Regular Meeting
January 14, 2021 10:00 AM
Virtual Meeting
The New Orleans City Council will conduct its next regular meeting via teleconference only on January 14, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
Access Information
The meeting may be accessed using the following methods:
Live Stream of Meeting: https://council.nola.gov/home/
Live Television Broadcast: Cox Cable Channel 6 in Orleans Parish
Agenda
During this teleconference meeting, matters will be considered in the attached agenda.
Public Comment
Because of the unprecedented logistical and public health challenges presented by COVID-19, public comment will proceed as follows:
• Only written public comment will be allowed. Live comment will not be permitted.
• At the beginning of the meeting, the moderator will read aloud the entire council agenda.
Thereafter, the meeting will recess for 30 minutes so that members of the public may provide written public comment on any agenda item.
• Public comments are submitted electronically on a form, available on the City Council web page -
https://council.nola.gov/home/
• Public comments are now being accepted and will be accepted until the end of the 30-minute comment submittal period. Public comment received after the close of the 30-minute comment submittal period will not be considered.
• Each submission must contain (i) the commenter’s first and last name, (ii) the commenter’s address, (iii) whether the commenter is being paid in connection with his or her comments, and (iv) the agenda item to which the comment pertains. Any comment missing this information will not be read aloud.
• No member of the public may submit more than one written comment per agenda item.
• Before the Council votes on an agenda item, a moderator will read into the record all comments pertaining to that item that have been submitted in accordance with these rules.
• Comments will be read aloud in a normal speaking voice. The moderator will discontinue reading a comment once it exceeds two minutes.
• Any person seeking accommodation as a result of a disability or other circumstance should contact Interim Council Chief of Staff Paul Harang at paul.harang@nola.gov.
NOTE: Public comment may be allowed for items not requiring a vote at the discretion of the presiding officer. Such comment may be subject to additional restrictions, limitations, and/or modifications to be announced by the presiding officer at the outset of the meeting.
In order to submit public comment for a meeting, go to https://council.nola.gov/meetings
Quorum Certification
This meeting is being conducted remotely due to the extraordinary circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to the authority conferred by Gubernatorial Proclamation JBE 2020-30.
In accordance with JBE 2020-30, Sec. 4, this notice shall constitute a certification by the City Council that meeting by teleconference is necessary because of the social distancing mandates imposed by the Governor and the Mayor of the City of New Orleans and that the Council will be otherwise be unable to operate due to the quorum requirements of La. R.S. 42:19 – insofar as they mandate the physical presence of Councilmembers in one location.
Notice
This notice and the accompanying agenda are being provided in accordance with La. R.S. 42:19(A)(1)(b)(iv).
View Agenda (PDF)
View Agenda (MS Word)
View completed agenda
View agenda with attachments
City Council Regular Meeting News Summary January 14, 2021
NEW ORLEANS - During its first regular meeting of 2021, the City Council honored newly-retired Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, voted to deny the four remaining ITEP applications from Folger Coffee Company, authorized Blue Krewe to implement the City's Bicycle Sharing Program, and approved two ordinances to help facilitate stormwater management projects and support citywide resiliency efforts.
Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Bernette Johnson Recognized for Decades of Service
At the start of today’s meeting, the Council welcomed Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson to honor and celebrate her for over three decades of service following her retirement on December 31.
The Council adopted Resolution R-21-14, formally recognizing Justice Johnson on her incredible career as the Louisiana Supreme Court’s first-ever African American Chief Justice and the first woman elected to serve on the Civil District Court of New Orleans.
“A fierce advocate for civil rights, social justice and equality, Chief Justice has inspired her colleagues and all elected leaders to acknowledge our roles in perpetuating a system that has left too many of our loved ones and neighbors disenfranchised,” said Council President Helena Moreno. “Aside from her many professional accomplishments and accolades, she has personally touched all of us through her firm and unwavering commitment to serving our state and its citizens. We wish her the very best in this new and well-deserved chapter of retirement!”
Council Denies Remaining ITEP Applications from Folgers Due to Ongoing Financial Burdens of COVID-19
Upon further discussion and review of submitted public comments, the Council voted to deny four ITEP applications from Folger Coffee Company, which were deferred at the last regular meeting on December 17. During that meeting, the Council denied two (R-20-427 & R-20-428) of the six total ITEP applications submitted by Folger’s, citing unforeseen financial exigencies, irrespective of any non-compliance with the criteria articulated by the City, as the basis for its decision.
As New Orleans continues to face an unprecedented financial crisis and economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council has concluded that the benefits outlined by Folgers are insufficient in outweighing the City's dire need for tax revenue. According to Councilmember Moreno, the denial of these exemptions will result in roughly $14 million in tax revenues for the City of New Orleans over the next ten years.
See below to view the four resolutions and corresponding amendments adopted by the Council today:
Council Approves Measures to Support Green Infrastructure Projects
The Council passed two ordinances to help facilitate green infrastructure and stormwater management projects across the city.
Ordinance 33,199 authorizes an amended Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) between the City, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) relative to the implementation of the Pontilly Stormwater Mitigation Project to extend the term by one year and provide additional funding to NORA for project oversight. This initiative will significantly reduce flood risk and beautify green spaces in the Pontchartrain Park and Gentilly Woods neighborhoods through a network of green infrastructure interventions along streets, in alleyways, and within vacant lots designed to slow and store stormwater.
To learn more about the Pontilly Neighborhood Stormwater Network Project, click here.
Ordinance 33,203 authorizes an amended CEA between the City and NORA relative to the Drainage Pump Station 01 Watershed Drainage and Green Infrastructure Project, which covers Broadmoor, Central City, Garden District, Lower Garden District, Irish Channel, St. Thomas Development, Touro, East Riverside, and Milan. The revised CEA extends the term for an additional four years and reduces the number of properties from eight to two. This project will implement green infrastructure, along with new pipe drainage connections throughout the area, to provide widespread benefits across nine New Orleans neighborhoods that experience frequent localized flooding and repetitive losses due to regular weather events.
To learn more about the Drainage Pump Station 01 Watershed Drainage Project, click here.
(Map of the Pontilly Neighborhood Stormwater Network via nola.gov) (Map of Drainage Pump Station 1 (DPS 01) drainage district via nola.gov)
Blue Krewe Selected as Contractor to Oversee Bicycle Sharing Program
The Council approved Ordinance 33,204, allowing a cooperative endeavor between the City and Blue Krewe to implement the public on-demand Bicycle Sharing Program. Blue Krewe will be responsible for administering, managing, operating, and maintaining the program for a five-year term.
The success of the previous bike-share program Blue Bikes, which ceased operations last March, proved there is significant demand within the New Orleans community for affordable, equitable, active transportation.
“Unfortunately, when Blue Bikes was bought out by another company, the program was dismantled in New Orleans, leaving many without this much-needed mobility option. I want to applaud the Administration for finding another way of making this happen for our residents. This CEA essentially creates a nonprofit to administer the program and ensure we’re able to continue this service without being subject to future uncertainties or impacts of corporate buy-outs," said District "C" Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer.
Alongside City partners, the Council will continue to work with Blue Krewe toward the successful implementation of the program as part of its ongoing efforts to support connectivity, safety, and efficiency across the local transportation system.
Contact:
Paul Harang
Chief of Staff
(504) 658-1101
Paul.Harang@nola.gov
New Orleans City Council