If it works at 6 seconds, supposed to be my own.

AI still keeping it on the back end of that.

Right.

Yep.

All right, great.

It's not working by your turn.

You didn't get to the number of things.

Oh, okay.

There's a lot of things.

I won't remember that, Craig.

I don't even remember that now.

That's a copy.

That's one of the highest, but I don't know how I don't know.

Also, you've been here all day.

I didn't have time.

I had to do this today.

Usually they have them set up at that main coin.

Good afternoon.

How are you doing?

Good to see you.

Ms.

Renee.

Hi, Steve.

What else you've been doing?

Oh, please.

Still, my dad.

Security.

Yes.

That depends.

You expected that on me.

Wrong side.

Never notice how easy it is for you to work.

Sure.

Now I know.

I'm like I'm here to talk about that.

All I'm going to do is to get on the agenda.

We can work with the problem.

I've already done all the things.

Oh, you done it?

Okay.

So anyway.

But to speak.

Yeah, I've already done it.

So anyway, I just let you know the next one.

I knew it wouldn't be.

I'm gonna call this agenda meeting to order.

Mr.

Fundare's gonna lead us in the Pledge Allegiance.

All right, you do the plan.

Father God, we pause to recognize thy presence.

Father of all creations.

Lord, we pray that thou would be with us, that our abiding spirit would be with us as we conduct this meeting.

And Lord, we pray your blessings be on every house represented here in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Pledge allegiance to the flag United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

Appointed chairman to review bids for project number LR002, Salier Street Reconstruction.

Contingent upon receipt of facility planning and control authorization to advertise and to amend the budget as necessary.

Public hearings and ordinance art and demolition and authorizing the city elect Charles Center into an agreement for demolition of a structure located at 712 Williams Street, Freddie Mark Johnson Estate Owner.

Another demolition at 3023 General Piney, Gertrude Ann Savoy and George Watkin Savoy Estate owners.

Another demolition at 2205 Klein Street, Barry Mark Charles owner, subject to a tax sale to the state of Louisiana.

Another demolition at 806 Azalea Drive, Carport only to Mika Francis Owner.

Another demolition at 518 Labottle Street, front house only, Jerome Murray owner.

Another demolition at 210 North Booker Street, Dorothy May Collins, and Harry Lee Simeon owners.

Harry Lee Simeon estate owners, subject to a tax sale to the state of Louisiana.

Another demolition at 2103 Opaloosa Street, Sandra Pete Anderson Estate Owner, subject to a tax sale to the state of Louisiana.

Another demolition is 1613 Charles Street, Savernus Gradnego Jr.

and Mary Alice Gradnigo owners.

Another demolition at 1029 Alamo Street.

Janna Marie Bardette and Terry Daniel Turner owners.

Another demolition at 521 Kingsley Street.

Letricia Michelle Fontenau Boardwalk Investors with Union Bank as Secure Party.

Kenna Joseph Fontenau, Shelley Michelle Fontenau, Heritage Management Services with Union Bank as Secure Party.

Malcolm J.

Fontenneau, April Nicole Fontenau Thomas, Kim Latrice Fontenau Poulard and Harold J.

Thibodeau owners, subject to a tax sale to the state of Louisiana.

Ordinances for final action.

An ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles to accept the lowest responsible bid and to enter into an agreement for project number CP 3019 Cell Road Bridge Repairs.

An ordinance accepting the lowest responsible bid and authorizing the city of Lake Charles Center into an agreement to purchase one new three-wheel sweeper for use by the Public Works Department Streets Division.

An ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Allied Universal to provide comprehensive security detail coverages for City Hall and the Transit Division Building for a six-month period and to amend the budget as necessary.

An ordinance amending the City of Lake Charles Ward 3 Marshals Office Budget for the addition of one position allotment of Deputy Marshall and to amend the budget accordingly.

An ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles to accept the lowest responsible bid and to enter into an agreement for project number CP 3224, Murfield Drive Drainage Phase 2, and amend the budget as necessary.

An ordinance approving the amendment to the City of Lake Charles 2019 action plan to reprogram unspent community development block grant coronavirus CDBG CV funds to the Gosford Park Improvement No.

2 project.

An ordinance to amend ordinance number 18189, creating 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 provided for other matters in connection there with the foregoing.

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

An ordinance authorized City of Lake Charles Center into a professional services agreement with Alliance Transportation Group Incorporated.

The rest of these are all professional services agreements.

So I'm going to just say professional service agreement with Angel and Donahue All and Gas Properties into a professional service agreement with Attack Apaw Services LLC into a professional services agreement with Brosay Architect and to a professional services agreement with Carbow Landscape Architecture and to a professional services agreement with Cohesion Architecture LLC into a professional services agreement with COP Associates LLC into a professional services agreement with CSRS Incorporated.

Another professional services agreement with DW Jesson and Associates LLC.

Another professional services agreement with Foo Grow Consultants Incorporated.

Another professional services agreement with CH Farster Maker and Associates LLC.

Another professional services agreement with Randy M.

Goodlow Architect.

Another professional services agreement with Grace A.

Bear Curtis Architects.

Another professional services agreement with Hunt Giot and Associates.

Another professional services agreement with Cook Cutler Architecture.

Another professional service agreement with Meyer and Associates Incorporated.

Another professional services agreement with Moss Reed Architects LLC.

Another professional services agreement with Peridian Engineering Services LLC.

Another professional services agreement with Southland Environmental LLC.

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 lot 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 thereto.

An ordinance designing zoning classification of industrial to property generally described as the east side of the 1200 block of Highway 397, vacant land 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 thereto.

An ordinance assigning Councilmanic District B to 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.

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 Amcus Rescue System Tools.

An ordinance authorizing the City of Lake Charles to enter into an agreement with DW 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.

This item was inadvertently left off of the list.

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 and 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 more loan agreements, one or more loan agreements and all other certificates, documents, and instruments and providing for other matters in connection with the foregoing.

The next are the resolutions, a resolution authorizing a special event permit to be issued to the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo to allow horses to be included in the 2026 Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade to be held on January 29th, 2026.

A resolution authorizing the city of Lake Charles to advertise to receive sale bids to purchase five truck equipment for use by the Lake Charles Fire Department with a companion ordinance.

A resolution approving the form and authorizing the execution and delivery of an amendment to that certain cooperative endeavor agreement dated as of July 1st, 2021, by and between the Enterprise Boulevard Economic Development District, the City of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the state of Louisiana, and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

So there will be a second meeting at the next meeting that will also be with the Enterprise Boulevard Economic Development District.

A resolution authorizing that a special event permit be issued to the Knights of St.

Peter Cleaver number Claver number 141 to allow for a parade route of 5.2 miles for the 2026 nights of St.

Peter Claver Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, February 7th, 2026.

A resolution authorizing that a special event permit be issued to Lake Charles Mardi Gras to allow 150 recreational vehicles and 20 horses in their 20.

It should have been 50 horses in their 2026.

Mardi Gras Parade scheduled for Sunday, February 8, 2026.

A resolution declaring Lock Park and Nelly Lutcher Memorial Park as family-friendly zones during the 2026 Mardi Gras Parade activities and requesting the Lake Charles Police Department enforce the provisions of the codes of ordinances of the City of Lake Charles that prohibit the possession consumption and or sale of alcoholic beverages in parks within the city of Lake Charles and prohibit parking within the Lock Park and Nelly Letcher Memorial Park grounds during the 26th 2026 Mardi Gras parades.

A resolution authorizing that a special event permit be issued to Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana Incorporated for a series of parades to be held Friday, February 13, 2026 through Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in celebration of Mardi Gras.

Ordinances for introduction, introduction of an ordinance authorizing the city of Lake Charles to purchase three new 35-foot clean diesel low floor 88 certified buses for the use by the City of Lake Charles Transit Division utilizing the additional purchase option provided by ordinance number 19529 approved and adopted by the city council on April 5th, 2023.

And then I have a few more items that were turned in later.

A resolution setting date for public hearing and consideration of the late trust planning and zoning commission's decision to deny a request for a variance in order to construct a new restaurant with a 10 foot landscape buffer along both street frontages versus require 15 foot within a business zoning district at the northwest corner of West Pray and Lake Road at Contraband Parkway and did you read that one?

That one is a component.

The ones that I'm looking for, I didn't bring down the um there were some more that were turned in that I forgot to bring down that had to do with an annexation.

Is that for introduction?

For introduction.

And the restaurant is introduction as well.

Right.

That one is introduction as well.

But there were three that had to do with an annexation.

I don't remember.

If you don't yeah, if you don't mind.

I can give you some generalizations and see if they would mind putting it on the agenda.

Uh it's annexing property on Seaberth Drive.

For example, uh next to the uh existing Nissan dealership and the Pat's of Henderson property, or uh just east of the Patch of Henderson.

And the other item was to assign the zoning classification for that annexation and to assign the councilmanic district.

I think it's B for that for that district also.

So there's three items to be considered.

Thank you.

C Bridge drive.

Okay, y'all in agreement with uh adding that to the agenda without us seeing it.

I mean, even though she's coming back with the paper.

Uh do we need to take an official vote for that?

No.

No, we don't have any objections, so we're good.

Yes, sir.

All right.

Anything else?

That's it.

All right.

Um I had one question just done off, and I forgot what it was.

All right, Mr.

Bilbo.

Well, how y'all doing today?

I gotta bear with me.

I got a couple questions.

Can we ask questions about this?

No.

Nothing.

Well, if if it's not anything to discuss.

What's your question?

First, and then I just wanted to first wonder why one parade just say allow horses and the other one say how many horses they can have.

Well, I think we'll discuss that in the agenda meeting.

Okay.

I mean uh the regular meeting.

Regular meeting.

Yes.

Okay.

But before Mr.

Bilbo started, I did want to ask one question.

It was to the same thing.

Are we still doing what we did over previous years having the meeting with business owners ahead of time?

Yes.

Yes, sir.

We'll be announcing that meeting.

Um it'll be February 3rd here in the chambers at 9 a.m.

But we'll be getting the media releases out on that next week.

Okay.

And Mr.

Bilbo, uh, another notes for discussion at the next meeting, but after the meeting, you discuss that with Katie, and she can explain it to you.

Okay.

Okay.

I always, since I got in office, I always wanted I always thought that we we overkill or we do one thing too many times.

So I pulled this section 9-5 on leaving trash and how you can leave your trash to the road.

And I see that the first offense, we put a tag on a door.

The second offense, we send them a certified mail.

The third offense, then we find them 25.

The fourth offense, we remove the can and we find them 50.

Then the fifth offense, we take their can and suspend it for six months.

I just believe that's a lot of wear and tear on our property standards people that you get five times to break offense before we really do something, you know, and we we shorthand it.

But we wear our people out on somebody that just don't want to take care of their responsibilities.

I don't think it should take five offenses before we say, hey, then it's truly no time frame, so we give our people no guidance to say, well, is this five offenses in six months or five offenses in a row?

Because I get a lot of complaints about people leaving trash and how they leave their front yard.

But if it takes five times before we got to really punish them, I I wouldn't, I would say leave in my backyard.

I think that falls under public works, which would be Wendy Robinson, and what we could do is we could let us sit up, we can talk about it, and then when if we chose to make some amendments to it.

I just think there's a I think we should punish them.

Before Ms.

Wendash, just for clarity, are you talking about trash or the trash cans?

All of it.

This is just a the thing I pulled up.

Well, Wendy Robinson, Public Works.

Respectfully, Mr.

Bilbo, I think that's that one's actually regarding trash pickup and garbage pickup.

For example, I think one of the things you read in there that if they leave their can at the front yard after it's been emptied, then they may get a tag on the door.

Um and if it's still there, then they may get fined.

That's for basically the can itself.

No, I agree with it.

I'm just saying why we give them so many chances.

I would say since I've been here, we really don't have the manpower to enact that ordinance right now.

So basically, we haven't really had complaints because I actually live on a I actually live on a road where somebody doesn't put theirs out, and we just don't have the manpower to go out and just check to see if somebody hasn't haven't brought in their can.

Now, people may complain about it, and we try to address those complaints.

Oh, yeah, we just get them calls.

Okay.

I'm just saying, you know, it was it just felt like a just a point of clarity for if Mr.

Cardone can back me up.

I think the city is not trying to make money off of this.

So we we do try to give the residents ample time to get it right.

Now, I get I agree with you when you get to the end, and you become a problem child, then it should be a fine.

You know, maybe on the back end, we can increase that fine, you know, on the fifth time.

But it's it's a possibility that we could probably re-look at that whole ordinance.

We got relocated all ordinance.

Yes, and just kind of revamp it.

I think the last time it may have been looked at, I'm not sure, maybe 2000, early 2000s.

And it's probably needs some updates to because we've annexed a lot of properties and uh uh places, and so we've upscaled the amount of trash and garbage we at solid waste are responsible for picking up.

No, I'm but trust me, I wouldn't complain about public works.

I'm just telling you to come when a constituent called me and I'd say, well, I'm I gotta go ask a question.

Right.

I don't know, but if you call me five times about somebody not pulling in their trash, and then I read that you know they gotta get a lot of chances.

They got a lot of chances.

Yes, that's why you don't move their trash.

We is nothing we can do them.

But if it be if if it becomes refer the person to us to our call center, and we'll we can go and make sure that they get it get tagged, get this get the procedures going.

Okay, okay.

All right.

What's the number for the call center?

The call center number?

491 1200.

And then you let you read the prompt.

Well, to come directly to public works, 337, 491, 1220.

That's what I needed.

Thank you.

You go ahead, Bill.

Okay.

Um, there's something I won't, because I like I say, anytime I get calls on stuff, I try and bring it up so I can get an answer.

We're getting a lot of repeat calls of renters.

Trust me, I have nothing against people that rent.

But I think we should hold the landlord way more for his property, especially if he own more than one.

Because he's collecting rent, he's he's collecting a pay.

Just like we have to get our occupational license to do things, I think they ought to, and I think they ought to have to report every property they have because once you become a real habitual landlord offender, which I would call some people call today a slum lord, where we got people constantly going out to his properties or her properties constantly with the same issues, whether it's not cutting their yard or animals or anything that's in violation, they need to be held at a higher standard than some property owners.

Because we have a lot of rentals moving into, especially my district and district C that people coming in and it's the same cause.

And when I do the GPS mapping, it's the same guys who own it.

But it taking us months and months to get issues solved, and I don't think he's they're really getting addressed.

And I'm wondering, can we do something in the audience to make them have to be addressed higherly than somebody else who owns because they own silver properties.

They might be up to five or six properties.

I done got calls on one guy.

He owned like six properties just in district C.

And that means I got to call Miss Parla.

I got to call uh Miss Dela Falls, or whoever I got to call, and they go into the same guy properly who owns, and he's drawing an income from this, but not taking care of his responsibilities by law.

So we need to punish him by law.

He needs to be registered.

And if he got occupation license, we can track him and hold him accountable for what he's doing in our neighborhoods.

So if it's something that we can look at.

Look at.

Okay, yes, sir.

I think if I'm not mistaken, Mr.

Stutz, you might know about this.

I I think Doug Doug, didn't we either we drafted something for renters, or we talked about it?

No, we we uh passed an ordinance for short-term rentals, not renters.

So this is not about the renter.

I'm talking about the owner, the owner.

So I know like I talked to Miss Paula sometime, we send things directly to the owners of the property, but if it's all coming to the same person, is it the rental fault or is the landlord not taking it?

Typically, typically the violations ultimately will fall on the owner of the property and not the tenant.

Now we try to address it through the tenant because the tenant's the one causing the problem, but ultimately if they don't take care of it, we go to the owner and he's held accountable.

Yeah, but I'm saying, but if we put a fine.

And we we do have an ordinance in place that addresses those type of landlords under the nuisance abatement.

So there is a provision in place.

Now we may revisit it and might be able to do something a little bit different if you want to, but there's a provision in place for landlords that don't maintain properties under the nuisance abatement.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

Uh now I got a couple of questions that's that I was asked about.

Um the enterprise district.

Can y'all explain to me the difference between the enterprise district that we just saw on amendment and what we passed by for the late Charles economic?

I think that'll be a discussion for next week, and unless Mr.

Stooch you you choose to address it now, but we're gonna discuss that very topic on the economic development district when it comes up because it's on the Yeah, and and let me say this, Mr.

Bubble.

I I would I would like to address it ahead of time.

There's uh clearly a difference between the two, and if we can address it prior to y'all taking action on it, I'd much prefer to do that.

We could set up a meeting at your commitment.

Yeah, there's just a couple of questions.

We were playing concern about the sales tax who it is, huh?

Okay.

We're planning to try and schedule meetings with y'all district.

Okay.

Okay.

Um final one.

Uh actually this in Mr.

Mark's district, but I got the phone call.

Talk about, don't talk about it.

On the corner of Astor and Craft, but I wasn't gonna call them about it.

Uh, it's already a four-way stop sign and is in a residential district.

A lady asked me with concern.

Do we put lights around?

She showed me a video I was not sure about three cars just running this four-way stop sign.

That's past the uh children's clinic.

That's right by it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And they say a lot of kids play out there, and she she said she said she don't know if they not seeing it or you know, you can't talk about how someone drive, but do we have any of the signs that they got four stop signs?

They got four times.

Do they do have lights around?

Do they do anything, nothing to enhance that there is actually we we have one at all?

Can we put the first one I've seen on Lake Street and Lake and School?

I was pretty impressed.

Okay.

You could see it from Ryan's.

They must have seen somewhere.

Well, we we have a couple of them throughout the city.

Of course, it would be very difficult to put it at all stop signs every time somebody has an issue.

And what I typically like to do, if possible, is just have uh our traffic department evaluate it and try to come back with a recommendation if we could.

I I didn't go look it, I'm sorry.

What what about if we put some slow children at play signs if it's not there?

I just got called, so I just told him I wasn't gonna call him.

I just that's a much easier fix.

What is the cost difference between that and the little things you put on the road that before you get to the stop sign?

I don't know.

Um I can share a little not called, not called.

So I know that stops I would talk about because I like streets.

Mm-hmm.

So there were some some people asked about that.

Or the problem in the neighborhood, no law.

I know you talked about the cost.

No, yeah, but I mean that noise is happening every time a car goes.

But Mr.

Marshall, we could get you an estimated cost on that if you like it.

And yeah, because I mean if it's if it's cheaper than uh a slow at uh slow at play sign, then because I think we'd have to put them on all four corners, those signs to to cover both sides.

But we did a traffic study on it maybe a year and a half ago, and it was the the speed was normal, you know, everything was good on it.

I mean, you just got people that's breaking the law.

Yeah, yeah.

But when they ask you, you ask.

Yeah, you know so we can look at a slow play sign because the concern was children.

And anytime somebody called me, you know, when they say children, I I just have to respond because that'd be the worst call you get if something happened to the child, and I didn't I didn't ask you.

Understood we'll have it evaluated and get back with you.

Okay.

I think that's it.

Sure.

Yeah, yeah.

All right.

Mr.

Weatherfitt.

All right, anything.

Mr.

Young?

Yes, sir.

Uh one issue, um, seeing a significant uptick in calls uh in the last six months about short-term rentals.

You cued me up earlier.

Uh in December, uh, this council unanimously passed an ordinance um only allowing those in well it uh allowing those in every type of district except for neighborhood and residential.

Um so and I think that's a good thing because you're not having all these Airbnbs, uh many hotels just popping up in residential districts, single family homes, kind of changing the layout of the neighborhood.

My question is uh one that I've not quite been able to get to the bottom of since December when we passed that.

What checks and balances are in place to ensure that if I'm Airbnb operator, I come in to get an occupational license, what department is checking to make sure it's not residential, so we're not issuing those.

I I have a I think I have a point of clarity.

I don't think we passed an ordinance to say it couldn't be in residential.

I think we it didn't have to be a good question.

We we did uh because what it does it flags and it requires I think a minor conditional use permit.

Right.

But Mr.

Burger, yes, uh that was passed in December.

They are not permitted as of right in residential neighborhood, they do have to go through the conditional use approval process.

Um the applicant or the owner of the property needs to come in and apply for an occupational license, and once they apply for an occupational license, then they're sent up to our floor for confirmation of what zoning districts it's in.

Uh occupational license and finance will first, you know, that that's the first line of defense.

Um we had a uh company that was going out and trying to identify these uh short-term rentals, and that has been uh since uh left to the responsibility of finance, and I'll have to let them answer, you know.

How are they how do they go out and they find these, you know, on the on the uh platforms the whatever you call it to sign up for these programs?

But my point is it's not man, they just have to go get a conditional use.

That's correct.

And and the conditional use application, uh once they make application and they they follow the criteria that's that's that's uh required under the the ordinance for short-term rentals, the council member can appeal that application.

Right.

And if that application is appealed, it is heard in a public meeting at the planning commission level, and whatever decision the planning commission makes, that decision can also be appealed to the council uh after their decision.

Well, just clarity.

Uh help me to understand.

You said it could be appealed by the councilman.

Correct.

Any any councilman.

To the planning and zoning.

That's correct.

So that means that we would have to go to planning and zoning and speak on that.

No, no, it's just like any other application for a variance or a conditional use.

Uh you don't have to say anything.

You appeal it.

That application goes to the planning commission.

The applicant that made application will present his case to the planning commission, hear the opposition if there's any opposition, and it goes through the public hearing and discussion process.

So we we should find out about it before it goes to planning and that's correct.

You you will get in a minor conditional use permit, you will get a packet and it says they've applied for a conditional use permit, they have a 15-day appeal period, you can appeal it, or the applicant can appeal it.

And generally, a council member, if they don't have any issue with it, won't appeal it.

But if you have an issue with it and you start getting phone calls because we put a sign in the yard, you may want to appeal the application.

That's your discretion.

But they can clarify variance, a variance is gonna have here.

But a minor condition use may not have a hearing.

Or the council, but the council person can get notice that they were the minor conditions.

It's correct.

Prior to and then you can appeal, but a variance is gonna go to the commission on that.

But I just want to be clear that so I just want to make sure that if you for two guys, if you get the dealers or minor conditions, and you have a concern about them, you need to have basically appealing or ask that we have here to the planning and zoning.

Right, correct.

Okay, but back to what Matt was saying.

Who contacts us to let us know first that that taking place and second of the outcome of the planning and zoning?

You'll automatically get an a packet in the mail with that minor conditional use explaining what the application is, where it's located, do they meet the standards, and then it will state in the in the uh letter that a councilman or the applicant has 15 days to appeal that application.

If you appeal it, you send me an email saying I'm appealing this minor conditional use application, it's within that 15-day window.

We put it on the next uh count uh commission agenda to be heard, and you'll get another packet with the council, the planning commission agenda, and it will say minor conditional use appealed by the councilman marks was being heard on February 9th.

That's what that's what my concern was.

We'll get to the You'll always get a notice.

Okay, you'll always get a notice.

Um I have a large appreciation for that process.

I I do want to speak up for the residents though, uh, because I mean some of these situations where it's senior citizen neighborhoods, and then all of a sudden you've got an eight-bedroom Airbnb where guests who don't want to pay casino rates or staying at an Airbnb, but they're coming back and forth and they're parking on the street, and so I I appreciate that.

I just want to make sure that there's a checks and balances where we are uh verifying that occupational licenses aren't being given to uh operators in residential districts without going through that process.

And they're being taxed appropriately, right?

Just that's the question.

We are okay.

All right.

Just for clarity, if anybody listening to this meeting, want to clear it.

You can get it in a residential neighborhood if you follow the process.

That's correct.

Okay.

Good.

Good.

Thank you.

Got anything else?

That's it.

All right.

Mr.

Fundale.

So I sent you guys an email on repeat violation with uh mechanic shops.

And uh Ms.

Falden.

You want to come up and do you have it with you?

Yes, I asked Ms.

Paul.

So what with the back the background, I've been having a lot of problems with these illegal mechanic shops, and we're struggling to get them taken care of.

And I was talking with Ms.

Fowler, um, I asked what we could do to deal with the issue, and she said we didn't have enough uh bid in the fine, so I asked her to come up with a recommendation for the council so we can close this gap, you know.

They they've learned the system, they they can play it better than us, you know what I'm saying?

And I got constituents that are really frustrated with this this whole process.

So we have to do some.

So we're talking about um home mechanic shops, which you know um you're not supposed to have, but they're popping up everywhere, and um we are having a hard time um getting them to stop.

You know, um normally it's the same people that we go to every time they clean it up, you know.

Uh we go through the hearing process, we find them, they clean it up.

Um a lot of them are renters or family members that are um you know staying in the home, and their aunt or uncle or their grandparents have to come to hearing, and um, you know, of course we find them, they get them to clean it up, but two months down the line we're at the same spot again, um, with people complaining, they have multiple cars there, or they're working after hours, or the weekends where you know we don't work and we can't get out there to inspect.

Um so uh Mr.

Fondale um asked me to come up with some uh recommendations as far as fines are concerned, you know, to get a little more uh um teeth in our ordinance as far as fines, and it's something that we can look through to see if we can do this and just revise the fine the ordinance uh where the fines are concerned for the home mechanic shops and and I would recommend for the commercial tire businesses or the um those mechanic shops because we do have the same issues with those places also.

Fondale um asked me to come up with some uh recommendations as far as fines are concerned, you know, to get a little more uh um teeth in our ordinance as far as fines, and it's something that we can look through to see if we can do this and just revise the fine the ordinance uh where the fines are concerned for the home mechanic shops and and I would recommend for the commercial tire businesses or the um those mechanic shops because we do have the same issues with those places also and uh this isn't every one of them, it's um you know, I can name you know count on one hand which ones I'm dealing with all the time.

So um I'm just gonna call them out uh the bullet points.

Um the first offense, uh first hearing a 250 dollar fine per violation, which means each inoperable vehicle that's parked on the lot is going to be considered a violation.

So that's 250 dollars per vehicle that's on the lot.

Um found on the property requires a 250 dollar fine plus any vehicle ports, trash, debris, piles and accumulations, operable vehicles parked on an unapproved surface, waste tire, storage, etc.

Uh vehicles are tagged with a 10-day tow deadline, um, abatement order to clean property and remove vehicles within 10 days.

Uh that would be the order at the the first hearing.

So normally at the first hearing, we give them you know a little bit of leeway if that's the first time.

But because we're having so many problems with it, we want the first hearing to have that fine attached to it and an abatement order.

Um the second hearing, 250 dollar fine per day per violation until compliance is met, abatement order to clean property and remove vehicles within 10 days.

So that one right there, we went from 250 uh per violation to per day.

So maybe these are repeat offenders will think twice about um you know continuing the practice.

Um the third hearing, five hundred and fifty dollars per day per violation until compliance is met, abatement order to clean the property and remove vehicles within 10 days, and once again, that is a much stiffer fine uh than what we have in place right now.

Fourth hearing, a thousand dollars fine per day per violation until compliance is met, abatement order to clean the property and remove vehicles within 10 days, and of course, if the city has to go in and do any kind of work on that property, the cost goes towards the property owner.

Um if the same property owner is in violation on several properties, they are considered a habitual offender.

Uh the fine should start at $500 per violation per property.

So that touches with what Mr.

Bilbo was talking about with the um the landlord and having several properties that are in violation.

So uh that's what we're presenting to go over and maybe uh toss around to see if we can amend the ordinance that's in place right now.

Miss Can I ask a question?

Miss Ms.

Bruce.

And well, it's really to Mr.

Stutz.

Is it legal for us when they get to maybe number four?

We put a lien on the property, and and I say why, because she said most of these people are renters.

They're renting, so it's really no, they can pack up and leave, you know, and this stuff will be going on.

But if we catch it early enough and let the owner know, hey, we're gonna put a lien on that property if you don't control your renter from doing what they're doing.

Is that something we can look into?

I don't know if you can tell me right off the but I think as long as you're providing notice to the landlord that that is a potential consequence to him, then you'd comply with Mennonite and do process, I believe.

I'd I'd have to look into it, but I believe it's possible.

I think right Mr.

Marks, I believe you can.

You can put a lien against it.

Um and I think uh I I really believe if we start doing that.

I uh as Mr.

Stutz said, the person creating a violation will get notice.

But if you're planning on putting lien against it, I think we owe it to the property owner to let them know that their tenants in violation.

And I believe if they know that that there's gonna be a lien against them, they're gonna clean up the problem.

And I would suggest that we put that in maybe at step two or step three, because now you're giving the owner notice that they've passed this threshold.

Yeah, you might not get to four.

Yeah.

Well, right now we do have in place where if they don't pay the fine, they have a certain amount to pay a time to pay it 40 days.

If they don't pay it, then it goes towards lien.

So and that goes on their property taxes.

We already have that in place right now.

Step one already there.

Step one.

Yeah, we're all yeah, we already have that in place.

So um if they don't pay these fine the fines in place right now, if we find someone at admin hearing, they don't pay it, they have 40 days to pay it.

If they don't pay it within that time, then it goes to lien.

And that lien goes on the property taxes.

So we already have something in place.

Um what we're looking at right now is to implement more fines to have more um where we have more of a backbone to find them to get them to quit doing what they're doing.

Right.

Now also for the new council members, I know it's uh um it's in our ordinance, what a car can sit on.

Like you can't just have a car sitting on the grass.

It must be on the slab.

There are certain things like that that would be a telltale sign for us.

If you riding by one day and you looking at it, you know, if that car don't have a license plate, if it don't have a cover, if it don't have all these different things, we know it's a potential that something is going wrong there.

Well, you can park one operable vehicle on the grass.

Um, you know, regardless if if it's we have a boat ordinance now where it has to be on the trailer, where you can have a boat on the trailer in the grass, an ATV or whatever, but that is considered a vehicle.

You can't have a car and a boat and trailer and stuff on the grass.

It can only be one.

You cannot have an operable vehicle visible to the public.

It has to be behind a privacy fence and covered for the car.

So, yes, yeah.

And we do have um, you know, allotments for uh antique vehicles.

You can have that one on an improved surface covered.

Um, you know, so we do have things in place, but we're having issues with these mechanic shops that pop up, you know.

I understand, you know.

Um you're looking for a good mechanic.

Well, we have a lot of good mechanics that are home mechanics, you know.

And um, they don't you cannot have a mechanic shop um at a at your place.

It's just you know a lot of people.

You can't come to junk cars, yeah.

All around the house with junk.

Yes.

You know, they're taking parts off of this one to fix this one, and you know, stuff like that.

You can't do that.

And um, like I said, I can name them.

And um, they just won't stop.

And we need we need more, we need something more to help us to get them to stop.

So Mr.

Fun Dev, you'll get with Ms.

Paula and look at that, you know, and see if it got any teeth and get with Mr.

Stutz.

Well we got the recommendation waiting on you to say yes, Mr.

Barnes.

Say what?

Yeah, to what?

I think I'd like for us to look at it.

Mr.

Fondale, I I think I think the next process will be if we think it's a viable ordinance and the rest of the council members support it, then we could write it up, place it on the agenda for consideration.

First making sure it's legal.

Okay.

I have a question.

Um we have a business operating illegal, and we took them to this court um a couple of times.

Which court operating hearing.

But isn't that a violation where where the police department can actually write him a citation for operating a business without a license?

Where he has to go to uh city court instead of this process.

That's a that's another violation in there, is from what I'm understanding.

Because you know, we have the same repeat stuff, and and um this process don't have any teeth in it.

And that violation at one time the the police officer can go by and write a citation or where where it went to city court, yeah.

To operate to the extent that it is whatever they're doing is a crime.

Yes, the city police, if it's certain level of misdemeanor, it can go to city court or could even wind up in state court.

It just depends on whether or not it it's it's a crime.

So every time these people open, we we shut them down and they start right back up.

The city police can write them a ticket every time they reopen.

Now we I don't know if I can answer that affirmatively.

He's saying if it's a crime.

If it's a criminal violation, yeah, I mean you're describing the case.

Right.

Any violent the code says any violation of the code is both civil and and a misdemeanor.

So it it could be uh side.

I want the city police to start uh addressing these issues.

I got people, we we got operating.

If we can do something, please do yeah, and Mr.

Ponde, I gotta believe if you impose a fine of 250 dollars per day per bill per day, like they were requesting and it goes to that owner, they're gonna clean it up because that that's a huge lien.

In the meantime, if it's already a law and we can write this person a ticket, I got constituents that got cars all in their backyard everywhere.

I mean, it's been a burden on these people for going on two months.

Mr.

Franklin, we we've been through this process over and over.

Understood.

When we can if we can do that, I prefer it to be done.

You know, if it is legal to do it, I want it.

Yes, sir.

I don't mean to be rude, but these people came, their whole backyard is full of it.

Good Ms.

Fundale, in reference to the city police writing citations, it has to be a criminal law, not a civil matter.

It has to be be able to be prosecuted by a prosecutor, has to be a fine that has to be associated.

Now, if these things are what you're talking about that we can write citations for, we can clear that with the city prosecutor if they're going to prosecute it.

But we have to have uh a criminal law, not a civil law that we can actually send to city court or the district court or state.

So we can meet on that later on, but I just wanted to be clear that we just because it's an ordinance, if it is not punishable by fine or or criminal time, then that kind of limits us.

So we have to make sure that the city prosecutor will be able to say I talked with some law enforcement, and they send me some saying that we couldn't do more.

So we'll talk about it.

Okay, all right.

Um I think I'm through, Mr.

Montes.

You sure?

Yes.

All right.

Mr.

With I'm good.

All right, I got a couple things.

Uh the first one is on the last agenda meeting I reported about the burning of trash.

Uh since found out that uh it's illegal to burn trash in the city, and I reported a property that was south of 324 East Oak Lane.

I didn't have the address at the time, and I failed to go get the address, but it's on Claude Street, the house that we have any information in regards to that.

Okay.

I do not fighting chancellor.

I'll look at it.

Okay.

All right.

The other thing is I asked for a list.

Uh I sent an email out asking for a list of the uh the professional services that we're gonna be voting on next week.

I wanted all councilmen to have a list of their previous jobs and their current projects uh and their qualifications that they have currently because Mr.

Stevens told us that a lot of these contracts that we are renewing for this two-year period was in the middle of some projects, which is why we are voting on those particular people because I inquired about why didn't it go out to bid and he told me uh correct me if I if I say something wrong, Miss Robinson, that he said that uh some of these projects were awarded, we're doing it to extend the time because they were in the middle of a project currently.

Do y'all remember that?

And so I know well, you I don't think you were here, John.

Oh, that's why I do.

Yeah, and I I just want I sent an email out the following week asking for uh the previous jobs because they were saying that a lot of the people that are on these professional services agreements, the way they get them is based upon the previous work they done, different things like that.

So I sent out an email uh requesting for the ones that we have on the list that we get the previous jobs that they worked on with the city, the current jobs that they're working on now, and the qualifications.

And I tell you why I want that for the councilman because if we're voting on someone, let's just say somebody slipped through the crack and we vote on somebody that other people didn't have a chance to bid on that particular job, and we give them a professional services agreement.

Well, they've bought they bypassed the the protocol on how you get on the list.

You understand what I'm saying?

I understand.

And so I just want to make sure for our edification that all of these people have worked for the city before.

Um they had pre-qualification, and it was the previous job because those were the things that Mr.

Stevens said were some of the criteria for giving the jobs.

So I I sent that out maybe a week and a half ago, and I just wanted to know what is the status of getting that information to us before we vote next week.

And I mean, you can use all that time, it don't have to be tonight.

Just want to have them before we vote so that we can look at them before.

The information is being worked on.

Okay.

Appreciate you.

Also, Mr.

Martin.

Yes, sir.

Um is in motion.

And the school with the uh did they do it yet?

Yeah, I wasn't aware of it.

I I was informed that the school is doing their part, they had to put a landing pad.

They can't put a crosswalk to know.

So it's it's working on they're working together and and I didn't know.

So the crosswalk that we have on First Avenue when it gets to um Broad Street, we don't have a crossing going across.

We got a cross and I know it's state um, but we got we got the crosswalk set up for people to continue walking across broad.

So I uh crosswalk.

Well, I will say the you're talking about the first Avenue walking trail.

That is actually more uh deemed recreational than it is uh pedestrian traffic, even though you can pedestrian.

So if we want to have a crosswalk there, we do need to get with DOTD to get that put on there.

There is uh some restrictions because it's sandwiched right between two uh red lights.

So, like there, because I mentioned asking about that before.

There just there's some stuff that they had questions about.

We can but we can ask them again.

Yeah, but it's it's not like we created two uh purposefully yet.

It it was it's recreational design.

Okay, so but that's a good idea.

But we can check in today.

Absolutely.

I just don't want somebody getting hit and agreed, and and um we're doubting us address, Mr.

Stephen.

Um, one comment on the first avenue crossing.

Um I believe there's a recommendation in our safe streets for all uh program that we adopted a while back to put a crossing there.

We are currently looking at implementation grants to pursue that kind of work.

Oh, okay.

Um, and again, it's part of our general plan, so it's things that we can prioritize over the year based on the mayor and the council's feedback.

Um, but of course, we have to have the budgets to execute that kind of stuff.

The next thing is I did send an email out to the mayor.

The mayor did respond, but I wanted to reiterate in this meeting about the sports complex.

We we when the sports complex issue was coming up, we were pushed because we said we won the timeline, we had to rush, we had to do all this.

I need for I requested that the council get a copy of the approval documents for the downtown site.

If it has been approved, uh could you please get those approval documents to the council as well as the documents of the initial grant that stipulates how we are to use that money and the rules or regulations of how we are to use that money and building a sports complex.

I'd like to have that uh sent to each and each council member so that we're gonna have to deal with this issue as far as funding and what we can and cannot do somewhere down the road.

So I like to have those things sent to the council uh as soon as possible, as soon as feasible.

Uh the other thing is I got a question on the proper procedure for establishing a business.

Let's say a club.

We had a situation where a club tried to open up on a certain spot.

They went and got their liquor license before they got approved to open as a business.

We dropped the ball somewhere in there, unless I'm not understanding how the process works.

Because they went to the alcohol review board, was approved for a license, and I rolled by there and saw a sign that they're going to planning and zoning.

If I'm not mistaken, that's that's out of order.

It sounds to me like it is as well.

Because typically the the process in place is to make sure it's approved by zoning to make sure it can go there prior to getting the license.

Right.

So I'm not quite sure.

Make sure I don't know.

I I've never encountered that problem before, so that's just uh an anomaly.

We're we're investigating that right now.

They did go to the planning and zoning last night to open a bar within 300 feet of a uh residential zoned area.

So we're looking at you know procedurally where that where that lapse happened, so we're we're looking at that right now.

Okay, just for uh Mr.

Marks to expand on that a little bit.

We actually met today and we are in the process of potentially looking at all of the rules about compliance issuing the permits and how that would correlate between planning and zoning in the city.

So it's actually being looked at kind of at a 30,000 foot level to make sure that it all makes more sense.

Not that it doesn't make sense, but that it's a little bit better.

What we really want to do is also not only have the the sequence to make sure that that's tight, but we also want to educate our potential bar owners and businesses a lot better about what they can and can't do to try and avoid some of the problems we're running into.

I think I think one of the issues also they they did not get a full building permit.

They didn't apply for a building permit to establish that or do the renovations, so that was kind of a lapse there on on their part, but we're looking at all the aspects like uh Mr.

Stutz has stated to make sure that number one, the business owners understand you just don't go in and start doing things without actual building permits.

So uh just check all the boxes.

Because this was an anomaly.

This I've never seen it before.

Yeah, I've been here 25 years and you know you things move so fast and things happen, and you know, it it just it's one of those things that we're gonna have to look at.

Right.

Gotcha.

Appreciate it.

Um just for clarification, the hundred and forty million dollars that we talked about earlier that's gonna be in the next agenda.

That's not the same thing as the Lake Charles Rebound.

Yes, it is.

I just missed putting it on this draft agenda.

Okay.

It was introduced already.

Did we pay out the bonds?

Because I remember a while back, the mayor said that we wasn't gonna go into the Lake Charles Rebound until we paid those bonds that we owed down.

And I think it came to something like five million a year.

Did we pay them down?

Uh no, sir.

But I'm I'm gonna let uh Miss McDaniel speak to that.

But what's happening in this, we always said that we did not want to borrow the money until around the first quarter after the first quarter of 2026.

And there's a reason for that because we can just pay off interest and I'll let if you don't mind trying to explain that a little bit better.

I'm sorry, I was talking about the bar, and so I didn't really hear the first question.

Well, I just wanted to know that when did we change?

Because some time ago, maybe a month or so ago, we were told that we're not gonna draw that money down until we paid some bonds that we already owed.

And we spoke about those bonds came to something like five million a year.

So now I saw in the newspaper that we were drawing down this money, and I'm just curious as did we pay the bonds down in some kind of way?

Um so the last payment on the $90 million 2007 bonds is in 2027, the beginning of 2027.

Um read the article that you read.

Um the L CDA, so the way the bonds have they get issued by the L CDA, so then it goes through the bond commission, bond commission approved us getting the bonds, then it goes back to L C DA, which is the article that you read uh last Thursday, LCDA um accepted the bond commission that they can move forward with issuing the bonds.

What we plan to do is there is an ability to start borrowing the money and only and forego paying principal for the first two years if we need to.

And so in order to get some of these projects like the Enterprise Boulevard moving and buying out properties and that sort of thing, we would take a few take a draw, smaller draw, we're not gonna draw the whole 60 million at one time, but we would take a smaller draw to start getting those uh getting those projects moving.

Yes, sir.

The other thing is Mr.

Mark, just to expand on that a little bit.

So just because and I think we've tried to share it in a meeting, even though we're getting approval for the 140 million dollars, our first phase, we have no intention of borrowing 140 million dollars because we can't service that debt.

So that's why we tried to identify those projects and phases and bringing that before the council to discuss for the first phase.

And I think that is a great explanation that y'all just gave because I know one of my misconceptions is when people say we don't have enough for the whole project, and what you are actually saying is that we we drawing as we do a phase of it.

Not that you don't have the money, it just we working on this phase first, then the next phase, and we'll draw according to what we can pay back.

What we can pay back, correct.

That's correct.

That's my main focus is to be sure that we don't borrow more than what we can pay back and making sure those other bonds are paid uh paid first.

But also to the point of that article um that maybe wasn't explained very well in that article, you have to go through this process before you can ever borrow the money.

And it's a you know, you have to get on the uh bond commount council uh committee schedule and then the L C D A.

So you have to go through all these um approval processes before you can ever talk to a bank about um And you don't want to do that at the last minute.

No, sir, you do not want to do that at the last minute because we do also have to have meetings with rating rating agencies and all that kind of stuff that will happen over the next few months, and so we're putting all the pieces in place to be able to draw those first funds down.

Gotcha.

The other thing, and to tie in with that, I just want to encourage the administration to please get with the council members because I know Stuart, myself, and uh Mr.

Harvey, we may be familiar with how Lake Charles Rebound is supposed to work and in each person's district.

But I would urge the administration to prevent any misconceptions that we meet so that every person will know what they have we have in their district and how it's supposed to take place.

We have we've had meetings with uh with all the council members, and we uh we have a list of all the projects and the timing on the projects and that sort of thing.

So we have uh had meetings.

Y'all have had them?

Okay, but go ahead, John.

Mine must be down the least no no m Mr.

Marks.

And one of the make one when we had the meetings, you were unable to attend one of the meetings, and we've had conversations.

We've got to bring you up to date of where we are in first phase, but I think all the other council members were able to make it.

And I want to urge the council if you have any questions, don't wait till the time.

Ask ask it now so that we can get out ahead of it.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

The other one is uh has there been any communications with the housing authority on the St.

Mary Drive project?

Because that's gonna be an obstacle in us getting started with the enterprise extension.

Have we made any grounds on how we're gonna handle that or we're trying to get them to donate it or what?

Can you speak to that?

Either yes or not.

If you can't, we'll wait.

Okay.

We'll get to that.

We do have some information, and we'll get it to you.

Okay, we've had conversations about it.

Moving forward.

Uh Mr.

Morris, what are you thinking?

Go ahead.

Go ahead.

Um I got a call from somebody in transportation.

Uh just to let the council know.

And um they've been having ongoing issues with people for quite a while.

I called the city police and he pulled the the records, and they've been having some serious issues for quite a while.

You know, yeah.

They they they haven't called out the city police it all all the time.

And the thing that we let it get to this point where the these people have been dealing with this for this is not something that just came on the agenda.

This has been going on for quite a little time now.

You know what I'm saying?

So I had asked the city police to put a unit there and to pass by.

If if you don't mind, Mr.

Fundell, I think that would fall in with the allied um thing that but this is this is the in between time.

Oh, you're talking about transit building, the transit building.

Okay, yes, sir.

There's somebody that's been the unit out there, and we were supposed to make rounds.

I wanted to know if that was done yet.

It's my understanding that yes, that's being done.

Okay.

All right.

The other thing is uh today.

I heard some talk about the country club about the parish axed for some money up front for the country club.

I don't know.

I mean, country club road, let me not say the country club.

Country club road project that is a part of the Lake Charles Rebound, and they ask for some a portion of the money up front.

I just want us to have the understanding that we were only supposed to give a portion of that project, correct?

That's correct.

So if we give all of our portion up front, that violates the Lake Charles rebound.

We're not doing that.

Okay.

The answer is we're not doing that.

It's not the parishes DOTD.

Okay.

It's their project, and we've agreed to put up money.

They will not need our money that's under design right now.

They plan they have money put aside.

The parish does have some money put aside.

We're trying to get more from the parish because the projects is an expensive project, but we're not upfronting the money.

And that's why at one point, in order to entice the project, we were going to put up money so they can start acquiring right away.

DOTD doesn't need that.

And I can't remember the exact date.

I think it's 2028.

They won't need our money until 2028.

Gotcha.

Gotcha.

Is the anticipated date from DOTD?

Okay.

Uh so excuse me, Council Road is a state road.

Country Club Road is a state road.

Okay.

Uh one of the other things, Mr.

Bilbo district, we've been having this.

Well, it was my district, not as Mr.

Bilbo district, and the man called me in the grocery store.

And it was Mr.

Gillary.

You remember that?

I think John, maybe a year ago, we had an issue with the people on on what what street is that?

You remember?

It's 17.

I find out the streets.

17th to 18th Street.

The residents blocked their backyards in.

And it cut the the yards are encompassing a lateral.

We couldn't find out who owns the lateral, whether it's the city's responsibility, the parrot, whomever.

Well, what is happening in rains that because the the residents are allowed to put privacy fence up, is causing his yard to be flooded.

Because it's blocking all the water out.

Now his is his path is the least resistance.

Is Mr.

Gillary, we have it, uh Kevin might remember.

I mean, I need to be able to tell a man behind the nursing home.

So that's the reason behind like T.

H.

Watkins.

It's a throughway that used to be a through rate between 17 and 18.

You supposed to be able to walk from one side to the other because that's where the main drainage line drop in.

But of course, over time, people done built their fence over that.

Over that, and they think that's theirs, but we can't go do work because you have a fence.

So he wanted to prove who property line it was between him and his neighbor because like I I keep mine cut.

Not necessarily the property line, but who owns that lateral.

I don't know.

I know you're not I'm not familiar with it, but I gotta believe we can find out who owns the lateral.

Sometimes you may have a property, their property line includes the lateral, and that later was in a right-of-way.

I don't think they like to do that today.

Uh uh set up that way, but you do have to maintain it and keep it keep it open.

So if we get the exact location, I'm sure we can chase it.

I'll send it to you.

I'm just not familiar with it.

Off of 7th Avenue between 17th and 18th Street.

Uh, like I said, I know between me and my neighbor on 17th, you have uh about a four-foot gap between, and that's where your main drain line would would drop into.

And so if city needed to come do some work, they didn't have to go in your yard is needed to that.

We need to find out if that's been grandfather.

But you're saying drainage, not sewer.

You're saying drainage.

Well, wherever the water is supposed to drain in the rain, that's drainage.

Okay.

Well, you said Kevin earlier, so and that would be wastewater.

Uh and maybe I misunderstood.

I think Kevin handled it for water the last time it was done.

He he's the one sent the truck out and got it dug.

We'll chase it down.

We just dealt with Ms.

Paula with him when he had the sewer from the neighbor yard going into his yard.

Yeah.

The neighbor had took the cap off the sewer line, and everything just was going into his yard.

I don't want to see shit.

You know what I'm saying?

All right.

No, what I want to go see it for.

The last the last thing on my uh agenda is property standards.

I'm getting a lot of calls about property standards.

I do know that we're short.

I do know we have some people out, and we've hired some more um uh property standards inspectors, and they're gonna be in rotation at some point in the near future.

But if we can we can maybe get a sense of urgency when it starts about certain areas that we've reported in the past.

Okay, we're not short-handed anymore.

Okay.

We um we um I have uh two inspectors.

I have them in three different areas, two inspectors in the northern north abroad, two in mid, and two south of uh preon.

So um we also have uh one zoning inspector that covers the entire area.

So we are fully staffed right now.

Uh our two newest inspectors are still in training, they are in the northern part.

Um, but um we are fully staffed.

Last year we opened up almost 7,000 cases for property standards issues.

So we are, you know, hitting the ground running.

Uh, we're in a new year, um, new season, you know, grass seasons gonna we actually work all year long because you know the grass never quits growing.

But um, yes, we are uh moving forward with everything.

Um our inspectors uh we did our evaluations at the end of the year, so all their inspections were up tremendously.

So, yes, uh, we are moving forward with the full staff.

Quick question, Mr.

Stutz, uh, Mr.

Cardone, what do we use that money for?

The violations, the fines.

What do we use that for?

It goes back in the fund, general fund.

We we can't earmark that for salaries.

That I think that would actually require state law.

Yeah, I think that would require state law.

I mean, basically, property standards.

We pay, like if we have to pay to clean your yard, um we put that towards the property owner.

Okay.

Well, they pay the bill, so it's basic a basic reimbursement.

The only thing that we get, um, and even our admin fee, it's $150 that we add to the invoice.

That's even a reimbursement.

So basically, we're trying to break out even there.

There's nothing that we you know, there's no profit for us.

So, you know, any monies that's collected is a basic reimbursement.

Gotcha.

Gotcha.

Any other uh comments from the council?

Wait, Mr.

Bilbo, I'm about to get that address.

Okay, well, you can get it in 2524 17th Street.

Okay.

2524.

Yes, Mr.

2524.

Uh we talked about Red Road Avenue before, and the lights were out.

The lights are still out.

Um the mayor mentioned about putting a camera out there because whoever is doing it is probably shooting out the lights and don't you?

So we need to move to the we need to find out who they are.

All right.

Any other questions?

At this time, this is the portion of the meeting that we go for public comments.

Uh, you would to fill out a card if you wanted to speak.

I have Mr.

Michael Solari.

State your name and address for the record.

Uh this is gonna be real short.

Uh Michael Soler, 3701, Burgoyne Drive, Lake Ross.

Uh, I would like to withdraw my uh request to speak.

Okay.

Uh after speaking with Mr.

Mr.

Burger, we're gonna work on some stuff through zoning, and then I'll be back to see y'all in a month.

I appreciate that.

So, anyway, he's trying to mess up my record.

See, I'm 14 and oh before zoning, and I have to lose to them to come to y'all, and he's gonna mess me up.

Patrick, thank you very much.

Patrick Victorian.

Yes.

State your name and address for the record, please.

My name is Patrick Victorian.

Wait till you get to the mic, sir.

Patrick Victorian.

I'm at 2701 12th Street.

I got concerns about this certain house on Ellender Street that we've been fighting with this house that's doing all this activity.

Don't want to call no name.

I'm sure you're aware of it.

And I've been in this neighborhood.

I'm 65.

And I've been living well, I live two streets over for 46 years.

And I pass here every day.

Y'all put signs on the street, no parking.

That's that this activity takes place 24-7.

Sometime you come, they're parked double wide, full five cars.

You can't pass, you wait on them, you gotta blow the horn.

They get agitated.

I leave for five in the morning to go to work.

There's cars out there at five.

Monday I pass, the garbage man passes on Monday.

Seven garbage cans is at this house.

I have two garbage cans.

I only use the second one around Christmas, or if I got a crawfish ball.

How is this man still running this that's going on in this neighborhood?

There's also the lots across the street.

The girl has a dog, she sleeps out there.

Sometimes you pass this five of them sleeping under the trees.

Can you can you check me the name of that address, sir?

That address that's on Ellender.

What's the address?

Do you know the address?

Um that's my district.

Eleanor.

The L E A N R of Illinois.

This activity goes on constantly.

24-7.

It doesn't matter what time of the day.

I mean, the same people's there.

The cars are parked.

They got signs, like I say, no parking.

That's the only street in that neighborhood that has no parking.

And they park anyway.

I was parked about two weeks ago, and the city police was behind me.

And he seen they were just there.

It's not like the city police stopped them and say, hey, y'all open up the street.

You still got a minute.

You need some more time?

I'm good.

Okay.

Um, we know what's the address a little bit?

What is your address?

2701.

His address is his address, Donald, is 2701 12th.

His address, Donald, is 2701 12.

That's Mr.

Victorian's address.

That's my district.

So here it is.

Okay.

That's a proper stand.

That's it.

With Paula.

That's the one.

Well, that's awful progressive.

Uh-huh.

Well, actually, fellas, I have a couple of people from that progressive area that's coming to tell us about all the problems they have in with crime, places, houses like this that gets overlooked.

And I I asked them to come.

I say, because sometimes we need to let constituents talk so we can understand how they feel about it.

Ms.

Carla, Miss Fallman, based on that picture, are that uh is that allowed that many cars like that?

Like that every day.

Uh based on what I see, if it's on if they're on a hard surface, not in the yard, then that's that's legal.

And if they're they're they're not they're not inoperable.

Signs up, no parking.

Well, I'm I'm not talking about on the street, I'm talking about in the driveway.

If they're on a hard surface, then they're legal.

Street streets another issue.

If I'm not mistaken, they had a shooting there.

Yes.

Um that was another one.

They had one not from the audience.

You've got to come up.

Oh, yeah, they're not talking.

But what the at what Mr.

Victorian is trying to address, huh?

That truck's illegally parking.

Yes, yeah.

Well, then that's what Mr.

Uh Victorian is trying to address.

The parking on the street.

They have no parking signs.

Um they double park sometime.

It shouldn't have seven trash cans.

That that's for sure.

Well, we're good.

Let me say this.

The trash cans we're gonna pick up.

Yeah.

Because you're you're allowed to have two, and uh they're not allowed to have seven, so we'll pick those up.

The parking in the street, if there's no parking signs, those are illegal, and we can address that through the police department.

I think well, not the one truck is bought in the driveway, so it's I understand by law.

You don't have to have a sign.

He's in violation of the code.

I think the black vehicle probably is too.

Right.

If is it any way we can have a patrol maybe go out there at some point, you know.

We can send uh community policing out there, it's a patrol battle.

Okay.

Um community policing out there first because they're the ones that can catch it while it's happening.

If we send a regular patrol, they might come and nobody's there, but community policing is there all the time.

So that's gonna be our first step.

And if you can communicate with Mr.

Bilbo if any progress has been made, then we can go further from there.

Thank you.

All right, correct.

We do we we addressing that problem, but the main problem is I think someone got shot in this location and that they fearful that it's a lot of activity.

I can't say it's drug activity.

I didn't see drugs.

I I don't live there.

Right.

But I wanted him to address it so we can see what can we do to get patrol because it's been notified as records of it.

They have records that they've done called, and with all the problems.

So it's it's more than cars.

Okay, come to the mic, my first of all.

I think you don't need to see the activity.

You see the kind of people that's there.

No, I can't vouch for it.

I mean, they're thugs, they're just hanging out, they're just trash people that's high as a kite.

I mean, it speaks for itself what's going on there.

We're going to address it.

They're gonna just thank you.

I thank you for coming so they'll know that you're concerned.

Call Taylor.

There we go.

So if I just may add, um Carl Taylor 2705 Progressive Street.

Um the the shooting, the the two week, the two weeks ago incident was not a shooting.

The girl actually OD'd.

Um, she's one of three to maybe four people who have died on site or nearby.

Um as a result of what we think is drug activity.

I mean, I can't call it because I don't live there.

I'm not seeing it, but I mean it the math is math and in my head because I've been there a long time and I'll I know what it is.

Uh but um I I guess the biggest concern is that we've had um not only uh have our you know elders have moved on, they died, and and the uh slot of the homes have been torn down, so it's it's kind of really not the same, but we also have some people who are uh um just decided to move away because of what what's been going on for over 20 years.

Um that's my biggest concern.

I mean, I work every day.

Um and when I come home, um I I like a peaceful neighborhood, and I know that you can't, you know, uh the the police can't be everywhere at one time.

I get all that.

But when this is a known problem that's been going on for a long, long time.

And it's just time for something to be done about it.

Um you have the squatting as Mr.

Victorian um mentioned.

Um the sleeping, you know, I homeless is this everywhere.

I get that.

Um but in our neighborhood, it's like come on, yeah.

Uh you almost want to ask them, don't you have anywhere else that you can go?

I wish that I was a genie and I could blink them somewhere, you know, to put everybody who has that problem.

But since I'm not, um it's just it's getting frustrating.

You know, I'm in my you know, uh early 60s, and um I it it's it's just getting to be an old movie that I don't no longer want to watch anymore.

Right.

You know, and then with the um the girl dying all of a sudden and and she had had the same story as her her two or three other predecessors the drugs are it is killing them.

And it's killing them and and and uh so it's just without me just coming out and blatantly saying it's just not too hard to figure out uh what they're dying from.

And um and as to why they're choosing to live that way, I can't answer, and neither can any of you.

Um but with that being said, um I I just really want more attention drawn to the area um because it's it's a nice little quiet, you know, neighborhood.

I'm from there, you know, and and with all that being said, I I would just like to see some changes made.

Can you give them some more time?

Mr.

Yeah you need more time.

I'm actually done.

Yeah.

Mr.

Taylor and Mr.

Victorian I assure you that we're gonna get we're gonna work with the police department, get the uh neighborhood police out there, and we're gonna start there.

Because we need to keep we need to establish a record, you know, of what's going on there so that we can be effective and in curing the problem.

Yes, sir.

One of the advice is um that I police always give my constituents is called in real time.

What if you see something you call in real time, they will respond.

Right.

And they'll deal with it on your drive.

If they're parked out there in the morning, you call in real time.

Cars illegally parked.

And and they have to re will respond.

You know, and just keep calling.

I mean, that's that's what we do.

We answer your calls.

Chief, I want to ask you a quick question.

I know like an O Park, we have like a designated officer that we call that come to our O Park meetings.

Is anybody in that area that's the neighborhood police that he says gonna see?

Okay, the community police gonna be we're gonna get them get in contact with you, so you can have a direct person that deals with that area.

Thank you.

I mean, LCPD.

Yes, I see.

Uh Mr.

Miles Brown.

Mr.

Brown has I'll tell you if you got minutes donated after.

See you got he got he got six minutes with itself, it's nine minutes.

Oh, okay.

All right, yeah.

I'm not a thief.

Uh Miles Brown 1020 Fourth Avenue.

Um I wanted to kind of go back uh last week because I want to say I am in agreement with uh this nice uh incorporated database system.

I think it's good that it's being done.

Uh not just because uh it brings more protection, but you know, I really am uh adamant person on making sure that data's retrieved and it's not lost for whatever reason.

So I just want to say I'm in agreement with it.

You're talking about what the uh police is what we're buying for the police department.

Yes, I'm an agreement with it.

Um now I do want to bring back uh last year on May 7th.

Uh this was around the time this was a regular meeting where I know most of you were on the council, we're not there.

I mean, we're not on the council, but a lot of you were still here uh when this happened and y'all voted on a body camera um system, it was utility body camera, and it's about 1.7 million dollars over the next five years.

And I have a small clip that uh the guy, if you can pull it up to just keep an idea of what I'm referring to.

What can you explain the clip before you play it?

It shows uh it explains what uh you were voting on and exactly what the uh things that it had.

Okay, that's what I'm referring to.

No sound.

Yeah, they agree.

Can you can you start it over?

Yes, sir.

This is a renewal program.

Um to the building on the commentary.

And that includes the bio camera and room.

I'm just asking for clarity first.

So this is the existing service.

So I know this and exclusive proposal.

It said data storage and treatment.

How what if this is how we can go back to the tree by the information?

We keep that on for 24 months.

And then it auto deletes after that.

And it also says uh the trend for 60 months that have to have to train um the actual offices and trying to get the people inside the new building that's gonna be managed or something.

They train our IT people.

So every every model would be properly trying to need to be reused.

Like I know sometimes we have tech issues and things in the body campus.

So everyone would be properly trying to be able to have one police issue.

There it is, but any other questions or comments?

Okay, uh now that y'all got an idea of what I'm referring to.

Um I I just want to say I know that uh this was that was a very expensive thing that y'all voted on, and it passed and it made sense and I agree with it.

But as of recent, I got some more evidence that shows that there's still some technical issues with body camera footage.

Now, you don't have to believe me because I know everything I say is subjective, but I did get a uh sincere letter from your city attorney stating this what I'm referring to.

And this is referring to some body camera footage that I requested, um, and they've been requesting it for over two and a half months.

I finally got it, but it says in here, and I says, quote, uh, we are diligently working through some technical issues to provide you with viewing access to the body and dash cam footage associated with this incident.

Now the thing is that I remember late May, early June of last year, there were members of the council that got a uh great presentation on how these body cameras work and if they're supposed to work properly and then it wouldn't have no issues.

But here we are eight months later, and these things are still happening.

Now I'm not here to say I told you so or anything like that, but it's really more about what the police stated last week, which is to make sure that data is preserved and it's not corrupted.

So uh not only that is important, but just look at the fact that the amount of money that's being spent you um or the council, the previous councils voted to spend $340,000 a year to make sure that these things are working over the next five years.

And now that y'all voted on this thing last week, which I'm agreing with of $500,000.

I just think it's important that it's money well spent.

That's really what I'm I'm really pointing out at.

Because uh, you know, whether it's $10 you spend it on or $50 million, regardless, these things need to be working properly.

You don't need to have it to where there's an issue that it's constantly going on and things have have happening, and we get told that the reason why it's messing up is because of servers down or networks down or somebody hacked the database, these things need to continue to be working because there's a lot of money at stake.

So uh I'm just asking just uh you as a counsel or anyone uh just in administration that if these things are continue to happen, make sure to possibly inquire about it and just see why it's happening and it can prevent from happening ever again.

So you had an incident where your stuff what you requested wasn't provided to you?

Well, it took so here's the thing.

I requested this about two and a half months ago, but it was one of those requests where they supposedly inadvertently inadvertently missed the request, even though I sent it over five times, but they gave me a letter saying that it was some technical issues.

Now I can give all of you a copy if you need a copy, that way it explains what I'm referring to.

Uh if you if would any of you like a copy?

Yeah, I like a copy, but I still want you to tell me that we do something that you feel was wrong.

Well, it's just the fact that they're saying that there's technical issues with the body camera and dash cam footage.

But that and that could be possible, don't you think?

Well, we all I wasn't in the meeting, so I don't know what was said, but I remember during that time there was uh a body camera ordinance that y'all stated uh that y'all wanted to have passed, but once y'all got that information, y'all understood uh well within that there was no need for the body camera ordinance, and then make sure that these technical issues would not be happening anymore.

Well, that's a if correct me if I'm wrong, Mr.

Stutz.

There we have a stipulation based upon the way it works for the police.

It cuts on at a certain time, it stays on at a certain time, and I think the the um the car and the body cam on the person, they are automatically triggered when you get in the vicinity of that particular person.

So when you saying technical difficulties, are you saying that the body cams are not coming on, or they're retrieving the information to give to you is where the technical difficulty came.

Well, I don't know exactly what they mean by technical issues, but my point I'm making is why is there technical issues if it taking two and a half months for them to require this to get this uh footage?

It should it shouldn't take two and a half months for them to uh get footage a lot of times.

But do we guarantee is there anything on the thing saying we have to give it to them in a certain amount of time?

We have to respond that we're retrieving it within a certain period of time.

Okay, how how long is that?

Five business days?

Uh uh let's see.

I think it is three.

Yeah, so I I can say this quite often if the request is for a lot of material, we will let them know that we're working on it, but it may take longer than the time frame that we typically try to do it.

It depends on what the request is and how much information they're looking for.

And is it feasible to give it to get it out in that amount of time?

So basically what you're saying, Mr.

Brown, is that you feel like is when you request it, it's not being given to you in a timely fashion.

No, no, I'm not getting no response, number one.

Number two, uh, it's already been proven that they've been losing a lot of requests.

So the only way that I can go back and get those requests if I keep requesting it and I'll keep requesting it, and I'll still never get a response.

So there's been quite a few times with that, but it wasn't until I gave the notice and I let them know look, I've been requesting this for so long.

Why is there still no answer on this?

Okay.

And that's why I'm I think we've we've discussed this before, and I'm gonna reiterate what I told you before.

For any, you can take any council member when you request something, just for as a litmus test, send it to me or bring it to me the day you request it, and we'll see if you know if they're actually doing it in the proper time, or or maybe it's a misunderstanding of what we supposed to do and what you were receiving.

You understand what I'm saying?

If if if we say we have to respond to you, that doesn't necessarily mean that we're gonna get it to you in that time expressing.

Yeah, that makes sense.

So that could be where the breakdown is because it could be time consuming to get that, especially if you're requesting a lot of stuff.

So what I'm saying is, in order to prove or disprove what you're saying, when you send it in, send me a copy.

I'll send one of the councilman a copy, your councilman, whoever you may be, send him a copy.

Hey, I requested this on this day.

And then we'll monitor it to see what the because when you come in here and tell us, we don't have any idea of I'm not calling you a liar, and I'm not calling the city a liar.

I'm just saying I don't have any information to substantiate what you're saying.

Yeah.

Well, like I said, I have copies that I can show you that we're referring to on many instances.

Okay.

But like I say, this was just startling because I know there's a lot of money being spent on these things, and I just think that these should be working properly.

Right.

And and that's what I'm referring to.

Okay.

And I just had one last thing.

Uh let's see what I was gonna say.

As far as the time period or time limit that people have, I recognize that there's rules and you have time to speak on things, but I have gone back and I've noticed that a lot of times, not all the time, that there are people that come here and speak and their time is not monitored like my time is monitored.

And there's many examples of that.

So I just want to just reiterate too that it's just if it is a possible that everybody's time is monitored properly, where even if they only have one card, they have to be reminded that they have a certain amount of time.

I've seen it where many people will come up here and they'll speak and not have no extra time, but they're speaking for about 15 minutes and not no one on the council or on the uh administration ever reminds them of their time expiring.

So I'm just making that known.

Well, because I and I'll tell you, I'll take responsibility for that.

Because if somebody's coming up there and they're in the mode of explaining, I may let that time run over without going to Mr.

Stutz for that.

Most of the times when you come, you are strict in what you're saying, and you already have your cards already there for your extra time.

Like right now, I know I got nine minutes.

So nine minutes is on the clock.

It's not that I'm picking on you or doing it slighting you.

It's just the flow of the meeting, is what it is.

You know, but we can be mindful of what you're saying about.

Yeah, because there's multiple examples and not just one where there's people that'll come up here.

They had one where a guy was going back and forth with you and y'all spoke for 15 minutes, and now one time does someone say, Hey, your time is expired.

You know, but that's my fault because I'm in charge of the meeting and I let it flow like that.

But I'll be mindful.

You need some more time.

No, I'm I'm fine.

The time of the gentleman is expired, Mr.

President.

Yeah, I just wanted I just wanted to be consistent.

That's all I'm asking for.

All right.

I appreciate you, Mr.

Brown.

And and remember what I said about getting that to us.

That's no problem.

All right.

I was looking forward to three business days for us to acknowledge.

To acknowledge.

Now that's to acknowledge, not to necessarily get them information.

That is correct.

Okay.

That's not happening at all.

Okay.

Any others?