New Orleans City Council

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Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity, Drainage, and Equity   It’s been less than six months since this Council was sworn into office, but it has been a certainly been a whirlwind. I wanted to serve this city to deliver real change in New Orleanians daily lives: to make New Orleans safer, more affordable, and more equitable. Everyone knows that change can come slowly, but what they don’t tell you is that change may never come if no one speaks out, pushes forward, and challenges the status quo. In these short months, I’m proud to say that along with my team and my colleagues on the Council, we’ve made real progress. From new penalties to keep our streets draining, to advancing and affirming our commitment to local and disadvantaged businesses to leaning into and leading on ensuring pay equity among city employees to pressing forward on renewable energy generation and vastly reforming energy distribution reliability; we’re just getting started. With the beginning of the budget process, we’ll be fighting to lock in our values to solve our city’s most pressing issues.    As always, my door is open. Your input is critical to making our city work for you and your families. From potholes to utilities to drainage; you deserve a city that responds to you. And we’re here to make it happen.    Sincerely,    Helena Moreno, Councilmember At-Large City Hall, Room 2W40 (504) 658-1060 morenocouncil@nola.gov

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

COUNCIL PASSES ORDINANCE TO ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DBEs  Last month, Councilmember Banks and I authored an ordinance that would enhance the opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) interested in competing for contracts let by the New Orleans City Council. This ordinance aligns the Council with DBE requirements that currently exist for contracts awarded by the City, and will help ensure citywide inclusion and opportunity so that all can benefit from business coming from the City of New Orleans. I believe strongly in building a more equitable New Orleans where everyone has the opportunity to compete and win business in order to create jobs and grow wealth. I am so proud to move this ordinance forward to promote equity within our own house, the City Council. This measure will equalize and codify goals previously applied to the executive branch and ensure DBEs in New Orleans have the opportunity to grow and compete by working with us on the Council.

COUNCIL APPROVES MEASURES TO PROTECT CITY DRAINAGE SYSTEMS   The Council unanimously approved an ordinance I authored to prevent the depositing of harmful materials into city drainage systems. The law focuses on preventing the obstruction and depositing of harmful materials (including construction/demolition debris, hazardous liquids, refuse/garbage) into catch basins and drainage canals, and increases penalties to serve as a greater deterrence for interfering with the free flow of drainage throughout the city. These measures will bring New Orleans in line with stricter requirements and penalties for dumping in surrounding parishes, and greatly reduce the city's risk of flooding.

COUNCIL DIRECTS ADMINISTRATION TO CONDUCT SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLIMATE SURVEY   The Council approved a motion directing the Chief Administrative Office to execute a mandatory sexual harassment climate survey to assess the general awareness and knowledge of the City's sexual harassment policies. This measure represents ongoing efforts by the Council to investigate, assess and remedy sexual harassment issues within City Hall in response to reports that surfaced earlier this year. Learn More

COUNCIL AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO EQUAL PAY   The Council adopted a resolution expressing its strong commitment to equal pay for equal work, and formally directing the Civil Service Commission to execute a Pay Disparity Study. The resolution is a response to recent data including a 2014 Tulane University study that showed the wage gap between male and female full-time employees in New Orleans is approximately 21 percent, or $9,567 less income for women and families in the city each year. The study also showed that families with female heads-of-household had an income of 48 percent less than families overall. Learn More

COMMUNITY NEWS

NEW ORLEANS WINS JUSTICE REINVESTMENT GRANT TO SUPPORT RE-ENTRY SERVICES   T he Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has announced the award of a Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) grant to Goodwill Inc. to increase re-entry services in New Orleans. Providing returning citizens the opportunities to find housing, employment and other assistance is essential for their success. Re-entry service providers in New Orleans are doing a tremendous job, but they are grossly underfunded. This grant will enable dollars to go where they are needed most. Learn More

Last month, the Council welcomed student leaders from InspireNOLA Charter Network to speak on the devastating effects of gun violence in their schools and surrounding communities following the recent shooting death of 15-year-old Eleanor McMain student Chance Smith. Following the order of business inside the Chamber, the Council joined hundreds of high school students, teachers and advocates from across the city for a peace rally on the front steps of City Hall.

NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME   I truly enjoyed visiting with neighbors throughout our city for Night Out Against Crime.

ANNUAL BLUE MASS   Our first responders save lives every day protecting our city. The annual Blue Mass honors them and offers prayers for their safety. We also remember those we have lost.

LANCASTER STREET REPAIRS   We are grateful that work has begun to repair Lancaster Street and that finally the requests of the neighborhood are being addressed.

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Contact My Office

New Orleans City Council Councilmember-at-Large Helena Moreno