May 10, 2022 City Council

WE ACTUALLY FATHER TO LOOK DOWN UPON THIS COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING.

WE ARE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER HERE AT CHAMBERS, RATHER, EXCUSE ME, HERE AT A 4 44 FOURTH STREET HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

AND WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.

MAY 10TH, 2022.

THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED THROUGH THE MEDIUMS OF TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIA MEDIUMS. UH, YOU MUST DIAL 8 77 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 9 9 7 4 8 8 1 5 2 8 AND THE PASS CODE OF 0 0 2 4 9 3.

AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER THE MEETING.

THIS MEETING HAS TO BE IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AT THE ADDRESS THAT I JUST GAVE, WHICH IS AT THE CITY HALL AND THEN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

HERE, WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY, THAT IF A PERSON OR THE DESIRE, ESPECIALLY COLUMN ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED.

HOWEVER, YOU MUST MAKE THE REQUEST.

24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY CALLING THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 AND MAKE THE REQUEST.

AND THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

IF YOU HAVE A PHONE OR ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SILENCE IT, IF YOU WILL, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE STANDING FOR AN INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE, AND THEN ANOTHER ROLL CALL OR COSMIC MARK, WILL YOU BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US THE IMPLICATION FATHER GOD, WE COME TO DO TO YOU TODAY, THANKING YOU FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON US ON US INDIVIDUALLY ON US COLLECTIVELY AND ON US AS A CITY.

[00:05:01]

AS WE MEET TODAY TO DELIBERATE THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY, TOUCH US WITH THE, YOUR HAND OF WISDOM AND GUIDE US THAT WE MIGHT MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITIZENS.

WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO SPEAKERS.

WE NOW DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN UNISON.

I PLAYED THE LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE PUBLIC ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADULTS IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM, FRANK COUNCIL MEMBER HOMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS, COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES.

YOU HAVE A CORE MAYOR.

I HAVE NO PROCLAMATIONS IN FRONT OF ME, SO THERE AREN'T ANY.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

[III.A.1. Hardner Williams Of The United Citizens Of Port Arthur, Regarding Majority Voting Versus Plurality Voting ]

WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S REVEREND HARTNER WILLIAMS OF BE UNITED CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR REGARDING MAJORITY VOTING VERSUS PRO PARALITY VOTING APPROACH, PLEASE.

AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.

AND ALSO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES WHEREVER.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR BARCHIE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS HARTNER WILLIAMS JR.

I RESIDE AT 3136TH STREET HERE IN THE CITY.

I, ALONG WITH THE ORGANIZATION I REPRESENT, WHICH IS THE UNITED CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THE UNITED CITIZENS REPORT AUTHOR WAS ORGANIZED IN 2016.

THE PURPOSE AND MISSION OF THIS ORGANIZATION SHALL BE TO SUPPORT FAIRNESS AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES OR THE PORT AUTH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

OUR MAIN FOCUS ON THIS EVENING, OR MAY 10TH, 2022 IS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO AN ISSUE WE BELIEVE IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE.

THEREFORE WE ASKED MAYOR BARTEE AND COUNCIL MEMBER, DONALD FRANK INGRID HOMES, CAL JONES, THOMAS KEN LAW, KENNETT MARKS AND CHARLOTTE AND MOSES TO RESOLVE THIS IMMEDIATELY.

THIS ISSUE IS MAJORITY VOTING VERSUS POLARITY VOTING FROM 1998 TO 2008.

POLARITY OF VOTING COSTS, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, $449,990, WHICH IN THE SAME 10 YEAR SPAN FROM 2008 TO 2018 UNDER THE SYSTEM THAT WERE PRESENTLY UNDER COST TO CITY, 1 MILLION, $112, 433, 1 MILLION, 112,433 DUE TO RUN OF ELECTIONS.

THESE ONE, THE TARIFF FIGURES WERE OBTAINED FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR RECORDS AND THEY ARE PUBLIC RECORDS AS WELL.

WE BELIEVE THIS EXTRA MONEY IS SPENT AS WASTE AND BELIEVE THAT EXTRA MONEY CAN BE BETTER UTILIZED TO IMPROVE LIGHTING IN NEIGHBORHOODS, STREET REPAIRS, HOURLY WAGES AND CRIME.

REMEMBER POLARITY IS MORE WAY OF VOTING.

IT'S USED BY THE PORT AUTHOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT DRAIN IS DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE PORT COMMISSION, THE BOARD OF TURNOUT NUMBERS REPORT AUTHOR DO SMALL AT BEST, AND YOU ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THESE NUMBERS.

NOW, MANY CITIZENS FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE IT TO THE POLLS.

THE SECOND TIME REMEMBER POLARITY WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE PORT COMMISSION.

WHY SHOULDN'T IT WORK FOR THE CITY IS OUR QUESTION.

YOU ALL WERE ELECTED IN FAITH AND TRUST BY THE CITIZEN SUPPORT AUTHOR TO KEEP OUR BEST INTERESTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING YOU DO.

THAT CONCERNS THE CITIZENS, THE TAXPAYERS, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN GENERAL, WE'RE THE UNITED CITIZEN.

POOR AUTHOR BELIEVE OUT OF CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE LUXURY TO BE WASTEFUL WITH MONEY.

THEREFORE, AT THIS TIME WE REQUEST EACH OF YOU LET US KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT SAVING

[00:10:01]

POURED OFF THE MONEY AS IT PERTAINS TO MAJORITY VOTE VERSUS POLARITY VOTE AND DO WHAT IS REQUIRED TO LET PORT AUTHORINGS KNOW BY YOUR ACTIONS THAT ARE YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN YOU IS NOT MISPLACED.

THIS COUNSEL HAS THE AUTHORITY.

THIS COUNCIL HAS THE POWER.

THIS COUNCIL HAS THE NECESSITY.

IT SAYS TO THEM THAT YOU CAN BE DECLARED IN THE ARCHIVES OF THIS CITY AS DOING SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S, THAT'S JUST OUTRIGHT DOING FOR THE CHANGE THAT THIS UNFAIR SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE DONE.

YOU CAN GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS CITY.

AS I SPEAK, THE CITY IS PREPARING FOR ANOTHER RUNOFF, ANOTHER RUNOFF ELECTION TO SHOW YOU JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME COMPARISON FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO VOTING SYSTEMS POLARITY, YOU HAVE THE DAY OF THE VOTING, WHOEVER WINS THE TOP, THE TOP VOTE GETTER GETS THE POSITION OF HOW MANY POSITIONS THAT OPEN.

YOU HAVE ONE DAY OF VOTING.

AND IT'S OVER WITH MAJORITY OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE UNDER.

YOU HAVE EARLY VOTING, THEN YOU HAVE THE DAY OF THE VOTING AND NONE OF THE MAJORITY, IT HAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CHANCE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A RUNOFF EARLY VOTING COSTS.

THE DAY OF THE VOTING CUPS, RUNOFF ELECTIONS COSTS THE DAY OF THE RUNOFF ELECTION COSTS.

THIS SYSTEM THAT THIS CITY IS UNDER.

WE'RE UNDER THIS SYSTEM BECAUSE IN 2008, THE POWERS THAT BE FELT LIKE THE MAJORITY WAS BECOMING THE MINORITY AND THE MINORITY, BUT TO BE COMING TO MY GEORGIA.

SO THEY MADE A MOVE TO CHANGE THE VOTING SYSTEM FOR THEIR BENEFIT.

WE ASKED THE PORT, ARTHUR, THE CITIES OF PORT OFF THE, THE CITIZENS UNITED CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR X, THAT THIS COUNCIL, YOU HAVE THE POWER, THE AUTHORITY.

YOU CAN CHANGE THIS AND CHANGE THIS IMMEDIATELY AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT AUTHOR.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, ROBIN WILLIAMS, UH, COUNSEL, YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE TO EVAN WILLIAMS AND HIS GROUP AT THIS TIME? ALL COSTS FROM THE MOSES.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH BEFORE YOU ASK THEM, BEFORE YOU ASK US AND DO THIS WITH A GROUP JOB, PLEASE STAY.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE A COMMENT.

PUT BEFORE, PUT ON THE BALLOT SO THAT THEY CAN, THE CITIZENS CAN VOTE.

SO I AGREE WITH YOU.

I WAS IN A RUNOFF AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I HAD THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTE EVERY TIME, BUT VAL, UM, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

THIS WAS DONE IN 2008, CORRECT? IF YOU GO BACK, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY HOW TO, YEAH, LET'S CLARIFY, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAD BOTH MAJORITY AND PLURALITY VOTING.

IT DEPENDED ON WHAT TYPE OF SEAT YOU HAD.

NOW.

THIS, WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU GOT TO START WITH THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE 11, SECTION 11 OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICE THAT HAS A TERM OF MORE THAN TWO YEARS, THEN THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES IT MAJORITY VOTE.

SO WHAT WE HAD HERE, WE HAD SOME MIXED SEATS WHERE SOME PEOPLE HAD TWO YEAR TERMS AND SOME PEOPLE HAD THREE YEAR TERMS. SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD BOTH MAJORITY AND PLURALITY UP TO THAT TIME.

AND THEN THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT PEOPLE NOT HAVING THE SAME TYPES OF TERMS. SO THEY PUT EVERYBODY ON A THREE-YEAR TERM AND STAGGERED IT.

SO A CITY CAN DEFINITELY HAVE PLURALITY, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOWER THE TERM.

SO YOU WON'T HAVE THREE-YEAR TERMS AND THAT'S THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S KINDA WHERE SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS CAME ALONG.

SO WE DID HAVE SOME SEATS.

I THINK THEY WERE AT LARGE AND THEY WERE JUST TWO YEAR TERM.

AND WE WERE VOTING EVERY OTHER YEAR BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THE PRODUCT OF TWO RUNOFF ELECTIONS.

AND I HAD THE MAJORITY VOTES EVERY TIME.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF HAVING A RUNOFF, BUT SO YOU DO PUT, PUT IT AS A PLURALITY.

THE TERM CAN NOT EXCEED TWO YEARS.

THAT'S ALL.

SO YOU DO THAT, THE LOWER THE TERMS, AND THEN THAT CHANGE WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE CHARTER.

SO THEN HOW WOULD THIS, DOES THIS? HE HAS TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND I CORRECT THE VOTE.

THIS COUNCIL CANNOT CHANGE THIS.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT HAS TO GO BACK, HAS BEEN REFERENDUM

[00:15:01]

AM I CORRECT? RIGHT.

THE CHARTER CONTROLS IT.

SO I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN, AND I COULD LOOK IT UP BEFORE YOU LEAVE, BUT THAT'S WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CLARITY IN MY RECOLLECTION THAT IN 2008, THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED AND, UH, YEAH, THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED AND I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS, CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S KINDA LIKE A LONG HISTORICAL.

THE CHARTER HAS TO BE AMENDED IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

AND WE HAD THE CHARTER, WE JUST HAD A CHARTER COMMITTEE TO AMEND THE CHARTER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

SO WE CAN NOT CHANGE THAT CHARTER BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ON THE CHARTER CHANGE.

I HAD, MY POINT IS HERE, WHO WAS ON THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE.

SO WE CANNOT CHANGE THE CHARTER RIGHT NOW UNTIL THOSE TWO YEARS ARE UP, BUT WE FACE IT IN FOUR YEARS HAVE TO PASS.

SO WHATEVER DATE, THE CHARTER WAS AMENDED JUST TWO FULL YEARS, WHICH WAS IN 20.

THAT WAS IN 20.

YEAH, I REMEMBER THE ELECTION.

SO IT WAS IN 20.

WE'D HAVE TO BE IN THE 2023.

IT CAN BE AMENDED TWO FULL YEARS, HALF TO PUT PADS.

SO AFTER THE TWO FULL YEARS PAST THE DAM, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

SO WE CAN BE DONE BY THE CHARTER AND YOU WILL HAVE TO LOWER THE TERMS AND THAT'S ARTICLE 11 SECTION HE LEFT.

SO THEN YOU GO FROM A THREE-YEAR TERM TO EVERY OTHER YEAR ELECTION.

SO IT COSTS EVERY OTHER YEAR TO HAVE AN ELECTION.

AM I CORRECT? IT'S EVERY OTHER YEAR.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY THAT SO THAT THIS GROUP WILL KNOW, AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WILL KNOW HOW IT'S HANDLED, HOW IT GOT LIKE THIS AND HOW WE CAN CORRECT IT.

THE COUNCIL HERE CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT CITIZENS HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT, ON THE CHARTER.

I JUST LIKE TO, TO MR. WILLIAMS AND HIS GROUP, UH, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE LAST CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE AND THAT ISSUE DID COME UP AND WE VOTED ON IT.

AND I JUST WANT TO, FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW HOW I VOTED AND WHY I VOTED THE WAY I DID.

I VOTED FOR A MAJORITY BECAUSE IN SOME INSTANCES, WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR OR FIVE CANDIDATES, YOU WILL HAVE A, THE TOP VOTE, GETTER WILL GET LESS THAN 30% OF THE VOTE.

AND THAT PERSON WILL THEN BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THAT DISTRICT OFF OR FOR THE CITY WITH, WITH LESS THAN, YOU KNOW, 30% OF THE VOTE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.

THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.

I VOTED FOR US NOT TO GO TO A PLURALITY BECAUSE I THINK FOR THE BENEFIT OF DEMOCRACY AND FROM THE CIVICS LESSONS THAT WE TOOK, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THAT YOU WANTED TO AT LEAST HAVE 50% PLUS THEN SAY THAT YOU WERE, THE, THE MAJORITY WAS WINNING.

IT IS EXPENSIVE, BUT WE SPEND MONEY ON ALL, UH, ALL KINDS OF THINGS HERE.

SO, BUT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING REPRESENTED BY A, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO HAS BEEN BEEN, WHO HAS GOTTEN MORE THAN 50% OF THE VOTE, I THINK IS IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST.

GREAT.

COUNCILMAN JONES.

YES, MA'AM UH, THANK YOU, REVEREND AND PRESENTATION.

UH, I WHOLE HEARTEDLY SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR GROUP.

I LOOK, UH, VALUE CA PUT HER OUT TO VOTE MEAN YOU TO CUT THE TERM DOWN TO TWO YEARS TO THREE YEARS.

YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE THE YEAR ON COUNCIL, IF I COULD SAVE THE CITIZENS MONEY AND TO SEE THE MONEY, WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT US BY ME OR COUNSELED BY THE CITIZEN, PAUL AUTHOR AND THE CITY.

SO IT WOULD MEAN CUTTING IT DOWN ANOTHER YEAR FOR COUNCIL WASN'T.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I WOULD LOVE TO GO OUT TO VOTE AND MEAN, HEY, IF YOU WIN, YOU WIN, YOU KNOW, AND A PUP EXAMPLE, THE LAST ELECTION ONE PERSON HAD 47 1 PERSON.

YOU HAD 26, THAT WOULD BE GOING TO A RUNOFF, YOU KNOW, AS COUSIN UNNECESSARILY, MY TOP BULL GUILT, TAKING THEM GO.

SO I'LL SUPPORT THIS GROUP, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT THEY STAND FOR, BUT RELATIVE VOTE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE? HEY MAN, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.

IT COSTS, IT COSTS A, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO PIGGYBACK ON LIKE THE COUNTY TO DO THEIR ELECTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU MR. WILLIAMS FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, UH, COMMENTS.

UH, BUT I WAS ALSO ON THAT CHARTER, UH, CHANGE COMMITTEE AND WE LOOKED AT, AND LONG-TERM, NOW YOU CAN DO IT, LOOK AT IT.

TWO WAYS.

YOU CAN LOOK AT IT A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WHERE THAT YOU HAVE TWO YEARS, OR YOU CAN LOOK AT A MORE LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU HAVE THE THREE YEARS, BUT WE LOOKED AT IT AS 10 TO 12 YEARS.

AND HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST THE CITY? AND IF WE LOOK AT IT AND CHANGING IT TO TWO YEAR TERMS, IT WILL COST THE CITY MORE.

SO THAT, THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO CONTINUE, UM, UH, AND CAST MY VOTE.

UH, BUT I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SAVE THE CITY, UH, MONIES BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE, WE HAVE A RUNOFF ELECTION,

[00:20:01]

NOW THIS PARTICULAR RUNOFF IS GOING TO BE A CITY, A RUNOFF.

SO IT'S GOING TO COST, IT COSTS THE TAXPAYERS, BUT I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE CITY MONEY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A COUNCIL OR AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD LOOK INTO IT TO FIND OUT IF IT'S A BETTER WAY, BUT RIGHT NOW IN A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT COST THE CITY A LOT MORE MONEY THAN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM IN FRANK? YES.

LET ME SAY THAT.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING TODAY THAT I AM IN FULL FAVOR.

I HAD THIS CONVERSATION ON TODAY ABOUT PLURALITY AND, UH, BEING A PRODUCT OF PLURALITY BY SERVING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SO MANY YEARS.

I'M IN FULL FAVOR OF PLURALITY, BUT WE ARE, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID HANDCUFFED, UH, BY, UH, THE RULE FOR MUNICIPALITIES, UH, AND THEN, UH, GOING EVERY TWO YEARS, HAVING AN ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS, YOU DO BRING ABOUT AN, UH, SOMETHING FOR US, UH, AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ON TODAY, UM, BECAUSE EVERY SEAT WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION ON NEXT YEAR, AND WE ARE STILL BOUND BY OUR CITY CHARTER RIGHT NOW.

SO YOU DO, UH, WE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE STAND THE CHANCE OF LOSING ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN ONE FELL SWOOP BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE CHARTER, BECAUSE EVERY SEAT WILL BE UP.

AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ELECTIONS AND POSSIBLE RUNOFFS FOR EVERY SEAT, UH, THAT ON COUNCIL.

UH, SO WE ARE BOUND BY THAT NOW.

SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF PLURALITY.

AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT, UH, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID IN THE NEXT, UH, OPPORTUNITY, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CHARTER, BUT I AM FULLY INFLATED FAVOR OF PLURALITY.

EACH OF YOU AND ALSO 11 WEEKENDS, A CONCERNED CITIZEN, I BELIEVE IT IS POURED.

I'LL THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR PRESENCE, AND YOU LOOK VERY BUMMER BEACH TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE HAVE LIST OF CARRIAGE PRE-ROLLS REGARDING SILVER MATTERS, RESTORATION OF A HISTORICAL HOME.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM.

UH, MR. WESLEY JOHNSON REGARDING THE CECIL REYNOLDS PARK AND TRASH DUMPING ON LEWIS DRIVE.

HOWEVER MR. JOHNSON HAS ASKED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA AND THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED.

NEXT,

[III.A.3. Terrance C. Prevost Regarding Civil Matters / Restoration Of A Historical Home ]

WOULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? ALL RIGHT.

MY NAME IS TERRENCE PRIVO OR RESIDED THREE TWENTY-FIVE MARSHALL AVENUE.

I'M A FARMER JEFFERSON COUNTY, DEPUTY OF CORRECTIONS.

AND I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THE CITIZENS ON TWO MINUTES ON THE, SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, ITEM, UH, RHETORIC.

I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT WHEN THEY REPORT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE BEING RETALIATED YET WITH BURGLARIES THREATS.

AND, UH, I DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME ONCE OR TWICE.

AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR 16 YEARS.

AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF RESPECT FOR SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, I COULD IMAGINE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE CITIZENS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE SOME THINGS I CAN'T SAY PUBLICLY NEXT, IT'S A OLD HOME I'VE BEEN RESTORING AT TWENTY-FIVE TWENTY-FIVE FOURTH STREET.

I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAYING THAT AFTER THE REPORT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, THEY'VE BEEN VANDALIZED, BURGLARIZED THREATENED.

YOU GO TO THE POLICE ABOUT IT.

THEY SAY, OKAY, CALL THE POLICE.

BUT WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE, YOU GOT TO REALIZE EVERY TIME THEY COME TO YOUR HOME, EVERY TIME THEY COME TO YOUR HOME, THAT'S ON SOMEBODY THAT'S RECORD.

AND THAT, THAT HURTS PEOPLE.

PROPERTY VALUE THAT HURTS PEOPLE, PERIOD, JUST NOT FINISHED, BEING COMFORTABLE, BEING ABLE TO COME TO THE POLICE WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.

[00:25:03]

IT'S A, IT'S A RENOVATION.

I'M NOT RESTORING THIS HOUSE FOR ANYONE TO LIVE IN.

AND WHEN I WENT TO THE CITY TO PUT A FENCE AROUND THIS PROPERTY, THE COLD PEOPLE REFUSE TO LET ME PUT A FENCE AROUND IT.

I SAID, NO, I NEED TO HAVE IT UP FOR SECURITY PURPOSES BECAUSE OF THE RESTORATION.

I'M NOT TRYING TO FIX IT UP, UP TO CODE FOR SOMEONE TO LIVE IN IT.

AND I'M WORKING WITH THE, UH, THE TEXAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO, UH, FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE HISTORY OF THEIR HOME.

I CAN'T JUST PUT LIKE ALUMINUM WINDOWS AND STUFF LIKE THAT IN IT.

I GOT TO DO IT ACCURATE UP TO THE 1910 STYLE.

THAT'S WHY I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYONE LIVE IN HSO RESTORATION PROJECT.

IS THAT ALL, ALL OF YOUR PRESENTATION, A FEW WORDS I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH.

UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? YES, SIR.

MR. GOOD TO SEE YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD ON TODAY.

AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, UH, HAVING EYES AND EARS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT'S HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING IN OUR CITY.

THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

AND I WOULD ADMONISH HIM AND ASK HIM TO TALK TO YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO CURTAIL SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, THE, UM, THE, THE SURETY THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SHARING INFORMATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, I WAS SHOWN A, I WAS SHOWN A, UM, A DOORBELL CAMERA, UH, BY SOMEONE WHO WAS ABLE TO CATCH SHOOTING GOING ON, UH, AND LIVE FOOTAGE OF THAT IN OUR CITY, UH, IN, WITHIN THE PAST WEEK.

AND THAT THAT FOOTAGE WAS TURNED IN.

UH, AND IF, IF WE CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPENING WITH THE SHORTY, THAT THERE WON'T BE REPERCUSSIONS, OR, YOU KNOW, VENGEANCE TAKEN ON PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP US CURTAIL WHAT'S HAPPENING, THEN WE'LL LOSE EVERYTHING IN OUR CITY.

SO THANK YOU.

AND I, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE WHETHER THE USE OF TIPS OR CALLS OR WHATEVER IS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR CITIZENS THE KIND OF SURETY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTED.

THEIR IDENTITY IS GOING TO BE PROTECTED IF THEY GIVE VALUABLE INFORMATION, UH, LIKE THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO US AND MAKING US AWARE AND HE'S RIGHT THERE BEHIND.

AND ONE MORE THING.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A POLICE REPORT ON A BURGLARY OF MY HOME, AND I WAS REFUSED SEVERAL TIMES AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE CHIEF, BUT WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT POLICE REPORT.

I MEAN, THEY GIVE ME A PARTIAL REPORT, BUT NOT FULL REPORT, 30 STEPS OVER THERE.

CAUSE I BELIEVE THIS REPORT HAS SOMETHING A LOT.

IT HELPED ME WITH MY, IT WAS A FELONY BURGLARY OVER FIVE GRAND AND LET US KNOW.

THANK YOU, UH, SHOWING UP AND BOSTON, YOUR CONCERN, BUT IF YOU TALK TO THE CHIEF, HE HAD GAVE HIM SOME NUMBER TO CALL.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REPORT, YOU NEED, HE GIVE YOU A NUMBER TO CALL.

CAUSE WE CAN'T JUST, I'M SURE CHIEF, CAN'T TAKE THIS AREA COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALLY, NOT AS A JOB DESCRIPTION, BUT YOU TALK TO HIM WHEN YOU LEAVE HIM, HE'LL GIVE YOU A NUMBER TO CALL TO GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

THANK YOU, MR. JOHN, MR. .

MR. COUNSEL ON THE MOSES, AS I, BEFORE YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE, THE HOUSE THAT YOU'RE RESTORING YOU DIDN'T, YOU JUST TOLD US ABOUT THE HOUSE.

IS THERE A QUESTION OR AN ISSUE WITH THE HOUSE THAT YOU'RE RESTORING, BUT YOU JUST SAID THERE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THERE'S A, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET YOUR QUESTION.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING ME TO PUT A FENCE AROUND IT.

I'M TRYING TO PUT A FENCE AROUND IT FOR SECURITY PURPOSES.

SO YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO PUT THE FENCE.

[00:30:01]

I MEAN, I ALREADY GOT A FENCE AROUND, IT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE US LAST COUPLE OF STORMS. AND I WENT TO CU, UH, RE UH, REPAIR THE FENCE, WHICH DEPARTMENT, THE COLD FENCE.

UM, I GUESS THAT'S, IF THAT'S THE FENCE PEOPLE, WHAT YOU GET PERMISSION TO PUT UP, IT'S GOING TO BE CODE ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE CODE ENFORCEMENT.

SO, UM, I THINK WE HAVE SOME CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE IN THE BACK BACK THERE.

UM, AND MAYBE THEY CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OR GET WITH YOU, UH, TO SEE WHAT IT IS.

AND MAYBE YOU CAN MEET WITH THEM AND KIND OF FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS.

BUT I DO SEE ONE OF OUR, TWO OF OUR PERSONS BACK THERE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THEIR AREA, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY TALK WITH THEM AND SEE IF THEY CAN, UM, GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHAT TO DO TO GET THAT FENCE UP OR DOWN OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE.

IT'S HOUR AND A HALF WENT UP THERE, BEEN UP THERE FOR YEARS.

IT'S JUST BEEN DAMAGED DURING A HURRICANE.

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE FENCE? I'M SORRY.

I WENT TO REPAIR.

IT, ALLOW YOU TO REPAIR IT, RIGHT.

I'M NOT WHERE THEY SAID BECAUSE OF SOME TYPE OF CODE VIOLATION.

I, WELL, WE WANT TO GET CLARITY ON THAT.

SO, LIKE I SAID, YOU NEED TO MEET BACK WITH THEM, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE YOU CLARITY ON WHAT THE ISSUE IS WITH THAT FENCE SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW CLEARLY WHAT'S PRECLUDING YOU FROM PUTTING THE REPAIRING YOUR FENCE.

I SAID THERE'S TWO IN THE BACK, BACK THERE.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.

MR. APPROVALS, COUNSELOR KELLOGG.

HOLD ON.

THANK YOU, MR. PEERLESS.

HI.

GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN.

UH, 25, 25 FOURTH STREET, IS THAT, AND YOU'RE WORKING WITH HISTORICAL HOMES.

UH, ARE YOU TRYING TO GET CERTIFICATION OR, I MEAN, IF THEY'RE NOT PERMITTING YOU TO DO THE FENCE, IS IT BECAUSE OF BEING A HISTORICAL HOME? R W WHAT'S THE DILEMMA WITH THAT? BECAUSE I'M HEARING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND I WANT TO HELP YOU.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TELLING YOU THE RIGHT INFORMATION.

I'M WORKING WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BECAUSE IT USED TO BE CERTIFIED.

BUT I GOT TO GET IT RECERTIFIED AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO GET IT DONE.

AND WAS CERTIFICATION TO BE RECERTIFIED.

YOU CAN NOT HAVE A FENCE THERE.

AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY AS WELL? NO, YOU CAN HAVE OFFENSIVE, BUT HE GOTTA BE A CERTAIN TYPE OF FRANCE THERE'S HISTORICAL, UH, IN, UH, IN THIS NATURE.

WE KNOW LIKE NO LINK FENCE HAS GOT TO BE A WOOD FENCE OR, UH, A ROTHER.

WELL, UH, I'D HAVE TO ALSO CONCUR.

WE HAVE SOME, UH, INSPECTORS BACK THERE, IF YOU WILL GET WITH THEM TO FIND OUT, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S PREVENTING YOU FROM HAVING A FENCE THERE AT THE PROPERTY SITE, AND IF YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE THERE.

SO, UH, I GUESS THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IS GET WITH THE INSPECTORS AND GET WITH THIS, UH, CHIEF TO FIGURE OUT THOSE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY.

NOW HAVE A, UH, WE'RE READY FOR PRESENTATIONS AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE MIKE BUTLER OF BIRD RIGHTS AND THE CORPORATION REGARDING THE EAST SCHOOL, EAST SCOOTER PILOT PROGRAM.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. PRE-BILLS FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.

[III.B.1. A Presentation By Senior Account Executive Mike Butler Of Bird Rides, Incorporation Regarding The E- Scooter Pilot Program ]

AND I BELIEVE HE IS GOING TO BE ON JUNE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OTHER COUNSEL, EVERYBODY HEAR ME.

EXCELLENT.

WELL, IT'S NICE TO MEET EVERYONE.

UM, YES.

MY NAME IS PIKE BUTLER.

I RUN MANY OF THE CITY PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN, IN YOUR AREA.

SO I WILL, UM, I'LL JUST PRESENT FOR, FOR ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES.

TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT OUR BUSINESS AND THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR, FOR SOME QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.

SO, UH, JUST GIVE ME ONE SECOND AS I GET THIS STARTED.

UH, AND THIS IS BEEN THE FOCUS OF, OF SHARED, UM, ELECTRIC BIKES AND SHARED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS.

CAN EVERYBODY SEE THIS? OKAY.

SO I, I THINK, UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO KIND OF WHAT WE DO, I THINK IT'S, IT'S FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE RUN OUR BUSINESS, WHY WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

AND IT REALLY IS TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND OF COURSE IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

NOW, HOW WE DO THIS IS BY BEING A TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, THAT THAT IS WHAT WE DO.

THAT IS WHERE WE ARE THROUGH AND THROUGH.

WE HELP PEOPLE GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO AND WE HELP PEOPLE GET TO THAT NEED TO GO.

[00:35:01]

NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT SUBMITTED WITH THE SERVICE, MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO, TO BEAUMONT RECENTLY, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO SOME OTHER CITIES NEARBY WHERE YOU HAVING THE SERVICE.

WE STARTED THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AS THE FIRST COMPANY, THE WORLD TO DO THIS IDEA, THAT WAS A PRETTY NEW AND PRETTY FRESH AT THE TIME.

SINCE THAT MOMENT OF STARTING THIS, THIS ENTIRE INDUSTRY, WE'VE EXPANDED FROM BEING LIVE IN JUST ONE CITY TO NOW BEING BLINDED IN MULTIPLE CONTINENTS.

THAT INCLUDES A COUPLE OF DOZEN COUNTRIES, 400 CITIES.

AND IN THAT HUNDRED MILLION RIDES LINK, OR THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS THAT A HUNDRED MILLION TIMES SOMEONE HAS TRUSTED OUR BUSINESS TO HELP THEM GET TO ADB, UH, WHICH WE, WHICH MEANS THAT, THAT WE'RE LARGELY SEEN AS THE MOST TRUSTED PROVIDER OF THIS, UM, IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND ENLARGING THE ENTIRE WORLD.

AND I THINK THESE ARE ALL TYPES OF THINGS.

I THINK THE GENERAL PERCEPTION ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS THAT IT'S ONLY REALLY DONE IN, IN REALLY BIG DENSE, URBAN METROPOLITAN AREAS LIKE SAN ANTONIO'S AND MAYBE THEY, THE CHICAGO'S IN LOS ANGELES AND THE WORLD.

AND YOU COULD SEE HERE JUST WITH THIS SHORT LIST, THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.

NOW WE OPERATE IN A NUMBER OF CITIES WHERE THERE'S FIVE, 10, 15,000 PEOPLE THERE ON AB SIMPLY TO SCALE DOWN THE OPERATION, TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THAT PARTICULAR MARKET.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO IN BRAMPTON.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN BELMONT.

AND SO FAR, THE PERCEPTION OF HAS MADE HUGELY POSITIVE.

SO I THINK THE TAKEAWAY, AT LEAST ON THIS SLIDE HERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS TYPE OF SERVICE, UM, HAS BEEN PROVEN TO WORK IN ALL TYPES OF COMMUNITIES, ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SERVICE, IT'S VERY SIMPLE AND IT'S ALL, UH, APPLICATION-BASED ON YOUR PHONE.

SO HE WOULD FIND A VEHICLE THAT WAS STRATEGICALLY PLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR APP, YOU WOULD SIGN OUR USER AGREEMENT, VERIFY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AGE, PUT YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION IN.

WE FORCE YOU TO COMPLETE A SERIES OF VIDEOS AND TUTORIALS IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LOCAL LAWS.

AND THEN YOU RIDE THIS THE SAME WAY YOU BOUGHT A BICYCLE.

SO MOST CITIES ARE VERY MINIMAL TO HAVING MORE BIKES ON THE ROAD.

THAT MEANS LESS CARS ARE ON THE ROAD AND WE OPERATE THE SAME WAY.

SOMEONE WRITES THIS JUST AS THEY DO A BIKE PRICING WAS REALLY SIMPLE.

THE VEHICLE STAYS LOCKED UNTIL YOU UNLOCK IT VIA YOUR PHONE TO DO THAT.

IT'S GOING TO COST YOU $1 AND THEN THERE'S A PER MINUTE FEE AS WELL.

SO IT'S ABOUT 30, 35 CENTS PER BENNETT'S.

OBVIOUSLY THE LONGER YOU TAKE THIS, THE HIGHER YOUR FAIR'S GOING TO BE, UM, THAT STANDARD PRICING ALSO HAVE A TON OF PRICING OPTIONS FOR DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T IN GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS PROGRAMS, OR MAYBE YOU'RE A BETTER RATER OR SENIOR CITIZEN, OR YOU'RE A HEALTHCARE WORKER OR YOUR STUDENTS.

SO OUR GOAL IS NOT TO SERVE JUST A SMALL PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DEMOCRATIZED AND AVAILABLE FOR ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE.

NOW SWITCHING SOME MORE OF THE TECHNOLOGIES.

I THINK OFTENTIMES I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SAYING, HEY, WE LIKE THIS OUTSET, BUT WE DON'T LIKE THIS CERTAIN AREAS OF OUR CITY.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE HAD TO DEVELOP SOME CRAZY SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY TO PROGRAM THE VEHICLES TO ENSURE THAT THEY EITHER SLOW DOWN TO A CERTAIN SPEED OR ACTUALLY A STOP ENTIRELY IF THEY ENTER A CERTAIN LOCATION.

SO THESE ARE, UH, PARTS, MAYBE THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY.

MAYBE THESE ARE CAMPUSES.

YOU CAN THINK OF SOME REALLY SOPHISTICATED CITIES LIKE ROME OR PARIS OR NEW YORK CITY, WHERE IN ORDER TO OPERATE IN A CITY LIKE THAT, YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME VERY SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN THAT PARTICULAR CITY.

UH, SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR PORT ARTHUR ENVIRONMENT IS, IS, IS THAT MEANS WE'VE ALREADY CREATED THE TECHNOLOGY AND WE JUST HAVE TO REPLICATED IN A MARKET LIKE THIS.

UM, SO IT'S VERY SIMPLE ON OUR END.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.

, UM, WE'VE ALSO DONE IN VALMONT AND WHAT WE DO IN ALL OTHER CITIES IS WE WORK WITH VOCALS.

SO WE'LL LIKELY FIND IF YOU WERE TO DO THIS, WE'D FIND ONE TO TWO.

WHAT WE CALL SLEEP MANAGERS, UH, IT'S A FANCY TERM FOR SOMEONE THAT'S BASICALLY JUST GOING OUT THERE AND RUNNING THE OPERATIONS.

I'LL BE HALF OF US.

SO THEY CHARGE THESE VEHICLES, THEY REPAIRED THEM, THEY SERVICE THEM, THEY CHARGE THEM, THEY TIDY THEM UP AND REORGANIZE THEM ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

AND THEN THEY EXCHANGE FOR THAT.

THEY SHARE THE REVENUE WITH US.

SO THIS IS A LACK OF BUSINESS THAT GETS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND ACTUALLY JUST GETS TO GENERATE A PRETTY SIZABLE INCOME FROM PARTNERING WITH US IN CONTRACTING WITH US ON THIS.

UM, I THINK THE BIG ONE HERE OF COURSE, IS THAT YOU HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE OPERATIONAL ACTION IT'S SEES A BIRD, BUT THEN YOU COUPLED THAT WITH A LOCAL WHO IS FROM THERE, FROM THOSE IN THE MARKET, THOSE OF HUMIDITY, AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG ONE RIGHT HERE.

SO OUR, OUR PROPOSAL WAS, UM, VERY SIMPLE.

IT'S, IT'S VERY CUT AND DRY ACTUALLY SAID, NO INVESTED FOR THIS.

THIS IS FREE TO YOU ALL.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GIVE YOU MONEY FOR THIS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SHARE

[00:40:01]

THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE MADE WITH THE CITY.

YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO GET A DEDICATED POINT PERSON TO, AND THIS IS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT ACTUALLY MANAGES THE PROGRAM UP AT VALMONT, GOING TO BE THE SAME PERSON OR ARTHUR.

UM, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A DASHBOARD THAT SHOWS YOU EXACTLY WHERE EVERY VEHICLE IS AND THE STATUS OF A BIT AND WHERE THEY'RE BEING RAISED.

AND YOU HAVE SOME TYPE OF OVERSIGHT ON THE PROGRAM.

UM, THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES, THE LAUNCH DATE, THE APPROVAL DOCUMENTS, MOST THREE BULLET POINTS AT THE BOTTOM.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE FLEXIBLE, OF COURSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE APPETITE IS FROM THE COUNCIL AND AN OUTPUT WE CAN MOVE.

UM, BUT IN GENERAL, THAT, THAT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE, UH, THE BROAD STROKES OF IT.

SO I WILL, UH, I'LL PAUSE.

I WILL STOP TALKING AND I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.

I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY SHE MR. BUTLER.

UH, QUESTIONING LOCAL LAWS.

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT KIND OF WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO LOCAL LAWS.

CAN YOU JUST EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID YOU CAN DECREASE THE SPEED, BUT TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL LAWS AND HOW ONE, IF THESE SCOOTERS GOING TO BE PLACED IN AREAS WHO POLICE THESE SCOOTERS AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, OR DO THEY RUN 24 HOURS A DAY, SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF LOCAL LAWS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE IN PLACE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS.

I WOULD SAY WE CAN MAKE IT MARGIN SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN PAULA.

IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY ADD CHANGE, REMOVE ANY LOSS YOU GET THIS BUSINESS STARTED.

SO THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE WOULD BE MORE OF A FRAMEWORK THAT'S IN THAT PILOT OPERATING AGREEMENT IS THE EXACT SAME AGREEMENT THAT BELMONT HAS.

THIS IS THE SAME AGREEMENT THAT I'VE ALREADY SENT TO THE CITY STAFF.

SO SOME OF THE LAWS ARE INCLUDED IN THERE THAT INCLUDES HOURS OF OPERATION.

SO IT'S NOT 24 HOURS IS ACTUALLY 20.

SO IT'S, AM TO MIDNIGHT.

SO WE'LL STOP THEM FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, BUT, UH, OPEN THE KNOCKOUT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SOME ODD, UH, WORK SCHEDULES, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY USE THEM AS THEIR COMMUTE TO THE MORNING AND ONCE THEY GET HOME.

SO IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.

AND, AND, UH, LARGELY I, I WOULD ASSUME THAT WOULD BE VERY COMPARABLE TO WHAT YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE UP NORTH IN KNOW.

AND MY QUESTION, I ASKED THAT BECAUSE CAN YOU RUN THESE SCOOTERS ON STREETS? CAN YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME CITIES HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON SIDEWALKS.

I MEAN, WHERE CAN YOU RUN THESE? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ONLY ON THE STREETS.

SO THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DECALS ON THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSTANT REMINDERS ON THE APPLICATION SAYS NO RIDING ON SIDEWALKS.

SO A SIDEWALK IS STRICTLY RESERVED FOR PEDESTRIANS.

WE NEVER ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RIDE SIDEWALKS AND BACK IN BOATS.

AND HE SENDS HE LEGAL.

SO THEY'RE SPREADING, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO RAIN JUST LIKE THEY AREN'T, YOU KNOW, BICYCLES, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, BICYCLE SPRINTS AND BRING ON THE STREET, NEVER ON THE SIDEWALK.

AND WHAT'S THE MAX SPEED OF THESE SCOOTERS.

UH, ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

WELL, MR. BUTLER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON THIS IDEA, AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT SOME FUTURE DATE, SOMEONE WILL BE TALKING WITH YOU OR YOUR COMPANY ABOUT WHAT YOU DISCUSSED, DISCUSS WITH US ON THE DATE.

THANK YOU KINDLY, SIR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NEXT WE'LL MOVE YOUR PRESENTATIONS BY MS. CLARA JACKSON OF MOTIVA ENTERPRISE REGARDING AN UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.

[III.B.2. A Presentation By Claire Jackson Of Motiva Enterprise Regarding An Update On Downtown Development ( Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw) ]

MISFIT HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, KEVIN LAW.

AND BEFORE WE ACTUALLY READ THE STATEMENT, I THINK COW'S MCCANN.

NOT AS UP.

YOU WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT.

I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, IMAGINE PORT ARTHUR AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO DEVELOP THE DOWNTOWN AREA, YOUR HEARTBEAT OR YOUR CITIES ARE, IS YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND WE HADN'T HAD AN UPDATE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SO, UH, UH, MS. CLAIRE JACKSON, UH, WAS THE, THE PIO PERSON AS RESPONSIBLE GIVING PRESENTATION.

SO TWO MONTHS AGO I SPOKE WITH HER AND SHE WAS GOING TO COME IN, UH, FOR THE RECORD TO SPEAK TO THIS COUNCIL ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRESSION OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AS OF TWO WEEKS AGO, THEY HAD CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MEETING A BANQUET THAT, UH, OUR BIG ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT WITH MOTIVA, UH, AND WHICH WAS GREAT.

SO I ASKED YOU TO COME, BUT SHE SEND A STATEMENT THAT I AFFORDED TO THE CITY SECRETARY.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THIS TIME YOU'RE GOING TO READ THE STATEMENT AND THAT'S FROM MS. JACKSON, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

GREG LOU CASEY HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING PART OF THE PORT ARTHUR CHAMBERS AND LUNCHEON.

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 27TH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF MOTIVA, PORT AUTHOR MANUFACTURING COMPLEX,

[00:45:01]

HE ENDED HIS PRESENTATION WITH AN UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN RENOVATION PROJECT.

MOTIVA IS COMMITTED TO DOWNTOWN PORT AUTHOR AS THE FUTURE HOME FOR MUCH NEEDED OFFICE SPACE.

WE ARE WORKING WITH ARCHITECTS ON THE DESIGN AND ADDRESSING CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE ARE HOPEFULLY TO HAVE A BETTER PROJECT SCOPE AND TIMELINE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I AM COMMITTED TO KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON THIS EFFORT.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT ON OUR EFFORTS TO BRING PART OF OUR WORKFORCE TO DOWNTOWN CLAIRE JACKSON.

AND THANK YOU CITY SECRETARY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF INFORMATION.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE TO A PRESENTATION BY TEXTILE REGARDING PROGRESS ON THE GULF WAY.

DRIVE ROADWAY PROJECT.

YOU MAY APPROACH IT, STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.

REAL, REAL QUICK.

WE HAVE IT ON THE DISCUSSION WITH IT.

GIVE US MORE TIME.

CAN WE JUST HOLD, UH, ITEM THREE TO NUMBER ONE, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE UNDER THIS, SO WE'D HAVE MORE, YOU'LL HAVE MORE, NO PROBLEM.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SO WE JUST HOLD ON IN A FEW MOMENTS.

YOU'LL COME BACK.

[III.B.4. A Presentation Regarding The Fiscal Year 2020 Audit Report ]

YOUR FINANCIAL REPORTING AND CLOSING PROCESS, UH, GRANT PAYMENTS AND, AND COMPLIANCE PAYROLL PROCEDURES, AND THEN, UH, PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT.

NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2020 AUDIT REPORT.

LITTLE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS GREG PETERSON.

I'M THE AUDIT PARTNER WITH WEAVER AND TIDWELL, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF OUR AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE HAVE A QUICK AGENDA HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR AUDIT PROCESS, GO OVER SOME OF THE AUDIT RESULTS AND REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS.

WE'LL LOOK AT SOME FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, BUT ACTUALLY, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, Y'ALL JUST STOP ME AS WE GO THROUGH AND WE'LL, I'LL DO MY BEST TO ADDRESS THOSE.

SO LOOKING AT THE AUDIT PROCESS, IF YOU CAN GO TO TWO SLIDES THERE.

PERFECT.

UM, SO WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AUDITING STANDARDS.

SO THE AUDIT THAT WE FOLLOW OR GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDIT AUDIT STANDARDS, AND GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.

UM, SO THOSE ARE TYPICAL AUDIT STANDARDS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THE AUDIT OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.

UH, IN ADDITION TO AUDITING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CITY, WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO PERFORM SINGLE AUDITS OVER ANY MAJOR FEDERAL GRANT AND STATE GRANTS, UM, AND CONDUCTING THOSE AUDITS.

WE FOLLOW FOR FEDERAL GRANTS, WE FOLLOW UNIFORM GUIDANCE AND FOR STATE GRANTS, WE FOLLOW THE TEXAS UNIFORM GRANT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS.

WE ALSO LOOK AT THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF LAWS, REGULATIONS, CONTRACTS, AND GRANT AGREEMENTS.

UM, SUCH ITEMS WOULD INCLUDE PFI, A PUBLIC FUNDS, INVESTMENT ACT AND PROCUREMENT PROCESSES.

THE BASIS OF ACCOUNTING THAT IS BEING USED BY THE CITY.

SO FOR THE GOVERNMENT WIDE AND PROPRIETARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY USE THE, UM, ECONOMIC RESOURCE MEASUREMENT FOCUS AND THE FULL ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING AND FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, UM, THEY USE THE CURRENT ECONOMIC RESOURCE MEASUREMENT FOCUS AND A MODIFIED ACCRUAL VERSUS, UH, METHOD OF ACCOUNTING.

UM, SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT METHODS OF ACCOUNTING, UH, BEING USED BY THE CITY, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE, WHICH IS GAP.

UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND HOW THEY'RE BEING PRESENTED.

AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS, WE DO TAKE A RISK BASED APPROACH.

UM, SO WE DO A RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY BASED ON OUR RISK ASSESSMENT.

WE THEN TAILOR OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES, UM, TO ENABLE US TO RENDER AN OPINION.

UM, SO SOME OF THE RISKS THAT WE IDENTIFY, AND THIS IS TYPICAL OF MOST GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND CITIES AS A IMPROPER REVENUE RECOGNITION, UM, ON EXCHANGE AND EX AND NOT EXCHANGE REVENUES AND RECEIVABLES.

SO EXCHANGE RECEIVABLE OR EXCHANGE REVENUES ARE WHERE YOU HAVE A TRANSACTION WHERE YOU GIVE MONEY FOR SERVICES, AND THAT A NON EXCHANGE TRANSACTION IS A GRANT.

UM, WE ALSO LOOK FOR MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE OF CONTROLS, AND WE LOOK FOR UNAUTHORIZED CASH DISBURSEMENTS AND UNAUTHORIZED PAYROLL EXPENDITURES AND EXPENSES.

SO AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS UNDER GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS, WE ALSO HAVE TO OBTAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S KEY INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER SIGNIFICANT TRANSACT TRANSACTION CYCLES.

UM, SO THOSE TRANSACTION CYCLES THAT WE IDENTIFIED WOULD BE YOUR CASH RECEIPTS AND CASH MANAGEMENT PROCESSES,

[00:50:01]

AND THAT WILL GET INTO THE ACTUAL RESULTS OF OUR AUDIT.

SO WE ARE RENDERING TWO OPINIONS ON THE AUDIT OF THE CITY.

SO OUR FIRST OPINION THAT WE RENDER IS ON THE FINANCIAL.

AND THEN THE SECOND OPINION THAT WE RENDER, UM, WILL BE ON THE SINGLE AUDITS OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS. UH, PLEASED TO SAY THAT FOR BOTH OF THESE AUDITS, WE ARE RENDERING AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.

SO THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE IN AN AUDIT, UM, THAT SAYS THAT THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MATERIALLY STATED.

SO THERE'S NOT MATERIAL ERRORS, UM, THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THESE NUMBERS.

AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO LOOK AT INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING AND OVER THE SINGLE AUDIT, UM, WE DID IDENTIFY SOME MATERIAL WEAKNESSES AND SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS.

AND WE DID HAVE A FINDING OVER NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, OVER ONE OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, UH, WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE FIRST MATERIAL WEAKNESS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS RELATED TO PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENTS, UM, AND THIS, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO, UM, CORRECTING THE USEFUL LIVES ON ASSETS, UH, CAPITAL ASSETS, UM, THAT GET DEPRECIATED.

SO THE AIR THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UM, AND THESE USEFUL LIVES RESULTED IN, UH, UH, $8.7 MILLION INCREASE IN BEGINNING ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION.

UH, WE, ONCE WE IDENTIFIED THIS ISSUE, UH, THE CITY MADE THE CORRECTIONS TO THE USEFUL LIVES.

YOU KNOW, THE SCHEDULE IS CORRECT NOW.

SO THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE THAT RECURS GOING FORWARD AS THOSE USEFUL LIVES OF THOSE ASSETS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED.

THE SECOND FINDING THAT WE HAD, UH, JUST RELATED TO SOME FINANCIAL STATEMENT ADJUSTMENTS, UM, THIS RELATES TO EHRS AOA IDENTIFIED DURING THE AUDIT PROCESS.

UM, THE CITY HAS GENERATED A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN PLANS TO HIRE AND TRAIN ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY, UM, OF THE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE REVIEWED THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.

WE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF, ADDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING SHOULD, UH, CORRECT THESE ERRORS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE AUDIT AND ALSO IMPROVE THE TIMELINESS OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTING.

THE MATTER THAT WE FOUND WITH NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, UH, EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS OVER, OVER PROCUREMENT, NOT THE FEDERAL GRANT.

UH, SO THE NONCOMPLIANCE WAS A PROCUREMENT ISSUE WHERE WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR TESTING, WE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A LONG-TERM VENDOR, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY THAT DIDN'T HAVE A CURRENT CONTRACT.

UM, THE CITY'S PLAN IS TO IMPLEMENT PROCESSES, TO ENSURE THAT VENDORS DO HAVE A VALID CONTRACT.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S RENEWALS IN PLACE, EXTENSIONS IN PLACE.

UM, AND ACTUALLY THE VENDOR THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UH, THE CITY HAS ALREADY GONE BACK AND REMEDIATED THAT CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS VALID.

UH, THE FOURTH FINDING HERE THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE FINDINGS OKAY.

ARE WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT.

UM, SO JUST TO BACK UP A BIT, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS, THERE'S DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF CONTROL FINDINGS.

SO WE HAVE MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, UM, THAT CAN RESULT IN A MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES, WHICH IS A LEVEL BELOW THAT, WHERE WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE FOUND THIS WEAKNESS IN THIS CONTROLLED PROCESS.

UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE IMPROVEMENTS MADE SO THAT IT ULTIMATELY DOESN'T LEAD TO, UM, A MISSTATEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR, UH, UH, ERROR WITH COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL GRANT REQUIREMENTS.

UM, SO THE SIG SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF OUR GRANT REPORTING.

SO DURING OUR SINGLE AUDIT TESTING, UH, WE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WERE SOME FINANCIAL REPORTING INFORMATION, UM, FOR THE EDC GRANT THAT WASN'T BEING SUBMITTED TIMELY OR ACCURATELY.

UM, AGAIN, THE CITY HAS, UH, A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE ITS FINANCIAL REPORTING AND SHOULD REMEDIATE THIS PROCESS.

UM, JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, UM, I'VE INCLUDED, OR I'VE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT REPORT, WHICH IS THE THICK, UH, REPORT UP

[00:55:01]

THERE.

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH IS THE THINNER REPORT.

UH, ALL OF MANAGEMENT'S CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORT.

UM, AND AGAIN, THAT HAS, UH, IMPLEMENTATION DATES INCLUDED IN THEIR PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FINDINGS DON'T RECUR AND THEN, UH, THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES.

WHILE WE'RE ON WHILE WE'RE ON THE PAGE BEFORE YOU TURN IT, EXPLAIN TO ME, AND I KNOW SOME OTHERS, PERHAPS, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING, NOT THE BUSINESS BUILDING, UH, OR ACCOUNTING BUILDING EXPLAIN USEFUL LIVES.

SO A USEFUL LIFE.

SO WHENEVER THE CITY PURCHASES EQUIPMENT, UM, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF TANGIBLE ASSET THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, THEY ASSIGN A USEFUL LIFE TO THAT ASSET.

SO IF WE HAVE A, A VEHICLE THAT THE CITY PURCHASES, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, THIS VEHICLE SHOULD LAST 15 YEARS.

SO THEY ASSIGNED THAT VEHICLE A 15 YEAR USEFUL LIFE.

AND THEN BASED ON THAT USEFUL LIFE, THAT ASSET GETS DEPRECIATED OVER THAT 15 YEARS.

SO WE HAD AN ERROR, UM, AND IT REALLY RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS ACQUIRED 50 YEARS AGO.

UM, NOT BEING ACCURATELY REPORTED IN THE SCHEDULES, UM, WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD HAD, THEY NEEDED TO HAVE A USEFUL LIFE, BUT ACTUALLY THOSE ASSETS WERE FULLY DEPRECIATED.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE AIR WAS, WAS THAT THE SCHEDULE JUST SHOWED A USEFUL LIFE, BUT ACTUALLY THE ASSETS WERE FULLY DEPRECIATED BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE.

AND SO IT CAUSED AN $8.7 MILLION INCREASE IN THE ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION.

HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR BUDGET OR SO THAT, THAT IS A, THAT'S A NON-CASH ADJUSTMENT.

UM, IT, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT ANY OF THE BUDGETS BECAUSE IT'S BEING REPORTED AT THE GOVERNMENT WIDE LEVEL, UM, AND NOT AT THE FUND LEVEL THAT GETS BUDGETED.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR C? OKAY.

SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS A, WE HAVE SOME REQUIRED AUDITOR COMMUNICATIONS.

UM, SO ALL MATERIAL CORRECTED AND UNCORRECTED AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS, UM, HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO MANAGEMENT ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR, UH, GOVERNANCE LETTER, WHICH I FAILED TO GIVE YOU ALL.

IT WAS IN A DIFFERENT FOLDER, BUT, UM, MR. BARTON HAS A COPY OF THAT, OF THAT LETTER.

THIS IS JUST A FORM LETTER THAT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE.

UM, AND IT'S JUST ADDRESS FOR GOVERNANCE.

UH, BUT BASICALLY ALL THOSE AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH MANAGEMENT AGREED ON WITH MANAGEMENT.

UM, AND THERE'LL BE PROVIDED WITHIN THAT LETTER.

UM, THERE WERE NO TRANSACTIONS THAT THE CITY ENTERED INTO, UH, FOR WHICH THERE'S A LACK OF ANY KIND OF AUTHORITATIVE AUTHORITATIVE ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE OR CONSENSUS WITHIN THE COUNTY COMMUNITY.

UH, THERE WERE NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT THAT AROSE DURING THE COURSE OF OUR AUDIT AND THAT WE WERE INDEPENDENT THROUGHOUT THE AUDIT.

UH, ALSO THERE WERE NO CONSULTATIONS OR REQUEST FOR SECOND OPINIONS MADE BY OTHER ACCOUNTANTS.

SO WE DIDN'T REACH SOME CONCLUSION THAT THE CITY THEN WENT OUT TO TRY TO GET A SECOND OPINION ON ESSENTIALLY.

UH, SO WE CAME TO CONSENSUS WITH ALL CONCLUSIONS REACHED BETWEEN THE AUDIT AND MANAGEMENT.

FROM THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES TO THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES.

SO NEXT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE, UH, SOME FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON THE THICK BOOK HERE.

I'M OBVIOUSLY GOING TO CONDENSE THAT DOWN PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY HERE, JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER SOME OF THE KEY POINTS.

UM, SO THIS FIRST SLIDE IS OVER THE CHANGES IN NET POSITION.

UM, IF YOU WANTED TO FOLLOW ALONG IN THE ACTUAL, UM, COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, THIS IS INFORMATION COMES FROM PAGES 26 AND 27.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL REVENUES EXPENSES AND TRANSFERS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE, AND THE CITY'S ACTIVITIES GET BROKEN OUT BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES AND BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, UM, WITH YOUR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, BEING LIKE YOUR, UM, WATER SEWER, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND, THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES WHERE IT'S RUN AND OPERATES MORE LIKE A BUSINESS.

UM, SO THE, THE TOTAL REVENUES OF THE GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES WAS 97.6 MILLION TOTAL EXPENSES OF 88.9 AND TRANSFERS IN OF $6.7 MILLION, WHICH RESULTED IN A NET POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR NET POSITION WITHIN THE CITY OF $15.4 MILLION FOR YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES.

AND THEN FOR YOUR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES FOR 20, THERE WERE A TOTAL REVENUES OF $40 MILLION TOTAL EXPENSES OF $39 MILLION AND A TRANSFERS OUT OF 6.7 MILLION RESULTING IN A DECREASE IN CHANGING THAT POSITION TO 5.6 MILLION, AS YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE IN, OR THE NEGATIVE CHANGE IN NET POSITION FROM THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES WAS DUE TO THESE TRANSFERS

[01:00:01]

AND THESE WERE FOR REIMBURSEMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES PROVIDE FOR THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.

UM, SO THAT'S JUST OUR REIMBURSEMENT OF FUNDS THERE, UM, WHICH RESULTED IN THE, UH, THE NEGATIVE CHANGE IN THAT POSITION FOR THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.

SO NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT THE, A SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND THIS INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM REPORT PAGE 30.

SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND TOTAL, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE CONSOLIDATING YOUR GENERAL FUND, YOUR DEBT SERVICE FUND, YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND ALL YOUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT WE'RE JUST CONSOLIDATING ALL THOSE TOGETHER TO GET TO THESE NUMBERS.

UM, SO FOR FYI 2020, YOU HAD TOTAL REVENUES OF $90.2 MILLION.

AND IN 2019, THERE ARE TOTAL REVENUES OF $91 MILLION.

SO VERY CONSISTENT THE $800,000 CHANGE IN TOTAL REVENUES YEAR OVER YEAR.

UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THESE PERCENTAGES, UH, WITHIN THIS PIE GRAPH HERE ARE VERY COMPARABLE, UM, WITH THE LARGEST INCREASE COMING FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

SO WE HAVE ABOUT A $4 MILLION INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

AND THIS WAS DRIVEN ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX OR ASSESSED VALUES.

UH, YOU ALSO WILL NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A DECREASE IN YOUR INTER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUES.

SO THIS IS YOUR PRIMARILY YOUR GRANT FUNDING, AND THERE'S ABOUT A $5 MILLION DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR.

AND THAT IS DRIVEN JUST BY, UH, TIMING OF RECOGNITION OF REVENUE.

SO SINCE THE TIMING, UH, ISSUE THAT CAUSED THIS DECREASE, UH, IN YOUR INNER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUES, YES.

UH, IN THE, UH, 2020 REVENUES, YOU SAID THAT WE HAD 90, HOW MANY, UH, $90.2 MILLION TOTAL, AND THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THESE SIX BULLET POINTS? UH, YEAH, I THINK THERE THERE'S A SLIGHT ROUNDING ERROR BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COME OUT.

THERE'S LIKE 1% THAT'S NOT IN HERE.

SO IT WAS LESS THAN 1%.

SO THERE'S LIKE SOME MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES THAT AREN'T IN HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE LESS THAN 1% JUST TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, REPRESENTED IN THIS PIE GRAPH.

UH, THESE ARE THE MAIN CATEGORIES THAT MAKE UP 99% OF THE TOTAL REVENUES, BUT TOTAL REVENUES, YOU KNOW, PER THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS 90.2 MILLION.

SO YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING IF YOU'RE TO SEND THESE UP, I THINK IT'S 89.4 OR SOMETHING, BUT I WAS JUST RUNNING THE NUMBERS IN MY HEAD RIGHT HERE, AND I'M COMING UP WITH 86 AROUND 86.

SO I'M NOT SURE, BUT YOU CAN MOVE ON.

I'LL JUST, OKAY.

THERE WERE $88.6 MILLION OF EXPENDITURES.

UM, SO GOING OVER TO EXPENDITURES, SO TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UH, OF THE TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, AGAIN, THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDS, UH, FOR 2020, THERE ARE $90.2 MILLION OF EXPENDITURES FOR 2019.

AGAIN, VERY, VERY COMPARABLE NUMBERS.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE, IN THE CHART HERE, THAT THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF BIG SWINGS AND EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES YEAR OVER YEAR.

UM, THE ONE THAT DOES STAND OUT HERE IS FROM YOUR CAPITAL OUTLAY.

UM, SO THE CITY DID INCUR ABOUT $6 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL CAPITAL OUTLAY OVER PRIOR YEAR.

AND THOSE THAT, THAT CATEGORY DOES TYPICALLY SWING FROM YEAR TO YEAR, JUST BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT THE CITY HAS GOING ON, WHETHER IT BE STREET IMPROVEMENTS OR TRANSIT BUILDINGS BEING CONSTRUCTED.

SO THOSE TYPES OF, UH, OF EXPENSES DO SWING YEAR OVER YEAR.

BUT, UH, SOME OF YOUR BIG ONES THAT YOU LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, GENERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY ARE VERY COMPARABLE, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR, AND NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND BALANCE.

SO GOVERNMENTS ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE CALL EQUITY FUND BALANCE.

UM, SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S LEFT OVER AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR ASSETS, LESS, YOUR LIABILITIES, YOU END UP WITH FUND BALANCE AND FUND BALANCE FOR 2020 TOTAL TO $58.1 MILLION.

AND THEN THAT FUND BALANCE GETS CATEGORIZED INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

SO WE HAVE NON SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE AT $1.6 MILLION RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE OF 39.3.

AND THEN ON A SIDE OF 17.2, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE.

SO THOSE ARE MONIES THAT ARE SET ASIDE FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

UM, SO THAT 39.3 ROUGHLY COMES OUT TO YOU HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR DEBT SERVICE OF ABOUT 7.1 MILLION.

YOU HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS SET ASIDE OF ABOUT 25.7 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OF 4.1 AND THEN PUBLIC SAFETY OF $2 MILLION.

NOW YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS MONEY

[01:05:01]

THAT COULD BE USED FOR GENERAL GENERAL OPERATIONS.

SO THOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY EQUITY FUNDS THAT ARE LEFTOVER FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 30% OF YOUR TOTAL, UH, GOVERNMENTAL FUND BALANCE.

NEXT, WE WILL LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR PROPRIETARY FUNDS, UM, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, TOTAL REVENUES, UH, OF YOUR WATER SEWER FUND, YOUR SOLID WASTE FUND AND THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND.

SO FOR 2020, YOU HAD TOTAL REVENUES OF 36.4 MILLION, UH, 2019 35.8.

SO AGAIN, VERY COMPARABLE NUMBERS AND REVENUE, UM, ABOUT A $600,000 SWING YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, AND PERFORMING THE AUDIT, THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, THIS CAME FROM INCREASE IN CUSTOMER BASE AND COLLECTIONS.

UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE PERCENTAGE WISE VERY VERY CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR.

NEXT.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURES.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THESE EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION, UH, ACROSS THESE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.

UM, AGAIN, BEING THE WATER SEWER FUND, UH, THE SOLID WASTE FUND OR EXCUSE ME.

YEP.

SOLID WASTE FUND AND THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND.

UH, SO TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR 2020 OR 36.8 TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR 29 OR 36.4.

AGAIN, VERY, VERY COMPARABLE EXPENDITURE NUMBERS.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF SWINGS ACROSS DIFFERENT EX UH, FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES.

UM, THE ONE THAT DOES STAND OUT IS YOUR INTEREST EXPENSE.

AGAIN, THIS IS DUE TO TIMING OF WHEN YOUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ARE DUE.

UM, SO THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN THE CURRENT YEAR AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT THE NET POSITION OF YOUR PROPRIETARY FUNDS.

SO YOU HAD ENDING NET POSITION OF FORTY, A HUNDRED FORTY FIVE $0.7 MILLION.

AND I DID NOTICE THERE WAS A MATH ERROR IN THAT TABLE THERE, THE 1 64 0.9 LESS THAN 19.2, THAT EQUALS 1 45 0.7.

SORRY, I IDENTIFY THAT ERROR EARLIER, BUT I DIDN'T GET IT UPDATED IN THE, IN THE SLIDE DECK.

BUT, UM, THOSE TWO CATEGORIES DO DO SOME TO 1 45 0.7, UM, WHICH WAS A DECREASE OF ABOUT $5.9 MILLION FROM PRIOR YEAR.

AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THOSE TRANSFERS THAT GO FROM PROPR PROPRIETARY FUNDS, THAT BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES ARE SYNONYMOUS.

SO THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THOSE TRANSFERS OVER TO, TO YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES FOR REIMBURSEMENT, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

AND THEN THE FINAL SLIDE THAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON.

UM, AND THIS ACTUALLY COMES FROM REPORT PAGE 85.

AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, UM, TO ACTUAL SCHEDULE.

UM, SO THE GENERAL FUND IS THE PRIMARY OPERATING FUND OF THE CITY.

UM, SO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE FINAL BUDGET, UH, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, UH, WAS BUDGETING A LOSS OF $756,000.

UM, THE ACTUAL RESULT WAS A POSITIVE CHANGE IN A FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND OF $6.8 MILLION.

SO THE NET NET VARIANCE FOR THE POSITIVE SWING AND YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO ACTUAL WAS $7.5 MILLION.

WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR GENERAL FUND, WE ALSO LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AND YOUR GENERAL FUND, UM, AND THE CITY DOES HAVE A MINIMUM ON ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE FUND POLICY.

AND THAT IS TO HAVE 60 DAYS OF EXPENDITURES, PLUS $1.5 MILLION.

SO THE CITY ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THAT REQUIREMENT BY $20.1 MILLION.

SO THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND, TOTAL 31.8, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT WAS $11.7 MILLION.

SO YOU DID HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CITIES STRUGGLED TO GET TO 90 DAYS TO EVEN GET TO A HUNDRED DAYS.

SO TO HAVE 187 DAYS IS VERY HEALTHY, UH, GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE.

UM, AGAIN, THIS IS UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR OPERATIONS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

UM, SO REALLY KIND OF JUST, UH, IN SUMMARY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS REALLY IN PRETTY STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES VERY COMPARABLE YEAR OVER YEAR, ANOTHER THING I LIKE TO LOOK AT IS AVAILABLE CASH.

UM, SO I RAN THE NUMBERS AND THE CITY HAD ABOUT $74 MILLION OF AVAILABLE CASH, UNRESTRICTED CASH, UH, TO COVER $23.9 MILLION OF CURRENT LIABILITIES.

SO LOTS OF EXCESSIVE CASH, EXCESS CASH CASH TO BE USED GOING FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, NEXT YEAR'S OPERATIONS, UH, AND A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO COVER WHAT'S CURRENTLY DUE AS OF THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE KEY POINTS THAT I WANTED

[01:10:01]

TO GO OVER.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE ANY OTHER REMARKS FOR YES.

ONLY, UH, THE PROCUREMENT SIDE THEN WHEN YOU AUDITED THE, UH, PROCEDURES THAT WE, UH, USE TO OPERATE, PURCHASING, BEING INVOICED AND PAYING, UH, EVERYTHING WAS, WAS GOOD WITH, WITH, WITH THAT PROCEDURE.

UM, SO, WELL, I SAY YES TO AN EXTENT.

SO WE DID IDENTIFY AS PART OF OUR TESTING.

WHAT WE DO IS WE TEST ALL THE VENDORS OVER A CERTAIN DOLLAR THRESHOLD, UM, THAT ARE REQUIRE CONTRACTS, UM, OR SOME TYPE OF APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURE.

UM, AND WE JUST SAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T TEST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EVERY SINGLE TRANSACTION, BUT WE SAMPLE THAT AS PART OF OUR SAMPLE.

WE DID IDENTIFY ONE VENDOR, UM, WHERE THE CONTRACT WASN'T VALID.

UH, SO WE BROUGHT THAT TO MANAGEMENT.

UM, THEY THEN TOOK THAT RE OUR RECOMMENDATION OF, YOU KNOW, ADDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING, PUTTING CERTAIN PROCESSES INTO PLACE, UM, UH, TO REMEDIATE THAT ISSUE.

BUT AS FAR AS JUST THE GENERAL PROCESS OF PAY, PAYING INVOICES AS THEY'RE RECEIVED AND GOING THROUGH THE PROPER APPROVAL PROCESS, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING THE, THE INVOICES AND MATCHING THEM WITH THE CHECKS GOING OUT.

YEAH, WE DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.

IT WAS JUST THE PROCUREMENT SIDE THAT WE HAD THE ONE FINDING, BUT JUST THE GENERAL PROCESS OF JUST DISPERSING THE CASH TO VENDORS.

WE DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.

UH, COSMIN MOSES, NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THIS IS PROBABLY ABOUT MY FOURTH SITTING WITH, UM, GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT AND THIS IS GOOD.

I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.

WELL, NOW I MOVED TO A PRESENTATION ABOUT STAFF REGARDING THE MARCH FINANCIAL REPORT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER BIG KEY COMPONENT TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, THE CITY DID RECEIVE UNMODIFIED OPINIONS AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE KEY POINT YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR IS MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT UNMODIFIED OPINION, UM, HELPS WITH BOND RATINGS.

UM, A LOT OF THINGS HINGE ON THE TYPE OF OPINION THAT'S RENDERED ON THESE TYPES OF AUDITS.

AND, AND AGAIN, TO GET TO AN UNMODIFIED OPINION, I CAN'T GET ANY BETTER, SO.

[III.B.5. A Presentation By Staff Regarding The March Financial Report ]

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I DO HAVE, UM, I BELIEVE, YES.

LINDSAY HAS A PRESENTATION FOR YOU.

UH, THIS IS OUR MARCH, UM, MONTHLY REPORT, UH, AND INCLUDED WITH THE MARCH MONTHLY IS ALSO THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT AT THE END.

UM, THIS IS THE SIX MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

UH, CURRENTLY THEY'RE $63 MILLION, WHICH IS 2.3 MILLION ABOUT THE ESTIMATE.

UH, 15.5 MILLION HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.

AND THIS IS ABOVE THE ESTIMATE, UH, BY ABOUT 634,000.

WE DO RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF PROPERTY TAXES IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

UM, 33.2 MILLION WAS RECEIVED AND INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS, AND THOSE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL RECEIVED SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE GENERAL FRIEND THROUGH MARCH IS 7.2 MILLION OR ABOUT A MILLION ABOVE THE CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE.

AND THIS IS ABOUT 18% ABOVE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

SO SALES TAX IS STILL DOING VERY WELL.

UH, THERE IS A TWO MONTH TIME LAG AND RECEIPTS.

SO YOUR MARCH RECEIPTS REPRESENT JANUARY SALES.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, WE'VE GOT THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES, UH, EXPENDITURES, UH, 30.4 MILLION THROUGH MARCH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BELOW THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY ABOUT $4 MILLION.

UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE REQUESTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS NEEDED.

AND THERE IS ONE IN YOUR, UH, AGENDA TODAY, YOU WILL FUND A BUDGET AMENDMENT.

UH, UM, THE AMENDED BUDGET HAS AN ESTIMATED ENDING FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 24 MILLION OR 121 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.

UH, TOTAL REVENUES ARE 63 MILLION AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES

[01:15:01]

ARE 36.8 MILLION RESULTING IN A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE OF 57.4 MILLION AT MARCH 31ST.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE FUND BALANCE AS WELL IN EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS 60 DAYS PLUS ONE AND A HALF MILLION.

AND THAT AGAIN, I BELIEVE I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT IT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUES COME IN EARLY IN THE YEAR, AND THEN THE EXPENSES ARE SPREAD OUT MORE EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO YOU WILL SEE THIS FUND BALANCE DECLINING AS WE GET INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS.

UH, NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, YOU HAVE THE WATER FUND, UH, REVENUES TOTAL 15.7 MILLION AT MARCH 31ST, WHICH IS ABOVE THE BUDGET IT'LL LEVEL BY 210,210,000.

UH, IT IS LOOKING MUCH BETTER THIS MONTH THAN SHE RECALLED LAST MONTH.

UH, WE HAD A TIME TIMING DIFFERENCE THAT THAT MADE IT, IT LOOKED BAD.

UH, THE OPERATING EXPENSES, TOTAL 9.6 MILLION, WHICH IS UNDER THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY ABOUT 1.2 MILLION.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, WE HAVE THE SOLID WASTE FUND SOLID WASTE REVENUES, TOTAL 4.6 MILLION THROUGH MARCH, WHICH IS BELOW THE ESTIMATE BY ABOUT 620,000.

UH, OPERATING EXPENSES ARE CURRENTLY 3.1 MILLION, WHICH IS UNDER BUDGET BY 298,000 OR RATE INCREASE WAS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1ST, WHICH WILL BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

AND THIS INCREASE ALONG WITH FUNDING FROM OTHER POTENTIAL REVENUE SOURCES, WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, SHOULD ALLOW THE FUND.

IT BECOMES THE SELF-SUSTAINING GOING FORWARD.

IT STILL IS IN THE NEGATIVE, BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY AS WE GO ALONG AND WE GET THESE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES IN PLACE THAT WILL START TO LOOK BETTER, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FUND TO ENSURE THAT EXPENSES DO REMAIN IN LINE WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES.

NEXT PAGE, LINDSEY.

UM, OH, SORRY.

UH, THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND IS NEXT.

UH, REVENUES ARE 501,000, WHICH IS A BLOCK ABOVE THE ESTIMATE BY ABOUT 14,000 AND OPERATING EXPENSES ARE 430,000, WHICH IS 46,000 BELOW.

THE BUDGETED AMOUNT EXPENSES ARE IN LINE WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES AT THIS TIME.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, UH, WE'VE GOT OUR STREETS SUMMARY, UM, ALLOCATION BY YEAR AND DISTRICT HERE.

UH, THIS PAGE DOESN'T CHANGE A WHOLE LOT.

UH, IT JUST GIVES YOU THE TOTAL ALLOCATION FOR ALL YEARS.

ONE THROUGH FOUR AND 62.6 MILLION WITH 19.5 MILLION FROM YEAR ONE 14.4 MILLION FROM YEAR TO 15.2 MILLION IN YEAR THREE AND 13.5 MILLION IN YEAR FOUR.

AND THEN I THINK WE'VE NOTED BEFORE THE, UH, THE ALLOCATION BY DISTRICT FOR RECONSTRUCTION IN YOUR FOUR IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE IT'S CURRENTLY BASED ON YOUR THREE PERCENTAGES STILL.

AND YOUR FOUR REMEDIATION INCLUDES 3 MILLION IN DISTRICT ONE FOR WOODWORTH BOULEVARD AND 500,000, THE DISTRICT FOUR FOR JIMMY JOHNSON EXTENSION.

UH, NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, WE HAVE THE STREET SUMMARY EXPENSES.

UH, 22.2 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT THROUGH MARCH LEAVING A BALANCE OF 40.4 MILLION OF WHICH 25.2 MILLION IS COMMITTED TO OPEN STREET PROJECTS.

AND THERE'S CURRENTLY 15.3 MILLION REMAINING TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE YEAR ONE THROUGH FOUR ALLOCATIONS, WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, WE HAVE THE OPEN STREET PROJECTS ON THIS PAGE AND ASSA, UH, THE END OF MARCH 38.5 MILLION HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR OPEN STREET PROJECTS.

13.4 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 25.1 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE OPEN PROJECTS.

NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR GENERAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IS 31.7 MILLION EXPENDITURES.

TOTAL 7.1 MILLION WITH 24.6 MILLION REMAINING TO BE SPENT.

THIS DOES INCLUDE, UH, FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE OF A FIRE VEHICLE.

PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, WE HAVE OUR OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LISTED ON THIS PAGE, UH, BEGINNING WITH DRAINAGE, UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, 69.1 MILLION.

THIS IS PRIMARILY FUNDED FROM FEMA MITIGATION GRANTS AND CDBG 5.8 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 63.3 MILLION DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION BUDGET IS 50 IS 5.1 MILLION PRIMARILY FOR PARKING LOT EXPANSION AND FIBER OPTIC IMPROVEMENTS.

3 MILLION WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH

[01:20:01]

AN EDA GRANT.

773,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE LEAVING A BALANCE OF 4.3.

NEXT, WE HAVE WATER UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS CURRENTLY BUDGETED AT 84.9 MILLION, PRIMARILY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 9.9 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY WITH 75 MILLION REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS PLEASURE ISLAND.

WE HAVE 590,000 FOR A BOAT LAUNCH AND PARKING LOT REPAIRS, WHICH IS PRIMARILY FUNDED FROM THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

57,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY.

EDC PRESS BUILDING RENOVATION BUDGETED AT 10.9 MILLION OF WHICH 4.7 MILLION IS FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM EDA TODAY.

9.9 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT LEAVING A BALANCE OF 950,000 TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

AND LAST ON THIS PAGE, WE HAVE THE, UH, ARP GRANT PROJECTS, UH, IN MARCH OF 21 THAT SHE RECALLED THE CITY WAS AWARDED 26.6 MILLION, UH, FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

UM, SEVERAL PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE 2022 BUDGETS.

HE FUNDED FROM AARP, INCLUDING 18 MILLION FOR WASTE WATER WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

A TOTAL OF 1.4 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT LEAVING A BALANCE OF 25.2 MILLION.

AND THERE IS A BUDGET AMENDMENT ON TODAY'S AGENDA, WHICH WILL INCREASE THIS APPROPRIATION BY ABOUT 102,000.

UH, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF THE GRANT AWARDED WAS 26.7 MILLION.

AND WE HAD NOT BUDGETED THE FULL AMOUNT.

SO THIS JUST BUDGETED THE BUDGETS, THE REST OF IT, SO THAT IT'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS.

UH, NEXT PAGE, LINDSEY, THIS IS THE RECAP OF THE 2021 CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.

UH, THE PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 32.9 MILLION AND CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, WHICH WERE ISSUED IN 2021, WHICH INCLUDES STREET PROJECTS, DRAINAGE, PUMP STATIONS, ANIMAL SHELTER, NEW HEALTH BUILDING, RENOVATIONS AND WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS.

996,000 HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR LEAVING A BALANCE OF 31.9 MILLION.

NEXT PAGE LINDSEY.

THIS IS OUR, UH, DISASTER FUNDS.

UH, FIRST, UH, COLUMN.

WE HAVE HURRICANE HARVEY, 30 POINTS HE MILLION HAS BEEN RECEIVED PRIMARILY FROM FEMA AND INSURANCE, 34.1 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES LEAVING A $3.9 MILLION DEFICIT AT THIS TIME WITH PENDING REIMBURSEMENTS OF 253,000, WHICH WILL REDUCE THIS TO 3.7 MILLION.

UH, THE COVID-19, UH, 3 MILLION HAS BEEN RECORDED IN REVENUES AND DONATIONS AND EXPENDITURES TO DATE OR 3.5 MILLION HURRICANE LAURA, 217,000 RECEIVED IN INSURANCE, UM, AND 3 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.

UH, THE CITY DOES CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CAPTURE AS MUCH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL DISASTERS.

AND LAST PAGE LINDSEY, WE HAVE THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT, CASH AND INVESTMENTS TOTALED 144.8 MILLION.

AT THE END OF MARCH.

THIS IS A DECREASE OF 4.9 MILLION FROM LAST QUARTER, WHICH WAS 149.7 MILLION.

THIS DECREASE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS THAT WENT OUT IN FEBRUARY, AND IT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY'S NORMAL CASH FLOW AT MARCH 30.

FIRST BANK DEPOSITS TOTALED 6.8 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 5% OF THE PORTFOLIO.

UH, THE REST OF THE REMAINDER 138 MILLION, UH, WAS AN AUTHORIZED INVESTMENT POOLS.

AND THAT WAS ABOUT 95% OF THE PORTFOLIO.

UH, THE AVERAGE ILL YIELD FOR THE QUARTER IT'S 0.06, 5%, WHICH IS UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE LAST QUARTER AND IN LINE WITH CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS.

THE INTEREST EARNED THIS QUARTER IS 22,800, AND TOTAL IS 33,000 FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.

IT'S JUST REITS ARE ON THE RISE THOUGH IN MARCH A FED FUNDS TARGET RATE WAS RAISED 25 BASIS POINTS.

AND ON MAY 4TH, IT WAS RAISED ANOTHER 50 BASIS POINTS.

SO WE WILL BE SEEING SOME INCREASES IN INTEREST RATES, NOT ONLY ON THE INCOME SIDE, BUT ALSO ON THE EXPENSE SIDE.

UH, ALL INVESTMENTS ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH INVESTMENT POLICY AS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.

AND THAT IS MY REPORT.

YES, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS THANK YOU AND THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT FOR THE AUDIT THAT WE JUST HEARD.

UM,

[01:25:01]

I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR THE JOB THAT YOU DID, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO GET THAT UNMODIFIED REPORT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER NOW? THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

UH, EXCUSE ME, WE NOW HAVE A, UH, PRESENTATION BY STAFF REGARDING UNFILLED POSITIONS.

[III.B.6. A Presentation By Staff Regarding Unfilled Positions ( Requested By Mayor Pro Tern Frank) ]

IT'S BEEN REQUESTED BY MAIL PRO KIM FRANK MAYER.

LET ME SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS ON IT, BEFORE WE BEGIN TO SPREAD SAY, GOOD EVENING, HI, THE REASON WHY I AM REQUESTING THIS, UM, THIS PRESENTATION.

AND IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY TALKING ABOUT FILLING VACANT POSITIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR.

AND I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT AND IMPERATIVE THAT ALL OF US DO WHAT'S AND NECESSARY FOR OUR CITY.

WHEN I WAS ON SCHOOL BOARD, WILLIE MAE ELMORE USED TO SAY ALL THE TIME THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, MAKE A LIVING, THEY WILL TAKE A LIVING.

AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THAT MINDSET THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE PEOPLE, I'VE HAD PEOPLE TO CALL ME AND THEY WERE PUTTING IN APPLICATIONS.

HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM OUR CITY, AND THEN THEY WERE BEING HIRED BY OTHER PLACES, GREAT LAKES, OTHER PLACES.

AND I AM, I BECAME CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT HIRED TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

AND THEN AFTER A TIME OF FRUSTRATION, AFTER A TIME WHERE THEY WOULD NOT CALL BY OUR CITY, THEN THEY WERE HIRED AND WERE HIREABLE BY OTHER ENTITIES.

AND SO I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN ALWAYS.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU ALL HAVE NOT BEEN DOING, BUT I THINK IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CHECK OURSELVES.

AND, AND WE'VE ALWAYS SAID, WE CONTINUE TO SAY AS A COUNCIL, THAT WE DON'T DO WHAT WE EXPECT.

WE DO WHAT WE INSPECT.

AND SO THAT IS WHY I'M CALLING FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON TODAY.

15, ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, 14.

HIGH DEMAND AND SHORT SUPPLY FOR SKILLED WORKERS IN THE WORKPLACE MEANS THAT FILLING DEPARTMENTAL VACANCIES WILL BE A CHALLENGE.

THE DEPARTMENTS WHEN WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TAKE FILLING VACANT POSITIONS AT A STEADY PACE.

WHEN NEW JOB VACANCIES ARISE, WE OFTEN FACE CHALLENGES WITH FILLING THE POSITIONS DEPENDING ON THE POSITION SKILL LEVEL AND EXPERIENCE.

THE PROCESS OF HIRING CAN BE OVERWHELMING TO ALL INVOLVED.

THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS TO FILL VACANCIES AS PROMPTLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE ADHERING TO ALL APPLICABLE CITY POLICIES, DESCRIPTION REQUIREMENTS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT LAWS.

THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES WILL FLUCTUATE WITH EVERY UPDATE DUE TO ONGOING TERMINATIONS, RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS HR AND DEPARTMENT HEADS TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS OF OPEN POSITIONS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

UH, THE VACANCY COMPARISON, UM, COMPARING JANUARY, 2022 TO MAY, 2022, BASED ON OUR LAST VACANCY REPORT GIVEN ON JANUARY THE 11TH 2022, THE VACANCY LIST HAS INCREASED SLIGHTLY.

THE LAST REPORT YIELDED APPROXIMATELY 42 VACANT POSITIONS TODAY.

THE NUMBER IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER AT 49 POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THROUGH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.

THE INCREASE IS CONTRIBUTED TO RETIREMENTS OF TENURED EMPLOYEES, TERMINATIONS AND RESIGNATIONS.

THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD, WE HAVE HIRED BETWEEN 20 TO 25 EMPLOYEES RETIRED ONE EMPLOYEE WITH TWO ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES LEAVING AT THE END OF THE MONTH OF MAY AND PROCESS EIGHT TERMINATIONS AND RESIGNATIONS ACCOUNT OF VACANCY.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY OF THIS YEAR VACANCIES IN JANUARY OF 2022 PARKS HAD FOUR PUBLIC WORKS, 17 UTILITY OPERATIONS, 16, ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, FIVE COMPARED TO MAY OF 2022 PARKS AND REC HAS THREE.

PUBLIC WORKS HAS 17.

AND I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED A FIVE STATUS AND WAGES TO FEEL FIVE OF THOSE 17 POSITIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS TODAY, UTILITY OPERATIONS,

[01:30:01]

AND WHEN I MENTIONED ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, IT INCLUDES POLICE NON-CIVIL SERVICE IT FINANCE, WHICH INCLUDES ACCOUNTING AND PURCHASING HEALTH, THE LIBRARY TRANSIT AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES.

UM, SO THE TOP REASONS FOR VACANCIES COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE IN A STUDY CONDUCTED IN 2021 BY THE CENTER FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE, RECRUITING AND RETAINING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT.

IT HAS BEEN IN DECADES.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ARE HIRING, BUT HUMAN RESOURCES, PROFESSIONALS FACE COMPETITION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, CELEBRATING RETIREMENT RATES IN A SHORTAGE OF APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, JOBS, RETIREMENTS EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RETIREMENT ELIGIBLE ARE CHOOSING TO VACAY POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES WITH 20 PLUS YEARS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

WE HAVE HAD ONE SINCE ONE RETIREMENT.

SINCE OUR LAST REPORT, WE HAVE RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS FOR AT LEAST TWO MORE WHO WILL BE RETIRING AT THE END OF MAY, TERMINATIONS AND RESIGNATION.

WITHIN THIS PERIOD OF REPORTING, THERE HAS BEEN EIGHT TERMINATIONS OR RESIGNATIONS, AWOL JOB DESCRIPTION, JOB PERFORMANCE, AND RESIGNATIONS, AND MAKE UP THIS NUMBER.

AS IT RELATES TO RESIGNATIONS, EMPLOYEES ARE LEAVING FOR LESS STRESS AND SCRUTINY AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE ARE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES.

SO A STATUS OF THE VACANT POSITIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE CURRENTLY, WE HAVE, UM, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE POSTED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THERE ARE NINE POSITIONS POSTED UNTIL FIELD 10 REFERRALS HAVE BEEN, UM, SENT TO DEPARTMENTS.

AND WHEN I SAY REFERRALS, WE, UM, THE APPLICATIONS ARE SENT TO THE DEPARTMENT.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK OVER THOSE APPLICANTS, TO SEE WHO THEY WISH TO INTERVIEW.

WE HAVE SEVEN INTERVIEWS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD, BUT NO RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN MADE.

AND ONE, UM, JOB POSITION WHERE THEY'RE CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AND SO MANY OTHER AND OTHER CONSISTS OF NO REQUISITION RECEIVED REQUEST TO REPOST THE POSITION, AWAITING ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION OR ON HOLD PER THE CITY MANAGER.

THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE HAS RECEIVED OVER 500 APPLICATIONS FOR VARIOUS POSITIONS BETWEEN MID JANUARY TO PRESENT INDIVIDUALS APPLY AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT MEET THE MINIMUM QUALITY QUALIFICATIONS FOR SAID, POSITION HR AND DEPARTMENT HEADS MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO HIRE THE MOST QUALIFIED AND SKILLED INDIVIDUALS FOR OPEN POSITIONS, ORGANIZATIONS PAYING COMPETITIVE WAGES DO NOT MAKE IT EASY FOR US TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE CITY.

THE HR DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATED IN AN IN-PERSON JOB FAIR AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE PORT ARTHUR ON TODAY, AND WILL ATTEND TWO VIRTUAL JOB FAIRS ON MAY 19TH AND MAY 26TH.

WE ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES OF SPONSORING A JOB FAIR AT THE CIVIC CENTER WITH A TENTATIVE DATE OF JUNE FOUR 14TH.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS WILL FOLLOW TO DATE.

WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NON JOB FAIRS SINCE OUR LAST UPDATE.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. WILLIAMS KENALOG? NO, PLEASE.

YOU FINISHED IT, YOU BOUGHT IT.

I W I DEFER TO YOU AFTER YOU BOUGHT IT ON THE, ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER.

ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT, THAT SHE BROUGHT TO BEAR WAS THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT, THAT IT IS A GRAVE COMPETITION WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE.

AND THEN IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, AS WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THAT, HAVE WE DONE A, HAVE WE DONE A STUDY OF SALARIES, UH, FOR THE CITY, FOR OUR WORKERS TO TRY TO, UH, GIVE THEM INCREASES IN SALARY TO MAKE IT MORE, UM, UH, UH, POSSIBLE THAT THEY WOULD STAY HERE WITHIN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY LIKE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND JUST IN, IN GENERAL, SO THAT WE CAN COMPETE, UH, AND KEEP, UH, PUBLIC WORKERS.

I WAS, UH, MADE AWARE OF SOMEONE WHO HAD WORKED IN OUR CITY, UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UH, AND, UH, HAD NOT, I MEAN, ALMOST 25, 30 YEARS OR SO, AND HAD NEVER REACHED $50,000 IN SALARY.

UM, WE CAN'T DO THAT AND EXPECT THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA WANT TO WORK IN OUR CITY, UH, AND, UM, AND WANT TO STAY.

[01:35:01]

HAVE WE DONE THAT MR. CITY MANAGER? THANK YOU.

THEY ANSWER TO YOUR COUNSELOR.

THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.

UM, THE FILM OF BAKER, TILLY HAS JUST COMPLETED A STUDY FOR ME, UM, FOR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, SALARIES AND COMPENSATION, MORE SALARIES THOUGH.

AND I'M LOOKING AT FOR THE BUDGET IN PROCESS TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE IN TERMS OF THE MATRIX THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR, IF YOU USE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH WE GO BY, WHICH WE, UM, ASCRIBED STEP INCREASES TO INDIVIDUALS, UM, AS THEY BE, AS THEY'RE BEING EVALUATED, IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE.

UM, WE HAVE FOUND OUT I'VE GOT, UM, UM, THE COMPANY TO LOOK AT IT.

AND EVEN THE RATES THAT WE CONTINUE TO APPLY TO EACH INDIVIDUAL, MOSTLY THOSE IN THE LOWER BRACKETS, WE ARE VERY MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE THAN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

SO, YEAH, SO EVEN THEN WHEN, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL IS BEING EVALUATED, UM, 99.99 TIMES OF OF THE, IN THE PROCESS, THAT INDIVIDUAL GETS A STEP INCREASE.

SO WE REMAIN VERY COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO EVEN OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ABLE TO ATTRACT EMPLOYEES FROM THE NEIGHBOR IN MUNICIPALITIES TO COME AND WORK FOR US, ESPECIALLY IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND IN OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO, UM, PROGRESS UP THE LADDER.

THE ANSWER IS YES, YES.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY AS WE INTEND TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.

WELL, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU IN PRIVATE OF COURSE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE OR PUBLICLY, BUT WE WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT INFORMATION WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL WAS WORKING, UH, FOR THE CITY FOR THAT EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND HAD NOT YET REACHED THE $50,000 PLATEAU.

SO PLEASE I WILL SHARE THAT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A PERIOD OF, UM, IMPROVING AN INDIVIDUALS, EDUCATIONAL ABILITY, UM, FRAUD, THE ORGANIZATION.

ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT I'VE MADE IS, UM, ENSURING THAT THE AMOUNT THAT'S IS BEING AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.

I INCREASED IT FROM $1,500 TO $3,000 PER INDIVIDUAL.

SO EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO LOOKS AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE, WHETHER IT'S AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR BACHELOR'S DEGREE, OR EVEN INDIVIDUALS.

NOW I HAVE ON STAFF WHO ARE PURSUING THEIR DOCTORAL DEGREES, I HAVE MADE SURE THAT I HAVE CHANGED IT AND COUNCIL HAS APPROVED IT, UM, WHERE WE CAN MAKE THAT MONEY'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, WHY THEY CONTINUE TO, UM, SOUP THEIR TENURE WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

SO, YES.

CASPER CAROLA, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, DIRECTOR, UH, I, I BOUGHT, I BOUGHT THIS THREE TIMES TO THE COUNCIL TO BE GIVE A PRESENTATION AND YOU KNOW, HOW I FELT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, MONTHS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT REVISE APPLICATION TO JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THAT WAS SWIMMING IN THE BARRIERS THAT WE WERE HAVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND IT KIND OF HARD TO HIRE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF COMPETITIVE HIRING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

BUT THE ONES, THE PHONE CALLS THAT I GET ARE, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMEN, I APPLIED FOR THE CITY.

I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK.

COUNCILMAN APPLY FOR THE CITY.

THEY DIDN'T HIRE ME, COUNCILMAN.

I MEAN, WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? AND I, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE STARTED GOING OUT TO OTHER ENTITIES, UH, INDUSTRIES OR, UH, UH, JOBS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE.

IN-HOUSE FIRST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HIRE PORT ARTHUR, PEOPLE IN PORT ARTHUR TO KEEP, KEEP THEM HERE.

AND THAT'S JUST HOW I PERSONALLY FEEL ABOUT IT.

UM, UH, WE'D ALSO TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY JOB DESCRIPTIONS WERE THREE YEARS AND OLDER AND, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUOUSLY BUDGET FOR THESE JOBS AND WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T FILL THEM.

YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A JOB DESCRIPTION ARE A LIST OF JOB DESCRIPTION.

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS CONCERNED THAT I ALSO HAD, UH,

[01:40:01]

I SEE THAT WE HAVE ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE KNOW IS GOING TO GET HOT, YOU KNOW, MAY JUNE, JULY.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE DO THE MAJORITY OF CUTTING GRASS, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND RECREATION.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD EVER HAVE A VACANCY THERE.

I DON'T THINK PUBLIC WORK IS ONE OF THOSE ONES.

WE HAVE 17.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE CENTRAL BASIC NEEDS SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT.

SO WHAT IS PREVENTING US TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY JUST KEEP THESE NUMBERS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THAT WE CAN HIRE THESE PEOPLE, IS IT PAY OR, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THE CITY MANAGERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THOSE THINGS ABOUT INCREASE IN, PAY IN STEP OR IN BRANCH INCREASES, BUT YOU KNOW, MY HICCUP ON IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND REVISING THOSE THINGS.

I MEAN, WHAT IS, WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHY CAN'T, BECAUSE I'M GETTING THE CALLS.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY COHORTS HERE, BUT I GET THE CALLS, YOU KNOW, I APPLY FOR CITY.

DO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A WAY THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, GET THIS INFORMATION TO THE CITY AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION.

I CONTACT HR DEPARTMENT AND, AND THEY DO BECAUSE WE GET THE CAUSE AS WELL.

UM, WE ARE REVAMPING JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

WE HAVE SENT JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO DEPARTMENT HEADS.

SOME OF THEM, UM, ARE REVAMPING THOSE TO KIND OF MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER TO EMPLOY THOSE PEOPLE THAT APPLY.

AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IN LIKE, UM, SOME OF THEM MAY NOT NEED A CDL LICENSE.

THEY'LL JUST NEED LIKE A, A REGULAR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CERTIFICATIONS.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT US NOT MEETING THE NUMBERS IN FILLING THESE VACANCIES.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE GET APPLICATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND THEY DON'T MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR, UM, THE JOB LIKE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, ASSISTANT LIBRARY, DIRECTOR POSITION OPEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE APPLY AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE MLS DEGREE AND THAT'S MANDATORY FOR THEIR JOB.

IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FACTORS, BUT WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

AND I JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH US BECAUSE IT IS A PROCESS.

AND I REMEMBER IT.

THANK YOU DIRECTOR, BUT I DO ALSO REMEMBER YOU, YOU SAY ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN, THE CDLS AND SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, AND YOU, YOU GOT ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER ALONG WITH COUNCIL TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THOSE CDLS OUT OF THOSE JOBS.

AND THAT'S WHAT, LIKE PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITY OPERATIONS.

THEY ARE TWO OF THOSE BIGGER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THOSE, UH, LARGE VACANCIES.

SO THEY ARE WORKING ON JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE NOT POSSESSED THAT LICENSE OR CAN'T GET IT, BUT STILL HAVING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THOSE JOBS.

AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WE WENT FOR THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, BUT HE DIDN'T THINK THAT HE WAS GOING TO DRIVE THE GARBAGE TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HE'S BEEN TERMINATED LESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER HE RECEIVED THE JOB.

OH, CITY MANAGER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

UH, I LIKE TO ASK FOR THIS INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY JOBS ARE THREE YEARS OLDER THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY BUDGET FOR AND THESE, IN THESE ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS, CAN YOU LIST THEM AND PROVIDE IT TO THE COUNCIL? IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT IT.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO, OVERSPEAK ON SOMETHING NOW.

I'M NOT, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE FACTS WITH, AND YOU MEAN THREE YEARS, I MEAN, OPEN POSITION OPEN, WE WILL WAIT A MINUTE AND LET, LET ME JUST CHIME IN ABOUT THE, UM, THE CDLS.

I HAVE MADE IT, MY MISSION TO REVIEW EVERY APPLICANT THAT COMES TO THE HR DEPARTMENT AND COMES BEFORE ME FOR MY FINAL SIGNATURE.

IF THE INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT HAVE A CDL, WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH, UM, THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STEER THE INDIVIDUAL IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND I PROVIDE THEM WITH AT LEAST SIX MONTHS, GRACE PERIOD.

I BRING YOU IN, WE WOKE UP THE EDC OR WITH LAMAR.

SO THAT HAS BEEN PAID FOR YOU FOR YOU AT NO COST TO THE INDIVIDUAL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE YOU IN A JOB, AS LONG AS YOU'RE FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE HAVE YOU IN A JOB AND WE CAN GUARANTEE YOU A JOB FOR THE SIX MONTHS, BUT YOU HAVE TO PLAY YOUR PART IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU GO TAKE THE CLASSES AND YOU GET THAT CDL THAT IS REQUIRED, ESPECIALLY WITH PUTTING INTO THE REQUIRED FOR THE JOB.

UM, THE OPERATIONAL BABY EQUIPMENT.

ZERO, TWO MORE.

NO, I REMOVED THE REQUIREMENTS COMPLETELY SO THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SEALS THROUGH, UM, BUT I PROVIDE THAT PROVISION FOR THEM, YOU KNOW? UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT GET THE CALLS TOO.

UM, MY SON APPLIED FOR A JOB, YOU KNOW, AND HE DIDN'T GET IT.

WELL, I, I LEAVE MY DESK AND I GO DOWN TO THE HR DEPARTMENT.

CAN YOU LOOK UP THIS INDIVIDUAL? YOU KNOW? OH, BUT HE DIDN'T COMPLETE THE APPLICATION.

HE NEVER SUBMITTED IT.

HE NEVER SAID HE NEVER HIT SUBMIT.

YOU KNOW? SO WE DO HAVE THESE AS WELL.

WE HAVE PEOPLE JUST TODAY.

I HAD TO SIGN UP ON

[01:45:01]

BUT THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN THE FOCUS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ASSIST THE INDIVIDUALS IN RETAINING THEM, YOU KNOW, AND PROVIDE EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GROW AND THRIVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE CITY.

MOSES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, JAMAICA OUT OF THOSE JOBS, YOU SAID YOU HAVE 17 IN PUBLIC WORKS.

MA'AM.

UM, SINCE JANUARY, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE LEFT PUBLIC WORKS IN PARTICULAR, IN SOLID WASTE? I CAN'T TELL YOU RIGHT OFF.

I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S 12 IN PUBLIC BOOKS, WHICH I JUST BUILT FIVE TO THE SO 12 PEOPLE LEFT PUBLIC WORKS.

OKAY, GREAT.

NO, AND THE, THE, THE NUMBER FOR PARKS AND RECREATION IS CORRECT.

TWO OF THE POSITIONS WILL BE PER KITTED ON MONDAY COMING.

THEY'RE NOT ADVOCATED AS YET, BUT WE, I FACT THAT WE HAVE FACTORED THAT IN, THEY WILL BE LEAVING THEIR POSITIONS MONDAY COMING.

SO ACTUALLY THEY'RE NOT, WE JUST HAVE ONE POSITION IN PACK CENTER, WHICH IS THE JANITOR THAT WE HAVE TO FILL.

AND THAT'S IT.

DO ME A FAVOR TO MAKE, IF YOU DON'T MIND AND SEND IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MANAGER, IF THAT'S OKAY.

WE'D LIKE TO GET, I LIKE TO GET THE LIST.

YOU PUT THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND THOSE DEPARTMENTS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE.

MA'AM UM, IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.

SO IF YOU PARKS, IF IT'S A, I UNDERSTAND, SO YOU, DON'T A SERVICE WORKER MAINTENANCE WORKER TO THANK YOU.

MA'AM UM, MAY I APPROACH HIM FRANK, UH, SPOKE ABOUT EMPLOYEES AND RETENTION OF LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE WAGES OF THOSE EMPLOYEES.

WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE BETWEEN STEPS OF A PERCENTAGE INCREASE? WHEN AN EMPLOYEE GETS AN INCREASE? UH, I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION.

I CAN'T TELL YOU RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

MA'AM UM, MS. WILLIAMS BACK AGAIN SAID, AMANDA, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T GET ALL YOU CAN AND TRY TO PUT, STAND TOGETHER, UNDERSTAND IT.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, I CAN STAND LIKE, UH, YOUR CHILDREN OPERATIONS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, MAYBE PROBABLY WORKS HAVING A SHORTAGE, BUT LIKE DR.

KINLAW SAID PARKS AND RECREATION WHILE THEY'LL POSITION THAT FIELD TALKING ABOUT CUTTING GRASS, SIMPLE THING, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL NEED TO GRIEVE.

YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO DROP OUT DURING THIS SCAR DAYS.

WOW.

WE ARE POOR BAKERS IS THE PARK AND RECREATION.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS SIMPLE.

AND MY PROBLEM IS I TAKE A PUSH TO KNOW, YOU KNOW WHY I GO IN THE MORNING, GET ME BREAKFAST.

SIX O'CLOCK, SEVEN O'CLOCK CAUSE COMING IN TOWN, FIVE MILES LONG, SOME HEADLIGHTS COMING, COMING IN, PULL OFF.

AND WE GOT PEOPLE HERE IN THE PARK.

CAN'T PAY THE BILLS.

I GET READY TO GO TO THE MALL.

AND EVEN LIKE FIVE O'CLOCK.

YOU CAN'T GET TO SIT TOMORROW ANYMORE.

OUT OF TOWN, US GOT EVERYTHING JAMMED UP.

THEY COMING IN HERE, THEY POLLUTING OUT OUR CITY, TAMP OUR STREETS, GETTING OUR TAX MONEY, GETTING OUT CASH AND HITTING BACK OUT.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SEE, I LIKE GOING ON.

I LIKE EVERYBODY TO, I LIKE JEWELRY.

I GO TO PAWN SHOP, TRIED TO BUY A JUVENILE, THAT JURY POOL, THE PAWN SHOP POINTING THE MICROWAVE'S PUT OFF.

THERE WAS SOME LITTLE LADY IN HER RANGE HAD TO PULL HIM BACK WITH HIM, THE TV, BUT WE GOT PEOPLE COMING OUT OF TOWN, TAKING ALL THE MONEY AND GO OUT.

I GOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

THERE ALWAYS DID.

ALWAYS WILL NEED TO GET OUT PEOPLE WALKING AT TOAST.

ME.

ANY OTHER REMARKS GOT ALONE FOR IS WILLIAMS? NOT THANK HIM IS WAITING FOR YOUR REPORT.

I WILL GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE REQUESTED.

EXCUSE ME? LET ME ASK ONE QUESTION.

UM, I WAS INFORMED AS WELL THAT THERE WERE 49 POSITIONS OPEN AND THAT THERE WERE ONLY NINE ON THE WEBSITE.

THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT POSTED EXTERNALLY.

THEN THEY WON'T BE ON THE WEBSITE.

THEY HAVE TO BE POSTED EXTERNALLY TO BE ON

[01:50:01]

THERE.

AND UM, MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BID ON THOSE FIRSTS.

SO WE DON'T POST THEM EXTERNALLY UNTIL, UM, THE INSIDERS HAVE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE DEPARTMENT HEAD LETS US KNOW THAT THEY'RE READY FOR THAT POSITION TO BE POSTED EXTERNALLY.

SO WHEN YOU DO, UM, WHEN YOU DO, UH, WANT TO ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, SO YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE HR DEPARTMENT AND SEE THE OTHER POSITIONS.

ARE YOU WAIT, ARE THOSE PERSONS HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN HANDLED INTERNALLY BEFORE THEY ARE HANDLED? THERE'S AN INTERNAL PROCESS FIRST.

SO I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.

UH, SO IS IT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE SLOWING YOUR PROCESS DOWN.

LET'S SEE TO SMELL.

I MEAN, W WHAT'S 40 POSITIONS.

THAT'S INTERNAL HAD TO GO INTERNAL FIRST, BEFORE THEY GET EXTERNAL AND GET ON A WEBSITE.

MOST OF THE TIME WE GET REQUISITIONS AND JUSTIFICATION FORMS. WE POST INTERNALLY, UNLESS WE'RE TOLD TO POST INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY AT THE SAME TIME, IF IT'S POSTED INTERNALLY AND THERE'S NO ONE THAT MEETS THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, WE POST OUTSIDE, THAT'S WHEN IT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.

SO WHAT DETERMINES INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMBINATION DOES THAT AS THE JOB DESCRIPTION, JUST LIKE SAY IF THEY HAVE A POSITION THAT'S BEEN OPEN FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYONE INSIDE THOUGH POSTED AGAIN AND THEN POST IT EXTERNALLY AS WELL.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.

SO HOW LONG HAS THE TIME MR. MAYOR? INTERNALLY? IT'S SEVEN DAYS SO SEVEN.

SO THE TIMEFRAME IS SEVEN DAYS THEN THEY'RE POSTED EXTERNALLY.

CASPER MARKS.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO POST, UH, INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THEN IF YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING, UH, THE, THROUGH THE, UH, APPLICATIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO DETERMINE IF, IF WE'VE GOT INTERNAL PEOPLE APPLYING AS WELL AS EXTERNAL, AND THEN THAT WAY THAT'LL CUT DOWN THE, UH, THE TIME, UH, YOU CAN POST TO EXTERNAL.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

UM, MOST ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS, WE TRY TO POST MOST ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS.

WE POST INSIDE FIRST.

YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMEBODY THAT, THAT NEEDS A SPECIFIC DEGREE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'LL DO IT SIMULTANEOUSLY.

BUT YES, IT CAN BE DONE.

W NO COUNCIL, WOMAN KNOWS IS JUST PULLED MY COATTAIL ABOUT THE CHARTER, SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GO BY THE CHART AND THE CHART SAYS, OKAY.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT IN A, IN A CHARTER CHANGE.

NO.

THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS, LINDSAY, TO GO BACK TO THE STUDENTS, THEY CAN POSITIONS VACANT POSITIONS, PLEASE.

AND THAT'S THE MORE APPROPRIATELY ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM.

IF THAT'S THE MORE APPROPRIATELY ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF ME TO BE APPROACH.

AND THEN IF YOU ADD UP THE NUMBER ON THE STATUS OF VACANT POSITIONS, AS YOU INDICATED, EACH OF THOSE, THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE THERE AT SOME STAGE OF PROCESSING IN THE SYSTEM, THAT'S WHAT YOU MUST EMPHASIZE.

THEY ARE A STAGE OF PROCESSING IN THE SYSTEM.

SO YOU HAVE TWO POSTED.

YOU HAVE TWO, YOU HAVE DINE POSTED, POSTED ON TIL FIELD.

YOU HAVE FOUR, YOU HAVE 10 AT THE REFERRAL STAGE, YOU HAVE SEVEN AT THE INTERVIEW STAGE, AND YOU HAVE ONE AT PRESENT, YOU CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW AND YOU HAVE 20 AT OTHER THAT GIVES YOU A TOTAL OF 49 POSITIONS.

ISN'T IT.

SO THEY'RE NOT ALL VACANT.

THEY ARE VACANT, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FIELD.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO WE ARE READY NOW FOR A REPORT REGARDING TEXT DOTS, UH, PROGRESS ON GOLF WAY, DRIVE A ROADWAY.

THANK YOU, KYLIE.

WELL, NOW MOVE TO, UH, DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY PARTY RECOGNITIONS OR CORRESPONDENCE.

NO, NO.

[III.B.3. A Presentation By TxDOT Regarding Progress On The Gulfway Drive Roadway Project ]

AND THIS HAS BEEN ACTUALLY REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOMES AND KEN LAW.

AND IT WILL BE IN COMBINATION

[01:55:02]

TO NUMBER THREE.

THAT IS IT IN A ROMAN NUMERAL THREE ON PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATION.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.

NO, SHE LIKED TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE, OH, EXCUSE ME.

THAT'S OKAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

FOR BEING HERE, I ASK THAT THIS BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD GULF WAY DRIVE HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WORKED ON FOR SOMETIME THE PROCESS BEGAN AND IT STOPPED.

I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CITIZENS.

CALL ME CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

IT IS A MAJOR ROAD IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND MY CONSTITUENTS ARE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROADWAY.

AND THERE ARE NO DIVIDING LINES IN SOME AREA OF GULF WAY.

AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL THAT ROAD.

AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT NUMBER ONE, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET STARTED AGAIN.

AND WHAT IS THE ANTICIPATED COMPLETION OF THAT? AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU, MIRA.

AND I'LL PUT IT ON HERE LAST TIME.

IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, I REMEMBER BOTH OF YOU IF I, YOUR FACE, ESPECIALLY, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN HERE WHEN I PUT IT ON THERE LAST TIME I WAS ASKING ABOUT, UH, THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROJECT AND THEY SAID THEY HAD A STAGING AREA.

THEY HAD WORKING SCHEDULE, THEY HAD PEOPLE OUT THERE TO FIND OUT THEY DIDN'T, AND THEY HADN'T WORKED ON GULF WAY SINCE.

AND I THINK IT'S ALMOST A YEAR OR RIGHT AT A YEAR NOW.

SO MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW THIS, THAT WAS GOING TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A DEFINITE, BECAUSE WE OWED IT TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR ABOUT WHA YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE AND, YOU KNOW, EXPECTATION OF THIS JOB.

UH, IT'S TAKEN A VERY LONG TIME, SO.

ALRIGHT, GOOD COWS WANT TO MOSES? YEAH, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ADDED MY NAME TO IT.

I CALLED THE MANAGER ABOUT, UM, I THINK ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, I WAS WRITING DOWN GULF WAR AND PICK UP THE PHONE AND ASKED WHERE, WHERE WERE WE? I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY WORKING.

AND SO I SHOULD'VE JOINED THEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, CAUSE IT'S A CONCERN, I THINK, FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL, BECAUSE IT'S JUST REALLY RIDICULOUS.

IT'LL TEAR UP YOUR WHOLE CAR, DRIVING DOWN GULF WAY AND FOR US TO HAVE TO WAIT AND YOU ALL STARTED THE PROJECT.

I'LL LET YOU PROBABLY GIVE AN EXPLANATION.

MAYBE I'LL REBUT IT.

BUT I, I TOO AM A VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GULF WAY DRIVE, NOT BEING COMPLETED AND HAVING IT IN THAT STATE TO START IT AND THEN TO STOP IT AND LEAVE US IN THIS STATE.

UH, COUNCIL, MAYOR PRO TEM.

SO LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AND THOSE WHO ARE HERE, HIGHWAY 87 IS NOT OUR ROLE AT, LET ME SAY THAT VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE I'M GETTING ALL THESE CALLS OF WHY, WHY AREN'T YOU ALL FIXING GULF WAY DRIVE GULF WAY DRIVE IS A STATE HIGHWAY.

SO WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A GULF WAY DRIVE.

IT IS A HIGHWAY.

SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE MONKS, WELL, I WAS GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE PRESENTATION WAS OVER, BUT, UH, SINCE, SINCE THE MAYOR CALLED ME, UH, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY WHAT I'VE GOT TO SAY.

WE, WE ARE CONCERNED AS CITIZENS.

UH, MY MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THAT THERE ARE RUMORS OUT, OUT THERE IN THE ETHOS, THAT MONIES THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR THIS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET THAT CLEARED UP.

SO, OKAY.

THE CITY MANAGER, NOR MYSELF, HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU ALL WOULD NOT BE ABLE, OKAY.

WELL IS THE MAYOR I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT? UH, IN MY RECENT TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON, I WAS EVEN, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT TXDOT PROGRAMS AS COUNCILMAN, UH, MAYOR PROTIUM SAID IT HIGHWAY 87.

IT'S A STATE HIGHWAY THAT HAPPENS TO PASS THROUGH OUR CITY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE POSITIONING OF THE HIGHWAY, AND THERE IS AN OBLIGATION THAT THE STATE AGENCY, WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS, AND, UH, NOT THAT THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CAN DICTATE WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.

THEY DID INFORM ME THAT, UH, THERE WAS SOME AVENUES THAT WE COULD TAKE, UH, TO CONTACT YOU BECAUSE BEING MAYOR OF THIS CITY, SIR, I AM EMBARRASSED TO BE A TEXAN.

WHEN I KNOW THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS DONE US, THIS INJUSTICE IN THIS CITY, I SUPPORTED AND EMBRACED YOUR PRESENTATION ON THIS IDEA ABOUT A YEAR AGO, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY AND HOW THE WORK WOULD PROGRESS, IT HASN'T NO ONE HERE.

[02:00:01]

TO DO IT IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT.

SO WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GIVE US THE PLEASE BE PATIENT, PLEASE, SIR, AS YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE AGENCY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO KILL THE MESSENGER, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO MESSAGE.

THAT'S A PACK OF LIES.

OKAY? SO IF YOU HAVE THAT, YOU CAN EXCUSE YOURSELF FROM THE ROOM.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US THE TRUTH AND LET US KNOW, ALL WE WANT TO KNOW IS WHEN WILL YOU RETURN? WE DON'T NEED A LOT OF JARGON.

OKAY? WE DON'T NEED A LOT OF EXCUSES BECAUSE YOU TOLD US, OKAY.

AND WHEN I'M SAYING YOU I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR AGENCY, YOU COLLECTIVELY TOLD US THROUGH A PRESENTATION AS TO HOW THIS WORK WOULD BE PERFORMED.

AND AS I REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR, WHO HAVE PUT UP WITH THE DIFF REPAIR OF ONE OF OUR MAIN CAR DOORS AND A MAIN ARTERY, A CITY THAT HAS A POPULATION OF BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS, I FEEL AT POINT THERE HAS BEEN, AND THERE IS BEING SOME PREJUDICIAL THOUGHTS IN THIS.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LISTENING TO THIS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, BUT I STAND FIRMLY, SIR, IF YOU'RE GETTING READY TO SPEAK AND TAKE UP MY TIME.

WHEN A LOCK OF JARGON, I WOULD ASK YOU TO LEAVE.

IF THAT ANYWHERE IN YOUR PRESENTATION, AS YOU CAN TELL US, WHEN YOU ALL ARE GOING IN THE BEGINNING MAYER PARTY, WHO MAY HAVE NO, NO, JUST LET HIM IN.

SORRY.

LET HIM ANSWER COUNSELING COUNSELING.

LET HIM ANSWER, PLEASE.

COUNSEL, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU.

I'M GONNA CALL YOU.

LET, LET HIM ANSWER.

COUNCILMAN, GO AHEAD, SIR.

WELL, MARRIOTT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

I AM NEW IN THIS POSITION.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS SPOKEN IN THE PAST.

I APOLOGIZE IF THERE ARE SOME PROMISES THAT WERE MADE THAT I DO NOT KNOW OF, UM, AT THIS TIME, AS Y'ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT, I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH FROM STATE OF HIGHWAY 82 TO 69.

UH, WE DID MAIL OFF ALL THE PAYMENT WITHIN THE PAST YEAR.

UH, WE'VE DONE CONCRETE REPAIRS, PRETTY MUCH DOUBLE THE CARPET REPAIRS.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS DONE WITHIN, PROBABLY AROUND DECEMBER.

AND, UH, WHAT I KNOW AT THIS TIME IS THAT, UH, WE ARE DOING SOME LOGISTIC ISSUES WITH THE CONTRACTOR, TRYING TO GET A SUFFICIENT PAVEMENT DESIGN, TO PUT IT BACK ON THE ROADWAY.

AND IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT CAUSE.

MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON THIS ROADWAY.

IT'S A SUPER PAVED MIXTURE.

IT'S A HIGH PERFORMANCE MIXTURE TO ALLOW HEAVY TRAFFIC, UH, DURABILITY IN TIME.

AND, UH, I CANNOT GIVE YOU A DATE.

I APOLOGIZE.

WHO CAN COME BEFORE THIS AUGUST BODY AND GIVE US A DATE THAT THE WORK WILL BEGIN WHEN WE TEST THE PERSON WE WANT TO TALK WITH.

I DO APPRECIATE IT.

UH, MIA, CAN I SPEAK? OKAY.

BECAUSE HE CAN ANSWER WHATEVER.

MY CONCERN IS WE ALL SPOKE.

WE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT GOLF.

WE DRIVE THE MILLPORT.

JIM MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR.

THIS IS NOT OFF THE STREET DID BELONG TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO WE GO ON IN CIRCLES.

THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY DEPEND ON THE COUNCIL TO GET IT.

HELLO? OKAY.

IT'S A GOOD WAY TO DRIVE FOR THE STATE, BUT WE, THE BUCK STOP WITH THIS COUNTLESS INCIDENTS.

NOW THE CITY.

SO MY MIND THOUGHT, YES, THE STUDENT MANAGER CITY ATTORNEY LEGAL SHOULD BE HELD HERE.

THEY DIDN'T LOOK.

THEY KNEW WHO TO CALL.

WE GOTTA BE BUSTING OUR BRAINS UP, ALL, GO WITH YOU.

AND YOU KNOW, LEGALLY AND THE CITY MANAGER, HELEN FROM HERE, CONTACT TEXTS BACK, WHOEVER SHOULD CONTACT IS THAT A COST KID WOULD THINK ABOUT IT EXCEPT THE LEGAL HANDOUT TO GET THIS THING PUSHED, TO PUT THE CITY TAKE YOUR LIGHT WAS ON.

NOW I THINK WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO US, I'M SORRY.

I THINK WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO US WAS IT WAS IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MIX, RIGHT? YES, YES, SIR.

AND WE ARE NOT BEING ALLOWED TO USE THE MIX THAT GULF COAST WAS USING THE MIX AND THAT ANOTHER COMPANY IS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO USE THE MIX TO DO THE HIGHWAY.

I WILL.

IT WAS SHARED WITH ME THAT ONE ENTITY IS USING THAT MIXED

[02:05:01]

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? I BELIEVE THAT MIGHT BE INCORRECT.

UH, THE CONTRACTOR THAT'S DOING THIS PROJECT IS PTSS AND THE MIX THAT THEY'RE COMING FROM FROM PTSS, THEY'RE COMING FROM THE LD PLANT, UH, IN BEAUMONT.

IT IS NOT TEXAS MATERIALS.

SO YES, YES, SIR.

OF COURSE.

LET ME, UM, WE KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE NEW AND BASICALLY I THINK THAT TXDOT NEEDS TO SEND US SOMEONE THAT CAN REALLY SPEAK TO OUR ISSUE.

I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'VE COME AND GOT CAUGHT INTO THIS.

YOU SAID YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE MESSENGER.

SO ON ANOTHER LEVEL, IF WE COULD, OUR MANAGER AND MAYBE OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAN STRESS THE, WHAT WE ARE HAVING TO GO ON HERE, IF THERE'S A LETTER THAT CAN BE WRITTEN TO SHOW THE DISPLEASURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, UM, WE, WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE.

IF WE COULD GET SOMEONE THAT MAYBE IT'S OVER YOU, A SUPERVISOR OR SOMETHING, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TAKE THIS TYPE OF, UM, HEAT BECAUSE WE PUT IN THE HEAT ON, OF COURSE YOU CAN SEE IT.

IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO TAKE THAT.

WELL AS MAYOR OF RTA, I AM KIND OF REPRESENTING TXDOT RIGHT NOW.

AND I DO LIKE, I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT I THINK THAT, YEAH, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE FAIRLY NEW.

DID YOU JUST TELL ME THAT? DID YOU JUST SAY THAT? OKAY.

NO, SIR.

WE, I KNOW, I, I APOLOGIZE.

I REALLY THINK THAT SOMEONE ELSE REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS US.

BUT AS, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER HOME SAID, UH, IF YOU DO HAVE AN ISSUE ABOUT STRIPING OR IF THERE'S SOME EGRESS AND INGRESS ISSUES, PLEASE BRING IT TO MY ATTENTION.

I CAN GET SOME TEMPORARY STRIPING OUT THERE CAUSE I DO NOT WANT TRAFFIC TO CROSS EACH OTHER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE CAN GET THAT STUFF DONE PRETTY QUICK, BUT I DO WANT TO GUARANTEE WHATEVER MICS WE PUT DOWN, YOU KNOW, IT IS A SUPER PAVED MIX.

I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER 360 6.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

IT'S NOT A CONVENTIONAL MIX.

LIKE I HAVE THREE 40 THAT WE USE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WITH THE MIXING WE PUT DOWN IS A GOOD MIX.

I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN INFERIOR MIX.

THAT'S SOMETHING ABOUT OXIDIZE AND CRACK WHERE WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

SO I DO WANT TO DO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING GOOD MIX ON THE ROBOT.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, BUT BASICALLY WE NEED A STATUS REPORT.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE STREET'S GOING TO BE COMPLETE, HOW MUCH TIME WHAT'S YOUR SCHEDULE, WHAT'S YOUR OPERATIONAL SCHEDULE FOR GULF WAY DRIVE.

AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE IMMEDIATE ANSWERS THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL IS SEEKING.

UM, AND YOU CAN'T GIVE US THAT.

YOU JUST, YOU SAID THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE US THAT.

AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO SAY PAST THAT? I JUST THINK IT'S, OUR EARS ARE SHUT OFF.

I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN KINLAW.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING, BUT WE NEED THOSE ANSWERS.

THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN GET THEM ANSWERED.

AND IF WE HAVE TO SEND A DISPLEASED A LETTER, WE'LL SEND IT THROUGH OUR MANAGER ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY COUNCIL OR OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, JUST STATING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS OF HIGHWAY 87.

I DON'T KNOW HIGHWAYS MAY BE 80 TO IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

I DON'T.

I JUST, I RIDE WITH MY HUSBAND.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

UM, I'LL PUT THIS ON LAST YEAR.

I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT BACK TO IT.

AND WE GOT TO, WE GOT THE PRESENTATION AND THEY SAID SUGGESTED THAT YOU WASN'T HERE, BUT THE GENTLEMEN, THE ENGINEER OVER THERE WAS HERE.

SO NOW I'M HEARING A DIFFERENT STORY.

I'M HEARING THAT THE MIX, IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO ATTENTION THAT WE WERE HAVING SOME TYPE OF MIX DIFFERENCE OR IT WASN'T COMPATIBLE, UH, IN THE LAST PRESENTATION.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TODAY.

UH, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS SPOKEN TO LAST WELL, HE'S RIGHT THERE.

HE'S RIGHT THERE.

HE CAN TELL YOU, I MEAN, THIS, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT BEFORE.

I MEAN, HE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND, UH, THE FUNDING WAS, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAN HOURS AND A MAN WORKING THE CREWS AND ALL THAT STAGING AREAS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS SOMETHING NEW.

AND I, I, AND I GUESS YOU CAN HEAR THE FRUSTRATION ON MY COHORTS BECAUSE NOW WE ARE SAYING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MIX.

THIS CAN'T BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAD TALKED ABOUT USING THIS MIX ON A HIGHWAY OR A STREET THAT YOU HAVE TO NEGOTIATE OR GO BACK AND FIND OUT IF IT'S GOING TO WORK ON HEAVY, HEAVY TRAFFIC.

IT, THIS CAN'T BE THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED.

SO, UH, I I'M SAYING TO YOU, IF SOMEBODY, UH, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO YOUR SUPERVISOR OR SOMEBODY THAT COULD COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND GIVE US AN EXPLANATION BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE BEEN PATIENT LONG ENOUGH WITH GUFF WAY DRY.

LET ME, LET ME GO BACK TO MY TEXT, MY SUPERVISOR AND OUR DIRECTORS.

AND LET ME TRY TO GET A BETTER ANSWER OF A TIMELINE, UM, BACK TO, I DON'T

[02:10:01]

KNOW WHAT WAS DISCUSSED, BUT JUST THE OPERATIONS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT GOES TO MILLING WHERE YOU TOOK OFF THE MILL, YOU GO THROUGH THE CAR REPAIR, YOU GO THROUGH THE JOINT SEAL.

THIS IS THE LAST PHASE OF THE CONTRACT.

UH, IT'S THE OVERLAY PART.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, WE WANT TO ENSURE YOU GET A GOOD MIX FOR THAT.

AND TO DO THAT PROCESS, WE GOT TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THE, THE QUALITY MATERIAL, UH, MEETS ALL THE SPECIFICATIONS OCCURRED COMPARED TO THE PLANS.

AND, UH, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET YOU A GOOD MIX.

UH, YOU KNOW, SUPER PAVE MIX IS, IS IT HAS A HIGHER CONTACT.

UH, ASPHALT HAS BETTER GRADES OF AGGREGATES.

SO, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT TO YOU.

ALRIGHT.

UH, AGAIN, GOING, GOING BACK TO, UH, THE INTERSECTIONS ALONG GULF WAY DRIVE, THOSE ARE SOME REALLY DEEP DROP-OFFS.

UH, WE HAVE OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT, UH, THEIR FRONT ENDS, THEIR TIRES BEING, BEING, BEING RUINED, COMING OFF, THOSE THINGS, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR TIME TO JUST EASE OFF OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE OF THE STEEPNESS OF, OF, OF THE, THE GRADE THERE.

AND WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE SAFETY AND THE WELL-BEING OF NOT ONLY, UH, THE COUNCIL, BUT OUR CONSTITUENTS, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO DRIVE UP AND DOWN, GO FOR A DRIVING.

AND IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR.

UH, UH, AND, AND WE'VE, UH, I THINK WE'VE BEEN MORE THAN PATIENT, BUT WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT MONIES HAD BEEN REDIRECTED FROM THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT TO SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY, UH, IT, IT SPEAKS TO THE FRUSTRATION OF WHAT THE MAYOR WAS EXPRESSING IS THAT WE WERE TOLD ONE THING LAST YEAR, AND NOW WE'RE HEARING THINGS AND WE'RE W YOU'RE HERE TODAY, BUT WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO TELL US EXACTLY.

WHEN IS THIS PROJECT GOING TO RESTORE WHAT THE TIMEFRAME IS LIKE? COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN, MOSES HAS ASKED ABOUT THE SCHEDULING.

UH, AND WHEN IS THAT MATERIAL GOING TO BE READY? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS, THERE IS MATERIAL SHORTAGE ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IN FACT, ALL OVER THE WORLD BECAUSE OF PANDEMIC.

BUT BECAUSE THIS PROJECT STARTED SO LONG AGO, WE FELT LIKE, AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE STARTED AND FINISHED BEFORE THIS YEAR.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, AND WE'RE, THERE'S ANOTHER DELAY.

SO THAT MEANS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO DRIVE DOWN THIS UNPAVED STREET.

THAT'S, THAT'S GRADED.

AND, AND, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL THERE'S WORK GOING ON ELSEWHERE, THAT IN, IN THE COUNTY THAT WE SEE ON A DAILY BASIS AS WE TRAVEL.

AND SO PLEASE, AND WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OR WITH THE CITY MANAGER OR, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND HAVE SOMEONE COME TO US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UH, WITH THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR CITIZEN, HE HAS HER COUNCIL WOMAN HOME.

EXCUSE ME, SIR.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T, YOU SAID YOU CAN'T GIVE US DATES ON BEGINNING ON COMPLETION, BUT YOU DID SAY THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THOSE SAFETY ISSUES.

AND I'D LIKE TO ASK, BECAUSE I DID WITH COUNCILMAN KEN LAW, PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA, ASK THAT WITH IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS, THAT SOMEONE FROM TEXTILE ADDRESS ALL OF THE SAFETY ISSUES ON GULF WAY DRIVE, BECAUSE THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.

WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE PAVING DONE, BUT WE SHOULDN'T NOT HAVE SAFETY ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T DESERVE THAT.

COUNCIL HOMES.

FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE, THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY IMPOSING UPON OUR COMMUNITY.

I LIKE TO REVISIT THIS AGAIN.

I DON'T WANT IT TO BE THAT X THAT HAS FOUND A MINORITY COMMUNITY, THAT THEY WILL DO THIS TOO.

AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK THAT THEY CAN DO IT, AND WE'LL JUST SIT OUT AND LIVE BY AND NOT DO WHAT WE CAN TO BE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS HERE ARE COMPENSATED

[02:15:02]

WE THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL.

YOU'VE DONE.

I THANK YOU FOR COMING.

AND I THINK I SAID EARLIER, I'M NOT TRYING TO KILL THE MESSAGE HERE, BUT I WANT THE MESSAGE TO BE RIGHT, SO THAT IT WILL BE WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

YOU KNOW, TAKE THIS BACK TO YOU.

YOUR, YOUR SUPERIOR IS ALSO IF A CREW OF THREE OR FOUR WERE WORKING EACH DAY AND THEY WEREN'T COVERING OVER THE 20TH, 20 YARDS OF HIGHWAY EVERY OTHER WEEK WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN NOTHING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST FIVE TO SIX MONTHS.

JUST MARRIED.

I THINK THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, SIR, BECAUSE THEY LIVE ON GULF.

WE DRIVE.

IF THEY LIVED IN PORT AUTHOR, THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT WE FEEL AND WHAT WE FEEL IS WHAT I'VE EXPRESSED.

GREAT, SIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I DO LIKE TO MENTION, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS THE FUNDING.

THERE IS NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REDUCE FUNDING.

THE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED FOR THE PROJECT, SO THE PROJECT WILL BE FINISHED.

SO I DO GUARANTEE THAT, BUT SEE THIS IDLE TIME AND NOTHING HAPPENED IN THERE.

ALL IDEAS BECOME PERFECT SOLUTIONS TO WHY IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

THAT'S WHY THAT CONFESSOR OR ANY THING THAT ANY PERSON HERE OR EVEN IN THE AUDIENCE COULD COME UP WITH BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING BEING DONE.

AND NO ONE CAN THINK IN RECENT OR PAST PERFORMANCES OF TEXTS.IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

THAT'S SOMETHING AS DEPLORABLE AS WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW HAPPENED.

AND WE, WE KNOW WE DON'T WANT THAT.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COUNCILOR MOSES.

CITY MANAGER, HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH TEXTILES OR HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM? UM, NOT THAT THE, I'M NOT AT THE AUSTIN LEVEL.

I THINK I'VE REACHED OUT TO DAVE AND, UM, AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

WELL, CAN YOU REACH OUT TO ON OUR BEHALF? YES, WE WILL CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND THINK I WILL, IN THE MORNING, I WILL CALL THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHO IS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.

I WILL CALL OUR STATE SENATOR AS THE MAYOR.

NO, I'M GOING TO CALL AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EUROPE, NOT SAYING I'M BYPASSING THE CITY MANAGER, BUT I WILL CALL SO THAT THEY CAN CALL THE FOLK.

THEY ARE, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD IN DC THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND THE WAY I EXPRESSED THIS WAS WHAT I HAVE TOLD IT HAS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IT HAS MOVED TO THIS POINT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

BOTH OF YOU WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

ALL OF US.

IF YOU CAN CALL, IF YOU CAN CALL.

NO, IT'S TRUE.

IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE THEM BECAUSE THE CITIZENS ARE LOOKING AT US, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND IT IS DEPLORABLE, BUT IT'S NOT YOU.

I THINK A REAL NICE GENTLEMAN, MAN, HOMEBOY OVER THERE.

I THINK YOU ALL THE COOL, I APPRECIATE MAYOR BARTEE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER HOLDS.

CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME SOME TIME TO TALK TO OUR DISTRICT HERE BEFORE YOU ESCALATE? SO TIRED.

LET ME TALK TO OUR DISTRICT ENGINEER.

LET ME GET YOU A TIMELINE.

LET ME GET YOU SOME DEAD HARD DATES AND, UH, WE CAN GO FROM THERE.

THANKS.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

LET ME, LET ME, LET ME JUST TRY TO GET WITH YOU.

AND WILL THERE BE ANY ITEMS FROM COUNCIL OF A COMMUNITY INTEREST, UH, THAT BME COWS, THE PRICE AND WE CARE TO SPEAK ON AT THIS JUDGE? YES.

THAT'S.

BEFORE THE SAFETY ISSUES WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF THAT IS THE WORD WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THAT.

THERE ISN'T A PUBLIC HEARING

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

MR. MAN, GO WRITE IT.

I HATE THAT THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LEFT, UH, I WANTED TO SHARE OUR AFTER THE CITY MANAGER, AS I WAS, UH, SITTING IN YOUR STEAD DURING AGENDA REVIEW.

AND HE SAID THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT HIGHWAY 87 AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT FOR A COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN HOMES, CAUSE THAT IS IN OUR DISTRICT AS WELL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING WAS WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT HIGHWAY 87

[02:20:01]

HAS BEEN IN THAT CONSTANT STATE OF DISREPAIR FOR YEARS NOW.

AND THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT OF SO BEING PASSED AND WE KNOW WE'RE APPROACHING ANOTHER HURRICANE SEASON, WE'VE HAD SOME INCIDENTS THERE WITH LNGS AND ALL THIS HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED WITH THAT.

UH, AND THAT THERE ARE SOME OF OUR CHILDREN FROM PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE OF BEING PAST SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR KIDS ARE GOING UP AND DOWN THAT HIGHWAY GOING TO, UH, THAT, UH, THAT SCHOOL DOWN IN SABINE PASS, BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WHILE WE WERE IN WASHINGTON DC.

WE MADE CONNECTIONS WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY POLLY TROTTENBERG, UH, OFFICE THERE.

AND SO WE HAD A CONFERENCE CALL WITH HER OFFICE, UH, UH, CONGRESSMAN RANDY WEBER, UM, STATE, SENATOR BRANDON CREIGHTON, UM, UM, MAKE COWARD OF THE SABINE PASS, UH, AUTHORITY, NAVIGATION AUTHORITY OUT THERE.

THE MAYOR WAS ON THE CALL, MYSELF WAS ON THE CALL AND JUDGE JEFF BRANICK WAS ON THE CALL.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN TXDOT, PUTTING HIGHWAY 87 BACK ON THE ROLL, GETTING IT REPAIRED, UH, SO THAT THERE CAN BE, UH, MORE THAN ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT OF, SO BEING PASSED, THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO COME OUT OF SABINE PASS, IT CAUSES MORE TRAFFIC FOR US AS WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF PORT ARTHUR AS WELL.

SO WE NEED AS MANY WAYS OUT OF PORT ARTHUR AS WE CAN IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHE IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE WAY OF, UM, A HURRICANE OR ANY KIND OF NATURAL EVENT THAT WE FACE ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, CITY MANAGER WAS ON THAT CALL AS WELL.

UH, AND SO OUT OF THAT CALL, UH, UH, JUDGE BRANICK, UH, IS GOING TO HAVE HIS ENGINEERS AND THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR'S ENGINEERS WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN, UH, WHEREBY WE CAN PRESENT THAT.

AND OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION, UH, RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN, UH, B BEING GIVEN TO US TO TRY TO CONTACT THEM, TO GET THE MONEY, TO GET HIGHWAY 87 PUT BACK IN PLACE.

AND SO, UM, I'LL LET THE CITY MANAGER SPEAK TO IT OR THE MAYOR OR ANYONE, UH, WHO WAS ON THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.

I WAS PRIVY TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT CALL.

I THINK IT WAS LAST THURSDAY OR WEDNESDAY, AND IT, AGAIN, IT WAS AN EXTENSION OF HAVING A CONTACT AND HAVING NETWORK WITH INDIVIDUALS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT THEY WOULD SHOW AN INTEREST IN WHAT INTERESTS US HERE IN PORT ARTHUR OR THE MEETING IN DC WHEN I WAS THERE, UH, ALONG WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES ASSOCIATION.

AND I MET WITH THE, UH, UNDER SECRETARY CHARLES SMITH, UH, OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION.

AND, UH, I AGAIN ASKED BECAUSE THEY APPROACHED HIM, ASKED ME THAT I WOULD MENTION HIGHWAY 87.

AND HE ALSO SAID JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED FOR US THE FOLLOWING WEEK THAT TEXT DOC NEEDS TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO PUT THE ROAD BACK ON ITS LIST OF ROADS TO BE STUDIED FOR REPAIR OR REBUILD.

AND THEN USE ANOTHER ENGINEER TYPE TERM.

I CAN'T RECALL AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE ARE AT THE BIRTHING STAGE, IF YOU WILL, OF POSSIBILITIES THAT COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR AREA, FOR OUR REGION.

WE CAN MAKE THIS A REALITY.

AND, UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY ALL BE GONE FROM HERE.

MAYBE WHENEVER THE ACTUAL WORK WOULD BEGIN ON THAT, BUT IT HAS TO HAVE A BEGINNING.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS SO THAT WE WILL HAVE WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR TRAVEL, TO TAKE PLACE.

A LOT OF THE LANDS THAT THERE ARE FEDERAL MARSHLANDS AND THEY HAVE ENCROACHED BECAUSE THE UPBEAT EROSION OF THE ACTUAL HIGHWAY 87, AND THAT'S BEEN BECAUSE OF THE STORMS AND THE TAGS THAT COME IN.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME STUDIES I KNOW THAT WILL BE DONE AND PROBABLY TAKE TWO TO FIVE YEARS TO GET OUT, GET IT ALL DONE.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE AREN'T EVEN BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE STUDIES.

SO IF YOU ALL WOULD BE AS, UH, ACTIVE AS YOU'VE BEEN, AND I'M TALKING TO THOSE WHO PROBABLY LISTED CITIZENS WHO WERE HERE PRESENT AT SOME POINT, WE WOULD ALL NEED TO BAND TOGETHER SO THAT

[02:25:01]

SEE THE MANAGE, UM, ON EXITED THE MEETING, I THINK WE HAD A PLAN AND THE PLAN WAS TO THE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THEY ARE GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S THE CONTACT INFORMATION THAT'S NECESSARY ADDED, UM, TO, TO MAKE THAT CONTACT, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL WHERE THE FEDERAL FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACTS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN TXDOT.

SO WE BOTH THE JUDGE AND MYSELF WOULD INITIATE TO, AFTER WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT CONTACT LIST FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO INITIATE THE DISCUSSION AT THE STATE LEVEL AND GET IT MOVING FROM THE HURRICANE.

SO THAT WHATEVER STUDIES THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BECAUSE, UM, AS, UM, JUDGE BRANICK INDICATED HE HAS HAD SOME FORM OF WORK BEING DONE, UM, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS TO INITIATE THAT DISCUSSION.

AND, UM, THAT DISCUSSION CAN BE REVITALIZED, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN BRING IT TO FRUITION.

SO WE'LL, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE INFORMATION COMING FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THAT WILL PUT US IN CONTACT AT THE STATE LEVEL TO GET IT GOING.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS OF IMPORTANCE IF THERE'LL BE NONE AND WE'VE MOVED NOW TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND THERE IS NO, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN MOSES.

JUST REALLY QUICKLY, JUST LIKE TO LIKE, UM, VERBALLY THANK OUR CITIZENS FOR VOTING TO PASS THE PLEASURE ISLAND, A SELL OF 35 ACRES OF LAND ON PLEASURE ISLAND.

OUR PLEASURE AISLE AND DIRECTOR IS HERE.

UM, AND THE AUDITS AUDIENCE.

AND WE'D JUST LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR PASSING THAT SO THAT NOW WE CAN, AS A COUNCIL, AS A CITY BEGAN TO DO, UM, AND BRING FORTH SOMETHING FOR OUR CITIZENS.

SO I'D JUST LIKE TO REALLY THANK YOU GUYS.

THERE WAS A DEED RESTRICTION THERE WOULD, THAT DIDN'T ALLOW, UM, ANYTHING TO TAKE PLACE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.

AND SO I THANK YOU FOR VOTING TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, IN DOING DEVELOPING PLEASURE ISLAND, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT AND TO SEE IT IN THIS LIFETIME, UM, UH, FOR ME AND FOR THIS COUNCIL, I'M SURE IS JUST, UM, WE'RE EXCITED.

SO WE'RE THANKFUL TO ALL THE CITIZENS THAT'S LISTENING AND ALL THE CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE ON THIS MORNING THIS AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PASSING THAT, UH, PROPOSITION.

WE WOULD NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UH, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY OTHER, UH, NO OTHER REMARKS,

[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]

AND THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS ACTUALLY FILLED WITH ITEMS THAT ARE OF BASICALLY A ROUTINE IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE.

AND THE COUNCIL HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IN FRONT OF US WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AND WE MAY ACTUALLY APPROVE ALL OF THESE AT, WITH ONE VOTE, OR IF THAT WOULD BE ANY RESOLUTION THAT A COUNCIL PERSON WISHES TO HAVE REMOVED OR WITHDRAWN AND ACCURATE INDIVIDUALLY, YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW NOW COUNCILMAN MARKS.

OH, OKAY.

WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.

ANY, ANY, ANY, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT ANY COUNCIL PERSON WITH WARRANT WITHDRAWN? IF THERE IS IT, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA MAY APPROACH HIM.

I MAKE A MOTION, MR. MAYOR, THAT ALL ITEMS BE ACCEPTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MOSES, SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION AND NO QUESTIONS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? NAY AYES HABITS TOWARDS ALL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS NOW PASSED.

[VIII.A.1. P. R. No. 22538 — A Resolution Appointing Members To The Port Arthur Coalition For Homeless Advisory Board ( Requested By Councilmember Marks) ]

I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE ON PAGE EIGHT OF YOUR PRINTED AGENDAS.

AND WE HAVE RESOLUTIONS, EXCUSE ME, ONE PR NUMBER 22, 5 38.

AND MAY I APPROACH HIM? YES.

WHICH IS COUNTY COMING TO CARIS.

AND FOR ME, I NEED TO STEP OUT FOR ONE SECOND.

PR NUMBER 2, 2, 5, 3, 8, OR RESOLUTION APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR COALITION FOR HOMELESS ADVISORY BOARD REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN MARKS.

NON-CONSENT AGENDA.

THE FIRST ONE IS

[02:30:01]

MR. MOSS.

OH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO PO NUMBER 7 0 5 2 AND ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED FOR CONVENIENCE OF THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10 37 SIXTH STREET TO TENDER LOVING CARE CENTER CENTER FOR CHILDREN, DBA LEGACY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A QUALIFIED DEVELOPER.

MR. MARKS, YOU WANT TO MAKE YOU, YES, I WILL BE APPOINTING MRS. LADANNA HARRISON ANDERSON.

RIGHT? ALL RIGHT.

ALL THOSE, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THANK YOU.

[VIII.B.1. P. O. No. 7052 — An Ordinance Authorizing A Special Warranty Deed For Conveyance Of The City Owned Property Located At 1037 6th Street To Tender Loving Care Center For Children, DBA Legacy Community Development Corporation, A Qualified Developer ]

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOON MAYOR PRO TEM MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KINLAW.

SECOND SECOND BY COUNCILMAN JONES.

[VIII.B.2. P. O. No. 7055 — An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of A City Owned Vacant Tract Of Land Located At 1008 Rev. Raymond Scott Avenue And The Execution Of A Special Warranty Deed ]

A PO NUMBER 7 0 5 5 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF A CITY OWNED VACANT TRACK OF LAND LOCATED AT 10 0 8, REVEREND RAYMOND SCOTT AVENUE AND THE EXECUTION OF A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED.

DO I HAVE A MOTION, A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOSES.

SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MARKS, WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION MOTION PASSES

[VIII.B.3. P. O. No. 7056 — An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2021 And Ending September 30, 2022 By Increasing The Capital Reserve Fund By $ 465, 000. 00 And Increasing The Capital Budget By 101, 836. 00 ]

PO NUMBER 7 0 5 6 AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR, BEGINNING, OCTOBER 1ST, 2021 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022, BY INCREASING THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND BY $465,000 AND INCREASING THE CAPITAL BUDGET BY $101,836.

DO HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY COUNCIL WOMAN HOME.

SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN KEN LAW QUESTIONS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION

[VIII.B.4. P. O. No. 7057 — An Ordinance Amending The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Granting Specific Use Permit # 239 To Allow The Land Use Of A " Tavern Or Lounge" On 11. 820 - Acres Of Land, Tract 7- A, Port Arthur Land Company Subdivision/ Ippolito Addition ( 1645 Jefferson Drive), Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas ( Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding 2, 000. 00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1- 13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date. Z22- 01 ( SUP 239) — Gulfway Plaza, LLC ]

NUMBER FOUR, PO NUMBER 7 0 5 7 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY GRANTING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 39 TO ALLOW THE LAND USE OF A TAVERN OR LOUNGE ON 11.8 TO ZERO ACRES OF LAND TRACK SEVEN, A PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY SUBDIVISION EPILITO EDITION 1645 JEFFERSON DRIVE PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE, NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATION IS PERMITTED TO EXIST.

SO CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE Z 22 DASH ZERO ONE S U P NUMBER 2 39 GULF WAY PLAZA, L L C.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SOMEONE MAYOR PRO TEM HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.

I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HOMES QUESTIONS, UH, FOR TIM WHAT'S LOCATION.

EXACTLY WHAT 16 IN A WAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE LOCATION AT 1645, WHATEVER IT IS THAT SLAM IT'S RIGHT OFF OF GULF WAY JUMPING, SEEING JEFFERSON DRIVE RIGHT THERE.

IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM OCW HALL.

OH, WELL YEAH, MY DISTRICT.

ONE VAN PO NUMBER 7 0 5 9, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS PRESCRIBING THE NOTICE TO BE GIVEN FOR A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON THE PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE AMENDMENTS AND REVISION TO THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE, INCLUDING CHANGES TO ZONING REGULATIONS AND ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES CHANGES AFFECTING THE HEIGHT NUMBER OF NUMBER OR STORIES AND SIZE OF BUILDINGS.

OKAY, GOOD.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PO PO NUMBER 7 0 5 7, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION AS HAVING MOTION PASSES,

[VIII.B.5. P. O. No. 7059 — An Ordinance Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Prescribing The Notice To Be Given For A Joint Public Hearing Of The City Council And The Planning And Zoning Commission On The Proposed Comprehensive Amendments And Revision To The City' s Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, Including: Changes To Zoning Regulations And Zoning District Boundaries; Changes Affecting The Height, Number Or Stories And Size Of Buildings And Other Structures; Changes To The Percentage Of A Lot That May Be Occupied; Changes To The Size Of Yards, Courts And Other Open Spaces; Changes To Population Density; Changes To The Location And Use Of Buildings, Other Structures, And Land For Business, Industrial, Residential Or Other Purposes; Changes To The Bulk Of Buildings; Changes To The Construction, Reconstruction, Alteration And Razing Of Buildings And Other Structures, Including In Designated Places And Areas Of Historical, Cultural Or Architectural Importance And Significance; And Amending The City Of Port Arthur' s Comprehensive Plan To Conform To The Zoning Amendments And Revisions Adopted By The Proposed Ordinance ]

NUMBER FIVE, IT'S A LONG

[02:35:01]

AND OTHER STRUCTURES CHANGES TO THE PERCENTAGE OF A LOT THAT MAY BE OCCUPIED CHANGES TO THE SIZE OF YARDS COURTS AND OTHER OPEN SPACES CHANGES TO POPULATION DENSITY CHANGES TO THE LOCATION AND USE OF BUILDINGS.

OTHER STRUCTURES AND LAND FOR BUSINESS INDUSTRIAL, RESIDENTIAL, OR OTHER PURPOSES CHANGES TO THE BULK OF BUILDINGS, CHANGES TO THE CONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION, ALTERATION AND RAISING OF BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES, INCLUDING IN DESIGNATED PLACES AND AREAS OF HISTORICAL CULTURAL, OR ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE AND AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT AUTHORS' COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CONFORM TO THE ZONING AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS ADOPTED BY THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SECOND, WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT TO US VAN MR. MAYOR, LOOK, LET'S SEE IF WE'VE GOT A STRONG BUDGET, ALL YOUR BUILDING MIX.

UM, THIS IS THE ZONING AMENDMENT.

THIS IS A COMPLETE CHANGE OF ALL OF OUR ZONING RULES AND LAWS.

AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO HAVE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING THAT JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON MAY 31ST.

IT WILL BE A SPECIAL MEETING, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION NEED TO BE PRESENT.

WE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEP, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS OF BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.

SO IF WHATEVER THAT TWO THIRDS NUMBER IS, DOES NOT, IS NOT AVAILABLE THAT DAY, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN TWO THIRDS WILL HAVE TO VOTE.

SO IT WOULD BE ON THE 31ST.

IT WOULD BE WIDELY ADVERTISED AS YOU, UH, REQUIRED LAST TIME.

UM, AND UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING, UH, ALL OF THE MAPS AND CHANGES UP AND, UH, MR. LARRY WILL TAKE OVER FROM HERE, MR. LARRY BATON.

I DIRECT.

HELLO? HELLO.

I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT TOO CLOSE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ON THIS THING.

SO GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR.

WILL ALSO BE USED TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING USES AND PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF THE ISLAND AND THE PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY.

COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER, UH, FREESE AND NICHOLS.

UH, THE CONSULTANTS THAT ASSISTED STAFF WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ZONING ORDINANCE WORKED WITH ATTORNEY BOUNDS AT THE LAND USE ATERNITY ATTORNEY THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY SELECTED TO VET THE DOCUMENT FOR LEGALITY REASONS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR EDITS, UH, THAT ATTORNEY BOUND CITED AND THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT IS READY TO BE PLACED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

UH, THE ZONING MAP WAS ALSO EDITED TO REFLECT CHANGES IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.

HOWEVER, THE MOST VISIBLE ZONING CHANGES CAN BE SEEN IN A PLEASURE ISLAND SECTION OF THE MAP AS COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES SPOKE OF EARLIER TODAY, THE PLANNING STAFF MET WITH MR. GEORGE DAVIS, THE DIRECTOR OF A PLEASURE ISLAND ON MAY SIX TO DISCUSS THE REZONING OF THE ISLAND STAFF ALONG WITH MR. DAVIS MADE CHANGES BASED UPON THE EXISTING AND PROPOSED FUTURE OF THE ISLAND.

FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS AN AREA OF THE ISLAND THAT HAS ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL HOMES ALREADY IN PLACE, AND IT WAS LOGICAL THAT THIS AREA BE ZONED FOR THAT PARTICULAR USE, WHICH IS LOW DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WE CHANGED INTO THAT FROM SINGLE FAMILY.

THERE WAS ALSO ONE PARTICULAR AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED AT BY A DEVELOPER TO POSSIBLY CONSTRUCT HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, BUSINESSES, ET CETERA, A STAFF DETERMINED, MIXED JUICE WOULD BE THE PROPER ZONE FOR THIS AREA.

THERE ARE OTHER ZONING CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ISLAND AND WE ARE ALL, AND THEY WERE ALL BASED UPON WHAT IS ALREADY THERE AND ARE WHAT WE ENVISION THE FUTURE TO BE.

MOST OF THE LAND WILL BE ZONED GENERAL COMMERCIAL.

THIS ZONING ORDINANCE IS A LIVING DOCUMENT.

THAT MEANS IT CAN CHANGE AT ALL TIMES ANYTIME DURING THE YEARS AND WILL BE.

AND WE'LL ESTABLISH CONTROLS THAT CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT, GROWTH, AND PROTECT PROPERTY VALUES

[02:40:01]

UH, SO THE MAP IS, UH, PRETTY MUCH READY.

WE STILL HAVE SOME CHANGES TO DO, BUT IT IS BE READY TO, UH, PUT, BE PLACED ON THE, UH, WEBSITE, UH, VERY SOON.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

SO MAY I APPROACH HIM? THAT WAS QUESTIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE NEED TO VOTE.

THAT WAS A QUESTION ON THE MOTION.

WE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES YOU SEE NOBODY EVEN OPPOSED IT.

[VIII.B.6. P. O. No. 7060 — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 78 ( Personnel), Division V ( Attendance And Leave), Section 78- 184( a) ( Holidays) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, By Adding Juneteenth As A Paid Holiday ( Requested By Councilmember Moses) ]

NEXT.

WE HAVE A PO NUMBER 7 0 6.

AM I GOING RIGHT? YES, SIR.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I WALKED OUT IN TIME.

ALL AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 78 PERSONNEL DIVISION FIVE, UH, AGENDAS AND LEAD SECTION 78.

THAT'S 180 4 SUB SECTION EIGHT.

HOLIDAYS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS BY ADDING JUNETEENTH AS A PAID HOLIDAY REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES.

WE ARE READY TO HAVE A MOTION ON THIS.

OUR COUNCIL, WOMAN, MOSES SOUND MOOD.

GET A SECOND COUNCIL REMARKS.

SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7, 0 6, 0 AS RED.

ARE WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY.

THE AYES HAVE IT.

THE SWORD IS ORDERED PO NUMBER 7, 0 6 0 PASSES ASS RED.

THAT'S THE MAN, EXCUSE ME.

GO RIGHT HERE.

BEFORE WE CALL FOR A GERMAN.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS WHERE COUNCIL, PEOPLE CAN SAY SOMETHING, BUT I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING THAT GOES OUT OVER THE AIRWAYS.

UH, I WANT TO WISH MY BETTER HALF FOR, FOR A HAPPY 42ND ANNIVERSARY TODAY.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT EARLIER, BUT, UH, HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO BACK HOME.

UM, YEAH, SO, OKAY.

SO I HOPE SHE'S LISTENING.

IT'S DONE BY THE STORE.

DIANE, GET SOME FLOWERS IN A MINUTE.

I TAKE A BOAT.

WE DID HAVE THE MOTION.

I GOT A SECOND.

UH, A SECOND.