[00:00:01]
TO THE SECOND[1. Call to Order]
COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING OF 2025.UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS COME TODAY TO JOIN US IN THE CHAMBER AND TO TO HEAR THESE PRESENTATIONS BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, THANK YOU ALSO FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS WATCHING AT HOME.
UM, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BROADCAST THIS AND HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED AND CARE ABOUT THEIR CITY PARISH AND WHO ARE WATCHING FROM THEIR DESKS AND FROM THEIR HOMES.
UM, JUST AGAIN, WANNA SAY, I'M SO SORRY THAT WE HAD TO HAVE THIS ONE AT 3:00 PM TODAY.
UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD BROADCASTS ON THIS SAME CHANNEL AT 5:00 PM AND SO WE HAVE, I'M LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW WE HAVE A HARD STOP.
COUNCILMAN HAR COUNCILMAN, WE HAVE A HARD STOP TODAY AT 4:45 PM SO WE NEED TO GET GOING.
[2. Presentation by: A. Finance Department B. Parish Attorney’s Office]
UP, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, WELCOME UM, HEAD OF OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, ANGIE SWA.SO I DO REPRESENT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ALSO IS INVOLVED, UM, WITH THE FORMULATION OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.
SO I WAS ASKED TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET, AND THEN I'LL DO A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF FINANCE.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE YOU'LL SHOW, UM, AS MOST OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN IN THE BUDGET, OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS 1.1 BILLION.
OF THAT ONLY 28% IS UNDEDICATED AND REPRESENTS THE GENERAL FUND.
THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS THE SECOND LARGEST FUNDING WITHIN, UM, OUR CITY PARISH BUDGET.
AND THIS IS MADE UP OF THE AIRPORT SEWER SOLID WASTE RIVER CENTER, STORM R IN OUR PARKING GARAGE.
THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS IS MADE UP OF MAINLY MOVE VR, SOME LIBRARIES EMS. AND THEN OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS INCLUDE EMS LIBRARY, MOSQUITO COUNCIL ON AGING, OUR TIFFS, THE FIRE FUND AND THE FIRE DISTRICTS.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME DEBT SERVICE, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PENSION TRUST, WHICH PAYS PENSION BENEFITS TO THE EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, WHICH IS THE FLEET PROGRAM.
THE NEXT CHART IS A HISTORY OF OUR PERSONNEL ALLOTMENTS.
SO OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE DECREASED OUR ALLOTMENT BY 422 POSITIONS.
THIS BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING TO DELETE 234 POSITIONS, OF WHICH 213 HAVE BEEN FROZEN SINCE 2025.
SO, UM, GOING INTO THIS BUDGET, WE ARE REDUCING OUR WORKFORCE AND MAINLY THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING DELETED ARE WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL SHOW YOU A COMPARISON OF THE BUDGET FROM THE 25 TO 26.
THE LARGEST REDUCTION IS IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR OF ADJUSTING THE BUDGET.
DUE TO THE INCORPORATION OF ST.
GEORGE, OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS DID INCREASE, DECREASE, AND MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE LIBRARY REDUCED THEIR BUDGET BY 11 MILLION.
BUT OF 11 9 MILLION WAS RELATED TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, DEBT SERVICE INCREASED A LITTLE.
THIS IS BASED ON OUR DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULES.
THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE DECREASE IN LIBRARY, WHICH IS BEING OFFSET BY THE MO VR PROGRAM.
THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AS I DISCUSSED, ARE THE SEWER SOLID WASTE, SMALL INCREASES.
UM, THE PENSION INCREASE IS DUE TO THE BENEFIT PAYMENT SCHEDULES THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO BE PAID OUT IN 2026.
SO OVERALL, OUR BUDGET DECREASED BY ONE OR $11 MILLION.
THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WE MENTIONED BEFORE, IS 332 MILLION OR 28% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
THE MAJORITY OF HOW THE GENERAL FUND IS SUPPORTED IS BY SALES TAX.
SO SALES TAX SUPPORTS 86% OF OUR OPERATIONS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IN SALES TAX, I MEAN IN REVENUES IN GENERAL, WE HAVE LOST OVER $49 MILLION.
UM, WE ARE EXPECTING AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN OUR GROSS RECEIPTS AND FRANCHISE FEES.
UM, THE CITY SALES TAX, WE DIDN'T ASSUME A HALF PERCENT GROWTH FOR CITY SALES TAX.
WE'RE ASSUMING 10 MILLION INCREASE, BUT IT'S BEING OFFSET BY A 19 MILLION DECREASE IN PERISH, WHICH IS A NET DECREASE OF 9.3.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A HISTORY OF OUR FUND BALANCE.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR FUND BALANCES ARE.
SO THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT REC AUDITOR RECOMMENDS THAT YOU HAVE TWO MONTHS OF OPERATING CASH WITHIN YOUR RESERVES.
SO OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS 332 MILLION,
[00:05:03]
WHICH WOULD REQUIRE 52 MILLION IN YOUR RESERVES THAT ARE NOT DEDICATED OR OBLIGATED FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES.SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART ABOVE, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 36, WHICH IS ABOUT A MONTH AND A LITTLE OVER A WEEK.
SO WE HAVE ALL MADE A COMMITMENT TO STRIVE TO BUILD THIS UP TO WHAT THE BEST PRACTICE IS.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR RESERVES SO THAT IF THERE IS AN UNFORESEEN SITUATION, WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE PRONE TO DISASTERS, UNFORTUNATELY, AND, AND FEMA DOES REIMBURSE.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO START REACTING AND RECOVERING TO THOSE DISASTERS.
UM, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT JUST TO KIND OF SHOW YOU WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
SO OF THE 332 MILLION, 57% GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS POLICE FIRE, THE PRISON AND JUVENILE SERVICE.
AND THEN THE NEXT LARGEST EXPENDITURE IS THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL SERVICE AGENCIES, THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES.
THERE IS SOME PUBLIC WORKS WITHIN THOSE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS MAINLY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER IS OUR STATUTORILY REQUIRED SALES TAX COLLECTION COSTS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATUTE.
AND THEN THE INTER FUND TRANSFERS ARE, WE DO CONTRIBUTE SOME MONEY FOR GRANT MATCHES, SOME OF THE FIRE DISTRICTS, THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS.
SO THEN YOU LOOK AT BY OBJECT.
SO THE LARGEST PART OF WHICH KIND OF PLAYS INTO WHY WE'RE HAVING TO, UH, PROPOSE A REDUCTION WORKFORCE IS THE LARGEST PART OF OUR EXPENDITURES ARE SALARY AND BENEFITS.
WHEN YOU ADD UP THESE TWO NUMBERS, IT'S 71% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.
AND SO I JUST FELT THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS, UH, TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO MEET, ALIGN OUR OPERATING BUDGET WITH OUR REOCCURRING EXPENSES.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL GO HIGH LEVEL OVER FINANCE.
FINANCE HAS 9.5 MILLION, WHICH IS 11% REDUCTION OVER 2025.
UH, THE ALLOTMENT IS 95 THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
WE ARE DELETING 15, AND I AM REDUCING MY WORKFORCE BY 23 POSITIONS.
I'M REDUCING THE WORKFORCE BY 35%.
UH, THERE'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE A DECREASE IN THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
WE WILL, I AM GONNA REORGANIZE SOME OF THE DIVISIONS BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUT OUT A BUDGET.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO PUT OUT AN AUDIT, WE'RE REQUIRED TO COLLECT SALES TAX FOR THE ENTIRE PARISH.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE GRANT AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE, THE, THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE VENDORS COULD SEE MAYBE CHECKS INSTEAD OF GETTING ISSUED THREE TIMES A WEEK WILL EITHER BE ONE OR, UH, TWO TIMES.
WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE TO REEVALUATE SOME OF OUR PROCESSES.
I THINK THE TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE WAIT TIMES COULD BE LONGER, UH, PROCESSING RETURNS THAT THERE, THERE IS GOING TO BE AN IMPACT ON THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE THE CITIZENS DEPARTMENTS BY LOSING 35% OF OUR WORKFORCE.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO JUST KIND OF, AND I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR THE CITIZENS TO SEE THIS, BUT THE WORKLOAD THAT WE HAVE, AND I DID NOT ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE INDICATORS TO SHOW THE COMPLEXITY, THE VOLUME, AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT COMES THROUGH THE OFFICE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CHALLENGING TO GET THROUGH THIS, BUT WE WILL LOOK AT WAYS TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND REARRANGING AND REASSIGNING SOME OF OUR DIVISIONS, UH, BASED ON PRIORITY OF WHAT WE'RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO DO.
I WAS TRYING TO BE HIGH LEVEL AND CONSIDERATE OF THE TIME WE HAVE.
UM, SO ANGIE, FIRST OF ALL, UM, JUST THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LAST YEAR AND, AND I THINK LONGER THAN THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.
AND, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL, ALL YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S HARD WORK.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, REDUCTION OF SERVICES, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? SO I'LL JUST SAY, FIRST OFF, OUR, OUR BUDGET BOOK SPOILS US.
UM, I TOOK PUBLIC BUDGETING CLASSES IN, UM, IN COLLEGE.
AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC BUDGETING, THE BUDGET.
UM, SOMEONE CAN JUST PICK THIS UP, START READING IT, AND THEY WILL GET A VERY
[00:10:01]
CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND, AND WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AND HOW WE'RE, HOW WE'RE HANDLING OUR BUSINESS.UM, SO ARE WE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO OFFER THE SAME LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, UM, INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC? WHAT, WHAT, HOW IS THAT GONNA LOOK? I, EVERYTHING, I DO THINK THERE'S, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS BASED ON THE AUDIT AND THE BUDGET BOOK ITSELF, WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN HAVING RECEIVED THOSE AWARD FOR OVER 34 YEARS.
BUT THOSE AWARDS DO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF THE STATE BUDGET ACT OR OUR PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT COMPUTER SYSTEMS TO HELP US FORMULATE, BUT IT MAY TAKE AWAY FROM SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT IT IS AVAILABLE.
UM, SO WHEN WE ARE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, THIS BUDGET WE JUST SHOWED US, IT'S UM, 1.1 MILLION.
UM, SO OVERALL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY TRANSACTIONS IS THAT A YEAR? I MEAN, THAT'S, SO I DID INCLUDE IN YOUR PACKET NOT, UH, ONE OF THEM IS ON OUR WEBSITE, THE ANNUAL REPORT.
BUT I INCLUDED A ANNUAL REPORT FROM 2024 AND THEN ALSO REPORT TODAY OF TRANSACTIONS.
YOU KNOW, FINANCE IS, IS DATA DRIVEN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JOURNAL ENTRIES, TRANSACTIONS, I, I COULD GIVE YOU TONS OF STATISTICS.
I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, W TWOS, 10 90 NINES, VERY CUMBERSOME BALANCING PROCESS OVER 4,000 W TWOS.
YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL THAT STUFF TO THE IRS.
IT'S, IT, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.
THE, THE AUDIT WE DO IS VERY CHALLENGING.
THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, THE GRANTS THAT WE MONITOR, DRAW DOWN THE FUNDS SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, USING CASH FROM OTHERS WHILE WE'RE IN THIS INCREMENT REIMBURSEMENT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DRAW FUNDS DOWN TIMELY AND THAT YOU'RE DRAWING DOWN 'EM ACCURATELY TOO.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THE MONTHLY NUMBER OF JOURNAL ENTRIES, WE POST OVER 16 HUNDREDS OF THE NUMBER OF BANK TRANSACTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO RECONCILE OVER 7,000 A MONTH.
WE HAVE, UH, JURY AND WITNESS CHECKS THAT WE HAVE TO REVIEW AND ISSUE OUT.
UH, WORKERS' COMP CHECKS THAT WE REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE COMPLIANT, THAT'S OVER 2000.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL HERE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AT, AT ANY GIVEN TIME AT THE CASHIER WINDOW, WE COULD HAVE OVER 500 PEOPLE A DAY.
AND SO, UM, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THIS WEEK WE HAD SOME, SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SICK AND WE COULDN'T DO CHECKS RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF INTERNAL CONTROLS, YOU KNOW, AND WE DO CROSS TRAIN, BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN SECURITY AND TO BE ABLE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT YOU KNOW, IS COMING UP IS DO WE NEED TO OPEN UP DIFFERENT SECURITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ALLOW NOT JUST ONE BACKUP, NOT TWO BACKUPS, BUT MAYBE WE HAVE TO HAVE FOUR BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF ANYMORE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY, I MEAN THE INVOICES, THE MONTHLY INVOICES YOU CAN SEE ARE OVER.
AND, AND THAT'S THIS CHART AT THE BOTTOM.
THIS IS ONE CHART THAT I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME ARE OVER 10,000 A MONTH AND WE'RE ABLE TO, FROM INVOICE THE, THE DAYS THE INVOICE TO THE CHECK HAS BEEN, THE MAXIMUM HAS BEEN 14, THE MINIMUM HAS BEEN 10 DAYS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA BE NET 30.
AND SO I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE ARE A CUSTOMER BASE DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST LOOKING AT YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, UM, YOU HAVE 30 PEOPLE IN REVENUE COLLECTION, 27 IN ACCOUNTING, 18 IN REV REVENUE AUDITING, FIVE IN INTERNAL AUDITING, 10 IN BUDGETING, 19 IN SERVICE BUSINESS OFFICE.
SO THOSE ARE, I'M GUESSING, VERY FRONT, FRONT FACING, FORWARD FACING PEOPLE.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHO ELSE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN HURST? YEAH, SO, UH, I KNOW THIS YEAR, JUST DUE TO FINANCE, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A MIDYEAR BUDGET SUPPLEMENT 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE WORLD TURNS.
BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I KEEP GETTING, GETTING ASKED FROM THE DEPARTMENTS IS THAT ONCE WE KINDA GET A BASELINE FOR OUR BUDGET, GO THROUGH NEXT YEAR, START PLAYING CHESS WHERE THIS DEPARTMENT COULD TRANSFER SOME MONEY OVER HERE OR TO ONE SERVICE THAT'S REALLY
[00:15:01]
NEEDED BY THE, OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT IT'S NOT BEING, UM, PROPERLY, UH, RUN BECAUSE OF A DEFICIT WE COULD SHIP MONEY AROUND TO MAYBE CLOSE SOME OF THE GAPS FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT OR FROM, UM, RESOURCE TO RESOURCE.IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL ARE PLANNING TO DO? LIKE, BECAUSE RIGHT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL THEORY, RIGHT? CAN WE OPERATE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE PROPOSE AND THEN APPLICATION COMES NEXT YEAR ONCE WE START GETTING FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, LIKE YOU JUST SAID, YOU SAY YOU'RE NET 30, BUT I'M NET 60, RIGHT? NOT REALISTICALLY NET 60, BUT YOU GET WHERE I'M GOING MM-HMM
AND THEN HOW DO WE SHIFT IN AREAS WHERE WE FEEL WE NEEDED THE MOST TO THEN BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT SERVICE OR ANOTHER? I'M JUST, THAT'S THE QUESTION I GOT TODAY.
I HONESTLY THINK WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING.
WE NEED TO THINK OF HOW TO OPERATE DIFFERENTLY IN OUR NEW NORM.
AND THEY, WE ARE CONSTRAINED IN SOME OF OUR DEDICATED TAXES.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THAT DEDICATED TAXES PURPOSES.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE REALLOCATING THAT IT'S WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE LEGAL WHATEVER SET THAT LEGAL FUNDING IN PLACE, COUNCILMAN MOOCH FOLLOW THE SAME KIND OF PROCESS THAT MOST EVERYTHING WENT YESTERDAY.
AND I KNOW THOSE WERE CLASSIFIED CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES, BUT, UM, WE, OR I GUESS THE SHERIFF, ALL THE TAXES THAT ARE COLLECTED IN THE PARISH, THOSE ARE, THOSE GO THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR THROUGH HERE OR THE PRO THE PROPERTY TAX GOES TO THE SHERIFF'S SALES TAX AND OTHER REVENUES GO THROUGH TO THE PARISH TAX YOUR OFFICE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DEDICATE YOUR STAFF AND TEAM AND EVERYTHING ON WHERE IT GETS PAID BACK OUT TO MM-HMM
TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS AND EVERYTHING.
WHAT DO YOU ESTIMATE THAT YOU DO YOUR OFFICE DEDICATES AND ESTIMATES THAT TO EACH MONTH TO, TO SORT ALL THAT OUT? OR IS IT PRETTY AUTOMATIC NOW? SO WE DO BY, UH, A ORDINANCE THAT THE COUNCIL PASS CHARGE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND AGENCIES A SALES TAX COLLECTION CHARGE, WHICH HELPS SUPPORT A PORTION OF THE REVENUE DIVISION.
AND THAT'S ABOUT THREE, EITHER 3.6, I THINK IT'S 3.6.
AND SO WE DO RECOUP AND THEN WHEN THE SHERIFF COLLECTS IT, LIKE I WAS TELLING YOU THAT STATUTORILY, WE PAY THE SHERIFF FOR COLLECTING, UM, OUR CITY AND PARISH PROPERTY TAX ON OUR BEHALF.
SO THE MUNICIPALITIES PAY US TO STRIP OUT THESE TAXES, FIND OUT WHERE THEY GO AND SEND 'EM, CHECKS OUT, THE TAXPAYERS PAY US.
WE JUST RECONCILE IT AND THEN WE DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY OR TAXING DISTRICT.
BUT YOU SAID WE HAVE KIND OF AN AGREEMENT WHERE THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE, THEY ARE PAYING US GIVING UP SOME OF THAT TO HANDLE THAT PART OF THE OFFICE.
AND I THINK RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS COLLECTION AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAD BROUGHT BEFORE YOU FOR DIFFERENT TAXING JURISDICTIONS THAT WAS FOR FINANCE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT COLLECTION COST.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING OUR PORTION OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND MUNICIPALITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PAYING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO HANDLE THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE.
HEY ANGIE, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY OF THESE SERVICES I GUESS WE COULD LOOK AT, LOOK AT BEING CONTRACTED OUT? I GUESS SOME ARE, IF WE HAVE TO DO A WORKFORCE REDUCTION? SOME ARE.
SO, UH, ACTUALLY I HAVE A CONTRACT THAT I SUBMITTED TODAY FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION ON DECEMBER 10TH.
SO, UH, THE REVENUE AUDITING, WHICH IS AN AUDIT SECTION OR DIVISION OF FINANCE AUDITS, ALL TAXPAYERS.
UM, WE HAVE A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO, TO DETERMINE WHO GETS AUDITED BASED ON RISK.
WE HAVE PROVI HAVE FOUND THAT THAT CONTRACT HAS BEEN VERY, UH, BENEFICIAL.
AND THEN WE DID INCREASE IT BASED ON KNOWING THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO REDUCE SOME SALARIES.
AND THAT CONTRACT DOES REGIONAL AUDITS.
SO THE TAXPAYERS ARE EVEN RECEPTIVE TO IT BECAUSE IT'S AN AUDIT.
JUST FOR INSTANCE, SOMEONE FROM WEST BATON ROUGE ASCENSION CAN PARTICIPATE WITHIN THAT AUDIT.
AND SO THAT BUSINESS OWNERS ONLY AUDIT ONE TIME VERSUS FIVE.
SO YOU WERE SAYING THAT IN THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICE IT WOULD EQUATE BY HOW MANY WORKERS, IF YOU HAD TO PUT LIKE, UH, A HUMAN BODY PER THE JOB BEING DONE.
SO LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, TWO TO THREE PEOPLE PER THAT CONTRACTUAL JOB BEING DONE, WHAT WOULD YOU KIND OF EQUATE THE THE RATIO? THE COST IS PROBABLY ONE.
BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY, BECAUSE OF THEIR STAFFING, THEY'RE PROBABLY DOING, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THREE PEOPLE.
[00:20:02]
ALRIGHT.AND ANGIE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND HOW, HOW, HOW HARD IT HAS BEEN.
I WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AND THAT'S NOT JUST WITH THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLK LOSING THEIR JOBS, THAT, THAT WAS MY BIGGEST DEAL WITH THE THRIVE, UH, INITIATIVE.
AND THAT IS, UH, ABOUT HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE PASSED BECAUSE FOLK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE, WOULD'VE NOT LOST THEIR JOBS.
BUT I WANNA KNOW, WHAT DO YOU SEE OR WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF DOING OR WHAT ARE YOU RECOMMENDING MAYBE TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THINKING ABOUT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AS WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL BE LAYING OFF.
WHO ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN COLLABORATING WITH OR THINKING TO COLLABORATE WITH TO SEE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THEM BEING ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AND ABOUT THEM BEING ABLE TO GET THESE PEOPLE IN AND HAVE JOBS.
I THINK THAT COLLABORATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL LIMITED TO THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
SO EVEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME, SOME THINGS ARE JUST OUT OF OUR CONTROL, BUT RESOURCES IS IN OUR CONTROL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE BI ACTUALLY DID TALK TO THE, UH, LADY AT THE BRECK BECAUSE THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE SAME SPRS RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
SO FOR AN EMPLOYEE IT WOULD BE THE SAME TYPE OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS.
AND SOME, SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
AND SO I THINK RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE.
EVERYONE THAT I HAVE KIND OF TALKED TO IS VERY RECEPTIVE AND HERE'S MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, I THINK THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSITION SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE DEDICATED THAT QUALIFY.
BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S CIVIL SERVICE AND SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME THAT WILL DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE A WORKFORCE REDUCTION.
COUNCILMAN DUNN, THANK YOU ANGIE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK ALL OF US HERE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO, ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO US AND PUTTING IN THE HOURS OF RETURNING THE CALLS TO KIND OF GET US ANSWERS AND GET US FIGURED.
UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT, THE PARISH ATTORNEY MAY BE IT, I MAY BE MISSING ONE OR TWO MORE.
ARE DEPARTMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ARE INTERCONNECTED WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT.
AGAIN, I MAY BE MISSING ONE MORE FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT.
WE'VE TALKED EXTENSIVELY WHAT, UH, THE CREATION OF CITY OF ST.
GEORGE HAS DONE TO THE BUDGET.
BUT I WANNA LOOK AT OTHER THINGS, NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COME TO MIND FOR ME.
UM, THE FRANCHISE FEE POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE BUDGET, UH, ONLINE RETAIL SALES POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE BUDGET.
UM, THINGS, OTHER CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE THAT COME TO YOUR MIND THAT WERE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE BUDGET FROM YEAR, FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
ONE, I DON'T KNOW, THE CHANGES WE JUST MADE WITH THE COMMUNICATION DISTRICT, DID THAT AFFECT US FINANCIALLY IN ANY WAY OR, OR ANY OTHER THINGS THAT COME TO MIND THAT WERE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR? INSURANCE WAS A HUGE POSITIVE IMPACT BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE COST EXPENSES TO GO UP AND THEN THAT WOULD RESULT IN MORE PEOPLE GETTING LAID OFF.
IT WOULD BE, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY HR AND PURCHASING PAY PLAY A VERY VALID PART IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT DO TOUCH ALL, UM, OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
I I THINK THAT, YEAH, I KNEW, I I DIDN'T GET 'EM ALL.
I THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO GET ME TO SAY I'M, SO THAT'S WHY I SAID IT.
UM, I THINK THAT WE ARE, AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY Y'ALL WE'RE JUST IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRONG LEADERS IN AS DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT ARE WILLING TO LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE ON HOW TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK THAT, UM, EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERY DECISION DOES HAVE A MONETARY VALUE TO IT.
THAT'S WHAT'S TOUGH IS THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
WHAT'S THE BALANCE OF THAT DECISION? IT MAY COST YOU MONEY, BUT IT MAY MATERIALIZE
[00:25:01]
MORE ON THE BACK END OR IT MAY SAVE YOU MONEY AND THEN YOU SAVE, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICE THAT CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED.I, I THINK WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY MOVING FORWARD.
AND, AND AGAIN, JUST TO REINFORCE, 'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE HUMAN NATURE I GUESS.
BUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ELABORATE, WHAT WAS THE POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE BUDGET FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR THE FRANCHISE FEE? SO THE FRANCHISE FEE BY THE ENERGY, FRANCHISE FEE BY, UM, WELL IT'S NOT, I THINK IT'S, IT'S EVERYONE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST ENERGY 'CAUSE IT'S A FRANCHISE FEE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, RIGHT.
WHICH IS WHAT, UH, Y'ALL SUCCESSFULLY GOT ACCOMPLISHED.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD NO DATA IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, WE DID HAVE TO RELY ON ONE OF THE MAIN, UH, UTILITY COMPANIES TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND SO THEY HAD GIVEN US AN ESTIMATE OF 3.5 MILLION.
HOWEVER, AFTER RECEIVING TWO QUARTERS OF THAT, AND THAT WAS 3.5 MILLION ANNUALLY, I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T CLARIFY THAT.
IT WILL NOW IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE 4.6.
THE FRANCHISE FEE IS, IS A FEE THAT CAN GO UP AND DOWN 'CAUSE IT'S BASED ON USAGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASING IT ON THE, THE TWO MONTHS QUARTERS THAT WE HAD, THAT DOES APPEAR TO MATERIALIZE IN MORE MONEY.
HOWEVER, IT IS BASED ON USAGE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FUEL COST IS ANOTHER FACTOR.
SO $4.5 MILLION POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE BUDGET THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THAT WE WILL HAVE MOVING FORWARD.
ANOTHER POSITIVE IMPACT WAS WHEN WE PREPARED THE 2025 BUDGET.
WE DID NOT HAVE THE, UH, OFFICIAL ASSESSOR'S ROLE FOR 2024.
WE DID ASSUME, YOU KNOW, A MODEST GROWTH, BUT THAT GROWTH ENDED UP MATERIALIZING GREATER THAN WE ENVISIONED.
AND THEREFORE IN 2026 WE ARE INCLUDING THAT IN THE BUDGET, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL 1.9, $1.9 MILLION ON REASSESSMENTS.
WHAT WAS YOU SAY, THE ONLINE RETAIL SALES POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE BUDGET? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER QUANTIFIED.
UH, BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT WAS IN THE CITY LIMITS, WHICH IS ATTRIBUTING TO SOME OF THE, THE SALES TAX INCREASE IN THE CITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO SAY IT.
YOU GOT A QUESTION? COUNCILMAN MO HAD UH, ONLINE SALES TAX BEEN COLLECTED FOR MODEL? YES, BUT THERE, THERE HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT, UH, AND THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE STATE.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON IT.
YOU WANT YOUR NEXT FIVE COUNCILMAN? I DO.
UH, THE INSURANCE POSITIVE IMPACT.
SO INSURANCE WAS, UH, A VERY SUCCESSFUL THING THAT Y'ALL GOT ACCOMPLISHED AS WELL WAS TO PREVENT THE PREMIUMS FROM GOING UP.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON ONE OF THOSE CHARTS, 30 OVER 30% IS BENEFIT, UM, COST THAT Y'ALL, THAT WE HAVE TO INCUR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MONEY FOR IT.
SO BY NOT INCREASING THAT YOU WERE ALLOW, YOU COULD ACTUALLY, IT PROBABLY SAVED EMPLOYEES FROM BEING LAID OFF.
SO DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER ESTIMATE? I THINK THAT THE INFLATION WAS 8 MILLION.
BUT THAT IS TOTAL, THAT'S NOT THE GENERAL FUND.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA IF WHAT WE DID WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT IS A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE? NO, SIR.
THE, THAT THE INSURANCE, THE INSURANCE IS THAT EXPECTED TO FLUCTUATE AND GO UP AS MORE PEOPLE COME ON AS FAR AS SAVINGS, INFLATION, KIND OF, AND GEARS HOW HEALTH INSURANCE WILL GO UP? I DO THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO, IN ORDER TO PREVENT FROM INCREASING, STILL CONTINUE TO LOOK.
AND I THINK WE WERE ALL CLEAR, UM, WHEN WE PRESENTED THAT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO REDUCE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS BECAUSE I THINK JUST NORMAL MEDICAL INFLATION IS ON A UPTICK.
I I MEANT THE POSITIVE AS FAR AS THE SAVINGS SCENE FROM THE THING IS THAT EXPECTED TO GO UP BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL NUMBERS WE EXPECTED WAS ANYWHERE FROM 8, 10, 15, SEVERAL THINGS WERE THROWN OUT THERE.
WE KNEW IT WOULDN'T BE AS LARGE FROM THE INITIAL GET GO.
BUT AS OTHER THINGS CAME ONLINE, THOSE SAVINGS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE, AS THE CITY PARISH.
WE DID GET SOME PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, UM, YESTERDAY OR THIS MORNING, AND THEY ARE MEETING TARGET.
THEY'RE NOT WOEFULLY OVER TARGET THOUGH.
COUNCILMAN MO, WE'RE WE ARE DOING TIME.
ANGIE, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OBLIGATION OF THE, OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN
[00:30:01]
THE PARISH PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.GEORGE THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS EVEN AGREED TO PAY 19.2 OR SOME PERCENT OF THEIR, UH, BUDGET TOWARDS THE FAIR SHARE SOME $9.5 MILLION TOWARDS, UH, THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES AND $4 MILLION TOWARDS RETIREMENT.
WHAT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT ARE WE ARE GIVING THEM MONEY EVERY YEAR.
WHAT IS THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT AND WHY? SO AFTER JULY, AFTER JUNE 30TH, WE'RE NO LONGER GIVING THEM ANY MORE MONEY.
AND THEN AS OF NOVEMBER 1ST, THEY ARE PROVIDING ALL SERVICES, EXCEPT THEY ARE GONNA CONTINUE ANIMAL CONTROL.
THAT'S ANOTHER AGREEMENT THAT, UH, WILL BECOME BEFORE Y'ALL TO APPROVE ON DECEMBER 10TH.
AND THAT WILL, THEY WILL PAY FOR THEIR ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES.
UM, THE RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR I AM ON THAT BOARD HAS SENT A LETTER TO ST.
GEORGE AND HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM.
IT, THE ORDINANCE STIPULATES THOUGH WHEN THAT RE UH, LIABILITY KICKS IN.
AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UH, DOESN'T THE PARISH COLLECT COLLECT THE SALES TAX AND DISTRIBUTE 'EM TO THE MUNICIPALITY? AM I, AM I WRONG IN THAT? YES, SIR.
SO WE DO HAVE TO DISTRIBUTE THEM THE TAX DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE OWED, THAT'S IN THEIR CITY YES.
LIKE WE DO FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
WHAT HAS THE CONVERSATION BEEN LIKE IF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT WITHHOLDING THAT UNTIL WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT ABOUT THEM PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE FOR CONSTITUTION OFFICES OR THE LEGACY COSTS OR RETIREMENT COSTS.
I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU COULD LEGALLY WITHHOLD THAT.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD LEGALLY DO THAT.
AKA YOU WANNA GO? ANGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I REMEMBER A TIME WHERE YOU STOOD IN FRONT OF US AND YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT WHAT A MILLAGE WAS AND HOW MUCH IT CAUGHT.
HOW, HOW MUCH THE VALUE OF ONE MILLAGE WAS WAY BACK WHEN, UM, BEFORE WE STARTED HAVING ALL THESE GREAT BUDGET CONVERSATIONS YEARS AGO.
UM, TODAY I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR MONEY, THEIR MONEY, YOUR MONEY, THE PARISH'S MONEY, THE CITY'S MONEY.
UM, WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ST.
GEORGE AND EITHER OUR MONEY OR THEIR MONEY, CAN YOU TELL ME, UM, WHENEVER THEY BECAME, WHEN THEY STOOD UP AS A CITY, WHAT MONEY ARE THEY NOW TAKING AND HOW IS THAT MONEY ACCRUED AND WHY IS IT GIVEN TO THEM? JUST VERY BASIC PLEASE.
SO BEFORE THE INCORPORATION OF ST.
GEORGE, THE AREA THAT THEY, THEY, THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, A 2% PARISH SALES TAX WAS GENERATED IN THAT AREA WHEN THE, UM, SUPREME COURT RULED IN THEIR FAVOR AND THEN THE TAXPAYERS APPROVED FOR THAT 2% MUNICIPAL TAX, THE PARISH TAX WENT AWAY.
AND THE TAX THAT BECAME, UM, LEGALLY, UH, ASSESSED IN THAT AREA WAS A 2% MUNICIPAL TAX THAT IS GIVEN AND COLLECTED WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES AND GIVEN BACK TO THEM TO OPERATE AS A MUNICIPALITY.
AND HOW MUCH IS THAT APPROXIMATELY? IT'S APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 54 MILLION.
AND WE, WE PAY THAT A MONTH, RIGHT? WE PAY A PORTION OF THAT A MONTH? YES.
THAT'S DIVIDED OVER 12 MONTHS.
SO WE PAY IT ANNUALLY, BUT IT'S DIVIDED OVER 12 MONTHS.
UM, WE ARE STILL RENDERING SERVICES.
WHEN DO WE BEGIN PAYING THAT, THAT SELLS TAX REVENUE TO ST.
GEORGE? UM, SO THEY BEGAN TO GET, THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE RECEIVED A PORTION OF THEIR SALES TAX.
WE KEPT A PORTION, THEY KEPT A PORTION BASED ON THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT.
IN APRIL, THE VOTERS VOTED FOR THEIR A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR TAX TO BE A MUNICIPAL TAX.
WE STILL, THROUGH JUNE, WE KEPT A PORTION 'CAUSE WE WERE PROVIDING SERVICES.
THEY HAD A PORTION BASED ON THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT IN JULY, THEY BEGUN, BEGAN TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COLLECTIONS WITHIN THAT AREA.
HOWEVER, JULY SALES TAX WAS NOT REMITTED TO THEM TILL SEPTEMBER.
BECAUSE JULY SALES TAX ARE COLLECTED WITHIN THAT MONTH OUTTA EVERY BUSINESS.
AND THE BUSINESS HAS TILL THE NEXT MONTH TO REMIT IT TO CITY PARISH.
THEN CITY PARISH HAS THE NEXT MONTH TO DISTRIBUTE IT.
AND SO FROM JULY UNTIL, I THINK YOU SAID NOVEMBER, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING SERVICES AND THEY'VE BEEN CONTRACTING WITH US FOR THOSE SERVICES WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO STAND UP THEIR OWN SERVICES.
THEY HAVE SLOWLY DIGRESSED IN THE SERVICES WE ARE PROVIDING, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
[00:35:01]
SERVICES WERE RENDERED THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER.SO APPROXIMATELY WHAT IS THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT THAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVING US EACH MONTH FOR THOSE SERVICES? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
THE BUSINESS OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH IS WHO HAS BEEN, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES TO THEM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
AND, BUT CAN YOU CONFIRM OR DENY WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE RECEIVING A REFUND FOR THOSE SERVICES? WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CHECK YET, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY JUST RECENTLY INVOICED THEM.
UM, SO WE'RE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE IN THE MIDDLE, MIDDLE OF A BUDGET CRISIS, MAYBE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UM, SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, MOVING FORWARD, ARE WE GONNA OWE THEM ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR ARE WE, ARE WE DONE, UM, IS THIS, IS THIS BUDGET WHAT WE SEE TODAY GONNA BE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE FUTURE? OR ARE THERE OTHER LARGE BUDGETARY ISSUES THAT WE'RE GONNA FACE WITH REGARD TO THE INCORPORATION OF THAT NEW CITY? I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL IN MY MIND.
I WOULD HOPE WE ARE, WE ARE BOTH AGREEABLE ON HOW WE HANDLED EVERYTHING DURING THE TRANSITION AND MOVING FORWARD.
I MEAN, THEY'RE GETTING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR TAX.
SO I, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING AT THIS TIME THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND AS A PART OF THAT INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED, UM, WAS THERE ANY, UM, CONVERSATION OR AGREEMENT OR RULE OR AGREEMENT WHERE, AND THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES THAT ARE SERVICING THEM? IS THAT PART OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT? IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED.
UM, CAN I INTERJECT RIGHT THERE? YES, SIR.
UH, BRIEFLY, WHY WOULD THAT NOT BE INCLUDED WHEN, UH, THE COMMITTEE WHO FORMED THE CITY AGREED IN WRITING THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT? WHY WOULD THAT NOT BE IN AN AGREEMENT? I, I'M, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
THAT'S NOT, WASN'T MY DECISION.
AND LOOK, WE'RE NOT CRITICIZING YOU IN THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXCELLENT IN TELLING US EXACTLY WHERE EVERYTHING'S AT.
BUT SPEAKING OF THAT, DO YOU NEED ANOTHER FIVE? SURE.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD TIME LAST NIGHT.
IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE WILD WEST, SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAD RULES TODAY.
SO ANYWAY, UM, BACK TO THE, UH, THE, THE, THE FRANCHISE FEE AGREEMENT.
SO WHENEVER WE, WE FOUND THOSE DOLLARS LAST YEAR, WE HAD AN ESTIMATED 3.5 MILLION, BUT NONE OF US, YOU ARE RIGHT.
NONE OF US KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS COMING IN AND WHEN WE FOUND THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF SCRUTINY ONLINE RIGHT NOW, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S LISTENING.
UM, SO WHEN WE FOUND THOSE DOLLARS, IT WAS LATE IN THE GAME AND THERE WERE SOME FOLKS THAT DIDN'T EVEN WANT US TO CLOSE OUT 2024 WITH HAVING THOSE DOLLARS.
THEY WANTED US TO WAIT UNTIL 2025 AND FOREGO FOUR MONTHS OF REVENUE, UM, OF THOSE DOLLARS AND LEAVE THOSE ON THE TABLE.
BUT COUNCILMAN DONN AND I WOULD, IT WOULD BEHOOVE ME NOT TO MENTION, UH, THE PARISH ATTORNEY, GREG ROME AND CALLIE FRANCIS WENT TO BATTLE.
UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THIS MAYOR PRO TEM HAD TO RECESS THE MEETING SO WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING NEXT IN THE HALLWAY.
SO WHEN EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAME ABOUT, THOSE DOLLARS HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND I'M SO HAPPY WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THOSE.
AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT THIS COUNCIL SUPPORTED US IN FINDING THOSE.
BUT WHEN DIVIDING THOSE DOLLARS UP, IF YOU REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE DIVIDED UP A PORTION AMONGST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THAT APPORTIONMENT WAS TO BE SURE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL DISTRICT COULD PERFORM SERVICES OR OFFER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, ARE BASICALLY DECIDE THE NEEDS OF THEIR EACH INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, AND I HAVE TO COMMEND MY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD.
THEY'VE MADE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE.
UM, THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED MONEY TO PUBLIC SAFETY, CRIME PREVENTION CAMERAS, UM, PROGRAMS THAT IMPACT CHILDREN.
SO MOST COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY, UM, GOOD STEWARDS OF THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE NEEDS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE GAVE MONEY TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, 19TH, JDC CORONER'S OFFICE, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE BRPD AND BILL BATON ROUGE.
UM, BUT SO OF THOSE DOLLARS, THEY, WE INTENDED TO FUND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES.
UM, THEN WE LEFT ON THE TABLE BECAUSE WE KNEW A NEW ADMINISTRATION WAS COMING IN, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING, IF I REMEMBER SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 750,000
[00:40:02]
ESTIMATED DOLLARS POTENTIALLY FOR THEM TO USE AS NEEDED OVER THE COURSE OF 2025.WE KNEW IT WAS A NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN.
WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A STRAP BUDGET EVEN BACK THEN.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD FIND PROJECTS THAT THEY HAD IMMEDIATE NEED FOR.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THOSE DOLLARS AND, AND LOOK, BY THE WAY, WE'RE SO EXCITED, NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE 750,000, THEY HAD AN INCREASE FROM THE 3.5 ESTIMATED MILLION TO THE 4.6.
SO I'M NOT GOOD AT MATH, THAT'S WHY I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL.
SO MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE CAN TELL ME WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE THOSE DOLLARS WENT AND HOW THEY WERE UTILIZED AND HOW THEY WERE REALLY GOOD STEWARDS OF THOSE DOLLARS? SO THE FRANCHISE FEE MONEY WAS USED TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL BUDGET, GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
UM, THE COUNCIL OFFICE DID RECEIVE A PORTION OF THAT FUNDING AND THEN IT WAS HELPED TO OFFSET FURTHER REDUCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT.
SO THOSE DOLLARS WENT TO A BUDGET THAT WASN'T BALANCED.
'CAUSE AT THE END, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAD THE BUDGET THAT WAS BALANCED.
SO THERE WERE OVERAGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OR THINGS, LOOK, MY ELECTRICITY BILL GOES UP ALL THE TIME.
SO IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? LIKE WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE 25 OR 26 BUDGET? I'M TALKING ABOUT 25 20 25.
WHERE'D THOSE DOLLARS GO? HOW WERE THEY USED? THE 2020 $5 WERE APPROPRIATED ON A BUDGET SUPPLEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 3.2 MM-HMM
SO THEY WENT TO ALL THOSE SPECIFIC ITEMIZED, UH, AND THEN ANY SURPLUS.
AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE ON THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL, WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU A, A JOURNAL ENTRY.
SO FIRE WORKERS' COMP IS GOING OVER BUDGET.
IT'S GOING TO BE USED TO OFFSET THAT.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO BALANCE ANY EX, ANY EXPEND EXPENDITURE THAT WAS PROJECTED TO GO OVER EXCESS REVENUES WILL BE UTILIZED TO SUPPORT IT.
AND SO MOVING FORWARD INTO 2026, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE DOLLARS AND HOW WE CAREFULLY PLACED THEM WITH CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES WAS IN THIS BUDGET, WAS THAT DONE AGAIN FOR 2026 OR WERE THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES MOVED TO OTHER PLACES? SO I THINK, UH, MY ORIGINAL RESPONSE WAS, ASSUMING THAT YOU WERE ASKING THIS QUESTION, I, SO THE MONEY WAS USED TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE BUDGET AND OFFSET FURTHER REDUCTIONS.
SO, AND THEN A PORTION OF THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THE CITY, IT WENT TO THE PARISH AS A WHOLE? YES, MA'AM.
AND SO, UM, JEN COUNCILMAN NOEL, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN ROCCA, CAN YOU EXPOUND ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO THOSE DOLLARS, SO WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE ARE SPENT, THEY WERE SPREAD ACROSS THE PARISH THIS YEAR.
WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING, WE'VE GOT SO MUCH CRITICISM AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT THE PUBLIC TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE THE CURRENT THEME IS THAT ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NOW HAVE A $205,000 SALARY, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE WHATSOEVER EVER IN THE WORLD.
UM, THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT DETERMINES OUR SALARY.
UM, AND YOU CAN FIND THAT ON GOOGLE OR ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.
UM, BUT AT ANY RATE, WITH THAT BEING SAID, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN, IN MY OPINION, SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THOSE DOLLARS.
HAS ANY COUNCIL MEMBER EXCEEDED THEIR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR? THE COUNCIL BUDGET? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL BUDGETS HAVE BEEN EXCEEDED.
HAVE, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, OVERSPENDING THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT? THERE HAS BEEN SOME OVERSPENDING IN THE COMMUNITY CENTERS.
UM, DID IT EXCEED, UH, DID, DID IT EXCEED $50,000 THERE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME SELF-GENERATED REVENUES TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE OVER EXPENDITURES.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN SOME COMMITMENTS TO HELP OFFSET IT.
AND THEN ONE, THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL, WE WILL NEED TO USE EXCESS REVENUES AND TO HELP COVER THE OVER EXPENSES ON SOME PROGRAMS. SO WHERE WILL THOSE, WHERE WILL, WHERE WILL THOSE DOLLARS COME TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE OVERAGES? THEY WILL COME FROM OVER COLLECTION OF EITHER PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX, FRANCHISE FEES.
SO IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
IT IS DEFINITELY HAS TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THERE'S NO OTHER SOURCE THAT I CAN TAKE FROM.
AND TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? UH,
[00:45:03]
A LITTLE OVER 70,000.AND I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU IN THE HOT SEAT, BUT AS I SIT HERE BEFORE THE PUBLIC AND AMONGST THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THAT WE HAVE GENEROUSLY WENT OUT AND FOUND DOLLARS, SOME OF US HAVE WORKED FOR OVER 11 MONTHS, I WOULD SAY 12 MONTHS NOW TO MAKE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE TO FIGHT IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE AND FORM TO FIND REVENUE, TO KEEP THE BURDEN FROM BEING PLACED ON THE TAXPAYER'S BACKS AND FOR PEOPLE TO OVERSPEND THAT WAY IS JUST A SLAP IN THE FACE.
NOT ONLY TO US THAT UTILIZE OUR DOLLARS IN A WAY AND MANNER THAT IS CONSERVATIVE AND CORRECT, BUT ALSO TO THE TAXPAYERS AND NOT JUST THEM, TO THE 4,000 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SITTING THERE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE JOBS NEXT WEEK.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
I I JUST NEED TO JUST, IF YOU'RE GIVING ME 10 SECONDS, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU SAID COMMUNITY CENTERS, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER AND I WANNA MAKE, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL, UH, UH, ANGIE HAS CAROLYN R. COLEMAN COUNCILWOMAN FOR DISTRICT 10 AT THE LEIS BUTLER CENTER OVERSPENT ANY MONEY? NO MA'AM.
I WANT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS CLEAR.
I HAD ISSUES TODAY WITH TRYING TO GET A LITTLE SOMETHING AND UH, I MEAN I HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LICK MY, PUT BLOOD DOWN TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH MS. ANGIE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE A FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH THAT BECAUSE YOU MADE A GOOD POINT, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU GOT FOLK LOSING THEIR JOBS.
COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND I'LL COME TO YOU TOMORROW.
HEY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR OVERSPENDING IN 2025 INTO THE 2026 TO MAKE THAT OFFSET SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND? ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENS IS, IF WHEN YOU'RE FUNDING THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN OVER EXPENDED, YOU ARE PREVENTING THOSE OVER COLLECTIONS TO GO INTO FUND BALANCE LIKE WE DISCUSSED.
UM, SO WHAT IS A POSSIBILITY IF YOU WANTED TO REPLENISH FUND BALANCE? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THAT OVER COLLECTION OF REVENUES GOES INTO FUND BALANCE.
THEN YOU COULD REDUCE IN APPROPRIATIONS SO THAT THE, UM, THERE'S MORE REVENUE THAN THERE ARE EXPENSES.
AND THEN THAT GOES INTO FUND BALANCE.
UNDERSTAND HOW, YEAH, I, I MEAN, HERE'S THE THING IS, IS IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAPPENED, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD OTHER, OTHER OVER EXPENSES HAPPEN AND THEN WE, WE BAIL FOLKS OUT AND, AND IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AT SOME POINT.
AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOTTA, YOU KNOW, THE BUCK STOPS SOMEWHERE.
UH, AND, AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE REST OF CITY PARISH.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE GENERAL FUND FUNDED OFFICES FOR ONE AREA TO BE USING UP ALL THE RESOURCES.
I MEAN IT, AND IT CAUSE US PROBLEMS FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO BUDGET.
UM, WE ALL GET THOSE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR AT THE END OF THE YEAR SAYING, HEY, YOU GOT ANY MONEY LEFT? AND, AND IT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS, AND AGAIN, OF COURSE THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM OF YOUR OFFICE.
UH, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE GOTTA HANDLE IN-HOUSE.
SO ANGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UH, YOU ARE ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE, UH, WHEN I CALL TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MAY HAVE.
BUT THIS IS VERY DISTURBING BECAUSE MYSELF, I WATCH MY BUDGET VERY CLOSELY.
UH, MY COMMUNITY DIRECTOR KNOWS THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE STAY WITHIN OUR BUDGET, CAN'T GO OVER BUDGET.
AND, UM, THERE'S YOU, THERE'S NO WASTEFUL SPENDING ON MY PART.
UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY WHOMEVER THIS PERSON IS.
AND I THINK WE ALL KNEW WHO THAT PERSON IS NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REFLECT ON ME OR ANY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
WE HANDLE BUSINESS THE RIGHT WAY, THE PROPER WAY AND FOLKS ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS.
AND THIS IS VERY DISTURBING BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANTED IS FOR ANYONE TO LOSE THEIR JOBS AND TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS TAKING PLACE.
$70,000 UNACCEPTABLE ACCOUNTABILITY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE AND HE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? UM, I WANNA ASK JUST ONE, UM, ONE QUESTION.
[00:50:01]
THE ALIMONY TAX IS? SO THE ALIMONY TAX IS A GENERAL PROPERTY TAX THAT IS, I THINK IT'S CONSTITUTIONALLY SET AND THAT IT ALLOWS A MUNICIPALITY OR A PARISH TO OPERATE IN THE GENERAL OPERATING SENSE WHERE IT'S NOT DEDICATED.YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOUR, WHAT YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS ARE IN RUNNING A GOVERNMENT.
CAN I EXPAND ON THAT? SURE, SURE.
GO AHEAD COUNCILMAN NOTE THE, THE ALIMONY TAX IN MY RESEARCH AND EVERYTHING SINCE THIS WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN WE CREATED THE CITY OF CENTRAL, AND IT'S PROBABLY BROUGHT UP WITH CREATING THE CITY OF ST.
GEORGE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS PANICKING THAT THE FIRST THING THAT THESE MUNICIPALITIES WERE GONNA DO WAS SIT THE FOUR 4% TAX.
IT'S A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL THING THAT'S ALLOWED TO EACH MUNICIPALITY AND OR PARISH BY A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO ENACT FOR REASONS THAT THEY NEED, LIKE YOU SAID, FOR RUNNING OFFICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE NEVER INSTITUTED THAT 4% OR ANY PORTION OF IT IN THE CITY OF CENTRAL.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 2.9696 FOR THE PARISH, 2.96, 2.96 FOR THE PARISH.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF CITY OF BATON ROUGE LIKE CENTRAL BAKER ZACHARY AND NOW ST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE CAN DO 4% ON THEIR OWN VERSUS THE FOR THE PARISH.
BUT THAT IS ALLOWED BY THE STATE FOR YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE ABLE TO ENACT THAT.
THE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE, AND THIS IS MAYBE SOMETHING PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR WHATEVER, OURS WAS ORIGINALLY, WHOEVER DID IT BACK THEN, I THINK THEY DID THE WHOLE 4% AT ONE TIME.
IT HAS SINCE BEEN ROLLED BACK TO 2.96.
MY QUESTION IS, AND I STILL THINK THE COUNSEL CAN DO IT ON THEIR OWN, FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I DON'T THINK SO.
BUT I THINK TO ROLL IT BACK FORWARD, IT MAY HAVE TO GO TO THE DEVOTED PEOPLE OR IT CAN STILL BE DONE WITHIN THE COUNCIL.
BUT THE INITIAL SET OFF CAN BE DONE BY YOUR COUNCIL OR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
BOTH OF OUR ALIMONY TAXES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENACTED AND SO TO YOU CAN DO A ROLL FORWARD WITHIN THE FOUR YEARS PRIOR TO A REASSESSMENT THROUGH THE COUNCIL.
THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
IF YOU INCREASE IT ABOVE THE ROLL FORWARD, YOU WOULD NEED TO GO TO THE VOTERS OF THE PEOPLE.
SO LET ME TELL YOU, I WAS SO GLAD THAT EVERYBODY BROUGHT UP COMMENTARY BECAUSE THE LEO BUTLER CENTER IS OVER BUDGET.
NUMBER TWO IS THAT I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTARY FROM OTHER PEOPLE WITH COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY SERVICES THAT REALLY SERVE THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS A HOMELESS FEEDING PROGRAM THAT WAS ALLOCATED THROUGH A RP FUNDS THAT WENT FROM 20 TO 30 PEOPLE BEING FED PER DAY TO A HUNDRED PEOPLE BEING FED MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, OVER A HUNDRED LOADS OF CLOTHES WASHED FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND OVER 40 TO 50 SHOWERS GIVEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO HAVE UNHOUSED OR HYGIENE ISSUES.
YOU ARE VERY AWARE THAT I WAS ALLOCATED $200,000 TO BUY A SHOWER TRAILER.
WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT THE CITY PARISH HAS BENEFITED FROM.
THAT WAS A RP FUNDS THAT WAS NOT REFILLED THIS YEAR THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'VE SAT DOWN WITH THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, HIS STAFF A NUMBER OF TIMES AND I SAID, IF YOU WANT ME TO CUT THIS HOME AS FEEDING PROGRAM PROGRAM OFF, YOU LET ME KNOW OPIOID FUNDS.
'CAUSE 80% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVICE ARE ADDICTED TO A SUBSTANCE.
THIS MONDAY WE HAD AN OVERDOSE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE WE HAD TO, UH, ADMINISTER NARCAN TO SAVE A LIFE CALL TANJA MILES.
NOW WE HAVE NARCAN TRAINING COMING, NOT JUST FOR ME BEFORE THE COMMUNITY THAT'S SURROUNDED BECAUSE THESE ARE 80% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED TO SUBSTANCES THAT COME THERE.
WHAT WAS THE COMMENTARY? SET IT ON THE MIC, PLEASE.
OH, I THOUGHT SHE TALKED TO YOU DIRECTLY, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS SHE SAYS YOU HAVE A MIXED DEMOGRAPHIC IN 7 0 8 0 5.
AND WE WERE SURPRISED THAT THEY SAT HERE THREE HOURS BEFORE THE FEEDING PROGRAM STARTED BECAUSE IT IS A RESOURCE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HOMED, VETERANS, CATS, EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO THE OPIOID MONEY THAT WE PUT OUTSIDE OF PARISH SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN PARISH FIRST AND AND TO, TO FUND THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE UNDER THE CITY PARISHES LEADERSHIP AND THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE HERE.
SO WE GIVE OPIOID TO THE GROVE TO EVERYBODY ELSE AND WHO DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
BUT I HAVE 80% OF THE PEOPLE, WHICH IS 80 PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED EVERY DAY THAT COME TO MY COMMUNITY CENTER TO BE SERVICED.
THE MONEY SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE.
[00:55:01]
MY POINT.SO YES, THE OVERAGE IS THERE AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO TELL THE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE UNHOUSED AND WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO FEED THEM, I'M OKAY WITH DOING THAT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT WAS MY BUDGET OVER WHAT WAS THE OVER BUDGET OUTSIDE OF THE HOMELESS FEEDING PROGRAM? I DON'T, I DON'T HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW.
I I I KNOW THAT IT IS MAINLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE HOMELESS FEEDING PROGRAM.
AND JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS TO BE PROACTIVE, I BROUGHT IN BEFORE CHRISTELLE WAS EVEN THINKING ABOUT BEING PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION, I BROUGHT IN SSA CONSULTANTS CHRISTELLE, WHERE YOU WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MIC PLEASE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CHRISTELLE, WILL YOU EXPLAIN WHAT I TRY TO DO TO YOUR ORGANIZATION WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER? THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, HAPPY I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GET UP.
ANYWAY, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, ANGIE AND HER TEAM DO NOT CONTROL THE USE OF OPIOID MONEY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.
WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
UH, WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN HURST IS TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, A YOUNG WOMAN WHO ACTUALLY CAME, UH, DURING OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, TYRA BANKS.
SHE'S WORKED AS A COUNCIL AID AND LEGISLATIVE AID, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THE COMMUNITY CENTER SO WELL, I THINK THE CONTRACT WAS FOR $2,500 SPECIFICALLY FOR TYRA BANK SERVICES.
UM, SHE HAS PROVIDED HER REPORT.
WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH THEM TO GIVE SOME FINANCE AND BUDGETING TRAINING TO ALL PERSONNEL WHO WORK IN COMMUNITY CENTERS TO HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY FLOWS COMES IN, GOES OUT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT I THINK SHE FEELS LIKE, UM, THERE WERE, UH, SOME THINGS IN PLACE AND GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A BETTER REALTIME PICTURE OF THE REVENUE THAT IS AVAILABLE.
I, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF ALL THE, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS OR IF ANYONE ELSE HAD HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, BUT UM, I THINK SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT IS HELPFUL.
SO MY POINT IS SAYING AS WE TOOK PROACTIVE MEASURES TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION, TO PREVENT ANY OVERAGES OUTSIDE OF THE FEEDING PROGRAM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND PUT CONTROL MECHANISMS IN PLACE THAT ARE GOING INTO THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET.
SO WHILE EVERYBODY HAS A COMMENT, I'M SO GLAD Y'ALL TRIED TO ATTACK KNOWING I LEFT, BUT SINCE EVERYBODY HAS A COMMENT ON THIS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WAS PROACTIVE IN MY APPROACH TO CONTROL THAT OUTSIDE OF THE FEEDING PROGRAM, WHICH IS STILL UNDERFUNDED.
AND IF ANY OF Y'ALL WANT TO TELL PEOPLE THEY CAN'T COME EAT, Y'ALL COME DO IT.
I I WANNA SAY ONE OTHER THING TOO.
WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT I WENT OVER BUDGET, OKAY, I COMPLETELY STOPPED AND I GOT THIRD PARTY FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT COMING OUTTA COMMUNITY CENTER BUDGET, BY THE WAY.
EXXON MOBIL DON DONATED THREE O'CLOCK PROJECT.
IT IS JUST NOT WELL YOUR EVER BUDGET.
NOW YOU'RE EVER TIME COME ON FOR, FOR YOU ROUND.
SO I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION AND THEN PARISH ATTORNEY, YOU'RE UP NEXT.
I KNOW YOU LIKE TO BE BE PREPPED.
UM, MS. CHRISTELLE, MAY I ASK YOU ONE QUESTION? YES, WE ARE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TO MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CUTS TO TO BUDGETS AND AGENCIES.
ARE THEY GONNA BE OKAY TO GO OVER BUDGET NEXT YEAR? ARE THEY GONNA BE OKAY? NO, NO ONE IS OKAY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO PUT, THANK YOU SO MUCH INFORMATION AND CONTROLS IN PLACE.
QUICK TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T MR. PARISH'S ATTORNEY LAURA, BEFORE YOU UP NEXT, BEFORE YOU GO, GREG AND CHRISTA, CAN YOU STAY THERE PLEASE? I CAN.
UM, THIS PROGRAM, OBVIOUSLY COUNCILMAN HERSCH'S PASSIONATE ABOUT, I THINK WE ALL HAVE PROGRAMS THAT WE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND COULD USE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
MY QUESTION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION STANDPOINT IS FROM THE OVERSIGHT STANDPOINT, JOE IS SITTING UP HERE WITH US AND FROM A COUNCIL PERSON WHO DON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER, I HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH HIM ALL THE TIME TO SEE WHERE I'M AT.
WHO'S PLAYING THAT ROLE FROM A COMMUNITY CENTER STANDPOINT, WHAT STEPS HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE? SO COUNCILMAN HERSA, NOBODY ELSE IS PUT IN THIS POSITION MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY THERE.
I THINK HE TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME OVERSIGHT THAT'S THAT'S NOT THERE.
SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE MADE A DECISION WITH HIM TO SAY, HEY, STOP.
WHO IS THAT PERSON? THERE'S A VOID HERE AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN POINT THE FINGER AT HIM, BUT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE OVERSEEING THIS PROCESS.
HOW DO YOU GET TO A POINT TO WHERE YOU OVERSPEND $1, LET ALONE WHATEVER THIS NUMBER IS? LET'S MAKE IT QUICK.
'CAUSE WE, WE, WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT 4 45.
CAN SOMEBODY GIMME AN ANSWER ON IT? WE, PRIOR TO HER COMING HERE, WE DID NOTIFY THE COMMUNITY CENTER DIRECTOR.
WE SET UP MEETINGS, THE COMMUNITY CENTER'S REPORT TO THE METRO COUNCIL.
[01:00:01]
AS A FINANCE REPRESENTATIVE, 'CAUSE THE BUDGET ANALYST WOULD, WAS CONTACTING THE COMMUNITY CENTER DIRECTOR AND ASHLEY BECK REPRESENTING Y'ALL.WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE CENTER AND WE DISCUSSED A PLAN FORWARD.
WE DID HAVE MULTIPLE EMAILS AND, AND INFORMATION SENT TO THE CENTER DIRECTOR EXPLAINING WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND WHAT WE NEEDED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE A PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO NOT LET IT, LET IT GET THIS FAR COUNCILMAN DONE? WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON.
WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON THIS INTERNALLY POINT.
I I POINT OF, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU IN THE BUDGET HEARINGS, THIS IS OUR SIXTH YEAR.
FOR MOST OF US DOING THIS, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIME THING.
IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL, WE ARE ON A HARD, ON A HARD DEADLINE TODAY.
LAUREN, YOU WE CAN, WE CAN BRING THIS BACK AROUND.
WE CAN BRING THIS BACKGROUND CHAIRPERSON, UM, DARRELL, HOLD ON A SECOND.
YOU'RE OUTTA ONE TI FORGOT ABOUT THAT.
YOU READY, COUNCILMAN? OR IS IT MAYOR? BUDGET PRO TIM? NO, COME ON UP.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET FOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT MY POWERPOINT.
UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO START BY SAYING WHAT AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS COUNCIL AND THIS PARISH AS YOUR PARISH ATTORNEY.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OPENING REMARKS.
UH, CHRISTELLE CAN YOU, CAN YOU STAND UP? I'D LIKE TO THANK HER PERSONALLY FOR CONVINCING THE MAYOR TO NOT CUT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S BUDGET.
I, I, I, SHE HAD A, SHE, SHE HAD A DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING.
SHE DIDN'T TELL ME I WAS SPEAKING AND, AND, AND I STOOD UP TO SPEAK AND I SAID THAT IN THE ROOM WITH DEAD SILENT, THE AIR WENT OUT.
BUT THIS IS REALLY NOT A JOKING MATTER.
UM, WE ARE CUTTING OUR BUDGET JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
I BROUGHT THESE PEOPLE HERE TODAY, CALLIE AND LISA.
WHAT ARE Y'ALL SITTING THERE? COME ON, Y'ALL STAND UP SERIOUS.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SOME REMARKS.
I WAS GLAD I GOT CALLED DOWN HERE YESTERDAY.
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY.
I WATCHED ALL, UH, THE DA'S PRESENTATION, THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, THE FAMILY COURT JUDGES, THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGES, UH, THE DISTRICT, UM, THE CITY COURT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN YOU'VE TRIED CASES IN FRONT OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT JUVENILE COURT, THE FACILITIES ARE DEPLORABLE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PASSION TO DO WITH JUDGE HANEY AND JUDGE GROVER DO.
UM, BUT THIS WAS A COMMON THEME I SAW YESTERDAY.
UH, SHE'S BEEN VERY, VERY PATIENT WITH OUR OFFICE.
SHE STARTED WITH COURTNEY AND I AND DAVE, WHO'S NOT HERE.
BRANDY AND MICHAEL AND SOME OTHERS.
SHE'S BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSE WITH US.
THERE'VE BEEN SOME VERY SPIRITED MEETINGS.
I STARTED OFF LIKE A LITTLE LEAGUER WHO STRUCK OUT AND KICKED THE DIRT AND SAID, I'M NOT DOING IT.
UM, I'VE REALLY BEEN HUMBLED OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, ESPECIALLY, UH, AFTER MONDAY, HELPING THE MAYOR DO WHAT HE HAD TO DO.
UM, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS.
I'VE WATCHED Y'ALL, AND I HOPE NOBODY TAKES OFFENSE TO THIS BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO HELP THE DA, UH, FIND MONEY.
AND HE'S ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
UH, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO HELP CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES, BUT I'M YOUR PARISH ATTORNEY.
Y'ALL NEED TO HELP ME FIND SOME MONEY YOU REALLY, REALLY DO.
OKAY? UH, HE'S A STATE OFFICE.
THE STATE NEEDS TO HELP HIM FIND MONEY.
AND COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, COUNCILMAN COLEMAN, I'M SO GLAD YOU HAD THOSE LEGISLATORS HERE.
THEY NEED TO COME HERE AND, AND HELP THAT MAN.
UH, WE REPRESENT YOU AROUND THE CLOCK.
IT'S FUNNY, I HAD A MEETING WITH THESE PEOPLE TODAY AND, UH, I PROMISED THEM WHEN Y'ALL APPOINTED ME, I MET WITH ALL OF 'EM IN A GROUP.
AND I TOLD THEM, I'M NOT GONNA CALL YOU
UH, AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS AND ON VACATIONS.
AND TODAY, I SAID, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL RAISE YOUR HANDS IF I CALLED YOU ON WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, AND VACATIONS? EVERYBODY
[01:05:01]
RAISED THEIR HANDS.UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED THESE PEOPLE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND I NEED Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT US, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHY.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M GONNA GIVE CREDIT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO GET TO GET CREDIT.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS OPIOID MONEY.
DO ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW HOW Y'ALL GOT IT? DO YOU REALLY? OH, IT WAS LEANNE BATSON.
I REMEMBER THE DAY TEDRICK KNIGHT.
SHE AND I WENT INTO HER OFFICE.
SHE HAD THIS PIECE OF PAPER AND SHE SAID, IS THIS REAL? AND TEDRICK WAS LIKE, YEAH, THIS IS REAL.
WE NEED, WE NEED TO GO AFTER THIS.
WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT LAW FIRM WE SHOULD GET, BECAUSE OUR OFFICE REALLY COULDN'T HANDLE IT.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE, BUT WE REALLY COULDN'T HANDLE IT.
AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT LAW FIRMS. WE FOUND ONE AND THEY'RE PHENOMENAL.
AND THEY STARTED WORKING A CASE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TRANSITION OF PARISH ATTORNEY.
AND THEN ANDY DOTSON TOOK OVER.
YOU KNOW, ANDY GOT ON THAT THING.
AND THEN, UH, FORTUNATELY FOR ME, Y'ALL APPOINTED ME.
I GAVE IT TO DAVE LAFE, AND DAVE WATCHES THAT THING LIKE A HAWK.
YOU KNOW, THE MONEY STARTED COMING IN.
EVERYBODY WANTED TO GIVE IT TO HILLER.
WHERE, COME UP HERE, BRANDY, THIS LADY IS, IS, SHE'S YOUR CITY PROSECUTOR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DWIS YOU PROSECUTOR A YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HUNDREDS HUNDRED DWIS A YEAR? HUNDREDS.
YOU KNOW, PROBABLY 50% OF THOSE ARE ARE FENTANYL DWIS, WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND ON FENTANYL OR, OR, UH, SOME KIND OF OPIATE.
I SAID FENTANYL, BUT SOME KIND OF OPIATE.
SHE'S GOT VERY HIGHLY SKILLED PROSECUTORS OVER THERE.
IF I TOLD YOU WHAT THOSE LAWYERS MADE, YOU'D FALL OUTTA YOUR CHAIRS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO UNDERPAID.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCCO WAS ONE OF THOSE, UH, POORLY PAID PROSECUTORS.
HER, UH, UH, BRANDY AND COURTNEY USED TO BE OVER THERE PROSECUTING TICKETS.
UH, IF YOU WENT OVER THERE ON A TICKET DAY, WHAT'S A HIGH TICKET DAY? ABOUT A THOUSAND.
IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY KICKED AN ANTHILL.
THESE WOMEN WOULD BE RUNNING AROUND THERE.
I I, IT WAS REALLY AMA UH, AMUSING YESTERDAY.
JUDGE ALEXANDER, ONE OF MY FAVORITE JUDGES TO CHIQUITA WORKED FOR COURTNEY.
THEY WERE TALKING TO YOU YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY THEY BRING IN THOSE TICKETS BELONG TO THIS LADY.
IF SHE DIDN'T PROSECUTE THOSE TICKETS, JUDGE ALEXANDER DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO ZIP UP HER ROBE.
OKAY? I MEAN, THIS LADY BRINGS THOSE FUNDS IN, NOT JUDGE ALEXANDER.
SHE JUST SAYS, OKAY, YOU'RE FINE.
HIS EX, BECAUSE THIS LADY'S PRO, THIS LADY IS TALKING TO THAT PERSON SAYING, DO YOU WANT TO PLEAD GUILTY TO THIS? 'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, I'M GONNA TAKE YOU IN THERE AND TRY YOUR CASE WITH THIS OFFICE.
NOW, GIVE THE CITY POLICE CREDIT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STOPPING SOMEBODY FOR THE DWI.
BUT IF NOT FOR THIS LADY, THAT THAT REVENUE NE IT NEVER GETS GENERATED.
WHAT'S THAT? UH, HOW, HOW MUCH YOU THINK YOU GENERATE IN FUNDS FOR DWIS AND TICKETS? YOU GOT ANY IDEA? OH, SHE'S PULLING OUT THE NUMBERS FOR 2025.
IT'S PROJECTED THAT THE TRAFFIC FINES ARE GONNA BE ABOUT 1,842,000.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T GET A PENNY OF THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I I I'M GONNA MAKE OUR BUDGET CUTS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS GUY HERE, HE ALWAYS GETS BEAT UP ON IT AT THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
'CAUSE HE'S ASKING TO SPEND MONEY, SPEND MONEY, SPEND MONEY.
I WANT TO TELL YOU, WHAT'S THE NUMBERS YOU GOT OVER? HOW LONG MICHAEL? Y'ALL KNOW WHO MICHAEL IS? HE'S A SECTION CHIEF FOR LITIGATION.
HE'S GOT LAWYERS OVER AT THE COURTHOUSE RIGHT NOW TRYING A JURY TRIAL.
HE HAD 'EM, HE WAS ONE OF 'EM, BUT THEY GOT A ZERO ON A CASE.
THERE WAS A DEFENDANT IN THE CASE WHO GOT HIT FOR, THEY WERE ASKING FOR 700,000.
BUT MICHAEL MADE SURE WE GOT HIT FOR ZERO.
BUT TELL 'EM YOUR NUMBERS FOR HOW LONG YOU HAVE.
SO WE, WE TOOK A SOFT RUN AT THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, AND BASED OFF OF EITHER THE AMOUNT SOUGHT BY THE PLAINTIFF THROUGH THE LAWSUIT ITSELF OR THROUGH A CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT OFFER TO OUR OFFICE REGARDING THE LAWSUIT VERSUS THE ULTIMATE SETTLEMENT OR JUDGMENT DISPOSITION, UH, THE LAST 10 YEARS ON LESS THAN 50 CASES, WE'VE SAVED THE CITY OVER $165 MILLION.
AND I CAN TELL YOU WE'VE HAD ROUGHLY OVER A THOUSAND CASES IN THAT 10 YEAR TIME SPAN.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.
I I KNOW YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.
MICHAEL, DID OUR OFFICE CAUSE ANY OF THOSE
[01:10:01]
ACCIDENTS? NO SIR.EVEN THE ONES WHERE THIS COUNCIL WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO LET US PAY SETTLEMENTS.
DID WE CAUSE ANY OF THOSE ACCIDENTS? NO.
WHEN, WHEN WE HAD TO COME TO THIS COUNSEL, AND NOT NECESSARILY BIG, BUT ASK THEM TO ALLOW US TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL BECAUSE WE HAVE A LAWYER ETHICAL CONFLICT.
DID, DID, DID WE CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN? WE DON'T CAUSE ANY OF THOSE THINGS TO HAPPEN.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE GENERAL STATEMENTS.
AND THESE OTHER PEOPLE YOU LOOK AT MAMUNA MCGEE, Y'ALL SEE HER ALL THE TIME.
SHE IS BRINGING IN REVENUE TO THIS PARENT.
GWEN AND DELEY BOTH ANSWER YOUR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.
I KNOW SOMETIMES NOT FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU COUNCILWOMAN, BUT IT'S COMING COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, BUT THEY DON'T GENERATE REVENUE, BUT THEY MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE PAY THE COST OF THE SERVICES THEY DO.
OKAY? SO, AND BILLY, WHERE ARE YOU AT? Y'ALL KNOW BILLY, EVERYBODY KNOWS BILLY.
HE, HE, HE HANDLES THE PROPERTY STUFF.
HE GENERAT HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH INCOME YOU GENERATE.
BILLY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? BEEN A GOOD, YEAH, HE'S HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR THIS YEAR.
UM, I I JUST, I KNOW WE GOTTA TAKE A C AND I'LL BE HONEST, WE, WE, WE'VE MET WITH SOME OF THE MAYOR STAFF THIS WEEK.
THEY'VE REALLY, REALLY BEEN OVER BACKWARDS TO HELP US.
THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP US AND THERE'S A DEPARTMENT HEAD, AND I'M NOT GONNA CALL HER OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT UN UNPROVOKED BY ME.
JUST CALL ME TODAY BEFORE MEETING AND SAID, HEY MAN, I GOT A POSITION.
I MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE ONE OF YOUR PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, GREG, JUST THINK ABOUT IT.
I WAS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL I TALKED TO COURTNEY.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE THAT FIT, BUT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HELP US.
I'M JUST TRYING TO IMPLORE Y'ALL.
I MEAN, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA AND COUNCILMAN DUNFORD RECOGNIZING THAT MS. CALLIE COME UP HERE.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT ENERGY DOLLARS WERE UNPOPULAR.
I REMEMBER GOING TO CALLIE'S OFFICE.
I DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE FRANCHISE FEE.
AND COUNCILMAN DUN COULD TELL YOU MAYOR BROOM DIDN'T WANNA DO IT, DID SHE? WE, WE HAD, IT WAS A HARD SELL ON HER AND DANTE, WE DID IT.
AND, UM, ENERGY CAME IN HERE AND WHAT'D THEY SAY? OH, Y'ALL GONNA ALL GET CALLS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND DID ANYBODY GET A CALL FROM A CONSTITUENT? DID ANY CONSTITUENT CALL YOU? AND THE PROJECTION WAS 3.5.
IT OVERPERFORMED A AMOUNT OF TIME.
UH, WHAT'S THAT? OH, ONE CALL.
YOU COULD, YOU CAN STOMACH THAT MAY APPROACH TO, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT OVER PERFORMANCE.
I FEEL LIKE CALLIE AND I FOUND IT AND I THINK I SHOULD GET THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S BEING GREEDY, BUT I THINK I SHOULD GET THAT.
BUT WE'LL FIELD ANY QUESTIONS.
I BROUGHT ALL THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE LOOK AT 'EM.
BECAUSE WHEN I START CUTTING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AND, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS TO SOUND MENIAL.
THE THE AMOUNT I HAVE TO CUT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FACES I HAVE TO CUT BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE CAN'T CUT ENOUGH, FAST ENOUGH.
'CAUSE THE NUMBERS SAYS, I'M SORRY.
THE, I I JUST WANT YOU TO SEE THESE PEOPLE 'CAUSE THESE ARE, THESE ARE CUT.
MOST OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN OUR OFFICE, THEY'RE ONE PERSON DEPARTMENTS.
SO I'M NOT SURE WE, WE, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE A SEVERE RESTRUCTURING OF OUR OFFICE.
BUT HERE'S, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN ASSISTANT, I DON'T HAVE A LAW CLERK.
YOU GUYS ARE CALLING ME ASKING FOR RESEARCH.
IT'S JUST A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ONE MAN DEPARTMENT THAT ARE RUNNING.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT, WHAT CAN'T SUFFER THIS? ABSO THIS IS WHAT ABSOLUTELY CANNOT SUFFER BECAUSE ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION.
THE QUALITY OF LEGAL ADVICE, IT CANNOT SUFFER.
WE, WE HAVE AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION.
WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO SUFFER.
SO RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
I, I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BUT WE CANNOT ALLOW THE QUALITY OF THE LEGAL SERVICE TO SUFFER AND KEEP, KEEP IN MIND.
NOW WE, WE PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO ALL THE, ALL THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
EVERY DEPARTMENT, EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD.
AND UH, MICHAEL, THE LAST TRIAL, WHAT'S CINDY'S LAST NAME? HUH? CINDY PENNINGTON.
SO MICHAEL HAD A TRIAL OVER A DANG STOP SIGN.
AND HE MADE CINDY SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
HOW, COME UP HERE MICHAEL, AND EXPLAIN HOW ENLIGHTENING THAT WAS FOR HER.
WELL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICE DOES WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
IF IT'S A DEPARTMENTAL ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING, UH, WHERE IT'S A PERSONAL INJURY,
[01:15:01]
TORT CAR ACCIDENT WHERE YOU HAVE A DRIVER, UM, IF IT'S A DEPARTMENTAL ISSUE WE LIKE AND ENCOURAGE AND IN FACT WE ALWAYS ACHIEVE OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD OR A HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL OF A DEPARTMENT HEAD STATURE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE THE, THE CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY PARISH THROUGH THAT TRIAL.UH, WITH TRIAL PREP, TYPICALLY A DEPOSITION IN ADVANCE.
AND THAT WAY THAT INDIVIDUAL LEARNS THE PROCESS OF WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
WHAT IS THE JUDICIAL RESOLUTION OF THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S SUCCESSFUL OR NOT THAT WAY THERE ARE LEARNING STEPS THAT ARE ACHIEVED FOR THAT DEPARTMENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND, UH, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THANKFULLY, ALWAYS A, UH, SUCCESS AS WELL.
HOW, HOW DO YOU THINK SHE TOOK THAT EXPERIENCE? IT WAS LIKE MOST DEPARTMENT HEADS, IT'S ALWAYS THE WORDS THAT COME FROM THEM ARE EYE-OPENING.
BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S RESPECTED BY THE JURORS AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE SPEAK TO THE JURIES MOST TIMES.
UM, AND THEY ALWAYS, THEY THANK OUR PARAMEDICS, OUR POLICE, OUR FIREMEN, WHEN THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THOSE SUITS, WE GET RESPECT THAT WAY.
AND THAT'S A CITY PARISH REPRESENTATION THROUGH THAT JURY TRIAL.
SO, MR. I APPRECIATE THE MR. SPEAK.
IF THANK YOU, IF THERE ARE ANY PROBABLY AREN'T, BUT IF THERE'RE ALREADY, I'LL TAKE 'EM.
SO, UM, MR. ROME WAS RIGHT IN SAYING THAT, UM, I KNOW THESE FOLKS, UH, BRANDI AND COURTNEY AND I, I STARTED WITH THEM IN 2011.
UM, AND WE WERE VERY UNDERPAID WAY BACK THEN.
I THINK THEY'VE, THEY HAVE HAD SOME RAISES SINCE THEN, BUT STILL IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
AND OF EVERYONE THAT'S STANDING UP HERE, I'VE WORKED WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MS. CALLIE FRANCIS.
UM, AND WITH MR. GREG ROME, WE WORKED TOGETHER AS PUBLIC DEFENDERS, UM, WAY BACK WHEN.
HE WASN'T AT THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHEN I WAS THERE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS? YEAH.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR LONGER THAN 10 YEARS? DID Y'ALL STAY BECAUSE OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PAY THAT YOU RECEIVED?
COULD YOU HAVE GONE ANYWHERE ELSE AND MAKE 200 AND 250,000 A YEAR? ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW COULD KELLY FRA, ARE YOU LEARNING HOW TO DO WHAT? CHARLES LANDRY AND MS. LISA, ARE Y'ALL LEARNING TO DO WHAT CHARLES LANDRY COMES IN AND DOES FOR US AND CHARGES TONS OF MONEY PRIVATELY FOR THOSE SERVICES DOING OUR BEST
ELENA BRAND IS THERE, IS THERE ANOTHER ATTORNEY CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE OFFICE THAT CAN REPLACE YOU? NO MA'AM.
MICHAEL, WE, WE KNOW YOU, WE KNOW
ASIDE FROM ASHLEY BECK, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS BUILDING THAT HAS THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU DO? HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM ANY OF US? NOT WITHIN THE WORKDAY HOURS, BETWEEN EIGHT AND FIVE O'CLOCK OR A TEXT.
HOW HAVE YOU, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE HAD RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL OR A TEXT FROM ANY OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE WEEKENDS? I I THINK WE'RE PROVING OUR POINT HERE,
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL THINK WE CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT
MY POINT IS, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP US LEGAL AND KEEP US GOING.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS WHEN WE GET ANGRY, CONSTITUENT EMAILS THREATENING TO SUE US FOR SILLY REASONS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT PROTECT US AND FIND WAYS TO KEEP US RIGHT IN THESE SEATS DOING OUR JOBS.
THESE ARE ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT FIND LOOPHOLES TO HELP US FUND THIS VERY CITY PARISH THAT WE'RE RUNNING.
THEY'RE OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AND, AND JEN IS AN ATTORNEY, BUT SHE'S DEFINITELY ECHOING THE SENTIMENTS OF ME.
AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DISHEARTENING THING THAT I KNOW YOU MAY NOT WANT TO SAY IS THAT THERE ARE FOLK IN CITY PARISH MAKE MORE MONEY THAN YOU ALL AND YOU ALL ARE ATTORNEYS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS DISHEARTENING AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONSIDER AND, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT ONE MORE QUICK POINT ORDER.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE STILL PAYING STUDENT LOANS? YEAH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF Y'ALL.
THINK ABOUT THEM HAVING TO GET AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE, THEM HAVING TO GET A LAW DEGREE.
THEM HERE DOING THIS JOB UNDERPAID, SERVING US DURING THE DAY, DURING NIGHTS, DURING
[01:20:01]
WEEKENDS, AND STILL PAYING ON THOSE FEDERALLY BACKED LOANS, NOT DEFAULTING ON 'EM AND PAYING THOSE REGULARLY.UM, ONE MORE REAL QUICK QUESTION.
BRANDY, YOU TELL ME ABOUT CITY COURT AND WE JUST HEARD THAT.
LET'S EXPLAIN IT FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN TO CITY COURT BEFORE YOU, YOU SAID $1.8 MILLION.
IF THOSE DOLLARS DON'T GO TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, WHERE DO THEY GO? THOSE, ALL THE FUNDS THAT ARE GENERATED WITHIN THE BUILDING OF CITY COURT ARE GOING THROUGH THE CITY COURT ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
AND UM, THEN WHERE DO THEY GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
OKAY, BUT THEY DON'T COME TO FUND YOU AND YOUR PROGRAMS BACK OVER THERE, CORRECT? THEY DO NOT.
AND SO WHENEVER YOU ARE LOOKING AT FEES AND FINES AND COURT COSTS ARE, HOW ARE YOU GUYS A ASSESSING HOW YOU COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THOSE? HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THOSE TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE GATHER MORE FUNDING FOR THE GENERAL FUND INSTEAD OF YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT THE GENERAL FUND? SO THE FEES, FINES, AND COURT COSTS ARE DETERMINED BY THE JUDGES.
AND SO, UM, ARE THEY CHARGING THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNTS? ARE WE UNDER, ARE WE OVER, WHAT'S THAT LOOK LIKE? IS THERE ANY ROOM TO GROW IN THOSE AREAS? I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AROUND IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MORE THINGS AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
WELL, TWO MORE THINGS I WANNA MENTION.
DAVE LAFE IS ACTUALLY AT A MEETING WITH GALLAGHER TRYING TO SAVE Y'ALL MORE MONEY.
DAVE IS, IS IN MY PAST ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT AND LITIGATION.
AND I TOLD THIS GROUP TODAY, UH, DAVE IS, HE'S SO MUCH BETTER AT THAT JOB THAN I WAS.
ANDY AND, AND BRANDY SHOULD HAVE FIRED ME YEARS AGO WHEN I'M EMBARRASSED AT HOW GOOD DAVE IS AT THAT JOB THAT I AM.
HE HAS SAVED THE CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
SHE COLLECTS WHAT WE CALL SUBROGATION.
I DON'T NEED TO BORE Y'ALL WITH THAT TWO TO 3 MILLION, YOU KNOW, TWO MILLIONS OF BAD YEAR FOR HER.
3 MILLION IS A GREAT YEAR FOR HER.
YEAH, FOR 2024, WE JUST DON'T HAVE HER 2025 NUMBERS YET.
BUT FOR 2024, KIM COLLECTED 2.1 MILLION FOR 2023, SHE COLLECTED 2.5 MILLION, 20 22, 2 0.4 MILLION IN 20 21, 2 0.6 MILLION.
AND SHE COLLECTS FOR EMS ALSO.
BUT WE DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY ANYBODY ELSE? COUNCILWOMAN TANA HARRIS.
TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, UH, WORKING SO HARD AND SO DEDICATED NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR OFFICE WENT OUT AND GOT THE OPIOID MONEY, THE SETTLEMENT.
SO ARE YOU, IS YOUR OFFICE ABLE TO RECEIVE SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR YOURSELVES? YEAH, I, BRANDY DEFINITELY QUALIFIES FOR IT.
THERE ARE SPECS TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU QUALIFY.
WE THINK WE, WE THINK THAT, UH, MI SOME OF THE THINGS MICHAEL DOES, HE DOES ALSO.
AND, UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH WILLIAM RIGHT NOW ON THAT.
WE'VE MET WITH HIM, UH, BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK.
WE'VE GOT SOME COMMITMENTS FROM HIM ON THAT.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
WE KNOW FOR A FACT BRANDY DOES.
MICHAEL'S GOT A FEW ISSUES HE'S GOTTA WORK THROUGH, BUT THE MAYOR'S, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US ON THAT.
SO HOW MANY JOBS YOU, YOU'RE HAVING TO CUT AGAIN? I'M PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO AT LEAST CUT EIGHT LAWYERS.
IT COULD BE MORE THE, THE BUDGET BOOK SUGGESTS THAT I CUT 16, BUT I'M, I'M WORKING WITH THAT NUMBER.
AND YES, SIR, YOUR WHOLE TEAM DEFINITELY BEEN A VALUABLE ASSET TO ALL OF US HERE.
OUR PREDECESSORS AND THE OFFICE WILL BE A ASSET FOR THOSE WHO COME BEHIND US.
UM, I KNOW I'VE BEEN CALLING TEXTING, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, SPECIFICALLY YOU, UH, MORE THAN ANYBODY, BUT I HADN'T WORKED WITH ALL OF THEM, BUT I KNOW ALL OF THEM HAVE TOUCHED SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T WORK WITH 'EM DIRECTLY.
SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, ALL Y'ALL EFFORTS.
UM, GREG, YOU MAY MENTION IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENTS THAT, UM, YOU ARE OUR ATTORNEY OR YOU OR YOUR OFFICE IS, IS IS OURS.
WHEN YOU REFERENCE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HILLER, I JUST WANT TO FURTHER CLARIFY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY PARISH ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, UH, NOT ONLY OUR ATTORNEY FOR A CITY PARISH, BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY OUR ATTORNEY, THE COUNCIL.
YOU'RE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL.
IN THE ARC CHART, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW POSITIONS, AND SOMEBODY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE PARISH ATTORNEY, THE AVIATION DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, I THINK THE COMMUNICATIONS, AND I MAY BE MISSING ONE OR TWO, BUT THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE OF OURS.
UH, THE MAYOR CAN HIRE, THE MAYOR CAN FIRE ON ONLY WE CAN DO THAT.
YOU TOLD ME THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
WE, WE COLLECTIVELY CAN DO THAT.
YOU'VE TOLD ME PERSONALLY, LIKE WE COLLECTIVELY
[01:25:01]
HIRED YOU,SO I JUST WANNA
AND IF WE GO AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY.
IF THEY CUT THIS BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT IS OURS.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT IN THAT WAY.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THAT.
BUT, BUT GREG, YEAH, I WANT TO SPEAK TO WHAT I CALL SATELLITE.
ATTORNEYS OR DEPARTMENTS LIKE BRANDY IS NOT NECESSARILY HOUSED IN THE OFFICE OVER HERE.
I KNOW MICHAEL FERRO AT THE, AT THE AIRPORT.
IS HE TECHNICALLY A PARISH ATTORNEY? HE, HE IS.
BUT TO HELP, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GO IN THERE, BUT THE AIRPORT ACTUALLY FUNDS HIS POSITION.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO, YES, SIR.
AND ASHLEY IS TECHNICALLY A, A PARISH ATTORNEY, BUT WE FUND IT.
WHO? ASHLEY BECK? UH, NO, SHE'S JUST A, SHE'S A COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR.
THEY HAVE A COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER A BUNCH.
UH, AND I CALL HER WELL, LET'S GO, GO BACK TO, I AGREE.
BUT LET'S GO BACK TO MICHAEL, WHO'S TECHNICALLY A PARISH ATTORNEY FUNDED BY.
HE IS DEFINITELY FUNDED BY THE AIRPORT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PARISH ATTORNEYS THAT ARE SATELLITE POSITION AT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT FUNDED BY ANOTHER DEPARTMENT? DALEY MORRIS.
SHE'S NOT FUNDED BY THE POLICE, BUT SHE'S OVER AT 9,000 AIRLINES.
SHE'S FUNDED THROUGH MY DEPARTMENT AND, UH, YEAH, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
SO CAN WE GET BRPD TO FIND HER? CAN WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION? I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO CHIEF LEDUFF.
HE'S, HE'S OPEN TO SOME IDEAS.
UM, BUT KANSAS CITY COURT, SHE IS GONNA BE THE POLICE LEGAL ADVISOR.
CAN CITY COURT FUND BRANDY SALARY? UM, CAN WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION? I DON'T HAVE ANY CONVERSATION FOR ANYBODY THAT'LL TALK TO ME.
JUST, JUST TRYING TO BE CREATIVE AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE MONEY THAT SHE BRINGS IN FOR CITY COURT OVER THERE.
AND THE VALUE THAT SHE BRINGS FOR BRPD, YOU KNOW, UH, THE AIRPORT HAS NO PROBLEM FUNDING.
MICHAEL RO I THINK THE AIRPORT'S VERY HAPPY WITH MIKE.
I THINK YOU'RE VERY HAPPY WITH, VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
SO JUST, JUST WANNA OFFER THAT UP.
WITH THE SATELLITE ATTORNEYS, I, I'M EXPLORING THAT.
WE MET, MET WITH CHIEF LEDUFF TODAY.
HE WAS VERY OPEN-MINDED TO IT.
THEY CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS RIGHT NOW.
THEY, BUT, UH, THEY AT LEAST EXTENDED ME THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIM AND THEY, I THINK HE WAS VERY SINCERE TODAY AT THE MEETING.
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
COUNCILMAN HUDSON, GREG, THANK YOU FOR YES SIR.
ALL YOUR WORK AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK Y'ALL DO.
UM, MY QUESTION IS AROUND OUTSIDE COUNSEL, AM I, AM I LOOKING ON PAGE 86 OF THE BUDGET BOOK? I SEE LEGAL SERVICES, IT'S AT 150,000.
SO IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR YOUR OFFICE? AM I, AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH NEXT YEAR? YES, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME REALLY BIG CASES.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA NAME ALL THE PROFILES AND EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK ANGIE, REALISTICALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER ONE 50.
HOW ARE WE GONNA RESOLVE THAT ISSUE? UH, ME SITTING DOWN AND BEGGING ANGIE, THAT'S HOW I NORMALLY RESOLVE IT.
AND I, I CALL IT A WIZARD OF EYES.
SHE GOES BEHIND THAT CURTAIN AND FIGURES SOMETHING OUT AND THEN I HOPEFULLY GET Y'ALL TO APP.
I, WHERE'S MY, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THAT FIGURE, DON'T YOU THINK? YEAH.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER, BUT TYPICALLY, UH, MICHAEL RENITA, COURTNEY AND DAVE AND I, WE HIT IT.
WE HIT IT ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH.
WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE GOOD WITH THAT FIGURE MAYBE TILL ABOUT JUNE OR JULY.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A GOOD PERIOD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO JINX IT.
YEAH, I THINK WE CAN GO TO ABOUT JUNE OR JULY.
BUT YOU HADN'T PROBABLY SEEN, WELL YOU MIGHT HAVE, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU STAYED PRETTY CURRENT, BUT YOU HADN'T SEEN THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT THE OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR, UM, POLICE DISCIPLINE IS COMING BACK UP AND, UH, THAT GOES INTO THAT.
UM, I SAW AN ARTICLE IN WALL STREET JOURNAL YESTERDAY ABOUT, UH, PURDUE PHARMA AND GETTING COURT APPROVAL FOR A $7.4 BILLION OPIOID SETTLEMENT.
IS THAT GONNA BE IN ADDITION TO THE OPIOID? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHICH PHARMACIES HAVE ALREADY YEAH, YOU'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH.
SO IS THAT GONNA BE MORE OP ANOTHER TRANCHE OF OPIOID DOLLARS THAT WE'LL DEAL WITH? YEAH, I, I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT 'CAUSE I HADN'T READ THAT YET.
I'M GONNA ASK BUR AND LEBRON, BUT THERE, THERE ARE MORE, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES SETTLING DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I'M SORRY I CAN'T ANSWER ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE, THERE ARE THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE COMPANIES DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I'LL, I'LL GET THAT FOR YOU.
SO WHILE MY, MY MAIN POINT OF ASKING THE QUESTION IS, WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK INTO THE OPIOID DOLLARS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROPRIATED FOR YOUR OFFICE YES SIR.
AS WE LOOK FOR OTHERS IN THE FUTURE, AND THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME THAT HAPPENED WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, NINE MONTHS, WHATEVER.
[01:30:01]
YOUR OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO BE ONE THAT'S CONSIDERED FOR THIS.UM, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA, I THINK THE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I THINK THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS OPEN TO THAT IDEA.
I WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD BE.
UM, MY, MY LAST QUESTION IS AROUND, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA NAME THE, THE FUND INCORRECTLY, BUT OUR, OUR, UM, OUR SETTLEMENT FUND.
I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING DRY THERE.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THAT ISSUE MOVING FORWARD? SO WE'RE FLOATING MAYBE THREE IDEAS RIGHT NOW, MICHAEL, UH, AND I'M, I HOPE IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS TO COME TO Y'ALL IN SMALL GROUPS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
WE ONLY HAVE NEXT YEAR FOR SETTLEMENT, NOT JUDGMENT PAYMENT, BUT FOR SETTLEMENT, WE ONLY HAVE BUDGETED $1.8 MILLION.
UH, AND I, I WANT TO COME TO Y'ALL IN SOME SMALL GROUPS AND SORT OF MAYBE GIVE YOU TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT IDEAS TO SEE WHAT YOU THINK.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE MAIN IDEA BEHIND THE QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I, I KNOW Y'ALL EXPRESSED SOME THINGS BEFORE.
I KNOW, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM HAS, I, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN BUDGET SPECIALIST HAS
SO, UH, I'M, I'M, I'M PREPARED TO TALK TO Y'ALL IN SMALL GROUPS, SO, SO Y'ALL CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.
THERE, THERE'S SOME THEORIES OF THOUGHT OUT THERE TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF I LIKE THAT GREG, OR YEAH.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME IDEAS, BUT IT, IT MAY REQUIRE US JUST TO, JUST TO TRY MORE CASES, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WE'LL SEE.
COUNCILMAN MCKINNEY, YOU GONNA LET ME GO WITH NUT? YOU HAPPY THOUGH, AREN'T YOU? I AIN'T GONNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT, BUT I COULD DEFINITELY SAY YOUR OFFICE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A GREAT, UM, GREAT HELP.
I KNOW ME HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN JANUARY WHEN I HAD A BARRAGE, UM, COMING MY WAY.
UM, IS ANYBODY UP HERE JOB AT RISK IF THIS PROPOSED BUDGET GOES THROUGH LIKE THESE PEOPLE? YEAH, MAN, IF I LOST ONE OF THEM, I'D HAVE A PROBLEM.
I'D RATHER, YOU'D RATHER ME ROLL OUT THAN ONE OF THESE PEOPLE.
I AIN'T GONNA SAY THAT ON RECORD,
BUT TRUST ME, THAT IT, TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, GREG.
YOU SAID IT EARLIER, BUT JUST TO REINFORCE YES SIR.
IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE ANY CUTS, IT, IT WILL NOT BE ATTORNEYS.
I'M SORRY, IT WON'T BE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
SO EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE EVALUATING THAT.
AND I, AND I, CHRIS CRANFORD, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF A BC WAS HERE.
HE STAYED AS LONG AS HE COULD.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S OVER THERE BY YOUR, BY YOUR, UH, DISTRICT OFFICE.
YOU KNOW CHRIS? I KNOW YOU DO.
UH, HE'S NOT AN ATTORNEY, OBVIOUSLY.
THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY, UH, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.
BUT HE IS, HE WAS ASKED JUST LIKE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE TO EVALUATE YOUR STAFF, UH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE MAY BE SOME ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE, BUT ULTIMATELY THE DECISION'S GONNA BE, UH, ME AND MS. KING ARE GONNA MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE ATTORNEYS, BUT IT COULD, I DON'T WANNA SAY COUNCILMAN DUN.
'CAUSE THAT KIND OF FOLLOWS UP ON MY ORIGINAL QUESTION ABOUT SATELLITE.
SO CHRIS IS NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT HIS DEPARTMENT YES, SIR.
IT FALLS, FALLS UNDER IT FALLS UNDER THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND FUNDED BY YOUR OFFICE, NOT FUNDED BY THE FEES.
THEY COLLECTED A C WELL, THAT YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT HE'S, HE'S ALMOST SELF, SO WHAT, HE GENERATES SO MUCH MONEY.
SO WHERE DO THOSE DOLLARS GO AT? DON'T GO TO YOUR BUDGET.
IT DOESN'T GO SEE, SEE, THAT'S, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE ATTORNEYS, UH, IN CHRIS'S CASE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANNUAL REVENUE IS OVER THERE, BUT I MEAN, BUT YOU KNOW, LAN UH, WELL YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED WITH A, B, C, BUT YOUR OFFICES, MS. GRIMM, ADVISES A B, C BOARD WHEN THEY MEET.
IF YOU HAVE SATELLITE PEOPLE FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT YES, SIR.
THAT ARE HOUSED AT SOME OF THESE AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, THE AIRPORT IS FUNDING MICHAEL FERROS SALARY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE REVENUE THAT THEY PRODUCE AND SEE IF THEY COULD FUND OR SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR THE SALARIES FOR THE SERVICE THEY GET FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT.
SIR, I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
I JUST MADE A MENTAL NOTE NOW.
UM, IF YOU REFER TO YOUR BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 86, UM, THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE BOARD LICENSES PROVIDE, UM, ABOUT NINE OVER 900,000.
WELL, ACTUALLY IT'S COUNCILMAN HUDSON'S CATCH.
SO IS THERE ANYBODY MAY A PRO BUDGET SPECIALIST.
YEAH, WE, WELL, I, I GOT GOOD, GOOD PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT AND GOOD PEOPLE TO THE LEFT.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WITH ANY OTHER, UM, QUESTIONS?
[01:35:01]
OKAY.APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO.
UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL AFTERNOON, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D IMAGINE AS, AS THE DAYS GO ON AND WE'LL GET MORE AND MORE EMOTIONAL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU TO THIS COUNCIL AND OUR STAFF FOR, FOR STICKING WITH US THROUGH TOUGH TIMES.
OUR NEXT BUDGET HEARING WILL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH AT 5:00 PM AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM OUR DPW UM, ENTITIES.
SO THAT IS, UH, DRAINAGE AND TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S MAINTENANCE, THAT'S ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM THE BIG BUDDY PROGRAM.
SO, UM, PLEASE TUNE IN OR COME AND JOIN US ON MONDAY AT 5:00 PM UM, COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA.
AND EVERYONE, SECONDS IT, WE'RE IN ADJOURNMENT.