I'd like to call the meeting of October 17, 2025 to order.

Any special intentions, Mayor?

Yes.

Uh longtime former city employee and the father of our personnel director, Wendy Fulce, Mr.

William Hannon passed away this this past week.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

I'd like to add too, I have an uncle um who's close to me and and he passed away this morning.

Unc uncle, my uncle Jim, uh James Murray.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

If you lead us in prayer, Councilwoman Dunn.

May we all please bow our hands.

Father, in the name of Jesus, dear masters, we come to you this hour in the morning.

God, we just want to tell you thank you for all the blessings that you have bestowed upon us, upon the city of Kenna.

God look like we've been spared once again of the destructive storms.

But Father, we pray, dear God, that our city will continue to remain safe.

And that, dear master, that you would look down on the mayor, the police chief, the fire chief, the administration, this council, and to also the residents of the city of Kenner, that we may all work together to better the city of Kenner.

And we pray, dear God, for a safe year as we bring this year to an end.

Dear God, that you would continue to be with us, but give us wisdom, knowledge and understanding that we may do right, not only in your sight, but also in the sight of the constituents.

I pray for the bereaved families today, dear God, that you would be with them, my father.

Lord, there are those around Kenner that have passed away also, dear master.

But I pray that you would be with them also.

And dear God, as we continue on with the business of Kenner, I pray, dear God, that you will continue to be with us in Jesus' name.

We pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Councilman Lahat, if you'll lead us in the pledge.

Face the flag, please hand over your heart.

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

One nation, God, visible liberties of this world.

Madam Clerk.

Yes, sir.

In accordance with council resolution number B 14550, please be advised that all cellular telephones and other devices of this nature must be deactivated or silenced throughout the council meeting.

Mr.

Chairman, you have a quorum this evening this morning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Um, I'd like to take an opportunity to uh introduce um our senator who represents um the this district in this area, Senator Greg Miller.

Um he's a valued member of the Kenner's state delegation.

He is an elected official who serves along with Senator Kirk Talbert, Representative Deborah Villier, Representative Joe Stagney.

His senatorial district includes a large part of the southern part of Kenner.

He is a big help to the city of Kenner and fights for us in Baton Rouge during the state legislative sessions.

He is well-seasoned legislator.

I'm referring to Senator Greg Miller, his background, graduate of Delasat Cellasau High School, New Orleans, 1980, graduate of Louisiana State University with a BA political science, 1985, and a graduate of LSU, Paul Kerr Law Center Center with a JD jurisdoctorate in 1988.

He is a former state representative and now a state senator who represents District 19, which is a very large area.

He serves on the following committees.

Chairman of Jude, Local and Municipal Affairs, Senate and Governmental Affairs, Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and Legislative Budgetary Control Council.

Senator Miller, if you will, please step up and introduce yourself and tell us some of your accomplishments, sir.

We appreciate you coming this morning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Wilmont.

And it is a great privilege and honor to be here in the City of Kenner in Senate District 19, which I represent.

And the wonderful thing is, you know, Kenner is near and dear to my heart.

She went to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and then graduated from Kenner High School.

And then they moved uh two blocks closer to the airport as if it wasn't loud enough on Oxley Street by the Butch Dewey Gym.

And uh so I I grew up coming to Kenner, and I I have a special place in my heart for this and the people of Kenner, especially all around the airport in South Kenner, and also uh in the area of Lincoln Manor and the university section and Susan Park, all of that is part of the district.

And you know, one of the things that uh, you know, one of my council uh members here, uh D Dunn, is we we care a lot about trying to deal with blight, and part of my as an attorney practicing attorney, I I do a lot of property related law successions, estate planning, trying to put people in possession of their properties.

And so a lot of my uh legislation deals with property matters and trying to and indirectly deal with blighted property.

Uh we last year we changed the small succession procedure or reformed it to make it easier for people and cheaper for people to be able to uh get record ownership of their property, and that helps with blighted property and trying to be able to clear up titles.

We also the biggest thing that I've probably done was uh we've reformed their our tax sales process, not sales tax process, but tax sales when uh property taxes are delinquent, the process by which you sell it.

So we've gone from a sale of the property to a sale of a tax lien.

Uh the tax sales system we've had now has led to a lot of just zombie properties that you can't ever get title insurance, you can't get clear title.

Uh the voters voted for the constitutional amendment last year, and uh we've changed uh we've been updating that, working with the sheriffs and working with the local municipalities about and the and the governing authorities to try to make sure that when it's implemented this coming year, uh we don't have any hiccups.

Um speaking of bladdy property, we were talking about uh Kenner City Hall and and the difficulties that uh we're having uh trying to get that uh funding from insurance and uh I just submitted uh one of the things that we do as legislators is we uh support and try to get money that our communities and our cities, such as Kenner have requested.

So we have submitted that uh letter of support uh on behalf of the city of Kenner to the Division of Administration, Commissioner Taylor Barra, and one of those requests includes 17 million dollars uh for the construction of new city hall.

Of course, it's a long process in the Capital Outlay project, but one of the things that we concentrate on that I like to concentrate on is infrastructure, roads and drainage, and you'll see in the capital outlay that have gotten uh in the capital outlay process last year, and that we're gonna see this year is roads and and drainage.

Lincoln Manage drainage, Roosevelt uh roadway repairs, uh new fire station for Kenner uh fire department, uh Susan Park drainage, compromise street drainage, Curtis Avenue drainage.

Uh and so we're gonna continue to fight for Kenner, and again, it is my great honor to be able to represent this city, which I which there's no doubt it's one of the most dynamic and most diverse cities in the state, and uh I'm I'm proud uh to call this one of my homes.

So thank you.

Thank you, Senator Mill.

We appreciate you coming this morning and and and uh let me introduce you and so forth.

And I also want to say that uh inadvertently omitted one of your leadership roles in in the Senate.

You're also the chair of Senate Parliamentary Affairs, too, so it's good leadership role.

So it's good leadership role.

Senator Senate Parliamentary.

So I I get to advise President Henry uh how to how to rule when he has issues about rules.

So thank you for all your leadership roles and thank you for for your help with the city of Kenner and all that you do for us.

If you don't have my cell phone, make sure you get it.

Uh I hopefully everybody has my cell phone and always feel free to contact me uh with any issues that you have.

So thank you, Senator Miller.

Anybody have any comments, questions?

Yes, I do.

Um councilwoman dunn.

Thank you, uh Council Chair.

Thank you, Senator Miller, for being here.

Uh we have a great relationship, and every time I pick up the phone, you answer.

And I thank you for the funding uh that you've been securing for uh my district in particular, but Kenner as a whole.

So we just want to thank you for being so active and having that relationship with us.

And thanks for being here this morning.

Sure.

Uh I just have to add one thing.

Thank you, Councilman Dunn.

The this is one of the few times I've come to Rivertown where I'm not spending money.

Usually I'm coming here to spend money at all of the fine restaurants and the at the theater and the mute the musicals that uh that are put on.

So it's wonderful, wonderful jewel we have here.

Chief Connolly.

Yeah, we're not up out of Rivertown yet, so hold on to your wallet.

But uh, I do want to echo uh councilwoman dunno and thank you for all the support you've given the police department.

Um you know we've been very active with capital outlay um projects to the tune of two or three million dollars.

Uh, and uh I know that comes with the support of your office as well.

So thank you and the rest of my delegation for keeping us in mind.

Sure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Miller.

All right, thank you.

Y'all have a great weekend.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You too.

Next, uh, Mayor Glazer with your report, sir.

All right.

Guess I should pay attention, right?

Uh several meetings ago, y'all voted on the American cruise line uh legislation.

I'm happy to say Wednesday, we got an email that the agreements signed and executed, and their planning crews are gonna be on the ground here in Rivertown in the next couple of weeks.

So their goal date is still to have it completed by the end of next year and start sailing in 27.

Uh trunk retreat is tomorrow, 5 p.m.

at Musbertolino.

And following at dark, we're gonna have a showing of Monsters Inc.

on our the relatively new scoreboard, the video screen.

Um Thursday, November 6th, which I guess is our next council meeting.

Before that, at 10 a.m.

is uh Veterans Day celebration in Veterans Park.

And as you are walking up to this building, this has been a project that's been taking a little longer than I had hoped for.

All the windows in this place are being uh replaced.

Uh just one more step of making this building watertight so we can uh kind of put it back in the commerce and in more use uh in the near future.

And I'm gonna kick it over to Chief Conley for a couple of comments.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor.

So tomorrow is our national night out against crime kickoff party at the Pond Strain Center parking lot from 11 to 3.

Uh this is the kickoff to uh everybody knows Tuesday night is the Astronaut Out Against Crime.

We're encouraging people to sign up their neighbor, their neighborhood block parties for uh first responders to come by and visit.

You can do that at Kenneth PD.com.

But tomorrow, 11 to 3, free food, free drinks, over 20 local agencies and first responders from fire departments, EMS, police departments will be on display.

It'll be a hands-on activity for children as well as adults.

Um we're gonna have demonstrations put on by the fire department, SWAT team, K9, and drone patrols as well.

It's always a good time.

Top cats will be playing from 11 to 3.

Uh, we will have a large screen TV compliment uh uh thanks to Pelican events when the SEC changed the LSU game time.

We realize that your councilman Branaghan out there, we're gonna have to put a TV out there.

So we will have a large screen TV next to the stage that'll be playing the game.

But all the foods complimentary, they've all been provided by sponsors such as Blue Runner, CRC, Coca-Cola, uh Walmart.

Um I know I'm gonna leave somebody out, but it's a good time had by all.

It'll be over by three o'clock.

Um, but everything's free.

So please come out and um meet up with your first responders, see what is provided to you through the city of Kennedy to keep you safe and and uh take care of you, and I think you'll be pretty impressed.

Thank you.

And Southern Cat USA, LLC versus the City of Canada, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana Number Twenty Five Dash C Vero One Four Eight Two Section D.

I have a motion by Council Member Brad again, seconded by Council Member Brennan to adjourn into executive session.

All council members in favor, please say I.

Call the meeting back to order from executive session.

Madam Clark.

Yes, sir.

Uh Mayor, will you finish with your comments?

Okay.

I have a motion by Councilmember Brown again, seconded by Councilmember Brennan to reconvene from executive session.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Under resolutions, motions, and other items from the floor.

Mr.

Chairman, we've received the request from the administration to add item 3D.

Application number 25-016.

Audrey Reno to hold a public gathering on October 31st, 2025, from 7:30 p.m.

to 1130 p.m.

for the purpose of a Halloween block party at 194 through 198 Jelpee in Kenner, Louisiana.

Is there anyone in the audience wishing to object to the council adding this to the agenda?

Please come forward.

Seeing none, I have a motion by Councilmember Lahat, seconded by Councilmember Brannigan to add the item to the agenda.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Under the consent agenda, I have item one approval of minutes, the regular council meeting of October 2nd, 2025.

Item two is approval of alcoholic beverage permit applications.

We have none.

Item three is approval of bingo and public gathering applications.

Item 3A is application number 25-012.

Chris Alfers to hold a public gathering on October 31st, 2025, from 6 p.m.

to 10 p.m.

for the purpose of an annual Halloween block party in the 200 block of Cotton Bayou Lane.

Item 3B is application number 25-018 Williams Boulevard Baptist Church to hold a public gathering on October 26, 2025 from 4 p.m.

to 6 p.m.

for the purpose of a fall fest at 3000 Williams Boulevard.

Item 3C is application number 25-02 for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church to hold a public gathering on October 19, 2025 from 4 p.m.

to 6 p.m.

for the purpose of a St.

Rosalie procession in Rivertown.

Item 3D is application number 25-016.

Audrey Reno to hold a public gathering on October 31, 2025 from 7:30 p.m.

to 1130 p.m.

for the purpose of a Halloween block party at 194 through 198 Jell B.

And that will conclude the consent agenda.

I have a motion by Councilmember McKenney, seconded by Councilmember Wilmot to approve the consent agenda.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes 70.

Under the public appearance agenda, we have item 8, public hearings and final passage.

Item 8A is a public hearing regarding summary ordinance number 13,952.

An ordinance amending ordinance 11,967 adopted February 18, 2022 to allow the construction of a storage warehouse on parcel D-3-A2-A, Highway Park Subdivision, the WWL track, Kenner Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, as shown on a survey by BFM Corporation, LLC, dated June 4th, 2021.

And site plan by Burke Klein Peter Incorporated, dated July 25th, 2025.

Which property is owned by the Treasure Chest Casino.

LLC.

I have a motion by Councilmember Lahat, seconded by Councilmember Sharwit to open your public hearing.

All Council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes 7-0.

We have a presentation by the planning department, and then the public will be able to speak on the item.

This is cases to amend ordinance 11,967, which was adopted on February 18th, 2022.

This uh proposal will allow the new construction of an approximately 19,800 square foot storage warehouse and approximately 40,600 square feet of new parking and driveways to service the warehouse on parcel D3A2A.

The owner is Treasure Chess Casino, LLC 5050 Williams Boulevard, Kenra, Louisiana, and the applicant is Richard Cortizes of Jones Walker 201 St.

Charles Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The subject site fronts Joe Yenny Boulevard and is generally bounded by the Ponch Train Center Access Road to the north, Williams Boulevard to the east, and Horseshoe Road to the west.

Parcel D3A2A is currently developed with a surface parking lot for casino patrons.

An early neighborhood meeting was held on July 21st, 2025 at the Treasure Chest Casino Magnum Magnolia Ballroom A at 4540 Williams Boulevard.

The applicant reported that one neighbor attended the meeting in addition to District 3 Councilman Joey Lahat and representatives from the Treasure Chest Casino.

The only issue raised was the impact of the proposed warehouse would have on traffic specifically behind the Coconut Beach area roadway.

The applicant noted that the warehouse is not expected to cause any increase in traffic as the warehouse will be used for the storage of equipment and not regular servicing of the casino.

The planning department did not receive any calls regarding this case.

The new warehouse will be built south of the existing surface parking lot.

The site plan indicates that vehicular traffic will enter and exit the warehouse via driveways connecting to the existing surface parking lot to the north.

There will be no direct access to Joe Yenny Boulevard.

The site plan shows that mechanical equipment will be situated on the east side of the warehouse with a loading dock on the north side.

There will be 19 parking spots for the warehouse with two of them dedicated to handicapped parking.

An existing drainage retention pond slash retention pond located on the southwest quadrant of the property will be enlarged to assist in the stormwater management for the site.

A stormwater management plan was uh submitted and reviewed by the city's consultant, and while there were some deficiencies, the applicant is having those deficiencies addressed.

Please note that no permits will be issued until all deficiencies have been addressed.

The landscaping plan was reviewed by the city's landscape plan reviewer.

The proposal was found to need 54 trees and 250 shrubs.

But the actual proposal uh shows 80 trees and 229 shrubs.

The 26 extra trees are more than sufficient to cover the shrub deficiency.

The proposal is therefore compliant with our landscaping regulations.

There will be no signage associated with the warehouse.

The planning commission heard this case on September 24th, and they recommended approval.

That is all I have.

Councilman Laha.

Yeah, I attended the neighborhood meeting, and there was no one there.

I received no opposition to this.

Um Boyd Game and Tread of Trust Casino needs this warehouse to store items.

I have no problem with this at all.

They're a great partner of the city of Kenner, and no one has called me opposing this anywhere.

I don't think the planning director has got any opposition either.

Um so I'm in favor of it if anyone wants to know my position.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone in the audience who wishes to the Okay?

Come on up and state your name for the record.

You have three minutes.

Uh thank you, Councilman Wilmont.

Um my name is Ryan Nugent uh and I live at 5444 Erlinger Road in District 3.

Um first off, I didn't know anything about this.

I don't think most of our neighbors know anything about this.

Um the notices were sent out to people in immediate proximity, which is basically a couple blocks around the site.

So that means people on Lake Trail, Aqua Vista, Driftwood.

We didn't receive any notice about this development.

So what I plan to say was the last conversation I had with the late great Almorella was about the treasure chest, and it really stuck with me.

Neither of us was a fan of the new property.

Uh so Mr.

Morella, this one is for you.

I'll start with the new casino itself, and I won't parse words.

It's ugly.

It's a giant box with absolutely no character that completely ignores the existence of its waterfront location.

I'd say it looks like a Walmart with a portcoch air, but the fact is I've seen Walmarts that are significantly more attractive.

I know the city of Kenner was desperate to keep the treasure chest within its borders, but the fact remains that the opportunities that come with a PUD application were squandered.

By that I mean a PUD is an opportunity to hold a developer to a higher standard.

And if that building is any indication, they most certainly were not.

And I know I'm not alone in this opinion, and I know it's not just me and Mr.

Al either.

It's an opinion shared by every single friend, neighbor, and colleague I have ever spoken with on the matter.

Moving across Williams to the site in question, we already have the sort of sea of concrete parking lot that are code specifically prohibits, and I'd love to know why that configuration was allowed.

Regarding the proposed warehouse structure, it's yet another generic box with zero character.

The exterior is gray something, maybe stucco.

I can't be certain because the provided documents don't actually indicate a clouding material.

Is this really what we want to spend the next few decades looking at at the head of one of Kenner's most attractive thoroughfares?

For God's sake, what would Joe Yenny think?

As for the proposed landscaping, it looks wonderful.

RCI is the cream of the crop when it comes to landscape design, and have worked with them personally.

My question for Boyd Gaming would be this: why are you as a corporation so dead set on cheaping out in the appearance of your structures, but totally fine with spending huge amounts of money on landscaping?

As I said, I've worked with RCI, so I have a very good idea of how much this proposed landscaping irrigate irrigation will cost.

Suffice it to say that it would be more than enough money to give the proposed building some actual character, and it would be more than enough money to give us less of an eye sore to look at for the next 40 years.

Again, the landscaping is nice, but we're talking about living things that are by nature fleeting and not permanent.

Though I think this is an unfortunate use for a very nice piece of property, I am not in principle opposed to the presence of a warehouse on the site.

However, I am asking the council to reject the current proposal until such time that Boyd can return with a more attractive design for the primary structure.

I implore you, please, especially those have who have previously expressed dissatisfaction with the nature of the existing development, please do not let them do this to our community for a second time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Nugent.

Yes, sir.

If you state your name and the address for the record or district.

Yes, thank you, Councilman.

Uh Richard Cortizes, 201 St.

Charles Avenue, on behalf of Treasurer Chuss.

Um, first of all, I want to say thank you to the council uh for taking up this matter.

As as Chris mentioned, this is an amendment to an existing PUT.

It's an amendment that will allow for a storage warehouse where there is a surface parking lot right now.

The notices that went out for the early neighborhood meeting met the legal requirements.

So to suggest that notices were not sent out or were not appropriately sent out is in error.

Um and there was ample opportunity, and there was ample opportunity to reach out to planning treasure chess and other officials with regards to any question that they might have had between the early neighborhood meeting and today's meeting, and also the planning commission's meeting.

I want to particularly thank Councilmember Lahat who attended the meeting.

Um there was one other individual that attended from Churchill that attended the meeting, and the only issue that they had, and it was a violent uh it was a valid question is would there be any increased traffic?

Absolutely not, because this is not going to be part of its normal commercial use.

This warehouse will be strictly for storage.

Umscape is being improved.

Um additional trees will be planted and added.

Uh there will be no sign on the building.

Uh, and again, this is not for the regular commercial use.

It's a storage warehouse, which is required by state law uh for the storage of gaming equipment.

So the reason why Treasury Trust is actually building the storage warehouse is because state law requires that when they um repair or service gaming equipment that they be stored in a secured facility, and that's that's the reason for the storage.

So I um I appreciate the council's um time, consideration, and would request approval.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And happy to work with anyone that may have suggestions while we're constructing the building.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Tao.

Name and district.

Uh Greg Taft, Fifth District.

The only thing that I want to comment on is if what we sent notices to the people that were the closest proximity according to our charter and bylaws.

Sometimes on something like this, I don't know why we wouldn't want to include, especially a jump to the areas that would be affected by it.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other about it, because I can understand a storage area that that a company needs, and that's what their property is supposed to be able to accommodate for.

My comment is basically maybe we should look at the parameters when we notifying people, especially since that area does cover or is it surrounded by driftwood as such, so that those residents do have a chance and an opportunity to express any concerns they may have had with it.

That's all I had.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

I have a comment.

Mayor, yes.

Um everything we do around here is public notices.

The planning public notice everything's noticed.

If you see something, all you gotta do is look, find out, click on the button and find out exactly what they're doing.

We go above and beyond notifying the public what we have because it's several steps before it makes it to this body.

It goes to the planning commission back and forth.

All that's advertised.

It's not to just pop up here today and y'all voting on something that you know nothing about.

This has been read in uh at least two other uh forums.

So it has been uh everything we do, it goes the surrounding neighborhood.

This is just a bigger, uh a bigger warehouse.

And unfortunately, uh do disagree again.

I think Traders Chesca CNO is a pretty good looking building.

Uh if you're a minimalist, that's what you you like.

You don't like all the guardian stuff that goes out of 15 years from now is going to be you know out of vogue or it just looks bad.

So that's my two cents.

Uh and they've been a pretty good partner for their their existence in the city of Kenner.

So that's it.

Anyone else?

Madam Clerk.

Seeing no further comment.

I have a motion by councilmember Lahad, seconded by councilmember Sharwit to close your public hearing.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

I have a motion by council member Lahat, seconded by councilmember Sharwith to approve.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item nine is ordinances for the sale, purchase, transfer, lease, and or alienation of a movable property.

We have none.

Item 10 is opening of bids, we have none.

Item 11 is reclassification of zoning for final passage.

We have none.

Item 12 is other ordinances for final passage.

Item 12 A summary ordinance number 13,953.

And ordinance repealing, ordinance number 12,800 and amending chapter 15.

Traffic and motor vehicles, Article 2, Section 15-23, subsection C of the Kenner City Code of Ordinances.

I have a motion by Councilmember Sharwis, seconded by Councilmember Don.

If we can get get an explanation on this one.

Well, I can answer it.

I mean it's in the it's in the legislation.

It was a typo on one of the truck's prohibited signs on Delaware Avenue at his intersection with 20th Street and 21st Street.

So thank um I had met uh with the residents in there for some reason on Delaware that one block was the only block that was not a truck route.

So for some reason it was left out, and we just wanted to add it in there, and it just happened to be an error in their ordinance.

Things are right, and then we're just trying to correct the legal definition of it.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

I just wanted to make sure that um, you know, for the record for clarity purposes.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Oh, council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye, opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 13 is resolutions and motions by council members.

Item 13a is a resolution temporarily suspending council rule number 11 of the rules of organization, business order, and procedure of the council of the city of Kenner, and rescheduling the Kenner City Council agenda deadlines to Friday, January 16, 2026 at noon for the council meeting of January 23rd, 2026, and Friday, February 13, 2026, at noon for the council meeting of February 20th, 2026.

And Friday, October 9th, 2026, at noon for the council meeting of October 16, 2026.

And Friday, October 30th, 2026, at noon for the council meeting of November 5th, 2026.

Have a motion by Councilmember Wilmont, seconded by Councilmember McKenny.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 13 B is a resolution authorizing the placement for temporary signs on public property for Discovery Health Sciences Academy, benefiting the Discovery Health Sciences Foundation.

I have a motion by Councilmember McKenney, seconded by Councilmember Brennan.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 13C is a resolution authorizing a settlement and the claim entitled in regards to Martin Sachs versus the City of Kenner, Jacob Schnock Schleckner, 24th Judicial District Court number 851-399, division B.

Have a motion by Councilmember Brownigan, seconded by Councilmember Brennan.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes 70.

Item 13 D is a resolution calling a public hearing on November 6, 2025, to determine whether the structures located at 2700 Phoenix Street, Kenna, Louisiana, shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal.

I have a motion by Councilmember Dunn, seconded by Councilmember Lahat.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 13E is a resolution authorizing a settlement to the claim entitled in regards to Southern Cat USA LLC versus the City of Kenner.

United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana number 25-C Vero one four eight two section D.

I have a motion by Councilmember Brannigan.

Second in by Councilmember Brennan.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 14 is items removed from the consent agenda.

We have none.

Item 15 is acceptance of contracts and similar matters approved by the mayor.

Item 15A is summary ordinance number 13,954.

An ordinance accepting the lowest responsive bid received from Black Star Diversified Enterprise to purchase two message board centers in accordance with electronic bid 25-2184 and an amount not to exceed $29,450 for the public works department.

I have a motion by Councilmember Wilmot, seconded by Councilmember Brannigan.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 15B is summary ordinance number 13,955.

An ordinance approved in the use of State of Louisiana contract number 440024864 with Swift Recreation LLC for the removal of existing playground structure and surfacing and to furnish and install the new playground structure and first surfacing at Muspertolino Playground in the amount of $63,707 and 83 cents for the Parks and Recreation Department.

I have a motion by Councilmember Brannigan, seconded by Councilmember McKenney.

Seeing no discussion.

All council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Pose, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 15C is summary ordinance number 13,956.

An ordinance accepting the quote received from Control Systems Incorporated to upgrade the city's existing SCADA system in the amount of $19,852 for the wastewater department.

I have a motion by Councilmember Brennan.

Seconded by Councilmember Lahat.

Seeing no discussion.

All Council members in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Pose, please say nay.

Seeing none, motion passes seven zero.

Item 16 is ordinances and resolutions and summary for first reading.

Item 16A is an ordin accepting the lowest responsibility received from Nitsum Promotional Manufacturing Corporation to supply pressure sensitive break tags and inserts in accordance with electronic bid 25-2185 and an amount not to exceed $25,000 annually for the inspection and code enforcement department.

Item 16B is an ordinance accepting the lowest responsibility received from RESTEC for the purchase of IT supplies for the new fire station in accordance with electronic bid 25-2191 and an amount not to exceed $5,465.70 cents for the information technology and telecommunications department.

Item 16C is an ordinance accepting the lowest responsibility received from ACE Garage Door Company, LLC, to remove, furnish, and install a new overhead door and operator at Fire Station 279 in accordance with electronic bid 25-2186 and an amount not to exceed $24,543 for the Kenner Fire Department.

Item 16D is an ordinance authorizing the citywide use of Louisiana State Contract No.

4400 33422 with vehicle parts and equipment incorporated to furnish and install light bars and sirens and an amount not to exceed 100,000.

Item 16E is an ordinance approving an agreement with the reserve component for federal lobbying and advocacy services and an amount not to exceed $60,000.

Item 16 F is an ordinance approved in a cooperative endeavor agreement with the State of Louisiana, Department of the Treasury and the City of Kenner for the purchase of lighting and equipment for park improvements.

Item 16G is an ordinance accepting the lowest responsibility received from new light electrical wholesalers to purchase lighting materials for string lights on Williams Boulevard in Rivertown in accordance with electronic bid 25-3048 and an amount not to exceed $8,100 for the General Services Department.

Item 16H is an ordinance repealing ordinance number 12,952 and accepting the lowest responsibility received from Armstrong Supply Company to purchase materials for lighting at Rivertown Parking Lot in accordance with electronic bid 25-3039 and an amount not to exceed $14,863 and forty cents for the General Services Department.

Item 16 orders accepting the lowest response to bid received from Havana Knights LLC to furnish and install Retro Flex Solar LED off-grid systems at Medaz Park in accordance with seal bid 25-6917 and an amount not to exceed $89,180 for the parks and recreation department.

Item 17 is reports from the council and our special committees.

Councilwoman Dunn.

Yes, um, thank you.

Um Council Clerk.

I just want to um announce that on this Tuesday, October the twenty-first.

Um my district will be sponsoring the night out against crime at Susan Park Gym between the hours of five and eight p.m.

We are going to go to the other night out against crime.

But we also gonna have a big celebration of this.

Also at this um event, we are going to be launching um and asking that the residents of district one do a little bit more in helping to keep our district clean, like cleaning up in front of the doors, the streets or whatever, um, because we get a lot of uh complaints about that.

So uh we welcome everyone that will come out.

We welcome the the council, the police chief.

We're gonna culminate at Susan Park Gym, even though before I get there, we will be at the other night out against crime in our district.

Thank you.

Chris.

Yes.

Um I just want to recognize um that our council clerk's birthday is coming up on October 21st.

So we just want to wish her a happy birthday.

Thank you.

I'm glad she made it to 29.

Happy birthday.

Thank you.

Councilman Brennan would like to speak.

Councilman Brennan.

Thank you.

Um just real briefly, this is not to start a fight.

This is just to make a comment.

Uh at the last meeting, um, it was said that we need to take care of the firemen and and things like that.

And it it uh it just made me think so.

I requested uh how much money above and beyond budgeted money, any money from the administration that the council has put up since 2018.

Um just by by district, we we were able to get a report from Ms.

Herring, but just for the record, um since 2018, we have spent out of district funds for additional equipment and items needed uh for the total amount of 249,764 dollars.

The fire department has received almost 160,000 of that, and the police department right over 90,000.

So um we do, as a council, and I know I speak for my colleagues, certainly appreciate the men and women of the police department, the fire department, all city employees, everybody.

Um, but we certainly want our firefighters, we want our police department to be safe and they have the necessary equipment to make their jobs easier and better, and for the safety of our citizens.

So your council is is very much in favor of that, and and I think this just shows uh one small part of what we do for those departments.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Mahat.

Yes, thank you, Councilman Brennan, thank you, Councilman Wilmot.

Um station 37 with uh assistant chief uh Jason Dyer to go over the what was discussed last time of the faulty type of repairs.

Um lots changed in the last three weeks.

Looks a ton better.

Uh it doesn't excuse the bad work that was done initially, but they have ripped out all of the ridiculously looking sockets they put in that were correct.

They are redoing that shower floor.

They have fixed that wall inside the firehouse.

I actually walked into the uh bedroom barracks upstairs, and I don't like the way it looks.

I think they should have some more privacy.

So I'm talking with Mark Lorioso right now about we're gonna separate those rooms with partitions to give the firemen and the women too uh privacy in that bedroom area.

So I'm working with uh Chief Dyer right now about allocation on that.

I'm also we just I just purchased positive pressure fans that we're gonna talk about in the meeting Monday, about 38,000.

So um that they requested for their initiatives.

But um I'm on top of 37.

Um that situation should have never happened and excuse it, but it is being rectified.

Um lot better than it was three weeks ago.

But I'm out there continuously to make sure that happens.

But obviously, we do support the fire and police departments here in Kenner, and I'm happy to keep always discuss with both chiefs about further ways we can help.

Thank y'all.

Councilman Brown again.

Oh, yes.

Uh I want to uh wish our IT director Kenneth's birthday is today, so everybody let's wish him a happy birthday.

Anyone else?

Councilman Swarth.

Yeah, Councilman Lahat.

Um, I'm glad you and I was able to go over to Station 37 and look at uh some deficiencies that have been corrected.

Um we still got uh work in progress here.

There's still more things to be repaired.

There's some things that have been repaired that I still don't like.

And um I'm hoping working with the change Dyer and with Mr.

Gloriosa.

There he is over there to um to upgrade and fix those last little nick-knack things, all cosmetic that needs to be um finalized and done.

Uh alarm system and deforestation will be um replaced and upgraded.

And again, uh strobes, signs, um sprinkler system, the whole thing.

So there's still work to be done.

We're working on it, and I'm not gonna let it pass unless it's just something a house that I could live in.

I'm not going to have it for these guys.

We've done too much in the past where it was adequate, and I don't think this was adequate.

So, guys, I'm working with you, Nick, Matt, Brian, all um, Chief Michelle, all of you guys.

I'll be with y'all standing inside of you, and we're going to get it done.

We're gonna get it done right.

Okay.

Thank you.

Chief Connolly.

Yeah, basically it's just uh, you know, I beat this drum enough at every community meeting and civic meeting.

Uh, and I think the fire chief will will agree.

But I want to thank you for not just this support, but during budget hearings, during um all our other discussions, this council's always been there for the men and women uh of the Kenneth Police Department.

Uh you've never told us no, as a matter of fact, with the council's assistants who's standing up in ICAC lab within a police department to attack child predators online.

Um, you know, we've we've got a substation now out by the lake.

So I just want to thank you not just for the discretionary funds, but for all the support that we've received through the council, the mayor, the administration, uh, because we cannot do our jobs unless we all work together.

So I just want to want to thank you for that.

Thank you, Chief.

Anyone else?

Madam Clerk.

Item 18 is new business.

We have none.

Item 19 is unfinished business, and a motions to reconsider or remove from a tabled position.

We have none.

Item 20 is persons wishing to address the council on special subject matters.

First up, we have Miss Amy Hotard.

Name and address, please.

Our district.

Amy Hotard, District 5.

Um, I appreciate the comments of council regarding contributions to KFD uh and their recent efforts to fix 37.

But we all saw the photos of the unacceptable work that was going on at the fire station.

I watched the last meeting and I heard claims of unawareness.

I have heard the work wasn't gonna be accepted, and we appreciate that it's not.

But the fact is that KFD leadership accepted the work and the firemen were moved back into the station.

So to say anything contradictory or contrary is contradictory.

Uh, and to only backtrack once social media gets involved is a bit concerning.

Even more disappointing were the claims of unawareness.

This is not the first time this quality of work was done at a fire station and accepted.

This contractor is not new and has been working with general services for years.

For example, June 1st, 2023, the council approved DOM development to provide labor-only carpentry services post-hurricane up to 200,000.

Fifteen days later, separate ordinances were proposed.

One increasing an ongoing agreement with that contractor not to exceed 500,000, two, another separate sealed bid in an amount not to exceed 200,000 annually.

Then on June 6, 24, this council increased the post-hurricane amount from 200 to 400 and extended it a year.

So between 23, June of 23, and 24, this contractor has had contracts with the city, which appear to have the value of up to and which could exceed a million dollars for labor only, and we are unaware of the quality.

I'll skip to the kicker.

On July 25th, 25, this council approved another separate sealed bid to this contractor, not to exceed 300,000 annually for general services work.

But it's not the money alone.

The docs attached to the agenda include the contractor's license with an expiration date of 712, 2025.

In other words, that license was not in good standing at the time the 300,000 dollar bid was awarded on July 25th.

The license lapsed, but the bid was not rejected, our contracts pulled.

Regardless of whether that license was later reinstated the following month.

This is about oversight.

Taxpayers expect more to say we're unaware of the work we are paying for isn't acceptable.

The city couldn't find money in the budget to pay firemen a raise.

They also choose to approve a pay change that took away the raises that they were receiving for years.

And that's after they got a mileage from the taxpayers for pay increases.

But yet they will use taxpayer money to pay a contractor for labor only work to the tune of six, possibly seven figures for a product we can all agree is unacceptable.

We cannot accept the excuse that no one knew about it.

We also can't allow KFD leadership to continue to do one thing and say another.

This is not about one job, it's about the breakdowns, the contradictions, and the willingness to accept excuses that fly in the face of facts.

If you want to fix it now, and when there's public outcry, don't stop at this one job, please.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Otar.

Next we have Matthew Hotard.

Name and address our district.

Thank you.

Matthew Hotard, Fifth District.

Uh firstly, I want to say thank you to the council.

Um in my time as the president and even on this fire department, I'm very aware of what you have done for us as far as furnishing us with the tools to uh allow us to properly do our job and do it efficiently.

So it doesn't go unrecognized by the men and women of the department.

The real reason I'm here, there's a lot of discrepancies about the station 37 thing.

Um I too listened to the the last meeting, but I never heard anybody say the real reason why or talk about even why we were moved back in so quickly.

Now I did hear someone say something about coverage.

Well, yes, the station's closed, but coverage was not nearly in the deficit that it was in 2017 or 2018 when the flyover came in, station 38 was knocked down, and the fire chief moved station 38, which if you don't know is at the south end of La Loyola, into what our squad, which is on Williams.

We had three trucks in station 37, which is the station we're talking about.

Nothing on the south side of Layola, nothing.

And this was something that we talked about as a department consistently, an entire area not covered.

Okay.

Very dangerous.

It wasn't until a fire that almost claimed an infant's life, magically weeks later, we had a trailer.

It should not take that.

So for to hear that it's a coverage issue that doesn't fly with me because I'm part of the fire department and I know what the coverage is like.

Okay.

So that's number one.

The real reason, the real reason why we were rushed back into that station has to do with ladder 377, which is the largest truck that we have, a hundred foot ladder, being outside.

There's no station that could house it.

It was housed temporarily at the temporary station 35, the old break tag station, where it could not fit in the bay.

So they put it in the park of the driveway.

Every time it turned up, it ripped the street up.

That street is atrocious from multiple reasons, but they couldn't put it there.

So the parking on the street.

Look, the chief didn't like it, we hated it.

Having to respond to calls, whether it's during the day or the middle of the night, run out to the truck and whatever the weather weather conditions are, and then get to a call is a pain in the butt.

It's rough.

But we didn't like it either, but our station was being fixed.

So fast forward to being moved into the station early.

Before that, ladder 377 was taken out of service, not because it wasn't broken, not because it didn't work, but we didn't want it on the street.

That truck was parked at station 37 under a covered bay for I don't know how many days, but a little over a week, while that truck was out of service, we then took that truck and went and made a social media post about saving a bird out of a light.

Guess what truck we used?

Ladder 377.

We were given a piece of junk, one that should not even be a frontline truck pumper, or trucked in general.

It wasn't until that truck couldn't work anymore that we put Ladder 377 back in service.

My main gripe is that we are taking a viable piece of our equipment, the only truck that has that capability to put it under a covered area.

A truck that is built to withstand fire, chemicals, smoke, that's what they're built for.

But we take it out of service or we rush the men and women back into a station when it's not finished, regardless of what the state is of the station, because we wanted a truck covered.

And to me, that is a hundred percent unacceptable.

Thank you.

Does anybody have any questions for me while I'm up here?

No, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Mr.

Stephen Dunn.

Name and address our district for the record.

Stephen Dunn for St.

Christopher, District 5.

The last meeting I came up, and the reason I came up was because I saw the what was done at Station 37.

And my main goal was really to bring to our attention the money that we were wasting.

So when I came, the day that I saw it was the day that I came in this meeting.

When I came, Ms.

Catherine Topel, which was the head of uh code enforcement, she told us that nobody could babysit the job.

Well, I then found out for public records request that there was never a permit pulled for this job.

There were never any inspections.

Now we had the reason that the guys were out of the station and the work was being done was because they were mediating mold.

So we don't have anything even letting us know that the mole remediation was done done, done correctly, or or anything, because there are no inspections or no no uh nothing to prove that there was anything done.

So the problems we're looking at were on the surface, and if the surface was that bad, what does it look like behind the scenes?

Now, I'm not doubting that any of y'all don't have feelings for the fire department and everything else.

My my concerns were about what we're spending as public for our money, what we're getting for our money.

Uh you know, so we look in, you know, he had no electrical permits, he had no uh mechanical permits, or all of those things required for these uh when we work on public buildings.

Um the mayor claimed and said that you know he was tired of spending money over and over, and I get it, I am too.

It's it's it's a public's money.

But you know, if they are to tear it out, like he said at the end we would have an inspection that was never gonna come, and if it wasn't satisfactory, they would then tear it out.

Well, my understanding is Dom Construction does this work, and and it's the materials are at the city's cost no matter what.

So, yeah, if they tear it out, it costs him nothing, but it cost us again.

Uh I just don't don't see this being feasible for us to throw our money away like this.

And and the the chief, the police chief says, you know, he likes what the council has done, and he works with they work with him everything.

If we had an elected fire chief, maybe then he could work with the council in the same aspect and fight for things that the fire department needs.

Not just a remodel because of because of a mole remediation that we know nothing about and probably will never know anything about.

It's just uh it just ridiculous.

And heard how much money we were spending with this particular contractor, and it's labor only, so he's got nothing to worry about.

You know, it's just ridiculous.

I think it needs to be looked into a lot further.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Dunn.

Next we have Mr.

Greg Taft.

Uh Greg Taft, Fifth District.

Um a lot of folks have uh pointed out a lot of things that I would have brought up, but I think it boils down to really one thing.

Compliance.

Who oversees the compliance?

That was when we have these buildings going up, or we have work going on on city property, city buildings.

It it sounds to me like there's a compliance oversight breakdown.

And that may that may be something we should go look at and consider, because a lot of companies has compliance officers that make sure policies are being followed.

The work that uh the money that we're spending on having something built or rebuilt, remodeled is in compliance and being done on time and it meets the standards.

So that sounds that to me is probably a big part of the problem.

But there's no doubt that what we have now within the fire department has, in my opinion, there's probably some waste that we've created for ourselves for not doing it right the first time.

And that's very concerning.

And the taxpayers of this city are the ones that's funding them.

And I'm not saying that we're not trying, but I will say this.

I think Facebook and other social media sites brought the attention instead of the attention coming from within.

That's where compliance comes in.

And that's where I think we fail.

And that's really all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Tuck.

Mr.

Nugent, name and address or district.

Thank you, Councilman Wilmont.

Uh 5444 Erlanger.

District 3.

Uh.

So uh first off, I do want to agree with Mr.

Taft.

Um, just based on my experience and observations over the last few years, there definitely could stand to be greater attention to compliance when it comes to city-owned properties.

Um, when in many cases I see city-owned properties that would technically you know be write-ups for more code violations than the private properties adjacent to them.

It it does kind of it's a problem.

Um, so that that's a point that I thought was worth reiterating.

Um, the main reason uh I wanted to speak was that many of you know my background is in architecture and design.

I actually do a large portion of my work for a company called Historic ProNola that specializes in uh historic preservation and restoration.

Um so what I actually wanted to talk about is something the mayor mentioned at the beginning of the meeting was these new windows at Heritage Hall.

And please understand, guys, I am not trying to hate on progress.

I'm a big, big, big fan of progress.

But it has to be said that there is a difference between doing something and doing something right.

I believe Councilman Lahat and Councilman Swarth uh just alluded to this a few minutes ago along with some of the previous speakers uh when we were talking about when we were talking about station 37.

Um so I noticed these windows as soon as I pulled up here today, but I also noticed the way that near nearly every window is being reframed, and that did cause my heart to skip a beat.

Uh specifically, nearly every window is being reframed in a manner inconsistent with the historic openings.

If I was a private developer attempting to do the same thing in any historic district in New Orleans, my permit application would be rejected outright.

Similarly, private historic tax credit projects right here in the Rivertown district would not be able to do what the city is doing to Heritage Hall, so it sets an unbelievably bad and highly visible precedent right at the heart of County's only historic district, and I'm a firm believer in the fact that government should lead by example.

Um I have no doubt that cost was a factor in the decision to reframe the windows in this manner, but as someone who works in historic preservation, I firmly believe that the city has a responsibility to be a better steward steward of its historic properties.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Nugent.

Next we have Nicholas, and and I can't read your last name, Nick.

How to spell it for me?

Z-A-L-VA.

Thank you.

CS Nicholas Zalva 146 Elity, Kenner Firefighter Association president.

Good morning, Council members.

I want to take them a moment to recognize some of the recent community efforts led by the Kenner Firefighter Association.

Last month we held our serving the heat pickleball fundraiser at Chateau Country Club.

Thanks to our board, volunteers, sponsors, and players.

We'll once again be able to donate to the Spirit of Charity Burn Foundation, which supports burn survivors across our region.

It was a great success, and I appreciate Councilmembers Brennan and McKinney for showing their support.

We also halfway through our breast cancer awareness month in our annual shirt fundraiser has already sold about 140 shirts to the public and our members.

Just last week, we made a donation to Jennifer Martinson, a longtime NICU nurse, and current Jefferson Parish School nurse.

It's special being able to give back to those who serve our community.

Lastly, I want to thank the citizens of Kenner, Stephen Dunn, Greg Taft, Stacy Alessandro, Amy Hotard, for continually standing behind your firefighters.

Your support in the last council meeting and this one will help improve the standard of living in our station.

And without it, I'm not sure if Station 37 would have been repaired properly.

You truly are the firefighters' champions when it comes to holding the line on standards, and I hope you continue to help defend what's right and fair for your city's firefighters.

We'll fight the fires, and you'll fight for us.

There's one question that came to my mind after hearing all the discussion.

The contracts with DOM development appear to be with general services.

Is KFD paying general services for this work at Station 37?

Or is KFD making payment to DOM development under general services contract?

If finance or anyone else could answer that question, I appreciate it.

General Services is making the payment, but it gets charged back to fire.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nick.

Okay, that concludes the list.

Is there anybody else that would like to make comment?

Chief.

Chief Morris.

Good morning.

Uh Council, I'd like to thank y'all.

Uh, in addition to what uh Chief Connolly stated earlier that we uh we do appreciate all the assistance and financial support that you give to us to buy equipment that's needed for not only the guys but to help protect the community as well.

Um I have a little presentation.

I'm waiting on Kenneth.

Okay, full light up without it being on the screen initially.

Okay.

It's on my drive.

Yeah, this is your drive.

Well where the fold is at one at the bottom.

All right.

And then I click on see I'm gonna do the first two pages.

Go ahead.

And then when I click on the uh when I get to thank you.

Oh, thank you.

Okay.

All right.

So then they'll just plug this back in.

I'll do it.

All right.

Yeah.

Okay.

For right now, I'm just gonna turn it down.

And then when it's time, I'll turn it back up.

All right, okay.

All right, council.

I want to inform the public of the status of the Kenneth Fire Department.

There's been a lot of misinformation posted on social media.

Well, before I state start that, let me respond to one of the questions that uh Matt Hotard stated about ladder 377 being outdoors.

It was outdoors because somebody had the wisdom to purchase a truck that don't fit in any of the stations inside the Kenton Fire Department.

The reason why we had to move them back into that station because that state that truck cannot park outside.

Once you park a truck outside, it no longer counts as part of your service units.

So every day that that truck sits outdoors, it doesn't count for us as a service unit, which uh greatly harms our class one rating because it's not in service at those particular days.

So every call that was made, that truck does not count as a unit that we have in service because it's parked outside.

So if they knew that somebody shouldn't have bought that big of a truck, should have fit in other all the other stations.

That's why we move them from that truck to a smaller truck so we could put park the truck inside of the temporary station while the repairs were being done.

So anyway, I want to inform the public of the status of the Kenneth Fire Department.

There's been a lot of misinformation posted on social media as well as brought before this council on many occasions in the past years that should be addressed.

If you believe what you heard or read, you would think the we're the worst department in the nation.

There's been a lot of rock throwing, and you know what they say about that and living in glass houses.

I will call this time that I plan to address you at each council meeting that I have the receipts.

I plan to get into details regarding each item.

There's too much to show you or talk about at one meeting, so I will address you a few minutes at every meeting, giving you the facts regarding wide range of topics in reference to the Kenneth Fire Department.

And remember, I have the receipts.

After 31 and a half years in New Orleans.

One of the first people I met was District Chief Jeruso.

He walks up to me, extends his hand, said who he was, and that I wasn't going to like him because he was going to get me fired.

I told him, I'm fine.

I said, I know I told him to say it.

I asked him, how could you say that?

You don't you don't know me.

He said he was going to get me fired because he wasn't, it wasn't personal.

He was attacking the position for which I was hired for, which was the chief administration over suppression.

I told him I'm fine with that.

Having been a union member my entire adult life.

I started with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 130.

And I moved to New Orleans Professional Firefighters Association, Local 632.

I told him just don't make it personal.

Guess what?

Within a few days, I was shown a post on social media of me under the caption of Guess Who's Coming to Kenner.

A playoff of Sidney Potier's movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

We have achieved under my tenure, and it starts with going from a class three fire department to a class one.

In our last rating, we we achieved one of the highest class ones in the nation.

All departments in the nation are rated on the same metrics of community risk.

And you heard that lately with the flood protection.

Well, this goes to more towards your homeowners insurance.

Class one being the highest.

This last time.

And the list goes on.

And mainly protecting the cities' citizens of this city.

Today I want to address two issues that are currently before us.

Yeah.

Let me get it up there in a second.

I don't want to play the old thing.

I'll stop it.

I won't stop it.

All right.

Having some technical difficulties getting um there we go.

Thank you.

All right, this was broadcast last week.

If you have a stationary generator, safety officials say it needs to be at least 25 feet from your home, the urgent recommendation follows a four-year study in harmony than oxide poisoning right here in Southeast Louisiana.

For the first time we're learning the full scope of the deadly threat from stationary generators from Southeast Louisiana.

A new federal report says hardened the night side septed to 105 homes in the days after Hurricane Ida, 2021.

We almost lost our entire media family.

Pull that down, let me pull the other one up.

You see after Hurricane Ida.

Finally where it calls minute deaths.

We got this, we got the whole attic area spray foamed insulation, including the exterior walls up in the attic.

Some water was in was observed leaking through the acoustic tiles.

And I some is saying it very lightly.

It was just all the way from the front door to the kitchen area.

Water was dripping through the ceilings.

All the ceiling tiles were extremely wet.

Um contacted general services right away.

I think it was Dom Development at first to rip it out.

And then we noticed that, hey, we have some mold in this area.

A company was called, a private company was called in to remediate the remold to do testing and everything, and that was all completed.

Um, once the mold abatement was completed, follow-up testing confirmed successful remediation.

While temp while the personnel were temporarily relocated, relocated to another two other stations, the decision was made to go ahead, let's renovate the bathrooms that were in very dire need of being done and doing some other work throughout that station.

Um we also consulted a mechanical engineer to develop a long-term solution for the HVAC problems that were going into that station.

Um with WCO Vallo, she contacted somebody, we got the contract worked out.

That person came in, he came in, he gave us a full report on what we needed to do in order to help this HVAC system in the in the station.

Um he recommended replacing the second floor HVAC unit and replacing and relocating the first floor unit and installing a mini split system in the kitchen.

The report further indicated identified that the previous issue stemmed from the second floor HVAC system being maintained at low temperatures with the spray foam insulation that took place that was causing a lot of condensation between the floors, which was the heavy water that was dripping through.

So DOM development under the direction of general services was contracted to begin the second floor to begin the renovations of the station, which included the bathrooms.

A lot of the work that you've seen on social media.

Um currently, a lot of this work is still ongoing.

The upstairs floor was completely removed.

New flooring was installed throughout the whole second floor.

During these renovations, we found out that we had active termites in the station that was covered between the first and second floors that was beneath the HVAC system, which caused some structural damage that had to be made that had to be repaired.

Umce the flooring HVAC systems and bathrooms were operational, General Service had arranged for the station to be professionally cleaned.

On October 3rd, Chief Morris and Assistant Chief and Kesey conducted an inspection of station 37 and determined that the station was suitable for personnel to return while the remaining work did continue.

At that time, the director of general services, Glorioso, and myself had had not yet completed a final walkthrough or walkthrough or any kind of inspection to get the items fixed or meet with the contractor.

Many issues that appeared on social media were already identified on that list that we that had already written up.

And they were pending review with the contractor.

Since then, that list has been reviewed with the contractor, and most of the issues have been addressed and resolved.

Each shower is being reevaluated and reconstructed individually to ensure compliance with building codes.

Code enforcement is inspecting the progress step by step.

Electrical switches and outlets have been relocated to the proper positions, and the tile work has been corrected.

Bathroom stall doors have been bid out and awarded, and fabrication is underway.

I believe we're still actually in the 17-day grace that grace period right now, waiting for that to be done.

Um so shower curtains were temporarily installed to give privacy in the bathroom, and the personnel understood they were informed that the shower curtains, the curtains that were hung up were temporary until these doors could be built and uh installed.

The replacement of both HVAC units have been completed, and the installation of the kitchen mini split is scheduled.

Bids for the kitchen for the new kitchen hood vent system are currently open with the latest bid closing on October 20th after the prior two attempts received no submissions.

Purchase orders have been issued for the fire alarm system, fire sprinkler system, and kitchen countertops.

And the work is awaiting to be scheduled.

New LED lighting has been installed throughout the entire station along with various cosmetic improvements to enhance overhaul living conditions for the firefighters.

One of the things I just want to make point on when we go out for bid for something, this doesn't happen overnight like you can get it done in your house.

We're looking six to eight weeks before once you submit a bid to get the actual work like to get started.

Because we have that grace period, you got two council meetings and everything.

So the renovation at station 37 remains ongoing.

Both our doctor Glorioso and I are actively monitoring the progress to ensure all projects are completed and up to code and standard.

Lastly, the one thing I respect is that any city official or member of the public wishing to visit into fire stations to review things, please contact me to direct to schedule a tour.

Let me walk through with me so I can get these notes instead of finding out about it on social media.

I do not have social media, so I did not see it.

Contact me, this can be done.

This is actually at the request of both myself and personnel assigned to the stations to ensure some safety and some operational continuity.

So that is all I have at this time.

If you have any questions about station 37 or what's going on with it.

Thank you, Chief.

Anybody have a question?

Thank you, Chief.

Can we have a question?

My question is Wait, wait, don't not not from there, sir.

If you would you yeah come on up if you have a question.

But just state your question and my question is is did we get inspections for all of this work was done.

All right if you will sir let them let them take the microphone and the work that is being done now it is being inspected step by step.

Uh rolling with code enforcement he's a plumber inspector has been by this has been by several times.

I've met with him I think at least three or four times on one shower.

I know Mark has dealt with him a lot more than me.

Wait sir we're not gonna go back and we can talk after we can talk after the meeting if y'all would like to talk about the record that there was never a permit when we're then you're gonna take us to the next meeting confirmed I'm gonna answer your question.

I spoke with Directoroso and it was an oversight on permitting he took full responsibility for it.

We had meetings several meetings about this it's been handled permits have been filed the correct permits have been filed the work is being done up to code and being done completed correctly today that was I don't know exact date it was officially filed I'm not sure the date that was that's a general services Mr Dunn if you will I I can't let people go back I can't I well if you want to I I've already let you come up and and and and ask questions I'll let you come up one more time.

If you have another question you're welcome to come up to the microphone one more time.

I can't let you keep going back and forth and have a private conversation.

I completely understand but things are being stated like as if there was a permit and inspections and there are none.

Excuse me Madam Clerk is this and is it no point of order um he's already spoken you can come back at the next council meeting and address the council with your questions.

I've already allowed the gentleman to come up if y'all want to vote on it you're more than welcome to vote vote against it.

Listen I know y'all don't want to hear it I'll go ahead and sit back down but it really needs to be addressed.

Mr.

Dunn it's not that we don't want to hear it's a procedure may I finish my sentence go ahead we will get the date that the permit was filed and it will be noted and stated at the next council is that the way procedures take place for everything that gets permitted in the city or does the permit happen before the work takes place thank you for coming today.

Yeah you don't want to hear it you don't want to hear it but there is a process that takes place and we aren't even following our process that takes place and we're where we're trying to follow our process and by letting somebody just keep coming back and forth to the microphone that's not typical we don't I've already granted you an extra time and yeah yeah I have done so and I appreciate it but if you have additional things you want to say yeah you you're more than welcome to come back next time.

I will thank you anybody else seeing nothing or adjourned