Aug 13, 2025 Metropolitan Council

[00:00:01]

>> WELCOME, EVERYBODY TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR MEETING THIS AUGUST 13TH, 2025.

FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS AND MYSELF.

[Presentations and Special Recognitions ]

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR EDWARDS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING US THE PRIVILEGE AND ALLOWING THE PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS, THE PRIVILEGE OF STANDING HERE FOR YOUR RECOGNITION FOR PURPLE HEART MONTH, AUGUST 2025.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PURPLE HEART PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT HAVE MADE SO MANY ULTIMATE SACRIFICES, NOT JUST THEM, BUT ALSO THEIR FAMILIES, JASON STADEL.

[APPLAUSE] JIMMY CARNAGE [APPLAUSE] CHAPLAIN DAVE ROWELL.

[APPLAUSE] BOB SHILING [APPLAUSE] AND MICHAEL JEFFERS.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MAYOR SID EDWARDS, SIR.

>> GENTLEMEN, WHAT AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU HERE TODAY.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND ALL OF OUR OTHER HEROES ON PURPLE PART MONT.

IT'S A HONOR FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO RECOGNIZE YOU, AND I KNOW OUR MAYOR PRO TEM WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL.

WE GIVE OUT AWARDS LIKE THIS OFTEN, BUT I CAN THINK OF NONE MORE IMPORTANT.

GOD BLESS YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR SACRIFICE.

THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.

WE JUST WANT TO SAY, WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND THIS IS A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FROM THE ENTIRETY OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE MAYOR, REPRESENTING FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]

>> EVERYBODY LOOKED THIS WAY FROM ME, PLEASE? YEAH, I GO RIGHT.

EVERYBODY LOOKED THIS WAY FROM ME.

BIG SMILES, HOLD IT FOR ME. THANK YOU.

I SOMETHING.

>> IT WAS. I SUPPOSE.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR. I BELIEVE NEXT UP, YOU'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE CLAY ES, DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

>> WELL, CLAY, IF THERE EVER WAS A MONTH TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND YOUR CREW.

THIS IS IT ON THIS ANNIVERSARY TODAY.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED Y'ALL TO WE NEED Y'ALL, RIGHT? AND Y'ALL DO A WONDERFUL JOB.

WE WERE BLESSED IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH TO HAVE AN ALL-STAR CREW WITH YOU AND ALL YOUR PEOPLE DOWN THERE.

I WANT TO AWARD YOU THIS PROCLAMATION AND THANK YOU FROM THE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH FOR KEEPING US SAFE AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU ALL.

YESTERDAY WAS MY OFFICE'S 73RD BIRTHDAY.

[00:05:01]

TODAY IS THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 2016, AND WE'RE COMING UP ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF KATRINA.

SO WE HAVE HERE IN EAST BAD RIGE PARISH RED STICK READY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS PREPARED FOR ALL HAZARDS, NOT JUST HURRICANES, AS WE SEE AARON STRENGTHENING OUT IN THE OCEAN COMING OUR WAY, OR HOPEFULLY IT DOES NOT COME OUR WAY.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COACH.

>> THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR, NEXT UP, YOU'RE RECOGNIZING JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BATON ROUGE FOR HOSTING THE DIAPER BANK.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

BUT FOR YOUNG MOMS AND BABIES, DIAPERS ARE IMPORTANT.

TO HAVE THIS BANK TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR YOUNG MOTHERS OUT THERE IN OUR PARISH IS HUGE.

HERE AGAIN, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH WE'RE BLESSED IN EAST BATON PARISH WITH ABUNDANCE, BUT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT.

I WANT TO THANK FROM THE BOTTOM OF HEART TO JUNIOR LEAGUE FOR PROVIDING THIS AND TENDING TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER.

DO WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE? OH, THEY ARE ALL LINED UP.

THANK YOU ALL, AND GOD BLESS ALL SO MUCH.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME ON.

GOD BLESS YOU, APPRECIATE IT

>> GOD BLESS YOU, APPRECIATE IT.

HI, MY NAME IS JESSICA SHARON.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BATON ROUGE, AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION ABOUT DIAPER NEED.

ONE IN TWO FAMILIES IN THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AREA EXPERIENCE DIAPER NEED AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH.

THE DIAPER BANK OF BATON ROUGE ACTUALLY PUTS OUT ABOUT 500,000 DIAPERS EVERY YEAR TO FAMILIES IN NEED, AND WE ONLY MEET HALF THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HELPING US BRING AWARENESS TO THIS AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME DIAPERS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]

>> I SAY THAT.

IF I LOOK MY WAY FROM ME.

I GO HOLD THAT FROM 3,2,1.

COPING MORE LIKE THAT. HOLD THAT. THANK YOU.

>> NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS TO RECOGNIZE ED LAGUKI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF GREATER BATON ROUGUE CIVIC ASSOCIATION. COUNCILWOMAN?

>> COME ON UP. I THINK WE HAVE THE WHOLE BOARD HERE, AS WELL AS MR. LAGUKI.

PLEASE, MISS BARBARA, DON'T SIT BACK THERE.

COME ON, PLEASE.

NO. [LAUGHTER] SHE'S THE WIND BENEATH YOUR WING.

SHE'S THAT GOOD WOMAN WHO'S BEHIND EVERY MAN DOING GOOD WORK, RIGHT?

>> WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS THE ONE THAT SAYS, YOU GOT TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.

IT FORCED ME INTO THIS ROLE. [LAUGHTER]

>> I GUESS THAT WAS HER RETIREMENT MESSAGE TO GET.

>> IT WAS.

>> ONE OF THE JOYS FOR ME SERVING IN THIS ROLE HAS BEEN TO GET TO KNOW AND SEE AND WORK ALONGSIDE ONE OF THE MANY QUIET HEROES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, MR. ED LAGUKI HAS SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER BATON ROUGE FEDERATION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, AND WE ALL KNOW THE WORK THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS DO IN OUR DISTRICTS, AND THIS MAN HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE TO ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS FOR SIX LONG YEARS.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE THING I'M GOING TO READ HERE.

TODAY, WE RECOGNIZE AN HONOR ED LAGUKI FOR HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AS PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.

DURING HIS SIX YEAR TENURE, ED HAS BEEN A STEADFAST VOICE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS, AND ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE IN SHAPING OUR CITY PARISHES FUTURE.

HIS DEDICATION TO ROBUST COMMUNICATION, STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND COLLABORATION HAS HELPED BRIDGE GAPS BETWEEN CIVIC GROUPS, LOCAL OFFICIALS, AND EVERYDAY CITIZENS.

UNDER EDS LEADERSHIP, THE FEDERATION HAS EXPANDED ITS REACH, ENGAGED NEW NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDED A STRONGER PLATFORM FOR ADDRESSING THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT FACE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

HIS ABILITY TO LISTEN, MEDIATE, AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY HAS SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR ALL WHO WILL FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.

[00:10:04]

HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY IS ITS NEIGHBORHOODS, AND HE HAS WORKED TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN EACH ONE.

ON BEHALF OF THE FEDERATION OF PACIFIC ASSOCIATIONS, THE METRO COUNCIL, AND THE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM HIS INTELLECT AND ENERGY, WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ED LAGUKI.

HIS LEADERSHIP HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON OUR PARISH, AND IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THIS EXAMPLE WILL INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF LEADERS.

THANK YOU, ED, FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR VISION, AND YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO IF YOU HAVE SPENT SOME TIME ON THE PHONE WITH ED DISCUSSING AN ISSUE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR MAYBE AN ISSUE COMING FOR THE METRO COUNCIL.

AT THE END OF A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH ED.

HE ALWAYS SAYS, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO YOU TODAY, ED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

[APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW MORE WORDS.

>> YEAH. THANK YOU, LAGUKI.

THANK YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE METRO COUNCIL.

IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE, A REAL EXPERIENCE, A REAL SEC CIVICS LESSON OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS ON THE BOARD AND SIX YEARS AS PRESIDENT.

BUT IT AIN'T ALL ABOUT ED.

IF YOU LOOK BEHIND ME, THIS GROUP OF FOLKS HERE ARE ALSO KEY TO MAKING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT WE DELIVERED OVER TIME.

MY GRATITUDE TO THEM AND SHERI GARISCO, HAS ASSUMED THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT AND SHE WILL BE INTERFACING WITH MOST OF YOU.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU.

JUST A SIDE NOTE, BY THE WAY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE CLAY REEVES, I BELIEVE, THE FEDERATION TOMORROW NIGHT, HAS ITS ANNUAL STORMWATER SUMMIT IN RECOGNITION OF THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED IN 2016, AND I'LL BE OVER AT THE ROSANNE LIBRARY AT 6:30.

SO IF ANY OF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STOPPING BY AND HEARING THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE AND WHERE WE'RE HITTING IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE DO SO.

BUT THANK YOU.

I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STAFF WHO ARE OUT HERE ALSO THAT OVER THESE LAST YEARS. THANK YOU AGAIN. [APPLAUSE]

>> SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR BOARD REAL QUICKLY? DON'T GO FOR ED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE.

>> SURE. I'M SHERI GARISCO, AND THOSE ARE SHOES. THEY'RE WAY BIGGER.

AND SO WHEN ED SAID, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF THE FOLKS BEHIND ME.

I REPRESENT CENTRAL HIGHLAND, AND JEN IS OUR COUNCILWOMAN.

SO LET ME SEE WHO'S BEHIND ME.

ANGELA WHITE IS SOUTHERN HEIGHTS, STEVE OBANKI IS POLLARD, MONTE MCNUTT IS OLD JEFFERSON.

ROBY SHIELDS IS HIKES.

YES. I ALWAYS FORGET THAT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE. MARGARET IS WITH OAKBROOK.

DEBRA SEMINO IS SHERWOOD FOREST, WHICH I WANT TO SAY IS THE LARGEST SUBDIVISION IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT PIECE.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS RECOGNITION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE RICH RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED WITH THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

>> SHARING. REALLY QUICKLY, I DO WANT EVERYBODY TO TURN AND SEE MISS BARBARA IN THE PINK SHIRT WHO HAS ENDURED MANY NIGHTS OR AFTERNOONS OF ED BEING ON THE PHONE AND HELPING US OUT.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, BARBARA. LET'S GET.

>> I'D LIKE TO JUST TO ADD A PERSONAL THAT.

MR. ED, WHEN WE CAME ON THIS METRO COUNCIL, A LOT OF US CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME, AND YOUR ORGANIZATION YOU WERE THE HEAD OF AT THE TIME, ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS TRY TO MEET WITH US AND FILL OUT THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU.

ALL THESE 6.5 YEARS.

I KNEW THAT IF I NEEDED TO HAVE A FRANK DISCUSSION, AND HONEST DISCUSSION, ONE ON ONE THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT, WORK THINGS OUT AND EVERYTHING.

YOUR PHONE WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE, SAME WHENEVER YOU CALLED ME, AND I THINK THAT'S HELPED OUT WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS WE'VE GOT ACCOMPLISHED IN YOUR STYLE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, EAT BATON ROUGE PARISH, AND WORKING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.

>> THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] TO REMEMBER YOUR YEARS.

[00:15:09]

>> ALL RIGHT. I LOOKED AWAY FROM MYSELF.

I HAD A BIG SMILE FROM EVERYBODY.

I HOLD THAT. ALL RIGHT.

ONE MORE. THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COUNCILWOMAN TWANNA HARRIS TO RECOGNIZE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT SEVEN. COUNCILWOMAN?

>> YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

IT'S A GREAT HONOR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, WHO WORK TIRELESSLY IN DISTRICT SEVEN, VERY COMMITTED TO THE CITY, GIVING ALL THAT THEY HAVE, NEVER SAYING NO, BUT ALWAYS SHOWING UP AND DOING A GREAT JOB.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE REGINALD BRUMFIELD, PLEASE.

CAN YOU COME? KNOWS THE NUMBER WHEN HE SEES IT, AND HE JUST ANSWERS AND SAYS, YES, COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, REGINALD, FOR DOING SUCH GREAT WORK IN THE CITY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT COUNCILWOMAN LATER.

MR. FRED RAYFORD, CAN YOU COME UP, SIR? [APPLAUSE] COURT, FRED.

WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, FRED, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, TO MY STAFF AND, FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DO.

NEVER SAY NO TO DISTRICT SEVEN. YOU HAVE. SOME.

>> I CAN'T DO ALL OF IT.

[LAUGHTER]

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ADAM SMITH AND HOLLY SHAVERS? WHAT'S YOUR? ADAM, I KNOW THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION.

IT DIDN'T GO SO WELL, DID IT?

>> I SAID NO.

>> [LAUGHTER] IT WAS A BACK-AND-FORTH FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES.

BUT ADAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING ALL THAT YOU DO FOR DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

FOR JUST ONE TIME, SAYING NO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LET'S GET A PHOTO.

>> IS COLLY HERE?

>> HOLLY IS THE BEST.

COLLY HOLLY ALL THE TIME, AND SHE ALWAYS SAYS YES.

OF COURSE, SHE GIVES YOU A LECTURE BEFORE SAYING YES, BUT IT'S ALWAYS YES, AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HOLLY. FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE [APPLAUSE].

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THIS, BUT WE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.

NO, I'M JUST JOKING, EVERYBODY'S BEST.

JOSEPH BUTLER AND HIS CREW, AND I HAVE ONE MORE AFTER JOE BUTLER.

M FROM TIM. JOE, AND YOUR CREW? [APPLAUSE] WHERE'S JOE BUTLER? COME ON DOWN.

YEAH. JOE AND HIS POOL.

WE HAVE MR. MIKE.

WE HAVE MR. LONEL, AND WE HAVE JORDAN.

WE HAVE KYLE, WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER.

WE HAVE A WHOLE, MR. EDWARDS AND MR. MICHAEL.

WHEN I TELL YOU, THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE MLK COMMUNITY CENTER, MY OFFICE, GIVEN THAT THEY'RE ALL DOING IT ALL, AND JOSEPH BUTLER NEVER SAYS NO.

NOW, HE'LL TELL YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, I'VE GOT TO CHECK INTO THIS NOW.

I CAN'T COMMIT TO THIS, BUT I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.

BUT MISS LANE, WHERE'S MISS LANE?

>> HE'S NOT HERE.

>> OH, LORD [LAUGHTER]. I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM.

BUT, JOE, TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AND MR. CHRIS.

HE DID SUCH A PHENOMENAL JOB PAINTING MY OFFICE.

THESE GENTLEMEN GO OVER AND BEYOND AND NEVER SAY NO.

THEY CAN'T GET TO YOU AT THE MOMENT, BUT THEY'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

MY STAFF, THANK YOU FOR SAYING YES TO DISTRICT SEVEN AND ALWAYS BEING A FRIEND AND A PARTNER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE] SO LET'S WAIT.

COME HERE. LET'S TAKE A PICTURE RIGHT HERE.

[00:20:11]

>> ALL RIGHT. I LOOK MY WAY FROM I RIGHT. 6 MILES.

HOLD. ALL RIGHT.

LOOK. A R321.

>> POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR PRO TEM? WE HAVE A MAYOR PRO TEM, WE HAVE A COUNCIL ORDINANCE THAT STATES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ONLY ALLOWED THREE PRESENTATIONS.

>> SORRY.

>> THIS MAY BE A TECHNICAL VIOLATION. COUNCIL.

>> THIS IS NOT YOUR SHOW. IT'S MINE.

BE THE BEST RACHEL LAMBERT, PLEASE COME UP, AND LINDSAY, COME UP.

WHERE IS DONALD MOSES? WHERE'S RICHARD? RICHARD, HEY, RICHARD.

YOU. RICHARD, I KNOW YOU HEAR ME IN YOUR SLEEP BECAUSE FOR EIGHT YEARS, RICHARD AND I WERE ALWAYS ON THE PHONE, AND HE HELPED SO MUCH WITH CONDEMNATION AND BLIGHT.

THEN, WHEN YOU CALL RACHEL, RACHEL SAYS TO YOU, NOW, COUNCILWOMAN, LOOK, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THIS NOW.

SAID RACHEL, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

WE GOT TO, A ND LINDSAY.

THANK YOU, LINDSAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THERE AND ALWAYS HELPING.

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

LET'S TAKE THE PHOTO. [APPLAUSE]

>> SO CLAP THERE. I'M SORRY.

TRY TO START A GOLF CLAP. RIGHT THERE.

WE DID. NOBODY ELSE.

[OVERLAPPING] AWKWARD MOMENT. THAT'S RIGHT.

I DIDN'T LEAVE YOU HOME. I'M ALONE.

>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

>> THANK YOU. I'M DONE.

>> ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNEY TO RECOGNIZE BLACK HOUSE AGENCY. COUNCILMAN?

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO TODAY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TWO AMAZING INDIVIDUALS WHO RECENTLY HELD AN AMAZING EVENT IN DISTRICT TWO.

MISS ALLISON SANDERS FROM THE BLACK HOUSE AGENCY AND MR. BRANDON BOLDEN.

MR. BRANDON BOLDEN IS A SCHOLAR HIGH ALUMNUS.

HE IS A FORMER NFL RUNNING BACK.

HE PLAYED FOR VARIOUS TEAMS FOR THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND THE LAS VEGAS RAIDERS.

I'D LIKE TO BRING HIM AND THEN MISS ALLISON SANDERS, WHO IS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE BLACK HOUSE AGENCY.

SHE IS AN EDUCATOR IN DISTRICT TWO AT STARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE THEY'RE EXPOSING KIDS TO DIGITAL MEDIA, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT.

RECENTLY, THEY HAD A ONE-DAY FOOTBALL CAMP WHERE THEY BROUGHT 300 YOUNG PEOPLE TO STARVILLE HIGH SCHOOL TO TEACH THEM THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FOOTBALL AND LEADERSHIP.

LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND RECOGNIZE THEM AT THIS TIME [APPLAUSE].

>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND HONORED GUESTS.

MY NAME IS ALLISON SANDERS, FOUNDER AND VISIONARY OF BLACK HOUSE AGENCY AND BLACK HOUSE SPORTS.

ON BEHALF OF THE BLACK HOUSE AGENCY ORGANIZATION, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE.

FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

IT MEANS THE WORLD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED NOT JUST FOR WHAT WE DO, BUT FOR WHY WE DO IT.

AT BLACK HOUSE, OUR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO UPLIFT, EMPOWER, AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES, OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH MEDIA, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, OR EDUCATION.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHIFT NARRATIVES AND OPEN DOORS.

THE RECOGNITION IS NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO PICKED UP A CAMERA, EVERY ATHLETE WHO FOUND PURPOSE, EVERY VOLUNTEER WHO SHOWED UP, AND EVERY PARTNER WHO BELIEVED IN THE VISION.

OF COURSE, WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT OUR SPONSORS.

WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO PAVED THE WAY, AND WE'RE BUILDING ON A NEW FOUNDATION FOR THOSE COMING NEXT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN KENNEY AND DISTRICT TWO, FOR SEEING US FOR HONORING THE WORK AND FOR HELPING US KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING. THANK YOU.

>> HEY, [INAUDIBLE].

MY NAME IS BRANDON BOLDEN, AND I AM FROM BAMROOG AND LEAVING TO GO PLAY COLLEGE AT A SCHOOL THAT I WON'T MENTION.

[00:25:03]

EVERY TIME WE COME BACK TO LOUISIANA OR ANYTIME I BRING ANYBODY BACK TO BAD ROUGE, THEY LOVE IT.

I'VE HAD A FEW TEAMMATES WHO VACATION HERE, LIKE OFFSEASON, THEY'RE HERE, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS, THE GREAT WORK THAT Y'ALL FACILITATE AND DO.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE RECOGNITION AND EVERYTHING YOU DO [APPLAUSE].

>> SO THE SCHOOL HERE IN WANTED MICHAEL IS OLD MISS.

I AIN'T WANT MY SHOE FANS TO GANG.

BUT LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

THEY'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB, [APPLAUSE] PING BACK TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

ALONG WITH MYSELF AND MY OFFICE, WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE AMAZING WORK.

THEY ARE DOING A YEARLY BASIS.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO AMAZING EVENTS TO IMPACT OUR YOUTH IN DISTRICT TWO. ALL RIGHT.

>> YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE TIME.

>> I WANT TO DO IT WHEN YOU SPEAK. 21.

>> LAST, WE HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNEY TO RECOGNIZE.

HE ALREADY DID IT. HE DID BOTH.

TO FOR ONE. WE'LL ADJOURN UNTIL OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING.

>> THANK YOU THREE TIMES.

>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU TUNED IN FOR OUR COUNCIL MEETING.

IT'S HOT OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL A BIT LIKE FOOTBALL IN BATON ROUGE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO MEET UNTIL THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAGUARS HAVE PLAYED THEIR GAME.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOUTHERN IS PLAYING A WEEK FROM SATURDAY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

THE JAGUARS GO JAGUARS.

THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ON NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL.

THEY'RE THE EAGLES.

THEY'RE MAROON AND GRAY, AND THEY'RE FROM DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, THE SAME CITY WHERE THE BLUE DEVILS PLAY.

WE SAY GOOD LUCK TO THE COLUMBIA BLUE AND GOLD SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAGUARS.

GO GET THEM, SOUTHERN. THAT'S ON THE 23RD.

IN AUGUST. THEN LSU WILL BE COMING UP.

WE'VE GOT A LONG TIME TO TALK ABOUT THEM.

AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE TIGERS, BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY'RE PLAYING THE TIGERS, A TEAM THAT HAS PURPLE IN THEIR COLORS IN CLEMSON, AND THEY ALSO CALL THEIR STADIUM DEATH VALLEY, BUT WE KNOW WHERE THE REAL DEATH VALLEY IS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

AT THIS TIME, HERE IS THE MAYOR PRESIDENT PRO TEM.

WHEN I SAY GOOD LUCK TO SOUTHERN, THAT'S ON BEHALF OF MAYOR-PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS AND OUR METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.

AT THIS TIME, HERE IS THE MAYOR PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BOUND RAGE PARISH, COUNCILMAN BRANDON NOEL. COUNCILMAN?

>> THANK YOU, DENNIS. WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2025.

WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE MEETING AND ORDER.

ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM?

>> WE HAVE A QUORUM.

>> THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE LED BY CHIEF TJ MORRISON IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> ALL RIGHT. FACING THIS WAY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. B HAS A PRAYER WITH ME.

HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO JUST COME TO YOU IN PRAYER.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE WITH US, EVEN IN HARD TIMES LIKE THIS WEEK.

SOMETIMES WE CAN'T FEEL IT.

WE ASK FOR A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE OSWORTH FAMILY, FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

WE PREPARE THIS WEEK TO HONOR CALEB AND THE FAREWELL HOLD SATURDAY.

BE WITH THIS HERE TONIGHT, B WITH THIS COUNCIL AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS TO GUIDE AND LEAD OUR CITY AND OUR ENTIRE PARISH.

IT IS IN YOUR SON JESUS' NAME. WE PRAY. AMEN.

>> SAY THE PLEDGE.

>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.

>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON WITH ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND THE REST OF THE MEETING.

[Additional Item]

THE REASON IT'S BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER IS TO ALLOW THE RESOLUTION TO BE ADOPTED TODAY.

[00:30:01]

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN RACCA, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOE.

I'M GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

IS ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SING, I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNSEL.

NEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.

IS ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? SEEING NONE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNSEL, OPEN THE FLORIDA METROPOLITAN COUNCIL. COUNSELMAN?

>> SORRY.

>> ON BEHALF OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, OUR ADMINISTRATION, AND MAYOR-PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS, IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.

WE STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH.

WE WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YOUR PRESENCE TODAY SHOWS THE DEEP LOVE AND RESPECT OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOR A MAN WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO OUR SAFETY.

TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE STAND WITH YOU TODAY IN GRIEVING AND REMEMBERING THE LOSS OF ONE OF YOUR OWN.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DEDICATION EVERY DAY TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT ALWAYS.

WE HOLD YOU IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS EVERY DAY, ASKING FOR YOUR CONTINUED SAFETY AS YOU PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.

TO THE FAMILY OF SERGEANT EISWORTH, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR FATHER, YOUR BROTHER, YOUR SON TO DEDICATE HIS LIFE TO OUR PROTECTION AND SAFETY.

HIS DEDICATION AND SERVICE FOR 23 YEARS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

AND WE RECOGNIZE THE PROFOUND SERVICE YOU HAVE MADE AS A FAMILY.

WE KNOW THAT EVERY DAY OF HIS SERVICE MEANT A DAY OF WORRY AND UNCERTAINTY FOR YOU.

AND FOR THAT, WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

HIS DEDICATION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT.

WE GRIEVE AND MOURN WITH YOU, AND OUR DEEPEST PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU.

MAY GOD WRAP HIS LOVING ARMS AROUND YOU, PROVIDE COMFORT AND STRENGTH DURING THIS TIME OF PROFOUND SORROW.

WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE CONTINUED SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, THAT THEY MAY BE PROTECTED EVERY DAY AS THEY WORK TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT TRAGEDY LIKE THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

SERGEANT EISWORTH'S SERVICE AND SACRIFICE DESERVE MORE THAN JUST OUR WORDS TODAY.

THEY DESERVE A PERMANENT PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY'S HISTORY.

TO CHIEF MORRIS AND TO SERGEANT EISWORTH FAMILY.

WE PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION ON BEHALF OF THE EAST ROUGE PARISH, METRO COUNCIL, MAYOR SID EDWARDS' ADMINISTRATION.

A RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH, WHEREAS A LIFE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS COME TO A SOMBER CLOSE WITH THE PASSING OF SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2025.

WHEREAS SERGEANT EISWORTH BEGAN HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER 23 YEARS AGO WITH THE BATON ROUGE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE, SERVED WITH UNWAVERING COURAGE, INTEGRITY, AND DEDICATION.

AND WHEREAS AS SERGEANT EISWORTH WAS A PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY, KNOWN NOT ONLY FOR HIS PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO FOR HIS COMPASSION AND ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH CITIZENS AND COLLEAGUES ALIKE.

WHEREAS SERGEANT EISWORTH'S COMMITMENT TO DUTY WAS EXEMPLIFIED BY HIS RECEIVING THE MEDAL OF VALOR, THE DEPARTMENT'S HIGHEST HONOR AND MULTIPLE AWARDS FOR HEROISM.

WHEREAS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE MADE BY SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH SERVES AS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE RISKS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FACE EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR CITY.

WHEREAS THE MEMORY OF SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH WILL FOREVER BE CHERISHED BY THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND THE ENTIRE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL THAT THE METRO COUNCIL, ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, EXPRESS ITS DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE LIFE AND HEROIC SERVICE OF SERGEANT CALEB EISWORTH.

THAT THIS RESOLUTION SERVES AS A PERMANENT EXPRESSION OF OUR COLLECTIVE SORROW AND RESPECT, AND THAT WE EXTEND OUR MOST HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO SERGEANT EISWORTH'S FAMILY, INCLUDING HIS WIFE, DAUGHTER, MOTHER, FATHER, AND BROTHER.

AND THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BE OFFICIALLY RECORDED AND A DUPLICATE PRESENTED TO THE FAMILY OF

[00:35:03]

AND WE PRESENT THIS BRIEF TO CHIEF T.J. MORRIS TO PRESENT TO THE FAMILY, ALSO FROM THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION AND FROM THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH METROPOLITAN COUNCIL?

>> CHIEF MORRIS, WE THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS WONDERFUL DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.

KNOWING THAT EVERY TIME WE WALK OUT THERE, WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE COMING HOME.

I CAN'T HELP BUT I THINK OF HIS DAUGHTER SADIE'S WEDDING AND HIM NOT BEING ABLE TO DANCE WITH HER. THAT'S WHAT I THINK.

WE BECOME A SOCIETY THAT WE'VE BECOME IMMUNE TO SOME OF THIS STUFF.

BUT CHIEF, YOU GOT TO KNOW, WE GOT YOUR BACK AND ALL YOUR MEN AND WOMEN'S BACK, AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCILMAN [INAUDIBLE] YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION?

>> COUNCIL, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.

>> SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN RACCA. ANY OPPOSITION.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES.

>> WE'LL TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS, AND WE'LL START BACK WITH THE MEETING.

[00:40:11]

>> WE'LL CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN DUNN J OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ASHLEY, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS?

[INTRODUCTIONS]

>> SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS, NUMBER 2.

A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE NOT TO EXCEED $12,500,000 REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE, SERIES 2025 OF THE ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER 2 OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATE, LOUISIANA, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO BY ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER 2.

NUMBER 3, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CONSTABLE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF FOR A SUB-GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $603 THROUGH THE LOUISIANA COMMISSIONER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BURN JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE EBR JOINT WARRANT TASK FORCE BY THE CONSTABLE.

NUMBER 4, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED KENYA MESSER VERSUS GEICO ET AL.

CONSOLIDATED WITH MELISSA DAIGLE VERSUS WESLEY HOLTON AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND NIKKI PACE VERSUS WESLEY HOLTON AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

IN THE AMOUNT OF $250,000 PLUS COURT COSTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $2,184.64.

A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $252,184.64 IN APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY.

NUMBER 5, APPROVING THE LEVY AND ASSESSMENT PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33 COLIN 09,038.76 E2B OF THE SALES AND USE TAX AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX WITHIN THE LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, AS ESTABLISHED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, BY COUNCILMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN.

NUMBER 6, AMENDING TITLE 9 LICENSING AND REGULATION OF TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS, SO AS TO ADD CHAPTER 25, PRIVATE BOOTING AND IMMOBILIZATION BY COUNCILMAN RUDY GODY, COUNCILMAN CAROLYN COLEMAN, AND COUNCILMAN JEN RACCA, CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS.

NUMBER 7, HENRY L THURMAN JR, 2845 79TH AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, KENNEY.

NUMBER 8, ICLA S EDWARDS, 505 NEW RAF MEYER ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, KENNEY, NUMBER 9, THE ESTATE OF JOYCE ANN GAINES MOORE, 5752, CORNISH DRIVE.

COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HURST.

NUMBER 10, THE ESTATE OF MAKE MARCELA, 6866 EAST MONARK AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE, HURST.

NUMBER 11, JAMIE LEE GILMORE DOUGLAS, 5333 PAGE STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HURST.

NUMBER 12, NADIA J RODALS MENDEZ, 3155, CHARLOTTE DRIVE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 6, DUNN JUNIOR.

NUMBER 13, DONALD DIAZ VELASQUEZ, AND ANNA MARIE NUNEZ ARAZO, 4628 WILMOTT STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS.

NUMBER 14 EMILY ALEXANDER PERKINS AT E.1334.

NORTH 44TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS.

NUMBER 15, DEBORAH ANNE VAUGHN 480 TUSCALOOSA AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN HARRIS.

NUMBER 16, ROSANNA HAMPTON FOREST, 1232 DARE STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN.

NUMBER 17, WILLIE FRANKLIN AND RUBY FRANKLIN, 5356 SOUTH 16TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN.

NUMBER 18, BENNY J INVESTMENTS, LLC, 735 NORTH 19TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN.

NUMBER 19, DAVIS CURTIS BERGERON, AND CERYLYN W BERGERON, 2376 MISSISSIPPI STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 RACCA.

ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ.

IN A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS IS IN ORDER.

>> THANK YOU, ASH. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION COUNCILWOMAN RACCA, SECOND, BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, TO INTRODUCE ANY OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

ARE WE GOING TO GO TO OUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS?

[CONDEMNATIONS]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? SEEING NO TO GO TO COUNCIL.

I DO HAVE DISTRICT 7 RECOMMENDATIONS: 30 DAYS ON ITEM 70, 30 DAYS ON ITEM 77, 60 DAYS ON ITEM 65. COUNCIL MCKINNEY?

>> THIRTY DAYS FOR 71 AND 84.

[00:45:01]

>> THIRTY DAYS FOR 71 AND 84?

>> YES.

>> THIRTY 30 DAYS FOR 78, 60 DAYS FOR 79, AND 60 DAYS FOR 87.

>> ANYBODY ELSE? YES, MA'AM.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM, CAN YOU REPEAT FOR 70? WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

>> ITEM 70, I HAVE 30 DAYS?

>> YES. THAT'S CORRECT.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> I'M GOING TO READ THEM BACK. RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 66, 67, 69, 72, 74, 75, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86 AND 88, 30 DAYS ON ITEM 70, 71, 77, 78, 84, 60 DAYS ON ITEM 65, 79 AND 87, 90 DAYS ON ITEM 68 AND TO DELETE ITEM 73.

YOU HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

>> I BRING IT UP IT THEN. REMIND ME.

ITEM 89, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING

[89. 25-00883 ]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 89.

>> SEEING, NO, WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN RACCA.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 90 AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE LITIGATION

[90. 25-00793]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? BEING NO GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION, MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

ANY OPPOSITION? I'LL BE IN OPPOSITION.

WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPOSITION. WE'LL VOTE ON THE MACHINES.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOTION FAILS.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?

>> RESET. WE'LL REVOKE. BY READY? MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOTION CARRIES.

>> ITEM 91, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE LITIGATION CLAIM OF IVY FLEMING FOR

[91. 25-00794]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NO AND GO TO COUNSEL HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GORDAY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

ANY OPPOSITION? TO OPPOSING.

WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MACHINES.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 91.

MOTION CARRIES.

[00:50:01]

>> ITEM 92, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF

[92. 25-00795]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HERS.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

ANY OPPOSITION. TWO OPPOSING TO VOTE ON THE MACHINES.

>> COUNCILMEMBERS, MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 92.

MOTION CARRIES.

>> ITEM 93, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF

[93. 25-00861]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NONE WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. PLEASE, JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

>> WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ICA.

LOUISIANA IS AMONG THE STATES WITH THE HIGHEST YOUNG CIGARETTE USE RATES IN THE NATION ACCORDING TO CDC.

STATEWIDE SURVEY FOUND THAT ONE IN THREE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ONE IN FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS VAPE HAS REPLACED CIGARETTES AS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF NICOTINE CONSUMPTION AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PAST DECADE.

WHILE IT IS ILLEGAL FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PURCHASE THEM, WE STILL FIND THAT IT IS HAPPENING.

WE ARE URGING YOU TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IT WOULD REDUCE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING. THANK YOU.

>> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOW WE GO TO COUNSEL. COUNCILMAN DON JR.

>> THANK YOU. CAN ONE OF THE AUTHORS OR SOMEBODY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION JUST TALK ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE? THAT YOU CORD. THANK YOU.

COME ON DOWN. TELL US EXACTLY WHAT YOU AND THE OFFICE ARE DOING.

>> I'M SORRY. WHAT'S THE QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF MY ATTORNEYS BACK THERE.

>> THAT'S OKAY. JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CHANGES ARE BEING MADE?

>> WELL, THIS IS ACTUALLY IN ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCE DON'T WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

THE BASICS IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A SIGNAGE REQUIREMENT AND A DISTANCE REQUIREMENT.

THE SIGNAGE REQUIREMENT.

WELL, I SEE THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT IS 500 FEET FROM ANY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION, PUBLIC LIBRARY, CHILD DAYCARE FACILITY IN PUBLIC PARK.

THEN THE SIGNAGE REQUIREMENT IS BASICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN AS FAR AS MINORS ARE CONCERNED.

IN SECTION 1352, THE SHOP SERS ARE GOING TO BE MANDATED TO POST CLEAR SIGNAGE THAT MINORS MAY NOT ENTER THE PREMISES.

>> NONE OF THIS EXISTED BEFORE.

>> I'M SORRY.

>> NONE OF THIS EXISTED BEFORE.

NO, THIS IS A NEW ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. I'M SORRY, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT WILL BE THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S GOING TO ENFORCE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CORD. REAL QUICK.

EXCUSE ME. JUST A QUICK QUESTION AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT.

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROVISION FOR THOSE SHOPS THAT ARE ALREADY OPERATING BEING OKAY REGARDLESS PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE.

SHOULD A VAPE SHOP AS DEFINED BE OPERATING NOW IN A STRIP CENTER AND THEN A SCHOOL COMES INTO THAT STRIP CENTER.

I KNOW THEY WOULD BE FINE.

IF THAT SHOP WOULD BE SOLD OR TO ANOTHER OPERATOR, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROVISION.

WOULD IT STILL BE GRANDFATHERED BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION BEFORE OR DOES THAT LIMIT THE ABILITY TO SELL THE BUSINESS FOR CURRENT OWNERSHIP?

>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO. I THINK THAT IF IT CHANGES OWNERSHIP, THEN IT'LL BE TAKING OWNERSHIP UNDER THIS NEW PROVISION, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CALL RACHEL INTO IT,

[00:55:01]

>> WAS THAT DISCUSSED BY ANY OF THE AUTHORS ABOUT SHOULD THAT OCCUR?

>> I BELIEVE WE DID DISCUSS IT.

>> THAT'S A CONSIDERATION. THE LIQUIDATION OF A BUSINESS IS LIMITED AT THAT POINT SHOULD SOMEONE WISH TO DO SO.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS DISCUSSED.

>> WHAT I'LL ADD IS, YEAH, THE GRANDFATHER PROVISION THAT YOU REFERENCED WAS SPECIFICALLY WORDED TO SAY A SMOKE OR VAPE SHOP RETAILER OPERATING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE.

THAT RETAILER IS THAT BUSINESS.

IF A NEW BUSINESS WERE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN, THEY WOULD NOT BE GRANDFATHERED IN.

>> IF A NEW OWNER WERE BUYING THE EXISTING BUSINESS? YOU'D CALL THAT?

>> I MAY HAVE TO YIELD TO [INAUDIBLE]

>> WELL, I WOULD LEGAL LOOK AT IT?

>> YES. IF A NEW OWNER HAS JUST TAKEN OVER THE EXISTING BUSINESS, THEN THE EXISTENCE BUSINESS IS ALREADY OPERATING.

>> BUYING THE NAME, BUY THE TRADE NAME, BUYING THE BUSINESS.

DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD STILL FALL UNDER THE GRAND BIND?

>> I THINK THAT THEY'LL BE GRANDFATHERED IN.

BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION AT THIS MOMENT.

>> COUNSELMAN DON JR.

>> I JUST OFFER THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION.

IF THAT NEW OWNER INHERITED THE BUSINESS, THE NAME AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT POSSIBLY COULD HAPPEN.

BUT IF THEY CHOOSE TO TAKE ANOTHER NAME, THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR OCCUPANCY LICENSE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I'M GOING TO GO TO WHAT COUNCILMAN GORDAY, THE AUTHOR SAID, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER THIS.

BUT TO BE CLEAR, I THINK SOME LANGUAGE NEED TO BE ADDED, WHATEVER THE PLEASURE OF THE AUTHORS ARE TO CLARIFY THAT SITUATION.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENT.

AS FAR AS LANGUAGE IS CONCERNED, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO COUNCILMAN GORDAY.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN.

WE'VE GOT OTHER BUSINESSES GOING IN EAST BIG PARISH WHERE NEW BUSINESS OWNER MAY COME IN.

THEY HAVE TO FILE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.

IT'S EVERYTHING THAT'S NEW.

I THINK THAT THEY'RE STARTING OVER NEW WITH THE CITY AT THAT POINT TOO.

I THINK THAT THAT WOULD APPLY.

>> IF A NEW OWNER OF A BUSINESS, EVEN IF THEY'RE KEEPING THE SAME NAME, THEY STILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR AN OCCUPANCY.

>> WELL, SO IN BOTH CASES, THEY WOULDN'T QUALIFY AND TO COUNCILMAN NOEL'S POINT.

>> I THINK THAT IN THE MEETINGS, WE DID WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, WE DID TALK ABOUT GRANDFATHERING, WHERE VAPES ARE SOLD CURRENTLY THAT THEY WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN, THOUGH I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA OF WHAT'S GOING ON ALREADY THAT IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO PROVE WHO WAS PRE EXISTING TO AN EXTENT.

THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WELL WITH THAT.

>> IT'S JUST DISCUSSION, WHATEVER THE AUTHORS DECIDE, THERE'S JUST SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER.

>> THAT MIGHT HAVE ANSWERED COUNSELMAN NOEL'S QUESTION TOO.

>> COUNSELMAN MOE, IS THERE A SPECIFIC LICENSE THAT THESE BUSINESSES GET FOR SELLING VAPES OR CIGARETTES? DO THESE BUSINESSES SELL VAPES AND CIGARETTES?

>> THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THERE A SPECIFIC LICENSE THAT THEY ARE GETTING? NO? THIS IS NOT A PERMIT ORDINANCE.

SHOP SELL CIGARETTES.

I BELIEVE SOME OF THEM DO.

>> RIGHT NOW BEFORE THIS ORDINANCE, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO OPEN UP A VAPE SHOP, IF YOU'RE SELLING JUST VAPE MATERIAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, DO YOU HAVE TO GET A PARTICULAR LICENSE LIKE ALCOHOL, YOU HAVE TO GET ALCOHOL PERMIT LICENSE.

I GUESS WHAT CIGARETTES.

IF THEY HAD CIGARETTES IN THE FACILITY, THEY WOULD THEY HAVE TO GET A SPECIFIC LICENSE?

>> TOBACCO RETAILERS.

>> FROM AN OCCUPANCY AND BUILDING PERMIT STANDPOINT, IT IS JUST RETAIL SALES. THAT'S IT.

WE'VE ADDED QUESTIONNAIRES INTO WE'RE GOING TO ADD, QUESTIONS INTO CERTAIN PERMITS THAT ARE THEY SELLING VAPOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS? THEN IF THEY, SAY YES, THEN THAT WOULD INVOKE US REVIEWING THE DISTANCES.

>> LET ME ADD TO THAT ANSWER.

THE STATE HAS CREATED A VAPE SHOP REGISTRATION AND PROCESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WE HAVE NOT AND I WOULD SAY DO NOT.

THE STATE DID CREATE IT AS PART OF A STATE STATUTE.

>> ATF, I THINK REGULATES WHO SELLS TOBACCO AND ALSO BATES AS WELL.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT.

>> WELL, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A LICENSING STANDPOINT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THIS HERE, IF IT WAS A LIQUOR PLACE.

WE'RE DOING AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS.

IF A LIQUOR STORE SELLS THE BUSINESS,

[01:00:04]

THE LIQUOR LICENSE ITSELF WOULD DISQUALIFY THE LIQUOR STORE FROM BEING THERE UNDER LIKE THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF ALCOHOL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GRANDFATHERED IN ANYMORE, CORRECT? THE BUSINESS ITSELF, THE LOCATION, BUT THE LIQUOR LICENSE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE SOLD.

THAT'S THE REASON I WAS ASKING COMPARING THE IS THERE LICENSING FOR VAPES AND STUFF THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL BUSINESS PART THAT WOULD PROHIBIT IT FROM BEING GRANDFATHERED IN?

>> LIQUORS IF YOU SELL ALCOHOL FROM AT A RETAIL, LEVEL OR AT ANY LEVEL.

IT'S NOT JUST THE BUSINESS THAT'S BEING PERMITTED BY THE ABC OFFICE, IT'S ALSO THE PERSON.

IF THE BUSINESS CHANGES HANDS, EVEN THOUGH THE, IT STILL MAY RETAIN THE SAME ABC, STORE MARK OR STORE OR WHATEVER, THE NEW INDIVIDUAL WHO IS BUYING THAT, STORE WOULD HAVE TO GO GET A NEW LICENSE FROM THE ABC OFFICE.

>> THAT SCENARIO WOULDN'T WORK IN HERE.

>> NO. THE ABC OFFICE IS NOT LICENSING, NOR IS THE PERMIT OFFICE LICENSING, TOBACCO AND BAIT RETAILER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CONSILMAN HURST?

>> I JUST HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR COURTNEY.

IF THAT LANGUAGE WERE TO BE ADDED, WOULD IT BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE? JUST SAYING THAT IF THE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP FROM ONE BUSINESS OWNER TO THE OTHER THAT THEY'RE AUTOMATIC GRANDFATHERED IN THE DISTANCE LIMITATIONS.

>> YES. IT PROBABLY WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.

BUT WHAT I'M GATHERING IS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT IS NEEDED BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING NOW WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE CITY PARISH.

BUT THAT'S UP TO THE AUTHOR.

BECAUSE LIKE RACHEL SAID, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW OWNER COME IN, THEY'VE GOT TO GET THEIR OWN OCCUPANCY PERMIT. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> IT'S HAPPENING.

>> BUT YOU CAN SAY AS LONG AS YOU QUALIFY FOR THE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE AND WHATEVER OTHER LICENSE ASSOCIATED WITH IT THAT, YOU CAN STILL BE GRANDFATHERED UPON APPROVAL OF THOSE LICENSES.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT SUITE B IN 1054 AIRLINE HIGHWAY, SUITE B SWITCHES OWNERS, AND NOW I HAVE TO GO FOR A NEW OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE, NEW ATC LICENSE, NEW ABC LICENSE, IF I WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL, SHISHA AND TOBACCO.

NOW THERE'S NO CURRENT DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS.

BUT IF I DO THAT, AS LONG AS IT'S AN EXISTING ONE THAT'S ON THE ATC SITE OR WHATEVER WE DO, THEN NOW WE CAN GRANDFATHER THAT LOCATION IN UPON APPROVAL FROM THE ATC AND ABC BOARD IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

I'M ONLY ASKING IS THAT A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE? IT'S STILL THE SAME ADDRESS.

>> I THINK WITH ALCOHOL LICENSES, THEY'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THEIR OWN PROCESS BECAUSE.

>> TAKE THE ALCOHOL OUT THOUGH.

>> YES.

>> TAKE THE ALCOHOL OUT. I JUST THREW THAT OUT THERE.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPLY FOR ATC.

MY POINT IS UPON ATC APPROVAL TO SELL, SHISHA AND TOBACCO.

>> I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF THEY CAN PROVE THAT THEY WERE SELLING THE TOBACCO PRODUCTS THAT THEY COULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN, LIKE YOU SAID THAT THEY HAVE AN ATC PERMIT AT THAT LOCATION FOR SELLING TOBACCO AND BAIT PRODUCTS.

>> MAYBE TRANSFERABLE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I KNOW THIS IS YOURS RIGHT. I'M JUST DOING SOME TALKING TO SOMEONE FOR YOU BECAUSE I LIKE THE ORDINANCE.

>> IT COULD BE TRANSFERABLE IN SIX MONTHS.

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT IT DISCONTINUED.

>> AS LONG AS YOU DO IT WITHIN THE SIX MONTH PERIOD OR 90 DAYS THAT YOU, YOUR GRANDFATHER'S STATUS STAYS HERE.

IF YOU DON'T, THEN SOMEBODY CAN'T COME BACK TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND SAY THEY USED TO HAVE A VAPE SHOP HERE.

>> USUALLY, THE GRANDFATHERING AND FOR PLANNING STUFF IS TWO YEARS. ALCOHOL IS SIX MONTHS.

>> THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE AUTHOR TO CONSIDER.

>> WELL, THERE'S FOUR AUTHORS AND HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT.

IT'S MY INTENT TO ALSO EXPLORE ADVERTISING OF VAPE PRODUCTS WITHIN DISTANCE REGULATIONS.

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE, BUT I WILL CONTINUE LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE, AND SO I'LL MAKE THE COMMITMENT THAT I'LL WORK WITH THESE FOLKS IF LANGUAGE IS NEEDED TO COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL WITH THAT LANGUAGE.

I'M NOT ONE TO INJECT LANGUAGE ON THE SPOT.

I WORRY ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES,

[01:05:02]

I'D RATHER TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, TALK WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON IT.

I WOULD SAY THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS THE MORE IMPORTANT PIECE THAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT, AND GETTING IT THROUGH FROM WHAT YOU HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE. WITH THAT.

>> THE POINTING AT ME, BUT I CONCUR WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

LET US NOT GET SIDETRACKED ON THE INTENT OF THIS THING HERE.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS SELLING VAPE NEAR A SCHOOL AND A CHURCH AND THIS AND THAT, AND I THINK THAT AND WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE GRANDFATHERING IN.

GRANDFATHERING, SO THAT MEANS WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY NOTHING BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT, Y'ALL JUST KEEP RIGHT ON VAPING.

JUST AS ICARE HAS SAID, THE LADIES HAVE SAID, THIS VAPING IS REAL, WHETHER YOU ALL KNOW IT OR NOT.

THIS VAPING IS REAL AND IT'S RUNNING RAMPANT IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND SO IF THE CHILDREN CAN JUST WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND GET VAPING COME RIGHT ON, WHAT ARE WE DOING? I JUST THINK WE'RE REALLY WASTING A LOT OF TIME ON JUST TRIVIAL STUFF AND WE NEED TO GET TO THE MEAT OF THIS THING AS FAR AS WHAT THE INTENT OF THIS IS, TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SELL THIS STUFF WITHIN 500 FEET.

NOW, IF A FELLOW WANTS TO OPEN UP ONE, NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT ANY AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO AND IF IT'S NO, THEN YOU DON'T GET TO GET YOUR LICENSE TO, SAY, A VAPE.

THAT'S ALL. NEXT THING WE'LL BE DOING IS, YEAH, NOT.

[LAUGHTER] MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.

YOU ALL KNOW, I DON'T LIKE TO MOVE AGENDA ITEMS AROUND.

[LAUGHTER] I KNOW.

HOWEVER, SENATOR BARROW IS WITH US, AND SHE HAS ANOTHER MEETING TO GO TO.

SHE'S ASKING US TO MOVE UP ITEM 113.

[113. 25-00888]

ITEM 113, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR THE STATE TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,025,000 FROM FUNDING PROVIDED IN ACT 461 OF THE 2025 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOUTH PROGRAMMING, COMMUNITY SERVICE, FOOD AND HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS, AND APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR SET PURPOSE BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SENATOR.

>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PRO TEM.

WE WERE TOGETHER ON YESTERDAY AS WE DID THAT GREAT GRANT OPENING OR REOPENING OF THE NEW ER AT LANE REGIONAL CENTER, WHICH I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT.

IT'S IRONIC THAT I WILL COME UP HERE AFTER YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT VAPING AND I KNOW THAT WE PUT INTO STATUTE SOME GUIDELINES AS IT RELATES TO HOW THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY THAT KNOW ME PRETTY MUCH KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE ABOUT CHILDREN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AS WELL AS INTERVENTION MEASURES SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE AND BE THEIR BEST.

WITH THAT SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO DIP INTO Y'ALL BUSINESS, BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY RECORD THAT I HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF, JUST FYI.

THIS MONEY, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPROPRIATE MONEY TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE FOR GOOD PROGRAMS IN OUR CITY TO ACTUALLY DETER CRIME AND TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN PRIMARILY, BUT ALSO HELPING FAMILIES.

THIS IS WHAT THIS MONEY IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE OVER $1 MILLION, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

[APPLAUSE] I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY TO ASSIST A LOT OF FAMILIES, TO HELP A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES THAT ARE GIVEN TO THEM HELP THEM TO MOVE IN THAT NEW DIRECTION.

WHAT I DO KNOW, AND THE DATA ACTUALLY PROVES THIS, IS THAT WHEN WE MAKE INTENTIONAL EFFORTS TO INVEST IN CHILDREN,

[01:10:05]

I BELIEVE IN THAT. THAT'S WHY I KEEP PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS, AND I AM ASKING YOU GUYS TO ACTUALLY APPROVE THIS MEASURE SO THAT THIS MONEY CAN FLOW THROUGH THE COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS POCKETS WHERE WE HAVE THE PROVEN SUCCESS RATES.

I KNOW YOU MS. HARRIS, IS REALLY BIG ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN OUR CITY, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH SOME OF THAT MONEY AS IT RELATES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THIS IS JUST SOMETHING PERSONAL FOR ME IS HELPING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HAVE MORE TOOLS WHEN THEY GO TO MEET THE FAMILIES.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND THE NUANCE IS THAT HAPPEN BEHIND THE SCENE THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW, AND WE JUST NEED TO PROVIDE THOSE TOOLS TO HELP THEM, WHEN THEY ENTER THAT FAMILY HOUSE AND ENTER THAT HOUSEHOLD, BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES, MAYBE SOMETIMES DIFFERENTLY.

WITH THAT SAID, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'LL SEE YOU GUYS LOOKING UP AT THE TIMER, WHICH MEANS I THINK MY TIME IS UP. [LAUGHTER]

>> DON'T WORRY ABOUT TIME.

>> BUT I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> WE'LL FINISH PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL GO TO THE COUNSEL, AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING.

BUT I'D SAY THANK YOU, ABSOLUTELY, FROM ALL OF US. WE APPRECIATE YOU.

>> THIS IS FOR WHOLE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

DEFINITELY WITH A FOCUS MORE ON THE AREAS THAT I REPRESENT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHERE WE TEND TO HAVE MORE POCKETS OF CRIMES, AND WE HAVE MORE POCKETS OF POVERTY, WHICH BRINGS ON ITS OWN ISSUES WITHIN ITSELF.

WITH THAT SAID, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SENATOR. ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCIL MCKINNEY.

>> SENATOR BARROW. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM SHOULD GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

[APPLAUSE] I HAVE THE AMAZING HONOR OF SENATOR BARROW BEEN, MY STATE SENATOR IN SCOTLANDVILLE DISTRICT TWO.

SENATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE SEASON OF INVESTMENT TO MULTIPLE PROGRAMS ACROSS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

I DON'T KNOW, YOUR TIME IS SLOWLY COMING TO AN END, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO EAST BATON ROUGE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

I KNOW THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, RIGHT, BUT I KNOW ALL OF THEM REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

>> MY SENATOR.

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU AND I HAVE BEEN ON THIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE JOURNEY FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND YOU'RE SUCH A STRONG CHAMPION FOR VICTIMS AND FAMILIES.

I SAY TO YOU, THANK YOU, CONTINUE FIGHTING, CONTINUE BEING THE VOICE FOR THOSE VICTIMS BECAUSE MANY TIMES THEY ARE VOICELESS.

THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF US WITH THIS FUNDING.

CALL ON THIS TIME.

YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE.

YOU KNOW THAT. WE ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOR YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, SENATOR.

>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. YES, YOU DO.

>> COUNCILMAN HURST.

>> I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TALK TO MY CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU SO MUCH LISTENING. PERFECTLY GOOD, MAN.

SHE'S BEEN TAKING CARE OF A BACKYARD FOR A LONG TIME AS CLIMBED THROUGH THE RINGS AND EXPANDED A FOOTPRINT, AND WHAT SHE STARTED IN A NONPROFIT WORLD OF JUST SERVING PEOPLE.

SEE WHAT I TELL YOU ABOUT PEOPLE IS YOU DON'T START SERVING WHEN YOU GET ELECTED.

IF YOU'RE NOT SERVING BEFORE YOU GET IN OFFICE, YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DOING IT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU'RE DOING IT FOR YOURSELF.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YOU ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF, GOOD WORK, GOOD INTENTIONS, GREAT HEART AND FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST DOES, AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU SERVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

>> SENATOR BARROW, JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU.

IT SOUNDS SO INSIGNIFICANT.

BUT JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE HOW YOU HAVE LINED OUT HOW YOU WANT THIS MONEY SPENT.

THAT IS WHAT JUST STRIKES ME.

THE OTHER THING THAT I MUST SAY IS THAT WHEN YOU INCLUDED THE COUNCIL, TO GET SOME MONEY, YOU DIDN'T JUST INCLUDE FIVE, BUT YOU INCLUDED ALL 12, AND WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

I WANT TO SAY, IF ANY OF THE SEVEN DON'T WANT THESE, THEY CAN GIVE IT TO ME.

[LAUGHTER] YES, BUT WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE PEOPLE OF BATON ROUGE.

>> THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT.

[01:15:02]

FIRST OF ALL, WE DO NOT OPERATE IN A VACUUM.

HONESTLY, I REPRESENT SEVEN OF Y'ALL.

I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT IT AND I SAID, WOW, MORE THAN MAJORITY.

IF I EVER NEED A VOTE, I'M JUST KIDDING.

[LAUGHTER] BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN SPEAKING TO MANY OF YOU AND LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR DISTRICT, I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY FAIR TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO PICK PROJECTS THAT YOU WANTED TO DO BECAUSE I MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE IN YOUR DISTRICT, BUT YOU DO.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GAVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A PROJECT THAT ALIGNS WITH THAT MISSION WHERE WE ARE REALLY ADDRESSING ISSUES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> COUNCILWOMAN RACCA.

>> SENATOR BARROW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN KIND, GENEROUS, AND ALWAYS WILLING TO TALK.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. APPRECIATE YOU.

>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> SENATOR, WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE.

WE'RE HONORED AND FEEL WONDERFUL FOR HAVING YOU AS A LEADER IN OUR DELEGATION.

WE'RE BLESSED, AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

SO MUCH APPRECIATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT.

>> MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCIL MCKINNEY.

ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, SENATOR.

>> THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

[APPLAUSE]

[94. 25-00880 ]

>> ITEM 94, RESCINDING AND DIRECTING AND CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL, THE NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON MAY 8TH, 2025, AND THE DECISION AND ORDER RECORDED ON JUNE 3ED, 2025.

IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS THE HARMONY CENTER INC. REASON FOR RESCISSION IS THE PROPERTY IS BEING RENOVATED.

THIS ITEM IS BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, TAKEN BY COUNCILWOMAN AMEROSA.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 95-100 TOGETHER.

[Items 95 - 100]

IN THE AMOUNT OF $54,740 FOR A TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT OF $91,371 BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 97, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND A SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BATON ROUGE, THE AMOUNT OF $234,892 FOR A TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT OF $393,892 BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 98, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND A SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH HIV ALLIANCE FOR REGION II INC. AMOUNT OF $51,551 FOR A TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT OF $86,454 BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 99, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH HIV ALLIANCE FOR REGION II INC, IN AN AMOUNT OF $309,797 FOR A TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT OF $523,580 BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 100, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO AMEND A SUBRECIPIENT CONTRACT WITH CAPITAL CITY FAMILY HEALTH CENTER CARE SOUTH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $191,095 FOR A TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT OF $320,345 BY THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 95-100?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEMS 95-100.

>> SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS.

>> CAN I GET THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES TO COME TO THE PODIUM? WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER OVER FUNDING FOR RYAN WHITE AND FUNDING FOR HIV/AIDS.

I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTION.

ARE THESE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE FLOWING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> ARE WE ABLE TO SPEND THESE FUNDS ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIV AND AIDS PROGRAMMING IN THE PARISH?

>> NO, MA'AM. THEY'RE DELEGATED TO SUBRECIPIENTS WHO ARE PROVIDING SERVICES AND MEDICINE TO THAT COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY.

>> WE COULDN'T SPIN THESE FOR ANOTHER DISEASE OR ANOTHER PROBLEM? GOT IT?

[01:20:01]

>> NO MA'AM. YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT A SCOPE OF WORK AND IS EXACTLY FOR WHAT IT STATES IN THAT PARAGRAPH THAT WE JUST READ.

>> SINCE IT IS FEDERAL FUNDING, IS THERE A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO REPORT BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE SPENT? IS THERE A PAPER TRAIL AND ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES AND AUDITS, TALK ABOUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY ON THIS.

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL YOUR SCOPE OF WORK. YOU HAVE TO.

IT'S LIKE A BUDGET THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AND THE FUNDING SOURCE EXACTLY TO THE DOLLAR, HOW MUCH WE WE GOING TO SPEND, HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IT.

WE ALSO HAVE ANNUAL MONITORING WHERE THE FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE COMES IN AND THEN THEY AUDIT RECORDS, AND SEE HOW THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS BEING RUN.

>> THERE IS OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING THAT HAPPENS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND CONTINUALLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO.

LIKE I SAID, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ARISE IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE DO ANSWER THOSE. THANK YOU.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> COUNCILMAN DAN JR.

>> THANK YOU, MR. PRO TEM.

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT I STAINED FROM 98 AND 99.

>> YES, SIR.

>> COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE].

>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO LAURIE'S QUESTION.

MY OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN'S OFFICE SITS ON THE BOARD FOR DHTS.

THIS QUESTION JUST CAME UP IN THE MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THEY AUDIT LIKE MOST FEDERAL FUNDS.

IF YOU DON'T LOSE IT, THEY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT YOU GET YEAR OVER YEAR FOR PARTICULAR PROGRAMS AND PUT THOSE IN OTHER AGENCIES THAT DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BASED ON THEIR COMMUNITY RESPONSE.

AGAIN, IT IS ALLOCATED TO SPECIFIC AGENCIES.

ALL OF THEM DON'T DO THE EXACT SAME THING, BUT THEY ALL FOLLOW THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THE RISK OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AS IT RELATES TO HIV AND AIDS.

THE BOARD HAD THE SAME DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT CAME UP TO THE DEPARTMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO AFFIRM THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAR ROSA. AN OPPOSITION.

MOTION CARRIES, PLEASE SHOW COUNCILMAN DUNN JUNIOR ABSTAINING FOR ITEMS 98,99. ITEM 101.

[101. 25-00821]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 101.

>> SEE NONE, AND GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

>> MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

>> SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 102, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE

[102. 25-00822]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 102.

>> SEE, NO, AND GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. TAKING BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 103,

[103. 25-00797]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMO COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 103.

>> SEE, NO, AND GO TO COUNCIL. A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

SECOND BY COUNCIL MCKINNEY? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 104, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON

[104. 25-00825 ]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ITEM 105,

[105. 25-00826]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. THE SECOND.

[01:25:07]

[106. 25-00827]

IN THE AMOUNT I TAKE $205,247.44 WITH TERM BEGINNING AUGUST 1, 2025, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER TH, 2026, BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO, AND GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 107 THROUGH 111 TOGETHER.

[Items 107 - 111]

ITEM 108, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO SUB RECIPIENT CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PAST AT BATON ROUGE, AND LAROKE, LLC DOING BUSINESS AS BRIGHTSIDE CLINIC, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $125,000 FOR A NEW TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $275,000, PER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

109, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO SUB RECIPIENT CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF BATON, PASH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $485,000 FOR A NEW TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $904,755 BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

ITEM 110, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO SUB RECIPIENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND START CORPORATION, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $355,990.50 FOR A NEW TOTAL, NOT TO EXCEED $655,990.50 BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR? ITEM 111, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE THE SUB RECIPIENT CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE BATON ROUGE BLACK ALCOHOLISM COUNCIL DOING BUSINESS AS METRO HEALTH, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY 310,000 FOR A NEW TOTAL, NOT TO EXCEED $600,258.83 BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 107 THROUGH 111?

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE E MAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEMS 107 THROUGH 111.

>> SEE, NONE WILL GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY CONCILMAN HUDSON. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 112,

[112. 25-00874]

DISTRICT ATTORNEY $1,000,000.19 JDC, 589,000 CJCC, 260,000, TO PREVENT MISUSE OF OPIOIDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 212,000 VICTORIA'S VOICE, TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO CARE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 320,020 CENTS SET FREE INDEED FOR TREATMENT AND RECOVERY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $448,500 COLLECTIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

$300,000 ECO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, 148,500, TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CRIMINALLY INVOLVED PERSONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $375,000 EAST BAN RIDGE PARISH OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER, $100,000, EAST BAN RIG PARISH JUVENILE COURT, $275,000, TO ADDRESS OPI DEATHS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000 EAST BIG PARISH CORNER, AND FOR A TOTAL OF $3,512,500.20 BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME MAYORS HERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON? WELCOME, MAYORS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR POTEN.

HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

LOOK, THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT MONEY, THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION SAW FIT TO PUT A COMMISSION TOGETHER TO DECIDE HOW TO SPEND THIS MONEY, THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SAW FIT TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT.

THROUGH OUR WORK AND THROUGH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE'VE WORKED TO ESTABLISH THE NEED TO CREATE MASSIVE AWARENESS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY,

[01:30:02]

WE FOUND IT BEST TO START EARLY AND HELP THE PARENTS GET THEIR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND AND START ADDRESSING THIS WITH THE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES.

JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD A MEETING AND I ASKED THE QUESTION BECAUSE I NOTICED WE HAD AN UPTICK AND OVERDOSES JUST IN CENTRAL.

BUT IT APPEARS THERE WAS A BAD BATCH OF HEROIN IN THE STREETS BECAUSE THAT UPTICK WAS EVERYWHERE IN THE PARISH.

I KNOW THERE'S SOME SOME THINGS IN THIS THAT WERE QUESTIONABLE, BUT I FEEL IT'S SO VALUABLE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND GET THIS THING PASSED AND I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO STAND UP AND SAY, GUYS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO DO.

THIS MONEY IS VERY SPECIFIC, AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE? MISS MILES, PLEASE?

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> WE APPRECIATE ALL THE MAYORS BEING HERE.

>> I APPRECIATE ALL OF THEM.

LOOK, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF YOU GUYS FOR YEARS AND SOME OF YOU GUYS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, BUT WE HAVE SOME BAD NEWS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE DECREASING IN EAST BAG PARISH.

WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST NUMBERS IN THE COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO SAMSON WHO RUNS MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE FOR FOR THE COUNTRY.

THEY WERE DOWN HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO TO WITNESS THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING.

BUT HERE'S THE DEAL. WE'RE NOT SATISFIED.

WE STILL HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE DYING OF DRUG OVERDOSES, MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE DYING OF MURDERS, AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE FROM THE CURVE SIDE OF C COUNTRY CLUB.

I DO HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK.

AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK, I'M GOING TO NEED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO CONTINUE TO HELP US DO THIS.

I HAVE DATA THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DRIVEN BY.

TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DYING IN YOUR AREA CODE, IN YOUR ZIP CODE, IN YOUR DISTRICTS.

WITH THE HELP OF YOU GUYS, WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT VAPING EARLIER.

WE HAVE KIDS NOW VAPING AND IT COULD BE LACED WITH FENTANYL.

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO BE PROACTIVE, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO BE PREVENTIVE, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THIS GOOD WORK GOING.

EVEN WITH OUR HOMELESS THE HOMELESS CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, A LOT OF THEM IDENTIFY AS HAVING CHALLENGES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU GUYS EVEN COMING OUT WITH US.

WE GO OUT ON EVERY DRUG OVER THOSE CALL, EVERY POD.

WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON THOSE SITES.

ALSO, WHEN WE'RE GOING INTO ENCAMPMENTS, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO COME AND JUST SEE THE CHALLENGES AND THE SUCCESSES THAT WE ARE HAVING. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, MISS MILES. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE.

>> STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

>> MARK KATIE ARCHIA WITH VICTORIA'S VOICE FOUNDATION.

TANJA AND BRANDY AND ALL THE FOLKS HERE HAD DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND REDUCING THE OPIOID DEATH RATE.

YOU ARE THREE POINTS BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING IN AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL, NOT TO LEAD, BUT TO STAND BESIDE YOU AND TAKE IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE SIXTH, EIGHTH, TENTH, AND 12TH GRADE, ARE GETTING READY FOR THE CCYS SURVEY.

THERE IS MONEY THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THAT.

OVER THE STATE, THEY ONLY HAD A 20% PARTICIPATION RATE.

WE'VE GOT TO HELP TO INCREASE THAT, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT VICTORIA'S VOICE IS GOING TO WORK WITH ALL THE LOCAL AGENCIES TO DO. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NO, GO TO COUNCILMAN ADAMS.

>> KELLY. HEY, THERE YOU ARE.

SORRY. I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU BACK HERE. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M GOOD. HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> GOOD. WILL YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT MONEY WHEN THIS ARRIVED IN BATON ROUGE HOW IT'S BEEN DEPLOYED AND WHAT THE HORIZON FOR THESE FUNDS ARE. HOW WILL PERPETUATE.

>> I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS WE TOOK ON MORE WORK TO HELP SAVE FUNDS AND KEEP IT INSIDE THE CITY PARIS.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A CONSULTANT MANAGE THESE SETTLEMENT FUNDS, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT THROUGH THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE RECEIVE THAT 10%.

THE SETTLEMENT IS 18 YEAR MONEY ANYWHERE FROM 1.2 MILLION DOLLAR TO $2,000,000, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES FALL IN AND OUT OF BANKRUPTCY ARE ADDED TO THE SETTLEMENT.

WE WERE RECENTLY JUST NOTIFIED WE HAVE 3 MILLION COMING IN

[01:35:03]

MISS DOLL, WHEN DID WE RECEIVE? WHEN DID WE FIRST RECEIVE FUNDS? 2021. AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE.

WE HAD TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS ON 2024 SPEND DOWN.

THE GOAL IS ABSOLUTELY FOR EACH ONE OF YOU TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE OPIOID FUNDS MOVING FORWARD AND LOOK AT YOUR DISTRICTS. I WAS EXCITED.

YOU KNOW, WE FIRST CALLED EACH MAYOR ACROSS THE PARISH.

THEY COMMITTED TO STAYING ON THE BOARD THEMSELVES.

THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO NAME SOMEONE, AND THEY SAID, NO, WE'RE COMMITTED.

WE WANT TO MEET, AND WE'VE MET SEVERAL TIMES.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT EFFORT. WE WANT YOUR INVOLVEMENT, AND THAT IS GOING INTO THE 2025 FUNDS.

>> I ASKED YOU IN A MEETING YESTERDAY, I WANT TO ASK YOU HERE.

WHAT DOES THE OPIOID CRISIS LOOK LIKE IN THIS PARISH? HOW DOES IT MANIFEST?

>> I'M GOING TO LET TIME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE SHE MAKES ME TEAR UP EVERY TIME I SEE IT IN HERE.

>> GIVE ME YOUR QUESTION AGAIN, PLEASE.

>> WHAT DOES THE OPIOID CRISIS LOOK LIKE IN THE PARISH? HOW IS IT AFFECTING OUR PARISH?

>> IT'S AFFECTING OUR PARISH BECAUSE EVERY TIME SOMEBODY DIES, THAT'S SOMEBODY'S SON, A DAUGHTER WHO HAD HOPES AND DREAMS TO BE SOMETHING ONE DAY.

WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMOUS DIE FROM PRINCE TO MICHAEL JACKSON AND OTHER PEOPLE, MATTHEW PERRY, WE'RE LIKE, OH, MY GOD, THEY WERE TALENTED.

HOW COULD THEY? ARE THESE PEOPL LIKE ME.

I'VE BEEN A RECIPIENT OF WHO'VE HAD AN AMAZING LIFE OF RECOVERY, BUT I ALSO WAS A PERSON WHO OVERDOSED BEFORE.

WHAT'S GOING ON IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND PEOPLE ARE USING SUBSTANCES TO HELP THEM THROUGH THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRAUMA IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY REASONS, AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN'T.

THEY'RE NOT MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SERVICES.

THAT'S WHY ACCESS TO SERVICES AND AWARENESS IS KEY.

WHEN WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S HOPE, WE LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S RESOURCES, THEN THEY CAN ADDRESS.

LOOK, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET HIGH AND NOT DIE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, EVERYBODY WANT TO FEEL GOOD.

PEOPLE DO THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING DRUGS, DRUGS WILL HIJACK YOUR BRAIN.

WE KNOW THAT. BUT NOBODY IS TRYING TO DIE FROM DRUGS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING THOSE CHEMICALS IN THOSE SUBSTANCES THAT ARE TAKING THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS.

THAT'S SOMEBODY'S KID.

AS A OVERVIEW, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE LOOKING GOOD, BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO AS I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, AT ONE TIME, PEOPLE USED TO SAY THIS IS ONLY A CHALLENGE FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ME WHO'S NOT BLACK.

WELL, THOSE NUMBERS NOW ARE EQUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD IN EVERY ZIP CODE.

THERE ARE SOME ZIP CODES WHO HAVE MAYBE ONE OR TWO, BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVE OVER FIVE AND TEN.

WE GET TO THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING DRUGS MORE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE USING, COLLEGE STUDENTS.

AGAIN, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET HIGH, NOT DIE, BUT WE WANT TO PREVENT THAT.

>> WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE OPIOID CRISIS HAS PUT A STRAIN ON OUR COURT SYSTEM GAS OFFICE ON OUR JUVENILE FACILITIES, THAT'S REALLY IT'S STRETCHED PUBLIC RESOURCES.

>> IT HAS. LOOK, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME. I'M NOT NEW TO IT.

I'M TRUE TO IT. CLEVE CAN TELL YOU THAT, THROUGH HELL OF HIGH WATER, WE WANT STOPPING, AND YOU KNOW THAT.

THIS IS HARD WORK. IT IS NOT PRETTY, IT IS NOT SEXY, BUT IT MUST BE DONE BECAUSE FROM THE CURBSIDE TO THE COUNTRY CLUB, LIKE I SAID. IT IS.

THAT'S WHY I CAME UP WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND PUBLIC HOPE.

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED ALL THOSE ENTITIES TOGETHER.

WE HAVE TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING CRIMES THEY'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, LET US HELP YOU GET TO THAT NEXT LEVEL SO THAT DON'T HAVE TO BE A WAY FOR YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIFE, OR YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THEN THAT PUBLIC HOPES LOOK LIKE ALL OF US ARE WORKING TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHY WE MOVE THE NEEDLE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

ONE MIND, ONE MISSION, AND WE NEED EVERYBODY FIRING AT THE SAME TIME, I'M A MILITARY GIRL.

IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND COMBAT SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE'VE DONE THAT, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

>> PLEASE. YOU WOULD SAY WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT TRAJECTORY.

WE'VE GOT THINGS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.

BUT YOU FEEL LIKE THESE FUNDS INDICATE A HOLISTIC STRATEGY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING US ON THAT POSITIVE TRAJECTORY TO BEAT THE NATIONAL AVERAGES.

>> YES, MA'AM. LOOK, YOU HAD, LIKE I SAID, THE PRINCIPAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SAMSA, WHO CAME DOWN TWO WEEKS AGO, JUST TO SEE WHAT WE WERE DOING RIGHT HERE IN EAST BADGE PARISH.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHERE IT WORKS IN A LOT OF THINGS, BUT NO, WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT.

IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WE CAN SAVE EVEN MORE LIVES, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS ARE DECREASING, BUT THAT CAN CHANGE IN A MINUTE.

JUST LIKE THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, WE CAN SEE THE DATA.

THAT DATA IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HELPS US GO OUT.

[01:40:03]

WHEN SOMEONE HAS OVERDOSE AND THEY ARE ALIVE, THEN WE'RE RIGHT THERE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE WERE WHERE YOU WERE, DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION.

YOU'RE GOING TO DIE.

LET US HELP YOU GET YOU INTO TREATMENT, AND WE CAN DO THAT REAL TIME.

WE NEED EVERYBODY FIRING TOGETHER. I'M NOT GOING TO LIE AT FIRST.

IT WAS HARD AS HELL.

GETTING BACK TO THE CITY POLICE TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, CAN WE CHANGE THIS? THEY WERE LIKE AND I WARM DOWN FOR TWO YEARS.

THEN YOU HAD EVERYBODY ELSE WHO CAME ON BOARD EVEN BEFORE THEN, AND THAT'S WHY THE WORK LOOKED LIKE IT'S LOOKING.

BUT AGAIN WE HAVE TO DO BETTER BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, I'M AT THE AGE WHERE I'VE HAD FRIENDS WHO'VE LOST KIDS.

I DON'T KNOW THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS PARISH WHO DOESN'T KNOW PEOPLE WHO'VE LOST KIDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

I KNOW IT'S HARD WORK. I KNOW IT'S GRITTY WORK.

I KNOW THERE ARE DAYS WHERE IT'S NOT VERY REWARDING WORK BECAUSE YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET A WIN, BUT WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.

>> LAST YEAR WAS A HARD YEAR FOR ALL OF US.

ALL OF US WHO ARE RECIPIENTS TO DO THIS GOOD WORK.

IT WAS A HARD YEAR, BUT WE STILL GOT IT DONE.

>> GOD BLESS YOU.

>> I THANK YOU GUYS FOR REAL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> COUNCIL MCKINNEY.

>> QUESTION FOR KELLY.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COALITION OF MAYORS.

I THINK IT'S A POWERFUL FRONT TO SEE OF OUR MAYORS.

OUR MUNICIPALITY IS COMING TOGETHER AROUND THIS.

MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW WHEN PEOPLE SEE $18 MILLION, HOW DO WE DETERMINE HOW MUCH EACH ENTITY RECEIVES? I GUESS IN TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT, PEOPLE SAY, HOW DID THE DA OFFICE GET A MILLION? HOW DOES ENTITY GET A QUARTER MILLION? HOW DO Y'ALL DO THE PROCESS THAT ALL WENT THROUGH TO DETERMINE THAT?

>> WHEN YOU DIG DOWN ON IT, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS THE CORONER'S OFFICE.

WELL, THEY'RE DEAD. NO. IT'S A LOT DEEPER THAN THAT.

WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE ONE CRIMINAL PATHOLOGIST AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT AND THE THINGS THAT'S THERE, THE GUIDANCE IS VERY SPECIFIC IN A LOT OF WAYS.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HILLER AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND YOU THINK ABOUT 19 JDC WITH BY COURT, BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK AND WHAT CAN BE DONE, WE'VE SET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE FOR PREVENTATIVE MEASURES INSIDE THE SCHOOLS.

THERE'S ANOTHER PERCENTAGE, AND I'LL SHARE A PROCEDURE WITH YOU ALL, AND IT'S EVER-CHANGING, BUT EVERYTHING IS BASED OFF THEIR SCOPE OF WORK.

THAT'S YEAR 1. YEAR 2 MAY LOOK DIFFERENT.

BUT WE HAVE TO SET A STRUCTURE WHERE THERE'S ONE POINT OF ENTRY.

I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF DUPLICITY AT TIMES.

WE NEED A SYSTEM.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHO TO GO TO, BUT WE DEFINITELY USE THE GUIDANCE.

WE WORK WITH DR. NELSON TO GET APPROVAL.

HE'S OVER THE STATE OPR FUNDING FOR THE STATE, FOR THE DA'S OFFICE ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

THE FORMULAS WERE ALL BASED OFF SCOPE OF WORK AND WHAT THEY APPROVED.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU, MS. MILES, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID.

I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING YOU FACE TO FACE, SO I'M HAPPY TO GET TO KNOW YOU TODAY. THANK YOU.

ALSO, VICTORIA'S VOICE, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED MY OFFICE.

IT'S ON MY DESK NOW, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT I DO BELIEVE WE'D BE REMISS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAVEN'T COME UP, PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AFTER HOURS THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR FUNDS AND NEEDING FUNDS TO CONTINUE THIS AWESOME FIGHT THAT WE'RE SEEING GOING THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HILLER MOORE, WHO'S ON THE BACK WALL.

I THINK THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT HE'S HERE FIGHTING FOR FUNDING TO SUPPLY HIS OFFICE.

WE ALSO HAVE JUDGE HANEY IN THE BACK FROM JUVENILE COURT AGAINST THE BACK WALL.

THEY DON'T WANT TO COME FORWARD TONIGHT.

WE HAVE KAYLA ROMANOV, WHO COULD STAND UP BACK THERE, WHO REPRESENTS THE JDC PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

WE HAVE DIANA GIBBONS IN THE BACK OVER HERE, WHO'S WITH THE 19TH JDC.

IF I MISSED ANYBODY, PLEASE COME UP AND TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU'RE REPRESENTING.

I THINK THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, APPRECIATING THE SUPPORT, AND THAT YOU PLAN ON USING THESE FUND DOLLARS IN A POSITIVE WAY.

I THINK I SAW MR. CHRIS KASONKA SOMEWHERE BACK THERE WITH CJCC.

THANK YOU ALSO VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL THAT YOU DO.

>> COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DR. JAQUELINE MIMMS, WHO'S HERE WITH US, WHO'S BEEN IN THE TRENCHES FOR DECADES, DOING GREAT WORK.

DR. MIMMS, CAN YOU COME UP, PLEASE?

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

I'M SITTING IN THE CHAMBERS, ACTUALLY TEXTING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS IN RECOVERY AND HOMELESS.

[01:45:05]

I'VE BEEN IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND JUST BEFORE PREPARING TO COME TO THE MEETING TODAY, I DECIDED TO LOOK TO SEE HOW LONG I'VE BEEN DOING THE DON PROGRAM.

I WAS SURPRISED, 2020.

NO, I'M SORRY.

2000, SO 27 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN DOING THE DON PROGRAM.

I WAS ORIGINALLY APPROACHED BY TWO JUDGES WHO ASKED IF I WOULD DESIGN A PROGRAM FOR COURT SERVICES, BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE CURRENTLY OFFERING WASN'T WORKING BECAUSE OF THEIR CONTINUOUSLY REVOLVING DOOR.

I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I CAN COUNT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM THAT HAVE GONE BACK TO COURT.

LATER ON, ONE OF THE OTHER JUDGES DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM TO THE 19 JDC.

WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK AS WELL.

I'M ALSO A NATIONAL CERTIFIED CONTINUING EDUCATION PROVIDER, SO I PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

THE WORK I DO WITH ECLECTIC COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL IS VERY BROAD, AND BECAUSE OF CONFIDENTIALITY, I WON'T START NAMING SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE SERVED WHO MAY BE IN THIS VERY ROOM.

THE INDIVIDUAL THAT JUST TEXT ME HAS BEEN HOMELESS NOW, FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS.

WHAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER.

WE OFTENTIMES SPEAK OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS IF IT'S SEPARATE OR SET APART FROM MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS NOT.

WE DIAGNOSE BASED ON THE DIAGNOSTIC STATISTICAL MANUAL FOR MENTAL DISORDERS.

IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.

WHEN YOU'RE DOING URINE ANALYSIS, AND I'M SURE OTHERS IN THE ROOM CAN SPEAK TO THAT, IT CAN TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A SUBSTANCE IN THEIR SYSTEM AT THE TIME.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT COULD NOT TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT AN INDIVIDUAL WAS SUFFERING FROM A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

WE DO THAT BY DIAGNOSIS.

WE NEED A HOLISTIC APPROACH, AND THERE IS THAT COULD BE SAID.

MANY OF THE QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES HAVE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A HOUSEHOLD IN EAST BADGE PARISH OR LOUISIANA THAT SOMEHOW HAS NOT BEEN IMPACTED BY A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TO INCLUDE OPIOIDS.

OPIOID IS AT AN EPIDEMIC, AND SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OPIOID.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT ARE WHAT WE CALL COMORBID WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING, I'M DOING A PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW ON DISRUPTIVE IMPULSIVE CONTROL DISORDER.

BUT I DID MY DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS, BOTH OF THEM.

MY FIRST DOCTORATE IS IN COUNSELING, PSYCHOLOGY, MY SECONDS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.

I FOCUSED BOTH OF MY DISSERTATIONS ON AT-RISK ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS AMONG ADOLESCENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OTHER ISSUES LIKE SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE COBIC LIKE ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, IT'S COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER DISORDERS SUCH AS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COMMONLY, AND SOME OF YOUR OTHER MORE CONDUCT DISORDER IS ONE OR THE MORE SEVERE, OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER, ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, CONDUCT DISORDER.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DISORDERS AND OTHER CONDITIONS, AND YOU'LL KNOW I LIKE TO TEACH.

A LOT OF OTHER CONDITIONS THAT PREDISPOSE INDIVIDUALS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

MANY PEOPLE GET STARTED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS A WAY OF COPING SELF-MEDICATING OTHER ISSUES, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT I WAS JUST TEXTING.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

I'VE DEALT WITH PROFESSIONALS, NURSES, DOCTORS, ATTORNEYS.

WHO HAVE BECOME ADDICTED TO OPIOID DOING SELF-MEDICATION.

SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME AND I'LL BE IN THE AUDIENCE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, DR. MIMMS.

>> COUNCILMAN HUDSON?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF SENATOR BARROW IS STILL HERE OR NOT,

[01:50:02]

THEY DON'T HAVE THE PULL SHE'S GOT.

>> SHE'S THE SENATOR THERE.

>> THERE YOU GO. MY QUESTION IS FOR MR. KASONKA WITH C JCC, CHRIS, AND I DIDN'T TELL HIM I WOULD CALL HIM UP, BUT MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SOME GRANT FUNDING THAT IS RUNNING ITS COURSE AND ROUNDING OUT.

DO THESE DOLLARS HELP YOU ALL CONTINUE ANY PARTICULAR PROGRAMMING OR ADD ANY NEW PROGRAMMING? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT DOING WITH ALL FOR THESE DOLLARS?

>> THE OPO ABATEMENT SETTLEMENT FUNDING IS ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE AND ENHANCE OUR PRETRIAL DIVERSION AND RECOVERY PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN RUNNING SINCE.

2018, AND THAT PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY THE $260, SPECIFICALLY TO FUND THE EMPLOYEES FOR THAT, AND THEN THE PROGRAM COSTS.

>> I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HAD SOME RECENT SUCCESSES WITH PRETRIAL DIVERSION, SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> WE HAVE CONTINUED SUCCESSES WITH IT SINCE IT STARTED.

ONE, WE'RE THE ONLY COURT PROGRAM IN THE STATE THAT IS A DIVERSION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT RECOVERY.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LADSC, WHICH IS LOUISIANA DRUG AND SPECIALTY COURT PROGRAMS TO GET RECOGNIZED AS A SPECIALTY COURT.

THE REASON THEY'RE NOT IS BECAUSE WE ARE A DIVERSION COURT, AND FOR THEM, YOU HAVE TO BE FOUND GUILTY AND THEN GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

OUR PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN FOUND GUILTY.

THEY'RE IDENTIFIED RIGHT AFTER THEY GET BOOKED, THEY MEET WITH OUR SOCIAL WORKERS.

THEY DO FULL ASSESSMENTS ON THEM.

THEY GET RECOGNIZED, LIKE I SAID, PULL ASSESSMENT BY OUR SOCIAL WORKER, WE HAVE A DEDICATED DISTRICT ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WE HAVE A DEDICATED ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER, AND A DEDICATED JUDGE THAT RUNS US.

EVERYBODY WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THIS PERSON IS A GOOD FIT FOR IT.

ONCE THEY ARE, THEY'RE RELEASED, THE JUDGE CHANGES THEIR BOND TO A SIGN-OUT.

THEIR RELEASED GOES STRAIGHT INTO TREATMENT.

WHERE THEY'RE FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY OUR CASE MANAGER AND OUR RESOURCE COORDINATOR AND THEN WE FOLLOW THEY'RE TYPICALLY IN OUR PROGRAM SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR DEPENDING ON HOW THEY DO.

THIS IS DRUG AND ALCOHOL, TYPICALLY OPIOIDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF FAILURE THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THAT.

WE SEE PEOPLE COME FAIL, AND WE DON'T KICK THEM OUT RIGHT AWAY.

WE WORK WITH THEM IF THEY ARE COUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND THEY WANT TO GET BETTER, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM.

ONCE A MONTH, THEY ALL MEET AT OVER THE 19 JDC IN FRONT OF JUDGE JOHNSON.

WE GRADUATE PEOPLE, EVERYBODY ELSE WHO ISN'T GRADUATING, GIVE A FULL REPORT ON HOW THEY'RE DOING, AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD BONDING MOMENT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE COURT.

I INVITE ALL OF YOU. I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO SEE SOME OF OUR PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM GRADUATIONS.

I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME. WE HAVE ONE THIS FRIDAY AT 9:30.

>> THANK YOU, CHRIS. THE ONLY OTHER GROUP THAT I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH WAS ECO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE FROM THEM. THAT'S OKAY.

>> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, DARRYL BLACHER.

MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

MISS BELL CALLED EARLIER TO SAY THAT SHE WASN'T FEELING WELL AND MOST PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT WOULD TRY TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE, SO IS A REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT? WELL, IF I COULD JUST SAY THAT, AND THAT WILL HELP TIE INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ANSWERED ABOUT ELIGIBILITY OF THESE PROJECTS, ECO IS OR ECO IS A TREATMENT AND RECOVERY FACILITY, AND THEY OPERATE A SOBER HOUSE.

SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS OR SO AS A LICENSED COUNSELOR, ALONG WITH DR. MIMMS IN TERMS OF BEING A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL AS WELL.

WE HAVE A BIBLE SPEAK, IF YOU WILL, THAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE TASK FORCE THAT OVERSEES AND ADMINISTERS THESE FUNDS STATEWIDE.

ONCE ENTITIES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION OF THEIR WORK, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET ONE OF THESE ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES, FOR INSTANCE, TREAT OPIOID USE DISORDER, SUPPORT PEOPLE IN TREATMENT, CONNECT PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP TO HELP.

ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE,

[01:55:01]

ONCE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT VETS THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THEN CSRS, WHO IS OUR GRANT MANAGEMENT AGENCY UNTIL DECEMBER VETS THE ACTUAL PROPOSALS TO ENSURE, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE POSITIONS TIED TO THESE PROGRAMS ARE FITTING THE NEEDS OF THESE PARTICULAR CATEGORIES IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSES IN WHICH THIS MONEY IS INTENDED.

>> AWESOME. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> COUNCILMAN COLLMAN.

>> THANK YOU. HOLD UP, DYKE.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ECO.

I DIDN'T SEE A BUDGET AND I DON'T SEE THEM LISTED.

>> I MAY BE OVERLOOKING.

>> I CAN. WELL, IT MAY HAVE BEEN SENT OUT THIS MORNING, BUT IF NOT, I'LL SEND IT TO YOU, BUT IT'S 1485.

IT'S FOR THE BUDGET THAT THEY DID SUBMIT.

>> IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF THE MAYORS. GOOD STUFF.

JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS IN ORDER THAT WE CAN MOVE ON UP THE ROAD.

YES, THIS IS VALUABLE STUFF.

AND TO BE SPECIFIC, HERE IS GOING TO BE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

I HEARD THE WORD SAY, YOU NEED A FAVOR NO FAVORS HERE.

NO. I CAN REFLECT NO FAVOR.

THAT'S. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, AND SO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR COME BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO KNOW AND COMMIT TO HAVING ALL OF THESE ENTITIES COMING BACK BEFORE US WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME TO REPORT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SERVED, AND THEN, AS WAS SAID EARLIER, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLK ARE OUT THERE WITH THESE ISSUES, BUT WITH ALL OF THIS MONEY, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME HELP SOME REAL HELP THAT'S BEING MADE OUT HERE.

I JUST WANT TO COMMITMENT.

SAYING THAT WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT ALL OF THEM WILL COME BACK AND REPORT OUT TO US EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, WHAT THEY'VE SPENT, HOW MANY LIVES THEY'VE TOUCHED, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, ETC.

>> I'LL DO YOU BETTER. YOU CAN SET THE TIME FRAME.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE TREATING IT AS OUR CFO PART 200 FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH CDBG.

OPIOIDS WILL HAVE A TAB ENABLING. IT'S TRANSPARENT.

IT'S A PROCESS, NO DIFFERENT THAN YOU'VE SEEN THE FOUR OR 540 SOME PEOPLE WE HAD COME IN FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, THIS PROCESS WILL BE THE EXACT SAME.

YOU SAID THE DATE WILL BE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR.

>> DONE AND DONE.

>> A SECOND.

>> YES, SIR.

>> I MAY JUMP IN ONE LAST THING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SOON SEEING SOME BILLBOARDS, ONE PILL KILLS.

THE MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND SOME OTHER SIGNAGE FOR THIS MONEY.

HE'S PULLING ME LIKE, I'M ON APOLLO. THANK YOU.

>> YOU GOT TO KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS DONE?

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HURST, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU MAYORS FOR BEING HERE.

ITEM 114, AUTHORIZE THE INCREASE TO

[114. 25-00863 ]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NO, GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY CONCWMAN HARRIS, SECOND BY CONCILMAN HUDSON, A OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, ITEM 115,

[115. 25-00867 ]

[02:00:01]

ITEM 116, AUTHORIZING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH

[116. 25-00865]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECOND BY COUNSELMAN COLEMAN, ANY THE OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 117,

[117. 25-00869]

WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOK, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 118 AND 119 TOGETHER.

NO, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SEPARATE. WE'LL SEPARATE.

[118. 25-00871]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MAYOR ZACHARY ALREADY LEFT, SO IT'S TOO BAD. THEN WE GO TO COUNSEL.

WE HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY THE CHAIR.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[119. 25-00872 ]

FUNDING FOR THE SIGNAL MAINTENANCE SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE AGREEMENT BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE GO TO COUNSEL.

>> I'M GOING TO RAISE AN OBJECTION TO THIS ITEM AND SUGGEST TO COUNSEL WE VOTE THIS ITEM DOWN.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODE A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, TO DELETE THE ITEM.

IS THAT APPROPRIATE.

>> COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

>> FRED, THE RATE THAT WE APPROVED A MINUTE AGO WAS ZACHARY LOOKED PRETTY GOOD. WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?

>> WELL, IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T LOOK VERY WELL, AND I WILL JUST SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RATES FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL MAINTENANCE WITH US AND DOTD FOR MANY YEARS.

I KNOW COUNCILMAN GODE CALLED AND ASKED ME ABOUT THE ISSUE.

CERTAINLY WITH THE NEW SECRETARY COMING IN AND THE NEW GOVERNOR THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, I WAS TRYING TO GET HAVE A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH HIM TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT, BUT WE ARE MEETING THURSDAY TO DISCUSS BECAUSE I TOLD HIM THAT THIS NUMBER NEEDS TO CHANGE AND IT NEEDS TO GO UP.

I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GET CAUGHT BLINDSIDED BY THE FACT WHAT WAS TAKEN COULD BE TAKING PLACE.

CERTAINLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT THE MONEY TO WHERE WE WERE NEEDED TO BE.

HE INDICATED TO ME THAT EVEN AS I TALKED TO HIM TODAY, THAT HE WAS GOING TO LOOK AT GETTING WITH THE GOVERNOR, AND I TOLD HIM WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE.

HE SAYS, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET EVERYTHING AT THAT POINT, BUT I THINK I CAN MAYBE GET SOMEWHERE LIKE HALFWAY.

I SAID, WELL, THAT'S BETTER THAN WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN TELLING ME FOR YEARS.

THERE AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN GODE'S REQUEST.

MY ONLY CONCERN IS GUYS IS THAT RIGHT NOW, DOTD DOESN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER OR THE STAFFING AVAILABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO REALLY SUFFER ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING ON THE ROADWAYS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE TODAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITIES.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE WAYS TO MONITOR THE TRAFFIC.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITIES OR MAKING THE REPAIRS THAT WE DO.

WHILE I KNOW THAT THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MONEY, I DON'T DISAGREE.

WE MAY COME BACK LATER AND SAY, WE CAN'T GET THERE, AND I MAY CONCUR WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.

BUT AT THIS POINT IN ALL FAIRNESS, I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST FOR US TO BE TO DO THE CONTRACT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE PEOPLE TO SUFFER BASED ON THE FACT, WE JUST SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE MBR TO BE ABLE TO DO THE COMMUNICATION PART AND ALSO THE CONSTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH THAT.

I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE CONTRACT, AND THEN LET US HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT TOOK PLACE.

IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.

EVEN AS THE SECRETARY WHEN I CHATTED WHEN HE SAYS, HE SAID, WELL, WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? THAT'S WHAT HE ASKED.

[02:05:03]

TO ME, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO DO EVERYTHING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK IS FOR OUR PARISH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT ALSO PUSH HARD FOR US TO GET ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT, FRED. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN GODE ON THE ISSUE.

MY HOPE IS THAT WE DON'T APPROVE THIS TONIGHT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GO AND GIVE THAT MESSAGE TO THEM AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT WITH TRAFFIC SIGNALS, I THINK YOU SHOULD DO IT WITH THE ROAD TRANSFER PROGRAM AS WELL BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE DOLLARS ARE THERE FOR THAT PROGRAM EITHER.

IT'S TIME THAT THE STATE STOP USING THE PARISHES AS THE PIGGY BANK.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE BECOME IS WE'RE DOING THE WORK AT A DISCOUNTED RATE THAT IT'S UNTENABLE.

AT SOME POINT, IT BECOMES TOO COSTLY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO TAKE THE BRUNT THERE, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COUNSEL. THANK YOU, FRED.

FRED, I WOULD BRING A COPY OF THIS AGENDA AND SHOWING THOSE TWO ITEMS NEXT TO EACH OTHER, JUST FOR THE DISPARITY FOR OPTICS.

I UNDERSTAND DISCOUNT PRICING IS A THING.

>> BUT THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF SIGNALS, BUT STILL IT STILL WARRANTS AN INCREASE AND I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THE COUNCILMAN POSITION.

I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THE REPERCUSSION COULD BE AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WATCHING THIS AND IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN WE'RE GOING TO STOP MAINTAINING SIGNALS.

THEN I PROMISE YOU STARTING THE NEXT MORNING, WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING CALLS, WHO'S DOING THIS, WHY.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, AND ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS TRY TO PREVENT THAT UNTIL WE CAN FIND.

I'LL COME BACK.

IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S PROGRESS BEING MADE, I WILL MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO ALL, TO THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING OUR OWN RESIDENTS TO PAY THE PRICE FOR NOT PROVIDING THE SERVICE, WHICH WE JUST SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON UPGRADING.

AND THEN NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE DON'T WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO.

THAT WAS MY CONCERN.

>> THANK YOU, FRED. COUNCILMAN GODE.

>> LET ME CLARIFY, FRED REAL QUICK BECAUSE WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS LEADING UP TO TODAY AND I THOUGHT WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU'RE ASKING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONTRACT THIS EVENING, CORRECT?

>> YES, SIR. I AM ONLY THINKING ABOUT, AS I SAID, I THINK THE ONLY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REALLY PAY THE PRICE OF THE PUBLIC.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY FROM THE WAY WE ARE AT THIS POINT WITH THE MBR PROGRAM.

THAT'S JUST MY FEELING.

BUT ALSO I FEEL LIKE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE SECRETARY BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET AND BRING THIS TO HIM AND SHOW HIM AND WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO THAT.

BUT WHEN I CHATTED WITH HIM TODAY, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO VISIT WITH THE GOVERNOR TODAY TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> THEN MAYBE I'LL DO THIS AS A MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

ABOUT A TWO WEEK DEFERRAL THAT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE YOUR MEETING AND THEN COME BACK ON THIS VERY ITEM AND LET US KNOW THE RESULTS OF THAT.

I STILL WANT TO COMMUNICATE A MESSAGE THAT WHEN A RATE HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED IN 20 PLUS YEARS AND DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND EQUIPMENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

I WANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT MESSAGE AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR OPD AND THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND OUR NEED AS A STATE TO FOCUS MORE ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

BUT AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE, I DON'T WANT TO MISCOMMUNICATE THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE.

>> WE DON'T EITHER, COUNCILMAN, AND THAT DATA HAS ALREADY BEEN RELAYED TO THE SECRETARY.

FROM MY RESPONSE WITH HIM, I THOUGHT WAS VERY POSITIVE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

I'M GOING TO GET IN FULL DISCUSSION WITH HIM TOMORROW ABOUT THAT AT 11:00 ABOUT THIS AND ALSO THE ROAD TRANSFERS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD OUR ISSUES WITH.

HE SAID, COME ON, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO BE RESOLVED.

>> THEN I'M GOING TO SAY A DEFERRAL FOR TWO WEEKS.

>> THAT'S THAT'S A FAIR SITUATION.

I JUST WILL TELL YOU THAT DOTD NEVER DOES ANYTHING IN A HURRY.

WE GET WE GET CRITICIZED OF THAT TOO, BUT I MEAN ALSO THE FACT THAT ONE OF MY ISSUES IS THAT THE FACT THAT THE REQUEST THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND SOME MONEY, WHICH I THINK CAPITAL A THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DO THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO IT,

[02:10:03]

>> THANK YOU, FRED. THANK YOU, SIR.

I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS.

>> COUNCILMAN DUNN JUNIOR.

>> NO, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO.

I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN GODE.

I DO THINK YOU MISCOMMUNICATE IF WE MOVE FORWARD AND APPROVE IT WITHOUT SOME DELAY.

I THINK THAT'S A HEALTHY MEDIUM TO PAUSE, DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.

YOU COMMUNICATE THAT MESSAGE, OUR CONCERNS THAT THE RATE, AS YOU KNOW, HADN'T BEEN INCREASED IN A WHILE, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT'S BEING OFFERED.

>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T ASKED.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT.

NOT ONLY IS THIS A PROBLEM.

WE ALSO HAVE THE GRASS CUTTING ISSUES, WHICH IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH DOTD, WHICH I AM GOING TO RELAY THAT OFF INFORMATION TO HIM AND PROVIDE HIM AS MUCH DATA AS WE CAN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO SAY, WELL, NOBODY TOLD ME.

I TOLD HIM, I MEETING WITH THEM.

I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES WITH THEM.

THEN IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S A POSITIVE APPROACH, YOU'LL SEE ME COME BACK TO AS YOU SAY, I CONCUR WITH THAT.

>> THANK YOU, FRED. WE'LL GET YOU A FULL LIST OF STATE ISSUES.

WE WANT YOU TO DISCUSS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODE, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN TO DEFER THAT ITEM FOR TWO WEEKS.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 120, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT DA EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR WITH

[120. 25-00873]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION, MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURSTON ANY OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 121, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 1,

[121. 25-00876]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAM, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 122,

[122. 25-00877 ]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE GO TO COUNCIL.

WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCIL MCKINNEY.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 123.

[123. 25-00886]

FORCE MAIN UPGRADE AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $275,000 BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING, NO ONE, WE GO TO COUNCIL.

WE HAVE A MOTION, MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST, ANY OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

AMEND ITEM 124,

[124. 25-00904]

SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 14, 2025 AND NEW CLASSIFICATION, ADD NEW CLASSIFICATION, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, UNCLASSIFIED BY MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORS.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

SEEING, NO ONE, GO TO COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS.

>> WOULD SOMEONE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION LIKE TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS?

>> GUYS. MY NAME IS PENNY.

THIS POSITION, THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER POSITION.

ERIC NOTIFIED US. ERIC IS OUR DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES.

HE NOTIFIED US THAT HE'S RETIRING, AND WE LOOKED AT THE POSITION AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

[02:15:01]

THIS POSITION WOULD PLAN TO DO A S FOR THE POSITION.

THE POSITION WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR EMPHASIS ON AI AND ALSO CYBERSECURITY.

AND SO WE PLAN TO ELIMINATE THE POSITION ONCE ERIC RETIRES AND HAVE THIS POSITION TAKE OVER THE POSITION THAT ERIC HAS.

WE'RE NOT GROWING GOVERNMENT, IF YOU WILL, THE POSITION IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A NEGATIVE ONE.

WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY DELETE TWO POSITIONS AND HAVE ONE POSITION IN PLACE OF THIS ONE FOR THAT OFFICE.

>> LOOKING AT THE AGENDA TONIGHT, YOU'LL HAVE A COUPLE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING.

>> YES.

>> JUST A HOLISTIC QUESTION.

ARE THESE BUDGET NEUTRAL? ARE THESE GROWING THE BUDGET OR THESE WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR THE BUDGET, MOVING FORWARD.

>> IF I CAN TALK ABOUT THE OTHER POSITIONS, WE HAVE OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE ALSO ON THE AGENDA.

ONE POSITION, IT'S GOING TO BE A SAVINGS ACTUALLY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IF I HAVE A PERMISSION, TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ONES.

ONE IS A CHIEF EFFICIENCY OFFICER.

THAT POSITION WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF TWO THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A SAVINGS, A GENERAL FUND SAVINGS OF $12,650.

THE OTHER POSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE FUNDED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE BOTTOM LINE AS FAR AS THE GROWTH IN GOVERNMENT, WE'RE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS.

WHEN YOU SEE OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE ADDED THOSE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO ALSO BE CORRESPONDING WITH OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE A DECREASE IN THE BOTTOM LINE.

AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GROWING AND A LOT OF THE POSITIONS.

YOU LOOK AT THE CHIEF EFFICIENCY OFFICER, THE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER, AND THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, YOU WILL SEE THAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE REALLY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PART OF THE TRANSITION REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED, AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS IMPLEMENT A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD NOW, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PREVENTION, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL VOTED ON EARLIER, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

THE SAME THING WITH THE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER POSITION.

THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WENT FORWARD WITH THAT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS NOW.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

>> MONIQUE.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> YOU WERE SPEAKING SO QUICKLY AND I LOST TRACK OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.

WITH ERIC POSITION, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE BECAUSE HE'S RETIRED, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DELETE A POSITION.

SO YOU'RE TAKING TWO POSITIONS?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> INTERESTING ENOUGH AND SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS, THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED WITH US BEING ABLE TO WHAT YOU CALL DOUBLE ENCUMBER POSITION FOR ONLY TWO WEEKS, AND SO WITH THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THAT ERIC HAS, WE WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE FOR TWO WEEKS.

THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ELIMINATING WHEN ERIC RETIRES, WOULD BE THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

THERE WAS ANOTHER POSITION, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION.

WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT.

NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. YES MA'AM.

>> IS THERE AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CURRENTLY IN THIS POSITION?

>> NO MA'AM. THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THAT ARE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.

ONE IS FILLED AND THE OTHER IS NOT FILLED.

>> OKAY. THE OTHER ONE WAS JUST WHAT ERIC AND I HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT ERIC HAD INTENDED TO DO WAS LOOK AT CYBERSECURITY, THAT POSITION FULFILLING, THAT CYBERSECURITY PIECE THAT HE LOOKED AT WANTING TO TRY AND DO.

AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT CIO WOULD HAVE EXPERTISE NOT ONLY IN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS, BUT ALSO CYBERSECURITY AS WELL AS AI.

>> OKAY. ONE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL REMAIN?

>> YES, MA'AM. WE WILL BE ELIMINATED.

>> WILL BE ELIMINATED COMBINED WITH THE CIA.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> OKAY THANKS.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> ANYBODY ELSE? WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURD, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

ITEM 126, AMEND THE 2025

[126. 25-00906]

PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE AUGUST 14TH, 2025.

ADD NEW CLASSIFICATION, CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER UNCLASSIFIED, CHIEF EFFICIENCY OFFICER UNCLASSIFIED, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH, UNCLASSIFIED.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION ADMINISTRATOR UNCLASSIFIED.

TITLE CHANGE FROM ASSISTANT URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR UNCLASSIFIED TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

[02:20:04]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

>> MAYOR, POINT ORDER, DID WE MISSED 125?

>> I APOLOGIZE. I DID.

SORRY. I'LL GO BACK TO IT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO 126. WE'LL GO BACK TO 125. THANK YOU.

SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURRY, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. NOW WE'LL DO 125. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MCKINNEY.

[125. 25-00905]

>> MAYOR PRO TEM?

>> YES.

>> I OPPOSE.

>> ONE OPPOSITION?

>> YES.

>> ANYBODY ELSE? ON 126, COUNCILWOMAN? ANY OTHER OPPOSITION? WE'RE GOOD?

>> THANK YOU.

>> HEY, I WANT TO TAKE A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE BECAUSE KELLY, WHERE ARE YOU MANAGED, DO YOU? TWENTY SIX. I JUST WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW, VERSUS WHAT IT HAS IN THE LAST 18 YEARS.

>> YEAH. THE FIRST THING IS WE MADE TIMELINESS.

I WISH I WOULD HAVE CUT ALL MY STAFF HERE.

CDBG RECOGNIZES HOW EFFICIENTLY AND HOW FAST YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY IN YOUR MOST CRITICAL AREA.

ON PAPER, FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS, I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO 12 OR 13, WE MADE TIMELINESS.

DEFINITELY NOT ME. I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH TO HELP WITH THAT. IT WAS A TEAM.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS CONSOLIDATING ALL FEDERAL GRANTS IN CITY HALL AT ONE POINT OF ENTRY, WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS IN DC AND THE DELEGATION.

WE'VE FREED UP MILLIONS, HAVE MILLIONS MORE, AS WE ALL KNOW ST. GEORGE IS A REAL THING.

THRIVE IS A REAL THING.

THE DEFICIT IS A REAL THING.

THE OTHER PIECE YOU LOOK AT, 22, 23, 24, AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SEPARATION BETWEEN OUR CORE PROGRAMS AND OUR FEDERAL EXTERNAL FACING PROGRAMS. THEN I THINK JUST FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, IT MAKES SENSE THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HEAD START, YOU LOOK AT OSS, YOU LOOK AT BRIAN WHITE, YOU LOOK AT CDBG, YOU LOOK AT BLIGHT AND HOME REHAB AND ALL OF OUR LOAD OF MODERATE INCOME DEVELOPMENTS, IT SHOULD BE ONE THING.

IT SHOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

THE COMPLIANCE PIECE, AND OF COURSE, DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN BATON ROUGE IS THE ABSOLUTE AIM.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

>> ITEM 125. I'M IN THE 2025 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.

I HAVE TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES EFFECTIVE AUGUST 14TH, 2016.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> MY NAME IS UP THERE.

I ASK TO SPEAK.

>> OH, I'M SORRY.

>> IT'S THE SECOND TIME NOW.

>> WAIT ON 126 OR 125.

>> I WANTED TO SPEAK ON 126.

>> YOU SAID YOU WERE IN OPPOSITION.

>> I WAS [OVERLAPPING]

>> GO AHEAD.

>> LET'S SEE WHO I CAN CALL MONIQUE.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, COUNCILMAN MARK? WHAT DID YOU SAY?

>> I SAID YOU GET USED TO NOT BEING CALLED ON.

I DID IT TO ME ALL THE TIME. IT'S ALL GOOD.

>> MONIQUE.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> YESTERDAY A MEETING WAS HELD.

>> YES.

>> LIKE ALWAYS, YOU GUYS WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO DO SO TO LET FOLKS KNOW BY COMING TO A MEETING.

I SHARED WITH COURTNEY THAT I COULD NOT ATTEND THE MEETING BECAUSE I HAD A PREVIOUS MEETING SCHEDULED 4 O'CLOCK.

SHE SAID, WELL, COULD YOU MAKE IT AT 5:00, SAID I WOULD TRY TEXTER TO I WAS AVAILABLE AFTER 5:00, NEVER HEARD BACK.

MY QUESTION, MY REASON FOR BEING IN OPPOSITION OF THIS IS BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

IT CAME ACROSS OUR LAST COUNCIL MEANING AS AN INTRODUCTION, BUT YOU GUYS WAITED PROBABLY 24 HOURS BEFORE YOU CALLED IN ASKS US TO COME AND MEET ABOUT THIS.

AND I KNOW IT'S STRATEGY, BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

WAIT, I KNOW YOU ARE YOU UP HERE RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT IF YOU WANT US TO SUPPORT AND BE ON THE SAME TEAM WITH YOU BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE AGREED, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO AS A COUNCIL IN A MAYOR'S OFFICE IS WORK TOGETHER, BUT LAST MINUTE MEETING AS AS IMPORTANT AS THIS ITEM IS, I THINK IT WAS THE WRONG WAY TO GO WITH THIS, BUT WHAT'S THE RUSH WHAT IS THE RUSSIAN DOING THIS? I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IT IS THE BUDGET AND YOU'RE SAVING MONEY AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.

I DON'T DOUBT THAT YOU ARE NOT, BUT WHAT IS THE RUSH FOR GETTING THIS DONE SO QUICKLY? I'M QUITE SURE BEFORE IT EVEN CAME TO COUNCIL,

[02:25:02]

WHY NOT GET AHEAD OF IT? BRING US IN THE RIGHT WAY, BRING US TO THE TABLE AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION SO WE CAN ALL PRETTY MUCH BE ON THE SAME PAGE, BECAUSE I'M NOT ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE AGAIN, CALLED TWO 3 O'CLOCK ON YESTERDAY AND YOU HAVE A 4 O'CLOCK MEETING.

THAT WASN'T RIGHT. TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS RIGHT HERE.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> I WOULD ASK COULD YOU DEFER THIS FOR TWO WEEKS? IS THAT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH? BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU AND WHOEVER ELSE WAS IN THE MEETING, AND I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR TO DO SO BECAUSE YOU GUYS WERE SO LATE IN CONTACTING US TO MEET WITH YOU ON YESTERDAY.

I ASK COULD YOU DEFER THIS FOR TWO WEEKS?

>> I WOULD ASK FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY.

>> WHY IS THAT? WHY CAN A DECISION TODAY?

>> YES, MA'AM. SOME OF YOUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES REACHED OUT TO US AND WE HAD DISCUSSIONS.

>> SOME OF THEM?

>> WELL, YES, MA'AM.

>> I WASN'T ONE OF THOSE.

>> PRIOR TO YESTERDAY, SOME OF THE COUNCIL OR ONE IN PARTICULAR, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MORE THAN ONE.

WE DIDN'T CALL THE MEETING.

THEY REACHED OUT.

WE HAD DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SITTING OUT THERE, AS YOU MENTIONED PRIOR TO YESTERDAY.

>> LET ME STOP YOU FOR A SECOND.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT I'M FOLLOWING YOU.

YOU SAID SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> CONTACTED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> YOU SAID SOME AND THEN YOU WENT BACK TO ONE IN PARTICULAR.

YOU SAID SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> THEN YOU CHANGED THAT TO ONE IN PARTICULAR. AM I CORRECT?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> I WILL SAY THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS.

THEY REACHED OUT AFTER LOOKING AT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY INTRODUCED.

THEY REACHED OUT. WE HAD DISCUSSIONS.

IT WAS TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE INSTANCES WHERE THEY WANTED DETAILS, AND WE TALKED.

THE MEETING YESTERDAY IN MY OPINION, WAS A REACTION TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE, AND I THOUGHT WE WERE BEING PROACTIVE SAYING, HEY, WELL, LET US SIT DOWN AND LET US HAVE A DISCUSSION, AND SO IF YOU ALL WERE AVAILABLE, WE WERE WILLING TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, KNOWING HOW LONG IT HAD ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED.

AGAIN, YOUR COLLEAGUES, SOME I'LL SAY SOME OR AT LEAST TWO OF THE OTHER COLLEAGUES REACHED OUT AND HAD QUESTIONS.

I RECEIVED DIRECT EMAILS REGARDING THAT.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> LET ME STOP YOU FOR JUST A SECOND.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I SAID IN MY OPENING STATEMENT.

MY COLLEAGUES HAD TO REACH OUT TO YOU GUYS.

YOU PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.

THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO, THE RIGHT THING TO DO WAS TO REACH OUT TO US AND ASK FOR OUR MEETING.

>> YES, MA'AM, AND IN THE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS, IT CUTS BOTH WAYS IN MY OPINION.

>> YOUR OPINION.

>> YES MA'AM.

>> GUESS WHAT YOU GUYS PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA WHAT I'M SAYING PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.

>> YES MA'AM.

>> YOU DID, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO US.

>> YES, MA'AM. I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH MY SENTENCE.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS I HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE REACHED OUT.

WHEN I SAY CUTS BOTH WAYS. [OVERLAPPING]

>> YOU ALL THE COUNCIL.

WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS THAT YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY IN SOME INSTANCES, YOU ALL HAVE REACHED OUT FOR ASSISTANCE.

WE RESPOND TO THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE CALLED.

WHEN I SEE CUTS BOTH WAYS, I'M NOT JUST SPEAKING TO THE THINGS ON THE AGENDA.

I'M REFERRING TO YOU ALL CALL WE RESPOND. WE ANSWER.

>> CAN YOU SAY WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

>> YES, MA'AM. I'M SAYING AS A STAFFER.

>> OKAY.

>> I'M SAYING THAT WE RESPOND WHEN YOU ALL REACH OUT FOR ASSISTANCE.

I'M SAYING THAT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU ALL.

>> THIS IS A PATTERN FOR YOU GUYS.

>> I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PATTERN.

>> IT'S ALWAYS LAST MINUTE, ALWAYS, LAST MINUTE, ALWAYS, ALWAYS. IT'S STRATEGY.

>> I DON'T DO THAT INTENTIONALLY.

>> I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO SAY TO AGREE WITH ME.

>> THIS WAS OUR STRATEGY?

>> YES. IT WAS, MONIQUE.

LAST MINUTE, I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS ON THE AGENDA TWO WEEKS AGO.

THE PROPER THING TO DO WAS TO CONTACT US AND SAY, LET'S MET TO DISCUSS.

ARE YOU SPEARHEADING THIS?

>> WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU.

>> ARE YOU SPEARHEADING?

>> I'M SPEAKING REGARDING IT RIGHT NOW.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THE MEETING YESTERDAY WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER DISCUSSIONS AND IT WAS SUGGESTED, SHOULD WE MEET? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS THE IMPETUS OF THAT DISCUSSION.

[02:30:04]

>> OKAY, SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

>> YES.

>> IF MY COLLEAGUES HADN'T REACHED OUT TO YOU, WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A MEETING?

>> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW. THANK YOU.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> I'M DONE.

>> GALVA MCGINNCK.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A VERY UPHILL ABOUT THE NEXT 60 DAYS.

THRIVE. I THINK FOR THIS, THE MAYOR HAS TO FULL AUTONOMY TO CONSTRUCT HIS TEAM, PUT THE TEAM TOGETHER.

THE THING I'M JUST SCARED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THRIVE COMING IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, IS JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THIS.

I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THESE TYPE OF ROLES.

I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES MAY HAVE IS JUST MAKING THE RAW MESS NOT GETTING OUT THERE SAYING WE'RE CREATING ROLES. YOU JUST EXPLAINED IT.

DELETING ROLES TO CREATE ROLES.

BUT IT'S JUST MAKING SURE AS A COUNCIL AND THE MAYORAL OFFICE, WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, WE DON'T NEED TO BE DISJOINTED HEADING TOWARDS NOVEMBER.

I DO THINK IF SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

I DO THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DEFERRAL OPENS THE DOOR FOR CONVERSATIONS.

I KNOW LAST YESTERDAY WAS SOME PEOPLE FELT LIKE IT WAS LAST MINUTE.

BUT I DO THINK TO MAKE SURE WE CAN FORGE AHEAD TOGETHER ON THIS.

I THINK A TWO WEEK GIVES EVERYBODY ENOUGH TIME BECAUSE I KNOW ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YESTERDAY.

BUT I DO THINK THAT SAYING TWO WEEKS IS NOT SAYING CUT THIS COMPLETELY.

BUT IF COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, DO WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH ANY QUESTIONS, I THINK TWO WEEKS AND GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS ON THE PAGE BEFORE WE CAST A VOTE.

>> MAY I RESPOND.

ONE OF THE THINGS I FORGOT TO MENTION TO COUNCIL LADY HARRIS.

YOU ASKED WHAT THE RUSH WAS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DROVE THIS WAS THE DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE.

ONE OF THE AREAS WAS VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND THAT STARTED THAT PATH.

THAT WAS ONE OF ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS, WE HAVE THE POT OF MONEY, MOVING THAT PROGRAM PART, A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS, I THINK OVER $400,000 IS THERE.

THERE WERE ALSO THINGS DEALING WITH THE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER POSITION AS WELL.

THOSE WERE SOME OF THE THINGS AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDED TO TAKE PLACE, BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE RUSH WAS, AND WHY DIDN'T WE JUST WAIT TILL EVERYTHING HAPPENED WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE BUDGET? WE HAVE THE DOLLARS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES AND THE COORDINATION OF THAT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S SEVERAL, BUT I DON'T SPEAK.

>> CAN I SPEAK? I'M SORRY.

>> SHE HAVE MY TIME.

>> MAYOR, I SEE YOU STANDING THERE.

I CAN ASK YOU IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT, PLEASE DO, SIR.

BUT I'M ASKING, CAN WE DEFER THIS FOR TWO WEEKS?

>> THAT ULTIMATELY IS UP TO YOU ALL.

I NEED TO ASK MIKE, AM I CORRECT THAT THIS INFORMATION ON THIS POSITIONS, WAS THIS EMAILED TO OUR COUNSEL? THERE WAS WE CALLED THE MEETING BECAUSE THERE WAS A REQUEST THAT PEOPLE WANTED, HEY, WE HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.

IT WAS ONLY ONE OR MAYBE TWO COUNSEL PEOPLE.

BUT MY WHOLE DEAL WHEN WE DO IT, I SAID I DON'T WANT TO JUST CALL ONE OR TWO.

LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME.

BUT ALL THIS INFORMATION WAS SENT OUT AHEAD OF TIME.

THIS IS IN YOUR HANDS.

MY WHOLE DEAL, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE COUNCILMAN KENNEY, TO THE POINT THAT WE WEREN'T GROWING GOVERNMENT, THAT THIS WAS A SAVINGS, AND I NEED TO GOVERN.

FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, FROM RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR TRANSITION TEAM.

I NEED THIS.

I WOULD RATHER NOT WAIT TWO WEEKS.

I'D RATHER GO AND BE DONE WITH IT IN WHATEVER IT IS IT IS.

THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT RIGHT.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND IN OUR RESPECT TO REQUEST.

BUT EVERYBODY GOT THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR. IT WASN'T LIKE IN A LAST MINUTE EMERGENCY MEETING.

SOMEONE SAID WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, WE'LL COME ON BY TO DO IT RIGHT.

I SAID, I AND I TOLD MY STAFF, WOULD CALL EVERY ONE OF THEM BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO JUST BRING TWO IN AND SOMEONE GET UPSET.

>> MAYOR, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE IN NEED TO GET THIS DONE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU EMAILED THE INFORMATION, BUT EMAILING IS ONE THING, BUT ACTUALLY MEETING AND SITTING AND DIALOGUING AND GETTING INTO THE GRUTS OF IT IS ANOTHER THING.

I COULD NOT ATTEND YOUR MEETING ON YESTERDAY BECAUSE THE TEXT MESSAGE CAME LATE.

I HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO A MEETING.

THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING CAN YOU DEFER THIS FOR TWO WEEKS? I CAN SIT WITH YOU, SIT WITH MONIQUE AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY ON YESTERDAY.

LET ME REPEAT THIS AS WELL.

[02:35:02]

I TEXT HER, SHE NEVER RESPONDED BACK TO ME.

I'M JUST ASKING, CAN YOU DO THAT FOR TWO WEEKS? I'M NOT SAYING IT'S DEAD IN THE WATER IT CAN'T HAPPEN.

I JUST WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

AGAIN, EMAILING IS ONE THING, BUT ACTUALLY SITTING AND DIALOGUING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

>> I'M SORRY. HANG ON, MAYOR.

COUNCILMAN KENNEY, THAT'S YOUR TIME. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS.

>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU ASKED I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT ON MONDAY, NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE JOB POSITIONS BECAUSE I I HAD GOTTEN THE INFORMATION ON THOSE, BUT I REACHED OUT BECAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE OPIOID FUNDING, THE STRATEGY AND AND IT WAS LAST MINUTE.

I WAS LAST MINUTE REVIEWING THE AGENDA.

I WAS REVIEWING ON MONDAY WHEN I REACHED OUT.

THAT WAS ME. THAT'S ON ME.

>> COUNCILMAN HURST.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS THE OTHER ONE, BUT I CALLED KELLY AND SAY, WHO IS THE GROVE, WHO IS THIS, WHO WAS BECAUSE I READ THE AGENDA AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, WHAT IS THIS MONEY GOING TOWARDS OPIOIDS SPECIFICALLY? THEN AS I WAS ON THE ROAD LAST WEEK, I CALLED KELLY AND I SAID, HEY, MAN, TELL ME ABOUT THESE POSITIONS.

ME TO TELL ABOUT THESE POSITIONS.

I HAD TWO DIFFERENT CALLS.

I REACHED OUT TO THEM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS ONE OR TWO, BUT I DID ASK THE QUESTIONS AND I DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY QUESTIONS AND LAURI AND I WERE ON THE SAME PAGE YESTERDAY JUST ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, LIKE WE WERE WITH ANY OTHER OPIOID OR CRIME PREVENTION OR WHATEVER DOLLARS THAT COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL SO.

>> I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH THAT AT ALL.

WE'RE WORKING THERE'S QUESTIONS AND IF WE GET A CALL, WE CALL ALL OF YOU OFTEN AS WELL.

I DON'T SEE NOTHING. IT'S NOT WHO CALLED.

IT'S JUST HAD A COUPLE AND WE'RE GOING TO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTY THAT'S 12 SEATS IF NEEDED. COUNCILMAN MO?

>> YEAH. I THINK THERE WAS TWO DIFFERENT THERE WAS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WERE CALLED IN AND ASKED ABOUT YESTERDAY THAT IF WE COULD MEET FOR.

MY TAKE ON IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS STRICTLY ABOUT THE OPIOID, AND THEN THIS WAS ADDITION TO THE OPIOID THING THAT YOU ALL HAD CALLED US IN FOR.

I BELIEVE IN SEPARATION, WE CAN ALL INTRODUCE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ANYTIME WE WANT, AND YOU SEE IT WHENEVER IT GETS INTRODUCED.

THEN IF I SEE SOMETHING YOU ALL HAVE INTRODUCED OR WHATEVER, IT'S ON MY ONUS TO GIVE YOU A CALL AND TO DISCUSS THE ITEM, MEET WITH YOU ABOUT IT, DISCUSS IT, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I GET THAT SOMETIMES YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

NEW ADMINISTRATION AND EVERYTHING.

THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT, HEY, GIVE US A HEADS UP ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN EVERYTHING.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO INTRODUCING ITEMS AND OFFICES IN THE AREA, IT'S THE SAME THING THE PREVIOUS HAS DONE, AND I'M SURE THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE.

THESE ARE POSITIONS IN THEIR LOCATION IN THEIR OFFICE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE OR REMOVE AND MOVE AROUND.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT ONCE YOU DID GET A CALL FROM A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, INSTEAD OF JUST SPEAKING WITH THOSE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU TRIED TO GET EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH IT AT THAT POINT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.

GRANTED, I GOT TO TEXT AT 2:00 AND THE MEETING WAS AT 5:00.

BUT YOU WAS MEETING WITH THOSE TWO OR TALKING WITH THOSE TWO.

YOU SAID, TO THE WIN, LET'S JUST CALL EVERYBODY AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, I SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM ON SOME COMMUNICATION THINGS THAT COULD REALLY PROBABLY BE WORKED OUT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT.

>> COUNCILMAN DUNN JUNIOR. THANK YOU.

TWO THINGS. MANY OF THE POINTS THAT COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS MADE ARE NOT A NEW CONVERSATION.

EVEN IN THE MEETING WITH YOU GUYS ON YESTERDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT MUCH OF THE CONCERNS YOU BROUGHT UP? THE COMMUNICATION, BEING PROACTIVE, BEING TIMELY, IMPROVING THE CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.

MUCH OF THAT DISCUSSION HAPPENED IN OUR MEETING.

THE REQUEST DID COME IN THE EVENING IN THE PM. I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT.

COUNCILWOMAN COMAN CALLED ME AND SAY, YOU COME IN AT 4:00.

I'M LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? I HAD TO LOOK LOOK AT MY TEXT TO SEE.

I WAS ABLE TO RESPOND.

TYPICALLY NOT ABLE TO RESPOND THAT FAST TO COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS'S POINT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO COME AND WE DISCUSSED MUCH OF WHAT HER CONCERNS WERE.

ITEMS ARE PLACED ON THE AGENDA BY US BY YOU ALL AND EITHER SIDE CAN REACH OUT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.

I DO AGREE WITH THAT.

BUT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, SOMETHING AS MONUMENTAL AS THIS, AND OTHER EXAMPLES,

[02:40:02]

YOU WANT US TO OVERVIEW AND GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK.

WE WANT TO GET THAT CORRESPONDENT COMMUNICATION IN TIMELY MANNER BEFORE A PRESS CONFERENCE, BEFORE A PRESS RELEASE, BEFORE ANYBODY KNOWS, BECAUSE WE GETTING CALLS, PEOPLE ASKING US, AND WE DON'T KNOW.

AGAIN, MUCH OF THIS, AS YOU WOULD AGREE, MONIQUE, WE DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETING.

I'M NOT OPPOSED TO MOVE FORWARD, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO DEFERRING OR WHATEVER.

THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IS, I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT, IF WE WAS TO DEFER IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE RECONSIDERED FIRST BECAUSE THE ITEM WAS PASSED, SO IT'D HAVE TO BE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCILWOMAN ROBIN.

>> FOR THE COUNCIL THAT WAS HERE PREVIOUSLY, WE DIDN'T REALLY MICROMANAGE HOW THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION ASSIGNED THEIR JOBS AND THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THE C-SUITE AND PEOPLE THAT MOVED AROUND.

THERE WAS CONSTANT CHANGES.

PEOPLE WERE MOVED IN ALL DIFFERENT TYPE OF POSITIONS.

FOLKS CAME AND LEFT FREQUENTLY.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SOME GROWING PAINS JUST EARLY GETTING TO KNOW EVERYBODY AND HOW THINGS WORK.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE CARRYING AN ITEM AND YOU'RE BRINGING IT TO THE COUNCIL OR WE'RE ASKING FOR SEVEN VOTES, YOU GOT TO TALK TO EVERYBODY.

YOU GOT TO GET YOUR SEVEN.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION.

BUT JUST PUTTING AN AGENDA ITEM ON HERE AND EXPECTING US TO FALL ON LINE AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT HAVING CONVERSATIONS, IT OPENS UP TO THE RISK OF POTENTIALLY NOT GETTING THOSE SEVEN VOTES.

SURE, YOU HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE ABLE TO MAKE TELEPHONE CALLS AND BE IN MEETINGS.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF SCHEDULE OR SAVING TYPE OF JOBS AS MOST OF US.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RULES.

SOME OF US ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

MY SCHEDULE TYPICALLY FILLS UP JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS 2-3 WEEKS IN ADVANCE, AND IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANYTHING IN BETWEEN THAT AND NEVER IN THE MORNING TIMES.

WE'LL LEARN ALL OF THAT ABOUT ALL OF US MOVING FORWARD.

THE MORE WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, THE MORE WE GET TO WORK TOGETHER.

AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS JUST A SERIOUS GROWING PAIN THAT WE CAN GET PAST, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT COURTESY AND UNDERSTAND BASICALLY HOW THESE THINGS HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST AND MOVING FORWARD.

AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WE DIDN'T MICROMANAGE HOW THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION ASSIGNED POSITIONS.

I'M NOT HERE TO DO THAT WITH YOU GUYS.

HAVING INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT.

BEING ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS IS MORE IMPORTANT.

I JUST I WOULD SUPPORT A DEFERRAL, WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED TO DO, SO WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE.

WE'RE ALL HAPPY MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER AS A COHESIVE UNIT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW WE GET THE MAYOR'S TEAM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, HOW THE COUNCIL MOVES TOGETHER, SO WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED.

I'M HAPPY TO DO. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THESE OPEN CONVERSATIONS AND WE KEEP THE STRONG RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE GOING WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM.

I KNOW THAT HE'S HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS OUT THIS WEEK THAT ARE USUALLY ON TOP OF IT.

THEY'RE KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS, TEXTING US, TRYING TO FIND US TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE MOVE.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE THIS WEEK THAT THOSE TWO VITAL ROLES.

I KNOW MASON BATS.

HE IS THERE WHENEVER WE NEED HIM.

HE'S THERE LETTING US KNOW IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT HE'S CARRYING, WE'RE ALWAYS INFORMED.

JUST MAYBE THIS IS JUST A GROWING PAIN MOVING FORWARD SO LET'S ALL LEAD WITH PATIENCE AND KINDNESS AND SEE HOW WE CAN WORK THIS OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> OKAY.

>> I BELIEVE I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT.

I'VE SHARED SOME OF THESE CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S TEAM, I THINK WITH THE MAYOR HIMSELF AT ONE POINT AND COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID.

ON A LOT OF ITEMS, I WOULD BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU ON OPPOSITION IF I HADN'T RECEIVED THE INFORMATION.

WHEN IT COMES TO THESE ITEMS ON THE MAYOR PICKING AND STRUCTURING HIS TEAM, I GIVE A LOT OF LATITUDE.

MY ONLY QUESTION, WHICH I ASKED OF CHARLIE A FEW WEEKS AGO WAS BUDGETARY.

IS IT INCREASING? HE SATISFIED THAT.

AFTER I WAS REALIZING IT WASN'T GOING TO BE AN INCREASE AND ALL WERE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH TRYING TO MAKE CUTS WHILE DOING THIS AND RESTRUCTURING, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

THAT'S ME PERSONALLY. WHAT I WILL SAY, SPEAKING TO COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS TALKING ABOUT A PATTERN, THIS WAS A PATTERN THAT WE SAW AND IT WAS USED STRATEGICALLY IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

IF ANYBODY WAS PAYING ATTENTION, WHEN THOSE THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN REPEATEDLY,

[02:45:01]

THAT'S WHAT WILL START HAPPENING.

I WOULD IMAGINE HERE, SHOULD COMMUNICATION NOT BE PRIORITIZED EARLY ON MAJOR ITEMS. AGAIN, I THINK FOR ME, ON THESE STRUCTURING YOUR TEAM, HOW YOU NEED TO DO IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO STAND IN THE WAY OF THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S NOT INCREASING BUDGETARILY.

I THINK YOU'RE WELL WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS TO DO SO BUT ON THE MAJOR ITEMS THAT WE SEE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DICTATE EXACTLY WHAT RISES TO THAT LEVEL.

I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY FIGURE THAT OUT AND FEEL EACH OTHER OUT IN YOU'LL KNOW GOING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT, WHEN ONE REACHES THAT LEVEL AND THERE HASN'T BEEN SUFFICIENT DISCUSSION, YOU'LL KNOW.

I FEEL CONFIDENT. I THINK THIS IS HEALTHY.

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON THIS COUNCIL WHEN COMMUNICATION IS NOT PRIORITIZED.

COUNCILWOMAN, I KNOW IS ALREADY STATED, BUT THE ITEM WAS VOTED ON, IF YOU WANT TO RECONSIDER, I WILL BE HAPPY TO HEAR THE MOTION ON THAT.

COUNCIL MCKINNEY, I THINK YOU ALREADY SPOKE TWICE ON THIS ITEM.

I'M PRETTY SURE. JUST ONE.

OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. LOOK, I'M I'M WRONG ON EVERYTHING TONIGHT.

>> COUNSEL, I'M GOING TO DEFER MY TIME TO COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

>> MAYOR. NUMBER ONE, I AM NOT TRYING TO MANAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOUR TEAM, WHAT DO YOU DO? THAT IS NOT MY POINT.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU THAT I FEEL THAT I WAS NOT PRIVILEGED TO THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE I COULD NOT ATTEND THE MEETING ON YESTERDAY.

ALL I WAS ASKING, COULD YOU DEFER? LET ME BE CLEAR TO COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND TO YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.

I DIDN'T ASK WHO CALLED WHO AND WHO THEY WERE THAT CALL.

THAT IS YOUR BUSINESS.

LET ME BE CLEAR.

THAT IS YOUR BUSINESS IF YOU CHOSE TO CALL THEM AND GET AHEAD OF THIS.

I DIDN'T DO THAT.

THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, I WAS NOT A COUNSEL PERSON AT THE TIME.

LET ME BE CLEAR ON THAT.

PLEASE STOP THROWING THAT AROUND LIKE I'M SOME NEW KID ON THE BLOCK OR LIKE I WAS SITTING UP HERE.

I WASN'T UP HERE IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

WHATEVER THEY DID, THAT'S ON THEM.

I'M ADDRESSING MY CONCERNS TO THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT I WAS NOT PRIVILEGED TO THE MEETING BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, AND I'M ONLY ASKING, COULD THEY DEFER THIS ITEM? I'M NOT TRYING TO STAND IN YOUR WAY OF YOU DOING WHAT YOU DO, MAYOR. WE'RE GOOD, UNIQUE.

YOU KNOW HOW WE GET DOWN.

I GOT TO KEEP YOU IN LINE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TENDENCY TO HOP IN OTHER FOLKS LANE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU IN LINE BUT I'M JUST SAYING AND FOR THE RECORD, IF I HAD PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND I NEEDED YOUR SUPPORT, I WOULD HAVE GONE TO YOU.

I WOULD HAVE PICKED UP THE PHONE AND SAY, MAYOR CAN WE HAVE A MEETING.

EVERYBODY COOL THEIR JETS BECAUSE I SEE A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS, COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, YOU MADE YOUR COMMENT AND FOR WHAT REASON I HAVE NO IDEA.

COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SAME GOES FOR YOU AS WELL.

EVERYBODY'S GOOD.

I'M JUST SAYING.

THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE, AND I JUST WANT TO GET CLARITY.

I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR TEAM, OKAY, SIR? JUST DO SOME CLARIFICATION ON SOME THINGS.

>> YES, MA'AM. LET ME ASK YOU ALL THIS.

I'M THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ROOKIE IN THE ROOM.

SUPPOSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE MET WITH NOBODY YESTERDAY.

WE SENT OUT THE EMAIL.

BASICALLY, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, IF YOU GOT IT AND I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET IT, YOU'D HAVE CAME IN.

YOU'D HAVE SAID THIS IS ON THE BOARD AND ALL WOULD HAVE CALLED EVERY ONE OF US UP HERE ON THE OFFICE TO FIGURE IT OUT THEN THEN VOTE.

THE MEETING WAS A COURTESY.

WE DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING.

I THINK YOU'LL KNOW HOW I ROLE AND WHERE MY HEART IS.

I'M REAL. I DON'T PLAY.

THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS BUT MY DEAL IN A NORMAL SITUATION, WE WOULD HAVE PUT IT UP THERE.

WE SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO EXPLAIN FOR YOU TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

A COUPLE OF COUNSEL HAD MORE QUESTIONS. WE DID IT.

ME GOING OVERBOARD, SAYS, "LET'S INVITE EVERYONE, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE ONE HOUR." I'M A FOOTBALL COACH. I KNOW STRATEGY.

IT WAS NOT STRATEGY.

IT WAS ME GOING OVER TO TRY TO DO IT.

WHY DON'T WE JUST START ALL OVER RIGHT HERE? THERE'S THE DEAL, AND WE CAN EXPLAIN IT

[02:50:01]

THAT'S HOW WE'D HAVE GOTTEN IT ANYWAY.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UP THERE AND WE'D HAVE DISCUSSED IT.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WE COULD JUST DO IT TONIGHT.

THAT WAY, IT WOULD BE DONE.

WHETHER IT GOES MY WAY OR NOT.

>> COUNCILWOMAN COMAN?

>> YES. I DON'T WANT US TO LEAVE OUT OF HERE IN THIS VEIN.

I AM GOING TO ASK THAT THIS BE RECONSIDERED, AND THEN WE VOTE ON THIS ITEM.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO RECONSIDER ITEM 126.

LET'S VOTE ON THE MACHINES ON THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER. ITEM 126.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, ITEM 126.

MOTION FAST. BACK TO 125.

BACK TO 125 AND MY APOLOGIES FOR GETTING ON MY DOOR. ITEM 125.

AMEND THE 2025 ALIGNMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.

AS TO CHANGE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 14, 2025, INFORMATION SERVICES AT CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER UNCLASSIFIED AND DELETE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES AND DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, DELETE IN 2026 WHEN VACATED THROUGH ATTRITION BY MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NO WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 127.

[127. 25-00907 ]

VIOLENCE PREVENTION ADMINISTRATOR UNCLASSIFIED, AND DELETE ASSISTANT URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR UNCLASSIFIED.

PROGRAM SPECIALIST UNCLASSIFIED, AND ONE URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR UNCLASSIFIED BY MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOW, AND GO TO COUNSEL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE.

ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.

APPOINTMENTS. ITEM 128, BOARD OF APPEAL CONCURRING IN THE MAYOR

[128. 25-00989]

THERE'S NOBODY ON THE CURRENT BALLOT.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL NEED A MOTION TO DEFER THE ITEM?

>> MOTION TO DEFER BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE.

>> WE NEED AN ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MEMBERS DESIRE US.

IT COMES THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

>>A MOTION SECOND TO DEFER.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? RACHEL.

>> I MYSELF WAS PERSONALLY NOT NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS THE NEED FOR A REAPPOINTMENT.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT GREG FLORES TO SEE IF HE WANTS TO BE REAPPOINTED TODAY, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT IT.

>> WE'VE SENT LETTERS TO THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

>> THANK YOU. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. I HAVE DEFERRED. ITEM 129.

[129. 25-00990 ]

HE WAS RESIGNING. CURRENT BALLOT IS GERALD KING.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE RECEIVED A LATE APPLICATION FROM DESIREE COLLINS.

HER NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE BALLOT, BUT IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE HER FROM THE FLOOR FOR ONE OF THESE SEATS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.

>> THIS IS WE'RE ONLY ON 129?

>> CORRECT, BUT YOU JUST SAID YOU HAVE GERALD KING FOR BOTH ITEMS.

>> I'LL MAKE THE NOMINATION AND DESIREE IS PRESENT IN THE AUDIENCE. OH, I'M SORRY.

[02:55:03]

>> HANG ON. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE TITLE? SAY NO WE GO TO COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS?

>> ACTUALLY, THESE CANDIDATES HAVEN'T BEEN EVALUATED BY THE COMMITTEE, THE SCORING COMMITTEE.

>> YEAH. WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM.

>> GOT IT, SO WE CAN'T.

>> YOU CAN MAKE THE APPOINTMENT.

>> SUBJECT TO?

>> SUBJECT TO THEIR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

>> COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, YOU GOOD? COUNCILMAN DUNN JUNIOR?

>> I THINK WE HAVE SOMEBODY FOR 129 AND COUNCIL MCKINNEY WAS GOING TO NOMINATE HER FOR THE FLOOR FOR 130. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> TOTALLY FINE. COUNCIL MCKINNEY?

>> TO MAKE 130.

I DON'T DO IT ON DISMAL [INAUDIBLE].

>> COUNSELMAN HUDSON.

>> MY PREFERENCE FOR BOTH OF THESE ITEMS WOULD BE TO DEFER UNTIL WE HEAR BACK FROM THE SCORING COMMITTEE.

I FOUND THAT PROCESS TO BE A GOOD PRACTICE, AND THAT'S JUST MY PREFERENCE.

>> MOTION TO DEFER FOR [INAUDIBLE].

>> ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE SCORING COMMITTEE IS THAT THEY ARE USED TO MEETING IN JANUARY AND GETTING THEM TOGETHER BEFORE JANUARY IS A PROBLEM.

IT'S A UNWIELDY PROCESS TO HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS.

>>IF THAT'S THE CASE.

>> TICKING OUT MY TIME?

>> THE LAST FEW TIMES I'VE ORGANIZED WITH QRC, I'M HAPPY TO ORGANIZE IT AGAIN.

I MISSED IT. IT'S MY FAULT BECAUSE USUALLY I GET AHEAD OF IT AND ORGANIZE IT BECAUSE I'M A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY BECAUSE YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR THAT.

>> I'VE MADE THE MOTION FOR DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.

>> OBJECTS.

>> YOU'RE MAKING A SECOND. COUNCILMAN HURST.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO 129 WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE WAS AN APPLICANT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS A LATE OPTION.

WHAT I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT DOESN'T KNOW IS COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS IS ON THE BAKER CITY COUNCIL.

WE DON'T GO THROUGH THIS SCORING PROCESS BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY BEEN VETTED BY THE PUBLIC TO REPRESENT OUR AREA.

I WOULD ASK THAT WE EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.

OTHER PERSON, I DON'T KNOW WHO GERALD KING IS, BUT I WOULD ASK THAT WE EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY TO A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO THE PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN, THE SAME WAY WE WOULD ASK FOR IT UP HERE ON OUR COUNCIL.

WE DON'T GO TOUGH A VETTED COMMITTEE.

WHEN SHE COMES UP EITHER ON 129, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION NOW, YOU CAN MAKE IT NOW THOUGH.

AS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU CAN BECAUSE IF THEY'RE GOING TO DEFER THIS OR MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION? NO. IT WAS HIS NOMINATION.

>> JUST WAIT UNTIL 130.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOVERNOR SHALL. MARY CHRISTMAS.

>> COUNCILMAN MEMOK.

>> THE COMMISSION THAT WE NEED TO USE TO SCORE THESE QRC APPLICANTS AND EVERYTHING, THEY JUST MEET ONCE A YEAR?

>> THEY MEET AS NEEDED FOR KAT'S APPOINTMENTS.

THEY ARE USED TO MEETING EVERY JANUARY BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN KATS BOARD APPOINTMENTS HAPPEN.

WHEN SOMEONE RESIGNS, THOUGH, THAT NECESSITATES A MEETING BEFORE THEY'RE USED TO MEETING.

WITHOUT COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS ASSISTANCE, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET THE QRC TOGETHER TO MEET.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL CAME IN TOGETHER WITH KARTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND REDOING THE BOARDS OVER TIME AND DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYTHING, THE WAY WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING QUALIFIED PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING ON THERE.

I WOULD BE OKAY WITH DEFERRING THIS UNTIL THEY DID THEIR SCORING TO DO THEIR JOB TO GET BACK TO US AND SO ON.

I THINK IF COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS COULD GET IT SCHEDULED AND RAN UP PRETTY QUICK AND WE GET IT BACK BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, GO FROM THERE.

NOW, I DO AGREE THAT OUR ALREADY ELECTED OFFICIAL IS PRETTY MUCH VETTED IF IT'S ONE SPOT.

IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

[03:00:06]

>> WELL, MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, WITH THIS SCORING, IS THERE A MINIMUM SCORE REQUIRED TO SERVE?

>> THE SCORING COMMITTEE MEETS TO EVALUATE PEOPLE'S AREAS OF EXPERTISE.

THEY LIKE TO HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND PROFESSIONS ON THE BOARD.

FOR EXAMPLE, AN ENGINEER, ACCOUNTANT, LAWYER, AND SO IF THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE BOARD THAT ALREADY FIT IN ONE PROFESSION OR AREA OF EXPERTISE, THEY LIKE TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE WHO HAVE A MULTITUDE OF DISCIPLINES.

BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I'LL NOTE IS THAT WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE APPLICANT.

>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.

WE HAVE TWO SPOTS, AND I CAN APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE TWO APPLICANTS.

DO WE CARE WHAT THE SCORING SAYS? OR THERE'S NO MINIMUM SCORE; YOU DIDN'T REACH IT, SO YOU CAN'T SERVE, CORRECT?

>> THERE ISN'T A MINIMUM SCORE THERE.

>> YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS IN THE FINANCIAL FIELD, AND THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO ALREADY SERVES IN THAT, SO THEY MIGHT BE SCORED LOWER JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A DUPLICATION OF THE ACUMEN?

>> CORRECT. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO IT.

I'VE NEVER SAT IN ON A QRC MEETING, BUT THE REPORT WE GET BACK REPORTS BACK, THIS PERSON EXCELS IN THESE AREAS, THIS PERSON HAS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THESE AREAS, THEY'VE SERVED ON THESE BOARDS.

HERE'S OUR EVALUATION OF THAT PERSON.

WE THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

THE ISSUE IS THAT IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE APPLICANT, YOU'RE NOT BEING COMPARED TO ANYBODY ELSE.

>> WELL, I THINK NOT ONLY IS THAT AN ISSUE, BUT I FEEL LIKE CERTAINLY I WOULD LOOK TO COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, WHO SERVES ON THERE, AND I WOULD ASK YOUR TAKE ON WHAT YOU THINK THAT BOARD MAY NEED.

>> YES, SIR. I'M ABOUT TO GET OUT OF THIS CHAIR. YES, SIR.

>> COUNCILWOMAN [INAUDIBLE].

>> YES, SIR. WE MUST KNOW THAT THERE IS A POSITION ON THE CATS BOARD FOR A RESIDENT OF BAKER, DESIREE COLLINS, TWO THINGS IS A RESIDENT OF BAKER, AND THEN THE MAYOR OF BAKER HAS MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, BUT TO COINCIDE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN HURST JUST SAID, LORD HAVE MERCY.

I TELL YOU, I KNOW IT'S A GOD SOMEWHERE, BUT IN ORDER TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, YES, INDEED.

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THIS.

>> MEDIA, GET IT ROLL, AND GET THE CAMERA ROLL, MEDIA.

>> RECORD IT, PLEASE.

BUT YES, YOU ARE CORRECT.

COUNT OF YOU TALKING ABOUT ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT MAKE DECISIONS, AND THAT'S ON OTHER THINGS THAT WE COINCIDE WITH.

BUT THE MAYOR OF BAKER CALLED AND MADE THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND MISS DESIREE COLLINS IS FROM BAKER.

AND SO I'M GOING TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION ALONG WITH MR. KENNEH, I'M GOING TO SECOND THAT THING FOR MISS DESIREE COLLINS.

NOW, THE GERALD KING IS MR. GERALD KING HERE, SO THAT MAY BE FOR ANOTHER DAY.

HAS ANYONE HEARD ANY COUNCIL MEMBER, KEEP IN MIND, I'M ON CATS, AND THAT'S A LOT OF WORK OVER THERE.

IT'S EASY FOR ALL TO SIT AROUND HERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUGHT TO BE AND WHAT AIN'T AND WHAT SHALL BE? IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE TWO MEETINGS OVER THERE TOMORROW.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I REST MY CASE.

>> COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

>> WELL, I WILL SAY THAT COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, THAT IS NEW INFORMATION TO ME.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY YOU DIDN'T REACH OUT TO ME PERSONALLY AND LET ME KNOW.

>> BECAUSE I OWE.

>> I'M JOKING. I WITHDRAW MY MOTION.

>> DON'T DO THAT. THROW THAT SHADE WITH THIS COUNCILWOMAN, BUT I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING.[LAUGHTER] Y'ALL SENT ME ON THIS THING TO DO THIS, AND I AM ON CAST.

>> COUNCILMAN MOGI, COUNCILMAN HUDSON WITHDREW HIS MOTION TO DEFER TO YOU.

WITHDRAW YOUR SECOND? COUNCILMAN DUNN JUNIOR.

>> THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M MORE SHOCKED ABOUT THE AWAKENING OF COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS TONIGHT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF TONIGHT.

BUT THEN COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN THREW SOME COMPLIMENT OR BONE OR CO-SIGNED A COUNCILMAN HERS.

LIKE, LORD, HAVE MERCY.

LORD, I AIN'T NEVER THINK I SEE TODAY.

BUT ANYWAY, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES,

[03:05:01]

AS IT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S A LOT OF WORK OVER THERE.

THEY HAD A LOT OF NEEDS, AND EVERYBODY ENJOYED THE PROCESS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE WITH THE OVERSIGHT SCORING COMMITTEE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

I DIDN'T KNOW THEY MET ONCE A YEAR.

BUT BEING THAT THEY MEET ONCE A YEAR, IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT WERE CONVENIENT ONCE A MONTH OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BE VERY CONVENIENT TO DEFER THESE TWO WEEKS A MONTH OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND LET THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE.

BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S BEEN AN EASY DEAL.

THANK YOU FOR COUNCILWOMAN, FOR AIDING AND ABETTING AND HELPING WITH THAT IN THE PAST.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LET THAT STOP US FROM MOVING FORWARD.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO SERVE.

WE HAVE MADE APPOINTMENTS BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE.

IT WAS PUT TOGETHER. AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A GREAT ENHANCEMENT TO THE PROCESS AND MADE THE PROCESS BETTER, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DELAY AND DEFER.

LET'S MAKE THESE APPOINTMENTS THIS EVENING AND GIVE THIS ORGANIZATION TWO MORE CREDIBLE PEOPLE TO HELP THEM MOVE THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCILWOMAN RACCA.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M SO HAPPY WE'RE ALL FRIENDS AGAIN.

IT'S NICE, LIKE ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.

[LAUGHTER] I ALSO WANT, I GUESS, MORE OF A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO PATRICK DOWNES AND MELISSA DEGENERES.

THEY DID CONTRIBUTE A LOT OF TIME.

THEY WERE EXCELLENT BOARD MEMBERS.

I APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE.

I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID.

THAT'S JUST REALLY ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE NO MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR ITEM 129 TO REPLACE PATRICK DOWNES WITH GERALD KING, WHO WAS ON THE BALLOT.

THE REASON I WOULD SAY THAT. I'M SORRY.

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> BUT WE HAVE IT, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY.

WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE DECEMBER 30, 2027.

IN JANUARY. OKAY. WELL, I'M FINE WITH IT EITHER WAY.

I NOW LOOK AT IT.

I THINK THE ONE THAT'S HERE SHOULD SERVE LONGER, SO I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE MISS DESE COLLINS FROM THE FLOOR ON ITEM 129.

ASHLEY, PICK WHO YOU WANT.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? NO. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS COLLINS.

[APPLAUSE]

>> GET READY, MISS COLLINS.

>> ALL RIGHT. ITEM 130. CAPITAL TRANSIT SYSTEM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CAT.

[130. 25-00992]

WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JANUARY 31, 2027? SHE IS RESIGNING. CURRENT BALLOT.

GERALD KING WAS ALREADY ON THERE NOW.

I'M NOT ON THERE. I APOLOGIZE.

HE IS IN MY MIND.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS SIDE? WE WILL GO TO COUNSEL, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS.

>> I'D LIKE TO TAKE COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN'S RECOMMENDATION AND DEFER.

I'D LIKE TO DEFER FOR A MONTH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MEAN, I THINK ASHLEY DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE QRC AND HOW IT OPERATES.

ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT IS THAT YOUR CATS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EDUCATION.

TO REMAIN ON THE BOARD.

I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO APPOINT SOMEBODY WHEN THEY DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO.

I MEAN, SHE IS NOT THE MEAN COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN KNOWS; SHE'S NOT WRONG.

THIS IS A BIG COMMITMENT.

I THINK IT'S BETTER TO DEFER FOR A MONTH AND KNOW THAT WE GET SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT COMMITMENT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE AND IS READY TO RUN ALONGSIDE THE COUNCILWOMAN IN HER WORK.

>> I WAS REFERRING TO WHAT DATE? SEPTEMBER 10? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, COUNCILMAN MO.

WE HAD A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST TO DEFER. COUNCILMAN MO.

>> YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS ABOUT THIS POSITION.

BUT I THINK THE WHOLE DISCUSSION WITH THE LAST ONE WAS THAT WE KNEW WHAT THAT BOILED DOWN TO AND HAD ALREADY VETTED, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I AGREED TO LET THE PROCESS WORK OUT ON THIS ONE.

MR. GERALD KING MIGHT BE AN AMAZING PERSON.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS FIELDS ARE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT IT MAY ALREADY HAVE THOSE ON THERE OR NOT.

THAT'S WHY I'M GOING WITH THE DEFERRAL AND ASK EVERYONE TO PASS THE DEFERRAL.

>> THEN PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND FOR DEFERRAL TO SEPTEMBER 10.

[03:10:02]

CHANGE ORDERS, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 131, 132 TOGETHER.

[Items 131 & 132]

ITEM 132, CAPITAL AREA, UNITED WAY RENOVATION CONSTRUCTION, CONTRACTOR BUILD COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC, CHANGE ADER AMOUNT 136593.74.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 11 AND 132? NOW AND GO TO THE COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MO.

>> IS THERE SOMEBODY CONSPICUOUS CHANGE ORDER GROUNDS?

>> YES, SIR.

>> WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK, AND WHAT IS THE CHANGE THAT THEY'RE DOING?

>> FOR WHICH ITEM?

>> 130.

>> THE SECURITY 131?

>> CITY HALL SECURITY UPGRADES.

>> WHAT IS THE CHANGE ORDER FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR OVERTIME TO DO MORE WORK ON THE WEEKENDS, VERSUS WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BID? WE CAN NOT DISTURB AS MUCH DURING THE WORKOUT.

>> OKAY. HAVE THEY STARTED ANY WORK YET?

>> NO. THEY HAVEN'T STARTED.

THIS IS IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO.

IT WILL BE CHARGED AGAINST THE CURRENT CONTRACT.

THEY WON'T BE PAID OUT UNLESS THEY WORK OUT.

BUT CURRENTLY ON BASE OFF ANTICIPATION, THEY WILL GO OVER WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> MOTION TO PROPOSE COUNSEL [INAUDIBLE].

>> HOLD ON. MR. JOE, ONE SECOND, PLEASE.

WHAT'S THE WORK? WHAT ARE THE UPGRADES?

>> YES. SECURITY TO THE FIRST FLOOR.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING CHANGING OUT THE GLASS STOREFRONT ON THE FIRST FLOOR.

WE CHANGING OUT THE STOREFRONT ON THE THIRD FLOOR AS WELL FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ALSO FOR THE ENTRANCE WAY TO YOU GUYS OFFICE.

THEN WE WILL ALSO BE ADDING A SECURITY DESK AND METAL DETECTORS.

>> METAL DETECTORS?

>> YES.

>> WHICH ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN PLACE?

>> NO.

>> THEY WERE MARKED FOR A MINUTE.

>> RIGHT. WE HAD THEM FOR THE VOTING.

YEAH, FOR A SHORT TERM.

>> BUT WE'LL HAVE THEM ALL THE TIME, FULL TIME.

>> MAYBE FIXED.

>> [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK, MAN.

>> NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCILMAN D JUNIOR.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS MAYBE CHIEF CAN CHIME IN.

THOSE OF US WHO WERE HERE LAST YEAR KNOW THAT ARP DOLLARS WAS SET ASIDE TO FUND SECURITY MEASURES, SPECIFICALLY ENTERING INTO THE COUNCIL.

I KNOW THOSE MACHINES WITH DOWNTFS, TEMPORARILY.

ARE THOSE THE ONES THAT WERE FUNDED TO SECURE CITY HALL AND CHECK INDIVIDUALS AS THEY COME INTO THE COUNCIL? IS THAT JUST SOME DOWNSTAF? OR DO WE ANTICIPATE SOMETHING ELSE? NO OUTSIDE OF THAT?

>> THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING.

>> OKAY. THE ONLY CHECKPOINT THAT THEY WILL BE ONE OR SCANNED IS WHEN THEY ENTER INTO THE DOOR?

>> CORRECT.

>> FRONT AND BACK?

>> CORRECT.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT THE MAIN INTEREST WOULD BE OFF ST. LOUIS STREET.

THAT EVERYONE WOULD BE COMING IN ST. LOUIS, YOU EXIT ON THE WEST SIDE AND GALVEZ IF YOU CHOSE TO.

>> NOW, WE DO, AND I KNOW YOU NOTICE, BUT WE GOT A BASEMENT ENTRANCE AS WELL.

>> CORRECT.

>> YES. [OVERLAPPING] WE'RE NOT WANTING, WE'RE JUST TRUSTING THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT?

>> CURRENTLY, YES, BUT WE CAN'T LOOK AT THAT AND ADD THE SECURITY MEASURES.

>> MANY TIMES, THESE ACTIVE SHOOTERS THEY,.

>> I'M NOT THE EXPERT.

>>A PART OF OUR INSTITUTION.

AND I'M NOT JOKING, BUT OFTENTIMES ACTIVE SHOOTERS HAVE CLEARANCE AND THE EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR US TO KEEP IN MIND.

LET'S NOT JUST LOOK AT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. LET'S MAKE SURE.

SECURING ALL ENTRANCES, WHETHER IT'S THE GENERAL PUBLIC, STAFF, OR CONTRACTORS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THOSE TWO ENTRANCES ON THE FIRST FLOOR ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS THIS BUILDING, AND IT WOULD BE MY OPINION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE METAL DETECTORS OR SOME SCANNING PROCESS AT EVERY ENTRY OF THIS BUILDING.

>> WE DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT COUNCILOR.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU.

>> COUNCIL REMOTE.

>> IT WAS THE 558, THAT'S ARP DOLLARS.

ARE THOSE FINALLY BEING SPENT THAT WE APPROVED ALL THESE SECURITY MEASURES YEARS AGO?

>> YES. IT WAS 2022 WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, I BELIEVE.

AND WE SENT IT OUT TO BID THAT WAS IN I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR.

>> OKAY. IS THE $30,000 COMING OUT OF THOSE ARP DOLLARS ALSO,

[03:15:02]

>> NO, THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY FROM ARP THAT WE COULD ADD TO THAT.

ALL THAT HAD TO BE COMMITTED BY THE END OF LAST YEAR.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

>> COUNSELMAN HUDSON.

>> JOE, TO CLARIFY, THAT'S COMING OUT OF BUILDING A GROUNDS BUDGET, THOUGH, RIGHT? IT'S NOT CORRECT.

[OVERLAPPING] PULL FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

>> NO GO AROUND.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> JOE, WE HAD TALKED BEFORE ABOUT KEY CARD ACCESS COMING INTO THE COUNCIL OFFICE SPACES, THOSE THREE DOORS.

IS THAT STILL PART OF THE UPGRADES THAT ARE BEING DONE?

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS OR SEPARATE?

>> NO. THAT'S GOING TO BE SEPARATE. THAT SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>> THAT WAS SOME CAMERAS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS AS WELL, RIGHT?

>> CORRECT.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> ALL I CAN DO IS GET TO THE DOOR AND REALIZE THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR. THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

[OVERLAPPING]

>> I'M JUST GLAD NOBODY MENTIONED THE SECRET ELEVATORS ON EACH SIDE.

>> COME ON, COUNSELMAN.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MO, SECOND BY COUNSEL MC COLEMAN TO APPROVE ITEMS 131.

ANY OPPOSITION? [BACKGROUND] MOTION CARRIES.

FINAL ACCEPTANCE IS 133.

[133. 25-00939]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

NO, GO TO COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? [BACKGROUND] MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MO.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, ANY OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 134 HAS BEEN A REQUEST OF DELETE UNTIL AUGUST 27.

[134. 25-00796]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO, WE'LL GO TO COUNSEL.

MOTION DEFERRED BY CHAIR, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

A 135, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE STATUS OF CRIME IN

[135. 25-00824]

[BACKGROUND] WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE REPORT FROM CHIEF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

>> AND CHIEF, I WANT TO SAY THIS AS YOU COMING UP, AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A WEEK FOR YOU, TWO WEEKS FOR YOU.

IF YOU WOULD RATHER THIS BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA, I YIELD TO YOU.

>> I SERVE AT YOUR PLEASURE, MA'AM.

>> THAT SOUNDS SO GREAT, BUT I THINK [OVERLAPPING]

>> THIS WEEK, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING, WHY DON'T YOU CANCEL SOME MEETINGS? I JUST GOT TO KEEP DOING MY JOB.

IT WOULD BE DISSERVICE TO THAT IF I JUST SAT ON MY HANDS.

>> YES, SIR.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> IT HAS BEEN A WILD NIGHT, AND I HAVE TO FOLLOW SOME OF THIS STUFF THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING TONIGHT, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.

COUNSEL AND COLEMAN ASKED ME TO GIVE A MID-YEAR UPDATE FOR CRIME STATUS AND JUST THE STATUS OF THE BATON RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WANTED TO START OFF, OF COURSE, BY JUST GIVING HATS OFF FOR THE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR SERGEANT EISWORTH AND EVERYBODY, WE'VE BEEN GETTING PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, CARDS, FLOWERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT THE SILVER LINING IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS JUST SEEING THE FIRST RESPONDER FAMILY COMING TOGETHER, BATEPT COME TOGETHER AND THEN JUST THE COMMUNITY OF BATON ROUGE, EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF THE EISWORTH FAMILY AND OUR DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE HAVING FUNERAL SERVICES THIS SATURDAY FOR SERGEANT EISWORTH THAT WILL VISITATION 9-12 AT A STREAM OF BAPTIST CHURCH WITH A PROCESSIONAL AND A BURIAL.

FOLLOWING THAT. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THOSE THAT WANT TO HELP STILL GIVE, WE STILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE BEHIND THE LINE.

NEXT, WHERE DO WE LOOK CURRENTLY FOR THE BATON RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT? AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR NUMBER OF SWORN OFFICERS HAS BEEN DROPPING DROPPING AND DROPPING AND DROPPING.

I WENT BACK TO 2015 THE LAST TEN YEARS.

WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY, AND IT'S COVERED UP.

I DON'T KNOW IF ALL CAN SEE THE LADY DOING SIGNING, WE'RE JUST COVERING UP SOME OF THE NUMBERS.

BUT WHERE WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY IS ABOUT 540 OFFICERS, 100 AND 150 OFFICERS SHORT.

I JUST REALIZED SHE HAD A SIGN, WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW [LAUGHTER] WE ARE 150 OFFICERS

[03:20:07]

WE HAVE 70 VACANCIES AND 86 FROZEN POSITIONS, CURRENTLY STAFFED OF 540 OFFICERS.

MAIN REASONS BEHIND THAT, AND YOU GO AFTER COUNCILMAN COLEMAN TAKES HER PICTURE, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE'RE SEEING, ONE, JUST NATIONALLY, LACK OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INTO THE CAREER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE LOCALLY IS JUST MONEY.

SOME OF LOCAL COMPETITION THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A SMALLER POOL OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INTO THE PROFESSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE'RE HAVING TO COMPETE WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO GET THOSE HIGH QUALITY OFFICERS TO WANT TO WORK FOR US, AND THEY CAN GO WORK FOR SMALLER DEPARTMENTS, DOING LESS WORK, HANDLE ON LESS CALLS, AND MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY THAN THEY WOULD WITH THE BATON RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I GOT UP THERE, HOUSTON.

MY SISTER LIVES RIGHT OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, AND SO I KNOW THAT THE COST OF LIVING OVER THERE IS VERY COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

IT'S NOT THAT FAR OF A DRIVE.

IT IS PLACES LIKE OVER THERE IN HOUSTON THAT ARE ALSO WE'RE HAVING TO COMPETE WITH WHERE THEY CAN GO AND MAKE TWICE AS MUCH AS WHAT THEY WOULD MAKE HERE FOR THE BAN RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THAT BEING SAID, AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE ARE STILL RECRUITING.

WE ARE STILL HAVING ACADEMIES.

LAST YEAR, WE HELD SEVERAL ACADEMIES, SMALL LITTLE PRINT, 28 NEW OFFICERS.

80% OF THOSE WERE MINORITY RECRUITS.

WE'VE TAKEN THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE PLEDGE TO TRY TO GET MORE FEMALE RECRUITS, MORE MINORITY RECRUITS.

WE'VE ALSO GET LATERAL ACADEMIES, WHICH HAS TAKEN OFFICERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND HAVING THEM COME A SMALLER ACADEMY, SHORTER ACADEMY, COME WORK FOR US.

HERE. WE ARE STILL ABLE TO TAKE AND GET SOME.

WE HAVE AN ACADEMY GOING ON RIGHT NOW THEY'RE IN ABOUT WEEK SIX OR SEVEN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DOING TIME AT THE RANGE THIS WEEK.

THEY'RE EXPECTED 22 WEEK ACADEMY, SO THEY'LL BE GRADUATING LATER AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE TEN OFFICERS CURRENTLY IN THAT ACADEMY PLUS TWO LATERALS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY TRAINING.

WE TALKED ABOUT MONEY.

WE ARE STILL TRYING TO RECRUIT AND HOW ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SOME OF THE MAIN REASONS BECAUSE WE'RE THE BEST OF THE BEST AT THE BATON RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF AND THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.

WHEREVER WE GO, WE WIN COMPETITIONS, WHETHER IT'S MOTOR, SWAT, KINE, WE STAND OUT, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PREACH PEOPLE.

IF, WE MIGHT NOT PAY AS MUCH, BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AND YOU WANT TO BE ON THE VARSITY TEAM, YOU WANT TO DO THE WORK IN THE MAJORS AND NOT THE MINERS, COME WORK FOR THE BATON RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

A YEAR WORKING FOR US IS LIKE FIVE OR TEN YEARS WORKING AT A SMALLER AGENCY, YOU GET THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE.

OUR DEPARTMENT IS A SIZE WHERE WE'RE SMALL ENOUGH THAT IT FEELS LIKE A FAMILY.

YOU GO TO A BIGGER DEPARTMENT LIKE NEW YORK OR HOUSTON, YOU COULD BE IN A RESTAURANT AND OR SITTING NEXT TO SOMEBODY AND HAVE NO IDEA YOU WORK FOR THE SAME POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE SMALL ENOUGH WHERE PEOPLE KNOW EACH OTHER, IT FEELS LIKE A FAMILY, BUT BIG ENOUGH, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND AND YOU CAN HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS IN YOUR 30 YEAR CAREER.

EVERYTHING FROM THESE DIVISIONS THAT WE HAVE UP ON THE SCREEN TO DIVE TEAM AND BOMBS AND HOMICIDE AND CRIME STATISTICS, AND ANALYSIS AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE STARTING TO GO INTO WITH DRONES IN THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER.

ALL THOSE THINGS MAKE US VERY COMPETITIVE TO TRY TO GET RECRUITS.

AND YOU GO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE REALLY FOCUS ON OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, TRYING TO INCREASE THAT BRANDING, PUTTING OUT OUR MESSAGE.

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO COME WORK FOR US.

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BATON RIDGE POLICE OFFICER FROM OUR OFFICER HIGHLIGHTS, INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, LIKE I SAID, OUR TECHNOLOGY.

THE FACT THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE VERY FEW DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE TO BE KALIA ACCREDITED, WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH HERE, WHAT THAT MEANS AND THAT GOLD STANDARD, NATIONAL GOLD STANDARD OF THEM COMING IN AND GIVING US A THOROUGH REVIEW EVERY YEAR TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT ACCREDITATION AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

BEING 150 PEOPLE SHORT, WE'RE REALLY HAVING TO DO MORE WITH LESS, AND I'M ABOUT TO GET INTO THE STATS AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, I DON'T REALLY LIKE TALKING ABOUT STATS.

THE ONLY REASON I DO IT IS ONE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR THEM.

I'M SUPERSTITIOUS, WHY I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE GAME BEFORE THE GAMES OVER.

I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR IT AND TWO TO BRAG ON THE WORK THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BATTER RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING.

THEY'RE DOING MORE WITH LESS.

THEY'RE HANDLING MORE FILE NUMBERS THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD TO HANDLE BEFORE.

THEY'RE TIGHTENING UP THEIR BELT, DOING IT WITH LESS OVERT, NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK HOLIDAYS BECAUSE OF BUDGET RESTRICTIONS THIS YEAR.

AVERAGE OFFICER THIS YEAR IS MAKING LESS MONEY THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR, BUT THEY'RE DOING MORE WORK.

ALL OF THAT AND THE STATS ARE GOING TO APPROVE TO IT.

THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE INTERNALLY IS PUTTING MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, HAVING THOSE OFFICERS THAT WORK IN DIFFERENT DIVISIONS ACTUALLY GET OUT ON THE STREET AND WORK UNIFORM PATROL,

[03:25:03]

KEEP GOING. SO WHEN I WAS OUT ON THE STREETS, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING FIRST DISTRICT DOG SHIFT.

THERE WAS 13, 14 PEOPLE IN MY SQUAD.

THAT SAME SQUAD RIGHT NOW HAS SEVEN OFFICERS ON IT.

THEY'RE DOING ANSWER AND MORE CALLS THAN WHAT I HAD TO ANSWER WITH LESS PEOPLE AND EXPECTED TO DO MORE.

WE'RE PUTTING MORE THINGS ON THEM WITH MORE TECHNOLOGY AND EXPECTING THEM TO BE MORE THAN WHAT I EVEN HAD TO DO WHEN I WAS BACK THEN.

YOU SEE THE SQUADS GETTING SMALLER AND THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE 150 PEOPLE SHORTER.

WHEN I GO TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THEY SAY, HEY, CHIEF, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I DON'T SEE AS MANY UNITS ON THE STREET.

I SAY, BECAUSE YOU DON'T.

WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY UNITS ON THE STREET.

WE STILL KEEPING OUR RESPONSE TIMES DOWN AND WE'RE STILL GIVING THE GREAT SAME SERVICE BECAUSE THEY'RE STEPPING UP AND DOING GREAT THINGS.

WE'VE ADDED 250 OR MORE IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE ADDED OVER 250 LICENSE PLATE READERS, REAL TIME CRIME CAMERAS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND CAMERA SHARES, THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT TO REALLY SO THAT WE CAN DO MORE WITH LESS.

WE'RE ON THE CUTTING EDGE WITH OUR DRONE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO BE A FORCE MULTIPLIER FORCE.

SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE USING TO KEEP THE CRIME NUMBERS DOWN, OF COURSE, WE TALKED ABOUT INTELLIGENCE LED PATROLS, GANG VIOLENCE SUPPRESSION, REALLY GOING AFTER THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE, COMMITTING MOST OF THE CRIMES, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE COMMITTING CRIMES AND REALLY FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION ON THEM.

USING DEDICATED FUNDING FOR GRANT MONIES TO DO THOSE OVERTIMES, GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION, GUN VIOLENCE INTERVENTION FUNDS, ALL THOSE THINGS, REALLY ON OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR HOAS AND OUR CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICTS, USING OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER.

THEN REALLY STARTING TO HAVE OPEN, VERY OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS AND WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHEN WE ARREST SOMEBODY FOR SOME OF THESE SHOOTINGS, ALSO SHARING THEIR CRIMINAL HISTORY.

IT'S THE PUBLIC IS GETTING TO SEE, HEY, THIS IS SOMEBODY WE'VE ARRESTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, THEN YOU MAYBE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHO YOU'RE VOTING FOR IN THE COMING ELECTIONS AND CALLING THOSE THINGS OUT AND SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.

WE'RE ALSO LEANING VERY HEAVY ON OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT HERE IN A FEW WEEKS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE OVER THE SUMMER WITH FBI, THE ATF, DEA, STATE POLICE, AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HAD GOING IN THIS SUMMER AND WHY WE'VE SEEN A DROP, EXCEPT FOR SOME ISOLATED INCIDENTS HERE RECENTLY SEEN A DROP IN A LOT OF OUR CRIME NUMBERS.

SO GETTING TO THE MEAT OF, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING YEAR TO DATE AS OF RIGHT NOW.

THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES IS GOING TO BE HALF YEAR, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY LIVE DATA.

SO FAR WE'VE HANDLED A OVER 120,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

WE'VE MADE 52 ARRESTS FOR HOMICIDE, NINE OF THOSE ARE FOR JUVENILES.

I PUT THAT OUT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE NEED COMMUNITY HELP WITH.

WE NEED TO KEEP GOING WITH REACHING THE KIDS OUT THERE IN THE SCHOOLS.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT 15 AND 16 YEAR OLDS PICKING UP A GUN AND SHOOTING SOMEONE, WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES SO THEY DON'T GO DOWN THAT LIFE OF CRIME, 801 GUNS SEIZED BY BADDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU'RE OUT THERE LISTENING IN THE PUBLIC AND YOU'RE ASKING, HOW CAN I HELP, WE HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED 300-400 GUNS STOLEN OUT OF UNLOCKED VEHICLES LAST YEAR.

JUST SIMPLY LOCKING YOUR GUN UP AND NOT LEAVE IT IN YOUR CAR BECAUSE THESE GUNS ARE FALLING IN THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS AND BEING USED IN THESE CRIMES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SMALL NUMBERS AND I WILL MAKE THIS AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL.

BUT THE RAW DATA IS RIGHT THERE ON YOUR LEFT AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SCREEN.

THE GREEN MEANS THAT WE ARE DOWN IN THAT CATEGORY ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND THAT SUMS UP TO BEING GUN VIOLENCE DOWN 20.73%, SHOOTING INCIDENTS, AND THIS IS TO THE END OF JUNE 30.

SHOOTING IS DOWN 22.06%.

EMAIL I GOT YESTERDAY, SHOOTING INCIDENTS ARE ACTUALLY DOWN IN THE PERCENT AS OF YESTERDAY.

VEHICLE THEFTS BEING DOWN AND VEHICLE BURGLARIES ARE ALSO DOWN.

THIS IS IN COMPARISON TO 2024, AND REMIND EVERYBODY WE WERE ALSO DOWN IN 2024 COMPARED TO 2023.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING LIKE, HEY, 2024 IS A BIG SPIKE AND ALL COMPARING DOWN.

WE WERE ALSO DOWN IN 24 COMPARED TO 23.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT DOWN CRIME THING.

AGAIN, IF THIS WAS MADE OUT OF WOOD, I'D LIKE TO KNOCK ON IT. I DON'T WANT TO JINXES.

THIS COULD CHANGE IN A WEEK OR TWO, BUT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BADGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE MAKING THIS HAPPEN, DOING MORE WITH LESS, WITH LESS RESOURCES,

[03:30:02]

THEY NEED HELP. WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT, WE NEED THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS AND GET THEM THE OVERTIME DOLLARS THAT THEY NEED.

OPPORTUNITIES.

OFFICER WELLNESS IS A HUGE ONE.

THIS WEEK, REACH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN, BUT JUST IN GENERAL.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INCREASE OUR OFFICER WELLNESS SO THAT THEY CAN KEEP UP THIS PACE AND PROVIDE THE GREAT SERVICE TO THE BATON ROUGE CITIZENS.

EVERYTHING FROM MENTAL TO PHYSICAL, WE HAVE A NEW GYM ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH A PHYSICAL COACH THAT IS THERE ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TO HELP OUT THE OFFICERS STAY IN SHAPE BECAUSE THEY FEEL GOOD, THEN THEY WORK GOOD AND ALL THAT GOES HAND IN HAND.

WE HAVE LESS INJURIES. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING A STUDY ON HOW OUR WORKMAN'S COMP MAY BE GOING DOWN.

IN WORK RELATED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE WELLNESS CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE THINGS WE'RE PROVIDING.

I KNOW TWO OFFICERS ALONE THAT THEY STARTED THEIR JOURNEY IN JANUARY AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM HAVE LOST OVER 100 POUNDS THIS YEAR. IT'S REALLY WORKING.

WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THE WAYS WE AWARD AND RECOGNIZE OUR OFFICERS FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THEY DO.

OF COURSE, MY BACKGROUND IN TRAINING, I'M ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE TRAINING, WHETHER IT'S SQUAD BASED TRAINING OR WEB BASED AND HAVING THEM TAKE CLASSES AND WATCH VIDEOS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS GOING ON OR REDOING OUR TRAINING ACADEMY.

IT'S GOING TO BE STATE OF THE ART.

THE HOPES IS WE CAN START ATTRACTING A LOT OF OUTSIDE AGENTS, OUTSIDE PEOPLE TO COME PUT CLASSES ON AT THE BADGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE CAN GET OUR OWN PEOPLE TRAINED UP AND TRAIN THE TRAINER, AND THEN WE CAN TURN AROUND AND HOST THOSE SAME TYPE OF CLASSES AND CHARGE OTHER PEOPLE TO COME AND TAKE THE CLASSES.

A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING FROM THE AMMUNITION SCENARIO TRAINING HOUSE, THE UPDATED FIRST DISTRICT, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DO UPDATES AT OUR SECOND DISTRICT AS WELL.

ALL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE LINE.

THAT WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT SHORT.

WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS AND OF COURSE, THAT WHOLE PRESENTATION WAS E MAILED TO COUNSEL ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, AND IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY, WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU.

ALSO, I JUST WANT TO SAY, ALL OF THIS DATA IS AVAILABLE IN OPEN DATA BAD THROUGH THE WEBSITE, B.GOV OPEN DATA.

WHERE YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND YOU CAN LOOK SPECIFICALLY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEE WHAT CRIME LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOOK AT HEAT MAPS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF CRIME.

IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT VEHICLE BURGLARS, YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT.

IF YOU LOOK WORRIED ABOUT SHOOTINGS, YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT.

ALL THIS IS VERY TRANSPARENT AND READILY AVAILABLE TO GET FOR ANYONE.

IF YOU WANT ANY HELP, COME SEE OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, AND AS ALWAYS LIKE I LIKE TO SAY, I LAUNCHED THE CHAT WITH THE CHIEF PROGRAM LAST YEAR, BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, BIRD DOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER.

CLICK ON CHAT WITH THE CHIEF. YOU COME SEE ME, COME SEE OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER AND WE GET THOSE APPOINTMENTS SCHEDULED PRETTY QUICKLY.

>> [APPLAUSE] CHIEF, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT.

THEN I'M GOING TO GO TO THE COUNCIL.

COUNCIL HUDSON. NO. I'M SORRY.

IT WAS UP THERE. COUNCILMAN HURST.

>> NO, I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK, BUT HE WAS BEFORE ME.

>> IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT FIRST OF ALL, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I JUST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RECRUITING RAGE, AND I MAIN ONE I WANT YOU ALL AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO RAISE TO.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SEEING THOSE NUMBERS.

IT WASN'T ALARMING BECAUSE I KNEW SOME OF THEM WERE THERE, BUT TO SEE HOUSTON GO 65-81 IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

THAT'S STRONG IN TERMS OF INCREASE, BUT IT ALSO SAYS THEY PROBABLY HAD A RECRUITING ISSUE, TOO.

SO THEY RAISED THE PAY TO GET THAT.

BUT ARE YOU ABLE TO DO ANY SPECIAL RECRUITING INCENTIVES LIKE WE PREVIOUSLY DID? I WENT BACK TO TALK TO HR, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT ALL HAS A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT WITH THE FIRE MUNICIPAL BOARD, SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN OFFER? BECAUSE I SEE YOU HAD 150 VACANCIES SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT, CAN I KNOW YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF CUTS ALREADY, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE? YOU ARE PROBABLY MORE SIGNIFICANT WITH A HEAVIER BUDGET, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR SPECIAL RECRUITING RATES THAT WOULD HELP US CLOSE THE GAP UNTIL WE CAN GET WHAT WE NEED FOR TO DEPARTMENT?

>> SO, CURRENTLY, THE STATE OFFERS AN INCENTIVE FOR POLICE OFFICERS.

IT'S A $5,000 BONUS FOR POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE NEVER SERVED AS A POLICE OFFICER BEFORE, AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO DO A YEAR OF SERVICE TO THEN QUALIFY AND GET IT.

WE HAD ONE LOCALLY HERE FOR THE BAIG POLICE DEPARTMENT ONLY, WHERE WE DID AN ADDITIONAL $5,000 FOR NEW OFFICERS AND $10,000 FOR LATERAL OFFICERS.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, COUNSELMAN, WE DIDN'T SEE MUCH TRACTION WITH THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE TIMES OR IF IT'S THE GENERATION, BUT IT'S TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO TO A RECRUITING EVENT, THEY WANT TO SEE THE BOTTOM LINE, HOW MUCH AM I MAKING PER HOUR? THEY'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRIVILEGES AND THE RETIREMENT, HOW MUCH I MAKE PER HOUR, AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS JUST FLUFF FOR THEM.

>> SO THE TEN, WAS IT A PERMANENT TEN OR A ONE-TIME TEAM?

[03:35:04]

>> I THINK IT WAS LIKE $3,000 AFTER A CERTAIN POINT, AND THEN $3,000 AND THEN $5,000.

IT WAS LIKE 3,000 WHEN YOU GRADUATE THE ACADEMY, THEN ANOTHER $3,000 AFTER FTO, AND YOU GO AND YOU WIND UP GETTING $10,000 AFTER ONE YEAR OF SERVICE.

>> BUT IT WAS AN ANNUAL TEAM ONCE YOU GOT TO.

>>NO, SIR. IT WAS A ONE-TIME LIKE SIGN SIGNING BONUS.

>> I GOT YOU. THANK YOU.

>> YES, SIR.

>> COSMAN HUDSON.

>> CHIEF, A VERY THOROUGH REPORT. THANK YOU FOR GIVING IT.

I KNOW YOU'VE GIVEN SOME COMMENTS IN THE PAST ABOUT RE-ARRESTING VIOLENT OFFENDERS AGAIN.

I WANT YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT MORE SO, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRACK THAT DATA.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE HERE LATELY, AND WE KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT DATA ACTUALLY AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO DIGEST AND FOR US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS WITH THE LACK OF DATA.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ISSUE, BUT MY MAIN QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH 19TH JDC AND OTHER PARTNERS TO START TRACKING?

>> YES, SIR. WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH SOME OUTSIDE PARTNERS, WITH LSU AND SOUTHERN, AND SOME GRADUATE PROGRAMS TO HELP US WITH SOME OF THAT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS.

WE ARE STARTING TO TRACK THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE ARREST FOR HOMICIDE, AND WHAT THEIR CRIMINAL HISTORY LOOKS LIKE.

WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT INTERNALLY WITH OUR LIMITED MANPOWER RESOURCES.

BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET A BIGGER THING.

HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS PERSON BEEN ARRESTED FOR BURGLARIES, FOR EXAMPLE? WE'RE STARTING TO DO THAT ON THE HOMICIDE LEVEL, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD ON ALL LEVELS, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF LOW BONDS OR PEOPLE BEING RELEASED ON BONDS, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG.

SOME PEOPLE SHOULD NOT STAY IN JAIL.

SOME PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET BONDS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BUT THEN, IF WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE, LIKE, LOOK AT THIS PERSON'S CRIMINAL HISTORY, THEY NEED TO STAY IN JAIL.

WHEN WE'RE ARRESTING THE SAME PERSON FOR THREE DIFFERENT SHOOTINGS IN A YEAR.

THAT'S CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD.

>> YEAH. I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE YOU.

THE ADVOCATE IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR TOOK A SNAPSHOT OF A FOUR-MONTH PERIOD.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE THEY PUT OUT.

IF YOU ALL COULD PROVIDE THAT DATA ON AN ONGOING BASIS, I THINK IT WOULD PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO YOU AND ALL THE DECISION MAKERS.

>> YES, SIR. I APPRECIATE IT.

YOU ALL KNOW ME, I'M NOT A POLITICIAN, AND SO I GOT TO WATCH HOW I SAY THINGS, BUT IT'S ALSO HARD FOR US TO STAND UP AND SAY, HEY, LOOK AT THIS SPECIFIC JUDGE, NOT DOING A GOOD JOB BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO GO AND DO CASES FOR THAT JUDGE.

WE REALLY DO NEED OUTSIDE PARTNERS AND OUTSIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP US WITH THAT FIGHT.

>> COUNSEL, WE'RE COMING.

>> YES. THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND THAT REPORTING; IT'S GOOD.

WHEN FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT AIN'T, IS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR INFORMATION OUT THERE AND LET THEM SEE WHAT IS.

THAT WORKOUT AREA OVER THERE WAS GREAT.

I WENT OVER THERE.

THEN WE TALK ABOUT IT IN THE SCHOOLS.

SO WITH THIS VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONEY THROUGH THE CDD, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT, AIN'T THAT RIGHT, MR. KELLY? THAT'S CORRECT. SO CHIEF, YOU ALSO HAVE YOUR AMBASSADORS THAT WAS JUST EXCELLENT.

SO WITH THAT AND WITH SOME OF THAT VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONEY OR WHATEVER, THAT OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GROW THAT GROUP OF CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

IF WE WANT TO CURTAIL CRIME, WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THEY GET GROWN BECAUSE IT HAPPENS DOWN LOW.

SO AND THE REAL-TIME AREA OVER THERE ON HIGHLAND, THAT I MEAN UP ON THE AIRLINE, THAT'S REAL FOR SURE.

I GUESS IN THE HIGH CRIME AREAS, AND SO I KNOW YOU SAID THIS ALL WENT DOWN.

SO, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT TEN IN THE HIGH CRIME AREAS.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT, I HOPE THAT THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN AND WILL KEEP GOING DOWN.

I KNOW THAT I SUPPORT YOU IN MAKING THEM GO DOWN FOR WHATEVER CRIME THERE IS.

WHERE IS THE FIRST DISTRICT?

>> IT'S LOCATED ON PLANK ROAD JUST SOUTH OF EVANGELINE.

>> WHERE IS SECOND?

>> IT'S ON HIGHLAND?

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. SO OVER THERE ON HIGHLAND.

WE GOT A BEEF UP OVER THERE WITH THE SECOND DISTRICT OVER THERE ON HIGHLAND.

>> THE SECOND DISTRICT BUILDING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.

>> LONG TIME AND SO IN THE FOLK TOO.

SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, CHIEF. GREAT JOB.

[03:40:02]

>> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> [INAUDIBLE]

>> CHIEF. SO WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN THE COUNCIL DO TO HELP YOUR POLICE? WHAT CAN WE DO IN OUR DISTRICTS? TELL US, GIVE US SOME ORDERS.

TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP.

>> WE NEED TO WORK, I THINK ALL ARE DOING A LOT OF IT RIGHT NOW, ALREADY WORKING ALONGSIDE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH THRIVE AND EVERYTHING, TRYING TO REPURPOSE THE BUDGET.

MY MESSAGE RIGHT NOW WOULD BE TO SHOW JUST TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS FIND A POLICE OFFICER AND TELL THEM THANK YOU.

THAT GOES A LONG WAY.

WE DON'T HEAR IT ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON.

WITH ALL, I THINK THAT INFORMATION IS POWER, AND SO I'M APPRECIATIVE, BE ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, ESPECIALLY WITH RECRUITING AND PERSONNEL.

THE OTHER REASON I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT STATISTICS BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIVES ON FAIRFIELD OR PLANK ROAD OR SOMETHING, LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY CRIMES DOWN? BECAUSE I GET IT.

SOME OF THOSE ARE HOT SPOTS, AND A LOT OF TIMES, REALITY IS PERCEPTION.

I WANT TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AND WHEN I COME TO YOU AND ASK FOR THESE THINGS, IT'S BECAUSE OF A REASON, A WAY I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN THAT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

>> COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

>> I'M GOOD, MAN.

>> I'M TIPTOEING SOFTLY WITH YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE I'M ON THE HOT SEAT TONIGHT.

I MIGHT HAVE A TARGET ON MY BE TONIGHT.

SO I'VE NOTICED THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES ARE UP IN BATON ROUGE.

THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK.

>> WE HAD ONE THIS MORNING.

>> YEAH. I SAW THAT.

SO TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS BRINGING THIS ON? WHY IS THERE AN UPTICK IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? BECAUSE USUALLY WE SEE THOSE NUMBERS GO UP AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.

BUT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON? IT IS OUT OF CONTROL. IT IS.

WE ARE RECEIVING CALLS DAILY.

THE PHONE IS RINGING DAILY.

SO, JUST WONDERING, DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS THERE AN UPTICK? AND WHAT ARE YOUR OFFICERS SEEING OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, OR WHAT ARE THEY HEARING OUT THERE ON THE STREETS?

>> I WAS GOING TO CALL YOU AND USE YOUR EXPERTISE BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FIGHT FOR A LONG TIME IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE SPECIFICALLY HOMICIDES RELATES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

NO MATTER HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE ON THE STREET, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO PREVENT AND STOP WHEN IT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE HOME.

SAME WITH A LOT OF OUR JUST THE BEEFING OVER THE INTERNET SHOOTINGS THAT WIND UP HAPPENING, WHICH IS A VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

IT'S HARD TO PREVENT THOSE.

I THINK I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S BEEN AN UPTAKE HERE RECENTLY, THREE OR FOUR, NOT JUST IN THE SIDE OF THE CITY BUT IN THE PARISH AREA.

I'M NOT SURE. I NEED YOUR EXPERTISE ON DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

IF THE RESOURCES AREN'T GETTING OUT THERE, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE REPEAT OFFENDERS. I'M NOT SURE.

>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE OUT THERE.

I THINK THAT MAY BE THAT MAY BE A REASON WHY REPEATED OFFENDERS GO IN, GET ARRESTED, AND BAILED OUT, AND THEY'RE BACK OUT ON THE STREET.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WITH ME THAT COULD BE.

I KNOW THAT YOUR OFFICERS ARE WORKING OUT THERE ON THE STREET, DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, BECAUSE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO A VICTIM, WE KNOW HOW TO CONTACT YOU GUYS, WHERE YOU CAN GET TO THEM.

BUT IT'S JUST A CONCERN FOR US, THE ADVOCATES ON THE GROUND, BECAUSE WOMEN AND MEN ARE DYING BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND IT'S HAPPENING ON OUR STREETS, SO THAT IS A CONCERN.

SAW A LARGE UPTAKE AROUND COVID TIME.

YEAH, WHEN EVERYBODY WAS TOGETHER, HOW TO LEAVE THE HOUSE TOGETHER.

BUT TO SEE THIS NUMBER GO UP IT'S VERY CONCERNING TO US. SO THANK YOU.

>> I AGREE.

>> COUNSEL MCGINN.

>> GREAT PRESENTATION, CHIEF.

THE SAME QUESTION IN THE SAME VEIN, BUT MINE IS AROUND THE RISING DATA IN JUVENILE CRIME IN THE AREA.

I KNOW SCHOOL HAS GOTTEN BACK IN, AND SO WHAT DO YOU THINK AS A COUNCIL OR INDIVIDUAL DISHES WE CAN DO TO HELP TOWARDS THE JUVENILE CRIME IN THE AREA?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL OF THEM, ALL IS CURFEWS AND ALONG WITH THAT, TRUANCY.

YOU HEAR ALL THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH TRUANCY,

[03:45:04]

THEY'RE NOT GRADUATING, THEY'RE GETTING EXPELLED.

SO THAT'S THE PLIGHT THAT THEY HAVE TO GO INTO.

BUT THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, HEY, WE FIND A 15-YEAR-OLD OUT AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING BY THEMSELVES.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THEM? THAT'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO IRON OUT, SOME CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE ON FACILITIES AND ON MANAGEMENT.

JUVENILE DETENTION IS PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PLACE TO TAKE THEM, BUT THEN WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM? IF THEIR PARENTS AREN'T HOME, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT 15 OR 16-YEAR-OLD THAT WE FIND JUST WALKING THE STREETS AT 3:00 A.M.? I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TRYING TO FIND SOME SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO WORK ON THAT.

JUST ON THE FRONT END, WE NEED TO START REACHING THESE KIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

LAST YEAR, I HAD MY YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.

WE GOT TO GO TO A LOT OF TOWN HALLS IN THE SCHOOLS AND BRING THEM IN.

UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS, I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS YEAR.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY TRYING TO FIND SOME MONEY AND RESTARTING THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY GOOD TOOL LAST YEAR, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND REACH A LOT OF KIDS.

WATCHING THAT HANDFUL OF 15 HIGH SCHOOLERS BLOSSOM AND BE AMBASSADORS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE WAS AMAZING.

>> YES, SIR.

>> COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

>> CHIEF, I'D BE INTERESTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, BUT I KNOW CHIEF LUFF AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS AS WELL.

SO I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN HARRIS BRINGING UP THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PIECE.

I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN CHIEF LUFF WAS CHIEF OF POLICE THAT THEY LOOKED AT WAS MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.

WE HAD A HUGE BACKLOG OF THOSE MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS, AND THEY WERE TARGETED FOR WARRANT ROUNDUPS AND THAT SORT OF THING AS A WAY TO REDUCE DAILY VIOLENT CRIME, BUT ALSO TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. WHAT'S OUR CURRENT STATUS OF OUR MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS? WE STILL HAVE A BACKLOG.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT?

>> WE HAVE A HUGE BACKLOG OF MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

ONE. WE DON'T HAVE THE CITY JAIL OPERATIONAL FOR ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS EVERY MORNING, MAINLY FOR CITY COURT PROTECTION-TYPE STUFF.

THEN, TWO, THE OVERCROWDING AT PARISH PRISON, WE CAN'T BRING PEOPLE THERE FOR MISDEMEANORS.

THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE.

IF IT IS ONLY A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MISDEMEANOR, THEN TO GET THAT PERSON AWAY, WE CAN BRING THEM TO THE PARISH PRISON.

SO SOME OF THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING ARE ABOUT FREEING UP SOME SPACE TO DO SOME OF THESE SPECIALIZED ROUND-UPS, PEOPLE, MORE OF THE VIOLENT MISDEMEANOR TYPE PEOPLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET AND HAVE A PLACE TO DO WITH THEM.

>> COUNCILWOMAN MCCALL.

>> YES. JUST ONE LAST THING.

I THINK THAT TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING THE CHIEF, WHAT CAN YOU DO AND SEE THIS MISDEMEANOR, THE ROUND UP, WE DID A RECALL, SO YOU ALL WE CAN THINK OF DOING THAT IN OUR AREAS.

THAT WAS RECALL OF THE WARRANTS OUT THERE.

THEN WE NEED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CRIMES THAT CANNOT BE EXPUNGED, AND THAT IS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT PUTTING YOUR HANDS ON IS ONE THING AND THE OTHER THING THAT I AM A FIRM BELIEVER OF IS PARENTING.

PARENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU SAY NO, LET IT BE NO.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO BE YOUR CHILDREN'S FRIEND AND NOT BE THE PARENT, THEN THAT THING GROWS.

THEN IT BECOMES A PROBLEM IN OUR SYSTEM.

IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, KID, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM MAN OR A PROBLEM WOMAN.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES OVERNIGHT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.

I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT TO ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF DOING SOMETHING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.

THEY LOVE TO PUT THEIR HANDS ON THOSE THAT ARE DOING SO WELL IN SCHOOL AND DOING SO WHATEVER.

BUT THEY APPREHENSIVE TO GO OUT THERE AND PUT THEIR HANDS ON THOSE THAT REALLY NEED SOME DIRECTION.

THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MAKE AN ALL CALL TO ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT'S WALKING AROUND ALL DRESSED UP, TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, AND LET US SEE THEM OUT HERE IN THE STREETS ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM, BE ABOUT THEM AND BE INVOLVED, BUT WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE FOLK THAT YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU ARE CHARGED WITH THAT CANNOT BE EXPUNGED, HOW DO I KNOW THAT?'

[03:50:04]

THAT'S A PART OF IT AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU CHIEF.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. CAN I USE SOME, I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING TO ANSWER COUNCILWOMAN RACCA'S QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I DREW A BLANK ON THIS COUNCILWOMAN, BUT OUR CAMERA SHARE PROGRAM CONNECT BLUE.

YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS THAT HAS OUTWARD FACING CAMERAS, PUBLIC FACING CAMERAS, YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH US SO THAT WE CAN SEE IT THROUGH OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER.

IF YOU HAVE CAMERAS ON YOUR HOME JUST AS SIMPLE AS A RING DOORBELL OR OTHER PRIVATE SECURITY CAMERAS, YOU CAN LET US KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THOSE AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A PING ON OUR MAP.

A GOOD CONTACT INFORMATION, SO THAT IF WE'RE LIKE, HEY, WE HAD THIS CRIME, A VEHICLE BURGLARY HAPPEN, AND WE MIGHT SEND AN EMAIL OR A PHONE CALL, A TEXT MESSAGE AND SAY, WOULD YOU MIND CHECKING YOUR CAMERAS ON THIS DATE BETWEEN THIS TIME AND THIS TIME AND SEE IF YOU SEE SOMEONE RUNNING PAST? THAT IS A REALLY GOOD WAY THAT YOU CAN HELP US.

THEN ALSO JUST REPORTING CRIME SOMETIME.

A LOT OF TIMES WE FIND THINGS OUT BECAUSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD APPS.

PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HEY, THIS SUSPICIOUS PERSON WAS WALK AROUND AND THEY DON'T EVER CALL US.

IF THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THEM AS WELL.

>> CHIEF, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF YOUR BUSINESS OWNER OR RESIDENT CONNECT BLUE IS HOW AND IS WWW.CONNECTBLUE. HOW DO WE GET THAT?

>> IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AND THERE'S A LINK FOR THE CONNECT BLUE PROGRAM OR YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL WE CAN DIRECT.

IT'S TWO DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT.

YOU CAN ONE GIVE US JUST DIRECT ACCESS STREAMING INTO OUR SYSTEM, OR YOU CAN LET US KNOW, HEY, I WANT TO BE CONTACTED, I HAVE A CAMERA.

THEN IF YOU ALSO BUSINESS IN CERTAIN AREAS, YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR US TO PUT ONE OF OUR PROJECT NO PAGE RI INITIATIVE TYPE CAMERAS OR YOUR BUSINESS, ALL WE NEED IS POWER AND WIFI, AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I CAN SPEAK FOR MY DISTRICT, AND SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE PERSONALLY SPONSORED THOSE PAGE RI CAMERAS.

I KNOW THAT THEY'VE GONE OUT.

HAVE THEY BEEN EFFECTIVE?

>> THEY'RE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT 250 OVER THE LAST YEAR, THAT'S ALL PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, OUR HOAS, OUR CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICTS, AND A LOT OF BUSINESSES STEPPING UP TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS.

>> YOU GUYS HAVE PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT'LL CALL AND SAY, HEY, TELL US WHAT THE PRICES LOOK LIKE.

WHAT COULD A BUSINESS OWNER CALLED AND HOW COULD THEY GET ONE OF THOSE CAMERAS PUT IN THAT IN AN AREA OF NEED?

>> DEPUTY CHIEF NOEL.

HE IS OUR CAMERA EXPERT, AND SO I'M GOING TO LET HIM ANSWER.

>> THANK YOU SERGEANT.

>> ANSWER THAT.

>> PUT HIM ON THE SPOT.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> I THINK I HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME IF I NEEDED.

>> JUST REALLY QUICKLY, PRICES VARY BASED ON WHAT THE SOLUTION LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS AVAILABLE.

THE HARDEST THING FOR US TO DEAL WITH A AS A GOVERNMENTAL BODY IS TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE IT'S NEEDED WHEN IT'S NEEDED.

SOMETIMES THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE OR A PIECE OF IT.

BUT IF NOTHING I WOULD SAY TYPICALLY BETWEEN $2,500 A YEAR FOR A SERVICE BASED SOLUTION LIKE A PROJECT KNOWN AS OTHER BRANDS, OTHER TYPES TO A PERMANENT SOLUTION THAT MAY BE SOLAR POWERED AND AIR CARDED, IT COULD BE 89,000.

>> I'VE HEARD OF THE CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICTS DONATING TO THOSE BUSINESSES, HOAS.

HOW WOULD SOMEONE CONTACT YOU TO HAVE A CAMERA INSTALLED IF THEY DID WANT TO SPONSOR ONE IN THEIR AREA?

>> AGAIN, A COUPLE OF WAYS, CONNECT BLUE IS ONE WAY.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO US PERSONALLY, OUR EMAILS AND WHATEVER WE MEET WITH PEOPLE AND CRIME DISTRICTS ALMOST MONTHLY TO GO OVER THOSE THINGS.

BUT 3893-802 IS THE NUMBER OF THE CHIEF'S OFFICE, AND HE MIGHT BAT ME.

BUT THE OTHER WAY IS TO GO TO OUR ONLINE AND LOOK AT THE CONNECT BLUE WILL ALSO GIVE YOU THAT GUIDANCE AND OUR WEBSITE ALSO GIVES YOU GUIDANCE ON HOW TO SIGN UP FOR PADRES INITIATIVES.

>> JUST ONE LAST TIME, CAN YOU TELL US YOUR WEBSITE FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING?

>> ABRLA.GOV.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> CALLS MAMOK.

>> IS THAT THE SAME SYSTEM THAT SHERIFF'S OFFICE USE?

>> OR THIS PROBABLY BETTER? [LAUGHTER].

>> I WAS CONTACTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

IT WASN'T NEARLY THAT COST.

IT WAS LIKE A $500 INSTALL, BUT THEY WOULD COME IN AND SECURE CAMERAS ON THE WHOLE OUTSIDE OF MY BUSINESS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GOT DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THE FRONT OF THE BUSINESS, AND THEN THEY WOULD DO ANOTHER ONE ON THE BACKSIDE

[03:55:02]

WHICH IS A MAJOR INTERSECTION.

THEY WAS GOING TO PUT ONE AT A THING.

I GAVE THEM ALL THE INTERNET ACCESS AND ALL THAT STUFF OUT OF JUST FOR FREE OUT OF MY BUSINESS.

BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT WAS THEY'RE DOING THE OUTSIDE SECURITY SYSTEM.

IT IS CONTROLLED BY THEM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE SAME PROGRAM.

IT'S TECHNICALLY CONTROLLED BY THEM, BUT THEY ALLOW ME ACCESS TO IT.

AND I JUST ASSIST THEM BY PAYING FOR THE UTILITIES AND THE COST OF THE EQUIPMENT.

>> I THINK WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED IS THE CRUX OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALL KIND OF BASED ON AN ASSESSMENT DONE BY THE AGENCY.

ANYTIME THERE'S A REQUEST, WE SEND EITHER VALID POLICEMAN OR SHERIFF'S OFFICE PERSONNEL TO GO OUT AND ASSESS A SITE TO SEE DOES IT QUALIFY FOR THE PAGE RI INITIATIVE BASED ON YOU KNOW, LOCATION AND CRIME, OR IF IT DOESN'T, IS IT BEING FUNDING BEING PROVIDED BY 501 C3 OR WHATEVER THE FUNDING SOURCE MAY BE, WHAT IS THE RIGHT SOLUTION BASED ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE? HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THIS THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW THE VIEWS GET BACK TO THE RESPECTIVE CRIME CENTERS, THEY ARE ALL SHARED BETWEEN US.

WE DO A GREAT JOB OF PARTNERING ONE ANOTHER AND MAKING SURE WHATEVER ASSETS WE HAVE, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO AND VICE VERSA.

>> IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

THEY SHOWED IT TO ME WHEN THEY WERE REVIEWING IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BUSINESSES ON INTERSECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CAN ASSIST.

BUT THE PRICE REALLY WASN'T THAT BAD.

FROM A BUSINESS OWNER STANDPOINT, I WOULD RECOMMEND EVERYONE PARTNER WITH YOU ALL.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT THANKS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

>> ITEMS 136 THROUGH 140.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY TOGETHER IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO THAT.

>> IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 16442, THESE ITEMS MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.

NEED A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN RACCA, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO DECLARING THESE ITEMS AN EMERGENCY? THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.