Detected language: en (probability: 1.00)

[0.00s → 6.60s]  Welcome to St. Mary Council regular meeting, January 28th, 2026, 6 p.m.
[6.66s → 10.04s]  Parish Council Meeting Room, 5th Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana.
[11.12s → 15.50s]  At this time, I'll ask Reverend Matthews for our invocation and
[15.50s → 19.02s]  Honorable David Hill to lead us in the pledge.
[20.09s → 23.39s]  Thank you, Madam Chair. Let us all stand and bow in reverence to God.
[24.38s → 28.20s]  Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you once again tonight for this great
[28.20s → 31.58s]  fellowship among your people. We thank you for the agenda
[31.58s → 36.18s]  that you've set before us tonight. And now, God, we set that agenda back
[36.18s → 39.90s]  in your hands. And we ask that you would govern our thoughts and our minds,
[40.04s → 44.10s]  that you would unite us on one accord, that we would do what's honorable in your
[44.10s → 48.04s]  sight. We thank you for all of those, our guests, that are going
[48.04s → 52.08s]  to come and appear on tonight's agenda to contribute to
[52.08s → 56.10s]  the decisions that we make tonight. But we also thank you for our entire
[56.10s → 58.18s]  constituency across St. Mary Parish.
[58.58s → 62.12s]  We ask that you would bless us and that you would continue to add
[62.12s → 66.20s]  increase to do the things that are necessary to improve the quality of
[66.20s → 70.34s]  life for your people. And, God, we pray for all of those that are elected
[70.34s → 74.20s]  and appointed to public office throughout our state and our nation.
[74.62s → 78.24s]  And we ask that in these troublesome times that you would steady the hearts
[78.24s → 82.42s]  and the hands of every decision maker, that we would seek you first
[82.42s → 86.12s]  and that we would do everything that is necessary to bring glory and honor
[86.12s → 87.72s]  to your name and your name alone.
[88.20s → 91.16s]  We ask it all through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
[91.58s → 105.15s]  To the Republic for which it is one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice.
[134.36s → 135.62s]  Roll call, Mrs. Morgan.
[138.12s → 139.18s]  Reverend Matthews.
[139.20s → 139.40s]  Present.
[140.27s → 140.83s]  Mr. Ina.
[141.53s → 142.15s]  Mr. O'Lander.
[142.59s → 143.13s]  He's absent.
[143.51s → 144.11s]  Mr. Hill.
[144.33s → 144.55s]  Present.
[144.83s → 145.43s]  Mr. Rolfe.
[145.49s → 145.69s]  Present.
[146.01s → 146.59s]  Mr. Hebert.
[146.93s → 147.15s]  Present.
[147.43s → 147.99s]  Mr. Davis.
[148.27s → 148.43s]  Present.
[148.67s → 149.39s]  Mr. Duhon.
[149.61s → 149.85s]  Present.
[150.07s → 150.73s]  Mr. Adams.
[151.01s → 151.23s]  Present.
[151.43s → 151.97s]  Dr. Rink.
[152.13s → 152.37s]  Present.
[152.57s → 153.49s]  And Mrs. Hidalgo.
[153.61s → 153.85s]  Present.
[154.05s → 155.27s]  You have a quorum present, ma'am.
[155.49s → 156.03s]  Thank you.
[156.03s → 156.11s]  Thank you.
[156.39s → 158.05s]  Item five, reading of the minutes.
[158.29s → 163.43s]  The previous meeting, first regular meeting, January 14, 2026.
[164.72s → 165.80s]  I entertain a motion.
[166.04s → 166.92s]  I'm not sure I'll make a motion.
[167.02s → 167.70s]  Just the best of the minutes.
[168.14s → 168.46s]  Thank you.
[168.78s → 171.56s]  A motion by Mr. Hill, second by Mr. Hebert.
[172.08s → 172.88s]  Any discussion?
[173.46s → 174.40s]  All in favor?
[174.70s → 175.10s]  Aye.
[175.10s → 175.98s]  Any opposed?
[176.12s → 177.16s]  Motion carries.
[177.64s → 178.98s]  Item six, guests.
[179.36s → 184.48s]  We have Mr. Jacob Bell to appear before the council to discuss Save Our Children,
[184.96s → 186.66s]  Children Mentoring Program.
[186.94s → 188.38s]  Mr. Bell, you can approach.
[188.64s → 199.48s]  I want to thank you all for having me, giving me the opportunity to speak to the council.
[199.48s → 204.02s]  My name is Jacob Bell.
[204.02s → 213.02s]  I'm a volunteer at Save Our Children Mentoring Program on 5th Street with all the libraries.
[213.02s → 218.14s]  What the program, and I'll give you all a brief on that, it's a little bit more complicated
[218.14s → 219.14s]  than that.
[219.14s → 226.86s]  The kids that we're working with are kids from single parents' trouble houses.
[226.86s → 229.52s]  I just had an incident with a young lady.
[229.52s → 230.52s]  She was a little girl.
[230.52s → 231.12s]  She was a little girl.
[231.12s → 231.24s]  She was a little girl.
[231.24s → 231.36s]  She was a little girl.
[231.36s → 231.40s]  She was a little girl.
[231.40s → 231.42s]  She was a little girl.
[231.44s → 233.14s]  She was a little girl.
[233.14s → 233.28s]  She was a little girl.
[233.28s → 233.52s]  She was a little girl.
[233.52s → 234.26s]  She was a little girl to a little girl.
[234.26s → 234.50s]  It was a when she was slightly around 65.
[234.50s → 235.81s]  You know, she was adopted from the Deaf community.
[235.81s → 237.55s]  And there was no one in the family who gave her custody, or had custody.
[237.55s → 239.79s]  The law enforcement, I found this police officer who was running me over, he was a cochlear
[239.79s → 240.91s]  cooperater, and he didn't marry me.
[240.91s → 241.83s]  I didn't wanna say nothing at all.
[241.83s → 245.36s]  But you know, I had called my husband and she said, yes you wanted his custody, yes
[245.36s → 246.00s]  you want his custody.
[246.00s → 247.36s]  You know, I let my husbandaly, I got increasingly shy in front of him.
[247.36s → 248.42s]  I wouldn't let him sleep with me, you know.
[248.42s → 250.18s]  I someday told you that, it's OK, you talk, worry about that, you should get him out.
[250.18s → 258.33s]  into the mic thank you sir but my purpose for here today and i volunteer and i don't get paid
[258.33s → 262.81s]  because i don't need external validation things i do i do it for my heart and passion
[262.81s → 268.48s]  because what i see happens to all the children there's too many of them if you're going from
[268.48s → 274.26s]  the schoolhouse to the jailhouse and we need to stop that pipeline and all i see us doing that
[274.26s → 280.92s]  is start with these children when they're young education one other thing i find at the center
[280.92s → 291.48s]  and i can't figure it out parental involvement we take these kids make sure they do their homework
[291.48s → 297.36s]  we feed them at the budget for me and that's one of the problems we have with that center
[297.36s → 304.42s]  we don't get the resources we need for that center i've taken up all my stuff i'm as raised in
[304.42s → 314.68s]  i deal with robert allen mr cassidy which i'm trying right now to get a lot of reconsideration
[314.68s → 315.28s]  because
[315.28s → 319.28s]  a lot of work needs to be done look at the building on the back it got more on the inside
[319.28s → 324.96s]  it's not a good environment for kids i can't tell the last time that place didn't have strip
[324.96s → 332.48s]  floors or whatever but what i would like you guys to do and you have time just come over
[333.39s → 338.11s]  and expect the place and give us some recommendations we're open-minded we don't
[338.11s → 346.46s]  know anything but if you can direct us and our numbers are on there where we can go because i'll
[346.78s → 355.79s]  come back i don't care if it's my insurance company my bank everywhere i go come back i come
[355.79s → 361.01s]  back rather than distribute all the money and that's repeatedly i've been here six years and
[361.01s → 365.41s]  i've been at the center and i get that repeatedly that shouldn't be you can get in the newspaper
[365.41s → 376.10s]  and talk off talk all the talk about it just like you see success i look at success it's not
[376.82s → 383.14s]  what you accumulate as you look at successes how many times i'll fall down and get back up
[384.02s → 387.50s]  At the same time, some of us need some type of hand-out.
[387.50s → 389.95s]  Not a hand-out, but I prefer a hand-out.
[389.95s → 393.85s]  You can give a man a fish, feed for a day.
[393.85s → 396.33s]  Just teach him how to fish when you're in the everyday.
[396.33s → 398.51s]  So it's a teaching and training these children
[398.51s → 399.61s]  to get ready for this world.
[399.61s → 403.41s]  Just like I'll put some stuff attached to that paperwork
[403.41s → 405.75s]  that's showing you what the stamp program is.
[405.75s → 408.09s]  If he is not in it, he needs to get in it.
[408.09s → 411.53s]  Just got a magnet and mellow sharp.
[411.53s → 412.65s]  We get in a lot of industries.
[412.65s → 414.61s]  Things starting to shift around here.
[414.61s → 418.05s]  Another thing, Mr. Matthews, I was here a couple of weeks
[418.05s → 420.23s]  ago, it was kind of far away.
[420.23s → 423.33s]  But he made a proposal about a amusement park.
[423.33s → 425.97s]  But all of this industry, these people got kids and stuff,
[425.97s → 426.87s]  family.
[426.87s → 427.75s]  That's revenue.
[427.75s → 429.96s]  That's tourists.
[429.96s → 431.44s]  You got plenty of land.
[431.44s → 432.34s]  Land is an issue.
[432.34s → 434.31s]  I got 20 if you need it.
[434.31s → 436.46s]  I got 12 more if you need it.
[436.46s → 439.14s]  But right now, I'm working with Mr. Adams,
[439.14s → 442.02s]  with the Ag Department, a community garden.
[442.02s → 443.18s]  And we're now to start teaching out
[443.18s → 443.22s]  with the community garden.
[443.22s → 443.26s]  And we're now to start teaching out with the community garden.
[443.26s → 443.76s]  And we're now to start teaching out with the community garden.
[443.76s → 445.91s]  That's stopping me at the bathroom tan.
[445.91s → 446.95s]  Why do you think they got so many
[446.95s → 450.14s]  diabetes and high blood pressure to die?
[450.14s → 452.12s]  Even the school system.
[452.12s → 456.54s]  When I went to school, we didn't need it like we're at home.
[456.54s → 457.88s]  Another thing is like the discipline
[457.88s → 459.84s]  with the school system.
[459.84s → 462.28s]  I see some protocols written down on paper.
[462.28s → 464.48s]  It's not being followed.
[464.48s → 467.72s]  But the incident I share with this young lady,
[467.72s → 469.59s]  and that's suicide.
[469.59s → 470.69s]  And it's serious.
[470.69s → 473.00s]  Gettin' a lot of it.
[473.00s → 475.26s]  But for me, even if we didn't have
[475.26s → 483.49s]  you council members if y'all can donate something to help us help these kids we deeply appreciate
[483.49s → 489.10s]  it thank y'all for your time we appreciate it thank you madam clerk could i mr bell
[490.78s → 497.18s]  come back up mr paul i know at some point in time we had made an allocate we did some work over
[497.18s → 501.82s]  there uh it's been a little while could you happen to know when the last time we made an
[501.82s → 507.95s]  allocation we did some upgrades dc unit in a few years you know the last time that was uh that was
[507.95s → 511.87s]  something i don't know the last time you know that we did improvements to you know we give them
[511.87s → 517.95s]  a facility to operate out of and then we give them um a 7 500 allocation every year towards
[517.95s → 524.03s]  operations right it was 10 000 when we cut everybody and they got cut 25 000 2500 but
[524.03s → 529.95s]  i'm not sure i don't i'm not sure that they're aware that there were problems with the facility
[530.75s → 532.35s]  you know we have maintenance crew that can go
[532.43s → 540.37s]  out there and do things but sir you're finished yeah no i just i'm not aware that there needs to
[540.37s → 544.93s]  be stuff done you know i haven't been made aware that there are problems but i'm saying i'm
[544.93s → 550.32s]  questioning i've i've been there six years the same things i've done on my own and went in my
[550.32s → 557.95s]  pocket i use my time energy and money because i have a passion for this for these kids i've
[557.95s → 565.78s]  come from bad rooms i work for the fam club i was the challenge of the community
[570.30s → 578.80s]  but i had a better support from the community and believe it or not your carpet of miracles
[579.36s → 582.88s]  was willing to give you money for these kids but the problem i'm having
[583.44s → 588.72s]  is getting somebody in this town who writes grants it's a shame that in some of these offices
[589.54s → 594.66s]  i know i can go to san lebron because it's locked down like holding up i go in the courthouse to
[594.66s → 599.14s]  talk to people in there you got to be screened it's all locked down that's a public facility
[599.14s → 601.14s]  you should have your family to be able to go and talk to you you're not going to be able to talk to
[601.14s → 609.06s]  these officials and return your call but um i don't have enough i'm just a common man sometimes
[609.06s → 615.01s]  it's not what you know it's who you know but i try to get things that you all be writing about
[615.01s → 620.96s]  and talking about don't talk about it be about it this gentleman and i have been friends for
[620.96s → 626.80s]  a long time and he's asked this now for two years and and i think it's a good program
[628.46s → 633.42s]  unlike some of the ones out there and i think we should spend a little time digging
[633.98s → 638.54s]  into it to come up with something at least what we used to have yeah and then maybe even a little
[638.54s → 648.05s]  more yes appreciate that follow up mr bell i know kevin matthews and i we have been working on this
[648.05s → 654.91s]  for them yeah to get some things done because i know when we there was some oh yeah serious work
[654.91s → 663.47s]  that got done at that place over time but i think you kind of say let us know what specifically
[665.81s → 669.81s]  floyd's or rufus or whatever you can touch base with these rep matthews and myself and let us know
[669.81s → 672.21s]  specifically i have to say i'm not sure what you're talking about but i'm not sure what you're talking about
[672.37s → 677.41s]  hey mr gubernator when we work together yeah you know he's been very receptive to try to get things
[677.41s → 681.81s]  done or whatever so you know i think if you can communicate specifically what the needs are we can
[682.37s → 686.93s]  yeah and i was all work together we just had a board and i did just have an appointment another
[686.93s → 693.28s]  day i presented to him i was coming here and i don't know you see how parish president said he's
[693.28s → 697.84s]  in favor you know kind of working with that yeah i've been just communicating what i'm saying it's
[697.84s → 702.32s]  a communication thing if you try let us know and i'm glad you brought it to you know the public's
[703.36s → 708.08s]  attention because i wasn't aware but if you just let us know then i'm sure we can yeah i've been
[708.08s → 712.80s]  very helpful when i come to you if there's something you can do because uh like i said
[712.80s → 721.23s]  things i've done like i worked with mr uh adam over at the high school we did a landscaping over
[721.23s → 726.83s]  there thank you but that's now again the way it was done it had to be water which at that time he
[726.83s → 732.35s]  had water coming i got my car y'all did a great job i called you when i call you guys for stuff
[732.35s → 733.79s]  to be done you guys do come
[734.27s → 738.59s]  it may take a minute but like i said sometimes you can look over there and grab this call
[741.81s → 745.89s]  it should be kept upgraded and kept and even outside you can see on the back
[746.45s → 751.33s]  i mean you got mold falling you got that tree over there just dropping these all the time just
[751.33s → 757.47s]  some man it's just well let's put some light somewhere in that area there's a lot of things
[757.47s → 765.31s]  you know where it is so we have to guess things have to be you know focus on that then we might
[765.31s → 766.19s]  can stop some of these
[767.14s → 770.58s]  this pipeline from the schoolhouse to the house that's my mission
[773.54s → 782.16s]  thank you madam chair um so mr paul is is grass cutting one of the maintenance
[782.16s → 788.72s]  um tasks that the parish performs at that site i didn't think we did um i thought they took care
[788.72s → 792.88s]  of the grass because we don't charge anything and we pay the insurance and right you know that so
[792.88s → 796.64s]  but i'll have to check and i'll check with my maintenance guy because you know we do cut some
[796.64s → 798.48s]  grass and it may be one of the areas but i would have to check on it and we'll get it back to you
[798.48s → 799.10s]  you know i'll and we'll get it right and i do have a lot of things that we can come by and work with
[799.12s → 803.60s]  would have to check. And I think that would be a perhaps an ideal place to
[803.60s → 810.10s]  begin so that there's, as Councilman Ina said, um, an open dialogue with the
[810.10s → 814.70s]  board and the volunteers that save our Children mentoring program. Um, in
[814.70s → 822.62s]  terms of what services, what maintenance tasks the parish does perform so that
[822.62s → 827.62s]  there are no false expectations. You know, we don't want you guys to be
[827.62s → 833.12s]  sitting waiting for something to get done that you are under the assumption
[833.12s → 838.94s]  that the parish does and the parish is has no idea that you're expecting us to
[838.94s → 843.16s]  do that because it wasn't a part of the original agreement. And I realized that
[843.16s → 848.94s]  a lot, not a lot, but a few people have kind of come and gone since this
[848.96s → 854.24s]  initiative began with Mr Reggie Harrell, which was, you know, probably more than
[854.24s → 857.62s]  a decade. Well, almost two decades ago. Um,
[857.62s → 862.22s]  and, and as Councilman Ina said, there was a lot of investment, public
[862.22s → 867.50s]  investment that went into that project directly from the parish. But there was
[867.50s → 874.80s]  a, there was some glory years for save our Children back in, uh, 2005 between
[874.80s → 880.18s]  2005 and 2010. Uh, when of course we were under a different administration back
[880.18s → 886.00s]  then, state administration, um, and the Department of Public Public Safety and
[886.00s → 886.92s]  Corrections,
[887.62s → 893.96s]  which, um, was the parent, uh, agency to the Office of Juvenile Justice at that
[893.96s → 899.64s]  time, which was funding grants for mentoring services and save our Children
[899.64s → 903.86s]  because of the collaboration that we had was able, was the recipient of almost
[903.86s → 909.86s]  $300,000 in grant funding back then. Now we were awarded and we were able to draw
[909.86s → 916.86s]  down probably about 150 or 60,000 within that grant period. But then we elected a
[916.86s → 917.62s]  new governor.
[917.62s → 921.30s]  And that was in the middle of that cycle. And the new governor cut all those
[921.30s → 926.34s]  programs out. So, and I haven't seen those programs resurface since then. Right.
[926.34s → 932.30s]  And that was like I said around 2009. But I said all of that to say that if we
[932.30s → 938.12s]  did it before, we can do it again. And so, there are opportunities available that
[938.12s → 942.62s]  we can collaborate and, and, you know, leverage additional public resources to help
[942.62s → 945.36s]  support that very worthwhile initiative. That's right.
[945.36s → 947.20s]  And because it's something that needs to continue. Right. Right. At that point,
[947.20s → 952.98s]  to continue we need to have that type of mentoring and support for what
[952.98s → 959.20s]  statistically are known as at-risk youths and and so unfortunately the way
[959.20s → 965.74s]  our systems of government and and processes have evolved over the years
[965.74s → 971.42s]  the majority of at-risk youths happen to be black and brown people and so while
[971.42s → 975.14s]  that should not be a factor we understand that in order to break the
[975.14s → 980.38s]  cycle that you're describing which is the the prison what did you call it the
[980.38s → 986.48s]  schoolhouse the prison pipeline or however it's been referred to in order
[986.48s → 990.98s]  to break that cycle it's going to take efforts like what you all are doing in
[990.98s → 995.96s]  that type of facility and so I think we all have a genuine interest in
[995.96s → 1001.60s]  supporting that going forward so we just need to be creative and find ways to
[1001.60s → 1004.76s]  help leverage the resources that are necessary
[1004.76s → 1005.12s]  and
[1005.14s → 1011.62s]  it may not take 300,000 we may not get 300,000 but if we can sow little seeds I
[1011.62s → 1016.84s]  believe they can produce great returns and so that's where we need to begin so
[1016.84s → 1020.50s]  I'm committed to doing that I know there are other members of this legislative
[1020.50s → 1024.88s]  body that are committed to doing that as well because we've done it before I'll
[1024.88s → 1028.60s]  say thank you for coming forward and thank you for the work that you all are
[1028.60s → 1034.52s]  doing I'll say to this body and to our administration something that I've said
[1035.14s → 1039.52s]  several years back under previous administrations that perhaps what we
[1039.52s → 1044.68s]  would be more instrumental in doing and in our efforts might be a lot more
[1044.68s → 1049.84s]  productive is if we were to do with some other parish governments parish councils
[1049.84s → 1058.14s]  are doing in the state of Louisiana and that is creating an NGE or NGA non
[1058.14s → 1063.28s]  governmental agencies grant fund so that we take a certain amount of money from
[1063.28s → 1064.42s]  our annual budget
[1065.14s → 1070.24s]  put it into a pool and recreate a competitive grant application process
[1070.24s → 1074.56s]  that way we know we've got a certain amount of money this is the cap and those
[1074.56s → 1079.02s]  applicants those organizations that successfully compete but that funding
[1079.02s → 1082.66s]  will be the ones that are awarded because we know we can't fund every
[1082.66s → 1088.44s]  program that comes up here asking for money that would eliminate the rhetoric
[1088.44s → 1094.08s]  and it would eliminate the I guess the danger of having to select who we're
[1094.08s → 1094.76s]  going to fund and who we're not and so I'm committed to doing that I'm committed to
[1094.76s → 1097.76s]  maybe Gerson is
[1097.76s → 1101.19s]  a meat you can't forget so seeing numbers pile all those that would eliminate
[1101.19s → 1106.39s]  that, the hope is that the LLC that they don't choose the consistency of the
[1106.39s → 1110.37s]  nuritzen fund because it's�도ing money to put in front of a non competitive
[1110.37s → 1111.81s]  process
[1111.81s → 1113.41s]  which is what we've been doing for the last.
[1113.41s → 1116.45s]  I don't know throughout the history of this parish also in police jury
[1116.45s → 1120.85s]  but I think that's its worked in other Paris's I work in other part
[1120.85s → 1124.79s]  in a nonprofit environment where we apply for those competitive funds.
[1124.79s → 1131.99s]  funds to, it might be a $5,000 grant that 10 organizations may be the recipients of.
[1131.99s → 1137.59s]  But it's a fair process and it eliminates the burden of having to cherry pick who we're
[1137.59s → 1139.54s]  going to fund.
[1139.54s → 1144.32s]  So I think that's something that's worthy of some revisiting and some reconsideration.
[1144.32s → 1146.52s]  But again, thank you, Mr. Bell.
[1146.52s → 1147.52s]  Appreciate what you do.
[1147.52s → 1148.52s]  Thank you guys for having me.
[1148.52s → 1149.81s]  Mr. Davis?
[1149.81s → 1155.25s]  Yeah, this is 600 Piss Street, that's the address.
[1155.25s → 1158.57s]  Yeah, where the whole library used to be, right on that corner.
[1158.57s → 1159.57s]  Okay.
[1159.57s → 1160.57s]  I'd like to come by and see it.
[1160.57s → 1162.57s]  I'd like to continue the conversation.
[1162.57s → 1168.17s]  Yeah, because I'm, well, I put another paper, they got the sheriff and the school board
[1168.17s → 1170.17s]  and I've talked to Mr. West already.
[1170.17s → 1173.97s]  I'm looking to talk to Ms. Black because I would like to, because it's all a correlation
[1173.97s → 1174.97s]  to SAM.
[1174.97s → 1175.97s]  We do it all on the SAM page.
[1175.97s → 1178.97s]  We just need to coordinate some, put some of them resources where they really need it.
[1178.97s → 1179.47s]  Thank you.
[1179.81s → 1180.31s]  That's all.
[1180.31s → 1180.81s]  Yes, sir.
[1180.81s → 1181.31s]  Thank you.
[1181.31s → 1182.81s]  Appreciate y'all for your time.
[1182.81s → 1183.81s]  Thank you, sir.
[1183.81s → 1187.30s]  Thank you, sir.
[1187.30s → 1200.12s]  Item seven, public comment, and at this time we'll ask Mr. Chad Ross.
[1200.12s → 1208.12s]  Good evening, Chad Ross, 504 Turnbull Boulevard, Berwick, Chairman for the Drainage District
[1208.12s → 1209.12s]  of Vista.
[1209.12s → 1218.76s]  I'm here to, last meeting we had discussed a $500,000 lot item for an apartment.
[1219.76s → 1223.76s]  We had a budget to go toward buy this to drainage.
[1223.76s → 1231.76s]  And I brought some of you guys some capital outlay that we had received as well as the
[1231.76s → 1239.11s]  previous estimates of what the two projects that we had in that capital outlay would cost.
[1239.11s → 1247.11s]  I asked that we table vote until I could get you guys some additional information.
[1247.11s → 1249.11s]  I spoke with my engineer.
[1249.11s → 1254.11s]  And he went back and redid a proposal.
[1254.11s → 1260.11s]  We only did the one project as opposed to the two because this project alone would be
[1260.11s → 1267.11s]  so much that the other one wouldn't, there'd be really no point in presenting that to you
[1267.11s → 1269.11s]  guys because of the cost.
[1269.11s → 1273.11s]  But we are going to continue to work up a cost estimate on that other project.
[1273.11s → 1277.11s]  And I can present that to you guys at a later time.
[1277.11s → 1278.11s]  But what we have.
[1278.11s → 1285.11s]  I think everyone's got a copy of the new numbers to add another pump to the virtual
[1285.11s → 1292.11s]  air binding pump station to move the generator and to add the new pump.
[1292.11s → 1299.11s]  We're looking at an estimated cost of $1,346,152.50.
[1299.11s → 1305.24s]  We believe that we may be able to shave a little bit off of that as we would get into
[1305.24s → 1306.24s]  the project.
[1306.24s → 1312.24s]  But that's a really good estimate that we were able to put together for you guys.
[1312.24s → 1319.37s]  So if you look at the capital outlay that we've received, along with the $500,000, it
[1319.37s → 1322.37s]  still would not be enough to do this project.
[1322.37s → 1328.50s]  That's how much the cost increase had been over the last four or five years.
[1328.50s → 1335.50s]  Whenever we originally applied for this, the estimate was given back in, I believe, 2021.
[1335.50s → 1340.50s]  It's whenever they did the estimate, which allowed us to apply for the capital outlay,
[1340.50s → 1343.50s]  which was granted in 2022.
[1343.50s → 1355.11s]  And at that time, I think the number, I want to say it was $800,000 in the project, to
[1355.11s → 1360.69s]  which we would have to have some matching funds in there to do the project if we didn't
[1360.69s → 1363.69s]  have them at that time.
[1363.69s → 1368.85s]  So you could see that the $500,000 would help toward getting this project going.
[1368.85s → 1373.17s]  But it's still not enough.
[1373.17s → 1376.30s]  So that's where we stand with it.
[1376.30s → 1381.30s]  Over the past two weeks, we've had some other things that have come up with the drainage
[1381.30s → 1386.30s]  district as far as the subterfuge drainage in the neighborhoods that we've been dealing
[1386.30s → 1387.30s]  with.
[1387.30s → 1389.30s]  We have some severe clogs.
[1389.30s → 1393.30s]  We've got some water lines running through drainage lines.
[1393.30s → 1396.30s]  We've got a lot of things going on.
[1396.30s → 1398.30s]  So the money could be used.
[1398.30s → 1408.11s]  I spoke with Mr. Hill several times about, you know, possible, what's the machine?
[1408.11s → 1409.11s]  Water jet machine.
[1409.11s → 1411.11s]  A water jet machine that would help with that.
[1411.11s → 1418.11s]  But the end of the road is that without having somewhere to pump this water out of, it doesn't
[1418.11s → 1421.11s]  matter how fast I can get it out to the neighborhood.
[1421.11s → 1426.11s]  If I can't pump it out fast enough, then we're kind of, we're spinning our wheels.
[1426.11s → 1430.11s]  So I believe that the most important thing is to get all the pumps in order.
[1430.11s → 1437.11s]  With the litigation having been solved, that would sit there and increase our pumping capacity
[1437.11s → 1438.11s]  to some extent.
[1438.11s → 1442.11s]  With this right here, we'd be able to increase it even more.
[1442.11s → 1447.11s]  And once we get that done, then we can start moving back into the system to get it out
[1447.11s → 1450.11s]  the streets faster so we can pump it out faster.
[1450.11s → 1454.34s]  But if we don't have the pumping capacity, it doesn't matter how fast it gets out the
[1454.34s → 1455.34s]  streets.
[1455.34s → 1458.34s]  It's just going to be a holdup while we wait for the pumps to work.
[1458.34s → 1459.53s]  So that's where we stand.
[1459.53s → 1462.53s]  Do we have any questions?
[1462.53s → 1463.59s]  Madam Chair.
[1463.59s → 1464.59s]  Adams.
[1464.59s → 1468.59s]  I didn't, I understood when some of this money is all not for drainage.
[1468.59s → 1471.59s]  I know they had some sewer issues in that area.
[1471.59s → 1473.52s]  Yeah.
[1473.52s → 1475.52s]  No, there's allocation spread out of the three-tenths money.
[1475.52s → 1478.71s]  I know it can be used for all that in that district.
[1478.71s → 1481.22s]  I'm just asking the question.
[1481.22s → 1483.22s]  My understanding wasn't all just for drainage.
[1483.22s → 1486.22s]  It was for other stuff in that area.
[1486.22s → 1488.22s]  It was.
[1488.22s → 1490.76s]  Am I right or wrong?
[1490.76s → 1491.76s]  Yes, you're right.
[1491.76s → 1492.76s]  Okay.
[1492.76s → 1494.53s]  Thank you.
[1494.53s → 1495.53s]  I have a question, a real quick question.
[1495.53s → 1496.53s]  How much money is already allocated out of capital outlay?
[1496.53s → 1497.53s]  I don't have those figures in front of me this week.
[1497.53s → 1498.53s]  I almost didn't recognize you with your white hat.
[1498.53s → 1499.53s]  Yeah, I apologize.
[1499.53s → 1500.53s]  I didn't get dressed up for this one.
[1500.53s → 1501.53s]  I'm sorry.
[1501.53s → 1502.53s]  I have all this stuff in front of me.
[1502.53s → 1504.62s]  My records show that I have two allocations from capital outlay out there.
[1504.62s → 1505.62s]  One is 375,000 for drainage cover installation, and the other is 5,000 for drainage cover
[1505.62s → 1506.62s]  installation.
[1506.62s → 1507.62s]  Okay.
[1507.62s → 1508.62s]  Thank you.
[1508.62s → 1509.62s]  Thank you.
[1509.62s → 1510.62s]  Thank you.
[1510.62s → 1512.00s]  Thank you.
[1512.00s → 1516.87s]  Thank you.
[1516.87s → 1517.87s]  Thank you.
[1517.87s → 1518.87s]  Thank you.
[1518.87s → 1519.87s]  Thank you.
[1519.87s → 1520.87s]  Thank you.
[1520.87s → 1521.87s]  Thank you.
[1521.87s → 1522.87s]  Thank you.
[1522.87s → 1523.87s]  Thank you.
[1523.87s → 1524.87s]  Thank you.
[1524.87s → 1525.87s]  Thank you.
[1525.87s → 1526.87s]  Thank you.
[1526.87s → 1527.87s]  Thank you.
[1527.87s → 1533.87s]  I have a comment about we're talking about 375,000 for drainage covered insulation and
[1533.87s → 1539.06s]  the other is 500,000 for a pump at Burke to behind.
[1539.06s → 1541.06s]  That's two-
[1541.06s → 1544.28s]  500,000 is what you're referring to.
[1544.28s → 1551.01s]  That's the two capital outlays that I have on my list and which would require about the
[1551.01s → 1552.57s]  $300,000 match, much a little under $300,000 match.
[1552.57s → 1553.75s]  The only issue is-
[1553.75s → 1554.75s]  No.
[1554.75s → 1555.75s]  Yeah $300,000 match.
[1555.75s → 1556.75s]  We're saying by capital outlay.
[1556.75s → 1557.01s]  . . . then the cost of the project has gone up.
[1557.01s → 1557.19s]  . . . for the project and. . .
[1557.19s → 1570.74s]  done the costs have gone up tremendously this year on this uh pipe underneath the roof going up
[1570.74s → 1579.96s]  by the uh by the truck stop yes sir you got to get a capital outlay on that that's all i have
[1579.96s → 1585.04s]  that's been approved so far so so what you're talking about is the uh to raise the culverts
[1585.04s → 1590.82s]  at the highway or lower the culverts of the highway um yes there's some capital outlay for
[1590.82s → 1597.34s]  that but we have not get uh we have not received a new estimate uh cost estimate for that because
[1597.34s → 1605.44s]  the engineer felt that with the uh cost of piping had gone up so much that we would never it really
[1605.44s → 1611.14s]  wouldn't there's there's not enough money to do that project so that's why this this project would
[1611.14s → 1619.00s]  be the only one um that we may be able to consider uh taking on until we find other funding because
[1619.00s → 1620.80s]  capital outlay is
[1620.80s → 1627.55s]  nowhere near enough to even get near that project paul i have a quick question for you if this
[1627.55s → 1633.75s]  project originally was eight hundred thousand dollars why did we only request 500 from capital
[1633.75s → 1640.48s]  outlay i can't answer that i mean i don't know what we requested we may have requested more
[1640.48s → 1645.16s]  and that's what they allocated i'd have to look back at our request which was prior to my time
[1645.16s → 1648.46s]  because sometimes they don't fund the whole project they don't fund the whole thing
[1648.46s → 1653.16s]  okay dr rick i believe and don't hold me to this because i wasn't
[1653.16s → 1653.34s]  a
[1653.36s → 1660.24s]  chairman at the time but i believe there is an agreement between mr lagrange and the drainage board
[1660.24s → 1665.84s]  that parish is going to sit there and make up whatever difference there was that was different
[1665.84s → 1672.16s]  ceo and it's a different time a different time voluntarily for this uh parish so you know you
[1672.16s → 1676.40s]  really can't hold them accountable for that because no i'm not holding you accountable i'm just asking
[1676.40s → 1681.20s]  the question you know i mean it's fine we asked for the entire amount we would need to fund the
[1681.20s → 1683.16s]  project obviously yes sir
[1683.16s → 1688.12s]  i mean it was my understanding that um the parish agreed to
[1688.12s → 1692.20s]  make up the difference there uh that was a different time
[1692.20s → 1695.24s]  and i guess the next question too mr paul would be
[1695.24s → 1699.88s]  what about gomesa funding or some type of coastal protection funding
[1699.88s → 1704.31s]  would those not be options since it's a drainage district
[1704.31s → 1709.27s]  all of our gomesa funding was bonded back a few years ago we got 11 million
[1709.27s → 1713.35s]  dollars for all the projects we did throughout the parish so there's no gomason you know that
[1713.35s → 1715.43s]  all has to go to the bonding
[1715.43s → 1720.15s]  attorney the bonding paying agent to pay the bonds as long as we get it
[1720.15s → 1724.95s]  so gomesa is not really an option what is the other thing
[1724.95s → 1728.36s]  postal protection funding um
[1728.36s → 1732.28s]  i'm not aware that there's a lot of that there's money there that i'm aware of at
[1732.28s → 1736.04s]  this point we've got you know feelers out there for different things
[1736.04s → 1740.12s]  um but i can't say for sure dr rick uh having
[1740.12s → 1743.48s]  spoken uh senator otlow um he is the sheriff of the
[1743.64s → 1747.96s]  there's gonna be some money coming in uh to about three million dollars for
[1747.96s → 1751.88s]  drainage for saint mary parish annually i don't know if that money has already
[1751.88s → 1756.12s]  been allocated toward the morgan morgan city project this year
[1756.12s → 1759.80s]  um but that might be another thing that we're going to reach out to him and try
[1759.80s → 1762.28s]  to work with him on that um
[1762.28s → 1766.12s]  when you look at the projects we've done in this parish
[1766.12s → 1771.08s]  morgan state has gotten a large uh bump with all the new work they have i know
[1771.08s → 1773.56s]  amelia has been working really hard on their pump system and i've
[1773.64s → 1779.24s]  been saying by this is kind of what i feel next in line to get some work done
[1779.24s → 1784.12s]  um into our life with uh you guys and senator otlow's office and try to get
[1784.12s → 1787.88s]  some of that money uh allocated toward us to help us with some of these
[1787.88s → 1795.75s]  projects thank you madam chair um i did not want
[1795.75s → 1801.83s]  my question to precede uh mr hill's comments but um
[1801.83s → 1806.63s]  if if you're okay i'll go ahead and ask this anyway so it sounds like from what
[1806.63s → 1806.95s]  you
[1806.95s → 1812.39s]  what you just described uh mr chad that allocating this five hundred thousand
[1812.39s → 1815.75s]  dollars that we've been talking about for the last several weeks
[1815.75s → 1821.54s]  would be futile at this point because it's not going to serve the purpose
[1821.54s → 1826.47s]  that we know really needs to be
[1826.47s → 1831.43s]  implemented to correct this problem yes sir
[1832.93s → 1837.57s]  when you're talking about allocating those kind of problems you want projects
[1837.57s → 1839.89s]  to go instant right it's going to make a
[1839.89s → 1844.29s]  difference immediately um and so for this particular project you
[1844.29s → 1848.53s]  still have to get honest money to add to that
[1848.53s → 1853.11s]  to be able to make it work um
[1855.11s → 1860.31s]  mr hillary uh been talking about um that might be a good use some of the
[1860.31s → 1864.15s]  five hundred thousand that could make a small difference now
[1864.15s → 1867.51s]  and then you would still have some money that you can allocate to sewage or over
[1867.51s → 1871.67s]  whatever else that you could make a difference now um to be able to get
[1871.67s → 1875.83s]  five hundred thousand and say we're going to be able to match that to do
[1875.83s → 1878.47s]  what needs to be diagnosed so i'm not going to be able to do that at this
[1878.47s → 1883.27s]  point okay thank you for that clarification so so
[1883.27s → 1887.43s]  um to to us and to the administration
[1887.43s → 1893.27s]  and i think i i may have alluded to this in my remarks when we met last time at
[1893.27s → 1897.35s]  the last meeting uh but i'll reiterate because it seems uh a
[1897.35s → 1902.87s]  plausible to do so that um there's this big rush and big
[1902.87s → 1906.71s]  hurry for the council to agree to allocate
[1906.71s → 1911.11s]  500 000 to the community of bayou vista
[1911.11s → 1915.11s]  to solve some of the drainage and water and sewer we're not water but sewer
[1915.11s → 1919.35s]  problems but we're we're hearing very clearly
[1919.35s → 1925.51s]  that that 500 000 to that effort is not going to resolve the issues that
[1925.51s → 1927.19s]  have been uh
[1927.35s → 1933.35s]  levied that people have been talking about all over social media and all over in the
[1933.35s → 1941.41s]  public meeting forum that we had a couple of weeks ago. And I would hate to see us just
[1941.41s → 1947.95s]  rush to make an allocation simply to appease people for a purpose that we know is not going
[1947.95s → 1956.13s]  to be achieved. Secondly, even if we allocated that $500,000 tonight, Mr. Gouvernault will
[1956.13s → 1964.17s]  clearly tell us, or Ms. Desiree might take the lead in sharing this daunting news, that that
[1964.17s → 1972.29s]  cash is not available tonight anyway. It'll probably be September or October before there's
[1972.29s → 1981.99s]  enough cash available in our parish government coffers to transfer that kind of money to the
[1981.99s → 1985.91s]  drainage district or to water and sewer, what is it, eight?
[1986.99s → 1998.23s]  Five and eight. So again, I want our citizens to be very clear about whatever the action is
[1998.23s → 2008.16s]  that's going to follow in the rest of the agenda about this $500,000 allocation. We need to be
[2008.16s → 2014.56s]  careful that we're not creating false expectations. I'd rather be honest with people than to just
[2014.56s → 2017.38s]  appease them by taking action on something.
[2017.50s → 2018.74s]  That's not going to have any follow-through.
[2018.74s → 2025.86s]  Yes, sir. And if I may, that's why I asked for it to be tabled, so I could give you guys real-time
[2025.86s → 2034.12s]  idea of what the cost is, because there's no point in sitting there making money that can be used
[2034.12s → 2041.36s]  that can help instantly and putting it while we're waiting for more money. I mean, it's just the way
[2041.36s → 2044.32s]  it works, you know? I'm very familiar with how it works.
[2044.32s → 2047.48s]  I knew by looking at the numbers that we had,
[2047.50s → 2052.06s]  that were presented at the last meeting, that that was going to be nowhere near what the actual
[2052.06s → 2057.82s]  cost would be. And I felt that it was important to let the citizens know that this is real-time
[2057.82s → 2064.06s]  cost. And this money, I'd love for it to go to drainage. I mean, that's what I do, right?
[2064.06s → 2067.74s]  But the reality is, if you gave me that money right now, I'd still be sitting there going,
[2067.74s → 2068.86s]  can I have some more?
[2068.86s → 2076.62s]  Correct. I appreciate your honesty. And I was in that meeting in Bayou Vista a few weeks ago,
[2077.50s → 2083.73s]  and the folks that were in that room want something to happen now. And I think we need to be honest
[2083.73s → 2088.69s]  with them about that. We need to be transparent, and we need to do this in a strategic way.
[2088.69s → 2092.24s]  That's all I have, Mr. Hill.
[2092.24s → 2101.44s]  Madam Chair, I put that in the budget, and I think there was a little playing going on here.
[2102.75s → 2107.79s]  Whatever that number is that you need, hopefully by the end of this year, we can get it done.
[2107.79s → 2111.97s]  Thank you, Mr. President. That's great.
[2113.52s → 2115.10s]  Any other questions?
[2115.10s → 2116.14s]  Thank you all very much.
[2116.14s → 2116.70s]  Thank you, Chad.
[2116.70s → 2124.48s]  I should have told him to come here.
[2124.48s → 2133.22s]  Okay. Mr. Bappe will get you to come up to the gentleman right after him. His is short and sweet.
[2138.83s → 2146.35s]  Clarence Bappe, 100th Street, Baldwin, Louisiana. Thank you, Madam Chair, Mr. President,
[2146.35s → 2148.03s]  and parish council members.
[2148.03s → 2149.47s]  God bless you, ma'am.
[2149.47s → 2155.71s]  I am honored and proud to obviously have the most senior citizen in the parish of St. Mary.
[2156.35s → 2157.31s]  Thank you.
[2157.31s → 2159.47s]  She is a resident of the town of Baldwin.
[2162.03s → 2166.83s]  She's not in a nursing home. She lives at her house. She goes and sits out in her yard.
[2167.63s → 2174.03s]  You can ask my high staff to talk to her, take selfies and send to her son, all over the town.
[2176.35s → 2183.39s]  If you don't know her, most of you probably know her son. Her son was a former mayor of Baldwin,
[2183.39s → 2186.06s]  Wayne. He was a mayor for 24 years.
[2186.38s → 2194.78s]  He was a clerk for a lot of years prior. I'm just really honored. She had a 100-year
[2195.82s → 2200.94s]  birthday party. We thought that she would have one every year. She says,
[2200.94s → 2203.58s]  no, I don't want to have another one until I'm 105.
[2205.42s → 2210.30s]  I went to that party, which was last year, at her grandson's house in Broussard.
[2211.18s → 2218.78s]  This year, she went on and had her 106th party. This past Sunday, out in bad weather, the whole wheel,
[2219.42s → 2223.82s]  but no one's available to drive her here. She would have been here.
[2223.82s → 2224.62s]  I'm sure.
[2224.62s → 2226.54s]  You would have enjoyed seeing her.
[2227.10s → 2228.78s]  Sounds like she's doing better than all of us.
[2228.78s → 2234.06s]  She's doing well. That's correct. She's my down the street neighbor. She's Evan's neighbor,
[2234.06s → 2238.70s]  and she's a former parish president, councilman. I'm a Spartan Icares neighbor.
[2239.42s → 2241.92s]  Thank you. Thank you very much.
[2241.92s → 2242.40s]  Thank you, sir.
[2242.40s → 2242.96s]  Thank you, Mayor.
[2247.54s → 2254.48s]  Okay. All right. We'll go to our next guest. We'll move the item up.
[2266.82s → 2274.50s]  13A is a resolution congratulating Mrs. Rosemary Salzman Brough on her 106th birthday.
[2274.50s → 2275.38s]  What is your wishes?
[2276.02s → 2277.30s]  I'll offer a motion.
[2277.30s → 2279.62s]  So moved by Reverend Matthews, seconded by the council.
[2279.62s → 2284.99s]  Do you have a discussion?
[2284.99s → 2289.39s]  You know me. I know my name. I'm Adamus Paul Knocken,
[2290.69s → 2297.36s]  through 17, following Louisiana. This has happened to almost everything I was disabled.
[2297.92s → 2306.42s]  I passed out every day. My three houses from my house, every day she's sitting in the sunshine
[2306.42s → 2313.38s]  about four, I mean, three o'clock in the afternoon. She's sitting in a chair and everything.
[2313.38s → 2319.94s]  And her daughter said she'd love to go to the casino. She's sitting in that chair,
[2319.94s → 2327.14s]  and one time she fell off the chair, and they had to tell her to find it for me to come pick it up.
[2327.14s → 2331.30s]  But after the fire department picked up, she wanted to go to the casino.
[2331.30s → 2338.02s]  So she's living a duck life, which I asked the Lord to give me.
[2338.58s → 2344.18s]  I signed a contract right now to be 106 years old.
[2344.18s → 2345.78s]  Don't have those kinds of contracts.
[2345.78s → 2349.86s]  I'm just 84 years old. That's all I am.
[2349.86s → 2357.09s]  So I got quite a few years, and I want to take the council during the resolution coming. So,
[2357.33s → 2360.85s]  I appreciate y'all. Thank y'all for everything y'all been doing.
[2360.85s → 2365.89s]  Both of the parents help you do a pretty good job. So thank y'all.
[2365.89s → 2367.39s]  Thank you, sir.
[2367.39s → 2367.79s]  Thank you, Paul.
[2367.79s → 2368.99s]  Thank you, Mr. Powell.
[2368.99s → 2378.00s]  Whereas Mrs. Rosemary Salzman Brough was born on January 23, 1920,
[2378.00s → 2383.92s]  and Donna Louisiana moved to Baldwin, Louisiana as a young teenager and recently celebrated her
[2383.92s → 2390.00s]  106th birthday. And whereas Mrs. Brough graduated from Franklin High School in 1937,
[2390.00s → 2396.58s]  and married Donald Breaux in 1943, and whereas Mr. and Mrs. Breaux spent the next few years in
[2396.58s → 2403.04s]  various states and towns traveling with the Army and Shell Oil Company, then settling in Baldwin
[2403.04s → 2410.92s]  in 1954, purchasing and operating Breaux's Grocery Store on Main Street, then relocating to Sherrington
[2410.92s → 2417.72s]  Road, renaming it Breaux's Food Land, and whereas Mrs. Breaux devoted most of her life working in
[2417.72s → 2423.68s]  the store and helping others, she retired at the age of 94 and now spends her time sitting in her
[2423.68s → 2430.02s]  yard enjoying nature, watching LSU football and baseball, and making occasional trips to Cypress
[2430.02s → 2437.40s]  Bayou Casino, whereas Mrs. Breaux is very thankful to God for her long and blessed life, her family,
[2437.60s → 2441.96s]  many friends, and former customers, and whereas the St. Mary Parish Council would like to offer
[2441.96s → 2447.70s]  their congratulations to Mrs. Breaux on this milestone in her life, now therefore be
[2447.72s → 2453.18s]  it resolved that the St. Mary Parish Council does hereby congratulate and extend their best wishes to
[2453.18s → 2459.06s]  Mrs. Breaux, adopted and approved by the St. Mary Parish Council, and regular session convened on
[2459.06s → 2467.80s]  this the 28th day of January 2026, approved by Gwendolyn L. Hidalgo, Chairperson. Any more
[2467.80s → 2475.12s]  discussion? We'll do a roll call on 13A. Reverend Matthews. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Aina. Yes, ma'am. Mr.
[2475.12s → 2479.88s]  Orlando. His accent. Mr. Hill. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Roth. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Abay.
[2479.90s → 2485.88s]  Yes, ma'am. Mr. Davis. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Duhon. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Adams. Yes, ma'am. Dr. Rink. Yes, ma'am.
[2485.94s → 2491.14s]  And Mrs. Hidalgo. Yes, ma'am. We have 10 yeas and one absent, and the resolution carries. Thank you.
[2491.64s → 2533.17s]  Thank you, Paul. Appreciate you doing that. Gary Musgrove. Good evening, Madam Chairman and
[2533.17s → 2537.31s]  Councilman, Mr. President. I want to thank you all for allowing me an opportunity to speak.
[2537.91s → 2544.27s]  I want to speak on behalf and support, oh, I'm sorry, Gary Musgrove, and
[2544.55s → 2574.55s]  I'm from Forest Hill, Louisiana. My address is 11 Lampin Road, Forest Hill, 71360. But I'm here to speak on behalf and support of Resolution D presented by Mr. A. Mayor. This is in opposition to carbon capture and sequestration. And I'll be available to answer any questions. But let me just say that I am, I mean, no expert.
[2574.65s → 2588.91s]  I'm not a scientist, I'm not a geologist. I've never worked in the oil field. I am a farmer. I grow plants. I have a nursery in Kasatchie Hills. I'm sure many of you have been up to Forest Hill and bought plants from us.
[2588.91s → 2609.95s]  We have roughly over 300 nurseries up there. Our economic impact from the state of Louisiana is roughly $2.5 billion to the economy. Directly and indirectly, we have a little over 56,000 employees throughout the state.
[2609.95s → 2618.99s]  So I have a great impact to the state economy. And that's why I got involved in climate capture and sequestration. That's why I became so passionate against this.
[2618.99s → 2642.06s]  If you don't know what carbon capture and sequestration is, it is the capture of industrial emissions, carbon. It is a byproduct. We know it's a natural part of the atmosphere. There's nothing wrong with carbon. Carbon is in the atmosphere. We exhale it. I mean, we inhale it, we exhale oxygen. It's fourth grade science.
[2644.06s → 2649.10s]  But when industry captures CO2, condenses it.
[2649.28s → 2679.74s]  When it gets to a volatile state, it becomes very dangerous. And if you work in the oil fields, you know that it's second to hydrogen sulfide, H2S. Very, very dangerous gases. Carbon dioxide, CO2, can be highly corrosive when mixed with water. It becomes carbonic acid. It's very corrosive to pipes.
[2679.76s → 2692.58s]  And as a nursery owner, as a farmer dependent on the only source of aquifer that we have that provides drinking water for 15 parishes in central and west Louisiana, I became very concerned.
[2692.58s → 2704.60s]  So did many of my colleagues, many farmers became very concerned with industry pumping industrial waste. That's what it is, industrial waste under the Chico Aquifer.
[2704.60s → 2709.69s]  I became very concerned because over the years, we're talking...
[2709.85s → 2723.09s]  In decades, Louisiana has become a pincushion of wells. Many are abandoned, many we don't even track. Many were just plugged off in the 30s for the pine stalk, but they're still there.
[2723.09s → 2737.44s]  The access for carbon dioxide to migrate is still very much in play. Geologists, scientists will tell you we have the perfect capstone, but it's not. We have scientists...
[2737.44s → 2740.44s]  And let me say, I'm speaking on behalf of our organization.
[2740.78s → 2750.44s]  We have scientists. We have petroleum engineers. We have folks looking at our geology and says it is not going to stay.
[2750.44s → 2766.44s]  In fact, I asked some of the scientists, the doctors with LSU that are promoting the technology, can you guarantee that carbon dioxide will stay where it's at, will not affect our aquifer?
[2766.44s → 2771.67s]  And the answer was no. So it is a risk, not worth the benefit.
[2771.71s → 2780.12s]  And so I have made it my mission in life at this point to present other sides.
[2780.12s → 2788.72s]  Not just myself. We've had hundreds and hundred thousands of people that all over the state speaking out against carbon capture and sequestration.
[2788.72s → 2795.00s]  What we not speaking out against is industry. I love filling up my truck with gasoline.
[2795.00s → 2801.78s]  I love being able to try my vehicles. I love being able to get it a almost side by side. We're dependent. Come on, the economy is dependent on us.
[2802.54s → 2807.05s]  oil and gas all right we're dependent on industry
[2807.05s → 2811.63s]  for the products we love but there is no good
[2811.63s → 2815.53s]  for carbon dioxide to be pumped into the ground
[2815.53s → 2820.30s]  and take a chance on risking the very water we depend on
[2820.30s → 2824.46s]  now the history they'll tell us that carbon dioxide
[2824.46s → 2831.44s]  has been around for 40 years well it may have for eor enhanced oil
[2831.44s → 2833.76s]  recovery and if you're in the oil and gas
[2833.76s → 2836.08s]  industry i know you've got in the oil and gas industry
[2836.08s → 2839.84s]  that co2 is very capable of being injected
[2839.84s → 2847.36s]  into old not so much producing oil fields pushing the hydrocarbons
[2847.36s → 2850.96s]  back to the production platforms and you're getting more oil
[2850.96s → 2857.60s]  out of what was low producing oil well what happens with that co2 it says
[2857.60s → 2860.30s]  it's recaptured it's used it's used again
[2860.30s → 2861.10s]  and over and over
[2861.50s → 2865.58s]  um we have about a 1300 mile co2 pipeline
[2865.58s → 2868.70s]  if you're not aware it runs right through louisiana it comes from
[2868.70s → 2872.30s]  the jackson dome in mississippi runs down
[2872.30s → 2876.70s]  mississippi into louisiana and down in houston for 1300 miles
[2876.70s → 2883.02s]  that is for eor enhanced oil recovery now that pipeline is
[2883.02s → 2888.62s]  built around 2007 um there's a small section that went from the jackson dome
[2888.62s → 2891.34s]  to delhi north monroe
[2891.50s → 2895.82s]  it can enhance all recovery they added another section about 77 miles
[2895.82s → 2899.82s]  and then then finally finished it out all the way to texas
[2899.82s → 2902.94s]  now the jackson dome is an ancient volcano
[2902.94s → 2906.46s]  it has natural co2 that's what they're using
[2906.46s → 2910.52s]  out in the premium basin out in west texas
[2910.52s → 2914.51s]  what we're talking about is industrial co2
[2914.51s → 2918.40s]  and industrial co2 if you scrub it off their emissions
[2918.40s → 2922.56s]  they'll tell you that they're capturing about 95 to 98 percent
[2923.72s → 2927.72s]  well it's the other five percent in the three percent
[2927.72s → 2931.45s]  two percent and we don't know what's in there most of it's redacted
[2931.45s → 2934.65s]  a lot of things are redacted when you go to uh
[2934.65s → 2938.09s]  the uh natural resources office and you start pulling these things out it's for
[2938.09s → 2940.73s]  security it's for uh national security i won't
[2940.73s → 2943.29s]  tell you exactly everything's in it or laid out
[2943.29s → 2950.08s]  uh you'll get a report back and it's just black but co2 just on itself
[2950.08s → 2954.48s]  it's not worth the risk the pump under our aquifer so why am i here
[2954.48s → 2959.45s]  sharing this with you um because we believe
[2959.45s → 2966.09s]  that louisiana is poised to take over 40 percent of the nation's co2 if you've
[2966.09s → 2970.09s]  been following uh the governor's energy
[2970.09s → 2977.15s]  uh plan set for louisiana it is mostly designed
[2977.15s → 2982.88s]  around carbon dioxide capture so let's look at you got essential
[2982.88s → 2986.24s]  parish with hyundai steel now we get to industry
[2986.24s → 2991.48s]  know come do it we've got ammonia blue the hydrogen plants
[2991.48s → 2996.08s]  lng we're not against these things but what they are taking advantage of
[2996.08s → 2999.28s]  is a subsidy from the federal government it's a
[2999.28s → 3005.60s]  irs tax code subsidy of 45 q and it pays roughly 85 dollars per metric
[3005.60s → 3010.40s]  ton of co2 capsule and sequester let me tell you what
[3010.40s → 3013.44s]  sequester means that means they're going to pump it in
[3013.44s → 3016.56s]  the ground around 5 000 feet
[3016.72s → 3021.85s]  permanently never going to come up these are
[3021.85s → 3026.81s]  centuries ahead of us but this stuff will remain in the ground
[3026.81s → 3030.65s]  they get the benefits today the money up front it's your tax dollars our tax
[3030.65s → 3034.09s]  dollars it's just in a circle it goes to industry industry does the
[3034.09s → 3039.04s]  build out those are those are um
[3039.04s → 3043.36s]  corporations again not against corporations against what they're doing
[3043.36s → 3049.36s]  but taking advantage of a tax subsidy to pump the pump we're talking talking
[3049.36s → 3052.80s]  about millions and millions and millions of
[3052.80s → 3058.68s]  tons of carbon dioxide under a breaking not to even mention the
[3058.68s → 3062.68s]  pipeline build out that's going to be all over the state
[3062.68s → 3066.52s]  now danbury pipeline which is now owned by exxon mobil the one i told you that
[3066.52s → 3072.44s]  goes from the jackson dome to the houston um it's not without its safety
[3072.44s → 3075.80s]  incidents or its accidents they've had over
[3075.80s → 3079.88s]  seven 17 leaks since uh 2011.
[3080.12s → 3081.72s]  if you look up surplash in
[3081.72s → 3084.92s]  mississippi you'll see where there was a pipeline break
[3084.92s → 3087.96s]  that was a i think an eight-inch pipeline that ruptured
[3087.96s → 3096.44s]  um it was due to a landslide uh had a heavy rain it busted and
[3096.44s → 3100.68s]  it sent co2 to surplash in mississippi a cloud co2
[3100.68s → 3105.40s]  in that form holds to the ground it's insistent it takes the oxygen out the
[3105.40s → 3108.84s]  air you can't breathe emergency equipment
[3108.84s → 3111.08s]  fire departments first responders
[3111.24s → 3114.92s]  couldn't even get to the people because it shut their vehicles down
[3114.92s → 3118.96s]  when you're in a co2 cloud everything shuts down
[3118.96s → 3124.68s]  the people shut down uh 40 over 40 50 people went to the hospital
[3124.68s → 3129.55s]  um it was uh cleared up but these are the risks that comes with
[3129.55s → 3133.87s]  this for what injecting a natural gas
[3133.87s → 3140.68s]  it kind of goes back to why and uh i believe uh mark talked a little bit more
[3140.68s → 3144.28s]  about this but the why is is
[3144.28s → 3149.02s]  the market it is demanding low carbon products
[3149.02s → 3152.72s]  these low carbon products being demanded by europe
[3152.72s → 3157.88s]  by the indian markets because because their mandates on
[3157.88s → 3164.92s]  greenhouse gases they've been mandated by their nations
[3164.92s → 3172.20s]  to capture carbon get emissions down before they can sell or buy products in
[3172.20s → 3173.16s]  their countries
[3173.40s → 3176.84s]  and so that's why all this industry is coming to louisiana
[3176.84s → 3181.98s]  because as mark will show you louisiana wrote
[3181.98s → 3185.29s]  blueprint for carbon capture and sequestration
[3185.29s → 3188.65s]  i'm telling you it is dangerous extremely dangerous
[3188.65s → 3190.89s]  there's a lot of things dangerous there's a lot of things that come at a
[3190.89s → 3193.61s]  risk but this is not one that we should gamble
[3193.61s → 3197.90s]  with alan parrish alan parrish tried to pass
[3197.90s → 3202.09s]  an ordinance to keep the co2 pipeline from their
[3202.09s → 3205.10s]  schools they tried to place an ordinance they
[3205.58s → 3210.81s]  saw a co2 pipeline coming no closer than than 2500 feet
[3210.81s → 3214.84s]  from the school half a mile away from the school
[3214.84s → 3218.60s]  exile mobile threatened to sue them because they did not have primacy
[3218.60s → 3222.68s]  the state has it and they had to pull that and to pull back that ordinance
[3222.68s → 3228.81s]  you know what the state law is 500 feet the co2 pipeline ruptures near school or
[3228.81s → 3233.12s]  community you don't have time to get back you
[3233.12s → 3237.69s]  know you can't even get first responders and we're talking about the millers and the
[3237.85s → 3246.44s]  of tons, millions of tons in these pipelines that's going to the ground over a year.
[3246.44s → 3255.04s]  So as a nursery owner, as a father, as a grandfather of seven, I have to speak some truth to this.
[3255.04s → 3263.47s]  Just on the benefit of knowing that I've done something to try to protect the future of
[3263.47s → 3265.08s]  my grandchildren.
[3265.08s → 3270.07s]  So I'm asking you to please support this resolution.
[3270.07s → 3271.07s]  Why do you not?
[3271.07s → 3272.48s]  Am I done?
[3272.48s → 3273.48s]  Okay.
[3273.48s → 3281.12s]  So why, why, um, I'm asking you to do this because industry at some point it will happen.
[3281.12s → 3286.64s]  Industry will come to your parish and they're going to dangle a golden carrot in front of
[3286.64s → 3287.67s]  you.
[3287.67s → 3292.67s]  They're going to say, here's this multi-billion dollar plant that's coming to your, to your,
[3292.67s → 3293.67s]  um, your community.
[3293.67s → 3297.44s]  We're going to offer so many jobs.
[3297.44s → 3300.40s]  And, um, you have a tax base.
[3300.40s → 3302.04s]  That's good.
[3302.04s → 3303.04s]  Parishes are broke.
[3303.04s → 3304.04s]  They need money.
[3304.04s → 3305.04s]  I'm hearing tonight.
[3305.04s → 3314.40s]  And, um, but when that, that's going to come with risk, it's going to come with the, uh,
[3314.40s → 3320.56s]  eminent domain that Mark was talking about your property being taken from you without
[3320.56s → 3321.56s]  any recourse.
[3321.56s → 3322.56s]  You have no recourse.
[3322.56s → 3327.97s]  It could be a foreign thing and take your property away from you and our legislators
[3327.97s → 3328.97s]  gave them that authority.
[3328.97s → 3329.97s]  So on that golden carrot.
[3329.97s → 3334.57s]  Golden carrot comes before you and says, here's the industry, here's the jobs.
[3334.57s → 3338.37s]  Let me give you an example from my parish of what has happened.
[3338.37s → 3339.37s]  We have an industry.
[3339.37s → 3343.72s]  So I guess people like renewables have come to our parish.
[3343.72s → 3347.76s]  This is a $2.8 billion a build out.
[3347.76s → 3351.82s]  It is a, um, uh, bio fuels plant.
[3351.82s → 3358.02s]  They're going to take a seed stock from the forest industry, uh, wood products, and they're
[3358.02s → 3359.22s]  going to convert that into a biofuel.
[3359.22s → 3360.22s]  Okay.
[3360.26s → 3366.41s]  Methanol, uh, they will transport it on the red river, send it out to the gulf offshore.
[3366.41s → 3370.33s]  It's going to go to European markets.
[3370.33s → 3371.33s]  So here's the carrot.
[3371.33s → 3380.94s]  Uh, we're going to promise you so many jobs, um, we're going to promise you a tax base,
[3380.94s → 3385.61s]  but as you know, when industry comes in, the first thing the state's going to do is offer
[3385.61s → 3388.67s]  them the tax, the industrial tax exemption program.
[3388.67s → 3391.02s]  And prior to 2016.
[3391.02s → 3392.02s]  Okay.
[3392.02s → 3393.52s]  That was a hundred percent exemption.
[3393.52s → 3403.63s]  You get no ad blue tax, John Edwards, um, changed that in 2016 to 80% tax.
[3403.63s → 3410.58s]  So you're left with 20% for 10 years over what they're going to make over that 10 years
[3410.58s → 3415.16s]  is you're stepping over pin dollars to pick up pennies.
[3415.16s → 3416.16s]  Seriously.
[3416.16s → 3420.98s]  It promised a hundred and nine jobs to us, but this past March, uh, they applied for
[3420.98s → 3421.98s]  a jobs.
[3421.98s → 3428.94s]  a jobs account meaning they come it is the state works with these industries to help them build it
[3428.94s → 3434.22s]  to the i mean sell it to the public hey we're going to bring these jobs 109 jobs and they
[3434.22s → 3440.94s]  are allowed to advertise that even more indirect look 1500 jobs for construction temporarily it's
[3440.94s → 3447.45s]  gone um what they don't tell you is the state allows them to opt out so they the state doesn't
[3447.45s → 3456.06s]  get sued because if they hold them to 109 jobs and then 10 years down the road there's innovation
[3456.06s → 3462.22s]  now uh innovation comes in and we really don't need those 109 no more and we can do it with uh
[3462.22s → 3469.02s]  20. so the state doesn't want to get sued so they allows them to opt out these jobs but basically
[3469.02s → 3475.18s]  what they're saying is that industries coming in we're going to give you so much uh in tax
[3476.38s → 3478.62s]  base we're going to give you these jobs
[3478.70s → 3485.10s]  but in reality you're stuck with nothing and for us in central louisiana not only
[3485.10s → 3492.44s]  we stuck with this industry that may fold up we don't know uh this is based on methanol
[3492.44s → 3499.48s]  and let me tell you what um the uh secretary mark rubio he just made it publicly public he said
[3500.20s → 3507.48s]  the u.s is not going to be held hostage to the climate agenda a climate change agenda a green deal
[3509.08s → 3518.12s]  a maritime association mandating that these fuels be developed low carbon he said we're not going to
[3518.12s → 3523.16s]  be um health hostage is what his word was we're not going to be held hostage to this
[3524.54s → 3531.56s]  yet we still have this industry in louisiana and and that's because i believe the blueprint
[3532.28s → 3539.56s]  was built a long time ago to take on this industry because of the tax incentives that we have in the
[3539.72s → 3544.60s]  world and the way that we have available to these industries so i'm cautioning you it will happen
[3544.60s → 3550.76s]  at some point um and it's going to be a big carrot that you're going to have to contend with but you
[3550.76s → 3555.40s]  know we deal with you deal with risk all day long i mean i do we deal with risk we get in our vehicle
[3555.40s → 3560.46s]  there's no guarantee we understand this but this is a risk you're going to have to contend with
[3560.46s → 3566.67s]  is it worth the pollution of our drinking water look at that if y'all don't know what's going on
[3566.67s → 3570.27s]  like more paul go talk to these folks they want to put they want to put
[3570.43s → 3575.52s]  their money into these wells under lake marco and that area is just riddled with in-holes and
[3575.52s → 3580.16s]  previous wells it will work its way up it will come up and it will go into lake marco
[3580.16s → 3585.12s]  it will destroy there's a gentleman that you can you can google search his name is
[3585.12s → 3592.48s]  hulk dunlap um he's he's got a you got a potty now but he's been in the industry for 40 years
[3592.48s → 3596.80s]  he's running for texas commissioner i mean rural commissioner not texas and he's been
[3596.80s → 3601.68s]  dealing with these these pipelines he's been dealing with eor go look at the
[3601.84s → 3608.43s]  mess that texas is dealing with they're look what's happening to their water aquifers that's
[3608.43s → 3612.59s]  why they're wanting to take it out of the ben because they're running out of water they've
[3612.59s → 3618.91s]  already painted their aquifers but salt salt water coming up it's just dangerous and i just
[3618.91s → 3624.19s]  thank you for letting me speak with you if you have any questions feel free to ask like i said
[3624.19s → 3629.71s]  i'm not an expert but it took me it took me roughly six months to educate myself and said
[3629.71s → 3631.79s]  this is not good for louise
[3632.03s → 3639.26s]  uh industry does not have to capture carbon there is no mandate on the federal level
[3639.26s → 3643.42s]  there is no mandate in europe it's just a requirement that you want to sell products
[3643.42s → 3648.06s]  in europe that's not a requirement here in louisiana so industry is taking advantage
[3648.06s → 3654.44s]  of the federal subsidies just so they can sell their product at a premium in europe i tell you
[3654.44s → 3661.68s]  all the all the natural gas we got in louisiana our electricity bills would you agree should be
[3662.48s → 3664.32s]  nothing we should
[3664.40s → 3671.60s]  be powering louisiana with this not selling it and trying to make profit off the backs of taxpayers
[3671.60s → 3678.16s]  to go supply your that's you know i i'm not against the industry i'll just tell you i'm
[3678.16s → 3685.04s]  a french republican vote put a republican on my life and guys republicans gave us this
[3686.01s → 3691.29s]  and that's what's really upsetting about it that's all i got to say any questions
[3691.29s → 3695.45s]  i do i got a couple of questions yes sir what happens uh what kind of
[3695.77s → 3702.73s]  t do they give you if they show up on their pipes what what are their risks what is the term of
[3702.73s → 3711.82s]  their risk well um the uh the pipeline well the injection wells that we've been seeing
[3711.82s → 3720.49s]  in the permitting is going between 20 and 30 years the legislators gave a liability cap at 50 years
[3720.49s → 3726.57s]  so the legislate when the lobbyists for this industry carbon capture sequestration uh we're
[3727.21s → 3732.65s]  going desde a cv help write this legislation because they did it's obviously you can
[3732.65s → 3738.09s]  see that when they wrote this register legislation uh they put liabilities for this industry these
[3738.25s → 3746.12s]  uh injection operators 50 years now here's what happens if you don't sign their contract
[3747.08s → 3752.09s]  they'll take it from you they'll do eminent domain and then you have nothing
[3752.09s → 3757.21s]  they take it from you it's not you it's not forcing you into a new kind of forcing you to fathering a contract
[3758.97s → 3766.76s]  it is taken from you if you don't allow for the ether the co2 injection plume and an injection
[3766.76s → 3775.60s]  plume it could be anywhere from 15 to 40,000 acres depends on the uh the well size what they
[3775.60s → 3783.64s]  what they get permitted for but between 15 and 40,000 acres um that plume that pore space that
[3783.64s → 3789.88s]  where that co2 is injected it belongs to you don't know in louisiana we own from the center
[3789.88s → 3797.51s]  to the sky that's our property it's on our property that's our we own it but they want
[3797.51s → 3802.59s]  to run a pipeline or if they want to put a co2 injection well on your property your neighbor's
[3802.59s → 3806.41s]  property and you don't want a contract you say i don't want this stuff in my property
[3806.41s → 3814.40s]  you got no recourse none they will take your property it's mark will go over that it will
[3814.40s → 3815.76s]  take your property from you
[3815.78s → 3822.10s]  so to answer what this what it is i mean the contracts can go out through 20 to 30 years
[3822.74s → 3828.10s]  so at the end of 50 years when their liabilities are what's up with the liability you do you're
[3828.10s → 3832.90s]  the landowner state washes their hands off then your kids your grandkids are dealt with this
[3832.90s → 3838.58s]  and i promise you i promise you when i looked at dr gribn up upton you don't know who he is
[3838.58s → 3845.06s]  he's uh he's he's uh he's a doctor lsu who uh kind of spearheaded the co2
[3845.78s → 3851.30s]  uh carb encapsulate sequestration here in louisiana along with the scientists and the
[3851.30s → 3857.94s]  geologists and economics professors from lsu like they came to our parish and i asked doctor upton
[3857.94s → 3863.62s]  i said can you guarantee that this will not contaminate our aquifer can you guarantee it
[3863.62s → 3871.10s]  won't leave there's no guarantee i just i don't understand why they want to do this it's just
[3872.12s → 3877.32s]  flip flip oil and gas upside down i mean guys we haven't even talked about liabilities
[3877.48s → 3882.66s]  your insurance rate you know when this stuff gets injected under your property if your property
[3882.66s → 3893.09s]  gets injected or the co2 gas line having talked about interest rates insurance and we're paying
[3893.09s → 3899.23s]  the highest insurance rates in the country right now now imagine you've got a co2 uh plume under
[3899.23s → 3905.91s]  your property you're not knowing do you have that liability but it comes with an industrial waste
[3905.91s → 3911.35s]  certificate can you believe it just every time i think about this what the legislators did to us
[3911.91s → 3917.49s]  like enforcing this on us if you don't agree to their contract they'll take your land from you
[3918.13s → 3923.81s]  then they're going to inject industrial waste under your property and give you the certificate
[3923.81s → 3927.49s]  and says okay there it is so when you get ready to sell your property if you want to sell your
[3927.49s → 3931.97s]  property you've got to disclose you've got hazardous waste in your property you don't
[3931.97s → 3935.81s]  have oil and gas look how valuable oil and gas is
[3936.53s → 3944.85s]  you can keep your mineral rights even after you sell your property it's just but it is um
[3945.73s → 3950.85s]  and there's one more thing that if this plumes under your property and you think you have oil
[3950.85s → 3954.77s]  and gas under your property there's there's not an oil and gas company that's going to
[3954.77s → 3962.00s]  come drill through a co2 plant so now your mineral rights are stranded it's just not good
[3963.44s → 3969.43s]  that was my next question what happens to the rest of my mineral rights you stream that's not we've
[3970.47s → 3977.11s]  got to stop talking about this he said do not don't stop you you've got to stop it in Louisiana
[3977.11s → 3981.59s]  do not let co2 be done in your state well the governor will say if we don't do it they're
[3981.59s → 3986.82s]  going to send it to Texas and Mississippi no they're not they they don't know don't look what's
[3986.82s → 3992.02s]  happening in the premium basin i mean their property owners right mean property and landowners
[3992.02s → 3996.74s]  I'm not talking about corporations the landowners don't look what they're having to deal with out in
[3996.74s → 3998.34s]  west west Texas I mean it's horrible what's happening you're going to send it to the senate
[3998.34s → 3998.58s]  here what are they doing with their property landowners i mean we've got how much water they have
[3998.58s → 3998.74s]  i mean we're trying to look at the right thing for we have to And that's an now for the next one we'rei
[3998.74s → 3998.82s]  going to meet and figure out what happens to the rest of immanuel como AWS and the rest of us across west texas i
[3998.82s → 4000.28s]  I mean, it's horrible what's happening.
[4000.70s → 4004.34s]  But everybody saw the instant money that they were making in the beginning,
[4004.76s → 4010.04s]  and now they're paying the consequences because they're 1,800 years, you know,
[4010.22s → 4013.02s]  behind and they've been over there doing this for a long time,
[4013.12s → 4014.36s]  and now it's catching up to them.
[4014.82s → 4018.24s]  So, yes, you've got a CO2 plume under your property.
[4019.31s → 4021.05s]  I've talked to the oil and gas companies.
[4021.05s → 4022.87s]  They're not going to come drill through that.
[4022.97s → 4023.87s]  It is too dangerous.
[4023.87s → 4029.63s]  This stuff is, it's in the, to condense it to the volatile state,
[4029.75s → 4031.09s]  let me put it to you this way.
[4031.21s → 4035.51s]  A can of Coke has CO2, but that's food-grade CO2.
[4036.77s → 4043.25s]  Food-grade CO2 is different than the CO2 that is being injected under your ground.
[4044.01s → 4048.71s]  And a can of Coke has roughly two to three grams of CO2.
[4050.00s → 4053.62s]  You shake it up, go shoot it with a .22, watch what happens.
[4053.62s → 4054.64s]  It'll blow up.
[4055.47s → 4056.07s]  All right?
[4056.57s → 4062.43s]  This CO2 is being pressurized at about 2,400 psi on this pipe.
[4063.69s → 4067.39s]  Eight-inch pipe, 36-inch pipe, 24-inch pipe.
[4068.49s → 4071.43s]  We've been, we have seen from Princeton University,
[4071.59s → 4076.39s]  we have seen reports where they're projecting 30, 48-inch pipes on the west side,
[4076.79s → 4082.37s]  on the east side of Texas, and two 48-inch pipes on the west, not Texas, Louisiana,
[4082.55s → 4083.77s]  on the west side of Louisiana.
[4084.11s → 4086.07s]  Why aren't these 48-inch pipes pluming?
[4086.37s → 4092.30s]  Well, up in the Midwest, they have methanol plants, I mean, ethanol plants,
[4092.66s → 4095.04s]  the corn plants that grow the corn, ethanol.
[4095.56s → 4100.98s]  Now they've realized that they can capture the CO2 and get the 45-year tax credit from the government.
[4102.24s → 4103.86s]  So now they're converting a lot of that.
[4104.38s → 4106.24s]  And now they're willing to push this stuff here.
[4106.40s → 4108.78s]  That's why I say Louisiana has just opened the door.
[4108.84s → 4111.42s]  They wrote the legislation to let it happen.
[4111.54s → 4112.36s]  They opened the door.
[4112.66s → 4114.88s]  That's why you're seeing all this industry.
[4114.88s → 4117.14s]  The 40, I mean, the $71 billion.
[4117.46s → 4121.30s]  That's our economic package that Governor Landrieu's talking about.
[4121.68s → 4123.90s]  A lot of this is carbon.
[4124.22s → 4126.70s]  AI data centers, they're popping up.
[4127.62s → 4129.30s]  But what are they popping up without?
[4130.76s → 4131.96s]  The electrical generation.
[4132.76s → 4134.90s]  Where are they getting the power for these data centers?
[4135.10s → 4138.03s]  Well, they're going to build electrical power plants.
[4138.29s → 4141.71s]  Many of them are going to run off the LNG that we have,
[4141.71s → 4143.81s]  which we should be running our own power plants.
[4143.81s → 4145.93s]  And that's a whole other ballgame.
[4146.19s → 4148.96s]  But anyhow, they're going to still qualify.
[4148.96s → 4153.52s]  They're going to qualify for that 45-year tax credit if they capture the carbon, and they will.
[4153.52s → 4167.30s]  They have, y'all, there's, right now, there's 32 projects with roughly 104 projected injection wells just for Louisiana.
[4167.30s → 4171.45s]  And most of that's going to go into the Sheikah Locker.
[4171.45s → 4178.91s]  When Governor Landrieu signed that moratorium, if you're not aware of it, he signed a moratorium on any future carbon.
[4178.91s → 4179.77s]  And that's going to go into the Sheikah Locker.
[4179.77s → 4179.87s]  And that's going to go into the Sheikah Locker.
[4179.87s → 4180.09s]  That's going to go into the Sheikah Locker.
[4180.11s → 4181.75s]  But four, we're requiring capture and sequestration projects.
[4182.49s → 4184.71s]  It didn't stop at 32 projects.
[4184.89s → 4185.57s]  It was 33.
[4186.45s → 4188.01s]  One company pulled out.
[4188.35s → 4189.13s]  There's 32 now.
[4189.39s → 4190.99s]  About 104 injection wells.
[4191.61s → 4194.01s]  Guys, what's that moratorium lifts?
[4195.41s → 4201.13s]  We're talking 300 applications waiting right now to come into Louisiana for injection wells.
[4202.17s → 4203.69s]  It's just mind-blowing.
[4203.93s → 4208.52s]  I'm asking you, for your grandchildren, approve this resolution.
[4209.46s → 4210.10s]  It's not.
[4210.10s → 4216.58s]  you're not passing a law it's just a resolution that says you reflect that until industry until
[4216.58s → 4222.98s]  the government can prove that this is safe and reliable with guarantees and we don't want it
[4223.54s → 4229.75s]  that's that's all i can say any more questions yes sir i'd like to move up item 13d
[4231.10s → 4239.75s]  you don't mind i would i would like if we would though to entertain uh uh colonel mark
[4239.75s → 4248.76s]  i'm ready to vote but not only for us but and let me give you a quick background what happened
[4249.83s → 4254.15s]  i was abreast of the meeting they were having in thibodeau what two weeks ago i guess it was
[4254.15s → 4258.31s]  a couple of weeks ago i got an email and when i seen the carbon capture
[4259.32s → 4263.08s]  i was highly interested in it i was very interested in if i will perish
[4264.52s → 4271.40s]  because i'm also on the louisiana police juror association on the executive board and i went to
[4272.04s → 4278.06s]  a function in december it was mixed emotions of what was going on some was for it some was against
[4278.06s → 4283.58s]  it i didn't know nothing about it so i said heck i want to get educated on it someone's telling me
[4283.58s → 4287.50s]  hey they're going to come and offer us 10 15 20 million dollars a year
[4287.50s → 4293.69s]  that our parish would be collecting right so i was then interested in going to find out which
[4293.69s → 4300.33s]  it's all about we could use 20 million dollars in this parish and it's a mall so so i get the email
[4300.89s → 4301.45s]  in uh
[4302.44s → 4308.68s]  and what caught my attention was was that and then also the intimate domain and i'm thinking what the
[4308.68s → 4314.44s]  heck is that all about i don't know too much about that i want to go find out how we can exclude from
[4314.44s → 4321.19s]  that intimate domain so uh i i sent a text to a couple of the councilmen and and uh rodney replied
[4321.19s → 4325.83s]  back and he says i don't really feel like going i said i'm going a little while lady call me back he
[4325.83s → 4331.59s]  said i'll ride with you so we went and the whole way riding the thibodeau we talking about man the
[4331.59s → 4332.59s]  great projects we could do we could do we could do we could do we could do we could do we could do we could
[4332.59s → 4337.79s]  do with all this money right and uh so we we already kind of figuring out how we're going
[4337.79s → 4344.34s]  to spend all this money we're fixing to get we get to the meeting and these two guys plus another one
[4344.34s → 4349.30s]  that was talking and about halfway through and i looked at rodney he looked at me he says what
[4349.30s → 4355.44s]  you think i said man we got a problem i didn't come here for this i i'm sorry i heard this
[4356.16s → 4362.16s]  but i'm grateful i heard it because i'm gonna tell you uh man i got 17 grand babies
[4363.36s → 4372.32s]  war on the way and you know this stuff scared me enough before i left uh i went from excited about
[4372.32s → 4378.36s]  having it to i want a copy of the resolution it just so happened two weeks ago iberia parish
[4378.36s → 4386.88s]  passed the resolution the same resolution against it in uh president larry shard it adamantly told
[4386.88s → 4392.94s]  me you got to be against this you got to and i said hold on man hold on y'all got all kind of
[4392.94s → 4398.64s]  industry in iberia we're struggling with some extra money he said i don't care about the money
[4398.64s → 4403.12s]  i'm telling you when you find out the truth of this and nobody can really tell me the truth about
[4403.12s → 4409.30s]  it until i went and sat in that meeting for a couple hours it took a lot of notes and uh i got
[4409.30s → 4414.26s]  the copy of the recording i headed forward to all the council members so y'all could be abreast of
[4414.26s → 4419.78s]  what was going on and it it scared the hell out of me enough to say i want this resolution on this
[4419.78s → 4423.08s]  agenda you know and i was grateful
[4423.30s → 4428.80s]  enough to reach out to these guys and he looked short notice uh he called me this morning and they
[4428.80s → 4435.32s]  flew in just to be here tonight to explain this because of the severity of this you know so it's a
[4435.32s → 4442.48s]  uh it's a scary thing uh and we got two honorable gentlemen here that both served our military you
[4442.48s → 4447.38s]  know so they're not here correct me if i'm wrong is there any money in it for you guys
[4447.38s → 4453.28s]  do it you will let me let me say this you will say you will say you will say you will say you will say
[4453.30s → 4463.94s]  because we're on target we are on target we are right in this you see industry now tapping into
[4463.94s → 4469.62s]  a conservative media network or conservative outlets um we just had an article written up
[4470.18s → 4480.35s]  against us in the hayride of all publications that we are uh leftist liberal george sorrell's
[4480.35s → 4483.81s]  funded group i mean it just blows my mind
[4483.81s → 4496.80s]  no guys i'm it's not this is common this has nothing to do with party this has to do with
[4497.60s → 4501.84s]  right and wrong and i'm telling you it's wrong it's being pushed down our throats
[4501.84s → 4507.52s]  fast and heavy it's coming from the top it's coming from baton rouge and it's coming from
[4507.52s → 4515.36s]  industry we're not against industry we're just against this carbon capture listen even carbon
[4515.36s → 4518.88s]  captures they want to capture carbon there's many opportunities there's many
[4518.96s → 4524.24s]  products used with carbon dioxide burning fertilizer there's many aspects
[4525.81s → 4532.72s]  say oh we got and into it under the ground we gotta we got to take this little gas
[4532.72s → 4538.08s]  and then i say little do you know how much carbon dioxide makes up of the atmosphere
[4538.08s → 4542.37s]  that we're breathing right now it's going to blow you away blew me away
[4544.61s → 4551.09s]  if i'm in order can we hear mark's presentation now yeah and mark keep in mind gary's already
[4551.33s → 4562.59s]  both of your time but it's 0.4 percent of the atmosphere you can look that up yourself 0.4
[4563.39s → 4577.09s]  and mankind's contribution to that is 11 of the 0.04 correct 0.04 that's how much carbon dioxide
[4577.09s → 4583.92s]  but yet it's enough to turn god's creation green and give us oxygen and breathe just leave it
[4583.92s → 4591.68s]  where it's at thank you thank you thank you very much thank you uh gary mr martin gilery
[4591.68s → 4598.90s]  i'm sure thank you for having us here and letting us talk to you uh mr president thank you and
[4598.90s → 4604.66s]  obviously all gilts members my name is colonel retired martin gilery i'm up from pine grove
[4604.66s → 4610.18s]  louisiana so we are your cousins to the north and you probably haven't heard a lot about
[4610.42s → 4614.98s]  why we're here and this is why we're here uh going off through you can't see this from up
[4614.98s → 4619.70s]  there at least i wouldn't be able to but i'm going to pass this around if you take a look at this
[4619.70s → 4623.54s]  and it's blood right down there same matter prayers in this little grounding
[4624.18s → 4638.16s]  what's in that brown area that brown area is the chicago it produces 48 percent of the underground
[4638.16s → 4643.12s]  drinking water from louisiana that same aquifer you're getting your water out of it i'm getting
[4643.12s → 4647.50s]  mine out so we're just not your cousins from the north that you're trying to bring a problem
[4647.58s → 4653.44s]  to you it's your problem too and when this uh when this stuff goes in the ground i don't know
[4653.44s → 4659.84s]  what's going to go he talked about uh dr greg uh recently i was on flight came back uh earlier
[4660.64s → 4666.18s]  over this weekend this past weekend was reading through one of his papers and he was talking about
[4666.18s → 4671.86s]  what we're going to need to do in order to make probably capture and support this question part
[4671.86s → 4677.22s]  how would it make it work uh he talks about the fact that the ground we don't know where it's
[4677.22s → 4677.70s]  going to go
[4678.42s → 4686.26s]  can sort of model i'm not very sure it's going to move it is in his uh his document that he wrote
[4686.26s → 4690.74s]  and he said it's going to move and because of that we're going to have to do some things with the law
[4690.74s → 4696.72s]  in order to make it and make it work so those are some things i want to talk to you about
[4696.72s → 4703.06s]  gary's saying we're pro-industry he's absolutely right you're looking at a kid whose daddy worked
[4703.06s → 4710.02s]  offshore uh for with penrod drilling companies some of you know what that is 30 years that helped
[4710.50s → 4715.30s]  him become a thinker and there's a lot of blackmailing in his book there's a lot to learn
[4715.30s → 4722.35s]  about this and so let's talk to you about how that works and because of that uh he's put a few
[4722.35s → 4727.18s]  of these things into practice you're gonna spend the time to help and i still want to look into
[4727.18s → 4731.74s]  those and look at what's in the into the world because it's the time of the day when we have
[4732.94s → 4740.35s]  it and you don't know what's in the world but he does it because he's looking at the issues
[4740.35s → 4741.07s]  and he's looking at the issues that we're supposed to be dealing with and he's looking at what's in
[4741.07s → 4745.17s]  the world because he's looking at the problems that we're starting to solve so just thinking about
[4745.33s → 4755.95s]  absolutely coexist. It can. And an industry and government, obviously, an industry and our rights
[4755.95s → 4764.04s]  can coexist. Our rights, life, to liberty. And that's one of the things that Gary was talking
[4764.04s → 4770.58s]  about. And I'm going to give you an explanation for that. He talked about EOR. He talked about
[4770.58s → 4778.28s]  this is not an anti-EOR thing. EOR, as he pointed out, is pure sanctity. Sanctity to breathe in
[4778.28s → 4783.79s]  and out. And that's pushed in there to pull up some oils and get some more out of these
[4783.79s → 4789.40s]  fresh waters to have. We like that idea. It's a good idea. But that CO2 they put in there,
[4789.84s → 4794.38s]  most of that's pulled out and used again. This CO2 they're talking about, as he said,
[4794.86s → 4804.45s]  is captured and is stored in the ground. The question is why. He talked about the CO2 being
[4804.45s → 4811.76s]  0.4% of the atmosphere. It is the cycle of life. CO2 helps things turn green.
[4812.68s → 4813.16s]  Things turn green.
[4813.18s → 4818.68s]  CO2 makes our earth green. It helps us to be able to breathe and to live. You compress it at
[4818.68s → 4824.14s]  2,000 plus pounds and you put it in a pipeline and then you shove it in the ground with some
[4824.14s → 4829.31s]  extra goodies in there, now you've got some problems. When it goes to that aquifer picture
[4829.31s → 4833.97s]  that I'm sharing with all of you that you're taking a look at, that's our aquifer. It's yours
[4833.97s → 4842.47s]  and it's mine. And if this pipe, instead, as you push this CO2 down through that aquifer to get to
[4842.47s → 4843.55s]  the storage areas,
[4843.85s → 4850.81s]  and if any of those pipes begin to leak, then we've got carbonic acid on our hands, all of us,
[4850.81s → 4857.12s]  because it's all of ours. Now I'm talking about economic development. We need it. But you know
[4857.12s → 4865.12s]  what I'm not after? I'm not after destroying the only water source that all of us have. What good
[4865.12s → 4870.80s]  is my property value going to be when the water is carbonic acid? You can't grow anything, but
[4870.80s → 4877.35s]  guess what you can do? You can't drink it. Our families can't live here anymore. Our property
[4877.35s → 4877.49s]  values will be ruined. We can't drink it. We can't drink it. We can't drink it. We can't drink it.
[4877.49s → 4877.51s]  We can't drink it. We can't drink it. We can't drink it. We can't drink it. We can't drink it.
[4877.51s → 4881.82s]  Our property values will be worthless, because who's going to buy that? So it becomes something
[4881.82s → 4888.52s]  very important for all of us to think about. Well, how do we end up where we are? What happens?
[4892.79s → 4898.71s]  There is a thing called eminent domain, and it does exist. Eminent domain is an inherently
[4898.71s → 4907.16s]  government power. You all know that. What can we use eminent domain for? Eminent domain is used
[4907.16s → 4912.95s]  for things that are considered utilities. If I need to put up a power line, I have the authority.
[4915.19s → 4917.75s]  Thank you. I have the authority, or the government would have the authority,
[4917.75s → 4921.03s]  the authority to determine based on what is public purpose
[4921.75s → 4929.11s]  and public necessity by the judicial branch who make that decision. And then that property that
[4929.11s → 4936.09s]  would be taken and the owner will have to be fully compensated to the full extent of their loss.
[4936.73s → 4940.49s]  The Constitution is where we start from, all of us. Louisiana's Constitution,
[4941.29s → 4947.61s]  Article 1, Section 4, is one of the strongest property rights protections across the country.
[4948.17s → 4954.15s]  gets really good. It digs into if the government really thinks that it wants some land, it's got
[4954.15s → 4960.89s]  to really, really, really want it. And even then, a jury of our peers gets to decide. And the whole
[4960.89s → 4966.27s]  other branch gets to decide. The judicial branch decides whether it's public purpose, whether it's
[4966.27s → 4971.42s]  necessary, and whether it can be taken. That protects all of our rights to own the property
[4971.42s → 4978.53s]  that we have. We like it, and we want to keep it that way. But when LSU took a look at this and
[4978.53s → 4982.17s]  said, these plumes are going to go all over the place, that's going to be some property rights
[4982.17s → 4987.65s]  problems, and we've got to find some ways to fix that. So they came up with this idea of unitization.
[4988.23s → 4992.45s]  Now, you're all familiar with unitization, right? So there are two things. There's pooling,
[4992.65s → 4997.87s]  and there's unitization. Pooling is about how many wells can you put over a reservoir
[4997.87s → 5002.98s]  to, you know, overtapped the reservoir. But unitization is deciding that you're going to
[5002.98s → 5008.17s]  take several pieces of property and put them into one unit. The North Secretary, the
[5008.17s → 5008.77s]  Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the
[5008.77s → 5008.79s]  Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration
[5008.79s → 5009.15s]  Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration
[5009.15s → 5009.25s]  Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration
[5009.25s → 5010.15s]  Secretary, the Consecration Secretary, the Consecration Standards Committee Facilation
[5010.15s → 5014.66s]  of Energy, has the authority to unitize a mineral area. So if you've got 10 acres, and
[5014.66s → 5019.10s]  you've got 100, and I've got 20, and she's got 5 right in the middle… well if they
[5019.10s → 5027.30s]  put the well on your land, she's going to get paid. Unitization. Because the reservoir
[5027.30s → 5034.24s]  is under her property too. This is a good thing. The commodity that comes out, everyone
[5034.24s → 5040.50s]  gets to share, and the cost to do that the well… it all comes down to money, but they
[5040.50s → 5049.41s]  ccs is doing is turning the entire unitization idea upside down so before she could still own
[5049.41s → 5056.53s]  her property rights and own all of her land but now if all of us decide that we want to have
[5057.17s → 5065.65s]  uh ccs carbon dioxide sequestered under our ground and she doesn't guess what if we all agree if 75
[5065.65s → 5073.98s]  percent or now 85 percent of people agree too bad that means we're taking her land away from her
[5073.98s → 5080.32s]  she owns the surface and all the substance now i don't let you but i don't want to be that guy who
[5080.32s → 5084.72s]  someone comes to me and says i know you don't like these but too bad the list of us decided
[5084.72s → 5091.04s]  it's all right we're going to take it from you know our constitution protected us from that
[5091.04s → 5098.48s]  very kind of thing trying to happen that we need to preserve that person we have the right to own
[5099.12s → 5108.26s]  and control our property article 1 section 4. the legislature does not have the authority
[5108.26s → 5114.13s]  to give anyone special privilege now i said the eminent domain is a real thing yes it is
[5114.13s → 5119.25s]  and title 19 the legislature lays out for us everything that can be taken
[5119.25s → 5125.41s]  uh under the power of the new domain and there's a all of those things are the same they're all
[5125.41s → 5129.62s]  utilities when it comes to carbon it is not a utility
[5130.18s → 5130.58s]  you can't
[5130.58s → 5137.97s]  attack into it and use it tap into it use it but you're going to give them authority to take that
[5137.97s → 5144.29s]  lane that's not a public purpose and it's certainly not necessary and the judicials make the decision
[5144.29s → 5152.37s]  the legislature doesn't need the authority we talked earlier about what the limits are my
[5152.37s → 5158.53s]  friend they didn't just decide that in 50 years they would no longer have any liability they gave
[5158.53s → 5168.29s]  them immunity they're literally immune this violates article uh three section three three
[5168.29s → 5168.77s]  clearly
[5170.70s → 5176.22s]  the legislature is prohibited from providing any special laws which is giving us private
[5176.22s → 5183.66s]  companies like ccs the power of eminent domain and it specifically says they are barred prohibited
[5183.66s → 5190.98s]  from giving anyone community so why would we do this we did it because when men and women like
[5190.98s → 5195.62s]  to hear about this and you hear the other side of the story which is we're trying to provide you
[5195.62s → 5199.82s]  that's yours to give you the other side of the story and now you need to think about it you have
[5199.82s → 5207.42s]  to decide that maybe this is not such a good idea special laws for special people not the way we
[5207.42s → 5213.30s]  want to run our republic i'm rather certain i would imagine that all of you would agree with
[5213.30s → 5223.52s]  that as well so thank y'all for your presentation i've been following this for a few years now
[5223.52s → 5228.00s]  listening to a radio station out of lafayette talk show and they was talking about this and
[5229.10s → 5232.38s]  some people calling how good it was but then when the citizens got involved it's like
[5232.38s → 5239.71s]  i can't see how that could benefit anybody i see a lot more danger in it than than what's
[5239.71s → 5244.30s]  gonna happen it sounds like it's a scam kind of like the solar panels i don't see no more
[5244.30s → 5248.94s]  solar panel commercials on tv or windows yeah windmill you don't see them on tv no more
[5249.66s → 5253.82s]  all the auto all this government subsidies ran out so they all shut up some of them even were
[5253.82s → 5258.82s]  far back from say already i got some calls in morgan city about they went belly up people
[5258.82s → 5268.06s]  solar panels on their house can't use them no more one other comment you know and i want
[5268.14s → 5274.62s]  the council in the public to understand even this resolution that we pass at the end of the day
[5275.34s → 5281.74s]  really means absolutely nothing because they could still walk in tomorrow and tell our parish
[5281.74s → 5285.58s]  president what they're going to do whether we like it or not is that accurate that's completely
[5285.58s → 5292.94s]  accurate so i i know title 19 uh legislate.la.gov obviously you'll probably know we'll define that
[5292.94s → 5297.66s]  in title 19 paragraph 10 and 11 gives private
[5298.30s → 5304.30s]  s industries the authority of eminent domain if they show up to you and they want to uh drill an
[5304.30s → 5309.42s]  injection well there or they want to put some sort of plume down there and they ask you to sign the
[5309.42s → 5313.90s]  lease your answer is i've heard about this i'm not interested and i don't want to do it their
[5313.90s → 5318.46s]  next response is well you can take the money we're offering you or we're going to take your land to
[5318.46s → 5324.06s]  do it anyway how do we know that we know that because we have we we're currently suing the
[5324.06s → 5328.30s]  state by the way for the unconstitutionality of these laws it's not a request for the
[5328.30s → 5336.86s]  damages we're suing against the laws in title 19 10 and 11 and in title 30 1108 1104 uh decimal
[5336.86s → 5343.50s]  two which is uh 1104 which is a unitization fees we're suing against all those because those violate
[5343.50s → 5348.30s]  the constitution of louisiana that says we have the right to only control our property
[5348.30s → 5352.62s]  so they can show up right now under the law and say buddy you got to hand it over
[5352.62s → 5358.40s]  and if you don't we'll take it and by the way the law says we can't so you're very much in danger
[5358.72s → 5367.33s]  so in that case madam chair i'd like to move up item 13b and offer that motion and i'll second it
[5368.35s → 5374.59s]  our reverend matthew second by mr mr adams the resolution opposing carbon capture and
[5374.59s → 5387.95s]  seat crustacean in the saint mary parish may i say one thing madam madam chair i 100 agree
[5387.95s → 5395.41s]  with you with the constitution how in the world did they do that that's a very good question we
[5395.89s → 5403.92s]  have two uh this is actually all started in in 2008-9 uh and the legislature at that point
[5404.48s → 5411.04s]  passed some uh some laws that declared carbon capture sequestration as a
[5411.84s → 5416.08s]  purpose and for a public good and they don't have the authority to do that as i just said
[5416.08s → 5420.72s]  the law is very clear if you're going to start taking land away that has to be a judicial
[5420.72s → 5425.84s]  decision so they began to build this this process over those few years in
[5426.08s → 5453.94s]  2020 uh in what eventually became acts uh 61 is when the legislature gave the carbon capture
[5453.94s → 5455.14s]  okay
[5455.14s → 5455.94s]  uh esta
[5455.94s → 5456.34s]  Trainwreck
[5456.34s → 5456.50s] enter
[5456.82s → 5461.24s]  Resolutions and the ordinances before you pass them. Do you know what's in there the implications?
[5461.24s → 5465.24s]  Yeah, you talk too much to shells and debate them you can bat it around because that's what it's a part
[5465.91s → 5470.79s]  But don't show up and vote for something. You didn't read it. So that's how it happened. What was going on with me to it
[5472.53s → 5475.62s]  What else?
[5476.05s → 5478.24s]  What else?
[5478.24s → 5479.67s]  What's that?
[5479.67s → 5484.23s]  That big old president selection going on. That wasn't a big deal at all. And then what else?
[5484.23s → 5489.36s]  We're riots more about the country. The country was in chaos
[5489.36s → 5497.35s]  And yet we passed our legislature passed this massive bill that did you even pay attention?
[5497.35s → 5500.65s]  What was in it? That's how it happens
[5501.88s → 5503.62s]  readings and awesome thing
[5503.62s → 5509.65s]  It was passed with bipartisan support. Absolutely the entire that most of Republicans
[5509.85s → 5513.65s]  That's why we're worries about setting up our nation. What's that about that?
[5514.11s → 5516.11s]  But regardless your party affiliation
[5516.63s → 5517.63s]  Democrats and Republicans
[5517.63s → 5521.05s]  And independents and those you didn't do either all of us drink the water
[5522.09s → 5527.93s]  None of us property taking away. It's further evidence that brains and integrity don't have a party
[5529.53s → 5532.85s]  You know, one of the things that obsessed me about it is you're exactly right
[5532.89s → 5535.85s]  but you know for those who said they didn't read it and
[5536.43s → 5538.73s]  voted for that's just negligent and
[5539.54s → 5544.76s]  Then some say I read it, but we didn't understand it and then you still vote for that's incompetence
[5544.76s → 5547.40s]  And then if you if you understood it
[5547.40s → 5551.70s]  You read it and you stood it and you voted for it. That's something entirely different. That's the life
[5551.70s → 5555.42s]  It says it's so funny and you so I don't understand the old that you thought
[5556.24s → 5561.22s]  You you all of you took that up. I don't think see the Constitution always. Yeah as well
[5561.72s → 5566.81s]  And you know, you know, you're an obligation every time you pass and want you to think to yourself
[5566.81s → 5575.13s]  Is this violate the basis of how our government was built and this violates the basic rights of property?
[5575.63s → 5577.25s]  Why is property important?
[5577.25s → 5580.70s]  So I call the question. I was I had
[5600.16s → 5602.16s]  There's a motion and a second on the floor
[5604.12s → 5608.66s]  And I called the question, okay, so we're gonna vote to call the question
[5626.10s → 5632.68s]  Now we have the original motion on the floor set first and a second for 13 D missed I know
[5632.68s → 5641.64s]  Mr. Orlando, he's absent. Mr. Hill. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Rolf. Yes, ma'am. Mr. A bear. Absolutely. Yes. Mr. Davis. Yes, ma'am
[5641.64s → 5645.14s]  Mr. Doohan. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Adams. Yes, ma'am. Dr. Rink
[5645.62s → 5647.00s]  Mrs. Hidalgo
[5647.00s → 5652.28s]  Reverend Matthews unequivocally. Yes, we have 10 yeas and one absent and the resolution carries. Thank you
[5653.43s → 5655.43s]  Thank you very much
[5655.45s → 5659.27s]  I hope that you continue to look into it. She's gonna come back around safe travels home
[5660.53s → 5671.68s]  Okay item 8 report from our
[5671.96s → 5674.92s]  Vice-president, mr. Sam Jones. I have nothing today
[5675.72s → 5683.52s]  Hey item 9 report from personnel
[5686.18s → 5691.86s]  Thank You madam chair, you've always seen the copy of my report a couple of things all the quarterly reports
[5691.86s → 5694.08s]  These different departments are attached for your review
[5694.90s → 5701.84s]  There's one resolution on tonight's agenda to consider increasing the garbage rate to the residents
[5702.08s → 5707.08s]  Only based on what the garbage rates went up for us the pelican. It's a dollar
[5707.08s → 5714.78s]  $18 a month, which is a 5% increase which is what pelican went up to the parish. So we just want to pass that along
[5715.96s → 5731.74s]  Everything else is informational if you have any questions. Andy is everything in order
[5732.92s → 5734.95s]  I'm gonna
[5734.95s → 5736.95s]  Patrick you need to exclude
[5737.05s → 5738.21s]  to
[5738.21s → 5740.54s]  to
[5740.54s → 5742.79s]  If you're gonna make a motion for approving
[5743.75s → 5749.33s]  To a needs to be left out. Can we do all these separate these?
[5750.62s → 5752.22s]  just some of my other
[5752.22s → 5756.61s]  Questions about and I don't want all in the hollow. No book Joel
[5757.13s → 5768.24s]  Okay, I'm not reading all this but nine a one a is a recommend specific use for Wilson Ferguson jr
[5768.24s → 5770.24s]  I'll offer a motion to accept that
[5770.80s → 5772.06s]  second
[5772.06s → 5776.52s]  motion by Reverend Matthew second by mr. Dave air any discussion
[5776.52s → 5784.06s]  Yes, ma'am. Is this the one one of the bunches signatures was against it and why they were against didn't have some yes, sir
[5784.66s → 5786.66s]  They did have a position
[5786.66s → 5787.30s]  Okay
[5787.30s → 5792.96s]  just because they wanted to keep the area resident is this church gonna be in
[5792.96s → 5798.95s]  the neighborhood it will be what it boils down to is one pastor doesn't want
[5798.95s → 5804.41s]  another pastor in our neighborhood period as far as I'm concerned they need
[5804.41s → 5813.76s]  to have a church on every corner in the world we live in in today maybe the
[5813.76s → 5828.78s]  majority of the people are following the doors of one of them I'm sorry who
[5828.78s → 5852.46s]  obscene I couldn't hear that's wrong dr. Rink and mr. Adams okay next is a to a
[5852.46s → 5856.40s]  that was recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission at their January 20th
[5856.40s → 5856.76s]  meeting
[5856.94s → 5873.88s]  denied rezoning for Donna Rogers I so move second second by mr. heel session
[5873.88s → 5891.44s]  all in favor opposed Harry's item to be next we have a
[5891.44s → 5895.44s]  secession of Cary this is a recommended preliminary and final subdivision
[5895.44s → 5901.22s]  development approval for a secession of Cary and Charlotte Landry so move
[5901.22s → 5902.46s]  okay
[5902.56s → 5909.35s]  by Ms. Hebert second by Dr. Rink any discussion all in favor any opposed
[5909.35s → 5914.31s]  motion carries next we have recommend preliminary and final subdivision
[5914.31s → 5921.34s]  development approval for Domino Estates ET ALDE 7 I'll move on second by Mr.
[5921.34s → 5929.40s]  Duhon second by Mr. Adams any discussion all in favor any opposed motion carries
[5929.40s → 5941.07s]  next we have recommend specific use for Freddie to court motion by Reverend
[5941.07s → 5947.82s]  Matthews second by Mr. Hebert any discussion all in favor any opposed
[5947.82s → 5957.05s]  motion carries and report of council meetings a public hearing report January
[5957.05s → 5964.43s]  14 2026 5 45 p.m. and B is public hearing report January 14 2026 5
[5964.43s → 5964.85s]  15
[5964.87s → 5970.69s]  answer into record motion by Reverend Matthews second by Mr. Hebert any
[5970.69s → 5976.15s]  discussion all in favor any opposed motion carries item 11 report of
[5976.15s → 5985.99s]  meetings other than council meetings item 12 introduction of ordinances okay
[5985.99s → 5990.37s]  12 a is for introduction and ordinance in compliance with ordinance number 1973
[5990.37s → 5995.29s]  divisions 5.4 general procedures for public hearings sections 5.4 point 3
[5995.29s → 5998.21s]  specific use permits granting a specific use
[5998.21s → 6007.86s]  for Wilson Ferguson jr. also move read all over tomorrow oh I I can I can if y'all
[6007.86s → 6012.26s]  want to do but she already said it so we'll go ahead and say so move by dr.
[6012.26s → 6022.08s]  rink okay we don't okay uh 12 B is for introduction is an ordinance declaring
[6022.08s → 6027.04s]  multiple tax adjudicated properties as surplus property and authorized a perish
[6027.04s → 6031.34s]  or receipt with the process for advertising the sale and sale of the
[6031.34s → 6036.20s]  such adjudicated properties see is for introduction is a ordinance in
[6036.20s → 6040.82s]  compliance with ordinance number 1973 divisions 5.4 general procedures for
[6040.82s → 6045.44s]  public hearing sections 5.4 point 3 specific use permits granting a specific
[6045.44s → 6057.74s]  use the move by Reverend Matthews for 12 BNC next we have under resolutions 13 B
[6057.74s → 6062.64s]  is a resolution of respect and memory of honor honorable Cedric floor mr. Adams
[6062.64s → 6071.07s]  so move so move seconded by the council any discussion I have a couple words I
[6071.07s → 6076.55s]  had the honor of working at the part of bubble up mr. Cedric was mayor he was the
[6076.55s → 6081.01s]  mayor kind of the wrong era when the city went basically bust with the
[6081.01s → 6086.15s]  off-field tax revenues was down we had layoffs we had paid cuts and all that
[6086.15s → 6090.41s]  but he battled through it he was a guy who showed up in the morning at 7 every
[6090.41s → 6094.63s]  morning didn't eat the 5 o'clock he's the only
[6094.63s → 6098.71s]  mayor out that would see at City Hall they ever did that it was it was always
[6098.71s → 6104.54s]  work look tirelessly for the city and says be sadly missed by a lot of people
[6104.54s → 6118.02s]  this is on item 13 B mr. Olander he's absent mr. Hill yes ma'am mr. Roth mr. a
[6118.02s → 6124.62s]  bear ma'am mr. Davis mr. Duhon yes ma'am mr. Adams yes ma'am dr. green yes ma'am
[6124.62s → 6129.06s]  mrs. Hidalgo yes ma'am reverend Matthews and mr. I know yes ma'am we have 10
[6129.06s → 6130.86s]  years and one absence in the resolution
[6131.10s → 6138.58s]  thank you okay do y'all would y'all like me to read C E and F together or
[6138.58s → 6145.82s]  separate C ready okay great C is a resolution authorizing is setting the
[6145.82s → 6149.54s]  monthly garbage collection service charge for each residents within the
[6149.54s → 6153.46s]  unincorporated areas of st. Mary Parish e is a resolution approving and
[6153.46s → 6157.10s]  authorizing the president to execute an amendment to the owner engineer
[6157.10s → 6161.20s]  agreement with Miller engineers and associates incorporated relative to the
[6161.20s → 6165.22s]  renovations to the Quintana canal boat launch project phase two
[6165.22s → 6169.42s]  and F is a resolution approving and authorizing the parish president to
[6169.42s → 6174.00s]  execute a contract with frisco industrial contractors LLC relative to
[6174.00s → 6178.60s]  the renovations to the Quintana canal boat launch phase two in Super Mart
[6178.60s → 6181.82s]  Point what is your wishes
[6185.72s → 6197.46s]  thank you this is on items 13 C E&L mr. Hill yes ma'am mr. Roth mr. a bear spam
[6197.46s → 6204.66s]  mr davis yes ma'am mr duhon yes ma'am mr adams yes ma'am dr rink yes ma'am mrs adalgo yes ma'am
[6204.66s → 6210.50s]  reverend matthews yes ma'am mr elena and mr olander he's absent we have 10 days and one
[6210.50s → 6221.56s]  absent and it carries thank you 14 old business a is discussion in action relative to the amendments
[6221.56s → 6226.68s]  to the saint mary parish personnel manual manual that were recommended at a previous council
[6226.68s → 6231.40s]  meeting reverend matthews yes ma'am thank you uh madam clerk madam chair i'm gonna keep my comments
[6231.40s → 6240.78s]  very brief well i'll try depends on the feedback but but particularly uh tonight i want to just
[6241.34s → 6247.69s]  go back and revisit uh first and foremost the fact that we discussed this at great length
[6248.73s → 6256.92s]  over an extended course of time and were i thought all in agreement that there were
[6257.96s → 6265.64s]  some uh there was some work some additional work that needed to go into the revision of some of
[6265.64s → 6273.53s]  these policies or some sections of this policy manual but tonight particularly i want to zero
[6273.53s → 6286.01s]  in on the section that focuses on employee concerns section 10 concerns discipline and appeals
[6287.32s → 6297.70s]  primarily because that particular section was of i think the most controversy because in its
[6297.70s → 6305.94s]  current form the manual of a policies governing concerns discipline and appeals does not provide
[6305.94s → 6314.98s]  an adequate outlet for particularly subordinate employees to air any potential grievances that
[6314.98s → 6317.62s]  they may have particularly against their supervisors
[6318.82s → 6328.49s]  and the administration and that is in my opinion that's an unfair labor practice and i've said it
[6328.49s → 6336.86s]  before i think we're we're veering on a very slippery slope by not allowing subordinate
[6336.86s → 6345.98s]  employees an appropriate avenue to air out grievances that they may have particularly with
[6346.70s → 6348.94s]  their own their immediate supervisors and their
[6349.02s → 6354.60s]  responsibilities and our management and we discussed that again at great length
[6355.24s → 6361.40s]  and i thought there was a consensus in the room in the chamber that that that particularly that
[6361.40s → 6370.10s]  section was going to be reworked uh there were a plethora of comments uh and input from
[6371.62s → 6379.22s]  subordinate employees and department heads uh alike and um to date
[6379.22s → 6388.84s]  I know that there have been multiple personnel issues that have arisen over
[6388.84s → 6393.46s]  the course of the last two years that this administration has been in place
[6393.46s → 6406.10s]  and this elected body has taken the oath of office and and I firmly believe that
[6406.10s → 6417.35s]  in the absence of a fair and equitable grievance procedure those employees are
[6417.35s → 6425.54s]  being or not being their concerns and not being fairly addressed one thing at
[6425.54s → 6431.66s]  a minimum that should happen in my opinion from experience as a seasoned
[6431.66s → 6438.72s]  administrator is that the personnel board should have the latitude to
[6438.72s → 6438.76s]  make decisions and to take the necessary steps by the decision maker that is the
[6438.76s → 6438.80s]  employee management and in the absence of a fair and equitable grievance procedure
[6438.80s → 6444.50s]  to hear employee concerns, issues, grievances, and complaints
[6444.50s → 6448.66s]  and determine whether or not they're going to rule on it
[6448.66s → 6453.06s]  or whether or not it's a matter that deserves a fair hearing
[6453.06s → 6458.27s]  since the terminology that is used in the manual is a hearing.
[6460.91s → 6467.48s]  And there specifically, there is verbiage that specifically tells an employee
[6467.48s → 6473.44s]  that one person, the director of personnel, gets to decide
[6473.44s → 6477.47s]  whether or not their grievance is heard by the personnel board.
[6478.59s → 6480.97s]  That, in my opinion, is insane.
[6482.38s → 6488.76s]  I would not work for a corporation or an entity that violates my human rights
[6488.76s → 6492.42s]  and my rights as an employee in such a way.
[6493.72s → 6499.71s]  I would not subject, as an administrator, anyone to work for me
[6499.71s → 6500.11s]  because I would not do that.
[6500.11s → 6500.13s]  I would not do that.
[6500.13s → 6504.58s]  Under those conditions, I've had employees file grievances against me
[6504.58s → 6509.20s]  because they felt that they had a right to do so
[6509.20s → 6514.06s]  and their concerns or complaints against me as an administrator were valid.
[6514.67s → 6519.59s]  And it's not up to me to decide that their complaints or concerns are not valid.
[6519.97s → 6526.50s]  There has to be another unbiased body that determines that.
[6526.84s → 6531.10s]  And so those, when the complaint is against me,
[6531.10s → 6536.73s]  or even if it's against a subordinate employee, a subordinate supervisor to me,
[6537.15s → 6542.35s]  if the ruling that I make is not sufficient or satisfactory to that employee,
[6542.59s → 6547.35s]  they have another outlet that can bypass me as the CEO,
[6547.79s → 6549.45s]  and it goes to the board of directors.
[6552.56s → 6556.28s]  And in the absence of that, this process is unfair.
[6557.17s → 6560.47s]  And it's, again, in my professional opinion,
[6560.47s → 6563.11s]  it is a violation of their rights as an employee.
[6563.11s → 6566.65s]  In the state of Louisiana and in the United States of America.
[6568.99s → 6573.75s]  And for us to accept anything less than that, shame on us.
[6574.07s → 6577.41s]  We're doing the employees that we say we value a disservice.
[6581.37s → 6588.13s]  And today, as of today, this policy still remains, as far as I know, in the same stance.
[6591.26s → 6594.20s]  And I have other areas that I'm concerned about, but tonight,
[6594.70s → 6598.10s]  that particular one I think needs to be resolved immediately.
[6598.10s → 6599.68s]  And I said it.
[6600.12s → 6601.52s]  10 or 12 months ago.
[6602.49s → 6605.59s]  And I'm appalled that it still has not been resolved.
[6605.99s → 6614.39s]  Madam Chair, can I say something?
[6615.54s → 6620.06s]  The policy was adopted back in April of 24, I believe.
[6620.92s → 6622.64s]  When this came to light, these comments,
[6622.78s → 6627.68s]  there were 55 notes that were made by a single employee of the parish.
[6628.32s → 6630.56s]  We took, we formed a little committee.
[6630.82s → 6634.32s]  People that had written the original policy went through every comment
[6634.32s → 6636.78s]  and responded amongst ourselves.
[6637.38s → 6641.38s]  And did not feel that there was a change to, that needed to be made to anything in the policy.
[6641.96s → 6645.94s]  Now, with that being said, I've, we've been operating under this policy for almost two years now.
[6646.34s → 6650.18s]  I've had one request to go before the personnel board.
[6651.00s → 6655.24s]  And the request was because an employee was denied a raise in pay,
[6655.76s → 6659.14s]  which this employee had gotten a raise in pay less than a year ago.
[6659.66s → 6663.54s]  And we had not been given raises in pay for merit only.
[6663.72s → 6667.22s]  The only raises in pay we were giving was after a person,
[6667.22s → 6667.40s]  completely.
[6667.40s → 6671.54s]  If they completed a probationary period, or if they took on additional duties,
[6671.86s → 6674.42s]  responsibilities, changed their position,
[6674.86s → 6679.18s]  or if they achieved some kind of credential that was a benefit to the parish,
[6679.46s → 6680.96s]  then we would consider a raise in pay.
[6681.30s → 6684.80s]  We were not given any merit raises because of the financial position we were in.
[6685.14s → 6686.44s]  And as far as I know,
[6686.76s → 6691.76s]  that was the only thing that was requested to go before the personnel board and
[6691.76s → 6692.72s]  our personnel director.
[6692.74s → 6696.68s]  And it's not one of the things in the policy that they can go to the personnel
[6696.68s → 6697.40s]  board for.
[6697.90s → 6699.56s]  So as far as you're saying,
[6699.56s → 6703.60s]  there's multiple problems are people requesting.
[6703.80s → 6704.38s]  I don't know.
[6704.74s → 6707.98s]  Me and the personnel director are not aware of that.
[6709.30s → 6712.52s]  So I'm sorry if I could just before you move,
[6712.52s → 6712.72s]  Mr.
[6712.72s → 6714.14s]  And if I could respond to that.
[6714.68s → 6715.10s]  So,
[6715.10s → 6715.88s]  so Mr.
[6715.88s → 6716.36s]  Paul,
[6717.19s → 6717.75s]  um,
[6718.47s → 6719.43s]  I'm not,
[6719.81s → 6724.09s]  I'm not making reference to that specific matter or issue.
[6724.79s → 6725.41s]  Um,
[6727.02s → 6727.32s]  but,
[6727.32s → 6728.26s]  but again,
[6728.26s → 6728.76s]  um,
[6728.76s → 6729.30s]  could,
[6729.30s → 6736.22s]  could it be safe to presume that perhaps request other requests that could have
[6736.22s → 6740.36s]  been made by employees for things they didn't feel,
[6740.90s → 6741.20s]  uh,
[6741.20s → 6746.20s]  in instances they didn't feel they were treated fairly or decisions were made
[6746.36s → 6747.88s]  that adversely affected them.
[6748.34s → 6752.45s]  Could they have been discouraged from coming forward because of the way the
[6752.45s → 6753.29s]  policy is written?
[6754.48s → 6757.52s]  It clearly says no way for us to know that if it's not right,
[6757.52s → 6759.24s]  you're not going to know because people are going to be,
[6759.24s → 6763.14s]  you're reluctant to come forward because this says if it doesn't fit this
[6763.14s → 6763.92s]  category,
[6764.28s → 6767.89s]  don't even bring it to me that that would discourage me.
[6769.10s → 6769.44s]  So,
[6769.44s → 6772.42s]  so I hear what you're saying,
[6772.96s → 6778.02s]  but I don't believe that is a sufficient reason to ignore the fact that the
[6778.02s → 6781.83s]  policy in its current state leaves a lot to be desired.
[6782.66s → 6783.24s]  Also,
[6784.79s → 6785.27s]  um,
[6785.27s → 6790.52s]  as it relates to the personnel director being the sole person in charge of the
[6791.44s → 6796.76s]  whole person that has the discretion to determine whether or not an
[6797.94s → 6801.12s]  employee's complaint issue or concern,
[6801.78s → 6803.93s]  uh,
[6803.93s → 6804.29s]  or,
[6804.29s → 6809.39s]  or some form of discipline warrants or is valid to be escalated beyond her
[6811.95s → 6815.34s]  attention or her purview is,
[6815.36s → 6815.72s]  is,
[6815.72s → 6821.20s]  is simply not the best fit particularly for a public agency because I believe
[6822.24s → 6822.90s]  that you open,
[6822.90s → 6823.22s]  you,
[6823.22s → 6828.93s]  we open ourselves up to possible litigation by denying an employee that
[6830.35s → 6833.11s]  opportunity to do process.
[6833.53s → 6838.53s]  And I use that phrase when this conversation first evolved that this,
[6839.37s → 6840.31s]  in my opinion,
[6840.31s → 6842.99s]  denies employees due process.
[6844.92s → 6848.94s]  I don't know if anybody up here has ever been in a situation like that as an
[6848.94s → 6850.44s]  employee that,
[6850.44s → 6850.72s]  that,
[6850.72s → 6855.34s]  that that's already subject to authorities in which you have no,
[6855.40s → 6855.64s]  no,
[6855.66s → 6856.50s]  no power.
[6856.90s → 6857.22s]  You know,
[6857.22s → 6857.52s]  you,
[6857.52s → 6857.72s]  you,
[6857.72s → 6861.81s]  you have no way to assert yourself and I'm not suggesting that the
[6861.81s → 6866.81s]  administration that you are the president or any of the supervisors that you
[6866.85s → 6870.63s]  employ would do something egregious to someone.
[6870.63s → 6874.77s]  I'm not suggesting that at all because I believe we've worked together long
[6874.77s → 6877.29s]  enough for me to have confidence that,
[6877.29s → 6878.21s]  that you're,
[6878.25s → 6880.47s]  those are not the kind of people that I work with.
[6881.52s → 6885.92s]  But my point remains that in the absence of a,
[6885.92s → 6889.66s]  of an appropriate policy that is,
[6889.66s → 6892.36s]  that is the appearance that it creates.
[6893.17s → 6898.20s]  And I'm concerned about the appearance of our local government to the people
[6898.96s → 6899.80s]  that we employ.
[6902.42s → 6903.26s]  That's my concern.
[6908.23s → 6908.47s]  Yeah.
[6908.47s → 6911.15s]  I just want to say just to kind of cut across the field,
[6911.15s → 6916.41s]  I have gotten numerous phone calls from the employee issues time and some of the
[6920.00s → 6925.16s]  complaints or concerns I thought were not valid.
[6925.16s → 6925.36s]  Yeah.
[6925.36s → 6925.48s]  Yeah.
[6925.48s → 6925.57s]  Yeah.
[6925.57s → 6925.75s]  Yeah.
[6925.75s → 6925.83s]  Yeah.
[6925.83s → 6925.99s]  Yeah.
[6925.99s → 6926.11s]  Yeah.
[6926.11s → 6926.15s]  Yeah.
[6926.15s → 6926.17s]  Yeah.
[6926.19s → 6926.31s]  Yeah.
[6926.31s → 6932.60s]  But some work and I just feel like the majority of the conversations were,
[6934.91s → 6936.13s]  but they're not gonna do anything about it.
[6937.19s → 6937.79s]  I can't get it.
[6937.79s → 6938.57s]  And I just,
[6938.57s → 6941.15s]  and I don't want to bring them to because just to be straight when I bring the,
[6941.33s → 6944.07s]  we've had conversations and then the conversation as well,
[6944.27s → 6945.77s]  just tell us we have an open door.
[6946.03s → 6946.93s]  Just tell us to come to,
[6947.15s → 6949.67s]  but everybody doesn't feel comfortable to come and talk to somebody that they
[6949.67s → 6951.09s]  have a complaint against.
[6951.09s → 6952.73s]  So I think I agree with Reverend Matthews.
[6952.95s → 6957.95s]  There should be an avenue for an employee whether it has merit or not to be able
[6958.71s → 6959.13s]  to have a conversation.
[6959.13s → 6962.73s]  I don't want to have their issue heard by somebody that's impartial,
[6963.23s → 6965.63s]  doesn't work for the government and to be seen.
[6965.63s → 6966.19s]  I just,
[6966.19s → 6970.11s]  I feel like that we have a personnel board that we put in place.
[6970.69s → 6974.69s]  I trust the people that have been put on that board to make good decisions.
[6975.23s → 6979.09s]  So I don't see there any type of what's the,
[6979.47s → 6980.31s]  what would that,
[6980.55s → 6984.83s]  what would be the detriment to allow that type of due process for an employee
[6985.11s → 6986.75s]  to be able to send it there?
[6988.24s → 6988.50s]  I mean,
[6988.50s → 6989.42s]  the policy,
[6989.42s → 6992.60s]  I think is restrictive to what can go before the board.
[6993.18s → 6996.38s]  But I think that if we knew as administration,
[6996.38s → 6997.82s]  we could handle a lot of these things.
[6998.68s → 6999.02s]  You know,
[6999.02s → 6999.52s]  I don't,
[6999.52s → 7001.60s]  I'm not aware that there are a lot and I've heard,
[7001.62s → 7003.02s]  we've had this conversation before,
[7003.38s → 7003.68s]  but I mean,
[7003.68s → 7005.06s]  if we would at least know,
[7005.36s → 7010.36s]  you know what the issue is or the perceived issue on the employee's part to
[7010.68s → 7014.28s]  give administration a fair chance to respond.
[7014.30s → 7017.92s]  I mean the employee may not know all the details,
[7017.92s → 7018.52s]  may not know,
[7018.86s → 7019.14s]  you know,
[7019.14s → 7019.32s]  exactly,
[7019.32s → 7023.94s]  exactly what's going on and I feel if an employee feels wronged or it's not
[7023.94s → 7024.66s]  being treated right,
[7024.66s → 7026.00s]  then I need to know.
[7026.34s → 7026.56s]  Right.
[7026.56s → 7027.50s]  And I agree with you on that.
[7027.56s → 7031.68s]  So what if the employee brings that to you and they state their case and they
[7031.68s → 7035.82s]  feel strongly that they've been wrong and the way our current system is set up,
[7036.20s → 7037.04s]  it's,
[7037.04s → 7039.08s]  it's denied to go further than that.
[7039.20s → 7040.14s]  It kind of dies right there.
[7040.14s → 7041.80s]  But what if that person or that employee,
[7042.00s → 7043.32s]  because we're talking about morale,
[7043.70s → 7044.16s]  which are,
[7044.54s → 7048.98s]  and I don't think it would be any added burden to the administration because we
[7048.98s → 7050.30s]  have a board that's that would hear it.
[7050.64s → 7054.02s]  So once it got to your office and you had a chance to look at it and make an
[7054.02s → 7057.08s]  assessment of it and you determine that,
[7057.08s → 7057.44s]  well,
[7057.44s → 7059.98s]  I don't think this has merit,
[7060.36s → 7063.40s]  then it goes to the personnel board and they'll figure it out and they'll say
[7063.40s → 7063.52s]  that.
[7063.52s → 7067.90s]  But I think that's a system of checks and balances that would be good in my
[7067.90s → 7068.28s]  opinion.
[7068.58s → 7068.92s]  You know,
[7068.92s → 7072.18s]  I mean I value our employees and I think they're our biggest asset.
[7072.44s → 7072.96s]  Absolutely.
[7072.96s → 7077.96s]  100% I have fought to keep everything in place for the employees with all these
[7078.06s → 7078.96s]  cuts going on.
[7079.20s → 7079.62s]  You know,
[7079.62s → 7081.12s]  I've tried to think of them first.
[7081.60s → 7082.08s]  Um,
[7082.08s → 7082.88s]  so I just,
[7082.88s → 7086.34s]  I just don't agree that we need to change the policy at this time,
[7086.40s → 7087.48s]  but I wish they would.
[7088.14s → 7091.38s]  I wish an employee would come to us with things.
[7091.68s → 7092.16s]  What if they don't?
[7092.16s → 7093.50s]  What is the business be direct?
[7093.54s → 7095.34s]  What if they feel like they don't trust the administration?
[7095.44s → 7096.48s]  What if they don't feel like they trust?
[7096.48s → 7098.30s]  I guess they need to work somewhere else and I don't know.
[7098.30s → 7099.18s]  I don't know what else to tell you.
[7101.16s → 7101.82s]  Let me phrase.
[7101.92s → 7103.86s]  Can I frame that question in a different way?
[7104.62s → 7105.02s]  What if,
[7105.02s → 7106.26s]  what if the employee,
[7106.28s → 7109.14s]  what if an employee issue,
[7109.36s → 7110.78s]  I'm trying to use the right verb,
[7110.96s → 7144.86s]  concern discipline and our appeal is related to the relationship with you and or the personnel director and they and an employee just does not feel confident that the issue concern complaint or whatever the case may be is going to be properly vetted without there being a fair hearing.
[7145.06s → 7148.34s]  Outside of the people that they have the issue with,
[7149.12s → 7149.42s]  I mean,
[7149.42s → 7150.70s]  they do have supervisors,
[7150.70s → 7152.20s]  they have directors they can go to.
[7152.20s → 7155.26s]  They have other people beside before it comes to us.
[7155.26s → 7158.50s]  So there's if they have a problem with all these people that are in charge,
[7158.52s → 7159.98s]  then you know,
[7159.98s → 7161.52s]  I question what the problem is.
[7164.00s → 7164.28s]  I mean,
[7164.28s → 7169.32s]  when we can sit here all night for what ifs and I'm sorry some people feel that way,
[7169.70s → 7177.60s]  but I think they have the channels to go through and there's gonna be somebody who who's gonna if it's a valid concern would bring it to us.
[7178.00s → 7183.28s]  But one of the things going back to your your
[7185.97s → 7195.26s]  your scenario where you pointed out there was something about a raise or merit increase that may have been denied,
[7195.26s → 7196.66s]  I think is what I heard you say.
[7198.46s → 7205.23s]  When when there is a decision to be made about a change,
[7205.25s → 7208.51s]  a change in the rate of pay for subordinate employee.
[7209.48s → 7211.14s]  If I if I remember correctly,
[7211.14s → 7211.18s]  I,
[7211.20s → 7220.20s]  I believe the current policy in its current format states that the personnel director makes that decision.
[7220.20s → 7220.74s]  Am I right?
[7221.47s → 7221.89s]  Actually,
[7221.89s → 7222.29s]  it's me.
[7222.77s → 7223.67s]  You make that decision.
[7224.20s → 7228.50s]  I make the final decision based on evaluations,
[7228.80s → 7230.38s]  feedback from supervisors,
[7230.40s → 7231.92s]  feedback from directors,
[7232.20s → 7233.62s]  feedback from people who are actually out.
[7233.62s → 7234.86s]  So there's a number of factors.
[7234.86s → 7234.96s]  Oh,
[7234.96s → 7235.30s]  yeah,
[7235.30s → 7235.80s]  absolutely.
[7236.34s → 7237.50s]  And there and I'm gonna tell you,
[7237.74s → 7241.24s]  there are some deserving employees out there who should be given merit raises.
[7241.24s → 7242.52s]  I just don't have the money.
[7242.52s → 7243.52s]  I just don't have the money.
[7243.54s → 7245.06s]  I could finish that statement for you.
[7246.74s → 7248.28s]  And I feel bad about some of that,
[7248.30s → 7248.60s]  right?
[7248.60s → 7248.90s]  So,
[7248.90s → 7249.36s]  you know,
[7249.54s → 7251.34s]  we try to be fair with everybody.
[7254.49s → 7261.92s]  I just have one specific somebody makes a comment or a joke that somebody may not think is funny.
[7264.29s → 7266.19s]  You mean some Adam in a pin off color joke,
[7266.49s → 7267.05s]  for instance,
[7267.05s → 7270.19s]  and say somebody would use the term.
[7271.18s → 7273.14s]  We have a conversation that somebody says,
[7273.58s → 7273.88s]  Oh,
[7273.88s → 7274.14s]  boy,
[7274.14s → 7274.62s]  sit down.
[7274.62s → 7274.94s]  Oh,
[7274.94s → 7275.18s]  boy,
[7275.18s → 7275.68s]  be quiet.
[7275.68s → 7278.34s]  And that goes.
[7278.34s → 7278.94s]  And I'm just saying,
[7278.94s → 7280.74s]  I'm just this is what I've heard before.
[7281.12s → 7282.30s]  Just a type of an example.
[7282.32s → 7283.02s]  Somebody says,
[7283.02s → 7283.24s]  Oh,
[7283.24s → 7283.50s]  boy,
[7283.50s → 7285.78s]  be quiet now.
[7285.78s → 7289.79s]  Somebody may not think that there's anything wrong with that.
[7290.41s → 7291.63s]  I think it's a matter of an opinion,
[7291.63s → 7294.19s]  but some people may feel offended by that term.
[7294.19s → 7295.55s]  I'm feeling about that.
[7295.57s → 7306.01s]  So when we get to somewhere and that particular incident or that it gets to as far as it could go and there's a determination may be because that might be a cultural thing.
[7306.61s → 7307.11s]  You never know.
[7307.11s → 7307.51s]  Sure.
[7307.51s → 7315.18s]  And there's a disagreement at what I didn't think it was funny and I feel like it was offensive to me and that stops right there.
[7315.20s → 7322.12s]  I feel like it maybe should be an opportunity for somebody to be able to express themselves to somebody else to say,
[7322.12s → 7322.26s]  Hey,
[7322.26s → 7327.16s]  I didn't I didn't really think that was that was appropriate and I think some action should be taken.
[7328.25s → 7334.19s]  What about a situation like we get a complaint where someone is offended by something that said we address it now?
[7334.98s → 7338.92s]  I'm I don't recall that you've gotten complaints like that.
[7339.08s → 7344.58s]  But if someone is offended even though I may not personally think if they think it affects them,
[7344.58s → 7345.76s]  then it needs to be addressed.
[7345.98s → 7347.50s]  Would you take action if somebody makes it?
[7347.52s → 7348.14s]  Absolutely.
[7348.14s → 7348.38s]  I mean,
[7348.38s → 7349.02s]  we would have to,
[7349.02s → 7349.46s]  you know,
[7349.46s → 7354.80s]  we'd have to write somebody up or noted in their file and this is your first warning depending on what was said.
[7355.34s → 7355.64s]  You know,
[7355.64s → 7355.88s]  I mean,
[7355.88s → 7357.64s]  if it's a derogatory comment,
[7357.64s → 7359.28s]  if it's a sexual innuendo,
[7359.58s → 7360.32s]  things like that,
[7360.34s → 7361.46s]  we take those serious.
[7361.48s → 7361.82s]  I mean,
[7361.82s → 7362.70s]  there's state laws,
[7362.72s → 7365.54s]  there's labor laws that that um,
[7365.84s → 7368.98s]  or that govern that type of thing and we just we wouldn't.
[7369.08s → 7369.92s]  Shove it under a rock.
[7369.92s → 7370.12s]  I mean,
[7370.12s → 7378.45s]  we couldn't appreciate you saying that because I think now that you're saying that and I appreciate you going on record to say that because I think they have been.
[7378.45s → 7382.89s]  I've had conversations where just in shop talk or work talk,
[7383.05s → 7395.36s]  they have been conversations based on or just statements made because their cultural differences or maybe because of whatever that some people may have found to be offensive that I've gotten a phone call and say,
[7395.36s → 7395.70s]  well,
[7396.28s → 7397.70s]  I thought this was offensive,
[7397.70s → 7399.94s]  but it's not gonna go any further.
[7399.94s → 7404.18s]  Because I don't think the people that make the decision would find it offensive,
[7404.18s → 7407.56s]  but I'm glad you're saying so they can bring it to you and then it'll be addressed.
[7409.10s → 7409.76s]  Thank you very much.
[7409.80s → 7410.10s]  Yes,
[7412.60s → 7413.26s]  I got something.
[7414.57s → 7416.37s]  I remember when we created this,
[7416.39s → 7418.19s]  they created this committee to do this,
[7418.19s → 7418.49s]  uh,
[7418.61s → 7428.77s]  handbook and I asked about putting people in the field on this committee and we and at the time the administration said we didn't need that.
[7429.84s → 7430.66s]  That's a problem.
[7430.72s → 7434.14s]  We know because we didn't have workers in the field.
[7434.30s → 7434.74s]  Well,
[7434.74s → 7439.26s]  but I was specific groups like when we created the,
[7439.26s → 7439.60s]  um,
[7441.01s → 7442.89s]  the cut consolidation on its effect,
[7442.89s → 7443.75s]  all the water district,
[7443.75s → 7444.37s]  sewer district,
[7444.37s → 7449.89s]  five districts people from that area should have been on and they said that was way too many people.
[7450.31s → 7450.45s]  Well,
[7450.45s → 7459.72s]  that's the situation while we and where we had today because some of those people ain't scared to ask the tough questions and do the right thing and we don't want to prove this book.
[7459.72s → 7465.26s]  And actually we got chastised because we didn't approve it right away because we found complaints and problems in it.
[7465.58s → 7467.20s]  And had to go back and readdress them.
[7468.15s → 7470.07s]  This is one of the loopholes that we didn't address.
[7472.42s → 7472.76s]  Thank you,
[7472.76s → 7473.50s]  Mr Adams.
[7473.50s → 7474.42s]  And Madam Chair,
[7474.42s → 7477.74s]  if I might and just to take that a step further,
[7478.30s → 7478.80s]  um,
[7479.20s → 7485.83s]  there was a lot of pressure placed on this council to approve that manual,
[7486.71s → 7487.27s]  um,
[7487.59s → 7488.21s]  hastily,
[7488.49s → 7488.99s]  I believe.
[7490.28s → 7495.20s]  And although we did not move on the timeline that we were urged,
[7495.90s → 7496.32s]  um,
[7496.32s → 7498.88s]  I still feel that when we approved it,
[7499.16s → 7515.49s]  that it was it was it was done preemptively because we had not had an opportunity to to to get this type of feedback from all the one person was responsible for compiling these notes.
[7515.89s → 7523.86s]  There are many opinions are the opinions of many employees that are reflected in these notes.
[7524.32s → 7527.62s]  It might have been one person drafting it or typing it,
[7527.96s → 7529.42s]  probably because she had access.
[7529.42s → 7533.56s]  It's to the equipment to do it where a lot of other folks just don't eat.
[7533.58s → 7540.65s]  They're not even capable of creating this type of comprehensive analysis.
[7541.23s → 7542.63s]  So there was a spokesperson.
[7542.63s → 7543.37s]  I agree with that,
[7543.97s → 7554.39s]  but I I shut her to think that this one person came up with all of this from her own personal opinions and ideals.
[7555.69s → 7558.09s]  And so for that reason alone,
[7558.51s → 7560.23s]  I believe that it warranted.
[7560.25s → 7566.58s]  Then and still today warrants some additional consideration reconsideration.
[7568.08s → 7569.76s]  If if nothing else,
[7570.88s → 7584.17s]  simply to give employees an outlet where they can express whatever grievances complaints or issues or concerns they made,
[7584.17s → 7592.18s]  they may experience during their normal work where an independent body that we have worked hard to appoint.
[7593.04s → 7610.08s]  Called the Personnel Board would determine whether or not those are issues that are sufficient for them to hold a hearing and make a ruling on and not the chief administrative officer and or the personnel director alone deciding that.
[7611.70s → 7612.92s]  And until that happens,
[7613.10s → 7614.56s]  I might have an issue with this.
[7615.62s → 7620.24s]  And if there's no consideration that is going to be given to that,
[7620.64s → 7623.36s]  then I think this council will have.
[7623.48s → 7634.43s]  to face the option of whether or not we repeal this entire instrument I'm gonna
[7634.43s → 7638.27s]  leave you with that tonight it's a ponder until we get a little further
[7638.27s → 7643.68s]  down the road but I'm not gonna let it linger too much further thank you madam
[7643.68s → 7652.72s]  chair discussion in action relative to collection fee enforcement at the boat
[7652.72s → 7659.66s]  landings regarding ordinance number two three five five mr. a bear because we
[7659.66s → 7665.02s]  running so far behind schedule I would like to push this on the next agenda
[7665.02s → 7673.01s]  table it to the next meeting please motion to table it to next meeting on 14
[7673.01s → 7686.54s]  being second by mr. do on all in favor aye any opposed motion carries referred
[7686.54s → 7690.74s]  from the January 14 2025 council meeting dr. Rink to request an allocation of
[7690.74s → 7694.26s]  five hundred thousand dollars from Ward five and eight sales tax fund for
[7694.26s → 7696.78s]  drainage and sewer system improvements in the Bayou
[7696.78s → 7702.25s]  Vista area still stand on my point that I'd like to make that motion that that
[7702.25s → 7707.83s]  actually be a budgetary item knowing that the budget is a tool for us as a
[7707.83s → 7713.55s]  guide not necessarily how it's gonna be spent but at least it attempts to ear
[7713.55s → 7719.92s]  market for those particular projects the promotion by dr. Rink to allocate the
[7719.92s → 7724.72s]  five hundred thousand dollars from wards five and eight and to be earmarked do we
[7724.72s → 7727.35s]  have a second
[7727.67s → 7734.59s]  wrong when we don't have a second yet no discussion yet okay second about mr.
[7734.59s → 7745.74s]  off table and I was successful getting a table wouldn't that be my move to be on
[7745.74s → 7756.43s]  my item on the agenda at that point tabling is its tabling is that tabling
[7756.43s → 7760.11s]  is only for the meeting that you're in you can table something and then
[7760.23s → 7767.63s]  untable it during the meeting once it's tabled to a different time then that
[7767.63s → 7774.06s]  that that doesn't have to be like put on you my one okay I said it can be brought
[7774.06s → 7778.50s]  back on the agenda by anyone
[7781.58s → 7786.83s]  I'd like to amend that motion and I would like to have that money designated
[7786.83s → 7791.31s]  just for the project at the pump station that when I was presented to us tonight
[7791.31s → 7797.56s]  by Chad for the 1.3 million I'd like to set that money set aside strictly just
[7797.56s → 7802.47s]  for that particular project if there are additional monies to come forward with
[7802.47s → 7819.00s]  that then we can get forward with that item I'm glad you see the light and I'm
[7819.00s → 7821.62s]  not afraid of you know spending the money I have the money to spend I want
[7821.62s → 7824.84s]  to spend it I want to prove the Bayou Vista but you know speaking with Chad he
[7824.84s → 7828.64s]  said it tonight that this would be a best use of the said money you know
[7828.64s → 7831.56s]  provided we get some additional money to go with that in order to get that
[7831.56s → 7831.92s]  additional
[7832.00s → 7839.98s]  pump pump station right so we're up for discussion yes me I guess my only
[7839.98s → 7845.20s]  comment on that is at that point we mandate that money or we're pigeonholing
[7845.20s → 7849.50s]  it into just that particular project and if that project doesn't come to fruition
[7849.50s → 7853.80s]  there may be a sewage project that we could facilitate this year that that
[7853.80s → 7857.66s]  money could be used for I mean yes ideally that would be the situation
[7857.66s → 7862.86s]  because we know drainage is a huge problem but they also have some sewage
[7862.86s → 7864.14s]  issues too with the
[7864.14s → 7870.74s]  and stuff so and I agree with you on that you know but also I think was last
[7870.74s → 7875.18s]  meeting it was you know they said we have what at 1.5 or something total fund
[7875.18s → 7881.16s]  balance I mean so according to the fund to balance there are other funds that we
[7881.16s → 7886.30s]  could draw from if said thing happened and again this is fluid we could always
[7886.30s → 7894.34s]  amend that as well if something more pressing came came to light agree but I
[7894.34s → 7899.12s]  think if you leave it out more open-ended then if a project comes up in
[7899.12s → 7903.40s]  the meantime we don't have to come back and amend it again and we can use it for
[7903.40s → 7908.02s]  that particular project I mean we meet here twice a month we have plenty of
[7908.02s → 7917.66s]  time we could make the motion to change that I'm out of chair when the most
[7917.66s → 7921.98s]  flexible way to leave it right where it's at you know when a project comes up
[7921.98s → 7926.72s]  he could break the motion for whatever it would be it wouldn't have to be
[7926.72s → 7927.74s]  earmarked to anything
[7927.74s → 7935.70s]  the money still there just for five and eight so at any given time he can put on
[7935.70s → 7941.24s]  the agenda if it's a $50,000 project you could put that project on the agenda with
[7941.24s → 7946.02s]  six votes you can get that approval so I guess I'm still confused I'm all we got
[7946.02s → 7951.26s]  a movie from where it's sitting you just put it somewhere else it's just sitting
[7951.26s → 7953.62s]  there makes no sense to me
[7953.62s → 7958.58s]  I remind you it ain't gonna be sitting nowhere until October yeah yeah yeah I know
[7958.86s → 7965.10s]  I'm just curious. Is there a project in that district that is a now project?
[7965.10s → 7968.62s]  Is that something? I mean, not for me. Is that something that we can do right
[7968.62s → 7971.16s]  now? I guess this is for the administration. Is there something that
[7971.16s → 7974.38s]  can happen now immediately with 500 because we're talking about a big
[7974.38s → 7978.32s]  number $500,000. And I'm just curious, is that something that we can do today,
[7978.62s → 7983.40s]  tomorrow, the next day? There's a problem with that rule. That's what
[7983.40s → 7987.48s]  their little meeting invite. This was all about. That is falling in. People
[7987.48s → 7993.14s]  losing their property as we speak. That's a $3 million project. I talked to
[7993.14s → 7997.02s]  the engineers on. That's not a today project. Correct. That's the issue of
[7997.02s → 8001.68s]  hand. You're not going to have the cash until October. But Mr. Paula, Mr
[8001.68s → 8006.22s]  Jones, is there? Are there any $500,000 project that we have that we can do
[8007.38s → 8009.82s]  immediately with the money to a plan?
[8012.46s → 8015.56s]  When we allocated that we allocated to them to make
[8018.51s → 8018.63s]  but
[8018.63s → 8021.47s]  I'm saying, Are you aware of that? I'm just curious. Are there anything that
[8021.47s → 8025.35s]  you know of that they got? They got to do something with not. And one of them
[8025.35s → 8030.63s]  says, um, drainage covered installation. Is there something they can do
[8030.63s → 8038.59s]  somewhere else that, you know, $375,000 with $125,000 match. So that's I
[8038.59s → 8042.21s]  don't know what the cost of all the projects are. So there may be a smaller
[8042.21s → 8047.61s]  project that would fit into this category at this point. I mean, the
[8047.61s → 8050.37s]  comment I just wanted to make on that is if we allocated just
[8050.39s → 8054.27s]  for that general purpose, then we don't have to come back and re allocated
[8054.27s → 8057.91s]  and administration can act on that money that's already allocated and
[8057.91s → 8061.69s]  already budgeted. We don't have to make an additional allocation. I mean,
[8061.69s → 8065.01s]  theoretically, we don't have an attorney general's opinion on the way the
[8065.01s → 8071.11s]  tax law is written, but the way the charter is written, they deal with the
[8071.11s → 8075.45s]  budgetary instruments. So, I mean, honestly, it's, you know, it's for fluff
[8075.45s → 8079.39s]  if we're allocating it because if they wanted to use it for that purpose, our
[8079.39s → 8080.37s]  parish president can use.
[8080.39s → 8085.04s]  It for that purpose. I just think that this earmarks it for that particular
[8085.04s → 8088.64s]  thing so that the money is their earmark. And as soon as a project comes
[8088.64s → 8091.98s]  available, it can be used for that purpose.
[8091.98s → 8094.96s]  I'll see what I want to do as well. When that money comes available, we can get
[8094.96s → 8099.28s]  this much needed project done to add that that's worth pumps that a pump which
[8099.28s → 8103.50s]  helped all of us, not just one little section. Yes, it's very important to get
[8103.50s → 8109.10s]  that tissue fixed or over collapse. But having a pump that's going to pump more
[8109.10s → 8112.06s]  water out is going to help all the by this 100%
[8112.06s → 8118.12s]  agree with you, but the only problem I see. Oh, get together.
[8120.20s → 8125.84s]  Now talking. All that all that needs to be addressed all at one time because if
[8125.84s → 8130.50s]  you put a pump at the pump station, you're gonna pull more water. What's
[8130.50s → 8133.80s]  going to happen to that ditch? When you pull more water, you don't grade a
[8133.80s → 8139.84s]  current that the pump station on the other side by this opposite side. Yes,
[8140.74s → 8142.70s]  which actually helped less water on that side.
[8143.70s → 8144.92s]  I think there was so much that
[8145.10s → 8147.68s]  I don't want to create a current. Then you got
[8152.46s → 8159.07s]  Adam chair. Let me help out. Mr Paul, did you get a request for drawdown of
[8159.07s → 8163.41s]  funds from Recreation District five for an allocation that was made back in
[8163.41s → 8169.85s]  December for $5,000? And they got it. You paid him. Yes. Okay. Praise the
[8169.85s → 8176.00s]  luck. But 5000 is much different from 500,000. That's correct. We do what we
[8176.00s → 8177.14s]  can. They should have already gotten that.
[8178.02s → 8181.70s]  And we don't have the 5000 500,000 right now sitting there in the to go
[8181.70s → 8187.40s]  get today. It would be a hardship. Come on. Then you really have some
[8187.40s → 8194.22s]  employees calling you cursing. Okay, so on the floor we have an amended motion
[8194.22s → 8198.68s]  by Mr Hill. So we'll vote on the amended motion if I understood it
[8198.68s → 8205.34s]  correctly to designate to designate the money for the specific project that Mr
[8205.34s → 8211.10s]  Chad Ross brought to us tonight. So I'll have to go back and see.
[8211.30s → 8216.42s]  That reads exactly. That's that's that's close. Close enough. Bertrand
[8216.42s → 8220.52s]  Vining pump station, St Mary Parish Gravity Drainage District. Number one of
[8220.52s → 8232.74s]  gravity drainage district. So we vote on the a minute item first. Um, and
[8232.74s → 8239.60s]  we're gonna start with Mr Walt Rolf. The minute the amended motions first,
[8240.44s → 8248.16s]  Mr Rock, Mr Rolf. Uh, the minute motion. The minute when voting on the
[8248.16s → 8249.42s]  amended motion first.
[8250.01s → 8256.44s]  No, ma'am. Thank you, Mr. A. Bear. Yes, ma'am. Mr Davis. Yes, ma'am. Mr
[8256.44s → 8262.54s]  Doohan. Yes, ma'am. Mr Adams. No, ma'am. Dr Rink. Ma'am. Mrs Adalgo.
[8263.98s → 8268.48s]  Reverend Matthews. Yes, ma'am. Mr I know. Yes, ma'am. Mr Lander. He's absent.
[8268.50s → 8275.94s]  And Mr Hill. Yes, ma'am. You have six days, four nose and one absent. And the
[8275.94s → 8292.26s]  motion carries to amend it. Now you got a vote on amended motion. The amended
[8292.26s → 8301.40s]  motion. Correct. Okay. Can that be all in favor? Yeah, that can be all in favor,
[8301.40s → 8309.56s]  right? Okay. Okay. Uh, minute motion. All in favor. Any opposed? Nay. Hey, I
[8309.56s → 8318.90s]  heard Rolf, uh, Adams. Did you say nay to and Rink and you today? Okay. Uh,
[8318.90s → 8330.78s]  motion carries. That's still six to four. Great. Under new business
[8330.78s → 8333.42s]  appointments to the following boards and commissions. Fire Protection District
[8333.42s → 8334.02s]  number one.
[8334.30s → 8338.72s]  Super Point Point has two vacancies. Michael S. Tricelair. Present member.
[8338.72s → 8339.76s]  What is your wishes?
[8341.00s → 8345.62s]  Unusually reappoints his members. So I'm gonna make a motion for Mr Michael
[8345.62s → 8350.52s]  Tricelair. Thank you. Thank you, Dr Rink. Seconded by Mr Hill. Any discussion?
[8350.80s → 8355.90s]  All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Recreation District number six
[8355.90s → 8359.40s]  Baldwin, Jenneret and Sherrington has one vacancy. Anna Perry. Present member.
[8359.40s → 8364.66s]  What is your wishes? I'll move on this. Anna Perry. Reverend Matthews. Second.
[8364.66s → 8365.06s]  Yes, ma'am.
[8365.54s → 8371.74s]  Dr Rink. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next we
[8371.74s → 8375.04s]  have Saint Mary Parish Water and Sewer Commission number four. Chatsworth, Saint
[8375.04s → 8379.66s]  Joseph, Irish Bend, Oakley, Sorrel, Restorville, Websterville, Sherrington,
[8379.66s → 8384.26s]  St. Peter Street. Three vacancies. Willie Scott. Present member. William P. Gray.
[8384.26s → 8388.60s]  Present member. Anthony Orr Jordan, Camille Punch and Herbert Bell. What is
[8388.60s → 8397.40s]  your wishes? I'd like to move on reappointing Mr William P. Gray. Okay. Mr.
[8397.40s → 8401.02s]  Eino would like to just reappoint Mr. William Gray. And I'd like to table to
[8401.02s → 8407.27s]  others. Okay. All in one motion. All in one motion, right? Well, okay. Well, he wants to
[8407.27s → 8411.99s]  appoint one person. So I need a second. I'll second it. Okay. Okay. So we have a
[8411.99s → 8419.29s]  motion and a second to appoint Mr. Gray. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion
[8419.29s → 8425.95s]  carries. And then would you like for me to place this back on next agenda or you
[8425.95s → 8426.97s]  do or you want to call me?
[8429.44s → 8437.15s]  It's up to you. Oh, yeah, it's good. It's good for six months. It's good for six
[8437.15s → 8440.63s]  months. If you tell me to table it and put it back on the next one, then I have.
[8440.63s → 8448.30s]  Okay. February 11th. Got it. I'll second that table. Okay. Eino, table it and
[8448.30s → 8455.00s]  second it by Dr. Rink. All in favor? Aye. Second. Motion carries. Let's keep to our
[8455.00s → 8458.60s]  vote. Okay. Now who? Who made a second to adjourn?
[8461.46s → 8471.00s]  Adams and Davis. Davis seconded. Okay. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries.