Aug 18 FIA General Meeting Recap

We had a great FIA meeting on August 18. Thank you to everyone who made it out, and a big thank you to Fr. Patrick Carr for making the space available. 

We want these meetings to be informative and worthwhile, so please share your feedback on how we can improve them or address any issues that are important to you.

Below is a summary of the issues that we covered. 

• Arch Watering Schedule: 

  • Kay and Camp Morrison have generously planted and maintained the greenery around the Fontainebleau arch. Using their own time and money, they have made the arch area more beautiful. Now they are asking for volunteers to water the greenery regularly. PLEASE RESPOND to this email if you are willing to volunteer, and we will work on a sign-up sheet and schedule.

• Halloween Movie Night: 

  • We will hold our Halloween movie night in late October. The movie will be shown at Marley Park, and all are welcome. Please take a few seconds to answer our movie night survey to help us pick the best date and select a great movie. Thanks to FIA Board Member Sophie Kirk for leading this effort.
    

• Dues:

  • If you have not already, we ask that all neighbors consider making a $25 annual donation to help us carry out our mission. Dues can be paid via PayPal or by cash or check (make out to the Fontainebleau Improvement Association) and dropped in Carling Dinkler's mailbox at 2437 Fern St. If you are not sure if you have paid dues this year, please reach out to FIA Board Treasurer Clay Colton (clay.colton@gmail.com). 
    

• Tulane Announcements: 

  • Tulane will soon test its stadium PA system and has promised to provide advance notice to the neighborhood. 

  • The Tulane Government and Community Relations team encourages all neighbors to subscribe to the regular community newsletter via this link. Click the "Sign up for Neighborhood Notices" button. 
    

• State Sen. Royce Duplessis shared a recap of the 2026 legislative session with special attention paid to congressional redistricting, consolidation of the New Orleans Civil and Criminal Clerk Offices, legislation moving SWBNO governance to the City of New Orleans, his efforts to provide greater protection from surveillance pricing (dynamic pricing used by online retailers that changes price based on customer habit or situation) and legislation to make it easier to cancel subscription services. 

  • Sen. Duplessis requested support for Amendment #7, which will be on the November ballot. This Louisiana Constitution amendment would allow local governments to use public funds to identify and replace lead or other hazardous drinking-water service lines on privately owned property. 

  • Sen. Duplessis also shared good news about mandates for insurance discounts for homeowners who install a fortified roof. By Jan 1, 2027, insurers will be writing policies for residential properties in New Orleans. Click here to learn more. 

  • If you need to get in touch with Sen. Duplessis, you can do so by emailing him (sen05@legis.la.gov) or calling his office at (504) 568-2741.
     

• Lisbeth Pedroso from Mayor Helena Moreno's Office of Community Engagement attended and introduced herself. Lisbeth is our neighborhood liaison to the Mayor's office and has already proved to be a fantastic partner and resource. Her email is llpedroso@nola.gov. 

  • She also shared a link to the City's Infrastructure Coordination Committee (ICC) website, which shows active and planned projects across the city. 
    

• We heard from Stephanie Willis, Director for Public Affairs for Entergy New Orleans (swill55@entergy.com), on several issues: 

  • Understanding your Entergy bill, click here to learn more. 

  • Entergy's Power to Care and LIHEAP programs help qualified customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Click here to learn more. 

  • Energy Smart program, which provides resources and financial incentives for customers interested in increasing energy efficiency. Click here to learn more. 

  • Net metering opportunities, which allow customers with solar panels to qualify for bill credits when they put solar energy back onto the grid. 
    

• Finally, Clover New Orleans CEO Dr. Arnel Cosey presented on the impactful work Clover is doing in the community, including early childhood education programs, workforce development, and their adult day programs for area seniors. Please visit the Clover New Orleans website to learn more about this organization and how to access its services or support its mission.