2026-10-28 - City Council Budget Hearings

01:13All right, let's get started. It's 9:30.

01:15All right, first up is the New Orleans

01:17Building Corporation.

01:58Good morning. You can start when you're

01:59ready.

01:59>> Good morning.

02:01Uh thank you for the opportunity this

02:03morning to present the New Orleans

02:05Building Corporation's 2027 budget. My

02:08name is Annie McBride. [clears throat]

02:09I'm the CEO of the New Orleans Building

02:11Corporation and with me is Nancy

02:13Borland, who is our uh Chief Financial

02:15Officer.

02:17Before jumping into the substance of our

02:18presentation, I'll provide some

02:20background on NOBC and what we do.

02:23The mission of the New Orleans Building

02:25Corporation is to provide for the

02:26enhancement, improvement, leasing, and

02:28commercial development of publicly owned

02:30real estate and to stimulate economic

02:32development in New Orleans.

02:34Our portfolio of properties currently

02:36includes the Saint Roch Market, the

02:38Saenger Theatre,

02:40the Hyatt French Quarter, the DH Holmes

02:42Apartments and parking garage, the

02:44Piazza d'Italia Park and also the

02:47associated parking lots,

02:49Caesars Casino and associated parking

02:51garages,

02:52the Union Passenger Terminal train

02:54station, the Julia Street Wharf portion

02:56of Riverwalk Mall and Spanish Plaza, the

02:59Four Seasons Hotel and Residences

03:02portion.

03:04We manage these properties through

03:05leases to tenants that operate

03:07businesses there. And we view our role

03:10in development of property to include

03:12continued support of our tenants in

03:13achieving their objectives. Their

03:15successes are our successes.

03:17So, with that, we will review our goals

03:22um

03:23for 2026. These are the goals we

03:25presented last year. Um many of these

03:27projects that we undertake are

03:29multi-stage, multi-year endeavors. So,

03:32projects often continue for several

03:33years. We'll begin with the Union

03:35Passenger Terminal. We continue to make

03:37upgrades to this important transit

03:39center. Um

03:41we'll

03:42one of our big focuses has been the the

03:44bus and train canopies and platforms.

03:46The train and bus canopies and platforms

03:48are original to the train station dating

03:50back to the 1950s and 1970s,

03:53respectively.

03:54A full canopy restoration is going to be

03:56a multi-year process, but our focus for

03:582026 has been on phase one of this work,

04:01which involves removal of unused aerial

04:03cabling and replacing lighting

04:05components for the train canopies.

04:07Uh

04:07>> [clears throat]

04:07>> our engineers completed the design phase

04:09of this project and we have received the

04:11environmental specifications that will

04:13be necessary for this work. Those are

04:15being incorporated into bid documents

04:17and we anticipate putting that contract

04:18out for bid very soon.

04:21Uh we also recently learned that we were

04:23awarded up to $2.5 million in FRA grant

04:26dollars to design improvements to the

04:28train canopies and platforms. We're in

04:30the process of working with the FRA to

04:32obligate those funds.

04:36In 2024 and 2025, we resurfaced and

04:39restriped our surface parking areas at

04:41UPT. In 2026, we added safety features,

04:45traffic flow efficiencies, and

04:47additional ADA parking to the horseshoe

04:50areas there.

04:51And um those improvements are completed

04:54and performing well in practice.

04:57And uh also exciting news,

04:58[clears throat] the Polar Express is

05:00returning to UPT this holiday season, so

05:02get your tickets.

05:05We are continuing our work with the

05:08former Second District Police Station at

05:104317 Magazine to place that site back

05:12into commerce and actively exploring all

05:14of the city's options to be able to do

05:16that.

05:18At the DH Holmes Parking Garage, we're

05:20continuing to work with our tenants to

05:22improve

05:23uh building maintenance and make

05:24necessary upgrades to that building.

05:26This year, we successfully partnered

05:28with our tenants to replace the fire

05:30suppression system in that building.

05:32At Riverwalk Mall and Spanish Plaza, we

05:34continue to support our tenant and its

05:36plans for activation of Spanish Plaza,

05:38which uh really includes build-out of

05:40some additional restaurant space.

05:42The Delacroix restaurant opened at the

05:44end of uh 2025 and has been well

05:47received and there are some new projects

05:48on the horizon there.

05:51And then um one of our continued goals

05:54is to assess properties in our portfolio

05:57and identify and plan for needed capital

06:00improvements and maintenance projects,

06:01and this is just an ongoing goal that

06:03we're we're always going to be working

06:04toward.

06:06Um I think it's only fair to address

06:09some additional projects that we worked

06:10on in 2026.

06:12Um while they weren't stated goals,

06:14these are um projects that we moved

06:16forward with under the direction of the

06:18new administration

06:19and um I'll address those briefly.

06:23We facilitated for the city a

06:24transaction to sell 9 years of Caesars

06:26ground lease rent for an immediate

06:28payment of over $100 million to the

06:30city's emergency reserve. That deal was

06:32uh closed in May as everyone knows.

06:35We've been working closely also with the

06:36Municipal Yacht Harbor Management

06:38Corporation toward the redevelopment of

06:39the West End parking lot, which was once

06:42a food and beverage destination prior to

06:43Katrina.

06:45We have assisted the city in uh

06:47successfully negotiating and finalizing

06:49a multi-jurisdictional CEA amongst the

06:51city, Jefferson Parish, and the state to

06:54govern that redevelopment project as

06:56well as a state water bottom lease

06:58directly from the state that will be

06:59necessary for that site redevelopment.

07:01We've got an RFQ that's currently active

07:03on brass uh to solicit a development

07:06partner for this opportunity and um

07:09that will advance to an RFP and this

07:11effort will hopefully result in the

07:13selection of a developer who will

07:14restore the vibrancy of this this area.

07:18We've also been working on behalf of the

07:20city to facilitate the disposition of a

07:22portion of the John uh Churchill Chase

07:25Street uh piece that was requested by

07:28the Convention Center in connection with

07:29the proposed Omni headquarters project.

07:32Property was successfully auctioned to

07:34the uh Convention Center on October 5th

07:36for a price of uh $3.6 million,

07:39which would be paid to the city at

07:40closing.

07:42Uh NOBC has also assisted the Department

07:44of Property Management in its efforts to

07:46procure professional real estate

07:48services to improve the city's return on

07:50its real estate assets and uh we drafted

07:53the RFP for this effort and we're

07:54assisting with finalizing the contract.

07:57We've been an active member of the

07:59CORRECT, which is the city-owned real

08:00estate team that the mayor formed to

08:02identify

08:04opportunities to put

08:07uh un- surplus [clears throat] and

08:08underutilized properties back into

08:10commerce.

08:12Um we are also actively facilitating the

08:15municipal complex advisory committee

08:17process. This is the process that the

08:19mayor established by executive order as

08:22one of her first actions in office and

08:24its mission is to review and recommend a

08:26process for addressing sorely needed

08:28upgrades to our current city hall and

08:30civil district court facilities and to

08:32make recommendations for a satellite

08:33office in New Orleans East. The

08:35committee will hold its seventh of 10

08:37meetings today at 1:00 p.m. at Union

08:39Passenger Terminal and we plan to

08:41conclude the work of the committee in Q1

08:43of 27 with submissions of final

08:45recommendations to the mayor and city

08:47council.

08:49Uh we also facilitated the

08:50reinstallation of the statue of Governor

08:53Bernardo de Gálvez at the foot of Canal

08:54Street right in time for the America 250

08:57celebrations and uh visit by Queen Sofia

09:00of Spain.

09:04All right. NO BC has a staff of four. We

09:07have a CEO, a CFO, a director of

09:09operations and an executive assistant.

09:11So we're a lean and mean team and um in

09:14terms of our org chart, we are a public

09:16benefit corporation whose

09:18sole owner is the mayor of the city of

09:20New Orleans and we're governed by a

09:21board of directors

09:23and we have set the following goals for

09:252027.

09:27Uh at Union Passenger Terminal, we're

09:29going to continue our efforts to um

09:32improve the canopies and platform. We're

09:34hoping to commence the design work for

09:36the canopy and platform improve

09:37improvement project using the FRA grant

09:40funds and complete the project to remove

09:43unused aerial cabling above the train

09:45canopies and replace the lighting on the

09:47platforms.

09:48At the French Quarter Hyatt Centric

09:49garage, we would like uh our goal is to

09:51commence the design of an envelope

09:53project to seal and protect that

09:54building.

09:56Um we're making some upgrades to our

09:58financial administration process by

10:00implementing a new accounting system to

10:01automate current manual processes.

10:06Um for the municipal complex advisory

10:08committee, our goal is to complete the

10:09facilitation of the 10 meeting series

10:11and associated public listening sessions

10:14and facilitate submission of

10:15recommendations um

10:17a recommendation report in early 2027.

10:204317 Magazine Street, we'll continue our

10:23efforts to put this property back into

10:24commerce.

10:26And the Westin parking lot

10:27redevelopment, we will continue to

10:29facilitate developer selection and and

10:31if successful, negotiate a long-term

10:33redevelopment lease.

10:36I will now present our budget for 2027.

10:41We operate with funds generated from um

10:43our development projects and we receive

10:45no allocation from the city's general

10:47fund. In fact, over the past 10 years

10:50we've returned over $434 million to the

10:53city and an additional 8.7 million in

10:55in-kind contributions to the city.

10:58The corporation's income in excess of

10:59expenses is held in accounts dedicated

11:01[clears throat] to capital projects,

11:03capital maintenance, and insurance

11:04obligations that we have to satisfy in

11:07our capacity as landlord for our

11:08properties. And um also for future

11:11development expenses.

11:13Our budget of revenues for 2027 is

11:16expected to total $10,889,997.

11:21And this includes um

11:25What's that?

11:27Oh, it's sorry. It's ex

11:30It's expected to total $10

11:34And includes rents and other payments

11:35from the corporation's portfolio of real

11:37estate assets. The amount represents a

11:39decrease in revenue of $15,073,395

11:43over 2026 and this decrease is of course

11:47due to an OBC sale of the 9 years of

11:49Caesar's ground rent uh to raise $100

11:52million for the city's reserves. So, to

11:54be clear, the city will not receive the

11:56Caesar's ground lease rent from June of

11:582026 to through 2035 because the revenue

12:02stream was sold. Payments will resume in

12:04August of 2035.

12:07The budget of expenses includes $643,288

12:11dollars personnel and 5,709,622

12:16622 dollars in operating expenses.

12:194,537,087

12:22dollars are held in reserves.

12:24Our enabling legislation authorizes and

12:26obligates the corporation to transfer

12:28funds to the city that exceed our our

12:30financial obligations.

12:32Prior to the rent strip sale in May of

12:332026, all proceeds from our Caesars

12:36lease were transferred directly to the

12:38city's general fund annually.

12:40In 2026, we will have transferred to the

12:42city a total of 123,998,630

12:47This is inclusive of Caesars rent of

12:505,998,630

12:53paid paid prior to the rent strip sale.

12:56The Caesars rent strip sale proceeds of

12:58103,607,396

13:04and a separate 15 million dollar

13:07transfer that the NOBC Board of

13:09Directors approved earlier this year.

13:13In 2025, we transferred 35 million

13:15dollars to the city's general fund. This

13:17was inclusive of Caesars rent and an

13:20additional 21,500,000

13:22dollars transferred to the city.

13:26That concludes our presentation.

13:28>> [clears throat]

13:29>> We appreciate the opportunity to present

13:31today and I'm happy to answer any

13:32questions.

13:33>> Thank you, Rianni. You've been a great

13:35partner in all things real estate and

13:38I'm glad that you are helping select a

13:40realtor for city-owned properties

13:42because we need to get those off our

13:44books and back into commerce. One of

13:46those properties, of course, is the

13:48second district police station. You

13:49know, I talk about it often.

13:51>> Yes.

13:51>> The opportunity, I think, is still there

13:53for St. George's, maybe some benefactor,

13:56speaking to the thousands of people

13:58watching,

14:00including the Woodward Group, to buy it

14:03and get it back into commerce. So, are

14:05there any talks ongoing about that with

14:08St. George's specifically?

14:09>> You know, we have we have talked with

14:11St. George's many times over the years

14:13about this property. We know that it's

14:15something that they're interested in

14:17incorporating into their campus.

14:19Obviously, they're the next-door

14:20neighbor. It makes all the sense in the

14:22world.

14:23We would love to find an opportunity to

14:25make something happen there. And

14:27our goal is to continue those

14:29conversations with St. George's. And and

14:32really kind of see who else might be

14:34interested in bringing that

14:36beautiful building back into commerce

14:39and restoring it. It's truly a beautiful

14:41building.

14:41>> It's

14:42has been listed yet?

14:43>> It has not been listed, no.

14:45>> Okay, what is the timing on that?

14:47>> I

14:48[clears throat] have not initiated a

14:53petition to list it or an action to list

14:55it. I think there are others who are

14:56interested in doing that.

14:59They're doing so independently of an OBC

15:01and so that that timing

15:04>> Listing it for sale.

15:06>> Listing it for sale.

15:08>> No, no, [laughter] no, no. Listing it

15:09for sale.

15:09>> Listing it for sale. Thank you for

15:11clarifying. Um

15:13You know, I think we want to There are a

15:15number of things that have to happen

15:16first. We need to re-subdivide the

15:18property so that the parking parcel that

15:21everyone

15:21associates with that property is

15:23actually able to be sold with the

15:25property. It's currently part of the the

15:27next-door park.

15:29Once we have that completed, we can go

15:31ahead and and and put it on the market.

15:34It would have to be sold via auction, of

15:36course, via the city's processes.

15:38But I would anticipate early next year

15:42we could we could have that up and and

15:44and on the market.

15:45>> Okay, let us know what we need to do to

15:46help get that re-subdivided. We're happy

15:49to help cuz it needs to just

15:51get get off the books and get

15:53redeveloped.

15:54>> I 100% agree.

15:55>> The other question I want to ask about

15:57is the Stone Pigman contract. Of course,

15:59I worked at Stone Pigman back in the

16:01day, so did you. But it looks like their

16:03legal fees have increased over the

16:05course of time. Can you explain that and

16:08tell us what you anticipate in 2027?

16:11>> You know, their legal fees have

16:13increased over the course of time

16:14because our work has increased over the

16:17course of time. We're doing a lot more

16:19with Stone Pigman. You know, they are

16:21bringing on experts to assist in their

16:23representation

16:25of

16:26us in the city on different matters. And

16:29you know, they've been working with us

16:31on the Municipal Complex Advisory

16:33Committee and legal questions and you

16:35know, bringing experts in to advise on

16:37that. They were of course

16:40our representation on the Caesars deal

16:41which was an extremely expensive

16:43transaction. And included bringing on

16:46expert and advisors.

16:48And so, you know, we anticipate that as

16:51we get busier and as we start to do more

16:54that our legal fees are naturally going

16:56to go up.

16:58Do we have a number?

17:03We have anticipated in our budget an

17:05$800,000

17:07price tag on their fees and that of

17:09course includes not only their direct

17:11legal fees but also the the expert

17:14professional services that they bring on

17:17to assist in the representation of us.

17:18>> Okay, thank you Annie. Council member

17:20Willard.

17:22>> Thank you Madam Chair.

17:23Thank you Annie. You're doing amazing

17:25work. So, I just want to thank you for

17:26everything that you and your team are

17:28doing. Just a couple of questions.

17:31On slide four in your presentation it

17:33lists city procurement of real estate

17:36services. Is that to select the firm to

17:39do

17:40the the sale of the city owned

17:42properties?

17:43>> So, that's really that's an an effort

17:46that we've been partnering with the

17:47Department of Property Management on and

17:49the goal, if you look at the

17:51solicitation, was to assist the city in

17:54getting a better handle on its lease

17:56portfolio specifically.

17:58>> Got you.

17:58>> So, looking at those leases

18:01right sizing the leases to to market

18:04rate looking at opportunities to

18:06renegotiate some terms where there's

18:08where there are expirations, making sure

18:10that all collections are coming in and

18:12just helping the city organize that

18:14portfolio. And

18:16and that was the main goal. There are of

18:18course some ad hoc services that come

18:20can come with that engagement that could

18:23include

18:25one-off real estate advisement advising

18:27services when there is an opportunity to

18:30put a property on the market for sale or

18:31lease.

18:32>> Okay.

18:33Um

18:36under the financials on page two on the

18:40template

18:42the property management costs

18:44have jumped from 2.7 million in 25

18:49to 4.8 in 2026.

18:52Just wondering what caused that jump?

18:56Is that you guys taking on more

18:58responsibilities or

19:01>> Those are

19:03looking at my CFO because she's she's

19:05the mastermind. But those are the

19:08the anticipated increased expenses at

19:11the train station. That's an extremely

19:13expensive property to

19:16maintain. You heard about some of the

19:18improvements that we plan to undertake

19:19there. And so that's the the

19:22>> Okay.

19:23>> increase that you see there.

19:24>> Okay. And then my last question template

19:28page two

19:30professional services contracts seem to

19:33fluctuate year to year

19:37like in 24 it was 338,000.

19:41It's anticipated to be budgeted for

19:44972,000

19:46in 2027.

19:48Just wanted to know what what goes into

19:50those professional services contracts.

19:53>> Yeah, so we I mean those are things like

19:56architects and engineers to undertake

19:59projects design work on projects that

20:01we're doing.

20:02>> Is is some of that related to the train

20:04station as well?

20:05>> Yeah, some of that's related to the

20:06train station. It's

20:08It's also consultants for projects that

20:11we're undertaking like the municipal

20:13complex advisory committee. We're

20:15spending

20:16Yeah, Caesars. We're spending

20:18we spent

20:20quite a bit of money

20:22bringing in the expert help that we need

20:24to be able to undertake these projects

20:26and again similar to

20:29Councilwoman Harris's question about

20:30legal services, the more work we do, the

20:33more we spend on

20:35contracts.

20:36>> Okay. All right. Well, thank you so

20:38much, Annie. Keep up the good work.

20:39>> I appreciate it. Thank you all.

20:41>> Thank you and just note that

20:43your organization does not receive

20:45general fund money. So, thank you.

20:47>> You're welcome.

20:48>> Keep up the good work. All right, Ashley

20:50Knox.

20:56Next up is Nora.

22:11>> Good morning, council member.

22:13Thank you all for having us here.

22:15Brenda Braw

22:17executive director for the New Orleans

22:19Redevelopment Authority. With me I have

22:21this morning to my right is uh

22:25Celestine. uh Adrian serves as chief of

22:28uh real estate development and strategy

22:30for all of our redevelopment work that

22:32we're doing. And to my left is uh Derek

22:36Muse, our chief financial officer. Uh

22:39thank you for the opportunity for having

22:40us here and allowing us to be able to uh

22:43provide for you our uh budget for the

22:46work that we've been performing in 2026

22:50and allow us to uh talk about 2027. So,

22:54just as a reminder, the redevelopment

22:56authority's uh mission

22:59is that uh we serve as a a catalyst for

23:03redevelopment uh

23:04and revitalization throughout the city,

23:07providing for affordable and equitable

23:10uh

23:11uh development opportunities,

23:14uh celebrating the city's neighborhoods,

23:16and uh lots of and many of its

23:18traditions. Just as uh an overview for

23:21the review of our 2026 goals, our goals

23:25were uh were broken down into three

23:28major areas really uh as it relates to

23:31what we refer to at the redevelopment

23:33authority as under categories of build

23:35homes, enhanced corridors, and

23:37strengthened neighborhoods. And to us,

23:39that really just means that to create

23:41housing opportunities, uh whether it's

23:44rental, home ownership, uh to uh

23:47uh reduce vacancy under enhancing

23:49quarters, supporting community uh

23:52uh economic development, and just as

23:55important uh our strengthening

23:57neighborhoods, which is really focusing

23:59on repurposing and transforming

24:02large-scale, high-opportunity uh

24:05uh opportunities for publicly owned

24:08assets. And I'd just like to provide

24:10just an overview of some of our programs

24:12and our initiatives that we uh had

24:15[clears throat]

24:16uh and completed for 2026,

24:19uh we focused on our build homes, which

24:22is about uh creating home ownership

24:24opportunities through our double up uh

24:26program. Uh we've uh created that in

24:29Central City. We've got one sold. We

24:31have two that about 90% complete for

24:34construction and identifying homeowners.

24:38The other is our traditional

24:41New Orleans Housing Investment Program,

24:44referred to as OHIP. Again, a home

24:46ownership opportunity, but that's

24:48focused on NORA providing land and in

24:52addition to that, creating home

24:53ownership opportunities. We've got about

24:5620 that we've allocated. 10 have been

24:59completed

25:01with another 10 that our board just

25:03recently made awards on October the 7th.

25:07If you recall that the Redevelopment

25:09Authority has

25:11have been the steward for a number of

25:13properties for over

25:16post-Katrina. We've been disposing those

25:18properties and to date,

25:20we have about 690 properties left in our

25:23portfolio where we began early on at

25:27about 5,200.

25:29With those, we are still disposing those

25:32either through our Lot Next Door

25:34program, auction, our housing

25:36opportunities,

25:37home ownership program. I just like to

25:39highlight that we just completed an

25:42auction at the end of

25:45September. We offered about 142

25:48properties.

25:49Of those, we received bids for 92 of

25:53those properties, 97 of those

25:55properties. We did something a little

25:57bit different this year. What we did was

26:00we wanted to create opportunities for

26:02individuals who wanted to build housing

26:04and also for those who wanted to just

26:07create green space. So, we split that up

26:09into housing opportunities and

26:11non-housing development opportunities.

26:13There was an outcry from the urban

26:15gardeners who wanted to be able to

26:17participate in the program. We in turn

26:19did that. We made 39 of the 142

26:24available for non-housing opportunities.

26:27With that, we I about 15 of those. We

26:30did a broad outreach for that. In

26:33addition to this those dispositions

26:35through the auction, we sent out about

26:37400 mailers to individuals who owned

26:40adjacent [clears throat] properties that

26:42were occupied next to Nora owned lots

26:46to make certain that they could know

26:47that they could make those acquisitions

26:50through our lot next door program.

26:53To date, we have sold perhaps about 15

26:56through that effort, but that's still an

26:58ongoing program. At the end of the day,

27:00our role's goal is to be able to dispose

27:03of our inventory. We anticipate that at

27:06the end of 2026,

27:08we'll have be able to have disposed of

27:10approximately 110 properties.

27:13So, ending up at 20 at the end of this

27:17year between 580

27:20to 590 parcels remaining in our

27:22inventory. So, I'm excited about that. I

27:25am equally excited about our work that

27:28we have been implementing through the

27:29fortified NOLA Gap funding program. That

27:33has really been

27:36very good. I'm proud of the staff. We

27:40were able to stand that program up

27:43on July 20th in record-breaking time to

27:46be able to stand it up, have systems in

27:48place, policies and procedures approved.

27:51And the results of that today is that we

27:53have 45

27:55applicants who are there who have been

27:58awarded and are waiting to complete

28:00their roof. Of those 45, three have

28:03completed their roofs and we are ready

28:05for processing those payments. We have

28:08another a number of those that are still

28:10under review where we're reviewing the

28:12income. If you recall, the income

28:14requirements were anyone who's

28:18120% below of the area median income.

28:21The gap funding program for for

28:23participants for the Louisiana

28:25Department of Insurance Fortified Roof

28:27Replacement Program. I'm excited about

28:30that. That has been a lot of

28:32uh uh staff has made themselves

28:34available, uh take uh calls uh and make

28:37calls after hours, uh be able to uh have

28:40folks come into the office who need

28:42technical assistance, who don't have the

28:44equipment to be able to uh implement

28:47that to put together the application.

28:49So, we're excited about that work. The

28:51other work that we're doing that we just

28:52launched under the Housing Trust Fund

28:55program is really our HEROES program,

28:58the Homeownership Expansion and

28:59Resilience Opportunities Program, which

29:02is currently out. Uh we issued uh that

29:05uh solicitation and opened on October

29:0821st. We expect to close that by uh

29:10December 1. And I'm going to move on to

29:13our Enhancing Corridors. This is our

29:15work really where we talk about how we

29:18uh assisting businesses, uh commercial

29:20businesses uh along the corridors, those

29:23corridors. What are we doing for them?

29:26We're implementing with a partner at

29:29uh Agenda for Children, the Early

29:30Childhood Education uh

29:32Facilities Grants programs, which

29:34provides for improvements to early child

29:37care uh facilities. The funding that

29:40we've had available is to uh accommodate

29:4332 awards. I'm happy to say that we've

29:47made 19 awards to date. We had six

29:50projects that completed uh this year. We

29:53have another six that's under

29:54construction, and seven of those are

29:57waiting to start construction. We've

29:58issued the notice to proceed uh by year

30:01end, we expect to issue five more

30:03grants, and that work is really powerful

30:07because what we're talking about doing

30:08is really how we impacting and improving

30:11the quality of early child care

30:12facilities for those providers who are

30:16have with limited resources, but are

30:18providing the care for all of our uh

30:20precious uh

30:22uh kids and the leaders of the future.

30:24So, we're excited about doing that work

30:26with Agenda for Children. We also have

30:29been uh closing up our original facade

30:32renew program. We wrapped up three of

30:34those uh projects this year, but we uh

30:37initiated a facade renew plus program.

30:40We did a broad reach for

30:43really focusing on exterior improvements

30:45along a couple of commercial corridors,

30:48New Orleans East, Downman Road, North

30:51Broad, Lower Ninth Ward were all of the

30:53focus of those applications.

30:56I'm happy to say that staff was able to

30:59go out door-to-door,

31:00business-to-business to be able to get

31:03out flyers that information out to

31:05individuals, and we received a total of

31:0832 applications from that. Of that, we

31:11were

31:12able to make 12 awards. We've had

31:14ongoing meetings with those applicants,

31:19and we have also

31:21done site visits. Those awards can max

31:24up to about 150,000

31:27contingent on the size of the property.

31:29There was great turnout and great

31:31interest in that. Our small business

31:33marketing I just want to wrap that up is

31:35that we provided technical assistance to

31:3720 small businesses along our low to

31:40moderate income corridors working in

31:42seven ward, Tremé, Algiers, North Broad,

31:45New Orleans East, and the Claiborne

31:47North Claiborne corridor.

31:50Our new work that we're doing and just

31:52started just this year, which is a micro

31:55food incubator micro grant program

31:58working with the city's office of

31:59economic development. We are providing

32:02there's a two parts of it. One is the

32:05award for commercial kitchens facility

32:09>> [clears throat]

32:09>> technical assistance grants. We've made

32:11six awards of that. We expect the part B

32:14to result in some commissary kitchen

32:17improvement grants to those recipients.

32:21And then our final work is talking about

32:24strengthening neighborhoods. How do we

32:26take formally owned city properties or

32:29other large-scale development properties

32:32owned by other public agencies and put

32:34them back in commerce? I'm happy to talk

32:36about

32:38Louisiana Avenue Firehouse, which was on

32:40Louisiana Avenue. Anybody who has driven

32:43where the old Flint-Goodridge Hospital

32:45was and now see at that corner, that

32:47intersection, what used to be a blighted

32:50firehouse is now the home

32:53of an early child care facility. And

32:56this work and that site is the

32:58intersection of all of Nora's work. When

33:00we talk about housing, that creates

33:03seven affordable housing units,

33:05long-term affordable uh for those

33:07individuals. We created an early child

33:10care facility to serve that that

33:12building. But in addition to that,

33:15because we were able to acquire the

33:16vacant lot next door, that expanded the

33:19amount of kids that could be served by

33:22an additional 32 kids. That was really

33:25impactful. And more importantly, that

33:28was a former city asset that's not no

33:30longer on the city's tax roll and is now

33:33thriving and operating in that

33:35community. So I'm happy about that and

33:37the work that we've done with that. We

33:40have a couple more that we did through

33:42our early childhood education facilities

33:45program that we can talk about later.

33:47And the other major site that we're

33:49working on is Esplanade de Leon

33:51Apartments. That's currently under

33:53development. If everyone recalls, that's

33:55at the corner of Henriette de Leon and

33:58Esplanade Avenue. It will be it's under

34:01construction right now. It's intended to

34:03be 37 long-term affordable units and 13

34:07market rate units. It's expected to come

34:09online somewhere at second quarter of

34:122027.

34:14I'm excited about that and we'll be able

34:15to create two small businesses on the

34:18first floor that can service the

34:20community at a below market

34:23rate. And then from there, our work on

34:25Tulane Avenue,

34:26this

34:27we've selected a development

34:30partner working with that developer

34:31partner to work through financing and

34:34developing those affordable units there.

34:37It's intended to service

34:39um

34:40those who are unhoused,

34:42uh,

34:43providing for 36 non-congregate units

34:46with private accommodations,

34:48uh, for that and for wrap-around

34:50services. And la- uh,

34:52two more items is, uh, uh, NOLA public

34:54school work, uh, adaptive reuse. We're

34:57working with the New Orleans, uh, public

34:59school on, uh, two schools specifically,

35:03but the first one that's currently out,

35:05uh, that's out for solicitation right

35:07now is the Banneker C. Jones school. Uh,

35:10we have a two-step process. We've had

35:12ongoing community meetings and

35:14discussions as to what, uh, is the best

35:16uh, suited for that site. We in turn,

35:19uh,

35:20have, uh, issued the solicitation.

35:22Responses are due back today. Uh,

35:24there's a two-stage evaluation process.

35:27We're evaluating internally, but more

35:29importantly, there's a second, uh, uh,

35:31stage two of that process whereby the

35:34community will see, uh, will, uh, see

35:37and be able to ask questions from the,

35:40uh, two, uh, two or three firms that are

35:42highest ranked. More to come as to who

35:45responds and when, uh, what comes out of

35:47that, but we're excited about that

35:49because that's in the center of the 7th

35:51Ward. That property has been vacant for

35:54more than 20, uh, years, clo- uh,

35:57shuttered, uh, really after Katrina and

36:00it's, uh, great for an opportunity.

36:02We've got lots of developer interest.

36:04We'll see what happens at the end of

36:05today today. I work with, uh, Six Flags

36:08development. Uh, we have completed the

36:11site assessment, repair and installation

36:14of the, uh, water pump. Site clearance

36:17has really been ongoing. We pulled the

36:20weight, uh, about a month and a half

36:21ago. We, uh,

36:23cleared the site, uh, on the exterior

36:26about 14,000

36:28square feet, uh, clearance, about 65

36:31trees that were removed and are cut

36:34down, just clearing that site. And

36:36lastly, I Lower Ninth Ward

36:37revitalization work where we're

36:39investing in, uh,

36:41primary nodes along the St. Claude a

36:44corridor through our facade uh, plus

36:46program and we made an acquisition of

36:491515

36:51Eugenia with the goal of trying to

36:54attract a tract of grocer to that site.

36:58Made the acquisition in April of this

37:00year last year this year and that we

37:02anticipate on issuing a solicitation in

37:04the coming weeks.

37:06All right and then just to highlight

37:09personnel is we have a staff of about 33

37:13now all of them are full-time positions

37:16implementing the work that we're doing.

37:18We have also the organizational chart

37:21that provides you

37:23with the information about where

37:25everyone is within the organization. I

37:27took an opportunity for 2027 goals to

37:31highlight that again breaking down what

37:34our roles are and what our goals are for

37:36each of those on housing

37:40which is our built homes and enhancing

37:42corridors which is really our economic

37:44development work and our strengthening

37:46neighborhoods putting

37:48blighted property back into commerce.

37:51I've identified our goals under our

37:53fortified Nola gap our homeownership

37:56program through the housing trust fund

37:59the owner occupied roof fortified

38:01program for homeowners through the

38:03housing trust fund and then our rental

38:05investment improvement program for all

38:08the number of units that we intend to

38:10create. Bottom line this is about

38:12housing opportunities creating those

38:14housing opportunities for individuals

38:17who live here for homeownership

38:19opportunity for rental opportunities for

38:21bringing properties that were

38:25no longer in commerce back into commerce

38:28and particularly as we implement the

38:31rental investment program which will be

38:33servicing units from one to four units

38:37really talking about addressing

38:38landlords who are owners of properties

38:41mom and pop who are owners who need some

38:43investment with the goal that

38:46some of those units that become vacant

38:48will be occupied by low to moderate

38:50income individuals. Still working

38:52through what that

38:54compliance and certification is after

38:57those units come online, but we

38:58anticipate on doing that. I'm happy to

39:01say we were launching two of the four

39:05programs outlined in Housing Trust Fund

39:08this year with more to come before the

39:10end of the year. Our Our Kensington

39:12Court is again completion of our early

39:14childhood education facilities program,

39:16our facade renew program in the Lower

39:19Ninth Ward, New Orleans East, food

39:22incubator micro grants. I'd like them

39:24happy to talk about just highlight that

39:26is that

39:28what I talked about for 2026, spoke

39:30about technical assistance grants, but

39:33what we plan on doing with that is the

39:35creation of the construction of a few

39:38food incubator at the corner of St.

39:40Bernard and North Claiborne, which is

39:43really critical for individuals who are

39:46operating out of the kitchen, who don't

39:48have a commercial kitchen, and need that

39:50level of space to

39:52operate. Again, our goal is about

39:54improving commercial buildings and

39:56businesses along those corridors, and I

39:58highlighted continuous our work in our

40:03strengthening neighborhoods, which is

40:04about repurposing and transforming

40:06large-scale high opportunity and public

40:09assets. Uh

40:11Uh our budget, as we

40:13mentioned, uh is our 2026 projected

40:16actuals uh for the end of this year is

40:19anticipated to be about 10.1 million.

40:22Our adopted budget uh for 2026

40:26uh is 35 uh million, and our proposed

40:30budget for 2027 is 32 million. These are

40:34all

40:35uh grant-funded programs, either funded

40:39through program income generated by the

40:41redevelopment authority, either through

40:43millage dollars, through Agenda for

40:45Children, or Housing Trust Fund dollars.

40:48None of these are general fund dollars.

40:51With that, council members, I complete

40:54my budget presentation and I'm here to

40:56answer any questions that you might

40:58have.

40:59>> Thank you, Brenda. I appreciate your

41:00partnership. I usually see you at ribbon

41:03cuttings and groundbreakings, so this is

41:04a little different, but those are all

41:06celebratory events. I just want to thank

41:09you for your partnership, especially

41:10implementing the housing trust fund,

41:12which you advocated for. You were such a

41:14great partner in advocacy for that, and

41:17now we're seeing the fruits of that

41:18happen. I also want to just highlight,

41:20as you did, the Louisiana Firehouse.

41:23It's just made a world of difference in

41:27my neighborhood [clears throat]

41:28and in the district. And just driving by

41:30it every day with his bright blue doors

41:32makes me very, very happy, and it's a

41:34model of what we can do with city-owned

41:36buildings going forward,

41:39combining affordable housing with early

41:42childhood or some other economic

41:44development tool

41:45within a city property. That's why I

41:47asked you to

41:49present after Novick because I think

41:51it's just a good synergy. So, my

41:53question to you is, after all of that,

41:55do you work closely with Annie?

41:58And what is your relationship like? And

42:00are there other organizations, like the

42:02school board, that that you bring your

42:04insight and expertise to?

42:06>> Yeah,

42:07we work closely with Annie really and

42:11the core

42:12committee that's been developed to talk

42:15about our assets. We also report back to

42:18that organ group when we meet quarterly

42:22to talk about where we are in delivering

42:24that. So, there's lots of synergy in

42:26there. Annie is

42:28large-scale big public

42:30sites that require a coordination of lot

42:33of investments. Our work is a community

42:36neighborhood driven, but those are still

42:38public assets and that make a difference

42:41in that neighborhood. We've also been

42:44tapped with NOLA public schools

42:47to do that, to talk about some adaptive

42:50reuse of two of the school buildings,

42:52one of which is Valena C. Jones, the

42:54other one is uh Israel Augustine, which

42:56we anticipate on uh issuing some for

42:59something for that on behalf of the

43:01school board uh once we complete this

43:03process with Valena C. Jones. The other

43:05piece is that we have been talking

43:08having sitting on discussions with uh

43:12the Greater New Orleans uh Foundation as

43:14they talk about their work around uh the

43:17BioDistrict and the need for additional

43:19affordable housing around that and what

43:22impact and what that needs uh needs to

43:24be. Mr. Copeland and I are supposed to

43:26be sitting down after having sat on that

43:29uh

43:30uh convening with him and on behalf of

43:33uh Nora but with him uh to talk about

43:35what that looks like. What we've got to

43:37keep in mind is that while we're growing

43:39these big areas in and around our

43:42downtown and other areas, there other

43:44places that we need to be building upon

43:47to make certain that people aren't

43:48displaced and we create those

43:50opportunities.

43:51>> No, I appreciate that work and I

43:52appreciate your work um especially

43:54around food incubators and food deserts.

43:57Um I can tell you some target areas for

44:00me and in my district are Gert Town,

44:02which does not have a grocery store, and

44:04literally just opened a food bank

44:06because there's no grocery stores

44:07around. People are shopping at Dollar

44:08General. And um Central City, of course,

44:11Claiborne Corridor.

44:13There's no real good food options there

44:15except that one store. So, the more that

44:17you and I and my team can work with you

44:20on incubators or attracting grocers in

44:23those two areas, I think it's going to

44:24be important.

44:25>> Oh, thank you very much.

44:26>> Um and then there's one more question I

44:28have and then I'll turn it over to

44:29Councilmember Willard and Morrell. The

44:31510 or so properties that you're you

44:34have um

44:36you should have at the balance of the

44:38end of this year. Is there any plan or

44:40what is the plan to get those sold

44:43sooner

44:43>> Oh.

44:44>> uh

44:44>> off the road?

44:45>> a whole disposition strategy where we've

44:47identified those that make uh that are

44:50better suited [clears throat] for uh

44:52development. So, we're planning on

44:54issuing a uh

44:56uh solicitation for making properties

45:00available. We would call it our

45:03residential disposition application

45:05process. So, making properties on

45:07available on that. We're also looking at

45:10developing another modifying our

45:12policies to

45:14establish something that we can get make

45:16properties available on demand subject

45:19to you know, them committing completing

45:22and doing certain things. That's what

45:24we're looking at now internally. Our

45:26goal right now is to make a disposition.

45:29We believe that we can dispose

45:32an average of 85 to 100 properties a

45:35year. I'd have to highlight that

45:37majority of those properties are in New

45:39Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward.

45:41And so, what we need to do is help to

45:42incentivize those developments. And as

45:46we when we put together the

45:48applicate the auction for this year, we

45:51put about 32 or 33 of the properties out

45:55for auction in the Lower Ninth Ward. So,

45:57we wanted to make certain that we're

45:58doing that. What we don't want to do is

46:00to stress the market, but we want to

46:02make certain that we get

46:04good stewards and individuals that

46:06acquire those properties. And that's the

46:07other reason why we're also

46:10increased the the non-housing

46:12opportunity option in this past auction.

46:16So, we're working to do that. If there

46:18are any other recommendations,

46:20suggestions, we've also been

46:21entertaining conversations with

46:24developers as to what their interest

46:25might be and do some kind of target

46:27development. One of our particular goals

46:30strategies in the Lower Ninth Ward is to

46:33figure as to

46:34work with

46:36do some more strategic development down

46:39there, but that requires levels of

46:40investment. So, in the properties that

46:42we put out included in the uh hero

46:46program under the housing trust fund,

46:48although individuals could bring their

46:50own land, we listed about 46 different

46:52lots to make them available for of

46:54program as well. So, wherever we can

46:56make those

46:57properties uh and available, put them

47:00back in commerce with good thoughtful

47:02stewards. And that's even why we sent

47:04out those 400 letters that I mentioned

47:07to the Jason property owners to let them

47:09know that those lots were still

47:10available. They can acquire them uh at

47:13the end of the day.

47:14>> That's really smart and it's something

47:15that the city should take a look

47:17[clears throat] at too when we get our

47:19our lot next to our park program

47:20together. Thank you for all that you're

47:22doing and I love the thought of braiding

47:24Nora properties with the housing trust

47:26funds so developers like Luvis can build

47:30in the 9th Ward and build more and do

47:32great work there. So, just thank you.

47:34>> Thank you.

47:34>> Councilmember Willard.

47:36>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh good morning,

47:38Ms. Brenda. Thank you for the

47:39presentation. A few questions.

47:42When I was going through your slides and

47:44the financials, um

47:46it looked like the 26th adopted budget

47:48was 35 million, but your projected

47:51actuals are 10 million. Am I reading

47:53that correctly?

47:54>> Yes.

47:55>> Mhm.

47:55>> Can you explain

47:57like how that happened? Why was the

47:59budget so much higher than the actuals?

48:03>> We had a the

48:05>> Yeah.

48:05>> There was a delay in receiving funding.

48:08Uh example is the housing trust didn't

48:10come to August and that's the funding

48:12we're still waiting on.

48:13>> Okay.

48:14>> We weren't able to put those programs

48:16into place

48:17uh like we anticipated.

48:19>> Okay. So, what

48:21All right. So, um most of it was was

48:24tied to the affordable housing trust

48:25fund?

48:26>> Yes. Yes.

48:27>> All right. Um

48:31for your 2027 proposed budget, uh it's

48:35about 32 33 million. How much of that

48:38comes from the city's general fund?

48:42>> The

48:43The housing trust is from the city's

48:45general fund that's 10 and the agenda

48:47for children is another 3

48:48>> 3 million. 3.2.

48:50>> So, that's about 13 million.

48:51>> So, about 13 comes from the general

48:53fund?

48:54>> Yes.

48:54>> Uh through the millage uh fund.

48:56>> Yeah, the the

48:57Yeah.

48:58So, that's the only money y'all are

48:59getting directly from the city?

49:01>> That's it.

49:01>> Okay.

49:02Um

49:04I mean, you mentioned the Fortify NOLA

49:06program. We're proud of that work. You

49:09said uh 45 applicants were awarded. Um

49:12is that all we're going to have this

49:14year?

49:14>> Nope.

49:15>> Okay, good. Cuz I was I was doing the

49:16math and I'm like, I don't know

49:18>> I'm I'm going to give you the breakdown.

49:19[laughter]

49:20The 45 that were awarded, three of those

49:22uh roofs are on and we're expected to

49:24process payments. We have another nine

49:26that are in the office that are under

49:28review with uh NORA staff determining

49:31income eligibility. We have another

49:33eight that we have sent back to the

49:35applicants telling them that they need

49:37to give us some more information. We

49:39have 14 that we are chasing down to have

49:42them complete their applications.

49:44>> Okay.

49:45>> And so, I anticipate that by the end of

49:47the year, we would have at least 60 uh

49:5065 folks that we would have awarded to.

49:53>> Okay, perfect. What what happens if the

49:55funding allocated to Fortify NOLA isn't

49:58exhausted in the fiscal year?

50:00>> Uh

50:01um we plan on doing two things. One is

50:04that we've having conversations with our

50:06partners, um our non-governmental

50:09organizations who are already in uh

50:13have agreements with LDI uh to be able

50:16to do roofing. So, we having

50:18conversations with them.

50:19>> Who's that include? Like PRC, Rebuilding

50:23>> Rebuilding Together, People's Housing

50:25Plus, uh all of those uh Jericho Road.

50:29They either have had other funding so

50:31that they could leverage some of that

50:33funding. So, they already have

50:35agreements with LDI to be able to

50:37provide certain things. There's a gap

50:39that still exists. Most of those

50:41organizations used to get some of their

50:43money from Federal Home Loan Bank to be

50:45able to do some of the roofing programs.

50:47Federal Home Loan Bank is no longer

50:49funding that uh right now. So, they are

50:52sitting with potential applicants and

50:54folks that could qualify for that. And

50:57LDI has committed to them X number of

50:59slots or dollars. So, we have a call

51:02those uh NGOs on Friday to figure out

51:05what that could look like.

51:06>> Now, the the the thing I guess I would

51:08say to that is I have a little concern

51:12just because I think the department is

51:14going to open another round. And so,

51:16we'll have more New Orleanians that

51:20could potentially draw down the state

51:22[snorts] grant. And so,

51:24>> And so, I I wouldn't want us to exhaust

51:26>> not we're not. We'll get to the other

51:27part.

51:28And then, there is the ability under the

51:32fortified roof funding program, which

51:35will be launched in the course of the

51:37next 60 days, that we could create

51:40something in there that builds out for

51:42some leveraging. And so, that if they've

51:44got other leveraging dollars, then they

51:46would be able to do that. If you recall,

51:48there are two roofing programs. One is

51:50the fortified NOLA program. The other

51:52one is our

51:54the the large-scale fortified program.

51:58>> program.

51:58>> I was going to ask you a question about

52:00that, too. Um what's the eligibility

52:03criteria for that one?

52:04>> That's up to 120% of AMI. Have to be own

52:09own the your property, no outstanding

52:12taxes, liens on the properties. Uh

52:15>> Are they required to have insurance?

52:17>> Uh that's the piece that that we're

52:20requiring we're working through that and

52:22potentially requiring them to be able to

52:25have to get insurance.

52:26>> If we put the roof on their house.

52:27>> put the roof on there with the certain

52:29requirement for commitment. The question

52:31that we've been raised with, full

52:33disclosure, is that that has been raised

52:36is uh

52:37some of our non

52:39profit partners have been sharing with

52:41us individuals go out, get the

52:43get the insurance, and then sometimes

52:46cancel. Uh and so, we've got to figure

52:49out how do we put some safeguards in

52:51place so that doesn't happen. If it

52:53does, then they're not eligible for any

52:55other future city

52:58NORA programs. So, that's one of the big

53:01things because at the end of the day,

53:02the goal is put the roof on it and to

53:04get the reduced insurance. Bottom line.

53:06>> Yeah. Um

53:09I mean the fortified roof saturation as

53:11well. I mean that's a big one for us to

53:13bring mark bring rates down across the

53:15region. Uh how much funding are we

53:18putting behind that one?

53:20>> Hold on. I have

53:21>> And what's the source of funding for

53:23that one?

53:23>> Oh, the fortified gap is the fortified

53:26roofing program.

53:28Owner-occupied roof is $3 million.

53:32That comes from the housing trust fund.

53:34That's one of the

53:36programs that was outlined for that.

53:38That program can take care of not only

53:41just the roof, but maybe if there's some

53:43other minor repairs on the exterior that

53:46need to be taken care of, that can be

53:48addressed as well. The cap to that is

53:50about $25,000

53:52uh per

53:54household. That's the cap of that and

53:56it's anticipated that we could service

53:59up to about 148

54:01new roofs.

54:02>> Okay.

54:04All right.

54:05Uh you you [clears throat] briefly

54:06touched on Six Flags. I saw that we're

54:09given that project $5 million next year

54:12in the budget.

54:14>> Uh it's it's budgeted for we have an

54:17agreement

54:18for

54:20with the city

54:21for $5 million. That's supposed to come

54:25out of the um

54:27the um

54:28the um

54:30the bond sales uh

54:32>> What's that for?

54:33>> It was it hadn't been determined. We

54:36haven't gotten a nickel of that. Before

54:38any of that is done and we get a nickel,

54:41we'll need to know exactly what's being

54:43spent on it.

54:44>> Yes. Okay. Uh any other updates that you

54:47can provide to us on that?

54:49>> Nothing other than the the developer is

54:52uh

54:53uh seeking financing

54:56for

54:57determining financial feasibility uh

55:00looking at other

55:02brokerage firms to see who might be

55:04interested in provide financing for the

55:06project.

55:07>> Is there a timeline to where the

55:09financing has to be lined up?

55:12>> I understand from the developer that

55:15they're expecting to be able to identify

55:19the financing one way or the other by

55:22year end.

55:23>> By the year end?

55:24>> Yeah, that's what I hear.

55:25>> If I mean if that doesn't happen though,

55:27is it

55:27>> Then the Nora will have to Nora and its

55:29board will have to take

55:30steps.

55:31>> Okay.

55:31>> Yeah.

55:32>> Um

55:35The St. Claude revitalization

55:38uh looks like we had 1.4 million

55:40allocated for that.

55:42Um I just it and it's a study.

55:44>> No, it was two two parts. One was a

55:47study which we completed.

55:49>> Okay.

55:49>> which talked about uh how do we make

55:52where investments need to be made along

55:55that St. Claude corridor really with the

55:57focus on

55:59a need for a grocer in that

56:00neighborhood.

56:01We've completed the study. One of the

56:04things that came out of the study in

56:06addition for a need for a grocer down

56:08there was also there needed to be

56:10investments along St. Claude corridor.

56:13We've fulfilled that commitment when we

56:16uh

56:17awarded uh we issued the uh

56:20the the the solicitation for

56:23applications for a facade renew plus. We

56:26have three businesses from the St.

56:28Claude corridor who responded to that

56:31and have been selected. So we'll make

56:33that investment. The other portion is

56:35the actual grocery store and that's what

56:37the remainder of those dollars are for.

56:39So for investment, we've already made

56:41the quiet the land. We this is about

56:44investments into the actual structure

56:46and potential operation of the grocer.

56:48We've been working with the city's

56:50office of economic development before we

56:52issued that to make certain that we're

56:55uh we're working through that correctly.

56:56We've identified that the corridor that

56:59makes the most sense because of all the

57:01traffic going down in the lower ninth

57:04ward is the

57:05North Claiborne Avenue corridor.

57:07>> Okay. All right. Thank you, Ms. Brenda.

57:09>> You're quite welcome, sir. Keep up the

57:11good work.

57:11>> Thanks very much.

57:14Hello, Brenda.

57:16I think you already know what I'm going

57:17to ask about. Um, so let's talk about

57:20Bayou Phoenix.

57:21>> Yes, sir.

57:21>> What is the status of the development

57:24currently?

57:25>> Uh, there's

57:26There has been no

57:28no improvements or any other

57:33improvements made on the site. The

57:35developer is

57:37in the market looking for investors or

57:41those who would be able to participate

57:43in financing that.

57:46The conversations that our outside

57:48counsel has had with their counsel is

57:51that they anticipate to be able to know

57:54one way or the other at the end of the

57:55year whether or not they'll be able to

57:57get financing. We've got a confirmation

58:01from our outside counsel who had an

58:03opportunity to review some of that

58:05preliminary information, and it appears

58:08as if they are aggressively looking for

58:11that. I don't know what that's going to

58:12shake out to be.

58:14I don't I don't have that crystal ball

58:16to be able to do that. It's They're

58:18looking for investments right now to the

58:21tune of couple of 300 little over 300

58:24million for the project as originally

58:28designed and brought to the community,

58:31which was for a hotel, sports complex.

58:35Well, it's well, so I'm glad to hear

58:37that there is at least some discussion

58:39of a drop-dead date, which is what it

58:41appears to be as the end of the year.

58:42And I say that because

58:44I know working with the mayor, look at

58:46the developments happening currently in

58:48St. Bernard, that it is a very valuable

58:52piece of real estate for a variety of

58:54different purposes. And when I know

58:57Councilmember uses in here yet, but

59:01I

59:02go back to a conversation you and I had

59:05back before I was a council member, back

59:06in the days where there was a different

59:07Morial sitting around the seat.

59:10And we had a similar development where a

59:13developer

59:15sold a community

59:17in Pontchartrain Park on a similar type

59:19of pie in the sky development.

59:22And

59:23after that development didn't happen

59:26after 3 years, the original developer,

59:28which ended up being the Walmart,

59:30actually got developed and the only

59:32thing we saw was a 3-year delay and what

59:35was going to go there anyway. And as you

59:36may recall, that went from being a Super

59:38Walmart to a Walmart.

59:41And

59:42I say because I see similar frustration

59:45from people in New Orleans East in that

59:48this is a project that has had, I think

59:50like three or four groundbreakings and

59:52had three or four like massive press

59:54conference about what's happening and

59:56nothing's happened. And I mean, I will

59:58candidly admit there are market forces,

1:00:01interest rates, the like that certainly

1:00:05have created headwinds that were not

1:00:06anticipated. But that being said,

1:00:10I have always felt, and you know this,

1:00:12that when it comes to Nora, when you're

1:00:14talking about development, the goal is

1:00:17for community purpose, highest and best

1:00:19use.

1:00:20And

1:00:21I feel like there is becoming a time in

1:00:24the very near future where if this

1:00:27property cannot be developed the way it

1:00:30was sold to be developed years ago, the

1:00:32property still has to be developed. I

1:00:35mean, the people who live adjacent to

1:00:37that property in that community,

1:00:39they do not like living next to the, you

1:00:41know, a

1:00:42offset of like a zombie apocalypse

1:00:44movie. And

1:00:46there are going to be opportunities in

1:00:48the near future, you know that

1:00:50Deputy Mayor Renee Laperoullie is

1:00:52basically the czar of New Orleans East

1:00:54development in the wake of the lit

1:00:55terminal.

1:00:57If this property is not going to move

1:00:59forward, there is an opportunity in the

1:01:01near future to pivot to something else.

1:01:04What I would hate to see happen is that

1:01:06if this development cannot happen and we

1:01:10take too long to pivot to another type

1:01:13of development, that the property goes

1:01:15back to being on your rolls fallow

1:01:18undevelopable and basically just remains

1:01:21what it is now which is a tremendous

1:01:23eyesore and kind of a quality of life

1:01:25issue for the residents of New Orleans

1:01:27East. So, I certainly encourage you to

1:01:29work with a developer in the short term,

1:01:31see if they can find a mechanism to get

1:01:34what was promised to the people of New

1:01:36Orleans East.

1:01:37But if that development cannot be

1:01:40developed as promised that we are

1:01:42prepared to pivot aggressively

1:01:45to going back to the market, find a new

1:01:47developer with ironclad financing for a

1:01:51development that will have jobs and

1:01:54redevelop that property. I know that

1:01:56just the properties you're currently

1:01:57working with with the Deputy Mayor La

1:01:59Paroli the other properties that are

1:02:02similarly situated we're getting

1:02:04tremendous bites for distribution and

1:02:07other like development. This is

1:02:09similarly positioned if we pivot, but if

1:02:12we wait too long then we might miss the

1:02:14pivot. So, I thank you for being on top

1:02:16of it. Are there any other properties

1:02:18similarly situated where we have stalled

1:02:19development?

1:02:20>> Uh none that's in our portfolio.

1:02:22>> Okay. Thank you very much.

1:02:24>> Thank you.

1:02:25>> Council Member Green.

1:02:26>> Thank you very much for your

1:02:27presentation um and for the work that

1:02:30you do. I see it certainly in our

1:02:31district District D. I'm going to ask

1:02:33you to um

1:02:35work with the building corporation on a

1:02:37specific property that means a lot to an

1:02:40entire community. The city owns a

1:02:42blighted property at the corner of

1:02:44Desire and Florida. It's a former health

1:02:47center

1:02:49and it's in terrible condition. It's not

1:02:50because of your work and I want to make

1:02:52that clear to the public, but you all

1:02:54see things and you have creative people

1:02:56within the New Orleans Redevelopment

1:02:58Authority. You've developed thousands of

1:03:01properties over the days. I'm asking

1:03:03just for a specific on this one. Take a

1:03:05look at it with the building corporation

1:03:07and see if we can do something to get

1:03:09that blighted property turned into

1:03:11something that makes a statement to that

1:03:13community.

1:03:15It can be a museum. It can be a study

1:03:17center. It could be a

1:03:19a a fire station, history museum or

1:03:22something like that. But you see things

1:03:24and you have access to resources and

1:03:26ideas. I'm just asking you to be

1:03:28specific about that one. It would help

1:03:30an entire Ninth Ward community.

1:03:32>> Yes, sir.

1:03:32>> Thousands of people see it every day.

1:03:34>> I'll do that.

1:03:34>> Thank you. And thank you for the work

1:03:36that you do.

1:03:36>> Thank you.

1:03:37>> Thank you. I have one card from Miss

1:03:39Bourne Aquanetta.

1:03:42And just a reminder, you get 2 minutes

1:03:44to speak.

1:03:51>> Yes, my name is Aquanetta Bourne, B O R

1:03:54N E S. If you need to speak to me,

1:03:56504-598-6813.

1:03:59I have a identity problem, okay? And

1:04:02that's the people here in the city and

1:04:04elsewhere. I am female and I'll be 74

1:04:09this December 7th. I've been called it,

1:04:12that, and everything else. But I was

1:04:14born a woman and everything I have

1:04:15always been is mine but these dentures.

1:04:17Okay, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I

1:04:19don't take drugs, I don't even smoke

1:04:21weed. I've never undergone or have ever

1:04:23been to prison. So some people it's just

1:04:25it's just it's just giving me new

1:04:27identity altogether and I'm really

1:04:29pissed. But you know, I know that's the

1:04:31sign of the time. So I'm supposed to be

1:04:33dead, crazy, whatever. What what was the

1:04:35purpose of what they are supposed to do

1:04:37to me? But but me reading the Bible,

1:04:39Bible says it's the the sign time.

1:04:41People hate you people who

1:04:43who know you don't people hate you

1:04:46but I guess. People hate me will hate

1:04:48you also for my name's sake. So I know

1:04:50what's going on the sign of the time

1:04:52even down to Trump. Okay, what I want to

1:04:54say also is that

1:04:56I want to help

1:04:58What about Lincoln Beach? She was saying

1:05:00she had money to propose uh

1:05:02uh Vice Finney. I don't know if you have

1:05:05any money for Lincoln Beach. But also

1:05:07I'm going to propose that little barren

1:05:09is very important because I met a young

1:05:11man

1:05:13and he had no problem going to jail. He

1:05:16said cuz you get the same thing in jail

1:05:17and you get out. You got somewhere way

1:05:19you got food to eat. So, we were here

1:05:21for you all. Let these not probably low

1:05:24bearing people. They come out commit

1:05:26crime so they can go to jail to have

1:05:28something to eat and a place to sleep.

1:05:30Now, my property which is a prime

1:05:32property 2319-2325

1:05:35Daniel Street. And I've been fighting

1:05:37for years.

1:05:38FEMA cut my money over $300,000. I

1:05:41fought and I fought. I got Biden to send

1:05:43money. I [snorts] got Trump to send

1:05:45money down here.

1:05:46None of them acknowledge me. I called

1:05:49the I called the a common line all the

1:05:51time. I've been doing this for years.

1:05:53Now, I'm trying to get my property

1:05:57>> All right, Ms. Barnes. That's your time.

1:05:59Ashley, can you call the next?

1:06:00>> Up next is Mr.

1:06:01>> Thank you, Nora.

1:06:01>> All right, thank you. Well, thank you,

1:06:02council members.

1:06:16>> Ms. Barnes, you get two

1:06:18Ms. Barnes, your two minutes is up.

1:07:12>> Hi, good morning.

1:07:16Good morning. My name is Candace Bates

1:07:18Anderson. I am chief judge of Orleans

1:07:20Parish Juvenile Court. We would like to

1:07:22take a moment just to thank thank the

1:07:24council.

1:07:24>> Judge Judge, let me interrupt you. That

1:07:26microphone sucks.

1:07:27>> Okay, good. I thought the same

1:07:30Okay, all right. I'll start over.

1:07:32Okay, thank you. Good morning. My name

1:07:33is Candace Bates-Anderson. I am Chief

1:07:35Judge of Orleans Parish Juvenile Court.

1:07:38We thank the council for the opportunity

1:07:40to present this morning. We also thank

1:07:42the council for the opportunity to hear

1:07:44us beforehand and to meet with us quite

1:07:47regularly as it relates to our budget. I

1:07:49would like to introduce my colleagues.

1:07:51Um at the end is Judge Renard

1:07:53Darensbourg, Deputy Chief Judge Kirk

1:07:56Calvin, Judge Clint Smith, myself

1:07:58Candace Anderson, and our Commissioner

1:08:00Derek Russ. So, thank you for the

1:08:02opportunity to present today.

1:08:05>> All right, good morning.

1:08:06And I'm Judge Clint Smith, and I also

1:08:08thank you.

1:08:10So, Madam Chair, Council President,

1:08:13members of the City Council, and

1:08:14everyone else.

1:08:16We thank you for this opportunity to

1:08:18address the council on behalf of the

1:08:20Orleans Parish Juvenile Court as we

1:08:23discuss the court's operational needs

1:08:26and proposed budget for fiscal year

1:08:282027.

1:08:30The court recognizes the financial

1:08:32challenges facing the City of New

1:08:34Orleans and understands the importance

1:08:37of responsible fiscal management.

1:08:40We appreciate the difficult decisions

1:08:43the city must make when allocating

1:08:46limited funds.

1:08:48However, we must also emphasize that

1:08:51adequate funding for the Orleans Parish

1:08:54Juvenile Court is essential

1:08:55[clears throat]

1:08:56to maintaining court operation,

1:08:59administering justice, and protecting

1:09:01the safety and well-being of our

1:09:04children, families, and communities.

1:09:07The court's responsibility

1:09:10extends beyond presiding over juvenile

1:09:13and judicial proceedings.

1:09:15We are responsible for ensuring that

1:09:17cases move through the judicial system,

1:09:21that statutory obligations are met, that

1:09:24youth are held accountable,

1:09:28and that appropriate rehabilitative

1:09:29services and interventions are available

1:09:32when ordered by the court.

1:09:35Our work requires coordination with law

1:09:38enforcement, attorneys, service

1:09:41providers, families, and community

1:09:43partners.

1:09:45These responsibilities cannot be

1:09:47fulfilled effectively

1:09:50without adequate staffing, essential

1:09:52resources, and sufficient operational

1:09:55support.

1:09:57As we prepare for fiscal year 2027,

1:10:01the court faces a particularly

1:10:02significant challenge.

1:10:04We are preparing to transition from four

1:10:07judges to three while continuing to

1:10:11manage a substantial caseload, including

1:10:14serious and violent offenses and cases

1:10:17requiring ongoing supervision and

1:10:19intervention.

1:10:21At the same time,

1:10:23the city's proposed budget will further

1:10:25reduce the limited resources already

1:10:29available to our court.

1:10:31Today, we are asking the council to

1:10:33consider not only the amount of the

1:10:35proposed reductions, but also its

1:10:38practical consequences.

1:10:42The question is whether the city and the

1:10:44courts will have the necessary resources

1:10:47to fulfill statutory obligations and

1:10:50responsibilities and maintain effective

1:10:53operations under these circumstances.

1:10:57Councils,

1:10:58funding the court is not simply an

1:11:01expenditure. Please, let me repeat that.

1:11:04Funding the council is not simply an

1:11:07expenditure.

1:11:09It is an investment in our public

1:11:11safety,

1:11:13in accountability, rehabilitation,

1:11:17and the future of our community.

1:11:20I will now ask uh Judge Anderson to go

1:11:22into more details

1:11:23of our funding needs. Thank you very

1:11:25much.

1:11:27>> Okay, good morning again. Thank you. Uh

1:11:30the court now is respectfully requesting

1:11:32that the Fit City Fund, Orleans Parish

1:11:35Juvenile Court, at the $2,731,588

1:11:42for fiscal year of 2027.

1:11:45That would still place the court's

1:11:47budget approximately 9.16%

1:11:51below its adopted budget of 2026. So,

1:11:54still having budget

1:11:57considerations.

1:11:59Our request is to reconsider the

1:12:01additional $215,595

1:12:07proposed by the city and to allow the

1:12:10court to restructure its operations to

1:12:12address the loss of a judgeship, Judge

1:12:15Derbes, who is sitting to my right,

1:12:17while maintaining essential services.

1:12:21Thank you, and I will now walk you

1:12:23through our goals, staffing needs,

1:12:25budget, and priorities for fiscal year

1:12:26of 2027.

1:12:30As we review the court's accomplishments

1:12:32and priorities, I would like to begin

1:12:34with the established goals for 2026.

1:12:38Our focus has been on strengthening

1:12:40service services for youth, improving

1:12:43accountability, supporting

1:12:45rehabilitation,

1:12:46and expanding partnerships necessary to

1:12:49address the needs of children and

1:12:51families involved in the juvenile

1:12:53justice system.

1:12:57>> Judge Derbes, do you want to talk about

1:12:58mental health court?

1:12:59>> Oh.

1:13:02Well, okay. Well, uh mental health

1:13:04court. Well, uh first I'd like to thank

1:13:06you all for this opportunity. I am as we

1:13:08have discussed earlier the elimination

1:13:11of my seat happened out

1:13:13uh with things outside of our control,

1:13:15but my work in this community will

1:13:16continue as well. I'm grateful to have

1:13:18worked with my colleagues here. I chose

1:13:20not to run against any of my colleagues

1:13:22because I don't think it is who holds

1:13:24the seat, but a matter of the justice

1:13:26that we're able to administer in the

1:13:28city. My certain leaving the bench does

1:13:31not mean that I'm going quiet. I intend

1:13:33to be a continue to be I've been

1:13:34involved in this work for 25 years over

1:13:3625 years and I intend to continue to be

1:13:39involved in this work. Some of my

1:13:41proudest accomplishments is bringing

1:13:42some of the programs to our court. That

1:13:44being the girls program, the boys

1:13:46program, and the programs I'm about to

1:13:48speak to today which is the mental

1:13:49health court. I was proud to be able to

1:13:51secure a grant from the federal

1:13:53government to bring the first mental

1:13:54health juvenile mental health court to

1:13:56the state of Louisiana. That mental

1:13:58health court found its way to expand

1:14:00into what we are now calling a continuum

1:14:03of care. The federal government was kind

1:14:05enough to allow us to expand that grant

1:14:07to allow us to work with work develop a

1:14:09continuum of care to deal with youth

1:14:12that are involved in we have mental

1:14:13health issues. The mental health court

1:14:16saw that saw an a real investment in the

1:14:20in other areas that the court does not

1:14:22currently address. Currently we address

1:14:24issues around a risk. We don't currently

1:14:27address issues around need. There is no

1:14:29need based test in our court for need

1:14:31and the mental health court was an

1:14:33opportunity to illustrate some of the

1:14:35needs that some of the needs that our

1:14:37community and our constituency that we

1:14:39see when they come to court. Now we are

1:14:41working on a continuum of care program

1:14:43which allows us to work with youth from

1:14:45the time of intake until the time of

1:14:47re-entry into the community community.

1:14:50We we've also secured a planning grant.

1:14:52The planning grant allows us to work

1:14:53with the youth and stakeholders in the

1:14:55community. That grant to is coming to

1:14:57name but that allows us to use work with

1:14:59you can youth and stakeholders in in the

1:15:01community to develop a plan for juvenile

1:15:03justice and how we can proceed going

1:15:05forward. That grant also allowed us to

1:15:07pay youth to participate in in in that

1:15:10program. So is that so that I am I once

1:15:14again want to thank the community those

1:15:16who elected me to this seat and gave me

1:15:18their trust. I hope that I could fulfill

1:15:20that trust every day I served on the

1:15:22bench. My work will continue and I hope

1:15:24that my colleagues are I certainly

1:15:26continue to support juvenile court and

1:15:28everything that they do to work in this

1:15:29community and I hope that this city

1:15:31council will do continue to do so as

1:15:33well.

1:15:34>> Thank you. And would you like to discuss

1:15:36CASA initiatives?

1:15:38>> Sure.

1:15:39And so Judge Cook Calvin while on the

1:15:41bench with us does handle child in need

1:15:43of care matters. Judge Smith and I will

1:15:45continue to handle the delinquency

1:15:47matters and she'll discuss a little bit

1:15:48about our CASA initiative and what we're

1:15:50doing on that front.

1:15:52>> Over the past several months significant

1:15:55work has taken place

1:15:57toward reestablishing our

1:15:59court-appointed special advocate or CASA

1:16:02services in New Orleans.

1:16:04Much of this work has occurred behind

1:16:06the scenes. It has involved legal

1:16:07governance, organizational, and program

1:16:09development efforts necessary to

1:16:11establish a sustainable structure for

1:16:13this initiative.

1:16:15Although organizational development

1:16:17development takes time, the objective

1:16:19remains clear to build a strong CASA

1:16:21organization that can advocate for the

1:16:23best interest of children and provide

1:16:26meaningful support to children and

1:16:27families who need it. These initiatives

1:16:30demonstrate that the court's work

1:16:33extends beyond adjudicating cases.

1:16:37We must also ensure that appropriate

1:16:39intervention supervisions and community

1:16:41partnerships are available to support

1:16:44better outcomes for our children and

1:16:46families.

1:16:48And I will now turn to staffing and

1:16:50budgeting challenges that could affect

1:16:52our ability

1:16:53to continue this work in 2027.

1:16:55>> Okay, thank you. And now we will discuss

1:16:58our personnel and our organizational

1:17:00chart. And and so I'll just give a

1:17:02little bit of background. I have This

1:17:04will mark my 17th year of being elected

1:17:06on the bench of Orleans Parish Juvenile

1:17:08Court. It has been quite an honor,

1:17:11but in addition to that when I first got

1:17:13here we had 64 employees.

1:17:16Today we face 24 employees that work

1:17:19full-time in Orleans Parish Juvenile

1:17:20Court. And while we understand that

1:17:22there have been many cuts and many

1:17:24challenges to the city's budget, we have

1:17:27always been on the forefront of those

1:17:29cuts. But we are requesting today that

1:17:31instead of cutting our budget by the

1:17:33amount of 16% that our budget is cut in

1:17:36the amount of 9%. Part of what that

1:17:39reflects is, as you all know, uh Judge

1:17:41Darnsbrough's seat was abolished by

1:17:43legislation that was passed last year.

1:17:45We do know and part of that abolishment

1:17:47and part of that legislation that there

1:17:49were some acts that were created, one

1:17:51being Act 748, which was signed by the

1:17:53governor. Part of Act 748 requested that

1:17:56any money that was taken from

1:17:58abolishment of any juvenile court that

1:18:01that could be created and used in

1:18:02juvenile services. Once you received our

1:18:05budget, our budget allocated and

1:18:07reflected that all cuts from Judge

1:18:10Darnsbrough's section would be taken out

1:18:12of our budget. That puts us in a very

1:18:14precarious position because you know

1:18:17that even though we are losing a

1:18:18judgeship, we are not losing [snorts]

1:18:19the cases. So, those cases will be split

1:18:22amongst Judge Smith and myself, but we

1:18:25also through Act 748 have the ability to

1:18:28appoint a commissioner, and that is Mr.

1:18:30Derek Russ who sits to my left. By the

1:18:32ability to appoint a commissioner, the

1:18:34commissioner can handle certain

1:18:36obligations and certain duties because

1:18:38again, our most important objective and

1:18:40our most important goal is public safety

1:18:42for the city of New Orleans and safety

1:18:44for our community and safety for our

1:18:46citizens. I think we have seen a far

1:18:50change in some of the things that are

1:18:51going on in our city as it relates to

1:18:54juveniles and some of the things that

1:18:55are happening, and part of that is

1:18:57accountability, part of that is

1:18:59responsibility, and part of that is

1:19:01access to justice. If we do not have the

1:19:04staff that is needed for the

1:19:05commissioner to do the work that he has

1:19:07been appointed to do, and if we don't

1:19:09have the staff necessary to process

1:19:12cases, to make sure that people have

1:19:14access to justice, to make sure that

1:19:16matters are set, to make sure that

1:19:17hearings are set, to make sure that when

1:19:19kids come in, they can be held

1:19:21accountable, placed in alternatives. I

1:19:23think Judge Darnsbrough spoke a little

1:19:25bit about our Grow program, Girls

1:19:27Reaching Out Works Wonders. He's spoken

1:19:29a little bit about our Melo program, Men

1:19:31Engaging in Leadership Opportunities

1:19:33Works. But, the only way to get those

1:19:35kids into those programs is to see them.

1:19:37The only way to see them is to have

1:19:39staff. The only way to set those

1:19:41hearings is to make sure that we have

1:19:43the ability to function. Our fear is

1:19:46that the loss of a 16% reduction in our

1:19:49budget will decrease many of those

1:19:51opportunities. The judges and I can sit

1:19:54here all day long. We can sit and have a

1:19:56docket. We can go and we can make sure

1:19:58that the law is implemented. We can make

1:20:00sure that kids have an opportunity to be

1:20:01heard. We can make sure that victims

1:20:03have the right to stand and talk about

1:20:05what has happened. But without a staff,

1:20:07that is impossible. Without the ability

1:20:09to open our doors, without the ability

1:20:11to make sure that dockets are set, that

1:20:13the clerk's office has access, that

1:20:15hearings are met, that everybody is

1:20:16given notice, that a court reporter is

1:20:18there, that a stenographer takes the

1:20:20information, that a case manager sets

1:20:22that case, there is no access to

1:20:24justice. And what that means is not only

1:20:26are we

1:20:28hurt, our community is hurt. Our

1:20:31citizens are hurt. The public safety

1:20:33that we speak so much about, the

1:20:35decrease in the jail population that we

1:20:37talk about, that is a result of having

1:20:40access to justice. That is a result of

1:20:42having staff, having judges, having

1:20:45personnel, having people that are all

1:20:47here that make this work.

1:20:49They're in our office. If they are not

1:20:52there, then we don't know what we can

1:20:54provide. As you all sit here, you know

1:20:56that your work includes much more than

1:20:58yourselves. Your work includes all of

1:21:01the people who make this possible. And

1:21:03that is the same with us. Without the

1:21:05people to make it possible, we ask

1:21:08ourselves and we ask the community and

1:21:09we ask the city, how can we guarantee

1:21:12that we are all kept safe?

1:21:14>> So Judge, I hate to interrupt, but

1:21:15Judge, I hate to interrupt, but we're

1:21:17arguing about $265,000,

1:21:19right? That's it. And we're not arguing,

1:21:21we are asking. We are asking that

1:21:23Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, we have

1:21:26repeatedly worked with the city, reduced

1:21:28our staff, found every dollar we could

1:21:30possibly find. We don't have any more. I

1:21:32understand. I've been sitting up here

1:21:33for 5 years, so I I understand and I've

1:21:35seen you all come before us. And I don't

1:21:38want to interrupt the flow, but you

1:21:39know, 265, what is that for?

1:21:42>> Okay, so 265 would include the ability

1:21:45to continue to fund personnel for our

1:21:47commissioner. The 265 would include a

1:21:50case manager, which is a case manager

1:21:53who would have the opportunity to set

1:21:55these matters for hearing. It would

1:21:56include a minute clerk who also would

1:21:58have the opportunity to set the dockets,

1:22:00make sure the subpoenas go out, make

1:22:02sure all the attorneys and everybody and

1:22:04public defenders and the district

1:22:05attorney and everybody is aware of how

1:22:07the cases are set. It would include the

1:22:10possibility of a stenographer who would

1:22:12be able to take that information. It

1:22:13would include the possibility having a

1:22:15staff attorney who would also be able to

1:22:17research those issues. And most

1:22:19importantly, as we all know, and there's

1:22:21been a lot of talk about the electronic

1:22:22monitoring that many of you helped us to

1:22:25get in real time, which makes real

1:22:27results and real consequences.

1:22:30And that is a result we would need an

1:22:32EMP coordinator that we have found the

1:22:34ability in the year of 2026 to fund with

1:22:36any extra dollar we could locate. And

1:22:39now we don't have anything further. So

1:22:41that 265 is asked to fund positions so

1:22:44that Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, when

1:22:47I was initially elected, there were six

1:22:49judges. We are now down to three, and we

1:22:52are still doing the work, we are still

1:22:53getting it done, but we need the staff

1:22:55to make it happen, and we don't have it.

1:22:57>> you're asking for, just to again, I just

1:23:00want to cut to the chase

1:23:01>> Yes, thank you.

1:23:02>> and I know you guys have been sitting

1:23:02here for a minute.

1:23:04Um

1:23:04>> No, that's okay.

1:23:05>> So what you're basically asking is a

1:23:07reduction that would account for Judge

1:23:09Darnburg's

1:23:11retirement.

1:23:12>> He retired.

1:23:13>> I would you retired

1:23:14>> Judge Darnburg after serving for 20

1:23:17>> He will always be a judge.

1:23:18>> Right. Judge Darnburg's retirement, but

1:23:20retention of case manager, minute clerk,

1:23:23stenographer that would go to

1:23:25Commissioner Russ. Is that correct?

1:23:27>> That is correct. In the addition of the

1:23:28electronic monitoring coordinator, which

1:23:31would then what they do is they actually

1:23:33monitor the moment a child violates the

1:23:35monitor, notice is provided by the

1:23:37office of juvenile justice, but we need

1:23:39someone who facilitates between the

1:23:41court to make sure that we get

1:23:43information regarding any type of

1:23:45violation, that that information is

1:23:46provided to us, that it can be set

1:23:49necessary for hearing because everybody

1:23:50has an opportunity to have their matter

1:23:52to be heard, that we have an opportunity

1:23:54to get those warrants in real time the

1:23:57moment they are being generated so that

1:23:58they can be signed, uploaded. So, it's

1:24:01just an entire process. That is our

1:24:03request. That still puts us at a

1:24:05significant cut in our budget of a

1:24:07little bit over 9%. We are just asking

1:24:10that that money be reallocated only so

1:24:12that we can continue to do the work that

1:24:14we have been doing.

1:24:15>> Okay, and I I you mentioned

1:24:18RS 13 1595.

1:24:20Uh

1:24:21>> That is correct.

1:24:21>> That talks about funding associated

1:24:25funding associated with an abolished

1:24:26judgeship will be reallocated to improve

1:24:29juvenile services. Have you received any

1:24:31guidance from the LLA, Louisiana

1:24:34>> So, the guidance that we did receive

1:24:36>> and we did send it on to the council and

1:24:38we did receive a letter and basically

1:24:40that guidance um stated that and that's

1:24:43part of Act 740 748 uses the term shall.

1:24:47So, that means shall. This is a mandate

1:24:50that the funds associated with the

1:24:52abolished juvenile court judgeships be

1:24:54used for improved juvenile services

1:24:56within the city of New Orleans. I can't

1:24:58think of a better opportunity to improve

1:25:01juvenile services, to make sure that

1:25:03there is public safety, access to

1:25:05justice, opportunities for everyone to

1:25:07be heard, and most importantly for our

1:25:09community to feel safe, secure,

1:25:12and protected. And the only way that can

1:25:14happen is that if we look at it this way

1:25:16and our understanding is that that's all

1:25:18we're asking is for the

1:25:21opportunity to have that money continued

1:25:24in the budget of our court so that we

1:25:26can continue to improve juvenile

1:25:28services and lives for all.

1:25:30>> Okay, and then Brandy, this is a

1:25:31question for you. Has Has that funding

1:25:34been reallocated to other juvenile

1:25:36programming that

1:25:37>> Yes.

1:25:38>> What What programming?

1:25:40>> it. That's how we alleviated having some

1:25:42of the cuts for NORD.

1:25:43>> NORD? So, it's going It's going from the

1:25:45court to NORD?

1:25:46>> Well, I'm saying it's how we alleviated

1:25:47having some of the cuts for Nord. Yes.

1:25:51>> Okay. So, we put that money into the

1:25:53Nord budget.

1:25:56>> We We were We waited on the

1:25:57clarification too to ensure that the

1:25:59money could be used for any juvenile

1:26:01service and it was not specific to one

1:26:03place.

1:26:03>> Thank you. So, it still exists around

1:26:06[clears throat] in the budget, but it's

1:26:07just in Nord. All right. I'm done with

1:26:09my questions. Again, I just kind of want

1:26:11to cut to the chase. I think other

1:26:12council members have questions. Yes,

1:26:14Judge.

1:26:15>> First, we've already lost three

1:26:17positions.

1:26:19Um this would mean that we lose six

1:26:21positions, not just three. It's six.

1:26:24The other thing is that with this EMP, I

1:26:26want the council to remember

1:26:29we came before this council

1:26:31some years back because the jail was

1:26:33overcrowded, the juvenile facility was

1:26:35overcrowded because we had no other

1:26:37choice but to keep kids in in custody.

1:26:40I'm afraid that that's going to happen

1:26:42again. If we don't fund these positions,

1:26:46we're going to have a challenge. We

1:26:47can't let these kids out without the

1:26:48proper monitoring. And so, again, we're

1:26:52going to have that issue. We'll be back

1:26:55and the council was trying to figure out

1:26:56a way to stop that, you know, to get the

1:26:59to make sure that the facility didn't

1:27:00close because it was overcrowded. We

1:27:03can't let

1:27:05the kids out without the proper

1:27:06monitoring. So, I just wanted to add

1:27:08that.

1:27:09>> And that's [clears throat] 45K.

1:27:11Yeah, got it. All right.

1:27:12Councilmember Willard.

1:27:14>> Yeah, I'll be I'll be brief. Thank you

1:27:16for bringing that up, Judge Cook-Calvin.

1:27:18I mean, I know right now there's

1:27:20conversations going on with the sheriff

1:27:22and the juvenile center

1:27:25to move the the juveniles in

1:27:28the jail over to the juvenile facility

1:27:31to free up space because the jail is

1:27:33over capacity right now

1:27:36and that wouldn't be an option if the

1:27:38juvenile facility was at capacity. So,

1:27:42I I do think you guys play an integral

1:27:45role into public safety

1:27:48in the city of New Orleans and

1:27:51you know, anything that would slow down

1:27:52the process

1:27:54affects other components down the line.

1:27:58And so I just want to thank y'all and

1:28:00and thank you Judge Anderson for your

1:28:03passion today. I can tell

1:28:05that this is very important to you and

1:28:08thank you Judge Smith as well. So

1:28:12you know, we'll we'll work to try to

1:28:14keep you guys whole. Thank you so much.

1:28:16Thank you.

1:28:17And I too am a product of North. Went to

1:28:19North camps,

1:28:22North swimming pools, but without kids

1:28:24in our community, without safety, I

1:28:27would believe that keeping the money and

1:28:28the money that is allocated for juvenile

1:28:30services within the court is what the

1:28:32intent was. I believe not only not only

1:28:35is it the intent, but I think it is so

1:28:37important for the integrity of our city.

1:28:39What message are we sending if we think

1:28:41it's more important not to fund services

1:28:44that can make sure that all of us feel

1:28:46safe

1:28:47and feel whole.

1:28:49Thank you Judge Judges and Commissioner

1:28:51Russ. I I think you've kind of won us

1:28:53all over. And frankly, I mean, we

1:28:56shouldn't we shouldn't have kids sitting

1:28:58in jail if they're not a threat to

1:29:01anybody, you know, and and if the system

1:29:04backs up, that's exactly what we'll

1:29:06have. Exactly what will happen. Um I do

1:29:08have one card from Miss Barnes.

1:29:11You get two minutes, please.

1:29:19>> Once again, I'm Nakwanda Bolton. If you

1:29:21want to contact me, 504-598-6813.

1:29:25Now I had about two or three years

1:29:27elementary education at Suno. And I also

1:29:30worked for Encyclopedia

1:29:32for a short time, Britannica. Now I

1:29:35worked with Step Up and we went to the

1:29:36state building. And I'm going to tell

1:29:38you the same thing I told the people at

1:29:39the state that I'm not afraid of none of

1:29:41them. These charter schools do not have

1:29:45the equipment that public schools have.

1:29:47My My nephew had a bad behavior. They

1:29:50didn't put him in jail. They send them

1:29:52to alternative school before they went

1:29:54there as far as charter schools do not

1:29:56have and I have spoken do not have what

1:29:58these students need. They don't need a

1:30:00social worker that's to provide for for

1:30:02their needs. They don't need a counselor

1:30:04who helps them with their subjects. They

1:30:07need psychiatric help. They need a

1:30:09psychiatrist to go there all time. They

1:30:12need people judges that would [snorts]

1:30:14help them

1:30:15take steps before they would

1:30:17incarcerate. Everybody do not need to be

1:30:19incarcerated. All these children do not

1:30:20need to be incarcerated. And that is

1:30:22causing a behavior problem. I did

1:30:24volunteer work. The little boy he was

1:30:26throwing up cuz he didn't eat breakfast

1:30:29and all that. So these children come to

1:30:31school because they arrive breakfast and

1:30:32they they rely on lunch. You cannot

1:30:35study without these things. But I think

1:30:37there should be people in in in places

1:30:40that they can go to judge them before

1:30:42before they go

1:30:43>> [snorts]

1:30:43>> to juvenile court. That cause another

1:30:45behavior problem. Everybody don't need

1:30:46to go need to go to

1:30:49be incarcerated.

1:30:51And that causing a big problem with

1:30:52these with these children as well. So I

1:30:54hope y'all think about alternative ways

1:30:56of helping these children and make that

1:30:58[snorts] your last resort. Public school

1:31:00had that. They had early they they had

1:31:03uh

1:31:04autistic. My son started at 3 years old.

1:31:06They don't have that in charter school.

1:31:08In fact, when we went there

1:31:11Carol Carter promised that the charter

1:31:12school would be returned to us I mean to

1:31:15public school in 5 years. None of that

1:31:17has happened. So in other words, this

1:31:19battle I'm fighting I've been fighting

1:31:20for years. I was there at school when

1:31:22they had the boycott.

1:31:23So I

1:31:27>> Thank you Ms. Barnes. That's your time.

1:31:29Judges, thank you. Commissioner Ross,

1:31:30thank you.

1:31:31>> Judge Nierenberg, thank you for your

1:31:33service to the city of Newark.

1:31:34>> Thank you. Thank you.

1:31:37>> Up next is TCA.

1:31:56>> No. Good to see you, doc.

1:31:58>> Yes.

1:32:00Good to see you.

1:32:02>> I make dollhouses in my spare time.

1:32:05It's easy. Let's just do it. Yeah.

1:32:07>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:32:08>> I need to order everything.

1:32:09>> Which one?

1:32:09>> Mine.

1:32:10>> The arrows.

1:32:11No.

1:32:12>> Um,

1:32:13anyway, I gave two of the dollhouses to

1:32:15the Juvenile Court.

1:32:16They get played

1:32:21Yeah, close.

1:32:31Whenever you're ready, thank you.

1:32:33>> Is this mic on?

1:32:42Great morning. Is this mic on?

1:32:45>> It's working.

1:32:46>> Hello. Testing, one, two.

1:32:47>> Yeah.

1:32:49>> Great morning. My name is Glenn Escott,

1:32:50and I serve as the president of Total

1:32:52Community Action, and I am here to

1:32:55present uh

1:32:57our 2026-2027 goals for the uh Total

1:33:00Community Action's food pantry. I

1:33:02certainly want to take this opportunity

1:33:04to uh bring greetings on behalf also of

1:33:06our soon-to-be retired CEO, Mrs. Delma

1:33:09Harris French, uh who is scheduled to be

1:33:11retired in December. And so, she wanted

1:33:14me to pass on those greetings, and you

1:33:16all should receive an invitation of

1:33:18save-the-date for her retirement gala

1:33:21that's being planned.

1:33:22And so, uh

1:33:23just to share with you that uh many of

1:33:25you all know that we are the

1:33:27anti-poverty agency for the city of New

1:33:29Orleans. Um we've been around since

1:33:311964,

1:33:32and we serve as a trusted voice in this

1:33:34community.

1:33:36Uh our mission is to reduce poverty in

1:33:38our community through collaboration with

1:33:40other agencies

1:33:42uh by providing human services,

1:33:43experiences, and opportunities

1:33:46that move persons from poverty to self-

1:33:48sufficiency and economic security. Um

1:33:51TCA's purposes are to promote

1:33:54empowerment, focus on economic

1:33:55development

1:33:57and initiatives and encourage

1:33:59collaboration with other organizations

1:34:01um who pose a similar mission.

1:34:04Um

1:34:04many of our services that you all may or

1:34:06may not be aware of

1:34:08uh s-

1:34:09include our early head start our head

1:34:12start programs,

1:34:13uh our energy conservation and our

1:34:15LIHEAP programs,

1:34:16our utility assistance services both

1:34:19water

1:34:20um for the sewerage and water board's

1:34:22water help program for individuals who

1:34:23are disabled and are over 62, case

1:34:27management, our workforce services, our

1:34:29job um job development and financial

1:34:32education where we do budgeting classes,

1:34:35uh our asset development, our community

1:34:36engagement. Um we also uh have a VITA

1:34:39program. It's volunteer information tax

1:34:42assistance for free

1:34:44uh assistance for individuals with low

1:34:46income, our homeless prevention and

1:34:48rapid rehousing through our partnership

1:34:49with the mayor's office of

1:34:51um

1:34:52office of community development. Um

1:34:54where we're providing homeless

1:34:55prevention and rapid rehousing services

1:34:57for individuals,

1:34:58uh our advocacy work and most

1:35:00importantly for this presentation,

1:35:03um the food pantry programs that we run

1:35:06for the city uh here in New Orleans.

1:35:10So, I'll talk a little bit about our

1:35:11goals that we've been able to service uh

1:35:13this year with the funding

1:35:15uh

1:35:16about 10,000 individuals

1:35:18uh for our program um which is about 885

1:35:22households.

1:35:23Um we've been able to maintain our six

1:35:25mobile food pantry sites in our target

1:35:27communities.

1:35:28Um also, we've registered about 265,000

1:35:32individuals um for our food pantry

1:35:35services.

1:35:36Uh the thing I want to point out is that

1:35:37this year we were cut our budget was cut

1:35:40by $45,000. And that may not seem like a

1:35:43lot, but I do want to stress that uh as

1:35:46you just heard from

1:35:48uh other folks who presented, it does

1:35:50mean a lot to an agency that's providing

1:35:52services to the community.

1:35:54Um

1:35:56And so, I wanted to give just a few

1:35:58statistics

1:35:59uh about uh to the council.

1:36:02Uh

1:36:04In our second slide here, we talk a

1:36:06little bit about the allocation of funds

1:36:08and what we were able to meet. I want to

1:36:09point out that although we were able to

1:36:11service 10,000 individuals,

1:36:13we found ourselves having to reduce the

1:36:15amount of food that we're giving to

1:36:17individuals.

1:36:18Um customarily, we've been able to

1:36:20provide approximately like 2 weeks'

1:36:22worth of staples to individuals through

1:36:24our boxes, our food program. But since

1:36:26then, we've had to reduce those numbers

1:36:28down to like week's allocation. And we

1:36:31work with organizations such as

1:36:34um other organizations such as the

1:36:36Louisiana health programs to identify

1:36:39the food that we're providing. We ask

1:36:41them to provide us with um nutritious

1:36:44meals

1:36:46um

1:36:47so that we can provide to those

1:36:48individuals. Uh helping us put together

1:36:51um menus that the individuals can

1:36:53actually stretch food.

1:36:55Uh and that's a little difficult for

1:36:56some folks who are only now receiving a

1:36:58smaller number of a quantity of food. Um

1:37:01while we continue to struggle to meet

1:37:02the demands,

1:37:04um we know that food insecurity in the

1:37:05city is real.

1:37:07Um

1:37:08and so again, with that cutback, it has

1:37:10it has hurt us. [clears throat] Coupled

1:37:11with the large numbers of individuals

1:37:13that we're seeing showing up for food uh

1:37:16assistance, it is really impacted us.

1:37:19The thing about um the program when we

1:37:21register individuals, and you see here

1:37:22we registered individuals, I asked the

1:37:24staff before I came to give me a

1:37:26snapshot of just for the month of

1:37:28October. And just for the month of

1:37:29October, we have registered over 160

1:37:33160 individuals alone for the food

1:37:36pantry program. That's 606 new

1:37:39applicants. Of that 106, I think six of

1:37:42them are still awaiting additional

1:37:44documentation to come in, which means

1:37:46that often times people come, they

1:37:47register, and they don't have all of

1:37:49their documentation, but we try our best

1:37:51not to turn anyone away who's coming for

1:37:54emergency food assistance. And so, just

1:37:57wanted to point that out.

1:37:58Um

1:38:00and so again, in terms of some of the

1:38:01things that we've been able to meet our

1:38:03goals, we've been able to maintain

1:38:04excellent partnerships with our Second

1:38:05Harvest. We've leveraged the CSBG

1:38:08dollars to support the operation of this

1:38:10program, and we work very well with all

1:38:12of the city council and the and and

1:38:14individuals who on their staffs when

1:38:16they called about constituents.

1:38:18And we've been able to maintain it

1:38:20trying to maintain at least a 2-week

1:38:22worth of staples in each box.

1:38:24But, it's getting difficult.

1:38:28I do want to point out that our

1:38:30personnel costs are are actually zero to

1:38:33this program. We leverage the cost of

1:38:36our staff, trucks, and all of the things

1:38:39that are necessary to provide this food

1:38:41assistance by using our community

1:38:44service block grant dollars. And so, for

1:38:46us, it's a big savings to this program,

1:38:49whereas we don't have any funds coming

1:38:50out. These funds go directly to purchase

1:38:53the food that's being distributed. So, I

1:38:55wanted to point that out. So, for every

1:38:57individual that you see 10,000

1:38:59individuals here being served, those

1:39:01dollars are going directly back into

1:39:02those individuals' homes.

1:39:05So, TCA continues to service

1:39:08the number of vulnerable populations

1:39:10that have increased according to the

1:39:12study found. We found that rates of food

1:39:15insecurity in New Orleans is at an

1:39:17all-time high of 31%, and that was in

1:39:192025

1:39:21compared to 19.6

1:39:23on a on an actual national level. And I

1:39:26know that

1:39:27my colleagues from the health

1:39:30department, Dr.

1:39:31Dr. Vigno, Deputy Mayor Dr. Vigno, and

1:39:33others came before you all to ask for

1:39:36restoration of their funds for the

1:39:38homeless shelter. We too are part of

1:39:40that homeless provider network, the SPPA

1:39:43network with Unity, and we provide

1:39:44support and services for their warehouse

1:39:46and other things that we have access to.

1:39:50And I wanted to say that I didn't want

1:39:52this this council to think that

1:39:55that

1:39:56food insecurity alone without talking

1:39:58about health issues. And so, I want to

1:40:00point out that chronic illnesses like

1:40:03diabetes and heart diseases and poor

1:40:05academic performance are direct ties to

1:40:08some of the issues that we have with

1:40:09child poverty rates. And so again,

1:40:12wanted to make sure that along with the

1:40:14high cost of living, the skyrocketing

1:40:16cost of

1:40:18insurance and other things that folks

1:40:20are facing,

1:40:22it's all contributing to food

1:40:23insecurity. Uh recently, this morning, I

1:40:26saw the news that Dr. Norwood was on TV

1:40:29talking about the the the cuts to again

1:40:34to snap and

1:40:36other programs, the Medicaid costs that

1:40:39are being reduced to the state. All of

1:40:41those things along with the WIC program

1:40:44are affecting the families that we serve

1:40:46in our Head Start programs and the

1:40:48numbers and impacting the numbers that

1:40:49we're seeing in our lines for our

1:40:52programs. And so, I do want to point out

1:40:54that, you know, we are bracing for even

1:40:57harder times in terms of the food. And

1:41:01again, it might seem like a small amount

1:41:02of $45,000 to some. That is a major

1:41:06impact when you're talking about

1:41:07providing

1:41:08quality nutrition food to individual

1:41:11families. And so,

1:41:12this presentation [clears throat]

1:41:13kind of shows you in snapshot our food

1:41:16pantry program and our numbers by our

1:41:17quarter.

1:41:19This is our first quarter numbers where

1:41:20we show our unduplicated and duplicated

1:41:22numbers cuz individuals can come

1:41:24multiple times to our services.

1:41:27This is our second quarter numbers.

1:41:29Don't want to belabor you with too much

1:41:31of the data. Uh but I did want to point

1:41:33out that again, the programs here, we're

1:41:36still here, we're still working.

1:41:38Our office organizational chart shows

1:41:41where this program is housed. It is

1:41:42housed in our total access center. In

1:41:46this center is where we provide the the

1:41:48bulk of the work of our agency, our

1:41:51client education, our vital program, our

1:41:53emergency assistance, our low-income

1:41:55home energy

1:41:56program, which is our LIHEAP program.

1:41:58Many of y'all know our sewer

1:42:01water assistance cable programs. That's

1:42:03what we do as well as our food pantry.

1:42:05And we must be doing something right

1:42:06because if you open your sewage and

1:42:09water bill, at the bottom it says call

1:42:11TCA. And I understand that now energy

1:42:14has taken that same approach and they've

1:42:16added to the bottom of their bill and

1:42:17said hey, if you need help with your

1:42:19light bill, call TCA. So we must be

1:42:21doing something good, Council.

1:42:24Um again, our departmental goals, we've

1:42:26been able to leverage the dollars that

1:42:27you've given us. Again, we are trying

1:42:29our best not to have to reduce too far

1:42:31down um the the meals that we're

1:42:34getting. Um we've been able to continue

1:42:35to register folks at our our pro our

1:42:38programs, our mobile sites. Um we we do

1:42:41increase we do expect to be able to

1:42:43um

1:42:44assist about 75 seniors with a food a

1:42:48Thanksgiving basket uh this year uh and

1:42:51we we want to continue to increase the

1:42:53numbers of our food pantry program

1:42:55services at least by 10%. Uh we've had

1:42:58some great partnerships this year. I

1:42:59want to talk a little bit about those

1:43:01target communities.

1:43:03Working with uh in in Councilwoman's

1:43:06Harris's uh area um uh 504 Impact, where

1:43:09we've been able to work with them to

1:43:10support their new um uh refrigerator

1:43:13that they just opened up. Um Mr. Percy's

1:43:16on our board and so he's making sure

1:43:17that we stay committed to the work that

1:43:19we're doing. And other areas in Lower

1:43:21Ninth Ward, we're still trying to work

1:43:23to make sure we can provide the

1:43:24necessary supports there. And so again,

1:43:27a lot of our our service and our work um

1:43:29revolves around the work that we do. Uh

1:43:31we've been able to leverage again um

1:43:33some of the programs that we've been

1:43:35able to leverage dollars for have been

1:43:36Walmart, Target, and Sam's Clubs. Again,

1:43:40we're lined up with several other

1:43:41nonprofit organizations that are

1:43:43standing in line just as well as we are

1:43:45trying to access their services to get

1:43:47whatever partnerships and and free

1:43:49information or free um

1:43:51uh services that we can get from them.

1:43:53We've increased our partnerships this

1:43:55year with some of the the schools, the

1:43:57the nonprofits, the social aid and

1:43:58pleasure clubs. Again, Impact 504 and

1:44:01more importantly, the Paul Community

1:44:02Health Center has actually stepped up

1:44:04and they're actually providing WIC on

1:44:06demand. And so they're working with us

1:44:08in the in our Head Start centers, where

1:44:10a lot of our Head Start families were

1:44:12failing and falling short, they've been

1:44:14able to provide us with resources to

1:44:16come into those Head Start centers,

1:44:18catch those parents early on in the

1:44:19mornings when they're dropping off their

1:44:21kids or after to help them do the

1:44:23necessary paperwork that lessens them

1:44:25have to take off from work and go to the

1:44:26center. So, we're excited about that

1:44:28partnership. Again, we continued our

1:44:30healthy relationships with Second

1:44:31Harvest and Colfer and other food

1:44:33programs within the city, as well as

1:44:35being a a good steward for the funds and

1:44:37attending to the needs of the city

1:44:39council.

1:44:41So, again,

1:44:43as you see, our budget shortfall was

1:44:4650,000 45,000.

1:44:48Uh it does make a great impact, and so I

1:44:50do want to point that out, but I'd ask

1:44:52for your consideration in restoring that

1:44:5545,000 so we can continue the great

1:44:57services and move forward for our

1:44:5927-year budget.

1:45:02>> Thank you, and thank you for your your

1:45:04work. It's really important. Uh Council

1:45:06Member Morrow.

1:45:10>> Thank you. Uh

1:45:11honestly, I just wanted to thank you and

1:45:13Ms. French for all the work TCA has done

1:45:15over the years. Um

1:45:18in particular, I want to note the fact

1:45:21that whenever we have called upon TCA,

1:45:25and sometimes we call you literally with

1:45:2724 hours notice, when we were trying to

1:45:29figure out who we could get to manage

1:45:32the gas arrearages campaign,

1:45:35we kind of just throw things at you and

1:45:37Ms. French and say, "We need you to do

1:45:39this." And basically, we leave it to

1:45:40y'all to figure it out.

1:45:42>> Yep.

1:45:42>> And every single time that we have

1:45:45needed you to be a partner to get

1:45:47resources to the community, to families,

1:45:50you have always stepped up. And I

1:45:53certainly cannot even imagine what it's

1:45:56going to be like trying to fill Ms.

1:45:57French's shoes, cuz like I I've like

1:46:00when you just told me retirement, I I

1:46:02never even in my head imagined she could

1:46:04retire. Like I didn't think that was a

1:46:06possibility. So, I certainly wish her

1:46:08well. I'll be at that party, but God,

1:46:10that is a hard position [clears throat]

1:46:13for your board to be in

1:46:15as far as find someone that can fill

1:46:16those shoes. Thank you.

1:46:18>> Yeah, we definitely working very hard to

1:46:19make sure that we continue to work as

1:46:21she's laid foundation for.

1:46:24>> All right, if there are no other

1:46:25questions, thank you for your

1:46:26presentation.

1:46:27>> Thank you.

1:46:27>> Ashley, up next is the Council on Aging.

1:47:12>> Good morning.

1:47:19Good morning. I bring you greetings from

1:47:21the Council on Aging. Um, my name is

1:47:24Sandra Carmouche. I am the assistant

1:47:26executive director to our executive

1:47:29director, Mr. Howard O. Rogers III,

1:47:31couldn't be here this morning. So, I'd

1:47:33like to introduce you to some of my

1:47:35co-workers and we will give our New

1:47:37Orleans Council on Aging report. I have

1:47:39Mr. Martin Huber, who is our director of

1:47:42community service.

1:47:43Mr. David Wilborn, who is our nutrition

1:47:46operations director. And Mr. George

1:47:49Dutuch, who is our agency's comptroller.

1:47:54First of all, on behalf of Mr. Rogers,

1:47:56the staff of the Council on Aging, and

1:47:58the clients, we would like to thank the

1:48:00City Council and the mayor because we

1:48:03were not cut this year and we are so

1:48:06grateful and so appreciative that we can

1:48:09continue to do the great service that we

1:48:12provide for the older adults in Orleans

1:48:14Parish because we are the area agency on

1:48:17aging responsible for serving older

1:48:20adults. So, without further ado, I'm

1:48:23going to re-

1:48:24turn the mic over to my co-worker, Mr.

1:48:27Martin Huber, who's going to go over our

1:48:29goals and objectives.

1:48:34>> Good morning.

1:48:35So,

1:48:37basically our 2026 goals is the same as

1:48:41will be the same for 2027.

1:48:45We

1:48:47are only able to serve around 2,000

1:48:51individuals

1:48:53and our need in the community of New

1:48:56Orleans for senior services is five

1:48:59times that.

1:49:01So, we are never at this point going to

1:49:04get to a point where our goals are going

1:49:06to be completed.

1:49:08So, our

1:49:11goals are this. Uh the we exist to

1:49:14promote the rights, the well-being, and

1:49:16the enhance the self-esteem of New

1:49:19Orleans elderly by generating

1:49:20opportunities for self-relevance and

1:49:23independence.

1:49:25Uh we have quality supportive services

1:49:27accessible to older adults in New

1:49:29Orleans so that they are able to age in

1:49:32place with dignity and at home in their

1:49:35communities.

1:49:37The

1:49:38our programs deliver that we deliver are

1:49:41homemakers, information and assistance,

1:49:44outreach, national family caregiver

1:49:46support program, nutrition, retired and

1:49:50senior volunteer program, senior

1:49:53centers, senior companion program,

1:49:55senior RX, aging and disability home

1:49:58resource center.

1:50:01And our responsibility is for ensuring

1:50:03that a comprehensive and coordinated

1:50:06assortment of social, rec- recreational,

1:50:09educational, and nutritional services

1:50:11are provided to persons aged 60 and

1:50:13older in the city of New Orleans.

1:50:17And then

1:50:20we basically have a larger goal that

1:50:23goes over that

1:50:25as well

1:50:27as

1:50:28and tries to incorporate

1:50:31some of the things that the seniors need

1:50:34in addition including having our senior

1:50:37centers provide transportation,

1:50:39uh prevent premature institu-

1:50:42institution- sorry. Prematurely being

1:50:46institutionalized

1:50:47in uh senior care.

1:50:50Um

1:50:52basically create situations where we

1:50:54reduce social isolation. You're going to

1:50:56find in the next 10 years that with the

1:50:59senior community that that is going to

1:51:02be the number one health care concern

1:51:04because we're going to have lots and

1:51:06lots of seniors who were taught by us

1:51:10that during the pandemic that they were

1:51:11to keep separate and be away. They

1:51:14learned that they're continuing it now

1:51:17and that can cause some problems down in

1:51:19the future.

1:51:22Our personnel has not been changed. We

1:51:25are still around

1:51:2730 people

1:51:29that work in our office providing

1:51:31services to the seniors.

1:51:35And

1:51:36that's our

1:51:38>> That's our 20 something that work in the

1:51:40field.

1:51:40>> I'm sorry.

1:51:41>> ones that work in the field. 27 of them.

1:51:44>> Mhm.

1:51:45>> Um Martin mentioned the 30 something

1:51:47people that work in the office, but we

1:51:49also have people who work out in the

1:51:50community at our senior centers, our

1:51:53meal sites. They deliver meals, our

1:51:55meals on wheels drivers, and our home

1:51:57makers.

1:52:01>> So

1:52:02I to the council I handed this out here.

1:52:06We have on one side is our services by

1:52:10city

1:52:11city council district that is senior

1:52:14centers, meal sites, and home delivered

1:52:17meals.

1:52:19Understand that the number that shows

1:52:21how many seniors are served are

1:52:23duplicated counts. That means one senior

1:52:25may be receiving services

1:52:27for different

1:52:29different separate services.

1:52:32The on the other side is our city-wide

1:52:35services which shows that it they serve

1:52:391600

1:52:40seniors. Once again, that is a

1:52:42duplicated count.

1:52:44With our unduplicated count, our total

1:52:47amount that we served for for last year

1:52:49last fiscal year was at 1816.

1:52:54If you look on this page here that I

1:52:58handed to this

1:53:00uh council,

1:53:02this is the first page of a or the first

1:53:06two pages of a policy report that will

1:53:09be coming out at the end of November on

1:53:11the state of seniors in

1:53:14New Orleans Parish. And this is our

1:53:17executive dashboard that is showing

1:53:20pretty much what the report is going to

1:53:22cover, what our concerns of the seniors

1:53:25are, and what their needs are, and how

1:53:28we're addressing them. So, I encourage

1:53:30the council to please go over

1:53:38>> Do you have anything?

1:53:39>> [clears throat]

1:53:39>> Mhm.

1:53:40Yes, good morning council. How you all

1:53:42doing this morning? My name is David

1:53:44Wilborn. I am a nutrition operations

1:53:47manager at the New Orleans Council on

1:53:49Aging. I just need y'all time maybe 30

1:53:52to 45 seconds. I just want to thank you

1:53:54all for taking care of our seniors in

1:53:57our city, and I just want to throw some

1:53:59numbers at y'all and you all know what

1:54:01you all accomplished and

1:54:03I mean the difference y'all made to the

1:54:04folks in the city of New Orleans.

1:54:06Um one is we serve 193

1:54:12250

1:54:13meals a year

1:54:16to the seniors of our community.

1:54:19Also,

1:54:21I do approximately a little under 800 a

1:54:24day.

1:54:26800 meals a day.

1:54:27There's congregate meals and there's

1:54:30home delivered meals.

1:54:32So, we're touching 800 seniors. Also,

1:54:34another thing is that

1:54:36we are more than a meal.

1:54:40We are social workers.

1:54:43We are sometimes the only people that

1:54:47our seniors see when the meals get

1:54:48dropped off.

1:54:50And we also keep tabs on what's going on

1:54:52with them. I've had seniors locked in

1:54:54their houses over the weekends because

1:54:56their kids just locked them in the

1:54:57house. My driver come there and find

1:54:58them on the floor. So, we are really

1:55:01more than a meal. We are also keeping

1:55:04our seniors home.

1:55:07And also out of institutions. Just that

1:55:09one little meal a day and that one

1:55:12little back and forth conversation with

1:55:13one of my drivers are really saving a

1:55:16lot of seniors in this city grief,

1:55:19hunger, and pain.

1:55:21So, with that being said, once again,

1:55:24thank you all for not cutting our

1:55:26budget, not cutting our seniors because

1:55:29they are the heartbeat and history top

1:55:31community. Thank you so much.

1:55:36>> Do you have anything, Mr. George?

1:55:41Mr. George, do you have anything?

1:55:42>> With that end of your presentation, I'll

1:55:44see if there are any questions from the

1:55:45dais.

1:55:47If not, I just want to say thank you for

1:55:49everything that you do and

1:55:51one of the things that I did have a

1:55:53question about is because you touch so

1:55:54many seniors and this is on my mind. Do

1:55:56you ever partner with agencies to

1:55:59provide succession planning to make sure

1:56:01that folks

1:56:03understand succession and wills and

1:56:05things like that?

1:56:06>> Yes, we have a subcontract with

1:56:08Southeast Louisiana Legal Services that

1:56:11does that. And we also we also have a

1:56:13relationship with New Orleans Pro Bono

1:56:15Project that does that. And when there

1:56:18when the library has those kind of

1:56:19events, we get the word out about that

1:56:21cuz we understand the importance cuz one

1:56:23of the things that is a real issue is

1:56:25seniors are having their homes stolen

1:56:27from under them.

1:56:28>> I know.

1:56:30That's very true. Thank you so much for

1:56:32your work. Thank you for your

1:56:33presentation.

1:56:34Ashley.

1:56:35>> Next up is the Arts Council of New

1:56:36Orleans.

1:56:38>> Thank you all.

1:56:38>> Thank you.

1:56:39>> Thank you.

1:56:47>> I'm all right.

1:56:48>> She said he's good.

1:56:50>> Well, since Matthew Willard said I'm

1:56:51good.

1:56:54>> [laughter]

1:56:55>> I did want to announce that yesterday we

1:56:57had a great turnout for a legal services

1:56:59seminar that we did at the Desire

1:57:01Florida Center and it was just designed

1:57:04to address wills and successions and a

1:57:06great number of seniors showed up. So, I

1:57:08look forward to continuing that in the

1:57:10future. It's definitely a needed

1:57:11service.

1:57:12>> That was just cuz you brought it up. It

1:57:13was so relevant.

1:57:15>> Thank you. That was That was That was

1:57:17exciting.

1:57:19>> Wait, wait, wait, wait.

1:57:20But but furthermore,

1:57:22>> [laughter]

1:57:24>> No, that was a

1:57:25That was a good That was a good turnout

1:57:27[snorts] yesterday. Good turnout.

1:57:41>> Whenever y'all are ready.

1:57:42>> All right. Um

1:57:43Good afternoon. I'm Jocelyn Renoes, uh

1:57:46president and CEO of the Arts Council of

1:57:48New Orleans. I know each of you and it's

1:57:50a pleasure to be here today.

1:57:52Uh I have with me Danielle Gray,

1:57:55who is our grants manager for the Arts

1:57:58Council.

1:58:01So, we are celebrating our 51st year um

1:58:05working with the city of New Orleans. We

1:58:08have um we've managed um

1:58:10We have an We're the city's official

1:58:13community arts agency. We are private

1:58:15nonprofit, but the mayor appoints half

1:58:18of our board.

1:58:20And so, we develop the percent for art

1:58:23program for the city. You can look at

1:58:25the console at the back of the chamber,

1:58:27the wonderful pieces that we have here,

1:58:30the public art around the city. We have

1:58:33public art in every district and in

1:58:35every council member district, and we've

1:58:37managed that program, we developed it

1:58:39for the city, and we managed it for 40

1:58:41years. But, we're here today to talk

1:58:44about our community arts grants.

1:58:46And that program was developed in 1983,

1:58:51and in 2025,

1:58:54our budget was $550,000.

1:58:57When we developed our presentation,

1:59:00we thought the funding was 365 because

1:59:03that's what it was cut to last year, but

1:59:06the number that was cut was 30%.

1:59:10So, what is being proposed for 2027

1:59:14is basically what we received in 1983

1:59:18and 1984.

1:59:21So, that is a huge cut for the

1:59:24community. And the way we do grant

1:59:26making, we are

1:59:29one of the only nonprofits that support

1:59:33nonprofit arts organizations, including

1:59:37Mardi Gras Indians and social aid and

1:59:39pleasure clubs. The funding that we

1:59:41provide is operating support. And you

1:59:45know, if you are

1:59:47a city employee, you know, your salaries

1:59:50are covered by a tax base.

1:59:53If you're a nonprofit like Arts New

1:59:55Orleans, we have to raise funds to have

1:59:59people to employ people. So, it's a very

2:00:01different model.

2:00:06So, that's basically more than half what

2:00:10you're proposing this year is less than

2:00:12half of what we received a couple years

2:00:14ago.

2:00:17And had we known this, we would not have

2:00:20recommended funding so many arts

2:00:23organizations that many of you are

2:00:26familiar with.

2:00:30So,

2:00:31a few years ago, our highest grant was

2:00:34$15,000.

2:00:37Right now, we have three levels of grant

2:00:39making. One is just over $5,000.

2:00:42This is operating support. One is

2:00:45slightly under $4,000. And the smallest

2:00:47grant is 25,000

2:00:50$2,500.

2:00:52So, just think about what $2,500

2:00:55buys today.

2:00:57It may cover a teaching artist, a part

2:01:00of a a class or two, a few classes,

2:01:03a costume for one Mardi Gras Indian,

2:01:07or but it doesn't sustain programming

2:01:11because it's so small. Um

2:01:14Smaller grants mean fewer classes for

2:01:16kids, fewer performances in

2:01:18neighborhood, fewer artists paid fairly

2:01:22for their work. And I know in New

2:01:23Orleans that we are interested in paying

2:01:26artists for their work. Last year, in

2:01:282025, during the Super Bowl, Arts New

2:01:32Orleans, we have many different

2:01:33partnerships with the city, the state,

2:01:35many nonprofits, um developers. We spent

2:01:39$1.5 million

2:01:42in artist fees and fees to our youth

2:01:45artists. $1.5 million.

2:01:50For smaller organizations, especially

2:01:52culture bearers and neighborhood groups,

2:01:55this grant this community arts grant is

2:01:58the only public funding they receive.

2:02:02When it shrinks this much, so some

2:02:04programs may simply stop. I've heard of

2:02:07some nonprofits who staff they no longer

2:02:10have staff. They have volunteers.

2:02:14We're being asked to do the same

2:02:15important work across the entire city

2:02:18with grants that no longer cover what

2:02:20the work actually cost.

2:02:23Why support community arts grants?

2:02:26Community arts grants put public dollars

2:02:28directly into the hands of artists and

2:02:31nonprofit organizations doing the work

2:02:33in our neighborhoods.

2:02:35They are a practical way for the city to

2:02:37invest in its people.

2:02:40These grants help make arts experience

2:02:43available closer to home. It provides

2:02:46access to the arts, including free and

2:02:48affordable classes, performances,

2:02:51community events.

2:02:53Access to the arts should not depend on

2:02:56a family's income or zip code. Public

2:02:59funding provides access to the arts.

2:03:02They help culture bearers pass on

2:03:04traditions to the next generation. We

2:03:07support uh social aid and pleasure clubs

2:03:09doing their street parading.

2:03:12If the people who teach, perform, and

2:03:15preserve the culture cannot sustain

2:03:17their work, we risk losing

2:03:20the knowledge that makes New Orleans

2:03:22unique.

2:03:24They support paid work for local

2:03:26artists, teaching artists, cultural

2:03:28workers. Grant dollars help to pay for

2:03:31time, materials, and space needed to

2:03:34bring programs to life.

2:03:36For young people, art programs offer a

2:03:39place to belong, build skills, express

2:03:42themselves, and build confidence.

2:03:45Supporting community arts help keep

2:03:47those opportunities within the reach.

2:03:51Stable grants give organizations a

2:03:54foundation to plan for programs.

2:03:57Remember a couple years ago,

2:03:58organizations were receiving $15,000.

2:04:01Now they're receiving a little over

2:04:04$5,000.

2:04:06It retains partner, and it helps them to

2:04:08seek additional support. Repeat repeat

2:04:12cuts make planning harder

2:04:14and continue uh risk.

2:04:18The city benefits from the culture that

2:04:20these organizations create.

2:04:22Community arts grants help help sustain

2:04:25the neighborhood work behind the culture

2:04:29each year.

2:04:31The arts are not a luxury.

2:04:33They are part of how New

2:04:36live every single day. Our music, our

2:04:39festivals, our culture bearers, our

2:04:41neighborhoods. The arts bring joy to

2:04:44people, and joy is not extra.

2:04:48So, Arts New Orleans, we're working

2:04:50inside the Juvenile Justice Intervention

2:04:52Center. We're working with our youth. Um

2:04:54we have artists, we have four artists

2:04:57working with youth um right now. I was

2:04:59there last night. We also ran a

2:05:01diversion program that the city cut in

2:05:042026, reinstated, and then um

2:05:09rescinded again. So, today we have no

2:05:11diversion program.

2:05:13Our youth artists will be selling their

2:05:16their wares at our Luna Fête Festival,

2:05:19that's November 13th through 15th.

2:05:21They're going to be participating in our

2:05:23holiday markets in the end of November

2:05:26and in December.

2:05:28That is real income, real skills, and

2:05:30real pride for the young people in the

2:05:33city.

2:05:34These are the type of opportunities that

2:05:37disappear when funding disappears.

2:05:40The silly The city celebrates its

2:05:42culture everywhere,

2:05:43especially its arts and culture.

2:05:46In 2025, New Orleans had 19.46

2:05:51million visitors, and they spent 10.8

2:05:54million billion dollars here.

2:05:57And so, to not fund the arts by $550,000

2:06:02is almost unthinkable.

2:06:04People come here for culture.

2:06:06Yet, the city is cutting the artists and

2:06:08the nonprofit that provides these

2:06:11important programs to our city.

2:06:13Again, the funding that's being

2:06:15recommended is what we received 44 years

2:06:19ago.

2:06:20And that's not just the funding, but the

2:06:22admin. So, the level is so low that it's

2:06:25almost unthinkable. We're going to ask

2:06:28you [clears throat] today to restore our

2:06:29community arts grants to $550,000,

2:06:33um restore funding for our youth

2:06:35diversion program,

2:06:36and give these programs stable dedicated

2:06:40funding so our nonprofits can plan.

2:06:44For 50 years Arts New Orleans has

2:06:46partnered with the city

2:06:48to protect what makes Arts New Orleans

2:06:51and the city of New Orleans unlike in

2:06:53any other place. So when we promote, we

2:06:56promote our arts and our culture, but

2:06:58we're not funding it.

2:07:01Do you have any

2:07:03Um did you go through those slides?

2:07:05Okay.

2:07:06Okay, any questions from the dais?

2:07:12All right, Councilmember Green.

2:07:13>> I appreciate the work that you do and I

2:07:15see it um

2:07:17you know, no matter what the

2:07:18decision-making is, I don't want the

2:07:19public to think that the city of New

2:07:22Orleans is not supportive of arts and

2:07:24those young artists and the artists who

2:07:27deserve an opportunity to share their um

2:07:29skills and experience. I do want to ask

2:07:32that you

2:07:33certainly recognize the challenges of

2:07:35the city. I know you do. We're talking

2:07:37about laying people off from jobs,

2:07:39people who we asked, for example,

2:07:41civilians to work with the police

2:07:43department and somehow the other we're

2:07:45talking about potentially cutting out

2:07:47jobs. So it's just a challenging time. I

2:07:49hope that this will be used as an

2:07:50opportunity by all to investigate

2:07:54enhance state funding and also enhance

2:07:57private sector funding because there's

2:07:58only so much that we can do. Even if we

2:08:01raise the millage, we still have a $70

2:08:02million

2:08:03deficit. It's a challenge. But um one of

2:08:06the challenges is that I personally am

2:08:09very sensitive to laying off a person

2:08:12who is working for the city of New

2:08:13Orleans, whether it be in sanitation,

2:08:15whether it be in police civilians, where

2:08:18whether it be in other areas. And it's

2:08:20going to be my priority to make sure

2:08:22that those people aren't hurt. Um but

2:08:24the bottom line is that let us know how

2:08:26we can help. I hope that during this

2:08:28next legislative session that there's a

2:08:30lot more asking of the state too because

2:08:33they have a $47 billion budget compared

2:08:35to what's going to be a $700 million to

2:08:38$800 million our for the city. It's

2:08:40challenges, but I appreciate the work

2:08:42that you do. It's very important and to

2:08:44those young artists especially who are

2:08:46listening, we're we're with you. We're

2:08:48still with you and we're going to do our

2:08:50best to make sure that the

2:08:52the the hurt is not as severe. All

2:08:54right. Thank you.

2:08:55>> Thank you, Councilmember Green. Thank

2:08:56you for your presentation. Ashley, the

2:08:59New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund.

2:09:51Thank you. Whenever you're ready.

2:09:54>> Good morning.

2:09:56Thank you for this opportunity

2:09:58uh to share the work that NLTCF

2:10:01uh

2:10:01has contributed uh to our economic

2:10:04development of the city of New Orleans

2:10:06and the state of Louisiana in 2026. I'm

2:10:09starting with our goals.

2:10:12The NLTCF Honors Gala is uh

2:10:17an appreciation of our cultural artists

2:10:21and at that time we've been

2:10:23uh providing this appreciation

2:10:26uh and acknowledgement of the work that

2:10:27they've done through lifetime

2:10:29achievement, emerging, and established

2:10:31artist. We uh celebrated our fourth

2:10:35annual Honors Gala this year in January.

2:10:38Preparing for next year, January 14th of

2:10:412027.

2:10:43Then we also have the launching of our

2:10:46cultural information system to promote

2:10:48cultural entrepreneurship. This is a

2:10:52leap forward that we're taking and we're

2:10:54doing so in partnership with other

2:10:57partners such as New Orleans & Company,

2:11:00WWOZ, Greater New Orleans Foundation,

2:11:04and others because what this will do is

2:11:06create a digital platform for cultural

2:11:10artists to have their own

2:11:12digital

2:11:14page within an artist directory so that

2:11:17they are able to promote, they are able

2:11:20to market, and merchandise their work.

2:11:23We are hoping that that will launch

2:11:25successfully and continue to

2:11:28open in another avenue that complements

2:11:31other avenues that are out there for

2:11:34cultural artists to promote themselves

2:11:36locally, regionally, and abroad.

2:11:39We also sponsored,

2:11:41uh, it's yellow but it is now taking

2:11:43place. We sponsored the Nola by Nola

2:11:46series. That is a series in partnership

2:11:49with 3090 by 3090 as well as New Orleans

2:11:53& Company in which we host opportunity

2:11:58for our local venues to host concerts

2:12:02and throughout the city. This year we

2:12:05were able to partner and sponsor 52

2:12:08venues, over 300 concerts, which I

2:12:12believe 100 of them were free to the

2:12:14public and others were paid ticketed

2:12:17concerts so that cultural artists and

2:12:20venues were able to earn. So, we're

2:12:23hosting three elevation economic

2:12:25development series. We've already hosted

2:12:27two. We have one more, uh, that will

2:12:30take place on next month. And the

2:12:34elevation series have been in

2:12:35partnership with the Ella Project,

2:12:38negotiating contractual business deals,

2:12:41as well as with Cutting Edge music

2:12:44series. We did an elevation series and

2:12:47the one coming up in November is in

2:12:48partnership with Propeller, of which we

2:12:51have signed an agreement with Propeller

2:12:54to do

2:12:56economic development that will support

2:12:58the business acumen of artists. So, not

2:13:02only will they have great creativity

2:13:04resources, but also understanding the

2:13:06business side of entrepreneurship. And

2:13:10then we are well on our way to exceed

2:13:13the awarding of over 375

2:13:16grants.

2:13:18Moving to our cultural foundation

2:13:21personnel, we have budgeted

2:13:25eight

2:13:26employees, which is inclusive of

2:13:29part-time. And actually, as of today, we

2:13:32are half personnel short as we do not

2:13:36have a graduate assistant in the office

2:13:39at this time, but planning to continue

2:13:42to do so. We have had great graduate

2:13:44assistants that have gone on to great

2:13:47careers

2:13:48through partnership with UNO, which is

2:13:51now LSU UNO.

2:13:53Moving to our board of directors,

2:13:57listed are our board of directors, which

2:13:59we have the pleasure of having Honorable

2:14:02Leslie Harris, Honorable Freddy King,

2:14:05and then we have our board of directors

2:14:08that are listed there before you: Lloyd

2:14:10Dennis, Mark Elam, Susan Brennan, Big

2:14:14Chief Dow, and Dr. Angellee Broussard.

2:14:18Our staff is listed. I would think this

2:14:22is a small but mighty staff with the

2:14:26work that is accomplished within the

2:14:28office. I would just like to give them a

2:14:30great thank you for support and being

2:14:34very agile, adaptable, and

2:14:38very flexible in growing our cultural

2:14:41industry.

2:14:43Moving to our 2027 goals, I'll have our

2:14:47program director

2:14:49Claire Ve share those highlights.

2:14:51>> Good morning, Council.

2:14:55Good morning, Council. Again, thank you

2:14:57for this opportunity.

2:14:59For 2027 NOLTCF is proposing five key

2:15:02goals focused on cultural preservation,

2:15:04economic development, and

2:15:06sustainability. One, of course, we will

2:15:09award 300 grants. This will continue

2:15:11investing directly in New Orleans

2:15:13artists, culture bearers, and cultural

2:15:15organizations.

2:15:17Two, we will host the 2027 Honors Gala.

2:15:20This will celebrate the living legends

2:15:23that are here today and we want them to

2:15:25have their flowers before they are gone.

2:15:27With this event, we also reinvest in

2:15:30local cultural economy by hiring New

2:15:33Orleans based artists, vendors, and

2:15:35businesses.

2:15:37Our third goal is to have 100 active

2:15:39profiles on our information system. Like

2:15:43Lisa said, this is a digital

2:15:45infrastructure platform that helps

2:15:47provide artists and cultural

2:15:49organizations a free resource to market

2:15:52and promote themselves. Four, we would

2:15:54like to again sponsor and continue

2:15:56sponsoring the 2027 NOLA Bounce NOLA

2:15:59music series, which supports over 50

2:16:01local music venues and over 200 artists

2:16:04generating economic opportunities

2:16:06throughout the city.

2:16:07And last but not least, host another

2:16:10three elevation series workshops. With

2:16:13this, we connect artists and creative

2:16:14entrepreneurs with local businesses,

2:16:17organizations to provide resources and

2:16:19strategies for long-term business

2:16:21sustainability and growth.

2:16:24Regarding our programmatic and fiscal

2:16:26commitments, no grants

2:16:28exceeded 150,000 grants in this fiscal

2:16:31year. No grants exceeding 150,000

2:16:35are um

2:16:37expected or planned to happen in 2027.

2:16:40The 2026 year-to-date grant transaction

2:16:42report is included within the program

2:16:44that you all received. And then NOLTCF

2:16:47would like to continue to operate under

2:16:49our economic development plan that was

2:16:51first approved in 2020. Um thank you

2:16:54again for your time and I will now turn

2:16:56it over to Tiffany Jackson who will

2:16:58present NOTCF's 2027 budget. Thank you.

2:17:02>> Good

2:17:04good morning. I think it's still

2:17:05morning.

2:17:06>> Yeah.

2:17:07>> Um so thank you Claribelle.

2:17:10The 2027 proposed budget, we have

2:17:12revenues 5.7 million. This is

2:17:15approximately 8% decrease compared to

2:17:172026 and that is due to um information

2:17:21that we have received from the New

2:17:24Orleans & Company and the Convention

2:17:25Center indicating that convention and

2:17:28large meeting bookings are down for

2:17:312027.

2:17:33So the expenses

2:17:36of our budget were planned due to with

2:17:39the expectation that we would receive

2:17:41less revenues in 2027.

2:17:44We have dedicated expenditures of 3

2:17:47375,000,

2:17:49major event support 395,745,

2:17:54marketing expenditures 1 million,

2:17:56cultural economy programming 3,365,309,

2:18:02administrative expenditures 880,098

2:18:07dollars. Total expenditures 6,016,152

2:18:12dollars. We are pulling a modest 259,796

2:18:18from reserves and we anticipate our um

2:18:22end of year reserves for 2027 to land at

2:18:26about 4.8 million.

2:18:30That concludes our report. We thank you

2:18:31for your time and attention.

2:18:33>> Thank you, Council Member Moreno.

2:18:37>> Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.

2:18:39Uh

2:18:40Ms. Alexis, what's your email address?

2:18:43>> [email protected]

2:18:47>> Okay.

2:18:48Um

2:18:49So the [email protected]

2:18:52is not your email address?

2:18:54>> No, sir. I that was when I was employed

2:18:56with the city of New Orleans.

2:18:58>> Okay, that explains. We had a error in

2:19:00communication cuz I had requested a

2:19:01meeting, but it must have went to the

2:19:03wrong one.

2:19:03>> Oh, I'm so sorry.

2:19:04>> That's fine.

2:19:05Um

2:19:05couple of questions. The first is I've

2:19:07had a lot of culture bearers reach out

2:19:08to me regarding

2:19:11the presence of NOTCF in France last

2:19:14week.

2:19:15Um I looked at your budget for 2026.

2:19:18It did not seem to reflect a travel

2:19:20budget.

2:19:21How did that come about?

2:19:23>> Yes, sir. Our travel budget are part of

2:19:27our administrative cost. And so, we do

2:19:30budget each year for travel, for legal

2:19:35costs, for administrative

2:19:38expenses,

2:19:39equipment, and items like that would

2:19:42fall under administration.

2:19:45And so, we did plan

2:19:48uh this one trip for this entire year uh

2:19:51in a partnership with Jazz Museum. And

2:19:55and in partnership with a Les 60, which

2:19:58is a cultural exchange that has been

2:20:01taking place for 4 years. This would

2:20:04have been our This is our second year in

2:20:06participating in that cultural exchange.

2:20:08And we did decide to attend and partner

2:20:11with them on that because it was going

2:20:14to uplift several sectors of culture at

2:20:17one time. It was going to speak to

2:20:19musicians,

2:20:21filmmakers, visual arts and crafts,

2:20:24chef,

2:20:25and authors as well. And so, it has been

2:20:29very successful in allowing our local

2:20:32cultural artists to attend. And we

2:20:35partner with uh

2:20:37French artists and artisans as well. And

2:20:42uh there is a concerts that take place,

2:20:44but there are also workshops and

2:20:47exchanges and meetings that take place

2:20:49throughout that week leading up to the

2:20:51actual Jazz Nouvelle

2:20:54um

2:20:55festival.

2:20:56>> So, so

2:20:58in the budget that's reflected to us,

2:21:02it is a line item, well, sorry, it's not

2:21:04a line item, it's captured in a larger

2:21:06budget item.

2:21:07>> Yes, sir.

2:21:08>> Okay.

2:21:09Um,

2:21:09was the board aware that y'all would be

2:21:11attending?

2:21:13>> Yes, sir. And we did, we shared that,

2:21:16uh, with our board. We shared it during

2:21:19a meeting, we had a board orientation

2:21:21for our new board members as well, and

2:21:23we shared that we would be participating

2:21:25in the Jazz Nuvo Festival. Now, I will

2:21:28say, um, we support and sponsor several

2:21:32festivals throughout the year, and what

2:21:34we do is we specifically outline those

2:21:37festivals month by month, and so the

2:21:42October,

2:21:43um,

2:21:45notifications that go out to share what

2:21:47we're doing and what we're sponsoring

2:21:49came out at the beginning of October,

2:21:51and so it wasn't, uh, I guess a great

2:21:54lead time, but, um,

2:21:57but our board is aware that we, uh, were

2:22:00participating.

2:22:01>> Okay.

2:22:02Um,

2:22:03couple of more questions. So, I was

2:22:05reviewing the grant application process,

2:22:08which is

2:22:10and I think we've had this conversation

2:22:11before. I have never

2:22:16I have never been a fan of these mini

2:22:18grants

2:22:19that are given to specific individuals.

2:22:22Um,

2:22:23I feel like

2:22:24I was a legislator when the fair share

2:22:27deal was done. I was one of the

2:22:29legislators with, uh, Representative

2:22:32Harris, who's now Senator Harris,

2:22:33Representative Leger,

2:22:35and, uh, Representative Neil Abramson

2:22:38when the fair share deal was negotiated.

2:22:41And I have significant concerns

2:22:44with the mini grants in so far as it is

2:22:47easy for the public, when you see, uh,

2:22:50the funding for a festival or a program,

2:22:53to be able to kind of discern from the

2:22:55nature of the festival or program what

2:22:57its cultural purpose was,

2:22:59but just sitting up here today looking

2:23:01at names of grant of grantees,

2:23:04I know people on that grantee list that

2:23:06are not culture bearers. These are

2:23:08people who

2:23:09I mean, when you look at the application

2:23:11process,

2:23:13it does not seem, and I understand it's

2:23:15a quasi-automated process, and I'm not

2:23:18speaking towards the fairness of the

2:23:19process, but just the way the process

2:23:22for those individual grants are done,

2:23:24I know from our work with the City

2:23:27Council

2:23:28Culture Fund, Red Culture Fund, that

2:23:31we spent a tremendous amount of work

2:23:33with the Greater New Orleans Foundation

2:23:35kind of creating objective vetting

2:23:37process before it got to us, and I don't

2:23:40see a lot of that objective vetting in

2:23:43this process. I see that there's a lot

2:23:45of stuff tied to the identity of the

2:23:47person and them presenting the proper

2:23:49forms, but

2:23:51those individual grants add up to a lot

2:23:54of money that goes out the door,

2:23:56and I've always been concerned with the

2:23:58accountability there, and I think that's

2:23:59something that I am definitively under

2:24:02the new administration going to revisit.

2:24:04Now Now that being said, I do think

2:24:07I look at the amount of money. Now, I

2:24:09understand the new Harris lease, there's

2:24:11a $1 million pass-through for

2:24:13advertising, and

2:24:15that was a negotiation with the building

2:24:17corporation. I'm not going to comment on

2:24:19that because that's outside of my my

2:24:21expertise, but what I will say is

2:24:24the intention when we created this fund,

2:24:27when we spun off the New Orleans and

2:24:30Tourism Corporation into New Orleans &

2:24:33Company, was to really split those

2:24:36responsibilities.

2:24:37That the primary goal of NOCTF

2:24:41was not to be advertising because the

2:24:45goal, what we told culture bearers at

2:24:47the time, what Mayor Cantrell told

2:24:49culture bearers in all the press

2:24:50releases is

2:24:52this fund is for culture bearers. It's

2:24:55for the culture.

2:24:57And

2:24:59I cannot tell you how my phone and email

2:25:02lit up when billboards went up for the

2:25:05New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund.

2:25:07Because for culture bearers, that's

2:25:09money that can be going to culture

2:25:11bearers, that's going to advertising in

2:25:14New Orleans about the New Orleans

2:25:17Tourism and Culture Fund that people in

2:25:19New Orleans already know about.

2:25:21And that to me is mission creep because

2:25:25the whole reason why we split this fund

2:25:27off, I mean, if we want to advertise,

2:25:29the money all would have went to New

2:25:31Orleans & Company and we just would have

2:25:32said, "Hey, here are some other

2:25:34requirements on how we want you to

2:25:35advertise. We want the focus and the

2:25:38funding to be towards promoting

2:25:41programming and and

2:25:44resources to culture bearers and to

2:25:48people inside of our tourism or cultural

2:25:50economy.

2:25:52And

2:25:54it just gives me great concern. Now, I

2:25:55said I don't want to comment on the 1

2:25:57million from Harrah's because that is a

2:25:59direct amount of money for tourism that

2:26:01was negotiated as part of the Harrah's

2:26:03lease prepayment. But beyond that, I

2:26:07have concerns about advertising because

2:26:09I feel like that is mission creep. And

2:26:11looking at your proposed budget, how

2:26:13much of that budget beyond the Harrah's

2:26:141 million is going towards advertising?

2:26:18>> About 450,000.

2:26:22>> Why?

2:26:24>> And and to just add to that, I totally

2:26:26understand what you're saying and and

2:26:28agree. And to note that the advertising

2:26:31and marketing that's being used is

2:26:35going towards the sponsorships and

2:26:37support of huge festivals and events. So

2:26:42that um

2:26:44it is supporting their request to us for

2:26:47support of the events that are taking

2:26:49place because those huge events such as

2:26:53French Quarter Festival,

2:26:55Jazz Festival,

2:26:57um

2:26:58French Quarter Festival, just name it

2:26:59all of the large festivals, it does a

2:27:02purpose of drawing people

2:27:05uh in supporting their festival. It

2:27:06draws tourists, you know, to stay in the

2:27:08hotel.

2:27:09>> is that advertising or is it or is that

2:27:11advertising in addition to sponsorships?

2:27:14>> It is actually that is how those

2:27:17marketing dollars are used as a part of

2:27:20sponsorships.

2:27:21>> Okay. So,

2:27:23so these are these are sponsorships

2:27:26to festivals that they use for

2:27:28advertising.

2:27:29>> Yes. Our portion is very minimal and

2:27:32only minimal to N O T C F and

2:27:35specifically

2:27:37because we were still receiving feedback

2:27:40from people to say

2:27:42we actually had an assessment done this

2:27:43year as a matter of fact by

2:27:46um

2:27:46>> [clears throat]

2:27:47>> Tripwise and people were stating, "Well,

2:27:49we don't we're not aware that you all

2:27:51exist and that you offer these

2:27:52opportunities." So, there's a very small

2:27:55portion that's utilized to show what we

2:27:58offer as far as programming support and

2:28:00resources to artists, but the dollars

2:28:03are used more on sponsorship uh

2:28:07standpoint that goes to greater national

2:28:10marketing

2:28:12that then draws people to stay in the

2:28:14hotels.

2:28:14>> Right, but when I'm looking at these

2:28:16festivals, here's my concern.

2:28:19If I cold contact New Orleans and

2:28:21company and I say

2:28:23"What are you doing for these

2:28:24festivals?" and they go, "We're doing

2:28:25advertising." Do you see how that could

2:28:27be a problem?

2:28:28I'm not saying for I'll give you an

2:28:30example of French Quarter Fest. French

2:28:31Quarter Fest

2:28:32pays a tremendous amount of money to

2:28:36local musicians who perform there.

2:28:39It would be more appropriate for me if

2:28:41we were underwriting stages to pay local

2:28:43performers than paying for advertising

2:28:47because advertising is not really in

2:28:50your mission anymore.

2:28:52And so, I don't know if we have to

2:28:54revisit how you're organizing these

2:28:56sponsorships,

2:28:58but if we are already taking valuable

2:29:01tourism dollars that flow from the

2:29:04from the structure we created under Fair

2:29:07Share that goes directly to New Orleans

2:29:09and company to advertise things like

2:29:12French Quarter Fest or Satchmo Fest or

2:29:15the Jazz and Heritage Festival,

2:29:17then why are we using monies that we are

2:29:22collecting that's supposed to go to our

2:29:24culture bearers, our musicians, those

2:29:26individuals to also go to similar types

2:29:29of sponsorships? It's duplicative and

2:29:32it's mission creep because that's not

2:29:34what we wanted you guys to do. So, I

2:29:37would certainly say I

2:29:39I will

2:29:41in writing ask for some more specific

2:29:43information cuz I don't want to belabor

2:29:45the point here today.

2:29:47What What

2:29:48When did y'all submit this report for

2:29:50our approval? Cuz I know annually you

2:29:51have to submit a report that we're

2:29:53supposed to approve, correct?

2:29:54>> Yes, sir. So, we do the annual program

2:29:57is submitted by September. The annual

2:29:59program and budget is by September. And

2:30:02then we go through the budget appro-

2:30:03budget hearings and appropriation

2:30:06process. Then from there,

2:30:09uh budgets are approved, we move

2:30:11forward. By March 1st of every year, we

2:30:14must submit an annual report to City

2:30:18Council

2:30:20uh of

2:30:20the previous years uh

2:30:23activity. Then by May, we are to submit

2:30:27to by May 30th, we are to submit to City

2:30:31Council

2:30:32uh our audit report. And then when we go

2:30:36back into July, that's when we start

2:30:39and have begun the budget process and

2:30:41planning for the upcoming year, which

2:30:44then is presented to the board before it

2:30:46is submitted to City Council.

2:30:48>> two issues. One, um part of

2:30:52the organization and creation of the New

2:30:55Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund is

2:30:57supposed to be a CEA between the city

2:30:59and you guys.

2:31:01As of by this was part of the meeting we

2:31:04didn't have cuz of the miscommunication,

2:31:05but there is no CEA.

2:31:07So, I think you need to find it cuz we

2:31:10don't have it on our end. And that is a

2:31:12key component of And this

2:31:15to be clear, just for council members

2:31:16who are here today, this structure was

2:31:18done before any of us were here. This

2:31:20was done in 2019. So, this is not

2:31:23something this council missed or the

2:31:25even the previous council missed. The

2:31:27council before that one

2:31:31there was a miss

2:31:32there is a CEA that is necessary that is

2:31:35missing.

2:31:36Um

2:31:38inside of your articles of

2:31:39incorporation, we are supposed to

2:31:41annually get a report from y'all,

2:31:43approve a budget within 30 days.

2:31:47Cuz if we don't approve your annual plan

2:31:48within 30 days, under

2:31:51I'll have to look at the article, but

2:31:53under

2:31:54>> You're correct, and that's what this is.

2:31:56This is the annual programming plan and

2:31:59budget.

2:32:00>> Right, but when did you submit it?

2:32:02>> We submitted it on its due date of

2:32:04September 4th.

2:32:06>> Right. Today is October

2:32:0926th.

2:32:10>> Uh-huh.

2:32:11>> Under your articles of incorporation, if

2:32:13we don't approve your your your report

2:32:15within 30 days, your organization

2:32:17dissolves.

2:32:19So, what I'm saying is that

2:32:21>> Right, right.

2:32:21>> There there's obviously

2:32:24I don't know what's going on.

2:32:27And maybe we should be dealing with your

2:32:30process outside of the budget process

2:32:33because

2:32:35I think that what probably should

2:32:37happen, and this is just a suggestion,

2:32:40is that and I'll go look at how this was

2:32:42previously done, but your budget has a

2:32:4630-day turnaround in your articles of

2:32:48incorporation from when you submit to us

2:32:50to when we have to approve it before

2:32:52things are triggered. If you submit it

2:32:54on the on the on September 4th, we're

2:32:57supposed to approve it before before

2:32:58October 4th.

2:33:00We're a month past October 4th. So,

2:33:04we're going to have to figure out one,

2:33:06to make sure we didn't accidentally

2:33:08trigger a problem, and two, how we deal

2:33:11with this going forward. Like, do you

2:33:13wait in the budget process? Do we do it

2:33:15separately? Do I think this would

2:33:17probably be something that would fall

2:33:18probably under community development

2:33:20under Councilman Willard's committee. Do

2:33:21you submit to them? Does he schedule the

2:33:23hearing? But, these are hard dates in

2:33:26your articles of incorporation that

2:33:28we're already passed.

2:33:30And if this has been something that's

2:33:32customarily been done wrong, we need to

2:33:35correct it because

2:33:38you run the risk of interested parties,

2:33:41taxpayers, culture bearers, the like

2:33:44saying that you are in violation of your

2:33:46articles of incorporation and that

2:33:48potentially this whole organization

2:33:50needs to be dissolved because it's not

2:33:52following the rules set forth in it.

2:33:54Like I said, this could be something

2:33:55customarily that's been done wrong for

2:33:58almost a decade,

2:34:00but that doesn't excuse the fact that's

2:34:01being done wrong. So, I'll get with my

2:34:03staff, we'll reach out to you to figure

2:34:05out what deadlines were missed or

2:34:07whatever and how we correct it, but we

2:34:09need to look at

2:34:10>> Yes.

2:34:11>> what the deadlines are for approval of

2:34:13your budget,

2:34:14what the mission is for your

2:34:16organization, and how we can best

2:34:19utilize resources to do it because as a

2:34:21city, as we're cutting programs that we

2:34:24cannot afford out the general fund that

2:34:26impact our culture bearers, impact these

2:34:29various groups,

2:34:31your organization

2:34:33as intentioned, should be prepared to

2:34:36step in to fill those gaps with the

2:34:38monies you have.

2:34:40And I don't think today you're situated

2:34:42to do it.

2:34:43That's my opinion.

2:34:45Just for the way it has been operated,

2:34:47the way it's been done, I just don't

2:34:49think

2:34:50cuz I mean, there are organizations in

2:34:51here that are clearly

2:34:54they meet your mission. Like, Roots of

2:34:56Music. I mean,

2:34:58Lafayette Theater. These are all things

2:35:00that like, clearly when you're looking

2:35:02at promoting the tourism and culture of

2:35:04the city,

2:35:06it doesn't.

2:35:07When you look at like, STEM NOLA.

2:35:13I love STEM NOLA. I've been a huge

2:35:15proponent of them.

2:35:17Explaining to me how they meet the

2:35:19criteria for the tourism and the arts

2:35:21and the culture of the city,

2:35:23that does not seem to

2:35:25line up.

2:35:26>> We support their art of STEM NOLA, which

2:35:29is during Mardi Gras season, which is

2:35:31ahead of Mardi Gras season in January,

2:35:34and we support that particular

2:35:36activation where there are about 400 or

2:35:39so students that convene for the art of

2:35:43Mardi Gras, and they speak to how you

2:35:45build the floats, how they are lit with

2:35:48electricity, how they roll and move

2:35:50forward, and they bring part the history

2:35:53and the aspects of Mardi Gras season

2:35:55into that particular

2:35:57um

2:35:59day of activation that we support. We

2:36:02only You know, we only support that

2:36:03aspect of

2:36:04>> Well, throughout Throughout your

2:36:05website, it talks about how your grants

2:36:07are awarded in a lottery process.

2:36:10Is that correct?

2:36:11>> Yes, that is correct.

2:36:12>> Okay. Well, the question is what other

2:36:15programs didn't win the lottery when

2:36:18STEM NOLA did?

2:36:21>> Yes, well, we and we do have that. We do

2:36:23have, you know, who didn't make it for

2:36:25that particular time. Now, I will say,

2:36:28President, that we have been fortunate

2:36:30We've heard feedback from the culture as

2:36:32well, and we have also made an

2:36:35adjustment to our granting process where

2:36:39we put forth priority tiers as well. So,

2:36:42those entities who have never received

2:36:45funding from us on the lottery process,

2:36:48they are now excel to priority one to

2:36:51receive the consideration for their

2:36:53programming first, and then those who

2:36:56have received it

2:36:57within the last 2 years go in priority

2:37:00two, and then those who have recently

2:37:01received funding would be priority

2:37:04three. So, we're always wanting to

2:37:06refine the process to make it more um

2:37:11for

2:37:12every possible entity that is doing

2:37:15great work within the city to have an

2:37:17opportunity to receive resources to

2:37:20promote and continue economic

2:37:22development within their organization.

2:37:24>> Okay, well, I'll not to believe it's not

2:37:26>> to meet with you as well.

2:37:27>> a meeting and continue this offline, but

2:37:29I want to try and get these technical

2:37:31issues resolved as soon as possible.

2:37:32Thank you.

2:37:33>> Council member Willard.

2:37:34>> Thank you. Just a couple of follow-up

2:37:36questions. What's How much do you have

2:37:38in your reserve right now?

2:37:43>> At the end of 2025, we had 5,700,000.

2:37:52>> 5.7?

2:37:53>> Yes.

2:37:55>> What is Where does it stand right now?

2:37:59>> Well,

2:38:00it's not um

2:38:02it's not truly up to date, so it's about

2:38:04maybe 3 million

2:38:06right now because we are three month we

2:38:09have a three month lag in occupancy

2:38:11collections from the city.

2:38:13Um and we also have not received the $1

2:38:17million for

2:38:192026 for the Harris.

2:38:21>> Okay, that was another question I was

2:38:23going to ask you about. Um since we did

2:38:26the lump payout for the Caesars lease

2:38:29agreement, um does that $1 million that

2:38:32you guys get from the casino lease, is

2:38:34that change or affect it? Brandy, do you

2:38:36know?

2:38:38>> We Council member Morrell was saying

2:38:40that that was part of the arrangement

2:38:42when we got the $100 million for the the

2:38:44$1 million to go to them

2:38:45>> annually for Essence

2:38:45>> They still get it? Okay.

2:38:48All right. Um when you talk about Well,

2:38:51there's uh 395,000

2:38:54listed for major event support.

2:38:57>> Yes.

2:38:57>> Is that

2:38:58Essence Fest related?

2:38:59>> Yes.

2:39:00>> So, what do you What does that money go

2:39:01into work during Essence Fest?

2:39:05>> It is going towards

2:39:08artist uh

2:39:10stage production

2:39:12uh and those aspects. It is a part We

2:39:15are a part of

2:39:17the multi-year agreement that just ended

2:39:20in 2026

2:39:21with the city of New Orleans and New

2:39:23Orleans and Company

2:39:25and the greater New Orleans

2:39:29hotel and lodging association. And so

2:39:32that is a placeholder. We do not know

2:39:36what it really is going to be or or not.

2:39:39>> Does that money go straight to Essence

2:39:40Fest?

2:39:41>> It has.

2:39:42>> Okay.

2:39:43Um

2:39:46So you were talking about how your

2:39:48travel budget is in the general admin

2:39:51line.

2:39:52Um it looks like you had 275,000

2:39:56allocated for next year in that line

2:39:59item. What else is covered in that the

2:40:02general admin?

2:40:04>> We have salaries for four employees,

2:40:09um rent or lease payments,

2:40:14benefits,

2:40:16legal expenses,

2:40:18travel,

2:40:20office administrative expense, you know,

2:40:23like supplies,

2:40:25uh professional development.

2:40:28That about sums it up.

2:40:30>> Okay.

2:40:31>> Some utilities.

2:40:32>> Okay.

2:40:33And then my last question, I think

2:40:38two more questions. On the cultural

2:40:40economy programming, there was 2.8

2:40:43million. Is that the funding that goes

2:40:46to the individuals and the

2:40:47organizations?

2:40:50>> That is

2:40:52the yes, the grants that are awarded,

2:40:54but also the cultural information system

2:40:56that we're launching

2:40:58in the next couple of weeks.

2:41:00>> Okay.

2:41:01>> That Lisa mentioned is part of our goals

2:41:02for 2027 where artists will be able to

2:41:05set up active profiles that will allow

2:41:08them to market their

2:41:10their business and their artistry to

2:41:14the world.

2:41:15>> Okay.

2:41:16Um and then my last question, when it

2:41:19comes to the festival sponsorships,

2:41:21is that just to list

2:41:24um your organization as a sponsor of the

2:41:25festival?

2:41:28>> No, actually all of our funding

2:41:30specifically for the festivals either

2:41:32goes towards the artists performing, um

2:41:36either um the stage hands that help

2:41:38build the sets and stages, or any type

2:41:41of um hospitality or hiring of staff.

2:41:44>> Okay.

2:41:45>> not to just have our name listed as a

2:41:48sponsor, it is creating jobs within that

2:41:51festival. All of the festivals also do

2:41:53ask us um

2:41:55well, actually we ask them within their

2:41:57proposal to tell us what the funding

2:41:58will go towards, so I know specifically

2:42:01for like French Quarter Fest, it's just

2:42:03the local artists in New Orleans. That's

2:42:05the only thing that our funding goes

2:42:06towards specifically for that event.

2:42:08With the Fried Chicken Fest, the

2:42:09merchant marketplace, that's the only

2:42:11thing that our funding goes towards to

2:42:13ensure that those local vendors are able

2:42:16to sell their goods and keep all of the

2:42:18funding because we have covered their

2:42:20vendor costs for that specific festival.

2:42:22So, every event or program that we

2:42:25sponsor, it's a very specific thing,

2:42:27it's not the entire event as a whole,

2:42:30but it's very specific as to what our

2:42:32funding goes towards and they outline it

2:42:34in their grant applications.

2:42:35>> Okay. Thank you.

2:42:38>> Thank you. Um I have one uh card from

2:42:40Ethan Elstad.

2:42:48>> Hey y'all, um my name is Ethan Elstad

2:42:50representing Culture Clash from New

2:42:51Orleans, 7162 Polymnia Street.

2:42:54Um I was here a couple weeks ago to talk

2:42:56about what I really see as sort of a

2:42:57funding crisis within the culture

2:42:59community here both, you know, through

2:43:01philanthropic support but also just

2:43:03people not being able to make ends meet.

2:43:05Um and I feel like, you know, I was

2:43:08compelled to speak today because one of

2:43:09the things that really frustrated me

2:43:10when I saw this budget was instead of

2:43:12Arts Council stepping forward and

2:43:14helping to fill that gap, there was a

2:43:16step backwards with less support less

2:43:18current support with less support for

2:43:21economic development and almost doubling

2:43:22of that marketing budget. And to me that

2:43:24seems like a mismatch. I think you all

2:43:26just heard from the Arts Council just

2:43:28now about the significant cuts and

2:43:30challenges they're hitting and the other

2:43:32organizations that are being funded are

2:43:33hitting, and it feels like this is a

2:43:35moment where we can leverage the NORDC F

2:43:37fund and really provide some support to

2:43:39folks both both through organizations

2:43:42but also individually. We know that

2:43:43people are getting displaced. We know

2:43:45people are struggling to pay their rent.

2:43:46We know that people having medical

2:43:48emergencies. So, let's maybe reconfigure

2:43:50some of this fund out of marketing and

2:43:52into direct support to individuals to

2:43:53make sure they can stay here to continue

2:43:55to create, to live here.

2:43:57Um

2:43:58we're blessed to have a $6 million fund.

2:43:59Not a lot of cities do, but we're not

2:44:01leveraging it as we should. I think

2:44:03based on what they about 50% of the

2:44:05money is going in the community. That

2:44:06means 50% is used for a lot of other

2:44:08things. So, I think we should really be

2:44:10rethinking about where some of this

2:44:12money is going. We have an opportunity

2:44:14to do it collaboratively with

2:44:15administration, with council, and NORDC

2:44:17F leadership to make it work for the way

2:44:19it needs to for the people. Other thing

2:44:21I really want to talk about quickly is

2:44:23the grant process. I think we need to

2:44:24rethink the way that some of that works.

2:44:25There's only 3 days where most people

2:44:27can apply. One is January 2nd, one is

2:44:29during Jazz Fest, one is in September.

2:44:31And then we do the lottery system. Your

2:44:33grant may not even be read, but some of

2:44:35these larger marketing grants for Jazz

2:44:37Fest seem to pass through that. So,

2:44:38let's figure out a way to make it an

2:44:39equitable process. My time is almost up,

2:44:42but let's work together to rethink some

2:44:44of this and make sure support goes where

2:44:45it needs to go within the cultural

2:44:46community. Thank you all.

2:44:47>> Thank you, Ethan. Uh Councilmember

2:44:49Moreno.

2:44:50>> One one brief follow-up. I did notice

2:44:51and my staff got the information for me.

2:44:53I noticed that in your uh submission,

2:44:56you repeatedly say you've not exceed not

2:44:58awarded any grants in excess of $150,000

2:45:01per year.

2:45:02And I had forgotten, that's on me, that

2:45:06I think Amy was here when we did this

2:45:08and two I also Councilmember Harris was

2:45:11here when we did this and Councilmember

2:45:13Green as well. In 2024, Councilmember

2:45:16Moreno and I passed a requirement

2:45:18regarding local participation for grants

2:45:20in excess of $150,000.

2:45:23Have you all awarded any grants above

2:45:26$150,000

2:45:27since 2024?

2:45:29>> We have not. However, on a high note of

2:45:32that, when you instituted that

2:45:34requirement, we put into all of our

2:45:36grants that if you receive a grant from

2:45:40us that we expect you to hire and and um

2:45:46contract with local artists and the

2:45:48like. And I believe the percentage the

2:45:50city uses is maybe 32%. I could be off

2:45:53on the percentage, but we made that a

2:45:55requirement as well so that people do

2:45:58that.

2:45:59>> Or do you just say that?

2:46:02>> We say it and it's tracked in that a

2:46:04performance report is required. Um that

2:46:08is received in order to receive any

2:46:10grant beyond that, and folks have

2:46:13submitted their reports to speak to

2:46:15that.

2:46:15>> Okay. Well, that I I might I'll talk to

2:46:17staff. We might revisit that $150,000

2:46:20cap cuz it might be unnecessary if

2:46:22you're already making it required of

2:46:25everyone who applies for grants just

2:46:27because it just seems very

2:46:29without that context, the notification

2:46:32that you didn't make any awards above

2:46:33150 just seems kind of arbitrary. So, it

2:46:36might be worth it just removing that cap

2:46:38and just saying it's an expectation and

2:46:40that you guys are doing it in all the

2:46:41grants anyway. So, I appreciate that

2:46:42information. Thank you.

2:46:43>> Thank you.

2:46:45>> Thank you all for being here. Ashley,

2:46:46last but not least is the New Orleans

2:46:48Municipal Yacht Harbor.

2:47:29Whenever you're ready to go.

2:47:30>> All right.

2:47:32This is a good one.

2:47:35Uh good morning. My name is Brian Wieden

2:47:36or

2:47:36>> That's the bad That's the bad one. Yeah.

2:47:39There you go.

2:47:40>> Good afternoon. My name is Brian Wieden.

2:47:42I'm the executive director of the New

2:47:43Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor.

2:47:45Um

2:47:46today I will present the uh Yacht

2:47:48Harbor's proposed budget and operational

2:47:50priorities. Um one thing to note is we

2:47:53are a

2:47:54uh self-funded component unit of the

2:47:56City of New Orleans. So, we do not uh

2:47:58receive any

2:48:00funding from the city for personnel

2:48:01services or other operating expenses.

2:48:04So, go ahead and start.

2:48:06So, the status on 2026 goals.

2:48:09Um

2:48:11the West End fishing pier was a FEMA

2:48:13project that was uh

2:48:15completed

2:48:16really completed at the end of 2025,

2:48:18opening officially January of 2026. It's

2:48:22uh get a lot of use and is a really nice

2:48:24amenity. We're glad that it's back and

2:48:26available for the public.

2:48:29The fishing pier restroom facility, uh

2:48:32we just got excellent news that the FEMA

2:48:34time frame was extended. So, a notice to

2:48:37proceed on that project was issued. So,

2:48:40we are happy to see that that is uh in

2:48:42the works. And with that completed, we

2:48:44will be able to

2:48:46add water, fresh water, and electric

2:48:48lighting to the fishing pier.

2:48:51Uh West End Park

2:48:53shelter upgrades and pond upgrades.

2:48:55Uh the big thing we're working on right

2:48:57now is the pond upgrades. We expect a

2:48:59report at the end of this week with a

2:49:01scope of work to regrade the ponds,

2:49:04address water quality issues,

2:49:06um and just clean it up. It's uh it's in

2:49:09bad shape. It hasn't been touched since,

2:49:10I believe, 1991.

2:49:13And let's see. Point Um again, we'll

2:49:16we're going to be looking into if we

2:49:18have capital funding

2:49:19to do some improvement projects. We'll

2:49:21work on that, but nothing yet.

2:49:23The former restaurant site development

2:49:25development. I think uh Annie McBride

2:49:27probably spoke about this a little bit.

2:49:29Um but we are happy the RFQ was released

2:49:31and we're excited that it's moving

2:49:32forward.

2:49:35And then, in general, we're looking at

2:49:38funding for a commercial dock. Um

2:49:40and we will our striving to maintain

2:49:43slip occupancy over 93%. We have done

2:49:48Uh nice couple pictures of the fishing

2:49:49pier.

2:49:50Um it's really nice project.

2:49:52Happy to have it.

2:49:56Personnel

2:49:57Right now, we're budgeted full-time

2:49:59employees, nine. Uh actual full-time

2:50:01employees, eight. And that's only

2:50:04because our long-time accountant is

2:50:07retiring in the early next year and

2:50:08we're replacing him, uh Mr. Wayne Bloom,

2:50:12with a fiscal manager. So, we'll be

2:50:14hiring a fiscal manager. Um we're

2:50:16interviewing right now.

2:50:18And then, they'll work together for a

2:50:19few months and then Wayne's going to

2:50:21retire.

2:50:22We wish him well in his retirement.

2:50:27Organizational chart. See it. Um

2:50:30hasn't changed. Three grounds patrol

2:50:32officers, two maintenance workers, and

2:50:34some office staff.

2:50:382027 department goals

2:50:41The fishing pier restaurant facility, um

2:50:43just like to note that our my the yacht

2:50:45harbor board approved $140,000 in

2:50:48additional funding

2:50:49um for non-FEMA reimbursable expenses.

2:50:53So, we will be providing that to the

2:50:54city so they can build this bathroom.

2:50:57Weston Park

2:50:59continue doing upgrades.

2:51:01Uh former restaurant site development,

2:51:03we would

2:51:04excited if we can sign a lease with the

2:51:05developer.

2:51:07Uh marina and point improvements, no

2:51:09change on those.

2:51:13See, uh we received no funding for

2:51:15personnel services or other operating

2:51:17expenses from the city.

2:51:20And

2:51:22our budget is uh

2:51:282 million Our proposed budget 2 million

2:51:30318,400.

2:51:32Um it's slightly down from last year

2:51:34just in general. Slightly higher

2:51:37operational expenses and slightly lower

2:51:39personnel expenses.

2:51:45>> Council member McCaren, I just want to

2:51:47say thank you and I look forward to

2:51:49you know, moving that West End project

2:51:51along and we'll see the results from the

2:51:53RFQ soon. So, thank you.

2:51:55>> Great. Great. Thank you.

2:51:57>> Thank you for your presentation. This

2:51:58concludes day nine of the budget

2:52:01hearings. We have hearings starting at

2:52:029:30 tomorrow. With that, I move to

2:52:04adjourn. Council member Green seconds.

2:52:06All in favor?

2:52:07>> Aye.

2:52:08>> Thank you.

2:53:49>> Mhm.

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