New Orleans City Council Meeting Summary - December 18, 2025
New Orleans City Council Meeting Summary - December 18, 2025
On December 18, 2025, the New Orleans City Council convened a special session dedicated to the 31st Annual Military Appreciation Day, featuring senior military leadership, community presentations, and the honoring of Colonel Terry Ebert as the 2025 Veteran of the Year. Following the ceremonial proceedings, the Council addressed urgent budgetary matters, overriding the Mayor's veto of the 2026 operating budget, and conducted extensive legislative business including zoning changes, historic district appeals, and voting tabulations from the November 2025 elections.
Consent Calendar
- Administrative Communications: Multiple communications and reports marked as received, including those from Aaron Spears, Zachary Smith, Mary C. Virges, Callin M. Stringer, Winston C. Fiore, Amy B. Trapanier, Elizabeth Home, La Toya Cantrell, Dr. Mark Bear, and various property owners.
- Withdrawn Ordinance: An ordinance regarding an ankle monitoring ordinance was withdrawn from the agenda, with no opportunity for public comment.
- Routine Approvals: Various resolutions (R25626 through R25631), motions (M25632 through M25648), and the adoption of the general consent agenda by voice/sentenced vote (7-0). The consent agenda included references for budget committee, governmental affairs committee, and joint planning committee recommendations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Military Leadership & Advocacy: Various senior leaders (Lt. Gen. Lynn Anderson, Maj. Gen. Justin Swanson, Brig. Gen. John Plunkett, Cmdr. Drew McGinley, Capt. Ulysses Mullins, Col. Ignatio Asof, and CEO Jackson Smith) delivered remarks on the economic impact of the military in New Orleans, national security challenges (terrorism, Russia, China), and the critical need for support services.
- 2025 Veteran of the Year: The community was informed of Colonel Terry Ebert's heroic service in Vietnam (awarded the Navy Cross) and his leadership during Hurricane Katrina, followed by a video tribute and the unveiling of his award.
- Budget Debate: Councilmembers Thomas, Moreno, and Morrell expressed strong support for the 2026 budget override, opposing the Mayor's veto as lacking a viable alternative. Councilman Burnside expressed concern regarding revenue sources, specifically red light/traffic camera revenues, and support for moving firemen to the state pension system to address fiscal sustainability.
- Demolition Appeals (1822-24 Frenchman St & 1709 Moray St): Preservation Resource Center and neighborhood residents opposed the demolition of historic homes, citing neglect and potential eligibility for historic tax credits. Property owners and Code Enforcement officials supported the demolition due to structural unsafety and liens.
- West End Lakeshore Park: The applicant (Municipal Yacht Harbor) opposed the National Register nomination for the parking lot area, fearing impediments to development. Preservationists and the nomination author opposed the applicant's stance, arguing the nomination has zero impact on private development rights under Section 106.
- Short-Term Rental Fences: Neighbors supported the request to build 10-foot fences at 3513, 3517, and 3521 Charter St. to mitigate noise from short-term rentals, while the Historic District Landmarks Commission had previously opposed the action due to aesthetic concerns.
- Fire Department Pension: Councilman Burnside advocated for transferring firefighter pension liabilities to the state system in exchange for Wisner Mu Land to avoid a $500 million eight-year cost.
- Edna Carr Football Team: Councilman King and others expressed enthusiastic support and pride for the Edna Carr Cougars' back-to-back state championship, with young athletes and coaches offering testimony on their academic and athletic achievements.
- Furlough Concerns: Councilman Burnside expressed concern regarding furloughs at the Library and Health Care for the Homeless program despite federal funding, while administration clarified no furloughs were currently planned.
Discussion Items
- Military Appreciation Day: Council President Moreno stated that this is the last Military Appreciation Day for Councilmen Thomas, Marino, and Jeruso before they leave the council. The Mayor Elect expressed commitment to continue the tradition.
- Budget Override (Cal 35-253 & 35-254): Councilmembers debated the 2026 budget. It was reported that the original Mayor's budget proposal included 30% cuts to every department. The Council determined that the Mayor provided no alternative budget and voted to override the veto. Councilman Burnside warned of the long-term fiscal impact of firefighter pensions.
- Restoration Tax Abatements (RTAs):
- 628 Jefferson Avenue: Approved after discussion regarding single-family rehab.
- 2400 Napoleon Avenue: Approved for the Josephine event space, despite public questions regarding parking and certificate of occupancy status.
- Demolition Requests:
- 1822-24 Frenchman Street: Approved despite objections from preservationists, noting historic components were removed.
- 1709-1711 Moray Street: Approved after a contentious hearing where neighbors alleged "demolition by neglect" and code fine circumvention.
- Historic District Appeals:
- 5 South Roadway Street: The Council overruled the HDLC's "no recommendation" and denied the National Register nomination for the parking lot area, citing concerns over development impediments.
- Cherry Street Fences (3513, 3517, 3521): The Council granted appeals to allow 10-foot fences, subject to BZA variances, to mitigate short-term rental noise.
- Fairgrounds Overlay (DO 5025): Approved an overlay to preserve fairgrounds operations while creating a pathway for future residential development; Susan Johnson expressed support but noted concerns about affordable housing misuse in other districts.
- Whellow School Campus (DO 5525): Approved the conversion of a former school into a satellite campus, with amendments adding conditions.
- Healthcare for Homeless: Councilmember Harris introduced ordinances to extend agreements with Volunteers of America and the Health Care for the Homeless Advisory Board. Councilman Burnside requested clarification on respite bed locations and costs.
- School Board Disbursement: A motion to disburse $2.7M to the School Board from the Reserve was deferred to the next meeting due to confusion regarding the Emergency vs. regular agenda process and concerns about furloughs occurring simultaneously.
- Zoning Amendments:
- Dauphin Street (Capulet): Approved a text amendment to add "reception facility" as a conditional use in the HMU district.
- Dauphin Street (30-34): Approved a conditional use for a reception facility.
- Fairgrounds: Approved the overlay to maintain historical opportunities.
- Election Results: The Council tabulated and affirmed victory for multiple propositions including Home Rule Charter amendments, Broadmoor Improvement District, Garden District Security District, Spring Lake Subdivision, Upper Audubon Security District, French Quarter EDD, Affordable Housing Projects, Drainage Projects, and City Infrastructure Projects.
- Resolution R25670: A new directive was adopted to suspend all JIRR (Justice for Reinvestment and Revenue) contracts effective January 1, 2026, unless the program is extended by December 31, 2025. Councilman Morrell explained this was to prevent the city from incurring unreimbursed debt.
Key Outcomes
- Budget Override: The Council successfully overrode the Mayor's veto on the 2026 Operating Budget (Cal 35-253) and Expenditures (Cal 35-254) with a vote of 7-0. All seven Council members co-authored the ordinances.
- Demolition Approvals: Demolition permits for 1822-24 Frenchman Street and 1709-1711 Moray Street were approved despite significant opposition from preservation groups and neighbors.
- Historic Designation Denial: The nomination for 5 South Roadway Street (West End Lakeshore Park) was denied by Council override, prioritizing potential development over historic status.
- Fence Height Approval: Appeals to install 10-foot fences were granted for three properties on Charter Street to address short-term rental nuisances.
- Election Validations: All seven propositions on the November 15, 2025 ballot were certified as passed with the following margins:
- Home Rule Charter Section 5-404: 38,897 For / 16,772 Against.
- Home Rule Charter Article 4, Section 4-406: 38,146 For / 17,405 Against.
- Lakewood Crime Prevention: 375 For / 12 Against.
- Spring Lake Subdivision: 137 For / 43 Against.
- Upper Audubon Security: 254 For / 64 Against.
- French Quarter EDD: 491 For / 75 Against.
- Affordable Housing: 36,117 For / 20,783 Against.
- Drainage/Storm Water: 44,189 For / 12,232 Against.
- City Infrastructure: 43,677 For / 13,192 Against.
- Tall Timbers Crime Prevention: 257 For / 154 Against.
- Broadmoor Neighborhood Improvement: 707 For / 271 Against.
- JIRR Contract Suspension: A resolution was adopted to suspend JIRR contracts effective Jan 1, 2026, pending extension of the federal program.
- Personal Privilege: Councilman King presented the Edna Carr High School football team with a Proclamation and the Key to the City; Councilman Moreno announced the upcoming appointment of Adam Swenflick to the Mayor's office.
- Deferrals: Multiple items were deferred to January 8, 2026, including the 2026-2030 Capital Plan, School Board disbursement, and various ordinance calendars.
- Schedule Change: Motion M25662 was adopted to rescind the suspension of Rule One and establish the regular Council meeting schedule for 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Ladies and gentlemen, please have your seats. Please take your seats. I know we have three minutes, Jerome. I know we're very we were very detailed on line. Councilmember, can I please call the role? Yes, there you go. Council Member Morrel. We have five members. We have a core. I'm calling upon you to conduct the Military Appreciation Day activities. Thank you, Count Council President. I'm going to first call on Navy Chaplain Aaron Carleton to deliver our invocation this morning. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Would you stand with me as we begin our time in a word of prayer? Let us pray. Living God, today in the heart of this great city, a place of vibrant history and enduring spirit. We are grateful for the men and women of our armed forces who stand as guardians of peace and symbols of strength. We celebrate the storied military history of New Orleans from the battle which secured our nation's future to the shipyards that produce innovative warships, from ongoing presence of our installations to our national museum, from the countless citizens who have answered the call to serve to the organizations that support our veterans. This city has been a bastion of service and sacrifice. So we honor the active community, the veteran community that enriches New Orleans. May we continue to strengthen our mutual appreciation and partnership so that New Orleans may forever be a city that welcomes its service members, veterans, and their families. Bless the leaders of our city and of the services represented here today for the good of us all. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Please remain standing for the presentation of the colors, uh, the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthems. Advance the colors. Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Brian Higgs will now lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. It's a pleasure to be in front of the city council for another of our annual military appreciation days. This is the 31st year the city has celebrated this event. We truly appreciate this enduring support of our city for our military. This event comes as a time of change for our city. This will be the last military appreciation day for Councilman Thomas, and we appreciate his support for the military over the years. Council members Marino and Jeruso will also be leaving the council, but not city government. We also appreciate your sustained support and look forward to working with you as our new mayor and CAO. Today, as in every military appreciation day, we think that the military music that you hear, the wonderful and very representative military personnel you see in the audience, and the reports you receive from our senior officers will be very uplifting. Our local military organizations continue to make great contributions to our region and our country. From remaining on perpetual standby for disaster relief to protecting our rivers and ports and rescuing our boaters in distress, to sending individuals and units to operations around the world, our military supports us across the board. It continues to be very appropriate for New Orleans to show appreciation for all the military in our region does for us. The sad reality is that there does not appear to be any let up in the global challenge of terrorism. In addition to that, the conventional threats to our security from countries like Russia, North Korea, Iran, and particularly China seem to be growing significantly. Many military personnel have given extraordinary sacrifices in the recent decades, but there is no rest for the weary as our national security appears to require that we ask our military to do even more in the future. There are some real and current challenges to maintaining the world's best military. Among today's youth of recruiting age, which is from 18 to 27 years old, only 27% of that population can qualify to join the military, either because of physical, mental, or moral issues. We have about a hundred military personnel from all the services sitting in the audience today. These are among those who have met the military's high standards and volunteered to serve their country. They represent our young and talented U.S. military personnel, whether they are currently in Louisiana or deployed around the world. They are part of our armed forces, who will be asked to do even more in the future to protect our nation and our people's security.
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