We're gonna ask a little question.

We can get ourselves a little bit.

And there's a lot of ways.

We'll talk about it yet.

Are you on vacation?

Good to see you.

I just worked on the one.

And to call this agenda meeting to order.

At this time.

I'll say the prayer.

Mr.

Weatherford.

Leaders in the Pledge.

Yes, sir.

Well, Heavenly Father, we want to thank you for these holidays that have passed as Father God.

I want to bless all the families that are represented here today, Father God.

Let us get our minds and our bodies back set to handling the business of the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

I'm praying that you bless all my colleagues and all their families, the mayor and his administration and their families as we move about and do your business.

In Jesus Christ's name we pray.

Amen.

Please repeat with me.

I pledge the United States of America.

Under God is liberty and justice for all.

An ordinance accepting the lowest responsible bid and authorizing the city of Lake Charles to enter into an agreement for project number CP 3427.

Wastewater treatment plant BC sludge processing improvements.

An ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles to enter into a professional services agreement with Nice System Incorporated to provide a cloud-based digital evidence storage management system.

An ordinance approving an amendment to the City of Lake Charles 2019 Action Plan to reprogram unspent community development block grant coronavirus CDBG C V funds to the Gossport Park Improvement No.

An ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles to enter into an agreement with Utiliser for fire hydrant flow testing and inspection slash maintenance pressure testing and flushing, GIS mapping and hydrant mapping, an ordinance amending section 20-78 of chapter 20 of the code of ordinances for the city of Lake Charles to place no parking signs on both sides of West Javon Lane from East Yavon Lane west to a point 100 feet north of the short turn.

A resolution accepting project number CP 3512, Gosford Park New Pool and Improvements as substantially complete and authorizing the advertising of the 45-day lien period.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 711 Fall Street, Rose Young Fontenau and Frank Fontenau owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 1105 North Wendell Street, accessory structure only.

Connie Griffin, David Griffin, and Gerald are Gerald Griffin owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 1902 North Prater Street, Patrick Omar Mouton, Tanisha Nicole Mouton Rasul, and Michael Blaine Mouton, owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 2432 12th Street, Larry Lee Mitchell, and Teresa Ann Petrie Mitchell owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 2201 Highway 171, Jazim Family Property, LLC, Elaine Marie Landry, Calderon Estate, Robert Earl Landry, Bellin Landry, Junior, and Sonia Lisa Landry Page owners, subject to a tax sale to the state of Louisiana with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 1400 North Shaddock Street, Cleveland Nash and Elvira Nash owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 2116 18th Street, Randall Booth Whitaker and Cheryl Patricia Whitaker, owners with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 1505 McNabb Street.

Tyron Gerard Nickerson, owner with a companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located at 411 Delphi Drive.

Gerald No Middle Initial Armeland Senior, owner with the companion ordinance.

A resolution setting date for public hearing on condemnation of a structure located 317 South Louisiana Avenue, Front House only, Grace Smith, Ulrich Y or Orric Y Price, Charles Y Price, Monica Manker, Russell, Marsha Manker, and Gregory Manker, owners with the companion ordinance.

A resolution authorizing the City of Lake Charles to advertise to receive seal bids for project number DR002, Public Works New Facility Phase 2, and to amend the budget as necessary with the companion ordinance.

Introduction of an ordinance to amend ordinance number 18189 creating the Enterprise Boulevard Economic Development District of the City of Lake Charles, State of Louisiana, amending the boundaries thereof from which the incremental increase in existing sales taxes of the city will be used to finance economic development projects in accordance with and is authorized by part two of chapter 27 of Title 33 of the Louisiana revised statutes of 1950 as amended and providing for other matters in connection with the foregoing.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with ADG Engineering.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Alliance Transportation Group Incorporated.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Angel and Donnahue All and Gas Properties Incorporated.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with the Tacopa Services LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles to enter into a professional services agreement with Brose Architect.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with CARBO Landscape Architect.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Cohesion Architecture LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with COP Associates in LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with CSRS Incorporated.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with DW Jesson and Associates LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Frugro Consultants Incorporated.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Randy M.

Goodlow Architect.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Grace A.

Bear Curtis Architects.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Hunt Gilead and Associates.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with color architecture.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles to enter into a professional services agreement with Meyer and Associates Incorporated.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles to enter into a professional services agreement with Moss Reed Architects LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Peridian Engineering Services LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Southland Environmental LLC.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles Center into an agreement with Louisiana Emergency Equipment LLC doing business as Delta Fire and Safety for the purchase of four sets of Amkus Rescue System Tools.

Introduction of an ordinance authorizing the City of the City of Lake Charles Center into an agreement with DNW drilling for inspection, cleaning, and repairs of water wells G8, G9, and G13 at GH West Water Plant for use by the Public Works Department Water Division.

Introduction of an ordinance enlarging the boundaries of the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, by annexing property generally described as the east side of the 1200 block of Highway 397, vacant lots south of 1295 Highway 397, containing 2.21 acres, more or less defining with certainty and precision the territory to be included in the corporate limits of the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and otherwise providing with respect there too.

Introduction of an ordinance assigning zoning classification of industrial to property generally described as the east side of the 1200 block of Highway 397, vacant lots south of 1295, Highway 397 containing 2.21 acres, more or less defining with certainty and precision the territory to be included in the corporate limits of the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and otherwise providing with respect there too.

Introduction of an ordinance assigning Councilmanic District B to the east side of the 1200 block of 397 vacant lots south of 1295 Highway 397 containing 2.21 acres, more or less defined with certainty and precision the territory to be included in the corporate limits of the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and otherwise providing with respect there too.

I have another item that uh is not on here, but should be on your desk.

An ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana to incur debt and to borrow from the Louisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority, an amount not to exceed 145 million dollars for a term not exceeding 30 years at a rate not to exceed 6% per annum for the purpose of financing public improvements within the city of Lake Charles, approving the form and authorizing the execution of one or more loan agreements and other certificates, documents and instruments, and providing for other matters in connection with the foregone.

That's under introduction, right?

That's only introduction.

Good.

Mr.

Weatherford.

I don't have anything.

Mr.

Billboat.

I hope everybody enjoyed them holidays.

Christmas.

Probably gave a couple of toys out.

Well, I got a question about uh Gersh Memorial.

Uh DOTD or the state has started fixing on it, and now look like the whole project came to a halt, but we got signs and just litter everywhere, all on the side of the road.

They just left the barricades, like they just left them on the customers or the businesses property, and you don't see nothing happening.

I I don't know what's the next step for them, but you know, like the barricades on side are really just laid out.

Just on the grass.

Now you don't see nobody out there.

Yeah, uh a Gilbert call.

It may be the holidays, but I know that they're they're they're still doing the uh repair work on the roads, then they're gonna do a complete overlay of that area.

Okay.

Um the Kroger parking lot and the grass in front of Krogas, the old Kroger Park lot is.

We went out there and we took care at one time, they had them cut it, but now it's winter, so the grass ain't growing no more, so the grass still shouldn't be three foot high.

I don't think we should have to keep repeating ourselves to these people to take care of their property.

Yeah.

At some point or another, sometime another, it should be we should do something, not just keep warning them and warning them, and we wearing out our property standards people could keep going to the same properties over and over.

We should have one time that's fine, second time, third time, we just thought just billing you, not just keep wearing them down.

Uh last about a month ago, we brought up, I'm glad we bringing in these properties off of 397, but we were supposed to meet because me and Mr.

Harvey was talking about annexing areas into Lake Charles where they got people lived, not just properties, people.

Because I had several calls about people wanting to move in, they paying property taxes, but they're not getting any service from the city.

And I say, well, maybe we can come up with a solution that if we bring you into the city, we can give you a discounted rate until we get you those services.

You don't use I don't know, I wouldn't, I wouldn't want to pay massive property taxes.

I don't even have water or sewage or even garbage.

But if we can offer them something, they may want to come into the city, and that's how the city grow by bringing in people, not just property.

Yeah, and and we we we'll look we can look into that.

Now the property taxes that they pay are usually assessed millages for the sheriff's department, the school board, and the Calchu Parish Police Jury.

The city has some millages inside, but it's not much.

And then when we start bringing people in, we have to see what type of services we can provide versus what the cost of those services is going to be to deliver.

Cool.

And the cone, Sixth Avenue and Third Street, uh where we're gonna have the five station.

Uh the dirt pile looks like it's about 10 feet.

And I'm no civil engineer, but I'm getting a lot of complaints of flooding on Shaw.

Shaw is directly behind it.

The only thing separates the property is old trailer park.

But anytime it rains, the water, it didn't have that much water in Shaw.

It flows that way.

Okay.

So I don't know if we can do something to, huh?

So that's a long way.

No, it's only the only thing between the water got to go somewhere.

It can't know because it's about 10 foot, at least six foot on at the corner.

So the water got to go somewhere, and it's just it's just out there.

I don't know if it was set, but it may be just a coincidence, but I get every time it a 30-minute rain, the same three people call and they say it's coming from behind them.

I'm not a civil engineer.

Maybe somebody looking to dredge somewhere the water can go somewhere else.

We check it because that that kind of development going in that area.

They should some they should have a drainage plan already in place.

But and then so happening, the one on Sixth Avenue got canceled.

We lost funding from the state.

So I don't know if it's gonna be a contained, we can't do nothing about that, but I can't have these people every time it drizzle.

They up to their knees in water, and it wasn't like that before.

So the water got to be coming from somewhere.

And then we just got that new housing rental complex, that apartment complex and all that, just adding water to this.

It's like a little circle called the sack in Shaw.

I mean, they call every time it rained.

We'll check on and get a report to you.

Okay.

That's it for me.

Mr.

Fondale.

Yeah, I have um I had a call about um doing a traffic study on 12th and First Avenue.

I understand they just recently had a wreck there.

I don't know exactly what we can do, but it's a bad intersection that um get crowded, and I don't know what caused the accident, but uh um citizen called and asked that we do a traffic study.

And that's across as a station across in that station, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've seen I've seen that because sometimes the traffic coming out of the station and people gone coming back and forth, and I've seen some people trying to make a left on First Avenue, then they realize it's a it's a boulevard, then they they gotta go back the other way, and it is it's confusion.

Yeah.

Yeah, I seen pictures of the accident.

Somebody was going over past there.

But um, and also I'm getting a lot of complaints, and I've noticed homeless people are starting to live on broad the walkway that go down First Avenue.

Um, and crosses broad, the new section was added.

And right there at Broad and First Avenue, they're camping out on on the benches there, and we get a lot of elderly people and females walking there and uh it they can they just they're becoming uncomfortable with it.

And uh a couple of them live there.

I I've been out there in the morning where one actually been there.

He's there every morning.

I've been out there.

Um, so I I don't know exactly what we can do, but we need to uh uh kind of monitor that.

And it's just right there.

The rest of the benches stay pretty clear.

It's just right there on broad and the bus station.

They're camping out at the bus station.

Okay, we'll check into that.

That's at this city right away.

That's all I have.

Mr.

Young.

Yeah, yes, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I wanted to draw attention to and uh commend the city's cultural affairs division.

Um, the new year's uh celebration that's happening.

We can see the setup behind us here.

Uh that's the first one uh that's city coordinated that I know of since uh the year 2000.

So 25 years in the making, that's a lot.

City employees that are now working on uh a holiday, but uh I just hope that our residents take advantage of that, support that uh in the downtown district because that's a huge feat for for the city and its quality of life.

Uh and then I also wanted to ask for permission from the council.

Uh recently uh learned that uh Rick and Donna Richard, who are Lake Charles residents, uh, were uh awarded the preservationist of the year award by the Louisiana Trust.

And uh I'd like to ask for permission for their executive director to come in from Baton Rouge uh on January 7th, our next meeting to present that award to them.

Perhaps work with the mayor's office to present a proclamation.

But that's a big deal, not just for Rick and Donna, but for preservation in Lake Charles and and another feather in our cap.

Yeah, that's it.

And they they they've done a lot for preservation from whether it was the uh the um this throwing it calling the enterprise in broad to to um the even the calc marine bank building.

And and thank you for the accolades because the uh there's gonna the new year's gonna have a glow show on actually this side of the city hall building, so it's gonna be should be pretty spectacular.

Uh somebody wants to fire fireworks off the building.

I said, I don't think we need to do that.

Yes, sir.

Oh back to Broad and that walkway.

I'm wondering if we have the markings across broad for people crossing like the crosswalk markings.

Yes.

I'll check on that.

If we don't, we should have it.

I'm not sure because they just opened up that that uh that northern section.

So now we're crossing broad to continue.

I don't think that's a crosswalk though.

No, and and that that part, that part of abroad, I think it's a state highway, so we'd have to coordinate with DLT on that.

Yes.

Hey, Craig, before y'all go to the next.

I got one.

Okay.

I was contacted by um the manager at Outback, and they believe they have right behind it between Outback and the gas station.

I think it's the same complaint that somebody had about the okay.

Well, you go for it then.

Mr.

V's in up.

Uh just one thing.

I I spoke to last agenda meeting about an update on the garage in Patrick Street, right there at that church.

We we approved school zone crossing and stuff, and and I just hadn't hadn't seen it yet.

And they called me every once in a while and asked about an update.

So if you would just let me know.

Okay.

Thank you, Jack.

Okay, we'll find it.

Mr.

Harvey.

Yes, Mr.

President.

Um, I'm sorry, bear with me.

I have a couple things since we've been gone.

I got a lot to catch up on.

Um, I don't know if this is a DOTD issue, uh, but I I've said this one before.

Uh the intersection of 171 and Mole.

I'm telling you, we we we we've had accidents there um most recently, but we need a term signal or recommend a turn signal coming.

Uh if you're coming from Washington, Marion, or the uh if you're coming from the east.

There needs to be a turn signal because when people are trying to merge, whether they're going on to the interstate heading uh west or they're trying to just stay on 171 heading south.

Um it's just a bad intersection right there.

We almost see uh accidents there almost every time.

I know we said it before it's a DOTD issue, um, but I don't know if we can maybe send something to them or reach out to them just to tell them.

I mean, we we we we tread water right there.

I know exactly what you're saying, because it it should be in any traffic that's coming from the east headed westbound, they may need to have their own dedicated green light and turn signal before the traffic headed headed uh headed.

Well, that's the westbound, but before the traffic hit it, yeah, eastbound can go and turn because that's where the confusion comes in.

Yeah, it's a lot of confusion, especially in the mornings during school time.

You got student drivers, but you also got a lot of buses that's coming in and out of that area.

So also you need uh no right turn if you hit it from the e from the west going east.

Yeah.

And it's actually that's actually a no right turn uh sign there, but people still do it.

So I and I know we said that's a DOT issue, but just maybe we can just mention that to them.

We get to that would be helpful.

Um the bayou bluff uh area.

That that entire area, all those street lights are out.

Um they've actually been replaced.

Um I'm gonna say, like maybe since Thanksgiving.

They were replaced, and they're all out.

No one's shooting them out or anything like that, they're not being damaged.

I think it's just maybe this new bub system or something.

Um, but that bayou bluff area, as we know, that's a lot of our elders um in that particular area off Highway 171.

Um, all those nights, all those lights need to be replaced.

Um to let the council know, uh, because that it's always been a I've been OCD about about lights since I was on the council's uh we actually have a person that that they're charged with going out before daybreak and checking out all the lights because we have the same thing on Enterprise Extension.

We got DLT D to finally do the ones on I 10 in those curves.

It was a box that was out with integer, but we've got a lot more out when you go past I 10 by 210.

So we're gonna be we're gonna be categorical cataloging all the lights in the city that are out, the street lights and coordinate with integer.

And they said they'd be glad to work with us on that.

And I think uh mayor, it's not just the lights out.

Some of the parts of the city like Louisiana Avenue got the old lights that show yellow.

Right.

And I compare them to the other parts, and they got the LEDs now that are much brighter.

Yes.

So we might need to consider that too.

If they get ready, because we will once we get once we identify all the lights aside and what we can fix, we may come up with a comprehensive lighting strategy to put to kind of put this to bed once and for all.

Because I think the LED is the future.

The light bulbs don't seem to hold up pretty well.

And I know that some of the you have whole strands of lights that are out, but it's not the lights, it's actually the boxes.

The the uh the electric electronic systems need to be retrofitted.

Gotcha.

Staying on lights.

Um I made this request several times before.

Umpaloosa Street, Molin Street, Cemetery Street, Shadow Street, Prater Street, um, the overpasses on Shatdock and the overpass on um.

It's extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely dark.

Um and I'm not trying to bring any attention to some of the most recent uh accidents that's resulted in people um passing away or losing their life.

But I'm telling you, especially right now, doing the holiday breaks, we got a lot of kids that's out.

We got a lot of people who ride Christmas gifts, these ATVs, all this stuff.

I know that's illegal, but they still out there.

And we got a lot of pedestrians using those bridges too.

So you're right.

And so um I just wanted to bring awareness that all those lights are out, it's extremely dark.

Even underneath the overpasses, that's that's uh allergen lights that are under those overpasses and they're out too, so that makes it even worse.

Yeah, so I I just wanted to make sure we put um emphasis on those.

Um if we can get dish cleaning on Wingate um on Wingate Street, the whole, I think it's a 2800 block, both the north and the south-south.

We've done it before.

Um, Mayor, actually, when we took a ride, that was one of the areas we went to, um, that 2800 block of Wingate Street, and we can get the ditch cleans on both sides.

Those are uh some elderly residents out there too, and you know, some of the things that just happen when the ditches are overgrown.

And as and as I recall, they don't want them sprayed, they want them to actually physically clean up.

Yeah, they did, they want them, yeah, right.

The other thing I had, um, and I know I spoke with property standards about this, but this 708 North Praetor Street.

Um, y'all, y'all hear me complain about this one all the time.

Um I know I'll talk with Chief Carwell, Chief Carwell says it's only been one person called.

Again, if we don't do something about what's happening at 708, um property standards has been out there several times.

We we see in social media postings about what's happening over there.

It's it's gonna be an issue.

Um they keep coming to administrative hearings, nothing's really happening.

I'm just gonna keep saying 708 North Praetor.

It's it's it's Mr.

Lloyd, Mr.

Willie Lord is a residence.

Um he's ill tonight, he wanted to come out and speak.

Um but some of the residents are are just refusing to want to even be heard because they I mean they're afraid.

I'm just telling you, 708 North Prada Street, we need to put eyes on that location.

Is that the place you said that they had uh that they were doing mechanic work?

It's mechanic work, it's loud.

Music is a chop shop, it's all kind of if you pass by there, it it speaks for itself.

It speaks for itself.

Um the other thing, I've asked four months ago for this, and I've yet to receive it.

I want a SWOT analysis of what the downtown district authority does.

I've been asking for this for months or months or months.

No one can tell me what the DDA does, the DDA does.

No one.

I'm the councilman for the district 8 area, and I do not know what they do.

I would really want to know what they do.

I would like it in the SWOT analysis form for the last three years, which is my time since I've been on the council.

I'm only asking about that particular time because during that particular time, again, I have no awareness of what they're doing.

I do not get invited to a meeting.

Um I don't want it to be an all of a sudden send me advice now, but I've been asking.

Nobody tells me what they do.

Um again, I would like to know what the DDA does.

Um it seems like they have a lot of power, a lot of stroke.

Um, and I just want to know what they do.

I really want to know what they do to see if it's even worth it for having.

I've been asking that, but it seems like they shine away and the powers that be, nobody wants to tell me what they do.

Um question, uh, do you want them to come and present to the council or do you want to just have a meeting?

And no no disrespect, Mayor.

I don't want them to come in and present because anybody can put together a PowerPoint presentation to make it sound good.

I want to know what they do since they failed to notify the councilman of anything that's happening or what they're doing.

I just want to put it on, I want I want it to be in in in some type of form to me or to the entire council.

I'm not the only person I'm quite sure have a council uh questions about what the DDA does.

But it seems like they're very influential.

Seems like they have a lot of power and they're not elected officials.

I just want to know what they do.

Well, may I think the the best way to do it is arrange a meeting where we sit down.

I tried that before.

That's all they feel is they don't respond to my emails.

I'll make it happen.

I think it's intentional.

I'm just being honest.

No, well, I'll make it happen.

And I think we need to sit down and have a robust question and answer session.

Yeah.

And then just note for the record, I've said this several times.

The DDA does not want to involve the downtown.

The DDA does not want to involve the district a council.

They don't.

I've been saying it for three years.

Um and it is just not happening.

For whatever reason.

That won't work with this administration.

We'll take care of it.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Um the last couple of things.

I would like an update on we we recently approved uh the Hope Center project.

I would like an update on where we are with that.

Um the enterprise extension.

I'm getting a lot of calls.

Um before the previous administration, President Marks, uh Mr.

Morgan, we actually knocked on about seven to ten houses, notified them that they were potentially going to have the right-of-way, their right-of-way uh was going to be purchased um by the city for this particular project, and then they haven't heard anything.

So now people are kind of like in limbo, or is my house gonna be purchased or is it not gonna be purchased?

What are the plans?

I don't know what's actually happening.

So I would like again for the city to give some type of day.

I have a community meeting scheduled in three weeks uh in that uh part of town, and I would like to be able to speak to it and address it.

Okay.

That's on the enterprise extension.

Um, and definitely the Hope Center project.

I definitely need an update on that.

Also, we voted um, I don't know if it was a couple months ago, but on a North Lake Charles Economic uh development.

Um I think Miss Chantel uh Willis, she sent an email to us um wanting an update on the CEA.

I was just trying to get an update on that so we can try to get those things going um in regards to that.

I don't know what it was voted on, just a matter of what's the next steps.

Uh I'm sorry for being long.

We we have to address that if I could interject.

I've been working on the CEA and it's gone through a couple of revisions, and I got bogged down with a trial date, and I sent it to the mayor today.

So we're we're getting close.

Sorry about that.

That's okay.

That's okay.

I just wanted to update for me.

Thank you.

I appreciate you.

Um, and then the last thing I had.

I know I'm sorry.

Conico Street.

Do are we, are we over Connecticut Street?

Conico Street is the street that runs um adjacent to 171, kind of going towards Bayou Bluff as well.

The reason why I'm asking, those streets have been in dire need of repair.

If it's just a fresh overlay.

Um, but I know one time someone said that that street and the street that runs um excuse me, again adjacent to the west side of 171 belongs to DOTD with a trailer park uh in the pharmacy.

Yeah.

So is that DOTD roads?

We're checking to I know that that there's a there's a uh there's a couple of pipelines that runs along that corridor.

We both said oh Herman Stevens engineering manager.

Um the streets in that area have recently recently been overlaid.

Um that side, but what about the on the east side on the west side on the east side?

East side of 170.

Okay.

Coming from like the old, like going towards Bayou Bluff.

That's the same residence as well.

On the east side, yeah, those have not been overlaid.

Um currently, Foo Grove is doing a road analysis on all our streets.

Uh, probably by the end of this month, they will have driven every street in the city.

There's be pictures analysis that will rank every road in the city in terms of what roads need to be repaired and how they need to be repaired.

So um, depending on the condition of those roads, so they may they may be the next priority on the list.

Gotcha.

Uh, with respect to the street, it's basically an extension of Graham that runs in front of the manufactured home dealership.

I think we recently determined that that it was ours.

Okay.

Um it's pretty bad.

If we didn't have the food grow program, we would have put it on a at the top of our list, but we'll wait for the road analysis to come back and then we'll reprioritize every street in the city.

Okay.

And then we'll continue on with our overlay program from there.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Street streets and lights have been kind of moving up the uh chain on this.

Gotcha.

I appreciate that.

The last one I had, I don't know if it's a DOTD issue, but again, that area, Connecticut and 171 turn signals.

People who come from Bayou Bluff area.

Um when you get to that intersection, again, leaving from Bayou Bluff, you make a right to get on 171.

It's hard for those people to turn um if they're trying to head south.

Okay, we'll take a look at that one.

And the only other thing I have, I know thank you, Mr.

Herman.

We're gonna I know we're gonna meet soon about the ditches.

Um, but thank you for uh reaching out to me for that.

That's all I have.

Can I make an observation about the the lights that you're talking about?

The traffic lights.

Yeah.

I've noticed in my area that they've programmed Lake Street and sale.

Right.

No.

So what they have done is uh make it green for one side.

One side with the protection arrow, and then it cycles back through.

So the problem is if you don't do if even if you have a protected arrow and then it remains green for both sides, you're gonna back up traffic because people can't make that left-hand turn.

But if you make it that whole cycle around just on one side, you get all that through.

So just an observation and a suggestion that I guess I would leave it to the engineers to determine when that makes sense and when it doesn't, but it it works very well on Lake and Sale, I can tell you.

And I don't think they have in Lake and Magnese, and I think we are looking doing that there as well.

Yeah, that and that's always been a better way to work it that one side of the traffic do it that turns and then.

Yeah, that's always kind of four-lane roads, why sometimes those aren't as as um efficient as you think they would be because you get someone in that middle lane trying to make a left-hand turn, it backs up and people and that can cause accidents because people are trying to get out from behind that person trying to make that left turn.

Correct.

And they may not see that traffic coming on in that outside line.

So I just think that's a better way to do it.

Well, one in 71 at the uh at the Graham, but what you're talking about coming up from Graham and by you uh by you bluff, that's gonna be uh a challenge because that that's a fast track where you in it at any time a number of uh vehicles are running those lights because they it's they're going too fast to slow down.

So we're gonna talk talk with DOTD about that because we have we had the same issue before just turning all the streets off of 171 uh because the traffic has it always been that way to where it's a one-way they can't go back towards uh they can't go back towards Fitz and Rada, you know, it's a one-way in front of that church pawn shop area.

It's always been a one-way that way, like it's always been a way because most of the traffic headed headed uh north, that's where they exit off and go so they don't let the traffic come back that way because it's even harder to get on what's everyone.

Yeah, it's like does have a left turn signal.

Yeah, and that as we I'm thinking that as the enterprise extension comes through that, we're gonna we're gonna probably have to reconfigure that whole area to make it work because that's that it is gonna be a problem in the future if we don't start addressing it now.

Gotcha.

That's all that okay.

Um I don't know the policy or what how stringent we are on it, but 324 East Oak Lane, it's the house directly south on East Claude.

Um the resident is saying that the house east of that, the one that I'm talking about on East Claude Street is burning trash.

They burn it regularly, and it's it's causing uh and the weather that we have in now is causing a lot of smoke when it blows, it's going into the people's homes.

I don't think we have a uh you can burn in trash in the city limits.

Yeah, I took a proper standard.

I don't think you can even open burn piles, you can't have those.

So uh if we can pass by again, it's the it's the house on East Claude is directly south of 324 East Oak Lane.

So if we can check on that, um got a grass issue.

The it's not this residence, but this is my marker.

4212 Louisiana Avenue, the property to the west of it, and it extends all the way to Kirkman.

It's a lot, and I explained to the resident that with those lots, we generally just cut back so far off the street, maybe 20, 30 feet off the street.

We don't go in and cut the whole lot.

So if we could uh check on that property because they're getting a lot of rodents going into the apartment complexes that's next to it, it's uh a couple of duplexes right there.

So if we can check on that, um the last week or the week before we went out of the room.

You said uh the uh it's on the west of 4212 Louisiana Avenue.

Okay, look at that.

It's the property that extends all the way to Kirtman Street.

On uh a couple of weeks ago when we had our last meeting, we did a request for proposal or request for car qualifications for the sports complex.

Is that a bid process?

Yes.

Can we can we have all the bids sent to the council so that we'll know uh you know how the process is going for that uh request for qualifications?

The other thing is uh I read through the agenda, unless I just missed it.

I've never seen that many professional services agreements come before us at one time, and I know a lot of times we usually just do it in one item, you know, uh request for proposals.

Are all of these requests bids or is that something that the administration has the the power to pick themselves?

Um these are just professional services agreement that agreements that dictate terms upon which we work with these consultants.

All these consultants are um existing consultants, most of them have contracts or projects already in progress with the city, and um they are expiring at the end of the year.

But I do understand that they have projects, but how are we picking them?

How do these people get picked to be under this professional services agreement?

I'm not sure how they were originally picked.

We're simply um extending their contracts so they can continue to do the projects that they're uh currently working on.

So are we extending them for new terms or just the completion of the projects that they own right now?

New terms extending them to new terms, which is one year that automatically renews for a second year.

Um once their projects are complete, then it's on the city to then pick them for future projects or additional consultants for a dish for future projects.

I got a problem with that.

Because if we got a professional services agreement for somebody, let's say for two years, and we get to the end of that second year and their project is not complete, we're automatically extending them without going through the process of what we normally do to pick one.

So that's why I'm asking, is it something I know there's certain criteria that the mayor and his administration can do without coming back before the council?

But if this is a situation where they have to go out to bid, then to me it seemed like we bypassing the bid process because I'm giving the same person another two years simply because they're not finished with this project.

Uh it's it's simply the terms by which you might hire them for something.

Right.

So for example, if you have a contract with the city for a const uh let's say a design project, your your fees are based on a fixed curve.

And if the project takes too long and we need to extend your professional services agreement, that doesn't change your pay.

I got you.

Right.

So but I'm saying, okay.

Let me clarify.

Okay.

Uh these are professional services, though.

They're not like contractors to bid.

And those those that's architects, engineering services, you just can get people based upon what the needs are with their particular expertise is.

If other people come in, they can be added to the list.

It's not guaranteed that they're gonna get work.

It's just says that if you do work with the city, these are the terms and conditions, this is what you can charge us, and it cannot exceed these amounts.

But once they drop design things and that goes out to bid, then that is a competitive bid.

And I understand that, but I'm saying that we are making professional services agreement with individual companies.

So it's not like if another company come in, they get the same right.

We've made a contract with this particular company.

For instance, uh, let's just pick one uh the rest of the end of the professional agreement with COPE associates.

I don't know what COPE does, but we're signing a contract saying we're gonna this is what we're gonna pay COPE to do this particular project.

So let us let's say it's a competing company with COPE for the same professional services agreement.

What do we do then?

Do we come back and sign another one with that company?

Yes.

Anyone doing business with the city has to have a professional services agreement with the city because we can't give anybody a blank check to go out there and just work and send us a bill.

So that we have to put the parameters on that.

So this is just a way to bring everybody into a contract on our list.

Yeah, if somebody's doing business with us, they have to have a contract and if they can't exceed a certain amount because that's it, that that's in our budget.

So at that point, if they come back and say, Well, it's gonna cost you more than this, then this agreement says you can't exceed that amount.

And and so that's that's handle with the administration, yes.

We don't have we just approve the contract itself.

Now the only difference is under uh sports complex, we send out a request for qualifications because that's a whole different type of level of services that you're getting.

I mean, we want people that actually build these types of complexes.

So most of the people on this list, they they're then they're not in the same league to build these kinds of social media.

COPE just provides appraisal services for rights of work.

Yeah, I just use them.

I that's why I wanted you to know but for specialized, specialized these these you'll see like like Bro see Brooks does a lot of things with the parks and things like that.

But when we get to things like sports complexes and and specialized services, then we send out qualifications because it's not just a matter of low bid now, people have to be qualified to actually do these kind of services.

And that's this is the first time that with the new council that we had a chance to do it.

Like I said, would normally we would just give you permission to do the professional services agreement.

But this time I know we got individual companies.

So I just want the council to understand that we don't we don't have a say, so to speak, in that.

Uh I would consult with you.

Oh, because if you if if you have anything in your district that was done by any of these professional services that you weren't happy with, then yeah, you do have a lot of say.

I I'm not happy with what was done in my district before because you consider somebody else.

Okay.

Well, if I may, I just want to clarify.

I'm glad you brought this up.

So if if another architect firm wants to have a relationship with the city, they can request to have this same thing done.

That's right.

At any time of the year or only at dual time.

Anytime.

Anytime.

Okay.

Okay.

I get that.

That's gonna be my clarification for everybody.

Yeah, anybody, I mean, cope dub, but if ABC appraisers wants to come in and submit a proposal, or I guess not necessarily a proposal, but if they want to be on the list and they're willing to do the work for the agreed upon the rate that we're willing and able to pay, they'll be on the list and I say some would somewhat try to rotate that around.

You try to, I mean, and and you try to, and there's no guarantee of work, it's just that you're in the queue.

So you don't have to go through the state.

Yeah, it's just it's basically it's a generic contract.

It's tools in the toolbox.

And and if if Mr.

Herman or uh or the mayor can explain, for for the sake of the people watching the meeting, I want them to understand that this is not just an um it's not a situation where we just pick a company.

Anybody can come and apply, but they they have to do some things before.

Well, they have to, I mean, like for uh instance architectural services, they have to meet the uh licensing requirements.

They have to meet the insurance requirements, bonding requirements, because any work that they do for the city, we have to have assurances that they can deliver are yeah, and if they can't do the work, then we can exercise a bond against them our insurance rights.

And they have to be on the vendors' list, correct?

To be on this list, yes.

So that's what I just wanted to get out because it can be misleading when we doing these uh different contracts.

And just and just one clarification on the professional services agreements.

Um they can be done any time during the year.

Anyone can make the request.

Um however, let's say you bring in 20 people tomorrow that possibly want to do business with the city, it's not gonna have a high priority compared to the day-to-day work and emergency work that we have going on, right?

These are getting done because they actively have projects, they have to be under contract or have an agreement with the city, and so that's why they're getting done.

If someone comes in tomorrow and there's no immediate plan to use them, it's gonna go on the list.

Eventually we'll get them a professional services agreement.

Gotcha.

I'm I I glad this conversation came up.

Uh I'd also like to add, I I mean I'm seeing six or seven different architects on the list.

One of the nice benefits of this is we saw it post-storms, we were able to, I mean, the city had nearly a hundred buildings that were damaged.

We could quickly assign uh architects to projects to get in there and figure out what was gonna need to be done.

Um and we already had agreements in place with them that said this is the cap, this is what we're paying you, this is how our relationship works.

So this is beneficial.

And and I I like that you brought up that others can be added at any point throughout the year.

And I say that because we get beat up a lot of times on social media.

Contracts are not given out, we don't give this, we don't get it.

I want people to understand that when you read when you hear us say these things, it's not just as simple as we went out and just chose somebody and put them in there.

That's a process uh that you have to go through.

So I appreciate the explanation.

In fact, some of the agreements are as detailed as they have to tell us the personnel, what the rates are for each of them and the number of hours is all right.

The other thing I have is on Christmas Day, I for whatever reason I end up in Walmart parking lot just sitting there.

I mean, it wasn't nothing.

But I I did that strategically because I was coming down um I don't know the name of the street that runs down on the side of uh uh Walmart, that curve.

East pre end.

And it took me, I just went to the gas station.

And man, you'd be surprised how many homeless people are out there.

And Walmart has these gas pumps that you can go and pump gas, you know, when it's closed.

And I watched two ladies pull up and pump gas and guys come from they they un you you can't really see them.

They're under that tree right next to the gas station.

Yeah, and they'll come out when people pull up to that gas station.

And I know homeless people don't really have a place to go, but we gotta make our citizens feel safe because these people come out of there they're asking for money and they come out of nowhere, you know.

And I think that I I don't know what the remedy is.

We have we have an unhoused population that's as in a number of areas.

Uh on Kirkman Street between Pre-Anne Lake and 210, there's a wooded lot that's turned into a little tent city, and that's on private property, and we've been asked to address that, so we have to look at that.

But uh the unhoused community is what we have to we're gonna have to deal with.

Not and it's not just as simple as housing.

A lot of them on how each person has their own story why they're why they're homeless.

Some of them may they just lost track of loved ones, some may have mental health issues, some may have whatever else.

So it's we we need to find a solution that's gonna first of all shelter them and give them a safe place, but also holistically provide the services that's gonna help them get on their feet and get them away from these areas where they have to where they have to uh basically panhandle, which is now against the law and try so we are our brothers' keeper, but I understand the I understand the issue is not an easy one, but that's something we're gonna have to address because it's not it's not shrinking, I could see that already.

And this this probably to you, Mr.

Stooch.

I was thinking about, I mean, I I've saw it on movies.

I don't know how you know how realistic it is.

Maybe if we can designate a couple of lots and you know, make it a a legal homeless place to to hover.

I know we can't provide all of them with houses, but if we can give them a safe area where it's okay, hey, if you're homeless, you can go to this area and and do whatever you do, you know, as opposed to having them.

They picking spots now.

So they're picking it where, like you say, where they can panhandle, you know, at and and we can't expect businesses to continually function if we can't make those areas safe.

So if we could consider legally you can do that by ordinance.

Yeah, because all these uh adjudicated properties.

Then you're gonna be hearing from the neighbors in those areas you just want to do.

Well, I think we can we can probably get some areas that's not so populated.

But the the pr the problem with it really is they need access to funds.

So they're gonna go wherever people have money.

Right.

With regardless wherever you house them.

I and I I I was in New Orleans uh over the Christmas holidays and for the Super Bowl, uh a lot of the unhoused people living underneath the interstate.

They got all of them out, they they gated the whole area.

But now where the edge of the gate is on the roads is they've come back and put tents there.

Right and because they they they need money to survive.

So it's it's it's it's gonna take a holistic uh solution.

And I did I did promise uh some of the people that we were gonna look at the unhoused situation.

I know y'all had treat previously targeted it where somebody was trying to get the old Rosteed school for that and caused a lot of blowback from the community.

So we're gonna have to find a place because uh because it's not it's not gonna get any less.

Uh there's there's a lot of things on the on the economy that's concerning me that we're gonna have to get it get on top of anyway.

I mean, look just a simple thing, like if the uh if if the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act elapse and a lot of people lose their health care, and now you gotta decide do I pay for my medication versus keep a roof over my head versus food in my stomach and you got kids, uh some people are gonna be financially stressed and that's gonna cause even more and some of these people may be home, maybe in houses, but that's substandard, they shouldn't really be occupied, but they gotta survive.

So we really have to get it, really have to address this.

So I'm I'm that is that is one of the primary things that I I've been thinking about is how to deal with the unhoused situation, but it's not it's not just a matter of putting them in a house.

Uh they're gonna have to get some sort of services and resources, otherwise they're gonna go out and panhandle because that's the only way they can survive in the monetary system.

But panhandling is illegal, right?

It is, yes.

Yes, it is.

So uh like in the Walmart area, could we put up a temporary um camera where we can record if it's the same individuals that's camping there, we would see them more and you know, um you can deal with them more than someone just passing through, you know, um, because they're camping out.

These are regulars camping out.

The the other problem that you have with this is that when they're on private property, that's very we have some very real restrictions on what we as a city can do on private property without the the property owner doing things like for instance, they have to post no laundering, no trespassing for that for ordinance to even come into play for that.

Otherwise, if it's a place that's open to the public, uh they're part of the public too.

So that it like I said, it's not a simple solution.

It's really gonna be a a very comprehensive uh look at it.

But you know, if you don't have a solution by definition, you can't have a problem.

So we're gonna work on the solution side of it.

Now on the flip side of that, I've called Walmart corporate and I told them the Walmart on Highway 14, how that parking lot is kept.

Buggies, all those different things out there.

Uh we have to set a standard for our businesses as well on how they operate.

They hadn't got back with me, so maybe the city can send a letter stating that we have some issues with the way that parking lot is kept.

That that causes a lot of problems as well.

And that's some precedent for that because uh we I remember years back we had problems with with uh the the grocery bags from Walmart.

Everywhere else or Walmart, they had grocery bags everywhere, and uh it was it was exhausting our city resources trying to clean that up and we put some imposition, we imposed some restrictions on on them and they started cleaning up their area.

So I think we can look into that.

And that goes back to what uh Mr.

Billboard reported about the Kroger parking lot.

We had that same issue on Fifth Avenue with that old shopping center that used to be there.

And I don't know if Mr.

Wellerford remember we had to go to as far as uh condemning it, and we brought them to that point and they finally tore it down and cleaned up the area.

So it may take something as drastic as that.

Yeah, I know I'm sorry.

One thing I know we you're talking about the Walmart, I know that part of that partners, if you can identify their back, like a good example is the Highway 14 where with that prevail and actually Nelson Road too with that prevailing south wind pushing all those bags against the fence next to the 210.

Um, yeah, we could make them go out there and clean that up because obviously it was right.

Yeah, they didn't put them out there, but their customers did.

So part of the part of the cost of doing this clean cry.

Yeah.

The the last thing I have is the canal behind the village.

That's gravity drainage.

We bought gravity drainage in here several occasions.

I am mighty afraid because on Derrick Drive, we've just built three huge complexes.

And when the rain start, we're gonna have a problem in the village.

With all that coming off, because we got more concrete, it's not no land back there to absorb it up, and we're gonna have some issues with the village.

Uh we're making progress in the village now, tearing down those houses with the housing authority, but we need to get that.

I want to get ahead of that before the rain start, and we have the issue.

You know, what one thing to look at, I know that's uh that's contraband by you.

Uh, and and the way contraband is set up, it's a race, whoever can get their water there first gets their their properties drained.

Uh and maybe what the the solution that we're seeing in the Greenwich Terrace is something that needs to be looked at in the village if there's some areas available to put a municipal holding pond.

Just to actually collect the water until the municipal systems can catch up.

And I tell you what's bad with that mayor is that that that canal is right in the backyard of these houses.

And that it's not so much if you go there and you drive on uh I forget the name of the street that's coming in the first right, and you go all the way to the back.

Roosevelt, the water runs from that canal, comes onto Roosevelt, and it just sits there.

Now we did a million dollar project some years ago back there, but it looks like we didn't do nothing when the rain comes.

So that's why I say gravity drainage is gonna have to do their part.

And sometimes and gravity drainage, because of our topography, uh it's it's very little incline or decline for the water to drain.

Uh and maybe look at the costs and and and feasibility get with the engineers about uh put potentially having holding areas and lift stations that can get the waters to areas where we need to go faster, you know.

Yeah, so the village is in the contraband watershed or the coachy watershed.

I don't know.

I think depend maybe the ridge may be somewhere it's all connected.

I know like in back of Cal Shoe Care Center, that's that's contraband by you, but a lot of the developments are are flowing their water into that area.

And but when you get like it doesn't matter which watershed it's in, but it's still a problem.

But ball all those watersheds hit Kayoucha Coolie, like for instance, Morganfield goes all the way to Cayuchi.

That's a five-mile uh trek, but it's only a few few feet difference be in the elevation.

So the water's not gonna move if it's in the day, it's not gonna move as fast.

And sometimes uh sometimes uh uh a lift station uh at the if it's the right cost and protecting the right type of properties may be a helpful solution to do that.

But either way, we have to look at that because uh I remember we talked there was a lot of talk with the community foundation about by you green belt.

It was more aesthetic, but the the is the but the other side of it was wait a minute, but you you you're talking about doing things with water that the first the first function of those areas is to move water away from populated areas, not to dress it up and put a lot of plants there.

So boat riding in it.

Lot lot to lot to work on, but it's you know it we we will we'll work on the solutions.

Okay.

Anyone else got anything?

All right.

Oh, one other thing.

I know we talked about it, I think it was Mr.

Fundale brought it up.

Are we considering the idea of a city planner?

Uh, because I see some things happening around the city that I don't think is conducive to the city, like Derek Drive.

Those apartment complexes, all in that one spot, that that's a problem.

It's gonna be a problem.

And they're not building small ones, and we got some more property that I'm hearing those same complexes are coming back to build again.

You know, and and I just think that if it's not a city planner, somebody has to control where people can and cannot build and what they can and cannot build in certain areas.

I drove down across the street from umolo the other day, and they building some of them little houses that's like one or one room house.

I mean, that's not conducive to the neighborhood.

So I don't know how we regulate that other than an ordinance or city planner, but I just want to put that on your mind that somewhere down the line we may want to consider that.

Yeah, and we I I remember the city had gotten a city planner a while back, and and uh person had great credentials, but they didn't understand how the community fit.

So that's something to look at because we we really do need to plan our development because we're gonna start growing pretty fast.

And you know, like I said, nobody plans to fail, they just failed the plan.

You gotta find the right now.

I'm I'm curious as to see what's happening with the uh the mid-city area, the C and I because that's a that's a plan development, and it's and it's really meant to uh to pull in and and uh and uh and and uh accentuate everything else around it.

And so it may not be uh necessarily a planner like a planning position as much as hiring the right company as a consultant to help you with your planning.

And because I I see down the road, we this is what gives planning and zoning so much difficulty.

Right because now our our um zoning is is overlapping each other.

Yeah, and and that's what causes the problem.

You got zoning issues that's inconsistent.

You've got you've got developments that that that they're not complementing each other, they're they're they're more pushing things, but they're they're pushing our infrastructure to the brink where our infrastructure can't function in those areas whereas if it was some simple planning, you could actually accommodate a lot of that stuff.

Exactly.

Uh anybody else?

Uh this is the point of the meeting where we deal with the public.

We have one card and we have donated minutes to Mr.

Miles Brown.

Mr.

Miles Brown.

How much time, Mr.

Morris?

He got uh three look like six minutes.

And this other person, nope, he got nine minutes.

Two of them donated three minutes to him.

So he got nine minutes.

Miles Brown, 10204th Avenue.

Uh first I just want to say I want to thank uh the police for amending a record uh most recently.

There was uh some just some errors in it, and just by contacting them and stuff like that, it just got done quickly.

So I just wanted to say thank you for admitting that record.

And uh it was very helpful.

The next thing I have a question on is um I was able to read some contracts and some agreements recently, and uh there was one in particular that looked like it was a notarized and it was signed, but for whatever reason the names on there was misspelled.

Now I know it's public record, anyone can get it, but since the name is misspelled, it's particularly the person that was one people that signed, is that something that needs to get amended too?

Because I did contact the legal department, but they said they didn't know.

So what document is it?

It is look like the graveyard, some OPAR, uh some little A dedication of the graveyard.

It was I can give you the public record that the number is 1495.

I think it's I forgot what it was called, but it was 1495.

But it was something with the uh drainage on Park.

Well, there's a misspelling affect the effectiveness of a document.

So that I can look at it.

Yeah, it's just like say it was a public official's name that was misspelled.

I just figured, you know, it just needs to get done correctly.

Just this acts.

It's not it, it wasn't a graveyard, it's something with some drainage or something uh on Park Boulevard.

Um another thing I wanted to uh bring up is um what was the other thing?

Had to ask.

I lost my train of thought.

Oh, um, yeah, so I had been speculating this over a period of time, and you know, I didn't really have any proof, but just recently it is definitive and have paperwork for it, that there are times and you know, mistakes happen where uh some of my public records may have getting forgotten or lost or inadvertently missed.

Is there a way, like in the future for now on that we not just myself, but anybody that makes a request that we can get some kind of acknowledgement or receipt that way just in case it gets forgotten about or it happens over a month and we're not getting any response that way we can go back and track it and say, hey, we just questioned on this request.

We we discovered that there was one public record request of the hundreds made by Mr.

Brown that inadvertently got neglected.

Um but we're responding to it.

But we are in the process.

I am in the process of completely reviewing the process by which we do public records, and um so that may or may not get addressed in in the manner that he's suggesting, but we are going to do a complete and review and overhaul of the public records.

Which is good, Mr.

Steuze, because Mr.

Brown's had been up here a couple of times in the last term, and what was giving us um pause was the fact of where do the reports go?

Do they bring them to the legal department here or do they make the reports to this to the city police?

Because correct me if I'm wrong, there was a time where some people claimed that they felt intimidated going make complaints at the police station.

So Mr.

Morgan said at that time complaints or actual public records requests.

I'm talking about complaints, so I'm mixing the two.

Yeah, you might be mixing because I have no problem doing either or.

But you're talking about requests.

You can you can actually send your request kind of to almost not any government agency, but if you're s if a request is someone on police, you can drop it to the police station.

Okay, but but now that you're talking about police, you open the door for me.

Yeah.

Yes.

Um we had a complaint.

Some residents told me they didn't feel like they could go to the police station and make a complaint.

They felt intimidated for whatever reason it was.

So if I remember correctly, we tried to accommodate them by saying you could come to the legal department and file that same complaint.

That's correct.

Is that true?

That uh I'm pretty sure that wasn't me, but I recall that I'm almost positive you're correct, because I think Mr.

Morgan and I had that conversation.

So is that is that the process you still want them to follow?

Mr.

Morgan did uh approve that process where it can go to either the police department or the legal department.

Is that still on the way you want to do it, Mr.

Stu?

Yes, that's still fine.

Yeah.

All right.

But but that's separate from what he talks about.

I was not in the process of reviewing complaints on the police department about, but I am in the process of completely reviewing what we're doing with public records reports.

But just for the record, you are saying that it we're reviewing it, what he's requesting be done may not be a part of the already view.

Yeah.

And and like I say, it's more than one public record that was missed because it's over there's plenty of them, but I know it I got your message from yesterday, and that was very helpful, but I just wanted to see just in the future because it's not just about it being lost or anything, but you know, you have people that actually request things and let's say they forget over a month period, and here it is that you know they want to pay for it, and then that's money from the city that's they're not getting because the the request got lost or or something like that.

And you know, it just adds up any dollar given to the city helps.

So I just figured since you might know, do you are you is does it state anywhere in those documents for you to make a copy?

For me to make a copy.

No, it doesn't.

He can make a copy, yes.

But what and I'm saying we can make copies for him.

Yeah, okay.

But he doesn't usually make copies.

No.

Because we charge for copies.

No, I'm not asking for a copy, it's just a I'm saying that for what you said about a receipt.

Yeah.

If if they make a copy of it, then that that is your receipt.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

If they make a copy that way, saying acknowledge, look, we have it that way.

If any time it gets lost or missed or anything, we can say, look, here's the copy, here's the receipt that y'all got it.

That way we can see, okay, why is it taking over five business days or why has it been, you know, there's just there's certain laws to it where it needs to be some type of acknowledgement.

That way we can be both on the same page.

An acknowledgement is not required by the law, but that's all part of what I'm looking into.

Okay.

Yeah, well, not really, but we just gonna go with what do you got to say then.

Uh now uh speaking of that, I do want to thank the legal department for uh a situation that happened uh about six months ago as well, where I was told uh by surge city officials that if I did not make my request a certain way that they were gonna file a court order in order for me to uh file it a certain way.

Now that's a city policy, but it's not a law where you have to make your request the type of way that the city may want to.

So uh after contacting the legal department and getting some clarification, it was correct that I was right all along that you can't make your requests in a variety of different ways.

And the only reason I'm bringing that up is because even though I already knew the answer to it, or whatever the case may be, um these people are adamant that you had to you had to do it their way.

Now I just want to bring that up because had they have possibly moved forward trying to do a court order, not only would a judge been upset and it would have looked like a joke, but at the same time a lot of money or time would have been wasted off of something.

But so uh my name.

You said it's a variety of ways, right?

But there is a limit, correct?

A limit or what?

If it's a variety of ways, and correct me, Mr.

Studes, you can file it the wrong way.

Even though there's a variety of ways, you still can file it the wrong way.

It has to be discernible.

And so we we have a form, you put it on the form, you can write it, you can print it, you can do whatever you want, but if you put it on the form in simple English, that helps us comply with his request.

I mean, we've had I think it was him that actually started submitting some in French and using almost code and stuff, so we can't comply with a public records request that we can't ascertain.

Gotcha.

Yeah, that makes sense, but I'm talking about in particular, like you're allowed to make a request uh through facts, you can make it through email, you can make it through.

It's already been seven minutes.

Eight minutes.

Even whenever y'all talk though, don't I get whenever they talk, they don't that their minutes don't five minutes don't pause?

Oh, so we all mix together, even whenever so if he talks for five minutes when I have nine minutes, that just takes away my time.

We can all don't worry about that.

We got a law for that.

We can get you some over.

Okay, well, I just was curious.

I didn't know about that.

But uh, but yeah, that's just there's there's a variety of ways, you know, you can do it through facts, email, verbally, whatever the case may be.

It's just that the point I'm making is that even though some people request records, you have it has to be in writing.

That's what the state ascertain it.

That's what the state law says.

I can I can show it to you at another time if that's okay.

I can tell you I've I can show you another time.

Okay.

Well, I'll just show I'll I'll show the state law to Mr.

Stutz or the legal department, and if I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

But I just I I'm just making sure.

So but either way, even just to take away from the burden of the case.

You need what you need.

I just need about two more minutes.

That's all.

A few more minutes.

Let's vote to give him two more minutes.

If you're in favor, vote.

It's not gonna show by hand.

Yes, two minutes.

Yeah, well, uh, so I just wanted to say thank you for that.

It's just like I say, this was just an example that even though people are well known and do a good job, sometimes people make mistakes.

And I just wanted to let y'all know as councilman that just because someone's telling you something and they're adamant and they're they're they're strong with it, doesn't mean what they're always saying is true, not saying they're lying to you or deceiving you, but these things just happen.

So I just wanted to make that known.

And um just I guess uh I have asked some other stuff, but I'll just cut it short.

The last thing um I know people can do what they want, they can say what they want, but I've been getting a lot of uh contact from either co-workers, friends, or even sometimes family members where certain city officials are contacted them asking them why I'm requesting things.

Now really just no one's business why I want to request things or anybody, but I just find it to be kind of unprofessional that they're going over there my back to uh ask them what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

They shouldn't get harassed, nor should anyone really be asking why somebody's exercising their rights.

So I'm just asking just a general, I'm not gonna say any names, that if just for anybody, you know, it's really no one's business why people want to request things.

So I'm just asking that city officials or or whoever just maintain ethics and professionalism.

So that'll be so with that being said, Mr.

Miles.

I just want to say I appreciate you coming to every meeting and and making the statements you make.

But I want to use what you said, just realize people make mistakes.

Yeah.

So it's not necessarily a plot against you if a mistake is made by the city.

It may just be a mistake.

Yeah.

And if we bring it to the right people, yeah, you'll get it corrected.

Yeah, it's like I say these mistakes just recur more and often.

But I just want to bring that out there.

So but thank you.

Y'all have a good day.

Appreciate it.

Anything, Mayor?

No, I have nothing.

Mr.

Stutz?

Nothing.

Sure.

Anyone?

Council?