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GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH SPECIAL MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, UM, AND NOTE THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THE FIRST ITEM ON, UH, THE AGENDA IS FOR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PLEASE SIGN THE PROOF OF NOTICE OF MEETING.
[1. 24-01007 Appointing a councilmember to fill the remainder of the term of Lamont Cole, Metropolitan Council District 7. By Counciwoman Carolyn Coleman, Councilman Aaron Moak, Councilman Brandon Noel, and Councilman Rowdy Gaudet.]
AROUND THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPOINTING COUNCIL MEMBER TO FILL THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM OF LAMONT COLE, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN BY COUNCILWOMAN, CAROLYN COLEMAN, COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH, COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOLL AND COUNCILMAN ROWDY GOE.
UM, JUST FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR Y'ALL'S KNOWLEDGE, FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND WATCHING AT HOME, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR, FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE ANY.
AND BEFORE THAT, I WILL NOTE THAT WE HAVE HAD THREE APPLICANTS FOR THE DISTRICT SEVEN SEAT.
UH, MR. ALFRED BELL, MS. PATRICIA DE ROSEN, AND MS. RASHONDA HUNTER.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY NOMINATIONS.
HEARING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE FLOOR.
UM, NEXT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE FORWARD ALL OF ANY OF THE APPLICANTS, UM, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
YOU WILL EACH GET THREE MINUTES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, SO IF MR. BELL IS PRESENT, UM, MR. BELL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FEEL FREE TO MAKE SOME REMARKS TO THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALFRED BELL, A LIFETIME, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, 1433 NORTH 35TH STREET IS MY ADDRESS.
WHEN I CAME OUT THE HOSPITAL, I WENT ON 35TH.
UM, I THINK I CAN BE A GOOD ASSET TO DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND I'M OPEN TO GET Y'ALL SUPPORT AND VOTE 'CAUSE I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
GREETINGS TO THE COUNCIL AND ALL OTHERS ASSEMBLED.
I AM ALSO A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
I WAS BORN THERE, REARED AND SCHOOLED IN THAT DISTRICT.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY RECEIVING A BACHELOR'S OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE WITH A MINORS IN MATHEMATICS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY SAFE, THRIVE, AND CONTINUE TO LIVE PRODUCTIVE LIVES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN SERVICING THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, I AM BORN AND RAISED IN BATON ROUGE.
I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN DISTRICT SEVEN SINCE 1994 WHEN MY PARENTS DECIDED TO MOVE THERE.
UM, I AM A GRADUATE OF SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET HIGH, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UM, WITH MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
AND I HAVE A LAW DEGREE FROM THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER ON THE BLUFF, THE BEST LAW CENTER IN THE WORLD.
UM, I LIVE THERE, THE DISTRICT.
MY LAW OFFICE IS THERE ON NORTH ACADIAN THROUGHWAY.
UM, MY, THE CLIENTS THAT I SERVE ARE THERE.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST EIGHT TO NINE YEARS.
I HAVE WORKED WITH COUNCILMAN COLE ON SOME OF HIS PROJECTS.
I WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL DURING 2016.
WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD THE GREAT FLOOD IN HELPING SECURE VOLUNTEERS AND GETTING, UH, STORM ITEMS AND CLOTHING AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO PASS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, A SOMETIMES ANNOYING VOLUNTEER EVER SINCE THEN.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY AND THE FOUNDATION THAT MR. COLE HAS BUILT.
I BELIEVE IN HIS VISION, IN HIS, IN HIS LEADERSHIP, AND, UM, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK IN THIS WAY AND WOULD HONOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UM, NEXT THE FLOOR IS GONNA BE OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UM, WE HAVE TWO WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
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UM, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AFTER THAT.BUT FIRST WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S CARRIE WINFREY.
UM, AND EACH, EACH SPEAKER'S GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS CARRIE WILLIAMS. LET'S GET TO THE POINT.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, DISTRICT SEVEN IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, RIGHT BEFORE QUALIFYING, YOU HAD THE GREATEST MAYOR PRO, UH, BEFORE HE BECAME SUPERINTENDENT.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM ON SUPERINTENDENT.
THEN YOU HAVE HIS ASSISTANT, UH, TRYING TO BECOME YOUR NEXT, UH, CITY COUNCILWOMAN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S GIVE THE PEOPLE A REASON.
I LOVE EVERYBODY IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I LOVE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A MINISTER, BUT I WANT WHAT'S, WHAT WAS FAIR FOR THE CHILDREN AND WAS FAIR FOR THIS DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S FACT, THAT'S WHAT'S FAIR.
NOT SOMEONE THAT ALWAYS BEEN HERE WORKING WITH, WITH COLE.
LET'S GUESS MY, ANOTHER CHANCE, SOMEONE THAT'S NOT BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
MY REMARKS ARE GONNA BE BRIEF.
UM, AS A PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER OF OUR GREAT CITY, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF MS. HUNTER'S APPOINTMENT TO THE METRO COUNCIL.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE TIME TO DO THAT.
UM, MS. HUNTER HAS ALL THE QUALITIES OF THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO ADVANCE OUR PARISH.
SHE'S A STRONG COMMUNICATOR, IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND HAS A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CONCERNS.
AS AN ATTORNEY, SHE HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF ADDRESSING AND RESOLVING ISSUES CREATIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, MAINTAINS HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS, AND IS TRUSTED, UM, BY HER PEERS AND CONSTITUENTS.
UH, SHE IS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY AND SERVING THE PUBLIC BEST INTEREST AS SHE'S SHARED AND IS ABLE TO WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS, INCLUDING OUR STAKEHOLDERS, PARTNERS, CONSTITUENTS, TO ACHIEVE A COMMON GOAL.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? SEEING NONE, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF COUNCIL, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
IF THERE'S NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UM, WE ARE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
SO FIRST UP, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE IN THIS ROUND, SO PLEASE JUST VOTE YES.
IF YOU WANNA VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE WHOSE NAME I CALL FIRST.
THE MACHINES ARE GONNA BE OPEN FOR, FOR ALFRED BELL.
NEXT, THE MACHINES ARE GOING TO BE OPEN FOR PATRICIA RAZAN.
MS. DEZA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COME MEET THE PARISH ATTORNEY, UH, OVER HERE AND THEY CAN GET YOU TO SIGN YOUR OATH OF OFFICE AND YOU CAN TAKE YOUR SEAT TONIGHT.
UH, WE'LL TAKE A, A BRIEF RECESS FOR HER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BEFORE WE GO TO ITEM TWO,
[2. 24-01008 Appointing a President Pro Tempore of the Metropolitan Council for the remainder of 2024. By Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman, Councilman Brandon Noel, Councilman Aaron Moak, and Councilman Rowdy Gaudet.]
NOW IT'S TIME FOR NUMBER TWO ON OUR SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA.APPOINTING A PRESIDENT PRO PORE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2024 BY COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH AND COUNCILMAN ROWDY GODDE.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO FIRST TAKE NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR FOR THE POSITION.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL CLOSE NOMINATIONS AND WE'LL ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM.
WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO NOMINATIONS BEFORE I MAKE A NOMINATION.
UM, I THOUGHT COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, UH, CAME UP WITH AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
UM, HER IDEA WAS TO ALLOW ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE UNOPPOSED ONE MONTH IN THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR TO SERVE AS PRO TEM.
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IDEA.UH, IN THINKING THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
I REMOVED MYSELF FROM CONSIDERATION AND WANTED TO GIVE MY CONSIDERATION TO COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
'CAUSE I KNOW SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IT GIVES EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISPLAY THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY FOR ONE MONTH.
UM, WE GOT AN OPINION FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY, UH, TO SUGGEST OR SAY THAT THIS COULD NOT BE DONE.
UM, I PUSH BACK ON THAT OPINION.
UM, IF THIS COULD NOT BE DONE, WE COULD NOT BE ABLE TO APPOINT A NEW PRO TEM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OUR PRO TEM HAS RESIGNED.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE WISHES OF THE BODY, BUT I WANNA PUSH BACK ON THAT OPINION.
WHAT I AM SAYING IS, JUST AS COUNCILMAN COLE HAS RESIGNED FROM PRO TEM AND WE ARE APPOINTED A NEW PRO TEM, WE CAN DO THAT EVERY MONTH AND GIVE EACH ONE OF THESE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY WHO WANNA SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AND DISPLAY THEIR TALENTS AND ABILITIES TO LEAD IN THAT CAPACITY.
THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT.
THAT I HADN'T READ OR SEEN ANYTHING IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT THAT SUGGESTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF EVERY MONTH THAT THE PROM IS APPOINTED RESIGN AND WE APPOINT ANOTHER PROM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE WISHES OF THIS BODY.
OBVIOUSLY SEVEN VOTES WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN TO DO THAT.
AND THEN IF THAT'S NOT THE WISHES OF THIS BODY, I'LL MAKE A, UH, REQUEST FOR A PERMANENT, UH, REPLACEMENT.
WELL, LET ME AGAIN, LET ME BE CLEAR TO DO IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
IN MY OPINION, WE WOULD HAVE TO APPOINT ONE PRO THIS MONTH.
THAT PRO WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO RESIGN AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING TO APPOINT ANOTHER PRO TEAM.
AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT EVERY MONTH.
IF THAT'S THE WISHES OF THIS BODY, IF THAT'S THE WISHES OF SEVEN PEOPLE, THEN I'M OPEN TO ENTERTAINING IT.
I'M JUST SAYING IT CAN BE DONE.
WE RECEIVED THE OPINION THAT SAID IT COULD NOT BE DONE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA, IS THIS, WERE WE MAKING COMMENTS BECAUSE I DO HAVE COMING.
THIS IS, WELL, THIS IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE, THE FLOOR IS SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS.
BUT I MEAN, FOR, FOR COUNCILMAN DUNN TO EXPLAIN HIS PROPOSAL, I THINK IS, IS IN ORDER.
BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO, UM, GO BACK TO THE AGENDA ITEM, THE RESPONSE FROM YOU.
UH, SO, UM, I WAS ON IT AT FIRST.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCK AND MYSELF WERE HAVING THAT IDENTICAL CONVERSATION AS CLEVE STARTED TO DISCUSS.
AND THAT WAS A QUESTION OF, UM, IF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MAY COME ABOUT IS YOU WOULD HAVE TO LIVE BY THE HONOR CODE.
SO SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO, UH, BE NOMINATED, APPROVED, AND THEN BE COMMITTED TO RESIGN, WHICH IS WHAT ASHLEY AND I TALKED ABOUT IN THE OFFICE.
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLETE YOUR TWO OR YOUR FOUR YEAR TIME.
YOU CAN RESIGN AT ANY POINT IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO BE, MAY APPROACH HIM.
I BELIEVE WHAT THAT DOES, IT ALSO GIVES THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS A GLIMPSE INTO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL AND HOW THEY COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD THIS COUNCIL.
NOW, MY NAME IS NOT UP FOR NOMINATION, BUT I DO SUPPORT EVERY MEMBER THAT WANTED TO BE THE PRO TEAM OR HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE THESE MEETINGS.
SO, UM, I KNOW WE CAN'T TAKE A VOTE ON THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES THAT IF THEY COULD ALL RAISE THEIR HAND, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO LIVE BY, WHICH WOULD BE AN HONOR CODE TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BE THE PRO TEAM AND THEN THEY WOULD RESIGN.
'CAUSE I WANT IT ON PUBLIC CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING AROUND THE ROOM THAT WE DON'T, UH, DO IT.
BECAUSE I MEAN, COMING 30 MINUTES BEFORE A MEETING AND PICKING A NEW PRO TEAM, WE'LL KNOW WHO THE NEXT PERSON'S GOING TO BE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HERE ANYWAY ON WEDNESDAY, SO IT'S NOT ADDING AN ADDITIONAL, UM, CROOK IN YOUR SCHEDULE.
SO I, I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO RAISE MY HAND AND SAY I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
AND, UH, AS LONG AS EVERYONE WOULD LIVE BY AN HONOR CODE TO GIVE THEIR SEAT UP, UM, WHEN THAT TIME PERIOD WILL LAPSE.
YEAH, WE CAN, 'CAUSE I TALKED ABOUT THIS IN ASHLEY'S OFFICE YESTERDAY.
THEY CANNOT MAKE YOU DO THE FULL FOUR YEAR TERM.
YOU CAN RESIGN AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT NOT DISCUSSION WE HAD YESTERDAY, ASHLEY, UM, A A PRO TEMP CAN CHOOSE TO RESIGN AT ANY TIME, AND THEN WE WOULD APPOINT ANOTHER ONE.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS AN OPTION FOR THE METRO COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE, UH, AT LEAST A SAMPLE OF WHAT THEIR LEADERSHIP WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE CHALLENGING AND SOME, UH, VACANT
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SEATS, BUT TYPICALLY NEWCOMERS DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPROACH HIM.YOU HAVE TO KNOW I CONDUCT A MEETING, SO IT WOULD BE SOMEBODY FROM THIS BODY.
SO I'M GONNA RAISE MY HAND AGAIN IF ANYBODY ELSE, UM, IS WILLING TO FOLLOW THE HONOR CODE.
AND IF I CAN, AGAIN, THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS TO THIS.
ONE, CAN WE DO IT LEGALLY? IS IT IN CONCERT WITH THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT? I THINK WE CAN, AS, AS WE EXPLAIN THE OTHER COMPONENT IS, DOES THIS BODY WANT TO DO THAT? SO THE FIRST THING, I DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THE OPINION WE GOT SAYING THAT WE COULD NOT DO THIS, BUT WE CAN DO IT.
SO I JUST DISAGREE WITH THE OPINION.
AND ACTUALLY, DO YOU AGREE AS MYSELF AND DARRELL JUST EXPLAIN THAT IT CAN BE DONE IN THAT WAY? YOU KNOW, IT CAN, IT CAN BE DONE IN THAT TODAY IF YOU APPOINTED ONE PRO TEM, THAT PERSON COULD CHOOSE TO RESIGN AFTER A MONTH.
SO, UM, I'M LOOKING AT MS. TEXAS COUNCILMAN.
I THINK IT'S COUNCILMAN HUDSON, THOUGH.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO, OH, I DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME.
SO WHEN I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE ITEM AND IT SAYS, UH, SECTION 2 0 7 SHALL PROCEED TO ELECT ONE OF THEIR OWN NUMBER, I GUESS, I MEAN, MEMBER TO BE A PRESIDENT PROM FOR A TERM OF FOUR YEARS.
BUT THIS IS THE PART THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DEVIATE FROM 2.7.
THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR FILLING A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE.
SO ONCE SOMEONE RESIGNS, THERE IS NOTHING IN THE, THAT ADDRESSES A VACANCY THAT, UH, IN ENDS PREMATURELY, THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR US TO COME AS A CO GOVERNING BODY TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION ON OF OUR OWN.
THIS IS NO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAD TO DO, UM, BASED ON HOW THINGS WERE DONE IN, UH, IN, UH, FIND IN FILLING A VACANCY FOR A COUNCIL IN THIS 21ST CENTURY, THINGS ARE CHANGING.
IT IS UNHEARD OF FOR A PRO TEM TO BE NAMED SUPERINTENDENT.
SO THERE WAS NO, NOBODY WOULD EVER THINK THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO HERE WE ARE, UM, WITH SOMETHING THAT IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY, THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT THAT EXISTS BECAUSE IT CLEARLY SAYS FOR FOUR YEARS IT IS IMPO FOR US TO BE GONE WITH.
THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT WOULD SAY THAT ON AUGUST 14TH, 2014, THAT WE WOULD CHOOSE A, UM, A PRO TEM THAT COULD SERVE UNTIL AUGUST 14TH, 2028 BASED ON THIS PROVISION.
SO IF, UNLESS WE ARE GONNA, IF WE'RE GONNA APPLY 2.7, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE CAN'T PICK CHERRY PICK WHAT PART OF THIS PLAN OF GOVERNMENT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, PUT INTO, UH, EFFECT.
THE OTHER THING IS EXPANDING THE, UM, NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AGAIN, IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A BIG DEAL OVER NOT DOING THAT, WHICH IT IS NOT EXPANDING BECAUSE IT CLEARLY SAYS ONE PERSON FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, IN THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT FULFILLS, UM, PROVISIONS FOR A VACANCY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO, UH, APPROVE ONE PERSON, THEN THEY RESIGN IN THIS ONE TIME.
WE CAN APPROVE SOMEONE TO SERVE, UM, THROUGH THE END OF APRIL, MAY, JUNE, AND JULY.
WHAT ARE, WHAT MONTH ARE WE? WHERE AM I? AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
WE CAN DO THAT IN ONE, UM, ONE MOTION.
SO, BECAUSE THERE AGAIN, THERE'S NO PROVISION.
THE ONLY PROVISION IS ONE FOR FOUR YEARS.
SO UNLESS WE ARE ABOUT TO CHOOSE TODAY BASED ON THE LETTER OF THE LAW, WHICH IS SECTION 2.7, WE WILL BE CHOOSING ONE PRO TEM THROUGH 2024.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT SAYS.
NO, YOU'RE FILLING THE VACANCY AND THE VACANCY CAN ONLY FILL THE REMAINDER OF A TERM.
WELL, IF THE, IF, IF WE'RE GONNA, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR FILLING A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF THE PRO PERIOD.
LIKE THE CHILDREN SAY, PERIOD.
SO WE ARE EITHER GONNA GO WITH THE FIRST ONE, FOUR YEARS OR THE SECOND ONE WHERE THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS, WHICH OPENS US UP TO THE ABILITY FOR THE SAKE OF THIS, THIS, UM,
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UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE TO CHOOSE A PRO TEM ONE OR FOUR.I WANNA FIRST SAY THAT I BLAMED LAMONT COLE FOR ALL THIS
NOW, UH, I, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE JUST WENT THROUGH AN ITEM WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF MS. DEANNE, UM, UH, THAT WAS BIRTHED OUT OF AN IDEA FROM COUNCILMAN BANKS, UM, THAT REALLY WORKED.
AND I THINK WHEN SHE FIRST PROPOSED IT, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT, IT COULDN'T WORK IF I REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION RIGHT BACK THEN.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO CHANGE IT.
SO I, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, UH, UH, OF HAVING THE PRO TEM APPOINT NOW AND THEN RESIGN.
I, I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY AWKWARD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT, UH, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS PROCESS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH ORDINANCE.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS BIRTHED OUT OF THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CHANGE.
UM, BUT IT IS A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT HAS COME UP WHERE WE RECOGNIZE THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR, FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THIS APPOINTMENT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK WOULD BE GOOD.
SO, UM, REGARDLESS OF HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT TONIGHT, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
UM, AND THAT THERE IS A MERIT TO THE IDEA.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A VACANCY THAT'S ONLY GOT FIVE MONTHS LEFT, FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS LEFT, UM, UH, IT, THERE MAY BE A CHANCE AT THAT POINT TO, TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, SPREAD THE LOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT, UM, AND LET EVERYBODY GET SOME EXPERIENCE HERE.
SO, UH, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK ON.
ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COUNCILMAN WHITE HUDSON.
IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE NOMINATION? YOU CAN PUT AS MANY YOU WANT.
UH, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE AS MANY NOMINATIONS AS THERE ARE.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COUNCIL MEMBER BRANDON NOEL.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COUNCILMAN AARON MO THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? I HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
COUNCILMAN AARON MO AND COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOLL GONNA VOTE IN ALPHABET OF FLORIDA.
CAN WE MAKE A MOTION? UM, YOU CAN.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE, UM, NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW THIS GONNA WORK, Y'ALL WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, UM, WE, WE STILL DO HAVE TO HOLD THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT ON THIS.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS AUGUST 14TH AND OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING IS WHEN? DECEMBER 14TH, I THINK.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT FROM AUGUST 14TH TO SEPTEMBER 14TH, 14TH, DWIGHT HUDSON SERVED AS OUR PRO TIMM FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.
CAROLYN COLEMAN, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, BRANDON, NO.
MS. BANKS, UM, YOUR MOTION IS TO APPOINT FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, AUGUST 14TH, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14TH TO SEPTEMBER 14TH, COUNCILMAN WHITE HUDSON FOR, UH, SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH 15TH, I GUESS.
THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, IT WOULD BE, UM, COUNCILMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
AND FROM OCTOBER 16TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 16TH.
16TH, IT WOULD BE COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOLL.
AND THEN FROM NOVEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE LAST DAY, THE END OF DECEMBER.
IT WOULD BE COUNCILMAN AARON MO.
I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CALL THE ATTORNEY OFF.
THERE'S A, THAT HAS BEEN MOTIONED AND SECONDED BY MR. HURST.
NOW THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE IS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO ON THE SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
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GOOD AFTERNOON.MY NAME IS MICHAEL WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF EXACTLY, LOUISIANA, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAD, YOU WERE DOING THE NOMINATIONS AND THEN YOU MOVED TO A MOTION.
SO SOMETHING'S OUT ALREADY THERE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, LISTEN, THE PEOPLE OF THIS PARISH ARE NOT TOYS TO BE PLAYED WITH.
WE'RE LIVING IN SOME REALLY CHALLENGING TIMES AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT, AND YET WE ARE HERE PLAYING WITH MAYOR PRO TEM.
WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO IS TO TAKE THAT OFF THE FLOOR, APPOINT A PRO TEMP, AND TAKE CARE OF THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF THIS PARISH.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING HE JUST SAID.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU'RE PLAYING WITH CITY BUSINESS.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE DEMOCRAT, DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN.
YOU'RE PLAYING WITH THE PUBLIC THAT ELECTED YOU TO SERVE AS THE PEOPLE LESS ELECT A MAYOR PRO THAT WILL GET THE JOB DONE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I THANK MY FRIEND.
TH HIRSH WOULD DO A GREAT JOB AS ME APPROACH HIM.
UH, CLAY MADE A GREAT, GREAT OPERA.
LET'S POINT SOMEBODY THEN POINT SOMEBODY.
LET'S POINT SOMEONE TO GET THE JOB DONE AND LET'S LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE.
YOU, THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR YOU.
LET'S GET THE JOB DONE AND STOP PLAYING THESE GAMES AND LET'S HELP MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON? ITEM TWO, SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UM, WE ARE, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, CALL GREG.
I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY AND THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING BY WHATEVER MEANS, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE DO WHAT WE DO, IN MY OPINION, AND I WANT YOU TO MOVE CAROLYN COLEMAN OUT THE WAY AS BEING ONE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, NOMINATED IN MY MIND.
AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MR. WILLIAMS, THEIR CONSISTENCY IS OF THE UTMOST AND SPREAD IT ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT CONSISTENCY IS FAIRNESS.
LET, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY FAIRNESS.
BACK WHEN WE NOMINATED MAYOR PRO TEM COLE, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY DONE THAT MEAN THAT THE REPUBLICANS SUPPORTED DEMOCRAT MAYOR PROTE CODE.
FAIRNESS IS WHAT WE OUGHT TO VOTE FOR HERE WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SOME FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING ON AND ON WITH ANYTHING.
AIN'T WRESTLING TOO OLD TO WRESTLE.
I MADE THE COMMENT THAT I THOUGHT, IN FAIRNESS FOR THE RIGHT THING TO BE DONE, THAT A DEMOCRAT COMPLETES THIS TIME.
AND THEN WE ALL SUPPORT ONE OF THE PERSONS THAT WOULD BE A REPUBLICAN.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I AM WITH THIS.
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AND THEN WHEN JANUARY COMES, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO AS A GROUP.IT IS MY DESIRE, MY HOPE, MY WISH THAT US AS A GROUP DO NOT BECOME, AS OTHER GROUPS ARE IN THE CITY SHOWING NO COHESIVENESS, SHOWING THAT WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT BATON ROUGE AND OUR DISTRICTS.
AND ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, SHOWING THAT LAMONT COLE WAS THE ONLY GLUE TO THIS GROUP.
UM, I, I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS, IT WAS COMMENDABLE.
IT WAS THOUGHTFUL AND, AND TO THE PUBLIC, THE TWO THAT SPOKE, I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU, YOU WANT CONSISTENCIES AND EVERYTHING, BUT I ALSO WANNA APPLAUD MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FIRST OF ALL, THE IDEA OF EVEN BEING PUT OUT THERE TO SHARE THIS RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THE END OF A TERM IS AMAZING.
AND IT TO, TO ME, IT'S ASTONISHING.
NOT ONLY SHOWING HOW WE OF A COUNCIL HAVE COME AROUND, WE'VE CHANGED.
AND, AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR MAYOR PRO TEM LAMONT COLE AND, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
AND THEN TO SEE THIS, THAT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO POSSIBLY SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS BECAUSE HE'S LEAVING, TAKING ON A, A, A HEAVY POSITION AND, AND LEAVING US TO, TO DO THIS.
UH, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, I THINK IT'S COMMENDABLE.
I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA PASS OR NOT.
I DO AGREE WITH BOTH SIDES THAT YOU NEED TO SHOW STEADY LEADERSHIP.
I AGREE WITH MY, UH, UH, COLLEAGUE COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME POSITIONS IN PLACES TO FINISH OUT AND WE WANNA MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THIS COUNCIL AND OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND MOVING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CARDS ARE GONNA FALL OUT.
I APPRECIATE THE NOMINATION, BUT, UH, I GUESS MY MAIN POINT IN, IN THIS SPEAKING PART IS TO SAY TO THE, TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK Y'ALL FOR EVEN TRYING TO WORK THIS OUT TO WHERE IT SHOWS WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, WORKING TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL.
I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M A DEMOCRAT THAT NOMINATED A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE IN THIS PROCESS, IT IS NOT ABOUT, SEE, PEOPLE THINK THE MAYOR PRO TEM DETERMINES HOW YOU GOVERN YOUR COUNCIL SEAT.
EITHER YOU'RE GOOD OR YOU'RE BAD AT WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAYOR PRO TEM.
WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM HAS TO DO WITH IS YOUR ABILITY TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN AN ARENA WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ISSUES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AISLE.
RACE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AISLE.
UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF FLORIDA BOULEVARD AND THE EMOTIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY VOTE IN THE COUNCIL MEETING, BUT IT STILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND KEEP DECORUM.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO, WHETHER YOU, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT WHETHER SOMEBODY'S A GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER IN THAT DISTRICT.
WHAT IT DOES AFFECT IS HOW LEADERSHIP IS SEEN FROM A CITY PARISH STANDPOINT.
AND YOU HEARD FOUR NAMES TONIGHT, I BELIEVE, FOUR AMAZING PEOPLE THAT PASSIONATELY SERVE THEIR DISTRICTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND I BELIEVE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, UM, BROUGHT UP TODAY AND WHAT CLEVE AND I DISCUSSED AS WELL AS, UH, EVEN ASHLEY, I YESTERDAY IN JEN, WHILE, WHILE, WHILE, UH, CLEVE WAS TALKING, IS A GREAT IDEA.
I GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A SAMPLE OF FOUR MONTHS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T DEFINE HOW WELL THEY ARE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
HOW MUCH REPUBLIC TRIP PICKS UP YOUR TRASH, DOESN'T TALK ABOUT YOU GOT CRACKS IN YOUR SIDEWALK, AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO YOUR EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS.
IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
I THINK SOME OF Y'ALL ARE GETTING IT CONFUSED WITH THE LEADERSHIP UP HERE DETERMINES THE LEADERSHIP WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
IT DOESN'T, IT DETERMINES HOW WELL WE WORK TOGETHER.
IT IS MORE ABOUT US THAN IT TRULY IS ABOUT Y'ALL.
AND THAT'S THE PART Y'ALL DON'T GET.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN SIT IN THAT SEAT, WHO CAN CROSS THE AISLE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
WHO CAN TAKE SOMEBODY WHO'S UNRULY IN HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT LOSING A HOUSE THAT WAS A
[00:35:01]
FAMILY'S HOUSE THAT NEEDS TO BE CONDEMNED, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT.THE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES ARE THERE.
HOW DO YOU GET THAT PERSON UNDER CONTROL? HOW DO YOU EMPATHIZE? BUT HOW DO YOU ALSO MAKE A LEADERSHIP DECISION? HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IF THEY'RE A GOOD COUNCILMAN TO DO WHAT YOU ELECTED THEM TO DO.
IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK WELL TOGETHER.
THAT'S 99% WHAT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE WORK WELL, THEN THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY GETS DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
BECAUSE WHEN WE DON'T WORK WELL AS WAR III IN BATON ROUGE, AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT.
'CAUSE NOW IT'S BLACK VERSUS WHITE.
IT'S DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICAN.
HERE'S NORTH BATON ROUGE VERSUS SOUTH BATON ROUGE.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE POOR LEADERSHIP UP HERE.
SO I SUPPORT COUNCILWOMAN BANKS', UM, UM, MOTION TO HAVE FOUR BECAUSE IT GIVES US A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
IT GIVES YOU A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE A GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GONNA BE A GOOD LEADER UP HERE.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU FIGHT HARD FOR YOUR DISTRICT, YOU CREATE ENEMIES.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DON'T FIGHT AT ALL, YOU CREATE ENEMIES.
SO MY MY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DECISION SO THAT THE FOUR YEARS CAN BE A REFLECTION OF, OF THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO I, UM, COUNCILMAN MOOCH, UH, AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN HERTZ, I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, WHAT THIS NEW POSSIBILITY OF SHARING, UM, THE RESPONSIBILITIES, FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S A WORD THAT WE HAD NOT USED SHARING, UM, THAT HE USED.
UH, COUNCILMAN MO, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
THE OTHER THING THAT HE SAID THAT IT'S AN, IT'S A LASTING LEGACY OF NOT ONLY WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHAT WE, HOW WE'VE GROWN, BUT ALSO LEGACY TO, UM, PRO TIM THAT HIS WORK WAS NOT IN VAIN.
THAT HE LEFT US BETTER THAN THE WAY HE FOUND US.
UM, WE ALL PROBABLY WATCHED THE, THE OLYMPICS AND UM, THE RELAY RACES.
WE FA UH, MY, MY FAVORITE IS, UM, TRACK AND FIELD, EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T RUN TO THE MAILBOX.
BUT THERE WAS A RE THERE WAS A RELAY AND MANY TIMES WHERE THEY HANDED OFF THE BATON TO THE NEXT PERSON.
BUT THE END OF THE DAY, ONLY ONE PART, ONE TEAM WON.
BUT ALL FOUR OF THEM, IF IT WAS FOUR RELAYS, WERE PART OF THAT GOAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY.
IT'S LIKE WE ARE RUNNING A RELAY AS IT RELATES TO, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST.
THE PROAM HAS STILL ONLY HAS ONE 12TH OF POWER AS COUNCIL, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THEY DON'T RUNNERS, THEY DON'T TELL US WHAT TO DO.
THEY MANAGE THE MEETING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT RUNS WELL.
THAT'S WHY THEY ALSO HAVE OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE COUNCIL.
I JUST FOUND OUT HOW MUCH THEY DID WHEN DOING THIS.
THEY SIGNED A LOT OF THE, UM, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR HAS TO SIGN ALL OUR CONTRACTS.
IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE PRO TEM SIGNS WHEN WE ARE NOT MEETING.
YOU KNOW, I HATE NOT TO IN ANY WAY DIMINISH THEIR POWER, BUT THEY'RE LIKE A GLORIFIED KIND OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
AND SO THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW WE GOVERN, UH, AT PER COUNCIL OR COLLECTIVELY OTHER THAN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE OPERATING ACCORDING OF THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE AS CIVIL AS, UH, POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT, UM, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S BASICALLY IT.
I, THIS IS MY THIRD, UH, UM, WORKING UNDER A PRO TEM.
THE OTHER ONES, WE GOT SUED BY BOTH OF THEM.
WE HAD HELL, WE HAD THE DIVISION THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST MENTIONED.
I MIGHT HAVE BEEN CRAZY A LOT OF TIMES ABOUT STUFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF US GOT ALONG.
I DON'T EAT WITH Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING OUTSIDE OF THIS, I DON'T HAVE A BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY OF THEM.
I LIKE TO HAVE WIS MORE THAN I LIKE THEM IN SOME CASES.
[00:40:01]
JUST SAYING WHEN IT COME TO THE BUSINESS, RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WRONG IS WRONG.AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE SPIRIT OF CONGENIALITY THAT OUR PRO TEM AND THAT MAKES ALL FOUR OF THEM.
THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE ASKING FOR THIS MOTION.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL FOR ME.
AND, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW THAT IN HISTORY THAT WE DID THIS AND THAT A LOT OF IT, IT PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WORK THAT, UM, OUR PROM, UH, LAMONT CO BROUGHT TO OUR BODY.
UH, MR. WILLIAMS. UH, KERRY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
UM, I HEAR YOU WITH CONSISTENCY.
DON'T DISAGREE WITH IT AT ALL.
UM, I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS OR ANYONE IN THE BODY IN THE ROOM OR ON THIS BODY TO TAKE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANK SUGGESTION AND MYSELF AND COUNCILMAN HUR SUPPORTING IT AS IF WE'RE PLAYING, UH, WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS TO GET SOME INSIGHT IN THE WAY THIS BODY HAS WORKED, UM, TO ARRIVE AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS OUR RESPECT FOR OUR COLLEAGUES AND THEIR ABILITY AND THEIR DESIRE TO LEAD.
UM, SOMEBODY REFERENCED OTHER ENTITIES.
UH, I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH RESPECTING EACH OTHER'S OPINION AND POSITION, AND I THINK US CONSIDERING THIS IS JUST NOT WANTING TO IGNORE THE OTHER PARTY.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED, UH, MYSELF AND COUNCILMAN GODA WAS PUT UP AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS.
BOTH HE AND I DECLINED AND SAID, NO, WE WOULD RATHER SOMEBODY ELSE BE CONSIDERED.
SO I KNOW YOU MAY SEE THIS AS A NEGATIVE OR, UH, AND WE MAY NOT EVEN CHOOSE FOR, IT MAY BE ONE, BUT I THINK WE ALL OWE IT TO EACH OTHER TO TAKE OUR TIME AND RESPECTFULLY CONSIDER THOSE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY.
AND I THINK WE COLLECTIVELY THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT.
IF WILL WE END UP THERE? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I'M PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR CONSIDERING IT AND CONDUCTING THEMSELVES IN THIS MANNER BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE DISAGREE, WE DO RESPECT EACH OTHER IN EVERY NAME THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
WE FEEL IT HAS THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE AND LEAD THIS BODY AND HAS THE CAPACITY TO TRANSITION AND TRANSFER POWER IF THEY NEED TO.
BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE IT AS A NEGATIVE.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT IT AS A POSITIVE, AS A BODY WORKING TOGETHER AND RESPECTING EACH OTHER'S DESIRE.
TOVER SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY OR NOT.
IN THE SPIRIT OF, UM, TRYING TO THINK CREATIVELY WITH, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUES WANTING TO BE SO COOPERATIVE, PERHAPS WE ARE, UM, OVERCOMPLICATING THINGS HERE.
I THINK WE CAN, UH, PUT ONE PERSON IN THE SEAT AND IF THAT PERSON IS KIND ENOUGH TO SAY ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE RUNS OUR MEETING TONIGHT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EFFECTIVELY TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S SOME LOGISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POSITION, PAYROLL AND OTHER THINGS THAT IF WE WENT MONTH BY MONTH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'D HAVE YOU, YOU'D HAVE SOME COMPLICATED LOGISTICS SIGNING OF OFFICIAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS.
UH, SO I THINK FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, THE BEST PATH IS PUT ONE PERSON IN THE SEAT AND LET'S SHOW OUR SPIRIT OF COOPERATION.
AND THAT THAT PERSON SAYS, I'LL OPEN THE MEETING AND THEN NEXT PERSON CAN SIT IN THE SEAT AND OPERATE THIS MEETING.
THAT'S EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY, MY SUGGESTION.
WHAT I OFFER UP TO THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I'D LIKE TO, UM, ASK THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO COME UP, UM, TO ISSUES WITH THE MOTION MADE BY MS. BANKS AND SECONDED BY MS. HURST THAT I, UH, MR. HURST, I'M SORRY THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY CAN CLEAR UP FOR US.
UM, FIRST, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE MOTION IS, UH, IN ACCORD WITH THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM.
AND SECOND, BECAUSE WE ALREADY OPENED NOMINATIONS, IF HAVING, UH, A MOTION TO APPOINT DIFFERENT MEMBERS IS PROPER, THE AGENDA ITEM SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO APPOINT A MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2024 YEAR.
THEREFORE, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION DOES NOT MATCH WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT, THERE WAS NO PUBLIC NOTICE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN AS PROTE BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE
[00:45:01]
WE OPEN NOMINATIONS, I THINK, UM, AND TO, TO STICK WITH, UM, DOING THIS ORDERLY, I THINK WE NEED TO RUN, RUN THE BALLOT, CORRECT? I THINK I, WELL, I THINK THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAID THE MOTION'S IMPROPER.THE, YOUR MOTION SECONDED BY MR. HURST.
SO RUNNING THE BALLOT, MS. COLEMAN'S NAME IS FIRST.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THE MACHINES FOR EACH PERSON.
PLEASE ONLY VOTE ONCE IN EACH ROUND.
WE ARE GONNA GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU REPEAT THE SURE.
THE NOMINEES ARE COUNCILMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH AND COUNCILMAN BRANDON KNOLL.
THE MACHINES ARE FIRST GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILWOMAN.
CAROLYN COLEMAN MACHINES ARE OPEN.
I, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO CHANGE
GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON.
GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILMAN AARON.
GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILMAN BRANDON KNOLL MACHINES ARE OPEN.
UH, SO A RUNOFF BETWEEN COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN AND COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON.
WE'RE GONNA AGAIN VOTE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
THE MACHINES ARE FIRST GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILWOMAN.
CAROLYN COLEMAN MACHINES ARE OPEN.
GONNA BE OPEN FOR COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DEFER THE ITEM OR I, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, APPOINT COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOEL.
I SECOND, I MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPOINT AARON MOOCH.
COUNCILMAN DUNN MADE A MOTION TO APPOINT COUNCILMAN AARON MOGUE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MS. ROCKA? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T, THE FIRST, UH, THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO, UM, UH, APPOINT, UH, COUNCILMAN BRANDON KNOLL BY MS. BANKS, SECONDED BY MR. HURST.
SO THERE WAS A MOTION MADE BY MR. HUDSON, SECONDED BY MS. BANKS AND MR. HURST TO NOMINATE COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOLL.
THERE WAS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION MADE BY MR. DUNN, SECONDED BY MS. ROCKA TO NOMINATE, UH, COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO APPOINT COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH.
[00:50:03]
FOUR VOTES MACHINES ARE NEXT.GONNA BE OPEN ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPOINT COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOLL.
MACHINES ARE OPEN SEVEN VOTES.
I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY MS. AMAROSA.
WE'LL TAKE, UH, A BRIEF RECESS BEFORE PRESENTATIONS.