* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:14] WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING TONIGHT, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WATCHING THE COUNCIL MEETING. WE ARE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, LOUISIANA, RIGHT ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. AND THE HOME OF THE, MAYBE THE TWO GREATEST UNIVERSITIES ARE TWO OF THE GREATEST IN THE COUNTRY, SOUTHERN AND LSU, AND ALSO THE TALLEST STATE CAPITOL IN THE US. GOOD TO HAVE YOU TUNED IN AGAIN, AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOBLE. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU DENNIS. WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THIS METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, MAY 14TH, 2025. WE'RE GONNA CALL THE MEETING IN ORDER. ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE LED BY COUNCILMAN DARRYL HURST. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER TODAY. GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OVER EACH AND EVERY LAST PERSON IN HERE TODAY. WE PRAY THAT YOUR WORK BE DONE AND NOT OURS. GOD, WE PRAY THAT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, GOD BE IN YOUR NAME, GOD, AND GIVE YOU GLORY AND HONOR IN THE PROCESS. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAY OVER EACH INDIVIDUAL AS THEY GO TO AND FROM GOD AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ULTIMATE, THE DECISION MAKER TODAY. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE [ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES] GONNA HAVE ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES, ADOPTION, APPROVAL, AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 23RD, 2025 IN THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF MAY 6TH, 2025 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, TREASURER. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ASHLEY, [INTRODUCTIONS ] CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS. NUMBER TWO, GRANTING A FIVE YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT ESTIMATED AT $3,979 PER YEAR FOR CLS PROPERTIES TWO LLC, LOCATED AT 8 6 0 GRANT STREET FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND RESTORATION OF PROPERTY BOND PLANNING. DIRECTOR NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND A CERTAIN CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH MICHAEL ABERT OF BECKER AND ABERT LLC FOR THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY PARISH CONCERNING THE ANNEXATION PETITION IN THE MATTER ENTITLED NORMAN BROWNING ET AL VERSUS CITY OF BATON ROUGE ET AL SO WAS TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY $30,000 FOR A TOTAL COMPENSATION NOT TO EXCEED $80,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND A CERTAIN CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH PHILIP E FOCO OF BINU BON FOCO AND VI VIA TOUR AND JINGA FOR THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF OFFICER YUSEF ADE OF THE BATON ROUGE CITY POLICE RELATIVE TO THE MATTER ENTITLED RAHEEM HOWARD VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AT AL TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY $25,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. NUMBER FIVE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A CON COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $220,000 FOR THE JUVENILE SERVICES OPERATING EXPENSES BY THE JUVENILE SERVICES DIRECTOR AND MAYOR. PRESIDENT NUMBER SIX, AMENDING THE 2025 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET SO AS TO APPROPRIATE $944,440 FOR THE EXPENSES SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL FUND, INCLUDING REPAIRS TO THE RIVER CENTER RELATED TO THE JANUARY 20, 25 WINTER STORM EVENT BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. NUMBER SEVEN, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF MATTER ENTITLED LORENZO G VERSUS CITY PARISH SHOULD BE BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $22,500 AND APPROPRIATING $22,500 FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. NUMBER EIGHT, AMEND THE 2025 PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED NON NON-CLASSIFIED CONTRACT. FIRE POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH SHOULD BE SPOT ROUGE SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 11TH, 2025. RETROACTIVE PAY PERIOD. BEGINNING JANUARY 11TH, 2025, AMENDMENT TO THE CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED APPENDIX 26 CRI CRITICAL RETENTION HIRING OF HEAD START EMPLOYEES. AN OPTIONAL SPECIAL RECRUITING RATE IS ALLOWABLE UP TO STEP 17 FOR TEACHER SERIES OF RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR AND APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. TEACHER CLASSIFICATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED AS FOLLOWED. TEACHER 9.5 MONTHS TEACHER, ADVANCED TEACHER ADVANCED 9.5 MONTHS. TEACHER AID. TEACHER AID. 9.5 MONTHS CRITICAL RETENTION, HIRING OF HUMAN SERVICES, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EMPLOYEES AND OPTIONAL SPECIAL RECRUITING RATE IS ALLOWABLE UP TO THE ESTABLISHED STEP FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. CLASSIFICATIONS OF RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR AND APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR NUMBER NINE. I'M IN THE 2025 [00:05:01] PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONTRACT. FIRE POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE, ADOPTED, UH, 2024 SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE. MAY 31ST, 2025 ADD NEW CLASSIFICATIONS, CONTENT SPECIALIST, DISABILITY CONTENT SPECIALIST EDUCATION, CONTENT SPECIALIST, ERISA CONTENT SPECIALIST MENTAL HEALTH CONTENT SPECIALIST NUTRITION AND HEALTH HEAD START KITCHEN BUILDING SUPPORT, HEAD START KITCHEN BUILDING SUPPORT AMENDMENT TO THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED APPENDIX ONE, CRITICAL RETENTION HIRING OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EMPLOYEES AND OPTIONAL SPECIAL RECRUITING RATE IS ALLOWABLE UP TO THE ESTABLISHED STEP FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. CLASSIFICATIONS OF RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR AND APPROVED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, THE HUMAN AND THE HUMAN RE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR NUMBER 10, AMEND THE 2025 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE. SHOW US TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, EFFECTIVE MAY 31ST, 2025. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HEAD START CENTERS, ADD ONE CASE MANAGER, ONE CONTENT SPECIALIST DISABILITY, TWO. CONTENT SPECIALIST EDUCATION, ONE CONTENT SPECIALIST ERISA ONE, CONTENT SPECIALIST MENTAL HEALTH. FIVE, HEAD START KITCHEN BUILDING SUPPORT. SIX, HEAD START KITCHEN BUILDING SUPPORT, 9.5 MONTHS AND DELETE SEVEN. BUILDING ATTENDANT. FIVE, BUILDING ATTENDANT, 9.5 MONTHS. ONE CLERICAL SPECIALIST. NINE, CLERICAL SPECIALIST, 9.5 MONTHS. SEVEN. CONTENT AREA SPECIALISTS, ONE ERISA SPECIALIST. FIVE, HEAD START CENTER SUPERVISOR, 9.5 MONTHS FIVE. KITCHEN SUPERVISOR, 9.5 MONTHS 28, TEACHER ADVANCED, 9.5 MONTHS, 31. TEACHER AID. 9.5 MONTHS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, CHILDCARE FOOD PROGRAM. ADD ONE CONTENT SPECIALIST NUTRITION AND HEALTH. 17 HEAD START KITCHEN BUILDING SUPPORT, 9.5 MONTHS AND DELETE 20 COOKS 9.5 MONTHS. ONE NUTRITION SUPERVISOR BY THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. NUMBER 11, TO AMEND THE 2025 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO APPROPRIATE $671,000 FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF 40 G TRACK V FOUR 10 DEVICES, 60 SAPPHIRE IV MEDICAL PUMPS, 40 PORTABLE RADIOS, 40 AMBULANCE MODEMS, AND 10 DRIVE CAN REPLACEMENT DEVICES BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 12, GREGORY DWAYNE FRANKLIN, 1 8 8 6 70 FOURTH AVENUE COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO KENNY, NUMBER 13, CAROLYN HIGGINBOTHAM AND RALPH CARTER, 2 0 0 5 FAIRCHILD STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT TWO KENNY NUMBER 14, NEE AKA BOB KNEE. UH, 4 3 6 4 SYCAMORE STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT FIVE HURST NUMBER 15 G TWO GREEN COTTAGE, LLC 1 0 5 5 5. MOLLY LEE DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUNN, JR. NUMBER 16, LUCILLE BLAND. 1 5 3 2 NORTH 36TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 17, THE ESTATE OF MARY WOOD EARLS. 1 2 2 3 NORTH 37 STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 18, SIMPLY HEATING AND AIR PLUS LLC 1 7 7 5 NORTH 46TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 19, ROOSEVELT THOMPSON AND WILLAMINA GREEN THOMPSON, 2 0 6 5 WEST WEST BELL FAIR DRIVE. COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS, NUMBER 20. CHRISTOPHER JAMES SCHENKEL, 5 1 1 9 FAIRFIELD AVENUE COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS, NUMBER 21, GEORGE COLEMAN AND GENEVA COLEMAN. 1 7 6 8 NORTH 39TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS NUMBER 22 DWAH, INVESTMENTS, LLC 2 0 4 4 NORTH 15TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 23, DARRELL INGRAM, JR. 7 1 1 NORTH 20TH STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN. NUMBER 14, JOSEPHINE SCOTT AND FREDDIE SCOTT. 6 7 0 TERRACE COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 25. DONALD R DUNBAR AND BEVERLY PARKER, DUNBAR, 1 8 2 3. ARKANSAS STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26, THE HARMONY CENTER, INC. 1, 2 8 5 LAUREL STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 27. PATRICIA ANN BLAKES IN THE ESTATE OF ISAAC, HENRY MASON. 2 5 1 5 HURON STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 28, WILBERT JACKSON AL. 3 3 5 LOUISE STREET COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN NUMBER 29, RERO ACQUISITIONS, VLLC AND RSB DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC 2 6 1 8 LABEL AVENUE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 30. NATHAN THOMAS GRAY JR. AND NATHAN THOMAS GRAY. III. 2 2 4 4 SHERWOOD STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 31 LOT 24 SQUARE FIVE. COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS. ALL ITEMS REQUIRE READING. HAVE BEEN READ. A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS IS IN ORDER. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GOEY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [00:10:01] ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA JUMP. MY APOLOGIES. [ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS (Part 1 of 2)] WE'RE GONNA JUMP TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER EMERGENCY ITEM, UH, CA RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE. HONORING THE MEMORY OF MAYOR PRESIDENT MELVIN L KIPP HOLDEN BY COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON. REASON FOR THE ITEM BEING REQUESTED IN HIS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS TO BE HEARD TODAY I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK ON A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION. ANY, ANYBODY OBJECT ON A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM. ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? I THINK COUNCILMAN HUDSON. YEAH, YOU WANNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OUR MAYOR? DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, MIKE . WE GOOD? YEAH. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THINGS, UH, MOVE VERY FAST AND WE LOSE SOMEONE IN THE WORLD EVERY DAY. IT HAPPENS. AND WE GOT THE WORD OF THE PASSING OF OUR MAYOR, PRESIDENT MELVIN, KIPP HOLDEN. IT JUST GAVE PAUSE FOR REFLECTION. THIS WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS AN ICON AND, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN DUNN CALLED HIM A TRANSFORMATIVE MAYOR, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. UH, I WOULD, LIKE REAL QUICK, CHIEF LAUFF, UH, KEPT HOLDING, HIRED THE CHIEF TO BE THE POLICE CHIEF AT THE TIME, SO I CAN ONLY HOPE AND THE, THE POSITION I SIT IN THAT I COULD BE AN OUNCE OF THE MAYOR THAT MAN WAS. SO I JUST WANTED TO PAY MY RESPECTS AND, AND I I WOULD BE REMISS OF ME IF I THE CHIEF WHO KNEW HIM AS WELL AS ANYONE, AND PERHAPS WILLIAM DANIEL WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. COUNSEL, THANK YOU. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM MS. LOYCE YESTERDAY, I GOT A CALL FROM HER SAYING THAT HE HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED TO HOSPICE. AND, UH, AND I TOLD HER, I SAID, MS. LOYCE, I'LL BE THERE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. AND, UH, I WAS GETTING DRESSED TO GO AND MY PHONE RANG AND, AND I COULD HEAR IN HER VOICE SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AND SHE TOLD ME THAT, UH, GI HOLDING HAD PASSED AWAY. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE MEMORIES WE HAVE. SOME OF Y'ALL WERE IN THE ROOM FOR HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE DARK DAYS OF GUSTAV AND THE FLOODS IN 2016, THE CIVIL UNREST AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HE WAS, HE LED OUR CITY THROUGH. AND THE ONE THING THAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT KIPP HOLDEN WAS THIS. HE LOVED THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. HE WAS A MAN ABOUT TOWN, WASN'T HE? I DON'T CARE WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE WAS THERE. I DON'T CARE WHERE IT WAS GOING ON. HE WAS THERE. HE COULD BE DRESSED AS A COWBOY ONE DAY. AND GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE NEXT , YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF I COULD HAVE ONE THING THAT HE GAVE ME THAT I CAN PASS ON, IS THIS, MAKE SOMEBODY BETTER TODAY THAN THEY WERE YESTERDAY. THAT WAS HIS CHARGE TO ME EVERY DAY. SO THAT'S MY CHARGE TO YOU. LET'S ALL TRY AND MAKE SOMEBODY BETTER TODAY THAN THEY WERE YESTERDAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. GOD BLESS Y'ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK. UH, I HAD A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH KIPP, AND HE WAS A COLLEAGUE, HE WAS A BOSS, HE WAS A MENTOR, AND HE WAS AN INSPIRATION, BUT MOST OF ALL, HE WAS A FRIEND. AND WHEN KIP HOLDEN WAS YOUR FRIEND, , YOU REALLY DIDN'T WORRY IF YOU HAD ANY ENEMIES BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOVED KIP. AND, UH, JUST, UH, THE LAST TIME THAT WE GOT TOGETHER, WHICH WAS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I WOULD TRY TO HAVE LUNCH WITH HIM EVERY SO OFTEN. AND WE WENT TO ONE OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT HE LIKED, AND WE WENT INTO THE, THE BACK. AND WE WERE SITTING THERE AND I WAS TRYING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, SHRINK TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM WHERE NOBODY COULD REALLY SEE US. [00:15:01] BUT IN 20 MINUTES THERE WAS A CROWD . AND, YOU KNOW, HE WAS, HE WAS ILL AT THAT POINT. AND, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WHEN THE CROWD CAME AROUND HIM, HE SPRUNG BACK TO LIFE. IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN AROUND KIP, YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT HIS ONE-LINERS, . I MEAN, YOU WOULD SAY SOMETHING AND HE WAS SO QUICK TO COME BACK, MAKE YOU LAUGH, MAKE YOU THINK, BUT THAT CROWD JUST WANTED A PIECE OF KIPP'S MAGIC. AND KIPP WAS DEFINITELY A LEADER TO EMULATE. AND, UH, HE, HE WAS, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE THING IN THIS PARISH THAT YOU CAN'T TOUCH THAT DOESN'T HAVE SOME OF KIPP'S LEGACY ON IT. AND SO I'M, I'M BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF HIS LIFE, AND, UH, I WILL NEVER FORGET HIM. AND I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS? THAT WILL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HUDSON MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO THIS IN A, IN A MORE FORMAL WAY. I KNOW WHEN, WHEN WE DEAL WITH SOMEONE PASSING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THIS COUNCIL WILL TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE OR MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGES. I, I FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UM, ENSHRINE THIS HONOR, SORT OF, SORT OF IN OUR, IN OUR MINUTES AND, AND INTO THE HISTORY OF THIS PARISH. YOU KNOW, MELVIN, KIPP HOLDEN HAD A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS IMPACT, UH, ON THIS PARISH AND, AND WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT MOVING ON INTO THE FUTURE. SO, UM, I I WANNA QUICKLY READ THE, UH, THE CERTIFICATE THAT WE'VE PREPARED AND, AND THAT THE RESOLUTION THAT'S A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. UM, BUT I'LL FIRST SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MY, MY HISTORY WITH MELVIN HOLDEN, MELVIN KIPP HOLDEN IS, IS, UH, I, I GOT MY START IN BATON ROUGE POLITICS BY ARGUING WITH HIM. UH, AND DESPITE THAT, UH, I ALWAYS CONSIDERED HIM A FRIEND. HE, HE ALWAYS WOULD, UH, BE CORDIAL TO ME. E EVEN AT THE TENDER AGE OF I THINK 23, HE, HE GAVE ME THE RESPECT OF BEING WILLING TO, TO HAVE A DEBATE WITH ME, UH, WHICH I TOOK AS A HUGE HONOR, UH, COMING FROM A MAN LIKE, LIKE KIPP HOLDEN. UH, AND SO THAT'S HOW I WILL REMEMBER HIM IS, UH, E EVEN WHEN YOU DISAGREED WITH HIM, SOMEHOW HE FOUND A WAY TO BRING YOU TOGETHER WITH HIM. UH, AND SO THAT I THINK IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO, UH, THE DIPLOMACY AND JUST THE WAY HE CONDUCTED THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY PARISH. UH, AND SO THIS READS WHEREAS WE, TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MELVIN KIPP HOLDEN, A TRAILBLAZING PUBLIC SERVANT AND DEDICATED LEADER WHO MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR, PRESIDENT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. AND WHEREAS MAYOR, PRESIDENT HOLDEN SERVED WITH DISTINCTION FOR THREE TERMS, GUIDING THE PARISH THROUGH SOME OF ITS MOST CHALLENGING AND DEFINING MOMENTS, INCLUDING THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE KATRINA, KATRINA, AND THE DEVASTATING FLOODS OF 2016. AND WHEREAS HOLDEN WAS AN ATTORNEY AND A GRADUATE OF BOTH LSU AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, AND SERVED AS A STATE SENATOR, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND A MEMBER OF THE METRO COUNCIL. AND WHEREAS HIS COMMITMENT TO UNITY, RESILIENCE AND PROGRESS LEFT A LASTING MARK ON THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED AND HIS LEADERSHIP EMBODIED A VISION OF INCLUSION, STRENGTH, AND UNWAVERING PUBLIC SERVICE. NOW THEREFORE, WE MEMBERS OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL EXTEND OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES AND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY OF MAYOR, PRESIDENT KIPP HOLDEN. WE HONOR HIS ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE INDELIBLE LEGACY HE LEAVES BEHIND. UH, AND THIS IS SIGNED BY EVERY MEMBER OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT. SO, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. COUNCILMAN HURST. WHEN I HEARD OF THE LOSS THIS MORNING, WE LOST A HERO. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN SCOTLANDVILLE COMMUNITY. I WAS BORN IN , GREW UP IN SCOTLANDVILLE COMMUNITY. SO I'D HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MR. KIPP HOLDEN IN HIS ELEMENT ALL THE TIME, MAKING EVERYBODY LAUGH AT SOUTHERN GAMES OR GOING TO HIS OWN SPOT IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE HUNG OUT, RIGHT? SO HE NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM. HE WAS ALWAYS ONE OF US. BUT I TELL EVERYBODY, HE WAS OUR BARACK OBAMA BEFORE THERE EVER WAS A BARACK OBAMA. HE WORE THE SUITS, HE LOST MAYOR A COUPLE TIMES, NEVER QUIT. HE WAS PERSISTENT AND BELIEVED THAT HE COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE, THAT WE NEEDED. NORTH BATON ROUGE. AND, UH, COUNCIL MCKINNEY AND I WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY ABOUT WHAT IS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE SEEN IN AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME IN NORTH BATON ROUGE. IT'S OUR PLACE. [00:20:02] AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TWO BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS IS THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR PLACE. AND BOTH OF THOSE HAVE HIS STAMP ON IT. SO HE WILL FOREVER BE OUR LOCAL BARACK OBAMA. WE SAW HIM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I GO TO SCHOOLS AND TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME WITH, ESPECIALLY FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH. I SAID, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL REALLY THINK THAT THERE COULD BE A BLACK PRESIDENT? AND THE KIDS ALWAYS RAISE THEIR HAND 'CAUSE THEY'VE SEEN ONE. WELL, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, WE DIDN'T SEE A BLACK MAYOR. WE DIDN'T SEE A BLACK GOVERNOR, WE DIDN'T SEE A BLACK PRESIDENT. SO THE HOPE THAT WE HAD, A LOT OF TIMES A HUNDRED BLACK MEN, ALWAYS A HUNDRED BLACK MEN ALWAYS SAYS, UM, YOU CAN ONLY BE WHAT YOU CAN SEE. AND SO IF WE DID NOT HAVE THAT EXAMPLE IN SOMEBODY THAT PAVED THE WAY, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK THE WAY THAT WE SPEAK, DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO, AND MAKE THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE. SO KIP HOLDEN SET THE BAR. HE WAS PERSISTENT, HE WAS RELENTLESS, AND HE BELIEVED IN A BETTER BATON ROUGE. AND HE OPENED DOORS THAT WE'RE STEPPING IN NOW, AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THEM WIDER. SO I WANT TO THANK HIM, HE, HIS FAMILY. AND I WILL TELL Y'ALL, BECAUSE THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU MAKE WHEN YOU'RE IN OFFICE IS A THANK THIS JOB. LONG NIGHTS, EARLY MORNINGS, NOBODY THINKS ABOUT YOUR KIDS, YOUR WIFE. NOBODY THINKS ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO A NURSING HOME, ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE VISITED CHIP WHEN HE WAS IN THERE. BUT I HOPE THAT HIS LEGACY LIVES ON. I HOPE WE LEAVE HERE TODAY, HAVING THAT CONVERSATION AND TELLING SOMEBODY ELSE ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT WE MADE OR THAT HE MADE, AND THE LEGACY THAT HE HAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HEY, COUNCILMAN HURST? UH, COUNCILMAN KENNING. ALRIGHT, SO I TRY NOT TO SHOW MY AGE. I TELL PEOPLE WHEN, UM, MAYOR, PRESIDENT HOLDEN, UH, WERE FIRST ELECTED, I WAS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD . AND SO, UH, MY MOM AND MY FAMILY, UH, WHO'S FROM THE SCOTLANDVILLE COMMUNITY USED TO ALWAYS TALK ABOUT KIPP KIPP, KIPP KIPP. AND SO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, UM, KI WAS MY FRATERNITY BROTHER BY WAY OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA. AND, UM, BEING A SON OF SKYVILLE, JUST LIKE, UM, FORMER MAYOR, PRESIDENT KI HOLDING, UM, PEOPLE USED TO SEE HIM AS A SHINING STAR COMING FROM NORTH BATON ROUGE. AND, UM, ONE THING A MENTOR HAS ALWAYS TOLD ME, UM, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE BENEFIT FROM A SHADE OF A TREE THAT WE DID NOT PLANT. AND WHEN I TELL YOU FORMER MAYOR, PRESIDENT KIPP HOLDEN HAS PLANTED SO MANY TREES IN OUR COMMUNITY, NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OF POLITICS THAT YOU AGREED UPON, HE WAS A GOOD MAN, AND HE WAS A STATESMAN, AND HE LOVED BATON ROUGE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE LOVED SCOTLANDVILLE, LOUISIANA. AND SO IT IS, YOU KNOW, I I PRAY I CAN ONLY BE AN OUNCE OF A COUNCILMAN TO STAND ON HIS SHOULDERS FROM BEING FROM DISTRICT TWO. UM, BUT WHAT I CAN DEFINITELY SAY, THE WORK THAT HE DID DEFINITELY EMPOWERED ME, UM, TO BE A COUNCILMAN FOR MY COMMUNITY, COME FROM SCOTLANDVILLE, LOUISIANA AND BEING AN IMPACTFUL VOICE FOR MY COMMUNITY. SO, CONDOLENCES OF THE FAMILY, UM, MR. HALL, MR. HOLDEN, AND TO ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, JUST LIKE, UM, MR. UFFE SAID, LET'S TRY TO BE A, LET'S TRY TO MAKE SOMEBODY ELSE BETTER TODAY. LET'S TRY TO MAKE SOMEBODY ELSE LIFE BETTER TODAY AND, AND REALLY PRESERVE THE LEGACY, UH, THAT FORMER MAYOR, PRESIDENT KIPP HOLDING SET FOR US TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KENNEY. UH, COUNCILMAN DUN, JR. THANK YOU. MOST FOLKS REMEMBER MELVIN KIPP HOLDEN AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH AT EAST BATON ROUGE. UH, MANY PEOPLE FORGET THAT HE'S GOT HIS START AS A COUNCIL PERSON, AND ALL OF US, UH, STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE, OF THAT GIANT. BUT IRONICALLY, MYSELF, ANTHONY, AND DARRYL, UH, LIKE KIP WAS RAISED IN SCOTLANDVILLE. SO WE STAND ON THOSE SHOULDERS IN A UNIQUE WAY OF BEING A PRODUCT OF THE SCOTLANDVILLE COMMUNITY. UH, KIPP'S PERSONALITY WAS ONE THAT MANY COULD NOT OVERLOOK. UH, AS WILLIAM SAID, ANY ROOM HE WALKED INTO, PEOPLE GRAVITATED TO HIM. HE HAD A PERSONALITY, HE WORKED THE ROOM. HE HAD A WAY WITH PEOPLE THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE. UM, THEY ALSO, AS I SAID, REMEMBER HIM FOR BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR, PRESIDENT OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. BUT WHAT I REMEMBER MOST ABOUT KIPP IS THE THINGS THAT HE GOT DONE WHILE IN THAT SEAT. UH, IF YOU LOOK AT DOWNTOWN, UH, TALKING ABOUT KIPP'S HAND BEING ALL OVER SOMETHING, THAT WAS HIS MISSION TO DEVELOP DOWNTOWN, MAKE IT AN ATTRACTION FOR VISITORS AND CITIZENS. AND HE DID JUST THAT. HE ALSO LEVERAGED PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, TS AND OTHER INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN. IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORK, UH, THAT HE CHAMPIONED AND INITIATIVES IN GREENLIGHT ONE AND GREENLIGHT TWO, HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO INFRASTRUCTURE. FOR THOSE OF YOU GUYS WHO, WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH MOVIE BR BEFORE MOVIE B KIPP CHAMPION GREENLIGHT ONE AND GREEN LIGHT TWO, AND YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS [00:25:01] AND BRIDGES AND STREETS THROUGHOUT THIS PARISH, THAT WAS A LOT OF KIPP'S WORK. AND KIPP GOT OUT AND SOLD AND CONVINCED AND ENCOURAGED AND TALKED ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF THESE PROJECTS. SO I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST REMEMBER THE PERSONALITY. I DON'T WANT US TO JUST REMEMBER, UH, HIM BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR. I WANT US TO REMEMBER HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS PARISH. AND AS ANTHONY SAID, MANY OF US, US, OUR CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN, WILL SIT UNDER THAT SHADE OF KIPP HOLDEN TREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN MO. YEAH. LIKE SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES BEFOREHAND, I, I MET, UH, KIPP, UH, WHEN WE WERE INCORPORATING CENTRAL AND I BEGINNING MY BEGINNING, MY CAREER IN POLITICS AND ALL. BUT IT WAS SO AMAZING TO, TO ME, IN, IN THE POLITICAL SIDE OF IT, IT WAS SO AMAZING TO SEE THE LIFE OF KIPP HOLDEN, TO SEE HIS ENERGY, TO SEE HIS STYLE, TO SEE HIM, UH, LIKE SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD SAID EARLIER, TO SEE HIM AMONG PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT AND DOING THINGS AND TALKING TO EVERYONE. AND I, I FEEL LIKE WITH THE PASSING OF MAYOR HOLDEN TODAY, IT, IT IS LIKE A SMALL LIGHT, UH, FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WENT OUT. BUT YET HERE WE ARE ALL THESE YEARS LATER AND EVERYTHING FROM WHAT HE'S DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, THE DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE AND REVITALIZATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH DOWNTOWN AND WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, YOU CAN'T SIT HERE AND SAY THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN KIP HAD DOWNTOWN AND HE DID THIS AND DID THAT. AND WE ALL LOOK TO THAT AND SAY, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GO. WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO DO THAT. SO I, I TELL YOU THAT THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING I, I'D LIKE, I REMEMBER MYSELF, UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL KNOW ME AND, AND DOWNTOWN AND, AND, AND MY WEEKENDS AND DOING STUFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND I, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT HOW MANY TIMES THAT I'VE PROBABLY MET KI KIP DOWNTOWN AND, AND JUST ENJOYED THE WEEKEND AND ENJOYED BEING OUT AND ABOUT AND, AND RELAXING OUTSIDE OF THE POLITICS AND EVERYTHING. AND WE TRULY LOST A, A SMALL LIGHT TODAY. BUT, UM, CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND GOD BLESS YOU. KEPT HOLDING. WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MOAT. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN HUDSON FOR HAVING THIS ON THE AGENDA. I'LL ASK EVERYBODY, LET'S HAVE A, A SHORT MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WE PRAY FOR COMFORT FOR HIS FAMILY. AND GOD BLESS MAYOR HOLDEN. AND ALL YOU'VE DONE, I KNOW YOU'LL WATCH OVER EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS LATER IN THE MEETING. [CONDEMNATIONS] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO CONDEMNATIONS. IF YOU GRAB YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS. WHAT I HAVE SO FAR, UH, ON RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, AND 84, 30 DAYS REQUESTED FOR ITEMS 52 56, 71, 72, 73, 74, AND 75, 90 DAYS FOR ITEM 61 AND 83. AND TO DELETE ITEM 60 AND 66. IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? 69, 60 DAYS. 60 DAYS, BUT YOU CAN, WE, WE DON'T HAVE 60 UNTIL JULY 23RD IS WHAT YOU WANT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? YEP. NUMBER 78, 60 DAYS, AND NUMBER 81. UM, UH, DEMO PERMIT HAS ALREADY BEEN ACQUIRED AND SO THAT'S 81. I'M GONNA ASK THAT IT BE DELETED. 81. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. 30 DAYS OR 58. 63. 64 AND 60 DAYS FOR 65. [00:30:03] ALL RIGHT. THAT'S 58, 63, 64, AND 65. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? 53. DELETE 53. THE PROPERTY THAT'S BEEN SOLD. WANT TO GIVE THE NEW OWNER TIME TO, UH, GET THE PROPERTY BACK INTO COMMERCE? DELETE IT. YES. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, I'M GONNA READ THESE BACK ONE MORE TIME. WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH 54, 55, 57, 59, 62, 67, 68, 70, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, AND 84, 30 DAYS ON ITEM 52, 56, 58, 63, 64, 71, 72, 73, 74, AND 75. UH, JULY 23RD MEETING FOR ITEM 60, 65 AND 69 90 DAYS ON ITEM 61 AND 83 AND DELETE ITEMS 53 60, 66 AND 81. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SAY NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OH, COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. DO YOU WANNA OH, OKAY. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [85. 25-00479] ALL RIGHT. ITEM 85, EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF METROPOLITAN COUNCIL FOR SB 1 76 AND 2025 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND URGING LEGISLATORS FROM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH TO VOTE. IN FAVOR OF THE BILL BY COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON. COUNCILMAN CLEVE DUN JR. AND COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, FOR [Items 86 - 89] ITEMS 86, 87, 88 AND 89, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THESE FOUR. I'M GONNA READ 'EM TOGETHER. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ALL OF THESE TOGETHER. THESE WERE ALL, UH, THIS IS PART OF THE THRIVE PLAN. THESE WERE ALL INTRODUCED, UH, TO THE PUBLIC SOMEWHAT BY PRESS CONFERENCE AND TAKING TOGETHER. SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL OF THESE TOGETHER. I'M GONNA READ 'EM TOGETHER. WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING TOGETHER. THEY ARE GONNA BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY. UM, THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST, I'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW BEFORE WE GET STARTED. THERE'S A REQUEST ON TO DELETE, UH, NUMBER 88 BY THE ADMINISTRATION. AND WE'RE GONNA START READ 86 A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025, TO AUTHORIZE THE PARISH TO EXTEND THE LEVY OF AN 11.1 MILLS AVALOR TAX CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY PURPOSES UPON ALL PROPERTIES SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE PARISH FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2026 TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2035 AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT TO REDEDICATE THE PARISH TO REDEDICATE $52,400,000 OF PROCEEDS OF THE TAX HERETO FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES AND REDEDICATE THE USE OF PROCEEDS OF THE TAX. SO THAT PROCEEDS HERE TO FOR AND HEREAFTER CE AFTER RECEIVED FROM 8.3 MILS OF THE TAX SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL, AND USED TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM OF THE PARISH HERETOFORE AND HEREAFTER RECEIVE, I'M SORRY, INCLUDING ACQUIRING LAND AND CONSTRUCTING NEW LIBRARY FACILITIES AND PROCEEDS HERE TO, FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED FROM THE 2.8 MILS OF THE TAX SHALL BE USED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES, MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION, PROVIDING NOTICE THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL SHALL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 14TH, 2025 BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PRESIDENT. ITEM 87, A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025, TO AUTHORIZE THE PARISH TO EXTEND THE LEVY OF ONE MILLS. AVALOR TAX CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED FOR MOSQUITO ABATEMENT ROAD AND CONTROL PURPOSES UPON ALL PROPERTIES SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE PARISH FOR 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2027 TO AND INCLUDING 2036 AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE PARISH TO REDEDICATE $6 MILLION OF PROCEEDS OF THE TAX HERETO FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVE FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES. AND REDEDICATE THE USE OF PROCEEDS OF THE TAX SO THAT PROCEEDS HERETO FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED FROM 0.5 MILS OF THE TAX [00:35:01] SHALL BE USED ENTIRELY AND EXCLUSIVELY TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO PURCHASE, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE MACHINERY, FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY. AND ERADICATION ABATEMENT ARE CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES, ANTHROPODS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, ORTHOPODS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE AND RODENTS, AND PROVIDING FOR ADEQUATE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT STAFF AND PROCEEDS HERE TO, FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVE FROM. POINT FIVE MILS OF THE TAG SHALL BE USED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES, MAKING APPLICATIONS TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT. ITEM 88. AGAIN, THIS ONE IS REQUESTED TO BE DELETED BY THE ADMINISTRATION RESOLUTION, ORDERING AND CALLING AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025, TO AUTHORIZE THE PARISH TO RESTORE THE ANNUAL LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A FOUR MILLS AVALOR TAX ON THE DOLLAR OF ASSESSED VALUATION OF ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION IN THE PARISH. AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SIX, SECTION 26 A OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA OF 1974, CURRENTLY LEVIED AT THE RATE OF 2.96 MILLS WITH THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAX TO BE USED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES, MAKING APPLICATIONS OF THE STATE BOND COMMISSION BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PRESIDENT ITEM 89, A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025, TO AUTHORIZE THE PARISH TO EXTEND THE LEVY OF A 2.25 MILLS AVALOR TAX UPON ALL PROPERTIES SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE PARISH FOR 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2027 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO INCLUDE THEREAFTER TWO AND INCLUDING 2036 AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE PARISH TO REDEDICATE THE USE OF PROCEEDS OF THE TAX HERETO FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED SO THAT TWO MILS SHALL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL ON THE AGING INCORPORATED, OR ANY SUCCESSOR THERETO TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO OPERATE, MAINTAIN PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES FOR ELDERLY CITIZENS IN THE PARISH, INCLUDING MEALS ON WHEELS, SENIOR SITS, HOMEMAKER SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION AND NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS TO ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN FACILITIES TO SERVE ELDERLY CITIZENS IN THE PARISH. AND TO OTHERWISE FUND THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE COUNCIL ON AGING. AND 0.25 MILLS SHALL BE USED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES, MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PRESIDENT. OKAY, I'M GONNA START THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE FOUR ITEMS, 86 THROUGH 89? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. GOOD EVENING. I'M KATRINA STOKES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LINE. WELL, MINE'S OFF 'CAUSE I TURNED IT OFF. THERE IT IS. OKAY. THERE WE GO. I THINK IF YOU PULL ON IT THOUGH, IT'LL HIT THE BUTTON. IT'LL HIT SOMETIMES. OH, OKAY. WELL, MY APOLOGIES. I'M A LITTLE SHORT . UH, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING TO THE METRO COUNCIL. UH, I WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE METRO COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, FOR WORKING WITH US WITH THIS NEW RESOLUTION. OUR LIBRARY KEEPS ITS DEDICATED FUNDING AND WILL RECEIVE A MILLAGE RATE AT WHICH WE MAY CONTINUE OUR OPERATIONS, PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY AND MEET OUR CAPITAL, UH, IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. AND OF COURSE, I WISH TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN, UH, THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. THANK YOU ALL. I'M MARY STEIN WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY. YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY FILLED WITH COLLECTION SERVICES PROGRAMS AND 1515 COUNT THEM CONVENIENTLY LOCATED LIBRARIES OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, INCLUDING THE NEWEST SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY. WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE COUNTLESS HOURS THAT THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION, OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, OUR HOMEOWNERS GROUPS, MEMBERS OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS HAVE INVESTED TOWARDS REACHING A COMPROMISE FOR THIS MULTIFACETED ISSUE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO FURTHER REFINE THE DETAILS SO THAT WE CAN ALL CLEARLY ARTICULATE WHAT EACH PART OF THE THRIVE PLAN WILL DELIVER. AND MOST OF ALL, WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THEIR [00:40:01] DEDICATION AND PASSION HAS MEANT SO MUCH TO THE ENTIRE STAFF, TO OUR BOARD, TO OUR LIBRARY PATRONS. AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH US AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO A NOVEMBER 15TH ELECTION. THANK YOU. I KNEW I HAD TO BRING NOTES 'CAUSE MARY WAS GOING IN FRONT OF ME, . I KNEW SHE WAS GONNA DO THAT. I'M TASHA CLARK, UH, AMAR WITH THE CEO OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE COUNCIL ON AGENT. AND JUST IN THE SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY, OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MY SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S HERE, UH, OUR ADMINISTRATION, UH, WANT TO S SUPPORT, WE FULLY SUPPORT THE THRIVE VR PLAN. WE COLLECTIVELY DECIDED IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO PARTICIPATE AND DO OUR PART TO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE CITY'S BUDGET. WE FURTHER DETERMINED THAT THE COLLECTION OF OUR MAXIMUM LEVIE AMOUNT AT 2.25 AND ONLY RETAINING 2.0 MEALS WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO COLLECT 0.25 OR ABOUT $1.5 MILLION A YEAR, $15 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF 10 YEARS. WE'RE WILLFULLY MAKING THIS CONTRIBUTION AND COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE METRO COUNCIL THAT SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE ROLLED BACK ANY FURTHER. THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE WANT FROM Y'ALL. WE WANT A COMMITMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK 'CAUSE WE HAVE DONE OUR PART. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN THE SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP, THAT WE RECEIVE THE SAME LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND THE SUPPORT WHEN THE ITEMS ARE ON THE BALLOTS. WE EXPECT THE COMMITMENT OF THE COMMITMENTS OF TRANSPARENCY AND SUPPORT FROM ALL THE MILAGE ITEMS WILL BE KEPT AS DISCUSSED DURING THE NEGOTIATION. FURTHERMORE, WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE E-B-R-C-O-A PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE HAVE DELIVERED TANGIBLE SERVICES THROUGH OUR 24 FACILITIES AND SENIOR CENTERS. WE GOT MORE SENIOR CENTERS THAN LIBRARIES. OUR MEALS, OUR MEALS, WE WORK TOGETHER. WE GO TO THE LIBRARY, OUR MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAMS, AND WE ARE THE DISASTER AGENCY FOR SIN IN THIS PARISH AT THE E-B-R-C-C-O-A. WE DON'T JUST PROVIDE SERVICES, WE CREATE EXPERIENCES THAT EMPOWER, UPLIFT, AND TRANSFORM LIVES ANNUALLY. WE PROVIDE ABOUT 1.5 MILLION MEALS ACROSS THIS PARISH. OUR AGENCY HAS BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE TAXPAYERS IS PARISH. OUR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS HAVE RESULTED IN NO FINDINGS OR DEFICITS, AND WE ARE DEBT FREE. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO MATTERS BECAUSE WE ARE THE LIFELINE FOR SENIORS IN THIS PARISH. GOOD EVENING, I'M REVEREND ANDERSON. AND WHILE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THAT OUR NUMBER ONE LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY WAS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY IN A DOCUMENTARY THAT RAN IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, OR THAT WE ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL PARISH BECAUSE WE HAVE STATE-OF-THE-ART ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE COUNCIL ON AGING PROVIDING HOUSING AND SERVICES, OR THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE MADE THE MISTAKE OF DEFUNDING THEIR MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND HAVE PAID THE COST FOR IT. SO I'M NOT GONNA STAND HERE AND TELL YOU THAT I AM NOT GOING TO ASK ALL OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO KEEP OUR SYSTEMS, NUMBER ONE. AND YOU DON'T GET NUMBER ONE BY VOTING NULLIFICATION AND BY DEFUNDING NOBODY ASKED A NUMBER ONE BASKETBALL OR FOOTBALL TEAM TO HAVE THE CHEAPEST COACHES. WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN THIS PARISH WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF. AMEN. OUR COUNCIL ON AGING HAS DONE AMAZING WORK FOR OUR SENIORS. AND AT A TIME WHEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE FUNDING ANYTHING, THE IDEAL THAT THIS COUNCIL CANNOT DO ITS JOB AND GO THROUGH THAT BUDGET AND CUT OUT ALL THE REAL FAT THAT'S IN IT, IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO ME. BUT ELECTIONS MATTER. AND THE ONE THING THAT I DO KNOW AND I COUNT ON IS THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU UNDERSTANDS THAT ELECTIONS MATTER. AT THE VERY SAME TIME, WE AS TAXPAYERS, WERE ASKED TO SOMEHOW GIVE UP THE SERVICES THAT WERE NOT JUST NUMBER ONE, NOT JUST DOING THE BEST AND BEYOND THAT, BUT SETTING THE STANDARD. WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO ACCEPT AN EXCESSIVE MILLAGE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD'VE COME OUT OF THE EXACT SAME POCKETS OF TAXPAYERS THAT WE ARE NOW BEING ASKED TO DO THAT. AND SO ALL I CAN SAY IS I HOPE PRAYERFULLY THIS COUNCIL WILL REALIZE ALL ELECTIONS MATTER. AND A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM VOTE. [00:45:12] HELLO AGAIN, DR. SIDNEY PPS. I LIVE IN 7 0 8 1 0, AND I'D LIKE TO STATE THAT I SUCCESSFULLY, UH, CALCULATED THE FAILURE OF THE DA'S, UH, TAX PROPOSAL. SO YOU MAY WANNA LISTEN TO ME WITHIN THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS. ALL RIGHT. UM, SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IN TERMS OF, UH, THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET, THE PEOPLE TRUST THE LIBRARY OVERALL BECAUSE OF THEIR BUDGET NUMBERS. THEY SHARE THE PLANS FOR EVERY DOLLAR NUMBERS ARE TRANSPARENT AND THEY'RE TIED TO VISIBLE IMPACT. WE NEED THE DETAILS FOR EACH PIECE OF THE THRIVE PLAN AND WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH THIS MONEY. AND WE ALSO WANNA BE ABLE TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE IF THIS TAX FAILS IN NOVEMBER. WILL THE COUNCIL COMMIT RIGHT NOW TO AGREE TO LET THE LIBRARY COME BACK TO THE VOTERS IN 2026 WITH THEIR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, WHICH SOLELY DEDICATED FUNDS TO THE LIBRARY? AND I WILL TAKE THIS QUOTE FROM A COMMUNITY, UM, MEMBER. THIS WAS A COMPROMISE THAT STOPPED THE CITY FROM HIJACKING THE LIBRARY IN TOTALITY. THIS IS THE SENTIMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORS. WE CAN'T TRUST THAT THE FUNDS WON'T BE DIVERTED. THANK YOU. WAIT, WAIT. YOU GOTTA HIT THE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM. AT THE BASE. YEAH. DOES THIS WORK NOW? THERE YOU GO. HEY, YOU KNOW, SOME PE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE ARE, THEY ARE BAD AT TECHNOLOGY JUST LIKE ALL Y'ALL . UM, I'M KAYLA DODEN. 7 0 8 0 6. THAT'S DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, 20 YEARS OLD. SO, UH, JUST COMING IN FROM THE OPINIONS OF YOUNGER VOTERS, UM, NOT THAT PARTICULARLY HYPED ABOUT THIS COMPROMISE, UM, PUTTING, UH, TAXES THAT ARE WERE ORIGINALLY PROMISED FOR THE LIBRARY, AND THEN PUTTING THAT INTO AN UNSPECIFIED GENERAL FUND DOES CONCERN ME, UM, JUST BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SORT OF BAIT AND SWITCH, UM, POLICIES BEFORE WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT CLEARLY DEDICATED FUNDING. UM, BUT THAT ASIDE, UM, I STILL THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE TO ALLOCATE MONEY TO THE LIBRARY, AND THAT WE ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE THIS NOVEMBER, THANKS TO, UM, PROPOSITION, UH, 86. UM, AND WITH THAT SAID, UM, THAT WILL REALLY BE ALL. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEE NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL FIRST. I WANT TO JUST, UH, SAY I WANNA THANK THE LIBRARY FOR GIVING US FANS TONIGHT BECAUSE IT GETS HOT IN HERE WHEN THIS, WHEN THIS ROOM FILLS UP. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT . I APPRECIATE THAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCILMAN HUDSON? UH, I JUST WANNA FIRST JUST THANK THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION, OUR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS WITH THE LIBRARY COUNCIL ON AGING MOSQUITO ABATEMENT. UH, LOOK, I, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE DIFFICULT TO HAVE, RIGHT? UM, NOBODY LIKES TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, SHIFTING MONEY, DEALING WITH SHORTFALLS, UH, AND THAT SORT OF THING. UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, THIS IS MY THIRD TERM ON THE COUNCIL. AND EVERY COUNCIL THAT I HAVE SERVED ON PREVIOUS TO THIS HAS RECOGNIZED AN ISSUE, UH, WITH OUR DEDICATED TAXES. UH, BUT WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SETTLE ON CHANGING THE DEDICATIONS AND, AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE, AND ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO THE POSTURE OF AN ACTUAL PLAN. UH, THIS COUNCIL AND THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THESE STAKEHOLDERS DID THAT WORK. IT WAS INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE, RIGHT? IT WAS INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR US AS A COMMUNITY, BUT WE DID THE WORK, UH, AND WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN THAT IS GONNA ADDRESS MANY OF THE FINANCIAL ISSUES, UH, THAT THIS PARISH FACES. UH, WE'LL ADDRESS EVERYTHING. NO, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE LOTS OF, UH, ISSUES TO ADDRESS AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO HAVE TO WATCH THE CITY PARISH FISK. BUT I THINK THIS IS A HUGE, UH, YOU KNOW, STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. DOESN'T, DOESN'T GIVE ADJUSTED. THIS IS A HUGE, UH, HUGE THING THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKEN. UM, I DO, UH, I'VE BEEN REQUESTED BY THE LIBRARY TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO [00:50:01] ITEM 86. UH, AND SO IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME FOR JUST A SECOND, UH, I'M GONNA READ THE ENTIRE, UM, UH, RESOLUTION JUST SO THAT I DON'T SCREW UP WHERE, WHERE IT GOES. UH, AND MY PHONE HAS CLOSED. SO I'M GONNA , I'M GONNA FIND IT HERE REAL QUICK. SO, THE RESOLUTION, UH, THE, THE MOTION IS, IS TO APPROVE WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT. UH, AND THIS AMENDMENT IS TECHNICAL IN NATURE. UH, THEY SIMPLY WANT TO ADD SOME CLARIFYING LANGUAGE, BUT IT WILL BE, SHALL THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, UH, STATE, STATE OF LOUISIANA BE AUTHORIZED TO REDEDICATE 52,400,000 TO BE USED FOR THE PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES? HERETOFORE AND HEREAFTER RECEIVE FROM THE LIVE, FROM THE LEVEE OF AND A TAX, UH, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY PURPOSES AT AN ELECTION HELD ON OCTOBER 24TH, 2015. AND SHALL THE PARISH BE FURTHER AUTHORIZED TO EXTEND AND REDEDICATE THE LEVY OF SAID TAX AT THE RATE OF 11.1 MILS ON ALL PROPERTIES SUBJECT TO TAXATION IN THE PARISH FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2026 TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 20 20, 20 35, 60 7,432,500 IS REASONABLY ESTIMATED TO BE COLLECTED FROM LEVYING TAX FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. SO THAT A PROCEEDS HERE TO FOUR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED FROM THE 8.3 MILS OF THE TAX SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL, AND USED TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM OF THE PARISH, INCLUDING AND FOR CLARIFICATIONS. THIS IS THE CHANGE, UH, COLLECTIONS, SOFTWARE, FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT, AND ACQUIRING LAND, LAND AND CONSTRUCTING NEW LIBRARY FACILITIES. AND B PROCEEDS HERETO FOR AND HEREAFTER RECEIVED FROM 2.8 MILS OF THE TAX SHALL BE USED FOR PARISH WIDE GENERAL PURPOSES AFTER PAYING REASONABLE AND NECESSARY EXPENSES OF COLLECTING AND ADMINISTERING THE TAX. TO CLARIFY, THE ONLY CHANGE HERE IS, UH, BASICALLY SIX WORDS. THEY WANTED TO ADD SOME CLARIFYING LANGUAGE JUST FOR, UH, PURPOSES OF THE VOTERS BEING ABLE TO READ THE PROPOSITION COLLECTIONS, SOFTWARE, FURNITURE, AND EQUIPMENT. AND, AND THAT IS THE ENTIRETY OF THE AMENDMENT. MOTION TO APPROVE WITH AMENDMENTS. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. UM, I WANT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR MAYOR, PRESIDENT SIT EDWARDS TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I KNOW HE WANTED TO ADDRESS EVERYBODY. MAYOR, YOU'RE WELCOME TO, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, ADDRESS ANYTHING YOU HEARD OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE, UH, PROPOSAL? THANK YOU. UH, THE FEELING I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF GREAT GRATITUDE TO THE COUNCIL. EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOW HOW HARD WE'VE WORKED. I, I THINK IT'S BEEN SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS, IT SEEMS LIKE SIX OR SEVEN YEARS. BUT I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU OF WORKING TOGETHER, AND IF THE OUTSIDE WORLD COULD SEE HOW YOU WORK TOGETHER AND HOW HARD YOU WORK FOR THE PEOPLE, UM, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. NOW I TURN TO THESE FOLKS HERE, THE COUNCIL ON AGENT. I WANT TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO. A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE GAME, BUT YOU CAME TO THE GAME AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL VERY MUCH. CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. OUR LIBRARY. I, I'M GONNA TELL YOU IN THIS WHOLE THING, Y'ALL THE QUARTERBACK, Y'ALL TOTING THE BALL. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR BEING A BIG PART OF THIS AND, UM, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. GOD BLESS YOU. BUT I GOTTA LEAVE. BRING ONE MORE ENTITY UP HERE. IT'S THE QUIETEST MOSQUITOES IN THE WORLD. . BUT I GOT WHAT? COME ON, MAN. MY, MY MOSQUITO MAN. WE, WE HAD THE COUNCIL UP HERE. WE HAD THE LIBRARY UP HERE, AND THESE FOLKS RIGHT HERE ARE COMING TO THE TABLE. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS WHILE I'M UP HERE AND WANT TO TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU. GOOD. APPRECIATE YOU, MAN. WHAT AM I SAYING? YOU CAN JUST SAY THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S KATIE CARD. I LIVE IN 7 0 7 9 1. ZACHARY, YOU GOT THIS. OH, AND MY BOSS IS HERE SO I CAN STEP DOWN. . I WANTED TO, UH, ALSO THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING IN, YOU KNOW, DOING ALL THE HARD WORK AND COMING UP WITH NUMBERS THAT MAKE SENSE FOR EVERYONE. UM, MY OUR MAIN CONCERN IS JUST LOSING THE TRUST OF THE CITIZENS. UM, YOU KNOW, OVER 40 YEARS THIS PROGRAM HAS NEVER LOST, YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE NOT EVER FAILED TO PASS OUR, UM, MILLAGE AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DEDICATED. AND SO THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME IT WOULD EVER BE KIND OF SHARED, A SHARED MILLAGE. SO THAT'S OUR MAIN CONCERN. BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO HELP [00:55:01] OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, MARK. THANK YOU. AND QUICKLY, ONE THING I ALWAYS SAY WITH YOU GUYS, IT'S ALL ABOUT TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE. YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED TO DO A JOB, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED TO DO A JOB, AND WE JUST ASK FOR TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY, AND WE APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING. WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ALWAYS AGREE. OF COURSE, WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME, BUT THIS IS, UH, I, I WON'T SAY RARE, BUT, UH, CROSSES BIPARTISAN LINES. IT CROSSES EVERYTHING. AND IT'S A COMPLETE TEAM EFFORT, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. I, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT, UH, WE DELETED THE, THE ALIMONY TAX. AND I THINK A BIG PART OF THAT, TALKING TO ALL THE, UH, STAKEHOLDERS HERE IS, UH, THE PUBLIC'S BEEN SPEAKING LOUD ON THESE MATTERS, AND WE JUST FIGURED WE WOULD JUST GO ON AND, AND, AND REMOVE THAT RIGHT ON OUT OF THERE. UM, I JUST WANNA GO OVER A COUPLE OF NUMBERS. THEY'RE RAW NUMBERS, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA KNOW. YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED PEOPLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, UH, THE GRASS CUTTING PART ON NUMBERS, BUT WITH THE FUNDS, AND THIS IS JUST A, A RAW NUMBER. I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HEAR IT WITH THE ONE TIME REVENUE OF 52.4 MILLION. IT'S SIMPLY TO PAY OFF OUR DEBT TO GET RID OF IT. 6 MILLION TO SPEND ON PARISH WIDE PRIORITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, STORM WATER, MASTER PLAN, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND SUCH. THE RECURRING $21 MILLION, WE HAVE A HOLE IN THE BUDGET, AND THIS IS TO STABILIZE AND BALANCE THAT BUDGET. SO WE DOWN TO 4.5 MILLION TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES AND MAINTAIN, IMPROVE ESSENTIAL SERVICES. NOW, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT, AND WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT YET. I NEVER COUNT MY CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH. I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THIS ONE. BUT WHAT WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND, EVERYTHING GOES TO OUR PEOPLE, AND I'M HOPING THAT IT GETS TO OUR PEOPLE IN NOVEMBER. AND THEN WE'LL REALLY HAVE WORK TO DO TO DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE AND HOW BIG THIS THING IS. GOD BLESS YOU. AND I THANK, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN DUN, JUNIOR. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW HOW I SKIPPED UP. I THOUGHT PEOPLE WAS BEFORE ME, BUT, UH, I WANT TO GIVE MARY AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP OR SOMEBODY FROM THE LIBRARY BECAUSE DWIGHT, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON READ THE AMENDMENT. BUT IF, I DON'T KNOW IF I OVERLOOKED IT OR DIDN'T HEAR IT, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR THAT, UH, THAT THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED THIS AMENDMENT. IT WASN'T AN ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT OR DWIGHT'S, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON AMENDMENT. IT WAS THE LIBRARY'S AMENDMENT. YES, SIR. WE DID ASK TO ADD THESE SIX WORDS. IT'S A 200 WORD LIMIT IN THAT PROPOSITION. AND WE HAD BEEN HEARING FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THEY, THEY JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. IT'S ALREADY COMPLICATED. AND WHEN THEY SAW OPERATIONS, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? THEY WANTED TO BE SURE IT WAS THE WHOLE SHEBANG. SO FOR ME, OPERATIONS INCLUDES COLLECTIONS, WHICH IS THE BOOKS, THE DATABASES, AND LIBBY FOR ALL OF YOU, LIBBY LEVERS, UH, SOFTWARE, WHICH WE DEPEND UPON, FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT. SO ADDING THOSE WORDS INTO IT, JUST FURTHER CLARIFIED IT, AND I THINK WILL HELP THE PUBLIC BE CONFIDENT THAT IT REALLY IS FOR THE LIBRARY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD. COUNCILMAN GODA. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS. UM, FIRST THANK YOU TO, UH, THE PARTNERS WHO ARE, UH, COMING TO THE MICROPHONE AND EXPRESSING THE MOSQUITO ABATEMENT COUNCIL ON AGING, UH, AND THE LIBRARY COMING TO EXPRESS YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I ATTEMPT TO DRAW AN ANALOGY WHEN I TALKED TO FOLKS ABOUT THIS, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, MY, MY, MY BRIDE WAS DISCERNING, TAKING A JOB THAT PAID LESS. AND SO WE, WITH THREE CHILDREN AT THE TIME, WE HAD SOME, UH, UH, HARD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST AND AMEND OUR FAMILY BUDGET. UH, BECAUSE IT WAS THE ADVENT OF A NEW DAY. UM, WE, THE PARISH ARE, ARE IN THAT SAME SITUATION. UH, AND SO MUCH LIKE THE KITCHEN TABLE DISCUSSION, UH, WE HAD IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, YOU KNOW, WE SET OUT SOME GOALS THAT WE WOULD NOT SACRIFICE FOR THINGS THAT THE KIDS WOULD DO, BUT WE WOULD CHANGE OUR HABITS, UH, CHANGE, UH, WHERE WE SHOP, WHAT WE SHOP FOR, THE, THE SERVICES WE SUBSCRIBE TO MAKE THE CUTS WITHIN OUR PERSONAL BUDGET, UH, SO THAT WE COULD SEE THE LARGER PICTURE, UH, FOR OUR FAMILY. AND I THINK AS A PARISH, UH, VOTERS HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUE, UH, IS NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE WILLING TO TOLERATE. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO, [01:00:01] UH, WELCOME THE ADVENT OF A NEW DAY, UH, AND SHUFFLE WITHIN OUR EXISTING BUDGET, UH, AND FIND WAYS TO REMAIN SUCCESSFUL AND KEEP OUR EYES ON THE LARGER PRIZE. SO, SO THAT IS THE ATTEMPT THAT I MAKE WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT THIS. UH, AND, AND I WILL SAY MY VOTE TODAY IS NOT SIMPLY, UH, THAT I SEE THIS AS WELL. I'M JUST GIVING IT TO THE PEOPLE FOR THEM TO VOTE ON AND MAKE A DECISION IN NOVEMBER. MY VOTE TODAY IS AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS. UH, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD TO FOR A LONG TIME, UH, TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, UH, UH, AS A CITY PARISH. AND, AND AS I SAID, THIS IS THE ADVENT OF A NEW DAY. THE CITY PARISH OF YESTERDAY IS NOT THE CITY PARISH OF TODAY AND TOMORROW. SO THIS FOR ME IS AN ENDORSEMENT, UH, TO OUR PARISH THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS PLAN. AND SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE, UH, FOR BEING, UH, PRESENT TODAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN ROCK. HELLO EVERYONE. TWO, I WOULD LIKE FOR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO STAND UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY ACKNOWLEDGED TONIGHT. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS PROCESS BEGAN LONG BEFORE THIS MAYOR RACED HIS RIGHT HAND. AND HE WAS SWORN IN, IN FACT, CLEVE DUNN, COUNCILMAN MC DUNN, AND I STARTED WORKING ON THIS IN LATE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. SO GREG ROME, UM, FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I THINK ANGIE FROM FINANCES OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE HER SON IS GRADUATING. BUT FINANCE, IF YOU DON'T MIND STANDING UP, TOMMY HESBERG IN THE BACK. HE'S OUR BOND ATTORNEY, IF HE DOESN'T MIND STANDING UP. AND THEN ASHLEY BECK, OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND STANDING UP OR WAVING. AND THEN THERE ARE COUNTLESS PEOPLE FROM THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION MOVING FORWARD AFTER JANUARY THAT HAVE HELPED US. UM, SO THESE PEOPLE WITHIN CITY PARISH STARTED WORKING WITH US IN LATE OCTOBER, AND WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. THANK Y'ALL. Y'ALL CAN SIT DOWN NOW. WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM BECAUSE WE KNEW CUTS WERE COMING AND WE WERE SORT OF SCRAMBLING. UM, WE WERE CONCERNED. AND COUNCILMAN DUNN SHARED THAT CONCERN. WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HERE IS THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE SITTING HERE TODAY WITH YOUR T-SHIRTS ON AND YOUR, YOUR SIGNS AND YOUR BUTTONS. YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING UNSELFISH FOR THE ENTIRE PARISH AS A WHOLE. SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO. SOMETHING THAT MOST OF YOU VOLUNTARILY CAME TO DO. AND WE TALK ABOUT THE MAYOR'S PLAN. THE COUNCIL'S PLAN THRIVE, HOW WE CAME TOGETHER AND COLLABORATED. BUT WHAT WE'RE FAILING TO SAY IS NOW, AFTER IT LEAVES THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS TONIGHT, IT'S THE PEOPLE'S PLAN. THE PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT THEIR PARISH TO LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD. AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT, OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY KNOW YOU, YOU'RE AN INTEGRAL PART. YOU'RE UNSELFISH NATURE AND THE WAY THAT YOU'VE SUPPORTED AND COME HERE TONIGHT. WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS ABSOLUTELY MONUMENTAL. WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE VOTERS ARE GONNA DO IN NOVEMBER, BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE WORDS FOR IT. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. UM, THE THRIVE TEAM, WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE HAVE MASON BATS, WE HAVE CHARLIE, WE HAVE CHIEF LEDUFF, WE HAVE MONIQUE. THOSE FOLKS HAVE MET WITH US COUNTLESS TIMES TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ONE TEAM STANDING TOGETHER BEFORE EVERYONE SO WE CAN PRESENT THIS TO THE PARISH. WE HAD, UM, COUNCILMAN ADAMS, WE HAD COUNCILMAN DUNN, COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER. WE HAD COUNTLESS MEETINGS. THEY WERE PUTTING PLANS TOGETHER. EVEN AARON MOOCH, COUNCILMAN MOOCH HAD HIS OWN TAX PLANS THAT HE WAS LOOKING AT BEFORE WE ALL CAME TOGETHER. SO THEN ALL OF THE COUNCIL, ALL 12 OF US, CAME TOGETHER TO SAY, WE GOTTA DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. IT'S A TOUGH DECISION. IT'S HARD. NOBODY EVER WANTS TO TALK ABOUT TAXES, ESPECIALLY THIS COUNCIL, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE FOUND OURSELVES. SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO TELL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY COUNCILMAN AMAROSA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO COME TO A MEETING LIKE THIS, AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE AS WELL. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS ON THIS THAT I APPRECIATE SO MUCH IS, UM, AS THE MAYOR STATED THAT I BELIEVE HE SAID $52.4 MILLION IN DEBT WE'RE GONNA GET RID OF, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COUNCILMAN UH, GOODDAY SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A HOUSEHOLD THAT STRUGGLES, EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP THINGS. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET TO GO TO THE MOVIES, YOU DON'T GET TO GO OUT TO DINNER AND DO ALL THOSE FUN THINGS, YOU KNOW? AND THE THING IS TOO, IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A DEBT, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. YOUR, UH, YOUR HANDS ARE TIED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET RID OF SOME OF THIS DEBT WITH THE HELP OF THESE [01:05:01] THREE ENTITIES WOULD BE A FANTASTIC THING THAT WOULD FREE UP LOTS OF MONEY THAT WE COULD DO OTHER THINGS WITH. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THESE THINGS, ONE THING THAT THIS DID WAS THAT IT DID UNITE US AS A COMMUNITY. WE ALL SEE THE NEED. WE ALL SEE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT RAISES AND, YOU KNOW, FREE UP SOME OF THIS DEBT. WE'VE GOT SITUATIONS IN OUR CITY WITH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. SO I APPRECIATE THE SACRIFICE TOO, THAT EVERYONE IS MAKING. SO, THANK YOU. OOPS. COUNCILMAN MOGUE. YEAH. UM, I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT UP, BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE, WHAT, WHAT I CALL THE, THE COUNCIL SIX. AND, YOU KNOW, YES, UH, JEN ELOQUENTLY SPOKE ABOUT RECOGNIZING PEOPLE AND STUFF, BUT I WANT TO ESPECIALLY AND, AND SAY THAT WE, JEN, WE RECOGNIZE YOU AND THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DID, AND YOU AND CLEVE STARTED, UH, MONTHS AGO. AND THEN BRINGING IN COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, COUNCIL HUDSON, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS AND COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR WHAT Y'ALL COME UP WITH AND FOR WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEY, WHAT THEY WORK WITH. LOOK, A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN IN POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED HERE WITH THOSE MEETINGS AND WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION ACCOMPLISHED IN WITH THE LIBRARY, THE COUNCIL ON ASIAN MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'LL SEE THAT AGAIN IN OUR POLITICAL HISTORY. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS. BUT WHAT I WILL ASK IS THAT, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN ROCKET SAID, THIS BECOMES YOUR PLAN. AND WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS TO THE ELECTION DAY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL FOREVER CHANGE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. IT'S, IT'S WHAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THE PUBLIC WANTED TO SEE. IT'S FOR OVERALL PARISH SERVICES, AND IT'S GOING TO BE, I, I JUST THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT THING FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH MOVING FORWARD. SO, TO, TO EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL SITTING OUT THERE REPRESENTING YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, I SAY MYSELF LIKE ADJOIN WITH, UH, THE REST OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. THANK Y'ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, UH, TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, IN AND OUT OF THE COUNCIL SIX, WHAT I CALL THE COUNCIL SIX. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THE BIPARTISAN WORK THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED HERE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SHOWING THE PUBLIC WHAT WE CAN DO MOVING FORWARD. SO I KNOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF HARD WORK TO DO. I ASK THAT WE ALL PULL TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER TO GET US TO THAT DATE IN NOVEMBER. THANK Y'ALL. COUNCIL MCKINNEY. ALRIGHT. UM, NO. FIRST I WANNA THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION, COUNCIL AGING MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, UM, IN THE LIBRARY FOR COMING TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE'S PLAN. UM, THE BIGGEST THING ONCE WE LEAVE HERE TONIGHT IS VOTER ENGAGEMENT AND VOTER EDUCATION. BECAUSE ONE, ONE OF THE EASIEST THING FOR THIS PLAN TO GET LOST IN A SHUFFLE IS MISINFORMATION. YES. AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THIS THRIVE EBR PLAN. A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THESE THREE DIFFERENT, UH, GOVERNING ENTITIES HAS BEEN DONE. BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE WE GOTTA REMIND OURSELVES WE ARE THE 1% IN THIS ROOM. AND WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WHO DON'T COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS, WHO JUST READ THE BIGGEST HEADLINE ON FACEBOOK. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CARRYING THIS MESSAGE ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE SAVING OUR PARISH. UM, JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN GODDE SAY, UM, THIS IS NOT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OR 12 YEARS AGO. IT'S A NEW EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. AND SO MY CHALLENGE TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, WE LEAVE THIS ROOM TODAY, WE ALL HAVE CAME TO THE MIC, HOW WE EXPRESS THE SUPPORT THAT WE LEAVE THIS ROOM CARRYING THE WATER TO REALLY ENGAGE AND EDUCATE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S PASSED IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN GOLDMAN. YES, SIR. AND I THANK YOU. AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCKER. YOU KNOW, THE BIG C WORD THAT YOU AND I CAME IN ON THIS COUNCIL WITH, AND WE, UH, AND THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AGO, BUT IT WAS COLLABORATION. AND THIS IS COLLABORATION AT ITS FINEST. AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE GRADUATION SEASON, THE COMMENCEMENT SEASON, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT COMMENCEMENT MEAN. AND THAT IS, WE HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN. AND ALL OF US IN HERE MUST REMEMBER THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO ALL THREE ENTITIES THAT, UH, CAME TOGETHER AFTER MUCH CONVERSATION. [01:10:01] AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMEONE SAID THAT THE LIBRARY IS THE QUARTERBACK. I SAY THAT ALL THREE ENTITIES ARE QUARTERBACKS. SO MAYOR, IF WE EVER HAD A GAME WITH THREE QUARTERBACKS IN IT, IT'S TONIGHT . AND SO WE, WE, WE, UH, LISTENED TO YOU ALL. YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT ANY TAX, SO ALIMONY WAS REMOVED. SO WE WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU FACETIME, FACEBOOK, ALL OF THAT. BUT I SAY TO YOU, YOU BETTER FACE THE BOOK. AND SO YOU HEARD COUNSEL ON AND SAID THAT THEY APPEALED TO US. THEY SAID, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T ROLL US BACK ANYMORE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, COUNCIL ON AGENT, WE APPRECIATE YOU BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE THAT CHILD THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO GET THE WHIPPING. YOU ALL WALKED ON UP AND SAY, JUST LET ME, LET ME GET, LET ME GO ON, GET MINE. LET ME JUST GIVE THIS TO KEEP FROM GETTING THAT. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY WE ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, HERE TODAY AND, AND, AND WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF THIS COLLABORATION. AND I JUST SAY, LET US CONTINUE. IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM THE MOSQUITO MAN SAID, TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY. AND YES, THAT'S WITH ANYTHING THAT WE GO TO DO. TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY. AND THAT IS A UTMOST IMPORTANCE. AND THE LAST THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT LET THIS SPIRIT CONTINUE. UH, EVERYBODY, THE THREE ENTITIES, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, LET THIS SPIRIT CONTINUE AS WE FORGE AHEAD FOR BATON ROUGE TO REALLY THRIVE. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 86 1, EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 87. ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 88 1, EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 89. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN RAA ON ITEM 86 AS AMENDED. ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 87. DO I NEED TO READ IT AGAIN? NO. OKAY. IT'S ALREADY BEEN READ. IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM 87? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 88. AGAIN, THERE'S A REQUEST TO DELETE THIS BY THE ADMINISTRATION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 89 WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL GO TELL EVERYBODY. , THAT'S COUNCILWOMAN OSA'S LINE [90. 25-00460] ITEM 90 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF MARIO AND ALLISON SANDS FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP AND CLAIMANT'S HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $34,263 AND 54 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NONE. WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION GARY. ITEM [91. 25-00473 ] 91. AUTHORIZED AND SETTLEMENT THE MATTER ENTITLED CLIFFORD FORD, CHANTELLE GRIFFIN, KEONDRA FORD, BRITTANY FRANKLIN AND JALILAH THOMPSON INDIVIDUALLY AND HER MINOR ON BEHALF OF HER MINOR SON, AMIR COLLINS VERSUS KEITH WILSON AND CITY PARISH. AND THE AMOUNT OF $250,900 PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,192 AND 53 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $252,092 AND 53 CENTS AND APPROPRIATING $252,092 AND 53 CENTS FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRISON. HE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES ADAM [92. 25-00476] 92 AUTHORIZING [01:15:01] SETTLEMENT. THE MATTER ENTITLED JEAN PAUL GUILLORY VERSUS QUINESHA PERKINS ETAL IN AN AMOUNT OF 41,000 PLUS COURT COSTS AND AN AMOUNT OF $307 AND 76 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $41,307 AND 76 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEYS. ANYONE HEAR WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUN, JR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ADAM 93 [93. 25-00477] AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF MARY BURNS FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER IN AN AMOUNT OF $14,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SCENE KNOWN. GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 94 [94. 25-00478] AUTHORIZED THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANY AS EE FOR THEMIC MCCOY AND TERRY JOHNSON FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER IN AN AMOUNT OF $14,777 AND 17 CENTS BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUN, JR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 95, [95. 25-00482 ] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT WITH TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION, LLC RELATED TO THE ELM GROVE GARDENS PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED. 443,766. 776051 CENTS TO RESOLVE ALL CONTRACTOR CLAIMS ASSERTED BY TRIUMPH AND OWNER CLAIMS ASSERTED BY THE CITY PARISH, BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCIL MCKINNEY. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ADAM 96 [96. 25-00512] RE SENDING AND DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL A NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2024 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE V JEANETTA, YVETTE RICHARDSON, CARLTON V HOWARD, THERESA A. HOWARD REGINALD, R HOWARD AND CASEY G HOWARD IN THE DECISION AND ORDER IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE V JEANETTA, YVETTE RICHARDSON, 2 5 2 8 SHERWOOD STREET. REASON FOR RESCISSION PROPERTY HAS BEEN APPROVED TO CLOSE WITH THE LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION AS PART OF THE LA RENTAL RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE? NONE. WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 97 [97. 25-00513] RECI AND DIRECTION CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL THE NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON OCTOBER 13TH, 2023 AND THE DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2023 IN A MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS ANGEL D BONILLA VELAZQUEZ 5 4 6 5 LYNDON STREET. REASON FOR SION OWNER HAS PAID FOR A PERMIT BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [98. 25-00514] ITEM 98 RECI AND DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL A DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON JULY 29TH, 2022 IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS HARRIET SINALLY. 1 6 7 4 NORTH 44TH STREET. REASON FOR RESCISSION PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD AND NEW OWNER PLANS TO MAKE REPAIRS BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANYONE, ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM [99. 25-00515 ] 99, RESCINDING AND DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL A NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON MAY 16TH, 2024 IN THE DECISION AND ORDER IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS ABDULLAH SHADI, SHAHIDI AND AMAGE SHAHIDI. 1 4 3 5 SOUTH STREET. REASON FOR RESCISSION, MS. RICHARDSON. MS. RICHARDS AYE. MM-HMM. THEY'RE PREPARING FOR CLO FOR THE CLOSING PROCESS OF LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION AS PART OF LOUISIANA RENTAL RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE. GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM [100. 25-00474] 100, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH SPURLOCK COMPANY, INC. FOR DEMOLITION AND ABATEMENT SERVICES. PACKAGE A FIVE IN AMOUNT 90 TO EXCEED $92,250 BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 1 0 1 [101. 25-00480 ] DECLARING A POLICE VEHICLE SURPLUS AND NOT NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES AND ALLOWING DONATION OF THE VEHICLE TO THE TOWN OF COTTONPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT BY THE POLICE CHIEF. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON [01:20:01] THIS ITEM? SEE, NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 1 0 2 [102. 25-00487 ] AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A JOINT FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, LOWER MISSISSIPPI GULF WATER SCIENCE CENTER IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 23 REAL TIME WATER LEVEL MONITORING STATIONS FOR THE ANNUAL FEE OF $205,170 BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GOEY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM [103. 25-00497] 1 0 3 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER THREE IN AN AMOUNT OF $212,340 AND 63 CENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH, FOR AND BLADA INC. SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE VR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT FLORIDA BOULEVARD. SEGMENT TWO CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT TO AN AMOUNT IT TO EXCEED $3,962,588 AND 15 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 0 3. SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GOEY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 1 0 4, [104. 25-00516] AUTHORIZATION OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH OOK JANITORIAL FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES AT THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $492,000 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 1 0 5 [105. 25-00517] AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK FOR MILE NOT TO EXCEED $396,000 BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 0 5. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN. MY NAME IS CEDRIC HARTGRAVE AND UM, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE PEACE BROKERS AND TEACHING YOUNG YOUTH YOUTH ORGANIZATION. I COME TO YOU TODAY, NOT BEHIND THE FRONT DESK, BUT ON THE FRONT LINE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. BASICALLY WHERE WE PUT IN WORK WITH DOING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION WORK. WELL FUNDS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY DEDICATED TO US ARE CURRENTLY BEING SHIFTED WITHOUT SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE AND DISCUSS WITH US. WE BASICALLY ASKED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND DISCUSS THIS MATTER. WE ARE IN THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY PUTTING IN WORK AND TRYING TO HELP THESE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY AND CURB DOWN ON GUN VIOLENCE. SO IT'S ALARM TO LEARN THAT THE FUNDING THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DEDICATED TO THIS LIFESAVING WORK IS BEING SHIFTED QUIETLY WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH US. WE CANNOT POLICE OUR WAY OUT THESE SITUATIONS BY LOCKING THE YOUTH UP AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BEING FROM THE SKYVILLE AND GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY, I UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE THAT THESE YOUTH GO THROUGH ON A DAILY BASIS. AND WE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ON EVERY DAY. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE CURRENTLY DEFUNDED, WE'RE STILL PUTTING IN WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON US. WE HAVE A INHERITED SEVERAL YOUTH THAT WE MENTOR. WE IN THE SCHOOLS WE'RE IN THE COMMUNITY, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND WITHOUT FUNDING, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TAKE CARE. YOU KNOW, WE, WHEN THEY DO GOOD, WE HELP 'EM, WE PAY FOR THEIR PROMS, WE PAY FOR 'EM HAIRCUTS, WE HELP 'EM WITH ALL TYPE OF THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP 'EM ON THE RIGHT TRACK. SO WE JUST ASK THAT, UM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND DISCUSS THESE MATTERS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. LAUFF, CHIEF LAUFF TO, UM, COME TO THE PODIUM. I GUESS IT'S OKAY THAT I CONTINUE TO CALL YOU CHIEF. IS THAT YES MA'AM. MRS. A LIFETIME TITLE? JUST CALL CHIEF MORRIS IF SOMETHING GO WRONG. UH, YEAH, EXACTLY. HE, I GOT HIM IN MY PHONE. I GOT HIM IN MY PHONE. . UM, SO I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, I KNOW THROUGH MEETINGS WITH YOU. UM, I KNOW REALLY FROM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEETINGS ACROSS THE, THE, THE CITY, UM, THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING AN INTO, UM, THE VIOLENCE THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES. YES, MA'AM. UM, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS VENDOR, HOW WE FOUND THEM, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THEM ARE? RIGHT. WHAT, WHAT WE SHOULD SEE. SO THIS IS NOT A NEW VENDOR. UH, THIS IS THE NATIONAL NETWORK. THE NAME THAT YOU SEE, THE, UH, UNIVERSITY OF CITY, UH, OF NEW YORK. IT'S JUST [01:25:01] THE, UH, THE NAME THAT THE CARRIER IS UNDER. THE NATIONAL NETWORK IS A, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST. UH, THEY WERE HERE IN 20 12, 20 13, 20 14. AND WE SAW A 34% REDUCTION IN HOMICIDES. UH, IF THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE AROUND BACK THEN, YOU REMEMBER WE DID THE, UH, THE CALL INS. THIS IS THAT ORGANIZATION THAT'S COMING BACK. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IS THAT THERE WILL BE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, INVOLVED IN THIS. THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY MORAL VOICE INVOLVED IN THIS. THERE WILL BE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS INVOLVED IN THIS. THERE WILL BE OUTREACH. THE MESSAGE WILL BE THIS. YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BE ARRESTED. YOU COULD PUT YOUR GUNS DOWN AND TAKE OUR SERVICES AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE. OR YOU COULD, YOU COULD JUST PUT YOUR GUN DOWN, NOT TAKE OUR SERVICES, BUT JUST STOP SHOOTING EACH OTHER. THAT'S THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE NATIONAL NETWORK. THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. AND THAT'S THE WORK WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IN BATON ROUGE. SO CHIEF, I KNOW FOR YOUR CAREER THIS HAS BEEN THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. UM, WHAT DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT THIS WE'RE THIS IS GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO IN LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, IT GIVE YOU AN IDEA. ONE OF THE HARDEST CITIES IN IN AMERICA IS THE TOWN OF LITTLE ROCK AND ARKANSAS. RIGHT. LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. THEY WENT 367 DAYS WITHOUT A JUVENILE SHOOTING ANOTHER JUVENILE IN THAT COMMUNITY BASED ON THIS WORK. IF WE CAN GET HALF OF THAT, THAT WILL BE A BLESSING. THAT WOULD BE A BLESSING. GOT IT. AND YOU, YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS GROUP? YES MA'AM. AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE AND, AND THERE'S LOT OF THAT. THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THEIR METHODS WORK. EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IS EVIDENCE-BASED DATABASE. UH, YES. WE, WE'VE MET WITH BRAC, WE'VE MET WITH BRA, WE'VE MET WITH THE DA'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THE, UH, PARTNERS HERE IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA. UH, CJCC, UH, ALL OF THEM HAS MET WITH, UH, UH, MR. KENNEDY AND SHOW, YOU KNOW, HAVE 100% BELIEF IN IT. THE WORK THAT BRA HAS DONE. WE'RE GONNA USE THAT WORK, UH, ON THE STUDY OF WHAT EDUCATION IS DOING WITH, UH, CRIME IN BATON ROUGE. WE'RE GONNA USE THAT WORK TO HELP FURTHER DRIVE THE DATA THAT THE, THE NATIONAL NETWORK IS PROVIDING. AND IS THIS A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT OR IS THIS I MEAN, EXPECTED TWO, TWO YEARS? YES MA'AM. OKAY. ALRIGHT. TWO YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DON JR. THANK YOU CHIEF, YOU COULD STAY THERE. YES SIR. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE CHANGE IN LANGUAGE AND NAME, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, UH, THIS ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN DELETE IT AND THEN IT'S ON HERE AGAIN. I WAS KIND OF TRYING TO WONDER HOW WITH A NEW NAME AND THEN WITHOUT BEING INTRODUCED, BUT ASHLEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS IN INTRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME Y'ALL DELETED AT ITS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS ITEM. IT GOT PAST ME BECAUSE OF THE NEW NAME AND I'M SURE OTHERS, BUT TALK TO ME ABOUT WHY IS IT A DIFFERENT NAME? SO WHEN, WHEN WE USE THE NATIONAL NETWORK, THAT'S THE COMPANY THAT'S GONNA BE HERE DOING IT, BUT THEY ARE FOR THE FUNDING, IT'S UNDER THE UNIVERSITY OF, UH, CITY OF NEW YORK. SO TO PAY THE BILLS AND GET IT TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE, WE HAD TO USE THEIR NAME. SO, UH, WE JUST USED TO THE NATIONAL NETWORK, BUT WE MADE THAT MISTAKE AND I, I'M TRULY SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOTCHA, GOTCHA. AND ALSO THE FUNDING SOURCE IS THIS OCD DOLLARS? IT, IT IS OCD DOLLARS. IT'S, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, UH, DISASTER FUNDS. OKAY. THERE WAS A 2024, UH, RFP, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, FOR THESE EXACT FUNDS. YES, SIR. FOR THIS EXACT WORK. YES, SIR. UH, DO YOU RECALL OR, UH, NOT RECALL 'CAUSE YOU WASN'T HERE. ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO APPLICANT SUBMITTED PROPOSALS UNDER THAT 2024 RFP. WERE THEY CONSIDERED, UH, TO IN THIS AND WERE THEY INFORMED OF THE SELECTION? CAN YOU SPEAK TO IT, KELLY? CAN I, YES. YEAH. UH, KELLY LUFF, THE BETTER LOOKING YOUNGER ONE. THIS IS NOT THEIR RFP AT ALL. OKAY. UM, THESE, THERE WAS CLOSE TO $1.1 MILLION ALLOCATED TO SAFE HOPE FOR HEALTHY, UH, WITH NO CLEAR DIRECTION, JUST LISTED AS SHH, THE 700,000 YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT RFP STILL SITS. AND OUR PLAN IS TO, WE LOOK AT THAT, REOPEN IT AND GIVE THOSE APPLICANTS A FAIR CHANCE. UH, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE OFFER COMPLIANCE PHASE, LOOK AT CVI. SO NATIONALLY, CVI WAS PULLED FROM A LOT OF THE ENTITIES. RIGHT. UM, WE WORKED WITH DC CLOSELY TO SAVE BATON ROUGE AS CVI. RIGHT. AND FOR US, THAT WAS IMPORTANT. BY HAVING NATIONAL NETWORK COME IN, IT ONLY OPENS UP MORE FUNDING FOR THAT TO MERGE WHAT SAFE HOPE FOR HEALTHY HAS DONE AND IS DOING INTO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, MOST LIKELY WE'VE DONE WITH THRIVE. GOOD DEAL. 'CAUSE MANY PEOPLE STAY THERE. KELLY THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS, THAT FUNDING FOR THE 2024 RFP. CAN YOU AND YOUR OFFICE COMMUNICATE TO THOSE WHO SUBMITTED AND GIVE THEM AN UPDATE OR ANTICIPATION OF EXPECTATION OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THAT? YEAH, OF COURSE. AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT. AND, UM, WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. IT, IT WAS, UM, KIND OF [01:30:01] LOST IN LINGO, RIGHT? IT HAPPENED, IT WAS CLOSED. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I DID SEE THE 700. THIS IS, THERE'S A LOT OF THE C-D-B-G-D-R MONEY. THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE NEED TO USE IT. BUT INSTEAD OF US DOING GUESSWORK ON WHERE WE THINK WE NEED TO START, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE. BUT YES, IT WILL BE AN UPDATE. GOOD DEAL. AND, AND FINALLY, CEDRIC SPOKE TO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WORK THAT HIM AND, AND BIG AND OTHERS ARE DOING, UH, ON THE FRONT LINES AND THEIR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF AWARENESS ON HOW DO THEY FIT IN. IF THEY FIT IN BEFORE THEY LEAVE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, CAN YOU GET WITH THEM TO EITHER GIVE THEM AN UPDATE OR, OR SCHEDULE A FOLLOW UP MEETING SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THEM IN THIS WORK? BE, BE WHERE WERE YOU AT TODAY? C COME ON TO THE MIC. COME ON FOR THAT. COUNCIL. GO AHEAD TO HOW Y'ALL DOING, COUNCIL? OKAY. I'M, I'M STATE MY NAME. I NEVER STATED MY NAME BEFORE, BUT I'M GONNA STATE MY NAME. DEWINE. GOD PLEASE. ME. THEY CALL ME BIG BABY. BIG BABY. I WAS ON THE THIRD FLOOR TODAY. 'CAUSE I HAD A PROBLEM WITH A YOUNG LADY THAT SAID I DID SOME DISRESPECTFUL THINGS TO HER, BUT I DID NOT DO IT. BUT UPON THAT CONVERSATION WITH ME, MS. COLEMAN AND MR. LADO, REMEMBER WE SAT AT THE TABLE ADDRESSING THAT SITUATION ABOUT ME GETTING PAID. THEN HE LET ME KNOW THAT HE GOT SOMETHING COMING UP THAT FOR ME TO GO BACK TO LET MY TEAM KNOW THAT THEY GONNA GET ALL US TOGETHER. 'CAUSE SOMETHING THE FUNDS IS, IS, IS UN EVERYTHING IS IN A RL. YOU UNDERSTAND? SO THEY STILL TRYING TO IRON OUT THE LEG WORK AND PUT IT TOGETHER. AND HE ASSURED ME THAT HE GOING TO GET WITH US AND LET US KNOW SOON AS LIKE IT'S COMING DOWN TO THE END. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU BIG LITTLE BABY. TMI. TOO MUCH, MUCH INFORMATION. WE DIDN'T, THE POINT IS BIG BABY WAS ON THIRD FLOOR TODAY, SO YES, WE GOT 'EM. I PROMISE YOU THAT'S IT. , I'M TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM, BUT OKAY. WHETHER IT'S BIG SAID SOME OTHERS THAT'S IN THE ROOM THAT'S DOING THAT WORK, JUST TOUCH BASE WITH THEM. I WE WILL DO. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU THERE. COUNCILMAN HURST. SO I'M GONNA TAG, I'M ADMIT NOW, 'CAUSE I, HE STARTED THE CONVERSATION THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS, COUNCIL MCKINNEY TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, THE FACEBOOKERS, THE INSTAGRAMERS, THE PEOPLE WHO READ, DON'T UNDERSTAND ON AND ARE UNINFORMED ABOUT, UH, THE, THE MESSAGE AND THE INTENT OF THE, OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. I'VE HAD SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS AS WELL ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, HAD CONVERSATIONS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE ASSURED ME THAT THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE AS RESPECTED, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. FOR A FACT. AND THE ONE QUESTION I WILL TELL YOU THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THE LITTLE LAUFF SAID, UH, BOTH HEIGHT AND H BUT UH, UH, IS THAT, UH, NO, NO, SERIOUSLY THOUGH, WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT, HEY, I WOULD BE A FOOL TO DISREGARD THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IN RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SAID IS THAT THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I'M MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS CLEAR ON THE MIC, THAT WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT YOU HAVE DONE THAT. BUT JUST THAT EVERYBODY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPOUND ON THAT? YEAH. AND IN ALL TRANSPARENCY, OUR FIRST GOAL WAS COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOOK FORWARD, WE DON'T LOOK BACKWARDS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COACH BROUGHT TO THE TABLE THAT I LOVE ABOUT HIM, RIGHT? WE DON'T DRIVE IN THE REAR VIEW. AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO US BY CSRS CONSULTANTS THAT WERE PAID A LARGE BLOCK OF MONEY THAT Y'ALL APPROVED, WE HAVE TO FIX THOSE ISSUES, RIGHT? AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE CAN CALL, WE CAN TEXT, WE CAN EMAIL 'EM. WE, WE'VE DONE THAT, BUT PUTTING THEM IN THE MIDDLE IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO TO EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS. NOW, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CONTRACTS THAT THOUGHT THEY DID, AND THAT'S AN ENDLESS CONVERSATION. I CAN ASSURE YOU, EVEN THOSE PEOPLE, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A VOICE AND IMPORTANT FIXING CRIME IN BATON ROUGE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN PREMATURE TO MAKE THOSE PROMISES BEFORE WE A, GET IN COMPLIANCE AND B, UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE FISCALLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. UH, I, I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AGAIN, GOES BACK TO, TO HAROLD MOSQUITO MENT, WHICH IS TRANSPARENCY, RIGHT? AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS HEARING THAT, HEARING IT PUBLICLY, Y'ALL WILL BE ASININE TO DO THE SAME THING. IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU ALWAYS DID, YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU ALWAYS GOT. SO THE FEDS ARE TELLING YOU IT NEEDS [01:35:01] TO BE DONE A CERTAIN WAY TO KEEP THE BA KEEP THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE IN THE HIGHEST REGARD, TO ALLOW US TO STILL BE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. YOUR JOB IS TO RECTIFY THAT COACH'S JOB IS TO RECTIFY THAT. AND IF YOU WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT OUTTA COMPLIANCE, AND YOU BECOME COMPLICIT AT THAT POINT. SO I RESPECT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN TWO STEPS BACK TO TAKE 20 STEPS FORWARD. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. APPRECIATE THAT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO [ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS (Part 2 of 2)] TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. GRAB YOUR SHEET FOR THAT. UH, ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER INTRODUCTION. A AUTHORIZED MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF SCO TO ENTER INTO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR THE COLLECTION OF SEWER IMPACT FEES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE SEWAGE COMMISSION WITH THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS, UH, IT REPLACES ITEM 25 0 0 5 8 OH. THAT ONE INCLUDES ST. GEORGE TRANSITION DISTRICT AS A PARTY IN THE AGREEMENT. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL PARTIES AGREE THAT THE ST. GEORGE TRANSITION DISTRICT DOES NOT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT. UH, I BELIEVE THEY, THE TRANSITION DISTRICT HAS BEEN DISBANDED AT THIS POINT. UH, SO THIS ITEM MUST BE REINTRODUCED, UH, BECAUSE IT'S SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED ST. GEORGE TRANSITION TRANSITION DISTRICT ON THE AGENDA. SO THE REQUEST, UH, BE MADE AT THE MAY 28TH MEETING. TO DELETE THAT ITEM, I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. IT'S ALL ALLOWED ITEMS TO BE INTRODUCED. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAM. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GOEY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEE NONE. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION ON A MOTION TO WA THE RULES? SEE NONE. MOTION TO INTRODUCE BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GOEY. ANY OPPOSED ITEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED NOW ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER. EMERGENCY ITEMS ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BID B. OLD HAMMOND HIGHWAY SEGMENT ONE. SAW FLANNERY TO GOODWOOD LOW BID RICHARD PRICE, CONTRACTING COMPANY LLC $6,304,932 AND 56 CENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AT ITS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS BIDS WERE NOT VERIFIED BY THE AGENDA. DEADLINE. DIRECTOR WANTED TO THIS ITEM ADDED. NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANYONE WANNA SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SAY NONE. ANYONE OPPOSED ON THE, TO THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? WE'RE GONNA CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM. ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM ITSELF? SEEING NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM D 25 0 0 5 9 8 RECEIVE RECEIVING A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE REPORT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE 2025 LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BILLS RELATED TO THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, CITY OF BATON ROUGE FROM CORSON AND NICKEL BY COUNCILMAN CLE DUN JR. REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, IS TO ALLOW A REPORT TO BE GIVEN BEFORE THE END OF THE SESSION. WE NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCA. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? MM-HMM . SEE NOW WE HAVE ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? OPPOSITION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ITEM CANNOT BE HEARD. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO [Items 106 - 108] TO CHANGE ORDERS. WE'RE GONNA TAKE ITEMS 1 0 6 THROUGH 1 0 8 TOGETHER. GET THE GET THE ICE CHEST READY. ITEM 1 0 6, RUNWAY 1331, SAFETY AREA AND RPZ IMPROVEMENTS. LA HIGHWAY 67 PLANK ROAD, PHASE ONE CONTRACTOR BO SERVICES, LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $150,094 AND 85 CENTS. CONTRACT TIME INCREASE BY 92 DAYS. ITEM 1 0 7 EBRP, NEW SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR, RATCLIFF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $33,836. ITEM 1 0 8, TAXIWAY B CONNECTORS CONTRACTOR HENDRICK CONSTRUCTION INC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $152,628 AND 4 CENTS. CONTRACT TIME INCREASE BY 27 DAYS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? [01:40:07] UH, JOE BUTLER, DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. WE REQUESTED FOR ITEM 1 0 7 TO BE DELETED. OKAY, WELL, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1 0 6 AND 1 0 8 AND DELETE. ITEM 1 0 7. IS THAT YOUR MOTION? CO. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. FINAL ACCEPTANCES [Items 109 & 110] 1 0 9 AND ONE TEN ONE OH NINE RUNWAY 1331 SAFETY AREA AND RPZ PROJECT CONTRACTOR BOON SERVICES. LLC. FINAL COST $3,922,344 AND 28 CENTS. ITEM ONE 10. BATON ROUGE METRO AIRPORT, TAXIWAY B CONNECTORS CONTRACTOR HENDRICK CONSTRUCTION INC. FINAL COST $649,591 AND 8 CENTS. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROA. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ACCEPTANCE [Items 111 & 112] OF LOW BIDS. GONNA TAKE, UH, ONE 11 AND ONE 12 TOGETHER. LACEY COMMUNITY CENTER, RYAN M. CURTIS, LLC $225,000 ONE 12 RUNWAY 1331 SAFETY AREA AND RPC IMPROVEMENT SHOPPING CENTER. DEMOLITION LMB SERVICES LLC $949,111. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEE NONE. GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. [113. 25-00435] ITEM ONE 13, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE DHDS DIRECTOR ON THE RIDE TO WORK PROJECT, AS REQUESTED BY THE METRO COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2024 BY HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR. WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE REPORT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, GOOD EVENING, DISTINGUISHED COUNSEL. MY NAME IS DR. LEAN DE SHANE ZANDERS. AND I'M THE NEWLY OPPONENT DHS UH, DHDS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SIX MONTHS AGO, UH, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE PAROLE PROJECT AND DHDS, UH, FOR SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN, IN SOCIETY. PEOPLE RETURNING FROM DOC TO PROVIDE VIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR EMPLOYMENT. UH, UPON THAT, THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR SIX MONTHS REVIEW OF THAT, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY. I'M HERE WITH, UH, THE PRO. I'M SORRY. WHAT? THERE IS MR. TIM WILKERSON RIGHT HERE, WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER THAT LET HIM SPEAK TOWARD THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM. GOOD EVENING. TIM WILKINSON, LOUISIANA PAROLE PROJECT. UH, WE ARE VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DHDS AND WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL APPROVING THIS ITEM. UH, OVER SIX MONTHS AGO. UH, THIS PROGRAM, THIS PILOT PROGRAM, HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS FOR OUR CLIENTS AT LOUISIANA PAROLE PROJECT. AS YOU ALL KNOW, MANY OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE SERVED AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME IN INCARCERATION, UH, AND ARE RETURNING TO SOCIETY. THEY ARE WORKING TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES, REBUILD THEIR FAMILIES, AND WE ARE THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE, UM, SEVEN PARTICIPANTS UP TO DATE WHO HAVE, UH, BEEN PRIVY TO THE E-BIKES. UH, WE'VE RIDDEN MORE, ALMOST 5,000 MILES IN SIX MONTHS. UH, AND, AND WE ARE JUST, WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE THANKFUL. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BIGGER PARTNERSHIP. WE CERTAINLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO TAKE PART IN THIS PILOT, UH, MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT SOME POINT TO BE ABLE TO GET, UH, A VEHICLE. WE KNOW THAT BIKES ARE, ARE ARE GOOD. E-BIKES ARE GOOD FOR THEM TODAY, BUT HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT WE'LL BE ABLE IN POSITION TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM GET SOME SOURCE OF SOLID TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. WE HAVE BEEN THANKFUL FOR, UH, THE RIDESHARE CREDITS THAT ARE, THAT THE PARTICIPANTS USE WHEN THERE'S IMPLEMENT WEATHER. AND SO WHEN THERE'S NOT IMPLEMENT, WHETHER THEY'RE ON THE BIKE AND WHEN SOMETHING, UH, IS LOOMING, THEY ARE ABLE TO TO USE UBER. SO WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR THE COUNCIL AND OF COURSE FOR DHDS. SO WE'VE PROVIDED A VIDEO FOR THE COUNCIL, IF YOU CAN QUEUE IT UP. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION, OUR ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE RIDE TO WORK PROGRAM. OUR GOAL WAS SIMPLE. LET'S GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO THEIR JOBS ONCE THEY HAVE JOBS BY REMOVING A BARRIER, LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE HELPING MAKE SURE OUR CLIENTS CAN KEEP THEIR JOBS, EARN A LIVING AND WORK TO BUILD THEIR FUTURES. SEE, I'M DOING A NINE TO TWO AND A FOUR TO 1130 THOUGHT OUT ON THE 10 SPEED BIKE BACK AND FALL TO WORK. I WAS VERY EXCITED WHEN I GOT THIS [01:45:01] ELECTRIC BIKE. I WOULD'VE TO WALK IN BY THE TIME I GOT TO WORK. I WAS ALMOST TOO TIRED TO WORK BUSES DOLLAR 75 EACH DIRECTION. SO THAT'S TWO WAYS THAT I'M GONNA RIDE THE BUS. SO IT'S ALMOST $4 A DAY, AT LEAST $20 A WEEK I'VE BEEN ABLE TO POCKET THIS BIKE IS GIVING ME A LOT OF FREEDOM. I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON THE BUS. I'M IN CONTROL. WHEN I COME TO WORK, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY SPENDING MONEY ON A BUS RIDE. I GET TO SAVE THAT MONEY AND PUT THAT MONEY ASIDE TO ONE DAY, BE ABLE TO AFFORD A VEHICLE. AND ALSO THE FACILITATORS OF THE RIDE TO WORK PROGRAM. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. WELL, THE THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WE TOUCH BASE WITH EACH AND EVERY PARTICIPANT FROM THE MOMENT THEY GET THE BIKE. UNTIL THIS PILOT PROGRAM IS OVER, UH, WE ARE NOT ONLY CONCERNED WITH INDIVIDUALS GETTING TO AND FROM WORK, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BENEFITING IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES FROM HAVING A FORM OF TRANSPORTATION THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE AFFORDED TO THEM. BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES AND OUR TEAM HERE AT PAROLE PROJECT, WE OFFER ROBUST CASE MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT EACH PARTICIPANT IS NOT ONLY GETTING TO AND FROM WORK, BUT THAT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES ARE BENEFITING FROM HAVING A SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION IN A SITUATION WITH INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE RIDE TO WORK PROGRAM OFFERS RIDE SHARE CREDITS TO ENSURE EVEN ON RAINY DAYS THAT OUR CLIENTS CAN GET TO WORK SAFELY. YEAH, I CAN'T CHECK IN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'M STILL ON MY BREAK. THIS IS CALLED EGGPLANT MISO. THAT'S WHEN I'M NOT DOING THE SUSHI GUYS. THIS IS WHAT I MAINLY DO. IF I DIDN'T HAVE THIS FIGHT, I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS JOB. COMING FROM WHERE I COME FROM, FROM BRIGHTSIDE ALL THE WAY, 100 LA ETTE STREET PAROLE PROJECT IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO, TO, THEY PAID THEIR PENALTIES, YOU KNOW, TO SOCIETY. THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW BEING RE REINTRODUCED INTO THE WORKFORCE, INTO SOCIETY IN GENERAL. SO IT, IT'S FOR ALL OF US TO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WELCOME THEM THAT AND SUPPORT THEM IN THAT ENDEAVOR THAT MAKES US A STRONGER COMMUNITY. DON'T PROCLAIM THAT OUR CLIENTS ARE GONNA BE RIDING THESE E-BIKES TO WORK FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. IT'S A SHORT TERM SOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO THEIR JOBS UNTIL THEY CAN BECOME SUSTAINABLE AND WORK TOWARDS PURCHASING THEIR FIRST VEHICLE. DID THAT, ANY QUESTION FROM COUNCIL? I THINK IT WAS GREAT. WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL. OKAY. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM ON THE REPORT? SEE NONE. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. UH, IT'S A REAL HONOR, I THINK FOR THE CITY PARISH TO GET TO PARTNER WITH PAROLE PROJECT. YOU GUYS DIDN'T MENTION IT, BUT IN MY NEW ROLE, UH, ONE THING I'VE BEEN DOING IS A LOT OF RESEARCH ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO GIVE YOURSELF KUDOS IN THAT, UH, PAROLE PROJECT IS AN OUTLIER IN THE STATE, REALLY, AS FAR AS, UH, AS FAR AS RECIDIVISM. THEIR, THEIR PROGRAM HAS A 3% RECIDIVISM RATE, WHEREAS WE'RE 40 PLUS PERCENT ACROSS THE REST OF THE STATE WHERE YOU'RE, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STATE PROGRAMS OR, OR, UH, PEOPLE COMING BACK IN FROM, UH, FROM A, A PARISH FACILITY. UH, AND SO IT'S GREAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. UM, I WOULD LOVE, AND THIS ISN'T A PART OF YOUR REPORT, BUT I I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO EXPLORE AS A PARISH, UH, A SECOND CHANCE HIRING PROGRAM. UH, AND, AND FOR THAT TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY WORKED ON AND ADMINISTERED THROUGH YOU GUYS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT CONVERSATIONS NEED TO HAVE WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT, UM, I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ON THIS COUNCIL RECOGNIZE THE, THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, WE THANK YOU FOR IT AND, AND WOULD LOVE TO, UH, INCREASE THAT WORK. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MO. YEAH. UM, LOOK, THERE'S SEVERAL, THERE'S VERY FEW PRESENTATIONS THAT JUST I, I THINK WOULD WARM THE HEART AND, AND THIS ONE HERE I IS, IS JUST AMAZING. THE, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, SEEING THIS PROGRAM AND SEEING THESE RESULTS THAT ARE GOING ON. MM-HMM . UM, I TELL YOU, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS HERE. UH, THANK YOU FOR STARTING THIS HERE. I HOPE WE CAN EXPAND UPON IT, UM, TO SEE THESE PEOPLE WORKING, ENJOYING LIFE [01:50:01] AND, AND, AND, AND BEING A, A FUNCTIONING PART OF COMMUNITY THAT, THAT Y'ALL HELPED PUT IN PLACE. SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR, FOR DOING THIS, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, WORK WITH Y'ALL AND EXPAND THIS. WHAT I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF, AND WITH THESE BITES AND STUFF IS, IS, IS HOUSING SOME PART OF IT IS, DO Y'ALL WORK WITH SOME OF THE, THE HOUSING PEOPLE HERE WITH EAST PAT RIDGE PARISH TO, UM, AS FAR AS BRINGING THEM OUT, IF THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILY AS FAR AS WHERE TO GO AND WHEN THEY DO GET A JOB, IS IT ABOUT HOUSING THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THE BIKE TO BE WITHIN RANGE? UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES JUST SAID A SECOND AGO, THEY WAS TALKING ABOUT BRIGHTSIDE TO DOWNTOWN, OR I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS IN THE VIDEO. IT'S A LONG ROUTE. SO, YOU KNOW, IS ALL THAT PART OF THE THING. AND, AND, AND LIKE COUNCILMAN HUDSON SAID, YOU KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ASSIST WITH AND, AND MAKE IT A HELP WITH A, A WHOLE PACKAGE TYPE THING? THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE QUESTION. UM, SO IDEALLY, ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS FOR THE RIDE TO WORK PROGRAM, UM, THEIR TRAVEL DOES NOT EXCEED 10 MILES ROUND TRIP. UH, WE ENSURE THAT WHEREVER THEY'RE HOUSED AT AND WHEREVER THEY'RE WORKING AT THAT, THAT THEY DON'T TRAVEL MORE THAN 10 MILES. UM, E-BIKES ARE VERY, VERY DURABLE NOW, HOUSING WISE. UH, PAROLE PROJECT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE EIGHT YEARS AND NOT LONG AFTER THE, THE FOUNDING FATHERS, UH, SO TO SPEAK, UM, BUILT THIS ORGANIZATION, THEY REALIZED THAT ANY PERSON COMING HOME FROM PRISON WAS HAVING A HARD TIME BEING, GETTING ON AN APARTMENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE CREDIT HISTORY AND IT DIDN'T HAVE RENTAL HISTORY. SO AT THAT POINT, ANDREW HUNTLEY, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, BEGAN TO SEEK OUT PURCHASING PROPERTY. SO I'M GLAD TO INFORM YOU THAT, UM, IN OUR EIGHTH YEAR NOW WE HAVE 40 TRANSITIONAL HOUSES AND, AND ALL OF THEM ARE, UM, MOST OF 'EM ARE IN THE BRIGHT SIDE AREA. THAT, THAT LOOK KUDOS. THAT, THAT IS AMAZING TO HAVE THAT FORESIGHT AND THINKING ABOUT THAT. YEAH, I MEAN, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IF WE CAN'T FIND THE HOUSING FOR THEM BECAUSE OF RENTAL AND, AND ISSUES WITH THEIR PAST AND SO ON, THEN LET'S JUST BUY THE PLACE AND, AND HELP 'EM OUT. SO, KUDOS TO Y'ALL. CONGRATULATIONS ON AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN SHOW THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IS SETTING THE STANDARD AND SETTING THE BAR ON WHAT WE CAN DO IN ASSISTING PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE COMING OUT OF THESE SITUATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GOEY. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU TIM, AS ALWAYS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, THANK YOU. IS IT, DR. XANDERS STILL HAVE ACCURATE? I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY. YES. YES, SIR. UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME TAKING THE MICROPHONE. I WANTED TO JUST HAVE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, IN YOUR ROLE WITH DHDS PLEASE. SO, UH, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, FOR HAVING ME. UH, MY NAME IS DR. LEAN SHANE ZANDERS. I'M THE NEWLY APPOINTED DHDS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT ROLE BECAUSE DHDS HAS A MANDATE OF HAVING DIRECT IMPACT ONTO OUR CITIZENRY. AND I WAS TALKING TO CHIEF LEDUFF TODAY, UH, YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO DHDS, THEY'RE NOT COMING THERE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN INVITED TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY. THEY HAVE REAL ISSUES. AND SO I TAKE IT VERY PERSONAL THAT I CAN GET INTO SOMEONE'S LIFE THAT MINUTE THAT THAT HOUR AND PROVIDE SOME SORT OF A RELIEF WITH THEM. AND SO OUR MISSION OVER AT DHDS IS TO BE COMMUNITY FOCUSED AND GET OUR, GET, GET OUR, OUR, OUR WORD OUT ABOUT WHAT OUR SERVICES ARE. 'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FROM JUST MY SHORT TIME THERE, REALLY DON'T KNOW. AND SO WE HAVE TO PUSH, PUSH, PUSH, PUSH, PUSH AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THESE SERVICES AND WE HAVE THIS SERVICES, AND WE HAVE THOSE SERVICES. GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU WOULD A LITTLE BIT, YOUR BACKGROUND, WHAT YOU BRING TO THE SKILLSET YOU BRING? WELL, I'M A CRIMINAL JUSTICE GUY. UH, I CAME FROM, UH, THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND BEFORE THAT I WAS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, OF A REENTRY PROGRAM. UH, A COUNCILMAN HUDSON. HE, HE HIT IT ON THE, ON THE HEAD. I DEALT WITH FEDERAL PEOPLE COMING BACK FROM, FROM FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS WHO HAD BEEN INCARCERATED FOR 15, 20 YEARS. AND WE HAVE TO REALIZE WHEN THOSE PEOPLE COME BACK INTO, INTO SOCIETY, THEY HAVE NO ONE. THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE NO DRIVER'S LICENSE, NO SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, NO RESIDENCE. UH, THE, THE ONE PERSON WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON TO COME SEE THEM MORE THAN LIKELY WAS THEIR MOTHERS. AND MORE THAN LIKELY, THEY'VE BEEN GONE FOR 20, 22 YEARS. SHE'S NOT AROUND. AND SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECIDIVISM, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO BEGIN WITH IT. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE [01:55:01] A PERSON A SECOND CHANCE. I BELIEVE THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. WELL, UH, JUST THE WORD COUNCIL MEMBER HURST AND I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WEARING THE MOST HANDSOME JACKETS TO COUNCIL MEETINGS. YOU'RE TRYING TO INFRINGE ON THAT TERRITORY. JUST A WORD OF CAUTION. YOU KNOW, HE TAKES IT PERSONAL. SO, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE, TRUST ME, , I SAY I USE THAT SAME LINE. UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WORK YOU CONTINUE TO DO. COUNCILMAN HURST. HEY, I JUST, THIS IS JUST A, A MOMENT OF SALUTED THANK YOU TO THE PAROLE PROJECT FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE HOMELESS POPULATION. THEY DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE REENTRY POPULATION. THEY DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE, THE JUVENILES. THEY'D RATHER LOCK 'EM UP THAN ACTUALLY DEAL WITH 'EM AND DEAL WITH THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT FACE OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST SAY HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS WHAT YOU DO. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRAM, HOW WE CAN HELP COORDINATE FUNDING FOR YOU GUYS, BECAUSE I LOVE WHAT YOU DO. AND, AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS I'M GONNA PUBLICLY ASK MY COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE PARISH WHERE THEY CANNOT COME BACK AND PAY FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND DRIVER'S LICENSES AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO GET JOBS. RIGHT. AND LOOK, TELL ME WHAT'S THE SAYING. FIND A JOB FOR IT'S THREE THINGS. TELL ME, YOU GO TO CAREER, HOW DOES IT SAY YOU GOT AN A JOB, A B JOB, AND A C JOB. YOUR FIRST JOB IS A, A JOB, A B JOB IS HEY, A BETTER JOB AND YOUR C JOB IS CAREER. AND THAT'S HOW WE OPERATE. JOB. I GOT A BETTER JOB AND THEN CAREER. I GOT IT. THAT'S RIGHT. SO I LOVE IT IS JUST FIND SOMETHING UNTIL YOU CAN FIND WHAT YOUR PASSION AND PURPOSE IS, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. SO WHAT I WANT TO DO, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN IN, AND NOT JUST FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT EVEN AS WE FACE, UM, HOMELESSNESS, OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE LACK OF RESOURCES, IS THAT WE CAN SET ASIDE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO SUPPORT GETTING THE, THE, THE, THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, WHICH ARE THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT ALLOW 'EM TO COME BACK AND BE HUMANS. RIGHT. RIGHT. SO I WILL ASK TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA, WHETHER IT COMES FROM DHDS OR WHETHER IT COMES FROM OCD MM-HMM . BUT THAT WE SET ASIDE, EVEN IF IT'S NOTHING BUT FIVE OR $10,000 SURE. THAT WE CAN HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, THEY'D HAVE TO SHOW OBVIOUSLY SOME TYPE OF PROOF OF INCOME SHOWING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUT THAT WE CAN SUPPLEMENT THAT SO THAT THEY CAN GO TO THOSE JOBS. EVEN WITH EMPLOYED BUREAU, HOW CAN YOU EMPLOYED BUREAU WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTS TO GET THERE? RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. SO JUST TO CLOSE THAT GAP. SO I'LL WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OR WHATEVER COLLEAGUES WANNA BE A PART OF IT, TO, TO ASK THAT, THAT BE A PART OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. THAT THANK YOU. THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS? YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR PROTO. NO. UM, TWO. DR. ZANDER AND TIM, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JOB WELL DONE. UM, WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BUT I AM ONE WHO BELIEVES IN GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. AND I SEE THAT FORMER BERNADINE MABRY IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING. AND I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER HER BRINGING THIS TO THE COUNCIL EARLY ON AND, UM, TRYING TO, UH, GET COUNCIL TO BUY INTO THIS PROGRAM MM-HMM . AND FROM WHAT HAS BEEN DISPLAYED THIS EVENING, IT, IT'S WORKING, IT IS WORKING, CHANGING LIVES IS IMPACTING LIVES. SO MAKE CERTAIN YOU GUYS CONTINUE WHAT HAS STARTED. AND MS. BERNADINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PROGRAM AND IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND TO DR. XANDERS THAT THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT MS. BERNADINE MABRY HAVE THAT YOU SEE HOW YOU CAN GLEAN AND SO THAT YOU CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR OFFICE BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUVENILE JUSTICE THERE. I HAVE ONE IN MY CENTER AS YOU KNOW. YES MA'AM. AND ALSO, UH, THE PAROLE. YEAH. YOU ALL HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THESE FOLK. AND SO ALSO THAT, UH, LUNCH THAT Y'ALL PROVIDED WAS EXCELLENT AS WELL. AND SO JUST WANT TO SAY TO YOU, TO, UH, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND KEEP, KEEP THIS FOREFRONT IN THE FOREFRONT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY. EMERGENCY, RIGHT? MM-HMM . [114. 25-00523 (Part 1 of 2)] ITEM ONE 14, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRA ADMINISTRATION AND [02:00:01] HOLDING DISCUSSION ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MANDATE REGARDING PAY OF HEAD START TEACHERS AND POTENTIAL FOR A $3 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDS AT RISK BY COUNCILMAN DARRELL HURST. THE REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS TO ALLOW THE REPORT TO BE RECEIVED, THE PROCEDURE FOR EMERGENCY ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2. THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED ON EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO DECLARE THIS ITEM ON EMERGENCY SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DON JR. ANYONE OPPOSED TO DECLARE THIS ITEM AN EMERGENCY? SEE NONE. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. OR YOU WANT, WE SHOULD GO TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO, TO GIVE, YOU WANT TO HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION GIVE A REPORT ON IT FIRST? YEAH. AND I, I SAW THE ANSWER EARLIER IN THE INTRODUCTIONS, BUT I WANT THEM TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE ANSWER WAS. SO, UH, I HOPE SOMEBODY COMES FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, AND SPEAKS ON THIS ITEM. HEY, WELL, WE GOT TIME. MM-HMM . I'M OF COURSE YOU KNOW THAT I, I'M NEW TO THE ORGANIZATION AND I THINK THAT WE HAD SOME SOMEBODY. OKAY. UH, CHIEF DUFF IS GOING TO GET SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND SPEAK ON IT. HE'S THERE. CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT ITEM OR IS THAT IT? YEAH. YES, SIR. YEAH, WE'LL MOVE ON AND WE'LL COME BACK. WE'LL GO [115. 25-00526] TO ONE 15 AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH GARVER LLC TO PROVIDE PAVEMENT REPAIRS TO RUNWAY, RUNWAY 22 R THRESHOLD AT THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT IN AN MOUNTAIN I TO EXCEED $103,200 BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. REASON FOR EMERGENCY. THIS ITEM IS DEEMED AN EMERGENCY TO MEET CERTAIN DEADLINES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 1 6 4 4 2. THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED ON EMERGENCY BY TWO. THIRD VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL. NEED A MOTION TO DECLARE THIS ITEM IN EMERGENCY MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS? WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. ANYONE OPPOSED TO THE MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY? SAY NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM. ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NONE. WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH. ANYONE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES BY [114. 25-00523 (Part 2 of 2)] ACT ONE 14, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, HOLDING A DISCUSSION ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MANDATE REGARDING PAY OF HEAD START TEACHERS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR $3 MILLION. AND GRANT FUNDS AT REST BY COUNCILMAN DARRO HURST. REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS TO ALLOW THE REPORT TO BE RECEIVED. DO I NEED TO NO. COUNCILMAN HURST? YOU CAN, YOU CAN TALK ON IT IF YOU'D LIKE TO. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, UM, HEAD START, THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE AND, UM, TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CLOSE THOSE GAPS. AND PRIOR TO MS. MAYBERRY'S DEPARTURE, I SAT IN HER OFFICE, MAY COME TO THE MIC TALK, PLEASE LOOK, I DON'T CARE. LOOK, COME TO THE MIC PLEASE AND TELL 'EM EXACTLY WHAT THE FUNDS ARE, WHERE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO, HOW THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE USING IN THIS ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO FOR THREE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON HOW TO STABILIZE THE HEAD START WORKFORCE, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE NATIONAL TEACHER SHORTAGE. UH, AS YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, YOU APPROVED, UM, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT BONUSES THAT WE GAVE. WE DID THAT FOR TWO YEARS, BUT WE GOT A FINAL, UM, UH, UH, UM, REQUIREMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF HEAD START THAT WE NEEDED TO OFFER SALARIES THAT WAS COMPARABLE TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. WELL, WE DID TWO WEDGE COMPARABILITY STUDIES. THE CITY DID A WEDGE COMPARABILITY STUDIES BOTTOM LINE. UH, WHEN WE INHERITED THE PROGRAM, WE WERE PAYING TEACHERS FOR A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, $14 A HOUR. WE WERE ABLE TO GET 'EM TO $21 A HOUR, BUT WE STILL NOT WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE AT THE LAST YEAR. SEPTEMBER 30, WE GOT APPROVED TO RAISE THOSE SALARIES WITH THE STARTING SALARY FOR TEACHERS BE $49,000 A YEAR. UM, SIGNIFICANT FOR THIS PROGRAM, SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR OUR GOVERNMENT. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A QUALITY PROGRAM. YOU GOTTA PAY PEOPLE QUALITY SALARIES. AND WE WERE NOT DOING THAT. AND SO ONCE, ONCE THEY APPROVED THAT, THAT'D ALLOW US TO RAISE THE SALARY OF ALL HISTORIC EMPLOYEES WHO WERE NOT WITHIN, UH, OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE CITY PARISH. AND SO THE MONIES THAT, THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE FROM VACANT POSITIONS FOR TEACHERS ONLY. YOU CAN ONLY USE THE THE MONEY FOR SALARIES. JUST FOR SALARIES. SO [02:05:01] IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE TEACHERS THAT YOU NEED BECAUSE OF THE SALARIES, THEN IT CREATES THE SAVINGS. THIS TIME THE FED DIDN'T TAKE THE MONEY BACK. THE FED TOLD US TO REINVEST THAT MONEY TO IMPROVE THOSE SALARIES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED AND THEY APPROVE US TO TAKE THE MONIES THAT WE SAVED FROM SALARIES AND PUT IT BACK INTO SALARIES TO IMPROVE THE SALARY FOR ALL HEADSTART STAFF. WAS THAT A FEDERAL MANDATE? YES SIR, IT IS. OKAY, THANK YOU. NOW, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ALL THE TIME WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. SO LET'S, LET'S TALK HOW, HOW LONG IS THE PROGRAM? HOW, HOW MANY MONTHS DO THEY PAY? I STAY THERE. HOW MANY MONTHS DO THEY PAY A YEAR? NINE AND A HALF MONTHS. AND THE OTHER MONTHS THEY END UP QUALIFYING FOR WHAT? UNEMPLOYMENT. AND THEN THEY GO IN THE LINE AND GET FOOD. WHAT STEM AND THEN THEY COME FROM SOCIAL SERVICE AND ASK FOR HELP WITH THEIR WHAT? LIFE BUILDING RENT. SO, SO I ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION, DO YOU WANT SOMEBODY TEACHING YOUR CHILD THAT'S MAKING LESS THAN $20 AN HOUR SO THAT THEY END UP, 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT A SECOND JOB. SO THEY'RE EITHER REAL TIRED OR THEY P****D OFF THAT THEY GOTTA WORK TWO JOBS TO THEN COME AND TEACH YOUR CHILD. SO THEIR FOCUS IS NOT ON EDUCATION ON THE LIGHT BILLS. WELL, THAT HAS TO BE PAID WHEN THEY LEAVE THERE. SO I'VE ALWAYS SAID YOU CAN SAY HEAD START IS BROKEN, BUT UNTIL YOU PROVIDE A LIVABLE AND COMPETITIVE WAGE, 'CAUSE I, I FOR SURE DON'T WANT ANYBODY THAT EITHER CAN'T DO SUBJECT VERBAL AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THE WAGES. NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO IS QUALIFIED BUT UNDERPAID TO TEACH MY CHILD. SO WHEN I SAT IN YOUR OFFICE AND WE TALKED ABOUT WAGE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU SAID, I'M SENDING THIS EMAIL RIGHT NOW THAT HAS ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IN THERE. SO I APPRECIATE IT. I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE ADMINISTRATION NOW. AND I SAW, I SAW THE ITEM COME UP IN THE INTRODUCTION, BY THE WAY. SO I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HEARD IT AND Y'ALL DID WHAT I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. BUT I JUST WANT IT ON PUBLIC RECORD SO THAT THE HEAD START FOLKS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC DOES AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. HELLO? WAS THE, THE QUESTION, SO I WAS HEARING THE REPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE RAISES ASSOCIATED WITH HEAD START TO GET THEM TO A TEACHER'S SALARY AND NOT REFUND THE $1.7 MILLION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THEY MANDATED. AND I WANNA MAKE SOMETHING CLEAR. THEY START TALKING ABOUT A REDUCTION IN THE ABILITY TO SERVICE THE KIDS IN HEAD START. IT WAS DONE FOR A REASON. THEY HAD SO MANY VACANCIES THAT THEY COULDN'T FILL BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT THEY WERE PAYING THAT THEY HAD TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN THAT THEY COULD SERVE SO THAT THEY COULD REALLOCATE THAT MONEY TOWARDS PAY SO THAT THEY COULD THEN, SO WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT WE WE'RE REDUCING HEAD COUNT AND, AND, AND SERVICE FOR HEAD START, WE NEED TO SERVE MORE KIDS. THERE WAS A REASON, REASON WHY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FILL THOSE GAPS. SO I JUST WANT TO GET A, AN UPDATE FROM YOU ALL OF WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS OF APPLYING THAT $1.7 MILLION TO GIVE THEM THE RAISES THAT THEY NOT ONLY DESERVE BUT NEED. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. COUNCILMAN HIRSCH. SO WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THE PAY RAISES FOR THE TEACHERS. AS YOU SAID, THE NUMBER OF SEATS WAS REDUCED FROM 1200 TO 600 TO MAKE UP FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SO THAT THE TEACHERS CAN GET, AS YOU SAY, A LIVABLE WAGE AND NOT JUST THE TEACHERS, THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS. SO WE HAVE MET WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, WE HAVE ALL OF THE, THE PROPER THINGS IN ALIGNMENT AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW IT INTRODUCED. AND AS LONG AS YOU ALL VOTE FOR IT, THEN IT WILL PASS AND IT WILL HAPPEN. SO THAT WAS AN INTRODUCTION ITEM, RIGHT? CORRECT. THE REAL LONG ONE THAT YOU READ EARLIER. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THIS IS NOT A NEW ADMINISTRATION. A LOT GOING ON, THEY NEED TO BE, UH, INFORMED OF, OF WHERE WE ARE. BUT I DID SEE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS IT. AND I, AND THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE I PUSH PAY ALL DAY. I WANT THE HEADSTART WORKERS TO KNOW THAT WE DO CARE, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IT AND THAT BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED, THEY PUT AN ACTION PLAN TOGETHER TO CLOSE THAT GAP ON WAGES SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN COME TO WORK HAPPY. ALRIGHT? AND, AND LOOK, I I, I HAVE TO DO THIS AS WELL. I SIT ON THE OSS BOARD WHERE I WORK WITH MS. MA AND MY STAFF DID FOR A LONG TIME. AND LOOK, YOU ARE A PILLAR IN THE CITY PARISH. YOU ARE A KI HOLDING 2.0. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. AND THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDED AND THE WAY THAT YOU FOUGHT FOR THESE FOLKS, JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN DOESN'T MEAN SOMEBODY'S NOT FIGHTING TO BE VERY CLEAR. OKAY? JUST BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY AREN'T FIGHTING. AND, AND, AND SHE'S NOT GOING TO COME TO WORKERS AND SAY, I'M FIGHTING FOR YOU TO SET UP DISAPPOINTMENT, WHICH MAKES, UH, AND, AND AN EVEN UNHAPPY WORKER, WHAT SHE DID WAS HOLD IT, HAVE SIDE CONVERSATIONS, HAVE RAGE IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, ASKING WHY, BUT SHE DID FIGHT IN THE BACKGROUND FOR Y'ALL. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I WANNA THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED AND PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THAT NEED. YEAH, I REALLY JUST WANT IT ON THE MIC. THAT WAS IT. AND AB, ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILMAN HURST. UM, I THINK I'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR [02:10:01] AND EVERYONE KNOWS THAT I'M A VETERAN EDUCATOR. SO THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, AS WE'VE SEEN, CELEBRATED AND SO BEAUTIFULLY DISPLAYED TONIGHT, IS ABOUT UNITY, ABOUT INCLUSION, ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE LEAST OF US. SO OFTENTIMES WHEN YOU TALK TO EDUCATORS, THEY COMPLAIN AND THEY SAY THAT POLITICIANS MAKE ALL OF THE RULES AND MAKE ALL OF THE POLICIES ABOUT EDUCATION. AND EDUCATORS ARE NEVER AT THE TABLE. WELL, WHAT WE FIND NOW IS A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. AS YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR HIMSELF IS A VETERAN EDUCATOR, HIS WIFE, A VETERAN EDUCATOR. AND SO AM I. AND I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A 43 YEAR EDUCATOR. SO POLITICS AND EDUCATION IS AT A BEAUTIFUL CROSSROADS RIGHT NOW WHERE THE POLITICIANS LISTEN AND THE EDUCATORS ALSO HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE. SO OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE, IF IT'S HEAD START OR ANYWHERE ELSE, THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THOSE ARE OUR CHILDREN. SO WE ARE ON BOARD AND MOVING AND PUSHING FORWARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HURST. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS REPORT SCENE NOW I'M GOING TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN DUN JR. MS. MAYBERRY, COME BACK TO THE MIC PLEASE. MAYBERRY. I'M SORRY. AND COUNCILMAN HURST, PRIOR TO THIS, UH, ROLE THAT SHE'S IN, SHE WAS ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHARLES R. KELLY COMMUNITY CENTER YEARS AGO UNDER CHARLES R. KELLY AS WELL. MM-HMM . UM, TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS FUNDING SOURCE, THE DEADLINES AND TIMELINES. 'CAUSE I, I KNOW I HEARD SOME TALK OF, YOU KNOW, IT POPS INTO BEING IN JEOPARDY. WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING LIKE FOR AS TIME JUNE 30? IT HAS TO BE OBLIGATED JUNE 30TH. IT HAS TO BE OBLIGATED JUNE 30TH. IT HAS TO BE OBLIGATED. IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, DO YOU THINK BASED ON THIS ITEM BEING SUBMITTED TONIGHT, THAT WE HAVE THE TIME AND THE RUNWAY TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET IT OBLIGATED? I THINK WE HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE'VE BEEN KNOWING SINCE SEPTEMBER 30TH LAST YEAR. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE GOTTA DO. SO WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? I MEAN, WELL WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH HR, SO EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, THE ONLY THING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE NOW WAS TO GET IT BEFORE THE METRIC COUNCIL SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN PROVE IT. LATOYA CAN SPEAK TO IT. I THINK LATOYA'S READY? UM, THEY READY TO PUSH THE BUTTON? YES, PLEASE. COME UP MS. PEARSON. THANK YOU MS. MABRY. WE DO WANT MS. PEARSON TO COME UP BECAUSE WE WERE JUST IN A MEETING TWO DAYS AGO WITH MS. PEARSON AND HER TEAM FROM HR WORKING THROUGH WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. SO THE PLAN IS IN PLACE. WE ARE READY TO MOVE. SO AS MS. MABRY SAID, THIS HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2024. I THINK AS A NEW ADMINISTRATION, WE ARE MAKING MASSIVE MOVES IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE WITH THIS THANK DR. SO MS. PEARSON CAN SPEAK TO IT. YOU MY TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DUNN. THANK YOU. SO THIS WEEK WE MET WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AND, UM, DHS ADMINISTRATION TO OUTLAW AND PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THE PAY GRADE INCREASES WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE TEACHERS BY THE JUNE 30TH OBLIGATION DATE. SO WHAT THIS WAS SUBMITTED TODAY, IT WAS NOT ONLY TO GIVE THEM THE PAY GRADE INCREASES, BUT WAS TO ALSO ENACT RETROACTIVE PAY BACK TO JANUARY 11TH. SO WITH COUNCIL'S APPROVAL ON MAY 28TH, THE PAY GRADE INCREASES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ALONG WITH RETROACTIVE PAY FOR THOSE HEAD START EMPLOYEES. AND THAT WILL BE DONE BY THE JUNE 30TH OBLIGATION DATE. GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU. YOU, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION BEFORE I ASKED YOU. SO IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, YOU FEEL LIKE WE CAN IMPLEMENT WITHOUT PHONE? IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE WITH, UH, DHDS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MM-HMM . DR. LANGFORD, YOU LIKE TO CLOSE WITH ANYTHING IN CLOSING? I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT HAS BEEN ECHOED ACROSS THE BOARD TONIGHT ABOUT UNITY AND EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER TO, TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS PARISH. SO THAT IS OUR GOAL TO CONTINUE THAT, THAT IS THE PLATFORM AND OUR MAYOR, HE RAN ON IT AND HE STANDS TRUE ON UNITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION FOR ALL CITIZENS OF THIS PARISH. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN [Adjournment and Announcements] AMAROSA. NOTHING TO ADJOURN MEANS ADJOURN. AURN ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? YEAH. HI EVERYONE. I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. [02:15:06] IT WAS OUR, UM, THE HEAD OF OUR CONTRACTS DIVISION'S BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY. CALLIE FRANCIS. SO IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. IT WAS LON V MAYER'S BIRTHDAY TODAY. ALRIGHT, LON. AND HOW INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THIS IS REALLY REASON WHY I STOPPED. EVERYTHING IT IS. AARON MO'S BIRTHDAY COMING UP. . HEY, DO YOU WANNA SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY WE CAN. YEAH, FOR SURE. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY. OH, WHEN? THE PAST SATURDAY. ASHLEY BECK'S BIRTHDAY. LAST SATURDAY. ASHLEY'S ALRIGHT, GREAT. THAT'S RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE SERVING COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, SERVE GOD. GOD BLESS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.