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[MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]
THIS IS TUESDAY, UH, JULY 21ST.WE'RE HERE AT THE JOSEPH S YI BUILDING IN ELMWOOD, 1221 ELMWOOD PARK BOULEVARD.
UM, THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING THIS MORNING.
UM, SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, GATHERED THIS MORNING, UM, AS WE KEEP AN EYE ON OUR WEATHER.
WE'RE OFFICIALLY CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.
AND MADAM CLERK, ARE YOU SOLO THIS MORNING? OKAY.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WILL CALL THE ROLE OR ACTUALLY LEAD US IN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
HE IS EVER PRESENT WITH US, AND HE LONGS FOR EACH OF US TO KNOW HIM, NOT JUST KNOW ABOUT HIM, AND TO BE FILLED WITH HIS LOVE.
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.
NOW, IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLE CHAIRWOMAN VAN RANKIN.
MS. LEE CHANG HERE, AND I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE.
AND PARISH PRESIDENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
I'LL, I WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME WEATHER COMING IN, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, WE'RE ALL WATCHING FOR THE EFFECTS OF TROPICAL STORM BERTHA.
I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH GRAND ISLAND LAFITE.
WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT THOSE ARE VERY VULNERABLE AREAS OF THE, UM, THE PARISH FOR US.
JUST A REMINDER THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE EFFECTS THAT WILL FEAR ON UPPER JEFFERSON.
WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO OBVIOUSLY USE CAUTION DRIVING AROUND STREETS.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GET, UM, STREET FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL, UM, IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS.
SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL AROUND STREETS, UNDER BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES.
UM, WE DO HAVE OUR WORK CREWS OUT, UM, CLEAN AND CATCH BASINS.
UM, WE'RE ASKING RESIDENTS TO CLEAR DEBRIS FROM THEIR STREETS AND DRAINS AROUND THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE DEBRIS IMPEDES THE WATER FLOW, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DRAINER SYSTEM, UM, WORKS AS, AS, UM, BEST AS IT CAN IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
WE'RE 100, WE HAVE 196 OUT OF 198 PUMPS THAT ARE IN SERVICE AND PORTABLE PUMPS ALREADY.
WE HAVE HARVEY AND GOOSE BAYOU ARE THE JUST THE TWO OUT.
BUT WE DO HAVE PORTABLE PUMPS OUT THERE.
UM, ALL PUMP STATIONS ARE GONNA BE MANNED THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THIS EVENT, AND THE CANALS ARE BEING LOWERED.
UM, AND THEN CERTAINLY BEGINNING AT 7:00 PM OUR JEFFERSON PARISH EMERGENCY OPERATIONS STAFF WILL BE STAFFED, UM, FOR 24 HOURS THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE EVENT, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SCALE UP AS NECESSARY.
AND THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US UPDATED.
I KNOW THE EOC STAFF HAS BEEN SENDING US ALL THE LATEST, UM, WEATHER INFORMATION, SO THANK YOU.
UM, WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE PORTION OF PERSONS
[PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL REGARDING A RESOLUTION(S) ON AGENDA.]
WE WISHING TO APPEAR, UH, BEFORE THE COUNCIL THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.THERE ARE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, SO ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK CAN COME FORWARD.
FRANKIE HARRIS 5 0 9 HOME BOULEVARD.
I AGENDA, BUT SINCE THERE'S ONLY TWO ITEMS, I'M GUESSING ONE OF 'EM HAS GOTTA BE THE MOVING OF THIS MEETING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ATTENDED IN GRANDLE AND, UM, STRICTLY PROCEDURAL.
YEAH, I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THAT.
TO ME THIS DESCRIPTIVE PROCEDURAL IS CONSTITUTIONAL.
WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR A MAN, FOR ANYONE TO CAPTURE THE WORLD IF YOU GOTTA FORSAKE YOUR SOUL? I'M A BIG MATTHEW FAN, RIGHT? BOOK OF MATTHEW DRIVES ME FROM THE FIRST TIME I EVER DID THIS.
THIS IS ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ANY OF US.
THIS IS ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.
SO THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO EVEN BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT GRANDLE, BUT I HAD TO MAKE A PLAN TO GET TO GRANDLE YET AGAIN.
BECAUSE WE LACK FOR ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GRANDLE THIS PARISH.
OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR OUR COUNCIL SHOULD NOT BE DEALING WITH GRANDLE.
GRANDLE CHOOSES TO HAVE ITS REPRESENTATION AT THE STATE DONE LIKE THIS.
NOW, THERE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION IN OUR STATE
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CONSTITUTION THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THIS MAP TO EVEN BE MADE.I TAKE OFFENSE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UH, OUR REPRESENTATION DIMINISHED.
WE ARE MADE LINKED BY INTEREST, BY MUDDIED INTEREST.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS GOING ON THAT MAP RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR STATE SENATE, WAS TO END THIS MAP.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THIS MEETING BECAUSE GRAND ISLE WOULD PREFER TO BE GOVERNED BY LAFOURCHE.
I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH TWO OTHER PARISHES TO GET TO GRAND ISLE.
IT SUBJECTS US AND THEMSELVES, THEIR CITIZENS TO VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S AN OBSCENE GESTURE.
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY THAT'S AN OBSCENE GESTURE.
ANYBODY WHO'S SEEN THIS BEFORE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I TAKE GREAT OFFENSE TO OUR TOLERANCE OF THIS.
WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING A MEETING TO CHANGE WHERE WE'RE GONNA HOLD A MEETING FOR GRAND ISLE.
WE SHOULD BE HAVING A MEETING ABOUT ANNEXING GRAND ISLE TO LAFOURCHE, THEREBY CONNECTING THE SOUTH, THE RURAL PARISHES, THE COASTAL PARISHES TO EACH OTHER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPLIT OUR INTEREST.
SEE, WE HAVE TO TEND FOR LITE.
SO WE HAVE TO PUT THESE, THESE, THESE MONIES AND THIS EFFORT TO PROTECT THE FEET.
BUT GRAND IS CHOOSES TO HAVE ITS STATE GOVERNANCE, ITS STATE REPRESENTATION, CHOOSES TO BE VIRTUAL, CHOOSES TO TAKE POWER FROM JEFFERSON PARISH AND PUT IT IN LAFOURCHE PARISH HANDS.
THIS MAKES US LESS THAN WHOLE.
AND DURING THOSE REDISTRICTING MEETINGS WHERE I SPENT THREE DAYS, NINE HOURS A DAY LISTENING TO PEOPLE PLEADING FOR FAIRNESS, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR FAIRNESS.
I'M LOOKING FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION.
IT'S THE ONLY REASON I SHOWED UP THAT BECAUSE I HAD TO TURN IN SOME PETITION SIGNATURES.
GOD BLESS Y'ALL FOR HOLDING THIS, UH, SPECIAL MEETING HERE TODAY.
GOD BLESS Y'ALL FOR DOING THIS.
WE SHOULDN'T EVER HAVE TO GO TO GRAND ISLE FOR A MEETING THAT'S CONDUCTING BUSINESS ON EAST BANK.
YOU WANNA HOLD A MEETING AT GRAND ISLE? JUST GO HAVE A PARTY IN GRAND ISLE FOR YOURSELVES.
GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE PARTY FOR YOURSELVES, BUT DON'T DO EAST BANK BUSINESS.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO GO TO GRANDLE.
OTHERWISE, I JUST GO THERE FOR THE TO RODEO.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, WISHING TO A FEE APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO SPEAK ON ITEMS, THE RESOLUTIONS ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING.
ALL RIGHT, SEEING NO ONE ELSE, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE ONE SPOKE THIS MORNING.
[RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS BY COUNCILMEMBERS]
ONE, A RESOLUTION, A RESOLUTION TO AMEND RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 4 8 7 2 8 RELATIVE TO THE 2026 JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR.IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE JULY 22ND, 2026 JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING TO 10:00 AM AT THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING, LOCATED AT 200 DERBY STREET IN GRETNA, LOUISIANA, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.
COUNCILMAN LOBERG, YOUR MOTION MOVE, COUNCILMAN LO LOBERG MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON.
THIS IS TO MOVE THE MEETING FROM GRAND ISLE TO GRETNA PUT UP.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT PUTTING THE FULL SCREEN.
FIVE YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, AND TWO ABSENT.
SO THE MEETING WILL BE MOVED FROM, UH, GRAND ISLE TO GRETNA TOMORROW.
THAT'S OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
MADAM CLERK, ITEM TWO, A RESOLUTION TO CANCEL THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE HELD AT 11:00 AM ON JULY 22ND, 2026 AT THE GRAND ISLE MULTIPLEX, LOCATED AT 31 0 1 LA ONE GRAND ISLE, LOUISIANA, 7 0 3 5 8 TO CONSIDER LEVERING ADDITIONAL AND INCREASED MILAGE RATES ON PROPERTY WITHOUT FURTHER VOTER APPROVAL OR ADOPTING THE ADJUSTED MILAGE RATES AFTER REASSESSMENT AND ROLLING FORWARD TO RATES, NOT EXCEEDING THE PRIOR YEAR'S MAXIMUM.
AND TO RESCHEDULE THAT PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:00 AM ON AUGUST 26TH, 2026 AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE JOSEPH S UNI BUILDING, LOCATED AT 1221 ELWOOD PARK BOULEVARD, JEFFERSON, LOUISIANA, 7 0 1 2 3.
AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE IN THE PREAMBLE SECOND, WHEREAS IN SECTION TWO TO CHANGE 10:00 AM TO 9:30 AM AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS MOVE.
COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES FOR APPROVAL SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKEN.
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NOW ON THE, UM, AMENDMENTS IF EVERYBODY CAN VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS.FIVE YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, AND TWO, ABSENT THE ITEM PASSES OR THE AMENDMENT PASSES, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCILMAN LEE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED? I MOVE COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES FOR APPROVAL SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN.
WE'RE VOTING NOW ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED, CLOSING THE VOTE.
ZERO NAYS, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, AND TWO, ABSENT.
THE ITEM PASSES AS AMENDED RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR, UM, FORMAL AGENDA.
SO ALL PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR ON SUBJECT MATTERS, UM, OF ANY VARIETY BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
SIR, I'LL TALK TO Y'ALL FOR A MINUTE.
UM, WHEN I'M AT THE REDISTRICTING MEETINGS ON BEHALF OF JEFFERSON, PARIS AND NOBODY ELSE, NOBODY ELSE SHOWS UP, RIGHT? NONE OF YOU CAN BRING YOURSELVES TO GET TO THERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF.
AND I WATCH EVERYBODY ELSE'S PARISH REPRESENTATIVES CATERED TO MR. LYONS ON THE WEST BANK.
MS. THOMAS SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, LIKE I'M SITTING HERE WITH YOU.
I SPENT NINE HOURS RIGHT THERE IN THEM HEARINGS LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY.
TROY CARTER, THE LEADERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THE LEADERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION GIVEN CAR BLANC BY A SUPER MAJORITY REPUBLICAN HELD LEGISLATURE, CAR BLANC GIVEN TO ANYBODY, ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AGAINST IT.
AND FOR NINE HOURS, WATCH MY NAME GOT BURIED.
I'M THERE AT SEVEN 30 IN THE MORNING.
MY PARTNER'S WAITING IN THE CAR WITH OUR DOG FOR NINE HOURS.
THEY DON'T HAVE PORTLETS OUT THERE.
WE'RE THE SECOND LARGEST PARISH.
THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON ON THE SENATE HOUSING AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THAT LIVES IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
NOT ONE MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE LIVES IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
EVERYTHING NORTH OF CALCA U EVERYTHING NORTH OF ST.
WE ARE LINKED, LINKED SAUSAGE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REGARDED AS.
DON'T EVER TELL ME ABOUT A DELEGATION WE HAVE.
I COULDN'T GET A QUESTION FROM EITHER ONE OF MY OWN REPRESENTATIVES, MY OWN PARISH REPRESENTATIVES CAN'T ASK ME A QUESTION TO EXTEND MY TIME.
KAREN CAR PETERSON, WHO IS A FELON, CAN'T VOTE, WAS GIVEN 22 MINUTES.
AND MY OWN PARISH REPRESENTATIVES CAN'T OFFER A QUESTION TO EXTEND ME THREE MINUTES.
AND YOU, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU OFFERED ME A QUESTION TO EXTEND MY TIME IN ANY OF THESE ROOMS EVER? AND DON'T THINK I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY ANY OF THIS.
IF I HAD A REPRESENTATIVE BODY THAT DIDN'T HAVE TWO SENATORS SITTING IN CAHOOTS AS AT LARGE MEMBERS, I WOULD NEVER SHOW UP.
EVERY SPECIAL DISTRICT, EVERY DISTRICT THAT'S TAXED DIFFERENTLY BY DIRECTLY TAXATION, DIRECT TAXATION REPRESENTATIVES, DIRECT TAXATION SHALL BE APPORTIONED.
I DON'T HAVE TO SEE THIS MAN OVER HERE LOOK UGLY AT ME.
I DON'T HAVE TO SEE HIS STINK GUY, THE POSTURING.
I DON'T HAVE TO BETRAY MY OWN WORD TO HIM.
I NEVER WANT COME BACK A PORTION THEM FIGURE THIS OUT, MAN.
MR. LON IS GIVING ME ADVICE ON HOW I COULD SUCCEED AT WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK, UM, BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING THIS MORNING? ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE, ONE SPOKE.
UM, MADAM CLERK COUNCIL WILL MOVE AHEAD AND HANNAN, MOTION TO ADJOURN.
COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNAN MOVES SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEE.
ALL IN FAVOR OPENING THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, GETTING ON OUTTA HERE.
THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE A QUORUM TO
ZERO ABSTENTIONS AND THREE ABSENT.
THANKS SO MUCH, UM, FOR ATTENDING THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
AND AGAIN, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL WILL BE TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY THE 22ND OF JULY
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10:00 AM IN GRETNA IN OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING.