[SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
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MORNING EVERYBODY, IF WE COULD GRAB SOME SEATS, WE'VE GOT A GRAND TOTAL OF ONE PROCLAMATION THIS MORNING, AND IT'S MINE.
WE'VE GOT OUR FRIENDS FROM THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE'RE PROCLAIMING TODAY APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
SOMETIMES I DON'T READ THE ENTIRE PROCLAMATION BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF WORDS, BUT IN THIS CASE, WITH THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER HERE AND THE IMPACT THEY MAKE ON THIS COMMUNITY, I'M GOING TO READ EVERY WORD OF THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND IT'S THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING, SO I'LL TAKE MY TIME.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? PEANUT GALLERY? EVERYBODY'S GOOD? WHEREAS THE JEFFERSON CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER...
CENTER HAS MADE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF JEFFERSON PARISH SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS IN 1991 AS LOUISIANA'S FIRST CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND AWARENESS EFFORTS, AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR MARKS THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JEFFERSON'S CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER AND CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER'S MOVEMENT IN LOUISIANA.
BY THE WAY, ADVOCACY IS ONE OF THE HARDEST WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR ME TO SAY, AND IT'S IN HERE A THOUSAND TIMES.
SO I'M GOING TO MESS IT UP SEVERAL TIMES.
WHEREAS THE PURPOSE OF THE JEFFERSON CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER IS TO PROVIDE EVERY CHILD VICTIM IN JEFFERSON PARISH A SAFE, FRIENDLY, A SAFE, CHILD-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR FORENSIC INTERVIEWS AND OTHER SERVICES IN ORDER TO REDUCE FURTHER TRAUMA AND PROMOTE HEALING.
AND WHEREAS THE JEFFERSON CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER, I WILL SAY THE CAC MOVING FORWARD, USES EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO SUPPORT CHILD WELL-BEING THAT RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED IMPROVES OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN, REDUCES TRAUMA FOR FAMILIES, AND SAVES TAXPAYER MONEY.
AND WHEREAS THE JEFFERSON CAC.
WORKS WITH A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM OF CHILD ABUSE PROFESSIONALS TO COORDINATE CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, AND VICTIM ADVOCATES.
AND WHEREAS THE JEFFERSON CAC IS IN THE BEST POSITION TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF ABUSED CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON PARISH, AS THE DESIGNATED AGENCY THAT COORDINATES THE NEEDS OF ABUSED CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON, AS THE DESIGNATED AGENCY THAT COORDINATES THE INVESTIGATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES, AND YOU WHEREAS APRIL HAS BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, AND THE PINWHEEL IS THE NATIONAL SYMBOL OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, THE PINWHEELS FOR PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IS DESIGNED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE HAPPY, INNOCENT CHILDHOODS ALL OF OUR CHILDREN DESERVE.
AND WHEREAS EACH APRIL, THE JEFFERSON CAC PLANTS PINWHEEL GARDENS ACROSS JEFFERSON PARISH TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND ASK THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REDUCE AND PREVENT CHILD ABUSE.
WHEREAS THE VICTORY OVER CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RAISING AWARENESS TO DECREASE INCIDENTS OF ABUSE AND SUPPORT CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS, THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL COMMENDS THE OUTSTANDING WORK OF THE JEFFERSON CAC AND CALLS UPON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN COMMUNITY AWARENESS EFFORTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, HEREBY PROCLAIMS APRIL 2026 SHALL BE KNOWN AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
A LONG PROCLAMATION, BUT ONE THAT IS RICHLY DESERVED.
ERICA, PLEASE COME ON UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, SCOTT, AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF HERE THAT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY, RESPONDING TO THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR POPULATION AND PROVIDING SERVICES THAT NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO RECEIVE.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.
APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, BUT WE SEE EVERY MONTH AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
WE ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT, REACH OUT TO CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS, JEFFERSON SPECIFICALLY.
WE HAVE 14 OTHER CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ALL 64 PARISHES IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
I'D BE REMISS NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE IN THE HOME.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF OUR TEAM, ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF.
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FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS A STATUTORILY MANDATED NON-PROFIT ENTITY, THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND JUST THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THOSE IN NEED.AND I WILL SAY AFTER SERVING ON THE BOARD OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER FOR YEARS AND COMING TO KNOW ERICA AND PARTICIPATING IN THE GALA EVERY YEAR.
THERE IS NO STRONGER ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON PARISH THAN ERICA AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE CAC.
THEY DO VERY DIFFICULT WORK, AND THEY DO THEIR JOBS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL UNDER TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO IN JEFFERSON PARISH, AND WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
AND I'M HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU REPRESENT, AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED FROM THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL IN FUTURE YEARS.
LET'S COME OVER AND TAKE A PICTURE, EVERYBODY, WHOEVER'S HERE.
[MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]
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ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING.[00:18:26]
HAPPY EARTH DAY ON THIS APRIL 22ND. WE'RE GATHERED HERE FOR THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING AT THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING 200 DURBAN STREET IN GRETNA.I'M LOOKING TO GET UNDERWAY THIS MORNING.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND WE WANT TO BEGIN THIS MORNING.
BEFORE THE INVOCATION WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FROM COUNCILMAN WALKER.
ON APRIL 10TH, BOB CARNESE, THE FOUNDER AND CAPTAIN OF THE CREW OF CAESAR, PASSED AWAY AFTER A SHORT ILLNESS.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER BACK THROUGH JEFFERSON PARISH, MARDI GRAS HISTORY, I MEAN, HE WAS KIND OF THE DRIVING FORCE IN GETTING MARDI GRAS GOING HERE, STARTING CAESAR IN 1980 AND THEN CALLING IT QUITS IN 2019 AFTER 40 YEARS OF PARADING JUST BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE.
WE CAN'T DO THIS TO THE LEVEL THAT WE ONCE DID ANYMORE.
HE ALSO WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS HERITAGE AND WAS THE GRAND MARSHAL OF THE IRISH-ITALIAN PARADE IN 1991.
BUT HIS IS A BIG LOSS FOR JEFFERSON PARISH, AND HE CERTAINLY MADE HIS MARK IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO I'D LIKE TO REMEMBER HIM WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND NOW OUR CLERK, LIZ, WILL LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
WHEN WE STAND TOGETHER AS A NATION, UNITED UNDER GOD, WILLING TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US, WE WILL BE BLESSED.
THE FREEDOM WE SO ENJOY COMES WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY
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OF EVERY CITIZEN TO DEFEND THAT FREEDOM.GOD CAN ALSO USE HIS PEOPLE IN THIS LAND TO SHARE HIS LOVE AND OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEIGHBORS.
MAY HIS SPIRIT BE OUR GUIDE AS WE GO FORWARD AS HIS PEOPLE AND AS AMERICANS WHO NEED TO GUARD OUR LAND.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[PARISH PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL]
WE OPENED OUR MORNING MEETING WITH PRAYER AND WE HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR A RETURN TO HEALTH FOR OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUE.DINO BONANNO, WHO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE JOINING US BACK AT OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
CAN I HAVE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE? I JUST WANT TO, MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW, MANY OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW, BUT...
30 DAYS AGO, I HAD TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY SURGERY TO SAVE MY LIFE.
IT WAS TOUCH AND GO THERE FOR A WHILE, BUT I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT TO PRAY FOR ME, TO SEND ME PRAYER CARDS, SEND ME TEXT MESSAGES.
I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE TODAY WERE IT NOT FOR THE LOVE OF MY FAMILY, MY WIFE, MY SONS, AIDEN, MASON, AND EVAN, MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER, WHO NEVER LEFT MY SIDE.
FOR A 61-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO NEVER SPENT A DAY IN A HOSPITAL IN HIS LIFE, I SPENT 12 DAYS IN A HOSPITAL AND I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO BE HERE AND I THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
THIS HAS BEEN A LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT FOR ME.
IT HAS CHANGED MY ENTIRE PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF.
I'M GOING TO ALSO RECOGNIZE A SPECIAL GUEST THAT WE HAVE THIS MORNING WITH US.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING YOU MAY HEAR A LOT FROM THOSE OF US IN GOVERNMENT IS REGIONALISM AND HOW IMPORTANT REGIONALISM IS.
SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO, OTHER GOVERNMENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THOSE SAME THINGS.
AND SO COUNCILMAN LEE EXTENDED AN INVITATION THIS MORNING TO SOMEONE WHO IS A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN OUR REGION WHO WE HOPE TO WORK WITH AND LEARN FROM.
BECAUSE HE'S ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT ADVENTURE THAN ANY OF US.
WE INVITED OUR GUY WHO GREW UP HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND WHO WAS ELECTED AS THE MAYOR OF ST.
AND WE ACTUALLY WANTED HIM TO SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR US.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU TO COME UP AND SHARE SOME WORDS WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB AS MAYOR OF THAT MUNICIPALITY.
THIS IS MAYOR DUSTIN YATES OF THE CITY OF ST.
GEORGE, WHICH WHEN WERE YOU ALL INCORPORATED? IT'S JUST RECENT.
SO FIRST OFF, I'D JUST LIKE TO...
TELL YOU ALL THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
IT'S A BIT OF A HOMECOMING FOR ME.
BORN AND RAISED IN METAIRIE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
I STILL HAVE LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT LIVE HERE SO THIS IS THIS IS ALWAYS HOME TO ME.
IT'S ALWAYS HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME.
YOU KNOW IT WAS A STORY OF JUST A GROUP OF RESIDENTS THAT GOT TOGETHER THAT WANTED SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I WENT THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS, PETITION PROCESS TWICE ACTUALLY.
I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A VOTE IN 2019, PASSED A VOTE IN 2019, THEN WE WERE WE SPENT FIVE YEARS IN LITIGATION SO WE WE WERE OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED WHEN THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN OUR FAVOR IN 2024.
I WAS APPOINTED THE FIRST MAYOR THERE SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND THEN WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS I WAS ELECTED AS A FULL-TIME MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ST.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY, A DIFFERENT PATH AND OUR FORMER GOVERNMENT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS WELL.
SO SHARED SOME THINGS WITH THE CHAIRWOMAN HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY SHARE WITH JEFFERSON PARISH AND YOUR COUNCIL AS YOU ALL MOVE FORWARD THROUGH WITH Y'ALL'S THINGS.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION WHILE I HAVE THE PODIUM IS THAT THE REASON WHY WE CREATED A CITY, THE REASON WHY WE WENT DOWN THIS 11-YEAR PATH WAS TO CREATE OUR OWN LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ST.
I'M SURE I SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
GREAT COMMUNITIES WERE BORN OUT OF GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SO WE'RE AT THAT POINT NOW.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ON THE BALLOT IN MAY, MAY 16TH. WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT, AND IT'S A STATEWIDE VOTE.
EVERYBODY IN THE STATE GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT.
SO AMENDMENT 2, A POSITIVE VOTE ON AMENDMENT 2, ALLOWS US TO
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CREATE OUR OWN LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ST.GEORGE, WHICH WOULD HAVE AN UNBELIEVABLE IMPACT NOT ONLY FOR OUR AREA, YOU BUT I BELIEVE, SAME AS I BELIEVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CITY, THAT WE'RE FORMING MODELS AND PILOTS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS AROUND THE STATE.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR YATES.
HE SAID YOUR CITY IS 92,000? YES.
IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF METAIRIE, HANS WILTSBURG'S DISTRICT.
AND YOU HAVE HOW MANY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES? THIS WAS ASTOUNDING.
WE HAVE TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
SO I'M ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS THE OTHER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.
WE HAVE A FIRE DISTRICT THAT'S THERE THAT'S A SEPARATING OPERATING ENTITY.
WE UTILIZE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE, WE PROPERLY CONTRACT.
SO WE HAVE PRIMARY CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS, AND THEY HANDLE EVERYTHING FROM EVERYTHING.
THANKS AGAIN, MAYOR, FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE LEARNING SOME OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU'RE APPROACHING GOVERNMENT.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL.
PARISH PRESIDENT, MS. LEE-SHANG, AND I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE.
MADAM PRESIDENT, IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, CHAIRWOMAN, AND HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'LL START OUT WITH OUR HURRICANE PREP.
WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR JEFFERSON PARISH DEPARTMENT PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED WITH ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL HURRICANE-ASSISTED EVACUATION EXERCISE LAST WEEK.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS PARISH DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE JEFFERSON PARISH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
OUR JPOS, JEFFERSON PROTECTION AND ANIMAL WELFARE SERVICES, OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT, EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE, WEST BANK FIRE SERVICES, TRANSIT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, AS WELL AS MANY PARTNER AGENCIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN INCLUDING JPSO, LCMC HEALTH, EMS, CITY OF KENNER, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, JEFFERSON PARISH HUMAN SERVICES AUTHORITY, AND OBVIOUSLY THE VINEYARD CHURCH OF NEW ORLEANS.
BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND BUILD A MORE PREPARED PARISH FOR THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON.
I'LL MOVE ON TO THE PLANNING, THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REWRITE.
WE'RE EMBARKING ON THIS INITIATIVE TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS BY CUTTING THROUGH COMPLEXITY, ADDRESSING GAPS, AND ALIGNING THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE WITH THE VISION OF ENVISION JEFFERSON 2040.
AND THE REALITIES OF HOW THE PARISH IS GROWING TODAY.
SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING FIRM CAMEROS, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WILL BE HOSTING TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS TO INTRODUCE JPNEXT, A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE PARISH'S UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND ZONING ORDINANCES.
JPNEXT IS JEFFERSON'S PARISH EFFORT TO RETHINK THE RULES THAT SHAPE HOW OUR COMMUNITY GROWS.
THESE RULES INFLUENCE EVERYTHING FROM THE TYPES OF HOUSING AVAILABLE TO HOW NEIGHBORHOODS EVOLVED.
HOW BUSINESSES TAKE ROOT AND HOW PLACES FEEL AND FUNCTION DAY TO DAY.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY SO THESE UPCOMING MEETINGS ARE THE START OF A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY INFORMED PROCESS.
THE FIRST MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 28TH FROM 5 TO 7 P.M.
IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE JOSEPH F.
GANI BUILDING AND THE SECOND MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29TH FROM 5 TO 7 P.M.
HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE GGB, THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING.
AS PART OF THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION WHICH WILL PROVIDE AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT AND CONSULTANT TEAM.
AND AFTER THE MEETINGS, THE PRESENTATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE, WWW.JPUDC.COM.
OBVIOUSLY THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATES OR LEAVE COMMENTS ON THIS PROJECT WEBSITE.
JPAWS, OUR JEFFERSON PROTECTION ANIMAL AND WELFARE SERVICES, WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE TOUR FOR LIFE MOBILE ADOPTION EVENT BROUGHT TO US BY THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA.
THIS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST MOBILE COOPERATIVE LIFE-SAVING PET ADOPTION EVENT AND WILL TAKE PLACE THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH FROM 10 A.M.
AT JEFFERSON FEED LOCATED AT 4421 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
NOW WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR RECREATION TEAM, OUR JPRD 9 TO 10 YEAR OLD BOYS SOCCER TEAM FOR WINNING THE LOUISIANA OPEN CUP THIS PAST WEEKEND IN BATON ROUGE.
THE TEAM INCLUDES PLAYERS AND COACHES FROM BOTH THE EAST BANK AND WEST BANK OF JEFFERSON PARISH SO WE'RE VERY PROUD.
OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT BRINGING THAT MEDAL HOME.
OUR LIBRARY TEAM HAS MANY UPCOMING EVENTS.
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WILL VISIT THE LAFITTE LIBRARY THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH FROM 10 A.M.WITH EQUIPMENT THAT DIGITIZES FILM REELS, VHS TAPES, VINYL RECORDS, AND CASSETTE TAPES.
PATRONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING THEIR PERSONAL COLLECTIONS OF VINTAGE MEDIA TO THE LIBRARY FOR THIS FREE SERVICE AS PART OF THE ONGOING ROVING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM KNOWN AS PRESERVATION STATION.
ALSO ON FRIDAY, THE EAST BANK REGIONAL WILL HOST A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF NEURODIVERSITY FROM 11 A.M.
TO 3 P.M., FOLLOWED BY A SIMILAR EVENT AT WEST BANK REGIONAL ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH FROM 1.30 TO 3.
ALSO ON SATURDAY FROM 3 TO 4 P.M., CHILDREN AGES 5 AND OLDER ARE INVITED TO RIVER RIDGE LIBRARY TO BUILD A VOLCANO USING MODELING CLAY AND A COMBO OF VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA AS LAVA FOR A HANDS-ON LESSON ABOUT BOTH EARTH SCIENCE AND CHEMISTRY.
AND FOR THOSE OF US MY AGE, WE'RE ALL REMEMBERING THAT BRADY BUNCH EPISODE.
SO THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES WILL CONDUCT A BOATING SAFETY CLASS BEGINNING AT 9.30 A.M.
ON THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, MAY 2ND, AT THE WAGNER LIBRARY.
PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPETE IN THE DAY-LONG COURSE WILL BE ISSUED A VESSEL OPERATOR CERTIFICATION CARD.
EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY WILL HOST A SEMINAR ABOUT NAVIGATING SENIOR CARE SERVICES ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH FROM 10 A.M.
WITH EXPERTS IN PALLIATIVE CARE, HOSPICE, REHAB, AND SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES.
MEMORY CARE, HOME HEALTH CARE, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE EVENTS AND OTHERS, VISIT THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.JPLIBRARY.NET.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR FINANCE TEAM HAS REALLY BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY MOVING US VERY FAR INTO THE FUTURE FROM WHERE WE STARTED.
OF COURSE, NOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE JEFFERSON PARISH REMAINS FINANCIALLY STRONG AND PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE, AND OUR APPROACH IS THREEFOLD.
FIRST, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE 2024 AUDIT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR YESTERDAY, SO WE'RE NOW OFFICIALLY BACK ON TRACK AND MOVING DIRECTLY INTO THE 2025 AUDIT, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORING OUR BOND RATING.
AS A REMINDER, THE SOLE DRIVER OF THE BOND WITHDRAWAL WAS NOT ABOUT CASH, AN INABILITY OR A LACK OF CASH.
IT WAS OUR DELAYED AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE INCREASED WORKLOAD BECAUSE OVER THE PAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, JEFFERSON PARISH RECEIVED 586 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO RESPOND TO MULTIPLE EMERGENCIES.
WHILE THIS SUPPORT WAS ESSENTIAL, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT JUMP IN WORKLOAD, AND IN THE AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDING WE HAD TO PROCESS, BECAUSE BEFORE I CAME INTO OFFICE, WE WERE AVERAGING ABOUT $33 MILLION EVERY YEAR IN GRANTS.
SO SECOND, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TRANSITION.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS, AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER AGENCIES ARE AWARE OF OUR LEGACY.
WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR LEGACY AS400 SYSTEM TO A NEW ERP SYSTEM THROUGH INFOR.
THIS IS OUR LARGEST INTERNAL PROJECT IN PARISH HISTORY AND WILL IMPACT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
IN PREPARATION FOR THE SCHEDULED JULY 1ST LAUNCH, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS AND VENDORS TO ENSURE AS SMOOTH A TRANSITION AS POSSIBLE.
THERE WILL BE A SHORT BLACKOUT PERIOD TO MIGRATE DATA, AND WE'RE PLANNING AHEAD TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS.
AND THEN THE THIRD PRONG, AFTER THE AUDIT AND AFTER THE N4 IN FINANCE, I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO ITEMS 14, 15, AND 67 ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THESE ITEMS ALLOW US TO RESTRUCTURE OUR FINANCE TEAM BY CREATING AN OFFICE OF CENTRAL GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION.
ALONG WITH THE POSITION OF CHIEF GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS SUPPORT TO APPOINT NICOLE GOBERT TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN A BROADER EFFORT TO MODERNIZE AND CENTRALIZE OUR OPERATIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING AND SPEAKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IS THAT A LONG TIME AGO, GRANTS MANAGEMENT WAS CENTRALIZED, AND THEN THERE WAS A MOVE TO DECENTRALIZE THIS OPERATION AND PUT ACCOUNTANTS IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT WAS THERE WAS NO NEXUS TO CENTRAL FINANCE.
AND THIS MADE IT VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE HAVE TO GET PREPARED FOR AN AUDIT.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE ON THE GRANT SIDE OF THINGS, WE HAVE THE FEDERAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TIMELINE THAT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE GRANT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE, AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO OUR OWN LOCAL REPORTING TIMELINES THAT FALL IN LINE WITH OUR ANNUAL AUDIT.
SO THE REPORTING HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A DECENTRALIZED GRANT SYSTEM.
SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME COMING UP WITH A BETTER WAY, A CENTRAL GRANTS ADMINISTRATION THAT WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF ALL...
A LARGE PORTFOLIO OF GRANTS ACROSS WHAT WE ESTIMATE TO BE 13 DEPARTMENTS.
THIS WILL ALIGN GRANT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR MORE CONSISTENCY AND MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH EVER-CHANGING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
WE ARE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF WHO IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEAD THIS EFFORT.
NICOLE GOBERT HAS DEDICATED 22 YEARS OF SERVICE TO JEFFERSON PARISH IN VARIOUS POSITIONS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE TO ACCOUNTING.
SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN A CLERICAL ROLE.
AND WORKED HER WAY UP TO HIGH-LEVEL ACCOUNTANT ROLE SPECIALIZING IN GRANTS MANAGEMENT.
FROM 2014 TO 2021, NICOLE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED A $300 MILLION FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND IN 2021, NICOLE WAS NAMED DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
[00:35:01]
SAFETY AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATION, WHERE SHE CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP.NICOLE IS ALSO WIDELY RECOGNIZED BOTH REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY AS AN EXPERT IN FINANCIAL RECOVERY AND GRANTS MANAGEMENT.
I WILL REMIND EVERYONE THAT WHEN WE WERE GETTING OUR IDA REIMBURSEMENTS, WE LED THE STATE BECAUSE OF NICOLE'S EFFORTS.
SHE HOLDS A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITH A CONCENTRATION IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS A LOUISIANA EMERGENCY MANAGER CERTIFICATION.
WE BELIEVE NICOLE IS A PERFECT FIT TO LEAD THIS NEW OFFICE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN STRENGTHENING OUR FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND WILL BRING CONSISTENCY AND EFFICIENCY TO HOW WE MANAGE GRANTS ACROSS THE PARISH.
NICOLE'S TEAM WILL MANAGE A COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD, ALLOWING US TO BETTER TRACK FUNDING, MONITOR COMPLIANCE, AND MAINTAIN A STRONGER FINGER ON THE PULSE OF OUR GRANT PORTFOLIO THAN EVER BEFORE.
SO I WANT NICOLE TO STAND UP, NICOLE GOBERT.
WE ARE PROPOSING HER TO BE OUR NEW CENTRAL GRANTS DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PARIS PRESIDENT, FOR THE UPDATE ON ALL OF THOSE EXCITING THINGS.
IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT ON PARTICIPATING IN THE VOLCANO BUILDING PROJECT? WE WANT TO BRING UP A REALLY SPECIAL GROUP.
I KNOW WHEN THE PARISH PRESIDENT WAS IN THE DISTRICT 5 OFFICE AS I WAS AND AS HUNT-LILSBERG IS NOW, WE HAD THE OCCASION FREQUENTLY TO WORK WITH FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON THE BEAUTIFUL.
CARRIE HAMMETT, WHO WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED AND ADORED WORKING WITH, CERTAINLY HAS LEFT GOOD PEOPLE TO CARRY ON THE LEGACY OF FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON THE BEAUTIFUL.
AND NORA VADENHOLMS IS HERE THIS MORNING TO SHOW US A PRESS RELEASE.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION AND TO UPDATE US ON THE MASTER TREE PLAN FOR JEFFERSON PARISH THAT THE COUNCIL HAS WORKED WITH HER TO BRING FORWARD.
NORA, GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY EARTH DAY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS OF OUR STUDY, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOU'VE BEEN IN OUR PRAYERS AND WE'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY AND FEELING BETTER.
SO FRIENDSHIP JEFFERSON THE BEAUTIFUL WAS STARTED, AS JENNIFER SAID, 25 YEARS AGO BY CARRIE HAMMETT.
AND SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TREE PRESERVATION DISTRICT IN OLD METAIRIE, PRESERVING THOSE BEAUTIFUL OAKS.
I WAS AT A CIVIC MEETING AND PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHY CAN'T WE EXTEND THIS TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN NEW ORLEANS CAME OUT WITH A PLAN.
AND NEW ORLEANS HAD THEIR PLAN AND THEY HAVE GOALS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PLANT SO MANY TREES.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT USED TO ORLEANS PARISH BEING AHEAD OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO WE NEED TO CONDUCT OUR OWN STUDY AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO I WENT TO CYNTHIA AND TALKED TO CYNTHIA ABOUT IT AND SHE SAID I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF ANYTHING WE CAN DO AND THEN I WENT TO THE DIFFERENT COUNCILMEN AND COUNCILWOMEN AND EVERYONE WAS IN SUPPORT AND WE DECIDED TO GET THE FUNDING AND PUT IT OUT FOR BID AND WE SELECTED DANA BROWN AND DANA DID A STUDY AND WE THOUGHT ON EARTH DAY WOULD BE A GREAT DAY FOR US TO GIVE YOU THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY.
STUDY SO YOU CAN SEE THE HEALTH OF JEFFERSON PARISH TREE CANOPY.
AND BRIAN PARKS IS GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE STATISTICS AS WELL AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, WE KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE MORE TREES HAVE HIGHER REAL ESTATE VALUES.
WE KNOW THAT IT HELPS WITH HEAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY BENEFITS AND CRIME AND ALLERGIES AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, TREES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO TODAY AND OUR ORGANIZATION, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 600 TREES BEING DISTRIBUTED AND PLANTED JUST LAST YEAR.
WE JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED A PROJECT ON VETERANS HIGHWAY WHERE WE PLANTED 30 TREES IN FRONT OF TRADER JOE'S ON VETERANS AND IN FRONT OF RUTH'S CHRIS ON VETERANS.
AND THIS STUDY WAS DONE SO WE COULD ADDRESS EACH.
DISTRICT SO YOU WILL SEE THE RESULTS OF EACH DISTRICT AND HOW YOUR TREE CANOPY IS AND THEN I'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND TO GET YOUR APPROVAL I MET WITH BYRON LAST WEEK AND HE WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT DANA SUGGESTED SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS START OFF WITH A VIDEO FOR YOU FOR EARTH DAY THAT WE PUT TOGETHER WITH SHELLY FARROW WHO HAS URBAN TREE ALLIANCE SO WE'RE GOING TO START THAT VIDEO AND SHOW YOU THAT.
[00:42:53]
A LITTLE DISTURBING ISN'T IT? 17% WE WERE SO DISAPPOINTED WHEN WE SAW THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE US TO OTHER CITIES THE SAME POPULATION AT 63% 44% AND WE'RE AT 17 SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE WORK TO DO WE DID EMAIL EACH COUNCIL PERSON THE PLAN FOR THEIR DISTRICT THIS MORNING AT 8 O'CLOCK SO YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THAT AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ON THAT BUT I DO WANT TO ALSO SAY EVERY COUNCIL PERSON THAT I APPROACHED ABOUT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WITHOUT YOU.SO I DO WANT TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND THEN BRIAN'S GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE STATISTICS.
AND BY THE WAY, BRIAN PARKS, HE IS A 35-MAN DEPARTMENT AND THEY PLANTED OVER 300 TREES LAST YEAR AND THEY HANDLE LITTER FOR THE PARISH.
SO HE IS AMAZING WHAT HE'S ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
YOU GET ME ALL THROWN OFF NOW.
SO ANYWAY, I'M BRIAN PARKS, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKWAYS, AND I GUESS, TOO, I WANT TO THANK FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON THE BEAUTIFUL, BUT ALSO JEFFERSON BEAUTIFICATION, INC., AND EVEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY GARDENERS, CIVIC GROUPS, EVERYBODY THAT PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS.
WE SEEM TO WORK WELL WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
EVERYBODY HELPS US OUT, AND WE REALLY COULDN'T DO A LOT OF WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM.
OKAY, SO I'LL RUN THROUGH A FEW STATS THAT WERE SHOWN IN THE VIDEO.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW MOST OF THESE, BUT WE KNOW THAT TREES AND GREEN SPACE DO HELP WITH FLOODING.
IT HELPS PREVENT EXCESS FLOODING, HELPS WITH THE DRAINAGE.
TREES INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES.
THE NEXT ONE, THE LOWER TEMPERATURES AND ENERGY BILLS, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
WE'VE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE HAD TO CUT DOWN A LARGE TREE.
COMPLAIN NOT THAT THE BEAUTIFUL TREE IS GONE BUT NOW THE SUN IS SHINING ON MY ROOF AND I KNOW MY ENERGY BILL IS GOING TO GO UP SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP SO WE KNOW THAT ONE IS FOR SURE TRUE TREES ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE THEY PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE AND THEY THEY BEAUTIFY THE URBAN
[00:45:01]
ENVIRONMENT PROMOTE STRONGER COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS EVERYBODY KNOWS TREE-LINED STREETS YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN KIDS PLAYING IT HELPS BRING THE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER SO THE STUDY THAT DANA BROWN ASSOCIATES DID FOR FRIENDS GAVE US SOME STATS THAT ARE COMING UP HERE.AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME SIMILAR SIZED CITIES TO OUR PARISH IN THEIR PERCENTAGE OF CANOPY.
AND THEN WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM AT 17.
SO IT'S NOT A GREAT START, BUT IT IS A START.
AND RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE SOLUTION.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS ONE, THIS KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN FURTHER BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, EAST AND WEST BANK.
AND THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT HERE IS DISTRICT 5, RIGHT, 14%.
SO THAT JUST SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TREE PROTECTION DISTRICT AND THE ORDINANCES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN WHAT'S THERE.
AND SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO WORK ON IMPROVING WHERE WE'RE AT THERE.
AND THEN WE MENTIONED ORLEANS PARISH, RIGHT? SO IN 2022, THEY DID THEIR VERSION OF A STUDY.
AND THEY KIND OF DID A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, SO THEY BROKE IT DOWN INTO THEIR DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE A LOT OF THEM WERE WELL UNDER 10%, SO THEY'RE HAVING A GOAL OF GETTING EACH NEIGHBORHOOD UP TO 10%, WHICH WOULD GET THEM CLOSER TO THAT 40% NATIONAL AVERAGE.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO PLANT 7,000 TREES A YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF 100,000, WHICH IS A PRETTY ADMIRABLE GOAL.
AND THEN $8 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING, WHICH IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT THIS PLAN WILL HELP US DO, IS TO LOOK AT GETTING...
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO HELP OUT.
SO WHAT, LIKE NORA MENTIONED, FRIENDS HIRED DANA BROWN AND ASSOCIATES TO PUT TOGETHER THIS STUDY.
IT'S PROBABLY A HUNDRED AND SOME ODD PAGES LONG, A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THERE, BUT THE MAIN GOAL WAS THAT IT IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AND STARTED COMING UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS.
SO HERE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO, PRESERVATION, EDUCATION, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY PLANTING MORE TREES.
AND THEN HERE, SO FAR THIS YEAR, WITH THE HELP OF FRIENDS, A FEW DIFFERENT PROJECTS GET STARTED.
THIS IS THE ONE NORA MENTIONED ON VETERANS.
WE JUST PLANTED 38 TREES THE OTHER WEEK.
THIS ONE IS SORT OF AN ADVERTISEMENT AS WELL.
SATURDAY, WE'RE HAVING A VOLUNTEER EVENT.
WE'RE GOING TO PLANT 45 TREES AT THE AVONDALE WALKING TRACK.
SO THIS WILL KIND OF BE THE FIRST STEP IN THAT PHASE OF GETTING SOME SHADE AROUND THE WALKING TRACK.
FRIENDS HAS MEMORIAL TREE GROVES.
THEY'VE HAD ONE IN LAFRENIERE FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY'VE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE POND AT PLAYGROUND AS WELL AS PARK DAY AT THE MEAL AND BARD PLAYGROUND AND FRIENDS DONATED THE FIRST GROUP OF TREES.
MY GUYS WENT OUT THERE AND PLANTED AND SO WE'RE OFF TO A START THERE.
BRIAN, WHAT IS THE MEMORIAL TREE GROVE? IT IS WHERE ANY CITIZEN CAN PLEDGE TO HAVE A TREE DONATED IN HONOR OF ANYONE FOR ANY REASON.
IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN LAFRENIERE PARK.
SO WHEN YOU DO IT, THOUGH, THEY DO HAVE A METAL TREE ON THE WALL, AND YOU GET A LEAF SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU'VE DONATED AND WHO THE TREE IS FOR.
YOU DON'T SPECIFICALLY KNOW WHERE YOUR TREE IS.
YOU JUST KNOW THAT IT'S PART OF THE PARK.
AND SO WE DID PLANT TREES ON THE WEST BANK AS WELL.
WE DID 40 TREES AT PARK TO FAMIL PARK, 10 TREES AT PARK PLAYGROUND, AND THEN THE 11 TREES AT PONIFF AS WELL.
HANS, I SAW YOUR FACE WHEN YOU SAW DISTRICT 5.
I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, WE KEEP SEEING PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE TO THE NORTH SHORE, AND WE KNOW WHY THEY WANT TO MOVE TO THE NORTH SHORE.
WE WANT TO SEE THAT MIGRATION BACK AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS HERE, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE WAS 20 YEARS AGO, BUT IT'S ALSO TODAY.
SO WE WILL BE MEETING WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO TALK ABOUT THE PLAN AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET BUSY PLANTING.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
NORA, NORA, IF I COULD REAL QUICKLY.
I NOTICED YOU DIDN'T HAVE DISTRICT 2 IN THERE.
FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON A PLAN FOR DISTRICT 2.
PLEASE KNOW WE'VE HAD A BIG PUSH TO PLANT TREES.
EARHART IS NEW TO TREES FROM DICKERY ALL THE WAY TO NEW ORLEANS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SENATOR TALBOT.
HE'S GOING TO ACTUALLY GIVE US A GRANT TO PLANT TREES THERE, AS WELL AS WE'VE GOT NUMEROUS GRANTS TO PLANT TREES AT HOPE HAVEN,
[00:50:02]
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON A PLAN FOR DISTRICT 2.I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, AS YOUR FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, WE'RE SMART ABOUT WHERE WE PLANT THE TREES AND WHAT TYPE OF TREES WE PLANTED.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT PINE TREES, WATER OAKS, AND PECANS DO NOT FARE WELL IN HURRICANES.
I KNOW BECAUSE I HAD A BEAUTIFUL WATER OAK IN MY FRONT YARD, AND THAT DIED, IT AIN'T THERE NO MORE.
SO WE JUST NEED TO BE SMART AND NOT PLANT THEM OVER OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TOO.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE PLAN IS TO EDUCATE.
ON WHAT TYPE OF TREES DO WELL AND HOW TO PLANT THOSE TREES AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR TREE GIVEAWAY IN OCTOBER AND WE GIVE AWAY 500 TREES WE HAVE ARBORISTS AND PEOPLE THERE TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO PLANT THOSE TREES.
SO WE'RE THAT'S FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY SO WE'RE TRYING TO PLANT ON PUBLIC RIGHT NOW BUT I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN BEAUTIFICATION SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT.
NORA I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING UP THIS CAUSE AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING.
I KNOW IT'S NOT, IT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS SAY WE WANT TO DO, BUT NOT MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS UP AND PLANTING ALL THESE TREES ACROSS THE PARISH.
IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EFFORT.
AND SHELLY FARROW, WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE THIS MORNING, IS ACTUALLY SUCH A KNOWLEDGEABLE RESOURCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS, TO COUNCILMAN BONANNO'S POINT, THAT I LEARNED IN LISTENING TO HER THE OTHER DAY IS SHE PRESENTED IT A LIST OF SMALL TREES THAT CAN BE PLANTED.
SO WHEN WE SAW THOSE HORRIFIC TREE TRIMMINGS ALONG THE POWER LINES, AND JIMMY AKIN FROM ENTERGY WAS AT THE MEETING SEEING THOSE LAST WEEK, IF WE PLANT SMALL TREES THAT REALLY DON'T GROW UP INTO THE POWER LINE, ENTERGY'S BETTER OFF, WE'RE BETTER OFF, AND THEN WE DON'T GET THOSE RESULTS.
SO YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS FOR US ALL, AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO GREEN OUR PARISH AND TO PLANT THE APPROPRIATE TREES.
AND JENNIFER, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING SHELLY BECAUSE SHE PUT THAT VIDEO TOGETHER AND SHE'S A COMMUNITY PARTNER OF FRIENDS OF JEFFERSON AND DOES A GREAT JOB.
WE ARE AT THE PORTION OF OUR AGENDA THIS MORNING WHERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
...TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK ON A RESOLUTION ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
SO NOT THE ORDINANCES, THOSE WILL HAVE THEIR OWN HEARING, BUT ANY RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING, YOU CAN PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
SO, MADAM CLARK, I SHALL NOTE THAT NO ONE...
CAME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM ON THE RESOLUTIONS
[ORDINANCES TO BE DEFERRED]
ON THE AGENDA.MADAM CLERK, I HAVE A NOTATION THAT ITEM 1 IS TO BE DEFERRED TO MAY THE 6TH.
COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOTION? COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, THAT ITEM IS DEFERRED TO MAY THE 6TH.
WE HAVE TO START THE VOTE ON IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO VOTING ON DEFERRING THIS TO MAY THE 6TH.
THE ITEM PASSES AND IS DEFERRED TO MAY THE 6TH. ONCE I KNOW IN THE MONTH THAT I WAS GONE, MY FINGERS JUST NAIL HEALING FROM PUTTING THIS BUTTON SO MANY TIMES.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, NUMBER TWO IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE WILL COME BACK TO THAT.
[SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES (Part 1 of 2)]
GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION APPROXIMATELY NOON.SUMMARY NUMBER 26689, RESUB OF LOTS E AND F, SQUARE 1, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, LOTS G AND H, SQUARE 2, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, AND A PORTION OF ARPAN, LOT 2, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, INTO LOTS 1 THROUGH 32, SQUARE 01, AND LOTS 1 THROUGH 32, SQUARE 2, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION.
SUBDIVISION APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE FINAL PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION IN DEDICATING JUSTICE COURT IN FAVOR OF JEFFERSON PARISH WS-110-25, COUNCIL DISTRICTS 2 AND 3.
I UNDERSTAND WE CAN WAIVE THE READING ON THIS ITEM.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26689.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD, AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M MS. JUSTICE CHRISTINE FROM 414 AVENUE EL MARRERO, LOUISIANA.
I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE FIVE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY.
[00:55:02]
WE WANT TO BASICALLY, I'M SURE YOU AT SOME POINT CAN SEE THE MAP, WE ARE WANTING TO CONTINUE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE FAMILY.
THE PORTIONS THAT ARE THE DARKER ON THE LEFT SIDE, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE EXPRESSWAY, THOSE ARE ONES THAT ALREADY HAVE MOBILE HOMES ON SITE.
WE'RE JUST HOPING TO CONTINUE THAT.
OUR GOAL AND CLERK OF COURT WILLIAM JUSTICE FOR MANY MANY YEARS HE WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER STILL ALL FAMILY-OWNED.
WE JUST WANT TO ALLOW POSSIBILITY FOR LOWER INCOME HOMEOWNERSHIP.
WE DO NOT OWN THE TRAILER THE MOBILE HOMES WE OWN THE PROPERTY AND PROVIDE THE UTILITY AVAILABILITY.
FOR ANYONE THAT GOES THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH US AND THEY ARE VETTED BY ONE OF MY SONS WHICH IS A PROSPECTIVE OWNER.
ANY QUESTIONS? YOU'RE ALSO SUMMARY NUMBER NINE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SEEING NONE APPEAR, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE ONE AS SPEAKING IN SUPPORT, NO ONE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION.
LET ME TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE, I'M SORRY.
OKAY, MOTION TO DENY BY COUNCILMAN LEE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN BONANNO.
MY REASONING IS SUCH THAT THE EXISTING TRAILER PARK HAS BEEN A THORN IN THE SIDE OF THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
ON FEBRUARY 19TH OF 2026, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT INSPECTED IT.
IN ONE DAY, 24 VIOLATIONS WERE ISSUED FROM EVERYTHING FROM JUNK AND DEBRIS, HIGH GRASS.
THEY TAGGED EIGHT INOPERABLE VEHICLES THAT DAY.
AND JPSO ACTUALLY UNCOVERED A VEHICLE WITH COUNTERFEIT PLATES ON IT.
TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS TRAILER PARK WOULD REDUCE THE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM COMING INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NEW BUSINESSES OR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND WANTING TO LIVE THERE.
SO I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN LEE, TO MOVE TO DENY.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S A MOVE FOR DENIAL.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM TO MOVE TO DENIAL, TO DENY RATHER.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM NINE BECAUSE NINE IS A COMPANION TO THIS SAME ITEM.
WE DO NEED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER.
OKAY, SO IF YOU'LL MOVE TO TAKE THIS ITEM OUT OF ORDER, TAKING NUMBER NINE.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEE.
WE'RE TAKING ITEM 9, A VOTE ON TAKING ITEM 9 OUT OF ORDER.
EVERYONE VOTES 7 YAYS, 0 NAYS.
[RECLASSIFICATION OF ZONING - AND LAND USE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ORDINANCES]
OF ORDER.AND OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, ITEM 9, SUMMARY NUMBER 26692.
IF YOU'LL READ IT, MADAM CLERK.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26692, AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP AND THE OFFICIAL FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOTS E AND F, SQUARE 1, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, LOTS G AND H, SQUARE 2, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, AND A PORTION OF ARPIN LOT 2, JUSTICE TRACT SUBDIVISION, LOCATED FROM 419 JUSTICE COURT TO 770 JUSTICE COURT.
MORE PARTICULARLY AMENDING THE ZONING FROM C1, C2, R1A TO R1MH WZ-18-25, COUNCIL DISTRICTS 2 AND 3.
AGAIN, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
CHRISTINE JUSTICE, 414 AVENUE L.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP ALREADY.
IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 4TH STREET AND THAT IS IN PROCESS OF BEING NO LONGER AS IS PER
[01:00:02]
LOTS OF ORDINANCES AND CODES.AND THIS IS SOUTH OF 4TH STREET BETWEEN THE 4TH STREET AND THE EXPRESSWAY.
AND THIS IS NOT THE SAME TYPE.
BUT NORTH OF 4TH STREET WILL NOT CONTINUE AS IS.
WE DO NOT HAVE A DEFINITE TIMELINE ON THAT YET.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN ONE FROM THE PARISH, AND HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN WAYS POSSIBLE.
SO THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR 4TH STREET TO THE EXPRESSWAY, NOT NORTH OF 4TH STREET, WHICH IS...
WHOLE NOTHER ENTITY IT'S ANOTHER BUSINESS AS WELL AS JUST A DIFFERENT TYPE OF THING EVEN THOUGH WE'RE USING MOBILE HOMES WHEREAS WHAT'S MOSTLY ON THE TRAILER COURT SIDE NORTH OF 4TH STREET ARE A LOT OF RVS WITH A FEW MOBILE HOMES AND THOSE ARE NOT PERMITTED USES THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE HAS SPOKEN IN SUPPORT, NONE IN OPPOSITION.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO DENY.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO DENY, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEE.
[SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES (Part 2 of 2)]
MADAM CLERK, ITEM 4.RESUB AND APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT OF SUBDIVISION OF LOT K4D, WESSON OIL AND SNOWDRIFT COMPANY TRACT INTO LOTS K4D1 AND K4D2 AND APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE FINAL PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION, WS-131-25, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
I UNDERSTAND WE CAN WAIVE THE READING, SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26691.
ANYONE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SEEING NONE, ANYONE IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26691.
COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOVE? I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES FOR APPROVAL, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN BONANNO.
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN VOTING ON THIS ITEM.
CLOSING VOTE, SEVEN YEAS, ZERO NAYS, THE ITEM PASSES.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26699, RESUB OF LOT 1A, TRAT B, COLONIAL FARM SUBDIVISION, AND LOTS 3A2 AND 3A3, SQUARE 3, CHEROKEE COURT SUBDIVISION, INTO LOT 1A1, TRAT B, COLONIAL FARM SUBDIVISION, AND APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE FINAL PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION, ES-146.
SO WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26699.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
EVERYONE CAN VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTING.
COUNCILMAN, OH, HE HIT IT, SO WE'RE GOING TO NOTE VERBALLY YOUR VOTE IN SUPPORT.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26700, RESUB OF LOT 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, SQUARE 04, ELMWOOD BUSINESS PARK SUBDIVISION, AND PARCEL 2NB1, ELMWOOD INDUSTRIAL PARK SUBDIVISION, INTO LOTS BM1 AND BM2, SQUARE ELMWOOD BUSINESS PARK SUBDIVISION IN APPROVING AND
[01:05:02]
ACCEPTING THE FINAL PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION, ES-12-26, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2.NOW WE'RE HAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26700.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MADAM CLERK? PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26710, RESUB OF LOT H321-H2E, AMES FARM SUBDIVISION, AND TO LOT 1-47, MARY ANN ESTATES SUBDIVISION, WITH A WAIVER TO THE GENERAL DESIGN STANDARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 33-2.35 SUBDIVISION, WAIVERS OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND THE DEDICATION OF MARY ANN DRIVE, RAYMOND MATTHEW COURT, CHEVY COURT, MELINA...
COURT IN THE EXTENSION OF LAMONT'S DRIVE AND MARIE STREET IN FIVE-FOOT UTILITY AND DRAINAGE SERVITUDES.
WS-125-25, COUNCIL DISTRICT WE CAN WAIVE THE READING ON THIS ITEM.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26710, PLEASE COME FORWARD, AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
FOR Y'ALL IF SOMEONE CAN PASS THEM OUT TO YOU.
THE CLERK WILL HAND THEM TO YOU.
SO THE PROPERTY BEFORE YOU TODAY IS MARIANA STATES IN THE ESTELLE PROPERTY, ESTELLE AREA OF MARRERO.
THE PROPERTY HAS THREE 50-FOOT PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS THAT TIE INTO THE PARTICULAR SITE.
TWO OF THEM ARE DEDICATED IN THE 57 AND 61S IN THE ESTELLE HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION.
LAMONT'S DRIVE WAS DEDICATED IN 2001 WITH CONNER COURT SUBDIVISION.
THEY ALL DEAD END ON THE PROPERTY AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THIS 12-ACRE SITE.
WHEN THIS CAME BEFORE YOU LAST JUNE, THERE WAS SOME PUBLIC OPINION THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO SEE LEMANS DRIVE EXTENDED THROUGH THE PROPERTY AND TIED INTO EITHER DOLORES, YVONNE, MARIE OR AMES.
SO WE PLANNED BEFORE YOU AS A CUL-DE-SAC AT THE END OF LEMANS TO CAP OFF THAT SO WE DO NOT HAVE THAT EXTENSION.
WE HAVE A CUL-DE-SAC ON MARY ANN DRIVE.
SO THIS ARRANGEMENT CREATES TWO LOTS, 44 AND 45, THAT BACK UP TO THE SIDE OF 28 AND THAT IS THE ONLY VARIANCE.
THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND AS CAUSED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT EXTENDING THE ROAD AND MAKING THAT CONNECTION AS REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC PLANNING DEPARTMENT MAIN REASON FOR RECOMMENDED DENIAL IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE A CONNECTION TO AMES BOULEVARD ON EXHIBIT TWO AND THREE SHOWS HOW THAT CONNECTION MIGHT LAY OUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT CONNECTION IS IT CREATES A NEED FOR MANY VARIANCES THE MOST BIGGEST OF WHICH IS THE ROAD WOULD TIE IN ON AMES BOULEVARD AND NOT LINE UP WITH EXISTING STREETS THAT SEMILINE OFFSET WOULD BE 85 FEET.
PARISH CODE REQUIRES NO STREET BE ALLOWED THAT HAS A CENTERLINE OFFSET OF LESS THAN 125 FEET.
THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE CARS TURNING DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO MAKE THAT WHEN THEY'RE TOO CLOSE TO MAKE THE TURN AND TEND TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT.
THERE'S ALSO VARIANCES NEEDED FOR THE REMNANT LOT THAT WOULD BE CREATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR ARRANGEMENT.
IT WOULD HAVE A 47 FOOT FRONTAGE ON AMES BOULEVARD.
WE WOULD NEED A VARIANCE BECAUSE IT'S LESS THAN 50 FEET.
BACKYARD ABUTTING THE SIDE YARD OF LOT 4, SO WE NEED A VARIANCE FOR THAT ARRANGEMENT.
IT MIGHT HAVE SOME OF ITS SIDE YARD ABUTTING THE REAR OF THE EXISTING LOTS OF DELAWRENCE, WE WOULD NEED A VARIANCE FOR THAT.
THE LOTS 4 AND 4B BECAUSE OF THE TURN OF THE ROAD WOULD BE LESS THAN 100 FEET DEEP, WE WOULD NEED A VARIANCE FOR THAT REQUIREMENT.
AND LOT 6 WOULD HAVE PLENTY FRONTAGE ON THE STREET BUT IT WOULD HAVE A DEPTH OF LESS THAN 100 FEET SO WE NEED A VARIANCE FOR THAT PARTICULAR REQUIREMENT.
THESE ARE ALL VARIANCES THAT WE SEE IS CREATED BY THIS ARRANGEMENT, WHICH IS COSTLY, IT TAKES UP THREE LOTS THAT WE MIGHT LOSE IN THE DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S EXPENSIVE TO PUT IN AN EXTRA 450 FEET OF STREET, SO WE'RE NOT PROPOSING THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE LEFT IT OUT OF THE PLAN.
THE AREA IN ESTELLE ON PAGE FOUR SHOWS YOU THE OVERVIEW OF THE ROAD CONNECTIONS.
THERE'S MANY WAYS IN AND OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BARRIER TERRIER AND DOLORES IS ONE.
AMES BOULEVARD ALL THE WAY OUT TO BARRIER TERRIER.
THERE'S A FEW ROADS THAT CONNECT FROM LEO KERNER PARKWAY.
INTO AMES OR EAST AMES AND THEN THERE'S A ROUTE THAT MAY GO SOUTH AND CONNECT TO DESTRIAN AVENUE.
THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WE HAD SHOWS THAT THE CARS
[01:10:02]
GO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS CURRENTLY AND THEY WILL CONTINUE GOING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS EVEN AFTER WE PROPOSE THIS PARTICULAR THING.THE BIGGEST THING WITH THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS IS ALL THE ROADS ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT A SERVICE LEVEL AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT A SERVICE LEVEL A.
AND THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS CONCLUDED THAT OVERALL THE PROJECTED CONDITIONS ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE ADDITION OF THE PROJECT TRIPS IS NEGLIGIBLE AND WILL NOT SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT TRAFFIC WITHIN THE STUDY AREA.
I THINK WITH THE TRAFFIC, PEOPLE WILL TAKE THEIR PARTICULAR ROUTES WHATEVER WAY THEY LIKE, GOING IN AND OUT, AND IT MAY BE DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE WHETHER IT'S TIED DIRECTLY TO AMES OR IF IT GOES THROUGH DOLORES TO TIE TO AMES.
THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER, SO IT WILL WORK EITHER WAY.
I THINK I'VE HEARD SOME CONCERNS THAT WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO FIT TOO MANY LOTS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
THIS IS 12.1 ACRES WHERE WE'RE GETTING 47 LOTS.
BY COMPARISON, CONNER COURT, THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, HAS 12.4 ACRES, SO ABOUT THE SAME TIES.
SO WE HAVE A LOT LESS LOTS THAN THERE WAS IN OUR NEIGHBOR'S DEVELOPMENT.
THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION BEFORE YOU HAS ALL THE LOTS.
THEY HAVE ALL THE REQUIRED FRONTAGE.
THEY'RE ABOVE THE MINIMUM DEPTH.
THEY'RE ABOVE THE MINIMUM AREA.
SO THEY ALL FIT WITHIN THE R1A ZONING.
WE HAVE NOT PROVIDING THE ROAD CLAIMS TO BOULEVARD.
WE'RE LIMITING THE VARIANCES TO TWO INSTEAD OF THE OTHER SEVEN THAT THAT PARTICULAR ROAD WOULD REQUIRE.
AND I DON'T THINK WITH ANY PARTICULAR BENEFITS IN TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
THE TWO VARIANCES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AS A RESULT, WE'RE NOT.
WANTING TO MAKE LEMOND'S DRIVE A THROUGH STREET, WHICH IS WHAT THE PUBLIC HAD EXPRESSED TO US IN THAT MEETING THAT CAME UP IN JUNE.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT PROVIDING A PLAN WITH A MINIMIZED VARIANCES IS GOOD PLANNING, AND WE BELIEVE IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY ADVERSE ON THE EFFECTS OF THE TRAFFIC.
AND AS NOTED IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S OWN REPORT, THE PROPOSED CONFIGURATION WITH THE LOTS BEING ACCESSED THROUGH MARIE AND DOLORES IS NOT PROHIBITED.
IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
RAMON RAMOS, 3435 BARRY TERRY BOULEVARD.
I'M WITH HCLD. I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M HERE JUST TO STATE MY THOUGHTS OF BEING IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT AS IT IS LAID OUT.
I OWN THE PROPERTY DOWN THE SIDE OF THE LODGE FACING AMES.
I AM OPPOSED TO COMING TO AMES.
I AM NOT OPPOSED TO GOING TO MARIE STREET IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT CORRECT YES OKAY SUPPORT ANY CONFUSION THANK YOU ALL RIGHT ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT PLEASE COME FORWARD ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26710 AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD GOOD MORNING I'M JENNIFER BRUCCI 4312 OF LAMONT'S DRIVE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT Y'ALL WERE JUST HANDED THAT US, THE PUBLIC, HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS IN THE STAFF REPORTS.
IS THAT THE REQUESTED CONSTRUCTION PLANS? BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE STAFF REPORT, THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD REQUESTED THAT THE DEVELOPERS PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION PLANS, AND AS OF TODAY, IT SAYS IT HASN'T BEEN RECEIVED.
I ALSO HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S JUST INFORMATION, IN FACT, TO SUPPORT MR. DUFRESNE'S SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT AND WHAT HE WAS SPEAKING TO EARLIER.
OKAY, SO ANY FORMAL SUBMISSION OF PLANS HAS NOT OCCURRED? CORRECT.
I JUST WAS PROVIDED WHAT YOU WERE PROVIDED, BUT OF COURSE I CAN'T REVIEW THIS AND SPEAK AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DEFER OR DENY IF YOU'VE REQUESTED CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM.
[01:15:02]
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR? I ALSO ASK THAT YOU DO NOT ALLOW THE REMOVAL FROM AMES.I UNDERSTAND IT WILL CREATE A FEW EXTRA WAIVERS, BUT WE ARE IMPACTING HUNDREDS OF NEIGHBORS FOR THE BENEFITS OF ONE FAMILY WHO DOES NOT WANT THE TRAFFIC COMING THROUGH THEIR AREA.
SO TO BENEFIT ONE FAMILY, IF YOU WOULD APPROVE IT RATHER THAN THINKING OF ALL THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS.
ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD, THIS WAIVER DOES NOT COMPLY WITH SUBDIVISION WAIVER REQUIREMENTS, NOR IS IT ALIGNED WITH ENVISION JEFFERSON 2040.
I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT ALLOW VARIANCES TO OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE IN THIS CASE.
AND FINALLY, THIS WAIVER IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COLLECTIVE.
ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26710? IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I LIVE AT 4305 LAMONGE DRIVE AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO OPPOSE FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT JEN JUST SPECIFIED AND ALL OF THE REASONS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD HAS SPECIFIED.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO COME HERE AND THIS MAN HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE ASKED.
FROM THE PLANNING BOARD OR THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, HE'S ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO BLINDLY APPROVE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 23 YEARS.
AND THESE THINGS THAT HE'S SUGGESTING NOW, HE CAME IN A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO AND SAID, THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF OUR PLANS.
SO HE COULD HAVE 10 PLANS SITTING AT HOME, AND WHEN YOU AGREE TO THESE WAIVERS, THEN HE CAN CHANGE HIS PLANS.
AND I JUST, I THINK IT'S IRONIC THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY SPEAKING OF THIS, AND IT'S EARTH DAY, AND THE LADY CAME IN AND SAID, LET'S PLANT ALL THESE TREES.
WHEN ALL THE BARATARIUS TREES HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, NOW THEY'RE KNOCKING DOWN ALL THE 12 POINT WHATEVER ACRES OF TREES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MR. DUFRESNE SAID A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO THAT...
IF WE DON'T BUILD ON IT, IT'S JUST LAND THAT'S GOING TO SIT THERE DOING NOTHING.
WELL, TODAY THE LADY TOLD YOU WHAT THE LAND DOES.
SO I JUST REQUEST FOR AN OPPOSITION FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS.
ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26710? ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A PRELIMINARY FLAT APPROVAL.
PER THE PARISH CODE, PRELIMINARY FLAT APPROVAL DOES NOT REQUIRE CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
THIS IS SO THAT YOU CAN APPROVE THE SITE, SO THEN THE OWNER CAN HIRE THE ENGINEER AND SPEND MONEY ON PLANS THAT HE KNOWS IS ALREADY APPROVED.
THOSE CONSTRUCTION PLANS COME AFTER PRELIMINARY APPROVAL, SO NOT AT A PARTICULAR TIME.
PLANNING HAD ASKED FOR THEM BEFORE.
THEY SAID BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE WHAT THE ROADS AND I SAYS WELL WHY AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT COMES LATER AND WE NEVER DID GET A RESPOND BEYOND THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES LATER.
IT'S ALWAYS HAPPENED IN EVERY SUBDIVISION I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING WITH SINCE THE NEW CODE WAS IN AROUND 2000.
THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, I WANT TO REMIND YOU SHE TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT'S NOT AFFECTING THE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA SO IT'S NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE TRAFFIC IMPACT.
THE PLANS ASSUMING YOU GIVE PRELIMINARY APPROVAL THE PLANS CAN'T BE CHANGED SO WE HAD A LOT OF CONCEPTIONS WE LOOKED AT TRYING TO FIGURE WHICH WAY TO GO BUT ONCE YOU APPROVE SOMETHING THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE BUILT THERE MIGHT BE SOME MINOR TWEAKS THAT MIGHT COME ABOUT ONCE WE GET THE ENGINEERING BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE ARRANGEMENTS OF THE LOTS IT'S NOT GOING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LOTS IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE LOCATIONS OF THE ROADS THAT WOULD BE MIGHT BE FIXED IN THIS CASE THE TWO VARIANCES WE ASKED FOR TO REMIND YOU AGAIN WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR IF WE PUT LE MANS AS A THROUGH STREET AND TIED IT INTO MARY ANN, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT ARRANGEMENT.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'RE ASKING FOR THOSE VARIANCES.
MADAM CLERK, AGAIN, FOUR IN FAVOR, TWO IN SUPPORT, ONE GENTLEMAN TWICE.
SO WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS AN ITEM, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 ITEM, SO COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION.
YEAH, JUST WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS...
I THINK YOU GENTLEMEN PUT TOGETHER INTENTIONAL PLANS, TRY TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES.
I MET WITH YOU GUYS A FEW TIMES.
I KNOW Y'ALL TRULY CARE ABOUT ESTELLE AND THE PEOPLE IN IT.
I WANT THE PEOPLE OF ESTELLE TO KNOW THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.
NOW, WHEN I LOOK AT VARIANCES AND WHETHER WE'LL GIVE THEM OUT, I LOOK TO SEE, DOES IT
[01:20:02]
BENEFIT, HOW DOES IT BENEFIT THE NEIGHBORS? IS IT BENEFICIAL? WILL IT NOT AFFECT THEM WHATSOEVER? OR WILL IT HURT HIM? AND I'VE HEARD ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FROM ALL THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE CONCERNED FOR THE REASON WHY THE GENTLEMAN THAT LIVES ON AMES IS OPPOSED TO IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING NEXT TO HIM.IT'S GOING NEXT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT MY FEAR IS, TO THE RESIDENTS OF ESTELLA, IS THAT IF THEY DO END UP GOING TO AMES, AND LIKE YOU SAID, LET'S SAY WE DON'T WANT...
WON'T GIVE HIM THE VARIANCES TO MAXIMIZE HIS LAND BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY INVEST IN THIS LAND.
IT IS THEIR LAND AND WE DO LIVE IN AMERICA.
I'M CONCERNED THAT HE'S JUST GOING TO DO SMALLER, SMALLER LOTS, WHICH I LIKE BIGGER SIZE LOTS, ESPECIALLY IN ESTELLA.
SO TODAY I'M GOING TO MOTION TO DEFER AND I'M HOPING THAT ALL THE PARTIES TODAY CAN GET TOGETHER.
AND MAYBE WE COULD PUT PEOPLE AT EASE, MAKE ANY FINAL CHANGES, AND SEE IF WE COULD FIND SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS AND LOOK AT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ESTELLE, FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO DEFER UNTIL THE NEXT WEST BANK MEETING.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO DEFER TO THE NEXT WEST BANK COUNCIL MEETING.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THE MOVE TO DEFER TO THE NEXT WEST BANK MEETING.
IT'S MOVED TO DEFER TO THE NEXT WEST BANK MEETING.
WHAT'S THE DATE OF THAT MEETING? MAY 20TH.
I HAVE A NOTATION THAT ITEM 8 IS GOING TO BE DEFERRED ALSO TO THAT SAME MAY 20TH MEETING.
COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION? MOVED TO DEFER.
MOVE TO DEFER FROM COUNCILMAN KERNER, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, OPENING THE VOTE ON DEFERRAL OF THIS ITEM TO MAY 20TH.
THE ITEM IS DEFERRED TO MAY THE
[RECLASSIFICATION OF ZONING ORDINANCES - VARIANCES]
20TH.WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN NUMBER NINE, SO THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER TEN.
MADAM CLERK? SUMMARY NUMBER 26682, APPROVING SP-28-25, VARIANCES FOR SIGNS, PARKING, BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS, AND LANDSCAPE REGULATIONS IN THE IMU FOR TOWN PLACE SUITES BY MARRIOTT LOCATED AT 812 ELMWOOD PARK BOULEVARD ON LOT 13A, SQUARE NUMBER 3, MOUNDS DIVISION, ELMWOOD INDUSTRIAL PARK.
COUNCIL DISTRICT 2. WE CAN WAIVE THE READING.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26682.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26682, COME FORWARD.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COUNCILMAN BONATO, YOUR MOTION.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
OPENING THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM.
SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ONE ABSENT.
P-81-25, VARIANCES TO THE SIGN AND LANDSCAPE REGULATIONS OF THE MU-CD FOR SEVEN BREW COFFEE LOCATED AT 1151 MANHATTAN BOULEVARD ON PROPOSED LOT K-4D2 WESSON OIL AND SNOWDRIFT COMPANY TRACK.
WE CAN WAIVE THE READING IF WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26694.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOTION? MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES FOR APPROVAL, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING.
ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTING.
SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ONE ABSENT.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26702, APPROVING
[01:25:01]
SP-86-25, VARIANCES TO THE SIGNED REGULATIONS OF THE IMU FOR SMALL SLIDERS LOCATED AT 845 SOUTH CLEARVIEW PARKWAY ON LOT 3F2A, CLEARVIEW COMMERCIAL PARK EXTENSION SUBDIVISION, COUNCIL DISTRICT WE CAN WAIVE THE READING AND OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26702.702 IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION PLEASE COME FORWARD MADAM CLERK PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED IN FAVOR OR AGAINST UM LET'S SEE COUNCILMAN BANANA YOUR MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE COUNCILMAN BANANA MOVES TO APPROVE SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM CLOSING THE VOTE.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26713, APPROVING SP-7-26 FOR VARIANCES TO THE SIGNED REGULATIONS OF THE MUCD FOR WALMART LOCATED AT 1501 MANHATTAN BOULEVARD ON LOT K5C1, WESSON SNOWDRIFT TRACT SUBDIVISION, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
IF WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, SUMMARY NUMBER 26713, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
STACY LANDRY, 3449 MEADOW RIDGE DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF...
GETTING THE VARIANTS APPROVED FOR WALMART.
WE'RE ASKING FOR 10 SIGNS THAT WILL BE REPLACING EIGHT.
FIVE OF THE EIGHT WILL BE SMALLER IN THE OVERALL SIGNAGE AREA.
WE'RE ASKING FOR IS 537 AND CURRENTLY IS 546.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26713? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26713? I'M ON THE BOULEVARD, TRYING TO SPARK A LITTLE CURIOSITY.
I'D HAVE GOTTEN UP FOR THE LAST ITEM, BUT IT'S THE SAME ISSUE.
SO THIS PASSES THROUGH A PLANNING BOARD APPOINTED BY AN ARBITRARILY EMPOWERED BODY, AND THEY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN WE GET TWO VARIANCES.
AND FROM ONE MEETING TO THE NEXT, NEXT, VARIANCE AND VARIANCE AND VARIANCE AND ITS ACCUMULATION OF STATUTES.
THE BOOK, THE PARISH PRESIDENT SPOKE TO IT.
EVERY ONE OF THESE VARIANCES DIMINISHES THE VALUE AND THE QUALITY OF THE BOOK THAT GOVERNS THE WHOLE THING.
OF COURSE, IF EVERYTHING IS JUST ANOTHER CROTCHET WHICH INGENUITY INVENTS, COMBINATIONS OF DAY GIVE STRENGTH TO CARRY THEM, WHAT AM I DOING HERE? WASTING MY TIME.
Y'ALL BETTER GET CURIOUS ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO LEGITIMACY TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH YOU ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS.
IT'S NOT DONE BY ANY PRESCRIBED MEASURE, SO NO MATTER HOW JUST, NO MATTER HOW TOLERABLE IT IS, YOU'RE UNDERMINING THE LEGITIMACY BY DOING EVERY VARIANCE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ALL RIGHT, SEEING NO ONE ELSE.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES FOR APPROVAL.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
[OTHER ORDINANCES]
THE ITEM PASSES.AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF JEFFERSON PARISH BY ADDING SECTION 2-89.
RELATIVE TO THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF CENTRAL GRANTS ADMINISTRATION AND THE APPOINTMENT, QUALIFICATION, DUTIES, AND SALARY OF THE CHIEF GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR.
WE'RE NOW OPENING THE, WE CAN WAVE THE READING, I BELIEVE.
WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26714.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST? I KNOW WHERE I LIVE.
[01:30:01]
THAT'S ALL IT IS.IF I SAY IT THREE TIMES, AM I GETTING KICKED OUT OF THIS BUILDING AGAIN? RIGHT? IT ENDS UP IN HOT BLOOD BETWEEN NEIGHBORS.
THAT'S WHAT IT DOES, BECAUSE YOU'VE TAKEN FROM ME, AND THIS TRANSLATES TO OTHER ISSUES THAT WE FACE ROUTINELY IN THE PUBLIC.
YOU'RE GETTING CALLS ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
SO HERE WE ARE PERPETUATING THE THEFT, APPLAUDING OURSELVES, GRANTING SOMEBODY SOME PAY RAISE, EXECUTIVE PAY PLAN.
IF I'VE GOT TO TRACK DOWN HOW MUCH THIS PERSON'S GETTING PAID, I'M GUARANTEED IT'S SIX FIGURES, RIGHT? I OPPOSE.
ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM? AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS PROPOSING AN OFFICE TO UNIFORMLY MANAGE THE GRANT MONEY OF THE PARISH.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, ONE SPOKE IN OPPOSITION.
COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? I MOVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES FOR APPROVAL, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
ITEM PASSES, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS.
MADAM CLERK, ITEM 15, LOTS OF MATTERS THIS MORNING WITH HEARINGS.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26715, AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 13709, THE EXECUTIVE PAY PLAN TO INCORPORATE A NEW JOB CLASSIFICATION AND ESTABLISH A PAY GRADE FOR THE POSITION OF CHIEF GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR WITHIN THE OFFICE OF CENTRAL GRANTS ADMINISTRATION.
ALL RIGHT, SUMMARY NUMBER 26715.
WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I OPPOSE EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE GRANT THEFT.
THIS IS BASICALLY AUTHORIZING A THEFT.
SO I OPPOSE THIS ON JUST JEFFERSONIAN GROUNDS.
I NEED A FRUGAL AND SIMPLE GOVERNMENT.
THE GRANT MONEY THAT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO PERSONAL DISTRICT DISCRETIONARY FUND ACCOUNTS FROM ONE GRANT TO THE NEXT IS JUST SICKENING.
INCLUDE FEMA GRANTS TO REBUILD AFTER STORMS. OKAY.
UM, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
OPENING THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM.
I HAVE A NOTE THAT ITEMS 16 AND 17 ARE TO BE DEFERRED TO THE MACE.
SIXTH MEETING WHICH IS OUR EAST BANK MEETING COUNCILMAN LEE YOUR MOTION I MOVE COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES TO DEFER UH ITEMS 16 AND 17 SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN BEN FRANKEN WE'RE OPENING THE VOTING ON DEFERRAL CLOSING THE VOTE SEVEN YEAS, ZERO NAYS.
THE ITEM PASSES AND IS DEFERRED TO MAY THE 6TH.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26719, AMENDING THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET.
AND THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE ARE TO ALLOCATE $3,381 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S OFF-TRACK VETTING FUND TO ACCOUNT NUMBER 10010021.
7331 FOR THE OAK FOREST PROPERTY DONATION, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
ALLOCATE $22,735 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 2'S VIDEO POKER FUND FOR A CEA WITH THE 3RD DISTRICT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR REPLACEMENT AND LABOR OF AN ELECTRICAL SWIVEL ON A LADDER TRUCK, L317, COUNCIL DISTRICT 2.
ALLOCATE $2,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S WEST BANK RIVERBOAT GAMING FUND FOR A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE CEA WITH BELLMEAD CIVIC ASSOCIATION, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, FOR THE PAYMENT OF BACK TAXES AND LIENS FILED AGAINST 501 BROOKMEAD DRIVE, GRETNA LOTS 48, 49, 50, AND 51, SQUARE 2A, UNIT A, BELLMEAD SUBDIVISION, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
[01:35:03]
DISTRICT 3'S WEST BANK RIVERBOAT GAMING FUND TO PAY CONVERGENT FOR INSTALLATION OF SECURITY CAMERAS AT THE COVID MEMORIAL PARK IN MARRERO, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.AUTHORIZE A ONE-TIME ALLOCATION OF $673,540 FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER 2213029507346.1 PURSUANT TO THE FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENT DATED MAY 21, 2018 BETWEEN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER 6, OF THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON STATE OF LOUISIANA AND HARVEY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY NO.
2 TO COVER INCREASED INSURANCE AND BENEFIT COSTS.
COUNCIL DISTRICT 2, ALLOCATE $1 MILLION FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NO.
46754003 FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE BALMEAD COMMUNITY PARK LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF LA PAUCA BOULEVARD AND BALMEAD BOULEVARD.
ALLOCATE $275,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT 1 FUND TO PROJECT 45335-001 FOR THE LIFT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING TO HOMEOWNERS IN LAFITTE AND GRAND ISLE WHO NEED RESIDENTIAL LIFT HOMES ELEVATED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEMA GUIDELINES.
COUNCIL DISTRICT 1, REDUCE THE ALLOCATION FROM $100,000 TO $75,000 FROM THE CULTURAL FUND.
FOR A CEA WITH THE TOWN OF GRAND ISLE FOR THE ISLAND STRONG BEACH FESTIVAL, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1, AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.
OKAY, THANKS FOR READING ALL THE AMENDMENTS.
COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS.
CLOSING THE VOTE, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS.
WE'RE NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26719, THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE PARISH.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
WHO OPPOSED THAT GOOD DEED DONE WITH ILL-GOTTEN GAINS? LOTS OF GOOD STUFF.
AND WHAT RESONATES TO ME IS HOW THE MONEY THROUGH DISTRICT 1 IS BEING REFUNDED TO WHERE IT HASN'T BEEN IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
IF EVER, I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT MOST OF THAT MONEY GOING DOWN TOWARDS THOSE OTHER PARTS OF DISTRICT 1 WHO HAVE BEEN VIRTUALLY REPRESENTED HAVE TO BE BASKING AND THRILLED TO SEE IT COMING.
I LOVE THE TOWN OF JOHN LAFITTE.
I'VE WALKED DOWN AND LOWER LAFITTE.
I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THERE.
BUT IF IT HAS TO STEAL THE REPRESENTATIVE POWER FROM GRETNA TO ACHIEVE THESE ENDS, THEN IT BECOMES ARBITRARY AND INADMISSIBLE.
SO I HAVE TO OPPOSE EVERY ONE OF THESE GOOD DEEDS, JUST AS I WOULD GET UP AND OPPOSE ST.
JUDE'S SPENDING OR ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO THAT SOMEHOW SEEM LIKE THEY'RE WORTH DOING BUT ARE ACHIEVED BY MEANS NOT PRESCRIBED CONSTITUTIONALLY.
APPORTIONED REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
AT-LARGE MEMBERSHIPS IN THIS BODY.
YOU COULD RECUSE YOURSELVES IN EVERY VOTE.
NOW THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON EVERYTHING, YOU COULD JUST RECUSE YOURSELVES, AND THEN AT LEAST, WHILE I'D HAVE FOUR OF FIVE DISTRICTS SUBJECT TO A VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION OR SUBJECTING THE CITIZENS TO VARIOUS FORMS OF VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION, AT LEAST I WOULDN'T HAVE A SENATORIAL BODY INJECTING ITS OPINIONS.
SO I OPPOSE ON JUST THE SIMPLE FUNDAMENTAL GROUNDS, REPUBLICAN FORM IS GUARANTEED.
I MUST APPEAL TO THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OR THE EXECUTIVE BODY TO SEE THIS DONE.
THE COURT'S BEEN CLEAR ABOUT THAT, SO HERE I AM, DEMANDING MY REPUBLICAN FORM.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE CAME TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, NONE IN SUPPORT.
COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE THE OPERATING BUDGET AS AMENDMENT, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE OPEN IN THE VOTING ON THE OPERATING BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE...
IT SAID LAFITTE AND GRAND ISLE, BUT I INTENDED TO BE LAFITTE, BARATARA, CROWN POINT, AND GRAND ISLE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, JUST TO COMMENT ON IT, OF, YOU KNOW, I GET THE PHILOSOPHY, 100%.
BUT IN THIS SITUATION, THESE PEOPLE, YOU HAD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT CAUSED A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE'S HARDSHIP WITH THE LARGEST PUMP STATION IN THE WORLD RIGHT NORTH OF THEM, LEAVING
[01:40:01]
OUT THE LEVEES, ALLOWING ALL COMPANIES TO GIVE THEM THE IMMUNITY NOT TO.REPAIR THE DAMAGED CANALS THAT INCREASE WATER INTRUSION.
SO ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT BE FINANCIALLY WITH JOBS TO ALL FIELDS OR THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA BEING PROTECTED BECAUSE OF THE PUMP AND THE LEVEES, THOSE AREAS HAVE SUFFERED FOR THE BETTERMENT OF EVERYONE ELSE.
SO BY GETTING SOME GRANT FUNDING BACK TO THOSE PEOPLE, IT STILL DOES NOT FILL UP THE GAP OF WHAT THEY LOST.
SO I'M TRYING TO BRING A LITTLE FAIRNESS AND EQUITY.
TO THAT SITUATION THANKS COUNCILMAN KERNER SO UNDER COUNCILMAN WALKER'S UH MOTION AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN KERNER UH MOVING FOR APPROVAL WE'LL PUT THE VOTING BACK UP ALL RIGHT CLOSING THE VOTING SEVEN YEAS ZERO NAYS THE OPERATING BUDGET PASSES MADAM CLERK ITEM 19 THE CAPITAL BUDGET SUMMARY NUMBER 26720, AMENDING THE 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET, AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO RECOGNIZE A TRANSFER OF $1 MILLION FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER 1 FUND TO PROJECT NUMBER 46754003 FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE BELLE MEADE COMMUNITY PARK LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF LAPALCO BOULEVARD AND BELLE MEADE BOULEVARD, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
TO RECOGNIZE A TRANSFER OF $275,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT 1 FUND TO PROJECT 45335-001 FOR THE LIFT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING TO HOMEOWNERS IN LAFITTE, GRAND ISLE, CROWN POINT, AND BARATARIA WHO NEED RESIDENTIAL LIFT HOMES ELEVATED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEMA GUIDELINES.
AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS? MOVE TO APPROVE.
MOVE TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN WALKER, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
THE VOTING IS OPEN ON THE AMENDMENTS.
CLOSING THE VOTING, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS.
WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET, SUMMARY NUMBER 26720.
ANYONE SPEAKING IN FAVOR, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
WITH MR. KERNER AND DISTRICT 1, YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN WRONGED.
SO LET'S STEAL THAT MONEY BACK FOR THEM.
LET'S STEAL THAT MONEY BACK FOR THEM.
AND I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT COSTS THE POSTERITY.
LET'S STEAL EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM DISTRICT 1'S OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THE FIRE MILLAGES TO THE EAST BANK.
STEAL FROM THEM TO DO BETTER FOR THE AREAS OF THE PARIS THAT HAVE BEEN ROBBED FROM.
BY PARISH-WIDE INTEREST, BY STATEWIDE INTEREST, AND ABSOLUTELY BY FEDERAL INTEREST.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BETRAYED JEFFERSON PARISH FOR DECADES.
DECADES THAT AREA OF JUSTIN PARIS SPECIFICALLY, YOU ARE NOT WRONG SIR, I CONCUR WITH YOU.
I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND PERSONALLY I THINK ABSOLUTELY THOSE PEOPLE ARE A DESERVATIVE.
EVERY DOLLAR YOU GET THEM, I APPROVE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT? I ALSO JUST WANT TO COMMENT, THIS IS, THE FUNDING HE'S TALKING ABOUT IS A SMALL PIECE.
I MEAN UNINCORPORATED GRANT IS ACTUALLY GETTING A MILLION.
AND THIS UPDATED AMENDED BUDGET, BUT IT'S, THESE ARE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FUNDS FROM THE HOSPITAL SALE, WHICH WE'RE NOT TAKING FROM ANYWHERE ELSE, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE OF.
WE'RE NOT TAKING FROM ANYWHERE ELSE.
THIS IS THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, FUNDS THAT HAS TO BE SPENT ON THINGS THAT PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
SO DOING A PARK, BUILDING A LIFT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO GOT THEIR HOMES RAISED AND ARE STUCK.
IN THEIR HOMES, YOU KNOW, THREE MONTHS.
PEOPLE HAVE TO DELIVER THEM GROCERIES EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WALK DOWN THE STAIRS.
THEY CAN'T GO TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
SO THESE ARE WHAT THESE FUNDS WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR BASED ON THE HOSPITAL SALE.
NO OTHER MILLAGE, NO OTHER FUNDS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM ANYWHERE ELSE.
JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26720? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET? YEAH, I WILL DO THAT BOTH WAYS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A REPRESENTATIVE HAS TO DO.
AS A JEFFERSONIAN, I'M COMPELLED TO DO THIS.
IF WE CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW THE MONEY'S BEEN TAKEN FROM SPECIAL DISTRICTS TO ARBITRARY TAXATION FROM THE UNINCORPORATED SIDE OF THE RIVER, FROM ONE SIDE OF THE UNINCORPORATED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNINCORPORATED, THERE'S A DEVIATION IN TAXATION.
[01:45:02]
THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO GET UP HERE AND DO THIS EVERY SINGLE TIME, AND I REALLY SHOULDN'T.YOU COULD DO THIS ON MY BEHALF, AND I WOULDN'T EVER HAVE TO COME BACK.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE HERE.
YOU COULD CALL ME UP, TELL ME WHAT YOU WOULD OPPOSE ON MY BEHALF, AND I WILL NOT COME BACK.
YOU SHOULD BE DOING THIS FOR ME.
AS A JEFFERSONIAN REPUBLICAN, A FRUGAL AND SIMPLE GOVERNMENT, I COMPEL.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THE SAME INDIVIDUAL SPOKE IN SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MARKED THAT.
CAN I VOTE IN FAVOR AND AGAINST? AS IT WORKS ON THIS SIDE TOO.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE OPENING THE VOTING ON ITEM 19.
[RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR]
THAT'S A RECORD ON THINGS THAT WE NEEDED HEARINGS ON.ALL RIGHT, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR.
ITEM 20, MADAM CLERK, YOU CAN CALL THE ROLL.
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE INTENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL, COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER 1, TO ASSIST THE LAFITTE AREA INDEPENDENT LEVEE DISTRICT IN FUNDING THE REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH FOR DR-4611 HURRICANE IDA PROJECT WORKSHEET, PW-02750, LEVEE DAMAGES.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN WALKER TO TAKE THIS ITEM OR COUNCILMAN KERNER RATHER TO TAKE THIS ITEM FROM THE FLOOR SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRIJKEN.
SO THIS IS THE VOTE ON TAKING IT FROM THE FLOOR.
IT IS UNANIMOUS TO TAKE THE ITEM FROM THE FLOOR SEVEN YEAS ZERO NAYS.
SO NOW WE CAN HAVE THE ITEM COME FROM THE FLOOR.
WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM COMING FROM THE FLOOR.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THIS ITEM COMING FROM THE FLOOR? MADAM CLERK, SEE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED.
COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE ARE OPENING THE VOTING ON THE ITEM.
SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ONE ABSENT.
A RESOLUTION GRANTING PERMISSION TO OAK COVE CIVIC ASSOCIATION TO ERECT TEMPORARY SIGNS ADVERTISING THEIR ASSOCIATION MEETINGS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 15TH AND OCTOBER 21ST, 2026.
WE NEED A VOTE TO TAKE THIS ITEM FROM THE FLOOR.
COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO TAKE THIS ITEM FROM THE FLOOR.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, WE'LL OPEN THE VOTING TO TAKE THIS FROM THE FLOOR.
SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ONE ABSENT.
THE ITEM IS ABLE TO COME FROM THE FLOOR.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
AGAIN, PERMISSION TO OAK COVE CIVIC FOR SIGNS.
PUBLIC HEARING, ANYONE IN SUPPORT? ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD.
COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ONE ABSENT.
MADAM CLERK? AND I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLL.
[CONSENT AGENDA ONE]
ALL RIGHT, LET'S PICK UP THE PACE.CONSENT AGENDA 1, ITEMS 21 THROUGH 35.
MOTION, COUNCILMAN WALKER? MOVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE ITEMS 21 THROUGH 35, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON ITEMS 21 THROUGH 35.
SEVEN YEAS, ZERO NAYS, ITEMS 21 THROUGH 35 PASSED.
[CONSENT AGENDA TWO]
[01:50:02]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM 36 FOR CONSENT AGENDA ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION REGARDING IN GLOBO ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 36 THROUGH 80 MINUS ITEMS 36, WHICH IS TO BE DEFERRED TO MAY THE 6TH, ITEM 37, WHICH IS THE SELECTION.AND ITEM 67 WHICH IS TO BE AMENDED MOVE COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANCKEN ON THOSE IN GLOBO ADOPTIONS WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM ALL RIGHT CLOSING THE VOTE HMM LET'S DO THAT ONE AGAIN LET'S YEAH LET'S CLEAR THE VOTE ALL RIGHT GO AHEAD WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON THOSE IN GLOBO ITEMS AGAIN ALL RIGHT NOW GOT EVERYBODY IN.
ITEM 36 HAS BEEN DEFERRED TO MAY 6.
WE'LL GO TO ITEM 37, WHICH IS THE SELECTION.
MADAM CLERK? A RESOLUTION SELECTING AN ENGINEERING FIRM FROM THE LIST OF APPROVED FIRMS ESTABLISHED UNDER RESOLUTION NO.
144902, ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2024, FOR ROUTINE ENGINEERING SERVICES THAT COST UNDER $500,000 FOR WATER PROJECTS.
HAS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ENGINEERING SERVICES TO DESIGN MODIFICATIONS FOR THE EAST BANK WATER TREATMENT PLANT ELEVATED WATER TOWER, COUNCIL DISTRICT COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR SELECTION.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES ON STEWART CONSULTING, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTE ON THIS SELECTION.
[OTHER RESOLUTIONS]
CLOSING THE VOTE.WE'LL GO TO ITEM 67, MADAM CLERK.
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF NICOLE H.
GOBERT TO THE POSITION OF CHIEF GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR, EFFECTIVE APRIL 22, 2026.
AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE IN THE PREAMBLE AND IN SECTION 1 TO CHANGE THE EFFECTIVE DATE FROM APRIL 22, 2026 TO MAY 2, 2026.
AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.
OKAY, SO COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS.
THE ITEM PASSES, SO THE AMENDMENTS ARE INCLUDED.
COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR VOTE ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
MADAM CLERK, WE'LL GO TO ITEM 81, THE ADDENDUM AGENDA.
[ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS]
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION REGARDING THE IN GLOBO ADOPTION OF ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH 19 MINUS 7 TO BE AMENDED, 11 WHICH IS TO BE CANCELED, AND 12 FROM WHICH I WILL ABSTAIN.ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WALKER, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, MOVES ON THOSE IN GLOBO ITEMS. SURE.
SO WE'LL GO TO ITEM SEVEN, WHICH IS TO BE AMENDED.
A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A HEARING TO BE SAID AND HEARD BY THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE 2026 ALCOHOL BEVERAGE PERMIT OF LUCKY CHIN LLC DOING BUSINESS AS VOGUE BAR AND CAFE SHOULD BE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED PURSUANT TO JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCE.
SECTION 4-32 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE IN SECTION 1 TO REMOVE MAY 6, 2026 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF AND CHANGE IT TO AT THE START OF THE COUNCIL MEETING AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.
OKAY COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS.
COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG MOVES TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN BEN BRANKIN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENTS.
COUNCILMAN LILJBERG, YOUR MOTION ON THE AS AMENDED.
ALRIGHT COUNCILMAN LILJBERG MOVES TO APPROVE ITEM 7 AS AMENDED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING
[01:55:03]
ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED.WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 12 ON THE ADDENDUM, MADAM CLERK.
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ATTACHED LETTER OF INTENT BETWEEN THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON AND SPLIT SETS FOUNDATION BOARD WHICH OUTLINES THE PARTY'S INTENT TO COLLABORATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING, AND OPERATION OF A PREMIER TENNIS AND MULTI-SPORT PERFORMANCE FACILITY PROJECT.
LOCATED IN JEFFERSON PARISH, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5.
COUNCILMAN LOOSERBERG? I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, AND I WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT.
ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT SOME POINT, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL CALLED ME AND ASKED ME TO DEFER THIS.
I TOLD HER I WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND CALL HER BACK.
THIS IS VERY, VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY.
IT'S NOTHING WE CAN'T WALK BACK.
IT'S BASICALLY TO SEE IF SPLIT SETS CAN RAISE THE MONEY.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE I RAISED THIS ISSUE MONTHS AGO ABOUT HAVING A TENNIS COMPLEX AT BRIGHT PLAYGROUND.
APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS LONG BEFORE I WAS IN OFFICE.
I GOT A CALL, WE GOT A LETTER I BELIEVE YESTERDAY, MAYBE THE DAY BEFORE, FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AGAIN ASKING TO DEFER.
I'VE EXPLAINED TO HER MY REASONS.
SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HER REQUEST TO DEFER WAS ON THE RECORD.
COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN CALLED ME YESTERDAY WITH A LITANY OF REASONS OF WHY WHY OPPOSITION AND ANOTHER REQUEST TO DEFER THIS MEASURE.
I RECEIVED SOME CALLS FROM FRIENDS AND THE BRIGHT COMMUNITY.
TWO OF THEM SAID THAT THEY HAD HEARD FROM COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN ASKING THEM TO TO YOU KNOW JUST NOTIFYING THEM AND IF THEY WERE OPPOSED TO IT TO TO MAKE SURE THEY SPOKE UP.
WE ACTUALLY GOT SOME IN FAVOR AS WELL.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RECORD'S CLEAR ON THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS NOW, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THIS.
IT'S NOTHING THAT WE'RE SPRINGING ON IT.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS A WEST BANK MEETING.
IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SUBSTANTIVE IN THE LEAST, I WOULD DO IT AT AN EAST BANK MEETING.
I MEAN, THIS IS SO PRELIMINARY.
WE'RE BASICALLY SEEING SPLIT SETS.
CAN RAISE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THIS TO BE A VIABLE OPTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO DEFER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SUCH A PRELIMINARY MEASURE.
IF THERE'S OPPOSITION, I MEAN, LOOK, I'VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE A LOT.
I'M HAPPY TO ADMIT IF I'M WRONG WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, AND WE WON'T.
BUT THIS IS NOT A STEP THAT IS INSURMOUNTABLE IS THE WRONG WORD.
IT'S NOT A STEP THAT WE CAN'T JUST, LIKE...
LITERALLY STOP AND IT'S OVER AND NOT A DIME HAS BEEN SPENT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY JUST KIND OF FLOATING THE BUBBLE OUT THERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
SO I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON IT.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, WE SPOKE YESTERDAY AND I ASKED IF ANY PUBLIC MEETING HAD BEEN HELD OR IF ANYONE AROUND JOHNNY BRIGHT HAD BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS.
I REACHED OUT TO ONE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE CHILDREN PLAYED AT THE PLAYGROUND.
I DID NOT ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST.
SIMPLY SAID, ARE YOU ALL AWARE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE THERE.
AND HE RESPONDED, NO, I DID NOT ADVOCATE FOR EITHER.
EMAIL IN OPPOSITION AND ONE FOR THAT IS COMING IN UNREQUESTED SO AGAIN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D CONSIDER A DEFERRAL FOR THOSE NUMBERS AS I MEAN AS I SAID I'M I'M NEGLECTED TO SAY ACTUALLY I REACHED OUT TO THE TO THE TO THE BRIGHT BOOSTER CLUB PRESIDENT AND TOLD HER THAT I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH HIM I'M HAPPY TO LOOK AT THIS IF IT'S IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT VIABLE, WE'LL STOP.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS, AS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE'S FAVORITE IS SAYING, A BIG NOTHING BURGER.
IT'S JUST TO SEE WHETHER, TO SEE WHETHER, TO SEE WHETHER, TO SEE WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO DEFER TODAY.
JUST TO TAG ON TO THE BACK OF THAT, WHAT'S NOT VIABLE IS THE FUTURE OF JOHNNY BRIGHT AS IT IS AND A NUMBER OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
THIS, I THINK, IS POTENTIALLY THE BEGINNING OF A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HOW WE IN JEFFERSON PARISH HAVE TO START LOOKING AT AND WRAPPING OUR HEAD AROUND DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN USE SOME OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
BECAUSE AS HAS BEEN CHRONICLED HERE AND THROUGH THE PARISH PRESIDENT'S RECREATION REIMAGINED PLAN AND NUMEROUS OTHER WAYS, WE HAVE TOO MANY PLAYGROUNDS IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
JPRD CAN'T MANAGE ALL THESE PLAYGROUNDS WITH THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE.
[02:00:01]
SAME PARTICIPATION IN SOME CASES THAT THEY USED TO, AND JOHNNY BRIGHT IS ONE OF THOSE.AND IT WAS A SORE POINT OF CONTENTION DURING THE RECREATION REIMAGINED HEARINGS, WHERE PEOPLE AT BRIGHT SPOKE VERY LOUDLY.
AND HONESTLY, IT DIDN'T MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION AT BRIGHT, BECAUSE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS OLDER, AND THERE AREN'T AS MANY CHILDREN PARTICIPATING THERE, AND THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS FOR OUR CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
IS AN OPTION, NOT JUST THIS, BUT THINGS WE MAY HAVE TO DO WITH OTHER PLAYGROUNDS DOWN THE ROAD TOO, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AN ECONOMIC DRIVER IN OUR PARISH THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING PEOPLE TO STAY IN OUR HOTEL ROOMS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SPORTS TOURISM SO MUCH.
I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY ON THIS THAN MANY CAN BECAUSE OVER THE PAST FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS I'VE BECOME A TENNIS PARENT.
MY KIDS BOTH PLAYED AT BROTHER MARTIN.
I'VE BEEN TO OTHER PLACES WHERE I SEE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES CAN BRING TO A COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN MOBILE, ALABAMA, WHERE THEY HAVE 60 COURTS AT THEIR TENNIS CENTER.
IT'S A CITY FACILITY THAT IS AMAZING, AND IT GENERATES $30 MILLION A YEAR FOR THAT FACILITY.
AND THERE IS A BIG NEED FOR FACILITIES LIKE THIS HERE.
AND IF THERE'S A CHANCE TO HIT OUR BOTTOM LINE WITH THAT TYPE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, IT WOULDN'T BE TO THAT EXTREME BECAUSE WE'D HAVE FEWER COURTS, BUT IT WOULD BE A BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT.
FOR JEFFERSON PARISH ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS, BUT THOSE ARE DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING IN OUR PARISH RIGHT NOW AND THINGS THAT HAVE TO CHANGE IN OUR PARISH AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND HOPE THAT IT CAN GET TO A POINT OF POSSIBILITY AND FRUITION, BUT WE'RE FAR AWAY FROM THAT STILL.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG ROAD TO GO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT ENDS UP, BUT I DO THINK THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT NEEDS TO BE AN OPTION AND A CONSIDERATION AS WE GO FORWARD IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
THAT WAS LONGER-WINDED THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, SO SORRY.
MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WELL SAID, COUNCILMAN WALKER.
I WANTED TO APPLAUD COUNCILMAN LOZABERG, ACTUALLY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO, JUST AS COUNCILMAN WALKER SAID, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A STEP TO TEST THAT WATER, AND I'M PROUD THAT THE PARISH IS GOING TO TAKE THAT STEP TODAY.
AND I CERTAINLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO FEAR.
THERE'S NO NEED LOBBYING AND RALLYING PEOPLE UP.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF IT WORKS.
AND IF IT DOESN'T, COUNCILMAN LILJBERG WILL, AS HE ALWAYS DOES, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR HIS DISTRICT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
I THINK WHAT COUNCILMAN WALKER SAID IS RIGHT ON POINT.
IT'S TIME TO THINK A LITTLE BIT BIGGER WHEN IT COMES TO RECREATION.
OH, AND ALL THOSE WORDS, BEFORE YOU FINISH UP, ALL THOSE WORDS, I FORGOT ONE THING.
A LOT OF THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED HAVE POINTED TO THIS AS BEING TURNING JOHNNY BRIGHT INTO A PRIVATE PARK.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PRIVATE PARK.
IT'S GOING TO BE PRIVATELY OPERATED, NOT BY THE PARISH, BUT IT WILL STILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC TO GO PLAY TENNIS AND TO USE THAT FACILITY.
IS NOT GOING TO BE A PRIVATE PARK.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE OF THE EMAILS WE GOT ASKED WHY COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON WAS SIGNING THE LETTER OF INTENT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT REASON IS BECAUSE COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON IS OUR DEPUTY CHAIR AND OUR CHAIR HAS ABSTAINED FROM THIS VOTE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT SHE'S ABSTAINED FROM THIS VOTE.
SO THAT IS WHY A DISTRICT 4 COUNCILPERSON IS SIGNING THE LETTER OF INTENT.
ANYONE ELSE? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON, I THINK YOU USED THE RIGHT WORD, IS FEAR.
I THINK MANY, I'VE READ THE E-MAILS, I'M COPYING ON THEM AS WELL, THEY'RE SENDING THEM TO ME AS WELL.
I THINK THAT REALLY IS, WHEN I READ THE ONES I COULD READ THIS MORNING, THAT IS SORT OF A HOLDOVER OF MANY OF THE RECREATION REIMAGINED VOICINGS OR TESTIMONY THAT WE GOT FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR GOING OUT.
PITCHING THIS PROJECT, YOU CAN RECALL PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ANGRY MEETINGS I WAS EVER AT WAS AT LEMON PLAYGROUND ON THE EAST BANK, PUTTING OUT THIS RECREATION REIMAGINED.
AND I JUST WANT TO, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE KIND OF NEW OR TO REMEMBER THIS ISSUE, WE WERE IN A BUILDING PHASE IN THE 1970S OF OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
WE BUILT A LOT MORE ON THE WEST BANK AND MOVED FORWARD TO THIS TIME FRAME, WHERE AT LEAST FOUR YEARS AGO WE HAD 27 PLAYGROUNDS.
SOME WERE VERY VIBRANT, SOME HAD VERY STRONG PROGRAMMING, AND SOME WERE LIKE GHOST TOWNS.
I ALWAYS SAY IT WAS LIKE A GHOST TOWN.
AND IT WAS NO, IT'S TO NO DISRESPECT TO THE PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY THERE OR OUR EMPLOYEES THERE, IT'S STRICTLY DEMOGRAPHICS.
SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AGED QUICKER, AND NOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD GYM NO LONGER HAS KIDS IN IT.
AND WE FOUND OURSELVES WITH THAT SITUATION IN MANY, AND BRIGHT WAS ONE
[02:05:01]
OF THOSE WHERE...AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS, FOUR YEARS AGO, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE CALLED ME AND SHE SAID, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M IN BRIGHT PLAYGROUND AND MY KIDS, WHO ARE NOW 30, HAVEN'T PLAYED AT BRIGHT WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH KIDS TO FORM A TEAM.
YOU'D TRY, YOU'D SAY, BRING YOUR SCHOOLMATES, CALL YOUR COUSINS, LET'S GET A TEAM TOGETHER, AND YOU COULDN'T FILL THE TEAM, AND THEN YOU HAD TO GO REASSIGN THEM TO MILEY OR CLEARY.
AND THIS IS WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND MARIO APPROACHED ME YEARS AGO AND SAYS, WE'RE NOT GIVING GOOD SERVICE, WE'RE NOT GIVING A GOOD PRODUCT.
WHAT YOU KNOW IF YOU KNOW ABOUT SPORTS, I'VE PLAYED SPORTS MY WHOLE LIFE, I'M STILL A USER OF JPRD, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER RECREATION DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER NEARBY PARISHES.
YOU NEED THE AMENITIES AND YOU NEED THE VOLUME TO HAVE SOLID PROGRAMMING.
WE'VE ALL BEEN TO GYMS WHERE IT'S JUST ONE LITTLE TEAM AND ANOTHER LITTLE TEAM AND ONE KID DOESN'T COME UP THAT DAY AND YOU HAVE TO FORFEIT.
AND THAT IS NOT VIBRANT PROGRAMMING.
SO THAT IS WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT WE WANTED TO CONSOLIDATE.
GERARD ON THE EAST BANK, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EAST BANKS, GERARD IS PACKED AND NEW FAMILIES WANT TO GO TO GERARD.
WHY? BECAUSE IT'S GOT STRONG PROGRAMMING, STRONG COMPETITION, BECAUSE IT'S GOT A HIGH VOLUME OF KIDS THERE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THE OTHER PLAYGROUNDS, SO WE NEED TO REPROGRAM THEM.
AND WE HAVE, AND I REMEMBER SAYING PICKLEBALL, AND I WOULD GET BASICALLY BOOED OFF THE STAGE.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN COUNCILMAN BONANNO'S DISTRICT, AND WITH THE HELP, I ALWAYS CREDIT HIM FOR PUTTING THE COVER ON THAT THING AND MAKING IT A TRUE SUCCESS.
EVERYBODY WANTS A PICKLEBALL COURT NOW.
WE DIDN'T HAVE PICKLEBALL COURTS THEN.
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE TO CURRENT TIMES AND WE'VE GOT TO GIVE OFFERINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT.
AND I'VE BEEN AN ATHLETE MY WHOLE LIFE.
I ENDED UP BEING IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MORE AND MORE STUDIES ARE SHOWING, ESPECIALLY IN GIRLS' SPORTS, THAT ATHLETES AND GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS LEADS TO MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
SO I GET EVERYBODY'S EMOTIONS.
IT'S KIND OF IRONIC BECAUSE THEY HAVE THESE STRONG EMOTIONS.
BUT THEY'RE OKAY DRIVING BY BRIGHT AND IT BEING A COMPLETELY VACANT FIELD.
AND JUST THE OTHER DAY, I FINALLY DROVE BY AND I SAW SOME GIRLS PLAYING BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL THERE.
I'M LIKE, WHAT A GREAT SIGHT TO SEE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY KIDS PLAYING ON THE GREEN FIELD.
HE'S LIKE, THOSE ARE LAKESHORE KIDS BECAUSE THE TURF'S BEING REDONE AT LAKESHORE.
IT'S NOT OKAY IF YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT RECREATION.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE OKAY, AND YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR MEMORIES.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE OKAY WITH EMPTY GYMS AND EMPTY FIELDS.
YOU SHOULD WANT OUR CURRENT YOUTH TO...
ALSO BE ABLE TO PLAY AND HAVE THOSE SAME SACRED MEMORIES THAT WE ALL HAD WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP.
I HOPE THEY ARE ABLE TO RAISE A LOT OF MONEY.
I HOPE WE ARE ABLE TO BRING TENNIS TO METAIRIE.
I HOPE IT'S GOING TO BRING US MORE ASSOCIATION WITH THE USTA AND BRING US REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS AND PUT HOTELS AND SHOPPING.
AND I HOPE WE HAVE FUTURE NATIONAL STARS IN THE TENNIS WORLD BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TENNIS FACILITY IN THE MIDDLE OF METAIRIE.
CAN I HAVE ONE MORE THING? AND THIS IS JUST ONE MORE THING THAT WAS POINTED OUT AND IT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED TO ALLAY ANY FEARS.
MY MOTHER IS NOT HAPPY WITH ME THIS MORNING BECAUSE...
THIS AND SHE'S A BIG PICKLEBALL PLAYER SHE TEXTED ME AND SAID PART OF HER TEXT IS DO NOT LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED NEED THE FACTS SO SHE'S AFRAID PICKLEBALL IS GOING AWAY BUT NONE OF THIS INDICATES THAT PICKLEBALL AT THE BRIGHT GYM WILL GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON SO PICKLEBALL WILL CONTINUE AND PICKLEBALL COULD LIKELY BE THERE IF THERE IS A TENNIS FACILITY THERE AS WELL THAT IS NOT A POSSIBILITY AT THIS POINT THAT PICKLEBALL AT BRIGHT IS GOING AWAY COUNCILMAN TO ADD TO THAT I I'M A PICKLEBALL PLAYER.
TENNIS PLAYERS DO NOT LIKE US BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN OVER THEIR TENNIS COURTS.
AND I HAVE PROMISED THAT WE ARE BRINGING MORE TENNIS COURTS TO RECREATION.
SO YOU'VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ON THAT CONFLICT THERE.
SO THAT IS ANOTHER REASON WE NEED TO BRING MORE TENNIS COURTS BECAUSE THE PICKLEBALL PLAYERS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE CURRENT TENNIS COURTS THAT WE HAVE.
TELL MOM SHE'S WELCOME OVER AT MIKE MILEY.
WE CAN RAISE DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF COURTS THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE? I'LL JUST SAY, AGAIN, I WANT TO CLARIFY, I AM NOT FOR OR AGAINST THIS PROJECT.
I THINK OUR REIMAGINING OF OUR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TIES INTO THE RECREATION TOURISM THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT WITH 86 EMAIL OF CONCERN AND THE COMMENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOUR YEARS AGO, I DO THINK, JUST TO COUNCILMAN WALKER'S POINT, MAYBE THE AREA AROUND BRIGHT.
FEELS OUT OF THE LOOP ON INFORMATION IF WE HAVEN'T TALKED WITH THEM IN FOUR YEARS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE MOVED IN IN FOUR YEARS I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT IS AT THE ROOT OF THE CONCERN AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE A PUBLIC MEETING SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE GOOD INFORMATION UM ON THAT SO IF I COULD ADD JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE BRIGHT AND CLEARLY HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSOLIDATED SO I THINK, AGAIN, THE...
[02:10:02]
THE EMAILS AND THE NOTES YOU'RE GETTING IS THE EMOTIONAL REACTION TO RECREATION REIMAGINED, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY CONSOLIDATED BRIGHT AND CLEARLY.THEY'RE ALREADY PLAYING TOGETHER.
CORRECT? AND I DO PLAN ON MEETING WITH THEM.
I THINK THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THAT ROAST ON, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES DECISIONS WE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WELL...
WE HEAR THE NUMBERS, WE SEE IT, WE TALK TO THE EXPERTS, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE GO TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THESE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT THEIR INPUT, WITHOUT THE STRONG ENOUGH INPUT.
AND WE'VE SEEN THIS AT ROSTRON WHERE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE COUNTED OUT A LITTLE TOO EARLY AND NOT UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS.
AS AN EXAMPLE, THE FACTORS OF WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT ONLY THE COMMUNITY LIVING THROUGH IT KNEW AND KNEW HOW IT WOULD REBOUND.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING TODAY, GIVING THEM ANOTHER CHANCE.
NOW THEY HAVE YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE TEAMS, EACH AGE GROUP, THEY'RE COMPETING AND WINNING JUST ABOUT EVERY GAME IN SOFTBALL, AND THEY'VE TOTALLY COME BACK IN SUCH A MASSIVE WAY.
SO THERE IS SOMETHING TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES, BY WORKING WITH THEM, SOMETIMES THE PLAYING CAN GET BETTER.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ON SOME OF THESE PLAYGROUNDS TOO EARLY.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLAYGROUND, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING YOU'RE DOING.
I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THE IG SPOKE OUT AGAINST WHAT HAPPENED IN DISTRICT 1 AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, IN MY OPINION, MY STRONG OPINION, CAME INTO FRUITION, THAT I FEEL SHE WAS CORRECT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL, THIS IS ALL LEGALLY, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENT.
I MEAN, THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS BEFORE I VOTE ON IT.
WELL, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A NON-BINDING LETTER OF INTENT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON NOW.
AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE GET IN SIX MONTHS.
THERE IS A, THE STATUE ALLOWS FOR A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION TO PARTNER WITH A PARTICULAR GROUP SHOULD CERTAIN FACTORS BE MET.
SOME OF THOSE FACTORS ARE TREMENDOUS MONETARY CONTRIBUTION, THE UNIQUENESS OF THE PROJECT.
GUARDRAILS ARE PUT IN PLACE BY THE STATUTE, AND IN FACT, THERE IS PRECEDENT IN THE PARISH.
WE DID THE SAME THING AT THE LASALLE PLAYGROUND WITH THE SAINTS IN THE ANDREWS INSTITUTE.
SO WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE IN THE PARISH.
WHERE A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION HAS PARTNERED WITH A GROUP.
BUT LIKE THE COUNCILMAN SAID, THAT IS SIX MONTHS AWAY.
THIS IS JUST A LETTER OF INTENT.
THEY HAVE SIX MONTHS TO PULL TOGETHER FUNDING, A SCHEMATIC DESIGN, CONTRACTORS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN SIX MONTHS.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CEA WITH THE PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION RIGHT NOW.
IT IS VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY PREMATURE.
SIMPLY A NON-BINDING LETTER OF INTENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN PULL TOGETHER TO TRY AND MAKE THIS PORTION OF THE PARISH A SPORTS TOURISM MECCA FOR TENNIS.
SO THERE WOULD NOT NEED TO BE A PUBLIC SOLICITATION IF THE FUNDS ARE RAISED AND WE MOVE FORWARD? THERE'S GUARDRAILS.
IT'S LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 41-1212-G.
CORRECT. THERE DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE, BUT THERE ARE GUARDRAILS PUT INTO PLACE AND THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION AND SPLIT SETS WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
AND I KNOW THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, AS COUNCILMAN KERNER EMAILED US, COPIED US ALL ON THAT.
I THINK HER REQUEST WAS FOR SOME OF THAT DOCUMENTATION, WHICH AGAIN, I THINK SPEAKS TO THE COMMUNICATION MORE THAN IT DOES THE SUBSTANCE.
AS WE GET THE DOC, WHEN WE GET THE DOCUMENTATION, I EXPLAINED WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, TO SHARE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CALL DROPPED, BUT I DID SPEAK WITH HER.
YOU'RE NOT OPPOSED TO VERIZON, BY THE WAY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION YET.
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE LETTER OF INTENT.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN LILSBERG, YOUR MOTION OR ANYTHING ELSE? I MEAN, I THINK THAT HIGHLIGHTS HOW PRELIMINARY THIS IS, AND THANK YOU, TONY, FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
[02:15:02]
OKAY, COUNCILMAN LILZENBERG MOVES TO APPROVE.ALRIGHT, WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, SIX YAYS, ONE ABSTENTION.
WE WILL NOW GO TO ITEM 20 IN SPECIAL DISTRICT.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU CAN READ ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEM 20.
A RESOLUTION APPROVING A ONE-TIME ALLOCATION OF FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $673,540.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH TERMS OF THE FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENT DATED MAY 21ST, 2018, BETWEEN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.
6 OF THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND HARVEY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY NO.
2 FOR INCREASED INSURANCE AND BENEFIT COSTS.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VANRANKEN.
WE'LL OPEN THE VOTING ON ITEM 20.
COUNCILWOMAN MOHANIS WOULD LIKE TO VOTE.
[JEFFERSON PARISH SPECIAL DISTRICTS]
ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTING.MADAM CLERK? A RESOLUTION APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON AND SISSUNG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC, TO RENEW THE AGREEMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR PERIOD.
FOR A NEW TERMINATION DATE OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027 AT AN ADDITIONAL FEE NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE ITEM 82, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'LL OPEN THE VOTING ON ITEM 82.
MADAM CLERK, ITEM 83, I BELIEVE, HAS AMENDMENTS.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT BETWEEN AT&T ENTERPRISES LLC AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY DISTRICT, I'M SORRY, JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT FOR AN EMERGENCY SERVICES INTERNET PROTOCOL NETWORK AND NEXT GENERATION CORE SERVICES ON STATE CONTRACT NUMBER 440019940.
AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE, IN THE THIRD WHEREAS, TO CHANGE $58,728.78 TO $54,741.81 TO THE TOTAL TO CHANGE $171,100.
$90 TO $141,523.72 AND OVER THE FIVE-YEAR TERM TO CHANGE $3,694,916.80 TO $3,284,508.60 AND THEN IN SECTION 2 FOR THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,284,508.60.
AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE OKAY COUNCILMAN WALKER YOUR VOTE ON THE OR YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS MOVE SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN OPENING THE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENTS CLOSING THE VOTING SEVEN YEAS ZERO NAYS THE AMENDMENTS PASS UH COUNCILMAN WALKER YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT AMENDED ITEM MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN OPENING THE VOTING.
ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED, CLOSING THE VOTING, THE ITEM AS AMENDED PASSES.
ITEM 84, I HAVE A NOTE TO BE CANCELED.
COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION TO CANCEL? YES, MOVE TO CANCEL, OR DEFER.
DEFER OR CANCEL, WHICH? WHICH ONE IS THIS? I HAVE IT AS A NOTE TO CANCEL.
COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR WITH VERY COMMON REDEVELOPMENT.
OKAY, WE'LL CANCEL THAT ONE ON MOTION OF COUNCILMAN KERNER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE OPENING THE VOTING ON THE CANCELLATION.
ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTING.
[02:20:01]
SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS, SO THE ITEM HAS BEEN CANCELED.A RESOLUTION STATING THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL'S ENDORSEMENT OF RIVER BEND REVIVAL LLC TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BENEFITS OF THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM IN THE JEFFERSON PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH IS IN THE CITY OF GRETNA, JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, COUNCIL DISTRICT COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'LL OPEN THE VOTING ON THIS ITEM, 85.
CLOSING THE VOTING, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS.
DO YOU ALL WANT TO, IT'S NOON, DO WE WANT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION OR DO WE WANT TO TAKE THE REST? LET'S FINISH IT.
A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION TO SEVERDING CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED FOR THEIR BUILDING CONTRACT NUMBER 55-22690 UNDER PROPOSAL NUMBER 50-00144833 I AGREE.
WHICH IS DATED NOVEMBER 7, 2024, FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS TO FIRE STATION NO.
13 IN METAIRIE FOR 240 CALENDAR DAYS AT A TOTAL COST NOT TO EXCEED $721,348 FOR EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES FOR APPROVAL.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM 86.
SUMMARY NUMBER 26716, AMENDING SECTION 21-30C OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES TO INCREASE THE MONTHLY FEE DEDICATED TO THE WEST JEFFERSON PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER AND PLAYGROUND DISTRICT, ESTABLISHING AN ANNUAL CPI INCREASE NOT TO EXCEED 2.5%.
AND PROVIDING FOR THE DEDICATION OF SAID FEES.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1, 2, AND ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS SUMMARY, NUMBER 26716.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED.
COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION? I'M GOING TO MOVE TO DEFER TO ONE MEETING.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO DEFER ITEM 87, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
THE ITEM IS UNANIMOUSLY DEFERRED.
COUNCILMAN, TO THE NEXT EAST BANK OR WEST BANK? I HATE TO WAIT, BUT LET'S DO WEST BANK.
NEXT WEST BANK MEETING, SO THAT'S MAY THE 20TH.
NO NEW BUSINESS, NO STATUS REPORTS.
WE DO WANT TO TAKE UP THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM.
OR ACTUALLY, LET ME GO AHEAD, FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, SO THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
ON THE AGENDA.ALRIGHT, SEEING NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK, WE HAVE HANDLED THAT PUBLIC PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
MADAM CLERK, THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM, I BELIEVE, 8, OR WHATEVER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS, ITEM 2.
AUTHORIZING THE COUNCIL TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS LEGAL MATTERS CONCERNING A LAWSUIT ENTITLED GLENN CANELOCI V.
ANTONATIS PARISH ANESTHESIA OF JEFFERSON, LLC, IN JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NO.
PARIS OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF LOUISIANA, DOING BUSINESS AS EAST JEFFERSON GENERAL HOSPITAL, 24TH JDC, CASE NUMBER 808-520, DIVISION COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE.
MOVED BY COUNCILMAN WALKER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG.
WE WILL VOTE ON GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, AND CLOSING THE VOTE.
IT DIDN'T GIVE ME A TALLY, BUT I GUESS LET'S DO THAT ONE MORE TIME.
VOTE AGAIN IF YOU WOULD ON GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[02:25:01]
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A RESOLUTION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.A RESOLUTION AUTHORING A SETTLEMENT AND LAWSUIT ENTITLED GLENN C.
ANTONATIS, PARISH ANESTHESIA OF JEFFERSON, LLC, AND JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NO.
PARIS OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF LOUISIANA, DOING BUSINESS HAS EAST JEFFERSON GENERAL HOSPITAL, 24TH JDC, CASE NUMBER 808520, DIVISION COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON.
AND I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS ITEM.
WE HAVE FIVE YEAS, ONE ABSTENTION, AND ZERO NAYS.
AND AGAIN, COUNCILMAN BONANNO HUNG IN THERE FOR US
[ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION IN SUMMARY]
FOR THE MEETING, BUT HE HAS GONE HOME.SO AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO WISH HIM SPEEDY HEALTH RECOVERY.
MADAM CLERK, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ITEMS TO READ INTO SUMMARY.
ALL RIGHT, THE FIRST ONE I'M GOING TO READ IS GOING TO REQUIRE UNANIMOUS VOTES.
IN ORDINANCE DECLARING PORTIONS OF PLOT NUMBERS 1 TO 15, UNIT 02, MODERN FARMS SUBDIVISION, WAGAMAN NO LONGER NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE SALE OF SAID PROPERTY PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES, SECTION 2-951, COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
COUNCILMAN LEE? MOVE FOR APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES FOR APPROVAL. AND AGAIN, THIS HAS TO BE UNANIMOUS, SO WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE VOTING. ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTING. MEASURE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, SIX YEAS, ZERO NAYS. AND I'M GOING TO GET A SECOND. OKAY, COUNCILMAN LEE MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
AND AGAIN, THAT PASSED SIX TO ZERO. MADAM CLERK? AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 27146, ADOPTED ON APRIL 8, 2026, TO CORRECT THE NAME FACILITY IN SECTION 1. OF THE SPECIAL PERMANENT USE APPROVAL FOR VERTEX REFINING LA LLC MARRERO FACILITY. RESUB OF LOTS 32-28 AND 43-47, SQUARE 30, CANAL STREET SUBDIVISION INTO LOT 32A, SQUARE 30. RESUB OF LOTS 7 AND 08, FAIRLANE SUBDIVISION INTO LOTS 7A AND 8A WITH A WAIVER TO THE AREA REGULATIONS.
OF THE R-1A IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 33-2.35. SP-85-25 REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE AREA REGULATIONS PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND LANDSCAPE AND BUFFER REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBZ FOR A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT 3407 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY ON LOT X1A, SQUARE A, CLAIBORNE GATEWAY SUBDIVISION. AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 10188 TO CLARIFY THE EASTERN BOUNDARY LINE OF THE CITY OF KENNER.
AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 14796, THE PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE TO CREATE NEW CLASSIFICATIONS.
TO ADOPT MILLAGE RATES TO BE EXTENDED ON THE ASSESSOR'S TAX ROLLS FOR THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON FOR THE YEAR 2026 JEFFERSON PARISH ASSESSMENT ROLL, TO ADOPT AN INCREASED MILLAGE RATE BUT NOT IN THE EXCESS OF PRIOR YEAR'S MAXIMUM RATE TO BE EXTENDED ON THE ASSESSOR'S TAX ROLLS FOR THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON FOR THE YEAR 2026 BASED ON THE 2026 JEFFERSON PARISH ASSESSMENT ROLL. AMENDING THE 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET, AMENDING THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET, AND THAT'S ALL THE ORDINANCES I HAVE TO READ. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, THANKS SO MUCH. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON READING THOSE ITEMS INTO SUMMARY? MOVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, VOTING ON THOSE ITEMS BEING READ INTO SUMMARY. ALL RIGHT, CLOSING THE VOTE. SIX YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THOSE ITEMS HAVE PASSED INTO SUMMARY.
COUNCILMAN LEE, A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE. COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES TO ADJOURN. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN.
EVERYBODY VOTE ON THAT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. COUNCILMAN, THIS WAS A LONG ONE. CLOSING THE VOTE. FOUR YAYS. SEVERAL ALREADY HAVING NOTED AS ABSENCE
[02:30:05]
UH HAPPY UH AND COUNCILMAN WALKER SAYS HE SUPPORTS YEAH WE HAD LOTS OF UH LOTS OF STUFF TODAY TO BE DONE AS ORDINANCES SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR EARTH DAY AND GO OUT AND CLEAN UP FOR LOVE THE BOOT WEEK.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.