Mar 01, 2022 City Council

SO YOUR SECRETARY, UH, ON PROCLAMATIONS, I DON'T HAVE ANY IN FRONT OF ME TO THE SECRETARY.

THERE AREN'T ANY, THERE ARE NO PROCLAMATIONS.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PETITIONS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS.

UH, WE

[III.A.1. Teresa Cabrera Regarding Maintenance Of Ditches]

HAVE SPEAKERS.

WE HAVE A MS. TERESA CABRERA, UH, REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF, UH, DITCHES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR IS MR. GUERRERO, UH, PRESENT MR. BROWER.

WE HAVE MS. DEBRA FREEMAN REGARDING LIGHTING AND CAMERAS AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH YOU APPROACHED MS. FREEMAN, PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT INDIVIDUAL.

[III.A.2. Deborah Freeman Regarding Lighting And Cameras At Apartment Complexes]

OKAY, GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS DEBORAH FREEMAN AND A LITTLE BIT THREE, THREE TO FIVE GRAVES AVENUE IN GROVES, TEXAS.

UM, IS THAT ALL I NEED TO DO? CAN JUST TALK.

UM, I'VE WRITTEN SOMETHING TODAY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO FORGET WHAT I WANT TO SAY.

AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHEN I GET THROUGH READING IT, I'D LIKE TO JUST SPEAK FROM MY HEART A FEW MINUTES.

UM, UM, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE ON, UM, JANUARY THE 21ST OF THIS YEAR, MY SON WAS MURDERED AT APARTMENT COMPLEX.

ARE ALSO IMPORTANT IN ASSESSING WHETHER THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

AND UM, AND SO, UM, I'M ASKING COUNSEL, WELL, LET ME READ IT FIRST BECAUSE I FORGET RESIDENTS AND GUESTS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE WHILE ON THE PREMISES, THE LEVEL OF SECURITY PROVIDED AT THE APARTMENT, SORRY, APARTMENT COMPLEX IS OF SIGNIFICANCE AND IS RELEVANT CONSIDERATION WHEN ANALYZING WHETHER A SHOOTING OR A ROBBERY MAY BE PREVENTED.

THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

[00:05:01]

WHAT SECURITY MEASURES WERE IN PLACE TO DETERMINE CRIME AND PROTECT THE VICTIM AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING.

HAVE THERE BEEN PRIOR INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE ON THE PROPERTY? IF SO, WHERE ANY SECURITY MEASURES ADDED AFTER ANY PRIOR INCIDENTS WAS THE COMPLEX AWARE OF ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY OR SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE ON THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING PROPERTY OWNERS ARE GENERALLY REQUIRED TO PROTECT AGAINST FORESEEABLE HARM TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE LEGALLY ON THE PREMISES, THE COMPLEX OWNER OR MANAGEMENT LACKS, ADEQUATE SECURITY TO PROTECT ITS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.

THE NORMANDY APARTMENTS HAVE NO FORM OF SECURITY IN THE ENTIRE COMPLEX, NOT ONE SECURITY CAMERA NOR LIGHTING THAT'S SUFFICIENT.

THEY MAKE IT EASY FOR ANY TYPE OF CRIME CRIMINALS.

WHEN THEY WANT TO COMMIT ONE.

I'M ASKING THAT THE PORT AUTHOR CITY COUNCIL HELP OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, REQUIRING APARTMENT COMPLEX IS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SECURITY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, NOT JUST AN ADVERTISEMENT.

I MEAN, ACTUALLY PROVIDE SECURITY.

THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, THAT REQUIRES THESE COMPLEX TO PROVIDE SECURITY, LIGHTS AND CAMERAS, TO HINDER THE CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING IN THE COMPLEX.

AND THERE'S BEEN MANY IN PORT AUTHOR.

THE CRIMINALS CAN COME OVER FROM BRITTANY APARTMENTS, WHICH IS CONNECTED AND MURDER PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S NO SECURITY CAMERAS IN PLACE.

SO WHY BE AFRAID? I ASKED THAT CITY THAT THIS CITY WRITE AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING THESE COMPLEXES TO MEET A CERTAIN STANDARD OF LIGHTING AND SECURITY CAMERAS.

THAT MUST OPERATE ON A DAILY AND ON DAILY BASIS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE OPERABLE AT ALL TIMES AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND GUESTS.

THE COMPLEX CHARGES THAT RESIDENTS ON AN AVERAGE OF 900, AN AVERAGE OF $900 PER MONTH FOR ONE, A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, THE RESIDENTS HAVE NO IDEA THAT THERE ARE NO SECURITY LIGHTS OR CAMERAS ON THE PREMISES.

YET THE CRIMINALS ARE LIVING AMONG THEM AND COMMITTING CRIMES AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT ON THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR NORMALLY THEY ADVERTISE LIKE THIS.

WE DON'T JUST RENT APARTMENTS FROM THE MOMENT YOU WALK THROUGH THAT FRONT DOOR, YOU'LL FEEL THE COMFORT AND SECURITY THAT MAKES OUR RESIDENTS HAPPY TO CALL US HOME.

THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THESE CRIMINALS STOP IS TO WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HELP THEIR JOBS BE EASIER.

I'M GOING TO FINISH IT WITH THIS MORNING.

I WAS LISTENING TO A SONG AND IT SAID I WOULD TRUST IN GOD.

CAN I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU ABOUT LIFE IS A LIVING HELL.

WHEN YOU LET GO AND TRUST, WILL YOU BELIEVE THAT UPSET? WILL YOU BELIEVE EVERY PROMISE I'VE GIVEN YOU WHERE YOU TRUST IN ME? AND I WILL TRUST IN YOU, LORD, WHO ELSE CAN I TURN TO COME THIS MORNING WITH A VERY HEAVY HEART FOR THE LOSS, LESS THAN IT WAS 34 YEARS, I WENT HAD SEVEN CHILDREN.

HE WORKED AT MOTIVA AND WAS REALLY, REALLY DOING WELL IN LIFE.

MY SON HAD SOME ISSUES.

HE WAS BIPOLAR AND SOMETIMES WOULD MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

IT WAS NOT CORRECT.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THEM.

BUT I'M ASKING YOU AS COUNSEL, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN ORDINANCE GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE WHERE IT REQUIRES THESE COMPLEX TO MAKE IT BRIGHT AND LIGHT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE CAMERAS.

THERE'S NOT ONE CAMERA AT NORMALLY PLACE.

THE ONLY REASON WE'VE GOT SOME OF THESE CRIMINALS ON CAMERAS IS BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD A RING.

AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT REALLY THAT'S THAT PROTECTS YOU AT YOUR HOUSE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE WHOLE COMPLEX.

SO I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY TO YOU THAT IT'S NOT STAND BEFORE YOU.

I LOVE POURED.

AND I LOVE ITS RESONANCE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, A GOOD PEOPLE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WOMAN WHO FOUND MY SON, I JUST SOLD HER HOUSE IN JULY.

SO WHEN SHE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME, SHE WAS SO VERY SORRY.

I KNEW GOD HAD HAD HER CALL ME.

I KNOW SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT HE DID BECAUSE I'D BEEN TORMENTED THE NIGHT BEFORE, ABOUT WHAT MY SON LOOKED LIKE.

AND SHE DESCRIBED THE SCENE AS MUCH BETTER THAN I HAD PICTURED IN THE DREAM OR THE WAKING UP.

AND I TOLD HER, THANK YOU FOR IT.

BUT I'M ASKING YOU IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE, IF ANY PART OF A COMMITTEE CAN BE STARTED, LET'S, LET'S START HELPING OUR POLICE.

WE CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO REALLY FIGURE OUT A CRIME AND THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND OUT WHO DID IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S AFRAID REALLY TO BE ABLE TO COME UP FRONT AND SAY, I SAW IT.

I HEARD IT.

AND THEY HEARD IT.

THEY'VE GOT THE GUNSHOTS ON CAMERA, ON THE RING.

SO THEY HEARD IT.

SO IT WAS JUST, THEY JUST ATE SHOTS.

THEY SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD AND THE CHEST.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL HIM LIKE THAT.

AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY'RE YOUNG, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THESE CRIMES ARE I GOT A CALL YESTERDAY

[00:10:01]

FROM A LADY.

SHE TOLD ME THAT HER SON WAS THERE THIS SUMMER AND HE WAS VISITING SOMEONE AND THEY KICKED IN THE DOOR WITH MASKS AND GUNS AND BEAT THE GUY THAT WAS LIVING IN THE APARTMENT.

AND THE GUY HAD A LITTLE BOY.

SO THE GUY WHO WAS VISITING COVERED THE LITTLE BOY AND THE GUYS THAT WAS DOING THE BEATING AND PISTOL WHIPPING HIM, TOLD HIM IF HE DON'T SHUT UP, WE'RE GOING TO KILL HIM AND YOUTUBE.

SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THEIR MENTALITY.

IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST GO IN THERE WITH THE MENTALITY TO KILL MARCUS BECAUSE YOU DON'T PUT EIGHT BULLETS IN SOMEBODY THINKING YOU'RE JUST GONNA HURT THEM.

YOU, YOU, YOU WERE WANTING TO KILL HIM.

SO I'M JUST ASKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AND WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO HELP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AS A MOTHER AND MANY MORE MOTHERS WHOSE LOST THINGS ARE LOST CHILDREN IN THE CITY IN THE COMPLEX IS OKAY.

UH, MS. FREEMAN FIRST, I WANT TO EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES EVEN, UH, AFTER THE FACT FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, FOR THE DEATH OF YOUR SON, YOU CAN PASS IT ON TO YOUR SON WHO WAS SAT IN THE SEAT WHERE I'M SITTING.

SO AS A COUNCIL AND AS A CITY, WE EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO YOU, YOU AND TO YOUR FAMILY.

I WANTED TO ASK.

I KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD RELATIONSHIP AND YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOUSING COMPLEX IS ONE WHERE MY SISTER LIVES OR NAMELY OLDER TO COLLEGE.

SO WITH ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED IN NORMANDY PLACE, HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ABOUT THIS ISSUE? AND I'M JUST ASKING, JUST FOR REFERENCE AND FOR 'CAUSE.

UM, THEY'RE NOT THE REAL OWNERS.

I'M NOT SAYING THEY DON'T RUN IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE REAL OWNERS OF THOSE APARTMENTS.

WHAT WE HAVE IS SOMEBODY FROM, UH, LIKE CALIFORNIA BUYING THESE APARTMENTS, PULLING THE MONEY OUT AND NOT REALLY TAKING CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS.

SO I HAVEN'T, BUT DON'T BELIEVE ME.

I WILL.

THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS ON THE KITCHEN.

DID IT HAPPEN? THEY WILL SEE MY FACE AND HEAR MY VOICE.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES, UM, DEBRA, LET ME ASK, LET ME ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT, AS WE SELL PROPERTIES TO THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT OWNERS, WHAT CAN BE WRITTEN IN OR CAN BE DONE, UM, PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE? OR CAN WE GO BACK AND I'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING IN AN ORDINANCE I'VE GONE THROUGH THE ORDINANCES TO HOLD PERSONAL OWNERS, SO TO SPEAK.

UM, WHAT CAN, WHAT, WHAT RIGHTS DO WE HAVE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR LIGHTING THEIR FACILITIES? I MEAN, AFTER THEY'RE BUILT, AFTER WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE RIGHT TO BUILD AND TO PUT THEIR APARTMENTS THERE, THEIR EXISTING, WHAT RIGHT.

DOES THE CITY HAVE WITH THESE OWNERS TO ALLOW THEM TO, TO COMPLY WITH WHAT WE NEED TO SEE DONE? SO NORMALLY WHENEVER A BUILDING IS BUILT, YOU HAVE TO, YOU CAN'T GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY UNLESS YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BUILDING CODE.

WE HAD A CONVERSATION IN OUR OFFICE WITH, UH, OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL ON THIS.

AND HE'S, UH, KIND OF BRIEFED US A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN, IN, IN SEEING THAT THIS ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA, BUT BASICALLY A CITY HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE WITH A BUILDING AND A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, UH, MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE BUILDING CODE.

SO THERE ARE LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS.

LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE TALKED ON THE AGENDA, IT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT LIGHTING.

AND SO I LOOKED UP WHAT THE BUILDING, YOUR LIGHTING AND CAMERAS.

SO WITH REGARD TO LIGHTING ON THE ONLY RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE BUILDING CODE.

WE FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE IN TERMS OF EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

NOW, WITH REGARD TO CAMERAS, WE PROBABLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THERE'S NO NECESSARY REQUIREMENT THAT WE MAKE A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER PUTTING CAMERAS.

HOWEVER, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE TALKED TO THE DA'S OFFICE AND RESEARCHED ISSUES.

WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLEXES THAT ARE AREAS, NOT NECESSARILY JUST AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A PROPERTY THAT HAS EXPERIENCED CERTAIN LEVELS OF VIOLENCE, THEN THERE IS SOME, SOME CIVIL REMEDIES THAT YOU CAN GO AFTER THE, UM, OWNER, BECAUSE THEY HAVE, IT'S BASICALLY CAUSED SOME TYPE OF IT'S KIND OF ALMOST LIKE A NUISANCE.

SO IF THERE IS A CERTAIN LEVEL, THERE IS A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN POSSIBLY GO INTO COURT AND FILE SOMETHING THEM BECAUSE IT, THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY PROPERLY HAS NOW CAUSED THE PUBLIC NUISANCE OF, OF NOT BEING SAFE.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'D BE HAPPY

[00:15:01]

TO, YOU KNOW, DO FURTHER RESEARCH THIS ISSUE.

I STARTED COMING UP ON THE AGENDA, BUT, UM, THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE REALLY JUST HAVE THE BUILDING CODE.

UM, BUT WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT AND WORK WITH MR. VELARDE.

WHO'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THE STAFF MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE DID SOMETHING NOT TO CUT YOU UP, BUT WE DID SOMETHING WITH AVERY TRACE.

I REMEMBER WITH ALL THE ISSUES WE WERE HAVING, UM, AND WE WERE REQUIRING, UM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE KILLINGS AT AVERY TRACE, THERE WAS SOME MEASURES THAT I THOUGHT WE PUT IN PLACE AS A CITY, UM, FOR SECURITY AND SOME OTHER THINGS SO THAT WE COULD KIND OF, UH, GET OUR, GET CONTROL OF IT AND MEET WITH THE OWNERS.

MAYBE WE NEED TO MEET, HAVE SOMETHING WITH ALL OF THESE APARTMENT OWNERS AND, AND WHAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, DISCUSS IT, GET TO THE TABLE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN, UH, FORMULATE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE PROTECTION IN PLACE FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE LIVING THERE AND THAT THEY'RE NOT CAUSING A PROBLEM, BUT PUTTING CAMERAS IN PLACE.

UM, AND THEN I KNOW THAT IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE BUDGET, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT I WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD BE ABLE TO IMPOSE SOME CONSTRAINTS ON THE OWNERS OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AS WHEREAS THEY CAN PUT IN, IN THEIR BUDGETARY DOLLARS THAT THEY CAN HAVE CAMERAS AND SECURITY MEASURES IN PLACE, BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

WE NEED TO COME TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR ALWAYS SAYS, COME TO JESUS MEETING.

I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT WE NEED A MEETING ABOUT, UH, TRYING TO, UH, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHERE WE CAN START.

SURE.

THAT SOUNDS THANK YOU.

AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO RESEARCH THAT AND GET MORE DETAILED FOR, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, MS. FREEMAN, YOU HAVE MY A D FELT SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES A NEW MARCUS GOOD GUY.

I MEAN A REAL SWEET GUY.

AND, UH, YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE LIGHTING SITUATION.

I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AND FINDING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BRIGHTEN PORT ARTHUR UP, GET THE LIGHTS ON, UH, WITH THE ENERGY AND FINDING OUT WHY WE HAVE SO MANY LIGHTS THAT'S BEEN OUT IN THE CITY FOR SO LONG.

UM, I HAVE A GRAVE CONCERN WITH THAT.

I'VE GOTTEN CALLS ABOUT NORMANDY APARTMENTS AND BRITTANY PLACE AND WHAT WE COULD DO.

I'VE EVEN TALK WITH OUR CHIEF OF POLICE ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN ENFORCE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING, THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

AND WHAT I WAS TOLD A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IS THAT, UH, THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY SUBMIT PAPERWORK TO HIRE THESE POLICE OFFICERS.

UM, I'M IN TOTALLY AGREEMENT WITH COUNCILWOMAN MOSES TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPLEMENT SOME TYPE OF ORDINANCE, A POLICY WITH THESE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND LET THEM KNOW WE ARE SERIOUS.

NOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR APARTMENT COMPLEX OR DOING THINGS, IT'S NOT A CREDIBLE, ARE YOU ILLEGAL? WE, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.

UM, I'M SHOCKED WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THAT AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT SITUATION.

SO I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD.

UH, YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.

IF WE CAN TALK THEM WITH THEIR ATTORNEY, UH, WE CAN DO SOMETHING LEGALLY TO ENFORCE THIS OWN APARTMENT COMPLEX MANAGEMENT AND OWNERS.

I'M TOTALLY IN AGREEANCE WITH THAT.

UH, COUNCILMAN SEAN, THANK YOU.

MA'AM GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

I FEEL HURT ABOUT YOUR SON, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THAT FAMILY, WHEN THE FREEMAN OR DEBBIE COUNTERS, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN? I BEEN GOING BACK TO THAT PROBLEM AT OWL.

SIX YEARS, SIX YEARS.

AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.

I GET TIRED OF DISCUSSING SAM.

HE SAYS AT COUNCIL MEETING, WE JUST GOT TO JUST SIX YEARS AGO, WE HAD PROBLEM WITH POKER COMPARTMENT COMPLEX.

WE HADN'T GOTTEN THROUGH IT BY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT THEN WAS, CAN WE GET SERIOUS? NOW? THEN YOU HAVE DONE MR. COUNTY.

THEY'VE FIXED THE LIGHTING BECAUSE I MAKE A DRIVE THROUGH THERE AT NIGHT, GIVING SURE THE LIGHTING WE MET LAST YEAR, THE CHIEF AND I WCA SIDA, MS. PAULA WATTS, VICE VICE-PRESIDENT.

WE MET IN PERSON AT .

WE TOLD ME WHAT YOU WANT TO CHECK POINT WHAT'S SECURITY STILL HADN'T HAPPENED BETWEEN ME.

ONE PITCH, YOUR IDS.

YOU KNOW, THE POOP PEOPLE LIVED THERE.

THEY HADN'T HAPPENED SIX YEARS AGO.

I MET THEM IN THE LAST YEAR.

THE CHIEF AND I IN MILL DOWNSTREAM MITT, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE COULD SHOUT AGAIN AND CONFERENCE CALL, SAME PEOPLE.

IT POSTS, GIVE IT TO CHIEF AND GET SOMETHING IN PLACE BY THIS SECURITY.

ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM WITH HAVING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN GET OLD, DISCUSSING THE SAME DOGGONE THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I'M GONNA JUST SAY THIS TO YOU SINCE I'M IN FRONT OF IT.

I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WAS THE ONE WHO SAYS ABOUT THE MONEY, BUT WHEN CITY,

[00:20:01]

THIS IS OUR CITY.

SO WE WOULD PUT THIS COUNCIL GETS SOMETHING IN PLACE, BUT THINKING OUR PEOPLE KEEP THE STUFF WAS JUST SIX YEARS AGO.

I ASKED YOU BACK TO THE SAME THING WITH IN TEXTBOOKS, PEOPLE TIME AND YOU KNOW, UH, OUR TIME, THE SAME OLD STUFF.

YES, I WAS CITY WE'RE IN CHARGE.

THE BUCK STOPS WITH US.

LET'S PUT SOME TEETH IN THIS STUFF.

LET'S GET IT DONE.

LET'S STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF, DISCUSSING IT.

LET'S GET IT DONE.

WE HAVE TO STOP.

WHAT WOULD YOU GO INTO DETAIL? WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE POLICE TO REALLY, IF YOU JUST WANT TO KNOW, BECAUSE THEY MAKE MORE MONEY WORKING AT A REFINERY THAN THEY DO COMING INTO A PLACE WITH A LOT OF TROUBLE.

I DON'T KNOW.

EXCUSE ME, MR. EXCUSE ME.

COUNCILMAN IS 10 0 3.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU KNOW, SHE'D GIVE A GOOD ANSWER BACK.

OH, POLITICS COUNSELING.

WHO'S BEEN WHAT HAPPENED COUNSEL? I KNOW, BUT I'M LISTENING TO MY ATTORNEY.

COOL.

COME ON CHIEF.

COME UP ONCE YOU TAKE STEP ONE SECOND.

NO COUNCILMAN, ONE THING WHEN WE, THIS IS A, UM, DISCUSSION ITEM.

THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION ITEM.

IT'S A PRESENTATION.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO OTHER ENTITIES.

WE DON'T WANT IT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STAY ON TOPIC WITH OUR CAMERAS BY THE SAME THING.

YEAH, BUT THE COUNSELOR CAME.

HE CAME.

CAN WE JUST, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THAT FOR YOU.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WE HAVE COUNSEL WOMAN, UH, HOLMES WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING TO MS. FREEMAN.

YOU JUST PLEASE.

YOU DO THAT APARTMENT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE WHOLE.

OKAY, GO, GO, GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANT TO SAY TO MRS. FREEMAN, YOU KNOW, I TOO HAVE MY, MY DEEPEST AND HEARTFELT SYMPATHY AND I WANT TO CONCUR WITH WHAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SAID THAT WE REALLY DO NEED TO LOOK AT OUR ORDINANCES AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY IS TAKEN CARE OF.

YOU BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THAT TIME.

SO I HAVE THE DISTRICT TO SKIP OVER ON THE AGENDA AND MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND MS. FREEMAN, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING.

SEE LEE ENLIGHTENED US ON THIS.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL THESE EMPTIES IN OUR PRAYERS AND TRUST ME IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW, IT'S 10 0 5.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEGUN ONE, I MEAN, FIVE MINUTES AGO.

AM I CORRECT ATTORNEY?

[IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS - 10:00 A.M. A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Obtaining Public Input To Consider Whether Or Not To Issue A Permit To G.T. Logistics, LLC For The Installation Of A Twenty Inch (20") Gasoline Pipeline And A Four Inch (4") Fiber Optics Conduit Within The Corporate Limits Of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas. This Pipeline Will Originate At A Facility West Of S.H. 87 North Of Texaco Island; Connecting The Two Facilities.]

AND IT'S THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PUBLIC INPUT TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO ISSUE A PERMIT TO GT LOGISTICS, LLC, FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A 20 INCH GASOLINE PIPELINE AND FOUR INCH FIBER OPTIC CONDUIT WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.

THIS PIPELINE WILL ORIGINATE AT A FACILITY WEST OF SOUTH, UH, HIGHWAY, UH, A STATE HIGHWAY 87 NORTH OF TESTICLE ISLAND, CONNECTING TO TWO FACILITIES, A MAP OF THE PROPOSED ROUTE AND OTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PIPELINE WILL BE PRESENTED AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND CAN BE EXAMINED IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.

THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE@WWWDOTPORTARTHURTX.GOV.

AND WE HAVE OUR ENGINEER AND WE WILL BEGIN, UH, THE PUBLIC ERA.

YES, SIR.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS A PIPELINE THAT GT LOGISTICS, WHICH IS A LOCAL ENTITY.

UH, WELL ACTUALLY I THINK THEY'VE BEEN BOUGHT OUT THERE IN SAN ANTONIO NOW, BUT THE PIPELINE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RUNS, UM, FROM THE VALERO TURNING BASIN UNDERNEATH STATE HIGHWAY 87 TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE VALERO REFINERY.

UH, THE TWO THINGS I WANT TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT IS THIS PIPELINE AFFECTS NO RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

THERE'S NO ONE LIVING OUT THERE.

THIS IS AN INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX BEHIND VALERO, AND IT ALSO AFFECTS NO CITY STREETS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BORE UNDERNEATH STATE HIGHWAY 87, WHICH IS A STATE HIGHWAY THAT RUNS TO SABINE PASS.

AND SO, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE MISS RACHEL BAER WITH A PIPELINE COMPANY.

SHE COULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT I SEE NO REASON NOT TO APPROVE THIS PIPELINE.

UH, AND, AND SHE'S BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW TO GET APPROVAL OF THIS BECAUSE THEY'D LIKE TO GO CONSTRUCTION.

UM, WITH THAT I'LL,

[00:25:01]

I'LL JUST OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.

COUNCILMAN JONES, I'M HERE ALSO, WHEN YOU GET THROUGH YOU OPEN IT UP TO THE LIGHT.

UH, ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE TODAY WOULD HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER.

ANYONE WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE WOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ARE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MATTER OF THE, UH, PIPELINES? OKAY.

I HAVE NO ONE HERE ATTORNEY, UM, ANY MORE ON THE COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN, UH, KENALOG.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, SO WHERE'S THE GRID AT, ON THIS PARTICULAR PIPELINE AND THEN HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO DO YOUR, YOUR SITUATION WITH, UH, CONSTRUCTION? AND WE ARE ENSURED THAT IT WILL NOT IMPEDE ANY TRAFFIC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? NO, SIR.

SO THE PORTION WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS IS ONLY ABOUT 1200 FEET.

UM, AND MOST OF IT IS GOING TO BE WITHIN THE HTD.

THAT'S CROSSING A STATE HIGHWAY 87.

THEY INTEND TO START CONSTRUCTION ON MARCH 7TH.

SO, UH, FORTH THAT WE HAVE YOUR APPROVAL AND PERMIT IN PLACE.

UM, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION SHOULDN'T TAKE MORE THAN A MONTH.

UM, BUT THERE'LL BE MOVING MORE THAN A MONTH, BUT THEY'LL BE MOVING THROUGH THE RIGHT AWAY.

UM, AS THE SCHEDULE PERMITS, UM, WE WILL NOTIFY, UH, MR. JOHN AND MS. RHONDA AND WHOEVER ELSE REQUIRED, UM, WITH MONTHLY UPDATES ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND THERE WON'T BE ANY, UH, OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT UTILITIES? DO WE HAVE A NEED OF WATER LINES? THAT'S CLOSE TO THAT PARTICULAR, UH, AT WHERE WE MAY POSSIBLY HAVE SOME TYPE OF ACCIDENT.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW OF NOT ANTICIPATED.

THEY WILL FOLLOW ALL THE REGULATIONS AND CALL EIGHT ONE ONE BEFORE AND A CALL BEFORE YOU DIG.

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SURVEYED AND FLAGGED, AND THEY'RE NOT EXPECTING ANY ISSUES WITH THIS CENSUS, BUT IT IS SOME TYPE OF UTILITIES CLOSE TO THAT AREA, RIGHT? UM, COUNCILMAN, YEAH, THIS WILL BE A HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL BOARD.

SO THERE'LL BE BORN UNDERNEATH THE HIGHWAY AND THEY WON'T BE IN ANY CONFLICT WITH OUR CITY WATER LINES.

THEY'VE DONE WELL.

AND THE ONLY REASON I'M SAYING THAT, UH, SOME OF THE OLDER COUNCIL MEMBERS JONES AND MOSES MYSELF, WE WERE ON COUNCIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN A SIMILAR PROJECT LIKE THIS HAPPEN AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

SO I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION UP FRONT SO WE CAN BE PREPARED IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED, THEY'VE TAKEN ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THANK YOU ALL.

AND THIS HAS ALREADY GONE BEFORE I WILL ALL ADVISORY BOARD.

WE MET ON FEBRUARY 7TH WITH A PIPELINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THOSE FOUR MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE ALL EXPRESSED, UH, APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.

I JUST HAD ONE MINOR COMMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

SO YOU HAD SAID IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT ANY CITY STREETS.

IT'S GOING TO JUST MAINLY BE WITHIN THE EASEMENT.

SO IT WOULDN'T BE ANY CROSSING WOULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT ANY CITY STREETS.

YES, MA'AM OKAY.

THAT THE PERMIT LIST 53RD STREET, BUT THERE IS NO 53RD STREET OUT THERE.

IT MAY BE AN OLD ABANDONED RIGHT AWAY, BUT THERE IS NO STREET.

SO THEY WON'T BE CROSSING CITY STREETS OR IMPACT CITIZENS IN THAT MANNER.

THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW.

MA'AM OKAY.

UH, SO I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, OH, I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T LOOK ON IT.

JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF THERE WAS A CORRELATING.

UM, UH, YEAH.

AND FOUR INCH FIBER OPTICS CONDUIT WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, MEGHAN EMOTION, COUNCILMAN JONES MAY GET A SECOND.

I'M JUST READY TO MOVE TO IT.

UH, WHAT COACH PUBLIC HERE AND THEN OKAY.

IF THERE WAS NO, NO OTHER COMMENTS, I GET EMOTIONAL.

HE SAID SOME ARE OKAY.

THE SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED, THE SECOND THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ALREADY, THE VOTING ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED.

CAUSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS MATTER HAS NOW BEEN, UH, UH, JOINED.

NOW WE'LL REMOVE W WE WILL MOVE BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.

AND WHAT I LIKED TO DO BEFORE WE MOVED BACK IN OUR SEQUENCE OR THE AGENDA IS TO GO TO PAGE NINE OF THE, UH, NON-CONSENT, UH, PORTION OF THE AGENDA AND PR NUMBER 22 0 22 3 0 6 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A MAJOR PIPELINE PERMIT.

UH, NUMBER 21 DASH ZERO ONE FROM THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR TO G T LOGISTICS, LLC OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A 20 INCH GASOLINE PIPELINE

[00:30:01]

COUNCILMAN KENT LONG HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 3 0 6 AS RED.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR AND HE'LL POSES AS HABITS OR HIS AUDIT.

WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 3 0 6 AS READ FROM THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.

NOW WE WILL MOVE BACK TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

AND

[III.A.3. Monique Batson Of The Rotary Club Of Port Arthur Regarding Taste Of Summer Event]

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. MONIQUE BATESON OF THE ROTARY CLUB.

CITY OF PULLED OUT THE REGARDING WHAT WOULD NOW BE CALLED THE TASTE OF SUMMER.

GO RIGHT HERE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL AND STAFF.

UM, I AM MONI BATSON TODAY, NOT ON THE PORT ARTHUR NEWS ABOUT THE ROTARY CLUB OF PORT AUTHOR.

UM, MY ADDRESS IS 1934 LANE ON PORT NICHES.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE TASTE OF GUMBO THIS YEAR WAS TO BE THE 35TH ANNUAL EVENT.

UM, AND IT IS THE ROTARY'S LARGEST FUNDRAISER TO GENERATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PORT AUTHOR AND SEEN PAST STUDENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THIS YEAR WE WERE FORCED TO CHANGE THE EVENT DUE TO RISING OMNICON CASES AND, UH, MOVE IT TO JULY.

BUT, UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO EAT GUMBO IN JULY.

UM, IT'S, IT'S ODD AS WE ARE.

WE'RE NOT QUITE THAT ODD YET.

SO, UH, WE DECIDED TO CHANGE IT INTO A NEW, A BRAND NEW, AND WE THINK, UM, REALLY EXCITING EVENT THAT I'M HERE TO FORMALLY INVITE YOU TO AND INFORM YOU OF.

UM, SO THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME ON JULY 9TH AT THE CARL PARKER CENTER FROM 11 TO THREE, WE WILL HAVE THE TASTE OF SUMMER.

THIS WILL HAVE FOOD VENDORS FROM ALL OVER THE AREA THAT WILL OFFER FREE SAMPLES, AS WELL AS SELL THEIR OWN PRODUCTS, UM, FROM VARIOUS RESTAURANTS, UH, FOOD TRUCKS, UM, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN OFFER EVERYBODY THAT COMES A SAMPLE OF MULTIPLE DIFFERENT FOODS AND WHAT OUR AUTHOR HAS TO OFFER AS WELL AS, UM, SOME SURROUNDING AREAS.

UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, WE WILL ALSO HAVE A BEER GARDEN.

THIS WILL BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE SECURE LOCATION, UH, WITH LOCAL CRAFT BREWERY, SUPPLYING AND BEING IN, UH, IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL.

UH, WE WILL HAVE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, UH, LOTS OF FUN FOR KIDS, UM, CRAFT AREA AND A TOUCH A TRUCK EVENT, UM, HOPING TO HAVE A HELICOPTER THERE AS WELL.

AND, UM, IT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN FOR EVERYBODY.

UH, WE'RE HOPING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET AS MUCH PARTICIPATION AS POSSIBLE.

UM, LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO AWARD $12,600 TO 26 PORT AUTHOR AND SPEED PAST STUDENTS AND WE'RE TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT THIS YEAR.

UM, SO, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A SILENT AUCTION, UM, WHICH THIS YEAR HAS EVERYTHING FROM GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS, BACKYARD GRILLS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BOXING GLOVE SIGNED BY SUGAR, RAY LEONARD.

UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME YOU TO JOIN US, UM, AND INFORM YOU OF WHAT WE'LL BE DOING ON JULY THE NINTH.

ALSO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE TOUCH A TRUCK EVENT.

UM, I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO MR. BARTON AND CHIEF DURSO IN HOPES OF GETTING SOME CITY VEHICLES I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, UH, CHIEF BENSON.

I PROMISE I WON'T ASK FOR ANY GARBAGE TRUCKS, UH, YOU KNOW, NONE DOES ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UM, AND LASTLY, WE JUST COLLECTED LEASES ALFRED, OR WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY SUPPORT THAT YOU CAN OFFER, WHETHER JUST BEING AN ATTENDANCE, IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE, UH, MY INFORMATION IS IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE FLYER.

UM, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.

UM, THANK YOU.

AND DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, BUT THANK YOU, MS. BATSON, UH, IN YOUR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL RIGHT.

QUICK PRESENTATION.

UH, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT ALREADY AND I CAN BE A LOT OF FUN.

IT MADE ME A LITTLE YOUNGER BRING MY YEARS BACK A LITTLE BIT.

I'LL DEFINITELY BE GOING ON.

SO THANK YOU.

LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE FOR YOU ALL.

ANYONE ELSE? WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL.

IT REALLY CAN FALL INTO IT AND HOPEFULLY TO DO SOMETHING FOR, I WAS GOING TO TAME IT LIFE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

NOW I CAN GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON, UH, REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TRAINING.

NOW WE WILL MOVE TO PRESENTATIONS, WHICH THERE ON IN IT, THERE ARE NO, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, NOT NEITHER WOULD THERE BE ANY CORRESPONDENCE, UH, AND NOW I'LL GIVE YOU, WELL, THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

[III.E.1. A Brief Overview By Mayor Bartie Regarding Economic Development Council Training, Pursuant To 78-269 (b) (9) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur (Ordinance No. 18-63)]

UH, THIS IS PURSUANT TO A SEVEN EIGHT DASH 2 6 9, SUBSECTION B ON NUMBER NINE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE AT THE CITY ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AUDITING THIS NUMBER 18 DASH 63 OR LAST WEEK, I DID ATTEND THE TRAINING FOR THE, UH, BASIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OR COURSE THAT IS OFFERED BY, UH, TEXAS A AND M ENGINEERING EXTENSION.

AND I THINK WE HAVE, UH, OUR NEW, UH, ADC C E O, ALONG WITH ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES, WHEN YOU ALL WITH YOU

[00:35:01]

ALL STANDING WHILE I'M DOING THIS SO THAT I DON'T THINK THE ENTIRE CITY HAS MET ME THERE, I PERSONALLY, AND, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.

AND I DID TELL THE NEWSPAPER ON YESTERDAY THAT YOU DID COME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM THE EDC.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND, UH, WHAT ALL THAT YOU HAVE TOLD THEM THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO FOR US ECONOMICALLY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

SO GODSPEED WITH YOU, AND I WILL BE GATED WITH YOU LATER ON TODAY.

THEY WILL SCHEDULE ALL A PERSONAL MEETING AND WITH THAT IN, THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT IN MIND, THE MEETING THAT I DID ATTEND, ACTUALLY DEALT WITH WHAT SHE IS, OUR, UH, WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN.

AND THERE IS SO MUCH THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS TO OFFER THROUGH THE EDC.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.

I DID SPEAK WITH CONSTABLE AT HOMES ON REALLY ON YESTERDAY, ABOUT THE COURSE SHE HAD COMPLETED IT.

AND, UH, I ASKED ALL OF THE OTHERS ON THE COUNCIL NOT TO TRY TO DO WHAT SOME FOCUS SAID IN THE PORT.

ARTHUR, THAT MAYOR BARCHIE IS TRYING TO DO SOME TYPE OF A HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF THE EDC THAT IS AS FAR AWAY AND AS FAR REMOVED FROM REALITY AS BY WANTING TO DO SOMETHING HARMFUL TO MYSELF, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN A COHESIVE ENVIRONMENT, WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL SUPPORT AND ENHANCE THE LIFESTYLES AND LIVELIHOODS IN THE CITY.

THIS IS WHAT THIS COURSE ACTUALLY DOES IT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANT MY COLLEAGUES TO BE EXPOSED TO IT.

AND THERE WAS A LITTLE MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE COUNCILMAN KENALOG WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE IN COUNSELING WITH FRANK AND, UH, ON, ON THIS TRIP WITH ME.

BUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS, UH, THE PROCESS HAD BECOME ELONGATED.

AND WHENEVER KRISTY DID TRY TO GET US REGISTERED, ALL REGISTRATION HAD CLOSED.

HOWEVER, UH, I TOLD HER IF I HAD A ROOM, I WOULD GET UP THERE AND I WAS BE SURE TO GET INTO THE MEETING AND, UH, GOD BEING ON MY SIDE, THE WAY HE ALWAYS IS, I GOT THERE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE MEETING AND THEN RECALLED, AND MY REGISTRATION WAS DONE AND I HAD TWO SEATS FOR Y'ALL, BUT Y'ALL JUST DIDN'T FOLLOW ME, MAN.

I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT.

BUT I HAD, I HAD TWO SEATS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WERE ONLY GONNA LET, I THINK 71 OR 72 PERSONS IN THAT ROOM.

AND IF IT'S LIKE INDEPENDENT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE LIKE ANYTHING.

AND ANYWHERE ELSE I'VE GONE, EVERYBODY DOESN'T ALWAYS SHOW UP.

SO, UH, I TOLD HIM, I'M NOT TELLING THE CITY SECRETARY AND, UH, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND THE CITY MANAGER THAT I WOULD JUST TRY IT.

AND IF I COULDN'T GET IN, I WOULD BE THROUGH WITH IT.

SO THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS.

THAT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OTHER PERSONS TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN SO THAT WE COULD BE ASSISTANCE TO YOU AND TO THE EDC AND TO THE SUPPORT, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

IN, IN THE, THIS IS ALIGNED WITH THE MILITARY, BUT IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WHEN YOU MOVE UP THE RANKS, YOU GET A DIFFERENT DESIGNATION, IT'S YOU ALSO HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY.

[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]

THANK YOU ALL.

NOW, WHAT WE HAVE IS ANY, THERE WOULD BE ANY REPORTS FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY INTERESTS HERE IN THE CITY.

I DO HAVE ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPOUND ON.

I HAVE A COMMUNICATION THAT I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE READ IT.

WELL, WHERE COMMUNICATIONS CAME ON, UH, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A LETTER HERE FROM FIRE CHIEF OR BENSON, WHO IS A PROXY, BUT YOU KILL TO COME UP AND LET US KNOW ABOUT THIS.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

GOOD MORNING.

AND ABOUT THE PROGRAM FOR TOMORROW NIGHT, THE PROGRAM FOR TOMORROW EVENING IS TO RECOGNIZE THE, UH, LIFESAVING ACTIONS THAT MEMBERS OF THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE TAKEN AND IN THE COMMUNITY IT'S TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THAT SOME, AND THERE WAS ALSO A SECTION WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR PROMOTIONS AS WELL, OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PROMOTED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

THEY'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE ANY REAL RECOGNITION OF THAT.

SO, UH, ALLOWING OR RECOGNIZING THAT WHEN YOU GO FROM FIREFIGHTER TO ENGINEER OR ENGINEER TO CAPTAIN, YOU'RE TAKING A STEP UP IN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY.

AND SO

[00:40:01]

AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT FORMALLY TO REINFORCE THAT TO THE INDIVIDUALS IS, IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN, UH, IN THAT PROCESS.

AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE IS, LIKE I MENTIONED, JUST A MINUTE AGO IS JUST RECOGNIZING WHAT MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT HAVE DONE IN THEIR, IN THEIR WORK THAT HAVE HAD A POSITIVE AND, UH, IMPACT ON DIRECT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT SIX 30 TOMORROW AT THE CIVIC CENTER? MY CORRECT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO COUNSELING.

WE WOULD, UH, MOVE NOW TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

AND WE'D BE VERY A HUNDRED IF YOU ALL WOULD ATTEND.

AND, UM, JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

MY PLAN IS TO BE THERE.

AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT Y'ALL WOULD HAVE OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTERESTS? ONE THING I LIKE TO MENTION MR. ADAMS, SAM, THIS IS HERE IN, IN, IN THE REAR, UH, MANAGER OF THE POOR OF THE CIVIC CENTER.

AND I KNOW ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY OF MR. SLATER AND COMMUNITY, YOU MADE THE, UH, THE CIVIC CENTER AVAILABLE TO THEM ON SATURDAY.

I DID GO OUT THERE FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES, BUT THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE FROM HIS FUNERAL SERVICE, YOU ALL DID A GREAT SERVICE AND KEPT THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT YOU ALL DID TO PERFORM, TO BE SURE THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH FOOD AND THE FOLK WHO ACTUALLY PREPARED IT, IT ALL CAME OUT REAL GOOD AND A REAL NICE, UH, I WOULD SAY RECOGNITION OF OUR, UH, DOWN, UH, FELLOW, UH, CITY EMPLOYEE.

IF THERE WOULD BE NO OTHERS,

[VI.1. P.R. No. 22378 - A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Construction Managers Of Southeast Texas, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas For Repairs To The Pavilion At Washington Park Under The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS) Cooperative Under Contract Number 200201 In The Amount Not To Exceed $54,810.00. Funding Available In Hurricane Laura Fund Account 156-07-015-5312-00-40-000, Project LAUR25-GRE-BUM]

AND THAT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER ROMAN NUMERAL SIX ON PAGE THREE.

AND IT'S A PR NUMBER 22, 3 78, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR REPAIRS TO THE PAVILION AT WASHINGTON PARK UNDER THE INTER LOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEM TIPS, COOPERATIVE, UH, UNDER CONTRACT NUMBER 2 0 0 2 0 1 IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $54,810 FUNDING AVAILABLE IN HURRICANE LAURA FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 5 6 DASH ZERO SEVEN DASH 0 1 5 DASH 5 3 1 2 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH FOUR ZERO DASH 0 0 0.

AND THIS IS PROJECT LAR 25, G R E B U M.

UH, MAY I GET, UH, I NEED TO GET THEM OKAY.

YES, I CAN SAY ON IT WHEN YOU GET THE QUESTION, IF THEY GET EMOTIONALLY SCOTSWOMAN HOMES MAY GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN JONES, SECOND MEAL.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDARY.

WE WOULD ACCEPT THIS, UH, PR UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, OR I JUST HAVE SOMETHING MINOR ON THAT IN THE RESOLUTION, IN THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION, IT REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE CITY GOT THREE QUOTES.

AND, UM, I JUST HAVE AN UPDATED DOCUMENT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY RELEVANT BECAUSE IT'S COMING UNDER A CO-OP.

SO JUST TO EMPHASIZE THAT I'M GOING TO, I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT, THAT I HAVE AN UPDATED DOCUMENT WHERE I TOOK THE REFERENCE TO THE THREE QUOTES, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE, BUT IT CAN BE DONE UNDER CHAPTER 2 71, WHICH IS A CO-OP PROGRAM.

WE DON'T NEED BOTH.

SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TAKING, UPDATING THE RESOLUTION, UH, REMOVING THAT PARTICULAR SENTENCE.

LIKE THE REST OF IT IS FINE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON READINESS? OKAY.

WE'LL NOW HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

BEATING THEM.

WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR.

ANY OPPOSES, OKAY.

THAT HABIT.

SO WE WILL ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2, 2, 3, 7, 8.

[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]

THIS IS AGENDA ITEMS THAT ALL ACTUALLY A ROUTINE OR ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE, AND THEY CAN ALL BE ACCEPTED IN A PASSED UNDER ONE VOTE, UNLESS ANY COUNCIL PERSON WOULD WANT TO DEAL WITH ANY ONE OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY, OR COUNCIL OR COUNCIL PERSONS.

DID YOU HAVE ANY ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU CARE TO BE WITHDRAWN?

[00:45:02]

COUNCIL MCKENNAN LAW MAYOR NUMBER SIX ON PAGE FIVE AND NUMBER SIX.

AND TRAVEL AWAN, TRAVEL, REFRESHES YOUR RETREAT.

UH, REQUEST A ONE ON PAGE ON PAGE FOUR.

A ONE.

UH, ALL OF THE OTHER ITEMS, ANY OTHER WAY, UH, WANTS TO BE WITHDRAWN.

WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A ONE ON PAGE FOUR.

AND NUMBER SIX ON PAGE CRIED MIGHT GET A MOTION FOR ACCEPTANCE, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, HOMES, SOME OLD MAN MAY GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN, UH, KENDALL SECOND, MAN.

TO MOVE TO THE SECOND THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. UH, READY FOR QUESTION? NO QUESTIONS ALL IN FAVOR.

WE WERE AT THE VOTE, EXCUSE ME ALL IN FAVOR.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY.

THE AYES HAVE IT.

SO IT'S OUR, WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY, UH, DISCUSSED AND SAID, SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE FIRST ITEM A ONE.

IT WOULD BE, UH, THE MAYORS, UH, UH, THE MAY I ATTENDED AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC ON APRIL 27TH THROUGH 29TH OF 2022 FOR THE AMOUNT OF $2,388 AND 37 CENTS.

I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL COUNCIL LOCK SOME OVER THERE MAY GET A SECOND COUNSELING.

UH, MOSES HAS BEEN MOVING SECONDARY.

WE WOULD ACCEPT, EXCUSE ME, A ONE ON THIS FLOOR.

WE READY FOR QUESTIONS, UH, IN AND READINESS COUNCIL MACHISMO.

THANKS MAN.

JUST A CLARIFICATION.

UH, THIS IS A DIFFERENT, OR THIS IS A PART TWO FROM THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE.

YOU ATTENDED A COUPLE OF WHAT A MONTH AGO MAYBE.

YES, SIR.

THE, UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES CONFERENCE IS A SEPARATE MARRIAGE ASSOCIATION.

UH, UNITED CONFERENCE OF MAYORS IS WHAT WE HAD ATTENDED LAST MONTH.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES IS A GROUP OF, UH, BASICALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.

MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER OF HOUSTON IS OUT OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT, AND THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, ACTUALLY DEALS WITH ASSISTANCE, UH, INFORMATION AND OTHER AREAS THAT WILL HELP AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS, UH, TO BETTER SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES.

I INVOLVE MYSELF WITH THEM SINCE, UH, MY BECOMING MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

I HAVE A WEED THAT THE TWO PREVIOUS MAYORS WHO WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE EVER MEMBERS OR EVER ATTENDED THIS, BUT, UH, THROUGH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MAYOR TURNER, UH, I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THIS PARTICULAR GROUP, AND THIS IS WHY I'M ASKING TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

AND WE HAD A CONFERENCE THERE AND I LEARNED ABOUT LOBBYING.

I CHOSE YOU ALL AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT, I'M GOING TO GIVE IT THE WRONG BAD TERM, BUT WORKING WITH THE NATION OF COLUMBIA WITH, UH, POSSIBILITIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, WITH THOSE COUNTRIES AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYORS ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON DOING IT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING AT THE, AT THE BIG, UH, PROGRAM THAT, UH, IS A PART OF THIS.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR THIS.

JUST MY QUESTION.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ABOVE WATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOING TO CONFERENCE AND WE DID APPROVE ON A TRAVEL.

I WAS ON THE TRIBAL COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL WOMAN, MOSES, UH, ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THIS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE POLICE EACH OTHER UP WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOING TO CONFERENCE.

SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU EXPLAINED THAT I'M GLAD THAT IT IS A MIRRORS CONFERENCE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ATTEND.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT LATE ON A LATER DATE.

UM, SO THANKS FOR EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE IN THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCES, BUT LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN RAQUEL, UH, KENNEL, I WAS JUST SPOKE ABOUT, I SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE, UM, WE HAVE THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE THAT WE HAVE IN DC THAT YOU WENT TO, I THINK IN JANUARY, AND THEN HERE, THIS MAYOR'S CONFERENCE IN APRIL, WHICH I KNOW GOING IS LEARNING.

UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT, THESE ARE NOT CONFERENCES THAT WERE PRE-APPROVED BY THE TRAVEL COMMITTEE THAT ARE ALREADY PRE-APPROVED THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THAT WE, UM, SHOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WATCHING, TAKEN.

AND THEN WE, WE HAVE SEVERAL CONFERENCES THAT I KNOW THAT WE ALREADY HAD DELINEATED THAT WE CAN TAKE

[00:50:01]

AND GO TO.

SO IN ADDITION TO, UM, NO, YOU, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE THAT YOU'RE, UM, CAME BACK AND THAT WAS A GOOD CONFERENCE TO DO, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO VERY PRUDENT WITH TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS AND UNDERSTAND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A LIMIT TO ALL OF WHAT WE DO.

UM, AND WITH HIM INTO SELECTING, WHICH MAYOR CONFERENCES ARE GOING TO BE BETTER FOR US TO ATTEND.

I'M NOT A MAYOR, SO, UH, YOU ARE, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S ONE THAT WE HAVE, UM, SET UP THAT YOU'RE ASKING TO ATTEND, BUT I JUST, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW WE JUST ATTENDED ONE, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS CONFERENCE.

AND THE OTHER READINESS.

WE READY TO VOTE ALL.

MAYBE I MISS HIM.

THIS IS THIS PART OF THE MIRRORS CONFERENCE THAT WE HAVE ON APPROVAL TRAVEL OR NO, NO.

THAT'S WHY THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SAID, THE PREVIOUS MAYOR, WE'RE NOT APART OF THIS.

SO YOU ALL, I DON'T EVEN THINK IT WAS EVEN CONSIDERED, UH, TO BE PART OF WHAT WOULD BE PRE-APPROVED WELL, UH, NEXT YEAR, IF, IF, IF THIS IS APPROVED NOW AND I WOULD JUST ADD THIS, UH, THEN WE CAN ADD IT TO WHAT IS HAPPENING.

BOTH OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, ACTUALLY TWO, TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

THAT ACTUALLY PREPARES YOUR MAYOR.

IT'S JUST HAPPENS TO BE ME, BUT, UH, THE WAY WE ARE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR RIGHT NOW, UH, YEAH.

EVEN, UH, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE POLITICAL ATTORNEY, BUT THERE ARE FOUR PERSONS RUNNING THAT WE ALL I'M SORRY, BUT IT WOULDN'T JUST BE FOR ME IF IT'S GOING TO BE WITH WHOMEVER, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO ELECT AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND WE SUPPORT, WE JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I'M JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE NECESSITY OF ACTUALLY ATTENDING THE SWIMMING HALL.

OH, I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

UH, I'M JUST SAYING, I MOST, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS, BUT IT'S NOT.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE OF ALL THE PRE-APPROVAL.

I MEAN, I THINK WITH THE PRE-APPROVAL YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE VOTED ON LIKE THIS BECAUSE WAS ALREADY BUDGETED TO, UH, TO DO THAT.

RIGHT.

AM I CORRECT? SO THE MANAGER FOR THAT IS OFF THE CITY ATTORNEY.

IF IT'S ALREADY PRE-APPROVED THOUGH, THOSE CONFERENCES ARE ALREADY THE MONIES, BUT THOSE ARE ALREADY SET ASIDE.

RIGHT? THE TRAVEL BUDGET IS ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT COUNCIL HAS THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO FOOD ON THE MAP.

COUNCIL, UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR ATTENDING THIS PARTICULAR, UH, OKAY.

ACTUALLY RECEIVING INFORMATION, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GET, UH, CITY MANAGERS THERE.

I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME MONIES FROM CITY BY TWO YEARS AGO.

AM I CORRECT CITY MANAGER ON THAT? WHEN I JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT A MEETING THE GUYS AT THE STUFF YOU REMEMBER, I FILLED OUT THIS DEAL AND BECAUSE OF OUR CDBG PROFILE, THEY AWARDED US SOME FUNDS IN THESE TYPE MEETINGS AND BEING IN THESE ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE ROOM, WHEN THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PLANS, YOU REALLY NOT GOING TO BE A PART OF IT.

I'M SORRY TO SAY, BUT IN THAT'S SORT OF THE AMERICAN WAY RIGHT NOW, AND BEING A PART OF THIS ALLOWS YOUR CITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE FIRST, ALMOST THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL TO SAY WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF IT OR YOU DON'T, INSTEAD OF ON THE BACK END LEARNING ABOUT IT.

WHEN EVERYBODY GETS IT, YOU KNOW, THE EXPOSURE THAT YOU GET FROM BEING IN THE ROOM, BEING THERE, NETWORKING WITH OTHERS AND WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AS WITH THE, UH, UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS BEING IN THERE, MY INTERACTING WITH A SECRETARY OF FIRST, OR MY INTERACTING WITH SECRETARY OF BUDDHA PEG, YOU KNOW THAT THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT YOU GET AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT YOUR CITY IN THE FRONT.

ANY OTHER RENTERS? YOU KNOW THE QUESTIONS NOW, CAN I ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE? MA'AM CASPER ROLL CALL VOTE.

MR. JONES.

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE ALWAYS FIND A WAY, SOME WAY SOMEHOW TO GET A BIG SPIKE STARTED UNNECESSARILY FIRESTONE THIS COUNSELOR THAT WE DON'T THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES CONFERENCE.

AND YOU DON'T COME THE MORE AFRICAN

[00:55:01]

MAILGUN CAROL JONES.

MY AGE.

WELL, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

WE GOT THE GUY AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND CITY GOT BLACK.

WE GOT, I MEAN, WE GOT AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

WE GOT WHITE, WE GOT VIETNAMESE, CHINESE, PAKISTAN, OTHERS, WHEN NOT ALL AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITIES THOUGH, MAN, WE PLANTED THINGS.

I MEAN, THIS BRING UP A FIGHT.

WE DON'T NEED WHY WE NEED TO GO WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES THAT DON'T DO THAT.

THEY WON'T HAVE ENOUGH BABYLON PULL OUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO WITH US DOWN HERE.

PROBABLY PACING.

I CAN'T SUPPORT HIM HERE.

HE DID.

I'LL KEEP BRINGING THAT STUFF INTO THE CAUSE OF FIGHT CODE, BUT TO GO THROUGH THE SET OF CHALLENGES, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS MALE.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S CAUSING A FIGHT.

IT'S JUST, I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL FOR IF WE GET APPROVAL, WE GET IT.

IF NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO FIGHT OR BE A HANGER WITH ANY OF THAT.

SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT CAUSING A FIGHT AND TWO TO HELP YOU COUNCILMAN JONES, IF YOU WILL, THERE WAS A GROUP FOR GAY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELECTED.

THERE'S A GROUP FOR HISPANIC INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NAKED.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROUP FOR WOMEN.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

SO WE HAVEN'T.

NOPE, NOPE.

COUNCILMAN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I'M EXPLAINING TO YOU EACH GROUP, THE LAW POINT OF ORDER AND WE VOTE ON THE ITEM.

THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TO DO.

SHE ASKED ME A ROLL CALL, VOTE CITY, SECRETARY.

MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER HOMES.

NO COUNCIL MEMBER JONES.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

KINLAW NO COUNCIL MEMBER.

MOSES MAYOR VAR T THE MEASURE FAILS ME.

OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT

[IX. CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]

ITEM.

UH, PR NUMBER 22, 3 8 7.

IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE OPTION TO REVIEW FOR TWO ADDITIONAL TWO YEAR PERIODS WITH MCQUEARY AVAIL, PSYCHE, UH, BRAG AND ALLEN PC, UH, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS FOR OUR COLLECTION OF MUNICIPAL COURT FINES.

UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR COUNCILMAN HOLMES MAYOR.

MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES.

HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.

UH, WE MADE UP THE QUESTION.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS, UH, CROSS MCKAYLA.

YES, THE MAYOR.

UH, MAYBE SOME, UM, UH, CITY ATTORNEY ARE CLEAR.

IT WAS CLIFF STEER HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S HERE OR NOT.

UH, MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOKED HARD AND HEAVILY.

WE HAD PRESENTATIONS GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE SOME OF THE FEES, FINES, AND, UH, PROTOCOLS WE DO WITH OUR COURTS.

BUT WE GOING BACK TO THE SAME COMPANY THAT WE FOUND, OUR THING THAT WE FOUND IS NOT BENEFITING THE CITY TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFORTS.

SO WHY ARE WE, WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR APPROVAL NOW TO GO BACK WITH THE SAME PERSON FOR TWO MORE YEARS? AND I'M LOOKING AT THE BACKGROUND AND I SEE THE WAIT SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAVE, AND I READ THE, THEIR POLICIES AND M THE BA AND WHAT THEY OFFER, BUT WE'RE GOING RIGHT BACK TO THEM.

AFTER WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TOLD TO THE COUNCIL THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN, THEY COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND, AND, AND GETTING FEES AND FINES, AND TO BENEFIT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT'D BE A QUESTION BETTER ANSWERED BY AN DIESCHER AT MUNICIPAL COURT.

BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHAT I'VE BEEN INFORMED WAS THIS CON THIS COMPANY DID MUCH BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS COMPANY THAT WE HAD BEFORE THAT.

SO WHEN THIS WAS EVALUATED BY THE COMMITTEE, THEY FOUND THEM TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE OPTION.

WELL, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN W I CAN PULL THIS AND GO TO THE EXACT, AND WE CAN GET MORE CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY CLARIFICATION.

YOU WERE GOING TO BE ON THAT.

AND WHERE THIS DOESN'T INVOLVE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THIS IS THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT.

THE COLLECTIONS THAT WE DO ARE FOR THE CITY OVERALL AND OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT MUNICIPAL COURT, FINES AND FEES ARE, UH, ARE COLLECTED THROUGH THE RFP THAT YOU HAVE HERE.

AND, UH, THAT IS MANAGED BY THE CITY SECRETARY IN OAKLAND.

SO HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU THINK WHERE YOU NEED TO RESOLVE THAT? IF HE DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I THINK WOULD NEED TO BE ANSWERED, CAN BE ANSWERED IN OPEN SESSION.

THE QUESTIONS WOULD HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, GERMANE TO THE, YEAH, I'M LOOKING, YEAH.

I'M LOOKING AT THE WEIGHT.

I SEE THAT AS A TOTAL OF 486, THE WINNER, UH, THAT'S VBA AND THEN, UH, LINEBERGER, OREGON AND BLAIR.

SO MY QUESTION IS WE WOULD GET THESE PRESENTATIONS AND WE SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PEOPLE COULD DO MORE THAN OTHER, AND YOU GET THE ENTIRE COUNCIL EXCITED ABOUT GOING AFTER FEES,

[01:00:01]

FINES.

AND, AND, AND WE GO BACK WITH A COMPANY THAT WE SAY THAT IT'S NOT DOING THE MAXIMUM, UH, TO BENEFIT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

SO THAT'S MY CONCERN.

I W I WANT TO TRY TO GET AN ANSWER TO THAT VOTE ON IT, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT PRESENTATION WAS THAT PRESENTATION FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE AS COLLECTIONS, OR WAS IT ABOUT TRAFFIC FINES? BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THIS PARTICULAR ONE'S ABOUT.

I MEAN, FOR ANYTHING TRAFFIC FINES OR ANYTHING THAT GOES TO THE REPORT GOES THROUGH THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE.

BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I, I WAS TOLD THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THAT CONTRACT, THEY DID A FINE JOB AS FAR AS COLLECTING.

I MEAN, WITH THIS TYPE OF THING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COLLECT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IT WAS A VAST IMPROVEMENT FROM THE PREVIOUS COMPANY WE HAD BEFORE THEN.

WELL, I MEAN, I'LL BE INTERESTED IN KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR GIVING THEM A TWO YEAR EXTENSION, I'LL BE AN INTERESTED TO KNOW THE BACKGROUND AND HOW WELL THEY DID, BUT THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND TO SEE IF IT'S BENEFITING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THAT'S MY TOTAL CONCERN.

THIS COUNCIL'S CONCERN IS TO BENEFIT THE CITY.

UH, HI, I'M NO PROBLEM TABLING WE CAN GET WITH IN DETROIT JONES.

SHE CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ON IT.

I WAS GOING TO ASK THE MAYOR, MAYOR CITY, SECRETARY.

NO, YOU GOT TO COUNCIL.

I HAD A QUESTION.

IS THERE MAYOR IF I MAY.

LIKE, CAUSE THAT WAY WE CAN TABLE AND ASK MS. SAY SECRETARY FOR A PRESENTATION ON PREVIOUS YEARS AND THE COMPARISON, GIVEN US A CHART THAT, UH, ARE A SPREADSHEET THAT WILL GIVE US A COMPARISON TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND THE SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN RENTED TO SUPPORT, UM, UH, VOTING FOR OR AGAINST THE PERSON THAT'S MADE THE, UH, IF WE COULD TABLE THIS AND COME BACK WITH A PRESENTATION, WHICH WOULD HELP US ALL.

YEAH, MAN.

THAT'S MY, UH, THAT'S MY THOUGHT WAS CONSTANTLY MOLDING.

SAY THE SAME THING.

LET'S TABLE.

THIS LET'S COME BACK AND FILL THE TEACHER WOULD BE BETTER FOR THEM MAKING A DECISION.

MA'AM OKAY.

ATTORNEY WASN'T THERE.

IT WAS OUR TIME LIMIT ON THE APPROVAL OF THIS.

I'M JUST ASKING, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TABLE IT, UNLESS THERE'S SOME OBJECTION, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHEN DOES THE CONTRACT RUN OUT, BUT I'M SURE WE CAN GO MOVE CONTRACTS IF IT IS.

I DON'T KNOW.

THE TERM OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT ACTUALLY IS ALREADY EXPIRED.

SO WE WAS JUST GETTING READY TO SET UP A WHOLE NEW CONTRACT.

UM, BUT THIS IS A SERVICE THAT IS ONLY PAID FOR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT AND GET FINE.

SO I DON'T THINK TWO WEEKS IS GOING TO HURT ANYTHING.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TO SEE WHETHER THERE WE ARE GETTING ADJUST RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.

THAT'S FINE.

THANKS TO THE MEDICINE.

MAY I SAY SOMETHING ON THIS ONE? JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE DON'T PAY ANYTHING UNTIL THE VENDOR, THE VENDOR GETS WE'RE USING A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THEY RECOUP, WHAT THEY RECOUP.

IT'S JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO TABLE THIS ITEM PR NUMBER 2, 2, 3 8, 7, 4, NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD TELL YOU, BUT IT'S ALL IN FAVOR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK IT IS A CONSENSUS, RIGHT? ALL THE PAPERS.

UH, NO OPPOSES.

UH, AND W TABLE ITEM NUMBER 22, EXCUSE ME.

3 87.

NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

NO, NOT AT ALL.

NO, I CONSENT.

AND THAT WAS ALL WE HAD TO ADD.

IGNORE THAT ME CLICKING IN THAT DOOR.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR, UH, CLOSE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

YOU GOT TWO MORE ITEMS, SO WE HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS. OKAY.

I'M SORRY.

NO, I WAS GOING, I STARTED AS GREEN AND THEN I FLIPPED RIGHT THROUGH IT.

NOW, NOW I CAN SAY ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON IT.

AND MY BAD ON THAT, UH, PR NUMBER 22, 3 80 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ONE YEAR RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT WITH A DURA GROUP, LLC FOR DISASTER RECOVERY, GRANT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CONTRACT FUNDING OF $120,000 BOND AVAILABILITY AS SUBJECT YOUR REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA AND OTHER SOURCES TO BE PAID FROM HURRICANE HARVEY ACCOUNT 1 47 0 7 DASH 0 1 5 DASH 5 4 2 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH

[01:05:01]

FOUR ZERO DASH 0 0 0.

AND THE PROJECT NUMBER WOULD BE A D S TO 6 1 7 DASH GRE DASH P R O.

MAN, GOT A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR COUNCIL, WOMAN, OR MOSES, MAKE IT A SECOND.

A COUNCILMAN JONES IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 3 80.

OH, WAIT UP A QUESTION AND NO QUESTIONS ARE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? NAY THE AYES HAVE IT.

SO WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 3 80 AS READ NEXT.

WE HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, PR NUMBER 22, 4 1 5 OR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MARCH 15TH, 2022 REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING DATE TO BE COUNSELED OR RESCHEDULED.

AND THAT'S REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR AND WE WILL BE GONE TO NLC MEETING IN WASHINGTON ON, UH, THE 15TH AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK WOULD BE, UH, ACTUALLY SPRING BREAK.

SO WE WOULD NOT ACTUALLY HAVE I'M ASKING IF WE WOULD JUST CANCEL THAT MEETING AND JUST HAVE A MEETING ON THE 29TH.

I BELIEVE IT IS OF MARCH, WHICH WOULD BE THE, UH, FINAL TUESDAY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH.

SO, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN JONES? YEAH, MAN.

THAT'S MY THOUGHTS TO, UH, UH, COUNSELING AND MEETING AND YOU HAVE A SPRING BREAK, SO LET'S GO TO MARCH 20.

THAT'D BE A GOOD DATE.

I CAN GET THEM TO MAKE A MOTION TO GET A SECOND TO COUNCILMAN AT HOME.

THE MOVING SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 4 1 5 WITH CANCELLATION OF MARCH 15TH MEETING AND ACTUALLY RESCHEDULE OR HAVING THE NEXT SCHEDULED A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON MARCH 29TH.

UH, READY FOR QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? NAY THE AYES HAVE IT.

SO HIS AUDIT, WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 52, 4 1 5 AS STATED.

OKAY, NOW WE'RE READY FOR OUR CLOSE, UH, EXECUTIVES SESSION.

AND, UH, IN THIS SESSION WE HAD GONE TO COMPLY WITH, UH, SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER 5 50, 1 OF OPEN MEETINGS LAW OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, GOVERNMENT COLD FARM AND THE ARTICLE 62 5 2 DASH ONE SEVEN, SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION EIGHT.

AND, UH, PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE MEETING, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DISCUSS IN THE CLOSE MEETINGS.

WE RECOVER SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.07, ONE OF THE, UH, GOVERNMENT COACH AT DISCUSSING REVIEW AND RECEIVED OTHER LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OUR PENDING MITIGATION AND OTHER LEGAL CLAIMS AND MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE OF CHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY'S EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION ETJ, UH, IN OUR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AND SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.074 OF THE GOVERNMENT CALLED TO DISCUSS THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER AND CITY SECRETARY.

AND IF ANY OF THESE ITEMS, UH, WOULD HAVE ACTION, WE WILL RETURN HERE IN CHAMBERS TO AN OPEN SESSION AND VOTE ON THOSE MATTERS.

NOW, EXCUSE ME, A MOTION TO RECESS TO GO INTO THE CLOSED, UH, MEETING, UH, MOSES, UH, SECOND ALL COUNCILMAN DR.

KELLOGG COME HERE.

THEN MOVING SECOND THAT WE WOULD HAVE JOINED A RESET RATHER INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WE WILL RETURN, UH, JUDGE DID IT.

WE ARE BACK IN EXECUTIVE, UH, FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE WANNA COME BACK INTO SESSION.

UH, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR A CITY? SECRETARY, MAYOR BARTY MAY APPROACH HIM FRANK COUNCIL MEMBER HOMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER, KEN LAW, COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS,

[01:10:01]

COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES.

YOU HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU, CITY SECRETARY ATTORNEY.

DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ACTION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, SIR.

JUST ONE SMALL MOTION, A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE LISTING OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT WELFARE AVENUE TO FOLEY AVENUE FROM JAMES GAMBLE BOULEVARD TO REVEREND DR.

RANSOM HOWARD STREET FOR SALE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2 72 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TO BE LISTED WITH A LICENSED REAL ESTATE.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN HOLMES.

I GET A SECOND COUNT FROM A JONES.

SECOND MILL.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THE MOTION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AS STATED BY A CITY ATTORNEY ARE READY FOR QUESTION.

NO QUESTIONS.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? OKAY.

THAT HAS HAPPENED.

WE WOULD ACCEPT THE MOTION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE BROKER TO HANDLE THE PROPERTIES THAT THE ATTORNEY HAS DESCRIBED.

THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER, UH, DO I NEED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THAT? OKAY.