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WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR JANUARY 29TH, 2025 MEETING.WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH PRESENTATION BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS TO RECOGNIZE BATON ROUGE CHAPTER OF THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE 116 YEARS OF SERVICE SISTERHOOD AND SCHOLARSHIP WITH DISTINGUISHED WOMEN OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.
FOUNDED ON JANUARY THE 15TH, 1908, AS THE FIRST BLACK GREEK LETTER SORORITY, THEY HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR GENERATIONS OF WOMEN TO UPLIFT THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE.
HERE IN BATON ROUGE, WE HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF THEIR INITIATIVES FROM EMPOWERING YOUNG GIRLS THROUGH EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND HEALTH ADV ADVOCACY.
ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, I WANT TO EXTEND MY HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO ALL BATON ROUGE CHAPTERS OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED FOR THEIR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I NOW INVITE ALL CHAPTER PRESIDENTS OR A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH CHAPTER TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
ON BEHALF OF THE BETA SIDE CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED, I AM HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY IN RECOGNITION OF OUR FOUNDER'S DAY AND THE LEGACY OF SERVICE THAT HAS DEFINED OUR ORGANIZATION FOR 117 YEARS.
THE BETA SIDE CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED HAS PROUDLY SERVED THE BATON ROUGE AREA FOR 84 YEARS AND CANNOT WAIT FOR THE FUTURE.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE THROUGH VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THAT UPLIFT THE NEXT GENERATION.
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION TODAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO FURTHER IMPACT AND UPLIFT THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET, LET'S GET ONE MORE ON THIS SIDE OVER HERE.
I, I KNOW THAT, UH, TRYING TO BALANCE IT OUT ON THIS SIDE.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, LOOK THIS WAY FOR ME.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS TO RECOGNIZE THE BATON ROUGE CHAPTERS OF THE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY MAYOR.
FOUNDED ON JANUARY 13TH, 1913, DELTA SIGMA THETA HAS BEEN A PILLAR OF SISTERHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, AND SOCIAL ACTION FOR OVER A CENTURY.
THE SORORITY'S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, EMPOWERMENT, PARTICULARLY IN UPLIFTING AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, IS TRULY INSPIRING.
FROM VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES TO MENTORING YOUNG WOMEN TO ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES.
DELTAS CONTINUES TO LEAD WITH PURPOSE AND PASSION.
AS MAYOR, PRESIDENT, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK TWO INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE WOMEN IN MY OWN ADMINISTRATION WHO ARE MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA, THE DR.
YOLAND, YOLANDA BURNETT, LANGFORD, AND CHALIN GRANT.
THEY'RE WONDERFUL PUBLIC SERVANTS AS WE HONOR THIS REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION TODAY.
LET US ALSO COMMIT TO SUPPORTING AND UPLIFTING DELTA SIGMA THETA'S WORK.
ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DYNAMIC WOMEN OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
YOUR LEGACY OF SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE IS AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL.
CAN EACH CHAPTER PRESIDENT OR REPRESENTATIVE AND, UH, LADIES, COME ON UP.
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GOOD AFTERNOON.MY NAME IS DENISE JOHNSON LEE.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BAKER'S ZACHARY ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I BID YOUR GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF OUR CHAPTER PRESIDENT, MELISSA BETHLE DRAKE, WHO IS CURRENTLY OUT OF TOWN ON BUSINESS.
IN 1913, OUR ILLUSTRIOUS FOUNDERS WERE ENERGIZED TO IGNITE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL ACTION SCHOLARSHIP SERVICE AND SISTERHOOD.
TODAY OVER 350,000 WOMEN CARRY ON THIS LEGACY BAKER ZACHARY ALUMNI, ALONG WITH OUR SISTER CHAPTERS BATON ROUGE DELTA AND BATON ROUGE SIGMA PROUDLY SERVE OUR RESPECTIVE SERVICE AREAS WITH INITIATIVES SUCH AS YOUTH MENTORING, VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, AND FOOD BANK SUPPORT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND.
SPECIAL THANKS TO MAYOR PROAM BRANDON NOEL FOR THIS INVITATION.
THE MAYOR BAKER ZACHARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR DISTRICT.
WITH OUR, UM, COUNCILMEN, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL THING TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AGAIN, THE MAYOR, AND OF COURSE SARA HARRIS FOR HER SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UM, THAT WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
MY NAME IS LAYLA WILLIAMS AND I AM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE IOTA THETA CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING HONOR OF BEING RECOGNIZED THIS JANUARY FOR OUR FOUNDERS AND FOR OUR CONNECTION TO THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
FROM OUR CHARTERING, WE AS COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE THE IMMENSE PRIVILEGE OF RECEIVING THE CHARGE TO GIVE BACK TO THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN US JUST AS MUCH AS WE REMEMBER OUR FOUNDERS.
I AM REMINDED OF THE WORK AHEAD FOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SUCCESSES THAT LIE AHEAD.
WE WILL CONTINUE POURING INTO BATON ROUGE IN THE BEST WAY WE KNOW HOW THROUGH SERVICE AND LOVE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE SIGMA ALUMNI CHAPTER, AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR.
I'M NOT TO REPEAT, REPEAT WHAT OUR SARA GAVE YOU THE HISTORY OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS ORGANIZATION, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THE GREATER BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL ACTION, EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BATON ROUGE SIGMA CHAPTER HAS DONE AS A SIGNATURE PROGRAM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WAS MAKE SURE THAT THE 7 0 8 0 7 COMMUNITY HAS FOOD.
WE HAVE STARTED A COMMUNITY REFRIGERATOR ON 74TH STREET AT LITTLE ZION BAPTIST CHURCH AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SIGN UP TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE NORTH BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY TO HAVE FOOD AS WE ARE IN A INSECURE FOOD AREA.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY REFRIGERATOR THAT WE HAVE STARTED, AND TO ALSO DONATE TO THAT COMMUNITY REFRIGERATOR SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE FOOD IN THAT COMMUNITY, PLEASE DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, PRESIDENT, THIS EXTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
I AM LA CONGA HILARD SCOTT, AND I AM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE DELTA ALUMNI CHAPTER.
BATON ROUGE DELTA HAS PROUDLY SERVED THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SINCE 1931.
WE STAND OUR 300 STRONG, WE CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK PROUDLY.
WE'VE JUST, UH, WRAPPED UP OUR THIRD ANNUAL 22 DAYS OF SERVICE WHERE WE PROVIDED SERVICE ACROSS THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY FROM NORTH BATON ROUGE TO SOUTH BATON ROUGE IN EVERYTHING FROM LITERACY TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL ACTION, YOU NAME IT, WE DID IT.
AND WE'RE PLANNING FOR YEAR FOUR.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR LITTLE LIBRARY, WHICH IS ON THE PROPERTY OF COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, WHERE WE HAVE BOOKS FOR OUR AGES FOR LITERACY.
SO THAT'S A PIECE OF OUR LITERACY.
SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR RECOGNIZING US FOR OUR FOUNDERS DAY AND FOR THIS HONOR.
UH, MY NAME IS ASANTE K GLEASON.
I'M THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE ALPHA TAUGHT CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IN A AND M COLLEGE.
AND I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE 112 YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIP, SISTERHOOD, SERVICE, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND SOCIAL ACTION THROUGH DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.
SINCE OUR 22 DYNAMIC FOUNDERS BOLDLY MARCHED FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN 1913, DELTA WOMEN, OR HAVE BEEN THE ARCHITECTS OF CHANGE, LEADING MOVEMENTS, BREAKING BARRIERS, AND UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITIES, WE DO NOT WAIT FOR HISTORY TO BE MADE.
WE MAKE HISTORY HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
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STRONG AS WE CONTINUE THE WORK OF EMPOWERING, EDUCATING, AND ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER FUTURE.ON BEHALF OF MY SOARS AT THE ALPHA TA CHAPTER IN NEAR AND FAR, I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO MAYOR SID EDWARDS AND THE BATON ROUGE AND TO BATON ROUGE FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A RECOGNITION.
THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION AND A REMINDER THAT OUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE.
AND AS FOR DELTAS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND AT THE FRONT LINE OF PROGRESS, ENSURING THAT JUSTICE AND SERVICE ARE NOT JUST WORDS, BUT A WAY OF LIFE.
112 YEARS BEHIND US AND A LIFETIME OF IMPACT FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, LOOK THIS WAY FOR ME.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY.
WHEN THESE PEOPLE FINISH THE NEEDS THEY GOING TO TAKE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE GOT FOUR AND FOUR.
Y'ALL READY? ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY.
LOOK STRAIGHT THIS WAY FOR ME.
GET A BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY.
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ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A, ALRIGHT, LET'S GET A BIG SMILE GOING.EVERYBODY LOOK THIS WAY FOR ME.
ALL I CAN I LOOK THIS WAY FOR ME.
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READY.NEXT UP WE'LL HAVE MAYOR, PRESIDENT C EDWARDS RECOGNIZE THE BATON ROUGE CHAPTER OF ZETA FIVE BETA SORORITY.
TODAY WE REFLECT ON THE VISION, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT OF THE FIVE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WHO IN 1920 ESTABLISHED THIS DISTINGUISHED ORGANIZATION ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, SISTERHOOD, AND FINER WOMANHOOD.
ZETA PHI BETA HAS BEEN A PILLAR OF EXCELLENCE, UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, SERVICE AND ADV ADVOCACY RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE MEMBERS OF ZETA FIVE BETA HAVE BEEN UNWAVERING IN THEIR DEDICATION TO SERVICE, WHETHER THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG SCHOLARS, MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, OR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, YOUR EFFORTS HAVE TOUCHED COUNTLESS LIVES.
ZETA WOMEN CONTINUE TO LEAD IN EDUCATION, PUBLIC SERVICE, BUSINESS, AND BEYOND SHAPING THE FUTURE WITH GRACE, STRENGTH, AND PURPOSE.
YOUR PRESENCE IN BATON ROUGE IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF SERVING, SERVICE DRIVEN LEADERSHIP.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM ZETA? WE GOT A ZETA IN THE HOUSE.
DIDN'T NOTICE THIS WAS PART OF IT, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE BETA ALPHA CHAPTER OF ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, I WILL SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THEM.
WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE HERE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF ZETA AND ALL THAT.
NEXT UP WE'LL HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNY TO RECOGNIZE, UH, PASTOR MICHAEL ROBINSON FOR BEING ELECTED PASTOR OF THE GREATER NEW LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND GUESTS IN THE ROOM TODAY.
UM, I'M ANTHONY KENNEDY, THE DISTRICT TWO COUNCILMAN.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE FOR THREE WEEKS AND I SAID, I WANNA MAKE SURE MY FIRST CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION IS SOMETHING, UM, I COULD RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY WHO IS A PILLAR IN THE DISTRICT TWO COMMUNITY AND WHY NOT MY OWN UNCLE? SO I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, UM, MY OWN PASTOR, MICHAEL ROBINSON, WHO WAS RECENTLY ELECTED IN DISTRICT TWO AS THE PASTOR OF THE OF GREATER NEW LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
GOOD EVENING TO THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, TRULY THIS IS AN HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED BY MY NEPHEW, THE COUNCILMAN.
UM, ON SECOND SUNDAY, I WAS INSTALLED AS THE FIFTH PASTOR.
IT'S THE GREATER TRUE LOVE BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND TO BE ABLE TO WALK BEHIND, UH, OUR LATE PASTOR, THE LATE BISHOP OTI COLLINS IS TRULY AN HONOR AND I THANK GOD FOR IT FOR THAT.
SO I STAND BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TODAY IN REPRESENTING ALL THE MEMBERS OF GREATER TRUE LOVE BAPTIST CHURCH AND THANKING COUNCILMAN KELLY FOR THIS HONOR.
ALRIGHT, UNCLE PASTOR ROBINSON
UH, BUT NO, ON BEHALF OF THE METRO COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR BEING ELECTED PASTOR OF GREATER NEW TRUE LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK.
UH, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA MAKE SURE I BE THERE, UH, ALMOST EVERY SUNDAY THAT YOU PREACH, BUT, UH, YOU'RE DEFINITELY A PILLAR IN THE DISTRICT TWO COMMUNITY AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AS A NOW AS A PASTOR, BUT AS AN UNCLE AS WELL, DOING AMAZING THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNY RECOGNIZED PAUL JACKSON, PRINCIPAL OF SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GUMBO 5K RUN WALK.
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ALRIGHT, SO THIS NEXT CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, UM, IS FOR MY ALMA MATER SKYVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.UM, EACH AND EVERY YEAR WE DO AN ANNUAL GUMBO RUN.
UH, WE THINK ABOUT THE STUDENTS AT SKYVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE POURING IN EVERY TYPE OF RESOURCE POSSIBLE SO WE CAN PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO BRING UP, UM, MS. LY THAT ONE OF THE APS FOR SCHOLAR VAN MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE'S GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE GUMBO RUN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND EVERYONE, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THANK YOU ANTHONY.
AT SCOTLANDVILLE, WE STARTED THE SAN THE GUMBO RUN AS A ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT OUR NAF ACADEMIES, WHICH INCLUDE ACADEMIES OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH SCIENCE AND FINANCE, ENGINEERING, AND ALSO ENGINEERING, WHICH IS A ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS WORK-BASED LEARNING TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
AND WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT WITH WHAT NAF DOES FOR US IS THAT WE WORK TO PROVIDE, UM, INTERNSHIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS BETWEEN THE SUMMER OF THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR TO HELP THEM MAKE CAREER CONNECTIONS WITH HIGH WAGE, HIGH SKILL PAYING JOBS AND CAREER FIELDS.
UM, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE GUMBO RUN IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 8TH.
WE WILL START REGISTRATION AT 8:00 AM AND WE SERVICE AT SCOTLANDVILLE STUDENTS ACROSS ALL OF THE, UH, DISTRICTS.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OR REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE ONE TEAM A, UM, OF FIVE MEMBERS EACH.
AND SO, MS, CAN I JUST WANNA PROVIDE THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, UM, JUST FOR YOU ALL'S EFFORTS, UM, MS. SCHOLAR VAN MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GUMBO RUN.
I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY DOING FUNDRAISERS, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE THE HEART OF THE STUDENTS IN NORTH BATON ROUGE IN MIND, UM, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS ALWAYS A EASY TASK TO SAY, LET'S DO THIS SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE PLANTING SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANNA SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT ALSO, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A TEAM OR TO PARTICIPATE, UM, ONE PART OF THE FUNDRAISER IS THAT WE DO HAVE LEVELS OF SPONSORSHIP AND YOU CAN FOLLOW IT ON SCOTLAND V'S.
SOCIAL MEDIA OR THE SCHOOL PAGE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SPONSORSHIP.
AND WITH A MEMBER OF A DONATION OF ABOUT $1,000 THAT YOU CAN, YOUR TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO RUN FOR FREE ON FEBRUARY 8TH, NOW, WE'LL HAVE COUNCILMAN MOOCH RECOGNIZED RAISING KANE RIVER CENTER MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES FOR OUTSTANDING WORK AND PREPARATION FOR THE APOLLO BALL.
UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, LAST, UM, LAST WEEK WAS PRETTY ROUGH FOR CITY, PARISH AND ALL AGENCIES AND SOUTH LOUISIANA, SOUTH, UH, SOUTH UNITED STATES, FLORIDA AND EVERYTHING.
UM, WITH, WITH THE, THE GREAT SNOW BEGINNING THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS SIX INCHES OR 82 INCHES OF SNOW THAT WE HAD, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHEN IT SNOW FALLS IN LOUISIANA, IT IS A PAIN TO GET THROUGH AND WORK THROUGH.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN CITY, CITY PARISH ON TUESDAY, AND THEN THAT FELL INTO WEDNESDAY.
THEN THAT FELL INTO THURSDAY AND THAT FELL INTO FRIDAY THAT WE ACTUALLY CLOSED CITY PARISH DOWN SCHOOLS AND EVERYTHING.
WELL, I AM A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE MARDI GRAS CREWS HERE.
IT'S CALLED THE APOL, UH, CREW OF APOLLO BATON ROUGE.
AND WE HAD OUR BALL THIS PAST SATURDAY.
WELL COME, I GUESS IT WAS WEDNESDAY MORNING WHEN WE NOTICED WE WERE STARTING TO LEAVE EVERYTHING AROUND, LEAVE EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN AND SO ON.
I STARTED CALLING IF I COULD CALL WAYNE AND ALICIA UP, I STARTED CALLING WAYNE DIRECTLY ON THE PHONE AND, UH, THE CAPTAIN OF OUR CREW.
AND WE JUST STARTED WORKING ON PLANS AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? WE, I THINK OUR CREW PUTS IN AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THIS BALL.
AND THERE WAS NO MOVING IT, THERE WAS NO CANCELING.
I MEAN, THERE WAS NO MOVING THE BALL TO ANOTHER DAY.
THERE WAS NOTHING EXCEPT HAVING IT FOR THAT SATURDAY.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I GAVE, UH, WAYNE A CALL AND OF COURSE THEIR CREWS WERE OUT, BUT WAYNE AND MISS ALICIA RIGHT HERE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.
AND ONE THING THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS WHOLE TIME WAS, HOW CAN WE GET THIS DONE? CITY PARISH IS CLOSED.
THERE'S A LOT OF EMPLOYEES, UH, CITY PARISH.
Y'ALL FOLLOW THE SAME SCHEDULE.
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CLOSED, AND SO ON.THE PRODUCTION COMPANY HAD TO COME FROM LAKE CHARLES, UH, WITH ALL THE LIGHTS AND SOUND AND EVERYTHING.
BUT, BUT THESE TWO RIGHT HERE WORKED WITH MYSELF AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE BALL.
WE FINALLY GOT IN WAYNE ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS OR PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME IN THAT DID NOT PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER.
IF THEY WANTED TO COME IN, THEY COULD COME IN.
IF THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT, IT'S TOTALLY FINE.
BUT ENOUGH OF 'EM SAID, WE CAN DO THIS.
THEY STARTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
NOW THIS IS THE THING THAT WE START STARTING, SAY WE START SETTING SAGE AND EVERYTHING LIKE ON A MONDAY TO GET READY FOR A SATURDAY NIGHT BALL.
THIS CREW RIGHT HERE PULLED EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN ONE DAY.
ONE DAY WE HAD PEOPLE FLYING IN FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES THAT COME TO THIS BALL.
AND I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR CREW AND WHAT Y'ALL DID BECAUSE I SAW THE WHOLE THING.
I WAS THERE WHEN THEY STARTED PUTTING THE STAGE UP.
I I, I ACTUALLY GET A, A AIRBNB HERE DOWNTOWN SO I COULD WALK BACK AND FORTH AND TRY AND RUN THINGS.
BUT MS. ALICIA EVEN JOINED US ON THE STAGE.
I GET, UH, A PART WHERE, UM, I GET TO INTRODUCE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND EVERYTHING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BALL AND SO ON.
AND THANK Y'ALL THAT THAT CAME.
BUT MISS ALICIA EVEN DID A COSTUME CHANGE OUT OF HER RIVER CENTER STUFF AND GAVE ON STAGE AND WE RECOGNIZED THEM.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU FOR MYSELF TO THE RAISING KANE CENTER MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES, THE OUTSTANDING STAFFING CREW, THE RAZZA KINGS RIVER CENTER, YOUR EXCEPTIONAL WORK AND METICULOUS PREPARATION FOR THE APOLLO BALL ON JANUARY 25TH, 2025 WAS TRULY APPRECIATED.
YOUR DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL ENSURED A SEAMLESS AND UNFORGETTABLE EVENT FROM SET UP TO EXECUTION.
YOUR HARD WORK DID NOT GO UNNOTICED.
WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN MAKING THE EVENING A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND EXCELLENCE ON THIS DAY WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE FROM METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER AARON MOOCH AND APOLLO BOARD MEMBER.
THAT Y'ALL, I KNOW THAT WAS THE APOLLO BALL, BUT I, I FEEL, AND I KNOW AND I KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE RIVER CENTER AND ALL THAT.
THIS CREW DOES THAT SAME STUFF WHEN THERE'S NOT A PROBLEM IN THEIR DEDICATION TO GETTING THINGS DONE.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE THE BALL TO DEAL WITH, BUT I THINK THEY HAD A, UM, A WATER PIPE BUST IN THE HALLWAY THAT, THAT WE USED WHERE EVERYBODY CAME IN.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON THE BOWLING, UH, COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE RIVER CENTER READY FOR THAT.
AND IN ONE FINAL NOTE, UM, I I INVITE ALL OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR OVER THESE PAST YEARS.
UM, WE KNOW WHAT THIS, THIS BALL IS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IN A MOMENT.
THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE A GREAT TIME AND, AND EXPRESS OURSELF.
I WANT TO GIVE A THANKS OUT TO MAYOR SID EDWARDS.
HE HAD A THING THAT HE HAD TO GO TO IN, UM, SOUTH AT SOUTHEASTERN.
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S PROBABLY IT.
YOU KNOW, I TOLD THE CREW, THE MAYOR WON'T BE COMING BY.
HE DIDN'T MAKE IT BACK IN TIME FOR PRESENTATION.
I GET A CALL ABOUT FIVE MINUTES INTO THE BALL OR A TEXT THAT SAYS, HEY, I'M STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE STAGE.
COME GET ME AND MAYOR SID EDWARDS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THE EXCITEMENT AND THE THANKFULNESS OF OUR CREW, THAT, THAT YOU CAME TO THE BALL AND STAYED WITH US AND SAID HELLO TO SO MANY PEOPLE.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
SO THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION PORTIONS OF OUR MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RECESS FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING.
[CALL TO ORDER]
OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ALREADY THE 29TH OF JANUARY.HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED OUR WINTER WONDERLAND THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK AND NOW WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE SEVENTIES FOR A WEEK OR SO.
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING AND AT THIS TIME, LET'S GET GOING.
HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PROTON OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29TH, 2024.
WE'RE GONNA CALL THE MEETING ORDER.
[00:35:01]
WE HAVE A QUORUM.WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE INVOCATION.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE INVOCATION BY PASTOR MICHAEL ROBINSON OF THE GREATER NEW LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY THE FIRE CHIEF OF PRIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF BOB WHITAKER.
PASTOR, THE WORD OF GOD TEACHES US IN PSALMS ONE 18 AND 29 IT SAYS, GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE, HE IS GOOD, HIS FAITHFUL LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.
IT IS AGAIN THAT WE COME BEFORE YOUR PRESENCE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON AS WE ENTER IN THIS CHAMBERS TO SO THAT THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND THE COUNCIL CAN DISCUSS THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY.
WE ASK LORD GOD, THAT YOU GUIDE THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR HEARTS IN MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, EVERY BLESSING, LORD GOD, THAT YOU RESTORED UPON US THIS DAY AND WHAT YOU WILL DO FOR US IN THE FUTURE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DARLING SON JESUS WHO DIED FOR ALL OF US.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 8TH, 2025, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING OF JANUARY 15TH, 2025 IN THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 7TH, 2025.2025 BY THE COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER TWO, WAIVING THE PROVISIONS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.TITLE NINE, LICENSING AND REGULATION OF TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS.
CHAPTER 18, WINE, BEER AND LIQUOR.
SECTION 9 1 0 1 0 B REGARDING THE 300 FOOT DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS SO AS TO ALLOW AN APPLICANT WITH THE BUSINESS LOCATED AT 7 5 1 0 FLORIDA BOULEVARD.
TO APPLY FOR AN ALCOHOL LICENSE BY COUNCILMAN LAURIE ADAMS. CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER THREE, SAMUEL STEWART AND GLADYS MATTHEWS.
STEWART, 2 1 6 4 MASON AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST.
NUMBER FOUR, LARRY HOLIDAY IN THE ESTATE OF SHIRLEY O'DANIEL.
5 3 4 2 BANK STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST.
3 1 2 5 CREST AIR STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUN JR.
NUMBER SIX, MARY CHASON BROUSSARD.
5 0 6 5 FAIRFIELD AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS, NUMBER SEVEN, CHRISTINE WILLIAMS, BATLEY 2 7 3 5 TEMSA STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER EIGHT, PATRICIA A BARCO.
9 9 1 MAXIMILIAN STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER NINE, GAIL SANDS RHYMES.
1 8 8 5 OREGON STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 10.
LAURA R. WILLIAMS 1 8 0 EAST POLK STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 11, JASON WARREN MURRAY, 8 0 4 5.
BRANDON DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS NUMBER 12, LIA WEATHERSPOON JR 2 5 4 5 YAZOO STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCA ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 13, LOT 12 SUBDIVISION VICTORIA GARDENS COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 14, LOT TWO SQUARE FIVE SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 15 LOT LOT THREE SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO KENNY NUMBER 20 LOT 26 SQUARE SEVEN SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 21 LOT 26 SQUARE SEVEN SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 22 LOT 39 B SUBDIVISION PLEASANT PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE KNOLL NUMBER 23 LOT 25 SQUARE 31 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 24 LOT 3 43 SUBDIVISION BIRD STATION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 25 LOT 180 5 SUBDIVISION NORTH HIGHLANDS ESTATES COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 26 LOT 2 42 SUBDIVISION LEGION VILLAGE COUNCIL
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DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 27 LOT 2 34 SUBDIVISION NORTH HIGHLAND ESTATES COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 28 LOT 22 SQUARE 42 SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY PLACE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO KENNY NUMBER 29 LOT FOUR SUBDIVISION.EDWARD W. KIRBY TRACK COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE KNOLL NUMBER 30 LOT 34 SQUARE C SUBDIVISION BROWN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO KENNY NUMBER 31 LOT 68 PLUS SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION RICHMOND PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 32 LOT FOUR PART SQUARE 3 48 SUBDIVISION POWERS COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.
ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING OF IN READ AND A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AS AN ORDER.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ANN, I'M SORRY.
YOU WANNA MAKE A SECOND ON 60 DAYS? OH WAIT, INTER, WE'RE ON INTRODUCTIONS, NOT CONDEMNATION.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
[CONDEMNATIONS]
SEE YOU.SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS.
THE DPW UH, CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 AND 67.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 53, 56 AND 57.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AFTERNOON COUNSEL EVERETT BODE ON ON BEHALF OF BILLY THOMAS JONES ON ITEM NUMBER 60.
YEAH, WE WERE SEEKING A, UH, A DEFERRAL OF THIS CONDEMNATION.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, PLANS TO TRY TO GET THE PROPERTY IN ORDER OURSELVES OR GET IT SOLD.
WE HAD A PREVIOUS, UH, DEFERRAL AND WE HAD A PURCHASE ORDER.
THE, THE PROPERTY IS TIED UP IN A SUCCESSION PROCEEDING.
WE HAD A PURCHASE ORDER THAT FELL THROUGH, UM, WHEN THE BUYER BACKED OUT.
AND, UH, WE LOOKED INTO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PURSUE ACTION AGAINST HIM FOR BACKING OUT OF HIS PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NEVER ABLE TO TRACK THE GUY DOWN, SO WE ARE NOW TRYING TO PUT THE HOUSE BACK ON THE MARKET.
AND WE HAVE, UH, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH A REALTOR LAST WEEK.
UNFORTUNATELY THE SNOW STORM CANCELED THAT MEETING.
SO IF WE COULD GET, UH, POSSIBLY 60 MORE DAYS, WE SHOULD AT LEAST BE ABLE TO GET THE HOUSE LISTED AND HOPEFULLY GET A BUYER FOR IT AND GET THE PROPERTY DEALT WITH.
COUNCILMAN MCKINNEY? ALRIGHT, NOW I JUST WANNA STAY ON RECORD.
DO WANT TO, UM, A MOTION TO GIVE HIM WITH THE, UM, 60 DAYS, UM, EXTENSION, 60 DAYS ON ITEM 60? YEAH.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEE NONE.
OKAY, SO IF I HAVE THIS RIGHT, IF EVERYBODY'S GIVEN ASHLEY, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 55 58, 59, 61 AND 65, 30 DAYS FOR ITEM 54, 62 64 AND 67 60 DAYS ON ITEM 60 AND 63 90 DAYS ON ITEM 66.
AND TO DELETE ITEMS 53, 56 AND 57.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[68. 24-01552]
ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING, INCREASED VALOREM TAX MILLAGE RATES WITHOUT FURTHER VOTER APPROVAL WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLLOWING, TAXING JURISDICTIONS ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY TO BE LEVIED DURING THE YEAR 2025 AS PERMITTED BY ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 23 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.ASHLEY, CAN YOU READ 'EM? BATON ROUGE MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS FROM 5.68 MILLS TO SIX MILLS.
THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX FROM 0.82 MILLS TO 0.87 MILLS.
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER ONE FROM 8.52 MILLS TO 9.0 MILLS BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE FROM 8.83 MILLS TO 10 MILLS BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL 4.41 MILLS TO FIVE MILLS BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FROM 8.83 MILLS TO 10 MILLS.
CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN FROM 9.09 MILLS TO 10 MILLS, CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL FROM 9.09 MILLS TO 10 MILLS, CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL
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FROM 9.09 MILLS TO 10 MILLS PRIDE.FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT FROM 8.87 MILLS TO 10 MILLS PRIDE.
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT, ADDITIONAL FROM 13.45 MILLS TO 15 MILLS.
ALLISON, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE FROM 9.82 MILLS TO 10 MILLS.
ALLISON, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE, ADDITIONAL 4.91 MILLS TO FIVE MILLS BY COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? CHIEF, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL.
I JUST COME TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE
FOR OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN THAT GO OUT EVERY DAY AND PROVIDE THAT SERVICE THEY DO TO THE CITY.
THIS FUND GOES STRICTLY TO OUR SALARY AND BENEFITS AND WE USE THIS AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL AND RETENTION.
UM, FOR THIS, WE GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I LIVE AT 1 3 6 8 4 BROWN ROAD.
I'M THE FIRE CHIEF IN BROWNSVILLE.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THIS ROLE FORWARD MONIES THAT WE DO NEED MONEY.
WE GOT SO MUCH GOING IN IN THESE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY.
WHEN YOU SAY FIRE EQUIPMENT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MONEY.
YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST A LITTLE MONEY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG MONEY.
JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST CHECK IT OUT A LITTLE BIT AND YOU'LL SEE A FIRETRUCK TODAY COST YOU OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
WHERE 10 YEARS AGO YOU COULD BUY ONE FOR LESS THAN 300,000.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY PUT THIS STUFF IN, IN MOTION TO BUY NEW VEHICLES.
WE HAVING THEM REFURBISHED, WE HAVING A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING.
WE GOTTA MAINTAIN A RATING FOR THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE THAT LIVES IN THE PARISH.
AND WE LIKE TO MAINTAIN THAT RATING.
WE PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST RATING, YOU KNOW, IN THE PARISH OF ANYWHERES, REALLY.
AND AS FAR AS LOWERING YOUR FIRE PORTION OF YOUR, OF YOUR HOMEOWNER'S POLICY.
AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO YOU, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THAT AND THIS EXTRA MONEY WOULD BE JUST SO YEAH, WE CAN USE IT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HIRE A LOT OF, A LOT OF PART-TIME PEOPLE, FIREFIGHTERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND WHATEVER TO FILL POSITIONS AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE POSITIONS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THIS RATING.
AND, UH, IF Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER THIS, I WOULD REALLY, REALLY, I KNOW WE ALL WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND I'LL TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY CHIEF FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION, IT'S FOR Y'ALL.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL WILL BRING YOU BACK UP IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU DIRECTLY.
I'M THE CEO OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE COUNCIL ON AGING.
AND WE ARE IN AN AGREEMENT WITH THIS MILITARY, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT WHEN WE WERE HERE BACK IN SEPTEMBER THAT WE EITHER BE, UH, AMENDED OR PUT BACK IN.
I, BLAKE BOURGEOIS, THE FIRE CHIEF OF VILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I JUST KIND WANNA REITERATE WHAT THE CHIEF CAMPBELL SAID.
UH, THIS, THIS MONEY, I, IT IS NOT A LOT LIKE WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT $37,000 FOR THE CHANGE FIRE DISTRICT.
IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY IN THE THE BUDGET, BUT IT GOES A LONG WAY FOR OUR, FOR OUR SMALL BUDGET.
WE'RE CURRENTLY A CLASS FIVE ANY DAY NOW.
UH, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET OUR RESULTS BACK ON OUR MARCH 1ST IS WHAT, UH, PROPERTY INSURANCE IS TELLING ME.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE EITHER A FOUR, POSSIBLY A THREE.
IT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE MATH SAYS AND TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO GET TO THAT POINT.
THAT'S GONNA SAVE THE CITIZENS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT, WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET.
AND YEAH, $37,000 ISN'T A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S A LOT TO THE CHAMBER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT GOES A LONG WAY PROTECTING THE CITIZENS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE THAT WE CAN.
SO, AND SAVING THEM MONEY AS WELL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS UNION.
I WROTE MY THOUGHTS DOWN 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA FORGET ANYTHING.
I WANNA START BY SAYING I HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR THE JOBS YOU DO FOR OUR PARISH.
AND I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN MO FOR BRINGING THIS BACK UP TO RECONSIDERATION.
A MILLAGE IS SIMPLY A TAX ON PROPERTY FOR A SERVICE PROVIDED THE COST OF A MILLAGE ON A TAXPAYER IS BASED ON THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
IF PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE, SO DOES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE MILLAGE BRINGS IN.
IF PROPERTY VALUES DECREASE, THEN SO DOES THE MILLAGE.
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THESE PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGES CONTINUE TO INCREASE WHEN THE VALUE OF PROPERTY INCREASES.
PROPERTY VALUES IN EAST BATON ROUGE WERE REASSESSED
[00:50:01]
LAST YEAR BY THE TAX ASSESSOR, WHICH RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH RISING, THE TAX ASSESSOR REASSESSED THIS PROPERTY VALUES TO ENSURE THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE DISTRIBUTED FAIRLY BASED ON CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS.YOU CANNOT DECREASE OUR TAX REVENUE BASE, OUR TAX REVENUE BASED ON CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS AND EXPECT TO RECEIVE BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE VERY ONE THING THAT IS NON DEBATABLE WHEN IT COMES, IT COMES TO PAYING TAX DOLLARS.
EVERYBODY USES PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES IN SOME FORM OR FASHION IN THIS PARISH.
IF YOU WANT FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND PARAMEDICS, YOU MUST FUND THEM WITH TAX DOLLARS.
THE PUBLIC MAJORITY VOTED TO HAVE THEIR PROPERTIES TAXED ON SET MILLAGE RATES KNOWING THAT THE REVENUE OF THESE MILLAGES WILL RISE AS PROPERTY VALUES DO.
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ONE, BROWNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, CHENEY FIRE DEPARTMENT, PRIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALLISON FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE AFFECTED BY THESE MILLAGE ROLLBACKS AS WELL.
THESE DEPARTMENTS DEPEND ON THEIR MILLAGES TO OPERATE THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THESE DEPARTMENTS ALREADY HAVE VERY SMALL OPERATING ACCOUNTS.
THEIR MILLAGE MONEY GOES TO BUYING FIRE, EQ, FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, FIRE TRUCKS, SALARIES, FIRE STATIONS, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
A MILLAGE ROLL FORWARD IS ESSENTIALLY A COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE, MIRRORING THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY.
THEY ARE BOTH NEEDED WHEN EXPENSES GO UP THESE MILLAGES ROLL FORWARD, THESE MILLAGE ROLL FORWARDS GIVE PUBLIC SAFETY A MUCH NEEDED BOOST IN TAX DOLLARS TO COMBAT THE COST OF RISING EXPENSES, OF KEEPING FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE TRUCKS IN SERVICE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE COST OF PURCHASING FIRE EQUIPMENT HAS JUMPED THROUGH THE ROOF JUST LIKE EVERYTHING HAS.
SO IF YOU ROLL BACK OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGES, YOU ARE HINDERING THESE, YOU'RE HINDERING THESE FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM CONTINUING TO PURCHASE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND HIRING FIREFIGHTERS.
YOU WILL FORCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS OF THIS PARISH TO TRY AND PASS NEW TAXES.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF THESE DEPARTMENTS CANNOT FIND THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO PROPERLY RUN THEIR DEPARTMENTS? HOMEOWNER INSURANCE COSTS WILL RISE DUE TO A POOR FIRE INSURANCE RATING AND LIFESAVING SERVICES WILL BE HINDERED.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE INSURANCE RATING IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE FUNDING OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU DON'T SEE ST.
GEORGE FIRE DEPARTMENT? EAST SIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT, DISTRICT SIX FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CENTRAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE NINTH CHOPPING BLOCK.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEIR APPOINTED FIRE BOARDS VOTED TO ROLL THEIR FIRE.
MILLAGES FORWARD TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF RUNNING A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
NOW I ASKED THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THIS PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGE ROLL FORWARD.
WHY DID YOU NOT TRY TO STOP THE ROLL FORWARDS FOR THOSE FOUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS? WHAT WILL THE PUBLIC THINK OF THIS DOUBLE STANDARD? YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU ARE OKAY WITH THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FIRE DISTRICT ONE, BROWNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, CHENEY FIRE DEPARTMENT PRIDE AND ALLISON FIRE DEPARTMENT CUTTING THEIR MILLAGE PROFITS AND AT THE SAME TIME ARE OKAY WITH THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INCREASING THEIR MILLAGE PROFITS.
JAKE? JAKE, THAT'S YOUR THREE MINUTES.
I'M THE FIRE CHIEF WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT REPRESENT, THAT PROTECTS FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT HERE AND MYSELF, WE PROVIDE A GREAT SERVICE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A FEW DOLLARS.
IF YOU WOULD ROLL THIS FORWARD, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT GREAT OF OF AMOUNT ON ON THE PEOPLE'S TAX TAX BILLS.
IF YOU COME BACK AND TRY TO DO A TAX, IT'S GONNA BE WAY MORE MONEY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AND VOTE TO ROLL IT FORWARD.
MAYOR PRO TIM COUNCIL MEMBERS BOB WHITAKER, FIRE CHIEF PRIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT.
UM, UH, I THINK WHAT'S BEEN SAID IS, YOU KNOW, PRIDE'S BEEN IN A REBUILD MODE.
2016 WE LOST TWO FIRE STATIONS AND SEVERAL PIECES OF EQUIPMENT TO THE FLOOD AND WE'VE BEEN IN A REBUILD MODE EVER SINCE THEN.
IT'S $65,000 TO MY DEPARTMENT, 65,000 IN THE ROLL FORWARD.
MANPOWER, UH, AS CHENEY SAID, THEY'RE IN THEIR GRAVE TIME RIGHT NOW FOR THEIR RATING.
MINE STARTS THIS YEAR AS WELL.
NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE RATED FOR THE PEOPLE UP THERE.
UH, AND WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT, BUT WE NEED THE FUNDING TO DO IT.
SO I WOULD ASK Y'ALL PLEASE TO CONSIDER ROLLING THIS FORWARD AND, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE PUBLIC.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO SPEAK? YES SIR.
MR. MO, THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER INTRODUCTION TO THIS ITEM.
I'M PRESIDENT OF BATON VIRGINIA POLICE.
WE'VE, UH, FUNDING HAS BEEN CUT FOR ALL OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
UM, IF YOU'VE NOTICED, JUST RECENTLY THE STATE POLICE JUST GRADUATED A FULL ACADEMY AND THIS ALL COMES DOWN TO MONEY PERIOD.
[00:55:01]
HAS NINE PEOPLE.I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S PAINFULLY OBVIOUS THAT THE MONEY, THAT FUNDING IS NEEDING ALL THESE, UH, FIREMEN THAT ARE IN HERE THAT ARE REQUESTING MONIES IS FOR ALL THE SAME REASONS.
I ASK Y'ALL, PLEASE TO VOTE YES ON THIS ITEM.
I'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT COLLECTING TAXES.
WE SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TAXES THAT ARE ALREADY ON OUR BOOKS.
CONSTITUTIONAL TAXES THAT CERTAIN PLACES ARE NOT PAYING.
CAROLYN COLEMAN AND I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.
I'VE TALKED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, I'VE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THIS.
WHILE YOU ARE OUT LOOKING AT THE TAXES, YOU NEED TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS AND WHO AND WHAT AREAS ARE NOT PAYING THE TAXES.
IT GOES TO THE POLICE SALARIES, IT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND WE'RE NOT GETTING ALL THE MONEY THAT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.
Y'ALL WANT TO GO AND PROPOSE NEW TAXES? GREAT.
WE ALREADY HAVE 'EM AND WE'RE NOT COLLECTING THEM.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, NOW I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN, AKA THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT CAME THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT AND UM, TALKED AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND THAT THIS HAS TAKEN A LOT OF YOUR TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND AND FROM YOUR JOB.
SO I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE.
UM, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST AND I'M GONNA HARP ON IT YET AGAIN.
WE TALK ABOUT MILLAGES AND IT COULD BE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR A FOREIGN INCREMENT TO PEOPLE NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDING WHAT A MILLAGE IS AND WHAT THAT REPRESENTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, DURING THE BUDGETARY PROCESS OF WHAT A MILLAGE REPRESENTS, IF IT'S A CITY PARISH WIDE, IF IT'S A CITY MILLAGE OR IF IT'S A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE.
UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IF IT'S ONE OF THESE TINY LITTLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS LIKE OLSON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AND HOW THAT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MILLAGE THAT IS A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE.
SO WITH THAT AND WITH RESPECT TO OUR UM, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S ALWAYS THERE FOR US, I'D ASK FOR THEM TO COME UP AND MAKE SURE THEY CORRECT ME WHILE I GO THROUGH THESE NUMBERS.
AND I DEFINITELY WANNA PUT A NUMERICAL VALUE TO EACH OF THESE SO CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING BASE NUMBERS AND WHAT A ROLL FORWARD LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THESE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE AND UM, HOW INCREDIBLY SMALL THEY ARE, UM, FOR SOME OF THESE FIRE DISTRICTS AND WHAT A MINOR IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON US.
BUT I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AS IT IS.
SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S TOTALLY, COMPLETELY FAIR THAT WE TALK ABOUT THIS TRANSPARENTLY AND LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT THESE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE, WHAT, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE ON PAPER, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE IN A HOUSEHOLD.
SO I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO ATTEMPT TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT HERE OR NOW.
UM, AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT BRIEFLY BATON ROUGE MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS THAT MILLAGE WOULD BE ROLLED FORWARD FROM 5.68 TO 6.0.
AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $807,000.
UM, CITY OF BATON ROUGE THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX, THAT'S FROM 0.82 TO 0.87.
AND THAT'S ROUGHLY $129,000? CORRECT.
UM, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ONE, THAT'S ROUGHLY $30,000.
AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE THIS BROWNSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT TOTAL TOGETHER, ALL THREE OF THEM, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $112,000.
AND THEN WHENEVER WE LOOK AT CHENEY FIRE PROTECTION AND THERE'S THREE OF THOSE AS WELL, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $37,000.
AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION, WHICH IS ONLY TWO, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 62,000.
AND OLSON FIRE DEPARTMENT COMING IN LAST WITH TWO, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $5,600.
ANYWAY, SO WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE NUMBERS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT ON CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE TAXPAYER, CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE PER HOUSEHOLD? UM, THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO A PROPERTY BILL? SO FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE LISTENING AND CHEERING ON THEIR, THEIR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES AND THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, LET, CAN YOU HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? AND THAT NUMBER IS AN ANNUAL NUMBER, CORRECT? IT'S AN, IT'S A ONCE A YEAR NUMBER, CORRECT? YES.
SO, UH, PROPERTY TAX ARE BASED ON THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY.
[01:00:01]
YOU HAVE A PROPERTY VALUED AT 250,000 FOR THE FIRE ROLL FORWARD, IT WOULD COST YOU $8 A YEAR FOR THE POLICE THREE PLATOON.IT WOULD COST YOU A DOLLAR 25 IF YOU'RE WITHIN ONE OF THESE FIRE DISTRICTS.
UM, YOU WOULD PAY FOR FIRE DISTRICT ONE FOR A $250,000 HOUSE, $808 AND 40 CENTS.
FOR ALLISON FIRE DISTRICT IT WOULD BE $4 AND 72 CENTS.
FOR BROWNSVILLE, YOU WOULD PAY $51 FOR PRIDE, YOU WOULD PAY $45 AND FOR CHENEY IT IT'D BE $47.
AND THAT'S AN ANNUAL COST AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE VALUE OF A PROPERTY AT 250,000.
SO OBVIOUSLY, DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY, DEPENDS ON THE VALUE, THE MILLAGE INCREMENTAL COST TO YOU.
SO WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY FOR HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT THESE AREAS, TYPICALLY FOR AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD OR AVERAGE SIZE, IT WOULD BE LESS THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER YEAR? OH YES.
UM, WE, WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK TO THOSE THAT GAVE TO US.
AND THE LAST TIME THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, IT DID INCLUDE COUNCIL ON AGENT AND I, I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER, UH, APPROVE A MILLAGE OF ANY KIND, IF THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED AND HAVE BEEN LEFT OFF, BEEN LEFT OFF.
SO WHAT I'VE SEEN, AND I'VE SAID THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER, BRANDON HAS TALKED ABOUT IT FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE IT IN THE FIVE IN THE PARISH, WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HOME DEPRESSED, UM, MAJOR HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT MAY HAVE A FAMILY, BUT YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO? HOW BUSY CAN YOU BE? SO THOSE SENIORS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE BECAUSE I HAVE BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL TREK, I HAVE FOUR KIDS DOING FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND AS MUCH AS I LOVE GRANDMA, I'M SEE HER ONCE A WEEK.
SO SIX OTHER DAYS SHE HAS NOTHING TO DO AND SHE FEELS HAPPY.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S DEPRESSION AT ALL AGE, WHICH LEADS TO OTHER HEALTH ISSUES.
I'VE SEEN IT A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THEN THEY COME TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR SOME SENIOR CENTER 'CAUSE IT'S NOT ALL COMMUNITY CENTERS, BUT, AND IT BECOMES A BEACON OF HOPE.
IT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE AND FIND SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH LIKE-MINDED AND LIKE-HEARTED AND, UM, SIMILAR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WANT TO ENGAGE IN, NUMBER ONE.
SO THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO THOSE THAT PAVE THE WAY.
NUMBER TWO, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND IN TANGIBILITY OF WHERE'S OUR TAX DOLLAR GOING? YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE NEAR SPANISH TOWN AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PARISH WHERE THEY'VE INVESTED AND SEE TANGIBLE RESULTS FOR THEIR WORKS.
BUT THEN WE COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR BUILDING TOO MUCH.
BUT THEN WE TALK ABOUT LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE PARISH FOR HOMELESSNESS, FOR SENIORS, FOR UNDERSERVED FOLKS AND THE PEOPLE THAT QUALIFY FOR THOSE HOMES BASED ON SUBSIDIES.
WHICH MEANS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD CERTAIN QUALITIES OF LIFE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THEM.
THEY SHOULD LIVE IN THE SLUMS BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE POOR.
AND WHAT THEY DO IS PROVIDE BEAUTIFUL HOUSING THAT SAYS, HEY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU COME FROM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR INCOME LEVEL IS, WE HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FEEL PROUD TO BE AND PROUD TO INVITE FOLKS IN YOUR HOME.
THEN THEY SAY, HEY, WELL LOOK, CITY OF BATON ROUGE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE DISASTER RECOVERY TOOLS FOR FOOD AND RESOURCE.
SO THEY BUILD A STATE OF OUR KITCHEN, WHICH IS THE BEST ONE IN THE ENTIRE PARISH THAT CAN NOT ONLY SERVE THEIR SENIORS, BUT IN TIMES OF DISASTER HAS SERVED JUVENILE SERVICES POINT NEEDED.
RESOURCES FOR CITY PARISH HAS GONE AND SERVED OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE SENIORS DURING STORMS AND OTHER THINGS WHEN, WHEN THERE WERE FOOD INSECURITIES BECAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS, BECAUSE OF NATURAL DISASTERS.
SO WE HAVE ONE AGENCY THAT'S SETTING THE BAR AND JUST LIKE POLITICS, THEY DON'T ONLY PUMP YOU UP AND UNTIL YOU RIGHT BACK DOWN.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT HOW GREAT THEY WERE, HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED, WE FOUGHT FORWARD, THEN WE GAVE IT TO 'EM AND WE SAID, OKAY, WE'RE GIVING ONE PERSON TOO MUCH POWER.
'CAUSE REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE IS PEOPLE ARE SCARED THAT THE SENIOR POPULATION CAN HAVE THEIR VOTE CONTROLLED BY A LADY THAT LOOKS LIKE HER AND NOT LIKE THEM.
AND IT BECOMES A PARTY AND A POLITIC AND A RACE ISSUE.
THAT'S WHY THEY KEEP KILLING A MILLAGE.
SO WHAT I'M WANT TO DO IS REQUEST A MOTION TO DEFER UNTIL APRIL 9TH.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A MILLAGE FOR COUNCIL
[01:05:01]
ON AGENT, I BELIEVE IS AT 2.13, WHATEVER IT IS TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY REQUESTED TO GIVE THE AMOUNT, GIVE THEM, GIVE THEM THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO ADVERTISE IT, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND MAKE SURE WE VOTE ON THEIRS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE OTHER ONE.SO THAT'S MY SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER UNTIL APRIL 9TH.
IF NO, ON MY PRIMARY MOTION, NOBODY IS GIVEN A, UH, A SUBSTITUTE BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA HURT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T WANNA HURT THE POLICE, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA HURT THE PEOPLE THAT PAVED THE WAY SO THAT I CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IN THE PARISH WHO CAN'T GO TO WORK 'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO DO SO.
SO WE CRAP ON THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING TOO GOOD LOOKING TOO GOOD, AND THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST SUPPORT THE COUNCIL ON AGENT AND IF WE'RE WILLING TO ROLL FORWARD TILL APRIL 9TH, I'LL SUPPORT ALL OF THEM.
JUST FOR A POINT OF INFORMATION BEFORE I GET INTO MY OVERALL POINT.
UM, THESE MILLAGES COME BEFORE US EVERY FOUR YEARS AFTER THE PROPERTY TAXES HAVE BEEN REASSESSED TO DETERMINE IF WE ARE KEEPING THE SAME ROLLING FORWARD.
UH, THAT HAPPENED WITH ALL THESE MILLAGES IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, MANY OF US WANTED TO SUPPORT ROLLING FORWARD, ALL OF THEM, UH, THAT CAME BEFORE US AND, BUT WE FAILED TO GET THE SEVEN VOTES TO DO THAT.
SO HERE WE ARE WITH A ANOTHER OPTION THAT COUNCILMAN MOCH BROUGHT FORWARD THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE COUNCIL ON AGING AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF OTHERS.
UM, MY ISSUE WITH THIS ITEM IS NOT WHAT'S WRITTEN.
MY ISSUE WITH THE ITEM IS WHAT'S NOT WRITTEN.
UH, THE ABSENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WAS ON THAT SCHEDULE OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WAS ON THAT SCHEDULE TO BE ASSESSED TO ROLL FORWARD.
NOW WE'VE HAD SOME HEALTHY DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION WITH THE AUTHOR OF THIS ITEM.
TALKED ABOUT OPTIONS, TALKED ABOUT MY POSITION, TALKED ABOUT HIS POSITION.
UM, I'VE SHARED WITH THE, UH, FIRE CHIEF, THE FIRE UNION, AND ALL OF THESE ENTITIES HERE.
MY POSITION I SUPPORT ROLAND, UH, YOUR MILLAGE FORWARD.
I SUPPORT ROLAND, ALL THE MILLAGES FORWARD WHEN ALL OF THEM ARE PRESENTED.
BUT I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS ITEM AS WRITTEN BECAUSE IT HAS THE ABSENCE OF THE COUNCIL ON ASIAN AND OTHERS.
I'M NOT SURE WHO THE OTHERS ARE, IF SOMEBODY COULD OFFER THAT UP.
I ASKED THAT BEFORE I SPOKE AND IT IS UNCLEAR, BUT FEEL, FEEL FREE TO CLEAR THAT UP WHEN I, WHEN I FINISH.
UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THE COUNCIL ON AGING, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LITERALLY, UH, INDIVIDUALS, THE GIANTS THAT MANY OF US STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
UM, THIS SEASONED CITIZEN POPULATION LITERALLY PLANTED TREES THAT MANY OF US ENJOY THE SHADE OF.
THEY PAID THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY.
THEY'VE, UH, COMMITTED TO BUILDING THIS CITY AND THIS COUNTRY.
AND YET MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY DO NOT WANT TO RESPECT THIS POPULATION.
ARE ACKNOWLEDGING AND RESPECT THE WORK THAT MS, UH, CLARK OMAR AND HER TEAM HAS DONE IN SERVING THIS POPULATION AND GIVING THEM A VEHICLE, AN ORGANIZATION TO BELIEVE IN, TO ENGAGE WITH.
I MEAN, IF YOU ATTEND SOME OF THESE EVENTS, THE SENIOR PROM AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, MANY PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET INTO THE RETIRE AGE AND STOP WORKING, SOMETIMES THEY'LL LOSE PURPOSE.
WHERE I'VE SEEN THAT PURPOSE REGAINED AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'VE DONE AND DEVELOPED WITH THE SENIOR POPULATION.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SOME EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY THAT YOU WOULD THINK THERE'S SOME TEENAGERS WITH SOME OF THE ACTIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT THEY GIVE, UH, THE POPULATION.
SO I TAKE MY HAT OFF, UH, TO YOU GUYS AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE AUTHOR OF THIS ITEM AND OTHER COLLEAGUES TO LOOK AT A PATH FORWARD THAT INCLUDES ROLLING FORWARD ALL OF THESE MILLAGES AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION FROM OTHER COLLEAGUES.
JUST A QUESTION OF CLARITY, MS. BECK.
HOW MANY VOTES DOES IT REQUIRE TO, UM, APPROVE THIS MEASURE? THE ROLL FORWARD REQUIRES EIGHT VOTES.
SO I'M GONNA SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, I I DON'T DISAGREE WITH, WITH, UH, A LOT THAT'S BEEN SAID, UM, FROM THE CHIEFS, FROM THE SUPPORTERS, UH, FROM THE UNION, UH, JAKE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS ON THIS.
I'LL TELL YOU, FOR ME, IT'S NOT ABOUT AN ADDITION OR, UH, OR A, UH, REMOVAL.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER MY COMMENTS ON THIS LAST TIME, UM, AND THIS JAKE KIND OF, I'LL TALK ON A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU TOUCHED ON.
I SEE IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY.
[01:10:01]
UM, EVERY FOUR YEARS WE HAVE A REASSESSMENT.UH, THE AS ASSESSOR ASSESSES THE PROPERTIES AND WE SEE INCREASES IN VALUES.
IT'S NATURAL TO HAVE APPRECIATION OF, UH, OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES.
EVERYBODY ENJOYS THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO TO SELL YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? UM, WHEN YOU PASS A TAX, THERE'S A MILLAGE ATTACHED TO IT, BUT IT'S PREDICATED ON A, ON A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THAT ENTITY WILL RECEIVE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS THE PURPOSE.
THAT'S THE MAIN ITEM THERE, WHICH IS WHY THE LAW REQUIRES A ROLLBACK.
WE HAVE TO ROLL THE MILLAGES BACK SO YOU RECEIVE THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU RECEIVED WHEN THE TAX WAS PASSED.
THE CONSTITUTION ALLOWS FOR THIS ROLL FORWARD, BUT IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC.
THE ROLLBACK IS BECAUSE WHAT THE PEOPLE PASSED WAS FOR YOU TO RECEIVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE LEGAL FOR US TO HAVE A ROLL FORWARD.
IT'S US PASSING A TAX ON AN UNREALIZED GAIN BECAUSE SOMEONE ON A FIXED INCOME, THEY DIDN'T GET MORE DOLLARS IN THEIR POCKET BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY WENT UP.
SO THEY COULD, THEY'RE JUST, THEY JUST, THE ASSESSOR SAID, YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE VALUABLE PROPERTY.
THERE'S NO MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET TO PAY A HIGHER TAX ON THAT NEW AMOUNT.
THAT'S THE REASON THAT THE LAW REQUIRES US TO ROLL THEM BACK.
YOUR BUDGETS REMAIN THE SAME ON THAT MILLAGE.
IT'S THE ROLL FORWARD THAT WE'RE GIVEN AN OPTION TO DO.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THAT'S US UNILATERALLY PUTTING A TAX ON PEOPLE WITHOUT THEM AGREEING TO IT ON AN UNREALIZED GAIN.
UH, LAST YEAR, PROBABLY ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT A POTENTIAL TAX ON UNREALIZED GAINS IN YOUR PORTFOLIO, ON YOUR 401K, WHICH WOULD ABSOLUTELY DESTROY THE ECONOMY BECAUSE NOBODY HAS THOSE DOLLARS.
EVERYBODY WOULD BE SELLING, IT'D BE CONSTANT VOLATILITY.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SMALL AMOUNTS, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S AN EXTREME, BUT IT'S THE SAME PRINCIPLE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I COME FROM WHEN I LOOK AT THIS.
UM, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO MY CHIEFS ABOUT THIS.
I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND I SUPPORT Y'ALL EVERY CHANCE I GET.
AND IF YOU WERE HERE ASKING ME TO SUPPORT A MILLAGE FOR YOU TO GO TO THE PEOPLE AND MAKE THAT SAME CASE THAT YOU MADE TONIGHT, I WOULD SUPPORT IT BECAUSE I DO SUPPORT Y'ALL.
UM, AND I THINK IF YOU MADE THAT JUSTIFICATION TO THE PEOPLE, WHICH SOME OF YOU HAVE IN THE PAST, AND WE'VE SUPPORTED THEM, THOSE HAVE PASSED.
BUT IN THIS SITUATION, YOU'RE ASKING US TO UNILATERALLY INCREASE PEOPLE'S TAXES WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO VOTE ON IT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PERSONALLY, I CANNOT SUPPORT.
I VIEW IT, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THE REALITY IS, IT'S, THIS IS A ROLL FORWARD, IS A, IS UM, UH, A LEGISLATIVE TAX WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE ON AN UNREALIZED GAIN.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I JUST, I, I CAN'T STOMACH.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT, COUNCILMAN MCKINNEY.
SO, UH, I SHARE SOME SIMILAR SEDIMENTS FROM MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES THAT SPOKE.
UH, I KNOW MR. CARROLL, YOU'RE MY POLICE, YOU MY FIRE CHIEF IN THE BROWNSFIELD IN THE DISTRICT TWO AREA.
SO, UH, I'M A FRIEND OF SUPPORTER OF THE, OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE, UM, MS. AMAR, IF YOU COME TO THE MIC, CAN YOU TELL US SOME WINS OF COUNCIL AGING AND SOME MILESTONES Y'ALL HAD WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO? SO WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE GREAT WORK BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THE WORK IN OUR SMALL ECHO CHAMBERS.
WHY DON'T YOU, TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE WINS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION? UM, WELL, JUST RECENTLY, LAST MONTH, UM, WE WERE AWARDED, UH, FROM HUD $3.12 MILLION TO BUILD SENIOR HOUSING IN BAKER.
WE ALSO WERE AWARDED FROM HUD OUTTA $97 MILLION, 12 RECIPIENTS, UH, A SECOND AWARD OF $7.1 MILLION TO BUILD SENIOR HOUSING IN, UH, NORTH BATON ROUGE IN HOWELL PLACE.
UH, ME AND MY DEVELOPER PARTNERS.
SO IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, WE WERE THE ONLY AWARDEES, THE EAST BATON ROUGE COUNCIL ON AGING AND, UH, GULF COAST HOUSING.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE JUST, UM, HAVE HIT THE 1.5 MILLION MARK IN MEALS FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
NOW, SOME SENIORS LOVE IT, SOME OF 'EM JUST TOLERATED, BUT THERE ARE SOME RULES THAT COME WITH THE MEALS.
YOU CAN'T HAVE TONY'S HOT SAUCE.
AND SO SOMETIMES YOU ALL MIGHT HEAR THAT FROM YOUR CONSTITUENCY.
WE HAVE A DIETICIAN THAT CREATES IT.
WE JUST RECENTLY INTRODUCED THEM TO QUINOA, AND
[01:15:01]
I GOT THE WORST LETTERS THAT I'VE EVER HAD.BUT SOME LIKED IT AND SOME DIDN'T.
BUT WE HAVE, WE ARE DOING QUITE A FEW THINGS.
WE JUST FINISHED AND CLOSED ON OUR LOTUS VILLAGE, UM, 116 UNITS.
AND WE HAVE A 1000 PERSON WAITING LIST.
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT SOME NATIONAL, UM, COUNCIL ON AGING, UH, NATIONAL, UM, MEALS OF AMERICAS.
WE'RE GOING TO ATTEND SOME OF THOSE CONFERENCES.
AND SO WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THIS CITY.
WE HAVE BECOME, UM, THE LARGEST SECOND LARGEST, UH, COUNCIL ON AGING IN THE STATE, UM, DOING THE MOST THINGS.
AND THE REASON WHY I DID THAT RIGHT, IS NOT TO TRY TO DO A COMPARE, UH, COMPARE AND CONTRAST WHO IS DOING MORE THAN THE AREA, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M WANNA BE IN HERE A COUPLE WEEKS, RIGHT? BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE APPROACHING THIS IN A HOLISTIC MANNER AND ENSURING, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S LEFT OUT, UM, FROM THIS, RIGHT? BECAUSE JUST LIKE THE WORK OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CRITICAL, UM, THE WORK OF C OA IS CRITICAL AT JEWEL NEWMAN COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, WHEN I WALK IN EVERY DAY AND I SEEN THE SENIOR SE, SENIOR CITIZENS PLAYING BINGO, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT MY MOM, RIGHT? WHO'S A SENIOR CITIZEN.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING THE CRITICAL WORK OF ORGANIZATIONS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH AND WE, UM, APPROACHING THESE TYPE OF ISSUES.
OKAY? WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST TO DEFER TO APRIL 9TH.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT? OH, COUNCILMAN MOAT.
I THOUGHT I TESTED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND COUNSEL.
I APPRECIATE EACH AND MOST OF YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I'LL SAY THAT AND I'LL GIVE THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
WHILE MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES SPOKE ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT, THAT THEY PROVIDE THESE FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE AND EVERYBODY PROVIDE, SPOKE ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT COUNCIL ON AGING PROVIDES AND EVERYTHING.
I DO WANT TO SAY, AND I'LL SAY THIS PUBLICLY, THIS HAD NOTHING, NOTHING.
AND I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY PEEVED ABOUT.
I FEEL LIKE I WAS DIRECTLY CALLED OUT ON IT.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS OR RACE.
PLEASE LET ME BE CLEAR ON THAT.
AND I'LL LOOK EACH AND ONE OF YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE EYE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WILL MEET WITH YOU.
I THINK COUNSEL ONLY AGENT DOES DO A GREAT SERVICE.
I THINK C COUNCIL ON AGING HAS A PURPOSE.
I THINK THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS A PURPOSE.
I THINK ALL THE TAXING AUTHORITIES HAVE A PURPOSE AND A REASON THAT THEY'RE EXISTING AND THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR THEIR TAX.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THE REASON THAT I REQUESTED FOR THESE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO BE PUT ON HERE IS BECAUSE, ONE, WE'RE AT A TIME THAT THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT FOR MOST LIKELY LESS THAN $100 A YEAR, YOU ARE GONNA SAVE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS PER YEAR IN YOUR DISTRICTS BY THESE SERVICES PROVIDING THAT THEY REACH DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS AND MOVE YOUR YOUR INSURANCES DOWN.
IT IS THESE THE ONLY SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY WITH A ROLL FORWARD, THAT THEY CAN GO LOWER IN THEIR RATINGS AND EVERYTHING CAN SAVE YOU MONEY.
A TOTAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT FINANCIALLY.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SERVICE WISE AS FAR AS IT BEING A RETURN ON SERVICE AND NOT GETTING THE SERVICE BECAUSE EVERYTHING DIDN'T ROLL FORWARD.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISCONSTRUE THAT.
THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I FOCUSED ON THIS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE VOTES TO PASS IT WHEN EVERYTHING CAME BY AT ONE TIME.
I TOOK THE TIME, I SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR AND I ASKED, CAN I DO THIS? WHENEVER IT CAME BEFORE US LAST TIME, I ASKED TO AMEND TO SEPARATE THEM OUT.
I WENT TO THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR AND ASKED FOR THIS TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.
WERE THE OTHERS ASKED TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA? WERE THE OTHERS ASKED TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA? I MADE A REQUEST
[01:20:01]
ON THIS RIGHT HERE.I KNOW THE BENEFIT AND SERVICES OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE TAXING AUTHORITIES.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON EACH AND EVERY TAXING AUTHORITY THAT IS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE'RE ALL FIXING TO LOOK INTO EVERY SINGLE TAXING AUTHORITY IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
BUT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, IN ALL THE TIMES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE SUFFERING WITH INCREASED, TAXING, INCREASED COST AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WHAT'S THE ONE THING THAT EVEN OUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE LOOKING TO DO IS HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION BECAUSE INSURANCE RATES ARE SO BAD AND SO HIGH, THESE ARE THE ONE THINGS THAT CAN LOWER THAT RATE, DIRECTLY IMPACT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I'LL DEFER UNTIL SOMEBODY ELSE COUNCILMAN HURST.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA REMOVE MY MOTION.
SECONDLY, UM, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT THAT WAS NOT DIRECTED TOWARDS AARON.
I DO WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR PUBLICLY.
'CAUSE I I DON'T WANT THAT TO COME OFF THAT WAY.
WHEN WE HAVE MEETINGS OUTSIDE THE CHAMBERS AND WE HAVE SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT AND POWER THAT THE COUNSELING AGENT HAS TO DO.
EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, LOWER INSURANCE RATES.
THE REASON WHY EBR ALLOWS FREE MEMBERSHIPS TO CRUNCH, 'CAUSE I HAVE ONE Y'ALL, UH, WITH OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, IS BECAUSE IT'S PROACTIVE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ON THE BACK END AT THESE CENTERS.
THEY OFFER HEALTH AND FITNESS CLASSES.
THEY OFFER HEALTHY COOKING CLASSES.
THEY OFFER THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S A PROACTIVE WAY TO REDUCE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS OF MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, WHICH COMES BACK TO YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
NUMBER ONE, IT ALSO ERADICATES THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTHCARE, WHICH ALSO ARE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF CRIME BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE HEALTHY MEALS THAT OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE.
AND I SAID THIS OUTSIDE AS I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE, THAT PEOPLE AT THE CENTER, YOU GOTTA SAY THIS, RIGHT? SO WHOEVER'S WATCHING THIS DOESN'T COME FROM ME, BUT THEY MAY TAKE TWO MEALS OR THEY MAY TAKE, UH, TWO SODAS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE THAT DAY AND KIND OF HIDE IT IN THEIR PURSE.
COUNCILMAN HIRSH, YOU KNOW, SHE GOT THREE, THREE COOKERS IN HER PURSE.
AND I SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO AFFORD A BOX OF COOKIES AT YOUR HOUSE, BUT SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD ONE AT HERS.
SO IF SHE TOOK SIX, I'M GONNA GIVE HER A ZIPLOC BAG TO PUT 'EM IN BECAUSE YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS DIFFERENT THAN HERS.
AND SO I DON'T JUDGE YOU FOR YOUR INDISCRETIONS.
HOPEFULLY DON'T JUDGE ME FOR MINE, OR WE'RE NOT GONNA JUDGE THAT PERSON FOR WHAT THEY DID BECAUSE COUNCIL AND AGENT IS DOING WHAT THE GROCERY STORES CAN'T DO.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THEM IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, WHICH IS CLOSING THE GAP ON FOOD INSECURITIES, WHICH STILL BOILS DOWN TO REDUCING YOUR TAXES, PROVIDING PROPER HEALTHCARE, PROPER TRANSPORTATION, PROPER ACCESS TO RESOURCE TO THE GROCERY STORE AND OTHER PLACES THAT THEY CAN'T DO.
SO IT DOES THE SAME, IF NOT MORE THAN WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY DOES BY REDUCING THE FIRE RATINGS OR WHATEVER.
SO TWO THINGS I WANTED TO CLEAR UP IS, NUMBER ONE, THERE WAS NOT A TARGET TOWARDS, YOU WANNA SAY THAT PUBLICLY, AARON HAS CROSSED THE AISLE ON A NUMBER OF THINGS TO VOTE FOR.
A DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN DOESN'T REALLY CARE IS BY WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG.
NUMBER TWO IS THAT THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING AS COA, WHICH IS WHY I FIGHT SO HARD FOR 'EM.
'CAUSE THEY ARE REDUCING OUR TAXES BY PROVIDING SERVICES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ON THE BACK END AND PAY FOR HEALTHCARE.
AND NOW I'LL CONCLUDE WITH I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS COMMENTS,
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MO, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
ANY OPPOSITION I'LL OPPOSE MACHINES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS.
[01:25:01]
MOTION FAILS.SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCKET TO APPROVE.
ANY OPPOSED OBJECTION? GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
ANY OTHER MOTIONS? ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON.
[69. 24-01716]
APPOINTING PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SEWAGE COMMISSION FOR THE TERM.JANUARY 1ST, 2025 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, TREASURER.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.
THE CURRENT PRESIDENT IS COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA AND THE VICE PRESIDENT IS COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
I MAKE MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE WITH COUNCILWOMAN, AKA COUNCILMAN DUN JR.
AND THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS, ANY OPPOSITION? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
ANY OPPOSITION? CONGRATULATIONS.
[70. 24-01425]
AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE APPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVE VR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.LA 42 HIGHLAND ROAD AT PICO LANE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
ITEM WAS DEFERRED FROM NOVEMBER 26TH, 22, 4.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE DO DEFER.
THERE IS A REQUEST TO DELETE THIS ITEM, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN'S MEMBER COUNSEL, I'M REQUESTING THAT WE DELETE THE ITEM AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE, I KNOW WE ASKED LAST TIME TO DEFER.
WE ARE LOOKING THROUGH SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER THAT MANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE AREA HAVE ASKED US TO LOOK AT.
AND, AND WHILE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE PROJECT IS, AND I'M SURE COUNCILMAN GODDE AND ALSO COUNCILMAN HUDSON WILL TELL YOU NOW, BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM TO WHAT WE CAN DO ON THIS AND STILL ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS AND OF THE PROJECT IN GENERAL.
SO I THINK IN, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN COME BACK AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WE HAVE, UH, WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
THE, THE, THE, IT'S, IT'S LIKELY TO BE DELETED, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK IF YOU WISH.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TWO EMAIL COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 70.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE BY COUNCILMAN HEARST.
[71. 25-00017]
AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE X APPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE GREENWELL SPRINGS AND WOODDALE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 71.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
[72. 25-00014 (Part 1 of 2)]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER ENTITLED PAULINE BROWN VERSUS CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,500 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN.
AKA I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO, UM, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THIS ITEM AND ON OTHER ITEMS. CAN WE TAKE 'EM ALL TOGETHER? NOPE.
[01:30:01]
ONE, IT MAY IMPACT, UM, THE, THE CASE.WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCK TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE THE SETTLEMENT ITEMS TO THE END OF THE MEETING SO WE CAN HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[77. 25-00033]
SO WE'LL JUMP TO ITEM 77.WE'RE SENDING AND DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2024.
AND THE DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE, V IRMA, TURNER WALL, AND JOHNNY TURNER.
1 6 9 4 NORTH 38TH STREET BY DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS IN THE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES ITEM 78
[78. 25-00034]
RESCIND AND DIRECTION THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND.RECORDED ON JULY 10TH, 2024 IN DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON AUGUST 30TH, 2024.
CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSE AGAPE REALTY OF LOUISIANA, INC.
5 4 0 7 FAIRFIELD AVENUE BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[79. 24-01703]
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE WITH WHLC ARCHITECTURE FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES OF THE TICKET COUNTER AND BAGGAGE BELT SYSTEM MODERNIZATION PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $607,038 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 79.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE RECORD.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, I'M OPPOSED TO THE PRISON EXPANSION FOR THESE REASONS THAT, AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET HERE AT SOME POINT, THAT WE COULD TAKE A THIRD OF THE MONEY INSTEAD OF SPENDING $400 MILLION OF TAXPAYERS MONEY, SIR, ON THE NEW YES, SIR.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT A PRISON EXPANSION.
WHAT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT? THIS IS, UH, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THE TICKET COUNTER AND BAGGAGE BELT SYSTEM AT THE AIRPORT.
WHEN THEY GOING TO GET TO IT? BECAUSE I, I WAS TOLD, I I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
THAT'S A WE TO GET TO IT TONIGHT.
WE DESCRIBE THE PRISON IF IT IS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS.
SO ARE WE GONNA GET TO IT TODAY? THAT THE ISSUE I JUST BROUGHT UP? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ITEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SIR.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NONE.
[80. 24-01706]
CARRIES.ITEM 80, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RENEW AN OPERATING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH AXON ENTERPRISES TO PROVIDE CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES FOR AN INCAR AND BODY CAMERA VIDEO SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE TASERS AND UPDATED CRADLE POINT MODEMS, INCLUDING INSTALLATION AND VEHICLES THROUGH A LEASE BUNDLE MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE YOU NONE.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
[81. 24-01707]
ITEM 81, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE LAW FIRM OF BRAZIL SAX AND WILSON LLP.THE MAXIMUM COMPENSATION OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE $150,000 BY THE POLICE CHIEF.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 81.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRANDON O'NEILL.
I'M PRESIDENT OF BATON VIRGINIA POLICE.
UM, I DO WANNA SPEAK ON THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY CUTTING BUDGETS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH TAKING OFF ON HOLIDAYS, TRYING TO CUT BUDGETS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, CUTTING OVERTIME.
WE'VE TALKED, WE'VE BRAINSTORMED ABOUT OTHER WAYS TO SAVE $9 MILLION BECAUSE OUR BUDGET WAS CUT SO DRASTICALLY.
NOW WE'RE ASKING FOR $150,000, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER 1% OF THAT 9 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO SAVE.
JUST TO GIVE Y'ALL SOME NUMBERS.
BATON ROUGE CITY POLICE SINCE 29,
[01:35:01]
THE 12TH MONTH OF 2019 TO 2023, UH, $743,588 AND 85 CENTS WAS GIVEN TO BRAZIL SAXON WILSON, OR EARNED IT RATHER.THE PARISH TOTAL, WHICH THAT NUMBER COMES FROM, WAS $1.2 MILLION.
CURRENTLY IN THAT TIME, AGAIN, IT WAS 743,000 IS WHAT WAS CHARGED TO BRAZIL SAXE, JUST FOR THE BAT RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALONE, THE LOCAL FOR THE SAME 700 772 CASES, OUR ATTORNEY'S TOTAL WAS $351,903.
WITH THAT BEING SAID IN THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT 11.01 FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S PURPOSE, HE CAN, IS HE CAN GIVE, UH, AN ATTORNEY TO THE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST IN THAT MATTER.
I THINK IT WOULD SAY IT WOULD DRASTICALLY SAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND HELP THE UNNECESSARY SPENDING.
ONE LAST NOTE IS THAT $150,000 COULD POTENTIALLY HIRE FOUR MORE OFFICERS FOR THE STREETS OF BATON ROUGE.
PLEASE STOP DEFUNDING YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SO WE CAN STOP THE BLOOD IN THE STREETS AND THE CHILDREN FROM DYING.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH CAN SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NOW I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL.
COUNCILMAN HURT? OH, YES MA'AM.
MY HIPS ARE ARTHRITIC AND I COULDN'T GET UP OUTTA MY CHAIR.
UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SITTING IN THIS ROOM BETWEEN 19, UH, 2019 AND 9 20 23 LISTENING TO, UH, MUNI BOARD MEETINGS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF BRAZIL SAXE HAVING TO SIT HERE WITH UNION, UH, UH, ATTORNEYS DRAGGING CASES ON INNUMERABLY.
SO I THINK COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
THIS RIGHT HERE SAYS MAXING OUT AT $150,000.
IF THAT'S, IF, IF, IF THE POLICE CHIEF GETS TO PICK HIS ATTORNEY.
THIS IS TO ME, MITIGATING THE EXCESSIVE BILLS THAT WE FELT LIKE WE HAD BEFORE AND EXCESSIVE BILLS, WHICH WERE IN PART BROUGHT UP BY UNION.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, BUT BROUGHT UP BY UNION ATTORNEYS MAKING THINGS OUTTA CONTROL.
UH, I'M SURE Y'ALL GONNA HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT AND TO SERGEANT O'NEILL AND THE UNION, I NEED MY OWN REPRESENTATION.
UM, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, THEY'RE SAYING FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COVER EVEN PART OF THIS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HIRE ANOTHER, UH, ATTORNEY AND CHARGE MY BUDGET AT LEAST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO THAT.
TO TAKE OVER WHAT? UM, I'M ALREADY PAYING BRAZIL SACKS TO DO SO THAT YOU HAVE SOME NUMBERS.
UM, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE DON'T REACH THAT $150,000.
UM, MOST OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR ME RIGHT NOW IS STUFF THAT IS STILL CARRIED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING IN, UM, COURTS OVER THREE OFFICERS THAT WE HAD TO TERMINATE.
UM, AND THAT IS MAJORITY OF THEIR WORKLOAD.
TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS, IN 2024 WHEN I BECAME CHIEF, I HEARD, UM, 92, UM, TOTAL COM.
WE HAD 92 TOTAL INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMPLAINTS.
UM, 86 OF THOSE WERE INTERNAL.
ONLY SIX CAME FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I SUSTAINED 53 COMPLAINTS RESULTING IN FIVE EMPLOYEE DETERMINATIONS AND 291 SU SUSPENSION DAYS GIVEN OUT.
I HAD ONE APPEAL LAST YEAR FROM ALL THAT DISCIPLINE THAT I ISSUED OUT.
I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE OF MY, MY HISTORY WITH, FROM THE OFFICERS AND JUST THE FAIRNESS IN MY, UM, RULINGS IN THE SUSPENSION.
THE PROBLEM IS, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE STILL HAVING TO FIGHT IN 19 JDC, UM, LAST YEAR AND EVEN IN THE FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS, SOME OF THE RULINGS, UM, PRIOR TO ME AND BRAZIL SACKS HAS BEEN DEFENDING THOSE ALL ALONG.
UM, I BELIEVE I USED, UM, THIS ATTORNEY LESS THAN FIVE TIMES IN HEARINGS, DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS.
AND THAT WAS FOR THE SERIOUS ONES THAT RESULTED IN TERMINATIONS, I BELIEVE IS ACTUALLY FOUR, IS THE EXACT NUMBER THAT I ACTUALLY HAD HIM COME SIT NEXT TO ME.
UM, IN, IN THE HEARINGS, MOST OF THE BILLING COMES FROM HAVING TO PREPARE FOR PREVIOUS APPEAL THINGS.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE 19TH JDC AND FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL THINGS.
[01:40:01]
IS VERY GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES.UM, JUST THE LAST HEARING WITH THREE OFFICERS THAT WERE INDICTED AND HAD TO BE FIRED.
THE UNION HAD THREE ATTORNEYS SITTING ON THIS SIDE REPRESENTING THE UNION.
I HAD THE ONE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD TO ALSO, I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD TO HAVE OUTSIDE, NO OFFENSE TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT THEY REPRESENT THE PARISH.
THEY REPRESENT THE PARISH GOVERNMENT.
I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT THE DEPARTMENT AND ME AS THE CHIEF, WE HAVE OUR OWN ATTORNEY THAT REPRESENTS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
ANYONE ELSE HERE? WE'RE GONNA SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HURST.
SO I WANNA MAKE A COUPLE POINTS.
NUMBER ONE, THIS IS NOTHING NEW ABOUT SEPARATION FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE TRY TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN A PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
'CAUSE WE FEEL THAT THEY NEEDED THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE MAY DISAGREE, BUT WE'RE USING THE SAME LAWYER TO NEGOTIATE BETWEEN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THERE'S THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT FOR A REASON, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS THAT, UM, THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAS HAD A LOSS IN ATTORNEYS, UH, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
NOW THEY BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS, BUT I MEAN, I'VE WORKED WITH SEVERAL OF 'EM.
THERE'S TONS OF WORK HEAVY CASE LOADS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU, EVEN WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GETTING THINGS DONE, BUT THERE'S A HEAVY WORKLOAD OF CATCHING THE NEW ADMINISTRATION UP.
SO NOW THE NORMAL THINGS THAT I WOULD GET IN A WEEK HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
AND I'VE BEEN PATIENT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND.
BUT THAT'S ANOTHER WHERE THERE SHOULD BE SEPARATION FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, FOR THE COUNCIL, FOR, UH, FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH, THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN THE FINAL PART IS THAT WE WENT THROUGH THIS MERY GO ROUND ALREADY AND THEY CAME BACK WITH A NUMBER BEFORE THAT WE ARGUED ABOUT AND SETTLED ON BASED ON BILLABLE HOURS AND THE LAW WAS TALKED ABOUT AND HOW BILLABLE HOURS WORK.
AND WE HAD EXPERTS WHO ARE IN THE LEGAL FIELD TALK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE REPORTS THAT REFLECT THE AMOUNT OF BILLABLE HOURS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TAX DOLLARS.
JUST LIKE A, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, IF SOMEBODY DOES THE WORK, THEY SHOULD GET PAID AND IN THE MIDDLE OF A CASE THEY CAN'T STOP WORKING.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND THE MERRY-GO-ROUND, WE WENT AROUND LAST TIME AND SETTLING AT THE SAME NUMBER.
I'D RATHER JUST DO IT UPFRONT.
AND IF THEY GET TO THAT NUMBER, THEN IT'S THERE.
IF THEY DON'T GET IT, THEN THE TAXPAYER IS STILL PROTECTED BECAUSE LIKE WE DID BEFORE, WE'RE CAN TAKE THOSE SAME REPORTS, LOOK AT THOSE SAME BILLABLE HOURS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT MATCHES WHAT THEY BILL THE CITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT GREG ROME AND HIS DEPARTMENT DOES, THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
SO, UM, I SUPPORT THE, THE CHIEF HAVING HIS OWN ATTORNEY.
I'VE SUPPORTED IT BEFORE WITH THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE, FOR BRPD.
UM, THE ONE THING I WILL SAY THAT I SAW IN THE LAST DISCUSSIONS IS THAT, UM, THEY DRAG OUT THE CASES INTENTIONALLY TO BURN ILLEGAL HOURS.
AND SO WHEN YOU DRAG 'EM OUT, BECAUSE, HEY, I WANT, I WANT TO, I WANT TO, I WANT TO SUCK THE MONEY DRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICE DOESN'T HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS THE BUFFER THAT HE NEEDS TO HAVE FAIR AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
AND IF IT GOES TO ONE 50, THEN HE'S ABOVE THAT.
WE'LL APPROVE IT AS WELL BECAUSE THERE SHOULDN'T BE THREE ATTORNEYS ON ONE SIDE AND ZERO ATTORNEYS ON THE OTHER.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT IT.
I SPEAK TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY, PLEASE.
GREG, CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHEN THIS CAME UP LAST TIME? I KNOW, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, AND DARRELL TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, COUNCILMAN HURST.
UM, WHEN A CASE IS ONGOING, THE THE ATTORNEYS HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH IT.
EVEN A JUDGE WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO MAKE THAT CHANGE IF WE STOP THE CONTRACT.
UH, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE LEGALESE BEHIND THAT AND HOW THAT WORKS TYPICALLY? YEAH.
IT, SO I WOULD NOT WANT MY OFFICE TO TAKE OVER SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK, JUST LIKE I'M SURE THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO TAKE OVER MINE.
I CAN REMEMBER, I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN HUDSON SAID HE REALLY WANTED US TO EXPLORE THAT IDEA TO SEE IF WE COULD HELP THE CHIEF.
UH, CHIEF MORRIS AND I BASICALLY CAME IN AROUND THE SAME TIME.
HE AND I HAVE A VERY, UH, OPEN
[01:45:01]
AND HEALTHY DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.IN FACT, WE JUST MET MY OFFICE AND HIS OFFICE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
SO HE'S LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS.
BUT, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW JUST FROM A PURE NUMBER STANDPOINT.
SO IF YOU SAID, GREG, YOU NEED, GO AHEAD.
YOU NEED TO PROVIDE THE CHIEF WITH A DISCIPLINE LAWYER, IT'S GOING TO COST ME ABOUT A HUNDRED TO 150,000 WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SALARY BENEFITS, ET CETERA.
AND I'LL DO THAT IF Y'ALL MAKE ME, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, SO SOMEBODY'S GOTTA GIVE IT TO ME.
'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT AND I DON'T HAVE A LAWYER THAT CAN DO IT.
I MEAN, I'VE HAD TO JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS HAD BUDGET CUTS.
I'VE HAD TO FREEZE SOME ATTORNEY POSITIONS AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND, AND BELIEVE ME, IT'S ONGOING.
I'VE GONE OVER THE NUMBERS WITH THE CHIEF.
I KNOW WHAT HIS DISCIPLINE LOOKS LIKE.
HE'S, HE'S SHARED IT WITH US SPECIFICALLY.
SO THAT DOOR IS OPEN AND HE AND I, OUR OFFICES ARE CONSTANTLY DISCUSSING THAT.
AND, AND I DIDN'T MEAN SO MUCH AS YOU TAKING OVER, IT'S JUST WHEN THAT DISCUSSION HAPPENED BEFORE, IT WAS MORE ABOUT, UM, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH WHO YOU STARTED WITH.
LIKE TO CATCH UP WOULD COST EVEN MORE JUST BECAUSE OF THE HOURS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO CATCH, TO GET SOMEBODY CAUGHT UP.
UM, AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE CHIEF.
HE'S, HE'S, HE'S COGNIZANT OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND LIKE, LIKE THIS SITUATION, UH, YOUR OFFICE DRAFTS THAT CONTRACT YES.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION LAST TIME BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT HAD SOME OF US REALLY ON THE DEFENSE WAS, YEP, WE HAD, UM, BRAZIL SAXY AT THE PODIUM TELLING US THAT THEY NEEDED, UH, MORE MONEY.
AND THE REALITY WAS WHEN WE LOOKED BACK AT THE, UM, WHEN WHEN WE ACTUALLY SAT AND LOOKED AT THE HOURS THAT WERE WORKED, THE BILLABLE HOURS, THERE WAS A REALIZATION THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SHOT PAST WHAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR AT THE TIME.
THEY WERE STANDING THERE ASKING FOR IT.
AND THAT WAS, I, I REALLY WISH THEY WOULD'VE JUST SAID, HEY, HEADS UP.
AND SO IT CAME OFF AS QUITE DISINGENUOUS, AT LEAST FROM MY PART.
UM, SO WHEN WE CAME BACK, WE, WE WENT WITH A WAY LOWER AMOUNT THE NEXT YEAR AND SAID, WE WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN WE'RE TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH THAT, JUST SO WE KNOW, GET A REPORT AND UPDATE, HEY, HERE'S THE CASES WE HAVE GOING ON, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK.
IT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA END UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
BECAUSE THERE A LOT OF, IT'S OUT OF EVERYBODY'S CONTROL.
IT, YOU KNOW, IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW THE CASE UNFOLD.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, BOTH OF THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS US LOOKING AT IT, IT JUST, IT CAN'T JUST BE A BLANK CHECK.
AND THAT'S HOW IT SEEMED TO BE TREATED.
SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS, CAN WE APPROVE THIS? CAN WE HAVE IN THAT CONTRACT THAT WHEN IT HITS TWO THIRDS, WHEN IT HITS, HITS A HUNDRED THOUSAND, THAT WE ARE GIVEN A REPORT OF HERE'S WHERE WE ARE, WE'VE HIT THE TWO THIRDS MARK AND WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO STAY UNDER, OR WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR A LITTLE MORE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE X, Y, AND Z COMING UP AND THERE'S NO WAY TO STOP THAT TRAIN.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN DO? SO, SO THOSE, I'M GONNA GIVE THE CREDIT TO MY PREDECESSOR, THOSE SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE.
I THINK Y'ALL HAD MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME.
AND MR. DOTSON, UH, TOOK THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND PUT SOME SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.
SO WHEN THEY DO GET CLOSE, BRAZIL SAXE DOES NOTIFY US AND WE MAKE SURE THAT EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU'VE ALREADY, YOU'VE ALREADY BURNED THAT TIME.
WE, WE'VE GOT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE NOW.
JUST FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THAT'S, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS UNREASONABLE.
I'M GLAD MR. DOTSON PUT THAT IN PLACE.
UH, GREG, IF YOU WOULD, JUST REAL QUICK, MY QUESTION WAS ALONG THE SAME LINES, AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IT AND JUST DOUBLE CHECKING ON IT, IS, AS I READ THE RESOLUTION, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION TALKING ABOUT THE TWO THIRDS NOTICE REQUIREMENT THAT WE, WE PUT ON THE FORMER CHIEF.
SO YOU'RE TELLING US IT'S GONNA BE IN THERE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S IN THE RESOLUTION OR NOT.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK, SO I WANT, I I DON'T THINK WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS, IF THEY GET TO THE TWO THIRDS, I'M NOTIFIED, BUT WE DON'T TECHNICALLY BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, RIGHT? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
AND THE, WHAT HAPPENS IS I DON'T LET 'EM OVERSPEND.
WHEN WE GET TO THE TWO THIRDS, THEN WE START LOOKING AT IT, TRYING TO DECIDE, OKAY, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET CLOSER TO THIS? AND THEY HAPPENED TO MAKE IT LAST YEAR.
AND JIM RAINS NOTIFIED ME AND SAID, HEY, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.
AND I TALKED TO 'EM, I SAID, ARE YOU GONNA MAKE IT? YOU KNOW, SO YEAH, THE, THE REAL IMPETUS IS NOT TO GIVE US A HEADS UP, IT, IT'S THAT BEFORE IT COMES TO US, THE BEFORE AN ITEM COMES TO US, WE'RE NOT ALREADY OVER THE LIMIT.
AND SO YOU'RE COMMITTING TO US THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF WE
[01:50:01]
PASS THIS TONIGHT? YES, SIR.SO, UM, WE'VE HAD A LONG ROAD WITH BRAZIL SAXE AND ATTORNEY'S FEES AND LEGAL FEES AND, AND IT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN CREDIT HERE FOR TONIGHT FOR WHAT WAS DONE.
KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU THAT WERE HERE JUST RUNNING THIS BALL FORWARD.
BUT I DIRECTLY REMEMBER, UM, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I LOOKING AT THOSE BILLABLE HOURS, GOING THROUGH THEM, COMING THROUGH THEM LINE BY LINE.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME MISINFORMATION THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TONIGHT.
SO I WANNA SET THE RECORD CLEAR BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I LIKE FACTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH THAT.
UM, WITH THAT, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE KIM BROOKS HERE? SHE'S FROM THE OLD SCHOOL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE KIM AND ALL THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO I'D LOVE TO HAVE HER COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE HISTORY OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
'CAUSE SHE KNOWS IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE HERE.
AS SHE'S COMING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO ADVISE ALL OF YOU THAT MS. BROOKS USED TO BE VERY, A VERY SUCCESS, SUCCESSFUL, GREAT ATTORNEY FOR BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT NOT TRUE? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND AT THE TIME THAT YOU WERE GIVEN THAT REALLY NICE PROMOTION AT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH YOU MADE PER YEAR? HOW MUCH EXTRA MONEY YOU WERE GIVEN TO HANDLE THAT POSITION? UM, MS. VAON GAVE ME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DOING POLICE DISCIPLINE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THAT WAS.
IT WAS AFTER I NO LONGER WORKED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE GAVE ME THE LARGE SUM OF $1,000 A YEAR TO DO IT.
AND CAN YOU TELL ME, WAS THAT IN THE 19 HUNDREDS OR WAS THAT THIS CENTURY
I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND PROMISE NOT TO AGGRAVATE YOU TOO MUCH MORE TONIGHT.
UM, SO SHE GOT THE LARGE PAY RAISE OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HANDLE THE CASES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
VERY SIMILAR, SITUATED TONIGHT NOW IN BETWEEN 20
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THERE WERE SOME SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES THAT HAPPENED FROM 2017 UNTIL TODAY'S DATE.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE THOSE CONTINUAL CHANGES.
NOW, WE ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY FROM OUR, OUR CITIZENS HERE TONIGHT THAT THERE WERE THREE ATTORNEYS THAT REPRESENT THE UNION.
BUT ALL OF US NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THREE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ALL INVOLVED IN THE SAME SITUATION SCENARIO, THAT IS A MUST BECAUSE THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
ONE ATTORNEY CAN REPRESENT ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE REP BEING REPRESENTED BY THE UNION
NOW, SINCE OUR UNION PRESIDENT HAS SO KINDLY STAYED HERE FOR THIS DISCUSSION, AND I SEE HIS VICE PRESIDENT HERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU, YOU, SIR, FOR COMING IN YOUR PLAIN CLOTHES.
IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND COMING FORWARD, CAN YOU TELL US THE SUCCESS, UM, THAT RATE THAT YOU'VE HAD AND APPROXIMATELY, I'M NOT GONNA HOLD YOU TO THE NUMBERS, BUT APPRO OF ALL THESE CASES AND ALL THIS MONEY WE SPENT FOR ALL THIS DISCIPLINE, CAN YOU TELL ME APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY OF YOUR OFFICERS ENDED UP SUCCEEDING OR BEING SUCCESSFUL ON YOUR END? CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE LOOKS LIKE? APPROXIMATELY? IT'S APPROXIMATELY 95% OR MORE.
SO AFTER ALL OF THAT DISCIPLINE, 95% OR MORE WERE FOUND NOT TO BE HAVING ISSUES, NOT TO BE IN VIOLATION.
SO WHEN WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE $150,000, I NEVER BEGRUDGE AN ATTORNEY A CONTRACT.
THEY EARN THEIR MONEY, THEY WORK HOURS, THEY'VE SPENT YEARS PERFECTING THEIR EXPERTISE.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT NUMBERS AND WE HAVE ATTORNEYS COMING UP HERE TELLING US THAT THIS IS GONNA COST A HUNDRED PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS, OR THESE CONTRACTS HAVE EXCEEDED $750,000, ARE WE LOOKING AT BILLABLE HOURS THAT HAVE EXCEEDED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OR WE HAVE A, A POLICE OFFICER THAT'S COMING, A POLICE CHIEF THAT'S TELLING US THIS IS THE MONEY THAT WE NEED, THIS IS THE DISCIPLINARY THINGS THAT WE NEED.
THESE ARE WHAT THESE CASES LOOK LIKE.
LET'S TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT'S CHANGED OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS MOVING FORWARD.
I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CHIEF THAT COMES UP AND STANDS AT THIS PODIUM AND SAYS, HEY, WE NEED ANOTHER $250,000 BECAUSE OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS THAT COST THE CITY OVER $700,000 IN LEGAL FEES WHERE WE HAD A 95% LOSS RATE.
I'M ALSO HOPEFUL FOR BRAZIL SAXE NOT COMING BACK AND SAYING, HEY, CAN YOU EXTEND OUR CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER 50 TO 150 TO $300,000? SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BRAZIL SAXE CONTRACT.
I'M GONNA SECOND A MOTION, BUT KIM, COULD YOU COME UP PLEASE, JUST FOR A POINT OF INFORMATION.
[01:55:01]
MS. BATSON APPOINTED YOU TO DO THAT? YES.WHAT, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? I DON'T REMEMBER.
MAYBE 20 17, 20 18, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHO WAS THE CHIEF OF POLICE AT THAT TIME? CARL DAB.
UM, THEN JOHNNY DUNHAM, WHO IS THE INTERIM, AND THEN A, A PORTION OF MURPHY PAUL'S.
THE POINT I WANNA MAKE IS IN 2017, MURPHY PAUL WAS APPOINTED CHIEF AT THE DIRECTION OF, UH, MAYOR BROOM.
OKAY, SO THEN IT MUST HAVE BEEN BEFORE THEN, 20 17, 20 18.
SO YOU, YOU PROBABLY WAS APPOINTED IN 15 OR 16 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN.
BUT THE POINT I WANNA MAKE IS WHEN YOU WAS DOING THIS JOB, UH, CARL DNY, IN MY OPINION, WAS NOT A POLICE CHIEF WHO EMBRACED 21ST CENTURY POLICING.
UH, MAYOR BROOM AND CHIEF PAUL DID EMBRACE 21ST CENTURY POLICING.
THEREFORE, UH, THE RANK AND FILE BRPD WAS HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN IT HAD BEEN HELD TO BEFORE, WHICH IN TUNE MADE MORE, UH, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS BEING TAKEN AGAINST THE RANK AND FILE, WHICH INCREASED THE WORKLOAD, INCREASE THE DEMAND.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
WELL, I'M, I'M, I DIDN'T ASK YOU A QUESTION.
SO MY OPINION IS BECAUSE OF THE 21ST CENTURY POLICING APPROACH, UH, THE ACCOUNTABILITY LEVEL RAISED FOR THE RANK AND FILE, WHICH CAUSED MORE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, WHICH CAUSED THE LEGAL TEAM TO HAVE TO DEFEND THE CHIEF AND THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY TO SAFEGUARD IT FROM LAW, UH, LAWSUITS FROM THOSE ACTIONS.
AND THAT'S THE POINT I WANNA MAKE.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
JUST QUICKLY HERE, UH, SERGEANT O'NEILL GAVE SOME NUMBERS THERE WITH BRAZIL SACK AND WILSON, AND YEAH, THERE WAS A LOT OF MONEY THERE, BUT, UH, CHIEF NEEDS HIS OWN, HIS OWN ATTORNEY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
I JUST WANT TO ASK THE CHIEF THAT YOU ENHANCE YOUR TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ONE 50 GOES A LONG WAY AND THAT YOUR, UM, OFFICERS UNDERSTAND RULES, REGS, ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF BECAUSE NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO THROW AWAY.
I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ROCKER BECAUSE WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MANY DOLLARS THAT BRAZIL SACKS WAS RAKING IN.
AND SO EVEN WITH CATS WITH BRAZIL SACK THE MONEY, THAT, THAT'S A CONCERN THAT, THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE OVER THERE.
AND WHAT WE PUT IN PLACE WAS FOR THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY LET US KNOW WHEN THEY GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND KNOW WE DON'T JUST RUBBER STAMP SAYING, WE GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE, BUT WE WANT TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH WHAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR.
SO I TOO, UH, SAY YES TO THIS.
YEAH, I, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT OPINIONS HERE.
I'M MIGHT HAVE TO ACTUALLY SAY THAT.
I, I THAT'LL MARK YOUR CALENDAR.
I'M GONNA AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN HURST, THAT
I WILL AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN HARSON.
MAYBE WE AS A COUNCIL CAN LOOK INTO AMENDING THE, UH, PARISH CONSTITUTION AND MAYBE ADDING A, UM, ATTORNEY FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ADDING AN ATTORNEY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT POINT OF ORDER.
THAT WOULD BE A PLAN OF GOVERNMENT CHANGE.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT DOING, UM, SOMETIME SOON.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
TO APPROVE ANY COUNCILMAN HURST.
CHIEF, JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU CLEAR UP THE, THE FAILURE RATE AND THEN KIND OF TELL US HOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION, 'CAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THE CASES BEFORE AND AFTER.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
UH, SO 73 DISCIPLINARY RULINGS.
I'VE HAD FOUR TIMES I USED, UM, PRIVATE ATTORNEY TO SIT IN ON THOSE HEARINGS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I'VE HAD, IN 2024, I HAD ONE APPEAL, WHICH I WON.
SO 93% SUCCESS RATE MUST HAVE BEEN PRIOR TO 2024 BECAUSE IN 2024 WE HAD ONE HEARING AND I WON THAT HEARING.
SO WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR SUCCESS RATE? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
[02:00:02]
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.[90. 25-00029]
TO NUMBER 90.WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO NEED TO GET TO A MEETING AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HUMAN SERVICES CONSORTIUM, COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH REPRESENTATION FROM NON-PROFITS, FAITH-BASED BUSINESS PHILANTHROPY ORGANIZATIONS, AND TWO METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL WORK TO FOSTER COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AND ADVISE METRO COUNCIL ON ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF HUMAN SERVICES IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BY THE COUNCILWOMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M PRESIDENT, CEO OF CAPITAL AREA, UNITED WAY.
AND, UH, I'M HONORED TO STAND HERE, UH, REPRESENTING A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS THAT HAVE BEEN SERVING ON A TASK FORCE, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, THE TASK FORCE HAS, WAS, UH, CONVENED BY, UH, THEN MAYOR BROOME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UH, DELIVERY OF HUMAN SERVICES ACROSS NOT JUST THE, THE, UH, NON-PROFIT SECTOR, BUT ALSO OUR, UH, CITY PARISH, UH, OFFICIALS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHAT WE FOUND.
UM, UH, BUT FIRST LET ME JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, TO KINDA LEVEL SET.
UM, FOR DECADES WHEN ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES LOOKED AT THERE, UH, LOOKED AT THEMSELVES AND, UH, TRY TO DIRECT RESOURCES TO WHERE THE GREATEST NEED WAS, THE FOCUS WAS ALWAYS ON THOSE THAT ARE IN POVERTY.
UH, IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH POVERTY REPRESENTS ABOUT ONE FIFTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE FELT NEEDED TO BE, UH, ADDRESSED.
AND THAT SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT WE CALL ALICE.
THOSE ARE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, BUT EMPLOYED.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S ALICE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO, UH, SHOW UP EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE WORKING IN JOBS AND GROCERY STORES AND CITY GOVERNMENT.
THEY'RE WORKING IN HOSPITALS, THEY'RE WORKING AS TEACHERS, UH, THEY'RE WORKING AS POLICE OFFICERS.
THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE, UM, THAT EARN MORE THAN THE POVERTY LEVEL, BUT DON'T EARN ENOUGH TO MAKE ENDS MEET ON A, ON A BASIC LIVING EXPENSES BASIS.
SO THIS COMMUNITY, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HAS 50% OF ITS POPULATION THAT LIVES BELOW THE ALICE THRESHOLD.
EVERY OTHER PERSON, PEOPLE WE GO TO CHURCH WITH, PEOPLE THAT WE SEE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THEY'RE ONE MISSED PAYCHECK AWAY FROM FALLING INTO POVERTY.
SO WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO AND HAVE CHOSEN TO DO IS TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHO'S SERVING THAT POPULATION.
AND I'M HONORED TO SAY THAT UNITED WAY HAS REALLY DEDICATED ITS FOCUS OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS TO THAT POPULATION.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT HOW SERVICES ARE DELIVERED TO THOSE THAT ARE IN POVERTY.
AND GUESS WHAT, WHEN YOU'RE IN NEED, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
THE AVERAGE PERSON DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN WHERE.
SO AS CONCERNED, UH, I REPRESENT, UH, THIS GROUP OF, OF 32, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS, GOVERNMENT, UH, REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE ALL FOCUSED ON HOW CAN WE BETTER COORDINATE THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO OUR POPULATION.
WE'RE ALL WORKING HARD, BUT WE NEED TO WORK SMART.
AND I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME AND THE RIGHT, UH, REASON TO DO THIS.
NOW, WE'VE SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS, SIR, REALLY LOOKING AT THIS, SIR AND WORKING HARD.
I'M GONNA LET YOU CLOSE THOUGH, IF YOU HAVE.
WELL, MY CLOSE IS THAT I HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT ARE GOING TO, UH, SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE, BUT THIS IS A BROAD BASE, COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE DELIVERY OF THESE SERVICES, AND WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO CONTINUE THIS WORK.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS? YES, MA'AM.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, YES, I AM JAN ANN ROSS WITH THE HUEY AND ANGELINA WILSON FOUNDATION.
UM, AND HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS TASK FORCE, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, MS. COLEMAN AS WELL AS, UH, ROWDY.
UM, AND, UH, WE REALLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER INFORMATION THROUGH, UM, BRINGING THE PARTNERS TOGETHER IN THEIR DIFFERENT, UH, AREAS OF EXPERTISE, BUT HAVE ALSO TAKEN SITE VISITS TO, UH, LEARN MORE ABOUT OTHER BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND IT HAS BEEN, UM, THE, THE LEARNING HAS BEEN HUGE AS TO
[02:05:01]
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD DO IF WE WERE TO IMPLEMENT MANY OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT AS WHAT HAS BEEN SAID WITH, UH, GEORGE BELL.UM, THERE ARE, UM, MANY ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS, UH, 32, UM, AS A FORMAL LIST OF ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT.
UM, AND THIS IS SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND THEN ALSO AS GEORGE AND MYSELF, YOU KNOW, INVESTORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I SAY INVESTORS 'CAUSE IN PLAIN ENGLISH, UM, GRANT TOURS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS A GRAND TOUR, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR US IS HAVING DATA, KNOWING THE ISSUES OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS ONE THING THAT THIS GROUP HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO IS UNCOVER SOME OF THE DATA THAT, UM, REALLY ALLOWS US TO, AS I'VE SAID, USE THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE UNCOVERED AS WELL AS THIS DATA TO REALLY WORK TOWARDS, UM, PLANNING HOW SOCIAL SERVICES CAN BEST BE USED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT IS A, UM, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT FOR INVESTORS IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES AS WHAT THE NEW MAYOR HAS MULTIPLE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
UM, EXPOSING THOSE WITH, UH, OR THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS.
THIS INFORMATION THAT CAN BE SHARED THROUGH A, A REGULAR DATA COLLECTION, UM, BY THE, THE, UM, PARISH COULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO EXPOSE THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO WHAT ARE THE REAL ISSUES OF THIS, UM, COMMUNITY ARE LOOK LIKE.
SO, UM, IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE ON THIS TASK FORCE AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, UM, CONSORTIUM TO GOING FORWARD IN CREATING A PLAN OF HOW BEST TO USE THE, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT REALLY ADVANCES OUR COMMUNITY.
ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM.
I'M THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF FAMILY ROAD OF BATON ROUGE.
AND I TOO WAS PART OF, UH, THIS TASK FORCE AND I AM, UM, PROUD TO BE HERE.
UM, STANDING HERE AS A COMMUNITY LEADER FOR 30 YEARS IN A NONPROFIT SECTOR WHERE WE WORK WITH EVERYONE, EVERYTHING FROM PRENATAL TO PARENTING, JOB PLACEMENT, EDUCATION, COUNSELING, ALL THESE VARIETY OF SERVICES.
AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER IN SILOS.
SO THAT IF I GO TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM, IF I GO TO A CITY PARISH ENTITY, IF I GO TO A NONPROFIT AGENCY LOOKING FOR HELP, MANY TIMES WE'RE SENDING EACH OTHER TO SO MANY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TRYING TO FIND THE ANSWER THAT WE'VE WASTED VALUABLE TIME, THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE RESOURCE, AND WE NEED TO START ALL OVER AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT COORDINATED IN OUR EFFORTS.
AND SO THIS COMMISSION IS REALLY, UH, A CHANCE FOR US TO COME TOGETHER, TO BRING PARTNERS TOGETHER, TO UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF PROGRAMS, OF WHO QUALIFIES, WHO DOESN'T QUALIFY.
AND IF YOU DON'T QUALIFY, THEN WHERE CAN I GET THIS SERVICE? BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS ARE SUFFERING MANY TIMES, UH, JUST A, A, A STORY THAT I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT AN ENTITY WHO CALLED ME DURING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET HER SERVICES.
AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH SHELTERING, UH, THAT'S AN ASPECT THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN THAT PARTICULAR, UH, MOMENT, YOU ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO LEAVE, IF YOU'RE FACING DIFFERENT ISSUES, THERE ARE MANY VENUES YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND AS A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY WORKING WITH CITIES PARISH, AND WORKING WITH OTHER ENTITIES, IT TOOK US A WHOLE DAY TO TRY AND FIND THIS PERSON HELPING ASSISTANCE WHILE THIS FAMILY WAS SUFFERING AND GOING THROUGH MANY TRIS AND TRI TRIBULATIONS AND TRYING TO DECIDE IF THEY WERE LEAVING OR NOT, AND IF THEY WOULD BE SAFE IN LEAVING.
AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHEN SOMEONE IS IN NEED OF A SERVICE, BUT THEN WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY LOOPHOLES THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH.
ANOTHER SITUATION IS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARKS, OUR CITY, PARISH, OUR WORKFORCE, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE CONNECTED.
PEOPLE COME TO US WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. UM, THEY MAY COME SEEKING, UM, SERVICES FOR, LET'S SAY A PRENATAL VISIT, BUT THEN WE FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE LIVING WITH A FRIEND AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE A JOB AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION IN ORDER TO GET TO THE JOB IF THEY WERE ABLE TO HAVE A JOB.
AND SO THESE TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES LEAD UP TO PEOPLE BEING VERY FRUSTRATED.
IT LEADS UP TO PEOPLE NOT HAVING THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR FAMILY AND TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE COMMUNITY.
[02:10:01]
AND WE SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, NO MATTER WHAT RACE, NO MATTER WHAT RELIGION, PEOPLE SEEKING BARRIERS.SO THIS COMMISSION WOULD ALLOW US TO REALLY COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS IN A A ASPECT WHERE INDIVIDUALS WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE, HOW THEY CAN GET SERVICES, WHO THEY CAN CALL AND DO IT IN A COORDINATED FASHION SO THAT WE CAN TRULY BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND REALLY ADDRESS RESOURCES AND, UH, SERVICES, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, MA'AM.
I AM THE FOUNDER OF GO CREATE, UH, GO CREATE FOUNDATION, GO CREATE AWARDS, AND I STAND HERE REPRESENTING CREATIVES.
SO I WANNA SAY, I'M GONNA READ MY, UH, SPEECH.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE FOUN FORMATION OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HUMAN SERVICES CONSORTIUM.
THIS INITIATIVE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUSINESSES, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY IN A MORE STRATEGIC AND COLLABORATIVE WAY.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP AND ACTION BATON ROUGE NEEDS.
HOWEVER, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE MUST ENSURE THAT THIS CONSORTIUM IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE OR ELITE GROUP, BUT ONE THAT TRULY REPRESENTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY, INCLUDING CREATIVES, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
BATON ROUGE IS HOME TO INCREDIBLE ARTISTS, FILMMAKERS, DESIGNERS, MUSICIANS, AND CONTENT CREATORS WHO CONTRIBUTE ECONOMICALLY, CULTURALLY, CULTURALLY AND SOCIALLY TO OUR CITY.
CREATORS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ECONOMIC GROWTH, GROWTH, JOB CREATION, AND TOURISM.
WHEN WE INVEST IN THE ARTS AND DIGITAL MEDIA, WE INVEST IN JOB OPPORTUNITIES, SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH IN A MORE VIBRANT CITY.
BATON ROUGE HAS A HISTORY OF FORMING COMMUNITY DRIVEN INITIATIVES SUCH AS PLANNED BATON ROUGE AND THE OLD SOUTH BATON ROUGE REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
THESE PAST INITIATIVES HAVE SHOWN THAT WHEN A DIVERSE RANGE OF VOICES ARE INCLUDED, THE CITY THRIVES.
THIS CONSORTIUM SHOULD FOLLOW THE SAME MODEL, MAKING SURE THAT IT IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING CREATIVES.
WE FULLY S WE FULLY SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE, BUT WE MUST ENSURE THAT ONE, THE CONSORTIUM REMAINS INCLUSIVE AND TRANSPARENT IN ENSURING THAT ALL SECTORS NOT JUST ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS OR BUSINESS ELITES ARE REPRESENTED.
TWO, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY IS INCLUDED, SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE NEEDS OF THE ARTISTS, CONTENT CREATORS, AND MEDIA PROFESSIONALS.
THREE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ARE, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVES ARE PRIORITIZED IN COMMUNITY FUNDING DISCUSSIONS, ENSURING THAT ARTS AND CREATIVES ARE SEEN AS ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
FOUR, VACANT AND ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES ARE CONSIDERED FOR CREATIVE HUBS, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE SPACES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND CREATIVE BUSINESSES.
AND I WOULD EVEN HARP ON THAT BECAUSE IN SIX MONTHS I'M AT RISK OF LOSING GO CREATE STUDIOS BECAUSE MY LANDLORD IS INCREASINGLY RENT 44%.
OKAY, SO, UM, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR FAIRNESS, REPRESENTATION, AND INVESTMENT, AND AN INDUSTRY THAT BRINGS LIFE TO OUR CITY.
I STAND IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HUMAN SERVICES CONSORTIUM, AND I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS STEP FORWARD.
HOWEVER, LET'S ENSURE THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER ELITE DECISION MAKING BY, UH, DECISION MAKING BODY, BUT A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF BAT ROUGE'S DIVERSITY.
I'M SPOKESPERSON FOR CHICKEN SHACK.
UM, MY GRANDFATHER'S JOE DEPEN AND HE DID A LOT OF WORK WITH HUMAN SERVICES.
AND I JUST WANT TO OFFER MY PARTICIPATION AND I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH COUNCILMAN COLEMAN AND I MEAN COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, I'M SORRY, AND COUNCILMAN GOLDEY, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP THESE EFFORTS ALONG.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING GROUP THAT Y'ALL ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, BUT WHAT, WHAT I'M ASKING IS THIS A GROUP? THAT'S ALL, I GUESS I'LL RUN THROUGH SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND, AND THE AUTHORS OF THE, UH, ORDINANCE CAN ANSWER IS THIS, IS THIS A GROUP THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FUNCTIONING UM, AND IS, IF THEY HAVE, IS THIS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BRINGING IN, UM, I GUESS COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION OR WHATEVER? UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE THE NONPROFITS, THE NONPROFITS
[02:15:01]
THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS.IS THIS, THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE IN IT IS AT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SENT TO, AND WE WORK WITH THEM.
THOSE NONPROFITS THAT ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE HERE, UM, DO WHAT? OKAY.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED WORKING ON THIS PROCESS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED DOING OUR RESEARCH TO, TO SEE IF WE COULD IDENTIFY AREAS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SERVICES IN HUMAN SERVICES.
SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW, BUT THE MORE AND MORE WE MET, THE MORE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO BECOME A PART OF IT.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS 32 LEADERS OF ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE SAY NINE'S THE TIME THAT WE BRING ALL OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER, NINE'S THE TIME THEY WILL STOP OPERATING OUT IN SILOS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER IDENTIFY WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE AND WHERE THOSE GAPS OF SERVICES ARE.
HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE RESOURCES? I'LL TELL YOU THIS, THE PROGRAM SERVICES THAT WE OFFER IN HUMAN IN HUMAN SERVICES, THEY ONLY SERVE, UH, PEOPLE LIVING, FALLING UNDER THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.
THAT'S ABOUT 19% OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE, LIVE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
YOU MAKE $1 OVER THAT, AND I CANNOT HELP YOU.
THIS ALLOWS US NOW TO HOW DO WE CONNECT ALL THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE I CAN'T SERVE YOU, I SHOULD HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL OR WHERE CAN I SEND, WHERE CAN I SEND YOU WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY? AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
WITH THE, WITH THE FORMATION OF THIS OFFICIAL FORMATION OF THIS, AND, AND LIKE YOU SAID, BRINGING IT INTO THE LIMELIGHT, DOES THIS OFFICIALLY BECOME THE GO-TO FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH FOR, TO BRING TO THIS GROUP AND THEN Y'ALL DETERMINE WHERE THE, WHERE THE UNDERSERVED, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
DO Y'ALL DETERMINE THEN, BECAUSE Y'ALL KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT AROUND YOU, Y'ALL DIDN'T DETERMINE WHERE THEY GO? WELL, WHAT IT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO IS IDENTIFY THE ADDITIONAL COLLAB, COLLABORATIVELY, IDENTIFY WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE.
THERE SHOULD BE A NO WRONG DOOR APPROACH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES AT, IN THE DEPARTMENT OR THROUGH FAMILY RULES OR UNITED WAY, WE ARE GONNA COLLECT THE DATA, SHARE THE DATA, AND WE ARE ALL LOOKING AT THE DATA AS A COMMUNITY.
AND THIS BODY WILL REPORT BACK TO THE METRO COUNCIL ON HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE, HERE'S WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, HERE'S WHERE THE GAPS ARE, HERE'S WHAT WE ARE DOING.
SO YOU BECOME MORE INFORMED ABOUT THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR PARISH.
SO IT'S A, IT'S ABOUT IDENTIFYING THE SERVICES SO THAT WE, CONNECTING SERVICES, CONNECTING SERVICES, SO THAT WE CAN GO, IT'S, IT'S NOT A, IT JUST INFORMING AN ORGANIZATION THAT, THAT WE WOULD REFER PEOPLE DIRECTLY TO.
THIS IS MORE FOR GIVING US INFORM.
UM, SO WE GOT THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'VE GOT NONPROFITS, FAITH-BASED PHILANTHROPY ORGANIZATION, UM, ANY, ANYONE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, ANYONE FROM, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS? LEGAL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NOT LEGAL, BUT HUMAN SERVICES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, AND, AND LET ME SAY, THIS IS NOT AN ELITE ORGANIZATION, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WHEN FOLK ARE IN NEED, YOU CAN FORGET.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THAT HAS BEEN LISTED OF THOSE 32 ARE ELITE.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE RECEIVED A LIST OF ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE PART OF THIS CONSORTIUM AND THEIR PURPOSE AND WHAT THEY DO IN ALL OF THIS, YOU ARE SENT THIS INFORMATION.
AND SO TODAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, COUNCILMAN, DO YOU WANT YOUR EXTRA TIME? YEP.
I I MEAN, YOU ON HIS, I I'M JUST ASKING, AND I KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GONNA GO INTO THIS AND, AND I, I, I PROBABLY DID GET IT.
I WAS JUST SAYING IT'S A GREAT GROUP THAT YOU HAVE.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT, AND, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S FIXING TO BE THAT I'M, I'M ASKING CERTAIN THINGS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S OTHER LEGAL, I, I GUESS LEGAL AND, AND MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, AND ALL ON THIS COMMITTEE ALSO, COUNCILMAN MOOCH.
UM, THE AUTHOR HAS REQUESTED THAT, UM, THE ITEM BE AMENDED.
SO ANY MOTION TO APPROVE IT TONIGHT WILL AMEND IT.
ADDING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, OR THE CAO OR CHIEF OF STAFF AS DESIGNATED BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AS A MEMBER.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING THOUGH.
I WASN'T SAYING IT WAS A BAD THING.
[02:20:01]
I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS A BAD THING.I WAS JUST ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT WE CAN GET ALL THESE RESOURCES TO EVERYONE, AND THIS IS JUST GONNA BE, I, I GUESS I TOOK IT AS THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, PEOPLE WOULD BE REFERRED TO AND THEN SO ON.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF EVERYTHING AND THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MC GOLDMAN, I MAKE THE MOTION THAT THIS, UM, CONSORTIUM BE APPROVED, COMPRISED OF THE ADDENDUM THAT ASH MADE.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH TO APPROVE, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF ADDING THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, OR THE CAO OR CHIEF OF STAFF AS DESIGNATED BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO THE MEMBERSHIP.
ANY OPPOSITION? OH, COUNCILMAN GOEY.
JUST VERY QUICKLY, THERE'S SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED IN THE CHAMBERS WHO, WHO DID NOT SPEAK, I THINK THOSE WHO CAME UP TO SPEAK, BUT I WAS GONNA ASK IF ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED HERE WHO ARE PRESENT COULD STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
I ALSO, UH, WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, BERNADINE MABERRY'S, UH, COORDINATION AND, AND LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THIS.
AS SHE REFERENCED, THIS IS GOING BACK, UH, A WAYS A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND, UH, AND SHE WAS ALWAYS AT THE HELM, UH, COORDINATING ALL EFFORTS, UH, HELPING TO PUT TOGETHER TRAVEL.
WE TRAVELED TO SAN ANTONIO AND PHOENIX, UH, AND SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY COMMUNICATIVE ON THOSE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE HER EFFORTS.
COUNCILMAN HUDSON? I I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE GUY FROM THE CHICKEN SHACK CAN COME AND GIVE US THE MENU.
ITEMS BEEN PROPER, PROPERLY MOTIONED.
[82. 24-01722]
ITEM 82, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE THE GRANT AWARD AND ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS FROM LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TO THE BATON ROUGE CITY CONSTABLE'S OFFICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $61,647 FOR THE 20 24 25 DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM BY THE CITY CONSTABLE.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NO.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAM? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES A 83
[83. 25-00011]
AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND THE SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH CAPITAL CITY FAMILY HEALTH CLINIC FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $165,000 FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $868,677 AWARDED UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM FOR THE 20 25 25 GRAND PERIOD BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT, AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 83.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
[84. 25-00012]
ITEM 84, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND A SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BATON ROUGE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 FOR A TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $711,420 AWARDED UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM FOR THE 20 24 25 GRAND PERIOD BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.ANYONE HERE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED MONEY, EMAIL, COMMENT, AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 84.
[85. 25-00013]
85, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND THE SUB-RECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA, THE AMOUNT OF $79,000 FOR A TOTAL WATER AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $1,148,815 OF WATER UNDER THE RYAN WA UNDER THE RYAN WHITE, ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM FOR THE 20 24 25 GRAND PERIOD BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.ANYONE HERE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT, AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 85, SENIOR KNOWN.
IN ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.
[86. 25-00016]
ITEM 86, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT.TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO REMOVE AND REPLACE 13 STRUCTURES ON PARISH ROUTES IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BEING CORNY, ROAD OVER DRAINAGE BAYOU JACKSON ROAD AND CARSON
[02:25:01]
ROAD.BRIDGES STONY POINT BIRCH OVER DRAINAGE BAYOU ALFON FORBES ROAD, DRAINAGE BAYOU EAST FLAKER ROAD OVER DRAINAGE BAYOU CHENEY ROAD AND DALE ROAD.
BRIDGES PRIDE, BAYWOOD ROAD OVER MILL CREEK, CATALINA AVENUE OVER INGERS DEPOT, CANAL, WAX ROAD, OVERTON CREEK, HUNT ROAD, AND JACKSON ROAD.
BRIDGES BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE.
GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY THE CHAIR.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[87. 25-00018]
ITEM 87, AMENDING RESOLUTION 5 8 2 5 4 DATED NOVEMBER 13TH, 2024 TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE AS DIRECTED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT.PARTICIPATION IN THE OFF SYSTEM BRIDGE PROGRAM BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
[88. 25-00020]
88, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC ACCELERATION THROUGH COORDINATED HEALTH GATEWAY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT TO REACH ACCESS AND GATEWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $350,000 ABOVE THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 88.
FRED, COME UP AND GIVE ME SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT FOR, FOR ME AND THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE.
UH, THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, UH, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WANTED TO LOOK AT THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION OF AND FAR TO A GRANT.
FEDERAL GRANT WAS ABLE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY ON IT'S TO PROVIDE BETTER ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO WALK IN, IN MANY OF THE AREAS AROUND THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT THAT WAS ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INTERSECTIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT AROUND THE DISTRICT.
UM, THERE WAS A GRANT THAT WE HAD, UH, THAT WAS ASKED FOR US TO PUT UP $350,000, WHICH WE, UH, WE HAD THE FUNDING TO, TO COME OUT OF BEAUTIFICATION.
THE HOSPITAL IS ALSO PUTTING UP AROUND $340,000.
THAT'S TO MATCH THE OVERALL GRANT OF TWO POINT, UH, $4 MILLION, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE PROGRAM.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT FOR SOME TIME.
UH, WE THINK IT'S A GOOD PLAN AND IT, IT DOES HAVE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO ALSO, YOU COME FROM A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, YOU WANT TO WALK IN THESE AREAS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT SAFELY.
AND THERE WILL BE SOME BEAUTIFICATION, BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME SIGNAGE THAT IS NECESSARY TO, TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH DISTRICT, WHICH IS IN THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
HEY, FRED, YOU CAN STAY THERE.
SO THIS IS A GRANT, ARE WE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS, IS TO DO A STUDY TO POTENTIALLY APPLY FOR A GRANT? KIND OF.
I I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THAT PART OF IT, I'M SURE.
I DIDN'T THINK BECAUSE I I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY.
UM, IT SAYS GATEWAY ENHANCEMENT, PROVIDE ACCESS, GATEWAY IMPROVEMENT AMOUNT OF, UM, SO IS THIS MONEY TO DO A STUDY? NO, SIR.
IN SHOCK, FRED, JUST REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH DISTRICT AND THERE ARE FUNDS OF, YOU KNOW, AROUND TWO, I THINK IT'S $2.4 MILLION, AND THAT THERE ARE FUNDS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE WITH WHAT WAS ASKED OF AS A MATCH.
AND THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT ITSELF IS ALSO PROVIDING THE MATCH TO, TO BRING THAT TOTAL TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO ADDRESS THE OVERALL ENHANCEMENTS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED ON THE PROGRAM.
SO, BUT THIS IS ONE SPECIFIC PIECE OF THE PROJECT THAT $350,000 OF THE 2.4.
AND WHEN WE DO THEIR MATCH OUR MATCH, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO EXPEND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONIES THAT ARE ALLOCATED FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO I'M GONNA ASK SOMEBODY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO COME TO THE MIC AND, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY I'M ASKING BECAUSE IN OUR, UM, TRANSITION MEETING YESTERDAY, UM, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM CARE SOUTH WILSON FOUNDATION, OTHER FOLKS THAT, AND, AND THE HEALTH DISTRICT WAS A, WAS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AND THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS THAT WERE POSED IN THERE.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS ADMINISTRATION IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND IF NOT, I'M, I'M NOT, I DON'T WANT TO KILL IT.
'CAUSE I, I THINK WE NEED OBVIOUSLY MORE AS MUCH CARE AS POSSIBLE, BUT DEFER IT FOR TWO WEEKS JUST TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP TO SPEED TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
[02:30:01]
IF, IF, IF THEY IN, UH, ARE YOU, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE Y'ALL WERE TOGETHER ON THIS.NO, YOU SAYS THERE'S NO PROBLEM IN, UH, TWO WEEKS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? Y'ALL DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE, WITH THE FIRM? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS.
I JUST KNOW THAT TIMETABLE, NOW THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT THE GRANT THERE, WE, WE HAD A LOT OF STEPS WE GOTTA MOVE THROUGH.
BUT AGAIN, IF THE COUNCILMAN HAS ASKED THAT, I, I WANT TO BE SURE AND, UH, THAT EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
AND, AND LOOK, I WANT TO DEFER TO, 'CAUSE SHE BROUGHT IT UP.
SHE, I WANNA DEFER TO THE COUNCILWOMAN 'CAUSE SHE MAY BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
THIS JUST CAME UP IN A, IN A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY ABOUT THE HEALTH DISTRICT IN GENERAL.
AND, UM, I, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY HAD INFORMATION ON IT, SO THEY'RE GOOD.
I, I HAVE RELAYED ALL THAT INFORMATION TO THEM.
UH, SO THEY WOULD BE INFORMED AND THEY HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED THE ISSUES WITH THEM IN, IN GENERAL.
I'LL TAKE, I'LL TAKE MY DEFERRAL BACK AND LET LAURIE APPROVE.
COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, THANK YOU FOR, UM, TRYING TO HELP ME OUT, BUT I'M PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT 11
IS THAT A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
[89. 25-00021]
ADAM 89 AMENDING THE 2025 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $83,334 FROM THE DISTRICT'S FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED BY THE PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY THE CHAIR.
[ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES]
ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES.WE'RE GONNA TAKE 91 THROUGH ONE 14.
TOGETHER ABOUT 16 PLUS SUBDIVISION HARDING HEIGHTS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT KENNY HIGH BIDDER CHRISTOPHER ROBBINS, 1600 LOT 82 A HARDING HEIGHTS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT KENNY HIGH BIDDER JOSHUA KY 6,300 LOT 83 A AND 84 A SUBDIVISION.
HARDING HEIGHTS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT KENNY HIGH BIDDER CHRISTOPHER ROBBINS, 15,600 LOT 31 A SQUARE.
15 SUBDIVISION BANKS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER PHARAOH JOHNSON.
THIRD, A HUNDRED DOLLARS LOT 35 36 SQUARE 15 SUBDIVISION BANK METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER FARRELL JOHNSON.
THE THIRD $100 LOT 13 SQUARE 27 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE EXTENSION METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS HIGH BIDDER HAYES MANAGEMENT GROUP $100 LOT SEVEN SQUARE 51 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER ISHA STANTON $9,500 LOT B SUBDIVISION MAMIE LIDDELL ROAD TRACK METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, NOEL HIGH BIDDER J AND K JANITORIAL, LLC $5,000 LOT SIX SQUARE FOUR SUBDIVISION WHITE PLAINS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER TARMAN TAMEL GARVIN $700 LOT 20 A AND 20 B SUBDIVISION.
BRIAN ESTATES METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST HIGH BIDDER ELENA LEACH, $5,100 LOT 23 SQUARE 49 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WORLDWIDE INVESTMENT 78 LLC 16,300 LOT 16 SUBDIVISION BROOKSTOWN METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS HIGH BIDDER MILIA LONGMEYER $7,100 LOT 19 SQUARE 1 62 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER ELL GARVIN $11,000 LOT SEVEN SQUARE SIX SUBDIVISION NORTHDALE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER SAW HOLDINGS LLC $300 LOT FOUR SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION SCOTLANDVILLE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, KENNY HIGH BIDDER WHITMORE WHITMORE ENTERPRISES LLC $4,500 LOT 1 53 SUBDIVISION EAST DAYTON METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS HIGH BIDDER CLARK FAMILY HOMES LLC $10,000 LOT ONE SQUARE THREE.
SUBDIVISION NEW DATE IN METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS HIGH BIDDER K-P-L-L-C 17,500 LOT 11 SQUARE NINE SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER JAMELE SMITH $500 LOT THREE 16 SUBDIVISION.
GLEN OAKS METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST HIGH BIDDER CLARK FAMILY HOMES LLC 16,100 LOT 30 SUBDIVISION
[02:35:01]
EAST GLEN METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST HIGH BIDDER BEVERLY'S LOVING HANDS 27,000 LOT THREE 12 SUBDIVISION EAST GATE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT OSA HIGH BIDDER EDGAR GARCIA 70,300 LOT TWO SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION HERO PARK METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER WORLDWIDE INVESTMENT 78 LLC 5,300 LOT 22 SQUARE TWO SUBDIVISION HERO PARK METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN HIGH BIDDER REVY GOULD, LLC $100 LOT 61 AND 62.SUBDIVISION GREEN RIDGE METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST HIGH BIDDER WHITMORE WHITMORE ENTERPRISES 5,100.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? ITEMS 91 THROUGH ONE 14.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
[ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
WE'RE GONNA SEE, SEE YOUR SHEETS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS GOING WE READ A AND B TOGETHER, WE'RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDING ON JULY 10TH, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS THE STATE OF LESLIE T MCCOY IN THE STATE OF CARRIE MCCOY, 9,200 SCOTLAND AVENUE.A MORE DETAILED PROPERTY DESCRIPTION IS NEEDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT TO INTRODUCE FOR PUBLIC HEARING FOR ON FEBRUARY 12TH, 2025 B.
RESCINDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2020 IN THE MATTER, CITY OF BATON ROUGE V LIONEL CHRISTOPHE, JR.
REASON FOR RESCISSION PROPERTY WAS SOLD AND THE NEW OWNER HAVE AND, AND THE NEW OWNER HAS APPLIED FOR A REMODEL PERMIT BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
INTRODUCED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 12TH.
I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES FOR THE ITEMS TO BE INTRODUCED.
MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. NEITHER HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEE NONE.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION AND A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? NOW WE NEED A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ITEMS. DO HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OBJECTION TO INTRODUCTION ITEMS? INTRODUCED
[Items 115 - 117]
APPOINTMENTS, CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING, UH, MELISSA DEGENERES.
I'M GONNA TAKE THE THREE REAPPOINTMENTS TOGETHER.
UH, CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING PATRICK DOWNS CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING JONATHAN HILL.
ALL THREE OF THESE ARE FOR THREE YEARS TERM.
THREE YEAR TERMS. UH, ACTUALLY TWO OF 'EM ARE, ONE DOES NOT SAY, BUT ALL THREE ARE SEEKING TO, UH, BE REAPPOINTED.
PATRICK DOWNS OF JONATHAN HILL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I SO MOVE.
[118. 25-00115]
ONE 18, CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CONSIDERATION OF REPLACING ANTOINETTE PIERRE WHOSE TERM EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31ST IS A THREE YEAR TERM.CURRENT BALLOT IS GONNA BE ARTHUR REEL.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS ON THIS ITEM? YES SIR.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR PRO TEM.
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS ARTHUR RELE.
I'M BORN AND REARED IN, UH, DISTRICT TWO.
UH, MATTER OF FACT, UM, I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH MR. KENNY'S DAD.
UH, I'M A GRADUATE OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE MY CURRENT COUNCILMAN, UH, MR. HUDSON, AND GRADUATED FROM SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IN 1988.
WAS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY.
I WORKED FOR 32 YEARS FOR TOTAL ENERGIES PETROCHEMICALS COMPANY.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 57, AND NOW THAT I'M RETIRED, MY, UH, HOBBY AND MY HABIT IS GOLF.
BUT IN MY, IN, IN MY OTHER TIME, I, UH, GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.
I'VE SERVED ON SEVERAL BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND COMMISSIONS.
AND WITH MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ON THOSE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, I FEEL I WOULD BE AN ASSET ASSET TO THE, TO THE CAS BOARD.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS, THIS LAST YOU WANNA STEP IN TOO? THANK YOU, SIR.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ROBERT MILLER.
UM, I HAVE A, UH, UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR THE KAT BOARD AND WOULD LIKE TO SERVE.
I'VE BEEN IN TRANSIT FOR 25 YEARS.
I EXITED MY COMPANY IN 20 22, 12 OF THOSE YEARS.
I OPERATED THE KATZ ON DEMAND, A DA SYSTEM.
[02:40:01]
HAD AN AVERAGE ON TIME OF 95%, WHICH WAS THE, UH, NATIONAL THRESHOLD.UM, IN SITTING AND LISTENING TO Y'ALL TONIGHT, AND Y'ALL ASKING PEOPLE TO COME UP AND GIVE YOU SOME HISTORICAL REFERENCE TO THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST, I REALIZED I SPENT 12 YEARS EVERY KATZ BOARD MEETING AT THAT KATZ BOARD MEETING.
UM, I, I KNOW HOW THEY'VE OPERATED, HOW THEY NEED TO OPERATE, AND I HAVE THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING OPERATING A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND I OPERATED A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WITH OVER 500 EMPLOYEES.
I BELIEVE WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE IS UNIQUE AND, UH, IT CAN HELP CATS MOVE FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NO, GO TO COUNCIL.
I MAKE THE MOTION THAT ARTHUR REEL BE APPOINTED TO THE KATZ BOARD, PLEASE.
SECOND BY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS FOR ARTHUR REEL.
ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.
[119. 25-00116]
BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE.REPLACING OUR REAPPOINTED COUNCILWOMAN.
DENISE AMAROSA COLOR CURRENT BALLOT COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMAROSA REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GOOD EVENING.
I'M CHARLOTTE CLAYBORNE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE.
AND I AM HERE TO REPRESENT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO PUT OUR FULL SUPPORT BEHIND.
SHE IS OUR SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS SERVED ON THE BRIDGE CENTER BOARD AFTER DONNA COLLINS LEWIN.
BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT IF YOU REAPPOINT HER, THERE ARE THINGS THAT SHE DOES WITH OUR ORGANIZATION.
ONE, SHE BRINGS EDUCATION TO THE, TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WHAT THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE IS DOING.
SHE STAYS ON ME ALL THE TIME TO MAKE SURE I COMMUNICATE WITH YOU ALL.
AND THEN ALSO SHE REPRESENTS AN ORGANIZATION WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THE ENTIRE PARISH.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE DISTRICT.
AND IN DOING SO, SHE IS GIVING HER EFFORT AND HER TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE MAKES EVERY BOARD MEETING.
AND IF SHE DOESN'T, SHE COMMUNICATES THAT WITH ME TO LET ME KNOW.
BUT THE PASSION AND THE DETERMINATION AND DRIVE BEHIND HER IS, IS FULLY RECOGNIZED BY US AND THE BOARD.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GO TO COUNCIL.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
[Items 120 & 121]
TO CHANGE ORDERS.WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS, UH, ONE 20 AND 1 21 TOGETHER.
ELM GROVE GARDENS PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACTOR, TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION.
CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $77,338 29 CENTS.
GER FOREMAN ROAD BRIDGE REPAIRS CONTRACTOR, BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC.
CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $3,543 AND 20 CENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? GO TO COUNCIL.
[122. 25-00100]
AND 1 22 BARRINGER FARM ROAD BRIDGE REPAIRS CONTRACTOR.BRANDON INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION.
FINAL COST $488,214 AND 20 CENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NUMBER? GO TO COUNCIL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE 1 23 THROUGH 1 27 TOGETHER.
[123. 25-00026]
WE'RE GONNA TAKE 1 23.FIRST HAMMOND HIGHWAY SEGMENT ONE SOUTH FLANARY TO GOODWOOD BROWN CONSTRUCTION, LLC $6,000,375 $75,614 AND 95 CENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR.
PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR A DEFERRAL ON THIS ITEM TO FEBRUARY THE 12TH.
IS LITIGATION HAS HAS BEEN FILED OVER THIS AND WE JUST NEED SOME TIME TO SEE IF IT'S GONNA RESOLVE.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE.
GREG, COME UP PLEASE, FRED, YOU TOO.
AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THIS THE SAME ITEM THAT WE DEFERRED AT THE LAST MEETING? YES SIR.
WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE A HEARING AT A SPECIFIC DATE.
[02:45:01]
THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF.AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT PROMPTED THE LITIGATION, I THINK.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU WANT TO DEFER A FOLLOW ON ON THIS JUST TO THE FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING.
THAT A MOTION COUNCILMAN MOTION BY COUNCIL DON JR.
TO DEFER TO FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCK.
[Items 124 - 126]
THROUGH 1 26, FLASH AND YELLOW ARROW INSTALLATION DIAMOND ELECTRICAL COMPANY, INC.$936,967 25 CENTS MCCO ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, CLEARING AND GRUBBING M AND J CIVIL CONSTRUCTION LLC $726,275 AND 95 CENTS BURBANK DRIVE AT PELICAN LAKES TRAFFIC SIGNAL PREFERRED ELECTRIC, $375,917 AND 85 CENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SAY NO.
SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
[127. 25-00111]
EVANGELINE STREET.AL MONSTER DRIVE TO AREA A DA PROJECT TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION, LLC $503,940 AND 6 CENTS.
THERE'S A REQUEST TO DEFER THIS TO FEBRUARY 12TH.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NO.
MOTION TO DEFER TO FEBRUARY 12TH.
COUNCILMAN HURST? I I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT THE DEFERRAL'S FOR FRED.
JUST WHAT IS THE DEFERRAL FOR? JUST ASKING, UH, THE DEFERRALS.
ALSO, WE HAD A PROTEST AND WE'RE SETTING UP THE MEETING DATE THAT NEEDS, LIKE WE FOLLOW ON THE OTHER.
THESE, UH, PROTESTS SEEM SEEMING TO BE A LITTLE FREQUENT.
IS THERE ANY METHOD TO THIS MADNESS THAT WE HAVING RECENTLY THESE PROTESTS AT THIS POINT? THAT, THAT'S, WE ARE ON THE OTHER ONE.
I THINK WE'RE PRETTY, WE WE SHOULD BE GOOD, BUT I DON'T NOT REALLY WANT TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE STILL GOT A COURT.
BUT I MEAN, UH, ANYTHING THAT ISSUES THAT, THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THROUGH THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO RECTIFY.
I I RESPECT THAT WE CAN TALK OFFLINE.
I, I JUST WANNA SEE, GET SOME INSIGHT ON WHY WE, WE HAVING SO MANY RECENTLY.
WE GOT A MOTION, UH, TO DEFER TO FEBRUARY 12TH.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[72. 25-00014 (Part 2 of 2)]
ITEM 72, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER.TITLE PAULINE BROWN VERSUS CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,500 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NO.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE CITY BUSINESS BEFORE REPORTS.
I REITERATE MY MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION DUE TO THE, UM, NATURE AND LITIGATION IN THIS CASE.
IT MAY BE ADVERSARY TO US TO DISCUSS THIS.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON A REQUEST.
WE'LL VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON, ON A REQUEST TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ITEM 72.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM 72 IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OKAY,
COUNCILMAN HARRIS, DID YOU, OH, SORRY.
MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM 72, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE NEED TO THANK, ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN DON, JR DO YOU NEED TO READ IT, READ THE ITEM? OR DO YOU ACCEPT THE MOTIONS? ACCEPT THE MOTIONS.
A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 72 AT $142,500.
COUNCILMAN HURST MOTION AT ONE 50? SIR, THAT MOTION'S OUT OF ORDER.
[02:50:01]
HAVE A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN MOROCCO.[73. 25-00015]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF TRADE WINDS TOWNHOMES FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP AND FOR THE CLAIMANT'S UNITS FOR OUR AMOUNT OF $35,105 AND 9 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEENU WILL GO TO COUNSEL.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ROCA, SECOND BY COUNCIL MCKINNEY.
[74. 25-00019]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT, THE CLAIM OF DAVID WILSON FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S RENTAL PROPERTY FOR TOTAL AMOUNT OF $16,945 AND 48 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? TEAM? NO.
WE HAVE A MOTION, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ADAM, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.
ANY HE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[75. 25-00022]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF FULL GOSPEL UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A DRAINAGE ISSUE ON THE CLAIMANT'S PROPERTY FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $13,445 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NOW I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA? YES, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UM, ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, DISCUSS THE FACTS OF THIS MATTER BECAUSE LITIGATION AND DISCUSSING AN OPEN FORUM MAY BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR CASE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOS.
[76. 25-00024]
ITEM 76 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF SONYA PENN FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL.
COUNCILMAN MO, MR. JEFFERS MO HAVE WE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
THAT OUR CITY BUSINESS DEFENSE TONIGHT.
[128. 24-00246]
RECEIVING A FOURTH QUARTER 2024 REPORT FROM THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT BY COUNCILMAN GODDE.WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE REPORT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THIS HAS BEEN DEEMED NOT THE CITY'S BUSINESS, I ASKED FOR THE REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT DIDN'T MAKE IT ON THE AGENDA.
I'M LOOKING AT ASHLEY AS I SAY THAT.
DID, DID, DID SOMEONE SEND IT TO? OKAY, THEN HERE'S WHAT I'LL DO.
I'M GONNA DEFER THIS TWO WEEKS.
THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY AND IF NO ONE OBJECTS, THAT'S HOW I SUGGEST IT BE SUBMITTED GOING FORWARD.
BUT THERE'S SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THERE, ABOUT THE SNOWSTORM, ABOUT UPDATES TO OUR 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
AND SO I'LL DEFER AT TWO WEEKS.
THE REPORT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA IN TWO WEEKS AND WE'LL ACCEPT THE REPORT THAT WAY.
SECOND, THIRD, WE HAVE A MOTION AND THE SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GOD DAY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO DEFER UNTIL THE FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING.
[129. 24-01720]
1 29, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PERMIT OFFICE AND PLANNING COMMISSION ON AMENDING REGULATIONS AND DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR TOBACCO RETAILERS, SPECIFICALLY VAPE SHOPS AND THOSE RETAILERS SELLING SIMILAR PRODUCTS BY COUNCILMAN ROD, ROD GODDE, AND COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMAROSA.WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE REPORT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
I THINK WE HAVE A SLIDESHOW IF JUSTIN'S ABLE TO BRING THAT UP.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE DRINK MY WATER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PROTE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THE OFFICE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE PERMIT OFFICE WERE TASKED BY THE COUNCIL TO STUDY POTENTIAL REGULATIONS FOR TOBACCO RETAILERS AND VAPE SHOPS.
IN A SIMILAR APPROACH TO PREVIOUS STUDIES, WE REACHED OUT TO LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE, AS WELL AS REGIONAL PEER CITIES TO EXPLORE REGULATORY METHODS AND IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES FOR THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES.
THIS AGENDA ITEM IS INTENDED TO PRESENT AND REVIEW THE FINDINGS OF THAT STUDY, SUMMARIZING THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION AND PROVIDING YOU WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR REGULATING NEW VAPE BUSINESSES.
ANY FURTHER ACTION REGARDING THE CREATION OF NEW REGULATIONS FOR TOBACCO AND VAPE BUSINESSES WILL OF COURSE NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE VANCE BALDWIN, ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR WHO LED THE STUDY AND COORDINATED THE RESEARCH, AND HE'S GONNA WALK, WALK YOU THROUGH THE
[02:55:01]
REMAINING SLIDES.MY FIRST TIME UP IN FRONT OF Y'ALL, SO
SO, AS YOU KNOW, UM, TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS MAKE UP A WIDE VARIETY OF, UH, PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET, WHICH ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
THERE'S NEW ONES CREATED EVERY DAY.
UM, THESE PRODUCTS CAN INCLUDE, UM, METHODS OF SMOKING OPTIONS, INCLUDING NATURAL AND MANMADE PRODUCTS.
UM, THE E-CIGARETTE VAPOR AND VAPORIZERS HAVE BEEN A GROWING MARKET OFFERING TRADITIONAL TOBACCO FLAVORS AND SWEET FLAVORS THAT APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
UM, ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS OF THESE, UH, VAPE CONSUMPTION SIMILAR TO TOBACCO SMOKE CONSUMPTION COULD BE A SUPPORTIVE, UM, MEASURE IN PROTECTING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS OUR YOUTH AND NON-SMOKERS.
THE RAPID RISE OF E-CIGARETTE SALES DURING THE 2020 TO 2022, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY OVER 40%, UM, RAISED CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT WITH THESE PRODUCTS.
UH, STATISTICS REVEAL THAT A PORTION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EVEN NOW SMOKE, UH, REGULARLY.
UH, THIS DREW ATTENTION TO MARKETING STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY RETAILERS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF TOBACCO COMPANIES IN THE PAST.
UH, SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES APPEAL TO YOUTH CAPITALIZING ON SOCIAL NORMS AND A DESIRE TO HAVE AN IDENTITY WITH YOUNGER CONSUMERS.
UM, THE RISE OF THIS IN THE STATISTICS ACTUALLY CORRESPONDS WITH LOUISIANA THAT CHANGED THE LEGAL AGE TO PURCHASE TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS FROM 18 TO 21 IN 2021.
SO IN THIS STUDY, WE USED A MIXED METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY APPROACH, WHICH WAS ABLE TO BE ACHIEVED BY TOBACCO AND REGULATION, UH, RESEARCH THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THE SOUTHEAST.
UM, WE ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH OTHER PLANNING DEPARTMENTS, UM, FOR INTERVIEWS THAT BROUGHT FORWARD SOME OF THESE REAL WORLD CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND ENHANCED A LOT OF THE DEPTH OF OUR FINDINGS.
UH, SO WE ALSO ANALYZED ZONING CODES AND SOME OTHER LAWS ALLOWED, UM, FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS IN CONTROLLING TOBACCO VAPE AND RETAIL OPERATIONS, UH, AND A LAID SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THIS STUDY.
SO WHEN WE STARTED EXPLORING THESE REGULATORY PRACTICES IN OTHER CITIES, IT REVEALED A RANGE OF APPROACHES AS APPROACHES THAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD POSSIBLY REPLICATE OR EVEN MODIFY.
UH, BY CONDUCTING REGIONAL COMPARISONS, WE CAN EVEN REFINE SOME OF THESE SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES.
BUT WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A LOT OF PITFALLS THAT SHOWED UP WITH THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, SOME BEST PRACTICES IN BOTH ZONING AND THE LICENSING EMERGED WITH OUR, UH, RESEARCH AND A FRAMEWORK FOR THE COMMUNITY TO POTENTIALLY ENHANCE OUR REGULATIONS ON TOBACCO AND VAPE SHOPS.
SO, AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE, UH, WE DID, WE LOOKED AT OUR OWN MUNICIPALITY AS WELL AS OUR NEIGHBORS, UH, IN NEW ORLEANS, SHREVEPORT LAFAYETTE, AND LAKE CHARLES.
WE ALSO INCLUDED OUR PIER CITIES, UH, IN BIRMINGHAM MOBILE, MONTGOMERY, LITTLE ROCK, TALLAHASSEE, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI DURHAM, RALEIGH CHARLESTON, AND COLUMBIA KNOXVILLE.
UM, SOME OF THESE CITIES WERE RESEARCHED WITH A STUDY THAT INCLUDED SOME OF OUR, UM, NEIGHBORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND ALL OF THESE, NOT ALL OF 'EM, BUT GOOD PART OF THEM LOOK AT THESE SALES AS RETAIL SALES.
THEY DO NOT SPECIFICALLY HAVE THEM AS A SEPARATE TYPE OF SALE, UM, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT BATON ROUGE DOES AS WELL.
UM, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT REGULATIONS, IT WAS REAL THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT VARIATIONS THAT OCCURRED IN THE STATE AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, THIS KIND OF COMES AS EVERY, EVERY GOVERNMENT'S DIFFERENT.
THEY'RE ALL GONNA HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS.
THEIR LAWS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND MAY HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, FUNCTIONS IN THEIR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT OR CHARTERS.
UM, SO LICENSING, PERMITTING, AND ZONING WERE KIND OF THE METHOD METHODS THAT SHOWED UP ON THESE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.
UM, THEY CAN KIND OF CONTROL, UH, THE OPERATION OF THESE BUSINESS TYPES.
UM, NOW WHILE REGULATION, UH, SOME OF THESE REGULATORY METHODS CAME WITH A FRAMEWORK FOR TOBACCO AND VAPE CONTROL, THEY ALSO, UM, NEED ADAPTATION OVER TIME.
UH, ONE OF THE ADAPTATIONS THAT WAS KIND OF RECENT WITH, UH, LEGISLATION WAS A CREATION AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THE VAPE DIRECTORY, WHICH IS THE VAPOR AND ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCTS DIRECTORY UNDER THE STATE OFFICE OF ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO CONTROL.
UM, THIS CREATED A DIRECTORY WHERE ALL PRODUCTS THAT ARE SOLD UNDER A VAPE CATEGORY HAD TO BE FDA APPROVED.
AND ON THIS LIST, UM, WITHOUT BEING ON THE LIST, IT'S NOT LEGAL TO BE SO SOLD IN LOUISIANA.
UM, ANOTHER INSTANCE FOR CHANGES IN THIS ADAPTATION, UH, WERE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, UH, RECENTLY THAT ALSO, UH, PROVIDED STRICTER THC AND CBD SALE REGULATIONS.
SO FOR OUR LOCAL ORDINANCES AND IMPLICATIONS, UH, WE LOOK TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
UM, THE FIRST ONE'S TITLE IX, WHICH IS WHERE OUR BEER, WINE, AND, UH, LIQUOR ORDINANCE
[03:00:01]
IS AT.UH, BUT THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC ON, UH, TOBACCO WITH THIS OR THERE.
BUT TOBACCO IS SHOWN IN TITLE 12, WHICH IS OUR CLEAN AIR ACT.
UH, THIS DOES ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PARAMETERS FOR TOBACCO SHOPS WITH DISTANCE LIMITATIONS FROM WHERE THEY CAN BE SOLD THROUGH SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES.
UH, BUT IT IS SPECIFICALLY DEFINED DIFFERENTLY THAN VAPE, UH, PRODUCT.
SO WITH THE VAPE PRODUCTS, IT EXCLUDES.
SO WE MAY ACTUALLY PUT IN, UM, REGULATIONS FOR THAT DISTANCE OF TOBACCO, BUT NOT THE BAIT BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S DEFINED.
UM, NOW THE UDC DEFINES ALL OF THESE SALES AS RETAIL SALES, SIMILAR AS, UH, A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.
UH, THIS RETAIL SALES IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BREAK THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SALES APART, UH, BECAUSE YOU GET INTO, UM, ISSUES WITH, UH, ENFORCEMENT, UH, AND I GET IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE NEXT ONE.
SO, ZONING REGULATIONS CAN SERVE AS A MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE SALE OF THE RETAIL PRODUCTS.
UM, THEY ALSO EFFECTIVELY DELINEATE AREAS WHERE RETAIL SALES CAN OCCUR SURROUNDING, UH, OTHER OFFICE INSTITUTIONAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES.
HOWEVER, THE CHALLENGES WITH THE RETAIL SALES FOR THAT, UH, LEADS TO COMPLICATIONS WITH, UH, ENFORCEMENT AND OBSERV OBSERVATION OF THE RULES.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE RULES ARE THERE.
UH, NEW PRODUCTS ARE DEVELOPED AND SOLD EVERY DAY.
AND ENFORCEMENT OF LAND USE CAN BE A CHALLENGE WHEN A RETAILER BEGAN SELLING A PRODUCT THAT THEY DIDN'T INITIALLY START SELLING.
UH, THEY MAY INITIALLY START OUT AS ONE BUSINESS, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A RETAIL SALE, THEY CAN PIVOT TO A, UH, VAPE SHOP WITHOUT ANY OTHER CHANGE.
SO, AND THEN WE GET INTO LICENSING PER, SO POST THE, THE ZONING, THE DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, LICENSING POLICIES BRINGS UP SIMILAR FRAMEWORK WITH GOVERNING ALCOHOL SALES.
UM, SIMILAR TO THE ALCOHOL AS STRINGENT LICENSING COULD REGULATE THE TOBACCO AND VAPING PRODUCTS EFFECTIVELY, BUT IMPLEMENTING A LICENSE COULD ALSO, UM, ENHANCE THE REGULATORY EFFECTS.
HOWEVER, I DO NEED TO KNOW THE CHALLENGES WITH THAT BECAUSE, UM, AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WITH A B, C THAT'LL GO TO THIS.
UH, IT'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOT MORE FUNDING AND CHALLENGE, UH, A LOT MORE FUNDING AND STAFFING TO GET THAT CHALLENGE DONE.
UH, IT'S, THEY, THEY CAN DO MUCH OF THE ENFORCEMENT ON THE ALCOHOL.
THEY, THEY HAVE, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO INSTITUTE, I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE PLUS 150 PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE AN ALCOHOL LICENSE THAT DO SELL VAPE, UH, OR TOBACCO.
UH, PERMANENT APPLICATIONS MAY BE THE MORE, MAYBE AN EASIER AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
AND MAINTAINING DISTANCES BETWEEN THESE CONFLICTING, UH, BUSINESSES.
UH, OCCUPANCY PERMITS COULD BE MODIFIED TO WHERE, UH, SOMEBODY WOULD NOTE WHETHER OR NOT A, UH, VAPE WOULD BE SOLD IN THIS.
AND IF THEY DON'T DO THAT IN THEIR RETAIL SALES APPLICATION, IF THEY CHANGED AND THERE'S A COMPLAINT AND FOUND, THERE WOULD BE A BACKGROUND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE EITHER A REVOCATION OR THEIR, UH, OCCUPANCY LICENSE OR VIOLATIONS.
SO, AND THEN I'LL GET IN ON THE LAST SLIDE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE OPTIONS FOR FUTURE REGULATIONS.
AND AS WE CONSIDER THESE, UH, THE FIRST ONE IS ONE OPTION THAT MAINTAINS THE EXISTING PRACTICES.
UM, NOW THE, IN TITLE 12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE THE SEPARATION FOR TOBACCO RETAILERS, UH, WHICH HAS A 300 FOOT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR, UM, FOR TOBACCO STORES, BUT NOT THE VAPE SHOPS.
UH, SO IN THE SECOND OPTION, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS ALTERNATIVELY PROPOSING A SEPARATE ORDINANCE THAT PROVIDES DEFINITIONS FOR VAPE, UH, PROCESSES AND DISTANCE SEPARATIONS BETWEEN THE BUSINESSES, UH, AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
UM, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VIABLE SOLUTION, UM, AND WHAT WE SAW WITH THE PERMITTING OFFICE.
UH, ANOTHER OPTION COULD BE TO MODIFY THE TITLE 12 FOR THE CLEAN AIR ACT, WHERE NOT JUST TOBACCO, UH, SHOPS WOULD BE REGULATED WITH THE 300 FOOT REQUIREMENT.
IT MAY ALSO ADD IN, UM, VAPE WITHIN THE VAPE SHOPS FROM THOSE INSTITUTIONAL USES LIKE SCHOOLS, DAYCARES AND PARKS.
UH, SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE OPTION WITH REGULATING ON, UH, AN A B, C LEVEL, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST INTENSIVE OPTION AND DRAWS SOME OF THOSE DRAWBACKS WITH WHAT I LISTED WITH FUNDING AND, UH, STAFF.
NOW FINALLY, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS IS THE UDC.
SO THIS IS, UH, VIABLE OPTION.
WE COULD CREATE A CATEGORY WITHIN THE UDC THAT LISTS US AS SPECIFIC, BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS COULD BE, UM, A POTENTIAL ISSUE FROM A UDC SIDE WHEN WE START BREAKING APART THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RETAIL SALES OR FROM THE ENFORCEMENT OF A BUSINESS STARTING, UH, WITH ONE TYPE OF SALE AND TRANSITIONING TO ANOTHER.
SO, AND THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS WE'VE GOT.
AND ANY QUESTIONS I'LL BE WITH RYAN.
[03:05:01]
YOU VANCE.AND RYAN, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? YES, MA'AM.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE GARRE INITIATIVE.
AND ALSO I'M A LICENSED PREVENTION PROFESSIONAL.
AS A LICENSED PREVENTION PROFESSIONAL, WE KNOW THAT, UH, FOR SUBSTANCE MISUSE WHEN THERE IS RETAIL AVAILABILITY, THEN IT INCREASES ACCESSIBILITY BY THE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM, MORE SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA THANK THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE WE APPEARED AT THE COMMISSION MEETING WHEN, UH, THERE WAS AN INSTANCE OF SOMEONE TRYING TO ADD ANOTHER VAPE SHOP IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, OUR DISH, OUR CITY COUNCILMAN, UH, ROWDY GODDE FOR WORKING WITH US.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE WANT TO DO THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A 14 ACRE PARK AND JUST RIGHT ACROSS FROM IT IS A VAPE SHOP.
AND IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME ORDINANCE IN PLACE, THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
AND, UH, WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE GOD DEER A SAFE AND A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO WORK WITH US SO THAT WE WOULD PREVENT THE PROLIFERATION OF, UH, LIFE SHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER PLACES AS WELL IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NO ONE GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HUDSON, UH, VANCE, IF YOU WOULD, UH, FIRST THANK YOU FOR A VERY THOROUGH REPORT.
UM, MY QUESTION, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THE OPTIONS THIS WOULD BEST APPLY TO, BUT, UM, DID Y'ALL SEE ANY DIFFERENCE OR, OR ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHAN DISTANCE REQUIREMENT ENHANCEMENTS BASED ON THC OR THC DERIVATIVES? WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE IS ONE REQUIREMENT FOR TOBACCO AND VAPES, BUT AN ENHANCED DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR THC OR THC DERIVATIVES.
SO, SO WE GET IN SOME OF THE, THE STATE LAWS WITH THE THC DERIVATIVES, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE ALLOWED BY THE STATE THAT, THAT ARE DEVELOPED BY CBD, UH, THAT COULD BE DONE AS WELL WITH IT.
A LOT OF IT'S GONNA BE ON HOW WE DEFINE THAT, THE DEFINITION OF A SMOKE OR VAPOR PRODUCT OR SIMILAR PRODUCTS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE SAW THAT IN, UH, MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE THEY ADDED SIMILAR PRODUCTS THAT LEFT SOME DISCRETION TO IT.
SO WHEN YOU GOT INTO AN ORDINANCE CHANGING, GETTING DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY ON IT THAT YOU COULD SPECIFY THOSE PRODUCTS.
BUT WHEN THE PRODUCTS CHANGE THAT OFTEN, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AS WELL BECAUSE, UM, AS WE EVEN STARTED THE STUDY, THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WERE BANNED IN THE STATE, UM, THROUGHOUT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE STUDY TILL NOW.
SO IF I CAN BOIL IT DOWN, YOU CAN DO IT.
BUT THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS AND ENFORCEMENT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT.
EXCUSE MY VOICE TONIGHT, UH, VANCE AND, AND RYAN AND THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I JUST, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DID AND PULLED THIS TOGETHER.
THE COUNCIL, UM, A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, UH, MADE THAT REQUEST FOR THE STUDY.
UH, AND SO ADVANCED, AS YOU CAN SEE, DID A VERY THOROUGH JOB, GOT, UH, SIMILAR SIZED COMMUNITIES, BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I WAS GRATEFUL FOR THAT RESEARCH.
UM, I ALSO WON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY.
MIRO HARRISON CAME UP AND SPOKE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I WON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A LOT OF LOVE AND RESPECT ON HER NAME AND, AND THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR YEARS IN THE GUARD DIRE COMMUNITY AND THE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND SO, UM, I, I NEVER MAKE A MOVE WITHIN THE GUARD DEER COMMUNITY, WHICH IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT THREE WITHOUT DR. HARRISON BEING MY FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD PHONE CALL.
SO I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE EFFORT AND LOVE, UH, THAT YOU POUR IN.
SHE'S A GRANDMOTHER TO ABOUT, UH, 5,000 KIDS FROM THE GAR DIRE AREA, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, UH, SO I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THIS REPORT.
THE LAST SLIDE, MAYBE JUSTIN, IF YOU COULD PULL UP THAT LAST SLIDE, WHICH IS THE OPTIONS FOR FUTURE REGULATIONS.
I'LL JUST REFERENCE THAT IF, IF YOU HAVE IT ON YOUR SCREEN.
I THINK THE SECOND PROPOSED OPTION IS THE OPTIMAL, UH, ON THE, ON THE SLIDE THAT'S NOW ON THE SCREEN.
UM, UH, A NEW CHAPTER WITHIN, UH, TITLE IX OF THE CODE, CODE OF ORDINANCES TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS AND, UH, PROCESSES AND, AND LOCATION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, LOOK, I MEAN, I, I AM, UH, NOT ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT, UH, FROM COMING INTO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, BUT I THINK MUCH LIKE
[03:10:01]
WE CURRENTLY DO WITH, UH, CERTAIN TYPES OF RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, WE NEED TO PUT SOME, UH, DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS AROUND IT.AND SO THAT IS MY INTENT MOVING FORWARD, IS TO START WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF EVALUATING WHAT THOSE IMPORTANT DETAILS WOULD BE, UH, TO DO THAT.
UM, I WILL SAY PUTTING DEFINITIONS AROUND THESE TYPES OF, UM, PERIPHERY TOBACCO PRODUCTS, I THINK WILL BE CHALLENGING.
'CAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE CHANGING ON A VERY CONSISTENT BASIS WITH NEW PRODUCTS BROUGHT INTO THE MARKET.
AND SO, UM, SO IT'LL BE AN ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THESE TYPES OF PRODUCTS, UH, AND THEN PREVENT THEM FROM LOCATING WITHIN CERTAIN DISTANCES OF SCHOOLS AND PARKS, UH, POTENTIALLY PLACES OF WORSHIP, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO LOOKING AT, UM, OTHER RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE THOSE TYPES OF RESTRICTIONS AND THEN USING THOSE AS A MODEL, I, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PATH GOING FORWARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'D JUST BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
THAT'S THE THE NEXT STEPS THAT I'M GONNA TAKE.
HAPPY TO WORK WITH ANY OF YOU AS I DO WITH ANY, UH, PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, AND GAIN YOUR INSIGHT ON THIS.
UH, THANK YOU MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA REAL QUICK, RYAN, EITHER ONE OF Y'ALL, CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN NUMBER FIVE, JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR ME, INTRODUCE NEW LAND USE CATEGORY DEFINITIONS? SURE.
THAT OPTION, UH, KIND OF DEALS WITH OUR OFFICE AND, AND INTRODUCING IT AS A SPECIFIC USE AND INTO THE ZONING CODE.
UH, THE PROBLEMS WE IDENTIFIED BOTH BY RESEARCH AND TALKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES IS YOU ADD TIME AND COST.
UM, I, I TALKED TO, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON EARLIER ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING WE LOOKED AT AND THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.
BUT THE TIMELINE FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, JUST, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WOULD ADD APPROXIMATELY 90 DAYS FOR ANY NEW VAPE STORE WANTING TO, UH, GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THERE'S ADDITIONAL COSTS ON, ON GETTING PROFESSIONAL PLANS THAT HAVE TO BE, UH, SUBMITTED AS PART OF THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND THEN, AS VANCE MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ON BREAKING OUT THOSE VERY SPECIFIC USES AND INTRODUCING THOSE IN THE UDC.
THE, UH, PEER CITIES WE TALKED TO FELT LIKE THE, THE BEST PRACTICE ON THOSE THAT THAT STARTED TO REGULATE VAPE SHOPS WAS TO DO IT MORE AT A, AT A PERMITTING LEVEL.
THAT THAT'S WHERE IT ORIGINATES.
THEY HAVE MORE CONTROL ON ENFORCEMENT AND, AND STAFF TO MANAGE IT BETTER THAN A, A PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
A OBSERVATION AND THEN A REQUEST OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN GODDE.
UM, FIRST I, I SEE THAT HE'S BEEN HANGING AROUND IN GUARDIA AND, AND NOW HE'S MAKING, UH, BABY, UH, QUOTES, PUTTING SOME RESPECT ON SOMEBODY'S NAME.
HE, HE MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW WHO BABY IS, BUT, BUT THAT'S A QUOTE OF, OF BABY.
UH, SECONDLY, I WOULD REQUEST OF HIM TO INVOLVE THE, UH, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO AFFECT.
UH, COUNCILMAN GOER HAS SHOWN THAT HE HAS AN APPETITE FOR LOOKING AT REGULATION AND ADDING REGULATION TO BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.
THE LAST ITEM HE BROUGHT, I, I BELIEVE THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT INDUSTRY WAS LIMITED AS BEST.
AND I THINK THAT THE INDUSTRY NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE TO GIVE THEIR INPUT.
I'M ALL FOR LOOKING AT ANY BUSINESS AND ANY INDUSTRY TO MAKE SURE THIS COMMUNITY IS SAFER, BUT I THINK THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IMPACTED MOST SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE AND PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
SO I'D IMPRESS UPON YOU TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE.
[130. 25-00040]
ITEM ONE 30, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY PARISH OPEN DATA POLICY BY INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTOR.WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE REPORT, WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE THE REPORT BEFORE WE HAVE A, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
SO SOMEBODY CHALLENGED ME TO DRAG THIS ON TO EIGHT O'CLOCK, SO I ADDED SOME MORE SLIDES OVER THERE.
JUSTIN, CAN YOU CALL IT UP? SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BEFORE WE DIVE IN, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL AND, AND OF COURSE, THANK MAYOR EDWARDS FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SHARE THIS YEAR'S OPEN DATA POLICY REPORT.
UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO REVISIT, UM, WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW.
IN 2017, THE COUNCIL, UM, TOOK A BIG STEP FORWARD BY APPROVING OUR FIRST EVER FORMAL OPEN DATA POLICY AND THE POLICIES BUILT ON BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND DESIGNED TO MAKE OUR CITY A MORE DATA-DRIVEN AND TRANSPARENT ONE.
ONE OF THE KEY PRINCIPLES BEHIND THIS POLICY IS AN OPEN BY DEFAULT MANDATE.
[03:15:01]
WE STRIVE TO PROACTIVELY PUBLISH HIGH QUALITY DATA THAT IS RELEVANT AND USEFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY.SO, SOME SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES WE HAVE UP THERE, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT IN 2015 WE LAUNCHED OPEN DATA VR, OUR CENTRAL DATA PORTAL WITH OVER 14 MILLION ROWS OF DATA GIVEN USERS TOOLS TO CREATE VISUALIZATIONS, CHARTS AND REPORTS.
SO THAT WAS IN 2015, THAT'S NOW 10 YEARS OLD.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL WE BUILT THE REPORT TOGETHER.
THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG ACHIEVEMENT TO HAVE, UH, OPEN DATA AROUND THAT LONG.
IN 2018, WE LAUNCHED, UM, OPEN CHECKBOOK VR PROVIDING DETAILED INSIGHT TO CITY SPENDING IN 2020 BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE DATA ON ONLINE FOR THE CITIZENS TO USE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY, THEY KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE DATA.
WE LAUNCHED THE CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY, WHICH HAS SINCE BECOME A VALUABLE TOOL IN EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS ON HOW TO USE THE, THE DATA AND THE TOOLS THAT WE PROVIDE.
22, WE PARTICIPATED IN BLOOMBERG PHILANTHR PHILANTHROPIES, CITY DATA ALLIANCE AND EXPERIENCE THAT HELPED SHAPE OUR APPROACH TO DATA GOVERNANCE AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.
AND JUST LAST, UH, IN 2023, WE TOOK A BIG STEP BY OFFICIALLY FORMING A DATA ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE DIVISION, WHICH IS KNOWN AS DAP.
SPEAKING OF DAP, THIS DIVISION WAS FORMED, LIKE I SAID, UM, IN 2023, UM, BY RESTRUCTURING EXISTING GIS AND WEB DEVELOPMENT TEAMS TO CREATE A DEDICATED GROUP FOCUSED ON USING DATA TO DRIVE BETTER DECISION MAKING.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS WAS A BUDGET NEUTRAL RESTRUCTURING.
THERE WORK EXPANDS EVERYTHING FROM MANAGING DATA SETS TO PUBLISHING NEW INFORMATION, WORKING CLOSELY WITH DEPARTMENTS TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS.
A LOT OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITH WITHOUT THIS TEAM.
AND I HAVE A FEW OF THEM HERE THAT I'LL ASK TO TO COME UP, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE JOINED THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES CITY DATA ALLIANCE.
THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT CONNECTED US WITH OTHER CITIES AND EXPERTS, HELPING US REFINE OUR APPROACH TO DATA GOVERNANCE AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.
ONE MAJOR OUTCOME OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF A CITYWIDE DATA STRATEGY.
WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS IT CREATES A, A SET OF STANDARDS OF HOW DATA IS COLLECTED, MAINTAINED, AND USED ACROSS ALL CITY PARISH DEPARTMENTS.
AND THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DATA IS ACCURATE, ACCESSIBLE, AND VALUABLE, NOT JUST TO US, BUT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IN REAL LIFE IS OUR BLIGHT REMEDIATION EFFORTS.
SO, WORKING WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT AND OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF 6,000 PROPERTIES TO ASSESS AND PRIORITIZE BLIGHT REMEDIATION EFFORTS.
WE USED DATA ANALYSIS AND MAPPING TOOLS.
WE IDENTIFIED THE AREAS WITH THE GREATEST NEED AND DIRECTED RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE INSIGHTS GAINED FROM THIS PROJECT HAVE ALSO HELPED US DEVELOP A MODEL THAT CAN BE USED ACROSS OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ALSO PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN STREAMLINING CITY OPERATIONS.
SO OUR ADAPT TEAM HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR MUNI WORKFLOW WORKING GROUP TO ANALYZE AND IMPROVE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES.
BUT BY TRACKING KEY KEY METRICS, HOW LONG A PURCHASE ORDER AND CONTRACTS TAKE TO MOVE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY BOTTLENECKS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THE RESULT.
AND 81% REDUCTION IN CONTRACT PROCESSING TIMES AND A 46% REDUCTION IN PURCHASE ORDER PROCESSING TIMES WORK ALSO SUPPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS BY COLLABORATING WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND BRPD.
WE, UH, INTEGRATED CRIME INCIDENT DATA INTO OPEN DATA VR, MAKING IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS AND OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND CRIME TRENDS.
THE DATA ALSO PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, HELPING LAW ENFORCEMENT ALLOCATE RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY AND IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES BEYOND PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE DEVELOPED DATA, DIFFERENT DATA-DRIVEN TOOLS TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY, A HOMELESSNESS RESOURCE MAP THAT HELPS CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH SHELTERS, HEALTHCARE AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
A STREETLIGHT MAP THAT USES 3 1 1 SERVICE REQUEST TO TRACK AND PRIORITIZE STREETLIGHT REPAIRS, SUPPORT FOR HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTH INITIATIVES, AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR STORM RECOVERY EFFORTS THROUGH DATA COLLECTION AND DEBRIS REMOVAL.
SO, SOME OF THE NUMBERS FOR 2024, WE PUBLISHED TWO NEW DATA SETS, SEVEN DASHBOARD AND WEB APPS, AND ADDED 2.5 MILLION NEW ROWS OF DATA TO OPEN DATA BR AND E-B-R-G-I-S.
WE ALSO FOCUSED ON EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH.
[03:20:01]
OUR WEEKLY TECH TUESDAY SERIES, WHICH COVERS CYBERSECURITY OPEN DATA, AND GIS REACHED OVER 1.4 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR PRESENTATIONS THIS YEAR.
AND OUR OPEN DATA BR PLATFORM NOW HOSTS, UH, 240 DATA SETS WHILE OUR GIS PLATFORM FEATURES 61 PUBLIC DASHBOARDS AND HAS SURPASSED 85 MILLION VIEWS.
UM, BATON ROUGE LAST YEAR WAS NAMED ONCE AGAIN A TOP 10 DIGITAL CITY FOR THE 10TH YEAR IN A ROW.
THIS YEAR WE JUMPED FROM 10TH PLACE TO THIRD PLACE.
UM, WE ALSO EARNED THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES, WHAT WORKS CITY'S GOLD CERTIFICATION FOR USING DATA TO IMPROVE POLICY BUDGETING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO 2025, WE WANNA FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING THE DATA GOVERNANCE ACROSS CITY PARISH DEPARTMENTS, EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR DATA SHARING.
SO JUST LIKE WE PULLED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN, WE WANNA LOOK AT THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SHARING SOME OF THEIR DATA, WE HAVE THE PORTAL.
THEY DON'T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT INCREASING COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO HELP RESIDENTS AND CITY STAFF MAKE THE MOST OF OUR OPEN DATA RESOURCE.
AND THE FULL INTERACTIVE REPORT IS, CAN BE LOCATED AT, OR IS LOCATED@BRLA.GOV SLASH OPEN DATA REPORT.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 50 SLIDES THAT I HAD.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? REPORT TEAM.
NOW I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HURST.
I THINK THE INTEGRATION WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WAS, UH, PROBABLY OVERDUE AND YOU JUST DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKING THE CITY PARISH BETTER THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT IN THE PACE STUDY WAS THE LACK OF HUMAN CAPITAL CAN BE OFFSET WITH TECH, TECHNICAL, TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATIONS AND LEVERAGING THAT TO, UH, MAKE PROCESSES BETTER.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF, OF SELLING.
AT ONE TIME, THEY HAD FIVE CAMPUSES, BUT THEY HAD ONE SYSTEM CALLED BANNER, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT MM-HMM
THAT CAN RUN AN ENTIRE UNIVERSITY.
AND EACH ONE HAD A DISPARATE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF CENTRALIZING IT INTO ONE SPACE IN ONE PLACE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY PARISH IS.
I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT HISTORICALLY THAT SOMETIMES THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO COME AND SAY WHAT THEY NEED, BUT IF WE CAN DO THE LIMITED STAFF, WE CAN GO FIND SOME PROACTIVE WAY TO TAP ON EACH DEPARTMENT AND SAY, HOW CAN I HELP? AND THEN KIND OF FIGURE OUT IF THE NEEDS ARE SAME IN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
FIGURE OUT HOW TO INTEGRATE MORE TECHNOLOGY USING, UM, MULTIPLE BUDGETS TO BUY ONE ITEM YEP.
WHICH WILL SAVE THE CITY PARISH MONEY.
ERIC, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
UH, ALWAYS YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS THAT WE SEE IN CITY PARISH, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE REAL QUICK ON THE CHAT BOT AND HOW THE INTEGRATION WITH THAT IS GOING.
SO, UM, IT IS PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO.
WE'VE TESTED AND I JUST HAVE TO FIND TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO ACTUALLY, UM, GO AHEAD AND GET THAT LAUNCHED OUT.
BUT IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO, SO IT SHOULD BE READY IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
THE, THE OPEN DATA, TRANSPARENT DATA YOUR DEPARTMENT PROVIDES IS, UH, EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M, AND KUDOS ON THE CONTINUED RECOGNITION.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES IS CYBERSECURITY.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO SOME OF THE EFFORTS THERE, UH, THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO? YEP.
SO, SO THAT IS, UM, OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.
OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS CYBERSECURITY.
AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND BIGGEST CONCERN BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE OF THE BAD GUYS OUT THERE THAN THERE ARE OF THE GOOD GUYS.
AND IT'S JUST THE ATTACKS ARE, ARE NEVER ENDING.
WE'RE HAVING TO CONSTANTLY ADJUST THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
I WAS, I WAS, UM, AND I SHARED THIS WITH, WITH MAYOR BROOM, UM, AS, AS SHE WAS EXITING, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OF MY PEERS ARE SO EXTREMELY JEALOUS OF THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE THROUGH THE ARPA GRANT.
AND, UM, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT A FEDERAL GRANT OF THAT SIZE HAD A CYBERSECURITY COMPONENT.
[03:25:01]
COUNCIL AND FINANCE ALL SAW THAT, UM, WE NEEDED TO SPEND ADDITIONAL MONIES ON CYBER BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SO IMPORTANT.SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE DOING, BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY REEVALUATING.
WE HAVE EXTERNAL PARTNERS THAT HELPS OUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO HANDLE IT IN INSIDE.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
WE PARTNER WITH THE STATE, WE PARTNER WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS.
WE HAVE SOME, UM, UM, CONTRACTS IN PLACE AS WELL.
UM, IT'S JUST A, IT'S A, A NEVER ENDING PROCESS WITH CYBER.
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, ERIC.
[131. 25-00104]
1 31 IS AN EMERGENCY ITEM.FIRST ITEM, JUST A POINT OF THIS INFORMATION.
MR. PROTE, WE'RE GONNA DEFER THE HOMELESS, UH, 1 32 ITEM.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TIME TO GIVE IT TO THE ATTENTION AND THE JUSTICE IN NEED.
SO WE'RE GONNA DEFER THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO, ITEM 1 31, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM DM GROUP AND CITY PARISH PURCHASING OFFICE ON THE PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT FINDINGS.
STUDY BY COUNCILMAN CLE DUNN JR.
REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS TO ALLOW THE REPORT TO BE GIVEN ON JANUARY 29TH IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRD VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY? SAY NONE.
WE'LL HAVE THE REPORT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REP, A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REPORT.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM AND THE COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JOHN KIM.
UH, I AM A PROFESSOR AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, UH, AND I FOCUS ON WORKING WITH SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AND GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
MOST OF MY WORK IS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT GROUP, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 21 YEARS.
UH, AND WE'VE HAD THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF, UH, PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO LOOK AT THIS, UM, THE, UH, THE PURCHASING, UM, PROCESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS I GET STARTED, I WANT TO JUST, LET'S SEE IF I CAN, OKAY.
UM, THIS, THE PROCESS AROUND PURCHASING IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY EXPERIENCES, UH, THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH ALL OF YOU.
UH, IT'S OF COURSE, IMPORTANT IN THE WAY THAT YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY AND IN THE PROCESS THAT YOU USE TO, UH, PURCHASE SERVICES AND IMPORTANT GOODS AND SERVICES.
BUT IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT WAYS THAT THE COMMUNITY INTERACTS, UH, WITH THAT.
AND SO WE HAVE THREE GOALS, UH, FOR THIS WORK TOGETHER.
ONE WAS TO PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT STATE AND EFFECTIVENESS, THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SECOND, WAS TO, UM, UNDERSTAND AND CODIFY AND GET SHARE, UH, STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE, HOW IT'S IMPACTING AND, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, AND, UH, CHALLENGES THAT THEY MAY BE EXPERIENCING.
AND THEN ALSO OUTLINE SOME, UH, POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS AS A WAY TO, UH, STRENGTHEN THE PROCESS OVERALL.
WE WORKED ON THE BLUE PART OF THIS, WE CALL IT AN OPPORTUNITY REVIEW.
IT'S A, WE INTENTIONALLY CALL AN OPPORTUNITY REVIEW BECAUSE IT'S FORWARD LOOKING.
WE WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT IS THERE NOW, BUT WE ALSO WANNA REALLY LOOK FORWARD AS TO HOW YOU IMPROVE AND STRENGTHEN THAT PROCESS.
AND THERE WERE TWO BIG PARTS TO IT.
UH, THERE WAS A QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA COLLECTION PART ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE GOING DOWN.
UH, WE WALKED TO, UH, WE SPOKE AND MET WITH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
UH, WE COLLECTED DATA FROM THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS. UM, I THINK IT WAS, UM, VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION BEFORE BECAUSE THERE WAS, UH, IT WAS, THIS IS KIND OF ZEROING IN ON THE PURCHASING PER, UH, UH, BOARD PART OF THAT.
THEN WE DID A LOT OF DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU, UH, SOME OF THE FINDINGS THAT WE HAVE FROM THERE.
REALLY, THE HEADLINE HERE IS THAT, UH, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, UH, THE PURCHASING PROCESS HAS BEEN IMPROVING.
IT HAS BEEN ACCELERATING IN TERMS OF TIME.
AND SO IF YOU KINDA LOOK AT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT REQUISITIONS ARE CONVERTED TO CONTRACT, IT'S ACTUALLY DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.
HOWEVER, THERE'S STILL A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, UH, PERCEIVED INEFFICIENCIES.
I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME OF THE, UH, THE DATA BEHIND THAT.
AND WHEN WE ZERO IT IN ON THE STATED GOAL AROUND
[03:30:01]
THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S GOAL TO ACHIEVE 25% SUPPLY DIVERSITY, UH, THAT IS STILL FAR OFF FROM MEETING THOSE GOALS.SO WHAT I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU ARE SOME FINDINGS ON THE PURCHASING PROCESS OVERALL, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT STILL EXIST, AND THEN ALSO ZERO IN SPECIFICALLY ON THE GOALS TO ACHIEVE THE 25% SUPPLY OF DIVERSITY IN BATON ROUGE.
UH, SO WHAT THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS YOU IS STARTING IN 2021, WE'RE LOOKING AT CONTRACTS BOTH SMALLER THAN 50,000 AND CONTRACTS, GREATER THAN 50,000.
THOSE ARE THE TWO BAR CHARTS ON THE, ON THE LEFT AND HOW LONG THEY TAKE, UH, TO GO, GO FROM CONTRACTS OR POS TO POS.
SO IT'S THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT BETWEEN 2021 FOR CONTRACTS THAT ARE LESS THAN $50,000, THERE WAS A REAL SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS, UH, THAT ARE IN THE WORKFLOW SYSTEM.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE ABOVE $50,000, WHICH ARE THE BAR CHARTS IN THE MIDDLE, IT WAS ALSO A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE ON THE POS THAT ARE GREATER THAN $5,000.
UH, THIS, THE, UH, THE REDUCTION IN TIME WAS NOT AS GREAT, BUT STILL, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENT THERE.
SO THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS WENT DOWN, UH, PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND IF YOU KIND OF START LOOKING AT WHY THIS IS THE CASE, UH, BATON ROUGE, LIKE MOST CITIES HAVE A FAIRLY, UH, RIGOROUS, UH, PROCESS.
AND SO THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS, WHAT WE STARTED DOING WAS TO TRACK THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT A REQUISITION GOES THROUGH, UH, THIS PROCESS AND STARTING TO DIAGNOSE THEN WHERE IN THAT PROCESS DOES IT ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN? WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN START UNDERSTANDING THE REASONS FOR WHY IT TAKES SO LONG FROM THE TIME THAT A REQUISITION IS, UH, REDUCED, THE HOW, THEN WHERE IT GOES INTO CONTRACTING, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHERE IT GOES INTO A PO AND IT'S PURCHASED.
UM, THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE THAT, UM, THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS A VERY ROBUST AND, UH, COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS IN PLACE ALREADY.
SO THE ISSUE FROM OUR STANDPOINT WASN'T THAT THE PROCESS ISN'T THERE, THE PROCESS IS, BUT THE BIG THING THAT WE, UNDER WHAT WE ARE, UH, WHAT WE DISCOVERED WAS THAT THE PROCESS IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD BY PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EVEN WELL UNDERSTOOD INTERDEPARTMENTALLY.
SO THE PROCESS IS THERE, BUT THE WAY IT GETS EXECUTED, UH, IS WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE TO IMPROVE.
AND WHEN WE SPOKE TO, UH, STAKEHOLDERS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO JUST KIND OF QUICKLY, UH, SCAN THESE QUOTES.
WHAT THEY KIND OF TALK ABOUT IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERACTING WITH THE SYSTEM AS TO HOW THAT SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS.
YOU KNOW, AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAVE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, WE ASK A VERY, VERY SIMPLE QUESTION, STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT HARD TO ANSWER, IS THIS A PROBLEM WITH THE PLAN OR IS THIS A PROBLEM WITH THE EXECUTION OF THE PLAN? SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A PLAN, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THE EXECUTION IS NOT AS GOOD.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE A POOR PLAN.
AND NO, NO AMOUNT OF GOOD EXECUTION IS GONNA SOLVE THAT.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT YOU HAVE A FAIRLY RIGOROUS SET OF PLANS IN PLACE.
THE WAY IT GETS COMMUNICATED, THE WAY IT GETS EXECUTED, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY IN THAT SYSTEM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS WHY THAT PROCESS SLOWS DOWN, UH, AND LEADS TO A LOT OF CONTRACTS BEING HELD OR BEING REJECTED.
SO IF YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THIS CHART BETWEEN 2021 AND 2024, WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS THAT WERE HELD OR REJECTED WHILE THEY WERE IN THE SYSTEM, AND THEN THE PERCENTAGE OF POS HELD OR REJECTED IN THE SYSTEM.
AND SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 40% OF THE CONTRACTS BEING HELD OR REJECTED FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT THE REASONS ARE IN A MINUTE, UH, AND WHY THE PO POS ARE HELD, THE PURCHASE ORDERS ARE HELD OR REJECTED.
AND EVEN WHEN, EVEN THOUGH A 13% LOOKS LIKE A SMALL NUMBER, WHEN YOU KIND OF ADD IT ALL UP, IT'S OVER A THOUSAND POS IN OVER A YEAR BECAUSE THE CITY DOES A LOT OF CONTRACTING.
[03:35:01]
AND SO IF YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE WE'RE TRYING TO DO BUSINESS WITH, THE, UH, CITY, IT'S QUITE A LOT OF DIFFERENT GOING BACK AND FORTH AROUND HOW THESE, UH, REQUISITIONS AND POS AND CONTRACTS ARE BEING DONE.UH, AND WHEN WE DUG IN FURTHER ON, WHY, WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR THESE REJECTIONS ON HOLDS? SO LOOK AT THE ONE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE BEING HELD AND THE RIGHT HAND BARS, THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE REJECTED.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS.
SO THE DARK BLUE ON THE BOTTOM IS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OR DOCUMENTATION ISSUES.
THE NEXT, THE ORANGE, UH, THE DARK ORANGE IS COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION ISSUES, THEIR RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUES, BUDGETING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION ISSUES, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE I COULD LOOK AT THIS, AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS.
UH, THE BAD NEWS OBVIOUSLY IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONTRACTS AND POS THAT ARE BEING HELD OR REJECTED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE REASONS CAN BE ADDRESSED.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARDER TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE RISK MITIGATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE FAR MORE COMPLEX ISSUES IF YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE AND DOCUMENTATION ISSUES.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE AREAS THAT CAN BE MORE EASILY ADDRESSED GOING FORWARD.
UH, SO GOING FORWARD, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO DEVELOP ARE DEVELOPING A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, SOPS FOR ALL THE WORKFLOWS, HAVING HELPING WITH CHECKLISTS OR SUBMISSIONS CALL OUTS OF CHANGES, JUST REALLY MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS SO THAT YOU CAN REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, REASONS FOR WHY THESE CONTRACTS AND REQUISITIONS GET HELD ARE REJECTED.
TRAINING AND PUBLISHING THESE AND MAKING IT KNOWN WIDELY, UH, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN, UH, THE CITY AND THE PARISH AS WELL AS, UH, EXTERNALLY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW THAT PROCESS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THE LAST THING IS TRAINING.
WE HAVE, UH, EXPERTISE IN RAPID IMPROVEMENT CYCLES, PULLING TEAMS TOGETHER AND MEASURING HOW LONG THINGS TAKE AND IMPROVING THAT OVER TIME.
THEN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, I JUST WANT TO ZERO IN ON, UH, THE CITY STATED GOALS AROUND THE VENDOR VENDOR DIVERSITY.
SO WHAT I JUST SHARED WITH YOU IS OVERALL, AND THEN IF YOU ZERO IN ON VENDOR DIVERSITY PROGRESS SO FAR, AND THESE ARE, UM, 2023 DATA.
SO, UH, WE DID THIS, UH, STUDY, UH, IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2024.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF DOLLARS AWARDED TO CERTIFIED MINORITY VENDORS.
SO IN 2021, UH, ABOUT 1% OF THE POS UH, WENT TO CERTIFIED MINORITY VENDORS.
2023 WAS 6%, 0.5% OF THE CONTRACTS WENT UP TO 2%.
BUT THAT IS, UH, CLEARLY, UH, FAR LOWER THAN THE CITY'S STATED GOAL OF ABOUT 25%.
UH, AND ALSO CONSIDERING THAT 36% OF ALL BATON ROUGE VENDORS ACTUALLY HOLD A MINORITY STATUS.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF POS AND CONTRACTS AWARDED, UH, TO THOSE, UM, CERTIFIED MINORITY VENDORS.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A, A QUITE A BIT OF IMPROVEMENT, UH, BUT STILL LESS THAN WHAT THE STATED GOAL HAS BEEN.
THEN WE BENCHMARK THIS AGAINST OTHER COMPARABLE CITIES.
UH, AND IF YOU LOOK AT AGAINST HOUSTON OR NEW ORLEANS OR BOSTON AND BATON ROUGE, YOU CAN SEE THAT HOUSTON AND NEW ORLEANS ARE ACTUALLY ABOVE THEIR OF THE 25%.
UH, AND BATON ROUGE IS ABOUT 6%, UH, IN 2023.
UM, THE, WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THESE OTHER CITIES HAD A PROCESS OR A PROCEDURE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE THAT WAS FAR LESS ROBUST THAN YOURS.
UH, AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND BY SPEAKING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND LOOKING AND COMPARING WHAT BATON ROUGE HAS DONE VERSUS PLACES LIKE HOUSTON AND NEW ORLEANS, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY FAIRLY COMPARABLE.
UH, SO REALLY, ONCE AGAIN, UM, WE HAVE COME DOWN TO, UH, IT HAS A GUY, THERE IS A GUIDE FOR DIVERSITY STATUS IN BATON ROUGE.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY INCLUDE TRAINING OR KIND OF SUPPORT TO ACTUALLY HELP
[03:40:01]
THOSE CERTIFIED MINORITY VENDORS, UH, HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT GETTING THOSE CONTRACTS.UH, SO ONCE AGAIN HERE, UH, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE, UH, UH, PROPOSED FOR THE GENERAL PART OF THIS REPORT.
BUT CONDUCTING A DEEP REVIEW AND DATA PROCESS, ALIGNING THAT PROCESS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES UNCOVERED WITH MINORITY VENDORS, CERTIFIED MINORITY VENDORS TRAINING, UH, AND APPLYING A, THE RAPID CYCLE OF IMPROVEMENT, UH, IN ORDER TO HELP THE TEAM DO THAT.
I JUST WANNA ALSO FINALLY POINT OUT THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY, UH, COLLABORATIVELY WITH, UH, DIRECTOR PURCHASING, UH, MR. PAUL NARCISS.
UH, AND, UM, HIS TEAM HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE IN LOOKING AT THESE REPORTS, UH, AND TRYING TO PULL ALL THIS DATA IN TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SYSTEM.
I'LL END IT HERE, UH, AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, UM, LEAVE IT FOR OPEN COMMENTS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE PRESENTATION? GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
I'M THE SUPPLY DIVERSITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
UM, I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT, UH, THIS, I BECAME SUPPLY DIVERSITY MANAGER.
UM, IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR, IT WAS IN JANUARY WHEN THE MAYOR BROOMER POINTED ME TO THE POSITION.
THE PROGRAM ITSELF HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GROW.
WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MANY OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITY, INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS, UM, TO MAKE NO POINT KNOWN.
NEW ORLEANS HAVE NINE PEOPLE JUST FOR COMPLIANCE FOR THEIR SUPPLY DIVERSITY.
CITY OF BATON ROUGE HAVE PAUL NORTHEAST AND MYSELF.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CONSULTANTS THAT WE'RE NOW USING, UH, NEW ORLEANS, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ALL THESE CITIES HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT HELPS KEEPS THE TRACKING, UH, THE SPEND AMOUNT, THE COMPLIANCE, THE CERTIFICATION, AND ALSO SETTING A PERCENTAGE GOAL FOR THE CONTRACT.
WE HAVE UNI WHERE WE CAN'T GET ANY INFORMATION THAT IS ACCURATE, AND I WILL NOT STAMP ANY INFORMATION OR NUMBERS THAT I CANNOT DEFINE OR SHOW PROOF OF.
LIKE ONE OF THE COUNCIL PERSON SAID, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL.
UM, I CAN'T, UH, RACA I NEED FACTS.
I NEED NUMBERS, I NEED TO SEE.
AND WITH THE SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW, WE CAN'T FIND, WE CAN'T GET, GIVE YOU ACCURATE NUMBERS.
IN ADDITION, THE COUNCIL, YOU, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL WAS A PART OF IT, THEY SET OUR GOAL AT 25%.
IT WILL ALMOST BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET A 25% CAP GOAL.
REASON BEING, IF I HAVE A CONTRACT THAT I AM SOLICITING AND I WANT TO, AND I DO GET AN S-E-D-B-E VENDOR, ARE YOU TELLING ME I ONLY CAN REPORT 25% OF THAT WHEN THERE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT THAT VENDOR IS DOING DUE TO MATH? SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I ASK, AND I BEG YOU GUYS TO, UH, GIVE US TIME.
LET US COME TO YOUR DISTRICTS, INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM TO PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT, WORK WITH PEOPLE, BECAUSE BATON ROUGE NEED THIS PROGRAM FOR THE CITIZENS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING HERE.
AND WE HAVE MANY SED BS WHO ARE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THE WORK.
WE NEED ALL THE AGENCIES TO GET ON BOARD, UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM, AND GO ALONG WITH IT.
YOU GUYS APPROVED IT UNANIMOUSLY FOR US TO START THE PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE BEGGING YOU TO WORK WITH US, WORK WITH THESE AGENCIES, AND TELL THEM HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEM TO USE SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT ARE IN THE DATABASE.
A LOT OF THE AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE HERE GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME VENDOR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I HAD A, A, A PERSON CALLED ME AND SAID, ASK ABOUT THE LOAN CONTRACT.
HE SAID, WHY CAN'T WE AND THE LOAN CONTRACTS FOR SIX YEARS TO A VENDOR, THAT'S ABSURD.
SO I, PAUL AND I ARE WORKING ON, ON THINGS TO, TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM A LOT BETTER.
AND WE STARTED, UH, BEGINNING OF 2024.
[03:45:01]
CERTIFIED VENDORS HERE IN BATON ROUGE.SO PROGRAM IS GROWING AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GIVE YOU SOME ACCURATE NUMBERS NEXT TIME WE REPORT.
UH, COUNSEL, I'LL JUST BE REAL QUICK 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S LATE.
UH, APRIL HAWTHORNE WITH THE BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, AND I'M JUST HERE TO ACTUALLY, UM, SUPPORT THIS REPORT, UM, THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY COUNCILMAN DUNN.
UM, YOU HEARD THE DATA, AS WE KNOW IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU ALWAYS WANNA MAKE DECISIONS BASED OFF OF DATA AND INFORMATION.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AND MOVING FORWARD, AND JUST AS YOU, YOU HEARD HIM SAY THAT IT IS STILL GROWING AND NEW, BUT I'M HERE TO OFFER A SOLUTION AS IT RELATES TO, UM, BEING, UH, AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THE CITY IN THOSE, THOSE TRAININGS.
SO, UM, AS IN THE LAST, UM, TWO MONTHS, UM, THE BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT JUST, UH, GRADUATED OVER EIGHT, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES, MICRO BUSINESSES.
WE WERE ASSISTED WITH FUNDING THROUGH LED TO IMPLEMENT OUR FIRST SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
THEY ARE NOT A PART OF THE, UM, CITY CONTRACTING PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, THAT IS A PIECE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO OUR NEXT COHORT.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU DO THIS WITH THE INTERNAL DECISION MAKING, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT IS WITH THE CITY, UM, WE ASK THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR PARTNERS TO COLLABORATE AND UM, PARTNER WITH, UM, THE CITY ON THIS FOR TRAINING AND FUTURE, UM, PROGRAMS, PLEASE, UM, REACH OUT TO THE BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
QUESTION, ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM ON THE REPORT? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 31 THAT WILL GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
UM, SO I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UH, DID YOU ALL IDENTIFY THE MUNIS SYSTEM AS A LIABILITY IN OUR, IN OUR EFFORTS TO, UH, IDENTIFY AND, AND INCREASE, UM, INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM? WELL, I, I, LET ME ASK, ANSWER IT THIS WAY.
WE WEREN'T FOCUSED ON WHETHER THE MUNI SYSTEM ITSELF WAS THE APPROPRIATE SYSTEM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, PAUL AND HIS TEAM, UH, WORKED VERY, UM, VIGOROUSLY TRY TO GET THE DATA AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE DATA.
THE DATA IS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
UH, OFTENTIMES, UM, WE HAVE TO GO AND CLEANSE THE DATA MULTIPLE TIMES.
UH, AND SO I THINK THE SYSTEM AROUND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S HARD TO DO TRACKING.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PROBABLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCILMAN DUN JR.
ASKED O OUTSIDE PEOPLE TO REALLY HELP PULL THAT DATA, TRY TO CLEAN IT AND GET THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, OTHER SYSTEMS OUT THERE THAT, THAT ARE A BEST PRACTICE TO USE OR? YEAH, I MEAN, A LOT OF, A LOT OF CITIES USE UNI.
SO I MEAN THAT'S, IT'S A VERY COMMON SYSTEM.
UH, BUT I THINK IN, IN MANY WAYS IT'S NOT THE SYSTEM ITSELF, IT'S HOW THAT SYSTEM IS DESIGNED, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PULL THIS DATA.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, WE FELT THE PAIN OF PAUL AND HIS TEAM TRYING TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T REALLY DESIGNED TO ACTUALLY TRACK THIS TYPE OF WORK.
UH, AND SO MY AT LEAST A CURSORY ASSESSMENT IS THAT EUNICE COULD WORK TO DO THIS, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY NEED, UH, QUITE A BIT OF WORK IN ORDER TO KIND OF REFORMULATE IT SO THAT IT WOULD HELP SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR WORK.
AND, AND DOES THE INPUT INTO THE MUNI SYSTEM PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THAT AS FAR AS DATA ENTRY COURSE BEING ABLE TO ACCESS? OF COURSE, OF COURSE.
IT'S KIND OF, UH, UH, THE QUALITY OF THE DATA THAT GOES IN OBVIOUSLY WILL DICTATE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.
UM, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, GREAT QUESTION.
SO YOU, THE COUNCIL, YOU THE BOARD HERE, YOU GUYS APPROVED FOR B TWO G.
NOW THAT'S, UH, TOP IN THE TOP THREE FOR RECORDING AND CAPTURING SPIN ANALYTICS CERTIFICATION MODULE FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK.
GOOD THING IS, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ERIC ROMERO AND WE HAVE A PLAN IN PUTTING THIS IN PLACE.
AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH MUNIS MUNI WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO CAPTURE ALL THIS INFORMATION.
AND SO IN SP I'VE BEEN SPENDING TIME IN NORFOLK, NEW ORLEANS, THEY ALL HAVE THAT.
WE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO ARIZONA LAST YEAR AND MET WITH B TWO G NOW AND ALL THE OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND EVERYONE'S USING IT.
AND IT'S FANTASTIC TIME TIMELINE NOW WHERE MEETING WEEKLY, WHAT DID
[03:50:01]
WE SAY, AUGUST? IT'LL BE UP AND RUNNING, BUT IT'LL, WE WON'T HAVE THIS ISSUE FROM A SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE, A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.AND DO Y'ALL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THE, THIS STOOD OUT TO ME, THE 17 PAGE GUIDE FOR APPLYING.
DO Y'ALL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT PROCESS AND GET SOME VIDEOS UP TO EDUCATE FOLKS? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU AS I, YOU KNOW, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I, I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO READ 17 PAGE MEMO TO, TO TRY AND, YOU KNOW, APPLY TO A PROGRAM.
SO HOW CAN WE BETTER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT PROGRAM? YEAH.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE ALREADY CERTIFIED THROUGH THE STATE DOTD, IT'S ONLY TWO PAGES.
SO IF THEY WEREN'T REGISTERED WITH THIS WITH THE STATE, IT'S ONLY JUST A COUPLE PAGES.
SO ALL THAT OTHER INFORMATION IS JUST INFORMATION THAT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THE WHOLE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
SO THE APPLICATION ITSELF IS NOT THAT ONEROUS.
HE STOLE SOME OF MY THUNDER WITH, UM, THE MI WAS GONNA ASK ERIC TO, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A NEW SYSTEM.
TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT PLUGINS AND INTEGRATIONS WHERE WE CAN USE THE EXISTING SYSTEM OR REPROGRAM HOW IT'S DONE.
AND THIS IS TYPICAL CITY PARISH, NOT NECESSARILY ERIC'S FAULT OR WHATEVER, BUT WHEN I SAY TYPICAL CITY PARISH, WE DO STUFF IN 1970 AND WE JUST LEAVE IT THERE 30, 40 YEARS.
AND, UM, I'VE TALKED TO ANGIE A BUNCH OF TIMES ABOUT FINANCE STUFF DEPARTMENTS AND WORK WORKAROUNDS AND UM, THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE TO, TO GET THE DATA THAT WE NEED FOR, UM, OTHER AREAS.
BUT THIS MAY BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY EVEN BEYOND THE PERSON DEPARTMENT THAT USES UNITS FINANCE AND OTHER FOLKS AS YOU DO THESE PLUGINS TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT CAN GO ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL 'CAUSE OF THEIR STRUGGLE.
I KNOW EVERYBODY ELSE IS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL FEEDING THROUGH THE SAME SYSTEM.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST MORE POINT YOU UP ON GET FEEDBACK EVERY TOO.
LEMME JUST TOUCH ON THAT AND COUNCILMAN YOU HAD, YOU HAD ME, UM, DO A LITTLE TRAINING SESSION FOR YOUR GROUP OVER THERE.
AND I MENTIONED THAT THIS AT THE TIME, ONE OF OUR, OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS, AND IT'S NOT JUST WITH MUNI, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S WITH ANY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE TRAINING OF THE EMPLOYEES.
SO WE HAD SIGNIFICANT TRAINING WHEN WE WENT LIVE WITH MUNI IN 2017.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH THE CITY RIGHT NOW WENT THROUGH THAT TRAINING IN 2017? PROBABLY NOT AS MUCH, ESPECIALLY THE CLERKS THAT ARE DOING THE DAY-TO-DAY ENTRY.
SO WHAT WE HAD WAS MAYBE A CLERK IN A DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH THE FORMAL TRAINING AND THEN THAT CLERK TRAINED THE NEXT PERSON THAT CAME ALONG AND THAT CLERK TRAINED THE NEXT PERSON.
SO THAT THIRD AND FOURTH, FIFTH GENERATION PERSON THAT, THAT CAME THROUGH THE MUNIS PROCESS, THEY DIDN'T REALLY RECEIVE THAT, UM, THAT FORMALIZED MUNIS TRAINING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
UM, WE HAVE A MUNIS WORKING GROUP THAT'S MADE UP OF, UH, PAUL'S TEAM IN PURCHASING PARISH ATTORNEY, UM, FINANCE ALL THE DIFFERENT FINANCE SECTIONS AND IS, WE MEET EVERY MONTH AND WE GO THROUGH WHAT ARE THE PAIN POINTS IN UNITS AND WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THOSE.
WE WERE ABLE TO, TO RECTIFY SOME CONTRACT AND PURCHASE ORDER TIMELINE ISSUES.
AND REALLY THE, AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS THAT THAT SAME CITIZEN DATA ACADEMY APPROACH WHERE WE ARE CREATING VIDEOS FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE OUR TOOLS, WE WANNA DO THE SAME THING FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO USE THE TOOLS TOO.
AND, AND I WANT TO GIVE, UH, ERICA, UH, KUDOS FOR THAT BECAUSE HE DID, HE USED MY GROUP AS TRAINING GROUND TO START VIDEOS.
SO HE, HE WOULD TRAIN AND RECORD THE SESSIONS AND THEN PUT IN A REPOSITORY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE.
THAT WAS MY ONLY THING ABOUT THAT.
AS IT RELATES TO DBE, UM, IF I'M CORRECT, YOU WANT AN AVERAGE OF 25, BUT THE CAP IS 25.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A WHILE BACK AND THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
YOU CAN NEVER GET TO AN AVERAGE IF YOU CAN'T GET OVER THE NUMBER.
SO, UM, UM, THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IF WE PLAN ON MAKING 25 THE NUMBER MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE DO HAVE 100% IT IS COUNTED, UM, INTO THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ORDINANCE I'LL CALL A TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY QUESTION ORDINANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE, THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'RE, I HAVE TO WORK WITH, UM, CRAIG RUMS TEAM TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND, UM, YEAH, LET, LET'S WORK ON THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S, IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE THAT DATA THEN, AND WE KNOW IT'S AN ASININE, UM, ORDINANCE OR A PIECE OF IT THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, WE NEED TO FIX IT.
UM, AND THEN THE FINAL PART, APRIL, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU 'CAUSE I, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, LIKE, CAN YOU COME TO
[03:55:01]
THE MIC FOR ME? APRIL? NO, APRIL.SO HOW, HOW MANY STAFF DO YOU HAVE CURRENTLY? IT'S JUST MYSELF.
AND HOW MANY FACADE GRANTS HAVE Y'ALL AWARDED IN THE LAST, UH, 12 MONTHS? UM, AWARDED, NOT, NOT HAD PEOPLE APPLY FOR, LET'S SAY IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE NOT, UM, MADE ANY MOVEMENT WITH, UM, THE FACADE AND SIGNAGE PROGRAM.
AND WHY, WHY IS THAT? UM, WE JUST HAVEN'T MADE ANY BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING, UM, ASPECT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO COLLABORATE AND PARTNER WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST US.
I'M NOT GONNA MENTION THEIR NAME RIGHT NOW, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOLIDIFIED.
SO Y DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY 'CAUSE Y'ALL HAVE HOTEL MOTEL.
UH, IS IT, ARE YOU ASKING ME, DO WE NOT HAVE WE NOT ACCEPTED ANY APPLIC? WE HAVE ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS, BUT TIME CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY FACADE AND SIGNAGE FUNDING TO DO THAT PROGRAM.
AND THE, THE PROGRAM THAT I JUST MENTIONED WAS ABOUT OUR SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS FUNDED THROUGH LED, WHICH IS THE LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NO, I JUST WAS WONDERING WHAT, WHAT YOUR ABILITY IT WAS TO SCALE.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE THAT OFFER, I MEAN THAT'S, I I THOUGHT YOU HAD KIND OF HAD AN IN DEPTH TEAM.
SO FOR CITY PARISH, THE SCALABILITY FOR ME IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE GROWING, YOU KNOW, WE DO DO PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS AS WELL AND THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT WE WOULD COLLABORATE WITH, LIKE L-S-B-D-C AND YOU KNOW, ULA, YOU KNOW, THEY DO A LOT OF THE, UM, THE, UH, THE CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL AND WE, WE WOULD PARTNER WITH THEM AS WELL.
I'M, I KNOW MEETING'S ABOUT TO END, SO I'M GONNA, THAT WAS MY LAST QUESTION, JUST SCALABILITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. UM, MR. KIM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR, YOUR CHARTS CHART, UH, ON PAGE 12 AND PAGE 13.
I'M LOOKING, AND I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK, BUT LOOKING AT THE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL SPEND AND IN WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS BEING AWARDED TO MINORITY VENDORS? EXACTLY.
THIS IS THE ENTIRE SPEND, RIGHT? IT'S THE ENTIRE SPEND FOR THOSE TIME, THAT TIME PERIOD.
IT'S, BUT IT'S NOT THE, IT'S NOT THE ELIGIBLE SPEND.
THIS IS THE ENTIRE SPEND, IT'S THE ENTIRE, IT'S THE ALL PURCHASE ORDERS AND CONTRACTS THAT WERE PURCHASED THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THAT TEAM.
THE REASON WHY I'M KIND OF HEDGING IS YEAH, BECAUSE WHAT IT WAS, WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE SYSTEM, IT IS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING AROUND UNI AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE MAY BE SPEND THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PULL.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, WE'RE ALSO NOT ABLE, I THINK WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE ALSO, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE ORDINANCE TALKS ABOUT ELIGIBLE SPEND, RIGHT? SO IF WE PURCHASE A FIRE TRUCK AND THERE ARE NO, YOU KNOW, MINORITY OWNED FIRE TRUCK BUSINESSES OR YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MAJOR GARBAGE CONTRACT, RIGHT? AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO MINORITY.
THESE ARE MASSIVE CONTRACTS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO THAT COULD SKEW YOUR NUMBERS.
IT REALLY COULD SKEW YOUR NUMBERS SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO ISOLATE, UM, AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE ELIGIBLE SPEND WHERE WE HAVE MINORITY OF VENDORS AND THEN BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE SPEND IS WITHIN THAT ELIGIBLE GROUP, THEN THAT, THAT MIGHT BE IT.
THAT WOULD, THAT MIGHT TELL A VERY DIFFERENT STORY THAN THESE CHARTS RIGHT HERE.
BUT, UM, THE OTHER CITIES, HOUSTON AND NEW ORLEANS ACTUALLY HAVE SIMILAR WAYS OF CALCULATING.
UH, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT KIND OF CALCULATION, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ACTUALLY SAYS, BECAUSE THE OTHER CITIES ACTUALLY HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, AND WELL, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, UM, I GUESS I'M REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR ORDINANCE SAYS.
AND SO THEN OUR 25% WOULD BE WITHIN THAT ELIGIBLE SPEND IT WILL SPEND.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE ON THE MEASURING STAKE.
ON THE MEASURING STAKE FOR OURSELVES.
I JUST WANTED MAKE SURE I WAS UNDERSTANDING THIS.
NO, YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING IT CORRECTLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. KIM, WE APPRECIATE THANK YOU.
OKAY, FOLKS, WE'RE GONNA NEED, WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.
WE'RE GONNA NEED A, A MOTION TO EXTEND IF WE'RE GONNA EXTEND THE MEETING FOR 30 MINUTES.
ANY OPPOSITION EXTENDING THE MEETING? 30 MINUTES.
I MEETING'S BEEN EXTENDED 30 MINUTES TO 8 35.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT.
UM, LET ME FIRST THANK, UM, JOHN AND AND HIS TEAM, THE DM GROUP FOR ACCEPTING, UM, THIS CHALLENGE
[04:00:01]
AND THIS TASK.REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS WORKING WITH YOU GUYS.
I WANNA THANK THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FOR EMBRACING, UM, THIS EVALUATION AND CONSTRUCT A CRITICISM.
I WANNA THANK THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION FOR, FOR EMBRACING IT AS WELL.
UH, WANNA THANK PAUL AND HIS TEAM? UM, I WANNA SAY AS, AS JOHN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PAUL AND, AND HIS TEAM AND ARVIN AND THOSE GUYS HAVE BEEN, UH, VERY, UH, UH, WITH A PARTICIPATORY SPIRIT, IF THAT'S A WORD, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE TRANSPARENT IN, UM, UH, THEIR ABILITIES, THE SYSTEMS ABILITIES, STAFF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT A PART OF THE, UH, THE PROBLEM.
UH, AS VIN MENTIONED, HE WAS, UH, PUT IN PLACE OVER A, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
I THINK PAUL IS, IS ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.
BUT THE WORK THAT BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN DOING HAS BEEN, UH, MOVING THE NEEDLE AND ADVANCING OUR GOALS AND ASPIRATION AS IT RELATES TO, UH, SMALL MINORITY BUSINESSES OR, OR DBES.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, AS A SMALL LOCAL, UH, MINORITY BUSINESS OWNER, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH, REACH THOSE GOALS.
UH, I, I GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM FELLOW BUSINESS OWNERS ABOUT THEIR CHALLENGES INTERFACING WITH THE SYSTEM OR, OR DOING BUSINESS WITH CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT.
SO I WANTED TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND SEE WHAT OUR CHALLENGES WAS AND, AND DO THAT FROM A THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE.
UH, JOHN AND HIS TEAM, UH, DO THIS WORK ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I VALUE THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND ADVICE THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN TO OTHER ENTITIES.
SO I WANTED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE WAS DOING, UH, EVALUATE US AND, AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THEY'VE DONE THAT.
I WON'T REGURGITATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT HE'S DONE, HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB WITH, WITH TELLING US WHERE WE ARE AND GIVING US A PATH FORWARD THAT I HOPE THAT WE CAN EMBRACE.
UH, ONE THING I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT, ARVIN TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FROM A STAFFING STANDPOINT AND LOOKING AT THE PEER CITIES AND HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE IN THEIR, UH, SUPPLY DIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OR THEIR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
PAUL, I WANT YOU TO COME BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WAS ABLE TO SECURE AND I SAY WE CITY PARISH FROM, UH, COUNT, UH, CONGRESSMAN CARTER AND, AND THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP BOLSTER THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND THAT ITEM WILL BE COMING BEFORE THIS BODY SOON TO, TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IT? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, AND BY GOD'S GRACE, UH, WE DID GET THE $1 MILLION.
UM, IT WAS DIVVIED BY STAFFING BECAUSE ACROSS THE NATION THERE'S A TEAM OF 10 TO 15 FOLKS TO DO THE WORK THAT JOHN JUST MENTIONED THERE.
THERE'S AN ESTABLISHED TEAM, HOUSTON, I WITNESSED IT.
THEY'VE GOT 10 TO 12 PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, ONLY HAVE TWO HEADCOUNTS UNDER PURCHASING, SO THAT'S AN ISSUE.
NO COMPLIANCE MANAGER, NO CERTIFICATION MANAGER, NO GOAL SETTING MANAGER.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS, THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, IN THIS GRANT, IT DID GO THROUGH THE, OUR INTERNAL GRANT COMMITTEE.
SO IT'S UP NEXT TO THIS BOARD HERE FOR YOU GUYS TO APPROVE IT.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE MONEY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS AS WELL.
WE ARE DOING SOME WORK WITH SOME OF OUR CONSULTANTS AS, UH, UH, THEY'RE AN EXTENSION OF OUR TEAM FROM W CONSULTING WITH TARA WICKER, AS WELL AS WE DO A LOT WITH.
SO THAT'S DOING ALL THE CERTIFICATION AND GOAL SETTING AND JDS, THOSE ARE OUR THREE CONSULTANTS AND, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY WILL BE PROPERLY DIVVIED OUT TO STAFFING, UM, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TRAINING AND AS WELL AS, UM, WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TO EXTEND THIS PROGRAM OUT.
UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE THING.
UM, FOLKS, THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO PLACE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA TOOT MY HORN, BUT I CAME IN ON THE TAIL END OF THAT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE 2023, WE'RE STARTING TO PUSH THE NEEDLE IN 2024.
SO WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT'S TRUE.
I THINK, AND JOHN'S DONE GREAT WORK.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY, UH, IN MY PRIVATE SECTOR DAYS, I'VE ATTENDED CLASSES FROM THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, AND SO I HAVE A SIX SIGMA BACKGROUND, SO I UNDERSTAND HIS PHILOSOPHY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M APPLYING HERE, BY THE WAY.
AND SO ME AND HIM HAVE, WE'VE BOUNCED IDEAS AND SO, UH, I REALLY SUPPORT WHAT HE'S DOING.
SO I THINK FOR 2025, I THINK WE'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
AND I, I WOULDN'T NEED MY EXTRA TIME.
MR. PROTE JUST WANT TO ALSO REINFORCE IN MY EVALUATION AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE REPORT CONFIRMING IT, MOST OF OUR CHALLENGES WOULDN'T, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, UH, THE PROPER TECHNOLOGY OR RESOURCES, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WERE THEY BEING UTILIZED PROPERLY, YOU KNOW, DID IT NEED A, A TWEAK OR A CHANGE OR AN ENHANCEMENT?
[04:05:01]
SO AS JOHN MENTIONED, THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE USING OTHER PEER CITIES USE IT, BUT MAYBE IT'S DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY OR MAYBE THEY'RE USING IT DIFFERENTLY.SO THAT MAY BE THE CHANGE THAT WE, WE NEED TO MAKE.
AND, UM, UH, I'M LOSING TRACK OF, UH, ERIC, ERIC MENTIONED ABOUT THE TRAINING ASPECT OF IT WITH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY COMPLAINTS FROM VENDORS, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH MOVING THE PROCESS ALONG A PO A CONTRACT.
AND ERIC KIND OF REINFORCED WHAT, WHAT THAT COULD BE.
YOU KNOW, HE TALKED ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE TRAINING THAT TOOK PLACE WHEN WE BROUGHT IN THE SYSTEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, DURING AN EVALUATION OF EMPLOYEES OR, OR, OR YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO, WHO TOOK THAT TRAINING? YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HIRES SINCE THAT TRAINING WAS DONE.
THERE'S A LOT OF MORE NEW HIRES.
SO ERIC, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO, TO RUN A REPORT AND, AND, AND LET US KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, GET THAT TO ME.
I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME OFFICIALLY PRESENT IT, BUT EMAIL THAT TO US AND LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE, UH, GAP THERE.
AND, AND, AND WE NEED TO PUT A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE THAT IS AN ISSUE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REAL, UM, WAS A REAL IMPACT ON ME WHEN WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, IT WAS ABOUT 90, 95% OF OUR VENDORS STILL RECEIVE A PAPER CHECK.
AND THAT'S PROBLEMATIC ON MANY ISSUES FROM A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE MAIL TO GET IT TO YOU OR NOT GET IT TO YOU.
WE'VE ALL HAD ISSUES WITH, WITH MAIL AND SOME OF THESE VENDORS WILL COME AND PICK UP CHECKS FROM CITY HALL.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS WHO DON'T HAVE A LINE OF CREDIT, WHO DON'T HAVE A BIG SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET A CHECK FROM THE CITY THAT'S 10,000, 20,000, 15,000, YOUR BANK MIGHT PUT THAT ON HOLD.
WELL, WE ARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY WIRES A CH DIRECT DEPOSIT.
IF, IF YOU GET THAT ELECTRONICALLY, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY.
SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, PAY PER CHECK, JUST PUT SO MANY RESTRAINTS ON YOU THAT A DIGITAL DEPOSIT OR WIRE WOULD NOT.
AND, AND, AND THE SURPRISING PART IS WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RIGHT NOW FOR VENDORS TO GET A CH AND DIRECT DEPOSIT.
SO WHAT I SUGGESTED IS, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T MANDATE OR MAKE A VENDOR, UH, UH, DO THAT, BUT WE CAN STRONGLY ENCOURAGE 'EM.
AND, AND IF YOU SHARE WITH THEM HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A 5, 10, 15 DAY HOLD, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO MANDATE OR MAKE IT, THEY'LL, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
SO IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT, TWEAKS LIKE THAT, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN THE SYSTEM THAT CAN GET THINGS MOVING FASTER.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AND, AND I'LL SHUT IT DOWN.
UM, MANY
YOU CAN SEE THAT E ELECTRONICALLY ON AN ELECTRONIC PORTAL VERSUS CALLING SOMEBODY OR TRACKING THE DEPARTMENT HEAD DOWN.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON TODAY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE DOING BUSINESS IN THAT WAY.
MY GOAL IS TO MOVE THINGS, UH, FORWARD FASTER AND COLLAPSE TIMEFRAMES TO MAKE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF PARIS EASIER THAN IT IS BECAUSE IT JUST DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS DIFFICULT.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR EXTENDING THE TIME.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE REPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU TO MAKE SOME OF THESE IMPLEMENTATIONS COURT.
BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCILMAN MO, I'M GONNA REMIND COUNCILMAN HIRSH, YOU WENT INTO YOUR SECOND TIME SLOT ALREADY.
Y'ALL SAID WE WOULDN'T GO TILL EIGHT 30, BUT, UH, HOLD MY BEER.
UM, I LOOK, I I I THINK IT WAS A GREAT REPORT.
THE $1 MILLION THAT'S, THAT'S A GRANT COMING FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, HOPEFULLY IT WASN'T ANY OF THE PART THAT GOT PUT ON HOLD.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW LONG SHOULD THAT MILLION DOLLARS LAST JUST LOOKING AT BRINGING ON, WHAT IS THAT EXACTLY GOING TO DO AS FAR AS IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANTING TO STAFF FOR A WHILE? HOW LONG SHOULD THAT MILLION DOLLARS LAST US? UH, IT'LL LAST US ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS.
AND YOU'RE LOOKING TO BRING STAFF ON WITH THAT? YEAH, JUST A COUPLE MORE, UM, ANALYSTS TO HELP ME DO ALL THE GRIND WORK.
IS THAT JUST TO GET US TO A CERTAIN POINT OR DO WE NEED STAFF TO RUN FORWARD CONSTANTLY NOW? YES, WE DO.
SO I, I GUESS THAT'S, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MILLION DOLLARS, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT SEVEN MONTH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD FOR THESE PEOPLE.
WELL, IT'S NOT ONLY THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO USE THE MONEY TO DO A LOT OF OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AS WELL TOO.
AND I, I KNOW THE WHOLE MILLION'S NOT GOING TO THOSE EMPLOYEES, BUT I GUESS BRINGING ON THESE EMPLOYEES, ARE THEY GONNA BE NOTIFIED THAT THIS IS A SEVEN MONTH EMPLOY, SEVEN MONTH EMPLOYMENT SITUATION? WELL, PRETTY MUCH,
[04:10:01]
YES.I JUST, AGAIN, AND I MEAN, LOOK, I'M SURE Y'ALL APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND, AND, UH, IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON OUR BUDGET OVERALL AS A CITY PARISH AND STUFF.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR US COULD HELP OUT WITH, BUT THAT WAS JUST A CONCERN THAT IF WE WERE BRINGING ON EMPLOYEES WITH GRANT MONEY, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT POSSIBLY, UNLESS Y'ALL GOT MORE GRANTS LINED UP, SOME MORE COME THROUGH AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
COUNCILMAN MOCHA ACTUALLY, THE OTHER FIVE MONTHS IS WHAT I WAS GONNA USE FOR MY GENERAL FUNDING TO HELP.
I MEAN, I'M GLAD YOU HAVE SOME IN THERE.
I MEAN, IF THEY, IF THEY LAST LONGER AND THEY, THEY ASSIST YOUR DEPARTMENT, GREAT.
UM, AND, AND IN MY CLOSING, UH, CLEVE, UH, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN DUNN, UM, TOLD EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
WE, AS REST OF THE COUNCIL APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DONE.
BUT I FELT IT REMISS IF, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I THINK OTHERS FEEL THIS WAY, UM, I'VE WATCHED COUNCILMAN DUNN FROM DAY ONE START THIS PROCESS, UM, WATCH EVERY BIT OF THIS GO THROUGH, NOT ONLY JUST HERE ON THE COUNCIL, BUT I, I SEE IT AT THE AIRPORT COMMISSION AND EVERYTHING TOO.
AND I WANTED TO TELL COUNCILMAN DUNN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AND GREAT JOB FOR WHAT YOU'VE, THE WAY YOU'VE HANDLED IT, THE WAY YOU'VE WORKED WITH IT AND, AND WORKED WITH EVERYBODY, BUT LEADING THIS CHARGE AND GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
ALSO, ALONG WITH, UH, OUR EAST BAT ROU PARISH STAFF.
HI DARRYL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, NO, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, 'CAUSE THIS IS SUPPORTING THEM IN ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO COUNCILMAN DUNN, COUNCILMAN MOOCH, UH, MARLEY, OVER OCD, MYSELF AND SOME OTHER FOLKS WENT TO HOUSTON.
AND IT REALLY PLAYS INTO WHAT YOU SAID.
WHAT WE SAW THERE IS WHAT OUR ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO FOCUS ON BECAUSE THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE, EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, TAKES YOU AWAY FROM THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR MORE GRANTS, LOOK FOR MORE MONEY OPPORTUNITIES.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE 20 YEARS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE FROM A COMPLIANCE STANDPOINT, THEY LET GO 60 PEOPLE OUT OF ONE DEPARTMENT FOR COMPLIANCE FOR OCD AND THEY STILL HAD ABOUT 60 MORE LEFT.
SO THAT TELLS YOU WHAT WE'RE LACKING HERE IN CITY PARISH, NOT JUST IN OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT IN YOURS TOO.
SO I URGE THE ADMINISTRATION THAT AS WE GROW THESE DEPARTMENTS, WE NEED MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON THE DAY-TO-DAY CLERICAL SIDE OF IT SO THAT THE LEADERSHIP CAN GO OUT AND LOOK FOR MORE FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OUR CITY PARISH.
[132. 25-00105]
ON.THERE'S A REQUEST TO DE FURTHER THIS ITEM, ITEM 1 32, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM HOMELESS PREVENTION DIRECTOR JESSICA LEWIS ON THE PROGRESS CHALLENGES AND INITIATIVES RELATED TO OUR EFFORTS IN PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS IN EAST BATON ROUGE BY COUNCILMAN CLE DUNN JR.
REASON FOR EMERGENCY TO ALLOW THE REPORT TO BE GIVEN ON JANUARY 29TH IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2.
THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS, AN EMERGENCY MOTION.
ANY OPPOSED? DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER BY COUNCIL MOTION TO DEFER DURING THIS COUNCIL MEETING BY COUNCILWOMAN AKA TO THE FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING.
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE.
I'LL ASK THAT Y'ALL CONTINUE TO SERVE YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR COMMUNITIES, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, SERVE GOD.