Lou Pascarella · Athens Unfiltered
Publication date unconfirmed
Jennifer Shepard · 0:12
Welcome to another episode of Athens Unfiltered. I am happy to be joined by Lou Pasquarella, who is running for Athens City Council. Welcome to the show, Lou.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 0:21
Thank you, Jennifer. Glad to be here. Yeah, glad for the invite.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 0:24
Yeah, glad to have you. So I didn't know who you were. I I wanted to get some background and I wanted to understand who you were and and kind of what you stand for. And I I think a lot of other people do as well. So let's start out with you. Who are you?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 0:42
Gosh, I am Lou Pasquarella. I moved here in ninth in the fall of 88 as a young professional. I'll say I got here by way of a job offer, and back then there was no social media or internet, so I got a phone call when I was working, ironically in Canada, and the gentleman was the CFO of a company that bought Taylor Pittsburgh implement. And if you've been here long enough, which I don't think you have. Taylor Pittsburgh made implements that you pull behind a tractor. So I came here for a job, and I literally knew zero people, except two people that I had met at Taylor implement as an auditor two years prior. Mike Turner and Donzel Lachelle were the first two people that I really interacted with, and so I moved here. I had a three-year plan to leave. I'm like, what have I gotten into moving to Athens? I saw all this orange that I didn't know there was such a following of football, but there was. So I grew up as a Steeler fan, so going collegiate was a different perspective down here. And you don't have as many big cities with professional teams, and you definitely didn't back then. It was Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Nashville. So, but I moved here. I met a young lady that I ultimately married. My wife is a nurse practitioner and practices here in town. As I got here, it was going into the winter months, and people kind of migrate in, so I quickly got involved via a couple people. One was Art Kimble. He invited me to Kiwanis at the time. He had, I think, just joined a year or two prior. So I met people via social interaction, civic interaction, and started to realize that if I was going to get to know people and live here, that interaction was the best way to do it. And one thing led to another. I've served on a lot of nonprofit boards. I ultimately went to graduate school down at UTC, got my master's. I did that so that I could. I always had a vision of teaching at the college level.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 3:25
Okay, so you got a master's in teaching.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 3:27
I got a master's in business.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 3:29
Okay, and your undergrad was in accounting.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 3:32
Accounting and computer science is what they called it back then. Yeah.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 3:35
Okay.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 3:36
And so. Lost my train of thought.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 3:45
You always wanted to teach.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 3:46
Yes, thank you for the lead back in there. So I also acquired my CPA designation. That was in 91, I think, 92, somewhere around there, and so I had those two, if you will, higher education designation, etc. And at the time, that was considered similar to a Ph.D. which they called terminal in the college professional world. And so I, starting in about '98, I taught as adjunct off and on at Tennessee Wesleyan, but who I am, I'm a dad of three. I'm now a grandfather of one, well, plus two. My son just recently got married, and the lady he married has two young children, I guess they're not young, 13 and 11. So I'm a grandfather, a father, a husband, and a guy that just likes to give back. I look at the good Lord gave me skills, and my job is to share them.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 4:55
Okay, and you're originally from outside of Pittsburgh.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 5:00
Correct suburb.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 5:01
Okay,
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 5:02
born and raised there. My dad was an over-the-road truck driver and a heavy equipment operator. As a kid, I would shovel snow, try to cut grass, which didn't happen that often. Had a paper route. I was one of those kids that had a paper route. He delivered door to door, And there's a book that a gentleman wrote. It said that Harvard some about Harvard MBAs should be given to paper boys. You learn a lot as a kid as a paper boy to collect money and deliver papers and provide service. So
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 5:38
get up real early in the morning. Yep, be dedicated to that route every morning before school, probably.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 5:46
Well, that was my Sunday paper. Was the early daily. I delivered the evening paper, which was right after school.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 5:53
Nice.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 5:54
So I learned how to balance 40 or 50 papers in a bag and ride my bike sideways. So,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 6:00
So you obviously your your career has been in accounting, finance, business, and teaching, which is cool. What what made you want to run for Athens City Council?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 6:16
I think it was 2002. I had ran, and at that time, I believe it was either Dick Pelly's first or second campaign for council. And like this time, there were several people on the ballot, and myself, Mel Barker, who was recently retired as the city manager, and a gentleman by the name of Charlie Myers that had recently moved to town as well. The three of us were within. I'm recollecting it might be old data, 5075 votes between all three of us, and I didn't get in, and I believe the good Lord had a plan that I wasn't supposed to at that time. I was already serving as the retirement city's pension chairperson.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 7:11
I got my
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 7:11
words out of order there, but yeah, I ran then. Didn't didn't make it, and I had some people recently encourage me to consider running again, prayed about it, and here I am.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 7:25
So, who was encouraging you to run?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 7:27
Several people in the community, after watching different episodes or attending city council meetings, and thought that my background and professional appearance would be a plus to the council.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 7:44
Your professionalism, yeah. So, if you do get elected to city council, what what's your well? Actually, let's let's back up. What are what are some of the biggest issues that you see In Athens,
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 8:03
I think from my vantage point, and I I went to the council meeting last night. The council meeting last night was ran efficiently, professionally, but that hasn't seemed to be the case for a lot of them, and so I would like to think that I can bring some rapport and just the presence of being as a what I would say a long-standing business person and professional to the city council.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 8:35
So you are you saying that the biggest thing that you're seeing in Athens is it's unprofessionalism.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 8:43
Well, I don't know that that's part of it. I think also part of it is the fact that if if you look at what a council person's supposed to do, hire and fire the city manager, the city judge, the city attorney, basically not enforce but ensure that policies and procedures are in place. Manage the budget-that's a big deal. And so I think, from what I've seen and heard and read, I think there needs to be a refocus back on what council's supposed to be doing.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 9:25
What about what about the overall decision making? So you have to adhere to you know the laws and bylaws of city council, but when it comes to formulating and and writing those or adjusting those, amending those, is there anything specifically within Athens City Council that you see as a problem that you'd like to change?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 9:55
No, I don't. I don't know of anything at this point. I mean. I've not studied all of the policies and procedures that the council basically over the past has approved. Would you repeat where you're going with this? Well, I'm I'm just
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 10:13
yeah I was just wondering like what what specifically other than bringing like the rapport and the polished professionalism like let's get into the nitty gritty. Like, what are some? Are there policies within the the city of Athens that you would like to change, or what would like to see changed?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 10:30
Not at this point, I don't, because I haven't dug into those. But from a top level standpoint, is where I guess I'm looking at it without digging down into the policy procedures. Is I don't believe that it's council's position to get involved in personnel matters, other than the city managers. Do I believe that council should get to know the department managers? Absolutely, I think there needs to be a transparency there, but I also believe that the focus is with the city manager. That's who we, as a city council, would hire, cultivate, encourage, support, but also critique. Do
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 11:17
you have anybody in mind for a city manager position?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 11:20
I do not. I am familiar with Bridget. She is the interim, and she sits in on the pension committee meetings,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 11:33
which you're obviously a part of.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 11:37
I've been chairing that since the late '90s,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 11:41
and you. you you like her performance as a city manager so far? She's somebody that you would consider, or
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 11:48
absolutely, would have to consider her.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 11:50
Yeah,
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 11:50
she was put in there for a reason. Obviously, council felt that she is the right person for the interim position. So, absolutely, I support her in that regard, and I also support her interviewing for the full-time job.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 12:07
What would be your goal if if you get elected to city council? What would you like to accomplish during your first year?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 12:17
Well, we we just touched on, in my opinion, the number one thing, and that's to hire a new city manager as a full-time position. To me, that's number one. And last night, I attending the city council. I heard, you know, Glenn speak of the city attorney. It's been at the same firm for I think he said 50 years. Our job is to also hire slash appoint a city attorney, city judge. I don't have any preconceived ideas on who that should be. Obviously, if mr. True gets elected, he can't be the city attorney. He's not right now, but there's also I think a situation with the person that was the city attorney that needs to be addressed. So that that is also on that list. So in year one, city manager, city attorney, and either reappoint the judge or appoint a new judge.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 13:24
When somebody wants to put their hat in for like a city attorney position, does somebody on council nominate people, or do they say, "Hey, I'd like to be considered" Do they send a resume? What does what does that process look like?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 13:38
I don't know the process, but it is, hey, if you're the city council member and you happen to say I nominate Jane Doe or John Doe, to me it would either be second, and discussion would happen, or it would fail for lack of a second and a motion, and somebody else might have another person that would be interested in it, so nominating, I guess.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 14:03
So, is there anybody that you would nominate?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 14:07
Not specifically, no. I don't have. I don't have an agenda or a list, and I'm glad you said that because I. I come to. If I'm elected, I come to city council without a list of people that I want to put in place, and I'll call it nepotism or favoritism. I don't. I don't have any of that.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 14:28
Yeah, that's. I would say that that's pretty important. And I would. I would say you know if you're sitting here saying, well, there's nobody that I can think of that I would elect or nominate. You you have to have some people in mind.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 14:46
Well, in my in my professional world, the firms I've dealt with, I I have interacted with mr. True professionally, Bridget. Will Hite, James Mitchell, Reed Winder was an older firm that has kind of separated themselves now. So, I would have to, quite frankly, study who the other attorneys are. I know Will Estes and Miss Kennedy, I believe, are in practice. So, based on my response, I look at myself and say I need to look at what all options are out there.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 15:28
Yeah. So, what would be some like qualifying questions that you would have? And this isn't just for a city attorney; it could be for city manager or whatever. What What are some of the things that you you would look for in order to nominate somebody.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 15:43
Yeah,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 15:44
what would you want to know?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 15:46
So I'll I'll use our interim city manager as an example that she went and obtained the appropriate type of education for governance. I've not seen a resume. I'm reiterating what has been told to me. I think looking at the person's background, their experience, and do they seem to have a personality and a character that would fit that role, be it the judge or the city attorney or city manager?
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 16:22
So basically, the education and would they work well with others?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 16:27
And ask them questions about interaction, socially, civically. What is their involvement in the city up to this point? Are they brand new to the city?
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 16:40
Okay. So we covered, you know, what your year one goals would be, things that you'd want to accomplish, and that would be just tell me if I'm getting this right. Adding a layer of professionalism that's currently lacking on the city council
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 16:58
at times.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 16:59
At Times appointing a city manager and a city attorney. Yeah, is that about right?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 17:08
Yes, ma'am.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 17:09
What about your four-year goals beyond the first year? What are some of your goals for the city of Athens?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 17:18
I would take a look at their strategic plan and see what's in place. I have not studied that enough to be an expert in it by any stretch. But what are our plans for growth, attracting new business, that type of stuff? I'm I'm a believer that we've got to have some new businesses come to the area, whether it's small or large, we've been-I've been here long enough to see. I saw when Denzo came to town and the difference it made. So to me, you're either trying to move forward or you're stuck in neutral and/or moving backwards. And COVID and some of what's happening in society. I think the small town atmosphere, the type of lifestyle that Tennessee provides. I mean, you moved here, I moved here, Glenn moved here, we all moved here, and we all stayed because of the lifestyle that we have, and and so to me, look at this strategic plan. Does it does it mesh with what's already been in place in Athens, and how can we complement that? So, I would I have homework to do in that area.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 18:38
Yeah. Okay, so sorry, I got caught there. Yeah, I had to put mine around here. Okay, so year one, appoint a city attorney manager. Year one through four would be to work on the strategic planning of the city, and you you want to see the city grow. You want to see businesses come to Athens, but you also want to preserve the small town appeal of Athens. Is that right?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 19:10
That that's accurate.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 19:11
Okay, let's talk about let's talk about some other things Here, so here's just kind of like a quick fire round, just quick questions. If you could answer them, should any elected official ever be able to approve his own reimbursement or expense? No. Should council members have to disclose financial relationships that could potentially benefit from city decisions?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 19:50
Yes.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 19:52
Under what circumstances would you recuse yourself from a vote?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 19:59
So I'll use the pension committee as an example. If I was an investment advisor, I would have to recuse myself because that's one of the jobs that we, as the committee, do is appoint somebody to invest our funds. So if I was an investment advisor, I couldn't do it. Likewise, if I was a practicing CPA and they said, "Can you do this audit? and my answer would be absolutely not. So,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 20:27
okay. Do you support independent audits of city finances?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 20:33
I
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 20:35
do. Okay.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 20:37
And can I? Well, I'll add to that if whenever time allows. No,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 20:41
go ahead. You have something to add now.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 20:43
Well, I think there may be a little misconception about what an audit does, and if they're supposed to find things, an audit is really there to say, here's the financials, and these financials do represent what's going on in the city. An audit can, but is not designed to find misappropriations or inaccuracies, if you will. It's more of a top-level perspective of these are the numbers, and yes, these numbers are it. If you want to look at, if you're trying to find malfeasance or correct some inaccuracies, you might be pursuing a different type of service, a test of cash, looking at those types of things. So I don't want to get into the technical side of doing an audit versus. I
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 21:43
don't either. I don't know what you're talking about. And both my parents are CPAs, by the way. Oh gosh, I feel
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 21:50
for you. Well, I
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 21:51
think like you, they you know they they're CPAs, but they don't. I don't even know if they've renewed their licenses because they've, you know.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 21:59
Yeah, mine is in an inactive status, and I don't need it for the CFO job that I'm currently doing. So, it costs a lot of money to activate and do the continuing ed every year.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 22:12
Yeah, which
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 22:13
I still go to some continuing ed just to keep sharp on some topics.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 22:19
Well, good for you doing some doing some accounting classes in your spare time. How fun!
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 22:28
Yeah.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 22:30
Okay. Let's let's talk about. I guess we're done with our fire question round. I don't know what that's called, but what does accountability mean to you?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 22:48
That's a good question. Accountability: If you're given a task, do the task. But we also have what I would refer to as implied accountability. You're a mom, I'm a dad. We have implied accountability to be good parents. You know, so what does that mean? Probably everybody has a slightly different thing, but you know, your job is to care for your kids, be accountable for them, you know. In a professional world, accountability is doing the right thing and being able to say, "This is the task I was given. I did it. Feel free to look at it and make sure I did it right.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 23:40
Do you believe an elected official should be held to a higher standard than an ordinary citizen?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 23:45
I do. I think if you're going to extend yourself, and we'll go to the accountability type of thing, I think it needs to be clear to those that are looking, that are interested in looking, that whatever was assigned has been done with the utmost of professionalism, fiduciary care, maybe more than that you would expect the average citizen to do, maybe that one extra step, whatever that step may be.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 24:27
Have you worked in government before?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 24:29
No, I've not. The closest I've gotten is my involvement with the city's pension.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 24:38
And and what exactly do you do with that? You make sure that the pension is making money.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 24:45
So you have a plan document. You have assets. The plan document's been in place for years. There's been a couple of tweaks to it. The last, I guess, tweak that was made. Would be when we froze the plan, which was over 10 years ago, and it didn't allow for any new entrants. But we still have those retirees and those active city people employees that are part of that plan, and our job is to hire an investment advisor, make sure the investment policy statement is in line with what's going on. To be prudent and act as a fiduciary over those assets on an indirect way. It's the investment advisors that are also have a fiduciary responsibility.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 25:42
Who's the current investment advisor?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 25:45
USI out of Knoxville, but they're a national firm. They did our for years. We had two entities: one investment advisor and one that was going to be more actuarial and plan document related, and it was during COVID, probably about five years ago, we allowed USI, who was the actuarial and plan document specialist, to also bid on the investment, and we we collectively decided that the plan was at a place where we were comfortable with those two responsibilities being under one entity, which is USI.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 26:31
So, why the decision not to go with somebody local for that?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 26:43
There was, I believe, one or two entities that had put it in, put in a bid, when we were looking at options, and we just chose the best one that we thought would fit us, and we had history with them as the actuarial and plan document provider, so we had a little bit of more info about them. I, I actually worked in trust, 30 some years ago. I worked in a trust department that would have bid on that job to do the investment advisory
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 27:19
for USI.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 27:20
No, I was with what was then called First National Bank.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 27:25
Okay.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 27:26
And First National actually did the investment advising that became what's now BB&T or Truist. But at some point, I don't recall The year we had left them, and I'm trying to go back in my brain here as to see what year that was, but I don't recall.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 27:50
That's okay. So, if you were elected to the city and the city council and a city employee accuses you of improperly handling public money. What should happen? And I ask this because of the the recent things that have been brought up about the checks being written to the Parks Foundation.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 28:24
Repeat your question, so I make sure I answer
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 28:26
it. So, if if if you get elected city council and a city employee accuses you or anybody accuses you of improperly handling public money, what should happen?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 28:36
I would say open the books. Let's look at it. Why did that person, quote unquote, accuse or make that statement, an accusatory statement, to say these were mishandled? My first reaction would be, open up the books and let's take a look at them. Why? Why does that person have that feeling? Then I would understand where the money went and what. it approved? Was it necessary? I hard to say. Contributions to the pension plan are approved, so to me that's a seamless transaction. Reimbursement of certain things you'd have to again open up the books and let let a professional take a look.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 29:24
So, you are asking voters to give you a position where you'll have a role in decisions involving millions of dollars in public funds. Why should voters trust you with that responsibility?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 29:39
My entire career has been dealing with financial statements and money, and I have been a CFO four or five different times, which is a fiduciary role. I've acted as the city's pension committee chairperson, chairman. Chairperson for quite a long time, and I think my track record, in and of itself, speaks for my ability to take the high road, do the right thing, and manage the money accordingly. If I was given that responsibility,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 30:19
I know you have a really good track record. There was something that was brought up about a lawsuit that involved you and your old company from years and years ago. So I think that's why I asked that question. Like, why should people trust you with their money if you had been accused of not handling money correctly in the past. So, do you want to address that?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 30:45
Sure. People can accuse you of whatever they want to. You don't have to have a lot of basis. Unfortunately, it was over money, and since there was no validity to the accusations, which a federal court judge threw it out, they attacked my character and chose to pursue it that way. Which is, if you've ever had your character attacked, it's it's really hits you at the core. So
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 31:21
yeah, what did that do to you? Like like after work, you know, after whatever you you get home. Yeah, what was that like?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 31:28
It affects your mental state. There's unequivocally, and again, I'm a CPA, a practicing CPA. When this happens, so needless to say, the state board was well aware of it. Did nothing because there was nothing. There was no merit to it. So,
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 31:49
what about your reputation? Did you?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 31:52
Oh, sure, it hurts that.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 31:53
Yeah.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 31:54
What? What? I'll say scars or baggage still remains. I have no idea. I guess everybody is can make their own decision on it. Sometimes it's just about people that aren't necessarily good at the core.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 32:11
What do you mean by that? You mean the people who accused you of stealing money from their company? They weren't good people.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 32:18
I can't say that.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 32:19
Okay. Well, and if that's excuse me, if that's something that you knew when you started working for them, my question is, why would you ever work for somebody like that?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 32:32
I didn't know that at the time.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 32:34
Okay, that's a big thing for me. Integrity is a big thing for me. So
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 32:38
agreed.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 32:40
I I don't care how much a company is willing to pay me. If the person that I'm reporting to, or the person who is the CEO of the company, is not a good person, I I will not take the job because I you you just you can't work for bad people. When you work for bad people, bad things happen.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 32:58
Amen. And this the position I'm currently the CFO role that I currently have. This gentleman that owns the company was a client of mine 15 years ago. I got to know him. We stayed in touch over the years, and we all have our faults. Everybody does. None of us are perfect, but he to me, comes across. He came across as good to the core. Still does, or I wouldn't be working there. Just like anything, I think when you spend more time with people, using a Shrek analogy, you know, and the donkey, I'm I'm like an onion. I got layers, and I think when you go to work for somebody, you see the onion as a whole, but over time, that you peel back some of the layers and go, "Wow, that's who that person really is. Why I stayed through some rough times is there were over 400 people that worked there at the time, and things were getting very bad financially. So I stayed to help save the company, and it's still doing well today.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 34:06
Are there any bridges that are permanently burned, like with any of the people you used to work with?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 34:11
I would say so.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 34:13
Yeah,
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 34:13
but I also still have some very close friends. I have people that still come out in the community up to me and say, "Hey, I appreciate what you did for this company and saving my job, so that was that's always nice to hear.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 34:28
What did what did you learn from that period in your career life and in your personal life?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 34:33
Well, I I'm good at digging into things and fixing things, and if There's this company had several different I'll call them departments or divisions, and we had to cut a lot of people. I shed a lot of tears over getting laying off over 100 people over a couple year span. Yeah, I learned that I get emotional and care about people and how it would feel if they were coming up to me to do the same thing. So I try to put myself in their shoes. Can't always do it, but it's something that I tried to do as I was going through that, and I learned a lot from that. You know the old saying: if if you ever played sports, no pain, no gain. I think that applies to us as humans too. You know, if if you're always on a smooth road, you maybe don't know how to handle adversity sometimes, and you go through growing pains by experiences you have, and it makes you a better person in the long run if you take it as a positive, or you can take it as a negative, and it'll drive you into a bad state as a person, in my opinion.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 35:57
When it comes to Athens City Council and citizens speaking, what's your stance on that? It was. I know it was like they had five minutes. I think it's being proposed to cut people's time that they have to speak to three minutes. Where do you stand on that?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 36:13
Well, I think there should always be a platform for citizens to speak up. Council may or may not be the right place and time for that, depending on what the issue is, and I can't necessarily hypothesize on what that issue would be. But I do believe in the ability to speak out. If you suppress the people, that's not a good thing.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 36:41
So, would you agree to move it to three minutes or five minutes? Give give a clear answer.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 36:50
To me, three or five minutes is probably not that big of a deal. But I suspect I don't know this, but the the reason they may have moved it to three, suspecting that five became more than five, and so maybe they moved it to three, knowing it's going to be more than three. Because last night when I was at the council meeting, there was one gentleman that spoke, and I assure you it was more than three minutes. And then mr. Whiting got up and he spoke for probably one or two minutes. You got to have a forum to let people speak, whether it's three or whether it's five or whether it's seven or whether it's two. I would have to look and see why they moved at that to three. I don't know why.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 37:38
Okay, if you could pick your dream team, city council, to sit along with you. Who would it be?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 37:46
I don't have a list of people of who it would be. I don't know. I know Jordan is there, and I I have met mr. Dugan recently, so obviously they're there. The the other three, I'm running, so I would like to be on there. Who the other two would be? I I just got to know mr. Patrick briefly at the forum. I know mr. True. I watched Miss Abby grow up across the street from me. mr. Eaton, mr. Perry, McCowan. I'll call him mr. Perry. Trying to think of the other
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 38:26
one. Tom Hamilton, I believe. Yeah, Tom.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 38:33
I don't. I don't really have a preference on who it should be.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 38:39
Okay. The
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 38:39
citizens will decide that, and I just have to work with whoever is elected. The other two.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 38:45
Yeah. Okay. Well, that makes sense. Well, the only feedback that I would I would say is if if I were if I were running for Athens City Council or any kind of elected position, and there were laws and bylaws, and I would-I feel like some of the answers that you gave to me today, it was kind of like you showed up to the test without studying. Like dig in, dig into the laws, the bylaws. This might be your life for the next four years,
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 39:22
right? Do it
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 39:23
beforehand. Like know this stuff. You you should know this stuff before going into it, rather than being reactively trying to trying to figure out how things are run and what the processes are like. And that's just something that I would give you feedback on.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 39:42
That's good feedback. I try to stay from a council position, and I hear you clearly. I think you. That's a valid point. Whether it's three or five minutes or some other issue you brought up, but council's supposed to stay up at a. At a higher level, to drive, not to necessarily be the mechanic.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:06
I I get that, but if but you should you should know the basic bylaws of the city council.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:14
Agreed.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:15
So that's just what I was thinking earlier. But is there anything that I didn't ask you that you wanted to talk about?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:24
Not particularly.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:26
Okay.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:26
I just appreciate the opportunity and thank you for asking me to be on and thank you, Glenn, for the invite.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:35
Yeah, thank you so much for coming on. I know it's it's hard. You have you done a podcast before?
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:40
Never.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:41
Okay.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:42
I'm not big on talking about myself. I don't. I don't feel comfortable.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:46
Yeah, it's kind of weird, but it's
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 40:47
very weird.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 40:48
But after after a couple minutes, this stuff kind of all goes away, and like you're just having a conversation. But you know, you'll you'll be prepped for the next podcast, I suppose.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 41:00
Yeah, I, I just I'm here to serve, and I have been the chair of many boards. Served not just in nonprofit, but on corporate boards. I'm a director of a company right now, so it's something that again, I think the good Lord has put me where I'm at for a reason. He gave me the ability to analyze numbers and and data. Nerdish or not, that's just the skill set that I was given. Yeah.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 41:36
Well, I appreciate it. I like I said, both my parents are CPAs, so I grew up in a very logical and data-driven household. So I appreciate it, and I appreciate you coming on. And yeah, it was good to talk with you and meet with you.
Open original video at this timeLou Pasquarella · 41:54
Thank you. And if you're an Athens City resident, I would appreciate your vote.
Open original video at this timeJennifer Shepard · 42:00
Thanks, Lou.
Open original video at this timeGlen Whitey · 42:01
Thanks for tuning in. Please go to AthensOnFiltered.com for the updates, and follow me on YouTube at Athensunfiltered. Thank you.
Open original video at this time