[Presentations and Special Recognitions] [00:00:06] WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF OUR MEETING, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL THIS AUGUST 12, 2026. FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS AND METROPOLITAN COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMOROSO RECOGNIZING ELENA BRANZARU OF THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS FOR PURPLE HEART MONTH. ELENA? HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU SO, MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR OUR HONORED GUESTS FOR BEING HERE. I'M ELENA BRANZARU, THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERANS AFFAIRS. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO READ YOU SOMETHING THAT ONE OF OUR DPW WORKERS WROTE, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. HE IS ACTUALLY AN ARMY VETERAN, AND I THINK IT'S VERY PROFOUND FOR COUNSEL AND THOSE LISTENING AND THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TO HEAR. IT'S CALLED IN THE FOXHOLE, INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL BY GEORGE ROBINSON, SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY. THE TRUTH IS THIS. IN THE FOXHOLE, A WARRIOR DISCOVERS WHO THEY TRULY ARE. NOT THE NAME STITCHED UPON A UNIFORM, BUT THE ONE WHISPER BY GOD WHEN THE NIGHT GROWS TOO LOUD TO IGNORE THE DANGER. THE DIRT NEVER LIES. IT REMEMBERS EVERY TREMBLING STEP, EVERY SILENT PRAYER, EVERY PROMISE MADE WITH SHAKING HANDS THAT SOMEHOW KEEP THAT RIFLE STEADY. IF THERE IS ANYTHING A WARRIOR LEARNS ABOUT COURAGE, IT IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR. IT IS A DESIRE TO STAND ANYWAY. THE FOXHOLE TELLS A TRUTH THAT FEW WILL EVER KNOW. EVERY WARRIOR CAN BLEED. BUT NOT EVERY WARRIOR BREAKS. IT BECOMES A SANCTUARY FOR THOSE WHO CARRY BURDENS FAR TOO HEAVY FOR WORDS. IT IS WHERE STRANGERS BECOME FAMILY, WHERE TRUST IS FORGED UNDER FIRE. IN THE FOXHOLE, NO ONE FIGHTS FOR MEDALS. NO ONE FIGHTS FOR RECOGNITION. THEY FIGHT FOR THE PERSON BESIDE THEM, FOR THE VOICE THEY KNOW IN THE DARKNESS, FOR THE HAND THAT REACHES BACK WITHOUT BEING ASKED. THAT IS A WARRIOR'S LOVE. IT IS NOT SOFT. IT IS NOT PRETTY. IT IS FORGED IN DUST, SMOAK, SACRIFICE, AND UNWAVERING LOYALTY. THE FOXHOLE TEACHES ANOTHER TRUTH. A WARRIOR IS NOT THE WEAPON THEY CARRY, BUT THE WILL BEHIND IT. NOT THE UNIFORM THEY WEAR, BUT THE OATH THEY SWORE. NOT THE FEAR THEY FEEL, BUT THE FIRE THAT REFUSES TO SURRENDER. AND WHEN DAWN BREAKS, A WARRIOR CLIMBS OUT CHANGED FOREVER. A LITTLE OLDER, A LITTLE HEAVIER, CARRYING BOTH THE WEIGHT OF SURVIVAL AND THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DID NOT RETURN. THE TRUTH IS, NO WARRIOR EVER LEAVES THAT FOXHOLE. IT LIVES QUIETLY BEHIND THEIR RIBS, REMINDING THEM OF WHO THEY HAVE BECOME WHEN EVERYTHING IS STRIPPED AWAY. IT WHISPERS, REMEMBER. REMEMBER THE COURAGE. REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE. REMEMBER THOSE WHO STOOD BESIDE YOU. REMEMBER THOSE WHO WILL NEVER COME HOME. AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE FOXHOLE. BECAUSE THE FOXHOLE NEVER DIES. THANK YOU TO GEORGE FOR WRITING THAT AND ALLOWING ME TO SHARE HIS VERSION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE THAT WE HERE IN THIS MEETING HONOR THOSE THAT HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE AND ALSO SEEN THINGS THAT WE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. AND THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THAT FOXHOLE EVERY DAY. SO, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, OUR VETERANS, BUT MOSTLY THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PURPLE HEART. IT IS NOT AN AWARD, BUT IT IS A BADGE OF COURAGE UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE AND SACRIFICE. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOMEONE WHO IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, AND SHE IS INCREDIBLE WITH VETERAN SUPPORT, SENATOR KELLY HENNESSY DICKERSON. STATE REPRESENTATIVE, I APOLOGIZE. IT'S SO, EASY TO SAY SENATOR. I APPRECIATE THE PROMOTION, SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE JUST TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY AS SERVANTS AND TO HONOR THESE WONDERFUL AND BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED SO, MUCH FOR THE FREEDOM THAT WE ENJOY SO, THAT WE MAY SIT HERE AND MAY SERVE. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEIR BRAVERY AND THEIR COURAGE SO, THAT WE CAN HONOR THEM IN SUCH A GRAND WAY. AND THAT IS MY HONOR. IT'S ALSO BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK ALONGSIDE WITH THIS INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE LADY AND WITH OUR MAYOR, MAYOR EDWARDS. HE HAS HELPED WITH LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROUD TO PASS FOR OUR VETERANS TO HONOR THEM AND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR PARK SYSTEMS AND BOTH STATE AND OUR LOCAL PARKS. AND ALSO, IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SAFETY AND FOR MENTORSHIP. WE CANNOT DO ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE [00:05:03] FOR OUR VETERANS FOR EVERYTHING THEY ENCOMPASS AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR US. SO TODAY, ON A SMALL WAY, ON A SMALL PART, ON BEHALF OF GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY, ON BEHALF OF SPEAKER DEVILLIERS, AND ALSO SENATE PRESIDENT CAMERON HENRY, WE HAVE A SMALL TOKEN THAT WE'LL PRESENT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF THE CAPITOL, SAY THANK YOU TO THEM AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR HONORING THEM AND FOR THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR BRAVERY AND THEIR SACRIFICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO, MUCH, REPRESENTATIVE DICKERSON. AND REGRETTABLY, THE MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE HASN'T CLONED HIMSELF YET, BUT HE IS UNABLE TO ATTEND. HOWEVER, WE HAVE AMAZING CHASEN GRANT, WHO WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR PURPLE HEART MONTH BY MAYOR EDWARDS. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. SO, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS, TODAY WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE PURPLE HEART MONTH AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SACRIFICED. SO, MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY FOR US TO HAVE OUR FREEDOMS. SO, LET'S JUST GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND THEIR SERVICE. AND I PERSONALLY THANK YOU SO, MUCH. SO, PURPLE HEART DAY IS OBSERVED EVERY YEAR ON AUGUST 7TH TO HONOR U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WERE WOUNDED OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF ENEMY ACTION WHILE SERVING IN THE MILITARY. THIS DAY RECOGNIZED RECIPIENTS OF PURPLE HEART, ONE OF THE OLDEST MILITARY DECORATIONS. STILL AWARDED IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. SO, TO EVERY PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT HERE TODAY AND TO THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE STOOD BESIDE OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, WE SIMPLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON VETERANS AFFAIRS. OUR COUNCIL CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR VETERANS EACH AND EVERY DAY, SO, WE JUST WANT TO TELL YOU GUYS THANK YOU SO, MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND BEING HERE TODAY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WERE IT NOT FOR THE SELFLESS DEDICATION OF OUR OWN COUNCIL MEMBER, DENISE AMOROSO. THANK YOU. SO, I WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL. THE OFFICIAL PURPLE HEART DAY IS OBSERVED ON THE 7TH DAY OF AUGUST EACH YEAR, COMMEMORATING THE HISTORIC DAY IN 1782 THAT GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY, COMMISSIONED THE FIRST PURPLE HEART EXCUSE ME MEDAL ORIGINALLY CALLED THE BADGE OF MILITARY MERIT. AND WHEREAS THE PURPLE HEART IS TYPICALLY GIVEN TO ANY SERVICE MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN WOUNDED OR KILLED IN THE LINE OF OF DUTY. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE HONORS THE STRENGTH AND SACRIFICES OF THE PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, AND SURVIVORS AND WHEREAS THE PURPLE COLOR REPRESENTS THE BLOOD OF ALL THOSE IT'S ALWAYS VERY TOUGH OF THOSE WHO HAVE MADE SACRIFICES IN WAR AND SYMBOLIZE BRAVERY COURAGE AND GREAT AND WHEREAS PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE ENDURED CHALLENGES MOST AMERICANS WILL NEVER KNOW THEY REPRESENT THE BEST OF AMERICA AND WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR NATION NOW THEREFORE WE THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE DO HEREBY HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE MONTH OF AUGUST AS PURPLE HEART MONTH. THANK YOU. MOST OF THE TIME, THE VETERANS, WHEN I ASK THEM IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK, THEY TELL ME NO, AND I'M USED TO IT. BUT I WILL CALL THEM BY NAME, AND I WILL ASK. IF REPRESENTATIVE DICKERSON, AND COUNCILMEMBER DENISE AMOROSO CAN COME UP HERE AND PRESENT THEIR CERTIFICATES TO THEM. AND WHERE'S CHASELYN? AND AS I CALL YOUR NAME, I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, PLEASE. MR. BOB SCHILLING. MR. BOB. WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSE AND ALSO SIGNED BY GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY. THAT IS GREAT. OVER HERE. [00:10:05] AND WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR. YOU DONE, MR. BOB? STAND. OR YOU CAN GO SIT DOWN, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. NEXT UP WE HONOR MR. DARREN SANTINI. YOUR CERTIFICATE FROM THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND ALSO SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GET YOU RIGHT IN FRONT. WE HONOR MR. WILLIAM MACK MCGINNIS. YOUR CERTIFICATE SIGNED BY THE SPEAKER AND ALSO BY GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY. MR. CARL LOWE, WE WANT TO POINT OUT MR. CARL HAPPENS TO BE A TRIPLE PURPLE HEART. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE HONOR. WE HONOR YOU FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND ALSO OUR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, PHILIP DEVILLIERS. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HONOR MR. JASON SEDIDO. SIGNED ON BEHALF OF ALL METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE ALSO HAVE A VETERAN THAT IS NEW TO THE VETERAN FAMILY HERE AT OUR METRO COUNCIL, AND I REALLY WANT US TO GIVE AN INCREDIBLE WARM WELCOME TO MY FELLOW MARINE BROTHER, REVEREND PORTER REE. HE CAME [00:15:03] IN ALL THE WAY FROM MARKSVILLE. COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU MIND TAKING A GROUP PHOTO WITH EVERYONE HERE? AND CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OUR PURPLE HEART VETERANS? ARE YOU READY? ONE MORE. ONE, TWO, THREE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, SO, MUCH. COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO, MUCH. ON BEHALF OF CHAPTER 177 HERE IN BATON ROUGE FOR THE MILITARY ORDER OF PURPLE HEART, WE WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS. EVERY YEAR WE SHOW UP AND WE ARE HERE, WE DO MEET, WE MET TODAY, AND WE ARE PROUD TO COME AND BE A PART OF THIS. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. [00:20:07] ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MAYOR PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS AND METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN DARRYL HURST TO RECOGNIZE 808 DAY. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY WHAT 808 DAY IS. AND THAT'S AUGUST 8TH THIS YEAR PUT TOGETHER BY MICHAEL A.V. MITCHELL. WHO IS A CONTRACTOR OF CITY PARISH AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION, BUT ALSO DOES AN AMAZING JOB OUTSIDE OF CITY PARISH AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY DAILY. AND SO, TODAY I HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PREPARED TO DISCUSS 808 DAY, WHEREAS MUSIC HAS THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO INSPIRE, EDUCATE, UNITE COMMUNITIES, AND PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHEREAS BATON ROUGE NATIVE MICHAEL A.V. MITCHELL, FOUNDER. OF ASSIGNMENT 808 HAS DEMONSTRATED AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH MUSIC MENTORSHIP EDUCATION AND EXPOSURE TO OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CREATIVE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES I WANT TO STOP RIGHT THERE BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT 808 DAY IS BUT JUST TALKING ABOUT AVIAN MITCHELL HE'S THE SAME PERSON HE CAN GO INTO WHAT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO WALK DOWN THE STREET HE CAN SIT IN THE POOL PIT IN THE CHURCH HE CAN GO AND DO MARKETING, WHICH HE WAS A DIRECTOR FOR CARES SOUTH FOR A LONG TIME. HE CAN BE WITH HIS WIFE AND HIS KIDS, BUT WHO HE IS SOMEWHERE IS WHO HE IS EVERYWHERE. AND THAT'S WHY HE HAS SO, MUCH RESPECT IN THE COMMUNITY AND CAN DO THINGS LIKE 808 DAY. AND SO, I PRESENT HIM WITH THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AND THANK HIM FOR HIS UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO MAKING BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY. Y'ALL GIVE MICAH AND MITCHELL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. NOW LISTEN, I HAVE PROBABLY 17 OTHER PROCLAMATIONS OVER THERE THAT I'M NOT PRESENTING TODAY BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE WORK SCHEDULES. BUT WHAT IT DOES IS TELL YOU THAT NOTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE HAPPENS WITHOUT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE VILLAGE THAT MAKES BATON ROUGE GROW BATON ROUGE. BECOME CRIME FREE AND BATON ROUGE BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE. AND SO, A PERSON OF HIS STATURE JUST IS LIKE A MAGNET TO THOSE TYPES OF FOLKS THAT WANT TO SEE THE RIGHT CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. BUT WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON HERE TODAY WHO WAS A MAJOR PART OF HIS CHANGE. AND, OKAY, I'M GOING TO PASS TO THOSE REAL QUICK. SO WE HAVE THREE TODAY, WHICH IS GOOD. SO, I WANT TO START OFF WITH DETROIT MONTEZ DRAPER. STORIES OF PERSEVERANCE AND TRIUMPH HAVE THE ABILITY TO INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS TO RISE ABOVE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND PURSUE LIVES FILLED WITH PURPOSE AND POSSIBILITY. AND THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED TO DETROIT MONTEZ DRAPER IN SUPPORT OF 808 DAY. THE NEXT CERTIFICATE GOES TO ALEX GODSON RICHBURG. GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE. THE FINAL PRESENTATION GOES TO BOX THE HUNGRY GANGES. AND THE MAYOR HAS A CERTIFICATE. WE'RE GOING TO ASK CHASE TO PRESENT IT BEFORE WE TAKE THE PICTURE. SO TODAY WE ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE [00:25:02] ASSIGNMENT 808 AND THE IMPACT OF 808 DAY. THIS YEAR, ASSIGNMENT 808 ALSO GAVE BACK IN A MEANINGFUL WAY BY PROVIDING 108 PAIR OF SHOES TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO THANK YOU, A.V., FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR ADMINISTRATION AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO, WE APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN ANTHONY KENNEY RECOGNIZE MAYOR DARNELL WAITS FOR BEING ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT OF THE LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION. COUNCILMAN? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEMP. COUNCILMEMBERS, TODAY I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR LEADERS HERE IN THE PARISH WHO WAS RECENTLY ELECTED TO A STATEWIDE POSITION AT LMA, THE LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION MAYOR DARNELL WAITS FROM THE CITY OF BAKER. HE WAS PREVIOUSLY ELECTED THIS PAST WEEK AND WAS INAUGURATED THIS PAST WEEK. IN MONROE, LOUISIANA. SO, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP MAYOR DARNELL WAITS, YOUR NEW PRESIDENT OF LMA HERE IN LOUISIANA. I'LL TELL YOU, GOOD EVENING, GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE DOWN HERE WITH YOU GUYS. Y'ALL DOING SOME GREAT WORK, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE LMA, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO DO FROM THE CITY OF BAKER. ALL STARTED WITH PETE HEINE SOME YEARS AGO. YOU GUYS KNOW THAT HE MENTORED ME WAY BACK, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MAYORS THAT THAT I KNOW FOR BAKER. SO, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK, HE WAS IN MY HEART BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE WHO PUSHED ME TO GET OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND BUILD THE CITY. AND WHAT WAS PHENOMENAL WAS EAST BATON ROUGE WAS IN THE HOUSE, YOU GUYS. THEY WERE THERE. THIS REPRESENTS US. THEY KNOW US AS A PARISH. THEY KNOW US AS A CITY. AND SO IF WE KEEP WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN GET THINGS DONE. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, COUNCIL MEMBERS, DURING MY TIME AT SCHOOL, ONE OF THE EASIEST CLASSES YOU'LL TAKE IS PE CLASS. AND SO, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO TAKE A PE CLASS BY A MAN AMONGST MEN, ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY HEAD BASKETBALL COACHES HERE AT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, COACH CARLOS SAMPLE. RECENTLY, HE HAD JUST RETIRED FROM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AFTER 15 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE. AT SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AS AN EDUCATOR, HEAD BASKETBALL COACH, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. NOW LET ME GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF HIS RECORD AS A HEAD COACH. DURING HIS TIME AT SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, AT 16 SEASONS AS A HEAD COACH, HIS OVERALL RECORD WAS 482 WINS, 83 LOSSES. EIGHT LHSA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, SIX STATE RUN-UP FINISHES, FOUR CONSECUTIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES FROM 2010 TO 2023, 12 DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS. AND 8-6 RECORD IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. AND NOW RECENTLY HE HAS ALSO BEEN HIRED AS A BRAND NEW BASKETBALL COACH AT BRCC. SO, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO BRING UP HEAD COACH CARLOS SAMPA AT THIS TIME. COUNCILMAN KENNEY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST OF ALL THANK GOD. I THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THAT SAME FIELD. I'M JUST ELATED. I'M BLESSED TO BE IN A POSITION TO WHERE I CAN SERVE OUR KIDS AND HAVE SUCCESS DOING IT. I'M JUST BRINGING A PRIDE TO SCOTLANDVILLE COMMUNITY. [00:30:01] SEEING THE SMILE ON THE FACES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP, JUST GIVING THEM IN THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS BATON ROUGE. I MOVED ON TO BRCC. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE. I'M HERE TO JUST DO, DO THE BEST I CAN. IF I CAN JUST DO HALF OF WHAT I'VE DONE AT BRCC THAT I'VE DONE AT SCOTLANDVILLE, I THINK WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL. NEED YOUR PRAYERS, NEED YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN KENNEY, FOR ALL YOU DO. I'VE SEEN HIM LITERALLY GO FROM A BOY TO A MAN, YOU KNOW. HIS HEART AND SOUL THAT HE, HE GIVES TO SCOTLANDVILLE. HE DOESN'T JUST TALK IT, HE SHOWS IT WITH THE ENERGY, EVERLASTING ENERGY THAT HE HAS EVER SINCE HE'S BEEN A DRUM MAJOR AT SCOTLANDVILLE, 9TH GRADE, ONE OF MY STUDENTS IN CLASS. SO, I'M JUST ELATED AND JUST PROUD OF YOU, UM, TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU HAVE GROWN AND THE IMPACT YOU'VE HAD, NOT, NOT JUST FOR SCOTLANDVILLE, BUT FOR JUST THE WHOLE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY, THE CITY AS A WHOLE. LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU AND COME ON OVER TO BRCC AND HELP ME OUT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NOW, COACH, YOU JUST TOLD US HE WAS A DRUM MAJOR. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A DRUM MAJOR, BOY. DO THE BACK BEND, WE READY. YOU STILL GOT IT IN YOU? LET'S GO. [CALL TO ORDER] HELLO EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, AUGUST THE 12TH. GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU TUNED IN ON AT&T COX, FACEBOOK, ON YOUTUBE, AND OF COURSE WE'RE STREAMING AT VRLA.GOV. ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU A PART OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND AT THIS TIME HERE IS THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, COUNCILMAN BRANDON NEWELL. THANK YOU, DENNIS. WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST... 12TH, 2026, WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INVOCATION LED BY REVEREND LAWRENCE OF PORTARY AND THE PLEDGE LED BY PURPLE HEART VETERANS. REVEREND? LET US LOOK TO THE LORD IN PRAYER. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR GRACE AND MERCY, GUIDANCE, LOVE, AND KINDNESS. I ASK YOU, O GOD, THAT YOU BLESS THIS. WONDERFUL GOVERNMENT BODY. WE ASK THAT YOU, OH GOD, WOULD SURROUND THEM WITH YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR MERCY, AND YOUR DIVINE LOVING KINDNESS, OH GOD, LET THERE BE UNITY AND LET THERE BE UNDERSTANDING. AND WE JUST GIVE YOU ALL PRAISE AND ALL GLORY AT THIS HOUR. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY, AMEN, 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. THANK YOU. [ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] ALL RIGHT, ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 22ND, 2026 AND THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING OF JULY 22ND, 2026 AND THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF AUGUST 4TH, 2026 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER. [00:35:01] MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY [INTRODUCTIONS ] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ASHLEY, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTION? SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS. NUMBER TWO, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE LICENSING AND NAMING AGREEMENT WITH RAISING CANE'S RESTAURANTS LLC AND ASM GLOBAL LEGENDS GLOBAL LC TO EXTEND THE INITIAL 10-YEAR TERM BY ONE YEAR AND ACCEPT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL DONATION IN EXCHANGE FOR EXTENDING SAID LICENSE AND NAMING AGREEMENT. ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LICENSE AND NAMING SHALL REMAIN THE SAME. NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO REBATE $2,290,573.11 IN 2% CITY SALES TAX PAID ON MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORTANA PROJECT FOR THE CORTANA CORRIDOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT. AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS NECESSARY FOR THAT PURPOSE BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR NUMBER 04, AUTHORIZING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO REBATE 285,115 DOLLARS AND 24 CENTS AND 2% PARISH SALES TAXES ON EXXON MOBILE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR THE PERIOD APRIL 1ST, 2024 TO JUNE 30TH, 2025. DID THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BILL BATON ROUGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT. BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. NUMBER FIVE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT. TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND APPROPRIATING FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 FOR FIRST RESPONDER ACTIVITIES FROM FUNDING PROVIDED IN ACT 3 OF THE 2026 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION BY CONSTABLE TERICA WILLIAMS. NUMBER SIX, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND APPROPRIATE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $80,000 FOR FIRST RESPONDER ACTIVITIES FROM FUNDING PROVIDED BY ACT 3 OF THE 2026 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION BY CONSTABLE TERICA WILLIAMS. NUMBER SEVEN, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, TITLE I, MUNICIPAL AND PARISH ORGANIZATION, CHAPTER 3, PERSONNEL, PART 4 OF THE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SUBPART 2, PENSION PLAN, SECTION 1.251, DEFINITION SO, AS TO ADD DEFINITION OF EMPLOYEE GROUPS, NON-PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE EMPLOYEES, AND PUBLIC SAFETY OTHER EMPLOYEES. AND AMEND SECTION 2 COLON 253 IN ADMINISTRATION SO, AS TO PROVIDE FOR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION PERCENTAGES TO BE SEPARATELY CALCULATED FOR NON-PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY FIRE EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY OTHER EMPLOYEES BY THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE RETIREMENT NUMBER EIGHT SUSPENDING THE REQUIREMENT FOR FAST FOOD I'M SORRY FOR FOOD SALE THRESHOLD UNDER SECTION 9 COLON 1003G DURING THE DURATION OF THE MOVE BR CONSTRUCTION OF INTERSTATE 1, INTERSTATE 10 PERKINS ROAD OVERPASS BY COUNCILMAN RACCA. CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS, NUMBER 9, THE ESTATE OF OLLIE RICHARDSON, THE ESTATE OF JESSE RICHARDSON SR., 23485 PLANK ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT1, NOEL. NUMBER 10, VIVIAN CRAIG, 2784 ANDOVER STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT2, KENNEY. NUMBER 11, BOYNE-SARA PAGNO. 5605 SILVERLEAF AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT5, HURST. NUMBER 11, ALANA LEACH. 9711 L. SCOTT AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT5, HURST. NUMBER 13, ANNIE COLLINS. 1500 NORTH 23RD STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT7, HARRIS. NUMBER 14, THE ESTATE OF PETER CHAMBERS. 1900 NORTH 30TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT7, HARRIS. NUMBER 15, GLADYS LAMELLE. 604 SOUTH 10TH STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT10, COLEMAN. NUMBER 16, STEPHEN JEROME GRAY. THANK YOU. 42 ASTOR STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT10 COLEMAN. NUMBER 17, MARY POTAN AND THE ESTATE OF JOE JOHNSON. 435 EAST POLK STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT10 COLEMAN. NUMBER 18, JOE NATHAN FORD AND HARRIET DUNCAN FORD. 9795 MERGANSER AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT2 KENNEY. ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS. NUMBER 19, LOT A, SQUARE 26, SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL DISTRICT10 COLEMAN. NUMBER TWENTY LOT 7 SQUARE 28 SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE COUNCIL DISTRICT10 COLEMAN NUMBER 21 LOT 5 SQUARE 34 SUBDIVISION SCOTLAND EDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT2 KENNEY NUMBER 22 LOT 15 SQUARE 5 SUBDIVISION VALLEY PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT7 HARRIS NUMBER 23 LOT 13 AND 14 SQUARE 4 SUBDIVISION VALLEY PARK COUNCIL DISTRICT7 HARRIS ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ WE HAVE A REQUEST TO DELETE ITEM 27 AND INTRODUCE ALL OTHER ITEMS MOTION IN THAT REGARD MOTION BY HUDSON SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES? ARE [CONDEMNATIONS] WE GOING TO GO TO OUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS? I'M GOING TO [00:40:01] READ DPW RECOMMENDATIONS FIRST THEN WE'LL GET FEEDBACK ON CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEMS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 68, 72, 73, 74, AND 75. 90 DAYS ON ITEMS 65, 67, 70, AND 71. AND TO DELETE ITEM 69. I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM DISTRICT 7. 30 DAYS ON ITEM 63. RECOMMENDATION FROM DISTRICT 10. 30 DAYS ON ITEM 74. ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION FROM DISTRICT 10, 90 DAYS ON ITEM 75. ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCIL? 58, 30 DAYS. 90 DAYS ON ITEM 65. THAT'S ALREADY THERE. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 57 THROUGH 75? SAY NONE OF THEM READ THEM BACK AND AS REQUESTED PROCEED WITH ITEMS 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 66, 68, 72, 30 DAYS ON ITEM 58, 63, 74, 90 DAYS ON ITEM 65, 67, 70, 71, AND 75 AND DELETE ITEM 69. YES, MA'AM. YES, 71. 90 DAYS IS THAT'S GETTING EXTENDED FOR 90 DAYS. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM YOU HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES [76. 26-00845] I'M 76 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUE AND SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE NOT TO EXCEED 12,500,000 REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE SERIES 2026 OF THE ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER 2, THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO BY ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER 2. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN RACCA. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [77. 26-00875] 77, A RESOLUTION ORDERING THE CALLING. ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, NUMBER 8 OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA, ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY OF COLLECTION OF 15 MILS AD VALOREM TAX ON THE DOLLAR OF ASSESSED VALUATION ON ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDS FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES BY PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR. ANY [78. 26-00876] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 78, RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING. A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN CHENEYVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 7 OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF 10 MILS OF AD VALOREM TAX ON THE DOLLAR OF ASSESSED VALUATION ON ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS TO BE LEVIED AND COLLECTED BY THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDS FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. I HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODE. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. ANY OPPOSITION? [79. 26-00877] MOTION CARRIES. SEVENTY-NINE. RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF .87 MILS OF AD VALOREM TAX ON ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS. COMMENCING WITH THE TAX COLLECTION. FOR THE YEAR 2028 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2037 TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO ENABLE THE CITY TO PROVIDE A 3 PLATOON POLICE STATION AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY BY MAYOR PRESIDENT SAID EDWARDS. ANYONE HERE WISHING [00:45:01] TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES. PENNY MAY LANDRY WEST CONTOUR. I AM AGAINST THE RENEWAL OF THIS FOR 10 YEARS. IF IT WERE FIVE YEARS, I MIGHT BE AMENABLE TO IT. THIS ADMINISTRATION RAN ON A CAMPAIGN OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. IT POSSIBLY COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. SO A 10-YEAR MILLAGE RENEWAL, AKA TAX ON THE CITIZENS, IS QUITE LENGTHY. AND I AM A GREAT SUPPORTER OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS KNEW ABOUT IT, NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF BUDGETING SO THAT THE MONEY COMES FROM SALES TAXES AND NOT PROPERTY TAXES, SO I AM AGAINST A 10-YEAR MILLAGE RENEWAL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, NOW I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN [80. 26-00914] HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 80, A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND CALLING OF AN ELECTION BY THE ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 2, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON DECEMBER 12, 2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REAUTHORIZING THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF SIX MILLS OF AD VALOREM TAX FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR AND THE GENERAL OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT AND WITHIN THE DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS BY ST. GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO. 2. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS [81. 26-00915] THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 81, A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR CANVASSING AND RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF A SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE, LOUISIANA, ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2026, TO AUTHORIZE THE RENEWAL OF A SPECIAL ELECTION. TAXED THEREIN BY THE BOND COUNCIL ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM THEN I WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES [82. 26-00916] EIGHTY TWO A RESOLUTION PROVIDED FOR THE CANVASSING AND RETURNS AND DECLARING A RESULT OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA ON SATURDAY JUNE TWENTY SEVENTH TWENTY TWENTY SIX FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUATION OF THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A 9.5 MILS AD VALOREM TAX TO BE USED ENTIRELY AND EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING AND OPERATING THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM OF THE PARISH AND ITS BRANCHES AND IMPROVING SERVICES, ACQUIRING LAND, AND CONSTRUCTING NEW LIBRARY FACILITIES FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS BY THE BOND COUNCIL. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION [83. 26-00907] CARRIES. 83, AUTHORIZING SALARY INCREASE FOR THE CITY COURT JUDGES PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE 18943 IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,567.91 FOR 2026 FOR EACH JUDGE DUE TO ACT 793 OF THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHICH AUTHORIZED A 2026 COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES AND CITY COURT JUDGES IN THE AMOUNTS OF $10,723.03, $155.09. RESPECTIVELY BY CLERK OF COURT, JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? ANYBODY? MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSITION? [84. 26-00838] MOTION CARRIES. 84, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH VICTORIA'S VOICE TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FROM MAY 31, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2027 OR UPON COMPLETION AND TO EXECUTE ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAY LANDRY. I AM AGAINST RENEWAL OF CONTRACTS ESPECIALLY IF THE EFFICACY HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE METRO COUNCIL, WHEN CONSIDERATION FOR EXTENSION COMES UP, THAT NEW RFPS BE PUT OUT TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES WHO CAN DO THE WORK FOR A LESSER AMOUNT AND WITH A GREATER RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT OF THE TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NO GO TO COUNCIL JUST A REMINDER THIS IS JUST AN EXTENUATION OF THE TERM TO FINISH WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE NO NEW MONEY APPLIED [00:50:01] TO THESE MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS ANY OPPOSITION MOTION [85. 26-00839] CARRIES ITEM 85, THERE'S BEEN A RECOMMENDATION TO DELETE THIS ITEM, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH ECLECTIC COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL CENTER TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FROM DECEMBER 31, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2027 OR UPON COMPLETION AND EXECUTE ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY, I AM AGAINST THE EXTENSION OF CONTRACTS WITHOUT... THE BID GOING TO THE RFP. TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES THAT CAN DO THE SAME WORK FOR A LESSER AMOUNT TO THE TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 85. COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR HERE? IS KELLY HERE TO EXPLAIN THIS, OR ANYBODY HERE TO EXPLAIN THIS? HE'S OVER THERE. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A COUPLE OF THESE UP, SO COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US WHAT THESE CONTRACTS ARE ABOUT, THE MONEY, ALL THAT KIND OF THING, PLEASE? YEAH. LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THESE CONTRACTS, IT WAS NEW TO US. WELL, RIGHT? WE WERE JUST TRYING TO GET SOME FUNDS ON THE STREET. IT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM. OUR OPIOID CRISIS WAS GETTING WORSE, AND A LOT OF THESE CONTRACTS JUST THEY DIDN'T REQUIRE THE MONEY IN THAT EXACT TIME FRAME, RIGHT? SO, WE'RE MOVING IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY, VETTING EVERYTHING, AND AT THIS POINT IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE TO GIVE MORE TIME TO THESE ENTITIES TO PERFORM THE SAME WORK. SO, SIR, THIS IS OPIOID MONEY THAT'S COMING TO US, CORRECT? SETTLEMENT FUNDS, YES, MA'AM. JUST MAKING SURE. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO DELETE THIS ITEM. WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [86. 26-00840] 86, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FROM JUNE 30TH, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2027, OR UPON COMPLETION AND EXECUTE ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN [87. 26-00841] HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 87, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH LASACT, LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELORS, AND TRAINERS TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FROM OCTOBER 31ST, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2027, OR UPON COMPLETION, AND EXECUTE ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? KELLY MAE LANDRY. I AM AGAINST EXTENSION, AMENDMENT OF CONTRACTS WITHOUT THEM GOING OUT TO AN RF FOR AN RFP TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES WHO CAN, DO A BETTER JOB WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HURST. PLEASE SHOW ME AS ABSTAINED. I'VE HAD A FAMILY MEMBER GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. ANY OPPOSITION? PLEASE SHOW. COUNCILMAN HURST ABSTAINING. [88. 26-00842] MOTION CARRIES. 88, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH JUVENILE COURT FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FROM SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2027, OR UPON COMPLETION, AND TO EXECUTE ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY [89. 26-00844] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 89, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WITH TERRY HONORÉ CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. THIS CONTRACT IS FOR RENOVATION TO THE AIRPORT EMS STATION, NOT TO EXCEED $79,237, BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. ANY [90. 26-00848] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 90, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT A GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $35,758 TO ENHANCE COLLABORATIVE MASS DISPENSE RESPONSE PLANNING WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA'S OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH BUREAU AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS [00:55:01] TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH UNDER THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE CITIES READINESS INITIATIVE BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? [91. 26-00864] MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 91, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FROM FOR YEAR 1 FROM JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027 BETWEEN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND CITY OF ST. GEORGE BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY [92. 26-00865] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 92, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE TRAFFIC SIGNALS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR 1 YEAR FROM JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027 BETWEEN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE CITY OF ZACHARY BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [93. 26-00866] ITEM 93, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE FULL SIGNALS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027, BETWEEN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [94. 26-00867] ITEM 94, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN ENTITY-STATE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE STATE PROJECT BLUEBONNET BOULEVARD PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANY [95. 26-00868] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 95, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH INFINITY ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, LLC, FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE BR PROJECT CADILLAC STREET SIDEWALKS, GLEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL TO CADILLAC PARK CADILLAC STREET PARK, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $128,771.37, BY TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 95. SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KENNEY. ANY OPPOSITION? [96. 26-00869] MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 96, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR ACQUISITION AND RELOCATION SERVICES WITH JM GROUP LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE BEYOND CAPACITY PROJECT, PORT HUDSON, PRIDE, LOUISIANA, LA 964 TO LA 19, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $89,600, BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY THE CHAIR. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [97. 26-00870] ITEM 97, AUTHORIZE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 2 TO A CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRLINE HIGHWAY SOUTH PARISH LINE TO BLUEBONNET IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,987.44, BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,388,017.06 BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY. I AM AGAINST A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 02, WHICH MEANS THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED ONE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT. AND AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HIRING THESE CONTRACTORS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN DO THE WORK FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY'RE CONTRACTED FOR. AND I SAY ONE SUPPLEMENTAL PER CONTRACT. THIS IS NUMBER 2, AND I'M AGAINST IT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. FRED, YOU WANT TO TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS ONE? MAYBE EXPLAIN WHAT THE SUPPLEMENTALS ARE AND HOW THEY COME ABOUT? IT'S NEVER A SIMPLE PROCESS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ENGINEERING, PARTICULARLY ON ROAD PLANS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT UNDER THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY WITH AIRLINE HIGHWAY BEING A DOTD ROADWAY, AND THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS FROM BLUEBONNET ALL THE WAY TO THE PARISH LINE, WHEN I SAY THE PARISH LINE, ASCENSION PARISH. THIS IS PART OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS ON IN THE FUTURE, AND THERE'S PHASES THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH. AND, YOU KNOW, [01:00:02] SUPPLEMENTS I UNDERSTAND WHAT MISS PENNY'S TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH SOMETIMES I ARGUE WITH MY OWN PEOPLE SOMETIMES, WHY DID WE NOT CATCH THIS ON THE FRONT END? BUT IN THE REAL, IN THE REAL WORLD, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO NOW ADHERE TO, WHICH IS REALLY THE REAL JUSTIFICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE FOR THE SUPPLEMENT AND ALSO THE FINAL PLANS THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE FUTURE PLANNING OF AIRLINE HIGHWAY. IT IS NECESSARY. I'M NOT ONE THAT GIVES UP MONEY. I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT ANY MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND ACTUALLY GET IT APPROVED THROUGH DOTD WITH THEIR TRAFFIC DIVISION, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE IN ITSELF. DO WE MAKE DO WE INITIATE SOME OF THE CHANGES FROM TIME TO TIME THAT CAUSE A SUPPLEMENTAL? YES, SIR. I MEAN, BASED ON THE DECISIONS THAT WE LOOK AT, ONCE YOU HAVE SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM DOTD OR ALSO FROM OUR STAFF THAT DOES REQUIRE SOME CHANGE, AND YOU HAVE TO ASK THE CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT THAT, MAKE TO GIVE US A COST FOR THAT THAT SERVICE. AND WE DO REVIEW IT THROUGH OUR CONSULTANT THAT WE HAVE, AND ALSO OUR MOVEBR TEAM, AND ALSO PUBLIC WORKS, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. SO SOMETIMES IT'S THE SCOPE OF WORK CHANGES AND WE'RE SENDING IT BACK TO THEM TO DO MORE WORK, NOT THEM JUST COMING TO US WITH A NEW BILL BECAUSE IT TOOK LONGER. NORMALLY, WHEN IT TAKES LONGER, I'M NOT MUCH ON GIVING ANYBODY ANYTHING. I KNOW. SURE. THANK YOU, FRED. YES, SIR. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. ANY [98. 26-00871] OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 98, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 4 TO A CONTRACT WITH FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH BONTON ASSOCIATES LLC FOR CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVEBR ARDENWOOD-LOBDELL CONNECTOR PROJECT, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,416.95, BRINGING TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $860,948.57 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY. I AM AGAINST SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 4, OKAY, WHICH MEANS THEY SUBMITTED A CONTRACT PRICE AND NOW THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THEY ARE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY. AND I TOTALLY APPRECIATE FRED'S EXPLANATION. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING, SOME TYPE OF PLAN OF GOVERNMENT REVISION THAT DISALLOWS 4, 5, 6 SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS BEING APPROVED BY THESE CONTRACTORS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS? MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR., SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION [99. 26-00872] CARRIES. AUTHORIZING 99, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 6 TO A CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH WAGONEER ENGINEERS FOR ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVE BR JONES CREEK EXTENSION, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $125,647.01, BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,959,493.50 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, BY ALL MEANS. PENNY MAE LANDRY. I AM AGAINST SUPPLEMENT NUMBER 6. IMAGINE THAT, A COMPANY THAT BIDS ON A CONTRACT THAT HAS TO COME BACK 6 TIMES AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY. REALLY, Y'ALL? OKAY, YOU CAN SAY INFLATION, YOU CAN SAY COST OF SUPPLIES. I SAY INEFFECTIVE, AND I SAY LOOK LONG AND HARD WHEN THEY SHOW BACK UP ON THE AGENDA FOR FRED WANTING AN ADDITIONAL CONTRACT. SO, REMEMBER, THESE COMPANIES THAT COME BACK TO YOU OVER AND OVER AND OVER WHEN THEY REBID ON CONTRACTS, SOMEBODY, MAYBE YOUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS, CAN DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND SEE HOW MANY PREVIOUS CONTRACTS THESE COMPANIES HAVE HAD AND HOW MANY. TIMES THEY ASK FOR MORE MONEY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL FRED. WHAT YOU GOT? I JUST THANK YOU, SIR. I JUST WANT [01:05:01] TO MAKE ONE COMMENT. THESE THINGS, THESE CONTRACTS THAT WE DEAL WITH ENGINEERING SERVICES, THEY'RE NOT BID BY ALL. I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A SELECTION BOARD AND WE DO THE ENGINEERING WORK. AND THIS PARTICULAR JOB IF YOU KNOW WHERE JONES CREEK ROAD AND EXTENSION IS, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING A ROUNDABOUT ON JEFFERSON HIGHWAY AT THE JONES CREEK EXTENSION. A LOT OF CHANGES WERE MADE THERE. SOME OF THEM WERE RECOMMENDED MOST OF THEM WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE BECAUSE OF UTILITIES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MOVE SO, WE CAN MAKE CHANGE PLANS. ALL THOSE REQUESTS THAT COME THROUGH REQUIRE CHANGES IN THE PLAN, WHICH REQUIRES THE ENGINEERING FIRMS TO BETTER SUBMIT. AND WE JUST AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO EMPHASIZE THIS TO YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS THAT WE DON'T GIVE AWAY MONEY. BUT I MEAN, THERE'S A COST FOR DOING BUSINESS. AND BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WHILE IT HAS A LOT OF SUPPLEMENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, AND SOME OF IT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MAYBE DO SOMETHING, WE MISSED SOMETHING. BUT IN REALITY, THIS PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD, AND THAT'S THE REAL ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES WE MADE ON SOME OF THE ALIGNMENTS AND THE UTILITY ISSUES THAT WE CAN SAVE MONEY FROM RELOCATION AT THAT STANDPOINT. SO, WE'RE SENDING IT SAYS ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES. SO, THIS IS US CHANGING THE DESIGN, SENDING BACK TO THEM. THIS ISN'T THEM JUST SAYING WE NEED MORE MONEY. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THAT'S THROUGH I KNOW WE TRIED TO CLARIFY THAT 2 ITEMS AGO. I JUST APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. SO, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO ADDITIONAL DESIGNS. IF WE DIDN'T DO THAT AND WE JUST WANTED TO ADD THOSE DESIGNS AND USE SOMEBODY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, WHAT WOULD THAT TIMELINE LOOK LIKE AND THE COST ASSOCIATED? WELL, FIRST OFF, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE ENGINEERS DOING THE DESIGN BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT DOESN'T WORK IN MOST CASES. YEAH, I KNOW HOW ENGINEERS ARE. SO, I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT. BUT WE ALSO ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS, THE CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE. AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T SEE IT UNTIL IT'S OUT THERE, OR YOU SEE THE CLEARING AND GRUBBING THAT TAKES PLACE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, OH, WELL, WE DIDN'T REALIZE THIS UTILITY WAS HERE, OR THIS WE NEED TO DO A BIGGER ROUNDABOUT. NOW WE HAVE SUFFICIENT RIGHT-OF-WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. SO, I MEAN, IT'S A GIVE AND TAKE, BUT I AND I DON'T AGAIN, I'M GOING TO EMPHASIZE, I DON'T JUST GIVE AWAY MONEY. I SIT IN THOSE MEETINGS AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE MADE. AND THEN I ALSO EXPRESS THOSE CONCERNS TO MY STAFF. I'LL SAY, WHY DIDN'T WE SEE THIS ON THE FRONT END? OR WHY CAN'T WE CATCH THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER? AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE ME THEIR REASONS, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS PERFECT. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED TO DO A JOB, GET THE ROAD BUILT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, AND HAVE IT WORK LIKE PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE. AND SOMETIMES YOU, YOU MENTIONED THIS, WHEN THERE'S, WHEN THERE'S ITEMS OR WHEN A PROJECT IS UNDERWAY, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THE ABILITY FOR COST SAVINGS. SO, WOULD IT BE FAIR THAT YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT MAY BE $500,000 IN COST SAVINGS BY BETTER COORDINATION, BUT THAT WORK STILL HAS TO BE DONE, AND TO DO THAT WORK IT NEEDS DESIGN, SO, THE DESIGN WORK MIGHT COST $100,000? YOU STILL WOULD HAVE TO PAY THAT DESIGN COST, BUT LONG-TERM WE'LL BE MORE EFFICIENT FROM AN OPERATIONS STANDPOINT. SO, IT CAN BE A SAVINGS. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. COUNCILMAN HURST. BRITT, YOU SAID SOMETHING. THAT I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE CAUGHT AT HOME BECAUSE YOU SAID IT KIND OF FAST. I SPEAK FAST. I KNOW, BUT I MEAN, IT WAS IMPORTANT THOUGH TO ME. YES. YOU SAID QUALITATIVE ESSENTIALLY VERSUS QUANTITATIVE, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, AND FRED TAUGHT ME THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR FROM A GOVERNMENTAL STANDPOINT, IS THAT QUALITATIVE MEANS THAT THE QUALITY OF THE PROJECT IS WHAT'S OBSERVED AND APPROVED BEFORE MONEY EVER GETS INTO THE DISCUSSION. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'D RATHER HAVE A MISSISSIPPI BRIDGE THAT'S NOT GOING TO FALL AND HURT A MILLION PEOPLE VERSUS A CHEAP MISSISSIPPI BRIDGE THAT'S GOING TO CRUMBLE AND CHANGE LIVES FOR FOREVER, RIGHT? YES, SIR. AND SO, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE ENGINEERING THINGS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY WHERE SOMEBODY BID. IF THEY PUT A PROJECT DESIGN IN THAT THE CITY OF PARRISH THOUGHT WAS THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO SERVICE, THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OR THE DRAINAGE NEEDS OR THE SEWAGE NEEDS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE OF OUR PARISH. THEN ONCE THE BID IS APPROVED, THAT'S WHEN THEY START TO TALK MONEY. AND IF THEIR MONEY TYPICALLY DOESN'T FIT IN THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU DO, YOU GO TO THE NEXT BIDDER. IS THAT CORRECT, FRED? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. SO, FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME, IF WE CARE MORE ABOUT A SAFE BRIDGE THAT YOU MAKE IT TO AND FROM YOUR DESTINATION THAN WE DO SPENDING A FEW MORE DOLLARS ON A BRIDGE, OR A FEW OR SAVING A FEW PENNIES ON THE BRIDGE TO MAKE IT LESS SAFE. SO, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE YOUR BACK ON THAT, FRED. NOW, THERE ARE ALSO BIDDING PROCESSES LIKE CONSTRUCTION WHERE IT'S ABOUT, QUANTITATIVE, WHICH MEANS IT'S DOLLARS AND [01:10:01] CENTS, RIGHT? THE DESIGN IS ALREADY DONE. SOMEBODY'S IMPLEMENTING THE DESIGN THAT SOMEBODY ELSE ALREADY MADE. SO, THANK YOU SO, MUCH FOR YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. HEY, FRED, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW AS A PART OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR THIS PROJECT, WE ESTABLISHED A DRAINAGE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO HELP FACILITATE A CHRONIC DRAINAGE ISSUE IN THAT AREA. MY HOPE IS THAT AS A PRODUCT OF THIS SUPPLEMENTAL, WE WON'T CHANGE THAT OR WE WON'T LOSE THAT DRAINAGE SERVITUDE. THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION, IS, IS ON THE SERVITUDE. ABSOLUTELY NOT, BECAUSE THAT'S CRITICAL FOR THE OVERALL PROJECT DESIGN. AND WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREA THERE THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO CREATE ANY UNUSUAL CHANGE DUE TO THE ROADWAY ITSELF. I WILL JUST TELL YOU IN GENERAL, THIS PROJECT HAD A LOT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. NOW, WHILE I HAVE THAT, I WANT TO MENTION A LITTLE BIT TO YOU IS THAT WE WERE FIRST CONSIDERING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WHERE THIS ROADWAY WAS GOING TO CONNECT AND CROSS JEFFERSON HIGHWAY. WELL, THAT SIGNAL DESIGN WAS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, BUT WE FELT LIKE NOW THAT WE LOOKED AT THE PLANS, WE COULD ACTUALLY DO A ROUNDABOUT. AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO, WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING THAT. AND TO BE HONEST, LONG-TERM COSTS, AND SHORT-TERM COSTS, IT WAS BETTER FOR US TO DEAL WITH THE ROUNDABOUT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. I DON'T HAVE TO GO WORRY ABOUT EVERY TIME IT'S FALLING DOWN, I HAVE TO GO FIX IT AND PUT IT BACK UP? OR WHY IS IT STOPPING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY WHEN NOBODY'S DRIVING, NOBODY'S ON THE ROADWAY? IT MADE IT MORE EFFICIENT FROM AN OPERATIONS STANDPOINT, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWED US TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY. AND WE HAD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, WHY NOT DO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WHY AREN'T YOU NOT BUILDING ROUNDABOUTS? AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT FROM THIS STANDPOINT. GOTCHA. YEAH, I THINK THAT THE 3 MAIN COMPONENTS THAT FOLKS IN MY AREA FOR THIS PROJECT WANT IS THE DRAINAGE SERVITUDE, RETENTION IN THAT POND, AND THEN THE ROUNDABOUT. NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN REFERENCE TO THAT. YES. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. THANK YOU, FRED. DON'T, DON'T GO ANYWHERE. YOU, YOU MADE ANOTHER COMMENT THAT MAY HAVE PIQUED SOME FOLKS. MAYBE I NEED TO QUIT MAKING COMMENTS. IN THE AUDIENCE AND AT HOME INTEREST, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO BRING CLARITY TO IT. YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS NOT A BID PROCESS AND THIS VENDOR WAS SELECTED BY THE SELECTION COMMITTEE. TALK TO THE PUBLIC AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE, THAT PROCESS, AND HOW DID WE ARRIVE TO HIRING THIS VENDOR? THAT IS CORRECT. WELL, NUMBER ONE, WITH ENGINEERS, YEAH, THERE ARE TIMES DEPENDING ON WHAT THE VALUE IS, BUT WE NORMALLY WOULD GO THROUGH OUR SELECTION BOARD, WHICH IS BY ORDINANCE. WE FOLLOW THAT TO THE T. WE SUBMIT PROPOSALS OUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. WE ASK FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSALS, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, ALSO WHAT THEY LOOK AT AND HOW THEY DID THEIR PLANS MANY YEARS AGO, AND LOOKED AT THEIR STAFFING AND THE TYPE OF WORK THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST. AND THAT GOES TO THE SELECTION BOARD. I AM ON THAT BOARD. I ALSO MAKE MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE TOP 5 PEOPLE, 5 ENGINEERS THAT I SEE. AND THEN THE REST OF THE GROUP DOES THAT. AND THEN WHEN WE RANK THEM ALL, WE HAVE 1, 2, AND 3. WE LOOK AT THE 3 HIGHEST AND WE START THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH NUMBER 1 FROM A SELECTION STANDPOINT. AND THE NEGOTIATIONS WILL SEE, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND LOOK AT NEGOTIATING OF FEES. THOSE ARE DETERMINED. AND UNDERSTAND, NOT MAYBE EVERY LITTLE DETAIL WAS INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU OPEN IT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT GIVING AWAY MONEY, BUT ALSO, I THINK IF YOU'RE DOING THE WORK AND YOU'RE DOING IT THE WAY WE ASK YOU TO, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE, BE COMPENSATED A FAIR WAGE, THAT'S FOR SURE. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT PROCESS. AND ONE MORE THING, AND ASHLEY, YOU MAY HAVE TO HELP HIM WITH THIS, I'M NOT SURE. JUST EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHO IS THE ENGINEERING SELECTION COMMITTEE. WHO ARE THOSE FOLKS? OR WHO DO THEY REPRESENT? I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY NO, WHO DO THEY REPRESENT? WELL, THEY REPRESENT 3 OF THE ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT ARE SOCIETIES THAT WE DEAL WITH. WE HAVE ONE FROM LSU. WE HAVE ONE FROM SOUTHERN. I ALSO SIT ON THAT BOARD. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE LAND SURVEYOR BOARD ALSO SITS ON THE BOARD FOR THAT, MAKES THOSE DECISIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT HE SAID FIRMS. THERE ARE NO ENGINEERING FIRMS RECEIVING MONEY THAT SIT ON THIS BOARD. THERE ARE ENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS THAT MAJORITY OF THESE FIRMS ARE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAVE NO SKIN IN THE GAME DIRECTLY THAT SIT ON THESE BOARDS. [01:15:02] WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. DO WE HAVE A [100. 26-00873] SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 100, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH SVABDA GROUP LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVE BR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT PARISHWIDE TRAFFIC CALMING IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 2 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $104,924.16 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, SECOND [101. 26-00880] BY COUNCILMAN GODE. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 101, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER 3 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WASTEPRO OF LOUISIANA FOR DEBRIS HAULING SERVICES, TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $85,000 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $385,000, BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY. I AM IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDMENT NUMBER 3 FOR WASTEPRO DEBRIS HAULING. I UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF GAS IS GOING UP. HOWEVER, ANOTHER THING THAT NEEDED TO GO OUT FOR ANOTHER RFP TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY TO DO THIS WORK FOR A BETTER PRICE AND LESS COST TO THE TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. RACHEL, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? PLEASE PROVIDE CLARITY IF YOU CAN. THIS SUPPLEMENT IS ESSENTIALLY ADDING THE BUDGETED DOLLARS FOR DEBRIS HAULING TO THIS CONTRACT. THIS WENT OUT TO WE'LL CALL IT BID WENT OUT TO RFP, ROUGHLY 3 YEARS WELL, 2 YEARS AGO. THIS IS THE 3RD YEAR THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE DOING THIS CONTRACT. THEY'RE STILL DOING IT AT THE SAME PRICE THAT THEY BID 02, 3 YEARS AGO. WE'RE BASICALLY JUST ADDING THE ABILITY TO DO MORE HAULS, RIGHT? SO, CURRENTLY THE PRICE IS $398 PER HAUL, AND I CHALLENGE ANYONE TO FIND SOME THAT, THAT COST STILL WE'RE TALKING TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO AND TALK TO OTHERS, IT'S $500 PLUS. SO, THIS IS WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ENJOYED THEIR, THEIR WORKMANSHIP, AND THEIR TIMELINESS. AND WE ALSO THINK THAT THE PRICE IS STILL GOOD. SO, HENCE WHY WE HAVE NOT GONE BACK OUT. WE ARE JUST ALLOWING US TO TEAR DOWN MORE HOUSES AT THE SAME PRICE. AWESOME, THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. SECOND [102. 26-00883] BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 102, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH FUSION ARCHITECTS APC FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH PARISH PRISON BUILDING Q ROOF REPLACEMENT, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $133,777, BY THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND [103. 26-00925] BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 103, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE TEMPORARY PARKING AGREEMENT WITH 2493 BAYWOOD LLC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $165,000 IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERKINS ROAD UNDERPASS PROJECT BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. [104. 26-00929] ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 104, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT WITH LAZ PARKING TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TIME FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027, BY ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF THE MAYOR PRESIDENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I AM AGAINST THE AMENDMENT TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TIME FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, '27. AS WHAT'S HER NAME, THE GIRL WHO SPOKE, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR THE SAME CONTRACT AMOUNT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SAY HERE IF IT IS THE SAME AMOUNT OR IF IT'S A DIFFERENT AMOUNT. I AND I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR AGENDA ITEMS TO BE A LITTLE CLEARER FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IF IT IS THE SAME PRICE FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OR IF THE PRICE IS DIFFERENT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. SO, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ASK THE WHY FOR THIS, ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS. THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH LAST PARKING HAS NOT BEEN GOOD FOR US. AND SO, [01:20:02] I GUESS I'M WITH PENNY THIS TIME. MY GOD. BUT EXPLAIN TO ME WHY, WHY THIS EXTENSION. YES, MA'AM. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, SO, THIS CONTRACT EXPIRES IN AUGUST, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT AN RFP FOR A NEW MANAGER OF THE RIVER CENTER, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETED AROUND, FEBRUARY OR SOMETHING. AND WE WANTED TO GET THEIR INPUT ON WHO THE NEW PARKING GARAGE OPERATOR SHOULD BE, SO, BY THE TIME WE GET THE NEW RIVER CENTER MANAGER ON BOARD AND THEN PUT OUT ANOTHER RFP. THIS WILL IT'LL BE ABOUT AUGUST OF NEXT YEAR, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PICK. SO, IT'S MERELY TO ALLOW THE NEW MANAGER OF THE RIVER CENTER TO HAVE SOME INPUT ON THE PARKING BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF THE RIVER CENTER. I SAY AGAIN, I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT LAZ PARKING BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN EFFICIENT. I KNOW WHEN I COME THROUGH THERE, I'VE HAD SOME HICCUPS WITH THEM, AND THEY ARE NOT, THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT RIGHT OR DON'T TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH MANY FOLKS THAT COME THROUGH THERE, MYSELF INCLUDED. AND SO, I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THIS. AND THEN MY QUESTION IS, IF WE'RE BRINGING ON WHATEVER DOING WE'RE DOING AT THE RIVER CENTER, WHY DO WE HAVE TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR A WHOLE YEAR? WELL, WE HAVE A 30-DAY CANCELLATION CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT. SO, IF WE HAVE A IF WE SEE A, A FASTER PATH TO DO IT, WE CAN UTILIZE THAT. BUT OTHERWISE, AGAIN, IT WAS ALL ABOUT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE WE HAVE A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR ON THE RIVER CENTER. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, STUDIES BEING DONE. RIGHT. WE HAVE NEW RFPS GOING OUT. WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT PARKING IS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THERE'S BEEN SOME LESS THAN EFFICIENT OPERATIONS BY LAZ. WE'RE DEFINITELY ON THEM ALL THE TIME ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THIS WAS MERELY TO GIVE THIS EXTENSION WAS NOT A REWARD FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. IT WAS JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE MANAGING THE RIVER CENTER HAVE SOME SAY-SO IN WHO GETS THE PARKING CONTRACT, NEW PARKING CONTRACT, AND WHAT SHOULD BE IN IT, TO FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE THE RIVER CENTER IN THE MANNER THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. OKAY. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. THANK YOU, WILLIAM. NO, DON'T GO ANYWHERE. AND I DON'T I'M NOT SURE IF YOU THE ONE THAT WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING THIS WITH OR IF YOU'VE BEEN BRIEFED. I JUST KNOW FOR QUITE SOME TIME, FOR MANY YEARS PRIOR TO YOU COMING HERE, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH LAZ. IT HAS NOT BEEN CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY. IT HAS NOT BEEN USER-FRIENDLY. THE, THE RESPONSE TIME WHEN THERE WERE CHALLENGES HAVE NOT BEEN POSITIVE. AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SAID AND THE INPUT YOU WANT TO GIVE TO THE RIVER CENTER AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A WHILE, FOR, FOR MANY YEARS. SO, WHY ARE WE WAITING NOW TO REIMAGINE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD WITH PARKING WHEN THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLAINT NOT BY JUST US BUT OTHERS FOR QUITE A WHILE? AND, AND I REINFORCE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN SAID. WHY ARE WE EXTENDING THIS FOR A YEAR? WE CAN EXTEND IT FOR 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, AND THEN GIVE THE RIVER CENTER A CHANCE TO HAVE INPUT. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS IS EVEN IF IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS REWARDING SERVICE THAT HAD NOT BEEN UP TO THE STANDARD AND EXPECTATION. AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR CONCERN, COUNCILMAN, SO, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE TIMELINE OF TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE. SO, WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTE AN MOU WITH VISIT VR. THEY'RE GOING TO PUT OUT AN RFP. THEY'RE HOPING TO HAVE A NEW MANAGER SELECTED BY AROUND FEBRUARY. WE'LL GET THEM ON BOARD. WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE WANTS AND NEEDS FOR PARKING AND HAVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION OR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS IN THE PARKING CONTRACT. SO, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM. WE FIGURED BY THE TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, [01:25:01] WE GOT THEM ON IN FEBRUARY AND, WORKED THROUGH WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS WERE AND THEN PUT OUT ANOTHER RFP AND EVALUATED IT, IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE 12-MONTH FOR THIS TO EXPIRE. NOW, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT EARLIER, WE'LL UTILIZE THE OUT THAT WE HAVE IN THE CONTRACT AND, YOU KNOW, GO WITH WHOEVER THE WINNER OF THE NEW RFP IS. WE HAD A SURFACE PARKING RFP JUST COMPLETED. WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT CONTRACT. IT'S TAKEN LONGER THAN IT EXPECTED. SO, THESE THINGS SOMETIMES GO A LITTLE SLOWLY, UNFORTUNATELY. AND YOU'RE ANTICIPATING THIS PROCESS TO BE COMPLETED WHEN? WELL, WE ARE THINKING THAT THE RF THAT THE NEW RIVER CENTER MANAGER WILL BE SELECTED SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY. THEN ONCE THEY ARE SELECTED, THEN WE ARE GOING TO GO MEET WITH THEM IMMEDIATELY AND FIND OUT, OKAY, WHAT REQUIREMENTS DO YOU WANT IN A NEW RFP FOR THE PARKING? WHAT ARE Y'ALL LOOKING FOR? THEN WE'LL PUT OUT A NEW RFP. YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN, IT HAS TO BE PUBLISHED, PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO RESPOND, THEN WE HAVE TO PICK, AND THEN THE NEW PEOPLE WILL MOVE IN. THAT'S YOU KNOW, FROM FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY 5, 6-MONTH PROCESS TO GET AN RFP DONE AND COMPLETED. SO, QUESTION: THE POINTS THAT MYSELF AND COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE MADE, IS THIS NEWS TO YOU? IS THIS NEW INFORMATION, OR WERE YOU MADE AWARE OF THESE CHALLENGES? NO, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT LAZ FOR A WHILE. I GET THEM NOT ONLY FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT FROM CITIZENS, FROM THE RIVER CENTER, FROM I GET THEM FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WE TRY TO RESOLVE THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE GET THEM. SO, IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING. SO, IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT YOU IN PARTICULAR AND YOUR STAFF ARE WELL AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM? I WOULD SAY WE'RE 100% YES, SIR. SO, TALK THROUGH ME WHY, WITH HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF THE SITUATION, THAT WE SAT BACK AND WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS EXPIRATION AND PREPARED TO AT LEAST GIVE ANOTHER VENDOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US BETTER SERVICE. IT'S NOT THAT WE WEREN'T IT'S NOT THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THE END OF THE CONTRACT. IT'S THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMEONE NEW OPERATION FOR THE RIVER CENTER. THE RIVER CENTER CONTRACT DOESN'T EXPIRE UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR, SO, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMEBODY NEW IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2027. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO WANT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE PARKING. THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO DO THE PARKING THEIR WAY. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE REQUESTS. IF WE GO OUT AND IF WE WENT OUT AND SELECTED A NEW PARKING GARAGE OPERATOR NOW, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON IT. I JUST WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOU, YOUR STAFF, THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS AS IF YOU GUYS CAME TO THE DECISION THAT I UNDERSTAND WE GOT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, I UNDERSTAND WE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES, WE'RE WELL AWARE OF IT, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO JUST SIT BACK AND LET YOU DEAL WITH IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THESE COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES ARE WELL DOCUMENTED. WELL, WE IT'S NOT OUR IT'S NOT OUR DESIRE JUST TO LET PEOPLE DEAL WITH BAD PROBLEMS. WE WORK TO TRY TO CORRECT THEM. SO, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO TRY TO CORRECT THOSE DEFICIENCIES UP UNTIL THE VERY LAST DAY THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTED TO THE CITY. SO, WE WILL WE WILL KEEP AFTER THEM. OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN? YES, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT ON THE RECORD AND WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT AN RFP FOR 5 TO 6 MONTHS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PARKING GARAGE OPERATOR. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING SOMEBODY NEW TO DO WHAT LAZ IS SUPPOSED TO DO, A CONTRACT. BUT I REMEMBER WHEN THE EMPLOYEES OPERATED THAT PARKING LOT. AND SO, WITH US WANTING TO MAKE THAT WE ARE HOLDING ON, KEEPING OUR EMPLOYEES. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW AND CARE WHO WOULD BE COMING IN AT THAT TIME. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE AGAINST THE FACT THAT EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USED CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN USED TO OPERATE THAT, THAT PARKING GARAGE, [01:30:03] BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND THIS THING WAS OUTSOURCED. SO, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED. WELL, AND IN FACT, WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE, IT WAS OPERATED BY THE EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK IT WAS RUN PRETTY WELL. IT GOT CONTRACTED OUT AT SOME TIME AFTER I LEFT. WE NO LONGER HAVE THE EMPLOYEES TO RUN IT. ALL OF THEM WERE, YOU KNOW, MOVED OTHER PLACES OR LET GO OR AND ARE RETIRED. SO, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT AND HIRE NEW EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE JUST NOT IN THE HIRING NEW EMPLOYEE'S MODE RIGHT NOW. COUNCILMAN MOAK, IS ANYONE WITH LAZ HERE? OKAY, GREAT. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION. SO, THEY GOT THE PARKING GARAGES, THEY GOT THE PARKING METERS? THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARKING METERS. OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GODEY? MOTION TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.? I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE. WAIT, WE NEED A IS THERE A SECOND TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION? MOTION, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODEY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.? I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE IT FOR 6 MONTHS. I SECOND. WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MACHINES AND WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST. EVERYBODY HAVE MACHINES PULLED UP? COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MACHINES ARE OPEN ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE FOR 6 MONTHS. YOU'RE LOCKED OUT. OKAY, MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ROLL CALL VOTE. FANTASTIC. [105. 26-00930] YEAH, NO, LEGISLATURE KICKSTART. THANK YOU, LEGISLATURE. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. ITEM 105, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 01, THE CONTRACT FOR CORA DRIVE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, GOODWOOD BOULEVARD TO FLORIDA BOULEVARD, WITH EVANS GRAVES ENGINEERS FOR ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVEBR ADA TRANSITION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $15,647.66, BRINGING TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $279,819.41, BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MCELANDRY. I AM AGAINST SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 01, AND I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT, IT'LL BE NUMBER 02, THEN NUMBER 3. I'M PARTICULARLY AGAINST PUTTING ANY MORE MONEY INTO SIDEWALKS. I DROVE DOWNTOWN TWICE TODAY. I TOOK 2 DIFFERENT ROUTES. THE ROADS ARE IN ABHORRIBLE CONDITION, THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY CONDITIONS. AND YET WE KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON SIDEWALKS. IF YOU DO THE MATH, THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS COMPARED TO PEOPLE IN CARS AND THE NUMBER OF AMOUNTS OF MONEY WE'RE SPENDING ON SIDEWALKS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AND RIDE BIKES ON WHILE PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GET NEW TIRES AND NEW ALIGNMENTS AND BUSINESSES WHO MAY BE LOOKING HERE TO RELOCATING OR OPENING A BUSINESS HERE, AND THEY DRIVE ON OUR ROADS, GO, OH NO, THAT'S AN INDICATION OF WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON. WE NEED TO LOOK IN ANOTHER PARISH. SO, ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE MAKE THESE CONTRACTS, OKAY, THIS ONE'S THEY, THEY BID LOW. OKAY, SO, THEN THEY CAN COME BACK. THIS IS ONLY $15,000, BUT THEN IT'LL BE ANOTHER $15,000, THEN IT'LL GROW TO $20,000, THEN IT'LL GROW TO $30,000. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS FOR 8 YEARS. I KNOW HOW IT WORKS. NOW, FRED MENTIONED AND FRED'S A FRIEND OF MINE THAT A LOT OF SOME OF THESE SUPPLEMENTALS COMES FROM MISTAKES MADE BY HIS DEPARTMENT. ARE Y'ALL LAUGHING AT SOMETHING? OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. [01:35:01] ALL RIGHT. RESPECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, MAYBE WE NEED TO SPEND SOME OF THIS MONEY IN GETTING FRED STAFF SOME MORE TRAINING, OKAY, SO, THAT THESE MISTAKES ARE NOT MADE THAT END UP IN SUPPLEMENTAL MONIES. AS FRED SAID, WE'RE NOT GIVING IT AWAY. WELL, THE TAXPAYERS KEEP PAYING FOR IT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? CHAMPAGNE ROUNDTREE. I WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY QUESTIONS AS TO WHO WOULD ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE WORK, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE DRIVEN DOWN SHERWOOD FOREST LATELY, AS IT IS AMOROSO'S AREA. BUT THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE IN DISREPAIR. THEY'RE NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. THERE ARE SPOTS ON THERE WHERE THE DRAINAGE AND THE STUFF SINKS DOWN 3 INCHES. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO FRED'S ATTENTION. I BROUGHT IT TO THE ENGINEERS' ATTENTION WHEN THEY FIRST DONE THE DRIVEWAYS ON SHERWOOD FOREST AND THE BUSINESSES WERE ALL COMPLAINING WE COULDN'T GET IN OUR BUSINESSES BECAUSE EVEN THE TRUCKS WERE DRAGGING BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PLANS DRAWN CORRECTLY IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. NO ONE WENT BACK, REEVALUATED PLANS. INSTEAD, THEY CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD WITH LAYING THE SIDEWALKS. YOU GO DOWN THE SIDEWALKS RIGHT NOW; IT LOOKS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER RIDE. THEY GO UP, THEY GO DOWN. PEOPLE IN A MANUAL WHEELCHAIR ARE FALLING OFF INTO SHERWOOD FOREST. I'VE HAD TO SAVE SOMEBODY ONCE WITH MY CAR TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING RAN OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE BECAUSE THEY FELL OFF THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. SO, WHILE WE'RE STILL BUILDING MORE AND MORE SIDEWALKS, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK WHO'S GOING TO REGULATE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING DONE CORRECTLY IN THE CITY BECAUSE. THESE THAT WE JUST DONE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU'VE REDONE SIDEWALKS IN SHREWSBURY FOREST AND SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TAX DOLLARS MONEY. SO, BEFORE THIS GETS ANY FURTHER, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO DO THE WORK AND EXACTLY IF IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE IT IS. BECAUSE IF WE LOOK AT THE SIDEWALKS GOING ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD RIGHT NOW, EXCELLENT WORK, WELL PROTECTED FOR YOUR HANDICAP. THEY'RE ALL LEVEL. HANDICAP WOULD NOT HAVE TROUBLE IF THEY WERE IN A MANUAL WHEELCHAIR. I HAD A FATHER WHO WAS A DOUBLE AMPUTEE. I HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT SHOP AT THE SHERWOOD SOUTH SHOPPING CENTER, AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM THAT ARE IN MANUAL AND ELECTRONIC WHEELCHAIRS. AND KNOWING THIS AND SEEING THESE SIDEWALKS, IT MAKES ME GO, NO, I'M NOT APPROVING NO MORE SIDEWALKS UNTIL YOU FIX THE SIDEWALKS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SCREWED UP. AND THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT ON IT. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. FRED, I'LL LET YOU COME UP AND SPEAK TO THE PROJECT AND THE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PIECE OF IT. BUT BEFORE YOU DO THAT, THIS CORAL PROJECT SIDEWALKS IS A PART OF A BIGGER MOVE EBR PROJECT ALONG WITH MARYLAND DRIVE. WE HAVE A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN DISTRICT 6, IN PARTICULAR AT THE BROADMOOR SHOPPING CENTER. RIGHT. THERE'S A, HI NEIGHBOR, WHICH YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH. THERE'S A CLUB FOUR THERE. THERE'S A NEW MCDONALD'S, NEW CHASE BANK. A NEW HEALTH CLINIC THERE, AS WELL AS A TIRE REPAIR SHOP AND RETAIL SHOP. SO, THERE'S A LOT OF AMENITIES THERE, AND THE NEIGHBORS IN THAT AREA ARE EXCITED THAT THESE SIDEWALKS THEY CAN WALK FROM THEIR HOME ON GOODWOOD AND UP MARYLAND AND UP CORDELL TO ACCESS THOSE AMENITIES AND THOSE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, WHETHER THAT'S BIKE OR WALKING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. IT'S BEEN APPROVED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE DESIGN WORK HAS STARTED, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND TO GET THE WORK DONE. SO, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. I DO WANT YOU TO RESPOND TO THE HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY PIECE OF THIS PROJECT AND OTHER MOVE EBR PROJECTS. BUT WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. THANK YOU. FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SIDEWALKS IS WHAT THE REQUEST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PARISH ASKED OF US TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM. AND WE DO HAVE THE COMPLETE STREET CONCEPT AND WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT ALSO LOOKS AT ALL THESE PROJECTS AND HAS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ALSO LOOKED AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS BECAUSE YOU ASKED, BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS TAKING PLACE OR THE UPGROWTH THAT WAS TAKING PLACE ON FLORIDA AND HAVE THAT CONNECTIVITY DOWN TO GOODWOOD WHERE PEOPLE COULD WALK IN FROM BUSINESSES, EAT LUNCH AT SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THIS AMENDMENT OR SUPPLEMENT IS TO FINALIZE THE PLANS SO, WE CAN GET IT READY TO GO TO BID. WE HAD SOME A FEW REVISIONS, BUT IT WAS WE GOT TO PUT THE FINAL PLANS TO GO FOR BID, AND THAT WILL PROBABLY BE DONE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. SO, ON THE ON THIS PARTICULAR CORE DRIVE, IN REFERENCE TO SHERWOOD FOREST, I, I HAD I MET OUT THERE WITH I CAN'T THINK OF YOUR NAME, BUT I APOLOGIZE. JEFF. I DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE ISSUES. I ALSO MET WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES ALONG THERE THAT WANTED TO KNOW IF THEY HAD ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR DRIVEWAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE ELEVATION. AND WHEN SHERWOOD FOREST, YOU GOT ALL [01:40:01] KINDS OF DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS AND ALL TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS AND STUFF, AND WE DID WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO BE SURE WE MET THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL I MEAN, FROM AN, I GUESS, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, BUT ALSO FROM YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH ADA, IT WAS CRITICAL. THE ISSUE THAT ABOUT THE WHEELCHAIR, WELL, THE PROJECT HADN'T EVEN BEEN FINISHED YET AND PEOPLE WERE USING IT. THAT TELLS ME THAT SOMEBODY WANTS SIDEWALKS OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE PERSON IN THE HANDICAP CHAIR, BUT I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN OUT THEIR NUMEROUS TIMES TO LOOK AT, AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE BUSINESSES SAY, HEY, PEOPLE WOULD LIKE SEE THIS. AND WITH THE, WITH THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WE ALREADY MADE ON SOUTH HILLS FERRY ROAD, THAT GAVE MORE CONNECTIVITY TO SHERWOOD FOREST. AND FROM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THINK SIDEWALKS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY, BUT MY PROGRAM, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED, IS TO SAY INCLUDE THOSE COMPONENTS AS PART OF THE, OF THE PROJECT. THAT'S A REQUIREMENT. AND SO, WE I DO THAT, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS. WE MEET WITH PROPERTY OWNERS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE, HEY, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE BUILDING THIS SIDEWALK. IS THAT AN ISSUE? AND WE DID THAT ON MANY OF THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE SURE THEY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE FIRST. AND IN ALL HONESTY, I THINK, I THINK Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN WE FINALIZE THEM, WE HAVE ONLY THING LEFT ON THE SHERWOOD FOREST IS TO PUT THE SMALL SIGNALS THAT, THAT NEED TO BE FOR THE STREET CROSSINGS ON THE SIDE STREETS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. AND THEN THAT PROJECT WILL BE FINISHED. THEY STILL GOT SOME GRADING WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND ALSO SOME SIDING OF THE AREAS THAT I FEEL LIKE NEED TO BE LOOKED LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE THE REST OF THE AREA IN, IN, IN THE GENERAL VICINITY. SO, I MEAN, I WE DO WE'RE REQUIRED TO MEET ADA. I DON'T RUN OUT THERE EVERY TIME AND LOOK AT THE TAPE MEASURE. I DON'T DO THAT. I HAVE PEOPLE TO DO THAT. AND THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THE AREAS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO MOVE UTILITIES BOXES THAT ARE OUT THERE BECAUSE OF THE COST. BUT THERE'S A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE MAKING THE BENDS AND STILL BE ADA REQUIREMENTS. SO, I'M SORRY THAT PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT, BUT WE ARE DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED. YOU WANT TO SAY STOP? REQUIRED UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE THAT WAS SET FORTH UNDER THE MOVEBR PROGRAM. THANK YOU. COME, COME TO THE MIC, CHAMPAGNE. NO OFFENSE, BUT SINCE EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE THESE ARE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS, TELL YOU WHAT WE DO. LET'S GET 4 MANUAL WHEELCHAIRS AND YOUR STAFF MEET ME OUT THERE AND YOU GO RIDE THEM. YOU'RE GOING TO GO RIDE DOWN THE SIDEWALKS AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE JUST HOW UNSAFE THEY ARE FOR THESE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THEY'RE FLIPPING OFF IN THE ROAD. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS AS AN ANSWER BECAUSE WE'VE GONE ON THIS TOO LONG. TALKING TO THE MICROPHONE, OKAY? AND I MEAN, WE'RE ASKING TOO MUCH OF Y'ALL TO JUST MAKE SURE THESE SIDEWALKS ARE SAFE. SO CHAMPAGNE, THIS IS WHAT WE'LL DO. MYSELF AND COUNCILWOMAN EMMA ROSE, I THINK WE INTERSECT IN THAT AREA THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. ME, HER I WOULD TRUST YOUR OPINION. FRED AND HIS STAFF WILL COME OUT THERE AND VISIT WITH YOU AND SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN ADDRESS. YEAH, BECAUSE ONE OF THE SIDEWALKS IS RAISED UP THIS MUCH RIGHT NOW WITH NO DIRT UNDERNEATH IT. YOU ROLL OVER, IT'S GOING TO CRACK. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL FOLLOW BACK UP WITH YOU. WOULD JEETA CONNECT WITH, CHAMPAGNE TO GET THE INFORMATION? THANK YOU. MOTION TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND IT. COUNCILMAN MOE? IF IT HADN'T ALREADY BEEN DONE. NO, I JUST WANT TO ADD A FINAL NOTE TO IT. FRED, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I KNOW THAT IT'S, AS FAR AS ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN, IN EAST AREA AFFAIRS, YOUR JOB IS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND I WISH I COULD ADD TO THIS AMENDMENT, AMEND TO THIS THING RIGHT HERE, IS TO GET YOU A DRIVER, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CAN MEET UP EVERY DAY BECAUSE ALL THE MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO GO TO AND DEAL WITH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. SECONDED [106. 26-00908] BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 106, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENTER INTO AN OPERATING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AXON ENTERPRISES FOR CONTINUED PROVISION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS. TOTAL COST OF THE PROPOSED 10-YEAR LEASE BUNDLE AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED $31,169,176.74. IT'S ABOUT A POLICE CHIEF. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY. WHILE I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I AM [01:45:02] AGAINST CONTRACTS OR LEASES FOR 10 YEARS. TECHNOLOGY CHANGES AT A VERY, VERY FAST RATE, AS YOU KNOW. SO, I HOPE THAT THERE IS A VERY STRONG THAT OUR NEW PARISH ATTORNEY REVIEWED THIS LEASE WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A VERY STRONG NON-PERFORMANCE CLAUSE. AND THAT THERE ALSO IS A VERY STRONG COMPONENT THAT IF THE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDED BY THIS AXON ENTERPRISES FOR $31 MILLION DOES NOT KEEP UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS AVAILABLE, THAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE LATEST GREATEST TECHNOLOGY. THAT IS WHY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE LEASES, BECAUSE OF CHANGES AND THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND PEOPLE COULD WHO CAN OFFER THE SAME SERVICE FOR A LESSER PRICE, THAT WE REFRAIN FROM HAVING CONTRACTS FOR 10 YEARS BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE SO, QUICKLY. AND THEY DO ALL RECONSIDER DOING THESE CONTRACTS FOR SHORTER TERMS FOR THOSE REASONS, AND THAT OUR ATTORNEY HAS REVIEWED EVERYTHING SO, THAT THERE ARE CANCELLATION CLAUSES AND NON-PERFORMANCE CLAUSES INCLUDED. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOAT, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. ANY OPPOSITION? CHIEF? YEAH, DO YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO SPEAK [107. 26-00909] ON IT? ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 107, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND APPROPRIATING FOR SAID PURPOSE TO ENTER INTO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MP DESIGN GROUP FOR THE PROVISION OF ARCHITECTURAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX. TOTAL COMPENSATION UNDER THE AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED $70,000. BY THE POLICE CHIEF. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, [108. 26-00922] GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 108, AUTHORIZING POLICE CHIEF TO IMPLEMENT A POLICE SUPPORT SPECIALIST PROGRAM WHICH SHALL ALLOW FORMER SWORN PERSONNEL TO CONTRACT WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PERFORM ASSIGNED CIVILIAN DUTIES, ESTABLISHING THE PARAMETERS AND REQUIREMENTS OF SAID CONTRACTS FOR POLICE SUPPORT SPECIALISTS EFFECTIVE JULY 25TH, 2026, BY THE POLICE CHIEF AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE HAVE REVEREND ANDERSON. GOOD EVENING. I HAVE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL AND REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD, RETRACT THIS AND COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL THAT INCLUDES A DETAILED, DELINEATION OF WHO IS INELIGIBLE. PART OF MY CONCERN IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE BRADY LIST, THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WHO WERE NAMED IN THE NARCOTICS SCANDAL. THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE BRAVE CAVE, IN THE 700-PLUS ACCIDENTS, AND THE MULTITUDE OF LAWSUITS THAT WE ARE STILL CURRENTLY PAYING OFF. SECONDLY, I HAVE AN UNFATHOMABLE CONCERN ABOUT THE IDEA OF SOMEBODY NEEDING 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AS THE PREVIOUS TALKED ABOUT. THERE ARE 2 THINGS THAT ARE A CONCERN ABOUT THIS. THE FIRST ONE IS THAT A FEDERAL COURT DECLARED THE STRIP AND SEARCH UNCONSTITUTIONAL. BRINGING PEOPLE BACK WHO WERE TRAINED AND OPERATE UNDER POLICIES THAT SIMPLY DO NOT OPERATE IN TODAY'S WORLD IS JUST UNFATHOMABLE. THE SECOND REASON IS, IN A TOWN WITH 2 OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST YOUNG PEOPLE COMING OUT OF OUR UNIVERSITIES, WITH TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF AI CYBER ISSUES, TO SIT HERE AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COULD POSSIBLY SERVE SAYS WE JUST WANT TO REWRITE THE PAST AS OPPOSED TO MOVING INTO THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? [01:50:10] I'M ENOLA GEYER. I ALSO SHARE REVEREND ANDERSON'S CONCERNS. SO, NOT ONLY AM I EXTREMELY CONCERNED BY THE PREMISE OF REHIRING PAST BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, BUT ALSO BY THE SPECIFIC NOTE OF 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE NEEDED. AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME CLARITY AS TO WHY THEY HAVE THAT ON THERE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE SOME CLARITY AS TO WHAT NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES THESE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WILL BE OR THESE POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE DOING, AND WHY WE HAVE A NEED TO REHIRE ANYBODY FROM THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THEY DO NOT KEEP THEIR POLICE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE. WHY WOULD WE WANT NOT WANT NEW PEOPLE COMING IN INSTEAD OF REHIRING OLD POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN KEPT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CRIMES THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED IN THIS CITY? ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN KENNEY. HEY, CHIEF, YOU WANT TO COME TO THE MIC REAL QUICKLY? I THINK THE PAST 2 SPEAKERS KIND OF ASKED 2 OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO ASK AS WELL. WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS FOR THOSE, THAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO COME BACK AND FOR THOSE THAT'S NOT ELIGIBLE? AND THEN ALSO, I GUESS, WHEN IT SPEAKS TO CIVILIAN DUTIES, JUST KIND OF SPEAK TO WHAT WOULD BE THOSE DUTIES FOR THOSE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO COME BACK IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE. YEAH, SURE. APPRECIATE IT, COUNCILMAN. SO, UNDER THIS, WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT STILL HAVE SOME EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE WITH A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF, 23, WAS HIRED AT 23, SO, COULD RETIRE WITH 25 YEARS AND STILL BE, HAVE A LOT OF WORKING YEARS BEYOND WHEN I RETIRE. AND SO, YOU TAKE SOMEBODY LIKE DEPUTY CHIEF NEIL NOEL, WHO Y'ALL SEE HERE ALL THE TIME, HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE IN GRANT WRITING AND MOSEP. SO, WHEN HE RETIRES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO DO, HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ABOUT A 3-MONTH BREAK FROM SERVICE BECAUSE OF HIS RETIREMENT BENEFITS, NOT INTERRUPTING THOSE. AND THEN WE COULD HIRE HIM BACK AS A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HELPING US IN THE WORLD OF GRANT WRITING, HELPING US IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS SERVICES. SO, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE'D BE HIRING BACK, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HIRED BACK AS POLICE OFFICERS. THEY WILL HAVE NO POLICE AUTHORITY. THEY CAN'T MAKE ARRESTS. THEY CAN'T WRITE TICKETS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY WILL BE HELPING IN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS, EVEN HELPING DETECTIVES LOOK AT COLD CASES, ALL THE KIND OF REALMS LIKE THAT WHERE WE'RE LACKING IN MANPOWER. WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR BRAND NEW TALENT. WE'RE STILL THIS IS NOT HAMPERING US FROM HIRING ANY NEW PEOPLE. WE WANT TO HIRE NEW TALENT. WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR NEW ACADEMIES. AND SO, WE ARE ACCEPTING ALL OF THOSE APPLICATIONS AS WELL. THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS, IT'D BE, HEY, SHOW US WHY YOU LEFT IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WHY YOU WANT TO COME BACK. AND THEN IT WOULD BE INTERVIEW PANELS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, VERY THOROUGH. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SINCE YOU LEFT US AND WHAT DID YOU DO WHILE YOU WERE HERE IF YOU'RE WORTHY FOR US TO HIRE YOU BACK? WHY WE CHOSE 20 YEARS, WE WANTED TO MAKE IT WHERE SOMEONE DIDN'T BECOME A POLICE OFFICER FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS, SAY, HEY, I'M LEAVING AND NOW I WANT TO COME BACK AND GET THIS $40 AN HOUR JOB PART-TIME AND MAKE MORE THAN WHAT I WAS MAKING AS A 5-YEAR OFFICER. SO, THAT 20-YEAR KIND OF MARK MAKE IT WHERE THEY WERE INVESTED IN THE DEPARTMENT. THEY PICKED UP SOME THINGS THAT WERE VALUABLE TO US AND HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. GOTCHA. SO, EVEN THOUGH A POLICE OFFICER DOES, YOU KNOW, HAS A 20-YEAR GAP, IF THEY HAVE ANY PRIOR DISCIPLINE ISSUES IN LA CORRECT. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT, ACCORDING TO THIS, INELIGIBLE, BUT THEY HAVE TO SIT IN FRONT OF AN ORAL INTERVIEW BOARD, EXPLAIN THAT, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, AS ME, AS THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY, I HAVE THAT DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT I'M GOING TO HIRE THEM INTO THIS ROLE. NOTHING'S STOPPING ME RIGHT NOW FROM HIRING SOMEBODY LIKE YOU JUST DESCRIBED BACK AS A POLICE OFFICER, EXCEPT THAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IT, RIGHT? THEY COULD APPLY TO BECOME A REGULAR POLICE OFFICER AGAIN, AND I COULD HIRE THEM BACK, EXCEPT I WOULDN'T. WOULDN'T DO IT IF THEY HAD ISSUES LIKE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. SO, I COULD HIRE THEM AS A POLICE OFFICER. I'M NOT ASKING TO DO THAT. I'M NOT ASKING TO HIRE THEM AS THIS. I WANT TO RETAIN GOOD TALENT THAT HAS LEFT US RECENTLY, THAT MIGHT BE LEAVING US SHORTLY IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, PERFECT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS CAPTAIN KEVIN HINES, WHO SERVED IN HOMICIDE VCU FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. HE JUST RETIRED THIS WEEK. HE'S IF THIS GETS PASSED, HE WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AND WORK IN THE GUN VIOLENCE INTERVENTION TYPE WORK. AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO BETTER IN THOSE CASES AND KIND OF BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. GOTCHA. AND HOW HAS RECRUITMENT BEEN SINCE THE PAY RAISE FOR THE DEPARTMENT? VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD. PHONES HAVE BEEN RINGING OFF THE HOOK. HAD TO ASSIGN ANOTHER OFFICER IN THERE FULL-TIME TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE APPLICATIONS. GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN MOAK. YEAH. THANK YOU, CHIEF. SO, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC AND GET [01:55:02] IN MY HEAD. IF THEY'VE BEEN TERMINATED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARRESTED, CONVICTED, ANY KIND OF MISCONDUCT, MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO COME BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT IF THE CONVICTIONS HAVE BEEN UPHELD OR THE TERMINATION HAS BEEN UPHELD. SO FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE 20 YEARS AND THEY HAVE TO BE RETIRED. SO, IF THEY WERE TERMINATED, THEY'RE NOT RETIRED. OKAY. SO YEAH, AUTOMATICALLY IN THIS LANGUAGE. BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WHY WOULD I WANT TO HIRE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT BACK? I'M NOT DISAGREEING. WHAT I'M GETTING AT AND ALSO, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, THE TERM RETIREMENT. THEY HAVE RETIRED FROM THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT ANY DISCIPLINARY ACTION. OKAY. I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON IT A WHILE AGO. AND, COUNCILMAN KENNEY BROUGHT IT UP, ABOUT NEW RECRUITS. THIS IS IN NO WAY HAMPERING, STALLING, STOPPING TAKING APPLICATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE NEW MEMBERS THAT WE NEED THERE? NO, NO WAY. OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT ELSE COULD BE BETTER FOR THIS THAN USING THE VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE AND INSTITUTION THAT YOU HAVE IN DEDICATED RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS. AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING UP WITH THIS PROGRAM. I EVER SINCE IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED AND ALL, I THINK IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING I THINK A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS COULD DO IT, OR A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT BE CITY, PARISH, OR WHATEVER. I KNOW WE HAVE RETIRE, REHIRE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT TO USE THAT INFORMATIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS, IS INVALUABLE. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. COUNCILWOMAN RACCA. HELLO, CHIEF. YES, MA'AM. SO, LET'S TALK THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO DEFINITELY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE. THESE OFFICERS THAT ARE COMING ON HAVE NO ARRESTING POWER, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO, THESE OFFICERS THAT ARE COMING ON COULD POTENTIALLY WRITE GRANTS, CORRECT? CORRECT. AND I'D BE THEY'RE NOT OFFICERS. THEY WERE FORMER OFFICERS. SO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CALL THEM MOVING FORWARD? WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES? POLICE SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. ALL RIGHT. SO, THESE SPECIALISTS, THEY'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY DO GRANT WRITING, CORRECT? CORRECT. AND IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE TO HIRE SOMEONE OF THIS CAPACITY TO WRITE A GRANT THAN IT IS TO TRAIN SOMEONE OR FIND SOMEBODY WITH THAT GRANT WRITING ABILITY? CORRECT. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A IT IS A PART-TIME JOB. INSTEAD OF TAKING SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET THAT DOES HAVE ARRESTING POWERS TO DO THIS, I COULD USE SOMEONE LIKE THIS. OKAY. SO, WOULD THAT ALSO BE TRUE FOR SOMEONE THAT WORKS IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION? YES. AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, I KNOW WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS ARE, BUT WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? CAN YOU JUST TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION WITHIN BRPD LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT IS? YEAH. SO, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, LIKE FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICERS DOING, EVERYTHING WE'RE WORKING IN HEALTH AND SAFETY, OFFICER WELLNESS. LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT POLICY OVERSIGHT, MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING WITH OUR CALEA ACCREDITATION. PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THAT MOST OF THEIR CAREER AND THEN RETIRING, THEY COULD COME BACK AND WE DON'T SKIP A BEAT INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TRAIN UP SOMEBODY NEW. AND BY PUTTING SOMEONE IN THAT FUNCTION AND ROLE, THEN YOU FREE UP AN OFFICER THAT CAN BE ON THE STREETS, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THE OFFICERS THAT HAVE ARRESTING POWER, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING, WE TALKED ABOUT COLD CASES, OR YOU REFERRED TO COLD CASES. SO, THESE GUYS OR LADIES CAN COME IN AND THEY CAN LOOK AT COLD CASES. THEY CAN'T MAKE AN ARREST ON THE COLD CASE, BUT THEY CAN SUMMARIZE, DO SOME INVESTIGATORY WORK, SUMMARIZE OLD FILES, GIVE A SECOND LOOK AND GLANCE AT THAT, AND THAT FREES UP OFFICERS TO BE ON THE STREET, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. JUST MAKING SURE. THEN WHENEVER WE WERE TALKING, I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE SOME OTHER FUNCTIONS, LIKE CURRENTLY THERE ARE OTHER CITIES IN THIS PARISH THAT USE CIVILIANS TO WRITE UP TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, MA'AM. BUT THESE OFFICERS COULD GO OUT AND LOOK AT A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AND WRITE THE REPORT FOR THAT, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. CERTAIN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WHERE INJURIES AREN'T INVOLVED AND, YOU KNOW, MINOR DAMAGE, THEN WE COULD HAVE THEM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER RESPOND TO THOSE TYPE OF CRASHES. SO, WHILE THESE OFFICERS ARE DOING THAT, YOU HAVE OTHER OFFICERS THAT CAN BE ON THE STREETS FIGHTING CRIME? YES, MA'AM, CORRECT. OKAY, JUST CHECKING. AND THEN FINALLY, WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW HIRES, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN, WE'RE STILL WELCOMING THOSE PEOPLE WITH OPEN ARMS. WE'RE NOT FILLING THEIR SPOTS WITH THESE SPOTS, CORRECT? NO, MA'AM, WE ARE NOT THAT'S OUR GOAL. WE'RE NOT REDUCING OUR ALLOTMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS. WE ARE STILL TRYING TO MAX OUT THERE, AND WE ARE, ACTIVELY RECRUITING, FOR A [02:00:02] LATERAL ACADEMY AND A BASIC ACADEMY. OKAY. AND JUST FROM A FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE, WHENEVER YOU'RE PUTTING SOMEONE IN THIS ROLE AND THEY'RE IN A PART-TIME POSITION RATHER THAN A FULL-TIME POSITION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKELY DO IF IT WAS SOMEBODY OFF THE STREETS THAT WANTED THIS FULL-TIME POSITION RATHER THAN A RETIRED PERSON. YOU HAVE TO SPEND EXTRA DOLLARS ON HEALTH INSURANCE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS, CORRECT? CORRECT. YOU WILL NOT BE PAYING THOSE FOR THESE RETIREES, CORRECT? CORRECT. THEY'RE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES WITH NO BENEFITS, NO HOLIDAYS, NO OVERTIME. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO, MUCH. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. HEY, CHIEF. I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT THROUGH THE MID-YEAR BUDGET UPDATE I READ THE DEPARTMENT UPDATE TODAY, AND ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IN THAT UPDATE WAS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE MADE ON OVERTIME. THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT HAS PLAGUED THE DEPARTMENT FOR WELL OVER A DECADE. CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU CAN UTILIZE THIS AS A TOOL TO, TO CONTINUE IN THAT EFFORT AND CUT DOWN ON SOME OF THAT OVERTIME? YEAH, SO, I MEAN, IT'S BASIC MATH. MORE PEOPLE EQUALS LESS OVERTIME. AND SO, IF WE CAN HAVE THESE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES BE ABLE TO FILL SOME OF THOSE GAPS WHERE WE'D HAVE TO PAY A REGULAR OFFICER, AND MANY TIMES IT'S A SERGEANT OR LIEUTENANT RATE AT OVERTIME TO DO SOME OF THESE FUNCTIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OR REVIEWING COLD CASES OR DETECTIVE FILES OR HELPING THEM PREPARE FOR TRIAL, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, TRAFFIC WRECK WRITING, THEN THE BETTER OFF WE ARE. SO ULTIMATELY, IT'S MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DOING THE PATROLS, DOING THE PROACTIVE POLICING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. YEAH, MORE UNIFORMED OFFICERS ACTUALLY DOING UNIFORMED OFFICER WORK. OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. THANK YOU. KIM BROOKS, LATOYA PEARSON, AND JAY DANIELS, PLEASE. I'M ASSUMING THAT ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH THIS POLICY OR HAVE SOME RECOLLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT, AND I WANT TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH, AND LOOK THROUGH IT FROM A RETIRE, REHIRE STANDPOINT. RECENTLY, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, HOWEVER LONG IT'S BEEN, WE WENT AWAY FROM THAT IN CITY OF PARIS. SO, TALK TO ME, EACH OF YOU, AND GIVE ME YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT LENS. IS IT THAT? AM I OFF? IS IT SIMILAR? IS IT SOME TYPE OF HYBRID MODEL? AND WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE TO WHAT WE DID BY GOING AWAY FROM RETIRE-REHIRE? IT'S REALLY LIKE A HYBRID MODEL BECAUSE IF YOU HAD A RETIRE-REHIRE, THEY WERE DOING THE SAME JOB THAT THEY LEFT, USUALLY. AND THIS ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE POLICE, THE EX-POLICE OFFICER, HELP IN A CIVILIAN WAY AND SAVES YOU MONEY BY NOT HAVING TO PAY RETIREMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE PART-TIME. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONTRACT JUST LIKE STUDENT WORKERS HAVE, OR SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER SAYING I DON'T I DON'T GET ANY BENEFITS. THE LEGISLATURE IN LOUISIANA PASSED A LAW SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT ALLOWED YOU TO REHIRE PEOPLE FULL-TIME, BUT WE CHOSE NOT TO DO IT THAT WAY SIMPLY BECAUSE OF BUDGET CONCERNS. WE WERE TRYING TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE COULD GET THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY. IN YOUR OPINION, WHY DID WE GO AWAY FROM RETIREE HIRE? WELL, I WASN'T INVOLVED IN ALL THAT DISCUSSION WHEN THAT HAPPENED, SO, I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT BECAUSE BUT NO, NO, WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL STANCE OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OF WHY WE WENT AWAY FROM RETIREE HIRE? OH, THAT I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I WASN'T INVOLVED. OKAY, IF COURTNEY OR SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THAT, PLEASE COME. ALL RIGHT, LATOYA, GIVE ME YOUR OPINION ON THIS FROM A RETIREE HIRE STANDPOINT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE POLICE SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, THE OFFICERS THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED, THEY'RE PART OF THE MPERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM. A LOT OF OUR REHIRE RETIREE RULES THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO ARE FOR CSRS, AND THEY WILL BE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY FORMAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS. OKAY, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WHY WE WENT AWAY FROM RETIREE REHIRE? FOR THAT REHIRE RETIREE POLICY AND NOT USING THE POLICE SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT OF THE MPERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THOSE POLICIES APPLY TO CPERS. SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT AWAY FROM IT? MY UNDERSTANDING. OKAY. MR. DANIELS, TELL US WHO YOU ARE. WHAT SHE SAID. I'M SORRY. [02:05:01] JAY DANIELS, I'M THE CHAIR OF CPERS. VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT LATOYA JUST SAID. I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS MOST OF THOSE OFFERS ARE IN MPERS AND DO NOT HAVE ANY FISCAL IMPACT TO THE CPERS. RETIREMENT SYSTEM. AND SO, I THINK THIS IS A STRATEGIC ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION BY PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENHANCE SOME OF THE OPERATIONS OF THEM THAT HAVE NO DIRECT FISCAL IMPACT TO SCPRS. AND YOUR OPINION OF WHY WE WENT AWAY FROM RETIREE HIRE? I THINK IN THIS WELL, I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT IT. NOPE. SEEMS NOBODY DON'T, BUT GO AHEAD. I THINK THAT ONE, IT'S A DECISION, ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION BY PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF THE SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WHY DID WE GO AWAY FROM RETIRE-REHIRE? WHAT WAS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT? I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I THINK CPERS DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT, BASICALLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT TO THE CPERS SYSTEM. THANK YOU. COURTNEY, YOU GOING TO SAY WHAT HE SAID TOO? YES. CAN YOU, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE REASON? WHAT WAS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF RETIREE HIRE? WHY DID WE GO AWAY FROM IT? I DON'T KNOW. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO THROW IT TO CPERS, CPERS REPS, SO, THAT THEY COULD BETTER ANSWER IT. OUR OFFICE WOULDN'T HAVE A POSITION ON IT ANYWAY. AND I THINK THE PERSON THAT MAY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT IS NO LONGER WITH US. OKAY. SO, DO YOU GUYS AGREE, WHATEVER THAT OFFICIAL REASON WE WENT AWAY FROM IT THAT NONE OF Y'ALL WANT TO STATE, THIS IS NOT THAT? DO WE AGREE WITH IT? YES. DO YOU AGREE THAT THIS IS NOT THE SAME NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT YES, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN AGREE WITH IT, YES. OKAY. KIM, YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? OKAY, THANK Y'ALL. WHAT I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU WAS I DID READ WHEN WE WERE WHEN WE WERE I'M STANDING. I DID READ WHEN WE WERE TAKING AWAY YOU WANT TO ASK TOM? RETIRE? YES. THAT IT WAS THE COUNCIL'S BELIEF THAT THEY WERE HOLDING UP POSITIONS IN THE CITY PARISH THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULD PROMOAK TO. WELL, THIS ISN'T GOING TO DO THAT. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE OTHER COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. JUST A LITTLE CONTEXT BECAUSE I WORKED ON THE RETIREE HIRE ORDINANCE BACK IN THE DAY. WHICH ONE? IT WAS THERE WAS AN IRS THERE WAS AN IRS RULE THAT CAME OUT THAT FROM THE, THE ELDER, YES. THERE WAS AN IRS RULE THAT CAME OUT THAT, WAS OUR ORDINANCES WERE IN CONFLICT WITH, AND SO, WE WERE ESSENTIALLY FORCED TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ORDINANCES AND HOW WE HIRE OR HOW WE HANDLE RETIRE-REHIRE. I DON'T SEE THIS AS THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PUTTING THESE FOLKS BACK INTO THE SAME ROLE THAT THEY WERE IN BEFORE. WE'RE NOT FOR JUST TO USE THEM HERE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING LIKE FRED, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A RETIRE-REHIRE. WE'RE NOT PUTTING THESE FOLKS BACK IN THE ROLE LIKE THAT. THIS IS A TOTALLY SEPARATE ISSUE. SO THAT'S IT. MOTION BY [109. 26-00910] COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 109, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER 2 TO CONTRACT FOR LED JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR EBR MAIN LIBRARY WITH ROMELLI JANITORIAL SERVICES, EXTENDING THE CONTRACT TO MAY 31ST, 2027, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $900,000. $16,545.51 BY THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY, IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDMENT NUMBER 2, AND I'M HOPING I'M READING THIS INCORRECTLY. IS THIS ALMOST $1 MILLION FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR ONE YEAR FOR ONE LIBRARY, THE MAIN LIBRARY. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO START THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WORK WITH THE JDC AND THE JUVENILE COURTS FOR NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS THAT HAVE TO DO SERVICE HOURS. THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO A JANITORIAL TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO THEIR SERVICE HOURS AT THE LIBRARY, AND THEN MAYBE THEY'LL STAY AND GET A LIBRARY CARD AND READ INSTEAD OF BEING OUT ON THE STREETS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THINGS, AND IF THIS IS A JANITORIAL CONTRACT [02:10:01] FOR ONE YEAR. FOR ONE BUILDING, $900,000 DIVIDED BY WELL, $900,016.50 DIVIDED BY 12 IS WHAT? IT'S A LOT FOR ONE BUILDING. I'LL STOP. WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEED TO DO SERVICE HOURS, AND I'D LIKE FOR OUR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ON SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT THEY'RE MADE, THAT THE PRICE GOES DOWN BECAUSE WE PROVIDE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVICE HOURS TO DO AS A SUPPLEMENT, AND WE, YOU KNOW, GET A LOWER PRICE FROM THESE CONTRACTORS BY NEGOTIATING THAT WITH THEM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? $76,333. $76,000 A MONTH FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES? MS. LANDRY, YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR TIME. OH, THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, MY QUESTION IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS ASKING. IS THAT FOR ONE BUILDING? CAN WE HONESTLY GET A DETAIL OF WHAT THAT ENTAILS? IF YOU TELL ME THAT YOU'RE GOING IN AND DOING JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT ENTAILS. ARE YOU DUSTING UNDER THE BOOKS? I MEAN, FOR NOT FOR THAT $76,000 A MONTH, I MEAN, LET'S BE BLUNT, THAT COULD SHELTER A LOT OF OUR HOMELESS RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON LIBRARIES JUST TO KEEP THEM CLEAN? WE GOT STAFF ON PAYROLL THERE; THEY SHOULD BE CLEANING THEMSELVES. I MEAN, WHEN I DON'T HAVE WORK TO DO AT MY JOB, IF YOU'RE AT A RESTAURANT AND YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING TO DO, WE COOK, YOU CLEAN. YOU GOT TIME TO LEAN, YOU GOT TIME TO CLEAN. WHY CAN'T THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE LIBRARY CLEAN UP BEHIND THEMSELVES? IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH IN THE LIBRARY. YOU DON'T BRING FOOD IN, YOU DON'T BRING DRINKS IN. IT'S JUST SIMPLE TRASH, AND THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR SIMPLE TRASH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HI, I'M MARY STEIN, ASSISTANT LIBRARY DIRECTOR FOR YOUR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY, AND WITH ME IS KATRINA STOKES, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE COMPONENT OF A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT. THE ENTIRE CONTRACT IS FOR $900,000. IT IS FOR ONE BUILDING, THE LARGEST BUILDING THAT WE MAINTAIN, 125,000, 29,000 OF AIR-CONDITIONED SPACE AND MANY THOUSAND MORE FEET OF UNCONDITIONED SPACE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 7 DAYS A WEEK, 73 HOURS A WEEK. WHICH ADDS UP TO, I THINK, 3,800 HOURS A YEAR. THAT'S WHEN THE PUBLIC IS THERE. OF COURSE, THE STAFF IS THEIR OTHER TIMES, MANY MORE HOURS A WEEK BEFORE THE PUBLIC GETS THERE AND AFTER THE PUBLIC LEAVES. THIS IS A LEED-CERTIFIED BUILDING. IT REQUIRES SPECIAL CLEANING. IT REQUIRES SPECIAL TRAINING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CLEAN IT, AND IT REQUIRES THE USE OF SPECIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS. THIS WAS AN RFP PROCESS, AND AS MR. DANIEL EXPLAINED TO THE PUBLIC, AN RFP IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE YOU PUT OUT AN AD AND HIRE SOMEONE NEXT WEEK. IT'S A 4-TO-6-MONTH PROCESS, AND WE WERE WORKING SO, IT WAS SO, WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH PURCHASING TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THEY REALLY HELPED US, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT. HELPED US GET TO A GOOD VENDOR, AND THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WANT TO EXERCISE THE CLAUSE THAT LETS US CONTINUE IT FOR THE SECOND YEAR. AND IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK, WE WILL EXERCISE THE CLAUSE TO CONTINUE IT FOR THE THIRD YEAR AT THE PRICE THAT WE SECURED FOR THE FIRST YEAR. SO, AS I BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE SAID, I BELIEVE AS RACHEL SAID, GETTING THIS AT THE PRICE THAT WE SECURED, WE WOULDN'T GET THAT PRICE TODAY. SO, WE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PORTION OF THAT $900,000 TOTAL CONTRACT. AND WE ARE SO, THRILLED THAT PURCHASING HAS WORKED WITH US FOR THIS. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. I THINK MAYBE JOSEPH BUTLER IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE PERSON TO ASK THIS TO, BUT MY QUESTION IS SPECIFICALLY ON THE LEED CERTIFICATION PART OF IT. WHAT IS THE COST ASSOCIATED WHAT IS THE ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEED CERTIFICATION? AND THEN BEYOND THE FACT THAT WE GET A LEED CERTIFICATION, WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF IS THIS SAVING US MONEY ON A TAX CREDIT SOMEWHERE [02:15:02] ON THE BACK END? OR AND MARY, I DO WANT TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, BUT I WANT TO HEAR JOSEPH TOO. YEAH, WE'RE SILVER. AND JUST SO, JOE CAN REMEMBER, WE'RE SILVER. SILVER, OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH, SO, THAT HELPS OUT WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT. BEING CERTIFIED, AND IT DOES HELP OUT WITH TAX CREDITS. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS FOR THAT, BUT YES, IT DOES. OKAY, SO, WE'RE WE ARE RECEIVING A TAX CREDIT THAT WE CAN THEN MARKET FOR THIS CERTIFICATION, OR HOW DOES THAT HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? SO, I'D HAVE TO I DON'T HAVE THAT IN DETAILS, BUT, THAT, I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH FINANCE ON THAT TO VERIFY THAT. OKAY. MARY, DID YOU OR KATRINA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? WHAT WAS THE SPECIALTY? SO, THE COST, THE SPECIALTY THAT APPLIES TO THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS THAT THE VENDOR MUST BE TRAINED TO CLEAN THE BUILDING IN WAYS THAT WORK WITH THE SPECIAL PRODUCTS WE SECURED FOR THE BUILDING, WHICH WERE RECYCLED OR RECYCLABLE. CERTAIN CLEANING PRODUCTS CANNOT BE USED. CERTAIN CLEANING PRODUCTS SHOULD BE USED. SO, THAT WAS A TRAINING REQUIREMENT. RIGHT, SO, THAT'S THE COST SIDE OF THE LEED CERTIFICATION, BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS ON THE, THE BENEFIT SIDE TO THE CITY PARISH. LOOK, I GET HAVING THE LEED CERTIFICATION. MY, MY WORRY OR CONCERN WITH IT IT'S NOT A WORRY OR CONCERN MY, I GUESS, CRITICISM OF IT IS I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF US PUTTING LEED ON THE SIDE OF THIS BUILDING. ABSOLUTELY. SO, THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS A DEMONSTRATION. WE WERE THE FIRST BUILDING TO DO IT, TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ENERGY SAVINGS IN ALL THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND THE SOLAR AND THE WATER SYSTEMS THAT WE PUT IN TO HELP MITIGATE STORMWATER PROBLEMS, ALL THOSE THINGS, BY PUTTING THOSE ITEMS IN THE PROJECT, WE SECURED A BETTER, HEALTHIER BUILDING THAT WOULD BE EASIER TO MAINTAIN IN THE LONG RUN. AND THEN AFTER THAT, SINCE IT WAS THE DEMONSTRATION, WE USED THOSE SAME SO, WE DID THE SAME THINGS IN ALL THE OTHER BUILDINGS BUT DIDN'T GO FOR THE CERTIFICATION. HERE'S THE QUESTION. SHOW THE COST SAVINGS AND THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF IT. FOR THE TOTAL LEED CERTIFICATION, RIGHT? OKAY. BUT IS THERE AN ACTUAL COST SAVINGS OR IS IT AN EXPENSE? TO HAVE LEED-CERTIFIED JANITORIAL SERVICES. I THINK THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO START EVALUATING THIS, IS ARE WE CHASING PUTTING LEED ON THE SIDE OF OUR BUILDING, BUT, BUT CONTINUING TO HAVE MORE EXPENSE? RIGHT. I CAN UNDERSTAND IF THE IF THERE'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE LEED PART OF AN HVAC SYSTEM, OR THERE'S SOME SORT OF BENEFIT TO, TO DOING IT FOR THE STORMWATER SYSTEM, THAT'S FANTASTIC THERE AT THE LIBRARY. THAT'S GREAT. I GET THAT. BUT JUST FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE HAVE LEED-CERTIFIED JANITORIAL, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PAY EXPONENTIALLY FOR IT, I'M NOT FOR THAT. WE'RE NOT PAYING ANY MORE. WE'RE REQUIRING THEM TO BE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, WHICH JUST REQUIRES THEM TO DO SOME TRAINING. AND WITH THE PRODUCTS THAT WE USE, IF I CAN PICK BETWEEN A AND B, I JUST PICK B. SO, IT HELPS US WITH OUR OWN EDUCATION AND OUR OWN CHOICES. WE'RE NOT SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY. AT THIS TIME. SO AND WE'RE BUILDING OUR OTHER BUILDINGS WITH THE SAME CONCEPTS SO, THAT WE'RE GETTING BETTER ENERGY BUILDINGS, BUT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE STICKER. SO THAT CERTIFICATION THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED, THAT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL COST THAT'S PASSED ON TO US. THAT JUST MAKES CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE CERTIFIED PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND CLEAN AND BUILD A PROPERTY. SO, THAT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL FEE THAT THEY CHARGE US. SO, IT'S NOT A COST THAT'S PASSED ON TO US FROM THAT VENDOR, IF THAT'S YOUR CONCERN. BUT THERE IS ADDITIONAL COST FOR HAVING CERTAIN SPECIALTY CLEANING PRODUCTS, FOR THEM HAVING TO GO DO THE TRAINING. SO FOR THEM, FOR THE TRAINING THAT THEY RECEIVE, THAT'S JUST THE CERTIFICATION THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE PRIOR TO BEING ABLE TO BID ON THAT JOB. BUT THE CLEANING ITSELF IS JUST BASICALLY WE SUPPLY THE SUB THE PRODUCT. RIGHT. WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE THEY ALREADY HAVE THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY NEED. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE VENDOR THEMSELVES HAS THE PROPER TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN AND BUILD THE PROPERTY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN RACCA. HELLO. THANK YOU ALL SO, MUCH FOR EXPLAINING LEED TO US TONIGHT AND TELLING US WHAT THAT MEANT AND ALL THE CERTIFICATIONS. BUT ALSO, FOR THE PUBLIC'S INFORMATION, WHERE ARE THESE DOLLARS BEING TAKEN FROM TO PAY [02:20:01] FOR THIS? DOLLARS PAID TAKEN FROM TO PAY FOR WHAT? THE $916,000. WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? THAT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LINE. THAT COMES FROM THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET. THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET. SO NOT FROM THE GENERAL FUND? OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT. SO, YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT ASKING THE COUNCIL TO USE THE LIBRARY'S DOLLARS? ABSOLUTELY. THE ONES THAT THE VOTERS JUST VOTED TO RE-UP AGAIN? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO, MUCH, LADIES. THE MORE YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? OH, WE NO, WE'RE ON THE COUNCIL TIME. I'M SORRY. WE HAVE A MOTION. WHY DO WE USE THOSE CHEMICALS? WHY DO THEY CHOOSE THOSE? WHAT IS BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITIES? MA'AM, WE [110. 26-00911 (Part 1 of 2)] HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 110, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND THAT CERTAIN CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH MICHAEL D. HEBERT, BECKER AND HEBERT, LLC, PERTAINING TO ANNEXATION PETITIONS AND ASSOCIATED MATTERS, TO ADD $15,000 FOR NOT TO EXCEED CONTRACT TOTAL OF $95,000. THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PENNY MAE LANDRY, RIGHT? I AM AGAINST AMENDING CONTRACTS TO ADD MORE MONEY. I AM GOING TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. WELL, I'M GOING TO SAY IT TWO MORE TIMES BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO MORE AMENDMENT CONTRACTS ADDING MORE MONEY. WE HAVE GOT TO PUT A STOP TO THIS, ESPECIALLY IN A LEGAL. CONTRACT. WE HAVE 3 AMENDMENTS TO 3 LEGAL CONTRACTS. WE HAVE A FULL-TIME LEGAL STAFF. I KNOW THAT LEGAL REQUIRES CERTAIN SKILLS. HOWEVER, MAYBE WE HIRE SOME MORE LEGAL STAFF THAT CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE THINGS. THIS ONE IS YOU KNOW, $100,000 FOR ANNEXATION PETITIONS. I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF OR THAT OUR PARISH ATTORNEY COULD HANDLE ANNEXATIONS. DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A VERY, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING MOST ATTORNEYS COULD DO. NOW, WHEN THEY GOT THE CONTRACT. THEY KNEW HOW MANY ANNEXATIONS PETITIONS THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO. NOW, IF WE HAD SOME, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT AN ANNEXATION PETITION IS, DO Y'ALL? SO, I'M NOT SURE, DID WE GET 10 MORE ANNEXATION POSITIONS THAT THEY NEED ANOTHER $15K IN ADDITION TO THEIR $95K? PLEASE, LET'S STOP THESE AMENDMENTS FOR MORE MONEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? BEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THOUGH, WE SAY IT'S EASY FOR ANY ATTORNEY TO DO AN ANNEXATION PETITION AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH NOT KNOWING WHAT AN ANNEXATION PETITION IS. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. PASS ATTORNEY. JOHN, LET ME BE SPECIFIC. JOHN MCCLENDON. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. ARE YOU WILLING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE RECORD ON THIS, [Executive Session (Part 1 of 3)] OR YOU WANT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEAH. IF YOU GET INTO THE MERITS OF THE SUIT, I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE DISCUSSION IN PUBLIC WOULD POSSIBLY INJURE THE CITY PARISH'S POSITION IN A LEGAL PROCEEDING. [110. 26-00911 (Part 2 of 2)] CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. I HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. I HAVE TO STEP OUT FOR A VERY IMPORTANT PHONE CALL, SO, IF WE CAN MOVE 119 UP, I'D APPRECIATE IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW [119. 26-00936] LONG THE CALL IS GOING TO TAKE. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME EXECUTIVE SESSIONS COMING UP. I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. 119, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, CREATING A DELMONT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON A PROPERTY DESCRIBED ON EXHIBIT A, SHOWN ON EXHIBIT B, DEFINING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PROPERTY FROM WHICH NEW AREA SALES AND USE TAXES AND [02:25:01] HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES MAY BE LEVIED BY THE DISTRICT AND USED TO FUND ALL OR A PORTION OF THE COSTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AS DESCRIBED HEREIN, ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND AUTHORIZED BY CHAPTER 27, TITLE 33 OF LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTES, DESIGNATING GOVERNING AUTHORITY OF THE DISTRICT, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR AUTHORITY TO LEVY SALES AND USE TAXES AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING, BY COUNCILMAN DARRYL HURST. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL YOU, BUDDY. I AM IN OPPOSITION TO CREATING ANOTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE OTHER WHAT DO WE HAVE NOW 18 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS. I ATTENDED THE CORTANA CORRIDOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT MEETING THIS MORNING, AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR THE CO-CHAIR, WILL, SAY THAT THE PURPOSE WAS NOT TO CREATE JOBS, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE CORTANA ECONOMIC DISTRICT IS TO BUILD A COMMUNITY CENTER. AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR ME HAS A DIFFERENT DEFINITION. I ASKED 6 QUESTIONS AS PART OF PUBLIC COMMENT, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM SAID WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. WE WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU. SO, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS ARE DUAL TAXATION. WHILE THEY MAY APPEAR TO BE SMALL, LIKE THE CORTANA ONE IS ONLY 2%, THE BOARD WAS UNABLE TO TELL ME SINCE THE CREATION OF THE CORTANA. DISTRICT, HOW MUCH HAD BEEN COLLECTED, THE 2%, HOW MUCH WAS BEING PAID IN SALARIES TO THE PEOPLE WHO SIT THERE AND WAIT AROUND FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. AND IT WAS CLARIFIED THAT THE PURPOSE IS NOT TO CREATE JOBS. THE OTHER THING WAS THAT I ASKED IF WIDENING OF THEIR LINE. POINT OF ORDER. I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS LINE OF SPEAKING IS RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC AT HAND, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. OKAY, ROWDY. WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I AM IN OPPOSITION. I CAN SPEAK TO YOU. I'M IN OPPOSITION. JUST KEEP IT GERMANE TO THE EDD. ANY MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AS UNTIL THE EXISTING ONES PRODUCED RESULTS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. I'MMA ASK FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE SINCE, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, WAS MISS LANDRY WAS ABLE TO GO ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT THE CORTANA CORRIDOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS THAT, THAT SHE BROUGHT UP, A QUESTION SHE ASKED AT THE CORRIDORS MEETING THIS MORNING THAT DIDN'T GET ANSWERS. FIRST OF ALL, THE CARTANA CORRIDOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WAS CREATED TO DO 2 THINGS, ACTUALLY 3: TO IMPROVE FACADE ALONG THE FLORIDA CORRIDOR, TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THE FLORIDA CORRIDOR, AND TO CREATE A COMMUNITY CENTER. THANK YOU. SO, ALL OF THOSE 3 THINGS IT WAS CREATED TO DO. IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY CREATED TO CREATE JOBS, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLORIDA CORRIDOR AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, IT HAS BEEN AN INDIRECT BENEFIT OF CREATING JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND WE HAVE MORE TO COME. STAY TUNED. A COMMUNITY CENTER IS A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING SERVICES TO AN UNDERSERVED AREA. THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO JOB TRAINING, THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MANY ESSENTIAL RESOURCES THAT A THRIVING COMMUNITY HAS. THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO BRING A COMMUNITY CENTER TO THAT AREA. TO THE POINT ABOUT HOW MUCH DOLLARS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED, IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY WHO HAS FORMED AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, THE DOLLAR COLLECTION IS A PROJECTION. YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE. THERE'S AN ITEM ON THIS AGENDA THAT SHOWS SOME [02:30:02] $2 MILLION GOING TO BUILD BATON ROUGE FROM THE COLLECTION OF THAT 2% OF THE CORTANA CORRIDOR, AND IT'S DONE IN A PHASED-IN APPROACH. SO, YOU WON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT UNTIL THE COLLECTIONS ARE OVER. THERE'S ALWAYS A CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION, AND THEN OFTENTIMES IT IS MORE. WE DO EXPECT THAT IT WILL COLLECT MORE THAN HAS BEEN PROJECTED. SO, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING FROM YOU. THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER AND COULDN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE IT IS A PROJECTION, BUT THEY WON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER UNTIL THE COLLECTION IS COMPLETE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DUNN. MOTION TO APPROVE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST TO APPROVE, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? ONE OPPOSITION, COUNCILMAN HUDSON. MOTION CARRIES. LISTEN, I WANT TO TAKE A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE, JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUES. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. THIS PUTS $20 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AREA THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IT, AND, BATON ROUGE WILL BE BETTER FOR IT THROUGH JOB CREATION, THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE. LIGHTING AND JUST GIVING HOPE [111. 26-00912 (Part 1 of 2)] TO AN HOPELESS AREA. SO, THANK YOU SO, MUCH. ITEM 111, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMEND CERTAIN CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH CELIA CANGELOSI REGARDING REPRESENTATION OF SCOTT WILSON IN A MATTER ENTITLED MICHAEL MCCLANAHAN ET AL. VERSUS SCOTT WILSON ET AL TO ADD $35,000 FOR A NOT-TO-EXCEED CONTRACT TOTAL OF $150,000. THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. IT'S ABOUT A PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I AM IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDING PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES TO ADD MORE MONEY TO A CONTRACT. THE TOTAL $150,000 TO REPRESENT SCOTT WILSON, AND IT DOESN'T SAY IF HE'S AN EMPLOYEE OR WHO HE IS OR WHATEVER. SO, I'M UNSURE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS CASE THAT WE THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $35,000. THANK YOU. I'M AGAINST IT. ANYONE ELSE WITH TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I WANT TO STATE FOR THE RECORD, LIKE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES EARLIER I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS THIS ONE I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH PENNY ON, FOR REASONS THAT I THINK THESE PLAINTIFFS' ATTORNEYS BROUGHT AN ITEM BEFORE US TO SETTLE THIS CASE AT $40,000, AND YET WE'RE AT $150,000. IN LEGAL FEES OVER 3 TIMES THE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT. SO, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT OFFER THAT WAS MADE TO SETTLE AT $40,000. AND, YOU KNOW, HOW FAR DOES THIS GO? DO WE BE AT $200,000, $250,000? I THINK WE NEED TO RECONSIDER THE OFFER TO SETTLE THIS AT $40,000 SOME 2 YEARS AGO. POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHO SCOTT WILSON IS? WELL, FOR PEOPLE WHO START PAYING ATTENTION, [Executive Session (Part 2 of 3)] JUST RECENTLY AFTER RUNNING AND LOSING ELECTIONS THAT WAS THE FORMER, PRO TEM, PRIOR TO OH MY GOD. I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. IT SERVED DISTRICT 4 FOR 12 YEARS. THANK YOU. BECAUSE, BECAUSE DISCUSSION IN PUBLIC MAY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE LEGAL CASE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. ANY OPPOSITION? GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. CALL [111. 26-00912 (Part 2 of 2)] THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. ALL RIGHT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. [112. 26-00913 (Part 1 of 2)] ANY OPPOSITION? LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT I'M AGAINST IT. COUNCILMAN DUNN JR., OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 112, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO AMEND THAT CERTAIN CONTRACT WITH PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH BRETT FURR OF TAYLOR PORTER BROOKS AND PHILLIPS LLP WITH REGARD TO REPRESENTATION IN THE MATTER OF MOORE ET AL. VERSUS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH GOVERNMENT ET AL. TO ADD $50,000 FOR NOT-TO-EXCEED CONTRACT TOTAL OF $100,000. THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I AM IN OPPOSITION TO AMENDING A CONTRACT FOR AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 TO A LAW FIRM TO REPRESENT I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS MOORE [02:35:03] VERSUS THIS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN AN ATTORNEY TAKES ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT THE PRICE THAT Y'ALL APPROVED IS THE PRICE FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES. AND HERE WE GO, WE HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT. AND NOW, I'VE KNOWN MANY ATTORNEYS IN MY LIFE, AND SOME OF THEM ARE ETHICAL AND SOME OF THEM ARE QUESTIONABLE. BUT SOME OF THE UNQUESTIONABLE ONES WILL EXTEND AND EXTEND AND EXTEND SO, THEY COULD KEEP MAKING MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY. AND SO, I WOULD HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT Y'ALL LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER AT THESE CONTRACTS AND LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING OUR PARISH ATTORNEY CAN DO INSOFAR AS REPRESENTATION, OR THAT MAYBE IF YOU ADD UP THE NUMBERS, MAYBE ALL OF THIS MONEY WE'RE SPENDING ON OUTSIDE LEGAL CONTRACTS COULD BE BETTER SPENT HIRING A FEW MORE ATTORNEYS IN OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. [Executive Session (Part 3 of 3)] ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. COUNCILMAN HUDSON REQUESTS WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. HE MAKES A MOTION, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR. ANY OPPOSITION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MOTION CARRIES. EXECUTIVE SESSION BEGINS. GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO COUNCILMAN HUDSON, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHY WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE, DISCUSSION IN OPEN SESSION WOULD, INJURE OUR POSITION IN A LEGAL PROCEEDING. [112. 26-00913 (Part 2 of 2)] CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND [113. 26-00921] BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 113, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT IN THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF LEONA MASON FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,540.65 [114. 26-00933] 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 COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 114, AUTHORIZATION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF KRISTA WRIGHT FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP, ADMITTING THE CLAIMANT ITS HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $14,453.73 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK [115. 26-00923] ON THIS ITEM? SEE, NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 115, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF JAMES CEZANNE, DOING BUSINESS AS JLS SERVICES LLC, FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $38,840.14 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK [116. 26-00935] ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODEY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 116, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF JEANETTE HARRISON FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $55,508.47. BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, [117. 26-00937] WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 117, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF HANS HUGHES FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A SEWER BACKUP IN THE CLAIMANT'S HOME FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $17,590.92 BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK [118. 26-00931] ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODEY, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 118, AMENDING TITLE 11 TRAFFIC CODE, CHAPTER 11, SERIOUS TRAFFIC OFFENSES, SECTION 11-140, OPERATING A VEHICLE WHILE INTOXICATED, SO, AS TO AMEND SUBSECTION E TO PROVIDE FOR AN EXCLUSION TO CONSIDERATION OF PRIOR CRIMES BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A [120. 26-00938] MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODE, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 120, RESCINDING AND DIRECTING CLERK OF COURT TO CANCEL DECISION TO ORDER RECORDED ON APRIL 27TH, 2026, MATTER OF CITY OF BATON ROUGE VERSUS VOTE LOUISIANA, 1566 NORTH ACADIAN THRUWAY WEST. REASON FOR RESCISSION IS THE PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD AND RENOVATED. THIS IS BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. [02:40:01] ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO [121. 26-00984] TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. APPOINTMENTS. 121, BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE, REPLACING OR REAPPOINTING COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMOROSO. CURRENT BALLOT IS COUNCILWOMAN DENISE AMOROSO REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REAPPOINT, COUNCILWOMAN [122. 26-01021] DENISE AMOROSO. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GODE. ANY OPPOSITION? CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILWOMAN. 122, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CONCURRING IN THE CHIEF POLICE CHIEF OF POLICE'S NOMINATION TO REAPPOINT MYRON DANIELS. THIS IS A 4-YEAR TERM. CURRENT BALLOT, MYRON DANIELS REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, [Items 123. - 130.] WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATS, MR. DANIELS. CHANGE ORDERS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 123 THROUGH 130 TOGETHER. 123, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER UPGRADES, CONTRACTOR ARCAL CONSTRUCTION LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $214,179. EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON WINGS E AND F SECURITY WINDOWS. CONTRACTOR: R&S CORPORATION. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT: $48,728. BRPD TRAINING ACADEMY RENOVATIONS. CONTRACTOR: CENTURION CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT: $118,064.74. REQUEST TO AMEND CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR TRACE INFRARED ASPHALT RESTORATION LLC. CONTRACTOR: TRACE INFRARED ASPHALT RESTORATION LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT $50,000. NEW ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONTRACTOR, INFRA MCC LLC, CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT $21,695. MAIN STREET AREA ADA TRANSITION PROJECT CONTRACTOR, TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION, CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT CREDIT OF $57,675.87. SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT 20-5 AND SALMO LANE, BLUEBONNET TO S. AND BARRINGER FOREMAN ROAD, AIRLINE TO JEFFERSON HIGHWAY. CONTRACTOR, BARBER BROTHERS CONTRACTING COMPANY, LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, CREDIT OF $922.85. I-12 AT SHERWOOD FOREST, PEDESTRIAN BIKE SAFETY. CONTRACTOR, LA CONTRACTING ENTERPRISE, LLC. CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $433. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 123 THROUGH 130? SEEING NONE, [Items 131. - 133.] WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. FINAL ACCEPTANCES 131 THROUGH 133. BRPD TRAINING ACADEMY RENOVATIONS, CONTRACTOR CENTURION CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, FINAL COST $2,894,201.74. MAIN STREET AREA ADA TRANSITION PROJECT, CONTRACTOR TRIUMPH CONSTRUCTION LLC, FINAL COST $449,020.82. SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT 20-5, ANSELMO LANE BONNET TO ESSEND, BARRINGER FOREMAN ROAD AIRLINE TO JEFFERSON HIGHWAY. CONTRACTOR, BARBER BROTHERS CONTRACTING COMPANY, LLC. FINAL COST, $758,408.15. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 131 THROUGH 133? [134. 26-00945 ] SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS, EAST BATON 134, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON REPIPE WATER PIPING FOR K WING DUE TO LEAK UNDER THE SLAB. LOW BID, ROTO-ROOTER PLUMBERS, $188,901.62. 135, BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT I'M SORRY, 134. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO [135. 26-00987] TO COUNCIL MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 135, BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT RUNWAY 31 EMAS REMOVAL AND BLAST PAD INSTALLATION, LOW BID HENDRICK CONSTRUCTION, $1,374,034.39. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. [139. 26-00949] YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE REPORTS LAST. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE, EMERGENCY ITEMS, ITEMS 139 THROUGH 143. IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 16442, THESE ITEMS MUST BE DECLARED EMERGENCY BY 2/3 VOTE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL. I NEED A MOTION TO DECLARE THESE ITEMS AN EMERGENCY. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. ANY OPPOSITION TO DECLARE THESE ITEMS AN EMERGENCY? SEEING NONE, ITEMS CAN BE HEARD AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. ITEM 139, AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, [02:45:02] AND/OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 TO THE CONTRACT FOR CLEAN FORCE LLC FOR FLOOR CARE SERVICES AT THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $8,074.84 FOR A REVISED TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $132,973.89 AND TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM BY 1 MONTH WITH THE CONTRACT ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2026, BY AVIATION DIRECTOR. THE REASON FOR IT BEING AN EMERGENCY IS IT'S DEEMED AN EMERGENCY TO MEET THE CERTAIN DEADLINES. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I AM AGAINST INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $8,000 BECAUSE, IT'S AN INCREASE. THANK YOU. [140. 26-00951] ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR., SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 140, AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND/OR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE THE FIRST 1-YEAR RENEWAL OPTION OF THE CONTRACT WITH OOK JANITORIAL FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES AT THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AIRPORT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $492,000 AND AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE THE FINAL 1-YEAR RENEWAL OPTION AT THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS BY THE AVIATION DIRECTOR. REASON FOR EMERGENCY IS TO MEET CERTAIN DEADLINES. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE LIBRARY HAVE A MEETING WITH OOK JANITORIAL WHO WAS ABLE TO CLEAN THE ENTIRE AIRPORT FOR HALF OF WHAT IT IS COSTING TAXPAYERS TO HAVE JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR ONE LIBRARY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SO QUICK QUESTION FOR MIKE AT THE AIRPORT. I THINK THEY'RE IN THE BACK. I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH, SO, I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE THESE NUMBERS ARE, BUT IT BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT. IT'S SAYING HERE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE 175,000 SQUARE FEET ROUGHLY. DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? YEAH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I BELIEVE THIS CONTRACT COVERS ABOUT 130,000 SQUARE FEET OF THE TERMINAL BUILDING APPROXIMATELY. AND THEN SO, ALSO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE LIBRARY SHOWS 126,000 SQUARE FEET. SO, COMPARABLE SIZES BUT AN EXPONENTIAL COST DIFFERENCE. SO, THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT MAYBE THAT LEED CERTIFICATION IS AN ISSUE. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MIKE. I, I'M ALL FOR YOUR CONTRACT. I JUST, I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING INTERESTING. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, COUNCILMAN, I THINK THE LIBRARY WAS A MULTI-YEAR TOTAL. SO, THAT MAY BE WHY. MOTION BY I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT IT, ACCORDING TO THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR THE LIBRARY CLEANING CONTRACT, WE WERE ADDING ONLY ABOUT $400,000 TO THE CONTRACT. SO THAT WAS THE $900,000 WAS YEAR 1 PLUS YEAR 2. SO THERE WE GO. WE HAVE A [141. 26-00954] MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS. ANY OPPOSITION? SECOND. MOTION CARRIES. 141, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY CENTER TO EXECUTE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH METRO HEALTH, A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION, TO PROVIDE FREE HIV/AIDS TESTING AND EDUCATION TO THE CITIZENRY OF THE EDEN PARK COMMUNITY AND THOSE OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE THAT MIGHT AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE SERVICES, BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS FOR TIME CONSTRAINTS. ANYONE [142. 26-00994] 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. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 142, AUTHORIZING MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR MOWING AND LITTER PICKUP ALONG CERTAIN STATE ROUTES WITH STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR A PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027 BY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR. REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS TO ENSURE TIMELY AND CONSISTENT MOWING OF THE INTERSTATE. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I THINK NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WE HAVE A MOTION. [143. 26-01032] MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. 143, AMEND THE RULES GOVERNING EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE OF THE CITY PARISH SO, AS TO RATIFY PERSONNEL BOARD ACTION ON AUGUST 4TH, 2026, RELATED TO RULE 4 PAY PLAN SECTION 3 AND RULE 4 CERTIFICATION AND APPOINTMENT SECTIONS 6.2 AND 6.3, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 13TH, 2026, BY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY IS THIS ITEM IS DEEMED AN EMERGENCY IN ORDER TO ENSURE IMPACTED RULES GOVERNING EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICES OF [02:50:02] CITY PARISH CAN CONTINUE TO BE INSTITUTED PROPERLY WITH CONSIDERATION OF NEWLY ADOPTED CITY PARISH PAY PLAN AND PAY SCHEDULE, WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT JUNE 27TH, 2026. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. [136. 26-00782] HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, 136, PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN FROM OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE REPORT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, HOW ARE YOU? PLEASE GO. GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A QUICK HISTORY OF OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND JUST A LITTLE BIT ON OUR GVI FRAMEWORK. SO, THE MODEL THAT THE CITY AND THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IS OUR GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION. INTERVENTION STRATEGY, WHICH IS A VERY FOCUSED DETERRENT STRATEGY. SO, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT HIGH RISK OF COMMITTING MORE OF YOUR CRIMES. THIS MODEL WAS IMPLEMENTED BEFORE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE 3 YEARS LOWEST HOMICIDE RATES THAT WE'VE HAD WHEN WE WERE IMPLEMENTING THIS MODEL, BUT IMPLEMENTED IT TO FIDELITY. YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE USING TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME AS WE PLAN ON AND PREPARING FOR CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE VIOLENCE OF INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION IS THE FIRST TO USE A VERY DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. AND SO, THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR SHOOTINGS THROUGH A SHOOTING REVIEW PROCESS, ANY TYPE OF GROUP AUDIT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR GROUPS, OUR GANGS IN, IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO USING, THROUGH OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS, ANY TYPE OF SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS TO TIE IN THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN MOST OF OUR VIOLENT ACTIVITY IN THE CITY AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE OF THAT. WE ALSO USE A VERY FOCUSED DETERRENCE MODEL. SO, WHAT IS THAT? THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, WILL GIVE US PERMISSION TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH. AND WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A VERY STRONG CONVERSATION AND A CUSTOM NOTIFICATION SO, THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT YOUNG PERSON OR THAT YOUNG ADULT AND HOW CAN WE INTERVENE AND HOW CAN WE OFFER OTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO, IF WE HEAR THAT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME FORM OF A SHOOTING OR SOME INCIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY TAKE PLACE, THEN WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT YOUNG PERSON OR THEIR FAMILIES. AND THROUGH THAT, WE PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH WILL BE OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS, MAKING SURE THEY RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, MAKING SURE THEY RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE HOUSING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WE BEGIN TO STAND UP WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS YOUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. AND SO, WHAT HAPPENED, HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THE 6 PILLARS THAT YOU ALL WILL SEE SHORTLY ON YOUR SLIDES? WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY AND OUR YOUNG ADULTS, IF YOU CAN KIND OF READ IT, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE SMALL. OUR YOUNG ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ASKED THEM WHAT WAS DRIVING AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE WAS DRIVING CRIME IN THEIR PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES. AND SO, THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT CAME ABOUT FROM OUR FOCUS GROUPS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND ALSO THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH OUR, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO, THAT LED TO AS WE ARE BUILDING OUT THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, THESE ARE THE 6 PILLARS THAT WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON MOVING FORWARD OVER THE YEARS. SO, EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA RESPONSE, YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, GUN AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, FAMILY STABILITY, WORKFORCE PATHWAYS, AND EDUCATION AND TRUANCY PREVENTION. AND SO, OUR TARGET POPULATION, FROM HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM ON WHAT IS GOING ON, THIS IS THESE ARE THE POPULATIONS THAT WE SEEMED AND DEEMED THAT THEY FOUND WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROBLEMATIC. AND I'LL TRY TO READ THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY ARE VERY LITTLE ON THAT PARTICULAR SLIDE. AND SO, FOR OUR TARGET POPULATION, OF COURSE, WE'RE COMING UP WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, 14 TO 24. THAT WAS THE NUMBER THAT WE SEEN THE MOST OF, OF COURSE, FOR PREVENTION, OUR CHRONIC TRUANCY ISSUE. MULTIPLE SUSPENSIONS, BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, THOSE THAT ARE EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE, AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. AND SO, [02:55:04] OF COURSE, OUR CURRENT DEMOGRAPHIC, WHAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGH THE DATA IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR SUSPECTS AND VICTIMS, OF COURSE, ARE YOUNG BLACK MALES RIGHT NOW. AND THROUGH OUR SHOOTING REVIEWS, WE ARE LEARNING THAT THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GROUP OR GANG-INVOLVED SEEMS TO BE VERY HIGH AND RETALIATORY IN NATURE. WHICH IS HOW WE CHOSE THE GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION MODEL. AND SO, OUR NATIONAL NETWORK, OUR PARTNERS, THEY CAME DOWN, WE DID A PROBLEM ANALYSIS, AND WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE NONFATAL SHOOTINGS AND OUR HOMICIDES OVER THE PAST YEAR TO DECIDE WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE CURRENT TRENDS, SO, FROM JANUARY TO THE END OF JUNE, WE HAD 48 HOMICIDES. AS YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMICIDES ARE BLACK MALES, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN ALL OF THE OTHER GROUPS COMBINED. NEXT SLIDE. AVERAGE AGE FOR BLACK MEN BEING KILLED IN BATON ROUGE RIGHT NOW IS APPROXIMATELY 29 YEARS OLD. AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS IS WHEN WE TAKE THE AVERAGE AGE, YOU HAD SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED WERE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, SO, THAT RAISED THE AGE UP BUT TYPICALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOT OF VIOLENCE IN THE 17 TO 25-YEAR-OLD AGE RANGE AS IT PERTAINS TO BLACK MALES. COINCIDENTALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE SUSPECTS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THE SUSPECTS' DEMOGRAPHICS PRETTY MUCH MIRROR THE VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. NEXT. SO, AGAIN, HOMICIDE SUSPECTS, NO SURPRISE. PRIMARILY BLACK MALES COMMITTING HOMICIDES DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR. NEXT. WE LOOK AT HOMICIDES BY ZIP CODE. CONSISTENT WITH TRENDS OVER THE YEARS, 70805 AND 70802 ARE PRETTY MUCH THE AREAS THAT ACCOUNT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMICIDES IN BATON ROUGE. ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE LAYOUT OF BATON ROUGE, 70805 AND 70802 ARE ADJACENT ZIP CODES. SO, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES, ESSENTIALLY IF YOU GO 1 OR 2 BLOCKS OVER, YOU'RE STILL DEALING IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS, JUST THAT THEY FALL IN DIFFERENT ZIP CODES. NEXT. WE LOOK AGAIN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE VICTIMS' DEMOGRAPHICS, SO, THE VICTIMS PRIMARILY BLACK MALES. WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN THE REST OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THERE ARE A FEW BLACK FEMALES WHO WERE SHOT DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AS WELL. NEXT. AGAIN, SUSPECTS THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION ON AT THIS TIME PRETTY MUCH MIRRORS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE VICTIMS THAT WE'RE SEEING. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE POINT IS OFTENTIMES WHEN WE CAN IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM, WE GET A SENSE OF WHO IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEXT SHOOTINGS. EITHER IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR SUSPECT ONCE PEOPLE FIND OUT WHO THE SUSPECTS ARE, OR YOUR SUSPECTS TODAY ARE GOING TO BE YOUR VICTIMS TOMORROW. YOUR VICTIMS TODAY ARE GOING TO BE YOUR SUSPECTS TOMORROW. AND WE SEE THIS GOING BACK AND FORTH, AND THAT'S A PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE INTERVENTION AS WELL. NEXT. AND AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ZIP CODES FOR NONFATAL SHOOTINGS, IT PRETTY MUCH MIRRORS THE ZIP CODES FOR YOUR FATAL SHOOTINGS. 70805 IS PRETTY MUCH LEADING THE WAY. RIGHT BEHIND THAT. NEXT. OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS, 83 JUVENILES HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA. 2022, RIGHT AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW, A PEAK AT 19. '23 WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. '24, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT TRENDING UP. '25 WAS A GOOD YEAR, SO, TO SPEAK. THE FIRST HALF OF 2026, WE ALREADY HAVE MORE HOMICIDES IN BATON ROUGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAN WE HAD ALL OF 2025 AND ALMOST ALL OF 2024. SO, WE KNOW THAT IS NOT A GOOD NUMBER. AND SINCE THESE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN REPORTED, WE'VE HAD OTHER HOMICIDES. WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO DO THE HOMICIDE REVIEW YET. AND ONCE WE DO THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE UP-TO-DATE NUMBERS. BUT 2026 IS NOT TRENDING IN A GOOD DIRECTION. ACCORDING TO WBRZ, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN LOUISIANA IS YOUTH IN LOUISIANA HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO GUNS THAN MOST OF THE OTHER STATES IN THE UNITED STATES. ACCESS TO GUNS LEADS TO BAD DECISIONS. BAD DECISIONS LEAD TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BEING SHOT AND KILLED. NEXT. AND SO, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GANG MODEL AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO STAND UP AND OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. WE HAVE GATHERED OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, SO, WE HAVE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LEADING THE CHARGE AS A BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MODEL. AND WE'VE ALSO [03:00:03] DONE OUR PROBLEM ANALYSIS, AS WE TOLD YOU BEFORE, WHERE WE FOUND THAT OVER 30% OF OUR HOMICIDES OVER THE PAST YEAR WERE GROUP OR GANG-RELATED. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, AND SO, AS YOU LOOK AT IT, AND AS WE'RE COMING UP WITH WHAT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL LOOK AT, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT UNDER THE PILLARS SO, OUR PILLAR 1 IS GUN VIOLENCE, GROUP GUN AND GROUP VIOLENCE REDUCTION. AND SO, FOR THAT PILLAR, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT HIGHEST RISK OF COMMITTING SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIME. SO, THAT'S OUR GVI MODEL, THAT'S OUR FOCUSED DETERRENCE, THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SHOOTING REVIEWS, THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GROUP AUDIT, THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CUSTOM NOTIFICATION. UNDER PILLAR 2, WE'RE HOPING THROUGH FUNDING THAT THE CITY WILL INVEST IN MENTORING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. WE ALREADY HAVE OUR SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS. SUPERINTENDENT COLE DID IDENTIFY THE 5 SCHOOLS THAT HE WANTED THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TO FOCUS ON, ONE BEING SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. AS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN READING THE NEWS, WE'VE SEEN WHAT'S GOING ON IN SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES ARE COMING FROM INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED THIS SUMMER. SO, PART OF OUR PLAN WITH AIDING THE PRINCIPALS, THE STAFF AT SCOTLANDVILLE, IS THAT ON FRIDAYS, WE THEY HAVE FORMED FOUND A SPACE FOR US. SO, OUR OFFICE WILL BE ON CAMPUS ON THOSE PARTICULAR FRIDAYS, IS WHAT THEY ASKED FOR, BECAUSE THEY FOUND THAT FRIDAYS ARE THE MOST VIOLENT TIMES DURING THEIR SCHOOL PERIOD. AND SO, BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE SUPPORTING THE SCHOOLS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR WORK SITE WILL BE ON SCOTLANDVILLE'S CAMPUS. WHILE WE DO HAVE 4 OTHER SCHOOLS, WE DID EXPRESS THAT THE NEED CURRENTLY AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE COMMUNITY ISSUES AND THE INTELLIGENCE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT SCOTLANDVILLE IS WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION RIGHT NOW. AND OF COURSE, PILLAR 3 IS ANOTHER PART OF OUR GOAL AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MOVING FORWARD, WHICH IS FAMILY STABILITY AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS. AND SO, OUR GOAL IS TO EXPAND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE. WE DID HAVE A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH OUR LADY OF THE LAKE HOSPITAL TO IMPLEMENT A HOSPITAL VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD SO, THAT WE CAN MEET A LOT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE. BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN THEY'RE DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL, THEY'RE NOT CALLING, THEY'RE NOT CALLING FOR THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE TRAINED INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL BEDSIDE BEFORE THEY LEAVE SO, THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE NECESSARY SERVICES. DURING ONE OF OUR CUSTOM NOTIFICATIONS AFTER A SHOOTING, WE TALKED TO A PARENT, AND THE ONE THING THAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THE YOUNG PERSON WAS SHOT AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY MEDICATION. AND THE REASON WHY MOM DID NOT RECEIVE THE MEDICATION IS SHE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE PRESCRIPTION WAS UNDER HIS PSEUDONYM IN THE HOSPITAL. AND MISTAKENLY, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PRESCRIPTION. AND SO, WE HELPED HER NAVIGATE THAT SO, THAT THAT YOUNG PERSON COULD RECEIVE THE NECESSARY MEDICATIONS MOVING FORWARD. AND OF COURSE, PART OF THE GOAL UNDER PILLAR 4 WILL BE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AND SO, THAT'S WHERE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMES IN, THAT'S WHERE CAREER PATHWAYS COME IN AND APPRENTICESHIPS. AND PILLAR 5 WILL BE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO, THAT'S OUR FOCUS ON, ON BLIGHT, ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR SHOT SPOTTERS, THE NUMBER OF ADDRESSES WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE MOST CALLS, 62 ROUNDS, AND IT MAY BE A BLIGHTED PROPERTY. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO FIX THAT? AND ALSO, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AS WELL. AND PILLAR 6 WILL BE OUR DATA ACCOUNTABILITY. COMING UP WITH THE DATABASE, WE SPOKE TO YOUNG PEOPLE AT OSTROMA HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY DID ADVISE THAT AN APP WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED. SO, WE ARE IN THE WORKS TALKING TO VINFORMATICS TO PLAN THAT NECESSARY APP WITH THEIR VOICES. WE ALSO TALKED TO ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE STILL HEARD. SO, ALL OF OUR 5 SCHOOLS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN YOUTH COUNCIL SO, THEIR VOICES COULD BE HEARD. THEY'RE A PART OF OUR PROCESS AS WELL. AND FROM THERE, THEY WILL PICK 2 STUDENTS TO REPRESENT THEM ON A CITYWIDE YOUTH COUNCIL AS WELL, SO, THAT THEIR VOICES WILL CONTINUE TO BE AMPLIFIED. BECAUSE ONE THING, THROUGH SURVEYING THEM, THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WERE BEING HEARD AND/OR LISTENED TO. AND SO, OF COURSE, AS YOU HEAR THE PLAN AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO THROUGH OUR PILLARS, A LOT OF THIS COST'S DOLLARS, AND IT'S GOING TO COST A LOT OF FUNDING AND MONEY FOR THE NECESSARY PARTNERSHIPS, THE CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE WORK. BUT THIS IS OUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD AS IT RELATES TO THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. ALSO, YOU ALL WILL BE RECEIVING SOME FORM OF AN INVITATION, MOVING FORWARD AS WE TWEAK OUR GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. SO, THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS A WHOLE AND WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT ONE PLAN AS IT RELATES TO GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION AND GANG VIOLENCE REDUCTION IN THE CITY. SO, WE ARE HOPING THAT ALL OF YOU COME TO TAKE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO BE A PART [03:05:02] OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE. SO THE GROUP GANG VIOLENCE PREVENTION MODEL THAT WE USE IS A BASICALLY A 3-TIER MODEL, AND A PART OF THE MESSAGE WHEN WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IS GIVING THEM SOME OPTIONS. FIRST, OPTION NUMBER 1, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, OR YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ACCEPT THE SERVICES. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SERVICES, AND SO, JUST ASKING THEM TO STOP. PART 2 IS WE TALK TO THEM AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM, AGAIN TRYING TO GET THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM SOME DIFFERENT PATHWAYS INSTEAD OF THE LIFE OF VIOLENCE THAT THEY'RE LEADING. OR PART 3, IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE SERVICES AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STOP SHOOTING, THEN WHEN SOMEONE FROM YOUR GROUP SHOOTS AND KILLS SOMEONE, THEN YOU'VE INDICATED THAT YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH THE SUPPRESSION TIER. SOME PEOPLE, LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION IS THE ONLY THING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO. AND SO, WE HAVE TO GET THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF THE WAY FIRST. PART 2 IS INTERVENTION. AGAIN, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT THE SERVICES, DOING A THOROUGH CASE ANALYSIS TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED, MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET THE SERVICES AND PRIORITIZING THAT THEY GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO LEAD THEM IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. AND THROUGH THAT, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE YOUNGER PEOPLE COMING UP BEHIND THEM HAVE OPTIONS SO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH TO BE BEGIN WITH. NEXT. AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT, OUR SUPERINTENDENT DEEMS THAT THE SUPPORT IS NECESSARY. SO, SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, TERRA HIGH SCHOOL, BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, STRUMA HIGH SCHOOL, AND WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO, OF COURSE THIS IS NOT A MODEL THAT WE CAN DO ALONE. IT TAKES THE COLLABORATION OF ALL OF US HERE TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL MOVING FORWARD. QUESTIONS? LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COUNCIL. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN HURST. I THINK THAT PICTURE WAS TO TRY TO STOP MY QUESTIONS. BUT, LISTEN, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO I THINK IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S BEYOND IMPORTANT. I JUST THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY 1/20TH OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE THE REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. JUST DEALING WITH THE KIDS WHO ARE CURRENTLY, EITHER THE, THE DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR, I FORGOT THE OTHER TERMINOLOGY, BUT THE PEOPLE EITHER INVOLVED IN THE CRIMES OR HANGING AROUND THE CRIMES. GUESS WHAT? IT'S A LITTLE BROTHER AT HOME THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT YET. OKAY. IT'S A LITTLE SISTER THAT'S WATCHING. IT'S A NEIGHBOR THAT'S ADMIRING HIM BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY WITH MONEY THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. SO, TAKING THAT MODEL IS SAYING, HEY, WHEN YOU GET TO BE CLOSE TO A GANG MEMBER, THAT'S WHEN I'M GOING TO ENGAGE YOU. SO, FOR ME, AND I'VE TALKED TO THIS THE DEPARTMENT A NUMBER OF TIMES, IT HAS TO BE INTENTIONALITY IN FLIPPING A COMMUNITY. WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE SOME PIXIE DUST, WE PUT IT IN BROOKSTOWN. WE TAKE SOME PIXIE DUST, WE PUT IT IN BANKS. TAKE SOME PIXIE DUST AND WE PUT IT IN THE PARK IN GLEN OAKS AND ZION CITY. BUT WE NEVER FOCUS ON TRANSITIONING A COMMUNITY. SO, YOU MAKE MAGIC HAPPEN IN 2 HOUSES IN THE COMMUNITY, OR YOU PICK ONE GANG MEMBER UP AND YOU PUT THEM ON THE NEWS AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU DID SOMETHING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 20 THAT WERE OVER THERE? I'M ONLY TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE SEEN THE MODEL THAT I CREATED BECAUSE I DIDN'T SUPPORT THIS. BECAUSE IT DOESN'T IT'S NOT IN TOTALITY IN TERMS OF TRANSITIONING COMMUNITIES. WHAT ABOUT THE UNEDUCATED MAMA THAT STILL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO CHANGE THE HOUSEHOLD'S LIVES? AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS WHO MESSED ABOUT THE HOUSE YOU DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? WHY DO THEY TRUST YOU TO ENGAGE? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WHAT ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH? I'M SPEEDING THROUGH BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO KILL ALL MY TIME. PLACE-BASED INVESTMENT SAYS WHEN YOU CHANGE THE PLACE, YOU CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PLACE. A STUDY WAS DONE IN A CLASSROOM WHERE IT WAS A BLIGHTED CLASSROOM. I'M GOING TO USE THAT TERMINOLOGY, RIGHT, IN, IN COMPARISON TO CITIES PARISH. THEY TOOK THE KID THE KIDS WERE PERFORMING POORLY. THEY TOOK THE KIDS OUT, THEY REDID THE CLASSROOM, PRIMARY COLORS, SUPER CLEAN. TEST SCORES WENT UP. PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN ZION CITY AND ALL THESE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN THAT'S MY DISTRICT, WHY I'M USING BROOKSTOWN THAT HAVE BEEN DISINVESTED WILL DROP A MCDONALD'S BAG [03:10:02] ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THEY SEE 20 OTHER MCDONALD'S BAGS. BUT THEY WILL GO TO THE COUNTRY CLUB OR SANTA MARIA AND THEY'LL PICK UP A SKITTLE BECAUSE WE'RE STILL MAMMALS AND SCIENTIFICALLY WE ADAPT TO OUR HABITAT. SO, WHEN YOU CREATE A HABITAT THAT ALLOWS THE BRAIN TO THINK CLEARLY, THINK FREELY, IT ALLOWS THEM TO, TO FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY CARES WITH INTENTIONALITY. IT WORKS. SO MY, MY BRAIN HAS SAID THIS IS NOT WORKING BECAUSE CRIME HAS GONE UP. SO, WHY DON'T WE FOCUS ON ONE SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD OR 2 SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS THE SAME WAY YOU'RE DOING SCHOOLS AND CHANGE THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES AND CREATE PROTECTIONS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THOSE KIDS THAT DECIDE TO CHANGE? BECAUSE I DO KNOW WHEN YOU CHANGE ONE, YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED THE MIND OF THIS KID OVER HERE TO PULL THE TRIGGER. SO IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE CAN CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE SYSTEMICALLY, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU CREATE AND INCREASED HOUSEHOLD VALUES, PARENTS WHO HAVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOW TRUSTING THE SYSTEM. THE PICTURE DUST MODEL DOESN'T WORK FOR ME. SO, UNTIL I SEE SOMETHING THAT TAKES HOLISTIC, SYSTEMICALLY, PROVEN APPROACH, I'M Y'ALL GOING TO BE AT THE MIC A LOT, MAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HUDSON. HEY, Y'ALL TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOLKS WHO MIGHT DENY YOUR SERVICES. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THAT A YOUTH THAT IS DENYING YOUR SERVICES OR IS THAT THE FAMILY? WHO'S MAKING THAT DECISION TO DENY YOUR SERVICES? IT MAY BE THE YOUTH; IT MAY BE THE FAMILY. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG ADULTS, THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE. AND SO, WE CAN'T MAKE YOU TAKE THE SERVICES. WE CAN OFFER THE SERVICES FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE THEM. SO LET ME ASK IT THIS WAY. IN THE CASE OF A, A 17 AND YOUNGER, OR 16 AND YOUNGER, WHO'S AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THEM AS SOMEBODY WHO, IS IN, IS IN NEED OF SERVICES, RIGHT? THEY MAY BE A SHOOTER, THEY MAY BE A VICTIM OF A SHOOTER, ARE, IS THAT CHILD ALLOWED TO JUST DENY SERVICES, OR WHAT IS HAPPENING WHERE SOMETIMES WE WILL HAVE THE CHILD THAT IS SAYING, OKAY, I DO NEED FURTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES. WE HAVE HAD KIDS SAY THEY NEED GRIEF COUNSELING, THEY NEED OTHER THINGS TO WORK THROUGH WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. AND SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE, THE PARENTS WILL BECOME THE BARRIER. SO, THE PARENTS WILL NOT COME SIGN THE CONSENT FORMS, THEY WILL NOT SIGN THE PAPERWORK, THEY WILL NOT SIGN THAT TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT. AND SO, SOMETIMES THAT BECOMES THAT BARRIER FOR A YOUNG PERSON, NOT NECESSARILY THAT THE CHILD DOES NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICES, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE PARENT. INCREDIBLE. SO, LET'S SAY THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. YOU ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THEIR PARENTS OR TO THEIR GUARDIAN, RIGHT? THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU ALL, IF YOU'VE IDENTIFIED SOMEONE AS IN NEED OF SERVICES, YOU ARE REACHING OUT TO THE GUARDIAN. WE ARE. OKAY. MY OTHER QUESTION IS AROUND YOUR BUDGET AND FUNDING SOURCES. I KNOW WE'VE; WE DID A LOT WITH THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE INTERVENTION DURING COVID AND, AND THE ARPA FUNDING AND THAT SORT OF THING. IT'S SORT OF A MYRIAD OF GRANTS THAT YOU GUYS GET, I, I BELIEVE. SO, EXPLAIN TO ME, WHERE IS THE FUNDING COMING FROM? WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS? CURRENTLY WE HAVE $445,000 THAT WAS GIVEN LAST YEAR THAT ENDED ON JUNE THE 30TH WITH THE BARO FUNDING. THAT FUNDING ENDED JUNE 30TH. TIME WAS EXTENDED, FINANCES WASN'T EXTENDED, AND CURRENTLY THAT'S ALL WE HAVE. GOTCHA. AND SO, Y'ALL ARE Y'ALL REACHING OUT FOR GRANTS? ARE Y'ALL A PART OF THIS GRANT APPLICATION THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN? WE ARE A PART OF THE GRANT APPLICATION FOR MCI, AND SO, WE WROTE IN A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT COUNCILMAN HURST WAS TALKING ABOUT SO, THAT OUR PARENTS HAVE THEIR OWN CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS TO IMPLEMENT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT OF COURSE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAD HAVE FUNDING AND DOLLARS ATTACHED TO IT FOR ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO WORK. SO, WE ARE PART OF THAT. WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING OUT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE. [137. 26-00835] THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? THANK Y'ALL SO, MUCH. THANK Y'ALL. ITEM 137, REQUESTING A PRESENTATION FROM CLEAN PELICAN, CARBO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, GROUNDWORKS, BATON ROUGE GREEN, AND GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION ON THE GOVERNMENT STREET MEDIAN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT BY COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS. WE'LL HEAR THE PRESENTATION, THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS MATT ADLER. I'M HERE REPRESENTING CLEAN PELICAN AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I ALSO HAVE DENNIS VIDRINE WITH ME WITH GOODWOOD [03:15:01] PROPERTY OWNERS REPRESENTING OUR COALITION THAT YOU JUST NAMED ON THIS ITEM. I HAVE TO START OFF BY FIRST THANKING COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA FOR SUPPORTING AND FOR FUNDING THIS PROJECT, A DEMONSTRATION ALONG GOVERNMENT STREET TO BEAUTIFY OUR MEDIANS AND OUR GREEN SPACES ALONG THOSE STREETS. AND WE PARTICULARLY CHOSE ONE PARTICULAR SPACE TO THIS DEMONSTRATION. OUR ORGANIZATION, CLEAN PELICAN, IS AN AFFILIATE OF KEEP LOUISIANA BEAUTIFUL, AND SO, WE FOLLOW THEIR MISSIONS TO CREATE CLEAN SPACES, GREEN SPACES, GREAT COMMUNITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE AND BE VERY PROUD OF, AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT STARTED OFF FROM AN INVITATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS TO FIND A WAY TO SHOW WHERE PUBLIC ACTION VOLUNTEERISM, AND A COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY PARISH CAN ACTUALLY SHOW SOMETHING VERY VISIBLE ALONG THIS CORRIDOR. AND SO, WE HONED IN ON GOVERNMENT STREET BECAUSE IT'S A VERY UNIQUE PART OF OUR CITY IN THE MID-CITY CORRIDOR WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MEET OUR BUSINESSES MEET OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S A VERY VIBRANT PART OF TOWN. WE'VE SEEN SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE SPACE. AND ALSO, HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE EXECUTION OF THE GREEN SPACES, SPECIFICALLY THE MEDIANS, WAS QUESTIONABLE. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO TRAVEL TO THAT PLACE AND USE IT FOR RESTAURANTS AND THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR SCHOOLS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REALLY IMPROVE AND WORK ON. SO, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE, THE REST OF THE STORY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR PITCH TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT IS TO PLEASE CONSIDER OUR FINDINGS FROM THIS PROJECT AND LOOKING FORWARD TOWARDS OTHER DEVELOPMENT AND GREEN SPACES ALONG THAT CORRIDOR AND ALONG BATON ROUGE. AND WE'D LOVE TO BE A PART OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE BELIEVE, IS A SUCCESS MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATION OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IT TOOK TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND THIS COALITION WE FORMED TO DO IT. SO, I HAVE TO MENTION, OBVIOUSLY, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND BROCCA FOR BEING A PART OF THIS. THANK YOU. WITH BART SUTTON AND HIS EXPERIENCE WITH LANDSCAPE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO UNDERSTAND OUR URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN TOWN. THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS, WE HAVE DENNIS VADREEN WITH US TODAY, RONNIE HARRIS, AS WELL AS BRIAN VINCENT ON THEIR, ORGANIZATION TO RALLY THE TROOPS AND GET THE VOLUNTEERS ON SITE WITH US AND HELP US WITH MAINTENANCE. THE MID-CITY MERCHANTS WERE A PART OF THIS. JUSTIN LEMOYNE HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BUSINESSES NEED ALONG THAT CORRIDOR AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. BATON ROUGE GREEN, WE HAVE SAGE FOLEY AND CHRIS COOPER WHO WERE PART OF THIS, WHO ALREADY UNDERSTAND AS AN ORGANIZATION WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ACTUALLY MAINTAIN GREEN SPACES ACROSS BATON ROUGE, AND THEY WE LEANED ON THEM A LOT FOR THAT. GROUNDWORKS, WHO CURRENTLY OWNS, OPERATES WITH THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR THAT CORRIDOR AND OTHER SPACES IN BATON ROUGE. SO, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MAINTENANCE, NOT JUST INSTALLATION OF PLANTS, WAS A PART OF THIS FROM THE GET-GO SO, THAT WE KNEW THAT WHAT WAS POSSIBLE AND WHAT IT WAS RESILIENT AND IT COULD BE MAINTAINED. AND THEN LASTLY, CARBO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE WAS A PART OF OUR GROUP IN THE DESIGN PHASE, CHOOSING THE PLANTS THAT WERE GOING TO BE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE THERE, AND THEY WERE A BIG PART OF THAT. SO, WE CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO, THIS IS THE SPECIFIC LOCATION ON GOVERNMENT STREET AND JEFFERSON HIGHWAY THAT WE CHOSE FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION. WE CHOSE IT BECAUSE IT WAS A SPECIFIC SPACE NEXT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD GREAT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS TO GET OUT AND DO AN INSTALLATION, AND WITH THE BUDGET ALLOCATED, WE KNEW WE COULD DO IT. THE PLANTING CHOICES WERE VERY SPECIFIC. WE WENT NATIVE FIRST, ADAPTIVE PLANTS, THINGS THAT WE KNEW THAT HAD A GOOD CHANCE, AND IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY FUN DAY. I DO WANT TO PASS IT TO DENNIS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT IT FELT TO BE A VOLUNTEER ON THE DAY. THANK YOU, MATT. DENNIS VERDREEN WITH GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. OUR ROLE WAS TO INFORM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY. SECONDLY, TO EDUCATE THEM. WE DID THAT BY HAVING FIELD TRIPS AT THE SITE BEFORE THE PLANTING, EXPLAINING THE PROJECT, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND WHAT THE FUTURE WAS GOING TO HOLD. THE THIRD THING WAS TO ADVOCATE AND GET VOLUNTEERS. ON THE INSTALLATION DATE OF JUNE 20TH, WE HAD 45 NEIGHBORS' VOLUNTEERS, WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE OUT THERE, INCLUDING MISS ADAMS WAS THERE AS WELL. AND WE PLANTED ABOUT RIGHT AROUND 01,000 PLANTS IN THAT BED. SO, THE FINAL PART OF OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT IS TO KIND OF BABYSIT IT RIGHT NOW. SO, WE'RE DOING THAT AND HELPING THE PROJECT ALONG, MAKING SURE THAT IT STAYS WEED-FREE AND CLEAN AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. TO COUNCILMAN HURST'S COMMENT LAST IN YOUR LAST PRESENTATION, WE ARE SEEING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LESS LITTER AT THAT [03:20:03] LOCATION. I THINK PEOPLE APPRECIATE IT. IT LOOKS NICE, AND WE'RE SEEING LESS LITTER. THIS PROJECT INVOLVES GOVERNMENT STREET. THERE'S 3 COUNCILPERSONS THAT IMPACTED MS. ADAMS, MS. HARRIS AND MS. COLEMAN. AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, WORK IT WITH OTHER CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND BUSINESSES ALONG THE ROUTE, INCLUDING THE CITY PARISH, EXPAND IT, AND MAKE GOVERNMENT STREET THE FRONT DOOR THAT IT DESERVES TO BE FOR OUR CITY. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'LL GO TO THE LAST SLIDE WE HAVE. WE WANT TO LEAVE IT HERE BECAUSE THIS REALLY SHOWCASES WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH JUST THIS LITTLE AMOUNT OF EFFORT HERE. WE HAVE THE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER OF THIS PARTICULAR PLANTING, AND THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN JUST 2 DAYS AGO. SO, EVEN IN OUR SEMI-DROUGHT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, WE'RE MAINTAINING IT, AND WE HAVE A DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS MAKING SURE THAT IT STAYS THE WAY IT NEEDS TO. WE WANT TO CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING THIS MODEL FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO REPLICATE THIS AROUND BATON ROUGE. SO, WE WANT TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER OUR ORGANIZATION CLEAN PELICAN ALONG WITH OUR COALITION IN FUTURE EFFORTS AROUND BATON ROUGE TO DO THIS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF US FOR FUTURE THINGS, WHETHER IT BE A SPOT THAT'S DEALING WITH A LOT OF LITTER, IF IT'S A DUMPING GROUND, IF WE NEED TO FIND A NEW GREEN SPACE, OR HONESTLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR CITIZENS AND NEIGHBORS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY. SUCCESSFULLY, WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT. SO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE TIME. THANK Y'ALL SO, MUCH. ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I'M AGAINST ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING BEING PUT ON THE GOVERNMENT STREET BEAUTIFICATION. IT ALL THE PLANTS ARE DEAD. THE DRAINAGE PIPES, THE IRRIGATION PIPES ARE ALL SHOWING. AND THE INTERESTING THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LITTER. THAT UP AND DOWN GOVERNMENT STREET, PART OF THIS LANDSCAPING BEAUTIFICATION ROAD DIET, WHATEVER, AS I GO UP AND DOWN THERE, I'VE BEEN TWICE PART OF THIS INNER BEAUTIFICATION THAT TOOK AWAY A LANE, THERE ARE NO LITTER BINS. MS. LANDRY, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ALL OF GOVERNMENT STREET. THIS IS ABOUT ONE LITTLE SECTION. OKAY, WELL, I'M AGAINST ANY MORE MONEY GOING TO BEAUTIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT STREET UNTIL THE MONEY WE'VE ALREADY SPENT MAKES IT PRETTIER, BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY DARN UGLY RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. A LOT OF UGLY. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS? MY NAME IS LAURA GAIL SULLIVAN. I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO GOVERNMENT STREET. I USUALLY TELL PEOPLE I WORK IN BATON ROUGE, BUT NOT THAT I LIVE HERE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHAT I'VE SEEN ON GOVERNMENT STREET IS PRETTY AMAZING. I WAS VERY MUCH AGAINST THE ROAD DIET, AND I WAS VERY SAD TO SEE THE LANDSCAPING DID NOT STAY, BUT I THINK THAT A REALLY GOOD JOB HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS. AND I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE THAT DRIVE UP AND DOWN GOVERNMENT STREET ON A REGULAR BASIS APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS? YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. SO, THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU SO, MUCH FOR, FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT, FOR ENGAGING WITH YOUR, YOUR CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT IN A WHOLE NEW WAY. Y'ALL LEARNED SOME THINGS, HUH? SO, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM, TO Y'ALL FOR CATCHING THE VISION. SO, I, I KNOW I HEAR CONSTANTLY I'M SURE COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS AND COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN HEAR THE SAME CONCERN OVER THE WAY, GOVERNMENT STREET LOOKS. WE'VE, WE'VE INVESTED SO, MUCH MONEY AND, AND THE BUSINESSES ARE THRIVING BECAUSE WE KNOW FROM THE SALES TAX. I MEAN, WE FEEL, LOTS OF ENERGY ON GOVERNMENT STREET AND WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP TO GET IT TO WHERE WE ALL WANT IT TO BE. MY THOUGHT IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY I THINK IT'S GOOD, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DEPRESSING TO MISS LANDRY TO LEARN THAT WE HAVE ALL MADE COMMITMENTS. COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, AND MYSELF HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS, OF FUNDING, FUTURE FUNDING, TO INVEST ON GOVERNMENT STREET. I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GOVERNMENT STREET, CAN PLAN WHAT PLANTS CAN THRIVE. SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY PLANTED THERE HAVE BEEN OKAY, BUT WE LOST A LOT OF THEM. AND SO, IN MY MIND, IT MADE SENSE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND INVEST IT TO FIND OUT HOW WE LEARN AND, AND DO BETTER ON GOVERNMENT STREET. AND, AND Y'ALL WERE JUST UNBELIEVABLE, TREMENDOUS PARTNERS [03:25:02] IN THAT. I'M JUST SO, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR Y'ALL, AND I HOPE, I HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL REACH OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS AND REACH OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN AND OPEN UP CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND, AND SEE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN JUST, BRING ABOUT A RENAISSANCE IN THOSE MEDIANS ON GOVERNMENT STREET, AND JUST MAKE THIS CITY LOOK, MAKE, THE, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE REFLECT WHAT'S IN OUR HEART, RIGHT? [126. 26-00991] LIKE, I SEE WHAT IT CAN BE, SO, I KNOW Y'ALL DO TOO. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THANK Y'ALL SO, MUCH. ALL RIGHT, REAL QUICK, WE NEED A RECONSIDERATION OF ITEM 126. IT WAS TYPED IMPROPERLY. WE NEED TO IT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE DELETED. IT'LL BE REDONE. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEM? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GAUDET. ANY OPPOSITION TO RECONSIDER ITEM? CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE? [138. 26-00846] ITEM 126, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GODE, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 138, RECEIVING A REPORT FROM THE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM ON THE EXPECTED IMPACT OF CITY OF ST. GEORGE WITHDRAWAL LIABILITY ON THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM BY COUNCILMAN DARRYL HURST. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE REPORT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. OR EVENING. I'M AISHA MIRZA, INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR FOR CPERS. SO, TODAY WE'RE HERE JUST TO PROVIDE YOU ALL AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE. THE CITY PARISH REVENUE DATA WAS HAND-DELIVERED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 10TH TO THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE, WHICH STARTS THE 30-DAY DATA REVIEW PERIOD FOR THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE TO EITHER ACCEPT OR OBJECT TO THE DATA. IF THE DATA IS NOT OBJECTED TO AT THE END OF THE 30TH DAY, IT IS DEEMED TO BE ACCEPTED PER THE ORDINANCE. OTHERWISE, CITY PARISH FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND CITY OF ST. GEORGE SHALL AGREE ON A THIRD-PARTY ACCOUNTANT TO REVIEW THE DATA PER THE ORDINANCE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME THERE'S NO TIMELINE PROVIDED BY THE ORDINANCE FOR EITHER THE ACCOUNTANT TO REVIEW OR FOR THE PARTIES TO AGREE. THE NEXT, THE NEXT AVENUE WOULD THEN BE TO LOOK AT THE IGA THAT IS BETWEEN THE CITY PARISH AND THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE. THERE'S A DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION THAT I WOULD THEN ALERT THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES THAT THERE'S AN UNRESOLVED CLAIM AT HAND AND FOLLOW THAT AVENUE. BUT ONCE THE REVENUE DATA IS FINALIZED, THEN THE REVENUE CALCULATION IS CALCULATED. AND A PERCENTAGE THAT PERCENTAGE IS THEN APPLIED TO THE UAL, WHICH WOULD THEN GIVE YOU THE AMOUNT OF THE UAL THAT WOULD BE DUE. SO, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT THE MOMENT. WE'RE IN WE JUST STARTED THE 30-DAY REVIEW PERIOD. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REPORT. ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE REPORT? ANY? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. ANY? COUNCILMAN MOAT? I WAS GOING TO WAIT AND SPEAK AFTER HER. SO, SO, WHAT IS THE IMPACT? WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS? ALL RIGHT, SO, NOW THIS IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE DATA IS ACCEPTED, THE DATA THAT WAS PROVIDED ON MONDAY. I'M SORRY? OH, YES. IT IF IT IS ACCEPTED, THEN THE REVENUE CALCULATION PERCENTAGE, WHICH IS 8.71% OF THE $752 MILLION ROUGHLY OF THE UAL, ITS SIMPLE MATH, JUST BOOP, BOOP, BOOP IN A CALCULATOR. THAT AMOUNT IS ROUGHLY $65 MILLION NOW. SO, YES, TOTAL. SO, THAT THEN, THE ACTUARY FOR SEPRS, WHEN SHE DOES THAT, SHE DOES THAT LETTER FOR THE ORDINANCE, THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER PAY LUMP SUM OR I BELIEVE IT'S MONTHLY THROUGH AN AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE OF 15 YEARS. SO, WOULD YOU CLARIFY THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD OWE US? THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD OWE WHO? THE SEEPERS. YES. THANK YOU. CAN YOU SAY THE PART AGAIN WHERE? THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, THERE'S A DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, AND THAT'S THE ROUTE [03:30:02] IT WOULD TAKE POTENTIALLY? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, THEN ACTUALLY AND THE REASON I ASKED THAT IS BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THE ORDINANCE, AND, IT'S MY IMPRESSION THAT A SOVEREIGN MUNICIPALITY, AN ORDINANCE BY CITY PARISH, IS NOT ENFORCEABLE ON A SOVEREIGN MUNICIPALITY. SO, I'M THINKING THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION THROUGH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT MAY BE WHERE WE END UP ABSENT AN AGREEMENT. I WILL LET OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL, LAURA GAIL SULLIVAN, SPEAK TO THAT. SURE. I'M STILL HERE. I TOOK A LOOK AT THIS TODAY. THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR A DISPUTE RESOLUTION FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF THE INCORPORATION OF ST. GEORGE. SO, A CLAIM FOR A PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WOULD BE A CLAIM ARISING UNDER THIS INCORPORATION ISSUE, AND THE PARTIES ARE SUPPOSED TO ATTEMPT IN GOOD FAITH TO RESUME TO RESOLVE ANY CLAIM UNDER THIS. THERE ARE SOME TIMELINES THAT RUN AND, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR QUESTION IS HOW DOES IT GET ENFORCED. WELL, THIS, THIS AGREEMENT SAYS THEY WILL AT LEAST NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH. IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO THE DOWN THROUGH TO THE VERY END, AFTER 60 DAYS, IF THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED, THEN ANY PARTY CAN INITIATE LITIGATION. YOU WANT ME TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THOSE PIECES? NO, I JUST I WAS JUST CURIOUS. I'M NOT SAYING THE FORMULAS OR ANY OF THE INTENT BEHIND THE ORDINANCE ARE BAD. IT'S JUST THE ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT OF A CITY PARISH ORDINANCE ON A SOVEREIGN MUNICIPALITY, I THINK, IS JUST NOT ENFORCEABLE ABSENT THEM ACTUALLY ADOPTING SAID ORDINANCE. AND THAT'S TRUE FOR EVERY ORDINANCE WE HAVE. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THIS FROM BECAUSE YEARS AGO HAD A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY WAS SIGHTING IN RIFLES IN A PLACE IN ZACHARY AREA THAT WAS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF ZACHARY. AND SOMEBODY CALLED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. SHERIFF WANTED TO ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE THAT CITY PARISH HAS ABOUT BEING SO, CLOSE TO A RESIDENCE. THAT ORDINANCE DOES NOT EXIST IN ZACHARY, AND THEY HAVE NONE. AND SO, IT WAS NOT ENFORCEABLE. AND OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME, WE HAD CITY ATTORNEY IN ZACHARY AND PARISH ATTORNEY MET AND EVERYBODY HAD TO COME TOGETHER. AND THEN, I REMEMBER THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CAPTAIN HAD TO BE TOLD, NO, YOU CANNOT ENFORCE PARISH ORDINANCES IN A SOVEREIGN MUNICIPALITY. SO, I JUST THINK THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE APPROACH, AND I THINK THE INTENT BEHIND IT AND MAYBE, EVERYTHING BEHIND IT IS APPROPRIATE. I'M JUST NOT SURE IT'S ENFORCEABLE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT NEXT STEP WOULD BE, BECAUSE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. SO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. COUNCILMAN HUDSON? SO, WHAT INCORPORATION DATE DID YOU USE TO, TO SET THAT, SET THAT NUMBER? I JUST WANTED TO LET ROWDY DO THAT. SORRY, I THINK WE NEED PARISH ATTORNEY TO COME UP ON THIS. THE QUESTION PROPOSED HERE IS WHAT IS THE INCORPORATION DATE? I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THE QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED. I DON'T THINK THE QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, I WOULD AGREE THAT THE QUESTION SHOULDN'T BE ANSWERED, BUT I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO AGREE TO THIS, IS THAT IT'S NOT BASED ON IT'S IN DISPUTE WHAT IT'S BASED ON, RIGHT? WE CAN ALL ARGUE ABOUT WHAT THE DATE SHOULD BE, AND I KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS, AND THAT'S FINE. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THE FACT THAT THERE WILL BE MORE DISCUSSION AROUND THIS ISSUE. AND THERE ARE SOME VALID CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT AN ORDINANCE CAN BE ENFORCED ON ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY. AND SO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF US AS STAKEHOLDERS STILL TRY AND COME TO THE TABLE AROUND THESE ISSUES. MY OTHER QUESTION, AND THIS WOULD BE FOR THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THEN I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ON IT AS WELL. IS CPERS A PARTY TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT? I APOLOGIZE. [03:35:03] I KNOW I PLAY THE NEW GUY CARD A LOT, BUT IT WAS DRAFTED BEFORE I BECAME PARISH ATTORNEY, SO, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. YEAH. IS CPERS A PARTY TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT? SO, IF WE'RE BASING OUR ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM OFF OF THE 30-DAY REVIEW PERIOD OR DISPUTE RESOLUTION CLAUSE IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT TO WHICH CPERS IS NOT A PARTY TO, THERE COULD BE AN ISSUE THERE. I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD ASK THE PARISH ATTORNEY WHETHER CPERS IS A PART OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE BECAUSE THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO BY THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, REPRESENTED BY THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT, THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE, REPRESENTED BY THEIR MAYOR, AND AT THAT TIME THE ST. GEORGE TRANSITION DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY THE DULY AUTHORIZED CHAIRMAN. AND OUR POSITION IS THAT THEY ARE A PART OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE. AND SO, WE COULD APPLY THAT DISPUTE RESOLUTION CLAUSE TO CPERS. YOU COULD, YEAH. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH, THEY'RE FORMED IN THE PURSUANT TO THE PLAN OF GOVERNMENT. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK Y'ALL. COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO MOTION TO ADJOURN. IS THAT QUESTION OR A STATEMENT? MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. GOD BLESS. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.