[1. Roll Call]
[00:00:04]
MRS. TWAHNA, COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? YES.
MR. JOSHUA NEWVILLE. PRESENT, MR. BRADLEY RICKS.
PRESENT. MR. EDWIN BERAUD. PRESENT. MR. MICHAEL LEMING.
PRESENT. MR. TODD STERLING. PRESENT. YOU HAVE QUORUM.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYONE PRESENT DESIRES TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, THE FLOOR IS CLOSED TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3. Consider Motion to Approve Agenda]
AGENDA ITEM 3. CONSIDER MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ONE AMENDMENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
YES. OKAY. AND WHAT IS THAT AMENDMENT? AND ANOTHER.
WE HAVE TWO? YES, MR. NEWVILLE. OKAY, THEN LET'S.
MR. BERAUD, LET'S TAKE THE FIRST ONE. ADD NUMBER 9, REJECT APPLICATION FOR KEVIN JOSEPH DELOACH JR.
HIS APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE POSTING PERIOD.
AND THAT WAS KEVIN? BECAUSE THAT WAS A LONG NAME. KEVIN JOSEPH. WHAT WAS THE FULL NAME? DELOACH.
AND WAS IT JR? JR. WAS ABOUT TO SAY. I THOUGHT I HEARD FOUR NAMES SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
AND SO APPLICATION SUBMITTED AFTER CLOSE. OKAY, SO THAT'LL BE AGENDA ITEM 9 BEFORE WE FINISH THAT MOTION.
MR. LEMING, WHAT IS YOUR AMENDMENT? I NEED TO ADD TO DISCUSS FIRE DEPARTMENT, DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION.
OKAY. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF NAMES ON THE ACTIVE TEST AND DISCUSS IF WE CAN GIVE ANOTHER TEST.
OKAY. I ASSUME. IS THIS JUST A DISCUSSION OR WILL THIS NEED SOME TYPE OF ACTION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ACTION. IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS US, FEEL FREE. YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO COME TO YOU TO DISCUSS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ELIGIBILITY LIST AND EXPLAINS WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE, AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS TODAY TO CALL FOR ANOTHER TEST.
OKAY, THEN MAYBE FOR NOW, LET'S ADD IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM, AND THEN WE MAY END UP NEEDING TO AMEND IT AGAIN LATER, DEPENDING ON WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANY CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS. SO WHAT WAS THAT POSITION, SORRY? DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF.
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF. AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A MOTION TO MAYBE ADD AS IT AS AGENDA ITEM 15 AND PUSH AGENDA ITEM 15 TO 16.
A DISCUSSION OF THE POSITION OF DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF.
AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF GO FROM THERE. OKAY. OKAY.
ANY OTHER NEEDS FOR AMENDMENT? HEARING NONE, DO I? WELL, TECHNICALLY, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE TWO MOTIONS.
I'LL SECOND BOTH MOTIONS. ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTIONS TO AMEND CARRY WITH THE INITIAL MOTION TO AMEND ITEM 9 WAS BY MR. BERAUD. I SECOND. AGENDA ITEM TO ADD 14 AND MOVE 15 BY MR. LEMING AND I SECOND. SO WITH THAT MOTION CARRYING, WE HAVE OUR AGENDA.
[4. Consider Motion to Approve Minutes from: • February 23, 2026]
AGENDA ITEM 4. CONSIDER MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 23RD, 2026.HAS EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THOSE MINUTES? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ISSUES, OBJECTIONS OR NEED FOR AMENDMENT? NO. ALL RIGHT THEN, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 23RD.
MOTION BY MR. LEMING. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
MR. BERAUD, I BELIEVE. OUT OF MY LEFT HERE. I WASN'T CERTAIN WHO IT WAS.
SO SECOND BY MR. BERAUD. ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE, MOTION CARRIES.
[5. Consider Motion to Approve or Reject Personnel Action Forms in the Baton Rouge Fire and Police Departments.]
AGENDA ITEM 5. CONSIDER MOTION TO APPROVE OR REJECT PERSONAL ACTION FORMS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.IS THIS WHAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME, OR IS THIS.
ALL RIGHT, MOTION BY MR. BERAUD. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MR. LEMING. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA ITEM 6.
[6. Consider Motion to Call for Examinations in the BRPD for: • Police Communications Officer II]
CONSIDER MOTION TO CALL FOR EXAMINATIONS IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR POLICE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER II.[00:05:03]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION CALL FOR AN EXAMINATION FOR POLICE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER II.MOTION BY MR. BERAUD. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SECOND BY MR. LEMING. ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[7. Consider Motion Review/Accept Applications in the BRFD for: • Fire Communications Officer II • Fire Communications Officer III • Fire Inspector I]
AGENDA ITEM 7. CONSIDER A MOTION TO REVIEW/ACCEPT APPLICATIONS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FIRE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER II, FIRE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER III, FIRE INSPECTOR I.IS THIS JUST A MOTION OR. WHAT DO I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME TO OPEN? PERFECT. THEN DO I HAVE A MOTION ON AGENDA ITEM 7? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE APPLICATIONS FOR BATON ROUGE FIRE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER II, FIRE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER III, FIRE INSPECTOR I.
MOTION BY MR. LEMING. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. RICKS. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[8. Consider Motion to Reject Applications for Positions not Posted in the BRFD for: • Reject Fire Captain Application - Bryan Moncrief due to no active posting period for the position.]
CONSIDER MOTION TO REJECT APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS NOT POSTED IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR.DOES THIS NEED ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST SAY THAT HE TURNED IN AN APPLICATION, BUT HE PUT THE POSITION APPLYING FOR WAS FIRE CAPTAIN AND WE DO NOT HAVE. OKAY. AND MRS. HARRIS REACHED OUT TO HIM AND HE NEVER RESPONDED.
OKAY. AND I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO JUST KIND OF INFORMAL DISCUSSION, IF ANYTHING ELSE.
MR. RICKS, DID YOU. I SAW YOU FLINCH A LITTLE BIT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD OR. NO. OKAY, GOOD.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? MOTION BY MR. LEMING. SECOND BY MR. RICKS. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[9. Consider Motion to Disqualify the Following Applicants from the Police Finger Print Technician I Examination from the Posting Period Dates 02-26-2026 – 03-18-2026: • Clarnisha Brumfield – birth certificate not submitted with application • Ebony Bethly - application submitted after close of posting period]
AGENDA ITEM 9. CONSIDER MOTION TO DISQUALIFY THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS FROM THE POLICE FINGERPRINT TECHNICIAN I EXAMINATION FROM THE POSTING PERIOD DATES FEBRUARY 26TH, 2026 TO MARCH 18TH, 2026. CLARNISHA BRUMFIELD.BIRTH CERTIFICATE NOT SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION.
EBONY BETHLY. APPLICATION SUBMITTED AFTER CLOSE OF POSTING PERIOD.
KEVIN JOSEPH DELOACH JR. APPLICATION SUBMITTED AFTER CLOSE OF POSTING PERIOD.
IS THERE ANY NEED FOR INFORMAL DISCUSSION OR DEBATE ON THIS MATTER? HEARING NONE, FLOOR IS CLOSED. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO REJECT THE APPLICATION FOR CLARNISHA BRUMFIELD, EBONY BETHLY, AND KEVIN DELOACH.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? MOTION BY MR. BERAUD, SECONDED BY MR. RICKS. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, MOTION CARRIES.
[10. Consider Motion to Review / Accept Applications in the BRPD for: • Police Fingerprint Technician I ]
AGENDA ITEM 10. CONSIDER MOTION TO REVIEW/ACCEPT APPLICATIONS IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR POLICE FINGERPRINT TECHNICIAN I.MOTION BY MR. BERAUD. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MR. LEMING OR MR. STERLING? SECOND BY MR. LEMING.
ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE. MOTION CARRIES.
[11. Consider Motion to Review / Accept Test Results in the BRFD for: • Chief of Special Services]
AGENDA ITEM 11. CONSIDER MOTION TO REVIEW/ACCEPT TEST RESULTS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR CHIEF OF SPECIAL SERVICES.DO I HAVE A MOTION? OH, THAT'S MY PACKET. AND I WAS TOLD THAT NOT FIVE MINUTES AGO.
LET ME JUST GET INTO A GROOVE. YES, SIR.
[00:12:20]
AS TO AGENDA ITEM 11 CONSIDER MOTION TO REVIEW.ACCEPT TEST RESULTS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR CHIEF OF SPECIAL SERVICES AFTER REVIEW.
FOUR INDIVIDUALS PASSED, TWO INDIVIDUALS DID NOT PASS AND THERE WAS ONE NO SHOW.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS.
MOTION BY MR. RICKS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
SECOND BY MR. LEMING. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
AGENDA ITEM 12. NOTIFICATION FROM THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EFFECTIVE AS OF FEBRUARY 21ST,
[12. Notification from the BRFD Effective as of February 21, 2026 the Following Provisional and Substitute Appointments Have Occurred: • Assistant Chief of Special Services Awaiting Test Scores. • Fire Services and Supply Technician Jerome Robertson has been Placed into a Substitute Appointment to Assistant Chief of Special Services. • Fire Captain Buford Moran has been Placed into a Substitute Appointment to Fire Services and Supply Technician.]
2026. THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONAL AND SUBSTITUTE APPOINTMENTS HAVE OCCURRED.CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY ACTION IS NEEDED HERE.
SO WITH NO ACTION. MOVING ALONG. AGENDA ITEM 13.
[13. Discuss and Consider Motion to Amend the Board's Examination Posting Periods to Directly Align with the Statutory Requirements, Including, but not Limited to, La. R.S. 33.2492.]
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER MOTION TO AMEND THE BOARD'S EXAMINATION POSTING PERIODS TO DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE TITLE 33.2492.I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO SOME INFORMAL DISCUSSION.
MR. BERAUD, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DISCUSS? SURE. BASICALLY, RIGHT NOW WE'VE TRADITIONALLY ALLOWED A 20 DAY POSTING PERIOD FOR BOTH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO I MENTIONED TO HER THAT THE STATUTE ONLY CALLS FOR TEN DAYS.
SEEMS LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ON BOARD WITH IT.
IT MADE IT HARD TO, I GUESS, GET NOTIFIED WITHIN THAT TEN DAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ANTIQUATED KIND OF VIEW ON THINGS OR NOT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR YOU GUYS.
YES, SIR. AND MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN THIS TRANSITION TOOK PLACE, WHEN THE STATUTE CHANGED FROM 30 TO 10, THE DEPARTMENT CAME FORWARD TO THIS BOARD AND ASKED TO ADOPT 20 DAYS TO GIVE OUR MEN AND WOMEN MORE OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT YOU SAID IS TRUE, MR. DARRAH. THE WAY OUR SCHEDULE IS, IF AN INDIVIDUAL TAKES OFF ONE SHIFT, THAT'S THREE WORKING DAYS, THEY ACTUALLY PUT THEM OFF 13 CALENDAR DAYS.
[00:15:05]
THAT COULD IMPACT THAT INDIVIDUAL BEING ABLE TO TAKE A PROMOTION OR COMPETITIVE EXAM.AND OUR GOAL AND VISION IS TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE.
THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM, FROM MY PART AS THE FIRE CHIEF.
SO, TWO QUESTIONS. WELL, ONE QUESTION FOR MR. DARRAH. AND THEN DEPENDING ON THAT, A FOLLOW UP FOR YOU, CHIEF.
IS THERE A, A REQUIREMENT, OR TWO, A GOOD REASON FOR US TO REQUIRE BOTH APPOINTING AGENCIES TO BE ON THE SAME SCHEDULE, OR DOES IT NOT REALLY MATTER? NO, THAT'S JUST A CONVENIENCE THING.
IN TERMS OF HAVING THEM BOTH ON A 10 DAY OR 20 DAY.
NO, THERE'S NO REASON. OKAY. SO THEORETICALLY, WE COULD HAVE TEN DAYS FOR POLICE, WHICH IS THEIR PREFERENCE AND THEN ANOTHER PERIOD FOR FIRE IF IT WAS THEIR PREFERENCE. YEAH. AND NOT TO PUT WORDS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S MOUTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THEIR PREFERENCE. I JUST KNOW THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT. THEY DON'T MIND IT. AND THEN CHIEF, A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU. IS 20 NECESSARY? WOULD 15 BE SUFFICIENT OR IS THE 20 WHAT YOU NEED IT TO BE? I WOULD ASK FOR 20, PLEASE. FOR 20. OKAY. AND THEN, CHIEF, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT.
SOMEONE MAY NOT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT BEFORE I KIND OF TURN IT TO THE BOARD FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO KNOW? NO, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I'LL TURN TO THE BOARD IF ANYONE HAS ANY THOUGHTS OR DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES, TWO DIFFERENT OPERATING SYSTEMS. I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE SPLIT, ALLOW FIRE TO HAVE THEIR 20 DAYS, BECAUSE HOW THEIR SCHEDULE IS, AND GIVE US OUR TEN DAYS WHERE WE CAN BE MORE PROFICIENT.
BECAUSE I KNOW JUST SPEAKING IN MY RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AS CHAIR, WE'VE HAD A FEW ISSUES COME UP WHERE THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE RATHER THINGS MOVE MORE QUICKLY, AND THE POSTING PERIODS KIND OF STRETCHED THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO I CERTAINLY SAW THAT AS A POTENTIAL ISSUE.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? I WOULD JUST SAY I CONCUR.
OKAY. YEAH. SO AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, HE DOES NEED 20 DAYS.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THEY NEED TEN. I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT.
SO ARE WE LOCKED INTO THAT WHEN IT SAYS SHALL? DO WE HAVE. THAT´S A MINIMUM. RIGHT. IT'S BASICALLY JUST SAYING IT'S THE VERY MINIMUM.
IT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO. SO WE CAN DO. OKAY.
ABSOLUTELY. SO IT SHALL BE THAT MANY DAYS, BUT IT CAN BE LONGER.
IT JUST CAN'T BE SHORTER. MRS. HARRIS, WOULD THAT CAUSE YOU ANY ISSUES TO HAVE DIFFERENT POSTING PERIODS FOR THE TWO APPOINTING AGENCIES, OR DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE OKAY? I MEAN, IF Y'ALL VOTE FOR ME TO DO IT FOR 20 DAYS, I WILL. BUT IT WOULD BE EASIER ON MY END TO DO BOTH FOR TEN DAYS.
AND I HAVE GOING FOR TEN DAYS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE THE PREFERENCE. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIGHT CAUSE SOME ISSUES.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHETHER OR NOT TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, IF, BECAUSE OUR OPTIONS ARE KIND OF KEEPING BOTH AT 20, FORCING BOTH TO 10 OR DOING ONE AT 20 AND ONE AT 10.
I GUESS. OKAY. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE CHIEF OR AMONGST OURSELVES? THEN I WILL CLOSE THE FLOOR TO DEBATE. DO I HAVE A MOTION ON AGENDA ITEM 13? I MOVE TO SPLIT THE DAYS, FIRE DEPARTMENT 20 DAY, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 10 DAYS.
RICKS TO AMEND OUR POSTING POLICY TO HAVE A 20 DAY POSTING PERIOD FOR BATON ROUGE FIRE AND A 10 DAY POSTING PERIOD FOR BATON ROUGE POLICE, SECONDED BY MR. BERAUD. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[14. Consider Motion to Clarify Board Approved Forms for Applications for Competitive and Promotional Testing. ]
I'LL OPEN THIS FOR INFORMAL DEBATE AS WELL, MR. DURHAM. SO BASICALLY WHAT WE WERE GETTING WAS 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT APPLICATION FORMS FOR TESTS.[00:20:01]
AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CENTRALIZE IT, MAKE IT JUST ONE FORM SO THAT WAY EVERYBODY IS GIVING US THE SAME INFORMATION.AND THEN NOTIFY THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF, HEY, THIS IS THE FORM WE'RE GOING TO USE.
SO THAT WAY WHEN WE DO START TO REJECT, YOU KNOW, APPLICATIONS, EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO I THINK THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A NO BRAINER JUST TO USE THE SAME FORM.
AND WE CAN JUST START ACCEPTING, REJECTING AS NEED BE.
SO I BELIEVE WE HANDLED THAT AT THE EMERGENCY MEETING THAT WE HELD IN DECEMBER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PHONE CALL? THAT WAS.
THE ACTUAL TEST. THE ACTUAL TEST. THIS IS. OH, THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT OUT.
OKAY. APPLICATION IS WHAT IS REQUIRED. I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND. GOTCHA. I DO REMEMBER THIS NOW. I APOLOGIZE.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE WERE DOING IS FROM TIME TO TIME, IF SOMEONE WOULD TURN IN AN APPLICATION, LET'S SAY THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR THEIR DIPLOMA OR SOME OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
MRS. HARRIS WOULD REACH OUT TO THEM AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATE THEM.
BUT INEVITABLY WHAT THAT CREATES IS SOMEONE GETS REACHED OUT TO AND SOMEONE DOESN'T.
IT IS A COURTESY, BUT IT ALSO EXPOSES THE LIABILITY, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE SAW IN DECEMBER WHERE WE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY REJECT AN APPLICATION.
ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU NEED. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE HIDING THE BALL FROM ANYBODY.
AND I CAN SAY, IN SPEAKING WITH MRS. HARRIS, SOMETIMES SHE'S FOLLOWING UP AND THEN THEY'LL SEND MORE THINGS, BUT NOT WHAT WAS ASKED FOR. AND THEN IT BECOMES A QUESTION OF HOW MANY TIMES DO WE FOLLOW UP? AND IT BECOMES A LITTLE SUBJECTIVE, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY OF MY BATON ROUGE FIRE OR POLICE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD.
I'M FINE WITH NOT CONTACTING ANYONE AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE APPLICATION.
OKAY. ANY THOUGHTS, MR. LEMING? I´D JUST SAY, IF YOU CAN'T FOLLOW THE BASIC INSTRUCTIONS, MAYBE YOU SHOULD NOT BE APPLYING TO BE PROMOTED.
IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH THAT. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR DEBATE? HEARING NONE, CHAIR CLOSES THE FLOOR TO INFORMAL DEBATE.
MR. DARRAH, BECAUSE THIS AGENDA ITEM IS A LITTLE BIT MORE GENERIC, DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON HOW A MOTION SHOULD BE FRAMED ON THIS ONE? BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF GOT TWO DISCRETE ISSUES.
YEAH. SO I WOULD PROBABLY BREAK IT UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT MOTIONS.
THE FIRST WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A MOTION TO EXCLUSIVELY USE THE MOST RECENT.
CORRECT. APPLICATION. OKAY. MRS. HARRIS, IS THERE A WAY TO IDENTIFY? LIKE ARE THERE DATES OR NUMBERS? LIKE OTHER THAN US? THIS ONE SAYS COMPETITIVE AND THE OTHER ONE IS PROMOTIONAL AND THEIR.
THE REASON HE'S ASKING IS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT REQUIRES FORMS TO BE USED, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A DATE MODIFIED AND LIKE A NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM.
SO THAT WAY EVERYONE CAN SAY LIKE, THIS IS THE FORM YOU'RE USING.
AND. NO, THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE STATE EXAMINER'S WEBSITE.
ALL RIGHT. IF IT'S NOT ON THERE. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED A MOTION TO INSTRUCT MRS. HARRIS TO CREATE A NOTICE INFORMING BOTH DEPARTMENTS OF THE OFFICIAL FORM THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING.
IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING SIGNED OFF BY YOU TOO. YEAH.
[00:25:08]
AND WHAT WAS YOUR WORDING REQUESTING MRS. HARRIS TO THE NOTICE TO BOTH DEPARTMENTS? THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORM THAT WILL BE USED GOING FORWARD OR EFFECTIVE WHATEVER DATE.SO YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TWO FORMS. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE FORM.
ONE IS FOR COMPETITIVE, ONE IS FOR PROMOTION.
CORRECT? SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE FORM. YOU CHECK PROMOTION, RIGHT? NO IT'S STILL GOING TO BE TWO. OKAY.
THEN AS AN INITIAL MOTION, CONSIDERING AGENDA ITEM 14, THE CHAIR MOVES TO REQUEST MRS. HARRIS. TO SEND NOTICE TO BOTH DEPARTMENTS AS TO THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORMS TO BE USED GOING FORWARD.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MR. BERAUD.
ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE, MOTION CARRIES. IN THE SECOND ON AGENDA ITEM 14.
ACTUALLY, THE SIMPLER BUT MORE COMPLICATED. I WOULD JUST MOVE TO MAKE IT THE POLICY OF THE BOARD THAT WE WILL NOT CONTACT PEOPLE TO SUPPLEMENT WHATEVER APPLICATIONS THEY TURN IN.
IT'S SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WE WILL FOLLOW THE STATUTORY POSTING REQUIREMENTS, BUT NOT. THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE. THIS IS THE ONE ABOUT CALLING PEOPLE ABOUT.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THE WAY I MEANT IT WAS, WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW POSTING REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANY ADDITIONAL REACH OUT, WHAT IT WAS KIND OF IN MY MIND.
BUT DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW TO SKIN THAT PARTICULAR CAT? OKAY. OF COURSE. AND THAT'S WHY IT KIND OF IN MY MIND INSTEAD OF, IT COULD BE FRAMED AS WE'RE PULLING BACK ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
BUT I THINK THE BETTER FRAMING IS HERE'S WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AS A COURTESY ON OUR OWN, WE'VE BEEN DOING EXTRA.
THAT MAKES SENSE? YEAH. IT REALLY DOESN'T NEED A MOTION.
AND BECAUSE IT'S NOT A MATTER OF BOARD POLICY, IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING WE WERE DOING AS A COURTESY.
I AGREE, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS A MOTION.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE ON WHETHER IT IS A MOTION? I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT SO THAT WAY NO ONE CAN SAY WE DIDN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW.
BUT IT DOESN'T NEED IT. THEN AS A SECOND MOTION IN CONSIDERATION OF AGENDA ITEM 14, THE CHAIR MOVES THAT GOING FORWARD, OUR OFFICE SIMPLY FOLLOWS THE POSTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL POSITIONS AND DOES NOT ENGAGE IN ANY FURTHER CONTACT OR FOLLOW UP WITH ANY APPLICANT.
MR. BERAUD, DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? IT DOES SOUND GOOD. THEN DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. SECOND BY MR. LEMING. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 15, WHICH IS A
[Additional Item]
DISCUSSION AS TO THE POSITION OF DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF.I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN INFORMAL DEBATE AFTER THAT.
THANK YOU AGAIN. SO THE TEST THAT WE HAVE WILL NOT EXPIRE UNTIL NEXT SUMMER.
I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO MEMBERS ON THE ELIGIBILITY LIST THAT'S STILL HERE.
WE HAD A VACANCY OF SOON RETIREMENT THAT JUST HAPPENED.
THAT LEAVES ONE PERSON ON THE LIST WHO IS THE SENIOR MAN.
THAT INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO TAKE THE PROMOTION RIGHT BEFORE HE RETIRES.
OKAY? WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DUE TO RETIREMENTS HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
I'M ASKING THE GUY THAT'S ON THE LIST. HAVE TWO GUYS THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE LIST.
ONE IS NOT TAKING IT TILL THE END. ONE IS IN A SUBSTITUTE APPOINTMENT.
[00:30:06]
HE LEAVES IN JULY, I BELIEVE. SO THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER VACANCY.CAN I GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR ANOTHER TEST, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A WORKING TEST, THAT'S STILL GOOD AND COMBINE THOSE LISTS TOGETHER? YEAH. YOU CALL FOR A TEST AS THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFIED.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHIEF KIND OF EXPLAINING THAT, WE'RE ABOUT TO EXHAUST IT IN DUE COURSE.
I FORGOT ONE IMPORTANT THING. THERE'S A GENTLEMAN ON THE LIST THAT IS A PROBATIONARY.
I'M SORRY. THAT'S FOR LATER. YOU'RE RIGHT. KEEP GOING. ALRIGHT.
THAT'S A LOT. WHEN THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY REQUIRE IT, AND WE'RE HEARING THAT THE LIST IS ABOUT TO BE EXHAUSTED BECAUSE OF A LOT OF DEPARTMENT RETIREMENTS. EXCUSE ME. THERE'S NO NEED TO TO WAIT UNTIL THAT TEST EXPIRES.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR IT. SO, CHIEF, AS FAR AS TIMELINE, IS THIS BECAUSE AMENDING THE AGENDA FOR MAJOR ACTION ITEMS CAN ALWAYS BE A LITTLE COMPLICATED. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU NEED US TO DO TODAY, OR IS THIS SOMETHING WE COULD PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING? I NEED TO MOVE TO GET A TEST CALLED FOR. OKAY.
OKAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY OBJECTION. SO IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT AND KEEP THE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S ON THE WORKING LIST NOW, CALL FOR A TEST AND MERGE THOSE TESTS TOGETHER.
THAT IS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR ME. OKAY. SO CALLING FOR THIS NEXT TEST, I ONLY CURRENTLY HAVE ONE ASSISTANT CHIEF THAT'S IN HIS PROBATIONARY PERIOD. I HAVE ZERO CERTIFIED ASSISTANT CHIEFS.
THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS IN HIS PROBATIONARY PERIOD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE ALLOWED THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD PEOPLE TO TAKE THE TEST.
THIS INDIVIDUAL RETIRES OFFICIALLY. HE'S ON EXTENDED LEAVE NOW.
HE RETIRES OFFICIALLY IN JULY. OKAY. JUNE, JULY.
SO IF WE GO BACK AND CALL FOR THIS TEST AND ALLOW PROBATIONARY ASSISTANT CHIEFS TO TAKE IT, AGAIN, I SPOKE TO THIS INDIVIDUAL. HE'S NOT GOING TO TAKE THE TEST.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVEN HAVE THE TEST TAKEN BY THE TIME BEFORE HE'S RETIRED.
SO I WAS ABOUT TO ASK, ARE YOU NEEDING US TO SIMPLY CALL FOR A NEW EXAM, OR DO YOU ALSO NEED A WAIVER FOR THE REQUIREMENT? I DO NEED TO WAVE TO LOWER THE QUALIFICATIONS.
AND WHAT WAIVER ARE YOU LOOKING TO INCLUDE? CERTIFIED DISTRICT FIRE CHIEF.
SO CHIEF, TELL ME IF I HAVE THIS CORRECTLY. I BELIEVE WHAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR IS FOR A MOTION TO CALL FOR EXAMINATIONS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE POSITION OF DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF, AND INCLUDE A WAIVER TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE CERTIFIED OR CURRENTLY CERTIFIED AS DISTRICT FIRE CHIEF? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. MR. DERRICK, DO WE NEED TO FURTHER AMEND THE AGENDA OR WOULD THIS BE AN ACCEPTABLE MOTION AS THE AGENDA CURRENTLY SITS? I THINK WE CAN MAKE THE MOTION. I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE SPOKEN TO THE PERSON IN THE ASSISTANT CHIEF CLASS THAT WOULD GIVE THE TEST, SO IT'S ONLY ONE PERSON IN THAT CLASS THAT. CURRENTLY, YES, SIR.
I GET THAT. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS GUY IS STILL THERE.
BUT BY THE TIME WE GET THIS DONE, HE WILL BE RETIRED.
SO WE'RE KICKING THE CAN EVEN FURTHER. IS THERE A WAY TO INCLUDE HIM AND THE DISTRICT CHIEFS? USUALLY YOU'D WANT TO BASICALLY EXHAUST ONE, THEN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF, MIKE, THERE'S A WAY YOU COULD REACH OUT TO THE GUY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUY.
JUST SOME WAY TO. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
I CAN DOUBLE CHECK. OKAY. I FEEL CERTAIN HE DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE TEST.
SO AS A MIDDLE, HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM BEFORE? NO, NOT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. BUT I KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH.
[00:35:01]
AS A MIDDLE GROUND. AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS MIGHT BE ATTEMPTING TO GET A LITTLE CUTE.CAN WE MAKE A MOTION, SET THE WHEELS IN MOTION TODAY, AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS AN AGENDA ITEM AT OUR NEXT MEETING, JUST TO REVIEW AND GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY, IF HE WANTS TO COME IN AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
BECAUSE WE'RE POSTING IT FOR FOR 20 DAYS ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, SO THERE WOULD BE KIND OF A DRAG HERE THAT WOULD GIVE HIM TIME TO EITHER CONTACT US OR FOR US AT THE NEXT MEETING TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM TO COME BACK TO MR. LEMING AND SAY LIKE, HEY, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO HIM? DOES HE HAVE ANY ISSUE? IF HE DOES, THEN WE REACH OUT TO THE STATE EXAMINER AND SAY, HEY, DON'T HAVE THE EXAM, DON'T DO IT. AND OR WE'RE ALREADY 30 DAYS AHEAD OF WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND THEN THE CHIEF ISN'T IN A BIND. SO HE OFFICIALLY RETIRES JUNE THE 5TH.
BUT I DO AGREE. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, TO COVER OURSELVES OF HAVING HIM SIGN SOMETHING AGAIN, IF I MAKE THAT CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN OR NOT. I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST SOMETHING ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE IT. I WAS GOING TO SAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PASS IT. IF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS, WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WE FIX IT.
BUT I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE CHIEF AT HIS WORD AND MOVE ON.
AT THIS POINT, ONE LOGISTICAL POINT, OUR OFFICE IS IN THE MOVING US.
WE'RE ABOUT TO MOVE, I THINK, TO CITY HALL NOW. SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF DELAYS THAT WOULD PUT INTO THINGS, BUT AT LEAST I THINK WE GET THE. BUT FRANKLY, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE EVEN MORE SO THAT.
THOUGH, MRS. HARRIS, REMIND ME, DO YOU HAVE ANY REQUIREMENTS FROM THE MOMENT WE PASS A RESOLUTION, DO YOU HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO POST IT WITHIN AN AMOUNT OF TIME FROM THEN? OR IT NEEDS TO BE POSTED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE VOTE ON IT TODAY, WE DON'T CAUSE YOU PROBLEMS. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, I THINK IT SAID TWO DAYS, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO BE TWO DAYS BECAUSE.
YEAH, I'VE TAKEN LONGER THAN TWO DAYS DEPENDING ON WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
OKAY. OUR OFFICE IS GOING TO BE MOVING. SO LIKE, IF WE'RE MOVING, OUR STUFF IS GOING TO BE MOVING AND THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE APPLICANTS COME INTO OUR OFFICE DOWNTOWN AT THE HR BUILDING.
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING HERE, WOULD BE MORE FEASIBLE TO WAIT UNTIL WE MOVE. AND I'LL CHECK AGAIN WITH THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE DOING ALL OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY HAPPEN THIS WEEK. BUT FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS WEEK, PRETTY MUCH GET OUT OF WHERE WE ARE. THEN MY INCLINATION, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD HAS AN OBJECTION, IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AS THE CHIEF IS REQUESTING TODAY WITH AN EYE TOWARDS THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT EITHER AT OUR NEXT MEETING OR IN SOME EMERGENCY FASHION, WE MAY NEED TO ADDRESS IT. HOPEFULLY WE DO NOT, BUT IT'S A POSSIBILITY.
BUT THE ALTERNATIVE IS THAT WE BURN THE NEXT 30 DAYS AND THEN THE CHIEF IS IN A BIT OF A BIND.
AND MR. LEMING WILL STILL REACH OUT TO THIS INDIVIDUAL TO COME TO.
APPRECIATE THAT. AND THAT WAS KIND OF MY THOUGHT THAT IF YOU GET SOME COUNTERINDICATION, YOU IMMEDIATELY REACH OUT TO ME AND MRS. HARRIS, AND WE EITHER PUT IT ON LIKE WE LET THE STATE EXAMINER KNOW, HOLD OFF, WE THEN EITHER CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING OR WE JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA OF THE NEXT MEETING AND GO FROM THERE. IT'S KIND OF MY THOUGHT.
MR. ACTUALLY, I SAID THAT. YES. I HAVE NOTES ALL OVER THIS AND SO I'VE LOST TRACK OF WHAT I WAS DOING. AND WE ARE ON AGENDA 15, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY.
AS TO AGENDA ITEM 15, THE CHAIR MOVES TO CALL FOR EXAMINATIONS IN THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF, INCLUDING A WAIVER TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE CERTIFIED DISTRICT FIRE CHIEFS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. SECOND BY MR. LEMING.
ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, MOTION CARRIES.
BEFORE I MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 16, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO ADDRESS TODAY? THEN, IN CONSIDERATION OF AGENDA ITEM 16, CONSIDER MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING, THE CHAIR SO MOVES.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MR. RICKS.
ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE, MOTION CARRIES. MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.