City Council - Regular Meeting

Present. Father once again to the flag of the United Americy and justice for all. At this time, I would like to expand the discuss contract. Cut the lights out. comments as they relate to items on the agenda. Comments

announcement and recognition by the mayor and district. I have something um happy belated Veterans Day to all the veterans including my husband um Mr. Barrett Tapman also to our own councilman James Green and to all the veterans out there. We appreciate your service.

I also council. Thank you. Please sir. to the consent approval of the minutes. If there is no objection consider action requests committ of the government body a finance committee accept all the committee report. I don't

Yes. Jones, city met with everybody, discuss the rules and roles that they were there's a lot of misinformation that they kind of heard just things they heard or thought to clarify. meet with them during that session. I think they really like the idea that they get to be the eyes for the council and kind of invest to bring stuff to y'all and then be able to inform the council and mark a relationship. We did discuss about the reports that they would they would bring to y'all to have action on and what would be involved in that. And I would say who is our code enforcement officer which he can speak on that later. He also came to the meeting and provided information. They were very happy with the level of information that had been provided to them uh because they said that detail and pictures and things was very helpful in the level of detail they had before. So at that point they didn't have anything to act on but they go forward. It was a very productive week. All right, we're going to move on to eight reports to city uh city by chief of police. If I could, I would ask request the board to suspend rule of order to take

up item 15A to let chief go ahead and do do it now. Is there a motion?

Make a motion. I second. All in favor? Got a brief hired a recruit police department to graduate academy. license as they go. These are all renewals. First one is Fiesta Linda Mexican Restaurant, 1065 East Madison, class R. Wanito Mexican Restaurant, 801 North Washington Avenue, North Washington Street, class R. Walgreens number 10536903 East Madison class A. Family Dollar number 26150 1714 East Madison class A. Family Dollar number 20917 542 North Washington Avenue class A. We have field track 1301 North Washington class A. Fuel track easy mark 1231 North Washington class A boiling point 1903 1930 North Washington class R. Johnny's house number seven, class B, 1601 Park Drive, Veterans Private Club,

2324, East Madison Avenue, class B. All of these U restaurants and businesses have done what is necessary on the police department. Yes, sir. I like that motion. We have one new liquor license. Oh, I'm sorry.

I made that motion. Lastly, I have one new liquor license. One new liquor license that's going to be quick incorporated 9 950 carbon plant class A. Correct. That's correction. That's a uh this is a renewal. This is the last page. Okay. Of the renewal. I I I forgot to read this.

That's quick pack. I got the page mixed up. And it's a class A 9505 carbon plant. They they was required as well for their license. All right. previous motion and approve all that the chief recommended.

I said,

you have one new that was that was the last renewal. I have one new this is a new liquid license and that's going to be hard stop number one. 1610 West Avenue, West Madison Avenue, class AP, the BP station on West Madison right

he he did everything that was required on our end. He advertised and passed all the background,

right? Yes, they did. Yeah, that location had they just sold they sold to a new and renamed. I guess a question. Yes. I think in the past that they got that straight with their church. So they have no objection to that.

Yes sir. Previous grandma again that's the same church we want to make sure we say right. As far as I know, it was grandfathered in. Uh and as well, um they're not using that um center next to it for a playground or anything. I understand it was grandfathered in from there as well. Yes, sir.

Right. this the license they been headed and again question would it matter if that uh you're talking about the church on the side of it across the street would it matter if that church is not in operation because sometimes that that that building is not in operation like church

I'm not talking Not saying I'm talking about the uh where the NCI used to be right across the street. Yeah. Yeah. But as I was saying, that building is closer to the uh to the new hard and but it's not always in operation. Yeah. And if they if they did the measure if you grandfathed it in that means if it was if it was right if it was the right distance you wouldn't have to do all that.

So obviously it didn't need specification they had to get with the church which was St. John the grandfather of men because if it was already distance it was if the distance was correct you wouldn't even have to do that. That let me know that it was out of spec. And so we they made some they made some adjustments and compromise in the church was fine. Right. The businesses and the churches in the area came to a compromise.

Yeah. More than a grandfather church. I guess my concern was like they decided to stay here in the old yes the short answer to that question is is that if this license were to lapse or pass to another person, it's not a renewal, then that license, that new license, a new application has to get that waiver each time. U and we've ran into this before. Most notably, there's a gas station, there's a station or piece of property that intends on selling alcohol close to where a middle school is. And part of the negotiation selling the property from the school board in that parish was that parish. I saw the restraint of the school board that had to wave permanently objection to that adjacent piece of property selling alcohol. They were able to do that. There's multiple types of wings you can do. One could be a permanent waiver, one could be just a waiver for that time. But if the license would ever become a new application, they would have to go and obtain that consent for the property. And it's generally measured from nearest uh from nearest point of property to property unless otherwise specified. Now there's creative ways to do it. You can it down by state law. There's nothing there. Ours just stops.

It's not the actual physical building. It's the property on the floor. Second favor of fame. Motion carries.

You want to come up to the mic tonight address? My name is David. Anyway, I represented, interestingly enough, I represented owner of this property and been for some 30 years and currently I've been a trustee and now represent the mill without what is possible. relative to having an approve subt. time.

I was just saying

Congratulations. Good luck. attorney attorney. So over the last month we have more ground. One thing we had last year is something but I'm bring other big things that we have made our way on our structures like that kind of review those processes and how it goes. I have the prosecutor one time last month twice in December. uh some of those some of those violations that we have for enforcement if they're aggressive enough to uh judge city rather than discussions in that arena. Also,

Mr. Jones, what about East Side School? You know, that's that's been on my radar.

So, East Side School is one is one in which we've actually condemned it. We have been in discussion with possibly receiving grant money and trying to take care of that whe that's going to be that was discussion prior administration maybe the application period for that but that application period for that money exist every year so whether we want to steal it you have up to about $700,000 you get or whe based on what they require. One big fear is that they're going to require an environmental study there based on the age of the school and the possibility of things which could be able to increase the grant request that package. So we kind of determine the legality of what extensive amount we're going to have to do if we do decide to go through the demolition of it. As far as legal as the land owner currently at the furthest process with that person uh still could be subject to violations in environmental court or in criminal court based on what's happening but we've taken it to the furthest quick so I was going to ask a So, when are we going to start? Are we where are we going to be able to find those property owners? That's what when are we going to be able to find those property owners? That school has been we have talked to talked to her. She came before the council. She she's been up there several times and they put

a shingle on. So, so I'm just asking what what can we do to to can it be per weekly, per day, per week, per month? We we how we going to go about she's part of she's part of that that issue with that property owner is a continued violation that's one that I believe is probably best for city court for more violation there is really where we work in the process of getting discussion with the judge and with the clerk of how we're going to bring those cases because they are different than anything we've never actually blocked them probably since 2016 that we ever brought one judge used to be open violations.

Uh 2016 was not. So we have to speak with those more aggressive violators like that. I would expect that we see them first availability they do their out by about six weeks. first or something like that either December or the first January document. We do have several what I would consider beggressive also. Yes.

Correct. If we're trying to find a brand or city going to do something with that building, who going to own the building? So the property is always going to be owned by the owner. The way we would keep our money as far as doing anything but money on correct subject to a lean on that property which is

so that's it. So that's that's why you can if you can use money that is specific for that purpose. So we are not out of there for her on record. So on record right now we can do anything with it. fines. When environmental court previously operated, there was no fine structure. There was no statute or ordinance that allow for exist that came into fruition in February 2024. Since then, environmental court had not operated. We had issues with code force. Code had not cited or cited anybody until that time until Mr. this point came on. Nobody was cited or anything. They now have been cited. The determination on that building is when you have somebody who's not participating, do you want to send the notice and send them to environmental or do you want to see

and so that's one of those things that I consider to be aggressive. It's a it's a violation that scares everybody. You drive down. I saw today when I came back and so aggressive violation like that. So that's the eyes be subject to the city.

And the goal is is to not expend city dollars as you said. say we move to the restored on the post I don't Um, I'm going take it back to September when I um I ran so far I got over seven complaints that I did. U not including this uh the land owner of all these properties that we know about. That's not including all his properties. Um, out of that 70, I got 20 full uh participation where they actually called up here concerned, you know, that the legislator sent out to actually start cleaning their properties and stuff like that. Um, 15 out of that's left is going to environment court. I had 18, but three of those I got a return center letter. He didn't make it to so 15. Can you give us a list at the next meeting of all just like department give us a list of the news and stuff. I hear what you're saying. I'm a visual person. I'd like to know who uh you have on that list what has gone because we have calling us all the time about things in that neighborhood and we need a list.

Okay. A quick question have any book since October of $1,000.

Absolutely. Mr. I have a question and I know once you give us a hint we'll know what we're dealing with and I know the library was a lot of property. So did those letters make it to the owner or the property? Yeah. Um I got with a spreadsheet properties that's going to be one of the ones that's aggressive environment. So it's criminal. We started spreadsheets, you know, and country club.

Country one across the street.

Okay. One one thing I would point out is that Mr. uh tremendous efforts even there 70. We had 20 plus who contacted more than that did not contacted simply just started cleaning the properties. 18 of which were headed to environmental three of which have a little bit more 15 are headed to environmental. So that's in addition to the 60 plus properties that on that list. So give you an idea 70 is a gross understatement of the number. There is approximately 130 properties which actually occur current action plan effectively school one of those properties aggressive. We just want to make sure we're solving out pretty much here in the district. But you know, um, if y'all can give me, you know,

I don't mind.

C, this is this is my problem. Everybody's you know you see condemning houses but every time I go to a house wrong two two people the liar problem

so that is the problem district every time you go over it belongs to a liar it's going to be a judicated problem that's why I've been asking the attorney every time I get ready to go to They keep asking me can we do something? Whether it was liar property or property that individual is those properties are owned by you that one time to address the problem rather than that way you make sure that you have it and that you have everything. So I guess one one way in which one way and so one of the ways we're able to identify those properties is going to tax the tax but also understand tax more properties. in the city. So, we had a list to start with and you run into some special problems along the way. One of which is in in council me district. There's a home there that is subject to succession right now and that house is clearly needs to do something. we were able to reach out to the succession representative to understand that hey this house is in succession over the next couple months they're going to take care of this in so that that kind of dialogue is starting to pattern

the last question I know we dealing with um a lot of properties that have a lot of training But we have I think we have an ordinance in place about abandoned vehicles that were non vehicles. So would that be next on the list or is that part of your list now? Um yeah, it's it's next on my list. I was

and you're redoing the structure. Does code enforcement have any action if they are working with without permit? Legally speaking, code enforcement is the investigative wing of all of our planning. uh initially the important would be individuals performing something like that are they peritted or are they following uh the regulations that we have that occurs uh that that's how he would then see if the ordinances are being followed if the permits have been issued permits are required for that job where the fire department may do that as well the fire department does have stuff to do with that depend on it depends on if there's there's anything that's required electrical or hole or anything like that. You have electric hole going to get that from the fire department sign off and that make sure it's code and it's fire approved. That's part of the pering process. You actually issued you have several entities that have to sign off. One of those entities is that the fire chief signs off. It is it is up to spec and if they have done everything the code signs off as the administrator for that is performing. This is an activity that exists underneath it. And then you also have all that.

No structure, but the structure is already structur.

Yes. Generally speaking, if it turns into certain level, yeah, you can probably do, you know, adding on to your house from

Yeah. So parish issues parish issues what is you also have demolition what you're talking about you're talking about a structural and the reason why fire gets involved because you're not going to beaining power from the house you need fire on it because energy requires that I'm I'm just going to assume there's over there somewhere because they ain't remoding.

Yeah. And lastly, I say just I'll just reiterate there are in everybody's district there are there are a lot of lot of uh bad bad properties. Uh uh the last this these past four days I've got about four or five phone calls uh every day and that's why you may see me uh see me up here trying to pass stuff on. Uh it's it's the only thing I can tell them now is we have code enforcement officers and I always encourage them to call the city of code enforcement office and I give them the number so you know they can they can get it directly from the citizens because again uh everybody has that same problem and there is no quick answer uh to that that I can I can I can uh I can give you pain on that. But uh you know what else what else can we uh what what good answer can we give people when they call about the property and I invite I invite you some advice ideas on that I think ultimately goal is that's down you know somebody wants to So they can always contact it. I always tell people phone somebody's office when you're on the phone. Best case scenario if you place somebody look at say hey that you call somebody take call at that time.

I'm not sure if I missed it or not. I know that we we discussed library properties, but what about those as adjudicated Paris city. So, go ahead. They need to be um so adjudicated buildings. They're still they're still owned by somebody. They're not owned by the parish.

But they're adjudicated to the parish. Judicated just means parish has right, right? They don't exercise the right. In fact, when we send out letters, they often say, "Do whatever you want. We don't care." uh because ultimately it's going to fall back to the property. Just understand that we have an adjudicated property. It's going to be like school building. You're gonna have properties money because obviously the taxes that's the question I was going to ask you attorney said best you got a problem he said 5,000 problems well it's an illusion because when you say parish why a lot of that belong the parish if the juke did to the parish is still inside the It was in one of our districts. So we get the blame for it, but it actually belongs to the parent. You said to the parents, the attorney just stated they don't we're not going to do nothing about it. So what you going to do about it? And and if you were to let's take it for you property that's inside the city that the tax is adjudicated to the parish. You would send the what we call the property ownership. Paris is not property owner. So underline property owner you send in notice that you're in court or if you're somewhere most of the time somebody's gone down the way they're not here. They were investment properties something of that nature where the owner is absent. Well as soon as you go get there's nobody here but just a fine le against the property that nobody's pay tax. Can you is it possible that you could do it with the attorneys for the parish

if we receive the so the parish is not is not anybody who's responsible for any work on the property because they don't own they don't have a right to the property they have a right to take ownership of the property if they want to they have to follow they don't right and here's here's another thing too because they inside and we go through that property. Let's say we we get rid of that property, but the owner still have time to redeem that property, they have time all the way up to time in the name of just means they have to take adjudication properly, they go through a redemption period which give owner no time to redeem their property. So we go in for example we go in to do anything to that property and if that owner redeemed that property right and go back and say hey I didn't authorize you guys come on my property not if we're not if we're not if we're underneath or enforcement or just understand that the redemption period is 36 months the if you if you cut if a judge that it cuts down 18 months. But the issue with that is is that the parish has no right to be on this property either. They just have a right to sure take owner of it. So it's like the right to make s it's the same thing they have the right to take ownership that property they just don't. So actually period is for as long as they have not exercised the right.

Exactly. You got a situation like that, right? Like where we u demolish property and the owner come back and say they did not want that that property.

But see that property I had thought but I did not. And here's the thing. When she do her business to clean up our district and we go to demolish her property own is that in order to get their property back, they have to pay off. But we are authorized once once that property once we receive that we're authorized at that time authorized question. So if we go clean up we would do that. So just like these we were do anything that property we would put the cost that's related to that back on that property ever transfer and didn't attorney so that's one of the problem that we have he said we clean up the property why would we clean why would the city clean up something the parish own we get then the parish turn around and make money off so the parish the parish doesn't own the parish I see what you say. They don't own it, but when you clean it up, when it comes up, when it's adjudicated to them, they're the one that that orchestrate that you so you go and clean it up. Are we going to put it in there? We So, when adjudicated property sells, let's say it was just received adjudicated to the parish. We did work on that property and they subsequent sold it like a patient sale like we have. they have to pay that taxes back to us. So the minimum price on that is at least back to us.

Okay, another question. Why can't we as a council since it since a lot of those properties are inside city limit, why can't we work on us a grant for the properties inside city limit we got a lot of properties inside city limit too. We talk to them and see if they are they in the process of getting grants to alleviate some of the problem alleviate the blight also. So that property although that property they have right to take it over they have not exercised that right so they don't have right property. No no but I'm saying we in the process of giving a grant. We in the process of getting a $750 grant that's going to be dedicated to black. Can we network and work with them and see are they in the process of getting a grant also? Of course, 100% the parish is incorporated. The parish includes the city of Bastard, they could work with us to also apply for similar funding. Now, I don't know because you your applications for that funding are based on whether you're a village, town or city or maybe a parish government. Uh they you compete against each other based on that. I don't know that we both listed the same property for us. property. We have more than enough properties to cover $700,000 as possible. And if we were to add in every property that we get in too, yes,

arguably assuming that we were granted the full $700,000, you would have enough properties in the city of master to to cover the gain from Do we have a number on the houses? There is a there's a list of communication to see how it is back the person next door to you to purchase that property.

Yeah. So you could have said something about No, you know some of the times people is the ones next door to their property but like the only way that you're going to be able to give them water.

Uh in order to do that, you have to be the party have the actual have control of that property in order to sell that property. Uh that's I mean It's one of those things that you actually take over the properties at that point. Mr. One more question. Can you tell us what the actual what the nuisance say? What does it encompass? We have a nuisance law.

We have a set of ordinances that encompasses nuisance that pretty much covers just about any activity that's done in unlawful manner designed to you know our communication and things like that. We do have I do believe there's a specific nuisance ordinance as to nauseous needs and things like that that deals with that are enforcement ordinances expanded the definitions of depth of those to make all everything that was previously just

when you finally tell me where are we agenda. So it looks like we're going to be at 10 which is well we actually we're at 9 which unfinished business. We don't have any. So A is going to be new business action on proposing resolutions. 10A is resolution 25218. The resolution adopting operating budget for revenue expenditures in the general consider beginning July 1, 2025 and June 30th, 2026. I think this time city attorney for policy and budget Mr. Rick Smith will present that and then once he presents that I believe the chairman will ask for action on that item. This is the first budget of the year based on audith the second go with the package package Monday. We do apologize for that miscommunication and it won't happen. But again, um like the mayor pointed out early on is that you know this is a new day, new way doing things. We're going to uh present a quarterly budget revision to the council. This is the first quarter, the person budget. We anticipate doing this again in February, second quarter. And I uh I had to talk to the mayor and decide on whether or not we do a third quarter or we just

move into the budget development process starting early and that process again that's why 26 27 during that period which will probably include the actuals for the that third quarter as a basis that so at least going to have this year budget revision presented to you in all three budgets for February. Yeah, we can go through

right members. had two uh mid year I mean first quarter of the budget revisions we didn't do any revisions to the street use anticipate that mid year look at the sewer use budget the um the major changes with this is that uh again mad pro last meeting we ended discussion regarding uh the what I refer to as administrative costs with respect to sew and how funded general fund as opposed to Mr. Jones and I look into that issue. Mr. Jones looked at from perspective regards to whether or not was applicable and indeed was so um look at page two lines 29 through 32. There going to be additions that added to the sewer use budget which brings over um movement from November to the end of fiscal year. Those costs that were funded general fund dollars are not going to be paid use. So and the only other change is 24 is that amount will increase. think I should talk about that issue that's project mayor working on that's potential matching fund for grant opportunity but with that being said that was the only major changes that made to sew use as you can see the only other change is that um for this fiscal year about 345,000 was uh taken out of the funds which

leaves about $9.5 million funds for the students. I mean this this is a great thing and you know I like to give Kudos to Kudos if we I noticed the James Green had been speculating that we possibly could do this which is a wonderful thing. So we know we can take the salaries out. So, are we researching any other items that we could use with this money?

Um, that's well because the only thing that we funded out of fund that relates to these accounts. So, it's not salary, it's that contract. So I make a motion rock so we can ask question it's going to be a reoccur so I would make the motion we so initially with the budget we had come out of general funds.

Yeah. as historically done. So now you don't no longer have to use correct that's wonderful. Uh it's go back to so three of about $1.5 million. That is absolutely wonderful.

You know and again I go back to when originally presented the budget. Uh although it was balanced, I did warn y'all that $1.6 million onetime money that was funded about a million dollar revenue. With this adjustment, you're essentially, you know, uh taking the pressure off of the budget development for

FY 2627. And if all economic uh conditions are the same, you know, uh next year, we're looking at maybe about 150 200,000 uh circles that all things are equal. But when we get into the general fund, there's a couple concerns with cost to council's attention when there be adjustments because that savings was redirected in other categories. Uh but we get to general fun.

Now, what if we had like a street project that you had to tap into the sewer any kind of project like that? Now that's something we are going and looking at to see because we probably and the idea is do a program check on what percentage of it is treating what percentage of it anticipate just you know preary discussion that's something we should be able to do when we go to the tree that come at a price when you go to a different under the street,

right? And and I think the engineer would probably be able to to really hone down that program shed. So, you know, as this project cost $300,000, how much sewer expense, how much street and that way we can make fun. Okay. So, this situation that fund was tied to the most

and I'm not sure those extended this year. So to the degree that we can revise the budget and put that money back into the general fund possible funds that general funds to take care as well. Well, what would happen is that because all that money came out of the street, it would go back into so whatever, let's say, you know, sewer to be expended, that money will go from sewer into street instead of general fun. So it always goes back to the original. Um so I mean we suspend Robert. So um in regards to the uh general fund um the overarching u numbers are still the same $4.3 million in revenue and $4.3 million spent. Um when we made that transition uh with all uh expenses um it freed up close to about 900,000 net because we did still expended about a quarter of that money already. No way. Well, I'm not saying there's no way. which is moving forward going into a total of looking at probably million dollar four categories together but net about 900 because there when the budget you look at it um if you look at column F when we did that we looked at everything

that was in that 5% bear so if it was below 20 or above above 30, you know, we got automatic scrutiny unless it's one of those things that suspended for a year like um the property insurance. We don't once we pay the property insurance that's it for years. We will spend the debt 100%.

So there's no need to make any adjustments to that. But one of the things that I saw was the related benefits insurance was exceeding you know that variance. So a lot of that went toward making those adjustments so those can be fully funed if it's at the same rate but it's just for you but like I said you know we reside that fact we don't have to find a million dollars the next year but the potential short surplus that I articulated maybe get so if these cost so that's why I said put a caveat that we could have a surplus if all economic conditions are the same. It's trending everything is trending high cost. I mean there's a number of different factors for that but again that's conserved investment because again uh with this quarterly amendment amended budget I didn't make any provisions to revenue side and um I indicated the finance sales tax is uh trending higher than what budget probably around maybe four to 6%. So at the 6.2 two that budget is probably going to be closer to what the previous administration uh estimated in their budget propos.

So when do we need to correct that? Well, we going to do that mid. I want to make sure that the rate of connection. Okay. So we either do that third quarter or when we do the the next budget and then the final quarter spending, you know, depend on what y'all may want to just let it just go into the general fund balance as a operation of law or you know want to do something with I mean and I know it's not something that we just all want to do raise taxes but we we got to keep up because how much money do you anticipate we have lost

well with not rolling the uh property taxes forward I forgot what the estimate is but I think it was probably six revenue not close to it that you know what wasn't captured this year that with these changes that we have that money can either go to fund balance or be extended on one time cost for this year and possibly tied to reoccurring cost next year

because that's source. So that's the only thing we we kind of adjusted that and there's a couple of things that get you project that's something that I'm not sure the mayor was prepared to discuss at this meeting but there's some great opportunity with that amount which 250 represents the matching fund

okay portions So that's just something one of the things that's coming down the pipeline um that once it gets to a stage where the mayor would address him address but had to point it out in the budget.

So it's coming um and again um goes to general fund. uh we balance out other categories that were outside that barriers some movement. Um and one of the things that I want attention to is page one line six and line 14. You see that those are increases and they're increases that we're going to talk about the next uh next meeting or we have a special meeting with him. Um there's a unfunded liability that this administration inherited um that I get into later on that affects those categories. Um so if you see that number increase that's a reason for it is to set aside that those monies just in case that unfunded liability comes to fruition that's a possibility that doesn't necessarily

right but again I go in more detail about that some things that and some other things that come about um unexpectedly for expenses that should have been paid last fiscal year this fisc year that wasn't part of the budget that res but it seemed like at times we hear people ask us there's a lot of stuff that is being inherited you guys inherit from the previous administration it seemed like if you trying to say we're not actually saying I need to know the increase of $100,000 that some folks took place last I get it I get everybody wrong but at times need be

and and full disclosure again those things that I think are better

yeah initially in the executive session And then when those things come when the bills have to be paid the reason I say that because we all sit here we got to eat the budget right and then a lot of times when we talk to our everybody trying to be wrong of not saying hey this pride administration but because we gonna deal with it but it's good for us so we can be transparent with decision need us to take the blame for something that was you know right and you know

yeah and then at that point when it comes I guess time to discuss it open session you know you can right and I don't get bogged down at the end Smith until we decreases that liability. So it's not a s long as you got that liability whatever it is now you going have to roll it over next year. So it's not a savings. It's going to be as long as you don't reduce the liability it's going to still be on the books. We got allocate that money.

Correct. So until we reduce the liability we gonna always have right. So that's going to be all the baseline for next year's budget this amendment

which the mayor not so I got it to his attention we've got policies developed the mayor's implemented that's curbing that and there's some alternatives that alleviate that block from increase the mayor's taking initiative on that and um you making sure that amount doesn't increase and it has to this to this number plan of the money that we budget utilize as of now um and and this is one thing that gives me headaches because when I think I understood this American rescue money

I find something else that throws my initial understand our vision and that's another thing that we're going to talk about this session along with that because that's how it's just we'll talk about it again like I said try to not point fingers but just point out concerns and y'all we'll get you information in the proper form okay and then that way y'all all be informed of what's going on move forward what gets dissimilated from public consumption gets dissimilated from public consumption. So um and that's basically uh you know this uh quarterly budget uh revision for these two funds again like I said we will present midyear budget amendment February February because I actually like this for the not too familiar with budget but you can tell like the percentage So what's been used? So we going to pull the budget around 25% range would be like I like how you guys Yeah. And then the the push back allows us 5%. So if it wasn't over 30 I didn't really touch it unless you know was something that we had good feeling that wasn't going to change that's going to keep that quarterly pace.

What about the material supply page? Uh this one.

Yeah, that one

and and what those are things that's uh a couple of them are just kind of you know wish list things that may be coming down probably and expenses. That's the thing that you know we have you know kind of brainstorming ideas in which to pursue and seek other funding opportunities to move the city forward in certain areas which probably take us out of do. So, um, you know, you put that in there, uh, in anticipation of trying to do some of those things to the extent that we can. Uh, and I think we under under budget, uh, materials and expenses to be quite under budget. And again, I think you mentioned something when we pass the original budget, but this is just a snapshot and a guide, you know, to carry out the day operations. But what you guys doing now keep and then full transparency. We not moving money and spending without like said new day.

That's the mantra of this administration and that's how we move. I like it.

Yes, we need to resolve. Any discussion? None. All in favor? I opposed.

That's going to bring us to item resolution119. table.

So, we're not able to have any meetings until we have a correct is it pressing issues? You know, I have I'm not aware of any issues pressing, but ifsues in the future. I believe we're in the process of getting all

the item C is the LA compiance questionnaire for all the person. Uh this is going to be resolution 25201. I'm going to pass out these questions real quick. So, uh, you get an idea of the spring plot to Okay. So to give you an idea, this is related to our audit. So this is the upcoming process. What it has is there's two of those. There's one that's filled out by by the administration and then the council approves it. I will go through it real quick. Yeah. one issue. The second one that is blank and we also electronic to you copy is one that has to be returned next Wednesday that it's just one related to you how you feel about certain things. These these come in play at the beginning of our audit. You kind of heard me speak last time when we were talking about all people asking how do we report things? How do we say things that we need to say and certain things like that to the author? Uh this is the city questionnaire is the

one for us to check off the big boxes of do we feel like there is anything that that was did we comply with all these walls to the best of your knowledge. I understand some of you were not here during the 24 25 uh administration and so that means that you're just doing it to the best of your knowledge. You're not certifying that you are that all these were done. is just your way to bring to the auditor's attentions before they start any concerns that you have. Uh the one that has been filled out uh in coordination cler where go through certain things based on previous meetings and previous questionnaires to fill out the one for the city and that's the one that they need resolution that's the question you can ask questions.

Correct. So I'm going to go I'm going to go through kind of line by line with you real quick. And so as it goes to kind of go and I'll tell you where each answer was and based on previous history where answers were. Okay. So this I don't think have probably ever been seen before. So this starts an audit once this kind of orient issues in this area. There may be concerns. It's a selfing question. Maybe it's the first time weed this I don't know I never saw it before. So that said,

yeah, new data administration uh if you will, if you're kind reason why it's coming to you like this is we engage late in kind of process. They're kind of running behind the clock for probably we may end up with an extension may not how how they have to look at certain things. I can't tell that. One of the things they sent, hey, hey, we need this question.

So, I'm gonna run through those answers for you real quick. I fig I predicted that. So when the clerk and I got together, she was obviously not here at the time, but I was here. I recall our meetings where there was discussions at this is from administration. Your sheet is also very similar to this. It says, "Hey, where do you think those issues at? Is there anything I need to look at? Is there anything of how you bring up?" So when they're going through the investigation, they say, "Hey, this this official said that I have concerns this is deeper in those areas." Yeah, it definitely based off June. It's going to be from July 1st of 2024 to June 30th of 2025. So here's where this So they use this to help sell to sell the officials of this makes them aware of what possible issues could be to self. They then do their audit and at the end of their audit they attach this when they give it to the LLA. So Louisiana says, "Hey, here's their audit report. Here's what they self-report. What issues did they actually work in this?" Is this something that direct auditor or this goes so once you once you fill out once we approve this one, it goes to the resolution saying yes, we approve this. Then your questionnaires that you submit individually do not go back and forth. So whatever you write on between you and the you and the audit it's confidential in that regard. The auditor then would use that to guide their audit and then they to part of the package. So eventually all this will go down to legislative.

This is how the process is always social. So, and I'm going to go through I'm gonna update you based on prior prior years history. So, it's gonna take a second. So, it will go to what is called Louisiana compliance questionnaire for audits for engagement. The one that I said is ours, not the one that is it has the back letter. So, the first page is the cover letter. The second page is going to say compliance question. That's actually first page of course questionnaire but second page you have that has the CPA firm that has the dates that are covered you'll see 630 2025 for those financial statements it covers 630 it covers 7124 through 63025 that's our agency that's our census population that is period covered by the questionnaire question five is as to the entity how we are organized for legislative charge Question six says briefly public services were not required to expun public services. Question seven says when did the day of the current elected appointed officials terms elected officials terms ended on expired July 1st 2025 had no on that date. So that means that the people covered underneath this their terms expired. Then it goes down to legal compliance bid law. It says that uh did we follow all the things that require bid versus state law in the business administration. Uh I believe based on our history and our answers there I think that I don't think we had any issue with bid law. We did have some issue with our personal our pastoral ordinances but not setting. So we didn't have any issues there. So that was a simple yes and historically

for the last three years that answer has been yes that we follow all those laws.

Uh part three is code of ethics for local public officials that ask question nine says uh officials they accept anything about service promise. I don't believe any person had received anything that I we had knowledge of anybody knowledge of historically that's so quick question go back to the law do do I know other entities like a certain amount they have to be shown that you invited other people to to be there so that's that is what that falls into a different section this one just deals with state it's much entire question you're going to be talking about when we get down to part four and part five is where those answers I do predict that's what I said because there was a budget there was a budget resolution in place about $500 remember how I spoke numerous times about that would end up being I was just dialogue. They told me that on another show that you actually invited a certain amount of people to come in.

Correct. So we don't have business or anything like that. We don't have

So we don't we don't have anybody who we don't have anybody who that covers that. So that as far as state law goes there's nothing to my knowledge internally or that came before that meetings that cover this time period that was outside of it. So that was a yes. Historically for the last four years that has been yes the ethics part everybody has I don't know any consideration stop anything like that I've never known of any violations but we quickly know that so those were yes those nine yeses 11 which is part five law this is the big so this is the local It says that we adopted the budget for all revenues that we maintained them and that we amended them consistent with it and that we did this title. That answer is and that we stay with but I believe that every person sitting on here uh would agree that that did not. So that was a no historically based on my view the last two years answers that was yes I believe so you know I don't know if we're supposed to be but submission for our districts.

I'm just giving you what the answer is and what the answer is tonight.

State budget requirements is part B. PSA has complied with budgetary requirements of 3933 which is the local budget act that again we did not comply with that certain% I believe Mr. Smith articulated his first we were generally towards the maintenance this is submitted by the administration generally needs approval or resolution approving it my packet did not the question that I provided I just want to bring clarity everybody know we And then also because you hear right here Yeah. I didn't like the reason I mostal somebody object to utilize legal. Yeah. So part C is always been not applicable. That's the only license. So that is not that is there's no other answer. Going down to part five question 12. We maintain our account system. I believe everybody understands that is

a no outside help to get our book straight of which there is still something that needs to go on historic session meeting which means that we have no one who is sent to this is sent to our auditors and it's attached and sent to the legisl I hate for a long time. I don't apologize but listen.

Yeah. So part of part of part of the reason why they won't submit that audit is because based on your client sheet submitted ahead of time showing really what well I'm not I'm clarify that based on you got now different yes one for this year

we all we do once the once the fiscal year ends and this starts all process. So we marked non records over public records. I believe we had executive session discussing public records issues. So that's enough. If anybody disagrees with an answer, okay. Uh so the file financial statements in accordance with 24 and 33 463 were applicable. Yes, we're applicable. We did file our financial statements that we not required to file any places. We did that that That is what banking assistance we have had our financial statements all in time manner and of course we're 24 514 we're within time on the last one we didn't have to get an extension on it so we're good there we were within time

we're on number 15 if we were talking about previous we're was in time. But no, we said we have our financial time.

Well, you have to remember we did we did two years at a time. The one just the the 22 23 one was not timely. The 2425 one was timely because we didn't receive extensions. We weren't out of time. We had some extensions. Yeah, extensions are one of those things that count as being timeless. extensions are considered time. So when you sub previous was no Cindy. Okay. So, we did not enter contracts. No, we never entered in contracts while we're on. So that's that's against me. You follow we complied with regarding compensation versus yes we comply we disclose all previous

means we follow that means we did uh if you look at our previous audit page we have remitted all fees fines and court cost with that's not applicable to us we don't collect fees and cost that is collected by the uh a who the court collects that that's in their audit they actually issue us a check related to that we don't actually do that it's not with us they have their uh same as 19 that is a function of the city court. We don't support that historically. That's not we meetings laws. Yes, we did comply. I don't know anything in there. Asset management laws. says we maintain records of our fixed assets property records as required by the statutes as applicable. I believe we hired Mr. Wson to uh do that. Yes. So this was pretty quiet. So it may have been given to them, but we didn't receive none of this. Okay, guess what? We just sit there looking but I don't see it. Uh, so the agency head pay is listing your audit on the agency on a title system. The head of your agency is that reimbursement also.

Yes, it lists everything that's in there. If it's an area if it's an area of concern, you can list your personal question. But as far as as far as the best of knowledge that we know the date for it's going to be July 1, 2024 to July to June 30, 2025.

Okay. I guess my question is I'm not saying it was it was it was not reported to the audience. I think at this point at this point we keep asking that same none of us none of us can go through

none of us we keep doing that but for the We have a lot of times that's why I'm sitting through it. Anybody

the fiscal administration cash management laws agency and cash management requirements those have been I spoke with the clerk those basically your financial control based over cash I spoke with the newer she's unaware of anything I'mware of anything and it is kind of those weird things we had we had so it's to We have been incurred in long-term debt without approval of state bond commission. That's an answer. Yes, we not during that time period. We comply with the debt limitation laws required by state law. Yes, that's the same thing as far as a lot of questions. It's a lot of legal questions to ask questional opinion. Just I just want I just want the people to know what we saying. this question that was answered and you had legal questions because you stated that you had no say so this document was submitted without utilizing legal counsel. I see that's a problem. Let's see. Comput

expenditure restriction laws. We have restricted the collections expenditure revenues those not authorized by the Louisiana statute tax proposition and budget ordinances. This is the one where it's a no based on what we had resolution and we had state budgetary act. So this is the one where I told you later on you'll see the question that's not so clear. U we have not advanced wages or salaries employees or paid bonuses in violation of the prohibition against donating property or they require that prohibition and interpret that prohibition against donation property. That answer is yes. I'm not aware of any donations like that employees. Uh that short answer is yes. Is true property or thing of value in violation that that answer.

Yeah. If you're loaning something that you can't loan property something that's what I tell you all the time. We cannot allow somebody to use something and

you know I mean

uh there yes there is some there is some that answer is no yes. So that's like why I tell you all the time cannot allow somebody to answer this question by resolution. So issuers of municipal securities, we don't have municipal securities. We don't issue. We don't issue any that's not minutes are taken at all of the governing authority. Yes, they are. They're not to record, but they are at all. They don't have on resolution official cities are published in the official journal. They are published in the journal. All officials take conducted at public meetings. Yes.

So those uh we complied with those specific state laws to our district as far as applicable. So we have we have a signature that requires a secretary sign. So this is actually a it's going to be nobody. This is built for a general if you have a parish government, you have a school board or something like that. There's already that where you sign it where you put your approvals who

historically it was signed by the

No, you sign one. It's just built for it's a blank parish government who's authorized to sign on behalf of sometimes parish governor government is like a a president or a where you have just a commissioners somebody's secretary treas so for our transparenc Now we receive a form that give the council opportunity to state their concern. Have they ever historically have they ever been presented to the council have council? Not that I'm aware of, but it's what I alluded to many times when I said, "Hey, you can contact them." There should be some do that. uh not and you don't have to because those things you feel compelled to do that

because it is competition. Yeah, first M. Uh, the one you just got through, the one you just got through reading. Uh, there's a lot of historical missing in and all of this. So, this this one you just got through reading. Um that is that should be on file with the auditor with the audit. Right. That is and that's it. They all file.

So with the second form where the individual uh council have to fill out would any of that be on file or have that been done?

I believe I believe those are on those I believe on file but I can check to be more sure but those are considered not public records. So, so my real question is can you have one without the other? Uh, you know, good story. Yeah, please tell there are answers to previous questions that were just not answered on the previous ones that uh didn't work yes or no applicable and that were submitted andcept historically my question ideally also also understand it appears to happen other one without you saying historically historically. Yes. But I would imag

One last question. Well, there is a copy of our submitted. more than you probably could because it's not request for your own way. One last question. If if you uh let's say both of these ones uh go together. Uh

so to answer your question, we submit the one that is before you that I just read. Yeah, you submit the Yeah,

we don't know if you submitted or not. So, do you ever get have you ever gotten anything from the auditor saying that uh these forms have not been submitted or would you get anything from the auditor? Generally speaking, the audial talks with the author and disclose things and discuss issues came up before these forms didn't exist from the council person because those those issues had to be relayed by word of mouth or by It was unintentional. I think so. What we're looking for here is so what I'm looking for now with everything is that what we need is the motion to approve the city compliance question. Yeah, the question.

Yeah, it's just the best. I approve. It's just required that we we show it to you. Not that you approve the submission. It was told that his body, can we please?

Yeah. So, all you're doing is is basically saying, "Yes, I for you don't agree with the answer." You can say, "Oh, I don't agree with that.

I have a deep question here." Now this what we now require our approval just your approval is simply signifying that you're relig But it didn't take place. So legally it require us to say hey we've seen this. So someone had to say that we seen it. Okay. Now here we are took place.

It is what it is. It is now talking about public record. So I'm pass somebody spoke before me. Somebody said I seen this and I'm okay with it. That's it require. Yeah. I'm just saying lame turn like I don't know I don't know if it's that explicit or it's just preparing the situation you want to approve something that we did not see that you did not do

all I'm asking your all your approval is that I can submit it's not that we have gone over it's not that you're accepting what's answered it's Attorney.

Okay. What I'm saying is we used to be when I first got on the council, we they gave us something physical. I'm saying now if you listen, hear me out because now we if if we're not required to sign things, it's not for you because you've been signing or whoever it is been just like jotting their name down. Not not sign. You know what I'm saying? When you look at the when I look at the minutes and I look at the resolution and all that, we don't sign. But our names are home.

But what I'm getting at, it's just like this this stuff right here. It's not for because we didn't we didn't sign it. Actually, if she put our name, well, whoever if anyone put our name on it that was sent down to the auditor, how would we know? Because we not required to physically sign. So, what happens is you have to make the resolution off the resolution was proper and it was put there. The physical signatures aren't required on that resolution. No, I'm not talking I'm not specifically talking about resolution. I'm just saying we got away from doing it. So if if your if your do appear on it, it's nothing really going to be. We don't know if she submitted it on our behalf or not under the previous administration sub on our behalf or not because it's not our signature because when you forge your signature then you're in trouble. talking about if we not required to sign something just write your name. So on a resolution minutes showing that we approved that

which the stuff that she that the previous administration sent to the

more than likely it's just an issue of the fact that they don't follow up on whether it was actually so private signatur your approval in the approval sign. You see what this says approving of what you have and responses correct and I have to alter that before we

correct responses we don't agree with the respons but not the respons

so it says beginning July 1st, 2024. Yeah, we have I feel my name. Mr. Jones, I wanted to answer your question earlier when this policy is legal false. Yeah. But now he said previous

resolution is what board action is needed. on the question that administration on that. So if no board action was taken because it was never presented to the board, one could argue that that may be false. I'm just answering a question in the second half. I don't think that is uh mandatory in regards to the administration against airport.

Yeah. simply put it the way that this administration did is the way it should and that's the way it should have been done is the way this administration did so for that to me from policy standoint and I'm telling you I I used to read the loud court.

I said he's officer of the court. So he did what he articulates is the language that put I'm not I'm not sure.

Yeah. Since uh C members since the Robert rules of orders have been suspended, you can pass that for now. I'll come back to it once language.

So uh members that brings us to uh 10 CA property. We have the I 1913 West Madison Avenue. There is lots district uh and the two 169 West Madison Avenue from East Madison up until the furniture store. I think you might find one or two homes that is in bad repair. How are we going to improve the west side of town unless we start tearing down some uh I have been working with people in contacting a lot of the owners of those properties on the west side of town. And this will not be the last time that I come here to ask that we vote on these two.

Have you saw it? I'm aggressively already.

Yeah, we did the old uh here's the thing. I agree with you. I got some we going to get to but process and the reason I say process because now here it is when Miss Angela they miss so without coming there was an issue. So now it's a lot on this side of town have already been sorted complete. What's the difference? As I as I articulated last time, there is not a difference. The difference was not illegal. The issue was not legal. So what she's saying is the council to give the consent for someone to sit down at home.

No, not at all. Let me ask no the allegation that what your discussion was I just want to know what happened was was that the allegation was was that uh that that she had authorized work prior to council and contracted the city prior to that occurring. It's not what occurred. What occurred is is that the CAD was voted on was approved but but the administration stance was the work was done before the CDA had been completed.

Now the CA was completed the night that we approved it and then we did it. The announce the announcement the work was after the administration held off signing that CDA because administration said who gave you approval. I remember I remember I remember the demonstration I remember her saying who gave the approval. Miss said she said I'm aggressive with this gun. I gave the approval. So what happened and I believe and I'm not say as I understood it we voted that night those houses had not been touched previous the next day because I was

as you understand and everybody's understood I generally between everybody because as the attorney

yeah so and 100% I'll stand on uh because here was the order of operations and that that CA was voted that night resolution put in place that night to be done. That CA we executed the signatures that night except for it was handed to administration for the rest of the science. The next day there was a The next day there was there was an announcement by Missappen that she had been able to procure these things and get these things done for her district which at that point inflamed the administration that that that had occurred at which point the administration held off signing the CDA and whenever it came to the administration that the contracting party that had relied on signing the CDA administration was going to sign it that day. What you got to remember is the contractor also signed that day. The day of the meeting the contractor signed right back to you. Okay. But what but just my understanding you clarify. So in order to make a CA legit the administration have to sign off on it. Correct.

Correct. So here's what here's what happened. the contractor signed that with the statement administration that we have to go because I couldn't go on exit again. I have some money. I just know when she did it here on the west side of town and then I support this excellent but the work have been done now we come forward.

Correct. We did not ask that person to do the work. That person performed the work. The work was within the scope of hold. So we asked the person did what to work. No. We're here for a CA for them. We're here for CA because we're reimbursing. We're reimbursing the party who had to pay that cost. That cost was in coordination.

Correct. We did not ask, but there's still an outstanding bill. So that was help from I have in my district come to ask can you reimburse me is it okay as long as it's as long as make a motion I said

yeah you can do it that's called it's called post it's called post I'm just see what has built now we can a different way to handle the process that caused so much so many issues for his last administration and I'm not understanding the the issues that were caused last administration were dealing with the administration my legal opinion never changed what happened is the administration withheld signing the Ca stood here that night sign the CA as did M was told yes this is good this is good to Miss Hawkins relied on that CDA to be able to do that. She is she knew and walked out that night that the mayor was going to sign it. When she turned her bill in, it was then informed I have not signed. What you want me plain simple? I'll tell you what it was. There's no truth. Can I can I say something? And what it was was the truth about this happened when I did saying that the houses had been taken care of.

It was not mishap. And so what happened is this whole walked out thank here's the thing I I actually appreciate it because a lot of times people get so wrapped into what perception what people say what the language is like we come in and this not the situation miss Angela never authorized or contract the city to do that work is exactly what happened Miss Hall walked out that night with all of us standing there saying this is getting signed and executed The administration walked to office, put it on the desk. The next day whenever the thing was when the thing was done and a video was done prior, it inflamed the administration administration at that point to sign it. this office showed up with it as well. But I guess I guess that was what the issue lies because I know right into the right into the right into the office. It was told it was said that city was not going to pay because of the video of this captain. they have

prior to us doing the CA which entails said that she authorized before she came before the council. Now that come directly sitting across from the previous map and I asked the question why is because it was authorized by a individual and not the council prior to signing the CDA and that's exactly what what I heard come out of the previous mayor last round and that's why we that's where that's why I'm glad this this coming about. Best thing can understand because it happened to her and I'm just like Councilman Green. is kind of no different in this situation which I want it to be easier for everybody and uh care is the best way to go but I keep talking back to the grief that Miss Captain suffered in the in the humiliation based on trying to insinuate that she did something that was unethical

we are in we are doing pretty much the same thing now and also too also too Miss happened that we was under the American Rescue Plan which which at the time the funds you said that it was we didn't have to go through the whole now listen now that money was without the council consent move over to general funds and I know we have a line item for each one of our so what's the process of us being each one of us have a line item for budgetary so it's the process still go as if it was the American rescue plan where anybody do it or do we have the time to follow the same um procedures if the city was getting a house which went into which we do that come from the laws require clarific What a fun

the American rescue act that money was origin to contract to sit down the house regardless of we pay them which Mr. rather did it. But if the administration do it, it's different process. Uh cuz now they got to be bunded and they had to be they had to be licensed, right? It was all the same. It was based on it was all based on what the CDA said because it's all dealing with the city. There is certain things if you're contracting person, you have to make sure they have stuff in place, but it all it's all the same process. I think I guess we want to make the process easier. We want to make it easier less. Yeah. Tear down. That's administration. That was their good. So, so if I

wasn't a good

hang what what is the requirement doing that because we all have budget for our so if you have somebody turn out a house it really determines on how you're doing if you're doing it like they're doing where they're going out and getting the individual property owners consent to do it then you're fine if you're if it's a house that's condemned and we're then we can go find but do I want to get the owner consent because if I turn on a house in my district that own their property

so they be like me clean up their property for well possibly if it's somebody you consider it was going to cost you a lot more money to go to here if it's like home and you have to go notice an absent owner or something like that. take it. We have to appoint you go way down the threshold. There's some cost savings.

No, I guess I guess you can always put you can always put the lean back on if you want to. So then that's why I was like the owner they give you the but for that hey the city we going to charge you x amount of dollars to have this house that you have to pay when you pay your taxes following year

and I think in order to there's going to be a swap sometime with with if you clean enough. You want your city to look good. Sometimes you just going to have to start to bite the bullet because you don't have to. You can't always be stuck on where it's going to go back to them. I know what you saying to the CA. We can recoup our money once they sell it, but we can't let that be a stick. We don't get any houses down because a lot of them belong to people that that's out of town or that really can't actually afford to get it done. And so one instance is that that's an instance of Mr. A group of houses that exist here. One of those homes has what we call air property property. Keep house beautiful all those individuals in it. Otherwise,

yeah, I just I'm not here to object, you know, but I just want you got money because how do we move forward with with this process? The same way that Mr. before is obtain either a you're going to need to obtain owner consent and have them come through if it's going to be a partnership with like generally what we do is leg work they get the consent owners to do it they find they help them find a contractor and we pay half the bill they pay

adjudicated houses have the same thing does not mean that you have to find the owners So just quickines at home otherwise we would have to take care of us. Yes.

1913 West Madison, 169 West Madison Avenue. Second. All in favor? Any opposed?

Okay. So if we go back to uh we go back to item C, the language of it says the attached questionnaire responses for the audit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 leaving June 30, 2024 and approved submission of that document and any answers all persons do not approve in their individual official capacity. I'm trying to get it in there that y'all did not approve that form.

Yes.

I said all carries. We are on number 11 which is planning zoning and I don't show that we have any business there. That brings us to item 12 which is the insurance membership organization. This is where the contract is with bring you to just bring the thing I'll request it. This the quality assurance panel membership is contained within the contract platform that we will put together this panel membership to review any instances for which the ambulance would leave was out of compliance or any complaints against them. It's kind of like complaint for ambulance contract. It's created by contract with them. Uh there is a sheriff, there is a nurse, there is a member from the you have that nurse appointed. You have that member on behalf of the sheriff's office on you have the chief of police, the fire chief, and you have a member from the city council. They have the ability to find to hold accountable any complaints or anything they see. Kind of like the sheet I sent you in your email with all the times. They be able to review stuff like that and to hold the ambulance company accountable. Uh that we do need to assemble if we're going to allege anything regarding breach. We don't have hands this time because we also have not a few complaints. We have dealt with that previously Mr. Smith and I other litigation where kind of asked you hey before you get here to breach which is a pretty big thing. Did y'all use all that trying to resolve this?

So I guess at this point we need to get the members of the committee and get set up.

Correct. And I would tell you that normally we think the resolution approving that contract created creation of that order. I would use a contract created order or committee rather than have a separate standalone ordinance. So that later on whenever we have together we have future contracts or instances like this. We don't have a board that's just standalone doing this or I know that some of the council did not want to create that. Uh, one thing that's in your email is the response times, uh, that was received this Monday. I thought we go through kind of quickly, take out some columns that aren't accurate. We'll be able to provide more detail stuff, but that that committee would act as a function to uh review kind of like like the finance committee does except they have the power to bind to and actually appear before them and they have to answer any complaints allegations and things like that. So things that we need to put on the horizon are when would the meeting times be we need to have the council think about who's a member council member who need to come forward we need to have a nurse then we need to reach out to the sheriff's office uh to have somebody who's designated the sheriff's office chief police our chief of police or his designated person and then we're going to have a fire chief the fire chief for this person or this person.

There's a nurse. There's a nurse. There has to be a nurse. I will tell you right now, more than likely you need to have a nurse who is not employed by a nurse. Yeah. Just I think future I can get you better opinion on that. just off we can get somebody we probably don't want to have anybody who has a counselor who is has yeah definitely want to step away from that so I can't be on I would adise

that of that contract also So that's things to put on the register to do. So what we bring is next meeting and

I think that discussion

our next discussion item is bridge status to be on here at his Uh you guys all basically uh need to start with an official status uh from from the city standoint. That would be a good start. So official status where the bridge is status of the bridge. So the bridge is the bridge in the process of the bids on those things. There are certain strategies and other things like that that are going on with the way you did things projects. Currently as you understand the cost on this project from where previously we started at. So one of the things with the the bidding is is your timing of bidding so that you can reduce your cost. Essentially this cost in speaking with engineers uh and trying to determine where we're in the legal process of it has potential to blend much greater if you ask certain times of need. So there are certain times of the year that are more advantageous sort of strategy and that uh this is probably one of the biggest projects undertake the district and is going to affect the daily lives of the residents of Bachelor considering such a big project. That said there is some strategy that goes into that. I do know that uh you self spoken engineer just understand a lot of that is more kind of dayto-day the strategy is it's it's not a public record as to a lot of that strategy that's going into the bid process but the the goal of that strategy is to alleviate some of the

cost that could could actually slow that project uh by having the timing there but everything is prepared ready and should be left for bids pretty soon. We just want to make sure that when we do security times on that project that we don't get outside of what the projected costs were too far because we get too far out of scope then it's outside the funding that we have allocated. So that's where we're currently at is trying to find the we have identified a window of time to get these bids so that we don't make sure that we're in a high construction time especially with the nature and status of construction at this point. I have had discussions with them because at certain points your approval for that bid will start to w and it starts to get to a point where you need to ask for greater approval or if we need to bring it back based on but when the state of construction right now there is expected period and so we're due to time that for that period so that we can actually preferial bids and not the cost of this project. Just for a point of correction, uh the uh conversation I had with uh Mr. Ch uh there was there was no mention that I had some questions about the process itself. uh what I'm what I'm uh asking about is was when the process started and from my from my understanding and talking to Mr. Jack is uh they have not moved on the project. They fix they they have not moved on the project. There are plans yet but as far as actually moving on the

project and letting forid if I'm not not mistaken that process has always been approved to let it out for right but it has not moved because my understanding of what it is. told me is that the bridge he does not have uh make sure I'm saying this right he does not have it were in the minutes it was approved by the city council he does not he does not have that

correct so all the all the required necessary things to look good have been approved what I am telling you is is that some of what Some of what falls into the dayto day is the strategy time that laws are very stringent fact that they protect because one you don't want to go out there and just get bids to see what it is. They protect contractors from having to disclose things and playing our hand too early. The other part of that is is that some of the names I gave you is not as it's not in the scope of public knowledge, but in the scope of being transparent, everything is ready and there's a bid window that's been identified for us to bid that. Is it at a standstill for the time period between yes for the purpose of the fact that if at the wrong time in a high construction thing, you could be asking people who have a lot of jobs, a lot of things going to bid. You can the cost in that community. For instance, we had a road that was estimated to be $2.1 million that is projected to $1,000. Only later half months later, we learned of a similar project going on nearby. When that bid went out, the road cost $400,000 on that side. So some of that is what we call institutional knowledge of the projects that are going on in the parish and the neighboring parishes so that you don't have certain crews like that who say yes I can do it but here's what it's going to take it's going to take me acquiring more help more people more things because I have my two crews that I have stretched already but sure will bid because there is a fine line amount of contractors do do projects like this So again, uh I have to I have to take that information and when people when my

uh constituents ask me about it, uh they're not going to ask me about uh what what are they going to put in the in the uh where they're going to use for equipment or anything like that. They want to know when is it going to be passed and when that when is it going to be open? And again uh my search uh for the answers simply is about when the bidding process was going to start. And then to keep it to keep it from uh you know just a a big public big public thing then again that that could have that that actually could have come to me uh much sooner than than it did than it did tonight or maybe a couple days ago. But it actually can't because you're here's the thing you have to understand that the government works in three branches. The executive branch is the dayto-day.

That information is what falls into strategy and trade secret. My disclosure of that is because I asked the mayor if I could disclose that to that disclosure falls within the strategy of the administration to say you don't want people to know what you're doing with regards to that. So the outdated for project Yes. So so this project this project now is different and it follows under different guidance against these other projects in the city. No, you're mixing that up. Every project that requires a bid. There are certain things that are what we call top sheet. Certain things that everybody's privy to, the public's private, that the separate branches are privy to. There is dialogue flow things as to the exact date when a bid is going to go down. That that is not public knowledge. So

there there was no there was no mention or ask of a specific date of a bid. The ask was when is it going to be let out for that is the same thing.

Okay. So, so, so again that could have been taken care of with with a small conversation. Again, if there are some trade secret, some other things that going into that process, then again, if I'm going to ask a question about the same thing over and over to see to keep me from asking that question, then you basically you need to tell me something or you tell me nothing. So, the answer to your the answer to your question was they told you as much as they could. Okay, I said that.

Correct. What did they tell? I said tell you something different. It's a day operation. You got to understand you doing a lot of stuff.

I told you it what you told me. What you told me was that Meta, you told me Meta had the had construction. No, you said Meta had the construction site sold up in the area and it was going to be it was going to it was going to take some time. That was your answer to me. I told you what you want, but I know what I told you around. Hey, for just for listen

I think they answer that no and why and why did he say no? because that's not enough for listen what I ask what he's saying is not in the minutes he's saying it's not in the minutes that's why he didn't proceed so that's that's something totally different I'm thinking rightid you can't you can't secretly offer bids you got

and that's what I'm saying that if once a open the whole city

I'll say this I'll say this young man I spoke with talked It was not in the minutes because the reason why it's not give us all the bids as well. We take the lowest

open. So again there there is no there is no movement on it and again the answer I got from the engine that he could not move on it because he did not have

it was not showing I'm talking about the meeting the June meeting was to approve the project to proceed to that.

Can I can I can I make one statement everything if you can judge by the means that we can have we're going to be as transparent as possible. We're going to respect the separation of power. The things that you are obligated to approve, we're going to bring it to you. Things that are operations are operations. There's nothing that this administration is going to move forward that requires legislative authority that we're going to circumvent you all in regards to that. So if it's something operational operational the mayor is going to take care of anything that requires legislative approval going to we've been doing that since July 1st. We're going to continue to do that. evidence about when the last time has this council approved a a budget uh amendment midf.

So there are things that that's that's moving forward that if it's operational operational it's legislative it's going to be brought to to this council for approval because it's required. Anything outside of that separation powers are going to be respected and it has to be respected on both ways. We're not going to ever bring something ass a certain legislative process because this mayor is not operating and moving that way and there certain things that operational that has to be that we respect has to be reciprocated as well. So I think that's where we are in regards to this issue. And again, conversation, dialogue you can have with the administration. You know, I'm not speaking for the mayor, but I'm sure the mayor the doors open and you can have those conversations with you to the extent that he's able to disclose operational things to you. We have to understand that there's separation powers and there's functions that eachbody has and we're going to respect your authority and your perview of things that you have to oversee. That's not going to happen under this administration. We're always going to bring things that as legislative function to you all to approve to consider and to be informed period. Yes.

What's on the

status? Other words, I'm pretty sure your position is actually so when you go to outside, do you contact

Listen, I'm not s I believe the same thing to you. You haven't you already you've already been told that the mayor has I may conver so this was not a big problem because all I was asking for was a update my updated information involved that it was going to be it was going to be a hold on because nothing to me that doesn't making something. What you don't understand is that Meta has a lot of site resources sucked up in contract. And so that's what it has to do with you want a specific date on something. I'm telling you sometimes and I get it. The constituents ask they ask me I get here every day that I'm here usually three to four days three to five days after the week. Mr. Lock at least three of those days uh I bring you the other day up here. What you're getting into is is that you want something specific. Sometimes the answer with constituents when you're in this process is is that we are in the process of getting bids. There is not a specific date. You want a specific date on when we're doing or how we're doing or what we're doing. That's where it falls into operations. That's where it falls into stuff. As I understand that is the answer you want. The engineer talked with you said hey look we haven't done anything. You want to know why is

meta a problem? that that's something that falls into the category of us discussing why is it more advantageous to bid at this time or another time. That's something that any person who is in the contracting world right now can tell you that that site and it source and uses has every contractor title. It's the reason why property over there is being sold for thousands of dollars more for an acre and leased for thousands of dollars more because

that's why so we're trying to provide you information. I think that you're trying to provide information to your constituents. Sometimes that answer is in the process. We're in the process of this administration been more transparent than anything I've dealt with over the last three years. But sometimes transparency can be a little less transparent when you're dealing with strategy and optimal times to deal with things. A very transparent answer is no. Any person who has purchased any building supplies, been in any building house in the last six months knows it simply took asking a banker to that medical has everything right. I have a conversation with

engineer does not mentally what he told me real simple I do not have a motion to proceed to it that was in the midst. Does that mean anything? Does that mean that's inquiry with what the motion get? Um yeah that was from my understanding it was

okay but did you talk to so that's what I'm saying is the proper procedure to gain that information well so the dialogue everything everything that has been coming up has been coming from you anyway so I've been I've had dialogue with you correct have you have you articulated that Uh, maybe not. Okay, that's what I'm saying. There's a lot better places than an open. Okay. Again, my my forum was outside of this room. I understand.

My for you never asked me about this. Never.

I have to check the record. I don't keep those records. That is a simple question. Okay. So that's what I'm trying to trying to tack around is is that there is a procedure in the way I am always reachable like email text I can always answer email text all that works great ask if he loves to call uh and I love to text back it's it's the easiest form since I text everybody I have Uh these are just simple things that we have to be careful in public discussion discussing because thankfully there were some authorizations not to disclose behind closed door stuff that is otherwise outside in the branches in the executive branch is now disclosed here. It is part of the strategy. A simple question of can you please point me to the motion that approve this resolve.

I think we are contract.

Yes. add. So to give that update and reason why it's coming from because this point's contract was initially for what we appear to be just an updated inventory. That contract uh the scope of the job became much more volume was engaged with me about uh that it was going to require volume of work that prohibited Mr. also from being able to perform normal work and based on the answer that's provided in the questionnaire tonight that there has not been no inventory.

We want to have a snapshot of what it looked like when we left out when the year ended in from July 1st 2024 to June 30th 2025. So we have that snapshot looks like it's going to require much more exhaustive resources. We were able to thankfully Mr. WS was able to identify the substantial lack that we had and at which point he said hey look this is this is going to be above what we need you really need to engage our auditor to make aware of this stuff and we've done that now this questionnaire we've done that as we've been required to and at that point we both agreed to just hey we're not going to facilitate this contract because of it and thankfully Mr. boss provided to sign an attendance doing that without us ever having to perform under the contract. So providing that service to us. We will we will in the future once we get through this audit happen probably more extensive service. It was way more contract solution to it. If you can get each department to to identify and tag on a spreadsheet on a new table and then what you do is there come back and go through and yes and that that is that is part of part of the you have depreciation schedules that go into your audit that your schedule and so one of it is is that the first way to fill that out for us from the standpoint is what exactly is on schedule. So it's probably best to start with the auditor then work backwards procedure like that to help

Mr. engage with that we've been in discussion once that came about mayor's finalizing you know certain steps to do just that some of that encompasses what you mentioned Mr. council. So we that's an ongoing process. working on contingencies and doing a a plan for that. uh after city. So our fixed assets are generally audited by the things that appreciation maybe have a one year, two year, five year.

Yeah, there usually thresholds that go into that. There are some stocks don't have thresholds. There's one in particular they had screws back from the 70s they put on there. That said, generally appreciation schedules incorporate that then you can work forward. The reason why you have those six assets list is because at some point those assets become used up or expired by use expired by uh they just no longer or provided you put on a surplus. When was the last time you actually came through and did

uh most fixed fixed asset inventory schedules uh some most time provided uh most of most of what auditing services do this is auditing is actually independent from you it's kind of weird hire them but they act independent of the states they're actually independent you they don't actually perform anything more beneficial independent performance, but uh

I'm pretty sure When is the last time we policies? last time probably short All right. Go ahead. Correct. It's 100% vulnerability. It's a liability. It's something that has to be

well the next question which was longer.

Well, I mean it's as simple as this. You know the wording doesn't take into account what the value is. I think I think we'll get close to that. So hopefully that answers the question where we just were able to turn the scope way way more expensive and we probably didn't charge. So that's that's the right thing. That takes us to item 13 is the license. Item 15 is This is resolution 252120 resolution approval capital improvement project sheet plan was provided. You guys plans to

these do have to be approved by the FAA plan that's five year plan is actually the same as last year they just moved the dates it it may change year to year but we have plan.

I move that they accept the five plan second. Any discussion? None. All in favor? Any opposed? Yes. Is there any type of restrictions that they need? There is no particular restriction other than it must be approved locally and then once it's approved locally it's submitted to the FA formal name changes because the name itself is on so many of the charts and information that they publish. So that have to be approved and then changed on the charts. I'm not entirely sure. That's going to bring us to item 14 ordinances. We don't have any 15e Tony Miles 61 Street.

I thank God for blessing me to be here before you all. I am honored. Mr. Mayor, Miss Sav, Mr. Dodie, Mr. Green, Mr. Green, Mr. Rock, Mr. Brown. Thank you, sir.

I hope you all had a chance to look at the proposal for Mr. to him. His daughter was telling me about the time that his plane stalled in Mitch, right? But God blessed him. He was able to restart it, land the plane, and there were people in that area that helped him to find the parts he needed to repair the plane. I know we have lost a lot of great men and women, some words of double armor, and there will be other. One day we might have to build a statue to somebody. History has taught us that it takes brave men and women in the right place at the right time to affect change. I say why not start building the date and make the birthday of Mr. Henry Charles a city and change the name of the airport to the Henry Charge Cotton Memorial Airport. He earned it. His family deserves it. We deserve it. Thank you. God bless you. things. We had possib