Meetings

Regular Meeting

June 01, 2010

City Council Chamber

City Council June 1, 2010 Regular Meeting Summary

New Orleans, LA - June 1, 2010 - Today, the New Orleans City Council passed Ordinances submitting to a vote of the people, City Charter amendments to reform the governance structure of city recreation and to revise Council membership on the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.

The Council also passed Ordinances requiring full disclosure of contractors on city contracts and reaffirming the advisory authority of the Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee; and a Resolution providing for discussion on the creation of a Housing and Environmental Court.

Additionally, the Council addressed a presentation from the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Louisiana's seafood industry.

At 11:30 a.m., the Council recessed its meeting in order to participate in a joint News Conference in the Council Chamber with Mayor Landrieu, for the purpose of discussing hurricane preparedness and reforms to the City's annual budget process. Click here to view a News Release on the News Conference.

Approved Reform of City Recreation Governance Structure

The Council passed Ordinance Calendar No. 27,995, introduced by Councilmember Fielkow, submitting to a vote of the people in October 2010, a City Charter amendment to establish the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, a public private partnership to govern city recreation.

Specifically, the Ordinance eliminates the Department of Recreation and transfers its duties and responsibilities to the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. The Commission will consist of at least 11 members, appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Council. The Council also introduced an Ordinance on first reading, to be adopted at a later date, providing for the composition of the Commission, including qualifications and length of terms of its members.

Andy Kopplin, Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), appeared before the Council to thank Councilmembers for their work on this item, and to express Mayor Landrieu's desire to continue to work collaboratively with the Council to ensure that city recreation meets the needs and expectations of the public.

Council President Arnie Fielkow said, "Recreational opportunities are critical to the quality of life in each of the City's neighborhoods and are directly related to crime, physical and mental health. I truly believe that recreation is one of the most important issues that we face currently in the City, and we hope that, with these changes to the governance structure, we can create more equity among neighborhoods in terms of access to quality recreational programming."

Supported Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee

The Council passed Ordinance Calendar No. 27,989, introduced by Councilmember Guidry, to reaffirm the advisory authority of the Lafitte Greenway Steering Advisory Committee. Members of the Advisory Committee are appointed by the Mayor, the two at-large Councilmembers and the three Councilmembers whose districts include portions of the Lafitte Greenway.

The Lafitte Greenway Corridor offers three miles of continuous open land, from Basin Street to the cemeteries located at the foot of Canal Street, connecting parks, bike trails and open public green spaces for the neighborhoods that lie along it.

District "A" Councilmember Susan G. Guidry said, "After Hurricane Katrina, I came across an email that proposed the Lafitte Greenway, and in those terrible days, it was the most hopeful planning idea I heard. It remains my priority and will bring positive neighborhood and economic revitalization as it crosses through the heart of District A. It is a tangible example of New Orleans becoming a healthier community with new recreational amenities for everyone to enjoy."

For more information on the Lafitte Greenway, visit the Friends of Lafitte Corridor website at http://folc-nola.org/.

Required Full Disclosure of Contractors on City Contracts

The Council passed Ordinance Calendar No. 27,978, co-authored by Councilmembers Fielkow and Clarkson, requiring city contracts to require the submission of a sworn affidavit listing all persons with an ownership interest in a contract and all persons retained by the contractor as a subcontractor in connection with the contract.

Council President Arnie Fielkow said, "This Ordinance provides additional measures of transparency and accountability in all city contracts, something this City Council has continuously worked for. The citizens deserve to know where their taxpayer dollars are being spent, and we will be persistent in our approach to make city contracts and the contracting process open and accessible to the public."

Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson said, "This Ordinance will make contractors responsible for providing a list of their subcontractors on any City contracts. This is an important piece of the contracting process and will hold contractors accountable for the work that they and their subcontractors perform for the City."

Initiated Discussion on Creation of Housing and Environmental Court

The Council passed Resolution R-10-246, authored by Councilmember Johnson, inviting the Honorable Paul N. Sens, Chief Judge of New Orleans Municipal Court, and Winston H. Reid, Director of Code Enforcement, to speak before the Housing and Human Needs Committee, on a date and time to be determined, regarding the creation of a Housing and Environmental Court.

The creation of this court would afford the City the legal capacity necessary to effectively deal with negligent property owners, providing the means to eliminate blight in the City and enhance rebuilding efforts.

District "E" Councilmember Jon D. Johnson said, "Our City has an overwhelming amount of blighted housing structures and vacant lots pervading every neighborhood, which pose a threat to the health and safety of our citizens. We must move forward expeditiously to address this issue, and I believe that Judge Sens and Mr. Reid both have unique knowledge that will serve as a resource in the implementation of a Housing and Environmental Court in the City."

Approved Re-Composition of Sewerage and Water Board

The Council passed Ordinance Calendar No. 27,988, authored by Councilmember Fielkow, submitting to a vote of the people in October 2010, a City Charter amendment revising the specified Councilmember membership to the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.

The amendment, if passed, would require that one at-large Councilmember and two other Councilmembers, all selected by the Council, sit on the Board. Currently, it is required that both at-large Councilmembers and one District Councilmember sit on the board.

Councilmember-at-Large Arnie Fielkow said, "This Council appreciates its role on the Sewerage and Water Board and we believe that this re-organization will enhance the efficacy of Councilmember membership on the board. District Councilmembers will serve a representative role on behalf of their districts, providing community-specific information and feedback to the board, ultimately allowing the board to respond more directly to our City as a whole."

Received Report on Impacts of Oil Leak on Local Seafood Industry

Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board Executive Director Ewell Smith and Board Chairman Harlon Pearce, Jr., appeared before the Council, at the request of Councilmember Fielkow, to give an update on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil leak on the Louisiana seafood industry.

Smith and Pearce discussed effects of the oil spill on the seafood industry as a whole, provided details on the effects on specific types of seafood, including oysters, shrimp, tuna, catfish and crawfish, and emphasized the importance of supporting Louisiana's fishermen and getting the word out about the safety of Louisiana seafood. The Board has created a website, www.louisianaseafoodnews.com, designed to inform the public and provide up-to-date news on the effects of the oil leak on the seafood industry.

Additionally, the representatives discussed upcoming seafood-related events in New Orleans, including the New Orleans Oyster Festival and New Orleans Seafood Festival. The Council invited the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board to come back and provide the Council with another update on the industry in 30-60 days.

Created on: 6/21/2018 12:18:11 PM | Last updated: 6/21/2018 12:18:11 PM

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