City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Let's get started. We have the invocation by Pastor Jocelyn Washington.

Thank you, Pastor Washington. The Pledge of Allegiance will be done by Vice President Willard.

Council Member Hughes. Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As I begin with some opening remarks, I'm going to ask our panelists to please begin making their way to the table for the sake of time. As we begin Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are here to celebrate our survivors, stand with those facing this disease, and honor those who we have lost. We certainly want to thank former Councilwoman Nadine Ramsey for establishing this tradition at City Hall, and Mayor Helena Moreno for her leadership and support, and for all of my colleagues for their ongoing leadershi

Thank you very much. Really appreciate our panelists for sharing your expertise, most importantly for the work that you do each and every day for our residents from prevention and education to treatment and most certainly patient care. Today we're pleased to present to each of you as a token of our gratitude a proclamation from the members of the city council. We'll take a group photo at the end. Why don't you all hold those until the end if you don't mind, Willie. And after we honor all of our survivors, we'll take a group photo if you all will please stick around. But thank you all so much f

At this time, we've reached the climactic moment of today's program. And with that, Council President Morrell is recognized.

Thank you. I'm here today to recognize Florence Collier-Smith, Today, we honor her as a courageous breast cancer survivor whose strength, faith, and perseverance continue to inspire everyone around her. Florence is a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and cherished member of her community. She shares her life with her loving husband, Michael Smith, whose unwavering support has been an important source of strength throughout her cancer journey. Together, Florence and Michael have built a beautiful family, including their three children, Michael, Jeremy, and Michelle, and their three beloved gra

She was in the audience. I knew it would happen today. Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Ms. Salina, for organizing this year after year, 13 years. Certainly remarkable. And breast cancer is... vicious and certainly one form of cancer that affects everyone's life. Everybody has a personal connection to breast cancer. For me today, really was a no-brainer as to who I wanted to honor and literally give flowers to. My aunt, the Honorable Cynthia Willard Lewis. mentor of mine has taught me so much in life. I was thinking this morning, if I had not decided to run for public office, the bond that w

I don't know how to follow that. You're an inspiration to everyone and every woman sitting up here, and thank you for blazing the trail. I do want to say to Councilmember Hughes and Ms. Lena, thank you for always ensuring that we recognize our survivors. And thank you to our health care workers who take such good care of the people who are afflicted with this disease. And it can be men and women. And so we just need to keep that in mind. As one of two women up here, I know that we don't always take time to care for ourselves, to go get those mammograms. And I think that October, in this partic

Well, thank you all for being here today, and thank you, Ms. Lena, for organizing this. And as Councilmember Harris said, this day reminds us and reminds me that I am past due on my mammogram and will be making an appointment after this meeting. So I also want to thank the medical professionals that are here and the advancements in the science that is about breast cancer. We have come so far, and that shows what can be done when we invest and believe in science as a community and as a society that we can advance. So I appreciate everyone being here today from the medical community as well. It

Applause Applause Applause Applause Deputy Mayor Laparolary Good morning, thank you.

Good morning. I am honored to, on this occasion, have the opportunity to recognize Ms. Patriona Hart before I recognize her and tell you of her courageous battle and her successes. I do want to say to Lena Stewart especially, thank you for making sure that we continue to remember how important it is to be tested, how important it is to be straightforward and to share our stories with others. And this event I look forward to because it really helps to save lives. So thank you very much, Lena Stewart, for the work that you do each year and also ongoing to make this happen. Ms. Patriona Hart, a v

Let me first of all congratulate each of you and just thank you for sharing your courageous battles. We celebrate each of you. This morning I am deeply honored to pay tribute, to celebrate, an extraordinary long-time resident of District E, whose family has deep roots in this district, Jan Heiser Wynne. Jan Heiser Wynne dedicated three decades of her life serving the citizens of the city of New Orleans in the United States of America as a dedicated staff member at the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. You were excited about your impending retirement, and then all of a sudden you got

I don't have any cards, so with that I will move the consent agenda. Second by Vice President Willard. Any objections? Hearing none, we have six yays, no nays on the consent agenda.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. So do I need to vote on it? Okay. I will move. Wait, hold on.

Okay. Okay. Seconded by Council Member Murrell. Vote your machines when it pops up. Come up. Okay, six yeas, no nays. It's not coming up on my screen. It's frozen.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is a safety and permits demo application for a residential building. HGLC review is not required. The applicant requests to demolish the existing building to rebuild the residence. We approved this application last year. However, the property owner had to change contractors, which delayed the approved demolition. Thus, this is the current application requesting demolition once again. I've moved. Seconded by Council Member Murrell. six days. Thank you.

Excuse me. We're just getting word from here that we need to have Councilman Hughes have been voted on the last item. You didn't vote on the last item? You either have to vote or you have to give an explanation. So, do you wish to vote?

Thank you, Steven. This motion modifies approval for a conditional use application to permit a single short-term rental in a three-unit building. Please note that these three units have five bedrooms each, so if we actually approved all of these commercial short-term rentals, potentially there could be 30 people at this structure. As I said, this property is a three-unit building with five bedrooms in each unit. Previously, there was a building on this site that operated as a commercial short-term rental, but that building was demolished and this one was erected in its place. While commercial

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, we have previously voted on this. This is a plan development that allows for adaptive reuse of a former St. Clair Monastery to high-end condos. This proposal incorporates two new residential buildings into the existing site and allows demolition of non-historic accessory unit structures. This is a beautiful and thoughtful redevelopment. Two weeks ago, this council approved a text amendment permitting new construction as part of the adaptive reuse of existing structures, and any new construction must match the design identity of existing site. This text amendmen

Okay, without any other comments, I move to approve substitute motion M26366, subject to one proviso, two exceptions recommended by CPC, and one additional waiver added by City Council. I will move. Seconded by Councilmember Harris. Six yays, no nays. Thank you.

All right, first we need to take up the amendment to number 13. I'll move. Can I get a second? Seconded by Councilmember Willard. All in favor? Aye. All right, six shays on the amendment. And now we can discuss this. And I know Liz Holman is here from Office of Community Development, if there are any questions about what we're doing. So this ordinance, along with number 41, motion 26432, pertains to the mandatory inclusionary zoning, a method to spark the creation of affordable housing. Back in 2021, the city implemented the MIZ policy with the intent to create more affordable housing units in

Thank you, Jordan. Ron Lazel? Ron Lazel.

Thank you, Ron. Madam Clerk, we'll do 13 first, as amended. So I've moved. Seconded by Councilmember Green. Six yes. And then we'll take up number 41. I'll move. Second by Council Member McCarran. I'm ignoring these machines. All in favor?

Thank you. This is one of the many cases we've seen where a homeowner puts their trust in a professional hire to do the job. This was not a vanity project or a bad faith act by the owner, Mr. Smith. Rather, it was a proactive investment into his home to fortify the roof and preserve the historic building for the next generation. Mr. Smith had made it clear that he would have preferred to retain the raised tiles and he intends to restore them. This motion grants him the flexibility to do so once his finances have recovered from the recent and significant expenses of having to replace the roof.

Thank you for that presentation, Ms. Burke. I recognize the recess window detail was specified in the plans, but I believe the contractor made an honest mistake. I do not wish to punish the prospective homeowner who is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to build her home in the area that is in need of a full-time resident. By delaying the project further and causing her to incur additional costs that she did not budget for with this, I move adoption. Second by Council Member McCarran. Seven yays, no nays. Thank you.

Thank you. This is a servitude that will generate $289 subject to a 15% increase every five years. I've moved. Council Member McCarran has seconded. Six Shades. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This servitude will create an annual revenue payment of $953, subject to 15% increase every five years. I've moved. Councilmember McCarran has seconded. All in favor? Thank you.

All right. You're over $1,000 now. It's looking good.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is $130 annual. I have moved. Seconded by Council Member Green. Six yeas, no nays.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This $1.2 million is an investment in the Medicaid enhanced payment program, not a traditional payment that generates lump sum revenues as in the past. The funds support the LDH financing mechanism that allows participating ambulance providers to receive substantially higher Medicaid reimbursements. The enhanced reimbursements materially increases what EMS receives for Medicaid transports. The financial leverage is significant. A 1.2 million IGT payment supports participation in a program estimated to generate approximately $7.9 million in enhanced Medicaid payments ann

Thank you. This ordinance transfers 2026 funds that were appropriated to the Clerk of Criminal District Court to a fund titled for the Clerk of Court for Orleans Parish in accordance with their consolidation. Are there any questions about this one? Yeah, Council Member Morrell, and there are people from the administration here to discuss.

I just want to make sure this transfers the 2026 budget, correct?

Correct. 2026 money into 2026 money. All right. Thank you. Yep. I'll move. Seconded by Council Member Green. I need six shays. Thank you. Seven shays.

Thank you. This is an amendment to the existing CEA reflecting a change in services that accompanies the reduction in the 2026 budget. It removes language on disaster responsibilities that is being separated into its own contract. Any questions? If not, I'll move. Seconded by Council Member Green. Six yays. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Kyle, are you here to discuss this item?

Great. Any questions about this? I've moved. Council Member McCarran has seconded. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. As you remember, we received a return of money that we allocated for Habitat for Humanity in 2025. That amount was a million dollars. We then reallocated $750,000 of that to the Right to Counsel program, leaving $250,000 in balance. This is a by request that would put that money towards the Department of Code Enforcement and other items. And I know that we have representatives here from the administration if there are any questions about that. Hearing none?

I just wanted to thank the Department of Code Enforcement for some recent work that you've been doing in the district that has made a tremendous difference. I want to let you know that the citizens see your work and I appreciate it. I know right now there are some challenges relative to moving forward on some demolitions, but work that you've been able to do to clear some sidewalks and to do other things have made a difference in communities that unfortunately have been ignored in the past. So thank you for that work. I also want to just emphasize again, because it can't be said enough, my dis

Thank you. Any other comments by the council? All right, I've moved. Council Member Willard has seconded.

Thank you. This is just merely the expenditure ordinance for item 21. I've moved. Seconded by Council Member Green. Any one more vote?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is a by-request ordinance. This ordinance will allow the continuing relationship between the City and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission and St. Patrick Booster Club. This agreement will allow St. Patrick Booster Club to utilize the St. Patrick playground in exchange for year-round comprehensive maintenance of the property and renovations, as well as participation in Nord Athletic Leagues where applicable for a term of five years. There are no public comments. Any from my colleagues? I will move to approve Ordinance Calendar 35,567, seconded by Counc

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Are there any comments, questions, or concerns from the dais or the public concerning this clean zone for the French Quarterfest? Hearing none, I make a motion to adopt. Second by Councilman Hughes. Please vote your machines. Seven yays, no nays. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. The amendment's pretty self-explanatory. We're just expanding the options to achieve our goals as far as having vehicles that are more options in regards to having electric vehicles. alternative vehicles. I will move on the amendment. I get a second. Second by Council Member Willard. Please vote on the amendment. All right. I think I'm missing one person. I'm sorry, I'm not missing six. Yays, no nays on the amendment. On the ordinance as amended, simply put, this simply streamlines our regulations and rules for purchasing electric and hybrid vehicles. Additionally, it c

Thinking about a clerk, this budget audience moves bond funding from the real-time crime center project to the new lab project at the NSA and announces the city's plan to replace the real-time crime camera funding with the CDBD dollars. New lab was originally to be funded with CDBG funds, but the project moved forward more quickly than the funding requirements allowed. To fulfill the city's commitment to New Lab, bond funds would be used in place of the CDBG funds. Those funds that had been committed to New Lab would be reprogrammed to real-time crime centers to ensure that project is fully fu

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is a simple but important amendment to an existing CEA between the City of New Orleans and Sankofa Community Development Corporation for the public purpose of improving drainage systems and increasing water runoff storage capacity in the Lower Ninth Ward by storing stormwater overflow and reducing land subsidence through a green infrastructure project, all as a more fully set forth in this amendment. We have one public comment. Rashida Ferdinand.

Thank you very much. The board is clear. I see no questions. With that, I move adoption. Second by Councilmember McCarran. Please vote your machines. Vote your machines. Vote your machines. Securities, no names. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, this is an amendment and extension of a previously executed CEA with Lantern Light, a local homeless service provider. Lantern Light will receive mental health support from the city's Health Care for the Homeless, or HCH, clinic through referrals for individual and group therapy sessions. Lantern Light will refer clients to HCH Behavioral Health Services for individual and group sessions and will also refer clients in need of primary care and dental services. This extends the term of the CEA for an additional five years, and there are no fiscal implications for

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just want to add that this has no, the city has no funding obligation under this agreement. With that, I make a motion to adopt. Second by Council Member Green. So many ayes, no nays. Thank you.

Thank you. This amendment extends the timeline of a previously executed CEA between the City of New Orleans and the World War II Museum to build the Andrew Higgins Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project from Magazine Street to Convention Center Boulevard. The project includes restoration of sidewalks, installation of pedestrian lighting, limited pavement restoration, and curb modifications that include curb extensions. Features also include tree plantings, bike racks, and benches. Feasibility studies were completed in 2009 and 2015. The World War II Museum is fully funding the design phase

Thank you. Once again, this motion is self-explanatory. I will move. Second by Council Member Hughes. Please load your machines. Missing one. All right. Seven yeas, no nays. Thank you.

Move to adopt. Second by Councilmember Caron.

Seconded by council member Murrow. Have an ace. Thank you.

Thank you. I believe we have some special orders.

So moved. Second. Second by Council President Morrell. Voter machines, ma'am. Seven yays, no nays.

I'll move. Second by Council President Morrell. Please vote your machines, members. Thank you. Seven yays, no nays.

I will move. Second by Council President Morrell. Please vote your machines. Seven yays, no nays. Thank you, members.

Seconded by Council President Morrell. Seven yays, no nays. We need a vote to aye. I'll move. Seconded by Council Member Hughes. Six yays, seven yays, no nays. And we could vote to adapt. Or you could discuss. Thank you. I'll just briefly, this resolution approves ICF International to serve as a third-party incentive administrator for our neighborhood power plan that we approved earlier in the day. And it also approves ICF and Energy to weigh the program, weigh in on the program guidelines now and to facilitate the program being up and running as soon as possible. Both ICF and Energy Hub were

Thank you, Madam Clerk. The family of Taj Rudolph is coming to the front at this time. Members, it is with a heavy heart that I introduce this ordinance on behalf of an extraordinary public servant. I know when we think of the term public servant, we often think of elected officials, but few people in this life have I met that has impacted this world at such a young age. Today we honor the life and the extraordinary legacy of Taj Rudolph. To Taj's family, you probably don't know how much Taj meant to me. In fact, before I was ever an elected official, I came across Taj Rudolph, and he certainl

Thank you all for being here. I don't know if anyone else wanted to say anything. Any of my colleagues have any comments? Council Member Green is recognized.

Councilman Hughes, thank you for bringing the memory of Taj to us today. And as I go by that intersection, I will always remember Taj and what I've read about his service, not only here at City Hall, but his service to others. his organ donation, the walk that he's recognized by. But it's just important to celebrate lives that we all feel, in this particular case, would have been too short, but at the end of the day, so much was accomplished, and he's doing great things now in heaven. I thank him for his contribution, and thank you all family members. You're a beautiful family to be here today

Thank you, Councilman Graham. Councilmember King is recognized.

A couple years ago, my sister died. She was 20. She had a very rare blood cancer. She just didn't wake up one morning. She'll be 28 this year. So I know the pain that you're facing. And my mind breaks down. Because it's hard. And that's your pain on your face, so I definitely, I sympathize with you, I empathize with you, I know how tough it is, because my family is still going through this, 2019. It's tough, and it is. She's like my daughter, we were 14 years apart, so she wasn't my sister, she was like my daughter. You will be in my prayers, I know how tough it is, I'm not just saying it. Tha

Thank you. Thank you, Councilman King. Vice President, will it be recognized?

Thank you, Councilmember Hughes. You know, just reflecting on Taj, and even in his passing, he gave back. Even in his passing, he gave back. And to have someone so young who deeply cared... about the city of New Orleans and its people and District E and the residents of New Orleans East and not only cared but tried to get other people to care and tried to get other people involved in public service is extremely, extremely rare. And the city is better for the service that Taj dedicated his life to. He believed in showing up for people. He served the city through his work at City Hall. He steppe

Thank you. Thank you all. So in closing, You hold that up. Before we pass this ordinance, I do have just a small token on behalf of the city council. And I hope you always look and remember that extraordinary smile. And, you know, in this moment, as tough as this is, going to count it all joy. joy for Taj's life, joy for the joy that he brought to all of our lives, and joy to everything he did for the city of New Orleans. And every time I pass the intersection of Wright Road and Lake Forest Boulevard, in the middle of the neighborhood where Taj grew up, We will forever speak his name. So with

Can we get the family and friends of Frank to come on down? all right make sure everybody's got a seat we drag one over we got we have we have what we have plenty of seats let's pull one over there you go self-service good job all right um So, Bobby, this is the Monet and Bobby show. How do y'all want to start? Y'all want to start first? You got a presentation? All right, Bobby. Pick it off. All right, Bobby. Can you guys hear me okay? Yes.

Does anyone else on the table want to provide any comments?

Thank you. Any comments from the dais? Yes.

Go ahead. I am just so pleased to be here today, but I want to tell you that while I didn't necessarily meet Frank, thank you for that description. That's quite a life lived. And it's good to hear of a life lived, especially here in New Orleans, a city that I enjoy when we talk about people who came here after Katrina. A lot of people came here after Katrina to make some money. That was all they were about. But a lot of people also came because they were interested in rebuilding our city and in promoting our culture. And from what I see, Frank was part of that. Now, as a Boy Scout representati

Thank you, Councilman Green. I want to begin with Councilman King could not be here due to a conflict, but he did want me to read a few words. He did mention that Frank, in their race, Frank was the most unusually gregarious opponent who spent more time befriending his opponents than actually running against them. He said he was a beloved pillar of the French Quarter community, an advocate for the downtown queer community, and he was really a voice for the voiceless because when people had issues in the French Quarter but were concerned or scared to share them, Frank would always call Freddie

Thank you so much. I wanted to read a statement from a friend of Frank's. This is from Mamie Gasperez, who's a close friend of Frank's who couldn't be here today, and she asked me to read this on her behalf. She says, Frank was a beloved mentor, educator, storyteller, and friend. I, like so many New Orleanians, first met Frank through his work teaching classes on tour guiding. Frank taught me how to give tours that were not only educational, but brought each participant into their story, connecting them regardless of their background. Frank shared his gift for storytelling with countless indiv

Thank you. Council Member Harris, do you want to say anything?

I didn't get to go on the tour. He asked me, and we just kept postponing it and postponing it. And you just have to realize that you have to take those chances when you can get them. So to all of you, to Chris, to the family and the friends, I just want to say we lost a giant. But gay history cannot be forgotten history. And unfortunately, I think, with this younger generation, we're forgetting a lot of it. We're forgetting that 10 years ago, you couldn't get married in Louisiana. We're forgetting that 30 years ago, you had to meet in secret, right? And so that's what Frank's legacy is. It's t

Councilman Willett. Thank you, Council President Morrell. Frank dedicated his life to making sure that an important part of our history was never forgotten. Through his work as a historian, author, educator, and a tour guide, he helped people better understand the French Quarter, the role of the LGBTQ plus community, and the role that it played in helping shape this city. I actually met Frank when he was running for city council, and I remember the takeaways. He was good for a laugh, he was good for a smile, and he was good for a story. Bobby, I didn't know Frank that well, but by the time you

Thank you. I see Uncle Larry's at the mic. I guess he wants to say something. Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you. We're going to come down, take a picture with y'all. I have a token from the council, but also we will get you the big framed version resolution. We haven't passed it yet, so we didn't have it prepared in advance, but to that point, I will move to adopt the resolution. Seconded by Council Vice President Willard, please vote your machines. That is six shays, no nays. It is adopted. Thank you. Please remain in your seats. We'll come down to y'all. Madam Clerk, I'll move we go to first reads, seconded by Councilmember Hughes. All in favor? Aye. No nays. We have six yays, no nays. First