[Press Conference ]
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HAVE[00:11:22]
TO HAVE MODIFICATIONS THAT HAS TO BE IN PLACE AT THE LANDFILL, FROM THE TCEQ AND FILL OUT A PERMIT WITH TCEQ, WHICH WILL ALLOW OUR LANDFILL TO OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND ON HOLIDAYS.SO THE CITY MANAGER HAS WORKED ALONG WITH, UH, THE SANITATION AND EVERYONE TO BE SURE THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO CHANGE OUR PERMIT.
AM I CORRECT ON THAT? AND WE WOULD CHANGE OUR PERMIT AND HAVE SEVEN DAYS THAT WE WOULD OPERATE THE LANDFILL.
SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT IT HELPS TO TAKE PLACE.
WE CAN'T JUST GO OUT THERE AND START DOING IT BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD BE IN TOTAL VIOLATION WITH WHAT THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYS WE CAN DO AS FAR AS HANDLING, UH, UH, GARBAGE TRASH.
AND THAT IN THAT, IN THAT MANNER NOW ALSO BEADS ARE OUT.
IF I SPEAK TO HIRE A COMPANY THAT CAN PROVIDE US FOR HEAVY TRASH TRUCKS AS NEEDED ON A BASIS AS NEEDED WITH EVEN LISTS IN A 24 HOUR REQUEST PERIOD, AND THE BEADS ARE GOING TO OPEN ON FEBRUARY 2ND, NEXT MONTH ON 2022 OF 2022, THIS IS SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A COMPANY IN PLACE.
AND THIS WOULD BE SOME INDUSTRIAL TYPE COMPANY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH THESE TRUCKS.
IF WE WOULD FIND OUT TODAY, WE NEED A TRUCK TOMORROW, THE CITY MANAGER CAN ENGAGE INTO THAT.
HE HAS THE LATITUDE BECAUSE CONTRACTUALLY, AND AS FAR AS RESOLUTIONS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALREADY PAST, RIGHT.
AND HE WOULD BE JUST HANDLED IT SO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT UP AGAIN IN THIS ARREARS ON COLLECTING GARBAGE.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE NEW HEAVY TRASH TRUCKS THAT WAS DELIVERED ACTUALLY WILL BE DELIVERED UP.
THERE WAS, I WISH I COULD SPEAK IN THE PAST TENSE ON IT WILL BE DELIVERED BY THE END OF JANUARY 22 OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE DO HAVE A HEAVY TRASH TRUCK AND WE PROBABLY, I THINK WE MADE THAT PURCHASE BACK IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER.
SO IT'S COMING IN A REAL GOOD TIME TO MOUNT IT AFTER YOU ALL SPOKE WITH THEM LAST WEEK AND OVER THE WEEKEND ABOUT HOW BADLY WE NEEDED THE TRUCKS, BECAUSE WE WERE STILL ON A WAITING LIST WAITING EIGHT TO NINE MONTHS BEFORE DELIVERY OF THAT TRUCK NOW.
AND WHEN WE WOULD EXTEND OUR GARBAGE COLLECTION, UH, OPERATING HOURS RIGHT NOW, UH, I KNOW I EVEN THOUGHT OF HAVING ALMOST A 24 HOUR OPERATION ON COLLECTING OF GARBAGE, BUT HOWEVER, WHAT I HAD NOT CONSIDERED WAS THE SAFETY ASPECT OR COMPONENT THAT ATTACHED TO COLLECTING FOR 24 HOURS.
I SAID, WELL, WE COULD GET A POLICEMEN AND SOME LIGHTS BECAUSE I EVEN SAID THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AND I THINK I SAID TO THE MAYOR APPROACHED HIM.
I SAID, WE GOT A TRUCK, DO LIGHTS AND A POLL RECENTLY IN THE FALL OF THE TRUCKS.
BUT WITH THAT, JUST THINK ABOUT HOW UNSAFE THAT'D BE WITH A TRUCK OPERATING WITH THE ARM.
AND THEN MORE CARS ARE GOING TO BE PARKED AND THEY WOULD INHIBIT ALL THE ACTUAL FUNCTIONING OF THAT TRUCK.
AND SO IT WOULD PROBABLY END UP BEING MORE OF A LIABILITY THAN IT WOULD BE ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE AN ASSET TO US AS FAR AS FURTHERING OUR COLLECTION OF GARBAGE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHEN WE SAY EXTEND THE GARBAGE COLLECTION HOURS, AS LONG AS THERE AS DAYLIGHT, I KNOW IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS GO BACK TO DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE US ABOUT ANOTHER TWO HOURS PER DAY ON COLLECTION IN THE EVENING.
AND UP UNTIL THAT POINT, WE WOULD COLLECT NOW
[00:15:01]
AT LEAST UNTIL ABOUT FIVE 30 EACH DAY, TO BE SURE THAT WE GET AS MUCH GARBAGE COLLECTED ON THE DAY THAT SHOULD BE COLLECTED.BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO.
AND THEN WHEN WE ARE GOING TO DO MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS THIS CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DAILY OPERATIONS AND MODIFY THIS SCHEDULE AND W AND THESE POINTS AS NEEDED.
IF WE NEED TO MODIFY THE HOURS, IF WE NEED TO MODIFY THE OPERATIONS, WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO MODIFY AND MAKE CHANGES WITH WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU ALL, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED WITH, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE WHO SERVE IN THE CAPACITY HERE WE ARE CITIZENS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE CITY MANAGER'S GARBAGE GOT PICKED UP ON A MAIL.
PODIUM'S GARBAGE GOT PICKED UP.
HE AND I WERE JUST COMPARING UP AND HE GOT YOU A SATURDAY, RIGHT? YEAH.
I TOLD HIM, I SAID, MAYBE HE LIKE YOU BUILDING LIKE ME AND YOU, AND YOU GOT YOURS SHANNON TO, YEAH.
IT WAS A PICKUP UP ON WEDNESDAY.
AND IT PICKED UP THE MIRRORS MONDAY.
SO HE, YOU KNOW, MY NEIGHBORS, PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
BUT, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS AND I WANT THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS THANK THE CITIZENS FOR THAT PATIENCE.
I KNOW I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING NEGATIVE FOR THE NEGATIVE EMAILS YOU SENT, YOU KNOW, MANY OF, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SAID SOME THINGS, OR I DON'T TAKE ANY OF THE PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK AT IT AS YOU HAVE REACHED A LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION.
AND IF I AM THE SOUNDING BOARD FOR IT BEING THE MAYOR, I GUESS I SIGNED UP FOR IT.
BUT I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE HAVE BEGUN IMPLEMENTING THESE TENANTS THAT I JUST HAVE GONE OVER TODAY BY FRIDAY THIS WEEK, IF EVERYTHING HAPPENS THE WAY WE THINK IT SHOULD HAPPEN, WE HAVE FIVE TRUCKS IN OPERATION NOW, AND ONE COMING THIS MORNING, TWO ADDED TO IT, RIGHT? SO WE SHOULD BE FROM NINE TO SEVEN TRUCKS COME FRIDAY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS WEEK ABOUT ALL BY SATURDAY, GET INTO OUR CITY COLLECTED.
THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT WE WOULD HAVE A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR TO TAKE CARE OF THE COLLECTION IN SABINE PASS AND PLEASURE ISLAND.
THE REASON BEING IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE WHATEVER TRUCKS THAT WE USE OUT THERE TO USE THOSE TRUCKS IN PORT OFF THE PROPER, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE REAL SCHEDULE COLLECTIONS HERE IN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OLD CITY, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE WOULD HAVE OUR, UH, AREAS.
AND I WAS ALMOST CALLING ME ENVIRONMENTS OR THE OUTER AREAS OF THE CITY.
WE WOULD HAVE A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT AND WE WERE WORKING ON A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
NOW WE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, AN ITEM THAT I KNOW IN SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, FOLK ARE GOING TO TALK, WORK, TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET ON IT, BUT EITHER WE DO THIS AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY DO EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO IMPLEMENT THESE PARTICULAR TENANTS SO THAT THE CITIZENS CAN BE SATISFIED.
THE CITIZENS CAN BE COMPARABLE, AND THERE WOULD BE NO HELP HAZARDS THAT WE, AS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ARE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO BY NOT ALL BY INACTIVITY, SO TO SPEAK.
SO ANYTHING ELSE THAT I NEEDED TO SAY EITHER, IF YOU WANT IT TO SAY, BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, THIS IS THE PLAN.
THIS IS NOT A CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WE JUST CAME UP WITH.
THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US A MANDATE OVER A YEAR AGO, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING PROGRESSIVELY ON IT.
BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT IS WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED AND HAS EVOLVED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE VEHICLES.
AND WITH THIS FEAR PATTERN, SOME THINGS HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE SEVERE EVEN IN TERMS OF, OF, UM, ACCESS IN THIS PEER PATH.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS WE HAVE MOVED ALONG, ALL THE COUNCIL GAVE US A MANDATE TO, OR TO HIRE MORE HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANICS.
AND THAT WE HAVE RESTRUCTURED OUR EQUIPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE THE VOLUME AS WELL.
WE HAVE EVEN OUTSOURCED A LOT OF THE VEHICLES THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT AT EVERY ANGLE AND HAVE ADDRESSED IT AT EVERY ANGLE, EVEN BEFORE IT BECAME OVERWHELMING OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
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CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT, EVERY EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.IT'S NOT A PROBLEM OF WE, WE TRIED TO SAVE ON ANYTHING.
NO, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GARBAGE COLLECTION, THE TRASH COLLECTION WILL BE AN ISSUE IS GOING TO BECOME A HEALTH PROBLEM.
AND THAT EVERYTHING DROPLETS IS FOR US TO WORK, TO PROGRESS INTO A HEALTH PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, SO WE AVOID TO PROVE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AT IT AT THIS POINT, INCLUDING OUR PLANET, WHAT ARE THE THINGS I WANT TO SAY AND THROWING OUT, WE'LL HAVE TO SHIFT THEM FROM ONE TO FIVE MINUTES FOR THE NEXT TO MAKE SURE THAT DIFFERENT .
AND AS A GENTLEMAN SAID TO ME, , HE SAID, MR. , YOU WILL NEED TO GO.
BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANT THEM TO DO IS GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR YOU'VE DAMAGED THE EQUIPMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT THE BACKWARDS.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE OF THAT, UM, OF THE EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY HELPED GIVE ME 100, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY YESTERDAY .
AND AFTER I WAS READING TODAY, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WHEN I GET THE NOTES FROM MY SECRETARY, THAT I CANNOT REPEAT AFTER I'VE SPOKEN TO EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF BENEFIT.
AND I LAID OUT THE PLAN FOR THEM.
THEY WILL UNDERSTAND IT JUST SAID, MR. FINNEY, AMANDA, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THE ONE TIME, THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO WORK.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT A PLAN IN PLACE AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK THAT PLAN.
WE , ARE WE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL? NO NEED WITHIN THAT, WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NOTICED THAT.
YES, NO, SIMPLY ADDING TO WHAT THE MAYOR HAS SAID AND, AND, UH, UH, EXPOUNDING SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID.
WE WILL BE, I'M STANDING HERE AS MAY APPROACH HIM, BUT PLEASE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ONLY REASON OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT STANDING HERE AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE, UH, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE POSTED, UH, AND THERE ARE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, RULES THAT DON'T ALLOW MORE THAN THREE OF US TO ASSEMBLE, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER ALONG WITH, UM, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE CITY OF PORT OFA IS DEDICATED TO GETTING THIS PROBLEM SOLVED AND IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THAT, WHICH HAS BEEN, UM, GIVEN TO THE MEDIA ON TODAY.
UH, AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT.
IT WILL HAPPEN AND IT WILL TRANSPLANT.
AND OF COURSE WELL, I LIKE TO SAY THIS AND IT WASN'T, AND IT ISN'T BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T THINK IT ALL DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE SEVERITY OF IT.
HOWEVER TIME, UH, HAS, HAS, HAS WORKED FOR US IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, TIME HAS WORKED AGAINST US IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, IF WE REFLECT BACK ON ALL ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE BIG SNOW STORM AND ALL OF IT, UH, IS WHEN I ACTUALLY RETURNED, BECAUSE I HAD BEEN OUT ON THE YIELD IS ON COVID AND, UH, ABOUT MARCH AND APRIL, WE BEGAN AGAIN TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION, BUT WHAT WE FOUND OUT IN ADDRESSING THE SITUATION, THIS WAS WHEN WE FOUND OUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO KEEP THE EQUIPMENT OPERABLE.
AND SO BETWEEN, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A TIMEFRAME BETWEEN ABOUT MAY AND AUGUST.
WE WOULD HIT A WEEK, WE'D MISS
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A WEEK.AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT AS SIMPLISTIC AS I CAN, SOME WEEKS WE HAD ALL, WE HAVE NINE TRUCKS, EVERYTHING WAS FUNCTIONING THE NEXT WEEK.
WE MAY NOT HAVE A FULL TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS WHERE, WHEN THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY STARTED FROM THAT JUST TO USE AS A SIMPLE TERM, IT'D BE BEGINNING TO SNOWBALL AROUND AUGUST.
AND THIS IS WHEN I THINK FOUR OF THE TRUCKS JUST WENT DOWN AND IT WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE TO GET ANY OF THOSE FOUR OPERABLE OR OPERATING PROPERLY.
WELL BETWEEN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, THE PROBLEM JUST CONTINUED TO GROW.
AND IF YOU LIVE IN PORT OFFICE, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME IS WHEN YOUR GARBAGE MAY BE PICKED UP ON YOUR, ON, ON YOUR DAY, BUT IT MIGHT BE A DAY OR TWO.
WE WERE NEVER, EVER ABOUT TWO DAYS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE WOULD GET IT FOLLOWING DECEMBER.
THAT WAS WHEN IT HAD A REAL BIG, IT HAD A THRUST BEHIND THAT BIG SNOWBALL, SO TO SPEAK.
AND IT GOT US TO WHERE WE WERE A WEEK OR TWO AGO WITH TWO WEEKS AGO, IT BEGAN TO SHOW HIS UGLY FACE.
AND SO DURING THAT TIME, AS CITY MANAGER SAID, THEY'D BEEN WORKING ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF A PLAN, I WOULD SAY FOR THE PAST SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS.
BUT IT WAS JUST, THE IMPLEMENTATION HAD NOT BEEN A FRONT.
AND THE FOREMOST THING, BECAUSE WE WERE STILL ABLE TO OPERATE IN SOME, UH, UH, USUAL TYPE MANNER UP UNTIL WE'RE IN A TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO, GLAD THAT THEY MAY HAVE SAID.
SO, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SOURCE VEHICLES FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS FOR RENTAL, WE WENT ALL THE WAY TO OHIO, YOU KNOW, TO GET TO A COMPANY THAT'S SENDING US ONE VEHICLE THIS WEEK.
AND THE GUY WHO SAID, SAID TO US, LISTEN, UH, WE'VE HAD OVER 98 MUNICIPALITIES AHEAD OF YOU.
THIS IS THE IT'S LIKE HOT BREAD.
NOW, AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE COMES IN FOR, TO US, FROM ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, SOMEBODY ELSE PICKS IT UP BECAUSE THEY ARE AHEAD OF YOU, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE REQUEST SHEET.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ON THEIR LIST FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.
NOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH REPUBLIC FOR SOME TIME, SINCE DECEMBER, SINCE EARLY IN DECEMBER, WHERE WE LOOKED AT THE CONTRACT, THEY SENT IT BACK TO US, YOU KNOW, BUT WE COULD NOT PULL THE TRIGGER IN DECEMBER, EARLY IN DECEMBER AND SAY THAT WE NEEDED THE VEHICLES, BECAUSE AGAIN, OUR VEHICLES WERE UP AND RUNNING.
WE DID NOT KNOW THE NEXT DAY WE GOING TO HAVE TWO OR THREE VEHICLES OUT OF COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW? SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THE PLAN.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THE PLAN UNTIL, AS THE KIDS WOULD SEE ALL FELL DOWN.
WELL, IT IS A NUMB, IT'S A NUMBER OF THINGS.
UM, PART OF IT IS THOSE VEHICLES AS DR.
HITT INDICATED, THERE IS SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH THE DIESEL AND THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.
AND YOU LEARN AS YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG, BECAUSE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE SAYING, LISTEN, WE HAVE BOUGHT THE SAME TRUCKS FROM THESE COMPANIES AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
WE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AND WITH THE D F W OR WHATEVER IT IS, ALL OF THOSE.
THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THE DIESEL INFLU, UM, INJECTION SYSTEM OF THOSE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, SO THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE DO AS WE CAN, BECAUSE YOU LIVE ON EUROPE, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS, WE CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT ARE THE VEHICLES THAT WE CAN PUT CHASE IN THE NEXT ROOM THAT WOULD HELP AVOID US FROM DEALING WITH THOSE, YOU KNOW, BREAKDOWNS AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ONE PROBLEM AS WELL WITH THE DIESEL, WITH THESE, SOME OF THE VEHICLES, UM, BEING TRAPPED IN THE LANDFILL, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THESE VEHICLES, WHEN IT'S LOADED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT COMPRESSES IT.
SO WHEN IT GETS TO THE LAND, IT STICKS IN THERE, YOU KNOW? AND THEN BY THE TIME YOU GET SOMEBODY TO TOW IT, ALL THESE WEEKLIES DAMAGE.
WE BOUGHT, UH, WHEN WE NEXT LOOK AT A FLEET OF VEHICLES, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CLARENCE ON THE NEW VEHICLES SO THAT WE, THEY DO NOT GET DAMAGED IN THE LANDFILL.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A PLAN DEMAND,
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BUT LET ME JUST GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE FOR HYDRAULIC, YOU WILL HOSES.WE WOULD HAVE GONE TO BEAUMONT TWO MONTHS AGO.
NOW WE HAVE TO GO, AS FAR AS THE ABUSE TO PUT YOU, THOUGH, WE HAVE TO SEND ONE PERSON DOWN THERE FOR TRUCK, WITH THE PICKUP TRUCK.
I SAID, BUY SO MANY FORESTS WHILST WE ADOPT.
YOU KNOW, SO AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THIS OLD CYCLE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
THE SUPPLY CHAIN WE ARE AS THE SUPPLY CHAIN, WAS IT BEAUMONT MONTHS AGO, YOU COULD GET IT, COME BACK IN 15 MINUTES, PUT IT ON.
AND THEN YOU'RE BACK ON THE ROAD.
NOW YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE WHOLE DEAL FOR JC AND COME BACK THE NEXT DAY OR TWO DAYS AFTERWARDS.
IT GOES AGAIN TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN, BUT YET WE ARE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT WE BOUGHT TO DO.
WE ARE EVEN LOOKING AT PURCHASING SOFTWARE WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE THOSE SPARE PARTS THAT WE NEED SO THAT WE YVETTE EVENTUALLY KNEW OFF THE BAT.
HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT WE HAVE IN STUFF? HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT WE USE ON A REGULAR BASIS? YOU KNOW, WE CAN REPLAY IN SHOWER STUFF.
WELL, SEE THE MANAGEMENT MAY I SEE THAT BEING, AS I JUST SAID, I WAS TOLD, WAS ALREADY OUT THERE.
SO ALL WE NEED TO DO TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE GARBAGE IN, IN HOUSES OR BRING THE GARBAGE OUT TILL THE TOTALS, I WOULD ASK THE CITIZENS WHO ARE LISTENING RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU'RE TOLD HER THAT, THAT IT HAS BEEN EMPTIED AND YOUR DAY IS WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, WELL, IF WE'RE NOT NOW BY LAW, ACTUALLY ORDINANCE IS SUPPOSED TO BRING A TOTAL IN 24 HOURS, ABOUT 12 HOURS, ACTUALLY, AFTER IT'S EMPTY, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS IF YOU'RE TOLD US OUT THERE, JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR GARBAGE IN AND LET IT STAY.
BECAUSE THIS WEEK WE WILL, WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE.
WHAT I WOULD HATE IS THEY WOULD COME DOWN YOUR STREET TOMORROW AND YOU'RE TOLD IT IS NOT THERE.
AND THEN YOU PUT IT OUT TOMORROW AFTERNOON, WHERE THEY PASS, YOU KNOW, DURING DAY, YOU KNOW, ON TOMORROW.
SO FOR THIS WEEK, IF YOU'RE TOLD IS OUT AND, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE BOUGHT TODAY, HOPEFULLY BY FOUR OR FIVE TODAY, EVERYBODY WILL BE ACTUALLY EMPTY AND THEY'LL WILL BEGINNING THE NEW, THE NEWNESS OF IT INTO AUTOMA BETWEEN WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY.
AND MAYBE EVEN SUNDAY, CLEARLY THE ENTIRE CITY OF IT.
SO JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR COMPETENT IN HERE AND LEAVE IT THERE AND HOPE.
NOW, AS SOON AS IT'S EMPTY, YOU CAN BRING YOUR TOTE IN, YOU KNOW, AND I DID PASS IN ONE PART OF TOWN, OR I THINK IT WAS THIS MORNING.
UH, AND SO THEY, THEY HAD, THEY HAD BEEN EMPTY AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WENT AND NOT TO TELL.
SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS HAD BROUGHT THAT TOLD US IN SOME, STILL HAD THEM OUT, BUT YOU KNEW THERE WERE EMPTY BECAUSE THEY WERE CLOSED AND THEY WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF NEATLY PUT.
SO WE HAVE THOSE ISSUES, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, IT WAS A WEEK OR TWO.
SO FOR EVERYBODY TO REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ON SCHEDULE.
SO IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE BEING PATIENT WITH US AND FOR IMPLEMENTATION, IT MAY TAKE BETWEEN TOMORROW AND SATURDAY, AND MAYBE EVEN SUNDAY FOR US TO ACTUALLY CATCH UP, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AND THE PROPER NUMBER OF OPERATORS AT WORK THAT WE CAN GET THESE THINGS DONE.
NO COUPLED WITH WHAT THEY MAY ADJUST ADJUSTED IS WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER, THAT WE WILL ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND IF NEEDED TWICE DAILY, AS WE CONTINUE TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT AND FROM THE SUPERVISORS AS TO WHETHER THEY HAVE CATCHED UP AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A REPORT EVERY DAY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH THE, OUR IPU.
AND THEN WE WILL PUT IT OUT THERE TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE TOMORROW MORNING? AND SHE'S DONE, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF DISSEMINATING THAT INFORMATION.
SO THOSE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE TECHNOLOGY CHECK THE CITY WEBSITE EVERY DAY, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL AND FOLK WHO WOULD CALL ME, THIS IS WHAT I TOLD THEM.
AND S AND ME WERE, THEY, THEY WERE, THEY, THEY WERE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF KNOWING THAT THEY COULD GO ON THE INTERNET AND LOOK AT IT AND SEE, AND MAYBE HAVE SOME IDEA AS TO WHEN TO EXPECT, YOU KNOW, A PICKUP OF THAT, THAT THEIR GARBAGE NOW, OH, ONE FINAL THING I'D LIKE TO SAY, OH, AND I SAID, IT EVEN ALL IN OPEN SESSION THIS MORNING WITH CITY MANAGER,
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ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS FOR SIX MONTHS AND SIX MONTHS.AND IF WE DON'T HAVE IT IN SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WHAT THEY CALL.
WELL, I GREW UP A COME TO JESUS MEETING AND THEY COME TO JESUS MEETING IS GOING TO MEAN THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE DID NOT IMPLEMENT WHAT WE SEE IN THE TIMELY FASHION.
SO YOU'D IMAGINE I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FIRE ANYBODY.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO THREATEN ANYBODY.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS LETTING EVERYONE KNOW FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE THAT WE HAVE A SET OF EXPECTATIONS.
NOW, DURING THAT SIX MONTHS, ANYTHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER CANNOT ATTAIN OR ACHIEVE BECAUSE OF AN IMPASSE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PUT IN HIS WEIGHT, WE NEED TO KNOW AS THE COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN REMOVE THAT OBSTACLE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND WITH SEVERAL OTHER SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF PORT IT AND OTHER QUESTIONS, OH, NOPE.
I WOULD SAY NO INQUIRIES IN TEXAS.
WE RECEIVED ABOUT BETWEEN A MILLION DOLLARS IN COVID MONEY.
$1 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO LOSS OF REVENUE.
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF SOME $300,000 THAT WE WILL BRING TO COUNCIL, HOPEFULLY ON THE EVENING THAT HE GAVE HIM, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADDRESS THOSE PRODUCTS.
PART OF THAT REVENUE, I, PART OF THAT STREAM OF FUNDING, I WILL UTILIZE AS WELL.
I WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL THAT WE UTILIZE THAT FEDERAL MONEY, BECAUSE IT'S ALL RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO PART OF THAT STREAM OF REVENUE IS AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE JUST YESTERDAY.
AGAIN, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE FED, WHICH INFORMED ME THAT I COULD UTILIZE UP TO $10 MILLION THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE OUT OF THAT $27 MILLION FOR LOSS OF REVENUE.
IT GIVES US MORE LATITUDE, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE SOME OF THAT MONEY.
SO, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE $10 MILLION FOR GARBAGE AND TRASH PICKUP BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THERE AS YET.
BUT I'M SAYING WHAT I'M SAYING IS YES, THEY ARE RESPONDING AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
WE COULD LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
AND AS YOU SPEAK AND, UH, IF GOD BLESS IT, I'LL BE IN WASHINGTON NEXT WEEK AT THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES, UH, UH, M A ASSOCIATION MEETING AND ALSO AT THE, UH, MAYOR'S INNOVATIVE PROJECT, UH, MEETING, WE ALL THREE GOING TO MEET TOGETHER.
AND I HAPPENED TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL THREE MALE ORGANIZATIONS AT ALL, ACTUALLY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND ONE PORTION OF THAT MEETING IS GOING TO DEAL WITH FUNDING AND FUNDING FOR SITUATIONS LIKE WE ARE HAVING.
NOW, IF HE JUST SAID, AND FROM THE BIDEN OR HARRIS ADMINISTRATION, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN FROM, UH, UH, THERE IS LEGISLATION THAT'S INVOLVED WITH BUYBACK BETTER, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT, UH, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, THAT, THAT OUR, UH, CONGRESSMEN OR FOR OUR AREA AND AN AREA EASTERN NORTH, EAST OF US, AND EVEN THE, UH, UH, THE SENATORS HAVE ACTUALLY EMBRACED THE THOUGHT OF MUNICIPALITIES, BEING ABLE TO USE THESE BONDS ACCORDING TO HOW THEY PROMOTE THAT MUNICIPALITY.
SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME ISSUES LIKE IN OUR CITY THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE NEED TO USE THOSE, SOME OF THOSE FUNDS FOR, AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD FALL IN LINE, I'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK, HOPEFULLY WITH SOME BETTER INFORMATION AND MORE SUCCINCT INFORMATION THAT WOULD LET US KNOW HOW WE MAY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ADJUST THE BUDGET AND WHERE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTABLE.
AND NOW, AND I KNOW MOST OF THOSE MONIES, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, SENIOR MANAGER ARE GOING TO BE MONIES THAT YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY FIRST, AND THEN YOU FILE FOR REIMBURSEMENT, ALMOST LIKE A GRANT.
AND A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE THAT.
SO IF WE SAY WHERE IT'S GOING TO COME FROM, IT'S GOING TO COME OUT TO GENERAL OPERATING ACCOUNTS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT OF THERE, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECOUP THAT MONEY THROUGH VARIOUS
[00:40:01]
PROGRAMS, FEDERAL PROGRAMS, AS LONG AS WE MEET THE GUIDELINES.AND WE WILL MAKE SURE EVEN BEFORE WE MEET THE GUIDELINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRITERIA BUT EXPENDITURE.
I KNOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, CONTRACTS FROM OTHER COMPANIES, LIKE THE BEAN BAGS, WE WILL DO THOSE CONTRACTS, BUT THAT MONEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THIS ONE.
YOU SAY WHERE YOU WOULD APPLY.
AND YOU MEAN TO GET THE INFORMATION ON THE GARBAGE? OKAY.
MOSTLY THE, THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
LET ME PROVIDE DRIVERS THAT DRIVE THE TRUCK.
THESE ARE EIGHT POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THAT STEM FROM ADMINISTRATION TO THE LANDFILL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL DIVISIONS WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S NOT, THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS DEAL WITH GARBAGE AND TRASH PICK UP.
WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL PART OF IT, YOU KNOW? SO THOSE EIGHT POSITIONS AS SPREAD IN DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
AND IT'S NOT DRIVERS THAT WE ARE MISSING ACTUALLY DID NUMBER IS TWO, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TWO MEMBERS OR TWO MEMBERS OF STAFF WHO JUST WENT ON WITH COVID YESTERDAY.
YOU KNOW, NO, YOU'VE GOT TO MULTIPLY BACK DOWN TO AGAIN, BECAUSE A DRIVER DOES NOT ALWAYS DRIVE A VEHICLE BY ITSELF.
SO WHEN YOU SEND ONE PERSON HOME, YOU'VE GOT TO SEND TWO PEOPLE HOME BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE, YOU KNOW? AND THEN WE GO TO INQUIRE FROM THEM AS TO HOW MANY OTHER EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, SO IT MIGHT BE THREE OR FOUR PERSONS THAT WE HAVE TO SEND, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY ONE PERSON, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UM, WE, UH, WORKING WITH REPUBLIC AND WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THEM AS PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE NEGOTIATING WITH THEM.
YOU SEND YOUR DRIVERS WITH THE VEHICLE AND WE PAY FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND WE WILL PAY FOR AN ASSISTANT IF IT'S NOT SO THAT THEY COULD LEARN THE ROAD MUCH FASTER.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? OH, IF WE'VE GOT TO TAKE SOMEBODY FROM THE SAME DEPARTMENT WHO KNOWS THE ROAD MAP, WE WILL ASSIST YOU BY PROVIDING NEW PERSONNEL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ROUTES, YOU KNOW, BUT ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS WE NEGOTIATED WITH THEM.
YOU SEND YOUR SHOP WITH A DRIVER.
SO AT LEAST WE W WHILST YOU HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THOSE CITIES, UM, DRIVERS WHO MAY BE IMPACTED BY COVID, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT ON THE CONTRACTOR SIDE, THAT WE TAKE CARE OF IT, WE DRIVE THE FINAL THING.
I'D LIKE TO SAY ALL FOSTER DATA.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE IS THAT WE DID, WE HAVE RECEIVED CALLS FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
UH, MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, MAYOR, ROBIN MOUTON CALLED THE ASK, HOW CAN BEAUMONT ASSIST US AND GET OUT OF THIS, THIS JAM THAT WE HIT.
SHE IN TURN, I HAD TO SPEAK WITH MY CITY MANAGER AND I'M SITTING, MAN, I'M JUST SPOKE WITH HER CITY MANAGER.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT THEY HAVE A WILLINGNESS TO HELP US AND WANT TO HELP US.
HOWEVER, IN ACTUALITY, THEY ALMOST FACE THE SAME SITUATION, ADVERSARIAL SITUATION THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE CITY OF PORT.
SO IT WAS PRUDENT THAT THEY NOT SEND THEIR TRUCKS TO PORT ARTHUR.
AND THEN YOUR TRUCKS BECOME INOPERABLE BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE ASSISTING PORT ON A CITY THAT WAS ALREADY IN A BAD SITUATION.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE, BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE A PART OF THE PLAN WAS TO GET TRUCKS FROM BEAUMONT AND THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS TO DO, AND TO DO THE OVERTIME WITH THAT PERSONNEL.
BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE VEHICLES JUST LIKE US, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
[00:45:01]
THINGS JUST LIKE US.AND TO BRING US EVEN FURTHER, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT, A CONSTABLE MOSES BROUGHT THIS UP IN COUNCIL MEETING EARLIER TODAY WITH THE CITY OF GROVES, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE CITY OF GOLD JUST BACKED OUT ON SOMETHING.
THE CITY OF GROVES IS HAVING SITUATIONS WITH THEIR GARBAGE COLLECTION.
THEY HAVE BEEN OFF SCHEDULE IN THE CITY OF GROVES WITH THAT GARBAGE, MAYBE NOT AS BADLY AS WE HAVE IN FORT ROBIN, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ON OFF SCHEDULE.
SO WOULD IT BE REAL WISE TO SEND YOU OUR TRUCKS, TO HELP US IN PORT IT, AND YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING YOUR GARBAGE ON TACK, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THESE CITIES HAVE NOT WANTED TO HELP US.
IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.
IT WOULDN'T BE PRUDENT FOR THEM TO DO IT, AND THEN ALLOW THAT EQUIPMENT TO BECOME, NON-FUNCTIONAL ASSISTING US, YOU KNOW, IN THIS, IN THIS MANNER.
SO WE THANK GOD THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH A PLAN.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE PLAN AGAIN.
AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE GO, WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE WEEKEND SIX MONTHS, WE WOULD TALL WITH TRYING TO BE SURE THAT THIS OPERATES FOR US.
IF IT DOESN'T OPERATE IN SIX MONTHS, YOU KNOW, I JUST SAID KIND OF WHOM WAS, WE'D HAVE TO COME TO JESUS, BUT WE'RE BACK AT THE DRAWING TABLE AGAIN, TO BE SURE THAT WE DON'T RETURN WHERE WE WERE LAST WEEK.
AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE WANT THE CITIZENS OF PORT OFF OF TO KNOW THAT WE ARE STANDING TOGETHER UNIFIED TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM THAT WE BELIEVE IS A WORKABLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
IF NOT ANYTHING ELSE, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CALL WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE AT THREE O'CLOCK.
AND THEN IF I HAVE A FOUR O'CLOCK MEETING UP AND I GO, THANK YOU.