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ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH OUR PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS, IF YOU'LL TAKE A
[SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
SEAT, PLEASE, THE PARISH PRESIDENT.WE'LL GET THINGS STARTED THIS MORNING WITH A FEW PRESIDENT, YOU GOT THE, UH, PROCLAMATION.
I HAVE QUITE A FEW PROCLAMATIONS TODAY, SO I'LL START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
IF I COULD HAVE, UH, MR. RAPHAEL AND MS. CLAUDIA CHAI COME FORWARD, PLEASE.
RAPHAEL AND CLAUDIA FOUNDED THE SUPPLEMENT RADIO SHOW 20 YEARS AGO AS A MEANS OF INFORMING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
ONE OF THE STATISTICS THAT I LOVE TO SAY ABOUT JEFFERSON PARISH IS JEFFERSON PARISH OF THE 64 PARISHES IS THE MOST DIVERSE, RACIALLY DIVERSE PARISH IN THE STATE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES US SO STRONG.
RADIO SHOWS LIKE SUPPLEMENT, RECOGNIZE AND PROMOTE THIS DIVERSITY AND IT, OR AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
SO LET ME READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS SUPPLEMENT FOUNDED BY RAPHAEL AND CLAUDIA CHAI DEBUTED ON LA FABULOSA IN JANUARY, 2003 AS A MEANS OF INFORMING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA.
AND WHEREAS THE AWARD-WINNING RADIO VARIETY SHOW PRESENTS A MIX OF INFORMATION ABOUT CULTURE, HEALTH, BUSINESS, MUSIC, AND CURRENT EVENTS FROM A VARIETY OF PERSONALITIES AND EXPERTS, AS WELL AS SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY RADIO EXTERIOR TO ESPANIA, BBC MUNO, CNN IN ESPANOL RADIO, AND OTHER CORRESPONDENT AROUND THE WORLD.
SUPERMAN HOSTS RAPHAEL AND CLAUDIA ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF NO SOROS MAGAZINE'S 2004 RADIO PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD, THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S 2004 INSPIRATION AWARD, AND THE CERVANTES FOUNDATION'S 2019 GUIERLLMO DEGO AWARD FOR ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.
AND WHERE A SUPPLEMENT HAS BEEN A VITAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY DURING LANDMARK EVENTS, INCLUDING THE EXPLOSION OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA, THE DEATH OF POPE JOHN PAUL II IN HURRICANE KATRINA.
WHEREAS 20 YEARS LATER, SUPPLEMENT CONTINUES TO INFORM AND ENTERTAIN JEFFERSON PARISH CITIZENS AND BEYOND THROUGH NEWS, CONVERSATION, MUSIC, AND MORE.
WHEREAS SUPPLEMENT, WHICH AIRED ITS 1000TH EPISODE THAT'S INCREDIBLE ON OCTOBER 22ND, 2022, HAS INTEGRATED ITSELF INTO THE LOCAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE BECOMING AN IMPORTANT VOICE FOR THE LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CYNTHIA LEE SHANK, PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZING CONGRATULATES RAPHAEL CLAUDE, HIS CHAI FOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SUPPLEMENT.
THIS IS AN HONOR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION, AND IN A WAY, RECOGNITION FOR 20 YEARS SERVING OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN NEW ORLEANS, IN ERY, IN KENNER, LOUISIANA.
AND THESE DAYS, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA, WE GO AROUND THE WORLD.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND HEARING ABOUT OUR CITY AND OUR STATE, THANKS TO OUR SHOW, AND OUR CULTURE IS SO RICH THAT WE WANNA SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE ARE COMMUNICATORS AND WE LIKE TO PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, HURRICANES PREPARATION, HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS.
WE CANNOT BE TIRED OF REPEATING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVERY HURRICANE SEASON.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE MORE WE SAY IT, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SAFE, RATHER THAN SORRY.
AND WE JUST WANNA THANK, UH, K G L A AND CROK BROADCASTING, UH, RADIO TROPICAL FOR HOSTING US AND FOR HAVING US RIGHT NOW FOR, UH, NINE YEARS WITH THIS STATION IN 20 YEARS IN TOTAL.
MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAN YOU COME DOWN FOR A PICTURE, PLEASE? LET'S SEE.
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HEY, MR. MIKE LOCKWOOD, IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, PLEASE.SERENA, WHO DO I HAVE? SERENA.
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S, IT'S ILLEGAL.
MICKEY AND MY DAUGHTER AARON, MY SON-IN-LAW.
I'M HONORED HERE TO HAVE MR. MICHAEL LOCKWOOD, DIRECTOR OF OUR SEWAGE DEPARTMENT.
HE'S GONNA RETIRE THIS MONTH AFTER 32 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE.
UH, MIKE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING OUR ADMINISTRATION SECURE A MUCH NEEDED SEWER RATE INCREASE AND ESTABLISHES THE PARISH'S FIRST EVER SEWER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK.
THAT WAS, UH, INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU, THAT YOU WILL DO, THAT YOU WILL SEE THE BENEFITS OF FOR ALL THE FUTURE, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL SEE THAT.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA READ THE PROCLAMATION.
HE'S HERE WITH HIS FAMILY THAT I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE, UM, WHEN YOU GET UP HERE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SPEAK.
SO, WHEREAS MICHAEL LOCKWOOD WAS BORN IN SAN ANTONIO AND MOVED TO VIRGINIA AT THE AGE OF FIVE, AS A RESULT OF SEVERAL VISITS TO NEW ORLEANS TO SPEND TIME WITH HIS MOTHER'S FAMILY WHO OWNED TWO JAGS RESTAURANT.
IS THAT, IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT? YEAH.
UM, TWO JAGS RESTAURANT DECIDED TO ATTEND TULANE UNIVERSITY TO PURSUE A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY AND A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHEREAS MR. LOCKWOOD ENTERED THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKING AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF WASTEWATER FOR THE NEW ORLEANS SEWER AND WATER BOARD FROM 1985 TO 1990, BEFORE BRINGING HIS EXPERTISE TO JEFFERSON PARISH AS THE MANAGER OF THE EAST BANK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND WHEREAS OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS, MR. LOCKWOOD PROVIDED INVALUABLE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT AS THE CONSULTANT FOR THE JEFFERSON PARISH SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT.
THEN IN 2016, IN JANUARY, MR. LOCKWOOD GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF JEFFERSON PARISH'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS.
FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, YOU, YOU WORKED TIRELESSLY TO UPGRADE OUR PARISH'S LANDFILL WHILE MANAGING ALL FACETS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REQUIRED DUTIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE MANY OF THE, OUR PUBLIC KNOWS YOU FROM ALL THOSE LANDFILL MEETINGS,
SO, UH, AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR CAREER.
UM, AFTER OVERSEEING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LANDFILL'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS IN GAS COLLECTION, SALE ROYALTY REVENUE, MR. LOCKWOOD ACCEPTED THE POSITION OF SEWER DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR IN JANUARY, 2020 UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION.
UM, DURING HIS THREE YEARS MANAGING THE SEWER DEPARTMENT, HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SEWER SYSTEM OPERATIONS THROUGH COVID, THE PANDEMIC HURRICANE ZETA IDA, AND WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATION TO OBTAIN A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SEWER RATE INCREASE, UH, WHICH WILL BRING MANY, MANY PROJECTS, UH, FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
AS A RESULT OF THIS RATE INCREASE, MR. LOCKWOOD WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST EVER PARISH SEWER PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, AN 800,000,020 YEAR PROGRAM, WHICH WILL ENABLE THE PARISH TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT WORKING SEWER SYSTEM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WHEREAS MR. LOCKWOOD IS KNOWN AND RESPECTED BY, BY FRIENDS AND COWORKERS AS AN EXTREMELY DEDICATED AND HUMBLE LEADER WITH A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL CAREER, WHO HAS A KIND HEART, A PASSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND A FABULOUS BARITONE VOICE TO GO ALONG WITH HIS LOVE FOR CORAL MUSIC.
I THEREFORE, CYNTHIA LEE SHANK, PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE MICHAEL LOCKWOOD ON YOUR RETIREMENT FROM JEFFERSON PARISH.
MIKE ALSO MAKES A MEAN HAUNTED HOUSE IN HIS CONFERENCE ROOM.
I WAS SO VERY IMPRESSED THIS PAST OCTOBER, UH, WITH THE DETAIL OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE THAT YOU DID FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND, AND ALL YOUR PASSION FOR THAT.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MIKE.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, UH, COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATION.
IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A JOURNEY OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
UH, I WENT FROM GARBAGE MAN TO, UH, SHALL WE SAY TURD, HERDER,
BUT, UH, I, I'M, I'M DEEPLY INDEBTED TO YOU AND, AND, AND THE PARISH FOR, UH,
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LEADING ME TO THIS NEXT PHASE OF LIFE.AND I, AND I MUST SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HAUNTED HOUSE, THAT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT
UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE.
UH, I HAVE MY FAMILY HERE, MY WIFE MICKEY, MY DAUGHTER AARON, AND MY SON-IN-LAW, DAVID.
AND I THINK THE BEST THING THAT, THAT I CAN SAY THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE IS THROUGH THE COUNCIL AND, AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION IS GET THE WATER AND SEWER H UH, DONE.
IF, IF YOU RECALL, WHEN YOU CALLED ME AND ASKED ME TO TAKE THE POSITION OF SEWAGE DIRECTOR, YOU SAID, I WANT THE SEWAGE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN THE FUTURE.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, I, I SAID, THE, THERE IS NO FUTURE FOR THE SEWAGE DEPARTMENT IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
AND I WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT DUE TO THE RATES AND, AND, AND WHAT WE WERE GETTING, WE WERE BARELY, UH, NOT TREADING WATER, REALLY.
SO, UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPROVEMENT, THAT THE, AS YOU SAID, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL SEE.
AND, AND I THINK IT, IT, IT'S AN ENORMOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR YOU, YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS PROBABLY INTRINSICALLY VERY UNPOPULAR AND, AND, AND TO GET IT DONE.
SO, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY, UH, GRATIFYING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, COME TAKE A PICTURE WITH MR. LOCKWOOD AND HIS FAMILY ON HIS RETIREMENT.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD, VERY PROUD OF ALL HIS WORK.
THANKS FOR LETTING US OCCUPIED SO MUCH OF HIS TIME.
WE CAN'T, WE DON'T GET TO PICK FAMILY, NEED A CHARACTER, BUT YOU, I HAVE A LOT OF CHARACTERS AND I LOVE THEM ALL.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE ALL DO YOU THINK? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
KATE, I HAVE QUITE A FEW PROCLAMATIONS TODAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, SO I'M GONNA DO ONE MORE, AND THEN I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE DO, DO SOME, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK LATER.
SO, UM, MR. MICHAEL ADAMS. PAUL ADAMS, AND SUSIE POTTER IS PAUL HERE AS WELL FROM THE, FROM THE, UM, THE BLOOD CENTER.
AND I KNOW MR. ADAMS FROM DILLARDS
I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE THAT MR. ADAMS DONE.
LAST MONTH, MR. ADAMS. SUSIE, YOU WANNA GET UP? UM, LAST MONTH, MICHAEL ADAMS, A RESIDENT OF MADY, DONATED HIS 50TH GALLON OF BLOOD AT THE BLOOD CENTER.
THAT'S CALLED A GOLDEN DONATION.
WHEREAS MADY RESIDENT MICHAEL ADAMS BEGAN DONATING BLOOD AT THE BLOOD BANK MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.
AND ON JANUARY 4TH, 2023, HE DONATED A RECORD BREAKING 50TH GALLON DURING HIS 400TH VISIT.
WHEREAS EVERY TWO SECONDS, SOMEONE IN THE UNITED STATES NEED BLOOD AND A SINGLE DONATION CAN SAVE MULTIPLE LIVES.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT MR. ADAMS, WHO SPENDS AN HOUR AND A HALF EACH WEEK GIVING BLOOD, HAS HELPED MORE THAN A THOUSAND PATIENTS THROUGH HIS MANY DONATIONS.
THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING.
UM, MR. ADAMS GIVES A PHIS, DID I SAY IT RIGHT, PH APHERESIS ASIS FSIS, ALLOWING HIM TO DONATE MORE.
OFTEN, THE PROCESS REMOVES WHOLE
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BLOOD, SEPARATES THE RED CELLS FROM THE PLATELETS IN PLASMA, AND GIVES THE DONOR BACK WHAT WASN'T USED.AND WHEREAS IN THE UNITED STATES, 65% OF THE POPULATION IS ELIGIBLE TO ELIGIBLE TO GIVE BLOOD, BUT ONLY 3% DOES DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS UNDER 19 HAVE DROPPED NEARLY 50% OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ALONE.
THIS REALITY HAS CREATED AN URGENT NEED FOR YOUNGER MO DIVERSE DONORS.
AND WHEREAS ANY OF US, OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, COULD BE IN AN ACCIDENT OR BECOME ILL AND SOMEDAY NEED BLOOD BY CHOOSING TO GIVE.
NOW, DONORS NOT ONLY HELP BOOST A FUTURE BLOOD SUPPLY, BUT ALSO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED OF AN EMERGENCY LIFESAVING CARE OR TRANSFUSIONS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.
AND WHEREAS FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF MEMBERS OF A LOVED ONE BATTLING DISEASES WILL OFTEN ANSWER THE CALL TO BECOME PLATELET DONORS AFTER LEARNING THAT SUPPLIES CAN BE SCARCE.
BLOOD IS ONE OF THE FEW MEDICATIONS HOSPITALS RELY ON THAT CANNOT BE MANUFACTURED.
WHEREAS MR. ADAMS SELFLESS DECISION TO REGULARLY DONATE BLOOD HELPS SAVE LIVES AND GIVE MORE PEOPLE THERE TOMORROW.
NOW, THEREFORE, AS CYNTHIA LEE SHANK, PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND THANK MICHAEL ADAMS FOR BECOMING A GOLDEN BLOOD DONOR IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LITTLE TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN IN, SO I THINK ALL OF US ARE THINKING THAT WAY.
SO, UM, MR. ADAMS, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE SAVING LIVES.
WE NEED TO STEP OUT OF THE BOX.
AND ACTUALLY THE WORLDWIDE, YOU SAID 65%, THAT'S PROBABLY IN META, BUT ON, BUT ALL OF THE 65% IS 3%.
THAT'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE DONATING TO PEOPLE THAT NEED THIS.
THIS IS GOING TO CHILDREN, IT'S GOING TO ELDERLY.
WE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE BECOME BETTER, HEALTHIER, AND SAVE SOME OF THE WORLD.
IT'S HOW WE REACH OUT AND CHANGE LIVES AND BECOME MORE CARING AND GIVING AND SHARING PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR EACH OTHER.
WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS OTHER STUFF THAT WE'RE GETTING INVOLVED WITH.
AND THINK ABOUT REACHING OUT, DONATING, AND GIVING TO OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE NEED TO LET WALK AND LIVE OUR LIVES.
AND I GOT MY TWO SONS HERE TOO.
YOU HAVE YOUR SON, TWO SON, TWO SONS.
THIS IS ANTHONY, MY SON ROBERT.
MAYBE EVEN HAVE MR. EUGENE WILLIAMS HERE FROM DILLARDS.
OH, MR. WILLIAMS FROM DILLARD.
LET'S, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WANNA COME GET A PICTURE WITH MR. ADAMS. OKAY.
JUST ME AND HIM AFTER THE COUNCIL.
MORE COUNCILMAN? ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
YOU WANNA GET ONE WITH, COME ON, LET'S GET SUSIE ONCE.
DID ALL OF THIS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW.
REALLY? SO WE, WE ALWAYS GIVE AND LIKE YOU AND LIKE YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN, YOU ARE UP NEXT.
AS THE PARISH PRESIDENT GETS A BREAK BEFORE HER FINAL TWO PROCLAMATIONS LATER IN THE PROGRAM.
RIGHT? I WAS SAYING, UH, WE JUST RECOGNIZED, UH, MIKE FOR HIS BLOOD DONATIONS.
MY DAD, UM, HAS REACHED THAT SAME MILESTONE.
SO WE ALWAYS GREW UP GIVING, IT'S A REALLY EASY WAY TO GIVE BACK.
AND I TOOK SOME OF MY STAFF FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WHO HAD NOT GIVEN BLOOD.
I SAID, LOOK, IT'S NOT PAINFUL AT ALL.
KEEP YOUR SUGAR UP, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S
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AN EASY WAY TO SAVE LIVES.SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHAT YOU DO.
COOKIES, PLENTY OF COOKIES AFTERWARD.
I MEAN, WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED,
AND SO WE'RE RECOGNIZING JOHN BURRIS THIS MORNING.
UM, I WANNA THANK HIS BOSS ALSO, DR.
MIKE STRAIN, WHO IS OUR AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER.
ANYTIME WE HAVE AN ISSUE IN JEFFERSON PARISH, UM, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH ANIMALS, UH, ON THE WEST BANK, I KNOW JERRY BOLOGNAS HERE.
WILD HOGS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE ON THE EAST BANK, SOMETIMES DUCKS THAT ARE.
AND SO, UH, THE AG DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US AS A RESOURCE.
JOHN BURRIS PARTICULARLY SO, UM, HE'S A FORESTER WITH LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY.
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, FOREST HEALTH, AS WELL AS WILDFIRE DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION ON THE NORTH SHORE AND ST.
HIS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH ALSO EXTENDS HERE TO THE SOUTH OF THE LAKE REGIONS OF JEFFERSON TERREBONNE ST.
UM, SO HIS REACH REALLY IS REGIONAL.
JOHN GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN FORESTRY FROM MISSISSIPPI STATE.
HE'S A CERTIFIED PRESCRIBED BURNER AND A REGISTERED FORESTER.
HE WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR 45 YEARS, AND NOW HAS JOINED THE DEPARTMENT OF AG, UM, FOR ABOUT THE PAST SIX YEARS.
AND HE'S BEEN A REALLY WONDERFUL RESOURCE TO US IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
UH, WE ASKED HIM TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, CARRIE HAMMETT IS OUR DISTRICT FIVE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BZA A AND CARRIE SAID JOHN HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE, UM, RESOURCE IN AIDING THE BZA.
HE IS A WONDERFUL SECOND OPINION, AND HIS EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE ARE ALWAYS PROVIDED TO JEFFERSON PARISH AND OUR RESIDENTS WITHOUT COST.
HE JUST BRINGS THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TABLE, UH, TO HELP US OUT.
HIS EXPERIENCE IS ALSO GIVEN APPLICANTS WITH TREE PROBLEMS, THE COMFORT THAT KNOWING THEIR CASES HAVE REALLY BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND FAIRLY DECIDED.
HE'S MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE, UH, THAT CONCERN TREES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND IN THE PRE TREE PROTECTION AREAS, UH, OF DISTRICT FIVE.
THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.
SO WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL AND, UH, THANKFUL THAT WE CAN RELY ON HIS EXPERIENCE.
SO WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL, UH, CERTIFICATE FOR HIM THIS MORNING.
IT IS A CER CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
IT'S HEREBY PRESENTED TO JOHN BURRIS OF THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY FOR HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON PARISH AND DEDICATION TO THE PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF ITS NATIVE TREES.
WE GIVE THIS ON THIS EIGHTH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2023 AND SAY, THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, SO, WE, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? YES.
YOU HAVE A UNIQUE, UH, SKILLSET.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT A GYM YOU HAVE RIGHT HERE.
UH, HER PASSION FOR, UH, THE FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON AND, UH, TREE SCHOOL, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A PASSION FOR HER AND, UH, HER WORK, UH, WITH TREE SCHOOL, WHICH, UH, L E A F IS INVOLVED IN.
WE, UH, UH, WE COME AND WE, UH, OFFER THE CERTIFICATION THROUGH, UM, UH, CONTINUING ED FOR ARBORIST.
AND MS. CAREY IS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
AND THEN, UH, I WORKED WITH HER ON ONE OR TWO PROJECTS HERE, SO JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, UH, HOW SPECIAL SHE IS.
NOW, ASK ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME DOWN AND, AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, JOHN, OF HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
THE VERY FIRST TEXT I GOT THIS MORNING WAS FROM A RESIDENT CONCERNED ABOUT AT AND T DIGGING FIBER AROUND OUR HISTORIC OAKS ON NORTHLINE.
AND SO REALLY, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VALUE AND THE BEAUTY OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH US.
SO, UM, I HAVE ON A, A FEW OF THEM MY MARDI GRAS COLORS, AND, UM, WE KNOW THIS WEEKEND WE ARE APPROACHING FAMILY GRA AND, UM, THE FIRST PARADES IN JEFFERSON
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PARISH.UM, LITTLE RASCALS KICKED US OFF LAST WEEKEND, OUR CHILDREN'S PARADE, BUT OUR TRADITIONAL CREW CREWS WILL START ROLLING THIS WEEKEND.
UM, FRIDAY NIGHT WE HAVE EXCALIBUR, UM, SATURDAY, UH, AND SYMPHONY SYMPHONY'S, ONE OF OUR NEWER PARADES AND BEAUTIFUL LIGHTING IN THAT FLOAT, UH, IN THAT PARADE.
AND THEN ON SATURDAY, WE WILL HAVE, UM, MAD HATTERS, WHICH IS A SPECTACULAR PARADE.
AND WE'RE OFF FOR SUNDAY BECAUSE IT IS THE SUPER BOWL.
UM, BUT FAMILY GRA HAS BECOME SUCH A SPECIAL PART OF CELEBRATING THIS TIME OF YEAR IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC MEETING, MAJESTY, IT'S LIKE THE APPETIZER TO THE PARADES, AND WE HAVE A GREAT LINEUP.
SO WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND JOIN US, UH, FOR FAMILY GRA THIS WEEKEND.
WE SH WE WANNA SHOW YOU A LITTLE, UM, BIT ABOUT THE LINEUP OF TALENT THAT WE HAVE AT THIS YEAR'S FAMILY.
GRA DON'T BLAME IT ON SUNSHINE.
ALL THE COOL GIRLS ARE OUT TONIGHT.
SHE'S GOT HOLLYWOOD, EVERYTHING.
SHE PINE TREES IN THE WINDING ROOM.
I, I, IF I COULD SAVE TIME IN A BOTTLE, WHAT COULD YOU, ME, PLEASE.
THERE HIS CAR HOME OF THESE OUT.
WHAT TURNS ON NICE ME, IT'S, SO THAT IS THE LINEUP FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR FAMILY GRA.
I DON'T KNOW IF PARISH PRESIDENT YOU RECEIVED CALLS FROM GIRLFRIENDS WHO HAD CRUSHES ON RICK SPRINGFIELD DURING THE EIGHTIES.
THEY WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT HE WAS COMING.
UM, AND THEN HALEY WHITTERS IS OPENING FOR SHANIA TWAIN, WHO'S OUT ON TOUR.
SHE'S A HOT NEW COUNTRY ARTIST.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HER.
UM, AS WELL AS, UH, CLASSICS LIKE THE JACKSON'S, UH, JIM CROCI SON.
WE THANK ASHNER FOR BEING A SPONSOR, UM, OUR MAJOR SPONSOR BECAUSE IT IS A FREE FESTIVAL.
UM, IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT FAMILY GRA AND COME OUT AND JOIN US, YOU CAN, UH, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME.
AND THEN ALSO THERE'S A V I P PASS THAT'S AVAILABLE, UH, FOR $99.
UH, IT COVERS BOTH DAYS AND FOOD, AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME VACCINE BACKSTAGE, UH, ACTION AS WELL.
LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY.
GRA AND THE WEATHER'S GONNA BE GREAT.
COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN PARISH PRESIDENT NOW UP FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS.
SHE'S USED UP ALL HER PROCLAMATIONS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR ALREADY.
I GOTTA BORROW SOME OTHER PEOPLE.
SO, UM, I THINK MISS SCHULMAN, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU EARLIER BECAUSE I THINK YOU WANNA GO OPEN YOUR STORE PROBABLY ON SIVER, RIGHT? I'M GONNA INVITE MISSY LANE, SCHULMAN UP WITH HER DAUGHTER COURTNEY, HER
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SON JORDAN DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME MORE PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY.
I GOT, I THINK SOME GRANDCHILDREN ARE INVOLVED.
HUH? HADN'T SEEN YOU ALL IN A WHILE.
THREE GENERATIONS, RIGHT? YES.
I THINK THIS IS A PLACE THAT WE ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
THE SCHULMAN FAMILY OWNS AND OPERATES PEARLS PLACE, BRIDAL BOUTIQUE, A PIONEER AMONG BUSINESSES IN THE FAT CITY AREA OF MEY SENE.
WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH ALL THE UPGRADES.
INVERNE, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I KNOW IT WAS A LONG TIME, UH, WITH THAT, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW AND IT'S GONNA EVEN BE MORE BEAUTIFUL WHEN WE INSTALL THE TREES AFTER MARDI GRAS.
UM, BUT SENE IS SUCH A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND SO IMPORTANT TO US, AND IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF BUSINESSES SUCH STABLE BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SO LONG, LONG-STANDING BUSINESSES, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN IN, IN, UM, IN OPERATION FOR MORE THAN HALF OF A CENTURY.
SO I WANNA READ THIS PROCLAMATION, PEARL'S PLACE, BRIDAL BOUTIQUE WAS CO-FOUNDED IN 1970 BY PEARL MOZ AND ELAINE AND FREDERICK SCHULMAN IN THE FAT CITY NEIGHBORHOOD OF MATTY AS ONE OF THE FIRST RETAILERS TO APPEAR OUTSIDE OF LAKESIDE MALL, INVERNE AVENUE, PEARL'S PLACE WAS A PIONEER IN THE AREA SELLING CLOTHING FOR A NIGHT OUT IN FAT CITY.
IT'S DISCO CLOTHING, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SELLING.
PEARL'S PLACE IS NOW ONE OF THE LEADING BRIDAL AND FORMAL WEAR STORES IN THE GULF SOUTH IN BOSEN, EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF STYLES TO FULFILL THE WISHES OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE WEDDING PARTY WITHOUT BUDGET INVENTORY OR SIZING RESTRAINTS.
AND WHEREAS THE BOUTIQUE, WHICH PRIDES ITSELF ON CULTIVATING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MOST COVETED DESIGNERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INNOVATOR AND ON THE CUTTING EDGE IN FASHION, CARRYING THE LATEST TRENDS ALONG WITH TRADITIONAL LOOKS.
AND WHEREAS PEARL'S PLACE STARTED THE BRIDAL INDUSTRY INTERNET REVOLUTION BY CREATING THE VERY FIRST WEBSITE DEVOTED TO BRIDAL FASHIONS IN 1995, I DID NOT KNOW THAT.
WHEREAS PEARLS PLACE HAS BEEN FEATURED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN EVERY MAJOR BRIDAL PUBLICATION.
AND IT'S CONSISTENTLY AWARDED HONORS AND PLATINUM STATUS RANKINGS BY VENDORS DUE TO YOUR REMARKABLE SALES.
AND WHEREAS THE SUCCESS OF PEARLS PLACE STILL AT ITS ORIGINAL SEVERN AVENUE LOCATION, AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A NEW GENERATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS, CAN BE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS PASSION, COMMITMENT, AND BELIEF THAT EVERY BRIDE AND BRIDES MADE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO OBTAIN QUALITY GOWNS ON ALL PRICE RANGES FROM VARIOUS DESIGNERS.
NOW, THERE I, FOR CYNTHIA LEE CHEANG, PRESIDENT JEFFERSON PARIS, DO BY RECOGNIZING, CONGRATULATE PEARL'S PLACE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE FOR 53 YEARS OF BUSINESS IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
AND I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN VAN REICHEN, I SHOULD HAVE HAD YOU DOWN HERE WITH US.
PLEASE COME JOIN US AND GIVE SOME WORDS.
UM, AND MS. SCHULMAN, I WANT YOU TO SAY SOME WORDS, AND I WANT YOU TO ALSO, UM, TELL US THE, THE, THE NAME, WHERE THE NAME COMES FROM, BUT I WANNA INVITE THE COUNCILWOMAN UP.
WE, WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS.
I REMEMBER BUYING THINGS FOR SWEET 16 AND EVERY SPECIAL EVENT WITH YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND BEING SUCH A PART OF ALL OF OUR SPECIAL MEMORIES, UH, GROWING UP AROUND THE WEDDING BUSINESS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF CONNECTIONS THERE, OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO OUR PARISH AND DISTRICT FIVE, WE'RE JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE.
I STILL PULL OUT ONE OF MY DRESSES, ONE OF MY TATA POOFY DRESSES FROM THE EIGHTIES WHEN I GO TO A RETRO PROM.
AND I THINK OF YOU EVERY TIME.
UM, BUT, UM, ON MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, ELAINE'S BEHALF, I WANT TO, UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US.
WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH HISTORY.
UM, AND MOSTLY WE JUST WANNA THANK OUR OLD CUSTOMERS, OUR VERY OLD CUSTOMERS, OUR NEW CUSTOMERS, AND OUR FUTURE CUSTOMERS.
SO, AND ELAINE, THAT'S, UM, COURTNEY, HER DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER SILER SAWYER, AND MY HUSBAND JORDAN.
OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHEN YOU COME, WAIT, WHERE'S THE NAME FROM PEARL'S PLACE? IS THAT, WAS THAT YOUR MOM? THAT WAS MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WHO, UM, ORIGINALLY TRAVELED ON THE ROAD AND SOLD SAMPLES FROM HER HOUSE AND EVERYBODY WOULD SAY, LET'S GO TO PEARL'S PLACE.
SO THAT WAS A NATURAL NAME, PEARL'S PLACE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS, I WAS THINKING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.
Y'ALL GET, COME UP A LITTLE BIT.
[00:35:08]
SO MUCH.I MEAN, SHE DON'T AT ALL BECAUSE SHE WORKS SO HARD, RIGHT, JERRY? YEAH.
IF I COULD HAVE MS. CYNTHIA GROSS COME UP WITH HER FAMILY, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH JERRY BOLOGNA, OUR FEARLESS LEADER AT JED CO.
CYNTHIA, THIS IS ANOTHER CELEBRATION OF A VERY LONG CAREER.
MS. CYNTHIA GROSS IS JED CO'S CONTROLLER, AND YOU WILL BE RETIRING AT THE END OF MARCH, RIGHT AFTER NEARLY 35 YEARS OF ABSOLUTELY EXEMPLARY SERVICE.
SO, UM, JED CO IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR US IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND, AND REALLY, UH, TO HELP US RETAIN BUSINESSES AND GET NEW BUSINESSES.
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
WHEREAS CYNTHIA GROSS BEGAN HER OUTSTANDING CAREER WITH THE NEWLY FORMED JEFFERSON PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, JCO AS CONTROLLER IN 1988, IS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEREAS CYNTHIA OVERSAW THE DEVELOPMENT OF JED CO'S FIRST ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND EMPLOYEE MANUAL ALONG WITH NEEDED AMENDMENTS.
OVER TIME, AS THE ORGANIZATION EVOLVED, COORDINATED JED CO'S INSURANCE FUNCTIONS, MANAGED ALL OF JCOS OF ACCOUNTING FACET PREPARED JED O'S ANNUAL BUDGETS, OVERSAW GEN JCOS ANNUAL AUDIT, ASSISTED SENIOR MANAGEMENT WITH IMPORTANT FINANCIAL PERSONNEL DECISIONS, MANAGED ALL HUMAN RESOURCE FUNCTIONS, AND SUPERVISE THE OPERATIONS ASSISTANT RECEPTIONIST AND OFFICE IT MANAGERS.
I KNOW THE PERSON YOU ARE IN THE OFFICE.
YOU'RE EITHER JUST THE PERSON THAT MAKES THINGS GO.
WE ALL HAVE ONE OF THOSE IN OUR OFFICE, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT IT SEEMS TO BE.
WHEREAS IN THE FACE OF THE UNPRECEDENTED EVENTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, CYNTHIA REMARKABLY AND QUICKLY RESPONDED TO THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, KEEPING THE ORGANIZATION OPERATING AT A TIME WHEN JED CO'S ASSISTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY WAS NEEDED THE MOST.
AND I CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THAT.
WHEREAS ON PAR WITH OTHER SUCCESSFUL WOMEN, CYNTHIA MANAGED TO CARRY OUT HER EXPANDING DUTIES TO JCO WHILE EXPANDING HER ROLE AT HOME, FROM WIFE OF AN ADURING HUSBAND, TO NURTURING MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN, TO CAREGIVER OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND GRANDMOTHER OF TWO ADORABLE GRANDCHILDREN.
AND WHEREAS ON MARCH 31ST, 2023, CYNTHIA GROSS WILL RETIRE AFTER NEARLY 35 EXEMPLARY YEARS AS THE CONTROLLER OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
NOW, THEREFORE, CYNTHIA LEE SHANG, PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH DO HEREBY CONGRATULATE AND RECOGNIZE CYNTHIA GROSS FOR HER COMMENDABLE DEDICATION TO HER ROLE AS COMPTROLLER FOR JCO.
I'M GONNA LET, I'M GONNA ELECTED LET JERRY SPEAK, AND THEN IF YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA, UM, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANKS TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND MY FAMILY AT JCO.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS AT ALL, BUT I DO APPRECIATE IT.
UH, RETIREMENT IS SOMETHING I'VE WORKED FOR AND LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND I PLAN ON ENJOYING THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH MY FAMILY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU WANNA COME TAKE A PICTURE? DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY FROM JCO, ANOTHER JED CO MEMBERS WHO WANNA TAKE A PICTURE WITH MS. GROSS? OKAY.
SHE'S GONNA WANT EVERYBODY IN THIS PICTURE.
JERRY, GET JERRY, GET UP HERE NEXT TO YOU.
WE'LL, THEY'LL HELP US NEIL, WE'LL HELP US GET SITUATED.
GREAT, CYNTHIA, CONGRATULATIONS.
THAT'S A NICE PICTURE FOR YOU.
[00:40:03]
CONGRATULATIONS.UH, THIS MORNING, UH, THE PARISH, UH, DISTRICT FOUR, BUT THE PARISH AS A WHOLE SITS IN A UNIQUE POSITION, UH, IN THE PROCLAMATION SECTION OF OUR, UH, OF OUR MEETING BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AS MUCH IN THE GIVING, UH, POSITION AS MUCH AS RECEIVING, UH, TODAY.
UM, IF I COULD HAVE THE MEMBERS OF DAWN BUSTERS AND TRIP R UH, THE DIRECTOR OF LAIER PARK, PLEASE, UH, COME JOIN ME.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE MOST PROUD OF IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, IN DISTRICT FOUR, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP EFFORT, UH, THAT THE PARISH HAS SEEN.
AND PRIVATE DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN PRIVATE BUSINESS, IT OFTEN MEANS VOLUNTEERS.
UH, DAWN BUSTERS, DAWN BUSTER'S, KIWANIS CLUB IS HERE.
UH, IF YOU LIVE IN MADY AND YOU, AND YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH DAWN BUSTERS, UM, I, I'M, I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED
WELL, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.
ONE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE CULTIVATED AT LAIER PARK HAS BEEN WITH THE DAWN BUSTERS KIWANIS CLUB.
UM, WHAT WAS ONCE THE BOOTH AT THE ZOO, UH, NOT BOOTH AT THE ZOO, EXCUSE ME, PARK ABO AT LAIER PARK WAS DONE BY THE NORTH KENNER KIWANIS DUE TO A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT WASN'T ABLE TO CONTINUE.
SO WE PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED DON BUSTER AND SAID, GUYS, CAN, CAN Y'ALL STEP UP AND, AND CARRY THE TORCH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAIER PARK AND JEFFERSON PARISH, WHICH THEY DID.
UM, THE WAYS THEY HAVE CARRIED THE TORCH AND ASSISTED US IN THE PARISH, UM, JUST CONTINUES TO MOUNT EVERY DAY.
UH, WE HAVE GARDENS BEING BUILT, UM, AT THE FRONT OF THE PARK.
WE HAVE, UM, WE JUST HAD THE SECOND ANNUAL KING CAKE FEST AT LAIER PARK HOSTED, UH, BY DAWN BUSTERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US, UH, AT THE PARISH.
EVERYTHING THEY DO, THEY HA THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE MIDAS TOUCH.
EVERYTHING THEY DO TO TURNS TO GOLD, EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH TURNS TO GOLD.
AND, UM, AND THE IRONY IS THEY DON'T DO IT TO MAKE MONEY.
THEY DO IT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE.
SO THERE IS NO BETTER PARTNER FOR JEFFERSON PARISH THAN THE DAWN BUSTERS KIWANIS CLUB.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THE TRIP ALEE, UH, AND I HAVE, HAVE GONE AND REACHED OUT AND CULTIVATED THAT RELATIONSHIP TO MAKE SURE JEFFSON PARISH IS A BETTER PLACE.
AS WE SAY ALL THE TIME, GOVERNMENT CAN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
LAIER PARK, THE CROWN JEWEL HAS BEEN EV THE BEST ILLUSTRATION OF THAT IN OUR MINDS.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. SALAK AS HE HAS A PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THE PARISH PRESIDENT AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
UM, WE REPRESENT DON BUSES AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS AT TAKE.
WE REPRESENT JEFFERSON PARISH AND WE, UM, WE'RE THE LARGEST FUNDRAISING ARM THAT YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER FOR A NONPROFIT EXCEPT THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN FROM GRETNA WHO HAVE THE GRETNA FEST.
AND TODAY WE WANT TO BRAG JUST A LITTLE BIT.
FIRST OFF, WE HAVE A FAMILY SERIES TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHERE'S TRIP REVEL? TRIP R THE DISTINGUISH CHARISMATIC CHRIS RABLAY.
HE HAS COME UP WITH TWO IDEAS THAT HE GAVE TO US, WHICH WERE BOMBS, AND THEY WERE GREAT BOMBS.
HE CAME UP WITH A FAMILY SERIES.
HE GOT TOGETHER, MR. EMPALE, AND THEY SAID, HOW CAN WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE PART? SO THEY CREATED A FAMILY SERIES.
THE FIRST FAMILY SERIES WAS TO CREATE THE INTRODUCTION OF MARDI GRAS EACH YEAR BACK INTO OUR PARISH.
SO THEY CAME UP WITH THE KING CAKE FESTIVAL THAT CAME TOGETHER, AND WE NEED TO BRING CHRISTINE UP.
CHRISTINE WORKS WITH US ON THAT.
SO THE KING CAKE FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA OPEN MARDI GRAS IN LAUGHING YEAR PARK WITH THE KING CAKES FESTIVAL.
THEN THEY HAVE FAMILY SERIES NUMBER TWO, THE EASTER FESTIVAL WITH THE EASTER BUNNIES FAMILY.
NUMBER THREE, HE'S COME UP WITH, UH, BTU U, WHICH IS HALLOWEEN.
HE'S GONNA HAVE A BACK TO SCHOOL WHERE ALL OF THE PARENTS FINALLY GET TO ALLOW THEIR KIDS ONE LAST FLING.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE GONNA DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR CHRISTMAS.
WE'RE HERE TO BRAG BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE LOVE WORKING AT LAUGHER PARK, WE WANT TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK.
YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO ASK FOR SOMETHING TODAY WE WANT TO GIVE BACK.
BUT FIRST WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN MR A'S SERIES NUMBER TWO, HE'S GOT FAMILY SERIES PARK BEAUTIFICATION NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE DONATED
[00:45:01]
TWO BEAUTIFUL ROSE GARDENS.AND WE HAVE NOW, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE FRONT OF LAFA YEAR PARK, YOU WILL SEE A $1,500 INVESTMENT OF WHAT WE CALL THE INSPIRATION GARDEN.
INSPIRATION GARDEN IS NOW ABOUT TO BLOOM AND TAKE OVER, AND IT'S GONNA BE THE WHOLE PARK ASPIRATION.
SO TODAY, HAVING BRAGGED ABOUT ALL THAT, MIKE HEFNER IS WITH ME, RIGHT HERE WITH MEL.
CHRISTINE, WE'RE GOING TO SAY THIS.
WE ARE DONATING $3,000 TO YOU FROM ORIGINALLY OUR FIRST, UH, BOO TO YOU.
WE'RE DONATING $3,500 TO YOU FROM OUR EASTER, AND WE'RE DONATING $2,500 TO YOU FROM OUR KING CAKE FESTIVAL, NOT COUNTING THE $3,000 THAT WE'VE GOT ALREADY IN BEAUTIFICATION THAT WE'VE DONE TO THE PARK.
THANK YOU ALL OF, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE MEMBERS OF DAWN BUSES? ANYBODY IN THE ROOM? SO THANK YOU.
AND SO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE NOT, SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. MR. HEFNER.
YOU CAN PRESENT THE CHECKS TO THEM, PLEASE.
THIS IS, UH, UH, A TOTAL CHECK FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
THIS TOTAL, THIS CHECK HERE WILL NOW TOTAL UP TO $9,000 THAT WE'VE GIVEN INTO THE PARK.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WHO'S, WHO'S RECEIVING IT? TRIP, TRIP
IT'S WRITTEN, IT'S WRITTEN TO CASH.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT ONE,
BUT IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE PARK.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, MR. FERTA HERE, HE'S HELPED US, UH, MAKE THIS RELATIONSHIP WORK.
AND IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN, THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THERE, THE WIND CHIME GARDENS, THE, UH, BIRD HOUSES, AND I MEAN, IT JUST GOES TO THE GARDENS LIKE, UH, SOUTH TALKED ABOUT.
SO IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
SO WE HOPE TO BE MORE AND MORE.
AND AS YOU GET, AS ANYBODY GOES INTO THE PARK, YOU SEE THERE'S MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THERE.
WE NOW HAVE TO CALL TRIP AND ASK HIM, HEY, CAN WE DO THIS ON THIS WEEKEND? CUZ OF, YOU KNOW, PARK'S JUST GETTING BOOKED UP MORE AND MORE.
SO, SO THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL YOUR HELP.
WE JUST, THE STAFF OF LAVENDER PARK AND, AND JEFFERSON PARISH IN GENERAL WOULD LOVE TO, WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS.
ALL OF THE THINGS YOU DO FOR US, MAKE MY JOB EASIER.
IT IT IS, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE COME TO THE PARK.
IT'S WONDERFUL THAT THEY'RE ALL GETTING TO EXPERIENCE THE JEWEL OF JEFFERSON PARISH, BUT YOU GUYS MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO IT.
UH, THE KING K CRAWL WAS INCREDIBLE.
WE CAN'T BLAME THE WEATHER, MAN AT ALL.
BUT WHEN YOU BRING FOUR OR 5,000 PEOPLE TO THE PARK AND THEY ENJOY THE, THE AMENITIES WE HAVE, THAT'S FOUR OR 5,000 MORE PEOPLE WHO TELL MORE PEOPLE WHO TELL MORE PEOPLE.
WE GET MORE RENTALS FROM IT, THE CAROUSEL, EVERYTHING.
SO IT'S A SNOWBALL AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PARK AND WITH HIS BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE GARDENS ALL AROUND THE PARK.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT'S GONNA BE? AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK BARRY BOARD LONG FOR YOUR FIRST HUGE CONTRIBUTION FOR IT.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, MS. GUGGENHEIMER IS HERE.
SHE'S GONNA CHAIR THAT COMMITTEE FOR US.
SO WE'RE GONNA PUT FLOWERS ALL OVER THE GARDEN.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING US TO DO THAT.
WE'RE GONNA LIGHT IT UP FOR YOU.
PUTTING ON A DIFFERENT HAT, UM, I WANNA TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO MAKE LAIER PARK THE NEW HOME OF DAWN BUSTERS.
KIWANIS, FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE'RE IN 80 COUNTRIES NOW.
THERE ARE OVER 8,000 DIFFERENT KIWANIS GROUPS AROUND THE WORLD.
WE'RE THE 10TH LARGEST IN THE WORLD, AND WE DO MORE SERVICE WORK THAN ANY QANTAS CLUB ANYWHERE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
BUT WHILE I'M HERE, SATURDAY NIGHT IS THE CREW OF MATT HATTERS.
I HAPPEN TO BE THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE PARISH.
IN THE REVIEWING STAN, ON SATURDAY NIGHT THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 143 UNITS, 39 FLOATS, 21 PEOPLE OR 21 GROUPS PLAYING MUSIC.
AND WE'RE HONORING ONE OF THE GREAT AMERICANS IN THE WORLD TODAY, THE GREAT BOB WALKER.
SO I KNOW WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE CONSOLE AT THIS THING SATURDAY.
BUT, UM, FOR ALL OF YOU PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, DAWN BUSTERS.ORG AND FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CONS THAT ARE NOT MEMBERS OF DAWN BUSTERS YET, I'M THE NEW MEMBER CHAIRMAN AND I'M AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PARISH PRESENT.
DID YOU JOIN US FOR A PICTURE? THANKS.
[00:50:01]
OKAY EVERYBODY HERE WE GO ON 3 1, 2, 3, AND WE'LL GET ONE MORE.CAN WE GET, UH, THE JED CO STAFF AND JERRY BOLOGNA BACK UP ONCE AGAIN.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT AN IMPORTANT JED CO UH, WHAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH JED CO IS AND HOW CRITICAL THEIR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THEY DO IS FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO WE'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING ONE OF THEIR RECENT HONORS, WHEREAS THE JEFFERSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION'S MISSION IS TO BUILD A RESILIENT, EQUITABLE, DIVERSE AND COMPETITIVE ECONOMY IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
WHEREAS JED CO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY AS A PREMIER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN 14 YEARS, MAKE IT THE LONGEST, CONTINUOUSLY ACCREDITED A E D O IN THE STATE AND THE SECOND LONGEST RUNNING A E D O IN THE GULF SOUTH BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
WHEREAS THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS THE LARGEST MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION SERVING ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORLD.
IT'S A E D O PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE PEER REVIEW PROCESS THAT CONSISTS OF TWO PHASES, A DOCUMENTATION REVIEW AND AN ONSITE VISIT.
WHEREAS EARNING THE A E D O ACCREDITATION SIGNALS TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROSPECTIVE BUSINESSES, THE JED CO HAS OBTAINED A MEASURE OF EXTREME EXCELLENCE.
JED CO WAS RECOGNIZED FOR KEY PROJECTS SUCH AS FACILITATING THE PURCHASE AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ICONIC AVONDALE SHIPYARD, SUPPORTING THE OSSNER HEALTH SYSTEM EXPANSION ALONG JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, RETAINING US FOODS, ATTRACTING MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES SUCH AS SLEEP NUMBER DINER NOBLE AND FUJI VEGETABLE OIL TO JEFFERSON PARISH, COMPLETING A MASTER PLAN FOR THE CHURCHILL TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS PARK, SECURING A FEDERAL GRANT TO AID IN DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL BROWNFIELD SITES AND SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 1500 SQUARE FOOT MODEL HOME THROUGH THE TERRYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION STRATEGIC PLAN.
IS THAT ALL
THEREFORE, THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY RECOGNIZES THE JCO STAFF FOR THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT AND FOR THEIR EXEMPLARY WORK FOR THE CITIZENS OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY.
I'LL, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF CUZ THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME.
UH, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE JED CO TEAM AND SOME OF OUR, OUR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE UP HERE AND REALLY ABOUT YOU, THE COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION WHO GIVE US THE, THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
CYNTHIA DIDN'T MENTION IT, BUT WHEN SHE STARTED 34 YEARS AGO, SHE TELLS ME WE HAD ONE DESK AND NO DOOR HANDLES ON, ON THE OFFICE.
SO, UH, THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THAT AND GROWN IT INTO, UH, ONE OF THE PREMIER, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA.
I HOPE IT MAKES, UH, MAKES YOU PROUD.
AND I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACHIEVE THIS ACCREDITATION, UH, LOOK AT THAT OFTEN AS THE PINNACLE.
AND I THINK WE LOOK AT THAT AS THE BASELINE AND A PLATFORM TO ACHIEVE MORE AND DO MORE FOR JEFFERSON.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR SUPPORT.
THESE GLASSES OFF HERE, WHICH MAKES A HOLE.
I'LL DUCK DOWN, I'LL DUCK DOWN.
RIGHT ALL CONGRATULATIONS MAN.
I JUST KNOW Y'ALL HAD SO MANY S ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE UP MR. PATRICK HAMBY FROM ENERGY NOW FOR A FEW WORDS.
HE GETS SOME TIME AND IS NOT EVEN HURRICANE SEASON.
[00:55:15]
GOOD MORNING.WE'RE JUST GETTING THE PRESENTATION, UH, SET UP.
COUNCIL BANANA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. HAMBY IN INTERIM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. HAMBY.
YOU KNOW, I WISH YOU WERE HERE IN BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE STRUGGLED MIGHTILY AFTER IDA TO GET OUR STREETLIGHTS BACK INTO SERVICE.
AND I, I CONSIDER OUR STREETLIGHTS OUR FIRST LINE DEFENSE AGAINST CRIME.
A WELL AS STREET IS A DETERRENT FOR CRIMINALS TO COME AROUND AND TRY TO ROB YOUR CAR AND COMMIT CRIMES FOLLOWING IDA.
YOU GUYS BROUGHT IN SOME SUBCONTRACTORS AND GOT THAT UNDER CONTROL, BUT I HAVE TO BE CANDID WITH YOU, THAT SITUATION HAS GROWN VERY MUCH WORSE OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS.
UH, JUST ABOUT ON A DAILY BASIS, MY OFFICE GETS A COMPLAINT ABOUT A STREET LIGHT THAT'S OUT AND IT'S JUST NOT A STREET LIGHT THAT'S OUT FOR A WEEK OR TWO, BUT FOR NUMEROUS DAYS.
AND SO LAST WEEK I CONTACTED THE HEAD OF OUR STREET LIGHTING DIVISION AND I ASKED HER FOR A LIST OF THE NUMBER OF STREETLIGHTS OUT JUST IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THERE'S 73 LIGHTS OUT JUST IN MY DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU SPREAD THAT OUT OF A FIVE DISTRICTS, WE GOT 350 TO 400 LIGHTS OUT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO ALLOW THIS SITUATION TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
AT SIX O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, I GOT AN EMAIL AND IF YOU'LL HUMOR ME FOR A MINUTE, I'M GONNA READ IT.
IT'S FROM ONE OF MY RESIDENTS IN RIVER RIDGE.
TWO WEEKS LATER AND STILL NO RESOLUTION TO THE STREETLIGHT ISSUE THAT I'VE RAISED IN MY ORIGINAL EMAIL, AND I'M GONNA READ TO HER ORIGINAL EMAIL TO ME.
I HOPE YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER CONCERNING TWO STREET LIGHTS IN RIVER RIDGE.
THE FIRST IS LOCATED AT 1000 1 0 4 JANE COURT, AND THE SECOND IS ACROSS FROM 1001 13 LUCY COURT.
BOTH OF THESE LIGHTS NOT WORKING ARE LOCATED ON WOODEN POLES, AND WERE FIRST REPORTED ONLINE ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2022.
TO SAY THAT THIS RESIDENT IS FRUSTRATED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
SHE SAYS THAT SHE APPRECIATES ALL OUR EFFORT AND HOPES THAT THE COUNCIL CAN FIND SOME RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER.
SO WITH THAT, I ASK FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO TELL US WHAT ENTITY IS GOING TO DO TO GET THESE LIGHTS REPAIRED AND GET BACK INTO SOME SYSTEM WHERE IT DOESN'T TAKE SIX WEEKS TO GET A STREETLIGHT REPAIRED FROM THE TIME IT'S REPORTED.
CAN, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY.
I'M PATRICK CANBY ON BEHALF OF ENERGY, LOUISIANA, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M HERE TODAY TO DO, IS TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS AND LET YOU KNOW OF OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE ASKED, TO MAKE IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO, NOT SIX WEEKS TO GET ALL OF THESE LIGHTS RESOLVED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE LIGHTING WORLD, WE WILL NEVER HAVE EVERY SINGLE LIGHT BURNING AT ONE TIME FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
WE HAVE LIGHTNING STORMS, CARS HITTING POLES, EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST GETS OLD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, SIMILAR TO LIGHT BULBS IN YOUR HOUSE.
BUT WE DO OUR VERY BEST AND WE DO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR STAFF, ANGELA DESOTO AND CATHERINE BENNETT.
AND WE MONITOR THE PARISHES LIST AS WELL AS THE COMPLAINTS WE GET.
BUT I'LL ROLL INTO KIND OF A HISTORY OF ALL OF THE LIGHTS, INCLUDING DISTRICT, UH, TOO, BUT, BUT MORE ENCOMPASSING THE WHOLE PARISH AND WHAT PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AND, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TO ALLEVIATE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
YOU WILL SEE HERE THE SUMMARY AND YOU MENTIONED, UH, 73 LIGHTS IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT THE FIRST COLUMN ON THE LEFT ARE THE REPORTED LIGHTS THAT COME THROUGH THE PARISH, AND THAT'S FOR THE WHOLE PARISH.
AND THIS IS AS OF, UH, MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH.
WE SAT DOWN AND MET WITH YOUR TEAM.
WE DO IT ON A PRETTY REGULAR CADENCE, AT LEAST ONCE A QUARTER, YOU KNOW, FOUR TIMES A YEAR OR MORE TO REVIEW THE LIST THAT YOU GUYS COMPILE THAT HAD 700 OR 611 LIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING OUT, UH, SINCE THAT TIME.
AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THREE WEEKS OR SO.
WE GOT 535 OF THOSE LIGHTS REPAIRED.
WE HAVE 76 LIGHTS REMAINING OUT.
UH, THE MIDDLE COLUMN THERE, YOU WILL SEE THOSE ARE THE, THE CUSTOMERS THAT DIRECTLY REPORT 'EM TO US TO ENERGY.
SO THAT WE HAD 1,304 LIGHTS REPORTED OUT.
AND OF THAT, THAT NUMBER WE HAD REPAIRED OR WE HAVE REPAIRED 652, WHICH WERE ON THE EAST BANK, 308, WHICH WERE ON THE WEST BANK, AND THEN 72 IN THE OUTER AREAS, WHICH ARE, UH, WEST WEGO, GRETNA, HARAHAN, AND PROBABLY PARTS OF KENNER AS WELL.
AND THAT THIRD COLUMN IS JUST WHAT WE HAVE LEFT TO DO.
WE HAVE FOR THE REMAINING LIGHTS THAT WERE REPORTED TO ENERGY, WE HAVE 272 THAT REMAIN OUT.
THAT'S 124 ON THE EAST BANK, 106 ON THE WEST BANK, AND 42 IN THOSE KIND OF PERIPHERAL AREAS WITHIN THE PARISH.
YOU'LL SEE AT THE TOP THOUGH, WE DO HAVE 35,000 LIGHTS THAT WE MAINTAIN.
THE PERCENTAGE IS SMALL, BUT I GET IT.
[01:00:01]
WANT TO HEAR THAT.WE WANT ALL THE LIGHTS TO BE ON AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE OBVIOUS REASONS THAT YOU MENTIONED HERE, UH, BEFOREHAND.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS SLIDE IS THE BOX DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
ALL OF THESE LIGHTS ON THIS LIST THAT YOU SEE HERE, INCLUDING THE 73 AND DISTRICT TWO WILL BE REPLACED OUR REPAIRED THIS WEEK.
A LARGE PORTION OF THEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ACTUALLY THROUGH LAST NIGHT, BUT WE'RE CLEANING UP EVERYTHING THROUGH THE END OF THIS WEEK.
AND THAT'S, UH, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU TO GET THINGS CLEARED UP, GET THAT BASELINE BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN EASIER PROGRESSION GOING FORWARD.
NOW THIS IS JUST A SLIDE THAT, THAT SHOWS IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR REACTIVE STREETLIGHT REPAIRS, OTHER THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM ON, UH, SOME OF IT WAS HIT ON HERE TODAY, BUT TO GO BACK TO THE STREET LIGHTS, WE'VE REPAIRED 1,567 STREET LIGHTS.
THAT'S THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PARISH, AND THAT IS ALL THE LISTS, THAT'S THE ONES THAT YOU GUYS REPORT TO US, AND THE ONES THAT THE CUSTOMERS REPORT DIRECTLY TO US AS WELL.
WE ALSO HAVE DONE SOME, SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR THE MARDI GRAS PARADES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER.
SO ON THE WEST BANK WE HAD AN L E D UPGRADE OVER BY AMES AND LAPALCO, YOU HAD SOME EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LIGHTS AND YOU MENTIONED SAFETY.
THEY, THEY PUT OUT LIGHT, THAT'S JUST AN OLDER TECHNOLOGY.
THEY'RE NOT AS GOOD OF A LIGHT AS L E D.
SO WE PUT SOME L E D LIGHTS IN THERE AT THE REQUEST AND IN COORDINATION, UH, WITH THE PARISH, THAT WAS ABOUT 44 LIGHTS.
WE HAD A FAMILY GROW PROCLAMATION HERE.
SO WE HAD MADE SURE THAT THE ENERGY, UH, HAD SUPPLIED ADEQUATE ELECTRICAL SERVICES, NOT ONLY FOR THE BANDS, BUT FOR SECURITY LIGHTS AS WELL THERE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE MADE LIGHTING REPAIRS, UH, FOR THE KENNER PARADE AS WELL.
AND WE'VE ALSO WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR TRAFFIC CONTROL GROUP TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE, UH, POWER LINES ARE RAISED SO THE FLOATS COULD SAFELY PASS UNDERNEATH.
NOW I'M GONNA GO INTO THE RE A NEW REPORTING APP THAT WE HAVE.
THERE'S AN ONLINE VERSION WHERE YOU COULD GET IT ACCESSED BY YOUR COMPUTER.
AND YOU CAN ALSO DO, UH, A, A MORE KIND OF UPDATED VERSION ON YOUR MOBILE APP, ON YOUR SMARTPHONE.
AND I'LL GET INTO THE DETAILS HERE.
SO ON YOUR COMPUTER, YOU GO TO OUR OUR ENERGY.COM WEBSITE.
YOU SELECT ENERGY LOUISIANA AS YOUR SERVICE PROVIDER, AND YOU'LL SEE DOWN TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THAT PAGE THEY HAVE A PRODUCT AND SERVICES SECTION.
I'VE CIRCLED IT OVER ON THE LEFT.
YOU CAN REPORT EITHER A SECURITY LIGHT OUT.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THE, THE SQUARE LIGHTS THAT YOU HAVE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OR STREET LIGHTS OUT, WHICH ARE THE LIGHTS ON THE WOODEN POLES THAT, UH, YOU GET THE MOST COMPLAINTS ABOUT.
SO ON YOUR SMARTPHONE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, EITHER AN IPHONE OR, OR A DROID.
YOU CAN GO TO THE APPLE STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY STORE, GET SIMILAR INFORMATION, BUT IT HAS SOME ENHANCEMENTS THAT I'LL GO TO.
SO ON THE SMARTPHONE APP, IT IS GPS ENABLED.
SO IT'S IN ESSENCE, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING YOU AROUND TO HELP US GET GPS COORDINATES.
WHEN YOU TAP WHERE THE LIGHT IS, IT FLAGS IT ON A MAP TO HELP OUR SERVICE GUYS IDENTIFY AND REPAIR THE LIGHT QUICKER.
IT ALSO HAS, UM, A TRACKING SECTION THERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE LIGHT OR WHEN THE LIGHT HAS BEEN REPAIRED, AND YOU CAN DO MULTIPLE LIGHTS.
YOU ENTER ONE AT A TIME, YOU JUST HAVE TO GO TO THE BACK BUTTON, ENTER ANOTHER ONE.
AND EACH LIGHT THAT YOU REPORT HAS ITS UNIQUE GPS COORDINATES THERE.
AGAIN, TO HELP US IDENTIFY QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE LIGHT IS SO WE CAN REPAIR IT FASTER.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS AND REITERATE THAT I, I DO AGREE WITH YOUR CONCERNS.
COUNCILMAN BANANA WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO, UH, GET THIS REMEDY.
WELL, ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS I HAVE, LOOKING AT YOUR OWN NUMBERS, BY YOUR OWN ADMISSION, WHY DO THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUTAGES OCCUR IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
I BELIEVE I CAN GO GET ALL THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOR YOU FOLLOW UP AFTERWARDS.
I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS ON DISTRICT TWO BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE REQUEST.
DOMINIC, I, I'LL, I'LL BEG TO DIFFER WITH YOU.
DINO DOMINIC'S
DINO, DINO, I'LL BEG TO DIFFER WITH YOU, UH, BETTY AND JULIA STREET LIGHTS, NOT ONE OF THEM ARE WORKING GOTCHA.
AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHERE THE PUBLIC HOUSING IS OFF OF ACRES ROAD IN MARRERO, NOT A SINGLE LIGHT IS WORKING.
AND IF YOU DRIVE DOWN THAT STREET, BOTH OF THOSE STREETS ON BETTY AND JULIA, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IS PROBABLY ABOUT 40 OR 50 LIGHTS THAT ARE THERE BUT ARE NOT WORKING.
NOW, WE'VE REPORTED THAT AND WE'VE HAD THE PUBLIC HOUSING MANAGEMENT FOLKS TO REPORT IT.