Jun 24, 2020 Metropolitan Council

UM, I DIDN'T HEAR IT.

WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.

DO YOU, ARE YOU IN AGREEMENT WITH THE AMENDMENT WITH, UM, COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS BEING ADDED AS WELL? YES, PLEASE.

THE MORE THAN MARY ANYONE ELSE? YES.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 11.

WE HAVE A MOTION.

WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE.

THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT A SUBSTITUTE.

THAT'S THE ORIGINAL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUTSON TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS EXCEPT ITEM.

IS THERE A SECOND? NO, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS ON THE MENU.

I AM 11 COUNCIL AND LUPRON COUNCIL ON THE COLUMN TWO.

THERE HAS BEEN NO SECOND.

THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.

I'M SORRY.

YEAH, THERE'S A SECOND TO PUT SINCE MONTEREY.

WE WASN'T GOING TO INTRODUCE ANYTHING THAT WAS GOING TO BE, UM, CONTROVERSIAL.

SO YEAH, UNTIL WE'RE BACKING UP WHERE EVERYBODY CAN SHOW UP OUT OF WHAT WE DECIDED WE ALL WERE GOING TO DO.

I GOT ALL KIND OF A MESS FROM, FROM A, UH, ZONING ISSUE.

AWESOME.

LOVE IT.

SO THE ORIGINAL MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON WITH THE EXCEPTION TO APPROVE ON ITEMS EXCEPT THE LEMON SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WELCH.

AND THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO WOMAN TO APPROVE OUT ITEMS WITH 11 AS A MINUTE.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

IS THERE, IS THERE A SECOND TO COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS, THIS AMENDMENT ORIGINALLY ALSO WOMAN LEWIS.

THE SAME AS MINE? NO, YES, YES, YES.

SECOND THAT I'M HOLDING MY HAND UP.

CAN YOU SAY IT ACTUALLY, I CAN HOLD ON.

CALL FROM A IS SECOND.

INTRODUCE ITEMS FREQUENTLY THAT ARE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING LATER IN THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

THERE IS A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN AND THEN COUNCILMAN GREEN.

AND I HAVE A QUESTION IF I COULD AHEAD GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT'S BOARD TO, TO ASK ON COUNCIL AND WELCH'S QUESTION, ARE WE SCHEDULED TO HAVE A FORUM WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN ATTEND ON JULY 22ND? OKAY.

THERE IS A REPORT TO BE PRESENTED TODAY, UM, BY OUR COUNSELOR ADMINISTRATOR.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT REPORT AT THAT TIME, MAY I, MAY I HOLD ON CHANA? HOW COULD YOU WATSON? IS THAT, IS THAT THE ONLY QUESTION YOU HAD? MY ONLY QUESTION IS IF WE'VE GOT THE REPORT COMING AFTER THE DETERMINATION TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT COUNCILMAN WELL-CHECK, SHOULD WE POSSIBLY SUSPEND VOTE ON THIS UNTIL AFTER WE HEAR THAT REPORT AS TO WHETHER OTHERS WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE JULY 22ND MEETING? WELL, THERE'S A QUESTION IF WE SHOULD SUSPEND, UM, VOTE UNTIL AFTER ITEM NUMBER 82.

I KNOW I CAN'T MAKE A MOTION.

I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.

SO ERICA, CAN YOU LEAN OVER AND ASK ASHLEY IF WE'RE GOING TO MEET ON JULY 22ND? YEAH, JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY BEFORE THE ACTUAL REPORT.

UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS Y'ALL KNOW, THE GOVERNOR, UH, ANNOUNCED THE EXTENSION OF PHASE TWO, UM, UNTIL JULY 24TH, WHICH IS AFTER OUR JULY 22ND MEETING, UM, LOGISTICALLY NUMBERS A LOT IS HAVING THE JULY 22ND MEETING IN HERE IS, UM, NOT PROBABLE I'M SORRY.

MR. WATSON HAS THE FLOOR AT THIS POINT.

YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.

MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE IS, IS OUT OF PRECEDENCE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM FOR A LATER DATE, CORRECT? LOOK AT IT AS POSSIBLE.

KEVIN WATSON Y'ALL

[00:15:02]

SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN INTRODUCE IT FOR A MEETING IN AUGUST.

SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT TALKING, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MUTE THEIR MIC.

THEN MY QUESTION AND IN DOING SO WE CAN DO IT.

WE ALL KNOW THAT, UM, WE MAY SET A DATE AND THEN AGAIN, THAT DATE MIGHT NOT BE SOMETHING THAT BY THE GOVERNOR'S CHOICE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEET EITHER.

SO I'M ONLY PUTTING THAT OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION.

I REALIZED THERE'S TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR I'M FINISHED.

THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME A COUNCIL, WOMAN BANKS HAS THE FLOOR.

SO PRIOR TO ME PUTTING, INTRODUCING THE ITEM AND SPEAKING WITH ASHLEY, UM, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS WAITING TO THE GOVERNOR, MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

I THINK IT WAS LAST FRIDAY, UH, THAT BROUGHT US INTO 50% CAPACITY.

THE MAYOR, THE GOVERNOR DID DECLARE THE 50%, 50% CAPACITY.

NOW I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS IN THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF PHASE TWO.

SO THIS WAS DECIDED NOT BECAUSE OF HIM EXTENDING IT, BUT BECAUSE WHAT SHE TOLD ME IS THAT IF THE GOVERNOR EXTENDED, UH, I MEAN MADE THE CAPACITY FROM 25 TO 50, WE WOULD BE GONE BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNANCE DID DO THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS EVEN PRIOR TO THAT, THE MAYOR SENT OUT AN EMAIL SAYING THAT ALL THE PUBLIC, NOT ONLY DID SHE OPEN CITY ALL TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO THAT EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD WAS TO SEND IN A REQUEST FOR, UM, FOR, TO FIT THEIR OFFICES.

I SENT IN, I HAVE PICKED PLEXI GLASS ON MY, IN THE DIFFERENT OFFICES WE HAVE SANTA HAS, AND WE GOT EVERYTHING.

THE PROBLEM HERE IS, DID THE COUNSEL ADMINISTRATION DO THAT? DID SHE FOLLOW THE MAYOR'S REQUESTS TO SEND IN? IN WHAT WAYS THE COUNCIL CHAMBER NEEDED TO BE REFITTED? ALSO THE GOVERNOR DEZ PUT US AT 50, 50% CAPACITY AND WE SHOULD NOT BE HOLDING UP THE PUBLIC.

WHETHER IT'S THIS ITEM ARE ANOTHER ITEM WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, HOW TO TRANSITION.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A WAY OF LIFE PEOPLE, WHETHER WE'RE GODLESS.

IS THAT WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID? I THINK WE WERE ALWAYS A CHAIR THAT AS A VACCINE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDELINES.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW SOCIAL ON DISTANCING.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY NEGLECTIVE OF US AND DERELICT IN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE ALL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.

SO IN FURTHER DETAIL ON THAT WHEN WE GET TO ITEM 82, AS OF NOW, ITEM 11 HAS A STAND, BUT I WOULD JUST TELL HIM, GIVE HIM THE REASONS AS IT RELATES TO WHY I PUT IT ON.

IT'S NOT THAT I SAID I HAD CONVERSATION WITH HER THAT AFTER 50%.

IN AGREEMENT THAT, THAT, THAT ITEM SHOULD PROBABLY BE POSTPONED AUGUST.

THANK YOU, SHAUNA.

AND THE ONLY THING I THINK, COUNCILMAN WELCH, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? YES, MA'AM.

I DID.

THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS IS IF Y'ALL WANT TO PUT THIS IN LAYER, IF Y'ALL WANT TO PUT THE DATE IN LATE, I BELIEVE WE'LL BE BACK IN PHASE THREE.

BY THE TIME WE GET YUMMY, JUST BASED ON THAT WE ARE COMING OUT, BUT PHASE TWO HAS BEEN EXTENDED.

SO WHAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS IN PHASE TWO AND WE'RE MEANING BY, UM, THIS, WHATEVER THIS IS, ZOOM OR WEB SOMETHING OR OTHER, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE DOING THAT COME THE NEXT, WHEN THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD, YOU Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT IN THE LAST ONE IN AUGUST.

I'M FINE WITH THAT.

AND I'LL WITHDRAW BACK INTO, SO YOU JUST PRETTY MUCH SAID, YEAH, I HAVE WATSON WHERE YOU, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP AND JUST GETTING READY TO RESPOND TO COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.

I'M NOT TRYING TO HOLD UP THE PUBLIC, BUT I'M TRYING TO AFFORD THE PUBLIC, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE AT THE MICROPHONE RATHER THAN HAVE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS 24 HOURS AHEAD OF TIME.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND ALSO AS WE'VE ALL RECEIVED, THERE'S AT LEAST TWO RECENT CASES OF FOLKS THAT CAME DOWN WITH COVID IN THE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE SITTING IN RIGHT NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE PERHAPS PUBLIC USAGE OF THIS BUILDING.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT IN CONTROL OF THAT OBVIOUS.

YEAH, I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING.

WE'RE ALL

[00:20:01]

I CAN'T READ YOUR NOTES.

UM, THAT ITEM SHOULD PROBABLY BE POSTPONED TO AUGUST.

SO ASHLEY, IF YOU COULD MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION ON THE INTRODUCTION, SINCE NOBODY COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE GOVERNOR DOING WHAT HE DID WHEN THE SITE AND WAS INTRODUCED AND, AND, UH, SINCE I'M A COSPONSOR OF IT, CAN YOU INTRODUCE THAT FOR THE LAST MEETING IN AUGUST AND THEN WE'LL REVISIT IT IF WE NEED TO, UM, AT ANOTHER TIME.

SO MS. COLLINS LEWIS MADE THE MOTION.

IF SHE'S WILLING TO AMEND HER SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UM, ALSO NOTE THAT THE ITEM 11 IS INTRODUCED FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AT THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST.

I'M GOOD.

I'M FINE WITH THAT.

I WAS TRYING TO FIND MY MOM.

I WAS TRYING TO FIND, LIKE I SAID, I'LL, I WILL AMEND MY MOTION TO INTRODUCING ITEMS, ALL ITEMS AND AMENDING ITEM 11 TO BE INTRODUCED ON OUR COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST.

THANKS, SEAN.

AND SHE PUT A STICKY UP ON THE CAMERA.

UM, SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE NO ONE ASKED HER HANNAH WATSON.

YOUR HAND IS STILL UP.

IS THAT YOUR VIRTUAL HAND? YOU'RE STILL ON MUTE AND YOU HAVE, YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TWICE.

SO, UM, THE, MY HAND, I'M SORRY, I'M DONE.

THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO HAVE ITEM 11 ON AUGUST 26, 2020.

IT WAS SECONDED BY LUKE.

AND TO INTRODUCE ALL OF THE ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? OKAY, MR. HUDSON? OBJECTION, JUDGE.

YEAH, AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONDEMNATIONS.

CONDEMNATIONS ARE AND WE'LL MOVE TO ABDUL ADJUDICATED PROPER INTRODUCTIONS.

SORRY.

AT THIS TIME WE WERE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING MEETING

[Item 39]

STARTING WITH ITEM 39, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CONSTABLE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF FOR A SUB GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,582 THROUGH THE LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM BRAN JUSTICE ASSISTANT GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE EBR JOINT WARRANT TASK FORCE BY CONSTABLE BY THE CONSTABLE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEARING AS TO DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MEMBERS? WE BE APPLIED IN PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.

YOUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 39 IS, UM, FROM WILLIE M. CHAMBERS.

HIS COMMENTS ARE, THIS IS A FUNCTION OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.

HOWEVER, WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN OUR NATION AND THE PANDEMIC, NOW IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR THESE SUCH ACTIONS.

YOU WOULD ONLY BE CREATING MORE DIRE SITUATIONS FOR FAMILIES.

YOUR NEXT COMMENT IS FROM KATE ON SOUTH LAYTON DRIVE COULDN'T DISSIDENT MONEY BE USED TO HELP REHABILITATE RATHER THAN REINFORCE SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OPPRESSION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR FOLKS TO TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND.

YOUR NEXT COMMENT IS FROM ELLEN BLOCK.

THIS TASKFORCE WILL UNFAIRLY TARGET THE BLACK COMMUNITY BY INCITING MORE VIOLENCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WILL PUT THEM AT GREATER RISK FOR COVID-19 BY PUTTING THEM IN JAIL.

AND IN HIGHER NUMBERS AS A TAX PAYING CITIZEN, I'VE USED BATON ROUGE FOR 14 YEARS OF VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED FUNDING FOR THIS TASK FORCE.

THE NEXT COMMENT IS FROM TRUDY .

SHE OPPOSES THIS ITEM AND, AND HER COMMENT IS DEFUND.

THE POLICE.

NEXT COMMENT IS FROM MADELINE .

I APOLOGIZE IF I BUTCHERED THAT, UM, HER COMMENT IS I DO NOT SUPPORT THE GRANT OF FUNDS TO THE WARRANT TASKFORCE, NOR DO I SUPPORT THE CREATION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE TASKFORCE OR WARRANT SWEEP IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC WHEN JAILS ARE HOTSPOTS AND COMMUNITY SPREAD CONTINUES.

THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO CYCLE MORE PEOPLE AROUND IN OUR JAILS.

OUR EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL LAWS IN LOUISIANA ARE UNEQUALLY ENFORCED AND MAINTAIN RACIAL SUBJUGATION.

AND THIS TASK FORCE WILL DO MORE OF THE SAME TAKING WORKERS AND CAREGIVERS OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND PUTTING THEM IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRESENT A DEADLY PLACE, EVEN IN NON PANDEMIC TIMES, ACCEPTING THIS GRANT MONEY AND INSTITUTING.

THIS TASK FORCE IS A GRADE.

THE FRUSTRATION I HAVE HEARD IT SAID THAT HER NEXT COMMENT IS FROM DEAD

[00:25:01]

MIC ELGIN.

UNTIL WE CREATE REFORMS THAT PROTECT OVER TARGETED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO INCREASE THE CHANCE THAT THEY COULD BE TARGETED MORE.

THEY ARE AS A COMMUNITY, FARTHER DOWN THE ECONOMIC SCALE AND INJURED BY FEES AND FINES DISPROPORTIONATELY TO WEALTHIER NEIGHBORS OF $100.

FINE TO ME, PERSE LESS THAN IT DOES TO A MANAGER AT BURGER KING.

IT MAKES $5 AN HOUR.

MAYBE WE SHOULD START BY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FEES AND FINES TO ENSURE SIMPLE SCREW UP DOES NOT SET FOLKS BACK BY MONTHS OR YEARS.

AND NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JASMINE CODE.

PLEASE VOTE.

NO FOR WARRANTS SWEEPS.

THEY PUT A LACK OF LIVES IN DANGER AND GIVES THE POLICE MORE ACCESS TO TERRORIZE RESIDENTS OF OUR AREAS.

NOT ONLY DO THEY CAUSE A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ANXIETY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, OR HAVEN'T COMMITTED A CRIME DUE TO THE CHANCE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

WHY SWEEPS ARE A TERROR ON THOUGH ADDICTED BY POVERTY AND OUR CITY AS MISDEMEANORS AND FELONY WARRANTS ARREST ARE USUALLY DUE TO THE INABILITY TO PAY FINES.

WHEN FOLKS GET SWEPT UP AND THROWN IN JAIL, THEY RISK LOSING THEIR JOBS, THEIR CHILDREN AND HOUSING.

WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH A PANDEMIC COVID-19 RAPIDLY SPREADS IN PRISONS AND JAILS AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON LOWERING THE POPULATION IN THE PRISON AND KEEPING THEM LOW AS A COMMUNITY.

WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO KEEP CLOSE ALL RISKS OUT, BUT THAT MEANS VOTING NO FOR GRANTS THAT INCENTIVIZE CREATING A SPREAD OF COVID-19 TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

THEY ARE, THERE ARE BETTER SOLUTIONS TO OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, INCLUDING WORKING TO CLOSE OUT WARRANTS VERSUS WORKING THROUGH THE REST RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.

NEXT COMMENT IS FROM JENNIFER HARDING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M WRITING BEHALF OF VOICE OF THE EXPERIENCE AND ORGANIZATION FOUNDED AND LARGELY RUN BY FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE.

WE URGE TO OPPOSE FUNDING OF A WARRANT TASKFORCE WARRANT SWEEPS ARE GENERALLY TERRIBLE PRACTICE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET BLACK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, PUTTING BLACK PEOPLE AT RISK OF POLICE VIOLENCE WARRANT SWEEPS ARE THE EPITOME OF CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.

AS MOST WARRANTS ARE THE RESULT OF INABILITY TO PAY FINES AND FEES.

WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.

SO SWEEPING FOLKS UP AND THROWING THEM IN JAIL OR SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

IT CREATES A HIGH RISK OF COVID-19 OUTBREAKS.

WHEN FOLKS GET SWEPT UP AND THROWN IN JAIL, OH, I'M SORRY, CHILDREN AND OR HOUSING.

IT, THIS IS BAD FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE STREETS IN BATON ROUGE AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE FILLED WITH PROTESTS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH OVER POLICING AND VIOLENCE STRATEGIES LIKE WARRANTS, FOREIGN SWEEPS.

THIS HAS TO STOP ANGELA, HER BREATH, THESE TYPES OF TASKFORCE, TARGET BLACK PEOPLE.

ADDITIONALLY, HOW DOES SOMEONE WHO LOSES THEIR JOB KIDS AND PLACE TO LIVE OVER, GETTING ARRESTED BECAUSE OF A WARRANT NORMALLY FOR SOMETHING THEY ALREADY CAN'T PAY SOLVE ANYTHING.

NEXT IS AUDREY ELLIS WARRANT.

SWEEPS ARE GENERALLY A TERRIBLE PRACTICE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET BLACK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, PUTTING BLACK PEOPLE AT RISK OF POLICE VIOLENCE, WARRANT SWEEPS, OR THE EPITOME OF CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.

AS MOST WARRANTS ARE THE RESULT OF INABILITY TO PAY FINES AND FEES.

WE'RE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.

SO SWEEPING UP FOLKS AND THROWING THEM IN JAIL WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IMPOSSIBLE, CREATES A HIGH RISK OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK.

WHEN FOLKS GET SWEPT UP AND THROWN IN JAIL, THEY RISK LOSING THEIR JOB, CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE STREETS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE FILLED BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH OVER-POLICING AND VIOLENCE STRATEGIES LIKE WARRANT SWEEPS.

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP NEXT.

KIMBERLY HARPER, SHE OPPOSES THE ITEM AND HER COMMENT IS THIS IS RACIST.

NEXT COMMENT IS CRS SIMPSON.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

WE NEED TO STOP PUTTING PEOPLE IN JAIL.

WE NEED TO RELEASE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THERE.

YOU WILL BE PUTTING PEOPLE IN DANGER.

IF YOU APPROVE, YES, STOP GIVING THE POLICE MORE AND MORE FUNDING.

THESE SUITES, TARGET BLACK PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S A RACIST PRACTICE.

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

THE COUNCIL CANNOT PUT THEM MORE AT RISK.

THE PEOPLE OF BATON ROUGE HAD BEEN PROTESTING POLICE AGENCIES IN THIS TOWN FOR WEEKS.

PEOPLE WERE AT CITY HALL.

THIS WEEKEND LISTENED TO US.

THE POLICE BUDGET IN THIS TOWN ARE ALREADY BLOATED.

THE PRISON IS A DEATH TRAP.

IT HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVEN TO THIS COUNCIL THAT HEALTHCARE AND THE JAIL IS BASICALLY NONEXISTENT.

THESE ARE REPORTS.

THAT'S SOMEONE IN CUSTODY.

THERE HAS HAD A LEG AMPUTATED WHILE AT THE PRISON AND IS NOT RECEIVING PROPER TREATMENT AND RENDERED IMMOBILE.

THAT IS TORTURE.

YOU CAN NOT EVEN SEND MORE PEOPLE TO THAT JAIL TO BE ABUSED AND DIRECTED.

CLUBBY RIVIERE WARRANTS.

SWEEPS ARE GENERALLY A TERRIBLE PRACTICE.

IT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET BLACK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PUTTING BLACK PEOPLE AT RISK OF POLICE VIOLENCE.

WEREN'T SLEEP SWEEPS ARE THE EPITOME OF CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.

AS MOST WARRANTS, AS A RESULT OF INABILITY TO PAY, HEY, FINES AND FEES.

WE WERE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.

SO SWEEPING PICKS UP AND THROWING THEM IN JAIL WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING ISN'T POSSIBLE CREATE HIGH RISK OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK.

WHEN FOLKS GET SWEPT UP AND BURN IN JAIL, THEY RISK LOSING THEIR JOB, CHILDREN AND HOUSING.

THIS IS BAD FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE STREETS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE FILLED WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE FED UP WITH OVER-POLICING AND VIOLENT STRATEGIES LIKE WARRANTS WEEKS.

COLLEEN, KISSELL ABSOLUTELY NOT.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PAYMENT.

[00:30:03]

DO YOU WANT TO PUT MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR MINOR OFFENSES AND WARRANT? THIS WOULD NOT BE SIGNING UP PEOPLE TO DIE POINTLESSLY AND PRISON OF A TERRIBLE DISEASE.

AND OUR DESK WOULD BE ON YOUR HANDS.

I ARGUE WITH MY REPRESENTATIVES AND GOVERNMENT TO VOTE AGAINST THE SHAMELESS PROGRAM.

THIS IS OF COURSE NOT TO MENTION THE NATIONAL EFFORTS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND TO CREATE RADICAL CHANGE OF HOW POLICE ARE FUNCTIONING.

WHY WOULD ANY OF YOU SUPPORT THIS WHEN IT WILL LEAD TO MORE DEATHS AND POLICE BRUTALITY? CHRISTINE ASSAD, I AM AN OPPOSITION TO THESE WARRANTS.

SWEEPS WEREN'T SWEEPS ARE GENERALLY A TERRIBLE PRACTICE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET BLACK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, PUTTING BLACK PEOPLE AT RISK OF POLICE VIOLENCE.

NOT TO MENTION THAT WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.

SO SWEEPING PEOPLE UP TO BE THROWN IN JAIL INCREASES RISK OF COVID-19 OUTBREAKS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE MEASURES TO KEEP THE JAIL POPULATION AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

MANY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE STOPPING THESE PRACTICE RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T NEED THESE WARRANTS GROUPS AT THIS TIME.

I THINK WE HAVE THE CONSTABLE ON THE LINE.

WE'RE GOING TO UNMUTE HER TO ALLOW HER TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING CONSTANTLY.

UM, WILLIAMS, ARE YOU ON, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

TALK A LITTLE LOUDER.

MA'AM.

WE CAN HEAR YOU.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

UM, AS FAR AS THAT, THAT PARTICULAR GRANT, THAT'S A GRANT THAT'S BEEN IN EFFECT FOR THE EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER, SINCE I KNOW AT LEAST 2009, AND IT'S NOT A GRANT TO TARGET BLACK PEOPLE AND GRANT, THIS IS A JOINT OPERATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMISSION ON LAW FORTUNATE.

AND THE GRANT IS THERE NO MATTER WHAT, IF THE CONSTABLE WAS INVOLVED AND NOT THE GRANT WILL BE THERE BECAUSE OF THE CFO, THEY DIDN'T ALLOW US TO FIND LIKE A, LIKE, UM, ADDITION TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO HELP THEM OUT.

BUT WE DON'T GO OUT AND WE DON'T PHYSICALLY TARGET BLACK PEOPLE.

THEY ARE GRANTED FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

SO IF MY, LIKE, IF YOU HAVE A MISDEMEANOR, WE'RE NOT OUT TO ARREST YOU ON A MISDEMEANOR THROUGHOUT THIS GRANT, THIS GRANT IS ONLY FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

AND RIGHT NOW YOU'RE IN A PANDEMIC.

WE'VE ALL MADE AN AGREEMENT THAT WE SPOKE WITH A M OR COLOR.

WE'VE ALL AGREED NOT TO DO ANY WARRANT OPERATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND WE, IF NOT TERRIF ANYBODY DURING THE PANDEMIC ON MR. MAINTENANCE, ONLY VIOLENT OFFENDERS WILL BE ARRESTED DURING THE 10 MINUTES.

IN THE UNITED STATES RESULT IN CONFINEMENT.

UM, AND, AND, UM, CONSTABLE, IF YOU CAN STAY NEAR IN CASE ANY OF THE COUNCILMEN MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

COMMENTS CAME IN CLOSER TO THE DEADLINE.

THIS IS FROM LINDA FRANKS.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? FINDING A WARRANT SWEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC IS REPREHENSIBLE.

NOT TO MENTION IT CRIMINALIZES FOR AND MARGINALIZED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN NOT AFFORD FINES AND FEES, WHICH CAUSED THE WARRANT.

PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

NOW YOU ARE CONSIDERING ADDING ANOTHER BURDEN.

IF THIS PASSES BE ASSURED, I AM GOING TO REMEMBER AT ELECTION NEXT FROM REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON, THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST JOBS DUE TO THIS PANDEMIC, SOMETHING SAD AND PATHETIC ABOUT THIS.

JENNIFER CARR, WHILE IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE, EXCUSE ME.

IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE, THIS IS PROBLEMATIC FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE, WE ARE STILL ON A PANDEMIC.

SO SWEEPING PEOPLE UP TO BE THROWN IN JAIL AT RISKS COVID-19 OUTRIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE MEASURES TO KEEP THE JAIL POPULATION AS LOW AS POSSIBLE TOO.

IN REGARDS TO THE MISDEMEANORS, THIS IS THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.

AS MANY, MANY MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS ARE THE RESULT OF THE ABILITY TO PAY FINES FEES.

NEXT, CYNTHIA YOUNG, I OPPOSED FUNDING A JOINT TASK FORCE ISSUES MORE.

THIS IS NOT A SMART MOVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

I OPPOSE FUNDING A JOINT TASK FORCE TO ISSUE WARRANTS, TOWANDA ABOUT HER EASTBOUND RIDGE.

SHE SAYS I'M STRONGLY CRUISING THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT WILL ONLY CREATE HOSTILE SITUATIONS.

I BELIEVE THAT THE COURT SYSTEM CAN FIND ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS ADHERE TO WARRANTS THAT ARE ISSUED.

WE DO NOT NEED TO INDULGE A SITUATION.

POSSIBLY COULD CREATE POLICE BRUTALITY TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

TIERRA TATE ALEXANDER LOUISIANA IS NUMBER OR TWO IN HIGH INCARCERATION RATES GLOBALLY.

IN 2018.

LOUISIANA WAS UNSEATED AS THE INCARCERATION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD WITH 1052 PEOPLE PER 100,000 RESIDENTS INCARCERATED FOLLOWING BEHIND OKLAHOMA AT 1072 PEOPLE PER 100,000 RESIDENTS INCARCERATED.

CURRENTLY 70% OF CONVICTIONS

[00:35:01]

THIS NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON AS THEY WAIT TO BE CONVICTED BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD FINE FINES AND COSTS.

TRUTH IS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.

INCARCERATION HAS BECOME BIG BUSINESS AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

ESSENTIALLY, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT SEGMENT OF THE INCARCERATION INCARCERATED POPULATION THAT ARE TRUE, SIMPLY PENALIZE FOR BEING POOR.

THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

UH, WHAT ITEM WITH THIS ITEM WILL DO IS CONTRIBUTE TO A PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR SOCIETY FOR DECADES INSTEAD OF FUNDING.

I MEAN, FOR INCARCERATING MORE PEOPLE, WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN WAYS TO PROACTIVELY IMPROVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE NEGATIVE.

AND THEREFORE I'M STRONGLY IN OPPOSITION OF FUNDING, THE CONSTABLES MORE TAX TASKFORCE.

AND I APOLOGIZE, COUNCIL MEMBERS COOL ON THIS ISSUE, I HAVE BANKS CAUSE WHEN THE BANKS THEN COUNCILMAN WATSON AND THEN I WILL CALL IT ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER IS CONSTABLE WILLIAMS STILL OFF OF MUTE.

SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND YOU SAID THAT, UM, BLACKS AREN'T BEING TARGETED, BUT WHAT IS YOUR DATA AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE PAST SWEEPS IN THAT? UM, I KNOW YOU SAY A 2009, WHAT IS THE RATIO DATA OF THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES, WHETHER YOU HAVE BASED ON ZIP CODE OR RACE OF THE OLD PERSON'S DAD ARE BEING SWEPT UP? I CAN'T SPEAK TO BEFORE 2019 WHEN I TOOK OFF, BUT I TOOK OFF IN 2019, BUT CONSTABLE ABOUT THE PAD AND HE WAS WARRANTED TO ME WITH TWO PEOPLE, TWO MEN.

AND, AND IT WAS EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE TWO MAN PANTS WAS LIKE PRETTY MUCH GOING INTO MORE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS THAN ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT IN AND ONE OF THE GUYS ACTUALLY QUIT SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE BECAUSE I WENT IN AND I BROKE THAT TEAM UP AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T APPROVE OF HOW IT WAS BEING HANDLED.

I BROKE THE TEAM UP AND WE STARTED TRYING TO DO MORE LIKE ACROSS THE ENTIRE BATON ROUGE AREA, LIKE LOOKING AT WARRANTS AND SEEING WHAT WARRANTS WE COULD IMPROVE ON AND WHAT WARRANTS WE CAN RUN.

BUT WE HAD SOME, SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WENT BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD IT IS.

UM, IT KIND OF, UM, SUPPORT THE IDEA IDEA AND THE REALISTICALLY THAT IN 2019, AND THIS WAS ONLY 2020, THAT THE WARRANTS WERE TARGETING BLACK COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS WHAT, UM, MOSTLY PEOPLE ARE SAYING.

YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IS A FACT.

NOW YOU ALSO INDICATED THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

SO, BUT I DO SEE WHERE THIS ALSO TALKS ABOUT FELON.

SO BASED ON THE DATA, WHAT WOULD BE SAY THE TOP THREE THAT THESE SWEEPS WOULD TARGET FOR FELONY, FOR FELONY? OKAY.

BASED ON THE DATA, AS FAR AS, LIKE I SAID, I CANNOT SPEAK BEFORE 2019, BUT IN 2019, THOSE, THOSE WARRANTS, RIGHT? WHAT, THE FELONS THAT WERE BEING TARGETED.

I MEAN, WERE THEY, WHAT DID FOR, WAS IT FOR RAPE OR DID FOR ARMED ROBBERY? WHAT DID FOR MURDER? WHAT WERE THE TOP THREE MORE DOMESTIC ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, ARMED ROBBERY AND LIKE SIMPLE, BAD LIKE BATTERY CHARGES, NOT FROM TRAFFIC CHARGES.

AND I TRACK ENVIRONMENTAL ONLY BASICALLY.

I MEAN, TO ME, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT, UM, IS VIOLENT.

IT WOULD GO IN THE TOP THREE, NOT THE LORD, DEAR.

SO NOW THIS IS ONLY FOR 45, 82.

YOU SAID THAT THE SHERIFF OFFICERS HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED FOR THEIR SWEEP AMOUNT.

WHEN DID THAT COME BEFORE THE GUN? I'M NOT SURE.

I KNOW WHAT THE 9,000 TO GET THE SHARE.

SO THE, THE 45 82 IS LIKE PART OF THE 9,000.

UH, AND I LITERALLY, UM, IT'S BEEN, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS SINCE I RECALL SEEING A SUITE.

THAT'S THE PORTION THAT THE CONSTABLE, THE OFFICER SEES THE SHERIFF PALPATE GETS 45, 82 AND 82 IN THE CONSTABLE ABOUT OTHER HATE.

AND WE ALL OUT TO DO ABOUT MAYBE THREE TO FOUR MORE ON OPERATIONS WITH IT.

IT'S NOT LIKE A REDEEM A YEAR ROUND OPERATION.

IF THAT AMOUNT IS DIFFERENT ENOUGH TO DO MAYBE THREE WARRANT OPERATIONS.

SO IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD GOOGLE THE NEWS,

[00:40:01]

BUT IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD GOOGLE THE PAST WEEK THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THERE.

THEY HAD HAPPEN, UM, UH, AFTER 10, 11 OR 12, AND WE HAVE A STAY AT HOME ORDER.

SO, YOU KNOW, SO A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THEY'RE GOING TO BE, THEY HAVE A, EVEN THOUGH, I MEAN, WE WANT THEM ARRESTED.

WE WANT THEM TO, BUT WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AT A TIME WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.

AND THEN YOU COUNSEL THEM IN 30 SECONDS.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO NOT.

I SEE IT IS REGARDLESS DURING THIS TIME THAT WE NOT APPROVED THIS ITEM, IF NO OTHER REASON IT'S INSENSITIVE AND IT'S FALLING, IT'S LIKE, YOU'VE FALLEN, IT'S FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

WHAT WE SEE IN HERE, THE COMMUNITY SAYING, OH, 45, 82, ISN'T WORTH ALL OF THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE, THEY AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE.

AND IF THEY'RE NONVIOLENT.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

JUST LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE NOT, BUT ALSO, I MEAN, THIS IS TOTALLY OPPOSITE FROM THE FACT THAT, UM, THROUGH SISTER'S PANDEMIC, THEY'VE BEEN LETTING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS THAT PEOPLE WILL ARE GOING IN WITHOUT COVID IN THEIR CAR.

THEY'RE BEING TESTED AND THEY'RE RELEASED BEFORE THEY EVEN GET THE RESULTS.

AND THERE'S NO WAY TO EVEN LET THEM KNOW THEIR RESULTS.

SO THEY'RE BEING RELEASED IN TO THE COMMITTEE ON A COMMUNITY.

AND THIS, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, IF NOTHING ELSE, IT'S AN INSENSITIVE GESTURE TO PUT ON AT THIS TIME, IF IT, THE PARISH ATTORNEY, LET ME KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS WOULD BE A GRANT THAT THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS TO BRING BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

SO I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK, UM, ACTUALLY STATED THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES NOT RECEIVE THEIR FUNDING DOES NOT GO THROUGH US.

SO THEY HAVE MAY HAVE RECEIVED IT, BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO.

IT WOULDN'T GO THROUGH US ALL IS CONSTABLE FUNDING.

WELL, YOU ANSWERED THAT.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, MY THING IS THAT NO, WE SHOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE NOT APPROVE THIS ITEM.

SO YOUR MISSION, YOU HAVE A MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM.

IS THERE A SECOND? THEY ARE NOT APPROVED THERE'S YOU CAN ONLY DELETE IT.

I, THAT WE HAVE TO DELETE IT.

EXCELLENT.

UM, SO GENERALLY THE EMOTIONS THAT Y'ALL CAN MAKE ON AN ITEM OR TO APPROVE, DELETE, OR DEFER, UM, A MOTION TO NOT APPROVE WOULD NOT BE A, UM, UH, AN ACTION THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE.

SO IF SHE MAKES A MOTION TO NOT APPROVE, AND THERE'S A ROLL CALL VOTE, THEN IT EITHER IS APPROVED OR FAILS OR WHATEVER THAT YOU WOULD NEED A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE IT.

WOULDN'T BE APPROVED JUST BECAUSE I'M MOTION TO NOT APPROVE.

DID YOU GET ENOUGH VOTES? OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I STILL UNDERSTAND.

SO I'M SORRY.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T WANT, I DIDN'T WANT TO.

I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE WAS ASKING HER SON IS IN LINE IS MR. WATSON.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

I'LL I'LL GET HIM THE ROPE ME IN THE ROTATION SOMEWHERE.

THANK YOU, CONSTABLE.

YOU STILL WITH US.

YEAH, IF I'M HERE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR EXPLANATION THAT YOU GAVE AT THE BEGINNING, THAT DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GO AFTER VIOLENT FELONY OFFENDERS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

THAT ONCE THIS GRANT IS APPROVED AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MAYBE FRANCIS THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN.

AND THIS IS BASICALLY FUNNY BACKING WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE NOW COMING UP FOR THE NICHE YEAR IN ITSELF AND FOR WORK THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR, THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE THERE IS ALREADY HAVE THE MONEY.

THEN WE HAVE TO COOK THE FOOD, BUT WE WILL NOT IT'S BROKEN.

THEY WILL NOT BE OUT OF RHYTHM FLOW.

WE WERE NOT EVEN A RESTAURANT PEOPLE JUST DRIVING.

IF YOU SEE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING BECAUSE OF COVID-19 PAPERS, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAIR BECAUSE THE COVID-19 OUT THERE TO ARREST DURING THIS PANDEMIC HOLD IS TO GET, TO GET THE MONEY BACK

[00:45:01]

INTO THE ACCOUNT.

THAT THE GUY THAT HAVE ALREADY DONE THE WORK AND THE ONLY PERSONS THAT WILL BE TARGETED UNDER THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, THE VIOLENT OFFENDERS, MORE OR LESS, BUT SOME SERIOUS CHARGES FELT THAT MISDEMEANOR.

AND I'M SURE THE PUBLIC DON'T WANT PEOPLE IN JAIL, BUT I'M ALSO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PUBLIC PLAN IS FILING A FENDER.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE CONSTABLE.

I'M GOING TO ASK, ASK YOU THIS IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH SOME JUDGES.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF JUDGES THAT ARE OUT RUNNING FOR A LECTURER RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GETTING EXPOSURE TO TALK TO A LOT MORE JUDGES JUST TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THEY'RE SEEING A LOT MORE INCREASE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD AGREE THAT YOU'RE SEEING THE SAME? YES.

WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC TWICE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE AT HOME.

THEY WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE HERE, BUT NOW BECAUSE OF THE, IN ORDER TO STAY HOME AND THEN CANVASSING THE VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

AND WE DO SEE A LOT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNDERSTOOD.

MY QUESTION IS I UNDERSTAND THE OPINION OF THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE AGAINST ACCEPTING THIS GRANT.

BUT I'M WONDERING, WHO'S ADVOCATING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS FELONY VIOLENCE.

WHO'S ADVOCATING FOR THE, THE ABUSE DOMESTIC PARTNERS AND ALL OF THIS.

IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPENDING MORE TIME AT HOME, AS YOU RIGHTFULLY SAY, AND WE'RE HAVING DOMESTIC PARTNERS BEING ABUSED, SHOULDN'T SOMEBODY GO IN AND ACT ON BEHALF OF THE VICTIM.

THE REST OF THE SUBJECTS, WE ARE RISKING THEM BASED ON THE SHERIFF PROPHESIED EVERY WHICH IS 19 JBC FOUR, IT WOULD MAKE IT A FAILING.

SO I SAY, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING AFTER MISDEMEANOR IT, WE HEARD SO MANY FOLKS WRITE IN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY JUST COULDN'T PAY A FINE.

AND THOSE ARE NOT THINGS YOU'RE ACTIVELY GOING AFTER.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO OFF TO THOSE AT ALL.

IS THAT CORRECT? CONSTABLE GO ON AFTER SOMEBODY THEY'LL FIND OR IT'S FOR AN ACTION ITEM FOR THEM OR THE COURT AND TRY TO PAY THE FINES BECAUSE THE COURT IS RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY.

THEY THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME IN, PAY THE FINES, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOT A HUNDRED DOLLARS, MAYBE THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT ARREST SOMEBODY OR MISSING COURT, A TRAFFIC TICKET.

THIS IS THE METRIC YOU'RE FAILING.

AND WE ALL KNOW THE TRAFFIC OF BY LIKE, OKAY, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT ON THIS COUNCIL AND VOTE TO DENY A RESOURCES THAT, THAT YOU NEED TO SEPARATE SOMEONE WHO'S FEEDING THEIR DOMESTIC PARTNER.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE.

SO THERE IS A, UM, AUTOMATION TO DELETE BY COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.

AND NOW THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN WATSON AND THE SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, WATSON ARE YOU COMPLETE WITH, I'M DONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE'LL MOVE TO, UM, COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS.

I'M SORRY.

YOU GUYS HEAR ME? I'M HAVING SOME TIME TO BOYS.

UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CONSTABLE WILLIAMS BECAUSE IN THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION, I HEARD A LOT OF CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE GRANT READS THAT IT IS TO ARREST SELLING FELONY ARREST AND MISDEMEANOR ARREST.

THOSE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.

UM, A DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY CAN BE A MISDEMEANOR AND IT CAN BE A FELONY.

CAN YOU PUT YOUR SIGN DOWN? GO AHEAD.

COUNCILMAN MOROCCAN, DEPENDING ON THE DEGREE OF THE BATTERY OR HOW MANY TIMES THIS OCCURRED BEFORE THERE'S STRANGULATION, THAT'S INVOLVED.

SO CONSTABLE WILLIAMS, CAN YOU CLARIFY TO ME WHETHER OR NOT THESE WARRANTS ARE FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR NUMBER ONE, OR ARE THEY ARREST WARRANTS THAT YOU'RE DOING A SWEEP ON IT? OR ARE THEY, BUT, WELL, THEY'RE BOTH.

IT CAN BE A FAILURE TO APPEAR ON A FELONY CHARGE.

IF VIOLENCE FORMS, THE GRANT IS A SHERIFF OFFICE.

GRANT IS NOT POSSIBLE.

WE WORK ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF, EVEN IF THE PERSON IS ARRESTED MOST TIMES WHEN YOU COME TO THE COURT, YOU THINK MISDEMEANOR, NOT A FELONY, BUT

[00:50:01]

WE DON'T WANT TO ARREST HIM ON ANYTHING FOR CITY COURT, UNLESS THE MYTHICAL BEAT, WE DON'T GO OUT AND THE OF THEM ARE OKAY.

SO THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

IF THIS GRANT IS NOT APPROVED OR, WELL, LET ME START WITH THIS.

YOU, YOUR TEAM WOULD GO OUT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK? YES MA'AM BUT IF THEY DON'T, WE, IF WE DO NOT APPROVE THIS GRANT, THEN THAT REMOVES YOUR DISCRETION AND YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEY GO OUT ON THEIR OWN.

YES MA'AM.

AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU, UM, AND I PERSONALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.

I'M NOT TRYING TO SET YOU UP, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE FOR THE PUBLIC.

UM, WARRANTS ARE NOT TYPICALLY BEING ENFORCED BY COURTS FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR CURRENTLY, IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE NOT VIOLENT, IS THAT CORRECT? SO BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, THEY'RE NOT, I KNOW BATTLER CITY CORP IS CURRENTLY NOT EVEN PROSECUTING TRAFFIC TICKETS.

THEY'RE GETTING NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS AND HAVING A FEE BAN PAID BASED UPON THE PANDEMIC AND THEM TRYING TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE, MORE SIMPLE FOR THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S MY MA'AM.

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE MAYBE MISSED OR MISUNDERSTOOD THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? MY, MY MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS IS THAT YOU WOULD NOTE BY US NOT APPROVING THIS.

YOU WOULD NO LONGER BE PARTNERED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

YOU BEING THERE GIVES THE CITY A REPRESENTATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU WENT IN AND CLEANED UP THINGS IN 2019.

AND I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU CREATED YOUR NEW TEAM FOR THAT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO HAVE YOU THERE AS THEY PRESENT PARTNERED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? NO WAY.

AND A DEFENSE ATTORNEY, WHAT WE SAW WERE THESE CASES DON'T END, THEY GET WORSE AND WORSE AND THEN EVENTUALLY SOMEONE ENDS UP DEAD.

AND ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR DURING THIS PANDEMIC, LIKE CONSTABLES WILL NOT BE DOING A WARRANTY.

I'M NOT GOING TO PUT MY GUYS AT RISK TO GO OUT THERE AND BE EXPOSED TO COVID-19.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY SITTING IN JAIL COVID-19 EVEN WHEN THIRD THING IN THE CITY I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FACEBOOK, IF Y'ALL HAVE TO RENT ANYBODY TO BRING THEM TO CITY JAIL, INSTEAD OF TAKING THEM TO PARIS PRISON, I FELT THAT WAY WITH THEM.

WE CHECK THEM IF THEY DON'T HAVE COVID-19, THEY WON'T BE SUPPOSED TO COVID-19 BY QUANTITY, QUANTITY, PRISON.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TO USE THE CITY JAIL, BUT I'VE OFFERED, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE PROTEST IS WITHOUT PROTEST, IF Y'ALL HAVE TO DO A LARGE, UH, RIP, BRING THEM TO CITY JAIL, LET THEM GET THEM BOOKED IN PROCESS AND THEN TRY TO GET THEM BONDED OUT.

I GO OUT JUST DURING THE TIME THEY'VE BEEN ARRESTED SOMETIMES.

SO IT'S MY PRECONDITION AS WELL.

AND TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA THAT MOST OFFICERS ARE ISSUING SUMMONS FOR MISDEMEANORS RIGHT NOW, ANYWAY, AND THEY'RE NOT BRINGING HIM IN TO BE BOOKED.

IS THAT CORRECT AND ACCURATE AS WELL? YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S CORRECT.

COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA YOU AT 30 SECONDS.

UM, WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR EXTRA TIME? YES, MA'AM PLEASE.

IF YOU DON'T AND I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH LONGER, I JUST THINK, I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS AN IDEA AND IT IS A VERY SCARY IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE GONE THROUGH GREAT STRIDES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN DEAL AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEY ARE VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

I KNOW THAT WE HAD A YOUNG LADY IN BATON ROUGE THAT WAS MURDERED.

SHE WAS STABBED TO DEATH RECENTLY DUE TO A DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY VIOLENCE SITUATION.

UM, CONSTABLE DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY ACTIVITY WITH THAT WERE Y'ALL AWARE OF THAT.

I'M ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO MADE THE BOYFRIEND TURN HIMSELF IN.

HE, THEY FOUND ME, UH, FRIENDS WITH ME AT REST CAUSE THEY KNOW HOW I AM.

AND THEY SAID HE WAS AFRAID TO TURN HIMSELF IN FOR THE OTHER.

AND THEY TRUSTED ME TO KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO SEND EVERYTHING, TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS TURNED IN INTO THE SAFE MANNER.

AND I MEAN, I SET OUT, I WAS LIKE 12 MIDNIGHT PUSHING IT BACK ON THE ATTORNEYS.

I MEAN, I HEARD ABOUT IT.

I KNOW ABOUT IT.

ABOUT DOMESTIC ABUSE.

YES MA'AM I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ISSUE.

I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB CONSTABLE.

AND I THINK THAT APPROVING THIS GRANT IS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO KEEP FROM FILLING UP OUR JAILS WITH THE COBRA PANDEMIC.

AND WE ARE, WE DO NEED TO HAVE A FOCUS ON DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY RIGHT NOW, BOTH THE MISDEMEANOR FORM AND THE FELONY FORM.

BECAUSE AS WHEN I WAS A CITY PROSECUTOR

[00:55:01]

SO IT'S A VERY SCARY SITUATION, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STUCK AT HOME TOGETHER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS, COUNCILWOMAN WICKER.

I THINK WE'RE KIND OF IN A CATCH 22 SITUATION YOU'RE OUT.

I HAVE DURING THE, AND THEN THE CAT TO DEAL WITH THE, UM, YOUNG LADY WHO WAS BEING STOPPED FROM GOT HER HOUSE SHOT INTO THE BACKER ABUSER.

UM, I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND TARA, I KNOW YOU'RE STILL THERE.

IF WE DO NOT APPROVE THIS, THIS IS SIMPLY GOING TO MEAN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT INVOLVED.

IS THAT CORRECT? UH, CONSTABLE QUICKER.

I MEAN, UH, WILLIAMS, DEFINITELY.

AND THAT'S THE RENT.

IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, I CAN ALLOW THE CONSTABLES TO WORK ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

I GET THOSE ONES, BUT THIS IS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN.

IF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DO IT.

SO TH THIS MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

ONLY THING THAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS AUTHORIZING YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS.

CORRECT? ARE YOU THERE? I'M HERE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? NO, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.

MA'AM THE WAY THIS GRANT WORKS IS EACH YEAR.

AND THEN COME BACK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL.

THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AND OH, THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AND BASICALLY IS COMING IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TO GET THE MONEY, TO GO BACK TO THE ACCOUNT.

I'VE ALREADY PAID MY GUYS OVERTIME TO WORK THE FLEET, THE WARRANT WITH THE SHERIFF.

SO THE DAY IS BASICALLY A PROVEN IS GRANTED GIVE US OUR HEADS UP.

I READ IT NOW, MOVING FORWARD FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THE, IF EVEN IF THEY DON'T APPROVE WITH TODAY, THEN THAT'S IF MY LOSS, MY AGENCY CONFLICT FOR PAYING THE $4,000.

SO YOU'RE OKAY.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

SO NOW WHAT'S, YOU'RE SAYING TO US, THIS IS NOT APPROVING YOU TO DO WORK GOING FORWARD.

THIS IS APPROVING PAYMENT FOR WORK YOU'VE ALREADY DONE.

IT'S ALREADY DONE.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S CLEAR EITHER.

I THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS APPROVING FROM WHAT IT SAYS, UM, TO PURSUE FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR WARRANT, TO RENT DURING MONTHLY WARRANTS BEFORE AND BY THE TASK FORCE.

BUT IF YOU'RE TELLING US THIS HAS WORKED ALREADY HAVE ALREADY DONE, AND WE'RE SIMPLY AUTHORIZING THIS MONEY FOR YOU TO GET PAID.

BUT IF YOU DON'T APPROVE IT TODAY AND SAY PHRASES, LIKE WE HAVE THE PAPERWORK NOW FOR THE NEW ONE, RIGHT WITH JASMINE SEES THE PAPERWORK LIKE THIS WEEK BEFORE.

AND ONCE WE WORKED HIS PAPERWORK THOUGH, FOR THE NEW CAR TO REDO THE GRANT PAPERWORK AND WE TURNED IT IN, WE GET IT APPROVED.

WE HAVE TO BRING THAT PAYMENT.

BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NEW MONEY.

THIS HAS TO DO WITH MONEY TO PAY YOU FOR WORK ALREADY PERFORMED.

THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I THINK THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS A GRANT THAT WE ARE APPROVING TONIGHT FOR YOU TO GO OUT AND SET UP A SWEEP SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY TO ARREST PEOPLE ON FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS.

AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

NO, THAT'S NOT.

IT WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE WORK THE WAY THEY RAN IT UP.

THE WORK IS ALREADY MAKING THAT CLEAR.

THAT THAT WAS NOT CLEAR BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, WAS THERE A WAY WE COULD DO A DIRECTOR TO SAY THAT YOU WOULD ONLY GO AFTER FELONY WARRANTS FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE, BUT IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THIS ON A COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT THIS TO BE MADE CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE NOT APPROVING TONIGHT FOR THE COUNSEL'S OFFICE TO PARTNER WITH THE SHARE TO GO OUT AND DO SUITS.

NO, MA'AM OKAY.

UM, SO I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM WITH IT AT THIS POINT.

AT FIRST, I WAS KIND OF HESITANT ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE SWEEPS TO GO OUT AND ARREST PEOPLE EITHER.

BUT IF THIS IS TO REIMBURSE YOU FOR WORK ALREADY DONE, THEN I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF AGREEING TO SAY YES TO THIS.

SO YOU CAN GET PAID MOVING FORWARD ON ANY ADDITIONAL SUITES.

IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS BODY.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S OKAY.

I CAN.

IT HOW IT WORKS, EVERYBODY.

THE, IT WASN'T LIKE WE WERE JUST WRITING THE RENT WAS JUST OUT THERE TO GO AND JUST START ARRESTING PEOPLE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THE LADY WAS ON THE, ON THE AGENDA SAYS THAT IS WHAT THE LANGUAGE ON OUR AGENDA SAYS.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO PURSUE FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR WARRANT ARREST DOING MONTHLY WARRANTS.

SO WE PERFORMED BY THE TASKFORCE.

THAT IS WHAT THIS SAYS.

SO THAT SAYS TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE PROBING MONEY FOR YOU TO GO OUT AND DO SWEEPS FOR FELONY CONVICTIONS AND DISTRIBUTING A WOMAN.

YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.

TO THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE FOR WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED AND NOT TO GO OUT AND ARREST NEW PEOPLE.

I'LL TAKE MY OTHER COUPLE OF MINUTES.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS MONEY BEING REIMBURSED

[01:00:01]

NOTHING SEE HAS HER HAND UP.

CAN I GET THE REST OF MY NOTES? SHE'S SPOKEN TWICE OR HAS SHE, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

COUNSEL, WOMAN GREEN WANTS THAT.

HASN'T BEEN, BANKS HAS SPOKEN TWICE.

SHE SACCA HAS SO MUCH.

I GAVE HER THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME BECAUSE I'M DONE.

I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF.

THIS IS NOT A REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE ONLY WAY EVEN REIMBURSEMENTS HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL AND THE LANGUAGE ON THE AGENDA.

ITEM MUST STIPULATE.

THAT IS REIMBURSEMENT.

THIS IS NOT A REIMBURSEMENT.

IF THE, AND THE WAY IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON THE AGENDA, THIS IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT IS NOT, IS, UM, IT'S UM, IT'S NOT CORRECT.

IT'S DECEITFUL AND WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE THIS.

THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.

WE'VE STOOD.

WE'VE BEEN OUT 30 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, GIVEN ALL THE REASONS WHY IT SHOULDN'T.

WE'VE HAD, UM, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC SPEAK BASED ON WHAT IS WRITTEN.

AND IT'S NOT EVEN THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NONVIOLENCE THAT IT'S NONVIOLENT.

WHERE'S THE DATA ON WHO'S BEEN ARRESTED DOING THIS AMOUNT.

THIS ITEM NEEDS TO BE DELETED.

THEY NEED TO COME THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, NOT THE BACK DOOR IN THE FUTURE.

AND THERE'S NO WAY TO TEACH THAT LESSON THEN TO NOT APPROVE THIS ITEM.

WE ARE, IT IS DECEITFUL THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN WRITTEN UP, ALL, EVERYTHING.

THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE PUT AGENDA ITEMS IN INTRODUCTION.

AND THEN IT'S TO GIVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.

EVERYONE HAS RESPONDED BASED ON THIS BEING SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALREADY, AND THERE'S NOTHING EVEN A REIMBURSEMENT TO THE, UM, CONSTABLE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL.

THIS IS AN ILLEGAL ACT IF IT GOES FOR, OKAY.

UM, THE NEXT PERSON HOUSEHOLD IS I THINK CONSTABLE WILLIAMS, I'M TRYING TO RESPOND, UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS WILLIAMS. YES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE AGENDA DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WITH THE PANDEMIC, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I COULD BE WRONG.

HE GOT PUSHED BACK AND WEAVE IT GOT KICKED OUT, WHATEVER.

AND WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CORRESPONDING WITH, UM, WHAT'S HER NAME? MS. MARY.

AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH TO GET THIS DONE.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE LANGUAGE IS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING THIS BRENT HAS BEEN WITHIN THE COUNTY OFFICE SINCE FOREVER.

I KNOW FOR SURE.

AT LEAST TWO DOUBT.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS A NEW GRANT.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ASKING FOR A YOUTH GRANT, GO OUT AND ARREST PEOPLE DURING A PANDEMIC OR DO WARRANTS FOR AN, A PANDEMIC.

THIS IS A BRAND HAS BEEN WITHIN THIS AGENCY.

IT'S BEEN APPROVED EVERY YEAR THROUGH THE COUNCIL.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT CHANGED THIS YEAR AND THIS TIME.

BUT IF ANYTHING, I MEAN, IN 2016, THEY HAD A FLUID, THEY STILL APPROVE THE GRANT.

THEY DIDN'T SAY ARREST PEOPLE DURING A FLOOD.

AND DURING A CRISIS, A NATURAL DISASTER.

WE'VE HAD HURRICANES.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISASTERS HERE IN MOVED DOWN, AND THIS GRANT HAS ALWAYS BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL APPROVAL IN BRANTFORD BAY.

DOES MATH PLAY? THE COUNSEL'S OFFICE WILL GO OUT TOMORROW OR NEXT WEEK WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND DO A WARRANT.

SWEEP IS JUST, IS FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES, FIND THE, THE PROTOCOL TO GET THE GRANT APPROVED.

SO WHEN, AND IF THESE ARE RED AND THEY'LL BE MADE AGAIN, ALSO, IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN A DOMESTIC ABUSE RELATIONSHIP, AND THEN YOU ONLY SOLELY RELYING ON THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO GO OUT AND MAKE AN ARREST.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY AT A PARTICULAR SPOT THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CAN GET TO, AT LEAST YOU DO HAVE COUNSEL'S OFFICE THAT CAN GO OUT AND HELP EVEN BEDROOM.

A CITY FOR US HAVE A DOMESTIC COURT ON WEDNESDAY.

MY GUYS CAN GO OUT AND HELP WITH THIS.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH COUNCIL, CALL MY BANK.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF BRENT HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA, IT'S BEEN APPROVED TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME, AGAIN, UP UNTIL NOW.

COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN WICKER.

AND I WAS INFORMED THAT BEFORE YOU SPEAK COUNCILMAN WICKER, THAT IT WAS INTRODUCED ACTUALLY ON MARCH 11TH, AGENDA ITEM WAS INTRODUCED ON MARCH 11TH.

THAT'S A WOMAN WICKER.

YOU MAY SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

[01:05:01]

YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M JUST, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ACTUALLY, WHEN COUNSEL WOMAN, UM, COLLINS LEWIS SPOKE, UH, THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE POINT OF MY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FACT OF THE, UH, THE REIMBURSEMENT GRANT IN, IN THE FACT THAT THIS PUTS THESE DOLLARS BACK INTO CONSTABLE'S WILL WILLIAMS BUDGET, BECAUSE THOSE DOLLARS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY EXPENSED, UH, DOING THOSE SERVICES.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THIS, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE GRANT.

I WILL SAY THIS AS A SIDE NOTE ABOUT, UH, TARA, YOU KNOW, DECEITFUL IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE EVER KNOWN, UH, YOUR CHARACTER TO BE.

UH, SO, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR TYLER, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN UPFRONT.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST.

YOU ARE, I'M AN AFRICAN WOMAN, FEMALE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES FROM DAY ONE.

SINCE YOU STARTED THIS JOB, MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CARED FOR AND PROTECTED AND SERVED WELL, AND YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH.

SO, UM, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN TERMS OF YOU TRYING TO COME TO THIS COUNCIL, NEVER HAVE SEEN THAT AS PART OF YOUR CHARACTER TO TRY TO TRICK US OR FOOL US OR RUN SOMETHING OVER WITH US.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL LOOK AS WELL.

AND ASHLEY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW GRANTS THAT COME BEFORE US THAT ARE REIMBURSED.

SO GRANTS FOR SERVICES THAT, UH, DEPARTMENTS DO.

AND THEN THEY COME TO US BECAUSE OF THE TIMING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GRANTS ARE APPROVED.

AND I JUST DIDN'T SEE THIS ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE AS PREVIOUSLY.

UH, BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FROM YOUR PERFORMANCE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, THAT WE DO AND THAT WE TAKE CARE OF, UM, FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE OUT THERE TRYING TO JOIN THIS PANDEMIC, JUST ARBITRARILY ARREST PEOPLE.

AND SO I TAKE ISSUE WITH, UH, THE, THE WORD DECEITFULNESS BEING USED AS PART OF YOUR CHARACTER.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK UP TO THAT.

YOU GET ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT.

I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANY REASON TO BE LYING ABOUT THAT.

YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK AND, UM, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND RECOMMEND THAT, THAT THOSE SERVICES AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE APPROVED.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE, UM, THE FLOOR WE'LL GO TO COUNCILMEN WELSH AND, AND COUNCILMAN WATSON, I SAW YOUR HAND, BUT I THINK HE'S ASKING, OKAY.

YOU WILL BE AFTER COUNCIL.

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, UH, ERICA, I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, CONSTABLE WILLIAMS, I GOTTA TELL YOU HOW I TOO WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR, UM, FOR HAVING SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE PUT ON THIS AGENDA, UH, CALLED DECEITFUL, UM, BECAUSE I TOO HAVE NEVER HAD ANY DEALINGS WITH YOU AND WITH YOUR OFFICE THAT WOULD HAVE EVEN COME CLOSE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS DESCRIBED HERE.

UM, TOO, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PENDING ON THIS AGENDA.

THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE.

AND YOU, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOU DECIDE, I MEAN, IT COULD BE USED FOR EITHER, BUT YOU'VE DECIDED TO GO AFTER SPECIFICALLY VIOLENT OFFENDERS IS HAVE I GOT THAT INCORRECT? ALL RIGHT.

AND SO, AND THIS IS WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

IT WAS DONE PRIOR TO MARCH OF THIS YEAR BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, MA'AM OKAY.

PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

WELL, ASTRO, I JUST WANTED, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, I MEAN TO, TO BE CALLED DECEITFUL AND BE CALLED IT, THIS IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SAY THAT READY BEEN DONE TO A SECOND OR THIRD OR FOURTH, YOU BEING PAID BACK AND DOING A GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN WATSON, AND THEN COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

OFFICE FOR FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR WARRANT ARRESTS DONE DURING MONTHLY WARRANTS, SWEEPS PERFORMED BY TASKFORCE.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR ASHLEY BACK PLACING PROCEDURE, ASHLEY.

YEP.

UH, AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SHARE THE COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN WELLSTON COUNCILWOMAN WICKER THAT I DON'T THINK ANY DECEITFUL, THIS WAS MEANT IN THIS AT ALL.

AND WE SOMETIMES CORRECT THE WORDING OF AGENDA ITEMS IN THIS CASE.

COULD WE MAKE AN AMENDMENT? SO THAT THE SECOND TO THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO REIMBURSE THE CONSTABLE'S

[01:10:01]

AND WE JUST MOVED THAT AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE WORDING, MR. WATSON, BECAUSE THIS IS A GRANT I WOULD LIKE FOR, UM, THE FUNNIEST DEPARTMENT OR JOE TUBE'S OFFICE TO COMMENT ON THAT, UM, WANT TO REWORD ANY GRANT ITEMS WITHOUT.

GOTCHA.

WELL, IN THIS CASE, UM, IF THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AND ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO IS SHORT THE CONSTABLE'S BUDGET MONEY THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOCAL MATCH.

THIS IS GRANT MONEY.

THAT'S COMING OUT.

I REALIZE IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY, BUT IT'S COMING FROM ALL FROM, FROM, UH, FROM OUTSIDE OF JUST THE TAX BASE IN THIS MUNICIPALITY.

UH, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO JUST SAYING, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS PASSED, LET THIS MONEY GET BACK INTO THE TERRACE OFFICE SO THAT SHE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK THAT SHE'S DESCRIBED ALREADY.

AND I THANK YOU CONSTABLE FOR YOUR TIME.

THE FLOOR.

I JUST WANT TO THANK CONSTABLE WILLIAMS FOR THE WAY THAT SHE'S HERSELF IN THIS MEETING AND THE WAY THAT SHE'S HANDLING HER BUSINESS THROUGH OUR OFFICE.

IT'S A, CERTAINLY A UNIQUE, UM, POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND A UNIQUE SITUATION, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE CONSTABLES, ALL THE SHERIFFS, ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE OPERATING IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

AND, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO KEEP THIS, THIS PARISH SAFE IS, IS OUTSTANDING.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THIS IS A NO BRAINER.

UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON.

IT MAKES ABSOLUTE SENSE TO, TO GO AFTER THESE VIOLENT OFFENDERS AND DO THESE WARRANT ROUNDUPS.

UH, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE.

THAT'S WHY I TOTALLY SUPPORT IT.

IT'S JUST, AGAIN, THANK YOU, CONSTABLE FOR, UH, FOR THE WAY YOU CONDUCTED YOURSELF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF BRIEF COMMENTS.

UM, I SPOKE WITH CONSTABLE, UM, WILLIAMS EARLIER TODAY TO GET CLARITY AS SIMILAR TO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS ASKED.

SHE DID INDICATE, UM, THAT THE, THE GRANT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2009.

UM, AND OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR HAS INDICATED THAT THE AMOUNT FOR THE GRANT, WHICH IS ONLY 45, 82, IS HER PORTION, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE PORTION OF THE GRANT, UM, THAT IS, UH, UH, CO-PARTNER GRANT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

UM, THERE ARE CONCERNS, UM, AND I HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE, THE MAGNITUDE OF WHERE WARRANTS TYPICALLY GO AND WHO TYPICALLY ARE, UM, ADDRESSED WITH WARRANTS.

JUST TRYING TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE, UM, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THAT WAS DONE BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

IT ALWAYS, IT TYPICALLY DOES ADDRESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE INABILITY TO PAY.

UM, BUT IT ALSO ADDRESSES THE NEED TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN COURT TO ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL.

UM, I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT IS MISSING FROM THIS CONVERSATION OR THAT WE KIND OF PASSING THROUGH AS WE'RE DISCUSSING IT IS THAT, UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE COURT, THE COURTS, THE, THE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO NOT ARREST, UM, OR HANDLE WARRANTS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I JUST WANT TO LET THOSE THAT ARE VIOLENT, UM, ARREST AND WARRANTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, BUT NONVIOLENT ARRESTS HAVE NOT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

UM, I THINK THEY HAVE MADE THAT CLEAR THROUGHOUT THE, UM, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND HAS, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND MANY OTHER PLACES.

SO I WANTED THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THEY HAVE MADE, UM, A PRIORITY.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS MOST OF THE COURTS ARE OPERATING REALLY AT LOW CAPACITY, UM, TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE, WE'RE ONLY ADDRESSING IN, IN THE COUNCIL, THE CITY, THE EAST, THE CITY OF COURT.

AND SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, WE ONLY ADDRESS ISSUES THAT COME FROM CITY COURT.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

UM, AND AGAIN, UH, I THINK CONSTABLE WILLIAMS HAS MADE, UM, SOME GREAT POINTS, UM, AND SHE'S SHOWN EXACTLY WHAT, UM, HER JOB IS AND HOW SHE, UM, HAS ATTEMPTED TO GET SOME SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.

THIS PARTICULAR GRANT JUST HAPPENS TO DEAL WITH WARRANT, UM, SEARCHES.

SO AT THIS TIME THAT'S THE END OF MY COMMENTS, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M

[01:15:01]

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? UH, CAUSE I'M A GREEN.

UM, DID YOU GUYS GET ANY CLARITY ON COUNCILMAN WATSON'S QUESTION IN TERMS OF AMENDING THE LANGUAGE WE HAVE NOT? UM, LET ME SEE IF THEY, ANYBODY FROM FINANCES ON THE CALL, THEN YOU WOULD ASK US THAT WE COULDN'T MAKE THAT CHANGE.

ARE WE WAITING TO SEE THAT? SHE SAID THAT HER ACTUAL STATEMENT WAS THAT SHE WAS WAITING.

SHE SEES US.

I SAID, WE GET THAT FROM FINAL.

CAN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM? WE'LL DO A DO UNDER YOUR PAD IS GOING TO BE, TAKE A MOMENT, PLEASE BE HERE.

ANGIE, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS, THIS IS LINDA I'M HERE.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO ADDING THAT LANGUAGE.

AND WHAT WE WILL ACTUALLY DO IS WE WILL SET UP THE APPROPRIATION BASED ON THE GRANT AWARD.

AND I WILL ONLY ALLOW EXPENDITURES TO BE CHARGED AGAINST IT THAT WERE INCURRED PRIOR TO TODAY.

IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE ACCOUNTING.

THANK YOU, LINDA, COUNCILMAN WATSON.

DO YOU ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF, I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SAYING THAT I WOULD HAVE TAKEN TERRICK OF WORD.

NOT SAYING THAT HER WORD IS BAD.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT I ACCEPT THAT.

AND FOR CLARITY, JUST GOING FORWARD, I REALIZE WE'RE GOING TO GO.

THAT'S ALL IT WAS ABOUT.

AND COUNCILMAN HUDSON, DO YOU ACCEPT? I SAW YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD.

TIME WE MOVED TO ITEM 40 AGENDA ITEM 40 OR RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE CHENEY VEAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE MINDY MOTION? OKAY.

CNN IT'S BEEN, THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED AND THIS

[Item 40]

NUMBER SEVEN OF THE PARENTS OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2020 FOR THE PURPOSES OF AUTHORIZING THE LEVY AND COLLECTION, BUT 15 MEALS, AVALARA TAX IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2021 AND ENDING THE YEAR 2030 TO BE USED BY THE DISTRICT TO ACQUIRE CONSTRUCT, IMPROVE, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES IN AND FOR THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF FIRE TRUCKS AND OTHER FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, AND TO PAY THE COST OF OBTAINING WATER FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES, INCLUDING HYDRANT RENTALS AND SERVICES IN LIEU OF THE 10 MEALS, AVID LEARN TAX CURRENTLY BEING LEVIED BY THE DISTRICT FOR THE SAME PURPOSES FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2012 AND ENDING WITH THE YEAR 2020, AND AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF AN ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGES OF $32 PER ANNUM FOR EACH LIVABLE, RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE, WHETHER OCCUPIED OR UNOCCUPIED LOCATED ONLY, OR PORTLAND WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT FOR THE PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2021 AND ENDING OF THE YEAR 2031 FOR THE PURPOSES OF PAYING THE COSTS OF FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES IN AND FOR THE DISTRICT MAKING APPLICATIONS TO THE LOUISIANA STATE BOND COMMISSION BY CHENEY VILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

AT THIS TIME WE WERE OPEN TO PUBLIC HEARING.

YEAH, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE WERE CLOSE TO PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVE TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVE BY TROY AS WELL? MOTION TO APPROVE BY? I THINK THAT WAS LEWIS.

AND SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WELCH.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING NONE THAT THAT ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED.

[Item 41]

ITEM 41 REQUESTING A FIVE-YEAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT IS ESTIMATED AT $27,250 OR IN LOVING ARMS, LLC LOCATED AT 2315 ARTING BOULEVARD.

THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED BY LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM TO THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENCOURAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND RESTORATION OF PROPERTY BY PLANNING DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE COMMENTS? I WOULD COMMENT ON ITEM 41.

THIS IS FROM PHILLIP BOULEVARD.

AGAIN, I WILL STATE THAT TOO MANY LOCAL TAX ABATEMENTS ARE BEING AWARDED, AND I'M SURPRISED THAT PEOPLE WHO MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE LOUISIANA STATE ITEP ISSUE ARE NOT ALSO OBJECTING TO THESE LOCAL TAX ABATEMENTS.

[01:20:01]

AM AGAINST THIS ITEM THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMENTS ON ITEM 41.

HUDSON.

I SEE THAT YOUR HANDS WERE RAISED IT WASN'T FOR THIS ITEM.

OH, I'M SORRY.

IT'S NOT OKAY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND BANKS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON? THIS HERE EITHER ANY OBJECTIONS HERE, IT APPEARS THAT COUNCILWOMAN BANKS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

I DIDN'T HEAR IT WAS THE SECOND.

UH, OKAY.

SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, INDEED, JUST TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT, I KNOW HONESTLY WHAT FILLER, BUT IN LOVING ARMS IS, UM, I THINK IT MAY BE ONE OF ONLY TWO IN THE ENTIRE CITY WHERE THEY DEAL WITH, UM, SEVERELY HANDICAP, INFANTS AND TODDLERS.

UM, AND, UM, THEY HAVE, THEY WERE, THEY WERE OPERATED A NUMBER OF YEARS ON NORTH FOSTER HAD JUST MOVED ON HARDING BOULEVARD WHERE THEY PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO REHABBING, UM, R O DAYCARE.

AND SO IF YOU ALL HAVE PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN BORN, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, PROFOUND, HANDICAPS, UM, DISABILITIES, PLEASE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT IN LOVING ARMS. IT'S, I'M NEW TO OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, RENITA WILLIAMS IS A NURSE PRACTITIONER SHE'S TAUGHT AT SOUTHERN'S NURSING SCHOOL, UH, ZACHARY RESIDENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT'S AN AWESOME WOMAN.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST LET EVERY ALL, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE NEED OF, UM, HER SERVICES TO KNOW THAT THERE'S HELP, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT MOTION TO APPROVE.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.

I HAVE COUNSEL ON THE WICKER WITH THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME COUNSEL ON THE WICKER.

THAT WAS FROM A PREVIOUS DEAL.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

LET ME LOWER MY HAND.

AND, UM, THANK YOU, EVERYONE REMOVED THEIR HANDS.

ALRIGHT.

COUNCILMAN WATSON.

THAT'S AN EARLIER ONE.

THE IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION WITHIN THE CONCORDIA STATE CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICT HAVE AN ANNUAL FEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $69 AND 50 CENTS ON EACH LOT SUBDIVIDED PORTION OF GROUND OR AN INDIVIDUAL TRACT IN THE DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 2018 FOR THE PURPOSES AIDING IN A CRIME PREVENTION AND ADDING TO THE SECURITY OF THE DISTRICT RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING FOR THE INCREASE IN THE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE DISTRICT BY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATOR, AND TREASURER.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU AT THIS TIME.

GOTCHA.

I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT AFTER I SPOKE IT, THAT THE HAND WOULD BE REMOVED.

SO IT IS MY FAULT AS WELL.

IT WAS FOR A PREVIOUS ITEM.

THIS IS ELECTRONIC AGE.

UM, AND COUNCILWOMAN BANKS.

I ECHO YOUR SENTIMENT, UM, MY PAST DOWN HARDING THE OTHER DAY, AND THAT BUILDING LOOKS AMAZING.

SO WE DID HAVE, UM, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AND ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR ALREADY ONE.

I AGENDA ITEM 42, AUTHORIZING

[Item 42]

AT THIS TIME WE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE'S NO COMMENTS.

WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS SEEING NONE OR IS THERE ANY EMOTION ON THE FLOOR MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING DONE ITEM 42 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM

[Item 43]

43 AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT.

NUMBER ONE TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH RUNWAY SAFE, INCORPORATED SUPERVISE SUPERVISION FOR THE EMA S BLOCK REPLACEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $24,000 IS BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN NEIL SECONDED BY COUNCIL, WOMAN GREEN? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE ITEM 42 43 HAS BEEN APPROVED

[01:25:01]

ITEM 44

[Item 44]

AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT.

NUMBER ONE TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH ROSS BATON ROUGE, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS SIGNATURE LIGHT SUPPORT TO CHANGE THE CATEGORY OF OPERATION TO ADD CATEGORY THREE AIRCRAFT STORAGE BY AVIATION DIRECTOR.

UM, OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WELCH.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE ITEM 44 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM 45

[Item 45]

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AND MANNED THAT CERTAIN CONTRACTS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES WITH WALTERS PATH ALONE, THOMAS COLLINS, LLC, FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY PARISH AND LITIGATION REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY TO INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE COMPENSATION TO A SUM, NOT TO EXCEED $150,000.

THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BY LIBRARY DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME OPENING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT IT'S MEMBERS.

SO YOU HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE ITEM.

YOUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS FROM PHILLIP BOULEVARD.

GENERALLY I HAVE TO STAY AT THE TAXPAYERS, SHOULD NOT END UP PAYING ANY EXTRA TAX MONEY FOR THE DEFECTS THAT WERE CREATED BY THE COMPANIES THAT DESIGN A LIBRARY BUILDING AND OR THE COMPANIES THAT CONSTRUCTED THE BUILDING.

OF COURSE, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE EXISTING DOWNTOWN LIBRARY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMODELED, NOT TORN DOWN AND REBUILT LIKE IT ACTUALLY WAS AND ADDED LEGAL OR OTHER COSTS, INCLUDING THIS PROPOSED INCREASE.

IT SHOULD NOT BE PAID FOR, BUT OH, I'M SORRY.

SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE COMPANIES THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTS IN THE BUILDING.

NEXT COMMENT IS FROM PENNY LANDRY.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL SPENT TO DATE ON LEGAL FEES FOR THIS PROJECT? ARE THE CONTRACTS WITH LAW FIRMS REPRESENTING EBR AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR TAXPAYER TO LEARN WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR I'M OPPOSED TO ANY ADDITIONAL TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT ON LEGAL FEES, REPORT DECISIONS MADE BY THE COUNCIL ON THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY DEBACLE THAT CLOSES THE PUBLIC WEEKEND AS WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS A HAND, RIGHT? YES.

MA'AM.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST WHERE WE ARE IN ALL OF THAT MAY.

I MEAN, NOT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DENIED, BUT I WOULD LIKE AN UNDERSTANDING OF, CAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD ANY, UH, COMMUNICATION REGARDING, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL INVOLVED IN LITIGATION.

UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR ATTORNEY'S FEES TO BE REPAID, BUT UM, NO FOR EXACTLY THE REASONS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE LITIGATION AND YOU KNOW, NEXT STEPS WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

UM, BUT I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

THERE'S BEEN A MOTION IMPROVED BY COUNCILMAN WELSH.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, COUNCILMAN WATSON.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION IT'S AKIN TO WHAT COUNCILMAN WALTER WAS JUST SAYING, JUST SO THAT THE VIEWING PUBLIC THAT'S LOOKING AT THIS UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE COSTS ARE BEING INCURRED RIGHT NOW TO BE REPAID OUT OF LITIGATION.

WE'RE GOING TO GET COURT COSTS OUT OF THIS.

IF SOMEONE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME, JUST FOR THE RECORD IS OUR PARENT'S ATTORNEY.

ARE YOU ON THE, ARE YOU ON I'M ON.

UM, I'M ASKING, UH, ON THIS ITEM ABOUT HIRING OUTSIDE LAW FIRM.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A NINTH FLOOR FULL OF ATTORNEYS, WE'RE HIRING AN OUTSIDE LAW FIRM AND THEIR COSTS ARE GOING TO REPAID.

COURT COSTS ARE GOING TO BE RECOUPED IN THE JUDGMENT, PROVIDED THAT WE PREVAIL ON THE JUDGMENT.

IS THAT THE UNDERSTANDING IF WE GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH SOON, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF RECOVERING ATTORNEY FEES IN THE JUDGMENT.

IF WE SETTLE UP PRIOR TO THAT, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL.

THAT WAS A QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK.

GUESS BOB HAS GIVEN US THAT UPDATE, SO I'M I'M GOOD.

A SORT OF THE QUESTION.

ALRIGHT.

THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

THANK YOU, BOB.

DO YOU HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION ALREADY? OKAY.

COUNCILMAN WATSON.

UM, I ALSO TOP, UH, COUNSEL AND A WICKER.

DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS? THAT WAS IT.

I, I THINK IT, IT, THE, THE QUESTION IN THE ANSWER WE GOT OUT THERE BEFORE I GOT INTO ROTATION, BUT I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ANY CAUSAL BE ENCOURAGED TO BE RECOUPED THROUGH WHATEVER LITIGATION AND THAT WE WOULDN'T BE OUT OF THOSE DOLLARS.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY, UM, I

[01:30:01]

COUNCILWOMAN COLLINS LEWIS.

CAN WE PROVIDE AN ANSWER THOUGH THAT I WAS ASKED BY A CONSTITUENT OR IN PUBLIC COMMENT WITH THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED, WHERE ARE WE TODAY WITH LEGAL FEES? SO IF SOMEBODY HAS THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

MR. AVID, DO YOU HAVE FINANCE? I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I KNOW WE'RE RIGHT AT THE CURRENT CONTRACT LIMIT, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S PROBABLY IN THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM.

UH, WE'RE BUMPING UP AGAINST THE CURRENT CONTRACT LIMITS, WHICH IS HOW MUCH JUST FOR THE PUBLIC.

I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT THAT.

AND THAT'S OF COURSE YOU'VE GOT THAT.

A SOMEBODY FROM THE PUBLIC JUST RAISED.

YEAH, I'M TRYING TO, I THINK THE CURRENT LIMIT IS LIKE 82 FIVE, BUT IT'S NOT EVER REALLY USING IT TO ONE 50, BUT I, MAYBE I MAY HAVE THAT.

AND I THINK IF I COULD INTERJECT, I THINK E UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, WELL STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE REPORT.

SO IF THAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN THAT REPORT, UM, THAT, THAT THE PARISH ATTORNEY PROVIDES TO 67 FIVE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THAT.

ITEM 46, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM OF JARVIS HEINZ FOR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT.

AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ASKING COME OVER BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ACTS FOR SOMEBODY IN THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT ASKS WHERE WE WERE.

SO THAT KIND OF GIVES THEM A POINT OF CLARITY, UH, IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN SPENT TO DATE.

SO THANK YOU.

I'M JUST CHECKING.

IS THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? I DON'T SEE ANY, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY, WELL, SECOND BY ROCCA.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? HERE ARE NINE ITEM 45 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

[Item 46]

SO THEN CAUSED BY BATTLERS POLICE OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF 16,000, WHICH AMOUNT SHOULD SHALL BE PAID FROM THE ACCOUNT.

DESIGNATED INSURANCE AUTO LIABILITY ATTORNEY OF RECORD IS JONATHAN W DUNKIN OF THE DUNKIN LAW FIRM BY PARISH ATTORNEY AT THIS TIME, OPENED IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

ARE THEY ENCLOSED IN PUBLIC HEARING? ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILWOMAN WELLS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATSON? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE ITEM 46 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM

[Item 47]

47, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT A JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT AWARD BATON ROUGE, POLICE COVID-19 MITIGATION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $499,710 BY POLICE CHIEF.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL.

LET'S SEE, THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROTTEN TO APPROVE SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WATSON PLAY ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE IS ITEM 27 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

[Item 48]

ITEM 48, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT A SUB GRANT AWARD FROM THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 2018 CRIME GUN INTELLIGENCE CENTER, RAPID RESPONSE TEAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,019 BY POLICE CHIEF.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE OPEN TO PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SINCE SEEING NONE ITEM 48 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM

[Item 49]

49, AMENDA 2020 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE.

SO AS TO CHANGE THE ALIGNMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES AS FOLLOWS EFFECTIVE JUNE 25TH, 2020 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES, RYAN WHITE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PROGRAM, GRANT DATES MARCH 1ST, 2022 28, 2221 AND ADD DATA COORDINATOR, JOB CODE 2300 BY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES AND HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME I OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO, BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON?

[01:35:01]

IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE MOTION ITEM 49 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM 50

[Item 50]

AUTHORIZED.

I THINK THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AN AMENDMENT AND PRECINCT THE LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE CONTRACT WITH LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $81,403 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $635,237 ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES BY HUMAN SERVICE DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME I OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'S OUR MOTION BY THE CHAIR TO APPROVE SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN WAKA AND ITEM FOUR 50 IS A POOP.

ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE ITEM 50 IS APPROVED.

ITEM

[Item 51]

51, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT A GRANT AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES WITH THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION FOR A COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,882,161 BY THE HUMAN SERVICE DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME, WE'RE OPEN FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NO OBJECTIONS ITEM 51 IS APPROVED

[Item 52]

ITEM 52 TO AMEND THE 2020 CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO APPROPRIATE $5 MILLION FROM FUND BALANCE TO PROVIDE FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS FOR THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS FOR THE UPPER PAYMENT LIMIT MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME THERE WAS OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVED BY COUNCILMAN.

WELL, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WATSON AND HE OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE ITEM 52 IS

[Item 53]

APPROVED ITEM 53, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERED SERVICES WITH SJP GROUP LLC FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVIE VR CAPACITY PROJECT HOLLAND ROAD AND SEEKING LANE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX THOUSAND FORTY SEVEN DOLLARS 47 CENTS BY TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING FOR PUBLIC MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROCCO.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE? ITEM 53 HAS BEEN APPROVED

[Item 54]

ITEM 54, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN ENTITY STATE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN CONNECTION WITH SOUTH SHERWOOD FOREST BOULEVARD, SUPER STREET MOD FIVE TRANSPORTATION AND DRAINAGE DIRECTOR OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SHINS SEEING NONE ITEM 54 IS APPROVED

[Item 55]

ITEM 55 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE IT AND EXECUTE AN ENTITY STATE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE EBR COMPUTERIZED TRAFFIC SIGNAL BY TRANSPORTATION DRAINAGE DIRECTOR.

AT THIS TIME I OPENED UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I HAVE A PUBLIC CLOSING.

THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I HAVE A COMMENT FROM COUNCILMAN COLE IS ON.

UM, HE WOULD GO AHEAD.

COUNCILMAN COLE IS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US? AND IT'S LIKE A GENERAL PUBLIC, OH, OKAY.

NOT THE FUNDS ARE COMING WITH SYNCHRONIZATION OF THE TRAFFIC LICENSES CITY, BUT THAT GETS SUPPORTED FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE THESE FOLKS ARE COMING FROM.

UH, YES, SIR.

I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR GRANT IS, UH, THERE ARE FEDERAL FUNDS ARE BEING USED TO HELP US, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE THE SIGNALIZATION THROUGHOUT THIS PARTICULAR 30 SOME LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

IT'S AN 80 20 MATCH, 80% FEDERAL FUNDS, 20%, 20% FEDERAL DOLLARS.

I MEAN, 20% LOCAL DOLLARS AND KNOWS THAT 20% WILL BE COMING FROM OUT OF OUR MOVIE OR FUNDS ACCOUNT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE UNDER THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW, AND TO BE HONEST, WHICH WE HAVE

[01:40:01]

TWO MORE PHASES THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT TRYING TO DO, UH, WITH FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSE WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS, UH, WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS, WE ALL PAY OUR TAXES.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY FEDERAL DOLLARS TO HELP SUBSIDIZE THE OVERALL PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE DOING THAT.

AND IN REALITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AND THERE'S A LOT OF, SOME PEOPLE WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND I WILL TELL YOU IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BIG PUSH OUT ON WHERE WE ARE IN REGARDS TO OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION PROGRAM WITHIN THE PARISH.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES TO LOOKING AT YOUR MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT WE DEAL WITH WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING ON IT TO AND FROM DOWNTOWN BY OUR STREETS ARE GOING FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

LOTS OF THEM ON STATE HIGHWAYS, SOME OF THEM ON OUR OWN HIGHWAYS, BUT WE, WE ARE WORKING FOR WE'RE WORKING TO TRY TO ADDRESS CHANGING OUT SOME OF THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN EXISTING, UH, UH, SIGNAL LOCATIONS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO CHANGE POLES AND STUFF, BUT WE NEED TO GO IN AND CHANGE THE, THE, I GUESS I'M GOING TO HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THE GUTS OF THE COMPUTER, UH, IZATION OF THE TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE ALSO LAYING IN A LOT OF, UH, GETTING READY TO LAY A LOT OF FIBER TO CONNECT THESE, UH, SIGNALS AND CORRIDORS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU CAN HAVE NEW EQUIPMENT, BUT YOU REALLY NEED THE CONNECTIVITY TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THAT CORRIDOR AND MAKE WHATEVER APPROPRIATE CHANGES THAT WE, WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO DO AT THE CENTER, WHICH WILL BE, WE WILL BE HANDLING.

SO IN REALITY, I MEAN, I, I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, BUT I IMAGINE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO A FIRST PART OF JULY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TECHNOLOGY WISE, WHERE WE ARE SIGNAL WISE, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, TRAFFIC DIVISION HAS BEEN WOW WORKING, UH, TO PUT IN WHAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT I GUESS I CALLED COUNTERS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ON THE TRAFFIC NUMBERS THAT THEY ARE TODAY AND SEE WHAT, WHAT IT IS WITHOUT HAVING THE IMPROVEMENT.

THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE IMPROVEMENTS AND SEE WHAT TYPE OF, UH, IMPROVED SERVICE THAT YOU'RE GETTING, UH, DRIVING THROUGH FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER, AND THOSE TYPES OF THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I, I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL BE PLEASED WITH THE DATA, BUT ALSO I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY BE WHERE WE NEED TO BE, OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE A FEW YEARS AGO.

BUT REALISTICALLY, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT TOTAL OF, TO HAVE ALL 450 SIGNALS.

WE HIT THAT.

WE WERE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNDER THE SYSTEM UNDER THE FIBER, GET IT SET UP THROUGH OUR SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN CONTROL, WHICH INCLUDES SOME OF THE SIGNALS AND BAKER, ZACHARY, AND, AND, AND CENTRAL.

UH, SO THOSE AREAS WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, ADDRESS WHEN WE NEED TO, WHEN WE HAVE EMERGENCIES LIKE AIRLINE HIGHWAY OR USE IN FLORIDA BOULEVARD, GOING BACK AND FORTH.

SO, I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND I THINK, UH, WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OF THE MONTH.

YES, SIR.

YOU'RE GOOD.

MR. MR. COLE, COUNCILMAN WATSON MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON HEARING NONE.

UM, ITEM 55 HAS BEEN APPROVED ITEM 56 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR.

I'M SORRY.

YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

I THOUGHT I RAISED MY HAND AND DID THAT NIGHT.

I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THERE, BUT THAT IS FINE.

GO AHEAD.

SORRY.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COLE FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR IT FOR THAT THOROUGH RESPONSE.

I KNOW YOU AND I HAD A COMMENT OR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE REMARKS WERE JUST CLARIFIED FOR YOU.

CAUSE I WAS GETTING THOSE, THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE SOME OF THEM THAT THEIR ACTUAL MOVIE OR DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED AND NOW BEING AN EXPENSE OR A PORTION OF THOSE GREENLIGHT DOLLARS THAT WILL REMAIN THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED INTO MOVIE ON.

SO THAT WAS A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GETTING AS WELL.

AND JUST SO THAT I CAN SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY ON THAT.

AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU THERE CAUSE YOU NOT BEEN THROUGH TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALIZATION MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN UPDATE PART OF THAT PLAN, BUT THESE ARE ACTUAL MOVIE, OUR DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED AND NOW WE'RE SPENDING OR THOSE GREENLIGHT DOLLARS THAT WERE THERE, THAT WE'VE NOW FROM BURGEONED INTO VR

[01:45:01]

CURRENTLY.

UM, COUNCIL WICKER IS THAT WE'RE USING BOTH FUNDS BECAUSE GENERALLY, I MEAN, YOU GOT THE GREEN LIGHT FUNDS WATCH THE THEY'RE STILL BEING COLLECTED, BUT WHATEVER WAS CAUGHT OF A GREENLIGHT PROJECT, THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED, BUT IT'S A COMBINATION OF GREEN LIGHT.

YOU WILL LOOK AT MOVIE OFF FUNDS ALSO.

AND IF I CAN PICK UP 80% FEDERAL DOLLARS, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE CHANCE I'M GOING TO GO DO WHAT WE GOTTA DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD AT MAKING SURE THAT WE SUBSIDIZE STUFF AND PUTTING EVERYTHING IN ORDER THAT WE NEED.

SO THAT WAS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

AND I KNOW IT IS RELATIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS GREEN LIGHT WAS MOVED BEYOND THAT COMBINATION.

BUT THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION THAT WAS OUT THERE.

SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

THERE ARE ANSWERS.

ITEM 56, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE THE YEAR THREE AMENDMENTS TO THE GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN AMERICORPS VISTA PROGRAM.

MA'AM ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS SEEING THEM MOTION TO APPROVE BY WATSON SECOND BY HUDSON? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE? ITEM 55 HAS BEEN APPROVED.

[Item 56]

THE TOTAL GRANT BUDGET IS $342,638 27,124 CITY PAIRS CASH MATCH AND $34,909 CITY PARISH INCOME MATCHED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

AT THIS TIME WE OPENED IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING ITEM 56 HAS BEEN APPROVED?

[Items 57 - 71]

SO THIS TIME WE'LL DO ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES.

I WILL TAKE ITEMS 57 THROUGH 71 TOGETHER ITEM 57, LOT FOUR SQUARE 11 SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY PLACE SUBDIVISION.

METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT BANKS HIRE BED.

ROBERT WAYNE, FLORIDA JUNIOR $100 ITEM 58 LOC 88 SUBDIVISION COLLEGE PARK, METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT WICKER, HIGH BITTER REDEEMED ITEM, 59 LOT 556 SUBDIVISION MELROSE EAST COUNCIL, DISTRICT COLLINS, LEWIS HYBRID, OR ALICIA DALLAS $3,200 ITEM, 60 LOT 10 SQUARE, 11 SUBDIVISION, PICKY DUNKIN MASTER TOWN COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 WICKER, HIGH BIDDER CARTER'S BOLTON $100 61 ITEM 61 LOT SEVEN SQUARE, 219 SUBDIVISION.

ISTROUMA METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 WICKER HIGH BETTER ROBINS RENTALS LLC.

5,106 ITEMS 62 LOT 55 PLUS SQUARE TO SUBDIVISION PROGRESS PARK COUNCIL, DISTRICT SEVEN COLE.

I BITTER WATTS TASHA JAMIE COVINGTON, A HUNDRED DOLLARS, SIX ITEMS, 63 LOT, ONE 63 SUBDIVISION BAKERFIELD METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT BANKS TOO.

I BETTER RICKY SINCLAIR, 30 600,006 ITEMS 64 LOT 13 SQUARE, 88 SUBDIVISION, A SHUMA COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 WICKER, HIGH BITTER, BUT KESHA BROWN, $100 ITEM 65 LOT 28 PLUS SQUARE, 10 SUBDIVISION FORTUNE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE GREEN WHILE LODA ONE LITA Y HEINZ JOHNSON, 5,100 ITEM 66, LOT 23 SUBDIVISION BALL BRIDGE PLACE.

METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COAL ROBINS RENTAL LLC, 20,000 ITEM 67 LODGE 12 ART SQUARE, 15 SUBDIVISION HOLLYWOOD METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE GREEN WARREN CLARK.

I BETTER $100 ITEM 68, LOTS 13 PART SQUARE, 15 SUBDIVISION HOLLYWOOD METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE GREEN HIGH BIDDER, WARREN CLARK, $100 69 ITEM 69, LOT 14 SQUARE, 15 SUBDIVISION HOLLYWOOD METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE GREEN WARREN CLARK.

I BETTER 107 ITEMS, 70 LOT B ONE C SUBDIVISION EAST RIDGEWOOD, METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR, WILSON.

I BITTER DESTINED ARNOLD 50 $1,500 ITEM 71 LOT 15, EIGHT AND 15 B DENIM HEIGHTS.

METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE GREEN.

I BETTER DARYL MOSES $8,100.

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 57

[01:50:02]

71.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE A, IS THERE A PUBLIC HEARING OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, HEARING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 57 THROUGH 71 MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

SECOND BY COUNCIL WOMAN BANKS.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE ITEMS 57 THROUGH 71 HAVE BEEN APPROVED AT THIS TIME.

WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE

[Administrative Matters]

MATTERS ON YOUR SEPARATE SHEETS.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS, EMERGENCY ITEM, A A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM, DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PACKAGE OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES IN CONFORMANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, FEMA BY DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT.

THE REASON THAT THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, JUNE, 2020 IS FEMAS ESTABLISHED DEADLINE FOR SOP RESOLUTIONS MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

THIS REQUIRES A SECOND HUDSON MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

SECOND BY COUNCIL ON THE BANKS, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

WHAT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MOTION WHERE AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE A MOTION, A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

THIS REQUIRES UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS INTRODUCTIONS.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE ITEM ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER ITEM A HAS BEEN APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER EMERGENCY ITEM B AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AND EXECUTE AND APPROPRIATE GRANT FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THE CORONA VIRUS AID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITIES ACT MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH A SECOND ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FROM THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,000,650, $54,217 BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

THE REASON THIS ITEM IS BEING REQUESTED AS ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, CONSIDERING THE UNPRECEDENT CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPLEMENT FUNDS CURRENTLY BEING EXPENDED BY AGENCIES THAT ASSIST THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PERSONS WHO ARE CONSIDERED AT RISK INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDING THEM WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND OTHER NECESSARY ACTIONS IN ORDER TO PREVENT, PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO THE CORONAVIRUS, THEIR MOTION TO WAIT, WAIVE THE RULES MOTION BY SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BANKS, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

I'M OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS TIME I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I NEED A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES MUST BE UNANIMOUS MOTION BY ROCCA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL, WOMAN BANKS.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? NO.

AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM.

THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

ANY COMMENTS? OKAY.

THE MOTION IS ALREADY ON THE FLOOR.

ANY OBJECTIONS, MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM MOTION TO APPROVE MOST OF THE APPROVED BY COUNCIL WOMAN BANK SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING NONE ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER EMERGENCY ITEM B HAS BEEN APPROVED AT THIS TIME.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE

[Item 72]

APPOINTMENTS ITEM 17 LIBRARY, BOARD OF CONTROL, CONSIDERATION OF A REAPPOINTING OR REPLACING NICOLE ALMOND.

LISTEN, THERE IS A THREE YEAR TERM.

CURRENT BALLOT IS NICOLE ALMOND LARSON, WHO WE HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT AND THEN KENNETH PARENT, CORRECT? AT THIS TIME I OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS HEARING NO NOMINATIONS.

WE CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS.

WE DO HAVE COMMENTS.

[01:55:01]

SO I JUST DON'T WANNA OPEN A PUBLIC HEARINGS.

COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YOUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS FROM NICOLE ALMOND, LISTEN TO THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M REACHING OUT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'VE ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S CONFIDENCE IN APPOINTING ME TO MY INITIAL TERM.

I AM SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT FOR A FULL FOUR YEAR TERM.

I HAVE FOUND MY SERVICE FULFILLING AND VALUABLE, AND I THINK THAT I CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE BECAUSE THERE'S STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

YOUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT IS FROM KENNETH BRETT.

UM, I BELIEVE THE PARISH LIBRARY SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE ASSETS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IT PROVIDES EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS OF THE PARISH.

AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, I WOULD BRING A UNIQUE SET OF EXPERTISE TO THE LIBRARY BOARD.

I'M ALSO WELL-INFORMED ABOUT CURRENT COMMUNITY ISSUES AND CAN WORK WITH OTHERS IN A COOPERATIVE AND HELPFUL MANNER.

ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR APPOINTMENT.

SO MEMBERS MOTION TO APPROVE.

UM, FOR REAPPOINTMENT NICOLE ALMOND LARSON HAS BEEN A MOTION TO APPROVE NICOLE ALMOND INFANT FOR REAPPOINTMENT.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN COLE? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING NONE? UM, NICOLE ALMOND LISTEN HAS BEEN REAPPOINTED AT THIS TIME.

[Item 73]

THERE WAS CHANGE ORDERS, ITEM 73 MARQUETTE AVENUE, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACTOR, THE LESSER GROUP, LLC CHANGE ORDER AMOUNT, $11,552 AND 32 37 CENTS.

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

ANY OBJECTIONS? NO OBJECTIONS CHANGE ORDER.

NUMBER 73 HAS BEEN APPROVED FINAL ACCEPTANCES,

[Item 74]

74 SENSING ACCESS CONTROL, RESTART TO CONTRACTORS, ALLIED SYSTEMS INC.

FINAL CLASSES IS $231,689.

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCKER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE ITEM 74 HAS BEEN ATTUNED

[Item 75]

ITEM 75 MARKET AVENUE, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS CONTRACTOR, THE LUSTER GROUP, LLC.

FINAL COST $62,628 37 CENTS.

AT THIS TIME, AN OPEN PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE CLOSED.

THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION IMPROVED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATSON.

THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING NONE ITEM 75 HAS BEEN APPROVED THIS TIME.

WE'LL DO ACCEPTANCE OF LOW BIDS.

I'M GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 76

[Item 76 - 81]

TO 81 TOGETHER.

I'M 76 AS EATON PARK BRANCH LIBRARY, CHILLER REPLACEMENT, CAL COZ YOU MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS, INC.

IT HAS THE HIGH BID, THE LOW BID OF $112,000 ITEM 77 RIVER CENTER EAST WEST PARKING GARAGE LIGHTING RENOVATION.

THE LOW BID IS T AND E ELECTRICAL INC 197,000 ITEMS. 78 DELMONT GARDENS BRANCH LIBRARY, MECHANICAL IMPROVEMENTS.

LOW BID GOES TO DUB GROUP LLC, $207,500 ITEM 79 INSPECTION DIVISION INTERIOR RENOVATIONS RESTART DESIGN BUILD ASSOCIATES WITH THE LOW BID OF $314,079 ITEM 80 PRIDE VOLUNTEER FIRE STATION.

NUMBER 10 CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION LLC WITH THE LOW BIT OF $668,450 ITEM 81 SALES TAX STREET AND ROAD REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROJECT CORPORATE COLLEGE TO OLD HAMMOND.

CASEY, OUR CONTRACTORS LLC HAS THE LOW BID OF $869,897 AND 97 CENTS.

AT THIS TIME I OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

AT THIS TIME, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO APPROVE ITEM SEVEN.

THERE'S A QUESTION ON THE FLOOR.

COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

OH, I'M 79.

SINCE SOMEBODY KIND OF THAT ONE IS AN ESTIMATE 230,000 AND THE LOWEST BEER CAME IN AT 315,

[02:00:01]

WHICH IS LIKE AN $80,000 DIFFERENCE.

WOW.

CARRIE, ARE YOU ON THE CALL? WOULD THAT BE PARTIALLY ONE FROM PURCHASING? YEAH, THE ESTIMATE WAS 230,000 AND THE LOWEST BID IS 14,000.

THAT'S KIND OF A GAP.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BIG DIFFERENCE WAS AS IT.

AND IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, WE CAN FIND YOU BUBBA AS SHE UP.

YOU WANT TO YEAH, I'M HERE.

THERE WAS ANOTHER LOW BETTER, BUT THEY WERE DISQUALIFIED.

THAT WAS A LOT CLOSER TO THE ESTIMATE.

JUST WITH THE SITUATION GOING ON WITH THE CONTRACTORS BIDDING.

THIS PROJECT IS JUST, THAT'S WHAT THEY CAME IN AT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CONSTRUCTION HAS GONE UP WITH WHAT WE NEEDED DONE IN THIS BUILDING.

SO IF THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION IS GOING UP BETWEEN WHEN THIS WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE TIME THAT IT WAS AWARDED, THAT'S QUITE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

WHEN WE PUT THAT ESTIMATE OUT THERE IS WHEN WE INITIALLY DO THE CONTRACT, WHICH WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN THEY PICKED UP THE PACKAGE, WHICH WAS THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, THAT WAS THE ESTIMATE.

THAT'S WHAT JUST STAYED THE SAME.

WE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT THE ESTIMATE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS.

THAT'S JUST ESTIMATE JUST THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION HAS GONE.

THERE HAS GONE.

THAT JUST KIND OF SEEMED KIND OF STRANGE THAT IT WOULD IN THREE MONTHS, AN $80,000 DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE ESTIMATE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE.

I SEE, I GUESS THAT'S, I GUESS THERE WERE RELAYING IT OR BLAMING BLAMING IT ON COVID MAYBE.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T SEE WHERE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN HALTED BECAUSE OF COBRA ITSELF, QUITE UNDERSTANDING WHY THE THOUSAND POUND DIFFERENCE.

THAT'S JUST WHAT THE PRICING CAME IN AT WHAT IT WAS.

I MEAN, THAT WAS THE ESTIMATE WE RECEIVED FROM THE ADDITIONAL, FROM THE ARCHITECTS AND THE PRICING JUST CAME IN ABOVE IT.

THAT WAS WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED OPEN.

WE WOULD GET THE PRICE IN IT AND THEY JUST, THEY CAME IN HIGHER GALSTON.

SO WHAT WAS THE PERSON THAT WAS DISQUALIFIED? WHAT WAS THEIR BEING AND WHY WERE THEY DISQUALIFIED? UM, THAT'LL BE A QUESTION FOR PURCHASING.

IT'S PURCHASING SOMEBODY.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? HEY, THIS IS CHRIS.

I APOLOGIZE.

I DON'T HAVE THAT FILE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

UM, I HAD TWO BIDS.

ONE WAS ACTUALLY, UM, SOMEBODY THAT HAD ACTUALLY HAD, UM, A MATHEMATICAL ERROR AND WE, THEY REQUESTED A WITHDRAWAL, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS A DIFFERENT BID.

I DON'T HAVE THAT FILE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

I CAN STEP AWAY MY ASSISTANT'S DESK AND FIND IT AND GIVE YOU THAT ANSWER.

AND I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT NUMBER EIGHT BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER $70,000 DIFFERENCE ON THAT.

AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT WORK ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, DILMA GARDENS LIBRARY.

UM, SO LOOKING AT ITEM NUMBER 78, 335,000, AND THEN YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF 207.

SO THESE THINGS ARE LIKE, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ONE AT 80, 80,000, ANOTHER MS. 70,000 OVER THE ESTIMATED VA, THAT JUST KIND OF RAISES CONCERN FOR ME.

WELL, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

THE ONES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LOWER MECHANICAL, THEY'RE NOT DIFFERENT CRAFT WHERE IT'S TOTAL CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING AND REMODELING COMPARED TO JUST MECHANICAL RENOVATIONS.

AS FAR AS THE FIRE STATION, I'M A NUMBER 80.

I MEAN, THAT CAME IN AND WE DID DO, LIKE I SAID, AN ALTERNATIVE CAME IN, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER, BUT IT WAS DOLLARS HONESTLY, A LITTLE BIT OVER WHEN IS 80,000 OVER THE 70,000 OVER THAT.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? NOPE.

I'M GOING DOWN.

COUNCILMAN COLE, THAT OLD HAND WATSON IN BANKS, OLD HANDS.

TO GO TO OTHER ITEMS, OTHER ITEMS TO BE ADOPTED 82, WHICH IS REQUESTING A REPORT

READY TO APPROVE? 76 THROUGH 81.

I'M MOTION BY CHAIR BY WELSH.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS HEARING? NONE ITEM 76 THROUGH 81 HAVE BEEN APPROVED AT THIS TIME.

WE ARE GOING

[Item 82]

[02:05:03]

REQUESTING A REPORT FROM COUNSELOR ADMINISTRATOR ON TIMELINE AND MODIFICATION PLAN TO REOPEN COUNCIL MEETINGS ON JULY 15TH, 2020, AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT TWO 22 ST.

LOUIS THIRD FLOOR BY COUNCILWOMAN, SHAUNA BANKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ART AND SIX ORDINANCE 16 442.

THIS ITEM MUST BE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY TWO THIRDS VOTES TO METRO COUNCIL MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY? THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BANK SECOND BY THE CHAIR.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE? I'VE GOT A QUESTION.

DOES THIS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION AND IT HAVING A SPECIFIC DATE, DOES THAT MAKE THIS MOOT? DID YOU EVER WANT TO TELL US HOW SHE CAN DO IT THAT DAY? COUNCILMAN WELCH.

I DID HAVE TO REVISE THE REPORT, UM, AFTER THE GOVERNOR MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ON MONDAY.

SO I CAN STILL GIVE THE REPORT.

IT IS NOT GOING TO INCLUDE A PROJECTORY OPENING DATE OF JULY 15TH, BUT IT'S UP TO Y'ALL IF Y'ALL WANT TO HEAR, I WANT TO HEAR IT.

THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT, UM, AS WELL.

THERE WAS A MOTION BY THE CHAIR SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BANKS.

UM, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO DECLARING AN EMERGENCY SEEING NONE? UM, THIS IS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS OPEN, THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY COMMENTS, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

HOWEVER WE'LL WANT TO LET OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATORS SPEAK COUPLE OF BANKS.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE GIVING A REPORT? NO, ACTUALLY HE'S ALREADY PRETTY MUCH GIVEN US A SYNOPSIS OF WHERE SHE IS WITH THIS, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING FORWARD.

UM, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, UM, NONE OF US HAVE HAD IT WITH COMMUNITY CENTERS.

WE'VE HAD TO MAKE, UM, CHANGES, UH, REGARDING, UM, OUR BUILDING DSS HAS MY MEDICAL CENTER AND JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE PLANS GOING FORWARD WITH THE, UH, THE COUNCIL? UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S INPUT, DO WE NEED TO KNOW, WOULD THAT BE A CALL FOR US TO GIVE SOME SUGGESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO COOK UNIT YOU TO KNOW, BECAUSE AS I INDICATED, THIS ISN'T GOING TO JUST END BEFORE, UM, WE HAVE A VACCINE, SO WE KIND OF NEED SOMETHING SENT MY PERMANENT IN PLACE.

SO I ACTUALLY, WHATEVER YOU HAVE, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BANKS, AND THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY.

UM, SO I WILL JUST START BY SAYING, UM, I HAVE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF YOU, YOU HAVE CALLED TO EXPRESS CONCERNS YOU HAVE CALLED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE PUBLIC ABLE TO ACCESS THESE MEETINGS.

AND I SHARE ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS WITH Y'ALL.

UM, AND MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH PUBLIC INFORMATION, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE THIS STARTED ON, HOW DO WE COPE WITH THE REALITY IS KALFELL MY BANK SAYS THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

UM, SO BECAUSE THIS HAS KIND OF CHANGED.

SO, UM, IT, IT CHANGES DAILY.

WE GET NEW NUMBERS DAILY, WE GET NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FREQUENTLY.

UM, I HAVE BEEN HESITANT TO START TO PUT STUFF IN PLACE UNTIL I KNOW THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S GONNA, WHAT, WHAT PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY, UM, MECHANISMS AND POLICY THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED IN PLACE IN ORDER TO HAVE MEETINGS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

UM, SO I WILL START BY SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY THERE WERE SEVERAL, UM, SUGGESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF, UM, THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE AREA OF, UH, SAFETY FOR, UM, FOR PUBLIC EVENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PLEXIGLASS SHIELDING WAS GOING TO BE THE, THE THING THAT WE SHOULD GO WITH.

UM, AND, UH, AS RECENTLY AS TODAY, I'VE SPOKEN WITH A, UM, THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR AT OUR LADY TO LIKE HOSPITAL WHO, UM, HAS SAID THAT THAT'S KIND OF A, UM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE RECOMMENDATION ANYMORE.

AND AS Y'ALL ALL KNOW, I'M SURE FROM YOUR OWN CENTERS AND YOU'RE IN, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UM, LOCATIONS THAT THAT'S PLEXIGLASS IS NOT CHEAP.

SO I, UH, AGAIN HAVE TRIED TO, UM, BE THOUGHTFUL AND, UM, AND NOT SLOW, BUT NOT RUSHING TO, TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE THAT THAT MIGHT END UP COSTING US MORE MONEY.

THAT WAS NOT WELL-SPENT.

SO THAT SAID, UM, Y'ALL CAN ALL READ THE REPORT, THE WRITTEN REPORT I SUBMITTED, AND I'M GOING TO SUBMIT THIS ITEM ON LEGISLATORS AND MEMBERS OF

[02:10:01]

BUT, UM, BASICALLY OUR PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD INVOLVES, UM, A SEVERAL PRONGED APPROACH.

THE FIRST IS HOW DO WE GET COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THIS ROOM IN A WAY THAT, UM, ALLOWS FOR DISTANCING BETWEEN MEMBERS? UM, ALL OF OUR MEASUREMENTS OF THE COUNCIL DAY S UM, HAVE WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO MEASURE IT EVERY WHICH WAY, AND WE CAN'T FIT ANY MORE THAN SEVEN PEOPLE UP HERE.

SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO FIND SPACE FOR FIVE OF YOU, UM, ELSEWHERE ON THE CHAMBERS.

UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THROWN AROUND A FEW DIFFERENT IDEAS.

COUNCILMAN HUDSON WAS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THOSE WE'VE SPOKEN WITH DENNIS, UM, COUNCILMAN WILSON, UM, COUNCILMAN GRAY.

UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHERE TO BEST LOCATE Y'ALL, UM, IN A WAY THAT, THAT DOESN'T PUT SEVEN PEOPLE IN THE FRONT, AND THEN IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE FIVE, FIVE MEMBERS ARE NOT REALLY PART OF THE MEETING.

SO WHAT WE HAVE SETTLED ON IS, UM, A, AN ARRANGEMENT THAT WE'LL HAVE TABLES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TO INTERRUPT, BUT THERE'S NO TIMING.

UM, SO IF Y'ALL ARE READY FOR ME TO STOP, UM, SO WHAT WE SETTLED ON IS HAVING FIVE MEMBERS AT TABLES IN FRONT OF THE DESK.

UM, OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ARE THAT EVERYONE WHO ENTERS AND REMAINS IN THE CHAMBERS WILL HAVE TO WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES, UNLESS YOU ARE SPEAKING.

UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER, UM, UPDATED, UM, PIECE OF ADVICE FROM A PHYSICIAN THAT I SPOKE TO TODAY ABOUT, UM, MAINTAINING SAFETY, ESPECIALLY IN A MEETING THAT AS WE ALL KNOW, CAN OFTEN LAST UP TO FOUR HOURS.

UM, AND SO THE SIX FEET DISTANCE BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIX FEET DISTANCE BETWEEN, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, SIX FEET DISTANCE BETWEEN MEMBERS OF STAFF, UM, ALL HAS TO BE MAINTAINED, BUT THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH FACE COVERING SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS ROOM AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

WE ALL KNOW THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT COMPLETELY SAFE, BUT, BUT IF WE CAN MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR EACH OF YOU, UM, AND OUR STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IS, IS THE GOAL.

UM, AND, UH, SO WITH RESPECT TO, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UM, OUR SEATING AREA IS OBVIOUSLY NOT SET UP FOR, UM, TO FILL EVEN IT'S, IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE HALF THE ROOM CAPACITY IN THAT, IN THAT PART OF, OF THIS ROOM.

SO BASICALLY WITH OUR MEASURING, THE ONLY AT 50% CAPACITY, WHAT WE CAN FIT IN THIS ROOM IS ANY MAYBE 20 TO 25 PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC SEATING AREA.

UM, AS I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE AWARE, THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER DOES NOT ALLOW FOR PEOPLE TO CONGREGATE IN WAITING ROOMS OR LOBBIES.

SO THAT CREATES AN ADDITIONAL LOGISTICAL, UM, ISSUE FOR US TO DEAL WITH IN THAT PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT OUTSIDE AND WAIT THEIR CURRENT TO COME IN.

SO IT WOULD MEAN SETTING UP ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS ON SITE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO, UM, WAIT TO COME IN, TO SPEAK IF, UM, THEY SAID DESIRE TO SPEAK ON OR NOT IN A MORE, OR BE IN THE BUILDING TO BE PRESENT FOR THE MEETING, UM, IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT INTO THE ROOM, UM, WHICH IN TURN REQUIRES SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, UM, AM RELYING ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO, UM, HELP US WITH THAT.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT ABOUT BEING WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE ALL OF THIS WORK.

UM, SO THAT WILL MEAN, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ENGAGE ADDITIONAL STAFF, PEOPLE THAT CAN, UM, FACILITATE PEOPLE, NOT ONLY BEING IN THE BUILDING AND MAINTAINING DISTANCE AND MAINTAINING MASK USAGE, BUT ALSO HAD TO GET PEOPLE BACK DOWN HERE WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO SPEAK ON OR NOT.

UM, SO, UH, CONTINUING ON KIND OF SOME OF THOSE PLANS SAFEGUARDS, UM, THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN THAT I SPOKE TO TODAY SAID, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SCREENING PROCESSES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ENTER THE BUILDING, UM, SHE HIGHLY RECOMMENDS, ESPECIALLY IN A ROOM OF THIS SIZE AND A MEETING OF THIS LENGTH TO SCREEN ALL PEOPLE ENTERING THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE STAFF COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

UM, SHE RECOMMENDS CONTINUING WITH TEMPERATURE CHECKS AND A SYMPTOM CHECK.

UM, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, JUST, UM, THAT IS TO, TO, TO HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY CUT DOWN ON ANYONE BEING IN THE ROOM FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHO, WHO MAY HAVE BEEN RECENTLY EXPOSED OR WHO IS, UH, EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS, UM, FINALLY INCREASING, UH, CLEANING SCHEDULE IN THIS ROOM, UM, WHICH FOR A LONG MEETING COULD MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE NEED CLEANING STAFF TO BE ON CALL, UM, AND CLEANING OF THE PODIUM AND MICROPHONE.

AND I SPECIFICALLY ASKED, UM, THE DOCTOR THAT I SPOKE WITH TODAY ABOUT MICROPHONES.

I'M SURE ALL OF US HAVE WATCHED GOVERNOR EDWARDS, PRESS CONFERENCES, AND PEOPLE GET UP TO SPEAK ONE AFTER THE OTHER.

UM, THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AS FAR AS SHE'S AWARE, BUT, UM,

[02:15:01]

SHE SAID IN THE HOSPITAL, WHAT THEY DO IS WHEN THEY HAVE PEOPLE TO SPEAK AT A MICROPHONE AT A PODIUM, THEY OFFER, UM, UH, CLEANING SUPPLIES AT THE PODIUM SO THAT AFTER YOU SPEAK, YOU ARE TO WIPE DOWN THE MICROPHONE AND WIPE DOWN THE PODIUM.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION TO MAKE.

SO ALL OF THIS TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I I'M, I WELCOME ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, I'M WELCOMING OF YOUR INPUT AND TO PETALUMA BANK'S POINT.

I, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RIVERCENTER SO YES, COUNSELING MIX, WE HAVE CONTACTED THE RIVER CENTER.

UM, IT IS EXPENSIVE TO USE THE RIVER CENTER.

UM, NOT ONLY NOT JUST THE SPACE, UM, SO USING THE SPACE IS NOT AS EXPENSIVE.

THERE IS A LARGE EXPENSE, UM, OR AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT.

SO WE HAVE TO USE THEIR AUDIO VISUAL CONTRACTOR.

AND, UM, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO USE THEM FOR THE MICS AND THE COMPUTERS, AND IF WE HAD ANY, YOU KNOW, VIDEO DISPLAYS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE FOR ONE MEETING.

UM, SO WE HAVE EXPLORED THAT AND I, I DO NOT HAVE THAT IN MY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION BUDGET.

UM, SO IF THERE WERE OTHER AVENUES TO, UH, FUND SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR A BIGGER SPACE, UM, I'D CERTAINLY BE OPEN TO IT AND HELP FACILITATE IT.

UM, BUT THE EXPENSE IS, IS, UH, IS, IS HIGH.

UM, SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER OPEN SPACES AND AVAILABLE TO US.

THE SCHOOL BOARD OBVIOUSLY HAS, HAS LOTS OF, UM, FACILITIES AND MUCH BIGGER OPEN LOCATIONS.

AND, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE SAME RESOURCES FOR THE CITY PARISH.

UM, SO AGAIN, TO COUNCIL AND BANK'S POINT ABOUT CONTRIBUTIONS, I WELCOME ANY AND ALL OF YOU TO, UH, EITHER.

UM, AND I, AND I WILL SAY, I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU ABOUT YOUR DESIRES, YOUR CONCERNS, YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, I WELCOME ANY AND ALL OF YOU TO, TO, UM, SUBMIT, UH, IDEAS FOR POLICY MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THIS, THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL BUY-IN FOR, HOW ARE WE GONNA MOVE FORWARD? AND, UM, AND A POLICY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE HANDLE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL FOR THAT? BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE ITEMS OF HIGH INTEREST, OBVIOUSLY WE ALL WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE, UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO, UH, GIVE THEIR OPINION AND, AND, AND GIVE THEIR COMMENTS.

UM, IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE IF WE ONLY ALLOWED 20 PEOPLE IN HERE AND THERE'S 20 PEOPLE, WE'RE JUST HERE TO SIT AND WATCH AND HAD NO INTEREST IN SPEAKING.

AND THERE WERE A HUNDRED PEOPLE OUTSIDE WHO REALLY WANTED TO SPEAK.

SO, UM, SO ANY, UM, ANY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM Y'ALL ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT? IF, IF WE SHOULD ENTERTAIN A, UM, AN AGENDA ITEM TO APPROVE A POLICY, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH Y'ALL ON THAT AND TO DRAFT A POLICY, UM, AND, UM, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THAT WAY.

SO, UM, I GUESS I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND IF Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER.

I, YOU, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS HAD THE FLOOR.

DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO THE REPORT? YOU'RE A MUTE.

THANK YOU, ASHLEY.

UM, A LOT, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE GOT INTO, UM, THE PLANNING AND TRY, AND THEN I WAS AWARE OF, AND THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, UH, SO WITH, WITH THE RIVER CENTER, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S A CITY PARISH BUILDING, WE STILL WOULD INCUR A COST.

THAT'S CORRECT.

UM, SO I DID SPEAK TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FEES FOR ACTUAL USE OF THE ROOM IS NOT WHAT'S EXPENSIVE.

IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO USE THEIR AUDIO VISUAL CONTRACT, OR, UM, AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT LINDA HUNT ON THE SPOT, BUT IF SHE WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE NOW, UM, UH, I WILL LET HER SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT IF YOU'D LIKE, AND THE ONLY OTHER THING IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIMENSIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE NEW LIBRARY, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE CONSIDER, COULD CONSIDER, UM, A SPACE THAT MAY BE IN THE NEW LIBRARY ARE, UM, UH, GOODWOOD.

SO, UM, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE NEW LIBRARY IS OPEN ON FRIDAY.

UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR TO TALK TO HIM AND HIS STAFF ABOUT THAT.