Ascension Parish, Louisiana Finance Committee, 9 May 2023

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From YouTube: Finance Committee - May 9, 2023

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Finance Committee - May 9, 2023

A

A call to order the Ascension Parish finance committee meeting May, the 9th 2023, please rise to the invocation and pledge coach. Please lead us: let's go.

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Over here, what's Heavenly Father, we assume by ourselves here tonight we want to say thank you for the many blessings you've bestowed upon us. We pray a blessing upon this meeting. We pray a blessing upon those that have come out through this meeting. We pray Lord that you continue to guide, lead and direct us in a mighty way and Lord God has become to the end of this meeting, as we come to close tonight, allow each of us to get home safe and sound to our families and your name.

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We pray and we all said, amen, amen.

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Of the United States of America and to the Republic for Oasis.

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Indivisible with liberty and justice, foreign.

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Call Madam Secretary, uh councilman, Robert, councilman, Turner, councilman, Lawler and councilman Mason are absent tonight. All the others are present. I.

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No other chairs additions for the agenda for the public comment period. Anyone wishing to speak on an agenda item please sign in red or green card and hand it to the secretary and when we get to that item, you will be called up to speak item five general business, a approval of renewal of a Cooperative Endeavor agreement between the Board of Supervisors within the Louisiana State University, and a m College represented by LSU Agricultural Center and Ascension Parish government to provide 4-H Youth Development programs that are both relevant and useful to all.

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Louisiana citizens total amount not to exceed fifty thousand dollars per year.

E

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By councilman Lambert, second, by councilman Melanson, any objection any further discussion, emotion, carriers, Item B, consideration to Grant variants for Belle Maison subdivision allow third-party utility provided to furnish wastewater treatment; chapter 18 of the Ascension Parish code of ordinances, section 117.2, M, Outlaws variances. In this code motion by who chase uh coach second by Chase any further discussion.

F

Okay, is there anybody here to speak on this topic.

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G

uh It was on the agenda, I know he had a procedure and he wasn't able to to attend tonight, um and so we can try to answer any questions. You have I think this is similar to the other ones. We've done because of the agreement that we've been trying to. You know get the Public Service Commission to agree, you know, get the sewer, sale, I'm assuming this is all related to that.

F

Does anybody know that is just the grant to give it to the third party without telling the student third party is.

A

It's a good point. Any other questions would.

G

You like to make a motion I'm trying to pull up the uh I'd.

F

Like to make a motion that week, Patrick.

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F

We can get some answers as far as what's the.

G

I I would recommend that uh if you want to move it to the council and just not put it on the consent agenda, we can have that discussion there. I would just hate for it to wait another month, any.

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G

That, and that way you can always at Council, decide if you want to move it forward.

A

I, don't have an.

F

Objection with that.

A

That's fine! Okay! You want to make the motion to hold it for the full Council.

H

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Business all right, we got a motion. A second to move item be to the full Council for consideration under General business, any objection being none so ordered item C consideration, grants variance for waiver of sewer connection and development fee of twenty five hundred dollars per lot. Section 18-117.2 and 18-117.5 for Belle Maison subdivision same thing: we're gonna any objection to moving item C to the full Council for General business, yeah I'm at.

E

Jeff I'll make a a minute motion. It shouldn't matter who the developer is we don't we don't dictate who they use for their sewer being? We do not supplied anymore and no matter who they use. We should still waive the 2500 fee. So, in my opinion, motion is. uh Is it to approve, as is.

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So you you move to approve item C, yes, got a motion to approve item. C do again a second the second. By down any discussion.

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Any objection, yes, roll call vote.

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The whole votes around.

E

Has it uh mine hasn't popped up? Oh here we go got it.

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Yep all right, Tas have it motion, carries nmd approval of amendment number one to Professional Services contract with Joey Thibodeau drain cleaning and plumbing for Paris utilities of Ascension distribution system, labor and materials as needed to repair leaks, install Taps and any other work necessary to maintain the distribution system to increase the total contract amount by an additional eighty thousand dollars for a new Total contract amount of 129 thousand dollars. Motion by coach.

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J

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About Terry any discussion, objection yeah an objection.

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Don't call, though,.

H

We're not getting microphones active I, can't nope.

G

There we go mine too,.

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All right I've got a microphone, that's active, but no.

C

F

All right yeah, you.

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Have it motion cares maintenance agreement, including Mowing and litter pickup between the parish and La dotd cash on maintenance related to mowing herbicide application and litter collection, one located within Ascension Parish. The maximum amount of reimbursement to the parish is 154 640 dollars, Chase.

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Any further discussion.

F

Patrick, can you can you speak to these numbers for us.

G

F

Item 5e, we.

G

Have um I believe Johan's here, but this is a reimbursement program uh and I'll make sure I, don't say this incorrectly. But this is where we do the work and we get reimbursed by the state. uh So every year we just they have to collect all the invoices, they have to document all the work and then we just submit it to the state and finance it gets reimbursed.

F

Jonathan, yes, oh, hey, Jonathan,.

I

I haven't met you yet.

F

Corey, okay,.

F

How does this work with? uh Are we using Parish employees, Parish.

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Employees, Parish equipment.

F

So this is not anything to do with any of the other agreements we have to uh with other entities to pick up trash bars.

I

No, this is specifically the Ascension parish's contract with DOT to maintain these specific sections of State highways that run through the parish. It's not all of them. It's only 16 segments, okay,.

F

So this is nothing it's not like we're collecting this money and then sending it off to the Sheriff's, our third party, to no no okay.

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F

That's all I had okay.

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Thank you, Johan. Any other questions, any objection, motion carriers, itemf approval legal service contract to hire a law firm of Daigle, Feast, I, guess, feisty kucinich attorney Steven bruyet to represent the Parish of the matter of Ascension Parish versus Demco, electric Jean Paul.

H

uh Good afternoon um I went to the police jury conference uh recently and there was a presentation by this law firm. uh That I was very impressed with uh Mr. Brier is here. um If you have any questions for the firm, but uh they represent primarily parishes and governmental entities. They currently represent uh dotd in the roundabout at uh at Tanger Outlet, and uh that that.

A

Got a motion in a second any discussion: I do too but go ahead.

F

May I go first sure I'm, the only one that's been talking. I want to give you a chance to go. First, go ahead. uh What are the? What are the financial terms of this agreement?.

H

It'll be a hourly fee and.

F

How much per hour.

H

We don't have the uh the contract well, what they they have, an hourly rate in the contract which is in the packet and then um I believe. It's uh look at that.

F

Is it capped off at any number, I mean just.

H

I believe it was 150 not to exceed 150. 150.

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000., could we include that.

H

Yes, that should be in the uh it's not in.

A

The it's not in the motion.

H

It's not it's not in the package.

F

That we're trying to get past.

H

F

H

It's in the package.

H

I, don't see the hourly rate, though so.

F

The contract is for, however, much per hour max dollar 150.

H

F

But we don't know how much per hour do.

H

You have the hourly.

K

Good evening Steve briette uh attorney with Diego feast and cast Nick. We had submitted our standard rates to uh Jean-Paul. They range for our uh imminent domain lawyers between 250 and 325, but generally for uh governmental entities. We use the AG rates, which are capped at 225, but they're scaled up, depending on the experience of the attorney with, uh and also for Legal Assistant paralegals things like that. Okay.

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Any further discussion.

F

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F

Think that's fine thanks a lot for answering those questions sure and by the way, it's a good rate appreciate it.

K

Not a problem, you can thank the attorney general for that I appreciate it.

C

I have a problem today, yeah we we just went from 150 cap to now we're going to 200 and.

K

The the rate you're talking about 225 per hour, and it would be it would still be subject to that cap and.

C

Again, this is this is the case here we don't move. Is this meeting has been moved again? Oh, what Demco, uh Mr John Paul.

H

What's what is the latest? We have a secondary mediation schedule for May 23rd and in the event that we do not resolve the matter there, um and then uh we have this Law Firm ready to go, because this is drug on long enough and so we're going we're either going to get it done on May 23rd or we're going to uh go into full litigation.

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I would recommend, as soon as the council meets next opportunity after this hearing we've, given an update. Yes, okay, thank you any other discussions, any objection being none that motion carries item to your approval of amendment number five to the Master's contract for traffic engineering, Consulting between the parish and Gresham Smith, to extend the original contract term through July 31st 2023.

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The amendment will not affect the contract price I need a motion so motion about Chase taken by Terry any discussion, any objection there being none at motion carriers, item H contract report for all contracts agreements entered into the month of April. If anyone encourage all of you to read through the contracts and uh if you see anything that you have a question about, feel free to contact, Finance Patrick will be happy to answer your questions.

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Item I executive session I need a motion promotion to go into executive assessment.

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Motion about Chase second.

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J

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J

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Entertain a motion to reconvene motion.

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To reconvene motion.

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Second, any objection being none Madam, Secretary I failed to mention that councilman, Robert and now councilman Turner have joined us.

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Item J approval of change order, number, nine, Shaw, Construction, Services, Ascension, Parish super program, improvements for additional scope of services for an additional amount of 82 588 dollars. Total contract amount, five million, fifty six thousand one, fifty Seven and 66 cents.

E

I'd like to make a motion to postpone this into a representative from Shaw attends the meeting. Second.

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Motion and second, that we defer on it not defer but table this until is present to explain it any objection to that motion.

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It being none motion carriers, Finance report budget, amendment number two approval to amend the 2023 budget: Ms Caballero, thanks for being here.

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Minutes for budget amendment number two, which reads as follows: an ordinance to amend the ordinance, approving, adopting and appropriating the 2023 operating Capital budgets for the Parish of Ascension, adopted by the Ascension Parish Council on the 17th day of November 2022. section one. The Ascension Parish Council hereby ordains that the ordinance approving adopting and appropriating the 2023 operating and capital budgets for the Parish of Ascension is hereby amended, approved and appropriated as follows.

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Operating budget, the Juvenile Justice program fund, fun funds are to be used for the startup to maintain and operate the B, lemon location of the early childhood education center expenditures and other financing uses Professional Services five hundred thousand dollars.

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Second, by coach any further discussion, any objection, it'd be a nun move that on to the full Council for approval, Item B under Financial reports, Financial update, open finance. uh Ladies and gentlemen, we just ask you to review the report at the link. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the finance staff or anybody else for questions in the administration motion to adjourned by coach. Second, by Terry any objection we are adjourned.