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EVENING.[EBR Library Board of Control on October 16, 2025.]
BANG ROUGE PARISH, OCTOBER 16TH, 2025.MS. DOLORES, COULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? I PLEDGE ALL FLAG.
AND MR. REPUBLIC FOR WHICH OF STANDS ON NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, THE APPROVE OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2025.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED AS DISTRIBUTED.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL ORDERS AT THIS TIME.
MOVING ON TO REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR.
THE FINANCIAL REPORT FINANCIAL REPORT WILL BE READ BY RHONDA PENANT FOR 2025.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH ARE $34,994,630 AND 6 CENTS ARE 63.61% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THROUGH SEPTEMBER, WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT NO MORE THAN 75% OF THE BUDGET.
IN AUGUST, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT REASSIGNED ADVERTISING EXPENSES INTO TWO EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES, LEGAL, PUBLIC NOTICES, AND GENERAL PROMOTION.
WHILE THEY MOVED THE RELATIVE EXPENSES TO THE APPLICABLE ACCOUNTS, THEY DID NOT MOVE THE CORRESPONDING APPROPRIATION WITH THE EXPENDITURES.
SO YOU MAY NOTICE ONE OF THE ADVERTISING ACCOUNTS APPEARS TO BE VERY UNDERSPENT, AND THE OTHER ONE IS OVERSPENT.
THIS WILL BE CLEANED UP BY YEAR END WITH A BUDGET TRANSFER.
CASH COLLECTIONS FROM PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2025 REMAIN AHEAD OF THOSE COLLECTED IN 2024 AS WE WERE APPROXIMATELY $4.6 MILLION AND EIGHT POINT 51% AHEAD OF THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? THANK YOU, RHONDA.
SYSTEM REPORTS WILL BE READ BY MARY STEIN.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA USE THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
I'VE BEEN GOING FULL THROTTLE ON THE THRIVE PRESENTATIONS, NOT JUST IN THIS BUILDING, BUT IN ALL 15 LOCATIONS AND EXTERNALLY OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
IN, UM, SMALL GROUP MEETINGS, CLUB MEETINGS, UH, SOME MEDIA PRESENTATIONS.
SOME ARE ZOOMS, SOME ARE IN PERSON.
UH, SOME ARE WITH GROUPS OF GROUPS OF GROUPS KIND OF LIKE THE COMMITTEE FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND SOME ARE WITH JUST A SMALL GROUP, UH, CLUB OR ORGANIZATION.
UH, WE STILL HAVE MANY MORE PLANNED THROUGH NOVEMBER 15TH.
UH, AND AT THIS POINT, SINCE THE OCTOBER 11TH ELECTION IS BEHIND US, WE'RE, OUR HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE LESS CONFUSED.
AND FIRST OF ALL, WHICH ELECTION? WE'RE ON THE NOVEMBER 15TH ONE.
AND WE CAN SEE THE, THE MEDIA BY OUR PARTNERS RAMPING UP.
UM, AND OUR PATRONS HAVE COME INTO VARIOUS LOCATIONS TO GET THE LITTLE RED RIDER SIGNS TO PUT ON THEIR LOVE, THEIR LIBRARIES.
UH, AND THE RED RIDER ACTUALLY SAYS THERE'S AN ELECTION AND THE DATE OF IT, AND IT, IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO VOTE YES ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
UH, YOU SEE IN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, UH, THAT WAS AT AN EVENT.
WE'RE STARTING TO BE A LITTLE MORE CASUAL, NOT JUST WITH THE FORMAL PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE'RE, UH, POPPING UP AND APPEARING AT PARADES.
WE'RE POPPING UP IN PER APPEARING
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IN NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS.THIS IS US POPPING UP WITH THE BOOK HATS APPEARING AT THE SYMPHONY, UH, THE FARMER'S MARKET.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME THINGS IN BAKER AND CENTRAL AND ZACHARY THAT, UH, VARIOUS LIBRARY ADVOCATES ARE JUST GOING TO BE POPPING IN AND POPPING UP, UH, TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT, HEY, THERE IS AN ELECTION.
'CAUSE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WHEN WE GO TO THEM, THEY SAY, WAIT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS ALREADY DECIDED BECAUSE IT WENT ON FOR SO MANY MONTHS.
UM, SO THAT'S THE FIRST HURDLE THAT HAS TO BE OVERCOME.
THE WHOLE BACK PAGE OF THE FRONT SECTION LOOKED LIKE THIS.
NOW, WE'VE DONE THIS SEVERAL OTHER TIMES.
IT'S INFORMATION WE'RE ALLOWED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, UH, AND IT, AND NOW INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING LIKE OUR HAPPY LITTLE BOOKMARK, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, OKAY, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH PROPOSITION ONE.
IT MEN MENTIONS THE OTHER PARTNERS, BUT DOESN'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ON THE OTHER PARTNERS.
AND IT ADDED WHAT HAPPENS IF THE LIBRARY'S TAX FAILS.
THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT VARIOUS PACKS ARE PUSHING THAT IS VOCATIONAL.
ANYTHING THE LIBRARY PUTS OUT THERE IS STRICTLY INFORMATIONAL.
THIS IS JUST INFORMATION TO ALERT THE CITIZENS OF THIS PARISH ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, PROPOSITION, PROPOSITION ONE THAT WILL COME BEFORE THEM IN ABOUT FOUR WEEKS.
NOW, UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN BLESSED TO BE INVITED TO VARIOUS COUNCIL MANIC DISTRICT MEETINGS, COUNCILMAN HURST MEETINGS, COUNCILMAN KENNEY'S MEETINGS, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TIJUANA.
WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SO A VARIETY OF COUNCILMAN MOS MEETINGS.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN PART AND PARCEL OF THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T HAVE DISTRICT MEETINGS, BUT THEY GO TO MEETINGS.
SO, UM, SOMETIMES MAYBE WE'VE TAGGED ALONG ON SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO A LOT OF ACTION IS OUT THERE.
WE'VE UPDATED THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS YET AGAIN.
THERE ARE NOW NINE PAGES LONG OF TINY LITTLE PRINT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN MAKE IT BE BIG ON YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN.
AND I PRINTED MINE OUT ON LEDGER PAPER, SO IT WAS GREAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE HAD, AGAIN, THE REASON FOR THE FAQ'S GROWING IS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ASKS QUESTIONS AND WE HONOR THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST BY ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS AND ADDING THEM TO THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION LIST.
UM, I WAS EXCITED TO PUT THE PROPOSITION NUMBERS THERE BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT.
I WAS EXCITED TO ADD THAT THERE'S A ORGANIZATION THAT GIVES FREE RIDES TO THE POLLS, NOT JUST ON ELECTION DAY, BUT ALSO DURING EARLY VOTING.
UM, SO WE WERE EXCITED TO ADD THAT INFORMATION TO OUR FAQS.
AND AGAIN, IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU A QUESTION THAT WE HAVEN'T ANSWERED, I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS SO WE CAN WORK ON THE CORRECT ANSWER AND ADD IT.
BECAUSE ONLINE I HAVE UNLIMITED SPACE.
SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE INFORMATIONAL SIDE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
AND THEN THE PACS, THE VARIOUS PACS ARE DOING THEIR BIT TO BE MORE VOCATIONAL PHONE BANKS ARE STARTING.
UH, THE BILLBOARDS AND YARD SIGNS ARE BEING MORE FOCUSED, AND I EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF THAT.
WE DON'T LEAD THOSE CAMPAIGNS BECAUSE WE ARE JUST THE INFORMATION SIDE OF IT.
YOU, HOWEVER, ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PUT A VOTE YES YARD SIGN IN YOUR YARD, AND, UH, AND HELP LEAD THAT.
UM, HAPPY, HAPPY EVENTS SINCE WE LAST MET.
THE 48TH ANNUAL AUTHOR ILLUSTRATOR PROGRAM WENT OUT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH.
THE DAYTIME ZOOMING INTO THE LOCAL CLASSROOMS WENT BEAUTIFULLY.
UH, THE EVENING PROGRAM HERE, YOU CAN SEE BRIAN PINKNEY AND ANDREA PINKNEY, UM, DRAWING, DRUMMING SPEAKING,
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AND THIS IS WHY WE DO IT.UM, THEY WERE SO INTERESTING, AND IT, PEOPLE WERE JUST ENWRAPPED WITH THEIR PRESENTATION.
THEY PRESENTED TO THE GROWNUPS, THE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS, UH, PUBLIC LIBRARIANS, EDUCATORS, ARTISTS, WRITERS, CAME IN TO THE ROOM THE NEXT DAY TO KINDA GET A BEHIND THE SCENES WORKSHOP FROM THEM.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
AND NOW I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT THE 49TH ANNUAL AUTHOR ILLUSTRATOR WILL BE DAVID EZRA STEIN, AND HE WILL BE HERE IN OCTOBER.
AND ALREADY, WHEN WE SAID THAT NAME, THE ROOM WENT, AH, YOU KNOW, SO REALLY GOOD, UH, STREET CRED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU THE 50TH ONE YET.
BUT KEEPING TO THE ARTS, UH, PLAN.
WE HOSTED THE ARTS SUMMIT LAST WEEK.
IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THE, IT'S ALL BLURRING TO ME.
BUT AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH, WE HOSTED THE ART SUMMIT.
UH, SO THE BUILDING WAS HOPPING FOR THREE DAYS.
THIS WASN'T JUST A THREE HOUR MEETING, THREE DAYS.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, THAT INSIDE OUT PROJECT KIND OF TOOK OVER DOWNTOWN, ALL OVER THE, THE KERRY CAVAGE, UH, BUILDING THAT IS, UH, OCCUPIED BY THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE.
BUT THEY ALSO CAME DOWN THE STREET TO THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH.
AND IN THE BOTTOM CORNER, IF WE CAN SEE, YES, THERE'S OUR VERY OWN BRANCH MANAGER.
ALLISON COOPER WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE TURNED INSIDE OUT AS FAR PART OF THIS KIND OF MAN ON THE STREETS, GRASSROOTS ART PROJECT.
MUSIC KEEPING WITH THE ART SHOW.
UH OH, WE HAVE BEEN A HOTBED OF MUSIC.
LOOK AT ALL THOSE, SHALL I SAY, BUTTS IN SEATS.
UM, THIS ROOM, STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR THE CIVIC ORCHESTRA.
UH, AND IN THE BOTTOM, THEY PREMIERED A PIECE FOR BATON ROUGE.
NEVER BEFORE HAS THIS HORN CONCERTO BY HUBLER BEEN PLAYED IN OUR REGION.
IT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR EVERYONE.
UH, HE'S LONG DEAD, SO HE DIDN'T KNOW.
AND, UH, IT WAS, IT'S KIND OF FUN TO PREVIEW TO PREMIERE OR HIGHLIGHT A, A GROUP THAT DOESN'T GET TO STAND UP MUCH.
THE SYMPHONY WAS HERE EARLIER, AND THERE'S BACH.
UH, THERE'S OUR CONCERT MISTRESS SLAVO WITH SOME YOUNG STUDENTS IN THE VIOLIN PROGRAM ELSEWHERE IN, IN THE SCHOOLS.
THERE WERE A LOT, YOU SEE, PEOPLE WERE CASUAL ON THE LAWN AS WELL AS IN THE FANCY CHAIRS.
HOW MANY FAMILIES CAME, HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE CAME? THERE WERE COLLEGE STUDENTS HERE.
UH, AND QUITE A FEW WERE IN MUSIC PROGRAMS, UH, HERE AT LSU AND AT SOUTHERN.
AND I SAID, Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A POPUP PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
AND I GOT A LOT OF, HMM, IT'S GOOD FOR A, UH, A PERFORMANCE MAJOR TO PRACTICE BEFORE THEY'RE AT THAT FINAL LETTER GRADE, UH, PERFORMANCE.
SO WE OFFERED OURSELVES FREELY TO THEM.
THIS COMING NEXT SATURDAY, WE WILL HOST TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION.
AND THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS IS IT'S GONNA BE A DAY LONG.
THERE WILL BE REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE HERE.
UH, HE IN FACT WILL BE ON ONE OF THE PANEL DISCUSSIONS FOLLOWING THE KEN BURNS PREVIEW REEL.
NOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WE'RE NOT SHOWING THE ENTIRE DOCUMENTARY.
IT WON'T PREMIERE UNTIL LPB PREMIERES IT VERY SOON AFTER.
SO THE, THE PBS PEOPLE WITH KEN BURNS ASSISTANCE PUT TOGETHER LIKE A PREVIEW REEL, UH, FOR THE SNEAK PEEK TO SHOW US WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE.
WE'VE DONE THIS WITH SEVERAL OTHER OF THEIR BIG SERIES.
SO WE'LL DO THAT, AND THERE'LL BE A LITTLE PANEL DISCUSSION AFTER THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR EDUCATORS, UH, WHERE THE LPP EDUCATION STAFF IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO USE THE, THE STUFF THAT'S OUT THERE FREE FOR ALL, UH, IN THE CLASSROOM OR FOR HOMESCHOOLING OR FOR WHATEVER, UH, LIFELONG LEARNING, UH, THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WILL BE HERE.
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TEA.UH, WE WILL NOT THROW IT IN THE FOUNTAIN.
UM, GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MYSTERIOUS, INVISIBLE HAND.
I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT.
UH, 250 YEARS AGO, WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER, 1775, THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WILL TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.
THE VINTAGE DANCERS WILL BE HERE ALL DAY JUST DANCING AROUND.
UH, AND THEY WILL INVITE YOU TO JOIN THEM.
AND LITTLE WARS IS GONNA BE HERE WITH I, I'M FASCINATED BY THIS, WHERE YOU SET UP THE BATTLEFIELD AND WE KIND OF GO THROUGH IT.
ANYBODY THAT LIKES TO DO GAMING, THEY SHOULD COME.
AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUNG MINDS INTERESTED INTO IT.
IT REALLY MAKES IT COME ALIVE.
SO THAT'S TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION.
AND MAYBE WE WILL BE PLAYING SOME BEATLES MUSIC ALSO.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE, BECAUSE THE VERY NEXT WEEK AFTER THAT, I'LL BE AT THE BOOK FESTIVAL, BUT JAMES LYNDEN HOGG WILL BE HERE PERFORMING MUSIC OF THE REVOLUTIONARY TIME PERIOD.
WE JUST, THE TIMING DIDN'T WORK FOR HIM TO COME ON OCTOBER 25TH.
BUT, UM, WE'LL STILL CELEBRATE.
A LOT OF OTHER STUFF'S GOING ON.
THE REDS STICK RHYTHMS. WE'VE BEEN, UH, PRE HIGHLIGHTING THE VARIOUS YOUNG PERFORMERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE PART OF THE REDICK RHYTHMS STREAMING SERVICE.
FOR OUR FIRST YEAR, WE'RE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR YEAR TWO FROM LOCAL PERFORMING GROUPS.
SO ALL OVER THE PLACE, WE WILL BE HAVING GAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER ON.
IN FACT, ON THE SAME DAY AS THE ELECTION, WE'LL BE REWILDING THE LIBRARY IN NOVEMBER.
AND LAST NIGHT WE HAD GRAVE SITES WITH CEMETERIES OF BATON ROUGE KIND OF FUN.
AND OUR MAKER MAVEN THIS MONTH WE'RE, WE ARE CELEBRATING MAKING IN THE NEWSLETTER AND ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH GRAHAM BATEMAN, WHO IS A POWER USER OF THE DOWNTOWN MAKER SPACE.
AND I LOVE THAT WHEN SHE, SHE CAME TO US FROM DALLAS, WHERE SHE WAS A MAKER THERE.
AND SHE'S TELLING ALL HER FRIENDS AT DALLAS THAT IT'S BETTER HERE.
AND THIS ALL LEADS UP TO THE BIG MAKER FAIR.
IN TWO DAYS, WE WILL TRANSFORM THE LIBRARY.
IT WILL BE MOVIES, LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION.
THE FILM COMMISSION WILL BE HERE.
UH, PEOPLE REPRESENTING THE VARIOUS FILM FESTIVALS WILL BE HERE.
THE FOLEY ARTIST WILL BE OUR HEADLINER SO THAT WE CAN SEE ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE SOUND EFFECTS.
AND THEN THEY WILL MAKE SOUND EFFECTS FOR A SILENT MOVIE.
ONE OF THE BUSTER KEATON FILMS, UH, FAMOUS STUNT PERSON IS GOING TO BE HERE.
UH, AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE ROBOTS.
SO A REALLY GREAT TIME THIS COMING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, FROM 10 TO FOUR.
OF COURSE, IT'S FREE AND FAMILY FRIENDLY.
WE JUST HEARD FROM JOHN DANGELO FOR OUR STRICTLY BUSINESS, VIRTUAL AUTHORS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AT YOUR DESKS, YOU HAVE AN INVITATION TO GO JOIN US ON NOVEMBER 1ST, DOWNTOWN AT THE STATE CAPITOL, THE STATE LIBRARY, AND THE STATE MUSEUM.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHEN WE WILL BE THERE FOR THE LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL, YOU WON'T MISS US.
BUT IF YOU NEED SOME MORE BOOKMARKS TO TAKE BACK WITH YOU TO YOUR OWN WORKPLACE AND PLACE OF BUSINESS, OR TO SHARE WITH YOUR OWN CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS, I HAVE LOTS.
AND WE ARE OF COURSE, VERY EXCITED TO BE THERE.
WE WILL, WE WILL PREMIERE OUR ONE BOOK ONE COMMUNITY, AND YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT TO COME TO FIND OUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, OTHER THAN, OTHER THAN THE BOOK FESTIVAL.
SO I HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT TOO, IF YOU NEED ANY QUESTIONS.
MOVING ON TO OTHER REPORTS, MAINTENANCE AND ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THESE REPORTS WILL BE READ BY LORI JUDE.
OH, AND LORI CAN SHOW YOU MAINTENANCE ON THE COVER OF THAT, OF THE NEWSPAPER WITH OUR OWN TERRY LEWIS.
YEAH, THAT WAS A VERY FUN PICTURE OF, UH, MR. TERRY.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A RARE MOMENT OF HIM LAUGHING THAT THEY CAUGHT
IS THE MICROPHONE WORKING? IS SHE TECHNICAL
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DIFFICULTIES ON ALL FRONTS TODAY? YEAH.UM, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE MIC.
SO FOR OCTOBER, FOR THE PAST MONTH OR THE MAINTENANCE, UM, A NEW FENCE WAS INSTALLED AT THE EDEN PARK BRANCH LIBRARY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, AFTER RECEIVING ADVICE FROM A LOCAL ARBORIST, 13 TREES WERE REMOVED FROM THE BLUEBONNET BRANCH LIBRARY, AND MULTIPLE TREES WERE ALSO TRIMMED.
WORK WAS ALSO COMPLETED ON THE CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS AT THE BLUEBONNET BRANCH LIBRARY IN THE REAR OF THE BUILDING, UH, LARGER FLUSH VALVES WERE INSTALLED IN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S RESTROOMS TO HELP ALLEVIATE, UH, PLUMBING ISSUES AT THE ZACHARY BRANCH LIBRARY AS WELL.
UH, FOR THE MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE OUTREACH PROJECT, THERE'S NOTHING NEW TO REPORT AT THIS TIME FOR THE ROOFING PROJECT.
A NEW CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN SELECTED TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
WE ARE WAITING FOR APPROVAL FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO SIGN THE CONTRACT BEFORE THE NOTICE TO PROCEED CAN BE ISSUED.
AND WE MAY HAVE MORE DETAILS ON THAT NEXT MONTH FOR THE BOILERS.
UH, FOR EDEN PARK AND GREENWELL SPRINGS, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE PROJECT TO GO OUT TO BID FOR THE BLUE BANNER, BLUE BONNET BRANCH LIBRARY RENOVATIONS.
THERE'S NOTHING NEW TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
UM, FOR THE CHILLER PROJECT, THE CONTRACTOR IS STILL WORKING ON THE FINAL PUNCH LIST.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, WHAT IS THE WAIT TIME? LIKE YOU SAID WE HAD A PLUMBING PROBLEM AT ZACHARY.
SO BETWEEN THE TIME THE STAFF NOTIFIES YOU THAT THERE'S A PLUMBING PROBLEM, WHAT IS THE WAIT TIME BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GET IT FIXED? I MEAN, DO WE WORK WITH THE CITY PARISH OR HAVE SOMEONE FROM YES, ACTUALLY, UM, ALVIN HAS TO GET, UH, BIDS SOMETIMES.
IT VARIES BECAUSE IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON THE ISSUE.
HE HAS TO GET A, YOU KNOW, UH, HE HAS, DEPENDING ON THE COST OF THE CONTRACT, HE HAS TO SEND IT OUT FOR BIDS OR HE'LL JUST, IT, IT'S UNDER A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
HE COULD HIRE A VENDOR TO COME IN AND, AND DO THE CONTRACT WORK IMMEDIATELY.
SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S IMMEDIATELY DONE.
LIKE HE SAID THAT WITH THESE NEW FLUSH VALVES THAT THEY INSTALLED, THAT, THAT ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM OF THE PLUMBING ISSUES AT ZACHARY.
SO THAT RESOLVED THAT ISSUE COMPLETELY.
AND HE SAID THAT WOULD SAVE TIME BECAUSE, UH, ORIGINALLY THE CONTRACTOR WAS SAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DIG UP OUR FLOORS.
SO BY INSTALLING THE LARGER FLUSH VALVES, THEY WERE ABLE TO PREVENT HAVING TO DIG UP THE FLOORS.
YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY, CAN YOU WE GET IT FIXED RIGHT AWAY? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, CAUSE SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND, AND FIX THINGS RIGHT AWAY, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A, A PLUMBING ISSUE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. YEAH, USUALLY THEY ADDRESS THINGS RIGHT AWAY.
IF THERE'S A TEMPORARY FIX THAT THEY CAN DO UNTIL THEY CAN GET SOMEONE TO COME OUT, THAT'S USUALLY HOW THEY HANDLE THOSE SITUATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, LORI.
UM, MOVING ON TO MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS AND THANK YOU.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE, WHICH IS THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY AND JUDGE DONALD JOHNSON OF THE 19TH JUDICIAL COURT AND HIS STAFF TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE SPACES FOR INDIVIDUALS FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO BE ABLE TO FILE A REQUEST FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER, WAS JUST ANNOUNCED IN A PRESS RELEASE YESTERDAY AT THE RIVER CENTER BRANCH.
SEVERAL JUDGES AND OTHER STAFF FROM THE 19TH JDC, THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE, LOCAL AREA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION ORGANIZATIONS AND METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST, UH, HARRIS COLEMAN AND HUDSON ATTENDED THE PRESS RELEASE.
WE FOLLOWED UP THE PRESENTATION WITH A DEMONSTRATION OF HOW AN INDIVIDUAL MAY ACCESS THE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.
LAST WEEK WE HOSTED THE STATE LIBRARY ADMINISTRATORS CONFERENCE.
WE HEARD EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS ABOUT ADDRESSING BURNOUT AMONG STAFF, LOUISIANA ETHICS, WRITING AND MANAGING GRANTS, AND A LOVELY PRESENTATION BY A LOUISIANA CHILDREN'S AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR.
AS A BONUS, OF COURSE, WE HAD A CHANCE TO NETWORK WITH OUR FELLOW LIBRARY ADMINISTRATORS AROUND THE STATE.
ALSO, LAST WEEK, BRAC HELD THEIR ANNUAL IMPACT EVENT.
I, ALONG WITH, UH, STAFF FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENTS ATTENDED.
AND WE DID MANAGE TO ENGAGE IN SOME CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF
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THE, UH, OTHER ATTENDEES ABOUT THRIVE.AND IT WAS A LITTLE LOUD IN THERE, UNFORTUNATELY, OTHERWISE, PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE, UH, TALKED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, THE LIBRARY IS ALSO HOSTING FLU SHOTS FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.
SO IF YOU'VE NOT GOTTEN YOUR FLU SHOT, UM, WE HAVE POSTERS AROUND THAT.
HAVE THAT INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE TOO, OR IS IT ON A WEBSITE? NO, IT'S 'CAUSE IT'S SECRET.
WE ARE ALSO HOSTING INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR CITY PARISH RETIREES.
THESE ARE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE CHANGES TO RETIREES MEDICAL BENEFITS PACKAGE.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UH, WANNA BE, UH, ON PUBLIC RECORD? I JUST EMAILED FINANCE AND PURCHASING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THESE MICS DONE.
THIS IS UNPROFESSIONAL FOR A PUBLIC MEETING TO BE SHARING MICROPHONES, BUT, UM, AS IT RELATES, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL OPINION ON THE BENEFITS.
I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT VOTED AGAINST IT.
AND I WANNA BE VERY TRANSPARENT FOR RETIREES AS TO WHY.
THERE WAS A GROUP OF RETIREES THERE, AND IT WAS, THEY TOLD 'EM, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND I WENT UP TO 'EM AND I SAID, HEY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE Y'ALL ARE, UH, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT MESSAGE SHOULD I BE SENDING OTHER RETIREES? THEIR RESPONSE WAS, COUNCILMAN HURST.
WE CAME HERE TO VOTE AGAINST IT AND IT WAS PRESENTED AS IF, AS IF THEY WERE FOR IT.
HERE'S, HERE'S THE CHALLENGE AND WHY.
NUMBER ONE, I THOUGHT THE MESSAGING HEARD THRIVE AND THE ABILITY FOR US TO PASS THE MILLAGES, BECAUSE IT WAS PUT OUT PUBLICLY THAT WE'RE GONNA SAVE 19 MILLION, 19 MILLION WAS NEVER A NUMBER.
THE ACTUAL NUMBER WAS 16.25 MILLION.
AND OF THAT 16.25 MILLION, IF EVERYONE SIGNED UP, ONLY 6.2 MILLION WILL GO TOWARDS THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THAT'S IF EVERYBODY SIGNED UP, BY THE WAY.
SO THOSE NUMBERS WERE, WERE INCORRECT AND CERTAIN THINGS THAT WERE PUT OUT, UM, WHY WOULD I VOTE FOR THRIVE IF YOU GONNA SAVE $19 MILLION BY SWITCHING HEALTH PLANS? SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE CLEAR.
I DID MY OWN RESEARCH TALKING TO MEDICAL CLINICS AND DOCTORS AND OTHER FOLKS THAT, UM, THEY SAID MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WAS THE WORST THING ON EARTH.
THE MEDICAL FACILITIES, THEY DON'T PAY THE BILLS.
AND THEY ESSENTIALLY ARE LIKE CABLE COMPANIES WHERE THEY ONLY EXPECT YOU TO BE ON THEIR PLAN FOR TWO YEARS.
THEY DENY YOU ENOUGH TILL YOU SWITCH TO THE NEXT ONE, AND THEN THEY DENY YOU ENOUGH TILL YOU SWITCH TO THE NEXT ONE.
NOW, WE DO HAVE A CUSTOMIZED PLAN, WHICH GAVE ME SOME, UH, PEACE ABOUT IT, WHICH COVERS PROBABLY 90% OF THE STUFF THAT OUR CURRENT PLAN DOES.
BUT THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS, WHAT ABOUT THE SPECIALTY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH ONCOLOGY ISSUES AND ARE GOING TO MD ANDERSON AND MAYBE RENAL ISSUES BECAUSE YOUR HEALTH IS GREAT WHEN YOU'RE 20 YEARS OLD.
IT'S OKAY WHEN YOU'RE 40 YEARS OLD, BUT WHEN YOU'RE 60 TO 80, YOU START FEELING THE ACHES AND PAINS AND GOING THROUGH CERTAIN THINGS AND 90 AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE MAY BE INCOHERENT AND NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGES REQUIRED.
AND SO THE PLAN, THE WAY THAT THEY PLAN ON DOING IT IS TO OPT OUT VERSUS OPTING IN.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S DECEPTIVE.
UM, TO, TO RETIREES WHO, SOME OF THEM, I WANNA BE CLEAR BECAUSE I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES, BUT SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES WORK FOR $8 25 CENTS AN HOUR FOR 30 YEARS.
AND IF THEY'VE MADE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, TYPICALLY YOUR EDUCATION LEVEL DETERMINES YOUR INCOME LEVEL.
AND IF THEY HAVE LITERACY ISSUES THAT THEY HAD DURING EMPLOYMENT AND COMPREHENSION ISSUES DURING EMPLOYMENT, THEY WERE MORE LABOR INTENSIVE WORKFORCE.
AND SOMEBODY WHO SEES IT MAYBE AS JUNK MAIL, WILL PUT IN THE TRASH.
SO I ASKED THEM TO TAKE THE SAME CONSERVATIVE EFFORT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO TO GET PEOPLE TO OPT IN AS THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO, TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WANTED TO NOT OPT OUT.
RIGHT? IN OTHER WORDS, WHY NOT TAKE THE SAME FOUR MONTHS AND PUSH TO OPT IN OR TO GET PEOPLE TO OPT IN THEN VERSUS TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WANNA STAY ON THE PLAN.
SO, UM, I'M JUST PUTTING THIS ON PUBLIC RECORD THAT FOR ALL LIBRARY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RETIRED CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RETIRED, JUST MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU WATCH THIS NOTICE, TELL A FRIEND, TELL A, A FORMER COLLEAGUE THAT THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SPECIALIST, WHICH WAS, TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS LISTED
[00:30:01]
BECAUSE IF I'M ON THE TRIAL AT MD ANDERSON, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT.IT COULD BE A LIFE SAVING PROCEDURE THAT I'M NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR.
AND MAKING THAT DECISION FOR ONE LIFE WAS NOT WORTH IT FOR ME TO SAVE MONEY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ME WHY I'M A DEMOCRAT AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT PUBLICLY.
IT'S 'CAUSE I HAVE VIEWS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
BUT SOCIALISM IS WHY I DO IT BECAUSE I'LL NEVER SAY HEALTHCARE SHOULDN'T BE PROVIDED TO EVERYBODY AND THE LIFE IS, HAS A CERTAIN VALUE ON IT.
AND I, I THINK THE SAME WAY WHEN I MAKE MY DECISIONS AND CITY PARISH IS ALWAYS PEOPLE FIRST.
AND AS A BOARD MEMBER HERE AND AS A BOARD MEMBER ON THE COUNCIL, I'M JUST URGING PEOPLE TO SPREAD THE WORD TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT SO THE RETIREES CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
AND I KNOW I WENT ON A TANGENT, BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT PEOPLE HAVE PROPER HEALTHCARE DURING, DURING EMPLOYMENT AND, AND UH, POST-EMPLOYMENT AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE COMMENTS? MOVING ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS UPDATE ON SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY.
MR. REPORTS WILL BE READ BY LAURIE HUG.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SHOW ME HOW TO GET IT BACK ON.
WHAT'S THE THING AT THE TOP? THERE'S A TINY LITTLE SWITCH AT THE TOP.
SO FOR THE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY, PHASE TWO UPDATE, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FRAMING AND METAL DECKING FOR THE BUILDING IS ONGOING.
DEMOLITION OF THE INTERIOR CONCRETE WALLS IS ONGOING.
EXTERIOR SHEATHING OF THE NEW RESTROOMS IN SOUTHEAST WING EXPANSION IS COMPLETE MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING WORK IS ONGOING.
IN ADDITION, THE LIBRARY RECEIVED THE ART SCAN FOR THE MURAL THAT WILL BE USED AT SCOTLANDVILLE.
THE ARTWORK IS TITLED ROYAL MARCH INTO THE CITY BY LOCAL SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ARTIST MR. BRANDELL HENRY.
IT IS A MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE ON CANVAS THAT HE CREATED IN 2018.
IT WAS A PART OF A 2019 EXHIBITION THAT MR. HENRY HAD AT THE BATON ROUGE GALLERY.
HE HAS GRACIOUSLY GIVEN US PERMISSION TO USE THIS WORK TO CREATE THE MURAL THAT WILL BE A FOCAL POINT OVER THE BLACK HERITAGE AREA ONCE THE SCOTLANDVILLE RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETE.
THE PROJECT IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF MARCH, 2026.
UH, THOUGH THIS COULD CHANGE AND LET ME SHOW YOU A FEW IMAGES.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS THE FRAMING OF THE SOUTHEAST WING AS OF SEPTEMBER 23RD.
AND THIS IS HOW IT LOOKED, UH, AS OF OCTOBER 7TH WITH EXTERIOR SHEATHING ON THE NEW RESTROOMS AND THE SOUTHEAST WING EXPANSION.
AND THIS IS THE INTERIOR AT THE NEW BLACK HERITAGE SECTION SECTION FACING THE EAST AND THE INTERIOR OF THE BLACK HERITAGE SECTION SHOWING THE EXTERNAL WALLS INSTALLED.
AND THIS IS THE ARTWORK OF THE ROYAL MARCH INTO THE CITY BY RDE HENRY FOR 2018.
MOVING ON TO UPDATE ON THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY.
ALRIGHT, SO FOR THE BAKER BRANCH LIBRARY UPDATE, THE ARCHITECTURAL SELECTION COMMITTEE MET ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH.
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT GROSS FLORES POSITORY, GFP ARCHITECTS WAS SELECTED FOR THE BAKER BRANCH RENOVATIONS PROJECT AND THAT THEY MOST RECENTLY WORKED WITH US ON THE SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY.
SO IF YOU LOVE SOUTH BRANCH, I'M SURE THEY'RE GONNA DO A GREAT JOB ON OUR BAKER BRANCH AS WELL.
UM, THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND TO GET THE REQUIRED CITY PARISH APPROVALS.
ANY QUESTIONS? THE ARTIST THAT, THAT WAS DONATING THE WORKS, HE'S DONATING THE, THE ACTUAL, UH, ART OR WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, HE'S GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AT AT THAT BRANCH.
WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THE ARTWORK, WITH THE
[00:35:01]
YES, WE ARE USING THAT SCAN.AND, UM, AARON BABCOCK WITH ELL ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, UH, OUT OF TEXAS, HE'S GOING TO TAKE THAT SCAN AND HE'S GOING TO LAYER IT SO THAT IT MAKES A COOL IMPRESSION.
YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT WHEN YOU SEE IT.
ALRIGHT, ON TO NEW BUSINESS TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET.
I'M GONNA DISCUSS FOR A MOMENT SOME OF THE REASONS THAT, UH, THE STAFF MADE, UH, FOR THE DECISION THAT, UH, WE, WE HAD COME UP WITH.
UH, WE WERE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES RECRUITING DEPUTIES, UH, BECAUSE WE, UH, THEY WERE ASKING US TO INCREASE THEIR PAY FROM $30 AN HOUR UP TO 40.
AND, UH, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN FACT LOSING OUR CURRENT DEPUTIES AND WE WERE FINDING IT HARD TO GET SECURITY COVERAGE FOR SOME OF OUR LOCATIONS.
THE INCREASE IN SALARY CAUSED US TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT OUR LOCATIONS AT INCIDENT REPORTS, STATISTICS, AND GATE COUNTS TO SEE WHERE CUTS COULD BE MADE TO OFFSET THE $10 INCREASE.
WE DID ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE TWO HOUR SHIFTS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO OFFSET COSTS, BUT WE WERE TOLD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REQUIRES FOUR HOUR MINIMUM SHIFTS.
SO AFTER THE FAILED NEGOTIATION FOR SHORTER SHIFTS, THE BRANCH SERVICES STAFF SPENT HOURS ANALYZING INCIDENT REPORTS, GATE COUNT DATA SYSTEM WIDE.
AND WE DETERMINED THAT PRIDE AND CENTRAL HAD THE LEAST NUMBER OF INCIDENTS.
PRIDE HAD ONE REPORTED INCIDENT FOR THE PAST YEAR.
CENTRAL HAD 11 INCIDENT REPORTS AND ONE PATRON SUSPENSION.
IN COMPARISON, RIVER CENTER HAD 67 INCIDENTS, 21 PATRON SUSPENSIONS, AND EIGHT EXTENDED PATRON SUSPENSIONS.
THE CARVER LIBRARY HAD 38 INCIDENT REPORTS, 20 PATRON SUSPENSIONS, AND SEVEN EXTENDED SUSPENSIONS.
WE DO NOT HAVE AN DATA YET ON SOUTH, BUT SOUTH'S BUDGET INCLUDES $20,000 IN ANNUAL DUES TO THE LOCAL HOA, WHICH INCLUDES COMMUNITY SECURITY.
WE FEEL THAT ADDING DEPUTIES WOULD BE REDUNDANT AT THE SOUTH BRANCH FOR THE MOMENT.
THE YEARLY COST TO MAINTAIN SECURITY GUARDS AT SOUTH CENTRAL AND PRIDE WOULD BE $181.
WE BUDGETED 1 MILLION FOR SECURITY FOR 2026, NOT 180 1, EXCUSE ME.
THAT WASN'T 180 1 WHAT? THOUSAND THOUSAND? OH, EXCUSE ME.
WE BUDGET, YEAH, A BUDGET OF 1 MILLION FOR SECURITY FOR 2026.
THE COST FOR SECURITY WITHOUT SOUTH AND PRIDE IS 1.2 MILLION, WHICH IS ALREADY 200,000 OVER BUDGET.
THIS BUDGETED AMOUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE BENEFITS.
AND AFTER HOURS EVENTS, WE MET WITH BRANCH MANAGERS OF THESE LOCATIONS, PATRICK ABBOTT, TI AND HEATHER HARRISON, AND DISCUSSED ANY CONCERNS.
WE ALSO INVITED THEM TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
THE ONLY CONCERN MENTIONED WAS DEPUTIES, UH, FOR THE PRIDE HERITAGE FESTIVAL, AT WHICH WE TOLD MS. KANI THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS WITH NOTICE NONE OF THE BRANCH MANAGERS HAD ANY OTHER CONCERNS.
WE HAVE, UH, MADE UP ALTERNATE SCHEDULES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
IF YOU ULTIMATELY DECIDE AS A BOARD TO REINSTATE THE OLD SCHEDULE AT THIS NEW PAY RATE, THEN WE WILL AWAIT FORMAL APPROVAL FROM YOU TO TRANSFER FUNDS BETWEEN PROPOSED BUDGET LINES FOR 2026.
UM, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE CUTS TO THESE LINE ITEMS. FURTHER CUTS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON SERVICE TO OUR PATRONS.
I'M, I'M NOT HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE CUTTING SERVICES, UH, THAT WE HAD A, A NOT A LARGE NUMBER OF, OF, UH, REPORTED INCIDENTS.
I WONDER HOW MANY INCIDENTS, UH, DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE WHEN YOU WALK INTO THESE BRANCHES THAT THERE'S A DEPUTY SITTING THERE.
UH, I I, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, YOU, YOU CAN'T COUNT THAT.
UH, AND NEITHER CAN I, BUT, UH, I AM, I'M AFRAID THAT, UH, IT JUST TAKES ONE, ONE BAD INCIDENT TO MAKE THIS, UH, A REALLY TERRIBLE CHOICE.
AND, UH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT PUTTING THE NATIONAL GUARD IN THE STREETS IN BATON ROUGE.
UH, SO WE NEED TO LOOK LONG AND HARD AT THIS.
[00:40:01]
UH, LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY WE'RE $4 MILLION AHEAD IN OUR APPROPRIATIONS FOR THIS YEAR.I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING INTO A TAX ELECTION WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING CUTS.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE COLLECTING AS MUCH REVENUE, UH, AS WE HAD HOPED WHENEVER WE STARTED TRYING TO PUT OUR, OUR BUDGET TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
UH, BUT I, I THINK THIS IS SHORTSIGHTED AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DEPUTIES, UH, ALL PUT BACK AT, AT A, A NORMAL, UH, AT WHAT HAS TILL NOW BEEN A, A NORMAL, UH, SCHEDULE.
I WOULD, I WOULD SUBMIT THAT, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FUND THE DEPUTIES, UH, PAY FULLY UPFRONT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AS THE YEAR WEARS ON LINE I, THERE, THERE WILL BE MONEY IN LIGHT ITEMS THAT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE WILL ONCE AGAIN NOT SPEND ALL OF OUR TRAVEL BUDGET THIS YEAR.
SO THERE WILL BE MONEY THAT WE COULD APPROPRIATE FROM TRAVEL BACK INTO THE, UH, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES LINE ITEM OR THE CONTRACTUAL, UH, EMPLOYEES LINE ITEM.
UM, WE RARELY FULLY EXPEND CONTRACT SOME OF THE CONTRACTS LIKE THE ARTS COUNCIL CONTRACT FOR PERFORMERS.
THERE'S NORMALLY SOME MONEY LEFT OVER AT THE END OF EACH CONTRACT YEAR.
AND SO AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES AND, AND AS THESE, UH, UH, EXCESSES BECOME AVAILABLE OR BECOME APPARENT THAT WE CAN MAKE CUTS HERE AND THERE, OR MAKE SMALL AMENDMENTS HERE AND THERE TO FULLY FUND THE DEPUTIES, UH, SALARIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED.
AND LOOK, I, I TALKED TO 'EM EARLY AND I WANTED TO MAKE A, A SUGGESTION.
UM, I WAS TOLD THAT BRPD PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO BE THERE JUST BASED ON COST.
AND I, I WOULD ASSUME THE CONSTABLE'S THE SAME FOR THE SAME REASON.
IT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DOUBLE DIP PAYING THE SAME, THEY'RE PAID OUT OF THE SAME FUND.
UH, THEREFORE WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING OVERTIME.
SO HERE, HERE'S WHAT I TRIED TO DO BEFORE I CAME HERE IS, UH, GET WITH CONSTABLE WILLIAMS AND FIGURE OUT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A RESERVE PROGRAM AND THAT RESERVE PROGRAM WOULD NOT PUT THEM IN OVERTIME, THAT THAT RESERVE PROGRAM IS 20 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK PER MONTH.
AND THEN THAT ALLOWS THE CONSTABLE TO DO EXTRA DUTY THAT THAT EXTRA DUTY CAN BE NEGOTIATED IF CONSISTENT.
AND THEY DO HAVE ARRESTING POWERS FOR BATON ROUGE BASED BRANCHES, WHICH MAY CUT SOME FUNDING HERE TO ALLOW FUNDING TO BE, AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS, IT'S A SOLUTION, I'M JUST SAYING IT'S SOMETHING TO EXPLORE.
SO SHE, SHE NORMALLY CALLS ME RIGHT BACK.
SO WHEN SHE DOES, I'LL ASK ANOTHER THING I THOUGHT ABOUT TOO.
AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO USE, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S BASED ON EXPENSE, BUT AS SOME OF THESE OTHER BRANCHES, UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE, I HEARD ABOUT THAT WITH PRIVATE SECURITY.
BUT A PART PART OF THAT IS ABOUT COMPANY MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUST CREATING A STANDARD OPERATING, UH, OR SLAS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET OTHERWISE THEY GET A 30 DAY NOTICE THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER WELCOME.
SO, WHICH IS IN EVERY CITY PARISH CONTRACT.
SO I WOULD INQUIRE ABOUT PUTTING OUT, UH, AN RFP VERSUS AN RFQ SO THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH COST BEING THE ONLY FACTOR.
UM, BUT STILL USING LOW BID AS A DETERMINING FACTOR, WHICH WILL POTENTIALLY GET US LOWER THAN THE RATE THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS OFFERING.
AND WE COULD HAVE A COMBINATION OF ARMED SECURITY WITH, UH, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WORKERS THAT HAVE RESTING POWER.
SO THOSE THREE OR TWO OPTIONS, CONSTABLE'S OFFICE RESERVE, SO WE DON'T PAY OVERTIME.
SO THAT LOW BID IS NOT THE ONLY THING WE LOOK AT.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
AND, AND, AND THE THING ABOUT AN RFP IS WE DON'T HAVE TO PICK A WINNER AND ACTUALLY GO AND NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT.
WE CAN ALWAYS PULL IT BACK IF THE NUMBERS DON'T MAKE SENSE.
SO I'M NOT SAYING TO MOVE FORWARD, I'M JUST SAYING I BELIEVE IT'LL BE A GOOD EXERCISE, AT LEAST TO KNOW WHAT THE MARKET RATE IS.
UM, AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO FINANCIALLY MOVE FORWARD AND IT MAKES SENSE,
[00:45:01]
THEN IN SOME PLACES HAVE AN ARMED SECURITY GUARD WITH EXPECTATIONS OF WALKING, UH, PEOPLE TO THEIR CAR.AND, UM, AND HAVING THAT EXTERIOR SECURITY PATROL, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, EVERY HOUR YOU WALK AROUND THE BUILDING, EVERY, WHATEVER WE WANNA PUT IN THERE AS, AS A METHOD OF SECURITY.
WAS THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE? AND, AND TO SPEAK ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I THINK, I MEAN, I KNOW SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A LITTLE RUSH FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT THESE OPTIONS TODAY AND SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP A POINT ABOUT, UM, THE ELECTION BEING NEXT MONTH AND THE SCHEDULES FOR THE DEPUTIES HAVE ALREADY CHANGED, RIGHT? SO IF WE MAKE A CHANGE TODAY, THEN ALL THAT'S GONNA CHANGE AGAIN.
AND EVEN DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ELECTION IS, IT'S GONNA ALL CHANGE OVER AGAIN.
SO WITH THAT, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD AT LEAST WAIT TILL AFTER THE ELECTION, EXPLORE WHAT COUNCILMAN HERSA SAID.
UM, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THE STAFF HAS TO SAY ABOUT THAT AND THEN MAKE A DECISION.
UM, I DO PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE WE NEED SOMETHING AT THESE BRANCHES, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A HASTY DECISION WHEN IT MAY BE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT HE SPOKE OF OR JUST SOMETHING I MAY LOOK OVER.
AND OPTION THREE WAS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN ONE AND I DON'T HAVE TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT, JUST IT FAST.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
SO THAT'S MY, AND THE RFP WON'T HAPPEN IN 30 DAYS.
I MEAN, JUST BY THE TIME, I MEAN THEY KNOW HOW CITY PARISH WORKS.
BY THE TIME YOU CREATE THE SCOPE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU HAVE TO ADVERTISE IT.
UH, IT'LL PROBABLY BE Q1 OF NEXT YEAR BEFORE IT HAPPEN, BUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME WE WOULD KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
SO LET ME SAY WHAT I, EVEN IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD, STARTING THE PROCESS DOESN'T HURT, RIGHT? IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS FOR Q1 OF 2026.
NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF TRYING TO LOOK FOR ANSWERS.
UH, WE, WE NEED TO BE SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE NEED TO BE SAFE IN OUR LIBRARIES.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHEN WE APPROVE THE BUDGET, UH, UH OR THIS NEW CONTRACT THAT IT WAS GONNA COME WITH CUTS, UH, TO ANY BRANCHES.
UH, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE COUNCILMAN HURST'S IDEA.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE, UH, REOPENING, UH, UH, TALKS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THE FACT THAT WE GOT, UH, WE'VE COLLECTED, UH, EXTRA REVENUES AND THERE ARE OTHER REVENUES THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEND POSSIBLY THERE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK.
AND, AND LEMME GIVE YOU ONE, EVERYONE IN OUR LIBRARIES TO COME IN AND FEEL SAFE.
AND WHEN I WALK IN THE DOOR AND I SEE THAT DEPUTY SITTING THERE, I KNOW THAT I'M BEING PROTECTED.
AND I WANT EVERY EVERY PERSON THAT WALKS IN TO HAVE THAT SAME COMFORT.
AND, AND, AND LOOK, I, LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS MEANS MUCH, SO MUCH TO ME.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ATTEND THE, UH, THE, UH, UNVEILING OF THE, THE RESTRAINING ORDER PROGRAM YESTERDAY.
AND THE ONE COMMENT THAT I MADE ON THE MIC WAS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING THROUGH A DOMESTIC SITUATION THAT DOESN'T WANT GO, WANNA GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, THEY MAY FEEL LIKE IT'S A RED FLAG FOR THEIR SPOUSE WHO'S ABUSING THEM OR FOR ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER WHO'S ABUSING THEM.
SO THEY CHOOSE TO COME TO THE LIBRARY TO SUBMIT THE RESTRAINING ORDER.
WELL, WHEN THEY SEE THAT DEPUTY OR THAT SECURITY GUARD, THEY'RE CONSIDERED A SAFE HAVEN TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES ELECTRONICALLY TO CREATE THAT RESTRAINING ORDER.
WELL, IF THAT DEPUTY'S NOT THERE AND THEIR ABUSER IS WITH THEM, THEN THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT SAME SAFETY NET.
SO I'M NOT SAYING FOR THE TIME BEING THAT WE MAKE THAT CHANGE 'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT, BUT THAT'S WHY EXPLORING THOSE OPTIONS FOR Q1 NEXT YEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LAUNCH OF THIS PROGRAM, I THINK IS APPROPRIATE REGARDLESS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, UM, THE, THE COVERAGE RESTORED AT AT LEAST TO THE TWO BRANCHES AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT IS IN SOUTH, WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED IT IN THE SOUTH BRANCH, BUT THE OTHER TWO.
UM, AND AS WE DO THINGS, WE HAVE BEEN ALWAYS CREATIVE AND LOOKED FOR SOLUTIONS.
UH, PERHAPS WE CAN WORK, TALK TO THE CONSTABLE AND WORK PARTLY WITH THE CONSTABLES AND WORK PARTLY WITH THE, THE SHERIFFS.
AND WE CAN PROBABLY, AND REDUCE OUR COSTS SOMEWHAT,
[00:50:01]
BUT STILL HAVE THE SAME DEGREE OF UM, I GUESS CONFIDENCE THAT YOU PEOPLE FEEL WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE LIBRARIES.SO, UM, IF WE CAN LOOK AT WAYS TO, UM, AND, AND AS, UH, RONNIE HAS SUGGESTED ALSO THERE MAY BE OTHER POTS OF MONEY, BUT I THINK THE PART OF THE SERVICES OF THE LIBRARY, WHICH WE ARE, IS TO, WHEN PEOPLE GO IN THERE, THEY FEEL LIKE IT IS, AS DARRELL SAID, A SAFE PLACE TO COME.
THEY'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE LIBRARY IS A SAFE PLACE TO COME.
AND, AND THE, AND THE SECURITY IS, IS JUST PART OF THAT WHOLE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE, UH, COMING TO THE LIBRARY.
SO WHATEVER, HOWEVER WE CAN USE OUR, UH, THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE OR WORK WITH THE CONSTABLE AND THE SHERIFF TO NEGOTIATE PRICES THAT WE CAN AND UH, USE OTHER MONEY THAT WE CAN RESTORE THOSE, UM, DEPUTIES TO PRIDE IN AND CENTRAL AND LOOK AT SOUTH, UH, IN THE FUTURE IF WE NEED THAT.
SO I MOVE TO RESTORE, UM, SECURITY BACK TO CENTRAL AND PRIDE.
ALRIGHT, ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOARD MOTION? SO WE STILL HAVE TO, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
YOU GOT THAT? YOU GOT THE AYES? ANY UM, OPPOSED ANY ABSTAINED? WHAT WAS THE GOAL? DO WE HAVE IN FAVOR? MOTION CARES MADAM CHAIR.
I ALSO LIKE TO, TO MAKE AN, AN ADDITIONAL MOTION, A DIFFERENT MOTION.
I MOVE TO, UH, DIRECT STAFF TO LOOK INTO, UH, ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND SHARED HERE AND BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD SO THAT WE HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A, A, A MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, DECISION.
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS? HEARING NONE.
I MEAN, THE MEETING WILL ADJOURN.