COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA JUNE 24, 2003 The Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Shreveport, State of Louisiana, was called to order by Chairman Monty Walford at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 24, 2003, in the Government Chambers in Government Plaza (505 Travis Street). Councilman Gibson led the Invocation. Before I do the invocation, I’d like a moment of silence. We lost, on Sunday, one of Shreveport’s outstanding citizens, Percy Sharp who was a mainstay in the business community and the civic community working in North Highlands, working with the Chamber of Commerces, both African-American Chambers and Shreveport Chambers and Bossier and Minden Chambers of Commerce. In fact, he was also the main individual who 4 ½ years ago was able to see that we were at an impasse on I-49 North and called a breakfast with myself and John Holt and Jerry Harris who was on the Port Commission at the time to discuss how we get that project back on course. And his vision and fortitude actually was, and that story has not been told until this time, is the reason why now we are on track to have one of the biggest economic development projects to hit Louisiana, probably for the next 25 years, but I would ask for a moment of silence in recognition of Percy Sharp. On Roll Call, the following members were Present: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Green, Gibson, Hogan, and Jackson. 6. Absent: Councilman Carmody (out of City). 1. Approve Minutes. Motion by Councilman Gibson, seconded by Councilman Hogan to approve the Administrative Conference Summary Minutes of June 9, 2003 and the Council Meeting Minutes of June 10, 2003. Motion approved by the following vote: Councilman Lester, Walford, Gibson, Hogan, Green and Jackson. 6. Nays: None. Absent: Councilman Carmody. 1. Awards, Recognition of Distinguished Guests, and Communications of the Mayor Which Are Required By Law. Councilman Green: I have one. Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson: We have a resolution to recognize Mr. Milton Lea Williams, I believe he’s here. Councilman Green: Mr. Williams, would you come forward please? Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, would you like for me to proceed? Councilman Green: Yes sir. Councilman Walford: He can’t get out of the mode yet, but please Mr. Thompson. (see Resolution No. 95 of 2003.) Councilman Gibson: Could I have Gary Norman come forward please. Afternoon Mr. Norman. I would like to just take a second to recognize you and your staff Bill Slack and Ted Body and your entire golf course superintendent group. Last weekend we held another in a series of Shreveport City Amateurs. I will tell you anytime we have a golf tournament, it seems like we can end the drought and we went through another round of rain for this tournament, but your staff came through with flying colors. I’m truly amazed and I want to congratulate you and the professional staff that you have with SPAR in the fact that the 105 golfers that participated in last weekend’s City Amateur Golf Tournament, both African-American and White golfers truly enjoyed an experience Friday through Sunday and y’all made that possible. And I want to appreciate the efforts that you put in, in terms of, I know that y’all run a very tight budget and have been subjected to a couple of cuts in the last six months, but still despite some of those adversities come through in a clutch. Hopefully in the near future, we’ll be able to help you with some of those needs to make our golf courses even better than what they are, but the course was in truly magnificent shape over the weekend and the golfers definitely appreciate and I think that showed through the caliber of golfers we had and all the different plight. We had some media that actually decided to tee it up and enjoy themselves playing. So, thank you again for your leadership and again I know on behalf of the local golfers, we really appreciate the efforts you’re doing with the golf course. Mr. Norman: Thank you and as you said, it was really our staff that really worked hard. Not so much myself, but we do appreciate the work that they put into it and we’re looking forward again to another tournament, a good tournament next year. Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Carmody asked me to announce for the benefit of his constituents that he’s out of town and out of the state and will not be present at today’s meeting. Convention Center and Convention Center Hotel Project Report: Mr. Antee: I’ve passed out the written report to each of you as well as the documentary request ed by Councilman Carmody and Councilman Gibson. If anybody’s got any questions, I’d be glad to answer ‘em. Councilman Lester: On the convention center - where do we stand in terms of the bankruptcy proceedings with Barton, Malow, Whitaker and that whole nine yards? Mr. Antee: Once we have an agreement with SAFECO and Barton Malow, then we would petition the Bankruptcy Court to authorize the assignment of the contract to Barton Malow or in the event if somebody else and whoever that might be. Councilman Lester: Now, when you say someone else, I mean, is there a potential that another construction management company can come in and say that they want to do the work or? Mr. Antee: Yeah, there is that potential, although I think it’s real slight. I think the only way that would take place is if we were able to reach an agreement with Safeco’ and Barton Malow’s general conditions or fees would be standing in the way. Councilman Lester: So, assuming that Barton Malow’s fees are agreeable to the City and to Safeco, then Whitaker would just assign their interest in the contract to Barton Malow? Mr. Antee: That’s correct. Councilman Lester: Okay, now in terms of . .how does that put us in terms of the whole public bid scenario or is the process that went forth previously, I know that there was . Mr. Antee: Its all part of it. It doesn’t affect the public bid in any way, shape or form, because the CM contract is a professional service contract. So, I don’t anticipate that being a problem. But in trying to get to a number where SAFECO is willing to write a check and a check that we’re willing to accept, we’d have to have a number that we know we can build the building for and if their general conditions are to the point where it makes that not a reality, then we do have the option of looking to bring another CM in that would do it within the parameters that we have. And again, I don’t think that, that is likely, but it is a possibility. Councilman Lester: Now, the other question that I was asking, I think your answer that I have written down here, all the discussion that we’ve had pre-supposes that Barton Malow is going to be the Construction Manager, so, that decision is not going to be made until we get a final number in terms of the general conditions of what not? Mr. Antee: That’s correct, its got to be a three party agreement. Councilman Lester: Okay. Alright. I have another question in terms of the Convention Center Hotel. I was noticing you said the design team is currently designing the hotel. Do we have a showing that, that project is in terms of the design team is Fair Share compliant? Mr. Antee: We don’t have a contract with ‘em yet. They’re operating on good faith in the negotiations that we’ve put together so far. But the contract will certainly be in compliance with the Fair Share ordinance and they do have Fair Share participation. I can’t tell you exactly what that is off the top of my head but that has been previously provided to everybody. Councilman Lester: Now when you say ‘good faith’, is that, that’s we have a contract where we have an agreement with a design team. Who is on that design team? Who are the leads? Mr. Antee: It’s . .the two leads are primarily HCI which is a division of HRI and Slack Alost and then there’s a whole list of others behind that. Councilman Lester: Now, what was the process that was achieved to get to the point where we came to those groups. Did we have any. I know previously there was an A/E meeting and a presentation made to a group people. Was there a similar presentation made? Who was a party to that? Mr Antee: The HRI and Slack presented a list of consultants. That list was reviewed by the Mayor and further suggestions were made back to them and then they compiled their team from that. Councilman Lester: So, was this done in the context of a . .I believe this project is controlled by a public trust. Was that done in the context of a public trust meeting? Mr. Antee: No. Councilman Lester: Okay. Mr. Antee: The prior members of the Trust authorized the Mayor to enter into a development agreement, a management agreement, and an architectural agreement and so that’s where the authority came from. Councilman Lester: I’d like to get if I could copies of those authorizations if I could.