Regular Meeting
April 07, 2016
City Council Chamber
City Council April 7, 2016 Regular Meeting News Summary
Thursday, April 7, 2016 - New Orleans, LA - At today's Regular Council Meeting, the Council urged the Louisiana State Legislature to pass HB 417 to allow Orleans Parish law enforcement officers discretion as to whether to respond to traffic accidents that do not involve an injury or fatality, refusal to produce a driver's license, proof of insurance or vehicle registration, or suspicion of driving under the influence.
In other business, the Council received presentations from City Planning Commission Executive Director Robert Rivers regarding the Master Plan revision process and from New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau Vice President of Public Affairs Cheryl Teamer detailing recent tourism and hospitality industry career fairs.
Received Presentation from the New Orleans CVB Regarding Recent Career Fairs
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| CVB Senior VP of Public Affairs Cheryl Teamer |
The Council received a presentation from New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Cheryl Teamer regarding recent and upcoming tourism and hospitality career fairs held in conjunction with the New Orleans City Council across the City. Teamer outlined how the career fairs connect job seekers with employers in New Orleans' large hospitality and tourism industry as well as provide valuable job search advice and tips. Teamer also detailed how numerous individuals have been able to build successful careers from jobs they were matched with at a CVB career fair. For more information on the New Orleans CVB's career fairs, click here.
"We are very excited about the job fair next Wednesday, April 13 at 4:00 p.m. at the Allie Mae Williams Auditorium on Jackson Avenue," said Council Vice President Head. "Together with our partners at the CVB, we hope to spread the message far and wide that thousands of quality jobs are available in the hospitality and tourism industry and that long-term career opportunities exist for people at every stage of their career. Please join us Wednesday!"
Urged the Louisiana State Legislature to Pass House Bill 417
The Council passed Resolution No. R-16-115, authored by Councilmembers Head, Williams, Guidry, and Cantrell, urging the Louisiana State Legislature to pass House Bill 417. The bill, authored by District 91 Representative Walt Leger, would allow Orleans Parish law enforcement officers discretion as to whether to respond to traffic accidents that do not involve an injury or fatality, refusal to produce a driver's license, proof of insurance or vehicle registration, or suspicion of driving under the influence. Passage of the Bill would allow New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Superintendent, Chief Michael Harrison, discretion to set policies that could save the NOPD between an estimated 3,000 and 10,000 man hours of officer time from no longer responding to minor traffic accidents or "fender benders."
Council President Williams said, "The Council would like to urge the Louisiana Legislature to pass Representative Leger's bill to allow Orleans Parish law enforcement to use discretion when responding to fender benders. This will help to reduce call response times and allow NOPD officers to spend more time on the streets preventing dangerous crime."
Received City Planning Commission Presentation Regarding Master Plan Revision Process
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| City Planning Commission Executive Director
Robert Rivers |
The Council received a presentation from City Planning Commission Executive Director Robert Riversoutlining the history of the Plan for the 21st Century (Master Plan), the revision schedule, and the procedural steps required to propose a Master Plan amendment. The Master Plan, adopted by the Council in August 2010, is the result of three years of work and states 20 year development goals, objectives, and policies for the physical growth and development of the City. The City Planning Commission determined that there is room for Master Plan revisions due to the shift in development focus from recovery to resilience since the plan was adopted in 2010.
Rivers also detailed the three phases of the Master Plan revision process. Phase I: Organization / Outreach will raise public awareness of the upcoming amendment period. During Phase II: Open Application, the City Planning Commission will receive and process applications while continuing to engage with stakeholders in the public and private sectors. Phase III: Evaluation / Approval will consist of general public, City Planning Commission, and City Council review of submitted applications prior to approval. For more information regarding the Master Plan revision process, click here.
Council Vice President Head said, "I am grateful to the CPC staff for preparing the Council and educating the public about the upcoming Master Plan amendment process. I am excited to begin the process and I encourage the public to be engaged as we move forward with these important and necessary updates."