[00:00:01]
TO THE SPECIAL[Call to Order]
MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 30TH, 10:00 AM.
ASHLEY'S GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
DO WE HAVE A CORE? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
DO WE HAVE PROOF OF THE NOTICE OF THE MEETING? YES, WE'RE GONNA PASS THAT AROUND.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND A PUBLIC MEETING ITEM NUMBER
[1. 20-01015]
ONE, ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING AD VALOREM TAX MILITARIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLLOWING TAXING JURISDICTIONS ON ALL TACTICAL PROPERTY TO BE LEVERED DURING THE YEAR 2020 IN ORDER TO ADJUST DOWNWARD THE 2020 MILITARY RATES AS COMPARED TO THE 2019 MILITARIZED AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 23, B OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.ASHLEY, WOULD YOU READ THE MILLAGES? YES.
MA'AM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OPERATING TAX FROM 3.32 TO 3.15 CITY OF BATON ROUGE OPERATING TAX 6.03 TO 5.57 CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX FROM 0.87 TO 0.83 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, AND RODENT CONTROL DISTRICT 1.12 TO 1.06 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, AND RODENT CONTROL DISTRICT.
ADDITIONAL 1.00 2.95 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY FROM 11.1 TO 10.5 TO DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FROM 10.0 TO 9.57 COUNCIL ON AGING FROM 2.25 TO 2.13 MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE FROM 1.5 TO 1.4 TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FROM FROM 3.13 TO 2.97 CONSOLIDATED ROAD LIGHTING DISTRICT NUMBER ONE FROM 2.0 TO 1.85 BATON ROUGE, MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
6.0 TO 5.72 FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER ONE FROM 9.0 TO 8.76 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE FROM 10.0 TO 8.65 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FROM 5.0 TO 4.33 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE FROM 10.0 TO 8.65 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FROM 10.0 TO 8.65 CHANI GULF FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN FROM 10.0 TO 8.88, CHANEY BILL FIRE PROTECTION, DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN ADDITIONAL FROM 10.0 TO 8.88 CHANI BELL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN ADDITIONAL FROM 10.0 TO 8.88 PROD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT FROM 10 TO 8.80, UH, PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT, ADDITIONAL FROM 15 TO 13.20 ALISON FALL PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE FROM 10.0 TO 9.9 FOR ALISON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE ADDITIONAL FROM 5.0 TO 4.97 BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND A PUBLIC MEETING.
DO ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WAS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAY NO, AND I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVE, MOVE TO APPROVAL BY COUNCIL.
AND OFTEN SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BANKS.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SAY NON THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED? I HAVE NUMBER TWO
[2. 20-01014]
ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING INCREASED AGUILAR ROOM TAX MILLAGE RATES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLLOWING TAXING JURISDICTIONS ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY AND ADOPTING ALL OTHER AD VALOREM TAX MILITARY RATES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLLOWING TAXING JURISDICTION ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY, EXCEPT THAT THE MILITARY FOR THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.SO WE'D LOVE IT ON REAL PROPERTY ONLY TO BE LEVERED DOING A YEAR 2020 AS PERMITTED BY ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 23 C OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND ADOPTING ALL OTHER MILITARIES FOR 2020.
AND ACTUALLY WHAT YOU READ THE VILLAGES.
YES, MA'AM ADOPTION OF INCREASED AD VALOREM TAX MILLAGE RATES FOR 2020 ROLL FORWARD EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FROM 2.97 TO 3.13 BATON ROUGE, MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS FROM 5.72 TO 6.0 CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX FROM 8.3 TO EIGHT POINTS.
FROM 0.83 TO 0.87 FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER ONE FROM 8.76 TO 9.0 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE FROM 8.65 TO 10.0 BROWNFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FROM 4.33 TO 5.0 BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, ADDITIONAL FROM 8.65 TO 10.0 BROWNSFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER THREE FROM 8.65 TO 10.0 SHANI ADVIL, FIRE PROTECTION, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN FROM 8.88 TO 10.0 CHANEY BELL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL FROM 8.88 TO 10.0 CHANEY BELL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL FROM 8.88 TO 10.0 PROD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT FROM 8.80 TO 10.0 PRIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT ADDITIONAL FROM 13.20 TO 15.0 ALISON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE FROM 9.94 TO 10.0 ALISON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER NINE, ADDITIONAL FROM 4.97 TO 5.0 ADOPTION OF ALL OTHER AVALARA TAX MILLAGE RATES FOR 2020 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OPERATING TAX 3.15
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CITY OF BATON ROUGE OPERATING TAX 5.75 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND RODENT CONTROL DISTRICT 1.06 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT, AND REDONE CONTROL DISTRICT.ADDITIONAL 0.65 EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH LIBRARY 10.52 DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 9.57, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
1.42 COUNCIL ON AGING, 2.13 CONSOLIDATED ROAD LIGHTING DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, 1.85 BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE VARIOUS TAXING DISTRICTS.
IS THERE ANYONE? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND A PUBLIC MEETING.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVE OUT.
ASHLEY IS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE ALL SET.
IF WE LOOK AT THE INCREASE IN MILLAGES ON PAGE TWO, UH, I BELIEVE FOUR THROUGH 15, ALL OF THOSE, UH, FIRE DISTRICTS HAVE THEM HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP FOR THEM TO APPROVE THEIR AD LAW AND PROPERTY TAX.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, IT DOESN'T AFFECT THIS HERE TODAY, BUT GOING FORWARD, THEY WOULD HAVE THOSE VOTERS WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND SAY THEIR PIECE.
ANY OF THE DISTRICTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP.
I CAN'T CONFIRM WHETHER ALL OF THEM DO, UM, THAT THAT WILL BE FOR, FOR MOVING FORWARD, WHATEVER THE, UM, THE DATES AND THE ELECTION CALL.
IS THERE ANY ONE CUSTOMER HAVE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY OF THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE ROLLING FORWARD, IF THEY WANTED TO COME UP AND PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION? UM, I'M, I'M OPEN TO ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I'VE HEARD FROM EMS, I'VE HEARD FROM BATON ROUGE FIRE.
I'VE HEARD FROM BRP D, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM SOME OF THE SMALLER FIRE DISTRICTS.
UH, SO I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WANTED TO COME UP AND SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, THE CASH SITUATION, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THE ROLL FORWARD DOLLARS.
WELL, JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS JUST FOR THE RECORD.
ONE THREE SIX, EIGHT, FOUR ROUND ROAD, 11 CENTRAL.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE THE MICROPHONE OR THE BOTTOM OF THE BASE AT THE BOTTOM IS A LITTLE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM.
WE WENT THREE SIX, EIGHT, FOUR BROWN ROAD.
I'VE BEEN CENTRAL FIRE, CHIEF BROWNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, ACTUALLY, UH, REBUILDING THE STATION FROM 16.
OUR FUNDING IS PRETTY MUCH LIMITED, UH, RATING COMING UP.
I HAVE TO BUILD A NEW STATION FOR THE RATING, WHICH I'M TRYING TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO FINANCE ANYTHING, HOPEFULLY, UH, AS WELL AS YOU ALL KNOW IS VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION OR ANYTHING TODAY, UH, AND TO MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE IS A BIG FACTOR.
AND I JUST WOULD APPRECIATE Y'ALL APPROVING THAT IF YOU WOULD, AND IF YOU DON'T WE'LL LIVE WITH THAT TOO, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO YOUR FUNDING.
I KNOW THE GOAL WAS FOR EVERYONE TO GET TO A YEAR'S WORTH OF FUND BALANCE, BUT WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU AT ON THAT GOAL? OR DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM? DO YOU MEAN A FULL YEAR? YES, SIR.
WELL, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FUND BALANCE IN COOP, INCLUDING CAPITAL OUTLAY AND WHATEVER HE IS, UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO DEPLETE A LOT OF THAT BY REBUILDING THE STATION AND BUILDING A NEW STATION FOR SURE.
AND, UH, AND AGAIN, MAINTAINING EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR RATINGS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, WHEN WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY BEEN REAL CONSERVATIVE QUITE A FEW YEARS IN ORDER TO GET TO THIS POINT AND, UH, AND THIS ACTUALLY MONEY WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY.
I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT WE ARE A SMALL DEPARTMENT AND, UH, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES, AND ALSO WE HAVE CONTRACT EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE RATING COSTS TOO.
APPRECIATE Y'ALL LOVE IN HERE.
BLAKE BOOZ WALL, UH, ARCHIE HOOD CHAMBER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I LIVE AT NINE ZERO EIGHT NINE HIGHLAND OAKS AVENUE.
AND, UH, OUR POSITION IS NOT LIKE, UH, CHIEF CAMPBELL'S.
WE VERY SMALL DEPARTMENT SMALLER THAN THEM.
UH, WE COVER 87 SQUARE MILES WHILE Y'ALL, DON'T NEED TO KNOW ALL THAT, BUT OUR FUNDING ALL GOES TO MANPOWER.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT ARE, BUT IT'S RIGHT AROUND $400,000 AND 200,000 OF IT, A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE LESS GOES TOWARDS MANPOWER.
WE USED TO HAVE VOLUNTEERED FOR, UH, YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, BUT IT'S NOT EXISTING ANYMORE.
UH, SO ALL THE MONIES GO TOWARD MANPOWER, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE AND INFLATION, ALL THAT AND STUFF.
[00:10:01]
BUT I, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR MONEY'S GOING TOWARDS BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE AS FAR AS THE PAY FOR THE GUYS.WE'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST PAID, UH, DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, UH, AS FAR AS WHY WOULD I PAY MY GUYS? MY PART-TIME BE HONEST.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
UH, BUT THE MONEY'S GOING TOWARDS THAT.
UH, IT'S GOING TOWARDS, UH, HIRING SOMEBODY WILL ANOTHER CONTRACT POSITION FOR RECORD KEEPING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, WITH THE LAST RATING WAS A RECORD KEEPING, BUT ALSO IT WAS GOING TO A LOT OF THEM, SOME OF THE MONEY'S GOING TOWARDS THAT.
UH, AND THEN VARIOUS OTHER THINGS, MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, TRUCK MAINTENANCE.
WE WE'VE ACTUALLY ADDED TO OUR FLEET.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL ALL KNOW, PRETTY GOOD BIT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ACHIEVED.
UH, WE, YOU KNOW, WE PURCHASED THREE NEW TRUCKS AND SO SOME OF IS GOING TOWARDS MAINTENANCE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THAT, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, BUT, UH, I GUESS JUST LIKE, UH, CHIEF CAROL SAID, I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION ON THIS BECAUSE IT EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW? SURE.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYBODY FROM PRIDE OR AUSTIN TO COUNCIL? WOULD YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CAUSE YOU'RE UP NEXT TO SPEAK? THAT'S ALL I HAD.
NO, I WAS JUST ANSWERING THE QUESTION AND HE WOULD ASK IF, WHETHER PRIDE WAS HERE OR NOT.
AND I KNOW THAT I SPOKE WITH THE CHIEF, UM, BEFORE WEDNESDAY AND I SPOKE WITH CHIEF, UH, EARLIER HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE ON WEDNESDAY, BUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MEETING AND THEN WE ENDED UP CHANGING IT TO TODAY.
HE WAS OUT OF TOWN WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER, ESPECIALLY IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC SPACE SAFETY, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS WHERE THERE REGARDING SOME OF THE SMALLER DISTRICTS AND YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM DO, THEY, THEY RUN ON SHOESTRING BUDGETS.
I MEAN, UH, YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE CHANEY BILL HAS COME FROM THE TIME I STARTED TO THE TIME TO NOW, I MEAN TO NEW FIRE STATIONS, UM, TRUCKS, EQUIPMENT, BUT ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT GOES WITH IT, THE MANPOWER, THE INSURANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE CHIEF OF PRIDE, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUILDING A NEW STATION NOW.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEING REQUIRED OF THEM IS NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE PERSON AT THAT STATION, 150 GALLON CONCRETE GREASE TRAP GOTTA BE REQUIRED.
AND ALSO SEPARATOR BECAUSE THE CHIEF SAID THAT, UH, 300 CONCRETE ALL SEPARATOR FROM THE BAY.
NOW NOBODY WASHES TRUCKS IN THE BAY BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, BUT BE STILL BEING REQUIRED TO PUT A 300 GALLON OIL, SEPARATOR CONCRETE.
SO IT COST AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY NOW TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND THAT COMES, DOESN'T COME FROM THE CITY PARISH THAT COMES FROM THE DISTRICTS THEMSELVES.
AND SO ROLLING IT FORWARD, JUST KEEPS UP WITH THE INCREASE IN COST AND INCREASE IN, AND THEY PUT IT DIRECTLY TO THE SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE BATTERY, FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, ANY OF THESE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO DO THE TYPE OF WORK.
AND MR. CAMPBELL BACK THERE, HE'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE FIRE SERVICE SINCE PROBABLY SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, BUT THERE THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY ISSUE, UM, THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TOO MUCH MONEY, YOU KNOW, UM, AIR PACKS HAVING TO BE DONE EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO, TO HAVE THOSE THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY RUN EVERY TIME SOMEBODY HAS AN ACCIDENT.
EVERY TIME SOMEBODY HAS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HEARTS, EVERY TIME SOMEONE'S SICK GETS CUT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ROLLS EMS COMES, BUT THE VERY FIRST PEOPLE THAT GENERALLY SHOW UP IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
AND IN THOSE AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS, THEY GOT A LONG WAY TO GO AND A SHORT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO DO IT.
THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, CHENEY BILL DID PRIDE DID, AND A LOT OF THE OTHER ONES WENT TO 24 HOUR, SEVEN DAY A WEEK, PROFESSIONAL FIRE SERVICE BEFORE IT WAS VOLUNTEERS.
IT WAS A CATCHES CATCH CAN, THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS AS FAR AS RATINGS GO AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND KEEPING THOSE RATINGS, BUT EVERY SINGLE DIME THAT IS SPENT ON THOSE FIRE STATIONS AT THOSE FIRE DEPARTMENTS IS
[00:15:01]
GETTING THE WRITING DOWN.WE STARTED CHENEY, VILLE STARTED AT SEVEN Y'ALL ARE WHAT FOUR? NOW THERE'S FIVE.
SO, UM, DISTRICT ONE FIRE DISTRICTS STARTED AT A 10 BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
AND THEY WENT TO THEIR THREE OR FOUR.
I MEAN, THAT SAVES PEOPLE MONEY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT SAVES LIVES.
AND SO ROLLING THESE MILLAGES FORWARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A TRADE OFF, ESPECIALLY IN WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH PANDEMICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU WANT THEM COMING AND YOU WANT THEM EQUIPPED AND YOU WANT THEM THERE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW TARA MADE THE MOTION, BUT I, I TRIED SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS, BUT I SECOND CALL FOR THE VOTE AFTER.
SO, UM, I CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT, UM, COUNSELOR WELL SAID THAT YOU, UM, TWO SMALL DISTRICTS IN MY AREA ON BROWNSVILLE AND ALISON IN 2016, UH, WHERE ELSE, I MEAN, RON FIELDS ACTUALLY IN A LONG TRAIL IN 2016, IF IT WASN'T THAT IT WAS OUR, I THINK DID FLOOD ART ALMOST FLOODED? YEAH.
IT FLOODED, IT WAS ALL EVEN PRE 2016.
IT HAS NEVER HAD A CONCRETE, UM, PARKING LOT, NONE OF THOSE OUT OF HUMANITIES.
UM, UM, IT USED TO BE, IF ANY OF THESE, JUST AS, UM, INDICATE THEY ARE REALLY COMMUNITY DISTRICT.
SO PEOPLE COME TO THEM FROM AIRPORT, EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE LOSS OF DOG.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW IN BROWNSVILLE WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, I WOULD HAVE HOA TO HAVE MEETINGS THERE, BUT NOW IT'S NOT SAFE.
ANYBODY OTHER THAN THE STAFF COME TO THE FACILITY AROUND THIS GUY, AND YOU SAY, I PANICKED AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE OFFERED TRIPPING TREE.
THE CHILDREN WOULD STOP BY, BUT IT'S NOT.
THE BUILDING IS NO LONGER SAFE, UM, TO HAVE, UM, THE PUBLIC ENTER AND EXIT.
SO THAT'S WHY IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MISSION.
NOT ONLY WERE THE PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT THEY WERE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, IN THE BROWNSVILLE COMMUNITY.
UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, KAREN HAD BEEN, UH, BEEN A CONSTANT PRESENCE.
UH, TRACY HAS HE, SINCE HE WAS A LITTLE BOY.
AND I WOULD SAY SINCE THAT, WELL, THE PUCK HE'S BEEN HERE THAT LONG, BUT ONE OF THE OTHER IS IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND POLICE.
I MEAN, THE FIREMAN TO, UM, WORK THE DISTRICT.
SO, AND BECAUSE TRAINING, USUALLY THEY HAVE BUDDY THAT INCLUDE TRAINING.
THEY HAVE TO DEPEND ON, UM, THE PART-TIME AS BEING PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO WITHOUT WAY WHEN GET RETIRED BY OFFICE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL, WITH THE OTHER CHIEFS AND, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KEEP THE MANPOWER, UH, AND HAVE, UM, THE RIGHT, UH, OFFICER RIGHT IN ON THE RIGHT FIVE MINUTES.
THE OTHER THING IS THEIR FIVE MINUTES ARE REALLY, UM, A GREAT COMMODITY.
NOW WE HAD, I MEAN, WHEN YOU APPLY, YOU LOSE A GOOD SHEET.
I MEAN, YOU'RE COMPETING WITH THE PLANTS NOW WITH CONTRACTORS, WITH OTHER AREAS.
SO WHERE AN OUTSET BROWNFIELD, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THE MANPOWER AND TRY TO KEEP THEM ACTIVE.
AND ALLISON DONATIONS, DONATIONS, DONATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE ALONG THE SCENIC HIGHWAY CORRIDOR, A LOT OF THE EQUIPMENT, THEY DID A SECONDHAND EXXONMOBIL WHEN THEY FINISHED, UM, THERE, UM, SOME OF THE MATERIALS TO MEET THOSE EQUIPMENT, THEY'LL MAKE A DONATION, UM, DONATIONS FROM THE DIFFERENT PLANTS.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR ME COMPLAIN ABOUT ROBINSON FIELD PLACE KEEPS SMALL FIRES AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE THE PAPER, BUT THEY'RE THERE LIKE ONCE A MONTH, THAT'S A SMALL FIRE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO TO RONALD'S AND FIELD.
SO I DO ASK YOU, UM, TO PLEASE MOVE, UH, THIS TAX PART.
I THINK EACH, EACH SMALL DISTRICT HAS, IS GETTING A NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ALISON HAS NOT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK OFF.
THE LAST THING IN THE TREY REMINDED ME OF THAT.
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT PRIDE, WHEN I GOT HERE IN 2012, ALLISON HARRIS, 12 READY, AND THE, UM, IN HOUSE INSURANCE WAS THROUGH TO, WOULD'VE BEEN NOT SINGLE DIGIT AND THEIR INABILITY
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TO JUST PREPARE ME IS A BETTER, UH, VERIFY RATING.SO I DO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO PLEASE APPROVE THIS VILLAGE.
IT IS MUCH NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SMALL FIVE DISTRICTS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CORINNE.
EVERYONE WAS STAYED IN RATINGS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER? YES, MA'AM I I'M, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
UH, TEN'S THE WORST MEANING THAT NO ONE'S COMING.
I MEAN, YOU ARE, YOU HAVE YOUR GARDEN HOSE AND GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
UM, THE, UH, THE OTHER THING NOW, OF COURSE, SHANE, AND A LOT OF THESE OTHER GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT THAN I HAVE, BUT BASICALLY NUMBER ONE, WHERE BATON ROUGE IS, IS THE BEST.
AND IT GIVES YOU THE LOWEST RATINGS FOR YOUR, UM, RESIDENTIAL AS WELL.
BUT, UH, AND YOUR COMMERCIAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRE INSURANCE, BUT THEY HAVE THIS RATING SYSTEM THAT COMES UP AND IT'S THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT COMES IN AND YOU GET CERTAIN, UM, POINTS, UH, FOR CERTAIN THINGS, TRAINING EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, JUST, OH YEAH.
STAFFING, ALL, ALL KINDS OF INSURANCE COMPANIES GIVEN YOUR RADIO GIVES RIGHT.
GIVES THE RATING TO GIVE THE RIGHT INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE HOMEOWNERS IN THEIR DISTRICT.
AND SO WITH A LOT OF S YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE, IN SOME INSTANCES YOU MAY HAVE, UM, ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO COVERS THE MIDDLE OF A SUBDIVISION, AND THEN SECOND AND THIRD FILINGS ARE COVERED BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, TH THEY ALL, ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT I'VE SEEN WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM, THEY'RE ALL COMING.
THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER IN THIS PARISH, BUT WHENEVER IT COMES TO FUNDING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND THEY HAVE THE TRAINING AND A GOOD JOB, IT REALLY IS.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE DISTRICT.
DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RATING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S VERY SERIOUS.
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE CITY, OR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE WAS THE FIRST IN THE UNITED STATES TO BECOME A CLASS ONE CITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNEW THAT OR NOT.
SOME OF YOU DOING A TRADE TREY, YA KNOW THAT WELL, AND I WAS REAL PROUD TO BE INVOLVED IN IT.
BACK IN THE DAY I WAS, I WAS WITNESS CITY.
I WAS THE CHEAPEST, UH, SAFETY IN THE CITY, UH, FIRE, AND, UH, WORKED REAL CLOSE WITH JOE ELLIO AND CHIEF MILLER AT THE TIME.
UH, IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER THAT, UH, WE WERE INVITED TO GO TO PENSACOLA, FLORIDA AND HELPED THOSE GUYS GET THE SECOND, YOU KNOW, CLASS ONE.
NOW MOST OF THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS, AND I'M GOING TO USE OURS ANYWAY, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A CLASS THREE CLASS FOUR THAT'S GOOD RATINGS, AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL, THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT THE BEST YOU'RE GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, IN A RURAL AREA OR SEMI-RURAL AREA.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE WENT FROM, FROM A CLASS TWO TO CLASS ONE, THE YEARS THAT I WAS THERE.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT, I'M SURE THAT THEY WERE DOWN, YOU KNOW, EVEN LOWER, BUT A LOT OF THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT I CAN SEE, UH, LIKE TO GIVE A LITTLE PLUG HERE, THESE GUYS TOO, BECAUSE THEY REALLY WORKED WELL WITH US.
UH, ESPECIALLY PRIOR TO CHENEY VILLE, I KNOW CHANEY BELL WAS SETTING ON ZERO FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UH, AND, AND THE PEOPLE THAT'S REALLY GOT IN IT, MOVED IT RIGHT ALONG AND TREY, YOU YOU'RE ONE OF THEM FOR SURE.
AND, UH, MS. BANKS HELPED US QUITE A BIT.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE A CLASS THREE IN, IN, IN BROWNSVILLE, BUT, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
IT GOES FROM 10, YOU KNOW, NINE, EIGHT RIGHT ON UP.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO DO A GOOD BIT OF STUFF AND IT TAKES MONEY.
I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO MAINTAIN A CLASS, ONE RATING, WHICH WE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THAT.
UH, AND THEN ALL THIS MANPOWER EQUIPMENT, THERE'S A BIG FACTOR RESPONSE TIME.
AND WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT REDDING, YOU KNOW, WATER SUPPLY COMES IN BIG TIME, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO THEY RATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY RATE THE WATER COMPANY ALSO.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE ASK FOR THINGS LIKE, UH, HYDRANTS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO RENT HYDRANTS, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR HYDRANTS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE ANSWERED THAT, THEY ALSO LIKED FOR US TO PUT UP A LITTLE TO FAR TO RUN THOSE MAINS AND ALL, YOU KNOW, CAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND IN SOME CASES IT'S ALWAYS GOOD.
I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, AND BELIEVE IN, HE WAS DOING A GOOD JOB WITH IT, BUT WRITING IS REALLY CRITICAL.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW SERIOUS IT IS AND HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, REALLY TIME AND MONEY IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN
[00:25:01]
THAT STUFF.I WAS I'M THE TIME IS RUNNING OUT, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS, WHAT THE RATING WAS AND EVERYBODY KEPT TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT DOES HELP US CONNECT WHY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY NEEDS TO APPROVE THESE MILLAGES TO HELP THEM THANK Y'ALL.
WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS HERE FOR A CONDEMNATION, BUT I THINK HE DIDN'T.
THIS IS TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? WHAT ARE THE MOST INVOLVED COUNCILWOMAN WORKERS? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WELSH TO APPROVE THE ITEM.
ANY OBJECTIONS SEE NON THE ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IF I COULD HAVE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE DISTRICTS, I WANT TO DO IT ANNOUNCED TO EVERYBODY THAT CHIEF SMITH HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE IN THE LOUISIANA STATE FIRE CHIEF'S HALL OF FAME, JUST RECENTLY, KURT MONTE AND I, AND MIKE CAMERA'S SAUNA WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE FIRE TEAMS HALL OF FAME, ALL WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT 40 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BY CHIEF SMITH WAS RECOGNIZED.
AND HE GOT A PLACE IN THAT HALL OF FAME AS HE DESERVED.
AND IS YOUR AT SOMETHING? OH, I THINK SHE HAD A MOTION TO ADJOURN OR WHATEVER ELSE.