[BACKGROUND] 
          [MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]
          [00:00:34]
          >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THIS IS THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28, 2024, WHERE AT THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING, 200 DERBIGNY STREET, GRETNA, LOUISIANA. 
          THIS MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. 
          I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN TO INTRODUCE HER GUEST FOR TODAY'S INVOCATION. 
          >> I WANT TO BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION THIS MORNING, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO PUT UP A PICTURE OF SOMEONE WE LOST. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY THE OTHER PICTURE THAT WE HAD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS ONE. THANKS, JUSTIN. 
          TOO MUCH LOSS IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. 
          SO CAROL WATSON SMITH IS AN EXTENDED MEMBER OF OUR COUNCIL FAMILY OF OUR COLLEAGUE ON THE COUNCIL, BYRON LEE, AND PAM WATSON, AGAIN, WHO'S PART OF OUR COUNCIL FAMILY, LOST FAR TOO YOUNG AT 57. 
          THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE FOR HER THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND WE JUST REALLY WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS A PARISH FAMILY TO CELEBRATE CAROL'S LIFE AND KEEP ALL THOSE WHO LOVE HER IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. 
          THANK YOU. ON ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I KNOW FOLKS WOKE UP TO AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER ABOUT DISSENSION AND DISCORD, AND SO I'M GOING TO OFFER A LITTLE PRAYER THIS MORNING FOR UNITY, FOR RESPECT, FOR PATIENCE, FOR UNDERSTANDING. 
          LIKE ANY GOOD TEAM, WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER AND WE'RE BETTER FINDING WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD. 
          I ASKED FOR A UNIFIED PRAYER IN THAT REGARD. 
          NOW TO THE PICTURE YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. 
          MOST OF THE TIMES WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS INVITE SOMEONE TO LEAD US IN PRAYER. 
          IT'S A HEAD OF A CHURCH, A VARIETY OF FAITHS. 
          BUT THIS MORNING, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO'S JUST A REGULAR PERSON LIKE US WHO DOES NOT LEAD A CHURCH, BUT IS CERTAINLY A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE STRENGTH OF WHAT FAITH CAN DO IN YOUR LIFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE AN UNEXPECTED LOSS. 
          YOU SEE THE POLEATE FAMILY HERE ON YOUR SCREEN. 
          THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN YOU SEE IS JEZREEL. 
          JEZREEL WAS LOST IN A SENSELESS SHOOTING EARLIER THIS YEAR. 
          SHE WAS JUST IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT. 
          I'LL TELL YOU, I REMEMBER WHEN I HEARD THE FAMILY SPEAKING ON TELEVISION IN THOSE NEWS REPORTS, AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT STRENGTH THEY EXHIBITED, AND I REMEMBER MR. POLEATE PARTICULARLY SAYING, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE FAITH. 
          THAT IS WHY YOU GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE IT STORES UP WHAT YOU NEED FOR WHEN THERE IS LOSS. 
          I JUST THINK THERE COULDN'T BE A BETTER EXAMPLE OF A LOCAL JEFFERSON PARISH FAMILY WHO EXHIBITS PRAYER AND FAITHFULNESS, EVEN IN JUST TRULY TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          I'M GOING TO ASK SHARON POLEATE, WHO IS A MEMBER OF SIX BAPTIST CHURCH. 
          I KNOW IF DR. TORIN SANDERS WAS HERE, HE WOULD HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AS WELL, BUT I'D LIKE SHARON TO COME UP NOW AND LEAD US IN PRAYER. 
          >> GOOD MORNING, WILL YOU BOW YOUR HEAD IN PRAYER. 
          FATHER GOD, IN THE NAME OF JESUS AS WE COME, FATHER GOD. 
          WE COME SAYING THANK YOU, GOD. 
          IF WE HAD 10,000 TONS, FATHER GOD, IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO THANK YOU. 
          OH, FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR LAST NIGHT REST YOU WASHED OVER AND KEPT US AND PROTECT US, FATHER GOD. 
          THEN YOU WOKE US UP THIS MORNING, FATHER GOD. 
          YOU DIDN'T JUST WAKE US UP. 
          WE WAS ABLE TO GET UP LORD IN OUR RIGHT MIND, FATHER GOD, AND FOR THAT, WE SAID, THANK YOU FATHER GOD. 
          YOU ALLOW US TO BE HERE IN THIS MEETING ON THIS MORNING. 
          LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS 28TH DAY OF AUGUST 2024. 
          YOU GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT. 
          ANOTHER CHANCE TO DO WHAT WAS PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT. 
          [00:05:02]
OH, GOD, WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART, OUR SOUL, OUR MIND AND OUR BEING, GOD. 
          OH, FATHER GOD, AS I COME FATHER GOD, I COME LIFTING UP THIS COMMUNITY FATHER GOD. 
          I LIFT UP JEFFERSON PARISH AS A WHOLE. 
          EVERY EMPLOYEE, FATHER GOD. 
          I LIFT UP THIS COUNSEL, FATHER GOD, IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS THAT THERE WOULD BE FOR THE PEOPLE, FATHER GOD. 
          I ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM AND SURROUND THEM WITH GODLY COUNSEL, GOD. 
          OH FATHER GOD, I LIFT UP ALL THE SCHOOLS. 
          I COME AGAINST LOCKDOWNS IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, FATHER GOD. 
          OH, FATHER GOD, WE NEED YOU. 
          WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT YOU IN THIS PARISH, OH GOD. 
          OH FATHER GOD, AS I COME FATHER GOD. 
          WE COME LEANING ON YOUR NAME, FATHER GOD. 
          LORD, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WE LOVE YOU, OH GOD, FOR EVERYONE THAT'S REPRESENTED HERE FATHER GOD. 
          MAKE OUR HOMES HOMES OF LOVE AND JOY, AND PEACE AND PRAYER, FATHER GOD AND ESPECIALLY PROSPERITY, GOD. 
          OH, GOD AS I COME FATHER GOD, AND IS THANKING YOU, FATHER GOD FOR THIS BLESSED OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, FATHER GOD, TO GIVE YOUR NAME, GLORY, HONOR, AND PRAISE, WHICH YOU SO RIGHTFULLY DESERVE OF GOD. 
          OH, GOD, EVERYONE IN THIS MEETING, FATHER GOD. 
          THEY NEED YOU FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER, GOD. 
          I'M JUST LIFTING UP THE SMITH FAMILY, FATHER GOD. 
          ALL BEREAVED FAMILIES, FATHER GOD. 
          I KNOW I HAD A LOSS, FATHER GOD, BUT OUR LOSS IS NOT IN VAIN, GOD. 
          I KNOW THAT SOULS WILL BE SAVED IN LIVES WILL BE TOUCHED, OH GOD, IN THE MIGHTY MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS. 
          NO OTHER NAME, I PRAY PRAY, SING OR SPEAK LORD, IS IN YOUR NAME AND GLORY TO YOUR NAME, HALLELUJAH, AMEN. 
          >> MAYOR CONSTANT, WOULD YOU MIND LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE THIS MORNING? 
          >> WE'LL HEAR FROM GRETNA MAYOR BELINDA CONSTANT IN A FEW MINUTES REGARDING THE UPCOMING GRETNA FEST 2024. 
          I'LL BE RIGHT AFTER THE PARISH PRESIDENT'S REMARKS. 
          MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. 
          >> CHAIRMAN WALKER. 
          >> PRESENT. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> PRESENT. 
          >> COUNCILMAN EDWARDS. 
          >> PRESENT. 
          >> COUNCILMAN BONANO? 
          >> HERE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> HERE. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN? 
          >> HERE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJBERG? 
          >> HERE. 
          >> PARISH PRESIDENT MS. LEE SHENG? YES, MA'AM. 
          >> I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. MADAM PRESIDENT. 
          THE FLOOR IS YOURS. TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. 
          [PARISH PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL]
          >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I DON'T THINK MY MICROPHONE IS ON. 
          >> YEAH. 
          >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I'LL START WITH OUR WATER DEPARTMENT. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF INITIATIVES GOING ON. 
          OUR JEFFERSON PARISH WATER DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL ITEMS TO DECREASE THE WAIT TIME FOR OUR CALLERS, IN ADDITION TO MANY OTHER NEXT LEVEL INITIATIVES ARE IN THE WORKS TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH A HIGH QUALITY RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT WATER SYSTEM. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES. 
          WE RESTRUCTURED THE UTILITY BILLING DIVISION TO THE UTILITY SERVICES DIVISION TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY WITH A MORE MODERN WAY OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMER RELATION SPECIALIST, INCREASED STARTING PAY FOR OUR CUSTOMER RELATION SPECIALIST, SECURED TWO STAFFING AGENCY CONTRACTS FOR STAFFING SUPPORT, AND EXTENDED OUR EMPLOYEE HOURS TO 40 HOURS TO IMPROVE ONLINE AND EMAIL RESPONSIVENESS AND ENABLE TO CALL BACK FEATURES SO THAT CUSTOMERS NO LONGER HAVE TO WAIT ON HOLD. 
          NOW WE HAVE 12 CUSTOMER RELATION SPECIALISTS ON THE PHONE. 
          YOU WILL RECALL THIS GOES BACK TO COVID, THE LONG WAIT TIMES I MYSELF EXPERIENCE VERY LONG WAIT TIMES. 
          WE KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM THERE. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS A PERSONNEL ISSUE. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. 
          WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY HIRING PEOPLE. 
          BUT PRIOR TO THESE CHANGES, WE HAD AN AVERAGE WAIT TIME OF ABOUT 51 MINUTES THAT NO ONE WAS PROUD OF. 
          BUT AGAIN, THIS WAS A STAFFING ISSUE FOR US AND ONLY SIX CUSTOMER RELATIONS SPECIALS ON THE PHONE AND WE'RE PROUD THAT WE'VE CUT THAT TIME IN HALF, AND WE EXPECT EVEN MORE CHANGES ONCE ALL OF OUR TRAINED STAFF GET ONLINE. 
          CURRENTLY, WE'RE ANALYZING OUR CALLER ANALYTICS AND RECORDING THE REASON FOR EACH CALL TO IMPROVE OUR OPERATIONS. 
          WE'VE ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF NEW PROJECTS IN THE WORKS THAT WILL MAKE US EVEN MORE EFFICIENT, INCLUDING AN INTERACTIVE CHAT BOX. 
          TO RECOGNIZE THE CALLER'S PHONE NUMBER OR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND PROVIDE ACCOUNT INFORMATION THROUGH A CHAT BOX. 
          THE CALLER ASSIST FEATURE WILL PROMPT THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS SPECIALIST WITH SPECIFIC INFORMATION RELATED TO THAT CUSTOMER TO HELP BETTER STREAMLINE THE CALL. 
          I'M ALSO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR JEFFERSON PARISH WATER OUTAGE MAP IS NOW LIVE. 
          THE PUBLIC CAN VISIT WWW.JEFFPARISH.GOV/WATERADVISORIES TO VIEW REAL TIME INFORMATION ON ALL CURRENT WATER AND SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS IN JEFFERSON PARISH, INCLUDING CONFIRM OUTAGES BY OUR WATER DEPARTMENT AND POSSIBLE OUTAGES REPORTED BY THE PUBLIC. 
          [00:10:03]
ADDITIONALLY, OUR WATER DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A FINANCIAL DEBT RECOVERY PROGRAM TO ALERT CUSTOMERS WITH UNCOLLECTED DEBT AND GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO CLEAR THE DEBT AND HELP ENSURE JEFFERSON PARISH IS MADE WHOLE. 
          WE ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY $17 MILLION IN UNCOLLECTED DEBT SINCE 1999, WITH 10 MILLION IN DEBT DUE TO THE WATER DISCONNECTION MORATORIUM DURING COVID. 
          THIS IS SIMPLY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT PAYING THEIR BILLS AND OWE US MONEY. 
          HOWEVER, WE WERE ABLE TO CUT THAT DEBT IN HALF THROUGH AN ORDINANCE CHANGE. 
          WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE ESTABLISHED AN ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS US TO SUBMIT UNCOLLECTED DEBT ALONG WITH A CUSTOMER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID NUMBER TO THE STATE FOR COLLECTION AND REVERSAL OF THEIR STATE INCOME TAX REFUND TO PAY UNCOLLECTED DEBT BACK TO JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          EVERY CUSTOMER WITH UNCOLLECTED DEBT WILL RECEIVE A LETTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO PAY THE DEBT ONLINE BY PHONE WITH AUTOMATED SERVICES OR BY MAIL. 
          I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT OUR WATER DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY HARD AT WORK MANAGING MULTIPLE PROJECTS TO UPDATE OUR AGING WATER SYSTEM, THANKS TO THE RATE INCREASE THAT YOU ALL PASSED AT MY URGING EVERY JANUARY THAT IT GOES UP. 
          A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE RATE INCREASE INCLUDE THE ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. 
          WE'RE SECURING THAT CONTRACT FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE REAL TIME WATER USAGE FOR EACH CUSTOMER AND ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR MANUAL METER READERS. 
          THEY'LL ALSO BE A USER FRIENDLY APP THAT WILL PUSH TEXT AND EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS AND ALERTS DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE ABOUT LEAKS, HIGH CONSUMPTION AND BILL PAYMENT DUE DATES. 
          THE WATER TOWER REHAB PROJECT, EVERYBODY CAN SEE THOSE UNDERWAY WITH OUR FINAL EAST BANK TOWER NAIL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. 
          THE BRIDGE CITY TOWER WAS THE FIRST ON THE WEST BANK TO BE COMPLETED WITH FIVE MORE TOWER REHABS TO FOLLOW. 
          THEN THE GRAND ISLE WATER TOWER WAS ALSO DEMOLISHED TO PROVIDE GRAND ISLE WITH AN EMERGENCY SECONDARY WATER SOURCE. 
          THE EAST BANK TREATMENT PLANT GRADE WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 40 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OF WATER TO THE EAST BANK. 
          THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR NATURAL DISASTERS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES WITH A LOT. 
          THE PHASE 1 WATER INTAKE WAS COMPLETED. 
          THE PHASE 2, NEW STATE OF THE ART LABORATORY IS 70% COMPLETED AND THE NEW PHASE 3, THAT'LL BE THE P4 PLANT IS SLATED TO GO OUT FOR BID IN 2025. 
          THEN THE GENERATOR REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND OUR WATER SYSTEM INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL BACKUP GENERATORS FOR THE WEST BANK WATER TREATMENT PLANT, LAFITTE BOOSTER STATION, AND GRAND AISLE. 
          THEN THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS 70 WATER PROJECTS UNDER DESIGN ACROSS THE PARISH FOR A PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE THOSE FIRST PROJECTS IN 2025 FOR CONSTRUCTION. 
          THAT PROJECT WILL REPLACE 17% OF THE SYSTEM IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS. 
          THEN THE UTILITY SERVICE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL PROVIDE THE SPACE FOR A LARGER CALL CENTER, MAIL PROCESS ROOM, AND PAYMENT DROP OFF LANE. 
          JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT ALL THE MAJOR ADVANCES WE'RE DOING THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS DON'T NECESSARILY SEE, BUT A LOT OF WORK IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO GIVE YOU A MODERN AND UP TO DATE WATER SYSTEM. 
          I'LL MOVE ON TO THE LIBRARY. 
          OUR LIBRARY HAS LAUNCHED A MORE USER FRIENDLY ONLINE CALENDAR EVENTS AND MEETING ROOM RESERVATION PORTAL. 
          THE NEW SYSTEM KNOWN AS LIBRARY MARKET CAN BE ACCESSED AT WWW.JPLIBRARY.NET. 
          THE LIBRARY HAS MANY UPCOMING EVENTS, ALL INCLUDED ON THE ONLINE CALENDAR. 
          I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW. KENNETH HOFFMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM OF THE SOUTHERN JEWISH EXPERIENCE. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO DISCUSS JEWISH GENEALOGY AND OTHER RELATED TOPICS AT 7:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH AT THE EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY. 
          THERE'LL BE AN INFORMATION SESSION TO DISCUSS WAYS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT BY USING YOUR BACKYARD FOR CHICKEN FARMING, CREATING BUTTERFLY AND BIRD HABITATS AND BEEKEEPING AT 9:30 AM ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH AT THE WEST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY. 
          SHEILA KAWA PERSONAL FINANCES CONSULTANT WILL LEAD A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AT 6:30 PM. 
          ALL FOUR TUESDAYS IN SEPTEMBER OF THE WESTWEGO LIBRARY. 
          YOGA BY THE BOOKS IS OFFERED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FROM 12:00-2:00 PM AT THE GRETNA LIBRARY, AND ZEN MEDITATION IS OFFERED FROM 9:30-10:30 AM EVERY SATURDAY. 
          JEFFERSON PARISH ANIMAL WELFARE SERVICES JPAWS CONTINUES TO TAKE PART IN THE TENTH ANNUAL CLEAR THE SHELTERS PET ADOPTION EVENT, WHICH WILL BE HELD THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10TH. 
          DURING THIS TIME, ALL DOG AND CAT ADOPTIONS WILL BE $10. 
          THIS WILL INCLUDE SPAY, NEUTER, RABIES VACCINATION, AND MICRO CHIPPING FOR MORE INFORMATION CALLED JPAWS AT 504-349-5111. 
          THEN A SURPLUS AUCTION. OUR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH GOVERNMENT DEALS, GOV DEALS, WILL HOST AN ONLINE SURPLUS PROPERTY AUCTION STARTING AUGUST 26TH, WHICH IS GOING TO RUN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 9TH. 
          THE AUCTION INCLUDES LARGE TRUCKS, TRAILERS, EXCAVATORS, BUSES, TRACTORS, AND MISCELLANEOUS SMALL ENGINE EQUIPMENT. 
          BIDDERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO VIEW ITEMS ON SITE AT OUR JEFFERSON PARISH SURPLUS YARD FROM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH THROUGH FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE AUCTION, 
          [00:15:01]
INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE ONE WEEK TO PICK UP THEIR ITEMS AT THE JEFFERSON PARISH SURPLUS YARD. 
          IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONLINE AUCTION, ALL NEW BIDDERS MUST FILL OUT THE BIDDER REGISTRATION FORM LOCATED AT GOVDEALS.COM. 
          PLEASE NOTE ALL JEFFERSON PARISH DEPARTMENT AGENCY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES ARE PROHIBITED FROM BIDDING ON AND PURCHASING ANY ITEMS. HOLIDAY CLOSURES, OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY. 
          JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE WILL BE NO CURBSIDE GARBAGE COLLECTION ON THIS MONDAY FOR RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED JEFFERSON PARISH AND THE TOWN OF JEAN LAFITTE AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH LANDFILL AND ALL DROP OFF SITES WILL ALSO BE CLOSED, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO REOPEN FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD. 
          JEFFERSON PARISH TRANSIT ON THAT DAY WILL RUN A SATURDAY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE AND WILL RESUME NORMAL SERVICES ON TUESDAY. 
          IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL CLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL OUR SERVICES, LOOK AT WWW.JEFFPARISH.GOV. 
          NOW TO ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS. 
          ITEM NUMBER 135 IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S REQUEST TO HAVE SOME OTHER ITEMS TO CREATE A NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS, BUT NUMBER 135 IS TO ASK FOR YOUR FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION TO NAME LEO WEBB IS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS. 
          YOU KNOW LEO VERY WELL. 
          HE IS THE CURRENTLY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OUR RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT. 
          HE HAS BEEN A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT WORKING FOR THE JEFFERSON PARISH GOVERNMENT FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, AS I KNEW WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL SIDE, HE OVERSEES MANY OF OUR JPRD CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          WHEN I THINK OF LEO, I THINK OF HIM WALKING INTO MY OFFICE WITH A SET OF ROLLED DESIGNS, PAPERWORK, ROLLED UP, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS UNDER HIS ARM. 
          HE HAS OVERSEEN CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM GYMNASIUMS TO TOT LOTS, TO SOCCER FIELDS TO WALKING TRAILS, TENNIS COURTS, TO PLAYGROUND. 
          ALL OF HIS PROJECTS ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET AND REFLECT HIS DEEP COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES. 
          BEYOND CONSTRUCTION, LEO'S LEADERSHIP IS INVALUABLE. 
          WITH HIS ASSISTANCE IN EARLY 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTRUCTURE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, A MOVE AIMED AT ENHANCING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND PROMOTING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE. 
          I'M CONFIDENT THAT HIS EXPERTISE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR PARKS WHERE MOST OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS WORK IS GOING TO. 
          I DO ASK FOR YOUR FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION FOR LEO WEBB NUMBER 135. 
          I'D ASK LEO JUST TO BE RECOGNIZED REAL QUICK IN THE AUDIENCE. WHERE ARE YOU LEO? YOU KNOW AND I KNOW YOU WORK WITH HIM WELL, COUNCIL OFFICES. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. 
          ANYBODY WITH COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE PARISH PRESIDENT? 
          >> NOTHING. 
          >> THANK YOU. MAYOR BELINDA CONSTANT OF GRETNA. 
          SHE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT GRETNA FEST, COMING UP IN JUST A FEW WEEKS. 
          BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. 
          >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO MADAM PRESIDENT, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL, TO THE DIRECTORS AND LEADERSHIP OF JEFFERSON PARISH AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE WHO STAND BEHIND ME. 
          I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS TODAY, BUT I COULDN'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE THE GRETNA FEST IN 2024 HAS BECOME A TRUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRETNA AND JEFFERSON PARISH, AND ALL OF US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO HELP US MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT'S TRULY BEEN PROVEN NOW, AND I'M GLAD TO SHARE THAT IT'S TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          WITH THAT, WE CAN START THE VIDEO. 
          [MUSIC] 
          [00:20:37]
          >> JUST TO TAKE ANOTHER MOMENT. 
          AS I REFERENCED EARLIER, WE DID A SURVEY BY A GLOBAL COMPANY, AND SOME OF THE RESULTS I JUST WANT TO SHARE QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT ASSETS THAT GO INTO THIS FESTIVAL. 
          OUR SATISFACTION RATE IS MEASURED AT 93.3% BY THE ATTENDEES, AND WE'LL SHOW YOU LATER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN THE SURVEY, 90.8% ARE VERY LIKELY TO RETURN, 26% WHICH IS INCREDIBLE FOR US, WERE FIRST TIME ATTENDEES LAST YEAR WITH 74% RETURNING ATTENDEES. 
          MOST ENJOYED AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S REFERENCED THERE, JUST THE AMBIENCE OF THE FESTIVAL, THE MUSIC SELECTION, AND THE EASE OF ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. 
          ATTENDEE PROFILE. 
          THIS IS WHAT'S CRITICAL, I THINK, IMPORTANT TO YOU AND TO THE CITY OF GRETNA, 50% OF THE ATTENDEES ARE NON JEFFERSON PARISH RESIDENTS. 
          I THINK THAT'S NOW WHAT SEPARATES US FROM LOTS OF OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THIS AREA AND HAS PUT US IN A PLACE OF REGIONAL ATTENTION, 12% OR OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS WITH 10% OF THAT REQUIRING OVERNIGHT LODGING, AGAIN, A CRITICAL ECONOMIC TOOL AND A POSITIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PARISH, WHERE WE HAVE SUPPLEMENTARY DIRECT SPENDING THROUGH THAT EFFORT THROUGH THE HOTEL STAYS AND OTHER EXPENDITURES OF OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS. 
          THE TOTAL, WE BELIEVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS PROVEN BY THE SURVEY FOR THIS METROPOLITAN AREA IS BETWEEN 8.5 AND $10 MILLION AND THIS IS ONLY MEASURING DIRECT AND ONSITE SPENDING. 
          EVERYTHING THAT IT COST US TO PUT ON THE FESTIVAL IS ON TOP OF THIS. 
          WE CAN MEASURE SOMEWHERE NOW BETWEEN $10 AND 16 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT. 
          A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SURVEY. 
          THERE WERE 25 QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE RESPONDED TO. 
          OVER 3,500 PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE WRISTBAND SYSTEM, WE WERE ABLE TO E MAIL DIRECTLY, 3,500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY WITH 2,700 FULLY COMPLETING THE SURVEY. 
          SOME WERE THROWN OUT, SO ALL OF THIS DATA IS MEASURED BY 2,700 PEOPLE. 
          THIS SATISFACTION IS SOUND AT 95%, HIGH CONFIDENCE RATING OF 19 TIMES OUT OF 20 WAS THE CONCLUSION BY THE COMPANY THAT DID THE SURVEY FOR US. 
          WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS BEING WELL MANAGED. 
          THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND COORDINATE ON THINGS. 
          THE DIFFERENCE WE CAN MAKE, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY OF GRETNA BUT ALL OF JEFFERSON PARISH, BOTH EAST BANK AND WEST BANK. 
          AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COORDINATION. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSETS. 
          THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THIS, AND I AM HERE TO PERSONALLY SAY, WE WILL MAKE YOU PROUD AGAIN IN 2024. 
          IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS TO COME. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH AND IN CONCLUSION, I JUST WANT TO SAY PERSONALLY FROM MY HEART AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU, COUNCILWOMAN LEE, AND KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AND SHARE THIS GREAT NEWS WITH ALL OF YOU. 
          >> MAYOR CONSTANT, CONGRATULATIONS ON 30 YEARS AND THE PATH THAT YOU'VE TRAVELED OVER THOSE YEARS AND HOW BIG YOU'VE BECOME. 
          I THINK IT'S NOT ONLY ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST IN THE AREA, BUT IN THE STATE AND IN THE REGION. 
          CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE HARD WORK. 
          I THINK IF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT GRETNA FEST, JUST THINK ABOUT THE RIVERFRONT AND MUSIC, I DON'T THINK THE FOOD IS TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH AND THE INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF BLOCKS AND BLOCKS AND BLOCKS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD. 
          THAT'S MY SECOND FAVORITE PART TO THE MUSIC IS THE FOOD. 
          CONGRATS ON ALL THE GREAT WORK. 
          >> FINAL COMPLIMENT, I HAVE TO SHADOW BRETT LAWSON. 
          IN HIS LITTLE SPARE TIME, HE GIVES IT TO US IN GRETNA FEST. 
          BECAUSE OF HIM IN A POST-COVID WORLD, WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH ME AND OTHERS, 
          [00:25:02]
THE REBRANDING AND THE REVIBE OF IT ALL HAS BROUGHT US TO A PLACE WE ARE TODAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRETT, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE? [APPLAUSE] 
          >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, MAYOR. 
          >> THANK YOU, MAYOR CONSTANT. WE WATCHING AGAIN, JUST? [LAUGHTER] 
          >> LET'S JUST PLAY GRETNA FEST MUSIC FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING. 
          LET'S JUST KEEP IT GOING IN THE BACKGROUND. 
          LET'S PLAY THAT THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE LINEUP IF WE WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER. 
          SURE. WHY NOT? WHILE WE'RE ON IT. 
          [MUSIC]. 
          >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU. 
          I'D LIKE TO YIELD THE FLOOR NOW, THE COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          [CONSENT AGENDA TWO (Part 1 of 3)]
          >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. LONG BEFORE TODAY'S HEADLINE AND LONG BEFORE LAST NIGHT'S HEADLINE AND LONG BEFORE THE FACEBOOK POST BY MS. VAN VRANCKEN. 
          I HAD ASKED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING. 
          THE REASON I WANTED TO SPEAK WAS BECAUSE I'M NEWER TO THE COUNCIL. 
          THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR. 
          I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME EXCITING NEWS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME IN PLAY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS ON THE SPECTRUM, AS WELL AS THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          IN JEFFERSON PARISH ONE OUT OF 13 HAVE THEM. 
          I HAD TALKED WITH AND LOBBIED WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHO ALL JUMPED IN FEET FIRST WITH ME. 
          I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY THIS MORNING ABOUT THE CAMARADERIE THAT I HAVE FOUND ON THIS COUNCIL. 
          WHEN I ASKED FOR HELP, THEY ALL STEPPED UP. 
          FINANCIALLY, THEY CONTRIBUTED, AND THEY ARE MAKING MY VISION OF AN INCLUSION PLAYGROUND AT LAFFINGER PARK, A REALITY. 
          WITH THEIR HELP, I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. 
          THAT WAS MY MESSAGE THIS MORNING. 
          THAT WAS BEFORE THE HEADLINE. 
          MR. PATTERSON, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE THAT WAS YOUR HEADLINE. 
          IT READ CLAIMS OF CORRUPTION IGNITE POLITICAL FIRESTORM, I'M SORRY. 
          THERE WAS A PICTURE OF ONE COUNCIL PERSON. 
          I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A REASON WHY THERE'S JUST ONE PERSON IN THAT PICTURE. 
          BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GENERALLY THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE REST OF US HAVE HAD. 
          I HAVE FOUND SUPPORT, CAMARADERIE. 
          I HAVE SEEN NOTHING NEFARIOUS. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHY ONE OF US INSISTS ON EVERY FEW WEEKS CLAIMING THAT THERE IS. 
          YOU MAY HAVE TO ASK HER THAT IN YOUR NEXT ARTICLE. 
          BUT NO ONE ELSE UP HERE. 
          NO ONE ELSE UP HERE SUPPORTS THAT IDEA. 
          LONG BEFORE THAT HAPPENED, I HAD ASKED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL NEWS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT STEPPING UP, SUPPORTING ME AND HELPING ME ACCOMPLISH MY FIRST BIG ACHIEVEMENT IN OFFICE, AND THAT'S MY INCLUSION PLAYGROUND IN LAFFINGER PARK. 
          BUT INSTEAD, IT HAS TO HAVE THE CLOUD OF DOUBT OVER IT. 
          BUT THAT CLOUD OF DOUBT IS NOT SHARED BY ME, AND IT IS NOT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 
          >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> I APOLOGIZE. I CERTAINLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS. 
          PART OF WHAT I CONVEYED TO BLAKE PATTERSON THAT I HOPED HE WOULD PUT IN THE ARTICLE IS THAT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A FAIR PORTRAYAL, AS COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN SAID, OF WHAT WE DO HERE, BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE 200 ITEMS ON AN AGENDA. 
          YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE USUALLY UNANIMOUS, 200. 
          I THINK IT IS A MISS PORTRAYAL, THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THINGS WE DO HERE ARE VERY MUCH AS COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN PORTRAYED, VERY MUCH UNIFIED, VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER. 
          AS SHE DETAILED HER PLANS ABOUT GROWTH ALONG THE LAKE. 
          I HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE. 
          SHE HAS GOOD VISION THERE, AND I'VE PLEDGED ANYTHING THAT WE LEARNED ALONG BOCKTOWN. 
          I'M HAPPY TO LEND THAT SUPPORT. 
          THE UNFORTUNATE THING THAT I DO THINK WE ALL LEARN. 
          LOOK, ANYTIME I'M WRONG, 
          [00:30:02]
I WILL SAY, MEA CULPA. 
          I THINK THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN ALL DO BETTER, IS COMMUNICATE. 
          THAT GOES FOR EACH MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL THAT THE PUBLIC HAS PUT HERE TO SERVE THEM AND OUR PARISH PRESIDENT, OUR DEPARTMENTS. 
          IF WE ALL COMMIT TO COMMUNICATE BETTER, THAT WILL SERVE US ALL WELL. 
          I MADE THE TIME YESTERDAY TO GO INTO EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES OFFICES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN BECAUSE YOU WERE WORKING ON A MEDIATION, YOU SAID, TO SIT TO PUT FORTH THE EVIDENCE AND THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD AND TO LISTEN BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS ALONG THIS WAY TOO. 
          I DO THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DOES NOT WANT TO SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE AND GOVERNMENT IS MADE. 
          THAT'S WHY I ACTUALLY WAS NOT WANTING TO PUT ADDITIONAL ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA, BECAUSE AS YOU WILL SEE, ONE OF THEM WHEN I WAS ASKED TO PUT IT ON, WAS NOT FULLY BAKED. 
          IT DID NOT HAVE A SCOPE ATTACHED THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL. 
          WHEN WE GOT A SCOPE LAST NIGHT, I HAD SOME CONCERNS, AND WE HAVE SINCE GOTTEN AN UPDATED SCOPE THAT I AM READING THROUGH AS I SIT HERE. 
          AGAIN, I THINK THE AVERAGE PERSON AT HOME GETS SUSPICIOUS WHEN SOMETHING'S COMING LAST MINUTE AND HAS TO BE VOTED ON AT THE SAME MEETING POTENTIALLY, WHERE I'VE JUST BEEN HANDED THIS DOCUMENT. 
          IF WE CAN DO ONE THING TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS WELL, I THINK LET'S PUT OUR EGOS ASIDE, LET'S WORK TOGETHER. 
          LET'S VOW AND COMMIT TO TALK AND COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THINGS, WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE ON. 
          WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER AND WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD. 
          BUT I WILL SAY THAT IF I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE WASTEFUL, OR MIGHT NOT BE MAXIMIZING THINGS FOR THE TAXPAYERS OR MIGHT BE IMMORAL OR ILLEGAL, THAT'S WHEN MY BRAKES COME ON. 
          RESPECTFULLY, PARISH PRESIDENT, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR COMMENT THAT SOMEHOW I'M SLOWING THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT, WHEN I TRULY, EVEN AS LATE AS LAST NIGHT, HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF SOMETHING WE'RE DOING. 
          WHEN ILLEGAL COMES UP IN MY MIND, I HIT THE BRAKES, AND I THINK ALL OF US SHOULD. 
          AGAIN, I AM COMMITTED, AND I THINK MY TRACK RECORD SHOWS A GREAT AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION FOR THIS PARISH OF WONDERFUL THINGS. 
          THAT IS MY COMMITMENT MOVING FORWARD. 
          JUST LIKE I CAME TO EACH MEMBER YESTERDAY FOR A GOOD CONVERSATION, AND I WALKED MYSELF ACROSS THE HALL TO SPEAK WITH THE PARISH PRESIDENT ALONE. 
          NO ONE ELSE IN THE ROOM. 
          I AM MAKING OUTREACHES. 
          BUT I CAN'T BE MUTED IF I HAVE A CONCERN, AND I CAN'T JUST RUBBER STAMP SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE IT MOVE AT A CERTAIN PACE WHEN I HAVE CONCERNS. 
          ALSO, I FIND REPETITION IN THAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT BEFORE A CONTRACT EXPIRES, AND THEN WE NEED TO DO A SIX MONTH EXTENSION. 
          WE'RE DOING IT IN DEMOLITION, WE'RE DOING IT IN TRANSIT. 
          IF YOU'RE BRINGING SOMETHING TO ME, THAT'S A RUSH BECAUSE OF THE TIMING THE ADMINISTRATION IS SETTING, THAT RUSH IS NOT MY FAULT. 
          IF I HAVE A QUESTION, I'M GOING TO ASK AT LEAST THAT THE QUESTION BE ANSWERED. 
          YOUR EMERGENCY TIMING IS NOT MY REASON TO BE MUTED OR NOT ASK AND HAVE A GOOD QUESTION ANSWERED FOR OUR TAXPAYERS. 
          I WILL JUST SAY TOO THAT I DID NOT ACTUALLY POINT A FINGER AT ANYONE ON THIS COUNCIL IN THE LETTER I SENT TO OUR PARISH ATTORNEY AND IN THE LETTER I SENT TO OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL. 
          I SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT THE ONLY ACTION THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN WAS A UNANIMOUS SELECTION OF FUEL MEDIA. 
          I DID NOT POINT A FINGER AT THIS, COUNCIL, BECAUSE I RESPECT YOU ALL AND I WANT TO WORK TOGETHER. 
          I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THE ADMINISTRATION IS GENERATING AND SENDING TO US. 
          THAT'S WHY THE FINGERS WEREN'T THIS WAY. 
          I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT'S BEING PRODUCED. 
          I APPRECIATE, AGAIN, MY COMMITMENT IS TO COMMUNICATE AND TO DO THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE. 
          I THINK IF WE ALL COMMIT TO DO THAT TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT OUR TAXPAYERS EXPECT. 
          >> I KNOW THE PARISH PRESIDENT WANTS TO RESPOND AND WE'LL LEAVE IT WITH HER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE I THINK MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK ON THIS AS THE MEETING GOES ON, MADAM PRESIDENT. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> OBVIOUSLY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS ABOUT THE TRANSIT ADVERTISING CONTRACT, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A BROADER ISSUE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THIS IS NOT A COMMUNICATION ISSUE, THIS IS AN ISSUE OF A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE AND HOW WE BELIEVE GOVERNMENT RUNS. 
          I WILL SAY THE REASON YOU HAVE THE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL AGENDA, WHICH IS NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 12 ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA WAS MY REQUEST, I DON'T HAVE A VOTE IN THIS MATTER, 
          [00:35:02]
I DON'T CARE WHO YOU PICK, MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT WE MOVE THE PARISH FORWARD. 
          IT'S NOT A RUSH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS SINCE JANUARY. 
          MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT YOU HAVE EVERY OPTION AVAILABLE TO YOU TO WHATEVER DISCUSSION TODAY YOU DO, YOU CAN PICK ONE, YOU CAN PICK THE OTHER, YOU CAN GO OUT FOR RFP. 
          THEY WERE ALL AVAILABLE TO YOU TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. 
          THAT WAS MY ONLY REASON FOR IT. 
          IT'S NOT A COMMUNICATION ISSUE, IF YOU CHOSE NOT TO MOVE IT TO THE AGENDA AND YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF GOVERNMENT. 
          TO ME, I GET SIX OTHER BITES AT THE APPLE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, AND THE CHARTER ALLOWS ME SIX OTHER BITES AT THE APPLE. 
          IF YOU DON'T APPROVE SOMETHING, OR YOU DON'T AGREE WITH IT OR YOU WOULD VOTE NO, I HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO SIX OTHER BITES AT THE APPLE, AND IT'S FOUR VOTES THAT DETERMINE COUNCIL ACTION, NOT ONE MEMBER. 
          I'M TRYING TO NOT MAKE THIS PERSONAL. 
          I REALLY AM, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY JUST ABOUT A TRANSIT ADVERTISING CONTRACT, BUT IT IS BRINGING FORTH FRUSTRATIONS. 
          THIS IS PERSONAL TO ME, AND I WILL GO PERSONAL BECAUSE MY NAME IS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER AS A CORRUPT POLITICIAN. RIGHT HERE. 
          >> WRITE THE ARTICLE. 
          >> WELL, YOU DID A LOT THIS WEEK. 
          NOW, HOW I AM TO A MOTHER IS NOBODY'S BUSINESS. 
          BUT I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND SINCE I'VE TAKEN OFFICE, I HAVE TOLD THEM YOUR MOTHER MIGHT MAKE MISTAKES, YOUR MOTHER MIGHT DISAGREE WITH OTHER PEOPLE, BUT YOU WILL NEVER SEE MY NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER AS A CORRUPT POLITICIAN. 
          GUESS WHAT? CORRUPT POLITICIAN RIGHT NEXT TO MY NAME. 
          THAT IS UNFAIR AND IT IS WRONG, AND YOU CAST THAT DOUBT ON ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THIS CONTRACT, WE DON'T CARE WHO GETS THIS CONTRACT. 
          DO YOU THINK TONY CARES WHO GETS THIS CONTRACT? DAVID CARES WHO GETS THIS CONTRACT, NINETTE, COLIN WHO NEGOTIATED. 
          DO YOU THINK WE CARE WHO GETS THIS CONTRACT? WE WANT TO PROTECT THE PROCESS. 
          YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU DID NOT SPECIFY, YOU SENT TO THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLIC PROTECTION DIVISION OUR PROCESS, WHICH IS A FAIR PROCESS. 
          YOU WROTE TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
          NOW WE'RE NATIONAL SHOWING WHAT A MESS WE ARE AS JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          >> BECAUSE OUR BUSES ARE NATIONAL REALLY FUNDED THAT PRESS. 
          >> THE NEWSPAPER AND EMAILS AND FACEBOOK POSTS CALLING US THE FIXES IN. 
          THE DEAL THAT SMELLS ROTTEN, YOU'RE TRYING TO DERAIL THE DEAL. 
          WE CAN KISS GOOD COMPANIES GOODBYE, ILLEGAL UP TO NOW, YOU'RE CALLING IT SUSPICIOUS. 
          THERE'S NOTHING SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THIS PROCESS. 
          COUNCILWOMAN, WE MAY MAKE MISTAKES. 
          I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY WE MADE A SCORING MISTAKE OUT THE GET GO. 
          THAT WAS NOT DIRECTED BY ME, THAT WAS NOT DIRECTED BY ANYBODY, THAT IS JUST A WEIRD THING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THIS CONTRACT IS SO UNIQUE THAT YOU WANT A BIG NUMBER OF REVENUE. 
          NORMALLY CONTRACTS, YOU WANT A SMALL NUMBER FOR EXPENSES, THEY FLIPPED THE WAY IT WAS SCORED AS INNOCENT AS CAN BE. 
          IT WAS A MISTAKE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS ROTTEN. 
          IT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS MISTAKE. 
          >> WHO CAUGHT THE MISTAKE? 
          >> YOU DID, BECAUSE YOU WERE OBSESSED WITH THIS CONTRACT. 
          >> NO. 
          >> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH THIS CONTRACT. 
          >> I LOOKED AT THE DATA. 
          >> YOU HAVE INSERTED YOURSELF IS THIS PROCESS WAYS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, MAKING IT EVEN HARDER FOR US TO BRING THIS CONTRACT TO FRUITION. 
          TO THE POINT WHERE DOCUMENTS WERE DELETED. 
          OUR OWN DOCUMENTS, WHEN WE ASKED OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SPONSOR IT, THEY WENT MISSING. 
          THAT'S HOW CRAZY THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN. 
          YES, THEY WERE DELETED. 
          COUNCILWOMAN, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS CONTRACT FOR SOME REASON HAS BEEN NOT ACCORDING TO ANY PROCESS, AND IT HAS MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT COMMUNICATION. 
          >> I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS THIS ASSERTION THAT I SOMEHOW HAVE IT OUT FOR ONE OF THESE TWO COMPETITORS. I DO NOT. 
          I'VE BEEN IN PARISH GOVERNMENT NOW FOR QUITE SOME TIME. 
          WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS, SOME PEOPLE CAN BE WITH YOU ONE ELECTION, AND YOU MIGHT BE AGAINST THEM THE NEXT TIME AND VICE VERSA. 
          I NEVER BURN A BRIDGE AND SO I ONLY LOOKED AT THE NUMBER SUBMITTED TO US. 
          ONE OF THE NUMBERS WAS GIVING CITIZENS 11,000, THE OTHER WAS GIVING 20,000. 
          I PICKED THE 20,000, IT DOES NOT COME DOWN TO PERSONALITIES FOR ME EITHER. 
          BUT AS I GUESS WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFICS, I STILL THIS MORNING, HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THE PROCESS BEING PUT FORWARD. 
          HERE'S WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, IF YOU CRAFT SOMETHING AND THIS IS WHAT WE JUST GOT A LETTER FROM ANOTHER VENDOR, NOT AT ALL ASSOCIATED WITH BUS ADVERTISING. 
          THEY SAID AND ASSERTED IN A LETTER, AND THEY ALSO NOTIFY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYING, YOUR PROCESSES ARE BEING CRAFTED TO GET ONE RESULT. 
          THIS ONE DOES GIVE ME THAT CONCERN BECAUSE THE DOCUMENTS THAT I'VE GOTTEN THIS MORNING WILL ELIMINATE FUEL FROM THE COMPETITION. 
          [00:40:04]
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND, AND IF WE PUT OUT IS CRAFTED IN A MANNER THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FUEL TO RESPOND, YOU ARE DRIVING ONE RESULT. 
          I DON'T HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS VENDOR, BUT RESPECTFULLY, YOU ARE THE FIRST ONE PARISH PRESIDENT IN MY ROLE TO CHOOSE THIS VENDOR AND TO EXTEND HER CONTRACT SINCE 2016, COUNCILMAN LILJBERG IS ON A MAGAZINE COVER WITH HER. 
          I'M NOT THE ONE WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS TO THE VENDOR BEING DRIVEN IN THIS PROCESS. 
          MY ASSERTION IS, GIVE THE TAXPAYERS THE $20,000. 
          IT'S NOT PERSONAL FOR ME AS, IT'S A MATTER OF DOLLARS. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2009, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY VENDORS THAT I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ENGINEERS, WE ALL KNOW? A YOU REALLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE I KNOW SOMEONE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DIRECT THE PARACHUTE, I DIDN'T GET INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATION- [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> JUST A BREAK FOR A SECOND AND LET THE DIRECTOR NINETTE BARRIOS COME UP AND SPEAK. 
          SHE WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM. 
          THEN IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION TO TAKING ALL THESE ITEMS OUT OF ORDER, WE CAN DO THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND MOVE PAST THIS AT SOME POINT BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY. 
          >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING AND I WILL BE BRIEF. 
          THIS IS COLIN WITH A PUBLIC ATTORNEYS PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO HAS BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH FUEL SINCE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND JULY 16, AND SPECIFICALLY OF THIS YEAR. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. 
          BEFORE I SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT TRANSIT IS ONE OF 46 DEPARTMENTS UNDER JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ALL OF YOU ARE USED TO LIVING AND BREATHING ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          YOU'RE NOT AT TIMES VERY EDUCATED WITH ALL OF THE TERMS THAT WE POSSESS IN TRANSIT, AND THERE ARE MANY. 
          TO THAT POINT, I WILL SAY THAT TRANSIT IS A VERY UNIQUE WORLD. 
          IT'S A VERY SMALL WORLD, PREDOMINANTLY AND IN ALL OF ITS INS AND OUTS ARE VERY VERY UNIQUE. 
          EVERYTHING FROM GRANTS, THEY'RE NOTHING LIKE FMA GRANTS, NOTHING LIKE THE NORMAL GRANTS THAT YOU DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          FTE GRANTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT, TRAMS AND BUS ADVERTISING. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, I DID AS A DIRECTOR AND I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST FIVE YEARS I WILL SAY AND I'M SORRY TO HEAR ALL THE BACK AND FORTH REGARDING THIS RFP, BUT I FEEL IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY THAT I DO FEEL THAT THIS RFP HAS BEEN MISCONSTRUED AND I WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD TO SAY THAT. 
          JUST TO BE SPECIFIC, ON PAGE THREE OF THE RFP UNDER BACKGROUND, AND I'LL TAKE IT FOR BATUM FROM THE TOP. 
          THE JEFFERSON PARRISH DEPARTMENT OF PURCHASING IS SOLICITING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP FROM FIRMS INTERESTED IN PROVIDING SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE ADVERTISING RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES IN AND UPON ALL, ALL OF THE 30,35,40 FOOT FIXED ROUTE BUSES AND 17 PARA TRANSIT VEHICLES OPERATED BY THE JEFFERSON PARRISH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. 
          ALL, ALL DOES NOT MEAN FULL WRAPS, I WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, ALL DOES NOT MEAN FULL WRAPS. 
          THIS IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR BUS ADVERTISING, IT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR FULL WRAPS. 
          I THINK THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE ON PAGE 19 OF THE RFP, AND I'M GOING TO START FROM WHERE IT SAYS, PROPOSER. 
          PROPOSER SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PLACE ADVERTISING SIGNS ALONG THE SIDES, FRONTS, REAR, AND INTERIOR OF CONTRACT BUSES OPERATED BY JEFFERSON PARISH OVER REGULAR ROUTES. 
          IT IS AGREED THAT EXTERIOR ADVERTISING PLACED ON THE BUSES WILL BE OF THE REMOVABLE VINYL MATERIAL APPLIED DIRECTLY TO VEHICLES WITHOUT THE USE OF FRAMES. 
          NORMAL EXTERIOR ADVERTISING WILL BE LIMITED TO INDUSTRY STANDARD SIZES AS ESTABLISHED BY PAST PRACTICE. 
          NOW, I WILL SAY THAT THOSE STANDARD SIZES ARE LISTED ON PAGE 19. 
          NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSES BECAUSE PARA TRANSIT VEHICLES ARE NOT BUSES. 
          THEY ARE CUT AWAY VEHICLES. 
          NOW, I'LL TURN TO PAGE 20, AND THIS IS THE LAST THING I PROMISE. 
          AT THE TOP OF PAGE 20, IT SAYS, 
          [00:45:01]
17 CUTAWAY PARA TRANSIT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FULL WRAP OR SMALL ADVERTISE. 
          THAT IS THE ONLY TIME IN THIS RFP THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE WORD FULL RAP IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARA TRANSIT VEHICLES. 
          FURTHER, IT SAYS, ALL EXTERIOR WRAPPED ADVERTISING BUSES AND PARA TRANSIT VEHICLES WILL BE NEGOTIATED AND SECURED BY THE FIRM UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. 
          EXTERIOR TO CURL WRAPPING SHALL CONSIST OF FULLY COVERING WITH PROFESSIONAL QUALITY, FULLY COVERING DOES NOT MEAN FULL WRAPS. IT DOESN'T. 
          IT MEANS LARGE EXTERIOR ADVERTISING. 
          THAT MEANS ULTRA SUPER KINGS OR KING KONGS AS FUEL CALLS THEM, AND IT MEANS BACK FULL TAILS. 
          IT MEANS ANY LARGE AND FULL WRAPS, NOT JUST FULL WRAPS. 
          SOMEWHERE IN HERE, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN A PARTY TO THIS NEGOTIATION, BUT SOMEWHERE IN HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE, ONE OF THE COMPANIES WHO BID THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD COME INTO JEFFERSON PARISH AND FULLY WRAP OUR ENTIRE FLEET. 
          I'LL TELL YOU REAL QUICK WHY I CAME UP WITH A 25% BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN ASKED OF ME ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. 
          TRANSIT, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN JEFFERSON PARISH THAT WE ARE MANAGED BY THE LARGEST AND THE BEST TRANSIT AGENCY IN NORTH AMERICA, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. 
          THAT'S TRANS DEPT SERVICES. 
          I HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AT MY FINGERTIPS, A LOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE OVER 200 CONTRACTS IN NORTH AMERICA. 
          BROWARD, JUST TO TELL YOU, THERE'S NO FIXED NUMBER ACROSS THE NATION, BUT THERE IS AN AVERAGE, AND EVERY AGENCY DOES IT DIFFERENTLY. 
          BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, NO FULL WRAPS. 
          JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, NO FULL WRAPS. 
          SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, 25% OF LARGE FORMAT ADVERTISING. 
          LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY CURRENTLY RUNS 294 BUSES AND ONLY ALLOWS FOR 25 OF THEIR BUSES TO BE FULLY WRAPPED, NOT A PERCENTAGE, 25. 
          RTA, OUR NEIGHBOR, 20% OF THEIR NEW BUSES IS ALLOWED TO BE FULLY WRAPPED AND 30% OF THE OLD BUSES ARE ALLOWED TO BE FULLY WRAPPED. 
          WHY? WHY DO TRANSIT AGENCIES DO THIS? BECAUSE THE INTEGRITY OF PROTECTING THEIR BRAND, THAT'S WHY. 
          BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION, GOD KNOWS, I PERSONALLY, MY ENTIRE TEAM HAVE WORKED VERY HARD SINCE WALKING INTO THIS ADMINISTRATION TO PROMOTE AND DESIGN AS THIS COUNCIL HAS AS WELL, THE NEW JP TRANSIT LOGO. 
          IT HAS COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE FDA GRANTS, FUNDED AND MILLAGE, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO MATCH THEM AT 20%. 
          THEY'RE OUT THERE AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL AND THEY'RE MORE COMING THIS OCTOBER BY THE WAY. 
          THE BRAND IS THE REASON. 
          WHEN YOU READ THIS RFP, AND YOU THINK THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWING SOMEONE TO FULLY WRAP OUR ENTIRE FLEET, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. 
          WE'RE NOT, IF THE PARISH PRESIDENT COUNCIL AGREED TO DO THAT, THAT IS THEIR CHOICE. 
          BUT AS OF THIS MOMENT, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, JEFFERSON PARISH HAS NEVER DONE THAT. 
          WE HAVE AT THIS POINT, WE ONLY HAVE 12% OF OUR FLEET FULLY WRAPPED, 12%, AND THAT'S WHY WE SAID WE'RE OPEN TO NEGOTIATING. 
          BUT AT NO TIME DID THIS RFP SAY THAT YOU COULD COME IN HERE AND FULLY WRAP OUR ENTIRE FLEET. 
          I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THE ARTICLES AND I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT THIS WAS VERY MISCONSTRUED THIS RFP. 
          ALL DOES NOT MEAN FULL WRAPS. 
          >> THANK YOU, MS. BARRIOS. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> SINCE, GO AHEAD. 
          COUNCIL LEE, UNMUTE READ YOURSELF. 
          >> I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AS WELL, MR. CHAIR. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. 
          BUT AT A COUNCIL MEETING, WE VOTED BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR US. 
          THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IS THAT, AT WHAT POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU ALL DID THE SCORING AND BASED ON, 
          [00:50:08]
I THINK IT THERE WAS A NUMBER OF FACTORS I WOULD IMAGINE THAT YOU ALL USED IN TERMS OF THE SCORING PROCESS. 
          THE FIRM THAT WAS SELECTED BY WE ALL VOTED FOR UNANIMOUSLY WAS THE NUMBER 1 FIRM. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> ACCORDING TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PRESENTED TO US. 
          I WANT TO KNOW. 
          >> NO, COUNCILMAN. THEY WERE THE SECOND RANK FIRM TECHNICALLY. 
          THEY OFFERED THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONTHLY REVENUE. 
          MY BELIEF AND I'LL ASK TONY, THAT'S WHY NINETTE IS GOING [NOISE] 
          >> INTO SUCH DETAIL ON IT, WE BELIEVE THAT THE NUMBER QUOTED, WHICH WAS 20,000 SOMETHING A MONTH WAS BECAUSE THEIR BELIEF WAS THAT THEY COULD FULLY WRAP OUR ENTIRE FLEET. 
          THAT IS TONY, I DON'T- [OVERLAPPING]. 
          >> EVEN AFTER THE SCORES WERE READJUSTED, AFTER COUNCILMAN VAN VRANCKEN HAD DISCOVERED THE MISTAKE, VECTOR MEDIA REMAINED THE HIGHER SCORE OF THE TWO PROPOSERS. 
          >> NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ALL HAD SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE FIRM THAT WE VOTED FOR. 
          >> YES, SIR. MANY CONVERSATIONS. 
          MR. SISKO HAS HAD OVER 20 PHONE CALLS WITH THEM. 
          I PERSONALLY GOT INVOLVED TO TRY AND CONFECT A CONTRACT. 
          I HAVE CALLED THEM PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR TIMES. 
          IN FACT, I SPOKE WITH THEM JUST LAST WEEK. 
          >> IT'S AT AN IMPASSE? 
          >> IT IS AT A COMPLETE IMPASSE. YES, SIR. 
          >> OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OVER BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND. 
          >> COUNCIL LILJEBERG. 
          >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO, I GUESS, ECHO WHAT THE PARISH PRESIDENT SAID THAT, I WAS VERY TAKEN ABACK BY THE ARTICLE AND THE SUGGESTION THAT WE ARE ALL CORRUPT BECAUSE I'VE NOT SEEN THAT IN JEFFERSON PARISH GOVERNMENT. 
          I ALSO BELIEVE, WHEN I HEAR WORDS LIKE ILLEGAL, I PAUSE. 
          I'VE BEEN A JUDGE FOR 20 YEARS. IT MAKES ME QUIVER. 
          I THOUGHT THAT WAS A TO THROW THOSE ALLEGATIONS AND WORDS OUT THERE IS AN EROSION OF OF PUBLIC TRUST IN THIS GOVERNMENT, WHICH I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN. 
          I ALSO WANT TO RESPOND I WOULD, BY THE WAY, YOU WERE NOT BRIEF, BUT YOU WERE THOROUGH. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          I WOULD ECHO EVERYTHING YOU SAID. 
          YOU FRANKLY STOLE A LOT OF MY SMOKE. 
          I'VE READ THE RFP, EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS EXACTLY THE DISCUSSION I HAD YESTERDAY WITH COUNCILMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          I AGREE WITH YOU AND LOOK, I'VE GONE OVER A LOT OF CONTRACTS IN MY LIFE. 
          I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID. 
          I THINK THE RFP IS CLEAR. 
          LASTLY, I WANT TO RESPOND TO ONE MORE THING. 
          COUNCILMAN VAN VRANCKEN MADE AN ALLEGATION JUST NOW THAT I WAS ON THE COVER OF A MAGAZINE WITH A PRINCIPAL FROM VECTOR. 
          I'VE KNOWN THAT PERSON FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR. 
          SHE WAS APPOINTED TO THE MBDD WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO THIS SPOT. I REAPPOINTED HER. 
          I THINK SHE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, WHERE THE MBDD DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN FAT CITY. 
          I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER ON THAT. 
          THAT HAS ZERO TO DO WITH THIS CONTRACT, ZERO WITH A CAPITAL Z. 
          SINCE WE BROUGHT THAT UP, I WOULD NOTE THAT IF THERE IS ANY POLITICAL VENDETTA, IT'S BEEN EXISTING SINCE SHE SUPPORTED YOUR OPPONENT NINE YEARS AGO. I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A YEAR. 
          >> COUNCILMAN BONANO. 
          >> MR. CHAIRMAN. AS MANY ALL KNOW, I'VE BEEN PART OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR MUCH LONGER THAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, 36 YEARS NOW. 
          I GOT TO TELL YOU THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN PAINTED AS A GOOD GOVERNMENT ISSUE. 
          THERE WAS A FACEBOOK POST MADE THAT CALLED INTO QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THIS COUNCIL. 
          THAT WAS VERY DISTURBING TO ME. 
          THAT POST RESULTED IN MYSELF AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES RECEIVING NUMEROUS FACEBOOK POSTS THAT CALLED INTO QUESTION OUR CHARACTER, TO MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES. 
          I JUST WANT REALLY CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING. 
          THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOOD GOVERNMENT. 
          THIS IS ABOUT A POLITICAL PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SIDES WHO DISAGREE ON, AND AS A DISCOURSE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH GOOD GOVERNMENT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IS POLITICS ITSELF, AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING ON HERE IS POLITICS. 
          THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. 
          THIS ALL STARTED UNFORTUNATELY A YEAR OR SO AGO WHEN TWO SITTING COUNCIL MEMBERS RAN AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR OFFICE, AND ONE VENDOR PICKED THE LOSING SIDE. 
          I TRIED MY BEST IN THIS LAST WEEK TO MEND FENCES TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          [00:55:01]
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          >> CAN YOU HEAR FROM, IS CHERYL, WHO IS WITH FUEL HERE? BECAUSE I KNOW AND LOOK, I ACTUALLY, THOUGH NO PUN INTENDED, I FEEL I'M BEING THROWN UNDER THE BUS. 
          I ACTUALLY TOLD BLAKE PATTERSON WHEN WE TALKED, I SAID, I THINK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE GOTTEN BAD INFORMATION, BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE VERY SPECIFICALLY BEING TOLD THAT THESE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE AN IMPASSE, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS FUEL'S PERSPECTIVE. 
          IF CHERYL WITH FUEL IS HERE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE IS ABLE TO REPRESENT HER FEELINGS SINCE SHE'S THE OTHER PERSON IN THIS MATTER. 
          THE OTHER THING I DID SEE AND COLIN, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOUR EMAIL. 
          THE INFORMATION TO FUEL KEPT CHANGING AS WELL, BECAUSE ONCE THERE WAS A NUMBER GIVEN ABOUT WRAPPING BUSES. 
          THE NEXT EMAIL THAT WAS SENT WAS, BY THE WAY, FUEL, YOU CAN WRAP 12 BUSES, BUT YOU WILL GET THE OLDEST CRAPPIEST BUSES AND WHEN THEY BREAK DOWN OR GO OUT OF SERVICE, THEN WHAT? I KNOW THAT LEFT QUESTIONS IN FUEL'S MIND ABOUT, IF THE 12 I'M GOING TO FULLY WRAP TO GENERATE MONEY FOR THE PARISH GO AWAY, THEN WHAT NUMBER AM I PUTTING ON THIS? BECAUSE THE BALL KEEPS MOVING? CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT, I GUESS? THEN I DO WANT CHERYL TO REPRESENT HER EXPERIENCE HERE DOING BUSINESS WITH JEFFERSON PARISH FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
          >> SURE. THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION. 
          AT THE ONSET IN SPEAKING WITH NINETTE, WHEN WE BEGAN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, SHE HAD INDICATED THAT 25% NUMBER. 
          YOUR OFFICE HAD ACTUALLY ASKED FOR TO SEE IF 75% WOULD WORK, SO I DID FLOAT THAT NUMBER AS WELL. 
          AFTER THAT, JUST TO SEE IF, IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT, THEY COULDN'T OR THEY WERE UNRESPONSIVE BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAD WANTED OR REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. 
          GIVEN THAT, THOUGH, IN SPEAKING WITH NINETTE AND THE ADMINISTRATION, WE FOUND THAT THE 25% WAS STANDARD, IT WAS CUSTOMARY, SO THAT WAS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. 
          I HAD ACTUALLY SENT THAT EMAIL THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. 
          WE DID 25% OF WAS AT THE FULL WRAPS, 25% OF THEIR OTHER TWO BIG TICKET AD SPOTS. 
          BUT WHAT I THINK YOU ARE FORGETTING OR WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT AT THE END OF THAT EMAIL, THE LAST LINE I HAD INDICATED, LOOK, WE GET THAT WE ARE RESTRICTING YOU. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU CURRENTLY, IN YOUR RFP RESPONSE, HAD INDICATED THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THE PARISH A MINIMUM OF THAT $20,833 OR 65%, WHICHEVER IS LESS OR WHICHEVER IS GREATER. 
          I REQUESTED FROM FUEL. 
          COULD YOU GIVE ME A NUMBER LOWER THAN 20? WE UNDERSTOOD IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS, LOOK, WE ARE LIMITING YOU. I GET THAT. 
          BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CAN YOU GIVE ME A NUMBER THAT'S LOWER? WE TRIED TO WORK WITH FUEL. 
          IN THAT SAME REGARD, AT THE ONSET OF THIS, FUEL HAD INDICATED AND LOOK, CHERYL, I'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS I'VE SPOKEN WITH HER 14 OR 15 TIMES. 
          I HOPE SHE FEELS THE SAME WAY ABOUT ME. 
          IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SPEAKING WITH HER THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. 
          AT THE ONSET, SHE HAD INDICATED, LOOK, I DON'T HAVE BUSINESS HERE, WE'RE GOING TO HERE SPECIFICALLY. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING IN. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTRACTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          SHE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED A 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD ON RAMPING PERIOD WHERE SHE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY THAT $20,000 PER MONTH, BECAUSE AS THE RFP IS WRITTEN, THE MOMENT YOU SIGN THAT CONTRACT, THAT'S WHEN THAT EVERY SINGLE MONTH, YOU GOT TO PAY. 
          I LOOKED AT OTHER CONTRACTS. 
          THE PARISH ATTORNEY AND I WE LOOKED AT OTHER CONTRACTS, OTHER TRANSIT CONTRACTS THAT DID HAVE AN ON RAMPING PERIOD. 
          WE AGREED. I SAID, LOOK, CHERYL, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. 
          I ACTUALLY WROTE INTO THAT CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE A RAMP PERIOD, WHERE SHE DIDN'T FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, HAVE TO PAY THAT $20,000. 
          YOU LOOK, YOU ARE RIGHT. 
          THERE HAS BEEN SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU, MYSELF AND BY EXTENSION, THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAVE NEGOTIATED IN THE UTMOST GOOD FAITH. 
          TONY AND I WERE TASKED THE PARISH ATTORNEY WITH NEGOTIATING THIS CONTRACT, 
          [01:00:06]
WE HAVE ATTEMPTED WITH EVERY FIBER OF OUR BEING TO GET THIS SIGNED AND TO GET THIS AGREED, WHICH IS WHY AT THE END OF THE DAY, KNOWING WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS, WHAT IS CUSTOMARY AND US WANTING TO PROTECT OUR FLEET AND OUR NEW ASSETS. 
          THAT'S WHY IN MY FINAL CORRESPONDENCE, WHICH I DIDN'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE TO, WE HAD ALLOWED FOR THEM TO COME OFF THAT $20,000 NUMBER. 
          I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. 
          LOOK, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE. 
          IN THIS SITUATION, I AM THE SAUSAGE. 
          I'VE DONE ALL OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> ALL OF THE SAUSAGE. 
          >> I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, THAT THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAS DONE HAS BEEN IN ABSOLUTE GOOD FAITH. 
          WE WANT TO, IT'S OUR JOB TO NEGOTIATE. 
          I HAVE NO TO MIMIC SOMEONE SOMEONE SAID EARLIER I THINK IT WAS THE PARISH PRESIDENT. 
          I DON'T CARE. WHO GETS THIS? WE ARE TRYING, AND I CAN ABSOLUTELY ASSURE EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER UP THERE THAT WE WANTED THIS TO GET SIGNED, AND WE BENDED, THAT'S CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE. 
          IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS THAT I MYSELF HAVE. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          >> YES. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> SURE. 
          >> UNMUTE YOURSELF, TONY. 
          YOU JUST YOU REMUTED. 
          HIT ONE MORE TIME. THERE IT IS. 
          >> NOW. SO LAST THURSDAY, IN THE VEIN OF WHAT MR. SISKO WAS SAYING, HE WAS OUT LAST WEEK. 
          KNOWING THAT THE COUNCIL MEETING WAS THIS WEEK, I ACTUALLY CALLED CHERYL, WHO IS FROM FUEL. 
          SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD EVERY INTENTION OF RESPONDING TO MR. SISKO'S EMAIL, WHICH HE HAD SENT BEFORE HE WENT OUT. 
          BUT SHE TOLD ME ON THE TELEPHONE THAT SHE WOULD NEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT A NEW GUARANTEED MONTHLY MINIMUM DOLLAR AMOUNT. 
          I SAID, WELL, THANK YOU, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR REPLY TO MR. SISKO'S EMAIL, AND I HAVE NOT [INAUDIBLE] ARE A COMPLETE IMPASSE. 
          >> LET ME JUST SAY THAT COLIN, I BELIEVE 100% YOUR NEGOTIATIONS ARE SINCERE. 
          AS OUR TONY'S PARISH ATTORNEY, I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTEN VERY WELL EDUCATED ON BUSES. 
          I DO NOT DOUBT THE SINCERITY OF THAT, BUT I WOULD TAKE IT FROM NOT THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE BUSINESS OWNER'S PERSPECTIVE. 
          ANY BUSINESS OWNER IN THIS ROOM, IF I SAY, GIVE ME A NUMBER, BUT YOU'VE JUST PUT IN WRITING THAT YOU'RE GIVING ME THE CRAPPIEST BUSES TO SELL. 
          I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU MY MAXIMUM NUMBER, AND THEN YOU TELL ME THEY'LL BE PHASED OUT EITHER BECAUSE THEY'LL BREAK DOWN OR I WILL REPLACE THEM WITH NEW ONES, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEN I HAVE TO WRAP. 
          IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE A NUMBER. 
          THAT'S WHERE I'M SAYING, MAYBE AGAIN, IT'S A COMMUNICATION YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FULLY TO BE ABLE TO SAY, IF I'M ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE 12, IF EVEN WHEN THEY GET REPLACED, I GET 12 GOOD BUSES, THAT GIVES HER SOMETHING TO GIVE US A NUMBER ON. 
          SHE HAD NOT RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION. 
          BUT AGAIN, LET'S CHERYL SPEAK. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> IF YOU PHASE OUT THE BUSES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAUSE SHEET, AS BUSES ARE PHASED OUT, THE GUARANTEE MINIMUM ADJUSTS ACCORDINGLY. 
          THE NUMBER THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR THIS PURPOSE IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO IF WE TAKE BUSES AWAY, THEN THE AMOUNT THAT YOU PAY PER BUS, THE AMOUNT THAT WE REQUIRE YOU TO GIVE US PER MONTH IS ADJUSTED. 
          ALL OF THAT IS IN THE RFP. 
          >> COUNCIL BOHANNAN. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION TOO, MR. SISKO, BEFORE YOU GO? 
          >> SURE. 
          >> WAS THERE, YOU JUST MENTIONED ABOUT SOME NEGOTIATIONS THAT YOU RECEIVED AND SOME IDEAS YOU RECEIVED FROM MS. VAN VRANCKEN'S OFFICE? WAS THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER THAT REACHED OUT AND INJECTED THEMSELVES INTO THIS NEGOTIATION PROCESS BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND THE VENDOR? 
          >> NO. 
          >> SHE'S THE ONLY ONE? 
          >> YES. 
          >> IS SHE THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT INJECTED HERSELF INTO THE SCORING PROCESS? DID ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER INJECT THEMSELF AND CALL INTO QUESTION THE SCORING PROCESS? 
          >> CAUGHT THE MISTAKE. 
          >> HANG ON. 
          >> I'M SORRY. 
          >> SHE'S GOT THE FLOOR HANG ON. 
          >> AT THE FLOOR. 
          >> THAT I'M NOT PROVING TO. 
          I WASN'T A PART OF THE SCORING, ONLY THE NEGOTIATIONS. 
          >> PARISH ATTORNEY, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER THAT INJECTED THEMSELF INTO THE SCORING PROCESS? 
          >> NO. 
          >> THIS IS TWICE NOW THAT MS. VAN VRANCKEN HAS TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF FROM HER OFFICE [OVERLAPPING] TO NEGOTIATE. 
          WE HAVE A PARISH ATTORNEY THAT HANDLES THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN OUR PARISH AND THE VENDOR, CORRECT? THAT'S YOUR OFFICE. 
          >> UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. 
          >> DOES ANY PARISH COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH THE VENDOR? 
          >> NOT UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. 
          [01:05:01]
          >> I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, I THINK THAT IS WHOLLY INAPPROPRIATE THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD DIRECTLY NEGOTIATE WITH A VENDOR. 
          WE HAVE AN ENTIRE OFFICE OF VERY GOOD SKILLED ATTORNEYS THAT DO THIS ON OUR BEHALF. 
          THAT IS NOT OUR JOB. THAT IS NOT OUR JOB. 
          WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DISAGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BUSINESS OWNERS PERSPECTIVE AND NOT THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          WE ARE OBLIGATED TO ONLY LOOK AT THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          >> NOT IF YOU WANT [INAUDIBLE] 
          >> NO, NO. I'M SORRY. 
          DON'T INTERRUPT ME. YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR FEELINGS AT HOME. 
          THIS IS A LEGAL ISSUE, AND THE RFP IS CRYSTAL CLEAR. 
          IT WAS JUST READ TO US. 
          THERE'S NO MISTAKE, BUT EVEN DESPITE THAT, THEY GAVE THE VENDOR THAT YOU SINGLE HANDEDLY SELECTED. 
          THE OPPORTUNITY, WE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED, MADAM, BUT YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SINGLE HANDEDLY SELECTED THEM. 
          AFTER YOUR SELECTION, SHE GAVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE AND BACK OUT OF THE $20,000 A MONTH THAT THEY GUARANTEED US, WHICH YOU TOLD US YOU SELECTED THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVING US THE 20,000. 
          NOW WE'VE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THAT, AND DESPITE THAT, THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT. 
          AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE, AND WE FOLLOW THE RFP. 
          AND THE RFP SAYS THAT WHEN YOU'RE AT AN IMPASSE, YOU GO WITH THE SECOND VENDOR AND I'M SORRY THAT SHE CAME OUT AGAINST YOU IN YOUR ELECTION, I'M SORRY THAT THERE'S CLEARLY SOME POLITICAL WEIRD THING HAPPENING WITH YOU GUYS. 
          THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS COUNCIL. NOTHING. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          >> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE $20,000 NUMBER NEGOTIATING THAT NUMBER? 
          >> SURE. 
          >> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SELECTION OF FUEL WAS MADE SOLELY BECAUSE THEY WERE THE SECOND RANK FIRM, AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT NUMBER, THAT NOW I'VE LEARNED THAT WE'VE AGREED TO WAIVE IT FOR THREE MONTHS, AND NOW WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER. 
          WE MIGHT NEGOTIATE THAT NUMBER DOWN. 
          >> YEAH. THAT'S WHERE THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE ULTIMATELY LED IN AN ATTEMPT TO SELECT CHERYL. 
          >> AND I WANT TO BE I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON ONE MORE THING. 
          THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY QUESTION THAT THERE COULD BE ADVERTISING ON EVERY SINGLE BUS WE HAVE. 
          >> I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? 
          >> THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY QUESTION THAT THERE CAN BE ADVERTISING ON EVERY SINGLE BUS WE HAVE. 
          >> IN THAT EMAIL THAT MY LAST EMAIL WHERE I SENT CHERYL, THE 25% AND WHATNOT. 
          I DID INCLUDE ALL OF OUR BUSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR, I THINK IT'S YOUR KING, QUEEN, AND HALF TAIL. 
          THE THREE AVERAGE OR NORMAL SIZE ADS. 
          >> ALL PERCENT OF OUR FLEET, THERE WILL BE AN AD ON IT. 
          >> THERE CAN BE. YEAH. 
          >> YEAH. 
          >> ABSOLUTELY. 
          >> CHERYL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK NOW, PLEASE? 
          >> ABSOLUTELY. GOOD MORNING, TO EVERYONE. 
          THIS HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING FOR ME. 
          I CLEARLY CAN SAY THAT THERE HAS CLEARLY BEEN A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION THAT I'M HEARING. 
          FIRST OF ALL, LET ME START WITH MY STATED REMARKS. 
          I WANT TO STAY FOCUS ON WHAT I HAD TO SAY. 
          THEN I WILL MAKE COMMENTS ON WHAT I'VE HEARD IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I'M CHERYL ANDERSON. 
          I'M THE CO OWNER OF FUEL MEDIA. 
          I WANTED TO START BY EXPRESSING OUR DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THE TRUST JEFFERSON PARISH HAS PLACED IN US. 
          BEING CHOSEN AS THE ADVERTISING VENDOR FOR THE PARISH, IS JUST A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR FUEL. 
          IT'S AN HONOR THAT WE EMBRACE WITH BOTH PRIDE AND RESPONSIBILITY. 
          WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR TEAM IS ALREADY HARD AT WORK ON STRATEGIC MARKETING PLANS IN PREPARATION FOR OUR LUNCH AS THE NEW ADVERTISING PARTNER FOR JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          PERSONALLY, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. 
          WE ACTIVELY EXPLORING OUR PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE TO ENSURE FUEL IS WELL INTRODUCED AND ENGAGED WITHIN JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          THEREFORE, I WAS SURPRISED BY THE MENTION OF AN IMPASSE IN OUR DISCUSSIONS. 
          WE'VE BEEN IN CONTINUOUS AND ACTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MAINTAINING REGULAR CONTACT VIA EMAIL AND PHONE, INCLUDING RECENT EXCHANGES WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT 15 TO 20 CALLS. 
          I DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF CALLS WE COULD HAVE TO DISCUSS THE NEGOTIATION. 
          REGARDING THE AGREEMENT, THE LANGUAGE STIPULATED THAT 25% OF THE PARISH FIXED ROUTE BUSES AND PARATRANSIT CAN BE UTILIZED FOR EXTERIOR DECAL WRAPPING THROUGHOUT THE CONTRACT. 
          THIS LIMITATION WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RFP, AND OUR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS WERE BASED ON 
          [01:10:03]
THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ENTIRE FEE WILL BE AVAILABLE. 
          OUR GOAL HAS BEEN MAXIMIZING SALES REVENUE FOR JEFFERSON PARISH, AND THIS RESTRICTION REQUIRE RECALIBRATION ON OUR STRATEGIES AND LET ME SAY I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT 100% OF THE BUSES. 
          WE HAVE NEVER WRAPPED 100% OF ANYBODY'S BUSES. 
          RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY IN ONE OF OUR MARKETS, WE MAY HAVE 60%, AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CLIENTS WANTED, AND THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE. 
          I DO NOT AGREE THAT THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD WRAP 100% OF THE BUSES, BECAUSE THAT WOULD EXCLUDE SMALL BUSINESSES FROM HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE ON SUCH BUSES. 
          WHEN YOU ADVERTISE ON FULL BUS, THAT IS A HUGE INVESTMENT FOR A CLIENT. 
          AND TO ASSUME THAT EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY CAN DO THAT WOULD BE NOT OUR INTENTION FOR JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          NEVER HAVE I SAID ANYTHING ABOUT 100% BUSES. 
          SO I WANT THAT TO BE CLARIFIED. 
          I'M SORRY, I'VE LOST MY NOTES. 
          ANYWAY, AS I SAID, I WAS SURPRISED BY THAT. 
          THEN I GOT RECEIVED COMMUNICATION THAT ON TUESDAY FROM COLIN, THAT THE SEVERAL POINTS THAT HE HAD MENTIONED, I HAVE PERSONALLY REQUESTED 2023 AND 2022 MONTHLY REPORTS SO THAT I COULD SEE INFORMATION ON WHAT REVENUE WAS AND WHERE WE SHOULD START PLANNING OUR GOALS FOR SALES. 
          I WAS TOLD UNFORTUNATELY, THAT THAT INFORMATION DOES NOT EXIST. 
          I MENTIONED TO COLIN, COLIN, THAT I FOUND IT PRETTY INTERESTING THAT A TRANSIT AUTHORITY WOULD NOT HAVE SALES REVENUE REPORTS. 
          HOW WOULD YOU RECONCILE THE NUMBER THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM YOUR VENDOR? WE PROVIDE INFORMATION. 
          WE ACTUALLY WENT TO A SIMILAR AGENCY, WHICH WAS MENTIONED, JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY, JACKSONVILLE AUTHORITY AND JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. 
          WE ASKED FOR THE SAME INFORMATION, THE SAME REQUESTS, WE RECEIVED IT, AND IT HAD VECTORS LOGO ON THAT REPORT AND I SENT THAT TO COLIN. 
          IN ADDITION, ON FRIDAY, I WAS CALLED BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY ASKING ME ABOUT THE INFORMATION. 
          I DID MENTION TO HER THAT I WOULD NOT BE PROVIDING ANOTHER NUMBER. 
          THAT IS VERY TRUE. 
          AND THAT WAS BY MY COUNSEL, FUEL COUNSEL WHO ADVISED US NOT TO SUBMIT A NEW REVENUE NUMBER TO AVOID JEOPARDIZING THE INTEGRITY OF THE RFP. 
          SO WE STAND COMMITTED. 
          I'M VERY SURPRISED THAT WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE. 
          I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT WORD. 
          THAT WORD HAD NOT COME OUT OF MY MOUTH. 
          THAT WORD WAS NOT DISCUSSED WITH ME, NOR WAS I TOLD WE WERE AT THE IMPASSE. 
          I DID NOT SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY BECAUSE ON THE FRIDAY I WAS WORKING ON THE REPORT, I SAW A POST OR ON THE WEBSITE FOR THIS AGENDA, THAT WE WERE AT THE IMPASSE. 
          SO WHY WOULD I SUBMIT A REPORT? IF I'M ALREADY BEEN TOLD WE'RE AT THE IMPASSE, AND THAT'S WHY I PULLED BACK AND DECIDED TO MAKE MY COMMENTS. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE 100% OF THE BUSES. 
          I THINK THAT HAS BEEN EXCUSED. 
          AND WE'RE READY TO DO BUSINESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          >> MS. ANDERSON, IF YOU DON'T MIND, STAND UP FOR A SECOND. 
          WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE ADVISED NOT TO SUBMIT ANOTHER NUMBER, AND YOU TOOK YOUR COUNSEL'S ADVICE, DES THAT, IN ESSENCE, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SUBMIT ANOTHER NUMBER, LEAVE US AT AN IMPASSE? AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW BECAUSE OF THAT. 
          >> THEN I WILL SAY THAT. 
          >> DURING THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, I SHOULD SAY. 
          >> I'M SORRY, SIR, I DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. 
          >> NO, I'M SORRY. I INTERRUPTED YOU. GO AHEAD. 
          >> THE REASON WE WERE TOLD TO DO THAT AS MY ATTORNEY WOULD SAY, WELL, IF YOU SUBMIT ANOTHER NUMBER, THEN THAT'S A PUBLIC NUMBER. 
          IT WAS NOT A CLOSED NUMBER. 
          THEN THAT'S A PUBLIC NUMBER FOR VECTOR. 
          QUITE FRANKLY, IF THAT WAS VECTOR, I WOULD SAY, NOW I NEED TO SUBMIT ANOTHER NUMBER TOO. 
          >> BUT WE WERE IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS WITH FUEL. 
          >> BUT TO ME, IT WASN'T THE FACT THAT WE WERE ASKED TO PUT ANOTHER NUMBER ON THERE. 
          MY ATTORNEY JUST FELT THAT THAT COULD PUT YOU UP THERE FOR NOW, WE'RE OUT OF THE RIMS OF THE RFP. 
          NOW, IF THE ATTORNEY HAD CAME BACK TO ME AND SAID, WELL, NO, WE'RE NOT, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF THAT. 
          MY ATTORNEY JUST SAID, BE CAREFUL, YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE ANOTHER NUMBER BECAUSE THE RFP IS THE RFP. 
          >> BUT MS. HURLEY, IF WE'RE IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS AND YOU ASK FOR ANOTHER NUMBER AND THEN ANOTHER NUMBER DOESN'T COME BACK. WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE YOU? 
          >> AT AN IMPASSE. 
          >> I WAS NOT TOLD OF A WORD OF AN IMPASSE. 
          [01:15:04]
AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHEN RFP YOU SUBMIT A NUMBER. 
          YOU DON'T GET A DO OVER IN THE NUMBER. 
          >> ACCORDING TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, THERE'S A NEGOTIATION PROCESS AFTER THE COUNCIL SELECTS A VENDOR, AND THAT ALL WAS PART OF THE NEGOTIATION. 
          >> IT'S TYPICAL OF EVERY RFP TO NEGOTIATE ONCE THE SELECTION IS MADE, CORRECT? 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN 
          >> SO CAN I SAY ONE OTHER THING? 
          >> YES, MA'AM. 
          >> I WAS GIVEN THAT LETTER ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 22ND AND WAS ASKED TO GIVE ANOTHER NUMBER ON AUGUST 24, AND WE DIDN'T AND WAS WORKING ON AUGUST 25TH. 
          THAT OUR NUMBER THAT WE SUBMITTED TO YOU WAS ON A RFP THAT WAS, WHAT, TWO MONTHS OUT. 
          SO YOU'RE ASKING ME TO CHANGE A NUMBER IN 48 HOURS BASED ON THIS BUS, THAT BUS, THIS BUS, THAT BUS. 
          IT DID NOT ALLOW ME ADEQUATE TIME TO DO THAT INVESTIGATION NOR WAS I GOING TO SUBMIT A NUMBER JUST OFF THE CUFF THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          >> YOU'RE TELLING US THAT YOU KNEW GOING IN THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WRAP 100% OF THE BUSES. 
          >> I'M TELLING YOU THAT I NEVER WANTED TO WRAP 100% OF BUSES. 
          THAT WAS NOT OUR DISCUSSION. 
          MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THAT IT SAID 25%. 
          SO THAT'S 1912 BUSES. 
          WELL, WHAT IF I HAVE A CLIENT NUMBER 20 THAT COMES IN AND WE CAN WRAP THEM? DO I HAVE TO SAY, OH, I CAN'T WRAP ANOTHER 20 BUSES? WHY ARE WE LIMITING OURSELVES TO 25%? IN MOST MARKETS, WE DON'T DO MORE THAN 50%. 
          I'M NOT LOOKING TO WRAP 100% OF ANYBODY BUSES. 
          QUITE FRANKLY, IF I COULD, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE BECAUSE THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO GENERATE. 
          SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THAT WAS NOT MY INTENT. 
          WHEN WE SAW 25%, I TOLD COLIN THAT WAS NOT IN THE RFP. 
          THAT'S ALL I SAID. 
          >> MADAM PRESIDENT, LET ME GET TO COUNCILMAN LEE, AND THEN I'LL COME RIGHT BACK TO YOU, OKAY? 
          >> YEAH. I'VE HEARD BOTH SIDES. 
          TONY, DO WE HAVE A FIRM DROP DEAD DATE BY WHICH WE WILL SAY IF IT'S NOT DONE BY THIS TIME? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT WHEN I HEARD YOU MENTIONED THE IMPOSE, AND I HEARD HER SAY SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. 
          AND HER POSITION IS THAT IT SEEMS THAT SHE'S WILLING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          HOWEVER, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER THEY WOULD WANT TO GIVE BECAUSE I THINK WHAT SHE SAID TO PROTECT HER BUSINESS. 
          SO I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF THERE'S A DROP DEAD DATE BECAUSE IN OUR ORDINANCES, THERE IS A DROP DEAD DATE FROM WHICH YOU STOPPED NEGOTIATING, OR IF IT'S NOT THERE, THEN I THINK OUT OF FAIRNESS, IF WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT OPINIONS HERE AND WE'RE IN A VERY PUBLIC PLACE HERE, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME DECISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THIS MOVING FORWARD. 
          >> THE CODE PROVIDES IF WE'RE UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A CONTRACT, THE COUNCIL HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE ANOTHER VENDOR. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT'S PROVIDED IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. 
          WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. 
          >> AS FAR AS YOU ARE OTHERS MAY BE CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE AT THE END? 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> MADAM PRESIDENT. 
          >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AND MS. CHERYL, I WANT TO PERSONALLY APOLOGIZE TO YOU BECAUSE I SAID, I THINK I USED THE WORMS. I THINK YOU WANTED TO COVER 100% OF THE BUSES. 
          I STARTED OUT WITH THAT. 
          BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I WAS ACCUSED OF PLACING A POISON PILL IN THIS RFP ON THAT VERY ISSUE. 
          SO WHEN I'M READING THE COUNCIL WOMAN WRITING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT, WE'RE ONLY LIMITING IT TO 25% AND NOT ALL BUSES. 
          I ASSUME SHE WAS ADVOCATING ON YOUR BEHALF, AND THAT WAS YOUR POSITION BECAUSE THAT WAS THE POISON PILL THAT SHE REPORTED US TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT, THE ALL. 
          SO MY APOLOGIES TO YOU. 
          BUT I WAS READING WHAT I WAS BEING CHARGED WITH, AND THAT'S WHY WE GOT OFF. 
          AGAIN, THE INTERFERENCE FROM THE OFFICE IS JUST MAKING THIS A LOT MORE CONFUSING THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. 
          SO MY APOLOGIES TO YOU, MS. CHERYL. 
          >> MS. ANDERSON, ANYTHING ELSE? 
          >> I WILL ALSO SAY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT A TIME CLOCK WAS TICKING ON A CONVERSATION. 
          THE LAST CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE ATTORNEY DID NOT TELL ME THERE WAS AN IMPASSE, DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE IMPASSE, AND I THINK THAT WAS AN ASSUMPTION ON THEIR PART. 
          I WAS STEADILY WORKING ON OUR INFORMATION. 
          AND I I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS BEING AT AN IMPASSE. 
          [01:20:02]
AGAIN, THAT WAS NOT OUR INTENTION. 
          >> TO BE CLEAR, DID YOU NOT SAY THAT YOU WERE NOT GOING TO SUBMIT ANOTHER NUMBER ON ADVICE OF YOUR COUNSEL? 
          >> YES. 
          >> WHICH PUTS US IN THE SPOT WE ARE. 
          [LAUGHTER]. 
          >> BUT NO ONE INFORMED ME THAT BY NOT SUBMITTING THE NUMBER THAT WE WOULD BE IN A IMPASSE. 
          I WAS ONLY NOT SUBMITTING THE NUMBER BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS KEPT IN PLACE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN, WE CAN'T NEGOTIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A CONTRACT WITHOUT A NEW MINIMUM GUARANTEED MONTHLY AMOUNT. 
          I HAVE HAD MANY PLEASANT CONVERSATIONS WITH CHERYL, BUT I DID INFORM HER WHEN I CALLED HER LAST THURSDAY THAT A COUNCIL MEETING WAS COMING UP. 
          AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON. 
          IF WE'RE UNABLE TO DO THAT, THE COUNCIL IS AUTHORIZED TO GO IN OTHER DIRECTIONS SHOULD THEY SO CHOOSE. 
          >> GO AHEAD AND THEN COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> GOOD MORNING, MS. CHERYL? 
          >> GOOD MORNING, SIR. 
          >> FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I AGREE WITH YOUR ATTORNEY TO CHANGE THAT NUMBER WOULD RUIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE RFP. 
          I THINK WE AGREE THAT, THAT NUMBER IS THAT NUMBER AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. DO WE AGREE? 
          >> ARE YOU ASKING ME OR? 
          >> YES, MA'AM. I'M ASKING YOU. 
          >> FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, THE WAY I'M SAYING THIS IS I DID NOT KNOW I HAD THE LEGAL RIGHT TO CHANGE THE NUMBER. 
          >> YOUR LAWYER SAYS, NO, AND I AGREE WITH HIM. 
          [LAUGHTER]. 
          >> MY ATTORNEY, WE HAVE COUNSEL. 
          >> MY NEXT QUESTION IS, I THINK THAT I HEARD OUR DIRECTOR SAY THAT CURRENTLY 12% OF THE FLEET IS FULLY WRAPPED AND YOU HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF NEGOTIATING THAT UP TO 25%? IS THAT CORRECT? 
          >> NO, THAT NUMBER WAS GIVEN TO ME IN THE CONTRACT. 
          I HAD NOT NEGOTIATED THAT NUMBER. 
          THAT WAS JUST IN THE CONTRACT WHEN I WAS FIRST ASKED TO SIGN IT. 
          I DID NOT ASK FOR 25% I DID NOT ASK FOR 50%. 
          >> WASN'T IN THE RFP? 
          >> IT WASN'T IN THE RFP. 
          YES, SIR. THAT'S WHY I QUESTION. 
          WHY WAS IT AT 25%? I WASN'T SAYING I WANTED 100. 
          I WAS JUST CLEARLY ASKING WHY WAS IT AT 25%. 
          >> DID YOU ASK HER WHAT WAS WRAPPED CURRENTLY? 
          >> I'VE ASKED FOR INFORMATION PUBLIC RECORD, I'VE ASKED FOR INVENTORY. 
          >> WERE YOU TOLD THAT 12% WAS WRAPPED CURRENTLY, AND DID YOU ASK THAT QUESTION? 
          >> NO. I DID NOT ASK THAT QUESTION, NOR WAS I TOLD THAT. 
          >> I GUESS LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION. 
          IF THE MAXIMUM YOU CAN GET IS 25%, FULLY WRAPPED AND YOU ARE STILL REQUIRED TO PAY THE 20 AND CHANGE THOUSAND DOLLAR PER MONTH WITH A THREE MONTH GRACE PERIOD THAT YOU'VE NEGOTIATED. WOULD THAT DO IT? 
          >> SIR, MY THING IS THAT I DO NOT FEEL WE SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 25%. 
          I'M NOT SAYING WE DO 100% BUT WITH THAT NUMBER, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE DID NOT PUT THAT NUMBER. 
          >> I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, I'M NOT TRYING. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR IS A LOT OF MONEY. 
          >> YES, MA'AM. 
          >> BASED ON WHAT WE SUBMITTED, IT WAS NOT SAYING WE WOULD DO 10%, 12%, OR 25%, BUT IT CLEARLY WASN'T BASED ON 100%. 
          IT JUST CLEARLY WASN'T BASED ON HAVING THAT CONFINEMENT FOR OUR REVENUE. 
          NOW, I AGREE WITH THE TRANSIT MANAGER. 
          >> OF COURSE, I KNOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE HAD IN ORDER TO COME TO THAT NUMBER, WHICH WE AGREE IS A BIG NUMBER, YOU HAD TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT WOULD BE WRAPPED. 
          YOU HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR MIND, 80% IS IT 60%. 
          YOU HAD TO IN ORDER TO PAY THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, YOU HAD TO HAVE- [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> MOST AND EVEN YOU DO THE NUMBER BASED ON PER BUS. 
          WE PRETTY MUCH PROJECTED $350 PER BUS. 
          THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT, YOU DON'T GO OUT AND SAY, WELL, THIS BUS CAN GET THIS AND THIS BUS CAN DO THAT. 
          YOU BASICALLY COME UP WITH YOUR NUMBER BASED ON THE FLEET AND EVERYTHING FALLS FROM 350 DOWN TO MAYBE 1,800 UP. 
          ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WE DID NOT USE 25%, 10%, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          I AGREE WITH THE TRANSIT MANAGER. 
          WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF UNBRANDING JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          WE FEEL THAT WE CAN MAKE A DESIGN AND WE'VE DONE THAT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK WITH THE TRANSIT MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THE BRANDING IS THERE. 
          WE'RE NOT HERE TO DO 100% TAKEOVER OF JEFFERSON PARISH BUSHES. 
          WE PRESENTED THAT NUMBER IN GOOD FAITH TO GENERATE THE MOST REVENUE. 
          AGAIN, THAT 25% LIMITATION WAS NOT THERE. 
          I DID NOT THINK THAT 25 AND LIKE COLIN SAID THE ON BOARDING, 
          [01:25:01]
ALL THAT WAS GREAT. 
          I DID NOT THINK THAT 25% WAS CAUSING, IN MY OPINION, FROM WHERE I SAID IN FLORIDA, THIS IMPASSE OR THIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. 
          COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF IT. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          >> COUNSEL, GO AHEAD. 
          >> YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE FROM FLORIDA. 
          DO YOU HAVE LOCAL OFFICES HERE IN LOUISIANA AT ALL? 
          >> WE DO NOT HAVE A LOCAL OFFICE HERE. 
          HOWEVER WE DON'T HAVE A LOCAL OFFICE, WHERE WE ARE IN NASHVILLE, WHERE WE ARE IN OHIO, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY, WE'RE MORE OF A NON-MORTAR BASED COMPANY, I HAVE CLIENTS, I HAVE SALES PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. 
          >> BUT MAYBE YOU HAD SOMEONE HERE BECAUSE THE RFP DIDN'T SAY A SPECIFIC AMOUNT, BUT IT DID SAY BASED ON HISTORICAL NORMS AND STANDARD INDUSTRIES. 
          THE HISTORICAL NORM FOR JEFFERSON PARISH IS SOMEWHERE IT SOUNDS BETWEEN 10-15% OF THE BUSES. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >>  I'M SORRY, LET ME FINISH MY QUESTION. 
          HAD YOU KNOWN THAT AND HAD ASKED FOR THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE BASED YOUR NUMBER ON THAT. 
          BUT YOUR NUMBER IS ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT THE OTHER VENDOR WAS. 
          YOU WERE SELECTED BECAUSE YOU WERE GOING TO BE PAYING US THAT NUMBER. 
          DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE NOT BEING CLEAR ABOUT THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          YOU'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE RFP, WHATEVER THE REASON WAS. 
          YOU'RE NOW TELLING US THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY THE 20 SOMETHING THOUSAND A MONTH AND BY VIRTUE OF THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE. 
          >> I DID NOT SAY WE COULD NOT PAY 20,000. 
          I SAID I WAS NOT CHANGING MY NUMBER. 
          I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE. 
          YOU ASKED ME TO CHANGE A NUMBER WE GAVE YOU A NUMBER, WE HAVE DONE THIS WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES, AND WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY IMPASSE ON ANY OF THESE DISCUSSIONS. 
          WE HAD NO INTENTIONS OF 100%. 
          MY QUESTION WAS, WHY ARE WE AT 25%? THEN THE 25% CAME BACK TO SAY, DO 2012, 2013, 2014, AND 2019 BUSES, DON'T TOUCH THE NEW BUSES WITH ALL THE NEW WRAPS AND THEN THE OLD BUSES ARE LEAVING, THE NEW BUSES ARE COMING AND FOR ME, THAT LEFT ME AT OKAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING AND I ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION. 
          THEN I WAS ASKED FOR A NEW NUMBER. 
          AGAIN, MY POINT FOR NOT A NEW NUMBER IS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLIC RECORD FOR ANYONE TO SCRUTINIZE. 
          PERHAPS IN MY OPINION, FOR VECTOR TO COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, ARE WE GIVING NEW NUMBERS AND THAT WAS MY PERSPECTIVE. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, AND THEN IF WE'RE GOOD MOVING FORWARD AT THAT POINT, WE'LL WRAP THIS FOR NOW, AND WE CAN'T GET TO THE ACTUAL AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUT OF ORDER UNTIL WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THOSE, SO WE'LL DO THAT AFTER WE DO THAT COMING UP SHORTLY. COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> I'M JUST GOING TO TRY AND WRAP THIS UP, BUT WHILE CHERYL'S HERE, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO DO THIS. 
          I THINK COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN YOU ARE CORRECT, THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK. 
          TO ASK FOR HISTORICAL DATA, CHERYL HAD TWO OPTIONS. 
          ONE, THE COMPETITOR WHO CLEARLY IS NOT GOING TO PROVIDE THAT, AND THE OTHER WAS THE PARISH WHO SHE DID ASK AND A PRR WAS TOLD, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA. 
          AS THE NON-CONTRACT HOLDER, SHE'S AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GIVING HER THAT INFORMATION NOR CERTAINLY IS VECTOR. 
          I DO THINK THAT WAS QUESTIONS TO ASK AND SHE DID. 
          SECONDLY, NEGOTIATING IS USUALLY TWO-WAY, AND I DO BELIEVE THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH CHERYL AND TRYING TO NEGOTIATE, I WOULD ASK CHERYL BECAUSE THE BUS BUSINESS IS NOT MY BUSINESS. 
          IF 25% IS AN ARBITRARY NUMBER THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH IN THIS SCENARIO, BUT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS IN OTHER MARKETS OF 50% OR 60%. 
          ARE WE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE FOR THE TAXPAYER FOR US TO GENERATE REVENUE, IF WE SAY, ONLY WRAP 25% VERSUS 50% OR VERSUS 60%? 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT 25% DOES IS GIVE ME A HEART FAT NUMBER, WHICH MEANS 12 BUSES. 
          LET'S SAY WE SELL SIX BUSES TO ONE PARTICULAR VENDOR, FOUR BUSES TO ANOTHER VENDOR, AND NOW I'M DOWN TO TWO BUSES, AND MAYBE A VENDOR COME IN AND SAY FIVE. 
          I WOULD HAVE TO TELL THAT VENDOR I CAN'T DO IT. 
          I'M LIMITED TO 12 BUSES, AND THAT'S MY POINT IS THAT I WILL HAVE FIXED REVENUE AND FIXED COLUMNS. 
          >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET IN ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY, NOT NEGOTIATING DIRECTLY, AS WAS ASSERTED, BUT ASKING THE PARISH ATTORNEY, IS THE 25% ARBITRARY, OR COULD WE SUGGEST ANOTHER NUMBER THAT MIGHT GIVE YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY AND GIVE TAXPAYERS MORE REVENUE? LET ME JUST WRAP THIS UP BECAUSE I THINK IF WE AGREE THAT WE'RE AT AN IMPASSE AND THIS CONTRACT THAT IS 86 MOVES FORWARD OR IS CANCELED, I'M SORRY. 
          [01:30:05]
THEN DO WE GIVE THIS TO VECTOR, OR DO WE GO BACK OUT? WHILE YOU'RE HERE, BECAUSE MY GREATEST CONCERN AND THE REASON THAT I WAS SO ADAMANT IN SOME OF MY CONCERNS AND EXPRESSING THOSE CONCERNS PUBLICLY IS THAT IF WE CAN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU, I THINK IT LOOKS BAD FOR JUST HANDING IT TO THE OTHER COMPANY, THOUGH WE CAN DO THAT BY LAW. 
          IF WE GO BACK OUT, THEN WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR? WHEN I DID NOT WANT TO MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD TO THIS AGENDA BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FULLY BAKED, IT DIDN'T HAVE WHAT WE WOULD PUT BACK OUT. 
          LAST NIGHT AFTER HOURS AT FIVE SOMETHING BECAUSE I STAYED AT MY DESK TO READ IT, WHAT WAS SENT TO US AS THE PROPOSAL FOR WHAT WE WOULD PUT OUT PUBLICLY WOULD CHANGE THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FROM FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE IN BUS ADVERTISING TO 10 AND FROM SIMILAR OR EQUAL MARKETS TO EQUAL OR GREATER, IF THAT WERE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED, COULD FUEL COMPETE, OR WOULD YOU BE KNOCKED OUT? 
          >> I WOULD BE KNOCKED DOWN. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN? 
          >> YES. 
          >> THE CORRECT ATTACHMENT WAS PROVIDED THIS MORNING. 
          >> THIS MORNING. I'M GETTING TO THAT. 
          >> THAT WAS A WRONG ATTACHMENT AND AN OLD COPY THAT WAS ERRONEOUSLY SENT. 
          >> WELL, IT WAS THIS IT WAS SENT TO US LAST NIGHT, AND MY CONCERN WAS I KNEW THAT, THAT WOULD KNOCK OUT THE COMPETITION, AND YOU'RE CORRECT. 
          THIS GOES BACK TO MY ASSERTION THAT IT WASN'T FULLY BAKED. 
          WE GET SOMETHING LAST NIGHT THAT WOULD HAVE KNOCKED HER OUT, WHICH IS NOT LEGAL. 
          THEN THIS MORNING, WE GET ANOTHER DOCUMENT, WHICH I HAVE READ AT THIS DAYS DURING THIS MEETING, WHICH I DO NOT THINK IS HOW WE SHOULD DO BUSINESS. 
          THIS ONE IS THE ORIGINAL RFP, THE ORIGINAL RFP THAT WE SENT OUT. 
          IT GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS DRAFTED IN THE BEST FORMAT BECAUSE IT HAS LED TO THIS CONFUSION, SO I DO THINK THAT WE COULD CRAFT SOMETHING LESS CONFUSING, BUT LET ME JUST READ THIS TO CHERYL AND LET ME JUST ASK IF THIS WOULD ALSO KNOCK YOU OUT. 
          BECAUSE THIS IS THE LATEST DOCUMENT THAT WE GOT AT 9:30 THIS MORNING. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, THE PROPOSER MUST PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF THREE REFERENCES GOVERNMENTAL OR PRIVATE FOR WHOM EQUAL OR LARGER SCOPE OF SERVICES IS BEING PROVIDED FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS. 
          CAN YOU PROVIDE REFERENCES FROM THREE ENTITIES OF A EQUAL OR LARGER SCOPE OF SERVICES? 
          >> NO, MA'AM. 
          >> BUT YOU COULD IF IT WERE EQUAL OR SIMILAR? 
          >> YES, MA'AM. 
          >> THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERNS COMING IN, AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOCK CHERYL OUT UNFAIRLY. 
          I ALSO DON'T WANT TO GET JUST ONE PERSON WHO CAN RESPOND BECAUSE MY MINIMAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUS COMPANY OR THE BUS BUSINESS, BUS ADVERTISING BUSINESS IS VECTOR IS ONLY INTERESTED IN OUR MARKET BECAUSE WHEN VECTOR PURCHASE LAUREL, LAUREL HAD OUR METRO AREA, NOT JUST JEFFERSON, BUT JEFFERSON, ST. BERNARD, OTHER PARISHES. 
          BIG VECTOR THAT DOES LIKE NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES, VECTOR IS NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN JEFFERSON EITHER, AND THOSE BIG COMPANIES AREN'T INTERESTED IN JEFFERSON. 
          THEY WERE INTERESTED BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT LAUREL AND THEY BOUGHT A METRO REGION. 
          BIG COMPANIES WILL NOT COMPETE FOR JUST JEFFERSON. 
          WHAT WE REALLY ARE IS KNOCKING OUT THE SMALL COMPANIES, AND WE'RE PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THAT THE BIG COMPANIES AREN'T INTERESTED IN, SO WE'RE REALLY ONLY GIVING IT TO ONE VENDOR, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN, IT'S THE EXACT SAME RFP AND SHE WASN'T KNOCKED OUT PRIOR TO, AND UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE IS UNABLE TO DISQUALIFY ANYONE FOR NOT MEETING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, IT GOES TO SCORING. 
          >> IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU PROVIDED, IN ONE PLACE, IT CONTRADICTS ITSELF. 
          IN ONE PLACE, IT SAYS, SIMILAR OR EQUAL TO, AND ON ANOTHER PAGE, IT SAYS EQUAL OR LARGER. 
          THAT, IN THE DOCUMENT THAT I WAS GIVEN THIS MORNING, THAT CONTRADICTS ITSELF, WILL AGAIN, EITHER KNOCK HER OUT, OR WE HAVE A CONTRADICTION IN THIS DOCUMENT. 
          WHEN I ASK FOR PAUSE, IT IS NOT BECAUSE I'M JUST TRYING TO BE A SLOW DOWN OF ANY PROCESS. 
          IT IS BECAUSE IF I SEE LANGUAGE THAT CONTRADICTS ITSELF THAT CAN POTENTIALLY KNOCK SOMEONE OUT, THAT IS A CONCERN, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF PUBLIC, FAIR, COMPETITIVE PROCESSES. 
          IF WE CRAFT SOMETHING TO KNOCK OUT COMPETITION, 
          [01:35:03]
THAT IS NOT LEGAL. 
          THAT IS WHAT I WAS ASSERTING ALL ALONG. 
          >> IT'S THE SAME ONE THAT WENT OUT BEFORE. 
          >> BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRADICTION IN IT, WHICH COULD ELIMINATE HER. THAT'S MY CONCERN. 
          >> WAIT A MINUTE. 
          >> I THINK YOU SAW FROM THE ATTORNEYS THAT YOU ALL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SLICK FUEL MEDIA, AND YOU SAW THE GOOD FAITH EFFORT OF THEM TRYING TO DO THIS. 
          WHEN YOU'RE SAYING SHE GOT KNOCKED OUT, IT'S THE SAME DOCUMENT THAT SHE QUALIFIED BEFORE, SHE DIDN'T GET KNOCKED OUT. 
          IF ANYBODY SHOULD BRING UP THAT ARGUMENT, IT SHOULD BE THE OPPONENT, SHE DID NOT GET KNOCKED OUT. 
          THIS CHANGING AND US BEING ACCUSED OF CHANGING AND AND MOVING THE TIME, JUST KNOW THAT IS AN ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE WITH FUEL MEDIA, WHO YOU ALL UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED. 
          ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE DONE PROVE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU'RE ACCUSING US OF OF TRYING TO KNOCK OUT FUEL MEDIA. 
          ALL THOSE CHANGES AND THE CHANGE IN NUMBERS AND THAT, PROBABLY VECTOR WOULD BE UPSET AT US ABOUT DOING THAT, SO IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU'RE ACCUSING US OF. 
          WE'RE CHANGING THE NUMBER TO RATIFY THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNCIL SELECTION. 
          I JUST WANT TO PROVE IT PROVES THE POINT THAT WE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH. 
          >> CAN I MAKE A STATEMENT, PLEASE. 
          IN CLOSING ON OUR CONVERSATION WITH TONY ON FRIDAY, I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY COMMENT, WE WEREN'T GOING TO SUBMIT A NUMBER WAS PROJECTING AN IMPASSE. 
          ABSOLUTELY, 100% HAD NO IDEA. 
          MY GOAL WAS TO SAY, I DID NOT WANT TO PRESENT A NEW NUMBER BASED ON WHAT OUR ATTORNEY WAS SAYING THAT WE COULD PUT EVERYTHING IN JEOPARDY. 
          NOW, IF WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY, SAYING NO, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE, THAT YOU ARE PUTTING A NEW NUMBER FORWARD BY OUR RULES BY OUR GOAL, THAT THAT IS NOT MESSING UP THE INTEGRITY OF THE RFP, THEN WE WOULD HAVE DONE THAT. 
          I WAS AFRAID THAT BY PUTTING OUT A NUMBER ON FRIDAY WOULD SUBJECT ME TO HAVING MESSING WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE RFP. 
          THAT IS IT NOT TO COME TO AN IMPASSE. 
          >> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CLERK. 
          MADAM CLERK, COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN KEEPS SAYING, THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON. 
          COULD YOU REMIND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER PUT THIS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY? WHO PUT ITEM NUMBER 86 ON OUR AGENDA TODAY? 
          >> IT WAS COUNCILWOMAN VAN. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> AT THE REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION. 
          >> WELL, IT SAYS AT THE REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT IN FACT, THEY REALLY DIDN'T REQUEST IT, CORRECT? 
          >> THEY DID. 
          >> NO. 
          >> YOU CAN CONFIRM CONTRACT. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN, EIGHT DAYS AFTER YOU ALL SELECTED THIS FUEL MEDIA, IT WAS PLACED A REQUEST WAS TO GET THE CONTRACT RATIFICATION PLACED ON THE AGENDA. 
          I READ IT ON THE AGENDA, AND IT SAYS ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. 
          I IMMEDIATELY CALL ELIZABETH AND SAID, WE DID NOT REQUEST THAT TO GET PUT ON THE AGENDA. 
          CLEARLY, WE'RE NOT THERE TODAY, WE WERE NOT FINISHED THAT IN JULY OR WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SO WE DID NOT REQUEST. 
          THAT GOES AGAINST THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT THIS PARISH HAD. 
          IN FACT, SO MUCH SO THAT SHE'S SO USED TO DING REQUEST FOR CONTRACT RATIFICATION AFTER THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAS FINISHED THOSE CONVERSATIONS AFTER BOTH PARTIES AGREE THAT I THINK THAT'S HOW THE MISTAKE WAS MADE. 
          I CALLED ELIZABETH IMMEDIATELY AND I SAID, WE DID NOT REQUEST THAT. 
          AGAIN, THAT WAS AN INTERFERENCE AND A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE ON THIS CONTRACT THAT DID NOT MAKE THINGS EASIER. 
          >> BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> YES. 
          >> DID ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER PARTICIPATE IN THAT? 
          >> IT'S A PARISH WIDE ITEM YOU SHOULDN'T BE. 
          >> BY COUNCILWOMAN? 
          >> YES, WE CAN. CAN YOU CONFIRM AGAIN THAT IT COME TO REQUEST[OVERLAPPING] 
          >> IT WAS INTERFERENCE IN THIS PROCESS, THE ADMINISTRATION CLEARLY TODAY, WE'RE NOT READY TO RATIFY A CONTRACT. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> THE PROCESS IS TRADITIONALLY, YOU ALL MAKE A SELECTION, THE PARISH ATTORNEY NEGOTIATES THE CONTRACT. 
          MAYBE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, I DON'T GET INVOLVED. 
          I DIDN'T GET INVOLVED IN THIS ONE. 
          THE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO COLIN ABOUT IT WAS YESTERDAY, JUST IN PREPARATION FOR TODAY. 
          THEY WILL TELL YOU I NEVER GOT INVOLVED IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. 
          AND WHEN THE PARTIES AGREE, THE ADMINISTRATION PUTS IT ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA AND REQUEST THAT YOU PLACE IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA FOR VOTE. 
          THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL NOT THERE. 
          WE STILL WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED YOU ALL TO HAVE THIS ON HERE. 
          >> AT THIS POINT, CAN WE CALL THE [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> SPEAKING OF PAUSING, BECAUSE WE CAN'T VOTE ON ANYTHING UNTIL WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT, AND BECAUSE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS 20 MINUTES AWAY. 
          I THINK NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO TAKE EXECUTIVE SESSION A FEW MINUTES EARLY, AND EVERYBODY COLLECT THEIR THOUGHTS AND DECOMPRESS. 
          THIS WON'T BE A VERY LONG EXECUTIVE SESSION, FAMOUS LAST WORDS. 
          BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ITEM NUMBER ONE BY THE TIME WE WENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.. 
          IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT WE'LL REGROUP AND WE'LL READ THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM. 
          [01:40:02]
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, HOLD ON. 
          BEFORE I DO THAT, AS A MATTER OF CLARITY AND HOUSEKEEPING, MADAM PRESIDENT, AS A MATTER OF CLARITY AND HOUSEKEEPING, YOU MENTIONED THINGS BEING DELETED EARLIER. 
          THE PARISH CLERK, FOR THE RECORD, WOULD LIKE TO STATE THE REASONING BEHIND THAT AND SHE ASKED FOR JUST A MOMENT TO SAY WHY THAT HAPPENED. 
          >> YES. I JUST WANT TO REACH OUT. 
          APOLOGIZE TO THE COUNCIL, THE PARISH PRESIDENT, THE ADMINISTRATION, TONY HARLEY. 
          WHEN I READ THE EMAIL THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE PUT ON AND NOT BEING FURTHER CONSIDERED TO BE PLACED ON, WE WENT AHEAD AND REMOVED IT FROM THE SYSTEM. 
          WE DO THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO DUPLICATES BEING PUT INTO THE SYSTEM. 
          NO COUNCIL MEMBER, NO ADMINISTRATION, NOBODY ASKED ME TO DELETE IT. 
          IT WAS DONE ON MY PART, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED FURTHER INTO IT. 
          I TRULY APOLOGIZE TO THE COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION, EVERYBODY AND WE'VE ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS. 
          NOTHING CAN BE DELETED FROM OUR OFFICE GOING FURTHER, AND THAT'S JUST HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT GOING FURTHER. 
          >> I'M GOING TO ASK IF SHE RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT THESE TWO ITEMS WERE NOT BE RECONSIDERED. 
          BECAUSE IT'S NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION THAT ONLY TWO THINGS GET DELETED AND IT'S THE TWO THINGS THAT I'M ASKING THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SPONSOR, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? MY POINT IS, IT'S A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN BELIEVES IS A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, THAT IF SHE DOES NOT PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, THAT I DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE OTHER SIX OF YOU AND ASK TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA AND THOSE DOCUMENTS WERE DELETED. 
          THAT'S THE ONLY TWO THAT WERE DELETED. 
          AGAIN, A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT, IT WOULD CHANGE HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IT'S GOING TO STYMIE OUR OPERATIONS. 
          MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT I GET AN AUDIENCE IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU, THAT ONE OF YOU DOESN'T WANT TO VOTE ON IT, AND IT DOESN'T GET TO BE ON THE AGENDA. 
          THAT IS NOT HOW ANYTHING HAS EVER WORKED SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2009, AND THAT'S NOT HOW THE CHARTER IS READ. 
          I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A VOTE FROM ANYBODY UNLESS NONE OF YOU WANT TO PUT IT ON AND I WOULDN'T BRING SOMETHING TO YOU THAT I KNOW IS SUCH A STINKER THAT YOU WOULDN'T PUT IT ON. 
          IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT THAT'S WHY I'M RINGING THE ALARMS. IT IS A DIFFERENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE WOULD BE HAVING AS JEFFERSON PARISH, AND IT WOULD SLOW DOWN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE 43 DEPARTMENTS THAT I AM TASKED BY THE CHARTER TO MAKE SURE RUN PROPERLY AND EFFICIENTLY. 
          >> I DON'T WANT TO REALLY DEBATE THIS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS AND I KNOW YOU HAVE THAT TO READ, WHICH IS. 
          >> WRITTEN POLICY THAT TASKS ME WITH THAT BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO IGNORE THIS. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN, IT'S NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE. 
          >> I AGREE. 
          >> UNTIL YOU TOOK THAT ROLE. 
          >> A POLICY IS NOT A LAW. 
          >> LET'S PAUSE THERE, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL READ THE ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM, PLEASE. 
          [EXECUTIVE SESSION]
          >> OKAY. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNCIL TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS LEGAL MATTERS CONCERNING ACT NUMBER 775 OF THE 2024 REGULAR SESSION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM? 
          >> [INAUDIBLE] 
          >> WE HAVE TO DO. 
          >> ONLY THAT ONE. 
          >> OKAY. EVERYBODY, WE HAVE TO HAVE BEFORE WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM, WE DO HAVE TO DO A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA BEFORE WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM? NO ONE WILL HOLD IT AGAINST YOU IF YOU SAY NO. 
          NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM. 
          WE WILL HAVE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT WHEN WE COME BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ADOPTING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION? HEARING NONE, WE'RE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          EVERYBODY WANTS TO GRAB A SEAT, WE'LL RESUME THE MEETING FROM THE BEGINNING. 
          [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] 
          >> SHOULD JUST DO THE INTRO AGAIN. 
          IT IS 12:00 O'CLOCK, WELCOME TO THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28. 
          MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM? YES, MA'AM. 
          >> A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A ONE TIME STIPEND PAYMENT TO THE FIRST AND SECOND PARISH COURT JUDGES FOR THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON PURSUANT TO ACT NUMBER 775 OF THE 2024 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION, RESOLUTION ON MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. 
          [01:45:04]
YOUR MICS BEEN OPEN UP. LET'S PICK UP NOW WHERE WE LEFT OFF. 
          [PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL REGARDING A RESOLUTION(S) ON AGENDA/ADDENDUM AGENDA]
IF PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL REGARDING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR ADENUM AGENDA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU MUST FILL OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD IN THE BACK OF CHAMBERS AND HAND UP TO THE CLERK. 
          YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. 
          >>> [INAUDIBLE] FOURTH DISTRICT INCORPORATED JEFFERSON 52 YEARS. 
          ITEM NUMBERS 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 81, 86, AND 117. 
          NOW, 86 IS NOT A CHANGE ORDER. 
          I'M GOING TO GIVE THE CHANGE ORDER FIRST. 
          FREE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED. 
          THE LIBRARY, THE JUVENILE SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS. 
          TOTAL ADDITIONAL COST OF THOSE CONTRACTS, $12.108 MILLION. 
          COUNCILMAN LEE, PERSONNEL DIRECTOR IN THE AUDIENCE, I ASKED YOU TO PUT THIS IN YOUR DATABASE WHEN WE COME BACK TO GET MORE MONEY FOR EMPLOYEES, REMEMBER THESE NUMBERS. 
          LAST MEETING, IT WAS 9.75 MILLION. 
          NOW, ITEM 47 WAS A $220,000 REDUCTION. 
          NOW, ITEM 86, THAT WAS AT THE CRUX OF THIS FIASCO THAT TOOK PLACE IN HERE THIS MORNING. 
          AN EMBARRASSMENT, AN EMBARRASSING FIASCO. 
          WHAT'S DRIVING THIS FIASCO, WHAT'S DRIVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH OUR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ALL SOMETHING. 
          I PUT THE CITY OF KENNER ON NOTICE AT OUR LAST MEETING BECAUSE OF THIS, TO BE CAREFUL WITH CONTRACTS STAY PIGGYBACK ON WITH THE PARISH. 
          KENNER NEED TO BE A PART OF NO LAWSUITS EITHER BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE. 
          AND WHAT'S DRIVING THIS FIASCO? WHAT'S DRIVING ALL THIS? THOSE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS THAT COME FROM EVERY VENDOR THAT'S ON THAT AGENDA TO BE GIVEN A CONTRACT AND A SECOND THING IS A DIRTY FILTHY GAME OF POLITICS BEING PLAYED IN HERE. 
          I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ME EVERY TIME. 
          EVERY TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS PULLED, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ME. 
          NOW, COUNCILMAN WALKER, I GOT A PRIORITY AND EMERGENCY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WENT ON AS I WAS COMING INTO THIS BUILDING. 
          WE GOT PEOPLE WAKING OUT HERE ON. 
          >> IS IT ON THE AGENDA, MR. AL? 
          >> WAIT A MINUTE, MAN. WE GOT PEOPLE WAKING OUT HERE IN THE HEAT. 
          THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WITH NO WATER AND UNDER A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF GRETNA. 
          >> UNDERSTAND WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT THE END OF THE MEETING, MR. AL. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. GOT TO STICK TO THE SUBJECT MATTER, ESPECIALLY TODAY. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> I UNDERSTAND. GREAT I CAN HANDLE IT. 
          >> I WAS JUST TRYING TO SPARK A LITTLE CURIOSITY IN A WAY WE MIGHT GO, 8 THROUGH 13 ON THE ADDENDUM ON THE ADDENDUM, 139 TO 142, 136, 132, 135, 121, 130. 
          THAT'S ALL I COULD EVEN GET TO. 
          LET'S DO THE GOOD STUFF. SO135, PUT LEO IN PARKS. 
          JUST DO THAT, PLEASE, I DON'T WANT MY PERSONAL OPINION TO SWAY YOU IN ANY NEGATIVE WAY. 
          I WANT TO THANK THE ROADS DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS. 
          THEY KICK SOME BUTT OVER THERE ON WEST MERY OFF A CLEAR VIEW, ALONG ONE OF THE MOST TRAVELED PARKWAYS, ROADS IN THE EAST BANK, THEY GOT IT DONE IN QUICK FASHION AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO PEOPLE DOING THAT JOB AND FOR THE PARISH FOR GETTING THAT JOB DONE. 
          136, OUR NEIGHBORS ARE STRUGGLING. 
          WE'RE ALREADY FACING SALTWATER INTRUSION IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH AGAIN, WE'RE EXTENDING AGAIN OUR DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY. 
          I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT RESPECTIVELY. 
          I BELIEVE WE'RE PREPARED FOR THIS, BUT IT'S OUR NEIGHBORS TOO AND WE COULD HELP THEM. 
          THERE'S ONLY 22,000 PEOPLE DOWN IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH. 
          THEY COULD USE HELP FROM THEIR NEIGHBOR IN ANY WAY WE CAN GIVE IT, SO I'D SUGGEST THAT YOU CONSIDER YOUR NEIGHBORS. 
          I LOOK THROUGH HERE AND WHEN IT COMES TO A $20,000 CONTRACT FOR THIS OR THAT, AND I LOOK AT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING TOSSED AWAY, 
          [01:50:02]
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING SUBVERTED INTO DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT OTHERWISE SHOULD GO TO PEOPLE THAT SUFFERED FOR THE PANDEMIC THROUGH UNEMPLOYMENT. 
          THAT STRIKES ACCORD WITH ME. 
          THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE CALLED THE SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT. 
          THAT REAPPEARS OFTENTIMES IN HERE, JUST LIKE A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT. 
          ALL THESE AMOUNT TO CROTCHETS INGENUITY THAT THE COMBINATIONS OF THE DAY HAVE GIVEN RISE TO. 
          CROTCH IT'S INGENUITY. 
          THERE'S A HYPOCRISY WITH REGARDS TO OUR BUREAUCRATIC STATE. 
          OFTENTIMES, YOU'LL FIND THAT IT CONTRADICTS ITSELF IN ITS STATUTES, IN ITS ORDINANCES. 
          YOU'LL FIND THAT THEY'RE CONTRADICTORY TO THEMSELVES, WHICH MAKES IT VERY EASY FOR SOMEONE OR ANYONE TO TAKE A SLIVER OF TRUTH AND USE IT FOR POLITICAL GAIN. 
          THIS ISN'T POLITICS, SEE POLITICS, THAT'S A CIVIC DUTY. 
          BUT IF YOU CAN'T APPORTION THE BODY THAT'S DETERMINED TO THIS ACTION, IF YOU'RE NOT A PORTION OF BULL, THEN I GOT LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT THIS CONSTRUCT WILL PRODUCE, AND SOMETIMES SOME DAYS IT JUST GETS PUT ON DISPLAY FOR MY BENEFIT AND WE DESERVE BETTER. 
          YOU DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO BE PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU DESERVE TO NOT HAVE TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THIS GREAT POWER. 
          THAT'S WHY YOU ALL HAVE TO- 
          >> IT'S TIME [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> ARGUE WITH EACH OTHER. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DANA PECORARO AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT VECTOR MEDIA. 
          I DO NOT WANT TO BE STANDING HERE, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO DEFEND OUR REPUTATION AS A COMPANY IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. 
          I DID OWN LAUREL COMMUNICATIONS AND I DID MERGE IT WITH VECTOR MEDIA. 
          I HAVE 10 EMPLOYEES LOCALLY AND HAVE WORKED WITH JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          YES FOR A VERY LONG TIME. 
          WE WORKED HARD TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT REVENUE THE COMPANY NEEDS AND WANTS TO SURVIVE AND WHAT THE PARISH WANTS AS A WHOLE. 
          WE HAVE ALWAYS ONLY SOLD ABOUT 25% OF FULL WRAPS, BECAUSE THE RIDERS DO NOT LIKE FULL WRAPS BECAUSE IT OBSCURES THEIR VIEW THROUGH THE BUSES. 
          MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE SEEING THE FULL WRAPS, SO WE TRY TO LIMIT THAT AND SELL REGULAR SIZE SIGNS. 
          GOING INTO THIS RFP, WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE BIDDING ON. 
          WE KNEW THAT IT WAS LIMITED TO PROBABLY ONLY FULLY WRAPPING THE PARATRANSIT BUSES, AND THAT IS THE NUMBER THAT WE PRESENTED. 
          WE WERE ALSO NOT GIVEN CREDIT FOR WHAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY PAID TO THE PARISH, AND THAT HAS BEEN AROUND $16,000 PER MONTH WITH THE LIMITATION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. 
          OUR COMPETITOR HAS SAID THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER, BUT OUR NUMBER HAS BEEN EXPOSED, AND THAT IS NOT FAIR TO US. 
          THE RFP SAYS THAT IF YOU'RE AT AN IMPASSE, WITH THE VENDOR THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED, THAT YOU SHALL NEGOTIATE WITH THE NEXT VENDOR. 
          WE ARE THE NEXT VENDOR. 
          I'M ASKING THAT YOU FOLLOW YOUR RULES. 
          I'M ASKING THAT YOU GIVE US A CHANCE TO NEGOTIATE. 
          SECONDARILY, I WISH THAT I COULD SAY THIS ISN'T PERSONAL, BUT THIS IS PERSONAL. 
          THIS HAS BEEN PERSONAL FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I HAVE NEVER SPOKEN OUT ABOUT IT. 
          I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO FLY UNDER RADAR WITH THIS. 
          BUT, THE COUNCIL PERSON KNOWS THAT HER HUSBAND HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH A COMPETITOR OF MINE. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN ON US REPEATEDLY. 
          WE HAVE BEAT THEM REPEATEDLY. 
          THIS IS PERSONAL. THIS IS PERSONAL FROM THAT. 
          IT IS PERSONAL ABOUT ME SUPPORTING OTHER PEOPLE RUNNING AGAINST HER. 
          THIS IS PERSONAL ABOUT FAT CITY BECAUSE I HAVE STOOD STRONG AND DONE WHAT IS RIGHT FOR FAT CITY AND OPPOSED THE THINGS THAT JENNIFER HAS PUT FORTH THAT I BELIEVE ARE WRONG AND NOT GOOD FOR FAT CITY. 
          I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES. 
          THE RFP SAYS YOU SHALL, NOT MIGHT, NOT PLEASE. 
          IT SAYS, SHALL. 
          YOU SHALL NEGOTIATE WITH THE NEXT FIRM. 
          THE PARISH ATTORNEY HAS SAID NEGOTIATIONS ARE AT AN IMPASSE. 
          SCOTT WALKER HAS ASKED AND ASKED. 
          YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE A NUMBER? THE LADY SAYS, NO, SHE'S NOT GIVING A NUMBER. 
          WELL, YOU'VE GIVEN HER MY NUMBER. 
          IT IS NOT FAIR FOR MY NUMBER TO BE EXPOSED AND YOU GUYS NOT FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES. 
          TODAY, AGAIN, PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES AS SET FORTH IN THE RFP. THANK YOU. 
          >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL AND PARISH PRESIDENT. 
          MY NAME IS ROBERT CHONG. 
          I HAVE A COMPANY CALLED PIPE WORKS PLUMBING AND DEMOLITION. 
          IT'S THE FIRST TIME I EVER BEEN TO A COUNCIL MEETING. 
          I'M NOT A VERY GOOD SPEAKER. 
          BEAR WITH ME, PLEASE. 
          THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE THREE-YEAR DEMOLITION CONTRACT THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TO REJECT. 
          [01:55:03]
ON JUNE 26TH, MORE POTTERY PUT THE THREE-YEAR CONTRACT, SEE IF I READ MY NOTES HERE. 
          SORRY. CONTRACT OUT TO BID. 
          ON THAT SAME DAY, MY OFFICE NOTIFIED THAT HE HAD SQUARE FOOTAGE ON EVERY LINE ITEM. 
          THE BID FOR DEMOLITION HAS APPROXIMATELY 30 PLUS LINE ITEMS. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG LENGTHY MEETING. 
          ONE OF THE LINE ITEMS ASKED FOR CUBIC YARDAGE SAND TO BE DELIVERED AND SPREAD AFTER THE DEMO OF THE PROPERTY OR THE STRUCTURE. 
          HE HAD SQUARE FOOTAGE. 
          IT'S ALWAYS CUBIC YARDAGE. 
          IT WAS A MISTAKE. 
          THERE WAS MISTAKES ON WHEN YOU KNOCK DOWN A FENCE. 
          THEY HAD SQUARE FOOTAGE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LINEAR FOOTAGE. 
          WE POINTED THESE OUT AND WE'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN MARK AND PURCHASING, WE MAKE MISTAKES EVERY DAY, AND THEY DID AN ADDENDUM, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE THE PROPER PROCEDURE. 
          WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ADDENDUM. 
          WELL, ON JUNE 27TH, HE SENT TO THE ADDENDUM CORRECTING THE MISPRINTS. 
          ON JULY 22ND, HE SENT THE SECOND ADDENDUM THAT THE BID DATE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY JULY 23RD WAS BEING POSTPONED TO AUGUST 1ST. 
          THEY CANCELED THE BID AND PUSHED IT BACK. 
          ON JULY 24TH, MS. RUBY AND PURCHASING EMAILS OUT A SIX-MONTH BID. 
          >> YOU HAVE 45 SECONDS JUST, YOU KNOW. 
          >> I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT. I'M SORRY. 
          THEY SENT OUT A SIX-MONTH BID TO TRY TO COVER BECAUSE OUR CONTRACT ENDED AUGUST 8TH. 
          THERE'S NO WAY TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT IS WHAT WE WERE TOLD. 
          THEY SENT OUT A SIX-MONTH UNDER 60,000, WHICH MEETS YOUR CRITERIA THAT THEY CAN DO IT WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL. 
          WE WIN THAT ONE TOO. 
          WE WIN A THREE-YEAR AND WE WIN A SIX-MONTH, BUT THEY DON'T EVER GIVE US THE BID TABULATIONS FOR THE THREE YEARS. 
          THEY DON'T GIVE US THAT UNTIL THEY ACCESS TO HARP AND SIGN A SIX-MONTH ONE FOR 60,000. 
          THEY'D HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE. 
          WE DO THAT, AND THEN THEY SEND A THREE-YEAR ONE AND WE WIN THAT. 
          WE NOT REJECT IT, IS THE BOTTOM LINE. 
          NOW ON TODAY'S AGENDA, THEY WANT TO CANCEL MY THREE-YEAR CONTRACT THAT WAS A PUBLIC SEALED BID, NOT AN RFP, PUBLIC SEAL BID. 
          IT WENT THROUGH ALL THE CRITERIA. 
          THEY LOOKED AT IT THROUGH PURCHASING. 
          THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MAYBE LOOKED AT IT, AND WE WON IT. 
          THEY DON'T AWARD IT TILL IT COMES TO YOU GUYS FOR APPROVAL. 
          NOW THEY WANT TO CANCEL IT. 
          >> THAT'S YOUR TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO DEFER TO COUNCILMAN BONANO, AND IF HE ASKS YOU A QUESTION, THAT CAN, IN ESSENCE, EXTEND IT A LITTLE BIT, AND LET YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          >> MR. CHONG, YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN AND I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN TODAY TO DEFER THIS ITEM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THE STEPS TO GO FORWARD AND GET SOME ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS. 
          I TELL YOU WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. IT'S OUR INTENT TO DEFER IT TODAY, YOUR BID IS NOT GOING TO GET CANCELED TODAY. 
          >> WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT TO ALL THE COUNCIL AND THE PARISH PRESIDENT, EVEN THOUGH SHE DON'T HAVE A VOTE AT THIS TIME, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS. 
          I THINK JENNIFER BROUGHT IT UP. 
          YOU HAVE QUALITY PEOPLE BIDDING ON HUNDREDS OF CONTRACTS. 
          I DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THEN Y'ALL SAYING, WE DIDN'T PUT IN, WE WANT AN EXTENSION, WHICH AIN'T A GOOD REASON TO TERMINATE IT. 
          WHERE IS THE CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU ASK QUALITY PEOPLE TO COME BID ON ALL THESE CONTRACTS THAT THEY KNOW THEY MIGHT SAY, EVEN IF I WIN, THEY HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME FOR NO REASON BECAUSE TWICE ON ROB, THEY PUT THE SAME STOP TWICE, [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> FROM HIM. 
          >> I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. FOR YOUR REFERENCE TO OUR NEXT MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 10TH WHEN THAT ITEM IS DEFERRED, IT'S NOT ON THE 11TH, IT'S ON TUESDAY, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMING BACK FOR THAT, IF YOU NEED TO. 
          >> YOU'RE ASKING ME TO COME SPEAK FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTE? 
          >> YOU CAN DO HOWEVER YOU PLEASE. 
          >> LOOK, I KNOW Y'ALL HAD A ROUGH ONE AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE A COMPLAINER, BUT WE HAVE 50 SOMETHING PEOPLE WORKING FOR US THAT COUNT ON ME TO PRODUCE WORK, WHICH I THOUGHT WE WON FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD IT FOR 14 YEARS. 
          THEY GOT THEIR KIDS TO GO TO SCHOOL, THEIR TRUCK INSURANCE AND THE LIGHTS TO KEEP ON. 
          [02:00:02]
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T INSERT, WE WANT TO DO AN EXTENSION, EVEN THOUGH WE DID A SIX-MONTH EXTENSION ON A SECOND BID, YOU WANT TO TAKE IT FROM ME. 
          YOU WAS A JUDGE, SIR? 
          >> YES, SIR. 
          >> DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR? [LAUGHTER] 
          >> NOT GETTING PAID TO DO THAT ANYMORE. 
          >> WE HAVE TO WRAP UP THIS TOPIC. THANK YOU, SIR. 
          >> BOB OUT. 
          >> WE'RE GOING TO GET WITH YOU. 
          WE'RE GOING TO SET SOMETHING UP. WE'LL DO A DEEP DIVE INTO IT. 
          >> I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. THANK YOU. 
          >> THE PARISH PRESIDENT HAS JULIETTE CASSAGNE, WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT FOR A MOMENT. 
          >> THANK YOU. I'M JULIETTE CASSAGNE. 
          I'M THE CAA FOR LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT. 
          WITH ME TODAY IS CHANDELYN WHITEHEAD. 
          SHE IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. 
          THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS PURSUING THIS PARTICULAR BID. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN THIS BID PREVIOUSLY. 
          THIS BID AND PREVIOUS AWARDS OF THE DEMOLITION AND SECURING WORK FOR DANGEROUS BUILDING ABATEMENT. 
          WERE DONE UNDER A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. 
          THIS IS THE CONTRACT WAS TRANSFERRED WHEN WE REALIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS OF BUILDING PERMITS AND CODE COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. 
          ONE THING WE LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS WAS THAT OUR CURRENT THREE YEAR CONTRACT DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXTENSION. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT INCLUDE THAT WHEN WE ADVERTISED FOR THIS BID. 
          BEFORE WE AWARD THE NEXT THREE YEAR CONTRACT, WE WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THAT ABILITY TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT. 
          THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE REJECTION IN THE CANCELLATION AND THE REQUEST TO RE ADVERTISE THE BID. 
          IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS PROPOSAL. 
          HE MAY IN FACT BE THE LOW BIDDER WHEN WE GO BACK OUT. 
          THIS IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TRYING TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE CONTRACT IN PLACE FOR THE CITIZENS OF JEFFERSON PARISH. 
          AS PART OF THAT, WHEN WE REALIZED WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK OUT, WE DECIDED TO LOOK AT THE BID QUANTITY SPECIFICATIONS THAT WE PUT FORTH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MIND THE BOTTOM LINE OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO DO DEMOLITIONS. 
          WE DID NOT THINK THAT OUR INITIAL SPECIFICATIONS GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE BEST AND LOWEST POSSIBLE BIDS. 
          HE, AGAIN, I REITERATE, MAY STILL BE THE LOWEST BIDDER WHEN WE GO BACK OUT. 
          ALL WE ARE ASKING FOR IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THIS CONTRACT BACK OUT WITH BETTER TERMS FOR THE PARISH AND TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE SPECIFICATIONS. 
          WE DID NOT PUT THIS AGENDA ITEM ON WITHOUT DISCUSSING THIS WITH BOTH THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AND THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE THAT THIS IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD WE THINK FOR THE PARISH. 
          I RESPECT YOUR RIGHT AND YOUR ABILITY, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DEFER IT TO LET US HAVE MORE TIME TO DISCUSS THAT? WE JUST SIMPLY WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW, THESE WERE OUR REASONS FOR PUTTING FORTH A RESOLUTION, REJECTING THE CURRENT BIDS AND REQUESTING RE-ADVERTISEMENT. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN HAS A QUESTION. 
          >> AGAIN, I'M ONLY GOING TO ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS ONE THAT CAME TO ME TO PUT ON. 
          I DID NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT NOW THAT MR. CHONG IS HERE AND YOU ALL ARE PRESENTING YOUR SIDE OF THINGS, AND I'VE SPONSORED THIS ITEM ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION. 
          WOULD IT BE AN ALTERNATIVE SINCE MR. CHONG HAS FAIRLY WON A THREE YEAR BID TO PROCEED AND ISSUE THE CONTRACT FOR HIM NOW THAT ALL OF HIS DATA IS OUT THERE AND THE COMPETITIVE EDGE IS OFF, HE WOULD GET A THREE YEAR CONTRACT, AND THEN IN TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS, WE WOULD SIMPLY BE A LITTLE MORE AHEAD OF OURSELVES AND PUT OUT A NEW SOLICITATION FOR A BID FOR DEMO SERVICES. 
          >> IS A POSSIBLE PATH FORWARD. 
          >> I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE WHILE I KNOW WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PROCESSES, I KNOW OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR COMPETITIVE EDGE AND BEING ABLE TO BE FAIRLY TREATED. 
          IF WE CAN CONSIDER THAT AS AN ALTERNATIVE, WE HAVE TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS ADVANCE NOTICE TO BE ABLE TO GET ANOTHER CONTRACT OUT THERE. 
          I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S SUFFICIENT AND WE CAN DO THAT. 
          I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE FAIREST RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR ADDENDUM AGENDA? THANK YOU. 
          NOW, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO SUSPENDING THE RULES TO TAKE 
          [CONSENT AGENDA TWO (Part 2 of 3)]
ITEM 86 ON THE REGULAR AGENDA AND ITEMS 1 AND 12 ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA OUT OF ORDER. 
          WE CAN DEAL WITH THESE THREE SIMILAR ITEMS TOGETHER. 
          >> I WILL MOVE. 
          I HAD PUT OUT PUBLICLY THAT I THOUGHT THE BEST PATH FORWARD WAS TO CANCEL THE THREE ITEMS RELATED TO OUR BUS ADVERTISING AT THIS TIME, SO WE COULD ALL TAKE A DEEP BREATH, 
          [02:05:02]
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOUBLE CHECKING OURSELVES AND DOING THINGS CORRECTLY AND MOVING FORWARD AND DON'T PUT OUR PARISH AT RISK IN ANY WAY. 
          I THINK HITTING PAUSE IS ADVISABLE. 
          IN THAT SPIRIT, I AM GOING TO MOVE TO CANCEL THE ITEM THAT IS THE CONTRACT THAT FUEL STILL BELIEVES THEY'RE NEGOTIATING, BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CANCEL ITEM 86. 
          >> WE NEED TO DO A MOTION TO TAKE THEM OUT OF ORDER, AND THEN WE CAN DO. 
          >> BUT HE JUST DID THAT. 
          >> WELL, I GUESS WE DIDN'T. 
          SORRY. ANY OBJECTION TO TAKING THOSE ITEMS NUMBER 86 ON THE AGENDA 1 AND 12 ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA OUT OF ORDER, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VRANCKEN, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. NOW, YOUR MOTION ON? 
          >> I WILL MOVE FOR THE CANCELLATION OF 86 SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN PRESS PAUSE ON ALL THREE OF THESE ITEMS AND PROCEED AFTER A BREATH. 
          >> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE CANCELLATION OF ITEM NUMBER 86, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? 
          >> I OBJECT. I BELIEVE THAT THE RFP REQUIRES, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO DO SO TO NOT BEGIN NEGOTIATING WITH THE OTHER BIDDER IF WE BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN IMPASSE. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO ESTABLISH FIRST THAT THERE'S BEEN AN IMPASSE, SO I WOULD OBJECT. 
          >> MADAM CLERK, COULD WE HAVE A POINT OF CLARITY? CANCELING 86 DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH OUR ABILITY TO GO FORWARD ON ITEM 1, CORRECT? WE'RE JUST CANCELING A CONTRACT THAT DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE WE COULDN'T REACH TERMS WITH FUEL MEDIA, CORRECT? 
          >> EXISTS RATIFIED. 
          >> NO. THE CONTRACT DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE THE CONTRACT WOULD HAVE TO BE SIGNED BY ALL PARTIES. 
          THAT IS WHAT A CONTRACT IS. 
          >> LET'S GET CLARITY BECAUSE THERE IS A CONTRACT THAT IS ON THIS AGENDA AND PUBLISHED PUBLICLY, IT EXISTS, BUT WE WOULD NOT RATIFY IT. 
          WE WOULD NOT RATIFY THIS CONTRACT THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN AUTHORIZED. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT AUTHORIZED. 
          THERE'S NO MEETING OF THE MINDS. 
          YOU CAN'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITHOUT A MEETING OF THE MINDS. 
          WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING IS THAT THERE'S A PROPOSED CONTRACT WHICH THERE IS ATTACHED. 
          >> YES. 
          >> MY QUESTION IS THAT WE'RE MOVING TO CANCEL A CONTRACT WHICH DOESN'T EXIST, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO. 
          >> IT EXISTS. 
          >> I THINK TO SIMPLIFY IT, IF IT WERE PASSED, THEN IT WOULD COME TO ME, THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN TO SIGN IT. 
          WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN? 
          >> NOT RIGHT. 
          [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> THAT DOES NOT IN ANY WAY INTERFERE WITH US GOING FORWARD ON 1 OR 12. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> CORRECT. 
          >> NO POLICY? 
          >> YES. I WOULD CANCEL THIS, WHICH MEANS WE ARE NOT CONSIDERING THIS PROPOSED CONTRACT, AND WE ARE NOT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO RATIFY IT BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE DISCUSSION IS AT ITS END, BUT YOU ALL CAN STILL MOVE FORWARD ON THOSE ADDENDUM ITEMS IF YOU CHOOSE TO. 
          I JUST THINK I WILL MOVE FOR CANCELLATION AT THIS TIME. 
          >> COUNCIL LILJEBERG, DID YOU SAY YOU PULLED BACK YOUR OBJECTION? 
          >> I WITHDRAW THE OBJECTION. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG WITHDRAWS THE REJECTION, I MEAN OBJECTION. 
          IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO CANCELING ITEM NUMBER 86, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA. 
          [ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS (Part 1 of 2)]
PLEASE, MADAM CLERK. 
          >> A RESOLUTION RESENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 144463, AND THE SELECTION OF FUEL MEDIA HOLDINGS INCORPORATED, TO PROVIDE AN EXCLUSIVE EXTERIOR INTERIOR TRANSIT BUS AND POWER TRANSIT VEHICLE ADVERTISING CONTRACT, IN AUTHORIZING THE COUNCIL TO SELECT UNDER RFP 0477 TO PROVIDE AN EXCLUSIVE EXTERIOR INTERIOR TRANSIT BUS AND TRANSIT VEHICLE ADVERTISING CONTRACT. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          >> I MOVE. 
          >> ASK FOR A ROLL CALL. 
          >> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO. 
          >> WE NEED A SECOND. 
          >> I'M SORRY? 
          >> WE NEED A SECOND TO DO A ROLL CALL. 
          >> OH, I'LL SECOND IT. 
          >> YEAH. I WAS I WAS GETTING THERE. 
          >> I'M SORRY. 
          >> IS THERE A SECOND FOR COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN'S ROLL CALL VOTE? 
          >> I'D LIKE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE. 
          >> I'LL SECOND IT. 
          >> OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN SECONDS. 
          COUNCIL LILJEBERG, TAKE IT AWAY. 
          >> I WANT TO VERIFY. I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT, AND THIS IS DIRECTED TO THE PARISH ATTORNEY, FUEL IS NOT WILLING TO CHANGE THEIR GUARANTEED 20,000 AND CHANGE AMOUNT, NUMBER 1, AND NUMBER 2, YOU THINK YOU ALL THREW OUT THE NUMBER OF 25% KNOWING GOING IN THAT WE RIGHT NOW HAVE 12% OF THE BUSES FULLY WRAPPED, I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS 25% IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 
          WE'RE NOT GOING TO NEGOTIATE. 
          WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME DOWN ON THAT ON THAT $20,000 A MONTH, BUT WE HAVEN'T REACHED AN IMPASSE, WE CAN'T AGREE ON ANYTHING, BUT WE HAVEN'T REACHED AN IMPASSE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. 
          [02:10:02]
          >> FROM OUR OFFICE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? 
          >> YES. 
          >> WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE, IS WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> WITH FUEL, WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE. 
          >> MAY I HAVE A SPEAK? 
          >> YES, MA'AM. COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          >> THE RFP IS CLEAR, AND IT SAYS THE WORD SHALL. 
          THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM HERE. 
          THIS IS A SIMPLE CONTRACTS ISSUE. 
          ONE OF US MAY BE TRYING TO MAKE THIS A POLITICAL ISSUE. IT'S NOT. 
          IT'S BLACK AND WHITE. WE WENT WITH ONE VENDOR, WE VOTED FOR THEM, THEY COULDN'T REACH TERMS, SO WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          IT SAYS SHALL. 
          IF WE RENEG ON THESE RFPS AND WE DON'T ACCEPT THESE BIDS, AND EVERY TIME WE DON'T LIKE WHO GETS THE CONTRACT, WE PUT IT BACK OUT AGAIN, WE'RE VIOLATING OUR OWN RULES. 
          THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE CONTRACT ISSUE. 
          I SUPPORT MR. LILJEBERG. 
          I THINK THAT WE SHOULD VOTE AND APPROVE ON NUMBER 1. 
          >> MADAM CLERK. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S LIKE TO COMMENT? PROCEED WITH THE ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE. 
          >> THIS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEM 1, COUNCILMAN EDWARDS? 
          >> YES. 
          >> COUNCILMAN BONANO? 
          >> YES. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LEE? 
          >> YES. 
          >> COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          >> YES. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> I'M GOING TO VOTE NO. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN? 
          >> YES. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          >> THE MOTION PASSES. 
          [BACKGROUND] 
          >> THAT, COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, YOUR MOTION FOR SELECTION. 
          >> THE ONLY OTHER RESPONSIVE VETTER IS VECTOR. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE SELECTION OF VECTOR MEDIA ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. NOW LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 12 ON THE ADDENDUM AGENDA, PLEASE, MADAM CLERK, WITH AMENDMENTS. 
          >> A RESOLUTION CANCELING RFP NUMBER 0477, AND RESENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 144463, ADOPTED ON THE TENTH DAY OF JULY 2024, WHICH SELECTED FUEL MEDIA HOLDINGS INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE AN EXCLUSIVE EXTERIOR INTERIOR TRANSIT BUS AND PARA-TRANSIT VEHICLE ADVERTISING CONTRACT, AND AUTHORIZING PURCHASING DEPARTMENT TO ADVERTISE FOR A NEW REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO SELECT A QUALIFIED VENDOR TO PROVIDE AN EXCLUSIVE EXTERIOR-INTERIOR TRANSIT BUS AND PARA-TRANSIT VEHICLE ADVERTISING CONSULTANT WITH AN UPDATED SCOPE, AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO ATTACH THE TRANSIT BUS ADVERTISING RFP AND TO REMOVE WITH AN UPDATED SCOPE IN PREAMBLE EIGHTH WHEREAS IN SECTION 2, AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. 
          >> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO AMENDMENTS BEING BROUGHT FROM THE FLOOR? 
          >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CANCEL IT. 
          >> NOW, ISN'T IT MOOT? 
          >> YEAH. WE CAN MOVE TO CANCEL. 
          >> I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CANCEL THIS ITEM. 
          >> YEAH. BECAUSE WE HAVE CANCELED NEGOTIATIONS. 
          WE HAVE SELECTED VECTOR FOR THIS CONTRACT, AND WE NO LONGER ARE PUTTING OUT A NEW RFP SO IT HAS TO BE CANCELED, CORRECT. 
          ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO CANCEL ON MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> LILJEBERG DID. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG DID. 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO CANCEL, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG OR COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, WHO WANTS IT? YOU? COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          THAT ITEM NUMBER 12 IS CANCELED. 
          NOW WE CAN GO BACK TO NUMBER 1 ON THE AGENDA. 
          [ORDINANCES TO BE DEFERRED]
[LAUGHTER] 
          >> WELL, THE GOOD NEWS, IS WE'LL MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY AT THIS POINT. 
          I HAVE A NOTE THAT ITEMS 1, 2, 3, AND 5 WILL BE DEFERRED TO OUR SEPTEMBER 10TH MEETING. 
          ITEMS 4, 6, 7, AND 8 WILL BE DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER 25TH. 
          COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOTION ON THE DEFERRAL OF ITEMS 1 THROUGH 8. 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE DEFERRAL OF ITEMS 1, 2, 3, AND 5 TO 9/10/'24 AND ITEMS 4, 6, 7, AND 8 TO 9/25/24, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          THAT TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER 9, 
          [PROFESSIONAL SERVICES]
WHICH I ALSO HAVE A NOTE THAT COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN WOULD LIKE TO DEFER. 
          >> NO. I'M GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> I DON'T WANT TO BE CRITICIZED FOR SLOWING ANYTHING DOWN. 
          [02:15:03]
I'M GOING TO MAKE A SELECTION OF THE HIGHEST. 
          >> LET'S READ ITEM NUMBER 9 FIRST. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> A RESOLUTION SELECTING TO PROVIDE GRANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM UNDER RFP NUMBER 0483. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> I'M GOING TO MOVE ON THE HIGHEST SCORED FIRM, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE ONE, SO THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED, CSRS DISASTER RECOVERY MANAGEMENT IS THE HIGHEST SCORED FIRM. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE SELECTION OF CSRS, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          WE'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          ITEM NUMBER 11, PLEASE. 
          [SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES]
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26376, FREES UP A PART OF LOT 2 AT BAR PLANTATION SUBDIVISION INTO LOT 2A AND 2B AT BAR PLANTATION SUBDIVISION, WS 45-24 COUNCIL DISTRICT 1. 
          >> WE CAN WAIVE THE READING HERE AND NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26376. 
          ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD OR ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE OPPOSED? MR. COLLIN GETS UP AT ALL THE RIGHT TIMES. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. 
          COUNCILMAN EDWARDS? 
          >> MOVE TO APPROVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26376, ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN EDWARD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ITEM NUMBER 12. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26378, RESUB OF SECTIONS 1, 10, 11, AND 12, TOWNSHIP 14 SOUTH, RANGE 22 EAST SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT INTO LOT NMS-7, NOLA MOTORSPORTS PARK, AND LOT C1, C2, AND C3, SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT, AND THE DEDICATION OF TWO 100-FOOT WIDE ACCESS AND UTILITY SERVITUDES, WS-132-23, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3. 
          >> WE CAN WAIVE THE READING HERE AND NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26378. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MIKE SHERMAN, 800 BARONNE, NEW ORLEANS ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT. 
          COUNCILMAN LEE, WE'RE ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE WEST BANK. 
          WE THANK THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ASK THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN FAVOR? ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN FAVOR, COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> YES. 
          >> UNMUTE YOURSELF. 
          >> JUST GREASE THE PATHWAY FOR AT MOST TO BUILD THE BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OCCUPANCY, AND THE NEW JOBS THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE WEST BANK, SO I'LL MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26378, MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 13, PLEASE. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26379, RESALE OF LOT 1 THROUGH 19, 26 THROUGH 28, AND A PORTION OF LOT 25 SQUARE 155 SOUTH NEW ORLEANS SUBDIVISION INTO LOT 1A, SQUARE 155, SOUTH NEW ORLEANS SUBDIVISION WS-8-24, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3. 
          >> ALSO WAIVE THE READING HERE, SO WE NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26379. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED, COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> I MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26379, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ITEM 14, PLEASE. 
          [RECLASSIFICATION OF ZONING ORDINANCES - VARIANCES]
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26382, APPROVING SP-9-24, REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE LANDSCAPING REGULATIONS OF THE C1 CBZ NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL PARKWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT FOR BARATARIA PLAZA LOCATED AT 701 B BARATARIA BOULEVARD ON LOT 2A SQUARED D. 
          >> WE CAN WAIVE THE READING HERE AND NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26382. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN BONANO? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26382 AND MOTION OF COUNCILMAN BONANO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 15, PLEASE. 
          SUMMARY NUMBER 26383, APPROVING SP-32-24, REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE SIGN REGULATIONS OF THE MUCD FOR SHELL CONVENIENCE STORE LOCATED AT 5997 LAPALCO BOULEVARD ON LOT D101B1, AMES FARM SUBDIVISION, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3. 
          >> WE CAN WAIVE THE READING HERE AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26383. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE OPPOSED? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED, COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26383, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 16, PLEASE. 
          [OTHER PROPERTY MATTERS ORDINANCES]
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26384, DECLARING VARIOUS ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAID PROPERTIES TO THE ADJACENT LAND OWNER PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 472202 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          [02:20:06]
          >> PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26384. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE OPPOSED? 
          >> RICKY HAYES RISING IN OPPOSITION 509 HOME BOULEVARD, JUST AS A JEFFERSONIAN. 
          I TAKE EXCEPTION WHEN WE START WITH THESE ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES JUST BEING SOLD IN MASS TO ADJACENT LANDOWNERS. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PROPERTY WAS TAKEN. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE SOLD, AND GIVEN HOW EASILY THINGS CAN TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND, I LOST THE CHIEF OF STAFF OVER THIS KIND OF ISSUE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S GOT A RELATIVE THAT'S CLOSELY RELATED TO THIS, I JUST IT GETS VERY HARD AS A CITIZEN TO HOLD MUCH FAITH IN THE PROCESS WHEN IT BETRAYS ITSELF TIME AND AGAIN. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION, COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> I MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26384, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED, 17, PLEASE. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26385, DECLARING A PORTION OF FORMER FAIRMONT DRIVE IN FARNHAM PLACE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES, AUTHORIZING ITS SALE TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5. 
          >> WE NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26385. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD? ANYONE IN OPPOSITION. 
          >> THE GUY IS RISING IN OPPOSITION AGAIN FOR THE SAME BASIC REASON. 
          I CAN'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS PROPERTY IS VALUED AT, SO IF I'M GOING TO CONDUCT MYSELF AND DO A CIVIC DUTY, WHETHER I'M IN FAVOR OF THE LANDOWNER, THE ADJACENT LANDOWNER OR NOT IS NOT THE RELEVANT QUESTION HERE, IT'S ABOUT OVERSIGHT. 
          I GOT NOBODY THAT'S ON THIS COUNCIL THAT WOULD CONDUCT THIS THING CALLED OVERSIGHT. 
          POLITICS IS A CIVIC DUTY. 
          I'M RISING IN OPPOSITION SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PROCESS IS FUNDAMENTALLY AND INHERENTLY FLAWED. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. COUNCIL LILJEBERG. 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26385, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ITEM 18, PLEASE. 
          [OTHER ORDINANCES]
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26360, AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 4-35 OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          >> PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26360. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE IN OPPOSITION. MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED, COUNCILMAN BONANO. 
          >> APPROVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26360, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN BONANO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 19, MADAM CLERK. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26386, AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 14796, THE PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE OF JEFFERSON PARISH TO REVISE THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT OVERTIME EXEMPTION, STATUS, DESIGNATION FOR SELECT CLASSES. 
          >> PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26386. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, RISING IN OPPOSITION. 
          AS JEFFERSONIAN, WE DO NOT HAVE AN APPORTION BODY, NOT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, NOT AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND NOT AT THIS LEVEL. 
          ON THAT BASIS, I GOT TO OPPOSE EVERYTHING RELATED THAT COMES DOWN THAT PIKE. 
          WITH REGARDS TO THIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN OVERTIME EXEMPTION STATUS DESIGNATION FOR SELECT CLASSES, ALL I SEE THERE IS CROTCHET INGENUITY, THE COMBINATIONS THEY GAVE RISE TO, AND I'M BETTING IT'S GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYER MORE. 
          I'M ALMOST CERTAIN OF IT. 
          IT ALWAYS ENDS UP THIS WAY, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN APPORTION LEGISLATIVE BODY SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HOLD PEOPLE TO ACCOUNT OURSELVES, WE CAN BE OUR OWN GOVERNMENT. 
          AS A JEFFERSONIAN, I OPPOSE THIS ON JUST THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES ESTABLISHED BY OUR CONSTITUTION. THANK YOU. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26386, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. 
          LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 20, PLEASE. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26387: AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 13709, THE EXECUTIVE PAY PLAN TO REVISE THE PAY GRADE FOR THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          >> WE NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26387. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, RISING IN OPPOSITION AGAIN. 
          WHILE I CERTAINLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE DIRECTOR REPLACED AND I THANK THE FORMER DIRECTOR FOR THEIR SERVICE, I BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOLDING THESE OFFICES ARE CERTAINLY FILLED WITH GOOD INTENT. 
          MY QUESTION ON THIS AND WHY I COULD BE IN FAVOR IF WE'RE GOING TO REVISE IT TO PAY LESS. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH THE PARK'S DIRECTORS GET PAID, AND I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THE TAXPAYER IS ON THE HOOK TO PROVIDE FOR THE RETIREMENT PROGRAM THAT THESE DIRECTORS ARE ALLEGED TO. 
          [02:25:04]
I BELIEVE EVERY PUBLIC EMPLOYEE HAS A CHANCE TO OPT OUT OF THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT BENEFIT FUND, BUT I KNOW THAT I'M PAYING, AS A TAXPAYER, TWICE WHAT I COULD GET FROM SOCIAL SECURITY FROM AN EMPLOYER, SO I'M PAYING TWICE INTO A RETIREMENT FUND THAT'S UNSUSTAINABLE, AND BENEFITS THE PEOPLE GETTING PAID THE MOST IN THIS ROOM AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE BEING PAID THE LEAST. 
          THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING FOR LIVING IN THIS PARISH ARE STRUGGLING TO GET A LIVING WAGE AND WE'RE GOING TO REVISE A PAY GRADE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO SOMEBODY WHO'S PROBABLY ALREADY GETTING MORE THAN THEY ACTUALLY NEED FOR THIS KIND OF GIG. 
          NO ADMINISTRATOR DESERVES TO BE PAID MORE THAN A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OR A FIRST-GRADE TEACHER. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE. 
          I'LL SAID IT AGAIN, LET'S GET THE PAY FOR THE FIREMEN FIXED, LET'S PAY FIREMEN 14 BUCKS AN HOUR BEFORE WE START REVISING THE PAY GRADES OF THE DIRECTORS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS. LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. 
          COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26387, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ITEM NUMBER 21. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26388: AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA BY ADDING DIVISION 18.6 ENTITLED OFFICE OF PARKS TO BE COMPRISED OF SECTIONS 2-382 THROUGH 2-384, RELATIVE TO THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE AND POSITION OF DIRECTOR AND TO AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 13709, THE EXECUTIVE PAY PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH TO INCORPORATE A NEW CLASS OF WORK ENTITLED DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. 
          >> I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26388. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, AND I'M GOING TO RISE ON BOTH. 
          SEE, THIS IS WHAT A REPRESENTATIVE COULD DO. 
          IF WE UNDERSTOOD THE JOB OF A REPRESENTATIVE, IT'S TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH. 
          IT'S WHY I CAN GET UP HERE IN FAVOR OF THIS BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE HAVING SPOKEN TO THE PARKS DIRECTORS PERSONALLY, THIS IS GOING TO STREAMLINE THIS, AND HOPEFULLY, MAKE THIS MORE EFFICIENT. 
          THIS IS GOING TO MAKE THIS EASIER FOR US TO NOT HAVE MAYBE ONE PARKS DIRECTOR FOR SERVING BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER, MAYBE THIS IS GOING TO CONSOLIDATE THIS. 
          I'D HAVE TO READ ALL THIS TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOR SURE. 
          BUT HAVING SPOKEN TO SOMEBODY THAT'S REASSURED ME A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE IDEA IS HERE, I CAN RISE IN FAVOR FOR THIS ON THAT BASIS. I CAN DO THAT. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN FAVOR? ANYONE IN OPPOSITION. 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, CAN DO THE SAME THING ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE AS A JEFFERSONIAN AND I STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ACCUMULATION OF STATUTES AND CREATING ANOTHER COMBINATION OF THE DAY, THE CROTCHET, THAT THIS ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING JUST SOMETHING TO DISTRACT US FROM ENFORCEMENT, TO DISTRACT US FROM BEING OUR OWN GOVERNMENT, THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO RISE IN OPPOSITION. 
          BECAUSE PRINCIPALLY, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER VESTED IN EACH OTHER EQUITABLY, ACCORDING TO HOW IT'S PRESCRIBED CONSTITUTIONALLY, EVERYTHING YOU DO CAN BE NULLIFIED. 
          ALL IT'S GOING TO TAKE IS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. 
          SEVEN OUT OF 10 DIDN'T SHOW, I GET HALF OF THE PEOPLE TO SHOW UP, IT'S ALL NULLIFIED. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN FAVOR, ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26388, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ITEM 22, PLEASE. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26389: AMENDING SECTION 4-48 AND 4-55 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATIVE TO CERTIFICATES OF QUALIFICATIONS TO DISPENSE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND THE AUTHORITY OF A CERTIFICATE HOLDER. 
          > I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26389. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN BONANO? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26389, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN BONANO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 23, PLEASE WITH AMENDMENTS, THE OPERATING BUDGET. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26390 AMENDING THE 2024 OPERATING BUDGET. 
          THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO ALLOCATE $20,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 2'S OFF TRACK BETTING FUND FOR A CEA WITH THE JOHN CURTIS FOR LHSAA FOOTBALL GAMES TO BE HELD AT THE SHRINE ON AIRLINE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, ALLOCATE $50,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 3'S VIDEO POKER FUND FOR A CEA WITH NEW GROWTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROMOTION AND STAGING OF TOURISM-RELATED EVENTS AND OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, TO ALLOCATE $65,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 3'S WEST BANK CONVENTION CENTER AND TOURISM FUND FOR CEA WITH NEW GROWTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROMOTION AND STAGING OF TOURISM-RELATED EVENTS AND OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, 
          [02:30:02]
COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS? 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS ON MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE SO ORDER. 
          WE NOW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26390. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, TRYING SPARK SOME CURIOSITY IN THE WAY WE GO. 
          I'M TO OPPOSE THIS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT APPORTIONED AND WE DON'T ABIDE THE UNIFORMITY SECTION 8, CLAUSE 1. 
          IT'S ARTICLE 1, IT'S JUST SIMPLE. 
          ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS CORRECT FOR THE DISPARITY IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TAXATION. 
          IT'S HALF A PERCENT HIGHER ON THE EAST BANK THAN IT IS WEST BANK. 
          CORRECT FOR THAT. I CAN AVOID COMING UP HERE. 
          OF COURSE, IF YOU JUST PUT A STOP SIGN ON HOMEWOOD BOULEVARD, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, BUT GOOD SENSE OF PEOPLE LOST IN THIS ROOM. 
          LOOK, AS A JEFFERSONIAN, I JUST GOT TO HAVE THE PRINCIPLES THAT ARE PRESCRIBED THAT WE GIVE LIP SERVICE TO. 
          WE'VE GOT TO A PORTION THIS BODY IN ORDER TO DO THESE THINGS CONSTITUTIONALLY, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING YOU TO DO REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 
          THE OPERATING BUDGET, WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE MONEY FROM ONE PLACE AND GO THROW IT TO ANOTHER, I MEAN YOU GOT 60,000 NUMBERS RUNNING OFF HERE TO TWO DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS OR ORGANIZATIONS. 
          I DON'T BLAME A SHARK FOR BEING A SHARK FOR DEVOURING NEGLECTED BABY SEALS. 
          NOBODY'S KEEPING TRACK OF THE GAMBLING FUNDS. 
          I DON'T FAULT THE RAT FOR GOING AFTER CHEESE, EITHER. 
          THIS IS OUR NATURE, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WHERE THE POWER IS DILUTED SUCH THAT YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE YOUR WAY WITH THE CHEESE OR THE BABY SEALS. 
          THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR HERE. 
          THIS IS A CIVIC DUTY. FIGURE IT OUT. 
          >> SERIOUS QUESTION. HAS IT ONLY BEEN TWO AND A HALF YEARS? 
          >> I COULD HAVE GOT OUT EARLY. IT'S BEEN LONG. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> I THOUGHT SO. 
          MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION, COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26390, MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM NUMBER 24 WITH AMENDMENTS, PLEASE, THE CAPITAL BUDGET. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26391: AMENDING THE 2024 CAPITAL BUDGET. 
          THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO ALLOCATE $20,000 FROM DIVISION B'S CDIA, GENERAL FUND FOR CEA WITH THE JOHN CURTIS FOR LHSAA FOOTBALL GAMES TO BE HELD AT THE SHRINE ON AIRLINE, COUNCIL AT LARGE B, ALLOCATE $20,000 FROM DIVISION B CDIA, GENERAL FUND FOR CEA WITH THE 24TH JDC TO ASSIST WITH TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR DRUG COURT, COUNCIL AT LARGE B, AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE AMENDMENTS BEING BROUGHT FROM THE FLOOR? HEARING NONE. COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS? 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26391. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, RISING IN OPPOSITION, AND IT'S ABOUT JUST INTOLERABLE RESULTS. 
          THAT'S WHERE THIS WAS WORKED OUT AT THE BEGINNING. 
          WHILE THESE RESULTS MIGHT BE JUST AND THEY MIGHT BE TOLERABLE, THERE MIGHT BE GOOD THINGS TO DO. 
          I PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOT UP IN FAVOR OF THIS IS ONE AS WELL. 
          I KNOW JOHN CURTIS. 
          I'VE GOT FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN RIVER RIDGE. 
          WE COULD BE WELL INTENDED IN THESE THINGS, BUT YOU TAKE MONEY THAT WE CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW IT'S DERIVED, WE CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW WE GET THE MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING HERE. 
          WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW IT CONFORMS TO THE APPORTIONMENT CLAUSE WITH REGARDS TO PROPERTY TAXES, YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN AND DON'T WE DEFY THE UNIFORMITY CLAUSE WITH REGARDS TO DUTIES, WHICH ARE SALES TAX AS INDIRECT TAXATION. 
          THERE'S RULES FOR TAXATION AND THERE'S RULES FOR REPRESENTATION. 
          JUST LIKE THERE ARE FOR BOWLING. 
          IF YOUR TOE CROSSES THE LINE, SMOKEY, WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT A ZERO. LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. 
          COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, YOUR MOTION? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26391, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM NUMBER 25, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. 
          [RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR]
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MADAM CLERK. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> I HAVE NONE. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          >> NONE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. COUNCILMAN EDWARDS. 
          >> NONE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN BONANO. 
          >> NONE. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LEE? 
          >> [INAUDIBLE]. 
          >> YES, SIR. 
          >> THERE IT WENT. THOUGHT WE HAD IT. 
          >> A RESOLUTION GRANTING PERMISSION TO SECOND ST. JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH TO CONDUCT A CHURCH PARADE ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024, FROM 1:00-2:30 TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ROUTE, STARTING FROM THE FIRE STATION AT HIGHWAY 90 AND CAPITOL DRIVE IN AVONDALE TO 242 AVONDALE GARDEN ROAD, AND ENDING AT SECOND ST. JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH, AND TO ALLOW 20 FLOATS IN THE PARADE PROVIDED ALL PERMITS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE RESOLUTION BEING BROUGHT FROM THE FLOOR? 
          [02:35:03]
HEARING NONE, WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT RESOLUTION. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR OF OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> I MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THAT RESOLUTION BROUGHT FORWARD, A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          >> A RESOLUTION GRANTING PERMISSION TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, SELA TO CONDUCT ITS GOLF STAR CLASSIC TOURNAMENT ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024, FROM 7:30-5:00 AT TPC, LOUISIANA. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THAT RESOLUTION BEING BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR? HEARING NO. 
          WE NOW OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT RESOLUTION. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          MADAM CLERK, NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN LEE. 
          >> I MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION THAT RESOLUTION BROUGHT FORWARD, A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          >> COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          >> I HAVE NONE. 
          >> I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE. 
          >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. CONSENT AGENDA 1. 
          [CONSENT AGENDA ONE]
COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, YOUR MOTION ON THE IN GLOBAL ADOPTION OF ITEMS 26-76 ON CONSENT AGENDA. 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> MINUS 34, WHICH IS GOING TO BE DEFERRED? 
          >> I'M SORRY? 
          >> THIRTY-FOUR IS GOING TO BE DEFERRED. 
          >> OH, THAT'S RIGHT. I'M SORRY. MY MISTAKE. 
          YOUR MOTION COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN ON THE IN GLOBAL ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 26-76, MINUS NUMBER 34, WHICH WILL BE DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER 10TH. 
          >> MOVE. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE IN GLOBAL ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 26-76, MINUS NUMBER 34, WHICH WILL BE DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER 10TH, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          THAT TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER 77, PLEASE. 
          [RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
          >> A RESOLUTION SELECTING AN ENGINEERING FIRM FROM THE LIST OF APPROVED FIRMS, ESTABLISHED UNDER RESOLUTION NUMBER 144663, ADOPTED ON AUGUST 7TH, 2024 TO PROVIDE ROUTINE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS FOR A FEE OF $500,000 OR LESS PER ASSIGNMENT, EXCLUDING ANY FEE FOR RESIDENT INSPECTION SERVICES TO PERFORM DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR METAIRIE ROAD DRAINAGE BASIN 5 IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 1, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          >> MOVE TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO GEC WITH THE RESIDENT INSPECTION BY KYLE AND ASSOCIATES. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE SELECTION OF GEC WITH THE RESIDENT INSPECTIONS BY KYLE AND ASSOCIATES, A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          ITEM 78, PLEASE. 
          >> A RESOLUTION SELECTING FROM THE LIST OF APPROVED ENGINEERING FIRMS ESTABLISHED UNDER RESOLUTION NUMBER 144663, ADOPTED ON AUGUST 7TH, 2024 TO PROVIDE ROUTINE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS FOR A FEE OF $500,000 OR LESS PER ASSIGNMENT, EXCLUDING ANY FEE FOR RESIDENT INSPECTION SERVICES TO PERFORM DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR METAIRIE ROAD, DRAINAGE BASIN 5 IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 2, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5. 
          >> COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. 
          >> MOVE ON MEYER ENGINEERING WITH KYLE AND ASSOCIATES AS RESIDENT INSPECTOR. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE SELECTION OF MEYER ENGINEERING AND KYLE AND ASSOCIATES AS THE RESIDENT INSPECTOR ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          THAT TAKES US TO CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 79-137. 
          [CONSENT AGENDA TWO (Part 3 of 3)]
COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN YOUR MOTION ON THE IN GLOBAL ADOPTION OF THOSE ITEMS MINUS NUMBER 123. 
          LET ME TRY THAT AGAIN, 79 THROUGH 137-86 AND 95, WHICH WILL BE OUT FOR DISCUSSION, AND ITEM 119, WHICH WILL BE CANCELED AND 123, WHICH WILL BE DEFERRED TO 910. 
          >> EIGHTY-SIX [OVERLAPPING] 
          >> IT'S ALREADY BEEN HANDLED. 
          >> I'M SORRY. WAY GOT TO 86. 
          LET'S NOT BRING THAT ONE BACK. 
          ANY OBJECTIONS IN GLOBO ADOPTION? I'M SORRY, YOUR MOTION, COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> I'M GOING TO MOVE ON WHAT YOU SAID. 
          >> I'LL SAY IT AGAIN TOO. 
          >> [INAUDIBLE] 86. 
          >> ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE GLOBO ADOPTION OF ITEMS 79 THROUGH 137-86, WHICH WE ALREADY HANDLED 95, WHICH WILL DISCUSS 119, WHICH WILL BE CANCELED IN 123, WHICH WILL BE DEFERRED TO 910, A MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM 95, MADAM CLERK. 
          >> A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A TASK ORDER WITH BURGDAHL & GRAVES, ARCHITECTS AND A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION TO PROCEED WITH THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION OF A FACILITY TO HOUSE THE 24 JUDICIAL DISTRICT SPECIALTY TREATMENT COURTS ON FORT STREET IN GRETNA, LOUISIANA, UNDER ITS EXISTING AGREEMENT DATED MAY 26TH, 2023, HAS AUTHORIZED BY RESOLUTION NUMBER 141974 ADOPTED ON MAY 17TH, 2023, WHICH PROVIDES FOR A PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL TYPE PROJECTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON PARISH FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED ANNUAL FEE OF $500,000. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN. 
          >> THIS IS AN ITEM TO MOVE FORWARD ON DESIGNING 
          [02:40:02]
A BUILDING A NEW BUILDING FOR OUR SPECIALTY COURTS FOR DRUG COURT. 
          COUNCILMAN MARY AND EDWARDS REALLY IS THE FATHER OF DRUG COURT. 
          HE ESTABLISHED IT SO BEAUTIFULLY, AND IT HAS BEEN A SUPER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS TO MOVE FORWARD DESIGNING A NEW SPECIALTY COURT SYSTEM, DRUG COURT BUILDING SO THAT IT CAN FUNCTION WELL AND KEEP GROWING AND IT'S USING OUR OPIOID FUNDS TO DESIGN IT, NOT YET CONSTRUCTED. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE. 
          SINCE THIS I KNOW IS SOMETHING WE ALL CARE ABOUT. 
          I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT THIS BE DONE ON JOINT MOTION, SO IT'S REFLECTING ALL OF US ARE BEHIND THE IDEA OF A NEW DRUG COURT. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THAT RESOLUTION ON JOINT MOTION OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL? MOTION BY COUNSEL INVOLVE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1, PLEASE. 
          [ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS (Part 2 of 2)]
          >> DONE THAT. 
          >> WE'VE DONE THAT ONE. SORRY. ITEM NUMBER 2, WE'VE DONE THAT ONE TOO. THAT'S EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          >> ITEM NUMBER 12. 
          WE HAVE DONE THAT. 
          LET'S KEEP ON ROLLING. NUMBER, LET'S GO TO SPECIAL DISTRICTS THEN. 
          NO. NUMBER 139. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED, RIGHT? 
          >> ADDENDUM 3 THROUGH 13-12. 
          >> I'LL SKIP THAT. HOLD ON. LET ME FIND IT. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> MANY NUMBERS. 
          ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT MATH IS NOT MY STRONG SUIT. 
          ALL THESE NUMBERS MAKE MY HEAD HURT. 
          ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ADOPTION OF ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEM 3 THROUGH 13-12, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY HANDLED ON MOTION OF COUNCIL VAN VRANCKEN SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE SO ORDERED. 
          NOW WE GO TO ITEM NUMBER 139, IS THAT RIGHT? 
          [JEFFERSON PARISH SPECIAL DISTRICTS]
SAID THAT WITH A QUESTION MARK, 139. 
          >> A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BID OF CASCO INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED UNDER BID PROPOSAL NUMBER 50-00145438 FOR A TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE SUPPLY OF BUNKER GEAR AND ACCESSORIES FOR THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, AT A BID TABULATION PRICE OF $304,227. 
          MAXIMUM EXPENDITURES FOR THIS CONTRACT SHALL NOT EXCEED $320,000. 
          >> COUNCIL BONANO? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THAT RESOLUTION ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN BONANO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED, 140, PLEASE. 
          >> A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 4TH, 2022 WITH SIGMA CONSULTING CORPORATION TO PROVIDE ACTUAL AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE JEFFERSON PARISH DEPARTMENT OF RISK MANAGEMENT, JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT 1, AND JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT 2. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF THAT RESOLUTION ON MOTION OF COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER. 
          HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED 141, PLEASE. 
          >> A RESOLUTION APPROVING A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN JOSEPH P LA PENTO THE THIRD IN HIS CAPACITY AS SHERIFF OF THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH ENHANCED 911 COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH CENTER. 
          >> COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN? 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO ADOPTION THAT RESOLUTION. 
          MOTION OF COUNCIL VAN VRANCKEN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED, 142, PLEASE. 
          >> SUMMARY NUMBER 26392, AMENDING SECTION 2-891 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATIVE TO ADDING MATORY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM THE JEFFERSON PARISH PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5. 
          >> NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26392. 
          ANYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION. 
          MADAM CLERK, KNOWS THAT NO ONE APPEARED, COUNCILMAN LILJBERG. 
          >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26392 ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN LILJBERG, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED, NO NEW BUSINESS TO REPORT, NO STATUS REPORTS. LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE. 
          ALL PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON SPECIAL SUBJECT MATTERS 
          [PERSONS APPEARING BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON SPECIAL SUBJECT MATTERS]
CAN TURN IN THEIR REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD FROM THE BACK TO THE CLERK IN FRONT. 
          YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. 
          >> AL MARELLA, 4260 EAST LOYAL DRIVE FIFTH DISTRICT KENNER, FOURTH DISTRICT GUNN INCORPORATED JEFFERSON 52 YEARS. 
          CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION FROM JULY 10TH MEETING, $331,742.25. 
          TOP 5 BENEFACTORS. 
          COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, COUNCILMAN BYRON LEE, COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN. 
          COUNCILMAN SCOTT WALKER, AND COUNCILMAN HANS LILJEBERG. DID I GET IT RIGHT? 
          >> YOU SAID THAT WAS SUCH GUSTO. 
          >> THE PAID CONTRIBUTION FROM AUGUST 7TH, $210,424.90. 
          [02:45:08]
TOP 5 BENEFACTORS, COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANCKEN, COUNCILMAN WALKER, COUNCILMAN BYRON LEE, COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN, AND COUNCILMAN BONANO. 
          GOVERNOR LANDRY, I'M DEMANDING YOUR RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. 
          TRYING TO HIDE SHIELD YOUR OFFER FROM PUBLIC SCRUTINY BEHIND AN EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE LAW THAT DON'T EVEN EXIST. 
          NOW, I WANT TO RESPOND TO SOME COMMENTS MADE IN HERE AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I WANT TO DIRECT THIS TO ERIC SKRMETTA. 
          MY PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER. 
          MS. SKRMETTA, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND DEVONTE LEWIS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN. 
          IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH CHARACTER. 
          DEVONTE LEWIS IS A PUBLIC SERVANT WHO SERVES THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE. 
          BASED ON YOUR COMMENTS, YOU ARE A SELF SERVING POLITICIAN WHO SERVES THE BUSINESSES THAT YOU WAS ELECTED TO REGULATE THE INDUSTRIES. 
          NOW, ONE MORE THING, MR. SKRMETTA, YOU HAVE EXPOSED YOURSELF TO YOUR IGNORANCE WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS, ENERGY PAYS THE STOCKHOLDERS, BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE STOCKS. 
          THE VALUE OF THE STOCKS IS BASED ON THE PROFIT MARGIN. 
          PROFIT MARGIN IS BASED ON THE RATES, THE RATE PAYERS PAY FOR THEIR SERVICE. 
          NOW, EVERYBODY SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THIS COMING MONDAY IS MORE THAN JUST LABOR DAY, 79 YEARS AGO, JAPAN SURRENDERED TO THE UNITED STATES ON BOARD THE USS MISSOURI, BB62, AND TOKYO BAY. 
          IN CLOSING. I WANT TO SAY THIS. 
          PARISH PRESIDENT LEE SHENG IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST HONEST AND OPEN PARISH PRESIDENTS THAT WE'VE HAD. 
          I'M TELLING YOU NOW, THIS DIRTY FILTHY GAME OF POLITICS IN HERE HAS TO STOP. 
          I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ONE OTHER THING. 
          I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROHIBIT THESE VENDORS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TO BE AWARDED A CONTRACT FROM CONTRIBUTING TO ANY CAMPAIGN. 
          >> THAT'S YOUR TIME, MR. AL. 
          >> THANK YOU. ANYBODY GOT ANY COMMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS. 
          >> I WOULD ECHO WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT THE PARISH PRESIDENT. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> RICKY HARRIS, BOULEVARD, JUST TRYING TO SPARK A LITTLE CURIOSITY IN THE WAY WE GO. 
          THIS WAS FUN. 
          [LAUGHTER] 
          >> THIS IS A LOT OF FUN. 
          >> OUR DEFINITIONS OF FUN ARE VERY DIFFERENT. 
          >> THEY PAY ME BECAUSE I BRING THE FUN, I DIDN'T HAVE TO EVEN DO ANYTHING TODAY TO MAKE THIS FUN. 
          A REPUBLIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT, REPUBLICAN FORM, NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT THE REPUBLICAN FORM THAT WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO. 
          THAT REPUBLIC THAT THE FLAG SUPPOSED TO BE STANDING FOR. 
          I'D ARGUE IT WAS BETRAYED AND FORSAKEN SO LONG AGO. 
          NONE OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IT EVEN MEANS. 
          IT'S A PERFUNCTORY PLEDGE. 
          THERE'S ONLY THREE NATIONS ON THE PLANET THAT REQUIRE IT THAT IMPOSES UPON THEIR PUBLIC. 
          THAT'D BE NORTH KOREA, SINGAPORE, AND OURSELVES. 
          I WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT. 
          IS IT RHETORICAL? DO WE KNOW WHAT A REPUBLIC IS? BECAUSE FUNDAMENTALLY, IT WOULD PROTECT US FROM TWO THINGS, A TYRANNY A FEW, TOO MUCH POWER AND TOO FEW HANDS, PERHAPS ARBITRARILY EVEN DISTRIBUTED, OR A CONFUSION OF MULTITUDES, TOO MANY COOKS IN A KITCHEN. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REPUBLIC TO PROTECT US FROM. 
          I SAW PUT ON DISPLAY BOTH OF THESE THINGS TODAY, A CONFUSION OF MULTITUDES, WHEREIN A STATUTE OR SOME ORDINANCE COULD CONTRADICT ITSELF AND PUT ON DISPLAY THE HYPOCRISY THAT A BUREAUCRATIC STATE CAN DEVOLVE TO, NO MATTER HOW WELL INTENDED ITS PARTICIPANTS, NO MATTER HOW NOBLE THE QUEEN OR HOW GREEDY THE KING, A REPUBLIC WITH SPARROWS FROM SUFFERING TO EITHER TO BE A SELF GOVERNED SOCIETY REQUIRES THIS THING TO BE APPORTIONED WHERE REPRESENTATION IS CONCERNED AND TAXATION DIRECTLY. 
          WE GOT TO REFAMILIARIZE OURSELVES, REACQUAINT OURSELVES WITH WHAT THESE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES MEAN AND WHY THEY'RE PRESCRIBED. 
          THIS ISN'T RHETORIC, THIS ISN'T IDEALISM. 
          THESE ARE THE RULES. 
          JUST THE SIMPLE RULES. 
          I DIDN'T MAKE THEM UP. I WASN'T THE FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE THAT PRESCRIBED WHAT THEY EVEN MEAN. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP. 
          YOU CAN FIND OUT, I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. 
          ANY ONE OF YOU COULD TAKE THIS WORK FROM ME. 
          [02:50:01]
IT'S YOUR OBLIGATION. 
          IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A CIVIC DUTY. 
          THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE SOME FIGHT AMONGST JUVENILE DELINQUENTS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE COOKIE JAR GOT FILLED, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU PUT ON DISPLAY HERE TODAY. 
          YOU'RE MAKING MY WORK EASY. 
          I'M JUST YOUR CANARY NICO MINE. 
          JUST CAME IN HERE TO WAKE Y'ALL UP TO WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN TO NOT ELEVATE A SOLDIER AT THE DIMINUTION OF A CITIZEN, 2.5 HOURS SPENT IN A FIGHT AMONGST YOURSELVES. 
          MEANWHILE, YOU CAN'T GIVE AL'S FIVE MINUTES BACK, GIVE HIM THE FIVE MINUTES. 
          MAKE IT AL'S RESOLUTION. 
          GIVE HIM HIS FIVE MINUTES, AND YOU'LL SEE LESS OF ME. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT. 
          YOU'LL SUFFER LESS FOR A FOOL. 
          I PROMISE YOU. FIGURE IT OUT. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING OF SPECIAL SUBJECT MATTERS? WHY DO YOU'LL GET UP AT THOSE TIMES? [LAUGHTER] 
          >> YOU HAVE THE WHOLE MEETING TO GET UP, AND THEN YOU GET UP RIGHT THEN. 
          MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION INTO SUMMARY. 
          [ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION IN SUMMARY]
          >> AN ORDINANCE SUBMITTED APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT OF SUBDIVISION, LOT 71, 73 AND 75 SQUARE 9B EAST, JEFFERSON TERRACE SUBDIVISION INTO LOT 71 A AND 73 A SQUARE 9B EAST. 
          AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT OF SUBDIVISION OF LOTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A, 16A, 17A, 18A AND 19B1 SQUARE 110 BRIDGE DALE SUBDIVISION. 
          AN ORDINANCE TO PROVEN THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLOT OF SUBDIVISION OF LOT 2A AND 13A1 SQUARE 22 META REVILE SUBDIVISION. 
          AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOT A LOCATED AT 212, THROUGH DUKE DRIVE AMENDING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM R1A, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO R2 TO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. 
          AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOT 678 AND 9 SQUARE 110, BRIDGE DALE SUBDIVISION, SECTION C, SQUARE 110 BRIDGE DALE SUBDIVISION SECTION C, LOCATED AT 212021 CLEARVIEW PARKWAY. 
          AN ORDINANCE SUBMITTED REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE SIGN REGULATIONS AND LANDSCAPE AND BUFFER REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBZ FOR THE MCCALLISTER DALE LOCATED AT 88 50 VETERANS MEMORIAL BOULEVARD. 
          AN ORDINANCE REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE SIGN REGULATIONS AND THE LANDSCAPE AND BUFFER REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBZ COMMERCIAL PARKWAY OLAY ZONE FOR 7 BREW COFFEE LOCATED AT 7,000 VETERANS MEMORIAL BOULEVARD. 
          AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A NON EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE TO UNITY FIBER, GULF CO, LLC, TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE A FIBER OPTIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITHIN THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT AWAY OF UNINCORPORATED JEFFERSON PARISH, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2024 OPERATING BUDGET, AND ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2024 CAPITAL BUDGET. 
          THAT'S ALL THE ORDINANCE IS I HAVE TO READ. 
          >> ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE IS READ IN THE SUMMARY AND MOTION OF COUNSEL VRANCKEN AND SECONDED BY COUNSEL AND WALKER. HEARING NONE. 
          BEFORE WE ADJOURN, A REMINDER THAT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH. 
          MAN, I'M GOING TO CONFUSE IT ANYWAY. 
          TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, NOT ON THE 11TH, AS WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, 10:00 AM. 
          ON THE EAST BANK WILL BE OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. 
          ANY OBJECTION, THE MOTION TO ADJOURNED BY ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT? HEARING NONE, SO ORDERED. 
          THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.