City Council - Special Meeting

Yeah. Okay. Hello. Good morning.

I know. I was I was going to sleep. I had one girl sick. I don't like How are you? See?

No problems. Yeah, I like

Councilman Green, will you give the invocation? and Councilman Teler, will you lead us in the prayer? Thank you, Lord, for this day and thank you for this opportunity. We ask you'd come in our midst and that we would govern ourselves in a Christlike manner. Thank you for what you've done. Thank you for blessing us to be able to see another day. Lord, we love you. We praise you. We bless your name. Thank you for what you have done. And Lord, we're going to praise you in advance for what you're going to do. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

All the flag as we say our pledge, let us be mindful of the sacrifices of our MIAs. The Osgiance 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. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Councilwoman Taylor, present. Councilman Brooks, Councilman Taylor, here ma'am. Councilman Butcher here. Councilman Jackson, Councilman Green, I'm here. And Councilwoman Bowman, present. Before we call the public hearing to order, we have a request from the city attorney to withdraw resolution 152 of 2025. It will be introduced on a later day and we'll take that vote at 300 p.m.

Is that correct? That's correct. What is What is resolution 152? That is correct. It's one of the um there are two resolutions here for public hearing today. Both concerning economic development corporations. One involves the state, the other one involves the city. The one involving the city, um I am asking that we withdraw to be addressed at a later date so that today's focus will only be on the matter that pertains to the state.

So today we're required to hold a public hearing. Are we here required to hear a public hearing on both of them? Just the 153, correct? Okay. Just 153. On resolution 153 of 2025, a resolution approving the request to establish a private nonprofit economic development corporation to be named the Shreport Film and Entertainment Economic Development Corporation and other matters with respect there too. The public hearing is now called to order. Does the administration have a presentation? Yes, Mr. Bisada will make the presentation. Good morning. Good morning. I've missed y'all. [clears throat]

Where you been? [laughter] um really exciting. This is this is really the beginning of a monumental and and you'll hear more about this over the next uh two weeks. And so I I'll go into to some of it and I but I don't want to steal the thunder of of um some of our statewide leaders as well um that have seen the tremendous work that you've done um as a council as a mayor and the foundation that you've set and seen what that is doing as far as being transformational and want to be a part of that. And so what you're approving today or what you'll be approving this afternoon is essentially this allowing for the establishment of an economic development corporation. That corporation will be composed of five members. Um the governor, the secretary of le uh a member appointed by the governor, a member appointed by the president of the senate, and a member appointed by the speaker of the house. Um the reason it's coming before the state I mean before the city and the state's not setting this up independently is because in order to achieve the objectives that we want to achieve for this economic development project um we needed to have a structure in place before the legislature was going to go into session which will won't be until spring in early summer. And so this is part of the city uh can authorize the establishment of this economic development corporation. um you have no liability as it relates to it. You have no obligation as it relates to it. Um but any economic development corporation that wants to do work within a municipality does have to have the approval of the governing authority just to be established. Um what this board's sole responsibility will be will be to act um to distribute some funds that we are expecting um from the state of Louisiana to go into the improvements to uh mostly to city-owned facilities as well as um another venue related to the

overall economic development project. And so uh the state has asked the city to participate by allowing um this economic development corporation to be um created. Um the econom the members of the economic development corporation really will just have a an an oversight [clears throat] role. The the way that the money is required to be spent has already been negotiated with all the parties is being negotiated and will be agreed to. And so they'll just be there to ensure that there is proper oversight, that that money is being spent um in accordance with the agreement. Will the appointments be local or will they be appointments that all over the state?

They'll be local with the exception of LED because it will most likely be the secretary herself or top deputy um and the governor or his chief of staff or top uh state official. Um the other three the expectation is will all be local. But the delay of 152 does that stop any uh immediate plans?

Um and that was one we originally put on there just to go ahead and get all these done but just to ensure that there wasn't confusion because people have been we've gotten questions over this board that board that one is not there's not the same time uh necessity on that one. that one can easily be done early next year without any affecting anything. So, we just wanted to make it clear. All right. Is there anyone present who would like to speak in favor or in opposition of resolution 153 of 2025? Seeing there is none, this public [applause] hearing is closed. This meeting is a journ. Yes. Can we just stay on down here since we No. [laughter]

He's just waiting to order out. Can you get us some pizzas and food? See, I told you. He just wants to order out. Yeah.