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[CALL TO ORDER]
SPECIAL METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH, 2026.WE'RE GONNA CALL THE MEETING IN ORDER.
ACTUALLY, DO WE HAVE A FORM? WE HAVE A FORM.
EVERYBODY YOU GONNA SEE BEING PASSED AROUND IS THE PROOF OF NOTICE OF THE MEETING.
[1. 26-00591 Appointing John McLindon as the Parish Attorney for the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge effective May 4, 2026 at step 19 of pay grade 2350. By Councilwoman Laurie Adams, Councilman Aaron Moak, & Councilman Brandon Noel.]
WANT APPOINTED LEN AS PARISH ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH EAST BAT 2020 AT STEP 19 OF PAGE GRADE 2350 BY COUNCIL ADAMS. COUNCILMAN AARON, WELCOME COUNCIL.ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOTHING PUBLIC.
SO I HEAR MORE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A CONFLICT TO, UH, TO FAVOR ON BEHALF OF JOHN CLAIMING THAT HE'S BEEN FRIEND, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE'S BEEN, UH, ACTUALLY AN OPPONENT, UH, IN COURT.
HE'S BEEN A FIERCE OPPONENT IN THE CASE OF WE HAD.
UH, ON THE OTHER HAND, HE'S ALSO BEEN VERY SELF PROFESSIONAL, REASONABLE, ALWAYS PREPARED.
UM, HE'S A MEMBER OF A DEFENSE TEAM THAT EITHER YOU DO WANT TO GO GET, YOU DON'T WANNA GO GET.
HE'S ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO BE FAIR, HONEST, ETHICAL.
UH, HE, UH, HE WORKS EXTREMELY HARD.
UH, HE WORKS ALL THE TIME AND, UH, I THINK HE'LL REPRESENT THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDER, AND I'M SURELY YOU HAVE A LOT OF GOOD NAMES ARE SEEN, UH, VERY GOOD NAMES.
ALL WOULD BE COMPETENT, UH, ATTORNEYS.
AND I MAY HAVE THE SAME, UH, COMMENTS TO MAKE ON THOSE FOLKS AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE MAN THAT YOU HAVE IS VERY GOOD, UH, AND, UM, DESPITE HAVING TO SUE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, AND HE MAY BE THE LAWYER THAT I'LL BE COMING BACK TO B***H ABOUT IT.
I'LL MAY WITHDRAW MY COMMENTS, UH, AFTER TODAY.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I JUST SPEAK TO THE CHARACTER MAN, AND, BUT REALLY IT'S THE WORK AND IT'S GOTTA BE A WORK FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST ONE PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE COUNCIL.
HE'S GOTTA WORK FOR THE ENTIRE, ENTIRE PARISH.
I THINK HE HAS THAT SERVANT HEART TO WHERE HE'S NOT GONNA CARE A DISTRICT OR COLOR OR GENERAL WHATEVER.
HE IS GONNA BE ABLE TO PUT THAT ASIDE.
HE EVIDENCE AS A DEFENSE LAWYER.
AND I KNOW HE'S ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT CIVIL PRACTICE TESTING.
SO, UH, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, UH, I, HAVING BEEN A FRIEND AND AN OPPONENT, UH, OF HIS ALSO A FRIEND AT THE SAME TIME GOING OFF THAT I'M GLAD.
ANSWER ANY QUESTION THIS WE'LL GET THROUGH PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH? MR. SPEAKER? HI, MY NAME'S DONALD LIFTER LIVE.
I DUNNO IF THIS IS TURNER'S MS. TRAFFIC.
I LIVE AT 9 0 0 5 ISLAND ROAD.
I JUST WANNA, UH, CONGRATULATE Y'ALL ON THIS EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
WE'VE HAD HAD SOME GREAT, UH, PEOPLE THAT Y'ALL PUT IN PLACE AND HE'S GONNA BE AN EXCELLENT PARISH ATTORNEY.
HE'S A GREAT MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
HE, UH, ENJOYS THIS COMMUNITY AND HE'S DONE A LOT TO IMPROVED EQUALS LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK Y'ALL MADE A GREAT CHOICE.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. SPEAK ON THE ONE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE JOHN LONDON AS OF FIRST ATTORNEY.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ADAM.
AND SO TODAY I SIT HERE AND, AND SPEAK AS THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, CAROLYN R. COLEMAN REGARDING THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CRISIS.
I'M CAROLYN COLEMAN, COUNCILWOMAN OF DISTRICT 10, AND I SERVE OVER 38,000 CONSTITUENTS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS,
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BLACK, WHITE, HISPANIC, AFRICANS, CHINESE, JAPANESE, AND EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN.AND I EMPHASIZE THIS BECAUSE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE STUCK ON A SEVEN FIVE MINDSET, MORE FOCUSED ON PARTY SPLITS THAN THE PEOPLES.
WHEN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S POSITION BECAME VACANT, WE RECEIVED A CLEAR ROADMAP FROM OUR METRO COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR, ASHLEY BECK.
SHE GAVE US OPTIONS, AND THAT'S LIFE OPTIONS.
APPOINT AN INTERIM, SET UP A FORMAL HIRING PROCESS, OR RUN A NOTICE OF VACANCY.
THEY PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY, THEY PROVIDE FAIRNESS.
WHEN I ASKED THE MAYOR PRO TEM ABOUT OUR NEXT STEP AFTER A MEETING WE HAD AND AFTER THE PREVIOUS PARISH ATTORNEY RETIRED, AND HE SAID TO ME THAT JESUS GOT IT.
SO APPARENTLY JESUS LOOKED LIKE A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW AND MO CAN KIN BECAUSE SUDDENLY AN EMERGENCY MEETING IS CALLED FOR THIS AFTERNOON, APRIL 30TH, TO NAME JOHN LINDON AS THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
I ASKED, WHAT IS THE RUSH? I WAS TOLD WE NEED TO HURRY BECAUSE SUBPOENAS WERE ISSUED.
PARISH ATTORNEY OFFICE DOESN'T HAVE CRIMINAL CASES USING CRIMINAL SUBPOENAS AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR RUSHED CIVIL APPOINTMENT IS A SMOKE SCHOOL.
HASTE MAKES A WASTE UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE, THE ETHICAL BLACK HOLE HERE, LET'S LOOK AT THE WHO AND THE HOW.
THIS ITEM WAS SHOVED ONTO THE AGENDA TO RAISE THE SALARY FOR THIS POSITION, FOLLOWED BY A HAND PICKED APPOINTMENT EFFECTIVE TOMORROW, MAYDAY MAY 1ST, 2026 AT A PAY GRADE 2350 STEP 19.
MR. MCCLENDON IS THE CURRENTLY THE ATTORNEY OF RECORD FOR COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND HER HUSBAND IN CASES AGAINST THIS VERY, VERY, VERY STATE.
AND SHE SITS HERE AS THE COUNCILWOMAN.
JUST YESTERDAY MORNING, I RECEIVED WORD THAT MR. MCCLENDON IS WITHDRAWING AS THEIR ATTORNEY YESTERDAY.
BUT YOU CANNOT WITHDRAW THE KNOWLEDGE FROM HIS HEAD.
THE PRIVILEGE PROBLEM AS A DEFENSE ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY HAS THE PRIVILEGE, THE PRIVILEGE TO STRATEGY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE USED AGAINST THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
BUT YOU'RE GOING BE THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
I WANT Y'ALL TO FOLLOW ME NOW.
HE'S SUPPOSED TO FLIP THE SCRIPT AND PROTECT THE CITY.
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ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE IS A TWO-WAY STREET.HOW CAN HE ZEALOUSLY REPRESENT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE WHEN HE HAS SPENT HIS TIME DIGGING FOR HIS WEAKNESSES TO DEFEND HIS PRIVATE CLIENTS? THE MORAL VACUUM, THIS IS A, JUST A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEGRITY, IS ALL THE DEFENSE INFORMATION ON CASES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PENDING AGAINST US.
HE ISN'T JUST CROSSING THE AISLES, HE'S SWITCHING JERSEYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME AND BRING THE PLAYBOOK WITH HIM.
THIS PROCESS HASN'T BEEN ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
IT HASN'T BEEN ABOUT DISCUSSION, NO DISCUSSIONS.
IT HAS BEEN A CLOSED DOOR MANEUVER THAT PUTS EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL AT RISK OF ETHICAL MISCONDUCT TO MAYOR PRO.
TIM COUNCILMAN, NO, YOU SAID JESUS GOT IT.
BUT EVEN JESUS WOULDN'T TOUCH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THAT'S THIS BLATANT, ETHICALLY, MORALLY, AND LEGALLY.
THIS APPOINTMENT IS OUT OF ORDER.
I CANNOT AND WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
AND I SUGGEST THOSE WHO VALUE THE INTEGRITY OF THIS PARISH DO THE SAME.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK, LISTEN, READ WHAT EVERYBODY IN HERE I THINK WOULD BE ABLE TO DO.
I WAS TOLD BY LORI ADAMS, THIS IS MY FRIEND, AND THAT'S OKAY ABOUT FRIENDSHIP.
BUT HOW DEEP DO YOU GO PEOPLE? HOW DEEP DO YOU GO? AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS HAS NOTHING PERSONALLY TO DO WITH MR. MCCLENDON.
I'M SURE HE'S A FINE GENTLEMAN, JUST LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PERSONS THAT APPLIED BUT WASN'T GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM BECAUSE OF THE RUSHING AND THE STATEMENT THAT LORI SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME BECAUSE OF WORK MADE AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE SUBPOENAS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
SO I SAY TO MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES HERE, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU AFFIRM FAIR WITNESS THIS PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS, IT WAS ONE SIDED.
SO, UM, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO WHEN WE, UM, APPOINTED GREG ROME TO BE OUR PARISH ATTORNEY, WE DID THE SAME THING AGAIN THAT WE ARE DOING TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. ROME AND, UM, THEY BELIEVED HIM TO BE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS.
UM, UH, IT IS NOT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ANY OF THE SUBPOENAS THAT WERE SERVED ON MONDAY WERE CRIMINAL SUBPOENAS.
UM, AND, AND ALTHOUGH, UH, CERTAINLY ANY, I'M AWARE THAT A PARISH ATTORNEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO REPRESENT US, UM, IF WE RECEIVE, UM, A, A SUBPOENA TO GO BEFORE A GRAND JURY.
UM, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WHEN IN YOUR ROLE AS A ELECTED OFFICIAL, UM, YOU RECEIVE A, A SUBPOENA TO GO AND TESTIFY IN YOUR ROLE AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A PARISH ATTORNEY IN PLACE TO ADVISE YOU AS TO WHAT YOUR RIGHTS WERE AND HOW YOU NEEDED TO, UM, HANDLE YOURSELF.
I THINK FOR, UM, EVERYBODY WHO WENT YESTERDAY, THAT WAS A UNIQUE AND FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THEY WERE DESERVING OF, OF REPRESENTATION OR AT LEAST ADVICE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I HAVE MENTIONED TO EVERYBODY AND, AND THE DA MENTIONED THIS HIMSELF, WE WERE SERVED WITH THIS LAWSUIT AND, AND THE RESPONSE IS EXPECTED, I THINK NEXT WEEK.
SO, UM, THERE IS URGENCY TO HAVE A PARISH ATTORNEY IN PLACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNSEL, OVER THE
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LAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION WHEN THEY NEED IT.AND RIGHT NOW, THE 459,000 RESIDENTS OF THIS PARISH REQUIRE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
AND I HAVE STATED THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN MY FIVE AND A HALF YEARS OF SERVICE.
YOU'VE ALL HEARD ME SAY IT, THAT WHEN I CAME TO THIS POSITION, I MADE A PROMISE TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND TO Y'ALL THAT I WAS GONNA MAKE A PRIORITY TO FIND THE VERY BEST PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES FOR ALL POSITIONS THAT I WAS ABLE TO.
AND SO, I WILL TELL YOU THAT TODAY, I ABSOLUTELY, UM, BELIEVE THAT MR. MCCLENDON IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THIS POSITION AT THIS TIME, FOR A PERISHED FOR 459,000 RESIDENTS WHO REQUIRE REPRESENTATION.
I WOULD ALSO, UM, TELL YOU THAT I TAKE UMBRIDGE, UM, TO THE IMPLICATIONS THAT I HAVE DONE SOMETHING UNETHICAL.
UM, I MADE A CALL TO THE ETHICS BOARD YESTERDAY.
I CALLED THEM AGAIN THIS MORNING BY THE TIME STATING WHAT, WHAT QUESTION I WAS CALLING FOR, WHAT MY ISSUE WAS AND WHEN, WHAT MEETING WAS COMING AND WHAT VOTE I NEEDED TO MAKE.
AND HAD A, I HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS TODAY AND, UM, WAS TOLD, UM, THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ETHICAL, UM, CONCERN WITH MAKING THIS VOTE, UM, THIS AFTERNOON.
SO, UM, THE CANDIDATES WHO WERE INTERESTED IN THE JOB WERE TOLD, I BELIEVE, BY MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN THEY REACHED OUT TO CALL ALL 12 COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS, TO VISIT WITH 'EM, TO MAKE, UM, THEIR CASE FOR WHY THEY WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT TAR ATTORNEY.
UM, BUT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO RECEIVES THE PHONE CALL HAS TO RETURN THE PHONE CALL.
THAT'S WHAT, THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THAT PROCESS.
SO, UM, AS I THINK MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW, I'M A VERY PRIVATE PERSON, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THIS, IF JOHN MCCLENDON IS WHO I WANTED TO REPRESENT MY HUSBAND, I DO NOT HAVE AN ATTORNEY.
IF HE'S THE PERSON THAT I WANTED TO REPRESENT MY HUSBAND, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I NOT WANT HIM TO REPRESENT THE 459,000 RESIDENTS OF THIS PARISH? THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN KENNY.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I'LL START, UM, I ALWAYS BELIEVE IN A MAN AND MAN CONVERSATION.
AND JOHN, ME AND YOU TALKED VERY BRIEFLY YESTERDAY.
SO, UM, MY COMMENTS IS NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR YOUR FAMILY.
I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME, UM, ON YOUR BEHALF.
BUT, UM, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO ECHO SOME S OF COUNCIL ON THE PHONE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF IRONS AND THE FIRE, UM, AS I GOT OUTTA THE ELEVATOR, I WAS SERVE, UH, WE HAVE TO BE NEXT TO THE COURTHOUSE.
UM, I WAS NOT HERE WHEN GREG, UH, WAS APPOINTED, RIGHT? SO FOR ME, COMING IN FRESH, UM, I'M REAL BIG ON, ON PROCESSES OF THAT PEOPLE.
UM, I KNOW COUNCILMAN ADAMS JUST STATED HERE, HAD A CONVERSATION AS WELL, UM, ABOUT PEOPLE HAVE CALLED.
RIGHT? MR. CLINIC GAVE ME A CALL, MS. FOXWORTH WAS IN THE ROOM, GAVE ME A CALL.
UM, MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME A CALL, BUT, UM, I'M NOT THE END ALL BE ALL RIGHT.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER
I DON'T BELIEVE IN INTERVIEWS THAT ARE HAVING COFFEE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE FOR ME, UM, I'M NOT A LEGAL EXPERT.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNSEL, UH, WHICH DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, RIGHT? AND I'M SURE ALL OF US KNOW SOMEBODY IN THE LEGAL FIELD, UM, WHO PROBABLY JUST EXPERIENCED, THIS IS GREAT, MR. MCLENDON, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAD A FAIR PROCESS.
AND SO WHEN, YOU KNOW, MS. MCLENDON, UH, WAS PUT ON AN AGENDA, THE NEWS RELEASE WENT OUT AND ADVOCATE, UM, ADD OUT.
I HAD PEOPLE CALL AND SAID, WELL, WAS THAT EVER A FAIR CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THIS ROLE? IT WAS NOT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THE RECOMMENDATION OF MS. ADAMS IS OFF, RIGHT? IF SHE FELT LIKE MR. MR. JONES A GREAT ATTORNEY, SO BE IT AS HER OPINION.
BUT I'M SURE ALL OF US ON THIS COUNCIL UNDERSTAND.
I KNOW AS WELL, WE KNOW SOMEBODY, UH, WHO'S JUST EXPERIENCED IN THIS ROLE AS WELL.
SO FOR ME, UM, MY DECISION IS NOT NOTHING AGAINST THE ABILITY OF MR. MCLENDON, BUT IT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE AS A CITY FAIRS, WE HAVE FAIR PROCESSES ACROSS THE BOARD.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN FIRE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS PENIS WENT OUT.
LOOK, I GET IT, I UNDERSTAND IT.
BUT MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME NOT TO RUSH A DECISION BECAUSE THE MOMENT YOU WAS A DECISION, YOU MIGHT REGRET IT LATER.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE EVEN
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IF WE WOULD'VE DID AN ENTIRE PROCESS AROUND THIS PARENT ATTORNEY OFFICE, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE CAME BACK AROUND EACH OTHER.BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT RUSH THE PROCESS OF LEAVING OURSELVES, UM, EXPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT'S MADE IT LATER DOWN THE LINE.
'CAUSE IF WE HAVE ANY POSITION THAT COMES OPEN, UM, IF WE DONE DO THIS WITH THIS PARENT ATTORNEY POSITION, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE STAY CONSISTENT, UM, FOR ANY OTHER POSITION WE MAY HAVE TO APPOINT TO THE NATURE.
SO JUST TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR DECISION, YOUR DECISION, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PROCESSES, WE HAVE TO PROPERLY PAY PEOPLE.
UM, WE'RE IN A VERY WATCHED DOG CLIMATE RIGHT NOW, AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE DO IS GONNA BE HEAVILY SCRUTINIZED.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
WE HAVE THOROUGH ENOUGH CONVERSATIONS OF COUNCIL NOW, NOT ALMOST
SO, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
UM, LET ME FIRST START OFF GETTING, YEAH, COME ON.
LET ME FIRST START OFF BY SAYING, YOUR HONOR, THIS PROCESS IS, IS VERY HEAVY.
UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING WITH JOHN TWICE LAST WEEK AND YESTERDAY, COUNCILWOMAN COLMAN AND I BOTH HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
UM, WHEN THE NOTICE FIRST BECAME AVAILABLE TO US, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
UH, I, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT A SPECIAL MEETING BEING HELD FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF JOHN.
UM, I WAS IN A ANOTHER MEETING AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS MADE KNOWN TO US THIS WAS HAPPENING.
SO I SAT FOR A SECOND TO PROCESS THIS.
AND THE QUESTION THAT KEPT COMING TO ME WAS, WHY THE RUSH? WHY THE RUSH? WHAT IS THE HURRY TO DO THIS? NOW, I'M VERY MUCH AWARE OF ALL THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH AS A COUNCIL, AND WE ARE DEALING WITH A LOT RIGHT NOW.
BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER CANDIDATES OUT HERE WHO I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING AND SPENDING TIME WITH AND HAVING CONVERSATION WITH WHO IS JUST AS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS JOB.
UH, THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE, THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, THEY HAVE THE HEART, AND THEY WANT TO BE PARISH ATTORNEY AS WELL.
SO I, I ASKED MYSELF, COULD WE SLOW THIS PROCESS DOWN FOR JUST A SECOND AND GIVE EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC, WHO, WHO SHOULD KNOW, WHO'S INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION? I'M SUCH AND SUCH.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND THIS IS WHY.
AND GIVE EVERYONE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND IF IT'S FOR JOHN TO BE PARISH ATTORNEY, TRUST ME, IT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING THE OTHER CANDIDATES A DISSERVICE BY NOT ALLOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CHANCE AT THIS, TO HAVE A SHOT AT THIS.
AND AGAIN, WHAT IS THE RUSH? WHY WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CURRENTLY, WHO'S DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB CURRENTLY.
AND ANYTHING THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DO THAT, TO ADVISE US, TO GIVE US WHAT WE NEED.
SO I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES, LORI, BRANDON, AND DWIGHT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER HOLDING THIS OFF FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS IF WE COULD TO GIVE THE OTHER CANDIDATES AN OPPORTUNITY? THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST JOHN, BECAUSE I THINK JOHN IS A GREAT GUY.
HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, HE HAS THE EXPERTISE.
UM, HE'S PASSIONATE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU, MR. ABODI, MS. FOX WORK.
UM, WHY DO WE DO THAT? LORI, I KNOW YOU AND I HAD THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY ON THE PHONE, WHY THIS IS, AND YOU'VE LAID IT OUT TODAY, WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
BUT I ASKED OF YOU TO CONSIDER, CAN WE JUST HOLD OFF FOR TWO WEEKS TO GIVE EVERYONE ELSE AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEN WE COME BACK AND VOTE ON A PARISH ATTORNEY.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT COUNCILOR KNOLL? UM, SO
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I, I DON'T, UH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE WHAT SAID ABOUT, UH, THIS APPEARANCE TO BE A RUSH PROCESS.UM, I ACTUALLY EXPRESSED THAT TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, JUST THE OTHER DAY WHEN, WHEN I HEARD WORD OF, HEY, WE NEED, THEY NEED TO MOVE QUICK.
UM, I THINK, UH, UM, I, THE SUBPOENAS THAT I WASN'T CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, I WAS, I, I, I RECEIVED THE SUBPOENA TO BE A WITNESS.
I WASN'T CONCERNED ABOUT ASKING AN ATTORNEY FOR AND HELP ON THAT.
UM, UH, TRYING TO HELP OUT WITH AN INVESTIGATION, WHICH ULTIMATELY I WASN'T CALLED FOR ANYWAY.
SO, UM, THERE WAS MUCH TO DO ABOUT NOTHING.
HOWEVER, UH, THIS LAWSUIT THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, IS CONCERNING, UH, 22 MILLION, $600,000, UM, IS AN ABSOLUTE CONCERN FOR A CITY PARISH.
UM, I DON'T LIKE RUSHING INTO, INTO THINGS.
UH, I THINK I, I, I PREFER TO TAKE MY TIME AND PAUSE.
AND WHETHER IT'S FAIRNESS OR JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THEIR DECISION, I, I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH THAT.
AND, AND I EXPRESS THAT TO CO ADAMS AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO THOUGHT, HEY, WE MAY NEED TO MOVE THIS ALONG QUICKLY.
WE HAVE SOME PRESSING MATTERS.
AND, UH, ALL OF THAT HAS MERIT.
AND I REALLY STRUGGLED WITH WHETHER OR NOT I WANTED TO SIGN ON TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING THIS FAST TO DO THIS.
UM, AND ULTIMATELY I SAID, WELL, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, IF THERE'S PEOPLE WHO, WHO FEEL LIKE IT'S URGENT, AND I THINK THERE IS MERIT TO THE URGENCY.
AGAIN, THIS LAWSUIT BEING JUST ONE ITEM, IT'S A BIG ONE.
BUT I THINK THERE'S MERIT TO THE URGENCY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IF WE HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO FEEL LIKE THEY WANT TO MOVE FASTER, THEN THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO VIA THIS MEETING.
HOWEVER, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYONE WHO THINKS IT'S TOO FAST AND CAN'T VOTE THAT QUICKLY.
UM, I, I, I DON'T THINK ANY LESS OF YOU.
I, IN FACT, I, I ACTUALLY FEEL THE SAME WAY, UM, THAT, HEY, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT FAST.
BUT WHEN I WAIT IT OUT AND I SAY, OKAY, THE MERITS OF MOVING QUICKLY, HAVE I FEEL LIKE I SATISFIED MYSELF ENOUGH? I, I DO FEEL LIKE I'M SATISFIED WITH WHERE I'M ON THIS.
AND, UM, BUT THAT'S UP TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO DECIDE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS ISN'T CALLING A SPECIAL MEETING ISN'T COMPELLING YOU TO VOTE A CERTAIN WAY.
AND SO I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TAKE TO REFLECT ON THAT.
AND YOU DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST, BUT TO DENY, UM, ANY OF YOU ALL THE ABILITY TO, UM, MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AT A FASTER PACE BECAUSE OF THE GOINGS ON.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO DENY ANYBODY THAT ABILITY EITHER.
UM, SO AGAIN, I, I I, I TEND TO AGREE, UH, THIS IS MOVING A LITTLE BIT FAST.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THE TIMELINE IS RUSHED, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU, UH, GOT YOUR I'S AND CROSS YOUR, CROSS YOUR T'S AND COME TO THE RIGHT CONCLUSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST HOW LIFE IS, AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN, UH, IN OUR DAILY LIFE OR IN, UH, IN THE ROLES, UH, WE'RE IN TODAY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF HOW I WORKED THROUGH THIS.
UM, AGAIN, I I, I REALLY FEEL LIKE WHAT EVERYBODY SAID IS TRUE, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I, I CAN TELL YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, UH, TALKED TO ME EARLY ON ABOUT MAYBE HAVING, UH, SOME KIND OF A FORMAL PROCESS THAT WAS DONE, I BELIEVE PRIOR TO, TO ME BEING ON COUNCIL WHERE THERE WAS, UH, MAYBE A COMMITTEE AND SOME SCORING AND, UH, A WHOLE PRODUCTION.
I TOLD THEM I DID, DID NOT FAVOR THAT.
IF HE WANTED TO DO IT, I WOULD, I WOULD PARTICIPATE, BUT IT'S GONNA HAVE NO BEARING ON HOW I VOTE.
MY INTENT WAS TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE, UH, DIRECTLY, AND I KNEW THE SKILLSET THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UH, I HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ANDY DOTSON, HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GREG ROME.
UH, I THOUGHT WHEN WE PICKED GREG ROME, IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
I THINK PEOPLE HAD DISCUSSIONS.
WE KIND OF, EVERYBODY CAME TO A CONSENSUS, UH, THROUGH THEIR OWN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PARTIES, UH, THAT WERE SEEKING THE POSITION.
AND WE CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND, UH, WE, WE APPOINTED GREG ROME TO THE POSITION.
UH, THOUGHT HE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, UH, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS SAID, THIS IS THE SAME PROCEDURE, ALBEIT MAYBE THE TIMELINE'S MOVED UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU FOR MYSELF, LOOKING AT AGAIN, THIS LAWSUIT WE HAVE AND OTHER, OTHER PENDING LITIGATION AND THINGS THAT ARE MOVING, I'M GONNA BE OUT OF TOWN NEXT WEEK.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN VOLKE SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, HE'S GONNA BE OUT OF TOWN THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
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YOU KNOW, THEN WE START APPROACHING SUMMERTIME WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE A, UH, SURE WE HAVE A VACANCY OR, OR, UM, NO, NO, SECOND JULY MEETING.NOT THAT WE COULDN'T CALL A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT AGAIN, THIS ISN'T AN, AN ABSOLUTE, HEY, HAD TO HAPPEN THIS WAY.
BUT I THINK AS, AS I WAS HEARING FROM COLLEAGUES THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED AND WANTED TO MOVE THIS UP, UM, I THINK TO DENY ANYBODY THE ABILITY TO MOVE IT UP WOULD'VE BEEN DISINGENUOUS.
AND SO, AGAIN, THERE'S NO WAY, UH, COMPELLING TO ANYONE TO VOTE A CERTAIN WAY.
IF YOU THINK IT'S TOO FAST, THEN I CAN'T GO ACCORDINGLY.
BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A GOOD SPOT AND YOU'RE, UH, ABLE TO DO SO, THEN, THEN, YOU KNOW, VOTE, VOTE WHATEVER WAY YOU FIT.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW I WORKED MY WAY THROUGH THIS.
AGAIN, I, I, I RESPECT, UH, ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
I DON'T, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING I'VE HEARD, REALLY.
UM, I THINK IT'S JUST LIKE SO OFTEN HAPPENS ON, ON VOTES THAT, UH, WHETHER WE END UP UNANIMOUS OR, OR SPLIT ON AN ITEM, UH, SOMETIMES WE JUST WEIGH THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND IN THIS SITUATION, UH, AT LEAST FOR ME, I WEIGH SOME OF THE URGENCY THAT'S GONE ON WITH, UM, IT OUTWEIGHS TAKING A LITTLE MORE TIME JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TAKING TIME WHERE WE MAY END UP RIGHT BACK IN THE SAME SITUATION.
I THINK THE URGENCY OUTWEIGHS FROM ME.
AND IF IT DIDN'T FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT'S FINE.
SO, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ROCCO.
SO WHEN I ORIGINALLY PRESS MY BUTTON, UM, I WAS GONNA COME OUT WITH SOME FEISTY COMMENTS.
UH, MOST OF Y'ALL EXPECT ME TO BE ANGRY.
I ON THAT THESE DAYS MYSELF A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE HAVING I SWITCH TO TURN ME OFF, PUT ME ASLEEP,
SO LET'S GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AS THE ATTORNEY ON THE COUNCIL, I RECEIVED A LOT OF TELEPHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE THAT WANTED THIS OFF.
AND WHAT I DID WAS, AND I HAVE PROOF OF IT, UM, I GAVE EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBERS.
AND I TOLD YOU, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROCESS.
I DON'T WANNA DO, I DON'T WANT IT.
I DON'T WANT THE NUMBERS, I DON'T WANT THE INTERVIEWS.
AND IT WAS UP TO EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO ACT IN YOUR ROLE AND YOUR POSITION ON THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT'S BEST FOR YOU.
SEVERAL PEOPLE CAME TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE I SAID, HEY, YOU CAN'T CATCH 'EM.
THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING TELEPHONE CALLS.
PLEASE, PLEASE COME TO THIS MEETING.
I'LL TRY TO FIND AS MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THEIR SEATS.
THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO FIND PEOPLE.
SEVERAL OF YOU SAID, NOT INTERESTED.
ONE THING THAT ALARMS ME THE MOST IS IF YOU HAVE ATTORNEYS OUT THERE THAT WANT THIS JOB AND ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS POSITION, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT AND UNDERSTAND WHO APPOINT THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB, THIS IS THE VERY FIRST RED FLAG.
AND PERHAPS THEY'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO SIT IN THIS POSITION.
IF YOU CAN GOOGLE HOW A PARISH ATTORNEY IS APPOINTED AND SEE THE MANY TIMES THAT WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE AND THE PROCESSES THAT WERE TAKING PLACE, THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY IS ACTUALLY SLOWER THAN WHAT HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY WITH THE PREVIOUS PARISH ATTORNEY.
THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SEVEN FIVE COUNSEL.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T LEAVE A MEETING WITHOUT HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE DIVIDED.
AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THIS COUNCIL COLLABORATED AND WORKED TOGETHER.
WE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND WE WEREN'T TOXIC.
SOMEHOW IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THAT HAS CHANGED, AND THAT BREAKS MY HEART.
WE'VE HAD OUTSIDE PLAYERS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OF US, TURNING US ALL AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, CREATING CONSPIRACIES, CREATING DIVISION, AND HERE WE ARE.
BUT SEVEN, FIVE COUNSEL THIS MAN BACK HERE, JOHN MCLENNAN.
YET, YOU HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS BRINGING HIM HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AND SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE GONNA SET PARTY LINES ASIDE, AND WE'RE GONNA PICK THE PERSON BEST FOR THIS POSITION FOR YOU.
BUT YET, HERE WE ARE GETTING ACCUSED OF BEING SEVEN BY COUNSEL.
[00:35:01]
HUDSON.SO I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE PARISH ATTORNEY PROCESS.
UH, I'VE SAT THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, A MORE FORMAL PROCESS WITH THE SELECTION COMMITTEE AND ADVISORY BOARD.
AND THEN I'VE ALSO SAT THROUGH THE LAST PROCESS WITH, UH, ATTORNEY GREG ROME.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EACH, EACH WAY HAS ITS POSITIVES AND ITS NEGATIVES.
UH, AND CERTAINLY EACH ONE IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE POLITICAL PROCESS, RIGHT? WE HAVE A TENDENCY ON THIS COUNCIL, WE CAN REALLY BUDDY THINGS UP IF WE CHOOSE TO.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THIS VOTE IS NOT ABOUT, UM, PROCESS SO MUCH AS IT IS ABOUT FINDING AN EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED PARISH ATTORNEY.
UH, I HAD THE TIME TO MEET WITH, UH, ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT, THAT WERE INTERESTED, THAT REACHED OUT TO ME, WHETHER IT WAS ON THE PHONE, IN THE OFFICE OR, OR ELSEWHERE.
UH, AND SO I TOOK THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, LOOK, I THINK MR. MCCLENDON, I THINK HIS RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I MEAN, HE'S EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED, UH, ATTORNEY.
UM, AND WE WOULD DO BETTER AS A PARISH TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH THAT MUCH EXPERIENCE.
ULTIMATELY, THAT'S WHAT THIS VOTE SHOULD BE ABOUT.
IT SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT PROCESSES OR PARTY SPLITS OR RACIAL SPLITS.
IT'S ABOUT FINDING THE GUY OR GAL THAT IS RIGHT TO SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS IN THIS PARISH.
UH, AND SO THAT, THAT IS WHY I, I'M OKAY WITH IT, AND I'M OKAY WITH THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE SELECTED.
ALTHOUGH I DO TEND TO AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, FORMAL PROCESS IS BETTER.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO END UP WITH A GOOD PARISH ATTORNEY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE TODAY.
SO, UH, I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AS A SPONSOR, AS A SPONSOR OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
WE KNEW IT WAS COMING UP BEFORE THE PREVIOUS PARISH ATTORNEY, UH, LAST, BEFORE THE LAST DAY.
UH, PEOPLE KNEW THAT THE PREVIOUS PARISH ATTORNEY WAS, UH, RETIRING AND THE POSITION WAS AVAILABLE.
WE START, I STARTED GETTING SOME PHONE CALLS, UH, FROM SOME PEOPLE.
I STARTED GETTING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOOK INTO AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I HAVE MET WITH THREE, UM, EITHER ON THE PHONE OR IN PERSON AND SPOKE WITH.
BUT THE WHOLE TIME I WAS SITTING THERE GOING, OKAY, NO, THIS IS TOO RUSHED.
TELLING MY COLLEAGUE IS TOO RUSHED.
DON'T WANT TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, WELL, WHY NOT? LOOK, WE GOTTA GET SOMEBODY IN.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
WHAT I KNEW WAS OUT THERE WAS THE LAWSUIT AGAINST MOST OF THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT'S ALREADY HAD IT ONE DAY IN COURT.
SO THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT THERE.
AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, WE NEED TO REALLY FIND THIS PROCESS, BUT THAT'LL TAKE, THAT'LL TAKE US TIME ASKED AGAIN, HEY, WE WANT TO GET SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
THE OTHER DAY WHEN I STARTED GETTING PHONE CALLS ABOUT THE SUBPOENAS GOING OUT FOR THE GRAND JURY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WHICH I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN ONE, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A SUBPOENA FOR THAT CASE.
AT THAT POINT, I WAS NOT CONTACTED AND ASKED TO JOIN AGAIN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ADAM SAID, LET'S GET THIS THING ROLLING.
MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE OUT THERE BEING SUBPOENAED.
I SAID, WE'VE GOT A CASE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ONE COURT SYSTEM SO FAR.
I KNEW THE DA'S WAS COMING DOWN THE PIPE.
SO WE NEED THAT REPRESENTATION NOW, NOT IN COURT.
SO FROM MY STANDPOINT, AS FAR AS WITH ATTORNEYS AND EVERYTHING, YESTERDAY, TWO OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOWED UP WITH THEIR OWN ATTORNEYS.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
30 YEARS IN BUSINESS THIS YEAR, 24 YEARS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I HAVE NEVER HAD A PERSONAL ATTORNEY.
I HAVE ALWAYS RELIED, WHETHER IT IS, IF IT IS, IF IT IS POLITICAL OR WITH MY ELECTED POSITION, I EITHER, ON THE PREVIOUS SEAT THAT I HAD, I WENT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR ADVISEMENT.
OR IF I HAD SOMETHING HERE, JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL LAWSUIT THAT WAS GOING ON, DEFENDANT COURT, I GO TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY.
THEY'RE SUING US AS OUR POSITION IN OUR POSITION THAT WE ARE.
NOW, IF YOU DON'T THINK, I GUESS I'M, MAYBE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE
[00:40:01]
THEIR OWN PERSONAL ATTORNEY, I DON'T KNOW.BUT AT THAT POINT, WHEN NO SUBPOENAS STARTED GOING OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES, I, AT THAT POINT IS WHEN I PULLED THE TRIGGER AND SAID, LET'S GET THIS DONE.
OUR COLLEAGUES, THIS COUNCIL ARE GONNA, IN THE PARISH IS GOING TO NEED A HEAD REPRESENTATION, AND WE NEED TO GET THIS POSITION FILLED.
I ARGUED AGAINST MY, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VOTE'S GONNA BE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS SAID IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT, OH, IT'S PREDETERMINED, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA BE, BUT I JUST KNOW IT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
AND I WANTED, I WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT, TO ASSIST MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET THIS POSITION FILLED.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THIS LAWSUIT THAT DA GILMORE HAS FILED, AND YOU WANT A PARISH ATTORNEY IN THE SEAT BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE MORE CONFIDENT WITH THEM BEING THERE.
I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, WE HAVE A GREAT AND DYNAMIC STAFF OF ATTORNEYS CURRENTLY IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
COURTNEY KING AND DAVE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
THEY CAN DO THIS JOB WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED, AND I'M QUITE SURE WE'LL BE IN GREAT HANDS WITH THE TWO THERE.
AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCK, I HAVE CONTINUED THIS VICE BEING A LONG TIME.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, JEN, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF FEISTINESS TO GO AROUND BECAUSE YOU SAY TO, IT IS, IT'S IN ALL OF US.
I WOULDN'T SAY, MR. GOD, BRADLEY IS EXACTLY AS YOU.
THERE'S A FEW OF US WHO, FROM TIME TO TIME, THIS WOMAN EMOTION PRETTY GOOD TOO.
SO WHY NOT YOU? BUT WE ALL ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE BELIEVE IN AND WHAT WE STAY, WHAT WE REPRESENT IN OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT SEVEN TO FIVE.
THAT HASN'T CROSSED MY MIND AT ALL.
I JUST WOULD HAVE LIKED THIS PROCESS TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
AND I'VE EXPRESSED THAT TO LAURIE ADAMS, AND I'M EXPRESSING IT TO YOU NOW.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE OTHER CANDIDATES NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, TO SAY AND SHOW THEIR WORK AND HOW MUCH THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS POSITION HERE AND WHAT THEY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN.
WELL, AS THE PEACEMAKER OF THE GROUP COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE, WE ALL, UH, PUT OURSELVES UP TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
AND WE ASK VOTERS IN OUR DISTRICT TO CAST THEIR VOTE FOR US, AND WE MAKE A COMPELLING CASE AS TO WHY WE THINK THEY SHOULD DO THAT.
INEVITABLY, NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICTS VOTE IN OUR FAVOR, BUT THE DAY YOU GET ELECTED, IT IS YOUR JOB.
IT IS YOUR DUTY TO REPRESENT 100% OF PEOPLE IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND SO, WHAT I'LL SAY TO US AS A COUNCIL, THAT IS, LET'S HAVE A VIGOROUS DEBATE.
LET'S HAVE A VIGOROUS DISCUSSION.
HOWEVER, THIS VOTE TURNS OUT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE 100% BEHIND WHOEVER'S APPOINTED PARISH ATTORNEY FOR THE SAKE OF THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS PARISH.
AND SO, THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.
I, I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T ENDORSE THE, THE TOXIC, UH, ENVIRONMENT, UH, THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED.
WE ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THOSE RESIDENTS THAT WE REPRESENT.
UH, BUT WHEN A VOTE IS CAST BY THIS COUNCIL, I'M BELIEVING THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF VOTES CAST IN SIX YEARS.
I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HOLD THIS POSITION THAT DIDN'T GO THE WAY THAT I WANT IT.
BUT I BELIEVE IN THE WISDOM OF THIS COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE IN THE WISDOM OF THIS GOVERNING BODY, AND I BELIEVE WE DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS PARISH.
AND SO, HOWEVER, IT TURNS OUT TODAY, IT IS OUR JOB TO ALIGN 100% BEHIND THE PARISH ATTORNEYS SO THEY
[00:45:01]
CAN LEAD THAT OFFICE SO THAT THE PEOPLE IN THAT OFFICE KNOW WITH CONFIDENCE THAT'S WHO THEY HAVE FOLLOWED AND REPRESENT THIS PARISH.AND SO, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
ALL I APPRECIATE THAT IT, OKAY.
EVERYONE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE PANEL WITH BUTTON ABSTAIN REQUEST, CANCEL REQUEST AND PRESENT.
BUT WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINE THAT JUST KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT THAN YOUR TYPICAL.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, YOU HAVE THAT MOTION BEFORE YOU TO APPROVE ITEM ONE BY COUNCILMAN ADAMS. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MO MACHINES.
SEVEN YE UM, ONE, NO, I'M SORRY.
THANK, UM, I'M GONNA DO A ROLL CALL.
PLEASE, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I'LL OFFER MR. MCLENNAN AND MIKE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS MOVE, MOVE, VOTE CLOSER.
UH, WELL, I, I WAS NOT PREPARED TO DO THIS.
I WASN'T PREPARED FOR SPEECH, BUT I WASN'T SURE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY.
BUT I, I CERTAINLY LIKE, HEY, UM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY WIFE, MICHELLE.
AND I THINK MY KIDS ARE WATCHING ON LIVESTREAM.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I'M, I'M HONORED AND I'M READY TO GET TO WORK.
I WILL START TOMORROW IF YOU WANT ME TO.
UM, I, I HOPE THAT I CAN, UM, BENEFIT THIS PARISH.
I THINK WHEN I MET WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, I SAID, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS REALLY CORNY, BUT I WANT TO HELP THE PARISH ON MEMPHIS CITY PARISH IN ANY WAY I CAN.
UM, I, I, UM, I'M PROBABLY GONNA MAKE LESS MONEY DOING THIS THAN
IT'LL, BUT IT MEANS THAT MUCH.
I, I REALLY WANT TO HELP THIS PARISH.
AND I, I, IN ADDITION TO REACHING OUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, I AGREE THAT TO SOME CLOSE, UH, ENTRUSTED FRIENDS.
AND I GOT A LOT OF ADVICE FROM THEM.
AND I TOOK ALL THAT TO HEART WHEN I MADE THIS DECISION TO APPLY FOR IT.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS COUNCIL MEMBER ROSS.