Oh no, it's a lot of people.

Everywhere.

Yeah, look at the book.

All right, we get started.

Roll call.

Councilmember Morrell.

Here.

Councilman Member McCarran.

Here.

Councilmember Harris.

Councilmember Green.

Here.

Council Member Hughes.

We have uh four members.

We have a quorum.

Thank you very much.

I'll begin with the approval of the minutes of the April 16th meeting, moved by Councilmember Harris, like about myself.

Uh all fair, please vote your machines.

Four years, no nays.

Uh next up, we will have the section four one oh six confirmation hearing of Susanna Kirby.

Come on down.

If you'd like to bring down any of your C suite, feel free.

Oh, come on down, Austin.

At this time, this is where we conduct the confirmation hearing pursuant to the city charter.

And we will hear some brief remarks, I'm sure, by Miss Kirby to start, and then we'll entertain some council questions on this confirmation process.

So whenever you're ready, Miss Kirby.

All right.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

So for you guys to take a few minutes to consider my confirmation, I truly appreciate it.

Thank you.

Um so I have just put together a few slides for you today.

A lot of it you've already seen, but I've peppered in a couple of updates since last time we met, so I'll go over that.

Uh you know, I my vision, uh we need a department safety and permits that's customer focused, transparent, efficient, and fully worthy of it.

Can I interrupt you for a second?

Your microphone is scratchy.

I don't know if you should pull it closer or change mics.

Is this better?

That is better.

Thank you.

We are already laying the groundwork for that transformation.

We're modernizing internal processes, strengthening communication, and rebuilding relationships through meaningful community engagement.

We've launched the spice center, which is our new call center that you'll see here in a couple slides.

We are diligently building out permit stat, our data-driven um system that's helping us create a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and innovation.

We just need to reimagine what a modern permit office should be, one that supports businesses, moves projects forward, and strengthens every neighborhood we serve.

So if we move to the next slide.

Oh, that's okay, one more.

When we look at the work ahead, it is the work, it's we it's grounded in what we've learned from the past.

We acknowledge the backlogs.

The communication gaps and the procedural hurdles that once frustrated and still currently frustrate residents and partners.

But we are moving forward with intention.

We have filled key vacancies.

So just this week, our building manager started.

He's hit the ground running.

We have extended an offer to a plan review supervisor who has accepted and is going through pre-hire right now, so we're excited about that.

Um we have introduced clear communication structures, expanded our presence at community events, and are working towards the goal of cross-training our inspectors to make the entire inspection cycle more efficient.

These improvements are already making a difference.

We are removing barriers and improving service delivery.

Just again this week, received the final version of the temporary ABO.

So excited to move that forward and start that process to help businesses get up and going.

Eliminated unnecessary permit requirements, and giving applicants new online options that save time and effort.

Each change strengthens trust and reflects our commitment to a more responsive and accessible department.

So as promised, I shared this a couple weeks ago for the economic development committee meeting.

This is our call center metrics.

And so this is just the update from April.

As you can see, if you remember a few weeks ago, we were at just under 80% answer rate.

We're currently at 83, which of course is not where we want to be, but we have started the process and expect to see that trend keep going up.

On the Spark dashboard, which we touched on briefly last time, this is a new account management team, if you will, that's being responsive for city council concerns that constituents reach out to.

And so again, you see several different data points on this screen that are going to help us resolve issues, identify trends, and then use that information to improve both service and communication.

Together, these systems help us deliver a more predictable, efficient, and customer focused experience.

We have biweekly accountable reviews.

We're creating a smarter, more predictable permitting system with the long-term plan of making it transparent through a public facing dashboard.

One where decisions are grounded in real data, improvements are continuous, and service delivery steadily improves for residents, contractors, and businesses alike.

In closing, I want to emphasize this.

We are building the kind of department that reflects the future that New Orleans deserves.

A department defined by transparency, efficiency, and service.

A department that partners with its community, supports economic opportunity, and delivers results.

Again, thank you for considering my confirmation today.

I'm honored to lead this team, and I look forward to working with you all in the community in the months and years ahead.

Thank you.

I'll agree.

Thank you for your willingness to serve in this position and thank you for the meeting that we've had and the work that you've done already.

I want to emphasize that in the business that I'm in, which happens to be property management and construction, I don't hear people complain as much about the speed as I do the information that is available to them.

And we talked about in particular areas.

Take four or five different paths to get a particular license.

You may have to go to the HDLC to the View Career Commission to the safety impairments and to the other offices to get it done.

I think that what people are asking for is more information, and I encourage you to consider those brochures that say you're trying to get this kind of license.

This is what you have to do.

Just information that is direct relative to particular ones that you know can be a challenge.

If you have to do a hotel in the French quarter, you may be looking at a different agency for the curb cut for the View Carey Commission for the FIRE, and that gets confusing to people.

It's information as opposed to speed.

You want to do speed, but it's very important to recognize, well, you're not necessarily speed.

You want to do it in an expedited manner.

But that information and the lack of it is challenging the people when they have to come back and do something again because maybe they weren't told about the curb cut, which a lot of people don't think about.

But that involves public works.

I think you know where I'm going with that.

I just appreciate the fact that we've had that conversation.

We talked about it, and I just encourage you to recognize that that's an issue.

Thank you, Councilman.

All right.

Thanks for willing being willing to serve in this challenging area.

Councilmember Harris.

Uh I also want to thank you for uh number one showing up at the uh neighborhood association meeting yesterday.

I think it's important that you continue to show up to these neighborhood associations so people can get to know you and your team.

I'm excited about the Spark team.

They look like they are ready to go.

Um I did want to ask about the status of the checklist.

I know that that's something that we talked about um previously when you appear before us.

Yeah, I'm having a second, hopefully close to final meeting with my team tomorrow for those first four that we've chosen.

And so I'm hoping early next week I'll be able to share that with you all just to get feedback.

And I think that um as we go forward, it might be important to do online tutorials and other educational activities just to get the information out.

We often get we just got an email yesterday about someone wanting to build something and where do they start?

They had no idea where to even begin.

And so I think just outlining that information in a way that the public can understand it in a very plain manner.

I think that that's where we in the past could have made improvements.

Thank you, Council.

And I'm excited to share this with you because I think it'll be the step in the right direction.

Thank you.

Councilmember McKairn.

Yes, thank you again for stepping up to be in this role.

I know safety and permits was one of our uh most complicated departments probably coming in, and also one of the ones that you know can prevent things from happening in the city, whether it's building or events, anything like that.

So I appreciate you um giving us this presentation and the presentation at the previous committee.

Um just to thank your team as well.

I know that this has been a hurdle, but we have already seen um a lot of processes and progress that has been that has been very good for people.

I'm getting emails saying I was able to get a permit, you know, much faster than I've ever been able to get one before.

So I really appreciate that because that that helps us.

Um I also want to um second councilmember Harris's you know the education pieces um for people so they know where to start because they often call our office and we're happy to help them.

But um if there's a you know a resource or something that they can go to, um, that would be helpful as well.

But other than that, I I appreciate all the work you've done, and we look forward to having you continue.

Thank you.

Councilman Brees.

Well, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, Madam Director, um, good good afternoon, and let me echo thank you for answering the call uh to serve our city.

Um had the opportunity to meet with you, I think last week and really enjoyed our conversation.

Uh, and as I told you, I'll look forward to uh following up at the six-month uh benchmark, and we'll look forward to inviting you uh to district E very soon.

Uh let me just remind the public that the city council under the charter has just a really handful of primary responsibilities: land use and zoning, the budget, the regulation of utilities, and now the confirmation of uh executive branch employees.

Uh, unfortunately, for many decades, um, when when folks can't get things resolved in city hall, they come to their council member, and then the council member has to.

So it's layers of bureaucracy that I'd love to see eliminated, and I certainly know that's the mayor's goal as well, and really appreciate her work.

So, in that vein, I'm aware uh that the safety and permits, um assistance and response for council, known as Spark, um, with two safety and permits employees assigned to answer council requests.

Do you have a single point of contact for constituents to eliminate the need for constituents to have to come to their council member?

That is the ultimate goal, right?

This is the uh pilot phase, if you will, of that project to see what works and doesn't work, get those data trends, and then build out that team.

But yes.

Okay.

Um, have you given any consideration to district constituent liaisons?

So having a liaison for every council district.

Have you given any any thought to that?

I did it initially, and it is a resource um constraint that I'm looking to see if I can work around and even if there's part-time options or or something temporary we can do, but right now, at least wanted to get two people that I knew I could get on it full-time to start it.

Yes, I think that would be a great idea.

Okay.

When we get to your six-month benchmark, what milestones will you commit to sharing publicly when we get to that six-month um point?

Sure.

I so we'll be able to share what we've the processes we've changed through using permit stat.

So the KPIs, that should be coming actually even sooner than six months, so everyone knows where our baseline is and what we are striving to get to and what our goal is.

So then at that six months, we will share publicly if we met that goal or not, and if we need to readjust, um, I will be sharing the Spark dashboard, if you will, as far as where this uh council concerns lie and what we're doing to improve those processes, and again, just our our walk-in and our call center metrics of what we're seeing and what we're doing to improve that.

Okay.

Uh, has cross-training begun?

If so, what divisions are currently in training?

If not, when is cross-training scheduled to begin?

Yeah, so specifically for the inspectors, I have ordered the books that is going through the process right now to come in to help them to begin studying.

So it's in a very beginning phase for that.

All right.

Um, my final questions are going to focus on morale.

Um, what are you doing to uh uplift morale uh within the department uh and tell me about what investments um uh you're making in terms of professional development?

I think one thing we've done very poorly with the municipal government for many decades is that we don't invest in our people on an ongoing consistent basis.

So tell me about that.

Sure.

Um I definitely recognize the need for it.

I think we have to celebrate wins when we see them.

We don't always do that, we focus on the negative.

So I know at least internally when uh we receive compliments from the outside, from you know, city council, even internal, that we celebrate that win with everybody so that the team knows, and we even do go so far as including HR so it gets put in the file, and really let people know what what that means.

We have monthly staff meetings where you know I try to encourage the group and let them know that the good things we're accomplishing and the positive mile markers for professional development.

I I do recognize that I think this first step of cross-training inspectors or cross-certifying, sorry, inspectors is a first step in that.

I need to expand that to the larger group and um and see what we can do to bring that.

Well, once again, uh thank you for answering the call or serve, and I want to publicly thank uh the women and men that encompass uh the Department of Safety and Permits and really thank them as well for the dedication to the city of New Orleans in my four months uh of being in this role.

I've appreciated uh those employees uh working with me and my team and being responsive.

Look forward to working with you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Uh I'll provide some final comments.

I think whether or not you agreed with Mayor Landry's great place to work initiative.

I think its greatest failure is that it promised workers that upon evaluation, they would be rewarded with pay raises.

And I think that as we seek to restructure how we run city government, I think that if you want to talk about how to reward a worker for doing a good job, having evaluations and having pay adjust adjusted accordingly is a big part of that.

Because I will tell you that the number one complaint I've gotten since 2014 is that they're still doing the evaluations, but they're meaningless because there's no high stakes and there's no ultimate reward for doing a good job, and for your actual supervisors taking the time to explain what you're doing well and what you're doing poorly and how you can improve to generally create a better workplace.

And I think, like I said, it was a very controversial measure.

I agree with like half of it, but in that respect, when you had that component in there, it really created an opportunity for supervisors and employees to build upon their close working relationship to lead to better outcomes.

And that, like I said, there's still departments that do the super the evaluation, but it's meaningless because I'm sure many supervisors say everything's great because there's no actual risk because a person who is doing a good or a bad job is not going to get a pay raise or a pay reduction or anything regarding it.

But I guess the point I'm making is that I think part of the reason why morale is low, particularly in safety and permits, is that you have a host of people that want to be innovative and make things different, and you've got an equally large group of people who think that nothing's wrong.

And I can tell you at in the beginning of this second term, there's a lot wrong at safety and permits.

Um I've used examples I know uh Ms.

Kirby and our meetings I've said it, like when you have someone trying to install solar panels on their house, and safety and permits wants a schematic of the solar panel when there's no one on safety and permits who can read a solar panel schematic, what you see is obstacles and inefficiency for the sake of obstacles and inefficiency.

The only position the city should have in a solar panel being installed is is the electric hookup proper and what burst into flames, not is it an efficient model.

Many of the complaints I hear from safety and permits are about people making something that's black and white infinitely more complex for the sake of naval gazing.

And what I saw in our meetings is that you understand that.

The role is to do the job that's in front of you, to call balls and strikes, and when you see balls and strikes, don't say we're now gonna go swimming.

Like you have to look at what the council, what the ordinances, what the law says, and just rule on it.

I use my example, and I think I said this in our meeting.

Before I joined the council in 2021, I applied for a home occupancy permit from my office, my home office, which is purely an optional thing, but I want to be above board.

I occasionally, I mean, these days not at all, but I occasionally practice law and I do it in my office.

Uh and any other jurisdiction that is free money from a safety and permits office, it's okay, thank you for letting me know.

Here's your permit.

What I got from safety and permits was we want a copy of your standing with the bar association.

Safety and permits does not evaluate the practice of law, they don't regulate it.

If I'm practicing law illegally, trusting the Bar Association will catch me.

But as someone who understands the process and you see that, that's someone who is so desperate not to do work, they made up work not to do work.

And what the city lost out in is free revenue.

That's just that's a permit that you give away because it's it's a permit that someone's voluntarily saying, I want to pay for a permit because I think that the city's owed some revenue.

And what is really disconcerning to me is over the last four to eight to twelve to twenty years, how many times has the city been offered free revenue?

We've talked about building permits.

Building permits are a huge functional part of how we fund safety and permits because building permits are evaluated based upon what the building's gonna cost to build.

And the timely production of a building permit from the department of safety and Permits literally generates revenue.

We have so many cases of even well-meaning builders starting construction without a building permit because safety and permits is non-responsive.

Not only is that dangerous, but you have buildings that are currently built without safe without building permits where the city got zero revenue for the building of that building.

So if you take anything from today, at least from my testimony and as well as the other colleagues here up here, is this department just has to want to work.

And I don't mean work as far as effort, I mean work as far as be functional, customer service-based for purposes of getting a permit out the door, unless there's a problem with the permit.

Because functionally speaking, when you're looking at a customer service uh based organization, the goal should be when a citizen shows up, how can I get you that permit?

Not how can I create as many obstacles as possible so that you get frustrated and don't come back for the permit?

So I think that's all the council testimony.

I appreciate you being here today.

Um seeing no public comment, I will move to forward you the full council for foral confirmation.

Uh second by councilmember McCarron.

Please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you very much being here today.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Next up, we're going to our item four, which is boards and commissions, and we have quite the gang here.

Alright, so first, we have uh we will go down the list.

Amanda Berger.

And just for everyone here for confirmation today, you will all, at least by me, be asked the same question.

You go right here, Amanda.

You don't have to come to the front.

You're not getting grilled.

Um, the same question we give everyone is why do you want to serve on insert commission here commission?

So Amanda, why would you like to serve on the Audubon Commission?

Well, first, thank you all so much.

I know it's been a crazy week.

Um, so thank you for the opportunity to appear before you.

So the collection of facilities controlled by the Audit Bank Commission stand out as some of New Orleans' most important assets.

Um, they're important because of the cultural, natural, recreational, and economic well-being of our city.

So the overseeing of those assets, along with interacting with neighbors and stakeholders, is really complex.

And so I would like to serve on the commission because as an attorney, I look forward to applying my legal understanding of these complexities to help the commission execute on its charge as effectively and as efficiently as possible.

And I know I can do that with my legal background and all of the knowledge I have on Audubon Commission's assets.

So thank you so much for the opportunity.

I really appreciate your time today.

Thank you.

Uh, Councilmember Hughes.

Uh, thank you, uh, Mr.

Chair, um, and I Ms.

Berger.

This is not directed solely at you.

This is I'm gonna just say it now for the entire uh Audubon Commission.

Look, um, I appreciate that the Audubon Zoo and the aquarium and and now the uh new new riverfront park uh gets a lot of attention.

Uh but there's a beautiful asset called the Nature Center in New Orleans East.

Yeah, that doesn't get a lot of attention.

And so I'm really hoping I know it's a top priority um for Director Swaya, and I appreciate that.

He's been a really really great partner uh and just really want the entire commission to be intentional uh at uplifting and promoting and enhancing on the Louisiana Nature Center because it's a it's a beautiful asset uh in New Orleans East.

Yeah, it is.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh Councilmember McCarn, one sec.

You're still we still got more people.

I just want to say thank you for stepping up to this task.

I know you'll do a wonderful job as a uh on the commission, so I appreciate you um being here today and talking to us, and I know you'll do a great job.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

The board is clear, Councilman Harris moves.

I will second sorry, Councilman McCarrin seconds.

Uh please vote your machines.

Five years and A't age before the full council for confirmation.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh next up, Tracy Griffin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Tracy Hydale Griffin, and it's certainly an honor to receive a call uh from our mayor's office from the council chambers to be of service.

It is certainly something that I don't take lightly to be of service to our city.

The Audubon Commission is something that I have cherished, like many of you, the resources in front.

As a participant, as a mother, as a Girl Scout troop leader, understanding the benefits that our city has to offer to the residents, to the tourists that come through the gifts of the Ottoman Institute is what I'm here to be a good steward of.

I have cherished every element of interaction with the Audubon Institute, including the Nature Center, on several occasions as a Girl Scout troop leader, bringing my troops to have sleepovers at not just not just the zoo, but at the Louisiana Nature Center as well.

So I value the resources and I take seriously the responsibility of being a good steward to make sure those resources remain viable and accessible to our residents and to our tourists alike.

Thank you, Councilman Green.

I know that you're going to do a great job with the Audubon Institute, but I just wanted to thank you because you could have easily said, I'm so busy.

You are doing so much in the community, not only with the historic Dukey Chase restaurant and your family's work is to be appreciated, but I want to single out or point out at least the work that you do with the young men and women who come there as products of our mentoring society, especially the Silverback Society.

Not only teaching them the art of fine dining, but also telling them a little bit about the history of our city, the important aspects of it that many times a young person would not be aware of.

So in addition to your continued service in the capacity in which you serve Duke Chase, thank you for what you do to our com for our community, and I know that the Ottoman Institute board is in good hands with your service.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council McCarron.

I just want to say again, thank you.

All of these appointments are district A residents, so I appreciate you stepping up and making the time to be on the Audubon Commission.

Thank you.

Much thank you.

Uh Councilman Harris moves.

Councilman Hughes seconds, please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

So I'm missing.

Great.

Amy, there you go.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you so much.

Next up we have Joseph Wilson.

We approve the funding so the gender.

Hi there, thanks for having me today.

Um, I think Miss Griffin and Miss Berger will be tough acts to follow, uh, but I'll do my best.

Why I would want to be on the Ottoman Commission is is pretty straightforward.

And it's the the park is the most important place in my entire life.

I'm there every single day and have been for years, exercising every morning and just seeing the uh the different walks of life of the folks that are there similarly daily or just visiting.

It's a slice of nature within the city that we don't get uh in my experience uh much other ways from from you know what I cross paths with in my daily life.

Importantly, what I think I would bring to the commission, uh is related to my professional background.

Um I'm in a state lawyer in town, and um how I found that is very useful for boards and organizations is with planned and other giving, which I think is often an afterthought.

Um, but in this instance, it could really be a tremendous source of revenue to be able to assist folks that are charitably inclined to to give and in what sort of fashion an overview, those sorts of uh requests and and uh and lifetime gifts.

Thank you, Councilmember McCarn.

That's well clear.

All right.

Uh I will move.

I'm sorry, Councilmore Harris moves.

I will second.

All in favor?

Fabiers and A's, you're forwardful council confirmation.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next up, we have Richard Freeman.

Oh, Richard, I don't know you as Richard, you're Wes.

That clarification for the record.

I don't know a Richard Freeman, I know a Wes Freeman.

Thank you.

Uh yes, Richard is my father or my grandfather.

And yes, it is my first name, but I go by West.

Um thank y'all for letting me come in front of you all this afternoon.

Um I remember Audubon Zoo, not even Autumn Aquarium, not even the river view, not even the you know the all the other assets that Ottoman has now.

But I remember Ottoman Zoo as a zoo that was not exactly world class.

It was not.

And when it became world class, it was quite awe-inspiring.

And that was a big change.

A big change of the city and a big change to the neighborhood.

And it was something that was celebrated.

And I'd like to keep that celebration going so that we do not waste a wonderful, wonderful asset that we have.

Um, so being one of the people who've seen that change, I'd love to see it continue as a wonderful asset, and that's one of the reasons why I be considered to serve.

Thank you so much, Wes.

You have always stepped up when asked to serve, and I appreciate you taking answering the call this time as well.

Councilman McCarron's already moved as well as Councilmember Harris, please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you very much for being here today.

Thank you.

Uh next up, we're going to 4-2, which is the downtown development district.

First up, we have Ryan King.

So Ryan here has got a waiver.

Let me check.

Where's my waiver list?

Yep, he's got a waiver.

Alright, I apologize.

I'm sorry.

Mr.

King is a reappointment.

He has a waiver that was timely uh sent in.

Councilman Harris moves.

Councilman McCarron seconds.

Please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

He is approved.

Next up, we have Kenny Rubenstein.

I saw Kenny, he's here.

Hey Kenny.

Why do you want to be on the downtown development district?

Well, technically, I'm a reappointment.

Okay.

I just want to continue the work we're doing.

And of course, downtown is very important to me, and in my opinion, very important to the city.

And I want to continue to uh grow this.

We're in the middle of uh some good changes and accomplishments that I'd like to see through.

All right, Councilman Harris.

Yeah, thank you so much for uh agreeing to serve again.

The work of the DD is instrumental in the city of New Orleans.

As we know, downtown French quarters, the beating heart of our city, and we need to ensure that it maintains its beauty and economic development.

So I just want to thank you and everybody who has served and who will serve on the DDD board.

Absolutely.

All right, it's been moved by Council Bar Harris, second by myself.

Please vote your machines.

Five years and no nays.

Thank you, Kenny.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Michael D.

Simone.

Yeah, hello, Michael.

Why would you like to serve on the downtown development district?

Hello.

Thank you for having me.

Um, as the uh CEO of Link Restaurant Group, we have uh six businesses in the DDD uh as a member of the board of directors on the state level for the Louisiana Restaurant Association.

I feel like the uh the restaurant community as a whole is such an integral part of New Orleans, and quite honestly, you you have to be active if you want to make change and improve everything.

So ever since Hurricane Ida, I've really looked for an opportunity to kind of uh be active on a board, and I think this is a great opportunity.

Thank you so much.

We appreciate everything the link group does, not just as a premier restaurant destination, but also just giving back to the city of New Orleans.

Councilman Harris Councilmember Harris has moved, Councilman Member Hughes has seconded.

Uh, five years no nays, thank you so much.

Next up we have Stephanie Burks.

Come on down, all right.

Why would you like to serve on the downtown development district?

I would like to serve because I'm already serving.

I actually serve with the Quality of Life Committee, and I I love my city and I love the improvement that we are making within that area, for as the safety, the cleanliness, actually also working to improve the economic development and the uh businesses around the area.

So I am looking forward to being a board, and I thank the councilman, Councilwoman Leslie Harris' office for call, giving me the call to divert over to the board.

Okay, Councilman Harris.

Stephanie, thank you for stepping up.

I know that you are extremely busy, so I just want to say thank you for your time.

I also know that you were involved in Celebrate Canal, and I think your appointment on this board as well as your involvement with celebrate canal will accelerate the redevelopment of Canal Street.

So I just want to say thank you.

I'm looking forward to your service.

You're welcome.

Yes, I'm vice chair for Celebrate Canal with Sandra.

And we are we do have a joint uh mission with downtown development.

All right, it's moved by Jason Hughes, seconded by Councilmember Harris.

Please vote your machines.

Five years and no nays, you'll fit the full council.

Thank you very much.

Next up, we are on number three, regional planning commission, Adrian Bruno.

The infamous Adrian Bruno.

Which means more than famous.

Hello, Adrian.

Why do you want to be on RPC?

It's an honor and a privilege to be here.

Uh, New Orleans is my home.

Uh New Orleans comes first to me before anything else.

New Orleans is also the hub of economic development.

Everything happens because of us.

There are some people that don't want to admit that, but I believe that New Orleans and cooperation, and here we've got St.

Tammany, St.

Bernard, Jefferson Parish in the mix here.

Uh I'm passionate about economic development.

I'm passionate about transportation, especially rail.

Um, I'd like to see the rail line get extended, the Mardi Grow line get extended towards the west to Baton Rouge and Connectus.

I look forward to working with the other parishes and really getting everybody on the same page and getting them to the point of working together and really turning us into an economic powerhouse as a corridor.

We're there.

We have the right elements in place.

We have six class one railroads.

We have the largest, you know, riverine highway entry to the United States of America.

There is no reason why we cannot really take this to a whole new level.

So it's a passion of mine, and it's an honor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Green, thank you for your willingness to serve.

Um, Adrian, Mr.

Bruno.

Um, I appreciate the fact that you mentioned the rail transportation.

Um, as the chair of the transportation committee, I'm so pleased with the success of the Mardi Gras line, and I know that we can do the same going to Baton Rouge and then eventually going up to Shreveport and connecting to I-20.

I do want to go out of my way to invite you to come to a special meeting at Gallia Hall of the Southern Rail Commission on Friday, January the 5th.

I'd love to introduce you, especially because of your interest in an area that's so important in terms of us growing as a community.

And on a regional level, I just want to emphasize that word regional.

People think about New Orleans and they think that we have concerns and our that our concerns are unique.

We have sewage and water and flooding problems throughout our district, but we also have opportunities to for growth that if we worked on a regional level could really enhance our community.

So I look forward to working with you on that, but especially on that transportation issue.

Let's make that rail line happen, connecting to our airport to Baton Rouge.

It'll continue the growth that's going on in our community.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Ian McKairn.

I just want to say thank you.

I know you are also a district A resident, uh, but thank you for your service on this board and the city.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Adrian, thank you for stepping up in Milwaukee on the serve.

I know RPC is a tremendous time commitment, and it takes a certain kind of person to navigate the politics of New Orleans and our surrounding parishes, and I think you're the ideal person for it.

Uh, Councilmember Hughes has already moved, and Councilmember McCarron is already second, so please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you very much for being here today.

Appreciate it.

Next up, Dernell Johnson.

And I don't think anybody calls you Dernell but your mom.

Right, right?

Darnell Johnson.

Y'all might know him as DJ, but Darnell.

Alright, Darnell.

What why do you want to serve on the New Orleans Public Library Board?

This is like the dumbest question ever.

Ask the guy who runs Baldwin.

I appreciate it.

But but please answer it for the rest.

Yeah, I appreciate the question.

Thank you all for being here.

Um, of course, you all know how heavily invested I am in literacy.

Um, you know, to me, just literacy is that quiet power that um makes a free society possible because when individuals can read, when a society can read, um uh um uh when they can read the world, um, it makes it impossible for individuals who want to rule them.

Um so I think literacy can solve all of our world problems.

Um, right now, society spends 1.2 trillion dollars on illiteracy.

Um, if you look at our educational system, look at our mass incarceration, you look at environmental issues, um, you look at health care disparities.

Well, it's just because um individuals aren't reading.

Right now, you have two-thirds of um students in Louisiana read below grade level.

So for me, literacy is life.

Um, I just want to serve, um, uh do what I can to help um support the civic institution.

Thank you.

Uh Council Brees.

Well, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, good afternoon.

Let me uh first thank you for uh answering the call to serve on this board.

Um, the library board is probably one of the least attractive boards that people want to serve on in the city.

But in my opinion, it's it's arguably one of the most consequential boards, it's one of the most consequential systems.

You touched on a literacy standpoint, and that's one aspect, which is great.

When I served in the legislature, um, you know, literacy was my hallmark initiative, and we have moved the needle on that two-thirds of third graders that could not read.

We're actually now leading the nation in academic improvement around uh literacy and math.

Um, but our libraries are our safe havens in so many ways for so many people.

Um it can be a safe haven for youth after school or on weekends or during summer hours.

It can be a safe haven for uh homeless residents, uh it can be a hub for our residents to apply for jobs.

The list goes on and on and on, and I can tell you I have been so alarmed since being on this council, and even before I got to the council, at the sheer number of times we're having to shut down libraries uh due to deferred maintenance that has been kicked down the road for so many years.

And so I'm excited you're answering the call to serve, and I hope that the library system you know will really begin to think outside the box.

We know resources are scarce uh everywhere.

Um, but but every time a library closes, it's a burden on our residents.

So I just really appreciate you raising your hand uh doing this.

I think you're gonna be an extraordinary addition, and uh look forward to working with you.

Thanks.

Council McGreen, council member Hughes touched on what I was going to touch on in terms of libraries closing, the Nova Labra Library, for example, in the seventh ward, the uh the additional libraries that have closed.

Um, many times that makes a statement to elderly folks and to young people who can't go there that it suggests that the city is not interested.

Even when I ask questions, I still don't understand why it takes so long and why we don't have extra parts for air conditioners in the summer, but just ask you to be very deliberate about asking those questions.

So, but it was already brought up.

So I just want to say thank you for what you've done with Baldwin in terms of especially that corner of the Legion Fields and Rampart and the work that you've done that has enhanced it.

It's so great when we hear that your your event is gonna be too large and it can't be there, and they have to go to Dillard's campus.

That's a great sign, and I appreciate the fact that you're using Dillard as a backup location many times because of all of the people who are gonna show up.

Thank you for your commit your commitment to literacy, your investment on the ground, and your willingness to continue serving.

Thank you, DJ.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harris.

I I also want to reiterate uh thank you, and and thanks for serving on this.

Baldwin is fantastic, and I love to go there.

I hope that you can use your influencer status to highlight the resources that the library provides.

Not only physical books, not only job readiness training, but things like a seed library, um, electronic books.

I've I've stopped buying books on Amazon and I'm writing books through the library using my Kindle, but it's just a fantastic resource.

New York Times subscriptions.

I mean, there's so many resources that I think that are underutilized, and I know that you can use your platform to help uh promote those and get more people engaged in our library.

So thank you.

So a couple of things.

First off, for those three people that are watching this online, I want to highlight the fact that the amount of work that DJ does on a daily basis to provide resources, free resources to the families of the city in an effort to engage them on reading is staggering.

Um I walked in on Sunday when they were doing reading time with uh mothers and small children, and to say Baldwin was packed would be an understatement.

And the excitement that you had in leading the conversation and getting those kids excited about reading really encapsulates who you are as a person in that you feel very strongly about literacy, and Baldwin is a thought hub.

I mean, it's a bookstore, they sell coffee and drinks, but you see people having really serious conversations about the state of our city, our state, and our country, and you see the speakers you bring through many times for free just to have people hear the tremendous amount of information that's out there.

I mean, it is something that we cannot really put a price tag on.

I want to highlight the fact that you are coming on this board along with Austin today at a time where we're combining friends of the New Orleans Public Libraries and the New Orleans Public Libraries Foundation into the Library Foundation of New Orleans, and there is going to be a lot of decisions being made between the board and those support auxiliary organizations, and it's really gonna take innovative thinkers like yourself and like Austin, who are really gonna be able to help us maximize the resources because if you look back to that vote, many people don't recall, for the three people who are watching.

There was an effort by the prior mayor to cut resources to the library and to take part of their millage and put it in the general fund.

And what was interesting about that instance is that that measure failed miserably.

Yet when the council defied the mayor and put the full funding back to the library, it passed immediately and overwhelming.

There is so much public support for our libraries and everything you do.

The people of the city love our libraries, and as being a member of that board, you and Austin are stewards of the libraries, and I can't think of a better person to do it than you, DJ, honestly.

All right, it's been moved by Councilmember McCarron, second by councilmember Harris, please watch your machines 5-0.

Thank you so much, DJ.

Thank you all.

Appreciate it.

Come on now in Austin.

Austin, why do you want to be on the library board?

Um thank you for having me.

Um, I want to be on the library board.

I'm eager to get to work.

My commitment to the library is rooted in the lifelong appreciation for the transformative power of literacy, a passion passed down to me by both of my grandmothers.

I do not own a bookstore.

My maternal grandmother, Florence Shea, was a bookstore owner.

She was a rare book dealer who dedicated her life to preserving the written word.

My paternal grandmother, Dr.

Audrey Lavin is such a tireless champion for writers, and her own library system that they named their author series in her honor.

In my professional life, I help companies and nonprofits solve their most significant challenges by navigating complex transactions.

This work requires a deep understanding of people, the mechanics of high stakes decision making, and the unique landscapes of our city.

Because my career takes me into every corner of New Orleans, I've had the opportunity to get to know the diverse people and places that make this city what it is.

I want to bring this strategic focus and boots on the ground perspective to the library board.

Ensuring this important institution remains innovative, accessible, and community centered.

I mean, you'm eager to get to work.

Thanks for having me.

All right, uh, Councilman McCarran.

Well, thank you, Austin, for stepping up.

I know that uh the library board when I we talked about it was not the most interesting, but it really could be the most interesting board that we have, and I'm thrilled that you are stepping up to the plate to to kind of re-envision it and work with DJ and the rest of the board.

Um, very excited to have you on.

Thank you.

Me too.

Thank you.

Uh with that, Councilman has moved.

Councilman Harris is second.

Please vote your machine.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you, Austin.

Appreciate you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Next up, make sure I'm staying on top of this.

Next up, we have Raynard Thomas, followed by Pike Howards.

Come on down.

Why do you want to be on Sandy Krasnoff?

One, I work around re-entry and across the state I do re-entry.

Also, I do re-entry consultant for the federal government as a consultant for the Bureau of Prisons and Department of Justice.

I was the first state re-entry coordinator and Judge White and Judge on a courtroom.

And from that day to this day, if paid or not, I'm there for those men and women coming out of incarceration.

And I would like to see them start working as a collaborative and not in solos.

Alright.

Uh, Councilman Hughes' move, Councilman Harris is seconded.

Please vote your machines.

Five years, no nays.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Um Pike Howard, I believe, is not here today.

There's a waiver in place.

Uh, that is due to a last um trip obligation, and also Ms.

French also has a waiver that has been received and is timely.

So that leaves us with Margaret Washington.

Oh, sorry, we have to vote on those.

I apologize.

Thank you.

So, first on Pike Howard.

Next, on Miss French.

Can we make the motion for the record, please?

Sure.

The motions were both made by Councilmore Harris, and I think the second one, one was seconded by Hughes, second one was seconded by McCarron.

And these are in favor of both are in favor of those two, and they both passed unanimously.

All right.

So next up, Margaret Washington, please.

Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

I'm Margaret Washington, and I have served on the Sandy Krasnor Criminal Justice Council before I am a victim of violence, and I want to work as a citizen to combat violence and crime in our city.

Not just in name only, but when they call me to uh respond to grant writing and to offer grants, I am there.

I am a community worker, and I believe that citizens have a responsibility to make certain that all that we do will improve our citizenry in our city.

Thank you.

Council Marie is thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, Ms.

Washington, as a district E resident, let me thank you for uh once again raising your hand to serve.

I appreciate it.

And and I want to publicly acknowledge uh council, I'm sorry, um, now Madam Mayor Moreno uh and Director Powell.

Um, it's significant that every on every agenda where we've had these confirmations for boards and commissions, uh district E residents have been included on boards and commissions, and that hasn't always been the case in the city of New Orleans.

So I want to publicly thank Mayor Moreno and Director Powell for the intentionality.

Thank you, Councilman Green.

Thank you for mentioning victims of crime.

Sandy Krasnoff was a strong proponent of providing support to victims of crime.

This morning I attended a human trafficking symposium, and some persons who had been human trafficked were brave enough to stand and speak to the people there and just say that they had been victims and they didn't want others to be victims of crime.

There's so many things that happen in our community where it's easy to ignore the people for whom the criminal justice system should work best.

And that is the victims of crime.

Thank you for being willing to serve on this.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

Five years, no nays.

Five years, no nays.

I look forward to the full council for confirmation.

And next up, we have item five, which is two contracts for consideration presentative rule forty seven.

And reaffirm the maximum accounts payable.

I do not see any questions on this item, and it's self-explanatory.

I will move.

Any council issue membership issues?

No.

Councilman Harris moves, Councilman Hughes seconds.

Please vote.

Five years, no nays.

The item is cleared.

And with that, our agenda is clear.

Councilman Hughes moves we adjourn.

Councilman Green seconds.

All in favor say aye.

Five years, no nays were adjourned.