* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. WE ARE GOING [SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS (Part 1 of 2)] TO BEGIN THE SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE ON THIS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH. AND COUNCILWOMAN ARITA BOHANNON IS GOING TO KICK US OFF IF WE CAN, UM, QUIET DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN THE CHAMBER SO WE CAN HEAR HER AND THE SPECIAL FOLKS SHE WANTS TO RECOGNIZE THIS MORNING. COUNCILWOMAN? ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING. I'M GONNA HAVE TRIP RABLEY COME JOIN ME. HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF LAPHERNEER PARK, AND WE'RE DOING A PROCLAMATION, UM, TODAY. AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE EVERYONE WEARING THESE BLUE SHIRTS, THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE RECOGNIZED TODAY FOR A VERY, VERY SPECIAL PARK THAT THEY'RE PLAYING IN THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS AT LAPHERNEER PARK. YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHRISTMAS LIGHT, SO IT'S A BIG YEAR, SO. ALL RIGHT, BUT THE PROCLAMATION READS, "WHEREAS TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, THE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES OF LAPHERNEER PARK. THEY WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO BRING THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK AT LAFFERNER PARK TO LIFE EACH AND EVERY YEAR. AND WHILE THE LIGHTS MAY SHINE FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS EACH SEASON, THE WORK BEHIND THEM CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. LONG BEFORE THE FIRST VISITOR DRIVES THROUGH THE GATES, THESE EMPLOYEES ARE HARD AT WORK PREPARING FOR ANOTHER CHRISTMAS SEASON. LITERALLY WHEN ONE CHRISTMAS SEASON ENDS, THEY BEGIN WORKING ON THE NEXT ONE. WHEREAS THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE TRULY SANTA'S ELVES, WHILE THOUSANDS OF VISIT- VISITORS ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND FESTIVE DISPLAYS EACH DECEMBER, MANY MAY NOT REALIZE THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF CREATIVITY, CRAFTSMANSHIP, PREPARATION, AND HARD WORK THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE. THE LIGHTS THEMSELVES ARE BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE REAL MAGIC COMES FROM THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM. ON DECEMBER 15TH OR DECEMBER 5TH, 1986, THE VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY ILLUMINATED LAFHERNIER PARK, BEGINNING A TRADITION THAT WOULD BECOME A CHERISHED PART OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON FOR GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES. CHILDREN WHO ONCE VISITED WITH THEIR PARENTS ARE NOW BRINGING THEIR OWN FAMILIES TO EXPERIENCE THAT SAME EXCITEMENT AND WONDER. THIS IS THE LASTING IMPACT OF THE WORK THAT THESE EMPLOYEES DO. WHEREAS WHAT STARTED 40 YEARS AGO HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND EVOLVE INTO THE BEST, THE BEST, AND MOST SPECTACULAR LIGHT DISPLAY IN THE REGION. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, COUNTLESS JEFFERSON PARISH EMPLOYEES HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN BUILDING THIS TRADITION, CARRYING ON A LEGACY THAT BEGAN FOUR DECADES AGO. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, COUNTLESS JEFFERSON PARISH EMPLOYEES HAVE PLAYED, UM... OH, I'M SORRY. I READ THAT ALREADY. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS. WHEREAS THIS YEAR, AS WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK, THE DISPLAY IS BIGGER AND BRIGHTER THAN EVER, WITH MORE THAN 50 NEW EDITIONS MAKING THEIR DEBUT IN 2026 ALONE. WHEREAS WHAT MAKES THIS DISPLAY ESPECIALLY REMARKABLE IS THE HANDCRAFTED DESIGN, THE BUILDING NEW DISPLAYS TO REPAIRING AND RESTORING AND MAINTAINING TREASURED FAVORITES. THESE EMPLOYEES PUT THEIR TALENTS AND THEIR PRIDES TO WORK. THEIR DEDICATION AND IMAGINATION HAS TRANSFORMED CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK INTO A HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE THAT IS TRULY SPECIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. WHEREAS WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE HERE CARRYING ON THIS TRADITION, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM, THOSE WHO HAD THE ORIGINAL VISION, THOSE WHO HELPED BUILD AND EXPAND THE DISPLAY, AND THOSE WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS HAVE MADE CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK WHAT IT IS TODAY. THANK YOU FOR 40 YEARS OF BRINGING CHRISTMAS MAGIC TO JEFFERSON PARISH AND FOR CREATING MEMORIES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SHINE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. NOW, THEREFORE, THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY EXTENDS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO EVERY EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYEE, PAST AND PRESENT, AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK A TREASURED JEFFERSON PARISH TRADITION. WE CELEBRATE YOU, WE CELEBRATE YOUR CREATIVITY, YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR HARD WORK, AND THE PRIDE YOU TAKE IN MAKING LAFHANEER PARK, PARK'S CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY THE BEST IN THE REGION. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE, WE HAVE CERTIFICATES OF MERITS FOR EVERYONE, BUT I'M GONNA READ OUT SOME NAMES SO YOU GUYS CAN COME ON UP AND TRIP'S GONNA ACTUALLY HAND YOU THE, UM, THE CERTIFICATE ITSELF, BUT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE... THERE'S THE PROCLAMATION TRIP. UM, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UM, YOU GUYS FOR TWO SEPARATE IMPORTANT CREWS. FIRST, WE HAVE THE CHRISTMAS AND LAUGHERNEY CREW THAT BUILD THE LIGHT DISPLAYS THAT YOU SEE, PUT THEM UP, TAKE THEM DOWN, STORE THEM. IT IS, IT IS A HUGE ENDEAVOR EVERY YEAR. AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE A SPECIAL CREW THAT WE'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE CALLED THE BONFIRE CREW. SO TRIP'S GONNA BE ANNOUNCING A VERY SPECIAL NEW TRADITION THAT HE'S ADDING TO THE CHRISTMAS DISPLAY THIS YEAR, AND IT IS GONNA BE A HUGE BONFIRE LIKE YOU SEE ON THE LEVEE, SO... AND HE'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT AND HAVE A VIDEO IN A LITTLE BIT. BUT, UM, OKAY, SO THE BONFIRE CREW, DAVID FRAY, MARK MANWAR, MIKE MUELLER, DARRYL JOHNSON, Y'ALL CAN COME ON UP AS I'M CALLING YOU, BRIAN JOSEPH, MARK, MARK [00:05:01] ST. SIER. HERE, HAND THAT TO YOU. UH, MARCUS WILLIAMS, BRAD GRATTON, LOUIS, UH, TRIMBLE, LAWRENCE TRIMBLE, UM, ROY DOMINIC, AND JEFFREY LANGFORD. AND THEN OUR REGULAR CHRISTMAS, UM, AND CHRISTMAS AND LAFFANEER CREW THAT HELP WITH THE LIGHT DISPLAYS AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT GOES IN MANAGING A WHOLE MONTH OF ACTIVITIES. MAVERICK CHARLES, KYLE BESKE, CHRIS CHRISTOPHEL, JOE BARRERA, JUSTIN MAYEW, RAYMOND JOHNSON, ANTHONY CARPOLA, CARPOR - CAPORA, UM, SYDNEY WATKINS, JAMES BAIN, JAMES VASQUEZ, RICARDO GONZALEZ, JAMES CHAPMAN, BUCK JO - JACKSON, JENNIFER MANWAR, ROY BLOOM, GREG BELLINGER, CHRIS HAMILTON, JAMAL CHAPMAN, JESSICA KOVAX, JEFF MUMPHREY, PAUL CLARK, STEVE ACARDO, RONALD TWO, MICHAEL COUCH, BYRON JENKINS, AND STEVEN VALIENTE. MR. VALIENTE IS A TRUE, TRUE, TRUE HERO. THAT MAN IS AMAZING IN HIS DESIGNS. WHERE IS HE? THERE HE IS. HALF OF THE DISPLAYS THAT YOU SEE WERE LITERALLY DESIGNED BY HIS HANDS. HE IS MAGIC. SO EVERYBODY COME ON UP, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE. YEAH, THEY DESERVE IT, YOU GUYS. AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY LIGHTS NOW WE HAVE? OVER FIVE MILLION, 10 MILLION LIGHTS? 10 MILLION LIGHTS, YOU GUYS. AMAZING. ALL RIGHT, COME ON UP. AND IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO COME, THE PARISH PRESIDENT - I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE THE SHIRT. GET IN THE BACK SOMEWHERE AND COME HOME. ALL RIGHT, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SQUEEZE IN. CAN Y'ALL, LIKE, ALL SQUEEZE IN SUPER CLOSE ON THE SIDE? YEAH, IF, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO VOLUNTEER TO, LIKE... YEAH, MAYBE WE DO - SHORT PEOPLE IN THE FRONT. DO WE WANNA DO THE BONFIRE CREW AND THEN THE LIGHT CREW? OH. JAMES, STAND RIGHT HERE. YEAH, I KNOW, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS. WE'RE GONNA GET ONE SHOT, THIS GROUP THIS WAY, THEN WE'RE GONNA GET A SEPARATE SHOT WITH EVERYBODY OVER HERE. ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL. EVERYBODY ON THIS SIDE LOOK THIS WAY ON THREE. ONE, TWO, THREE. WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW ON THREE. ONE, TWO, THREE. ONE, TWO, THREE. NOW WE TAKE YOU THIS WAY. OKAY. OH WAIT, YOU NEED TO COME UP HERE. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY. HERE WE GO ON THREE THIS WAY. ONE, TWO, THREE. AGAIN, ONE, TWO, THREE. AND ONE MORE. ONE, TWO, THREE. THANK YOU. YOU GUYS, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. YOU MAKE IT PROUD. Y'ALL MAKE IT SO PROUD. HOW ABOUT YOU? THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. BYE, YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS. APPRECIATE YOU. I LOVE THE SHIRTS. THAT IS FUNNY THOUGH. RIGHT NOW. YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE GOING AT [00:10:01] THE START. I'LL BRING MY JERSEY NEXT TIME. I KNOW. HALLOWEEN JERSEY. UGLY JERSEYS. YEAH, YEAH. WHATEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO. OKAY. [00:18:17] GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. [MEETING CALLED TO ORDER] IT IS OCTOBER THE 28TH, CLOSE TO HALLOWEEN. WE'RE, UM, GETTING OUR COUNCIL MEETING UNDERWAY HERE ON THE EAST BANK AT 1221 ELMWOOD PARK BOULEVARD AT THE YENNY BUILDING. IT IS 10:00 AM AND, UM, WE ARE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER. THIS MORNING, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH THE, UM, PLEDGE AND THE INVOCATION. OUR COUNCIL CLERK IS GOING TO DO THE HONORS, ELIZABETH. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, THANKING YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON PARISH. LORD, WE ASK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS BEFORE US TODAY. HELP US TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE FAIR, THOUGHTFUL, AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WE STAND, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WILL CALL THE ROLL. CHAIRWOMAN VAN RANKIN. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN WALKER. HERE. COUNCILMAN KERNER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN BONANNO. HERE. COUNCILMAN LEE. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON. COUNCILMAN LOZENBERG. PRESENT. PARISH PRESENT MS. LICHE. HERE. AND I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KERNER, I, I KNOW YOU ASKED FOR A MOMENT OF A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. [00:20:01] YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRWOMAN. UM, IF MAGGIE TALLEY, CAN SHE PLEASE STAND UP? IS SHE HERE? WELL, LOOK, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS GO SO WELL IN A DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE SO GOOD AT THEIR JOB THAT WE OFTEN TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, UH, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WHAT MAGGIE ACCOMPLISHED IN JUST THESE LAST FEW WEEKS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SO MEANINGFUL THAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER AND, AND SHOW HER, YOU KNOW, MY GRATITUDE, THE COUNCIL'S GRATITUDE, AND, UH, HOPING THE PUBLIC SEES IT AND, AND, AND COULD SHARE IN THAT GRATITUDE. WE HAD FEMA. IF Y'ALL KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FEMA, I KNOW THE DEPARTMENTS IN HERE, ALL THE DEPARTMENT H- HEADS HAVE, UH, LEARNED A LOT OF HARD LESSONS WITH FEMA THAT, LOOK, NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY AND YOU PUSH, SOMETIMES THAT THEY WON'T BUDGE. AND THE TIMELINE IS LONG. IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT, IT GOES WAY OVER THAN WHAT YOU EXPECT, WHAT THE PEOPLE DESERVE, AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT EVERY DAY TO KEEP IT ON, ON TRACK. WELL, WE HAD 126 HOMES IN THE ELEVATION PROGRAM, UM, AND 17, I BELIEVE, GENERATORS IN CRITICAL FACILITIES, RIGHT? WELL, USUALLY, UM, WELL, ACTUALLY, LET ME BACKTRACK. WE GOT AWARDED AND GOT APPROVED BY FEMA SO LATE THAT IT WAS SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE IT EXPIRED. SO WE ACTUALLY HAD TO WAIT TO GET APPROVED FOR FEMA WHEN WE WERE ALL READY TO GO FOR O- OVER A YEAR OR TWO. AND THEN WHEN IT WAS TIME, WHEN WE FINALLY GOT APPROVED, IT WAS SO CLOSE TO EXPIRATION DATE THAT WE COULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. THAT IS COMPLETELY BACKWARDS. SO, YOU KNOW, MAG- MAGGIE AND I MET TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO, AND, AND SHE GOT ON THE LINE RIGHT AWAY. AND USUALLY, THEY WON'T EVEN LET YOU DO AN APPEAL PROCESS TO EX - I MEAN, I MEAN, UH, TO EXTEND, UM, THAT, THAT FEMA GRANT UNTIL, WHAT, LIKE A MONTH OUT OR TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE? SO SHE GOT ON THE PHONE WITH GOSEP, SHE GOT ON THE PHONE WITH FEMA. SHE, SHE RAN THE RINGER, KEPT PUSHING, AND BECAUSE OF HER, IT WAS EXTENDED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE. NOW, I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND HOW RARE THAT IS, AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. USUALLY IT TAKES, UH, QUICKEST SIX MONTHS FOR, TO GET THAT EXTENSION. AND SOMETIMES UP TO A YEAR AND A HALF. AND WITH THE MIDTERMS AND GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS, THAT'S POSSIBLE. IT COULD TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS, TWO AND A HALF YEARS. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 126 FAMILIES, NOT JUST HOMES, FAMILIES. THAT NEXT HURRICANE SEASON, GOD FORBID WE HAD A STORM, WOULD HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. SO I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE AND, AND WHAT EXCELLENCE WE HAVE IN THAT DEPARTMENT THAT WE'VE HAD WITH MAGGIE AND MICHELLE PREVIOUSLY, MICHELLE GONZALEZ, UH, FOR FIGHTING SO HARD FOR THOSE FAMILIES. AND I THINK YOU DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT BECAUSE NEXT HURRICANE SEASON, WHEN THOSE 126 FAMILIES UP IN THE AIR PROTECTED FROM, UH, THE FLOODING AND BEING AT EASE WITHOUT THAT STRESS, THAT MEANS SOMETHING. AND I, I TRULY BELIEVE YOUR DEPARTMENT IS THE BEST, THE BEST AMONGST JEFFERSON PARISH, AND YOU PROVED IT YET AGAIN BY DOING SOMETHING NO ONE HAS DONE. UM, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, BECAUSE THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE DAMAGE, I'VE SEEN THE, THE HUMAN SUFFERING THAT OCCURS. AND WHEN SOMEBODY GOES WELL BEYOND HER, HER DUTIES, YOU COULD'VE JUST FOLLOWED THE NORMAL PROCEDURE, BUT YOU DIDN'T. YOU WENT BEYOND THOSE DUTIES, YOU STEPPED UP, YOU DID YOUR JOB, AND, AND EXCELLED THERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAGGIE TALLEY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW OUR F - MAGGIE IS OUR FLOODPLAIN MANAGER, AND YOU REALLY, I KNOW, ARE A RESOURCE, UM, REGIONALLY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. PARISH PRESIDENT, I KNOW, UH, THAT'S, IT'S A GOOD LEAD IN C - BECAUSE, UH, OVER ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, I KNOW WE HAVE MANY THAT REALLY EXCEED EXPECTATIONS EVERY DAY, AND SO, UM, WE'RE APPRECIATIVE. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING, UH, THAT DEPARTMENT, MAGGIE'S LEADERSHIP. UM, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WE ARE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ON THAT FRONT. UM, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM OF A THREE, WHICH IS VERY RARE. WE'RE IN THE TOP 1%. AND I'M GONNA GIVE SOME OTHER STATISTICS COINCIDENTALLY, UH, TODAY AS WELL. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING - AND I DO WANNA THANK YOU, PARISH PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THAT WAS YOUR HIRE AND YOU'RE THE ADMINISTRATION, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, ALL THE GOOD THAT THEY DO. THANK, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING, RECOGNIZING THAT DEPARTMENT. I'LL START OFF... DID YOU - YES, MA'AM. OKAY. [PARISH PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL] OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE DID. OKAY. YOU GONNA HEAR FROM THE PARISH PRESIDENT? UM, WE'LL START OFF WITH OUR, OUR NEW, NEW UTILITY BILL. IT'S NOT, IT'S THE SAME BILL, BUT WE HAVE, UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE, UM, RACHEL, YEAH. IT'S A NEW UTILITY BILL DESIGN, UM, AND I'M CALLING IT A UTILITY BILL. WE ALL CALL IT A WATER BILL. I STILL FALL INTO THAT TRAP OF CALLING IT A WATER BILL, BUT WE REALLY WANNA CHANGE, CHANGE, UM, THE, THE WORDING THAT WE USE. IT IS A UTILITY BILL. UM, AND WE WANNA COMBAT SEVERAL MISPERCEPTIONS WITH THIS EASIER TO UNDERSTAND FORMAT. ONE, THAT IT'S MORE THAN A WATER BILL. [00:25:01] IT'S A UTILITY BILL THAT INCLUDES WATER, SEWER, GARBAGE, AND OTHER FEES, INCLUDING MOSQUITO CONTROL, PARKS AND RECREATION FEES, A SAFE WATER FEE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE PROTECTION, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. AND THEN ALSO THESE BILLS OFTEN GET, UM, COMPARED TO MONTHLY BILLS WHEN THIS IS ACTUALLY A BILL THAT SERVES TWO MONTHS OF SERVICE. YOU CAN SEE ON THIS EXAMPLE BILL, THE DAYS OF SERVICE WE HAVEN'T READ IS 57 DAYS. SO IT'S NOT REALLY FAIR TO COMPARE THIS UTILITY BILL TO YOUR OTHER MONTHLY BILLS. WE WILL SWITCH TO ONCE A MONTH BILLING ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW SMART, UH, METER READERS AT EVERY RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. THAT'S 160,000 DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS. WE'RE 63% OF THE WAY THROUGH THAT PROCESS. HOPEFULLY, WE'LL COMPLETE ALL OF THAT BY MID NEXT YEAR. AND THEN OF COURSE, ONCE CUSTOMERS HAVE A SMART METER READER, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO DOWNLOAD THE DROP COUNTER, WHICH IS AN ONLINE PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO A RESIDENT'S SMART WATER METER AND SHOWS EXACTLY HOW MUCH WATER IS USED, WHEN IT'S USED, AND WHERE SAVINGS ARE POSSIBLE. SO INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR YOUR UTILITY BILL, DROP COUNTER LETS YOU SEE YOUR WATER USE DAILY, MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY FROM A COMPUTER, TABLET, OR SMARTPHONE. AND ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT FEATURES OF DROP COUNTER IS THE WATER THRESHOLD NOTIFICATION. THE SYSTEM ALLOWS USERS TO SET SPECIFIC PARAMETERS IN WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF THEY EXCEED THEIR WATER THRESHOLD. SO INFORMATION ABOUT DROP COUNTER IS ALSO LISTED ON THE BACK OF THE NEW UTILITY BILL. AND THEN CUSTOMERS WILL SOON SEE THE ROLLOUT OF THESE NEW UTILITY BILLS, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME INFORMATION PRESENTED IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT TO, UM, GET US AWAY FROM THINKING THE WHOLE BILL IS A WATER BILL. UM, CUSTOMERS WILL SOON SEE THE ROLLOUT OF THE NEW UTILITY BILLS OVER THE NEXT FEW BILLING CYCLES. WANNA THANK THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, OUR UTILITY SERVICES, AND OUR ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEM TEAMS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, UM, REDESIGN. AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UTILITY SERVICES AS WELL AS THE ONGOING WATER AND SEWER UPGRADES, YOU CAN VISIT JEFFPARISH.GOV/UTILITYSERVICES. OKAY, FOR A FINANCIAL UPDATE, WE HAVE GREAT NEWS WE HAVE FILED, AND THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR HAS ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF OUR 2025 AUDIT. WE'VE BEEN SAYING THIS IS NEARLY COMPLETION, SO WE FILED IT. WE BEAT OUR SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 31ST. THIS IS DUE IN LARGE PART TO OUR FINANCIAL TEAMS UNDER THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF MARK DOHERTY. OBVIOUSLY, VICTOR LAROCCA HAS BEEN, UM, CRITICAL IN THAT OVER THE PAST, UH, YEAR OR SO, AND PLUS DELOITTE'S ONGOING ASSISTANCE. THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE 2026 AUDIT WILL BE FILED TIMELY BY THE JUNE 30TH DEADLINE. SO I WANNA THANK OUR TEAMS FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS, AND NOW WE ARE, UM, WE'RE, WE ARE CURRENT ON OUR AUDIT. UM, GAO REPORT. THE NEXT UPDATE IS SOMETHING THAT I MENTIONED AT LAST WEEK'S STATE OF JEFFERSON PARISH WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT I DID WANNA REITERATE IT HERE BECAUSE IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR US. UM, IN OCTOBER 2026, THIS MONTH, THE US GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT, THE GA- GAO, UM, REPORT, JEFFERSON PARISH HAS THE HIGHEST NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION RATE IN THE COUNTRY. THIS MEANS THAT 71.2% OF PROPERTIES IN JEFFERSON PARISH MAINTAIN A FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY. AGAIN, OUT OF 301, 3,144 COUNTIES, JEFFERSON PARISH RANKS NUMBER ONE. FLOOD INSURANCE HELPS PROTECT PROPERTY OWNERS FROM FINANCIAL LOSSES AND SUPPORTS RECOVERY AFTER FLOODS, BUT ALMOST 90% OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT ARE HIGH RISK FOR FLOODS DON'T HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN JEFFERSON PARISH. SO THAT IS A BIG DEAL FOR JEFFERSON PARISH. WE ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. UM, AND AGAIN, THANKS TO MAGGIE'S EFFORTS IN THAT DEPARTMENT IN PUSHING THE NEED AND THE NECESSITY FOR FLOOD INSURANCE. UM, IEDC CONFERENCE ON SUNDAY, JEDCO INVITED ME TO SPEAK AT THE OPENING KICKOFF OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THIS WAS A HUGE CONFERENCE GOING ON NOW. HUNDREDS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS FROM AROUND THE, THE WORLD ARE IN NEW ORLEANS THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES, STRATEGIES, AND BEST PRACTICES RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY. ALSO AT THE CONFERENCE, JENCO, JEDCO WON TWO BIG AWARDS FROM THE IEDC, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR, THEY GOT A SILVER AWARD FOR THAT, AND THEY GOT A BRONZE AWARD FOR THE INNOVATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR THE GRAND ISLE JEWELS BRAND. UM, JEDCO WAS ALSO JUST RE-ACCREDITED FOR THE SIXTH TIME THROUGH IEDC. THEY ARE THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY ACCREDITED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE AND NUMBER TWO IN THE GULF SOUTH. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO JEDCO. JEDCO CONTINUES TO BE AN INVALUABLE PARTNER TO JEFFERSON PARISH AND A LEADER IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY. THEIR TEAM HAS HELPED MADE, BRING MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND NEW JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY WHILE FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES. THESE RECOGNITIONS DEMONSTRATE THE HIGH STANDARD JETCO HAS SET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REINFORCED THE IMPORTANT ROLE THEY PLAY IN CREATING NEW IMPO - NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PARISH. WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THEIR CONTINUED SUCCESS, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THOSE AWARDS. UM, THE ALARIO CENTER FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF NEW ORLEANS WILL BRING THEIR ANNUAL TOUCH A TRUCK [00:30:01] EVENT TO THE WEST BANK AT THE ALARIO CENTER ON NOVEMBER 13TH AND 14TH. FROM HELICOPTERS AND BULLDOZERS, FIRE ENGINES TO UTILITY TRUCKS, THIS FAMILY FAVORITE EVENT LETS KIDS OF ALL AGES, AS WELL AS ADULTS, CLIMB, EXPLORE, AND LEARN ABOUT THE MACHINES. TOUCH A TRUCK FEATURES DEDICATED EVENT HOURS DESIGNED TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE AND ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL FAMILIES, INCLUDING EARLY ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES, SENSORY-FRIENDLY QUIET TIME, AND A SPECIAL TICKET PROMOTIONS. THE EVENT OPENS WITH EARLY ACCESS AT 9:00 AM AND REGULAR DOORS AT 10:00 AM OPEN AND WILL RUN UNTIL 4:00 PM. SO FOR TICKETS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, VISIT JLNO.ORG/TOUCHATRUCK. UM, LIBRARY UPDATES. AVONDALE LIBRARY WILL HOST A TRUNK OR TREAT GATHERING THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY MOVIE, CRAFTS AND TREATS FOR THE COMMUNITY. GRAND ISLE LIBRARY GETS INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT WITH A FAMILY HALLOWEEN PARTY THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, WITH GAMES, SPOOKY STORY TIME, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. COSTUMES FOR ADULTS AND KIDS ARE ENCOURAGED. AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH LIBRARY WILL BE REPRESENTED AT THE 2026 LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL IN BATON ROUGE THIS SATURDAY FROM NINE TO FIVE ON THE GROUNDS OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX. STAFF WILL HOST AN INFORMATION TABLE AT A STATEWIDE LIBRARY ROUNDUP TENT WHILE CHRIS SMITH, DIRECTOR OF ADULT PROGRAMMING, WILL DISCUSS HIS NEW BOOK CALLED SKYLARK AT A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH OTHER AUTHORS. DAVID JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF MARKING, MARKETING WILL SERVE AS A MODERATOR AT THE THREE AUTHOR PANELS. LAWYERS IN LIBRARIES CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA BAR ASSOCIATION. LOCAL ATTORNEYS WILL OFFER FREE LEGAL CONS- CONSULTATION ON CIVIL MATTERS DURING SET HOURS AT BOTH THE OLD METAI AND TERRYTOWN LIBRARIES. VISIT JPLIBRARY.NET FOR DATES AND TIMES AND NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. CARS AND COFFEES WAS VERY POPULAR. IT RETURNS TO EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH FROM 9:30 TO 11:30 AM. OWNERS AND ADMIRERS OF VINTAGE AND CUSTOMIZED CARS SPANNING ALL MAKES AND MODELS ARE INVITED TO THIS FOURTH BIANNUAL PARKING LOT SHOWCASE FOR AUTO ENTHUSIAST. COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE SPECIAL, SPECIALLY ROASTED TO MARK THE LIBRARY'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY WILL BE OFFERED IN THE LIBRARY'S LOBBY. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR VETERANS DAY CEREMONY WILL HOST, WE'LL HOST OUR VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION CEREMONY ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH AT 10:00 AM AT VETERANS MEMORIAL SQUARE ACROSS FROM MACY'S LAKESIDE PARKING GARAGE AT LAKESIDE SHOPPING CENTER. THIS CEREMONY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND IT WILL BE STREAMED LIVE ON JPTV, WHICH IS CHANNEL SIX ON COX AND CHANNEL 99 ON AT&T UVERSE, THE JEFFERSON PARISH FACEBOOK PAGE AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH WEBSITE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE PARISH PRESIDENT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE NOW AT THE PORTION OF OUR COUNCIL MEETING WHERE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN COME FORWARD. I'M SORRY. OH, I'M [SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS (Part 2 of 2)] SORRY. WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION. I FORGOT BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER, BUT TRIP RABALAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD MISS YOU IN THAT JACKET. BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME, UH, SOME INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH US. SO I WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND A, A GREAT THANKSGIVING, BUT IT IS CHRISTMAS IN LAPINEER PARK ALREADY. THE JEFFERSON PARISH LIGHT SHOW THAT WE DO IN JEFFERSON, IN LAVENDER PARK IS WELL UNDERWAY. LOOK AT, WE EVEN HAVE HATS UP AT THE DAY, THAT'S FOR YOU GUYS. THAT'S RIGHT. SO I LEFT AT EACH OF YOUR DESKS, WE HAVE CHRISTMAS CUPS THIS YEAR. WE HAVE CHRISTMAS, UH, WISH COINS. EVERY SINGLE CAR THAT COMES THROUGH IS GONNA GET THAT BAG FULL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE THIS TO MAKE ME LOOK GOOD BECAUSE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE 5TH, 1986, PEOPLE HAD THE VISION TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. AND WITHOUT THAT, I'M NOT STANDING HERE. I'M NOT IN THIS CRAZY OUTFIT AS USUAL. AND WHAT THEY COMMITTED FOR IN THAT WAS THAT THE FUNDS FROM THIS WERE ALWAYS GONNA BE USED TO CONTINUE TO PUT IT ON. AND THAT COMMITMENT IS STILL TRUE TODAY. WHEN WE TAKE IN, WE SPEND ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR. AND I KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE PARISH PRESIDENT LIKES TO SAY THE NEXT LEVEL. I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THIS YEAR, AND THIS IS WHY I'M DOING IT TODAY SO THAT YOU CAN PLAN YOUR CALENDARS. WE'LL HAVE A DRONE SHOW, A TRADITIONAL LOUISIANA BONFIRE. AS I SAID, THE WISHCOIN CUPS AND BAGS. WE ALSO HAVE 60 NEW FEATURES. BOY, MY VOICE CRACKED PRETTY BAD THERE, DIDN'T IT? 60 NEW FEATURES THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE LIGHTS THIS YEAR. MOST OF THOSE WERE BUILT BY STEVE VALIENTE, THE PA - THE PATRONS OF LAFVENEER PARK HELPED PAY FOR THE, THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. UH, MR. COPELAND BOUGHT US A BRAND NEW SIX FOOT TALL SWITCH TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON. [00:35:01] THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS YOU DON'T WANNA MISS THIS YEAR. I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE. LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS SONG WHICH JUSTIN HAS PUT PART OF IT TO A VIDEO WE'RE GONNA SHOW IN JUST A SECOND. BUT I WANNA RECOGNIZE LOUIS CHARBONNET. MR. LEWIS CAME ON BOARD A FEW YEARS BACK WITH MID-CITY CARRIAGES AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CARRIAGES DURING THE LIGHTS IN LAFFNERE PARK BECAUSE THIS MAN MADE THE COMMITMENT AND I KNOW HE LOSES A TON OF MONEY DOING IT, BUT IT IS A WONDERFUL PART OF THE, THE LIGHTS. AND THEN STEVE SCOFINI IS HERE. THERE HE IS. HE IS ACTUALLY THE WRITER OF THE SONG AND HE HAS DONATED IT TO JEFFERSON PARISH. HE WROTE, HE WROTE THE SONG AND IT IS, I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD. I THINK IT'S BETTER THAN, IT'S BETTER THAN I'VE EVER DONE. BUT LOOK, IT IS, IT'S GONNA BE A PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH FROM NOW ON. UH, THE CARDS IN YOUR, THE CUPS HAVE THE LYRICS ON IT AND THE QR CODE BRINGS YOU TO A VERSION YOU CAN DOWNLOAD YOURSELF AND KEEP AND PASS ON TO EVERYBODY ELSE. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR. OBVIOUSLY I'M HERE IN OCTOBER, BUT I REALLY WANT EVERYBODY TO, TO PLAN YOUR, YOUR TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH STUFF COMING, UH, A WAGON PARADE. AND, AND I CAN'T THANK, I, I HOPE YOU GOT TO SEE THIS ISN'T ME. I'M JUST THE GUY WHO STANDS UP HERE AND ACTS LIKE A CLOWN. THE GUYS THAT WERE HERE MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WITHOUT THEM, WITHOUT LAFONYER PARK STAFF, RECREATION STAFF, PARKWAY STAFF, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING STAFF, STAFF FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, STREETS WAS IN THERE THE OTHER DAY FIXING THE STREETS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE BUMPS FOR PEOPLE TO WORRY ABOUT TRIPPING OVER. WITHOUT ANY OF THAT, WE CAN'T DO THIS. SO, UH, AS A CONCLUSION, ALL I REALLY WANNA DO IS PLAY THE SONG, LET YOU GUYS HEAR PART OF IT. OF COURSE, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANY, OTHER THAN TIM DINO, I DON'T TAKE QUESTIONS FROM HIM ANY LONGER. BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS. BUT I THINK IF, I THINK WE'RE READY TO PLAY THE VIDEO. BETTER BE LUCKY COUNCILMAN VAN RANKIN TOOK MY STEAM FROM ME ALREADY BECAUSE I, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WEARING A COAT AND TIE TODAY. IT'S NICE OF YOU. THREE, TWO, ONE. EVERYBODY'S CHRISTMAS TIME. THE LIGHTS ARE SHINING BRIGHT. COME ON DOWN IN JEFFERSON PARISH. OUR PARK IS A WONDERFUL SIDE. THE KIDS CAN HOP ON THE CAROUSEL AROUND AND AROUND. THEY GO RIDE IN A CARRIAGE UNDER HEELS WITH A MILLION LIGHTS. CHRISTMAS COMES TO LIFE. COME EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF THE SEASON WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHT. THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS FLOW THROUGH THE TREES, THE COLORFUL LIGHTS. THERE'S MAGIC IN THE PARK TONIGHT. SANTA CLAUS IS WAITING FOR YOU. SO I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAPPY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. UH, I, I, I, I TOOK THE NEXT LEVEL THING KIND OF SERIOUSLY WHEN CYNTHIA PUT IT OUT. SO I THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR HELP. I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS. I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME TO MAKE THIS AS, AS GREAT OF AN EVENT AS IT IS. THANK YOU, TRIP. COUNCILWOMAN. YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THE NOD TO, TO OUR HISTORY, BUT TRIP, YOU, YOU ALWAYS GO BIG OR GO HOME AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU. I REALLY AM. BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M IN THE SPIRIT. BUT YOU FORGOT TO MENTION ONE VERY BIG THING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR TOO, WHICH IS THE LETTERS TO SANTA. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MAILBOX THAT YOU CAN DROP YOUR LETTERS OFF. AND IF YOU INCLUDE YOUR PARENTS' EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE LETTER, SANTA WILL EMAIL YOUR PARENTS BACK. WE'LL EMAIL YOU BACK AND ATTACH YOUR LETTER SO THE PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT YOU REQUESTED. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. TRIP, TRIP AND I HAVE DEBATED THIS BECAUSE HE'S AFRAID WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVERYBODY, BUT WE WILL. WE WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVERYBODY. SO IT'S A BIG, BIG YEAR IN LANFORDIER PARK. I'M PROUD OF YOU. I'M PROUD OF YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. UM, YOU GUYS ALWAYS JUST MAKE IT BIG. AND LISTEN, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE HAVE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE COMING BACK WITH THEIR GRANDKIDS TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEIR PARENTS BROUGHT THEM. SO IT'S A BIG DEAL. WE ARE THE BIGGEST LIGHT DISPLAY IN THE ENTIRE REGION AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU. CONGRATS. WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ME, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN THERE. AND I'M GONNA QUOTE MR. JOHN HAYES, WHO RETIRED ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO NOW. "THIS IS ALL MADE WORTHWHILE WHEN YOU SEE THE KIDS' EYES WHEN THOSE LIGHTS FLIP ON. WHEN THAT, THAT OPENING NIGHT AND YOU SEE THE KIDS LOOK AT THOSE LIGHTS WHEN THEY COME ON, [00:40:01] ALL OF THE HEADACHES, ALL OF THE HEARTACHE, ALL OF THE RUNNING TO GET THIS AND TO GET THAT AND THE THROWING STUFF AT EACH OTHER AND, AND ALL OF IT'S WORTH IT BECAUSE THOSE KIDS HAVE SUCH A GOOD TIME DOING THIS AND WE REALLY, IT, WE PUT OUR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO IT. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE WILL HAVE A HUGE BONFIRE. YES. SO EVERYBODY STAY GLUED TO THE PARISH CALENDAR BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A BIG MONTH. YES. WE ARE GONNA HAVE A PAR - WE, AND, AND SO THAT EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE, I HAVE INCORPORATED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT SAFELY. I'M NOT JUST SETTING A FIRE WITHOUT ANY DIRECTION. WELL, THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW. THANK YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND IT, IT REALLY IS SPECIAL. I KNOW, UM, I'M OF THE ERA WHERE WE GREW UP WITH THE, UM, COPELAND HOME LIGHTS AND PASSING THE COPELANDS. AND, UM, IT'S JUST REALLY SPECIAL THAT OUR PARISH DOES SOMETHING THAT IS A LIFETIME MEMORY, UM, AND PART OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF LIVING IN JEFFERSON. IT'S A PERFECT SEGUE TO VIOLET PETERS, WHO IS WITH THE JEFFERSON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, WHO, HER AND HER TEAM, IT'S THEIR JOB TO PROMOTE ALL OF THE FABULOUS THINGS, UM, THAT DO COME WITH LIFE IN JEFFERSON PARISH. SO VIOLET, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE LAUNCHING, UM, A NEW, UH, CAMPAIGN, UH, A NEW PODCAST. SO WE WANTED TO, TO, UH, HAVE YOU SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME. AND I WANT TO TELL TRIP CONGRATULATIONS TOO. I GUESS HE ALREADY LEFT THE ROOM, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM, THE ENTIRE, UM, COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY THAT PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT BECAUSE OUR VISITORS GET TO ENJOY IT ALONG WITH OUR LOCALS. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UM, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. I'M THRILLED TO BE UP HERE THIS MORNING TO REPRESENT OUR TWO BILLION DOLLAR VISITOR INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY AND THE 21,000, NEARLY 21,000 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN OUR INDUSTRY WITHIN JEFFERSON PARISH. UM, AND VISIT JEFFERSON PARISH IS EXCITED TO LAUNCH OUR NEW CAMPAIGN THAT REFLECTS NOT JUST WHERE WE ARE ON THE MAP, BUT ALSO WHO WE ARE AS A DESTINATION AND WHAT WE OFFER TO EVERY VISITOR WHO COMES TO OUR REGION. VISITORS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY DON'T STOP AT THE PARISH LINE. THEY EXPLORE, THEY WANDER, THEY LOOK FOR WHAT'S NEXT. THEY LOOK FOR EXPERIENCES THAT FEEL AUTHENTIC AND CONNECTED TO THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. AND THAT IS WHERE JEFFERSON PARISH SHINES. BEYOND THE BIG EASY, IT OFFERS SOMETHING THAT COMPLIMENTS NEW ORLEANS RATHER THAN COMPETES WITH IT. WE OFFER THE WATER, THE WILDLIFE, THE TRAILS, THE SEAFOOD, THE SMALL TOWNS, THE FAMILY ADVENTURES, THE MARSHLAND MORNINGS, AND THE KIND OF LOUISIANA THAT FEELS BOTH FAMILIAR AND YET NEWLY DISCOVERED. WE OFFER THE CHAPTER THAT COMES AFTER THE FRENCH QUARTER, THE PART OF THE STORY THAT VISITORS DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE MISSING. AND BEYOND THE BIG EASY TELLS VISITORS EXACTLY WHAT JEFFERSON PARISH IS. IT'S THE NEXT STEP. IT'S THAT NEXT STORY, THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE, AND IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE POWER OF NEW ORLEANS WHILE CONFIDENTLY CLAIMING OUR OWN IDENTITY. IT POSITIONS US AS THE PLACE WHERE THE CITY'S RHYTHM GIVES WAY TO OPEN WATER, QUIET TRAILS, FRESH OYSTERS, AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES. BEYOND THE BIG EASY ALLOWS US TO SHOW JEFFERSON PARISH AS A NATURAL PART OF A VISITOR'S JOURNEY IN NEW ORLEANS, THE PLACE THEY GO TO BREATHE, TO EXPLORE, TO TASTE, TO RECONNECT AND TO SEE LOUISIANA IN A WAY THEY CAN'T SEE ANYWHERE ELSE. SO WE INVITE YOU, OUR LEADERS, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STORYTELLERS, IF YOU WILL, TO HELP US SHARE WITH THE WORLD WHAT WAITS JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY SPOTLIGHT TO WELCOME INTO THE, THEM INTO THE PLACES WHERE LOUISIANA OPENS UP, SLOWS DOWN, AND COMES ALIVE. LET'S INVITE THEM TOGETHER TO EXPLORE BEYOND THE BIG EASY. MOVE TO THE RHYTHM OF WINGS OVER WATER, WHERE NATURE'S FEET RISES AROUND YOU, UNTAMED AND UNFORGETTABLE. AND HEAT UP SOME COFFEE NOW. SETTLE INTO THE STILLNESS OF THE BAYOU OR RIDE THE RUSH THROUGH THE SWAMP. VISIT JEFFERSON PARISH, WHERE LIFE MOVES AT THE PACE YOU CHOOSE, JUST BEYOND THE BIG EASY. WELL, WE ARE ALSO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE NEW PODCAST SERIES BEYOND THE BIG EASY PREMIERING TODAY. IT JUST DROPPED ON YOUTUBE. IT'S DESIGNED TO INSPIRE BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO DISCOVER THE EX - THE EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE JEFFERSON PARISH ONE OF LOUISIANA'S MOST VIBRANT AND DIVERSE DESTINATIONS. EACH EPISODE WILL TAKE LISTENERS ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE PEOPLE, THE PLACES, [00:45:01] THE TRADITIONS AND ATTRACTIONS THAT SHAPE THE UNIQUE IDENTITY OF JEFFERSON PARISH. AND THE MISSION OF THE PODCAST IS TO EDUCATE LISTENERS ABOUT JEFFERSON PARISH AS A DESTINATION, AGAIN, WITH ITS OWN IDENTITY AND CHARACTER WHILE EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO EXPLORE EVERYTHING IT HAS TO OFFER. THE, AGAIN, THE NOR - INAUGURAL EPISODE WILL BE AVAILABLE BEGINNING TODAY ON YOUTUBE AND WITH NEW EPISODES RELEASED MONTHLY. AND I WANNA BE SURE TO END WITH A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU, TO THE PARISH PRESIDENT, TO HER ADMINISTRATION, TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR SUPPORT. EVERY SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE IS REALLY YOUR SUCCESS. SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT YOU DO TO HELP MOVE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY INTO A STRONGER POSITION AND THAT HELPS CREATE A VITAL ECONOMY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOT SURE ABOUT THE SCREEN, BUT IT'S... IT'S ALREADY TIRED THIS MORNING. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. AND IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING. WE LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, THAT WE ENJOY HERE IN JEFFERSON AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT VIOLET GETS TO PROMOTE ACTUALLY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ATTRACTING NEW RESIDENTS AND NEW BUSINESSES, NOT JUST, UM, NEW TOURISTS, UH, BUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE HERE FOR AND TO ENJOY. SO THANKS SO MUCH, VIOLET. APPRECIATE IT. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE WILL BEGIN THE PORTION OF THE COUNCIL [PERSONS WISHING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL REGARDING A RESOLUTION(S) ON AGENDA/ADDENDUM AGENDA] MEETING WHERE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE ON ANY RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS HERE WHO ARE, UM, INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL HAVE ITS OWN HEARING WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP. SO AGAIN, THIS PORTION IS IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ON A RESOLUTION ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. IF YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD WHEN YOU, UM, ARE AT THE PODIUM. NO, MA'AM. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS VIVIAN CORSON. I LIVED IN NEW ORLEANS FOR LIKE 40 YEARS. I'VE BEEN IN JEFFERSON PARISH FOR THE LAST 43 YEARS. SAME ADDRESS. MY ISSUE TODAY, I'M HERE FOR MY CONCERNS AND CONCERNS OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR UTILITY BILLS, ESPE- ESPECIALLY THE WATER BILL. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE INCONSISTENCY OF THE AMOUNT OF MY BILL EVERY TWO MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING. IT GOES FROM 9,000 GALLONS, 6,000 GALLONS, 10,000 GALLONS. MY LAST BILL BEFORE THIS ONE WAS 1,000 GALLONS. I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY HABITS IN THIS WHOLE TIME. AND THEN IN THE LAST YEAR, THAT HAS BEEN WHAT I HAVE ON RECORD. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING THE DATES OF THE BILLING, THE DATES OF THE CYCLE, THE AMOUNT OF DAY, UH, DAYS ON THE BILL, AND THE AMOUNTS THAT I WAS CHARGED. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS I CAN'T GET ANY HELP FROM ANYBODY, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY EARLIER, WHICH I FORGOT, I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS BEFORE, AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF FUN. MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO POLITICS BEFORE NOW. I DON'T KNOW. BUT ANY HELP THAT I CAN GET. I EVEN HAD TWO PEOPLE READ MY METER OTHER THAN THE, UH, PARISH PEOPLE. AND THE METER WITH THE WATER IS ON IS NOT EVEN MOVING. I HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH. YOU CAN'T EVEN READ THE METER. THAT'S ANOTHER THING. I'VE DONE ALL THE TRICKS THEY'VE TOLD ME TO DO TO SEE IF I'VE HAD LEAKS. I'VE BEEN GUARANTEED BY MY PLUMBER, NO LEAKS. SO WHATEVER YOU ALL CAN DO TO HELP TO GET THIS RESOLVED, I CAN'T GET IT DONE ON MY OWN. I'D APPRECIATE IT. SYDNEY BASLEY'S OVER THERE. I THINK WE JUST WANNA LOOK AT THE, YOUR SPECIFIC LOCATION AND, AND SYDNEY CAN HELP, UH, DO THAT. I CAN GIVE HIM THESE THINGS? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, WE HAVE, UM, GOTTEN SIMILAR STORIES, SO, UM, AGAIN, WE'LL BE INTERESTED TO FOLLOW UP, UH, ON WHAT WE FIND OR OUR WATER DIRECTOR FINDS WITH THAT, UM, SITUATION. AND POLITICS BEING FUN IS ONE WORD THAT YOU CAN USE. IT'S ONE, IT'S ONE WORD. ANYONE ELSE? YES. YES, WE DID. THIS - THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE - NO, NO, NO. THAT'S AT THE END OF THE AGENDA. SO THIS IS RESOLUTIONS ON THE COUNCIL, UM, AGENDA. I- IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON A RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA. I LOOKED THROUGH. I DIDN'T SEE ANY WATER BILLING ISSUE ON THE AGENDA. SO I- I WAS JUST CONFUSED AS TO WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER BILL AT ALL. THERE IS. THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT ARE, UM, IN SUMMARY THAT [00:50:01] ARE RELATED TO WATER. I DIDN'T HEAR ANY MENTION OF- OF THE ITEM NUMBER. AND THE ONLY ONE THAT I SAW THAT WAS ON HERE THAT'S RELATED TO THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 77. SO WERE WE TALKING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 77 DURING THIS? IT'S IN THE ORDINANCES SET TO BE DEFERRED, BUT THEY'RE ON THE AGENDA. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT A RESOLUTION. THE ONLY WATER BILL ISSUE I SAW ON THE AGENDA WAS ITEM NUMBER 77, AND THAT'S ON MY LIST OF ITEMS TO SPEAK ABOUT. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. MY NAME'S FRANKIE HYERS. I CAME TO SPARK A LITTLE CURIOSITY AND THE WAY I COULD GO. I HAVE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE TO SPEAK ON, INCLUDING NUMBER 77, WERE 36, 37, 49, 50 TO 54, 68, 77, 78, 80 THROUGH 87. 77 I FIND TO BE A- A COMPLETE WASTE OF MY MONEY WHILE I CAN'T PAY FIREMEN. I'M GONNA GIVE TOSS 15 GRAND TO LSU TO- TO DO SOMETHING THAT I SPOKE ABOUT IN 2022. EXERCISE RESTRAINT. YOU GOT A TON OF MONEY, A BIG OLD SACK OF CHANGE FROM, UH, THE FEDERAL MONEY FOR GRANTS FROM IDA, AND THEN YOU STARTED THIS WHOLE PLAN TO- TO BASICALLY MILK RATE PAYERS. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS. NOBODY HAS TO BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS. YOU CAN REPEAL THAT SAME AUTHORITY THAT YOU USED TO INCREASE THE WATER RATES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A MONTHLY BILLING. BUT THIS IS A LONG, LONG GAME OF STEALING FROM THE T - RATE PAYERS BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO IGNORANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING, TOO MUCH TIME TAKEN TO HAVE TO DO ALL THIS. REGARDS TO NUMBER 78, THAT ONE'S A PARTICULARLY, I THINK, OFFENSIVE TO ME PERSONALLY. THE IDEA THAT I'M GONNA PAY FOR OUTSIDE RESEARCH FOR THE PARIS ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT YOU DEFER TO, TO THROW ME OUT, EVEN THOUGH I'M TRYING TO REGISTER MY CONSTITUTIONAL OP- OPPOSITIONS TO YOUR ACTIONS. WHETHER I'M HERE TO OPPOSE YOU BASED ON THE QUID PRO QUO THAT'S DIVULGED UNDER THIS CAMPAIGN THING THAT YOU USED TO LET MR. AL MISCONSTRUE AS TO BE SOME KIND OF CUMULATIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND HAD HIM RECITING THIS AT THE END OF A MEETING WHEN IT ONLY RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS THAT MUST BE, MUST BE DISCUSSED BEFORE THEY'RE DECIDED UPON. ANY OPPOSITION I HAVE TO ANYTHING YOU DO ON ANY GROUNDS I MIGHT MUSTER HAS TO BE REGISTERED BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION. I CAN'T SAVE IT FOR THE END OF THE MEETING IF I OPPOSE YOU ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS. IT HAS TO BE REGISTERED BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION. THAT'S JUST THE RULES. I DIDN'T MAKE THEM UP. SO ON REGARDS TO YOUR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, ITEM NUMBER 36, I DEMAND THAT ARITA, HANS, AND TIMOTHY RECUSE THEMSELVES. THEY GOT $5,000 EACH OF THEM TOWARDS THIS ITEM TO BE HAVING IT DONE. IT'S NOT PERSONAL. IT'S JUST YOU, THE TOP MONEY GETTERS. ANYBODY, YOU GET TWO GRAND OR LESS, I DON'T CARE. TWO GRAND OR LESS, THAT'S CHUMP CHANGE. SO I'M NOT EVEN GONNA BOTHER WITH ANYBODY WHO TOOK TWO GRAND TO APPROVE SOMETHING IN HERE. ITEM NUMBER 37, THE CHAIRPERSON TOOK FIVE GRAND. YOU COULD RECUSE YOURSELF FROM APPROVING THAT, PULL IT OUT OF ORDER. WITH THE ITEM NUMBER 49, ARITA HAS FOUR GRAND TOWARDS HER NEXT CAMPAIGN. UH, MR. KERNER HAS FIVE GRAND. HANS IS 3,500. YOU CAN ALL RECUSE YOURSELVES ACCORDINGLY. REGARDS TO, UH, THAT SAME ITEM, THERE'S ANOTHER TWO GRAND FROM, UH, BAKER SMITH. THAT'S STILL TOWARDS THAT SAME ITEM THAT WENT TO FOURTH DISTRICT. WITH REGARDS TO THE ADDENDUM ITEM TWO AND 49, THERE'S ANOTHER COUPLE THOUSAND SPREAD ACROSS THE SAME LIKELY SUSPECTS. WITH REGARDS TO ITEM NUMBER 50, EVERYBODY'S GOT SOME MONEY IN THAT ONE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT. LOOK, I DON'T F- FIGURE IT OUT. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON ANY RESOLUTION ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA? ALL RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE... YES? SO IF YOU... OKAY. IF YOU HAVE, UM, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, UM, IN GENERAL, THAT'LL BE AT THE END OF THE MEETING. SO RIGHT NOW IS FOR RESOLUTIONS. I KNOW MANY ARE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. UM, SO THIS IS IF YOU WANNA TALK ON A RESOLUTION, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ON AN ORDINANCE, THAT WILL COME UP INDIVIDUALLY. AND THEN IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE, THAT'LL BE AT THE END. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, UM, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAD, UH, TWO PEOPLE WHO SPOKE, UM, IN THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ORDINANCES [ORDINANCES TO BE DEFERRED] TO BE DEFERRED. I HAVE, UH, A NOTATION THAT ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX ARE TO BE DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER THE 18TH. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO DEFER ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX TO NOVEMBER 18TH, UM, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE TO DEFER. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM PASSES, AND THOSE [00:55:01] ITEMS ARE DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER 18TH. MADAM CLERK, ITEM SEVEN IS EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, I NOTE THAT WE HAVE NONE. AND NOW MOVING INTO [SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES] THE PORTION OF THE AGENDA WHERE THIS RELATES TO ORDINANCES THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR ADOPTION TODAY. SO, UH, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'D READ ITEM EIGHT. SUMMARY NUMBER 26822, RE-SUB OF LOTS A AND 2A, SQUARE 12, BEVERLY KNOLL EXTENSION SUBDIVISION INTO LOT 2B SQUARE 12, ES-101-26, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. ALL RIGHT. UM, WE'RE NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. UH, A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCES ALLOWS 15 MINUTES FOR PROPONENTS, 15 MINUTES FOR OPPONENTS, AND THEN FIVE MINUTES FOR, UM, REBUTTAL. SO IF YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. AGAIN, WE'RE ON ITEM EIGHT, SUMMARY NUMBER 26822. ANYONE IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE, UH, WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. UH, MORNING TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE, UH, PARISH PRESIDENT AND STAFF. UM, BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE SPEAKING IN, UH, FOR THE, THE MOTION LIKE THEY WERE AT THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD, UH, WE'LL JUST KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET. WE HAVE, UH, ABOUT 30 MEMBERS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE AGAINST, UM, PASSING THIS ORDINANCE, THE REQUEST OF COMBINING THE LOTS. THERE'S ABOUT A DOZEN OF US HERE TODAY. UH, WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY ASKING THAT IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHAT THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD HAS ALREADY ADVISED ON THIS AND DENYING THE MOTION. SO, UM, UH, MR. TERRY MALONE WHO'S BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER 40 YEARS WITH HIS WIFE, PAM, I THINK JUST WILL SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, BUT WE'LL TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME'S TERRY MALONE. I, UH, HAVE LIVED AT 324 ATHERTON DRIVE FOR 38 YEARS, RAISED MY KIDS. AND, UM, SO I'M HOPING THIS IS THE END OF THIS THING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH. UM, I'VE ONLY HAD FEAR OF ANYTHING HAPPENING TO BEVERLY KNOLL OVER THE 38 YEARS I'VE LIVED THERE. AND THIS IS THE FIRST ONE, NOT SECOND ONE, I SHOULD SAY, IS THAT THIS GENTLEMAN WANTS TO TAKE OVER AND MAKE A THROUGH LOT ON, IN BEVERLY KNOLL. AND IF YOU READ THE HISTORY OF BEVERLY KNOLL, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT THIS CANNOT HAPPEN TO BEVERLY KNOLL, AND IT'S EVEN FURTHER, UH, PROVEN BECAUSE THE POWER COMPANIES HAVE RUN THEIR LINES THROUGH THE ADJOINING BACKYARDS OF THIS, YOUR RESIDENCES FACING ATHERTON, DORRINGTON, JEFFERSON, GLENDALE, ON AND ON. SO IT'S JUST AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST BY THIS GENTLEMAN. UM, SO I ALSO FOUND WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE, UM, LOOKING, LOOKING THROUGH THE HISTORY OF BEVERLY KNOLL, THE ENVISION JEFFERSON 2040, VERY INTERESTING, MULTIPLE PAGE REPORT. GOAL TWO IS THAT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SAFE, COHESIVE, AND THRIVING. OBJECT, OBJECTIVE NUMBER SIX, PROTECT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS FROM INCOMPARABLE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT. THAT'S WHAT THIS SOUNDS LIKE HE WANTS TO DO. SO ENOUGH SAID, LET'S MOVE ON MY TIME. AND OH, BY THE WAY, Y'ALL PROBABLY WANNA KNOW THE OTHER THING THAT SCARED ME ABOUT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING TO BEVERLY KNOLL. OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO, IN LATE AUGUST, I WAITED DOWN ATHERTON DRIVE IN WATER UP TO MY WAIST, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE END. NOBODY'S COMING BACK. BUT BOY, WAS I WRONG. WE GOT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD. LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MALONE. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM? IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. PETER AM AT 238 ATHERTON. UH, I'LL MAKE THIS REALLY BRIEF, UH, SINCE THE APPLICANT DIDN'T SHOW UH, THE STAFF [01:00:01] REPORT, JUST FOR EVERYBODY WHO DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ IT, WAS FANTASTIC. SIX POINTS, UH, PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL. PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED DENIAL. REQUEST NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE ENVISION JEFFERSON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. UH, FOR WAIVERS, IT MEETS NONE OF THE EIGHT CRITERIA. THE REQUEST IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH MOST OF THE PARISH ORDINANCES AND PLANS, INCLUDING MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS, ZONING, LAND USE, LOT AND BLOCK STANDARDS, AND DESIGN. AND THE WORDS CONFLICTS WITH DOES NOT MEET CRITERIA, DOES NOT COMPLY WITH ARE LISTED OVER 14 TIMES. AND MORE THAN THAT, THE PROPONENT OR APPLICANT NEVER HAS SPOKEN WITH ANYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR ADJACENT TO HIS PROPERTY. SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANKS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. THOUGH Y'ALL SAID Y'ALL WERE GONNA BE BRIEF. KEN HARRELL, 350 JEFFERSON AVENUE, PART OF THIS CREW OF NEIGHBORS THAT DON'T WANNA SEE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US. PLEASE VOTE IT DOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I THINK WE'VE ALL RECEIVED, UM, THE PETITIONS THAT YOU ALL SUBMITTED. SO I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE DONE A LOT OF, UH, LEGWORK ON THIS AND, AND SHARED THAT WITH THE COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. YOU ALL HAVE, UH, DO HAVE A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I'M NOT TOO FAR FROM ON THE, ON THE POOR SIDE OF THE TRACKS, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, BUT Y'ALL DO HAVE A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS. THIS IS A, I'M GONNA BE BRIEF. UM, THIS IS A DOUBLE DENIAL, UM, SO I'M GONNA MOVE TO DENY. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG MOVES TO DENY. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM. MOVE TO DENY. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THE ITEM IS DENIED. THANK YOU ALL. AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. IT REALLY IS PART OF WHAT MAKES THE PROCESS WORK. MADAM CLERK, ITEM NINE. OH, WE'RE DEFERRING THIS ONE, I'M SORRY. WE'RE DEFERRING, UM, ITEM, UH, NINE AND 10 TO NOVEMBER THE 18TH. COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOTION? COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES TO DEFER THESE ITEMS NINE AND 10 TO NOVEMBER 18TH. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANKEN. THE MOTION IS NOW TO DEFER THESE ITEMS. CLOSING THE VOTE, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER 18TH. MADAM CLERK, ITEM [RECLASSIFICATION OF ZONING ORDINANCES - PERMITTED USES] 11. SUMMARY NUMBER 26825, AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 27237, ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026 TO INCLUDE THE LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION PLANS APPROVED ON THE DOCKET NUMBER SPU-8-26 FOR JOHN CURTIS LOCATED AT 10125 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY ON PART OF LOT THREE, PART OF LOT FOUR IN LOTS NINE, 10, 11, 12 AND A4. JH LITTLE FARM SUBDIVISION, LOTS ONE AND TWO, CHEROKEE COURT SUBDIVISION AND PROPOSED LOT A-5 JM TRACK SUBDIVISION. COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN WAIVE THE READING AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. SO ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF SUMMARY NUMBER 26825 CAN COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO SUMMARY NUMBER 26825 COME FORWARD? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED. COUNCILMAN VANANO. MOVES APPROVED. COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN ODING - OPENING THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM. UM, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM PASSES. MADAM CLERK, [RECLASSIFICATION OF ZONING ORDINANCES - VARIANCES] ITEM 12. SUMMARY NUMBER 26826, APPROVING SP-33-26 REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE CBZ REGULATIONS FOR CADILLAC OF NEW ORLEANS LOCATED AT 4734 VETERANS MEMORIAL BOULEVARD ON LOT C1, SQUARE 41, PONTE TRAIN GARDEN SUBDIVISION SECTION A, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. WE CAN WAIVE THE READING ON THIS ITEM. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE, UM, SUMMARY NUMBER 26826, WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IF YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. HI, PAUL WHITTINGTON, 16675 EAST BREWSTER ROAD. I'M WITH DDG REPRESENTING THE OWNER AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. [01:05:02] ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE SPOKE IN FAVOR, NONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION. COUNCILMAN LOZENBERG. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN LOZENBERG MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM PASSES. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 13. SUMMARY NUMBER 26827, APPROVING SP-44-26 REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE CBZ SIGN REGULATIONS FOR CLUB FOUR FITNESS LOCATED AT 5245 VETERANS MEMORIAL BOULEVARD ON LOT 1A, SQUARE ONE, PONCHATRANE GARDEN SECTION D, COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR. I HAVE A NOTE THAT WE CAN WAIVE THE READING, SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26827. ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED ON ITEM 13. COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON? MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILWOMAN MOBOHANNAN MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 13 PASSES. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 14. SUMMARY NUMBER 26828, APPROVING SP-54-26 REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE CBZ SIGN REGULATIONS FOR THE DEBORAH H. AND ROBERT J. PATRICK NEUROSCIENCE CENTER LOCATED AT 1605 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY ON LOT OH, LABAR PLANTATION, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO. I HAVE A NOTE THAT WE CAN WAIVE THE READING AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SUMMARY NUMBER 26828. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. GOOD MORNING. EMILY ERATA, 1415 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY 70121. I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE, CHRIS BLACKWELL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE APPEARED IN FAVOR. COUNCILMAN BANANO. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS, THE ITEM PASSES. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 15. [OTHER ORDINANCES] SUMMARY NUMBER 26804, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF JEFFERSON PARISH BY ADDING CHAPTER 35.7 WHICH SHALL BE TITLED UTILITY FRANCHISES AND SHALL BE COMPRISED OF ARTICLES ONE THROUGH FOUR TO FURTHER AMEND THE CODE TO ADD SECTIONS 35.7 - 1 THROUGH 35.7 - 20 TO THE SAID CHAPTER AND TO AMEND SECTION 35.5 - 2 OF THE CODE IN ORDER TO REMOVE REFERENCES TO CERTAIN UTILITY PROVIDERS. WE CAN WAIVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON... I MEAN, WE CAN WAIVE THE READING ON THIS ITEM AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUMMARY NUMBER 26804. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAKING AGAINST THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM 15. CLOSING THE VOTE, SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 15 PASSES. MADAM CLERK, I HAVE A NOTE THAT ITEMS 16 AND 17 WILL BE DEFERRED ONE MEETING TO NOVEMBER 18TH. COUNCILMAN WALKER? MOVE TO DEFER. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO DEFER. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN OPENING THE VOTE ON DEFERRING 16 AND 17. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEMS ARE DEFERRED. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 18. SUMMARY NUMBER 26833, AMENDING THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET IN THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE ARE TO ALLOCATE $2,265 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1'S OFF-TRACK VETTING FUND TO ACCOUNT NUMBER 21930266172142 FOR A DEDICATION PLAQUE AT PARK DAY FOR ME COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE. ALLOCATE $17,675 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 2'S VIDEO [01:10:01] POKER FUND TO ACCOUNT... TO ACCOUNT NUMBER 21830253405172353 FOR THE PURCHASE OF A SCORES TABLE. COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO. ALLOCATE $22,108 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE'S VIDEO POKER FUND FOR A CEA WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS IN ACADIANA TO PROVIDE HOLIDAY MEALS FOR SENIORS AT ROSEMORE ALEXANDER COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER, WEST BANK AND DOROTHY WATSON COMMUNITY CENTER EAST BANK. COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. ALLOCATE $12,030 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 5'S VIDEO POKER FUND TO ACCOUNT NUMBER 22200300572323 FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING RAPID FLA- FLASHING BEACONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF DELMONT BOULEVARD AND METAIRIE ROAD, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. ALLOCATE $20,000 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE'S VIDEO POKER FUND FOR A CEA WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS IN ACADIANA TO PROVIDE HOLIDAY MEALS TO REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY FOR JEFFERSON PARISH RESIDENTS. COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. ALLOCATE $7,540 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE'S WEST BANK RIVERBOAT GAMING FUND TO PROJECT NUMBER 45629126 FOR WOODMERE PARK HOLIDAY LIGHTS, COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE. AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS, SO THE AMENDMENTS PASS. UM, WE'RE NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED. SO THIS IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET. ANYONE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM AS AMENDED, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION OF THIS ITEM AS AMENDED, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE AS AMENDED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM PASSES AS AMENDED. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 19, CAPITAL BUDGET. SUMMARY NUMBER 26834, AMENDING THE 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE AMENDMENTS ARE TO RECOGNIZE A TRANSFER OF $7,540 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE'S WEST BANK RIVERBOAT GAMING FUND TO PROJECT NUMBER 45629126 FOR WOODMERE PARK HOLIDAY LIGHTS. COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, ALLOCATE $124,459 FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE'S CDIA GENERAL FUND TO PROJECT NUMBER 46711031 FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR A MINIATURE GOLF COURSE. COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. COUNCILMAN WALKER, A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS. MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENTS, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS, THE AMENDMENTS PASS. SO NOW WE'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET AS AMENDED, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AGAINST THE CAPITAL BUDGET AS AMENDED, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED. COUNCILMAN WALKER. NOW I MOVE TO APPROVE IT AS AMENDED. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. EXCUSE ME. UM, WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS PASSED AS AMENDED. ALL RIGHT. ITEM 20 [RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] IS RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL CALL THE ROLL. COUNCILMAN WALKER. I HAVE NONE. COUNCILWOMAN BOHANNON? I HAVE NONE. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG? NONE. COUNCILMAN KERNER? I HAVE NONE. COUNCILMAN BONANNO. I HAVE TWO, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE READ THEM MADAM CLERK. YES, SIR. NO. THAT'S I WAS OUT LOUD. IT'S A TOUGH CROWD. THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, BAHRAIN. A RESOLUTION GRANTING PERMISSION TO COMBELL'S CUSTOM CRUISERS TO HOLD THEIR 10TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH FROM 8:00 UNTIL 5:00 AT 5501 4TH STREET TO SELL AND SERVE FOOD, BEVERAGES AND BEER, ALLOW OUTDOOR MUSIC TO ERECT FOUR CANOPIES AND TEMPORARY SIGNS ADVERTISING THEIR CAR SHOW PROVIDED THAT ALL PERMITS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. WE HAVE TO FIRST VOTE IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM COMING FROM THE FLOOR. IT DOES HAVE TO BE UNANIMOUS. SO, UM, COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION TO COME FROM THE FLOOR. MOVE FOR [01:15:01] APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE. UH, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THIS ITEM CAN COME FROM THE FLOOR. YOUR MOTION NOW ON THE ITEM. MOVE TO APPROVE. DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING? SORRY. PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM FOR HUMBOLDT'S CUSTOM CRUISERS. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. NOW COUNCILMAN VENANO. NOW I MOVE TO APPROVE. ALL RIGHT. LET ME CLEAR THIS. UM, ALL RIGHT. UH, COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN, CLOSING THE VOTE NOW. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM PASSES. MADAM CLERK. A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CEA BY AND BETWEEN LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ACTING THROUGH LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON AND LUKE LENIN SERVICE INCORPORATED REGARDING SPONSORED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD PROGRAM, WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED BY RESOLUTION NUMBERS 144100 AND 148738 TO EXTEND THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT AND REQUIRED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE DEADLINE DATE FROM DECEMBER 31ST, 2026 UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2027, AND AN AMENDMENT TO AUTHORIZE LEDC TO ISSUE THE EDAPT PAYMENT DIRECTLY TO LUKE LENNON UNDER THE AGREEMENT ONCE COST REPORTS ARE CERTIFIED BY PARISH AND APPROVED BY LEDC AND AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTORS OF THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND BUDGET TO CERTIFY QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS, EXHIBIT B1 AND COST REPORTS EXHIBIT C UNDER THE AGREEMENT. ALL RIGHT. WE FIRST HAVE TO, UM, TAKE A VOTE TO APPROVE THIS COMING FROM THE FLOOR. SO IF YOU'RE IN PAPER - EXPLANATION. THIS IS SIMPLY EXTENDING THE DATE. WE APPROVED THIS PREVIOUSLY, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION HAS TAKEN LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. OKAY. THANKS SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN. AND, UM, WITH THAT, HE MOVES TO TAKE THIS FROM THE FLOOR SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. SO THIS IS JUST, AGAIN, APPROVING IT TO COME FROM THE FLOOR, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM CAN COME FROM THE FLOOR. UM, WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW ON EXTENDING THE DATE ON LOOP LINEN IN THIS CONTRACT. UM, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE APPEARED. COUNCILMAN BANANA. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN BANANO MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE ITEM IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK. COUNCILMAN LEE. I HAVE NONE. COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN? I HAVE ONE. IT'S THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR. ADOPTING THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR MEETINGS OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 2027 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.06 OF THE CHARTER. ALL RIGHT, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM COMING FROM THE FLOOR, UM, VOTE NOW TO CONSIDER THIS FROM THE FLOOR. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THE ITEM IS, UM, APPROVED TO COME FROM THE FLOOR. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THE CALENDAR, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ONE HAS APPEARED. UM, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN OPENING THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR 2027 IS APPROVED. AND I'VE COMPLETED THE ROLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE MOVE TO CONSENT [CONSENT AGENDA ONE] AGENDA ONE. I HAVE A NOTE. UM, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION REGARDING THE ENGLOBO ADOPTION OF ITEMS 21 THROUGH 46 MINUS 28, WHICH IS TO BE CANCELED. MOVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE 21 THROUGH 46 MINUS 28, WHICH IS TO BE CANCELED. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA ONE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THEY, THOSE ITEMS PASS. WE WILL GO TO ITEM 47 [CONSENT AGENDA TWO] NOW FOR CONSENT AGENDA TWO. LET ME GET THERE. ALL RIGHT. UM, CONSENT AGENDA TWO. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON ITEMS 47 THROUGH 78. MOVE. [01:20:01] COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE ITEMS 47 THROUGH 78, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. OPENING THE VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA TWO. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO ITEMS 47 THROUGH 78 PASS. THAT BRINGS US TO [ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS] AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 79, WHICH IS THE ADDENDUM AGENDA, MADAM CLERK. LET'S SEE. LET ME GET THERE. ALL RIGHT. ADDENDA AGENDA ITEMS. I HAVE A NOTE THAT COUNCILMAN WALKER, UM, YOUR MOTION ON ADDENDUM AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21 MINUS 14, WHICH IS TO BE AMENDED. MOVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEMS, ADDENDUM ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21 MINUS 14, WHICH IS TO BE AMENDED. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THOSE ITEMS PASS. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM 14 ON THE ADDENDUM TO BE AMENDED. A RESOLUTION APPROVING A COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON AND THE WEST BANK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION TO IMPLEMENT A, AND MANAGE A TARRYTOWN CO- COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE, TRANSFORM, AND REVITALIZE THE COMMERCIAL STOCK OF THE TOWRYTOWN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR, WHICH WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS LIVING AT JEFFERSON PARISH AND PROMOTE FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $250,000. AND THE AMENDMENT I HAS IT, HAVE IN SECTION TWO IS TO ADD ACCOUNT NUMBER 2257028727680426. AND THAT'S ALL THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS. MOVE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT. COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO THE AMENDMENTS PASS. COUNCILMAN KERNER, YOUR MOTION ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED. MOVE TO APPROVE. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE, UM, THE ITEM AS AMENDED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THE ITEM AS AMENDED. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 14 PASSES AS AMENDED. NOW WE'RE SITTING AS JEFFERSON PARISH SPECIAL DISTRICT, SO WE'RE ON ITEM 22. UH, COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG, YOUR MOTION. UM, OH. OH, SORRY. TRYING TO MOVE ALONG. COUNCILMAN, UH, I MEAN, UH, OUR COUNCIL CLERK HAS TO READ IT. A RESOLUTION STATING THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL ENDORSEMENT OF 3125 NORTH CAUSEWAY BOULEVARD, LLC, PROJECT NUMBER 20260161, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BENEFITS OF THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM IN THE JEFFERSON PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH IS IN METAIRIE, JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LILTERBERG? MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE ARE OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER 22 ON THE ADDENDUM. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO ITEM 22 ON THE ADDENDUM PASSES. ITEM 23, MADAM CLERK, ON THE ADDENDUM. A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE ANNUAL NETWORK MAINTENANCE SYSTEM MONITORING AND LOCAL TROUBLESHOOTING REPAIR FOR ALL RADIOS AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE LOCATED AT THE PRIMARY 911 CENTER LOCATED AT 910 3RD STREET IN GROTNA AND THE BACKUP FACILITY LOCATED AT 3300 METAIRIE ROAD IN METAIRIE. THIS RENEWAL WILL COST AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,377.76 ANNUALLY. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON ADDENDUM ITEM 23. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 23 ON THE ADDENDUM PASSES. UH, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ [JEFFERSON PARISH SPECIAL DISTRICTS] ITEM 80. AGAIN, A SPECIAL DISTRICT. A RESOLUTION RATIFYING ON BEHALF OF EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA, THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON, THE STATE OF LOUISIANA THROUGH ITS DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION, THE NEW ORLEANS MUNICIPAL [01:25:01] YACHT HARBOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, AND THE NEW ORLEANS BUILDING CORPORATION, EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OF JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA TO COOPERATIVELY REDEVELOP THE HISTORIC WEST END LAKEFRONT AREA AND RATIFYING THE COUNCIL CHAIRWOMAN'S ACT OF SIGNING THE CEA AND PROVIDING FOR RELATED MATTERS. COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN LILJEBERG MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANKEN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM 80. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 80 PASSES. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 81. A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN INCREASE TO THE CONTRACT CONSIDERATION PAYABLE TO TARRYTOWN 5TH DISTRICT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT INCORPORATED PURSUANT TO ITS AGREEMENT WITH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE OF THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON STATE OF LOUISIANA FROM 400,000 PER MONTH TO 410,000 PER MONTH. COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE. COUNCILMAN KERNER? MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN KERNER MOVES TO APPROVE. ITEM 81, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE ON THIS ITEM. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS, ITEM 81 PASSES. HAVE A NOTE THAT ITEM 82 IS TO BE CANCELED. COUNCILMAN BONANNO, YOUR MOTION? MOVE TO CANCEL. COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO CANCEL. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEE, UH, OPENING THE VOTE ON CANCELLATION OF ITEM 82. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 82 IS CANCELED. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL READ ITEM 83. A RESOLUTION ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSPECTIONS PERFORMED BY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU. COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO. COUNCILMAN BONANNO? MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN BONANNO MOVES TO APPROVE. ITEM 83, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. WE'RE OPENING THE VOTE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 83 PASSES. MADAM CLERK, ITEM 84. A RESOLUTION APPROVING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARIS OF JEFFERSON AND CANNON COCHRAN MANAGEMENT SERVICES INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE THIRD PARTY CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR LIABILITY, WORKERS' COMPENSATION, SCLA PROPERTY, AND OTHER ASSIGNED CLAIMS FOR JEFFERSON PARISH, JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT ONE, AND JEFFERSON PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT TWO AT AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1 MILLION PER YEAR, WHICH SHALL NOT BE EXCEEDED BY A FACTOR OF MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT AUTHORIZED BY PARISH COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION? MOVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE ITEM 84, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN VRANKEN, OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM 84. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 84 PASSES. I HAVE A NOTE THAT ITEMS 85 AND 86 ARE TO BE DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER 18TH. COUNCILMAN LEE, YOUR MOVE TO DEFER? MOVE. COUNCILMAN LEE MOVES TO DEFER, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. OPENING THE VOTE TO DEFER THESE TWO ITEMS. CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. SO ITEMS 85 AND 86 ARE DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER THE 18TH. UH, MADAM CLERK, ITEM 87. SUMMARY NUMBER 26837, AMENDING SECTION 2-875. 9A OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES TO CHANGE THE COMPOSITION FOR THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF JEFFERSON PARISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PORT DISTRICT IN AMENDING SECTION 2-875. 10A OF THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES CHANGING THREE NOMINEES TO TWO NOMINEES. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION. MOVE. WE HAVE TO... SORRY. IT IS AN ORDINANCE, SO WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, IF, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, NUMBER 87, PLEASE COME FORWARD. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO ONE APPEAR ON ITEM- ITEM- ITEM 87. COUNCILMAN WALKER? MOVE. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN OPENING THE VOTE ON ITEM 87, CLOSING THE VOTE. SEVEN YAYS, ZERO NAYS. ITEM 87 PASSES. I SEE THAT WE HAVE, UM, NO NEW BUSINESS, NO STATUS REPORTS TO REPORT. SO [PERSONS APPEARING BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON SPECIAL SUBJECT MATTERS] THIS IS THE PORTION OF OUR COUNCIL MEETING WHERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER, UM, CAN COME FORWARD AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS [01:30:01] FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME'S MICHAEL MAURICE. THANK, UM, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCILWOMEN AND PARISH PRESIDENTS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS MICHAEL MAURICE, PROPERTY OWNER OF 409 AVENUE A. I AM JUST AN UNEDUCATED WORKING PERSON, NO FORMAL EDUCATION. I'M DYSLEXIC ALSO. I AM JUST AN, UM, I HAVE... I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF ON PHONE CALLS GOING NOWHERE AND GETTING TO TRANSFER TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS EVERYWHERE. AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I END UP AT THE COURTHOUSE. I AM JUST, UM, I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ASK AND BEG THE COUNCIL TO HELP ME AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS MATTER PUT ON THE NOVEMBER 18TH DOCKET. TO BE HONEST, I AM S- SCARED THAT SOMEONE'S GONNA FALL AND TRIP ON MY PROPERTY. TEST RODS THAT I'VE HAD PICTURES OF THAT ARE 14 INCHES SINK RIGHT THROUGH THE BOTTOM FROM 12 18 TO 40 INCHES PAST THE HANDLE. SUGAR SAND IN FRONT OF THE PARCEL OF THE SAND IS CONTINUOUS A SINK AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURES, THAT IS THE FRESH SAND, THAT SOIL THAT Y'ALL PUT DOWN IS DOWN I THINK TO THREE AND A QUARTER INCHES. THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN ON OCTOBER 20TH, I BELIEVE. NO, OCTOBER 7TH. BECAUSE OF THIS STILL CANNOT, I CAN'T RENT THE PLACE. AND I HAVE NO PARKING OR MESSED WITH, AND I HAVE NOT MESSED WITH THE GROUNDS AT ALL. THIS INVOLVES A 4.4 MILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL FUNDS UNDER MASTER CONTRACT 5000145079. THERE WAS A SE - SIX, $78,000 REQUEST FOR THIS WORKS, BUT THEY ONLY ALLOCATED 54,000 FOR UNSEEN DRIVEWAYS AFTER THE FACT. I'M ASKING THE ADMINISTRATION JUST TO STEP IN, PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND HELP ME GET THE SOIL TRULY COMPACTED IN A DRAINAGE FIX BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. OR MY PROPERTY TAKES MORE DAMAGE. BEVERLY WALKED OFF THE JOB, FOUR BOARDS ARE ROTTING IN BETWEEN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND MY DRIVEWAY AND THE SIDEWALK. AND THE DRAINAGE IS HOLDING STAGNANT WATER. THOSE PICTURES WERE TAKEN ON THE 17TH, OKAY? UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD RAIN SINCE, I WANNA SAY THE 5TH OR 6TH IN MARRERO. AND HOPEFULLY THESE MATTERS CAN BE FULLY RESOLVED AND FIXED BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING ON NOVEMBER 18TH. AND FURTHERMORE, CRITICAL PUBLIC RECORDS REGARDING THIS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED TO ME. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIRPERSON, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ON ISSUE AND I'D LIKE TO ASK MATTHEW ZURANG TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. GOOD MORNING. UM, YES, WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF MR. MAURICE'S ISSUE. UM, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR, ONCE HE COMPLETED THE JOB, WE WERE NOTIFIED THERE WAS A DRAINAGE LEAK. UM, WE HAD OUR CREWS INVESTIGATE. THEY DID CONFIRM THE DRAINAGE LEAK. BEVERLY CONSTRUCTION WENT AND FIXED THE DRAINAGE ISS - LEAK. UM, AND THEN THEY WERE GONNA COME BACK AND REGRADE THE RIGHT OF WAY AND SOD IT. UM, THEY RECEIVED A DEMAND LETTER FROM MR. MAURICE FROM AN ATTORNEY, SO THEY REFUSED TO GO BACK ON SITE. UM, IN AN EFFORT TO GET THIS RESOLVED, WE HAD OUR MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR, RAM JAY, GO OUT AND FINALLY ADJUST THE INLET, REGRADE THE RIGHT OF WAY AND SOD. UM, IT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARISH STANDARDS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. UM, WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY FURTHER ISSUES OTHER THAN HE HAD A STONE, STONE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY BEFORE THE JOB, AND WE SODDED THE RIGHT OF WAY AFTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARISH STANDARDS. THANK YOU, MRS. RANK. SO AS WE STAND NOW, EVERYTHING'S BEEN RESTORED TO PARISH STANDARDS? YES. THE RIGHT OF WAY IS SODDED AND LEVELED WITH THE SIDEWALK AND THE DRAINAGE INLET. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE, UH, ONE SECOND. MATT, THIS IS THE SAME ONE THAT, THAT MY OFFICE COMMUNICATED YOU - YES. WITH ABOUT. THE FINAL PICTURE I SAW LOOKED LIKE IT, IT WAS COMPLETED TO PERFECTION. IT LOOKED GOOD AND LOOKED LIKE IT WAS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF PLACE WITH IT. AND I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CONFLICTS WITH WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, SIR. LIKE WHAT - YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE PODIUM, YEAH. AFTER THEY WALKED OFF, UH, MR. ZIMMERMAN IN HIS EMAIL - LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FINAL PRODUCT THOUGH, LIKE WHERE WE [01:35:01] ARE TODAY. THE FINAL PRODUCT - I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE ON THE, UH, WITH THE LEVEL RIGHT, THE PICTURE, IF YOU GAVE EVERYTHING - I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. I, I REMEMBER LOOKING AT IT IN MY OFFICE THOUGH WHEN - BUT I JUST HANDED IT TO YOU, SIR. IT'S A FRESH PICTURE. WHEN DID YOU HAND IT TO ME? OH. OKAY. SO IF YOU LOOK RIGHT THERE, OKAY, EVERY TIME IT'S COSMETICALLY MUCH NICER, OKAY? I CAN'T LIE. Y'ALL WENT OUT THERE THREE TIMES AND THEN THE FOURTH TIME, Y'ALL WENT AND DROPPED DIRT. AFTER, AFTER I COMPLAINED. YOU SEE THAT RULER RIGHT THERE? YEAH. IT WAS NICE AND SMOOTH. YOU SEEN THE PICTURE WHEN THEY DROPPED THE, UM, SOIL WITHOUT COMPACTION TEST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND THEN LOOK AT IT. THIS WAS TAKEN ON OCTOBER 17TH. IT HAS A TWO INCH, OVER A TWO AND A HALF INCH DROP RIGHT NOW, SIR. OKAY. IT DRAINS PROPERLY, RIGHT? I MEAN - IT DOES NOT DRAIN PROPERLY. THIS DRAIN HAS SUNK OVER A SIX, UM, OVER A QUARTER OF AN INCH SO FAR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TO ME, IT LOOKED BETTER THAN IT DID BEFORE THE, THE PROJECT WAS DONE BASED ON THE PICTURES WE SAW. AND I'M JUST JUMPING IN BECAUSE IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REVIEWED IN THE OFFICE AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN BONANNO'S OFFICE. AND THE FINAL PICTURE I SAW UP TO PARIS STANDARDS SEEMED TO BE - THE FINAL PICTURE YOU SAW, CAN I SEE THAT PICTURE? AND LOOK AT THE PICTURE NOW, SIR. IT'S IN MY EMAIL SOMEWHERE. I CAN - YES. AND I'VE SENT YOU PICTURES. AND I'VE BEEN TRYING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF ON THE PHONE CALLS, GETTING TIED AROUND, LOOPED AROUND, OKAY? AND OVER HOURS AND A HALF, MY MOTHER COMES OVER TO MY HOUSE AND SAYS, "WHAT IS GOING ON WITH AVENUE A?" I SAID, "YOU'RE NOT LEAVING HERE UNTIL I GET OFF THE PHONE." OKAY? I CALL UP JEFFERSON PARISH, HOUR, 46 MINUTES AND 27 SECONDS, I GET PARKED APARTMENTS TO, UM, PRIVATE, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, SEWERS, THIS, THIS, ENDED UP AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. OKAY? THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION LIKE, "YOU DON'T WANT A TREE CUT?" I WAS LIKE, "NO, I DON'T WANT A TREE CUT." I WAS LIKE, "SEE, MOM, THIS IS IT." SO THEN I DECIDED TO COME TO THE CO- COURTHOUSE AND DO THIS. I EMAILED ALL OF Y'ALL ON FACEBOOK, OKAY? INSTANT MESSAGE Y'ALL, THE PROBLEM. Y'ALL CAME OUT, IT COSMETICALLY GETS BETTER. LOOK, THIS IS, THIS IS THE FINAL PICTURE THAT, THAT I RECEIVED FROM THAT AND - YOU WERE WAITING TO SEE THE FINAL PICTURE, SIR? THAT - UM, EDITED FINAL THING. AND THIS IS, THIS IS BETTER THAN A LOT OF THINGS I'VE SEEN ACROSS THE PARISH. THIS LOOKS, THIS LOOKS FINE. SIR, THAT IS NOT THE FINAL PICTURE, SIR. YOU GOTTA GO LOOK AT IT. THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE GOT WHEN THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. THE STAGNANT WATER. AND WITH THE STAGNANT WATER SITTING THERE OVER, YOU KNOW, 17 DAYS WITHOUT RAIN, REALLY? THAT'S A 4.4 MILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL PROJECT, SIR. MR. WALKER NOW, COME ON. I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE IT WITH YOU. I'M JUST GONNA CONSIDER IT CLOSED LIKE OUR DEPARTMENT DOES. RIGHT HERE. IT WAS DONE, UH, SATISFACT- SATISFACTORILY. HE SAYS HE BELIEVES I DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT FOR MY RENOVATIONS. IF HE WOULD'VE PULLED THE PERMITS, HE WOULD'VE SEEN THAT I HAD RENOVATIONS AND THE DRIVEWAY WOULD'VE BEEN GODFATHERED IN, EVEN IF I DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT FOR THE DRIVEWAY. I HAVE PERMITS FOR EVERYTHING. LOOK, I, I JUST WANTED TO DEFEND OUR DEPARTMENT'S WORK. I'M DONE. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I'M SO SORRY. SO CAN WE GET THIS IN FRONT OF COUNCIL ON THE 18TH? THERE'S NOTHING TO - THERE'S NOTHING TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, IF IT'S UP TO PARISH STANDARDS, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE - WHAT IS PARISH STANDARDS? SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY A DEBATE TIME, BUT - YES, MA'AM. UM, BUT, BUT YOU'VE PRESENTED PICTURES, YOU'VE PRESENTED THAT YOU THINK THERE'S STILL AN ISSUE. I'M SURE MR. ZARANG WILL MAKE SURE THAT, UM, NO FURTHER CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED. WHEN DID THE PARISH, I GUESS, LAST GO OUT TO THIS SITE? UH, THIS IS THE LAST PROJECT. THAT WAS OCTOBER 7TH WAS THE, THE EMAIL YOU SENT ME BACK. LOOK AT THIS DRIVEWAY. OKAY. IT'S SINKING. I TELL YOU WHAT, I THINK THE BEST BET NOW WOULD BE FOR MR. ZARANG TO, UM, JUST MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING FURTHER HAS CHANGED. WHAT? HE'S GOING BY ASSUMPTIONS WITH MY PERMITS ON MY HOUSE. HE'S GOING WITH THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT I'VE NEVER HAD AN ATTORNEY. I'VE NEVER HIRED AN ATTORNEY. I HAD BEVERLY CONSTRUCTION CALL ME, I WANNA SAY, ON THE 4TH OF SEPTEMBER, THREATENING ME FOR 14 SECONDS SAYING IF I STEP FOOT ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ME ARRESTED BECAUSE I HAD CONSULTED AN ATTORNEY. IT'S A FRIEND OF MINE, A FAMILY FRIEND WHO WROTE A LETTER AND THEY, WHY WOULD THEY CALL ME IF I CONSULTED AN ATTORNEY? SO I, I THINK WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE FAR AFIELD. UM, YOU THINK THERE ARE ISSUES THAT STILL, UM, ARE SINKING OR STAGNANT WATER. WE'RE GONNA CHECK THAT OUT. AND IF THOSE - CAN WE GET A PRIVATE, SOMEBODY PRIVATE?... DO NOT EXIST, THEN THE ITEM IS CLOSED. WHEN CAN WE GO? I'M GONNA ASK YOU AND MR. ZURANG - THANK, PLEASE. TO STEP ASIDE AND, UM - THANK YOU, MR. ZARANG. IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING ELSE? WE WILL, UH, MATTHEW HIMSELF WILL, MR. ZARANG HIMSELF WILL GO DRIVE THAT PROPERTY AND MAKE SURE IT MEETS THE STANDARDS. ABSOLUTELY. AND LOOK, I WILL SAY, UM, MR. ZARANG IS - PLEASE. AN [01:40:01] EXCELLENT TROUBLESHOOTER OF PROBLEMS. WE HAVE TRUST IN HIM AND SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HIM, UH, LOOKING TO RESOLVE THIS WITH YOU. AND, AND MR. ZARANG, CAN YOU STAY UP THERE FOR A MOMENT? UH, CAN I HAVE A - YES. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, COUNCIL CHAIRWOMAN. UH, WE HAVE SOME, WE'VE BEEN GETTING SOME COMPLAINTS AROUND TERRY PARKWAY. I WANNA THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR JUMPING ON A LOT OF, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE REQUE- REQUESTED, LIKE THE U-TURN, UH, TO MAKE IT SAFER GOING ON AN EXPRESSWAY. BUT THERE'S SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, THE, OF COURSE, THE TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW WITH THE TERRY TERRY PARKWAY CLOSURES COMBINED WITH THE, THE TWO LANE CLOSURES THAT'S GONNA GO ON AROUND THE SAME TI- TIME TOWARDS THE ENDING, UH, ON THE G&O. I'M WONDERING, UH, IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT, MAYBE SPEAK TO MO BLACK WITH DOTD- DOTD AND MAYBE TIME THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE PLANNING TO END, UH, THE TERRY PARKWAY PHASE TOWARDS THE EXPRESSWAY IN MID-NOVEMBER. UM, MAYBE THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, EX - DELAY A LITTLE BIT WHEN THEY START THE G&O, IF THEY COULD, I'M NOT SURE. BUT, UM, OR IF WE COULD HAVE A PLAN FOR THE PEOP - FOR THE RESIDENTS OF TERRYTOWN AND THE PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL THROUGHOUT CORRIDOR, UH, REALLY ALL THE WAY FROM BELL CHASE TO PLAQUENS, UH, AND MANY OTHERS THAT TRAVEL DOWN TERRY PARKWAY. SO IF YOU CAN, PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT. WE'VE ALSO, I'VE, UH, HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS, AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, THEY DON'T REALIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S UNDER THE SURFACE, IT'S, IT'S UTILITIES AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS SEE THE WORK BEING DONE. UM, BUT IF WE CAN GET SOME KIND OF REPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT TODAY TO S - YOU KNOW, SO I CAN LET THEM KNOW THEY'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE FOR THAT NOVEMBER DEADLINE IN, IN, UH, THE TERRY PARKWAY, UM, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE OAKWOOD - SMART GROWTH PROJECT. SMART GROWTH PROJECT. SO LOOK, I, I JUST, I'M GETTING A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRAFFIC AND THEN THE U-TURN, WHICH I APPRECIATE GREATLY, UH, TO ANGELA AND YOU. AND THEN THE G&O CLOSURES. SO IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE. I WANNA MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS CAN COMMUTE AND NOT TAKE TWO OR THREE HOURS TO DO SO. SO PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT PART. YES, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER? YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. FRANKIE HIRES, 509 HOMO BOULEVARD, JUST TRYING TO SPARK A LITTLE CURIOSITY AND AWAY WE GO. IF WE ALLOW A LARGE FRACTION OF A SMALL PORTION OF THE PARISH THAT'S TAXED DIFFERENTLY TO TAKE FROM ANOTHER FRACTION OF THE PARISH, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, YOU SUBSTITUTE A REAL REPRESENTATION FOR A VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION AND MARRERO IS PARTICULARLY VICTIMIZED IN THIS WAY. MARRERO IS THE THIRD LARGEST PLACE IN THE PARISH, MARRERO, WHERE MR. MAURICE IS FROM. SUBJECT TO THREE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS COUNCIL AND TWO AT LARGE SENATORS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH THEM, CARE TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR WOES, CARE TO, UH, RULE AGAINST THEM, DISMISS THEM, DIMINUATE THEM, THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE SENATORS. PROVERBS 17:28, "EVEN A FOOL, IF HE HOLDETH HIS PEACE, BE COUNTERED AS WISE. AND IF HE SHOULD SHUT UP HIS LIPS , IF HE SHOULD SHUT UP HIS LIPS, HE MIGHT BE ESTEEMED, UH, A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING." WELL, WE ALL KNOW I DON'T SUFFER FOR THE LATTER, RIGHT? I DON'T CARE ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S BEEN MADE ARBITRARY. I DON'T NEED NO CREDIT FOR BEING ESTEEMED. I'M THE FOOL. JUST YOUR FOOL. A CLOWN, HIS CHIEF OF STINK GUY WOULD TELL, SAY IT. YOU'D SEE ME THROWN OUT BEFORE YOU'D REGISTER MY OPPOSITION. I WOULD CAUTION THE CLERK THAT IF EVER I RISE IN OPPOSITION, YOU REGISTER THAT OPPOSITION BECAUSE THE CHAIRPERSON WOULD BE ILL ADVISED IN TELLING YOU TO DO OTHERWISE. LAST TIME I WAS IN THIS ROOM, YOU ADVISED A CLERK TO DISMISS MY OPPOSITION. THAT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. IT'S ON THE RECORD. IT'S ON THE RECORD. I MUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDRESS MY GOVERNMENT. I DON'T NEED A FREEDOM OF SPEECH. I'M HERE TO REDRESS THE FORM AND THE POWER BY WHICH YOU MAKE EVERY DECISION. AND THAT OPPOSITION WILL BE RENDERED BEFORE YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AS IS CONSTITUTIONALLY OBLIGED AND BY STATE LAW. SO WHEN YOU THROW ME OUT BEFORE I'M REGISTERING MY OPPOSITION, CONSTITUTIONALLY OR OTHERWISE, WHATEVER GROUNDS I CHOOSE TO R- REGISTER MY OPPOSITION, I NEVER COME HERE WITH AN INTENT TO BE THROWN OUT. NEVER, NOT ONCE. AND FOR YOU TO SAY OTHERWISE IS A VIOLATION OF YOUR OATH. YOU SPEAK FOR ME AFTER I LEAVE THIS PODIUM, YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT WHAT I WANT TO DO? YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I WANT TO DO. I AM NEVER HERE WITH A DESIRE TO BE THROWN OUT. I'M HERE TO REDRESS MY GOVERNMENT ON MY TIME. I SPEND THE MONEY TO GET HERE. IF I WANTED TO BE THROWN OUT, I'D BRING A BETTER AUDIENCE. [01:45:01] IF I WANTED TO DO THEATRICS, I'D COSTUME FOR THE EVENT. THIS AIN'T THE COSTUME. THIS AIN'T THE COSTUME. IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE ONE FOR SOME OF YOU, BUT THIS IS JUST A FOOL HOLDING. MS. PEARSON, WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING. STILL MORNING. UH, NANCY PEARSON, 8924 RENSU DRIVE, PRESIDENT OF THE RIVER RIDGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. UH, YOU ALL OF YOUR OFFICES RECEIVED OUR DATES FOR OUR MEETINGS, UH, BUT BECAUSE THE ELECTION DAY IS THE 3RD, WE CAN'T HAVE OUR MEETING ON THE 2ND. IT'S IN A POLLING PLACE. SO OUR MEETING THIS, UH, NOVEMBER WILL BE ON THE 9TH, THE SECOND MONDAY OF THE MONTH. IF YOU ATTEND, IF YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND, PLEASE KIND OF LET ME KNOW. WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SPEAKER AND I HAVE A FEELING HE'S GONNA GO OVERTIME. AND SO WE WANNA KNOW WHO'S COMING SO WE CAN, UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE TIME. YOU KNOW WE KEEP OUR MEETINGS TO ONE HOUR AND THAT'S IT. WE'RE DONE. THANK YOU. WHO'S THE SPEAKER THEN? I KNOW, THAT WAS A EASE. WHO'S THE SPEAKER? WHO'S GONNA, WHO'S GONNA GO LONG? MUST BE JOHNSON DENANO AGAIN. I JUST SAID ENTERGY. ENTERGY. MR. AIKENS IS COMING AND, UM, I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. SO, UM, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY GETS OUT IN VOTES, PLEASE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANKS, MS. PEARSON. UM, EARLY VOTING IS CLOSED NOW, BUT, UM, BUT ELECTION DAY, AGAIN, A REMINDER IS NOVEMBER 3RD. AND SO WE DEFINITELY DO WANT TO, UH, TO, TO REMIND THAT. UM, OUR DIRECTOR OF WATER, SYDNEY BAISLEY. NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT YOU TODAY. SYDNEY, WHY ARE YOU UP HERE? SO, SO GOOD MORNING. WE DID HAVE ONE THAT - GOT ONE, YEAH. THAT CAME UP, CAME UP THAT ASKED ABOUT THE INCONSISTENCY OF A WATER USAGE. AND I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW HER ACCOUNT. UM, SO HER ACCOUNT WAS FLUCTUATING FROM WHAT, WHAT I THINK HER NORMAL USAGE IS, IS ABOUT 11, NINE TO 11,000 PER BILLING CYCLE, AND IT DROPPED DOWN TO 1,000 GALLONS. AND LOOKING AT THE AGE OF HER, HER METER, HER HOME WHEN IT WAS BUILT, UM, HER METER HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE, AND THAT'S WHY SHE'S SEEN THOSE INCONSISTENCIES. SO SHE'S ACTUALLY, IN SOME CASES, GETTING, YOU KNOW, FREE WATER AND, AND, AND THOSE, BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA CHANGE HER METER OUT BY HER REQUEST. SHE JUST WANTS TO HAVE CONSISTENCY FROM THAT STANDPOINT. AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE'RE GONNA CHANGE HER METER OUT TODAY, AND I SPOKE TO HER ABOUT THE, UH, SMART APP. SHE'S VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING THAT DOWNLOADED AS WELL. SHE SAID HER, UH, GRANDDAUGHTER CAN HELP HER, UM, GET THAT DONE. SO, UM, WE'LL GET THAT CHANGED OUT TODAY SO SHE CAN MONITOR HER USAGE. SO I DID, I DID ALSO LET HER KNOW THAT, UM, HER USAGE HUB BILL MAY GO UP BECAUSE NOW THE NEW METER IS GONNA READ EVERY, EVERY DROP OF WATER. OKAY. SO SHE, SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT SHE'S OKAY WITH IT. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SYDNEE, FOR LOOKING INTO THAT SO QUICKLY. AGAIN, UM, MANY OF OUR METERS ARE DECADES OLD, THE ORIGINAL METERS. YES. AND SO, UM, THEY DO REGISTER, LIKE ALL OF US, GETTING A LITTLE LESS, UH, ACCURATE OVER TIME. UM, THEY ARE GETTING REPLACED WITH NEW METERS, AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE ACCURACY, UH, MAY INCREASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR SYDNEY? SYDNEY, WHILE YOU'RE UP HERE, REAL QUICK, UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE, THE POPULAR NARRATIVES THAT I'VE SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS COMPARING WHAT WE'RE DOING IN JEFFERSON PARISH TO INSTALLATION OF WATER METERS IN HOUSTON - UH-HUH. WHICH WAS THE WRONG METER BEING INSTALLED IN THAT CITY, AND THAT LED TO A LOT OF OVERBILLING PROBLEMS. MM-HMM. I TRY TO TELL PEOPLE AS MUCH AS WE CAN THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN JEFFERSON PARISH. WE ARE NOT INSTALLING BAD METERS OR WRONG METERS, BUT I DO TRY TO CONVEY AT THE SAME TIME WHILE IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU GET A NEW METER, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VAN FRANKEN ALLUDED TO, IT IS GOING TO BE MORE ACCURATE. AND I DON'T THINK WE TELL PEOPLE THAT ENOUGH, THAT THE NEW METERS ARE GONNA BE FAR MORE ACCURATE THAN THE OLD METERS, BECAUSE AS THEY AGE, IT ERRS ON THE SIDE OF THE CONSUMER, OF THE HOMEOWNER. CORRECT. AND THESE NEW METERS MEASURE EVERY DROP, AND IT IS DEADLY ACCURATE. SO IF YOU'VE BEEN GETTING A FREE RIDE BEFORE, IT'S TIME TO PAY THE PIPER NOW. AND THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE FOR SOME PEOPLE. IT'S NOT THE WHOLE ISSUE, BUT IT IS PART OF OUR ISSUE THAT THESE NEW METERS WILL MAKE PEOPLE GENERALLY SEE A HIGHER BILL FROM THEIR OLD METER, DEPENDING ON HOW OLD THEIR OLD METER WAS. MM-HMM. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE ON THAT FOR A MOMENT? OF COURSE. UM, SO I, I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO BE TOO TECHNICAL ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE METERS THAT WA - THAT WAS INSTALLED IN NEIGHBORING PARISHES AND IN HOUSTON WAS A, A, A NO-MOVING PARTS METER, WHAT THEY CALL, IT, IT READS ULTRASONIC. SO YOU, AS SOON AS ULTRASONIC SIGNALS INTO A, A CYLINDER, THE TUBE THAT THE WATER TRAVELS THROUGH, IT READS THE MOVEMENT OF WATER. UM, I DIDN'T WANNA USE THAT HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH BECAUSE WHAT WE, WE HAVE SOMETHING WE CALL HARD WATER. UM, I HEARD, I KNOW YOU GUYS HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, HARD WATER. UM, IT'S A, I CALL IT A CALCIUM BUILDUP OF OUR WATER. WE GET IT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IT, IT, UM, TENDS TO BUILD UP CALCIUM IN THOSE TUBES AT THE VALVES. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN UP HYDRANTS, YOU'LL SEE THE WATER COMING OUT DISCOLORED OVER TIME UNTIL YOU FLUSH IT OUT AND GET, GET THE, UM, THE COLOR, COLORATION OUT. UM, I BELIEVE [01:50:01] IF YOU HAVE THAT BUILDUP IN THAT TUBE, IT'S GONNA THROW OFF THE ULTRASONIC READINGS. SO I DIDN'T WANT THOSE HERE. I WANTED THE METERS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS USED, WHICH IS, IT DOESN'T TURN UNLESS WATER PASSES THROUGH IT. IT'S MECHANICAL. IT USES A OSCILLATING PISTON THAT, THAT ROTATES EVERY TIME WATER GOES THROUGH IT. SO ANYTIME THE REA - THE METER IS READING, IT'S BECAUSE WATER IS GOING THROUGH IT. IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANY OFF CALCULATION FROM ULTRASONIC THAT CAN GO OFF WITH THE BATTERY. SO AT ANY POINT WHEN THE BATTERY DIES FROM THOSE ULTRASONIC METERS THAT THEY'RE USING IN HOUSTON AND OTHER PLACES, UM, THEY CAN'T GET ACCURATE READING. UM, THE METERS THAT WE'RE USING, THE ONES THAT WE'VE ALWAYS USED, HAVE SHOWN TO, TO REGISTER UP TO LIKE 40 YEARS WITH, UM, AND, AND ONCE YOU GET TO THOSE 20, 30, AND 40 YEARS IN THE F - IN THE FAVOR OF THE CUSTOMER, BECAUSE IT FAILS OVER TIME, BUT WE GET A READING AND IT WON'T BE FOR A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE OVER BILLING A CUSTOMER, SIMILAR TO THE, THE LADY THAT SHOWED UP TODAY. AND WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY NEXT, THAT THE METERS WE'RE GETTING ARE THE SAME METERS. IT'S THE S - IT'S A NEW VERSION OF THE SAME BADGER METER. THE DIFFERENCE IS THE, THE DEVICE ON TOP THAT YOU SEE ON TOP OF THE METER, IT LOOKS LIKE A HOCKEY PUCK THAT TRANSMITS THE SIGNAL WIRELESSLY NOW. RIGHT. AND, AND SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT'S NOT EVEN THE, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TYPE OF METER. WE, WE'RE USING THE EXACT SAME REGISTER. IT USES A WIRE CALLED AN ENCODER THAT CONNECTS TO AN ENDPOINT. ENDPOINT IS A SEPARATE COMPANY FROM BADGER. IT'S A CENSUS PRODUCT. IT'S THE STRONGEST RADIO FREQUENCY THAT'S OUT THERE IN THIS TYPE OF WORLD OF AMI. AND WE CONNECT THAT. I WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT METER AND CONNECT TO THAT TYPE OF ENDPOINT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE READING. SO THE ENDPOINT THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, THE HOCKEY PUCK IS A SEPARATE DEVICE FROM THE METER ITSELF. SO IN THE EVENT THAT THAT HOCKEY PUCK, THE BATTERY DIES, SOMEBODY HITS IT WITH A LAWNMOWER, UM, IT DROPS IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERWATER FROM FLOODING, IT, IT WON'T READ. BUT WE CAN ALWAYS, AT ANY POINT, GO TO THOSE SAME TRIED AND TRUE METERS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING TO, TO COLLECT THE READ. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILMAN, I WILL ADD BADGER METER IS THE NUMBER ONE PRODUCER OF METER IN THE UNITED STATES, SO THAT THIS IS A, A METER THAT MANY, YOU KNOW, HAS THE BIGGEST MARKET SHARE. THANK YOU. THANKS, SYDNEY. AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO IT BECAUSE IN THIS CASE, THERE, THERE IS A METER THAT'S, UM, NOT FUNCTIONING AS WE WOULD WANT IT TO, AND SO WE'RE PLACING IT WILL, UM, GIVE THE CUSTOMER CERTAINTY, UH, IN THE FUTURE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, WE'RE [ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION IN SUMMARY] NOW AT THE PORTION WHERE WE READ ORDINANCES, UH, FOR INTRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION INTO SUMMARY. IF YOU WILL READ THOSE. OKAY. THE FIRST ONE I'M GONNA READ IS GONNA REQUIRE UNANIMOUS VOTES. OKAY. REVOKING AND DECLARING A PORTION OF UNDEVELOPED PARK LAND ADJACENT TO 400 AVENUE A, MARRERO, NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES, AUTHORIZING ITS SALE TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER. OKAY. SO PLEASE VOTE IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM COMING FROM THE FLOOR. YOU DON'T NEED... I'M SORRY. UH, COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. AND WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE VOTE. SIX YAYS ZERO, UH, SIX YAYS ONE ABSENT. SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS AND THE ITEM CAN, UM, PROCEED. OKAY. OKAY. RESCINDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 26991, ADOPTED ON MAY 21ST, 2025 UNDER DOCKET NUMBER WS-133-24, ATTRACT A, SQUARE SIX, SOUTHWOOD WEST SUBDIVISION INTO LOTS ONE THROUGH 45, SQUARE A, LOTS ONE THROUGH 20 SQUARE B, AND TRACT G1 IN THE DEDICATION OF SOUTHWOOD DRIVE, DEDICATION OF A 10-FOOT PRIVATE UTILITY SERVITUDE AND 50-FOOT DRAINAGE SERVITUDE WITH WAIVERS TO THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 363-2. 35 OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETION OF THE GRAVITY SEWER LINE, DRAINAGE WATER LINE, AND IMPROVED STREET TO THE COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE SATISFACTION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JEFFERSON PARISH CODE OF ORDINANCES. RE-SUB OF LOTS H-4, H-5, SK-1, SK-2, SK-3, WW1, Y, Y1, AND PART OF LOT 10-A-2, LIVE OAK PLANTATION LOTS RB38 AND E, MODERN FARM SUBDIVISION. RE-SUB OF LOT 34A, MODERN FARM SUBDIVISION INTO LOTS 34C AND 34D. REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE LANDSCAPE AND BUFFER IN A SETBACK REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBZ FOR A DUMPSTER ENCLOSED LOCATED AT 1804 BARATARIA BOULEVARD ON LOT 3X SQUARE B16. REQUESTED VARIANCE TO THE LANDSCAPING AND SIGN REGULATIONS OF THE CBZ FOR A NEW MEDICAL CLINIC LOCATED AT 4828 10TH STREET ON [01:55:01] LOT Y3 - 3B-6, BELL PLANTATION SUBDIVISION. REQUESTED VARIANCES TO THE FENCE REGULATIONS AND THE SIGN REGULATIONS OF THE MUCD FOR NOLA CANNABIS HARVEY LOCATED AT 1544 MANHATTAN BOULEVARD ON LOT 20-A-1 SQUARE 27. REQUESTED VARIANCE TO THE FENCE REGULATIONS OF THE MUCD FOR SAFE PLACE PARKING LOCATED AT 197 WEST BANK EXPRESS- EXPRESSWAY ON LOT D3A1. AMENDING ORDINANCE 25942, DECLARING A PORTION OF LOT 10B, PROPOSED LOT 10B2, 4977 CITY PARK STREET, LAFITE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE AT PUBLIC AUCTION BY A PRIVATE AUCTIONEER TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 2-953. AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 14796, THE PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE TO CREATE A NEW CLASSIFICATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRON - ELE- ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AMENDING THE 2026 OPERATING BUDGET, AMENDING THE 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET. AND THAT'S ALL THE, UM, ORDINANCES I HAVE TO READ INTO SUMMARY. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR MOTION ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WERE READ INTO SUMMARY. MOVE TO APPROVE. COUNCILMAN MOVES TO APPROVE, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN BRANKEN, OPENING THE VOTE ON ADOPTING THESE ITEMS THAT WERE READ INTO SUMMARY. CLOSING THE VOTE. SIX YAYS AND ONE ABSENT, SO THAT ITEM PASSES. COUNCILMAN WALKER, YOUR ITEM... I MEAN, YOUR MOTION ON ADJOURNMENT. I MOVE TO ADJOURN. COUNCILMAN WALKER MOVES TO ADJOURN. SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN RANKIN. OPENING THE VOTE ON ADJOURNING. YEP. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE. VOTE, UH, VOTE TO GET US OUT OF HERE. CLOSING THE VOTE. SIX YAYS, ONE ABSENT, WHO'S ALREADY OUT OF HERE, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYBODY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.