The New Orleans City Council held a special meeting on January 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in City Hall Council Chamber to address the city's financial condition, including the status of the general fund and revenue expectations. The primary actions were the approval of two substitute resolutions authorizing a combined $10,973,761.85 drawdown from the Employee Emergency Payroll Fund to cover police, fire, and weekly payroll expenses and fringe benefits for late December 2025 and early January 2026. The meeting also featured a presentation from Louisiana Legislative Auditor Michael J. "Mike" Waguespack on the city's compliance with bond conditions.
Madam Clerk, we can start whenever you're ready. I received a letter November 14th. Dear Madam Clerk, pursuant to my authority in section 3-1075 of the home rule charter of the City of New Orleans, there will be a special council meeting on January 14, 2026 for 9 a.m. This meeting will be limited to the discussion and consideration of matters relative to the current financial condition of the city, including without limitation, the status of the general fund and any other changes to expect revenue or funding. Ordinance number 30,522, and any other matters that may properly come before the council. Please make necessary arrangements to have these meetings cable cast live on the government access television channel and tape for recasting in the future. Sincerely, JP Morrell, President New Orleans City Council. Roll call. Council President Morrell. Council Member County Vice President Willard. Here. We have six members. We have a quorum. All right. Councilmember Harris. Oh. You want to go ahead? Yeah. All right. We have a leg. I mean, we have a communication from the legislative auditor. We need to vote to receive. I'll move to receive. I'll second. Not working. All in favor? Aye. We need to vote to add it to the agenda. I'll move. Second. Second by council member mural. All in favor? Aye. You can discuss it. No. Good morning. Good morning, Council. Mike Wagensback losing the legislative auditor. It's good to see a tip a couple of my new faces and old bosses at the table today. And I think y'all realize that uh New Orleans meetings start on time as opposed to those battery meetings. Good to see y'all. Look forward to working with you. Um so we're here today, January 14, 2026, in accordance with the state bond commission terms and conditions for the approval of the City of New Orleans, 125 million dollar revenue note. Uh, we're here to discuss the drawdown for today. And so as of today, our preliminary review indicates that the city's request totaling 10 million nine hundred and seventy-three thousand seven hundred and sixty-one dollars, uh, of which is six million six seventy-eight two hundred seven to which will be deposited to the Chase payroll card account, and then the four million two ninety-five five hundred and fifty-four dollars to reimburse the city's general fund as outlined below. And we'll go to the first bullet. We have six million six hundred and seventy thousand two hundred seven payable to the payroll account for the purposes of funding employee compensation related employee and employer payroll taxes for the period ending 110 2026 as outlined in exhibit a. Under the second bullet, we have 4,295,554 dollars payable to the city's general fund and to reimburse the general fund for the fringe benefit payments, including but not limited to health insurance pension contributions and garnishments as outlined in exhibit B. So we'll flip to exhibit A, and you'll see the police fire and the weekly payroll amounts and a total transfer that'll be made to ADP. We see the payroll fringes for the 17 check run and the check run two, same date.