[ Presentations and Special Recognitions]
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          WELCOME EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS PORTION PRIOR TO OUR METRO COUNCIL MEETING. 
          WE'RE GOING TO START OUR PRESENTATIONS WITH THE MAYOR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, REPRESENTED BY MS. CHASELYN GRANT. WE'RE GOING TO FIRST RECOGNIZE MS AWARENESS WEEK. MS. GRAHAM. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. 
          TODAY, WE HONOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS WEEK. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, OR MS, IS A CHRONIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE BRAIN, AND THE SPINAL CORD. NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE LIVING WITH MS, AND BEHIND THAT NUMBER ARE MOTHERS, FATHERS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS WHO SHOW STRENGTH EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          THIS WEEK IS ABOUT AWARENESS, BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT ENCOURAGEMENT. IT IS ABOUT EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTING THOSE WHO ARE LIVING WITH MS, AND REMINDING FAMILIES THAT THEY ARE NOT WALKING THIS JOURNEY ALONE. IT IS ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR BETTER HEALTH CARE, SUPPORTING RESEARCH, AND BELIEVING THAT ONE DAY WE WILL SEE A CURE. TODAY, WE LIFT UP EVERY PERSON LIVING WITH MS IN PRAYER. WE PRAY FOR STRENGTH, FOR HEALING, FOR PEACE IN DIFFICULT MOMENTS, AND FOR CONTINUED BREAKTHROUGHS IN TREATMENT AND RESEARCH. AND WE ALSO PAUSE TO THANK THE CAREGIVERS, THE DOCTORS, THE NURSES, AND THE MEDICAL TEAMS WHO WALK ALONGSIDE THOSE LIVING WITH MS. SO TODAY, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR SID EDWARDS, WE STAND TOGETHER WITH THE NATIONAL MS SOCIETY IN BRINGING AWARENESS, STANDING TOGETHER IN SUPPORT, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE STAND TOGETHER IN HOPE. 
          THANK YOU. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE HERE TODAY. OH, OKAY. 
          YOU HAVE SOME MORE. IF YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND THE COUNCIL. 
          THIS IS THE 16TH YEAR THAT I'VE CHAMPIONED FOR MS, SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL CREATING THIS AWARENESS. JUST A QUICK STORY. 
          THE THEME FOR MS IS MS UNSEEN THIS YEAR, AND I LIKE TO TELL IT. I SEE A LOT OF ATHLETES HERE. I WAS AN OLD... 
          REDEMPTOR'S WRESTLER. AND WE USED TO RUN A THREE MILE LAP BEFORE PRACTICE EVERY DAY. AND WE TOLD OUR COACH ONE TIME, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT IT. 
          WE, YOU KNOW, WE LICKED IT, AND HE SAID, HE SAID, YEAH, HE SAID, BUT WHEN YOU COME ACROSS THE FINISH, YOUR FACE IS ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE FIXING TO PASS OUT. HE SAID, WHEN YOU CAN DO IT WITH A SMILE IS WHEN YOU GOT IT AND WHEN YOU'RE A CHAMPION. AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH MS EVERY DAY, THEY GET UP. THEY PUT THAT SMILE ON THEIR FACE AND THEY GO TO WORK, OR THEY BE A MOM OR A LOT OF MEN AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEKEND I'LL BE DOING A 135-MILE BIKE RIDE TO RAISE AWARENESS AS WELL AS MONEY FOR MS. SO IF YOU SEE ANYTHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST SHARE IT, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED. 
          TODAY, I WAS AT A MEETING AND... I ADDED THE 27TH PERSON THAT I CALL, A FRIEND THAT LIVES WITH MS. SO, AGAIN, THANKS TO THE COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU'LL GIVE YOUR NAME. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE CAUSE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH. MY NAME IS RENE CABALLERO. I'VE JUST GOT THE CALL TO DO WORK. I'M A RETIRED UPS GUY. I GREW UP DOWN THE STREET FROM OUR MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND HE SUPPORTS ME AND EVERYTHING I DO, AND IT'S JUST KIND OF BEEN MY CALLING. SO THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU, RENE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, MS. GRANT, YOU GOT THE NEXT ONE. NEXT, WE WILL RECOGNIZE THE NEW COHORT OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. SO TODAY IS A POWERFUL AND PROUD MOMENT FOR OUR CITY. IT IS MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE AND INTRODUCE THE FIRST COHORT OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS. THIS COUNCIL IS MADE UP OF 35 BRIGHT, BOLD, AND BRILLIANT YOUNG LEADERS FROM ACROSS OUR PARISH, REPRESENTING GRADES NINTH THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE. THESE STUDENTS COME FROM MANY SCHOOLS AND MANY STORIES, BUT THEY ALL SHARE ONE THING IN COMMON, A PASSION FOR PROGRESS AND A HEART FOR THEIR HOMETOWN. THESE STUDENTS REPRESENT MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT OUR PARISH. TOGETHER, THESE STUDENTS REFLECT THE DIVERSITY 
          [00:05:02]
OF WHAT BATON ROUGE IS. BUT BEFORE WE CELEBRATE THESE STUDENTS, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE PARENTS AND AND FAMILIES WHO HELPED SHAPE THEM. BEHIND EVERY CONFIDENT STUDENT IS A COMMITTED PARENT, A GUIDING GUARDIAN, OR A SUPPORTIVE FAMILY MEMBER WHO POURED INTO THEM. TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO. 
          TODAY, WE SEE THE FRUIT OF THAT TRAINING. WE SEE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN GUIDED WITH WISDOM AND GROWN WITH ENCOURAGEMENT. SO, TO THE PARENTS IN THIS ROOM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, YOUR PRAYERS, AND YOUR PERSEVERANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, YOUR GUARDING, AND YOUR GRACE IN RAISING YOUNG LEADERS WHO ARE READY TO SERVE. CAN WE GIVE IT UP FOR THE PARENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. 
          THIS COUNCIL IS NOT JUST ABOUT TITLES, IT'S ABOUT TRANSFORMATION. THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HELP ADVISE THE MAYOR ON KEY ISSUES THAT SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. 
          BRIGHT PUBLIC SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THEY ARE THINKERS, TRAILBLAZERS, AND TOMORROW'S LEADERS. AND TODAY, WE CELEBRATE THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW THE FUTURE OF BATON ROUGE IS NOT JUST COMING, BUT IT'S ALREADY SITTING IN THIS ROOM TODAY. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING BRINKLEY BENNETT, WHO WILL BE LEADING THIS CHARGE. AND GIVE IT UP FOR OUR MAYOR'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. IF YOU GUYS CAN COME, STEP FORWARD REAL QUICK IF YOU DON'T MIND. ALL THE STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF THE COUNCIL, IF YOU COULD, COME, STEP FORWARD. ALL RIGHT, AS THEY COME FORWARD, I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          FIRST OFF, MY NAME IS BRINKLEY BENNETT. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL SLASH YOUTH MAYOR. AND FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT HAS BEEN TO BE ABLE TO MEET THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ACROSS OUR GREAT PARISH. 
          NOW, THE PARISH PRESIDENT TELLS IT BETTER, BUT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I EMAILED HIM WITH THE AMBITIONS OF CREATING A YOUTH COUNCIL. 
          BECAUSE AS A COACH, HIS NATURAL... INCLINATION IS TO WORK WITH KIDS AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HELP. AND SO, KNOWING THIS, I BROUGHT THE IDEA TO HIM. AND HE TOLD ME HE WAS DIGGING AROUND ON SOME THINGS. THAT HAD KIND OF GOT FILES COVERED HIS DESK AND HE WAS CLEANING UP FROM HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. AND HE SAID HE FOUND MY LETTER THAT I WROTE TO HIM, AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC TO ADOPT THIS IDEA. AND YEAH, THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT US ALL HERE TODAY. SO IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE'RE GOING TO BE REACHING OUT TO MANY OF YOU TO HELP. BETTER POLICIES AROUND BATON ROUGE, BETTER OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WORK TO FULFILL THE PILLARS OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          AND ALSO, IF WE COULD HAVE EVERYONE COME UP AND SAY THEIR NAME, WHAT SCHOOL THEY GO TO, AND ALSO THEIR GRADE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BRINKLEY BENNETT. I'M A SENIOR AT ST. 
          JOSEPH'S ACADEMY. THANK YOU, BRINKLEY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOY GRAMEE. I GO TO MCKINLEY SENIOR MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M A 9TH GRADER. I'M MADDIE FALCON AND I'M A SOPHOMORE AT EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL. MY NAME IS CALEB SETTLE. I'M A SOPHOMORE AT U-HIGH. MY NAME IS NAYLA MCGEE AND I'M A JUNIOR AT LIBERTY. MY NAME IS ALICE BARRIOS. I'M A SOPHOMORE AT ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY. MY NAME IS ELISE BAILEY AND I'M A JUNIOR AT EPISCOPAL. I'M MONET TEMPLE. I'M A FRESHMAN AT U HIGH. MY NAME IS BROOKLYN TAMAL. I'M A SOPHOMORE AT LSU LAB SCHOOL. MY NAME IS SAMIR. 
          I'M A SOPHOMORE AT HELIX AVIATION ACADEMY. I'M JONATHAN KIRK. I'M A JUNIOR AT CATHOLIC EYE. MY NAME IS KYLIE PIPER. I'M A SENIOR AT CENTRAL PRIVATE. MY NAME IS CHASE CASWELL. I'M A JUNIOR AT BETHANY, CHRISTIAN. MY NAME IS JEREMY GREEN. I'M A SENIOR AT GLEN OAKS MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL. MY NAME IS HARMONY PROCTOR. I'M A SENIOR AT CITY LABS. I'M PARKER FRANCOIS, AND I'M A SENIOR AT MCKINLEY-C.M. 
          MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL. MY NAME IS NAOMI HAMER. I'M A SOPHOMORE AT BARRON CHI. MY NAME IS JEZENAI MACKEY. I AM A 10TH GRADER AND I GO TO BROWNMORE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. MY NAME IS DANIEL WATSON AND I'M A 
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SOPHOMORE AT MADISON PREPARATORY ACADEMY. MY NAME IS OMAR MERT AND I'M A SOPHOMORE AT JCF ABR. MY NAME IS NILES HAMER AND I'M A SOPHOMORE AT BATON ROUGE HIGH. SORRY, MY NAME IS AUBREY CADEN, AND I'M A JUNIOR AT PARKVIEW, BAPTIST. 
          ALRIGHT, LET'S GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR THEM. AND IF WE COULD TAKE A GOOD PICTURE THIS WAY, Y'ALL, AND WE GO FACE THIS WAY. AND IF Y'ALL COULD COME, BE IN THE PICTURE AS WELL. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THERE IT IS. 
          MAYBE I GOT HER. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEPPED FORWARD, PUT THEIR HAND UP TO TAKE PART IN THE MAYOR'S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
          ON BEHALF OF THIS METRO COUNCIL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR INSIGHT AND YOUR INPUT ON IMPROVING THIS PARISH. 
          NEXT, WE'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN JEN ROCCA, WHO'S GOING TO... RECOGNIZE MISS OLIVIA PING, AN EIGHTH GRADER AT GLASGOW MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOR BEING NAMED EBR STUDENT OF THE YEAR AND A STATE FINALIST. HELLO, EVERYONE. 
          WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND WHAT A GREAT DAY IT IS TO BE A YOUNG PERSON. WE'RE SURROUNDED BY A BUNCH OF BRILLIANT YOUNG PEOPLE. 
          COME ON UP, MISS OLIVIA PING. 
          SO HERE WE HAVE AN EIGHTH GRADER FROM GLASGOW MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO'S BEEN NAMED THE... 
          2026 REGION 6 STUDENT OF THE YEAR, SHE'S THE FINALIST FOR STATE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT OF THE YEAR. OLIVIA WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST SEVEN OTHER FINALISTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. 
          IN INTERVIEWS, WRITING SAMPLES AND PORTFOLIOS. 
          YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS? UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. 
          MY NAME IS OLIVIA PING. I'M AN EIGHTH GRADER AT GLASGOW MIDDLE. I'M A LEADER, AN AVID SUPPORTER OF MY COMMUNITY AND A DILIGENT STUDENT. OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, I'M ALSO AN ATHLETE, MUSICIAN, AND ARTIST. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY, AND ESPECIALLY MS. ROCCA. 
          AND, OF COURSE, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CONTINUES TO SUPPORT ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY. WE ALL SUPPORT YOU. 
          WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK, AND PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED ON YOUR PROGRESS, OKAY? WE WILL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, 
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OLIVIA. CONGRATULATIONS. AND YOU HAVE SOME CHAMPIONS AT YOUR SCHOOL AS WELL. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THAT GLASGOW DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, CAN WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER... MS. COUNCILMEMBER TAWANA HARRIS WILL BE NEXT. SHE IS GOING TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES FOR AN ANONYMOUS AWARD. YOU TELL US WHAT THAT AWARD IS. 
          IT'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. 
          BECAUSE IT'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENT MONTH. ACHIEVEMENT MONTH. 
          OKAY, MR. GORDY, I GOT IT. 
          HELLO, WELCOME EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE THESE YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DOING PHENOMENAL WORK IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, GIVING THEIR TIME, THEIR HEART, THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, AND THEIR LOVE IN SUPPORTING THEIR COMMUNITY. 
          SO I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF WITH MS. ANGIE SAVOY. COME ON UP, ANGIE. OUR VERY OWN ANGIE RIGHT HERE. ANGIE THOUGHT SHE WAS IN TROUBLE. ANGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR ALL OF US. AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING SO POSITIVE AND ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION WHENEVER THERE'S A SITUATION OR A MATTER THAT COMES UP. YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR US. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANGIE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ WHAT THE CERTIFICATE SAYS. 
          IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 2026, WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE YOUR DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMITMENT TO EMPOWERING OTHERS AND MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE 2026 THEME, LEADING THE CHANGE, WOMEN, SHAPING AND STABILIZING THE FUTURE, WE HONOR YOUR EFFORTS IN HELPING TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE, UPLIFT THOSE AROUND YOU, AND CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE CONTINUE TO INSPIRE PROGRESS, EXCELLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, GIVING THIS DAY, MARCH 11, 2026, WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE. 
          METRO COUNCILWOMAN TOWANA HARRIS, DISTRICT 7. THANK YOU. 
          AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY TO COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE AS A PART OF THIS PARISH AND SERVE AS A FINANCE DIRECTOR OVER THE YEARS. AND FOR ALL THE YOUNG CHILDREN IN HERE, SET THOSE GOALS AND WORK HARD, AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE THEM. 
          THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. 
          THERE YOU GO. OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS MS. JANE BERNARD, IS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 7, ONE OF MY OWN, VAST CAREER IN TELEVISION, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND OUR CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT. AS ASSISTANT CAO FOR 12 YEARS, AND HER OWN CONSULTING BUSINESS FOR 22 YEARS, THE ONLY TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE RACIAL JUSTICE AWARD OF THE YWCA. SHE WAS THE RECIPIENT IN 2025 OF THE COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD OF THE GREATER BATON ROUGE FOUNDATION. OF CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND NUMEROUS OTHER HONORS. THANK YOU, JAN, FOR DOING ALL THAT YOU DO. 
          FOR US, THE GREAT CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE, PARIS, KEEP BEING YOU IN THAT LOVELY RED THAT YOU'RE WEARING. POWER. POWER. YES. 
          TOGETHER. OUR NEXT RECIPIENT IS MARIA RHEE DEVINCENTE. MS. RHEE, LIKE HOW I CALL HER, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN, IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE BROUSSARD-OAK-SIVIT ASSOCIATION FOR 40 YEARS. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. HER WORK HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING COHESIVENESS WITH THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS, ALONG WITH THE SCHOOLS. HER GOAL IS TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND PEACE TO HER NEIGHBORHOOD. IT. IS ALWAYS ON TOP OF IT. YOU KNOW, NOTHING GETS PAST REEK, AND SHE HAS BEEN A FRIEND FOR, OH, ALMOST 10 PLUS YEARS. TO DISTRICT 7. WE LOVE HER, SHE LOVES THE WORK THAT WE DO AND SHE'S ALWAYS DEPENDABLE AND WE CAN CALL ON HER FOR ANYTHING. 
          THANK YOU, WE APPRECIATE YOU DARLING, ALL THESE WONDERFUL YOUNG CHILDREN IN HERE. JUST KNOW WHEN SHE SAID, 40 YEARS, YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE, OKAY, SO PLEASE, PLEASE GET ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE. 
          BUT WHEN YOU FIND YOUR PLACE OF HOME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS, FOR WHATEVER MOVES YOU 
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NEAR YOUR SCHOOL, WHEREVER YOU WANT SAFETY AND YOU WANT YOUR HEART TO BE. AND GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, MOTHER. 
          LOVE YOU. OKAY. HERE YOU GO, RUTH. THANK YOU. I'M NOT USED TO GETTING ANYTHING. YOU'RE WELCOME. MS. CONSUELA HARRIS, COME UP, PLEASE. IS SHE HERE? YEAH. MS. CONSUELA IS, SHE'S SUCH A SWEETHEART. SHE WORKS VERY HARD. SHE'S COMMITTED TO HER JOB. SHE'S A DAY PORTER. SHE SUPPORTED US WITH OUR BREAKFAST WITH SANTA THIS PAST DECEMBER, AND SHE WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERYTHING WENT WELL, EVERYTHING FLOWED WELL FOR OUR EVENT. AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. HARRIS, FOR BEING YOU. AND YOU'RE SUCH A SWEETHEART AND COMMITTED TO YOUR WORK AND COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. CARLA JOHNSON? YES. 
          ONE OF MY FAVORITES, MS. CARLA JOHNSON IS A NATIVE OF NEW ORLEANS, IS A DEDICATED EDUCATIONAL LEADER WITH 26 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION AND 13 YEARS IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. SHE HAS PROUDLY SERVED AS PRINCIPAL OF CAPITOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. SHE IS ONE OF THE BEST PRINCIPALS IN EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          SHE HAS THE HEART FOR TEACHING. SHE HAS THE LOVE FOR CHILDREN. AND SHE KEEPS FIGHTING AND FIGHTING FOR HER KIDS. AND YOU GUYS SCORED BIG THIS YEAR. YOU GUYS HAD A C+. YES, BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. JOHNSON, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. AND SHE NEVER SAYS NO TO DISTRICT 7. 
          AND WE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST. JUST JOKING. MS. CORINNE THOMAS. COME ON, MS. CORINNE. WHERE ARE YOU, MS. CORINNE? COME ON, MS. CORINNE. THE QUEEN OF VALLEY PARK. THE QUEEN OF VALLEY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION. SHE HAS CONDUCTED A SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IN VALLEY PARK FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. SHE'S A RETIRED TEACHER. MS. THOMAS CONTINUES TO DEDICATE HER TIME TO UPLIFTING AND SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY. MS. CORINNE, WE LOVE YOU. WHERE ARE YOU? THERE YOU ARE, YES. AND WHEN I TELL YOU, SHE IS ALWAYS PUT TOGETHER, VERY STYLISH. I TAKE A LOT FROM HER. MS. CORRINE, WE LOVE YOU. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A FRIEND TO DISTRICT 7, AND WE SUPPORT YOU IN ALL THAT YOU DO. AND I WANT YOU TO ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOU CAN CALL ON US ANYTIME, OKAY? THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. YES. 
          CAN WE GET A PHOTO WITH ALL OF YOU? WE'D LIKE FOR ALL OF YOU TO COME UP AND GET A ONE-BIT PHOTO. IF ALL OF THE RECIPIENTS CAN COME UP FOR A PHOTO. ALL RIGHT. 
          [00:25:59]
HELLO. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS, AND LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS, COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN, COUNCILMEMBER ROCCA, COUNCILMEMBER ADAMS, COUNCILMEMBER AMOROSO, AND OUR OWN COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, MS. BECK, FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNEY IS HERE TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF MANY... CHAMPION BASKETBALL TEAMS, THE SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, FOR THEIR HISTORICAL WINNING SEASON, 22 GAMES. THAT'S RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. SO, COUNCILMAN GODET, FOR ALL DUE RESPECT, I KNOW WE'RE SURROUNDED BY CHAMPIONS HERE TONIGHT. I WANT TO CELEBRATE SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. IN 9870 SCOTLANDVILLE AVENUE, IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT 2, THIS SEASON WE HAD A VERY SPECIAL TEAM. THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS SEASON. 
          WE HAD THE SCHUYLERVILLE MADDEN HIGH SCHOOL LADY HORNETS. THIS YEAR, THEY HAD THE MOST WINNING SEASON IN SCHUYLERVILLE MADDEN HIGH SCHOOL LADIES BASKETBALL HISTORY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THEIR HEAD COACH, MS. BREONNA CONNER, AND THEIR PRINCIPAL, PAUL JACKSON, AT THIS TIME. AND ALSO THE GIRLS COME UP AS WELL, THE ENTIRE TEAM. AND SO AS THEY COME UP, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS ENTIRE TEAM IS COMPRISED SOLELY OF FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES. SO I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CHAMPIONS HERE TODAY. 
          BUT BE VERY CAREFUL. 
          SCHOLARVILLE'S BUILDING A POWERHOUSE. SO COACH O'CONNOR, COME ON UP. THANK YOU ALL. 
          IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE, ESPECIALLY AROUND A LOT OF CHAMPIONS. WE JUST START WORKING HARD, KEEP WORKING, AND CONTINUE TO WORK. AND WE JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR SHOWING US OFF. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, COACH. ALL RIGHT. SO, ON BEHALF OF THE METRO COUNCIL. WE WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSFUL SEASON. EVEN THOUGH Y'ALL CAME UP SHORT IN THE QUARTERFINALS, Y'ALL HAVE SO MUCH IN GREAT POTENTIAL. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD FOR US TO BRING THE HARDWARE BACK TO SCHUYLERVILLE AVENUE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND SO, ON BEHALF OF THE METRO COUNCIL AND MY OFFICE, I WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE SCHUYLERVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM FOR THEIR MOST WINNING SEASON IN SCHUYLERVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL SEASON. 
          LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GODET. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLS. 
          NEXT, WE'LL HAVE MAYOR PRO TEM BRANDON KNOEL, WHO WILL RECOGNIZE THE ZACHARY HIGH SCHOOL LADY BRONCOS DIVISION I NON-SELECT STATE CHAMPIONS. 
          COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. LADY BRONCOS, Y'ALL COME ON UP. WHERE'S THE BRONCOS AT? LET'S GET THEM AROUND. SO, HOW PROUD ZACHARY IS TO HAVE SUCH AN OUTSTANDING GROUP LED BY COACH MCCLURE. FOR BACK-TO-BACK STATE CHAMPIONS, FOR THE LADY BRONCOS, SO AMAZING. WE'RE SO PROUD OF EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE DONE, OF HOW YOU REPRESENT ZACHARY AND THE PARISH AS A WHOLE. SO I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, WHAT Y'ALL DO REPRESENTING OUR AREA. AND TO BE BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS, THAT PUTS YOU IN AN ELITE, 
          [00:30:02]
ELITE GROUP. AND IT'S SO INCREDIBLE. I'M SO IMPRESSED. 
          COACH MCCLURE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE SCOTLANDVILLE ON THEIR HISTORIC SEASON. 
          THAT'S AMAZING. THEY'RE IN OUR DISTRICT. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. U HIGH, SOUTHERN LAB, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS TOO. REPRESENTING THE 225. REALLY WELL, WE ARE. 
          YES. I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO MY GIRLS. THEY REALLY PUT IN HARD WORK THIS SEASON, AND TO GO BACK-TO-BACK IS HISTORIC, VERY HARD TO DO, AND WE'RE JUST SO PROUD OF THEM. SO, CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLS. ALL RIGHT. GOOD JOB, EVERYBODY. I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING GOOD. THREE, TWO, ONE. CAN WE GO MORE LIKE THAT? THREE, TWO, ONE. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILMEMBER, YOU ARE DOING NUMBER NINE ON HERE FOR THE U-HOT. THAT'S MY DISTRICT, YES, SIR, I'M DOING NUMBER EIGHT AND NINE. AND COUNCILMEMBER CAROLYN COLEMAN WILL RECOGNIZE YOU. WHICH WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH, MADAM? WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA THERE? FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL LADY KITTENS. THAT'S CORRECT. 
          AND I'M GOING TO ASK THESE LADY KITTENS... 
          COME ON UP HERE. COME ON. COME ON. MOVE LIKE YOU'RE CHAMPIONS. COME ON. 
          GIVE IT UP FOR THEM. RIGHT UP HERE. READY FOR YOUR PICTURE. 
          RIGHT UP HERE. AND AS THEY ARE COMING, I SAY, WE ARE CHAMPIONS. YES. AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          TO SERVE AS THE DISTRICT 10 COUNCILWOMAN. THAT'S FILLED WITH SO MANY GIFTED YOUNG LADIES. AND SO THAT BIG BOOK SAYS THAT YOUR GIFT SHALL MAKE ROOM FOR YOU BEFORE GREAT MEN. AND I WANT YOU ALL TO REMEMBER THIS. 
          ALSO, YOU ALL ARE THE LADY KITTENS. AND I WANT ALL OF YOU ALL TO REMAIN, LADIES, REPRESENT ME WELL. AND SO, I PRESENT TO YOU ALL, I'D BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PARENTS. STAND, PARENTS, RAISE YOUR HAND. ANY ADMINISTRATORS? ALL RIGHT, THEY'RE WORKING. YES. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND YOU SEE, THEY'RE HOLDING THAT BIG OLD TROPHY? THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. SO I AM ACKNOWLEDGING THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL. 
          LADY KITTENS DIVISION IV SELECT STATE CHAMPIONS HERE TONIGHT, AND SO THIS EVENING, AND I AM GRATEFUL. TO BE ABLE TO STAND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF YOU. SO, COACH, COME ON UP. AND SO, ON BEHALF OF THESE LADIES HERE, YEAH, GRATEFUL, AND IN RECOGNITION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY SEASON, YOUR REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT, IT INSPIRES OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR LEADERSHIP, SHOWCASING... THE DEDICATION AND TALENT THAT'S IN THE SCHOOLS THROUGH THE DISCIPLINE, AND THAT'S THE BIG, DEEP DISCIPLINE, RELENTLESS PERSEVERANCE AND TEAMWORK. AND SO ON THIS GIVEN DAY, MARCH 11, 2026, WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE AND TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I JUST SET MY LITTLE HANDS TO THIS CERTIFICATE HERE AS AS THE METROPOLITAN COUNCILWOMAN. OF 
          [00:35:01]
DISTRICT 10, WHERE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL RESIDES, IN THE BEST DISTRICT THAT I KNOW. YES, MA'AM. YES, INDEED. HERE YOU GO, AND YOU MAY SPEAK. I WOULD FIRST JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR RECOGNIZING US AND GIVING BIG UPS FIRST TO MY PARENTS. 
          BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, WITHOUT THEIR DEDICATION AND THEIR SUPPORT THIS SEASON, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. AND THEN TO MY GIRLS, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY AND I THINK ALL THE COACHES IN HERE WOULD AGREE WITH ME. IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT THE X'S AND O'S. YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE PLAYS, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT. 
          BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND YOU THAT ARE GOING TO BUY IN, BE DISCIPLINED, AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU CANNOT GET THIS FAR INTO YOUR SEASON THAT WE DID. 
          SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, GIRLS. YOU'RE THE BEST GROUP OF LADIES THAT I HAVE EVER COACHED. AND I LOVE Y'ALL. 
          KEEP IT UP, LADIES. YES, INDEED. CONGRATULATIONS GIRLS, AND FINALLY, COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL LADY CUBS DIVISION 2 SELECT STATE CHAMPIONS. COME ON UP, LADIES. COME ON UP. WE ARE CHAMPIONS. COME ON UP. YEAH, NO, COACH, YOU CAN GET WHERE YOU WANT TO. 
          COME ON, BABY, GET ON UP. AND ANOTHER BIG TROPHY, YEAH, YEAH, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT. AND IF YOU ALL DON'T REALIZE IT, PEOPLE, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT'S GOING SOMEPLACE. AND YOU ALL HAD BETTER KNOW IT, AND YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE ANSWERS, YOU ALL HAVE THE EVERYTHING TO A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, YOU ALL ARE THE CHAMPIONS, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL EARLIER TODAY, YES, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE THE COUNCILWOMAN. 
          IN YOUR DISTRICT, WHERE YOUR SCHOOL RESIDES, WHERE MY OLDEST SON GRADUATED AND WAS WELL PREPARED, SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WILL. 
          AND SO, AND SO, HERE IT IS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. GUESS WHAT? SOME MORE LADY, LADY. 
          SEE, WE HAD THE LADY KITTENS BEFORE, BUT THESE ARE THE LADY CUBS. 
          GIVE IT UP FOR THE LADY CUBS. 
          IF THERE ARE ANY PARENTS OR ADMINISTRATORS IN THE BUILDING, PLEASE STAND. BECAUSE OF YOU ALL, IT'S THEM. THERE YOU GO. OKAY, GREAT. AND SO, COACH, IF YOU'LL COME ON AND MAKE SURE YOU COME ON UP HERE, WHOSOEVER WILL, LET THEM COME. AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALL, THE UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL DIVISION 2 SELECT. THAT'S THE BIG WORD, Y'ALL. SELECT STATE CHAMPIONS FOR RECOGNITION OF YOUR EXTRAORDINARY SEASON. 
          YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS. AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE PROUD OF THESE GIRLS. AND SO, AS THE COUNCILWOMAN IN THIS DISTRICT, WITH THESE LADY, LADY, LADY CUBS, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SIGN THIS CERTIFICATE. 
          OF RECOGNITION WITH MY LITTLE HANDS HERE AND TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU AND THEM, AND YOU MAY GO RIGHT ON AND SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU. I AM A PERSON OF LITTLE WORDS, BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US HERE. THIS GROUP HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SPECIAL TO ME. THEY ARE A VERY FAMILY-ORIENTED TEAM. IT'S BEEN A JOY COACHING YOU GUYS. 
          GREAT. AND THIS IS OUR SCHOOL'S THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP. SO, THIRD, 
          [00:40:04]
ON THE THIRD WIN, THEY ROSE. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TEAMS FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND TO ALL THE PLAYERS AND COACHES. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GIVE ONE SECOND. LET THE ROOM CLEAR. 
          ON OUR RECOGNITION, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS, WE HAVE MS. AISHA LABURGESS, WHO WILL RECOGNIZE THIS AFTERNOON MR. BRIAN RICHARDSON. ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A YOUNG MAN WHOSE ACTIONS REMIND US THAT LEADERSHIP AND COURAGE ARE NOT DEFINED BY AGE, BUT BY CHARACTER. BRIAN RICHARDSON, A STUDENT AT ESTREMA HIGH SCHOOL, RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE BRAVERY AND MATURITY DURING A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION IN HIS CLASSROOM. WHEN ANOTHER STUDENT PRODUCED A FIREARM AND IT DISCHARGED, THE CLASSROOM UNDERSTANDABLY, BECAME CHAOTIC AND FILLED WITH FEAR. IN THAT MOMENT OF UNCERTAINTY, BRIAN DID SOMETHING VERY EXTRAORDINARY. 
          BRIAN HELPED STOP THE SITUATION FROM ESCALATING FURTHER AND ENCOURAGED THE STUDENT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. 
          JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, HE HELPED CALM HIS CLASSMATES DURING A MOMENT WHEN MANY WERE AFRAID. THOSE ACTIONS REFLECT SOMETHING POWERFUL, WHICH ARE COURAGE, LEADERSHIP, AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHERS. TOO OFTEN, WE HEAR STORIES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE CHALLENGES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY ARE FACING. 
          TONIGHT, WE PAUSE TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING BRIAN'S ACTIONS BECAUSE THEY REMIND US THAT OUR YOUTH ARE CAPABLE OF GREAT STRENGTH, WISDOM, AND LEADERSHIP, EVEN IN THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS. 
          BRIAN, YOUR BRAVERY DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. YOUR ACTIONS HELP BRING CALM TO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SHOW TRUE LEADERSHIP AMONG YOUR PEERS. 
          ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE CITY OF VAN ROUGE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE COURAGE YOU DISPLAYED. 
          AND FOR BEING AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE JOIN US AS WE RECOGNIZE BRIAN RICHARDSON FOR HIS BRAVERY AND HIS LEADERSHIP. BRIAN, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU. KEEP LEADING, KEEP MAKING GOOD DECISIONS, AND KNOW THAT ALL OF US IN YOUR CITY, WE STAND BEHIND YOU. AND SO WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR BRIAN, AND THE BANROOGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR HIS BRAVERY, GAVE HIM A CHALLENGE COIN. HE RECEIVED THE MAYOR'S SECURITY PIN, PINS FROM THE CITY OF BANROOGE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE PIN, AND A CHALLENGE COIN. AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH BRIAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YES, MA'AM. 
          [CALL TO ORDER ]
          [00:58:54]
HELLO, 
          [00:58:55]
EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE 
          [00:58:57]
COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU. YOU ARE WATCHING THE HOME OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WATCHING, WHETHER IT'S ON OUR STREAMING WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, OR ON COX, OR ON AT&T. WELCOME AGAIN. 
          AT THIS TIME. HERE IS... THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, COUNCILMAN BRANDON KNOEL. 
          COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, DENNIS. 
          WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026. WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. 
          ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE, LED BY JACOB CHAFFETZ, THE DISTRICT 3 AND DISTRICT 9 LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT. JACOB. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND UNITY TO REST UPON THESE ELECTED LEADERS. MAY YOUR HAND LEAD THEM IN PEACE AND CLARITY 
          [01:00:02]
AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. AS WE ARE REMINDED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1.10, I URGE YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT ALL OF YOU AGREE. WITH ONE ANOTHER IN WHAT YOU SAY, AND THAT THERE BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU, BUT THAT YOU BE PERFECTLY UNITED IN MIND AND THOUGHT. 
          MAY THEIR HEARTS BE ALIGNED WITH YOURS AS THEY WORK TOGETHER IN SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE. IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD. 
          INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, JAKE. ALL 
          [INTRODUCTIONS]
RIGHT, INTRODUCTIONS. ASHLEY, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS? SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER ONE AMENDING THE 2026 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR THE DR. 
          MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 
          COMMUNITY CENTER. SO, IT'S APPROPRIATE 50,000 DOLLARS FROM THE CENTER'S FUND BALANCE. 
          DOES NEED FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS TO PROVIDE FOR STRIPPING AND WAXING OF THE FLOORS OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND ESTIMATED COST. OF 12,000 DOLLARS AND REMODELING THE LITERACY LAB, CALMING ROOM AND GAME ROOM AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF 38,000 DOLLARS BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS. 
          NUMBER TWO, AMENDING TITLE 11, CHAPTER 6, DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY, OVERTAKING AND PASSING USE OF ROADWAY, SECTION 11, COLUMN 73, DRAG RACING AND RACING ON PUBLIC ROADS, SO AS TO PROHIBIT AND ADD THE DEFINITION OF SPECTATOR. TO PROVIDE FOR COLLECTION OF FINES AND TO PROVIDE FOR IMPOUND UNDER STATE LAW, TO PROVIDE FOR PENALTY OF BUSINESSES, TO ADD A PROVISION RELATED TO PRIVATE ROADS AND PARKING AREAS, TO PROVIDE FOR INJECTIVE RELIEF AND TO EXEMPT DESIGNATED AREAS. 
          BY COUNCILMAN RODDY GAUDET. 
          NUMBER THREE. AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED PAULA WILLIAMS VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND PATRICK WINEMAN. IN THE AMOUNT OF 300,000 DOLLARS. PLUS, COURT COST THE AMOUNT OF 333 DOLLARS AND APPROPRIATING 300,333 DOLLARS FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 4. I'M IN THE 2026 PAY PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED, NON CLASSIFIED CONTRACT. FIRE AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE. SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE MARCH 26, 2026. ADD NEW CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR HEAD START, PAY GRADE 2270, DELETE CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HEAD START, PAY GRADE 2270 AND ADD CLASSIFICATION TO CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED. 
          APPENDIX ITEM 30 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HEAD START STEP 14 BY HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES. 
          NUMBER 5. I'M IN THE 2026 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. 
          PARISH OF EAST, BATON ROUGE. 
          SO AS TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HEAD START ADMINISTRATION EFFECTIVE MARCH 26, 2026, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES HEAD START ADMINISTRATION. ADD ONE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HEAD START CLASSIFIED AND DELETE ONE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HEAD START UNCLASSIFIED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS. NUMBER SIX, ROLANDA GALE, HARRELL, JACKSON AND ROOSEVELT HARRELL JR. AND MILDRED ABBOTT HARRELL. 6064, PLANK ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT 05, HEARST. NUMBER 7, LOURDES, L. CARUSO, 9435 PRESCOTT ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HEARST. NUMBER 8, PRUDENT ACQUISITIONS, LLC, 4122 SHELLY STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HEARST. NUMBER 9, SHEILA MARIE EARLS COCHRAN, 4354 SHELLY STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HEARST. NUMBER 10, VOTE LOUISIANA, 1566, NORTH ACADIAN THRUWAY WEST, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. 
          NUMBER 11, ALPINE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC, 1431 NORTH ACADIAN THRUWAY EAST, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. NUMBER 12, KATRINA DION RICHARDSON, 4238 PROVO STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. NUMBER 13, MARIE O'CONNOR STEVENSON, 773 NORTH 47TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. 
          NUMBER 14, TIMOTHY DWAYNE WILLIAMS, 672 NORTH 35TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. NUMBER 15. CHARLES E. 
          WILSON AND MARION W. WILSON, 5083 FAIRFIELDS AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS. 
          NUMBER 16, REGINALD PIERRE, 1360 NORTH, 32ND STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN. 
          NUMBER 17, FRONT YARD BIKES, 974 WEST ROOSEVELT STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN. 
          ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS, NUMBER 18, LOT 06, SQUARE 3, SUBDIVISION HEART, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN. NUMBER 19, LOT 209, PART SUBDIVISION SOUTHERN HEIGHTS, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, KENNEY. NUMBER 20, LOT 5, 
          [01:05:01]
SQUARE 2, SUBDIVISION GEORGETOWN, COUNCIL DISTRICT 07, HARRIS. ALL ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED HAVE BEEN READ. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? ARE WE, IS THERE ONE? YES, SIR. 
          I'D LOVE TO MAKE A MOTION. 
          IT'S ME. I KNOW. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DELETE NUMBER 17, FRONT YARD BITES, FROM INTRODUCTION, PLEASE. AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS? AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 17. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SEPARATE SHEETS FOR CONDEMNATIONS. I'M GOING TO READ DPW'S RECOMMENDATIONS FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH WITH EVERYONE. IF YOU ALREADY GAVE ASHLEY YOUR INFORMATION ON YOURS, WE HAVE IT. RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 49, 50, 52, 54, 55, AND 57. 90 DAYS ON ITEMS 44, 48, 51, 53, 56, AND 58, AND TO DELETE ITEMS 34, 38, 47. I HAVE FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF 30 DAYS. ON ITEMS 39, 45, 49, 52, 55 AND 57, 90 DAYS ON 37 AND 43, IN ADDITION TO THE ONES PREVIOUSLY READ AND ALSO DELETE ITEM 41. THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. DOES ANYBODY ELSE, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ME ON THOSE 30 DAYS ON 36, 30 DAYS ON 38 AND 90 DAYS ON 48. HANG ON 38. IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE DELETED. YOU WANTED 30 DAYS, 30 DAYS? OKAY, AND WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE? ALL RIGHT. 
          LAST ONE WAS 48, 90 DAYS, 30 DAYS FOR 36, 30 DAYS FOR 38, 48 ALREADY 90 DAYS, 48, 48, 90 DAYS. OKAY, OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN YES, SIR. I HAVE TWO WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR PERMITS NUMBER 40, GIVE THEM 30 DAYS. AND NUMBER 42, 30 DAYS. OKAY. 
          ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, BEFORE WE READ THEM BACK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. 
          ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? SEEING NONE, REQUEST IS TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 33, 35, 46, 50, AND 54. 30 DAYS ON ITEM 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 45, 49, 52, 55, AND 57. 90 DAYS ON ITEMS 37, 43, 44, 48, 51, 53, 56, AND 58. 
          AND TO DELETE ITEMS 34, 41 AND 47. WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          I'M GONNA READ THEM BACK ONE MORE TIME. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE 
          [CONDEMNATIONS ]
THE SAME THING. PROCEED WITH ITEMS 33, 35, 46, 90, I'M NOT SURE. YEAH. OKAY. 46. OH, YEAH. 46 IS PERCEIVED, 50. 54 IS PERCEIVED GOOD? OKAY. 
          BEYOND WHAT WE ALREADY DID? IT DIDN'T CHANGE. OH, THE MOTION WAS BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE. 
          WE'RE GOOD. MOVING A LITTLE TOO FAST, ACTUALLY. YOU KNOW, 
          [01:10:01]
I KIND OF CHANGE UP HOW I DO CONDEMNATIONS EACH TIME. I APOLOGIZE. I'M TRYING 
          [59.    26-00219]
TO FIND THE EASIEST WAY. ALL RIGHT, ITEM 59. WE'RE SENDING IN DIRECT AND CLERK COURT TO CANCEL NOTICE TO ATTEND. 
          RECORDED ON MAY 21ST, 2025, MATTER OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS KATIE CHARLAY EVERETT. THE REASON FOR RESCISSION IS THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED BY THE OWNERS, THIS IS BY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN AMOROSA. COUNCILMAN MOAK, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? GO AHEAD. 
          ASHLEY, THIS IS THE ONE THAT WE CANCELED LAST COUNCIL MEETING. 
          YEAH, I DEFERRED IT. DEFERRED IT? COUNCIL MEETING, YES. AND YOU'RE STATING NOW THAT IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT THEY'RE DOING WORK ON THE PLACE? IS RACHEL AVAILABLE? YEAH. IT'S A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. GIVE ME A SECOND TO GET IT PULLED UP. I'M NOT LOGGED IN. SO THEY'VE APPLIED FOR A PERMIT. AND THEY HAVE SOME APPROVED PLANS THAT WERE APPROVED ON THE 6TH, BUT THEY STILL HAVE QUITE A FEW OTHER. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CONTRACTORS. LISTED ON THE PERMIT SO THAT IT CAN'T BE ISSUED. SO IS IT STILL AT A POINT THAT EVERYBODY COULD WALK AWAY FROM IT AND WE HAVE TO START THE WHOLE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN? IF IT IS, IF THIS RESCISSION IS PASSED TONIGHT, THEN YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO START THE WHOLE CONDEMNATION PROCESS OVER AGAIN. 
          BUT I CANNOT ISSUE THE PERMIT UNTIL THE CONDEMNATION IS RESCINDED, IS PROHIBITED. 
          BUT I WILL SAY THAT APPLYING FOR A PERMIT, HAVING APPROVED CONSTRUCTION PLANS, IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. IT DOES SHOW SOME GOOD FAITH, IN MY OPINION. OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          RACHEL, I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU EXPOUND ON NOT BEING ABLE TO ISSUE A PERMIT UNTIL THE RESCISSION? WHAT PROHIBITS THAT SPECIFICALLY? THE ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE. 
          THE ORDINANCE? SO WE'D HAVE TO ADJUST THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THAT? YES, BUT IT'S A SIX ONE WAY, HALF A DOZEN THE OTHER WAY, BECAUSE WHAT'S PREVENTING THEM FROM, YOU KNOW, DOING ANYTHING GOING FORWARD? WE WOULD JUST BE IN THIS CRAZY LOOP OF, YOU KNOW, OH, IT'S CONDEMNED, BUT YET I HAVE A PERMIT ISSUED. 
          THE ORDINANCE STATES THAT WHEN A STRUCTURE IS CONDEMNED, THAT A NULLIFIES AND VOIDS EVERY EXISTING OPEN PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED, AND THAT ANY FUTURE PERMITS CANNOT BE ISSUED. OKAY. AND THE REASON I ASK THAT. I UNDERSTAND. WE STRUGGLE INTERNALLY WITH THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF, WELL, THIS COULD HELP US OUT. 
          BUT I FEEL LIKE ONCE SOMEONE, IF WE KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAS SPOKEN TO THAT PERSON, I KNOW THAT. THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE APPROVED CONSTRUCTION PLANS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH READY FOR THE PERMIT TO BE ISSUED, THAT MEANS THEY'RE READY TO GO AND THAT WE JUST NEED TO RESCIND. AND THEN WE CAN CLICK THE BUTTON THE DAY AFTER THE MEETING. 
          BUT YOU SAY FINANCIAL. A LOT OF TIMES, IT'S... YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT VERIFYING INCOME OR LOOKING AT BANK STATEMENTS NECESSARILY. 
          IT'S JUST ALL, HEY, WE WANT TO DO THIS, BUT PERMIT, WE CAN'T GET A PERMIT. THEY'RE NOT LETTING US GET A PERMIT. 
          TO ME, SOMEBODY OBTAINING A PERMIT AND SPENDING THE DOLLARS TO DO THAT SHOWS ME THAT. NOW THEY'RE SKIN IN THE GAME AND THEY'RE ACTIVELY MOVING TOWARDS DOING IT. I'M GOING TO PHONE A FRIEND. NO, AND LOOK, I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG, BUT TO ME— NO, NO, I DON'T KNOW LEGALLY, LIKE, WHAT KIND OF A PREDICAMENT DOES THAT PUT US IN? BUT TO ME, THAT... TELLS ME A LOT MORE THAN SOMEBODY SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. AND SO KIND OF TO WHAT COUNCILMAN MOOK WAS SAYING, IF WE UNDO THIS AND THEN THEY DON'T MOVE FORWARD, WE START ALL OVER AGAIN. BUT I THINK IF THEY'VE ACTUALLY SHELLED OUT MONEY AND GOTTEN A PERMIT. 
          IN SOME FASHION, IT SHOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE SKIN IN THE GAME. BUT PLEASE, MAE, WHATEVER. SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT IS THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO BEFORE IT CAME BEFORE YOU AND GOT CONDEMNED. 
          SO THEY'VE HAD ALL THAT TIME TO DO THAT. NOW IT'S BEFORE YOU. IF YOU CONDEMN IT AND WE SAY, HEY, YOU CAN STILL GET PERMITS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS SOMEONE COULD GO GET A PERMIT, START WORK, AND WE'RE GOING OUT IN TWO WEEKS TO GO TEAR IT DOWN. THAT CREATES A PROBLEM. SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS WHAT THE ORDINANCE SHOWS OR PROVIDES FOR IS THAT ONCE IT'S CONDEMNED, IF YOU REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE AND ASK FOR RESCISSION, YOU WILL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET READY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO THE PROPERTY. I MEAN, THERE ARE FIVE. VERY SPECIFIC REASONS. THAT PERMITS, I MEAN, 
          [01:15:01]
THAT CONDEMNATIONS CAN BE RESCINDED. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS A, THERE SHOULD BE A GIANT BURDEN OF PROOF ON THAT PROPERTY OWNER IN ORDER TO SHOW THAT THEY CAN BOTH PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY COMPLETE THE REMODELS AND REPAIRS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD, AS MAIMON HAS SAID, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO THIS. IT MAKES SENSE. 
          WHAT'S THE COST FOR THE RESCISSION? TYPICALLY, IT'S LIKE, BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING TYPICALLY FOR LIKE, I THINK, THREE OR FOUR, I'M SORRY. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF HEIRS ON A PROPERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO NOTICE AND RECORD A NOTICE TO ATTEND FOR EACH HEIR OR EACH PERSON. 
          WHATEVER'S BEEN SPENT BY THE CITY. YEAH. OKAY. SO IT'S TO COVER THE COST THAT WE'RE INTO. YEAH. WE'VE SPENT, WE'VE DONE A LOT AND SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO GET TO THE POINT OF CONDEMNATION. 
          SO THEY'VE BEEN NOTICED. 
          THEY'VE BEEN SENT NOTICE A COUPLE OF TIMES, OFTEN. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE JUST GETTING THE MONEY BACK TO MAKE SURE WE RECOUP THAT MONEY. 
          BEFORE THEY START THE PROCESS. 
          AND SO IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, HAVE THEY ALREADY PAID? THEY HAVE PAID FOR THE RESCISSION. 
          IT DOES NOT GO ON THE AGENDA UNTIL THEY'VE PAID. OKAY, GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MOPE. 
          YEAH, SO I GUESS THE AVERAGE COST OF GETTING US TO THIS PROCESS, LIKE I'VE SPOKE WITH ONE THAT IS ON, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEFERRED FOR 90 DAYS, AND IT'S CONDEMNATION, IT'S ON CONDEMNATION. IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS. HE SENT OUT THE INSPECTOR. NOW THEY HAVE TO PAY A $650 FEE BECAUSE THEY DID THE INSPECTION FOR ASBESTOS TO ACTUALLY BULLDOZE IT. NOW THEY'RE WANTING TO HOLD OFF, AND I'LL TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHATEVER HAPPENED. 
          BUT I GUESS IT KIND OF JUST SHOWS THAT WHOLE POINT OF... 
          WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE, I GET, MAYBE YEARS IS THE WRONG TERM, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME. THE OLDEST STUFF IN MY BACKLOG CURRENTLY IS MOSTLY FROM LAST YEAR, 2025, WHEN WE GOT THE $3 MILLION OR WHATEVER. 
          IN ARPA FUNDS, WE REALLY WORKED THROUGH A BACKLOG. THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE OLDER THAN THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING IN LITIGATION. EITHER THEY'VE SUED US IN 19TH JDC, WE'VE HAD AIR OR SECESSION ISSUES. OR TITLE ISSUES THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO CLEAR UP, AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THOSE. 
          BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY CHECKING BEFORE WE GO OUT, WE'RE MAKING, CHECKING TITLE, WE'RE SEEING IF ANYTHING'S GOING ON. I MEAN, MY INSPECTORS TOUCH A PIECE OF PROPERTY EVERY TIME BEFORE IT COMES TO THIS COUNCIL, BUT LIKE WHEN IT, WHEN YOU DEFER. 
          WE GO OUT AND RE-INSPECT THE WEEK BEFORE COUNCIL AND THEN WE GO OUT AND POST NOTICE. AND THEN WE INSPECT AT LEAST TWO, THREE MORE TIMES BEFORE WE ACTUALLY TEAR THAT STRUCTURE. 
          IF WE SEE SOMETHING GOING ON, WE'RE GOING TO FLAG IT AND BRING IN PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS IF THERE'S UNPERMITTED WORK GOING ON. WE MAY CONTACT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE IF WE SEE SOMETHING, HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST POSSIBLE THING. AS FAR AS CONDEMNATION AND US ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE AND TEARING THEM DOWN, IF AN OWNER SAYS, AND I LOOK AT SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES, I, I JUST, MAYBE IT'S JUST ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FIX THIS? THIS IS NOT A FIX. THIS IS A, I NEED TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE. AGREED. 
          THERE ARE A LOT. AND THAT'S NOT MY, THAT'S ON THE OWNER TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND DO WHAT THEY DO. 
          BUT WHEN DOES IT, THE COST OF, IF THE OWNER COMES IN AND SAYS, I WANT YOU TO PULL IT OFF, CONDEMNATION, DO THE RECENSION, AND I'M JUST GOING TO TEAR IT DOWN, THEN THE LEVEL'S A LOT. DO WE ALLOW IT TO BE PULLED FROM CONDEMNATION FOR THAT, OR DO WE LET THEM GIVE THEM A PERMIT TO GO IN AND TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN COMPLETELY? SO WE HAVE OPINED THAT A CONDEMNATION IS AUTHORIZATION TO DEMOLISH. 
          WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO ISSUE YOU A DEMO PERMIT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GO AFTER YOU. IF YOU GO OUT THERE TO DEMO THAT STRUCTURE ON YOUR OWN. 
          AFTER IT IS CONDEMNED, AND YOU GET THERE BEFORE ME. 
          OKAY. THEN I'M NOT GOING TO CHARGE YOU FEES AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF, AND IT'S, HOORAY, I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT. BUT WE'RE NOT PROSECUTING PEOPLE WHO ARE TEARING DOWN AND CONTENDING STRUCTURES WITHOUT PERMITS. WE ARE CONSIDERING THE CONDEMNATION AND AUTHORIZATION FOR IT TO BE DEMOLISHED, WHETHER THAT'S US OR THE PROPERTY OWNER. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS HOLDING THEM UP FROM GOING AND TEARING IT DOWN THEMSELVES. NO, TYPICALLY, WE'RE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WHEN SOMEONE DOES APPLY FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT OR IS SEEKING TO. WE'RE LIKE, JUST GO DO IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON. RACHEL, JUST A QUICK IDEA. WHAT IF WE WERE TO, IN ORDINANCE, HAVE A FEE FOR RESCISSION OF A CONDEMNATION THAT IS APPLICABLE TO THE PERMIT FEE ONCE THE RESCISSION HAS HAPPENED? I MEAN, IT'S POSSIBLE. 
          TYPICALLY, I KNOW THAT MOST OF YOU, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE RESCINDED. IT HAS TO COME FROM ONE OF YOU AND WHOEVER'S DISTRICT IT'S IN. 
          [01:20:01]
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO STOP MY PROCESS UNTIL I HEAR SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHOSE DISTRICT IT SITS IN. RIGHT. I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT HELP THE PROCESS OF, QUOTE UNQUOTE, HAVING THE SKIN IN THE GAME. I KNOW I DON'T DO A LOT OF CONDEMNATIONS, BUT I HAVE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION HAPPEN. AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ME TO A LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK. 
          AGREED. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO REQUIRE THEM TO. ESCROW SOME MONEY WITH A TITLE ATTORNEY AS A PART OF IT. AND OF COURSE, THEY NEVER DID IT. 
          BUT JUST AN IDEA, SOMETHING TO BAT AROUND IN YOUR OFFICE, I MEAN IT. I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT REVOLVES AROUND FEES AND FINES AND PENALTIES. THAT GO ALONG WITH ACTUALLY HAVING A WITH THE CITY PARISH, ACTUALLY CONDEMNING AND DEMOLISHING A STRUCTURE. BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHEN WE DO THIS, WE LEAN THE PROPERTY AND THAT LIEN NEVER GETS PAID, IT GOES INTO ADJUDICATION, THE LIENS GET WIPED, AND WE NEVER RECOUP THAT MONEY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CATCH. 
          22, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS A WHOLE, ALL OF THE BLIGHT, FEES AND FINES AND PENALTIES. 
          SO. RACHEL, DOES YOUR OFFICE, UM, LIKE, SO ONCE? WE DO A RESCISSION? AND I HAD ONE RECENTLY. AND IT TOOK A WHILE, ONCE WE WERE SENDING IT FOR THEM TO GET TO GET GOING ON THE CONSTRUCTION REPAIRS. 
          DOES YOUR OFFICE CONTINUE TO TRACK WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE RESCINDED PROPERTIES? WE TRY. WE TRY TO MONITOR THEM AT LEAST LIKE... JUST STICKING IT IN, LET'S GO AND CHECK ON IT IN SIX MONTHS, SEE IF THERE'S BEEN PROGRESS ON THE PERMIT. TYPICALLY, WE'LL GET ANOTHER COMPLAINT, AGAIN, ABOUT A PROPERTY, WHICH WILL PROMPT US TO ALSO GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE, SEE IF THEY'VE MADE ANY PROGRESS ON THEIR PERMIT. AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THAT HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED, RESCINDED, ISSUED A PERMIT, NOTHING HAPPENED, AND THEN THEY GET CONDEMNED AGAIN. SO IF I WERE TO ASK YOU TO DO A REPORT IN A COUPLE WEEKS ON, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RESCISSIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR, 12 TO 24 MONTHS. AND WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE, AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE HOUSES, OR YOU COULD DO THAT FOR US? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I'M GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU. YES, MA'AM. OKAY, THANKS. MAY MOONA, I'M SORRY. 
          MAY MOONA, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WHEN A PROPERTY IS RESCINDED, THERE'S ALREADY A FEE OR FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT RESCISSION, RIGHT? YES, AND THAT'S BEFORE IT CAN BE BROUGHT. 
          TO BE RESCINDED, ALL FEES HAVE TO BE PAID. OKAY. SO WE DON'T NEED TO INSTITUTE A NEW FEE. 
          THAT'S ALREADY PART OF THE PROCESS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PENALTY AS LIKE A FEE. LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO BLIGHT, HE ISSUES YOU A FINE, RIGHT? THE OFFICER DOES. IT'S ACTUAL COST INCURRED. SO WE'VE PAID THE CLERK OF COURT, PARIS ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS PAID THE CLERK OF COURT $135 FOR EVERYTHING, EVERY TIME SOMETHING IS RECORDED. AND WE'RE JUST RECOUPING THAT COST. 
          WE'RE RECOUPING EXPENSES PAID. 
          OKAY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE A FINE BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING TO BE RESCINDED. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY. OKAY, WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          [60.26-00204]
ITEM 60, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE, CONVEYING, TRANSFERRING, RELINQUISHING, AND ASSIGNING WITHOUT WARRANTY ANY OWNERSHIP. 
          IN AND TO THE PORTION OF STATE ROUTE LA-1248, KNOWN AS BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD, FROM ITS JUNCTION WITH STATE ROUTE LA-30, KNOWN AS NICHOLSON DRIVE. PROCEEDING EAST AND NORTH, APPROXIMATELY 2.52 MILES TO HIS INTERSECTION WITH STATE ROUTE LA-42, KNOWN AS BURBANK DRIVE, BY TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE. 
          DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING? NO, GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN DON JR. FRED YES, SIR, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU'RE THE ONE TO SPEAK ON THIS. CAN YOU JUST TALK THROUGH THIS FOR THE PUBLIC TO LET US LET US KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE? WELL, PART OF THE ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THE THE VOTE TOOK PLACE, WE'RE MOVING THE ROADS. THAT ACTUALLY THAT ST. GEORGE HAS INCORPORATED PART OF THIS BLUE BONNET IS THE SECTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. FROM BURBANK TO NICHOLSON IS ALL WITHIN THE DISTRICT OR THE BOUNDARY OF THE ST. GEORGE AREA. THIS IS ALSO THE THE LOCATION IN. WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT ITEM IS THE AGREEMENT FOR THE ROUNDABOUT, THAT WHAT THAT WAS WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED TO BE BUILT AT THIS LOCATION. BUT UNDER THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO OWN THE ROAD, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE TRANSFER THAT LEGALLY, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAS ALSO RECOMMENDED TO US. SO JUST MENTION OR TALK THROUGH WHAT THAT DOES FROM A MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY STANDPOINT WHEN YOU'RE TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP. WELL, WHEN WE TRANSFER THE OWNERSHIP TO THEM, THE CITY OF ST. 
          GEORGE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE MAINTENANCE IN REGARDS TO THAT PARTICULAR ROADWAY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEFINED. AND THAT WILL BE STRICTLY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN. AND 
          [01:25:01]
WHAT ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OR ANY EXPENSES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRED TO THIS POINT? ARE WE RECOUPING THAT FROM THEM? WHEN WE ORIGINALLY WORKED WITH ST. 
          GEORGE, WE WERE PROVIDING THEM ESTIMATES OF WHAT THAT COST WAS GOING TO BE TO DO WHATEVER WORK THAT WE NEEDED TO DO. THAT HAS NOW BEEN DONE AWAY WITH. WE'VE GOTTEN MONEY FROM IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY IF IT'S TOTALLY EVERYTHING. I JUST WOULD SAY THAT WITH THE AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT THAT WE'VE ALREADY EXECUTED WITH ST. GEORGE, A LETTER, THEY'RE TOTALLY 100% RESPONSIBLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING ANY WORK ON THAT PARTICULAR ROADWAY. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU SAY THE CONVERSATION STARTED, YOU MADE THEM AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME EXPENSES THAT WAS OCCURRED THAT THEY OWE, BUT WE HADN'T COLLECTED THEM? I WOULDN'T SAY WE HADN'T COLLECTED. I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN PUT. WE PROVIDED AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THEM WHAT THAT COST WAS GOING TO BE TO DO THE REPAIRS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. 
          IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY WORK DONE ON IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONCRETE STREET. 
          AND WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY REAL PROBLEMS. THERE ARE AREAS WITHIN THE ST. GEORGE THAT WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT AND WE DID, AND I THINK WE SUBMITTED INVOICES FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THIS. 
          TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I THINK WE HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED FOR ALL THE COSTS AT THIS POINT. SO YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING POINT ON THAT, OR WOULD THAT BE FINANCED OR SOMEBODY IN THE ADMINISTRATION? IT WILL. 
          IT WILL PROBABLY BE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, PROBABLY WILL BE MORE IN LINE. 
          WITH TRINA HALL, WHO IS OUR BUSINESS MANAGER, AND WITH THE PERSON WHO IS DOING THE WORK. 
          IN REGARDS TO BE SURE IT'S GETTING DONE, AND WE'RE SUBMITTING THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO SEEKING TO GET REIMBURSED. OKAY. CAN YOU, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE, GIVE ME AN EMAIL OR US AN EMAIL ON THE STATUS OF THAT? YES, SIR. I'D BE GLAD TO. WHAT THE FEES WERE, IF THERE WERE ANY, AND IF THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTED? YES, SIR. 
          ON THIS PARTICULAR AREA? ON THIS AREA AND ANYONE FORTHCOMING. OKAY. YES, SIR. 
          THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. WE HAVE A SECOND. 
          SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS 
          [61.26-00085]
THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 61, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH BIRDVILLE DEVELOPMENT. 
          CORPORATION AND SLP DEVELOPMENT LL.C. OUTLINING THE TERMS OF THE TRANSFER OF 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS IN TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A ROUNDABOUT ON BLUEBONNET AND HARVEST AND WAY BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRED FROM FEBRUARY 11TH MEETING AND DEFERRED FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I APOLOGIZE. YOU SHOULD HAVE 
          [62.26-00262]
RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 61. ITEM 62, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE FOR THE PROVISION OF ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES IN THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE, AT A COST OF $405,170, PAID TO THE CITY PARISH FOR THE YEAR 2026 AND CONTINUING YEAR-TO-YEAR BY ANIMAL CONTROL DIRECTOR. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. 
          COUNCILMAN ADAMS. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. THANK YOU. WILLIAM, WOULD THIS BE YOU? WOULD THIS BE... I DON'T SEE ANYBODY FROM ANIMAL CONTROL. ANDREW, YOU COME. OH, I DIDN'T SEE HIM. 
          I'M SORRY. BOTH OF Y'ALL CAN COME. JUST WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN FOR THE PUBLIC EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE WITH THIS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT. SO EACH MUNICIPALITY DOES PAY ANIMAL CONTROL FOR THE SERVICES THAT ANIMAL CONTROL PROVIDES IN THOSE MUNICIPALITIES, BASED ON POPULATION. AND SO THIS IS THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT FOR 2026, WHICH ALSO AUTHORIZES US TO CONTINUE YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
          ST. GEORGE HAS AGREED TO THIS, AND WE'RE DOING THE SAME, APPLYING THE SAME METHODOLOGY THAT WE CURRENTLY APPLY TO BAKER, ZACHARY, AND CENTRAL. THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT ANY EXPENSES OR SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRED PRIOR TO THIS POINT? SO I DID VERIFY BECAUSE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING YOU HAD ASKED THAT QUESTION, AND ALL SERVICES PROVIDED FROM JULY THROUGH DECEMBER, WHICH IS AFTER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED BY ST. 
          GEORGE. I VERIFIED WE RECEIVED THE CHECK, AND I DID LOOK IN THE ACCOUNT TO MAKE SURE. 
          THANK YOU. CAN YOU GIVE ME THAT REPORT? YES. I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES COULD BE ENCOMPASSED IN WHAT FRED WAS JUST MENTIONING EARLIER. OKAY. 
          I'M NOT SURE. WELL, Y'ALL JUST GET TOGETHER AND WORK IT OUT. 
          WE WILL FOLLOW UP AND SEND IT 
          [01:30:01]
TO YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. 
          YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT. THANKS. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS? I STILL HAVE A TECHNICAL QUESTION. IT'LL PROBABLY BE EASY TO ANSWER. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE LOOK AT THE PRIOR YEAR EXPENSES. 
          AND FIGURE OUT PER CAPITA WHAT THE COST OF ANIMAL SERVICES WERE, AND THEN WE CHARGE THAT AMOUNT. 
          SO IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE CHARGE FOR THAT SERVICE IN 2027, IT'S BASED ON THE EXPENSES AND THE PER CAPITA SHARE OF 2026? IS THAT RIGHT? FOR 2027, YES. 
          FOR THIS, IT'S BASED ON THE EXPENSES OF... I'M SORRY, NO. 
          IT'S 24 BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AUDITED ACTUALS. SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE 25 FINAL AND AUDITED. SO IT'S ACTUALLY 24'S ACTUALS IS WHAT THIS IS CALCULATED OFF OF FOR 26 PAYMENTS. OKAY. AND SO AT SOME POINT, THERE MIGHT BE A MISALIGNMENT THERE, RIGHT? OR NO, JUST THAT'S WHAT THEIR BUDGET. 
          YES, THAT'S WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS, AND THAT WE JUST MOVE FORWARD. 
          WE DON'T TRUE UP BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON ACTUAL. SO THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PAYING TRUE ACTUAL COSTS. 
          THAT'S WHY WE WAIT UNTIL THERE'S AN AUDIT. OKAY. 
          OH, AND SO ARE WE, I MEAN, CASH-WISE, ARE WE FLOATING EVERYBODY UNTIL THEY PAY US BACK 18 MONTHS LATER? NO, BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THE MONEY UP FRONT. 
          SO, AGAIN, IN LAST YEAR, THIS MUNICIPALITY JUST STARTED PAYING FOR THEIR OWN SERVICES. SO THEY'RE PAYING FOR JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER. WE ARE A LITTLE LATE IN GETTING IT TO YOU, BUT THEY WILL BACK PAY FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH ONCE THIS AGREEMENT IS FULLY EXECUTED. AND SO... THE BUDGET'S BASED OFF JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE USING 2024 ACTUALS, IT'S FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT. THEY ARE. ANIMAL CONTROL IS BEING MADE WHOLE BY ALL MUNICIPALITIES. OKAY, GOT IT, SO YOU'RE BASING THE BUDGET? YES, MA'AM ON THAT. OKAY, THAT THAT MAKES SENSE. I'M JUST CURIOUS. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT. THANK YOU. 
          YES, ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY COUNCILMAN 
          [63.26-00142]
DUNN JR. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 63, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT WITH WORKFORCE GROUP LL.C. 
          BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $200,000 FOR A NEW TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $38,571,406.53 AND EXTENDING THE AGREEMENT EXPIRATION TO MAY 30, 2026. BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL. 
          COUNCIL MCKENNEY. HEY, SOMEBODY FROM OCD TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM FOR THE VIEWING AUDIENCE AT HOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MCKENNEY. SO, YES, THAT'S A LARGE NUMBER. I HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT AT FIRST AS WELL. SO, THOSE DOLLARS WERE ADMINISTERED BY WORKFORCE GROUP DIRECTLY TO LANDLORDS SINCE 2021, WHEN ERAP 1 AND A PORTION OF TWO WAS RECEIVED. WE ADDED THE 200,000 TO GET THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR AND THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR TO STABILIZE HOUSING AND STILL PROVIDE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 
          IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH MAY 31ST. SO OUR EFFORT WAS JUST NOT TO ABRUPTLY END IT BECAUSE THE DISASTER DOLLARS END. SO THEY ONLY HAVE 4% OF THIS 38,000 TO DO CASE MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, AND THEY'VE NOT MET THAT 4% SINCE 2021 YET. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN HURST. 
          WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. NO, NO. 
          WORKFORCE GROUP IS THE NAME OF THE ENTITY THAT CUTS THE CHECKS FOR TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. ALL GOOD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN MOE, GO ON, BACK UP. STAND BACK UP. YOU MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO, WE'RE ADDING $200,000. SO THAT WE COULD NOT JUST END THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THE OTHER DOLLARS ENDED? YES, SIR. SO IT WAS EMERGENCY DOLLARS THAT ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH, HAD TO BE SPENT BY JANUARY. AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS MADE IT A PART OF OUR ENTITLEMENT DOLLARS THROUGH OUR HOME PROGRAM. SO NOW IT'S A PART OF OCD FOR US TO DO RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WRAPAROUNDS. WITH IT NOW, NOT JUST DOING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT TRYING TO FIX THE HOLISTIC PROBLEM FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO. 
          SO IT TOOK IT FROM BEING A… IT'S A PROGRAM WE'RE CONTINUING. YES, WITH DOLLARS 
          [01:35:02]
THAT WE GET REOCCURRING. THIS IS JUST A GAP FILL BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS DOLLARS ALLOCATED AND OTHER DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING IN? YES, SO THE DOLLARS RAN OUT. OKAY. WE'VE EXPENDED THEM ALL. WHAT WE DID WAS ADD OUR OWN OCD DOLLARS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 
          RATHER THAN JUST ENDING IT WHEN THE EMERGENCY DOLLARS WENT AWAY. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS ENDS? WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FUNDING IT. WE WANT TO MAKE IT A PART OF WHAT WE DO, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME. THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED FROM A GRANT, FROM A FUNDING SOURCE OUTSIDE OF CITY PARISH? YEAH, DISASTER DOLLARS. ERAP STANDS FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. OKAY. YEAH, SO IT WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN. AND NOW, BECAUSE WE GOT THOSE DISASTER DOLLARS AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM FOR HOW LONG? SINCE 2021. SINCE 2021, WE'RE GOING TO JUST. BECAUSE THE DISASTER DOLLARS ENDS, WE'RE NOW GOING TO PICK UP THIS PROGRAM THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND? NO, IT'S THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FEDERAL DOLLARS, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME PROGRAM. 
          WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE. NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT WE'RE, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND ESPECIALLY THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AND STUFF, THAT. JUST BECAUSE WHATEVER THOSE DOLLARS WERE THAT ENDED, IT'S OTHER FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING IN FROM A DIFFERENT WAY THAT IS CONTINUING THE PROGRAM? YEAH, IT'S OUR REOCCURRING HUD DOLLARS THAT WE GET, OUR ANNUAL ALLOTMENT, OUR ENTITLEMENT DOLLARS. OKAY. 
          BUT WE ARE CHANGING THE PROGRAM TO WHERE IT'S MORE EFFICACY TO IT. AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS STABILIZE HOUSING IN CERTAIN AREAS AS WE DO MORE DEVELOPMENTS, HOMES, AS WELL AS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. OKAY, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMAN HARRIS. SO, KELLY, SO ONCE THE 200, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID. ONCE THE 200,000 IS GONE, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH WORKFORCE GROUP AND THE PROGRAM WILL BE HOUSED THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? YEAH, BUT WE HAVE A POLICY WE PUT IN PLACE ON HOW WE THINK IT WILL WORK BEST AS FAR AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT WE'LL DO A NEW RFP. I THINK THIS HAS GONE AN AWFULLY LONG TIME. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A FRESH RFP AND A FRESH LOOK. MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THE CITY'S DOLLARS IN THE BEST WAY. BUT IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE NEED. I KNOW I DEAL WITH SEVERAL OF YOU, YOU KNOW, ONCE A MONTH. AND IT'S GREAT. 
          IT'S A GREAT HELP. 
          BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO LOOK AT THE HOLISTIC PROBLEM AND NOT JUST DO RENTAL ASSISTANCE. 
          BUT HOW CAN WE HELP, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH WORKFORCE OR ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO ADD TO THAT. YEAH, WE'RE DOING RFP, AND IT'LL BECOME A SEPARATE PROGRAM THAT WE CAN CONTINUE. 
          OKAY. THANKS. NO PROBLEM. 
          ANYONE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND, MY 
          [64.26-00236]
CONFERENCE, ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES AND 64. 
          AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO EXECUTE A MEMBER TO THE CONTRACT WITH SOUTHEAST. LOUISIANA LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION BETWEEN CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST, BATON ROUGE, EXTENDING THE AGREEMENT EXPIRATION DATE FROM AUGUST 31ST, 2025 TO MAY 31ST, 2026, AND AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO, GO TO COUNCIL. I HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. YES, KELLY. WHAT IS THIS? AMENDMENT, HOW MUCH IS IT TO THIS CONTRACT? HELP ME, HELP ME. YES, MA'AM. IT'S JUST A DATE EXTENSION. SO IT WAS IN A TIME FRAME EXTENSION, NO COST EXTENSION. THEY JUST HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE THAT THEY'RE FIGHTING THE EVICTION PROCESS. NO MONEY. 
          YES, MA'AM. ITEM IS PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. DO WE 
          [65.26-00237]
HAVE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES 65 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ENTERED AN AGREEMENT WITH LET'S FIX IT, LLC AND THE MOUNTAIN. I TAKE THESE 66,000 FROM FUNDING PROVIDED FROM HOME ARP, CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND CDBG ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CO-DESIGNING THE CITY'S HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM. BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NO GO TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL MCKENNEY, KELLY, COME ON, RIGHT BACK ON UP. EXPLAIN THIS FOR THE VIEWING AUDIENCE AT HOME. SO THERE'S NO MISCOMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT THIS FUNDING IS COMING FROM AND WHAT THE ASPECT OF IT IS FOR. THERE'S A CHAIR RIGHT UP THERE IF YOU WANT TO JUST SIT. I KNOW, IT'S STILL RIGHT. I'M GONNA LET MS. DOWELL REALLY GO INTO DEPTH ON THIS ONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A FEW ENTITIES ALONG THE LINES OF HOUSING AND HOUSING HEALTH, AND WE FIND THAT THEY BASICALLY INTERSECT EACH OTHER. AND WE ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WORK WITH THE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY 
          [01:40:01]
HOUSING SOLUTIONS PROGRAM, AND WE WERE A PART OF THE HEALTHY HOUSING INNOVATIONS COHORT. 
          THROUGH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. AND WORKING ON SOME OTHER EFFORTS. SO WE COMBINE THOSE, AND THIS IS OUR INTENT TO HAVE. A CONTRACTOR TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR WHO WILL HELP BRING ALL THESE PARTNERS IN.FACILITATE THIS PROCESS, HELP BUILD OUR FRAMEWORK, WORK AROUND HEALTHY HOUSING AND ALSO JUST HEALTH IN GENERAL. SO ALFREDO IS OUR CONSULTANT THAT THIS IMPACTS, AND HE'S HERE, ALFREDO CRUZ, HE'S WORKED WITH US ON SOME OTHER INITIATIVES. IF YOU WOULD CARE FOR HIM TO PROVIDE MORE DETAIL, HE'S HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL. 
          BUT THIS IS BASICALLY TO HAVE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, WITH ONE PERSON FACILITATING THIS BETWEEN OUR PARTNERS AND OUR STAFF. TO COME UP WITH A FRAMEWORK AND A STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS HEALTHY HOUSING. 
          LEAH CULLENS, WHO IS OUR CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER, IS A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, SO IT'S A VERY INVOLVED EFFORT. 
          BUT WE NEED ONE PERSON OTHER THAN, AND THEN A STAFFER TO HELP FACILITATE THIS, AND ALFREDO IS OUR CHOICE. AND THIS CONTRACT INVOLVES HIM. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ALFREDO, WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP AND TALKING ABOUT THIS? I'M NOT SURE, AND MAYBE I MISSED SOMETHING. I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TERM HEALTHY HOUSING MEANS. IS THIS AIMED AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE QUALITY OF HOUSING, HELPING HOME PEOPLE? SURE. 
          THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. BECAUSE THAT IS, IN FACT, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE MUST DO, WE MUST DEFINE AS A COMMUNITY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US? IN SOME COMMUNITIES, HEALTHY HOUSING MEANS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S PART OF THAT DEFINITION. SO PART OF THIS PROCESS IS FOR US TO ENSURE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEALTHY HOUSING, THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, BUT IT COULD BE ALSO THE CONDITION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS THE AFFORDABILITY OF THAT HOME. SO YOU TO YOUR QUESTION, WE DON'T KNOW YET. I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU HERE WHAT USUALLY COMMUNITIES DEFINE AS A HEALTHY HOME THAT IS FREE OF RODENTS, ROACHES, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS GOOD AIR QUALITY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          BUT WE HAVEN'T ASKED THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY FOR HELP IN DEFINING WHAT THAT MEANS. 
          AND SO THAT'S PART OF THIS PROCESS IS TO DEFINE IT. I CAN TELL YOU, THOUGH, THAT MY PERSONAL HOPE IS THAT IN DESIGNING A HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM, YOU WILL SEE LESS CONDEMNATIONS. BECAUSE THE QUESTION I WOULD START ASKING IS, WHAT'S CAUSING SO MANY PROPERTIES TO FALL INTO SUCH DECAY? THAT MEETING AFTER MEETING, YOU ALL ARE HAVING TO LOOK THROUGH SO MANY CONDEMNED PROPERTIES. AND I KNOW THAT RACHEL IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A REPORT IN A FUTURE MEETING TO FOLLOW UP ON THOSE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN RESCINDED. BUT MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU A REPORT ON THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NO LONGER BEING CONDEMNED, BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO REVERSE THOSE CONDITIONS AND MAKE THEM INTO HEALTHIER HOMES. 
          BEFORE THEY FALL INTO DECAY. 
          AND SO AS I HEAR, LISTENING TO ALL THESE CONDEMNATIONS, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN REALLY PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING INTO SUCH DISREPAIR THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CONDEMNED. I MEAN, THAT'S HUGE. WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, RIGHT? THERE IS REALLY HUGE, TAKING A SURVEY OF KIND OF WHAT OUR ENTIRE HOUSING STOCK IS, WHY SOME HOUSING STOCK IS FALLING OUT OF USAGE, BARRIERS PROBABLY TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH THERE ARE A TON OF BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BOTH SOCIETAL, FINANCIAL, AND GOVERNMENTAL. OKAY, SO WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE FROM YOU AT THE END OF THE PROCESS? WHAT'S THE OUTPUT? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE? HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL SEE A PROGRAM THAT HAS A CLEAR BUDGET ON HOW IT WILL BE SUPPORTED. 
          PROGRAM WITH VERY CLEAR OBJECTIVES TO IMPROVE HEALTH CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE HOUSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. A LOT OF IDEAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED AND CIRCULATED, BUT THEY'RE CONNECTED NOW, THEY'RE CONNECTED TO ONE THING. AND YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS INTERSECTION OF HEALTH AND HOUSING FOR YEARS HERE. BUT THERE'S SO MANY EFFORTS THAT ARE DISJOINTED THAT. MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER AND BRING YOU A PROGRAM THAT HAS ALL THESE IDEAS, NOT ONLY ON HOW TO MOVE THEM FORWARD, BUT ALSO HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM. AND SO IT WOULD BE A PROJECT DESIGN THAT HAS INCLUDED A BUDGET AND 
          [01:45:01]
RESOURCES TO FULLY IMPLEMENT AT LEAST A PILOT, AND THEN IDEAS ON HOW TO SCALE IT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN TO PRODUCE. THAT MAKES SENSE. I SEE IT LOOKS LIKE MARCH 2027, SO IT'S A YEAR. 
          IT'S A YEAR-LONG PROJECT. 
          MAYBE MAYBE LIKE A SIX-MONTH, WE'LL DO A SIX-MONTH CHECK-IN AND REPORT IN SIX MONTHS SO WE CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE. I'D LIKE THAT. OKAY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. JUST ONE NOTE. BECAUSE PEOPLE CHECK YOUR YOUR, YOUR REGISTRATION WITH SECRETARY OF STATE IS OUT OF DATE. YOU NEED TO JUST READ UP YOUR REGISTRATION WITH SECRETARY OF STATE. OKAY. 
          THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL REMOTE COUPLE QUESTIONS ON SOME OF YOU, COULD YOU STAY UP THERE? A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS THAT YOU MADE. 
          ALL RIGHT. SO, FIRST OF ALL, OR YOU WANT TO GET, WE'RE CREATING A PROGRAM. THIS IS. THIS IS FUNDING TO... 
          CREATE THIS PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND EXTENT OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO, WHAT CITY'S HEALTHY HOUSING IS GOING TO DO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIXING TO FIND IS A STUDY, CORRECT? NO, IT'S NOT A STUDY. IT'S ACTUALLY THE DESIGN OF A PROGRAM WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT. OKAY. SO IT, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STUDIES. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDIES, WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA. THIS IS ABOUT PUTTING ALL THAT RESEARCH THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, ALL THAT DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED ABOUT HEALTH AND HOUSING CONDITIONS, AND COMING UP WITH A PROGRAM TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS IN A WAY THAT ALSO HELPS TO IMPROVE HEALTH. SO WE'RE COMING UP WITH A PROGRAM. I MEAN, WE'RE DEVELOPING A WHOLE NEW PROGRAM. 
          DESIGNING IT, YES. 
          SPECIFICALLY DESIGNING IT. 
          OKAY. WITH THE INTENTION OF IMPROVING BOTH HEALTH AND HOUSING. UNDERSTOOD. THAT'S GREAT. YOU THREW IN THE MIX WITH THE WHOLE CONDEMNATION THING. AND IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO COME UP AND ANSWER THIS OR WHATEVER, I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP. CONDEMNATIONS BECAUSE I MAY SEE IT WRONG. BUT TO ME, MOST CONDEMNATIONS ARE HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AFTER A EMERGENCY SITUATION, HOUSES THAT GET LEFT OUT. 
          FAMILY ISSUES OR WHATEVER ELSE, AND THEY JUST SIT AND ROT. 
          THIS WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THAT, WOULD THEY? NOT NECESSARILY. YOU KNOW, AND I MAY HAVE OVERSTATED MY HOPES FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT REALLY, THE QUESTION I WOULD ASK IS, WHY ARE HOUSES FALLING INTO SUCH DISREPAIR? YOU KNOW, WHAT PREVENTS THE OWNER OF FIXING THEM AT SOME POINT? RIGHT. WELL, MOST CONDEMNATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOME. SOME ARE, BUT I WOULD THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE. NOT. THEIR HOUSES HAVE BEEN ABANDONED. THEY'RE FALLING DOWN. AGAIN, I COULD BE READING IT WRONG. THIS PROGRAM, I COULD SEE IF YOU GET IN THERE EARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE IT A HEALTHY HOME. I GET THAT, BUT WE'RE SENDING OFF THE CONDEMNATION. I DON'T KNOW. 
          KELLY AND OCD, WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ALL DAY LONG ABOUT HOW CONDEMNATION IS NOT THE ANSWER. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO CONDEMN OUR WAY OUT OF THE THE HEALTHY HOUSING PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN BATON ROUGE. 
          WE HAVE SO MANY HOUSES THAT ARE NOT CONDEMNABLE. THEY'RE NOT LIVABLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT FALLING DOWN STRUCTURALLY. NOBODY'S LIVING THERE, RIGHT? AND THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF REASONS WHY THAT OCCURS. 
          AND THIS IS A KEY PART OF DESIGNING A PROGRAM, RIGHT? BECAUSE IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS AND GRANTS AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WHOLE PROGRAM SET FORWARD, RIGHT? AND SET UP AND SAY, HERE'S HOW I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS MONEY, AND HERE'S HOW I'M GOING TO USE IT. AND HERE'S THE GOOD IT'S GOING TO DO AND ALL THOSE THINGS. SO THIS IS HELPING THE CITY PARISH MOVE FORWARD. TO TRY TO, LIKE YOU SAID, BRING LESS PROPERTIES TO CONDEMNATION, BUT ALSO ELEVATE, YOU KNOW, THE CONDITION OF STRUCTURES, BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO THOSE, HAVING HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSES. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M MAINLY SEEING IS. YOU'RE HELPING TO PUT A HOUSE OR HOME THAT SOMEONE IS LIVING IN BACK INTO A MORE LIVABLE, CONDUCIVE CONDITION FOR THEM TO BE THERE. NOT USING THIS TO, YOU KNOW, A HOUSE THAT'S LOOKING TO BE CONDEMNED OR HAS BEEN ABANDONED, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, CORRECT? IT'S TOO LATE AT THAT POINT. TOO LATE. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, I THINK THERE'S. THE POINT IS THAT I MENTIONED THAT OCD HAS PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND BEEN A PART OF DIFFERENT COLLABORATIONS. 
          SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS EVEN LOOK AT OUR OWN INTERNAL PROGRAMS AND SEE WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE BEYOND REHABILITATION. AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE HAVE A LEAD-BASED 
          [01:50:02]
PROGRAM THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING. WELL, ON THE SURFACE, YOU CAN LOOK IN AT PEELING WINDOWS OR WHATEVER. 
          SOME OF THE OTHER ATTRIBUTES ARE WHERE YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH LEAD. 
          BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT THERE IS A CHILD. HAS EATEN SOME OF THAT PAINT, WHO GOES TO SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE A BEHAVIOR PROBLEM AND THEY'RE THINKING IT'S BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER. BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT OR THE IMPACT OF THAT UNHEALTHY HOUSE ON THAT FAMILY, OR, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THAT CHILD. SO WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHO WE'RE SERVING, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN. THANK YOU. 
          AND TRY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF SYNERGY OR ORGANIZED PATH FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOW OUR WORK CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF MEANINGFUL RESULT. THAT IMPACTS BOTH HOUSING AND WHILE ADDRESSING THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FACED WITH IN THIS COMMUNITY. I HOPE THAT HELPS A LITTLE BETTER. YES, THAT HELPS, AND I AGREE WITH THAT PROCESS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS, DO WE START ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO TRY AND RESTORE A HOME THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS FULL-BLOWN REPAIR, LIKE HOLES IN THE FLOOR, IT'S FALLING DOWN, IT'S EVERYTHING ELSE. I AGREE WITH THE HEALTHY PART. YOU HELP FAMILIES GET RID OF LEAD-BASED PAINT, CLEAR OUT STUFF THAT HAS BEEN OVER THE DECADES. CHANGED IN DIFFERENT WAYS OF STRUCTURE, OF DOING IT, OR WHATEVER ELSE. BUT I GUESS BEYOND THE CONDEMNATION PART, I GUESS DON'T WANT TO BLUR THAT LINE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, A HOUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ON THAT VERGE, OR IT MAYBE SHOULD BE CONDEMNED. 
          IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FAMILY MEMBERS COME BACK, AND THEY WANT TO USE SOME OF THESE DOLLARS TO RESTORE IT TO A HEALTHY HOME. AND I'M JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I KNOW HE'S SHAKING YOUR HEAD. I'M JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS A HEALTHY HOME, CARBON DIOXIDE, THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, DETECTORS, THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO I JUST WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT. IT'S BEYOND BRICKS AND MORTAR. IT INVOLVES SEVERAL COMPONENTS, AND WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IN INVENTORY, HOW THESE COMPONENTS... 
          INTERSECT, HOW THEY IMPACT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ALONG THESE LINES. AND AT SOME POINT, WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN COME BACK IN 90 DAYS, OR PROBABLY AT LEAST SIX MONTHS. TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING IMPACTED. 
          OKAY, LAST QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THIS. IS THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE BOOKS? THAT DOES THIS ANYWHERE IN THE SYSTEM NEVER BEEN THOUGHT OF, HADN'T BEEN PLANNED, IMPLEMENTED, AND THEN WORKED, AND THEN NOT WORKED. 
          AND WE MOVED ON AND NOW WE'RE COMING BACK TO IT. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THESE IDEAS HERE WE ARE 2026, THEY'VE. HAS ANY PROGRAM BEEN LIKE THIS BEFORE. THERE ARE BITS AND PIECES OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, AND THE PAST ADMINISTRATION AND THE ONE BEFORE THAT. ARE THOSE PROGRAMS STILL AROUND? I CAN'T SAY WHO'S ALL STILL HERE, BUT THERE IS A SPECIFIC NEED AFTER LOOKING AT, AGAIN, WHO'S IN THE ROOM INTERNALLY, MEANING IN THE CITY SYSTEMS. AND THOSE THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH. I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT. IT'S KIND OF LIKE SOME CHURCHES GET TO A POINT WHERE IF YOU'VE GOT TO DO A COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY COMMITTEES ARE DOING WHAT? AND SO ON, AND SO FORTH, I JUST DON'T WANT TO REDUPLICATE THE SAME THING THAT WE MIGHT ALREADY HAVE OUT THERE. NO, THAT'S NOT THE CASE AT ALL. AND WE DON'T BELIEVE IN. NO DISRESPECT INTENDED. BUT OUR AIM WITHIN THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. WE DON'T AIM TO MEET TO MEET, BUT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. THAT'S WHY WE BRING THE COMMUNITY IN WHEN WE HAVE OUR CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS. 
          BUT WE ALSO MEET AS A STAFF AND WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OR WHAT THE GAPS ARE. AND SO WE'RE AT THE TABLE BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED TO DESIGN SOMETHING THAT IS NOT 
          [01:55:02]
THERE AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MCCALL. 
          MR. ALFREDO, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SPOKE? SOUNDS GOOD, BUT IT AIN'T GREAT. WALK ME THROUGH WHAT YOUR DAY WOULD LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE, YEAH, JUST WALK ME THROUGH WHAT YOUR DAY WOULD LOOK LIKE. I'M CONFUSED. OKAY. WELL, THE FIRST STEP IN PHASE ONE IS TO DESIGN A WORK PLAN. BECAUSE MY DAY WILL INTERFACE WITH THE DAYS OF A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING. 
          PEOPLE LIKE RACHEL WORKING ON CONDEMNATIONS, FOLKS AT OCD WHO ARE WORKING ON THE LEAD PROGRAM, REALLY INTERFACING WITH ALL OF THEM. TO ENSURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GOALS OF EACH OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE, AND THAT A HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM HELPS TO ALSO ADVANCE THOSE GOALS. 
          IF IT'S TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT FALL INTO DECAY, AND TO THE POINT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CONDEMNED. NOW, I'M JUST GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT ISN'T ABOUT FIXING PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONDEMNED. 
          AT THAT POINT, IT'S TOO LATE. 
          IT'S REALLY PREVENTING THEM TO GET INTO THAT POINT. HOW WILL YOU BE DOING... SOMEBODY IS LIVING THERE, RIGHT? AND SO BE REALLY LOOKING AT WHERE ARE THERE PEOPLE LIVING IN HOUSING CONDITIONS THAT ARE VERY POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS AND THAT IT'S IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH. THAT INTERSECTION OF PEOPLE WITH POOR HEALTH CONDITIONS AND LIVING IN POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS. 
          AND WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THAT DATA. LET ME TELL YOU, IN 10, I HAVE A LOT OF THE HOUSES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO I KNOW ABOUT THE DATA. AND WE DON'T NEED TO HIRE ANYBODY ELSE TO COME TELL US THE DATA BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $66,000 AND THEN, ON THE OTHER BREATH, WE TALKING ABOUT CUTS AND NOT HAVING MONEY. THAT'S MY QUESTION ABOUT THIS. AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DARRELL KELLY WHO MENTIONED LEAH COLLINS IS DOING SOME OF THIS. AND SO ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE LESSER IN THEIR EMPLOYEES. 
          I FEEL LEFT, TOO. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND. 
          $66,000, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          IT'S TOO VAGUE, IN MY OPINION. YEAH. NO, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. THE FIRST STEP REALLY IS DESIGNING A WORK PLAN TO REALLY FIGURE OUT TOGETHER HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS MEETING THE GOALS. OF ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS HOUSING CONDITIONS. 
          AND THEN FIGURING OUT WHERE THIS PROGRAM MAY FOCUS. BECAUSE SOME DISTRICTS, SOME OF YOUR DISTRICTS, HAVE A LOT OF... PROPERTIES IN VERY POOR CONDITIONS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM WITH POOR HEALTH CONDITIONS. 
          AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IN THE WORK PLAN IS IDENTIFYING WHERE TO FOCUS THIS PROGRAM. 
          BUT IT ISN'T ABOUT COLLECTING MORE DATA REALLY, IT'S ABOUT WHAT DATA DO. WE HAVE TO DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT HELPS TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE AND THE CONDITION OF THE HOMES IN WHICH THEY'RE LIVING? OKAY, COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THIS ITEM THAT'S ATTACHED TO OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. I HAD A QUESTION. 
          MR. ALFREDO, YOU MAY NOT BE THE BEST ONE TO ANSWER THIS. IT MAY BE KELLY OR MS. LACHER. 
          CAN SOMEONE TELL ME ABOUT THE LIVE WELL INITIATIVE AND EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? I SEE THAT IN THE SCOPE OF WORK, AND IT'S REFERENCED, IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD THERE. SO I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS WHAT IS THE LIVE WELL INITIATIVE. YEAH, SO ONE OF THE FIRST WAYS I STARTED ASKING ABOUT THIS IS WE WERE ONE OF THREE CITIES SELECTED THROUGH NYU FOR A PROGRAM I APPLIED FOR. 
          AND ONE OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS IS HOW WE ENDED UP ON A DETROIT TRIP IS THROUGH THEIR ALLIANCE. THEY SAID, Y'ALL NEED A REAL HEALTHY HOUSING MODEL. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE THE WORK, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT. IN ESSENCE, LIVE WELL IS SOMETHING THAT, AND WE HAVE NOT ROLLED IT OUT YET. THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS TO START IT OFF. WHAT, DR. 
          CULLENS IS DOING. 
          WITH MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, RIGHT, THAT WELL-BEING, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR HOMELESSNESS INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH HOUSING, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, OSS, RYAN WHITE ACROSS THE BOARD, HOW WE PUT ALL THOSE THINGS IN ONE PLACE, TO HAVE ONE POINT OF ENTRY TO WHERE INDIVIDUALS KNOW THIS IS WHO YOU CONTACT, THIS IS OUR PROGRAMS, THIS IS HOW WE'RE WORKING. SO LIVE WELL IS A COMPONENT OF THAT. I CAN TELL YOU ALL, EVERY FEDERAL GRANT WE APPLY FOR FOR HOUSING, THEY ASK US, WHAT IS YOUR HEALTHY HOUSING 
          [02:00:01]
MODEL? WE DON'T HAVE A MODEL. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, BUT WE NEED TO DOCUMENT IT. IT NEEDS TO PLAY A PART IN HOW WE REHAB HOMES, WHERE WE REHAB HOMES, WHERE WE PROVIDE DENSITY, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO THROW OUR DARTS AT ONE PLACE, RIGHT? SO LIVE WELL, IS THAT. IT'S NOT FULLY OFF THE GROUND, BUT THIS IS A BEGINNING STEP. 
          THAT, AND YOU'LL SEE MORE CONTRACTS WE BRING BEFORE COUNCIL THAT HAVE THAT. 
          LIVE WELL, MONICA AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT. GOTCHA. SO AS I READ IT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. 
          THIS CONTRACT IS TO HELP BUILD OUT THE HOUSING PLAN FOR THE LIVE WELL INITIATIVE. IS THAT THE HEALTHY HOUSING PORTION? HEALTHY HOUSING PORTION? ALL RIGHT? SO I'M LOOKING IN THE SCOPE OF WORK I SEE LOOKS LIKE FOUR PHASES PHASE ONE IDEATION, PHASE TWO IMPLEMENTATION, PHASE THREE ASSESSMENT AND THEN PROJECT CLOSE OUT. I'LL JUST TELL YOU, MY ISSUE IS NOT WITH MR. ALFREDO OR THIS CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE AN ISSUE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, GENERALLY, AS I'VE SEEN US ROLL OUT THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, OFTEN THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT IS ATTACHED TO THEM IS INSUFFICIENT TO RUN THE PROGRAM FOR AN ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR. 
          AND SO THESE FOLKS END UP DOING WORK FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THEY HELP MAYBE A FEW PEOPLE, LIKE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, LET'S SAY. THEY HELP A FEW PEOPLE AVOID BEING EVICTED AND SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, BUT THERE'S NO SYSTEMIC CHANGE. 
          AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU, I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT MR. ALFREDO CAN DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT IS GOING TO INITIATE SYSTEMIC CHANGE. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO SEE US USE OUR FEDERAL OCD DOLLARS AND THAT TYPE OF THING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. I'M OKAY WITH THIS TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS THE DIRECTION Y'ALL WANT TO GO IN. 
          BUT I'LL JUST TELL YOU, FOR ME, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE. NO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR. WE WANT THE PLAN DESIGNED SO WE CAN MAKE IT A PART OF OUR POLICY, SO WE MOVE IT FORWARD AS A CITY, AS OCD. WE DON'T WANT ALFREDO TO TAKE THIS FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS. WE NEED AN ENTITY, SOMEONE WITH THE CAPACITY TO HELP US DESIGN IT AND MAKE IT A PART. 
          SO THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING HEALTHY HOUSING. AND WE HAVE MOVED A LOT OF DOLLARS OVER TO INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR ONE-YEAR PLAN. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. 
          COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA. MR. CRUZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED. CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHERE YOU'VE DONE THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM BEFORE? FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. 
          PERHAPS EVEN MORE. LIKE 2022, I HELPED THE CITY WITH A DIFFERENT TEAM GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM DESIGN. HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH? YES. WHAT OTHER PARISHES HAVE YOU HELPED WITH, OR OTHER CITIES? I'VE BEEN A FUNDER FOR THE MOST PART. I'VE WORKED IN PHILANTHROPY FUNDING PROJECTS AND PROCESSES SIMILAR TO THIS. AND SO HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE, FUNDING THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP ONE, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE PLANS DON'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT THE MONEY INVOLVED. 
          AND SO ONE OF THE PIECES THAT I BRING INTO THIS WORK IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU END UP. NOT JUST A PLAN, BUT ALSO A WAY TO CAPITALIZE IT, A WAY THAT YOU CAN IMPLEMENT IT. AND SO PART OF MY KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWING WHO FUNDS THIS KIND OF WORK. 
          WHERE DO YOU GET THE MONEY TO SUPPORT THIS KIND OF WORK? BECAUSE WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN, WITH A BUDGET AND THE RESOURCES IDENTIFIED TO FUND IT, YOU JUST END UP WITH A PLAN. 
          AND USUALLY THOSE THINGS DON'T GO ANYWHERE. UNLESS YOU KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM AND EVEN BEGIN TO APPLY FOR SOME OF THAT. YOU CAN BEGIN TO APPLY FOR SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT A PROJECT WITH JUST THE IDEA. AND THERE ARE DONORS AND FUNDERS OUT THERE THAT CAN SUPPORT THIS KIND OF WORK. IF YOU JUST GIVE THEM AN IDEA THAT'S BASED ON BEST PRACTICES, THEN YOU DO IT AHEAD OF TIME. 
          SO THAT WHEN YOU FINISH THE PLAN, YOU HAVE THE MONEY IN HAND TO IMPLEMENT IT. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTIONS I CAN MAKE TO THE DESIGN OF THIS WORK IS KNOWING HOW IT'S FUNDED, WHO WILL FUND IT, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY ENDS UP WITH A PROJECT DESIGN THAT HAS A BUDGET AND HAS RESOURCES IDENTIFIED TO FUND IT. SO... 
          AND WHAT PROGRAM WERE YOU USING WHENEVER YOU WERE FUNDING THOSE PROJECTS? WHERE WERE THOSE PROJECTS AT AND UNDER WHAT PROGRAM, AND IN WHAT CITY? THERE IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED NATIONAL HEALTHY HOUSING ALLIANCE. AND THEY'RE SORT OF LIKE THE BIG THINK TANK OF ANYONE DOING ANY KIND OF HEALTHY HOUSING WORK. 
          USUALLY, THAT IS THE DEPOSITORY 
          [02:05:01]
OF BEST PRACTICES TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS. 
          AND ALSO HEALTH CONDITIONS IN COMMUNITIES. SO THAT IS SORT OF LIKE ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LOOK FOR MODELS, RIGHT? BUT YOU ALSO LOOK AT CITIES SIMILAR IN SIZE. 
          DEMOGRAPHICS AS BATON ROUGE. 
          AND YOU BEGIN TO LOOK AROUND AT WHO IS DOING WORK IN THIS INTERSECTION OF HEALTH AND HOUSING. 
          BUT THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR HEALTHY HOUSING IS THE DEPOSITORY. THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE ALSO HAS A BIG RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND HAS FOR YEARS. SO, AS I MENTIONED, IN 2022, I HELPED DESIGN A MODEL FOR A HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM. 
          WHERE WAS THAT? THAT DID NOT GET IMPLEMENTED. THAT WAS HERE? IT WAS HERE, YEAH. OKAY. THAT DID NOT GET IMPLEMENTED. THE ADMINISTRATION AT THAT TIME CHOSE TO TACKLE CRIME, AND SO IT WENT IN THAT DIFFERENT DIRECTION. 
          BUT WE HAD SOME OF THOSE IDEAS READY TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTING A HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE. AND HOW DID THOSE IDEAS CHANGE FROM THE ONES THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO CREATE A PLAN FOR? YEAH. SO THIS WORK IS TO... PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF THE PIECES THAT WERE CREATED OVER TIME. YOU KNOW, IF WE GO BACK TO 2022, THERE WAS A HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE THROUGH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES THAT WAS INTENDED TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS IN EAST BATON ROUGE. THERE ARE THOSE IDEAS. THERE ARE OTHERS IDEAS THROUGH A LAB AT NYU THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN. 
          THERE WAS A LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT LAB THROUGH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. WE DEVELOPED IDEAS ON HOW TO ENGAGE LANDLORDS. 
          IN BEING PART OF THIS SOLUTION. UM. AND THERE WAS A MORE RECENT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES UH INITIATIVE THAT THE CITY OF VAN RIDGE PARTICIPATED IN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN BE ALSO PART OF THE SOLUTION. OKAY, I'M GONNA ASK, MR. LEDEAF, I'M SORRY I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, MR. LEDEAF. UM, CAN I PLEASE TALK TO YOU FOR A FEW SECONDS? UM, I, I NEED A REALLY SHORT ANSWER. I HAVE 20 SECONDS LEFT. UM, WHEN CHECKING REFERENCES AND HOW THIS WORK HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST. CAN I GET A REAL, DIRECT ANSWER AS TO WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW, PLEASE? HE WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT COMING AND KEPT CARING. WE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS. IN TALKING WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, HIS NAME KEPT COMING UP. I'M WILLING TO DO WHATEVER MAKES Y'ALL COMFORTABLE. IF Y'ALL WANT TO DEFER THIS AND WE GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION AND YOU ALL LOOK AT IT MORE, I WANT YOUR IDEAS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING BETTER, IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO IT, I'M ALL ABOUT IT. 
          HAS THIS HAPPENED IN ANY OTHER CITY OR ANY OTHER PARISH UNDER MR. CRUZ? I DON'T KNOW WITH MR. CRUZ. I KNOW THE WORK HE DID HERE. I THOUGHT IT WAS PHENOMENAL WHEN I LOOKED AT IT. WE ARE DOING CRIME AND HEALTHY HOUSING. IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED. SO THAT WAS MY THOUGHT. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS. IF IT DOESN'T IMPACT, WILL IT IMPACT ANY OF YOUR GRANT MONEY? WE FINE. 
          NO, WE HAD THIS IN THE ONE YEAR PLAN. THAT MONEY IS THERE. LET US REVISIT IT. LET US SEND Y'ALL SOME IDEAS, GET FEEDBACK AND GO FROM THERE. HOW DEFERRED WOULD IT BE YOUR PREFERENCE? 60, 30 OR 60 DAYS? I THINK 60, IF THAT'S FINE WITH Y'ALL. I'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD. ALSO, COMPARE IDEAS FROM OUR TRIP IN DETROIT, SEE WHAT THAT HOUSING INITIATIVE LOOKS LIKE, HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS, AND MAYBE ALL HAVE A COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE COME FROM THIS STUDY BEFORE WE ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS. 
          I TRUST THE 12, WHATEVER Y'ALL THINK. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS. TO THE MAY 13TH MEETING? SURE, THANK YOU. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. 
          MS. ALFREDO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION TO YOU, SIR. YOU CAME BEFORE THIS BODY AND LAID OUT THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU BRING THAT WORK WITH YOU NEXT TIME TO SHOW JUST WHAT YOUR WORK IS AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. OKAY? THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMAN GAUDET. 
          THANKS. I GUESS A COUPLE OF THINGS. I KNOW I'M AFRAID OF THE WORK HE'S DONE, AND I WOULD DEFINITELY REFER TO HIM IN THIS FIELD AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT. AND SO I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE IT AND JUST SEE IF THAT GOES THROUGH. THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS HEALTHY HOUSING IS, WHEN I WORK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS OFFICE BUILDING, SOMETHING WE DELVED INTO. AND AT THAT TIME, WE DEFINED IT AS PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL HOSPITALS. YOU HOSPITALS, WHEN A PATIENT COMES TO A HOSPITAL ON REPEAT VISITS, THE HOSPITAL IS PENALIZED. 
          ESSENTIALLY ON THEIR REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENTS FOR THAT PATIENT HAVING TO COME BACK MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN A GIVEN AMOUNT OF TIME. SO THE HOSPITAL IS INCENTIVIZED, ESSENTIALLY TO GET THAT PATIENT WELL SO THAT THEY'RE NOT MAKING REPEAT VISITS TO THE HOSPITAL. IN DETROIT, THOSE HOSPITALS VIEWED THAT INCENTIVE. AND A RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO GET INVOLVED 
          [02:10:02]
IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO, FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TOURED IN DETROIT WAS AN OLD OFFICE BUILDING THAT WAS ONCE BLIGHTED. IT WAS REVAMPED. THE FIRST TWO FLOORS ARE CLINICS OPERATED BY THE HOSPITAL, AND FLOORS THREE THROUGH TEN. HOUSING. AND SO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THOSE SERVICES RIGHT ON SITE. THEY HAVE PEOPLE WITH THE CLINICS WHO ARE COMING TO LITERALLY INTO THEIR LIVING AREA TO CHECK ON THEM. SO IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE COMBINATION OF HEALTH AND HOUSING AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF LOCAL HOSPITALS, FINANCIAL AS WELL AS THE HEALTH INVOLVEMENT, REALLY PAID DIVIDENDS FOR THAT COMMUNITY. AND SO IN MY MIND, THAT, FOR ME, IS THE DEFINITION OF HEALTHY HOUSING, AND WE HAVE SOME HEALTH CARE PARTNERS WHO I THINK WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT FORM OF CONVERSATION. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT I'D OFFER UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION IN SEEING THIS FORWARD. SO YOU MADE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? YEAH, I'LL SECOND, BUT I WANT TO TALK AND EXPLAIN. OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. COUNCILMAN HURST. SO ONE THING I WAS TALKING TO A FEW COUNCILMEN ABOUT UP HERE IS THAT. WHEN YOU DO CONSULTANT WORK, AND SOME OF US HAVE BEEN IN THAT SPACE, I'M IN THAT SPACE. AT THIS LEVEL OF MONEY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO START DOING THE WORK UNTIL YOU KNOW THAT THE CONTRACT IS IN PLACE. AND SO SOMETIMES THE PART OF THAT CONTRACT, THE FIRST STEP YOU DO IS TAKE 30 TO 60 DAYS TO DIG TO FIGURE OUT INFORMATION THAT MAKES. 
          THAT SPACE RELEVANT. AND THEN, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU FIND, YOU BUILD A BUSINESS PLAN AROUND YOUR FINDINGS. AND SO ASKING HIM, FOR ME, TO COME IN AND SAY, HEY, OTHER THAN JUST GIVING YOU SOME CHECKBOXES OF HIS REFERENCES, I'VE SEEN HIM IN L.A. SEE OTHER PLACES ON BOARDS AND DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS HOUSING AND CONTINUUM OF CARE. SO I'VE BEEN AROUND SOME OF HIS WORK. SO I RESPECT THAT PART OF IT. I DON'T ANYBODY ELSE MORE QUALIFIED OF THAT ROUGE. THAT YOU DO, SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO BASED ON THE BOARDS YOU SIT ON, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE. SO IF I WAS IN YOUR SHOES, I WOULDN'T DO THE WORK. I WOULD GET THE CONTRACT FIRST AND THEN LAY OUT A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT WHERE I DO MY DIGGING FIRST, AND THEN BUILD A BUSINESS PLAN AROUND MY FINDINGS. SO I DON'T MIND SECOND. IF IT FAILS, WE'LL GO WITH 60 DAYS, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT, TOO. 
          BUT I JUST WOULDN'T DO ANY WORK WITHOUT GETTING THE CONTRACT SIGNED. SO THAT'S WHY I'M ON SECOND. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THAT, ON THE MACHINES, AND WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THAT FIRST. MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION FAILS. I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL. 
          COUNCILMAN GAUDET? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN MOAK. NO. 
          COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN RACCA. NO. 
          COUNCILMAN NOEL. NO. I DIDN'T REGISTER, THOUGH. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN AMOROSO. NO. 
          COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. NO. 
          COUNCILMAN KENNEY. NO. 
          COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. NO. THANK YOU. NOW WE'RE GOING TO... 
          VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS TO DEFER TO THE MAY 13TH MEETING. MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO DEFER TO THE MAY 13TH MEETING. THE MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN GAUDET? YES. COUNCILMAN MOAK? YES. COUNCILMAN ADAMS? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN NOEL? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? YES. 
          [66.26-00238]
COUNCILMAN KENNEY? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS? YES. 
          THANK YOU. ITEM 66, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH CIVIC COLLABORATIVE FOUNDATION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000. FROM ACT 461, STATE APPROPRIATIONS. FUNDING FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXECUTING GRANT MODIFICATION SERVICES, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. 
          PARTNERSHIP AND FUND DEVELOPMENT AROUND VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. HEY, KELLY, CAN YOU, IS THIS YOU, KELLY? YEAH. TALK ABOUT THIS. HEY KELLY, SO 
          [02:15:01]
CIVIC COLLABORATIVE FOUNDATION, IS THAT THE BATON ROUGE AREA FOUNDATION? YES, IT'S A NEW ENTITY. OKAY, AND SO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. YEAH, AND I HAVE ERIC AND THE TEAM HERE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN I FIRST LOOKED, AND ME AND COUNCILMAN DUNN TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE NOFA, THAT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN BACK UP FOR OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMMING AROUND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO US. WE ALWAYS HEAR P3, RIGHT? NUMBER ONE, I THINK AISHA AND THE TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR. 
          AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED TO SENATOR BARROW ABOUT. THESE ARE THE FUNDS THAT SHE GAVE US DIRECTLY TO HELP SET UP OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. WHEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING THAT CAPACITY, WHO BETTER THAN SOMEONE? THAT CAN HELP BRING OTHER DOLLARS TO THE TABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY FUND CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT WE SEE DOING REALLY, REALLY GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS VIOLENCE PREVENTION GOES. SO OUR GOAL WAS KIND OF A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, RIGHT? HOW CAN WE BRING MORE DOLLARS IN PHILANTHROPY TO? I VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK, BUT ALSO HAVE SOME GRANTS, ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT. OKAY. 
          YEAH, I GET THAT. SO IT'S, YOU THINK IT'S GONNA BE A MONTH OF A FORCE MULTIPLIER AS WELL AS AN OVERSIGHT. ME YES, MA'AM, JUST TO INCREASE THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE. 
          OKAY, THAT'S GREAT. NO PROBLEM. 
          [67.26-00328 ]
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. 
          IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES? 67, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE PROGRAM TO ACCEPT FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOR THE RYAN WHITE HIV AIDS PROGRAM. IN AN AMOUNT OF $1,243,770 FOR A GRANT PERIOD OF MARCH 1ST, 2026 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH, 2027. BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE 
          [68.26-00240 ]
HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR., SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          ITEM 68, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF ERIC PATE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S HOME. 
          FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $11,430.08 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY... 
          [69.26-00241]
COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 69, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT ON THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF PEGGY HARRISON FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S HOME. 
          FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $14,090.68 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO, GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND. 
          [70.26-00250]
SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 70, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF GEORGE KELLER, JR. 
          FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A WASTEWATER COLLECTION EMPLOYEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. ANY OPPOSITION? I'M GOING TO OPPOSE IT. LET'S VOTE ON THE MACHINES. MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 70. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN GAUDET. YES. COUNCILMAN MOE. 
          YOU CAN JUST SAY ABSTAIN. 
          ABSTAIN. COUNCILMAN ADAMS. NO. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST. YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA. NO. 
          COUNCILMAN KNOEL. NO. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN AMOROSA. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN COLEMAN. YES. 
          [71.26-00257]
COUNCILMAN KENNEY. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HARRIS. YES. THANK YOU. ITEM 71, AMENDING TITLE 08, CHAPTER 8, FEES SECTION. 
          801 SCHEDULE PERMIT FEES SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASE OF CERTAIN PERMITTING FEES AND ADD SUBSECTION 33 FIRE PREVENTION FEES BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND THE FIRE CHIEF. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM SEE NO GOOD COUNSEL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ROCK. A SECOND, MY COUNCILMAN MOAK. THERE ANY OPPOSITION? COUNCILMAN GAUDET, THANKS. I HAD SENT THE CHIEF OF A SERIES OF QUESTIONS. A FEW OF THE ANSWERS THAT I GOT WERE THAT. 
          THIS PROPOSAL HASN'T BEEN FLOATED TO ANY OF OUR BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. 
          THE CHAMBER, THE PARTNERSHIP, 
          [02:20:01]
GROUPS LIKE THE GROWTH COALITION. I ALSO ASKED, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FEES THAT ARE IN HERE, WHILE I APPRECIATE MOVING TO A MODEL WHERE, FOR INSTANCE, ONE GOES FROM $25 TO $150, YOU KNOW, I HAD ASKED IF WE COULD DO A THREE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YEAR ONE $100, YEAR TWO $200, YEAR THREE $100. GIVE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND WITHSTAND THOSE COST INCREASES. AND WAS SORT OF STARTING THAT DIALOGUE WITH THE CHIEF. AND SO I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO DEFER THIS ITEM. SO WE COULD SPEND A LITTLE TIME DIVING IN ON WHAT THAT STRUCTURED FEE COULD LOOK LIKE. THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DO THINGS LIKE CERTAIN SQUARE FOOTAGE, WHERE THERE'S REDUCED FEES IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE SMALLER SQUARE FOOTAGE. 
          SO, YEAH. APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR RECOUPING AND GETTING THINGS TO RECOVER COSTS, BUT I ALSO HAVE AN APPRECIATION THAT AN 1100% INCREASE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS. 
          AND THIS WOULD BE A QUITE A STEEP THING FOR A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SWALLOW. ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD WORRY THAT SOME BUSINESSES WOULD LOOK AT THE FEES RELATED IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND START TO WONDER. IS IT MORE ATTRACTIVE IN A LIVINGSTON OR AN ASCENSION OR A WEST BATON ROUGE? SO, SO, FOR THOSE REASONS, I WAS GOING TO SEEK AT LEAST A TWO-WEEK DEFERRAL. 
          JUST TO SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH FINANCE AND THE CHIEF. 
          AND AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT PHASED THESE INCREASES IN. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMAN DOT JR. THANK YOU. CAN YOU COME UP? PLEASE? DID YOU MAKE A MOTION? OKAY, SORRY. WAS THAT A MOTION? YES. IS THERE A MOTION ON THE? NO. OKAY. THEN, SURE. 
          MOTION TO DEFER. UNTIL? LET'S SEE. TWO WEEKS, 30 DAYS. WHAT DO YOU THINK, CHIEF? THUMBS UP? WHATEVER YOU NEED. 30 DAYS. 30 DAYS. SO, FIRST MEETING IN APRIL? OKAY. HE DON'T WANT TO DEFER AT ALL. I'M GOING TO SECOND IT. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. BUT, CHIEF, I WANT YOU TO KIND OF ELABORATE ON THE PROCESS, HOW YOU ARRIVED TO THIS PROPOSAL, THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE CURRENT FEES, SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, EARMARKING SOME OF THE DOLLARS TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, JUST SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE DISCUSSED. 
          HAVE SOME OF THAT BEEN IRONED OUT AND WORKED OUT? YES, SIR. 
          MS. RACHEL WAS SAYING SHE HAS A POWERPOINT OF ALL THIS INFORMATION. IF YOU WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE, I CAN JUST STAND UP TO YOU. 
          NO, NO. I'M ON YOUR SIDE. SO RIGHT NOW, MR. COUNCILMAN, IT'S $25 TO GO AND DO AN INSPECTION OF A NEW BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 1987. SO AS WE LOOKED AT THIS, HOW CAN WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN 2026? TO RECOUP THE FUNDS AND THEN HELP BUILD UP THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE? SO LOOKING AT OTHER PLACES, HOW DO WE COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF? THE DOLLAR VALUE. WE LOOKED AT THE AVERAGE SALARY RATE OF A FIRE INSPECTOR. NOT BENEFITS, JUST THE SALARY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AND IT COME OUT TO BE $50 AN HOUR. WE LOOKED AT THE FEMA RATE FOR THE USE OF THE VEHICLE IS WHAT WE WOULD CHARGE FEMA IF IT WAS A DISASTER TO GET THAT FUNDING BACK. AND IT WAS $25 AN HOUR. SO IT COMES OUT TO BE A $75 HOUR. DEPENDS ON WHAT THE INSPECTION WAS. 
          BEING A NEW CONSTRUCTION, IT TAKES FOUR HOURS. THAT'S WHERE THE $300 COME FROM. AND WE HAD IT EARMARKED. IF IT WAS NOT A FULL INSPECTION, THEY DIDN'T NEED THE SPRINKLER OR THE ALARM. IT'S JUST ALARM. WE NARROWED IT DOWN TO TWO HOURS. SO WE HAD IT BROKE DOWN PER JOB OF THE TASK BY THE HOURLY RATE OF $75. 
          OKAY. AND COULD YOU, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT A FEW THINGS, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS IN HERE THAT ARE CHANGING OR INCREASING, PROPOSING TO INCREASE. CAN YOU JUST KIND OF RUN THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE? I KNOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, MR. GAUDET, TALKED ABOUT PERCENTAGES, BUT IF YOU JUST SET A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON SOME OF THEM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YES, SIR. FOR THE USE OF AN INSPECTION FOR A NEW CONSTRUCTION, TO DO A FIRE ALARM WAS $150. 
          FOR THE FIRE, SPRINKLER INSPECTION WAS $150. 
          THE HOOD SPRINKLER SYSTEM, $150. THERE'S CURRENTLY A FLAT RATE OF $25. YEAH, THAT'S CHEAP. I WANT YOU TO SAY WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY CHARGING AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. SO RIGHT NOW, IT'S ALL $25, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. 
          TO DO A WHOLE TURNKEY WAS $300, UNLESS IT WAS A PARTIAL REQUEST OF WHAT PRODUCT WAS NEEDED. 
          RIGHT NOW, WE DO A RE-INSPECTION. NOW, NOTHING. IF WE GO BACK THE SECOND TIME, NO CHARGE. THE PROPOSAL, THE SECOND, IF WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH YOUR BUSINESS AND WE SHOWED IT 
          [02:25:01]
TO YOU, WHEN WE WENT BACK, THERE WAS NO FEE. 
          BUT IF WE HAD TO GO BACK THE THIRD AND FOURTH TIME, THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE FEE OF THE TIME. AND ESSENCE, WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS, GETTING THEIR INSPECTION DONE. 
          THE TEMPORARY TENTS THAT WE HAVE, THE FIREWORK PERMITS, OPEN FLAME EVENTS RIGHT NOW IS ROUGHLY $25. WE WANT TO BRING IT UP IN CHARGE BY THE HOUR. MOST OF THOSE TAKE ABOUT TWO-HOUR PROJECTS. THOSE ARE THE RE-INSPECTION FEES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          FOR A NEW CONSTRUCTION, I'M SORRY, A RE-OCCUPANCY, YOUR BUILDING'S ALREADY BUILT, NEW COMPANY'S COMING IN, WAS $150 RATE. IT'S $25 CURRENTLY. 
          NOW TALK TO ME ABOUT THE INSPECTIONS ON EVERY BUSINESS THAT YOU DO IN THE CITY AND HOW MANY THAT IS. ON AVERAGE, DOING THE INSPECTION. YES, SIR, AND THAT'S COMING UP IN ANOTHER. ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, WE DO 14,718 PREMISE INSPECTIONS. BY ORDINANCE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO IN AND CHECK BY NFPA FIRE CODE EVERY COMMERCIAL OCCUPANCY IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. 
          TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE, OUR CITIZENS ARE SAFE. WE DO THOSE. IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET THOSE DONE. THANK YOU. 
          GIVE ME A DOUBLE NICKEL ON THIS ONE, MR. PRO TEM. 
          CHIEF, I THINK YOU'VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH AND YOUR EVALUATION ON WHAT BEST PRACTICES IS AS FAR AS THE FEES AND THE CHARGES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          BUT I KIND OF LEAD TO COUNCILMAN GODET, BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, THE STRAINS AND CHALLENGES FINANCIALLY ON BUSINESS OWNERS THESE DAYS, ANY INCREASE CAN BE DETRIMENTAL. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT A PHASE-IN APPROACH? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE OPEN TO? I'M OPEN TO 100%. LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION HOW WE CAN BUILD ON THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY, THE CITY'S TAKEN CARE OF, AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS WILL TAKE CARE OF CARE OF AT THE SAME TIME. AND IN YOUR CURRENT DRAFTS, DOES THIS TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY? IS IT A 30 DAY, 60 DAY, 90 DAY? IT WAS GOING TO BE UPON WHATEVER WE DECIDED HERE, WE WOULD LOOK TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT ACTIVATION THEY WOULD BE. 
          APRIL 1ST, I'M SORRY, APRIL 1ST. OKAY, UM, AGAIN, I'M A SECOND. UM, COUNCILMAN GAUDET'S, UH MOTION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA MOVE. UH, IT'S GONNA PASS. COUNCILMAN DON. I WAS INCORRECT EARLIER. 
          WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO THIS WILL BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. COUNCILMAN GOLD, A MOTION TO BE A SUBSTITUTE. 
          SUBSTITUTE. AND YOUR SECOND. 
          I'LL SECOND THE SUBSTITUTE. 
          WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT. I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. IT'S BEEN SINCE 1987. 
          BUT GETTING MORE INPUT FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHER ENTITIES, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT EITHER. BUT ALSO, ASHLEY, CAN WE INTRODUCE LANGUAGE FROM THE FLOOR OR LEGAL TO. DO A PHASED-IN APPROACH? CAN WE DO LANGUAGE FROM THE FLOOR TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE IN 30, 60, 90 DAYS? IS THAT A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, IN YOUR OPINION? I THINK AN EFFECTIVE DATE CHANGE WOULD NOT BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, BUT I DO THINK A PHASED-IN APPROACH WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MOAK. HOW MANY OF THESE INSPECTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE ON ON THAT LIST AND ALL ARE REQUIRED OF Y'ALL. 
          BY NFPA AND FEDERAL STATE STANDARDS. BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH CITY OF BATON ROUGE ORDINANCE THAT'S IN PLACE TODAY. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR 14,718 OF THEM. THE INSPECTIONS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO, AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO INSPECT, THOSE STANDARDS COME FROM WHERE? NFPA. OKAY. THAT'S A NATIONAL THING. THAT IS CORRECT, SIR. AND THESE. FEES THAT YOU'RE GETTING AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, NFPA PROBABLY PUTS OUT SOME STANDARDS AND WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE BASELINE NATIONALLY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR. AND THESE FALL WITHIN WHERE. WHERE DO WE FALL WITH THESE FEES COMPARED TO WHAT NFPA PUTS OUT AND STUFF? SO NFPA DOES NOT PUT OUT FEES, SIR. THEY PUT OUT WHAT IS LIFE SAFETY CODE. 
          THEY DON'T PUT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A FUNDING SOURCE. THEY PUT OUT WHAT IS REQUIRED TO SAVE LIVES. OKAY, SO THESE, THEY PUT THAT OUT, AND THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYBODY FOLLOWS THOSE GUIDELINES, AND THEN THEY SET THEIR OWN FEES AND STUFF. WHERE DO, BASED ON THOSE GUIDELINES, WHERE DO WE FALL IN STANDARD-WISE NATIONALLY ON THOSE COSTS? SO ON THE COST OF THE— ABOVE AVERAGE, AVERAGE, NORMAL? RIGHT NOW, TODAY, WHERE WE SIT, WE'RE ROCK BOTTOM. RIGHT. 
          WE'RE GOING BACK TO 1987 AGAIN. 
          THERE'S OTHER PLACES. THE CLOSEST ONE THAT WE CAN MIRROR IS LOOKED AT AUSTIN, WHICH OUR RATES ARE STILL, IF THIS PASSES, WE'RE BELOW AUSTIN'S RATES BY QUITE A BIT. OKAY, SO THEY HAVE A, I WOULD GUESS THAT AUSTIN WOULD 
          [02:30:02]
HAVE A MUCH, MUCH HIGHER VOLUME THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE 14,000, AND THEY'RE HIGHER THAN US. YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. YOU HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT FOR INSPECTIONS? THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. I HAVE A 12-PERSON DIVISION THAT ALL THEY DO IS FIRE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION. 
          OKAY. AND ROUGHLY WHEN DID WE? DID WE FORM THAT DEPARTMENT BACK IN 87, OR BEFORE THEN, OR SINCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN AROUND? I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THE INCEPTION OF THAT WAS PROBABLY IN THE LATE 70S.DATE TO BE ACT WITH YOU. OKAY. AND IT'S JUST BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND. YOU HAVE SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES AND STUFF. WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS I USED TO DO THESE INSPECTIONS WITH CENTRAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND WHAT THEY WOULD TAKE US AND DO IS WE WOULD BE ON SHIFT, OUR 24 HOUR SHIFT, AND THEY WOULD SAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND INSPECT YOU ON YOUR SHIFT. YOU GO, GO INSPECT THIS MANY BUSINESSES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO, IN ALL DUE RESPECT, THEY WERE GETTING THE TWOFER. I WAS GETTING PAID TO BE A FIREFIGHTER. IF WE GOT A CALL, WE WENT ON THE CALL, THEN WE WENT BACK TO OUR INSPECTIONS. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN INSPECTION DIVISION AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO THERE WAS NO COST TO COVER PER SE, DOING THE INSPECTIONS AND EVERYTHING. HERE WE ARE, WE HAVE BACK 1987 PRICES, AND WE HAVE A WHOLE DIVISION THAT WE HAVE TO FUND AND STUFF. WHY WOULD WE NOT SET OUR STANDARDS AND GET THOSE? JOHN AND IN PLACE NOW, THAT'S, THAT'S MY THING. I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS PAST TONIGHT AND GET STARTED. 
          COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSO. THANK YOU CHIEF.SO, IF, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE WE WOULD COMPARE TO SURROUNDING PARISHES AS FAR AS THESE FEES GO? YES, MA'AM, AND THIS LOCAL AREA HERE, AS I SENT OUT A LETTER TODAY. UM, NEW ORLEANS IS AROUND $100. 
          THEY'RE LOOKING AT ADJUSTING THEIR FEES NOW. 
          THAT WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PUT TOGETHER A STUDY SOMETIME BACK. SHREVEPORT DOESN'T DO NOTHING. BAYOU CANE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THIS, AND IT'S ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THESE NUMBERS. HE USED THE NUMBERS OF THE HOURLY RATE WITH THE FEMA. LOOKED AT AUSTIN, TEXAS. AGAIN, WE'RE BELOW WHAT THIS PROPOSAL HAS PASSED. WE'RE BELOW. BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR SURROUNDING LIVINGSTON PARISH, ASCENSION PARISH? SO NOT MANY DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY HAVE A FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU THAT GOES OUT AND STRICTLY DOES INSPECTIONS AND GETS THE FEES. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF STUCK OUT RIGHT HERE. THE LARGER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING IT RIGHT NOW THAT I COULD FIND. 
          I DID A SEARCH TO THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT'S WHERE I GATHERED MY DATA FROM. 
          IT'S NOT MANY PEOPLE IN THE LOUISIANA AREA THAT WE COULD FIND. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST. HEY, SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WHEN WE INITIALLY STARTED THE DISCUSSION WAS, HOW MANY INSPECTIONS DO YOU DO A YEAR? AND IT WAS ABOUT 22,000. AND SO WE LOOKED AT ANOTHER FEED MODEL, A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BECAUSE I BROUGHT UP $50, GOING FROM $25. SO I KIND OF AGREE WITH THE SCALING UP IF WE HAVE TO GO THAT ROUTE. 
          BUT THAT WOULD PUT 1.1. IN A TIME WHEN I THINK WE NEED IT THE MOST. SO EVEN IF IT DOESN'T ALL GO TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MAYBE IT'S REALLOCATED, IT TAKES THE BURDEN AWAY OF SOME MONEY THAT WE ALREADY SUPPLEMENTED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY. 
          AND I'M OKAY WITH BEING THE LEADER. WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING. I'M OKAY WITH SETTING THE TONE IN A LARGE MUNICIPALITY. I DO AGREE THAT THE BUSINESSES SHOULD BE CONTACTED. BUT THE SAME WAY WE BROUGHT A BUNCH OF CONSTITUENTS IN THE ROOM, YOU ASKED THEM IF THEY WANTED TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO SAY NO. 
          IF YOU TRY TO ASK THEM, DO THEY WANT TO INCREASE FIRE INSPECTION, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO SAY NO. 
          SO I DON'T EXPECT, BY NECESSARILY DOING DIRECT ENGAGEMENT, THAT THE FEEDBACK WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE, LET'S SAY, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT. IT'S ALWAYS FINDING ANOTHER WAY THAT IMPACTS SOMEBODY'S WALLET, WHETHER IT BE A HUMAN OR OUR BUSINESS. SO FOR ME, I DO WANT TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO INCORPORATE THE TIERED APPROACH THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. 
          I THINK THAT'S MORE PALATABLE TO THE BUSINESSES. AND SO I WOULD. WHO MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE? SO IF SHE MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE, WOULD YOU MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE TIERED APPROACH? SO I 
          [02:35:01]
THINK PHASING IN FEES OVER A TIERED TIME PERIOD WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. OKAY. I THINK CHANGING THE EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD NOT BE IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE IT FROM, YOU KNOW, TO MAY 1ST. OKAY. I'M OKAY WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE GROWTH, SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT IF IT GOES FOR A VOTE. BUT I'LL LEAVE WITH THIS. THIS DOESN'T IMPACT EVERYBODY. IT IMPACTS PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING MONEY, AS THIS BEING A COST TO DO BUSINESS. WHICH THEY UNDERSTAND. WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAXES, OTHER THINGS, IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE PARISH. 
          FOR GOOD AND SERVICES BUSINESS, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ALMOST LIKE A USER FEE. SO YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMAN MOAK. 
          INSPECTIONS COME UP ONCE A YEAR. SO, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS, AGAIN, IS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND REOCCUPANCY. SO IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT THE ANNUAL, YEARLY. ANOTHER TOPIC. COMING HERE IN THE NEXT FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. THIS IS STRICTLY WHEN A NEW CONSTRUCTION IS BUILT, THE FEES OF MAKING SURE THEY MEET THE STANDARD AND THE CODE THAT'S IN PLACE. OKAY. 
          AND THEN THERE'S OCCUPANCY CHANGE. AND I KNOW WE ADVERTISE THE AGENDA. WE HAVE DISCUSSION HERE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR GETTING IT STARTED. 
          BUT IF EVERYBODY'S WORRIED ABOUT A DELAY AND IF WE CAN DO THE. THE DATE DELAY TO GET NOTIFICATIONS ON WITH THAT, BUT IF NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY DELAY. I THINK WE CAN DO WITHOUT HAVING TO REWRITE THE ORDINANCE. IF EVERYBODY FEELS A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE, SAY, INSTEAD OF STARTING APRIL 1ST, YOU SAID, START IT MAY 1ST OR JUNE 1ST. AND THAT WAY. IF THERE'S ANY NOTIFICATIONS OR ANY KIND OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT NEEDS TO GO TO THE BUSINESSES. WE HAVE TIME AS A CITY PARISH TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO THAT'S UP TO THE PEOPLE THAT INTRODUCE IT IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. COUNCILMAN GODE? I WAS JUST GOING TO REITERATE THAT THE FIRE FEES THAT ARE PART OF THIS ORDINANCE ARE ONE-TIME FEES. THEY ARE NOT ANNUAL FEES. THEY ARE FOR WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO BUILD A NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING FOR HIS COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DOING THE FIRE PREVENTION REVIEW AND INSPECTION, AND THEN ALSO IF A NEW TENANT IS MOVING INTO A NEW COMMERCIAL SPACE. 
          EVERY SINGLE COMMERCIAL NEW TENANT REQUIRES AN OCCUPANCY. 
          WE GO OUT, MY INSPECTORS GO OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDING IS SAFE AND CAN BE ENERGIZED, AND WE SEND AUTHORIZATION OVER TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY. THE FIRE MARSHAL IS INVOLVED, AND SO IS CHIEF AND ALL OF HIS GUYS OR WHATEVER, AND THAT'S WHEN THE $150 FEE WOULD BE ASSESSED. THIS HAS NO ANNUAL FEE. IT'S A ONE-TIME FEE. I WOULD. SIMPLY JUST SAY, LOOK, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS. I'VE SHARED WITH THE CHIEF. I THINK US MOVING TO A COST RECOVERY MODEL IS A POSITIVE THING. YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST REITERATE, I THINK THIS 30 DAYS PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY, NUMBER ONE, TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AWARE. WHEN RACHEL SENT OUT HER HELP ON THE AGENDA, MY FIRST QUESTION TO HER WAS, ARE WE INVOLVED? PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THE GROWTH COALITION ON THIS. YES, WE'VE BEEN IN A TWO-YEAR CONVERSATION WITH THEM. THEY'RE WELL AWARE OF THESE INCREASES, AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS. YOU KNOW, MY KIDS GO TO A SCHOOL THAT RECENTLY RAISED TUITION. 
          THEY SPREAD IT OUT OVER TWO YEARS TO EASE THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT. 
          ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATED THAT. I JUST THINK IT PROVIDES US SOME BENEFIT. AND LOOK, WE'VE COME BACK WITH A NEW ITEM. IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO REINTRODUCE IT AT THE NEXT MEETING AND GET IT ON FOR 30 DAYS FROM NOW. I JUST DON'T SEE ANY DOWNSIDES TO US SAYING, LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BIT, EDUCATE SOME STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND THEN COME BACK WITH THE SAME PLAN THAT GETS THEM THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEES RECOVERED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE AND THEN A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER UNTIL FIRST MEETING IN APRIL. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON MACHINES. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST. 
          MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER TO APRIL 8TH. I'M SORRY, MOTION PASSED. I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE. MACHINES ARE OPEN. 
          OH WAIT, DO WE NEED TO ROLL CALL THE OTHER VOTE? NO, IT'S FINE. MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL. 
          COUNCILMAN GODE? I VOTE A NO. 
          COUNCILMAN MOE? YES. 
          [02:40:01]
COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN KNOEL? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN KENNY? YES. 
          COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS? YES. 
          THANK YOU. AND 72 AMENDING 2026 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET, 
          [72.26-00247]
SO AS TO APPROPRIATE 01,350,000 FROM GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE ON A SIGN. 
          TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN THE AMOUNT OF 850,000 AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THE AMOUNT OF 500,000 BY THE MAYOR PRESIDENT. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, MA'AM. 
          STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS MARION BLUMWA. I DEFINITELY HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. I SEE THAT THERE WAS, AS WE SAY, OVER $1 MILLION UNASSIGNED IN A GENERAL FUND, OKAY? AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAYOFFS. AND WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED, WHO DETERMINES WHERE THOSE UNASSIGNED FUNDS GO? ALSO, WHEN WERE THESE UNASSIGNED FUNDS DISCOVERED? AND ARE THERE MORE? AND IS THERE A PLAN ON HOW THESE UNASSIGNED FUNDS WILL BE USED? SO I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING. I JUST FIND IT INTERESTING IN DOLLARS OR PLUS. 
          UNASSIGNED. AND SO, YEAH, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCO, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSO. 
          ANGIE, YOU WANT TO COME IN? SO, FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED IS A COMBINATION OF OVERCOLLECTION OF REVENUES AND UNDERSPENT OF EXPENDITURES. GENERAL GOVERNMENT ON CAMPUS, AND THEY FALL INTO FUND BALANCE. THERE'S SEVERAL FUND BALANCES THAT WE HAVE, AND ONE OF THEM IS UNASSIGNED. THE DISCRETION OF THE ADMINISTRATION PUTS A BUDGET SUPPLEMENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. IN THE 2026 PREPARATION, BOTH OF THESE AGENCIES EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT NEEDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AT THE TIME, WE WERE PUTTING ON THE TABLE A REDUCED BUDGET, SO WHAT WE DID WAS MAKE A COMMITMENT THAT IF WE OVERMET OUR TARGETS FOR 2025 ON COLLECTIONS AND EXPENSES, THAT WE WOULD PUT A PROPOSAL BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER GIVING THESE TWO AGENCIES ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AND SO WE FINANCE, WE'RE ON A CALENDAR OF THE YEAR FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. WE HAVE MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAYOR THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE, THAT WE HAVE MET ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL TARGETS. AND THAT HE COULD PUT SOMETHING BEFORE Y'ALL FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK. SO TO COME UP AND ANSWER THE QUESTION. 
          COUNCILMAN MOTE. 
          ON THE UNASSIGNED, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE FOR THE PUBLIC. I'LL USE MY BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE. I HAD APPROXIMATELY $25,000 TO $35,000 LEFT IN MY BUDGET. 
          THAT GETS PUT BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE I DID NOT SPEND IT. IT DOESN'T SIT ON MINE AND ACCRUE OVER AND OVER AND OVER. IT GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND. MY BUDGET STARTS OVER. THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THIS COMES FROM, IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH MONEY THAT DOESN'T GET SPENT OVER THE YEARS. YES. AND THEN... WE HAVE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS THAT HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEST PRACTICES THAT YOU MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RESERVES. AND SO, AFTER WE TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, WE WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. RIGHT. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST KIND OF REITERATING TO THE PUBLIC THAT UNUSED DOLLARS DOESN'T JUST SIT IN MULTIPLE MEMBERS' BUDGET ITEMS TO ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR. THEY GO BACK IN FOR USE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, JUST LIKE THIS BEING BROUGHT BEFORE US TO HELP ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. 
          THANK YOU. ANGIE, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON WHY THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN KNOWN AT THE END, THE DELAY IN KNOWING WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING ALL THE TIME, BUT ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PASSING THE BUDGET AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT WE STILL. OR HAVEN'T 
          [02:45:01]
RECEIVED A LOT OF INFORMATION ON TAX REVENUE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, LIKE COUNCILMAN MOOG EXPLAINED ON FUND BALANCE, SOME OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS DON'T KNOW UNTIL RIGHT UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHAT ALL THEY'RE GOING TO UTILIZE. SO IF YOU CAN JUST EXPOUND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE LADY WHO… YES. SALES TAX IS OUR LARGEST REVENUE GENERATOR. I THINK IT SUPPORTS OVER 65% OF THE EXPENSES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. AND SO THAT REVENUE HAS A 90-DAY DELAY, IF YOU WILL. SO THE TAXES ARE COLLECTED BY TAXPAYERS FROM CONSTITUENTS, LIKE IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. IN JANUARY, THOSE CONSTITUENTS REMIT THE SALES TAX TO THE PARISH. THE PARISH THEN TAKES THOSE COLLECTIONS. 
          ALLOCATES THEM OUT TO THE DIFFERENT TAXING JURISDICTIONS IN FEBRUARY. SO WE DO NOT KNOW OUR MAIN REVENUE SOURCE, THOSE FINAL NUMBERS, UNTIL MID-FEBRUARY. SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION, PLUS, THERE'S A DELAY ON THE EXPENSE SIDE AS WELL. 
          WITH US ALL, YOU KNOW, WE GET OUR ELECTRICITY BILL FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, AND THEN WE PAY IT IN JANUARY. SO THERE'S DELAYS IN EXPENSES AS WELL. IT'S JUST BEEN A NORMAL PRACTICE THAT WE DON'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION UNTIL WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN POSTED. 
          BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN DID YOU START PREPARING THE BUDGET? I'M SORRY, THE BUDGET IS START PREPARED IN MAY THROUGHOUT JULY, AND THEN WE START HAVING INFORMATION COME BACK TO US THROUGHOUT AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. HOWEVER, WHEN WE PREPARE THE BUDGET, WE ONLY HAVE PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS OF SALES TAX DUE TO THE DELAY THAT I MENTIONED. 
          WE DO USE ROLLING FORECASTS, WHICH IS HISTORICAL INFORMATION. 
          BUT AS ANYONE WOULD KNOW, DAY-TO-DAY INFORMATION IS THE MOST RELIABLE. WONDERFUL. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCK. I DON'T THINK I USE ALL MY TIME. 
          CAN I MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT? NO, MA'AM. PUBLIC HEARING IS OVER ONCE IT TURNS OVER TO THE COUNCIL. NO, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCK, A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 73, ESTABLISHING A NEW FEE SCHEDULE FOR INSPECTION AND TESTING FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR SUBDIVISIONS AND RESUBDIVISIONS BY THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, 
          [73.26-00260]
GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          74. REPEALING RESOLUTION 39784, ADOPTED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 1999. SAID REPEAL SHALL BE EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST, 2026, FOLLOWING ADOPTION BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL BY THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING 
          [74.26-00261 ]
TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. 
          COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. NO? SURE? ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND, MY COUNCILMAN MOPE IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES? 367 ADOPTED MARCH 11TH, 1987, WHICH PROVIDED FOR FIRE SAFETY FEE AND A SERVICE FEE SCHEDULED FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, SO AS TO DELETE AND OR INCREASE CERTAIN FEES AND ADDRESS OTHER RELATED MATTERS BY FIRE CHIEF MICHAEL KIMBALL AND MAYOR EDWARDS. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK 
          [75.26-00307]
ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE GO TO COUNCIL? MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOE. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          76, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND CP CONTRACT WITH COX LOUISIANA TELECOM LLC, EXTENDING THE CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE TO JUNE 30TH, 2027, AND ADDING $388,800 IN FUNDING FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY SYSTEM. FUNDING 
          [76.26-00249 ]
IS INCLUDED IN THE 2026 BUDGET FOR HIS CONTRACT BY THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO I'M 70 SAYING DON'T GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS, 2ND, BY A COUNCILMAN, MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES 77 AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION, TESTING, AND LABORATORY SERVICES WITH SOUTHERN EARTH SCIENCE, INC. 
          FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVIE, OUR CAPACITY PROJECT. OH, HAMMOND HIGHWAY, SEGMENT 2. 
          MILLERVILLE TO O'NEILL IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $238,000 BY TRANSPORTATION AND 
          [77.26-00305 ]
DRANSK DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION. 
          MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 78, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NO. 1 TO A CONTRACT 
          [02:50:01]
WITH WTA ENGINEERS. INC. FOR ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVEBR ADA TRANSITION AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $430,000 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE 
          [78.26-00306]
WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOOG, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          ITEM 79. RECIDING AND DIRECTING CLERK COURT TO CANCEL NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON NOVEMBER 21ST, 2025 AND DECISION ORDER RECORDED ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2025. MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS KATIE, CHARLIE EVERETT REASON FOR DECISION. 
          THIS PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD AND RENOVATED. THIS IS BY COUNCILMAN HURST. MM-MM. 
          [79.26-00319]
THIS IS THE RESCINDING. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NO, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. ITEM 59. IT'S THE SAME ONE. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME ITEM. I RECOGNIZE THE NAME. OH. IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S DIFFERENT. WE HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE. SAME PERSON, SAME CASE. AND BOTH OF THEM WERE KATIE CHARLOTTE, EVER, BOTH OF THEM SAME PERSON. YEAH, YEAH. IT'S 2 DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. STATE OF FRONT AND MUNICIPAL ADDRESSES. 
          BUT THE SAME PERSON. SAME OWNER. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? WE HAVE OPPOSITION BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MACHINES. 
          MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 79. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN GAUDET? YES. COUNCILMAN MOE? NO. COUNCILMAN ADAMS? NO. 
          COUNCILMAN DUNNINGER? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HURST? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN ROCCO? NO. 
          COUNCILMAN KNOEL? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HUDSON? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN AMOROSA? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN COLEMAN? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN KENNEY? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN HARRIS? YES. THANK YOU. AND MAYBE AUTHORIZING THE PAST ATTORNEYS OFF THE INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS. AND ARE TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVIE OR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. L. A. 
          42 HOLLAND ROAD AT PICO LANE, BEING PROJECT NUMBER 23, AND A C. 0, 0, 2, 8, 
          [80.26-00324 ]
BY THE PAST ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. SEE, NO, GO TO COUNCIL COMES FROM DONE, JR. THANK YOU. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT AS ATTORNEY. 
          FOR THIS PROJECT, PLEASE, UH, WOULD THE PARENTS TURN TO BE AN APPROPRIATE PERSON TO SPEAK ON? PICK YOU, COME ON, COME ON, HE'S GONNA GET IT. I THINK THE LAST TIME WE CHATTED, WE HAD SOME CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED BY BY ST. GEORGE. I THINK THOSE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS POINT. THIS COUNCIL ALSO HAS APPROVED THE RESOLUTION TO SAY THAT THEY SHOULD. THAT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE HAS MADE HIM. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXISTING PROJECT AS WELL. SO THIS IS THE 1 THAT WE DID, THE RESOLUTION ON IT AT THE LAST MEETING. YES. AND JUST FOR FRESH AIR BATTERY MEMORIES, CAN YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THAT? THERE WERE 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT OPTIONS. OKAY. 
          THERE, THAT IS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. WE WENT BACK TO THE EXISTING OPTION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT ABOUT THIS, TOO. THE ISSUE IS WE HAD A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION. THERE WAS ANOTHER PLAN B WAS TO MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE EAST, I MEAN, TO THE WEST, EXCUSE ME. AND THEN THE NEXT PLAN WAS TO MOVE IT DIRECTLY AWAY FROM WHERE WE ARE AND HAVE A STRAIGHT SHOT INTO HIGHLAND. 
          IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. ST. 
          GEORGE, THEY CONCURRED WITH WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO AS WE PLANNED AND PROPOSED. AND AFTER OUR MEETINGS WE'VE HAD WITH THE PUBLIC, ALSO TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO. AND WE ARE HONORING THAT, THAT COMMITMENT AT THIS POINT. THE THING FOR THIS ISSUE HERE IS 
          [02:55:01]
FOR EXPROPRIATION, YOU DO HAVE TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY FROM IN THE AREA FOR THIS PROJECT. I THINK BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT WE PICKED, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH EASIER TO DEAL WITH. BUT, HOWEVER, WE STILL NEED TO HAVE A PROJECT FORWARD UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          THANK YOU, BILL, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? JUST THE GENERAL AUTHORIZATION WE HAVE FOR ANYTHING WE BUY OR NEGOTIATE, OR CONTINUE. THIS IS JUST, WE BRING YOU AN AUTHORIZATION FOR EVERY SINGLE PROJECT AND MOVE BEYOND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR IT. YES. COUNCILMAN GAUDET. THAT'S FINE. THEY BOTH JUST SAID IT. I WAS GOING TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLEAR TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE LIVING IN THAT AREA OR IMPACTED BY THIS. THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL TAKING OF PROPERTY. THIS IS THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN DISCUSSIONS AROUND. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, GUYS. MAKING THAT CLEAR. ASSEMBLYMEMBER HUDSON WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THE MOTION ON THIS. THIS IS A SHARED PORTION OF OUR MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          ALL RIGHT. APPOINTMENT. 81 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT IT. GO TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. 
          ITEM A, THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION. RESCINDING AND DIRECTING CLERK TO COURT TO CANCEL A NOTICE TO ATTEND RECORDED ON JULY 14, 2025 AND DECISION IN ORDER RECORDED ON DECEMBER 01, 2025. IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS HENRY L. THURMAN JR. REASON FOR RESCISSION OF PROPERTY IS BEING RENOVATED BY THE OWNER. THIS IS BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW THE ITEM TO BE INTRODUCED. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. DO YOU SECOND? DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANYONE 
          [ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS]
WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? SEEING NONE, I NEED A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES. ANY OBJECTION ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES? WE HAVE OBJECTION. ITEM CANNOT BE INTRODUCED. APPOINTMENTS. 81, EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT DISTRICT. 
          CONSIDERATION OF REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING STEPHEN WADER. CURRENT BALLOT IS STEPHEN WADER, WHO IS REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN TO REAPPOINT. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. MR. WADER, ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 82 CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM, REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING FREDERICK THOMAS, WHO HAS APPLIED FOR REAPPOINTMENT FOR A TERM JANUARY 26 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2028. CURRENT 
          [81.  26-00323]
BALANCE, FREDERICK THOMAS. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? OPPOSITION. NO OPPOSITION. COUNCILMAN GODE. 
          MR. THOMAS IS IN THE AUDIENCE. I'M JUST GOING TO GET HIM TO SAY HI. NO OPPOSITION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. 
          OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. THOMAS. NO OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES 83 CAPILLARY TRANSIT 
          [82.26-00364 ]
SYSTEM. REPLACING JOHN VUKOVIC TO RESIGN TERM IS JANUARY 2ND, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2028. CURRENT BALLOT IS ASHLEY YOUNG, ASHLEY YOUNG. 
          ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM SEE NO ONE. GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST TO APPOINT. 
          ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          CONGRATULATIONS, MS. YOUNG. 
          84, LET'S TAKE 84, 85, 86 TOGETHER. EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING WADE EVANS, REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING MICHAEL KIMBALL, REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING DAVID MCDAVID, 
          [83.26-00365 ]
TERM JANUARY 10, 2026 THROUGH JANUARY 10, 2029. 
          ON ALL THREE, ALL REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT, CURRENT BALLOT, ALL THE THREE REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEEING NO, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          [Items 84-86]
CHANGE ORDERS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 87 THROUGH 91 TOGETHER. 
          PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX CHILLER REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR BOB BERNHARDT AND ASSOCIATES MECHANICAL, LLC. ADDITIONAL TIME FOR MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION, TIME FOR CHANGE ORDER ONE. SCOPE OF WORK, ADDITIONAL TIME TO RECONCILE ACTUAL COMPLETION OF WORK WITH FINAL ACCEPTANCE. 88, LABOR ONLY FOR PLUMBING AND SEWER SERVICES CONTRACTOR, LEWIS MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT 192,500. 89, BRPD FIRST DISTRICT PRECINCT, 
          [03:00:01]
INTERIOR RENOVATIONS CONTRACTOR, SAGE CONSTRUCTION LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT. 
          $39,656.55. 90, SALES TAX, 
          [Items 87-91]
STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM, PROJECT 19-7, HOLLYWOOD STREET AIRLINE TO SCENIC AND EVANGELIST STREET AIRLINE TO BATON ROUGE. 
          CONTRACTOR, BARBER BROTHER CONTRACTING, LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $124,535. 91 IS PICARDY PERKINS CONNECTOR, MALL OF LOUISIANA BOULEVARD. 
          CONTRACTOR, DENLEY BROWN CONTRACTORS. LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT $71,956.12. ANYONE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? 87 THROUGH 91. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          FINAL ACCEPTANCES. 92, PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX, CHILLER REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR, BOMB BURNOUT & ASSOCIATES, MECHANICAL LLC. FINAL COST $666,506. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS. 93, TEMPORARY LABOR SERVICES FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION, CABILDO STAFFING. LOW BID CABILDO STAFFING LLC, $147,340. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN 
          [92. 26-00343]
GAUDET. WE HAVE A SECOND. 
          SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 94 LOBDELL AVENUE, GOODWOOD BOULEVARD AND LOBDELL AVENUE, 7 OAKS AVENUE INTERSECTION, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS. PROJECT LOW BID BROWN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION LLC, $651,032.79. ANYONE HERE 
          [93.26-00243 ]
WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. SEEING NO ONE, GO TO COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. YOU WANT TO CALL THEM UP AND TALK TO THEM SO WE CAN SHARE WITH THE WHOLE CLASS? SO, FRED, WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE OVERALL COST OF THIS. YES, MA'AM. HELP ME THINK THROUGH THIS. SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND JUST ACCEPT THIS? LOW BID TONIGHT. AND THEN IF WE NEED, WHAT? WHAT I GUESS COMES 
          [94.26-00376 ]
WOMAN UP, MY ISSUE WOULD BE WE HAVE IT WITHIN THE BID. I'M IT'S A LITTLE HARD. IN THE ESTIMATE, THE NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE OVERALL PROPOSITION WAS AN ESTIMATE, AND BUT THESE ARE THE NUMBERS NOW. 
          BUT IF YOU STILL WANT TO GET BACK TO SOME OF THE HOMEOWNER GROUPS AND THEN AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT THAT COST. I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET WITH WITH THEM TO DISCUSS THAT, OR WE CAN GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT. 
          I MEAN, ME PERSONALLY, I THINK WE OUGHT TO APPROVE IT. BECAUSE FOR WHAT, THE PRICE AND WHAT THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE. FOR THIS AREA AND THE NEED AND THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED WITHIN THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I WOULD RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. OKAY. I MEAN, YOU AND I ARE IN THE SAME PLACE. I JUST HAD CONCERNS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S THE ONLY THING HERE. SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RECOMMEND THAT WE JUST DEAL WITH IT ON THE BACK. YOU ASKED ME, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND. I JUST THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND I THINK IT'S WELL WITHIN THE NUMBERS. AND I THINK WHEN THEY ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW AND LAY OUT, I THINK THEY'LL SEE THE BENEFIT, TOO. I AGREE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. DO I? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          ITEM 95, RECEIVING REPORT FROM BATON ROUGE. FIRE DEPARTMENT ON FIRE DATA AND FIRE SAFETY BY COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMOROSA. 
          BY THE FIRE CHIEF, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE REPORT FIRST, THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. 
          CHIEF? THANK YOU AGAIN, AND WHILE HE'S GETTING THAT READY, I WANT TO TELL YOU AS A COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR YOUR CITY'S BRAVEST. AS I TELL EVERYBODY, THESE MEN AND WOMEN GIVE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO THIS CITY IN FIRE PROTECTION. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE LONGEST, CONTINUOUS CLASS 1 DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND THAT'S SOMETHING PROUD TO STAND ON. WHAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN DO, OUTSIDE OF JUST FIGHTING FIRE, IS WE WANT TO REDUCE THE RISK 
          [95.26-00246]
THAT OUR PEOPLE DEAL WITH. 
          BEFORE I WAS APPOINTED A FIRE CHIEF, I WAS A FIRE INVESTIGATOR FOR THE CITY. IN JANUARY OF 2018, IN A 48-HOUR PERIOD, I INVESTIGATED 15 RESIDENTIAL HOME FIRES IN THE CITY LIMITS OF BATON ROUGE. IN THOSE 15 FIRES, NINE PEOPLE PERISHED. 
          NOT ONE WORKING SMOKE ALARM WAS IN THOSE HOUSES. AND I SAID AT THAT POINT, IF I EVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THIS CITY AND PUT A SMOKE ALARM IN EVERY HOUSE, I'M GOING TO DO IT. I WISH I HAD THE MANPOWER TO PUT A PERSON IN THE 100 BLOCK OF NORTH BOULEVARD AND 
          [03:05:02]
WALK EACH DIRECTION AND GO HOUSE TO HOUSE. 
          BUT RIGHT NOW, MY MEN AND WOMEN ARE MAKING OVER 40,000 CALLS IN A YEAR, RESPONDING TO TRUE EMERGENCIES AND TRAINING TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THAT CLASS 1 RATING. AND ULTIMATELY, SAVE LIVES. SO WHAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH TO TRY TO TOUCH EVERY HOME IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, OPERATION SAVE A LIFE. IF YOU WOULD, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE KNOW. OUT OF THREE OUT OF FOUR DEATHS THAT OCCUR, THEY DO NOT HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER TO EDUCATE OUR CITIZENS OF HOW TO GET A SMOKE ALARM IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW. IT TAKES ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF TWO MINUTES FOR SOMEBODY TO PERISH ONCE THEY KNOW THERE'S SMOKE. IT TAKES THEM, IF THEY'RE NOT OUT OF THAT HOUSE WITHIN TWO MINUTES, THEIR CHANCE OF SURVIVAL IS VERY LOW. SIX PERCENT OF THESE REDUCED, AND THESE ARE POSSIBLE WITH A WORKING SMOKE ALARM. SO IT'S PROVEN IF YOU HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM, YOU HAVE A SURVIVAL RATE THAT IS HIGH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THIS STATEWIDE INITIATIVE WITH THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE THAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN A GRANT TO GIVE US AS MANY SMOKE ALARMS AS THEY HAVE. 
          AS MANY REQUESTS THAT WE GET, WE CAN GO IN AND PUT THEM IN, AND IT'S WORKING. IN 2025, WE PUT IN 300, A LITTLE OVER 300 SMOKE ALARMS, NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH. 
          IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS, WE HIT 96. IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS OR FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, EVERY DAY. 
          WHEN THAT COLD SNAPPED, WE WAS PUTTING THEM IN. WE WAS OUT THERE. AND IT'S NOT JUST DURING THE WINTER WE HAVE THESE FIRES, Y'ALL. THESE FIRES HAPPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE PUSHING, BUT WE NEED TO HELP. WE NEED TO EDUCATE. IT'S A QUICK, QUICK THING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, OF REACHING OUT. 
          THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY CONNECT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LOG IN, PUT IN YOUR INFORMATION. WE GET IT. 
          WE'LL SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. 
          IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, IT'S CALLING YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO GET TO THE INTERNET, CALL 354-1400. 
          SEND YOUR PEOPLE OUR WAY, AND WE'LL COME TO THEM. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WHAT DOES A WORKING SMOKE ALARM DO? IT NOTIFIES YOU. IT'S VERY SIMPLE. 
          THEY'RE FREE. THEY ALERT YOU. 
          WE CAN GET YOU IN AND GET YOU OUT. IT HELPS WITH EVERYTHING. THE COMMUNITY CONNECT PROGRAM IS SOMETHING WE JUST PURCHASED, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR EVERYBODY TO JOIN. IT'S A SIMPLE LOGIN. 
          IT GIVES US INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOME. RIGHT NOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THESE INSPECTIONS, WE GATHER THOSE POINTS OF CONTACT. WE KNOW WHO TO CALL IF SOMETHING HAPPENS. 
          THIS COMMUNITY CONNECT PROGRAM, IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AT YOUR HOME, AND YOU'RE NOT THERE, IT ALERTS YOU. IF YOU HAVE AN ELDERLY PERSON THAT LIVES AT YOUR HOME, WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION UPON THE DISPATCH. IF YOU HAVE BURGLAR BARS, OR IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR HOUSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, THAT'S BEDRIDDEN, THAT INFORMATION COMES DIRECTLY TO US UPON THE DISPATCH. THAT SAVES LIVES. BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN WE PULL UP, WE NEED TO GET TO THAT BACK CORNER OF THAT HOME BECAUSE THERE'S AN ELDERLY PERSON IN THERE. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS GOING TO THAT WEBSITE OF THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LOGGING INTO COMMUNITY CONNECT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          IT'S VERY SIMPLE. AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SLIDES, SPECIAL NEEDS. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL NEEDS RELATIVE OR SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS THAT, IT HELPS US. THE MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN GIVE US, THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE OF SURVIVAL RATE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND THAT GOES BACK OVER HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THE COMMUNITY CONNECT. 
          AGAIN, WE'RE OUT THERE PRODUCING THESE SMOKE ALARMS. WE ASK AND BEG. WE'LL COME TO ANY COMMUNITY EVENT. WE'RE THERE. WE WANT TO PUSH THIS OUT THERE TO EVERYBODY. 
          AGAIN, WORKING SMOKE ALARM SAVES LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE COUNCIL. ANYBODY HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? SEEING NONE, COUNCIL MEMBER ROSE. THANK YOU, CHIEF. THE REASON I DID THIS WAS BECAUSE I NEEDED SMOKE ALARMS. AND BECAUSE ALL MY SMOKE ALARMS WERE DOWN AND I TALKED TO THE CHIEF AND ALL, THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE. SO THE GREAT THING WAS THAT THEY DID GO THROUGH MY HOUSE. THEY TOLD ME EXACTLY WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE FOR THE BEST, THE BEST LOCATION FOR THEM TO BE. ALSO, IN TALKING TO OTHER FIREMEN, WHICH MY SON IS ONE IN WEST BATON ROUGE, AND HE SAID THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THEY HAVE OVER THERE AS WELL IS THAT. 
          THEY HAD FIRES AND THERE WERE DEATHS BECAUSE PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE SMOKE ALARMS. SO THAT WAS MY WHOLE POINT. AND I THINK PEOPLE FORGET THAT THERE ARE SMOKE ALARMS OUT THERE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO I THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND WHAT YOU DO. 
          THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. CHIEF, WOULD YOU MIND 
          [03:10:02]
SHARING THOSE SLIDES WITH THE COUNCIL? BECAUSE I GO TO HOA MEETINGS ALL THE TIME, AND I CAN INCLUDE THAT IN, ALONG WITH THE THINGS I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WILL SAVE YOU SOME STEPS. 
          BUT MAYBE SOME OF THE BIGGER ONES I'LL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT, AND Y'ALL CAN GO. YES, MA'AM. 
          WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT, AND I'LL HAVE IT IN YOUR INBOX IN THE MORNING. YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. AND YOU DON'T MIND IF WE SHARE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA? BY ALL MEANS. AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT A HOUSE WITH A FIRE ALARM IS A HEALTHY HOME? SORRY. I WOULD SAY, YES, MA'AM. AND IT DOESN'T COST $60,000. HEY, CHIEF, WHAT WOULD THE FEE BE TO GO TO ONE OF HER MEETINGS WITH HER? ZERO. CAN KELLY COME TO THE PODIUM? COUNT THEM UP. 
          CHIEF, ALONG WITH THE SMOKE DETECTORS, ARE THEY INCORPORATED IN CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS, TOO? ARE Y'ALL DOING THOSE ALSO? NO, SIR. THIS IS STRICTLY SMOKE ALARMS AT THAT TIME. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY. CALIFORNIA CALL. YEAH. CHIEF, GREAT INFORMATION. AND I, TOO, LIKE ADAMS, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT. 
          AND ALSO, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A FLYER UP THAT WE DEVISED ABOUT, YEAH, GETTING SMOKE DETECTORS. AND ALL OF MY SENIORS, WE MADE SURE OF THAT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS 100 BLOCK OF NORTH BOULEVARD. EXPOUND ON THAT FOR ME, PLEASE. AS WORKING AS A FIREFIGHTER IN DOWNTOWN HERE, STATION 12, I KNEW THE BLOCK NUMBERS OF EVERY PART OF THIS CITY. 
          AND THE 100 BLOCK OF NORTH BOULEVARD STARTS THE CITY IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY. 
          YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND SO BECAUSE THAT'S IN 10, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. IS IT SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO BE DOING OR EVERYBODY ON THAT IN THAT BLOCK? EVERYBODY ON THAT 100 BLOCK HAS THIS? YES, MA'AM. EVERYBODY'S STRAIGHT? WE'RE STRAIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW. THANK YOU, CHIEF. ALL RIGHT. ITEM 96 HAS A RECOMMENDATION TO DELETE THIS ITEM, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE. CONTRACT WITH ELITE AFFAIRS LLC FOR EVENT PLANNING, LOGISTICS, AND SUPPORT OF EMPLOYEE BR JOB FAIR IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,152 BY WORKFORCE INVESTMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE GO TO COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION TO DELETE? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 
          WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 97 AND 98 TOGETHER. THESE ARE EMERGENCY ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 16442. THESE ITEMS MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY TWO-THIRDS VOTE IN METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. I NEED A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 
          MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOTE. 
          SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNY. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 97, IN ACCORDANCE WITH RS. 38-2212, EMERGENCY PURCHASE JUSTIFICATION FOR EMS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING BY THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR. 
          AND 98, IN ACCORDANCE WITH RS. 
          38-2212, EMERGENCY PURCHASE JUSTIFICATION FOR EMS ADMINISTRATION, EMS 11, ZACHARY SERVICE LOCATION, 5650 CARPENTER ROAD, ZACHARY, LOUISIANA, 70791, BY THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR. THIS IS JUST A NOTIFICATION FOR US. 
          THIS IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THESE WERE. PURCHASED BY EMERGENCY, THAT'S WHAT THESE ITEMS ARE. 
          IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT APPROVING. IT IS JUST RECEIVING THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THESE WERE PURCHASED UNDER EMERGENCY. ANYONE HERE, WHICH IS SPEAKING ON THESE ITEMS. SEEING THEM, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION, MOTION BY COUNSELING MODE 2ND, MY COUNSELING GO DAY. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES. 
          ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO RECONSIDER ITEM 46 BY COUNCILMAN HURST. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. ANY OPPOSITION TO RECONSIDERATION OF ITEM 46? THIS IS A CONDEMNATION. NO OBJECTION. 
          ITEM 40, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? 90 DAYS. 90 DAYS ON ITEM 46. 
          MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. 
          SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ANY OTHER BUSINESS? COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSA? YES, MA'AM. ALL 
          [03:15:02]
COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED, JEFF HAS PASSED OUT, 
          [46.26-00277]
A PACKET THERE FOR THE LSU ARTS MUSEUM. IT'S CALLED THE PALETTE, SOUTHERN PALETTE, AND THESE ARE TICKETS. AND IT'S MARCH 21ST. THAT'S A SATURDAY FROM 6 TO 10. AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT STUFF. SO YOU DO HAVE A TICKET IN YOUR PACKET THERE AND DEFINITELY WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING. 
          THANK YOU, YES, THANK YOU, YES, HANG ON. ONE SEC COUNCILMAN, DR. SLAUGHTER. THIS WILL BE QUICK. WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD NEWS. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW IT DIRECTOR, AKA CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, RIZWAN AHMED. WHEN ERIC ROMERO SAID THAT HE WAS RETIRING, WE WERE ALL EXTREMELY SAD. AND I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT FILLING HIS SPOT BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE ALL SO, VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT ERIC DID. WE HAD ALREADY POSTED A POSITION AND ERIC AND I WENT THROUGH RESUMES. AND THERE WAS ONE THAT ABSOLUTELY CAME TO THE TOP AND WAS OUTSTANDING. 
          THIS IS RIZWAN'S RESUME. HE HAS BEEN CIO AT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN 2006-2008. HE HAS BEEN OVER OFFICE OF GROUP BENEFITS, IT. HE'S DEALT WITH AMAZINGLY LARGE BUDGETS AT THE STATE. HE HAD 320 EMPLOYEES AND $850 MILLION IN HIS BUDGET. AND IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, I SAID, REALLY? YOU WANT TO COME HERE? I MEAN, WE'RE LIKE, THIS BIG. 
          BUT THAT'S OKAY. IT'S A GOOD GIG. HE HAS ALREADY COME IN AND REFINED PROCESSES AND HAS LOTS OF RECOMMENDATIONS. HE'S ALREADY GOTTEN US SOME LICENSES IN A NEGOTIATED DEAL WITH THE STATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR. EVERY TIME HE COMES TO MY OFFICE, HE HAS SOME GOOD NEWS. THAT STARTS WITH, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS, OR WE MANAGED TO FIGURE THIS OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S GOING TO LAST, BUT IT'S GREAT FOR NOW. SO, YOU KNOW, HE IS AN AWARD MAGNET. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE AWARDS THAT HE HAS RECEIVED, BUT BETWEEN WHAT ERIC HAS STARTED AND WHAT RIZWAN IS CONTINUING, I THINK THAT OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND OPEN DATA AND SOME OF THE SYSTEMS THAT YOU ALL HAVE SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE NATIONAL MODELS. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING RIZWAN. SO I'M A SHORT ERIC. I DON'T WANT TO REALLY DO MUCH TIME AND JUST TELL YOU VERY QUICKLY, I WORKED IN KUWAIT FOR 11 YEARS, THEN MOVED IN LOUISIANA, BECAME A CITIZEN HERE IN 1986. SINCE THEN, I'M HERE, ALL MY THREE CHILDREN WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE. 
          CLAIM THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH, BUT I MEAN, YOU'LL BE THE JUDGE. AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, CRYSTAL ALREADY INFORMED YOU WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THE STATE AND ALL THAT. I THINK I REALLY, TRULY A PUBLIC SERVANT. RIGHT FROM THE DAY ONE I JOINED, YOU KNOW, STATE, I'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO DO MY LEVEL BEST TO RAISE UP LOUISIANA. 
          LOUISIANA HAS GOT SO MUCH POTENTIAL, SO MANY THINGS, BUT SOMEHOW WE ACTUALLY DO NOT REALLY PROJECT OURSELVES. I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND GIVING SPEECHES ON DIFFERENT SET UP, AND THEY WERE REALLY, LOUISIANA, SOUTH, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE, NO IDEA HOW GOOD PEOPLE THEY ARE. 
          BUT WE ARE VERY... 
          CONSERVATIVE IN A SENSE, WE DON'T WANT TO BOAST ABOUT OURSELVES. WE JUST WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB. SO I'M HERE, HONESTLY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO AS BEST JOB AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR CITIZENS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PARISH. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER. I DON'T WANT TO BE BETWEEN YOU AND A BEAUTIFUL DINNER THAT SHE'S WAITING FOR YOU. HE'LL PROBABLY KICK ME IN THE SHINS. WE'RE ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT. 
          BUT HE'S WORKING ON BUILDING THE INTERNAL AI TEAM. SO I KNOW THIS WAS, HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT LAST TIME. WE DON'T WANT TO OVERPROMISE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO DELIVER REAL SOON. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUMP PAST A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. SO, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU HAVE ANOTHER? OKAY, TRUE, 
          [03:20:06]
YES. COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSO. CAN I SAY ONE THING? WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS. THAT'S FINE. 
          HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACHEL LAMBERT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACHEL. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 
          COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. DISTRICT 7 IS HOSTING ITS HOPPING INTO SPRING COMMUNITY FEST SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2026 FROM 10 TO 12 AT BAILFARE MONASTERY. MAGNUS SCHOON, PLEASE JOIN US FOR MUSIC, GAMES, GIVEAWAYS, FUN AND FOOD. AND PETER COTTONTAIL WILL BE IN HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. 
          GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.