1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,160 My name is Bo Bologn and I have the 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:06,080 honor of serving as chief administrative 3 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,919 officer Fiberia Parish reporting 4 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:10,800 directly to parish president M. Larry 5 00:00:07,919 --> 00:00:12,559 Rishard. Alongside President Rishard, 6 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:15,360 our administration and our department 7 00:00:12,559 --> 00:00:16,960 heads, we work as a unified team to 8 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,680 ensure the efficient and effective 9 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,680 operations of Iberia Parish government. 10 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,760 Iberia Powers government is comprised of 11 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,480 33 departments supported by 12 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:28,800 approximately 300 270 dedicated 13 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:32,559 employees and managed through an annual 14 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:35,040 operating budget of over $100 million. 15 00:00:32,559 --> 00:00:36,320 For the past decade, President Rishard's 16 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,440 administration has taken a 17 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:42,079 business-minded approach to government, 18 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:44,160 emphasizing fiscal responsibility, 19 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:46,719 accountability, and the prudent use of 20 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:48,480 public funds while continuously striving 21 00:00:46,719 --> 00:00:50,960 to enhance the quality of life for the 22 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:52,559 citizens of Iberia Parish. This 23 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,800 evening's presentation will highlight 24 00:00:52,559 --> 00:00:58,000 several key departments including 25 00:00:54,800 --> 00:01:01,280 finance, public works, Aadiana Regional 26 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:03,440 Airport, Waterworks District number one, 27 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,760 sewage district, waterworks district 28 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,799 number three, excuse me, sewage district 29 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,479 number one, and animal control. We will 30 00:01:08,799 --> 00:01:12,240 also address additional topics of 31 00:01:10,479 --> 00:01:14,240 interest such as drainage and roadway 32 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,880 improvement projects, the port of 33 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:18,720 Iberia, and the expansion of our fiber 34 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:22,000 connectivity to homes and businesses 35 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,520 throughout the parish. Finally, we will 36 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,080 reflect on the accomplishments of the 37 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:28,000 past decade and share our vision for the 38 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,080 continued progress and future success of 39 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,400 Iberia Parish. 40 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,240 It is now my pleasure to introduce the 41 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:37,280 individual best suited to speak on these 42 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:40,159 achievements and outline the parish um 43 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:43,159 forward. Our parish president M. Larry 44 00:01:40,159 --> 00:01:43,159 Rousard. 45 00:01:43,491 --> 00:01:45,511 [applause] 46 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:59,000 » Good evening. 47 00:01:55,759 --> 00:01:59,000 » Good evening. 48 00:01:59,119 --> 00:02:02,560 First and foremost, I want to thank God 49 00:02:01,119 --> 00:02:04,560 for allowing me to be here with you all 50 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,479 today. 51 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,520 I would also like to express my 52 00:02:06,479 --> 00:02:13,760 gratitude to my wonderful wife, Kim, and 53 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:15,360 our children, Tyler and Morgan. 54 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,080 Before I continue, I want to take a 55 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,920 moment to recognize and honor our 56 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:23,560 veterans who are here with us today. 57 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:23,560 Would you please stand? 58 00:02:25,411 --> 00:02:27,431 » [applause] 59 00:02:30,959 --> 00:02:35,680 » Thank you all so much. Your courage, 60 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:38,400 sacrifice, and dedication to defending 61 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:42,800 our freedoms and the foundation of 62 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:44,959 strength of this nation is awesome. 63 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,680 We owe you a debt of gratitude that we 64 00:02:44,959 --> 00:02:49,760 can never fully repay. Thank you for 65 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:54,440 your service and your continued 66 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,440 contribution to our our community. 67 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:59,200 I am deeply thankful to my 68 00:02:56,239 --> 00:03:03,402 administration staff, my executive 69 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:04,879 assistant and the provos. Please stand. 70 00:03:03,402 --> 00:03:09,360 [applause] 71 00:03:04,879 --> 00:03:10,879 Communications coordinator Joe Morgan, 72 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,560 she's in the back. She put this thing 73 00:03:10,879 --> 00:03:16,840 together. [applause] 74 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,840 Chief Administrative Officer Boalon, 75 00:03:17,157 --> 00:03:19,200 [applause] 76 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:22,200 Chief Operating Officer, Michael 77 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,200 Brousard. 78 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,640 Finance Director Erica Duplan, 79 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:33,080 Human Resource Director Edie Castleman, 80 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,920 purchasing agent Michael Clifton. 81 00:03:38,772 --> 00:03:42,080 [applause] 82 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:45,040 Their tireless effort and commitment to 83 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:47,120 serving this community is invaluable. I 84 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,120 would also like to thank all of my 85 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,840 directors and managers, starting with my 86 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:54,720 security manager, Daryl Manning. Please 87 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,560 stand. 88 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,077 Aadiana Regional Airport Director 89 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,159 Mosanji. 90 00:03:59,077 --> 00:04:04,317 [applause] 91 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:06,000 Animal Control Manager Amanda East, 92 00:04:04,317 --> 00:04:07,519 [applause] 93 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,867 Office of Homeland Security and 94 00:04:07,519 --> 00:04:12,720 Emergencies Preparedness Brandon Migas. 95 00:04:10,867 --> 00:04:14,319 [applause] 96 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,479 And you have a lot of work to do for the 97 00:04:14,319 --> 00:04:20,037 next few days. Brandon, 98 00:04:16,479 --> 00:04:22,057 library director Marjorie Hill, 99 00:04:20,037 --> 00:04:22,057 [applause] 100 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:27,240 mosquito control director, Herbs Jones, 101 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:32,440 Parks and Recreation Director Tammy 102 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,440 Troh, 103 00:04:33,759 --> 00:04:39,688 Section 8 housing administrator 104 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,040 Christina Francis. 105 00:04:39,688 --> 00:04:42,400 [applause] 106 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,273 Y'all should have all been sitting way 107 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,199 up here. 108 00:04:44,273 --> 00:04:48,000 [clears throat and cough] 109 00:04:45,199 --> 00:04:50,168 Waterwork and surge district director 110 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,919 Brad Crater. 111 00:04:50,168 --> 00:04:55,440 [applause] 112 00:04:51,919 --> 00:04:57,120 GIS specialist Amy 113 00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,048 Brazar. 114 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,048 Brad [applause] 115 00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:05,919 Network administrator Michael Pjan. He's 116 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:08,000 not here. U he got some things going on 117 00:05:05,919 --> 00:05:10,240 right now, but Mike is our network 118 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,479 administration administrator. Thank you 119 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:16,368 to Mike permit and planning and zoning 120 00:05:12,479 --> 00:05:18,388 manager Agnes Connor 121 00:05:16,368 --> 00:05:18,388 [applause] 122 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:24,228 facility supervisor 123 00:05:20,639 --> 00:05:25,840 Bill who you who where you at Bill 124 00:05:24,228 --> 00:05:28,479 [applause] 125 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:31,440 and someone that's not on my list is my 126 00:05:28,479 --> 00:05:33,360 my budget officer my budget person and I 127 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,360 got to talk about him Gary where are you 128 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:38,720 Gary 129 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:40,880 » There you go to mention you Gary your 130 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:43,520 leadership and hard work ensures that we 131 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,199 continue to move forward as a parish and 132 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,680 your contribution do not [clears throat] 133 00:05:45,199 --> 00:05:49,280 go unnoticed. I would also like to thank 134 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,520 all of the employees of a Berry Parish 135 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:55,199 government for the work that they do to 136 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:56,880 keep this parish flourishing. 137 00:05:55,199 --> 00:05:59,199 Thank to all of you for being a part of 138 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,960 this journey as we continue to work 139 00:05:59,199 --> 00:06:02,320 together to make progress in a barrier 140 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,160 parish. 141 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,880 It is both an honor and a privilege to 142 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:09,120 stand before you today as we reflect on 143 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,440 the accomplishments of Aaria Parish and 144 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:14,479 I look forward to the promising future 145 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:16,400 that lies ahead. Together we have faced 146 00:06:14,479 --> 00:06:18,479 challenges, 147 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:21,280 seized opportunities 148 00:06:18,479 --> 00:06:22,800 and witnessed remarkable growth of our 149 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:24,880 parish. 150 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,960 From expanding industries to critical 151 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:30,800 infrastructure investments, 152 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:33,600 Aaria Paris has invoken into a vibrant a 153 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,600 vibrant thriving community that we all 154 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:38,720 can be proud of and I'm certainly proud 155 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,720 of it. Tonight, 156 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,039 I invite you to join me as we celebrate 157 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,680 our progress, 158 00:06:43,039 --> 00:06:49,039 recognize the dedication, the dedicated 159 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:51,600 efforts of our businesses and leaders, 160 00:06:49,039 --> 00:06:55,759 and discuss how we lay the foundation 161 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:57,120 for an even brighter future tomorrow. 162 00:06:55,759 --> 00:07:00,000 It's it's an [clears throat] exciting 163 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:02,639 time in Iberia Parish as we have much to 164 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:05,120 share about the positive transformation 165 00:07:02,639 --> 00:07:07,039 that's underway. 166 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,520 But before I go anywhere say anything 167 00:07:07,039 --> 00:07:14,440 else, I want to make sure that I 168 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,440 recognize my friend Mike Tarantino, 169 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:20,479 who is also the president and CEO of the 170 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:23,360 Iberia Industrial Development Foundation 171 00:07:20,479 --> 00:07:25,840 and the Iberia Economic Development 172 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,280 Authority. Mike and I work extremely 173 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,840 close together, and you're going to see 174 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,440 later when that started. I've already 175 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,319 acknowledged the current parish uh 176 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:37,919 councilman's um and now I want to 177 00:07:34,319 --> 00:07:39,440 acknowledge uh wait a minute before I 178 00:07:37,919 --> 00:07:40,960 move forward I want to acknowledge all 179 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:44,280 the parish councilmen. Stand up please 180 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,280 to be recognized. 181 00:07:45,055 --> 00:07:47,075 [applause] 182 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,440 We have um we have an unbelievable 183 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:55,759 council. Uh the council that we have we 184 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:58,400 have done some great things together. 185 00:07:55,759 --> 00:08:00,720 Uh, I mean, we work together as a team 186 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,080 and um, [clears throat] 187 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,240 we're getting some things accomplished 188 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,400 here. Actually, I'm actually missing a 189 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,479 paper where I was going to acknowledge 190 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,840 you guys, but it's not on here. So, I'm 191 00:08:08,479 --> 00:08:12,240 just going to go and tell you guys how 192 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:14,639 proud I am of you. Not only you, your 193 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:16,240 clerk, uh, and everyone that works with 194 00:08:14,639 --> 00:08:19,599 Iberia Parish to do the things that we 195 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,800 do. We just reelected a new who is the 196 00:08:19,599 --> 00:08:23,700 same person as the chairman of the 197 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:25,720 council, James Trohol. 198 00:08:23,700 --> 00:08:25,720 [applause] 199 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:31,560 Prior to that, we had a chairman for 200 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,560 four years, Warren Gosan. 201 00:08:31,759 --> 00:08:36,159 We're doing great things with your guys 202 00:08:33,599 --> 00:08:39,200 with you guys helping. Uh so let's make 203 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:41,680 sure that we continue to do that. At 204 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:44,640 this time, I want to get every elected 205 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:46,880 official in here to stand up, excluding 206 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:50,519 the parish councilman to be recognized. 207 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,519 Past and current. 208 00:08:51,211 --> 00:08:54,399 [applause] 209 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:57,760 Okay. 210 00:08:54,399 --> 00:09:01,120 Okay, we have I seen the mayor uh 211 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:02,640 Freddy, I seen Ricky, Mayor Promp, and 212 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,240 also the district attorney is here. So, 213 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:08,320 I got to recognize him. He might do 214 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:10,480 something to me. Um, 215 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,320 so with that said, let me see something. 216 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:14,480 Cindy just brought me the actual page 217 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,399 that I was looking for. But thanks to 218 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:19,279 everyone for being here tonight and uh 219 00:09:16,399 --> 00:09:21,279 your continued support and commitment to 220 00:09:19,279 --> 00:09:22,959 making our barrier parish a place where 221 00:09:21,279 --> 00:09:25,920 opportunities 222 00:09:22,959 --> 00:09:27,600 um innovation and prosperity for uh 223 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,880 flourish. So you're going to get to hear 224 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,760 a little bit about what we doing in 225 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:33,120 Iberia Parish right now and uh hopefully 226 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:37,800 you guys like it. Thank you. Have a 227 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:37,800 blessed day until I finish 228 00:09:39,681 --> 00:09:40,399 [applause] 229 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,279 the 230 00:09:40,399 --> 00:09:44,480 » President. Absolutely. Absolutely. here. 231 00:09:43,279 --> 00:09:45,040 Let me put this mic on. 232 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,480 » Yes, sir. 233 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:49,839 » Let me put this mic on, Mike. 234 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,760 » All ready to go. 235 00:09:49,839 --> 00:09:53,519 » Yes, sir. 236 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,279 » Well, as Mr. Rishard is sitting down, I 237 00:09:53,519 --> 00:09:57,519 just want to express my thanks and my 238 00:09:55,279 --> 00:09:59,519 it's certainly my honor to be here and 239 00:09:57,519 --> 00:10:01,120 uh to do this again with you. Thank you 240 00:09:59,519 --> 00:10:03,680 so much for the invitation to join you 241 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:06,240 tonight, which is for what is our 10th 242 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:08,560 year opportunity uh to do this to talk 243 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,800 about uh the wonderful progress going on 244 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:12,399 in our parish and the optimistic reasons 245 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:15,600 why we should all be optimistic in the 246 00:10:12,399 --> 00:10:17,440 future uh as we talk through the 2025 247 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,880 state of the parish. You'll hear me say 248 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,320 it again at the end, but I really 249 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,360 appreciate all the citizens that are out 250 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:26,000 here tonight uh to uh to hear about that 251 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,760 progress and to and to join with me uh 252 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,079 as we as we walk through it. I just want 253 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,079 to uh turn your attention to the QR code 254 00:10:30,079 --> 00:10:33,920 that's up on the screen right now. If 255 00:10:32,079 --> 00:10:36,640 you'd like to scan that QR code, please 256 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,920 feel free to do so. Uh that's that will 257 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,519 uh bring you to the tonight's 258 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,040 presentation so you can follow along in 259 00:10:39,519 --> 00:10:43,200 your mobile device. There'll also be 260 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,959 another QR code later in the in the 261 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,800 process which will which will give you 262 00:10:44,959 --> 00:10:48,720 some additional information. But we'll 263 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:53,200 go ahead and jump right in. 264 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:54,720 » I'm ready. So Iberia Parish um 265 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,320 a lot of different things going on with 266 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,760 Iberia Parish government and a lot of 267 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:00,480 different ways that the citizens and 268 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,720 taxpayers interact with Iberia Parish 269 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:04,160 government. Iberia Parish uh funding in 270 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,079 many ways and we'll find out tonight is 271 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,240 from the hardworking citizens and their 272 00:11:06,079 --> 00:11:11,760 hard-earned tax dollars. And so as 273 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:14,320 citizens we expect our uh tax dollars to 274 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,720 be used wisely and our finances to be 275 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:18,399 handled responsibly and professionally. 276 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,240 And we certainly that is certainly the 277 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:21,839 case within parish government. Let's 278 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,600 just talk a little about what's going on 279 00:11:21,839 --> 00:11:25,519 within the finance department. 280 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:28,640 » Our finance department oversees all of 281 00:11:25,519 --> 00:11:31,120 the finance u accounting functions. They 282 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:34,160 do the collections, the the receivables, 283 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,920 the whole nine yard payroll. Um they 284 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,160 also play a key role in budgeting and 285 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:40,000 auditing. They accounting is a 286 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,680 department that I have to talk to daily 287 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,839 because everything that we do in Paris 288 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:45,040 business goes through accounting. uh you 289 00:11:43,839 --> 00:11:46,880 know no matter what it is if it's 290 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,640 something with purchasing it's going to 291 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,279 go through accounting and I I am one 292 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:53,279 that truly believe in working close with 293 00:11:51,279 --> 00:11:55,760 my director of accounting and the staff 294 00:11:53,279 --> 00:11:57,440 that she have. So when you talk about 295 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,720 when we talk about account accounting 296 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,880 there are many generally accepted 297 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:03,120 accounting principles best practices 298 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:05,519 that happen in everyday business when it 299 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:08,160 comes to accounting uh and one of those 300 00:12:05,519 --> 00:12:09,920 measurements is is the cash on hand that 301 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,839 a business or a governmental body may 302 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,920 have. So tell us a little bit about the 303 00:12:11,839 --> 00:12:14,800 cash on hand at parish government where 304 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:18,079 it's been. 305 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:19,920 » Well in 2016 when we came in I have 306 00:12:18,079 --> 00:12:21,200 several councilmans that's here when we 307 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,800 started together we had nine new 308 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:26,800 councilmans when I got elected as the 309 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:29,920 president. We had 29 days cash on hand. 310 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:33,760 Um and we had some $460,000 or something 311 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:36,880 like that. Right now we have 377 days 312 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:39,440 cash on hand. Uh roughly six you know 313 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,880 close to $6.5 million. Actually we 314 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:43,279 spending down a little bit right now 315 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:46,079 because we have monies coming in right 316 00:12:43,279 --> 00:12:48,399 now from various places. Aaria parish 317 00:12:46,079 --> 00:12:50,560 only have two dedicated funds. 318 00:12:48,399 --> 00:12:52,480 » One is the general fund and one is the 319 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:55,360 uh royalty fund which you we can talk 320 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,800 about it later. Um is a fund that's 321 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,440 basically depleted. We only receive 322 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:01,120 around $151,000 a year from that. 323 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,480 » But cash on hand means a lot to me 324 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,399 because we have emergencies. We have 325 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,079 things that could take place and you 326 00:13:04,399 --> 00:13:08,639 need to have money to be able to address 327 00:13:06,079 --> 00:13:10,560 those things. For example, if we have a 328 00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:13,440 hurricane or some type of emergency, we 329 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:15,440 have to pay for that. We get reimbursed 330 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:17,600 uh after, but some of that take time. 331 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:20,079 So, I would like to see the um cash on 332 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:22,079 hand be um you know, a lot more money. 333 00:13:20,079 --> 00:13:23,760 Not necessarily cash on hand, but I 334 00:13:22,079 --> 00:13:25,760 would like to see have a lot more money. 335 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:28,399 » Absolutely. Absolutely. And so, uh you 336 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:31,200 mentioned just now about the two main 337 00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:33,120 funds that fund parish government. Um 338 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,120 one of those is the general fund. Let's 339 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,040 talk about the general fund. Um, where 340 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,120 it's been and where it's going. 341 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,040 » Well, when we got here, it was pretty 342 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,959 low. Um, 343 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,399 I mean, pretty low, right? If I'm not 344 00:13:42,959 --> 00:13:45,839 mistaken, we had a deficit. I'm trying 345 00:13:44,399 --> 00:13:48,639 not to say that, but it was extremely 346 00:13:45,839 --> 00:13:52,000 low. And so, we actually took this thing 347 00:13:48,639 --> 00:13:54,000 in 17 from somewhere around $700,000 348 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,279 uh to right now we have over $6 million 349 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,680 in the general fund. Has been a 350 00:13:55,279 --> 00:14:00,240 progression, steady progression uh that 351 00:13:57,680 --> 00:14:02,880 we have. But the general fund is used to 352 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,000 help us leverage dollars. We use a lot 353 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:04,959 of dollars from the federal government 354 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:05,279 and the state government. 355 00:14:04,959 --> 00:14:07,120 » Right. 356 00:14:05,279 --> 00:14:09,199 » So, one thing I learned early on in the 357 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,120 council and I, we made sure that every 358 00:14:09,199 --> 00:14:13,360 dollar that we're going to use, if 359 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:15,839 possible, we're going to leverage it. 360 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,279 » Absolutely. And you know, so so when as 361 00:14:15,839 --> 00:14:19,120 we talk about the general fund, which by 362 00:14:17,279 --> 00:14:21,839 the way is the fund where most of the 363 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:23,680 parishes uh business is handled, right? 364 00:14:21,839 --> 00:14:26,160 » Well, the general fund is is is the 365 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,839 money that comes in where we can use 366 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,240 that money for anything that we want to 367 00:14:27,839 --> 00:14:31,680 use it for. And that's why I personally 368 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,519 would like to see the general fund 369 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,680 somewhere around 1012 billion. 370 00:14:33,519 --> 00:14:37,760 » Well, another indication of the health 371 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,279 of the general fund that uh business 372 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:42,160 people are aware of of course is 373 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:44,560 revenues versus versus expenditures. And 374 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:46,639 this is a look at uh the the current 375 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:48,480 state of the parishes revenues versus 376 00:14:46,639 --> 00:14:49,040 expenditures in the general fund. Talk a 377 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,360 little bit about that. 378 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,800 » I think that the parish council, our 379 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,800 finance department, everyone, I think 380 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,720 they've done a fantastic job when you 381 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,880 talk about revenue and you talk about 382 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,480 expenses. We have made a complete 383 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,839 divide. You can see a serious separation 384 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,000 that take place from the money that we 385 00:15:01,839 --> 00:15:05,760 get in from the money that we spend. Uh 386 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:08,160 it's all about trying to have smart 387 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,680 management. Um and I'm very fortunate 388 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,440 that we have a group of people and I 389 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,600 can't say enough about the council 390 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,360 because the council 391 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,639 I I do things but to be honest with you, 392 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:17,199 I go to my council with everything, 393 00:15:16,639 --> 00:15:19,199 » Right? 394 00:15:17,199 --> 00:15:20,720 » And uh get them to understand what it is 395 00:15:19,199 --> 00:15:23,440 that we're doing. We have an extremely 396 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:25,360 good finance uh chairperson. We have 397 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,440 good chairpeople all over the council. 398 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:30,639 So, we're doing a great job as you can 399 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,920 tell. Um, we have a serious separation 400 00:15:30,639 --> 00:15:33,519 between our revenue and our 401 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,600 » And that's a great thing. That's a great 402 00:15:33,519 --> 00:15:37,199 thing. So, uh, we we spoke about the 403 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,279 general fund and how important that is 404 00:15:37,199 --> 00:15:40,959 to operations in the parish and the 405 00:15:39,279 --> 00:15:43,040 health the certain certainly the health 406 00:15:40,959 --> 00:15:44,320 of revenues versus expenditures, but you 407 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,680 also mentioned that other fund and 408 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,040 that's the royalty fund. Let's let's 409 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,399 talk just a little bit about that. 410 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,160 » You know, Mike, I've been doing this a 411 00:15:48,399 --> 00:15:52,399 long time. I got elected in 99, took 412 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,720 office in 2000 as a councilman. We used 413 00:15:52,399 --> 00:15:58,160 to have $6 million $7 million in a 414 00:15:54,720 --> 00:16:02,480 royalty fund is serious decline. We down 415 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:04,160 to like 150 plus $151,000 a year. In 416 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,519 fact, when I'm I don't really 417 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,680 concentrate a whole lot on the on the 418 00:16:05,519 --> 00:16:09,600 royalty fund to be honest with you. Now, 419 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,279 we take monies from the general fund to 420 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,040 put into the royalty fund to do certain 421 00:16:11,279 --> 00:16:15,120 things running through it, but I don't 422 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:17,680 see the royalty fund coming anytime 423 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:20,240 soon. IA parish of course have always 424 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:22,079 been an oil and gas parish agriculture 425 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,440 parish and it will always be absolutely 426 00:16:22,079 --> 00:16:25,680 » But we're not receiving a whole lot of 427 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,920 money from royalties at this time. 428 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,759 » Okay. Well, you know um citizens 429 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:32,079 interact with parish government in in 430 00:16:29,759 --> 00:16:33,839 many ways. Um and I would venture to say 431 00:16:32,079 --> 00:16:35,680 that one of the big ways that that 432 00:16:33,839 --> 00:16:38,399 citizens uh interact with parish 433 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:40,320 government on a regular basis is through 434 00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,519 the public works department. Tell us a 435 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,959 little bit about public works. What's 436 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:44,800 going on over there? Public Works is 437 00:16:42,959 --> 00:16:47,519 responsible for land management as well 438 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,959 as water management. We only have 30 439 00:16:47,519 --> 00:16:50,240 employees working at public works right 440 00:16:48,959 --> 00:16:52,480 now. So, we're hiring. So, if anybody 441 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:54,000 here know anyone looking for a job, tell 442 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,839 them to go on Iberia Parish government 443 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,160 website and uh fill out an application 444 00:16:55,839 --> 00:16:59,440 because we are hiring. Uh prior to us 445 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,480 getting here, I'm saying to us, prior to 446 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:04,640 me getting here been 16, public works 447 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,880 had roughly 60 employees. We're down to 448 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,720 30, but believe me, we have found a way 449 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,720 to make that work. We're gonna we're 450 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,640 gonna find out here in just a second how 451 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,319 busy those 30 people are. I can tell 452 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:16,000 you. So, you mentioned uh land 453 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:17,679 management and the other is water 454 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,360 management, of course. Let's start with 455 00:17:17,679 --> 00:17:20,480 land management. Let's just talk about 456 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:21,919 some of the things that are happening 457 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,679 and some of the things public works does 458 00:17:21,919 --> 00:17:25,919 in the land management department. 459 00:17:23,679 --> 00:17:27,919 » Uh land management, we have over 400 460 00:17:25,919 --> 00:17:29,039 miles of roads. Um 461 00:17:27,919 --> 00:17:30,559 » That's about here to Houston. 462 00:17:29,039 --> 00:17:33,600 » That's right. That's right. We have 66 463 00:17:30,559 --> 00:17:35,440 bridges. 55 or so of those bridges are 464 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,720 offsystem bridges which simply mean that 465 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,760 they're handled by barrier parish 466 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,840 government and the department of 467 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:42,400 transportation. Uh they're responsible 468 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:44,799 for like road repairs for striping for 469 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:46,640 wash outs for tree trimming uh 470 00:17:44,799 --> 00:17:48,559 slashbusting. We do all kind of things 471 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,320 that landfield operation. They have to 472 00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:52,080 deal with illegal dumping. They deal 473 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:54,559 with litter abatement. We have a lot of 474 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,600 things that we do with uh with land 475 00:17:54,559 --> 00:17:57,200 management at public works. 476 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,640 » So as a coastal parish, you know, we're 477 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:01,039 going to talk about that just position 478 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:02,640 in just a second. Uh but being a coastal 479 00:18:01,039 --> 00:18:04,320 parish, we got that love hate hate 480 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:06,799 relationship with our water and I know 481 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:09,039 that I know that uh uh public works does 482 00:18:06,799 --> 00:18:10,240 a lot in the water management uh 483 00:18:09,039 --> 00:18:10,880 department. Let's talk a little bit 484 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,400 about that. 485 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,720 » Well, 486 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:17,039 water management, we have over 800 miles 487 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:19,120 of roadside ditches that we actually 488 00:18:17,039 --> 00:18:20,320 maintain. Uh you're talking about field 489 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:22,640 laterals, you're talking about man 490 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,559 channels. Uh they do things like build 491 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,559 bulkheads. They take care of things like 492 00:18:24,559 --> 00:18:29,120 catch basins and ditch cleaning and 493 00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:31,440 channel clearing and all this good stuff 494 00:18:29,120 --> 00:18:32,480 including dealing with our beaver dams 495 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,320 that we have here. We have some 496 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,960 extremely smart beavers. 497 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,400 » Even even at Iberia Parish beavers. 498 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,160 » Yeah, we have some extremely smart 499 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,480 beavers. So public works can go out and 500 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:44,320 do something today and you give it a 501 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:46,320 week, they have another problem. So it's 502 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:49,039 a constant it's a constant job that they 503 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:50,640 do. And I'm I'm very um impressed with 504 00:18:49,039 --> 00:18:51,840 the 30 people that work at public works. 505 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:52,320 That's the most visible 506 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,240 » Right 507 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,880 » Department that we have in our parish 508 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:58,880 government. I mean they work hard. Um 509 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,320 they do need to take a break you know 510 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,320 twice one in the morning and one in the 511 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:05,200 afternoon and I can tell you I can wait 512 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,640 uh for 9:00 in the morning 10 o'clock in 513 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,160 the morning someone pass and they seen 514 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,520 someone taking a break and they're like 515 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,679 they wasn't working. 516 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:14,160 » Uh but the job got done you know. So we 517 00:19:11,679 --> 00:19:15,039 we have people that works in public work 518 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,720 not machines. 519 00:19:15,039 --> 00:19:17,120 » Well the machine the people operate the 520 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,400 machines. 521 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:20,000 » Right. Right. Well, one of the ways that 522 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,160 public works, you know, that that people 523 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,559 see the results of public works is when 524 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:26,080 we have storms and rain and and you 525 00:19:24,559 --> 00:19:28,320 know, sometimes flooding and things like 526 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:30,400 that. Um, and so let's just talk just a 527 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,360 little bit about uh recent drainage work 528 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,120 that's been completed. 529 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:35,120 » Well, we keep a tally on all the 530 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:37,919 drainage work that we do in Iberia Paris 531 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:40,160 since I started in 2016. As far as 532 00:19:37,919 --> 00:19:42,640 roadsides, drainage and cleaning, we've 533 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,840 done 561 miles. 534 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,640 » Uh, 56 535 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:48,160 » 561 miles. That's pretty serious. slash 536 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,640 bustings and clearing of rightways. 537 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,160 We've done 100 over 100 miles there and 538 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,240 main channel cleaning and lateral 539 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:57,440 chaining uh cleaning we've done around 540 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:59,919 186 miles. So the um public works 541 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:01,919 department is really really working. 542 00:19:59,919 --> 00:20:03,919 Well, we started something um a little 543 00:20:01,919 --> 00:20:05,360 bit different in 2025. We're going to 544 00:20:03,919 --> 00:20:07,039 outsource more work 545 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,880 » Which extends tax dollars. 546 00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:10,480 » Exactly. And the reason I'm I'm I'm 547 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,080 looking at that and the council and I we 548 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,160 talked about that is because it's hard 549 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:17,120 to hire employees right now with the 550 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:19,200 wages that we actually pay. So we 551 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:20,559 outsourcing and we really see that we're 552 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,919 getting a better we're getting actually 553 00:20:20,559 --> 00:20:23,919 more work done because when you think 554 00:20:21,919 --> 00:20:25,039 about it you're paying employees salary 555 00:20:23,919 --> 00:20:26,880 you're playing you're paying that 556 00:20:25,039 --> 00:20:27,200 benefits you're paying their retirement 557 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,520 right 558 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:32,720 » So we outsourced a couple of jobs so far 559 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:34,720 this year uh a channel called M10 um 560 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,080 they did a fantastic job that was the 561 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,000 test job to see how it was going to 562 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,600 work. We bid it out. We outsourced it. 563 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:43,039 It worked extremely good. We did another 564 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:44,880 channel, the L2 L2D4. Uh it worked 565 00:20:43,039 --> 00:20:46,960 extremely good. So, we're going to do a 566 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:50,640 lot more uh this year. We're working 567 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:52,480 with our um um director of public works 568 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:54,080 and he's finding different things that 569 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,440 need to be done. What we feel we need to 570 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,880 outsource, we will. Right. 571 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,280 » And what we can do in house, we'll do 572 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,440 that. 573 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:01,360 » Very good. Staying in the uh the water 574 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:03,120 management lane and our coastal parish 575 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,080 and things like that. Some, you know, 576 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:06,159 drainage [clears throat] helps us take 577 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,559 the water out. flood. Sometimes we've 578 00:21:06,159 --> 00:21:10,559 got to control those floods when water 579 00:21:08,559 --> 00:21:11,600 comes in and whatnot. Let's talk just a 580 00:21:10,559 --> 00:21:13,280 little bit about some of the recent 581 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,720 flood control structures that parish 582 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,200 that the parish has completed. 583 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:19,360 » Uh, okay. We started doing flood looking 584 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,280 into flood control structures right 585 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:22,720 after we started receiving goes money. 586 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:27,360 That's the money that we that we started 587 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:28,960 to collect from u the u BP. Uh what we 588 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:30,799 have done so far, we've done the 589 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,480 Jefferson Canal North, Jefferson Canal 590 00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:35,039 South. We completed those two projects 591 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:36,240 so far and and you and basically what 592 00:21:35,039 --> 00:21:38,400 you're doing, Mike, you're keeping the 593 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,120 water that that actually comes in 594 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,360 » Through a channel with a high tide and 595 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:44,880 then uh it goes out when a low tide. So 596 00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:47,039 basically what we have with those flood 597 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,080 control structures, they're no more than 598 00:21:47,039 --> 00:21:48,400 like a block valve, 599 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,240 » Right? 600 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,640 » When when the water start to come in, it 601 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,480 blocks the water from coming in and as 602 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,919 the water start to go out, if it goes 603 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:58,000 out lower than what you have on the 604 00:21:55,919 --> 00:21:59,360 other side, it goes out as well. So, 605 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,120 we're going to be able to use those 606 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:03,280 channels as [clears throat] retention 607 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:05,600 detention ponds that we currently have. 608 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:08,159 So, it was a pretty good deal. We um 609 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,880 started doing that with CPA uh quite 610 00:22:08,159 --> 00:22:10,240 some time 611 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,600 » Protection and restoration authority. 612 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,799 » Yes. I guess I'm doing it too much. I'm 613 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,280 just giving acronyms, right? A lot of 614 00:22:12,799 --> 00:22:14,960 acronyms. 615 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,400 » Um and right now we have [clears throat] 616 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,480 under construction right now we have 617 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:21,679 people's uh that's going to be 618 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:24,000 completed uh in February. 619 00:22:21,679 --> 00:22:25,600 uh upcoming projects that we have right 620 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:28,400 now for those flood control structures. 621 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:30,640 We have u little valley um bayou that 622 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,720 we're doing Ruten Real Stompy Valley. Uh 623 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,159 we got about $19 million worth of 624 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:36,080 projects right there. And I want to tell 625 00:22:34,159 --> 00:22:37,679 you something that the council again I 626 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,679 got to go back to council because we 627 00:22:37,679 --> 00:22:43,120 worked together. When we first started 628 00:22:39,679 --> 00:22:45,280 to receive G Mesa dollars, we was asked 629 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:46,640 almost told that we needed to bond 630 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:49,039 because we figured we was going to get 631 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,799 $20 million in 20 years. And we was 632 00:22:49,039 --> 00:22:52,320 going to bond the $20 million for 20 633 00:22:50,799 --> 00:22:54,799 years. And I think there was three or 634 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,799 four projects that we could do. By the 635 00:22:54,799 --> 00:22:58,799 time this thing is over, you're going to 636 00:22:56,799 --> 00:23:01,039 hear how much money uh we're going to be 637 00:22:58,799 --> 00:23:02,640 receiving from um CPA and that we have 638 00:23:01,039 --> 00:23:04,240 already received. But just those 639 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,480 projects that I mentioned, that's $19 640 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,840 million that we dealing with right now. 641 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,919 spectacular. It's all about protecting 642 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:12,960 the water that's coming from the Gulf to 643 00:23:09,919 --> 00:23:15,120 these people that live on the coast. 644 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,400 » Uh upcoming projects, Mike, uh that we 645 00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:18,720 have going on, we got the commercial 646 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,240 canal, we got the Delin Canal. Uh the 647 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,240 engineering and design is being done 648 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,919 right now by raw engineering. That's a 649 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,240 big deal. That's about $15 million right 650 00:23:23,919 --> 00:23:29,840 there. The total project uh is going to 651 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:32,000 cost around uh $210 million just for the 652 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:34,799 work. I'm not talking the engineer. All 653 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,640 of that is being funded by CP. We've 654 00:23:34,799 --> 00:23:39,440 built an unbelievable relationship with 655 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:41,600 CPA to where now we have some things 656 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,280 that uh we're getting done and we're not 657 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:46,000 even putting a penny into it. But that's 658 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:48,000 called collaborating and working with 659 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,760 » Another way of extending tax dollars by 660 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,039 bringing in state partners and federal 661 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,480 partners and other agencies, 662 00:23:51,039 --> 00:23:55,679 » Right? And when you look at commercial 663 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:58,960 canal and you look at um the DelM canal, 664 00:23:55,679 --> 00:24:01,120 these are huge structures. This is not 665 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:02,720 the little flood control structures. And 666 00:24:01,120 --> 00:24:04,720 this is going to work and match up with 667 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,960 the um eventually we're going to have a 668 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,559 levy in Iberia Parish. This is going to 669 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,919 match up with that levy to where you can 670 00:24:08,559 --> 00:24:12,320 actually protect the water from coming 671 00:24:09,919 --> 00:24:14,240 into Iberia Parish because if we don't, 672 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,679 » We won't be able to pay uh the insurance 673 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,360 cost in Iberia Parish. So, we're going 674 00:24:15,679 --> 00:24:19,679 to have to understand where we live and 675 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:21,039 and let's get this done. Uh but it's a 676 00:24:19,679 --> 00:24:22,000 big deal and all of that's being funded 677 00:24:21,039 --> 00:24:23,440 by CPA. 678 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,200 » So, we hear about these drainage 679 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,279 projects and a lot of them are being 680 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,440 completed and uh they don't they don't 681 00:24:27,279 --> 00:24:31,600 appear out of nowhere, right? They they 682 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,679 you mentioned that they're studied and 683 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,760 they're evaluated for you know 684 00:24:33,679 --> 00:24:37,200 efficiency and then their cost that I 685 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,200 see bit you know many are bidding on it 686 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:42,080 to get the right lowest price. All of 687 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,520 that starts with good drainage studies. 688 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,840 So let's talk a little bit about 689 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:47,520 drainage studies and particularly in 690 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:50,000 this case Tibu. What's happening with T? 691 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,840 » Well Tayou we actually uh doing a study 692 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,799 right now. The council already u took 693 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:56,799 care of that with me. Uh that's T by T 694 00:24:54,799 --> 00:24:58,720 Bayou actually starts in the city and it 695 00:24:56,799 --> 00:25:00,080 goes straight through the to the lake 696 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:04,240 and actually goes all the way to St. 697 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:07,360 Mary Parish. Uh we have U Royal Royal is 698 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:08,960 doing the leading the study. Fence 699 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:10,640 Jamaica is doing some work on that 700 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:13,600 simply because they actually did some 701 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,520 work many years ago in Tibu. But is at a 702 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,679 point now with what we have going on in 703 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:20,559 Iberia Parish and of course I parish 704 00:25:17,679 --> 00:25:22,480 surrounds every everything we have here. 705 00:25:20,559 --> 00:25:24,640 we need to start a dealing with drainage 706 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:26,080 from the beginning to the end. So, this 707 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,080 project that we're looking at at T 708 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:31,279 Bayou, the estimate that we have once 709 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,960 the engineering uh is done, we figure 710 00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:35,840 that's going to be around $12 million or 711 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:38,159 more. So, that's a big deal for us. Uh 712 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,440 and we're looking to um basically what 713 00:25:38,159 --> 00:25:41,039 that's going to do, Mike, is going to 714 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,760 combine all of the improvements and 715 00:25:41,039 --> 00:25:45,760 provide a greater watershed for the 716 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,960 parish. Right. And uh that's what we all 717 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,320 trying to get done right now. 718 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,600 » Absolutely. Well, while we're talking 719 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:52,367 about drainage studies, tell us a little 720 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:53,360 bit about what's happening in Cotto. 721 00:25:52,367 --> 00:25:56,080 [clears throat] 722 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:58,559 In 2016, I guess 8 months after I got 723 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:02,000 elected, we had a huge flood here and 724 00:25:58,559 --> 00:26:03,760 Coto got wiped out and we did a whole 725 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,440 lot of things trying to figure out there 726 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,400 were certain areas that was flooding 727 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:10,640 around the park, around just certain 728 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,080 areas in Coto. And we would do what we 729 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,520 thought was the correct thing to do. You 730 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,279 go and you clean this channel out, you 731 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,000 move these jars or whatever the case is. 732 00:26:15,279 --> 00:26:17,760 It's not working, 733 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,520 » Right? So, what we're doing right now, 734 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:22,000 the parish council approved for me to 735 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,760 get a a drainage study done, and we have 736 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,080 a complete drainage study being done 737 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:27,520 right now. We have a lot of development 738 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:29,679 uh home developments that's wanting to 739 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:32,080 come into Alberia Parish. In particular, 740 00:26:29,679 --> 00:26:35,039 there's one developer want to build 741 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:36,960 around the Catholic Cade Road near Cotto 742 00:26:35,039 --> 00:26:38,240 and he can, but I'm actually telling 743 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,120 them to slow it down a little bit 744 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:43,360 because we have some drainage issues. Uh 745 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:46,080 but now basically what I feel been 746 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:48,559 taking place with with uh with drainage 747 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:50,159 and people building is you have 30 acres 748 00:26:48,559 --> 00:26:52,640 or whatever the case is someone getting 749 00:26:50,159 --> 00:26:54,559 ready to build a subdivision and they do 750 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,679 the the flood analysis and it's all 751 00:26:54,559 --> 00:26:57,520 great because they're doing the the 752 00:26:55,679 --> 00:27:00,400 flood analysis on that 30 acres. The 753 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:02,480 problem is what happens to all that 754 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,320 water when it get off of those 30 acres 755 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,640 to the surrounding areas. So right now 756 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,480 we're changing up a lot in our barrier 757 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,240 parish and the parish council I feel 758 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,679 strong is going to uh we're going to 759 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,799 change some of the ordinances that we 760 00:27:11,679 --> 00:27:15,919 have to make sure these things are 761 00:27:12,799 --> 00:27:17,840 working right. But Koto we will end up 762 00:27:15,919 --> 00:27:19,279 with uh adding a couple of detentions. I 763 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:21,279 have to from what I'm seeing so far 764 00:27:19,279 --> 00:27:23,440 we're going to add some detention uh 765 00:27:21,279 --> 00:27:25,360 ponds and some uh diversion channels and 766 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,960 things like that in the Koto area. But 767 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,480 we're looking for a long-term benefit. 768 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,480 » Absolutely. We want to get something to 769 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,919 where when someone build a subdivision 770 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,840 somewhere, you're not messing up the 771 00:27:31,919 --> 00:27:35,679 people that was there in prior. 772 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,799 » Right. So staying on drainage studies, 773 00:27:35,679 --> 00:27:39,120 tell us a little bit about what's going 774 00:27:36,799 --> 00:27:41,520 on with the Bayou Park Purdue study. 775 00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:46,480 » Bayou Park Purdue. Uh I guess somewhere 776 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:49,200 around uh 200 I'm going to say 18 or 19. 777 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:52,640 Um Governor John Bell had some $25 778 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:54,000 million that came to the Aadan came to 779 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,080 Kadan. I happen to be the chairman of 780 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:58,480 the Aadiana planning commission, right? 781 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:01,520 And uh basically what happened, Iberia 782 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:03,039 Parish end up with some $5.5 million. 783 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,880 Fortunately, 784 00:28:03,039 --> 00:28:08,720 uh Youngsville, Lafayette ended up with 785 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:10,960 $5 million. And um Youngsville actually 786 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,720 was shuttle ready. That's a big deal 787 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,520 that we wasn't there many years ago, 788 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,360 believe me. 789 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,720 » So they were they were in a position to 790 00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:19,279 where they could start the project. They 791 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,799 have since completed the project. Now 792 00:28:19,279 --> 00:28:23,520 we're doing ours. We've actually sent 793 00:28:20,799 --> 00:28:25,760 all of the paperwork off to get approved 794 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:28,880 um to do our work. Now, that's going to 795 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:31,200 cause not cause that's going to call for 796 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:33,520 retention dep uh retention detention 797 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:36,000 ponds as well. We're doing all the 798 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,679 modeling. So, right now, every engineer 799 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,440 that's working in our barrier parish 800 00:28:37,679 --> 00:28:41,200 that's doing any type of coastal stuff 801 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,120 for us, we're looking at all of the 802 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,760 modeling that's been done in our barrier 803 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:48,559 parish, period. Whether it was done by 804 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,159 raw engineers, uh fence maker, the 805 00:28:48,559 --> 00:28:52,399 federal government, we're taking all of 806 00:28:50,159 --> 00:28:54,399 these models and we work all these 807 00:28:52,399 --> 00:28:55,600 models together. So when we're telling 808 00:28:54,399 --> 00:28:57,760 people that they can build a home 809 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,840 somewhere, we're looking at everything 810 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,919 that's going on that 811 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,840 » Right. So um in the long run it's going 812 00:29:01,919 --> 00:29:07,440 to be a great thing for our parish. 813 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:09,440 Again um I'm going to talk about my 814 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:13,120 council a lot because all of this go 815 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:16,559 through the council and they have the um 816 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:17,840 they have the leadership or the 817 00:29:16,559 --> 00:29:19,200 management skills to where they 818 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:22,559 understand what it is when I'm telling 819 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:24,559 them those that's listen. But anyway, um 820 00:29:22,559 --> 00:29:26,399 we have u some what we're going to do 821 00:29:24,559 --> 00:29:28,320 right here uh is going to help out a 822 00:29:26,399 --> 00:29:30,480 whole lot. So, 823 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:32,720 » Absolutely. Absolutely. So, as we talk 824 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,559 about uh drainage studies, uh we talked 825 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,919 about a little bit before the uh before 826 00:29:34,559 --> 00:29:38,159 the talk tonight, we talked about how 827 00:29:35,919 --> 00:29:39,919 that's prioritized internally. Let's 828 00:29:38,159 --> 00:29:41,919 talk a little bit about Iberia Parish 829 00:29:39,919 --> 00:29:43,840 drainage uh prioritization. 830 00:29:41,919 --> 00:29:45,679 » Basically, what we're doing right now, 831 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,200 Mike, this whole thing is talking about 832 00:29:45,679 --> 00:29:49,760 how we're going to handle channels and 833 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:51,919 laterals moving forward. uh working with 834 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,120 our public works department uh working 835 00:29:51,919 --> 00:29:55,600 with the different engineers that we 836 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:57,279 have in Iberia Parish. 837 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,480 Our public works department is going to 838 00:29:57,279 --> 00:29:59,679 we're going to work together and they're 839 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,640 going to come up with these channels and 840 00:29:59,679 --> 00:30:02,640 they're going to say, "Well, we can 841 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:05,520 actually manage cleaning this particular 842 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:07,039 channel or this particular U lateral, 843 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,600 this main channel or this particular 844 00:30:07,039 --> 00:30:11,520 lateral. We think it would be beneficial 845 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:13,120 for us to actually outsource this." So, 846 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,559 that's what this is all about. It's just 847 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,640 prioritizing what we're going to do as 848 00:30:14,559 --> 00:30:18,640 far as maintenance in-house and what 849 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,240 we're going to outsource. um we got to 850 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,679 pay attention to the to the lowline 851 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:25,120 flood plane areas that we have in the 852 00:30:21,679 --> 00:30:26,720 parish. Uh so we we always concern about 853 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,240 tail water with having anything that's 854 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:29,279 taking place here. So you always concern 855 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,440 yourself about that. 856 00:30:29,279 --> 00:30:33,360 » Absolutely. So as we move away a little 857 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,559 bit from drainage and from uh you know 858 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,799 that kind of thing. We're going to be 859 00:30:34,559 --> 00:30:39,200 talking a lot about infrastructure uh 860 00:30:36,799 --> 00:30:42,080 tonight. Another thing that the citizens 861 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:43,600 are very you know follow very closely as 862 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,200 it pertains to public works and 863 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,600 infrastructure. you know, we drive 864 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:49,440 around the parish every day con to work 865 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,440 and to school uh to [clears throat] live 866 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:53,200 our lives, right? And so roadway 867 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:55,200 improvements are are very very 868 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:57,039 important. Let's talk a little bit about 869 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:59,200 the roadway improvement projects coming. 870 00:30:57,039 --> 00:31:01,200 » It's extremely important. I got um three 871 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,640 guys about about they're raising their 872 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,559 hands up. When I walked here, they were 873 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,960 talking about their roads and getting 874 00:31:04,559 --> 00:31:08,399 the roads. In fact, the parish uh we 875 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,640 just had a tax pass about a year and a 876 00:31:08,399 --> 00:31:12,159 half ago or whatever. And uh the 877 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,080 gentleman's that's actually raised their 878 00:31:12,159 --> 00:31:15,600 hand up. was instrumental in us getting 879 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,919 this tax passed. So they would go to all 880 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:19,600 of these different meetings with us and 881 00:31:17,919 --> 00:31:21,120 uh so they was talking to me about about 882 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,640 some of the roads that's getting done 883 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:25,120 and we have about 33 [clears throat] 884 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:27,200 roads that we have already bid out 885 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:29,279 already awarded contracts to all of 886 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:31,200 those roads. Uh some of them have 887 00:31:29,279 --> 00:31:32,880 already started. uh some of them is 888 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,320 going to be starting in a minute for 889 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,600 example and I'll get to them later with 890 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,919 the ones that's going to be starting in 891 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:41,919 a minute but what we did this is a phase 892 00:31:37,919 --> 00:31:44,480 one project we actually had a we called 893 00:31:41,919 --> 00:31:46,399 it project AB and C so we used three 894 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,399 different engineering companies uh to do 895 00:31:46,399 --> 00:31:49,919 the work to actually go out and uh do 896 00:31:48,399 --> 00:31:52,559 all of the design that need to be done 897 00:31:49,919 --> 00:31:55,360 with these work the first company uh is 898 00:31:52,559 --> 00:31:57,760 uh project ANS Bayro inhabits every one 899 00:31:55,360 --> 00:32:00,000 of those roads is already um awarded 900 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:03,600 that's awarded to Glenn Lege Okay. And 901 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:06,000 we talking about roads like C Romero, 902 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:08,240 uh, Jack Brooks, Manat road all the way 903 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:10,159 to the general roads up in the Coto 904 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:12,480 area. So all of those roads are going to 905 00:32:10,159 --> 00:32:15,039 be um done shortly. We hoping that we 906 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:16,720 can get all of these road done in about 907 00:32:15,039 --> 00:32:18,960 16 months. Hopefully everything will be 908 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:21,200 done in 16 months and we're going to 909 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:23,200 start to work on the and we bond $17 910 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:25,360 million to do that. We're going to start 911 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,799 to work on the next bond hopefully in 912 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,880 about another three or four months. So 913 00:32:26,799 --> 00:32:30,559 when we can actually get everything done 914 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,799 in case we get it done earlier, we just 915 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:33,200 want to move on to the uh to the other 916 00:32:32,799 --> 00:32:33,600 roads, 917 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,360 » Right? 918 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:38,080 » Uh phase two that's being done by 919 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,840 sellers and associates. Uh they we just 920 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:42,480 got received the bids back that was 921 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:44,640 awarded to Glenn Lelay as well. Those 922 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,880 are some major roads and the reason 923 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:48,720 they've been haven't started yet is 924 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:52,240 because like uh north side road is one 925 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:54,559 of them. That road is used for grinding. 926 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:58,000 Uh you have Dasput road. Uh we're doing 927 00:32:54,559 --> 00:33:00,399 Tesh Lake um Canal Road. Those big roads 928 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:03,279 uh some roads that really need some work 929 00:33:00,399 --> 00:33:05,200 addressed. We also have uh project C 930 00:33:03,279 --> 00:33:06,880 that's actually being done by GEC, a 931 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:07,279 company called GEC. They have a lot of 932 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:08,559 roads, 933 00:33:07,279 --> 00:33:10,960 » A lot of roads in project. 934 00:33:08,559 --> 00:33:13,600 » Yeah, we have 30, like I said, 33 roads 935 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:15,519 that we we have already awarded out for 936 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:17,360 construction. Uh they doing a bunch of 937 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:20,320 roads. All you know, Leon Landry Road, 938 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:22,640 Josh Sige, Nelson Canel Road, a bunch of 939 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:25,360 roads that's actually being done. And 940 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:26,799 this is $17 million worth of roads. 941 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:29,679 We're going to bond out later for 942 00:33:26,799 --> 00:33:31,279 another $17 million worth of roads. And 943 00:33:29,679 --> 00:33:32,640 that that'll be around 34 million. But 944 00:33:31,279 --> 00:33:33,840 let me make you understand that's not 945 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:34,399 going to come out of the repairs, 946 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,039 » Right? 947 00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:38,720 » We needed 30 when I was a councilman uh 948 00:33:37,039 --> 00:33:41,279 when we did an evaluation. I think we 949 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,480 needed 34 36 million worth of road 950 00:33:41,279 --> 00:33:46,000 repair, 951 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:48,640 » You know, 15 years ago. Uh but we we got 952 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:51,200 a good start going. But we have also 953 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:52,799 identified and the council uh we we got 954 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:54,480 this tiff district that we created in 955 00:33:52,799 --> 00:33:57,200 our area parish where some of the roads 956 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:59,200 that we're going to be doing we will not 957 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,720 or may not need to use funds from the 958 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,399 from the road tax. 959 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,760 » So we created some things that's 960 00:34:02,399 --> 00:34:04,960 actually going to try to put this parish 961 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:07,039 in a position to where they're going to 962 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,480 receive money 963 00:34:07,039 --> 00:34:10,320 » Funds for quite some time. 964 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:12,240 » Such an important part of infrastructure 965 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,919 de development and economic development 966 00:34:12,240 --> 00:34:15,839 and community development is very 967 00:34:13,919 --> 00:34:18,720 important to the citizens. So, we've 968 00:34:15,839 --> 00:34:21,200 seen some major roads uh uh complete 969 00:34:18,720 --> 00:34:23,440 here just recently. Tell us a little bit 970 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,720 about the South Lewis Street project. 971 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:27,440 » I think that might have been Warren 972 00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:29,280 doing that one. Uh that's uh that's a 973 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:31,599 that's a road in Warren district that we 974 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:33,440 have been Councilman Warren Goshan that 975 00:34:31,599 --> 00:34:36,399 we have been working on for quite some 976 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:39,200 time. Uh that road is actually complete. 977 00:34:36,399 --> 00:34:41,200 We have completed that road. Uh it was a 978 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:44,240 major deal for Iberia Parish. It took 979 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:46,399 quite some time to get it done. Um, and 980 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:48,000 we were able to do that road, not using 981 00:34:46,399 --> 00:34:50,079 Roth from money from that tax. We were 982 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:52,320 able to do that from the TIFF dollars. 983 00:34:50,079 --> 00:34:54,240 So, it's a big deal for us. Uh, we now 984 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,599 we got real money coming into TIFF, you 985 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:57,680 know, because we have a lot of 986 00:34:55,599 --> 00:34:59,359 development, a lot of big businesses. 987 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,599 Uh, that's in the tiff area 988 00:34:59,359 --> 00:35:02,560 » And that construction is complete. 989 00:35:01,599 --> 00:35:03,760 » That is complete. 990 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,440 » Absolutely. All right. We're going to 991 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,480 talk about a few other ones here and uh 992 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:07,839 they're they're all going to connect 993 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,599 through, but let's just talk a little 994 00:35:07,839 --> 00:35:11,359 bit about uh ones that have recently 995 00:35:09,599 --> 00:35:12,320 been completed. How about Innovation 996 00:35:11,359 --> 00:35:14,320 Boulevard? 997 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,960 » Yeah. Innovation Boulevard is a project 998 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:19,040 that we started many years ago. Fin was 999 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,440 the engineering company on that and that 1000 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:23,040 project was done by Glenn Leger. I 1001 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,880 caught a lot of problems from that road 1002 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:26,320 when that road was designed. I mean, 1003 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:28,720 people told me I built a road to 1004 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:30,160 nowhere. You know, you just bu spending 1005 00:35:28,720 --> 00:35:31,599 this money. We don't have any money for 1006 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,119 roads. And you're right, we didn't have 1007 00:35:31,599 --> 00:35:35,280 any road dollars, but we were able to 1008 00:35:33,119 --> 00:35:37,440 get federal dollars, state dollars, and 1009 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:41,280 we're able to do what we what we did. 1010 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:43,520 But that is a a man a main hookup for 1011 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,599 what we what you're getting ready to see 1012 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:46,800 uh what we're doing in Iberia Parish. 1013 00:35:45,599 --> 00:35:48,560 » I call that piece number one. 1014 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:51,359 » That is number one. So that's a big deal 1015 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,240 for Iberia Parish and that is totally 1016 00:35:51,359 --> 00:35:53,440 completed. 1017 00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:55,040 » That one's complete. 1018 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,920 » Complete. We also did one right on the 1019 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:58,720 side of that called um uh access. 1020 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:00,320 » Access way. 1021 00:35:58,720 --> 00:36:01,920 » That'll be part of the new road when 1022 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:04,079 it's all done, too. Okay. So, that's 1023 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:05,200 piece number one of of of this little 1024 00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:07,200 roadway that we're going to be talking 1025 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,960 about here. Second is Corporate Drive 1026 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:10,160 Roundabout. So, Corporate Drive, let's 1027 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,040 talk about Corporate Drive and Corporate 1028 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:13,520 Drive Roundabout. 1029 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:15,119 » Corporate Drive is on Highway 3212. We 1030 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,880 actually change the name to Corporate 1031 00:36:15,119 --> 00:36:19,119 Drive. Uh we have a lot of businesses 1032 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:22,000 coming here and we needed something to 1033 00:36:19,119 --> 00:36:24,400 reflect that. The roundabout at Corp 1034 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,000 Drive is is actually what is is going to 1035 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,079 connect with the other piece that we'll 1036 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,760 talk about a little bit later. But you 1037 00:36:28,079 --> 00:36:32,079 can look at car at the at the picture 1038 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:34,560 here and it's going to show a spur. That 1039 00:36:32,079 --> 00:36:36,079 spur wasn't done accidentally. We're 1040 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:38,720 going to take that spur and it's going 1041 00:36:36,079 --> 00:36:39,760 to go along the airport property all the 1042 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:40,720 way to Highway 88. 1043 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:40,960 » That's going to open up the whole west 1044 00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:42,240 side. 1045 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,599 » The whole west side of the airport. 1046 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:45,839 That's a big deal that we're doing. 1047 00:36:43,599 --> 00:36:47,440 We're going to do it in phases. Uh I 1048 00:36:45,839 --> 00:36:48,720 have have it in Capital Outlay right 1049 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,760 now. We're going to do it in phases. The 1050 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:51,839 first phase is going to be the 1051 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:54,400 roundabout and a portion of the road 1052 00:36:51,839 --> 00:36:56,320 from Highway 88. The second phase is 1053 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:58,400 going to start from that spur and is 1054 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,359 going to go to near near the Seaway, I 1055 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:02,000 guess, and then we're going to connect 1056 00:36:59,359 --> 00:37:03,839 later. That's a big deal for us at that 1057 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:06,160 airport. We have a we have some prime 1058 00:37:03,839 --> 00:37:07,599 property and you know uh when I ran for 1059 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:10,000 office I talked about it a lot. You know 1060 00:37:07,599 --> 00:37:11,680 that's um it's a jewel and you just have 1061 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,920 to actually polish it a little bit. 1062 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:14,960 » A big a big focus on the airport area. 1063 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:16,800 We're going to continue to talk about 1064 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,720 that. Kadana Regional Airport is 1065 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:20,880 certainly a huge economic asset for our 1066 00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:22,480 parish and looking forward to continue 1067 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,760 to talk about that as we go. All right. 1068 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,240 So that's piece number two. 1069 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,920 » Yes. 1070 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:28,400 » All right. So here's piece number three. 1071 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:30,079 This is a a project that we that that 1072 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,320 maybe a lot of people don't know about 1073 00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:33,839 and that's the highway 675 Jefferson 1074 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:34,240 Island Road roundabout. Let's talk about 1075 00:37:33,839 --> 00:37:36,160 that. 1076 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:38,000 » That project we've been working on for 1077 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:39,680 many many years. Actually, we started it 1078 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,440 through Iberia Parish and then we turned 1079 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,960 it over to the Department of 1080 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:45,359 Transportation. The engineering company 1081 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,880 that designed that is Fence the Maker 1082 00:37:45,359 --> 00:37:49,040 and 1083 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,119 675 Jefferson Island Road is going to 1084 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:52,560 actually connect to the first thing we 1085 00:37:51,119 --> 00:37:54,400 talked about which is Innovation 1086 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:56,880 Boulevard, the road that I built to 1087 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:58,160 nowhere. So that's going to connect. So 1088 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:00,640 there's going to be a roundabout coming 1089 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:02,079 off of Highway 90. Uh that's going to 1090 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:04,320 actually connect to Innovation 1091 00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:05,839 Boulevard, which is going to go to the 1092 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:08,160 roundabout that we have on Corporate 1093 00:38:05,839 --> 00:38:09,520 Drive that's going to go down Corporate 1094 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:12,640 Drive. And you're going to hear what 1095 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:14,880 we're doing later on to bring you into 1096 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:16,480 the airport. What we're trying to do 1097 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,160 hopefully at some point in time, the 1098 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:20,640 airport that we have become a 1099 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:23,040 international cargo facility. I I feel 1100 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:24,720 we wasted our time trying to compete uh 1101 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,839 with airports like Lafayette, trying to 1102 00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:27,839 be commercial, this that and the other. 1103 00:38:25,839 --> 00:38:29,760 We're not that. We need to understand 1104 00:38:27,839 --> 00:38:31,119 who we are and move forward with it. 1105 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:33,440 I've been talking about it for a year. I 1106 00:38:31,119 --> 00:38:36,079 think we have some people starting to to 1107 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:39,280 accept it and um and and we're going to 1108 00:38:36,079 --> 00:38:42,480 move forward with that. But Highway 675 1109 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:44,560 675 roundabout was the last piece. It 1110 00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:46,880 was the bid went out. It was awarded uh 1111 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,320 to I'm not I'm not exactly sure who DOTD 1112 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:50,000 awarded to. I think I know, but I'm not 1113 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,680 going to say it. and they already 1114 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,200 started putting the flags out. So, you 1115 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,480 should see equipment there in February. 1116 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:55,040 » Saw the stakes out there this morning. 1117 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:55,520 Looks great. 1118 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:56,880 » Yeah. 1119 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,240 » One other thing about this particular 1120 00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:58,800 project that I want to make sure that we 1121 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:00,320 bring [clears throat] up. You know, 1122 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,079 we're talking about connections and 1123 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:03,680 things like that. This project is going 1124 00:39:02,079 --> 00:39:05,680 to go a long way toward making that 1125 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,200 particular area much safer for traffic. 1126 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:08,880 There's been some recent accidents 1127 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:09,440 there. This is going to make it a lot 1128 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:11,040 safer. 1129 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:13,040 » Yeah, absolutely. you know, when you're 1130 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:14,720 just coming uh when you're trying to 1131 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,880 cross, if you're coming from under the 1132 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:19,520 overpass and you're trying to turn left 1133 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:21,680 in front of Landre, it's terrible. And 1134 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:23,359 right now, we have all these trucks uh 1135 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:25,599 that's gone to to the big business at 1136 00:39:23,359 --> 00:39:27,359 the air base right now and they trying 1137 00:39:25,599 --> 00:39:28,800 to cross. It's it's a terrible 1138 00:39:27,359 --> 00:39:30,720 situation. And I hope we don't have a 1139 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,280 whole lot of accidents before this thing 1140 00:39:30,720 --> 00:39:32,640 is completed. 1141 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,800 » So this So these three So this is 1142 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,880 project number three. So, these three 1143 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:39,440 pieces of this project are going to 1144 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:42,160 connect are going to help connect uh one 1145 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:43,760 of two huge economic assets as I 1146 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,599 mentioned before [clears throat] uh to 1147 00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:47,200 highway 90 and that's that's the 1148 00:39:45,599 --> 00:39:48,400 Acadiana Regional Airport. Let's talk 1149 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,680 just a bit about what's going on at 1150 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:51,839 Aadiana Regional Airport. 1151 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:54,560 » The Kadana Regional Airport is is owned 1152 00:39:51,839 --> 00:39:58,079 by Bria Paris government. Uh it's used 1153 00:39:54,560 --> 00:40:01,760 to actually do training for uh like 1154 00:39:58,079 --> 00:40:03,119 NASA, the Navy, the Air Force. They do a 1155 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,280 lot of training there, touchdown 1156 00:40:03,119 --> 00:40:07,760 training, crosscountry training. Uh the 1157 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:10,560 airport u we have some 1,200 acres over 1158 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:12,880 there um at the airport that we can 1159 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:14,800 actually use and lease bring businesses 1160 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:16,960 there and lease and make real money off 1161 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:19,359 of it. Uh as long as you're dealing with 1162 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:21,280 uh businesses as pertaining to uh 1163 00:40:19,359 --> 00:40:22,720 aviation for the most part, you can't 1164 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:24,079 you have you have certain areas where 1165 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:26,079 you can do certain things, but for the 1166 00:40:24,079 --> 00:40:28,640 most part, you really have to be dealing 1167 00:40:26,079 --> 00:40:30,960 with the um with with businesses in the 1168 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:33,440 aviation business. Uh, we have an 1169 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:34,640 unbelievable runway and taxi way. 1170 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:36,640 » 8,0002 feet. 1171 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:38,800 » 8,0002 feet. And that two feet mean a 1172 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:41,200 lot. It does. 1173 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:43,119 » Seriously, because it make us two feet 1174 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,000 longer than the than the next one. 1175 00:40:43,119 --> 00:40:46,320 » Absolutely right. 1176 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:48,240 » It means a lot. So, we uh at that 1177 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:50,800 airport, we can, you know, we can land 1178 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:52,160 almost anything there. So, we have a lot 1179 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:53,280 going on there. And you're going to hear 1180 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:53,520 later some of the things that we have 1181 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:54,640 going. 1182 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:56,960 » Yeah, they're doing a great job out 1183 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:59,200 there. and um you know uh connecting the 1184 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:00,480 airport uh with those previous road 1185 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:02,319 projects that we were talking about to 1186 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:04,880 the highway uh you know when the Navy 1187 00:41:02,319 --> 00:41:06,960 left u uh that was before the fourlane 1188 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:08,880 was built back in the day and these 1189 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:10,800 connections are helping us to connect 1190 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,800 Aadiana Regional Airport into the into 1191 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:14,160 the highway. Um I'm looking at the next 1192 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:15,440 photo here and I'm just going to go 1193 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:16,880 ahead and put that there. This is where 1194 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:19,440 it all started. Who is that guy on the 1195 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:21,119 left? I don't know who that is. So uh so 1196 00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:22,480 » Oh Mike, that's uh that's a couple of 1197 00:41:21,119 --> 00:41:24,480 months after I got elected. 1198 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:26,240 » Yeah. So, this was this was uh this was 1199 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:28,800 where all a lot of these discussions 1200 00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:30,480 began. Um I remember going and talked to 1201 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:32,319 talking to some pretty bigname 1202 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:34,400 businesses about what they needed to see 1203 00:41:32,319 --> 00:41:35,599 at our airport in order to make it. It's 1204 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:37,119 already an attractive airport and they 1205 00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:38,079 agreed with that. But what did it what 1206 00:41:37,119 --> 00:41:39,508 was it going to take? What kind of 1207 00:41:38,079 --> 00:41:40,480 improvements did we need to make? And 1208 00:41:39,508 --> 00:41:42,560 [clears throat] this was where it all 1209 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:44,079 started. Tell us a little bit about I'm 1210 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,760 reminiscing now, but I can remember 1211 00:41:44,079 --> 00:41:48,079 right after I got it like that. I went 1212 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:50,160 to your office and I'm like, why did we 1213 00:41:48,079 --> 00:41:52,400 why did we lose the FedEx deal? Why did 1214 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:54,400 we lose it? Why did we do this? And Mike 1215 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,079 was like, "Larry, uh, I don't really 1216 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:57,200 have a direct answer for you, but we got 1217 00:41:56,079 --> 00:41:59,680 to do something." I said, 'Well, we need 1218 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:01,280 to go to FedEx. And this was in January. 1219 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,560 I just got elected, took office in 1220 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:05,359 January. 1221 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:08,480 » And, um, so we scheduled a flight, met 1222 00:42:05,359 --> 00:42:10,949 with FedEx in February. Uh, we met with 1223 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:12,480 the executives at FedEx, and we, um, 1224 00:42:10,949 --> 00:42:15,359 [clears throat] found out what it took 1225 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:16,960 to get a company like FedEx over here. I 1226 00:42:15,359 --> 00:42:18,800 remember in the meeting they was talking 1227 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:20,800 about STEM time and I was and I was 1228 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:22,560 trying to be, you know, like I got all 1229 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:23,440 this figured out. STEM time. Now, what 1230 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:25,200 in the world is 1231 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:28,480 » STEM time is the the amount of time it 1232 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:30,720 takes to bring uh goods and and items 1233 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:33,520 from its first point to its end point, 1234 00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:34,560 » Right? And that was like $50,000 a 1235 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:36,880 minute. 1236 00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:39,359 » For every minute took, it cost them 1237 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:41,440 $50,000. So what happened is when they 1238 00:42:39,359 --> 00:42:44,000 did the evaluation from the airport in 1239 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:48,000 Lafayette to our airport, we were like 1240 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:50,880 60 six minutes over. That's $300,000. 1241 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:52,319 And they had taken another route on 182, 1242 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,839 but it was so bad they didn't even tell 1243 00:42:52,319 --> 00:42:55,760 us how many minutes it was. So that 1244 00:42:53,839 --> 00:42:58,400 helped out a whole lot early on. So then 1245 00:42:55,760 --> 00:43:00,560 we realized that now we got to figure 1246 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:03,280 out what we can do to get these uh 1247 00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:05,119 trucks to the airport quicker. So then 1248 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:07,280 we came up with roundabouts. And we have 1249 00:43:05,119 --> 00:43:10,640 this thing that we do called the road 1250 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:14,319 show with DOTD and all it was brought up 1251 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:15,760 to DOT um and made it kind of urgent and 1252 00:43:14,319 --> 00:43:17,440 next thing you know we have a roundabout 1253 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:20,319 there. But the whole re the reason for 1254 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:23,920 this here is to have access on both ends 1255 00:43:20,319 --> 00:43:26,079 to that airport from 88 and also 675. So 1256 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:28,480 that was a big deal. Uh I can remember 1257 00:43:26,079 --> 00:43:30,400 um I remember that meeting very well. 1258 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:31,280 » And so if I'm not mistaken, we brought 1259 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:33,280 some king cake. 1260 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,800 » We sure did. We sure did. That was it 1261 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,240 was hard to pack that in my luggage in 1262 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:36,880 the overhead compartment, but we got it 1263 00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:37,920 there. 1264 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:39,119 » Actually, I think I might have had it 1265 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:40,560 FedEx though. I think that's what you 1266 00:43:39,119 --> 00:43:43,040 think. Yeah, 1267 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:44,880 » Good thinking, right? So, uh, so anyway, 1268 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,480 so at that meeting, we learned about the 1269 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:47,839 road connections, the importance of road 1270 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,680 connections, the, you know, the fact 1271 00:43:47,839 --> 00:43:51,040 that 18 wheelers don't like 90 degree 1272 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:52,720 turns and we've got to put in these 1273 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:54,720 industrial roundabouts to get trucks in 1274 00:43:52,720 --> 00:43:56,640 and out. That was where it all started 1275 00:43:54,720 --> 00:43:58,160 and and that was the the purpose the 1276 00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:59,760 purpose for that. But because that 1277 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:01,839 infrastructure is put in, you mentioned 1278 00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:03,599 all of these 18-wheelers and things that 1279 00:44:01,839 --> 00:44:06,000 are now uh going to be coming through 1280 00:44:03,599 --> 00:44:08,160 that bring you know flat fast forward a 1281 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:10,079 few years and that brings us to the 1282 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:12,560 first solar project which is which you 1283 00:44:10,079 --> 00:44:14,960 know was a big part of all of that not 1284 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:16,240 then but has resulted in that now right 1285 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:18,079 tell us a little bit about that one. the 1286 00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:19,920 first solo project. You know, I'm a very 1287 00:44:18,079 --> 00:44:22,560 religious man. I'll say it was a godsend 1288 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:25,200 because it's the biggest project in the 1289 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:27,200 history of our parish that they came 1290 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:29,440 here and we talked about them. I 1291 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:30,960 remember the morning I received a phone 1292 00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:32,240 call and I was supposed to be going to 1293 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:34,480 Lake Charles and I called you at your 1294 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:37,119 office and I said, "Mike, someone is 1295 00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:39,359 calling saying it was actually uh Carmen 1296 00:44:37,119 --> 00:44:42,400 Carmen is calling and saying that um we 1297 00:44:39,359 --> 00:44:44,640 have a a a mill a billion dollar uh 1298 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:47,760 chance to get a business here." And I'm 1299 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:49,599 like, a billion dollars any Okay, great. 1300 00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:51,839 So, I canceled a meeting in in Lake 1301 00:44:49,599 --> 00:44:53,680 Charles and we met at your place and 1302 00:44:51,839 --> 00:44:56,240 make a long story short, they came down 1303 00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:57,599 and they looked at this cane field. I 1304 00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:00,960 mean, it was nothing but cane and they 1305 00:44:57,599 --> 00:45:04,000 we we sold them on that. This is a $1.1 1306 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:07,280 billion facility that was built uh in 1307 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:09,359 that cane field. 2.4 1308 00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:12,800 million square feet on the roof, one 1309 00:45:09,359 --> 00:45:16,480 roof facility. That's like nine times 1310 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:18,800 the size of the Superdome. Um, we have 1311 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:20,720 right now 832 1312 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:24,960 employees working right there right now. 1313 00:45:20,720 --> 00:45:27,760 The annual payroll alone is $75 million. 1314 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:30,079 This is a big deal for us. It's so big. 1315 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:32,079 It's like the warehouse that they built 1316 00:45:30,079 --> 00:45:34,480 that's 560,000 1317 00:45:32,079 --> 00:45:36,400 square feet. That's more than two times 1318 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:36,960 the size of the Superdome. No one talk 1319 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:39,599 about it, 1320 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:41,760 » Right? You know, um, it's it's a lot. 1321 00:45:39,599 --> 00:45:43,920 They brought a lot to Iberia Parish. 1322 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:46,000 They definitely stimulated what's going 1323 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:48,160 on in in in Iberia Parish in 1324 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:48,480 particularly around that uh airport 1325 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,319 area. 1326 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:52,000 » So between uh parish government, the 1327 00:45:50,319 --> 00:45:53,359 airport authority, Iberia economic 1328 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:55,200 development authority, Louisiana 1329 00:45:53,359 --> 00:45:56,880 economic development, all the partners 1330 00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:58,240 came to the table to make that happen. 1331 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,440 We had to pull out all the stops. There 1332 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:00,720 was some pretty advanced economic 1333 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:02,640 development things happening with all 1334 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:04,240 the uh with all the partners. 1335 00:46:02,640 --> 00:46:05,839 » This is a big deal because it's not only 1336 00:46:04,240 --> 00:46:09,119 a big deal for Iberia Paris, it's a big 1337 00:46:05,839 --> 00:46:10,480 deal for IDA. IDA our very economic 1338 00:46:09,119 --> 00:46:10,960 development authority didn't have a 1339 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:11,280 nickel 1340 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:13,119 » Right 1341 00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:15,520 » And we have an authority that we trying 1342 00:46:13,119 --> 00:46:17,920 to bring bring businesses here but you 1343 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:20,640 have no money at all coming in to manage 1344 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:22,079 it so you you're the CEO of that but now 1345 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:24,560 Mike you have money that you are 1346 00:46:22,079 --> 00:46:26,960 starting to receive right now uh because 1347 00:46:24,560 --> 00:46:27,359 you actually manage the property at for 1348 00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:28,640 solar 1349 00:46:27,359 --> 00:46:29,920 » That we can invest right back in 1350 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:31,440 economic development of course you know 1351 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:32,880 when I when I when I mentioned parish 1352 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:34,560 government I think about it as a as a 1353 00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:37,040 whole unit but the parish council very 1354 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:38,160 much involved in that have been a big 1355 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:38,560 partners with that. We very much 1356 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:41,520 appreciate. 1357 00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:42,960 » Yeah, the parish council is is honestly 1358 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:45,200 the backbone to everything that's 1359 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:46,880 getting done in our area parish. Uh 1360 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:48,400 look, we all come up with ideas. I come 1361 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:50,000 up with ideas, parish council members 1362 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:52,720 come up with ideas and we try to work it 1363 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:55,520 together to make it to make it work, but 1364 00:46:52,720 --> 00:46:57,839 first soul is strategically located um 1365 00:46:55,520 --> 00:47:00,000 in you know the at the airport and it's 1366 00:46:57,839 --> 00:47:02,560 it's you know the infrastructure, the 1367 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:05,520 investments, the the economic impact 1368 00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:08,720 that is bringing into Iberia Parish. Our 1369 00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:10,000 tiff district was up in December by some 1370 00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:13,200 463%. 1371 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:17,200 » 400 and over 400% increase. Wow. 1372 00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:19,200 » Right. You know, so just last month by 1373 00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:20,880 our from our tiff district, we received 1374 00:47:19,200 --> 00:47:21,920 $3.1 million. 1375 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:23,680 » That's spectacular, 1376 00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:25,839 » Right? So we we got a lot of great 1377 00:47:23,680 --> 00:47:27,760 things going on and we have figured out 1378 00:47:25,839 --> 00:47:30,240 how we can manage this business lack of 1379 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:31,920 business that it is and uh put it in a 1380 00:47:30,240 --> 00:47:33,760 position to where the quality of life 1381 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:36,000 for the people here is going to be good. 1382 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:38,640 Speaking of quality of life, the average 1383 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:39,520 salary at First Solar is $90,000 a year. 1384 00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:41,280 » Wow. 1385 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:42,720 » Wow. That's that's that's tremendously 1386 00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:43,920 more than the median income and it's 1387 00:47:42,720 --> 00:47:45,599 going to be great for our citizens. 1388 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:46,800 That's a great great thing. So, we're 1389 00:47:45,599 --> 00:47:48,720 talking about we talked about First 1390 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:50,240 Solar. Uh there are other projects that 1391 00:47:48,720 --> 00:47:51,359 are going out there that are huge. You 1392 00:47:50,240 --> 00:47:53,119 know, you mentioned before, Mr. 1393 00:47:51,359 --> 00:47:55,040 President, that we're an oil and gas 1394 00:47:53,119 --> 00:47:56,160 parish and an agriculture parish. We 1395 00:47:55,040 --> 00:47:57,359 always will be. We're very proud of 1396 00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:59,359 that. Absolutely. It's part of our 1397 00:47:57,359 --> 00:48:01,280 heritage and it provides a lot of great 1398 00:47:59,359 --> 00:48:03,680 jobs for our area. But these projects 1399 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:05,520 are diversifying our economy and uh 1400 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:07,599 helping us to continue to round out what 1401 00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:10,480 we offer. Really making the term made 1402 00:48:07,599 --> 00:48:13,040 Niberia Parish great again, right? I'm a 1403 00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:14,560 borrow but uh but you know really really 1404 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:16,319 good things. And so as we move for on 1405 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:17,760 from first solar let's talk about 1406 00:48:16,319 --> 00:48:19,280 another big project that we've heard 1407 00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:21,599 about recently and that's the UL 1408 00:48:19,280 --> 00:48:23,599 Newberry Research Center. The two phases 1409 00:48:21,599 --> 00:48:25,839 of a pretty big pharmaceutical project. 1410 00:48:23,599 --> 00:48:28,480 » That's a big facility. That's a 1411 00:48:25,839 --> 00:48:30,800 state-of-the-art facility. Um and we 1412 00:48:28,480 --> 00:48:32,319 needed that level of safety. Three, what 1413 00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:34,880 a lot of people don't realize is when 1414 00:48:32,319 --> 00:48:38,559 COVID hit right here at our research 1415 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:40,400 center for Fizer, we actually research 1416 00:48:38,559 --> 00:48:42,800 and develop that particular drug right 1417 00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:45,040 here. And when the president used to get 1418 00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:47,440 on on television and say we could have 1419 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:49,359 had this done 30 days earlier, 40 days 1420 00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:52,400 earlier. He wasn't kidding because we 1421 00:48:49,359 --> 00:48:54,960 didn't have a level 63 uh facility to 1422 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:56,800 complete it. We had to send it off. And 1423 00:48:54,960 --> 00:48:58,319 uh with this level safety 3 facility 1424 00:48:56,800 --> 00:49:00,880 that's going to be sent that's actually 1425 00:48:58,319 --> 00:49:02,800 being built right now is going to put us 1426 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:05,119 in an unbelievable position because now 1427 00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:06,800 we can do the research and development 1428 00:49:05,119 --> 00:49:08,160 » And later on we'll tell you what else 1429 00:49:06,800 --> 00:49:09,440 » Right and that the dirt's flying out 1430 00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:10,720 there right now. If you drive by the 1431 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:12,319 research center you can see all of the 1432 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:14,319 excavators and the dirt flying and 1433 00:49:12,319 --> 00:49:16,079 things like that. So this project is out 1434 00:49:14,319 --> 00:49:17,760 of the starting gates. You know this is 1435 00:49:16,079 --> 00:49:18,800 going to be huge for our area. It's 1436 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:20,480 going to provide some great 1437 00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:22,000 opportunities for us to expand into 1438 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:23,280 pharmaceuticals. 1439 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:25,440 This is phase one 1440 00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:26,800 » Right? Uh phase two, which we're gonna 1441 00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:29,040 about to talk about here in just a 1442 00:49:26,800 --> 00:49:32,319 second, is really going to bring a whole 1443 00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:33,599 new diversified sector to our economy 1444 00:49:32,319 --> 00:49:35,359 and that's going to be happening at 1445 00:49:33,599 --> 00:49:37,119 Progress Point Business Park. You could 1446 00:49:35,359 --> 00:49:39,280 see the on the picture you can see UL 1447 00:49:37,119 --> 00:49:40,880 Lafayette's phase two, which will be 1448 00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:42,640 building a pretty significant 1449 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:43,359 pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. 1450 00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:45,040 Let's talk about that. 1451 00:49:43,359 --> 00:49:47,359 » Right. Um progress point is something 1452 00:49:45,040 --> 00:49:49,200 that you and I seem like we've talked 1453 00:49:47,359 --> 00:49:50,720 about it so much over the years. 1454 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:52,319 » It's right on Innovation Boulevard. 1455 00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:54,000 » So, and it is on Innovation Boulevard. 1456 00:49:52,319 --> 00:49:57,040 So when I built that road to nowhere, 1457 00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:58,880 that's what was going to be there. Um 1458 00:49:57,040 --> 00:50:01,280 it's 1459 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:02,880 it's going to be by time we put all of 1460 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:04,319 this together when you're talking about 1461 00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:06,400 what's the businesses that's going to be 1462 00:50:04,319 --> 00:50:08,880 at progress point uh dealing with 1463 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:09,440 pharmaceutical, dealing with 1464 00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:10,960 » Security. 1465 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:12,720 » Yeah. Go ahead. Defense, defense, 1466 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:14,400 manufacturing, and others. 1467 00:50:12,720 --> 00:50:16,640 » We're we're going to see a you're going 1468 00:50:14,400 --> 00:50:18,240 to see Iberia Parish really grow. When 1469 00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:20,000 you're talking about the jobs at the 1470 00:50:18,240 --> 00:50:23,119 innovation center alone, you're talking 1471 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:24,960 $130,000 a year average salary. So 1472 00:50:23,119 --> 00:50:28,000 you're talking big jobs. You're talking 1473 00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:29,359 many employees and big money. So we are 1474 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:31,599 diversifying what's taking place. 1475 00:50:29,359 --> 00:50:32,079 » Estimates are 400 plus jobs somewhere in 1476 00:50:31,599 --> 00:50:33,839 that net. 1477 00:50:32,079 --> 00:50:35,440 » Yeah. So we are diversifying what's 1478 00:50:33,839 --> 00:50:37,760 happening in our parish. But I can tell 1479 00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:40,400 you uh when I was running for office, 1480 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:42,079 people was telling me that we needed to 1481 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:45,280 figure out a way how to keep people in 1482 00:50:42,079 --> 00:50:47,119 our parish. and and of course we again 1483 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:49,520 we have agriculture and we have oil and 1484 00:50:47,119 --> 00:50:52,160 gas but now we have diversified into 1485 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:54,319 manufacturing we're doing the panels we 1486 00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:56,400 doing the pellets we we going to be 1487 00:50:54,319 --> 00:50:57,599 doing the pharmaceutical we we got some 1488 00:50:56,400 --> 00:51:00,400 things that we have in our barrier 1489 00:50:57,599 --> 00:51:01,599 parish aviation the airport we're doing 1490 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:02,720 flight training we're going to have all 1491 00:51:01,599 --> 00:51:06,720 kind of great things going on 1492 00:51:02,720 --> 00:51:08,480 business-wise in in our parish so we we 1493 00:51:06,720 --> 00:51:10,480 have divers diversified what we doing 1494 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:11,680 here and it's all about parish growth 1495 00:51:10,480 --> 00:51:13,760 and the revenue that we're going to 1496 00:51:11,680 --> 00:51:15,440 receive in the future from those uh 1497 00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:17,520 those things. Pro uh progress point 1498 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:18,800 Mike, I know that's your babe. I know 1499 00:51:17,520 --> 00:51:20,559 you've been working with that. I'm so 1500 00:51:18,800 --> 00:51:23,040 glad to see that we actually have a 1501 00:51:20,559 --> 00:51:24,880 drawing, a rendering. Uh we actually 1502 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:26,880 have money now that we can actually 1503 00:51:24,880 --> 00:51:29,359 start to build the roads. Now, Berry 1504 00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:32,800 Parish government, the council is aware. 1505 00:51:29,359 --> 00:51:34,319 So, um uh we're going to be using monies 1506 00:51:32,800 --> 00:51:35,280 from the tiff to help you do some of the 1507 00:51:34,319 --> 00:51:36,400 things that you need to do. 1508 00:51:35,280 --> 00:51:38,000 » And this is going to be great. This 1509 00:51:36,400 --> 00:51:38,640 could be great for for economic growth 1510 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:39,920 long term. 1511 00:51:38,640 --> 00:51:41,040 » That's what it's all about. It's all 1512 00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:43,040 about infrastructure. If you can bring 1513 00:51:41,040 --> 00:51:44,480 the infrastructure, you can get the 1514 00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:45,440 businesses and we have done a lot of 1515 00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:46,880 infrastructure work. 1516 00:51:45,440 --> 00:51:49,280 » So, we've talked quite a bit about the 1517 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:51,119 focus on the airport area, which is so 1518 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:52,880 great. Uh, the Aadiana Regional Airport, 1519 00:51:51,119 --> 00:51:54,559 the the investment that's been made 1520 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:57,040 there and infrastructure and the 1521 00:51:54,559 --> 00:51:59,680 resulting businesses that have come and 1522 00:51:57,040 --> 00:52:02,800 are coming. Um, let's shift a little bit 1523 00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:05,040 if we could uh to Iberia Parish's other 1524 00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:07,440 huge economic driver and huge economic 1525 00:52:05,040 --> 00:52:09,680 asset. That's what that's what uh we all 1526 00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:10,480 love as the Port of Iberia. Those guys 1527 00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:12,000 are doing a great job. 1528 00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:14,559 » Yeah, the port of Iberia is doing 1529 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:17,359 fantastic. I mean, Craig uh Romero is 1530 00:52:14,559 --> 00:52:18,640 the um the director at the port. His 1531 00:52:17,359 --> 00:52:21,760 commission, they're doing a fantastic 1532 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:25,520 job. The port have about 2,000 acres of 1533 00:52:21,760 --> 00:52:27,520 industrial and and maritime um service. 1534 00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:30,880 They doing a fantastic job bringing 1535 00:52:27,520 --> 00:52:33,760 businesses here, lots of revenue. Uh 1536 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:36,160 when I started to put this together for 1537 00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:38,800 uh the state of the parish, I ended up 1538 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:40,240 speaking to Dr. Lauren Scott to try to 1539 00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:41,599 get some information about what's going 1540 00:52:40,240 --> 00:52:44,800 on at the port. And we have 1541 00:52:41,599 --> 00:52:47,040 » LSU economist economist ameritus. 1542 00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:48,720 » That's right. And we have a lot going on 1543 00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:50,160 right now. We we we have everything in 1544 00:52:48,720 --> 00:52:52,240 Iberia Parish that we need. We have 1545 00:52:50,160 --> 00:52:53,119 water. We have rail. We have we have 1546 00:52:52,240 --> 00:52:56,160 everything that we need. [clears throat] 1547 00:52:53,119 --> 00:52:58,720 We have um the roads. Uh we we looking 1548 00:52:56,160 --> 00:53:00,559 really good. The port is a hub for 1549 00:52:58,720 --> 00:53:02,319 what's taking place. I mean, think about 1550 00:53:00,559 --> 00:53:05,200 it. You have the port of Iberia, you 1551 00:53:02,319 --> 00:53:05,680 have New Orleans, and you have Port 1552 00:53:05,200 --> 00:53:06,640 Author, 1553 00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:08,720 » Right? We're right in the middle. 1554 00:53:06,640 --> 00:53:10,720 » We're directly in the middle. And I 1555 00:53:08,720 --> 00:53:11,839 think we on track right now to do some 1556 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:14,319 of the things. They actually did some 1557 00:53:11,839 --> 00:53:16,720 dredging. Uh so they I think they did 1558 00:53:14,319 --> 00:53:18,160 they dredged all the way to 16 ft. Uh 1559 00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:20,559 which is a big deal. So we're going to 1560 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:24,319 have lots of businesses uh coming here. 1561 00:53:20,559 --> 00:53:27,440 And if we we don't the port the way it's 1562 00:53:24,319 --> 00:53:28,960 set up, I can see in the future where 1563 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:31,280 you can have a little bit more than oil 1564 00:53:28,960 --> 00:53:33,119 and gas at that port because the 1565 00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:35,040 waterway that you have, you can do some 1566 00:53:33,119 --> 00:53:37,920 some great things. We market we market 1567 00:53:35,040 --> 00:53:40,319 Iberia Parish as a multimodal parish. 1568 00:53:37,920 --> 00:53:42,400 That means that you can bring raw 1569 00:53:40,319 --> 00:53:46,400 materials in. You can transport them in 1570 00:53:42,400 --> 00:53:48,000 by rail, water, by air, by road, and you 1571 00:53:46,400 --> 00:53:49,839 can finish those goods and then send 1572 00:53:48,000 --> 00:53:52,160 them back out into the world. Again, 1573 00:53:49,839 --> 00:53:53,920 made Niberia Parish things made Niberia 1574 00:53:52,160 --> 00:53:55,599 Parish is becoming more and more of a of 1575 00:53:53,920 --> 00:53:57,359 a thing, right? Yes. And so we want to 1576 00:53:55,599 --> 00:53:59,359 continue to invest in the idea that you 1577 00:53:57,359 --> 00:54:01,280 can that you can move around the parish 1578 00:53:59,359 --> 00:54:02,640 in that particular way. And a key 1579 00:54:01,280 --> 00:54:04,400 component, we talk about roadway 1580 00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:06,800 improvements all across our parish, but 1581 00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:08,559 a key uh way of moving those goods and 1582 00:54:06,800 --> 00:54:10,720 those services from the port and around 1583 00:54:08,559 --> 00:54:12,319 is through road projects at the port. 1584 00:54:10,720 --> 00:54:14,079 So, let's just talk about road projects 1585 00:54:12,319 --> 00:54:17,920 specifically at the port of Iberia. 1586 00:54:14,079 --> 00:54:20,160 » Okay. Um we're trying to to upgrade the 1587 00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:21,680 roads at the Port of Iberia. Uh the 1588 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:25,040 director at the port was able to get 1589 00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:26,800 some $2.5 million from the state uh to 1590 00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:30,880 take care of two roads. There was David 1591 00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:33,760 Bayard Road and also Canadian V U Vice. 1592 00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:36,880 When we went out for bids, the bid came 1593 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:38,800 back at $5.4 million. 1594 00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:40,480 But the way we building these roads at 1595 00:54:38,800 --> 00:54:41,839 the port now, we want to build them for 1596 00:54:40,480 --> 00:54:43,200 the future 1597 00:54:41,839 --> 00:54:46,000 » Uh for the weight that's going to be 1598 00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:48,319 actually uh put on those roads. Exactly. 1599 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:50,880 So, the parish council approved, I 1600 00:54:48,319 --> 00:54:53,440 think, $2.9 million to uh to finish the 1601 00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:56,079 project um to actually get enough money 1602 00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:59,359 to do the project. Those two roads are 1603 00:54:56,079 --> 00:55:00,800 already engineered uh designed and um 1604 00:54:59,359 --> 00:55:03,359 one of them is under construction right 1605 00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:05,200 now. It's a big deal for us in our 1606 00:55:03,359 --> 00:55:06,559 barrier parish and for the future 1607 00:55:05,200 --> 00:55:09,359 expansions that we're going to have 1608 00:55:06,559 --> 00:55:11,280 there. We have to start doing things 1609 00:55:09,359 --> 00:55:11,599 that's going to have long-term effect. 1610 00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:12,880 » Right. 1611 00:55:11,599 --> 00:55:14,800 » This thing about spending a million 1612 00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:17,359 dollars here and it's going to last for 1613 00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:19,040 three years. If you need to spend $5 1614 00:55:17,359 --> 00:55:20,880 million, save your money and spend $5 1615 00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:21,520 million away can last 20 years. 1616 00:55:20,880 --> 00:55:23,200 » Right. Right. 1617 00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:24,319 » You know, so um 1618 00:55:23,200 --> 00:55:25,200 » That's where we're at with the port. the 1619 00:55:24,319 --> 00:55:27,119 port is doing great, 1620 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:29,359 » Right? Absolutely. These investments in 1621 00:55:27,119 --> 00:55:31,839 infrastructure are continuing to pay off 1622 00:55:29,359 --> 00:55:33,359 and um we've heard, you know, and it's 1623 00:55:31,839 --> 00:55:35,200 really getting the attention of some 1624 00:55:33,359 --> 00:55:37,040 pretty major businesses that have 1625 00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:39,119 decided to locate at the port. Let's 1626 00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:41,440 talk about one that uh we recently 1627 00:55:39,119 --> 00:55:44,400 attended the uh ribbon cutting forum and 1628 00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:45,920 that's Cinjun industries. Huge win for 1629 00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:47,200 » Is they're set up at the port. They 1630 00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:48,799 operate and they're doing very very 1631 00:55:47,200 --> 00:55:51,680 well. They're going to bring around 600 1632 00:55:48,799 --> 00:55:53,440 new jobs. This is a big deal for the 1633 00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:55,040 port of Liberia, for Iberia Paris in 1634 00:55:53,440 --> 00:55:59,760 general. They going to be hiring, like I 1635 00:55:55,040 --> 00:56:03,359 said, 600 um jobs, skilled trade, 1636 00:55:59,760 --> 00:56:05,920 regular, good, hard working men. And we 1637 00:56:03,359 --> 00:56:07,839 certainly have that in Iberia Parish. Um 1638 00:56:05,920 --> 00:56:10,079 what they do, uh they're going to be 1639 00:56:07,839 --> 00:56:11,280 building big fabrication jobs and this 1640 00:56:10,079 --> 00:56:12,480 is going to be going all over the place. 1641 00:56:11,280 --> 00:56:14,319 And the reason they picked Iberia 1642 00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:16,000 Parish, of course, is because of the 1643 00:56:14,319 --> 00:56:17,440 workforce. We have an unbelievable 1644 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:18,240 workforce here at Iberia Parish and 1645 00:56:17,440 --> 00:56:19,520 surrounding area 1646 00:56:18,240 --> 00:56:21,359 » And those infrastructure improvements 1647 00:56:19,520 --> 00:56:22,559 you talked about as well. So, Kinjun 1648 00:56:21,359 --> 00:56:23,920 Industries, and by the way, thanks to 1649 00:56:22,559 --> 00:56:25,359 Cinjun Industries for their investment 1650 00:56:23,920 --> 00:56:27,839 in Iberia Parish is very much 1651 00:56:25,359 --> 00:56:30,160 appreciated, of course. Um, also, we've 1652 00:56:27,839 --> 00:56:31,680 heard another one that's uh just just 1653 00:56:30,160 --> 00:56:33,440 hot off the press almost, and that's 1654 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:34,240 Louisiana Concrete Products. What are 1655 00:56:33,440 --> 00:56:36,480 they doing out of 1656 00:56:34,240 --> 00:56:39,200 » That's a that's a big deal. Uh, they 1657 00:56:36,480 --> 00:56:41,200 doing pre-cast. They pre-casting u 1658 00:56:39,200 --> 00:56:43,680 materials that they can send all over uh 1659 00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:46,400 the place for um you know, marine 1660 00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:49,359 industry or whatever. That's 300 jobs 1661 00:56:46,400 --> 00:56:50,960 that they bringing there at at um 1662 00:56:49,359 --> 00:56:52,480 Louisiana Concrete Products. That's a 1663 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:54,240 big deal for us. So, it's strengthening 1664 00:56:52,480 --> 00:56:57,599 us. It's definitely putting us in this 1665 00:56:54,240 --> 00:57:00,160 position to where we're known as the 1666 00:56:57,599 --> 00:57:01,760 hub. Uh and it's a big deal for Iberia 1667 00:57:00,160 --> 00:57:03,280 Parishes. When you're talking 1668 00:57:01,760 --> 00:57:04,559 fabrication, 1669 00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:05,280 people should start talking about the 1670 00:57:04,559 --> 00:57:06,480 Port of Iberia. 1671 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:08,400 » You hear about all the construction 1672 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:09,839 going on along the South Louisiana uh 1673 00:57:08,400 --> 00:57:11,520 coast. You hear about the big 1674 00:57:09,839 --> 00:57:13,920 construction projects happening in the 1675 00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:15,839 New Orleans area, the LNG projects in 1676 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:17,599 the Lake Charles area, the Port of 1677 00:57:15,839 --> 00:57:18,720 Iberia and Iberia Parish is a key 1678 00:57:17,599 --> 00:57:19,920 component to all of those things. A lot 1679 00:57:18,720 --> 00:57:21,119 of those pre-cast things you were 1680 00:57:19,920 --> 00:57:21,520 talking about will end up in those 1681 00:57:21,119 --> 00:57:23,280 projects. 1682 00:57:21,520 --> 00:57:25,119 » Exactly. Right. They actually dealing 1683 00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:27,119 with the LG. So we they're being 1684 00:57:25,119 --> 00:57:28,000 fabricated here at the port and they're 1685 00:57:27,119 --> 00:57:29,680 being shipped. 1686 00:57:28,000 --> 00:57:30,319 » So when you see when you see those big 1687 00:57:29,680 --> 00:57:32,640 things happening [clears throat] in 1688 00:57:30,319 --> 00:57:33,280 those smile because most of it was again 1689 00:57:32,640 --> 00:57:34,880 made in that area 1690 00:57:33,280 --> 00:57:36,720 » Made in that area parish. And that's and 1691 00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:40,480 look, we're [clears throat] doing well. 1692 00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:41,440 I mean the the um the the port they 1693 00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:43,119 doing extremely well. 1694 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:44,480 » Absolutely. Absolutely. So, you know, 1695 00:57:43,119 --> 00:57:46,000 there's a lot of things that people 1696 00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:47,760 don't maybe don't know about the 1697 00:57:46,000 --> 00:57:49,040 wonderful things going on in Iberia Par 1698 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:51,440 staying, you know, staying in the port 1699 00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:52,960 lane for just a moment. Um you know, 1700 00:57:51,440 --> 00:57:54,480 I've been to a lot of christenings and 1701 00:57:52,960 --> 00:57:56,125 you you know, you hear about christening 1702 00:57:54,480 --> 00:57:57,119 boats and christening babies 1703 00:57:56,125 --> 00:57:58,960 [clears throat] and things like that, 1704 00:57:57,119 --> 00:58:00,720 but I didn't know you could christen a a 1705 00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:02,480 crane, but recently 1706 00:58:00,720 --> 00:58:03,920 » We went out to a crane christening. So, 1707 00:58:02,480 --> 00:58:05,200 tell us a little bit about one of the 1708 00:58:03,920 --> 00:58:06,960 biggest cranes in Yeah, they're one of 1709 00:58:05,200 --> 00:58:07,920 the biggest uh cranes in North America 1710 00:58:06,960 --> 00:58:09,920 right here at the port. 1711 00:58:07,920 --> 00:58:12,720 » Yes, the it's a state-of-the-art crane. 1712 00:58:09,920 --> 00:58:15,839 Um it's it's a very big deal. Uh it's 1713 00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:19,760 it's a it's 75 ft tall. It's got a reach 1714 00:58:15,839 --> 00:58:21,520 of 125 ft. It's picking up 52 tons. It's 1715 00:58:19,760 --> 00:58:25,280 a big deal for Iberia Parish. It was a 1716 00:58:21,520 --> 00:58:27,200 $6 million investment um at the port and 1717 00:58:25,280 --> 00:58:30,960 they doing great things. and and our 1718 00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:33,119 name port of Aberia Aberia Parish is on 1719 00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:35,760 this deal with the biggest crane right 1720 00:58:33,119 --> 00:58:37,119 » Around that's we got some history making 1721 00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:39,119 things that you can be proud of. 1722 00:58:37,119 --> 00:58:40,640 Absolutely right. So we we talked a bit 1723 00:58:39,119 --> 00:58:43,040 about infrastructure. We talked a bit 1724 00:58:40,640 --> 00:58:44,559 about the businesses locating. Um let's 1725 00:58:43,040 --> 00:58:47,200 talk a little bit about how the port of 1726 00:58:44,559 --> 00:58:49,920 Iberia is creating uh infrastructure for 1727 00:58:47,200 --> 00:58:52,000 future growth. We were recently um uh 1728 00:58:49,920 --> 00:58:53,680 part of the what's called the Millennium 1729 00:58:52,000 --> 00:58:54,480 Expansion groundbreaking. Tell us a 1730 00:58:53,680 --> 00:58:56,319 little bit about that. 1731 00:58:54,480 --> 00:58:58,000 » That's a big deal for the port. It's 90 1732 00:58:56,319 --> 00:59:01,040 acres of property that's going to have 1733 00:58:58,000 --> 00:59:03,119 50 acres of of waterfront. That's a 1734 00:59:01,040 --> 00:59:04,720 that's a big deal. Basically, what uh 1735 00:59:03,119 --> 00:59:05,599 Craig and his and his members are trying 1736 00:59:04,720 --> 00:59:07,520 to do is design [clears throat] 1737 00:59:05,599 --> 00:59:09,920 something to where we can bring new 1738 00:59:07,520 --> 00:59:11,760 tenants to Iberia Parish and it's a big 1739 00:59:09,920 --> 00:59:14,079 deal. The Millennium 1740 00:59:11,760 --> 00:59:16,480 project is is huge for the port. And 1741 00:59:14,079 --> 00:59:17,760 again, I can't say enough about the Port 1742 00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:18,960 of Iberia. They're doing a great job. 1743 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:20,000 They really have a lot of businesses 1744 00:59:18,960 --> 00:59:21,920 going there. They're bringing some 1745 00:59:20,000 --> 00:59:23,599 serious revenue. They have a lot of 1746 00:59:21,920 --> 00:59:24,880 employees working at that port. That's 1747 00:59:23,599 --> 00:59:27,520 what we need. We need to get the 1748 00:59:24,880 --> 00:59:29,520 employees working here and get this the 1749 00:59:27,520 --> 00:59:31,440 economy is doing well in Iberia Parish 1750 00:59:29,520 --> 00:59:33,920 right now. I I would like to see it do 1751 00:59:31,440 --> 00:59:35,200 better, but we're doing very well. 1752 00:59:33,920 --> 00:59:36,880 » You know, it's all about ready sites, 1753 00:59:35,200 --> 00:59:38,880 right? Businesses want sites that are 1754 00:59:36,880 --> 00:59:40,640 ready ready to go. I mean, they you 1755 00:59:38,880 --> 00:59:42,079 know, businesses can't wait. If the if 1756 00:59:40,640 --> 00:59:43,200 the sites aren't available and they 1757 00:59:42,079 --> 00:59:45,040 aren't hooked up and there's not the 1758 00:59:43,200 --> 00:59:47,359 right infrastructure, the right 1759 00:59:45,040 --> 00:59:48,960 channels, the right the right sites for 1760 00:59:47,359 --> 00:59:50,160 them to develop now, then they'll just 1761 00:59:48,960 --> 00:59:52,240 move on. 1762 00:59:50,160 --> 00:59:54,079 continuing to invest in infrastructure 1763 00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:55,680 uh you know with parish government with 1764 00:59:54,079 --> 00:59:58,240 the port of Iberia with the airport with 1765 00:59:55,680 --> 00:59:59,599 IEDA um is really making those sites 1766 00:59:58,240 --> 01:00:01,359 ready and ready for new business. 1767 00:59:59,599 --> 01:00:03,839 » Yeah, I think the the Millennium was a 1768 01:00:01,359 --> 01:00:06,160 major is a is a great deal see the port 1769 01:00:03,839 --> 01:00:08,400 is planning ahead for them. 1770 01:00:06,160 --> 01:00:10,880 » Okay, so moving on from uh from the Port 1771 01:00:08,400 --> 01:00:12,480 of Iberia um but staying on 1772 01:00:10,880 --> 01:00:15,440 infrastructure you know whether it's 1773 01:00:12,480 --> 01:00:16,640 business or residents um you know 1774 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:18,880 quality of living and we're going to 1775 01:00:16,640 --> 01:00:21,119 talk about that just just a little bit. 1776 01:00:18,880 --> 01:00:23,440 so important for folks to have clean 1777 01:00:21,119 --> 01:00:25,280 water utilities and things like that. 1778 01:00:23,440 --> 01:00:26,400 We've got a great uh waterworks 1779 01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:27,839 district. Tell us a little bit about 1780 01:00:26,400 --> 01:00:29,680 what's happening at Waterworks District. 1781 01:00:27,839 --> 01:00:32,319 » Waterworks district number three, what 1782 01:00:29,680 --> 01:00:34,880 they do is they ensure the safe and 1783 01:00:32,319 --> 01:00:36,480 efficient u potable water for the people 1784 01:00:34,880 --> 01:00:40,079 of our Paris, the residents that they 1785 01:00:36,480 --> 01:00:42,400 supply to. Uh they have to follow the um 1786 01:00:40,079 --> 01:00:44,000 Department of Health guidelines and they 1787 01:00:42,400 --> 01:00:45,520 do that very very well. They have a 1788 01:00:44,000 --> 01:00:47,520 director that's actually taking care of 1789 01:00:45,520 --> 01:00:49,760 water and sewer for us. That's Brad 1790 01:00:47,520 --> 01:00:53,839 Crater. Uh that system produces about 1791 01:00:49,760 --> 01:00:56,319 1.5 million um gallons daily and they 1792 01:00:53,839 --> 01:00:59,359 have about 2900 uh customers that they 1793 01:00:56,319 --> 01:01:00,720 serve and it's about 150 miles of water 1794 01:00:59,359 --> 01:01:02,799 line that they're dealing with on a 1795 01:01:00,720 --> 01:01:04,799 daily basis. So they have a lot of stuff 1796 01:01:02,799 --> 01:01:08,000 going on and uh I can tell you the 1797 01:01:04,799 --> 01:01:11,200 waterworks the waterwork u facility that 1798 01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:13,680 we have right now we've made some major 1799 01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:15,520 major improvements in that facility. So, 1800 01:01:13,680 --> 01:01:17,040 » Well, this is about bringing water in, 1801 01:01:15,520 --> 01:01:19,040 right? And so, I know those guys are 1802 01:01:17,040 --> 01:01:20,400 always working hard on improving the 1803 01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:22,079 infrastructure. Let's talk just a little 1804 01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:23,440 bit about some of the infrastructure 1805 01:01:22,079 --> 01:01:24,559 improvements on bringing water in 1806 01:01:23,440 --> 01:01:26,960 through waterworks district. 1807 01:01:24,559 --> 01:01:28,720 » We've done a lot. Uh we have um 2 1808 01:01:26,960 --> 01:01:30,960 million gallons per day water plant that 1809 01:01:28,720 --> 01:01:33,599 we did at the Kadana Regional Airport. 1810 01:01:30,960 --> 01:01:35,280 Uh that's for the of course it's for the 1811 01:01:33,599 --> 01:01:37,119 airport, but we're trying to get a 1812 01:01:35,280 --> 01:01:38,720 little bit more industry and commercial 1813 01:01:37,119 --> 01:01:40,880 customers out there. They took care of 1814 01:01:38,720 --> 01:01:44,960 that. They have 1,400 1815 01:01:40,880 --> 01:01:47,200 gallon um per day water well, 5,000galon 1816 01:01:44,960 --> 01:01:49,520 storage tank system that they have. They 1817 01:01:47,200 --> 01:01:51,040 upgraded the existing water plant. Uh 1818 01:01:49,520 --> 01:01:53,599 they've done a lot of work over there. 1819 01:01:51,040 --> 01:01:56,240 They have got about 43,000 1820 01:01:53,599 --> 01:01:59,359 um feet of water man that they have 1821 01:01:56,240 --> 01:02:02,079 actually done since 2016. So I can tell 1822 01:01:59,359 --> 01:02:03,839 you they have very very busy and and 1823 01:02:02,079 --> 01:02:05,280 they doing a great job for our barrier. 1824 01:02:03,839 --> 01:02:06,559 » So that's taking the water in. Well, 1825 01:02:05,280 --> 01:02:08,079 when you take the water in, you got to 1826 01:02:06,559 --> 01:02:08,640 take it out again. We got the same man 1827 01:02:08,079 --> 01:02:09,680 doing that too. 1828 01:02:08,640 --> 01:02:11,200 » Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about 1829 01:02:09,680 --> 01:02:12,720 sewage sewage district. 1830 01:02:11,200 --> 01:02:14,400 » So he actually to take the water in now 1831 01:02:12,720 --> 01:02:16,559 you got to let it out right. So he 1832 01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:18,960 ensures the safety of our parish 1833 01:02:16,559 --> 01:02:21,280 residents. Um again he got to follow the 1834 01:02:18,960 --> 01:02:24,319 guidelines of um the department of energ 1835 01:02:21,280 --> 01:02:26,880 uh environmental quality and also um the 1836 01:02:24,319 --> 01:02:29,839 EPA. Uh he have a little bit over 80 1837 01:02:26,880 --> 01:02:32,319 miles of um sewer lines that he's 1838 01:02:29,839 --> 01:02:34,880 managing with 3500 residents and 1839 01:02:32,319 --> 01:02:36,880 commercial customers. It's a big deal. 1840 01:02:34,880 --> 01:02:39,119 It was a big job. is a lot of staying on 1841 01:02:36,880 --> 01:02:43,040 top of everything. And uh I'm going to 1842 01:02:39,119 --> 01:02:44,559 be honest with you. Um for me it it's so 1843 01:02:43,040 --> 01:02:46,720 much easier today because I throw it all 1844 01:02:44,559 --> 01:02:48,079 on Brad now. So he just called 1845 01:02:46,720 --> 01:02:49,520 » I think goes home. 1846 01:02:48,079 --> 01:02:50,720 » I don't I don't think the man sleeps to 1847 01:02:49,520 --> 01:02:51,599 be frank with you, but he's doing a 1848 01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:53,119 fantastic job. 1849 01:02:51,599 --> 01:02:54,559 » Sure. Absolutely. So just like on the 1850 01:02:53,119 --> 01:02:56,559 water side where they're constantly 1851 01:02:54,559 --> 01:02:57,760 doing infrastructure uh improvements. 1852 01:02:56,559 --> 01:02:59,040 Tell us a little bit about the sewer 1853 01:02:57,760 --> 01:02:59,839 infrastructure improvements that are 1854 01:02:59,040 --> 01:03:03,280 going on right now. 1855 01:02:59,839 --> 01:03:05,760 » Well, they uh they put in an 18inch 1856 01:03:03,280 --> 01:03:08,640 force man. that's really uh that's doing 1857 01:03:05,760 --> 01:03:10,720 a great job at the lift station. Uh I 1858 01:03:08,640 --> 01:03:13,280 can remember he did some water sector 1859 01:03:10,720 --> 01:03:15,920 grants in phase one if I'm not mistaken. 1860 01:03:13,280 --> 01:03:18,480 Uh he added 12 permanent generators. I 1861 01:03:15,920 --> 01:03:20,000 think he got four uh uh totable 1862 01:03:18,480 --> 01:03:22,880 generators that's going to improve the 1863 01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:24,559 system. In phase two he actually uh 1864 01:03:22,880 --> 01:03:26,559 rehabilitated some sewer lines and 1865 01:03:24,559 --> 01:03:30,079 upgrades and those types of things like 1866 01:03:26,559 --> 01:03:31,680 in Orange Grove and other U areas. We 1867 01:03:30,079 --> 01:03:34,480 got the big deal that we're working on 1868 01:03:31,680 --> 01:03:36,720 right now, Mike, is a $60 million sewer 1869 01:03:34,480 --> 01:03:39,520 plant. Uh we've been working with our 1870 01:03:36,720 --> 01:03:41,119 congressional and state delegation. It 1871 01:03:39,520 --> 01:03:43,039 looked like we have $10 million 1872 01:03:41,119 --> 01:03:44,559 committed from the state so far, $10 1873 01:03:43,039 --> 01:03:46,960 million committed from the federal 1874 01:03:44,559 --> 01:03:49,520 government. I've spoken with Congress 1875 01:03:46,960 --> 01:03:52,480 Congressman Higgins. I've spoken with 1876 01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:53,760 Senator Cassidy and Kennedy. Uh we got a 1877 01:03:52,480 --> 01:03:55,680 team that's working with us in 1878 01:03:53,760 --> 01:03:59,200 Washington DC. And we it's very 1879 01:03:55,680 --> 01:04:01,440 promising. If we don't get this water 1880 01:03:59,200 --> 01:04:03,280 waste facility, we're gonna we're going 1881 01:04:01,440 --> 01:04:05,599 to be in a bind in a few years to come 1882 01:04:03,280 --> 01:04:07,520 because we're growing and the current 1883 01:04:05,599 --> 01:04:09,760 facility that we have right now, we 1884 01:04:07,520 --> 01:04:11,760 actually use it with the city and it's a 1885 01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:15,200 great deal, but we're going to grow out 1886 01:04:11,760 --> 01:04:16,640 of that. Um and and the the building the 1887 01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:19,359 construction that we're doing right now 1888 01:04:16,640 --> 01:04:20,960 is really a lot of it is in Cotto and 1889 01:04:19,359 --> 01:04:22,640 you're going to have to run those lines 1890 01:04:20,960 --> 01:04:24,480 all over the place to get to the city. 1891 01:04:22,640 --> 01:04:27,119 So, it makes absolutely no sense not to 1892 01:04:24,480 --> 01:04:29,680 start looking at um a waste water, 1893 01:04:27,119 --> 01:04:30,079 excuse me, a sewer facility um in the 1894 01:04:29,680 --> 01:04:32,079 parish 1895 01:04:30,079 --> 01:04:34,000 » Preparing for future growth and making 1896 01:04:32,079 --> 01:04:34,240 sure that we can take those all into the 1897 01:04:34,000 --> 01:04:35,760 system. 1898 01:04:34,240 --> 01:04:36,960 » And that's going to be a big deal. It's 1899 01:04:35,760 --> 01:04:40,480 going to be a big facility. It's going 1900 01:04:36,960 --> 01:04:41,440 to be a three uh milling gallion uh per 1901 01:04:40,480 --> 01:04:43,119 day facility. 1902 01:04:41,440 --> 01:04:44,640 » So, we're we're talking about utilities. 1903 01:04:43,119 --> 01:04:45,920 We're talking about infrastructure. You 1904 01:04:44,640 --> 01:04:48,799 know people understand when we talk 1905 01:04:45,920 --> 01:04:51,359 about roads and drainage and uh water 1906 01:04:48,799 --> 01:04:54,674 and sewer but a another piece of 1907 01:04:51,359 --> 01:04:56,960 infrastructure which is crucial for 1908 01:04:54,674 --> 01:04:59,599 [clears throat] commerce and for uh the 1909 01:04:56,960 --> 01:05:02,559 citizens and for schools and for 1910 01:04:59,599 --> 01:05:04,160 students uh is fiber to the home and 1911 01:05:02,559 --> 01:05:05,680 business so very important to our 1912 01:05:04,160 --> 01:05:07,119 community. Tell us a little bit about 1913 01:05:05,680 --> 01:05:08,640 what's the status of fiber to the home 1914 01:05:07,119 --> 01:05:11,119 and business. We partnered with uh 1915 01:05:08,640 --> 01:05:13,920 Kinjun Engineer uh Kinjun Broadband, 1916 01:05:11,119 --> 01:05:16,480 excuse me, uh many years ago when we 1917 01:05:13,920 --> 01:05:18,400 started getting the the dollars, ARPA 1918 01:05:16,480 --> 01:05:19,599 funds, and uh we were able to do, of 1919 01:05:18,400 --> 01:05:22,480 course, you already know we have 1920 01:05:19,599 --> 01:05:25,119 companies uh that's actually have fiber 1921 01:05:22,480 --> 01:05:27,920 all over Iberia Parish. You have uh 1922 01:05:25,119 --> 01:05:30,160 AT&T, you have COGS, we've been using 1923 01:05:27,920 --> 01:05:32,319 Kinjun uh to do some work for us. So 1924 01:05:30,160 --> 01:05:35,680 far, Cinjun have actually installed over 1925 01:05:32,319 --> 01:05:37,760 2500 businesses in the Coto area u that 1926 01:05:35,680 --> 01:05:40,400 have fiber to their home. That's a big 1927 01:05:37,760 --> 01:05:42,319 deal. Uh we did a groundbreaking last 1928 01:05:40,400 --> 01:05:44,240 actually in 24 you were there. 1929 01:05:42,319 --> 01:05:46,960 » We did the groundbreaking. Uh we spent 1930 01:05:44,240 --> 01:05:49,760 about $5.2 million 1931 01:05:46,960 --> 01:05:51,599 um grant dollars in in fiber in in in 1932 01:05:49,760 --> 01:05:54,640 this parish. So we we're doing very 1933 01:05:51,599 --> 01:05:57,119 well. Um we need cable, excuse me, we 1934 01:05:54,640 --> 01:06:00,240 need fiber. We're connecting right now. 1935 01:05:57,119 --> 01:06:03,039 Uh we doing another phase of fiber where 1936 01:06:00,240 --> 01:06:04,720 we've stopped up in Cotto and now it's 1937 01:06:03,039 --> 01:06:06,640 running from Cotto all the way to the 1938 01:06:04,720 --> 01:06:10,079 port of Barbaria on both sides of the 1939 01:06:06,640 --> 01:06:12,319 highway and also getting some homes 1940 01:06:10,079 --> 01:06:14,880 along the way. 1941 01:06:12,319 --> 01:06:17,760 Fiber is critical for businesses that we 1942 01:06:14,880 --> 01:06:20,559 have because business global these days. 1943 01:06:17,760 --> 01:06:22,160 Businesses are global these days and you 1944 01:06:20,559 --> 01:06:23,760 have to have something that you can deal 1945 01:06:22,160 --> 01:06:27,039 with that you can use that's going to be 1946 01:06:23,760 --> 01:06:28,480 there for you when you need it. And um 1947 01:06:27,039 --> 01:06:29,760 and that's what we do. And we have a 1948 01:06:28,480 --> 01:06:31,680 relationship with all of the different 1949 01:06:29,760 --> 01:06:33,359 companies that provide it. In fact, I 1950 01:06:31,680 --> 01:06:36,319 have one of the guys here from AT&T 1951 01:06:33,359 --> 01:06:38,640 tonight um listening uh we we have a lot 1952 01:06:36,319 --> 01:06:40,160 of good things going on um 1953 01:06:38,640 --> 01:06:41,440 » Uh with Fiverr. So, we're doing well. 1954 01:06:40,160 --> 01:06:42,880 Well, I just want to let folks know if 1955 01:06:41,440 --> 01:06:44,640 you see this weird looking machine 1956 01:06:42,880 --> 01:06:46,079 around, you know, it's it's putting in 1957 01:06:44,640 --> 01:06:47,359 something that's very important to our 1958 01:06:46,079 --> 01:06:48,880 community. We get questions, what is 1959 01:06:47,359 --> 01:06:50,559 that thing? And so, it's this is the 1960 01:06:48,880 --> 01:06:52,640 bore machine that helps put those that 1961 01:06:50,559 --> 01:06:54,400 fiber optics underground. And so, uh 1962 01:06:52,640 --> 01:06:56,000 it's certainly certainly a positive 1963 01:06:54,400 --> 01:06:58,319 thing. So, we've talked quite a bit 1964 01:06:56,000 --> 01:06:59,760 about infrastructure and investments in 1965 01:06:58,319 --> 01:07:01,920 infrastructure in just about every way 1966 01:06:59,760 --> 01:07:03,839 we can. We've talked about roadways and 1967 01:07:01,920 --> 01:07:06,400 and bringing new business and creating 1968 01:07:03,839 --> 01:07:07,920 new jobs and um helping existing 1969 01:07:06,400 --> 01:07:09,280 businesses continue to grow, those 1970 01:07:07,920 --> 01:07:11,440 people that have been paying the taxes 1971 01:07:09,280 --> 01:07:13,680 and been, you know, continue to hire 1972 01:07:11,440 --> 01:07:15,839 people and supporting them and growing 1973 01:07:13,680 --> 01:07:18,400 growing businesses and growing jobs. As 1974 01:07:15,839 --> 01:07:19,920 much as we love it for uh much as we 1975 01:07:18,400 --> 01:07:21,920 want to continue to create those good 1976 01:07:19,920 --> 01:07:23,359 jobs for people to work here, we really 1977 01:07:21,920 --> 01:07:24,799 want to see them live here, too. This is 1978 01:07:23,359 --> 01:07:26,480 such a great community. and we'd like to 1979 01:07:24,799 --> 01:07:28,319 welcome more residents to our community. 1980 01:07:26,480 --> 01:07:29,920 So, tell us a little bit about housing 1981 01:07:28,319 --> 01:07:31,440 opportunities. What what what's the 1982 01:07:29,920 --> 01:07:31,839 landscape look like in Iberia Parish 1983 01:07:31,440 --> 01:07:33,760 right now? 1984 01:07:31,839 --> 01:07:36,079 » We have several developers that's 1985 01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:37,839 looking to do things in Iberia Parish. 1986 01:07:36,079 --> 01:07:40,079 Uh 1987 01:07:37,839 --> 01:07:42,240 again, in certain areas where they're 1988 01:07:40,079 --> 01:07:45,599 looking to develop, I constantly talk to 1989 01:07:42,240 --> 01:07:46,720 them about taking your time because uh I 1990 01:07:45,599 --> 01:07:49,440 want to make sure that when they're 1991 01:07:46,720 --> 01:07:51,520 building these subdivisions, they're not 1992 01:07:49,440 --> 01:07:54,160 having a negative impact on the 1993 01:07:51,520 --> 01:07:56,400 surrounding areas. But Ravenwood is a 1994 01:07:54,160 --> 01:07:58,799 subdivision. Uh when you go down Admiral 1995 01:07:56,400 --> 01:08:00,079 Doll all the way to 88, that's an area 1996 01:07:58,799 --> 01:08:02,240 that's actually being developed right 1997 01:08:00,079 --> 01:08:04,799 now. We have some 100 lots right there. 1998 01:08:02,240 --> 01:08:08,000 Uh Coto Ridge subdivision, we actually 1999 01:08:04,799 --> 01:08:09,920 in phase three. That's some 200 plus uh 2000 01:08:08,000 --> 01:08:11,520 lots that's actually available and they 2001 01:08:09,920 --> 01:08:13,839 got some nice homes in there. They're 2002 01:08:11,520 --> 01:08:17,359 building some very nice homes in there. 2003 01:08:13,839 --> 01:08:20,400 Test Ridge subdivision. Um, Test Ridge 2004 01:08:17,359 --> 01:08:23,040 was actually um purchased by uh another 2005 01:08:20,400 --> 01:08:26,159 company recently and they are doing some 2006 01:08:23,040 --> 01:08:29,520 wonderful things. Uh, matter of fact, 2007 01:08:26,159 --> 01:08:31,120 um, we have I was going to say something 2008 01:08:29,520 --> 01:08:33,199 that the mayor probably don't want me to 2009 01:08:31,120 --> 01:08:35,920 say, but they're doing some wonderful 2010 01:08:33,199 --> 01:08:38,719 things here in Iberia Parish. And uh, 2011 01:08:35,920 --> 01:08:41,359 another another developer is um, uh, 2012 01:08:38,719 --> 01:08:42,799 Cherokee. Cherokee have some 22 acres 2013 01:08:41,359 --> 01:08:44,640 that they have actually divided. 2014 01:08:42,799 --> 01:08:46,880 building uh going to be building some 2015 01:08:44,640 --> 01:08:48,640 very nice homes in in that area. So, we 2016 01:08:46,880 --> 01:08:51,359 got some development going on in Iberia 2017 01:08:48,640 --> 01:08:53,199 Parish, but we need development in 2018 01:08:51,359 --> 01:08:55,520 Iberia Parish. When you when you when 2019 01:08:53,199 --> 01:08:57,839 you say you have 600 being employees 2020 01:08:55,520 --> 01:09:00,080 being people hired at the port for this, 2021 01:08:57,839 --> 01:09:02,319 another 300 hired for this, 800 plus 2022 01:09:00,080 --> 01:09:04,880 hired for that company, you need some 2023 01:09:02,319 --> 01:09:07,759 homes and we need some affordable homes. 2024 01:09:04,880 --> 01:09:09,359 U and it's critical that we can um try 2025 01:09:07,759 --> 01:09:10,400 to make that work for our very parents. 2026 01:09:09,359 --> 01:09:11,839 So far, we're doing well. 2027 01:09:10,400 --> 01:09:13,520 » Absolutely. Well, that's certainly good 2028 01:09:11,839 --> 01:09:15,120 to hear. And so as we talk about 2029 01:09:13,520 --> 01:09:17,120 bringing in new residents, as we talk 2030 01:09:15,120 --> 01:09:18,960 about our existing residents and you 2031 01:09:17,120 --> 01:09:21,440 know how they live here and grow and 2032 01:09:18,960 --> 01:09:22,960 raise families here, um it's all about 2033 01:09:21,440 --> 01:09:24,880 quality of living and we've talked about 2034 01:09:22,960 --> 01:09:26,799 recreation in the past and and things of 2035 01:09:24,880 --> 01:09:28,080 that nature. Quality of living, people 2036 01:09:26,799 --> 01:09:29,839 knowing that when they come to a 2037 01:09:28,080 --> 01:09:31,279 community that it's safe and that 2038 01:09:29,839 --> 01:09:32,799 there's a good quality of living as 2039 01:09:31,279 --> 01:09:34,480 well. [clears throat] Um along those 2040 01:09:32,799 --> 01:09:36,159 lines, let's talk just a little bit 2041 01:09:34,480 --> 01:09:36,960 about animal control. Tell us a little 2042 01:09:36,159 --> 01:09:39,440 bit about animal control. 2043 01:09:36,960 --> 01:09:41,199 » Animal control is a is a big deal for 2044 01:09:39,440 --> 01:09:42,560 Iberia Parish. of course is a is a 2045 01:09:41,199 --> 01:09:45,120 department that we have that's really 2046 01:09:42,560 --> 01:09:46,880 don't have a dedicated fund. Um but 2047 01:09:45,120 --> 01:09:49,600 we're dedicated to promoting the safety 2048 01:09:46,880 --> 01:09:51,440 of the animals that we actually bring to 2049 01:09:49,600 --> 01:09:53,120 animal control. We have a very good 2050 01:09:51,440 --> 01:09:56,159 person that's actually that's managing 2051 01:09:53,120 --> 01:09:57,840 that place. Amanda uh we're dedicated to 2052 01:09:56,159 --> 01:10:01,040 trying to do everything that we need to 2053 01:09:57,840 --> 01:10:02,960 take care of these these animals. Uh 2054 01:10:01,040 --> 01:10:05,120 currently we actually house animals from 2055 01:10:02,960 --> 01:10:06,560 the city of Newberry from all from 2056 01:10:05,120 --> 01:10:08,159 around the whole parish to be frank with 2057 01:10:06,560 --> 01:10:10,080 you. But the city of Newberry of course 2058 01:10:08,159 --> 01:10:12,159 is the biggest city. So we would have 2059 01:10:10,080 --> 01:10:14,000 more from them. Uh the department the 2060 01:10:12,159 --> 01:10:15,679 department is responsible for all the 2061 01:10:14,000 --> 01:10:17,600 calls that they get that's talking about 2062 01:10:15,679 --> 01:10:20,000 animals in any kind of way. Uh the 2063 01:10:17,600 --> 01:10:22,640 weather whether it's an abandoned animal 2064 01:10:20,000 --> 01:10:24,880 but our goal is to try to find a home 2065 01:10:22,640 --> 01:10:26,480 for these animals. That's what we do 2066 01:10:24,880 --> 01:10:29,600 with the few dollars that we have. We're 2067 01:10:26,480 --> 01:10:31,600 very very fortunate because we now are 2068 01:10:29,600 --> 01:10:32,880 going to be building another facility. 2069 01:10:31,600 --> 01:10:35,360 The bids are going to come in on 2070 01:10:32,880 --> 01:10:37,280 February the 5th. Uh we have two 2071 01:10:35,360 --> 01:10:38,480 facilities, two buildings right now that 2072 01:10:37,280 --> 01:10:41,360 we're keeping. We're going to kind of 2073 01:10:38,480 --> 01:10:44,000 clean them up a little bit and um we 2074 01:10:41,360 --> 01:10:46,400 building this nice facility on the side. 2075 01:10:44,000 --> 01:10:48,800 What we trying to do right now is just 2076 01:10:46,400 --> 01:10:51,840 to make it where we can adopt more more 2077 01:10:48,800 --> 01:10:53,360 animals and and make it a safe place. U 2078 01:10:51,840 --> 01:10:55,760 and it's it's going to be designed very 2079 01:10:53,360 --> 01:10:57,600 well. Wonderful. Wonderful. So, we've 2080 01:10:55,760 --> 01:10:59,520 been talking about a lot of numbers. Uh 2081 01:10:57,600 --> 01:11:01,840 you know, million here, five million 2082 01:10:59,520 --> 01:11:04,239 there, 19 million here. So, it's it's a 2083 01:11:01,840 --> 01:11:06,080 lot of a lot of dollars. uh some that 2084 01:11:04,239 --> 01:11:07,920 are being invested now, some that we see 2085 01:11:06,080 --> 01:11:09,199 coming in the into the future. Take a 2086 01:11:07,920 --> 01:11:11,040 look at this list. This is quite 2087 01:11:09,199 --> 01:11:12,880 impressive. Tell us a little bit about 2088 01:11:11,040 --> 01:11:14,239 some of the uh ongoing infrastructure 2089 01:11:12,880 --> 01:11:17,199 investments that you've seen here in the 2090 01:11:14,239 --> 01:11:19,760 parish so far. We have a lot of invest 2091 01:11:17,199 --> 01:11:21,280 investors and investments um that's been 2092 01:11:19,760 --> 01:11:23,679 done in Iberia Parish. Airport 2093 01:11:21,280 --> 01:11:26,000 development, we got uh roughly $9 2094 01:11:23,679 --> 01:11:28,400 million that's been invested over there. 2095 01:11:26,000 --> 01:11:30,480 Recreation, some $3 million, but we have 2096 01:11:28,400 --> 01:11:33,199 drainage and flood control like $16 2097 01:11:30,480 --> 01:11:36,800 million. We have uh in economic 2098 01:11:33,199 --> 01:11:39,040 development industrial we have uh $1.3 2099 01:11:36,800 --> 01:11:41,360 billion dollars uh and these are 2100 01:11:39,040 --> 01:11:42,960 projects that's actually have been done 2101 01:11:41,360 --> 01:11:44,719 you know so we're very fortunate with 2102 01:11:42,960 --> 01:11:47,600 that when you're talking about public 2103 01:11:44,719 --> 01:11:50,320 facilities public buildings you got 12.5 2104 01:11:47,600 --> 01:11:52,800 million we did there technology some $4 2105 01:11:50,320 --> 01:11:55,760 million transportation and bridges again 2106 01:11:52,800 --> 01:11:57,280 I talked to you earlier about Paris 2107 01:11:55,760 --> 01:11:58,640 using and working with the federal 2108 01:11:57,280 --> 01:11:59,760 government we get money from the state 2109 01:11:58,640 --> 01:12:00,560 we get money from the federal government 2110 01:11:59,760 --> 01:12:03,520 » Leveraging 2111 01:12:00,560 --> 01:12:06,960 » That's all it Yes. And uh and the state 2112 01:12:03,520 --> 01:12:09,920 actually do work in each parish in this 2113 01:12:06,960 --> 01:12:12,000 um in this great state of ours. But we 2114 01:12:09,920 --> 01:12:14,480 have some $221 million that's actually 2115 01:12:12,000 --> 01:12:15,920 been invest in road work in our barrier 2116 01:12:14,480 --> 01:12:19,040 parish there. Water and sewer 2117 01:12:15,920 --> 01:12:20,880 infrastructure, $38 million. Uh you 2118 01:12:19,040 --> 01:12:21,920 know, so we have some big big things 2119 01:12:20,880 --> 01:12:23,600 going on here. 2120 01:12:21,920 --> 01:12:25,199 » So that's what we've seen so far. What 2121 01:12:23,600 --> 01:12:26,719 are you expecting in the future as far 2122 01:12:25,199 --> 01:12:28,400 as investment? When you when you're 2123 01:12:26,719 --> 01:12:31,280 talking about just the commercial canal 2124 01:12:28,400 --> 01:12:33,920 and the Del canal, you're talking $235 2125 01:12:31,280 --> 01:12:35,199 million for that. That's a big deal. Uh 2126 01:12:33,920 --> 01:12:36,800 when you're talking about the east side 2127 01:12:35,199 --> 01:12:40,000 development at the airport, that's like 2128 01:12:36,800 --> 01:12:41,520 $64 million. That's that's a lot a lot 2129 01:12:40,000 --> 01:12:44,239 of work that's going to be done at that 2130 01:12:41,520 --> 01:12:46,080 airport that by providing and building 2131 01:12:44,239 --> 01:12:47,840 those tangibles there, we're going to 2132 01:12:46,080 --> 01:12:50,159 bring even more businesses here and we 2133 01:12:47,840 --> 01:12:51,920 get even more money. The post evacuation 2134 01:12:50,159 --> 01:12:53,840 center that we actually have that was 2135 01:12:51,920 --> 01:12:57,920 actually put down for a minute. We're 2136 01:12:53,840 --> 01:13:00,000 not going to stop. We have um roughly 2137 01:12:57,920 --> 01:13:01,679 16,000 people in IB Paris living in 2138 01:13:00,000 --> 01:13:03,199 poverty. I will never stop trying to 2139 01:13:01,679 --> 01:13:05,120 figure out how to help these people when 2140 01:13:03,199 --> 01:13:07,040 they need. So that's still on the table. 2141 01:13:05,120 --> 01:13:08,320 We're still trying to move that forward. 2142 01:13:07,040 --> 01:13:10,000 You're going to remember the hangar 2143 01:13:08,320 --> 01:13:12,239 drive extension. You and I went to Baton 2144 01:13:10,000 --> 01:13:14,159 Rouge. We actually testified to get the 2145 01:13:12,239 --> 01:13:15,679 $16 million. If we wouldn't have gotten 2146 01:13:14,159 --> 01:13:18,560 that, that was going to really 2147 01:13:15,679 --> 01:13:20,320 » That's that crowning fourth roadway 2148 01:13:18,560 --> 01:13:21,440 that's going to bring uh commerce and 2149 01:13:20,320 --> 01:13:21,840 traffic right into the heart of the 2150 01:13:21,440 --> 01:13:23,360 airport. 2151 01:13:21,840 --> 01:13:25,280 » That's exactly right. is going to is 2152 01:13:23,360 --> 01:13:26,480 going to is hangar drive. So we're going 2153 01:13:25,280 --> 01:13:28,159 to get hanger drive and we're going to 2154 01:13:26,480 --> 01:13:29,920 bring hanger drive all the way to LEL. 2155 01:13:28,159 --> 01:13:31,600 Then from LEL to corporate drive we're 2156 01:13:29,920 --> 01:13:33,840 going to do a roundabout there. 2157 01:13:31,600 --> 01:13:34,560 » It's a very big deal for us. We have I'm 2158 01:13:33,840 --> 01:13:36,800 going to get [clears throat] to the end. 2159 01:13:34,560 --> 01:13:39,120 We have the west side develop that that 2160 01:13:36,800 --> 01:13:42,320 we talked about with that spur on 3212. 2161 01:13:39,120 --> 01:13:43,920 That's $28 million. We have a we have a 2162 01:13:42,320 --> 01:13:46,800 lot of work that's going on in this 2163 01:13:43,920 --> 01:13:48,320 parish that we've done that we presently 2164 01:13:46,800 --> 01:13:50,239 doing and that we're looking to do in 2165 01:13:48,320 --> 01:13:52,000 the very very near future. You may not 2166 01:13:50,239 --> 01:13:53,600 believe this, but I did some very, very 2167 01:13:52,000 --> 01:13:55,360 quick math in my head. I just wrote it 2168 01:13:53,600 --> 01:13:56,880 right on my hand. And the addition on 2169 01:13:55,360 --> 01:13:57,920 that comes out to the number that you 2170 01:13:56,880 --> 01:14:00,480 see on your screen right now. 2171 01:13:57,920 --> 01:14:01,760 » Okay, that number. Yeah, that's a big 2172 01:14:00,480 --> 01:14:04,719 deal. I already know that number. 2173 01:14:01,760 --> 01:14:07,679 Believe it. That's 2 billion80 million 2174 01:14:04,719 --> 01:14:10,400 in Iberia Parish. very very proud to say 2175 01:14:07,679 --> 01:14:13,120 that my administration, the Aberia 2176 01:14:10,400 --> 01:14:15,280 Parish Council and every other partner 2177 01:14:13,120 --> 01:14:18,320 that we worked with talking state, 2178 01:14:15,280 --> 01:14:20,239 federal, whatever, whomever work 2179 01:14:18,320 --> 01:14:22,560 together to see this happen in Aberia 2180 01:14:20,239 --> 01:14:24,800 Parish. Very, very proud of it. 2181 01:14:22,560 --> 01:14:27,040 » Absolutely. So, this is a huge number 2182 01:14:24,800 --> 01:14:28,960 and it and and it represents a lot of 2183 01:14:27,040 --> 01:14:31,040 hard work by a lot of different people 2184 01:14:28,960 --> 01:14:32,880 to bring investment uh to our area. And 2185 01:14:31,040 --> 01:14:34,239 I've always said if we expect people to 2186 01:14:32,880 --> 01:14:36,080 invest in us, we've got to be willing to 2187 01:14:34,239 --> 01:14:37,679 invest in ourselves. And so this is 2188 01:14:36,080 --> 01:14:39,040 certainly a huge number and it's 2189 01:14:37,679 --> 01:14:40,880 resulting in a lot of things. We talked 2190 01:14:39,040 --> 01:14:42,560 about businesses, we talked about uh 2191 01:14:40,880 --> 01:14:44,480 fiber optic connectivity, we talked 2192 01:14:42,560 --> 01:14:46,640 about housing developments and whatnot. 2193 01:14:44,480 --> 01:14:49,280 What have these investments meant over 2194 01:14:46,640 --> 01:14:50,880 the years in terms of growth in jobs and 2195 01:14:49,280 --> 01:14:53,360 wages and industry. 2196 01:14:50,880 --> 01:14:57,040 » The one thing I I look at the most is 2197 01:14:53,360 --> 01:15:00,239 the unemployment rate. In 2016, it was 2198 01:14:57,040 --> 01:15:02,239 around seven and 8%. Right now, we're a 2199 01:15:00,239 --> 01:15:04,080 little bit over four% to 5%. 2200 01:15:02,239 --> 01:15:07,040 » Cut it in half. we cut it in half 2201 01:15:04,080 --> 01:15:08,480 roughly. Uh that's a big deal. I look at 2202 01:15:07,040 --> 01:15:10,159 all of the other things that that that's 2203 01:15:08,480 --> 01:15:12,640 actually being discussed, the economic 2204 01:15:10,159 --> 01:15:14,239 uh dependencies, the u you know the 2205 01:15:12,640 --> 01:15:16,239 small business work that's actually 2206 01:15:14,239 --> 01:15:18,560 taking place, that's all great, but I'm 2207 01:15:16,239 --> 01:15:20,159 looking at jobs and I'm looking at how 2208 01:15:18,560 --> 01:15:21,520 you can keep people working. If you can 2209 01:15:20,159 --> 01:15:22,880 keep people working and they're making a 2210 01:15:21,520 --> 01:15:25,520 decent salary where they can have a 2211 01:15:22,880 --> 01:15:27,520 decent quality of life, um that's what 2212 01:15:25,520 --> 01:15:29,920 it's all about for me. It's, you know, 2213 01:15:27,520 --> 01:15:31,520 people going out making $25,000 a year, 2214 01:15:29,920 --> 01:15:34,159 $30,000 a year and they got a family of 2215 01:15:31,520 --> 01:15:36,640 four. That's not cutting it. We have to 2216 01:15:34,159 --> 01:15:40,000 do better in Iberia Parish. We have to 2217 01:15:36,640 --> 01:15:41,920 take care or put people in a position to 2218 01:15:40,000 --> 01:15:43,920 where they can actually be successful. 2219 01:15:41,920 --> 01:15:46,400 And I I'm telling you, the biggest thing 2220 01:15:43,920 --> 01:15:48,800 in this whole parish that gets to me is 2221 01:15:46,400 --> 01:15:51,120 the poverty rate, right? It's too much, 2222 01:15:48,800 --> 01:15:52,560 right? Uh we we need to figure out how 2223 01:15:51,120 --> 01:15:55,760 to get people in a position to help 2224 01:15:52,560 --> 01:15:56,880 themselves. And um 2225 01:15:55,760 --> 01:15:58,560 that's a big deal for me. 2226 01:15:56,880 --> 01:16:00,800 » Well, we sure have talked about a lot of 2227 01:15:58,560 --> 01:16:03,040 different things as far as uh optimistic 2228 01:16:00,800 --> 01:16:04,960 outlook and uh the optimism in the 2229 01:16:03,040 --> 01:16:07,280 parish and the way that it's growing and 2230 01:16:04,960 --> 01:16:09,120 um our our potential if we continue to, 2231 01:16:07,280 --> 01:16:10,640 you know, the momentum is moving, if we 2232 01:16:09,120 --> 01:16:12,719 can continue to move that momentum and 2233 01:16:10,640 --> 01:16:14,159 keep that momentum going, um what it 2234 01:16:12,719 --> 01:16:16,719 might look like. Let's just talk about 2235 01:16:14,159 --> 01:16:18,320 your thoughts on the the upcoming and 2236 01:16:16,719 --> 01:16:19,199 the the future economic outlook for 2237 01:16:18,320 --> 01:16:20,880 Iberia [clears throat] Parish. I 2238 01:16:19,199 --> 01:16:22,560 » I think we have some very good momentum 2239 01:16:20,880 --> 01:16:24,320 that's going on in Iberia Parish. Look, 2240 01:16:22,560 --> 01:16:26,800 I have a year and 11 months left in this 2241 01:16:24,320 --> 01:16:28,800 position. Uh, whoever is going to become 2242 01:16:26,800 --> 01:16:31,120 the Paris president, I just hope they 2243 01:16:28,800 --> 01:16:32,400 continue to try to bring infrastructure. 2244 01:16:31,120 --> 01:16:33,440 If you can bring infrastructure, you're 2245 01:16:32,400 --> 01:16:35,760 going to bring the businesses. You're 2246 01:16:33,440 --> 01:16:38,000 going to bring the homes. But keep in 2247 01:16:35,760 --> 01:16:38,880 mind, it's about quality of life for the 2248 01:16:38,000 --> 01:16:40,560 people that you're actually 2249 01:16:38,880 --> 01:16:43,280 representing. And [clears throat] in 2250 01:16:40,560 --> 01:16:44,960 this business, you represent everybody 2251 01:16:43,280 --> 01:16:47,360 in the parish. You don't represent a 2252 01:16:44,960 --> 01:16:49,943 group. Uh, if you get where I'm coming 2253 01:16:47,360 --> 01:16:52,320 from. So what I'm looking at in 2254 01:16:49,943 --> 01:16:54,640 [clears throat] this parish is about the 2255 01:16:52,320 --> 01:16:56,560 longevity of the parish and making it a 2256 01:16:54,640 --> 01:16:58,560 place where we can stay strong, get 2257 01:16:56,560 --> 01:17:00,880 private investors to invest in what's 2258 01:16:58,560 --> 01:17:02,159 going on, do do partnerships uh with 2259 01:17:00,880 --> 01:17:04,719 different companies, try to get the 2260 01:17:02,159 --> 01:17:07,360 economy right. Uh and so far we're 2261 01:17:04,719 --> 01:17:09,920 heading in that position. The deal is 2262 01:17:07,360 --> 01:17:12,000 will we stay heading in that position. 2263 01:17:09,920 --> 01:17:14,239 Uh so for me uh it's all about growth. 2264 01:17:12,000 --> 01:17:16,719 We have a we have a great momentum. Uh 2265 01:17:14,239 --> 01:17:18,960 Mike, I hope whoever come after me work 2266 01:17:16,719 --> 01:17:21,679 close with you because I'm going to give 2267 01:17:18,960 --> 01:17:23,840 you a major accolade right here. Most of 2268 01:17:21,679 --> 01:17:26,159 the things that we talked about is 2269 01:17:23,840 --> 01:17:27,840 things that you and I created or started 2270 01:17:26,159 --> 01:17:30,320 not I don't want to use the word created 2271 01:17:27,840 --> 01:17:32,000 talked about many many years ago and 2272 01:17:30,320 --> 01:17:33,679 it's and it's tough you know you come up 2273 01:17:32,000 --> 01:17:36,080 you dream up these great things but you 2274 01:17:33,679 --> 01:17:39,440 got to get buy in and I'm fortunate that 2275 01:17:36,080 --> 01:17:41,520 I have a council that understand uh what 2276 01:17:39,440 --> 01:17:43,040 I'm trying to do and it's helping you 2277 01:17:41,520 --> 01:17:45,040 you know they actually giving you some 2278 01:17:43,040 --> 01:17:48,400 money every year for um what it is that 2279 01:17:45,040 --> 01:17:50,159 you're doing with IDF and um we we just 2280 01:17:48,400 --> 01:17:53,600 have a great chemistry that's going on 2281 01:17:50,159 --> 01:17:53,920 right Now I just wish it don't change 2282 01:17:53,600 --> 01:17:55,440 too much. 2283 01:17:53,920 --> 01:17:56,960 » Well, you know, moment Thank you, sir, 2284 01:17:55,440 --> 01:17:58,640 for saying that. And you know, the 2285 01:17:56,960 --> 01:18:00,560 momentum has begun. I think if we 2286 01:17:58,640 --> 01:18:03,440 continue to invest in ourselves as a 2287 01:18:00,560 --> 01:18:05,520 community, uh there's no reason why we 2288 01:18:03,440 --> 01:18:07,600 can't continue to have more optimistic 2289 01:18:05,520 --> 01:18:09,920 things moving forward, growing our 2290 01:18:07,600 --> 01:18:12,480 community for our for our citizens, um 2291 01:18:09,920 --> 01:18:15,600 and uh moving forward all together. Uh 2292 01:18:12,480 --> 01:18:16,880 we're just about uh concluded tonight, 2293 01:18:15,600 --> 01:18:19,040 but I wanted to give you the opportunity 2294 01:18:16,880 --> 01:18:20,400 maybe to mention something that uh maybe 2295 01:18:19,040 --> 01:18:21,199 something that we didn't cover tonight. 2296 01:18:20,400 --> 01:18:22,400 Anything in closing? 2297 01:18:21,199 --> 01:18:24,000 » Well, the only thing I'm going to close 2298 01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:25,679 with is I want to thank my wife for 2299 01:18:24,000 --> 01:18:28,480 allowing me to do this for the 20 plus 2300 01:18:25,679 --> 01:18:30,239 years that I've done this, Kim. I mean, 2301 01:18:28,480 --> 01:18:33,920 my wife and my family mean everything to 2302 01:18:30,239 --> 01:18:35,199 me, Mike. Um and honestly speaking, I 2303 01:18:33,920 --> 01:18:36,560 don't want to sound like I'm ready to 2304 01:18:35,199 --> 01:18:38,320 get out of office, but I'm ready to 2305 01:18:36,560 --> 01:18:41,199 spend time with my wife and my family. I 2306 01:18:38,320 --> 01:18:43,199 really am. In this particular business, 2307 01:18:41,199 --> 01:18:44,800 you get a lot of people that say a lot 2308 01:18:43,199 --> 01:18:46,159 of things. They really feel that they 2309 01:18:44,800 --> 01:18:48,239 they know you a little bit better than 2310 01:18:46,159 --> 01:18:49,520 they do. So, they have a tendency to say 2311 01:18:48,239 --> 01:18:51,840 things or whatever the case. I have a 2312 01:18:49,520 --> 01:18:53,120 very strong wife who knows me better 2313 01:18:51,840 --> 01:18:56,640 than anyone. [snorts] 2314 01:18:53,120 --> 01:19:00,159 So, um I just want to make sure that I 2315 01:18:56,640 --> 01:19:02,719 give her the d the diligence that I 2316 01:19:00,159 --> 01:19:04,080 should. Um because without her, of 2317 01:19:02,719 --> 01:19:06,480 course, I wouldn't be where I'm at. 2318 01:19:04,080 --> 01:19:08,719 » Sure. Um this particular building I'm 2319 01:19:06,480 --> 01:19:12,320 gonna say this in two weeks Thursday 2320 01:19:08,719 --> 01:19:13,280 after next I celebrated my wedding an uh 2321 01:19:12,320 --> 01:19:14,719 my wedding 2322 01:19:13,280 --> 01:19:18,239 » Memorial building right here in 2323 01:19:14,719 --> 01:19:21,040 » I celebrated my wedding um reception 2324 01:19:18,239 --> 01:19:22,159 right here. It'll be 43 years Thursday 2325 01:19:21,040 --> 01:19:24,239 after next. 2326 01:19:22,159 --> 01:19:25,120 » So it's all about you Kim. Love you. 2327 01:19:24,239 --> 01:19:26,640 » Happy anniversary. 2328 01:19:25,120 --> 01:19:28,880 » So that's all that's all I have to say. 2329 01:19:26,640 --> 01:19:30,560 » Yeah. Well Mr. President, thank you so 2330 01:19:28,880 --> 01:19:33,440 much for having me. I want to uh put 2331 01:19:30,560 --> 01:19:36,480 this uh QR code up here. This is another 2332 01:19:33,440 --> 01:19:38,880 QR code. I encourage you uh to scan it. 2333 01:19:36,480 --> 01:19:42,080 Uh especially those that are watching us 2334 01:19:38,880 --> 01:19:43,920 uh via video. Uh this this QR code will 2335 01:19:42,080 --> 01:19:45,360 bring you to a booklet. There's there's 2336 01:19:43,920 --> 01:19:47,520 a booklet that's being distributed 2337 01:19:45,360 --> 01:19:48,880 tonight um that gives you a lot of 2338 01:19:47,520 --> 01:19:50,400 details and some additional 2339 01:19:48,880 --> 01:19:52,560 illustrations about what we talked about 2340 01:19:50,400 --> 01:19:54,239 tonight. This QR code will bring you to 2341 01:19:52,560 --> 01:19:56,239 an electronic version of that booklet. 2342 01:19:54,239 --> 01:19:58,320 It's very well done and I encourage you 2343 01:19:56,239 --> 01:20:00,480 to uh scan the QR code while it's on the 2344 01:19:58,320 --> 01:20:03,040 screen and download that and follow 2345 01:20:00,480 --> 01:20:05,280 along with us as we go. I want to I want 2346 01:20:03,040 --> 01:20:07,600 to thank you uh Mr. Rishard for for 2347 01:20:05,280 --> 01:20:09,520 allowing me to be here with on what is 2348 01:20:07,600 --> 01:20:11,679 our 10th opportunity to come up here on 2349 01:20:09,520 --> 01:20:13,280 stage. It's hard to so hard to believe. 2350 01:20:11,679 --> 01:20:14,640 I really want to thank the citizens who 2351 01:20:13,280 --> 01:20:17,120 came out tonight. We've almost got a 2352 01:20:14,640 --> 01:20:18,960 full house as far as I can tell. And uh 2353 01:20:17,120 --> 01:20:21,440 we really appreciate you being here. 2354 01:20:18,960 --> 01:20:23,280 It's certainly been my pleasure. Uh and 2355 01:20:21,440 --> 01:20:24,880 until next time, I want to wish everyone 2356 01:20:23,280 --> 01:20:28,115 a good night. Thanks for joining us. 2357 01:20:24,880 --> 01:20:28,115 Thank you so much. Thank you. [applause]