New Orleans City Council Meeting March 17, 2026: Confirmation Hearings for Finance Director, Aviation Board, and Sewerage & Water Board
New Orleans City Council Meeting - March 17, 2026
The New Orleans City Council met on March 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM with a quorum of four members present. The meeting included approval of minutes from the March 9th meeting, followed by confirmation hearings for three mayoral appointments: Alyssa Rambo for Director of Finance, James Williams for the Aviation Board, and Jonathan Stewart for the Sewerage and Water Board. Councilmembers emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and improved communication from city departments and boards.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (March 9, 2026): Councilmember Harris moved, Councilmember Hughes seconded. The motion passed unanimously with four ayes and no nays.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Confirmation of Alyssa Rambo as Director of Finance: Rambo outlined her priorities: cash management, accuracy and timeliness, and accountability. She noted that she has been in the role for 60 days and identified a need for a culture shift, completing the 2025 audit by June 30, transitioning to monthly budgeting, and implementing a new cash management process that consolidates over 100 bank accounts. Councilmembers questioned her about communication, staff shortages, collaboration with the CAO, and revenue forecasting. Rambo committed to a 24-hour email response rule and working with the council as a partner. Concerns were raised about prior administration's lack of transparency and responsiveness. The vote was 5-0 in favor of confirmation.
- Confirmation of James Williams to the Aviation Board: Williams stated he wants to improve the airport as the "front porch" of the city. Councilmembers praised his experience on the LSU Board of Supervisors and expressed concerns about the airport's lack of committee meetings, an OIG report highlighting operational problems, and a need for greater public scrutiny. Williams committed to addressing these issues. The vote was 3-0 (three ayes, no nays) for confirmation.
- Confirmation of Jonathan Stewart to the Sewerage and Water Board: Stewart cited his readiness to serve and focus on management and financial improvements. Councilmembers noted the board's low approval rating (17%), lack of communication with the council, water main breaks, boil water advisories, and a need for a culture change. Stewart committed to being a true partner, attending council meetings, and demanding accountability. The vote was 4-0 for confirmation.
- Deferral: John Milizano was not present and his appointment was deferred to the next meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes from March 9, 2026.
- Confirmed Alyssa Rambo as Director of Finance (5-0).
- Confirmed James Williams to the Aviation Board (3-0).
- Confirmed Jonathan Stewart to the Sewerage and Water Board (4-0).
- Deferred John Milizano's appointment.
- Meeting adjourned at an unspecified time after a motion by Councilmember Hughes, seconded by Councilmember McCarrans, passed unanimously (4-0).
Meeting Transcript
Anita, we can get started. I think we have a quorum. We sure do. Roll call. Councilmember Morrell. Here. Councilmember McCarrans. Councilmember Harris. Councilmember Green. Here. Councilmember Hughes. Here. We have four members. We have a quorum. We have the approval of minutes from the March 9th meeting. Councilman Harris moves, Councilman Hughes seconds. Please vote your machines. Four years, donators, minutes are approved. First up, we have the confirmation hearing of Alyssa Rambo for the Department of Finance. Come on down. She need help with their setup PowerPoint. I don't have a PowerPoint. Okay. Yeah. All right, we have what we have your we have your your that is just a little introduction. Okay. That the team did for me. Um, just explains my roles and responsibilities. Okay. Uh why don't we just go over real quickly? Because I know the public is watching all ten of them. Um, Eugene. Um I brought my team here today too. Yeah. Well, I I think I think maybe explain what the responsibilities of the director of finance are, because I don't think many people other than when the council has heated conversations with directors of finance, but understand kind of the importance of the job behind the scenes. So maybe if you could use your uh handout and kind of go over what the responsibilities are. You have a copy of the handout. All right, I do now. And if you don't mind before we get started on this, I would just like to open up with a little brief um few words. Thank you. Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I am honored to be considered for the role of director of finance for the city of New Orleans. I come before you with a deep respect for the responsibility that this position holds, not just in managing numbers, but in safeguarding public trust. At its core, this role is about ensuring that every dollar is accounted for, every decision is transparent, and every financial strategy supports the long-term stability of the city. I've spent my career working to improve processes, strengthening controls, and providing leadership teams with the information they need to make sound decisions. And I intend to bring that same discipline here to the city. If confirmed, my priorities will be straightforward. First and foremost, cash management. Second, accuracy and timeliness. And finally, accountability.
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