CC 3827 01 21 14 Council Proceedings of the City of Shreveport, Louisiana January 14, 2014 The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Shreveport, State of Louisiana was called to order by Chairman Joe Shyne at 3:06 p.m., Tuesday, January 14, 2014, in the Government Chambers in Government Plaza (505 Travis Street). Invocation was given by Bishop Ricky Moore. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Corbin. On Roll Call, the following members were Present: Councilmen Rose Wilson-McCulloch, Jeff Everson, Michael Corbin, Oliver Jenkins, Ron Webb, Joe Shyne, and Sam Jenkins. 7. Absent: None. Motion by Councilman Corbin, seconded by Councilman O. Jenkins to approve the minutes of the Administrative Conference, and Council Meeting, Friday, December 20, 2013. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen McCulloch, Everson, O. Jenkins, Corbin, Webb, Shyne, and S. Jenkins. 7. Nays: None. Awards, Recognition of Distinguished Guests, Communications of the Mayor relative to city business, and Required Reports Councilman Shyne: Mr. Mayor, we’re at your juncture, if you have any distinguished guest or communications of the mayor, which is required by law. Mayor Glover: Mr. Chairman, we would like to combine and do all of our communications at this time, but recognizing that there are some individuals here that the Council have on board, that you might want to go first, we will certainly be willing to yield in that some of our presentation is coming from staff as opposed to citizens. Councilman Shyne: Well, Mr. Mayor, we would love that. I would appreciate that. If you would just hold up. I’d like to call, I want to say our new superintendent, but he’s really not new. He’s a local boy, and let’s give him a big hand. I mean it’s so good to have somebody local. Now Mr. Mayor, usually you know the history of everybody. But this gentleman right here, I knew him before he was born. His dad and uncle and I played football together. Now I’m not going to tell you when because I might be telling my age. I’ve been trying to tell Councilman Oliver Jenkins that this is really not gray hair, this is a frosty I have. So I don’t want to tell my age, but - - - Councilman O. Jenkins: You haven’t told me where I can get one of those of my own. I’ve been waiting for the - - - Awards and recognition of distinguished guests by City Council members, not to exceed fifteen minutes. Councilman Shyne: Well, Mike tell him, he’s got to wait a few years, and then we’ll tell him where he can go get his. But Dr. Goree, it’s such a pleasure to have you back at home. This is home and it shows that when you can grow your own vegetables and I just want to say that I appreciate you being one of the young people who went forth and got yourself academically prepared to do what you’re doing. You know a lot of us can talk a lot of talk, but we don’t have the academic credentials in order to do what needs to be done. And I hate to say this at this point, and it might not be right Bishop for me to say this, but I wish his daddy was still living in order to see him. You had a fine daddy. And, I see why you’re smart. The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. Your daddy and your whole family, all of the Gorees that I’ve ever known have been very studious, and very academic minded people. And this is what we have to have. I mean, I encourage youngsters every day, whether they’re Black, White or Asian, to go to school and get yourself prepared. Now I know public safety is important, water and sewerage is important, but what you all deal with, with the school system, human resources. That’s education, the underlying fiber of our society. This is why America is so great. This is why democratic countries are so strong. Not because of the great armies, but because of the education. And Bishop, you see what you done started me doing? Trying to preach up here. I don’t have any business doing that. Thank you. Mr. Theodis Goree: (Superintendent, Caddo Parish Schools) Mr. Chairman, other members of the Council, Mr. Mayor and other members of the staff of the city, thank you for this opportunity. As you know, I’ve said it over and over again, it is both an honor and a privilege for me to have the opportunity to lead this school district that I so greatly believe in. This is the school district where it truly all began for me. I was blessed to have great parents, both being career educators in Caddo Parish Schools, so all of my education, all of my financial backing, everything that I am is in large part to what I received here in Caddo Parish, and it is my honor to come back and to have an opportunity to reinvest, pay it forward for the children that are in this school district. You know you talked a little bit about you know we are the backbone of what we do (inaudible) and our children as we all know, but agree are our most precious resource. And I do think that if you look at it from an economic development standpoint of our city, until we have good schools that are producing well prepared, college ready, career ready graduates, we will not be all that we can be as a community. I too have two children that I’d like to see grow up and be able to live in this community, so it is a vested interest that I have in doing the very best job that I can every day to be successful with Caddo Parish Schools. You know as I come in, (inaudible) with Caddo Parish Schools about six months ago, you would be flooded with negative information about our school district and just the general ways that we were making decisions, and it is certainly not going to change that, because as I work through the district, there are countless wonderful things going on, that are going unsaid. So another one of my roles is to make sure that we are talking about and supporting the good things of this district. So, I do consider myself to be a spokesman. I’m a cheerleader for Caddo Parish Schools and I look forward to creating many opportunities to cheer about. Our kids are worth it. Looking forward to a working relationship with this body. I made it very clear that I feel the triangular relationship with that of the school, that of the family and that of the community is imperative for us to be the very best school district that we can be, so a big part of that is going to rely on all of our shoulders, not just the schools, but everyone’s shoulders. And I do appreciate you and applaud you in advance for taking that charge and taking that responsibility. I received positive feedback from here to there. I’ve yet to receive any feedback from anyone that didn’t appear to believe in what we have done here in Caddo Parish. We are a good school district, we’re a good city, we’re not a city where schools of choice is the only option. We want public schools to be the first choice. Again, thank you for the invitation and the school district is here to partner with you in any way we can that’s going to benefit children. Thank you. Councilman Shyne: Just before you go, you see I would hope because this Mayor and this Council’s got about 10 more minutes in office, but any administration, when we go out and try to recruit industry into the City of Shreveport, I would hope that we would be able to say that we have one of the best school districts in the country. If you come and locate in our city, in our area, you will not only find a prepared workforce, but your children and the children of your employees will have an opportunity to get one of the finest educations in the world. Not only in America, but in the world. So, I would hope that you would come back and visit us. I would hope that some of the Council Members and the Mayor, I can’t speak for the mayor, but I would hope that whoever the mayor is now and in the future, that they would come and spend some time with you at the Caddo Parish School System. Because we have to work together as a team. We have to - - - if we do this as a team, and I believe Mike has a friend who always says, “We’re better together”, Bishop Brandon. So, with the Caddo Parish School Board, The City of Shreveport and the Caddo Parish Commission, Mike, all three working together, we can move this area forward like we ought to move it, and we would have the best school system in the world. Thank you for coming down, and we’re going to be looking for you to come back. Mr. Goree: Thank you for the invitation. Councilman Shyne: Mr. Mayor, I believe, and because we want to always recognize our elected officials.