* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THAT [00:00:01] WAS PASSED OUT AT THE DOOR MAYBE. [I. Call Commission meeting to order] ALL RIGHT. UM, I HAVE FIVE O'CLOCK THIS EVENING. I WOULD LIKE, UM, TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT THIS TIME. GINA, CAN YOU PLEASE PERFORM ROLL CALL, AKA PRESENT. MR. CLEMENT PRESENT. MONICA PRESENT. FRANK, PRESENT. JOE MCCLELLAN PRESENT. THANK YOU. [III. Review and approval of Minutes from the May 21, 2025 meeting] UM, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WERE EMAILED A COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 21ST MEETING. UM, HOPEFULLY YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE. UM, GIVEN THAT, CAN I HAVE AN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND A SECOND? I, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. DO WE NEED TO AMEND THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THAT THAT LAST MEETING THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SHOW UP FOR DID NOT HAPPEN? NO. NO, NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. SECOND. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED. UM, ALL IN FAVOR. OH, THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, . AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE THERE APPROVED. UM, GINA, [IV. Public Comment (Each speaker will be allowed a total time limit of two [2] minutes)] ANY PUBLIC, ANYONE SUBMIT TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY FIRST TIME HERE, BY THE WAY, WELCOME YOUR NAME MIKE WEINBERGER. I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE HOME DEFENSE FOUNDATION. YOU SEE, UH, SOME OF OUR MEMBERS. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS IN JEFFERSON PARISH, AND WE'RE A NONPROFIT CIVIC GROUP, UH, REPRESENTING TAXPAYERS AND HOMEOWNERS AND LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. AND WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR GOOD WORK IN HIRING THE IG, WHO WE THINK IS DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB FOR, FORGET WHAT THE POLITICIANS SAY. SHE HAS SUPPORT IN THE PUBLIC, THE TAXPAYERS, AND THE RESIDENTS OF JEFFERSON PARISH. SO MUCH SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE HONORING HER WITH THIS AWARD IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN SHE SPEAKS TO OUR GROUP. AND, UH, WE DON'T LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SOME OF THE POLITICIANS HAVE DONE, SOME OF WHICH THE IG HAS TALKED ABOUT IN HER REPORTS. AND TO PUBLICIZE THAT POINT, WE PRINTED UP 10,000 COPIES OF THAT LITTLE NEWSPAPER. AND JOHN ODELL, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING IN A MINUTE, HE'S IN CHARGE OF SCORES OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL PLACING THEM ALL OVER THE PARISH. SO THIS IS, THIS IS A HOT TOPIC, AND WE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR HIRING THE IG AND WE HOPE THAT YOU KEEP HER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THERE. MY NAME IS JOHN O'DELL, AND, UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MIKE FOR A WHILE. AND, UH, WORKING WITH OTHER COALITIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO, UH, BRING, BRING BACK GRASSROOTS ACTIVITY IN, UH, IN OUR PARISH, UH, UH, IN OUR PARISHES, IN OUR RESPECTIVE PARISHES. ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THESE, UH, TO THE SECRETARY OR WHOEVER CAN CON UH, DISTRIBUTE THESE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE ONE. WE HAVE THEM. YOU ALL HAVE THEM? OKAY, GREAT. UH, ANYWAY, AND I WANT TO, UH, MIRROR MICHAEL'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOW PLEASED WE ARE WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE IG IN, UH, LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES AND PUSHING BACK. AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HER EVERY WAY WE CAN. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOU SELECTING HER IN THE FIRST PLACE. PLACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, CORNELIA. WHERE'S THE LADY WHO'S KEEPING TRACK OF NAMES? ALLMAN, U-L-L-M-A-N-N KEEP KIM CAROL BARKER. LO GRECO, L-O-G-R-E-C-O. KEEP KIM ERIC PEARSON. KEEP KIM JOANNE PAULEN. KEEP KIM. MY NAME IS KELVIN SMITH, S-M-Y-T-H-E. KEEP KIM. THANK YOU. MIKE TIG, KEEP KIM. GOOD EVENING. MELANIE TI KEEP KIM. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOHN BRINK AND PLEASE KEEP KIM RONALD FABE. THAT'S F-A-S-S-V-E-N-D-E-R. KEEP KIM MICHAEL SIMAN. S-I-E-K-M-A-N-N RIVERRIDGE. KEEP KIM LENNY HARLEY. PLEASE KEEP [00:05:01] KIM GARY ADAMS. KEEP KIM JOHNNY VAN FRANKEN. KEEP A HIGH CLASS, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL KEEP KIM DEBBIE RIO JEFFERSON. PLEASE KEEP KIM WALTER BEACH. KEEP KIM DR. MARY L. ANDERSON. PLEASE KEEP KIM. THANK YOU. SUSIE LARE, L-A-B-R-Y, LOUISIANA SUNSHINE. KEEP THE SUNSHINE AND KEEP KIM PLEASE. . YES. RICKY ZEL, T-O-Z-E-L. KEEP KIM GREG BOSSI ERY. KEEP KIM HERMAN LOBOS, KEEP KIM JOHN RA BATTERY. KEEP KIM. THANK YOU. DAN ROSS, KEEP KIM. MY NAME IS NATHAN KIG. PLEASE KEEP KIM PETE BRAQUET. B-R-A-Q-U-E-T, BRIDGE CITY KEEP KIM. IF I SPELL MY NAME, IT TAKE, MAY TAKE THE TWO MINUTES. , UH, JENNIFER VAN RANKEN. I DID WANNA COME, UM, AND PERSONALLY, UH, EXPRESS MY SUPPORT, UH, FOR KIM SHADOW LANE. I KNOW SHE IS VYING FOR A SECOND TERM SERVING AS OUR ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY GENERAL. IT IS PERSONAL AND, AND I WANNA VOUCH FOR HER BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY. I REMEMBER BEING, UM, OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT OF THIS BUILDING IN, UH, JANUARY OF 2010 WHEN I WAS REPORTING FOR FOX EIGHT NEWS. AND AT THAT TIME, OUR PARISH PRESIDENT WAS RESIGNING. UM, TWO MONTHS LATER, THE PARISH ATTORNEY RESIGNED AND THE COO WAS UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. IT IS AT THAT POINT WHEN KIM SHALA AND I BOTH CAME TO PARISH GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR AND SERVE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WAS TASKED WITH PUTTING THINGS BACK ON TRACK. KIM WAS SERVING IN A CAPACITY WHERE SHE, UM, WAS OVERSEEING ETHICS COMPLIANCE. SHE WORKED WITH OUR PARISH ATTORNEY, THE NEW PARISH ATTORNEY AT THE TIME, TO CREATE OUR POLICY MANUAL. WE HAD NO RULES GUIDING OUR EMPLOYEES. SHE PUT THAT HANDBOOK TOGETHER TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES GOOD GUIDANCE. UM, I THINK KIM, MYSELF, ROYCE, WHO SEVERAL OF US WHO SERVED IN THAT ADMINISTRATION CAN TELL YOU, WE DEVELOPED A SIXTH SENSE FOR BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS AND KNOW WHEN THINGS IN GOVERNMENT ARE WRONG, WHEN SOMETHING'S ASKEW, BECAUSE WE LOOK AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS, THROUGH THAT PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. I WILL HUMBLY SUBMIT THAT BECAUSE KIM HAS THAT EXPERIENCE AND LOOKS AT THINGS THROUGH THAT INFORMED LENS THAT SHE CAN MOST CAPABLY CONTINUE SERVING AS A STRONG, UM, INTELLIGENT PERSON OF GREAT FORTITUDE IN OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE. AND I WILL SAY AS A, AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, LOOKING AT THE MOST RECENT REPORTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS ON THE SHADY PROCESS THAT, UM, SECURED A VENDOR AND LEASES FOR OUR $10 MILLION, UH, BREW PUB. UH, ANOTHER THAT POINTED OUT A LACK OF PROCEDURES WHERE WE MAY BE PAYING, UM, FOR BENEFITS THAT ARE, ARE NOT DOCUMENTED BECAUSE OF OFF-DUTY INJURIES. AND AN UPCOMING REPORT I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT WOULD BE, UH, FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT JEFFERSON PARISH HAS LOST OUR BOND RATING. WE NEED A STRONG, CAPABLE INSPECTOR GENERAL LEADING A STRONG CAPABLE TEAM IN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND A HUMBLY ASK FOR HER, UM, CONTINUED, UM, ROLE AS OUR IG ROY BROOD. I'LL SUPPORT KIM BECAUSE SHE'S AN HONEST PERSON AND GOD BLESS HER. MY NAME IS BLAIR MARINO AND THE PRESIDENT OF, UH, LOUISIANA REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLIES AND NO REGION. AND WE THINK KIM IS JUST DOING A GREAT JOB. WE'D LOVE TO SEE HER KEEP IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. MY NAME'S LINDA DOYLE AND I AGREE WITH BLAIR. I THINK KIM'S DOING A GREAT JOB AND REQUESTING YOU KEEP HER AM LEO DOYLE HERE TO VOICE MY OPINION, TO KEEP KIM IN POSITION AND KEEP THE INTEGRITY, UH, IN JEFFERSON PARISH. A LOT OF OTHER PARISHES, EVEN OUR, OUR, OUR GOVERNMENT, WE, WE SAW A LOT OF THE FRAUD THAT COULD TAKE PLACE. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND, AND KEEP GOING IN JEFFERSON PARISH. 'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. [00:10:01] MY NAME IS CLAYTON KOSI. I'M ALSO A CIVIC ACTIVIST HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND VERY WELL OUTSPOKEN, UM, AT ALL THE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND EVERYONE, AND I WANT TO KEEP KIM HERE. UH, WE DO NEED SOMEONE TO STAND UP FOR JEFFERSON PARISHS JUST LIKE WE, THE PEOPLE WHEN I REPRESENT, WE THE PEOPLE, WHEN I GET BEHIND THESE, THIS COUNCIL CHAMBER AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE, WE NEED SOMEONE TO REPRESENT. WE THE PEOPLE, NOT THE BEST INTEREST, NOT THE POLITICAL INTERESTS, UH, BUT WHAT'S BEST FOR JEFFERSON PARISH. WE HAVE WAY MORE TOO MUCH FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE IN THIS PARISH, STARTING WITH THIS CODE AND COMPLIANCE THAT WE HAVE. THAT'S, THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUTTA NAZI GERMANY. UM, THAT INSTEAD OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE NEED TO PUT JEFFERSON PARISH BACK FIRST. WE NEED TO PUT THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON PARISH, AND I THINK KIM CAN DO THAT BY, BY USING OUR TAX DOLLARS THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE DONE. WE, WE DON'T NEED THIS FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE IN JEFFERSON PARISH. AND I THINK KIM CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. SO I COMPLETELY SUPPORT HER, ENDORSE HER, AND I THINK SHE WOULD DO A GREAT JOB FOR A SECOND TERM. SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB ALREADY AND WE NEED TO KEEP HER. THANK YOU GUYS. YEAH. SORRY FOR THE, UH, LITTLE MOVEMENT, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT. WELL, THAT WAS THE MOMENT, . UM, I WOULD ASK [VI. Review and approval of 2026 ECC / JPOIG Budget, Resolution related thereto] IF YOU WOULD KINDLY CONSIDER, UM, PASSING A MOTION TO REVISE YOUR AGENDA TO TAKE THE BUDGET NEXT AND MY INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT THEREAFTER. I THINK IT WOULD BE EFFICIENT IF YOU'RE AMENABLE. I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO, UH, REVIEW THE BUDGET FIRST. IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL, WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL SINCE IT'LL, IT HAS TO BE UNANIMOUS. IF WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL, I'D APPRECIATE IT. YES. YES. HERE. YES. YES. AYE. OKAY. UM, IN CONNECTION WITH MY REPORT THAT I SHARED WITH YOU, I SHARED A PROPOSED RESOLUTION, UM, WHICH I WOULD ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET. UM, GINA PRIMARILY TAKES LEAD ON, UH, PULLING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER. UM, AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS THERE FOR YOU AS INDICATED, UM, BOTH IN MY EMAIL, I BELIEVE, AND THE RESOLUTION. UM, BOTH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE COMMISSION UNDER THE JEFFERSON PARISH CHARTER SHARE, A SINGLE FUNDING SOURCE. AND SO, UM, AT THE INCEPTION OF THE OFFICE, UH, THE TWO ENTITIES ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WERE EACH YEAR WHEN THE BUDGET PROCESS, UH, WAS GOING ON, THAT WE WOULD COMMUNICATE, UM, HOW THIS MONEY IS TO BE ALLOCATED AND THAT YOU WOULD INDICATE, UM, YOUR AGREEMENT WITH OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH GINA THEN SUBMITS TO THE PARISH VIA RESOLUTION. UM, I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE REGARDING THE BUDGET. UM, IT IS NOT, IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT, UM, FROM LAST YEAR. WELL, KIM, IF, IF I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A 3%, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A $30,000 CHANGE OVER OVER A YEAR, THAT'S NOT VERY MUCH. ARE YOU SURE THAT'S ENOUGH? WE THINK SO. , WE, WE, UM, WE ACTUALLY, I MEAN I ALSO HAVE FOR YOU IN CONNECTION WITH MY INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT PER USUAL AN ACTUAL BUDGET FOR, UM, OUR SECOND QUARTER. UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS IN THE PERCENTAGES THAT I FOLLOW, YOU KNOW, PREDICTABLY. SO I EXPECT MOST LINE ITEMS TO BE AT 25% AND THEN 50%, SO ON AND SO FORTH AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR. UM, FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT WE USUALLY CLOSE OUT THE YEAR UNDER BUDGET. UM, WHAT I HAVE IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW INCLUDES RETAINING POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT ACTUALLY FILLED AT THE MOMENT. UM, BUT I WANTED TO KEEP THOSE IN THE BUDGET IN CASE WE FOUND SOME REALLY TALENTED, UM, CANDIDATES IN THE NEXT YEAR. ALRIGHT. SHOULD I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED? KIM, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? I SO MOVE. DO WE FIRST NEED TO ACCEPT THE APPROVAL OF THE CHANGE IN THE BUDGET AND SEPARATING OUT EEC? WELL, THE ECC IS USUALLY SEPARATED. OKAY. AND, AND PRIMARILY THE ECC BUDGET IS MY FEES, WHICH NEVER ACTUALLY GET TOTALLY CHARGED TO THE 35 2. SO I THINK WE, [00:15:01] OH, SORRY. THANK YOU, FRANK. UM, OUR, THE BUDGET IS PRIMARILY, UH, MY FEES, WHICH RARELY GET TO THE, THE AMOUNT WE EVEN ALLOCATE. SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH. OKAY. AT THIS POINT. AND, AND AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK WE REALLY HIT 5% OR 10% OF THAT AS OF TODAY, SO, OKAY. I'M SORRY. DO YOU WANNA REPEAT YOUR MOTION? UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ACCEPT THE, UH, PROPOSED 2026, UH, BUDGET AS PRESENTED. I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED HEARING ON IT'S APPROVED? [V. Presentation and discussion of Inspector General Report, to include public discussion of any recently published reports, open letters, data, and statistics by the Office of Inspector General] UM, MOVING ON TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT, UM, AGAIN, I'LL JUST CALL OUT TO YOU. UM, THE REPORT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU VIA EMAIL, BUT ALSO IN CONNECTION WITH THAT EMAIL, I DID HIGHLIGHT THAT THESE MONTHLY REPORTS ARE NOW POSTED TO OUR WEBSITE. UM, AND SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, 'CAUSE IT WAS AN ONGOING PROJECT, WE HAVE ALL MONTHLY REPORTS BEGINNING, UM, WITH MY ORIGINAL TERM UPLOADED NOW. SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND READ FOR ANY NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT MY FIRST TERM, THE, UM, MY PREDECESSOR DID NOT DO THESE KIND OF REPORTS, AND SO, UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE THE MONTHLY REPORTS STARTING, UM, IN 2022. UM, I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, GO THROUGH THE REPORT. I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AGAIN THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU IS IF I COULD, UM, INVITE MR. CONRAD HUBER UP TO THE PODIUM TO AT LEAST BE RECOGNIZED. UM, I HAVE SINCE MY APPOINTMENT BEEN ON THE SEARCH, UM, 4 0 8 TO FILL THE ROLE THAT I USED TO FILL AS A GENERAL COUNSEL. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR, UM, THE WORK FOR THE OFFICE THAT MARISH NOVEL'S FIRM HAS DONE. AND JUST TO STATE AND OBVIOUS FOR ANYBODY WHO ISN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PRACTICE OF LAW. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO HAVING MARTA AS OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS THAT HER FIRM IS IN COURT ALL THE TIME. SO WE HAVE HAD TO FILE MOTIONS AND ORDERS FOR SUBPOENAS. WE'VE HAD CONTESTED ISSUES COME UP IN THE 24TH. AND HER FIRM HAS BEEN ABLE TO VERY EFFICIENTLY MANAGE THAT LITIGATION BECAUSE THEY'RE IN COURT ALL THE TIME. UM, HOWEVER, NOT HAVING AN ATTORNEY INSIDE THE OFFICE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS TO HANDLE ISSUES AS THEY ARISE TO DO LEGAL REVIEWS ON OUR PLANNING MEMOS, ET CETERA, HAS SORT OF BEEN A LOGISTICAL AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGE FOR ME BECAUSE I'VE SORT OF BEEN WEARING BOTH HATS. UM, FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON HAS BEEN SO CHALLENGING. AND THEN OUTTA THE BLUE, MR. CONRAD HUBER JUST POPPED UP. UM, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL. HE IS A GRADUATE OF LSU LAW SCHOOL. UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT HE HAS IS THAT HE COMES TO US FROM LAKE CHARLES, HAVING WORKED IN THE DA'S OFFICE. SO I KNOW THAT HE'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL ASSET AND COMPLIMENT TO INVESTIGATIONS, UM, AND THAT HE WILL HELP US DEVELOP AND FORGE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. AND HE HAS COME ON RECENTLY, AND SO I JUST WANTED HIM TO COME UP AND SAY HELLO. PLEASURE TO MEET ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE JOB AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING THE PARISH. THANK YOU. I HAVE, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. KIM. YOU SAID THAT IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON AND THROUGH THIS DIVINE INTERVENTION OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, WE NOW HAVE SOMEONE WHAT HAS MADE IT CHALLENGING? UM, I LOVE WHAT I DO AND, AND, AND MARTA I CAN SPEAK TO THIS, UM, AS WELL AS I CAN, BUT WHEN I CAME TO THE JOB, I LITERALLY HAD IN MY MIX GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE OF 14 YEARS WITH THE ASSISTANT AS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, UM, AND THEN ALSO ALL TOTAL 19 YEARS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE. SO I HAD A MIX OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE LITIGATED AND DID REGULATORY WORK, UM, AND WROTE POLICIES. AND I CAN'T FIND LIKE THAT COMBINATION ANYMORE. LIKE YOU'RE EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER, OR IF YOU'RE DOING IT, YOU'RE ALREADY EMPLOYED IN GOVERNMENT. UM, CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL TALENT IN THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION IS DIFFICULT. UM, WE'RE ON AN ISLAND AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO COME TO THE OFFICE, UM, AND BE ON THE ISLAND WITH US. AND SO IN THAT RESPECT, I, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE FOUND CONRAD, BUT THERE'S JUST NOT, THE PROFILE IS NOT OUT THERE. AND I THINK MARTA HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR CHALLENGES HERSELF IN BRINGING PEOPLE ONTO HER FIRM. WELL, I WILL SAY THAT I WILL SAY THAT IN THE OVERVIEW, IT'S A CHALLENGING MARKET FOR YOUNG LAWYERS [00:20:01] OR GOOD LAWYERS. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSCIOUS OF AS OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS TO TRY TO CONTAIN WHAT WE DO SO THAT WE'RE NOT DRIVING THE BUDGET OUT OF CONTROL, BUT THERE ARE DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT COME UP, UH, THAT HAVING A LAWYER'S INPUT ON IS VERY HELPFUL. UM, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, FINDING SOMEONE WITH A SKILLSET THAT'S PROSECUTORIAL, BEEN IN A COURTROOM A LITTLE BIT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY PROSECUTORS ARE AND CAN ANALYZE AND HELP WITH INVESTIGATIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. MY FIRM WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER ROUNDED OUT SERVICES, BUT HOPEFULLY FEWER SO THAT, UM, OUR BUDGET IS WELL UNDER CONTROL. MY JOB REALLY IS TO HAVE KIM'S OFFICE NOT NEED ME ALL THAT MUCH. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GOING TO HELP DO IS, IS TRAIN SO THAT AS TIME GOES BY, UM, OUR FIRM IS NEEDED LESS AND LESS WHEN WE GO TO COURT, OF COURSE WE'LL DO THAT, BUT AS TIME GOES BY, THAT'S THE PLAN. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. UM, I'M SORRY. UM, MOVING ON. UM, AND TRYING TO BE CONCISE. UM, I HAVE OUTLINED, UM, OUR ONGOING AUDITS EVALUATIONS. UM, OF COURSE WE DON'T IDENTIFY ANY ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS. UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT WE ANTICIPATE, UM, RELEASING AND DRAFT YET THIS YEAR, IN ADDITION TO REPORTS THAT I STILL EXPECT TO BE PUBLISHED AND FINAL THIS YEAR. UM, NOTWITHSTANDING THAT WE HAVE RELEASED IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, UH, THREE SIGNIFICANT REPORTS. UM, ONE OF THEM WAS AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT, UM, INVOLVING A PARKS AND REC EMPLOYEE. ONE OF THEM WAS AN AUDIT, UM, THAT TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MAN HOURS TO DO THE AUDIT WORK TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THE PARISHES EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE PAYING FIREMEN FOR OFF-DUTY INJURIES, ESSENTIALLY WITHOUT ANY DOCUMENTATION AS TO THE CAUSE, THE NATURE OR THE SEVERITY OF THOSE INJURIES. UM, AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE PRODUCED A REVIEW OF THE LEASE TRANSACTION REGARDING THE BREW PUB BEING PROPOSED AND BUILT, UM, ON THE WEST BANK. UM, INCLUDED IN MY MONTHLY REPORT IS AN OVERVIEW OF EACH ONE OF THESE PUBLISHED PRODUCTS. UM, MR. SULLIVAN HAS INDICATED THAT PERHAPS THE REPORT YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO BE BRIEFED ON, UM, IS THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE. UM, I THINK WE FEEL AS THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH THE LATEST, UH, REPORT ON THE LEASE TRANSACTION INVOLVING, UM, THE BREW PUB BRINGS FORTH SOME NEW INFORMATION, I'M SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT TRANSACTION AS A GROUP. UM, AND THEN FINALLY WE CAN CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT, UM, HIGH LEVEL THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT INVOLVING THE PARKS AND REC. BUT, UM, THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT'S COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX IS EAST BANK. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE A BRIEFING ON THAT, UM, GREG LANDARD, WHO CONDUCTED THE AUDIT CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU. YES, THANK YOU, GREG. THAT'D BE GREG. NO PROBLEM. HI, MY NAME'S UH, GREG LAMPARD. I'M AN AUDITOR WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND I AM HERE TO PRESENT THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT SICK LEAVE AUDIT. THIS IS THE FIRST AUDIT THAT WE ARE RELEASING UNDER GAGA STANDARDS. THE J-P-R-I-G CONDUCTED AN AUDIT OF THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT USAGE OF OFF-DUTY SICK LEAVE. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE AUDIT WERE TO DETERMINE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS FOR OFF-DUTY SICK LEAVE USAGE, AS WELL AS IF THERE WAS ANY POTENTIAL FRAUD, WASTE OR ABUSE OF SICK LEAVE. THE SCOPE PERIOD OF THE AUDIT WAS JANUARY 1ST, 2020 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2023. THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A 200 MEMBER FULL-TIME PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERSEEN BY A FIRE CHIEF WHO IS APPOINTED BY THE PARISH PRESIDENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, NOT ONLY FIREFIGHTERS, BUT ALSO INVESTIGATORS, TRAINING OFFICERS, RECORD CLERKS, AND OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS OF EMPLOYEES. THE MAIN REVENUE SOURCE IS A PROPERTY TAX LEVY AT 23.76 MILS. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES FOR 2025 WERE 53.7 MILLION. AND TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES WERE 54.8 MILLION, OF WHICH 42.8 MILLION WERE PERSONNEL SERVICES. THE JEFFERSON PARISH FIRE [00:25:01] CIVIL SERVICE BOARD GOVERNS THE FIRE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM. IT ADMINISTERS THE PERSONNEL RULES OF THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, WHICH IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE RED BOOK. THE RED BOOK CONTAINS PERSONNEL RULES TO CARRY OUT POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND ADMINISTRATION OF PAID EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED FIRE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM. THE OFFICE OF STATE EXAMINER ASSIST IN PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE LOUISIANA FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM. THE LOUISIANA OFFICE STATE EXAMINER PROVIDES A MANUAL TITLED OPERATION OF A MUNICIPAL FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. THE MANUAL RECOMMENDS THAT THE FIRE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD RULES SHOULD NOT INCLUDE PROCEDURES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED WHEN EMPLOYEES CANNOT REPORT TO DUTY, SUCH AS SUBMITTING DOCTOR'S EXCUSES, DICTATING EMPLOYEE'S BEHAVIOR WHILE ON SICK LEAVE. AND POLICIES FOR REQUESTING LEAVE SUCH ADMINISTRATIVE DI DIRECTIVES DO NOT FALL UNDER THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY OF THE FIRE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD AND ARE MOST APPROPRIATE AS DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES THAT ARE MAINTAINED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE OFFICE OF STATE EXAMINER GIVES EXPLICIT GUIDANCE STATING THAT THE INTERNAL CONTROLS TO UTILIZE SICK LEAVE AND FOR EMPLOYEES' BEHAVIOR WHILE ON SICK LEAVE ARE MOST APPROPRIATE ON THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL. THE RED BOOK ESTABLISHES FIRE ON DUTY AND FIRE OFF DUTY INJURY ILLNESS, SICK LEAVES. IT ALLOWS FULL PAY FOR BOTH ON-DUTY LEAVE, PROVIDES COMPENSATION FOR UP TO 52 WEEKS PER ON-DUTY INJURY OR ILLNESS. REGARDING OFF-DUTY, YES. IS, IS THAT IN ADDITION TO WORKERS' COMP? WHICH THE, THE OFF 'CAUSE IF YOU HAVE AN ON-DUTY INJURY, CLEARLY YOU'RE ENTITLED TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION SHOW. WOULD THAT BE IN ADDITION TO WORKERS' COMP? YES. OKAY. YES, THE, UM, THE WORKERS' COMP JUST OFFSETS THE PAY THAT THE PARISH, UM, MAKES FOR THE INJURING, BUT THE, THE SICK LEAVE IS SEPARATE, SO, SO IF YOU'RE MAKING WORKERS' COMP AND YOU'RE COLLECTING ON-DUTY SICK LEAVE, ARE YOU STILL ACCRUING SICK LEAVE AS A FIREFIGHTER DURING THAT PERIOD? WELL, WHAT HAPPENS? UM, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU GIVE THE GENERAL GIST AT THE MOMENT. UM, I'M GONNA ALSO EXPLAIN IT LATER, BUT THE, THE RULES AND THE RED BOOKS STATES THAT YOU HAVE TO EXHAUST ALL YOU CIVIL SERVICE SICK LEAVE BEFORE YOU CAN TAP INTO THE 52 WEEK LEAVE. SO ONCE THEY ARE USING OFF-DUTY LEAVE, THEY'RE NOT ACCRUING CIVIL SERVICE SICK LEAVE ANYMORE. ARE THEY FOLLOWING THAT? YES. OKAY. REGARDING OFF-DUTY INJURIES, THE RED BOOK STATES THAT A FIREMAN AS DEFINED IN RULE FIVE OF THE RED BOOK SHALL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO FULL BANK DURING SICKNESS OR INCAPACITY SUFFERED WHILE OFF-DUTY AND NOT BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS OWN NEGLIGENCE OR CULPABLE INDISCRETION FOR A PERIOD THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NOT TO EXCEED 52 WEEKS. SO ONE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE TO NOTE BETWEEN THE ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY LEAVE IS THAT THEY RECEIVE 52 WEEKS OF LEAVE PER INJURY ILLNESS WHEN IT'S ON DUTY, WHILE IT'S OFF DUTY, THEY'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO GET A MAXIMUM OF 52 WEEKS THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE CAREER. SO ONCE THEY HIT 52 WEEKS, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET ANYMORE. ACCORDING TO THE RED BOOK, LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE TITLE 33 SECTION 1995 ALLOWS FIREFIGHTERS TO RECEIVE BENEFITS FOR SICKNESS OR INCAPACITY. THE LAW ALSO EXTENDS TO NON-FIRE FIGHTING PERSONNEL SUCH AS RECORD CLERKS, FIRE INSPECTORS, COMMUNICATION OFFICERS, ET CETERA. SPECIFICALLY THE LAW STATES EVERY FIREMAN AND THE EMPLOYEE AND THE EMPLOYEE OF A MUNICIPALITY, PARISH, OR FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, TO WHICH THIS SUBPART APPLIES, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO FULL PAY DURING SICKNESS EARNED CAPACITY, NOT BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS OWN NEGLIGENCE OR CULPABLE INDISCRETION FOR A PERIOD OF NO LESS THAN 52 WEEKS. SO ANOTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT IN COMPARISON TO THE DEPARTMENT'S RED BOOK, THE STATE LAW DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ON-DUTY OR OFF-DUTY LEAVE, WHEREAS THE RED BOOK DOES, GREG? YES. LET ME ASK YOU, AS YOU WERE REVIEWING THE DATA, WHO MADE THE DETERMINATION ON WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE'S NEGLIGENCE WAS THE CAUSE OF THAT OFF-DUTY INJURY? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T THINK ANYONE MADE A DETERMINATION OF [00:30:01] NEGLIGENCE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THESE , THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT YOUR REVIEW. RIGHT? UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT, RIGHT, IS THAT THE, THE, THE PARISH REALLY WAS NOT RECEIVING MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION DEMONSTRATING WHAT THE NATURE OR THE CAUSE OF THE INJURY WAS. WHAT WE WERE SEEING IN THE FILES IS THAT MAYBE YOU MIGHT, ON A GOOD DAY GET A DOCTOR'S NOTE THAT SAYS, X, Y, Z PERSON WAS SEEN IN MY OFFICE TODAY. I MEAN, AND THERE'S LITERALLY NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OTHER THAN X, Y, Z PERSON WAS SEEN IN MY OFFICE TODAY. AND SO THEY'RE PAYING FIREMEN FOR OFF-DUTY INJURIES WITH SOMETHING AS LITTLE AS A DOCTOR'S NOTE THAT JUST SAYS SOMEONE WAS IN THE OFFICE. SO THERE'S REALLY NO UNDERSTANDING OF WHY WERE YOU IN THE OFFICE, WHAT WERE YOU BEING TREATED FOR, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF YOUR INJURY? HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA BE OFF WORK? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS OUT ON MY MATERNITY LEAVE AND I APPLIED FOR FMLA, WHICH IS REALLY JUST A PROTECTIVE STATUS. BUT IN ORDER TO GET THAT STATUS, YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY FILL OUT THIS PRETTY LENGTHY FORM ABOUT WHAT THE NATURE OF YOUR ILLNESSES, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RETURN FROM WORK. YOUR DOCTOR HAS TO ESSENTIALLY ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE OUT OF WORK FOR THREE MONTHS AND THAT THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK. WE SAW NONE OF THAT IN ANY OF THESE FILES THAT WE'VE REVIEWED. SO YOU'RE REALLY IN A SITUATION WHERE MOST OF THIS IS BEING MANAGED THROUGH A SAFETY OFFICER WHO IS NOT A TRAINED CLAIMS EXPERT IN ANY WAY. IT'S REALLY JUST BEING MANAGED THROUGH A SERIES OF EMAILS, UM, BACK AND FORTH, SOMETIMES BETWEEN FIREMEN. SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT SEE SOMETHING THROUGH A PARISH ATTORNEY, BUT THERE'S REALLY NO ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION REALLY DEMONSTRATING HOW THE FIREMAN WAS INJURED, UM, HOW LONG THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT, AND THEN, UH, REALLY HAVING DOCTOR'S NOTES SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CLEARED TO COME BACK TO WORK BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO A RISK IF YOU ARE TRULY INJURED, YOU REALLY NEED TO BE CLEARED TO COME BACK, YOU KNOW, TO PERFORM YOUR, YOUR DUTIES. NOW, ONE THING THAT HE MENTIONED WAS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST RELATED TO FIREMEN, THIS IS ALSO FOR YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL AS WELL. SO IF YOU ARE A RECORDS CLERK WHO IS, YOU KNOW, FILING RECORDS, THIS LAW ALSO APPLIES TO YOU. NOW, ONE THING THAT HE POINTED OUT WAS THAT, UM, THE STATE EXAMINER ESSENTIALLY PROVIDES THIS GUIDANCE THAT SAYS, UH, THESE DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE IN THE FIRE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. THEY'RE APPROPRIATE TO BE ON, REALLY ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE. RIGHT? SO OUR ISSUE, WHICH IS A PREDOMINANTLY ABOUT FINDING FOUR, IS THERE'S REALLY A, A, A, A, AN EXTREME LACK OF INTERNAL CONTROL OVER THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COLLECTING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUT WELL OVER A YEAR COLLECTING, YOU KNOW, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN COMPENSATION. THERE'S LITTLE MORE THAN MAYBE A FEW DOCTOR'S NOTES AND A FEW EMAILS TO SUPPORT ALL OF THESE PAYMENTS. NOW, THE DIFFERENCE IS ON WORKERS' COMP, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A MUCH MORE STRUCTURED CLAIMS PROCESS WHERE IT'S BEING VETTED AND YOU KIND OF HAVE THIS CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH, WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS AND, AND, AND THE FIREMEN. UM, AND THEN LOOK, THERE ARE SOME INTERNAL CONTROLS IN THE RED BOOK, BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING FOLLOWED. SO THERE'S KIND OF, I KIND OF LIKE GIVE YOU A BIG OVERVIEW HERE. I KNOW HE'S KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, BUT TO ANSWER SOME OF THAT, THAT'S SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING. SO UNLIKE WORKERS' COMP WHO HAS A PERIODIC REVIEW, WHO HAS A PERIODIC REVIEW TO SEND TO THEIR DOCTOR, I'M SORRY. UM, IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULD NOT, WE DON'T SEE THAT HERE. WE DON'T SEE, SAY, SAY THAT AGAIN. UNLIKE WORKERS' COMP, BECAUSE THERE'S PERIODIC REVIEWS, THERE'S PERIODIC REQUEST TO HAVE A SECOND MEDICAL OPINION. UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT IN THE RECORD. YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT. AND I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S INSTANCES REALLY WHERE THERE WAS JUST NO DOCUMENTATION AT ALL. AGAIN, I MENTIONED MAYBE THERE'D BE A DOCTOR'S NOTE. WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT SOME DOCUMENTATION, CERTAINLY NOT ADEQUATE. UM, BUT WHERE THERE WOULD JUST BE NOTHING, BUT THEY WERE JUST PAID. NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JUST NOT SHOW UP TO YOUR JOB FOR SIX MONTHS AND PROVIDE NO DOCUMENTATION AS TO WHY YOU'RE ON LEAVE AND STILL GET PAID FULL PAY. BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE PARISH. WELL, DO WE UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW DOES, IF, IF YOU HAVE AN OFF-DUTY INJURY OR ILLNESS, HOW DO YOU INITIATE THE PROCESS TO FALL WITHIN THAT GUIDELINE? YEAH, YOU WOULD, UM, BASICALLY EMAIL THE SAFETY OFFICER AND SAY, I'M SICK. DOES THE RED BOOK OUTLINE HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE? I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT WAS NOT, BUT YEAH, THERE ARE, UM, LIKE A FORM THAT'S PROVIDED OR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO CONDUCT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE, THERE IS SOME, THERE IS SOME INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DOCUMENTED. YES, THERE'S A FORM, UM, THERE'S AN EMPLOYEE INJURY ILLNESS REPORT, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, RIGHT? SICK LEAVE. SICK LEAVE REPORT. SORRY. AND THIS IS ALL GOVERNED THROUGH THE [00:35:01] RED BOOK, OR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AS REFERRED TO IN THE RED BOOK. SO THE RED BOOK ESSENTIALLY DEF, UH, DEFINES OR ALLOWS THE COMPENSATION TO OCCUR NOW. SO STATE LAW IS LIKE, WHERE IT'S REALLY ROOTED, RIGHT? AND THEN THE RED BOOK DEFINES ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY, WHICH STATE LAW DOES NOT DO. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM IN ITSELF BECAUSE STATE LAW, IT IS A BENEFIT UNDER STATE LAW, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THE LAW OR NOT, IT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION, BUT IT IS ESTABLISHED IN STATE LAW. SO NOW YOU HAVE THE RED BOOK THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, ESSENTIALLY DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY LEAVE. SO THEY'RE GONNA SAY, OKAY, WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED ON DUTY OR WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED OFF DUTY? SO IT DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE TWO. YOUR ON-DUTY CLAIMS MOSTLY WILL GO THROUGH WORKERS' COMP. NOW WE HAVE SOME ISSUES, SOME FINDINGS THAT, THAT KIND OF RELATE TO HOW SOME OF THAT GETS CLASSIFIED, BUT YOU COULD SAY MOSTLY YOUR ON-DUTY CLAIMS ARE GONNA GO THROUGH THAT WORKERS' COMP PROCESS, WHICH IS MUCH MORE VETTED THAN OFF-DUTY. BUT GENERALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THESE GUYS ARE, ARE GETTING INJURED OR THEY'RE SICK AND THEY JUST SEND AN EMAIL IN TO THE SAFETY OFFICER AND THEY SAY, WE'RE SICK. AND, AND THE PARISH HAS, UH, ON A NUMBER OF OF TIMES TO US, WHEN WE'VE ASKED FOR MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION AND MEDICAL RECORDS, THEY'VE JUST ESSENTIALLY QUOTED HIPAA AND SAID, WELL, WE CAN'T GET THE RECORDS BECAUSE OF HIPAA. SO WHETHER YOU THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT, I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU. BUT THAT'S REALLY THE RESPONSE THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING IS, WELL, WE DON'T COLLECT THAT INFORMATION. WE, IT'S ENTITLED UNDER STATE LAW AND SO, AND THE RED BOOK. AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO PAY THEM WITH LITTLE MORE THAN A DOCTOR'S NOTE. YES, WE WILL SEE SOME FORMS. HOWEVER, ALSO ON THE FORMS, THE INFORMATION CAN BE GENERALLY VAGUE. YOU KNOW, HURT MY ANKLE, MIGHT BE WHAT YOU GET, CAN'T WALK IS, IS THE KIND OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD GET. WE WOULD NOT GET SOME TYPE OF DETAILED SYNOPSIS MAYBE THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A POLICE REPORT WHEN A, A POLICE OFFICER COMES OUT AND, AND, UH, AND TAKES A COMPLAINT. BUT, BUT ERICA, IF THERE WAS A, UH, LET'S SAY THERE'S AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. POLICE OFFICER DOES COME OUT AND DO AN IN, DOES AN INCIDENT REPORT MM-HMM . IF, IF THE FIREMAN CITED, IS ANY OF THAT EVEN INVESTIGATED? IF YOU SAY, I GOT IN AN ACCIDENT, I'M, IT'S AN OFF-DUTY INJURY. DOES YOU MEAN ARE THEY VET IT INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS AT ALL? NO, BECAUSE HE MAY GET A TICKET THAT GOES TO FIRST PARISH COURT HE'S FOUND GUILTY OF, OF NEGLIGENCE IN SOME SENSE. HE GOT A TICKET FOR SPEEDING, HE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, BUT THEN THERE'S NOTHING IN THE RECORD THAT SUGGESTS OTHERWISE. THAT'S THE ABSURDITY OF ALL OF THIS. AND EXCUSE MY JUST KIND OF CANDOR HERE, BUT THAT'S THE ABSURDITY OF ALL OF THIS, IS THAT WE LITERALLY WOULD RECEIVE FILES, AND I'M TELLING YOU, THE FILES ARE THIS THIN, AND WE, WE MET THE, THE AT-LARGE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAME AND MET WITH US WHEN WE DID OUR EXIT CONFERENCE. AND, AND REALLY TO DEMONSTRATE THE SEVERITY OF THIS, I I, I HANDED THEM A FILE. THIS IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT'S IN THERE, AND IT'S, AND IT'S THIS THIN, SO YOU WOULD EXPECT, IT'S LOGICAL TO ASSUME AND EXPECT THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THESE DETAILED REPORTS LIKE YOU WOULD SEE THAT A, A POLICE OFFICER WOULD MAKE. WE DON'T SEE THAT HERE. WE, WE DON'T SEE THAT. WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE OUT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE INJURY. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE COMING BACK UNTIL THEY COME BACK. IF THEY EVEN COME BACK. AND SO THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE FIREMEN THAT BASICALLY THEY'RE UP AT 52 WEEKS AND THEY SAY, OH, I DON'T WANNA COME BACK TO WORK. AND, AND THEY'VE, AND THEY'VE QUIT MM-HMM . AND THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION EVEN SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY HAVE COME BACK OR THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO COME BACK. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST, AND I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR, IN THE IG BUSINESS FOR, WHAT, 15 YEARS NOW? 16 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. ERIC, I HAVE A QUESTION. BASICALLY. YES. DID YOU RUN ACROSS ANYBODY WHO SAID, I'M SICK, OR THIS HAPPENED AND THEY WERE DENIED, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT? NO, NO ONE'S REALLY DENIED INJURY LEAVE. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CASES WHERE PEOPLE WERE DENIED LEAVE. WHAT WE WOULD SEE IS SOMETIMES INJURIES WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS ON-DUTY. AND THEN IF THEY WERE DENIED A WORKERS' COMP CLAIM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FINDINGS THAT YOU GUYS PROBABLY SEE, UM, THAT YOU'VE READ ABOUT, IF THEY WERE TO DENIED WORKERS' COMP, THEN THEY WOULD JUST BE SWITCHED TO AN OFF-DUTY LEAVE. WELL, SO THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, WHEN WE GET INTO NEGLIGENCE IS THAT THE, THE, THE, THE, THE CRITERIA TO BE AWARDED WORKERS' COMP IS DIFFERENT THAN BEING AWARDED AN OFF-DUTY INJURY. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UM, YOUR EMPLOYER THREW A PARTY, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A OFFICE PARTY AND YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE TOO MUCH ALCOHOL AND YOU DECIDED TO JUMP OFF THE BAR BECAUSE YOU JUST HAD TOO MUCH ALCOHOL. YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO WORKERS' COMP. IT WAS AN OFFICE PARTY, IT WAS A WORK PARTY, IT WAS A WORK-RELATED FUNCTION. WELL, IF YOU WERE COLLECTING OFF-DUTY INJURY, YOU WOULD LIKELY PROBABLY BE CONSIDERED NEGLIGENT AND THEREFORE NOT ELIGIBLE TO COLLECT OFF-DUTY LEAVE. SO USING A WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIM, WHICH I BELIEVE IS FINDING NUMBER THREE, USING WORKERS' COMPENSATION, UM, AS THE, THE, UH, [00:40:01] OR THAT, THAT DETERMINATION TO DECIDE IF YOU'RE GONNA COLLECT ON-DUTY OR OFF-DUTY IS INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF WHAT I JUST BASICALLY DESCRIBED TO YOU GUYS, WHICH IS THAT THE CRITERIA IS DIFFERENT. SO THAT WAS AN ISSUE. UM, WELL, AND LET ME INTERRUPT FOR JUST A MOMENT. WORKERS' COMP WAS DESIGNED, SO NEGLIGENCE ISN'T AN ISSUE, SO THAT WILL NEVER EVEN BE A DETERMINATION EVER. SO THE EMPLOYEE GAVE UP SOME BENEFITS. THE EMPLOYER GAVE UP REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR NEGLIGENCE. SO, YEAH. YEAH. SO, ALRIGHT. ERIC, LET ME STOP YOU A MINUTE. 'CAUSE I HAVE A, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NUMBERS. ALL RIGHT. UM, IF THE OVERALL EXPENDITURE FOR PERSONNEL, WHICH IS WHAT'S SHOWN ON PAGE TWO OF THIS IS $42.8 MILLION, OKAY? AND THEY'RE 200 MEMBERS. THAT'S $214,000 PER FIREFIGHTER FOR PERSONNEL SERVICES. WELL, THAT, WELL, LET ME FINISH. I'M FINDING NUMBER ONE, IT SAYS THE EAST BANK, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT PAID OUT $3 MILLION FOR OFF-DUTY INJURIES, BUT THEIR ENTIRE BUDGET IS 42 MILLION. AND THEN THE, THE OTHER NUMBERS WHERE YOU ITEMIZE THE DON'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE 3 MILLION. WHAT AM I MISSING? THERE'S GOTTA BE MORE TO IT. HOW, HOW DO WE GET TO THAT $3 MILLION NUMBER? NO PROBLEM. OKAY, SO THE $3 MILLION IS OVER THE ENTIRE SCOPE PERIOD. SO THAT'S NOT JUST ONE YEAR, THAT'S 2020 TO 2023 THROUGH THE END OF 2023. SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A FOUR YEAR SCOPE PERIOD. SO 3 MILLION WAS PAID OVER FOUR YEARS. THE BUDGET THAT WAS GIVEN IN THE BACKGROUND IS JUST FOR ONE YEAR, THE ESTIMATED 2025. DOES THAT ANSWER PART OF YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER NUMBERS? YOU'RE NOT. OKAY, I HAVE A QUESTION. SURE. UM, I I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO CUT TO THE PUNCHLINE, BUT OKAY. , HAS THIS BEEN PRESENTED TO THE PARISH COUNCIL? UH, YEAH. SO WE'VE MET, OH, YOU MEAN IN A PUBLIC FORUM LIKE THIS? NO, BUT WE HAVE EXTENDED THE INVITATION TO, UM, THE TWO AT LARGES. WE CAN MEET WITH THREE COUNCIL PE PERSONS AT A TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO VIOLATE OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC MEETING LAW. UM, WHAT ABOUT THE PA THE ADMINISTRATION? SO THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY RECEIVED THE REPORTS. UM, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM A NUMBER OF TIMES TO REQUEST AN EXIT CONFERENCE. WHAT ABOUT A FIRE CHIEF? UH, WE MET WITH THE FIRE CHIEF. THE FIRE CHIEF, UM, DID GET BACK TO US AND WE SAT DOWN AND MET WITH HIM RELATED TO THE FINDINGS. WE ASKED HIM IF HE WAS THERE ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. UH, HE SAID NO, HE WAS THERE ON BEHALF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO WE DID MEET WITH, UH, THE TWO COUNCIL AT LARGES FIRE CHIEF. YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. DID HE, DID HE HAVE SOME GOOD DEFENSE FOR THIS? UM, WHAT'D HE SAY? ? NO, I MEAN, HE, I THINK HE, WELL, NO, I THINK, I KNOW THAT HE RECOGNIZES THIS AS A PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE. THIS IS NOT JUST A FIRE CHIEF ISSUE. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHERE REALLY THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO, AND, AND THE COUNCIL AS WELL, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S SOME AMENDING OF THE RED BOOK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. BUT THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE, AT A VERY BASIC LEVEL, NEEDS TO PUT IN THE INTERNAL CONTROLS TO REQUIRE SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION. DOCTOR'S NOTES, I MEAN, THINGS LIKE I MENTIONED WHEN I, ABOUT THE FMLA STUFF, JUST BASIC INFORMATION THAT THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT A FIREMAN, YOU KNOW, WHY THEY'RE OUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURY WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO RETURN TO WORK. UM, IS THERE A FIRE CHIEF FOR COMMISSIONER? WE MET WITH THE FIRE CHIEF. I DON'T LIKE CHARACTERIZING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S MEETINGS. BUT THIS IS WHAT, THIS WAS MY OBSERVATIONS AND THIS IS MY BELIEF. CHIEF HUDSON IS A FIRE CHIEF AND HE KNOWS HOW TO FIGHT FIRES. UM, AND I SUPPOSE HE KNOWS HOW TO LEAD BARMAN WHO FIGHT FIRES. HE DID NOT SUGGEST AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NUANCES OF WORKERS' COMP VERSUS OFF-DUTY INJURIES OR HOW YOU MANAGE CLAIMS. LIKE HE DID NOT INDICATE THAT THOSE WERE NUANCES THAT HE OKAY. SO WAS AWARE OF I'LL NEED THE LAWYERING TO THE LAWYERS. WHAT ABOUT 52 WEEKS OF TIME THAT YOU'RE PAID FOR AN OFF-DUTY INJURY? MM-HMM . WHAT'S HIS REACTION TO THAT? AND, AND HAS ANYONE OWNED THAT AND SAID, WE HAVE A GOOD REASON FOR IT? MORE OR LESS THEY JUST SAY, OH, WE, WE HAVE TO PAY IT. THIS SAFE SAFETY OFFICER. MM-HMM . IS THE ONE WHO RECEIVES THE INFORMATION. WHERE ARE THEY? WHO MANAGES THEM? UM, HE'S NOT REALLY, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT HE'S REALLY MANAGED AT ALL, BUT I MEAN, HE'S, BUT LIKE, WHO APPROVES HIS TIME? CHIEF? I MEAN, LIKE FIRE CHIEF, LIKE WHO? THE FIRE CHIEF. SO THEY ARE, THEY ARE PHYSICALLY HOUSED IN LIKE A [00:45:01] OKAY, THANK YOU. BUT, BUT THE FIRE, THE, UM, THE SAFETY OFFICER IS NOT A TRAINED AND CLAIMS PROCESSOR. I, I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN I TELL YOU IT'S, IT'S, IT IS REALLY MIND BLOWING WHEN I SAY THAT WE GOT IN THESE FILES AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS BEING MANAGED BY EMAILS AT BEST, THERE'S LITERALLY VIRTUALLY NO DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT ANY OF THESE INJURIES. UM, E ERICA, IF OUR GROUP SITTING UP HERE IS SUPPOSED TO END WASTE FRAUD AND ABUSE, SHOULD WE ASK THIS SAFETY OFFICER TO COME BEFORE THIS GROUP AND EXPLAIN WHAT THEY'RE DOING? I, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S UP TO YOU. I I WOULD GO ONE FURTHER AND SAY HE IS REALLY NOT THE, THE PERSON THAT SHOULD BE IN THAT ROLE. HE'S NOT, HE'S, HE'S ALSO A FIREMAN, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE FIREMEN THAT ARE, THAT ARE PERFORMING RESPONSIBILITIES THAT REALLY ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR, OF THEIR, OF THEIR WHEELHOUSE. HE VERIFIED FOR ME THIS, THIS, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF. NO, GO AHEAD. THIS SAFETY OFFICER IS REALLY JUST LIKE, IT'S NOT A POSITION THAT HAS BEEN, IT'S JUST YOU ARE NOW VOLUNTOLD TO BE THE SAFETY OFFICER. YEAH. HE'S A SAFETY OFFICER, MEANING A SAFETY OFFICER FOR FIREMEN, BUT NOT A SAFETY OFFICER IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT A FIREMAN CAN SAFELY RETURN TO WORK FROM AN INJURY. GOT IT. WHAT, WHAT I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE IS MORE OF AN HR ROLE BECAUSE HR IS EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH LEAVE. HOW YOU DEAL WITH LEAVE, THEY CREATE THE POLICIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. SO TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TRAINED IN HR AND TO HAVE THE, UNTIL YOU HAVE THE, THE SYSTEM IN PLACE, YOU CAN HAVE AN HR PERSON WITHOUT GUIDELINES. SO UNTIL YOU HAVE THE GUIDANCE FOR THAT HR PERSON TO FOLLOW, I THINK, I THINK WE STILL HAVE POTENTIALLY THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. AND, AND THIS INDIVIDUAL'S PRIMARY ROLE IS NOT TO DO THAT'S FIRE. YEAH, IT, THEY ARE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, HE'S A, HE'S A FIREMAN. UH, WHAT, WHO RE REVIEWS? UH, WORKMAN'S COMP CLAIMS THAT GOES THROUGH A WORK, A WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS PROCESS. AND WE DID A WALKTHROUGH WITH, UM, I ALWAYS GET THE ACRONYM MIXED UP. WELL, CAN'T WE JUST SUGGEST CM CCC THAT THIS BE HANDLED BY THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HANDLE WORKMAN'S COMP CLAIMS? NO, BECAUSE WORKERS' COMP IS, IS BASICALLY A, UM, AN INSURANCE AND THEY HAVE A CLAIMS PROCESS THAT THEY GO THROUGH. I THINK IT CAN BE HANDLED BY A PERSON WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH THE CLAIMS PROCESS, HOW CLAIMS ARE HANDLED, HOW CLAIMS ARE INITIATED, WHAT DOCUMENTATION MUST SUPPORT THE CLAIM THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THAT ONGOING OPEN, OPEN CLAIM. UH, SO I DO THINK IT ULTIMATELY NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT PROCESS. UH, I THINK IT STARTS WITH HR, BUT IT HAS TO BE SOMEBODY BOTH WITH HR EXPERIENCE AND A CLAIMS PROCESSING EXPERIENCE. RIGHT. SO THAT HIPAA IS NOT VIOLATED. EXACTLY. THIS 52 WEEK THING IS, DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIPAA THAT THEY'RE HIDING BEHIND THAT MM-HMM . ANYWAY. IS THAT OUR JURISDICTION TO HOLD SOMEONE BEFORE US AND ASK THEM THOSE QUESTIONS? NOT, NOT REALLY. SO I, I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THE FIRE CHIEF HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT. SO YOU'RE TELLING US WE SHOULD ASK HIM ABOUT IT? YEAH. SO YOU'RE TELLING US THAT THE PERSON LISTENED, HE LISTENED, ACKNOWLEDGED, ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT DID NOT FOLLOW UP AND SAY, HERE FORTH AND FOREVERMORE, WE'RE GONNA LOOK INTO IT, WE'RE GONNA PUT A SYSTEM TOGETHER. NONE OF THAT? NO. AND REALLY THAT FALLS ON THE PARISH ADMINISTRATION, WHICH AGAIN, DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY GOT OUR REPORT. THEY SUBMITTED A RESPONSE, UM, WHICH GENERALLY WAS INADEQUATE. UM, I THINK IT WAS VAGUE HOW WE DESCRIBED IT IN THE REPORT. IT WAS VAGUE, NON-SPECIFIC, REALLY OFFERED NO REAL ASSURANCES THAT THE PROBLEM WAS GOING TO BE FIXED AND THEY WOULDN'T MEET WITH US TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT REALLY IS THE BEST WAY GOING FORWARD TO IMPLEMENT SOME INTERNAL CONTROLS, WHICH THEY CAN DO. THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. STATE LAW DOES NOT PROHIBIT YOU FROM IMPLEMENTING INTERNAL CONTROLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FIREMEN ARE NOT NEGLIGENT. YOU CAN DO THAT. IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT THAT IN STATE LAW. UM, BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION WON'T EN ENGAGE WITH THE REPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE AUDIT, BUT GIVEN INDIVIDUAL FIREFIGHTERS BEING OUT ON SICK LEAVE, ARE WE OPERATING AT A DEFICIT OF FIREFIGHTERS AND UNABLE TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS TO SERVE THE PARISH? SO WE, WE DIDN'T DO LIKE A STAFFING ANALYSIS, BUT WE DO KNOW THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION THAT'S PAID BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO COVER, UM, A FIREMAN THAT'S OUT AND THEY'RE A HIGHER GRADE THAN WHAT YOU'RE NORMALLY [00:50:01] AT, THEN NOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE PAYING THEM ADDITIONAL MONEY TO TO, TO WORK AT THAT GRADE. DOES THAT, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, IT DOES. YEAH. OKAY. UM, SO WE KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S HAPPENING, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO QUANTIFY THAT AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO, UM, WE DIDN'T DO SOME TYPE OF STAFFING ANALYSIS TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON SHIP A, B, AND C. LIKE THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE AUDIT. BUT THE FIRE CHIEF DID NOT ALLUDE TO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NO. DID, DID HE? NO, I'M NOT AWARE. YEAH, NO. OKAY. DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL FI I KIND OF GAVE IT DID A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL FINDINGS OR DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE AGAIN, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION? OKAY. ON, ON ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES, IT'S A YEAR AND A HALF THAT THEY WERE OFF YEAR AND A HALF. DO WE KNOW IF HALF OF THE YEAR WAS BASED UPON THEIR OWN SICK LEAVE THAT HAD ACCRUED? NO, ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE PURE FODI LEAVE MEANING SO OFF-DUTY LEAVE AT THAT POINT, OFF, OFF-DUTY LEAVE. RIGHT. SO THAT MEANS THEY'VE EXHAUSTED SICK LEAVE AND THEN NOW THEY'RE IN THE FODI LEAVE. SO WE RAN THE SAMPLE PURELY ON WHAT WAS FODI LEAVE USED THAT, THAT, THAT CODING OF FODI LEAVE NOT, OH, YOU, YOU SICK LEAVE FOR THIS MONTH AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER FIVE MONTHS IS FODI IT HOW MUCH FODI LEAVE DID YOU, DID YOU USE AND WERE YOU PAID FOR? NO MA'AM. IF I'M TO UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, SOMEBODY COULD HAVE USED ALL OF THEIR TIME, WHICH COULD AMOUNTED TO MONTHS THAT THEY ACCRUED BEFORE THE YEAR AND A HALF STARTED. OH YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO WE'RE TALKING POTENTIALLY TWO YEARS WORTH OF TIME OFF. YES. THAT WAS PAID AT FULL TIME. THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT. SO, AND, AND, AND THAT'S MENTIONED IN THE REPORT TOO, THAT, UM, THESE FIREMEN, WHAT WE'VE INDICATED IS AS THEM BEING OFF FOR, IS PURELY THAT FODI TIME, BUT WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE USE BASICALLY STACK LEAVE, RIGHT? SO YOU'VE GOT SICK LEAVE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR VACATION LEAVE, AND THEN NOW YOU'RE ON FODI OR, OR YOU KNOW, SICK LEAVE, FODI VACATION. UM, BUT YEAH, WE KNOW THAT THEY'VE, WE DO KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN STACKING LEAVE. WAS WAS THIS PART OF THE AUDIT? UM, DID, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE SICK LEAVE THAT A FIREMAN CARRIES AN AVERAGE? OH, I, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW. WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T QUANTIFY LIKE AVERAGE SICK LEAVE CARRIED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT I MEAN THE, THE WEIGHT I'M ASKING BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF EVERYONE'S CARRYING ZERO, WELL IF YOU'RE IN AN FODI STATUS, YOU ARE CARRYING ZERO. YEAH, BUT SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE YOU'RE AT THAT, IF YOU'RE AN FODI STATUS, REMEMBER, AND GREG MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, YOU'VE RUN OUT OF YOUR OWN SICK LEAVE. SO IF YOU'RE IN THAT FODI STATUS OF 78 PEOPLE, YOU'RE, YOU HAVE ZERO SICK LEAVE BECAUSE YOU'D BE USING YOUR SICK LEAVE BEFORE YOU GOT TO FODI. BUT FIREMEN OR PARISH EMPLOYEES WHO ACCRUE ON A PER PAYCHECK BASIS, THEY THEY ARE, YES. EXCEPT ONCE THEY GET INTO THIS FODI STATUS, THEY NO LONGER ACCRUE. THEY NO LONGER ACCRUE IT. BUT WHAT THEY DO IS, IS THEY PAY IT, THEY PAY THE FODI BANK BACK. SO LET'S SAY YOU USE, I'M JUST MAKING THIS NUMBER UP, BUT A HUNDRED HOURS OF FODI LEAVE. WELL, YOU'RE ACCRUING, ONCE YOU COME OUT OF THIS FODI STATUS, IF YOU COME OUT OF THE FODI STATUS, YOUR SICK LEAVE IS PAYING BACK THAT FODI LEAVE BANK, WHICH IS ALSO, YOU COULD ARGUE INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE STATE LAW DOES ALLOW YOU TO HAVE FODI, YOU KNOW, SO LONG AS, AS YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, NEGLIGENT OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE CULPABLE INDISCRETION. SO THAT'S ALSO, WE ALL ALLUDED, WELL, NOT ALLUDE, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE REPORT HOW THIS IS ALSO AN ACCOUNTING NIGHTMARE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE, THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT TRYING TO KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF, WELL WHAT'S THE, THE NEGATIVE BANK NOW OF FODI AND WE'RE GONNA PAY BACK THIS FODI BANK, WHICH IS ALSO CIRCULAR. AND SO IN THEORY, YOU WOULD NEVER, UM, YOU'D NEVER REACH YOUR 50. YOU NEVER REACH, WELL, NO, YOU GET YOUR 52 WEEKS, BUT YOU GET YOUR 52 WEEKS, BUT YOU CAN NEVER REALLY EARN SICK LEAVE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THIS CONSTANT FODI STATUS. SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN EMPLOYEE PAYING THE SICK LEAVE BACK THERE? IT IS SOME WEIRD ACCOUNTING METHODOLOGY THAT THEY DEVELOPED. BUT IS THAT YEARS, YEARS AGO? THAT'S NOT STATE LAW. I ASSUME IT'S NOT STATE LAW. AND IS IT IN, IT'S WHERE THE RED BOOK AND THE FIRST OF ALL, 'CAUSE YOU SAID IT, THEY ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE FIRE CIVIL SERVICE. SO THEY ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OF JEFFERSON PARISH CIVIL SERVICE DIFFERENT, THEY ACCRUE SICK LEAVE. UM, BUT UNDER STATE LAW, THERE'S NO ONLY 52 WEEKS. RIGHT? THERE'S AT LEAST 52 WEEKS. RIGHT. THE RED BOOK LIMITS IT TO 52 WEEKS, WHICH IS WRONG AND CONTRARY TO STATE LAW, THE, THE LIMITATION OF IT THEN SAYS, WELL, IT'S, IT'S ONLY 52 WEEKS ACROSS MY CAREER. AND SO THEN THE PARISH HAS ENGAGED IN THESE MACHINATIONS. WELL, I USED, I USED [00:55:01] FIVE WEEKS, BUT I CAN EARN THE FIVE WEEKS BACK 'CAUSE I ONLY GIVE 52 WEEKS OVER THE COURSE OF MY LIFE. BUT MEANWHILE, UM, STATE LAW SAYS AT LEAST 52 WEEKS. SO THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT LIMBS YOU TO 52 WEEKS OTHER THAN THE MISAPPLICATION OF THE RED BOOK UNDER STATE LAW. AND SO THEY, THEY CAN'T EVER GET SICK LEAVE BACK BECAUSE THE PARISH MAKES THEM PAY BACK THE 52 WEEK BANK, WHICH SHOULDN'T EVEN EXIST. BUT WHEN YOU GET TO RETIREMENT, YOU THAT ACCRUED SICK LEAVE HAS VALUE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, IT'S NO, IT IS FOR STATE EMPLOYEES. CORRECT. SO I ASSUME IT IS FOR, FOR FIRE EMPLOYEES. SO THEY'RE GIVING UP POTENTIALLY VALUE OR IT'S BEING TAKEN FROM THEM THAT WOULD ACCRUE TO THEM AT, AT RETIREMENT. NOW IF THEY PAY IT BACK, ARE THEY ACCRUING RETIREMENT WEEKS OR BENEFIT HOURS? BECAUSE I DO THEY ACQUIRE, DOES IT GO TOWARDS THEIR RETIREMENT IF THEY'RE ON FODI, YOU KNOW YEAH, I, BECAUSE I I FIGURE BEEN PAID, PAID A YEAR EXTRA RETIREMENT. THEY GET PAID OVERTIME YES. AND REGULAR TIME THEY GET PAID FULL COMPENSATION OVERTIME AND REGULAR TIME PLUS C ON FODI. YEAH, BUT YOU'RE OUT. YEAH, YOU'RE OUT FOR A YEAR. IT DOESN'T, BUT, BUT THEY WILL, BUT THAT WILL ACCRUE TO THEIR RETIREMENT BENEFITS TOO. SO THEY, THE THE, THE SYSTEM IS PAYING IN THEIR, THE PARISH IS PART OF THEIR RETIREMENT, CORRECT? MM-HMM . OKAY. WELL, YEAH. SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY PAYING BENEFITS TO SOMEONE WHO HAS AN, A NON-WORK RELATED OFF-DUTY INJURY AND THERE'S NO MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE EVEN INJURED. TEASER PART TWO TO THIS WILL BE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT, BUT, UM, WE WILL INITIATE THERE, THERE'S ONE UNDERWAY FOR, TO DETERMINE IF PEOPLE HAVE SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT WHILE OUT ON FODI LEAVE. SO THAT 138,000 FOR ONE EMPLOYEE IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 200,000 WHEN YOU ADD THE BENEFIT BURDEN TO THE PARISH BECAUSE YEAH, I THINK IN THAT CHART I DIDN'T DO, I DIDN'T BREAK IT OUT BY, BY INCLUDING BENEFITS. I THINK THAT WAS JUST COMPENSATION. BUT YEAH, YOU'RE, I'M ASSUMING IT WAS JUST COMPENSATION. SO YOU'VE GOT THE BENEFIT BURDEN, THEIR, THEIR, UM, THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE, EVERYTHING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ON TOP OF THAT BURDEN OF PAYROLL. SO 1 38 IS NOT REALLY 1 38, IT'S CLOSER TO TWO BASED UPON WHAT THE RATE OF THAT YEAR'S, UH, RETIREMENT BENEFITS ARE. THE $3 MILLION WAS BASED UPON ACTUAL PAY PLUS PAYROLL ONLY. NO, THE $3 MILLION IDENTIFIED IN THE AUDIT INCLUDED PAY PLUS ASSOCIATED BENEFITS. OKAY. SO IT INCLUDED BURDENS, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS DID NOT. SO TO YOUR POINT, JERRY, THE INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS DO, DO NOT INCLUDE THAT. BUT THE TOTAL 3 MILLION INCLUDED YOUR BENEFITS, BUT WHEN WE BROKE IT OUT BY PERSON, THAT IS JUST COMPENSATION. BUT THE TOTAL QUESTION COST, THE 3 MILLION INCLUDES THE BURDEN. OKAY. BUT WE DIDN'T DO THE BURDEN PER PERSON. THAT MAKES SENSE. WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGING TO DO THAT. YEAH, GOTCHA. IF A BITE ON THE TEASER, WHICH YOU JUST GAVE UP. WELL, AND THAT'S PO THAT'S PUBLIC. WE, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S PUBLISHED. YEAH. ARE THEY CO, ARE THEY BEING PAID BY THE PARISH WHILE THEY ARE RENOVATING KITCHENS AND BEING PARTNER? OH, I, I CANNOT COMMENT ON ANY OF THAT. THAT, THAT IS, WE'RE IN AN EARLY PLANNING STAGE FOR YEAH. ARE THEY DOING OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT WHILE THEY'RE COLLECTING SICK TIME FROM THE PARISH? THE EAST BANK DOES NOT REALLY HAVE ANY IDENTIFIED YET SYSTEMS TO TRACK SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT. SO IF THEY, IF YOU DON'T TRACK WHAT SOMEBODY'S DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT, AND YOU DON'T TRACK WHY THEY'RE OUT ON YOUR LEAVE, THEN YOU HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION ON EITHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE DOING THE AUDIT. I FOUND SOME WASTE. YEAH. WELL, THE THING THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY, IF I UNDERSTAND THESE NUMBERS IN FINDING NUMBER TWO 40 OUT OF THE 200 EMPLOYEES ARE INVOLVED, THAT MEANS 20% OF THE WORKFORCE IS INVOLVED. THAT'S, THAT'S SCARY. MM-HMM . SIGNIFICANT. IT'S SIGNIFICANT. WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M SITTING HERE THINKING I APPRECIATE WHAT THE MEN AND WOMEN DO WHO ARE PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? AND SO OBVIOUSLY THESE MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE, I MEAN, IT'S A STATE LAW FOR THESE 52 WEEKS TO BE PROVIDED TO THEM BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN PROTECTING US AND OUR CITIZENS, RIGHT? AND IF SOMEONE TOLD ME, IF I WAS IN THEIR POSITION, HERE'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO CLAIM THIS TIME OFF WITH BEING INJURED, THEN THAT'S ALL I WOULD DO. I MEAN, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER WHEN I WAS ON MATERNITY LEAVE AND I WAS TOLD, HERE'S THE GIANT PACKET THAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE, THAT'S WHAT I COMPLETED. RIGHT? SO [01:00:01] IF THEY'RE ONLY BEING TOLD, JUST SUBMIT THIS EMAIL, WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE TOLD TO DO. I, I THINK YOU BRING A POINT UP. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE WORKFORCE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE FIREMEN. THIS IS ABOUT THE SYSTEM THAT WILL HANDLE THE CLAIMS. I, WE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, ANY FAULT ATTRIBUTABLE TO, TO THESE FIREMEN WHO ARE, YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY'RE DOING A PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING IT EXACTLY THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. SO I DON'T THINK THE FAULT LIES WITH THE FIREMEN AT ALL IN THIS INSTANCE. I THINK ERICA, YOU USED THE WORDS SYSTEMIC. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, YOU KNOW? YEAH. AND, AND, AND REALLY, I, I THINK THAT IT, THE, THE INITIAL ONUS IS ON THE PARISH ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A, A, A REALLY ROBUST PROCESS TO VET THESE CLAIMS. UM, NOT JUST FILL OUT SOME FORMS. IT'S MORE, IT'S MORE THAN JUST FORMS. THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION TO THIS. IT'S REALLY ABOUT A, A MULTIFACETED CLAIMS PROCESS WHERE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT REGULAR DOCUMENTATION, GO TO DOCTORS REGULARLY, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SO, SUCH THAT YOU'RE BACK TO WORK QUICKLY. UM, AND NOT JUST OUT FOR A YEAR WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AS LITTLE AS BASICALLY WHAT MY 10-YEAR-OLD WOULD GET WHEN I GO TAKE HER TO THE DOCTOR AND SHE NEEDS TO MISS A DAY OF SCHOOL. WELL, AND WHEN'S APPROPRIATE. RIGHT, RIGHT. GOD FORBID THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HINDERED SOMEONE TO MEETING THE JOB REQUIREMENTS. RIGHT. WHEN THAT PHYSICIAN BELIEVES THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO RETURN TO WORK. RIGHT. EXACTLY. YEAH. DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THE PARIS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED CARRYING THE BALL ON THIS? UM, SO AGAIN, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH TWO OF THE, AT LARGES. UM, I KNOW KIM HAD A DISCUSSION WITH ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, THEY, THEY WERE VERY, I THINK, HONEST IN THAT THEY BOTH RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM. UM, THEY, THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THERE'S KIND OF, IT'S MULTIFACETED IN THE SENSE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO HAVE TO, TO FIX PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT THEN THERE'S THE OTHER ISSUE OF AMENDING THE RED BOOK, WHICH FALLS WITHIN THE COUNCIL'S PURVIEW. SO IT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH INVOLVED AND THEY REALLY NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER. BUT I DO THINK WE COULD GET SOME IMMEDIATE, AT LEAST SHORT TERM RELIEF ON SOME OF THIS IF THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD ENGAGE IN A PROCESS, IN A CLAIMS PROCESS, IN A STRUCTURED CLAIMS PROCESS TO START VETTING SOME OF THESE OUT. AND THEN THE AMENDMENTS TO THE RED BOOK, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LIKE TO COME SOON THEREAFTER. ALRIGHT, SO I'LL ASK MY QUESTION DIFFERENTLY. IS THERE SOMEONE IN THE PARIS PRESIDENT'S OFFICE THAT IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND, AND PUT SOME TEETH IN THIS? SHE HASN'T EVEN MET WITH US. SO SHE, WE HAVE NOT HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS REPORT. WE'VE ASKED AT LEAST THREE TIMES TO MEET WITH HER TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS IN THIS REPORT. SHE HAS NOT RETURNED OUR EMAILS. SHE HAS NOT ENGAGED WITH THIS PROCESS AT ALL. BUT WE'VE OFFERED THE EXIT CONFERENCE, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND THEN THE RESPONSE THAT WE GOT IS THE SAME RESPONSE THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE REPORT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS MUCH AS I DO IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION THINKS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND IF YOU'VE READ OUR RESPONSES, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU'LL START SEEING NOW UNDER GAUSS, IS THAT IF THE RESPONSES ARE INCONSISTENT, CONFLICT WITH THE FINDINGS, IF WE DISAGREE WITH THEM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO START DEMONSTRATING OR CALLING OUT WHY WE DISAGREE WITH THOSE. SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE, SO I KIND OF SAW THAT IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND THAT'S PURSUANT TO OUR AUDITING STANDARDS. UM, SO I, I WISH I HAD AN ANSWER FOR YOU. WE ARE HAPPY TO ENGAGE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A COMMISSION TO SUPPORT KIM? I HAD A LETTER INSIDE HERE, I THINK DISAPPOINTED IN THE LACK OF, LOOK, THIS IS LIKE OFF TOPIC AND ON TOPIC. THE PARISH PRESIDENT HAS SAID ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT SHE WANTS TO SUPPORT THIS OFFICE AND THAT SHE WANTS TO HAVE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT SHE WANTS TO IMPLEMENT THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TIME TO STUDY A TOPIC IN A WAY THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO STUDY. AND IN THE LAST MONTH WE HAVE PRODUCED TWO DIFFERENT REPORTS. ONE REGARDING A PARKS AND REC EMPLOYEE AND ONE REGARDING AN ENTIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND SHE HAS RESPONDED TO BOTH. AND THE RESPONSE [01:05:01] IS IN SOME TO THROW THEIR HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND SAY THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSE ON THE EAST BANK FIRE WAS STATE LAWS ARE DIFFICULT. RED BOOK IS COMPLICATED. AND SO WE'RE GONNA CREATE A FORM AND ASK THESE FIREMEN TO ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THEIR INJURIES WEREN'T AS A RESULT OF THEIR OWN NEGLIGENCE, AS IF ANY FIREMAN IS GOING TO ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THE INJURIES WERE A RESULT OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GONNA ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THE INJURIES WERE RESULT OF YOUR OWN NEGLIGENCE, YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE LEAVE PAY PERIOD. SO EVEN THOUGH THE RED BOOK VERY SPECIFICALLY HAS CONTROLS THAT THEY COULD IMPLEMENT AND ACT ON, RIGHT NOW, THE PARISH PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE IS BASICALLY, WE'RE HELPLESS AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ON THIS. YOU HAVE A PARK AND REC EMPLOYEE MOVING APPLIANCES AND COUCHES IN A PARISH TRUCK USING A PARISH EMPLOYEE TO HELP. AND THEIR RESPONSE IS, WELL, HE CAN TAKE A BREAK. I MEAN, THE PROBLEM IN THE PARISH, WHETHER IT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR PARKS AND REC, IS THAT THERE ARE NO CONTROLS. AND WHEN WE ADVOCATE FOR CONTROLS, THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON WHY CONTROLS ARE JUST TOO MUCH WORK. WHICH IS ALSO REALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I KNOW THE PARISH PRESIDENT ON A NUMBER OF TIMES HAS SAID PUBLICLY THAT SHE HAS AN ACCOUNTING BACKGROUND AND SHE'S A FORENSIC AUDITOR. AND SO WE, WE KIND OF APPROACH THIS ALSO IN A WAY OF, THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH ON SOME LEVEL APPEAR THAT UNDERSTANDS ACCOUNTING AND INTERNAL CONTROLS. BUT THAT'S NOT RESONATING. UM, I MEAN THIS IS, I I WASN'T EXAGGERATING WHEN I SAID IN MY WHATEVER, 15, 16 YEARS AT THIS POINT. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS THINGS I'VE SEEN. UM, AND I DON'T THINK THE SOLUTION HAS TO BE HARD OR COMPLICATED. IF WE CAN GET A CLAIMS, A STRUCTURED CLAIMS PROCESS IN PLACE AND IMPLEMENT THE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT ARE A ALREADY IN THE RED BOOK, AND ADDING A CLAIMS PROCESSOR, I THINK WOULD COVER THE, THE, THE REST OF IT. AND, AND THAT I DON'T THINK HAS TO BE COMPLICATED OR HARD, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA HAVE, YOU HAVE TO COMMIT AN ADMINISTRATION THAT'S WILLING TO DO IT. YEAH. YOU HAVE TO COMMIT TO WORK IT TO CHANGE. AND FIXING SOMETHING TAKES MORE EFFORT THAN JUST LEAVING IT TO BE MESSED UP. IT DOES. I MEAN, IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO FIX SOMETHING ON THE FRONT END AND IT PAYS ON THE BACK END. WELL, THIS IS A 3 MILLION OTHER QUESTIONS. SO I, I THINK ONE, ONE QUESTION. UM, SIMPLE QUESTION. HOW MANY WEEKS OR IN A YEAR? 52. 52. OKAY. THANK YOU . I I THINK ONE THING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE OVER THE NEXT, UH, FEW MEETINGS IS IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO CONSIDER AN ADVISORY OPINION, YOU CAN LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES IN OTHER AREAS THAT ARE PERHAPS LOOKING AT THIS, HAVE GUIDELINES IN PLACE IF THEY DO, AND, AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BASED UPON WHAT, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S, THE COMMISSION HAS THE RIGHT TO ISSUE ADVISORY OPINIONS BOTH TO THE COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION. SO IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO EXPLORE. I THINK THE FIRST STEP IS TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE IN THE STATE. WHO, WHO IS ADMINISTERING IT DIFFERENTLY? HOW ARE THEY ADMINISTERING AND WHY? AND I THINK WE COME BACK WITH FINDINGS TO YOU AND THEN YOU MAKE SOME DETERMINATIONS. I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T DO IT THIS WAY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WELL, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY FROM HR TO DO THIS, NOT THIS SAFETY OFFICER. SO IS, I MEAN, SHOULD THIS GROUP SUGGEST THAT TO, TO, UH, I, I, THE PARISH PRESIDENT, I HONESTLY THINK IT'S A MULTI-TIERED, IF WE'RE GONNA DO AN AN ADVISORY OPINION, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED ENOUGH THAT WE'RE NOT JUST MAKING ONE STATEMENT, GET SOMEBODY AT HR. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED THAT THIS IS THE ADVICE, THIS IS WHY THE ADVICE IS IT'S SOUND ADVICE. THESE ARE RIGHT, THESE ARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO AND THIS WILL FIX IT. WE SUGGEST YOU FIX IT. BUT AGAIN, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO GO ABOUT IT IN A DETAILED ENOUGH ANALYSIS THAT WHEN YOU GIVE AN OPINION, IT'S A STRONG OPINION. NOT JUST HIRE SOMEBODY BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S AN EASY STATEMENT. BUT IF YOU DON'T GIVE 'EM THE ADVICE ON HIRING SOMEBODY WITH THESE QUALIFICATIONS TO UNDERTAKE THESE PROCESSES, THEN YOU'RE JUST PUTTING A BANDAID ON IT. 'CAUSE A REGULAR HR PERSON MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE CLAIMS PROCESS. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, JOEY, I THINK THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. I AGREE. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THAT. THE ONLY THING I THINK THAT SHOULD BE DONE, AND I I WOULD ASK IF, IF THAT WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY, [01:10:01] IS TO EXPLORE WHAT OTHER PARISHES DO. UM, IF, IF I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR BANDWIDTH. WE DID, UM, NUMBER ONE, WE CALLED OUT, UM, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, TARRYTOWN VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. UM, BUT NOT JUST TARRYTOWN, SEVERAL OTHER VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THESE SAME STATE LAWS. IF YOU'RE OUT ON FODI LEAVE WITH A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, YOU BETTER BE AT HOME AND THEY WILL RIDE PAST YOUR HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AT HOME. AND IF YOU GOTTA LEAVE TO GO TO THE PHARMACY TO GET YOUR PRESCRIPTION, THEY EXPECT YOU TO CALL THEM AND TELL THEM, I'M LEAVING THE HOUSE TO GO GET MY PRESCRIPTION AND I'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THEY ARE ON TOP OF THOSE FIREMEN TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE ON LEAVE DUE TO INJURY OR ILLNESS, THAT THEY'RE INJURED AND THEY'RE ILL AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. INCLUDE PICK UP, PICKING UP THEIR KIDS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY OVER THERE. AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO WASTE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER THAT THEY NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE. AND SO THEY ARE ACTIVELY MANAGING AND SUPERVISING THIS UNDER THE SAME STATE LAWS, THE SAME LIMITATIONS AS WHAT EAST BAY CAN'T SEEM TO MANAGE. WHAT I HAD IN THE CONVERSATIONS OF THE EXIT CONFERENCE WITH THE FIRE CHIEF WAS, I SAID, IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND SEEK FOR THEM TO CREATE A POSITION FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL DO THIS JOB, WE WILL SIT DOWN, WE WILL MEET WITH YOU. WE WILL HAVE WHATEVER DISCUSSIONS TO CREATE A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CAN DO THIS. THE PARISH CIVIL SERVICE WITH AN HR, THEY HAD A NURSE ON STAFF. LIKE THAT'S HOW THEY RESOLVED IT. NURSES KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MEDICAL RECORDS. THEY KNOW HOW TO GET MEDICAL RECORDS, THEY KNOW HOW TO READ MEDICAL RECORDS. SO IT WAS IN HR. WE HAD A NURSE WHO LOOKED AT STUFF AND RECEIVED RECORDS WHEN YOU CAME ON TO EMPLOYMENT. SO THIS CONCEPT OF HAVING A DEDICATED POSITION TO MANAGE THIS EXISTS, EVEN EXISTS WITHIN THE PARISH. THE PROBLEM IS THE ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT MOVE TO CREATE A POSITION THAT CAN CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY ON THIS ISSUE. MM-HMM . SO I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER DOING AN ADVISORY OPINION THAT SUCH A POSITION BE ESTABLISHED. , IS IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE ASK GREG AND ERICA TO WRITE THIS FOR US AND WE'LL SIGN IT? NO, NO. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEY CAN DO. THEY CAN OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS ON IT, BUT IT HAS TO COME FROM THE COMMISSION. YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T USE THEIR PRODUCT. UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, TO RECEIVE THEIR PRODUCT. MEET WITH S KAY OR OR ALL THE, ALL OF YOU IN OPEN MEETING TO COME UP WITH A FINAL LETTER THAT CAN BE SENT. BUT IT, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY GOING TO A JUDGE AND THE JUDGE SAYS YOU WRITE THE ORDER. NO, THE JUDGE CAN SAY YOU WRITE YOUR, YOUR BRIEF, THEY'RE GONNA WRITE THEIR BRIEF. I'M GONNA LOOK AT IT AND, AND FORMULATE AN OPINION. SO WHATEVER COMES FROM YOU HAS TO COME FROM YOU. BUT WE WELCOME, AREN'T THEY? THOSE ARE PUBLIC. THEY'RE ALRIGHT. SO WE'RE OUTRAGED, BUT WELL, I I THINK AT THE NEXT MEETING WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING DONE WITHIN TWO MONTHS FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION TO GO OUT FROM YOU IF YOU WANT. WELL, EXCUSE ME, SHERRY, I'LL VOLUNTEER IF, IF YOU WANT ME TO, TO WORK WITH JERRY AND PUT THIS TOGETHER. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? YES. IS THAT OKAY? YEAH, THAT'S FINE. I'LL CALL YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, YOU GUYS CAN REACH OUT TO US AND, UM, WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO OKAY. ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, AND [VII. Executive Session] GIVEN THE TIME AND, AND AS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR TWO MATTERS, BOTH THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND FOR THE CONFIDENTIAL REFERRAL OF, OF A, UM, VIOLATION, POTENTIAL VIOLATION BY A PARISH EMPLOYEE OF ETHICAL STANDARDS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DEFER THE OTHER REPORTS TO THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION CAN TAKE PLACE ON THOSE TWO MATTERS AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE? WE'LL NEED A MOTION. I'LL MOVE SECOND. OKAY. BUT WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. YEAH. AND A ROLL CALL AND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AGAIN IS FOR TWO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL KIM SHALAN, AND FOR THE CONFIDENTIAL REFERRAL OF A POSSIBLE JEFFERSON PARISH ETHICAL STANDARDS VIOLATION BY PARISH EMPLOYEE. I'M MOVE TO THE, THAT WE MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO ADDRESS THIS. CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE. NEED A SECOND? I'M SORRY. I SECOND. SECOND. UM, SHOULD WE TAYLOR? [01:15:01] YES. MR. ? YES. HERE. YES. FRANK YOUNG. AYE, AYE. OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO, MOVE, I'M THAT WE GET OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. SECONDED. ALL RIGHT. AND IF WELL, HE COULD HAVE A ROLL CALL, VOTE FOR THAT. YES, YES, YES. AYE. OKAY. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REFERRAL OF, UM, 24 DASH 0 0 0 6. DO I HAVE A SECOND TO MOVE FORWARD? SO, GO AHEAD. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. SO IN ESSENCE, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A CONFIDENTIAL REFERRAL FOR THE POSSIBLE ETHICAL VIOLATION. IT WILL BE ETHICS COMMISSION 2025 DASH 0 0 1, UH, IN A FORMAL PROCEEDING. AND I WOULD ASK THAT THERE BE A MOTION TO APPOINT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AS A PROSECUTOR FOR PURPOSES OF THIS, UH, THIS HEARING IN THIS VIOLATION. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. HEARING NONE. UM, THE NEXT [VIII. Receipt of Submission for Reappointment as Inspector General] PART OF OUR AGENDA IS THE SUBMISSION FOR REAPPOINTMENT AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. THE RECEIPT THAT WE, UM, GOT FROM MS. CHATLINE FOR CONTINUING HER SERVICE. I MOVE TO REAPPOINT KIM CHAT LANE AS INSPECTOR GENERAL. SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE GO FOR A VOTE? THE REASON THAT I AM IN SUPPORT OF REAPPOINTING IS THAT YOU ARE A FIGHTER. YOU STAND UP, YOU TAKE THE HITS, AND YOU KEEP ON GOING. AND THAT IS WHAT WE NEED IN AN INSPECTOR GENERAL. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP REINVENTING THE WHEEL. KEEP STARTING OVER. LET'S CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I SHARED THIS WITH KIM IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND I THINK, UM, IT'S BEEN KIND OF A CRAZY YEAR, BUT, UM, STICKING TO THE MISSION OF THE WORK AND STICKING TO, UM, THE, THE MISSION OF THE OFFICE AND HANDLING IT WITH INTEGRITY, UM, THAT IS THE REASON WHY I AM IN FAVOR OF, OF REAPPOINT YOU BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE PROVEN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS TO COME NEXT, UM, YOU WILL HOLD TRUE TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO FOR THIS PARISH. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND, UM, WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL ASK, UM, HOW MANY, WHO'S IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE, KIM. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS WILL BE THE RE UH, REAPPOINTMENT BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2026, AND THE TERM WILL EXPIRE IN MARCH OF TWO, 2030. OKAY. WHY DON'T WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL FOR THAT? BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REAPPOINTMENT. YOU DO ROLL CALLS IF YOU'RE AMENDING THE AGENDA OR GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. STRANGE. I KNOW. OKAY. UM, OUR NEXT [IX. Next Meeting Date: September 17, 2025] MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER THE 17TH. AND WITH THAT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.