City Council - Regular Meeting

I'm going to start. I'm going to take your picture and I'm going to send it to you.

Good morning. To my fellow members of the council, does anyone else have a proclamation this morning? Okay. Well, I'm going to start five minutes early in case we need it. I was on for 9.50. But because we have Mr. Masson here and Ms. Sternberg here to accept this proclamation in behalf of Susan Lawson, I'd like to identify her. And if you have any comments, this is certainly a right time to make so. I am pleased to be here this morning to recognize Susan Larson, who is retiring from WWNO's The Reading Life with her last broadcast having taken place on August the 31st. She is one of the few li

Read some books, read some books. And thank you. And you are now affiliated with LSU, New Orleans. That is correct, yes. Maybe there should be a Susan Lawson book club or something there, you know, something to promote the work that you did. So I like to draw out ideas with new institutions are being created. So Ms. Sternberg, comments?

Thank you for being here, and we look forward to staying in contact with you. Of course, you're now part of LSU New Orleans. I'm pleased to say that LSU New Orleans happens to be my district. I'm on the campus often, as I was last night for another event. But the bottom line is that we want to thank you, Susan Lawson, and we want to thank you all on her behalf for accepting this proclamation from the members of the City Council. Would anybody like to add anything?

I will just say that I listen to your radio station every single morning when I get ready, and Susan's voice is very distinctive, and I will miss it. I will also miss her book recommendations and her interviews with the authors. Inspiring, inspiring woman who really delves into why an author creates and really provides tremendous book recommendations. So I will miss her voice, but I will continue listening.

Thank you very much. I just want to add real quickly, her book, The Book Lover's Guide to New Orleans, it is a must-read for people who are avid readers to have someone kind of break down how you can kind of do a self-guided tour of all the different places in New Orleans. that were inspirational to so many seminal books and series, like Anne Rice, James Lee Burke, Tennessee Williams. I mean, it really makes you a tourist in your own home to see how places you've walked by every day inspired authors to create some of the most magnificent books ever written. So she continues to contribute. I'm

Thank you. Thank you again for representing Mrs. Lawson today, and give her our best, and we're hoping for a better health outcome as she moves forward, you know. Thank you. And next time you're around campus, stop by the station and say hi. I will definitely look you up, definitely. Members, whoever would like to join me, we're going to take a photo so that Mrs. Lawson can see the photo.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, please take a seat. Please take a seat. We're going to get started. Thank you very much. Madam Clerk, let's start.

First up, we have the invocation by Pastor Berryhill.

The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Council Vice President Willard.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. First up, I want to move for consideration of the amendments to put the bill in the appropriate posture to hear public comment. The amendment has been read. Are there any comments on the amendment? Hearing none, I will move on the amendment, second by Council Vice President Willard. All in favor? Any opposed? Hearing none. He was opposed. To the amendment? Yes. All right. That is 6-1 on the amendment. Thank you. Next up, we have the bill, underlying bill. As there was an extensive presentation at the subcommittee, I do want to get immediately to public comment to give as much opport

Thank you. Mary Agnes Sheehan, followed by, I think this is for Lemar Newman.

Thank you. Prelimar Newman, followed by Chris Lang.

Chris Lang, followed by Susan Brady. Mr. Chair, I would like to clarify one matter. One of the issues before us is the fact that the sanitation fee has not increased since 2011, so I don't want the public to think that for the last couple of years, as it was suggested, that we have done anything to increase that sanitation fee. It's also important to recognize that seniors who are under a certain income level pay only $10 a month for the sanitation fee, and that is not changing.

Well, under the charter, the city council does not have the ability to negotiate or amend contracts. That is a fact. So to answer your question, no, the New Orleans City Council cannot renegotiate or amend contracts. There's your answer. All right. Susan Brady, followed by Osa.

thank you all right OSA is followed by Lindsay Edwards good morning City Council I

Lindsay Edwards, followed by William Edwards.

Thank you. William Edwards, followed by Leona Ellis.

Leon Ellis, followed by Morgan Clevenger.

Yes. I would just like to be on the record. No, come on. JP, that's my personality and I'm going to do it. When there's something that's stated that's incorrect, I want it to be clear. The city council and all of our staff is on furlough. I wish to get that furlough ended, but I don't even want to start people saying things that aren't true. The city council is on furlough. We are suffering in terms of our salaries and other issues just as others are too.

All right, Morgan Clevenger followed by Norris Anderson. Well, we are.

Norris Henderson, followed by Deborah Jones.

And once you hear what people have to say, I think you're really... Deborah Jones, followed by Burt Lodrick.

Thank you, Mr. Morgan. All right, we have Mr. Kelly, and after Mr. Kelly, we have Ben Bagwell. Go ahead, Mr. Kelly.

Mr. Kelly, go ahead, Mr. Kelly. All right, followed by Mr. Ben Bagwell.

All right, last speaker, Edward Parker. Thank you.

All right, that ends public comment. Is there any comment from Adias? All right, go ahead, Council Member Harris.

Thank you. I am reluctant to vote for this today, but I know that we need to do so in order to collect the proper amount of money for our sanitation fee that we pay in excess as a city. I do want to say that I'm happy that this preserves recycling, and I look forward to working with this administration to expand glass recycling, which is one of the easiest things to do throughout the city. So, again, With the promise of the preservation of our current recycling and expansion of our glass recycling program, I am going to vote for this today. I do want to encourage the administration to have a c

Mr. King. Thank you for everyone that showed out. I just want to say that this is not an easy decision. I spoke to a lot of people, even had the opportunity to attend Constable Hughes' meeting. I heard the voices loud and clear. I will say that it is my belief with all the facts that's been shared to us by the administration that if We run the risk of having basic services further interrupted if we don't make a change as far as our sanitation contract is concerned, and we're up against a real timeline in coming up on a cliff, potentially falling off a financial cliff if we don't start having s

Is that all comments? All right. Well, I'm going to speak for a moment. People know typically I don't speak for a very long time. On this one, I'm going to talk for a little bit. when I had the misfortune of being in the Louisiana legislature when Bobby Jindal was governor. A former mayor once said, who at that time was Lieutenant Governor, you cannot cut your way to excellence, because eventually you get past fat and you get to muscle and bone. And the challenge we have before us today is very similar to that. We have, and I will say that the problems that are facing us today are not simply f

You can't just yell at each other over here.

I move to receive. Can I get a second? Seconded by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? Aye. Six yays, zero nays.

I move to add. Seconded by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Six yays, zero nays. And you could discuss a vote. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, this is the task force we discussed about a month or two ago. It will help the city incorporate consideration for expected mothers and children under the age of three in our planning around extreme heat hazard. hazard mitigation, and climate. Today's motion just approves the membership of that task force. I move for approval. Can I get a second? Seconded by Councilmember McCarran. All in favor? Aye. Six yays, zero nays. The motion's been a

Thank you, Madam Clerk. You did a pretty good summary of this ordinance. Members, today we're going to take up the vote on the city's responsible contracting ordinance. After we passed it out of economic development, we sat down with the administration. They had a couple of changes that they wanted to see in the ordinance. So first we'll take up this amendment. What it does is it clarifies that the administration can determine contractor responsibility for its own professional service contracts. The reason we're doing that is it'll still have parity to this ordinance, but the administration se

Okay. Madam Clerk, can we add all council members as an author to this ordinance? Okay. Public comment. First, we have Chip Fleetwood, the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO.

Thank you, Chip. Next up, we have Jennifer Hernandez. Following Jennifer, we'll have Bobby Mittens.

Thank you. Thank you, Jennifer. Bobby? And after Bobby, we'll have Parker Diaz.

Parker Diaz. After Parker, we'll have Andy O'Brien. ANDY O' All right.

Andy O'Brien, followed by Peter Robbins-Brown.

You did a great job. Thanks. Two minutes, I thought. Please give President Wood our best. Thank you to the men and women of the AFL-CIO and IUPAT that showed up today. It's been a pleasure working with you all. For the public out there, this ordinance is about increasing accountability and transparency. The city of New Orleans should not be awarding contracts to companies that repeatedly violate federal, state, and local labor laws. They should not be receiving contracts for doing shoddy job. We should award the good actors, the people who are paying their workers fairly, the ones who are prop

I'm only going to take a second. I want to thank the members of the various unions, the labor movement who came out today. As a son of two members of the labor movement, I recognize the benefits that can be derived from involving organized labor in the work that is going to be done in our city. Some people are going to get on social media and they're going to say the wrong thing because they don't understand. This is a reason for contractors to come to the city of New Orleans to do business because we are doing business in a responsible way here and we are working with those who are the most i

Thank you, Councilmember Green. Any other comments from the dais? All right. I've moved the adoption of the ordinance as amended. It's been seconded by Councilmember McCarran. All in favor?

Six yays, zero nays. The ordinance has been adopted as amended.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Okay, we have Monique Blossom with the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center on Consent Agenda Item Number 7. Monique? Okay, she waves. And then we have Dan Feliciano on consent agenda item number 17. Dan Feliciano. Oh, there you are.

Thank you, Dan. And then we have Morgan Clevenger on consent agenda item 17. Consent agenda item number 17.

Council Member Green. Thank you, Council Member Willard. I appreciate the comments, and I want to also thank Ryde. You didn't take out a card, but I appreciate the fact that you're here and that this is passing. As the chair of the Transportation Committee and as a member of the previous council, I do want to take an opportunity to thank Mayor Moreno, who was, as a council member at large, a strong proponent. I've been the chair of transportation for a while. I was so glad this opportunity came before us. But this is an example of a successful program. It is something that the city has done we

Thank you, Council Member Green. Any other comments? All right. It's been moved and seconded by Council Member McCarran. All in favor? Any opposed? Seven yeas, zero nays. The consent agenda has been adopted.

Moved. Seconded by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? All right. Seven yays, zero nays. Moved. Seconded by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? All right. Seven yays, zero nays.

All in favor? Aye. Seven yays. We need the vote to add. I'll move to add. Seconded by Councilmember McCarran. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays. You could discuss a vote. All right. Council members, we talked about this in budget. This just approves some additional EMS workers so that we can get off of using Acadian Ambulance and actually staff up our own EMS. This should increase the budget in the general funds. I'll move. Can I get a second? Seconded by Council President Murrell. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ms. Burke, will you brief us on your report?

Thank you, Eleanor. This motion affirms HDLC's decision of denial and denies the applicant's request to retain unpainted French porch columns and uplighting installed directly below the columns at a contributed rated one-story single-family residential building without a certificate of appropriateness. The guidelines are clear on paint requirements and state that stains should be limited to exterior front doors where appropriate for the style. All other exterior woodwork must be painted with opaque paint. This is required not only to replicate the historic look of the building, but for weather

Thank you. I have one card from Christina Tate.

Thank you, Ms. Tate. This motion denies a conditional use application to permit a bed-and-breakfast at a property that is currently developed as a three-story, two-family residence. This property has never operated as a transient lodging use, nor is a bed-and-breakfast permitted by rights in the HU Urban Mixed-Use District. The applicant proposes to convert this two-family residence into a single-family residence with four guest rooms. My fundamental concern is whether a dwelling in an established mixed-use neighborhood should function as housing for residents or as visitor accommodations. Add

Mr. Crow, how long has it been sitting vacant?

All right, thank you. Any comments from the desk? Any online comments? Motion to approve? All in favor? I'm sorry, second by Councilman Carrier. All in favor? Any opposed? I moved. I don't see it. Well, five, six yays, one opposition. Motion's approved, thank you.

Yes. Voting machines, everyone. Councilman McGregor? He can't. His machine isn't working. Something's wrong right now.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. CPC, will you brief us on your report?

Thank you. This motion approves the conditional use application to permit a 79-room full-service hotel. This property is an 89-year-old, beautiful, vacant three-story building that the applicant intends to rehabilitate. I've modified CPC's proviso to exclude short-term rentals from their approved transient lodging use. This proposal receives strong community support, so with that I'll move. Seconded by Council, Vice President Willard. All in favor? Seven yays. Thank you.

Thank you. Stephen, will you brief us on your report?

Thank you, Stephen. This is a building that's been empty since, as long as I can remember, since at least 2002. It approves a conditional use application to permit an indoor amusement facility. This property is a commercial structure that ranges from one to three stories on the corner of Crandallette and Julia Street. The proposed use will feature virtual reality games. I do have one card from Laura Barth.

Thank you. Any questions? Hearing none, I'll move. Can I get a second? Seconded by Council Member McCarran. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays. Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Madam Clerk. First up to speak is Ms. Caroline Bantry.

Great points. Thank you. Next, Charles Brett Davis.

Thank you, Ms. Clevenger. Any comments from the deans? Any council members agreeing?

Yes. This is a reminder that the state, and Ms. Clevenger just brought it up, brings in millions and millions of dollars from hotel-motel taxes, from sales taxes, and from the leasing of state-owned facilities. This is an important measure on the city's part, but at the end of the day, I'm calling on the state of Louisiana to recognize the amount of revenues that are generated and the amount of goodwill that is generated and support New Orleans' in a better manner than it has done in the past.

All right. Any other comments? Any online comments?

Just put them to the record, please. Thank you. All right. I make a motion to approve. Second. I'm talking about Councilman Green. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, either.

So we're voting on the amendment. It passes. Now we're going to vote on the ordinance as amended. Make a motion. Second. Member Constable Green, all in favor? All right. 78 is in the oppose. All right. The ordinance as amended has been passed. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This servitude will generate an annual revenue payment of $4,284, subject to a 15% increase every five years. I've moved. It's been seconded. All in favor?

thank you madam clerk this is a state law required election notice of intent this motion notices that the council will act on a resolution to call the april 2027 election for the renewal of the downtown development district special tax at its october 1st 2026 meeting i've moved it's been seconded please vote your machines seven years no names who's second uh

Thank you. This resolution expresses council's support for a pilot agreement for River Garden Apartments in the Lower Garden District. The pilot will facilitate a $10 million renovation. The renovation will bring an additional 29 affordable housing units to the community, bringing the total number of affordable units to 153. It will add fortified roofs to the development, facilitate HVAC and other mechanical upgrades. The renovation will also add a community room and computer facility. This pilot ensures that there is continued affordability options in the Lower Garden District, especially in

Thank you. Council Member, I'd like to second and add my name to this.

Moved by me. Seconded by Councilman Harris. Machines fighting us. Again. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none. Seven yays. No ayes, no nays.

Thank you. This motion directs Swebno and the board of directors to come up with a concrete plan to repay the $12.8 million debt owed to the city. The proposal is due to the council by October 1st. This motion also requires representatives from the Sewage and Water Board to appear at a future meeting to explain the repayment plan. With that, I will move. Can I get a second? Second by Council Member McCarron. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays, no nays. It is approved.

Thank you. This is pretty self-explanatory. We're once again working with the administration to put together a reasonable tax embassy program to get in revenue while also providing an opportunity for those delinquent on taxes and fees to become current. I will move.

I'll second, and I'd like to add my name to this as well.

Thank you. Same here, so probably all. All of us. All right. Everyone's at it. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Hearing none, seven yays, no nays. Is approved.

I'll move. Second by Council Vice President Willard. All in favor? Aye. All right. I'll move. Second by Councilmember, Vice Council, Vice President Willard. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays, no nays.

Before we vote, simply put, this just finally... approves the CEA tied to the school board settlement. I just want to thank the mayor for working with the council and the school board to resolve this issue in a way that is amicable to all parties and to provide resources to the kids of the city of New Orleans. So with that, I will move. Second by Councilmember Harris. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, it is approved.

Voters make a motion. Second by Council Member Caron. All in favor? Aye. Seven yays, no nays. Ms. Bruce, so can you... Motion. So moved. Second by Councilman McCarron. All in favor? Aye. All right. It's properly added. Ms. Liz, can you give us some info on this, please? It's on its way? Okay. It's all good.

Thank you for that information. Yes, sir. I'll second. All right.

All in favor? Aye. Any opposition? All right. Seven yays, no nays. Thank you.