New Orleans City Council Confirmation Hearing and Briefing – January 14, 2026

The New Orleans City Council convened on January 14, 2026, at 4:00 PM UTC to conduct confirmation hearings for two mayoral appointees, receive presentations from the Chief Administrative Officer and Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, and discuss a range of city governance issues including budget transparency, homelessness, violence prevention, and state relations. The meeting lasted approximately three hours and included unanimous votes to recommend confirmation of Dr. Jennifer Avegno as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Charlene Gibson as City Attorney.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The council unanimously approved the minutes from the previous meeting (4 yes, 0 no).

Discussion Items

Mayor's Introduction of Leadership Team

Mayor Moreno presented her leadership team, emphasizing that the confirmation process ensures transparency and allows the council and public to evaluate appointees. She introduced:

• Dr. Jennifer Avegno, nominated as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, who previously led the Health Department and will now oversee an expanded portfolio including homelessness and youth/family services.
• Charlene Gibson, nominated as City Attorney, a former litigator with experience in private practice and a focus on ethical governance.
• Joe Jeruso, Chief Administrative Officer (not subject to confirmation), former council member, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Michael Harrison (not subject to confirmation).

The mayor stated that other deputy mayors would appear at future agenda dates for public transparency.

Confirmation Hearing: Dr. Jennifer Avegno

Dr. Avegno outlined her vision for the restructured Health and Human Services department, highlighting first-100-day priorities:

• Launching a new community health assessment cycle with added focus on youth and families.
• Expanding SNAP and Medicaid enrollment sites and WIC services to the West Bank.
• Tackling homelessness through expanded outreach, improved 311 communication, and enhanced state partnerships.
• Establishing a coordinated victim services unit to support survivors of violence.

Councilmembers praised her work during COVID and the reduction in overdose deaths (from 525 in 2022 to approximately 230 in 2025) and violence reduction. Specific commitments:

• Councilmember Hughes requested a visit to the Lower Ninth Ward within 90 days to expand healthcare access and food security; Dr. Avegno agreed.
• Councilmember Harris asked about state partnership on homelessness and continuation of violence interrupter programs. Dr. Avegno confirmed Ubuntu Village remains active and that street outreach and hospital-based interventions continue.
• Councilmember Green discussed food deserts and potential mobile grocery services; Dr. Avegno said an ordinance to improve grocery donation may come soon.
• Councilmember McCarran inquired about Thrive Kids, the school-based health program. Dr. Avegno reported thousands of children enrolled and hopes to expand via federal funding. Council President Morell disclosed a pending settlement with the school board to secure ongoing funding.
• Councilmember Woolett raised concerns about federal funding cuts, particularly for maternal child health and HIV programs. Dr. Avegno noted 80-85% grant funding and proactive lobbying efforts.
• Council President Morell emphasized the need to use charter-sanctioned departments (like Human Services) rather than temporary executive orders, and asked about violence prevention data integration. Dr. Avegno discussed using NOPD data and place-based strategies with the new public safety team.

Confirmation Hearing: Charlene Gibson

Ms. Gibson presented her background as a litigator and law firm founder, outlining her vision for the law department:

• A “cultural reset” with high ethical standards, comprehensive audit of processes and personnel, and faster contract review times.
• Emphasis on collaboration, accountability, and transparency, including regular executive sessions with the council.
• Addressing understaffing and salary inequities to attract and retain talent, reducing reliance on outside counsel.

Councilmembers questioned her on:

• Councilmember Harris – Rebuilding the law department as a premier workplace; Ms. Gibson acknowledged low morale and committed to market-rate compensation and better resource advocacy.
• Councilmember McCarran – Contracting for public works, use of technology (e.g., DocuSign not fully implemented), and streamlining the Brass approval system. Ms. Gibson promised proactive engagement with departments and the council, and exploration of case management software.
• Councilmember Hughes – Balancing role between mayor and council; Ms. Gibson cited professional conduct rules and pledged accessibility.
• Councilmember Green – Blight and succession issues in his district; Ms. Gibson identified understaffing in housing/code enforcement and committed to creative solutions beyond adjudication.
• Councilmember Willard – Culture reset and accountability; Ms. Gibson described using the book “Impact Players” to foster a high-performance culture. She also agreed to review all outside counsel contracts for waste and conflicts.
• Council President Morell raised concerns about conflicts of interest with outside counsel, last-minute settlements, and the need to review recent settlements made without council knowledge. Ms. Gibson pledged to investigate and to attend executive sessions.

The council unanimously (4-0) voted to recommend Ms. Gibson’s confirmation.

Presentation: Chief Administrative Officer Joe Jeruso

Mr. Jeruso described his first days, emphasizing collaboration with Mayor Moreno and the council. He highlighted:

• Financial discipline, including renegotiating the health care contract (untouched in 10 years) and the parking contract expiring in May.
• Improved budget reporting: weekly council meetings, real-time access to financial systems, and making department-level budget details available earlier.
• Capital budget planning: working with district council members on priorities and reallocating bond proceeds.
• Reforming the contract routing process and prioritizing public safety payments.

Councilmembers asked about state revenue sharing. Council President Morell noted that the city provides services on state-owned properties and requested more direct assistance. Special Counsel Andrew Tizzolo announced plans for a collaborative legislative agenda, holding pre-session meetings with all council members and adopting a binder-based system similar to Jefferson Parish’s. Council President Morell praised the approach and recalled past effective intergovernmental relations under Mark Morrell.

Presentation: Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Michael Harrison

Chief Harrison discussed his role overseeing police, fire, EMS, homeland security, juvenile justice, and coordination with violence prevention programs. He outlined first-100-day priorities:

• Full operational readiness for Mardi Gras through multi-agency exercises.
• Repairing street lights, eliminating blight, and clearing hazards with the infrastructure team.
• Continuing synchronized crime-fighting with federal, state, and local partners, as demonstrated by a meeting yesterday with the U.S. Attorney, state police, and district attorney.

Councilmembers asked about the Office of Nighttime Economy (not under his purview) and accountability for institutional knowledge. Council President Morell stressed the need to retain lessons from past training (e.g., after the 2018 Bourbon Street attack) and avoid knowledge loss. Chief Harrison committed to after-action reviews and embedding policies through verifiable training.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous confirmation recommendation (4-0) for Dr. Jennifer Avegno as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
• Unanimous confirmation recommendation (4-0) for Charlene Gibson as City Attorney.
• Council accepted presentations from CAO Joe Jeruso and Deputy Mayor Michael Harrison; no votes were taken on their roles.
• Commitments made: Dr. Avegno will visit the Lower Ninth Ward within 90 days; Ms. Gibson will review outside counsel contracts and attend executive sessions; the administration will hold joint legislative planning sessions with the council.
• Ongoing issues: The Thrive Kids settlement with the school board remains pending; a court conference is set for January 20. The council will pursue greater state revenue sharing and capital budget collaboration.