The Metro Council will receive an update on the long-discussed disparity study at its meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
The study, conducted by Denver-based Keen Independent Research, is examining whether disparities exist for small, minority and woman- and veteran-owned businesses in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Mayor Sharon Weston Broome signed an executive order for the $300,000 study in November 2017, and Keen began the study last September, estimating at the time it would take a year to complete. That timeline was pushed back a few months, when earlier this year, city-parish officials said they didn’t expect the study until this month.
As part of the study, the firm will also release recommendations on how to dismantle any disparities that do exist.
The council will also hear an update from the Blight Study Committee, as well as discuss the Waste Tire Shredder Program. Although the Metro Council unanimously approved an agreement with an environmental services firm last month to operate a tire shredder—purchased with federal grant funds—at no cost to the parish, multiple council members now want to revisit the deal.
Only eight council members were present for that Sept. 11 meeting as Chauna Banks, Donna Collins-Lewis, Lamont Cole, and Erika Green were all attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation conference in Washington D.C. and missed the vote. Council members Wicker and Cole introduced the item to discuss the agreement between the city-parish Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control district and Baum Environmental Services.
The Metro Council will meet at 4 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 222 St. Louis St. Read the full agenda.
