Tuesday, December 10
6:00 PM
Lambeth House Auditorium, 150 Broadway St.
We’ll have Councilman Joe Giarrusso, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, and State Representative Aimee Freeman. This is a great way to learn about our neighborhood and the city and state projects that are affecting it.
Meeting Minutes
Guest Speakers:
Councilman Joe Giarrusso; Mayor’s Office, Elise Williams; Sewerage and Water Board, Stephen Nelson; Office of Aimee Freeman; UTNA Security Patrol, Patrick Tucker
The meeting was called to order by UTNA President, Gabe Bordenave at 6:18Pm. Gabe introduced the UTNA Bord Members: Maria Auzenne, Tim Soslow, Monica Davidson, Jesse Frank, Nelita Ramey, Philip Moseley, Charles Mendy, and Alex Glaser. Nelita, Jesse, and Charles were not present at the meeting.
Gabe next introduced Councilman Joe Giarrusso as the first speaker. The councilman discussed the Batture Project briefly and its progress, including meetings with developers and neighbors. He also mentioned the Quiet Zones Project, which aims to reduce train noise in residential areas, as well as a city Bond Issuance for infrastructure projects in May of 2025. He discussed the city’s $1.8 Billion dollar budget and the council’s role in approving it, mentioning the importance of economic development for the city.
He then thanked the neighbors for their support, saying that he has served for six years and would be retiring at the end of the year. Gabe thanked Joe Giarrusso for his open door policy and timely assistance regarding UTNA neighborhood issues.
Ms. Elise Williams from the Office of Neighborhood engagement spoke about the city’s toy giveaway, the status of the Banneker School, and the School Board’s surplus property and the challenges of managing it. There was also the question of Carver Playground, and the fact that there is some concern as to whether it would better serve as a dog park or a playground.
Mr. Stephen Nelson (snelson@swbno@gno.com) from the Sewerage and Water Board was the next speaker. He discussed the ongoing work on Broadway, the lead service line replacement program and the need for state legislative approval to fund private property replacements. The free water testing kits are available at: 504-52WATER.
There are ongoing installations of smart meters for accurate billing and flood prevention. So far, 70,000 out of 130,000 smart meters have been installed.
Patrick Tucker talked about the fact that the UTNA is being patrolled by both Tulane and Loyola, who have increased patrols lately, and is generally a safe neighborhood, with a few incidents of car break-ins and ‘porch pirates’ in 2024. He mentioned that high-resolution home cameras are a great tool for mitigating crime and apprehending criminals.
Gabe Bordenave read a statement from Tulane via Lauren Gardell, director of Government and Community relations about the planned tennis court construction. It is expected to start in the first quarter of 2025, and will include new fencing, resurfacing, restriping and revamping existing light poles. Courts will be available during daylight hours, with hours reserved for Tulane as well as for the community.
Gabe went on to remind the community about open board seats. The application process is available online and through email. Community members are invited to reach out to UTNA for more information and to stay engaged.
The Meeting was concluded at approximately 8:30 PM.
