.

ALL OF US DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT, AND WHEN IT COMES EVEN IN DISCUSSION, WE'RE GONNA, LIKE, YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOARD.

WE GOTTA HAVE A MEETING WITH ALL PEOPLE.

WE, WE, YOU DON'T KNOW.

THEY'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A, A, A A A A, WHAT YOU CALL IT, A, UM, A SHOPPING CENTER DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE.

YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.

THAT YOU BEGIN MEETING FOUNDATIONALLY WITH EACH ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT PART OF OUR PLAN IS TO CREATE THAT MAP SHOWING EXISTING AND NEXT 10 YEAR BUILD OUT, WHICH WILL BE FOR THE ENTIRE PARISH, BUT ALSO ON A DISTRICT BY DISTRICT BASIS, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M, I'M HIGHLY SUGGESTING

[01:00:01]

JESSICA APPARENTLY WANTS TO YEAH.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, MARK, AND I THINK COME TO THE MIC, THIS, THIS MAY ALL ALSO ADDRESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, UM, THE, THE POLICY, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PLANS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING TO YOU, DOES CALL FOR CREATION OF A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A, UM, A STRUCTURED AND STANDARDIZED APPROACH TO ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND ELECTED OFFICIALS IN EVALUATING AND REVIEWING, UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS OF A CERTAIN SCOPE AND SCALE, UH, AT AN EARLY, EARLY POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, I HAVE A BETTER, EASIER WAY TO SAY, LOOK, WE NO LONGER NEED YOUR SERVICES AT THIS POINT.

COUNCIL MEMBER GORE, UM, MARK, JESSICA, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN IS OUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT BOARD, SO I APPRECIATE HER WORK.

AND, UH, THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS WHO, WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT.

MARK, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA START WITH A COUPLE OF, UH, QUESTIONS FOR FRED'S.

SURE.

I SHOULD SAY PLAYS ON THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE.

CAN YOU KIND OF RUN THROUGH THAT PLEASE? WELL, YES SIR, I CAN.

AND AS SAID THAT THE ORDINANCE WILL ESTABLISH WHAT THAT COMMITTEES WILL BE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD COMPONENTS WE FELT LIKE WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE CHANGE, BUT POLICIES COULD CHANGE TOO.

BUT YOU AT LEAST KNOW THAT, THAT THAT PARTICULAR POSITION NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR POLICY FROM DAY ONE SINCE THE MOVE PROGRAM.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, LET'S, LET'S ADMIT THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING'S COMING FROM AT THIS POINT THROUGH THE MOVE FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.

OUR GOAL AND OBJECTIVE, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY MAYOR BROOME, WAS TO SAY, WE WANT TO BE MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR PEDESTRIANS.

WE WANT BIKES, WE WANT, WE WANT SIDEWALKS.

WE WANT TO HAVE OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION BESIDES CART.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN OUR POLICY, UH, FROM, FROM THE GET GO ON THE PRO ON ON OVERALL PROGRAM.

BUT I'LL ALSO MENTION THAT I THINK THIS, THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH WILL BE VERY POSITIVE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND MY STAFF WILL FEELS VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT IT.

UH, I I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME CHALLENGES, AND I THINK THAT WHEN MY TIME MEETING WITH THE BOARD AND THE COMMITTEES, I, I MADE IT VERY CLEAR.

I SAID, WHILE THIS MAY BE AN IDEAL SPOT TO PUT SOMETHING, I'M NOT GOING TO GO BUY FIVE HOMES OUT SO I CAN PUT A WALKWAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WANT TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT AND, AND WITH THEIR, THEIR APPROVAL, WE COULD DO THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE OVERALL CONCEPT.

UH, IT'S NOT TO BE OBJECTIVE, IT'S TO TRY TO FIND THE, THE BEST MEANS, UH, THE BEST APPROACH AND CONNECTIVITY IS ESSENTIAL.

'CAUSE NOBODY LIKES TO GO TO A PLACE AND WHERE I GO NEXT.

AND, AND TO ME, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS, UH, THAT WE ALSO FOUND WITH, WITH MARK'S GROUP, THE COMPLETE STRAIGHT GROUP, BECAUSE THEY, THEY LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE SOMETIMES.

WE HAVE SO MANY PIECES AND PARTS.

I DON'T ALWAYS SEE THE, OH, OUR GROUP DON'T ALWAYS SEE THE BIG PICTURE.

BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE OVERALL PROCESS.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

UH, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO NEED, UH, A QUOTE BITE CZAR TO LOOK AT A POSITION FOR, TO BE CREATED TO HELP FACILITATE OUR POSITION WORKING WITH THE GROUPS SO EVERYBODY KNOWS HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DEALING WITH.

UH, WE DO HAVE THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.

WE ALSO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WOULD ASK TO, TO WORK WITH.

WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH BRECK, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UH, 'CAUSE THE MAYOR ASKED TO GET THIS POSITION CREATED, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO.

I'M USING VACANT POSITION OUTTA MY DEPARTMENT ALSO OUT OF, I KNOW, UM, PLANNING'S GONNA USE A VACANT POSITION AND BRETT HAS INDICATED THEY WILL COME UP WITH THE, THE FUNDING THAT'S NECESSARY.

WE'LL HAVE AN, UH, A COOPER ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT TO DEAL WITH THAT.

AND THE POSITION WILL BE, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE PRIVATE.

I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.

'CAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN HIRE THE QUALITY OF PERSON I NEED FOR THE, THE SALARY THAT WE WOULD PAY.

SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THAT.

QUITE FRANKLY.

ALSO, IF IT DON'T COME OUT THE

[01:05:01]

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.

BUT IT'S BEEN, MY MEETINGS WITH THE GROUP HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

AND I ALSO KNOW THAT AS MISS COUNCILWOMAN BANKS HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS PROCESS IS ALSO GOING THROUGH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE INCLUDING ON ALL OUR CAPACITY PROJECTS.

THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH BIKES AND SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.

THOSE ARE ALL INCORPORATED.

THE KEY HERE IS UNDER THE ENHANCEMENTS, WHICH EVERY ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS GAVE ME YOUR LIST.

AND WE WORKED TOGETHER ON THAT TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AND TO ME, THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT WORKING TOGETHER SHOULD BE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION WITH OTHER COMM MEMBERS, UH, OTHER, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH.

UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

AND I, I HAVE NOTHING NEGATIVE AT ALL.

IF I DID, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT'S ONE THING I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT.

BUT THIS POINT, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO MOVING FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND GET, UH, SOME PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY FROM THE BIKE PED SITUATION, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN.

IT'D BE NICE TO SEE, SPEND SOME MONEY AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD.

YEP.

NOW, I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT, THAT PED BIKE COORDINATOR ROLE, WHATEVER IT ULTIMATELY ENDS UP BEING.

FRED, I, I, SINCE YOU KNEW WHERE MY LINE OF QUESTIONING WAS GONNA GO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WENT ON A CANVAS TRIP, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, IN GREENVILLE, THAT WAS A POSITION THAT THEY HAD THAT I THINK, UH, WAS FRUITFUL FOR THAT COMMUNITY.

WE TOOK A WALK DURING THAT TRIP FROM OUR HOTEL TO, UH, THEIR UNITY PARK, UH, THROUGH THEIR COMMUNITY ALONG SOME SIDEWALKS.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, OF THE TRIP FOR SURE.

UH, AND AGAIN, I THINK THEY SAW SOME FRUITS OF THAT FROM HAVING SOMEONE WHO'S DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THAT QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

UH, THE WALKABILITY, THE, THE, THE SAFETY ASPECT.

SO, UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON THAT.

I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THERE'S PARTNERS AT THE TABLE FOR THAT.

I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THERE'S COORDINATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE TOO WILL SEE SOME FRUITS WITH THE GOOD POLICY WORK THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOOD, UH, INPUT FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO HAVE SOMEONE DEDICATED TO NOW IMPLEMENTATION, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, FRED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, MARK, THANK YOU.

FROM, UH, THE SECOND FIVE MINUTES, UM, MR. , MARK, UM, I HIGHLIGHTED, YOU KNOW, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY FROM A QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT.

THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

MARK, YOU, YOU BIKE WHEREVER YOU GO.

UH, YOU'VE ATTENDED, UH, THAT'S TRUE PUBLIC MEETINGS IN IN DISTRICT THREE.

UH, YOU'VE ATTENDED PUBLIC MEETINGS IN, IN OTHER PARTS, FAR NORTHERN, UH, FAR MORE NORTH IN THE PARISH.

UH, HOW WE DOING? UH, WELL, I RODE OUT THE INKSTER SHOW OUT ON COR IN SHARP IS NOT GOOD.

UH, THE ROAD.

NO, I THINK OVERALL, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT 70 YEARS NOT DOING THIS, THAT WE'RE JUST BEGINNING TO DO IT, WE'RE JUST, JUST BEGINNING TO SEE THAT, THAT MOVEMENT TOWARD THINGS.

SO WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE AND MORE THIS NEXT FIVE YEARS IS GONNA BE SOME MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS.

AND I, I, I, I'M NOT TRYING TO DODGE WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE, BUT IT'S EASIER TO SEE IT THAN JUST FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT STREETS AND WHAT ROUTES THINGS GO ON.

BUT YEAH, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF ADVANCES.

UH, I'M SEEING MORE PEOPLE ACTUALLY RIDING NOW, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.

SO YEAH, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF GOOD PROGRESS.

AND AGAIN, I, IF IT WEREN'T FOR FRED BEING WILLING TO EMBRACE THIS, THIS POLICY AND THESE IDEAS, WE WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS AT ALL.

UH, AS TO YOUR, UH, OVERSIGHT, AND WHEN I MENTIONED EARLIER THERE, THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING ON THEIR OWN PLANS.

AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO KEEP UP WITH WHO'S DOING WHAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY ASSIGNED TO DO THAT.

I TRY MY BEST, BUT I'M OFTEN GOING, HUH, , YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHERE'D THAT COME FROM? WHO'S DOING THAT? SO IT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S, WHO RIDES HERD ON IT AND SEES WHERE EVERYTHING IS GOING AND HOW IT'S MOVING FORWARD.

THE A KEY COMPONENT TO THAT IS THAT WHEN THAT PLAN IS APPROVED, AND WE'VE RUN IT BY EVERYBODY HERE, AND WE HAVE SOME AGREEMENT ON IT, THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT.

THAT PLAN THAT WAS IN PLACE IN 1974 WAS A GOOD PLAN.

THAT SAME YEAR, PORTLAND, OREGON, AND AMSTERDAM STARTED THEIR FIRST PLAN THE SAME YEAR THAT WE DID.

OH, ONE OF THESE THINGS AREN'T LIKE THE OTHER.

AND WE NEVER IMPLEMENTED,

[01:10:01]

WE LOST 50 YEARS.

I'M NOT, I I I HOPE WE DON'T DO THAT AGAIN.

NO, I, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FAR BEHIND WHERE WE COULD BE, BUT I THINK IT'S A CRITICAL POINT FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.

AND I'LL, I I SHOULD HAVE SAID I APPRECIATE, UH, THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S SUPPORT OF THIS, THE ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT OF THIS.

UH, 'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE TO MAKE SOME REAL PROGRESS MOVING FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU'ALL AGAIN FOR, UH, FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING TO THE COMMITTEE.

I THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK, UH, ON THIS.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN REMOTE.

UM, I HOPE I'M NOT REGURGITATING QUESTIONS OR, UH, MISSED SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD SAID.

UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, 50 YEARS AND, AND THE PLANS BEING IN PLACE.

AND I'VE HEARD BIKE ALL NIGHT TONIGHT.

WHAT IS THE COMPLETE STREET? IS, ARE WE, WE TALKING ABOUT HOW FAR BEHIND WE ARE CATCHING UP JUST WITH BIKES.

HOW FAR ARE WE PLANNING FUTURE WISE AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING TODAY? E-BIKES, SCOOTERS, UM, IS ALL THIS BEING WORKED INTO THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW CERTAIN THINGS? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I, I SEE 'EM ALL THE TIME.

UM, SOME, SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY GET PULLED OVER ON E-BIKES OR IF THEY'RE ON A SCOOTER AND EVEN IF THEY'RE IN A BIKE LANE, THEY GET PULLED OVER, UM, OR THEY GET TOLD TO STAY OFF.

RIGHT? BUT THEY CAN'T BE ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT THEY CAN'T BE IN THESE AREAS.

SO, UM, ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT IN THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE HAVING DONE, UH, FOR FUTUR ABILITY AND, AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET IT IMPLEMENTED WITH THE REST OF THE STUFF.

IF WE CAN PLAY IN CATCH UP, LET'S PLAY CATCH UP AND PLAN ON THE FUTURE.

JUST A THOUGHT THERE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ORDINANCE OR NOTHING.

NO, I, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

AND I, I THINK THE IDEAL OF COMPLETE STREETS IS TO ACCOMMODATE ALL ROADWAY USERS.

AND SO THOSE FACILITIES, IT'S A TYPE, IT'S A TYPE OF ROADWAY USAGE ALSO.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IN OTHER WORDS, WE CREATE AN ORDINANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THE TIME TO CREATE THIS ORDINANCE.

WE, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOBILITY YES.

THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

IT'S JUST, LIKE I SAID, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ORDINANCE.

UH, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT, UM, I KEEP HEARING ABOUT BIKES AND EVERY TIME YOU SAY BIKES, I THINK THERE'S, PEOPLE GET OUT THERE AND THEY PEDAL.

, THAT'S GREAT.

I, I RIDE MINE ON A CENTRAL TWO WAVE, WHICH I MIGHT NOT SHOW UP ONE WEDNESDAY FOREVER, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST WHAT I DO, IT'S GOT A NICE WIDE SHOULDER THAT I JUST PRAY WHENEVER I RIDE MY BIKE .

UM, BUT I'VE ALSO SEEN, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE RIDING THROUGH MAJOR METROPOLIS AREAS AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED IN THE BIKE LANE WITH THE DEVICE THAT THEY HAVE, OR THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED IN THE ROADWAY WITH THE DEVICE THEY HAVE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THEY, THEY GET FIT RIGHT AT IN BETWEEN.

AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE, WITH Y'ALL GOING FORWARD WITH THESE ORDINANCES AND EVERYTHING, TAKE THOSE THINGS.

LOOK AT THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE USED IN MAJOR METROPOLIS AREAS THAT WILL BE COMING TO OUR AREA AND CONSIDER THAT, UH, MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE ORDINANCES.

I, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.

I THINK PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IS THAT, UH, BOTH THE REVISED STATUTES OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE KIND OF SPECIFY WHO CAN USE WHAT.

AND THOSE SPECIFICATIONS WERE DEVELOPED BEFORE ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND PART OF THE BALANCE IN THIS IS TRYING TO BE, TO MAKE THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AND NOT VIOLATE THE STANDING LAW.

SO THE, THERE IS NO STATE ORDINANCE ABOUT SIDEWALK RIDING.

THERE IS A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T RIDE ON A SIDEWALK IN A BUSINESS DISTRICT, BUT WHAT IS A BUSINESS DISTRICT? WELL, THEN YOU GO TO ANOTHER ORDINANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS.

PEOPLE WILL USE THE SIDEWALK IF THEY DON'T FEEL THE ROADWAY IS SAFE.

I DID THAT WHEN I RODE OUT TO EY YESTERDAY.

I RODE THE SIDEWALK ON SHARP BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GONNA RIDE ON SHARP AT EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

UM, I MAY BE STUPID, BUT I'M NOT INSANE.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS THE PROBLEM WITH TRYING TO BALANCE OUT AN INFRASTRUCTURE QUESTION WITH A LEGAL QUESTION.

SO PART OF WHAT'S WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE QUESTION YOU ASKED WAS, THE FACILITY IS ONE THING WHO IS ALLOWED TO USE IT IS ANOTHER.

AND THERE IS A PROBLEM ALMOST EVERYWHERE.

SCOOTERS, SCOTERS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR BANE FOR EVERY PLACE THEY'VE SHOWN UP.

LSU CAMPUS HAS GOT SCOTERS NOW, AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST DUMPING 'EM EVERYWHERE.

UM, SO I I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESOLUTION TO THAT IS.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY, INCLUDING THIS BODY WANTS TO GO EVERY YEAR AND UPDATE AN ORDINANCE ACCORDING TO THE TECHNOLOGY BEING USED.

SO WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SAY, THESE FACILITIES ARE FOR USE FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S TRAVELING.

YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.

[01:15:02]

HOW DO YOU DO THAT? SO WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ABOUT , I'M SURE.

SURE.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.

I THINK THIS IS, UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN GOODY SAID, IT'S, AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS KIND OF MENTIONING IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, A LOT LIKE, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US.

AND IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A, AN HONOR TO BE SITTING ON THIS COUNCIL RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN, IN BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH AND SO ON.

UH, BUT YEAH, APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL'S WORK FOR FUTURIZING THE CITY.

AND WHERE WE GOING? WELL, WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU CLEARLY.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOU'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE.

I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES WE'VE ASKED FOR IN THE ORDINANCES THAT YOU'VE SUPPORTED.

WE, YOU ESTABLISHED THE POLICY, YOU ESTABLISHED THE ORDINANCE AND WE'RE, WE KEEP COMING BACK TO YOU WITH MORE OF THE SAME.

SO WE'RE ALL MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER, I HOPE.

AND WHEN WE GET THE PLAN READY, WE WILL START TALKING TO YOU EACH INDIVIDUALLY AND ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS IN THE OVERALL PLAN SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT AS MUCH AS WE EVER CAN BE.

PAGE 13, AMENDING THE REENACTING ORDINANCE 1 9 0 7 6, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCTS WITHIN WARDS ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN EAST VETERANS PARISH AND DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES SO AS TO CHANGE THE FOLLOWING.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.

COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL NOW GO ITEM 69,

[69. 24-00181]

POLLING LOCATION, WARD TWO, PRECINCT THREE, BROWNSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE STATION TO WHITE HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BY REGISTER OF VOTE AS REASON FOR EMERGENCY TO MAKE THE CHANGE PRIOR TO THE MARCH ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONE ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.

THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED IN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VOTING METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.

IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE THE ITEM IN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ITEM BEING DECLARED IN EMERGENCY? IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'M SORRY.

COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.

THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.

CHIEF MORRIS, ARE YOU READY? CHIEF MORRIS? WE GO BACK TO PAGE SIX, ITEM 34,

[34. 23-01706 ]

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE MAN RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE LAW FIRM BRAZIL SAXON WILSON.

THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED $125,000 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.

IS, UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? UH, CHIEF, GOOD EVENING.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING WELL, CHIEF, SO I APPRECIATE, UH, Y'ALL, I KNOW THIS CAME UP THE LAST TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO AND Y'ALL DEFERRED IT FOR 30 DAYS TO LET ME KIND OF START GETTING SETTLED AND I'M, UH, A MONTH IN NOW, SO I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW I WOULD ASK THAT Y'ALL DO APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT, UM, OR THIS ITEM.

UM, I AM IN THE, I'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I HAD SOME IN THE PAST AND I'M HAVE SOME CURRENT ONES WITH MR. ROME.

UM, I'M LOOKING AT, UH, YOU STARTING TO USE THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND SOME OF MY PRE-DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS AND SOME OF MY EVERYDAY PAPERWORK THINGS.

UM, THEY'VE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS IN SAYING THAT THEY WOULD SUPPLY SOMEBODY TO ME PART-TIME TO BE ABLE TO LEAN ON AND USE.

UM, RIGHT NOW THOUGH, BAZILE SACHS AND WILSON, THEY ARE CURRENTLY OWED SOME MONEY FROM US FOR CURRENT PROJECTS THEY HAVE.

AND WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE IN LITIGATION IN APPEALS 19 JDC AS WELL AS THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

UM, SOME WHICH ARE PRETTY BIG THINGS WITH A BIG PRICE TAG.

UM, SO I WOULD ASK THAT Y'ALL APPROVE THIS BECAUSE I'LL PROBABLY STILL CONTINUE TO USE THEM, UM, AT LEAST TO GET TO THE THINGS THEY'RE HANDLING AND MAYBE EVEN SOME BIGGER ITEMS IF THEY COME DOWN THE ROAD, PRE, PRE-DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS THAT MIGHT RES, UM, RESULT IN TERMINATION.

HAVE THEM SIT IN ON THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE APPEALED.

UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M GOING TO START, UM, USING AND THANK YOU FOR MR. ROME OFFERING, UM, SOME OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S ASSISTANCE ON SOME OF THE OTHER ONES AS I'LL LOOK AT HOW I CAN USE KIND OF BOTH AND REEVALUATE THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

THANK YOU CHIEF, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE REAL QUICK COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE YOU VOTE? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 34.

COUNCIL MORRAN.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MOROCCAN SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 34 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

UH, ITEM 35

[35. 24-00112]

VERY QUICKLY IN ORDINANCE.

UH, ITEM 35 HAS BEEN APPROVED IN ORDER ADOPTING A LIVING IN THAT AVALOR PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE OF 10 MEALS IN THE ALLISON ST.

ADOPTING 11 AND ABOUT IN AVALOR PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE OF 10 MILL TO CHANEY VIEW FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS MISSING WITH THE TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2024 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO INCLUDING THE YEAR 2023 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN JR.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL, WE GOT ITEM 36.

[36. 24-00113]

[01:20:01]

IRMA LEE, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE, LOUISIANA FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS COMMENCING WITH THE TAX COLLECTION FOR THE YEAR 2024 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2033 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 36? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM 37,

[37. 24-00104]

AMENDING THE 2024 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE ALLISON ST I LEAF FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $146,780 FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE 2024 PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO INCREASE PAYROLL NEEDS FOR RECRUITING AND RETENTION BY ALISON ST.

ARMER LEE, FIRE CHIEF.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 37 AND WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SOMO BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 38.

[38. 24-00110]

WE'RE SITTING AND THE RECORDING TO CLERK RECORD THE COUNCILS DECISION IN THE ORDER RECORD ON MARCH 13TH, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS SHERE GIBBS BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

IS ANYONE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

OBJECTIONS ITEM 38 HAS BEEN APPROVED RIGHT AT

[39. 23-01839]

39 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,894,655 UNDER THE C-D-B-G-M-I-T HI AIRLINE HIGHWAY SAFETY ROOM AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENT CONNECTION.

THERE WE BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR, ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WHEN OUT WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 40,

[40. 24-00093]

AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROU POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE SUB-AWARD FROM LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR BRIAN JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANTING AMOUNT OF $26,048 PURCHASED LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY BY POLICE CHIEF.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.

IS THERE MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HERS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

WE GO NOW TO ITEM 41

[41. 24-00094]

AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NSTITUTE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WITH THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY A M UNDER THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 COMMUNITY BASED CRIME REDUCTION GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 41.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 41 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

ITEM 42 AUTHORIZED

[42. 24-00095]

THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BAT RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FROM THE UNITED STATES POLICE.

CAN NINE ASSOCIATION AMERICAN COUNT REUNITE 2020 4K NINE IN AMOUNT OF $7,500, WHICH WILL BE USED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A CANINE PATROL DOG BY THE POLICE CHIEF.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SOMO BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUR.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS WE GO TO ITEM

[43. 24-00097 ]

ITEM 43.

AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH STEVEN BALDWIN ASSOCIATES, LLC PERFORM GOVERNANCE MODEL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $210,000.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 43.

WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SOMO BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PER ANY OBJECTIONS, WE WILL NOW TO ITEM 44.

[44. 24-00098]

OTHERWISE, THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT CHAIR WAS ROOM TO ACCEPT APPROPRIATE ALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS US HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE NOT TO EXCEED $7,054,320 OF FISCAL YEAR 22 AND $7,251,087 OF FISCAL YEAR 23 FOR A COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $14,305,407 BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION.

ITEM 44 GOING DOWN TO COUNCIL MEMBER SAMMO BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST, NOT GO TO ITEM 45

[45. 24-00100]

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT ISSUED AGREEMENT AND A MEMBER BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE EAST BAT ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE EDR CONSTRUCTION FOR THE WORK THAT WE PERFORMED AT 25 19 JACKSON AVENUE, BAT ROU, LOUISIANA MINI MOUNT FROM $26,800 TO A TOTAL SUM, NOT TO SEE $61,500 BY THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 45.

SO MOVED BY THE CHAIR.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU GO TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR

[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS, ITEM A 24 DASH 2 0 9 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT TO AUTHORIZE RECORDING OF THE FDA FUNDING IN TWO GRANTS IN AMOUNT OF FOUR $4,013,493 AND $7,212,606 TOTALING $13,251,684 UPON RECEIPT OF THE AWARD NOTIFICATION AND TO AUTHORIZE

[01:25:01]

THE EXCEPTIONS AND RECORD THE FUNDS, UH, $2,309,548 BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR IN A MOTIONAL.

WEIGH THE RULES FOR THE ITEMS TO BE INTRODUCED.

SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MAHERS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MC COLEMAN.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WITH YOU TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WA OF THE RULES? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? UH, I NEED A MOTION TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL HERS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

UH, THOSE, THE ITEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.

WE GO TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER EMERGENCY ITEM B 24 DASH 0 0 2 1 0, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM ON THE ENERGY EFFICIENT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER TO ALLOW THE REPORT TO BE HEARD, WE NEED A MOTION.

WEIGH THE RULES THERE.

A MOTION WEIGH THE RULES.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO MAKE THE RULES SECOND BY THE CHAIR PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION.

IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTIONAL WAY OF THE RULES? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE MOTIONAL WAY OF THE RULES? UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS? LET'S GO TO THE REPORT FIRST.

THERE'S SOMEONE HERE FROM ENERGY WISHING TO GET WITH THE REPORT.

HI, GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS HEATHER LEBLANC.

I'M WITH ENTER G LOUISIANA.

I'M THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, MANAGER FOR, FOR OUR COMPANY.

AND I'VE KNOWN COUNCILMAN HURST FOR MANY YEARS AND HE ASKED ME TO COME SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

UM, OUR ENERGY SOLUTIONS PROGRAM, IT CONNECTS OUR CUSTOMERS WITH DIFFERENT TRADE ALLIES ACROSS THE STATE TO PERFORM UPGRADES TO YOUR HOME.

UM, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT SOME A LITTLE BIT EARLIER WITH THE, THE ROOF AND THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, ACTUALLY THEY'RE ALREADY ENROLLED IN OUR PROGRAM AND WE'VE GONE OUT THERE AND DONE AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR HOUSE AND DONE SOME WORK AND WE HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP MEASURES TO DO.

SO PART OF OUR PROGRAM IS THAT WE CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT TRADE ALLIES FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 109 DIFFERENT TRADE ALLIES.

90 OF THOSE TRADE ALLIES ARE ACTUALLY HOUSED IN LOUISIANA.

SO THIS PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY GROWING COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND DEVELOPING AND TRAINING PEOPLE TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE HVAC LIGHTING AND DUCT CEILING AND AIR CEILING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO, UM, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, WE HAVE STUFF FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND UM, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE.

UM, EVERYTHING FROM A HOMEOWNER TO A RENTER ARE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS. SO THESE ARE, UM, JUST A VERY HIGH LEVEL THING THAT WE HAVE.

UM, THE NEXT SLIDE WE GO INTO SOME OF OUR INCENTIVE LEVELS.

SO THIS YEAR FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, WE'RE GONNA SPEND ABOUT $7.6 MILLION IN INCENTIVES AND OUR COMMERCIALS ABOUT 4.7.

SO THAT'S $12.6 MILLION IN INCENTIVES THAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE TO OFFSET CUSTOMERS UPGRADING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY THINGS WITHIN THEIR HOME AND THEIR BUSINESSES.

AND JUST FOR A NOTE, THAT'S 170% INCREASE IN OUR INCOME QUALIFIED FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND 150 INCREASE IN OUR MULTIFAMILY PROGRAMS FROM WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR SINCE INCEPTION OF OUR PROGRAMS IN 2014, WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT $40 MILLION IN CUSTOMER INCENTIVES ACROSS THE STATE IN OUR TERRITORY.

AND THAT'S ABOUT 330 700,000 MEGAWATT HOURS OF, UM, ENERGY SAVINGS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO THE WAY THAT WE DO THIS AND THAT, YOU CAN SEE THE LPSC DISTRICT MAPS.

SO THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS GOVERNED BY THE LPSE AND SO WE DO ALLOCATE OUR FUNDING FOR OUR PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE TO EACH LPSE DISTRICT SO THAT WE HAVE FUNDING ACROSS THE STATE.

THESE ARE SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL OFFER OFFERINGS.

SO WE CAN COME UP TO YOUR HOME AND DO A TUNE UP.

WE CAN DO SOME DUCT CEILINGS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT LEAKING ANYTHING.

UM, THEY ACTUALLY CAME OUT TO MY HOUSE AND DID THIS AND WE HAD A RELATIVELY NEW UNIT THAT WAS INSTALLED AFTER THE FLOOD AND ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR DUCKS WAS NOT EVEN INSTALLED IN MY SON'S ROOM AND WE WERE BLOWING COLD AIR INTO THE ATTIC ON A BRAND NEW SYSTEM.

SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE A NEW SYSTEM, THERE'S THINGS THAT GO WRONG.

SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM IF YOU'RE A CUSTOMER AND LET US COME OUT.

AND AS I SAID BEFORE, RENTERS OR HOMEOWNERS CAN PARTICIPATE.

UM, SOME OF THE CHANGES FOR THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR SMALL AND LARGE COMMERCIAL.

IT'S A VERY SIMPLE APPLICATION.

WE JUST ASK THAT NONE OF THE EQUIPMENT IS ORDERED BEFORE YOUR, UM, APPLICATION IS APPROVED SO THAT WE HAVE YOUR FUNDING RESERVED.

AND THEN, UM, OUR SMALL COMMERCIAL, IT'S $30,000 PER ACCOUNT IN OUR LARGE, IN INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS, IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR PER ACCOUNT.

SO IT'S SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR YOUR, YOUR CUSTOMERS.

AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS CAN, UM, CAN DO.

IT'S HVAC, IT'S BUILDING AUTOMATION AND LIGHTING MOTORS AND PUMPS.

SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT WE CAN COME OUT TO

[01:30:01]

YOUR HOME AND YOUR BUSINESS AND EVALUATE AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO.

AND THEN JUST IN CLOSING, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ENERGY SOLUTIONS ON PAR ON BEHALF OF ELL, BUT OTHER COMPANIES HAVE THESE PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S AN ENERGY SMART PROGRAM FOR OUR ENERGY NEW ORLEANS, WE HAVE POWER WISE FOR CCO.

AND THEN, UM, UM, SWEPCO HAS A PROGRAM AS WELL.

SO IF YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS OR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS OR OTHER COMPANIES, WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS. SO, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS JUST KIND OF HOW TO CONTACT US IS HOW TO PARTICIPATE, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE AND BECOME A TRADE ALLY ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THEY CAN SCAN THAT AND ENROLL IN OUR PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE.

SO, AND THEN I HAVE SOME FOLDERS FOR YOU GUYS WITH SOME HANDOUTS.

SO, AND OR ANY QUESTIONS.

LET'S, LET'S GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? UH, WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKLIN? YES MA'AM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, I, I HAVE AN HUNDRED YEAR OLD BUILDING HERE DOWNTOWN AND UM, I WAS INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT YOUR INCENTIVES.

UM, I HAVE A WHITE ROOF, IS THAT ONE OF THEM? YOU LAUGH BUT ACTUALLY IN OUR MANUFACTURED HOMES WE DO OFFER ROOF COATING AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR ENERGY DECISIONING IS FASCINATING TO ME.

WHENEVER THE ROOFERS CAME IN, THEY ACTUALLY TAR THE TYPE OF IT WITH A WHITE SUBSTANCE TO SAVE AND BE ENERGY EFFICIENT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

HEY, THAT WAS GREAT JEN .

SO WE TALKED A WHILE BACK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING WITH PAYING THE BILLS WITH THE EXTREMELY HOT SUMMER WE HAD LAST YEAR, WHICH KIND OF LED TO THIS.

AND STILL, UM, TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO IN PREPARATION FOR THE HEAT THAT POTENTIALLY WILL COME THIS SUMMER AS I BELIEVE, UH, WITH GLOBAL WARMING WE'RE ONLY GETTING HOTTER AND HOTTER, SO YOU KIND OF ZOOMED THROUGH IT, WHICH IS GOOD 'CAUSE IT HIT THE HIGH POINTS .

BUT I WANT TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP DIVE OF, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU'LL COME IN THE HOMES AND DO ONCE THEY'RE ASSESSED.

IF IT'S DEEMED THAT YOU GUYS THAT THEY APPROVED FOR THE PROGRAM, MAKE THAT CLEAR.

AND THEN NUMBER TWO, WHAT DOES IT COST THE PARTICIPANTS? SO FOR A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, WE'LL COME IN AND DO A HOME ASSESSMENT AND, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU QUALIFY FOR OR WHAT YOU NEED, BECAUSE LET'S SAY WE QUALIFY FOR EVERYTHING, WHAT DOES EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO YOU QUAL? OKAY, IF YOU QUALIFY FOR EVERYTHING, WE WOULD DO ATTIC INSULATION OR IF YOU'RE IN A RAISED HOME, THEY MIGHT DO SOME UNDERNEATH, DEPENDS ON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE.

THEY WILL LOOK AT YOUR ESSENTIAL AC UNIT.

THEY'LL DO A, UM, TUNEUP BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE UNIT.

THEY WILL LOOK AT YOUR DUCT WORK AND SEE IF IT'S SEALED.

IF THERE'S ANY HOLES THAT ARE LEAKING, THEY'LL DO AIR SEALING.

SO ANY LEAKING AROUND YOUR WINDOWS AND THAT KIND OF THING, THEY'LL DO CAULK.

UM, LOOK FOR HOLES IN THE, IN YOUR ROOF OR YOUR, UM, SOFFITS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, WE ALSO, SO FOR OUR LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS, UM, THAT THOSE SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY 100% FREE.

SO, UM, AND THEN DEPENDING ON IF YOU'RE IN THE HOME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM, SOME OF THE INSULATION WOULD HAVE TO BE COVERED.

IT'S, IT'S TYPICALLY NOT A LOT.

WHEN THEY CAME TO MY HOME, I DID NOT PAY ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE SAVINGS WERE SO GREAT THAT IT COVERED THE FULL, THE FULL UPGRADE.

SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU HAVE AND KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO, BUT I WOULD SAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, IT'S VERY LOW COST TO PARTICIPATE.

SO BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE A FREEWAY THROUGH ENERGY TO INSULATE AND PREPARE PEOPLE'S HOMES PRIOR TO THE SUMMERTIME TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS.

SO, UM, AND I THINK THE GENTLEMAN COME ON MAN, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ON THE MIC? YOU HAVE SOME OF MY TIME.

UM, HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS DEMAR MATTHEWS.

SO A LOT OF MY, UM, INVESTMENT PROPERTIES ARE SECTION EIGHT.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WOULD MY PROPERTIES UH, FALL UNDER THAT WITH ENERGY? WE DO.

SO IT DEPENDS ON ARE THEY MULTIFAMILY? SO IS IT FIVE OR MORE UNITS, SINGLE FAMILIES? THEY SINGLE FAMILIES, YES, THEY WOULD QUALIFY.

AND SO, UM, IF A RENTER WERE GOING TO DO IT, WE WOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A, THE LANDLORD'S APPROVAL TO UPGRADE THE HOME.

AND THEN, SO IF YOU GAVE APPROVAL, THEY COULD COME IN AND DO YOUR, YOUR PROPERTIES.

AND THE REASON WHY THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT TODAY AND NOT DELAYING, UM, EVEN WITH ALL THE OTHER REPORTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THEN THE PRESENTATIONS IS BECAUSE, UM, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO INFORM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHAT WHAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY DO TO PREPARE FOR THIS SUMMER AND THE HEAT THAT'LL START COMING AROUND THE END OF MARCH, EARLY PART OF APRIL.

AS WE STARTED HAVING THOSE SPIKES.

INCENTIVES AND SO PLEASE SHARE THE WORD, GET IT OUT THERE, UM, CALL US AND LET US BE INVOLVED.

SO LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE SPENT ABOUT $40 MILLION OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS AND THEN THE NEXT TWO YEARS WE'RE SLATED TO SPEND 25 MILLION.

SO WE'VE REALLY RAMPED UP THE, THE CUSTOMER

[01:35:01]

SO THANK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER IF YOU WOULD, WE'LL BE BACK TO PAGE EIGHT,

[46. 24-00105]

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR UTILITY RELOCATION SERVICES WITH DEMCO ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT HOOPER ROAD BLACK WATER BAYOU JUROR ROAD, IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $326,610 12 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAIN DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM YOU NOW WITH TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MO SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW.

ITEM 47

[47. 24-00106]

AUTHORIZED AND MAYOR PRESENT THAT EXECUTE THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER THREE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH A-E-C-O-M TECHNICAL SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR THE REMAINING ALLOWANCE OF THE COMPLETE FINAL DESIGN FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH INITIAL IMPLICATION PHASES OF MOVE BEYOND CORRIDOR.

ENHANCE PROJECT COLLEGE ROUTE PERKINS ROAD I 10 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $804,995 91 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTORS.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO BE ON ITEM WHEN I GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE'RE GONNA NOT.

ITEM 48,

[48. 24-00107]

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PEDESTRIAN PRIVATE CROSSING AGREEMENT WITH THE KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY AT MISSOURI CORPORATION, DOING BUSINESS AS C-P-C-P-K-C FOR A PERMIT TO CROSS THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE TRACKS NEAR KCS MILE POST SEVEN 90.74 FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IN MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED $384,257 BY TRANSPORTATION AND ADVANTAGE DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKA? ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PROTE AND COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, DISTRICT 10, WE ALL THANK YOU FOR THIS INDEED AND THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT IN INDEED.

49 AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO APPROVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT TO INCREASE THE PAY OF ROBERT L.

THANK YOU SIR.

THANK AND I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND MOTION BY COUNCIL MORRO.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 48 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

ITEM

[49. 24-00108]

JOIN A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, PAY GRADE 2 2 9 0 FROM STEP 1480 $9,206 FOR STEP 19 $102,073 BY THE ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 49.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIRS THAT SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 49 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW GO

[50. 23-01645]

TO APPOINTMENTS, SANDY VIA VOLUNTEER FIVE.

DISTRICT CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING HAROLD KIRBY WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.

THIS IS A TWO YEAR TERM WE DON'T HAVE.

WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER NOEL DO YOU WANNA? YEAH, CAN WE DEFER TO THE FIRST MEETING, UM, IN MARCH? I GUESS THAT'D BE JUNE, MARCH 13TH.

EFFECTIVE MARCH 15TH, 2024.

MOTION TO DEFER.

ANYONE SPEAK ON THE ITEM FIRST.

MOTION TO DEFER BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOAH THE MARCH 13TH MEETING SECONDARY BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOR ROCKA.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 50 HAS BEEN DEFERRED.

ITEM 51,

[51. 23-01828 (Part 1 of 2)]

VOLUNTEER FIVE.

DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONS FIVE.

DISTRICT SIX HOOPER ROAD CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING CHRIS MEINE WHO IS NOT SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT.

THIS APPOINTMENT IS A TWO YEAR TERM.

CURRENT BALLOT IS RICHARD C FORT JR.

AND EZ PARKER.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM OR EITHER ONE OF THOSE GENTLEMEN HERE WE GO.

NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THERE A PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL? DO WE WANT A VOTE IN ORDER? DO WE WANNA FLIP A COIN? UH, WHAT YOU WANT TO DEFER? WE COME BACK TO IT.

COME BACK TO IT IN A MINUTE.

WE'LL DEFER, WE'LL COME BACK.

ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO

[52. 24-00156]

TO ITEM 52.

TEAM BATON ROUGE.

THE CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTED REPLACING JEN ROCKER WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON MARCH 14TH, 2024.

THIS IS A ONE YEAR TERM.

CURRENT BALLOT IS JEN ROCKER.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER? I SO MOVE.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVED TO APPROVE COUNCILMAN ROCKER BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROSE SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU'VE BEEN REAPPOINTED, MS. ROCKER TO TEAM BATON ROUGE.

IS THAT LIKE WHERE YOU SELL CALLS AND WHATNOT? MM-HMM.

WE BOLD.

AH, GOT WE'RE GOING BACK GENTLEMEN.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THE ITEM 51

[51. 23-01828 (Part 2 of 2)]

VOLUNTEER FIVE.

DISTRICT CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING CHRIS MEDEEN BALLOT IS RICHARD C FORT JR.

AND EZ PARKER.

COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RICHARD FORT.

HE'S A RETIRED, UH, BRFD MOTION TO APPOINT RICHARD FORT.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NO.

ANY OBJECTIONS? CONGRATULATIONS MR. FORD JR.

MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN MO.

YOU'VE BEEN APPOINTED TRANSIT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING FREE TO BRO WHOSE TERM LIMITED.

THIS IS A THREE

[01:40:01]

YEAR TERM.

THE CURRENT BALLOT COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M GONNA

[55. 24-00154]

TAKE 55 FIRST COUNCIL MEMBERS CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING REPLACING CAROLYN COLEMAN, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.

CURRENT BALLOT.

JERRY BIRD AND CAROLYN COLEMAN.

MICHELLE DENNIS, DEBORAH HAMILTON, TREMAINE STERLING.

UH, IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM MOTION TO REAPPOINT CAROLYN COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN OSA.

ANY OBJECTIONS, MS. COLEMAN? YOU'VE BEEN REAPPOINTED.

WE NOW GO TO CONGRATULATIONS.

WE GO

[53. 24-00152]

BACK TO 53 CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING PETER BRO, WHO'S TERM LIMITED.

THIS IS A THREE YEAR TERM.

CURRENT BALANCE IS JERRY BURDEN.

MICHELLE DENNIS, DEBORAH HAMILTON AND TREMAINE STERLING.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS ARE EITHER OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HERE THIS EVENING? ALL RIGHT, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

ADAMS IT NOT WORKING.

THERE WE GO.

UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL, UM, MR. CAGE.

EDGAR CAGE.

UM, HE, I THINK EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS HIM.

I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR AGAIN, LEADING OUR QRC EFFORT THIS YEAR.

UM, AND I, AND I, I THINK YOU, DO YOU WANNA SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH THE, THE GROUP ABOUT THE SCORING? UH, YEAH, JUST SOME, SOME GENERAL INFORMATION.

AGAIN, IT IS, UH, UM, EDGAR CAGE 4 3 0 2 MELBOURNE STREET, BAKER, LOUISIANA.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE QUALIFICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A COMMITTEE THAT WAS SET UP BY AN ORDINANCE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ASO AND, UM, AND DONNA, UM, YEAH, NO, NOT DONNA COLLIN LEWIS.

UM, MARY TARA.

NO, I'M WICK DONNA EDWARDS.

SHE'S RONNIE EDWARDS, COUNCIL PERSON.

EDWARDS.

AND BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN WE PASSED THE, THE, THE CASH TRANSPORTATION TAX, IT WAS A GREAT INCREASE IN FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE.

SO THEY SAW THE WISDOM AND THE VISION TO CREATE A BOARD WITH SOME CRITERIA TO BE ON THE BOARD, PROFESSIONAL CRITERIA TO BE ON THE BOARD WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOME SENSE OF SECURITY THAT, THAT THE MONEY WAS GONNA BE USED PROPERLY.

SO WE HAVE A, A INTERVIEW PROCESS.

WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AS OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY VET, UH, THE CANDIDATES AND WE GIVE US A SCORING AND YOU SHOULD RECEIVED, UH, THE SCORE THAT WE GOT FROM THE VETTING AND A VIDEO WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AT AND ASSESS IT YOURSELF.

WE DON'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT'S NOT IN PURVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE QRC, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS, IT'S A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE.

WE HAVE SOME TALENTED PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO ARE WILLING TO STEP UP.

I KNOW FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE CATZ BOARD BECAUSE WE LEFT, REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE QUALITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING, APPLYING FOR THE JOB.

SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THE, THE MATRIX OR YOU SHOULD HAVE THE SCORE AND ACCESS TO THE, TO, TO THE VIDEOS THAT, THAT WE DID.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

MR. CAGE.

CAN I MAKE A GO AHEAD.

UM, I'D LIKE TO, TO MOVE THAT WE, UM, APPOINT MICHELLE DENNIS, UM, TO THE POSITION.

UH, THERE SECOND ON MS. DENNIS SECOND.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COLEMAN.

COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NOT ALL.

MS. DENNIS HAS BEEN APPOINTED.

THERE'S A SECOND ON MICHELLE.

DENNIS, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO MS. DENNIS? ALRIGHT.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM

[54. 24-00153]

54 CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING LINDA PERKIN WHOSE TERM LIMIT.

THIS IS A THREE YEAR TERM, JERRY BURDEN, UH, DEBORAH HAMILTON AND TREMAINE STERLING MOTION.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEM MOTION TO APPOINT GERMAINE STERLING? SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ALL RIGHT, GERMAINE STERLING, CONGRATULATIONS.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 56 PERSONNEL BOARD, CONCURRENT ON MAYOR PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE KENYA SEWELL, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.

GOOD PEOPLE.

YOU ALL NOW SERVE ON THE MOST POPULAR BOARD IN AMERICA.

WE NOW

[56. 24-00155]

CURRENT BAT IS DA DAVID ST.

ROMAN, WHO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MAYOR.

PRESIDENT.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

OBJECTIONS WE NOW GO TO, UH, CHANGE ORDERS.

[Items 57-60]

WE'LL TAKE ITEMS 56 57 THROUGH 60 TOGETHER.

BATON ROUGE AIRPORT, CONCUR ROOF REPLACEMENT CONTRACT, LAKE SHORE ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT AT 83 DAYS, UH, $5,091.

[01:45:03]

ITEM 58 MALL OF BACK COURT AVENUE, DAWSON CREEK BRIDGE, REPLACEMENT CREDIT, $3,280 AND 79 CENTS.

CONTRACTOR, BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC 59 VILLE AND SARASOTA DRIVE BRIDGE REPLACEMENTS CONTRACTOR, BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $24,541 AND 8 CENTS A CREDIT ITEM 60 SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM CONTRACTOR RJ DAGEL AND SONS CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, WHICH IS A CREDIT $346,977 AND 71 CENTS.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? UH, WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLL.

ITEMS 57 THROUGH 60 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

FINAL ACCEPTANCE AS ITEM 61 THROUGH 64.

TOGETHER, EMS CASTILE STATION RENOVATIONS CONTRACTED TERRY HONORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FINAL COST $116,095 AND 10 CENTS.

ITEM 62 MALL OF LOUISIANA BACK COURT AVENUE, DAWSON CREEK BRIDGE REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR, BROWN INDUSTRIAL FINAL COST $2,221,115 30 CENTS.

ITEM 63 TO BILL IN SARASOTA DRIVE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC.

FINAL COST $3,103,274 AND 2 CENTS.

ITEM 64 SALES TAX STREET ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM.

CONTRACT RJ DA AND SONS CONTRACT IS INCORPORATED.

FINAL COST.

4,396,000 112,000 NONSENSE.

EXCUSE ME.

ITEM 61 THROUGH 64.

IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE BY COUNCILOR MENO.

SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO DOWN TO 65

[65. 24-00148]

ARB SERVICE FOR BATON WITH METRO AIRPORT, BIG PROFESSIONAL TREE CARE LLC $68,500.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM WISH? YOUR PLEASURE.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JUNIOR.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 66,

[66. 24-00176]

SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM, PROJECT PRESCOTT, MOHICAN STREETS AND GARDEN CITY, SHELLY STREET ADAMS AND LANE AND STREETS OFF IN PLAINS PORT HUDSON.

ALREADY THEY GONNA START CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED FIVE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED NINETY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO THOUSAND SEVENTY CENTS.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? MR. CAGE? CAGE? YES SIR.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM? YES SIR.

JUST FOR THE RECORD.

I I KNOW WE GOT THAT, UM, COMMITMENT BUT FOR THE RESIDENCE OF NORTH FOREST HEIGHTS, I WANNA GO FOR THE RECORD TO GET A CONFIRMATION THAT THE BLUEGRASS BRIDGE REPLACEMENT IS IN THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE BOX ITSELF.

HE IS.

I THINK FRED CAN SPEAK TO IT THOUGH.

GO AHEAD.

I CERTAINLY WANT TO GET ON RECORD FOR IT, THAT'S FOR SURE.

UM, FIRST OFF, WE'RE NOT REPLACING THE BOX CULVERTS.

WE'LL ADDRESSING THE ROAD CONDITION IN THAT AREA THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING THE ROAD BELT BACK UP THE STANDARDS THAT WE NEED IT TO BE AND REST IN PARTS OF THE ROADWAY WILL ALSO ALSO BE OVERLAYED AS A PART OF THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FRED.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER NOLES SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

I'M SORRY FRED, COULD YOU COME BACK TO THE MIC PLEASE? MR RAFER? FRED EDGAR, COULD YOU TELL FRED TO COME TO THE MIC PLEASE? .

SO THE BLUE BRANCH BRIDGE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THIS WAS CLOSED FOR QUITE SOME TIME, RIGHT? IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

IT WAS RECENTLY OPENED AND REPAIRED IN WHAT YEAR? LIKE A COUPLE YEARS BACK, RIGHT? 20.

NO SIR.

IT'S TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND WHEN IT WAS CLOSED I WAS NOT HERE AS, AS IN MY POSITION I'M IN.

BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS PROBABLY A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER THAN, UH, I'M GONNA SAY PROBABLY DOWN 14 OR 15.

I MEAN 2017 I THINK IT WAS CLOSED.

BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS A CONCERN WITH THE RESIDENT HOLDING THE WATER.

WATER.

SO LEMME ASK YOU THIS, THAT'S SEVEN YEARS AGO.

THAT'S, SO WHAT'S THE LIFESPAN OF BRIDGE WHEN WE FIX IT OR REPLACEMENT? THE LIFESPAN ON THE BRIDGE COULD BE AS MUCH AS 35 YEARS.

THE QUESTION, SO THE LAST SEVEN YEARS FROM, IT'S THE ASPHALT OVERLAY THAT WAS PUT ON TOP OF THE BOX CULVERTS THAT WERE REPLACED.

WHEN THAT BRIDGE WAS REPLACED, IT WAS REPLACED WITH BOX CULVERTS, CONCRETE.

AND WHEN THEY PUT IN THE ROADWAY IS THAT AT THAT POINT THEY PUT IN ASPHALT WITH THE ROAD BASE TO COVER THE ROAD AND ALSO LAY IT UP EXACTLY LIKE THE REST OF THE ROADWAY WAS, WHICH WAS ASPHALTED.

THERE WERE PROBLEMS IN THE, IN THE BASE.

UH, IT WAS PRETTY EVIDENT WATER WAS HOLDING IN THE AREA AND WE WERE GOING TO SET IT UP AS FAR TO THE REPLACEMENT WHEN WE DID THE OVERLAY.

WE WILL ALSO ADDRESS ANY OF THE JOINT EXPANSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT

[01:50:01]

SO HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND SEVEN YEARS AGO ON WHATEVER WE DID TO IT? I I, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT COUNSEL.

I REALLY DON'T.

SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE TELLING ME SOMETHING WAS DONE WRONG OR SOMETHING WAS LEFT OFF WHEN THEY DID IT.

NO SIR.

SEVEN YEARS AGO.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING? I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE.

NUMBER ONE TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT.

WOULD YOU, THE DEPARTMENT HAVE ASSESSED IT AND SEEN WHAT THE ISSUE IS LOOKING AT THE ASSESSMENT, BUT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ALSO WEAR AND TEAR IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WATER RUNNING INTO THIS AREA AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PROBLEM.

WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT AND MAKE SURE IT'S, IT'S STABLE AND, AND WHERE IT WILL LAST FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

SO NOW THAT YOU HERE AND THIS IS YOUR PROJECT, SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE SPENDING $5 MILLION ON THIS BRIDGE AGAIN, RIGHT? NO SIR.

AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE SPENT $5 MILLION ON THAT BRIDGE TO BEGIN WITH.

WE, WE SPENDING IT ON THIS TIME THIS, BUT THIS, THIS IS MULTIPLE ROADWAYS THAT ALSO BEING OVERLAID IN, UH, IN THAT PROGRAM'S AN HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON JUST THAT PROJECT? I DON'T KNOW.

I I I JUST, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, THE OVERLAY, WE LOOK AT MILES THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH AND WE WILL ADDRESS THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS FINAL QUESTION.

THE ESTIMATE FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS IS $4.7 MILLION AND THE LOWEST BID CAME ABOUT 800,000 OR SO.

UH, LESS THAN THAT.

ANY IDEA WHY ALL OF THE BIDS WERE ALMOST A MILLION OR MORE, UH, THAN THE ESTIMATE? IT WAS ABOUT 700 NOT A MILLION.

AND SEVEN IS DIFFERENT.

COUNSEL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WENT PUBLIC IS THE LOWEST AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MY POINT, THE REST OF THEM ARE NORTH OF A MILLION.

SOME OF 'EM TWO OR 3 MILLION MORE.

MY MY POINT WOULD BE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE COST INCREASES.

WE DO KNOW THAT IN REGARDS TO MATERIAL AND THINGS LIKE WE DID A BEST ESTIMATE WE HAD ORIGINALLY AND IT ALSO INCLUDED SOME PERCENTAGE OF COST INCREASE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH.

BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS ALSO WITH DOTD AND IT WAS VERY COMPARABLE.

SO YOU ARE PROBABLY GONNA SEE, UH, A LITTLE HIGHER ESTIMATES ON SOME OF OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN THE FUTURE.

SO JUST CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU THINK WHEN YOU ESTIMATED THIS, YOU WASN'T TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THE COST OF SUPPLIES AND ALL OF THAT STUFF? NO SIR.

WE DID TAKE THAT, BUT MAYBE NOT A HIGH ENOUGH PERCENTAGE TO LOOK AT THAT.

BUT MOVING FORWARD WE WILL, UH, MAKE SURE WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO JUST KEEP RISING THE COST ANYMORE TO HAVE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS WISELY.

I JUST WANNA SEE THE, THE, THE BIDS MORE IN LINE WITH THE ESTIMATE, YOU KNOW.

SO DO I SEVEN, 800, A MILLION DOLLARS, 2 MILLION OUTTA WAY? YES, SIR.

BELOW OUR BOOK.

AND LOOK, GET ME A REPORT ON HOW MUCH WE SPENT 7 MILLION, SEVEN YEARS AGO ON THE BRIDGE.

WHAT EXACTLY WE DID AND WHAT WE SPENT IN THIS TIME ON THE BRIDGE AND TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.

I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT AND WE'RE NOT COMING BACK SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW DOING PATCH WORK AGAIN.

COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS? UH, YES.

UM, I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT.

SO, UH, IF EDGAR CAGE WOULD COME UP, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, UM, AND I, I, I REMEMBER, UM, THE BLUEGRASS BRIDGE VERY WELL BECAUSE THAT WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF TOGETHER BATON ROUGE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW THE BRIDGE HAD BEEN CLOSED A LONG TIME.

MM-HMM, .

SO IT WAS, IT WAS APPROVED FOR IN, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REDONE, ACTUALLY WAS DONE IN 2011.

SO PEOPLE CELEBRATED, UM, THE BRIDGE AND THE CITY ACTUALLY ONLY SPENT $152,000 ON IT.

UH, THIS WAS DURING THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

IT APPARENTLY WAS, UH, KIND OF LIKE FRED ALLUDED TO, UM, PATCHWORK.

BUT HAD YOU BEEN MONITORING 13, WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN IN 2011 WITH 1 52 AND HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY? UH, WERE Y'ALL IN ANY OF THIS, IN THIS DISCUSSION AT ALL? WELL, WE WERE IN THE DISCUSSION, UH, TO GET THE, THE BRIDGE IN 2011 OPEN AGAIN.

BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CLOSED.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE RESIDENTS OF NORTH FOREST HEIGHTS, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE BACK WAY THROUGH ZION CITY THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A FEDERAL HOUSING PROJECT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WASN'T A STREET BUSES HAD TO USE THAT.

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.

THERE WERE TWO HOUSES I THINK THAT BURNED DOWN BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

COULDN'T I REMEMBER THAT WERE OTHER MEDICAL EMERGENCIES WHERE PEOPLE, THE AMBULANCE COULDN'T, COULDN'T GET BACK THERE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UH, BUT NO, WE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN REALLY OUT THERE MIND FROM THE BRIDGE, BUT OUR RESIDENTS LIVE THERE.

HAVE BEEN.

AND THEY'VE SEEN THE DETERIORATION IN THE BRIDGE.

IN FACT, MS. DOROTHY THOMAS IS A LADY WHO ACTUALLY IS BEHIND THIS.

OUR BRIDGE TO LOOK LIKE OTHER BRIDGES.

ALL SHE ASKED WAS WE WANTED

[01:55:01]

IN A PARISH WHEN THEY'RE REPAIRED, LIKE YOU GO, AS YOU SAID, COUNCIL PERSON DONE OTHER BRIDGES ON BURBANK AND SHERWOOD LASTS MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.

AND, AND THE WATER.

WE ARE NOT ENGINEERS.

WE'RE TAXPAYERS.

IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO DETERMINE WHETHER BRIDGE IS DONE RIGHT OR WRONG.

WE PAY OUR TAXES.

THAT'S WHAT WE RELY ON YOU GUYS AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO DO.

BUT WE, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE, AND, AND, AND COUNCILPERSON, HURST HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.

AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHY TONIGHT I'M HERE, NOT ONLY FOR THE, THE CANCER APPOINTMENTS, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME MOVEMENT.

ON.

I SAID I'M SORRY, REPLACING.

'CAUSE I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.

WE JUST WANT THE BRIDGE FIXED THAT'LL LAST MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.

AND THESE PEOPLE CAN HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE AND ASSURANCE THAT THEY WON'T WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND SCHOOL BUSTED.

EVERYTHING ELSE GO WITH POTHOLES.

WATER STANDING ON IT.

AND I DO WANNA CORRECT IT IS ACTUALLY 13 YEARS FROM 2011 TO 2024.

PROBABLY 2023.

'CAUSE IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN.

SO IT, UM, NOT THAT THAT MAKES IT ANY BETTER, BUT, UH, BASED ON THIS PRICE OF 152, AND NOW, UH, THIS IS A, UM, THESE ARE SEVERAL THINGS.

NOW WHY IS IT BLUE BLUEGRASS ACTUALLY ARE LISTED? WELL, FIRST OFF THIS PROJECT IS AN OVERLAY PROGRAM.

AND WHILE WE ARE THERE, BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAD WITH THE OVERLAY ON THE TOP OF THE BOX COVERT, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE IT OUT.

WE HAD, WE'LL TAKE IT.

WE ADDED THAT INTO IT BECAUSE IT, IT, THAT'S, I DON'T NEED TO GO REMOVE THE, THE BOX CULVERTS FROM THE CANAL.

'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE MORE COSTLY.

ALL WE'RE GOING BACK IN IS TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIENCY THAT WE SEE THAT EXISTS.

NOW, WHAT HAPPENED IN WHAT, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WATER.

57.

IT, IT WASN'T DONE RIGHT.

NO, AT THIS POINT, IT, IT SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE THERE TO TRY TO GET IT ADDRESSED, UH, APPROPRIATELY.

THE NEXT QUESTION IS IN THIS LINE, IN THAT THIS PROJECT IS A HISTORICAL ISSUE WAS CLOSED LIKE 18 MONTHS, LIKE YOU SAID, TWO HOUSES BURNED DOWN AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

WHERE IS THAT? THE, AFTER WE APPROVE THIS, IS THAT WHERE THE RJ UM, BAGEL WILL BE DIRECTED TO GO FIRST? YES, MA'AM.

OR HOW CAN WE GET THAT? I HAVE ALREADY MADE THAT COMMITMENT.

I, I CHATTED WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND I TOLD THE PEOPLE LAST NIGHT AT THE MEETING THAT, AND COUNCILMAN HURST'S, UH, CIVIC, CIVIC ASSOCIATED MEETING, THAT THAT IS THE TOP PRIORITY 'CAUSE OF THE SITUATION WE'RE DEALING WITH.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ROADWAY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT AS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

YES, MA'AM.

ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

I WANT TO THANK THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBER HON.

BANKS FOR NO, NO.

I, I DO IT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I MEAN, I LITERALLY MEAN THAT.

THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR, FOR FIGHTING.

NO, CLEVE.

WELL, THE THIRD COUNCIL MEMBER.

'CAUSE CLEVE IS OVER HERE, BUT I, I DON'T MIND.

LOOK, WE'RE ALL FIGHTING FOR ONE GOOD CAUSE.

UM, BUT I MEAN, THIS IS AN EVEN BIGGER ISSUE.

AND I'LL TELL Y'ALL THE BIGGER ISSUE BEYOND, IT'S REALLY A TWOFOLD PROJECT.

UM, IF YOU GO INTO THE ZION TERRACE HOUSING PROJECT WITH, UM, THE EAST BAT PARISH HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS THE MOST INFAMOUS POTHOLE IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

IF YOU HAVE WATER SITTING IN THERE, TAKE YOUR WHOLE FRONT OF YOUR COUGH.

I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.

THAT'S HOW DEEP IT WAS.

AND I CALL IT A WAR.

IT WAS A WAR BETWEEN THE, UM, CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS TO WHO OWNED THAT BECAUSE A STREET SIGN WAS ERECTED WHILE THEY CLOSED THE BRIDGE DOWN.

BUT TECHNICALLY IT WAS THE PARKING LOT FOR, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

IN ABOUT THE FIRST FIVE, SIX MONTHS.

AND THEY HAD THE BREWSTER PLACE WALL UP THERE PRIOR TO THAT, THAT THEY MOVED OUT OUT OF THE WAY TO ALLOW TRAFFIC TO GO THROUGH.

UM, AND SO DURING THAT TIME, YOU HAD 18 WHEELER SCHOOL BUSES GOING THROUGH A PARKING LOT, MAKING IT EVEN WORSE.

AND THE CITY REFUSED TO FIX IT, SAYING THAT IT WASN'T A STREET.

BUT THEY ERECTED A STREET SIGN SAYING THAT IT WAS.

NOW ALL THIS WAS PRIOR TO FRED COMING ON BOARD.

SO THIS PROJECT IS REALLY TWOFOLD AND I WANT TO THANK FRED.

NOW, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, PRIOR TO THIS, WE HAD SOME LEGAL ISSUES WITH THE INITIAL BIDS, WHICH TOOK WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.

THAT'S BEEN CLEARED UP.

BUT I WANT TO THANK FRED FOR HIS DILIGENCE.

I WANT TO THANK TOGETHER BATON ROUGE FOR THAT, UH, THE, UH, PERSISTENCE AND, AND, AND PERSEVERANCE THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO HELP US GET IT DONE.

BUT THIS WAS THE INITIAL PROJECT THAT REALLY MADE TOGETHER BATON ROUGE, WHAT IT WAS IN TERMS OF SOCIAL ACTION.

BUT THEY GOT TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT.

FRED CAME ON SITE, WANNA SAY, MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.

WE MET THAT MORNING.

HE CAME OUT THERE THE FIRST DAY AND WE STARTED THAT PROJECT.

AND WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS A 20 YEAR BATTLE BETWEEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE WE SOLVED

[02:00:01]

WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CITY TO COMMIT TO ADOPT THE ROAD AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.

SO THAT POTHOLE HAS BEEN FIXED AND ALL THAT.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE CLOSED THAT BRIDGE AND WORKED ON THAT BRIDGE WITH THAT POTHOLE BEING OUT THERE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY WAS ALMOST A MILLION DOLLAR POTHOLE.

IT WAS THAT BAD FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

AND SO, UM, THE ENHANCEMENT PROJECT WILL CONNECT, UH, REDESIGN SCHOOL, CADILLAC STREET PARK, UH, FORTUNE EDITION PARK, AS WELL AS THE BRIDGE.

SO THE TWO ENTITIES WILL MAKE SURE THERE'S A GREAT ROADWAY, UM, THAT CONNECTS BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ON THE SAME STREET.

SO A LOT OF TIMES NORTH BATON ROUGE HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE DUST THIS TIME.

I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.

SO THANK YOU GUYS, UH, FOR WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT.

WE'RE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

AND I, AND I GOT UP HERE 'CAUSE LIKE, UH, COUNCILPERSON BANKS, I JUST WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT WAS, WAS IN THIS, AS I WAS TOLD.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

JUST WHAT EVERYBODY KNOW NOW.

AND WE'VE BEEN, IT'S GOT A COMMITMENT THAT THE REPAIRS SHOULD START WITHIN 60 DAYS.

SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR THAT TOO.

THIS GOES TO DAR THOMAS.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING THIS VIDEO, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR STREET IS GETTING FIXED IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS TO 90 DAYS.

I'M GONNA GIVE FRED 90 DAYS, HUNDRED, 20 DAYS, HUNDRED 80 DAYS.

I'LL SEE YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AT PRESENTATION ON NEXT WEDNESDAY, , AFTER WE HAVE A WHOLE MAHALIA JACKSON SINGING.

I GET GET A WHOLE SKIT UP THERE.

WE SAW THE WHOLE PLAY BEFORE IT HAPPENED.

BUT, UM, BUT WITH THAT, FRED, CAN WE GET A TIMELINE ON THAT? I DO BELIEVE IN BENCHMARKING.

THE ONLY REASON 60 DAYS IS NORM.

BUT I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT ONCE THE BIDS ARE IN, WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH CONTRACT SIGNING.

WE ALSO HAVE TO BE SURE THE INSURANCE PROVISIONS ARE DONE.

ALL THOSE THINGS TAKE TIME TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

NORMALLY IT WOULD TAKE 60 DAYS, BUT I DON'T WANT, AND I TOLD MISS DOROTHY LAST NIGHT AT THE MEETING, I SAID, MISS DOROTHY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE ON DAY 61.

I MEAN, I, I I, AS SOON AS WE GET EVERYTHING APPROVED, THE FIRST PRIORITY WILL BE TO GO TO THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.

SO, SO ONCE CONTRACTS ARE APPROVED WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER CONTRACTS ARE APPROVED, YES.

THAT'S BETTER.

APPRECIATE IT.

2025 COUNCIL MEMBER MO UH, THE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT THE BRIDGE THAT WAS OUT FOR A WHILE.

IT'S NO LONGER A BRIDGE.

NO.

IT'S TWO BOX, IT'S A BOX CULVERT.

THERE WAS TWO BOX CULVERTS TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE WHEN THAT, THE BRIDGE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS OF DECAYING AND STUFF.

WE KNEW WE HAD TO REPLACE.

IT WAS PLACED ONTO THE, UH, UH, STATEWIDE, UH, FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAM.

SO RIGHT.

YES, IT WAS, IT WAS A BRIDGE.

NOW IT'S JUST BOX CULVERTS THAT JUST GET OVERLAID WITH THE ROAD.

AS A NATURAL ROADWAY.

NOW NOT HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, GO UP TO THE RAMP OF THE BRIDGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THAT WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO.

I DON'T KNOW THE DATE.

AND THAT WAS, I GUESS WHAT I MEAN, COUNSELMAN, I, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WOULD BE THE HEADLINE, BUT I, I WASN'T HERE.

I WASN'T HERE AND I DIDN'T GET INTO THAT THAT MUCH DETAIL BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT THE IMPORTANT PART WAS AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS.

YEAH, NO, WHAT I, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A PRACTICE DURING THAT TIME OR WHATEVER FOR SMALLER BRIDGES THAT CROSS CERTAIN CANALS.

'CAUSE WE DID ONE ON LUT ROAD.

IT WAS A SMALL BRIDGE, PROBABLY ONLY ABOUT 10 FEET LONG.

10 15 FEET LONG.

INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO IN AND REPAIR THAT BRIDGE AND EVERYTHING, WE PUT BOX CULVERTS DOWN.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND, AND WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM ALSO.

IN FACT, THEY, THEY TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE BOX COVERS OUT AND DOING, PUTTING A BRIDGE BACK IN.

UM, WHETHER THAT'S A CITY OF CENTRAL THING OR SOMETHING THEY'RE WORKING WITH YOU ON.

BUT I, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, UH, I HEAR A LOT SPEAKING ABOUT THE LONGEVITY OF THIS AND HOW LONG IT LASTED.

NOW WE'RE HAVING TO GO BACK AND REPAIR IT AND, AND SO ON.

UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, BACK THEN THEY'D PROBABLY DOING BEST PRACTICE THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD, WOULD LAST LONGER.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I COMMEND Y'ALL IN THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND EVERYTHING.

I JUST KNOW I'VE SEEN SIMILAR ISSUES WITH BOX CULVERTS.

UH, BUT IT DOES MAKE IT EASY TO REPAIR ROADWAY.

THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR WORK.

THANK YOU, FRED.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, GENERAL FRED, DON'T GO NOWHERE.

FRED, I JUST WANNA STATE FOR THE RECORD, AS YOU SAID, YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SEVEN OR 10 YEARS AGO.

YOU, YOU WASN'T HERE.

BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW, IT WAS NOT 35 YEARS AGO, WHICH IS THE POINT, YOU KNOW, THE LIFESPAN OF THE BRIDGE, WHICH CAME FROM YOU YES, SIR.

THAT IT WASN'T 35 YEARS AGO.

SO THE POINT IS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE BRIDGE IS DONE PROPERLY.

UH, THE COVID, WHATEVER Y'ALL WANNA CALL IT, THAT THE REPAIR IS DONE

[02:05:01]

PROPERLY.

SO WE ARE NOT HERE IN 3, 4, 5, 7 YEARS.

AGAIN, I, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT SITUATION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.

AND LOOK, I I JUST WANNA SAY IT CORRECTLY ON A RECORD BECAUSE I BELIEVE WORDS MATTER FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY IS THAT THIS IS NOT A BRIDGE, IT IS A BOX COVER.

'CAUSE IF FRED WILL TELL YOU THAT, NEVER MEET.

I KNOW HE SAID THAT.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE KEEP USING THE WORD BRIDGE.

IT IS NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.

'CAUSE WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT WHILE BACK ABOUT INTERCHANGEABLE WORDS.

AND IT TURNED INTO A BIG LEGAL THING UP HERE.

REMEMBER THAT CLEVELAND? SO IT, IT IS, UH, NO, UH, BUT UH, STAY FOCUSED.

STAY FOCUSED.

IT, IT IS A, UH, IT IS A BOX FORWARD.

WE JUST WANNA PUT ON THE RECORD.

WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 66.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HER SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN, ANY OBJECTIONS ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DO WE HAVE ANY NEW EMPLOYEES, UH, IN THE LEADERSHIP SITTING OVER ON THIS SIDE OF THE COUNCIL? ANY NEW EMPLOYEES WE NEED TO INTRODUCE? I KNOW MR. BIDWELL TOOK ON A NEW POSITION.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU MR. BIDWELL.

COME ON DOWN AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE ON THE TEAM YOU NEED TO INTRODUCE TO US TONIGHT SO WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHO TO CALL, WHO TO FUSS WITH, WHO TO FUSS AT.

I SEE JULIE BAXTER OVER THERE.

MS. BAXTER.

AREN'T YOU THE NEW CHIEF OF STAFF? TRINA HALL IS BACK THERE.

COME ON DOWN MS. HALL SO WE CAN SEE YOU.

I ABSOLUTELY WILL GIVE HER A ROUND APPLAUSE.

WE NEED TO SEE ALL OF Y'ALL.

WE NEED YOUR PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER, YOUR BUSINESS CELL PHONE NUMBER, YOUR LANDLINE NUMBER, EVERYTHING WE NEED EVERYTHING.

GO AHEAD.

YOU ASKED ME FOR A LOT, SIR.

UH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, UH, I'M GLAD Y'ALL GOT, UM, OUR NEW CHIEF OUT THE WAY EARLY AND APPROVED ALL HIS THINGS.

SO APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR THAT.

BUT, UH, DANTE BIDWELL HERE FORMERLY, UM, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR MAYOR.

PRESIDENT BROOME.

UH, AS OF JANUARY 15TH OR 16TH NOW, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.

SO NOW THAT I HAVE SLID OVER TO THE CAO ROLE FROM CHIEF OF STAFF, WE HAVE BROUGHT IN MS. JULIE BAXTER.

PAYER, COME ON TO STAFF.

VICE REPORTER.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH MAYOR BROOME AND ALL OF YOU, UM, AT YOUR SERVICE.

IF I CAN HELP YOU AT ALL.

I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO GET HOME AND I CAN'T OUTSHINE FRED, SO IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT, TRINA, COME ON DOWN.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

COME ON DOWN, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

UM, I'M TRINA HALL.

MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME FROM PUBLIC WORKS.

I WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES AS THE, UM, ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FOR MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.

SO, UM, NOW I'M TAKING ON THE ROLE AS THE ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR PUBLIC WORK.

AND SO I'M HERE TO ASSIST YOU.

UM, I'VE PROBABLY TALKED TO HALF OF YOU ALREADY AND, UM, MET IN SOME MEETINGS.

AND SO IF YOU NEED ME, YOU KNOW WHERE TO REACH ME.

MR. HUDSON HAS A QUESTION.

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

YOU WAS BEHIND THE SCENES.

YOU PLAYING QUARTERBACK.

NOW, BACK TO THE MIC.

BEFORE Y'ALL LEAVE, WE, WE DO NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE EFFICACY OF BOX CULVERTS, , UH, THANK YOU.

WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL SUPPORT THIS EVENING, DON'T YOU? SET YOURSELF UP.

UH, THANK YOU ALL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WE APPRECIATE.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

THANK YOU ALL OF, UH, ALL OF YOU WHO STAYED WITH US THIS EVENING.

UH, THROUGH THE THREE MEETINGS WE HAD, WE HAD OUR PLANNING AND ZONING, OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE HAD THE DARREL HURST SHOW.

SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH ALL OF OUR MEETINGS.

OH, AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEW PARISH ATTORNEY.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

MAKE SURE YOU LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU TRYING TO HIDE FROM US? YOU AIN'T BEHIND THE SCENE NO MORE.

DO I REALLY NEED AN INTRODUCTION? I DON'T THINK SO.

I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL OF US DIDN'T GET PRE PRESENTED WITH CERTIFICATES, .

I'M SURE, I'M SURE COUNCILMAN HURS WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I, I'VE, I'M REALLY HUMBLED AND AND GRATEFUL THAT THIS COUNCIL APPOINTED ME.

I, I HOPE I CAN LIVE UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN SET BEFORE ME, AND I'LL WORK AS HARD AS I CAN WITH EACH OF YOU AND TOGETHER AS A GROUP.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.