Kenner City Council Meeting Summary - January 8, 2026
Kenner City Council Meeting Summary - January 8, 2026
The Kenner City Council convened on January 8, 2026, beginning with a proclamation honoring Special Olympics athlete Emily Heinrich and a prayer by Pastor Melvin Hearst. The meeting covered routine consent items, public hearings regarding airport expansions, zoning reappointments, contract approvals, and significant public discussion regarding municipal safety, policing agreements, and traffic management.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Approved the minutes of the December 19, 2025, regular council meeting (7-0).
- Alcoholic Beverage Permits: Approved permits for Friends of Rivertown (February 14 and 16, 2026) and Kenner Italian Heritage Incorporated (March 6-8, 2026) for city-owned properties.
- Bingo and Public Gatherings: Approved a public gathering application for the "Kenner Gross Celebration" on February 14, 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Councilmembers on Parking and Drainage: Councilmember Schwartz expressed full opposition to the new surface parking lots until the airport secures adequate pumping capacity, while Councilmember Wilmont requested further data on pump capacities. Councilmember Wilmont expressed support for the shuttle connector road.
- Public Members on Dr. Griffin Flood Concerns: Greg Taf (District 5) and an unnamed resident expressed strong concern regarding recent flooding and requested verification that the airport's stormwater plan guarantees adequate drainage capacity for the new construction. The unnamed resident specifically complained about unfiltered diesel fumes from airport generators affecting residential yards.
- Public Members on Traffic Safety: Anna Hernandez (District 5) pleaded for the removal of a four-way stop sign at Loyola and Pelorin, asserting it is unnecessary and impedes traffic flow. Richard Brown (District 4) agreed with Hernandez that the stop sign is inappropriate for controlling speed and lacks cross-traffic justification.
- Police Accountability Complaint: Mario Henderson reported frustration regarding a theft of a brush mower, citing a perceived lack of police follow-up and responsiveness, while stating he believes officers are not responding to complaints from the Crestview Subdivision. Mayor Conley rejected the characterization of officers as lazy or negligent, defending the department's performance.
- ICE Agreement Concerns: Greg Piper requested the termination of the City of Kenner's 287(g) agreement with federal agents, arguing that current operations under independent federal authority have damaged community trust and that the city should seek plausible deniability.
- Traffic and Infrastructure: Mr. Taft requested clarification on rumors prohibiting fire department personnel from communicating with council and raised concerns about fire trucks requiring constant antifreeze maintenance. Ryan Nugent criticized Board Gaming's architectural design for their new warehouse and questioned the sufficiency of their community outreach.
- Fire Department Appreciation: Chief Morris noted that while complaints were raised, an elderly resident recently expressed gratitude to the Fire Department for an effective response to a fire, and LCMC ambulance crews praised firefighters' professionalism.
- MLK and Parade Promotion: Councilmember Dunn encouraged council and administration to participate in the upcoming MLK March. Councilmember Lahat promoted the upcoming Krew of Griffon parade.
Discussion Items
- Airport Conditional Use (Item 8A): Director of Planning presented a proposal for the Express Shuttle Connector Road, East Apron Expansion, and new surface parking lots. Deputy Director Walter Krakowski and Program Manager Kenny Boyd clarified that the new parking is for public/short-term use and that the airport's 2017-designed pump station (600-650 CFS capacity) has sufficient mitigation for the proposed development. They confirmed that the automation failure during the previous hurricane, not pump capacity, caused the flooding and that manual overrides are now in place. The group discussed whether the new concrete surface would exacerbate runoff, with officials asserting drainage capacity is adequate.
- Traffic Study Costs: Councilmember Wilmont inquired about the cost of a traffic study to evaluate the four-way stop sign at Loyola and Pelorin. Director Gonzalez estimated the cost at between $7,500 and $10,000, noting that removing the sign would likely not be the outcome given the presence of a playground, school, and church nearby.
- Fire Department Communication: Councilmember Branagan and others debunked the rumor that fire personnel are prohibited from contacting council, citing successful past collaborations and direct fundraising efforts for new equipment. Chief Morris confirmed no such memo exists and that fire personnel work directly for the public and council.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Conditional Use: Summary Ordinance 14,011 was approved by a vote of 6-1. Councilmember Schwartz voted against the measure due to unresolved concerns regarding stormwater and pumping capacity.
- Planning Commission Reappointments: Reappointed Mark Johnson, Peggy Mendoza, and Rita Bizo to the Planning and Zoning Commission (all 7-0).
- Contract Approvals (7-0 Vote):
- Purchased replacement parts for the Zias Starmaster Projector ($17,325.04) from Silar Instrument.
- Purchased honor guard uniforms for the Police Department (not to exceed $30,000) from Neptune Uniforms.
- Approved Change Order No. 1 for Parton Roofing LLC to upgrade Police Headquarters/Jail roofs ($8,222.50 increase).
- Approved Change Order No. 5 for Digital Engineering and Imaging to extend CWSRF loan administration term and increase amount by $236,000.
- Accepted lowest bid for the 25th and Helena Lift Station replacement ($612,766) from Louisiana Contracting Enterprise LLC.
- Accepted quote ($6,417) from Precision PSI LLC to repair the ball door motor on Aerator 2B.
- First Reading Ordinances: Opened first reading for ordinances authorizing Motorola equipment for the Fire Department ($9,075.30), purchase of two Harley Davidson police motorcycles ($40,000), a cost decrease for the Discovery School Sidewalk project, and a quote for the Yeoman's pump repair ($20,128.77).
- Public Safety Directives: The Mayor agreed to review the 287(g) termination request from Mr. Piper. The City committed to investigating the report of diesel fumes from generators.
- Upcoming Events: The MLK March is scheduled to start at 9:00 AM at Providence Baptist Church with a ceremony at 10:00 AM. The Krew of Griffon parade is scheduled for January 24, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
The proclamation is gonna be in one minute. Please return to your seats. Ready? All right, guys. Thank you. And I have a proclamation here. I think this is what, how many? What number proclamation from the City of Ken are you on? This is more than two, I believe. But whereas Emily Heinrich is a dedicated and accomplished Special Olympics athlete and a proud resident of the Driftwood subdivision in the city of Kenner. Whereas Emily has demonstrated remarkable athletic ability by competing in multiple sports and proudly representing Louisiana at the twenty twenty-two Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida, one of the largest and most celebrated sporting events for athletes, athletes with intellectual disabilities in the nation. And whereas at the 2022 USA Games, Emily competed in swimming events, including the one hundred yard breaststroke, two hundred yard freestyle, and the four by fifty yard medley relay, showcasing her skill, determination, and competitive spirit on a national stage. Whereas Emily's performance included achieving a gold medal winning showing, helping to highlight Louisiana's strength in competitive sports and bring pride to her community. And whereas, in recognition of her outstanding athletic achievements and leadership, Emily was honored with the title of Outstanding Female Special Olympics Athlete of the Year for 2016 and was selected to serve on the Special Olympics Louisiana Athlete Leadership Council, demonstrating her commitment to leadership and inclusion within the Special Olympics movement. Whereas Emily has earned the distinguished honor of being invited by Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser to ride in the 2025 Rose Bowl Parade, a prestigious recognition that celebrates her success and brings further recognition to the city of Kenner. And whereas Emily Heinrich serves as an inspiration to all athletes of all ages and abilities, demonstrating how passion, perseverance, and dedication can lead to success, both in competition and in life. We're gonna start the meeting in one minute. Are there any special intentions? See none, I'd like to invite Pastor Melvin Hearst from Guiding Light Missionary Baptist Church up to lead us in the prayer. Eternal God, our Father, who is from everlasting to everlasting truly your God. Besides you, there is none other. That if we trust in you with all of our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, if we acknowledge you in all our ways, you will direct our path. And Father, we pray that those that you allow to lead us will follow those instructions. And my Heavenly Father, we spend so much time asking you to give us things. Father, I just want to pause the moment to say thank you. Thank you, Father, for those that you've allowed to lead us and touch their minds and hearts that they will always remember that you allowed them to be where they are. And Father, you allow them to lead according to your word and to your will. But Father, I just want to say thank you. Thank you, Lord, for our leadership. Thank you for the city. Thank you for the prosperity. Thank you for all the blessing that you bestowed upon all of us, acknowledging that we don't deserve anything from you, but you bless us still. And Father, we will always remember that it's by your grace and your mercy that we stand. And Father, we will ever forever be grateful to what what you do what you've done, what you're doing, and what you're going to do. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray, Amen. Councilmember Dunn, would you please lead us lead us lead us in the pledge? And to the Republicans, which is one nation. In accordance with council resolution number B, one four five five zero, please be advised that all cellular telephones and other devices of this nature must be deactivated or silence throughout the council meeting. Next up we have correspondence reports from the mayor, CAO, and department heads. Uh to report since we just starting a new year. But I think Councilwoman Dunn, you're going to handle it at the end of the meeting. All right. So at the end of the meeting, Councilwoman Dunn will have some stuff. We and I guess we'll have a council meeting the day before the Driftwood parade, so I'm sure you're going to mention something before we get to that. But that's coming up two Saturdays. Uh Kennegra will happen at the ISIS parade. Crew of ISIS is happening, so that's always coming up. It's all on our uh website. Landigra is gonna be coming up also. So just to put it on a radar, we'll be making more announcements as it gets closer.
openpublica.com