Council Committee - Regular Meeting

He didn't make it. All city council committee meeting July 2nd 2025 5:30 p.m. Each person was assigned for a chamber which agenda item will be commented on. They are not seated in the chamber. When the agenda item is heard, they will be notified by an officer to enter the council chamber to address the agenda. Public safety committee call to the flag of the United States of America to the stands one indivisible and justice for all. Two one two qu three roll call please Mr. Payne here Ms. Jose here Ms. here. Present. I for police department chief Mitchell. Good evening council. For the month of June, we had 277 calls which we had uh 33. We had 33 U had 33 uh 62 A's. We had 38 uh we have five apartment times. Uh we had five harassment calls, three suspicious persons, one trespassing call, one shots fired, 29 disturbances, uh 12 thefts, one criminal mischief, four uh hidden

runs. Remaining out of bed forbidden. We had eight calls. Uh one one warrant arrest, five assault calls. We assist the other law enforcement agent support time. Immobilize vehicle one time damage the property. Five check person 11. Uh north complaint one. We had uh 36 medical calls, one 911 hangup, one fraud, one homicide, one parking complaint, uh attempted vehicle burg, one had two OPCs, three batteries, uh two juvenile referrals, 12 deaths, uh one found property, one missing person, one death, uh two vehicle birds, five animal calls, 18 information only calls, identity thefts, one domestic war, roadway obstruction, We had a total of uh 23 arrest which was one hit and run, two disturbing the peace, one resisting an officer, one flight from my officer, one simple assault, one domestic abuse battery, one second degree murder, simple criminal damage property, one simple uh simple yeah simple burglary, two um violation of protection order, one eight thefts One, contributing to a delinquent of a minor. Uh two, illegal possession of fire ar, two bench warrants, three curfew miners, uh four drug related, two fusion warrants, and two disturbing peace stop fighting. We have a total of 29 traffic crash, four traffic private properties, and 44 tickets. Question. Um, I just want to ask a question. You say the second degree murder, y'all arrested someone for that or what? Yeah.

Was that the recent um incident? Okay. I know you can't give us information on this. Yes. Good work. Good job. Thank you. Item five, commission report, Mr. Landry G. Good afternoon, Mayor Council. Yes. Yes. Uh for the month of June, I had a total of 33 cases. Uh 33 highress. I had I have 13 still open and 20 complete with no leans. But on the back page are the list of the ones that are on the cut list that uh will be going out soon. Um those haven't been cut yet, but they will be cut in between um tomorrow. Tomorrow, next week. Okay. Have any questions? Uh I think we did get two calls about two others um that I think were addressed and they'll be on the next the next. Yeah, I I have gotten two uh today, so I'm working on those. You're welcome. Have a good night. Public works committee call to order to establish a corn three. Roll call, please. Morning here. Mr. P. Yes. Here. M Miss King here. Item four, adjourn. Community Development Committee call to order. Two, staff quorum. Three, roll

call. Mrs. Jones here. Miss Lord here. M here. Item four. That's gas. Yeah. Um the chief um fire chief just called um they had a incident um south end of the parish and he had to cancel but they'll reschedu so we just need to say prayer for that family. The board of education explored the career opportunity presented by Miss Candia Ed. Hello mayor and council members. My name is Tanisha Ellis and I serve as an education consultant for work baseline for the department of education and I'm here to talk to you today about workbased learning opportunities for the city for the students in Port Allen. So our superintendent super Dr. Kate Brley has heard from business and industry for the for a long time about the about the disconnect between education and workforce resulting in missed opportunities for our young people. basically students are graduating not ready to go into the workforce. So he along with the Bessie board members have shifted the way they grade students. So when I talk about grades it's like accountability. So when you see like the AAB schools that's what that is. But in a nutshell we're trying to ensure that students leave high school prepared to do one of three things. go into the military, get go directly to a career with a industry based credential or go into college with some type of a degree and with work-based learning experiences. So that's what we're here to talk to you about today is the workbased learning experiences and how you individually can help and how the parish can help too. So each of the districts are required to have 25% of their graduating students in internships.

That number is roughly a little bit over I'm going to say about 100 maybe depending on how many seniors you have in Westbrook Parish. The the students are required to participate in 107 hours of internships which can be done during the academic year or it can be done during the summer and they will receive 27 hours of courses where they can learn soft skills and hard skills to be prepared to come to you today. We are asking that industry pay the students so that the students to be honest with you no one goes to work and not get paid. So we want to make sure that these students are paid. We're asking for at least minimum wage or a site in whichever way that you decide to do. But the ultimate goal is make sure these students understand the these the opportunities that are afforded to them because too many of our students are graduating not knowing what their next steps are. I'll use myself as an example. I went to school want to be occupational therapists. I'm so far from occupational therapy, you couldn't drive it back if you tried. So, and then so many students want to be nurses until they have to go in to draw blood and pass out. So, if we can help these students figure out what they want to do before they make those decisions, it'll be helpful not only to our students, but to our community and to their families because secondary education is very expensive or postsecary education is very expensive. So again, my ask to you guys today is to look at the ones pager I hand it to you. It provides some additional information about what the program entails. It has my contact email there if you have further questions, but if you can individually support, talk to businesses that you know in the area to help the school district reach their goal. It'll be extremely helpful. We're not here to replace the school district. We're here to be the extension of the school district. We know they have a lot of things going on. we have some capacity to do some recruitment for them and that's what we're here to do and I'm

happy to answer any questions that you may have is this just like the um what they used to have back in the 80s like C and D is something I'm sorry I'm not sure what those acronyms stand for D A uh D um you know like job different businesses will provide jobs for juniors. I think you had to be a junior sort and you know you can stay there cuz I I had a classmate. She's been with the parish since we were juniors in high school. So I think that's what she's um referring to. Yes, ma'am. Similar to that. Okay. Similar to that. And if you if you guys are not able to go into an internship, make sure that you can be able to help with mock interviews, resume count, resume writing skills because you have a gain a ton of experience that could be shared with younger people. So again, that's what we were here to propose to you guys today to educate you on what this program is and what we hope to see our students and where they what their options are and any way that we can be helpful to you guys, just let us know. So I have a a question. Um, is it just Fort Allen High or is it Brley as well or just uh Port Allen High School? No, it is both schools. Both high schools. It is Parish. Thank you. Thank you. Update on community development activities. Good afternoon, committee, council, elected officials, and visitors and clients. Uh don't have a lot to cover this month, but we're excited about a lot of things that that we've been working toward going on. Of course, uh we ending our our fiscal year with events and activities with you. Uh the two day event, I'm sure everybody did.

If you didn't see anything else or experienced anything else, you probably saw the flowers. And uh so it was a fun two days and uh we consider it to be a success. as we're going back to the drawing board and try to have some more fun and do some other more and better things next year on that project. But upcoming on August 21st, we will have our first senior roundup as we partner uh with the other cities throughout West Back Parish. um our own council lady Charlene Gordon is chairing this event and we're excited about the things she's brought to the table that we're all going to do along with the parish uh and the other um municipalities in the parish. Uh we have the sheriff department who's come in and is going to do some great things as far as contributing to a wonderful day of information and fun for the seniors in the parish at West Banks. Um, we might have to go to the drawing board a little bit because I heard that Baton Rouge had their um their senior skip there and I think CO might be back. So, we might have to talk about that and how we going to handle it. But other than that, we're going to move forward and trying to make sure that this this event is is a great process. Um, we are still in the planning stage for our upcoming prayer breakfast um as far as getting the date getting the mayor and getting it on her schedule. Um, so we look forward to having that in the fall before our Christmas event. We're also working in partnerships with all the the different agencies throughout the the city and the panther so that our citizens can actually completely experience everything that Westbat Witch has to offer. At this time, I'll take any questions. Ma'am, are we planning on having a a Christmas parade or bonfire?

Call the pro staff committee to order establish a quorum. Could we have a roll call, please? Mr. Hold here. Mord here. Mr. P here. Thank you. Item number four, discuss Chief Mitchell's recommendation of the following promotions. Tenant tender wish to captain at step 118 grade uh one sergeant. I'm sorry. Sergeant Eric Celeststeine to Lieutenant at Step 116 grade D and Officer Adrien Buchanan to Corpal at step 113 grade C. Chief. Yeah. Um my whole career I've worked with all three of these these individuals. Um my reason for making a move with them is um they gain a lot of experience. Uh he's the three that I actually trust. Uh other than Adrian, um the these two I trust to help me with my administration. Uh Adrian have over 15 years law enforcement experience and a lot of the stuff that I've been going through at the beginning of my tenure. Uh I've put a lot on his shoulders and he buried it. Uh filling in a lot of shifts. um working with practically any anybody I thrown at him, he done it without any questions asked. Uh he's currently helping out with the FTO program. Um he's the the coordinator of the FTO program along with um and Kendra, she's actually one of the ones that's helping on the day-to-day operations when it come down to the report, right? And uh the reports, making sure everything get turned in a timely manner to uh city and district court. uh she's helping them out tremendously when it come out to their report skills to get them on on board with how we going against. So with that being said, I like to um promote those three people that continue to help

advance. Chief, just to give Russ a little knowledge starting with Kendra, when you promoting her to captain, she's going to be over uniform patrol completely. Completely. Okay. She's the only one over uniform trouble. Yes. Yeah. That's that's going to be our and uh Celeststein. Um he's over he's my FTO coordinator and he's also a part of the Crimand Intelligence Division. He as y'all know he's still detective. Yeah. He's angry and always jumps in and help. Yeah. Burn him out though. Yeah. I think that's one of my biggest thing. and I don't want to burn them out. So, a lot of these changes and all these um adaptations of the department is what help balance a lot of these things out. So, when you move them up, who going to take their place? You moving somebody else up into their as in like the corporate lieutenant. Yeah. I'm going the position that they leave and you going to move someone else in that position and due times it's steady stuff. It's just okay. No rush for it. We getting there. Okay. Okay, I'll make the motion if anybody Wait, anybody have a question? That's all I make agenda item. I'm sorry, y'all. I'm reading. Okay. Uh, we'll move on to number five. Discuss Chief Mitchell's request to create the position of assistant chief of police at step 118. Okay. A little bit. I'm pretty sure every one of y'all have um dealt with him personally. He's very professional. um ever since I started my career here um he was he was out shortly after so a lot of my visions a lot of my beliefs a lot of the things that I'm making within our department he he know it through and through as y'all know been in this position I won't be able to be here all

the time however when I I know I leave like in a couple weeks I got to go to the chief conference I know I'm leaving the police department in good hands rea do everything that I'll do without me being there so I want to create this position And also I'm sure everybody, not just myself, but we're trying to move forward in our in our police department, trying to build our police department up. I I took this this position to help grow it, not hurt it. I think it's important that you have somebody to be more or less a point man if you're not here. Correct. And uh the assistant chief police, what are we looking at as far as money? nothing. Um, I mean, he's doing it now. Yeah, he's doing it right now. So, um, if we was to officially create the position along with the funds, uh, maybe additional 60 cents maybe. True. Okay. Yeah. I know at one time um years ago they was trying to get a assistant chief um when Harry Brown was the chief and they wouldn't give him one and I didn't understand why because just like you said when you leaving to go out of town you want to have to sit in good hand with someone that you can trust that when you come back you don't have to say oh law it's a mess you know correct um you want to just come back and find it like you left it and move on correct and one of the things I can also add to that um even as of right now myself and are angry that We speak all the time. Um, so and last Monday, June, I had to go to the new chief conference. He called me every day. We he kept me informed on everything that was going on with our police department without a second, you know, if anything was to change. I got a text message or something from him. So, and that's good that you have that good communication with them because you need someone that you can depend and trust, you know, to operate for you. Very

important. Yes. And I've been in enough meetings with the both of you that y'all work in tandem with each other. So very very knowledgeable on a lot of things. So that's a big plus. But remember that agenda. Yeah. Oh yeah. Okay. Well, on my part, we'll go ahead and adjourn. Finance committee call to order. Establish quorum rolloff m here. M level here. M zoo here. Item number four discuss chief Mitchell budget amendment request purchase four portable digital speed limit signs. All right. So, ever since I've been here, I'm pretty sure you guys ever since y'all see I heard a lot of people complain about a lot of people speeding around players. um plus so one of the biggest things I wanted to do uh especially since the current size operations department everybody all my offices just can't sit in certain spots all day so with those speed limit signs I think it not only they help me but it help districts out so not just myself you guys will be able to see what's going on and it it deters a lot of the speed and the traffic co and all these areas so um one I'm just trying to get some some some extra assistance when it come down to uh traffic control cuz like I said before they send you any signals or anything would they send you any signals? Yeah, I'll be able to get um notification on everything. I control everything from um my phone. And then with their speed and stuff, would they be tickets? Yes. Okay. The ones that I got the ones I'm looking to get. Yes. Um could that happen? I mean, we don't

want to be like the monster. No, no, no. So, I can control it. So, once we end up getting into that particular area, we'll just start monitoring due to the uh due to what they do with the notifications we can. So when you say monitor what do you mean like u someone speeding and uh so it give you so what they what what they the speed limit um sign the digital signs can do they can go ahead and u notify us every time somebody speed uh they keep up with they keep up with data um you can actually put flashes on them you can go and um put lights all kinds of things to kind of keep deter that's not everybody from all the infractions in the area. So then you be able to mail them the ticket or offer something like that. So we have to go to the house and get to No. So what they end up doing is we'll be able to go over there due to the data that's collected. We can go and start um we could always uh traffic in that particular area due to what um the city. Okay. I see what you're saying up there. Okay. What's the accomplish? Um, I did four. I So, as of right now, I've reached back out to one of the companies, Radar City, Radar Signs, I'm sorry. Um, I did four, which two was um solar and it was the big ones and then there was two portable ones. But after uh talking talking to the way administration and some some of you guys from you know um being out there I think four portable ones will be good cuz we can move around the city. So she asked you how much it would be uh like 12 like between 12 13,000 questions

say 12 to 13 hours of four. Yeah. Thousand. Yeah. I reached out to the guy to uh send me the quote for all four portable ones. Um they reduced the price. It was 15 with the two bigger ones, but it went down. It should go down to at least like 13 14.9. I got an actual just four portable ones. So this budget amendment is in addition to the budget that you already have. So you're asking for this? Yeah, I'm asking. Yeah. Okay. H you asking? No, we actually the other questions. Item number five. We all got to put this on the Okay. Good evening, council. Good evening, Mayor. So, uh, tomorrow we will be closing at, um, half a day and we are closed on Friday due to the holiday. Uh, I think we kind of brought that up before. Um, and also I want to thank those that um came out on yesterday for the drive sober campaign. Uh, I know Mr. Hobo had to leave um, but Charlene didn't leave you out of course in your pictures. Um, but I do appreciate um, everyone who participated. Um, I made a post u on Facebook and I just was thanking the guys um, at the maintenance department. Um the people up there yesterday spoke so highly of how

everything looked and like I told them the credit didn't go to me, it went to them. It worked. When I brought it to them, uh Mr. Bush called me about um bringing it to the west side. Um we went up and and did a little walk through and to see what needed to be done. And once I called him, um Daryl was out of town, so Kevin was standing in for him. and they started um they finished on Monday and everything looked very very nice. Um we got compliments uh about um the beautifification of the levy and how everything looked. So we should be in line for the 4th of July. Um I think they may be moving some of the 4th of July in front of city hall. I think the determination will come tomorrow um fully for that. Um but they had a meeting from my understanding about that because of the water um being so high they may may move most of it down um by city hall. So we have that um to look forward to uh on Friday. Um that's all I have. Um like I said again um prayers for the family um that Mr. But Browning called about um for the child in Antonio. They are. I think I saw foray tradition is one of them. Um I'm not sure the other band. Uh I don't have that. M Rose went to the meeting cuz we were on the living for the sober campaign at the same time. So all right. Thank you. reminder about the um convention and oh yeah I think we should call everyone today um LMA is at the end of this month um the last Monday Tuesday and Wednesday

I think of July 29th 30th and 31st yeah 29th what and it's in Lake Charles 29th 30th and 31st in Lake Charles it's Tuesday Um, so if anything changes, we kind of need to know ASAP. Um, so we can get those changes made. I think Miss Rose says she kind of touched base with everyone today. So, all right. Thank you. Thank you.