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2026-08-26 - Metropolitan Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

  • Regular session called to order at 4:00 PM in Room 348; nine members present, Adams, Harris and Hudson absent.
  • Invocation and pledge led by Chris Landry, Director of EMS. Mayor-President Edwards and Councilman Moak recognized the leader of the American Legion Department of Louisiana; Councilman Kenney recognized a district legislative assistant on her last day.
  • Minutes of the prior meeting approved 9-0 on Amoroso's motion, seconded by Hurst.
  • Every vote was unanimous (9-0). Four items were deleted rather than approved: the Bayou Fountain agreement, the noise decibel amendment, the state route mowing agreement and one duplicate community development amendment.
  • Two items were amended before approval: the Cortana sales tax rebate (corrected resolution number) and the ExxonMobil rebate (corrected period).
  • The River Center interim management memorandum and consulting contract drew the most public comment, with Pennie May Landry and Phillip Lillard opposed.
  • Introductions included about twenty-five adjudicated property sales, eleven condemnation cases, the crime prevention district fees and a block of MovEBR, airport and housing contracts; nine condemnation decisions and orders were approved and eight cases deferred.
  • Adjourned on Amoroso's motion, seconded by Noel, 9-0.

River Center Interim Management

  • Resolution 59600, the memorandum of understanding for Visit Baton Rouge to provide interim management of the River Center: motion Coleman, second Moak, approved 9-0.
  • Jill Kidder appeared in favor without speaking; Landry spoke in opposition; Glasper spoke without favor or opposition; Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition.
  • Resolution 59601, a consulting agreement with Total BS, LLC for the River Center Project ($250,000 the first year, $275,000 the second): approved 9-0 as amended to name the River Center Capital Improvement Fund as the funding source. Same motion and second. Kidder in favor, Landry and Lillard opposed.

Cortana Corridor Sales Tax Rebate

  • Resolution 59598, rebating $2,290,573.11 in 2 percent City sales tax to the Cortana Corridor Economic Development District: motion Dunn, second Moak, approved 9-0 as amended to read resolution number 55878.
  • Landry spoke in opposition; Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition.

ExxonMobil Sales Tax Rebate

  • Resolution 59599, rebating $285,115.24 in 2 percent Parish sales tax to the redevelopment authority doing business as Build Baton Rouge: motion Hurst, second Kenney, approved 9-0 as amended to read April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.
  • Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition; no one spoke.

Bayou Fountain Economic Development District Agreement

  • The proposed cooperative endeavor agreement was deleted 9-0 on Racca's motion, seconded by Hurst.
  • Landry spoke in opposition and Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition.

Noise Ordinance Decibel Limit

  • The proposed amendment adding a residential decibel threshold was deleted 9-0 on Moak's motion, seconded by Dunn. No one spoke.

State Route Mowing Agreement

  • The proposed state mowing and litter pickup agreement (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) was deleted 9-0 on Coleman's motion, seconded by Amoroso. Landry spoke in opposition.

City Parish Technology Contracts

  • Resolution 59587, Tyler Technologies maintenance and support of the Munis and Executime platforms, up to $480,000 for July 14, 2026 to July 13, 2027: motion Moak, second Amoroso, 9-0. Landry spoke in opposition.
  • Resolution 59588, Google cloud and migration services through SHI Corporation (up to $220,000 for the first six months, then up to $224,000 a year for four years): motion Moak, second Dunn, 9-0.

Community Liaison Contract

  • Resolution 59584, adding $18,000 to the Dymond Security Services community liaison contract (to $66,000) and extending it from October 1 to December 31, 2026: motion Hurst, second Moak, 9-0.

Raising Cane's Naming Agreement Extension

  • Resolution 59585 extending the License and Naming Agreement by one year with an additional annual donation: motion Gaudet, second Hurst, 9-0. No one spoke.

Emergency Medical Services Agreements

  • Resolution 59586, lending automated CPR devices to East Baton Rouge Protection District 9 (Alsen): motion Kenney, second Dunn, 9-0.

Constable Office State Funding

  • Resolutions 59602 ($50,000) and 59603 ($80,000), cooperative endeavor agreements for first responder activities funded by Act 3 of the 2026 session: both moved by Kenney (seconded by Dunn and Gaudet), 9-0.

Employees Retirement System Contribution Rates

  • Ordinance 19929, setting separate employer contribution calculations for fire, other public safety and non-public-safety employees: motion Racca, second Kenney, adopted 9-0 after a hearing with no speakers.

Affordable Housing Construction Contracts

  • Resolution 59604 (Hunt, Guillot and Associates extension to December 31, 2026): motion Gaudet, second Dunn, 9-0.
  • Resolution 59605, a $250,000 HOME-funded developer agreement with Habitat for Humanity, contingent on the Grants and Contracts Review Committee: motion Coleman, second Amoroso, 9-0.

Flood Mitigation Grant Projects

  • Resolution 59606, Arcadis contract for the Bayou Manchac restoration and Ward Creek realignment, not to exceed $1,749,968.28, contingent on committee approval: motion Dunn, second Coleman, 9-0. Paul Sawyer spoke in favor.

Airport Authority Contracts

  • Airport Authority Resolution 08-26-26-01 (Resolution 59590), floor care by Jani-King, $134,498.34 a year: motion Dunn, second Coleman, 9-0.
  • Resolution 59591, Marrero, Couvillon and Associates for the TSA baggage area HVAC design, up to $59,700: motion Kenney, second Hurst, 9-0.
  • Resolution 59629, airport lots and fields mowing awarded to the lowest bidder, W P Enterprise, LLC: motion Dunn, second Coleman, 9-0.

Monte Sano Bayou Drainage Agreement

  • Resolution 59610, agreement with the Louisiana Office of Community Development for the drainage project, up to $2,380,868.52: motion Kenney, second Coleman, 9-0. (Replaced on September 9.)

Perkins Road Overpass Project

  • Ordinance 19930, suspending the restaurant food sales threshold during the I-10 and Perkins Road overpass construction: motion Racca, second Moak, 9-0.
  • Resolution 59607, Supplemental Agreement No. 2 with the state for the I-10 project from LA 415 to Essen Lane: motion Racca, second Coleman, 9-0.

MovEBR Program Contracts

  • Five engineering and design items (Resolutions 59612 to 59616) were approved 9-0, all on Dunn's motion with Moak seconding. They include Robertson Avenue sidewalks design (up to $23,529.44 more), Constantin/Dijon Avenue Phase II (up to $50,000 more), Highland Road and Siegen Lane (up to $21,661.74 more) and Buchart Horn (up to $156,297.26 more). Lillard sent emailed comments in opposition on two of them.

Police Department Grant Awards

  • Resolution 59618, application for a $95,275 Highway Safety Commission grant for the underage drinking enforcement task force: motion Amoroso, second Gaudet, 9-0.

Newman Community Center Health Clinic Lease

  • Resolution 59630, leasing space in the Jewel J. Newman Community Center to Baton Rouge General Physicians, Inc. at $5,000 a month from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2030: declared an emergency (motion Hurst, second Coleman, 9-0), then approved on Kenney's motion, seconded by Moak, 9-0. Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition.

Adjudicated Property Sales

  • Ordinances 19931 to 19935: three mow-to-own sales at $100 each and two donations to Capital City Civic Resources and Outreach; motion Coleman, second Hurst, 9-0 each.
  • Ordinance 19936, a Jefferson Avenue lot at $700 cash or to the highest offeror: declared an emergency, then approved on Moak's motion, seconded by Amoroso, 9-0.
  • About twenty-five further sale ordinances were introduced.

Condemnation Proceedings

  • Nine decisions and orders approved on Coleman's motion, seconded by Moak, 9-0; eight cases deferred; eleven new cases introduced. No one spoke at any hearing.
  • Resolution 59617 rescinding the recorded order on a Legion Village property: motion Hurst, second Gaudet, 9-0.

Crime Prevention District Parcel Fees

  • Resolutions for the South Burbank and Concord Estates districts were introduced 9-0 and heard September 9.

Erroneous Sales Tax Refunds

  • Refunds to two companies were introduced 9-0 and approved September 9.
  • Three claim settlements were introduced and approved September 9.

Dalton Street Rezoning

  • Ordinance 19937 (Case 27-26) was introduced by Dunn; the hearing was held September 16.

Florida Boulevard Restaurant Alcohol Rezoning

  • Ordinance 19938 (Case 29-26) was introduced; the hearing was held September 16.

Other business

  • Janitorial and building services: Resolution 59592 (juvenile complex facilities, up to $140,488.14 a year), Resolution 59593 (Corporate Mechanical, plus $375,000 through July 31, 2027), Resolution 59594 (Public Safety Complex, up to $305,311.26 over three years) and Resolution 59609 (elevator maintenance, up to $257,840 for the first year). All 9-0.
  • Resolution 59589, adding $100,000 to the landscaping contract with Corporate Green (to $175,659.56): motion Dunn, second Coleman, 9-0. Landry spoke in opposition and Lillard sent an emailed comment in opposition.
  • Demolition and abatement packages A21, A22 and A23 (Resolutions 59595 to 59597, $74,750, $76,117.35 and $77,500): motion Hurst, second Kenney, 9-0.
  • Resolution 59608 (lighting design on Central Thruway) and Resolution 59611 (state traffic signal coordination agreement): approved 9-0.
  • Change orders (Resolutions 59619 to 59624) and final acceptances (Resolutions 59625 to 59628): approved 9-0.

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