Kenner City Council Meeting - September 4, 2025
Kenner City Council Meeting - September 4, 2025
The Kenner City Council met on September 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM (transcribed start at 22:00:38 UTC) to discuss a range of topics including persistent power outages in the Driftwood area, a proposed docking facility with American Cruise Lines, recycling program options, and various administrative approvals. All votes passed 7-0 unless noted.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes approved from the regular council meeting of August 22, 2025.
- Alcoholic beverage permits: None.
- Bingo/public gathering applications: Approved for Divine Mercy Catholic Parish Seafood Festival (Oct 10-12) and Archdiocese of New Orleans cross-country meets (Saturdays, Sep 6-Oct 25).
- Fire inspection fee restoration: Ordinance 13,914 corrected an omission restoring the fee to city code; passed 7-0.
- No-left-turn sign correction at Meadoc & Vintage Drive: Ordinance 13,933 adjusted school zone hours to 6:45-7:30 AM and 2:20-3:00 PM; passed 7-0.
- Blighted property hearings scheduled: Resolutions for 1815 Short Street and 1918 Kansas Avenue set public hearings for September 19, 2025; passed 7-0.
- Settlement authorization: Resolution 13C authorized settlement in Amparo, Lambert, Morales v. City of Kenner Police Department (24th JDC #753-525); passed 7-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Entergy outages: Several Driftwood residents testified about frequent outages. Rod Solors (District 3) cited equipment age and a “stopgap” transformer pad-mount blocking a sidewalk for two years. Joseph Ochapenti (41-year resident) asked for a clear maintenance program and better communication. Ryan Ugent (District 3) questioned how a broken insulator was missed during recent construction and requested substation upkeep. Jerry Jacob (Coronado) stated he has experienced more outages in seven years than the rest of his life. Ryan Ugent also asked about landscape maintenance on Power Boulevard and grass height at Williams & Airline (confirmed railroad property).
- American Cruise Lines: Vanessa Matthews (District 1) expressed surprise at lack of public input, concern about traffic/noise, and suggested a town hall. Vera Perkins (lifetime resident) worried about levee impacts and traffic/parking; Councilmember Schwartz assured her the boat will be over 100 yards from the levee and levee boards oversee safety.
- Greg Taft (District 5) asked about silt at the boat launch; Mayor noted a rock jetty cost rose from ~$3M to $12M, so a prop wash will be used instead.
- Ryan Ugent (District 3) thanked the mayor for recycling town halls and asked about maintenance of Power Boulevard landscaping; Mayor said Mr. Shane’s family will maintain it.
- New property owner (2114/2116 9th St) thanked council for keeping it a double, requested police help with loitering at a nearby dollar store.
Discussion Items
- Entergy presentation on Driftwood outages: Jimmy Aiken (Entergy) explained five outages in 14 days were due to a faulty insulator and sagging conductors on feeder 313. Councilmember Lahat listed 10 outages since March 2025 totaling 14 hours 53 minutes. Aiken detailed a $15 million recabling project for Driftwood (phases ongoing), installation of self-healing networks (already helping feeders 316, 324, 333), and a full walk-down of feeder 313 next week. Residents demanded permanent fixes and improved communication; Entergy committed to better public updates and proactive maintenance.
- American Cruise Lines docking facility (Item 15A): Mayor presented a 20-year cooperative endeavor agreement with two 10-year extensions. The company will build a modern floating dock and gangway (~$3M investment) at no cost to the city; the city pays half of demolishing the existing dilapidated pier (~$50,000). Annual rent is $12,000. Council and public discussed traffic, levee integrity, public access to the observation deck (separate project, grant-funded $900,000 trailhead expansion), and economic benefits. Passed 7-0.
- Recycling program update: Mayor showed a video and slides on options after the current contract expires (Feb 2026). Options: curbside only ($3/household), drop-site only ($0.53), both ($3.53, current is $2.30), or no city service. A second town hall is scheduled for September 8 at 6:30 PM at the Council on Aging.
- Drainage improvements (Item 15D): Amendment #6 to the Rivertown/South Kenner drainage plan increased the design contract by $118,530 due to seven (not three) telecommunication lines at CN Railroad, requiring a new small pump station instead of a 36-inch pipe. A resident from Duncan Street asked about flooding impacts; Mr. Gonzalez assured the system is independent.
- Wood Lake Pump Station (Item 15K): Cooperative endeavor with Jefferson Parish to construct a new 120 CFS pump station (four pumps) in a city park, fully parish-funded (~$14 million). Passed 7-0.
- Other contracts approved: Lead-based hazard inspections ($99,000/year, grant-funded), Hispanic Resource Center foundation repair ($19,750), CCMSI claims management contract clarified as annual amount ($103,500), post-disaster traffic control emergency repair ($500,000 annually), wheelchair purchase ($16,785.74), sewer lift station replacement ($882,500), AC unit for OMV ($23,500), t-shirts ($6,523), and multiple first-reading items for police equipment and sewer lift station studies.
Key Outcomes
- All votes passed 7-0 unless otherwise noted.
- Entergy committed to a feeder 313 walk-down, installation of self-healing networks, and improved customer communication.
- American Cruise Lines agreement (20 yrs + two 10-yr options) approved; city will split $100,000 demo cost and receive $12,000/yr rent.
- Recycling public input continues; council will decide after September 8 town hall.
- No-left-turn sign at Meadoc & Vintage adjusted to actual school hours.
- Executive session held on pending litigation (Amparo et al) but no public action noted.
- Next council meeting: Agenda items will include final adoption of first-reading ordinances.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting of September fourth, twenty twenty-five will come to order. Do we have any special intentions today? No special intentions. Uh, Father Luis, if you will leave us in prayer, we'd appreciate it, sir. Thank you. Thank you for being here. In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, amen. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful day that you've given to us and for this opportunity to be able to gather as uh as a council in our city of Kenner. We ask that you continue to pour your blessings upon our dear city of Kenner, upon all those who are in civil authority over us, all those who protect us and guide us and lead us as we uh foster and try our best to forge a community that is uh filled with your love uh and with your uh and with your generosity for for those who are in need. We ask that you bless all of our deliberations, all that we share here, and may everything that we may share be done always for your glory, for your honor, and for your praise. But most of all, because we love you. We ask all of us through Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen. Uh now, if we will, Madam Clerk, will you lead us in the pledge? Sure. Place your hand over your heart and repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands. Under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Aye. Opposed, please say nay. Seeing none, motion passes seven zero. Under item eighteen, new business. Item eighteen A. At the request of the administration, an executive session regarding Amparo, Lambert, Morales versus the City of Kenner, Kentucky Police Department at all twenty-fourth judicial district court number seven five three-five two five. I have a motion by Councilmember Brennan, seconded by Councilmember Lahat to adjourn into executive session. All council members in favor, please say aye. Aye. I have a motion by Councilmember Brennan, seconded by Councilmember Lahat to reconvene from executive session. All council members in favor, please say aye. Pose, please say nay. Seeing none, motion passes seven zero. Next we have correspondence reports from the mayor, CAO, or department heads. Um at this time we'd like to introduce Mr. Jimmy Aiken with entergy. He's gonna make a few comments. If you could please come to the podium. Hello, counsel. I've been better. No, I'm okay. Doing great. Um I've been asked to come here to speak on the recent outages in driftwood uh by councilman Lahat. So I just wanted to come today and address these issues. I knew do you know that we have some people in attendance right now and maybe have some people online watching. So over the last I would say three weeks, we've had five outages in 14 days in a certain sliver of driftwood, and then to the western part of Kenner, uh, which is a feeder called 313 out of Poncha Train substation, which is the substation on the corner of West Esplanade and Power. Um, I understand first and foremost, I'd like to apologize to our customers, your constituents. I know these are residents, these are business owners. Uh these outages have impacted their business, their livelihood. Some people work from home, so I do want to apologize for that. Uh the first two outages that we had on feeder 313.
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