The Lafayette City and Parish councils have a lot on their agendas tonight.
The councils' meetings begin at 5 p.m. with the parish council, followed by the joint council and the city council meetings.
On the Parish Council agenda are a couple of funding issues. One would move $3,500,000 to fund repairs to the Buchanan Street Parking Garage. The other would move $364,954.00 in Federal Emergency Management Agency Funds received from the State of Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness into the Community Development Department to pay for the City of Carencro's Andre Street Drainage project.
The City Council will reconsider an ordinance vetoed by Mayor President Josh Guillory. The ordinance would have hired a attorney who is a specialist in consolidation issues to represent the City Council when it disagrees with the rulings of Guillory's attorney. Gullory vetoed the ordinance, and now the council must reconsider it. If four council members vote in favor of the ordinance, Guillory's veto is overridden.
When the ordinance passed at the council's September 1 meeting, Council members Pat Lewis, Liz Hebert and Nanette Cook voted for it. Councilman Andy Naquin voted against it, and Councilman Glenn Lazard was absent.
The Joint Council meeting includes an ordinance that would make it illegal for citizens to stand within 36 inches of the street, or on medians. The ACLU and the Anti-Defamation League have called it unconstitutional and have asked council members to vote against it. The only exemption in the ordinance is for bus stops. There is no exemption for Mardi Gras or any other parade event.
Also on the joint agenda is an ordinance that would allocate $400,000 in federal funds to a rental and utility assistance program that will be run by Catholic Charities of Acadiana.
To see the agendas, including the documentation for each agenda item, go here and select the date of the meeting you want to see. You can also find agendas and minutes from previous meetings there.
Because of COVID-19 the meeting protocols have changed.
Here's the information about how you can watch or attend a meeting, and how you can participate either way:
Accessing Council Meetings:
• AOC2 Public Access Channel (Cox Channel 16 or LUS Fiber Channel 4)
• Online at the Lafayette Consolidated Government homepage at www.lafayettela.gov
• On the Ustream website at www.ustream.tv/channel/lafayette-consolidated-governmentcouncil-meeting
• In-person attendance allowed at 50% capacity of auditorium
• Masks must be worn to enter
Public Comment Procedures:
• If you DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK, but wish to state your support for or opposition to an item:
▪ Submit your comments via e-mail to DoNotSpeakCM@lafayettela.gov
▪ In your message, you must identify which Council meeting agenda you are calling about (City or Parish), then include the agenda item number, your name and your position (for or against)
▪ Emails must be received prior to 5:00pm the day of the meeting
▪ Citizens still have the option to reach out to their individual Council Member(s)
• If you DO WISH TO SPEAK:
▪ Public comments will be received via telephone at (337) 291-8428
▪ To prevent a backlog, staff will begin taking calls at 1:00 p.m., until 5:00 p.m., the start of the first meeting
▪ For all meetings, you must call in and add your name to speak prior to 5:00 p.m. to be recognized
▪ When calling, only give your name, a call back number, and the agenda item
▪ Once the applicable agenda item is read during the meeting, you will be called to speak, in the order that your request was received
▪ The 5-minute rule will apply
Please be advised that while social distancing and other requirements are in place, some matters have been suspended to focus on essential governmental business. While holding public meetings, safety guidelines will be implemented.
