Apr 17, 2024 Metropolitan Council

ACTING PRO TIM .

APRIL IS A LOT OF THINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS APRIL IS, IS A, IT IS NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH.

AND SO I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO COMMEND THE GREATER BATON ROUGE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT.

REALTORS PLAY A VERY CRUCIAL ROLE IN ENSURING ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND UPHOLDING FAIR HOUSING LOSS SINCE 1968.

THE FAIR HOUSING ACT HAS FOUGHT DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING TRANSACTIONS BASED ON VARIOUS FACTORS.

AND THIS LEGISLATION PROMOTES INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.

FAIR HOUSING FOSTERS SOCIAL EQUITY, ECONOMIC VITALITY, AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT.

WE ALL KNOW THAT BY ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION, WE STRENGTHEN OUR SOCIETY.

SO THIS MONTH LET US RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING FAIR HOUSING AND BEYOND.

LET'S CONTINUE OUR COLLECTIVE WORK TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE FAIRNESS, EQUALITY, AND JUSTICE THRIVE IN HOUSING.

AND IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT, UH, OUR DECLARATION AND PRO PROCLAMATION OF APRIL BEING FAIR HOUSING MONTH HERE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE TO MS. CHRISTINA CUSICK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, MS. CUSICK? SURE.

UM, AS OUTSPOKEN SUPPORTERS FOR FAIR HOUSING ISSUES AND HOME OWNERSHIP, THE GREATER BATON ROUGE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS JOINS THE NATION AS IT HONORS FAIR HOUSING MONTH.

THIS APRIL, SINCE 1908, REALTORS HAVE PROMOTED AND PROTECTED THE DREAM OF PROPERTY OWNERSHIP FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.

THIS YEAR IS THE 56TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDMARK 1968 FAIR HOUSING ACT.

THIS ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, FAMILIAL STATUS, OR DISABILITY.

REALTORS ARE PROUD TO ABIDE BY THE REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS, WHICH GOES EVEN FURTHER THAN THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IN PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTIONS TO CONSUMERS, INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AS A PROTECTED CLASS.

AS LEADING ADVOCATES FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, REALTORS STRIVE TO PROMOTE INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND FAIRNESS.

IN TODAY'S HOUSING INDUSTRY, WE WORK HARD TO BUILD COMMUNITIES IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE CAN CHOOSE WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN ORDER TO PROMOTE AWARENESS ABOUT FAIR HOUSING LAWS, REFLECT ON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO WIPE OUT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND CONSIDER WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.

WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO THE GREATER BATON ROUGE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, PRESIDENT BROOM AND THE METRO COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO MARK FAIR HOUSING MONTH.

TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BATON ROUGE ICO HOCKEY TEAM.

THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO FOR THE PARISH.

OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, AGAIN, MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTERN BROOME, ALSO WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN, CAROLYN COLEMAN AND COUNCILMAN DARRYL HIRST TO RECOGNIZE HIS IDCO HOCKEY TEAM.

BATON ROUGE'S MINOR PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY TEAM.

FPHL.

COME ON UP.

I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WITH ANY HOCKEY STICKS EITHER.

, COME AROUND Y'ALL.

YES, Y'ALL INTEND, Y'ALL AT THE RIGHT PLACE.

Y'ALL INTEND.

SO IT IS, UH, MY PLEASURE THIS AFTERNOON

[00:05:01]

OUR CITY'S VERY OWN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY TEAM.

AND SINCE THEIR INCEPTION, THEY HAVE BROUGHT UNMATCHED EXCITEMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, ENRICHING THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

I JUST HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND THEY SAID THEY HAD A GOOD SEASON.

IS THAT WHAT YOU TOLD ME? YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME.

AND, AND THIS NEW TEAM FOSTERS COMRADERY AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS GATHERING, UH, TO CREATE LASTING MEMORIES AT THEIR GAMES.

IN ADDITION TO THRILLING EVENTS, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

THEY ATTRACT VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR WHO PATRONIZE OUR BUSINESSES AND SUPPORT OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

THEY ALSO SERVE AS INSPIRING ROLE MODELS FOR OUR YOUTH, SHOWCASING, DEDICATION, HARD WORK, AND SPORTSMANSHIP.

UH, SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TEAM OWNER, UH, BARRY SOSKIN.

IS HE? WHERE IS BARRY? OKAY, COME ON, BARRY.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, THE CHICAGOAN, UH, FROM THE VERY ONSET OF, UH, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT COMING HERE, UH, TO BATON ROUGE.

AND SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN BATON ROUGE, UH, PRESIDENT DON LEWIS, HEAD COACH EVERETT THOMPSON AND ALL THE PLAYERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO BATON ROUGE AND RIVER CENTER GENERAL MANAGER WAYNE HOLDS, LET'S CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR ZYDECO HOCKEY TEAM AND CELEBRATING THE JOY THAT THEY BRING TO OUR CITY.

AND SO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, CERTIFICATES HERE THAT WE WANT, UH, TO GIVE OUT.

UM, THE FIRST ONE, OF COURSE.

AND WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE.

UH, BARRY SOSKIN, THANK YOU FOR, UM, DEVELOPING THIS MINOR PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY TEAM RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

AND I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A, UH, A MINUTE TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU'D LIKE.

UH, IS OUR TEAM PRESIDENT HERE? YES, HE IS.

DON LEWIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, HEARST IS ALSO HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN IS HERE, UM, CELEBRATING THE TEAM AS WELL.

UM, THE RIVER CENTER IS LOCATED, OH, SHE CAN SPEAK FOR HER.

RIVER CENTER IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT 10.

AND WE WANT TO SAY TO YOU, GENTLEMEN, WE THANK YOU.

WE THANK YOU.

YOU ALL BROUGHT HOCKEY TO BATON ROUGE.

GIVE IT UP.

AND THEY CALLED THAT, THAT STICK THAT YOU USE, IT CAME FROM FRENCH AND THEY CALLED IT THE SHEPHERD STICK.

SO KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE SHEPHERDS WITH STICKS.

THAT'S ENLIGHTENING.

WE, I DON'T THINK WE KNEW THAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

10.

UH, KEVIN LACORE, WHO IS THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER, IS KEVIN HERE.

AND, UH, ALL OF OUR ZYDECO HOCKEY, UH, TEAM, UH, MEMBERS ARE NOW, I'M GOING TO DO, UM, MY BEST TO PRONOUNCE THESE NAMES CORRECTLY.

AND I BELIEVE I CAN.

JAKE COX.

JAKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I'M MATCH.

EDGAR, OH, RIGHT HERE ISH.

THAT JACKET.

MJ GRAHAM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SCOTT ROC SCOTT RIGHT HERE.

BRADLEY BRADLEY'S DAD PLAYED FOR THE CAKE FISH 20 YEARS, SO, OKAY.

BRADLEY'S DAD, JUST A LITTLE FACT HERE.

BRADLEY'S DAD PLAYED FOR THE KINGFISH 20 YEARS AGO.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, NOAH HIPPOLITE SMITH.

WORKING WITH KIDS, WORKING WITH YOUTH AND INSPIRE AND OTHERS.

SO, Y'ALL KNOW, UM, UM, SPORTS IS, IS IS MY BACKGROUND, MY PASSION, THE REASON WHY I'M UP HERE ON THE COUNCIL BECAUSE OF, UH,

[00:10:01]

AND SO WHEN THE ZYDECO FIRST CAME TO TOWN, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM ANNOUNCE AND DO WHAT THEY DO, BUT ALSO THEY DECIDED TO BECOME A STAPLE AT THE CHARLES KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER, VOLUNTEERING AND DOING WORK ALL ACROSS THE PARISH.

EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVE IN CHINA, BANKS DISTRICT, THEY VOLUNTEERED ALL OVER THE PARISH AND SERVED DOWN.

THEY LIVE IN BAKER.

YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

DID YOU KNOW THAT? ABSOLUTELY.

SO THEY'RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

BUT, UM, THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN RAISING THE FLAG IN BATON ROUGE AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN, WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT ALSO WHAT CAN SURVIVE.

AND SO TWO THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR THAT, UM, RECENTLY CAME ABOUT.

NUMBER ONE IS THAT THEY HAVE SUPERSEDED THE ATTENDANCE FOR THE ENTIRE LEAGUE SINCE, SINCE, UH, ITS INCEPTION WITH OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND ATTENDEES THIS YEAR.

SO PLEASE GIVE 'EM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

AND NUMBER TWO, THEY CREATED BOTH THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACT ON OUR PARISH.

AND I HAVE IT TYPO WRONG HERE, BUT I WILL CORRECT IT.

I WAS INITIALLY TOLD 8.1, BUT $18.1 MILLION IN OUR ECONOMY.

THAT IS HUGE.

Y'ALL GIVE THEM ROUND APPLAUSE FOR THAT AS WELL.

NOW I KNOW LAST WEEK WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IT, BUT THE STORM HAPPENED, SO I HAVE MORE THAN UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.

SO I APOLOGIZE IF I CALL HER TWICE.

BUT IS JOHN MORTY HERE? OKAY, TYLER LARWOOD.

ALRIGHT, GOOD DEAL.

I'VE GIVEN SOME OF 'EM OUT.

DID I SAY IT RIGHT? YEAH.

THANK.

ALRIGHT MAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOAH.

ROB, UH, NOAH, NOAH SMITH.

NO, NO.

SMITH? NOPE, NOPE, NOPE.

STILL GOING? STILL GOING.

STILL GOING.

NOAH HIPPOLITE SMITH.

AND I'LL TELL Y'ALL, MY KIDS HAVE SAID THAT IF HOCKEY WAS AROUND, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE PLAYED ANY OF THE SPORT.

'CAUSE THE FIGHTS HAPPENED WITHIN TWO SECONDS.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF SOCCER, BOXING, BASKETBALL, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF GOING TOGETHER, MAN.

NOTE, A LOT OF 'EM GONE, BUT, UH, WHAT I WILL MAKE SURE IS THAT THE TEAM HAS 'EM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND MAKE SURE Y'ALL GET 'EM TO 'EM.

BUT I DO HAVE ELIAS THOMPSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JAKE COX.

THERE YOU GO.

VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH, UH, THE OWNER, MR. BARRY SOKA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THIS PARTICULAR ONE JUST TALKS ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT YOU GUYS MADE, BUT I WILL MAKE IT UPDATED TO, UH, REP REPRESENT THE $18.1 MILLION.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHO YOU ARE, HOW YOU REPRESENTED OUR CITY, AND SAFE TRAVELS, UH, BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE FOR, FOR HONORING, FOR HONORING US, THE ZYDECO AND WHAT WE DID.

IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO BRING THE TEAM HERE.

WHEN YOU SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING AND YOU SEE ALL THE, THE, THE ALL, THIS IS THE, THIS IS JUST THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT, THAT WAYNE AND I DID, JUST TO BRING THE TEAM HERE.

WE'RE TERRIBLY EXCITED AND HAPPY WITH WHAT WE DID.

THE ATTENDANCE WAS NOT ONLY BROUGHT BY THE FANS, BUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY REALLY HELPED IN, IN GETTING US TO WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE.

AND WE DID LEAD THE LEAGUE IN ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR, AND I'M VERY HAPPY FOR THAT.

WITH EVERYBODY STANDING BEHIND YOU, I WANT TO JUST THANK EVERYBODY HERE FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS TO US TODAY.

THANKS.

[00:15:02]

SOMETHING.

WHY SAY SOMETHING? CAROLYN'S ASKING ME TO SAY SOMETHING.

THAT'S IT.

THIS IS DISTRICT TAMMY.

OKAY, .

SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THE TEAM, BARRY AND I HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE WAS THAT THEY BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY DO SO MUCH IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU SEE THEM, YOU COULD SEE THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA TEACHING LITTLE, LITTLE KIDS, UH, HOCKEY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS GOING OUT AND DONATING.

THEY DID, UH, THEY PEOPLE THREW STUFFED ANIMALS, ONE OF THE PROMOTIONS.

AND THEN THEY BROUGHT STUFFED ANIMALS TO, TO CHILDREN IN NEED, YOU KNOW, AND A MATTER OF FACT, OUR FRIENDS AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE BEHIND US.

THAT'S WHO THEY, THEY COOPERATED WITH THEM TO DO SO.

SO THAT'S OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

OBVIOUSLY THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND, UH, I WILL ADD A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT BARRY SAID.

NOT ONLY DID THE TEAM LEAD THE LEAGUE IN ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR, THEY SET THE ALL TIME RECORD IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE FOR ATTENDANCE IN A SEASON.

THANK YOU, JILL.

UM, I'M JILL KIDDER AND I WANNA ADD MY THANKS FROM VISIT BATON ROUGE.

CERTAINLY WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE HOCKEY TEAM AND WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR, BUT I JUST WANTED TO READ A COUPLE OF THE PLACES OR STATES AND ACTUALLY I THINK COUNTRIES AS WELL THAT THESE FANS AND VISITORS CAME FROM, UH, TO SEE OUR HOCKEY TEAM, UM, WE WELCOME ENTHUSIASTS FROM STATES SUCH AS ALABAMA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW JERSEY, AND EVEN INTERNATIONAL GUEST FROM MEXICO AND ONTARIO.

SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US DO OUR JOB, .

WE HAVE A LITTLE, UH, HAPPY FOR YOU MR. BARRY.

AND, UH, JUST CAN I, CAN I SAY ONE, MAYBE NOT , UH, MAYBE NOT.

UH, AS A PART OF THE BOYS, I JUST WANT TO THANK FOR, UH, GIVING US, UH, A WONDERFUL HOME FOR THESE PAST SEVEN MONTHS.

UH, AT THE END OF THE SEASON, WE OBVIOUSLY LEARN HOW TO WIN THE GAMES, AND NEXT YEAR OUR MINDSET IS GONNA BE HOW TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

SO LET'S BRING THAT TOPIC NEXT YEAR.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S OUR FAVORITE PLAYER FROM LATVIA RIGHT THERE.

SO, .

OKAY, SIR, WE'RE GONNA DO HIM FIRST.

BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY THAT, OH, I'M SO SORRY.

NO, YOU'RE GOOD.

CORPORAL ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE, I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE, UH, TO YOU AND COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR SELFLESS, UH, HEROISM.

BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY.

ALL RIGHT, HOLD THAT FOR ME.

GOOD.

3, 2, 1, 1 MORE LIKE THAT.

I GOT ONE.

Y'ALL GIVE ONE LOOK RIGHT HERE.

CAN I GET ONE RIGHT THERE? 1, 2, 3.

1, 2, 3.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN AND COUNCILWOMAN HERS FOR BRINGING THAT BEFORE US.

WE'LL CONTINUE OUR PRESENTATIONS WITH MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BREW, RECOGNIZING CORPORAL TRAVIS WILLIAMS WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

CORPORAL WILLIAMS, JOINED BY CHIEF MORRIS.

TODAY I'M PROUD TO RECOGNIZE CORPORAL TRAVIS WILLIAMS OF BATON ROUGE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR HIS HEROIC ACTIONS.

ON APRIL 4TH, 2024, WHILE ON PATROL NEAR EVANGELINE STREET, CORPORAL WILLIAMS SPOTTED A SPEEDING VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED A 2-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN MEDICAL DISTRESS.

WITHOUT HESITATION, HE CALLED FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PERFORMED LIFESAVING CPR UNTIL THE CHILD REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS.

HE DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL COURAGE AND DEDICATION TO DUTY.

CORPORAL WILLIAMS SWIFT RESPONSE AND EXCEPTIONAL TRAINING SAVED A PRECIOUS LIFE THAT DAY, SHOWCASING THE FINEST QUALITIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

[00:20:01]

AND, UH, ALSO, UH, YOU REPRESENT, UH, THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THEIR TIRELESS DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY.

UH, YOU ARE A TRUE HERO IN OUR EYES, AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN OFFICER? FIVE YEARS.

FIVE YEARS.

SO HE'S ONE OF OUR NEW OFFICERS, FIVE YEARS.

UH, CHIEF YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? I THINK YOU DO.

I WOULD LOVE TO.

MAYOR.

UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY, JUST LET EVERYBODY BE CLEAR THAT, UH, CORPORAL WILLIAMS IS ACTUALLY PART OF OUR CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION UNIT.

AND SO HE WASN'T LIKE ON DUTY MAKING TRAFFIC STOPS OR REGULAR PATROL THAT NIGHT.

HIS REGULAR DUTIES ARE IN CRIME SCENE.

AND SO, UM, FOR HIM TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND TAKE THE ACTIONS HE DID, JUST SPEAKS TO HIS CHARACTER.

AND I'M PROUD THAT HE CAME THROUGH IN ONE OF MY TRAINING ACADEMIES WHEN I WAS, UH, OVER THERE AT THE TRAINING ACADEMY AND NOW EVEN MORE PROUD THAT I GET TO, UH, REPRESENT AS, UH, HIS CHIEF.

AND, UH, WE REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO HIM.

AND HE ALSO, HE DID CPR ON THAT BABY FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE WAITING FOR EMS TO GET THERE.

UM, SO REALLY GOOD WORK.

THAT'S HOW HEROES, THAT'S HOW HEROES ACT.

I SAID, CORPORAL, YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? HE SAID, NAH.

I SAID, THAT'S HOW HEROES ACT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY NOTHING, .

I KNOW HIS DAD IS HERE ALSO JOINING HIM, AND WE'RE SO GLAD, UH, MR. WILLIAMS TO HAVE YOU HERE AS WELL.

WE GONNA COME OVER HERE.

NEXT UP WE HAVE, AGAIN, MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BREW, RECOGNIZING THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION FOR BEING NAMED 2024 BEST NONPROFIT TO WORK FOR BY THE NONPROFIT TIMES.

UH, I'M EXTREMELY GLAD TO CONGRATULATE THE BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION TEAM.

UH, REPRESENTING THEM TODAY IS JOSH HOWARD, UH, FOR THEIR REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT OF BEING NAMED ONE OF THE 2024 BEST NONPROFITS TO WORK FOR BY THE NONPROFIT TIMES RANKING FIFTH IN THE SMALL EMPLOYER CATEGORY IN 18TH.

OVERALL, UH, THIS IS A TRUE TESTAMENT, UH, TO THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO CREATING AN EXCEPTIONAL WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO THE ENTIRE, UH, BRYC TEAM.

I CERTAINLY OFFER MY SINCEREST APPRECIATION FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR YOUTH, AND OBVIOUSLY CREATING A WONDERFUL SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU ALL DO SUCH AMAZING THINGS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

SO KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC WORK.

UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION AND PASSION.

DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, JOSH? I, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.

I WAS A PASTOR IN A FORMER LIFE, SO I DO RECOGNIZE TIME IS ALSO A THING AND WE'LL NOT DO AN ALTAR CALL, BUT, UM, I DEFINITELY WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE RECOGNITION.

UM, THIS, I AM DEFINITELY UP HERE REPRESENTING OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LUCAS SPO FOGEL, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND REALLY OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF GUARDIANS FELLOWS TEAM, UM, AND JUST ANYBODY WHO VOLUNTEERS WITH US AS WELL.

UM, THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE INVESTMENT THAT THE METRO COUNCIL AND THE CITY HAS INVESTED IN US.

UM, IN ADDITION TO SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE HAVE AMASSED SOME OF THE BEST A CT GROWTH THIS YEAR.

OUR SENIORS ARE ABOUT TO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO OVER 100 COLLEGES, ABOUT TO JOIN OUR 700 ALUMNI.

UM, AND WE'RE REALLY DOING SOME AMAZING THINGS AS WE'RE ABOUT TO LAUNCH OUR THIRD SITE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENT, AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE, UH, APPRECIATIVE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

AND I, AGAIN, ABOUT TO WRAP AGAIN.

[00:25:02]

UH, MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON, WE BROOME TO RECOGNIZE SIGMA GAMMA RO SORORITY INC.

MO SIGMA CHAPTER FOR BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK.

MAYOR, IF I COULD HAVE EVERYONE COME AROUND, ALL THE MEMBERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING WITH BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I LOVE THESE LADIES EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE WEARING A COLOR THAT I'M NOT QUITE USED TO, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

I LOVE THEM.

WE'RE ALL ABOUT THAT SERVICE, ALL ABOUT THAT SERVICE.

UM, I HAD THE, UH, PRIVILEGE, UM, THIS LAST PAST SUNDAY, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INITIATIVE, UH, THAT SIGMA GAMMA ROSE SORORITY INCORPORATED HOSTED, UM, AT THE, UH, STATE CAPITAL, AND IT WAS ENTITLED HONOR HER LIFE, A MEMORIAL CALLED HONOR HER LIFE.

AND, UM, THE MORE I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I'M, I CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT IT, I, I, AS I SHARED, UH, SUNDAY, UM, YOU KNOW, FRANKIE AND DINA HAVE CERTAINLY, UH, EMPOWERED ME WITH INFORMATION.

BUT WHAT I DIDN'T SHARE IS I ALSO HAVE SEEN MANY DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT THE ISSUE AS WELL.

AND AS I SHARED THE OTHER DAY, UH, AND I GOT THE STORY STRAIGHT FROM MY DAUGHTER, UH, BUT SHE, UH, BELIEVES THAT DURING HER TIME OF DELIVERY THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, PERHAPS HAPPENED HER LAST CHILD, UH, THAT CAUSED ADDITIONAL FLUID BUILDUP THAT SHOULDN'T.

AND SHE ENDED UP WITH, UH, FLUID AROUND HER HEART, AND WE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL.

SO SHE EXPLAINED THE WHOLE STORY AND HER THOUGHTS ABOUT, UH, WHAT HAPPENED TO HER IN THE HOSPITAL.

UH, BUT THE POINT IS THAT I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, IS THAT THE CDC SAYS MANY DEATHS RELATED TO PREGNANCY COULD BE PREVENTED, ESPECIALLY AMONG BLACK WOMEN IN LOUISIANA WHO ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM PREGNANCY RELATED ISSUES.

AND SO, UM, THE WORK THAT SIGMA GAMMA ROSE SORORITY DID AND THE MEMORIAL SUNDAY REMINDED US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT BLACK WOMEN FACED DURING PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH RIGHT HERE IN BATON ROUGE AND IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

SO I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE, AS I DID SUNDAY, UH, THE CREATION OF THE MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH CONSORTIUM FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

UH, THIS GROUP IS GOING TO HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE ISSUES, ADVOCATE FOR CHANGES IN POLICIES ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, HOLD EVENTS TO TEACH PEOPLE AND WORK WITH DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS.

IT INCLUDES PEOPLE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, FAMILY ROAD OF GREATER BATON ROUGE, THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL GROUPS THAT FOCUS ON MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AND LOCAL CHAPTERS OF BLACK GREEK LETTER SORORITIES.

SO I WANT TO, UH, PROCLAIM, UM, THIS WEEK AS BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK IN, UH, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND ASK THAT EVERYONE ELEVATE THEIR AWARENESS AROUND THIS ISSUE.

UH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOTIFICATION OF ACTION.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS, YOU WANT TO COMMENT MY, MY SISTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION, UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOES.

SIGMA GAMMA ROW SORORITY IS ALL ABOUT SERVICE.

AND WE HONORED ON SUNDAY 19 WOMEN THAT DIED IN CHILDBIRTH.

AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE WHEN THE CDC SAYS THAT 80% OF THE DEATHS FOR BLACK WOMEN ARE AVOIDABLE.

IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.

SO WE ARE HERE AT SIGMA GAMMA ROAD SORORITY INCORPORATED TO RAISE THE AWARENESS OF BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH.

SO WE THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR.

MY ON BEHALF OF MY CHAPTER PRESIDENT, DERA HARRIS DETER, AND OUR BATON ROUGE CHAPTER,

[00:30:01]

THESE LOVELY LADIES HERE FROM SIGMA GAMMA ROLL, MU SIGMA CHAPTER.

WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.

EVERYONE PLAYS A PART.

THE PREGNANT MOTHER PLAYS A PART BY KNOWING AND BEING AWARE OF SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT WOULD ALERT HER FOR EMERGENCY CASES.

THE DOCTORS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN TELLING THAT PATIENT WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO BE ON ALERT, OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SEEING BLACK WOMEN, HEARING US, SEEING US, OKAY? AND SO EVERYONE PLAYS A PART, OUR LEGISLATIVE BODIES IN CHANGING THINGS.

SO WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO JUST BE AWARE OF THAT.

AND WE HAVE OUR OTHER, OUR OTHER PARTNERS, PLEASE.

Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING.

UM, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY SIGMA GAMMA ROW, BUT WE HAVE A MANDALA GROUP.

WE HAVE THE MAMA PLUS AGENDA, FAMILY ROAD OF GREATER BATON ROUGE I WEST, AND SO MANY OTHERS HERE WHO STAND WITH US, UH, TO SUPPORT BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK, BUT TO SUPPORT BLACK MOTHERS OVERALL.

WE HAVE HOME VISITATION PROGRAMS, WE HAVE CASE MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE RESOURCES, BUT THAT MEANS NOTHING IF OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS DO NOT HEAR US WITH THE MAYOR.

UM, ANNOUNCING THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CONSORTIUM, WE WILL BE KICKING OFF A HEAR HER CONCERNS CAMPAIGN, WHICH BASICALLY ALERTS THE COMMUNITY, EXCUSE ME, WHICH ALERTS THE COMMUNITY, UM, NOT ONLY THE MOTHER, THE FATHER, GRANDMOTHER, AUNT, UNCLE, COUSIN, FRIEND, THAT IF YOU SEE THESE URGENT MATERNAL HEALTH WARNINGS, TO LET THE MOTHER KNOW TO BE AT HER SIDE, TO PROVIDE HER THAT SUPPORT.

BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES PREGNANCY IS JUST SEEN AS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU GO THROUGH, THROUGH LIFE.

IT JUST HAPPENS.

AND SO IF I'M ACHING, IF I'M TIRED, IF SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON WITH ME, WELL THAT'S EXPECTED IN PREGNANCY.

BUT SO MANY TIMES, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP, THOSE SMALL ISSUES CAN GROW AND TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DEVASTATING AND A TRAGEDY FOR THAT FAMILY IF ATTENTION IS IMMEDIATELY NOT GIVEN.

SO AGAIN, WE WANNA THANK YOU.

WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, ALL OF THE ADVOCATES THAT ARE HERE AND THANK THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT FOR NOT ONLY TAKING ACTION, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO LIFT OUR VOICES AND THE VOICES OF MOTHERS WHO UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT SEE THEIR CHILD'S FIRST BIRTHDAY.

AND WE THINK THAT EVERY MOTHER SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THEIR CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAYS.

YOU GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR SHOT.

AND I'M GONNA GET THIS ONE AFTERWARDS.

SUMMARY.

AND I'VE GOT ONE RIGHT HERE, Y'ALL.

ONE, TWO, AND THREE.

TWO AND THREE.

AND ONE MORE, AND THEN WE'RE DONE.

ONE, TWO, AND THREE RIGHT HERE.

YOU GOT YOURS PRETTY QUICKLY.

OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS METROPOLITAN COUNCILWOMAN LORI ADAMS TO RECOGNIZE THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO SAVE ST.

LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND SCHOOL PROPERTY.

THANK

[00:35:01]

THANK Y'ALL.

Y'ALL COULD BE OUT SAVING PEOPLE, AND YOU'RE HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU, .

HERE, COME ON UP.

I HAVE NEVER DONE A PRESENTATION WITH THIS MANY PEOPLE HERE.

THIS IS, THIS IS WONDERFUL.

UM, THIS DARRYL CAN HELP YOU IF YOU NEED IT.

DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO, AND WHEN YOU GET IN, DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET OUT IF THINGS GO AWRY, UH, WHICH APPARENTLY HAPPENED, UH, AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS AN EXIT.

IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SATURDAY, FEB, FEBRUARY 17TH, A FIRE STARTED AT ST.

LUKES EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SCHOOL AROUND 1:00 AM AND WAS QUICKLY REPORTED BY A POLICE OFFICER WHO SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE BUILDING.

BY THE TIME THE FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED, THE SANCTUARY WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

AND AS THEY BATTLED THE FIRE, PART OF THE BUILDING COLLAPSED.

BUT THANK THE LORD, NONE OF THE 75 FIREFIGHTERS WHO RESPONDED WERE HURT.

FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE ROLE THAT CHURCHES AND SCHOOL SCHOOLS PLAY IN OUR CITY PARISH.

THERE ARE INSTITUTIONS CORNERSTONES AND SAFE PLACES THAT ANCHOR RESIDENTS TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.

THERE ARE SPACES WHERE BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND SAD MEMORIES ARE MADE, AND WHERE HOPES AND DREAMS BECOME REALITY.

IT IS SHOCKING TO PARISHIONERS, FORMER TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS TO WAKE UP TO THE LOSS OF A COMMUNITY ICON.

AND IT MAKES US REALIZE THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN THIS LIFE.

BEAUTIFUL PLACES CREATED BY HUMANS OVER DECADES CAN BE COMPLETELY ERASED IN JUST A FEW SHORT HOURS.

WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM PARISHIONERS WHO WERE ON SITE DURING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRE, IS THEIR DEEP GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO CAME THAT NIGHT.

THEIR QUICK ACTIONS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL CAMPUS TO BE SAVED.

AND FOR SOME ITEMS IN THE SANCTUARY TO BE RESCUED, INCLUDING THE COLLUM BARIUM WHERE MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES REST IN PEACE.

I WORKED AT ST.

LUKE'S FOR 11 YEARS.

MY CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL THERE, AND I HAVE PEOPLE I LOVE IN THAT COLUM BARIUM.

IT IS EASY AND MAYBE EVEN NORMAL TAKE FOR GRANTED THE PUBLIC SERVANTS IN OUR CITY WHO ANSWER CALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WHO SHOW UP IN HELP WHEN THE UNIMAGINABLE HAPPENS.

I SPEND HOURS, WEEKS, AND YEARS TRAINING AND PREPARING TO BE THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S HARDEST DAYS, BUT IS NEVER OKAY TO LET THESE MOMENTS PASS WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING AND CELEBRATING THE BEST AMONG US.

THOSE THAT HAVE THE CALL, TO THOSE WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVICE AND HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO DANGEROUS AND SACRIFICIAL WORK THAT THEY DO FOR US.

AND THAT IS WHY I'VE ASKED THE VETERINARY FIRE DEPARTMENT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAMBER TODAY SO THAT WE CAN HONOR AND CELEBRATE THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY EACH AND EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.

Y'ALL KNOW ME.

Y'ALL KNOW I'M A BIG CRYBABY.

SORRY.

GREAT.

UM, SO LET ME READ, UM, THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE PARISHIONERS AND FAMILIES OF ST.

LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND SCHOOL, THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 11 AND COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS TO CONTAIN THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2024, FIRE ON ST.

LUKE'S EPISCOPAL TURON SCHOOL CAMPUS AND PREVENT THE FIRE FROM DOING DAMAGE TO THE REMAINDER OF THE CAMPUS.

WE HONOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE QUICK TO RESPOND TO UNCERTAIN SITUATIONS, TO MITIGATE DANGER AND COMBAT THE THREAT OF DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN ORDER TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND THE ECONOMIC BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DEMANDS OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE FIREFIGHTING, ARE ACCOMPANIED BY BOTH PERSONAL AND PHYSICAL TOLLS THAT ALL FIREFIGHTERS KNOWINGLY ACCEPT WHEN THEY RISK THEIR LIVES FOR, TO PROTECT THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF OTHERS.

SO, UM, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.

SORRY, I'M A BIG, HUGE CRY, BABY .

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE TO ME PERSONALLY AND TO MY, MY CHILDREN AND MY FAMILY.

AND I KNOW IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PLACE TO, UM, SOME OF THE ST.

LUKE'S PARISHIONERS WHO HAVE GATHERED HERE TODAY.

SO I WANNA OFFER, UM, THE MIC FATHER BRIAN, OR MOTHER TRISH, IF EITHER OF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE WONDERFUL WORDS, LORI.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND I, IT'S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS, UH, HOW MUCH WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK I REALIZED IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRE IS I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THAT MUCH ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL DO.

UM, AND KNOWING THAT YOU SHOW UP TO A PLACE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW AT ALL,

[00:40:01]

UM, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE, UH, THAT YOU JUST GO IN AND RISK YOUR LIVES.

UH, AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL WANTED DESPERATELY TO SAVE A CHURCH BUILDING, UH, THAT WASN'T IN THE CARDS, BUT THANK GOD YOU WERE THERE, UH, AND, UH, THAT THE DEVASTATION WASN'T EVEN WORSE THAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

I CAN TELL YOU, EVERYBODY AT ST.

LUKE'S, UH, HOLDS YOU NEAR AND DEAR IN THEIR HEARTS.

UH, WE CONSIDER YOU GUYS HEROES.

WE LOVE YOU, AND, UH, WE HOPE YOU'LL COME AND SEE US ANYTIME, UH, 'CAUSE WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ANYTIME.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

CHIEF, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? CAN'T CRY.

JUST ME.

I TRY NOT TO.

UH, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM YOU COUNCILWOMAN AND FROM THE ST.

LUKE'S CHURCH.

Y'ALL HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO RECOGNIZE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

UM, THESE GUYS AND LADIES SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY, PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF OTHER, FRONT OF THE OTHER, AND GO OUT AND PROTECT PROPERTY AND SAVE LIVES.

BUT Y'ALL HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO RECOGNIZE OUR PEOPLE, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING THAT.

SO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.

CAN YOU SEE US ALL? ALL RIGHT.

YEP.

VERY GOOD.

EVERYBODY GET THAT BASELINE HOLD UP.

AND NEXT UP, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE METRO COUNT METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN CLEVE DUNN JR.

TO RECOGNIZE PASTOR EVELYN THOMAS MOUNTAIN FAITH WORLD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES, AND JALIA JONES, STUDENT AT FOREST HEIGHTS ACADEMIC ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE.

POINT OF ORDER, GENTLEMEN, WE, WE GONNA ASK Y'ALL TO EXIT THE BUILDING SO WE CAN GO ON WITH THE PROGRAM.

THANK Y'ALL.

COUNCILMAN DUNN, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REINTRODUCE OR YES, PLEASE.

PLEASE.

SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN CLEVE DUNN, JR.

RECOGNIZED PASTOR EVELYN THOMAS OF MOUNTAIN FAITH WORLD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES, ANGELIA JONES, STUDENT AT FOREST HEIGHTS ACADEMIC ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UM, PASTOR THOMAS HADN'T ARRIVED YET.

I'M SURE SHE'S EN ROUTE, SHE'S GONNA DO THE PRAYER FOR US.

BUT BEFORE I GET TO JIA, WE HAVE AN AUDIBLE HERE, AND I KNOW WE DON'T DO THIS OFTEN, BUT I ACTUALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, WITH A PROCLAMATION, UH, THE DAR HURST PROCLAMATION I MIGHT ADD.

BUT, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, JENNIFER ROCKER, UH, MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD JAL'S STORY AND WE'RE GONNA GET TO JAL.

BUT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FOR NOT ONLY LENDING HER NAME AND HER PLATFORM TO THIS EFFORT, UH, NOT ONLY BEING WILLING TO DO WHATEVER WE NEEDED HER TO DO TO PROMOTE AND ADVANCE THIS CAUSE, BRING ATTENTION TO ST.

JUDE, BRING ATTENTION TO JAL AND JI'S STORY, BUT SHE ACTUALLY GOT IN THE RING AND COMPETED, UH, AS A REAL, UH, EXHIBITION BOUT AGAINST, UH, THEN, UH, DEMOCRATIC PARTY STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, UH, CHAIRWOMAN, UH, KATIE BERNHARDT.

AND, UH, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER AND THANK HER FOR THAT PUBLICLY, AND TELL HER HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE HER.

AND I KNOW THEY APPRECIATE HER FOR BEING WILLING TO DO THAT.

UM, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT, BUT WHEN SHE HEARD THE STORY, SHE WANTED TO DO IT.

AND I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK HER FOR THAT PUBLICLY.

[00:45:01]

I DON'T WANNA READ WHAT'S ON IT.

I I WANTED TO COME FROM THE HEART AND LET YOU KNOW THAT.

BUT I'M SURE, UH, JEITA AND JELLE WANNA SAY SOME THINGS TO YOU AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING YOU .

IT WAS MY HONOR.

YOU KICK CANCER'S BUTT, MY LITTLE FRIEND, AND THOSE OF YOU AT HOME CAN SEE SOME OF THE IMAGES FROM, FROM JEN AND AND HER IN HER BOXING ATTIRE.

SOME OF US COULD SEE IT HERE IN THE CHAMBER.

AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO THANK HER, UH, FOR THAT.

AND APPRECIATE YOU, JEN.

AND NOW I WANT TO GO ON TO JIA.

UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN JANUARY, UH, THE DOCTORS FOUND TUMORS ON JAL'S BRAIN.

UM, AND, UH, EVER SINCE THEN, SHE'S HAD SURGERY AND BEEN IN TREATMENT AT ST.

JUDE.

AND, UH, AGAIN, WE WANTED TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS STORY, RAISE SOME MONEY FOR THE HOSPITAL ITSELF, AND RAISE SOME MONEY FOR THIS FAMILY, WHICH WE'RE PRESENTING THOSE CHECKS TO THEM ON FRIDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK AT BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DALE LOCATION, WHICH IS ON DALE IN DISTRICT SIX.

AND JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE JALIA AND JEITA FOR THEIR FIGHT AND, UH, TELL 'EM HOW MUCH WE LOVE 'EM AND SUPPORT 'EM.

AND, UH, GIVE YOU YOUR GUYS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM JALIA.

SHE'S SUCH A PERSONALITY , SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET TO MEET AND KNOW, YOU JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HER.

BUT I WANT TO GIVE HER A CHANCE TO SPEAK.

JUST TELL EVERYBODY THANK YOU FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS' SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION DURING MY JOURNEY.

UM, I SECOND THAT.

I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, AND ESPECIALLY MY BOSS.

HE HAS REALLY BEEN SUPPORTIVE AND INSPIRING, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS JOURNEY.

AND THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.

WE ARE JUST VERY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COUNCILMAN DUNN.

COUNCILMAN DUNN, IF I MAY, UM, MS. MAGDA, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE FAMILY TO US.

SHE'S FAMILY TO US.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DUNN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THIS PART, COUNCILWOMAN ROCKER PARTICIPATING, BUT FROM ALL OF US HERE AT THE METRO COUNCIL, WE'RE, WE'RE WITH YOU THE WHOLE WAY, A HUNDRED PERCENT.

AND, AND, AND GOD BLESS AND, AND QUICK RECOVERY FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES UP FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.

BUT LIKE JEN SAID, YOU GO WHIP THIS THING'S BUTT AND AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK BACK ON THIS AND BE HIGHLY BLESSED.

GOD BLESS YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TAKE FIVE AND AT THAT POINT WE'LL BRING UP THE, UH, THE REAL MAYOR PRO TEM, THE ONE Y'ALL HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING TO SEE MAYOR PRO.

TIM LAMONT COLE TO START THE MEETING.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL OF CHAMBER OF EASTBOUND RIDGE PARISH ON BEHALF OF OUR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.

GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WATCHING THIS AFTERNOON ON AT AND T ON COX YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK STREAMING@VRLA.GOV.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF LOUISIANA.

AND AT THIS TIME, HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PROTE OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

COUNCILMAN LAMONT COLE.

COUNCILMAN, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2024 AT 4:30 PM FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, WE DID NOT HAVE COUNCIL MEETING LAST WEEK DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER.

AND SO WE'RE REPLACING THAT MEETING WITH THE MEETING TODAY.

UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING

[CALL TO ORDER]

IN ORDER.

ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM TODAY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M GONNA PASS, UH, THE INFORMATION OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CLE DUN JR.

TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE LEADING US IN THE INVOCATION AS WELL AS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

THANK YOU, SIR.

PASTOR THOMAS JAL.

YOU GUYS CAN COME ON VOCATION.

YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO THE PRAYER FIRST AND PASTOR THOMAS, AND THEN JAL

[00:50:01]

LEADERS IN THE PLEDGE.

AND LEMME SAY, PASTOR EVELYN THOMAS IS HERE WITH US FROM FAITH WORLD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES PASTOR THOMAS.

UH, ITEM ONE, APPROVED FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 27TH, 2024 BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.

UM, IF IT'S OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN FOR THIS INVITATION TO COME AND LEAD THE INVO, UH, THE INVOCATION.

ALSO, I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SAY THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS AWESOME CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO, UM, ME, UH, ON BEHALF OF MOUNTAIN FAITH WORLD OUTREACH MINISTRIES FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST, UH, DISTRICT SIX, UH, COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT, NOW WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD INTO THE PRAYER.

ALRIGHT, FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU LORD GOD.

WE THANK YOU FOR THIS MEETING, LORD GOD.

FATHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU BY INVITING YOU INTO THIS MEETING, FATHER GOD, BECAUSE LORD GOD, WE CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT YOU LORD GOD.

AND ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN WE LORD GOD, ACKNOWLEDGE YOU IN ALL OF OUR WAYS.

FATHER GOD.

NOW, LORD GOD, I'M ASKING YOU THIS EVENING TO GOD AND DIRECT THIS MEETING FATHER GOD.

LORD GOD, I ASK YOU THIS EVENING, LORD GOD, TO DIRECT LORD GOD, ALL OF THE COUNCILMEN, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES, AND ALL OF THE GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS, LORD GOD, IN THAT YOU'LL IN PART YOUR WISDOM, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING, AND TO THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR MINDS, LORD GOD, THAT WHATEVER LORD GOD TRANSPIRES THIS EVENING IN THIS MEETING, LORD GOD WILL AGREE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN.

NOW, LORD GOD, I'M ASKING YOU, FATHER GOD, TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES AND THE FINANCES FOR LORD GOD THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR CITIES AND STATE IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

NOW, LORD GOD, I JUST ASK YOU ALL SO LORD, TO RESTORE OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND ALSO TO COMBAT CRIME, LORD GOD, AND INFLATION AND VIOLENCE IN OUR CITIES AND STATE IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

NOW, LORD, I ASK YOU TO BLESS EACH AND EVERY PARTICIPANT, SPEAKER ATTENDEE HERE THIS EVENING, LORD GOD.

AND I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU TO BLESS AMERICA.

AMEN.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE INTO THE FLAG NEAR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE VISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU, PASTOR.

THANK YOU J AND WE GONNA BE WITH YOU.

J WE GONNA BE WITH YOU.

[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MAGO.

MS. BECK,

[INTRODUCTIONS]

WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE UH, INTRODUCTIONS SECTION SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, AMEND THE 2024 PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED CONTRACT, FIRE AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE, SO IS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE APRIL 25TH, 2024 ADD ITEM 30, CRITICAL RETENTION HIRING OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES EMPLOYEES.

AN OPTIONAL SPECIAL RECRUITING RATE IS ALLOWABLE UP TO STEP 12 FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES.

CLASSIFICATIONS IF RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR AND APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES CLASSIFICATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED AS FOLLOWS.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, HIV AIDS BY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE, AND THE YWCA TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY $120,000.

NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND URBAN RESTORATION ENHANCEMENT CORPORATION TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY $135,000 AND AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

NUMBER FIVE, A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AT LOUISIANA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE LEVYING COLLECTION OF A SPECIAL VALOREM TAX OF SIX MILLS ON THE DOLLAR OF ASSESSED VALUE ON ALL

[00:55:01]

PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA IN PERPETUITY COMMENCING WITH THE TAX COLLECTION FOR THE YEAR 2025 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR INCREASING SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM PREPARED BY BOND COUNSEL AT THE REQUEST OF THE BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

NUMBER SIX, A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY FOR THE AND COLLECTION OF A 10 MILLS A VALOREM TAX FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES OF THE DISTRICT PREPARED BY BOND COUNSEL AT THE REQUEST OF THE BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

NUMBER THREE.

NUMBER SEVEN, A RESOLUTION ORDERING A CALLING, A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD WITH THE ALLISON SAN OMALEE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A 10 MILLS AD VALOREM TAX FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES OF THE DISTRICT PREPARED BY BOND COUNSEL AT THE REQUEST OF THE ALLISON ST.

IRMA LEE, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE.

NUMBER EIGHT, A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING OF SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

NUMBER ONE OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A NINE MILLS AT ALARM TAX FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS PREPARED BY BOND COUNSEL AT THE REQUEST OF FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.

UH, ALL ITEMS, UH, THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ.

WE HAVE A REQUEST TO DELETE ITEMS 31 AND 42 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE THOSE ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF 31 AND 42? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCKER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HURST.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.

THERE ARE NO CONDEMNATIONS TODAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

WE'LL PICK THOSE UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND SO IF

[43. 24-00254]

YOU RETURN TO PAGE EIGHT, WE BEGIN WITH ITEM 43 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT FEE IN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARIS OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND KINGDOM BUILDERS DEVELOPMENT OF LOUISIANA LLC FOR WORK TO BE PERFORMED AT 2215 EAST MILE AVENUE FOR A TOTAL OF SOMETHING NOT TO EXCEED $62,800 AND 64 CENTS BY MAYOR'S OFFICE.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 43.

WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY THE CHAIR.

IS THERE A SECOND? DO OH, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS MARLEY, HUH? UM, MAKING A ORGANIZER.

WHAT? AND WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM AND I THINK IT'S REIMBURSABLE IF YOU JUST GIVE A LITTLE INFORMATION.

YES, MA'AM.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

SO OUR, UH, REHAB PROGRAM, WE PROCURE VENDORS THAT ARE, THAT ARE APPROVED IN OUR, UH, LIST OF, OF CONTRACTORS.

IN ORDER TO BE ON OUR LIST, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VALID CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE, CERTAIN INSURANCES, AND YOU HAVE TO MET WITH OUR TEAM IN PERSON TO UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM.

FROM THERE WE ACTUALLY USED A DIGITAL TOOL CALLED THE RANDOMIZER.

WE PICKED AROUND THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS, SEND THAT OUT, PROVIDE THEM THREE WEEKS TO RESPOND, AND THEN WE HAD THE LOWEST BIDDER, AND THAT'S WHO WE EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH.

AND THAT'S ALL KIND OF IN ALIGNMENT WITH PUBLIC BID LAW.

UM, THIS PROJECT WAS PROCURED THROUGH THAT SAME MECHANISM.

UM, IT, IT'S FOR, UH, UH, A HOMEOWNER, UH, IN, IN, AND WHO HAS BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME, I'M SURE , UH, FOR, FOR ROOF REPAIRS AND OTHER DIFFERENT IMPORTANT HOME REPAIRS.

AND YOU DID INDICATE THAT, UM, IT'S REIMBURSABLE.

IS THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT 85 OR, YES MA'AM.

SO LIKE ALL OOC D PROGRAMS, BETTER OR WORSE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BEFORE WE CAN EVEN RE IS EVERYTHING IS REIMBURSABLE.

SO WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO GO ONSITE OUR TEAM AND THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR GOES ONSITE TO, TO LOOK AT THE WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK AS AGREED TO IN THE SCOPE OF WORK.

AND IT IS A, IT'S A VERY LONG SCOPE OF WORK.

I, I HAVE HERE THE SHORTENED VERSION OF IT.

UM, THE ACTUAL SCOPE OF WORK IS PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED PAGES LONG.

IT'S VERY DETAILED.

SO WE CHECK AGAINST THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S DONE.

WE SIGN OFF THE THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT INSPECTOR SIGNS OFF, CONTRACTOR SIGNS OFF, AND THEN THAT PAYMENT IS, IS REMITTED TO THEM.

GO TO ITEM 44, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF A TAX EXEMPT LIMITED TAX REVENUE BOND 0 20 24 AND CENTRAL FIVE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,500,000 BY COUNCIL MEMBER AARON MO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SECOND, SECOND OF OUR COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 43 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW

[44. 24-00268]

IS THERE ANY ONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM

[01:00:02]

COUNCIL MEMBERS? WELL, IS COUNCIL MEMBER MOOCH? UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? UH, WE'LL CHANGE THAT MOTION TO APPROVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER M UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS?

[45. 24-00318]

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 45 AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED TINA CRANE AND DANIEL BALDRIDGE AT ALL IN AN AMOUNT OF $350,000 PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $626 IN APPROPRIATING $350,626 BY PARISH ATTORNEY.

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

COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE ON ITEM 45? ITEM 45.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON.

AUTHORIZING A SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF THE SHELTER INSURANCE COMPANY AND SUBY OF KENT VVI.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO NOW TO ITEM 46,

[46. 24-00319]

IS THAT VVI? YEAH.

VVI FOR DAMAGES RESULTING IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,991 AND 49 CENTS.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM YOU NOW WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 46? IS THERE MOTION? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MA GODDE.

NOW GO TO ITEM 47, AUTHORIZED A SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER OF ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY AT ALL VERSUS TURNER SPECIALTY SERVICES LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $22,000 PER CLOSE COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $52, UH, BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.

[47. 24-00320]

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

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

SECONDED BY THE CHAIR THERE.

SENDING AND DIRECTING OF CLERK COURT TO COUNSEL NOTICE TO ATTEND A RECORD ON JANUARY 12TH, 2024.

[48. 24-00356]

NOW GO TO ITEM 48.

WE'RE SENDING IN DIRECTION OF CLERK OF COURT TO COUNCIL NOTICE TO ATTEND.

RECORDED ON OCTOBER 27TH, 2023 IN THE DECISION AND THE ORDER RECORDED ON JANUARY 12TH, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS K INVESTMENTS AT LC 2 0 5 0 HEMLOCK STREET.

REASON FOR RESCISSION OWNER WAS GRANTED A CONDITIONAL COMMITMENT AWARD OF R-R-D-P-C-D-B-G-D-R FUNDS BY THE LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION TO HAVE THE HOME REPAIRED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 48? COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 48 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

ITEM 49 WE'RE SENDING,

[49. 24-00359]

DECISION TO ORDER RECORDED ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2023.

AND A DECISION TO ORDER RECORDED ON FEBRUARY 6TH, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE V LILLY H WOMAC 6 5 3 9 VILLAGE STREET.

REASON FOR RESCISSION PROPERTY IS BEING REPAIRED AND OWNER WILL OBTAIN PERMITS BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COUNCILMAN COLEMAN? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCC COLEMAN.

GOING NOW TO ITEM 50, AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT INTO A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT WITH CITY BOTT INCORPORATED FOR A SUBSCRIPTION IN THE AI POWER CHAT BOT SOLUTION AND APPROPRIATING $93,330 OF PROGRAMMING ACCESS FEES.

[50. 24-00341]

PEG REVENUE SET PURPOSE BY INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 50? ASHLEY COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 50.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

THANK YOU SIR.

I WAS JUST GONNA ASK ERIC TO COME UP AND TALK THROUGH THIS.

THANK YOU ERIC.

YOU SENT US SOME INFORMATION, ERIC, AND, AND SO I, I HAVE AN APPRECIATION OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAT THE SURE PUBLIC GET A LITTLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING IF YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD AS ALWAYS, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO THIS IS A PROJECT, KIND OF A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN PUBLIC INFORMATION MAYOR'S OFFICE AND IS, AND SO THE CHAT BOT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS IMPLEMENTING A CHAT BOT AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO, IT'S REALLY GONNA AUGMENT OUR CITIZEN, UH, ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS BY PROVIDING ANOTHER OPTION FOR THE PUBLIC TO INTERACT WITH THE CITY PARISH.

UH, THE CHAT BOT'S GOING TO GOING TO BE BOTH WEB-BASED AND TEXT-BASED.

SO FOR THE FIRST TIME, CITIZENS WILL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT INFORMATION, UH, CITY PARISH INFORMATION VIA TEXT MESSAGING.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE CONSUME DATA DIFFERENTLY, CONSUME INFORMATION DIFFERENTLY.

SO FOR ME, I WANT TO USE A COMPUTER TO, UH, A BROWSER TO SEARCH OUT INFORMATION.

WE KNOW THAT SOME SEGMENTS OF THE, UH, THE PUBLIC WANT TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL.

AND NOW, UH, OTHER, OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE THE PUBLIC, THEY WANT TO JUST USE TEXT MESSAGING, UH, FOR COMMUNICATION.

SO IT'S AGAIN, AUGMENTING ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.

WHAT'S UNIQUE HERE, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST THE SEARCH ENGINE THAT'S ON THE BRLA WEBSITE, THE CHAT BOT IS GOING TO TAKE INFORMATION FROM ALL THE CITY PARISH WEBSITE.

SO NOW, AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PIECE OF INFORMATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO B A.GOV, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AND THEN HOP TO MOVE EBR.UH.COM AND IN THE STORMWATER WEBSITE NOW YOU CAN GO TO THE CHAT BOT, ASK THE

[01:05:01]

QUESTIONS AND GET, UH, THE INFORMATION IN THAT SINGLE PLATFORM.

IT ALSO USES GENERATIVE AI, SO IT'S GOING IN THE BACKEND.

IT'S GOING TO BE LEARNING BASED ON THE QUESTIONS AND THE INTERACTIONS THAT IT HAS WITH THE PUBLIC WHEN IT'S, UH, PROVIDING ANSWERS.

SO THAT FIRST QUESTION, IT'S GOING TO LEARN SO THAT THE NEXT TIME IT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION, IT GIVES A BETTER ANSWER TO THE, THE PUBLIC MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCG GODEN.

COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, UM, UM, I WAS SPEAKING WITH DENNIS ABOUT THIS AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, I KNOW IN, IN OTHER CITIES HE MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, ENTER IN 3 1 1 DATA THROUGH THE CHAT BOT.

SO IS THAT A CAPABILITY THAT WE'LL HAVE OR WE'LL EVENTUALLY HAVE? IT IS.

SO SORRY, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT PART.

SO PHASE TWO AND IT'S, UH, PHASE TWO IS INCLUDED IN THIS, THIS PROJECT.

UM, AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AND LOOK UP SERVICE REQUESTS THROUGH THE CHAT BOT AS WELL.

BOTH WEB-BASED AND TEXT.

GOTCHA.

AND THEN, SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ALSO, UM, FOLKS ARE WORRIED ABOUT AI AND, AND THE DANGERS OF AI AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SURE.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT, THAT THIS CHAT BOT WILL BECOME SELF-AWARE AND TAKE OVER THE CITY PARISH SYSTEM? ? WELL, IS WOULD THAT NECESSARILY BE A BAD THING? NO, .

SO, UM, THERE ARE CONCERNS, AND ALL JOKING ASIDE WE ARE IN, IS WE ARE WORKING ON A FRAMEWORK THAT WILL HELP GUIDE CITY, UH, CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES ON HOW TO PROPERLY USE, UM, AI TO HOPEFULLY IMPROVE PROCESSES INTERNALLY.

BUT WE WANT TO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT FRAMEWORK IS IN PLACE.

THE CHAT BOT.

UM, ALL JOKING ASIDE, AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE USING DATA THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING ON THE CITY PARISH WEBSITE.

SO THANK YOU ALL, ALL YOUR JOBS ARE SAFE FOR NOW SOUNDS LIKE SOUNDS GREAT.

THANK YOU ERIC.

UM, MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GOER, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTION TO ITEM 50? ITEM 50 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE GO DOWN TO ITEM 51,

[51. 24-00353]

AUTHORIZED THE MAYOR RESIDENT AND ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE WALLS PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 TO STRENGTHEN THE EDUCATION, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF NEED THROUGH THE ONE RULES, COALITIONS AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO SET PURPOSE BY GENERAL FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT IS ANYONE WHO WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.

WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS REAL QUICKLY.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 51.

COUNCILMAN ADAMS, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, HOW THIS MONEY IS GONNA BE USED? CASEY, I SAW HIM.

THAT CASEY BROUGHT A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

PART OF OUR TEAM.

UH, GREETINGS EVERYONE.

I'M SORRY.

WHO, WHERE IS THAT QUESTION FROM? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UH, I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR PARTNERS METAMORPHOSIS THAT COULDN'T BE PRESENT TODAY.

SO ELENA WILLIAMS, OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND THE HEAD OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, TIA FIELDS, UM, THE DOLLARS WILL BE BRAIDED INTO THE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT THAT WE GET BOTH LOCALLY AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL, UH, UH, SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AROUND THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL THAT WE HAVE.

SO THE MANAGEMENT OF IT, UH, THE HOSTING OF THE, THE MEETINGS, THE MANAGEMENT, THE DEPLOYING OF IT.

UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I SAID ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS I'M HAPPY TO GIVE TO YOU.

I MEAN, THERE'S THE FRIDAY CALLS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE LAST 200 WEEKS.

UM, 800 MEMBERS, 200 ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER.

UM, ROTATING CAST, USUALLY AVERAGE ABOUT 45 TO 60 ORGANIZATIONS ON THE CALL.

UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NINE DRIVERS OF POVERTY.

UM, I SEE SEVERAL OF OUR PEOPLE HERE, REVEREND ANDERSON AND, UH, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO SHARE RESOURCES AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND IN THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.

SO IT'S GENERAL SUPPORT RATHER THAN AIMED AT A SPECIFIC PROJECT.

YES, MA'AM.

OKAY, MA'AM, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

AUTHOR THE MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDING AND GROUND EXECUTING AGREEMENT WITH PRECISION ELEVATOR TO TROUBLESHOOTING MAKE NECESSARY REPAIR TO THE ELEVATOR DUE TO TOWARD AN INTRUSION IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,600.

EXCELLENT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? COUNCIL MEMBER BLOCKER MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUN JR.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 51 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW GO ITEM 52,

[52. 24-00357]

OUR BUILDINGS AND GROUND DIRECTORS.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM WE NOT WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER'S? MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOR ROCK, OR SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOTE TO

[53. 24-00362]

ITEM TO ITEM 53 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES, EASTBOUND PARISH HEAD START PROGRAM TO APPLY AND RECEIVE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OFFICE OF HEAD START QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANT TO OFFER COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND EXPANSION GRANTS TO

[01:10:01]

SERVE ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5 MILLION FOR A TOTAL BUDGET NOT TO EXCEED 19 MILLION FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.

AND TO SIGN ALL DOCUMENTS CONNECTED THERE WITH BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTLY.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WE OUT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? A MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE CHAIR THAT SECONDED BY COUNCIL.

MAGDA, ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 53 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, I'M SORRY I MISSED YOU, MS. UNDINE HERE.

ANYONE HERE CAN SPEAK ON THE HEAD START ITEM? COME ON DOWN MS. UNDINE.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HEAR.

YES MA'AM.

MIC TURN, MIC SHAWNA, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, ASKED ME EARLIER WERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER CLOSED SITES BUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SITES, A NEED FOR WHAT? ADDITIONAL SITES, WHAT WE USE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION IS WHERE THE APPLICATIONS COME FROM.

SO BASED ON WHERE THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS, THEN THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE LOCATED.

IF WE'RE NOT LOCATED THERE ALREADY.

SO WE HAVE TO USE THE DATA FROM THE CENSUS TRACK AND THEN LOOK AT THE APPLICATIONS THAT'S COMING IN, AND THAT TELLS US WHAT'S ZIP CODES THEY COMING FROM.

THAT DETERMINES WHERE WE HAVE TO BE AT.

HOW REGULARLY IS THAT DONE OR IS IT DONE ONLY UPON REQUESTS OR NO, WE, WE MONITOR THAT DAILY.

AS THE APPLICATIONS COME IN, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT.

I CAN TELL YOU ON A MOMENT, NOTICE WHERE THOSE APPLICATIONS COME FROM.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO ONGOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT.

SO, UM, TO GO BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, BASED ON THAT DATA, IS THERE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SITES? YEAH.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENSUS TRACK AND THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT'S NOT SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT'S NOT BEING SERVED.

SO DOES THIS HELP ADDRESS THAT THE EXPANSION GRAD DOES? IN FACT, I HAVE TO VE I HAVE TO ZERO IN ON THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE IS A NEED, WHERE THERE'S HIGH POVERTY AND THOSE AREAS WHERE I HAVE TO PUT A, A LOCATION AT.

WE NOW GO TO APPOINTMENTS, CHAIN OF VIEW, VOLUNTEER FILE, DISTRICT CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING HAROLD KIRBY, WHOSE TERM EXPIRED.

WHEN CAN WE TALK? JUST CALL YOU .

ITEM HAS BEEN MOTION SECONDED AND ACTUALLY APPROVE, UH, I'LL ASK AGAIN ARE ANY OBJECTION.

ITEM 53 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

[54. 23-01645]

DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.

THIS IS A TWO YEAR TERM.

CURRENT BALLOT IS BRETT MESSING GEAR.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM SUB MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER? NO.

NOW TO ITEM 55, VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALLISON STREET, ER LEE, CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING BETHEL WELLS WHO DECLINED APPOINTMENT.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO

[55. 24-00406]

THIS IS A TWO YEAR TERM.

MUST LIVE IN ALLISON STATE LEE FIVE DISTRICT CURRENT BALLOT.

BRENDA CHENEY.

APPLICATION RECEIVED AND BETTY JEFFERSON APPLICATION RECEIVED.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH YOU TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? I AIN'T NEITHER ONE OF 'EM.

WE NOT GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, WE GOING TO VOTE.

DEFER SOMEONE WILL MAKE MOTION.

55 COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.

I DON'T, I DON'T, I HADN'T TALKED TO EITHER ONE OF 'EM.

YOU WANNA DEFER? WE COULD DEFER FOR HOW LONG? TWO WEEKS.

UH, MOTION TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODA.

ANY OBJECTIONS? OH, NEXT WEEK WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING.

OH, WE HAVE MEETING NEXT WEEK.

ORDER TO SALES TAX STREET ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM.

SO WE CAN DEFER IT TO YOU WANNA DO IT TO NEXT WEEK? UH, YEAH.

OR TO MAY.

MAY, MAY.

THEY THEY MEET THE FIRST TUESDAY.

WHAT DAY IS THE FIRST? TUESDAY? NEXT SEVENTH.

OKAY, LET'S MEET NEXT WEEK.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL DEFER TO NEXT WEEK.

FIRST FOR NEXT WEEK MOVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MAGO ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED THE NEXT WEEK AND I'LL GO TO CHANGE

[56. 24-00407]

PROJECT 18 DASH TWO.

TIGER BENNETT STREETS IN OAK HILL, PALACE PARK AND HIGHLAND SHADOW SUBDIVISION CONTRACTOR.

RJ, DAVE AND SONS CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED.

CHANGE YOUR ORDER AMOUNT.

$521,745.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODA.

ANY, ANY OBJECTIONS?

[57. 24-00409]

WE NOW GO TO ITEM 57, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DISASTER RECOVERY BID.

REPLACING FRATERNITY STREET.

I GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THIS.

THIS THING? YEAH, THIS CHANGE ORDER.

GO AHEAD.

IT'S THE SAME THING THAT I'M NEEDING IN SOME PARTS OF 10.

50,000, SO NO, THAT AIN'T 5,000.

AND SO, I MEAN, HOW WE, HOW WE OVERLOOK THIS TO THIS EXTENT.

500,000.

THEN WHEN I'M LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING,

[01:15:01]

COUNSEL COLEMAN, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE ITEMS THAT, THAT ARE DICTATED IN THIS, IN THE CHANGE ORDER, PARTICULARLY THE, THE REPLACING OF CURB AND THEN REBUILDING THE CURB BACK WAS DUE TO SOME OF THE WATER CONDITIONS.

THAT RANGE CAME ON THE STREETS.

AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO BUILD, I MEAN, DOING OVERLAY WORK AND HAVE WATER SITTING IN THE STREETS.

IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT TWO AND A HALF INCHES OF WATER.

THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THE CURB HAD TO BE REPLACED.

THAT WAS UNFORESEEN AT THAT POINT.

IT'S ABOUT 1000, ALMOST 1500 FEET THAT YOU HAD TO GO REPLACE CURB, THEN COME BACK IN AND RECONSTRUCT THE CURB.

WE HAD AREAS IN, IN ANOTHER SUBDIVISION THAT HAD PROBLEMS DEALING WITH CROSS DRAINS.

UH, THAT WAS A PROBLEM.

UH, WHEN YOU GO TO DIG UP THE BASE, THE CROSS, THE CROSS DRAINS WERE SEPARATED, FALLING APART IN THE AREA.

WE HAD TO REPLACE THOSE.

SO THERE WAS ABOUT, UH, HUN, ALMOST $200,000 WORTH OF WORK THAT WERE ITEMS THAT WE DID NOT KNOW THAT WERE, UH, PART OF THE PROJECT TO START WITH UNFORESEEN.

WE WOULD'VE ADDED THAT IF WE'D HAVE KNOWN THAT.

BUT THAT'S THE SITUATION THAT WE WERE UNDER.

AND SO THE REMAINING FUNDS ARE JUST BASIC CLOSING OUT, BUT YOU ALSO WOULD HAVE TO SAY WITH THE GRADE, THE SLOPE THAT YOU NEED TO BETTER GET WATER TO RUN FROM THE STREET TO THE CURB TO THE INLETS.

UH, 'CAUSE I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BUILD A PROJECT AND THEN IT DOESN'T DO WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO FROM A, A DRAINAGE STANDPOINT AND SEE ALL THAT YOU HAVE, UH, EXPLAINED WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $500,000 PLUS CHANGE ORDER HERE.

AND THAT'S THE SAME ISSUE THAT I HAVE OVER THERE ON MADISON AND 17TH AND 16TH AND ALL OF THAT THAT I HAVE ALREADY ASKED ABOUT TOO.

AND THAT IS WATER NOT FLOWING, BAD PIPES, DITCHES NOT CLEAN THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

AND THAT 500,000 THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, YEAH, THAT COULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THAT OVER THERE.

THE, THE DIFFERENCE, AND I, I KNOW THE AREA YOU TALKED ABOUT, MS. COLEMAN BECAUSE YOU CALLED ME ABOUT IT AND I'VE LOOKED AT IT.

THIS IS A RECENT OVERLAY OF THE PROCESS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE PROJECTS LIKE ON MADISON THAT WE WANT TO MAYBE HAVE TO GET ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE, THEN THOSE TYPE OF THINGS BE LOOKED AT NEAR FUTURE, HUH, MA'AM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.

I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.

ITEM HAS BEEN, UH, MOTION APPROVE.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUN.

LINDA, COULD YOU COME PLEASE? THIS IS CRAZY.

FRED, YOU COULD STAY UP THERE.

500,000 DWIGHT.

YOU MIGHT WANT JOIN THEM UP THERE TOO.

IT THAT BE US.

IT IS YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT? DEPARTMENT.

YOU SOUND LIKE DARL HUR.

I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE YOU, DWIGHT AND FRED FOUND THIS $500,000 AT.

WHAT'S THE FUNDING SAUCE? CHECK THE BUDGET GENERAL FUND.

I LET LINDA SPEAK.

I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

SO EACH YEAR, AT EACH YEAR IN THE BUDGET, WE ESTIMATE, UH, WHAT THE PROCEEDS FOR OVERLAY ARE GONNA BE FROM THE, UH, THIS SALES TAX.

AND WE APPROPRIATE THAT MONEY AND AS THE PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE TRANSFER THE MONEY INTO THOSE PROJECT ACCOUNTS.

AND SO THIS, THIS IS, UM, SURPLUS, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D CONSIDER IT SURPLUS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT APPROPRIATING IT FROM FUND BALANCE.

IT'S A TRUE ESTIMATED REVENUE FROM THIS YEAR'S TAX PROCEEDS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING TO FUND THE PROJECT.

OKAY? SO, ALRIGHT, IT'S, UM, FOR THAT PURPOSE, I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH Y'ALL TO LOOK AT THAT SAME FUND AND SEE WHAT DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE TO, TO DO SOME PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT.

CONGRATULATIONS, DWIGHT.

YOU DID A GOOD JOB.

COUNCILMAN DON.

WE, WE REALLY NEEDED A NEW OVEN IN DISTRICT NINE .

THAT'S WHY.

NEXT, BY THE WAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? OH, NO SIR.

I'M SPEAKING.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

AND WE, GOING BACK ON THIS ITEM COUNCIL, WE'LL, DEFINITELY GOING BACK, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE GROUND, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, SENIOR FOR YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER, DWIGHT, TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD ALL THE APPLIANCES YOU NEEDED.

SO WHEN FRED, WHEN THEY NEEDED TO FIND MONEY AND THEY BOUGHT, ARGUED ABOUT 35,000 AND WE'RE GIVING 500,000 AWAY, LINDA, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, FIND ME A POT OF GOLD.

NOW, DANTE, IF WE CAN PUT $500,000 OUT OF RABBITS HEAD ON THIS ONE.

AND THEN THE PROBABLY LACK OF CHECKS THAT HAPPENED WHEN THE SUBDIVISION WAS DEVELOPED.

COUNCIL MEMBER HU HAD RABBIT'S FOOT, WHATEVER WE HAD TO DO TO FIND A MAGIC TRICK TO GET HIS 500 GRAND.

UH, DO THE TAKING NOTES.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

UH, ON A SERIOUS NOTE, UH, I I THINK THAT THIS ITEM SPEAKS TO, UH, THE RECENT UPDATES THAT WE'VE MADE IN CODE.

UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN WOODRIDGE, UH, WHAT DEALT WITH THE ORIGINAL STANDARD THAT THE ROAD WAS, WAS, UH, WAS BUILT TO, UM,

[01:20:01]

UM, AND SO WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, I THINK WE CAN STAVE OFF THIS MOVING, MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

UM, BUT LOOK, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO OVERLAY A ROAD AND YOU'RE RUNNING THROUGH AND FINDING CROSS TRAINS THAT AREN'T SET TO THE RIGHT HEIGHTS, UM, YOU ARE HITTING WATER LINES CONSTANTLY BECAUSE THEY DID A POOR JOB OF, OF RIDING WATER LINES AND THAT KIND OF THING.

UNFORTUNATELY, THESE TYPES OF CHANGE ORDERS ARE GONNA HAPPEN.

THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME EXTRA MONEY THAT CAME TO DISTRICT NINE.

THIS IS CONSTRUCTION ISSUES THAT WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND AS WE WENT THROUGH A PROJECT.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAPPENS AND, AND CHANGE ORDERS ARE NECESSARY.

NOBODY LIKES CHANGE ORDERS, BUT THIS IS, THIS ONE CERTAINLY IS JUSTIFIED.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD.

NO, NO JOKING.

QUESTION BEFORE IT WAS SERIOUS QUESTION.

NOW HOW LONG WAS THIS BRIDGE OUT FOR OR THIS ROAD WAY? HOW LONG WAS IT OUT? WHICH ONE? WHATEVER WE'RE FIXING RIGHT NOW.

HOW LONG THERE WAS NO BRIDGE OUT.

IT, IT WAS ROAD WORK THAT WAS DONE UNDER THE OVERLAY PROGRAM.

AND WHEN WAS IT? WHEN, WHEN WAS IT ASSIGNED INITIALLY VERSUS WHEN IT GOT FUNDED? WE AS, I THINK AS MS. HUNT HAD INDICATED, THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ARE ALLOCATED AT, AT, AT THIS POINT TO DO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

I DON'T LIKE THE $500,000 CHANGE ORDER ANY MORE THAN Y'ALL DO.

AND I STATED THAT IN MY EMAIL TO Y'ALL BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT.

BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF UNFORESEEN ITEMS THAT WE JUST DID NOT PICK UP FROM THIS ISSUE.

AND, AND I SAY PICK UP, THEY WERE YOU, YOU CAN'T SEE THE PIPE PROBLEMS UNTIL YOU DIG UP THE STREET, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE CURB PROBLEMS WHEN YOU STARTED TO DO THE WORK, YOU CAN FIND THE ELEVATIONS WERE DIFFERENT AND WATER WAS PONDING.

WE TRIED TO TO ELEVATE SOME OF THE AREAS BY ASPHALT AND WOULD NOT STILL DRAIN.

AND THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH.

AND NO, AND FRED, I BROUGHT THAT UP ONLY BECAUSE I'VE HAD BRIDGES CLOSED FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS AND, AND IN NORTH BATON ROUGE AND, AND FOR ME, WELL, ALL, ALL JOKES ASIDE, WHEN I SEE THESE KIND OF NUMBERS AND THAT NUMBER WOULD'VE FIXED MY ENTIRE BRIDGE AND OPEN UP ACCESS TO COMMUNITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE LACK OF ACCESS, IT IS SOMEWHAT DISTURBING.

SO, UM, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE ON THAT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE NOW MOVE ITEM 57, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DISASTER RECOVERY, BID REPLACEMENT, UH, FRATERNITY, STREET CONTRACTOR, WIND CONSTRUCTION, LLC, CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $98,072 94 CENTS.

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

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM? SO MOVED BY COUNCILMAN BARAKA.

GO TO ITEM 58, CITY COURT CONSTABLE, OFFICE RENOVATIONS CONTRACTOR.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW

[58. 24-00364]

RYAN M. CURTIS, LLC.

FINAL COST $143,080.

IS THERE ANYONE HE WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEM? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, SO MOVED BY MOR.

SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HIRST.