Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration says that it controls the source of its NOLA for Life Fund money, which it hands off to a private foundation to disburse. The Landrieu administration says the grantmaking doesn’t have to occur in public, but other nonprofits have been told they must let the public observe discussions about spending taxpayer dollars.
Marco Outdoor Advertising says the city promised the billboard location 10 years ago.
Marco Outdoor Advertising has tried for a few years to get the 911 board to let it build a billboard next to its call center — prime advertising space along the interstate. The board has refused, saying it should bid the work. Now the city has stepped in with an agreement that could enable it to approve the deal.
DaFresh Seafood received a $117,000 low-interest loan through the city's program. The owner says he'll repay it.
With legal logjam mostly broken, city moves ahead with 2013 payments of $1.5 million.
That's not much more than was allocated for the last three months of 2013.
The meeting starts at 10 a.m. and could go most of the day.
Thursday's meeting will be the first time the ordinance, requested by Mayor Landrieu, will be debated in public.
Companies must be independent to be certified for the city's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program.
New Orleans spends only half as much per capita on recreation as comparable cities.
