[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6622766,"mediaKeyId","2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82","parentId",2781377,"title","Metro Council deletes Crossroads contract, approves grants, demolitions, audits and appointments","audioSeconds",894,"startMs",4567000,"endMs",5461000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82&start=4567&end=5461","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82/thumbnail_4567000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6622766/Baton-Rouge-City/East-Baton-Rouge-Parish/Louisiana/Metro-Council-deletes-Crossroads-contract-approves-grants-demolitions-audits-and-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622766-b992a837f6d9a9f313a7bccc2d77e490/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158618&Signature=lv50OaZTN3ce3IrAxFxSLzy76Yb3HkTzO9bOiptxL4G5EUP~zfSgQt9tivYcIzuRx46w6QvX0CkF7CggDXUikt6gGOLybSJ-yqnIZApJ~sipIVo7~qAz-718lhf6Iio2yhtBwdVnFJ83Ftbuwo5Jf3CZ2iPqzu~i42voPJT4XdAMdS2BJsYKYLTIQnXWcNAGjyBAVESKpGCr98RwPqLO2XJR0EJou520l3eEauTnp-bd5QWreRPYK0itX53zc8zrNspIj4X3Q5XUeOE7a7~bhLFkD9waFuOd1KdIn2spYOJi59T74kHmlFOBJFkZeWJv-S~hPzPjNu5z39ijQsuxbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Baton Rouge","date","2025-03-26T22:06:47.493Z","article","At its March 26, 2025 meeting the East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council deleted a proposed federal government relations contract with Crossroads Strategies LLC, signaled the mayor’s office will seek a new federal lobbying contract with Cornerstone Strategies, and approved a sequence of administrative, public‑works and finance items from the agenda.

Mayor’s office representative Mason Batson told the council the mayor’s office intends to pursue Cornerstone Strategies for federal lobbying work and that the existing item with Crossroads Strategies was being deleted so a separate contract with Cornerstone can be introduced at a future meeting. Batson said the change would save the parish approximately $100,000 on the contract. \"Our federal lobbyists will now be, assuming we get approval, Cornerstone Strategies,\" Batson said on the council floor.

The council voted to delete Item 89 (Crossroads Strategies LLC) after members debated the matter on the record; one council member voted in opposition. The council then moved through a long list of items on the agenda and recorded approvals for routine and time‑sensitive actions including grant agreements, engineering supplemental agreements, demolition and abatement contracts, environmental audits, property adjudications and several administrative appointments.

Votes at a glance (selected items from the March 26 agenda):

- Item 89: Delete authorization for the mayor president to execute an agreement with Crossroads Strategies LLC for federal governmental relations services ($250,000). Outcome: deleted (motion carried; at least one council member opposed). Mayor's office said it will introduce a contract with Cornerstone Strategies at a future meeting.

- Item 90: Adoption of increased ad valorem millage rates for 2025 roll forward. Outcome: motion to approve as amended failed (see separate coverage).

- Item 92: Entity state agreement with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for the Hardinwood Drive road diet lane reconfiguration (Louisiana Local Road Safety Program). Outcome: approved (motion carried). Councilman Dunn Jr. moved; the item carries in the record after staff described roughly $750,000–$800,000 in federal grant funding to support lane reconfiguration, pedestrian improvements and traffic calming in the Ardenwood area.

- Item 93: Rescind and direct clerk of court to cancel judgment/order recorded Nov. 20XX in City of Baton Rouge v. RZ Properties LLC (925 N. 30th Street). Outcome: approved (motion carried).

- Items 94–106: A series of contract amendments and awards including a supplemental agreement for EMS billing services (Item 94, $22,909) and multiple demolition/abatement contracts and change orders. Outcome: approved (motions carried).

- Items 107–126: Adjudicated property sales and final acceptances for various parcels were accepted and high bidders announced on the record. Outcome: approved (motions carried).

- Appointments: Erin Huffman was confirmed to the Alcoholic Beverage Control board after a motion to waive the rules and a floor vote; the council also transmitted nominations for Capital Area Human Services District appointments to the governor’s office (two names per vacancy were sent as required by statute).

Why it matters: the deletion of the Crossroads Strategies contract and the announcement of a planned Cornerstone Strategies agreement reflect a change in the mayor’s chosen federal representation and a projected fiscal saving the mayor’s office cited. The Hardinwood Drive road diet acceptance advances a locally significant street safety project that officials said will use state and federal program money to add pedestrian and traffic‑calming improvements to a fast‑developing corridor.

Speakers and testimony: Mason Batson (Mayor’s Office) explained the Crossroads/Cornerstone contract change. Transportation and drainage staff described the Hardinwood Drive Local Road Safety Program grant and its goals. Multiple council members made motions to introduce, defer, delete or approve items across the agenda; votes were recorded in the meeting minutes and by the clerk.

Next steps: the mayor’s office said it will introduce the Cornerstone Strategies contract at an upcoming meeting. Projects and contracts approved at the March 26 meeting (road diet design, demolition work, environmental audits) will move into implementation under the assigned departments and contractors specified in awarded agreements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Metropolitan Council Meeting - March 26, 2025 | 03-26-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council on March 26 voted to delete a proposed $250,000 contract with Crossroads Strategies LLC for federal lobbying and moved forward on a series of grants, demolition contracts, environmental audits and appointments.","taxTitle","Baton Rouge City, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana","taxId",3708,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6622771,"Metro Council rejects proposed roll‑forward increases to multiple ad valorem millages",577,4785000,5362000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82&start=4785&end=5362","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82/thumbnail_4785000.jpg","/articles/6622771/Baton-Rouge-City/East-Baton-Rouge-Parish/Louisiana/Metro-Council-rejects-proposed-rollforward-increases-to-multiple-ad-valorem-millages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622771-4872122d17306d5f20b5bc9f04be264a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158618&Signature=Fpvp5lXV94ahW71Jfh8i83S7fumcHit9HmqsMZ41t8n3FNADWs37LUdZEHjelJd6dyOU0Cw23pQDb8Jg7SL9fdsc45L7n1bkPCj7jekfDfraSVFDHkq-hksdRVThA2TejaS78TWBocCDMQg~n6wmeFjSFTcXJCXuvZgCyUo314SDTKrzJiCBmi1jOX3YvDCoRy~aUH1sIErjFPmU2ODY9Cfjl8F2WNl8ObnIjs5qUAwskmJSZjE1lS3vQqtgUJFxNeWc3PmnWnsjTRHXaPfRZA0Qy9Z1txtdFivFUbiWg6oz3d5w126FOlnBoVAtbic0jKBfNdl~Hdh~Taj9QWG-sA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council on March 26, 2025 failed to approve proposed roll‑forward increases to ad valorem tax millage rates affecting multiple fire protection districts and other taxing jurisdictions.

Council members considered an item (Item 90) to adopt increased 2025 ad valorem millage rates as permitted by Article 7, Section 23(c) of the Louisiana Constitution. The proposal included increases for the Baton Rouge Municipal Fire salaries and benefits rate, several fire protection districts (including Brownsville and Allison districts), and other local levies. The council attempted a motion by Councilman Dunn Jr. to approve the package as amended (removing a council on aging item) but the motion failed after votes were tallied.

The discussion included multiple public speakers from the local fire service urging approval. Jake Morgan, president of the Baton Rouge Firefighter Association (Local 3), told the council that rising equipment and personnel costs required the funding: \"We need a certain amount of mills to operate our departments and pay our people, maintain our stations, maintain our trucks.... That's what we're here for. We need this money to continue to operate our departments the way we've been running in this parish.\" The council heard similar appeals from local fire chiefs who described rising truck and equipment costs and the need to maintain staffing, training and station upkeep.

Several council members expressed reservations. One council member described roll‑forward approval as an effective tax increase on an unrealized property valuation gain and said they could not support unilaterally raising taxes without a public vote. That objection was a central reason the motion failed; the meeting record shows the motion did not reach the eight votes required for approval.

Why it matters: roll‑forward millages allow previously approved millage rates to be adjusted after reassessment rather than re‑putting a specific tax amount to voters. Proponents said the adjustments preserve funding needed for emergency services as costs rise; opponents said increases should go before voters instead of being applied automatically to assessed value gains.

Council outcome and next steps: the motion to approve the roll forward as amended failed on the council floor. The council did not adopt the listed millage increases at the March 26 meeting; further action would require the council to reintroduce the item or to pursue alternative timelines or referenda if the executive branch or departments request reconsideration.

Clarifying details: the council cited Article 7, Section 23(c) of the Louisiana Constitution as the statutory authority to adopt millage rates for the 2025 tax roll. The specific millage changes proposed in Item 90 included, among others, an increase for Baton Rouge Municipal Fire salaries and benefits from 5.68 mills to 6 mills and increases for multiple fire protection districts (examples in the proposal ranged from 8.52 to 15 mills depending on the district). The exact list of jurisdictions and proposed adjusted millages was read into the record by staff during the meeting and is part of the official agenda packet.

Public testimony and council remarks were recorded on the meeting transcript. Jake Morgan and other fire officials urged passage on grounds of recruitment, retention, equipment costs, and public safety readiness; at least one council member countered that the roll‑forward functions as a tax increase on unrealized gains and preferred a voter decision.

Votes at a glance: the council motion to approve the roll‑forward package as amended (with the council on aging item removed) failed; the meeting transcript records the motion as \"Motion fails.\" No roll call tally with named yea/nay counts was recorded in the public segment of the transcript for the failed motion.

Speakers quoted: Jake Morgan, president, Baton Rouge Firefighter Association (public testimony).","The East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council failed to approve proposed roll‑forward increases to ad valorem tax millage rates for several fire protection districts and other taxing jurisdictions after public testimony from fire officials and divided council debate.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6622761,"Baton Rouge honors 1960 Southern University sit‑ins on 65th anniversary; descendants call for preservation and teaching of history",442,2611000,3053000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82&start=2611&end=3053","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781377-c7ed52592c72eecde22d76dc4f59de82/thumbnail_2611000.jpg","/articles/6622761/Baton-Rouge-City/East-Baton-Rouge-Parish/Louisiana/Baton-Rouge-honors-1960-Southern-University-sitins-on-65th-anniversary-descendants-call-for-preservation-and-teaching-of-history","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622761-8c321d67d2aa778513b35fad8a77ff7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158618&Signature=TALKGSrzkM9Jf-Ph2q-gMe~O3wZkIx60UqDPqF0BQ6HWYYSrFsgPlS2WZTKN~FNcR8GLl4u6dBwH6mqxMsQx2q5Rx47rFupHuP~vxZXmj6Xyy4UG7zU~l66SJ6q7Sx2bprVdD9roJV2LNYNZnAU9vvqMqP5pq8YNhnsEQcDdtsiLZkdM7GW~OAleAvuBnDCnYxoM9qI4kaj07fI-ycbenll9nOxDd-lDn6-Q0bk3~nLix-0ojBEGIhJjzIFdSCaunBFA1y46Ou8xyO7mPjXhBF0-IhaNkvlxMparagkxohiLw~DZxJCGHXP8WjRkXYdXo36xRCsvYfYSQ8QaWqDOVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The East Baton Rouge Parish Metropolitan Council on March 26, 2025 commemorated the Southern University student sit‑ins of March 1960 and recognized descendants of participants and local historians on the 65th anniversary of the protests.

Council members invited Joan Garner (daughter of Henry Garner), Deshawn Jordan (daughter of Vernon Jordan) and Southern University faculty to the podium to honor the students who peacefully staged sit‑ins at segregated lunch counters and other public accommodations. The council read names of the 16 students who participated in the various actions in Baton Rouge and reflected on the risks the students accepted at the time.

Joan Garner told the council she remains grateful the city is remembering the sit‑ins and that preserving the history is important to descendants. \"On the 65th anniversary, it is important that we remember and honor this history,\" Garner said. She described the personal and collective sacrifices that followed arrests and convictions that were later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The meeting record notes the case reached the Supreme Court in 1961 (Garner v. Louisiana), which the speaker said unanimously held that convictions under the disturbing‑the‑peace laws violated the students' First Amendment rights.

Deshawn Jordan, daughter of Vernon Jordan, spoke about her father's experience and the personal cost carried for decades. \"He didn't tell us about this history much until it started to come out ... I have never seen my father cry a day in my life. And that was the pain that my father carried from having to endure and be in these situations,\" she said.

Speakers at the council framed the sit‑ins as a turning point that helped broaden constitutional protections for peaceful protest and contributed to the momentum of the civil rights movement in Louisiana and nationally. Council remarks emphasized racial healing, preservation of records and opportunities for descendants to continue community work tied to entrepreneurship, education and social determinants of health.

Why it matters: the 1960 sit‑ins in Baton Rouge predated or paralleled sit‑in actions at other Southern campuses and municipal locations and culminated in a U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited prosecutions for peaceful protest. City recognition highlights local civil‑rights history and the council's stated interest in preserving and teaching that history to future generations.

Records and requests: the council accepted the presentations and asked the mayor and council staff to continue commemorative and preservation efforts; descendants requested support for historical preservation, teaching and continued legacy work.

Speakers quoted: Joan Garner (daughter of Henry Garner) and Deshawn Jordan (daughter of Vernon Jordan) made on‑record statements to the council. Southern University faculty and local historians were also invited to speak and read the names of participants aloud.","The Metro Council recognized the March 1960 sit‑ins led by Southern University students and heard descendants and historians recount arrests, Supreme Court vindication (Garner v. Louisiana, 1961) and calls for preservation of civil‑rights history in Baton Rouge.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Metro Council deletes Crossroads contract, approves grants, demolitions, audits and appointments

Metro Council rejects proposed roll‑forward increases to multiple ad valorem millages

Baton Rouge honors 1960 Southern University sit‑ins on 65th anniversary; descendants call for preservation and teaching of history