[0:52] I go, I go, I go, I go.

[0:54] I go, I go, I go.

[0:57] You ready?

[1:00] He's ready.

[1:04] Welcome to the Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 26 council meeting.

[1:10] Meeting call to order and roll call on a good.

[1:15] Ms Patrice, here. Mr Moran.

[1:19] Here.

[1:19] This is Patrice.

[1:20] I'm sorry, Ms Kusman.

[1:24] Mr.

[1:25] Ms. Meyer.

[1:27] Here.

[1:28] Mr. Randall?

[1:29] Mr. Monez.

[1:31] Mr. Maksaski.

[1:33] Mr. Ava Hart.

[1:34] Here.

[1:35] We have a forum.

[1:36] I'd like to remind the public no food or drinks allowed in the council chambers.

[1:41] I'd like to remind the public to turn off all their cell phones.

[1:44] If they have to take the call, please step out.

[1:48] And the invocation will be held by Council Member Maksaski.

[1:51] We will be held by Council Member Meier.

[1:55] Please stand for the invocation.

[2:06] I'm sorry.

[2:07] My question is in the back, I don't know, Mr. Meier, would you take a hold?

[2:14] Heavenly Father, we just thank you for this day.

[2:16] We thank you for this time.

[2:17] We thank you for the work that you're doing in our community.

[2:20] I pray for your wisdom and your guidance upon us all Father.

[2:23] I pray that we just have the peace that surpasses all understanding Lord and that we're

[2:29] diligent in seeking you for your answers for our community in Jesus' name, Amen.

[2:37] The pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which is changed.

[2:44] I wish to find it out, and who this will, with liberty and justice for all.

[2:54] Madam Clerk, the wrote record and reflect on Mr. McCarthy as an entered the room.

[3:03] She, she started.

[3:08] Approval minutes, item number one, motion to approve the minutes.

[3:12] We need to recognize Mr. Ray Login, former Council Member of District

[3:17] Fee, Mary Landry, Constable, and newly elected school board member,

[3:25] the graduation zone, you know, opposition,

[3:29] Mr. Dennis Bradley.

[3:32] Now we move on.

[3:33] Approval minutes, item number one, motion approval minutes from the August 4, 2026, regular council meeting as published in official journal, the same for no voice on Friday, August 14, 2026, move by, Mr. Randall second and by Ms. Kewson Mano, any additions or deletions to the minutes, Mr. Randall,

[3:56] see none, vote your machines,

[4:04] that item carries, item number two, motion to recognize Mike Fernandez,

[4:08] that would often really take you brought a quarter to provide,

[4:12] a quarterly update on safe and out power housing market.

[4:16] We take that as a joint motion.

[4:23] Welcome, Mr. Fernando.

[4:29] Well, then we've got to start your presentation.

[4:43] I'll make a little more.

[4:44] Can you hear me?

[4:45] Perfect.

[4:45] Thank you so much for having me today.

[4:47] I appreciate it.

[4:49] So if you remember, last time I was here

[4:51] for the last quarterly update,

[4:52] We talked about the the rough last four or so years, but when we looked at the data that was current

[5:00] We said it looked like there are brighter days ahead and so I come to you today with good news

[5:06] It looks like that's actually the case

[5:07] So I'll dive right in one thing. I want to flag before I dive into the actual data is you're gonna see a lot of the

[5:15] Why oh why statistics on there year over year and I know some of you may be aware

[5:19] I just want to kind of clarify exactly what that is

[5:22] and how we look at real estate data.

[5:24] So year over year, I mean, we're looking at this time period

[5:27] in 2026 against this exact same time period last year,

[5:31] 2025, real estate is very seasonal.

[5:34] So if we look at January through today,

[5:36] it might be deceptively optimistic.

[5:38] Or if we look at today through the end of December,

[5:41] it might look terrible, right?

[5:42] So we look at year over year because things are very cyclical.

[5:46] So all the data that you see here

[5:48] And pretty much all of the data that'll be in this entire presentation is exactly that year

[5:52] over year.

[5:53] So the big one up there, top left, median sales price, $240,000, that is up, $8.4% versus

[6:01] this time last year, that is huge.

[6:03] And all of these numbers, I'll just kind of say this out of the gate, all of these numbers

[6:07] here are trending in the exact direction we want.

[6:11] This is all very, very significantly positive data, and then we're going to get into what's

[6:16] great news on the next slide.

[6:18] I'll just talk through some of these.

[6:20] So median sales price, 240 up 8% median price per square foot.

[6:24] That's up 4%.

[6:26] What's interesting there is that there's a little bit of a gap.

[6:29] And we're going to talk in more detail about this

[6:30] in one of the future slides.

[6:32] But what's interesting there is prices as a whole

[6:35] are rising year over year.

[6:37] But we're also selling more homes on the higher end.

[6:40] And I'll talk specifically about that in a second,

[6:42] but it's important to carve out.

[6:44] And then future looking, as far as

[6:46] what can we expect to come?

[6:48] All of the demand data that we use as leading indicators

[6:51] are very, very forward positive.

[6:56] So properties under contract, months of supply,

[6:58] median days on market, days to contract,

[7:01] all of those things are significantly positive numbers.

[7:05] I mean, you look at months of supplies down 10% that's huge.

[7:08] median days on market is down 13% versus this time last year.

[7:12] All really, really, really great data that we want to see.

[7:16] And then on the bottom left, the last thing I'll touch on on this slide is new construction.

[7:20] That's a big thing that we talked about last time, right?

[7:22] Because that drove a lot of our growth here in St. Bernard parish.

[7:26] So we are up from 8% this time last year to...

[7:30] 12% and by that I mean, 8% of all homes sold in St. Bernard Paris were new construction last year, so far,

[7:37] 2,026 that jumped up to 12% which is very significant and I think it is the kind of cornerstone data

[7:45] statistic to show, hey, we are rebounding and things are improving. Builders are back, we're back in action, we're back, run it.

[7:55] Let's see.

[7:56] So this is where we go from good news to great news in my opinion.

[8:00] So this shows how, again, the same year over year data, how St. Bernard Paris compares to

[8:07] our neighboring Parisians.

[8:08] So you have St. Tamony, I know it's probably hard to read, but St. Tamony is in the blue.

[8:13] St. Bernard Parisians in the dark purple, or lenses in the green, and Jefferson is

[8:18] in that pinkish tan color.

[8:20] So as you can see, these are the kind of key three statistical categories that we're looking at here on the far left is median sales price.

[8:28] Now, what this is not saying is that we grew net more than any other pair.

[8:32] This is relative to last year.

[8:34] We had the biggest year over year growth, right?

[8:37] I'm sure with prices in Orleans and St. Timony, their net growth was probably higher,

[8:41] but relative to performance last year, we're doing better drastically better than anybody else in the metro area.

[8:48] So it's really, really good news and I think, you know, for the median sales price relative

[8:53] to last year, we're almost triple, you know, the data of those other parishes that

[8:58] are humming along and about the twos.

[9:00] The middle one there is closed sales, so this is transaction volume, right?

[9:04] How many sales are we actually selling?

[9:06] And you can see we're up a 16% which is a huge number, that is a great sign for anybody in any

[9:11] aspect of the housing market, whether you're a buyer or a seller, you know, it's great

[9:15] to see more houses move in transaction volume, move in,

[9:18] and we're again, St. Tammany's keeping up a little bit

[9:21] close with us, but we're drastically outperforming

[9:24] Orleans and Jefferson Parish.

[9:28] And then the last one there is, days on market again,

[9:30] a good reflection of supply and demand dynamics,

[9:34] and we're really, really strong relative to our peer group.

[9:39] And so I think it's interesting to note, St. Bernard is,

[9:43] think by far the most affordable parish when it comes to the New Orleans Metro area.

[9:48] If you look at median sales price across all those, I don't think that this is a coincidence.

[9:53] I think people are seeing the value here.

[9:56] People are seeing what we have to offer, all the amenities, the great schools, low crime.

[10:00] And I think the secrets get out.

[10:02] I think we're starting to see some really good, like I said, really good data.

[10:08] And we are rebounding stronger than anybody else in the New Orleans Metro area.

[10:13] So, like I said, phenomenal news and something we should be proud of, let's see.

[10:19] All right, so here I have pending sales along with mortgage rates, so it's a little

[10:25] bit hard to see on the side, but the red line there that's mostly at the bottom is the

[10:29] 30-year average mortgage rates, that's a nationwide statistic, and then the purple line

[10:34] is pending sales per month.

[10:36] And you can see we were rocking and rolling, things were really moving very fast in the right

[10:41] direction through the early part of the year and then we kind of installed we were actually just

[10:46] below 6% I think you got down to 5.98 and then it rebounded pretty quickly almost back up to 6.5

[10:53] so you can see the impact that it's having on demand as that the red line goes up that purple line

[10:57] kind of stalls out and starts falling slightly but I'll give buyers credit because they actually

[11:03] hung in there despite rates jumping back up so much they hung in and we still had a really strong

[11:08] you know, quarter tube. So again, not the direction we necessarily want to see them in, but I think it's still reflects pretty strong buyer demand here.

[11:18] And the reason I think this is something we'll probably keep on these recurring slides, it's very important because of all of the things that impact the affordability, which is the biggest crunch that we have right now.

[11:27] mortgage rates are the ones that usually are the most throttle in the short term, right?

[11:32] The other aspects of it are sales prices and wages.

[11:35] We really don't have much control over wages, right, locally.

[11:40] And so those two typically tend to be a little bit slower moving,

[11:44] whereas mortgage rates can change the picture pretty quickly.

[11:49] Moving on. So quick, look at the rental market that dotted line there in the middle is the average

[11:56] of all rentals. And then each of the other lines is a different type of rental. So purple

[12:01] on top is single family homes. Green is duplex or double. And then yellow is apartment

[12:07] or multifamily. All relatively flat. This is a continuation of what we did the last time.

[12:14] So I just added in 2-date 2026. Mostly flat. But we are seeing an increase in single family

[12:21] homes in terms of the volume. Like we're seeing more of those rented out relative to the

[12:25] the other groups and where it gets really interesting in the rentals on that chart on the left

[12:31] you see the stack bar chart in its shows. Again, purple being single family homes, green

[12:36] is duplex. I'm sorry, I'm I'm selling the old chart. So purple being 2000 or more per month,

[12:43] green is 1500 to 2000 and then that gray is 1500 in below. So you can see the 2000 market

[12:51] and the 1500 to 2000 is taking up significantly more market share relative to the cheaper apartments

[12:59] and below 1500 rentals. And then on the chart on the right what we have is kind of broken down

[13:06] the same way but this is for days on market. What we have is what data analyst call a bifurcated market

[13:12] for a split market where the rentals at the top end of the market are doing really well. So on that

[13:18] right bar column you can see where the gray is that's the $2,000 a month in above gray is

[13:26] last year's days on market purple is this year's we are way below so those $2,000 a month

[13:31] $2,000 a month in above rentals are flying off the shelf whereas those lower $1,500 in

[13:37] below they're taking 47 days to rent out these days so I think it comes back to in that initial

[13:44] presentation I talked about, the K-shaped economy, where the upper end of the economy is doing really well,

[13:49] right high earners, they have assets, but the lower end of the economy is really struggling

[13:54] and getting pressed and we see that in the rental data here locally.

[14:00] And then last, there are four

[14:01] things that stuck out to me in the data that I think would be very interesting for you as a council

[14:07] and for the citizens at large. Number one, we're seeing a two-speed market. This is all local here,

[14:12] just in St. Bernard parish.

[14:14] So even though median days on market is 46,

[14:18] that's almost a useless piece of data

[14:20] because we have the markets split very cleanly

[14:23] into 39% of homes sell in less than 30 days

[14:28] and almost full asking price.

[14:30] And then another 30% of the market sits

[14:32] for over 90 days on average 173 days on market.

[14:36] So homes that are clean and ready to move in

[14:39] and that attract buyers that are willing to reel them in

[14:42] off the sidelines with high mortgage rates.

[14:44] They're moving quick and the ones that are just kind of

[14:46] mad you see sit for a very long time.

[14:49] Number two, affordable homes are absolutely crushing it.

[14:53] So anything below 175, we have huge demand and very low supply.

[14:57] And you can see that average days on market this year is 21.

[15:00] And they're getting almost full list price compared to 88 days on market last year. So anything below 175, if it is clean, moving, ready, and it looks nice, it's moving right away. So there's a huge, a huge need, right? There's a huge gap in the market right there. And the data is definitely saying that significantly. And third, I alluded to this earlier when we talked about the gap between the median sales price, gain at 8% and the price per square foot at 4%.

[15:30] I think this is it. So the $300,000 in above homes are up. The sales are up 73%

[15:38] year over year. Just absolutely insane. Now, if you would have told me that that statistic

[15:43] without any other context, I would have thought new construction would have serves, right?

[15:47] It's naturally what you would think. That's not it at all. 18 of the 26 are actually a resale.

[15:53] So very few of them are new construction. My theory is that this is insurance related. We've been here

[15:58] a lot that insurance premiums are coming down and that is the house that is going to be impacted

[16:03] more than any other.

[16:04] Right, $175,000, $2,000, 1 bath, or a 3 bed, 1 bath.

[16:08] It's not insurance coming down a little isn't going to have a huge impact, new construction,

[16:12] it isn't going to have a huge impact.

[16:14] But that bigger, resale home, it's going to have a huge impact and I think that's what we're

[16:19] seeing in this data.

[16:19] Insurance premiums come down and those bigger older homes are starting to do a little bit

[16:24] better.

[16:25] Which is a great opportunity to plug any residents at St. Bernard Parrish if you haven't in a while shop your insherts prices are getting better

[16:33] We're seeing that make sure you're calling around call three or four brokers make sure you're shopping around even if you did it a year ago

[16:39] Call and shop around again because chances are you'll probably get a better price today

[16:44] Last but not least

[16:45] This is just a quick slide on the different cities here in St. Bernard Parrish and how they're performing year over year

[16:51] I'm not picking on lower St. Bernard

[16:54] is just the data is to thin to actually make meaningful statistics out of it, but in terms

[17:02] of the number of sales.

[17:03] So, Xiaomi has to install it, I think 5.8, error be really strong, 8.7, violet is the

[17:09] sleeper.

[17:10] I tell you, man, violet, it says this time this year versus last year is up 18%, almost

[17:16] 19%, which is absolutely bonkers.

[17:19] You could say, well, it's a thin data set and there's not that many.

[17:23] But I looked because this number stood out so much and that trend tracks over the last,

[17:30] I don't know, at least a couple of quarters that violet is on the rise and home values

[17:35] and violet are rising.

[17:36] So people are something's happening.

[17:39] And then Miro, I will add an asterisk by Miro because there was only nine sales in the data set.

[17:45] Two of them were like 415 and 550 that threw the data off.

[17:49] So it is 15% but it's in reality probably not actually that.

[17:53] But it is positive growth still.

[17:55] So across the entire parish, we're doing really well.

[17:58] And with that, I'll pause, see if there's any questions,

[18:02] and then I did want to throw out there.

[18:03] If any of you have any homework that you would like me to look into,

[18:07] if there's any data you want me to find or any scenarios you want me to look at

[18:12] and say, hey, if we did this from a regulatory perspective,

[18:15] what impact would it have on sales or housing?

[18:17] I'm happy to scenario plan and work through that homework for you guys.

[18:23] Mike, we have Ms. Kusselnano and a kid.

[18:26] Mr. Fernandez, can we get a comparison on some of the other

[18:30] power issues? I'll see you have same time maybe. Could we get like

[18:32] Saint Charles and Saint John and Flockeman's.

[18:35] Absolutely. Absolutely.

[18:36] Absolutely. Yeah, I can email it to you and then I'll add it to the rotation for the next one.

[18:40] Okay, thank you.

[18:43] It was more, it was more.

[18:44] I think Councillor Mike is a normal, very informative. One thing that I'd like to see is we've

[18:49] been having a lot of conversations about the lot programs that we have with the builders

[18:53] and a lot next door and just an increase in vacant lots that we would put on a market.

[19:00] You know, what would that do to our property value, how would that help the neighborhoods,

[19:03] if you could just give us an analysis of that moving forward on the next meeting, I'd appreciate it.

[19:08] You got it? Thank you.

[19:10] Can you give us more answers to the questions?

[19:13] Thank you, Chair.

[19:14] One of the things that first off, thank you for an extremely positive report.

[19:19] It's great to hear some good news.

[19:21] I know that that data was not so fun to look at for a long time.

[19:25] So I'm glad to see you.

[19:25] Maybe not for you.

[19:26] This for me.

[19:27] Well, yeah, because you liked that.

[19:29] That's just strange.

[19:31] But anyway, with that, it's positive news.

[19:35] Clearly, there's a lot of positive indices there.

[19:37] Just a question.

[19:38] And do you think that the comparison between, and this is not in any way, diminished the positive news in it, but it was just the thought that came in a curve to me as I was looking at the slides?

[19:49] Do you think the St. Bernard Parish was perhaps more depressed than the other municipalities, and we just really more stabilized and came up to relative terms, and that's why you see the disparity in home sale rise and St. Bernard Parish versus those other parishes?

[20:08] I think I'm saying what I'm trying to say.

[20:10] No, I get you exactly.

[20:11] Yeah, I think that's definitely part of it.

[20:13] I think part of it is a reversion to the mean, right,

[20:16] for St. Bernard Paris.

[20:17] So maybe not all net necessarily growth,

[20:20] but more of a trend to get back where we should be.

[20:24] So I definitely agree, and I think another piece of it could be,

[20:27] we were, and this is anecdotal,

[20:29] we were the first ones into that bad market.

[20:32] I think insurance seemed to hit us sooner and harder

[20:34] than other places.

[20:35] So we might be the first ones coming out, right?

[20:37] first in first out, but I do think that that's definitely. That makes sense. From the

[20:43] layman's perspective, I see a lot more new construction homes coming up. I see some

[20:48] sales signs coming down, so that's not looking at that. That's just driving around the neighborhood.

[20:54] So I hope that that inspires other people to move to San Bernard Parish. So, absolutely. Thank

[20:59] you for the work that you've done. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm across from Mr. Fernandez.

[21:07] I

[21:07] all the data comes from is from a community development and you go all the different

[21:11] power issues and get on their community development?

[21:14] Great question.

[21:14] It's probably something I should have led with.

[21:16] So this is all from the MLS data.

[21:18] So we have it is like the compilation of every host that is bought, sold, rented, anything

[21:24] goes into the MLS, like the realtor data, and that's kind of the official publication.

[21:30] I don't pull anything from community development that would probably add some nuance,

[21:34] but I think in my experience, 98% of sales and data flows through the MLS data.

[21:42] The MLS, you've put this presentation through information you get through MLS.

[21:47] Yes.

[21:48] I'm actually this.

[21:50] I'm ever since the news hit with the poor given an improvement,

[21:55] I'm getting one more phone calls about people leaving in the eastern part of Paris,

[21:59] to Brown Violet, so South Lake, Ovalet, how do you feel it's going to affect us in the next

[22:08] quarter or in the next year? With the construction, if the court builds.

[22:14] Yeah, no, great, great question, hard hit and question. I've been thinking a lot about that, right?

[22:20] I think short term we could see some negative impacts. Nothing crazy, nothing, you know,

[22:26] and we're not dropping 10% or anything crazy, right?

[22:30] I do think if people overreact in fire sale, it could impact this data.

[22:37] And actually, I think the port commissioned a study on what the impact would be on real estate values.

[22:45] And it's very insightful. I'll, it's probably something we could, this might be a good forum for the next version of this to talk through.

[22:51] And it talked about specifically within the one-mile range, right, of what, based on the noise and stuff like that.

[22:57] I think the data they came up with was between two and four percent.

[23:01] They break it down into zones as far as like negative valuation based on historical precedent

[23:06] for airports that were built and roads that were built and airports that were built.

[23:11] I think that there could be a little bit of a trough, but I think the demand that that's

[23:17] going to come as a result, good better and different, right?

[23:21] I think will counteract if not pushed the other way.

[23:24] Medium to long term.

[23:26] So that could be some stuff, maybe going in the wrong direction, short term, but I think

[23:32] long term, it'll be overcome by some of the growth that we see.

[23:36] I'm not a professional real estate agent or nobody, no means, but from what I've been hearing,

[23:41] it scares the hell out of me. Really does. So I hope you write, but I think it is what it is.

[23:48] We'll have to find out and see what's going to happen. One more, Ms. Mar?

[23:52] Thank you, Council Chair. Thank you for the very informative presentation. I was

[23:56] looking forward to it. Across the board, I did want to make a comment with regards

[24:00] to the insurance. Since the insurance rains have loosened up in St. Bernard

[24:05] Parish, across the board, it has helped. What I'm seeing is I just want to kind of

[24:11] like an encouragement and just an awareness. If you have an existing home that's an

[24:17] home, just making sure that you're taking advantage of every mitigation you can for that home

[24:24] to help with the discounts. Because at the end of the day, if you're trying to buy yourself,

[24:29] that's going to help with your mortgage note. On the flip side for the newer homes, keep in mind,

[24:35] you automatically get in a ray of discounts just because it's a new home. So, balance that out

[24:43] and shop the insurance, contact your agent,

[24:46] weigh those things out before, but absolutely,

[24:48] if you have an older home, alarm systems, mitigation,

[24:52] is the way to go to help that.

[24:54] Absolutely, one great example is like the,

[24:58] they forget the term for it,

[24:59] but if you have a gable roof, insurance typically don't like it,

[25:01] but you can reinforce that gable roof

[25:04] and they're to give you the discount

[25:05] if you had a hip roof in some cases.

[25:08] So some of it's very simple, very inexpensive,

[25:10] that can make a big difference.

[25:11] I will say this as well if this will help anyone.

[25:14] Some of the insurance companies are now allowing you to, within reason,

[25:20] you have your replacement cost value, of course,

[25:22] that the insurance company is going to come up with,

[25:24] based on your square footage, the age of the home.

[25:26] However, some of the insurance companies will allow within reason

[25:29] a stated value.

[25:31] So if your home's replacement cost is 300,

[25:34] but you're really okay with 250, ask them and see,

[25:39] because that could be something else that could be some leverage for you.

[25:43] Not saying every insurance company is going to do that, but I want to do throw it out there,

[25:46] fiddle help.

[25:48] Absolutely.

[25:49] I can see no one else, thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[25:51] Thank you.

[25:51] That's a comment.

[25:53] Oh, sorry.

[25:54] Well, I'm lying.

[25:56] We just didn't.

[25:58] I think Council Chair, so some of the conversation I pay a spark something in my mind.

[26:03] Is it possible to cross-reference housing costs versus insurance costs versus

[26:12] known people who have used the wind mitigation survey? Is that going to be difficult to access?

[26:19] I can't talk if you're looking at him or me.

[26:23] I feel like that would be tough. Like we can

[26:27] Obviously, get the market cost fairly easily.

[26:31] I don't know what formula insurance companies use

[26:34] to determine the rebuild cost because in my experience,

[26:37] it's way higher than what I'm actually able to build for.

[26:42] So I think that might be the toughest part to find

[26:46] is whether a rubber meets the rate of how insurance companies are.

[26:50] We've talked about the effect of insurance

[26:52] and how insurance appears to drop housing sale

[26:57] has increased and we've tried to promote the wind mitigation survey because it is the most

[27:06] cost effective way to possibly lower your home owners insurance and I still get a ton

[27:11] of questions about it quite often. So it means to me that people still know that this

[27:18] option is out there. So if we had a giraff to illustrate it, maybe that would be better.

[27:24] But I don't know how easy that's going to be to access that information, because it's a very

[27:29] powerful tool for $300, especially if you're with, again, for instance, if you're with USAA,

[27:35] and you can pay that $300, cut my homeowner's insurance by 48%. That's not a unmeasurable

[27:44] number. That is considerable. So, and there is some state legislation that requires, if you

[27:53] company that they accept the wind mitigation survey, whereas if you would surplus, that's a complete

[27:59] up in the air on, you know, I've heard the opposite if you're with some surplus, you have a

[28:05] wind mitigation survey and they wound up charging you more. So, you know, so you need to do a little

[28:10] bit of research on that as a homeowner to know if it's going to benefit you, but if it does benefit

[28:16] you, it can benefit you quite largely. And I think usually, at least in my experience, those wind mitigation

[28:22] survey companies that will come out and they usually do like a pre-median, right?

[28:28] They usually do a pretty good job of pre-screening and either on the phone and in person

[28:31] to say, hey, do you have this, this, this, this or that, and they can kind of weed you out

[28:35] like to your point, councilman, councilman, like, if you go in and say, oh, my house was built

[28:40] in, you know, 2023, they're probably going to say, you don't worry about it, right?

[28:45] So I think they do a good job of that and as far as the data, my best guess would be LDI.

[28:51] I can check with LDI and see if they have any statewide data on mitigation surveys and impact

[28:57] insurance premiums. It might be tough to figure out locally, but if anybody would have it,

[29:01] I think they would.

[29:02] You hit a very important nail in the head when you talk about cable versus hip

[29:06] root. So typically, when you win mitigation survey, your biggest discount is do you have a hip

[29:11] root versus a cable root? But there is a clause that I want to say it's a costia

[29:18] about 10 to about fours.

[29:20] If you reinforce the cable, you get the hip discount.

[29:25] So, and it is not a complicated process.

[29:28] Like if you, they actually is a video of it out there,

[29:30] somewhere that is, it's so easy, it's almost laughable.

[29:35] So, that, that was a great point

[29:37] that you brought up on that.

[29:41] All right.

[29:42] That's it.

[29:43] Thank you.

[29:46] It was right along, we got another presentation.

[29:48] I need a motion to recognize Mr. Megan Harrington, Vice Chair of Chief San Bernard beautiful for a brief update.

[29:56] We'll take that as a joint motion.

[30:01] Welcome, Ms. Ardden.

[30:03] Hello. Can you hear me okay?

[30:05] Yes, ma'am.

[30:11] All right. Good to go. Okay.

[30:13] Please look right in front of you so that you can do the hot one.

[30:17] Oh,

[30:27] no.

[30:28] How do I make it go full screen?

[30:30] It's fine like that.

[30:31] So hello, my name is...

[30:33] Oh,

[30:36] no.

[30:37] All right. My name is Megan Harrington. I'm the vice chair with KeepSafe Bernard Beautiful.

[30:41] For folks who aren't familiar, we are a beautification in anti-liter,

[30:45] community group in St. Bernard Parish. We're an affiliate of keep Louisiana beautiful, which is a statewide

[30:50] organization that works on, again, anti-liter community cleanups and tree and beautification projects

[30:59] in throughout Louisiana. I'm here today to talk about a grant award that we recently received from

[31:05] ARP to conduct walk audits along West Judge Perez in

[31:11] Arabi and we're really excited about this opportunity if it's

[31:14] nicely with our mission and that when we are out collecting

[31:17] litter our volunteers and our boards also come across

[31:22] issues with accessibility for folks who perhaps walk or

[31:26] rule in the parish and so ARP offers these small community

[31:33] challenge grants, they're $2,500 and what they do is provide funding to purchase safety

[31:38] best for volunteers to actually provide signage and things like that so groups can go out

[31:44] and actually take a look boots on the ground in their communities and then take those findings

[31:49] and report back to community leadership.

[31:55] So our proposal we looked at offering two guided walk

[32:00] It's coming up this fall actually we're hoping to do one early September and then one again in November

[32:06] We wanted to look at the stretch of the judge Perez between basically the hospital and this government building

[32:15] ARP's mission is to you know improve the quality of life for adults 50 years and plus and so really the

[32:22] on aging and all of those services, retail grocery stores that both older adults, but then the

[32:30] community at large access, it's a really high-use corridor and that we thought that this was

[32:36] a great place to start. The walk audits will include volunteers from the community from

[32:42] Perish leadership, the girl are interested in joining as well. We do just in time training with

[32:47] the volunteers, show them what to look for, they have clipboards, they're taking notes,

[32:51] And then we basically swap notes at the end.

[32:54] We'll take those findings and compile them

[32:57] into something that can be shared publicly.

[33:04] So I would like to note that when I wrote the grant,

[33:07] the construction had not started on the sidewalk improvements.

[33:10] And literally a week after I turned the grant in,

[33:13] I saw the construction again, and I was like,

[33:14] okay, well, even if we don't get the grant,

[33:17] looks like our work here is done.

[33:19] So it's getting, there's more to do.

[33:21] But I live in Eriby, and so this stretch here, I see a lot of walkers, I see a lot of people using wheelchairs and electric scooters.

[33:31] And there was one gentleman in particular who I saw waiting to get around the curb that basically is the exit for the holiday in.

[33:40] And because that curb stretches all the way to the street, he had to actually wait for traffic to stop, so he could swing his electric scooter out into Judge Perez to get back up onto the sidewalk.

[33:50] Again, I just saw the construction, so that's not going to be an issue here very shortly, but that really, you know, that one really, that one really pulled it my heartstrings thinking like what if his battery had died, like right when he had gone to the street.

[34:04] It's just, um, the ability to be able to move to and from wherever you're going is for both safety accessibility and just for like the dignity of being able to get around.

[34:13] So that was really one of the big motivations for submitting this proposal.

[34:19] Again, we selected this spot.

[34:22] That dirt pile is there right now.

[34:25] And I actually caught this lady swinging out into Judge Perez just last week.

[34:30] So I just wanted to capture that.

[34:32] But again, in progress, right?

[34:35] So just as a visual here is the stretch that we'll be doing our walk audits as part of the funding that we got.

[34:42] we can actually offer participants stipends.

[34:44] And so for community members who want to participate

[34:47] and perhaps have childcare needs

[34:50] or they have work or just to compensate people

[34:53] for their time and for their lived experience,

[34:56] we are offering people a small stipend to join us

[34:59] in the walk audit.

[35:00] We'll be sending out a call for violent tears,

[35:03] probably next week, and we're gonna be looking

[35:05] for residents of all agents, all capabilities.

[35:08] We would love to see strollers, wheelchairs, all ages, all abilities.

[35:15] And one idea that we had as well that I definitely wanted to touch face with the council

[35:21] and the parish at large was opportunity to offer an asynchronous survey.

[35:27] So this would be perhaps like long signs along this stretch that would include a QR code that

[35:33] allow people who are using this stretch to walk or roll to actually provide their feedback through

[35:40] a survey. If they're unaware of the walk audits taking place or they're unable to go or they

[35:45] just don't want to go because not everyone wants to go and walk out of it. That would be something

[35:50] that would want everyone's blessing that we could put that out to collect that information and

[35:55] to know that we would remove them. Once we were done collecting that and those findings would

[36:00] included that in the overall report.

[36:04] So, again, I want to reiterate that the community challenge grant through ARP is kind of a

[36:10] big deal.

[36:10] There was only 167 nationwide and two in Louisiana and we got one of those.

[36:16] So, we're really excited as part of KeepSafe for our beautiful, that this is going to be incorporated

[36:21] into our mission.

[36:23] And we think there's a lot of alignment with the anti-liter, beautification and safe, accessible

[36:29] sidewalks for all.

[36:31] Thank you so much.

[36:32] Happy to take any questions.

[36:39] Mr. Maureen.

[36:40] Thank you.

[36:41] Thank you, Council Chair.

[36:42] Ms. Harrington, Mr. Bradley.

[36:44] Thank you for your efforts.

[36:45] I know y'all were called to try to keep our community clean.

[36:49] And this is terrific.

[36:50] The walk on it that you're going to be doing.

[36:53] I do have a request to, you know, try to get this done a while back.

[36:56] And it's, uh, I think it's right up the beautification teams.

[37:00] Alley here's.

[37:01] I think we ought to do some kind of a program to recognize like,

[37:04] business is on a thoroughfare to keep up with their property and you know I don't think we should

[37:09] you know go out and find them right away for it but something that we can incentivize these

[37:14] businesses that don't keep up their properties to the beautification standards that we want.

[37:19] If there's something we could do or get a grant through the lieutenant governor's office to

[37:24] try to start a program like that I think it's much needed you know we've seen with this

[37:30] Compliance across the street that we had to actually get into with the, you know, BAA process and sight in them. And I think there's other ways to actually handle that. And, you know, incentivizing people to do the right thing is a lot of times, you know, easier to fix. So any help that you could give us with that I would appreciate.

[37:46] I think that's something, the beauty with these walk audits that they're really like community specific. And so while litter might not be part of ARP's walk audit, that's something that we want to incorporate and assess while we're doing it.

[37:59] And so looking at the sides, because that is part of the walking experience, like if you're

[38:04] going by a business or a residence and you don't feel safe or it's not kept up or something

[38:09] from their yard is blocking the sidewalk so it's not accessible like that becomes part of

[38:14] the whole audit experience.

[38:16] So I think that's absolutely something that could be incorporated into our audits as well.

[38:20] I appreciate it.

[38:21] Thank you for everything you do.

[38:23] Absolutely.

[38:23] Thank you.

[38:24] Thank you, Mr. Bradley.

[38:26] Appreciate it.

[38:28] One second here, I want to push over our waterways, is coming up in September.

[38:35] That's the Lieutenant Governor's Office.

[38:37] Keep saying for our beautiful and keep Louisiana beautiful.

[38:40] The part of it, also power governments doing something with it.

[38:43] The fire department, the sheriff's office, all of them part of this big.

[38:48] And we got three big events coming out.

[38:51] Gotcha.

[38:51] Thank you so much.

[38:53] Appreciate you.

[38:54] No one else in the queue.

[38:57] Moving on, I have a number of four. Motion received an update from Capital Project's department.

[39:03] Mr. Logan, take that as a join motion.

[39:08] Good afternoon, everybody.

[39:14] I'm just going to kind of touch on projects that have some updates from last month.

[39:18] On page 1, Lake Leary Phase 2, we're looking for the Department of Treasury to give us approval to put that out to bid.

[39:24] Lake Larry phase three received 100% drones and that will be going out the bid shortly on the MR Geo Hydro Hydro Logic study.

[39:35] That draft has been sent to the course for their review and the Coastal Strategy document.

[39:42] They're setting up public comment meetings coming up in the next few weeks.

[39:48] On page two, the recreational projects community park.

[39:51] I'm just, I'm kind of rooting together, community park, the covered pickaball courts, and the

[39:55] HVAC systems for the multiple wrecks facilities under contract right now.

[40:00] We're trying to get the AEs under contract with that, and then we're still developing the scope

[40:04] of work for the soccer, golf facility improvements, the Kennaworth Canapes, and R.C. Park,

[40:10] we're trying to develop the scopes that we can get in A.E. under contract.

[40:14] On page three, Patricia Park, Fencing, we're waiting for the funding approval, and in that

[40:19] project will be ready to go ahead.

[40:22] The West Shed Shed Shed Shed Shed has multi-use path you see that's under construction right

[40:25] now and on going.

[40:27] The same thing with our parish complex sign, we received the bid so that when I'm in

[40:31] test fate it will be under contract and getting started shortly.

[40:35] The courthouse glass upgrade, we have a design draft and we're just trying to get that draft

[40:41] approved and then we still don't have the funding to do the glass, but this will actually

[40:45] to get the design for a proof for the, by the design

[40:49] that can fabricate the glass when the fund needs in place.

[40:52] On this Lano School House relocation,

[40:55] we're getting pricing from contractors right now on that one.

[40:58] The bus shelter in benches,

[41:00] we should have a 90% set for review in mid-August,

[41:04] and the courtroom AV upgrades.

[41:06] We have the proposals and we're getting that under contract right now.

[41:11] On page four, the red cross building upgrades,

[41:13] we just finished the scope of work on that and we're going to get that scope put out for bidding

[41:19] and get that under construction and a roadyard stall and closures has kind of started underway.

[41:25] We had to walk with the contractor last week or week before jumping over to page 5 to 40

[41:31] often trail bridge is still on the DOT review. The 40 often trail phase 2 that goes from Garrett to

[41:39] like Canal, that's a DOTD needs to make the selection for the AE for that project.

[41:45] The emergency generators, there's two packages for that, there's the material itself.

[41:50] That contract has been awarded, and the material has been ordered, and then we have the

[41:54] installation part of that, which that contract is getting routed right now for approval.

[42:00] Fire station 10, we have the environmental study that's underway, which was required because

[42:05] federal funding moving on a page six right here we have um project 3.1 which is the water tank

[42:13] demolition that's ongoing right now you see we've started the painting of the 10 gallon 10 million

[42:18] gallon tank and we've actually started the demolition of the 3 million gallon tank so that went

[42:23] that project is moving along nicely um 3.3 we finally got LDH approval for that so we'll be going

[42:29] to bid with that project. Project 3.4 water lines. That's more or less wrapped up. We have

[42:35] side and cleanup for majority. We do have one section, which goes from Norton to Raleigh

[42:40] right along Judge Perez. We have some existing utilities there that we're trying to figure

[42:44] out a path to get the water line through. That's the last stretch of water line to do for

[42:48] that project. Project 4.1, that we did get LVH approved for that. So that one will be going out shortly

[42:55] the project 4.2 water lines that's on going right now and then the water line

[43:00] replacement down a new extension we're still getting that scope of work

[43:03] squared away and the violet water tile refurbishment we're identifying a

[43:08] funding for that. At the bottom of page 7 we have the farm site lift station. We

[43:13] finally got the last tie-in done the boring air with decommissioned the old

[43:18] lift station. So now it's just clean up and close that project out. We had some

[43:23] challenges with that one. Daniel Draft, sewer line replacement is with LDH for permit right now.

[43:31] River Bend oxidation pond is in construction right now that we're doing work at the oxidation

[43:35] pond and at the months to plant with the head and work goes into drainage wise at the bottom

[43:41] of page 8. We have pump station 4, so the contract for it to redo all the signing for pump

[43:46] station 4. That one is being routed for approval right now and we did receive bids to replace

[43:51] all the racks and the rigs, they catch all the debris, so that is getting executed and we'll

[43:57] get that fabricated.

[43:59] On page 9, we have Phase 2, St. Claude, Culver, Drainage. That's in design right now. The water

[44:05] high is in the movement. So, Phase 2 is essentially from parish road west, so all of

[44:10] a mechanical removal has been done and the spraying of Phase 2 is going to take place this week.

[44:15] I didn't get it exact date, but he did say he was going to be at a spray. The ladders and along

[44:19] for the open. So that's, you know, when mechanically we'll prove it in a spray and is a maintenance

[44:23] issue that will keep the heistens in check. On page 10, Sylvia drainage, we're still doing the

[44:31] scope of work on that, to create more ditches with development scope of work on that. When on

[44:35] the roads, Jean LaFeed rehab, DOTD is reviewing those documents right now. And that really is the

[44:43] highlights of all of, but you can ask me any questions on any of the projects on here.

[44:48] Thank you, Ms. Logan, Mr. McCluskey.

[44:52] Thank you. Thanks, Chair. I'm Mr. Logan. Thank you for the information right for the meeting.

[44:56] We don't have to get into specifics. I just wanted to confirm with the administration.

[45:00] Mr. Logo, I will ask the administration at the last council meeting to provide engineers, estimates for the Bucketville, a drainage project, and I believe Mr. Logo was able to show me an engineer's estimate for phase 1 and phase 2 related to that project, and that was emailed out today. Is that the information requested, Mr. Buzwa?

[45:25] Yes, and I believe at this point we need to schedule another executive session to discuss our next steps.

[45:31] Yeah, I wanted to ask them to answer them though.

[45:34] One of the requests that we had made, perhaps we can get those engineers

[45:38] estimates to our attorney in that particular situation,

[45:40] and no further needed to discuss it, the correct next move would

[45:43] be a scheduled one executive session for sure.

[45:46] Yep, I'm glad.

[45:47] Thank you guys.

[45:48] All very much, Mr. Logan.

[45:49] Thank you for the information, Mr. Bush, why thank you

[45:51] for getting that done in such a timely manner.

[45:55] Thank you, Mr. McCross, Mr. Randall.

[45:57] Thank you, Council Chair.

[45:59] being able to drive through a longer placement.

[46:01] Another number is on this have been all over the place.

[46:04] I think we've put it out, we've done three different

[46:07] estimates on it now at different costs.

[46:10] Is this what we feel is finally nailing it down?

[46:13] Correct.

[46:13] The last estimate actually came down from the one before,

[46:17] by about 800,000, so this is a correct number.

[46:20] That's why we're able to move forward with the project

[46:22] because now we have enough funding for it.

[46:24] But yeah, because one of the estimates was almost five times this.

[46:30] So it was over 10, it was over one of them was over 10 million.

[46:35] So I don't remember that.

[46:36] I knew the last one.

[46:36] One point, Tom.

[46:37] We were even, we joked about it because it was just so absurdly high.

[46:43] So we are confident that this is going to finally resolve that problem.

[46:46] Yes.

[46:47] When I saw the estimate come down, I went back with the engineer to confirm that,

[46:50] because that doesn't happen most of the time.

[46:52] Perfect.

[46:52] Thank you.

[46:53] Thank you Mr. Randham, Mr. Moran.

[46:56] Thank you, Council Jan.

[46:57] I've got a couple things, but one is going to be for the Gulf and Soccer

[47:01] Park at a village square.

[47:04] I sort of came in under budget for the final project to cost.

[47:08] If we could give it a administration, I know we got it.

[47:11] It was at 500 originally.

[47:12] If we could spend that last 50, trying to improve that area.

[47:16] It could use it right now.

[47:18] I think projected final show was 450.

[47:20] So if we could figure out a way of what recreation

[47:22] and I had something that'd be a good amen to you for the public and not nothing for you.

[47:26] And we're still developing a scope of work, so you gotta take those numbers with a grain of salt.

[47:31] Got it. All right. So, anything that we can do would be appreciated on that.

[47:36] And then, you said something about the Mississippi, about the parish road pedestrian bridge.

[47:43] Did you say something about the UTD? You're still trying to?

[47:46] So, yeah, that permitting process is over a year long. So, we have the drawings.

[47:51] we submitted it and they were viewing it. It was supposed to be in 2027, the last indication

[47:59] I got that they may be finished with the permit in November of this year. And so that

[48:03] will connect the 40-off in trial across parachute.

[48:05] Right. And so it seems like it was maybe the first time I've noticed that there was an actual

[48:10] start date for construction on it, which was, you know, she was in 27 now.

[48:15] That's, there was a guest of it based on that. If we get the permit from the latest news,

[48:19] we have, that's when we put it out the bid and get it in the construction stuff.

[48:23] And then just two more. The transfer station looks like we awarded construction of somebody.

[48:31] Yes. So what are we going to move forward with that? Okay.

[48:35] And then the last one is, you know, since we announced that we're going to do the Jackson project,

[48:42] the neighbors and that area are just a static. So if that's something that, you know, we could get firm deadline,

[48:48] just something that we can give to the residents to let them know of that, you know, what's

[48:52] the date of start?

[48:53] Yeah, I'm sure we're going to have to do some new engineering for the project that based

[48:57] on how long this project has been going on, trying to get going, but any information for

[49:02] that if you can email it to me, be ready to appreciate it.

[49:05] I can tell you, you know, to Jean LaFeed, there's a total reconstruction along with Jackson,

[49:10] so this is all utilities, you know, drainage, sewer, water, gas, all utilities, so it's going

[49:16] be a major, he's a major project.

[49:18] I told, look, I get so many calls

[49:20] about from residents for that area and I tell them,

[49:24] you want this project, don't call me, you know,

[49:26] when you find out that you have no pocket in front

[49:28] of your house for a while.

[49:30] Yeah, and so it's going to be a major, you know,

[49:32] major project, but I think it's, and that'll be good.

[49:35] The analogy I like to use is when I did work

[49:37] at hospitals all the time, I'd explain it to the doctors

[49:40] that they understood, as I said, it's like surgery,

[49:43] it's going to hurt, it's going to be painful,

[49:44] but hopefully we're a live better off when it's finished, right?

[49:48] Thank you, Rick.

[49:49] Thank you, Mr. Moore.

[49:50] I'm a skis of mental.

[49:52] Where are the pick-of-all ports going?

[49:55] I don't know if we have a definitive location yet for that one right now.

[50:00] Okay.

[50:00] Is it close?

[50:03] I see a bunch of finger-point.

[50:08] That's no answer.

[50:10] Can you tell me what an RC park is?

[50:13] It's a rate remote control car park.

[50:17] Okay.

[50:19] All right.

[50:19] That's it.

[50:20] Thank you.

[50:22] Thank you, Ms. Kissman.

[50:23] I'll see you in the one else in the queue.

[50:24] Mr. Lover.

[50:24] Thank you for your update.

[50:26] Thank you.

[50:27] Mr. Rand, I will comment that I did do the win mitigation.

[50:30] The guy who came here paid $300.

[50:32] My insurance dropped by 1,200.

[50:34] So I could speak with the experience.

[50:36] It worked for me.

[50:38] Fantastic.

[50:39] I'm sorry.

[50:40] Mr. Lover.

[50:40] Thanks.

[50:43] Thank you, Council Chair, actually this question is for Mr. Frank, I believe he was going to answer

[50:48] Ms. Cuesmano's questions about the pickleball?

[50:54] Yeah.

[50:54] We should be on.

[50:56] So, at last night's library board meeting, we actually did vote last night and received the unanimous vote

[51:04] to declare that back portion of the library property as surplus to the library,

[51:08] clearing the way forward the courts to go back in that in that area.

[51:15] Thank you, Mr. Mar.

[51:16] How do I address?

[51:19] Thank you.

[51:20] Thank you, Mr. Logan.

[51:22] Moving right along, item number five.

[51:27] Recognize the public.

[51:29] So you want nobody signed up.

[51:32] Let's speak.

[51:33] So we're moving on to item number six.

[51:35] Council members for the District Update.

[51:40] Mr. McCuskin.

[51:41] Okay.

[51:43] Thank you, Councillor.

[51:46] It's going to be a short of a lot of conversation.

[51:49] The one thing I wanted to address on and aside is I was approached by a group called

[51:55] Noelle.

[51:57] Noirland's education league.

[51:58] I wanted to bring it to both the administration and this council that they're looking

[52:01] apart.

[52:02] I would say in our parish there is a grant that will be available to our senior citizens.

[52:08] we've already spoken to, but the representative has already spoken to the council on aging

[52:13] and received their preliminary show of support. So at some point in the near future, before

[52:20] August 29th, hopefully we'll have a special council meeting that we can vote in favor of a

[52:26] solution to ask if President Poem has to sign this.

[52:30] There's no cost. This is fully grant funded. There's no match from San Bernard Parish government. So, the charge of the organization is for age and citizens to age in place. And if they have things that make their property code deficient, the organization will seek grant on their behalf and repair their home to meet code. So, I think it's a really worthwhile endeavor. The grant will go for the next two years, or until funds are expanded. So, I'm just asking for everyone to support.

[53:00] on that item, and I'll see you in the floor.

[53:02] Thank you.

[53:05] Thank you, Mr. McCorsky, anybody else?

[53:08] Mr. Monez, Mr. Monez.

[53:10] Thank you, Councillor Chair.

[53:11] Just one little thing.

[53:13] I just want to remind everybody, the public, the action of season, the 2020-6-by-trump season,

[53:17] just opened up Monday, so I pray for all the safety and for the commercial fishermen out there,

[53:24] and I pray that if any, just the safety for the commercial fishermen, and if anybody

[53:29] any of these insurance, you know, take a ride to Delacro, Hope Day at White Cross, and you can

[53:34] get a pressure off the boot. And with that being said, well, I don't know which one went.

[53:38] Do we have a date for the next seafood market?

[53:45] Not at this time. I think they're going to wait on and see if they've got a size on the shrimp,

[53:51] and you know, which is the town on the shrimp before they schedule a date for the seafood market.

[53:56] Okay. If possible, we can get something done maybe in September before, like it's close to just open and firm season, but not too far past.

[54:07] It's where Trump are going.

[54:08] Yeah, yeah. We're going to, we'll check in to that. Like I said, we want to make sure that we have some size on the shrimp.

[54:13] People could come down and get some 2125, so at least 2125 to 3640s.

[54:19] Agreed.

[54:20] Thank you.

[54:24] Mr. Moran, you're in a queue?

[54:27] Yes, thank you, Chair.

[54:28] This is really a guest by administration and community development and a question on if a person

[54:35] gets into the rotation of the grass cutting.

[54:39] So if somebody doesn't cut their grass, they get into the site being cited for the grass

[54:45] finds.

[54:48] Is there a standard that the vendor is supposed to go out of cut?

[54:53] as opposed to, I think, eight inches, 10 inches,

[54:55] how, what's the height on that?

[54:57] I just feel like, I've got a couple of complaints

[54:59] from residents lately for, you know, lots an area

[55:04] that I've been overgrown, that seem to be on the rotation,

[55:09] that nobody's gotten it.

[55:10] So I don't know if the vendors just passing up the property

[55:13] and not cutting them, but it's just something

[55:15] that we're trying to find out if it's just,

[55:17] maybe just one vendor not doing it,

[55:19] or if it's a standard that we're missing.

[55:21] So our code says eight inches wants to get out of compliance eight inches, but I try to tell them at least let it to get to 12 because I mean for us would

[55:33] We have to review every single photo so and we get a lot of you know people come back and say well, it's you know

[55:41] It's not eight inches and you know to alleviate some of that argument. We I try to get them in the way till 12 inches cut it

[55:48] But as far as them not cutting it at all,

[55:52] I mean, they should, is that right?

[55:55] So is that like a process where if one of our vendors

[55:59] sees a lot, they check with community development,

[56:01] they have an list, they have authority just to cut it, right?

[56:04] Cool.

[56:05] We have a property on Jackson that I'm pretty positive

[56:08] they've been on a list multiple times

[56:10] and the lot's like four feet tall right now.

[56:13] And so I think where is that about it?

[56:15] I think derving me. Yes, it's a double line, but I'm not sure if it's just the

[56:21] Divender in the area that's maybe past it up or what but just wanted to bring that to y'all's attention

[56:26] I'm not sure if that's something that's just wide spread of just you know isolated in this one

[56:30] It's I know for a while we we did get a lot of brain and they were backed up all of the guys were backed up

[56:36] Right, you know, I mean you guys cut your own girl. It's a lot of us even got back. I think I think right now

[56:42] we are getting more caught up

[56:44] So I think it should be getting better for you and if we could just get somebody from

[56:49] code enforcement just to go tomorrow and check out and absolutely, so.

[56:53] Thank you.

[56:55] Thank you, Ms. Moran.

[56:57] So you know when I was in the queue, oh, it's my.

[57:00] Thank you, Council Chair.

[57:01] This is really just for informational purposes.

[57:04] I've been getting, I was getting a lot of complaints about the old performance, mortgage

[57:09] buildings, speaking of high grass.

[57:10] They've sold the property to a new owner and I guess because it's right by the school and there's a lot of foot traffic

[57:16] I'm getting a lot of complaints. However, I just wanted to mention that I spoke to the new owners of the building and

[57:23] They will be sending somebody out to take care of that landscaping and grass until they do their permits and renovations

[57:30] Which probably won't be until next year.

[57:35] Thank you, Miss Ma.

[57:37] Okay, I'm here to speak about the elephant in the room and nobody wants to speak about right now.

[57:46] I want to say a few words about the core permit, the construction permit for the port in the walls.

[57:55] I want to remind the public, my encouraged the public to keep the faith.

[58:02] The port is not a done deal yet, and I don't think it's going to be a done deal.

[58:09] And I say that because of three good lawsuits that they have to continue to even operate

[58:17] the port.

[58:18] They can do the construction, they can build it, but they still have to deal with three major

[58:25] lawsuits.

[58:26] And I believe I'm not attorney, but I believe just for my recollection of what I've been

[58:33] reading and things that this lawsuit is pertaining to to jurisdiction and environmental,

[58:41] I believe the scale of justice is going to weigh in our side.

[58:46] If not, I wouldn't be fighting this hard.

[58:49] We have a right to determine what is good and what is not good for the citizens of St.

[58:55] for non-powers.

[58:57] We have a right to determine what's bad,

[59:00] help, lies, for safer non-powers.

[59:05] Financially, we're not going to get much out of this port

[59:09] once it's built.

[59:11] It's a proven statistic that I have right here

[59:14] that when major ports open up in states and cities,

[59:21] there are a tax exempt and everybody knows that.

[59:24] and entity of state, they don't pay property taxes.

[59:27] We only receive taxes that's based upon,

[59:31] have a lower taxes, that's based upon equipment

[59:33] from the managing partners.

[59:39] They're moving on.

[59:40] They're in second gear.

[59:42] No doubt.

[59:44] But we're really disturbing when I think the report

[59:47] from the director that they're ready to put shovels

[59:53] ground and start building this port. And I've been saying this from day one.

[1:00:00] For instance, we was fighting this in the state capital.

[1:00:04] I don't believe they're ever going to bill a room. I don't believe they're ever going to do anything with the, would detrain with the rape. They're going to throw it on. They already want to start with 1,000 trucks. Why put a shovel in a ground when you should bill building the road? You should be dealing with the rape. Don't bill a facility yet, right?

[1:00:31] Don't build it.

[1:00:33] Start with that road back there to leave it.

[1:00:35] We don't want no trucks on our highway,

[1:00:38] and we don't want no rail.

[1:00:41] They know more rail than what we have,

[1:00:44] dealing with trains, blowing horns at every crossing

[1:00:47] in this patch.

[1:00:49] They plan in on buildings, starting a,

[1:00:53] they didn't give a date,

[1:00:54] but they plan on starting putting shovels in a ground

[1:00:57] and build the first fates.

[1:00:59] That's disturbing to me.

[1:01:01] They're going against their worry,

[1:01:05] but that's the poor, right?

[1:01:07] They've never done good for St. Bernard Paris ever since I knew them.

[1:01:12] They destroy it as twice.

[1:01:15] They're going to destroy us again to their time.

[1:01:20] So people keep the faith.

[1:01:25] They have a lot of hurdles to jump across,

[1:01:28] or will before they can operate this port and fulfill it.

[1:01:33] I'm upset that the Corps of Engineers fast-track this permit without giving its due diligence.

[1:01:42] And I say that because when you read it, it says, it skips a lot of things.

[1:01:49] That's really important to the port and citizens of this patch.

[1:01:55] I believe there's legal issues that we can file against them and try to stop them from moving forward with this permit, releasing this permit.

[1:02:09] I think it's federal, but we're going to have to look into it.

[1:02:16] You know,

[1:02:20] we have to look at what we've done in the past five years, legally on fighting

[1:02:29] this port and bring in them to court.

[1:02:31] We've done absolutely nothing, hauling anything.

[1:02:37] We need to put our legal and second gear and keep up because we're falling behind.

[1:02:42] We need to get these guys in court.

[1:02:45] We need to file some injunctions against them because we have the right.

[1:02:51] We have to protect our citizens.

[1:02:53] We have to protect our parish.

[1:02:55] We have to protect our property values.

[1:02:57] We have to protect our quality, our equality.

[1:03:00] We have to protect the future of this parish and not let them turn as far as into an industrial

[1:03:08] wasteland.

[1:03:10] And it would come. It would happen. No doubt in my mind. People who are already talking about leaving,

[1:03:17] and moving, going to Mississippi, going to Metary. I don't want to see that happen. We got

[1:03:24] hit so hard, we could train them. We got hit so hard with Rita. Our families are displaced all over

[1:03:31] this country. Now we're going to get hit again with Hurricane Port Nol. And we have to stop

[1:03:40] this. I'm going to ask this Council. We need to bring our legal in executive session sooner

[1:03:47] than later. And Mr. McCloskey, I know you requested that. I believe another day that

[1:03:55] We have to get all DA back on board, give it back to the District Attorney, give Congress

[1:04:04] to the DA, let them lead them.

[1:04:09] We fund them, let our DA fund lead them, get it out of the hands of our parish government,

[1:04:15] all together, other than they give us updates by executive session like it's been going.

[1:04:21] We need some spark. We need some motivation. We're at war. We're fighting

[1:04:28] Goliath. We need a ramp up and we need to stand up and protect our parish by

[1:04:36] all means.

[1:04:39] That's what I'm asking and I'm asking the Council and we have to do it

[1:04:43] by resolution and give the DA back the legal meeting, the illegal adviser for

[1:04:49] council and give him a call of course to go ahead and move forward and lead him.

[1:04:58] That being said, if anybody else wants to say anything about it, please feel free.

[1:05:06] Seeing none.

[1:05:09] No more else?

[1:05:11] Up. Mr. Randall, you want to speak.

[1:05:15] Thank you, Council Chair.

[1:05:17] So I'm just going to say some very, very few things, right?

[1:05:20] So there's a awful lot to unpack, it's been about 36 hours, I think everyone is still trying

[1:05:29] to consume it and make the correct decisions from that, and I believe that this council

[1:05:35] is administration and our school board fully believes that the purpose of government is

[1:05:41] to protect its citizens, and that's when we have to do that, we will do so.

[1:05:49] And that's really all I want to say about it because I'm not a hundred percent sure this is the best environment to continue to talk about it

[1:06:01] in.

[1:06:02] Mr. Ratton, Mr. McCoski.

[1:06:04] You ready?

[1:06:05] You ready?

[1:06:06] Okay.

[1:06:07] Moving right along.

[1:06:08] Item number seven.

[1:06:10] Mr. Lepo Manse for his president's report.

[1:06:15] First, I want to thank Mr. Ratton Lepo for giving us that update on how a capital project is.

[1:06:20] all of the paraphrasers report.

[1:06:24] We have just wanted to let the resident at the seminar

[1:06:26] at Paris knowing you come from members

[1:06:28] know that the animal shelter in the last 30 days

[1:06:32] had did two separate all sites adoptions with animals.

[1:06:37] And the last 30 days, they was able on all sites adoption.

[1:06:40] They was able to give up adopt out 10 dogs and three cats.

[1:06:45] So my hat goes off to the volunteers and the workers

[1:06:50] that we have, we'll let the animals shelter right now.

[1:06:53] And they are planning on doing some more of these

[1:06:56] off-site adoption, just looking for a few places.

[1:07:00] So with any more and more surveillance here,

[1:07:02] we're going to go down to the same broad animal shelter.

[1:07:05] They're welcome to go down there.

[1:07:06] They're looking for a few volunteers.

[1:07:07] And they are looking for a busy area to set up

[1:07:12] for off-site adoption.

[1:07:15] The other thing is, I wanted to touch base with

[1:07:19] with our lay in of the reef of the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.

[1:07:24] That is going to be August 29th, 10 o'clock

[1:07:27] at Down and Shell beef in 10 o'clock, yeah.

[1:07:30] 1, 2, 11 o'clock a.m., the address is 13, 20 o'clock, closkey, highway. We're looking forward to once again to recognize the victims of hurricane Katrina.

[1:07:43] And that's pretty much all we have today. Thank you all.

[1:07:46] Thank you Mr. Poemans, anyone in the queue?

[1:07:50] So, being none moving right along public hearings, I don't know the eight, summary number 4378,

[1:07:57] plan to commission recommended the 907 and 2826 introduced by administration on 8, 4, 26.

[1:08:04] In order to approve, Dr. Z, dash 20, 26, dash 0, 0, 6, petition of gator construction,

[1:08:10] LLC for a zoning change from R1, single-family residential, zoning to R2, two-family residential zoning

[1:08:19] to allow the construction of a new family resident site location in 2016-18, Jackson Boulevard,

[1:08:28] Showman, Louisiana, 7-0-0-0-4 with three. Anyone here to speak for, or against, some

[1:08:33] of your number 43-78. So you're going to run along the resolutions. The top resolution

[1:08:42] in SBPC, 2650, that's 0.8, that's 26, the resolution is best of support to support of the

[1:08:51] Savile Shrimpers Act, House Bill 2771, moved by Councilor Bellaw, second by Councilor

[1:09:01] Monez.

[1:09:04] This is just something that I was asked to support by the Louisiana Shrimp Association.

[1:09:09] It helps promote us. I'll see food industry and we've got to get this to all our close

[1:09:16] the Parisians and support with us.

[1:09:20] Any discussion? Please vote your machines.

[1:09:26] That item carries item number 10.

[1:09:29] The top resolution is VPC 2651-08-26.

[1:09:34] The resolution of the rise in the Paris president's sign.

[1:09:36] The expedited temporary housing and system waiver of land use permitting form, the submission

[1:09:45] of the form will allow Samp amount of powers to participate in the temporary housing

[1:09:51] and shelter program as authorized by the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency

[1:09:57] Preparedness.

[1:09:58] Go set.

[1:09:59] Move by.

[1:10:01] Mr. McCloskey, second by Mr. Rando, any discussion?

[1:10:05] Mr. John, Mr. Ram, would you like to weigh in on us?

[1:10:10] Let us know where we go, no?

[1:10:12] Yeah, sure. Thank you, Colin.

[1:10:13] Here, this form is required by GoCept for the Paris to participate in GoCept's temporary housing unit program, which is different and famous.

[1:10:22] It takes a lot less time for us to get units down here.

[1:10:25] We use it in December of 22 for Mr. Sal.

[1:10:28] We requested the trailer on the 16th of December, and it was set up within a week or two.

[1:10:33] So it just waves all the requirements for temporary structure, so the residents get back in

[1:10:38] quicker to the homes and try to rebuild.

[1:10:41] Thank you, Mr. Ram. Anyone in theCUBE seeing none vote your machines that I don't care.

[1:10:49] I'm going to step on them, sorry. He needs to vote.

[1:10:52] Just call yourself Mr. Abbott.

[1:10:54] Mr. Abbott.

[1:10:56] Add item carries moving right along to adoptions.

[1:11:00] By 7 summer number 4365 Flan и Commission

[1:11:04] Recomended approval on 6 4 26 introduced by Minister

[1:11:08] in registration on 1626 Public Services,

[1:11:11] Public Commander in Health on 7 7 26 Table 9 7 7 26 until 8 cử 26

[1:11:18] Table 8 for 26 until 1826

[1:11:23] Anornets to approve Dark Etzy

[1:11:26] that's 26, that's 0.05, petition of Mark Hammond for a zoning change from R3, multiple medium

[1:11:36] density to C2, general commercial with a conditional use for a proposed vehicle operations

[1:11:43] facility site location, 36.11, packing him, drive, shall meet Louisiana.

[1:11:51] So I'm at 0-0-0-4-3, I'm sorry.

[1:11:54] I'm moved by Mr. Randall seconded by Mr. Moran.

[1:11:58] Mr. Moran, Mr. Randall?

[1:12:02] Obviously, I've tabled this item a bunch and we have to take action on it today.

[1:12:07] I would like for Mr. Landry to comment on the 10 deficiencies at the property head,

[1:12:15] and then I would also like to add that there's a pretty rare opportunity

[1:12:20] Where we get to create, correct them, sorry, correct them the state that we made.

[1:12:26] In April of last year, we voted, and obviously it must have, I must have missed it,

[1:12:34] because normally I would have certainly spoke against it.

[1:12:36] We voted to make this property R3ND, which we created a sponsor.

[1:12:43] And by moving this back to commercial, we get an opportunity to correct them the state that we all made.

[1:12:48] And at the end of the day, this property should be and should be and still should be

[1:12:57] the zone to C2.

[1:12:59] So I'm just going to let Mr. Landry speak on what the 10 deficiencies were and how he's

[1:13:04] addressed some of them.

[1:13:06] If there are any left, he's going to stop the go to BZA to address those deficiencies at the end

[1:13:13] of the day.

[1:13:15] So.

[1:13:16] That's correct. I mean, everybody I believe got in their packet, the new

[1:13:21] site plan, which he has addressed all those deficiencies, but I mean, I'll talk about this in the past.

[1:13:29] He's not locked into this. So, like, if he does have deficiencies, I think you guys should vote on the use.

[1:13:38] And if he has deficiencies, there's a whole nother board that looks at the deficiencies. So,

[1:13:45] He could address those with the BZA.

[1:13:47] He can pay his $500 fee, go in front of them,

[1:13:50] and let them decide whether or not he should have.

[1:13:55] But his updated side plan, I believe it does meet all

[1:13:58] of our standards.

[1:14:01] And it is C2, he is going for, and every property

[1:14:05] around completely surrounding this property is a C2.

[1:14:11] So we're getting him into compliance.

[1:14:13] I'm sorry.

[1:14:13] We're getting him into compliance.

[1:14:15] Correct.

[1:14:15] and he has his landscaping on here.

[1:14:17] He produced, he had three driveways.

[1:14:20] We got him to move the building to one side.

[1:14:24] So now he has two driveways.

[1:14:27] I think it works.

[1:14:29] Thank you.

[1:14:30] Mr. Moran.

[1:14:32] Thank you, Councillor Chair.

[1:14:33] I do realize that we're changing it back to not being a spot to them.

[1:14:37] But me sitting up here,

[1:14:38] I don't see a real distinction between or two and or three MD

[1:14:43] because they're all multi-family, right?

[1:14:46] Yeah, but this is C2.

[1:14:48] No, but what I'm saying is, if you say or 3md,

[1:14:52] it's a spot zone, because there's like one other one in the whole parish, okay?

[1:14:56] So if you would classify this as what it really is, it's an orch.

[1:15:00] And the whole area surrounds it as an audit too, except for the C2 that patch goes from pack and hand back.

[1:15:06] Every property touching this property is a C2.

[1:15:10] So, directly across the street from this.

[1:15:12] Those are doubles, but it's C2, too.

[1:15:15] Okay, so that's the way I was looking at it was the majority of the properties going towards, like, pack and hand, and Judge Perez would have been a R2.

[1:15:25] So when the cross is over, it does turn to R2.

[1:15:29] The rest of them packing in, but yeah, on Jeannie right there, it's all, every property touching this property, see.

[1:15:37] Right. Okay. And then next question I had for you.

[1:15:41] I'm okay with the condition I used for it.

[1:15:44] I'm not okay with accepting the site plan the way it is.

[1:15:48] I like him. I don't, in the past we've accepted site plans and he asked to build to this standard.

[1:15:53] I'd like to do exactly what you said, Mr. Landry.

[1:15:55] We vote on the use and then let him go to be a VZA to actually get his deficiencies.

[1:16:01] I think we should always do that.

[1:16:02] I agree.

[1:16:03] So just for the record, I'm not going to mind to add this in.

[1:16:06] I'm going to vote on the use and on the zone and change.

[1:16:09] And then he could deal with the normal process to get his plan to prove.

[1:16:16] Mr. Randall?

[1:16:17] Thank you, Councillor.

[1:16:18] I wanted to, you know, Councilman Maura, you hit on what is a true major problem in this

[1:16:25] that is not going to be easy to address, and that is the left over from when we were

[1:16:30] top down zoning.

[1:16:32] We allowed residential development in commercial zoning districts, and then when commercial

[1:16:37] entities want to come into those commercial zoning districts, the residents don't want

[1:16:41] it there.

[1:16:42] And that is a problem that can be addressed, it's probably not going to be wildly popular, but

[1:16:49] it's a very simple fix.

[1:16:51] And that's to stop residential development in commercial zoning districts.

[1:16:54] If you want to develop a development that houses people in a commercial zoning district district and it should meet a commercial development standards, which is a full-plex of bigger.

[1:17:04] And as long as we allow single family homes and newplexes to be built in commercial zoning districts, we're going to continue to fight this problem indefinitely.

[1:17:13] So it is not an easy fix, it's probably not a wildly popular fix, but that is really the only way to ever end this argument that will continue to exist.

[1:17:24] for forever. But you hit the nail on the head on what is a problem.

[1:17:34] So we have an item on motion on a floor table.

[1:17:43] Any further discussion on the side?

[1:17:46] Seeing none.

[1:17:47] Vote your machine.

[1:17:54] Item carries.

[1:17:56] Item number 12.

[1:17:56] I'm going to put 43.78 plan.

[1:17:58] Commission recommended in the 901-728-26 introduced by administration on 8406, public hearing

[1:18:05] held on 1826 in order to approve DACA Z-2026-006, petition of Gator construction LLC for

[1:18:15] zoning change from all one single family, residential zoning to an R2-2 family, residential

[1:18:21] zoning to allow construction of a new two-family resident site location,

[1:18:27] 2019-16, and 2019-18, Jackson Boulevard,

[1:18:31] shall middle-easy on a 7-0-0-0-4-3.

[1:18:35] Move by.

[1:18:36] Mr. Randall's second abominus to close.

[1:18:38] I'm a close-key.

[1:18:41] Mr. Randall.

[1:18:43] So I'm going to make a motion to table this to the next meeting,

[1:18:46] which kind of works out because we'll actually have something

[1:18:49] on the next meeting agenda.

[1:18:55] So, but I will be emailing all of y'all there.

[1:18:59] This is one of the areas in St. Bernard parish that is again an odd ball in zoning.

[1:19:07] It is zoned R1 yet has doubles up in down the street.

[1:19:12] So typically this would be a definition of existing non-conforming, but because the house was

[1:19:17] torn down it is not.

[1:19:18] But if you look at it, there is a slab to drive ways, two water meters, this has always been a double.

[1:19:27] So there is a process, a legal process, the several municipalities you use.

[1:19:32] I was not able to actually find it until about 130 today, so I don't want to spring it on all of y'all.

[1:19:38] So I will email it to all of y'all, we can see it, we can discuss it.

[1:19:41] That allows the council to legally re-institute the non-conforming use to that property.

[1:19:50] Then the zoning change would not be necessary, thus not creating a zoning change.

[1:19:56] So the traditional use of this property would be allowed to be used,

[1:20:01] but we would not have to do a spot zone.

[1:20:04] And I just got that information and I email it all to y'all by the end of the week so it can be reviewed

[1:20:11] With that being said I would like to make a motion to table not but 12 to the next meeting. We have a motion to table

[1:20:16] We have a second by Mr. McCloskey

[1:20:18] What out of Jackson decide on state moving right along rather matters that item number 11 team 11 team 13

[1:20:28] Motion discussing taking any accents that relates to information received from the coast of his own private committee

[1:20:34] No action taken

[1:20:36] next regular schedule council meeting will be held Tuesday, September 1st,

[1:20:41] 26 at 7 p.m., without objection, just meeting you this morning.

Council Meeting 8/18/26

Transcript