* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. TWO, [00:00:01] ONE, AND GO. [ Presentations and Special Recognitions] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR, UH, COUNCIL MEETING, NOT THIS OCTOBER 9TH, 2024. UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH DANTE BIDWELL, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR MAYOR SHARON WESTON BROOME, AND MYSELF, MAYOR PROTE, BRANDON O UH, TO RECOGNIZE SALEM WOODSIDE. ZACHARY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FOR WHITE CANE DAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2024. MR. BEWELL. THANK YOU, SIR. AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. UH, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTERN BROOME, UH, I'M HONORED TO RECOGNIZE AN INSPIRING YOUNG ADVOCATE SAILING WOODSIDE AND JOIN IN CELEBRATING WHITE CANE DAY. UH, MS. WOODSIDE, WE ARE TRULY HONORED, UH, AND TOUCHED BY YOUR DEDICATION TO ADVOCATING FOR THE BLIND COMMUNITY AND SHINING A LIGHT ON WHITE CANE DAY. YOUR ADVOCACY FOR WHITE CANE DAY AS A SENIOR AT ZACHARY HIGH FOR REPRESENT YOUR LEADERSHIP BRAVERY AND PUSH FOR CHANGE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU REMIND US ALL THAT BEING VISUALLY IMPAIRED IS NOT A LIMITATION, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESHAPE OUR PERCEPTIONS AND RAISE AWARENESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WHITE CANE DAY AND NATIONAL DAY WILL OBSERVANCE IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1964 IS CELEBRATED ON OCTOBER 15TH EACH YEAR. IT RECOGNIZES THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, WHILE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHITE CANE. IT'S MORE THAN JUST A TOOL. IT SYMBOLIZES INDEPENDENCE AND THE ABILITY OF THE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD WITH CONFIDENCE. IN RECOGNITION OF WHITE CANE DAY MAYOR, PRESIDENT BROOM HAS SIGNED A PROCLAMATION DECLARING OCTOBER 15TH, 2024 AS WHITE CANE AWARENESS DAY IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THIS PROCLAMATION CALLS ON SCHOOLS, EMPLOYERS, AND THE PUBLIC TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BLIND AND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THIS PROCLAMATION CERTIFIES THAT WE MUST ALL BE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS. MS. WOODSIDE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND FOR SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS IMPORTANT CAUSE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. YOUR POWERFUL VOICE FOR CHANGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IS PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU IN SUPPORT OF THE BLIND COMMUNITY ON WHITE CANE DAY AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. MS. WOODSIDE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP, SAY A FEW WORDS? UH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY , BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR SUPPORTING VISUAL IMPAIRMENT BECAUSE IT IS AROUND IN OUR COMMUNITY, VERY MUCH IN A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE IT, SO IT'S SO, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR SUPPORTING ME AND PEOPLE AROUND OUR STATE THAT HAVE VISUAL IMPAIRMENT. THANK . ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. . RIGHT. LET'S GET A BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY. ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY LOOKS QUICK. I'LL DO ONE HERE. MILES ONE, TWO, AND THREE. GREAT PHOTO. AND WE'VE GOT ONE MORE, RIGHT? MM-HMM. . AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU. THAT'S, [00:05:04] SHE MAKES GOOD. NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE COUNCILWOMAN JEN ROCKET TO RECOGNIZE KELLY STEIN IN THE 10 31 CONSORTIUM, COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA. HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. KELLY STEIN, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SO WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE CHARITY OF 10 31 CONSORTIUM FOR BRINGING THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT TO LIFE IN SUCH A MEANINGFUL WAY. YOUR GENEROSITY IN PROVIDING FREE COSTUMES FOR KIDS AND HELPING NEIGHBORHOODS CREATE FUN, SAFE TRICK-OR-TREAT EXPERIENCES IS NOTHING SHORT OF MAGICAL. BECAUSE OF YOUR KINDNESS, COUNTLESS CHILDREN EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT OF HALLOWEEN AND STYLE, YOUR SPOOKY, SEASONED SPIRIT IS AN INSPIRATION. THANK YOU FOR MAKING A HOLIDAY A LITTLE BIT BRIGHTER AND A WHOLE LOT MORE FUN FOR EVERYONE. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU, UM, TO TELL EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO. ABSOLUTELY. 'CAUSE YOU CAN DO THAT BETTER THAN ME AND TELL THEM HOW TO HELP YOU OUT. ABSOLUTELY. UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION. WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT. 10 31 CONSORTIUM IS BATON ROUGE'S, ONLY HALLOWEEN THEMED CREW AND CHARITY. SO YOU THINK CREW, YOU THINK MARDI GRAS, SAME THING, BUT HALLOWEEN VERSION. AND WE ARE A CHARITY ON TOP OF THAT. WHAT WE DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS WE PROVIDE FREE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES TO ANY CHILD WHO NEEDS ONE. OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS, WE'VE GIVEN AWAY OVER 5,500 COSTUMES TO CHILDREN IN THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AREA. UH, THE AVERAGE HALLOWEEN COSTUME COSTS ABOUT $45 MM-HMM. . AND THAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE EXPENSE FOR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN. ON TOP OF THAT, WE WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO HELP NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN SAFE TRICK OR TREAT ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO TRICK OR TREATING. OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISER FOR THESE PROGRAMS IS THE FIFA, A HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, WHICH IS COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH. THE FIFA, A HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, IS POISED FOR EXPONENTIAL GROWTH ON THE LEVEL OF THE RUGA ROOF FESTIVAL IN HOA AND THE CREW OF BOO IN NEW ORLEANS. SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THIS FESTIVAL PLANS TO DO FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GIVE YOU A HUG. I'D LIKE TO, UH OH, ABSOLUTELY. I'D LIKE REAL, REAL QUICK, I WANTED TO ADD ON TOP OF THAT AND, UH, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE CREW. 10 31, UM, ALL HELL KING JEREMY, AND THAT'S RIGHT . AND OUR, UM, ALSO OUR GRAND MARSHALL, UH, DEVONTE, YES. UH, WILL BE OUR GRAND MARSHALL THIS YEAR. UM, ALSO ON THE 19TH? YES. ON THE 19TH IS 19TH. WE JUST DID A FUN DRIVE THROUGH THE APOLLO BALL. UM, WE RAISED PLENTY OF COSTUMES, BUT ON THE 19TH IN DONALDSONVILLE IS THE FIRST GIVEAWAY. AND THEN ON THE 20TH HERE IN BATON ROUGE IS THE NEXT GIVEAWAY. AND UH, WE'LL BE SURE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AS FAR AS LOCATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO, GREAT. YES. THE 19TH IS AT THE WAG CENTER IN DONALDSONVILLE AT 10 30 IN THE MORNING. THE 20TH IS AT THE GOODWOOD LIBRARY AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON. ANY CHILD WHO NEEDS A COSTUME CAN COME GET IN LINE, GET A COSTUME. THE CHILD DOES NEED TO BE WITH A GUARDIAN IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A COSTUME. AND PLEASE COME PREPARED TO WAIT IN LINE, BUT WE WILL HAVE ACTIVITIES TO KEEP CHILDREN ENTERTAINED. CORRECT. GREAT. YEAH. AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO JOIN THE CREW, PLEASE COME JOIN US. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. IT IS A LOT OF FUN. . THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION PORTION COUNCIL MEETING TO BEGIN AT FOUR. [CALL TO ORDER] HELLO EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. OCTOBER THE NINTH, 2024. IF YOU WATCH FROM OUT OF TOWN, A BIG WEEKEND IN BATON ROUGE IS THE LSU TIGERS. CELEBRATE 100 YEARS AT TIGER STADIUM AS THEY TAKE ON THE OLE MISS BROTHERS. AND BY THE WAY, THE COLUMBIA BLUE OF SOUTHERN ON THEIR WAY TO HOUSTON, AND THEY HAVE A DATE WITH THE TIGERS OF TEXAS SOUTHERN. SO GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WATCHING AT THIS TIME. HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PROTE OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOEL. THANK YOU, DENNIS. I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING GREATER [00:10:01] BAT, UH, GREATER BATON ROUGE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. UM, THIS OCTOBER 9TH, 2024. ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN INVOCATION LED BY MCKENZIE MONAGUE, JEHOVAH GYRA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE BY KYRIE MONAGUE, JEHOVAH GYRA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY AND MAYOR PRO TIMM. MAY I SAY AT THIS POINT HERE, COME RIGHT ON UP, MCKENZIE AND KYRIE. AND I WANNA SAY THAT MCKENZIE AND KYRIE ARE TWINS. SO HERE THEY ARE THIS EVENING TO INVOCATE YOU AND TO PLEDGE THAT ALLEGIANCE. PULL THE MIC DOWN FOR HIM, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. DEAR LORD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US WITH ANOTHER DAY, KEEPING US SAFE THROUGH THE DAY, AND ALSO BLESSING US WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HELP OUR CITY BECOME A BETTER PLACE. AND THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. AMEN. WOW. WOW. AWESOME. A PLEASURE. ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION HONOR GOD, INDIVISIBLE, BUT LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WELL DONE. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA [ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES] HAVE ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES IN THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2024 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA, SECOND BY THE CHAIR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ASHLEY, PLEASE [INTRODUCTIONS] READ INTRODUCTIONS SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS. NUMBER TWO, A SUPPLEMENTAL SALES TAX BOND RESOLUTION, AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING GENERAL SALES TAX SALES TAX BOND RESOLUTION NUMBER 5 4 5 4 4 3 0 BY PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF MOVE BR SALES TAX REVENUE BOND SERIES 2024 OF THE PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DISTRICT BY BOND COUNSEL NUMBER THREE, AMENDING THE 2024 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY. SO IS TO APPROPRIATE $15,000 FROM FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED TO THE LEGAL SERVICES ACCOUNT FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE LEGAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE REGISTRAR VOTERS RELATED TO THE VOTING ASSIGNMENT FOR ANNEX PROPERTY CURRENTLY IN LITIGATIONS REQUIRED BY LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 1564 BY PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE BATON ROUGE SPONSORING COMMITTEE TOGETHER BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000 TO PARTICIPATE IN A PILOT SOLAR ENERGY PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE PARTIAL FUNDING NEEDED FOR THREE COMMUNITY LIGHTHOUSES TO ASSIST THE CITIZENS OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH DURING WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR NUMBER FIVE, AMENDING THE 2024 CAPITAL BUDGET SO AS TO APPROPRIATE 2024 ROAD AND STREET REFUNDING BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200 MILLION IN BOND PREMIUMS. ESTIMATED AT $23,200,000 FOR THE MOVE VR PROGRAM AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE COST OF ISSUANCE BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR AND FINANCE DIRECTOR. NUMBER SIX, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH CAPITAL CITY FAMILY HEALTH CENTER, INCORPORATED DBA CARE SOUTH AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $400,000 TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GERIATRIC AND PHYSICAL THERAPY FACILITY IN BATON ROUGE TO ADDRESS THE GROWING DEMAND FOR SPECIALIZED CARE FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS. FUNDED BY THE ARPA, GRANT BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT CONDEMNATION. INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER SEVEN. STEVEN ALLEN. 1 7 7 0. SO STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER EIGHT, ELLISON SHEPHERD. 1 2 7 2 5. CAMDEN STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER NINE, ROSA RUSSELL HERBERT, 1 0 3 6 5 AVENUE C COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER 10. SARAH MOSES AND THE ESTATE OF DAVIS. DAVID MOSES. ONE. FOUR. FOUR. FOUR. OREL STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER 11, NELL INVESTMENT PROPERTY, ONE LLC. FIVE THREE. FOUR FIVE. ANNETTE STREET COUNCIL. DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 12 BRLS MANAGEMENT LLC 6 6 4 3 MYRTLEWOOD DRIVE. COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 13. DAVID G. KELLER. 5 2 6 6 LEVITA STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN DEANNE. NUMBER 14, THE ESTATE OF THELMA WILLIAMS, BRANCH 2 6 3 6 FAIRFIELD AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN DEANNE NUMBER 15, ARMA TURNER WALL AND JOHNNY TURNER. 1 6 9 4 NORTH 38TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, DEANNE NUMBER 16. DAVID J. EVERETT AND KATIE C EVERETT. 4 2 7 2. LAVERA STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN ANNE NUMBER 17, MOORE PROPERTY INVESTMENT GROUP. LLC 2 1 3 5. POCAHONTAS STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 18, JEANETTA YVETTE RICHARDSON. 2 5 2 8 SHERWOOD STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 19, VALERIA EP THREE. [00:15:01] EIGHT. SEVEN. SEVEN. UNCA STREET COUNCIL. DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN NUMBER 20. CHARLIE FIELD THREE. EIGHT. SEVEN EIGHT. UNCA STREET COUNCIL. DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN NUMBER 21. LIVING SOLUTIONS. LLC OF ARKANSAS. ONE FIVE. ONE THREE. LAURIE BURGESS AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN. ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ AND A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AS AN ORDER. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA GO TO [CONDEMNATIONS] SEPARATE CHIEF FOR CONDEMNATIONS. DPW RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, AND 68 AND 90 DAYS ON ITEM 69. DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? CONDEMNATION ITEMS? SAY NONE. WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL. YES, MA'AM. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. UH, 60 DAYS ON 48 AND 69 IS WORKING WITH THE PERMITS. SO IT'S BEEN DEFERRED, BUT THEY'RE WORKING, THEY HAVE THEIR PERMITS AND SO THAT CAN BE DELETED. THANK YOU. I WANNA DELETE 69. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A CONDEMNATION SHEET? MM-HMM? ? I DIDN'T GET IT. OH, I'M SORRY. IT'S THE ONE ON CARDINAL. OKAY. UH, NUMBER 51. WE ARE THE THIRD ON 18TH. I'M GONNA DO ONE MORE DEFERRAL FOR, UM, 30 DAYS. OKAY. BECAUSE THEY DAY TWO ARE, DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE, HOW TO DO THE PERMIT ON 51 30 DAYS. SO WHAT DAY IS THAT? WHAT DAY IS THAT? NOVEMBER 13TH. HUH? NOVEMBER 13TH. NOVEMBER 13TH. THANK YOU. REST OF THESE ARE GOOD. MM-HMM? . WHERE WERE THESE? UH, DISTRICT. OKAY. EVERYBODY ELSE? GOOD? OKAY. I'M GONNA RECAP. WE'RE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 49, 50, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, AND 68. WE'RE GONNA DEFER FOR 30 DAYS. ITEM 51, 55, 65, AND 67. 60 DAYS ON ITEM 48 AND DELETE ITEM 69. I'M SORRY, 90 DAYS. ON ITEM 56, WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. THE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, [ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS] WE ARE GONNA JUMP TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS, WHY THERE WAS A REQUEST TO MOVE 'EM UP BY COUNCILMAN HURST. I THINK SOMEBODY'S GONNA BE OUT OF TOWN, UH, LEAVING EARLY. I DON'T ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER INTRODUCTION ITEM, A AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JAMIA SHAW BELL FOR SERVICES TO METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. INCREASING THE CONTRACT BY AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5,000 PER MONTH FOR THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2024. BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT TO AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 65,000 BY COUNCILMAN DARRELL HURST. WE NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES SO THE ITEM CAN BE INTRODUCED. WE HAVE A MOTION. I'M OBJECTED. WE HAVE, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. WE HAVE A, WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NONE. WE NEED A, WE NEED A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. REQUIRES UNANIMOUS CONSENT. COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, YOU OBJECT? YEAH. I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK. WELL, OKAY. WE HAVE AN OBJECTION. SO THE ITEM CANNOT BE INTRODUCED. HMM. [00:20:08] OKAY. NEXT ONE. ITEM 24 0 1 3 4 7. AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE 1 9 2 8 3. ADOPTED JUNE 26TH, 2024, WHICH ESTABLISHED VOTING PRECINCTS WITH WARDS ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND DESIGNATED POLL DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES SO AS TO GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVIDE THE FOLLOWING PRECINCT, WARD ONE, PRECINCT 56 AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW FOR THE, FOR PRECINCTS CONTAINING MORE THAN 2200 ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS. FURTHER TO CREATE AND DESIGNATE POLLING PLACES FOR NEW PRECINCTS. WARD ONE, PRECINCTS 1 0 6. AND FURTHER TO REMOVE THE ALPHABETICAL SPLITS FORM THE FOLLOWING PRECINCTS. WARD ONE, PRECINCT 56. ALL EFFECTIVE FOLLOWING THE DECEMBER 7TH, 2024 ELECTIONS ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, UH, BY THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. THIS IS TO ALLOW THE CHANGE TO BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW. WE NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NONE. WE HAVE A VOTE ON MOTIONS THERE. ANY OBJECTION TO A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NONE WILL CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. I HAVE TO WAIT. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA JUMP TO ITEM 75 THROUGH ITEM 75 THROUGH 78. I'M SORRY. YES. ITEM [75. 24-01228] 75, AUTHORIZATION FOR MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO FORMALLY REQUEST THE LOUISIANA DOTD DIVISION OF AVIATION TO PROVIDE FUNDS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT, SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM. APPLICATION FOR STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FISCAL YEARS 25 20 25 THROUGH 2030. AND TO PROVIDE $20,000 LOCAL CONTRIBUTION FOR EACH 100 PER CENTS. STATE FUNDED PROJECTS LISTED HEREIN BY AVIATION DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAME. I'M GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 76, AUTHORIZATION [76. 24-01229] FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH CORPORATE GREEN L-L-C-D-B-A GREEN SEASONS TO PROVIDE FULL SERVICE, LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE FOR THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 77, AUTHORIZATION [77. 24-01230 ] FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE SUPPLE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER TWO WITH STANLEY CONSULTANTS INC. TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR TAXIWAY L EXTENSION AND DECOMMISSIONING OF RUNWAY FOUR R 22 L AND TAXIWAY E IN AN AMOUNT I TO EXCEED $299,823 AND 33 CENTS BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAME. NONE. GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MO. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 78, [78. 24-01231] RECEIVING THE FINAL REPORT CONCERNING THE GOVERNANCE MODEL PREPARED BY STEVEN BALDWIN OF ASSOCIATES, LLC. AND FOR THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND AN AUTHORIZED CREATION OF THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT AUTHORITY BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. WE'LL HAVE THE REPORT AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. YES, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MAYOR PROTA, COUNSEL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS STEVEN BALDWIN. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF STEVEN BALDWIN ASSOCIATES. UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO DELIVER TO YOU THE, UH, REPORT FROM THE AIRPORTS GOVERNANCE, UH, COMMITTEE THAT YOU ALL FORMED ABOUT, UM, A I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY CLOSE TO NINE MONTHS AGO, UH, WHICH, UM, WAS PRECEDED BY A, UH, COMPENSATION STUDY FOR THE AIRPORT LED INTO A DISCUSSION TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIRPORT'S GOVERNANCE MODEL AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT, UH, BATON ROUGE AIRPORT WAS SUITED TO BECOME A, UH, SINGLE PURPOSE AIRPORT AUTHORITY GOVERNANCE MODEL. UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT BRIEF, I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY BUSY AGENDA, IS TO, UH, JUST GO OVER THE FINDINGS OF THE GOVERNANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT NEXT STEPS WOULD BE INVOLVED, UH, SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO, UH, ACCEPT THE REPORT AND THE RE RESOLUTION THAT FOLLOWS TO MOVE TO PHASE TWO. UM, THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE FOR THE AIRPORT, LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF AIRPORT [00:25:01] GOVERNANCE AND WHAT WAS GOING ON, UH, NATIONALLY. IT INVOLVED, UH, DIALOGUE WITH YOURSELVES AS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THE AIRPORT BOARD, UH, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITHIN BATON ROUGE, UH, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. UM, AND, UM, BASICALLY WHAT THE, THE WORK OF THE, UM, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FOUND AFTER LOOKING AT GOVERNANCE MODELS NATIONALLY. UH, LOOKING AT IN INDUSTRY TRENDS WITHIN AIRPORTS, GOVERNANCE NATIONALLY, UH, DOING A DEEP, UH, LEGISLATIVE REVIEW HERE IN BATON ROUGE OF WHAT COULD BE DONE, UH, OR FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE AIRPORT AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT. I'M GOING FASTER THROUGH MY SLIDES THAN THE SLIDES ARE. SO, UH, WE CAN CATCH UP WITH THOSE. UH, IS THAT, UM, IT WAS THE UNANIMOUS DECISION AND FORWARDED TO BY THE AIRPORT, UH, COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO FORM A A SINGLE PURPOSE AIRPORT AUTHORITY. UM, THE GENERAL BENEFITS OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY ARE LISTED UP ON THIS SLIDE. UM, BUT, UM, IT BASICALLY ADDRESSES, UH, SOME OF THE INEFFICIENCIES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT MODEL BY HAVING BOTH AN AIRPORT BOARD THAT IS A SORT OF A ADVISORY, UH, BODY, BUT NOT A DECISION MAKING BODY. AND THEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR FINAL DECISION MAKING BY THE, UH, BY THE COUNCIL. UM, THE BUSINESS MODEL WITHIN, UH, CONTEMPORARY AIRPORT MANAGEMENT TODAY BYPASSES THESE REDUNDANCIES. THE AUTHORITY BOARDS ARE SET UP WITH THE RIGHT CHECKS AND BALANCES, UH, FOR PUBLIC, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY. UH, BECAUSE AIRPORTS, QUITE FRANKLY, HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AT THE SAME PACE AS THEIR TENANT, AIRLINES, RENTAL CAR FACILITIES, RESTAURATEURS, UH, ET CETERA. AND THEY BE ABLE, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AT THE PACE OF BUSINESS. SO THE, THE, THE MODEL IN THE COUNTRY IS TO MOVE AIRPORTS IN THAT DIRECTION. I WILL, UH, FOR STATE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT 25, UH, CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE MODELS, UH, AT AIRPORTS SIMILAR TO YOURS AND LARGER, UM, OVER ABOUT THE LAST 20, 22 YEAR PERIOD. AND, UM, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS AND NONE OF THOSE MODELS HAVE REVERTED BACK TO THEIR PREVIOUS, UH, CITY COUNTY, UH, GOVERNANCE MODELS. OBVIOUSLY, AIRPORTS ARE MORE COMPLEX TODAY TO RUN AS A BUSINESS THAN THEY ARE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY. UM, SO, UH, ONE OF THE BENE ONE OF THE BENEFITS ALSO IS WITH REGARD TO THE WORKFORCE. UH, A SINGLE PURPOSE, UH, AIRPORT AUTHORITY, UH, ONCE IT'S ESTABLISHED, WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ITS HR AND PERSONNEL NEEDS. IT'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A SEPARATE PAY PLAN FOR THE AIRPORT WORKERS. UM, THAT WAS A BIG DEFICIENCY THAT CAME OUT OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY. UH, YOU WERE VERY DISPARATE WITH REGARD TO YOUR COMPENSATION. NO, I, UM, IT'S VERY HARD IN OUR INDUSTRY TO RE RECRUIT AND RETAIN COMPETITIVELY. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THE AIRPORT IS A GATEWAY TO YOUR COMMUNITY. THE FIRST THING THAT A BUSINESS PERSON SEES WHEN THEY DECIDE IF THEY'RE COMING HERE AND YOU NEED TO HAVE A TOPNOTCH TEAM AT THE AIRPORT, IT'S VERY HARD TO RECRUIT THAT AND MAINTAIN THAT. UM, AND SO THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT LED US DOWN THIS PATH. UM, IT PRESERVES THE ACCOUNTABILITY. IF YOU MOVE TO AN AIRPORT AUTHORITY GOVERNANCE MODEL, YOU ARE OVERSIGHT OF THAT. AIRPORT BOARD IS PRESERVED. UH, THIS COUNCIL BOARD WILL MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS THAT WILL BE YOUR POLICY PEOPLE YOU'LL PUT IN PLACE TO, UH, SEE, SEE OVER THAT AIRPORT OPERATION. UH, IT PROMOTES A GREATER EMPHASIS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE VERY RESTRICTED WITH RESPECT TO THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE IN THE COMMUNITY, OR EVEN TO, UM, FRONT AN INITIATIVE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UH, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE AGENCIES IN PLACE THAT DO THAT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE IT IN THEIR RADAR TO DO THAT. SO, A SINGLE PURPOSE REPORT BOARD YOU CAN EXPECT, WILL TAKE A MUCH MORE PROACTIVE VIEW IN THIS REGARD. AND THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE TO TRY TO, TO PROMOTE JOBS WITHIN THE REGION. THE AIRPORT IS YOUR BIGGEST SINGLE ECONOMIC GENERATOR IN THE REGION, AND IT ALL GOES TOWARDS OFFSETTING THE PRICE AND THE FEES THAT ARE ASSESSED TO THE GENERAL PASSENGER, AND TRY TO KEEP THOSE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. UM, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, FINALLY, IN, IN ADDITION TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE AS CLOSELY TO A BUSINESS MODEL AS POSSIBLE, IT IS WITHOUT SACRIFICE OF, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY AIRPORT AUTHORITY, THE WAY IT WOULD BE STRUCTURED WOULD REQUIRE, UM, AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE METRO COUNCIL FROM THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY. IT WOULD REQUIRE ANNUAL AUDITS, UH, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE IN A FULL GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENT, UH, MANNER. SO THERE IS A RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TO AUTHORIZE THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR TO MOVE FURTHER DOWN THIS PATH, TO DEVELOP AND CREATE A, AN AIRPORT AUTHORITY. UH, THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE LAYS OUT SOME OF THOSE DETAILS AND CONCEPTS. UM, WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS THAT RESOLUTION, [00:30:01] IF ACTED ON TONIGHT, IS NOT AUTHORIZING AN AIRPORT AUTHORITY. IT'S AUTHORIZING TO, TO, TO SET IT UP, COME BACK TO YOU, UH, YOU'LL BE PART OF THE DIALOGUE ALL ALONG. IT'S A LENGTHY, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS. YOU'LL BE PART OF THAT DIALOGUE ALL ALONG. UM, BUT IT, IT, IT IS A BIG, UH, IT IS A BIG STEP FORWARD. AND, UH, THERE WILL BE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TOGETHER FOR YOU TO WEIGH IN AND TO HAVE A SAY ON HOW THIS THING SHAPES UP. UM, SO YOU'RE NOT MAKING A FINAL DECISION TONIGHT. I'LL KEEP COMING BACK TO YOU FOR A WHILE. I DO EXPECT IT'LL TAKE ABOUT 12 MONTH PROCESS. I'M DONE. QUESTIONS . OKAY. WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING NOW. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NONE WILL GO TO COUNSEL. ALL GOOD. COUNCILMAN GODA. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. BALDWIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO TRAVEL HERE, UH, TO PROVIDE IT. UM, GOING THE ROUTE OF AIRPORT AUTHORITY, WOULD YOU SAY IS THE TREND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE MODELS? YES. OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, HAVE BY FAR BEEN THE PREDOMINANT MOVEMENT TO AIRPORT AUTHORITIES. AND, AND IS THAT TYPICALLY FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT? YEP. TO THAT MODEL? YEP. UH, IN THE REPORT, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A PIE CHART THAT SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF, UH, HOW AIRPORT GOVERNANCE MODELS THROUGHOUT THE NATION ARE TODAY AND HOW THEY'VE TRANSITIONED OVER THE YEARS. UM, I'D HAVE TO GO PAGING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, BUT I I CAN DO THAT. UM, BY FAR, AIRPORT AUTHORITIES ARE THE PREDOMINANT MODEL, AND THE, THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT AIRPORTS HAVE JUST BECOME MORE COMPLEX. RIGHT? 20, 30 YEARS AGO, AN AIRPORT WAS A PIECE OF, IN INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU WENT OUT, YOU PARKED YOUR CAR, YOU FLEW IN AND OUT OF IT. AIRPORT TODAY IS DIFFERENT. IT HAS ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT HAS ITS OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT HAS A TSA, IT HAS A PARKING AUTHORITY. IT HAS RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND LIQUOR LICENSES AND VENUES. AND IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO OPERATE AND KEEP THAT AS A BUSINESS. AND YOU CAN DO THAT UNDER AUTHORITY MODEL. VERY GOOD. I'M GONNA, I'LL FLIP THROUGH THE DOCUMENT TO LOOK AT THAT PIE CHART AND, UM, I MAY CALL YOU OVER AFTERWARDS JUST TO SHOW IT TO YOU. THAT'S FINE. I, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE ANSWER AND THE INFORMATION. COUNCILMAN DON, JR. THANK YOU. UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS AIRPORTS ARE GOVERNED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IT'S THE CITY COUNTY MODEL. OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T HAVE COUNTIES HERE IN EAST IN, IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. WE HAVE PARISHES, BUT WE'RE A CITY COUNTY MODEL. THERE'S ALSO AN INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY MODEL. MOST CITY COUNTY MODELS ARE, HAVE ALREADY TRANSITIONED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY, ARE LOOKING TO DO SO IN THE NEAR FUTURE. UM, WHAT THIS DOES IS GIVE THE AIRPORT AS ADMINISTRATION, HIS TEAM, THE AUTONOMY TO MOVE AT THE SPEED OF BUSINESS. UM, AIRPORTS ARE SO VITAL TO A CITY, TO A REGION, AND IT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC DRIVER. AND WE NEED THE AIRPORT TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FROM VENDORS, RESPOND TO THE MARKETPLACE. AND WE'VE SEEN OFTENTIMES WHERE THIS MODEL HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC TO DO THAT. UM, I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES. UM, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS AND, AND OTHERS WHO WERE HERE BEFORE COUNCILMAN HUDSON, REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD THE CHALLENGE OF TO HIRE, UH, AVIATION DIRECTOR AND THE REDUNDANCY THAT WE HAD WITH THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL, AND THE TIME THAT IT TOOK AND THE TIME THAT WAS LOST WAS, WAS VITAL. AND, AND IT, IT IMPACTED OUR OPERATIONS. IT IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO SERVE OUR, UH, OUR TENANTS AS WELL AS THE CUSTOMER BASE. UM, ALSO, UM, WE'VE SEEN THIS PROBLEMATIC IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING TALENT. UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AIRPORT, WE'RE ATTACHED TO, UH, CITY PARISH PAY PLAN. I KNOW WE HAVE THIS CASE STUDY THAT'S BEEN RECENTLY RELEASED, UH, THANKS TO COUNCILMAN HURST. UM, BUT IT, IT HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC. WHEN THE AIRPORT IS COMPETING FOR TALENT, IT'S COMPETING WITH THE AVIATION INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD, NOT WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN, IN CITY PARISH. SO, UH, IT, IT HAND TIES, UH, THE AIRPORT WITH ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TOWN. AND MANY OF YOU REMEMBER GREG PEARSON, WHO WAS OUR ASSISTANT AVIATION DIRECTOR. GREG WAS RECRUITED AWAY BY THE AVIATION INDUSTRY AND PAID A SALARY THAT WE COULDN'T COMPETE WITH. IT TOOK US OVER A YEAR AND A HALF TO FIND HIS REPLACEMENT. THANK GOD WE FOUND LEWIS, WHO WAS VESTED IN LOUISIANA RIGHT UP THE ROAD IN NEW ORLEANS AND WANTED TO BE HERE. BUT HE AND MIKE ARE VESTED HERE WITH YOUNG FAMILIES AND YOUNG KIDS. BUT THE AVIATION INDUSTRY IS BACKING AT THEIR CALL TO TRY TO RECRUIT THEM AWAY. AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH RETAINING OUR TALENT, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ADEQUATE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GROW AND EXPAND THE AIRPORT AND DELIVER ON THE, THE NEW DESTINATIONS AND ORIGINS THAT YOU ALL REQUEST. IT'S A VITAL, UM, PART THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ALLOW THIS ADMINISTRATION [00:35:01] TO HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO OPERATE AND GROW THE, AND GROW THE AIRPORT SO WE CAN HELP THE AIRPORT REACHES POTENTIAL. UH, SO I ASK YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM. I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF. I WANT TO THANK THE CONSULTANTS, THANK THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, BOTH MYSELF AND, AND AARON SERVED ON THAT. AND THANK THE COMMISSION AND ITSELF FOR DOING THE WORK, UM, UH, ENGAGING WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS. I WANT THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SAT WITH THE, WITH THE CONSULTANTS, ALL THE LEGISLATORS WHO VETTED THIS PROCESS AND GOT US TO THIS POINT. IT WASN'T JUST THE CONSULTANTS, IT WASN'T JUST THE STAFF. THIS WAS A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. THE CHAMBER VISIT, BATON ROUGE, UH, THEY MET AND TALKED WITH MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS TO GO OVER THIS THING. SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. WELL, FIRST, MR. BALDWIN, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE APPOINTING, UH, PROCESS WILL WORK, RIGHT. UH, UNDER YOUR MODEL AND, AND HOW, HOW THAT DIFFERS FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOW? RIGHT. SO CURRENTLY YOU HAVE A 13 MEMBER BOARD AT THE AIRPORT. NINE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE METRO COUNCIL IN FOUR, UH, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT SEATS. UM, WE DON'T SPECIFY EXACTLY HOW YOU SHOULD DO THAT IN THE FUTURE. WE DO SUGGEST IN OUR REPORT THAT THAT BOARD BE REDUCED DOWN TO A SIZE OF ABOUT NINE MEMBERS. AND WE DO THAT. HAVING BEEN WORKING WITH YOU FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW, STARTING WITH THE SALARY COMPENSATION STUDY AND LEARNING YOUR COMMUNITY AND LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CULTURE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, THAT'S STILL A VERY LARGE BOARD FOR AN AIRPORT THIS SIZE, COMPARATIVELY AND NATIONALLY. UH, BUT THAT'S, UH, WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE TAILOR IT FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON HERE IN, UH, BATON ROUGE. UM, HOW YOU DERIVE THOSE APPOINTMENTS, PART THE DELIBERATIVE PROCESS. IN PHASE TWO, WE DID PUT IN A REPORT, A PIECE OF MODEL LEGISLATION THAT SETS UP, UH, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS, PARTICULARLY RESIDENCY, UM, QUALIFICATIONS, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT THESE ARE ALL IN THE DIALOGUE STAGE. THESE ARE ALL TO BE DISCUSSED. UM, AND, UH, WE WOULD NOT ENVISION UNDER ANY SCENARIO THAT IF YOU WERE TO REDUCE THE BOARD FROM 13 TO NINE, UH, AND I'LL PREFACE THAT BY SAYING YOU HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS DRAWING A QUORUM. YOU HAVE SOME VERY, UH, CHALLENGING RULES AROUND THAT STRUCTURE IN YOUR, IN YOUR ENABLING LEGISLATION. UH, SOME MEMBERS ARE SUBJECT TO QUORUM COUNTS, SOME AREN'T. SOME ARE ABLE TO VOTE, SOME AREN'T. UH, IT'S COMPLICATED. BUT, UM, THE WAY YOU WOULD DEAL WITH THAT IS JUST THROUGH ATTRITION. LIKE YOU, NOBODY WOULD BE PUT OFF THE BOARD AS YOU TRANSITION FORWARD. THERE WOULD BE SEATS THAT WERE, WOULD BE DECIDED TO NOT REFILL WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY BECAME VACANT. THAT'S A CONCEPT. SO, GOTCHA. SO BY APPROVING THE, UH, THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT, NOT THE ORDINANCE, BUT THE RESOLUTION TONIGHT, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY AGREEING TO ANY SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT PROCESS OR MODEL. ABSOLUTELY NOT. GOTCHA. THE NEXT STEP, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY, AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, I WILL. ARE YOU READY? UM, SO IF YOU MOVE TO PHASE TWO, YOU PASS THIS RESOLUTION TO PHASE TWO. WE'RE GONNA PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE GROUP BETWEEN METRO COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, YOUR, YOUR COUNT, YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, AIRPORT ADMINISTRATION, AIRPORT BOARD. AND WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN AND SCOPE OUT THE PHASE TWO PROCESS. BUT IT BEGINS THE PROCESS OF SEEKING THAT, UH, LEGISLATIVE, STATE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION TO FORM AN AUTHORITY. AND IT BEGINS PUTTING TOGETHER THESE, UH, YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, WHICH WILL BE, UM, YOUR, UH, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR AN AUTHORITY, THE BYLAWS, ANY KIND OF AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE BETWEEN COUNSEL AND THE AUTHORITY. 'CAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENTS, AND THEN IT GOES INTO AN APPLICATION PROCESS WITH THE FA. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FAA HAS TO APPROVE THE WHOLE TRANSACTION. THERE'S, THERE'S MID, THERE'S INTERIM POINTS, MILESTONES ALONG THAT PROCESS WHERE WE'LL BE GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE AIRPORT BOARD AND THE METRO COUNCIL TO, TO SECURE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE GONNA SYSTEMATICALLY STEP US THROUGH THIS PROCESS TILL WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE BOTH PARTIES ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH SUBMITTING THAT APPLICATION TO THE FAA. ONCE IT GOES IN FAA GETS APPROVED, YOU HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE A, A SCREW UP AUTHORITY FOR YOUR REPORT. AWESOME. THANK YOU. YEP. COUNCILMAN MO? YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'M GOING GO OFF A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT COUNCILMAN DUNN SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ALL, BUT WHAT I, WHAT I SEE THIS AS IS BY, BY THE AUTONOMY AND EVERYTHING ELSE OF CREATING ITS OWN BODY OR WHATEVER, IT ALLOWS THEM TO WORK FASTER. TO ME, NOT ONLY WORKING FASTER ALLOWS FOR THE AIRPORT TO BE ABLE TO HIRE, RETAIN, AND THAT'S STUFF INTERNALLY TO THE AIRPORT. BUT LET'S THINK ABOUT BEING COMPETITIVE WITH, WITH AIRPORTS THAT ARE AROUND US. UM, LAFAYETTE, OF COURSE, WE KNOW NEW ORLEANS IS AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. UM, AND, AND LET'S ALL NOT BE, UH, REMISS OF THE FACT THAT LIVINGSTON [00:40:01] JUST OPENED AN AIRPORT THEN NOW THAT IS LIKE CLASSIFIED AS A CARGO TERMINAL RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE AND EVERYTHING. SO ALLOWING THIS, LIKE COUNCILMAN DUNN SAID, ALLOWS THEM TO OPERATE FASTER, OPERATE AT THE SPEED OF BUSINESS TO GET, GET THINGS MOVING FASTER, TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE AND REACTIVE TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF WHAT THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT DOES. AND IN BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND WORK WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT ARE AROUND THE AIRPORT AND EVERYTHING ELSE AS FAR AS THOSE REVENUE STREAMS, AND ALL THOSE NOT ONLY TIE IN AS FAR AS THEM BEING ABLE TO SHOW THE AIRLINES AND THE AIRPORTS ABOUT WHAT'S FLYING IN AND OUT, BUT IT BRINGS IN THE DOLLARS AND EVERYTHING FOR WORKING WITH THE AIRLINES TO REDUCE CHARGES AND HOPEFULLY MORE PEOPLE TO FLY OUT OF BATON ROUGE INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TIME TO DRIVE TO NEW ORLEANS AND EVERYTHING. SO REALLY HOPE Y'ALL, UH, COME ON BOARD AND SUPPORT THIS. AND, AND AS COUNCILMAN DUNN SAID, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS AND ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BANKS? UH, YES. UH, MR. BALDWIN. UM, SO ONE OF THE THING, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT, UM, I'M THE COUNCILWOMAN IN WHICH, UM, THE AIRPORT IS ONE OF MY ECONOMIC ENGINES, IF YOU WILL. AND SO THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT, UM, THE 12 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, AND, AND THERE ARE TWO PARTICULAR INCIDENTS THAT I KNOW THAT, UM, IF IT WERE NOT FOR A DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL PERSON BEING ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTITUENTS, THEN, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE AIRPORT THING, THE AIRPORT BOARD, THOSE THINGS WOULD'VE FLOWN BY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS, THE RESOLUTE, ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THAT, THAT I THINK, UM, NEEDS TO RUN IS THAT THE, THE, THE DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL PERSON, WHICH SHOULD BE THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT SERVED ON THE BOARD AS THE OFFICIAL AUTHORITY. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THAT A LOT OF, UM, ISSUES WITH THE AIRPORT COMES TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT THEN WE HAVE A SEPARATE OTHER WHO HAVE THEIR OWN, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE CONSTITUENTS. SO THAT, AND YOU, OR WE MIGHT KNOW IT ON THE BACK END, MM-HMM. . AND ONE IS WHEN THE, UM, TIRE SHREDDER WAS ABOUT TO COME, UM, TO, UM, AN AREA THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED VETERANS MEMORIAL IN A NEGATIVE WAY, UH, WITH ROAD CONSTRUCTION, BIG TRUCKS, TIRES, WHATEVER. AND THAT WAS ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE BOARD THAT ADVOCATED. AND IT, AND, YOU KNOW, AND JUST TALKING TO THE ADMINISTRATION, IT'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE, THE POLITICAL ERA. BUT IF YOU GONNA BE AN ENGINE, AN ECONOMIC ENGINE IN A COMMUNITY, SOMEBODY HAS TO HAVE THE BACKBONE TO DO THAT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY. SO THAT'S ONE ISSUE. NUMBER TWO IS, UM, THE OTHER ISSUE THAT COMES TO MIND MORE RECENTLY IS, UM, WHERE WE JUST KIND OF DEALT WITH, UM, A LAWSUIT WITH SAINTVILLE CHURCH. AND, YOU KNOW, THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE BOARD WAS JUST PAM. HOWEVER, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW WHERE THAT STARTED, WHERE IT ENDED WITH H WOULD DISPLACE, UM, THE LOCAL BODY, CHURCH BODY THAT ARE ALSO CONSTITUENTS. SO IS THERE ANYTHING, UH, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT REDUCING, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT LENDS, UM, A CONVERSATION TO THE RE THE, THE IMPORTANCE OR THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING THE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE BEING THE ECO BEING, UM, OVER THE ENTIRE AREA? YEAH. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, AS I SAID, LIKE, UM, REALLY THE, THE POLICY SETTING FOR THIS IS GONNA BE UP TO THIS BODY AS A WHOLE MM-HMM. , IT'S NOT, NOT OUR CALL TO DO THAT. THERE ARE, THERE ARE WAYS THAT IT'S DONE IN THE INDUSTRY, AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP EDUCATE YOU TO THOSE. UM, BUT I'LL SAY THE, UH, AIRPORT AUTHORITY IS STILL UNDER THE DIRECT GUIDANCE OF THE METRO COUNCIL BECAUSE THE METRO COUNCIL AS A WHOLE WILL MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE AUTHORITY BOARD IF YOU SET SEATS ASIDE THAT ARE FOR PARTICULAR POSITIONS. YEAH, I WOULD SEND THAT. BUT I KNOW YOU WERE GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I WAS ASKING, IS THIS A PROBLEM THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE? AND HOW IS IT DEALT WITH? THE OTHER QUESTION IS, DO WE STILL MAINTAIN WHERE ALL THE FINDING, LIKE IN EVERY, IN EVERY BOARD WE, THAT WE HAVE LIKE THAT WE STILL, UH, HAVE TO APPROVE THE SPENDING WHERE IT IMPACTS THE BUDGET, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE AIRPORT, IS THAT STILL IN PLACE? RIGHT. IT THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE WILL BE DELIBERATED ON. BUT, AND IDEALLY, UM, YOU WOULD LEAVE THAT AUTONOMY TO THE AUTHORITY BOARD, KEEPING IN MIND WHICH AUTHORITY BOARD, AIRPORT AUTHORITY BOARD. [00:45:01] OKAY. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT CONCERN ONCE IT'S ESTABLISHED, KEEPING IN MIND THE AIRPORT OPERATES ON A, ON A DEDICATED FUND, IT DOES NOT RELY ON TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO RUN THAT AIRPORT. RIGHT. UM, BUT, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO HAVING ELECTED OFFICIALS ON A BOARD. UM, SOME ARE THE CONNECTIVE, SOME OF THE PROS ARE THE CONNECTIVITY THEY CAN BRING MM-HMM. THAT COME AS A RESULT OF THEIR A POSITION. THE OTHER IS THAT THEY'RE SUBJECT TO REELECTION, AND THERE CAN BE CONSTANT CHANGE ON THE BOARD AND YOU LOSE CONTINUITY. SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, HOW DOES THAT LOOK WITH OTHER SIMILAR BOARDS, IS KIND OF WHAT I'M ASKING. IT USUALLY , I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, IT USUALLY COMES DOWN TO A BIT OF A COMPROMISE, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM. . SO, UM, BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND THEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN MANY OF OUR TRANSACTIONS ARE THAT IF ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ALLOWED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, IT'S USUALLY, THERE'S USUALLY A RATIO, UH, OF ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TOTAL MEMBERSHIP THAT WOULD PREEMPT ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM BEING ABLE TO OVERRIDE THE BOARD BODY. COUNCILWOMAN YOU WANT EXTRA TIME? YEAH, PLEASE. AND THE, THE, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT BLEW MY MIND, THE, THE SHORT TIME I SPENT ON THE, UH, AIRPORT BOARD WHERE THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES ALSO HAVE LIKE THEIR AID OR APPOINTEE. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE NOW, UM, EVEN THOUGH ONE MAY NOT VOTE AT THE OTHER, BUT IT STILL IS, YOU KNOW, PICTURE SPEAKS TO VALUES TO THINGS. WELL, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT THE UNDERLYING GOAL IS TO HAVE A VERY BUSINESS-LIKE BOARD THAT IS VERY DEDICATED AND IS SOLELY FOCUSED ON THIS AIRPORT, AND DOESN'T WANNA ALLOW POLITICS CENTER INTO THE FRAY. DOESN'T WANT TO BE TRADING OFF WHAT GOES DOWN ON PARKS AND RECREATION FOR IF YOU GIVE ME THIS OUT HERE. SO I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT HOW, BUT THAT'S, BUT WHAT I SEE, NOT JUST IN NECESSARILY IN A NEGATIVE WAY, BUT THEY JUST HANDS OFF WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. AND SO, UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING IN PLACE IN ADVANCE, AND NOBODY'S GONNA VOLUNTARILY GIVE UP ANY OF THEIR POWER, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOBODY, EVEN THE GOVERNANCE BOARD, DON'T WANT TO, NOT GONNA WANT TO GIVE UP CERTAIN POWER. SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, THIS IS WONDERFUL PAPER. AND I WAS WONDERING WHY WASN'T THIS A DISCUSSION VERSUS A, A RESOLUTION? BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY, OH, IT IS UPS AND DOWN SO MANY THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH AS IT RELATES TO THE SWIFTNESS, BUT AS IT RELATES TO THE GOVERNANCE, THE SPENDING POWER, THE AUTHORITY, ALL OF THAT, THAT STILL LEADS TO A LOT MORE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION. SO WHY WASN'T, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS WASN'T, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISION ALONG THESE, I THOUGHT WE WERE APPROVING A RESOLUTION. NO, JUST, YOU'RE JUST APPROVING A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW THE CONTIN TO ALLOW THIS CONTRACT TO GO TO PHASE TWO, WHICH IS TO GET INTO THE DISCUSSION YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO THERE'S, THERE'S, THIS IS ALSO IN THAT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THERE WILL BE A, THERE WILL BE PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, COMMUNITY MEETINGS. HOW, HOW ARE THOSE AND SCHEDULED, DO YOU KNOW? NO, BUT THE VERY FIRST THING WE'LL DO IN PHASE TWO IS WE'LL PUT A PLAYBOOK TOGETHER AND WE'LL MAP THIS ALL OUT. OKAY. SO THERE WON'T BE ANY SURPRISES. AND WE'LL GET, AND WE'LL TAKE INPUT ON THAT YEAH. SO AS WELL. SO IT WON'T BE FINAL. OKAY. BUT, UM, NO, WE'RE JUST, UH, LIKE, WE'RE, WE'RE, I GUESS WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO YOU TODAY IS THAT I THINK, UM, I THINK YOU HAVE VERY STRONG SUPPORT AND A VERY, A VERY STRONG SUPPORT FOR YOUR AIRPORT. AND YOU VERY MUCH WANT YOUR AIRPORT TO BE A STELLAR MODEL FOR THE ENTIRE STATE. NOT JUST BATON ROUGE IS YOUR CAPITAL. UM, AND, UM, THE AUTHORITY MODEL HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY YOUR CO AIRPORT, UH, GOVERNANCE ADVISORY BOARD, THE METRO COUNCIL, AND THE EXISTING CURRENT BOARD AS THE WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. MM-HMM, . OKAY. SO LET'S GO TO PHASE TWO AND LET'S START OPENING UP THIS DIALOGUE AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BROUGHT A LOT OF POINTS UP. COUNCILMAN DUN, JR. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS BROUGHT UP SOME, UM, VERY GOOD AND INTERESTING POINTS. UM, ONE OF 'EM I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE OUTREACH THAT TOOK PLACE, UM, NOT MOVING FORWARD, BUT TO THIS POINT SO FAR, THERE'VE BEEN A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE, UH, MEETINGS. THERE'VE BEEN A SERIES OF, UH, ONE-ON-ONES TWO-ON-ONE SIT DOWNS WITH STAKEHOLDERS. ALL OF THE COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN INVITED. ALL THE LEGISLATORS, UH, THAT HAVE APPOINTEES OR DESIGNEES ON THE AIRPORT COMMISSION VISIT BATON ROUGE THE CHAMBER, AND MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN AT THE TABLE WITH THIS CONVERSATION. THERE'S ALSO BEEN SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN INVITED OUT TO GIVE THEIR INPUT, ASK QUESTIONS AS WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST VET THIS PROCESS. SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A, A EXTENSIVE OUTREACH, UH, PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN ROLLED OUT TO THIS POINT, AND THAT PLANS TO BE CONTINUING IN PHASE TWO. SPEAKING TO THE, TO THE POLITICS AND COUNCILWOMAN BANKS IS RIGHT. UM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN HESITANT TO GET INVOLVED IN [00:50:01] CERTAIN ISSUES THAT MAY BE OF CONCERN TO A COUNCILWOMAN LIKE MYSELF OR A COUNCILWOMAN BANKS. UH, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT. I THINK GIVEN THE AUTHORITY OF, UH, UH, THE, THE AUTONOMY OF AUTHORITY THAT REMOVES SOME OF THAT AND THEY'LL BE MORE EAGER TO GET INVOLVED. UM, I ALSO WANNA REINFORCE THE POINT ABOUT THE AIRPORT SELF-GENERATED REVENUE. THE AIRPORT DOES NOT RELY ON THE GENERAL FUND OR TAX DOLLARS TO FUND AND OPERATE THE AIRPORT. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT. UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, HUDSON ASKED ABOUT THE APPOINTMENTS. UM, AND AS STEVEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DETERMINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, THE TERM WHO SERVES AS AN APPOINTMENT, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS, HOW LONG THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY SAID AT EVERY PHASE, AT THE GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE STAGE, AT THE COMMISSION STAGE IN OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, AND I'LL SAY IT HERE, I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THE APPOINTMENTS ALONE. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS AND THE BEST PRACTICE IS, BUT WE ALSO GOTTA LOOK AT CULTURAL COMPETENCE. AND I THINK THE CULTURE OF LOUISIANA IS ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THEIR APPOINTMENTS. THEY DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANT THEIR APPOINTMENT TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM 'EM. SO I WANNA OFFER THAT UP. I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THE APPOINTMENTS ALONE AND LET 'EM STAY AS THEY REMAIN. UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS, AS COUNCILWOMAN BANKS MENTIONED SOMETHING, SHE FOUND OUT WITH THE LEGISLATORS WHO SERVE ON THE COMMISSION, UH, AS ME AND COUNCILMAN, UH, MO AND COUNCILWOMAN BANKS WHEN SHE SERVED AS, UH, APPOINTEES BY THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS LIKE ALL OF OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, WHERE OUR LEGISLATIVE APPOINTEES OR COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVE AND THEIR DESIGNEES DOES NOT HAVE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS. SO THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAT THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THOSE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS, WE THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE 'EM. WE DON'T THINK JUST SOME OF US SHOULD HAVE 'EM. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN CLEAN UP. SO THESE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES, SOME THINGS, SOME CHALLENGES. THAT'S WITH THE, WITH THE CURRENT MODEL THAT WE CAN ADDRESS HERE. UH, AGAIN, WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN HIRSCH GONNA SPEAK, BUT I'M GONNA OFFER UP A MOTION TO APPROVE THANK YOU. AS AMENDED A A AS AN AMENDMENT AT THE PROPER TIME. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. UH, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. COUNCILMAN HURST. I JUST WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN BANKS ON THAT PIECE OF IT. SO EVEN THOUGH I WAS BORN IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND I LIVE THERE NOW, I WAS RAISED IN DISTRICT TWO MAJORITY OF MY LIFE. AND I JUST REMEMBER MY HOUSE RATTLING BECAUSE OF THE AIRPLANES THAT FLEW, FLEW OVER MY HOUSE, AND PROGRAMS WOULD COME OUT AND ISSUES THAT WOULD ARISE. AND JUST LIKE NORTH BATON ROUGE, I THINK IS STILL FORGOTTEN ABOUT NOW. I WAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT THEN TOO. AND SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT VOICE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK OUT AND REPRESENT YOU WHEN NOBODY ELSE CAN. AND SO, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS THE ONE THAT WORKED WITH THE AIR TO, UH, PROVIDE NOISE CANCELLATION WINDOWS AND THE HOMES AND OTHER THINGS THROUGH PROGRAMMING AND WITHOUT THAT PERSON THERE MM-HMM. , THEY WERE JUST A, A, A MEN AND A PAWN FULL OF SHARKS. SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO MINIMALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL PERSON IS THERE, ALONG WITH THE STATE REP AND SENATOR FOR THAT AREA. THANK YOU. YOU SURE? . ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MO. THERE ANY OPPOSITION AS AS AMENDED? LET ME GET THE AMENDMENT READ INTO THE RECORD. ASHLEY, DO YOU MIND READING THE AMENDMENT? YES. UM, THE AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY THE AIRPORT STAFF AND COUNCILMAN DUNN IS, UM, IN THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU. SECTION ONE, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL HEREBY RECEIVED THE FINAL REPORT, ADDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE GOVERNANCE MODEL IN ADDING OF THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT AS PREPARED BY STEVEN BALDWIN ASSOCIATES, LLC, AND THEN ADDING A SECTION TWO, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL HEREBY AUTHORIZE HEREBY AUTHORIZES ACTION TAKEN TO MOVE TOWARDS THE CREATION OF THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN PORT AUTHORITY. THEN PROPERLY MOTION. SECOND. ANY OPPOSITION? SAY NONE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO ITEM [70. 24-01232] 70, ESTABLISHING HEALTH INSURANCE RATES AND A PLAN DESIGN FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025 BY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND, MY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [71. 24-01197] ADAM 71 AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A DASH ON IMPAIRMENT AND PAYMENT AGREEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITH PAMELA LATRINE RILEY, AFFECTING LODGE 62 FIELD CREST 3 0 4 8 [00:55:02] V STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, 7 0 8 0 5 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNSEL. WHAT A DASH ON IS ? SURE. MR. AARON, I THINK SHE'S GONNA SIGN IT OVER, BUT WE'LL LET MR. AARON YEAH. THE GIVING AND PAYMENT. SO THIS PERSON HAS A MORTGAGE AND INSTEAD OF US FORECLOSING, THEY'RE JUST GONNA GIVE US THE PROPERTY BACK AND WE FORGIVE THE DEBT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I SO, MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCK. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 72, [72. 24-01260] AMENDING THE 2024 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE AUSTIN SAINT IRMA LEE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $80,000 FROM THE DISTRICT'S FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED TO GENERAL PROPERTY TAX FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDING FOR COLLECTION COSTS, UNANTICIPATED PERSONNEL COSTS, EQUIPMENT COSTS AND REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STATION AND EQUIPMENT BY ALISON ST. ER LEE. FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? UH, CAN I, UH, EX FINANCE TO COME PLEASE? UM, ANGIE. OKAY. SHE STEPPED OUT A MINUTE. OH, ANGIE, GIVE YOU A MINUTE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALLISON ST. ER LEE. SO ANGIE, WHEN, UM, THE, WHENEVER, UM, A REQUEST FOR TO APPROPRIATE A CHANGE, WHAT DO, WHAT DOES FINANCE REQUIRE FROM, UM, THE, THE, THE ALLISON OR ANY BOARD, ANYBODY LIKE THIS? SO ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, I THINK THEY ARE USING THEIR, THEY JUST GOT A NEW PROPERTY TAX, AND SO WE ARE ALLOWING THEM TO INCREASE THEIR BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THOSE NEEDS FROM THE NEW, IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? DO THEY GIVE YOU A SHOPPING LIST OR WHAT? HOW DO YOU KNOW ? I'M JUST TRYING TO, THEY, UH, LET ME SEE, BECAUSE THEY HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS ON THE COMMUNITY. HAS A LOT OF CONCERNS. UM, MATTER OF FACT, SOME WERE BROUGHT TO ME THIS WEEKEND ON THE LACK. THEY, WHAT THEY FEEL IS A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. OKAY. SO IT'S ADDITIONAL NEEDS ON THEIR MILLAGE THAT THEY'RE GETTING. MM-HMM. . AND THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A FUND BALANCE OF OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. MM-HMM. . AND SO THE, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO OPERATE. SO WE LOOK AT IT FROM A PROJECTION STANDPOINT. WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEN WE MAKE AN A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT. BUT DO YOU HAVE A LIST? DO I MEAN, IS THERE A PROPOSAL THAT WAS GIVEN? MM-HMM? , YES. SO THERE, GO AHEAD. BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON HERE. UM, SO EARLIER THIS YEAR THERE WAS A BUDGET SUPPLEMENT DONE, UH, WHERE WE APPROPRIATED SOME OF THIS MILLAGE FOR PAY. MM-HMM. THAT'S GONE A LITTLE OVER. UM, I GUESS BASED ON THE HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY'RE WORKING, UH, THERE WAS ALSO AN OVERAGE ASSOCIATED WITH A TRUCK. UM, ADDITIONAL COST WITH IT. 14 FIVE, UH, ADDITIONAL COST FROM RADIOS. THAT WAS 1340. THERE WAS A BATHROOM REMODEL, ELECTRICAL REPAIRS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS COSTS AT THE STATION. IT'S ALMOST 23,000. THEY DID, UM, GET SOME ADDITIONAL RADIOS AND WE ALSO HAD TO INCLUDE THE TAX COST FOR THE ADDITIONAL MILLAGE. SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE A, UM, AN ISSUE WITH IT, BUT I THINK I NEED TO DEFER, MAKE, DEFER ONLY BECAUSE, UM, WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH SO THAT THEY CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME RATTLING GO RATTLING GOING ON. MM-HMM. . UM, AND I COULDN'T EXPLAIN IT 'CAUSE I DID NOT KNOW. UM, SO IF I MAY, UM, DEFER THIS PROBABLY FOR 30 DAYS BECAUSE THEY, THERE WILL BE A MEETING COMING UP AND I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER, UH, WHAT DAY BREAK SAID THEY WERE AVAILABLE. UM, SO I LIKE TO MAKE A REC A DEFER FOR 30 DAYS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON? COUNCILMAN MO? IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANYONE, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM ALLISON? NO. DID YOU, ARE, ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THIS? OH, OKAY. [01:00:01] OKAY. ARE, ARE YOU UP TO DATE ON ANY OF THIS INFORMATION THAT SHE MIGHT BE REQUESTING OR ANYTHING? COME COME TO THE MIC AND TALK PLEASE, SIR? YES, PLEASE. , I, I JUST DON'T WANNA HOLD UP YOUR FUNDING NO. OR SOMETHING IF WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT CAN SPEAK ON WHAT SHE'S ASKING ABOUT. RIGHT, RIGHT. UM, SO, UH, THERE WAS, UM, UNEXPECTED COSTS, UH, DUE TO, UH, REPAIRS TO, UH, TRUCKS GETTING NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT. UM, WE HAD TO GET PURCHASED, UH, NEW. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NO, NO. THESE CALL, THESE CAME UP THIS WEEK. YES, MA'AM. I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. UH, UH, THE CHIEF WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UH, HE, UH, AND THEY ASKED ME TO COME JUST IN CASE YOU HAD ANY QUESTION ABOUT IT ALL. HE WAS THERE AND SHE WAS, UM, SHE WAS RIGHT ABOUT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT SHE GAVE YOU AND, UH, ON THE CALLS. MM-HMM. AND IT WAS DUE TO ALSO, IT WASN'T EXPECTED FOR, UM, I GUESS THE, THE MILLAGE CAME ABOUT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, MORE, MORE WORK WAS DONE WITH, WITH EMPLOYEES AND GIVEN, UH, MORE HOURS, UH, THAT, UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD A RATING DUE FOR THIS YEAR. SO WE HAD, UM, WORK EXTRA HOURS ON THAT TIME TOO. MM-HMM. . SO, UH, MOSTLY WAS EQUIPMENT TOO THAT, UH, CAUSED THE PROBLEM THEN HAD UNEXPECTED CAUSE OF, UH, AC GOING OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THINGS THAT WENT NOT SO FAR LEFT. I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. BUT YOU'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY A LONG TIME. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. YES, MA'AM. I UNDERSTAND. AND SO, UM, THIS IS CLEARLY, UM, MY TIME OF JUST A MATTER OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT HEY, I'M SORRY, I, I'M SO SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. SORRY. UH, CAN I HAVE FINANCE COME UP? THANK YOU IF YOU WANT. OKAY. UM, I THINK ONE YOU OR ANGIE HAD MENTIONED A SECOND AGO THAT, UM, ARE, ARE THESE FUNDS, ARE THESE FUNDS THAT THEY, THEY ALREADY HAVE AND WE'RE JUST MOVING THEM? MM-HMM. . SO THERE IS, IS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL 10 NILS THAT WAS APPROVED, AND 24 IS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THAT. SO THEY WON'T COLLECT, THEY WON'T START, THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED COLLECTING. THEY WILL COLLECT IT WHEN THE TAX BILLS GO OUT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. OKAY. SO WE'RE, SO IT'S NOT BUDGETED FOR AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT WAS NOT APPROVED, BUT IT HAS SINCE BEEN APPROVED. SO WE'RE DOING THIS BASED ON ANTICIPATED REVENUE FROM THE NEW TAX MILLAGE THAT THEY GOT. CORRECT. SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE THE MONEY THERE APPROPRIATED TO THEIR BUDGET. MM-HMM. AND THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THIS WORK DONE OR, OR, OR CATCH UP WITH WHAT THEY NEED. RIGHT. AND, AND I RESPECT WHAT COUNCIL, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS SAYING IF THERE'S QUESTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED. AND WE CAN DO THAT. BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DUE COLLECTING AND OR THEIR BUDGET THEMSELVES. CORRECT. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE SO THEY CAN GET THEIR STUFF DONE, AND THEN I, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK FOR COUNCILWOMAN BANKS AND, AND HAVE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT SOME CONCERNS MIGHT BE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND LET THEM GO AHEAD AND FUNCTION AND OPERATE ON WHAT THEY'RE GETTING. WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM. WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DOES ANYBODY OBJECT TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? IT'S NOT. I JUST KNOW HOW Y'ALL, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THE HEAT, SO WE HAVE AN OBJECTION. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE MACHINES. THE MACHINES ARE FIRST GONNA BE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 72. ACTION. NO MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 72, AMENDING THE 2024 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE, NOPE, SORRY. ITEM 73, AUTHORIZING [73. 24-01263] MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RENEW, ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. FOR THE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION COST OF THE COMMAND CENTER AWARE PROGRAM. ESTIMATED COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT EXCEED $63,860 ANNUALLY AND NOT TO EXCEED $319,300 OVER THE FIVE YEAR LIFE OF THE SUBSCRIPTION BY POLICE CHIEF. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE WILL GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 74, [74. 24-01261] AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO RENEW THE RAISING CANES RIVER CENTER [01:05:01] RENTAL WAIVER AGREEMENT WITH VISIT BATON ROUGE AND A SM GLOBAL FOR THE PERIOD. JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2028 BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT VISIT BATON ROUGE, A SM GLOBAL RAISING CANES RIVER CENTER. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MS. JILL KIDDER. THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM. APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, UH, PLEASE APPROVE THIS RENEWAL, UH, THIS RENTAL WAIVER AGREEMENT, UH, BETWEEN US, UH, HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2006. IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN OUR EFFORTS TO RECRUIT, UH, EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING FOR THE, THE RIVER CENTER. WE TAKE, UM, REAL CAUTION AND CARE WITH HOW WE ADMINISTER THIS AND, AND GIVE THIS, UH, RENTAL WAIVER OUT. UH, SINCE 2021, UH, TOGETHER WITH A AND M, WE HAVE USED THIS AGREEMENT SUCCESSFULLY TO RECRUIT OVER 30 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE COMPETED WITH OTHER CITIES AGAINST, UH, WHO WANTED THE SAME, UM, EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING. AND THIS, THESE 30 EVENTS ALONE HAVE PRODUCED OVER 47 MILLION IN ECONOMIC, IN DIRECT SPENDING, UH, FOR OUR AREAS. SO, I I IT HAS WORKED. AND WITHOUT THIS TOOL, I REALLY CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WOULD'VE LOST A GREAT DEAL, UH, TO OUR COMPETITORS. AND ESPECIALLY NOW, UM, BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT WE REDO THIS CENTER, WE ARE GOING TO NEED THIS MORE THAN EVER. SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO, TO, UM, AGAIN, RENEW THIS RENTAL WAIVER FOR US. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS? UH, WAYNE. WAYNE TIS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE RAISING CANS RIVER CENTER. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE, YOU KNOW, JILL AND I AGREE ON THIS, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A EXTREMELY USEFUL TOOL. UH, UH, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THERE'S BEEN ALMOST 130,000 ATTENDEES THAT COME, THAT HAVE COME FROM, WHETHER IT BE OUTTA STATE OR OUT OF THE CITY THAT STAYED IN OUR HOTELS, WHICH GENERATED REVENUES FOR HOTELIERS, RESTAURANTS, GAS STATIONS, ET CETERA. AND THE RENTAL WAIVER IS SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS US TO COMPETE. 'CAUSE OTHER REGIONAL COMMUNITIES, UH, HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LEG UP BECAUSE THEY CAN OFFER FREE SURFACE PARKING. WE, WE CANNOT, AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE THE PARKING GARAGES ARE A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR THE CITY, BUT IT ALSO, TO AN EXTENT, IS A DETERRENT FOR US TO TRY AND GET THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO COME HERE. SO BY ALLOWING US TO UTILIZE THE RENTAL WAIVER, IT, IT GIVES US ANOTHER THING TO COMBAT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IN OUR REGION TO GET THOSE CONVENTIONS HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 74. GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANYONE, ANY, ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES ON [79. 24-01233] ITEM 79, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT FUNDING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES FOR THE RYAN WHITE HIV AIDS PROGRAM AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,083,514 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 79. SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MO. SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIED CARRIES. WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS 80 [Items 80 - 85] THROUGH 85 TOGETHER AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND A SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA, THE AMOUNT OF 387,000 FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT OF 1,070,000 UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH OUR LADY OF THE LAKE, INC. FOR INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $190,297 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $549,981 AWARDED UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND A SUBRECIPIENT AND CONTRACT WITH NO AIDS TASK FORCE FOR THE RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $144,375 FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT OF $498,961 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND THE SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH CAPITAL CITY FAMILY HEALTH CLINIC FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,050 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $703,675 AWARDED UNDER THE [01:10:01] RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND THE SUB AND CONTRACT WITH FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BATON ROUGE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $207,275 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $611,420 AWARDED UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND THE SUB RECIPIENT AND CONTRACT WITH HIV AIDS ALLIANCE FOR REGION TWO FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $344,185 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,009,250 UNDER THE RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR. DOES ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 83 85 COUNCIL MEMBERS? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEMS 83 85. SEE NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? NO. MOVE. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE THE SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ANNE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 86 AUTHORIZING MAYOR. PRESIDENT? YES. SHOW ME. UH, ABSTAINING FROM 85 OH SHOW COUNCILMAN DUN JR. ABSTAINING FROM ITEM 85. ITEM 86, [86. 24-01240] AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT ENTERED INTO EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022. BUY IN BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND GLENNA GOTHE DOING BUSINESS AS GOTHE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STAFF INCREASING THE CONTRACT BY $6,666 AND 66 CENTS NOT TO EXCEED $221,666 AND 66 CENTS BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 87 [87. 24-01242] AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR ABSTRACTING SERVICES WITH THE GUY LAND TITLE SERVICES LLC PER ABSTRACTING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT, UPPER JONES CLEARING AND SNAGGING, AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $62,640 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 88 [88. 24-01244] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR ABSTRACTING SERVICES WITH GULF SOUTH LAND. TITLE RESOURCES LLC FOR ABSTRACTING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH EAST BATON ROUGE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT LIVELY BY YOU AND TRIBUTARY CLEARING SNAGGING IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $77,262 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. TEAM NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 89 [89. 24-01243] AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF EMILY DELOS FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM SEWER BACKUPS AND CLAIMANT'S RESIDENCE FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $14,104 49 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [90. 24-01249] ITEM 90 AUTHORIZED AND SETTLEMENT ON THE CLAIM OF THE CLAIM OF ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,777 AND 16 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM SEEN NONE. WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAM. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 91 [91. 24-01245] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENT SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE FOR THE ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH SJB GROUP LLC FOR LOCATION OF UTILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH EAST BATON ROUGE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT, AMY RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES WATERSHED AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,477 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 92 [92. 24-01246] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE FOR THE ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH SJB GROUP LLC FOR LOCATION OF UTILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH EAST BATON ROUGE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT, A E RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES WATERSHED FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT, JONES CREEK CLEARING AND SNAGGING IN A MOUNT. I EXCEED $35,191 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS 93 [Items 93 - 98] THROUGH 98 TOGETHER. GENTLEMEN, Y'ALL WANNA STEP ON SIDE IF Y'ALL GO HAVE A CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. ITEMS 93 THROUGH 98 AUTHORIZED MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER ONE WITH APEX ENGINEERING CORPORATION FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT NICHOLSON SEGMENT ONE. [01:15:01] AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, THAT'S BRIGHTSIDE TO DEGREE, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $27,591 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ITEM 94, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER TWO FOR UTILITY RELOCATION SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE BEYOND CAPACITY PROJECT BENHUR NICHOLSON REALIGNMENT AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $118,389 AND 60 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ITEM 95 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH EDS INC. FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT PERKINS ROAD, SEGAN LANE TO PEKU IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,785 BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ITEM 96 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER TWO WITH INFINITY ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT JONES CREEK ROAD, TIGER BEND TO AIRLINE HIGHWAY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $34,316 BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR ADAM 97 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH PIVOTAL ENGINEERING LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR CAPACITY PROJECT HOOPER ROAD, BLACKWATER TOJO, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY SIX THOUSAND SIXTY FIVE CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR ADAM 98 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. LLC FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE VR ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, DALE AVENUE, GOODWOOD BOULEVARD, AND DALE SEVEN OAKS AVENUE INTERSECTION. PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $26,400 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 93 THROUGH 98? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GOEY, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. ADAM 99 [99. 24-01254] AMENDING RESOLUTION 5 8 0 0 3 ADOPTED ON JULY 24TH, 2024, AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR W FOR WEST MCKINLEY STREET, ASTOR STREET AREA A DA TRANSITION PROJECT. DEGRADED CRAWFORD CONSTRUCTION IN AN AMOUNT OF $361,258 TO THE CORRELATED LOW BID AMOUNT OF $361,268 AND 80 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEN NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. YEAH. ITEM A HUNDRED, [100. 24-01255] AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO AUTHORIZE THE NO-COST AMENDMENT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT ENDING INTO JUNE 1ST, 2023. BUY IN BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITIES HEALING AND NURTURING GROWTH THROUGH EDIFICATION BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SCENE NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 1 0 1, [101. 24-01259] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT INTO, INTO EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022. BY AND BETWEEN CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PASTURE OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND DEBORAH G. HOLDEN, INCREASING THE CONTRACT BY $26,666 AND 64 CENTS NOT TO EXCEED $239,999 AND 98 CENTS BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAME. NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOROCCO. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES, [ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES] JUST ONE LOT. 15 SQUARE 32 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER. JOHN D. FARMER. $600. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? OH, SORRY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM THREE. NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES APPOINTMENTS. [103. 24-01296] I'M GOING TO CAPITAL AREA FINANCE AUTHORITY CONCURRENT IN THE MAYOR, PRESIDENTS REPLACEMENT OF HELENA CUNNINGHAM, WHO HAS RESIGNED SIX YEAR TERM EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 9TH. CURRENT BALLOT, DEMAR RUTLEDGE. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL. MOTION TO APPOINT MR. RUTLEDGE SECOND BY SECOND. COUNCILMAN GOEY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS MR. RUTLEDGE. ITEM 1 0 4, [104. 24-01297] COMPLETE STREET CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ONE APPOINTMENT TO CONCUR IN THE NOMINATION BY THE NORTH BATON ROUGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APPOINTMENTS FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM CURRENT BALLOT. CHARLES DANIEL. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY [01:20:01] COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY THE CHAIR FOR CHARLES, DANIEL. ANYONE OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS MR. DANIEL. ITEM 1 0 5, [105. 24-01315] ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL BOARD CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING WALTER GINO MCLAUGHLIN, WHO RESIGNED TERM EXPIRES DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. CURRENT BALLOT. JASON JACOB, KENDALL MILO, DANIEL RODRIGUEZ. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANY? NONE. WILL GO TO COUNSEL MAYOR, UH, PRO TIM. I WANT TO, UH, MAKE THE MOTION TO NOMINATE JASON JACOB, PLEASE, OR APPOINT JASON JACOB. WE HAVE MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN OSA. UH, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON TO APPOINT JASON JACOB. COUNCILMAN MOOCH. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A, I'D LIKE TO PUT MR. KENDALL MILO UP FOR AN APPOINTMENT ALSO. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA RUN THE BALLOT. WE'RE JUST GONNA VOTE ON THE BALLOT. UH, YOU WANT TO, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO INVITE ANY OF THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE HERE IF YOU WANNA COME UP AND SPEAK AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF. UH, JASON JACOB. UH, 4 6 5 2 FALWELL DRIVE. BAT ROUGE. UH, MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW ME. I SERVED 12 YEARS ON THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL. SO I'M BACK AGAIN TO SEE IF, UH, TAKE A SHOT AT THE, UH, A BC BOARD AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO THERE. SO, ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WE ARE GOING TO FIRST OPEN THE MACHINES FOR JASON. JACOB, JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN ONLY VOTE FOR ONE PERSON IN THE FIRST ROUND. AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO VOTE. NO. YOU CAN ONLY, YOU JUST NEED TO VOTE YES. IF YOU WANNA VOTE FOR THE PERSON. THE MACHINES ARE NOW OPEN FOR JASON JACOB. TWO VOTES. THE MACHINES ARE NEXT. GONNA BE OPEN FOR KENDALL MILO. OKAY. THE MACHINES ARE OPEN. SEVEN VOTES. KENDALL MILO HAS BEEN APPOINTED. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. MILO. GONNA TAKE ITEMS 1 0 6 AND [Items 106 & 107] 1 0 7 TOGETHER. N-W-W-T-P LARGE DIAMETER PIPE REHABILITATION CONTRACTOR, N-C-M-C-L-L-C, CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT CREDIT, $16,779 SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM. PROJECT 18 TWO. TIGER BENDON STREETS AND OAK HILLS PLACE PARK AND HIGHLAND SHADOW SUBDIVISION CONTRACTOR, RJ D**O AND SON'S CONTRACTORS CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT. CREDIT 29 CENTS. ITEMS 1 0 6 AND 1 0 7. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? NONE. GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DON JR. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GONNA TAKE 1 0 8 1 0 9 [Items 108 & 109] TOGETHER, N-W-W-T-P LARGE DIAMETER PIPE REHABILITATION CONTRACTOR N-C-M-C-L-L-C FINAL COST $980,221 AT 1 0 9 SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM. PROJECT 18 TWO. TIGER BENON STREETS AND OAK HILLS PLACE AND PARK AND HIGHLAND SHADOW SUBDIVISIONS CONTRACTOR, RJ DLE AND SONS CONTRACTORS, INC. FINAL COST $3,594,149 AND 36 CENTS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS IN MY BUDGET? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION ON FINAL ACCEPTANCE. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUN, JR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. ACCEPTANCE OF [Items 110 & 111] LOW BID. WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS ONE 10 AND ONE 11 TOGETHER. SALES ITEM ONE 10 SALES TAX, STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT 19 THREE STREETS IN HERMITAGE IN LEXINGTON ESTATE'S. NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS LOW BID RJ DLE AND SONS CONTRACTORS. $2,166,192 AND 25 CENTS. ITEM ONE 11 BLUE BONARD BOULEVARD, MID MIDBLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING PROJECT, LOW BID. DIAMOND ELECTRICAL COMPANY, INC. $259,713 AND 20 CENTS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE 10 AND ONE 11? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAM, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GO DAY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ITEMS. ITEM, [112. 24-00792] UH, ONE 12. DISCUSSION OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH INCLUSIVE OF THE PURPOSE. SCOPE, PROHIBITIONS, REPORTING, INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION BY COUNCILWOMAN BANKS. TITLE WAS DEFERRED [01:25:01] FROM JULY 24TH. AUGUST 20. AUGUST 14TH AND SEPTEMBER 18TH. YES, SHE'S HERE. I I I'M NOT SURE IF UM, KIM IS HERE. I KNOW SHE HAS SOME FAMILY ILLNESS. IS YOU HEAR KIM? OKAY. YOU WAS HOPING I DEFERRED IT AGAIN. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REPORT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEARING. CAN'T IF YOU JUST GIVE A REPORT WHAT YOU FOUND. WELL, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT OUR, UM, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICIES AT THE CITY WERE. AND I SENT YOU A COPY OF THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY THAT EXISTS AT THE CITY. MM-HMM. IT IS A NON-DISCRIMINATION EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY. IT APPLIES TO ALL CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES, BUT IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS. RIGHT. WHICH WAS YOUR RIGHT. WHICH WAS YOUR INTEREST, I BELIEVE. YEAH. AND YOU WERE TO SEE WHAT THAT WORDING WOULD LOOK LIKE BASED ON IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER, UM, MUNICIPALITIES OR WHAT THE WORDING WOULD LOOK LIKE. AND IF, AND THE DISCUSSION. BASICALLY IF THERE, IS THERE A NE A, IS THERE A NEED WHERE IT SHOULD INCLUDE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE COULD INCLUDE IT IN THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, BUT MY SUGGESTION TO YOU IN AN EMAIL WOULD BE THAT IF YOU WANTED TO COM TO INCLUDE BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS, YOU COULD DO A RESOLUTION AND ASK THE COUNCIL TO PASS A RESOLUTION INDICATING THAT THEY WOULDN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE IN CHOOSING BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS. AND THE RESOLUTION BASICALLY IS KIND OF LIKE A FEEL GOOD, RIGHT? YES, IT WOULD BE. SO IN THE WORK, UM, IN THE WORK, WHEN WOULD YOU TELL WHAT THE, WHAT IS LISTED AS THE DISCRIMINATION AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT COULD BE USED? THAT SAME WORDING? I KNOW IT COULD NOT BE UNDER EMPLOYMENT, BUT AS IT RELATES TO BOARDS AND COMMISSION, WOULD THAT BE A SEPARATE ITEM UNDER THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT? WELL, IF YOU WANNA AMEND THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT TO INCLUDE IT, THEN YOU GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE NOTHER PROCESS. SURE. AND BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS I WANTED YOU TO DISCUSS. WELL, THE OPTIONS. AND THAT'S WHY MY OPTION TO YOU WHEN I SENT YOU THE EMAIL WAS THAT YOU DO A RESOLUTION BECAUSE THAT'S THE EASIEST THING FOR YOU TO DO. IT JUST HAS NO TEETH. SO IF YOU WANNA AMEND THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER WHAT ARE THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE TEETH IS MY IS WHAT YOU'RE, OTHER THAN THE RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE TEETH, SO YOU'RE SAYING THE RESOLUTION DOES HAVE TEETH OR DOESN'T NO, I, OTHER THAN THE RESOLUTION THAT IS REALLY YOUR OPTION. UNLESS YOU WANT TO AMEND THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH AGAIN IS A WHOLE NOTHER SURE. GOING THROUGH THAT. I DID INDICATE TO YOU IN MY EMAIL, AND I'M JUST READING IT BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE, I KNOW MOST OF THE DAY TODAY, UM, WE DO HAVE A LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. MM-HMM. AND STATUTES THAT ALLOW PARISHES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO ADOPT AND ENFORCE ORDINANCES REGARDING DISCRIMINATION. SO, UM, IT ALLOWS YOU TO FORM A COMMITTEE AND PRESENT THOSE THINGS TO THE COMMITTEE AND HAVE THE COMMITTEE VOTE ON THEM. AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SUGGEST TO THE COUNCIL TO CREATE A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THIS, STUDY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND SEE IF THEY COULD COME UP WITH AN ORDINANCE THAT MIGHT BE AMENABLE TO THE COUNCIL. RIGHT. AND IN OUR DISCUSSION, YOU, DID YOU FIND ANY MUNICIPALITY THAT WAS REALLY THE, THE GIST OF I FOUND ONE. OKAY. I FOUND ONE MUNICIPALITY THAT HAD A ORDINANCE. I, I DON'T KNOW, LET ME, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT'S AN ORDINANCE. IT'S JUST A POLICY. MM-HMM. THAT TALKED ABOUT ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND BOARD COMMISSION MEMBER APPOINTMENTS. AND I BELIEVE THAT I SENT YOU, THAT WAS THE LANGUAGE THAT I SENT YOU IN MY EMAIL, WHICH INDICATED YOU MIGHT WORD A RESOLUTION IN THAT MANNER. SO, SO, SO KIM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU SENT ME THE EMAILS, BUT EVERYTHING WAS REALLY BASED ON A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR THE COUNCIL, NOT JUST FOR ME, BECAUSE I WASN'T REALLY INTERESTED IN TAKING AN ACTION AT THIS TIME. SO IT WAS REALLY A DISCUSSION ITEM, WHETHER BASED ON WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU FOUND, WHAT YOUR RESEARCH INDICATED. AND SO I KNOW YOU KEEP REFERRING TO EMAIL, BUT I FIGURED THAT'S JU FYI, THAT THAT WAS NOT IN SUBSTITUTION FOR YOU MAKING A PRES PRESENTATION THAT GAVE ALL THE INFORMATION. WELL, OUR JOB AT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS REALLY TO ANSWER LEGAL QUESTIONS. RIGHT. AND SO I WAS TRYING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE [01:30:01] OF HOW YOU COULD DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE IF YOU WANTED TO. RIGHT. AND MY SUGGESTION TO YOU WAS A RESOLUTION YEAH. OR THE COMMITTEE MEMBER, OR TRYING TO PASS AN ORDINANCE. IT WASN'T MY INTENTION TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL. 'CAUSE YOU WERE THE PERSON WHO HAD THE QUESTION. YEAH. SO I DON'T KNOW. UM, SHA SHAUNA, LET'S, LET'S DO THIS. OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND I, WE WE'RE GONNA JUST RECEIVE IT. WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE WHAT WE CAN. OKAY. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE YOUR TIME. SO, SO LET'S JUST YEAH, BECAUSE I, I DIDN'T MEAN TO HAVE, LET'S, I DIDN'T LET NO, I KNOW. YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR TIME, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD. WE'LL HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO WANT TO GIVE TO US ON WHAT YOU RESEARCHED, I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. AND THE ONLY THING, AND LIKE I TOLD COUNCILWOMAN BANKS AND, AND OVER THE VARIOUS MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS IS THERE ARE NO OTHER POLICIES IN LOUISIANA. THERE ARE ANOTHER, NO OTHER ORDINANCES IN LOUISIANA, NOTHING THAT COVERS BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS EXCEPT FOR THE ONE PLACE THAT I FOUND, WHICH WAS CHANDLER, ARIZONA, I BELIEVE. AND THE WORDING THAT I SENT IN MY EMAIL, WHICH INDICATED IT, THEIR POLICY STATES THAT IT'S THE OBJECTIVE OF THEM NOT TO DISCRIMINATE WHEN CHOOSING BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS. THAT'S WHAT THEIR LANGUAGE SAYS. SO, BUT THEIRS IS A POLICY, JUST LIKE I SAID, YOU SHOULD PASS A RESOLUTION, AGAIN, LESS TEETH THAN AN ORDINANCE, LESS TEETH THAN A COMMITTEE THAT YOU MIGHT PUT TOGETHER TO SUGGEST AN ORDINANCE THAT THE COUNCIL COULD PASS. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE, OKAY. WELL, HANG, HANG ON, HANG ON. OKAY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE, ON THIS ITEM FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN GOEY. THANKS. YOU REFERENCED AT THE START OF YOUR PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE AN EAST BATON ROUGE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY. YES, SIR. IS THAT CONTAINED IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT OR IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY? IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY. IT FALLS UNDER OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. IT DOES. OKAY. I JUST WANT, I I WAS NOT CLEAR IF YOU WERE QUOTING FROM THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS, I WAS THERE ON IT, SIR. ALRIGHT, THANKS AGAIN SO MUCH. COUNCIL MO, IN YOUR, IN YOUR DEFINITION OR OR ANSWERS TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, IN ANY OF THE SEARCH THAT YOU DID AND STUFF, DOES IT HAVE ANY DEFINITION OR, UM, ACTS OF, UH, DISCRIMINATION OR HOW YOU WOULD DETERMINE DISCRIMINATION ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION? I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT THIS FROM A BOARD OF THE COMMISSION COMES BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. WE JUST LIKE WE DID FOR A, B, C, AND THE OTHERS JUST NOW, AND WE VOTE IT. I MEAN, UNDER, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. UNDER YOUR OPINION, IF YOU DID AN ORDINANCE BASED SAYING IF YOU DID AN ORDINANCE, WOULD YOU HAVE TO DESCRIBE AND BASE WHAT DISCRIMINATION EXACTLY WOULD BE CALLED OUT? OR EVEN IF AN ORDINANCE OR A RESOLUTION IN PLACE COULD AT ANY POINT DISCRIMINATION BE CALLED? WELL, IF YOU PASS AN ORDINANCE, YOU SHOULD BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE EVERY TIME YOU ABOUT WHAT DISCRIMINATION IS. EXACTLY. SO IF A VOTE DOESN'T GO A CERTAIN WAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DISCRIMINATION COULD BE CALLED UPON. WELL, ANYONE CAN SAY ANYTHING, UH, UNDERSTOOD . AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT CONCERNS ME. I AGREE WITH YOU. AND THE RESOLUTION AND, AND POLICY AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT WE, WE, WE SHOULD NOT, AND NO ONE EVER SHOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE FOR, FOR ANY REASON. AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST RACE OR, OR, UM, GENDER OR WHATEVER ELSE. IF THE PERSON'S QUALIFIED, THEY'RE QUALIFIED. AND A GENERAL POLICY INDICATING THAT, FOR INSTANCE, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, NATIONALITIES, PRE YOU CAN USE A GENERAL, NOT GENERAL DIVERSITY LANGUAGE IN POLICY. CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT. SECOND BY THE CHAIR. ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA JUMP TO [114. 24-01286] EMERGENCY ITEM, UH, NUMBER ONE 14, RECEIVING AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PAY STUDY, INCLUDING CONSOLIDATION OF POSITIONS AND RESTRUCTURING BENEFITS BY COUNCILMAN DARL HURST. REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS PROCESS FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS [01:35:01] POSSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE 1 6 4 2 2. THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS? AN EMERGENCY MOTION TO DELETE SO WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY? CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CANNOT NOT BE HEARD. NEED TO RECONSIDER AN ITEM, PLEASE HANG ON. LET'S, LET'S GO TO NUMBER ONE 13, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THEO RICHARDS AND KAT'S BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT KATZ BY COUNCIL. ADMINISTRATIVE. TREASURER. WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE THE REPORT FIRST AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. I NEED TO RECONSIDER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DAY RECONSIDER, BUT I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT YOU WANT TO DO. OKAY. I I THINK DARRYL HAS TO GO. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? OKAY. EXCUSE ME ONE MINUTE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM, BUT I THINK I THREW IT AWAY. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BAIL. OKAY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UH, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO RECONSIDER ITEM A 24 0 1 3 4 8 ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JAMELA SHAW BELL FOR SERVICES TO METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. INCREASING THE CONTRACT BY AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5,000 PER MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2024 TO DECEMBER, 2024. BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT TO AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $65,000 BY COUNCILMAN DARRELL HURST. MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW ITEMS TO BE INTRODUCED. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HERS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. DOES ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION? TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NOW I'M GONNA HAVE A, A VOTE. IT REQUIRES UNANIMOUS CONSENT. DOES ANYONE OPPOSED TO WAIVING THE RULES? SURE. I AM. WE HAVE OPPOSITION SO THE MOTION CANNOT BE INTRODUCED. MOVING [113. 24-01294] ON ITEM ONE 13, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THEO RICHARDS AND KAT'S BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN KATZ. WE HAVE TO RECEIVE THE REPORT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES MA'AM. HI EVERYONE. MELISSA DE DEGENERES, 29 23 MCCARROLL. I'M SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE CAT SCORE THIS YEAR AND I HAVE A, I HAVE A PRESENTATION. OH, WE'RE QUEUING UP ALL . YEAH, I HAVE TO SHAKE IT UP A BIT. SO WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY VISIT SPACE AND SCIENCE FICTION. SO WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR CATS AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU. YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OUR BOARD HAS KIND OF BEEN AT THE STAR FLEET ACADEMY AND WE HAVE BEEN BASING OUR CHALLENGES HEAD ON. SOME OF OUR ADVANCEMENTS ARE, WE HAVE HIRED A PERMANENT CEO. WE HAD THREE MEMBERS ATTEND THE TA AT APT TO CONFERENCE AND OUR LIAISON, WE HAVE REALLY STRENGTHENED OUR FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND I THINK THAT THEO WILL SPEAK ON OUR RESULTS OF OUR ANNUAL AUDIT, GOVERNANCE AND COMPLIANCE. I KNOW COMMISSIONER COLEMAN AND I ARE DEFINITELY TWO PEOPLE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS COVERED. PERFORMANCE MONITORING, WE'VE KIND OF STREAMLINED, INSTEAD OF GIVING THE SAME INFORMATION EVERY MONTH, WE'RE ASKING FOR NEW INFORMATION OR MAYBE QUARTERLY UPDATES. UH, THIS ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, RISK MANAGEMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS ACTUALLY GOVERNS AND MANAGES RISK AND BOARD DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UM, A LITTLE GET TOGETHER LATER ON THIS YEAR AND DO SOME GOVERNANCE TRAINING. OUR NEXT STEPS AND WHAT I SEE FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS THAT WE NEED TO DO STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT. WE NEED TO NOT BE IN THE OPERATIONS. WE NEED TO MOVE STRATEGICALLY, UM, RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE AND RESOURCES. UM, DEVELOP FINANCIAL INTERNAL CONTROLS. WE DID HAVE WEAKNESSES THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO BE DONE AND I THINK EVERY ORGANIZATION SHOULD HAVE A SUCCESSION PLAN. NEXT SLIDE. WE MAY NOT BE THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, BUT WE ARE GUARDIANS OF THE CAD'S ASSETS. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS INSTILL THAT WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LEGAL [01:40:01] AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCES. WE HAVE TO HAVE ETHICAL OVERSIGHT, STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT, RISK MANAGEMENT. AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT WE'RE GEARING OR MOVING OUR BOARD TO BE A GOVERNING BOARD. AND IT'S REALLY A, A VERY GOOD FIRST STEP WE'VE MADE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YODA. ALL RIGHT. UH, I THINK DIVERSITY IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT OUR BOARD HAS A VERY GOOD DIVERSE BACKGROUND. MEN, WOMEN, ETHNIC, ETHNIC DIVERSITY, EDUCATION, AND MULTI-GENE GENERATIONAL. WE'RE NOT ALL YOUNG AND WE'RE NOT ALL OLD. SO I THINK THAT'S COVERED. THE NEXT SLIDE, THE MATRIX. AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE FOR THIS PRESENTATION. SO EVERYBODY PAY ATTENTION. A BOARD IS LIKE A FOOTBALL TEAM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AT A HIGH LEVEL. WE HAVE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE OF FINANCE AND EXECUTIVE COMMUNITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PLANNING, WHICH I WANNA CHANGE THE NAME TO. PLANNING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AND AUDIT. I THINK YOU AGREE WITH THAT ONE. UM, NOW I HAVE NINE PLAYERS. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FIND OUT WHERE EVERYBODY IS BEST SUITED. AND I NEED COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, ENGINEERS, POLICY MAKERS, GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE EXPERTS, AND AUDIT OR BUSINESS OR ACCOUNTING BACKGROUNDS. WHEN I GET NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT Y'ALL GIVE TO US, THEN WE HAVE TO FIND A PLACE FOR THEM IN THIS. IF I NEED DIAPERS AND YOU GIVE ME FORMULA, YOU HAVEN'T MET MY NEED AND I NEED TO FILL UP THESE COMMITTEES WITH THE STRONGEST PEOPLE POSSIBLE. SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, WE WILL KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE COMING BACK ON OUR BOARD, WHAT AREAS OF WEAKNESS WE HAVE, AND WHAT SPOTS WE NEED TO FILL. SO I WILL, YOU KNOW, GET WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ONE ACCOUNTANT, ONE COMMUNITY, AND ONE ENGINEER. THOSE THAT WILL GIVE YOU TOOLS INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING THE, WHOEVER THAT SYSTEM IS THAT EVALUATES US AND GIVES US PEOPLE. SO WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH THAT. AND FOR MY FINAL SLIDE BACK TO THE FUTURE, AND I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC AND WITH THE METRO COUNCIL GIVING US VERY STRONG BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH I THINK WE HAVE DONE, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO GROW, DEVELOP, AND SOLVE PROB PROBLEM SOLVE. UM, BEFORE I LEAVE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, NO. I'M GONNA INTRODUCE THEO, HE'S MOTHER HEALTH. OH, OKAY. BUT IF Y'ALL HAD A QUESTION FOR ME, OKAY. GUESS WHAT? LIVE LONG AND PROSPER . AND I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO MEET, WELL, Y'ALL ALL KNOW HIM, THEO. MM-HMM. . GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT PRESENTATION. UH, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE THE, UH, THE FUN PART OF THIS PRESENTATION AS, UH, COMMISSIONER DEGENERES DID. I'M JUST HERE TO READ YOU THE NUMBERS AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE HARDWORKING TEAM OF CATS. I'M TRULY BLESSED TO WORK ALONGSIDE OVER 225 DEDICATED TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS. I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT WE'VE ALREADY SURPASSED OUR RIDERSHIP FOR 2023 WITHIN THE FIRST QUARTERS OF 20. THAT'S ACTUALLY SHOULD BE REVERSED. WE'VE ACTUALLY SURPASSED OUR RIDERSHIP FOR 2023 AND THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF 2024. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT IN ALL WAYS. WE CONTINUE TO SEE A RISE IN OUR PARATRANSIT SERVICES. RIGHT NOW, WE'VE COMPLETED OVER 55,000 TRIPS YEAR TO DATE. AND SINCE MAYBE WE'VE SEEN AN 11% GROWTH, KEEPING IN MIND THAT OUR PARATRANSIT SERVICES ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE TRULY GIVE A DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE. AND ALSO TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, IN THE YEAR OF 2023, UH, WE'VE HAD ABOUT 1.1 MILLION RIDES, AND WE'VE ALREADY SURPASSED THAT GOING INTO OUR FOURTH QUARTER. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONTINUED GROWTH. UH, KATZ NOW OPERATES OVER 100 VEHICLES, WHICH INCLUDE 60, TRADITIONAL 35 FOOT BIODIESEL BUSES, 15 ELECTRIC BUSES, AND WE DO ANTICIPATE RECEIVING NINE ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC BUSES IN 2025. YOU COULD CONTINUE ON FINANCIALLY. I'M PLEASED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR 2023 AUDIT IS COMPLETE AND WE HAD ONLY ONE FINDING. UM, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FROM 2022, WHERE WE HAD FIVE FINDINGS, [01:45:01] UM, TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND SHOW HOW OUR TEAM IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT WE HAVE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY WITHIN THE AGENCY AND THAT WE'RE USING THE BEST DO. WE ARE USING THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. NEXT SLIDE. WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR STOPS ARE SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITY. WE'VE COMPLETED A FULLY VALUATION OF ALL OF OUR STOPS AND ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. WE'RE WORKING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STOPS THAT ARE IN UNSAFE LOCATION, UH, WITH THE REDUCTION OF THOSE STOPS. WE'LL BE INSTALLING BUS PADS AS WELL AS AMENITIES SUCH AS SHELTERS AND BENCHES WERE WARRANTED BY OUR SERVICE STANDARDS. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS AT LEAST 10% OF THESE UPGRADES COMPLETED BY THE YEAR END. NEXT SLIDE. LOOKING AHEAD, WE'VE UNDERTAKEN A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATION ASSESSMENT KNOWN AS SMART CATS. THIS 10 YEAR SERVICE AND OPERATIONS EVALUATION ASSESSES OUR FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE OPTIMIZED ROUTES AND ENSURE EFFICIENT FUNDING OF ALL OF FUNDING ALLOCATION. THE FIRST PHASE OF SMART CATS WILL LAUNCH IN JANUARY OF 2025, AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN PHASES OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS PHASE ONE. WE'RE INTRODUCING FOUR NEW ROUTES, ONE BEING B RAPID. UM, I'M QUITE SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANK ROAD NICHOLSON, UH, BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WHICH IS GONNA BE A NINE MILE CORRIDOR CONNECTING NORTH AND SOUTH BATON ROUGE. THE PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN KATZ AND THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT, AND IT SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL AND LOCAL DOLLARS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WITH OPTIMIZED TRAVEL TIMES WHERE EXISTING ROUTES WILL ENHANCE TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE REGION. NEXT SLIDE. KATZ IS ALSO MAKING A SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A FAST FAIR SYSTEM, WHICH IS A GENFARE ALL IN ONE CUSTOMIZABLE FAIR BOX THAT WILL SIMPLIFY THE BOARDING PROCESS, PROVIDE REAL TIME REPORT AND REPORTING, AND TRULY OPEN UP A TRUE OPEN PAYMENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. SO SIMILAR HOW WHEN YOU GO TO A STORE, YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE TO TAP AND GO. WE'LL HAVE THAT CAPABILITY, UM, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AS THEY'RE BOARD IN THE BUS. THIS PROJECT IS SET TO BEGIN THE DECEMBER, 2024 WITH A TIMELINE OF THREE TO SIX MONTH FOR COMPLETION WITH AN INVESTMENT ABOUT $1.5 MILLION. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THE NORTH TRANSIT CENTER AT 52 75 AIRLINE HIGHWAY ADJACENT TO THE NORTH, UH, ISOLATED LAKE EMERGENCY ROOM. UH, WE'RE EXPECTED TO HAVE THIS PROJECT COMPLETED IN 2025, THE FACILITY WHICH SERVE AS A TRANSIT HUB WITH STATE OUR AMENITIES, REAL TIME BUS TRACKING EIGHT BUS SPACE WITH A TOTAL INVESTMENT ABOUT $4.1 MILLION. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO REITERATE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING SAFE, RELIABLE, AND INNOVATIVE TRANSIT SOLUTIONS FOR THE BAT RIDGE COMMUNITY. WITH THE FOCUS OF IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY, EXPANDING OUR SERVICES, AND MAINTAINING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE'RE WORKING HARD TO MEET THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR ROUTERS IN OUR CITY. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE ELECTRIC BUSES, THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THE NORTH TRANSIT CENTER AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART CATS, WHICH WILL BRING LONG-TERM POSITIVE CHANGE TO OUR SYSTEM. TOGETHER WITH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND THE DEDICATION OF OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM AT KATZ, WE'RE DRIVING FORWARD TOWARDS MAKING A MORE CONNECTED AND ACCESSIBLE BATON ROUGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ATTENTION TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE OUR WORK TO MAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT A KEY PART IN OUR CITY'S FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DID ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MO? YEAH, I I JUST HAVE TO SAY BEST PRESENTATION EVER. . I MEAN, GREAT JOB ON THAT. YES. UH, BOTH OF Y'ALL, BOTH OF Y'ALL. GREAT JOB ON THE INFORMATION. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR PRESENTATION AND EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL SAID, UM, AND WHAT KATZ IS LOOKING FORWARD TO. I MEAN, LOGIC OBVIOUSLY DICTATES THAT THE NEEDS OF THE MANY OUTWEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE FEW OR THE ONE, AND THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING FOR EAST BAT RIDGE PARISH. UM, I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAME ONTO THIS COUNCIL AND THE MANY THINGS, MANY, MANY THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON WITH KATZ. I MEAN, TO THE POINT THAT THIS COUNCIL FORMED A COMMITTEE, UH, REALLY LOOKING INTO EVERYTHING AND TO SEE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, UH, IN WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND THESE NUMBERS HERE AND SO ON. UH, I JUST COMMEND Y'ALL. THANK YOU. UH, MS. CAROLYN, I KNOW SHE'S ON THAT, UH, BOARD ALSO. UM, I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING GREAT. ONE THING I DO WANT TO BRING UP AND POINT OUT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP AS FAR AS QUALIFIED BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND STUFF, UM, AND WORKING WITH US ON GETTING PEOPLE ON THE BOARD THAT CAN TAKE DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, IN OUR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT CHANGE THAT WE HAVE COMING UP, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT IS TO SET QUALIFICATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERS FOR, FOR DIFFERENT, UM, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP Y'ALL OUT IN ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT, THAT WE CAN DO, THAT THE COUNCIL WILL BE SET FORTH TO MAKE QUALIFICATIONS FOR DIFFERENT [01:50:01] BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD. CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? UM, THE VETTING PROCESS FOR CATS WE'RE RATED ON A CERTAIN SYSTEM, AND IF YOU'RE AN ENGINEER, YOU GET EXTRA POINTS, BUT, BUT YOU CAN'T GIVE ME NINE ENGINEERS, SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE WHATEVER THE WAY THAT Y'ALL ARE VETTING US TO FIND OUT WHAT WE NEED AND NOT GIVE EXTRA POINTS FOR A CERTAIN THING THAT YOU THINK WE NEED, CORRECT? NO, NO, I, I TOTALLY GET IT. AND THAT'S WHAT IN THIS PLAN OF GOVERNMENT CHANGE IS, IS WE CAN SET STANDARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR DIFFERENT BOARDS. SO WE FIND QUALIFIED PEOPLE THAT, I MEAN, LOOK, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND A LOT OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE. WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. WE VOTE ON 'EM ALL THE TIME. BUT THIS GIVES AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT FOR, FOR, FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL, IT MAY BENEFIT YOUR ORGANIZATION AS FAR AS PRE-QUALIFYING AND STUFF LIKE THAT FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS OR CERTAIN BOARD SEATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD HELP Y'ALL OUT A LOT. BUT OVERALL, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON Y'ALL'S, UH, EXCEPTIONAL WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, AND PLEASE KEEP IT UP. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO BE CLARIFIED ON IS THIS, UH, RAPID TRANSIT. MM-HMM. , I THINK IT'S ONE THING THAT I HAVE TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT MAKES IT, I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS. SAY WHAT MAKES IT A RAPID TRANSIT? YOU, YOU'RE STILL A BUS IN TRAFFIC, YOU'RE STILL SO ON. IS IT A COORDINATION BETWEEN SINGLE LIGHTS AND THE BUSES THAT MOVES IT FASTER OR WHAT, WHAT GIVES IT ITS DESIGNATION AS RAPID TRANSIT? NO, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO TYPICALLY WITH BUS RAPID TRANSIT, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT HAS ITS DEDICATED LANE. WE ARE, UH, WE'RE, UH, INTRODUCING A MODIFIED BUS TRAFFIC, UH, BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN IT GETS TO THE STATIONS ALONG THE CORRIDOR, WHICH THERE'LL BE 22 ON EACH SIDE, SO 44 COMPLETE, IT'LL BE LEVEL BOARDING. RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU GET TO A STOP, THE BUS HAS THE KNEEL, HAS THE ALLOWED PASSENGER TO BOARD TAKE SOME TIME. UM, AND THEN ALSO THERE'LL BE A, A FAIR FREE TICKET SO IT ONLY GET TICKETS AT THE STATION. UM, WHEN THEY GET ON THE BUS, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAP ON THESE NEW FAIR BOXES AND BE ABLE TO BOARD, WHICH ALSO SPEEDS UP THE, UH, FAIR, UH, THE, UH, THE BOARDING PROCESS TIME. YES. THANK YOU. AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S GONNA HAVE 15 MINUTE HEADWAYS. UM, THIS, UH, SYSTEM IS GONNA BE DEDICATED WITH NINE ELECTRIC BUSES. UH, SO DURING PEAK TIMES YOU'LL SEE 15 MINUTE BUSES COMING, BUSES COMING EVERY 15 MINUTES UP AND ALONG THE CORRIDOR. OKAY. SO THE MAIN COMPONENT OF THE, OF THE, THE, THE RAPID TRANSIT IS THE, UH, DEDICATED LANE PART. WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, WE WILL NOT HAVE THE DEDICATED LANE, BUT HAVING THOSE OTHER FEATURES INTEGRATED WILL SPEED UP THE BOARDING PROCESS, WHICH IN THEN IN TURN, YOU'LL SEE THE RAPID TRANSIT COMING ALONG THE, THE CORRIDOR. RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE LEVEL BOARDING STATIONS. AND THEN RIGHT NOW, WHEN PEOPLE BOARD THE BUS, THEY HAVE TO FUMBLE WITH CHANGE OF BUS PASSES. UM, ALL THOSE FACTORS PLAY A PART INTO INCREASING THE ACTUAL BOARDING PROCESS TIME AND ENSURING THAT THE BUSES CAN STAY ON TIME. NOW THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IN LOUISIANA? THAT IS CORRECT, YES, SIR. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IN. HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO OTHER BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN MAYBE THE NEXT COMPARABLE CITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? HAVE WE, SO BIRMINGHAM IS WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR PEER CITY. OKAY. UM, THEY ALSO HAVE A MODIFIED BUS, RAPID TRANSIT SERVICE IN WHICH THEY SHARE THE STREETS CURRENTLY WITH, UM, THE, THE, THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. UM, THEY'VE, THEY'VE HAD SOME, SOME ISSUES, BUT THEN THEY'VE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN THEIR RIDERSHIP. AND THEN ALSO THEY'VE SEEN THEIR OWN TIME PERFORMANCE INCREASE. SO THEY'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP, BUT HAVE THEY SEEN THE INCREASE IN DESTINATION TIMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT'S, TO ME, WHEN YOU SAY BUS RAPID TRANSIT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVING PEOPLE YES, PLEASE. UH, YOU'RE GIVING PEOPLE A REASON TO RIDE BECAUSE IT'S JUST MORE EFFICIENT, FASTER, AND QUICKER TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHAT IS THAT KEY FACTOR? YOU KNOW, I, I, I APPRECIATE THE RAMPS, THE NOT HAVING TO KNEEL THE, THEY ALREADY HAVE A TICKET OR WHATEVER. UM, IS THERE ANY, ANY PLANS OR HAVE THEY DONE THIS IN OTHER LOCATIONS, DEDICATED LANES, UM, DEDICATED, UM, LIGHT SIGNALING? YES. SO AS FAR AS THE BUS COMING UP, YEAH. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AS FAR AS TRAFFIC SIGNAL PRIORITIZATION. SO AS THE BUS GETS CLOSER TO THE LIGHT, IF IT'S GREEN, IT'LL STAY GREEN. SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, I BELIEVE IS CURRENTLY OFFERED THE EMS. SO WE'RE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S INSTALLED IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE PROCESS. AND THE PACKAGE FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT, AND THEN ALSO THE DEDICATED VEHICLES, UM, THAT WILL BE ONLY SOLELY FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT IN THAT NINE MILE CORRIDOR, ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE TO MEET THE 15 MINUTE HEADWAYS IN WHICH WE'RE, WE'RE SCHEDULING FOR. OKAY. GREAT. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL IT IS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCC COLEMAN? YES, SIR. JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, THESE, THE, IT'S GREAT. IT'S GREAT GETTING GREATER AND YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE STILL WORKING ON, BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS NOW, UH, GETTING TO A POINT OF UNDERSTANDING THEIR FUNCTION AS GOVERNANCE AND NOT [01:55:01] MICROMANAGING THE OPERATION OF THE ORGANIZATION. ALSO, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT GETTING BOARD MEMBERS THERE AND WE HAD CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. AND SO ME, YOU KNOW, GETTING BOGGED DOWN WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT. I BELIEVE THAT A BUS RIDER OUGHT TO BE A PART OF THAT. THE BOARD, THEY RIDE THE BUS, THEY KNOW IT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE CHOOSING OUR, UH, FIELD HERE. WE HAD A BUS RIDER ON THE, UH, TEAM, WHICH WAS VERY, VERY WELL. I MEAN, IT WAS AN INTRICATE PART. AND SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. AND SO, ONE OTHER THING, TWO OTHER THINGS IS THAT THE ONGOING TRAINING FOR BUS DRIVERS, RIDE DRIVERS AND THE EMPLOYERS EMPLOYEES IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THERE. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT'S BEING WORKED ON. AND THE LAST IS THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT EMPLOYING LOCAL, YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS IS THE EPITOME OF THAT HAPPEN. AND THEO IS A LOCAL YOUNG MAN THAT HAD BEEN AT KAZ AND THE EPITOME OF STARTING AT THE BOTTOM. NOW HE'S HERE. AND SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING IN DOING A MARVELOUS, UH, JOB. SO KUDOS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. AND I MEAN, I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING ANY DIFFERENT. JUST BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND MELISSA, SHE'S THE MONEY LADY. . GREAT JOB. COUNCILMAN GOEY. THANK YOU. THEO. I HAVE, IT'S MORE OF AN OPERATIONAL QUESTION THAT I HAVE. UM, I, I HEARD YOU REFERENCE, Y'ALL ARE LOOKING TO ELIMINATE UNSAFE STOPS. UM, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU ONE OF THE, UH, QUESTIONS THAT I GET VERY OFTEN IS, UM, ARE, ARE ALL, WHY AREN'T ALL OF THE SHELTERS COVERED? UH, AND WOULD THAT BE AN, AN ADVERTISING OR PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR CATS TO HAVE ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE COVERED PART OF THE SHELTER? SO MY ULTIMATE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, DO Y'ALL DO A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ALL OF THE BUS STOPS, THE STATUS OF THEM, WHETHER THEY'RE COVERED OR UNCOVERED? AND IS THERE ANY SORT OF PLAN WORKING TOWARDS SHELTERS FOR EVERY BUS STOP? UH, GREAT COUNT. UH, GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. BASED ON OUR SERVICE STANDARDS, UH, WE HAD OVER 1500 STOPS IN OUR, IN OUR SERVICES. ENTIRELY TOO MANY STOPS TO HAVE TOO MANY SHELTERS OUT THERE. OUR SERVICE SERVICE STANDARDS DICTATE BASED ON RIDERSHIP, WHAT AMENITIES ARE ALLOWED AT A BUS STOP, WHETHER THAT'S A BUS BENCH, WHETHER THAT'S A BUS SHELTER. UM, AND THEN ALSO RIGHT AWAY DETERMINES IF WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT A BUS SHELTER THERE OR A BUS BENCH IN THAT MATTER. SO, UM, UNDER THE, THE CONSENT DECREE, WHICH WE ARE NOW, UH, MANDATED TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR BUS STOPS ARE A DA ACCESSIBLE, WE ARE REMOVING THE UNSAFE ONES, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A LONG TIME AGO. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THEM ON, ON, ON DITCHES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADS NOT CONNECTED THE SIDEWALKS. UM, SO THAT'S OUR TOP PRIORITY. UM, AND THEN SECONDLY, ONCE WE REMOVE THOSE UNSAFE STOPS, WE ARE TAKING A VERY CONSERVATIVE LOOK BASED ON OUR DATA IN REGARDS OF WHAT STOPS BASED ON RIDERSHIP WARRANT A BUS BENCH OR BUS SHELTER. AND WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING ALLOCATED AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME PRIVATE PARTNER PARTNERSHIPS, UM, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR ADDITIONAL SHELTERS, UM, THAT THAT ENTITY MAY COME IN AND DO SOME ADVERTISING. I'M SURE YOU'RE QUITE AWARE OF THE BUS BENCH, UH, BUS BENCHES THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH. SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT AS WELL. UM, BUT AGAIN, BASED ON OUR SERVICE AMP, WE'LL DETERMINE IF A SHELTER IS WARRANTED THERE. UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ONLY HAVE STOPS AT THE SAFEST LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM. THANK YOU, THEO. I APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMATION. THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. COUNCILWOMAN BANKS. YES, THEO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UM, THE PLANNING FOR THE BUS BENCHES AND SHELTERS, UH, IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE CONVERSATION WITH, UM, THE PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THERE WERE SOME BEAUTIFUL SHELTERS PLACED IN SOME AREAS, AND THEN WE HAD TO CALL CATS BACK TO REMOVE THEM FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER. UM, FOR INSTANCE, ONE WAS IN FRONT OF A, UH, UH, A LIQUOR STORE. MM-HMM. , I DON'T THINK THEY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NEED THAT KIND OF SECURITY, YOU KNOW, UH, AND THEN THE OTHER, UM, WAS IN, IN FRONT OF A LOT OF DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS. SO I, AND THEN I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE, BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT ONE OF THE BUSIEST AREAS WE HAVE IS NEAR THE SCOTLANDVILLE PLAZA. YEP. SCOTLANDVILLE AND SWAN. AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I NOTICE IN THAT AREA THAT BOTHER ME. ONE IS THE STUDENTS APPARENT IT, LOOK, IT APPEARS, I ONLY SEE 'EM ONCE THEY'RE THERE, BUT APPARENTLY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE WALKING MM-HMM. FROM OFF CAMPUS TO [02:00:01] THE SHELTER, UM, TO THE BUS STOP. SO THE ONE QUESTION IS ALONG SWAN, UH, LET'S JUST SAY FROM THE NURSING BUILDING TO CROSS SCENIC TO THE PLAZA, IS THERE A BUS STOP OR 'CAUSE WHY ARE THE KIDS WALKING FROM THE CAMPUS THAT FAR? UH, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UM, I'LL JUST FAST FORWARD TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. I'VE ALREADY BEEN, ALREADY BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UH, TO RESUME SERVICE BACK AT THE MINIONE. OH. MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THOSE, THOSE STUDENTS ARE PLAYING CHICKEN CROSSING THE ROAD AS WELL AS THE PASSENGERS. UM, SO WE ARE STILL GONNA SERVICE THAT, THAT SCOTLAND SQUARE PLAZA AREA. UH, BUT WE ARE ANTICIPATED RESUMING SERVICE IN JANUARY WITH THIS SERVICE CHANGE BACK AT THE MINI DO. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHERE THE OTHER STOP WAS IS WAS IT ON THE HARDING SIDE OR THE SWAN SIDE? SWAN SIDE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. SWAN. OKAY. I HOPE SO. UH, IS IT POSSIBLE, IS IT, YOU KNOW, SWAN ON SWAN OR WAS IT WHERE THEY WALKED CLOSER TO, BECAUSE THE DOME IS FAR FROM THE STREET AS WELL AND IT APPEARS THAT THE STUDENTS PROBABLY LIVE ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN. YEP. SO WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF, I GUESS, ENOUGH TO KEEP 'EM FOR EIGHT HOURS. SO IT IS REALLY A CONCERN BECAUSE I SEE THE BIG BAGS. MM-HMM. AND, AND ALSO MANY OF THEM ARE, UM, ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR COMMUNITY. I'M ALWAYS WONDERING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND JUST THOSE THINGS. SO IF WE COULD JUST KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION REGARDING THAT AND, AND, UH, AS COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, I DO THINK THAT MAYBE A MEETING WITH THE STUDENTS THAT RIDE THE BUS TO FIND OUT HOW TO BEST SERVE THEM IN A MORE CONVENIENT WAY. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO SCOTLANDVILLE PLAZA, SINCE I KNOW FUNDING MAY NOT ALWAYS MEET, IS THAT, UM, SCOTLANDVILLE PLAZA IS ONE OF THE MOVE VR UM, PROJECTS. SO THEY'RE REDOING IT, BUT ALSO IT'S ALONG THAT SKYVILLE PARKWAY WITH BRECK. AND SO I WOULD HATE FOR US TO NOT AGAIN, BE IN COLLABORATION WHERE WE DO A LOT. THEN YOU PUT THERE THE ARE YOU DO IT, AND THEN WE HAVE TO MOVE IT BECAUSE OF THE, SO WE HAVE A ARCHITECT THAT WE'VE ASSIGNED. SO I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD CONNECT YOU ALL SO THAT THAT CAN MAYBE BE INCLUDED IN, UM, THE PLANS. I'D BE VERY APPRECIATIVE. OKAY. I'LL MAKE SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN DEANNE. HELLO. WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO COME AND PRESENT TO US. WE THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICES THAT YOU RENDER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, WE WANT TO COME IN AND APPLAUD YOUR EXECUTIVE STAFF AND YOUR BOARD AND THE, UM, CALL COLLABORATION WITH THIS BOARD ON THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND INCLUDING NEW FEATURES, YOUR SCHEDULING AS WELL AS NEW TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP THAT DOOR CLOSED AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR SAFETY REASONS AND TO MAKE THE FLOW OF ENTERING AND EXITING THOSE VEHICLES IN A EFFICIENT AND PROFICIENT MANNER. AND WE JUST WANT TO JUST THANK YOU FOR BALANCING BUDGETARY NEEDS AS WELL AS THE SERVICE AND THESE FEATURES ALL TOGETHER. SO WE COMMEND YOU AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU. REPORT HAS BEEN RECEIVED. COUNCILWOMAN AMARO IS NOT HERE. WHO WANTS TO TAKE IT? MOTION JUDGE AARON BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. THANK Y'ALL. DO WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? YES. THURSDAY. NO, YOU'RE GOOD. ANNOUNCEMENT TIME. WE'RE VERY EFFICIENT TODAY. THANK YOU. UM, CAN'T IMAGINE AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER IN DISTRICT SEVEN. WE HAVE A SERVICE OF BRG CARE ON THE GO. A MOBILE, UM, MEDICAL UNIT WITH A, WITH A DOCTOR ASSOCI, A NURSE, AND, UH, ASSOCIATED MEDICAL STAFF. UM, IT'S AN ON A MOBILE UNIT, AN RV MOBILE UNIT, FULLY STAFFED WITH MEDICAL EQUIPMENT A, UM, A BREED BETWEEN A DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND AN EMERGENCY ROOM, UM, FLOOR PLAN. UM, WE, WE WELCOME WALK-INS. UM, YOU CAN CALL FOR APPOINTMENTS. ALL AGES ARE ACCEPTED AND FOR, IT'S EVERY MONDAY, THE MOBILE UNIT IS ON SITE EVERY MONDAY, NINE TO 12 O'CLOCK AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER ON GUS YOUNG. BUT MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CALL 2 2 5 7 6 3 4500, OR YOU CAN VISIT ONLINE AT B GENERAL DOT GUT ORG. CARE ON THE GO. THIS, THIS IS AVAILABLE TO [02:05:01] ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, IN DISTRICT SEVEN. IT'S AVAILABLE IN DISTRICT SEVEN. WE TAKE WALK-INS AND I, I BELIEVE THAT OTHER FOLKS IN OTHER DISTRICTS CAN COME OVER AND GET THESE SERVICES AS WELL. WE, UM, WE TAKE CARE OF HIGH LEVEL, UM, MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS TYPE OF SERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? YEAH. DON'T FORGET, OUR, UH, ZYDECO HOCKEY TEAM STARTS NEXT THURSDAY. IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT YOUR TICKETS YET, GET SOME. THAT'S RIGHT. I TAKE THIS RECORD. ALL RIGHT. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. REMEMBER, SERVE YOUR FAMILY. SERVE YOUR COMMUNITIES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, SERVE GOD. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.