* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THANK [00:00:01] YOU. MA'AM. OKAY. GOOD MORNING TO EACH OF YOU. TODAY [I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL] IS JULY 19TH, 2022. AND YOU ARE PRESENT HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND WE ARE GETTING READY TO CONDUCT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING. AND THE MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED BY THE MEDIUMS OF, UH, EITHER TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE. UH, HOWEVER, UH, A QUORUM HAS TO BE ESTABLISHED AND PRESENT HERE IN THE CHAMBER OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THOSE WHO WANT TO ATTEND VIA THE, UH, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT WE DO HAVE. NOW YOU WOULD DOW 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9. YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING CODE OR MEETING ID, EXCUSE ME, OF 8 9 2 7 1 3 5 3 3 1 4. AND THE CODE OF 7 6 4 4 4 4. ALSO, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. AND IF YOU NEED SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND THEY ARE REASONABLE, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU. HOWEVER, YOU MUST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AND MAKE THE REQUEST. UH, AND THAT NUMBER IS 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5. AND THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU. WE'RE NOW BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION. WE HAVE THE PLEDGE, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A ROLL CALL AND SATISFY THE CITY SECRETARY. UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, GIVE US THE INDICATION ON THIS MORNING. PLEASE STAND PLEASE. I FATHER AND I, GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING IN THE MOST HUMBLE WAY THAT WE KNOW HOW RECOGNIZING THAT YOU ARE THE CREATOR AND THE SUSTAINER OF ALL LIFE. WE COME BEFORE YOU UNBELIEV THIS MORNING ASKING THAT YOU WOULD LOOK DOWN UPON US AND WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT AS WE PREPARE THE, TO MAKE DECISIONS, AS WE PREPARE TO GOD DELIBERATE ABOUT WHAT OUR CITY WILL BE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN OUR CITY, WE ASKED FOR YOUR GUIDANCE. WE ASK FOR YOUR MERCY, YOUR GRACE. WE ASK GOD THAT YOU WOULD PROTECT US AND KEEP OUR NATION STRONG HEAVENLY FATHER AND UNITED. AND WE ASK ALL OF THIS IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS, THE CHRIST WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. LET US SAY THE PLEDGE IN UNISON. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTELLIGENCE. YOU KNOW, OPENING CITY SECRETARY. THANK YOU. MAYOR, MAYOR BARTEE, MAYOR PRO TEM HOMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER, KEN LAW, COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS, COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK PRESENT. YOU HAVE A CORN MAN. THANK YOU. SO CANDY. AND AGAIN, WELCOME TO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE PRESENT HERE IN THE CHAMBERS ON THE DATE, UH, ON PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROCLAMATIONS. UH, WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH THE SPEAKERS. THE FIRST SPEAKER, IT BENITA GREEN HAS RESCHEDULED AND SHE WOULD COME ON A LATER DATE. NEXT [III.A.2. Zulema Escobedo Regarding Fair Practices In The City] WE HAVE MR. LIMA, UH, ESCOBIDO REGARDING UNFAIR PRACTICES IN THE CITY. SO PLEASE APPROACH, STATE YOUR NAME AND GIVE YOU A DRESS. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK. GOOD MORNING THERE, TEXAS. I'M HERE TODAY IN HOPES THAT, UM, I GET THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL TO BRING FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY TODAY. I CAN NAME MANY CASES WHERE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS SHOWN UNFAIRNESS FAVORITISM, NEPOTISM. UM, I'VE REALLY NEVER SAID ANYTHING. UH, I'M A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND I'VE REALLY NOT WANT TO BRING ANY BAD LIGHTING TO THE CITY, BUT THIS TIME IT'S BEEN TOO MUCH. UH, IT'S HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE IS GOING TO NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN IN TODAY'S MATTER, UH, PARISH HALL ON NINTH AVENUE, I GREW UP THERE SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER UP UNTIL I GOT MARRIED. MY MOM STILL LIVES ACROSS THE STREET AND, UH, IT WAS A GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SEE COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, OCCUR THERE ALL THE TIME. AND, UH, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY GAVE IT TO A NON A NON-PROFIT THAT ONLY USE IT AS A NONPROFIT FOR HALF A YEAR. AND, UH, AFTER SEEING THAT, UH, OCCURRING THAT PEOPLE WERE JUST LIVING IN THE PROPERTY, THAT PEOPLE THAT HAD IT THERE, WE [00:05:01] MADE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AWARE OF IT. IT TOOK THE MANY, MANY YEARS TO ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND WHEN THEY DID DO SOMETHING ABOUT, IT WAS THE TIME WHEN I ACTUALLY GOT AND WENT AROUND TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED AROUND THERE AND GOT A PETITION THAT THEY ALL SIGNED, THAT IT WAS NOT BEING USED FOR THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS GIVEN TO THEM. AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE CITY GOT FINALLY STARTED MOVING ON IT AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS OF ME DOING THIS. SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY I WANTED TO BRING IT UP TO WHAT IT USED TO BE, WHICH WAS A COMMUNITY HALL FOR THE COMMUNITY. UH, AND I WAS WILLING TO INVEST MY MONEY THERE BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT WAS SUCH A GREAT PILLAR OF PEAR RICH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS IN CONTACT ON A VERY CONSTANT BASIS WITH THE CITY. THEY SAID, WELL, FINALLY, AFTER MANY YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT UP FOR, UM, A BID FOR SOMEONE TO BUY IT. WE WENT IN AND WE MADE A BID FOUND OUT, UH, JUST RECENTLY THAT WE WERE THE HIGHEST BID YET. WE WERE NOT, THE WINNERS ALSO FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT, UH, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO THE OFFER. WE WERE TOLD TWO THINGS WHERE THE STIPULATIONS, IT HAD TO BE A CASH OFFER, NO FINANCING. AND IT HAD TO BE, UH, THE HIGHEST BID. I WAS THE HIGHEST BID AND I WAS ALSO A CASH OFFER. AND GUESS WHAT? THE BUYER WAS $600 UNDER MY BID. AND NUMBER TWO, THE BUYER GOT IT FINANCED. SO HOW CAN THAT BE EXPLAINED TO ME? YES, I'M ANGRY. I'M VERY ANGRY. THAT IS NOT FAIR TO ME. AND IT'S NOT THE FAIR TO ANY OTHER BITTERS. MAYBE THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT EVEN BID MORE THAN ME. SO, AND I HAVE PROOF OF THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE CONTRACT THAT WE SENT TO THE REALTOR. WE CALLED THE REALTOR, THE REALTOR BLAMED IT ON COUNCIL TO COUNCIL APPROVE THE SALE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAD AT ANYONE, THE MAYOR, CAN I INTERRUPT PLEASE? YES. MA'AM. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION, PLEASE UTILIZE YOUR WORDS, BUT DON'T GIVE THE COUNCIL STATEMENTS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. CAUSE THAT MAY LATER BE FOUND TO BE QUESTIONABLE. THAT'S HEARSAY. OKAY. YEAH. THAT'S FINE. WHATEVER YOU HAVE AS A RECORDING, THAT'S FINE. BUT PLEASE USE YOUR OWN WORDS. WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO COMING UP HERE, STAYING WITH SOMEONE. YOU'LL SEE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A PROOF THAT, THAT WHEN I QUESTION THIS, EVERYONE'S BLAMING EVERYONE LEGALLY AND I'M GOING TO CLEAN IT UP AND I CAN EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. SO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR WORDS, BUT DON'T GIVE ANYONE ELSE'S WORD. DON'T SPEAK FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. I UNDERSTAND I'M AN INTELLIGENT WOMAN. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN. SO, SO IT'S BEEN LEGAL HERE. THIS PERSON THERE, THAT PERSON IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT. IT IS SOMEONE'S FAULT. AND NOW, NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD, THERE'S A REASON WE DID THAT. THERE'S A REASON YOU WERE THE BID, BUT YOU DIDN'T WIN. OKAY. SO LET'S, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS. SO, UM, PRETTY MUCH I'M HOPING JAY, AND THERE'S MORE STORIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT I'M DONE. I'M DONE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT PRESENTATION, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE INVESTED IN PORT ARTHUR. WE HAVE $10 MILLION OF PERSONAL FUNDS THAT I HAVE INVESTED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO BE DONE, NOT JUST TO ME, TO ANYONE ELSE, BECAUSE I, I'M NOT SURE IF I WAS THE HIGHEST BETTER, MAYBE THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE. SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY, BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW, UM, WHO WAS THIS? AN INSIDE JOB WAS, UH, WHOSE FAULT WAS IT WHO VIOLATED THE LEGAL, UM, RULES THAT THERE IS THAT, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE IN PLACE. THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO FIND OUT TODAY. YEAH. OKAY. I HAVE SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO PULL UP BEFOREHAND. I'VE CALLED AND ASKED THAT YOU ALL COME TO MY OFFICE. I SPOKE WITH A GENTLEMEN, UH, ON A SPECIFIC DATE. I HAVE THE DATE WRITTEN DOWN AND SAID, HEY, SIT DOWN WITH ME AND LET ME EXPLAIN THE LAW. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP HERE AND WE, UM, UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, BUT LET ME KIND OF FLESH A FEW THINGS OUT. CAUSE I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T CLEARLY SEE THE DIFFERENCES OF HOW CITY OWNED PROPERTY OR GOVERNMENTAL ASSETS ARE DISPOSED OF VERSUS HOW WE WOULD HANDLE OUR PROPERTY. JUST BEAR WITH ME. I WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING AND I THINK THAT'LL KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN EYE-OPENER. THERE WAS ALSO A GENTLEMAN THAT I SPOKE WITH ON THE PHONE AND THEN I CALLED BACK, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME AND MEET WITH ME AND I WOULD KIND OF SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN, FIRST OF ALL, I AM THE LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY AND NO ONE HAS CALLED ME AND SPOKEN WITH ME ABOUT THIS PRIOR TO, I MEAN, YEAH. OKAY. BUT LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING ABOUT THE LAW. THE WAY THE LAW IS STRUCTURED. WHEN A CITY DISPOSES OF PROPERTY TAKES THE COUNCIL OUT OF IT, THE CITY STAFF IS OUT OF IT. SO WHAT I WANT TO PULL UP, GO TO THE NEXT PAGE. SO I PULLED THIS UP AND WE ALL GOT TO GET OUR GLASSES AND BY THE WAY, I DO WANT TO CLEAR, LET ME JUST, LET ME FINISH. GO AHEAD. OKAY, GO AHEAD. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE. OKAY. LET ME, LET ME KIND OF GIVE MY PRESENTATION. CAUSE I THINK IF I CLEARED UP, THEN WE CAN GET ON A BETTER PAGE WHERE WE CAN COME TO A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, WHAT THE LAW IS, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A, UM, PRIVATE BUYER WOULD. SO LET ME JUST GIVE THIS TO YOU. AND [00:10:01] THEN, LIKE I SAID, I'D ALSO BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU. I TRIED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. IF YOU LOOK AT 2 53 0.014, THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT A CITY CAN DISPOSE OF REAL PROPERTY. ONLY TWO, WE DON'T DISPOSE OF REAL PROPERTY IN THE MANNER THAT REGULAR CITIZENS WILL, WHERE THEY NEGOTIATE. THERE'S NO NEGOTIATION. OKAY? SO UNDER 2 53, YOU CAN PUT IT UP FOR AN AUCTION, BUT THEN, AND THAT WAS USUALLY OUR PROCESS. BUT THEN A FEW YEARS AGO THEY CHANGED THE LAW AND SAID THAT YOU CAN ONLY WORK THROUGH A BROKER. THAT MEANS THE COUNCIL IS OUT OF THE SCENARIO. I'M OUT OF THE SCENARIO, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE DO IS, AND I'LL PULL IT UP AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK THAT I SEE WHERE THE, SOME OF THE, THE UNDERSTANDING MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THE GOVERNING BODY OF A HOME, YOUR MUNICIPALITY MAY CONTRACT WITH A BROKER TO SELL A ATTRACTIVE LAND THAT THE MUNICIPALITY OWNS OR HOLDS IN TRUST. THE GOVERNING BODY PAYS A FEE TO THE BROKER WHO PRODUCES A READY, WILLING, AND ABLE BUYER TO PURCHASE A TRACT OF REAL PROPERTY. SO WE'RE OUT OF THE PROCESS. OKAY. D IF A CONTRACT IS MADE WITH A BROKER, THEY LIST THE PROPERTY FOR 30 DAYS WITH MULTIPLE LISTENING AND THEN THE GOVERNING BODY ON OR AFTER THE 30TH DAY MAY SELL THE PROPERTY TO A READY, WILLING, AND ABLE BUYER, UM, WHO IS PRODUCED BY ANY BROKER USING MLS WHO SUBMITS THE HIGHEST CASH OFFER. I WANT TO PUT A PAUSE RIGHT THERE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CASH OFFER IN THE CONTEXT OF MUNICIPAL LAW, WE'RE NOT SAYING I'M BIDDING AND I'M GIVING YOU A BOX WITH CASH OR CASH MONEY IN THE CONTEXT OF IT HAS TO BE CACHED AND NOT FINANCE. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTION LIES THE LAW MEET THE LAW STATES. AND I HAVE BEEN, YOU CAN ALSO TAKE DOWN THE NUMBER FOR TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, AND THEY CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME GUIDANCE ON THIS. THE LAW STATES THAT WE MUST RECEIVE ACTUAL MONEY FOR IT. WE CAN'T DO IT IN, IN CON A SWAP OR SOMETHING FOR SOMETHING ELSE. WE HAVE TO RECEIVE CASH. IT'S NOT A CONSEQUENCE IF THE BUYER FINANCES, IT, CAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FINANCE EVERYTHING. IT'S AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION. WHEN WE GO TO CLOSING, WE'RE GIVEN ACTUAL CURRENCY, YOU KNOW, ACTUAL CASH, NOT A, WE'LL SELL YOU THIS BUILDING IF YOU GIVE US THAT. SO WHEN YOU SAY IT HIGH AS CASH OFFER, I WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT. AND YOU CAN ALSO KIND OF TALK TO A PRIVATE ATTORNEY AND TALK TO TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. NOW LET'S KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS. UH, AND THEN HE SAYS, HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN AUCTION. SO LET'S KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE TRANSACTION. NOW, GO BACK TO THE FIRST PAGE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I'M ALWAYS EXCITED WHEN I TALK. SO DON'T TAKE THAT LIKE, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THINGS ARE MISCONSTRUED BECAUSE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES JUST DO STUFF DIFFERENT. SO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED. SO WE HAVE THE PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY WAS LISTED IN MULTIPLE LISTING. AND THE LAW SAYS FOR 30 DAYS IT WAS PLACED ON MULTIPLE LISTING ON APRIL 19TH THROUGH MAY 19TH. AND THE CITY DOESN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. SO IT WAS PUT, UM, ON MLS BY A REAL ESTATE BROKER AND THE BEDS CLOSED ON MAY 19TH. AND THAT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT SECTION. THAT'S WE ALWAYS JUST LEAVE IT OPEN 30 DAYS, WE HAVE OFTEN NUMBER ONE WAS 55,000 OFTEN. NUMBER TWO WAS 60,000 AND OFTEN NUMBER THREE WAS 59,000. NOW THE RECORDS THAT I HAVE REFLECT THAT, AND YOU KNOW, REALLY THIS ISN'T FOR, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THIS IN ANOTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, TYPE OF MEETING, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. SO THE OFFER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM YOU WAS OFTEN NUMBER THREE. AND SO, OKAY. SO THAT'S FINE, BUT I DO HAVE A SIGNED OFFER FROM YOU. AND REMEMBER WE DON'T GET THE SIGNED OFFER AS WELL. OKAY. I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE. LET ME, LET ME JUST FINISH. SO I HAVE A SIGNED OFFER FOR YOU FOR 59,000 AND IT WAS DATED MAY 18TH. SO WE BROUGHT THAT TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL BY LAW HAD TO, I'M JUST TELLING YOU, WE HAD TO TAKE THE HIGHEST OFFER. NOW LATER ON, I SEE THAT THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT'S BEING CIRCULATED THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DATE ON IT THAT WAS NOT PRESENTED WITH THE PACKET THAT WE HAD. AND THAT SAYS 60,600. I'M NOT SURE OF THE FACTS ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED BECAUSE WE CLOSED THE PROCESS ON MAY 19TH. AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, SIGNED, YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN TALK. I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM IS SIGNED FOR MAY 18TH. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD ON MAY 19TH. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEEWAY. THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW US TO NEGOTIATE ANYTHING. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE OFFERS. SO COUNSEL GET D GAVE DIRECTION TO GO AHEAD WITH THE HIGHEST OFFER, WHICH WE WILL BOUND TO DO UNDER 2 53. AND SO THAT'S THE OFFER AND THAT WAS A YEAR AGO. SO THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD, [00:15:01] BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY TO YOU THAT WE'RE NOT, WE, WE GO BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. I'M VERY STRICT BY THAT. I'M VERY STRICT BY FOLLOWING THE LAW NET. WE DON'T INTERACT WITH BUYERS AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FROM THE REALTOR. UM, AND NOT THE REAL TO THE BROKER BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A REAL, WE HAVE TO USE A BROKER. SO THOSE ARE THE FACTS WE HAVE. NOW, THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU DID HAVE DOES NOT HAVE A DATE ON IT. I DON'T KNOW ANY FACTS ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THE REAL, UM, SOURCE TO DEAL WITH THIS WOULD BE IN A COURT OR SOME TYPE OF OTHER SITUATION IS YOU'RE VERY FREE TO VOICE YOUR OPINIONS. BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE FOLLOWED THE LAW. OKAY. OH, SO UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE A BOUND NOW BY SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PUBLIC YEAR IN THE BEGINNING. IT CAN ANSWER WHAT WE'D LIKE CAN DO. WE CAN RECEIVE COMPENSATION RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE WANT TO DO. I NEED TO MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO IF YOU ALL REMAIN AND WE'LL GET BACK INTO THE FLOW OF THE ACTUAL STATEMENT, MA'AM CAN I JUST SAY ONE LAST THING? CAUSE I WANT TO KNOW MA'AM IF YOU WOULD JUST WAIT AND IT IS 10 O'CLOCK, I'M GOING TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU LISTEN TO ME AND I CAN SEE IT, IF YOU WOULD HAVE A SEAT, WE'RE GOING TO RETURN TO THIS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. [IV. A Public Hearing Regarding The New 2020 Census Data In Order To Comply With The " One- Person, One- Vote" ( Equal Population) Principle Established By The U. S. Constitution, Which Is Necessary To Sufficiently Balance The Populations Of The City' s Single- Member Council Districts And The Consideration Of New Boundaries, Based Upon The Adopted Guidelines For Public Participation, The Proposed Plan And Map Which Conforms To The Redistricting Criteria Adopted By The City Council And Discussion Of Draft Plan By The City Council And Any Amendments, If Necessary, To Finalize The Draft Plan For Future Adoption.] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PAGE TWO. UH, ROMAN NUMERAL FOUR PUBLIC HEARING, THE BEGINNING OF 10:00 AM. IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE NEW 2020 CENSUS DATA IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH BE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE EQUAL POPULATION PRINCIPLE ESTABLISHED BY THE U S CONSTITUTION, WHICH IS NECESSARY TO SUFFICIENTLY BALANCED THE POPULATIONS OF THE CITY'S SINGLE MEMBER COUNCIL DISTRICTS, AND BE CONSIDERATION OF THE NEW BOUNDARIES BASED UPON THE ADOPTED GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, THE PROPOSED BAN OF THE SUPER PLAN AND MAP, WHICH CONFORMS TO THE RE-DISTRICTING CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND DISCUSSION OF DRAFT PLAN BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, ANY AMENDMENTS IF NECESSARY TO FINALIZE THE DRAFT PLAN FOR FUTURE ADOPTION. AND WE'LL BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW AT 10 0 1 AND THEN I'LL INTRODUCE, OKAY, THANK YOU ME. UM, WELL, SO I'M BACK AGAIN. WE HAVE, UH, GUNNER SCIQUEST OUR ATTORNEY THAT REPRESENTS US ON THIS REDISTRICT IN MATTER. AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ALL OF THE ADS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE NEWSPAPER, UM, AND ON THE NEWS, UM, ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND SO FORTH WITH REGARD TO REDISTRICTING. SO, UH, YEAH, WE CAN TAKE THAT DOWN. SO WE ARE HERE, UM, FOR THAT AT CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AFTER WE'RE THROUGH, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE UP THE REDISTRICTING, UH, ORDINANCE, YOU MAY, IF YOU ALL HAVE SOME FURTHER CONCERNS AND YOU WANT TO TABLE IT, WE CAN DO THAT TOO. SO WE'RE HERE AT YOUR PLEASURE. UM, JUST, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE OTHER THING TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED AND I WON'T GET INTO A LONG THING ON THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS ONLY COMES AROUND WITH THE CENSUS EVERY 10 YEARS. THIS IS A VERY CRUCIAL PROCESS BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW OUR CITY BOUNDARIES ARE SET AND, UH, WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT. SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL JUST, UH, LET MR SEAQUIST GIVE HIS PRESENTATION. AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION MAYOR, IF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM THEM. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PUT THOSE ON THIS BIG SCREEN TO ALSO, NO. I MEAN, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SEEN BETTER HERE. IT'S LARGEST GREEN, IF IT CAN HAPPEN. OKAY. I DIDN'T MAKE THE SMALLEST SCREEN. DAVID IT'S HERE TO MANAGE THAT. I THINK WE NEED SOME LARGER SCREENS IN HERE. UH, WE HAD A DIFFERENT TIME. YEAH. IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I DO HAVE PAPER COPIES. I CAN HAND OUT TO Y'ALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THEM. YEAH. NO IDEA, WHATEVER. OKAY. AND, AND REALLY, UH, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU AGAIN, MS. TIZZANO ACTUALLY COVERED MOST OF WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU THIS MORNING. WE ARE BACK TODAY TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE WORK THAT THE COUNCIL HAS DONE SO FAR, UH, AND COMING UP WITH A REDISTRICTING MAP, UM, JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, OF COURSE, THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, AS A MEANS OF REBALANCING THE SINGLE MEMBER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, BASED ON THE 2020 CENSUS DATA, UH, WHEN WE GET THAT DATA, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT BASED ON THIS MOST UPDATED POPULATION COUNT, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS ARE ROUGHLY PROPORTIONATE [00:20:01] AND OVERALL POPULATION. OF COURSE, THE REASON WE DO THAT IS THE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE REQUIREMENT. AND TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, FOLKS VOTES ARE NOT EITHER UNDERVALUED OR OVERVALUED BASED ON, UH, POPULATION IMBALANCE. SO, UM, THIS IS THE PROCESS OF JUST MOVING SOME POPULATION IN ORDER TO REBALANCE THOSE DISTRICTS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FALL WITHIN THAT OVERALL MAXIMUM DEVIATION OF 10%, WHICH IS WHAT THE FEDERAL COURTS HAVE TOLD US, UH, IS THE RANGE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR UNDER ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS PLAN B. I HAVE A LARGE MAP OF IT. THIS IS THE LAST MAP, UM, THAT THE COUNCIL ARRIVED AT JUST BY WAY OF SORT OF HOW WE GOT HERE. UM, WE'VE HAD A DRAWING SESSION WITH THE COUNCIL. UH, WE ALSO HAD A BREAKOUT GROUP, A FEW MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO FORM A COMMITTEE, TO HELP US MAKE SOME CHANGES AND GET TO THE MAP PLAN B, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE. UM, IN THE PACKETS I GAVE YOU THERE, THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY THREE SETS OF INFORMATION. THERE'S THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION, WHICH IS THE CURRENT BENCHMARK MAPS, AS WELL AS THE POPULATION NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE. THERE IS A PLAN, A MAP IN THERE WAS, WAS JUST THE FIRST KIND OF ITERATION THAT WE DID. AND THEN THERE IS THE PLAN B AND WHAT WE ARE CALLING PLAN B IS THE PRODUCT OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK AND WHAT THE COUNCIL, AS A WHOLE SAW THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE AND WHAT THE CITY HAS PUT OUT FOR COMMENT TO THE PUBLIC. AND SO THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED, UM, THE MAPS HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTED TO LOOK AT THEM. AND SO TODAY THE PLAN IS JUST TO GIVE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE EXTENT THEY WANT TO, TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ON THE MAPS WE HAVE SO FAR. UH, IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES AFTER THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, I HAVE OUR GIS SPECIALISTS UP ON THE SCREEN. WE CAN MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL REVISIONS, OR IF THE COUNCIL IS HAPPY, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR YOU AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH ADOPTION. UM, BUT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL LET, Y'ALL GIVE ME DIRECTION ON THAT. AND I WILL SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET AND LET ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COMMENT, HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME RIGHT NOW, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. BUT FIRST, DO I OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC, ANYONE IN CHAMBERS WITH A CHARACTER COMMENT? I HAVE A QUESTION. DIFFERENT MAIN NAME WITH ME RIGHT HERE. YEAH. OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY MOVEMENT COUNSELING, RIGHT? YES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, IMMEDIATELY, UH, THE THING THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME AS THE DEVIATION OF A NEGATIVE 15.3% IN, UH, DISTRICT NUMBER ONE, UM, THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME IMMEDIATELY. AND I SEE THE IDEAL SIZE OF COURSE, IS THAT EVERY DISTRICT WOULD BE EQUALLY SPREAD OUT AND THAT THE POPULACE WOULD BE, UH, THERE. UM, HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT DEVIATION AND WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU GOOD WITH THAT DEVIATION AS YOU WERE GOING FORWARD. UH, DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO, WHY DID YOU MAKE ANY EFFORTS TO, UM, TO ALLEVIATE THAT DEVIATION OR, UH, HOW DID YOU, HOW DID YOU GET THERE? SO PROCESS, I APOLOGIZE. I SHOULD HAVE TABBED THESE BETTER, BUT THAT 15% DEVIATION IS WHAT WE HAD WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS. IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THAT TABLE HERE, THAT'S THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT, SECOND PAGE. I APOLOGIZE ME. COULD WE HAVE THEM GO TO THE SECOND PAGE? WELL, THIS IS JUST THE EDGE SOFTWARE. OKAY. SO, UM, BUT, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, ABSOLUTELY. IF THERE WAS A 15% DEVIATION THAT WE WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, UM, THIS WAS THE WA THIS WAS THE 15% DEVIATION WAS WHAT EXISTED UNDER THE 2020 CENSUS DATA AS THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ARE CONFIGURED TODAY. AND SO THAT IS WHAT, SEE WHAT WE HAD THERE WAS WE HAD A NEGATIVE 15% DEVIATION ON A DISTRICT ONE AND A POSITIVE 18% DEVIATION. YOU'LL SEE THERE ON DISTRICT THREE. AND SO ADDED TOGETHER THAT GIVES US THAT TOTAL DEVIATION, WHICH WAS 33%, WHICH IS WHY THE CITY REALLY NEEDED TO DO ITS REDISTRICTING TO ELIMINATE THAT DEVIATION THAT YOU'RE RECOGNIZING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND SO THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS SORT OF THE PROBLEM WE WERE LOOKING TO SOLVE. AND IF WE GO BACK THROUGH, IF YOU DIG A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE PACKET, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE, IT'S MY FAULT FOR NOT PUTTING SOME EASIER TABS ON THERE, JUST SO YOU COULD TURN RIGHT TO IT. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE THAT SAYS, PLAN B AT THE TOP PLAN B. YES, SIR. GOT IT. THAT'S WHAT GETS US DOWN TO THE OVERALL DEVIATION OF 9.7, 4%, WHICH AGAIN, BELOW THAT 10%, AND IN THAT MAP, THE LARGEST DEVIATION WE HAVE IS ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF HEAVY IN THREE AND TWO WAS ABOUT FOUR LIFE. [00:25:01] AND SO WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DEVIATION THERE, BUT THAT'S THE DEVIATION THAT THE COURTS HAVE TOLD US IS ACCEPTABLE. AND WITHIN THAT THRESHOLD THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE TO EQUAL SIZE AS WE CAN, BUT JUST BASED ON GEOGRAPHY WHERE PEOPLE ARE, YOU REALLY CAN'T GET IT EXACTLY EQUAL, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT 10%. YOU SAID THAT 15 JUMPED OUT AT ME AND I DIDN'T, I DID DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, BUT I HAD JUST GOT THE PACKAGE. I SHOULD HAVE SHOWED IT TO YOU BETTER. OKAY. NOT A PROBLEM. THANK YOU. QUICK FROM THE CHEMO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED VERY HARD, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE TEAM THAT WE HAD TO PUT TOGETHER AND TO GET TO THESE NUMBERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED FOR THE RECORD TO EVERYONE TO KNOW, UH, DISTRICT THREE TOOK A BIG CHUNK OUT, OUT OF MY DISTRICT AND IT'S BY LAW THAT WE HAD TO DO THIS. AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY ATTORNEY BY LAW, WE HAD TO DO THIS. YES. THE CONSTITUTION YEAH. MAKES US HAVE TO HAVE AND COMPLIANCE. SO I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW AFTER THIS, THIS VOTE OR AFTER THIS DISCUSSION, I'M GOING TO GET PHONE CALLS OF WHY I'M NO LONGER IN YOUR DISTRICT. UH, BUT I JUST WANT THIS FOR THE RECORD, EVERYONE TO KNOW BY LAW, WE HAD TO DO THIS TO AND GET BELOW THE 10% DEVIATION ON THE TOTAL POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICTS THAT'S RIGHT. THE WAY THE 2020 CENSUS CAME OUT, IT WAS YOUR DISTRICT. THAT WAS THE HEAVIEST YOU HAD THAT 18% OVERPOPULATION. UM, AND SO, AND THEN ONE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS LIED. SO ONE HAD TO TAKE ON SOME OF THAT POPULATION AND THEN WE REBALANCED A LITTLE BIT JUST TO MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOODS WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, BARRY. OKAY. COMES FROM REMARKS. UH, YES. UH, THIS MR. GUNTHER, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO WORK WITH THAT COMMITTEE AND, UH, THIS LIKE THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT, UH, WE WERE VERY, VERY DILIGENT ABOUT HOW WE TRY TO DIVIDE UP THIS THING TO GET IT EQUAL. AND WHEN WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, UH, AS FAR AS THE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION IS CONCERNED. AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE, THAT EACH DISTRICT WAS AS CLOSE TO THE, THE, UH, NUMBERS THAT WERE, UH, SET OUT FOR US TO BE ON AN EQUAL PLANE. AS FOR, AS THE VOTING REGISTERED VOTERS IN EACH DISTRICT. IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO, TO GET TO THAT POINT, BUT, UH, THROUGH THE DILIGENCE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND I THINK, UH, MS. HOLMES WAS ON THE COMMITTEE ALONE, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW. UH, AND, UH, WE WORKED THAT OUT AND, AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID TO HELP US GET HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT WAS OUR PRIVILEGE. OKAY. GOTCHA. FIGHT THE LIGHT. OKAY. SO YOU DIDN'T TURN. OKAY. I HAVE NOTHING OTHER, IF YOU ALL DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF THE PUBLIC, ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. AS STATED [VIII.B.1. P. O. No. 7076 — An Ordinance Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Approving The Redistricting Of The City' s Single Member Council Districts And Establishing New District Boundary Lines For Port Arthur City Council Elections Based On 2020 Census Data; And Providing For An Effective Date] THERE IS A COMPANION, UH, RESOLUTION, UH, ORDINANCE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO HERE AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING YOU, OKAY. AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN DO IT VOTE. OKAY. SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO COSMIN. SECOND CONFERENCE ZONE IS REMOVED, AND SECOND THAT WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE WERE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES AS TO RESOLVE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AT 10:13 AM. NOW, EXCUSE ME, THERE IS A, UH, ON A NUTS, UH, NUMBER 7 0 7 6 ON PAGE NINE. UH, AND AUTUMN IS AT THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR APPROVING THE REDISTRICTING OF THE CITY'S, A SINGLE MEMBER COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND ESTABLISHING NEW DISTRICT BOUNDARY LINES FOR PORT ARTHUR CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS BASED ON 2020 CENSUS DATA AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR COSMIC MARKS MAY GET A SECOND COUNCILOR CATALOG. OH, I'M SORRY. OKAY. OKAY. UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT, UH, THE OTTOMANS AS RED PO NUMBER 7 67. I MEAN 7 0 7 6. AND IF, OF COURSE, NO, I'M WAITING IS HONEST. YEAH. OKAY. WE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR. EXCUSE ME. AND HE OPPOSES AS HAVING SORT OF THIS AUDIT, WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 0 7 6 8 WEEK. OKAY. WE WILL NOW CLOSE. WELL, YOU ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'VE ACTED UPON THE COMPANION, [00:30:01] UH, ORDINANCE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND WE WERE MOVED BACK TO THE NORMAL FLOW OF B AGENDA AND YOU TURN THE PAGE AND, UM, MS. ESCOBIDO. OKAY. SHE'S GONE. OKAY. SO, UM, [III.A.3. Mike Pena Regarding Bid Approval Process] WE'VE MOVED TO THE NEXT PRESENTER, UH, MR. MIKE PAYMENT, UH, REGARDING BID APPROVAL PROCESS AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE, AND GET DRESSED. HELLO COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MICHAEL PENA. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS REAL QUICK MUSCLE, SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE, UH, SHE WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW IS THAT SHE DOESN'T, SHE CLEARLY KNOWS YOU GUYS ARE NOT THE ONES TO BLAME FOR ANY OF THIS, RIGHT. FOR WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PROPERTY THAT WE WERE TRYING TO INVEST, BUT REAL QUICK, UM, I MADE A PACKET, A PACKET FOR YOU GUYS JUST TO VIEW, UH, WHAT, UM, WHAT THE PACKET HAS. THE FIRST TWO PAGES IS JUST TO MAKE A POINT OF HOW SERIOUS WE ARE ABOUT INVESTING IN PORT ARTHUR. UM, THAT IS ONLY WITHIN THE SAME TIMEFRAME OF THE PURCHASE OF THE PEERAGE. OKAY. SO THIS IS THAT'S BEING HERE AT PORT ARTHUR. THAT'S NO OTHER CITY. SO IT'S JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT TO YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE KEPT UP WITH THIS PROPERTY, HOW MUCH WE DID EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS AWARE THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE BIGGEST PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO PURCHASE THAT, THAT PARTICULAR LAND, THAT PEERAGE, UH, FOR A SHOPPING CENTER, A SMALL SHOPPING CENTER THERE, MY UNCLE LIVES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, BLACK. MY SISTER SAID THAT, UM, MY PARENTS LIVE CATERCORNER FROM THE PROPERTY. SO WE GREW UP IN THAT PROPERTY. SO WE KNOW THE PROPERTY VERY WELL AND, UH, OVER THE YEARS, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FINALLY WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME ABOUT TO ACTUALLY ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY, UM, WE WERE ON IT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS FOR US IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE LAST CONTRACT THAT WE HAD SENT TO THE BROKER. UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO MENTION HER NAME HERE, BUT THE ONLY BROKER THAT I KNEW THAT WAS PART OF IT, SHE HAS EVERYTHING I SPOKE TO HER. SHE, I SPOKE TO HER LEFT THE OTHER DAY AND SHE HAD SAID THE SAME THING THAT SHE HAD SUBMITTED MY BED. SHE'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I SUBMITTED EVERYTHING YOU WANTED ME TO SUBMIT. AND I SAID, OKAY, GREAT. SO, YOU KNOW, HERE REAL QUICK, JUST TO UNDERSTAND THESE, THE, YOU KNOW, SHE ACTUALLY WENT TO ANOTHER PROPERTY, SHE TITLE COMPANY TO GO CLOSE ON ANOTHER PROPERTY. WE ARE VERY HONORED. WE'RE VERY CONSISTENT ON WHAT WE DO. AND ONE OF MY MAIN THINGS HERE IS, IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, HOW DID, HOW DID THIS, HOW DID THIS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS? YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CALLED CONCEIT CONSECUTIVELY WEEK AFTER WEEK TO GET UPDATES ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUSHES WASN'T THIS LAST SIX MONTHS WHERE I CAUGHT CONSISTENTLY WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK. AND I HAVE PEOPLE THAT I SPEAK THAT I SPEAK TO, UM, IN THAT DEPARTMENT, UM, AND ALSO HAVE THEIR NAMES AS WELL, LIKE ON A WEEKLY BASIS SAYING, WHAT IS THE UPDATE WHAT'S HAPPENING? ARE WE, ARE THE CITY, IS THE CITY GOING TO GET THIS PROPERTY BACK? ARE WE GOING TO FINALLY GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC HANDS? I MEAN, WHAT'S GOING ON SO WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THEY WERE TIRED OF ME CALLING IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS REAL ESTATE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT THE CITY IS WANTING TO. I JUST GOT AN UPDATE ON IT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WANTING TO TAKE SOME OF OUR LAND FOR SOME DRAINAGE. AND I SAID, HEY, I'LL WORK WITH THE CITY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE GOT SCREWED HERE. AND I, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ANY FAULT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE WE, WE DID EVERY SINGLE STEP. WE, WE, WE, WE FOLLOWED EVERY SINGLE STEP PROPERLY DOWN TO THE T. WE SUBMITTED EVERY SINGLE FILE, EVERY SINGLE BID, I BELIEVE WE DID SUBMIT, UH, TWO BIDS AT THE BEGINNING. AND THEN TOWARDS THE END, WE, WE SUBMITTED THAT FINAL BIT. IF IT'S NOT DATED, I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE SIGNED IT. WE SUBMITTED IT IT'S SERIOUS CASH. WE HAD, WE HAD TO ALSO SHOW PROOF OF FUNDS. WE DID ALL THAT, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT THERE THAT THE BROKER REQUIRED US TO DO, WE DID IT. AND, AND ONCE WE FOUND OUT THAT WE DIDN'T GET THE BID NOW, IT'S LIKE, AND WE RECENTLY JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE DIDN'T, THAT WE WEREN'T, WE WERE THE HIGHEST BIDDER AND WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T WIN IT. SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU GUYS FEEL WHEN IT, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS AND YEARS, AND YEARS AND YEARS YOU'RE WANTING, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING YOUR HARDEST TO ACQUIRE THAT PROPERTY FOR A CERTAIN REASON. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE LOST PROFITS FOR US. THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORK TIRELESSLY EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE WORK TO MIDNIGHT EVERY DAY, TRYING TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE DO. AND WE ALSO TRY TO HELP BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES. WE DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO VOLUNTEER AND TO HELP. SO I DON'T NEED ALL THE FIVE MINUTES. I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS THIS IS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU GUYS AGAIN, AND PROBABLY ANOTHER FORMAL, UH, CONTEXT OF NOT BEING HERE WITH YOU GUYS, BUT IN TALKING TO THE ATTORNEYS OR WHOEVER WE HAVE TO TALK TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE SOLVE THIS? WHAT IS, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE OUR, WHAT IS OUR OPTIONS? DO WE JUST SIT BACK AND JUST SAY, SCREW IT, LEAVE US ALONE AND JUST LET, LET, LET THIS BE. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO PURSUE THIS TO THE HIGHEST, HIGHEST [00:35:01] LEVEL OF WHAT, HOW, WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE. AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY CAN WORK WITH THIS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD GET THIS SOLVED. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. PENA, UH, COUNSEL MCKAYLA, UM, CITY ATTORNEYS, SINCE YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR LEGAL EXPERIENCE, MR. PENGUIN, WHICH IS STILL REMAINING UNTIL THEY MAY HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, PLEASE JUST REMARRIED. AND I'M PRETTY CURIOUS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WELL. UH, SINCE YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR LEGAL ASPECT AND YOU HAD YOUR PAPERWORK UP THERE, AND YOU SAID, UH, WHAT I'VE WROTE DOWN, THAT YOU SAID THAT THE HIGHEST CASH OFFER, THE HIGHEST CASH OFFER, WE WROTE IT DOWN. UH, SO YOU SAYING, OR WHOEVER IS SAYING THAT THIS PARTICULAR PERSON OR COMPANY DID NOT GET THE BID BASED UPON NOT HAVING A DATE. AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT? THEY BE AT $59,000. THE SECOND BIT ON THERE IS THEIR BID. AND I HAVE PUT THAT BACK UP AND I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY THAT THIS IS REALLY NOT A MATTER FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING. YOU CAN, OF COURSE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE FREE SPEECH AND WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THIS IS REALLY A LEGAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE FLESHED OUT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE. THE LEGAL ISSUE CAN'T BE, OH, LET ME FIT. OKAY. OKAY. AND THEN I'LL FINISH. GO AHEAD, SIR. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET AND NARROWED DOWN TO THE PERSON. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE GO-TO PERSON FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL. OKAY. NOW, IF IT WASN'T A COUNCIL MATTER, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT IT, PERIOD. SO OUR UNDERSTANDING, IF IT GOES TO A BROKER, UNDERSTAND ME, I'M WANT TO GET THIS CORRECTLY. AND I KNOW YOU MAY HAVE THE LEGAL ASPECT OF IT, BUT ONCE IT GOES TO THE BROKER, WHO IS THE CITY PERSON, WHO'S THE GO-TO WEB CONTRACTOR'S BUSINESS. LIKE THIS CAN GO TO, SO THAT'S MY QUESTION. IF YOU COULD PUT THAT BACK ON HIS SECOND OFFER IS 60,000 ALL FOR NUMBER 1 55, OFFER NUMBER TWO 60, OFFER NUMBER 3 59. THAT WAS THEIR OFFER. AND THE SECOND OFFER NUMBER TWO WAS THE HIGHEST OFFER. WHEN WE GET THE OFFER, WE NOTIFY THE COUNCIL IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UNDER VALUE OF LAND IN THE CITY. WE EXPLAIN YOU, THIS IS WHAT WE RECEIVED. AND THEN YOU TELL US TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE. WE CONTACT THE TITLE COMPANY AND THE TITLE COMPANY PREPARES THE DOCUMENTS. AND THEN IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE FORM OF AN ORDINANCE. THERE IS NO, UH, STAFF MEMBER THAT CAN GET INVOLVED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NO, BECAUSE THE COUNCIL IS BLIND. WE DON'T KNOW. WE JUST GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE. SAY WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO VOTE ON THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNCIL IS, HAS DONE. OKAY. YES. AND THEN, LIKE, I JUST WAS GOING TO SAY LIKE, THERE'S NO, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE CITIZEN, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT LIKE, THERE'S NOBODY ON STAFF THAT CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE BID PROCESS. CAUSE WE'RE OUT, WE'RE OUT. YOU JUST DEAL WITH, WITH THE COUNCIL, SAYS, GET A BROKER, THE BROKER DEALS WITH IT. THEN THE BROKER WRITES A LETTER, GIVES THE OFFERS AND THEN WE'RE BOUND TO TAKE THE HIGHEST OFFER. SO THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE. WE'RE TOTALLY OUT. WE DON'T NEGOTIATE. YEAH. THERE'S NO NEGOTIATION. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, TO, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS THE ONE WHO TOLD US, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH A SPECIFIC BROKER, A SPECIFIC PERSON. UH, THERE WAS NO OTHER CHANNELS. THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO SUBMIT OUR BIDS. IT WAS THAT PERSON AND THAT PERSON ONLY. AND I COULD GIVE YOU THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO YOU ON A WEEKLY BASIS, BUT I WANT YOU TO HEAR THOUGH, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. YES. WE WANT TO DO IT AT THIS CONFLICT. HE HASN'T BEEN SICK. WELL, YES, I DID. THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY AND BASED UPON EXPLANATION AND ALL THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND, UM, I THINK THAT WHAT THE ATTORNEY IS SAYING IS THAT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT AS WE'RE TRYING TO DELIBERATE AND COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE COUNCIL ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF THAT PROCESS, THE BROKER IS THE ONE WHO HANDLED ALL OF PER MY UNDERSTANDING. AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY IS THAT THE BROKER HANDLED EVERY BID, UH, COUNTERCURRENT TO WHAT ALL IS SWIRLING AROUND US IN THE MIDST OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS OUT OF OUR HANDS AND THE LAST BID SUBMITTED WAS 59,000 BY, BY YOUR, BY YOUR GROUP, BY, YOU KNOW, MS. ESCOBIDO. AND OF COURSE YOU, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING HEARD THAT, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DISCONNECT IS, IS THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR FRONT, YOU KNOW, YOUR GROUP AND THE CITY COUNCIL. NO, BECAUSE OUR HANDS ARE COMPLETELY OFF OF THAT IS THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY AND YOU ALL, OUR HANDS ARE COMPLETELY FROM THAT. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT THE DISCONNECT MIGHT'VE BEEN THE SUBMISSION OF THE BID OR THE WAY THAT THE BROKER MAY HAVE HANDLED IT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT ULTIMATELY, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS OUT OF OUR HANDS. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY. AND SO THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, [00:40:01] BUT WHAT I WOULD ASK AGAIN IS THAT YOU ALL WOULD SIT DOWN WITH OUR ATTORNEY AND THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, BECAUSE WE ARE WELCOMING ALL THAT, OF COURSE YOU AND EVERY OTHER, UH, CITY PERSON, UH, DOES IN OUR CITY. UH, AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE IT. AND SO WE DON'T WANT ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. WE WANT ANYTHING MISCONSTRUED, BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE, WE WANT INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS DOING BUSINESS FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY. SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS. OKAY. OKAY. UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FOR ME? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. WE HAVE [III.A.4. Jenn Nolan- MacNaughton Regarding Youth, Women And Veterans Outreach] OUR MISS JEN NOLAN MCNAUGHTON, UH, REGARDING MUTE WOMEN AND VETERANS OUTREACH MAYER. YES MA'AM. IF I MAY, I'VE JUST WANTED TO LET THE COUNCIL GO. THIS, THAT MS. MCNAUGHTON DID HAVE A VIDEO TO PRESENT AND MY LACK OF COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE, I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO PULL UP FOR HER. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER AN APOLOGY FOR THAT. IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TRYING, OKAY. BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE. MA'AM UH, YES. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY. UM, MY NAME IS JEN NOLA MCNAUGHTON, AND I AM A FORMER NAVY PHOTOGRAPHER AND JOURNALIST. AND CURRENTLY I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH THE TEXAS OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH ACTUALLY STARTED OVER 60 YEARS AGO, RIGHT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR. I'M AN AVID TOURNAMENT FISHERMEN AND A LICENSED KAYAK FISHING GUY THROUGH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. I CURRENTLY OWN A SMALL KAYAK RENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, AND I'M ALSO A VOLUNTEER ANGLER EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR WITH PARKS AND WILDLIFE, AND HAVE BEEN SINCE 2017. I'VE RECENTLY EARNED MY CERTIFICATION TO INSTRUCT THE ARCHERY AS WELL. AND I USE THESE TOOLS TO EDUCATE IN THE HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS FISH TOO, IS THE NAME OF OUR YOUTH PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THREE OUTREACHES AS YOU SEE THERE FOR WOMEN AND VETERANS AS WELL, BUT THE KID'S FISHING PROGRAM IS THE ONE THAT I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT FIRST. WE STARTED THIS IN 2016, AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING YOUTH FISHING ON THE GULF COAST SINCE WE'RE PROUD PARTNERS WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, AND WITH OUR ARCHERY AND CERTIFICATION IS A NATIONAL CERTIFICATION. THIS ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, BE, BE COVERED ANYWHERE WE GO. THERE'S INSURANCES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THESE TYPES OF THINGS. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR, OUR EDUCATION, OUR CERTIFICATION WITH PARKS AND WILDLIFE IN WITH NASA, WE'RE, WE'RE COVERED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THOSE THINGS. UM, OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW AND WE'RE EXPANDING TO PORT ARTHUR AND SABINE WITH A NEW COMMUNITY PROJECT THAT WE HOPE WILL HAVE GENERATIONS FISHING, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME. UM, I'M CURRENTLY A RELOCATING HERE TO THE PORT ARTHUR AREA. UM, I'LL, I'LL GET TO IT IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT, UM, WE, UH, SECURED EIGHT ACRES ON TEXAS BIO OUR LAND BUTTS UP TO THE WILDLIFE REFUGE AS WELL AS US FISHERIES AREA OUT THERE. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME, SOME ADVICE AND SOME GUIDANCE BECAUSE OF WHERE OUR LAND, UM, MEETS WITH WITH, UH, PROPERTY OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT. OUR GOALS FOR 20 22, 20 23 ARE TO HOST 10 FAMILY FISHING OUTREACH DAYS. OUR FALL PROGRAMS AND COURSES ARE FOR HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO OUTREACH TO FISHING AND OUTDOORS. OUR MAIN GOAL WHEN WE DO THIS IS TO TEACH SAFETY AND CONSERVATION WHILE WE'RE ALSO DOING FAMILY WITH PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO THESE EVENTS, WE CALL IT A TACKLE BOXES OVER X BOXES BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE THOSE FAMILIES OUT THERE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN TOUCHING ELECTRONICS FOR HOURS. IT'S AN AMAZING MIRACLE. WHEN YOU PUT A FISHING POLE IN A KID'S HAND, WHAT THEY STOP DOING ON ELECTRONICS. UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, UH, UNDERLYING AS COMING FROM A HOME WITH, WITHOUT A FATHER AND MY HUSBAND IS ALSO A HOME WITH NO FATHER. UH, THERE ARE AT RISK YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AT A RECENT STUDY. I DID THERE'S OVER 7,000 STUDENTS IN PORT ARTHUR. 50% OF THEM ARE AT RISK FOR DROPOUT. AND WE BOTH ARE MAKING A CAREER IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY. AND WE WANT TO SHOW OUR YOUTH, THIS IS A FISHING COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT, BUT IT IS, THIS IS A FISHING TOWN, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS TOWN AND MAKE MONEY ON THE FISH AND LEAVE. AND IT IRRITATES ME, WHICH IS WHY WE SECURED OUR EIGHT ACRES IN PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THE FISH AND MONEY HERE, NOT LET IT GO AWAY. UM, BUT OUR HURDLES, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY OUR VOLUNTEER NEEDS, WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS IN THIS AREA. UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE LOWER REGION OF THE COAST AND HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE GALVESTON BAY AREA, BUT WE DO NEED MORE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT HERE. UH, THE PORT AUTHOR'S VISITORS BUREAU HAS BEEN GREAT LAST FIVE YEARS. THEY HELP US AND GIVE US MEDIA OPPORTUNITY. UM, AND WHAT WE HOPE TO GAIN FROM THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, COME TO YOU, SHOW YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE LAST FIVE YEARS. UM, THERE'S A, THERE IS A, UH, IMAGE I SUBMITTED. I AM ON THE FRONT COVER OF TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE THIS MONTH. IF YOU HAPPEN TO GRAB LAST MONTH'S TEXAS FISHING GAME, THAT'S ME RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER FOLD. SO A PROPER APPROPRIATE CENTERFOLD, JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT, UH, TO BE CLEAR. AND, AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A LIAISON. WE NEED SOMEONE THAT WORKS WITH THE CITY AND MR. BURTON GAVE SOME TIME TO ME ON THE PHONE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMEONE THAT CAN HELP US SO THAT [00:45:01] WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, OH, WE'RE GETTING A FINE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WE NEEDED TO GET A PERMIT FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED HELP WITH. WE NEED ASSISTANCE. AND WE KNOW THAT. SO WE'RE AT THAT POINT WHERE WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF MONEY. I PAID CASH MONEY FOR THAT LAND WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT INTENTION OF IMPROVING THE MAR SIDE TO HAVE A GREAT PLACE FOR OUR KIDS TO GROW AND TO ENJOY THE FISHERIES, PEOPLE THAT ARE SENIOR CITIZENS. HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE A WALKWAY THAT THEY CAN COME DOWN UNTIL THEY CAN'T CRAB NO MORE. SO, UH, WE, WE WANT TO DEDICATE THOSE, THE SIDE OF OUR MARSHLAND FOR THAT. AND THEN RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, WE PURCHASED ENOUGH LAND, UM, TO BUILD OUR HOME, UH, TO BUILD A RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AS WELL AS LITTLE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DUCK HUNTERS LIKE OUT THERE TOO. I, I PREFER THE FISHING, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY LIKE TO HUNT THE DUCKS OUT THERE TOO. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST BRING OUR WHOLE BUSINESS OUT THERE SO THAT WE SUSTAIN OUR FAMILY THERE IN THAT AREA. WHILE WE CONTINUE TO GROW THAT THE EDUCATION AND I HAVE THE BACKGROUND BEHIND ME, UM, I WISH HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE VIDEO TO PLAY BECAUSE TELLING YOU GUYS ABOUT OUR KIDS' FISHING PROGRAMS, UM, AS A VETERAN AND AS A WOMAN, UH, IT IS A INCREDIBLE THING TO SIT AND WATCH A CHILD CATCH THEIR FIRST FISH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST FISHING WHERE WE'RE EMPOWERING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND IT SHOWS THEM ANOTHER AVENUE OF LIFE. IT SHOWS THEM ANOTHER, ANOTHER THING. AND THEN THEY BEGIN TO CARE. THEY CARE ABOUT THE OUTDOORS. CAUSE IF WE'RE NOT TEACHING THEM TO CARE ABOUT THE OUTDOORS, THEN ALL OF THESE BOAT PROJECTS OR BOAT RAMP PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE FUNDING THEM FOR? WE'RE FUNDING THEM FOR THE KIDS THAT ARE COMING TO THIS KID'S FISHING PROGRAM. AND WE REALLY HOPE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR GUIDANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. HI, GREAT. UH, YEAH, THAT WAS A PROPER CENTERFOLD. THANKS A LOT. HOW DO WE, HOW MANY CHILDREN DO YOU, HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE IN YOUR PROGRAM AND HAVE YOU HAD IT? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? UH, THIS IS GOING INTO OUR SEVENTH YEAR, JULY 31ST MARCH, THE END OF OUR SIXTH YEAR. WE GO INTO OUR SEVENTH YEAR AND WE, WE HAVE ABOUT 50 REGULAR STUDENTS. WE HAVE ABOUT 12 STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THEIR FOURTH YEAR WITH OUR PROGRAM. SO SOME STUDENTS MAY COME FOR JUST A SIX WEEK PERIOD, SOME STAY, YOU KNOW, AND CONTINUE TO GROW WITH US. THAT'S WHY WE'VE KIND OF UPPED OUR BRINGING IN THE ARCHERY AND STUFF. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM. SO WE'LL BRING A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, TO, TO THAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, AT ONCE A MONTH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS WE DO PERSONALLY. ONCE A MONTH, WE, WE BRING THE BOAT. MY HUSBAND'S A CHARTER CAPTAIN. I'M A, I'M A KAYAK FISHING GUY. WE BRING EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO THE LOCAL PARK. AND IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, WE PUT THEM ON THE BOAT. YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SERVE MY VETERANS, BEING A VETERAN MYSELF, AND THAT'S OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THAT'S JUST ON THE SIDE. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING FREE WE DO. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE THAT THE FISHING COMMUNITY LOVES US ENOUGH HERE, THAT THEY BOOK US ON TRIPS SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT OUR FAMILY TO KEEP DOING, TO KEEP DOING THESE EVENTS AND STUFF FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO, OH, I KNOW YOU HAVE AT LEAST TWO FISHERMEN ON COUNCIL, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I LOVE FISHING AND, UH, I APPRECIATE IT AND I AGREE. I LIKE YOUR, YOUR MOTTO, BUT IT IS FISHING OVER FIGHTING AND FACEBOOK AND ALL THE OTHERS. SO, UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, YOUR SPEAK. [III.B.1. A Presentation By Ardurra Regarding Drainage Projects In District 3 Requested by Councilmember Kinlaw and Frank)] NEXT. WE WERE MOVED TO PRESENTATIONS. WE FIRST HAVE A PRESENTATION BY A DOER REGARDING WHICH PROJECTS IN DISTRICT THREE IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, KEN LAW AND FRANK, GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK BRIEF UPDATE, UH, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN KIND OF HAMMERING DOWN THESE PROJECTS AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AT, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER TWO YEARS OF TRYING TO GET THESE THROUGH THE SYSTEM. UH, SO WE HAVE GOOD NEWS AND NOT SO GOOD NEWS. UH, THE, THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS IS THE LAKE ARTHUR PROJECT. WE DID JUST COULD NOT ACHIEVE THE BCA. SO WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE PROCESS TO, TO ASSIST. UM, AND WITH THAT, WELL, WE'RE EXPLORING SOME OPTIONS, UH, AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE SOME LAND THAT IS AVAILABLE, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS PURCHASED, UH, TO INCREASE RETENTION, UH, OR, UM, SOME STORAGE. UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE SOME OPTIONS WITH DD SEVEN THAT WILL HOPEFULLY AS AN ALTERNATE PROCESS, ACHIEVE SOME OF THE SAME RESULTS IN THE LAKE ARTHUR PROJECT AREA. UH, IF YOU LOOK UP ON THE SCREEN THERE, YOU'LL SEE TO THE, TO THE BOTTOM, RIGHT, IS WHERE THE LAKE ARTHUR, UH, PROJECT AREAS THAT IS, UH, WHERE THE RETENTION AREA WOULD BE. AND THE IMPACT IS JUST ABOVE IT, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SOME SIMILAR GOALS, UH, AND RESULTS OF GETTING SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL WATER OFF THE ROADWAYS THERE. UM, WITH AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF GETTING THERE ON THE STONE GATE. THERE'S MORE, THERE'S MORE PROMISING INFORMATION BECAUSE THE BCA OR THE BENEFIT COST RATIO, UH, HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. WE'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME FROM FEMA. AND SO IT'S IN ITS FINAL STAGE [00:50:01] OF REVIEW AND, AND WE ANTICIPATE APPROVAL FOR THAT. UH, AND THAT PROJECT WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY BE APPROVED TO MOVE FORWARD. ALL OF THE ENGINEERING IS DONE AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PUT IT OUT TO BID. UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHIN THE NEXT, UM, TWO TO THREE MONTHS, WE'LL HAVE THE BID PROCESS COMPLETED AND, AND GET THAT, UH, PROJECT UNDERWAY. ALONG WITH THAT, IT, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT PART OF THE, PART OF THE CONCERN OBVIOUSLY IS NOT JUST THE, UH, THE FLOODING THAT, OR THE INUNDATION OF HOUSES, BUT ALSO, UM, WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN THESE PROJECTS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED, THERE WAS A DESIRE TO TRY TO MOVE A WATER OFF OF THE ROADWAYS. UM, SO AS AN ANCILLARY, IT'S NOT THE, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE PURPOSE OR THE PRIMARY PURPOSE, BUT AS AN ANCILLARY BENEFIT, UH, THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL, UM, BOX CULVERTS AND ADDITIONAL PIPE SIZING THAT WILL BE ON JIMMY JOHNSON AND NINTH AVENUE THAT ALTHOUGH THE LAKE ARTHUR PROJECT WE'LL, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO USE AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD THAT, THAT PART OF THE DESIRE, UH, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING SOME POSITIVE RESULTS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AS YOU MOVE WATER, UH, AND ONE AREA, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, THE SYSTEM THERE IS, IS MUCH, MUCH, UH, ON GRAVITY FLOW SHEET FLOW, WHICH MEANS IT FLOWS ABOVE THE GROUND AS WELL AS IN THE, UH, UNDERGROUND PIPES, UH, THAT WHEN YOU MOVE WATER, IT SEEKS ITS LEVEL. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE WATER QUICKLY, UH, AS IT BUILDS UP IN ANY TYPE OF A RAIN RAIN EVENT. UH, SO THAT'S THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE, UH, SOME WILLINGNESS, CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. OKAY. COSMIC FRANK. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. UH, FRANK, UH, THANK YOU MIRROR. UH, I'M NOT HAPPY. I'M NOT HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THIS WHOLE, UH, DRAINAGE PROJECT, UH, PROJECTION AND PRESENTATION THAT FOR PROJECTS WERE GOING TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY WITH YOUR COMPANY BASED UPON THE BCRS. UH, I HAVE ALL MY NOTES FROM THREE YEARS AGO THAT WE DISCUSS, I HAVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TO DRAIN IS FROM WHAT YOUR COMPANY IS ACTUALLY, UH, EXPRESSED TO THE COUNCIL. NOW, UH, NOT UNTIL RECENTLY, I FOUND OUT THAT ONLY TWO PROJECTS WERE GOING TO BE FUNDED BASED UPON A BCR. I WAS UPSET. THEN I'M UPSET NOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE A SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON. WE JUST HAD A TROPICAL STORM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND I, IN MY DISTRICT, I HAD PEOPLE WHO HAD WATER IN THEIR HOUSES AND WERE TALKING ABOUT HARVEY HAPPENED FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, TODAY THAT ONE OF THEM MAY BE, IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF BEING APPROVED. I HAD THAT BACK IN APRIL 22, THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE FINAL, UH, INNOCENT ITS FINAL APPROVAL. AND THEN I HAVE FOR THE, THE OTHER PROJECT IS IN THE PROCESS. SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE HEAR THE SAME OLD RHETORIC OVER AND OVER AND OVER, AND NOTHING IS GETTING DONE. NOW I UNDERSTAND. AND THE PEOPLE IN THE CITIZENS, THE COUNCIL KNOWS THAT IT'S A NATURALLY FLOW GRAVITY TYPE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN D D SEVEN. WE GOT THAT. WE KNEW THAT, BUT I'M ALWAYS ON BOARD, ALONG WITH MY COHORTS TO FIND WAYS TO GET DRAINAGE SYSTEMS PROBLEMS TAKEN CARE OF. AND WE HADN'T DONE THAT. WE ARE BACK AT SQUARE ONE. I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT SQUARE ONE AND WE'RE NOT GETTING IT DONE IF WE'RE NOT GETTING IT DONE WITH SQUARE ONE. CAUSE YOU CAN TALK. I CAN TALK, WE CAN TALK ALL DAY LONG UNTIL THE WATER IS BEING DISPLACED SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT'S PROGRESSION FOR ME AND MY DISTRICT. RIGHT? SO YOU CAN SAY AND SPEAK AND YOU CAN SAY IT ALL DAY LONG, BUT I'M MAD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, IF WE HAVE A CAT ONE CAT TO COME THROUGH HERE, WATER'S GOING TO GET IN PEOPLE HOUSE. AND THEN WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE BCR LAST TIME, AND HOW WOULD YOU TALK WITH FEMUR AND THE, THE GOVERNMENT YOU SAID THAT IS BASED UPON RE UH, RESIDENTS, HOME, BUSINESS FLOODING AREAS. AND THAT GIVES YOU THAT BCR DISTRICTS THREE 70% OF THE DISTRICT FLOODED ALONG WITH DISTRICT FOUR. I MEAN, WHAT CAN WE DO OTHER THAN TALK TO GET DRAINAGE PROBLEMS SOLVED OR TO GO OUT THERE AND FIND FUNDING TO GET DRAINAGE PROBLEM SOLVED, BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? THE NEXT HOT RAIN WE HAVE OUR NEXT HURRICANE, WATER'S GOING TO GET IN PEOPLE HOUSES AND THAT STONE GATE LAKE ARTHUR AREA. I GUARANTEE [00:55:01] YOU, I SENT ALL THE PICTURES TO THE CITY MANAGER, A CC TO MAYOR, AND THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE RAIN, SO I CAN NOT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE ALONG WITH MY COHORT, COUNCILMAN FRANK. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE DISCUSSED THIS, I COULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU. I'LL FIND THE, UH, GOING TO THE CITY MANAGER TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THIS DRAINAGE SITUATION SOLVED. NO, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IT IS A PRIORITY AND WE ARE, WE ARE ON BOARD WITH, UH, WITH DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE, OF THE FEMA GUIDELINES. I MEAN, WE, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY, THEY CREATE THE RULES THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WHAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE BCR. ANY OTHER DISTRICTS THAT WE HAD, 70%, YOUR MOST POPULATED AREAS, DISTRICT THREE, YOU, YOUR MOST BUSINESSES ARE IN DISTRICT THREE, DO YOUR MOST VALUED HOMES ALREADY, DISTRICT THREE, WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? THAT WE CAN NOT GET THEM TO APPROVE A PROJECT THAT IS SO IMPORTANT LIKE THIS, THE PRIMARY WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE BCA MODEL OR THE HOW IT'S CALCULATED, THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN STONE GATE, IN LAKE ARTHUR OR THE BASE FLOOD OF THE HOMES. AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IS THOSE AREAS ARE NEWER IN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MEANS THE CITY DID WHAT THE CITY WAS SUPPOSED TO DO IN TERMS OF REQUIRING THOSE HOMES TO BE BUILT AT A CERTAIN ELEVATION. THAT IS THAT BASE FLOOR ELEVATION. THAT FIRST FLOOR ELEVATION IS WHAT MAKES IT MORE CHALLENGING TO GET THE BCA TO THE NUMBER ONE OR ABOVE COMPARED TO PLACES LIKE PORT ACRES AND ELVIS THERE. WHEN THOSE HOMES ARE AT A LOWER ELEVATION. SO YOU HAVE THE SAME RAINFALL IN ONE AREA AND ANOTHER, AND YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT IMPACTS. NOW WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HARVEY EVENT. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. THAT EVEN IF THESE PROJECTS ARE APPROVED, IF PORT ARTHUR HAS ANOTHER HARVEY EVENT, D SEVEN SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED. AND WHEN D SEVEN SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED, PORT ARTHUR SYSTEM CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT. WELL, WE JUST HAD A TROPICAL STORM AND WE COULDN'T HANDLE IT. WE HAD PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE IN THEIR HOUSES. I'M NOT EVEN EVEN TALKING ABOUT HARVEY. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT A SIX INCH RAIN. SO IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, THESE ARE PEOPLE ALIVE IN HOMES AND WE'RE PLAYING WITH THEM. I THINK WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YEARS AND YEARS, ALL WE DO IS TALK. ALL WE DO IS TALK AND WE PUT IT IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S HAND. AND THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR ARE GOING TO BE THE ONE TO PAY FOR IT. AND I JUST CAN'T SIT THERE IDLE. MY COHORTS ARE UP HERE. WE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE DRAINING SYSTEMS AND PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PORT ARTHUR. SO I PUT THIS ON HERE BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING MORE. NOW, TODAY, I'M JUST GETTING NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE PROJECTS MAY NOT EVEN BE FUNDED, BUT WE, WE PURCHASED LAND BACK THERE. WELL, 98, 90 $7,000 FOR A RETENTION POND ON LAKE ARTHUR. SO WHAT DO WE PLAN ON DOING WITH THAT SINCE WE PURCHASED IT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO? WELL, THAT WAS THE, THE EXPLORING THE ALTERNATIVE, OR WE CAN'T USE IT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE GETTING FUNDED FOR THE EXTRA SOMETHING WE CAN NOT USE WITH TAXPAYERS FUND. SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW? THAT'S MY QUESTION. AND I WANT ONE OF YOU EXPERTS TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR ME. WELL, AS I SAID, PART OF THE LOCATION OF THAT PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO THE DD SEVEN SYSTEM. I REMEMBER. SO PART OF THAT EXPLORATION IS TO, IS TO INVESTIGATE THE DD SEVEN, TYING THAT TO THE SEVEN SYSTEM, WHICH THEY HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND THEIR STORAGE. IF WE CAN USE THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DD SEVEN, WE MAY BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SIMILAR GOALS TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL PROJECT, MAYBE NOT THE SAME, BUT TO AT LEAST TAKE A BITE OUT OF SOME OF THAT, UH, SHEET FLOW. AND MAYBE IN TERMS OF AN ONGOING CAPITAL PROJECT TO, UH, THAT'S MORE FOR, FOR THE CITY ENGINEERS TO, TO DECIPHER. WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO SPEAKING FOR THEM, BUT THAT YOU'RE ASKING ME WHAT, WHAT I WOULD DO WITH THAT PROPERTY. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND. WE EXPLORE. THANK YOU. WELL, I JUST WANT TO JUST LET YOU KNOW, I'M DISSATISFIED AT THIS POINT ABOUT THE PROCESS. I UNDERSTAND DISTRICT THREE, YOU KNOW, POPULATION IS ALSO DISSATISFIED [01:00:01] WITH THE TRAINING SITUATIONS WE HAVE. SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO START TO TALK WITH , BUT HE NEEDS TO START. YEAH, I WOULD. I WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN KINLAW, I, I FULLY APPRECIATE THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION AND, AND WE DO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. UH, HAVING BEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY THE IDEA OF REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS WELL, AND, UH, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR DOING THAT. THE, UM, THE, WHATEVER HOMES FLOODED IN THIS, IN THIS PAST RAINY VET, UM, IF YOU CAN FACILITATE GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO, UM, TO US OR TO PAM, TO MISS MS. LANG FOR THAT WOULD BE AWESOME BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TRACK THAT TO THE SYSTEM INSIDE OF FEMA, UH, INSIDE THE NFP, BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T REGISTER THERE, THEN IT MAKES OUR JOB TO TELL THE STORY EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. AND SO THAT, THAT HELPS US. SO IF YOU HAVE THOSE, THOSE ADDRESSES, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT BECAUSE THEIR MODELING DOESN'T ALWAYS TELL THE REALITY OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS. AND WE'VE BEEN BATTLING THAT WITH THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR MODEL, A SIX INCH, A SIX INCH RAINFALL, RAINFALL SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INUNDATION IN HOUSES, UH, MINUS ONE OR TWO IN THAT AREA. AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THAT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM THAT THEIR MODELING IS NOT ACCURATE. OKAY, WELL, A CITY MANAGER USED TO HAVE THE PHOTOS AND EMAILS THAT I'VE GIVEN YOU PICTURES ABOUT SOME OF THE FLOODING, AND MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOUR STAFF, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I CAN SAY. UH, THEIR JOB, THAT CITIZENS' JOB IS TO GET THE INFORMATION TO ME. MY JOB IS TO GET IT TO THE STAFF CITY MANAGER. AND SO THEY GOT TO UNDERSTAND, I'LL GET AN IDEA OF THE PICTURE OF THE FLOODING. SO I'M SURE THE CITY MANAGER HAS, AND MAYOR WAS CC'D ON THE EMAIL, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNSELING WITH FRANK. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE MORE I CAN DO. I MEAN, I ENCOURAGE JIMMY JOHNSON, JIMMY JOHNSON, GREENWAY MEADOWS. UH YOU'RE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THOSE AREAS BACK. THERE ARE FLOODING WATER IS GETTING THE HOUSES. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T KNOW TO SAY, OKAY, UH, CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, WANT TO ANSWER WHAT HE ASKED. I STARTED YOUR EXIT. THAT'S WHY, AND THEN I'LL CALL YOU, OKAY, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, LET THEM APART FROM WHATEVER PHOTOS WERE SUBMITTED, WE DID MAKE AN ATTEMPT AS WELL TO TRACK IN GIS FORMAT AS TO WHAT PROPERTIES WERE, WHERE DID WE, WHERE WE GOT THE VARIOUS CALLS FOR, FOR FLOODING, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO WE CAN SHARE THAT GIS INFORMATION WITH YOU. UM, LET ME JUST BE CLEAR THAT ALL THE CALLS THAT CAME IN, ONLY ONE OF THOSE WERE RECORDED AS, UM, A STRUCTURE THAT WAS FLOODED. AND THE STRUCTURE WAS A DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE THAT WAS ON THE LIST FOR DEMOLITION. UM, I IMMEDIATELY SENT OUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO TAKE PICTURES OF THAT STRUCTURE, BUT AS I'M, THE DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS WILL INDICATE SHE WILL SHARE THE MAP OF THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE TRAPPED OR OF THE FLOODING AREAS AND AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE 12 INCHES OF RAIN FOR THAT PERIOD. SO WE DO HAVE THE DATA AVAILABLE. THANK YOU FOR LOVE TO LOOK AT THAT, TO HELP TELL THE STORY. OKAY. OH, THANK YOU FOR REFERRING. LET ME SAY THAT AS I GET READY TO SPEAK, I'M SIMPLY GOING TO POUR GASOLINE ON THE FIRE. THAT'S ALREADY BEEN STARTED THAT MAN IN ESSENCE, UM, THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH D D SEVEN IS BECAUSE THE MAYOR AND THE, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER HAVE SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN CREATING THIS FLOODING. AND SO WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THAT H WHAT HAPPENED, UH, IN THAT ISSUE, BUT IT'S TIME TO CIRCLE THE WAGONS. I MEAN, FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS TO THE CITY MANAGER, TO THE FINANCE, TO, UM, TO, TO EVERY AREA AND ASPECT OF, UH, OF, OF WHAT WE DO HERE AS A CITY, WE ARE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO COMMERCIALS OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, AND YOU SAID IT, THAT IT IS JOB. ONE WILL IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS DRAINAGE IS JOB ONE. IF WE, IF WE DO EVERYTHING ELSE, AND I'M GOING TO SAY PUBLICLY WHAT I HAVE SAID PRIVATELY, I AM FOR EVERY AREA OF THIS CITY, BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITIZENRY, BUT [01:05:01] LET ME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY THAT WE, UM, HAD INDIVIDUALS IN HERE, UH, TALKING ABOUT A BOAT RAMP AT OUR LAST MEETING AND I'M FOR A BOAT RAMP, BUT THERE IS NO WAY INHALE A BOAT RAMP OUGHT TO PROCEED AND BE OVER THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY. AND ESPECIALLY WITH A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN WAITING TO GET STARTED ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR, BUT HAS NOT HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED. LET ME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY THAT QUICKLY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HOLDUP IS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT IT'S, WE GOT AN ISSUE ON THE, ON THE, ON THE, UM, ON THE, UM, ON THE AGENDA FOR PIPE BURSTING AND DRAINAGE AND ALL OF THAT HAPPENING. IT'S TIME TO GET IT STARTED. IT'S TIME TO DO IT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BOTTLENECK IS IN THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT IS PUBLIC WORKS, WHETHER IT IS, UM, D D SEVEN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS, BUT WE NEED TO, IS THERE A PRIORITY OF DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN, CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ME A LIST OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT WAIT, LET ME FINISH A LIST OF THE DRAINAGE PROCESS. THE DRAIN IS PROJECTS LISTED IN PRIORITY. I OUGHT TO BE ABLE, SOMEBODY OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LIST OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS AND THEIR PRIORITY. AND I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN LAKE VIEW. I THANK YOU FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING, BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN. WE CAN'T WAIT. I, LET ME, LET ME QUICKLY REST TO SAY, AND I'M GOING TO GET OFF MY LITTLE SOAP BOX HERE. I TALKED TO A PATRON ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THE $2 MILLION THAT WE'RE SPENDING. CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE'S HOMES ON WEST 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH, UM, HAVE FLOODED TRADITIONALLY, TRADITIONALLY THOSE HOUSES HAVE FLOODED AND, AND THEY WERE THERE IN THIS RAIN EVENT THAT WE JUST HAD. THE, THE, UM, THE UNDERFLOW, THE UNDERPASS ON MEMORIAL DID NOT FLOOD, BUT YET AGAIN, THE UNDER THE UNDERPASS AT HOUSTON AVENUE AND GULF WAY DRIVE, IT FLOODED. AND WE ALMOST LOST SOMEONE. ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR WONDERFUL CITY WORKERS HAD TO GET OUT OF THAT CAR AND RESCUE A WOMAN. AND THAT PUMP THAT, THAT WATER PUMP THERE WORKS SPORADICALLY. HELL IT CAN'T WORK SPORADICALLY. THAT HAS TO BE FIXED. AND WE KEEP PASSING THE BUCK AND WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE GOING TO GET DONE, BUT IT DOESN'T GET DONE. WHEN, WHEN IS IT GOING TO START? WHEN IS IT GOING TO GET DONE? THAT'S WHAT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN. AND, AND, AND CITY MANAGER, I LOVE YOU. YOU KNOW, I DO IN THE, YOU KNOW, BUT WE GOT, WE GOT TO LOOK, IS THERE A PRIORITY OF PROJECTS? WE GOT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE PUSH THE PROCESS, MOVE AWAY FROM ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE BLOCKING THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE CITY ENGINEER, PUBLIC WORKS, WHOEVER YOU GOT TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SO WE CAN GET IT DONE. I KNOW VAL, I KNOW, OH, YOU'RE NOT VAIL. LISTEN, I KNOW THAT IN THE MIDST OF IT, WE'VE GOT LEGALITIES AND THIS IS A MUNICIPAL SYSTEM. I GET THAT. BUT MAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE'S LIVES. THIS IS PORT ARTHUR. AND WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA STREAMLINE THE PROCESS. WE GOTTA LISTEN. WE GOTTA TAKE OUT EVERY ROADBLOCK, EVERY DETERRENT, EVERY SPEED BUMP AND MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THIS DONE. NO MORE EXCUSES, NO MORE EXCUSES. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA PROTECT OUR PATRONS. WE GOTTA PROTECT PEOPLE. WE GOTTA PROTECT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS. WE GOTTA PROTECT BUILDINGS AND STAKEHOLDERS. IT'S TIME, WHATEVER IT TAKES, I DON'T CARE, WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT TAKES, GET WITH CANDY, GET WITH FINANCE, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. FIND DO IT. AND THEN I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE $97,000 THAT WE HAVE SPENT. WE ARE TAKING TIME, BUT WATCH WHAT WE'RE DOING, GUYS, WE ARE BEING REACTIVE AND NOT PROACTIVE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M DOING? IS ANYBODY HEARING? WE ARE BEING REACTIVE AND NOT PROACTIVE. IT'S TIME TO BE PROACTIVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN MARKS. THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE THE PERSON I SHOULD BE DIRECTING THE QUESTIONS TO. UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, UH, I WAS PLACED ON THE COMMITTEE AND WE WORKING ON THE, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN OVER [01:10:01] AT THE GOLF COURSE. AND THERE'S, MONEY'S ALREADY MR. CITY MANAGER ALREADY SET ASIDE, ALLOCATED FOR A DRAINAGE PROJECT RIGHT AT THAT THE GOLF COURSE. AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT IN TWO PHASES. AND, UH, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT, UH, PORTIONS OF THE GOLF COURSE BE BE CLOSED DOWN WHILE WE DO THE WORD, BUT THE MONEY'S ALREADY THERE. AND THE HOLDUP IS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SO, BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT IF THE MONEY'S THERE AND WE'VE ALREADY, UH, WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE CONTRACTORS TO DO THE WORK, THEN WHAT WHAT'S HOLDING US UP. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT, THAT QUESTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YOU, BUT IF, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? YES. UM, VERY SIMPLY THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN ORIGINALLY WHEN THE PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED, THE MONEY WAS EARMARKED. BUT AS, AS, UM, CRAIG STATED, THOSE ARE FEMA FUNDED. IT'S MONIES. THAT IS PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FOR THE CITY. SO FROM YOU TO YOU, WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUALLY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GUIDELINES OF FEMA. NOW, THERE ARE THREE STAGES OF PHASES TO THE PROJECT. ONE IS THE ENGINEERING, THE PLANNING AND ENGINEERING FEES, WHICH WE HAVE COMPLETED. UM, THE OTHER IS THE DIVINE FEES. AND THEN COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE VARIOUS RESOLUTIONS THAT WE WENT THROUGH. THOSE FEES IS, UM, WE SELECTED TWO FIRMS AS YOU KNOW, WILSON AND COLE WAS ONE OF THOSE. AND, UM, THE OTHER ONE WAS, UM, STUART STEWART, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE COMPLETED THOSE PHASES. UM, THERE IS BAD. WE HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH. THE FEMURS, EVERYONE KNOWS. UM, FEMA IN ITSELF IS A ONE OF THOSE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT YOU'VE GOT TO WORK AT THEIR PIECES AS WELL. SO AS SOON AS A DURA IN, IN GOOD FAITH GETS THE INFORMATION IS SUBMITTED TO FEMA. AND THEN WE CONTINUALLY WAIT ON THEM. WE HAVE TO WAIT ON THE ENGINEERING EXPERTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PROVIDE US WITH THE REQUIRED FEEDBACK THAT WE DID. SO THE MONEY IS NOT IN THE BANK. THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT FEMA HAS AIR MAP MONIES FOR OVER THE YEARS. AND YES, WE ARE CONTINUALLY WORKING DILIGENTLY WITHOUT WASTING ANY TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING NEEDS OF THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS. IT'S NOT MONEY IN THE BANK, THE $98 MILLION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. AND THEN WE, WE HAVE PASSED THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FEES OF THREE OF THOSE PROJECTS AS, AS GREG INDICATED, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR VISTA PROJECT AND, AND THE PORT ACRES PROJECT, WE HAVE RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR THOSE, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION FEES OF THOSE PROJECTS. YES. AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCILMAN KINLAW IS COMING FROM BECAUSE WE SHARED THAT INFORMATION YEARS AGO. UM, MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF IT NOT BEING FUNDED AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT COULD NOT BE, THERE WAS THE TIME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THE, THE, THE PROJECT DID NOT MEET THE BC THAT WAS REQUIRED. AND AGAIN, AS YOU ELOQUENTLY STATED, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SUBDIVISIONS THAT WAS BUILT TO STANDARD IN THE CITY. YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S, I KNOW I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE CITY ENGINEER. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT, THAT ARE LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY BY THE FEDERAL AGENCIES AS TO WHETHER IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENT OR NOT. BUT ONE THING I CAN ASSURE YOU AND I CAN ASSURE THE COUNCIL, WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK, AND THAT IS NOT COMFORT TO THE PEOPLE WHO OWN PROPERTIES OUT THERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT I GET IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT COMFORT. IT'S NOT SOLACE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT THERE AND WHO CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, THE ROUTE TAKING EIGHT AND NINE INCHES OF WATER. UM, WHEN WE GET 12 INCHES OF WATER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE UP AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS, WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER. YES, WE DO. ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER, BUT AGAIN, COUNSELOR, MAX, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT'S NOT MONEY IN THE BANK. IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE FEVER UP TO YESTERDAY. WE HAD A MEETING WITH, WITH OUR ENGINEER HERE AND, UM, AND, AND WITH A DURA, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITIES OF GOING TO AUSTIN WITH THE MEAL AND PROVIDING THE MEAL WITH THE CREDIBLE AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT HE NEEDS TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS ON A POLITICAL LEVEL, SINCE WE CANNOT GET IT ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE LOCAL FEMA REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE WORK WITH. SO YES, WE ARE WORKING, WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO BRING, [01:15:01] RESOLVE THOSE THINGS TAKE TIME AND THEY TAKE EFFORT, BUT WE ARE PREPARED TO INVEST EVERY BIT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE RELIEF. I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE, THE PASSION COUNSELOR THAT YOU SPEAK WITH, I'M VERY PASSIONATE AS WELL WHEN WE TALK AND WE DISCUSS, AND WE NEGOTIATE WITH THOSE FEDERAL AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS MAKE THE POINT TO THEM. YOU KNOW, THAT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS BEEN ADDRESSED AS A SECOND CLASS, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, AND I WON'T STAND FOR IT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE COUNCIL HOLDS THE CITY MANAGER RESPONSIBLE AS TO WHETHER WE WILL PROGRESS OR NOT ON THOSE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, SO WHATEVER IT TAKES, WHATEVER IT TAKES, WHETHER WE ACCOMPANY THE MAYOR TO AUSTIN, AS WE INDICATED YESTERDAY, WHATEVER IT TAKES, COUNCILMAN KINDLER AND COUNCIL, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT BRINGS THROUGH VISION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'LL EMBARK UPON IT AND WE'LL ADDRESS IT. WE'LL ADDRESS IT DILIGENTLY. AND WE'LL ADDRESS IT SPEEDILY JUST TO FOLLOW UP CITY MANAGER, OR ARE WE GOING TO PUT A TIMELINE TOGETHER? IT'S OVER A YEAR AGO WHEN, WHEN WE HAD THE FLOODING INCIDENT OVER ON THE WEST SIDE, ON 17TH STREET, AND I WAS RIDING WITH A SUPERINTENDENT FROM, UH, DB SEVEN, AND WE ALMOST LOST THIS TRUCK. WE, WE, WE ALMOST GOT STUCK IN THAT WATER BACK THERE. WE DID, WE CAME BACK AND WE DID THE X-RAYS OR WITH THE CAMERAS AND EVERYTHING, LOOKING AT THE DRAINAGE, UH, THE PIPING AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING, AND FOUND OUT THAT THE, ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OKAY. IS GOING TO BE REPLACED. AND I THOUGHT AT THAT TIME THAT WE HAD, WE HAD THE MONEY TO, UH, TO ADDRESS IT, DO TO ADDRESS THAT AND TO START THOSE PROJECTS. BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND WE, I GET PICTURES FROM THOMAS I'M RIDING WITH, WITH SUPERINTENDENT, AGAIN, I'M OVER AT THE PUMP STATIONS. AND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE PUMPS ARE ON AND PEOPLE ARE CALLING COUNCIL PEOPLE. THEY CALL IN THE CITY ASKING US WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. I MEAN, THE WATER IS COMING INTO OUR YARDS. WE WERE LOOKING AT ANOTHER INCIDENT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDO FLOORING AND WALLS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND WHAT HAVE YOU ALL DONE? AND WE KEEP COMING, ASKING THE QUESTIONS. WE'RE BEING TOLD ONE THING, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THINGS, UH, THE PROJECTS GETTING STARTED AND NOTHING'S DONE. AND THEN WE'RE HAVING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE SEEING ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S INTERMITTENT. EVERY TIME WE GET A HARD RAIN OVER ON THE WEST SIDE, ON 17TH, 18TH, AND NINTH SCREEN ON TERMINAL ROAD. AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING TO DO IT, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO JUMP ON PASTOR FRANK'S, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK'S SOAP BOX. NOW WE OUGHT TO DO BETTER. TIME-WISE BECAUSE I'VE ONLY BEEN ON COUNCIL A YEAR AND A HALF. AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL. SO ALL I'M ASKING AND I'M ASKING FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, I KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ROADBLOCKS AND OBSTACLES IN OUR WAY, AS FAR AS FUNDING IS CONCERNED, BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND WE GET FUNDING, WE GET IT APPROVED. AND, AND WHATEVER, THE SOONER WE START WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS, THE BETTER OFF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE GOING TO BE. AND THE BETTER OFF THE CITY AS A WHOLE IS GOING TO BE. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT AS, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND SAY, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, AND THEY'D SAID, AND THEY'RE TELLING YOU, WELL, I CAN'T SEE IT. I CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING TO ME. AND SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO BE IN A, UH, IN THE MODE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD AND WE'RE, WE'RE PLACING TIMELINES AND DEADLINES. AND SO WE CAN GET THESE THINGS DONE. YEAH. LET, LET ME JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. [01:20:01] REVIEW THE PROJECTS FOR THIS 18TH AND 19TH STREET. ON THE WEST SIDE, THAT'S BEEN FUNDED WITH OUR FUNDS. UM, WE HAVE $2 MILLION THAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED FOR THAT. AND SO WE HAVE ALREADY ASSIGNED AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO THAT. AND, UM, AND THAT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DONE. SO WE ARE MOVING THIS ONE, WE'VE GOT MONEY IN THE BANK, AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED. AND WE ARE, IT'S NOT PART OF THE DURA PROJECT. WELL, IT'S PART OF IT. IF THEY CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM HOURS AWAY FROM US. BUT, UM, YES, WE ARE MOVING DILIGENTLY ON THAT. AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED, COUNSELOR, I, I LISTENED, I COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR, YOUR STANCE. AND I HEAR IT LOUD. AND CLEARLY EVERYTHING THAT, THAT ADORE IS INVOLVED IN WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN, WHERE WE CAN SUPPORT FROM BEHIND, WE WILL AS WELL. UH, I KNOW IT SEEMS BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME. UM, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, GETTING 20 OR 30 OR $40 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF STRINGS THAT GO WITH THAT. UH, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT EVERY, EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO MOVE IT ALONG WHERE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO, WE HAVE DONE THAT, UH, AND WHERE WE HAVE NOT WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO USE THE POLITICAL SYSTEM TO GET THAT. SO WE MAY CALL ON YOU TO, TO JOIN IN THAT, IN THAT, BECAUSE YOUR VOICE IS MUCH STRONGER THAN, THAN MY VOICE REPRESENTING YOU, UH, BECAUSE YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SO IF WE CALL ON YOU, IT'S BECAUSE WE NEED YOU TO GO RATTLE SOMEONE'S CAGE OR, OR MAKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE CALLS. AND, UM, SO I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. I, I, I SHARE YOUR, YOUR FRUSTRATION. UM, AND IT DID NOT GO ON ON UNHEARD. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AT IT. THEY COUNSEL MAGELLAN. OH, YES. YEAH. I HAVE HAD A QUESTION FOR THE MAYOR, BUT HE'S GONE. UH, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, HE'S SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH DBC. I'VE BEEN ABOUT 17, 18 AND 19 STREET. AND GIVE US UPDATE. ANYBODY SHOULD IMAGINE, YOU KNOW WHAT? HE DIDN'T WANT THE COUNSELOR TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE, WANTS TO MEET BY A 77. AND I HADN'T GOTTEN UP THERE YET. WHAT HAPPENED TO 17, 18 AND 19 STREET. IT WAS SO BAD. YOU COULDN'T GO BY TRUCK OR CALL HIM. I WILL GO BY BOAT AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND THAT'S, I'M TIRED OF THAT PROBLEM. SO DID YOU GET UPGRADED, SEND THE MANAGER, THE MAIL WAS OUT DONE WITH WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF SCHEDULING THAT, MEETING THAT AGAIN, THE MAYOR WAS OUT AND WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF SCHEDULING THE MEETING. HE HADN'T MARRIED NEEDED SEVEN YET. OKAY. WELL, I GUESS WE GOT TO TAKE MORE THAN OURSELVES AND PILE OUT US, MAN. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO COMMITTEE TO MEET, I GUESS MAYOR'S COMING. THE MAYOR'S COMING. COUNCILOR JONES. YEAH. TO MEET WITH THEM LAST WEEK, WEEK FOUR, LAST MONTH, THE FLOOD, THE FLOOD KNOWN 17, 18, 19 STREET. HE DIDN'T SEE ANY POSTS TO MEET WITH THEM. WHAT HAPPENED? OKAY. OF COURSE YOU ASKED ABOUT, YEAH. LAST MEETING. SO YOU CAN MEET WITH AND FIND OUT WHO DROPPED THE BALL ABOUT 17, 18, 19. SURE. OKAY. AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CALL BACK. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CALL BACK FROM MR. KELLY TO SET UP THAT MEETING. SO I CAN'T MAKE HIM MEET MAYBE HIS SCHEDULE, UH, UH, HIS, HE HASN'T CALLED US BACK, SET IT UP, BUT WE MADE THE REQUEST AND WAITING FOR AN ASSET TO HAVE THE MEETING. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, AS COUNSEL, MY FRIEND KELLOGG SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. SO WE GOT TO PUT PRESTON GVC UP AND TO DATA PROBLEM, WE GOT TO GET WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, SEE, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT AGAIN. OKAY. YOU'LL GET BACK WITH THEM. OKAY. TAKE A MEAL. OKAY. OKAY. ON THAT, THE LAST THING WE DON'T WANT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IN TRANSPIRE SO MANY TIMES IS THESE, THIS WHOLE IDEA OF DOING A STUDY. WE GOT TO DO A STUDY TIME TO STOP STUDYING. WE KNOW WHERE THE ISSUES ARE. WE KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE STUDIED IS STUDY. WE GOT TO MOVE SOME WATER. LET'S STUDY THAT. THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. I LIKE TO JUST ONE FINAL CLARIFICATION. IF YOU, IF YOU WILL, ON THE PROJECT, I BELIEVE HE'S CALLED IT LAKE AUTHOR THAT FEMA HAS, UH, DECIDED NOT TO FUND. AM I CORRECT ON THAT? THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE, UH, THE FINAL BCA [01:25:01] IS NOT GOING TO BE WARNING. AND IT'D BCA IS BASED UPON WHERE THE PROPERTY IS AND OTHER THINGS, OR WHAT THE BEAT, THE BCA, THE BC IS BASED ON THE COST OF THE PROJECT, WHATEVER THE COST WOULD BE TO DO A PROJECT THAT WOULD REDUCE THE FLOOD RISK, RIGHT? AGAINST THE VALUE AND THE ELEVATION OF THE PROPERTIES THAT IT WOULD PROTECT. THAT'S IN A VERY, VERY SIMPLISTIC VERSION OF WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, GOES INTO MODELING. WELL, HOLD ON. RIGHT THERE NOW ALL CITY MANAGER. I KNOW WHENEVER I CAME ON AS MAYOR THREE YEARS AGO, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED. UH, IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS I WAS HERE, UM, MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TWO OR THREE MONTHS, THE PURCHASING OF THE PROPERTY OCCURRED. NOW, DID YOU ALL KNOW AUDIT, HIT ANYONE STUDIED DEAD PROPERTY TO KNOW THAT, BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE WERE GOING TO PUT A RETAINING PAWN THERE. AM I CORRECT? AM I CORRECT ON THAT? OKAY. NOW I DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION. I'M NOT THAT SMART. I CAN'T GO BACK AND FIND IT, BUT I CAN THINK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT I KNOW OCCURRED AT NOW, RETAINING PROM. IT'S GOING TO BE PUT THERE BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAID 790, SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE FURNITURE. I REMEMBER. OKAY. NOW, SO THIS COUNCIL, EVERYBODY WASN'T HERE, BUT SOME OF US WERE MADE A MISTAKE. WE WERE PRESSURED. AND ANY CITIZEN THAT'S LISTENING. YOU GO AND CHECK WHO SOLD IT TO US. SO I'M TO JUST PUT IT ALL OUT AND EVERYBODY GET MAD ABOUT IT, WHATEVER IT WAS SOMETHING, A MUCK FROM THE BEGINNING ON THAT PROJECT, I FED IT DOWNSTAIRS. I'M SAYING IT NOW PUBLICLY. SO COUNCILMAN KEN LAW. AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN BE ANGRY OR EXPRESSING ANGER ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE WERE APART OF THAT IF A STUDY HAD BEEN DONE PROPERLY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN PURCHASED THAT, BUT IT WAS A MUCK. SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH IT FROM THE BIG PENNY. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN PORT OFF. OKAY. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY. NOW, ARE WE GOING TO CORRECT IT? NO, NO. I'M ASKING US OR WE GOING TO CORRECT IT. PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES MADE THE MISTAKE FOR WHATEVER REASON. IT WAS A MISTAKE. WE CAN'T BLAME THIS MAN BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I DON'T WANT TO RECALL HIM EVER COMING BEFORE THE TOWN TELLING US ABOUT THAT PROPERTY. DID IT HAPPEN LIKE THAT? ALL, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SOME PROPERTY THAT THE CITY PURCHASED. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY GERMANE TO THIS TOPIC. NO, NO, NO, NOT YET. IT IS THE TOTAL PART OF THE TOPIC. AND I'M SPEAKING ON BECAUSE IT'S A PARTY. THIS IS PRESENTATION THAT SI THAT BRINGS ON DISTRICT THREE, BECAUSE WHAT I WAS TOLD WAY BACK THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO, THAT THAT RETAINING PART WILL BE PUT THERE BECAUSE ORIGINALLY IN THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR, WE HAVE SIX INCH PIPES. AM I CORRECT? GET A MANAGER FOR DRAINAGE WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 12 AND 20 POINTS PIPES OUT THERE IN THAT AREA ORIGINALLY, I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. I'M NOT THAT SMART, BUT YOU WERE TELLING ME SOMETHING ABOUT ELEVATIONS AND HOW FEMA MAKES DECISIONS. OKAY. AND IF WE, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WAS A RICE FIELD, BEFORE THAT WE HAVE A HOME OUT THERE. I MEAN, I CAN REMEMBER, I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE STATISTICS I'M 68 TOMORROW. SO I KNOW I REMEMBER IT. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN PORT AUTHOR. AND THEN YOU HAVE FOLK WHO WILL INVOLVE THEMSELVES TO THE EXTENT AND DEGREE THEY WILL BE UP HERE. AND, AND THEN IN OTHER PLACES, MAKING DECISIONS THAT MIGHT BE PROPORTION OF GAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE FOR, BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR THE GOOD OF THIS COMMUNITY. SO ARE WE GOING TO CHANGE [01:30:01] IT? I'M THROUGH. THANK YOU FOR IT. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT THING. OKAY. [III.B.2. A Presentation By Staff Regarding Drainage Problems In District 3 Councilmembers Kinlaw and Frank)] NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY STAFF REGARDING DRAINAGE PROBLEMS AGAIN IN, UH, IS THIS THE SAME ONE? IT'S DIFFERENT. OKAY. UH, I WAS SITTING, STAFF IS GOING TO HANDLE THIS. OKAY. THIS, THIS CAPTAIN, THE CAPTAIN WAS JUST LIKE, I'M LIKE WHERE? WELL, WHERE WERE YOU DOING IT AGAIN? OKAY, GO RIGHT AHEAD. GO, GO. READY. ONE WAS ON THE FIRST PAGE. OH, OKAY. OKAY. GO RIGHT AHEAD, MAN. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ROBERTS OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. SO YOU HAVE ON THE SCREEN HERE, A MAP BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE. I'M GOING TO GRAB MY SHEET SO THAT THIS MAP THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, SHOWS INDICATES ALL OF THE AREAS IN WHICH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS RECEIVED. PHONE CALLS, UH, REGARDING, UH, FLOOD ARE FLOODING IN THEIR, THEIR AREA, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN OR OF THE MAP. YOU SEE A LIST OF ALL THE ADDRESSES AND THOSE ADDRESSES ARE MAPPED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE, ALONG WITH PHOTOS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THOSE, THOSE, THOSE, UM, CITIZENS WHO CALLED IN MORE SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT THREE FAIRWAY STATES AREA, YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE RECEIVE CALLS ABOUT JAMIE JOHNSON, YOUR GOLF HILL, UH, THE END OF HEATHER BROOK TRAIL, EXCUSE ME, AT ROYAL MEADOWS AT FAIRWAY MEADOWS. AND ALSO, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY. I HEAR THERE WAS ONE LAST ONE BRAZOS BETWEEN RICE FORM ROAD AND 77TH STREET, THAT AREA, UM, AS WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED SHEET FLOWS, UM, AND TO THE CITY'S DRAINAGE SYSTEM, WHICH CONSISTS OF A MULTITUDE OF DRAINAGE PIPES, UM, INLETS. AND THEN IT GOES TO DD SEVENS, UH, CANALS. THERE ARE NO POEMS STATE. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY PUMP STATIONS, UM, IN THAT AREA, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING DROUGHT CONDITIONS. SO WHENEVER WE RECEIVE THIS DELUGE OF RAIN THAT DID AFFECT AND CAUSE HELP TO CAUSE SOME FLOODING CONDITIONS AS WELL, REPEAT THAT AGAIN, WE HAD DROUGHT CONDITIONS. WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING DROUGHT CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE RAIN EVENT. SO WHENEVER YOU HAVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND YOU HAVE A DELUGE OF RAIN, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR THE SOIL TO ABSORB THAT RAIN, WHICH SHOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE, IT WILL EVENTUALLY, BUT NOT INITIALLY. CAUSE THE GRANT ROUND IS HARD. IT'S HARD. SO IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR THAT WATER TO GO INTO THE SOIL. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TRAVELING? ARE YOU JUST TALKING ABOUT, SO HOW DOES THAT PLAYMAKER PLAY WHEN WE HAVE DRAINAGE? UH, SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU ARE, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE EXTRA WATER THAT IS GONNA TO HELP WITH, UM, MAKING FLOODING CONDITIONS. RIGHT. THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY. SO YOU'RE SAYING INSTEAD STANDING WATER WOULD BE PRESENT THIS CHAPTER, THE BOOK. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. SO YEAH, GO AHEAD AND KIND OF REFLECT. OKAY. UM, I APPRECIATE THAT MAP, BUT THERE WERE MORE, THERE WERE CALLS THAT YOU DID NOT GET. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ONLY PUT UP WITH THE CALLS THAT YOU GOT, I CAN CLEARLY RELATE TO YOU THAT THERE WAS MORE, MUCH MORE FLOODING THAN THAT. OKAY. CAN YOU SHARE THAT? AND WE CAN WRITE, WELL, THE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE, UM, FLOODING OF THE UNDERPASS AND AT HOUSTON AVENUE AND SEVENTH STREET, THAT THAT IS NOT IN HOUSTON. YES. AND THAT, BECAUSE FROM EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT PUMP THERE TO KEEP, MAKE SURE THAT THAT STAYS OPEN, THAT WORKS SPORADICALLY. IT DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME. AND SO THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE FIX THAT CAN HAPPEN AND TRANSPIRE. UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WORKS THE, UM, IS THAT A CITY PUMP, [01:35:01] IT IS A CITY PUMP GULF WAY AND A AND HOUSTON INSTITUTE. NOW, DO WE HAVE A RECORD OF THE MAINTENANCE ON, IT'S PRETTY PUNKS. I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPORADIC NATURE OF, OF, UH, OF THAT EQUIPMENT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, AND, AND SHARE THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER, HE CAN IN TURN, SHARE WITH US, UH, THE THINGS LIKE THAT UP BECAUSE EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL, IF I CAN BE ON MAC, NOT AT ALL, SIR. AND, UH, DISCUSSED IT WITH COUNCILMAN JONES. OKAY. WHEN CITIZENS WERE CONTACTING ME, UH, I MEAN, WHERE THE WATER WAS AT, EVEN WHERE I LIVE AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLE FROM THE CITY CAME OVER TO MY RESIDENCE TO PICK ME UP, TO BRING ME UP HERE TO THE OFFICE AT THAT FRIDAY. AND, UH, AND THERE WERE AREAS IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, IN TOWN, AS YOU WERE SAYING, BECAUSE OF THAT FLOODING. NOW, ONE THING I DID FIND OUT IN THAT PARTICULAR CAR, THOUGH, THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING ON, UH, ON 15TH STREET, THERE WAS A WATERLINE LINE. YOU PROBABLY AWARE OF IT, BUT THE WATER LINE BROKE OR BURST THAT EVENING, OR THAT NIGHT I PERSONALLY WENT DOWN THERE BECAUSE THERE'S AN ELDERLY 90, 92 YEAR OLD FEMALE WHO LIVES IN THAT BLOCK. BASICALLY THE ONLY HOME IS IN THAT BLOCK OF MRS. DAWSON. AND WHAT HAD OCCURRED IN HER BACKYARD WAS A WATERLINE AT BURST. BUT NOW THE CITY CREWS, YOU KNOW, YOUR CREWS AND I GIVE THEM THE KUDOS. THEY, THEY, THEY WENT OUT THERE. IT WAS DARK. IT WAS AFTER NINE. THEY WENT BACK THERE BECAUSE WHEN THE LADY CALLED ME, I WAS, I CALLED THE CITY MANAGER. I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW CAN WATER BE RISING? AND SO SOMEONE WAS SENDING, THEY WAS COMING FROM NEW UP UNDERPAID. AND I LOOKED AND SEE WHAT'S NEW, WHERE THE WATER'S GOING TO COME UP THAT HILL AND THEN RUN DOWN YOUR YARD, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M STANDING IN HER DRIVEWAY AND THEN HER BACK DOOR IN THE WATER, IT'S ABOUT ITCH, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, AND IT'S STANDARDLY RUNNING. WELL, THE CREWS WENT OUT, THEY FOUND OUT AND THEY TOLD ME AGAIN, AND THIS IS SOMETHING MAYBE COUNSEL FOR, FOR YOUR AWESOME, JUST TO HELP ALL THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE. IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW IT. I LEARNED IT THAT NIGHT WAS THAT THE COLOR OF THE DROUGHT, AGAIN, IN THE WATER, THE WATER MAIN WILL END WITH THE WATER, THE WEIGHT OF THE DIRT ON THOSE, ON THOSE PIPES. YOU W YOU'RE GOING TO KIND OF WORK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? AND BACK THEN THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER, I GUESS YOU WERE ABLE TO GET HARD DIRT ON IT. THEN AFTER THAT EVENING, WHEN IT SOPHIE AND GOOD, IT JUST CAUSED THE PIPE THAT THIS JOINT, WELL, YOU HAVE THIS REAL WITH AN EIGHT INCH SIX CRIMINAL, THERE WAS A PRETTY BIG PIPE AND THAT PIPE CAME LOOSE, BUT YOUR, YOUR CREWS HAVE FIXED IT AND CORRECT THE BIT. AND IT LEAVES THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT LADY THAT, YOU KNOW, AT NIGHT, THE NEXT SATURDAY MORNING, IT WAS GOOD BACK THERE. DRY, AND GOD BLESSED US BECAUSE WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE, THE, UH, PRECIPITATION THAT THEY HAD PREDICTED, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE REALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN BAD SHAPE, BUT IF WE ARE DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE YOUR OTHER, YOUR OTHER INDIVIDUALS HERE ON OUR PUMPS, FOR SURE THAT PUMP ON WEST OR GULF. WAIT, I KNOW IT PROBABLY DOESN'T WORK AS WELL AS THE PUMP ON THE MORNING, BECAUSE ONE OF THEM MEMORIAL CLEARED AND WHERE'S GULF WAIT, IT WAS A, IT WAS A SWIMMING POOL. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME FOLK CALLED ME BECAUSE CHILDREN HAD GONE OUT THERE AND THAT BEGUN TO DIVE INTO THE WATER OFF OF THE OVERPASS, YOU KNOW, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER LIABILITY. MAYBE THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD HAD SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED, BUT A FEW ADULTS WENT OUT THERE AND RE YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, RAN THEM OFF, BUT YOUR KIDS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO. AND THEY BEGAN TO DIVE INTO THE POOL THAT HAD BEEN CREATED ALL OF THESE THINGS. BUT IF WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL, HOW THE MAINTENANCE, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS OCCURRING ON THOSE PUMPS, I THINK CITY MANAGER, THAT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS FOR THE CITY. BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE CITIZENS, I WOULD TELL THE CITIZENS CALL DRAINAGE DISTRICT SEVEN, BECAUSE SEVEN. I MEAN, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HANDLED THEM. THEY GET ALL OF OUR WATER AND D SEVEN WAS TELLING EVERYBODY IT WASN'T THERE PROBLEM WITH THE CITY'S PROBLEM. WELL, I KNOW IT WAS A, A MIXTURE OF SOME DERELICT THINGS ON OUR PART, AS WELL AS SOME DAIRY THINGS ON THE AIRPORT. I AM READY TO SAY THIS PUBLICLY, SAY THE MANAGER [01:40:01] STOPPED ME. IF I'M WRONG. THEY TURNED THEIR PUMPS ON SOME, TWO OR THREE HOURS AFTER WE TURNED OURS ON THE MANUAL PUMPS. YOU KNOW, I WOULD GUYS AT TWO OR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND THEIR GUYS SHOW UP AT SEVEN 30. WELL, BY THIS TIME THREE OR FOUR INCHES OF RAIN INSTALLED, AND THE FLOODING HAS BEGUN, YOU KNOW, THESE ISSUES. AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING TO YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES ABOUT, OKAY, IF WE CAN COME UP WITH TOM TIMETABLE TO BE SURE, AND YOU CANNOT BLAME INDIVIDUALS IN PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE IF YOU WERE HERE FOR HARVEY AND ANYTIME IT RAINS, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HAD TO TERM, I'M NOT A PSYCHIATRIST OR ANYTHING, BUT WHAT THEY CALL IT, PARANOIA, SOCIAL DRAMATIC STRESS SYNDROME THAT, THAT WOULDN'T ADD TO THAT P T A S 10 AND FOLK ARE GONNA CALL. AND, UH, I MEAN, THEY WERE TELLING ME, TURN THE PUMP ON, MAN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE SWITCH IS. OKAY. BUT I'M THE MAYOR. SO EVERYBODY, I WENT TO A PLACE OF BUSINESS ON FRIDAY. AND WHEN I WALK INTO PEOPLE'S WALK, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO SIT DOWN AND THEY TELLING ME, MAN, I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS DRAINAGE AND THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I KNOW ALL OF YOU PROBABLY GET THE SAME THING, WHATEVER YOU ALL CAN DO, MS. ROBINS, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, PLEASE WORK WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT WITH YOUR PERSONNEL REPORT REPORTED TO THE CITY MANAGER. SO HE CAN IN TURN, LET US KNOW. SO WHEN THE CITIZENS CALL US, WE WILL KNOW THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE HAS BEEN DONE AS COUNCILMAN KENALOG JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UH, WE'LL BE DEEPER INTO HURRICANE SEASON IN THE WORKSHOP. I THINK YOU WENT HERE ON YESTERDAY, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCING ON FREMONT. I WAS OVER HERE AND WE KNOW ABOUT FEMA AND HOW THEY HANDLE BUSINESS AND HOW THEY CONSTANTLY CHANGE REQUIREMENTS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE WORKING FOR US. WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT BASICALLY ENDED UP WORKING AGAINST US, BUT PLEASE GIVE US A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, WHATEVER YOU ALL HAVE GOT TO DO, TO BE SURE THAT THE PUMPS ARE WORKING, THAT YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF. YES, SIR. BECAUSE I CAN'T HAVE THIS GOOD MEETING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE WITH D D SEVEN. IF I WOULD THINGS AREN'T WORKING, LET ME SAY SOMETHING. OH, I'M SORRY. AND I'LL LET YOU SAY THIS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN EVERY ORGANIZATION, THERE IS A HEAD, BUT UNDERSTAND THERE'S A HEARTBEAT. YOU ARE THE HEARTBEAT YOU PUBLIC WORKS IS THE HEARTBEAT, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO GO OUT ON AND DO DRAINAGE AND ALL THAT. YOU ARE THE HEARTBEAT. I THINK I CAN SAY THAT YOU PULL IT OUT WITH WHETHER IT IS WITH ENGINEERING, WHETHER IT IS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, HE'S THE HEAD, HE GOING TO GET IT. HE GONNA RUN ALL THE INTERFERENCE. BUT AS FAR AS PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT YOU INSPECT, EXPECT PEOPLE DO WHAT YOU INSPECT PEOPLE, NOT GOING TO DO WHAT YOU EXPECT. THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT YOU INSPECT. WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WORKED IN INDUSTRY AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T ALWAYS PASS THEIR CHURCH. DIDN'T ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, DO THAT. BUT EVERY NIGHT WE CHECKED SAFETY SHOWERS. WE INITIALED GOING BY EVERY SAFETY SHOWER, CHECKING THAT SAFETY SHOWER, THAT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR SOMETHING HAPPENED, WE KNEW THAT THAT SAFETY SHOWER HAD BEEN TESTED. YOU HAD TO INITIAL IT EVERY NIGHT. NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW KEEP UP WITH PUMPS AND ALL OF THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROCESS IS, BUT YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA DO IT IT'S NECESSARY. SO WHATEVER HAPPENS IN TRANSPIRES, WE GOTTA COME UP WITH A SYSTEM OF ULTIMATELY TAKING CARE OF THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT IN A RAIN EVENT, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO FAIL US. SO THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T, I DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL FOR THAT. I PREACH A SERMON, BUT I AIN'T GO TO SCHOOL FOR THAT. SO WHATEVER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. YOU WANTED TO SAY YES. THANK YOU. SO WE DO HAVE STAFF WHO WILL GO OUT AND WHO WILL MAINTAIN THE PUMPS. UM, THEY TAKE THE PUMPS DAILY, AND IT'S ONLY A ROUND SCHEDULE, A DAILY SCHEDULE, 24 HOUR SCHEDULE. UM, THE DAY OF THE EVENT, UM, WE DID STOP PUMPS TO, TO ALLEVIATE, ALLEVIATE THE WATER THAT WAS COMING FROM 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH STREETS, WHICH IS WHY YOU SAW SOME POOLING THERE AT GULF WAY IN HOUSTON. WE DID ROPE THAT AREA OFF TO PREVENT TRAFFIC FROM GOING, UH, DOWN GOLF WAY UNDERNEATH THE, THE, YEAH, ON THE, UNDERNEATH [01:45:01] THE OVERPASS. SO YOU SAID YOU CUT PUMPS OFF TOO. I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING I MISSED THAT FIRST PART AT AREA. UH, HOUSTON AND GULF WAY WAS, UH, SOMEWHAT OF A HOLDING AREA. YOU TURNED MORE INTO A RETENTION RETENTION. YES, SIR. TO HELP. WE DID REALIZE THAT THERE WAS WATER ON 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH, THAT AREA I WENT OUT THERE THAT DAY. OKAY. UM, AND I DID SEE 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH. UM, AND I SAW FOR MYSELF WHAT, WHAT CITIZENS ARE WERE EXPERIENCING, BUT IF YOU DID TURN THE PUMP ON, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A STEADY, I HAD BEEN ON, THEY HAD BEEN ON TEMPORARILY STOPPED TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT FLOW AND THEY WERE KICKED BACK ON. OKAY. OH, OKAY. YEAH. BUT THEN YOU HAD TO CUT IT BACK, BUT THEN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT BACK ON AT SOME PROCESS AT SOME POINT. SO THAT WAS OKAY. IT WAS YES, SIR. OKAY. UM, OUR, THE, OUR DRAINAGE STAFF DOES NOT FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF PUTTING IT. WE, IT DOES NOT PLAY. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY MAINTAINING THE DITCHES, CONSTANTLY MAINTAINING, UH, THE PIPES AND THE PUMPS EVERY DAY, NOT JUST ONCE A WEEK OR SOMETHING EVERY DAY. OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. WE ALSO ENLIST A SOLID WASTE STAFF TO ASSIST AND TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT PUTTING THEIR TRASH AND OTHER DEBRIS IN THE DITCHES AND ENSURING THAT IT DOES NOT GO IN INTO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE CONSTANTLY ASKING CITIZENS TO ASSIST US WITH THAT. I HAVE THE, I HAVE THE SABINE PASS, UH, IN OUR AUDIENCE. WE HAVE THE SABINE PASS, A PORT AUTHORITY PERSON IN OUR, IN A MANAGER OUT THERE. CAN WE GET WITH HIM TO ENSURE THAT THOSE DITCHES AND SABINE PASS ARE BEING CUT OUT AS WELL? YES, SIR. YEAH, LET'S DO THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN A POINT OF CON THAT'S BEEN A POINT OF SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN NEEDING TO BE DONE, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEMS GETTING THAT DONE AS WELL. I KNOW WE FAIRLY RECENTLY HAD STAFF TO GO OUT THERE, BUT IF YOU CAN GIVE ME A YEAH. HE'LL, HE'LL, HE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. HE'S, HE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE AND HE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. OKAY. OKAY. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT NOT NOW, I MEAN, JUST AFTER THE MEETING. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. UM, YOU'RE GOOD. UH, THE ONLY REASON I'M I LOVE MY COHORTS, MY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT THIS SAYS FOR DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M GOING TO CORRAL YOU BACK TO DISTRICT THREE, AND YOU CAN TELL WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, UH, CONCERNS WE HAVE, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, LEARNING TODAY WITH A DOER THAT WE WILL NOT BE GETTING, UM, UH, FUNDED FOR THAT, UH, THAT FIRST PROJECT ON LAKE ARTHUR. WHAT IS THE CITY? WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING? YOU GOT THE PHONE CALLS AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN FRANK, THAT THERE WAS A LOT MORE, UH, LOOKING AT MY EMAILS. I EMAILED THE CITY MANAGER THREE TIMES ALONG WITH THE MAYOR WITH PHOTOS AND NO RESPONSE BACK FROM THE CITY MANAGER. OKAY. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? WHAT'S THE PLAN. SO I DECIDED TO PUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. SO SINCE WE KNOW TODAY THAT WE'LL NOT GOING TO BE GETTING FUNDING, AND WE SPENT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ON A RETENTION POND, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE CITY'S PLAN TO HELP ALLEVIATE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT THREE PERIOD, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE BACK FROM THE MANAGER. AND I SENT HIM THE PICTURES. I SHOWED HIM ALL THE HOUSES AS THEY CAME TO ME, I SHUT, I DON'T SEE IT UP THERE. SO TELL ME, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE CITY? YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN NINTH AVENUE FLOODS AND JIMMY JOHNSON, WHEN ALL THOSE STREETS WE TALKING ABOUT FAIRWAY ESTATES, WHEN ALL THOSE AREAS FLOOD, WHAT WILL THE CITY DO NOW TO ALLEVIATE THAT WATER? THAT'S JUST SIMPLE FOR ME BECAUSE WE KNOW ONE, WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A HURRICANE SEASON, AND WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET RAIN IN PORT ARTHUR. WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO FLOOD IN THOSE AREAS, THOSE HIGH IMPACT AREAS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLY, EVEN WITH COUNT FROM A FRANK, THE MAYOR, COUNCILMAN MARK, AND COUNCILMAN JOHNSON SPOKE UP. WE KNOW THAT. SO WHAT IS THE CITY'S OBLIGATION TO THE TAXPAYERS VOTERS, CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR PERIOD. NOW I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE USED, UH, UH, UNDERPADS AS A RETENTION POND, YOU GOT TO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO, BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SECURED AND HAVE SOMEBODY STAND BY WHERE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO JUMP IN. ONE OF THE CITY WORKERS HAVE TO JUMP IN AND TRY TO SAVE SOMEBODY. WE [01:50:01] GOT THOSE PITCHERS. I UNDERSTAND, BUT NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT. AND WE TALK ABOUT LIABILITY. NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S THE DECISION THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF'S MADE, BUT WE'RE HERE TO RESOLVE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER, TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES. SO MY QUESTION, AND AS IT'S PRINTED ON THE AGENDA TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS IN DISTRICT THREE, WHAT IS THE CITY'S OBLIGATION? AND WHAT'S YOUR PLAN OF ACTION WHEN THE NEXT RING GOING TO HAPPEN? SO TO ALLEVIATE PROBLEM, OKAY. COUNSEL, AND, UM, WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK OUR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT FOR THE CITY IS BEING COMPROMISED. WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK THAT. AND AS THE DIRECTOR SAID, WE DO THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT WE WILL CONTINUALLY DILIGENTLY DO THAT. WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH DD SEVEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER PLANS THEY HAVE IN PLACE TO CONTINUALLY ADDRESS THE WIDER DRAINAGE NETWORK THAT WE POUR INTO, THAT WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE AND IT'S EFFICIENT. WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES TO USE IT, WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK WITH A DURA OR WHATEVER CONSULTING AGENCY THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER WE HAVE TO WORK IT AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL FOR AUSTIN, WE WILL GO OUT THERE WITH THE MAYOR, ANY DELEGATION FROM THE COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE NECESSARY REPRESENTATION IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO CONQUER WHATEVER PROBLEMS OR OBSTACLES THAT WE HAVE THAT AFFECTS THE TRINET SYSTEM IN DISTRICT THREE AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BORDEAUX, WE WILL DO IT ON A DAILY BASIS. ALRIGHT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD CITY, MAN, THAT SETTLED VERY GOOD. AND YOU KNOW, AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT. I REALLY DO, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T STOP THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE. NO, THAT DOESN'T STOP. THAT WE JUST HAD A TROPICAL STORM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON THE, WHAT, THE FIRST OR THE 2ND OF JULY. IT DOESN'T STOP WATER GETTING TO SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY, UH, AND INTO THEIR HOUSES. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. BUT, YOU KNOW, UNTIL I SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY UNTIL I STOPPED SEEING WATER, GETTING PEOPLE HOUSES, AND ALL THE WAY UP THE DRIVEWAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO HAVE A CONCERN AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A SITE. UH, I NEVER TRIED TO GET HIM, YOUR PERSONNEL MATTERS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON. AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING DILIGENTLY THOSE THINGS THAT YOU SPOKE OF. BUT I GET THE CALL, I GET THE PHOTOS AND I PASS THEM ON TO YOU. AND IF YOU DON'T RESPOND BACK, I HAVE TO PUT IT IN AN OPEN SESSION LIKE THIS, SO WE CAN DISCUSS HOW TO HELP THE CITIZENS. SO YOU KNOWING, AND I'M NOT KNOWING IT, BUT I'M SENDING YOU EVERYTHING. SO YOU COULD BE PREPARED TO HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS. I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MY JOB TITLE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, I HEAR TOO, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO ON WITH THE PROCESS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. BUT PEOPLE HOUSES ARE STILL GETTING WATER. ROADS ARE STILL GETTING HIGHER. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO? YOU SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS IF WE HAVE THE BAND UP AND GO TO AUSTIN AND THAT'S OKAY, BUT I NEED TO SEE ACTION. THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, NICE TO SEE THE ACTION AND, AND ALL THE TALK YOU NEED TO STOP, PERIOD. THAT JUST THAT'S JUST PERIOD, BECAUSE TAXPAYERS PAY TAXES, THEY PAY TAXES TO THE CITY TO GET THINGS DONE. AND TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'VE TURNED THE UNDERPASS INTO A RETENTION POND TO ALLEVIATE WATER OFF 17, 18, AND 19, IT COMES WITH LIABILITIES. YOU JUST HEAR THE MAYOR SAID, HEY, KIDS JUMPING INTO WATER. YOU HAD, YOU HEARD THE MAYOR SAY IN THE COUNCILMAN, FRANK, THEY HAD TO PULL SOMEBODY OUT OF A CAR THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE CITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND WE DID HAVE THAT AREA BARRICADED. IT WAS BARRICADED SO THAT THE CITIZEN HAD TO HAVE GONE AROUND THE BARRICADE. IT WAS BARRICADED BECAUSE I D I DID GO OUT THERE. YEAH. BUT WE JUST ADMITTED THAT WE TURNED IT INTO A RETENTION POND. AND THAT'S NOT THE INTENTIONS OF THAT. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YES, SIR. I'M MILITARY. NOW HERE, WOULD YOU OPENLY JUST STATED THAT YOU TURNED IT IN, YOU CUT ALL PUMPS. NOW PEOPLE ARE OUT HERE LISTENING TO THAT. WE TURN OFF PUMPS. SO ALL I'M SAYING THAT I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH ANYONE THAT'S WILLING TO WORK WITH ME AND THIS COUNCIL, MY COHORTS, WE NEED TO DO BETTER. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. AND I PUT THIS ON HERE SO WE CAN ADDRESS AND FIGURE OUT WHO'S THE KEY PLAYER WHO DO WE NEED TO BRING UP TO THE TABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE GOING TO DO TO STOP THE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN PUERTO RICO. NOW, HAVE WE GOT TO START CHARGING PEOPLE FOR HANDLING ANY [01:55:01] AWARDED AS COMING ALL THE WAY DOWN SOUTH? WE NEED TO THINK OF THAT. WE NEED TO THINK OF SOMETHING. IF WE CAN'T HANDLE THEIR WATER. AND THEN WE GOT TO HANDLE OUR OWN WATER AND PORT ARTHUR AND DDD SEVEN CAN UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF SYSTEM WE HAVE IS ANTIQUATED IS OLD. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. WE JUST CAN'T KEEP ON ROLLING THE BALL. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. THANK YOU, MIRROR. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, NO OTHER COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MS. ROBERTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE [III.B.3. A Presentation By Harold Doucet, Sr. Regarding Violation Of The Open Meetings Act] TO THE NEXT ITEM. UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, A PRESENTATION BY HOWARD. YOU SAID SENIOR REGARDING VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. GOOD MORNING. HERALD DO SAY AT 51 80 CAMBRIDGE STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. SOME OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA COVER, WE, WE HAD AN, A MEETING, SO IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO IDENTIFY WITH TODAY. I WANT TO TALK TO THE CITIZEN AND COUNCIL IN REFERENCE TO THE OPEN MEETING ACT. UM, THE OPEN MEETING ACT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT LAW THAT WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR CITY, GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE TO DO WORK AND SERVE CITIZENS. IT'S THE ONLY PART OF TRAINING AND STUFF THAT IS REQUIRED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS, NOT JUST COUNCIL PEOPLE, BUT GOVERNMENTAL BODIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO AND ATTEND TRAINING FOR A NEWLY ELECTED OFFICE, UH, ELECTED OFFICERS, IT'S MANDATORY THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU CAN'T GET AROUND IT. WHAT THE PURPOSE OF DISCIPLINE IS BASICALLY TO BRING AWARENESS TO STAFF COUNCIL AND CITIZENS OF THE IMPACT AS A RESULT OF VIOLATING THIS ACT, BECAUSE THE ACT IS STRICTLY TO MAKE GOVERNMENT TRANS PARENT. SO CITIZENS CAN SEE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. CITIZENS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO HERE, WHAT THE PEOPLE THEY SELECT HAVE TO SAY ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEIR BUSINESS. AND IT VIOLATES TRANSPARENCY. IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW, IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW, IT IS NOT TRANSPARENT TO CITIZENS. IT'S TRANSPARENT TO YOU, BUT NOT TO CITIZENS. AND THE LAW WANTS IT TO BE TRANSPARENT TO CITIZENS. OKAY? ALSO, IT'S, UH, A VIOLATION CAN RESULT IN ABUSE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS OR MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIME, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THINGS AT SITE THINGS THAT CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO WANT COMMENT ABOUT IT, TOO. THEY NEED TO HEAR WHAT EACH PERSON SAYS. WHAT KINDS OF THAT'S YOUR MAP? SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY COGNIZANT EFFECT AND THE VIOLATION OF THE ACT. IF THE CLASS C MISDEMEANOR, IT'S A CLASSIC MISDEMEANOR. CAUSE THE HOPE OF MEDIAN ACT IS NOT AN ORDINANCE. IT'S A LAW, IT'S A STATE LAW. OKAY. NOW, WHEN WE DEAL WITH CITY, GOVERNMENT, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, THEY ONLY HAVE FEW SECTIONS OF THAT LAW THAT REALLY APPLIES. IF YOU READ THE LAW, THEN YOU'LL SEE A BUNCH OF THINGS ON HOW YOU CONDUCT MEETING AND HOW YOU GOT TO DO, UH, GO ALONG WITH MEETINGS. UH, YEAH, BUT IF YOU GOOGLE AND ASK FOR CITIZENS WHO ARE LISTENING, YOU CAN GOOGLE, TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT HANDBOOK, DO THE HANDBOOK BECAUSE THE HANDBOOK WILL NOT ONLY GIVE YOU THE SECTION OF THAT LAW, BUT IT GIVE YOU AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THAT SECTION MEANS OR WHAT IT ENTAILS SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS. SO THOSE ARE FEW OF THE SECTIONS THAT PERTAINS TO US IN A DAILY BASIS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND I'M GOING TO RUN OVER THOSE AND TO STOP FROM, UH, TRYING TO BE AN INTERPRETATION OF SOMEBODY THINK THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION. I'M GOING TO READ THEM VERBATIM BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT MANY OF THEM. AND I'LL RUN THROUGH IT QUICK. AND I'LL TRY TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN NECESSARY, NOT ALL OF THEM NEEDED, BUT THE FIRST ONE YOU SEE UP THERE IS ARTICLE NINE, A CLOSED MEETING OVERVIEW AND A COLD MEETING OVERVIEW. THE KEY THING THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW THERE ARE, YOU WANT TO KEY IN ON IT SAYS, AND A PORTION OF IT. [02:00:01] THERE ARE SEVERAL PURPOSES FOR REQUIRING THE PRESIDING OFFICER TO IDENTIFY THE SECTION OR SECTIONS THAT AUTHORIZED THE CLOSED SESSION. AND THEY ALL TO CALL THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT IT, TO ASSESS THE APPLICABILITY OF THE EXCEPTION BEFORE CLOSING THE MEETING, TO FIX THE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES LEGAL POSSESSION, AFTER RELYING UPON THE EXCEPTION SPECIFIED. AND THE LAST PURPOSE OF THAT IS, AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO LISTEN TO INFORM THOSE PRESENT OF THE EXCEPTION, THEREBY GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT INTELLIGENTLY. THAT'S WHY, BEFORE YOU GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION, YOU HAVE TO ANNOUNCE THIS. AND WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED IT, IF YOU SAY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, WHOEVER IN PRESENCE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE A CLOSED SESSION OR NOT. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THIS SAYS. OKAY. THEN THE NEXT THING ON THE LIST THAT WE HAVE HERE IS SECTION C. AND I'M GOING TO READ THAT ONE VERBATIM, THAT PORTION OF IT, THE CERTIFIED AGENDA, THE AGENDA MUST INCLUDE A STATEMENT OF THE MATTER OF EACH, EACH, EACH DELIBERATION, A RECORD OF ANY FURTHER ACTIONS AND, AND A MA AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRESIDING OFFICIAL AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE CLOSE MEETING INDICATING THE DATE AND TIME. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A CERTIFIED AGENDER AND EACH ITEM OF DELIBERATION, WHAT THAT MEAN IS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT APPLAUSE SESSION AND NOT TO GO DOWN THERE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. YOU CAN'T USE GENERAL TERMINOLOGY OR TERMS TO GET DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE TO LIST EACH ITEM BECAUSE A CLOSED SESSION, YOU CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU LIST AND YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT. TALK ABOUT IT CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE THERE'S LAW LIMITS YOU TO WHAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT. THEN WE GO TO THE TOPIC THAT GETS ME THE MOST. WHEN I LOOK AT THESE AGENDA, CAUSE I STILL FOLLOW AGENDAS, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT ON COUNCIL VERY CLOSELY. THE FIRST ONE IS SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.071. IT SAYS CONSULTATION WITH THE ATTORNEY. SO GOVERNMENT ABOUT IT MAY CONDUCT A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH ITS ATTORNEY, EXCEPT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OF BODY SEEKS THE ADVICE OF HIS ATTORNEY UP OUT PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION, OR BE A SETTLEMENT OFFER TWO ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS IS CLEAR TO CONFLICT WITH THIS CHAPTER. IT GOES ON FURTHER TO SAY, IN ADDITION, PART OF IT, IS IT GIVEN A GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAY NOT INVOKE SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.07. ONE HAS TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY, TOOK A VEIN, A CLOSED SESSION, THEN DISCUSS MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THAT POSITION, PUT VISION GENERAL, GENERAL DISCUSSION TO THE POLICY, UNRELATED TO THE LEGAL MODEL, IF NOT PERMITTED UNDER THIS LANGUAGE, EXCEPT MERELY BECAUSE AN ATTORNEY IS PRESENT. THAT BASICALLY SAID BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY DOWN THERE DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING UNLESS IT'S LEGAL AND IT'S PERTAINING TO WHAT YOU SAID, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TALK IT. GOVERNMENT BOUGHT IT MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, CONSULT WITH HIS ATTORNEY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT THE LEGAL ISSUES RAISED IN CONNECTION WITH A WATER IN THE CONTRACT, BUT IT MAY NOT DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION ARE OTHER NON-LEGAL MATTERS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION HELD ON THE NEXT SESSION. [02:05:01] YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION, WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, IT MUST BE EACH ITEM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A RECORD OF IT. AND I'M GOING TO READ FROM YOUR LAST MEETING ON THE FIFTH OF, UH, JULY, YOU HAD AN EXECUTIVE MEETING MIXED UP HERE WHERE YOUR, UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA, YOU LISTED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE SESSION AND THE ITEMS YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED WITH PENDING LITIGATIONS, WITH THE ATTORNEY. AND YOU SAID, UH, EDC, UH, INCENTIVE. BUT THE LAW SAYS, YOU MUST TALK ABOUT EACH ITEM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DELIBERATE. YOU CAN'T JUST TELL US YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THIS WITH THE ATTORNEY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE ATTORNEY? ITEM MUST BE LISTED EACH ITEM, BECAUSE IF YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN A AND TALK ABOUT THE EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR APPOINTEES, THE APPOINTEES, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY SECRETARY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ABOUT EVALUATIONS FOR THEM AS A CLASS, YOU CAN'T DO IT IN CLOSED SESSION. THE LAW WILL NOT ALLOW YOU. YOU MUST DO IT OUT HERE. AND WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT THAT ONE UP OUT THE CLASS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 5, 5, 1 0.072, WHICH GOES INTO THE NO I'M FLOUR, 0 7 4, WHICH IS PERSONNEL MATTERS. SO YOU CAN'T GO AND TALK ABOUT PERSONNEL MATTERS DOWN IN THIS CLOSED SESSION, OTHER THAN WHAT THIS LAW ALLOWS YOU TO DO. SO HAVE YOU GO TALK ABOUT A CLASS, A PIMPLE? YOU CAN'T DO IT IN CLOSED SESSION. IT HAS TO BE UP HERE ONLY AN INDIVIDUAL. CAN YOU DISCUSS IN CLOSED SESSION? AND IF THAT PERSON SAYS, NO, I WANT AN OPEN SESSION. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONDUCT THAT IN AN OPEN SECTION. SO YOU CAN'T CONDUCT A COLD MEETING, WHAT YOU WANT. YOU HAVE TO DO ONLY WHAT THIS LAW ALLOWED. SO ARE YOU GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR THE APPOINTEE CHANGING THEN WHAT THAT TELLS US? YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US WHAT YOU TELL THEM ABOUT. CAUSE WE GOING TO HEAR IT TOO. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERSONNEL MATTERS, YOU KNOW THE OTHER GOOD PART ABOUT THAT? WHEN IS THE LAST PART SAYS, WELL, NOT THE LAST PART OF IT. SO I'M GOING TO READ, FIND EXAMPLE. WHEN A GOVERNMENT ABOUT, UH, DISCUSS SALARY SCALES WITHOUT REFERRING TO A SPECIFIC EMPLOYEE, IT MUST BE AN OPEN SESSION, NO CLOSED MEETING AUTHORIZED BY THE SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.074 MAY DEAL ONLY WITH OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND BODY CLOSE DELIBERATIONS ABOUT THE SELECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR AN EXAMPLE. WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO CHANGE THE EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR APPOINTEES, AND YOU DECIDED YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOMEONE A THIRD PARTY TO GATHER THE INFORMATION AND YOU HAD A CONTRACT, NONE OF IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION IS RIGHT HERE. IT'S RIGHT HERE. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMEBODY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN OPEN SESSION BECAUSE THE CLOSED SESSION SAYS YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT. CONTRACTOR IN CLOSED SESSION, YOU SAY, THAT'S HOW WE AS CITIZENS GET TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THINGS THAT, UH, CONCERNS MONEY ARE THE OPERATION, THE CITY, EXCUSE ME. SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW YOU ALL. ONLY WAY WE COULD FOLLOW YOU ALL. IF YOU DISCUSS OUT HERE, THIS ACT PROTECTS US. IT MAKES YOU DO BUSINESS OUT HERE, NOT DOWNSTAIRS. SO WE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. [02:10:01] THE LIBERATION OF REAL PROPERTY. YOU HAD A DISCUSSION TODAY EARLIER, WHAT PEOPLE CAME BEFORE, YOU UPSET ABOUT TRANSACTION AND STUFF. LIBERATES ARE REAL PROBLEM. MOST OF THE MOST OF ANY DISCUSSION YOU HAVE ABOUT REAL PROPERTY IN THIS CITY SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN OPEN SESSION. WHY? BECAUSE AS THE CITY ATTORNEY READ, IF WE'RE GOING TO SELL PROPERTY, WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN IT. IT'S A BROKER. SO WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS IT. THERE'S NO NEGOTIATIONS THAT ISN'T ANY NEGOTIATIONS THEY HAVE FOR THE OPEN MEETING ACT SAYS, AND I WILL READ THAT ONE VERBATIM WAS SO, OKAY. IT GOVERNMENTAL BODY AND SEE THAT 70. OKAY, HERE WE GO. IT GOVERNED ABOUT IT. MAY CONDUCT A CLOSED MEETING TO DEMONSTRATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OUR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY. IT DIDN'T ERASE IT IN AN OPEN MEETING. WHAT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT OF THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY IN THE GOAT SHEET. A SINCE WITH A THIRD PARTY, YOU DON'T NEGOTIATE. SO YOU SHOULDN'T BE DISCUSSING THE SALE OR LEASE OH, REAL PROPERTY IN CLOSED SESSION LACE, WE GO ABOUT FIVE MARKET VALUE. SO ANYTIME YOU DISCUSSING PROPERTY SALE LEASE AND CLOSED SESSION, YOU VIOLATED THIS, THIS LAW AND THAT'S THE CLASS MEANS IT'S MISDEMEANOR. SO BASICALLY THE LAST ONE IS 8 7 5 5 1 0.87. UH, DEC RELATES REGARDING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS. WHEN THE ADC SENDS OVER THEIR REQUEST FOR YOU TO DO THAT LETTER OF INTENSE EACH ITEM THEY SEND YOU, YOU SHOULD LISTEN INDIVIDUALLY TO. SO THAT DAY I'LL READ. ANYTIME YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWNSTAIRS SENTENCES MUST KNOW EACH ITEM YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. AND THERE'S A RECORD OF EACH DELIBERATION. AND IF YOU SAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWNSTAIRS TO DISCUSS IT. CONTRACTOR IN THE CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD AND SAY, IT'S NOT ALLOWED ON AN OPEN MEETING NIGHT. AND IF THEY SAY IT'S NOT ALLOWED, AND YOU SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. DO YOU ARE SUBJECT TO A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR? AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE OPEN MEDIA ACT, AS YOU GO THROUGH IT, YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS LAW CASES. EVERY PORTION, THEY WILL HAVE CASES WHERE YOU COULD GO AND READ ON WHAT WAS THE OPINION AND THE JUDGMENT. AND THOSE EXAMPLES ARE USED. SO IF YOU WANT TRANSPARENCY, WE NEED TO START CONDUCTING MEETINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT. IF WE ARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THIS IS A LAW, WE MUST FOLLOW IT. AND ANOTHER THING IN CLOSING, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME. CAUSE WE'VE BEEN GOING A LONG TIME THIS MORNING WITH PRESENTATIONS AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE ONE OF THEM THAT PILE ON IT. THIS LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU PUBLISH AN AGENDA 72 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR MEETING AND ALL THAT AGENDA. YOU SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY THE CITIZENS ON A DATE THAT TIME AND THE PLACE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONDUCT MEETING. AND WE COME WE'RE HERE. YOU ALL ARE NOW FOLLOWING THE LAW. IF YOU DON'T CONDUCT THE MEETING, AS YOU TOLD US, THEY REQUIRED YOU TO TELL US WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE MEETING. WELL, WE SAID HE HAD NINE 30. YOU START WHEN YOU WANT. IF WE HERE AT FIVE 30 AND YOU START LATER, THEN THAT'S IT. I'VE BEEN TO HOW MANY? THAT'S WHAT I GAVE HER 20 MINUTES ACTUALLY, 21 MINUTES. OKAY. WELL I'M, I'M TERMINATING. AND NOW THIS LAST NIGHT IN THE MIRROR, [02:15:01] I WANT YOU TO KNOW THEY WON'T BE PAID. YOU DIDN'T WANT IT BELONG TO ME. NO, I'M NOT CATHOLIC, RIGHT? YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. DOUCETTE FOR COMING ON TODAY. LET ME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY, BECAUSE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, BUT LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE COME ON TODAY. I'M TALKING TO YOU, MR. DOUCETTE. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE COME ON TODAY. AND AS A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS WORKSHOP ON OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON TODAY, BUT LET ME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY TO YOU THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE USE FOR POSTING IS THE ONE THAT WAS USED WHEN YOU WERE HERE ON COUNCIL, IT HAS NOT CHANGED. IT IS THE SAME ONE THAT YOU USED. AND I THINK I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EPIPHANY, UH, THAT NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS IN CLOSED SESSION, IT IS CALLED CLOSED SESSION FOR A REASON. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY WHO ULTIMATELY HELPS US TO STAY IN, UH, THE, THE REALM OF WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TALKING ABOUT. AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN CLOSED SESSION. IF WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN POSTED, BECAUSE IF YOU DO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN CLOSED SESSION, THAT IS A VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. SO WE ARE USING THE SAME POSTING. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR POSTING COMES EARLIER THAN WHEN YOU WERE ON COUNCIL. WE ARE NOW POSTING ON THURSDAYS AS OPPOSED TO FRIDAYS BECAUSE WE'RE SEEKING TO ALLOW OUR STAFF, THE OPPORTUNITY AND OUR LAWYERS TO GO OVER CONTRACTS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THIS COUNCIL IN A MORE THOROUGH WAY. SO WE HAVE CHANGED THAT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE NOT CHANGED ONE IOTA FROM THE TECHNIQUE OF POSTING AND WHAT HAS BEEN POSTED THEN WHEN YOU WERE ON COUNCIL AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. AND SO WE'RE NOT POSTING ANY DIFFERENCE. SO IF YOU'VE HAD AN EPIPHANY WHERE NOW YOU THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE'RE ONLY DOING WHAT WAS DONE WHEN YOU WERE ON COUNCIL AND WE'RE SEEKING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY THAT WE CAN. SO AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE IS NOT A VIOLATION OF THE ODOM OPEN MEETINGS ACT. AND IF THERE IS A VIOLATION, THERE'S AN ETHICS COMMITTEE OR THERE'S SOMEONE THAT CAN BE TALKED TO ULTIMATELY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING OR WHAT IS TRANSPIRING. SO WE DO THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING ON TODAY AND IN RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, NO, IT'S NOT EXACT LIKE WHAT IT WAS WHEN I WAS ON THERE, BECAUSE IF IT WAS, WELL, I DON'T WANT US TO HAVE A BACK AND FORTH THANK YOU, MIRROR. UH, ARE YOU TRYING TO WRAP UP YOUR TWO MINUTES AND MAKE NOVARA GOOD? I LOVE CITY COUNCILMAN KEN LAW, BUT HE CANNOT ULTIMATELY GIVE TWO MINUTES TO SOMEONE BECAUSE IT HAS TO COME THROUGH THE MAYOR AND THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. NO, NO, NO. UH, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN DO IT HALFWAY, RIGHT. BUT IF WE ALLOW A SPEAKER TO GET AN ADDITIONAL MINUTE, WE BRING IT ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE VOTE ON IT. SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS READY TO VOTE. NOPE. DID YOU MIRROR THAT? YEAH, I LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE GIVE, UH, MR. DOUCETTE AN ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES ON HIS PRESENTATION SO HE CAN GET A SECOND FOR THAT SECOND. AND MOVING SECOND, UH, QUESTION ON READY TO VOTE? CALL THE FAVOR. I ALL THE POLLS, NO, PICK OUT SOME JOBS. I CAN HEAR YOU. I DIDN'T NEED A VOTE. YES OR NO. PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL BECAUSE IT'S EITHER A YES OR NO. IF IT'S UNCLEAR YET. YEAH, GO AHEAD. UH, WE CAN LET IT PASS TWO MINUTES. GO AHEAD. TWO MINUTES. LAST THING WAS BAD. THERE'S NOTICE. UM, IT'S PUBLIC 72 HOURS. THAT MEANS STARTS IN TIME. YOU WON'T, BUT YET NOW YOU ALSO PUBLISH PUBLIC COMMENTS, ALL PUBLIC HEARINGS, PUBLIC HEARINGS. WE ALWAYS STOPPED MEETING AND START AT 10 O'CLOCK AT 10 O'CLOCK. WELL, WHY DON'T WE DO IT? WE DO IT BECAUSE IT'S PUBLISHED. WHETHER WE PUBLISHED IN THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AT 10 O'CLOCK. WHY CAN'T WE START THE MEETINGS WHEN WE PUBLISH IT. THIS IS A LAW AND CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER. NO, IF THE AGENDAS WERE THE SAME, I WOULDN'T BE UP HERE TODAY AND I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THE COMMENTS THAT I DOING. AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ALLOWED ME TO ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES [02:20:01] TO WRAP UP THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S A PROBLEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE [III.B.4. A Presentation By Joseph Lavigne Regarding Smart City Development ( Requested By Mayor Bartle)] TO THE NEXT ITEM. NEXT ITEM IS WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MR. JOSEPH LEVINE REGARDING THE SMART CITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY, UH, MYSELF MAILBOX SHEET, BUT YOU ALL APPROACH PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. GOOD MORNING. CITY CONSOLE, UH, MEMBERS, ATTORNEY, MAYOR. MY NAME IS JOSEPH LEVINE. THIS IS MY PARTNER AND ASSOCIATE SCOTT MC HAYZLETT. WE REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION CALLED TEX COLA, AGRIBUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT. THE NAME TEX COLA WAS CREATED AS A HARNESS, A SPECIAL VEHICLE HARNESS FOR TEXAS, COLORADO, AND LOUISIANA, FOR US TO TAKE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, PROPRIETARY PROCESS PATENTS, AND BEST PRACTICE SYSTEMS AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO THESE TERRITORIES. OKAY. NOW IN 2018, LATE 18, 19, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING INVITED INTO THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY TO TALK TO MEMBERS OF YOUR EDC AND YOUR PORT COMMISSION. AT THAT TIME, I SEE SOME OF THE FACES IN THE ROOM. WE MET SOME VERY INTELLIGENT FORWARD-THINKERS. WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, SMART CITIES, HOW TO ADD VALUE AND MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE MEMBERS LIVING IN THIS ENERGY CITY. SO WE STARTED AN INTRODUCTION OF A THOUGHT PROCESS ON HOW TO MAKE THINGS GREEN AND HOW TO ADD THAT INTO YOUR ECONOMIC VALUES, YOUR, YOUR S YOUR CITY PLANS. AND WE WERE ASKED AT THAT POINT TO COME BACK AND MEET WITH THE FORD MEMBERS OF THEIR CITY COUNCIL. SO SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD LIFE CHANGING EVENTS. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD ANOTHER DISASTER, WE'VE HAD COVID AND YOU'VE EVEN HAD A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION OF SOME OF YOUR LEADERSHIP. WE FELT THIS WAS THE MOST APPROPRIATE TIME TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THE DYNAMICS OF OUR CONVERSATION. BECAUSE THE FIRST THING WE CAN SAY IS EVERYTHING THAT WE DISCUSSED YEARS AGO, THESE THINGS HAVE COME TO FRUITION. WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, RELIABLE POWER, RENEWED INFRASTRUCTURE. THEN THE ABILITY TO REACT AND RESPOND TO PROBLEMS LIKE FLOODING, LACK OF ELECTRICITY, HEAT INDEX, HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE COOL. SO WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS SMART THINGS THAT ARE SMART, THINGS THAT ARE GREEN. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY THAT WANT, THAT WE WANT TO USE TO INTRODUCE A THOUGHT PROCESS AND A METHOD OF APPROACH THAT WE INTRODUCED YEARS AGO. THIS IS FOR A GREEN PORT AUTHOR CITY. THE GREEN PACK PROGRAM IS WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GREEN PACK PROJECT. AND IT STARTS ALRIGHT. THE TO CREATE THE PORT AUTHORITY OR PORT, OR EXCUSE ME, RICHARD, RICHARD, WOULD YOU GET THE MIC? I APOLOGIZE. WE'LL PULL IT UP. THERE WE GO. YOU GUYS CAN FOLLOW US WITH THE PRESENTATION OF BOTH VERY GOOD, UH, THE PROJECT TO PROMOTE THE INTEGRATION OF CLEAN, ALTERNATIVE POWER SOLUTIONS THAT ASSIST THE CITY IN REDUCING ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE INTERNAL REVENUE STREAMS FROM OPS OFFSETTING, THE CURRENT AND FUTURE POWER GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION NEEDS. I'M AN ENGINEER, BOTH ELECTRICAL AND AGRICULTURAL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU GUYS, I KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER THIS ENTIRE MEETING, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, WE CAN COME IN AND HELP WITH ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE PROBLEMS, YOUR DRAINAGE, YOUR CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL. UM, WE CAN SHIFT TECHNOLOGIES OVER TO DC DIRECT INSTEAD OF ALTERNATING CURRENT, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT MAKE EFFICIENCIES MUCH, MUCH HIGHER, AS WELL AS LONGEVITY OF THE EQUIPMENT. UH, JUST PART OF OUR PROGRAM. [02:25:02] SO OUR OBJECTIVE THAT GREEN PACK PROJECT IS IN COORDINATORS, IN COORDINATION WITH THE THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, YOUR ADC, YOUR CITY, GOVERNMENT, AND OTHER PARTNERS. YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW TO TAP INTO THE FEDERAL AND STATE ALLOCATIONS THAT ARE THERE FOR YOU TO DO SO I CAN SHARE WITH YOU BEFORE WE GO FURTHER THAT RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE THINKING, YOUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED OVER $59 BILLION INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS. THE FUNDS ARE THERE. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HOW SMART LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES LIKE YOURSELVES WOULD UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS, BRING THEM INTO YOUR COMMUNITIES AND APPLY THEM WHERE THEY HAVE BEST PRACTICE COMPLIANCE, UH, OUT PASTOR THE DONALD MENTIONED EARLIER, A PRINCIPLE THAT WE OPERATE WITH THEM. YOU INSPECT WHAT YOU EXPECT. WELL, NOT ONLY DO WE INSPECT WHAT WE EXPECT, WE EXPECT YOU AS LEADERS AND, AND THE, THE GATEKEEPERS OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE SERVING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION LIKE THIS CORNER, SIT AND APPLY. SO WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING YOU SOMETHING. WE WANT YOU TO INSPECT. WE WANT YOU TO IDENTIFY THE THINGS JUST LIKE YOU HAVE THAT ARE WRONG WITHIN EACH ONE OF THE AREAS THAT YOU SERVE. AND THEN THIS GREEN PACK PROJECT, WHAT IT DOES GET HARNESSES, THOSE $59 BILLION. WE KNOW HOW AND WHERE TO INJECT THEM. NOW YOU'VE GOT IT AND TELL US, AND THEN WE USE THOSE FUNDS TO ENHANCE EACH ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS. SO THE GREENING BECOMES A METHOD OF APPROACH THAT TAKES WHAT YOUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSETS ARE. AND THEN WE ENHANCED. IF THERE I SAW 10, 15 BUILDINGS STILL IN THE EDCS DEVELOPED REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT STILL HAVEN'T BEEN SINCE, SINCE WE WERE LAST YEAR IN THE CITY THAT STILL HAVE HAD NO ACTION. IT'S HARD TO DO ANYTHING BIG BY YOURSELF. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. WE WANT TO BE GREEN PARTNERS. YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW ENTERGY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING UP ON YOUR, ON YOUR ENERGY COSTS. THEY DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WHO WANTS THAT? YOU KNOW, THEY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. THEY NEED THAT VALUE. THEY NEED YOUR FORWARD THINKING. THEY NEED YOU TO RECEIVE THE GREEN MOVEMENT SO YOU CAN HELP OFFSET THE VALUES THAT THEY'RE BRINGING HERE AND WHERE THEY'RE FALLING SHORT. AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH GREEN ENERGY AND THE, AND THE, THE ENERGY CITY LIKE IT IS. OKAY. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THESE PROJECTS APPLY, HOW WE UTILIZE THEM, LET ME GIVE YOU AN IDEA. SO WE TALK ABOUT SMALL COMMERCIAL UTILITY. SO, I MEAN, WE CAN START WITH THE BIG THING RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW IT'S ALL OVER THE NATION. THE NEWS, TEXAS NEEDS ENERGY, TEXAS NEEDS ENERGY. WELL IN AREAS LIKE COLORADO AND OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY'VE RECEIVED THE GREEN MOVEMENT, WE'RE OFFSETTING THOSE THAT SHITTY WE'RE OFFSETTING THOSE SETBACKS. WE'RE WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ENERGY COMPANIES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SUSTAINABILITY. IT, IT NEEDS MORE THAN ONE. SO THE GREEN ELEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN OFFSET. IT CAN BRING THAT ADD VALUE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS IN MULTIPLE WAYS IN VERTICAL WAYS, HOW TO ACCESS THAT 59 BILLION AND APPLY IT TO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, EMERGENCY RESPONSE. I THINK I SAW OUR POLICE CHIEF IN THE BUILDING. I REMEMBER HIM FROM THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW CAN HE SECURE PORT ARTHUR BETTER? WELL, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW WE HAVE JUST ONE OF OUR SMART TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY. IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO ALUMINATE IT. SO IT'LL GIVE YOU LIGHTING. IT HAS WIFI FOR THE AREA IN CASE SOMEONE NEEDS TO CONTACT EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR WANTS TO STUDY, OR IF THERE'S A RURAL COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS, THERE'S AI TECHNOLOGY. SO THAT MEANS IT'S SMARTER THAN ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY ON THE ROAD. AND IT'S SO SMART THAT IT WILL TAKE YOUR TESLA AND CHARGE IT WHILE LET'S TALK INTO IT, LETTING THEM KNOW WHERE TO LOCATE IT. SO THE SYSTEMS AND ON-BOARD COMMUNICATIONS THAT MAKE YOUR TESLA AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, THEY, THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE, THE THINGS THAT CAN BE APPLIED, UH, UTILIZE FROM THAT $50 BILLION. THESE THINGS WILL BE ABLE TO [02:30:01] COMMUNICATE WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO REDO THE ROADS. SO WE STARTED BRINGING IN SMART TECHNOLOGY AND SMART INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE START OFFSETTING AND, AND, UH, AND INTEGRATING NEW SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES. IF IT'S A SMALL PIPE, WE BUILD A BIGGER PIPE. IF YOU NEED ANOTHER PUMP, WE CREATE ONE THAT'S BUILT AND POWERED BY THE INNER, BY THE SUN. SO YOU CAN BRING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE SMARTER TO HELP OFFSET YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT, AND THEN CHANGE THIS ENERGY CITY INTO A GREEN ENERGY CITY THAT WORKS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE $59 BILLION THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO. SO LET US SHOW YOU THIS VIDEO. UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL SCALE POWER. WE'LL TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT GRIDS AND OFF GRID. THAT MEANS THERE'S A TRANSMISSION LINE. YOU HIT THE BUTTON, YOU HIT A LIGHT SWITCH, POWER COMES ON, THERE'S ELECTRICITY AND POWER BEING FED THERE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE SMALLER GRIDS WITHOUT THAT TRANSMISSION AND PLUG THAT POWER IN AND DROP IT ANYWHERE. YOU WANT THE INTEGRATION OF STATE OF THE ART WASTE TO ENERGY PLANTS. OKAY. THESE ARE PROTOTYPES THAT WE WANT TO SEE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. WE'RE BUILDING THEM IN EVERY COUNTRY THAT INVITES US, THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH TRASH WASTE AND A PROBLEM WITH SHEDDING, THE LACK OF ENERGY. SO HERE WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE, YOU KNOW, DRIVING THROUGH YOUR CITY. SO WE KNOW WHERE YOUR DUMP IS. WE IDENTIFY HOW MUCH TRASH YOU HAVE. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S PRETTY CLOSE TO ABOUT 50 MEGAWATTS OF POWER THAT THAT CAN BE GENERATED, PUT INTO YOUR ECONOMY, PUT INTO YOUR GRID SYSTEM, SUPPORTING YOUR ENERGY PARTNERS, AND THEN BRINGING DOWN SOME OF THOSE INCREASES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE EXISTING POWER STRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS WE HAVE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY IS EVERYTHING. ENERGY IS EVERYTHING. SO IT BECOMES OUR POINT OF ENTRY AND THIS GREEN PACK PROJECT. OKAY. ALL AT THE SAME TIME, REMOVING LARGE AMOUNTS OF WASTE, THAT WOULD BE GOING INTO A LANDFILL AND REPURPOSING IT. SO IN THE TRIANGLE OF RECYCLING, RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE, WE'RE NOW FINALLY HITTING ALL THREE SEGMENTS OF THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO. WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GUYS GO. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. UH, WE, WE ARE NOW MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE NOT JUST, UH, ASKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND DO BUSINESS HERE. WE WANT TO PASS BLESSINGS AND BE PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THAT YOU USE. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR FIRST PARTNERSHIP HERE AND WE WILL BE TAKING ON A PROPERTY IN THE AREA, THE OLD EDC BUILDING. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOMETHING THAT ADDS A, AN ELEMENT OF, UH, SUSTAINABILITY IN RECREATION IN, IN THERAPEUTIC VALUE AND SUPPORT FOR SOME OF YOUR MOST DISADVANTAGED, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH OUR DISTRICT MEMBERS THAT ARE WITHIN THAT AREA AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR OBJECTIVES AND THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE VIDEO THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU NOW, THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF HOW THIS IS UTILIZED. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SMART, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SOMETIMES SEE, LET US GIVE YOU A SMALL GLIMPSE, A SMALL VISUALIZATION OF HOW CREATIVE WE CAN BE IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT, AND WE LOVE YOUR IT TEAM. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE TODAY. UNIONS HAVE STREET LIGHTS WITH ALL OF THAT INEFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY TO CONSUME A LOT OF POWER FROM THE GRAVE AND GIVE ONE BASIC SERVICE LIGHTS ON THE FLOOR. HE'S A SMART ENERGY PLATFORM AS A HIGH BREADTH POWER SYSTEM WITH ENERGY STORAGE AND BUILT-IN IOT APPLICATIONS WITHOUT EFFICIENCIES YOURSELVES AND THE STATE OF THE ARTS, THE DIRECTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING SENSORS, THE LIGHT KIND OF APP OR VEHICLE ONE SINGLE INFRASTRUCTURE MULTIPLES SERVICES. RENEWABLES TO THE FUTURE. [02:35:05] THIS THAT'S JUST A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE. THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT. THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SELECTED FIRST FOR PORT OFTEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A SMART CITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AIRLESS METHOD OF APPROACH. WE MINIMIZE OUR MARGIN OF ERROR, RIGHT? SO WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY AT STEP ONE. AND WITH THAT STEP ONE, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN FIVE TO SEVEN SUSTAINABLE COMPLIANCE SOLUTIONS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN BUILD DIRECTLY INTO THIS ENERGY VALUE CHAIN WITH. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES. THIS IS HOW WE DO IT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO OPENING UP WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. IT STARTS WITH THE DIALOGUE WITH EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW, HOW CAN WE TAKE, LET'S SAY $500,000 AND INJECTED INTO YOUR DISTRICT AND ALIGN WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH THE SOLUTION, WITH THE PROBLEMS YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, HOW DO WE WORK TOWARDS IMPACTING THE INCOME? YOU KNOW, THAT'S KEPT IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD. HOW DO WE MAKE EVERY ROOFTOP, AN INCOME GENERATING TOOL FOR THAT CITY, FOR THAT DISTRICT? HOW DO WE HARNESS THOSE FUNDS AND REDISTRIBUTE THEM? THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'D BE FACED WITH WHEN WE START INTEGRATING SMART, INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS INTO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE CONSTANTLY HAVE. THERE'S NOTHING YOU GUYS IDENTIFIED TODAY THAT YOU HADN'T IDENTIFIED WHEN WE WERE HERE THE LAST TIME. SO HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT AN INCREDIBLE EXPONENTIAL ADD VALUE. THESE ARE OUR NEXT STEPS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING A DIRECT PATH TO IMPLEMENTING THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU. HOW WE START WITH NEXT STEPS. WE'RE THINKING WE IDENTIFY YOUR CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS, THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ON THE TABLE THAT YOU NEED FUNDING FOR, OR THAT YOU HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO MATCH, OR WE MAY BE ABLE TO, UH, INJECT THE OFFSET INTO ANOTHER AREA OR VERTICAL GROWTH OR PHASE TWO. UH, WE, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO IDENTIFYING WHAT'S IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THE CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT'S WHERE WE CAN, UH, REALLY HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AND AGAIN ARE READY FOR ACTION, WE'RE READY TO HELP IDENTIFY THAT CITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, OR THE SIX OF THEM. ONE PER DISTRICT FINALIZE FINANCIAL, UH, TERMS FOR INITIAL PROJECT FUNDING, WHETHER THEY'RE GRANT FUNDED OR GRANT MATCHED, OR THEY'RE OUR DOLLARS INJECTED IN WITH A PRIVATE, UH, PRIVATE PUBLIC DYNAMIC WE'RE SEAMLESS. AND WE ARE ABLE TO INTEGRATE WITH A SYSTEM THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WORKS AND BEST PRACTICE. THE FINAL THING WOULD BE FUN, ALLOCATION, AND EXPECTED OUTCOME FOR, FOR A COMPLETION OF PROCESS. WE ARE TEAM PLAYERS. WE KNOW HOW TO PLUG AND PLAY AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING PERSONALLY OURSELVES. ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? DOES EVERYONE NEED TO STAND UP AND SHAKE OFF THE COBWEBS A LITTLE BIT? UM, ANY, UH, ANY REMARKS FROM COUNCIL OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION? IT'S THE QUESTION? WHAT WAS YOUR COMPANY FROM, UH, THIS COMPANY IS BASED OUT OF COLORADO. WHAT PART OF COLORADO? AURORA, COLORADO. OKAY. I LIVE WITH BOOK, UH, SOUTH, TAKE THE PORT COSTA FOR AWHILE FOR COFFEE, COLORADO. I LOVE COLORADO THEN, YOU KNOW, COLORADO IS BUILT FOR FORWARD THINKERS. YEAH, NO WE'RE RAYTHEON, YOU KNOW, WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN, WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT COME OUT OF THEM. I MEAN, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN LOUISIANA, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD ST. LANDRY PARISH. WE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY AND AGRICULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL MECHANICAL STATES, RIGHT? ONE OF THE BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE PIECES, YOU KNOW, THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GAME CHANGING LEGISLATION, GOOGLE LIKE LEGISLATION WAS MARIJUANA CANNABIS. IT CAME OUT OF COLORADO JUST ABOUT EVERY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES, OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, AND A FEW OTHERS THAT WERE THERE ON THAT FOREFRONT WITH US [02:40:02] USE THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION. THEY'RE TRENDSETTERS. SO OUR TEAM, WE DID THE FIRST SOLAR INSTALLATION, AND THEN THE SECOND, YOU KNOW, LARGEST, THIRD, LARGEST AIRPORT, WE GO BACK AND FORTH. NOW, DENVER, THE NATIONAL, WE OPENED IT UP AND MADE COLORADO A GREEN STATE IN 2008 FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. WE GOT A CHANCE TO SHOW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. AS YOU KNOW, OUR PRESIDENT IN THAT YEAR ACCEPTED HIS NOMINATION. IT WAS A FIRST FOR THE U S IT WAS FOR THE FIRST FOUR DIGNITARIES THROUGHOUT THAT. YEAH, JOE, A GOOD PRESENTATION OUT DON'T WARRANT PROLONG THE TIME, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE YOU KINDA KNOW, TALKING ABOUT LIKE, YOU GOT A HISTORY OR WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. SO I'M IMPRESSED WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND I HOPE WE CAN WORK WITH SOME KIND OF WAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THE PLEASURE IS OURS. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE OPEN TO RECEIVE YOUR INFORMATION. WE HOPE THERE IS A GREEN PATH TO THIS. AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. ANY OTHER KIND OF QUESTIONS? OH, I HAVE ONE THING. UH, YOU MAY MENTION, UH, MR. LEVINE ABOUT, UH, THE EDB, UH, CHARGING STATIONS AS A PASSION OF MINE. AND I KNOW THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEED FOR THOSE IN, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, WE'VE BEEN LOOKED, UH, OVER IF YOU WILL, IN SOUTHEAST, TEXAS BY OUR STATE. I LEARN THIS IN WASHINGTON AND ALSO WITH THE FINAL DATE, WHICH WAS IN MAY, I THINK MADE IT 13 AT THE STATE OF MAY 10TH. ONE OF THOSE DATES THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR PROPOSAL BY THE STATE OR THE STATE WOULD SELECT WHAT AREAS THEY WERE GOING TO USE THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR, UH, ABC STATIONS. OKAY. WHAT I DID I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THERE IS SOME DISCRETIONARY FUNDING AND A DATE. I BELIEVE IT IS IN DECEMBER WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY APPROACH A D O T WITH YOUR ON PROJECT FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT AND, UH, ELECTRICAL CHARGING STATIONS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. NOW, WHAT, WHAT, W W WHAT IS YOUR EXPERTISE ON ASSISTING US WITH THAT? IF WE WERE, UH, ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO PURSUE? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M EXCITED BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THAT'S, FORWARD-THINKING, THE MONEY IS THERE TO INTEGRATE ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE U S AND IT'S ONLY ACCESSIBLE IF THE CITY OR THE COMMUNITY HAS A PLAN. WE HAPPEN TO HAVE THE FASTEST CHARGING STATIONS ON THE MARKET ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW. AND WE HAVE THAT ALIGNED PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE WE'RE ENERGY GUYS. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA TO GET TO KNOW WHEN I SAY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PROPRIETARY, PROPRIETARY PROCESS AND PATENTS, WE REPRESENT AN INDIVIDUAL THAT STARTED OUR US RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM. AND IN HIS RETIREMENT, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE TASK WITH ENSURING THAT HIS LIFE WORK CONTINUES. SO WE'VE BEEN TASKED TO COME INTO COMMUNITIES LIKE YOURS AND HELP EMPOWER BY GIVING ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGIES, SYSTEMS, AND BEST PRACTICES THAT, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY MOST ENTITIES WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO. SO WE ARE PREPARED A HUNDRED PERCENT TO COME INTO YOUR COMMUNITY AND ASSIST WITH THE INTEGRATION OF ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS. NOT ONLY JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE FORWARD-THINKING MOST IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A PRIVATE, PERSONAL AGENDA, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY EVACUATION ROUTE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES IS COVERED IN PROTECTED WITH THE TECHNOLOGIES NEEDED TO SAVE LIVES. AGAIN, I GREW UP OFF ITIN, SO WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER, FROM RIVER TO RIVER, YOU GUYS HAVE BECOME A POINT OF ENTRY WHEN THE DISASTER COMES FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND A POINT OF EXIT WHEN IT'S COMING FROM YOUR SIDE. SO WE THINK PORT OUGHTA, PORT AUTHOR IS A STRATEGIC LOCATION AND COULD BE A, WHAT WE CONSIDER FRANCHISE PLAYER IN THE INTEGRATION OF NOT JUST CHARGING STATIONS, BUT A SECURED, A SECURED EMERGENCY RESPONSE ROUTE THAT CAN BE [02:45:02] PROTECTED FROM SITE THROUGH LIGHT, THROUGH VIDEO, THROUGH AUDIO RESPONSE. AND EVEN THAT UNIT YOU SAW HAS SOMETHING THAT ONLY OUR OTHER PARTNERS AT AMAZON AND GOOGLE AND VERIZON KNOW ABOUT. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHARGE DRONES. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT, BUT AERIAL DELIVERY IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMING. AND IF WE TAKE THOSE POLES AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO AN INNOVATIVE ENERGY COMMUNITY, LIKE PORT ARTHUR AND THE CHARGING STATIONS, NOT ONLY WE WILL HAVE PORT AUTH ON THE MAP AND ALL AMERICAN STUDENT, 2020 2, 23, WE, WE WILL HAVE A PILOT SELECTION WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT PROOF OF CONCEPT, BECAUSE THEY'LL WANT TO, THEY WANT TO PAY YOU US TO ADD THE DRONE CHARGING STATIONS ON YOUR UNITS THAT ARE CHARGED THE CARS TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE THE AERIAL DRONE DELIVERY. SO YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY. WELL NOW I'M IT. SHE, THE MANAGER, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW, UH, APPRISED YOU ARE ON, ON THE CREATION OF THE, UH, CHARGING STATIONS, UH, HORMEL, WHAT DO YOU THINK IF ANYONE UP HERE ON COUNCIL HAS LOOKED INTO WHAT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO BE A PRIVY TO ON THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING, UH, CONCEPT. UH, AND I KNOW IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS $34 BILLION THAT THEY'RE GETTING READY TO SPEND. I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT AMOUNT. IT'S 1 TRILLION NOW, NOW KEEP IN MIND. THEY WANT TO SPEND IT. THEY WANT TO GIVE IT TO YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT HAS TO BE A UTILIZATION TOOL. RIGHT? SO CITY MANAGER. YUP. OH, IS THERE A PLAN? HAVE WE MOVED IN SOME WAY ABOUT OUR FUTURE YET ON THIS? I KNOW BEFORE DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN TO PRESENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING I'VE LEARNED IN THE TRAVEL THAT I COUNTED THEM ALL TO PRAY FOR. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BUT I'VE LEARNED IT NOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT IS TRUE, BUT WAIT A MINUTE. OH, I'M SORRY. SO ARE WE INTERESTED IF THIS IS WHAT I JUST SAID A LITTLE EARLIER? ARE WE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT? ARE WE IN STRAIGHT IN WITH, UH, THE STATUS QUO AND NOT MOVING? IT'S MOVING TO ELECTRIC BECAUSE NONE OF US MAY HAVE HIM. NOW. GOD ALLOWS US TO LIVE 10 YEARS. THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, GET HIM AND JUST TOLD US, I'LL BE IN A POINT OF ENTRY AND A POINT OF EXIT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT ON INTERSTATE 10, BUT PORT ARTHUR CAN HAVE THE PROGRAM. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? ARE WE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL ALL OUR SISTER CITIES COME UP WITH A PROGRAM, THEN DO, WHAT ALL CAN WE BE FIRST, MAN? I MEAN, ARE WE AFRAID? I'M JUST ASKING. AND THE RECORD WOULD REFLECT, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS UP TWO AND A HALF OR THREE YEARS AGO AND THE COUNCIL THEN TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING WE DIDN'T, I DIDN'T NEED TO BE MENTORED ME MITT OR WHATEVER PEOPLE WITHOUT A VISION AND DO WHAT ROBIN. OKAY. I'M THROUGH WITH IT COWS, UH, SIT CITY MANAGER, PLEASE. OKAY. THE PROPER FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING ALL OF OUR PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, UM, SO THAT OUR GROUNDS ARE COVERED. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. VERY COOL. ALL, OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM, UH, WHICH IS AN ITEM OF, UH, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION CORRESPONDENCE OR THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY, MS. CANADA, RIGHT OVER YOU COME RIGHT ON. PLEASE PRESENTATION BY STAFF [III.B.5. A Presentation By Staff Regarding The May Financial Report And Highlights For The Proposed Budget For Fiscal Year 2022- 2023 Arid Related Processes] REGARDING THE MAY FINANCIAL REPORT AND HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH 23 AND RELATED, UH, PROCESS, PLEASE. EXCUSE ME. THAT'S OKAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL AND MAYOR. UH, I DO HAVE MY, UM, MAY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR YOU, JUST A LITTLE QUICK UPDATE TO GO OVER. UM, YOU PUT IT ON THE FIRST PAGE. BRIAN, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU LINDSAY, BECAUSE [02:50:01] THAT'S WHAT I USUALLY SAY. I USUALLY SAY NEXT PAGE LINDSEY, AND YOU'RE NOT LINDSEY. SO, UH, ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, UH, CURRENTLY 69 MILLION, WHICH IS 3.7 MILLION ABOVE THE ESTIMATE. UH, WE RECEIVED 16 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS. THIS IS ABOVE THE BUDGET BY ABOUT 768,000. UM, MOST OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE RECEIVED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. ALSO 33.2 MILLION WAS RECEIVED THIS YEAR FOR INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS. ALL PAYMENTS OF STATE, UH, HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, UM, SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE GENERAL FUND THROUGH MAY IS $10 MILLION OR 1.8 MILLION ABOVE THE CURRENT YEAR. ESTIMATE SALES TAXES CONTINUES TO DO VERY, VERY WELL. UM, THERE IS A TWO MONTH TIME LAG IN RECEIPTS THAT MAY RECEIPT, UH, MAY RECEIPTS REPRESENT MARCH SALES. SO NEXT PAGE, BRIAN, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, UH, OPERATING EXPENDITURES ARE 41,000,003 MAY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BELOW THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY ABOUT 4.8 MILLION. UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE REQUESTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS NEEDED. UH, THE AMENDED BUDGET HAS THE ESTIMATED ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 23.8 MILLION OR 120 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES. TOTAL REVENUES ARE 69 MILLION AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE 49.4 MILLION AT THIS TIME REPRESENTING A HEALTHY BALANCE OF 50.5 MILLION AT MAY 31ST. UH, THE VENN MALICE IS WELL IN EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 60 DAYS, PLUS ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. UH, NEXT PAGE, UH, WE HAVE THE WATER FUND REVENUES TOTAL 20.7 MILLION AT MAY 31ST. THIS IS ABOVE THE BUDGET LEVEL BY ABOUT, UH, 88,000, UH, REVENUES FROM INDUSTRY IS 763,000 ABOVE THE EXPECTED AMOUNT AT THIS TIME AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES, TOTAL 12.8 MILLION, WHICH IS UNDER THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY 1.6 MILLION. NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE SOLID WASTE. UH, THE REVENUES TOTAL 6.3 MILLION THREE MAY 31ST, WHICH IS BELOW ESTIMATE BY ABOUT 677,000. THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES ARE CURRENTLY 3.9 MILLION, WHICH IS UNDER BUDGET BY, UH, 580,000. UH, THERE WAS A RATE INCREASE IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WILL BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND, UH, THERE ARE OTHER ARE SOME OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO YOU IN THE PAST. UM, STAFF WILL CONSIDER TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FUND TO ENSURE THAT EXPENSES REMAIN IN LINE WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES. UH, THEY ARE HOLDING THE LINE ON EXPENSES SINCE REVENUES WE'VE DETERMINED ARE GOING TO BE DOWN, UH, SLIGHTLY THIS YEAR EXPENSES WILL BE DOWN TO MATCH SO THAT THEY WILL COME UP WITH A BALANCED BUDGET, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR. UM, NEXT PAGE, UH, WE HAVE PLEASURE ISLAND, UH, REVENUES ARE 726,000, WHICH IS ABOVE VIESSMANN BY ABOUT 24,000 AND OPERATING EXPENSES ARE 561,000 OR 73,000 BELOW THE BUDGETED MOUNTAIN, UH, LEAVING EXPENSES IN LINE WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES AT THIS TIME. UH, WE'LL TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH BEGINS OUR CIP, UH, CAPITAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SECTION. UH, WE'LL START WITH THE STREET'S SUMMARY ALLOCATION BY YEAR AND DISTRICT. THIS IS A PAGE THAT, UH, REMAINS THE RELATIVELY THE SAME, UM, MONTH AFTER MONTH THAT SHOWS THE AMOUNT ALLOCATED, UH, FOR ALL YEARS. UH, THE TOTAL IS 62.6 MILLION AND THEN THE AMOUNT FOR EACH YEAR IS ALLOCATION 19.5 FROM THE FIRST YEAR 14.4 MILLION YEAR TO 15.2 MILLION YEAR THREE AND 13.5 MILLION IN YEAR FOUR. UM, NEXT PAGE WE HAVE THE STREET SUMMARY, UH, EXPENSES. UH, 23 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT THROUGH MAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 39.7 MILLION OF WHICH 24.4 MILLION IS COMMITTED TO OPEN STREET PROJECTS. AND THERE'S CURRENTLY 15.3 MILLION REMAINING TO BE ALLOCATED FROM YEAR ONE THROUGH FOUR ALLOCATIONS AND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. NEXT PAGE OPEN STREET PROJECTS, UM, AS, UH, THE END OF MAY 38.5 MILLION HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR OPEN STREET PROJECTS. [02:55:01] 14.1 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 24.4 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE OPEN PROJECTS. NEXT PAGE. UM, THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, CURRENT BUDGET FOR GENERAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IS 31.7 MILLION EXPENDITURES, TOTAL 7.5 MILLION WITH 24.2 MILLION REMAINING TO BE SPENT. UH, THIS INCLUDES VARIOUS CITY FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE OF A FIRE VEHICLE, PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS. NEXT PAGE. UH, WE HAVE THE OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OUTLINED ON THIS PAGE, UH, DRAINAGE OF WHICH WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS MORNING. UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IS 69.1 MILLION PRIMARILY FUNDED BY FEMA MITIGATION, GRANTS AND CDBG. AND IT'S, WE'RE LEARNING SOME OF THAT FUNDING IS NOT COMING THROUGH, UH, 5.8 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 63.3 MILLION DOWNTOWN AREA REVITALIZATION BUDGET IS 5.1 MILLION, PRIMARILY FOR PARKING LOT EXPANSION AND FIBER OPTIC IMPROVEMENTS. A 3 MILLION WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH AN EDA GRANT AND 773,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE LEAVING A BALANCE OF 4.3 MILLION. THE WATER UTILITY AND PREMIER PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY BUDGETED AT 84.9 MILLION. THIS IS PRIMARILY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 10 MILLION, 10.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY WITH 74.4 MILLION REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS. PLEASURE ISLAND HAS $590,000 BUDGETED FOR A BOAT LAUNCH AND PARKING LOT REPAIR REPAIRS, WHICH IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT. AND 126,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE. UH, THE EDC PRESS BUILDING OR RENOVATION IS BUDGETED AT 10.9 MILLION OF WHICH 4.7 MILLION IS FUNDED FROM AN EDA GRANT. AND TODAY 10.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SMITH, UH, JUST LEAVING A BALANCE OF 358,000 TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. NEXT, WE HAVE THE, UH, ARP ARPA-E GRANT PROJECTS, UH, IN MARCH, 2021. THE CITY WAS AWARDED 26.7 MILLION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANT FUNDS. AND THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENTS, RESPONDING TO THE ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF COVID-19 FOR THE PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND TO BANK NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER, SEWER, OR BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE. SEVERAL PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE BUDGET, UH, INCLUDING, UM, 18 MILLION FOR WASTEWATER, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. A TOTAL OF 1.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT LEAVING A BALANCE OF 25.2 MILLION. UH, THERE IS A RESOLUTION, UH, LATER ON IN THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS, UH, REALLOCATING SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES. AND WE CAN GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THEN, UM, NEXT PAGE, THIS IS THE RECAP OF THE 2021, UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. UH, THE PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS 32.9 MILLION IN CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, WHICH WAS ISSUED IN 21 INCLUDES STREET PROJECTS, DRAINAGE, PUMP STATIONS, ANIMAL SHELTER, NEW HEALTH BUILDING, RENOVATIONS AND WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS. 1.2 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR LEAVING A BALANCE OF 31.7 MILLION. AND THE LAST PAGE WE HAVE THE DISASTER FUNDS WE CAN SEE, UH, FOR HURRICANE HARVEY, 30.2 MILLION HAS BEEN RECEIVED PRIMARILY FOR FEMA, UH, INSURANCE, 34.2 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES PENDING REIMBURSEMENTS. WE DO HAVE 253,000 AT THIS TIME, UH, LEAVING A BALANCE OF 3.7 MILLION. HOWEVER, UH, AS WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, ANTICIPATED REIMBURSEMENTS FROM OPEN PROJECTS ARE EXPECTED, UH, TO REDUCE THE CITY'S OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS SUBSTANTIALLY TO APPROXIMATELY 790,000. UM, THE NEXT CATEGORY IS COVID-19. WE SPENT 3 MILLION, UH, WE HAVE 3 MILLION IN REVENUES AND DONATIONS AND EXPENDITURES OF 3.5 MILLION, UH, HURRICANE LAURA, LASTLY, 217,000 SPOONS RECEIVED SO FAR IN INSURANCE. SO SETTLEMENTS AND 3.1 IN EXPENDITURES, UH, OF WHICH ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 2.3 MILLION IS ANTICIPATED TO BE REIMBURSED IN THE LONG RUN FOR THESE OPEN PROJECTS, UH, FROM, UH, EMA AND INSURANCE. [03:00:01] AND THE CITY DOES CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CAPTURE AS MUCH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AND, UH, INSURANCE AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL DISASTERS. THAT IS THAT REPORT THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO TO QUESTIONS NOW I DO HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE PREVIEW. I WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU ON THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS FIRST, OR WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO DISCUSS THAT FIRST? JUST ONE SECOND, THE QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAD IS ON THIS REPORT. NOW THEY COULDN'T READ THESE QUESTIONS THROUGH THE OTHER, UH, COSMIC MARKS. OKAY. UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE ON THE SALES AND USE TAX. WHAT PORTION OF THAT 12.2 MILLION, UH, DOES THE EDC GET WITH THEIR HALF CENTS? THAT IS THAT THIS IS NOT PART OF THE, UH, WHAT THE EDC GETS. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS WHAT THE GENERAL BUTTON GETS. THAT'S TWO THIRDS OF IT. TWO THIRDS GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND. ONE THIRD GOES TO EDC AND THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THEIR PORTION. OKAY. OKAY. AND THE NEXT QUESTION IS OKAY ON, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, ON THE DRAINAGE. AND WE DISCUSSED THAT AT LENGTH TODAY ON DRAINAGE PROJECTS, THE 63.3 MILLION BALANCE THAT WE HAVE THERE. OKAY. UH, WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU COUNSELING? I'M SORRY. YES. YOUR PAGE 11 OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. THE FIRST, FIRST LINE, THERE IS THE DRAINAGE WHERE YOU HAVE A BALANCE OF 63, 63 0.4 63.3, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF CASH THAT WE HAVE. DO WE HAVE 63 POINTS? NO, SIR. LIKE, LIKE, UH, MR. BARTON HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S NOT CASH IN THE BANK. THAT IS PROJECTS THAT WERE SET UP BASED ON REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED. UM, I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL TODAY WHEN I, WHEN I HEARD, UH, CRAIG SPEAKING ABOUT THAT PROJECT, NOT COMING THROUGH, BUT, UH, WE WILL HAVE TO REVISE THOSE BUDGETS. IF IN FACT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE FUNDS DOWN, YOU KNOW, TO, TO WHAT WE CAN AFFORD OR FIND SOME OTHER FUNDING SOURCE FOR IT. I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT BREAKOUT OF HOW MUCH THE CITY CONTRIBUTED AND HOW MUCH WAS FEMA GRANTS. UH, USUALLY IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH, AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME CITY FUNDS IN IT, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS MATCHES REQUIRED, BUT, UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT, UH, BREAKOUT RIGHT NOW, RIGHT THEN WITH US, UH, NOT BEING, NOT GOING TO RECEIVE SOME FUNDS FROM FEMA, ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION BY OUR DURA THIS MORNING. UH, CAN WE GET THE NUMBERS, UH, THE EXACT NUMBERS THAT WE ACTUALLY, UH, ARE GOING TO HAVE IN THAT, IN THAT PARTICULAR, UH, THEY'LL COUNT. YES, SIR. I CAN GET A BREAKOUT OF THE FUNDING, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UM, FROM WHAT SOURCES, THERE WERE SOME CDBG FUNDS, UH, GOING TO BE USED FOR A PORTION OF IT AND A THEME OF FUNDS AND SOME GENERAL FUNDS. SO, UM, IT ALL GETS, GETS LUMPED TOGETHER IN THE PROJECT, BUT THERE IS DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES. SO I CAN SEND YOU A REPORT ON THAT, ON HOW THAT BREAKS OUT. WELL, LET ME, LET ME JUST INFORM COUNSEL WHEN CANDY SAYS CDBG FUNDS. IT'S NOT OUR CDBG ALLOCATION THAT WE GET ANNUALLY. I'M SORRY. MITIGATION FUNDS. OKAY. COUNCIL CATALOG. UH, THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR, UH, CITY MANAGER CLARIFYING THAT I WAS ABOUT TO INFORM THE MIRROR, BUT, UH, THE 63. AND, UH, I WOULD JUST DISCUSS IN THIS COUNCILMAN JONES A SECOND AGO, AND COUNCILMAN MARKS THOUGH STOLE THAT THUNDER. UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN REPORTING THIS NUMBER FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I'M JUST KIND OF FINDING IT ON, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HARD THAT YOU GUYS WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WHEN I WERE ASKED THE QUESTION AND HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING, I'VE ALWAYS REPORTED, YOU KNOW, 60 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS. AND TO KNOW TODAY, JUST LIKE YOU FOUND OUT TODAY, DIRECTOR THAT WE WOULDN'T BE GETTING ONE OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS FUNDED. SO I WOULD LIKE ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE COHORT UP HERE, THAT WE WOULD GET DEFINITE OF WHAT WE WILL BE GETTING BACK, BECAUSE [03:05:01] THIS IS MISLEADING BIT REPORTING SOMETHING JUST TOTALLY NOT TRUE. WE, WE, I USUALLY DO MAKE THE DISCLAIMER THAT AS IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED PRIOR WITH COUNSEL, THAT SOME OF THE MEDICATION FUNDS ARE IN JEOPARDY AND THAT WE'VE TRIED, WE WILL TRY TO KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT AS WE FIND OUT. AND APPARENTLY WE ARE FINDING OUT NOW THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING IS NOT GOING TO BE COMING THROUGH. SO I DO USUALLY MENTIONED THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF I, I DON'T THINK I MENTIONED IT TODAY, BUT I HAVE IT KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED ON MY LITTLE NOTES HERE. THAT THAT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE BRING UP, ALTHOUGH IT'S BUDGETED AND IT'S THERE, SOME OF THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN IN JEOPARDY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. YEAH. OKAY. MY SECOND HALF OF THE QUESTION HERE IS, UH, THE ART, YOU TALKED ABOUT ART AND YOU SAID AS A RESOLUTION WITH ALL, YES, THERE IS. IT'S LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. IT'S THE NON IT'S ON NON-CONSENT. SO WE, WE, WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO IT. ALSO, IF THEY'RE CITIZENS THAT WANTED TO COMMENT ON IT, UM, WE RECEIVED 26, UM, MILLION DOLLARS FROM ARPA, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL CATEGORIES THAT YOU COULD USE IT FOR IT'S IT WAS BASED FROM COVID. AND SO, UM, THEY HAD CATEGORIES THAT YOU COULD, YOU COULD UTILIZE AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS, UH, ONE OF THE CATEGORIES IS CALLED RECOVERED REVENUE LOSS, AND WE ORIGINALLY HAD PUT $1 MILLION IN IT, BUT I THINK WE'RE PROPOSING TO INCREASE THAT IT CAN BE INCREASED UP TO $10 MILLION IN THAT CATEGORY. AND THAT CATEGORY IS A LITTLE BROADER IN THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR BASICALLY ANY GOVERNMENT SERVICES. UH, THE OTHER CATEGORIES ARE, ARE, UM, TIGHTER. THEY HAVE TO BE USED MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR, FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES. SO THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE REQUEST THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO SHIFT SOME MONEY TO, UH, THE RECOVERY REVENUE LOSS CATEGORY SO THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT SERVICES. SO ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK TO LATER? YEAH. I'LL, I'LL COME BACK AND GO OVER THAT LIST WITH YOU. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU MIRROR. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COSMIN FRANKLIN. YES. THAT, UH, ONCE AGAIN, MY LEARNING COLLEAGUE, UH, BACK TO KEN LAW STOLEN MY THUNDER, UH, HE HAS NOW I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THEIR TWENTIES. I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT $26 MILLION OF AARP AMERICAN RESCUE BLAND MONEY, AND HOW THAT FIT INTO THIS PRESENTATION AND BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. UM, YOU KNOW, GOOGLE WILL ALWAYS CHECK, HELP US. AND SO WHEN I GOOGLED AMERICAN RESCUE PLANET IS IT CAN BE USEFUL, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL. SO THOSE FUNDS CAN BE UTILIZED IN THAT REGARD AS WELL, AS WELL AS, UH, PAYROLL COMPENSATION AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL. SO, UM, JUST WANTING TO KNOW HOW THAT FIT, HOW THAT FIT YOU HAVE NOT YET IDENTIFIED WHERE THAT $26 MILLION WILL HELP US, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS UNCOMING BUDGET. WELL, WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED THAT IN LAST BUDGET YEAR. ALL OF THE ARPA FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS AND IN THAT RESOLUTION WHEN, WHEN WE GET TO IT, OR IF YOU FIND IT, UH, THERE IS A SCHEDULE IN THE, ON THE VERY LAST PAGE THAT TELLS THE CATEGORIES, UH, THAT IS ALLOCATED TO NOW AND THE ONES WE ARE PROPOSING TO MOVE THAT TO. AND THE OTHER THING THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME TODAY IS THE $2 MILLION IN CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. WE'RE STILL SHOWING ZERO ON DRAINAGE PUMP STATIONS. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS THAT ADEQUATE. IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S ACCURATE. WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. I THINK THAT THERE'S NO WAY THAT THAT'S JUST STILL BE ON ZERO. WE NEED TO BE UTILIZING THAT MONEY. WE NEED TO BE GOING FORWARD AND UTILIZING IT TO GET WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHAT WE NEED DONE. I MEAN, WHY IS IT AT ZERO AFTER WE GOT THESE FUNDS WHEN, BUT REMEMBER THOSE FUNDS AND NOT FOR THE PROJECT THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE APPLE FUNDS THAT WE GOT FOR THE WEST SIDE, THE WEST SIDE, RIGHT? NO, IT'S DIFFERENT. OH, IT'S THAT? NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE $2 MILLION PROJECT COMES FROM APPAR. OH YES. TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. WE HAVE THAT DARPA AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER 2 MILLION IN THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR DRAINAGE PUMP STATIONS. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT, YEAH, THAT CAN BE A CANDICE. IT'S A CLEAR IN MY MIND, UH, EDC, PLEASE. IT A BUTTER BURGLARY FOR MONEY SPREAD, NOT QUITE FINISHED WITH THAT PROJECT YET. I WENT WITH A BUTTERY. PAUL, YOU SAVED 10 POINTS. SHE DIDN'T POINT, [03:10:01] UH, SOMETHING 10.9 MILLION SIMPLE 9 MILLION SOAP. WHAT WE SPENT, HOW MUCH ALMOST ALL OF IT. UM, THE PAGES ARE MIXED UP NOW. UH, YEAH, 10.9 MILLION. UH, THERE'S ONLY A BALANCE OF 358,000. SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT'S FINISHED. OKAY. WOULD ANYBODY IMAGINE, WOULD YOU KNOW THE COMPLETION DATE? WE HAVE AN IDEA, OR MAYBE GEORGE STILL NO COMPLETION DATE FOR THAT BUILDING? THEY DON'T KNOW. UM, THE LAST THING, I THINK THEY'RE DOING A PUNCH LIST RIGHT NOW FOR THE BUILDING OUT THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO DO THE REPORT IN, WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK ON SHEM OF THE REPORT ENOUGH. IT'S A, YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. WELL, SEE THE MANAGER PROBABLY LET US KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE HELPFUL. AND I THINK THAT'S THE SENTIMENT THAT THE COUNSELOR FEELS OKAY. WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, IN A TIMELY MANNER, IN A TIMELY MANNER THAT WE WOULD GET TO, UH, UH, KEEP IT TO A, BE A MONTHLY BUDGET, BUT, OKAY. I DID HAVE ONE OTHER LITTLE SMALL PRESENTATION. UH, WE ARE PLANNING ON SUBMITTING THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, 2023 BUDGET ON FRIDAY, BUT I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE BITTY PREVIEW TODAY AND TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CALENDAR WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO, TO GO BY. UM, THIS IS, UH, JUST A LITTLE, WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE FOR UVU. UM, UH, THE ESTIMATED, UH, WE DO ESTIMATE, UH, TAX REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 3 CENTS FROM 74 TO 71, SINCE OUR VALUES ARE UP SUBSTANTIALLY. AND, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR TAX RATE. WE DON'T HAVE OUR CERTIFIED VALUES. WE WON'T HAVE THOSE UNTIL JULY 25TH. SO I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL BE, BUT THIS SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK. UH, WE DO PROPOSE A SALARY INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES OF 4%. WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM MORE BECAUSE THE INFLATION RATE IS 9.1%, BUT, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN. UM, THE BUDGETS ARE BALANCED, UH, IN ALL THE MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRANSFERS, UH, FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT. UM, THERE ARE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UH, TO CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE FOR WATER AND SEWER, WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT AT ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS, UH, OVERALL OPERATING, UH, DEPARTMENTS ARE BUDGETED AT A STATUS QUO WITH LIMITED ADDITIONS. UH, NEXT PAGE, UM, THERE IS AN INCREASE OF, UH, EAT POSITIONS PROPOSED, UH, FIVE FOR THE GENERAL FUND TWO FOR WATER AND ONE FOR PLEASURE ISLAND. UH, ONE OF THE GENERAL FUNDS IS, UM, NOT REALLY A NEW POSITION, BUT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER A GRANT AND, AND, UH, THE GRANT HAS GONE AWAY. SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO KEEP IT, UM, EQUIPMENT PURCHASES OF 5.2 MILLION, UH, LEASE A 37 VEHICLES THROUGH THE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, UH, NEW TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES OF 246,000. AND, UH, WE ARE, UH, PROJECTING ABOUT A NINE AND A HALF PERCENT, UM, INCREASING COST RELATED TO HEALTH INSURANCE. UH, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS EXACTLY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE BUILT THAT INTO THE BUDGET. SO, UH, JUST IN CASE IN LAST PAGE, LINDSEY IS, UM, I MEAN, ACTUALLY THERE'S ONE MORE PAGE. I'M SORRY. UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. UH, WE ARE PROPOSING 36.8 MILLION, INCLUDING, UH, 10.7 MILLION FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION BRIDGE AND SIDEWALK REHAB. UM, 9.2 MILLION FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, 6.7 MILLION FOR WATER UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, 4.2 MILLION, UH, IN SOLID WASTE AND LANDFILL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT. UH, 2.1 MILLION IMPROVEMENTS TO PLEASURE ISLAND. AND THESE ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED BY OPERATIONS AND NEW BOND ISSUES. SO NOW THE LAST PAGE IS WHICH IS KEY DATES, UH, WHICH AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE WILL FILE THE PR. WE PROPOSE TO FILE THE PROPOSED THE BUDGET, UM, ON FRIDAY WITH THE CITY SECRETARY, JULY 22ND, THEN WE HAVE, ONCE WE FILE IT, WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO APPROVE THAT BUDGET. SO, UM, ON AUGUST 2ND, UH, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP NUMBER ONE. AND THEN ON AUGUST 9TH, WE WOULD HAVE WORKSHOP NUMBER TWO. AND ON THAT DATE, [03:15:01] UH, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, UM, WHICH ARE CALCULATED BY THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR. WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE NUMBERS BY THEN, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A BETTER DECISION ON HOW WE WANT TO GO WITH THE TAX RATE. UH, AUGUST 17TH, UH, WE PROPOSED TO HAVE WORKSHOP NUMBER THREE, AND THEN ON AUGUST 19TH, THERE WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AUGUST 22ND, A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE. AND THEN ON THE SAME DAY, WE WOULD ADOPT THE BUDGET, THE TAX ROLL AND THE TAX RATE AND THE RED, UH, DATES DO DINO SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT ARE NOT ON COUNCIL DAYS. SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WHAT'S COMING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT MONTH AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. Y'ALL GOT ANY QUESTIONS. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. YEAH, JUST, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT YET AGAIN THAT, UH, GO BACK TO THAT OTHER PAGE, LINDSEY. I KNOW BRIAN, I'M PLAYING BRIAN. I'M SORRY. I COULDN'T RESIST YOU CALLED HIM LINDSEY. I DID THAT FOR YOUR BENEFIT CANADA. UH, BUT THAT ESTIMATED TAX REDUCTION IS, IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE SOME WELCOME NEWS FOR, UH, UH, COMMUNITY AND CITY MANAGER JUST SHARED WITH ME THAT THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING. AND I KNOW THAT ALL THE CITIZENS WHO WILL APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK THAT INTO THE BUDGET AS WELL. SO THAT'S A GREAT THING WE WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET AN AUGUST SEVEN, WHICH IS A SUNDAY. SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOMETHING BEFORE THAT WE OPENED AGAIN. WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT COULD BE YOU ON THE NINTH. YES. THANK YOU. YEAH, WHATEVER WE GET WITH A SHARED WITH COUNCIL BEFORE THAT. SO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR REPORT. [V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER) - CONTINUED] OKAY. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO, UH, REPORTS, UH, OUT OF THE, OF THE COMMUNITY INTERESTS. UH, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN ON THIS. UH, WE LOST, UH, AND AN IMPORTANT PERSON, UH, FROM LIBERTAD FROM THE CITY OF PORT OFF IN THE PERSON OF P IT IS OF A MUNICIPAL JUDGE, KERMIT MORRISON. AND, UH, I HAVE INFORMATION HE HAD AT HIS FUNERAL SERVICE IS GOING TO BE HELD ON THIS SATURDAY, THE 23RD OF JULY AT 11:00 AM AT MEMORIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST. AND IT'S AT 25 25 ARROW STREET OR DRIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND, UH, I DID SPEAK WITH, UH, WELL, IT SAYS IT WOULD JOKE WE ARE GOING TO PREPARE A PROCLAMATION. THAT'S NOTHING. OKAY. UH, AND, UH, HABIT PRESENTED, I GUESS, IN THE FORM OF RESOLUTION FOR HIS, UH, 34 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND WE ALL FILE CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIDOW, UH, ATTORNEYS, STELLA MARSON AND HIS FAMILY AT HIS, UH, PASSING. OKAY. UH, ANY OTHERS WITH ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE OR INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY COSMIN JONES, UH, W ASKED TO KEEP A, UH, TURN TOMORROW. SO IN YOUR PRAYERS, I WAS AT A HOUSE YESTERDAY. I VISITED HER YESTERDAY ABOUT TWO HOURS AND SHE'S NOT DOING GOOD AT ALL. NO, SHE'S IN AND OUT, YOU KNOW, MEMBER BECAUSE OF THE SHOCK OF HER HUSBAND. AND SHE, HE GOT ADAPT TO HAVING KIND OF HAVING MEDICAID. AND SO, UH, BUT, UH, WE, WE CHANGED SOME THINGS BY THE FUNERAL AND, YOU KNOW, BY HIS PAST LIFE LIVING THINGS TO KEEP HER IN YOUR PREPS, SHE NOT DOING TOO WELL, SO, UH, YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT COUNSEL, JOAN. OKAY. ANY OTHER, YEAH, WE JUST WANT TO REMEMBER THE JOHNSON FAMILY, UH, IN OUR PRAYERS AS WELL. ROGER AND ALICIA, UM, IN THE PASSING OF, UH, THEIR SISTER AND SISTER-IN-LAW. AND SO WE JUST WANNA REMEMBER THEM IN OUR PRAYERS AS WELL, AND WANT TO WELCOME, UH, PASTOR VESTOR THOMPSON AS THE NEWLY INSTALLED PASTOR OF THE EASTERN STAR BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN THE CITY. SO WE'RE REJOICING WITH THEM AS WELL. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE, IF NOT, THIS [VII. CONSENT AGENDA] BRINGS US TO ITEM EIGHT MOMENT. NUMEROUS SEVEN ITEMS ARE HERE AT, WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND NEED THE ITEMS THAT ARE OF BASICALLY ROUTINE [03:20:01] NATURE. COUNSELING HAS BEEN PROVIDED PRIOR TO THIS MEETING WITH INFORMATION ON THE ITEMS. AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS AT ANY COUNCIL PERSON WOULD LIKE TO BE HELD INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT BE ONE SINGLE VOTE, PLEASE INFORM ME NOW, COUNCIL MCKINLEY, EMIR 22, UH, PR NUMBER, WHICH PAGE? THIS THAT'D BE NUMBER EIGHT, PAGE EIGHT, NUMBER 22 PR NUMBER 2, 2 6, 7, 7. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM JONES? NUMBER 10 ON A WEB PAGE, PAGE SIX AND NUMBER 10. YEAH. OKAY. ANY OTHER ITEMS, ANY OTHER ITEMS, IF NOT, I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE TWO ITEMS. UH, ADAM, UH, KENT ON PAGE SIX AND ITEM 22 ON PAGE EIGHT. I GOT EMOTION OR RIGHT. CAN WE ADD THAT ONE MORE TO, OKAY. WELL, WE CAN SAY, WELL, MOTION ITEM 14, PAGE SIX, PAGE SIX. YES. OKAY. NOW, IF YOU TELL ME THE PAGE NUMBER, I CAN GO JAKE QUICKLY, PAGE SIX, ITEM 14. OKAY. OKAY. WITH THE ADDITION OF THE ITEM 14 ON PAGE SIX, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMAN MARKS. SO MOVE MAY GET A SECOND COLUMN OF FRANK IS REMOVING THE SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH EXCLUSION OF THE THREE ITEMS. UH, PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED A RID OF A QUESTION, READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? NAY AYES HAVE IT. SO IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED [VII.10. P. R. No. 22647 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Martin Asphalt Company To Provide Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions To The City Of Port Arthur With A Projected Budgetary Amount Of $ 60, 000. 00. Funding Is Available In The Streets Maintenance Account, Account Number 001- 21- 053- 5316- 00- 70- 000] NOW INDIVIDUALLY WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 10, PR NUMBER 22, 6 4 7. THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH MARTIN ASPHALT COMPANY TO PROVIDE ASPHALT OR OIL AND EMOTION, UH, TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $60,000 FINDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT ACCOUNT NUMBER ZERO ONE DASH TWO ONE DASH 0 5 3 THAT'S 5 3 1 6 DASH 8 0 0 DASH SEVEN ZERO DASH 0 0 0. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COSMIN FRANK MAY GET SECOND COUNCIL OF MONKS IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 2, 2, 6, 4, 7 AS RED OR RED. IF THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN JONES, HE HAS QUESTIONED ME, UH, JUST CURIOSITY WHERE THIS COMPANY AND MARTIN, UH, ASPHALT COMPANY WAS LOCATED CLEAR UP WITH HIM. I TELL ME, OKAY, HE'S COMING FOR PROCUREMENT. I HAVE A LOCATION IN BOTH. SORRY. THEY HAVE A LOCATION IN BOTH MY MO MY LOCAL, UH, NO POINT NEGATIVE. I THINK IT'S ALL MINE. OKAY. YEAH. HE IS LOCAL. YEAH. IS IN THE AREA. YEAH, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY GO PICK IT UP. UH, THE ASPHALT IN OUR PICKUP. I MEAN, I DUMP TRUCKS, SO IT'S A, IT'S A LOCAL, UH, OKAY. IN THE AREA. NOT LOCAL PORT OUT, BUT LOCALLY THAT, JUST DOWN HERE, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER WRITTEN IN OTHER QUESTIONS, GET READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES I'D HAVE IT OF AS AUDIT PR NUMBER 2, 2, 6, 4, 7 WOULD BE APPROVED. AND AS READ NEXT, [VII.14. P. R. No. 22662 — A Resolution To Authorizing The Second Year ( First Renewal) Of The Temporary Staffing Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Argus Talent, LLC of Houston, Texas For The Purpose Of Providing Temporary Employees For The City Of Port Arthur With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $ 2, 000, 000. 00; Funding Available In Various Departmental Accounts] WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 14, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 22 6 6 2. IT IS A REVOLUTION TO ALL AUTHORIZING THE SECOND YEAR, FIRST RENEWAL OF THE TEMPORARY STAFFING CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT OFF AND ARGUS TALENT, LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF PORT OPERA, WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $2 MILLION FUNDING AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS. ME, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. COW'S REMARKS MAY GET A SECOND. COUNCILMAN JONES. SECOND, MAN. WE'VE BEEN MOVING. SECONDLY, WE'RE GONNA ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 6 6 2 AS RED. WE'RE READY FOR OUR QUESTION. OUR CUSTOMER KYLA BEARS ARE I HAD THE WRONG THOUGHT. OKAY. COSMIN FRANK TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, [03:25:01] I GUESS MY QUESTION. OH, SORRY. I GUESS MY, I DIDN'T HAVE MY LIGHT ON THAT'S MY FAULT, MAN. I'M SORRY. I GUESS MY, I GUESS MY QUESTION ARISES BY THE FACT THAT, UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE BEADING GUIDELINES AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN TRANSPIRE, BUT HAVING A, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS PROVIDING FOR US TEMPORARY STAFFING FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, BUT FROM HOUSTON. UM, IS THERE AN OFFICE HERE THAT THEY HAVE HERE IN PORT AUTHOR, UH, TO ATTRACT INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY FOR THIS TEMPORARY STAFFING FOR THE TEMPORARY STAFFING CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IS THERE DID A LOCAL AGENCY, UH, DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE, UH, INFORMATION THAT WAS IN THE, UM, THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR US, BUT WAS THERE A LOCAL STAFFING AGENCY THAT, UH, APPLIED OR WAS CONTACTED? I DIDN'T SEE ONE. AND, UM, UH, I GUESS JUST, UM, THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THAT, HAVING A STAFFING ORGANIZATION THAT IS FROM HOUSTON. AND THEN THE QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO ASK AS WELL, CITY MANAGER IS HOW DO INDIVIDUALS MOVE FROM TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT? IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IF, CAUSE WE STILL HAVE POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED. AND SO HOW ARE WE MOVING INDIVIDUALS FROM TEMPORARY POSITIONS TO PERMANENT POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY? SO IT'S KIND OF A TRIFECTA OF QUESTIONS. I CAN'T ANSWER THE THIRD ONE, BUT OKAY. UM, AS FAR AS THE, WE DID SEND OUT BIDS TO LOCAL, UH, I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE FROM BALD MINE, BUT THEIR PRICE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. UH, BUT AS FAR AS THAT CONFERENCE, THEY DO, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE FROM HOUSTON, THEY DO A LOCAL POOL OF, UH, LOCAL EMPLOYEES. SO THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT PEOPLE FROM HOUSTON COUNTY AND LOCALS. ARE WE USING THE COUNTY'S DEFINITION OF LOCAL? ARE WE USING THIS VIDEO FOR OFFICE DEFINITION OF LOCAL? I'M GOING TO SAY THE COUNTIES EVEN THOUGH. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE PROBLEM WITH. I'M GOOD. I'M GOOD. UM, I DO KNOW THEY USE SOME PORT OUT THE, THERE ARE SOME PORTAL PEOPLE THAT THEY USE, BUT I CAN'T SAY IT'S JUST ALL. SO IN THAT, EVEN STIPULATIONS THAT THIS COMPANY HAS, WELL, THE $2 MILLION WORTH OF WORK TO BE GOING TO DO FOR US AT THE HIGHER AUTHORED, THAT'D BE MORE OF HR QUESTION CAUSE THEY DEAL WITH THEM. I CAN'T VOTE ON THIS UNTIL WE AT FOR APPLICATION ON IT. THE QUESTIONS THAT I PUT YOUR MIND BEFORE. YES. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED LONG BEFORE I SIGNED UP FOR THE STACK OF SUNRIDGE, EVEN FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS, WHERE ARE THEY FROM? WHERE ARE THEY FROM? AND I MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE PRIORITY TO CITIZENS OF PUERTO RICO BEFORE I SIGN OFF ON IT. THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY QUESTIONS THAT I ASK EVEN I HAVE MADE IT MY BUSINESS, EVEN FOR PERSONS WHO CONTINUALLY TO LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT, I SEND THEM TO THE HR DEPARTMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT STAFF OR THE HR DEPARTMENT REACHES OUT TO AUGUST AND INFORM THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR WHO ARE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. LET'S GIVE THEM THE FIRST BITE AT THE CAKE, BUT, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING YOU SEE, WE CAN GIVE THIS COMPANY AND WE BOTH HAVE THIS CONTRACT AND GIVE IT TO THEM. BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WILL CAUSE THEM TO COME UP, PLEASE COME UP, PLEASE COME UP, PLEASE JUST COME ON UP. YOU WALKED IN, GOD SENT YOU AT THE RIGHT TIME. OKAY. NO, I JUST BELIEVE IN GOD. SO, BUT YOU DIDN'T WALK INTO A BULLET, NOTHING BUT YOU HR PERSON. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DEALS WITH YOU. HE TALKS ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT AND THE THREE MANAGERS TALKING TO HIM. MAYBE YOU CAN HELP US WITH THIS CONTRACT WITH THIS COMPANY OR THIS AUGUST TALENT LLC, OUT OF HOUSTON. IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO LEGALLY, YOU'VE BEEN HR OR HULU FOR US THAT WOULD MAKE THEM AND CAUSE THEM TO HIRE. I WOULD SAY ONLY INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL OVER. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM THE LATITUDE OF HIRING WHOM PAID CHOOSE ME AT THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I GOT HERE, I WAS WITH YOU ALL BEFORE. EXCUSE ME. OKAY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU, IN TERMS OF HIRING OUR HIRING PRACTICES ARE IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO STEP OVER STEP, BUT THE WAY THAT WHATEVER COMPANY YOU GET HAS STAYED HERE TO OUR PERSONNEL POLICIES. AND SO WE HAVE, UH, PROVISIONS IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY, AS IT PERTAINS TO CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, YOU CAN NOT ELIMINATE A PERSON FROM A JOB BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE, BUT WE HAVE CERTAIN A NUMBER OF POINTS YOU GET TO PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY CHAPTER 78 [03:30:01] AND UH, THAT'S THAT'S THROUGH. SO WHATEVER AGENCY YOU USE, THE HIRING PRACTICES ARE THE SAME. THERE ARE HIRING PRACTICES AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO. NO, NO, NO. THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING HER. IT JUST SAID YOU CAME HERE BECAUSE YOU, OUR HR PERSON. OH, SO YOU CAME ON UP HERE. OKAY. SO I TOLD YOU GOD SENT YOU A MINUTE. OKAY. OKAY. OH, COUNCILMAN KENALOG. YEAH. AND I THINK, UH, SHOOT, UH, COUNCILMEN, UH, FRANK WAS ALLUDING TO WHERE I WAS GOING WITH IT. HIS SECOND FOLD OF HIS QUESTION. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD THE DIRECTOR WAS A, HOW CAN SOMEONE GO FROM A TEMPORARY BASIS TO A FULL EMPLOYEE BASIS? IF WE DECIDE TO VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, THAT'S NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO. UH, I AM ALSO INTERESTED IF WE COULD PUT THE PROVISIONS LIKE THE CITY MANAGER STATED EVERY OTHER CITY, DOES IT? I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST COMING OUT OF THE BLUE WITH IT. IF WE CAN DO SOME PERIPHERAL POINTS TO PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR, IF WE CAN GIVE HIM, YOU KNOW, AND BE WITHIN THE LAW TO OBTAIN THESE, THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S HIREES. OKAY. THAT'S THE ANSWER TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION? UM, INDIVIDUALS, WHEN WE HAVE THE STAFFING AGENCIES, INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS AFTER THOSE CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS, THEY CAN BE CONSIDERED A CITY TEMP OR BE HIRED ON A PERMANENTLY AT THIS TIME. THEY AREN'T ABLE TO BE IT AS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE, BUT THAT CAN BE CHANGED. UM, CURRENTLY THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO, UM, THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WHICH WAS WHAT CAN YOU REPEAT IT? I'M SORRY. ALL I'M SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ONE WE DID AS THE INVITATION TO BE HERE, BUT, UH, IN FUTURE, YES, WE CAN'T DO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS WHERE WE PUT SEARCH, UH, SUCH AN OPTION IN, UH, CURRENTLY WHAT I INVITATION TO BE, WHERE THAT PREFERENCE WAS. WE HAVE THE 5%, IF IT'S A PORT OUT THE BUSINESS, IF THEY STAY WITHIN 5%, WE CAN AWARD IT TO THEM. OF COURSE THERE WERE NO PORT OFF THE BUSINESSES THAT BEING AT THE ONLY WHAT ARE WE GOING TO USE? THE WORD LOCAL WAS LIKE BOTH MY PORT NATURE'S THERE, BUT IT'S NOBODY FROM PORT ARTHUR. UH, SO THAT WASN'T A FACTOR IN THIS PARTICULAR WAR. MR. MAYOR GO READY. WAS ASKING THE QUESTION AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF HIRING FOR PREVALENT POSITIONS. PART OF THE CRITERIA IS IF YOU ARE A PORT AFA RESIDENT, YOU GET EXTRA POINTS FOR THAT. SO YOU, THAT IS AN INCENTIVE THAT WE HAVE AS PART OF LIKE THE CRITERIA AND IT'S PART OF THE PERSONNEL POLICY AS WELL. IT'S PART OF THE POLICY. YEAH. OKAY. YES. AND I WOULD THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE THAT IS VERY PERTINENT AND I WOULD SUPPORT, UH, ON THE NEXT AGENDA, AS SOON AS THE NEXT AGENDA SUPPORT A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE TEMPORARY AND HAD SHOWN A FAITHFULNESS TO THAT, OR BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR AN ESTABLISHED TIME OR A PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE IT UNTIL THE PROCESS. BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DID HAVE TALKED TO SOMEONE ABOUT THIS. I THINK THE PRIORITY WAS IS, IS THAT IF THEY WERE RECOMMENDED BY A SUPERVISOR AND YOU CAN COLLECT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH BEING RECOMMENDED BY A SUPERVISOR OR THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. YEAH. FROM A TEMPORARY, IF A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE WANTED TO MOVE TO POSITION THAT WAS IN THE CITY. YES. YES. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A RESOLUTION AND WOULD SUPPORT A RESOLUTION WHERE INDIVIDUALS WERE TEMPORARY AND MAYBE HAD BEEN OPERATING IN A TEMPORARY CAPACITY FOR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT OR THE PERMISSION OR THE ABILITY TO BID FOR A PERMANENT POSITION INTO THE BID POOL, UM, IMMEDIATELY. SO YOU SAID THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY, BUT IT CAN BE DONE. SO LET, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND I WOULD ASK ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TO SUPPORT THAT AS WELL. EXCELLENT. ATTORNEY BARRY, JUST CHECK THAT I WILL CHECK THAT FOR THE COUNCIL. UM, I WILL, UM, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE PERSONNEL POLICY AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THE POLICY HERE. YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS, THE PERSONNEL POLICY PROVIDES PROVISIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BEAT OUT OF WHERE THEY ARE INTO OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THE PERSONNEL POLICY IS VERY CLEAR ON THAT. THE PERSONNEL POLICY IS VERY, ALSO VERY CLEAR ON THE FACT AS TO HOW LONG YOU CAN REMAIN AS A TEMPORARY IN, IN THE, UM, IN, IN, I CHECK THAT AGAIN FOR THE COUNCIL. [03:35:01] I'LL CHECK THAT FOR YOU. SO IF, AND IF THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, WE WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU. VERY GOOD. YES. SO THAT'S IT. OKAY. NO, NO, YOU GO AHEAD. I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU WE OFF SUBJECT, CAUSE THIS IS ABOUT A WORD IN A CONTRACT TO ACCOMPANY. WELL, THAT INFORMATION IS PERTINENT BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT HAVE TO FILE OUR POLICY NO MATTER. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT'S WHERE I WAS. I WAS, I WAS MAKING IT THEN THAT CAN HELP. THAT'LL HELP US PASS IT UP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. ANY OPPOSES CHILD MAKE IT? I HAVE IT. IT'S ALL PASSED AND ACCEPTED PR NUMBER 22, 6 6, 2 AS APPROVED. [VII.22. P. R. No. 22677 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Greenscapes Six, LLC Of Baytown, Texas For The Installation Of Sidewalks And Concrete Work, With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $200, 000. 00; Funds Available In Street Maintenance Account No. 001- 21- 053- 5316- 00- 70- 000] NEXT. WE HAVE PR NUMBER 22, 6 7. YES, THAT'S RIGHT. 6, 7, 7, UH, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT OFFICE AND GREEN SPACES, SIX LLC OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SIDEWALKS AND CONCRETE WORK WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT UP $200,000 BONDS AVAILABLE IN STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH TWO ONE DASH 0 5 3 THAT'S 5 3 1 6 DASH ZERO ZERO THAT'S SEVEN ZERO DASH 0 0 0. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE REMARKS MIGHT GET A SECOND. COSMIN JONES HAS BEEN MOVING SECOND EVERYWHERE EXCEPT P R NUMBER 2, 2 6, 7, 7. WE RID OF THE CORSET OR COUNCILMAN KENALOG. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, NUMBER ONE. UM, I'M LOOKING AT THIS, LOOKING AT, I'VE READ THE BACKGROUND AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOCAL CONTRACTORS IN THE AREA. NUMBER ONE, UH, THAT CAN DO CONCRETE KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR THING. UH, THE AMOUNT, UH, YOU KNOW, $200,000. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. BUT THEN I LOOK AND I'M READING THE SCOPE OF WORK AND I'M OUT. I DON'T SEE LOCATIONS. ALL I SEE IS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT ALSO STATES THAT IT HAS TO BE SOME OF THE WORK IS GOING TO BE ADA COMPLIANCE, UH, CURBS, GUTTERS, YOU KNOW, PLANNED, UH, DIRECTIONS BY ENGINEERS. IT'S KIND OF BROAD. AND MY THING IS THIS, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT PORT ARTHUR TO ENHANCE THE SIDEWALK, GOES, GOD KNOWS WE NEED THAT. ESPECIALLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, THAT'S WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL, BUT I NEED TO KNOW AND HAVE AN IDEA. AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS NOT PUT IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE INFORMATION, BUT TO VOTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS MAGNITUDE. OF COURSE I WANT ADA, OF COURSE I WANT SIDEWALKS. OF COURSE I WANT GUTTERS AND CURVES. OF COURSE I WANT THE APPEARANCE ELEVATION OF A SIDEWALK. I WANT ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT IT JUST SAYS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. OKAY. SO CAN YOU HELP ME OUT WITH, I CAN START IT OFF NOW. ENGINEERING MIGHT HAVE TO GET DEEPER INTO IT FROM WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT. Y'ALL REALLY WORK IN ME TODAY. SO, UH, THAT'S YOUR JOB? THAT'S YOUR JOB? UM, THE REASON IT WAS BITTY, LIKE THAT WAS, IT WAS BETTER GENERAL BECAUSE THIS IS A CONTRACT WE WERE PUTTING IN PLACE JUST WHENEVER SOME CONCRETE WORK, SOME NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING QUOTES FOR IT. YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTS ARE ESTABLISHED WITH THE UNIT PRICES. SO IT'S, IT'S USED FOR US, UH, FOR ANYTHING CONCRETE RELATED. SO IT'S FOR THE SIDEWALKS. IF SOMEBODY NEEDS TO REPAIR THE PARKING LOT OF THE REC CENTER OR SOMETHING, IT IS JUST FOR THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UH IT'S SO IT IS KIND OF GENERAL BECAUSE IT'S JUST A THING THAT'S SET UPON IN CASE IT'S NEEDED NOW. UM, I'M SURE THAT PUBLIC WORKS DO HAVE SOME SET SIDEWALKS THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO. SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET WITH JOHN COUNTY TAYLOR ON THAT ONE, BUT THE REASON IT WAS BEING LIKE THAT GENERAL, BECAUSE IT'S JUST FOR ANY CONCRETE WORK THAT MAY BE NEEDED. OKAY. UH, NOW AS FAR AS THE PORT ARTHUR THING, UM, I DID SUBMIT TO PORT OUT THE VENDORS, NO ONE BEAT IT. UM, I, I KNOW, UH, W AND W DECIDED THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE IT ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE. UM, I KNOW THEY DID BEAT ON THE UTILITY CUTS WILL BE ON THE NEXT ONE. SO THOSE BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BEAT ON THAT CONCRETE WORK. UH, BUT I'LL BE IN AT THIS AT LEAST THREE TIMES. AND IT'S, IT'S JUST BEEN ONE OF THEM PROJECTS THAT'S HARD TO GET. AND WHEN I'M SAYING LOCAL, I'M TALKING ABOUT EVEN BEAUMONT, LIKE JUST HARD TO GET CONTRACTORS, UM, TO BE IT ON IS OUTSIDE OF GREENSCAPE. UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS WHEN I TALKED TO GREEN. WELL, I TALKED TO MR. WASHINGTON ON IT CAUSE WE DIDN'T GET ANY, BUT THEY JUST, SOME THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW. [03:40:01] OKAY. AND, AND CLIFTON LASTS, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE $200,000 NUMBER? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE? I BASED IT OFF THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR. UM, I JUST FIGURED WE'D JUST BE DOING AROUND THE SAME WITH MY OWN. AND WE'VE BEEN KIND OF DOING THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, $200,000. WELL, I THINK TO A WIND UP LAST YEAR, SO, UM, I'M JUST STICKING TO THAT NUMBER AND SEE HOW THIS GO. AND THEN IF WE JUST HAVE TO ADJUST TO MAKE SURE WE WIN. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MIRROR. THANK YOU. ONE QUESTION. OKAY, WELL GO, RIGHT. I'M SORRY. GO READY COUNSEL. SEE, THE MANAGER COMES TO WORK IN LOW BECAUSE I'M BASED ON THE AMOUNT THAT WAS BUDGETED LAST YEAR FOR $5. IT WAS ABOUT $50,000. UM, WE ARE ON THE, A COURT MANDATE. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO SAY THAT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUDGET THAT AMOUNT, THE ROOF IS LEAKING. THAT'S NOT GOOD, UM, TO CONTINUE TO BUDGET THAT AMOUNT EVERY YEAR. UM, I THINK, UM, WE HAVE INCREASED THAT FOR THE NEW BUDGET, YOU KNOW, UM, AND YOU FIND SOME OF THE, THE, THE CONTRACTORS WOULD FIND THAT IT'S TOO SMALL AND AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF MOBILIZING THE EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT WE HOPE TO INCREASE THAT IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE ARE UNDER A COURT MANDATE NOW JUST TO DO $50,000. UH, THAT WAS MY JOKE. YEAH. THANK YOU. MA'AM UH, CLIFF, YOU SEE, YOU TALKED TO MR. WASHINGTON ABOUT THIS, BUT HIS BIT THAT HE'S ON IT, HE'S ON A LOCAL CONTRACT. WE HAVE THAT. DOES THIS KIND OF WALKING AS FAR AS CONCRETE YES. THAT I'M AWARE OF YES. OF AS FAR AS CONCRETE AND PULLED OFF TO THAT I'M AWARE OF. YES. HE'S THE ONLY ONE DID THAT KIND OF WORK ON. YEAH. THAT STRICTLY, I MEAN, YOU GET SOME GENERALS TO GET A CONCRETE SUB TO DO IT, BUT AS FAR AS DIRECT CONCRETE, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF. OKAY. UH, IT JUST, JUST A BIG RUSH ON THIS THING OR UNIT, I MEAN, LISTEN, UH, WELL, COULD THEY BE, COULD IT BE RESUBMITTED AGAIN TO, YEAH, I CAN, BUT I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. WE'VE ONLY HAD HIM BE IN THE LAST THREE TIMES. I BEAT IT. UH, I WOULD LIKE IT TO GO THROUGH IT CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT. AND IF WE WERE TO START SOME JOBS THAT MIGHT BE $30,000, THEN IT'D BE HOLD OFF BECAUSE I HAVE TO CALL IT OUT. THEN COME TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE THAT PARTICULAR ONE. I SAY THIS, UH, EVEN THOUGH THIS WILL GO THROUGH, WE I'LL START LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME MORE. I HAVE WENT THROUGH THE CMBS LIST. I'VE LOOKED THROUGH SOME THINGS, LIKE I SAY, UM, I JUST UNABLE TO FIND ANY PARTICULAR PORT ARTHUR, BUT I HAVE EVEN THROUGH MY HUB MINORITY BUSINESS, I'VE LOOKED SEEN SOME IN BOTH MINE I'VE SUBMITTED TO THOSE CONTRACTORS, BUT IT JUST NO RESPONSE, NOT LIKE I SAID, MR. WASHINGTON AND, UM, UH, BEING ON THE UTILITY CUTS, WHICH I PLAN TO HAVE ON THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA, WHICH, SO THEY, THEY WERE COMFORTABLE BEING THAT TYPE OF CONCRETE WORK WHERE THEY GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, FILL UP THE HOLES AFTER, UH, UH, UH, OPEN THE STREETS FOR PIPE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. THEY JUST WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THESE SIDEWALKS. YEAH. YEAH. WELL ACTUALLY I TAKE THAT BACK. THERE WAS ANOTHER PORT OUT. UM, I SUBMITTED TO DEAN, UM, A NEW, UH, DEAN WITH, UH, I FORGOT THE NAME OF THAT COMPANY, BUT HE'S, HE'S UH, THE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS DOING A LOT OF THOSE, UM, THESE HOUSES DOWN HERE DOWNTOWN, I SUBMITTED TO HIM TO BUY A PIECE OF DOING THAT. SO HE DECIDED, SO HE HADN'T BEEN LATELY. SO THAT'S TWO. I SAID, I FORGOT ABOUT HIM. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO I HAVE SUBMITTED TO IN THIS AREA. AND I WAS SAYING, THAT'S NOT MR. WASHINGTON, PERSONALLY, WORKING ON OUR BUS TERMINAL DEAL. THAT WAS A QUOTE THAT WE PUT OUT FOR TRANSIT. SO YES, HE DID THAT ONE, BUT HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO THE ANNUAL. YEAH, I WOULDN'T MIND. THAT'S WHEN I TALKED TO HIM AFTER WE GOT WITH DAD, I ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS ONE SCARES ME. I WOULDN'T MIND. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHERS. THERE'S SPECIFIC VENDORS AND WHAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO LOCAL CONCRETE, BUT THE RESPONSE WE SHOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. I STAYED, I STAYED, I DIDN'T GO NOWHERE, BUT HE MENTIONED CERTAIN VENDORS. I DIDN'T GO THERE. THEY MIGHT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING WELL. I DIDN'T GO THAT WAY. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT, DO WE HAVE ANY LOCAL CONTRACTORS? YOU KNOW, NO GO BUY YOUR LIST. MAYBE TRY TO FIND MORE THAN 50 NORTH TO GET INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY THAT WOULDN'T OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. LET'S MOVE ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. [03:45:01] I NEED TO ROLL CALL THE WHERE I'M NOT HEARING THE IPHONE. YEAH. MERE. CAUSE WE'RE NOT CLEAR ON THE VOTES BECAUSE SOME OF THEM, WE'RE NOT GETTING A RESPONSE AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A RESPONSE ON THE VOICE. BUT THE FIRST TIME I ASKED WHAT WE WOULD DO, I MEAN, IF EVERYBODY WOULD RESPOND SO WE CAN HAVE CLEARS WHAT'S YES. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DON'T HEAR EVERYBODY. OKAY. SO WE'RE READY TO VOTE RIVERBED TO VOTE. ACTUALLY, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS. I JUST MOVE ON. YES. WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR IN OPPOSES AS HAVING, SO HIS HONOR WE'LL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 6 7, 7 IS RED. NOW WE'LL MOVE OVER TO BE A CONSENT AGENDA, CONSENT AGENDA. EXCUSE ME. AND, UH, THAT WAS, SOMEONE'S GOING TO SPEAK ON SUNDAY, BUT THEN THEY'RE GONE NOW. AND THAT IS, WE BEGIN WITH PR NUMBER 22, 6 8 2 IS A REVOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO REVISE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. ACT 2, 2, 6, 6 0. OKAY. WELL, DID I CALL THEM UP? AND I AT A FEEDING THING, 2, 2, 6, 8, 2 OR THREE MINUTES AND I FLIPPED THE PAGE, MY BED. I'M TRYING TO GET TO THE LAST PAGE. I'M SORRY, MY BED. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. I WAS GOING ON TIMES THAT I SPENT INSTEAD OF ACTUAL FOLLOWING THROUGH, EXCUSE ME. OKAY. [VIII.A.1. P. R. No. 22660 — A Resolution Appointing Members To The Port Arthur Coalition For Homeless Advisory Board ( Requested By Mayor Bartie And Councilmember Jones)] AND 2, 2, 6, UH, SIX ZERO, UH, RESIDUES AUTHORIZING, UH, MEMBERS, UH, TO THE PULLOUT, THE COALITION FOR HOMELESS ADVISORY BOARD REQUESTED BY MAYOR BARCHIE AND COUNCILMAN JONES. UH, SHE, THE SECRETARY GOT TO MEET COUNCIL MEMBER JONES IS NOMINATING JULIO DELGADO. MAYOR BHARTI IS NOMINATING ONE DEAN. OKAY. WE HAVE THOSE NAMES MAY GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. COUNCILOR MARKS MAY GET A SECOND COLUMN FROM THE CHEMO. IF IT MOVED TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 2, 2, 6, 6, 0, WITH THE NAMES AS, UH, ADDED BY CITY SECRETARY RID OF, OF COURSE YOU DON'T WANT ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR AND POSES AS HAVING TO RESOLVE THAT, WE WOULD ACCEPT 2, 2, 6, 6, 0 AS A RED [VIII.A.2. P. R. No. 22675 — A Resolution Awarding A Bid And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With RDK Assets Inc. Of Tampa, Florida For Garbage Truck Rental Services In The Not To Exceed Amount Of $ 192, 000 . 00; Funding Is Available In ARPA Account No. 169- 07- 015- 5401- 40- 000. Project No. ARP010- GRE- RNT] NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 2, 2 6, 7, 5, A RESOLUTION OF WATERING A BID AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH R D K S S INCORPORATED OF TAMPA, FLORIDA FOR A GARBAGE TRUCK RENTAL SERVICES IN THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $192,000. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN A R P A ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 69 DASH ZERO SEVEN DASH 0 1 5 DASH 5 4 0 1 DASH FOUR ZERO DASH 0 0 0. AND IT HAS PROJECT NUMBER AARP 0 1 0 DASH G R E D DASH R N T. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL CAUSING THE FRANK MOTION MAY GET A SECOND. COSMIN JOAN IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 2, 2, 6, 7, 5 IS RED. ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION QUESTION? COSMIN FRANK. FIRST QUESTION, MISS, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER. UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT OUR GARBAGE, OUR GARBAGE FLEET AND OUR FLEET OF TRUCKS AND OUR EQUIPMENT TOOK A HIT BACK IN 2017 DURING HURRICANE HARVEY. AND WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES WE'VE HAD WITH GARBAGE IN GARBAGE COLLECTION AND TRASH COLLECTION DURING THE ASSESSMENT. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MADE, UM, WITH OUR FLEETS, WHERE DO WE STAND, UH, WITH OUR GARBAGE TRUCKS, WITH OUR TRASH PICKUP, UH, VEHICLES AND ALL OF THAT. AND WHAT PROGRAMMING ARE WE DOING TO TRY TO REPLENISH IF WE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE HAVE ONE, OKAY. UM, THIS IS A CONTINGENCY MEASURE IN ORDER THAT WE GET INTO AN EMERGENCY SOMETIME AGAIN, IF THE NEED ARISES SO THAT WE HAVE, THE SERVICES WILL NOT BE DISRUPTED BY ANY MEANS, LIKE WE HAD IT DISRUPTED, UM, FOR THE CHAIN OF SUPPLY SOMETIME IN JANUARY. SO THIS IS A MEASURE IN WHEN ANY OCCASION ARISES THAT WE COULD UTILIZE THAT. SO RIGHT NOW, SO RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW, OUR FLEETS ARE UP AND RUNNING. WE DO HAVE THE HEAVY DUTY MECHANICS IN PLACE. WE HAVE BEAT CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS TO, UH, UM, TO, TO OUR MECHANICS AND, UM, AND, UM, THE SHOP WHERE PEOPLE WORK ON THE WEEKENDS, WE HAVE COVERED THE 4D SCHEDULE COMPLETELY AND ON FRIDAY, [03:50:01] ALL THE VEHICLES GO IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THIS THING. SO THAT ON MONDAY, YOU KNOW, UM, WE ARE READY AND UP READY AND UP AND MOVING AGAIN. UM, I HAVE ENSURED THAT WE HAVE EXTENDED THEM WITH OVERTIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MAKE PANICS SERVICE DILIGENTLY OUR TRUCKS. I HAVE ALSO MADE PROVISIONS IN THE NEW BUDGET FOR NEW EQUIPMENT. UM, WE HAVE, UM, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'LL BE RUNNING OFF IN TERMS OF FUNDING, UM, WHICH, UH, IT WAS ON A LEASE TO OWN BASIS FOR, UH, DONE BY, UM, PREVIOUS COUNCILS. SO WE HAVE THAT COMING DUE IN SOMETIME IN 2023. SO WE DO HAVE PROVISIONS IN THE NEW BUDGET FOR NEW EQUIPMENT AS WELL. THANK YOU. SO ON, ON ALL, ON ALL, UM, ON ALL FRONTS, WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT I'M PUTTING INTO ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE GARAGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER HEAVY DUTY MECHANIC TO CUT DOWN ON COSTS, NOT ONLY FOR THE, THE, THE GARBAGE TRUCKS, BUT THE, THE AMOUNTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO SPEND IN THE LANDFILL. WE DIDN'T, I DID AN ANALYSIS AND INVESTMENT IN ALMOST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LANDFILL, OR YOU, WE CAN REDUCE THAT BY EMPLOYING A HEAVY DUTY MECHANIC, WHICH WOULD BE LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INSTEAD OF BEING HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. UH, SEE COUNCILMAN KINLOCH. HEY, THANK YOU, BEAR. UH, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT MANAGER I'VE BEEN ON THAT PARTICULAR THING AWHILE, UH, LEASE TO OWN. WE, WE ACTUALLY DID APPROVE THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT. SO, UH, MY QUESTION, YOU KIND OF STOLE THE THUNDER AS WELL. UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO PAY 192 K YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE IN PLACE OF PURCHASING NEW VEHICLES, YOU ANSWERED THAT QUESTION IS IN A NEW BUDGET. I LOVE TO HEAR THAT. AND ALSO HEAVY WHEEL, A HEAVY DUTY MECHANICS. WE GOT TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE RUNNING OUT OUR VEHICLES ALMOST SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND WITHOUT THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THAT, WE'RE GOING TO PUT OURSELF IN A SITUATION LIKE WE DID IN JANUARY. SO I'M GLAD YOU HIGHLIGHTED THOSE ANSWERS. AND WE CONTINUE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, BEING PREVENTED INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE TO THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT MUCH BETTER JOB RIGHT NOW. UM, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF IVAN, UM, AND THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT, UM, I HAVEN'T HAS TAKEN OVER THE SHOP, UM, AND, UM, WE'RE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB IN TERMS OF REPORTING ON A WEEKLY BASIS. YOU KNOW, WHAT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT OUT THERE TO BE MAINTAINED, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING IN FOR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND WE WILL FURTHER ENHANCE THAT IN THE NEW BUDGET WITH NEW SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, SO IT WILL NOT ONLY REMAIN ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO OPERATE THE VEHICLES, BUT WE WILL HAVE THE SOFTWARE AND THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S DUE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WOULD BE FOR THE NON SEDIMENT. WE CONTINUE TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN SERVICES THOUGH. AND, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY IN, UH, IN THAT BUDGET, GARBAGE TRUCKS, NEW GOALS? YEAH. I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT TWO, TWO THAT WE HAVE. OKAY. AND, UH, ALSO THE PARTS THAT IS CONTINUOUSLY BREAKING DOWN ON THESE GARBAGE TRUCKS. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MA'AM YES. CLUE. COME ON UP AGAIN. WOKE YOU EARN YOUR MONEY TODAY. UH, I SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THESE TRUCKS. WE DON'T SAY HOW MANY TRUCKS, HOW MANY TRUCKS ARE RELEASING HERE? THE 192,000 WAS BASED ON TWO TRUCKS FOR THE YEAR. SO WE WON'T BE, HOPEFULLY WE WON'T BE SPENDING A WHOLE HUNDRED AND 92,000. UH, LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST IF WE NEED TO, BUT IT'S BASED ON TWO TRUCKS, 8,000 A MONTH PER TRUCK. AND IT'S THE NEW TRUCKS, RIGHT? THIS IS A BRAND NEW TRUCKS. I SEE. YEAH. HOW NEW THEY ARE. THEY DON'T FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY ON THE NEWER SIDE. WELL, HAVE YOU SEEN, UH, DURING THE LEAST IT'S, AT LEAST WE'RE WRITTEN WHERE WE, IF WE NEED THEM, WE CALL THEM THE RENT, THE TRUCKS TO RULES, WHY TRUCKS ARE BEING REPAIRED OR WHATEVER THING, LIKE I SAY, THIS IS A PREVENTATIVE TO CONTRACT, NOT A BIND, A VEHICLE CONTRACT, OR AT LEAST IN A COUNTRY. WELL, WHAT OFTEN THE BUY IS DETERMINED, RIGHT? ON THE USED TRUCK. THEY USE, I HAD THAT IN THE BED, BUT WE CHOSE NOT TO DO THAT. WE GOING TO BUY A BRAND NEW, BIG, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BUY ONE THAT'S BEEN USED. IT'S BEEN KIND OF MORE OF THE LARGER, YOU WANT ONE THAT'S BRAND NEW WITH NO WEAR AND TEAR. SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BUDGET THE NEXT AND THE MAGIC CAN NOW SAY FOR ABOUT, I THINK THEY LOOK INTO BUDGET, NEW ONES IN THE NEW OFFICE. SO THIS IS STRICTLY FOR RENTING. NOT, NOT, NOT WITH OPTION OF OUR OKAY. OKAY. MICHELLE, IF THEY WANTED TO COME WITH IT. OKAY. OKAY. UH, COWS WERE MARKED. AND JUST FOR CLARITY, CLIFF, IF BY CHANCE WE DON'T USE ALL OF THIS $192,000 [03:55:02] TO LEASE TRUCKS FOR THE YEAR WE, OUR FLEET RUNS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO, AND NOW WE, UH, SPEND ONLY $50,000. WE'LL HAVE $142,000, UH, LEFTOVER FROM THIS, THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION. WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT MORE THAN THAT, TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE THERE IS A SIX MONTH RENTAL THING IN THERE. UM, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO AT LEAST HAVE IT FOR SIX MONTHS. SO HALF TO LEASE SOMETHING. YEAH. SO YOU LOOK IN AT LEAST 48, IF IT WAS ONE TRUCK, 96, IF IT'S TWO, YOU KNOW? YEAH. BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME, SOME, UH, RESIDUAL, UH, RUNNING. WE ONLY PAY IF WE USE IT FOR RENT. SO IF WE ONLY RENT IT FOR SIX MONTHS AND WE DON'T READ IT THE OTHER SIX MONTHS, THEN WE WANT TO SPEND AT 96. SO HOWEVER THEY GOING TO USE THE OTHER 96,000 TO BE ON THE DEPARTMENT IN THE MANAGER. OKAY. YEAH. BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, THE WHOLE HUNDRED 92 IS NOT GUARANTEED TO THEM. IT'S JUST, I JUST PUT THAT I HAD TO PUT A, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT, SO I JUST PUT IT FOR THE YEAR IF WE USE IT ALL YEAR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, DISCUSSIONS, IF NOT, WE'RE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES AS HAVING THE SHORTEST AUDIT, WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 6 7 5 IS RED. NOW WASN'T NEVER. SO ANCIENTLY MOVING TO A [VIII.A.3. P. R. No. 22682 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Revise The American Rescue Plan Act ( ARPA) Project Categories Which Were Previously Approved ( Public Comment Will Be Allowed Prior To Consideration Of This Item)] PR NUMBER 22, 6, 8 TO A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INSTEAD OF MANAGE THAT YOU REVISE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AT OPERA PROJECT CATEGORIES, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ALLOWED PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS ITEM. SO ATTORNEY, WE HAVE ANYONE EXPRESS. NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE YOU BRING THE ITEM UP THERE. YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE GUIDANCE AND WE DIDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS NECESSARILY MANDATED THAT YOU HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE JUST PUT THAT IF ANYONE WOULD WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. OR MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCIL REMARKS MAY GET A SECOND. COUNSEL. MCKINLEY HAS BEEN MOVED SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22, 6, 8 2 AS READ. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONING DOWN ANY REMARKS, THE QUESTIONS, NO UNWRITTEN WITH CATHOLIC IN LAW. YEAH. UH, MAYOR CANDY WAS GOING TO COME BACK AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES YOU GOTTA GET ON UP. YEAH. W OF COURSE, OF COURSE A CITY ATTORNEY GO RIGHT AHEAD. JUST SAY I COME BACK IN THE, I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION OR AN OVERHEAD OR ANYTHING, BUT IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM, THE VERY LAST PAGE, UH, DOES, UH, ITEMIZE OUT HOW THESE, UH, HAVE BEEN ALEC, HOW THIS MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, UH, YOU KNOW, $26.7 MILLION. UH, 1.1 MILLION IS FOR, UM, GOVERNMENT SERVICES. IT'S WHAT THEY CALL THE RECOVERED REVENUE LOSS CATEGORY. UH, YOU LOOK IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM FOR PR, UM, 2, 2, 6, 8, 2 IS WHERE IT IS. UM, AND IT'S THE LAST ATTACHMENT. UM, WE HAD 18 MILLION, UH, STIPULATED FOR WATER WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. UH, THE LANDFILL STOPE SLOPE STABILIZATION. THERE WAS $2 MILLION BUDGETED THERE. AND THEN THERE WAS A 1 MILLION FOR BROADBAND WIFI FOR PARKS, 2 MILLION FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, VACCINATION CLINIC, 2 MILLION FOR THE WEST SIDE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR 17TH AND 19TH. AND THEN THE GRANT ADMINISTRATION COSTS OF $630,000. THAT'S YOUR, HOW WE ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED THE $26 MILLION. UM, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IN THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO TAKE AND MOVE 6 MILLION, UH, 5 MILLION FROM THE, UH, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND A MILLION, UH, FROM THE BROAD MANNED FOR THE PARKS. I THINK THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH THAT. UH, THE 5 MILLION FROM, UH, WASTEWATER WAS MONEY. HE WAS PLANNING ON SPENDING IN LIKE 20, 25. AND THERE IS A DEADLINE ON THESE FUNDS. UM, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO, CAN BE COMMITTED BY 20, 24 AND SPEND BY 2026. SO REALLY THAT WAS PUSHING IT. AND, UH, WE FELT LIKE MAYBE THIS FUNDS COULD BE BETTER UTILIZED IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY AND SAY, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE 6 MILLION TO THE RECOVERED REVENUE LOSS CATEGORY, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR ANY GOVERNMENT [04:00:01] SERVICES. UM, I BELIEVE THE PURPOSE OF MOVING THEM, THEY WERE REQUESTING 1 MILLION BE USED FOR THE SABINE PASS BOAT RAMP, UH, AS MATCHING FUNDS THAT WERE NEEDED AND 5 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING. UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON THAT IS, YEAH. THANK YOU MIRROR. UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE BRA BRAND, UH, WIFI FOR THE CLARKS ARE A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THEN I SEE THAT 5 MILLION IS GOING TO COME FROM THE WATER WASTEWATER. YES, THOSE WERE BASICALLY, I BELIEVE FOR A WATERLINE IMPROVEMENTS AND IT WAS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT. IT ORIGINALLY WAS THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD PROJECT, AND IT WAS MOVED INTO THE ARPA FUNDING BECAUSE IT FIT, BUT THEN IT'S BEEN SPREAD OUT OVER A FEW YEARS. SO, UM, THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY, WELL, THEY WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD IN SOME FUTURE YEARS, UM, TO GET THAT FUNDING BACK. SO RECOVER A REVENUE LOSS. I MEAN, GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE, WELL, WHAT THAT CATEGORY IS, IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF A CATCH ALL AND WHERE THE OTHERS ARE BASED MORE ON SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SAFETY DUE TO COVID OR LIKE THE VACCINATION CLINIC OR THE JOURNEY NICHE OR THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, THIS CAN BE USED PRETTY MUCH FOR ANY GOVERNMENT SERVICES. UM, AND WE DO HAVE A LIST OF BEINGS THAT WE ALLOCATED THE, THE 1.1 MILLION FOR, UM, THOSE WERE, UH, THINGS LIKE, UM, LET'S SEE, WE HAD A FUNDING FOR THE Y M C A WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CENTER, 80,000. UH, WE FUNDED SOME TEMPORARY WORKERS FOR PARKS FOR $80,000. THE GARBAGE COLLECTION SUPPORT, UM, THAT YOU DISCUSSED EARLIER, UM, 480,000 HAS BEEN ALLOCATED THERE. UH, THE HOUSTON AVENUE STREET REPAIR HAS 200,000. UH, THERE'S ALSO A MATCH. THERE'S A BRICK BRICK WHERE THEY CALL A BRICK GRANT OUT THERE OUTSTANDING FOR, UH, SOME GENERATORS IN IS THERE'S 160,000 MATCH THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR THAT. AND SO THEN THEY'RE, UM, WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO IS TO MOVE THESE, UM, OTHER PROJECTS INTO THIS CATEGORY. THIS CATEGORY CAN BE UP TO $10 MILLION, BE ORIGINALLY WAS A SMALLER NUMBER, BUT THEY CHANGED THE REGS AND IT, IT CAN BE UP TO $10 MILLION FOR A RECOVERED REVENUE LOSS CATEGORY. OKAY. AND THE REASON DIRECTLY I'M SAYING THIS, BECAUSE IT'S SO GENERAL, UH, BUT WE'RE GOING FROM 1.1 TO 7.1. AND WITHOUT ANY DETAILS, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN YOU GUYS BRINGING IT AT US, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE IT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ON HOW AND WHAT WE CAN UTILIZE IT IN $5 MILLION FROM THE WASTEWATER, WHEN WE ARE SAYING THAT IT THAT'S AN IM VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT. YEAH, IT IS. I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A TIMING THING FOR THEM IS THAT IT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A DEADLINE AND WHEN IT HAS TO BE COMMITTED AND WHEN IT HAS TO BE SPENT. AND SO THEY'RE LEFT, THEY HAVE SOME MONEY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO UTILIZE FOR THAT, BUT OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, IT WAS GOING TO SURPASS THE DEADLINE. OKAY. WELL, I THOUGHT WE RAN, I THINK COUNCILMAN FRANK BROUGHT THAT UP TO LIGHT LAST TIME, BECAUSE IT WAS, AS LONG AS WE START THE PROJECT, WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE BEFORE THE DEADLINE, THE FUNDS HAVE TO BE COMMITTED. IT HAS TO BE COMMITTED AND START IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY. YES. BUT IT HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY 2026. OKAY. BUT WE HAVE TIME, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY FROM WHAT THE COUNCILMAN FRANK BROUGHT TO LIGHT TO THE COUNCIL LAST TIME. SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW, DO WE HAVE TIME MANAGER TO LOOK AT THIS? UH, BECAUSE I NEED TO GET MORE DETAILED BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT, UH, MOVING FUNDS AROUND AND JUST TO HAVE A LIMITED TIME TO DISCUSS IT OTHER THAN TODAY, BECAUSE I LOOKED FOR THE BACKGROUND, I PULLED IT TODAY. I PULLED THIS ITEM AND I DIDN'T, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE $5 MILLION, UH, AND THEN ALSO ADDED TO, UH, RECOVER, UH, REVENUE LOSS. I MEAN, WE'VE LOST A LOT. AND, UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE I VOTE ON THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, DO WE HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING? OR WOULD YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE ME SOME MORE INSIGHT BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION TODAY? ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, YOU COULD LOOK AT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT REMEMBER AS WELL THAT SOME OF THE MONEY'S LIKE THE, THE, I'M GLAD THAT CANDY MENTIONED THE HOUSTON AVENUE PROJECT. UM, THOSE PROJECTS WERE NEVER BUDGETED FOR, [04:05:01] BUT THOSE PROJECTS WERE EMERGENCIES THAT CAME UP, YOU KNOW, UM, LIKE THE HOUSTON AVENUE KEAVEN PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE GOT TO GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND INTO THE RESERVES TO TAKE OUT MONEY AND AMEND THE BUDGET TO GET THOSE PROJECTS DONE. UM, HAVING SAID THAT WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS THAT YOU HAD ALREADY APPROVED, UM, AS PART OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ALLOCATION, WHEN THE REGS FIRST CAME OUT, COUNCIL APPROVED THE, THAT AMOUNT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE, UM, EXECUTED THOSE PROJECTS IS NOT CORRECT CANDY. YEAH. WE WERE ABLE TO DO THOSE PROJECTS. NOW, IF WE HADN'T DONE THOSE PROJECTS, IT MEANS THAT WE WOULD HAVE GONE INTO THE GENERAL FUND THEREBY REDUCING THE FUND BALANCE. YOU KNOW, SO I ASKED ANDY INDICATED THERE IS A DEADLINE IN ORDER TO EXPEND THOSE FUNDS. WE DO NOT WANT TO GET TO 20, 23. AND THERE IS STILL THAT MONEY SITTING ON THE TABLE. BUT I AGREE, UM, COUNSELOR IN LAW, WE NEED TO BREAK IT DOWN. IF WE NEED TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO RUN AS CAN INDICATE YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN THE RISK OF, OF, UM, KEEPING THE FUNDS AND NOT EXPENDING THEM ON TIME. YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE $13 MILLION OF WATERWORKS THAT WE STILL NEED TO DO IN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. CAN WE EXPENDED $15 MILLION IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS? I THINK, UM, CALVIN AND DR. HEENEY IS, IS RUNNING AS FAST AS THEY CAN IN ORDER TO DESIGN ENGINEER DESIGN PLAN AND EXECUTE THOSE, YOU KNOW, TO, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. UM, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THEM THROUGH IT TO SEE WHETHER THAT CAN BE DONE. BUT AGAIN, IT GOES BACK AGAIN TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD ALREADY BUDGETED FOR THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVERTED RIGHT NOW, EACH IN MILLION DOLLARS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE BOOKS OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TRYING TO USE FREE MONEY FOR WE'RE TRYING TO USE FREE MONEY FOODS, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY, AND THEN COMMIT MORE DEBTS TO THE CITY. WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IT. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING THIS TO GET IT DONE. USE THE FREE MONEY, AVOID THE DEBT CREATION, KEEP THE FUND BALANCE, A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, INSTEAD OF IN THE CASE THAT WE GET A HURRICANE OR SOME STORM OR SOMETHING ELSE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ON GOOD FOOTING. UM, THAT IS WHY WE'RE MAKING ALL THOSE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW. BUT I AGREE IF YOU WANT US TO COME BACK AGAIN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, TO YOU UNLISTED OUT, WE CAN DO THAT. THERE WILL BE. W WOULD YOU MIND DOING THAT CITY MANAGER DIRECTOR? WOULD YOU MIND DOING THAT? YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A LIST OF ALL OF THE PROJECTS, THE DETAILED PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TYPE AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT'S RECOVERED, LOST REVENUES? WHAT LISTS YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S ADDING $5 MILLION. SO WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I BACKGROUND DOESN'T SHOW A BREAKDOWN, THE DETAIL OF THAT MANAGER, MAYBE WE CAN, IF WE CAN TABLE WOULD, WOULD THAT BE OKAY, MAYOR, WOULD I BE OUT OF LINE TO MOVE TO MAKE SURE YOU DO IT CORRECTLY? AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO BE SURE UP WHATEVER. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF REDUNDANT BECAUSE AS LONG AS THESE PROGRAMS ARE APPROVED PROGRAMS THAT OPERA FUNDS CAN FUND. I MEAN, I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU WANTING TO KNOW THE PARTICULAR WORDS FOR A POSTER, BUT NOW I, FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, IF I'VE UNDERSTOOD ABOUT IT, THESE PROGRAMS FIT THE CRITERIA TO BE FUNDED BY THE, UH, OPERA FUNDS. SO KNOW NOW IF WE NEED TO FURTHER YOUR COUNTING OR SOMETHING ON IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO JUST, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD DO. WE'LL BE DRAGGING IT. NO, WE CAN'T GET, WE CAN'T GET ANY, ANY MOVEMENT ON THE PROGRAM, BUT IF EVERYBODY FEELS THIS WAY, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT. AND THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY REASON MIRROR, BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING FUNDS, THEY ARE ASKING TO PROPOSE, MOVE THE FUNDS. THAT'S WHY I WANT TO GET MORE. NOW, ORIGINALLY THEY WOULD'VE STAYED WITH WHAT THEY HAD, I WOULD BE, BUT I'LL EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY, IS IT THESE FAR, THEY HAVE TO BE USED IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, CAFFEINE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. WE HAVE TO TEND THE FORM. AND, AND LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE, A LOT OF THE EXPENDITURES, AGAIN, LET ME GO BACK TO THE HOUSTON AVENUE PROJECT. WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND AMEND THE BUDGET TO DO THE HOUSTON AVENUE PROJECT AS THOSE EMERGENCY CON CONTINUE TO CU. WE WANT TO [04:10:01] MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD USE THOSE FUNDS, SEEING THAT WE'RE GIVEN THE LATITUDE TO USE THEM ON THOSE PROJECTS, TO USE THEM FIRST. AND THEN AS A SECOND RESORT TO GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND, I WOULD RATHER NOT TOUCH THE FUND BALANCE AND USE THE FREE MONEY FOODS. BUT AGAIN, FOR TRANSPARENCY REASON, THAT'S FINE. THAT'S GOOD. AS LONG AS WE DO NOT KICK THAT BALL, WE DOWN THE ROAD AND WE LOSE THE MONEY. AS LONG AS WE DON'T TO KICK THAT BALL, WE DON'T THE ROUTE. WE TRY TO KICK IT WAY DOWN THE ROAD AND COME BACK HERE AGAIN. AND WE LOSE THE MONEY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LET ME JUST SHARE WITH YOU THE COSTS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, GIVEN INFLATION, GIVEN INFLATION AND THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT FOR COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION HAS A REASON FROM $150 PER SQUARE FOOT TO $285 A SQUARE FOOT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND IT'S CONTINUING TO RISE, RIGHT? SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LOCK IN THOSE MONIES AND WE LOCK IN THE FREE MONEY THAT WE CAN AS MUCH OF THE FREE MONEY THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, IF NOT COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE A DECISION TO AMEND THE BUDGET OR TO CUT THE NEW BUDGET, ANYTHING THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN THE NEW BUDGET TO CUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN FUND THOSE PROJECTS IN THE NEW BUDGET. I'M TRYING TO AVOID ALL THAT AS WELL. RIGHT. BUT THAT'S FINE. WE COULD DO THAT. BUT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT. TABLING, TABLING, MR. COSMIN, KEN LAW UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WHATEVER IT IS. NO, I'M, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M, I'M ASKING, I'M ASKING FOR CLARITY. SO WE, BECAUSE I SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MOVE ON EXPEDITIOUSLY AND LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO WE WON'T LOSE THE FUNDS, BUT I'LL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ATTORNEY, MR. MAYER. OKAY. GO, GO, GO. WELL, HOLD ON. LET COGNITIVE FRANK, AND THEN TO JUST MOVE TO TABLE. OKAY. CITY ATTORNEY. WELL, YOU MAKE THE MOTION. I KNOW. CAUSE I CAN'T INTERRUPT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTION. DOES THAT AFFECT THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE AGENDA THAT WE PASSED? IF, IF THIS, THERE WERE TWO ITEMS THAT HAD ARPA FUNDING, I THOUGHT, OH NO, THOSE WERE ALREADY THERE. ALREADY. THOSE THINGS WERE ON THE ORIGINAL LIST. THEY WEREN'T, THEY DIDN'T APPROVE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE TODAY. CAUSE WE HAD TO, I DIDN'T KNOW. OKAY. OKAY. SO WE GOOD. SO W WE DID HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THAT, RIGHT. SO WE HAVE TO RESEND THAT MOTION FIRST. NO, JUST MOVE IT TO OKAY. AGAIN, UM, I KNOW THAT COUNSEL ASKED ME ON THE LAST ABOUT TWO MEETINGS AGO. UM, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BIDS CAME IN AT THE LOWEST BID WAS $9.2 MILLION. YOU GOT IT ON THE 29TH. IS THAT CORRECTLY? THAT WAS THE LOWEST BID AND THE COST CONTINUES TO RISE. SO AGAIN, AS SOON AS THE COST, THE, THE, THE BIDS CAME IN, WE WENT INTO FULL GEAR TO DO VALUE ENGINEERING ON THOSE, TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN CUT OUT. UM, WE HAVE SINCE COME UP WITH A LIST AS TO, OH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO VALUE ENGINEERING TO SAVE MONEY ON THOSE. SO, UM, HOPEFULLY I WILL NOT, HOPEFULLY I WILL GIVE YOU, WE WILL GIVE YOU A FULL RECOMMENDATION THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO PROCEED. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. OKAY, SO WE GOOD ATTORNEY SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND, WE WILL TABLE THIS ITEM, UH, PR NUMBER 22, 6 8 2, AND A CARD IN THE RULES. IT WILL COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. AM I CORRECT? OKAY. AND IN THE INTERIM, THE INFORMATION REQUESTED THAT'S GOING TO BE GIVEN EACH COUNCIL PERSON. UH, WHAT'S THE TIME TABLE BEFORE, BEFORE WE'LL EMAIL IT BEFORE THE MEETING. WE'LL GET IT TO COUNCIL BEFORE THE MEETING, BEFORE THE MEETING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, WE READ A QUESTION ON THAT. YOU READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR AND IMPOSES? I GAVE IT TO THAT PR NUMBER 2, 2, 6, 8 2 IS NOW TABLED UNTIL FURTHER UP UNTIL NEXT MEETING. UH, [VIII.B.2 P. O. No. 7079 — An Ordinance Extending The Declaration Of Disaster Pursuant To § 418. 108( b) Of The Texas Government Code] NEXT WE ARE APPEAL NUMBER 7 0 7 9, AND AUDIT WITH EXTENDING THE DECORATION OF HIS ASTER PURSUANT TO FOUR 18.108. SUBSECTION B OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. OR MAY I GET A MOTION FOR PROOF OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE THERE. MAY I GET A SECOND COW'S REMARKS REMOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P O NUMBER 7 0 7. THAT, UH, WE WOULD HAVE A QUESTION, NO QUESTIONS, UH, READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? NAY AYES HAVE IT. SO IT WAS ON APPEAL NUMBER 7, 0 7 9 IS APPROVED. [VIII.B.3 P. O. No. 7083 — An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Authorizing The Suspension Of The Effective Date For An Additional Ninety ( 90) Days Beyond The August 5, 2022, Effective Date Proposed By Entergy Texas, Inc., In Connection With Its Rate Increase Application Entitled " Application Of Entergy Texas, Inc. For Authority To Change Rates", Filed On July 1, 2022; Authorizing Participation With The Entergy Texas, Inc. Service Area Cities Steering Committee Hiring Of Experts; Authorizing The City' s Participation To The Full Extent Permitted By Law At The Public Utility Commission Of Texas; Requiring Reimbursement Of Municipal Rate Case Expenses; Finding That The Meeting Complies With The Open Meetings Act; Making Other Findings And Provisions Related To The Subject, And Declaring An Effective Date] NEXT. WE HAVE A PO NUMBER 7 0 8 3 [04:15:01] AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE SUSPENSION OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS BEYOND THE AUGUST 5TH, 2020, UH, AUGUST OF 2022 EFFECTS. THE DATE ARE PROPOSED BY ENERGY, UH, TEXAS INCORPORATED IN CONNECTION WITH ITS RATE INCREASE APPLICATION ENTITLED APPLICATION OF ENERGY, TEXAS, INCORPORATED FOR EXCUSE ME, AUTHORITY TO CHANGE RATES FILED ON JULY 1ST, 2020 TO AUTHORIZE THE PARTICIPATION WITH THE TEXAS. I MEAN, WITH THE N B ENERGY, TEXAS INCORPORATED SERVICE AREA CITIES, STEERING COMMITTEE, HIRING OF EXPERTS AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION TO LOOK POOL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF TEXAS REGARDING REQUIRING REIMBURSEMENT OF MUNICIPAL RATE CASE EXPENSES. FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH B OPEN MEETINGS, ACT, MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE MIGHT GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. COUNCIL. MAGELLAN MIGHT GET A SECOND CONFERENCE. KELLOGG IS BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 0 8 3 AT COUNTY WITH FRANK OLGA LADIES, I GUESS THE PROBLEM, OH, WE READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR AND OPPOSED. SO IT'S AUDIT PO NUMBER 7, 0 8, 3 IS ACCEPTED AND APPROVED. WE WILL NOW [IX. * CLOSED MEETING ( EXECUTIVE SESSION)] MOVE INTO, I WILL CLOSE THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION AND IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH, UH, 5, 5, 1 0.101 OF THE, UH, CHAPTER OF OPEN MEETINGS, LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE GOVERNMENT CODE WAS FORMALLY THE FORM OF THE ARTICLE SIX TO 2 52 DASH ONE SEVEN, SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION EIGHT, UH, PROJECT GOING INTO THE CLOSE TO ME. I BEING THE PRESIDING OFFICER WOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IN THE CLOSE MEETING. WE WILL DISCUSS 5, 5, 1 0.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. UH, WE WILL DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND, UH, PENDING LITIGATION AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND SECONDLY, WE WILL DISCUSS THE I FIVE 1.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, WHERE WE WOULD DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OUR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, AND BE THERE ANY ACTION ON ITEMS THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. WE WILL RETURN AND VOTE ON THOSE ITEMS IN OPEN SESSION HERE IN CHAMBERS WITH NOW BATTALION, UH, TO THE DOWNSTAIRS, UH, CONFERENCE AREA FOR OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.