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[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
MORNING.WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY FOR OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2022, HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE CITY HALL.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED BY, UH, TELEPHONIC, UH, MEDIUM OR VIDEO CONFERENCING, UH, AND ALSO A QUORUM HAS TO BE PRESENT HERE IN THE CITY HALL.
AND WE HAVE REACHED THAT, UH, QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE ON THE FOUR FLOOR AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
NOW, YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING, EXCUSE ME, BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU MUST ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 6 2 3 6 4 5 9 20, AND THE PASS CODE OF 3 0 5 3 1.
AND WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT HERE IN THE CITY OF, OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MAY MAKE THAT REQUEST BY CALLING THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
MAKE THAT REQUEST AND THEY WILL DO ALL THAT'S NECESSARY TO BE SURE THAT YOUR REQUEST IS HONORED, UH, IN REASONABLE TERMS. NOW, WE HAVE COMPLETED THIS, AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS BEGIN OUR INVOCATION, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HOLMES, YOU DO THE INVOCATION FOR US, PLEASE.
OKAY? IF YOU'LL STAND WITH ME, FATHER GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU THANKING YOU FOR JUST ANOTHER DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR WAKING US THIS MORNING, AND WE ASK THAT YOU PRAY FOR THOSE THAT, THAT AREN'T ON THIS SIDE THIS MORNING.
WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US GUIDANCE AND STRENGTH AS WE DO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF COURT.
WE ASK AND WE PRAY FOR EACH AND EVERY RESIDENT OF OUR COMMUNITY OF THIS UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME, WE ASK.
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN UNISON PLEDGE THE ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE THE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG 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.
SEE THE SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH THE COURT? MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO, TIM HOLMES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
WE WILL BEGIN THIS MORNING'S MEETING WITH PROCLAMATIONS.
AND THERE AREN'T ANY, UH, THERE WAS SOMETHING I SIGNED DOWN IN MY OFFICE, BUT EVIDENTLY WE'RE GONNA DO IT AT ANOTHER TIME.
[III.A.1. Pamela Graham Regarding Trash On The Westside]
NEXT WE WILL MOVE TO ROMAN NUMER THREE, WHICH WOULD BE PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.WE HAVE, UH, SPEAKERS IN THAT REGARD.
THE FIRST SPEAKER BEING IS, IS PAMELA GRAHAM REGARDING TRASH ON THE WEST SIDE.
WOULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH MS. GRAHAM AND YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES OKAY.
MY PERMANENT ADDRESS IS EIGHT 19 DEWALT.
I'M TEMPORARILY RESIDING AT 600 WELFARE WHILE MY HOUSE IS BEING PREPARED, AND I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE, SOME CONDITIONS ON THE WEST SIDE THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBER INGRID HOMES FOR COMING OUT AND ASSESSING THE SITUATION.
AND I, SHE KNOWS WHY I'M HERE.
AND, UH, WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK OF YOU ALL, UH, WHAT I NOTICE IS THAT RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO TRANSFER LOADS OF TRASH FROM OTHER LOCATIONS TO, FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER AS LONG AS THEY'RE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WHERE IT'S BEING DUMPED.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE CITY IS NOT ADHERING TO THEIR SCHEDULE.
AND WHAT THIS CAUSES IS A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE NEIGHBORS THAT DON'T.
SO IF THE CITY WOULD PICK UP THE TRASH IN A TIMELY
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MANNER, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP DIFFUSE SOME OF THAT BECAUSE SOME OF US ON THE WEST SIDE, WE'VE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE WEST SIDE UP AS BEST AS WE CAN, BUT WE NEED HELP FROM THE CITY WITH THE TRASH PICKUP THAT THE, UH, LOATHE AND, UH, QUESTION WAS DUMPED AT 1400 WEST SIXTH STREET ON NOVEMBER 11TH, WHICH WAS VETERAN'S DAY, AND IT'S STILL THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN AWFULLY LONG TIME TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT EYE SORE.IT WAS BROUGHT THERE ON THE BACK OF A FLATBED.
IT WAS RAISED AND DUMPED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT EVEN LEGAL? AND I WAS TOLD BY THE CITY THAT AS LONG AS THEY'RE THE OWNERS OF THEIR PROPERTY, THAT THAT CAN BE DONE.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, SINCE WE'RE ALLOWING THAT PRACTICE THAT YOU ADHERE TO THE TRASH, UH, SCHEDULE AND GET IT CLEANED UP.
IT'S NOT ONLY AN EYESORE, IT'S, UH, IT'S A HOUSE FOR RODENTS AND OTHER THINGS.
UH, ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ASK OF THE CITY IS THE AMOUNT OF INOPERABLE VEHICLES THAT ARE BUILDING UP THAT ARE NOT BEING CITED AND TAGGED FOR REMOVAL.
UH, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GETTING A, A DUMP YARD OVER THERE ON THE WEST SIDE.
BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTIVE WITHOUT THE PROPER CITY BUILDING PERMITS, ADDITIONS TO EXISTING STRUCTURES.
AND, UH, ALSO LAST BUT NOT LEAST, KCS MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTY.
NOT ONLY WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT LIKE THIS PAST EVENT THEY HAD AND THE GRASS WAS CUT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT AREA.
CLEAN IT UP, BECAUSE AS YOU COME TO THE WEST SIDE, THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU CROSS THE TRACKS IS THE KCS AND ALL THAT GRASS.
SO JUST AS YOU CITE RESIDENTS FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE KEEPING UP THEIR LOTS AND STUFF, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO HOLD KCS ACCOUNTABLE ALSO.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HOMES AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET SOME ASSISTANCE ON THE WEST SIDE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE AN HOA ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT WE DO LIKE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
UH, MS. GRAHAM, IF YOU WOULD REMAIN THERE, UH, SOME COUNCILPERSON MAY WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS YOU.
THANK YOU MS. GRAHAM FOR COMING BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
AND OF COURSE, THE AESTHETICS IS VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, CARED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE AND, AND THE WHOLE ENTIRETY OF OUR CITY.
UM, THE, YOU SAID THAT THE FLATBED CAME AND DUMPED THIS KIND OF MATERIAL.
WHAT WAS IT TRASH OR WAS IT LIKE A HOUSE HAD BEEN TORN DOWN? WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL WAS IT? WAS IT THE KIND OF MATERIAL THAT EVEN THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE PICKING UP? AND I THINK YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT THAT WAS MY CONCERN, BUT WE TO KNOW THAT THAT WAS MY CONCERN BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN THAT TRASH, WHERE IT CAME FROM, WHAT KIND OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ARE IN IT.
BUT, UH, THEY TOLD THE, UH, CITY OFFICIAL THAT IT, THEY WERE WORKING ON ANOTHER HOUSE AT ANOTHER LOCATION AND IT WAS FULL OF TRASH IN THE FRONT.
SO THEY LOADED UP THIS FLATBED AND DUMPED IT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
AND I THOUGHT BUILDING MATERIALS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN TO THE LANDFILL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHY, BECAUSE THE CITY CAME THROUGH WITH THE, UH, TRASH PICKUP TRUCK.
SO IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA PICK IT UP, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO ABOUT IT? YOU CAN'T JUST LET IT SIT THERE.
YOU'RE GONNA REQUIRE THEM TO PICK IT UP OR THE CITY IS GONNA ABSORB THE COST.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS.
AND SO THE CITY MANAGER'S GONNA HAVE TO TAKE CARE, FIND OUT WHOSE PROPERTY THAT IS, THE KIND OF REFUGE THAT'S THERE, AND CITE THEM OR HAVE THEM MOVE IT THEMSELVES TO THE LANDFILL.
BUT THERE'S NO REASON THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SUFFER WITH THAT EYESORE.
AND WE LIKE TO CREATE GOOD NEIGHBORS, BUT UM, IN THIS CASE, I FOUND THAT I HAD TO COME BEFORE YOU ALL TO GET SOME HELP BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT REALLY APPROACHABLE.
UH, COUNCILMAN HOLMES? UH, YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE DID ON, UH, VETERANS DAY CALL TWO OF OUR CITY STAFF OUT.
AND SO THEY ARE IN THE MIDST OF WORKING ON THAT.
UM, PAMELA AND, UH, DARLENE BOTH CAME OUT AND THE CITY MANAGER WAS ALSO
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CONTACTED ON THAT DAY.AND NOW EXCUSE, WERE YOU THROUGH COUNCILMAN, YOU ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT A CITY, UH, EMPLOYEE DID TELL THE HOMEOWNER THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE TRASH DUMPED AT THAT LOCATION BECAUSE THEY WERE THE HOMEOWNER.
IS THAT WHAT YOU I WANNA BE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT CORRECTLY.
AND I ALSO, JUST A HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE.
WE NEED A NEW MIC, MIKE, CHECK FOR THE REFERENCE.
JUST HOLD ON THIS, I APOLOGIZE.
OKAY, MS. GRAHAM, I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT.
I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THE STATEMENT WAS MADE BY A CITY EMPLOYEE TO THE HOMEOWNER THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THAT LOCATION, THAT THEY COULD HAVE TRASH DUMPED AT THEIR HOME.
THE POLICE TOLD THEM THAT, MA'AM, THE POLICEMAN THAT CAME OUT TOLD THEM AND TOLD ME.
TOLD THEM THAT AS LONG AS THEY'RE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY.
JUST A MINUTE, I'M GONNA STOP RIGHT THERE.
ATTEND CITY ATTORNEY, CHIEF, STEP UP PLEASE, CHIEF.
I WANT, I WANNA FIND OUT BECAUSE YOU SEE, IF WE HAVE AUTHORITATIVE FIGURES TELLING FOLK THAT THEY CAN DO THINGS LIKE THAT AND WITHOUT ANY LAW OR, OR, OR RECITING OF A SPECIFIC ORNAMENTS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THAT SAYS SPECIFICALLY OUR HOMEOWNER CAN HAVE ANY TYPE TRASH DUMPED AT THEIR LOCATION, THEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM THAT IS INTERNAL SHOULD MANAGE IT.
NOW, DO WE HAVE SOMEONE, NOW I'M GOING ON WHAT YOU SAID, AND THIS IS ALL WAY WE CAN DEAL WITH IT.
CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO WOULD, UH, ANSWER, UH, LIKE THAT TO A CITIZEN? CITIZEN? I'LL GO BACK AND PULL THE VIDEO, SIR.
BUT SEE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIND OUT, AND I THINK THIS ENTIRE BODY HERE WANTS TO KNOW, CAUSE WE ARE ELECTED BY EVERYONE IN PORT ARTHUR.
IF THAT BE THE CASE, THEN AT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, IF YOU ARE THE PROPERTY OWNER, YOU CAN OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
GET THAT TRASH BROUGHT THERE AND DUMPED IN, UH, YEAH.
NOW I BELIEVE THAT WHOEVER SAID IT, THEY WERE IN ERROR SAYING THAT.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IF IT WAS THE CONNOTATION WAS THAT YOU COULD DO THAT.
BUT YOU SAID A POLICE OFFICER IS THE PERSON.
A POLICE OFFICER CAME OUT ON NOVEMBER 11TH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, HOLMES WAS THERE.
AND ALSO I TOOK SOME PICTURES TO SEND TO HER TO SHOW HER THAT THE TRASH WAS STILL THERE FROM NOVEMBER 11TH.
YESTERDAY, THEY CALLED THE POLICE ON ME FOR TAKING PICTURES OF THE TRASH.
SO THE POLICE CAME OUT AGAIN YESTERDAY AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAID, WELL, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH IT? I SAID, THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM, HE SAID, WELL, IT'S ON THEIR PROPERTY, SO IT'S NOTHING.
NOW I WANT TO ASK THIS BECAUSE I, I GREW UP ON THE WEST SIDE.
I WAS JUST UNAVAILABLE AND I INSTRUCTED YOU TO CALL OR SPEAK WITH COUNCILWOMAN HOME CAUSE THAT WAS HER HISTORY.
THAT EASEMENT IS ABOUT 10 FEET, SEVEN FEET, EIGHT FEET FROM THE STREET TO THE SIDEWALK.
NOW IS THAT ACTUALLY YOUR PROPERTY? IS THAT CITY EASEMENT? UH, CITY SEC.
CAN YOU ANSWER THAT FOR ME? NO, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE OR ANY, ANY RESIDENTS? YOU'RE SAYING WHERE THE EASEMENT IS? YEAH, YEAH.
WE HAVE CURB AND GUTTERS THERE.
THE EASEMENT BELONGS TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT THE EASEMENT IS THERE.
IT IS A EASEMENT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES TO COME ON THAT STRIP AND, AND, AND, AND PERFORM THE OKAY.
SO BUT YOU GAVE ME TWO ANSWERS.
YOU SAID IT BELONGS TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT EASEMENT IS EASEMENT.
EASEMENT IS ALWAYS OWNED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT IT'S CALLED AN EASEMENT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS SOMEBODY TO COME ON YOUR PROPERTY FOR A SPECIFIC OKAY.
I'M, I'M JUST, I'M JUST REALLY TRYING TO GET TOTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
UH, BECAUSE WE WERE TAUGHT, BUT THAT WAS LONG.
IT'S JUST ACCESS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK IS WHERE YOUR PROPERTY BEGAN.
YOU JUST TOOK CARE OF THAT PART BECAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE, SO YOU CUT THAT AND EDGE
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THAT.BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS ACTUALLY YOUR PROPERTY.
NOW EVEN WITH THAT, AND NOT JUST FOR THE WEST SIDE, IT HAPPENED THERE.
AND YOU ARE, UH, UH, UH, A WELL-INFORMED ENOUGH CITIZEN TO COME OUT AND LET US KNOW ABOUT THIS AND THAT WE HAVE OTHER RESIDENTS WHO ARE THERE, WHO HAVE TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAKE IT A TRASH AREA.
UH, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT, BUT THE FIRST PROBLEM I SEE IS IF WE HAVE PEACE OFFICERS WHO ARE TELLING THE FOLKS, OKAY, I LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN ALL HAVE A GOOD INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THAT LAW IS.
AND IF THAT IS THE FACT, THEN WHAT CAN WE DO? CITY ATTORNEY AND BE SURE THAT MAYBE WE CAN, UH, CHANGE THAT.
BECAUSE I CAN SEE NOW IN THE FUTURE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BECAUSE IF A TRUCK CAN JUST COME AND DUMP TRASH LIKE THAT, THEY LIFTED THAT BED UP.
AND DUMP ALL OF THAT TRASH IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
ON THERE, AS MS. COUNCILOR HOLMES INDICATED, UM, WHEN THIS OCCURRED, I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH MS. HOLMES AND, UM, IN A FEW MINUTES, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TURNED UP AT THE VERY SITE.
MS. LANGFORD TURNED UP AT THE VERY SITE.
AND, UM, THE MATTER IS BEING ADDRESSED.
THE MATTER IS BEING TREATED AS ONE WHERE A PROPERTY OWNER HAS TAKEN CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS FROM ONE PROPERTY RIGHT.
AND HAVE DEPOSITED IT AT ANOTHER OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND, UM, SO THEY'RE PURSUING IT, UM, IN ORDER TO FIND THE INDIVIDUAL WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, IT, IT, IT'S A CURRENT CASE.
IT'S BEEN PURSUED, AND, UM, WE DO INTEND TO BRING SOME RESOLUTION TO IT.
IT HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP AS YET BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT IT AND TO CHARGE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE, WHEN IT'S, UM, IF IT'S NOT BEEN PICKED UP AFTER, AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THESE ELAPSE THAT WE COULD FIND THE, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER ON IT.
BUT IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT NOW, SEEING THAT IT WAS CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL WHERE THEY WERE REPAYING ANOTHER HOUSE.
BUT THE MATTER IS ACTIVELY BEING ADDRESSED.
YES, WE, WE WILL, WE WILL, AND WE, WE WILL, UM, KEEP YOU POSTED AS TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY, IF THERE IS ANY MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THOUGH, THE RIGHT HAND HAS TO KNOW WHAT THE LEFT HAND IS DOING.
BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THEY'VE ALL GOT TO BE IN SYNC AS TO WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, WHAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES, SO THAT WE CAN SPEAK ON ONE ACCORD AND THERE'S NO MISINTERPRETATION AS TO WHAT THE ORDINANCE CLEARLY STATES.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL ADDRESS THAT FOR YOU AND, UM, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT FOR THE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
AND MAYBE THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OR RIGHT.
MAYBE IT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAINING AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AS FAR AS THE ORDINANCE IS CONCERNED.
SO BOTH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND OUR PEACE OFFICERS ARE AWARE.
SO IS IT GONNA BE PICKED UP SOON? LET ME WORK ON THAT FOR YOU AND I'LL CALL YOU TODAY, MA'AM.
YOU'LL GET, WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU MS. GRAHAM ON THAT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND, AND SURPRISING US OF IT.
WE HAVE THE CHIEF HERE, AND I THINK WE, THE MAIN PLAYERS CITY MANAGER, THE CHIEF POLICE HERE, HERE, AND THEY WILL HANDLE IT IN, I THINK A VERY AMICABLE WAY.
AND IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU WON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THAT A NO CITIZEN RIGHT.
WOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE, UH, AN ATROCITY LIKE THAT.
UH, AND FOR SURE DURING CHRISTMAS TIME, FOLKS LIKE TO PUT UP DECORATIONS THERE FOR THEM, EVEN ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO WE, WE, WE, WE WE APPRECIATE THAT.
OH, COUNCILMAN, MY LIFE WAS ON.
UH, MY CONCERN IS WE JUST, LAST WEEK, YOU, YOU SENT SOMEONE OUT, UH, TO, UH, TO TALK TO ME ABOUT A PROBLEM OUT IN MY DISTRICT, AND IT'S ABOUT RVS AND THE ORDINANCES AND ALL THIS.
WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT WHAT MS. MS PAM JUST TOLD US IS THAT SOMEONE WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD TRANSPORT TRASH FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER LOCATION IF THEY OWN THE PROPERTY, WHETHER THERE WAS A STRUCTURE ON IT OR IF IT WAS VACANT.
MY CONCERN IS WHO'S TO, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT BRINGING THAT TRASH FROM OUTSIDE OF PORT ARTHUR TO PUT ONTO THIS PROPERTY? AND, AND WE'VE
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BEEN HEARING FROM CITIZENS THAT THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING AND, AND SO NOW CITY, MR. CITY MANAGE, UM, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT RIGHT NOW.BE NOT TODAY, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TIRES, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF RUBBISH BEING TRANSPORTED.
THERE ARE TRUCKS COMING IN HERE AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE'RE PUTTING UP CAMERAS IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BRINGING TRASH FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS AND DUMPING IT HERE.
AND WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON BEFORE I CAME ON COUNCIL, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN AND, AND, AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOMEBODY WAS ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S EVEN, UH, ALLOW, BUT VIA OUR ORDINANCES, CAN I, UM, COME HERE.
THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THERE'S NO ORDINANCE THAT TELLS YOU HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
THIS IS A DISCUSSION TO BEHALF INTERNALLY BETWEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND STAFF TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE NOT ON ONE ACCORD WHEN WE SPEAK UP HERE LIKE THIS.
THE MATTER HAS TO BE ADDRESSED ON A STAFF LEVEL SO THAT, AS I SAID BEFORE, EVERYBODY IS COMMUNICATING CLEARLY.
RIGHT? AND IT DOES NOT SEND THE CORRECT MESSAGE TO, TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN WE SIT DOWN HERE AND WE SAY, SO WE HAVE TO BE ON ONE ACCORD TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I'VE ASSURED THAT THE CITIZEN, THAT WE WILL, THAT IS WHY COUNSELOR MOSES AND COUNSELOR KINLAW INDICATED THAT THERE IS NEED FOR US TO CONTINUALLY LOOK AT THE ORDINANCES.
THAT IS WHERE WE GOT TO ADDRESS IT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE MEETINGS, THAT WE LOOK VERY DEEPLY AT WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT TEETH IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT WE ADDRESS WHAT COUNCILOR MAX IS SAYING.
IF THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, LET US DEAL WITH THEM HARSHLY, HARSHLY, LET US DEAL WITH THEM.
BUT THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION AND A DEBATE THAT HAS TO BE HAD UP THERE.
WE NEED TO DO OUR JOB AND ADDRESS THE CITIZEN'S CONCERN.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MS. GRAHAM.
UH, AND, AND WHAT WE'LL DO, WE, WE WILL ADDRESS IT.
THANK YOU CHIEF FOR COMING UP, INFORMING US ON THAT.
[III.A.2. Gerry Howard Regarding A Claim Denied By The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool (TMLIRP) At 1035 Beaumont Avenue, Port Arthur Texas]
WE HAVE, UH, SPEAKER, UH, GARY, EXCUSE ME, HOWARD, REGARDING THE CLAIM DENIED BY THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RISK POOL, T M L I R P AT 10 35 BEAUMONT AVENUE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.JUST BEGIN BY SAYING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
MY NAME, THE ADDRESS IS 10 35 BEAUMONT AVENUE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
WE HAVE BEEN AT THAT ADDRESS SINCE 1965.
AND MY MOTHER HAD PLENTY OF SOME TREES AND ALL AROUND ON THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, ONE DAY, FEW MONTHS BACK, I HEARD SOME PEOPLE CUTTING SOME WOOD AND I LOOKED OUTSIDE, SO THEY CUTTING TREES.
I'M FIXING TO GO GET ME SOME WOODS SO I CAN BURN, DO MY BARBECUE PIT.
AND THEN I LOOK, I SAY, OH MAN, HE CUTTING MY BLACKBERRY TREE.
I SAY, HEY MAN, WHAT YOU DOING? HE SAID, MAN, THE CITY TOLD US TO CUT THESE TREES.
HE SAID, WELL, WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THAT.
AND I WENT AROUND THERE AND GOT THE SAW OUT OF, OUT OF HIS HAND.
I SAID, MAN, UH UH, DON'T CUT NOW.
AND I MADE A CALL TO THE CITY AND THE INSPECTOR CAME OUT, MS. JONES.
SHE SAID, NO, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE CUT THAT TREE.
CAUSE THAT'S, UH, THAT'S NOT IN, IN THE EAST WAY.
THAT'S NOT IN THE ALLEY, AND IT'S NOT IN THE FRONT.
IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR YARD.
AND ALSO, UM, MR. FRANK CAME OUT AND HE LOOKED AND HE TOOK PICTURES.
HE MAY HAVE 'EM STILL ON HIS PHONE.
HE SAID, UH, GET YOU SOME FIGURES TOGETHER, WE GONNA TO PAY YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY WRONG, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE CUT THAT.
AND THEN I ALSO TALKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
I SEEN HIM AT THE SERVICE STATION THE OTHER DAY.
HE SAID, OH, YOU ON THE AGENDA? I SAID, YES, SIR.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO SEE WHAT Y'ALL CAN DO ABOUT THIS.
NOW, MR. MARKS, HE ALSO MADE A COMMENT ON THAT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT OKAY, THEY SAID THEY WAS IN VIOLATION.
LIKE THEY PUT THE TAGS ON THE CARS WHEN THEY IN VIOLATION AND YOU HAD 10 DAYS TO MOVE IT.
I DIDN'T GET NO KNOCK AT THE DOOR SAYING THIS TREE WAS IN VIOLATION.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, I SENT A LETTER TO THE MHMR OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
THE LADY SAID THAT THE CITY DID NOT OWN UP TO, THAT WAS WRONG FOR THEM TO CUT
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THE TREE.I SAID, WELL, THEY NEED TO OWN UP.
SHE SAID, WELL, YOU GO BACK OVER THERE AND, AND GET WITH 'EM.
BUT I GOT THE LETTER HERE FROM THE CITY HERE OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR ABOUT THE DAMAGE OF THE TREE AND THAT IT WAS IN VIOLATION.
WELL, UH, MR. JACOBS GOT THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR TO MINES AND I WENT OVER TO THE CITY TAX OFFICE.
SHE SAID THAT IT'S NOT CITY PROPERTY AND IT'S NOT CONSIDERED CITY PROPERTY.
SO IF THEY DID ANYTHING ON IT PROPERLY, THEY HAD TO GIVE IT MR. JACOB ALL UNIT BEFORE THEY CUT THE TREE.
SO, UH, THAT'S MAN, IT WAS HURTING BECAUSE IT'S A FRUIT TREE.
AND I TRIED TO GET THE, UH, PEOPLE IN NEEDLE, ANDY AND HARDER CULTURE PEOPLE TO SEE IF I CAN GET SOMETHING DONE.
THEY SAID, MAN, YOU GONNA HAVE TO GO WAY TO LOUISIANA BECAUSE OVER HERE, CAUSE OF COVID, WE DON'T ORDER TREES ANYMORE.
EVEN HEB, THEY SAY, WE DON'T ORDER YOU.
YOU HAVE TO GO WAY OVER THERE.
AND THEY SAY IF YOU GO WAY OVER THERE, THEY GONNA HAVE TO DELIVER THE TREE.
CAUSE YOU GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING THAT TREE FROM LOUISIANA TO TEXAS WHEN YOU GO ACROSS THE STATE LINE.
BECAUSE THERE'S A FRUIT, THERE'S A FRUIT TREE.
SO I'M ASKING THAT Y'ALL WOULD AT LEAST GIVE A CONVERSATION FOR WHAT, AND I MADE AN AMOUNT ON HERE, AND MAYBE THAT MR. FRANK MIGHT HAVE SAID THAT, MIGHT SAID, OH, THAT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH.
BUT WHATEVER Y'ALL CONSIDER AS FOR DAMAGES FOR THE TREE, WHATEVER Y'ALL CONSIDER, I'LL ACCEPT THAT.
COUNCILMAN JONES, YOU THANKING ME? UH, GARY CLASSMATE.
OH, DID IT COME ON YOUR PROPERTY? I'M TRYING TO GET SOMETHING CLEAR.
THE SEE THE CAME ON YOUR PROPERTY CUT THE TREE OR WAS IT ALLEY WIG LIKE, OR WHAT? I NEED A PICTURE TO ACTUALLY SHOW.
I HAD SOME, SOME PICTURES, BUT, UH, DIDN'T BRING WITH ME TODAY TO SHOW THAT IT WAS HALFWAY.
THE YARD HALFWAY IN YOUR YARD? YES.
SEE, AND IT WASN'T IN THE ALLEY AND IT WASN'T ON THE FRONT.
AND ALSO IT WAS BROUGHT ON THE, THE LINE WHERE MR. JACOB'S PROPERTY AND MY PROPERTY, IT'S A FENCE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT A TREE WAS, RIGHT IN THAT FENCE.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET, I WANT TO HAVE TO OPEN COURT HERE.
UM, YOU SEE, YOU TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER YOU SAW AT THE STATION SAY HE'S A VERY NICE MAN.
SO I'M WONDERING, CAN YOU WONDER, CAN YOU HEAR HIM GET TOGETHER MAYBE AFTER THIS MEETING OR SOMETHING, CITY MANAGER, UH, DISCUSS SOME WITH HIM, SOME KIND OF CLOSURE MANAGER THAT, THAT'D BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME HERE SEVERAL TIMES.
AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN PATIENT, SO, BUT WHATEVER, LIKE I SAY, I'VE BEEN THERE MANY YEARS AND, AND I HAVEN'T CAUSED THE CITY ANY PROBLEMS SINCE 1965.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME LOOK LIKE I SHOULD GET A CITY MANAGER.
THAT'S SOMETHING POSSIBLE Y'ALL DISCUSS MAYBE LATER ON AFTER BEEN MEETING.
SO WHO WANT TO COME BACK FOR US? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MR. GARY ON THE BATTER, AND WE HAVE DEALT WITH IT WITH DR.
THIGPEN AND WITH THE HR DIRECTOR AND WITH TL, YOU KNOW, BUT YEAH, WE, WE ARE OPEN TO GIVE AFTER THIS MEETING, GIVE THE CITY MANAGER IF YOU DON'T MIND, AND SEE THE ME ON MY SIDE.
OH, MR. HOWARD, UH, REAL QUICK, DID YOU SAY THAT THEY CUT THE BRANCHES OR DID THEY CUT THE TREE DOWN? WELL, THEY WAS ATTEMPTING TO CUT THE TREE, BUT I TOOK THE SAW OUTTA HIS HAND, THE GUY.
SO IS THE TREE STILL STANDING? YES, HALF OF IT.
CUZ I HEARD YOU SAY, I HEARD YOU SAY THEY CUT THE BRANCHES AND YOU SAID TO CUT THE TREE.
HE WOULD SAY HE WAS GOING TO CUT THE WHOLE TREE.
I SAID, MAN, I TOOK THE, SAW THE CHAINSAW OUT OF HIS HAND.
SO THIS TREE IS STILL STANDING.
DID THAT, HE PICKED UP HIS CHAINSAW AND COUNCIL KNOW THE TREE STILL STANDARD, THE TREE IS' ENMESHED IN THE FENCE.
AND, AND THE BRANCHES WERE ON THE OTHER PERSON'S PROPERTY.
OVERHANGING THE OTHER PU THAT WE WERE SERVICING, WE WERE ENFORCING THE CO AS FAR AS THE CLEANUP OF THE I UNDERSTAND NOW.
OKAY, MR. HOWARD, I'LL ASK YOU ONE QUESTION.
AND, AND I'M, I'M NOT A HORTICULTURALIST ANYTHING BUT OUR FRUIT TREES, IT'S ALMOST LIKE PRUNING, RIGHT? SO THEY HAVE TO WAIT SOME YEARS FOR THEM TO BEGIN TO BEAR AGAIN.
AM I CORRECT? THIS IS MY ANNUAL TREE.
SO Y WON'T GET NO BLACKBERRY THIS YEAR.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M SATISFIED WITH THE MANAGER, WHAT HE SAID THAT HE WOULD MAKE.
BUT, BUT THE ROOTS FOR THE TREE, THEY'RE STILL, THEY'RE STILL YEAH.
AND, AND THE MAIN, UH, TRUNK OF THE TREE IS STILL THERE, RIGHT? WELL, PART OF IT IS THEY CUT HEAD FOR THE, THEY CUT CUT IT IN HEAD, OR THEY JUST CHOPPED SOME OF IT OFF.
WHICH, WHICH ONE? THEY CHOPPED SOME OFF OR HE CUT IT IN HEAD? WELL, HE WENT BOTH WAYS.
HE WENT THAT WAY AND THEN HE WENT STRAIGHT DOWN.
I, I SAY, SAY, I IDENTIFIED THEIR PROPERTY AS MR. JACOB'S PROPERTY, AND HIS WIFE'S LIVE IN ORANGE, BUT HE'S, HE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE LIVE.
YOU, YOU ARE THE CITY MANAGER.
YOU'LL GIVE US, UH, A RECOMMENDATION ON IT.
THANK, THANK, THANK, THANK YOU, MR. HOW? THAT'S IT? YES, SIR.
[00:30:01]
THE SHAPE.MR. HOW AT, AT THIS JUNCTURE? IT IS NOW, ACCORDING TO OUR OME HERE, 10:07 AM I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION FOR A RECESS.
DO I NEED A MOTION OR I JUST RECESS IT? JUST RECESS IT.
I GUESS I CAN USE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.
AND I WILL RECESS THIS MEETING UNTIL 1:30 PM ON THIS AFTERNOON.
AND SO WE THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND EVEN THOSE WHO ARE VIRTUALLY, UH, ATTENDING, WE WILL, UH, BE BACK IN SESSION AT 1:30 PM ON TODAY.
WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE CITY SECRETARY.
UH, WE ARE READY AND PREPARED TO RETURN FROM THE RECESS AND WE'LL RECONVENE.
UH, YOU WILL ESTABLISH THE, UH, COURTROOM FOR US.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW HAD A FAMILY SITUATION.
HE HAD TO GO TO HOUSTON TO, UH, HANDLE SOMETHING FOR HIS FAMILY.
AS, AND AGAIN, WELCOME YOU ALL AGAIN.
UH, THIS IS A, IS A CONTINUATION.
WE RECESSED, UH, THIS MORNING AT ABOUT 10 15, AND WE WERE RECONVENING AGAIN AT ONE 30, AND IT'S NOW 1 37.
[III.B.1. A Presentation By Attorney Karen Kennard Regarding The 2023 Texas Legislative Session]
WE ARE NOW AT, UH, PETITION AND COMMUNICATIONS, UH, WHICH IS STILL IN ROMAN NUMERABLE THREE.WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, A PRESENTATION BY ATTORNEY, UH, KAREN KENARD REGARDING THE 2023 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, I'M WITH THE GREENBERG TRIBE LAW FIRM IN AUSTIN.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, AT THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, IT IS OUR HONOR TO REPRESENT YOU.
UH, I, I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UH, OVERVIEW AS WE, UH, PREPARE FOR THE SESSION, WHICH BEGINS, UH, IN JANUARY.
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IT'S A, A VERY CONCENTRATED PERIOD OF TIME THAT STARTS JANUARY 10TH AND RUNS FOR 140 DAYS UNTIL MAY 29TH AND 2023.
SO DURING THAT 140 DAYS, UH, OUR MARCHING ORDERS FOR YOU, SINCE WE HAVE REPRESENTED YOU THE LAST THREE SESSIONS, UH, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY DURING THOSE LAST THREE SESSIONS HAS BEEN TO WATCH LEGISLATION THAT MAY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
SO THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING WE DO, IS THAT WE TRACK ANY LEGISLATION THAT MAY IMPACT THINGS LIKE ANNEXATION, EXTRA EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, ETJ, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THOSE AGREEMENTS.
WE ALSO, OF COURSE, WATCH A LOT OF THINGS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE KNOW OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THINGS LIKE GAMBLING, CORN OPERATED MACHINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT OF AN ISSUE HERE.
UH, SO THOSE TWO ISSUES, PUBLIC SAFETY AND ISSUES RELATED TO THE PROTECTION OF YOUR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ARE, HAVE BEEN THE TWO KEY THINGS THAT WE WATCH FOR YOU.
OTHER THAN THAT, THERE ARE A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THAT IMPACT, UH, THE OPERATIONS OF YOUR CITY THAT WE ALSO WATCH.
UM, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, UH, BILL FILING STARTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.
UH, PRE-FILING CAN START WITH THE FILING OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS.
UH, ON THAT VERY FIRST DAY OF BILL FILING, UH, THERE WERE ABOUT OVER 900 BILLS FILED THAT DAY.
AND SO, UM, NOTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY CONCERNS THE CITY AS OF YET.
BUT AS THAT CONTINUES, UH, WE WILL BE PROVIDING WEEKLY REPORTS LIKE WE GENERALLY DO.
WE ARE IN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, MS. TAINO.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE A REGULAR FLOW OF COMMUNICATION, UH, DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH HER AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ABOUT ISSUES, UH, THAT IMPACT THE CITY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR BART, WE ALSO CONTACT YOU QUITE A BIT TO HAVE YOU HELP US ON SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
I THINK, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, UH, PORT ARTHUR IS, UH, I GUESS IN A UNIQUE SITUATION IN THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE FROM
[00:35:01]
YOUR REGION WHO IS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, WHO IS, HAS BEEN A, A GOOD FRIEND OF THE CITY.AND SO IN SOME WAYS THAT THAT CAN BE A REALLY GOOD THING AS FAR AS GETTING, UH, HIS EAR ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE SOME NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE CITY.
UH, AS I SAY RIGHT NOW, THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY OVER, UH, 1100 BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED SO FAR.
NOTHING THAT I CAN REPORT, LIKE I SAID, THAT IS OF ANY SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE CITY.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WE'RE WATCHING.
UH, WHAT IS SHAPING UP, UP TO BE A A PRETTY ROBUST SESSION.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT CITIES WILL BE LOOKING AT, UH, ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE RATED RELATED TO THE PROPERTY TAX REFORM, WHICH, UH, UH, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS ISSUED AS ONE OF HIS PRIORITY, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
AND AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE THINGS RELATES TO MORE COMPRESSION ON, UH, PROPERTY TAX CAPS, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAD, UH, SOME COMPRESSION IN THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT.
WE HOPE THAT MAYBE THAT'LL BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP YOUR RESIDENTS.
BUT AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TIGHTENING OUR BELT, WE, WE HOPE THAT, UH, AS, AS WE AS, UH, CITIES, UH, DON'T HAVE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THAT, AND THAT WE ARE GIVEN SOME FLEXIBILITY TO CONTINUE TO, UH, MANAGE OUR OWN AFFAIRS.
UH, ALSO, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BILLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED RELATED TO OUR REFORMS OF POLICING.
SOME OF THOSE ARE GOOD, UH, THINGS LIKE NO KNOCK WARRANTS.
UH, THINGS LIKE, UH, HAVING THE ABILITY TO REVIEW RECORDS OF OFFICERS, UH, BEFORE THEY'RE HIRED AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF JUST PASSING THEM ALONG.
UH, THERE WERE SOME, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION IN THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WERE GO, WE'RE GOOD ON SOME OF THOSE REFORMS. UH, THERE'S, THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME MORE OF THAT.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THOSE AS THE BILL FILING CONTINUES AND AS THE LEGISLATION, AS THE LEGISLATURE GETS UNDER THE WAY ON JANUARY 10TH.
SO, WITH THAT KIND OF BRIEF OVERVIEW, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF THE FACE OF OUR TEAM IN AUSTIN, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FOUR OTHERS OF US WHO ARE DOWN THERE THAT ARE, UH, REPRESENTING YOU.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE CITY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND, UH, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, ANY ONE ON COUNCIL CARE TO, UH, DIRECTLY ADDRESS ATTORNEY KARD? I DO KNOW.
HOW ARE YOU? COUNCIL MEMBER? GREAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME, SOME, UM, SOME MOVEMENTS IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE OF COURSE, THAT AFFECTED OUR SCHOOLS WHEN, OF COURSE, THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL.
THOSE, UH, THE DOING AWAY OF THREE 30 AGREEMENTS AND THOSE, THOSE AGREEMENTS THAT ALLOWED, UH, INDUSTRY TO GET, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UH, LEVEES AND TO ALLOW OUR, OUR SCHOOLS TO GET THAT, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AWAY WITH.
I THINK THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MUNICIPAL SIDE THAT'S HAPPENING? I KNOW CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION THAT HAS BEEN CURTAILED, AND SO WE'VE ALREADY MOVED ON THAT, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS ON THE, ON THE, UH, ON THE HORIZON CONCERNING THOSE THINGS? WELL, LET TALK ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
UH, CHAPTER THREE 13 IS THREE 13.
IT'S A CHAPTER IN, IN THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SIMILAR TO CITIES HAVE CHAPTER THREE 12, WHICH ALLOWS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS IN ADDITION TO CHAPTER THREE 80, WHICH ALLOWS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CHAPTER THREE 13 WILL SUNSET ON DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR, UH, DURING THIS, WHAT WE CALL THIS INTERIM PERIOD BETWEEN, UH, THE 2021 SESSION.
AND THEN ALL OF THIS YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT COALITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FORMED, UH, TO TRY TO, UH, EITHER RECREATE BECAUSE THAT IT, IT, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T, IT WASN'T REAUTHORIZED IN 2021, IT WILL SUNSET AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO SEVERAL DIFFERENT COALITIONS HAVE BEEN FORMED, UH, TO TRY TO REAUTHORIZE THAT.
SOME OF THEM WITH, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE, UH, STATE, A LOT OF THEM WITH BUSINESS INTEREST, UH, YOU KNOW, LARGE MANUFACTURING AND LARGE INDUSTRIAL, UH, BUSINESSES, LIKE THE ONES IN THIS AREA.
UH, THERE IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL PROBABLY PASS TO REAUTHORIZE THREE 13.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE CALLED THAT, BECAUSE THOSE KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR THE STATE AS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AREAS LIKE THIS WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO NOT ONLY BRING NEW INDUSTRY, BUT TRY TO RETAIN SOME OF THE INDUSTRIES
[00:40:01]
THAT YOU HAVE.UH, ONE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT, UM, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THOSE AGREEMENTS, UH, CONTAINING, UH, OR USING, UH, THOSE AGREEMENTS TO ATTRACT RENEWABLE INDUSTRIES.
THINGS LIKE, UH, WIND ENERGY, SOLAR ENERGY BUSINESSES TO TEXAS, AND SOME OF THE TEXAS LEADERS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UH, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF MAYBE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT BE ALLOWED.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND, AND DURING THE INTERIM THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING AND SOME OF THE INTERIM HEARINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON, THOSE HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, DON'T LIKE TO SPECULATE OR DEFINITELY DON'T LIKE TO BET ON IT, BUT I, I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTS THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN RETAINING THOSE AGREEMENTS AND HAVING THEM REAUTHORIZED.
AND SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE LEGISLATION, UH, WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE ADOPTED IS JUST REALLY SPEC TIP RIGHT NOW, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING ON IT.
THEY HIRED A LOT OF LOBBYS, I CAN SAY THAT MM-HMM.
AND THAT, UH, BOTH ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, INDUSTRIAL SIDE, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN IT.
AND THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME LEGISLATION AND, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WILL BE ON OUR TRACKING FILE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE SEND TO VAL, WHERE WE'LL BE TRACKING IT, KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON, ON WHERE IT'S GOING.
THE SECOND ISSUE RELATED TO CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATION IN THE 2021 SESSION THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, REQUIRED THE CERTIFICATES OBLIGATION BE, UH, I GUESS PUT ON THE SAME PAR AS BONDS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION, UH, THAT DID NOT PASS, UH, BASED UPON THE INTERIM, UH, HEARINGS ON, ON THAT ISSUE, THIS PARTICULAR INTERIM, THAT BILL WILL BE BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STILL DO THEM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT AN ELECTION, BUT THAT BILL WILL BE BACK.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT AS WELL.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T LIKE TO BET, DON'T LIKE TO SPECULATE, BUT IT WILL BE BACK, UH, THERE, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF, I GUESS, UM, SUPPORT ON THE OTHER SIDE TO REQUIRE THAT THOSE TYPES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, UH, BE VOTED ON.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER, AGAIN, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLKS LIKE CITIES AND COUNTIES AND OTHER SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT USE THOSE WILL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THAT PRESSURE AGAIN.
BUT, UH, UH, THAT, THAT BILL WILL BE BACK.
WE'LL JUST BE MONITORING AND COMING BACK FROM TIME TO TIME WITH ANY UPDATES.
YEAH, WE, WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE BILLS CAN BE FILED, UH, UP UNTIL THE 60TH DAY AFTER THE SESSION, SO THEY'LL BE LIKE MARCH 10TH.
SO I'LL PROBABLY SEE YOU AGAIN SOMETIME AROUND THAT DATE.
SO WE'LL HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF WHAT'S THERE.
WE SHOULD SEE YOU MAYBE DURING THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS.
SEE YOU DURING GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS.
NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY SIGMA ENGINEERING INCORPORATED REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, RENOVATION AND RELOCATION OF THE CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
IT, HE, HE HAD TO LEAVE, BUT, UH, ARE WE GOING TO, I THINK HAD ASKED TO, ARE THEY PRESENT? YEAH, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE ON THE NEXT ONE.
THEY HAD A CONFLICT AS, AS WELL.
SOME TYPE OF CONFLICT, SO, OKAY.
[III.B.3. A Presentation By PGAL, Inc. Regarding An Update On The Relocation Of The City's Animal Shelter (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw)]
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY PGL INCORPORATED REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE RELOCATION OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
WE, THERE IS A HANDOUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
WILL WE PROCEED WITH THIS ONE? YES.
I'M PAUL BARNETT, PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE AT PGA L.
I'M GREG WANG, ARCHITECT AT PGA.
AND WE'RE HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, UH, DESIGN, AS WELL AS, UH, TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT, BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN HERE, UM, AND ALSO SOME OF THE PROCESS AND WHERE WE STAND ON THE GATES, GATES BOULEVARD MASTER PLANNING PROJECT.
SO, UM, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, OUR FIRM.
WE'RE A, WE'RE A HOUSTON BASED COMPANY.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 76 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND WE HAVE 13 OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BUT, BUT HOUSTON'S OUR, OUR HOME OFFICE AND WHERE WE
[00:45:01]
STARTED, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, EXPERIENCE AND ALL TYPES OF MUNICIPAL PROJECTS.ANIMAL SHELTERS ARE OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THEM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, FROM THE POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE AS WELL AS COURTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK TO YOU, UH, HERE A LITTLE BIT HERE, HERE.
HERE'S JUST A FEW OF OUR ANIMAL SHELTER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE.
UH, WE DID ONE FOR THE CITY OF SEABROOK, WHICH WAS COMBINED WITH, UH, THEIR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK, I BELIEVE SOME OF YOUR CITY STAFF WENT AROUND AND TOURED, UH, SOME DIFFERENT FACILITIES IN, IN CITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND SAW THIS ONE.
AND I THINK THIS ONE IS WHY THEY CALLED US UP, UH, TO, TO START HELPING YOU OUT WITH YOUR ANIMAL SHELTER.
UH, THIS ONE ACTUALLY JUST FINISHED UP IN FORT WORTH.
UM, IT'S GOT MULTIPLE, UH, DIFFERENT KENNELS THAT, UH, IT'S COMPOSED OF.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE OUTSIDE HERE.
THIS IS A VIEW OF INSIDE ONE OF THOSE KENNEL KENNEL UNITS, AND IT'S SORT OF A, KIND OF A MODULAR DESIGN.
UH, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THIS SHOWS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ADOPTION AREAS HERE.
AND IN THE BACKGROUND THERE YOU SEE, UH, KIND OF A COMMUNITY SLASH TRAINING ROOM IN THAT FACILITY.
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME OF THE OUTDOOR KENNELS IN THE BACK.
AND WE HAVE, WE'VE ALSO DONE, UH, ALSO IN THE DFW AREA, THIS PARK ANIMAL HOSPITAL.
THIS IS A PRIVATE ANIMAL HOSPITAL THAT WAS BUILT, I THINK IT WAS COMPLETED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
BUT THIS SHOWS THE LOBBY AREA.
AND YOU CAN FLIP THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE SLIDES HERE.
SO AGAIN, KIND OF THE, THE ONE OF THE KENNEL AND, AND HOLDING AREAS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE DOG RUN AREAS, AND THIS IS THE OUTSIDE OF THAT FACILITY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE GOT INVOLVED IN, IN YOUR ANIMAL SHELTER PROJECT, THIS, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT, UH, WE SHOWED YOUR STAFF, UH, PRIOR TO US BEING SELECTED.
SO AS PART OF OUR PROCESS OF, UH, OF ASSISTING YOU WITH THE DESIGN OF THIS, OF YOUR NEW SHELTER, WE WENT AND VISITED WITH, UH, WITH ANTHONY AND, UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC WORKS AND AND ADMINISTRATION STAFF HERE.
WE WENT TO THE CITY OF DEER PARK ANIMAL SHELTER, WHICH WAS JUST RECENTLY, UH, COMPLETED.
AND THE, AS WELL AS THE LEAGUE CITY ANIMAL SHELTER.
THESE ARE NOT SHELTERS THAT WE DESIGNED, BUT THEY'RE ONES THAT WERE RECENTLY COMPLETED.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, WE'VE DONE OTHER PROJECTS FOR THOSE CLIENTS.
SO WE SET UP, SET UP THESE TOURS, AND THEN WE ALSO WENT TO WITH THEM TO SEE THE SEABROOK, UH, FACILITY AS WELL.
SO THIS ALLOWED US TO REALLY, REALLY TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CURRENT ANIMAL SHELTERS ARE DOING, SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOSE PROJECTS, AND, AND GET YOUR, YOU AND YOUR STAFF TO KIND OF HAVE ONE ON ONE COMMUNICATIONS WITH, WITH THEM AND THEIR STAFF AS WE'RE STARTING TO PLAN THIS NEW FACILITY.
RIGHT? SO WE, WE WENT THROUGH PROGRAMMING OF THE SPACES THAT NEEDED FOR THE NEW ANIMAL SHELTER AND FOR THE SITE THAT, THAT WAS SELECTED AT, UH, CHARLESTON AND 19TH.
HOWEVER, UH, DURING GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE FORMER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOUNDATIONS WERE STILL WITHIN THE SITE.
AND SO IT WAS JUST NOT FEASIBLE TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING ON THIS SITE.
WE, WE WERE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION THAT, UH, CHRISTUS ST.
MARY'S, UH, DONATED THIS NEW SITE, UH, GATES BOULEVARD WITH ALL THEIR BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED, AND THE FOUNDATIONS DEMOLISHED ON THIS SITE AS WELL.
AND SO WE, WE WERE ALSO TASKED WITH, UH, PLANNING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE ADMIN, AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT, UH, ON THIS SITE AS WELL AS THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO BECAUSE ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE ON THE SITE, WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, IN CONGRUENCE WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UM, WORKING WITH ALL THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SECURITY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND WHAT THE COURT MAY NEED TO WORKS ON THIS SITE AS WELL.
AND SO THIS SITE, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OPEN AND IT'S VERY PROMINENT IN THE COMMUNITY IT SEEMS. THERE'S, UH,
[00:50:01]
A PIONEER PARK ACROSS THE STREET.THERE'S, UH, THERE HEB IS JUST RIGHT THERE BY THE CORNER, UH, ADJACENT TO THE SITE.
UH, THERE'S SOME RESIDENTIAL TO THE EAST OF THE SITE AND THEN SOME RETAIL, UH, TO THE WEST OF THE SITE AND NORTH AS WELL ON NEXT SIDE.
AND WE, WE WENT TO VISIT THIS, THE SITE AS WELL, UH, WITH, UH, CITY MANAGER AND JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME REALLY MATURE TREES ON THIS SITE.
AND THE, THE EXISTING, UH, PROFESSIONAL BUILDING STAYED THERE TO, UH, IS, IS POSSIBLY PLANNED FOR FUTURE USE AS WELL.
THEY, THEY KEPT A MONUMENT, A FLAG MONUMENT ON THE SITE THAT, UH, ST.
MARY WANTED US TO KEEP, UH, AS A REMEMBRANCE OF I, I GUESS THEIR PREVIOUS PRESENCE HERE, HERE AT THE CITY.
UH, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE ACROSS THE GATES BOULEVARD, THE PIONEER PARK THAT, THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE SITE.
AND SO WE MET WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND MUNICIPAL COURT TO GO OVER THEIR CURRENT STAFFING OF ALL THEIR, UH, EMPLOYEES AND ALL THE, ALL THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, ALSO PROJECTING WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE WITHIN THE POLICE ADMIN PART OF IT ITSELF.
AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD 10, 20 YEARS, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE AND WHAT SPACE THEY WOULD NEED, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH SPACE EACH PERSON NEEDS FOR IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN WE ADDED EVERYTHING UP, UH, NEXT PLACE.
AND THEN WE ALSO TOURED SOME OF THE OTHER FACILITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT, UH, SUCH AS, UM, WELL, NO, THIS IS THEIR EXISTING FACILITY.
WE HAD TO SURVEY THEM TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CURRENT SPACES THEY HAVE AND WHAT SIZE THEY ARE.
AND WE INPUT THAT INTO THE SPREADSHEET AS WELL.
AND THEN WE TOURED, UH, OTHER FACILITIES, UH, SUCH AS CONROE POLICE AND LEAGUE CITY POLICE.
AND LOOKING AT WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER THAT WE DESIGNED FOR THEM AND GETTING LESSONS LEARNED AND MEETING WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS HELPFUL AS WELL.
WE THEN MET WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE TO LOOK AT THEIR SPACES AND WHAT WE CALL GAMING, HOW TO GET THEIR OFFICES TOGETHER, WHAT, WHERE DID THEY NEED TO BE, AND JUST PUTTING THE BLOCKS TOGETHER.
AND SO WE KIND OF GET A LAYOUT WHAT THEY NEED FOR EACH DEPARTMENT NEXT PLACE.
AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WORKING WITH THE COURT AND HOW TO GET THEIR SPACES THAT THEY NEED AND HOW THEY, UH, RELATE TO EACH OTHER AND THE COURTS NEXT PLEASE.
AND THEN, UH, WE BLOCKED ALL THEIR SPACES TOGETHER, UM, SO WE CAN GET AN IDEA HOW IT WILL FIT ON THIS NEW GATES BOULEVARD SITE.
SO WE HAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, MUNICIPAL COURT NEXT PLEASE.
AND WE, UH, LOOKED AT THIS PREFERRED SCHEME OF HOW THESE WILL GO ON THE SITE WITH THE POLICE BEING TO THE EAST, UH, TO THE EAST OF THE SITE, AND THE ANIMAL SHELTER LOCATED WHERE IT IS KIND OF AWAY FROM THE RESIDENCES SO IT WOULDN'T, UH, DISTURB THEM AS MUCH.
AND, AND ALSO HOW IT CAN RELATE TO PIONEER PARK.
YOU KNOW, CUZ THIS, I THINK IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, THIS SITE TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, UH, CUZ THERE MIGHT BE FUTURE USES FOR THE PARK AND POSSIBLY TALKING ABOUT, UH, DOG PARK AS WELL IN THAT, IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING, CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT, OKAY, HOW MUCH PARKING DOES EACH DEPARTMENT NEED? ESTIMATING THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND ALSO, YEAH, JUST LOOKING CLOSER AND AT THIS OPTION, UH, HOW, HOW THE TRAFFIC, HOW THE SECURE PARKING COULD WORK IN THIS, ON THIS SITE.
NEXT, THIS JUST A, LIKE A 3D BLOCKING OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE NEXT.
JUST ANOTHER OPTION OF LOOKING AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, FOCUSING ON THAT AND HOW IT COULD POSSIBLY ORIENT DIFFERENTLY ON THIS SITE OR AGONAL TO GATES BOULEVARD NEXT PLACE.
AND SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER 3D VIEW.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE AND WE WELCOME ANY
[00:55:01]
QUESTIONS.IF I'M GONNA BEGIN WITH THE FIRST THING.
I WAS PREPARED TO HEAR A REPORT ON THE ANNA SHELTER.
I WASN'T PREPARED TO HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT ANY FUTURISTIC PLANS OR FUTURE PLANS FOR THAT PROPERTY OR HOWEVER, I'M, I'M MORE THAN SURE YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU WERE ASKED TO DO, BUT WE HAVE SOME INTERNAL SITUATIONS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, AND I'M GONNA JUST SAY IT NOW OPENLY ON THE RECORD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE IN ONE TERM TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN AND IN THE SAME BREATH TALK ABOUT MOVING OFFICES AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES FROM DOWNTOWN.
I CANNOT SUPPORT WHAT YOU'VE JUST GIVEN.
OKAY? I WILL NOT SUPPORT WHAT YOU'VE JUST GIVEN ON THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT I DON'T SUPPORT WHAT YOU'VE JUST GIVEN.
I WAS PREPARED, I AM PREPARED TO HEAR WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO HOUSE OUR ANIMALS TO GIVE OUR ANIMAL SHELTER A BETTER, UH, FACILITY.
THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ADDED, UH, I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
PROBABLY NO ONE ELSE UP HERE MAY HAVE THESE SENTIMENTS, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT ANY SENTIMENT THAT WILL MOVE ANYTHING FROM DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO REDEVELOP, UH, THE CORRIDOR, CORRIDOR IN DOWNTOWN.
AND I THINK IT IS ABSURD FOR THE ADMINISTRATION IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO EVEN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVING FACILITIES FROM DOWNTOWN.
IF WE DO NOT INVEST IN OUR OWN, HOW DO WE EXPECT ANYONE ELSE TO COME IN AND MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN DYING? AND THAT WILL BE EVEN DEAD FURTHER BECAUSE WE REMOVED FOLK FROM HERE.
I JUST WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT.
I AM THE ONLY PERSON HERE THAT MAY THINK LIKE THIS AND FEEL THIS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT CAUSE I WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
THEY, THEY ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THE ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT THEY WERE JUST WANTED TO TELL US HOW IT FITS INTO THE MASTER PLAN FOR THAT SITE.
THE REASON THAT WE ARE MOVING THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS BECAUSE IT IS SUBSTANDARD.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM ON THAT SITE.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCILMAN MARKS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE MAYOR AND HIS SENTIMENTS HERE.
UH, WE DID NOT HAVE, OR HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED ABOUT, UH, A PLAN FOR MOVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IN THOSE BUILDINGS TO ANOTHER SITE.
AGAIN, WE'VE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS NOW WITH THE REVITALIZATION PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN.
UH, MOTIVA HAS ACTUALLY, UH, HALTED, UH, WORK ON THEIR, UH, PROJECT, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING 500 PEOPLE OR SO DOWN HERE.
AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUALLY MOVING, I GUESS ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED OR 200 PEOPLE FROM, FROM DOWN HERE TO, UH, WITHOUT, UH, THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN MADE AWARE OF A PRESENTATION THAT WAS GONNA BE PRESENTED TO US TODAY.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SUPPORT THE MAYOR IN HIS SENTIMENTS.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THE PRESENTATION WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR.
AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS, WE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND REBUILDING OF DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW YOU WERE, YOU'RE HERE TO RESPOND TO WHAT WE ASK OF YOU.
BUT WE CAN, AND PROBABLY THIS STATEMENT IS NOT FOR YOU.
THIS STATEMENT IS TO SAY TO OUR ADMINISTRATION THAT FOR US TO MOVE OUR KEY FACILITIES, NOT THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE REDONE, BUT TO MOVE THEM OUT OF THE AREA WE ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP IS JUST NOT A GOOD PLAN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY OTHER, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR P ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND THE PICTURES THAT I SEE, UH, ANYTHING WOULD BE, UH, I THINK ACCEPTABLE.
UH, MY, MY, ALL OF MY OFFSPRING HAVE BECOME ANIMAL LOVERS.
ALL OF THE ANIMALS I HAD AS A KID AND THEN MY APARTMENTS OF YEARS, THEY LIVED OUTDOORS.
NOW MY, ALL USED OF MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ANIMALS LIVING WITH THEM
[01:00:01]
AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.SO I HAVE, BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR ANIMALS, I HAVE BECOME AN ANIMAL LOVER BECAUSE NOW I HAVE GRAND DOGS AND
AND I APPRECIATE IT AND I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU WANT SOME, SOMETHING BETTER THAN I'M SPEAKING TO MY CHIEF DOG MAN IN PORT ARTHUR
UH, AND HE'S EXPRESSED THIS TO ME SINCE I ARRIVED HERE, UH, THREE YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF, UH, THIS PAIR, WHATEVER WE CAN DO.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SO ADAMANT ABOUT HAVING THIS IS IS THAT BECAUSE THE NEED IS THERE.
IT'S YEAH, THEY'RE BASICALLY IN A CLOSET.
AND, AND, BUT THE, THE, THE CITY MANAGER DID, UH, HAVE A PRO, UH, UM, A RESOLUTION BROUGHT FORWARD TO, UM, TO PREPARE A MASTER PLAN FOR THAT SITE THAT Y'ALL DID APPROVE.
UM, BUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, UM, IS A PART OF THAT SITE.
BUT OUR PROCESS, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS ACTUALLY.
BUT NOW THE ANIMAL SHELTER ON THAT SITE YEAH.
I CAN SUPPORT THE ANIMAL SHELTER ON THAT THING.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING ANIMAL SHELTER FOR, WHAT, THREE YEARS NOW? THREE YEARS IN ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO I WOULD THINK ONE, ONE I WOULD BE BUILT BY NOW, BUT IT'S BEEN SINCE 2012.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET SOMETHING THERE LONG.
SO WE, I I SUPPORT PUTTING IT ON THAT SITE.
BUT, UH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, MARK AND INGRAM HOMES, WE HAD DISCUSSED NOTHING ABOUT MOVING ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, IT WASN'T ACTUALLY A, BUT LET'S DO ONE THING AT A TIME.
DO THAT ON THE SHELTER AND THAT SITE, WE COULD ALWAYS GO LET DISCUSS SOMETHING ELSE.
LET'S GET THE SHELTER BUILT IN THAT SITE.
DIDN, DISCUSS SOMETHING ELSE LATER.
THE, THE MA THE MASTER PLAN IS JUST A PROPOSAL.
BUT LET'S FORGET ABOUT MASTER PLAN.
LET'S FORGET ABOUT BUILDING ON THE SHELTER.
UH, HE HAD ONE OTHER COMMENT, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS TOO MUCH, BUT, SO YES.
SO, UH, WE, WE DO HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT LATER TO APPROVE GOING INTO FINAL DESIGN ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UH, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF WORK LEFT TO DO STILL FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENT, WHICH WAS THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO I THINK WE STILL NEED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FINALIZE THE OPTION ON THAT SITE.
I THINK WE FOUND THE, THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR IT TO ALLOW FOR YOU TO HAVE SOME FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON THAT SITE, WHATEVER IT IS.
SO THAT, THAT WAS, UH, KIND OF OUR GOAL IS, IS JUST LET'S FIND THE RIGHT SPOT FOR IT.
AND WHETHER YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S YOUR PROPERTY NOW, RIGHT? YES.
SO, SO, UH, WHETHER IT'S POLICE OR FIRE OR, OR COURTS, UH, OR SOMETHING ELSE, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE ON THAT SITE.
UH, COUNCIL MCKINLEY, UH, I SEE THIS, THIS APPEARS TO BE THAT YOU'RE MUTED.
CAN, CAN YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, UH, AND ADDRESS THE, UH, PRESENTERS.
I KNOW HE TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD BE TUNING IN AND HE MAY BE DRIVING, SO DON'T TELL US YOU'RE DRIVING.
SO, SO HE HAS HIMSELF TO DO LIKE A STAR SIX.
BUT HE HAS, UH, HE REQUESTED THE REPORT.
AND, UH, AND YOU SAID THAT THERE'S SOMEWHERE ON THE AGENDA FOR AS TO, UH, VOTE FOR THE FINAL PORTIONS OF THE PLAN FOR THE ANIMALS SHELTER AT THAT SITE.
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ANY OPPOSITION FROM THAT.
UM, THE INTENT OF THE PRESENTATION AS REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN KING LAW IS TO PRO, WAS TO PROVIDE A STATUS UPDATE ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND A FUTURISTIC, A FUTURISTIC VIEW AND POTENTIAL OF THE SITE.
THERE IS NOTHING BINDING TO SEE THAT WE ARE COMMITTING THE COUNSELOR AT THIS POINT TO DO ANYTHING, BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, COUNSELORS GIVING US THE MATCH IN ORDER TO GET THE ANIMAL SHELTER DONE AND TO LOOK 20 OR 30 OR 40 YEARS DOWN THE SIDE.
BUT IT'S A COUNCIL'S DECISION IS, IS ULTIMATELY
[01:05:01]
GOING TO BE A COUNCIL'S DECISION, WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO USE THE PROPERTY FOR.WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE IDEAS AND WORK WITH THE COUNCIL AS TO WHAT IT WANTS OUT THERE, BUT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW HOW MUCH PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE AND TO LOOK FUTURISTICALLY INTO THE FUTURE FOR THE NEXT 20 OR 30 YEARS AS TO WHAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED.
SO WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT BINDING THE COUNCIL'S HAND, OR WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT PUTTING ANY PLANS FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE AN INPUT.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICY ASPECT AND THAT WE WILL LET THE COUNCIL CONTINUE TO HAVE ITS INPUT INTO ABSOLUTELY, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.
BUT AGAIN, THE, THE, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF IT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER PART OF IT, AND FUTURISTICALLY FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DOWN THE LINE, THE POTENTIAL THEREOF.
[III.B.4. A Presentation By Foundation 99 And Staff Regarding Financial Wellness]
NOW WE ARE READY TO MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, PRESENTATION BY FOUNDATION 99 AND AND STAFF REGARDING FINANCIAL WELLNESS.THE CITY MANAGER HAS INDICATED IN THE COUNCIL HAS AMPLIFIED THE CONCEPT THAT THE MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR POSSESSES ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT IT EMPLOYS.
AND SO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS, MS. WILLIAMS AND THE REST OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WILL BE UNVEILING SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO DIRECTLY AND POSITIVELY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES.
TODAY WE HAVE WITH US MR. MARCUS CORMIER.
MR. CORMIER IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF FOUNDATION 99, WHICH HAS A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING A PROGRAM WHICH IS GOING TO HELP WITH THE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND AWARENESS OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT COMES TO THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY AT NO COST.
SO AT THIS TIME, I ASK MR. CORMIER TO COME FORWARD AND TO INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM TO THE COUNCIL.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME DOING A PANEL, SO IF I, UH, GO OFF BASE, FEEL FREE TO KIND OF REEL ME BACK IN.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? TURN THE TIME ON.
THEY WANT YOU, UH, UH, PRESENT YOURSELF WITH YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS MARCUS CORMIER, AND I AM ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD FOR FOUNDATION 99, UM, IN OUR HOUSTON AREA.
UH, FOUNDATION 99 IS A NON-PROFIT THAT WAS STARTED BACK IN 2019 FROM IN, IT IS BASED OUT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, WE ARE A, WE HAVE A FOR-PROFIT FIRM THAT IS A FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM WHERE WE WORK WITH PRIVATE WEALTH, AND THEN WE ALSO WORK WITH, UH, A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE TEXAS AREA WITH SUPERINTENDENTS AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE RETIREMENT PLANNING, UH, SERVICES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND ALSO, UH, RETIREMENT PLANNING ADVICE FOR SUPERINTENDENTS AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES WITHIN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, AND THEY'RE CORRECTING ME, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE A PRESENTER AND NOT A SPEAKER, BUT I WAS APPLYING IT IN PROBABLY AN INCORRECT MANNER.
YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, YOU'VE GIVEN YOUR NAME.
OH, OUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS IS 900 SOUTH CAPITAL TEXAS HIGHWAY SUITE THREE 50 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH DR.
DICK PEN AND MRS. WILLIAMS ON WORKING TO BRING FOUNDATION 99 TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ONE OF OUR, WE HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS, ONE OF THEM BEING BUN B, UH, BERNIE, UH, FREEMAN, WHICH IS A OBVIOUSLY, UH, IF EVERYONE KNOWS HERE, HE IS A, A PROMINENT RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND ME AND HIM HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE I JOINED FOUNDATION 99 IN TRYING TO WORK WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION FOR, UH, FOR, FOR A LOT OF THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL PLANNERS OR FINANCIAL ADVISORS.
UM, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE.
AND WE CAME ACROSS FOUNDATION 99 THROUGH MY EMPLOYMENT WITH THE FOR-PROFIT FIRM, AND DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO PUT ALL OF OUR RESOURCES INTO FOUNDATION 99, UM, AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE CAN WORK WITH WITHIN HOUSTON.
AND WHEN WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, UH, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH DR.
TPE, UH, WE, LIKE, LIKE HE ALSO MENTIONED, IT IS GONNA BE A FREE SERVICE THAT WE DO PROVIDE.
SO THE PRIMARY GOAL REALLY, UH,
[01:10:01]
REALLY HIGH LEVEL IS WE WANT TO WORK WITH FAMILIES, UM, UH, FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, THOSE THAT DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES, UH, TO NECESSARILY SEEK OUT A FINANCIAL PLANNER, SEEK OUT A FINANCIAL ADVISOR, OR THOSE THAT JUST DON'T KNOW, UH, HOW THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM SITTING DOWN WITH ONE AND WORKING ON THEIR OVERALL FINANCIAL EDUCATION, FINANCIAL GOALS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE.UM, SO I WILL, I'LL STOP THERE AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, FOR ME SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR WHAT THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES, UM, MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
MISS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. COMIER? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO, MR. COMIER, CONNECT THE DOTS FOR ME.
SO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS THAT FOUNDATION 99 WOULD SIT DOWN WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND ADDRESS WITH THEM THE FINANCIAL CONCERNS, FUTURISTICALLY FOR THEIR PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THEIR LEGACY, THEIR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, ALL OF THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE HOLISTICALLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOUNDATION I NINE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DREW ME AND BOND TO WORKING WITH THEM MORE CLOSELY IS A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN GET UP AND DO YOUTUBE VIDEOS OR INSTAGRAM VIDEOS, SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEOS FOR 30 MINUTES, TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY, UH, HAVE PEOPLE TUNE IN, AND THEN AS SOON AS THEY LOG OFF, HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND IF THAT INFORMATION WAS ACTUALLY RECEIVED THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO? HOW DO WE KNOW IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE ADVICE GIVEN? SO, FOUNDATION 99, OUR GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY, WE, UH, WE HAVE COACHES ON STAFF.
I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF THE COACHES, UM, THAT VOLUNTEERS TIME TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THE ADVICE AND HOLDING, UH, THE FAMILIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
SO IF YOU'RE WORKING ON, YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR DEBT, TRYING TO BRING IT DOWN, IF YOU'RE WORKING ON SAVINGS, IF YOU'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO BUILD UP YOUR RETIREMENT PORTFOLIO, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, UH, YOU HAVE A COACH THAT'S ACTUALLY WORKING WITH YOU WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, MONTH IN AND MONTH OUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER ADVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, YOU'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEXT STEPS IN IMPLEMENTING IT, WE'RE HERE TO, TO GUIDE YOU AND HELP HOLD YOU INTO THAT NEXT STEP.
UH, THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO GET, UH, THE, THE, THE FAMILIES THAT WE WORK FOR.
A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PAST, MAJORITY OF OUR FAMILIES ARE LIVING CHECK TO CHECK, AND WE WANT TO GET THEM FROM A POINT WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER LIVING CHECK TO CHECK, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING FROM WHAT WE CALL SURVIVING TO THRIVING.
UH, BRINGING THEM TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THAT NEXT $10 AND PUT IT INTO SOME SORT OF SAVINGS, PUT IT INTO SOME SORT OF RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, UM, AND JUST PROVIDE THEM WITH THE, THE NECESSARY INFORMATION SO THEY CAN MAKE THE, THE RIGHT DECISIONS FINANCIALLY.
AND THAT GOES WITH, YOU KNOW, HUSBAND, WIFE, IT GOES WITH KIDS, IT GOES WITH WHATEVER THE SCENARIO IS.
UH, WE HAVE, I TYPICALLY HAVE KIDS THAT DEPENDING ON THE AGE, COME TO THE MEETING SO THEY CAN LEARN EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING TO THE PARENTS ABOUT, WHAT WE'RE EDUCATING THEM AS WELL, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE LEARNING TOO.
UH, THE, OUR BIGGEST THING IS THAT IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
IF YOU, IF WE DON'T PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION UNTIL YOU'RE 25 OR 30 YEARS OLD, THEN YOU'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE CURVE.
IF WE CAN PROVIDE THAT ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION AT 13 OR 14 OR 15, THEN OUR, THEN OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT.
MR. CARER, YOU MET WITH WHOM? UH, WHO YOU MET WITH THE CITY? OH, YEAH, DR.
DICK PENN SO FAR, AND MRS. WILLIAMS. OKAY.
I, I'M IMPRESSED, UH, OF THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK, UH, CITY OFFICIALS, CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD HAVE OTHER WAYS, MEANS TO SEE HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR MONEY, THEIR FINANCES, YOU KNOW, AT THIS DAY AND TIME.
CAUSE ME BEING OLD SCHOOL, ALL MY MONEY'S, ALL MY MONEY IN THE SHOEBOX IN MY BACKYARD.
I DON'T HAVE NO
SO MINE SHOEBOX IN THE BACKYARD.
SO, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT THE PARTIES SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN MAKE UP, THEIR OWN MIND.
UH, IF THEY WANT WANT, IF MR. TH PEN PRESS, IF WILLIAM PRESS, I THINK YOU SHOULD TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER, HAVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYEES, YOU TALK TO THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE GOT HIDE IDEA IN THE BACKYARD.
JUST DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT.
ANY OTHERS? OH, OKAY, MR. CARER.
JUST, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN MARKETED TO YOU.
I KNOW MR. CARER, UH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT JUST ONE QUESTION.
I KNOW YOUR NONPROFIT, BUT THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT'S PUT INTO A PROJECT LIKE THIS, WHAT, UH, BENEFIT ARE, IS YOUR ORGANIZATION GOING TO RECEIVE? AND YOU SAID IT'S GONNA BE AT NO COST TO US.
SO, SO HOW DO YOU GENERATE, UH, REVENUE FOR YOUR FIRM
[01:15:01]
IF YOU'RE DOING THIS AT NO COST? WELL, WE GENERATE REVENUE FOR IN, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU MEAN THE FOR PROFIT SIDE OR THE NON-PROFIT? YOU TALKED IN RAV WORKING WITH OUR, OUR CITY OFFICIALS IS GONNA BE THE NONPROFIT SIDE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, RIGHT? CORRECT, ABSOLUTELY.AND, AND THE ADVICE AND THE, THE TIME THAT YOU SPEND WITH OUR PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA CHARGE OUR CITY ANY MONEY FOR THAT? CORRECT.
SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU GENERATE REVENUE IF YOU DOING THIS AT NO COST? WELL, WE, WE DON'T, WE, WE RAISE FUNDS, OBVIOUSLY, JUST LIKE ANY NON-PROFIT DOES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THOSE FUNDS ARE TURNED AROUND AND THEN PASSED OFF TO HIRE FULL-TIME COACHES THAT THEIR ONLY JOB IS TO BE FINANCIAL COACHES FOR THE NON-PROFIT SIDE.
UM, FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, AND A FEW OTHER ADVISORS, UH, ON THE FOR-PROFIT SIDE THAT VOLUNTEER OUR TIME, WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING.
WE DON'T GET PAID ANYTHING FROM THE FOUNDATION.
I PERSONALLY DON'T GET PAID ANYTHING FROM THE FOUNDATION, UH, TO SIT ON THE BOARD TO WORK WITH FAMILIES.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT I DO COACHING FOR CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT'S JUST LIKE ANY NONPROFIT AND THE, THE, IT'S ONLY AS STRONG AS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, WHAT THE NONPROFIT IS ABOUT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT.
IT'S SOMETHING BUN'S PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, EVERYBODY, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE TOP DOWN FROM THE ORGANIZATION IS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE FOUNDATION 99 TAKE OFF AND GO INTO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUT WE'RE ALREADY IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT TEXAS AS WELL.
UM, SO AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO GET DONATIONS AND CONTINUE TO RAISE FUNDS, UM, THEN WE'RE GONNA OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AT NO COST.
THAT IS ALWAYS GONNA BE THE GOAL.
UM, AND ALL OF OUR COACHES ARE GONNA GET PAID SPECIFICALLY JUST TO COACH.
AND WE DON'T WANT, YOU DON'T HONESTLY WANT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WHERE YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF, UH, ADVISORS LIKE MYSELF THAT ARE ALL, THAT ARE THE ONLY, UH, PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA GET, YOU KNOW, THE SCHEDULES ARE NOT GONNA WORK OUT.
SO WE WANT SOMEONE THAT, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
ME AND BON WERE HAVING, WE WERE HAVING THE PROBLEM WHERE WE DON'T KNOW HOW WE WERE GOING TO, TO EXPAND IT BEYOND JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOUTUBE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND WORK WITH THE FAMILIES.
AND ONCE FOUNDATION 99 CAME ABOARD, UM, AND THEY PROVIDED THAT INSIGHT TO US, THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
SO, YEAH, SO THERE'S NO, IN TERMS OF REVENUE, YOU KNOW, I SAID ALL THE MONEY THAT WE BRING IN IS GONNA BE USED TO PAY THE COACHES, BUT THEN ALSO USED TO, TO DO OTHER THINGS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE, THAT WE SERVE IN AS WELL.
WE, YOU KNOW, MYSELF AND BON ARE ALSO DOING, YOU KNOW, STUFF WITH CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON FOR BIKE DRIVES FOR CHRISTMAS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF REVENUE FOR OURSELF PERSONALLY, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE FOCUS ON OR WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
LET ME TRY CLEAR SOMETHING UP.
MAYBE HELP COUNCILMAN MARKS, YOU SAID NO CHARGE TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOW, I'M SURE IF YOU HAD 200 EMPLOYEES WANTED TO BUY INTO YOUR PROGRAM, I'M SURE YOU'LL CHARGE SOME KIND OF FEE TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AM I CORRECT? SO TYPICALLY THE, THE FEE IS IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T HAVE DONATIONS, UH, ENOUGH TO COVER, IF WE'RE, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, GOING INTO THE PORT ARTHUR OF TEXAS, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO COVER THE, THE TWO YEARS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, PROVIDING THE SERVICES, THEN THE, THE TYPICAL FEE FOR PER EMPLOYEE IS $10 PER EMPLOYEE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
THAT COST MOST, THAT'S A TYPICAL FEE FOR WHEN WE GO INTO THE, THE DISTRICT.
SO GO INTO A CITY, IT'S A $10 PER EMPLOYEE, BUT LIKE, BUT LIKE WE SAID, THE FEE IS COMPLETELY TAKEN CARE OF FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND AT THE TIME WHEN IT ENDS WHERE, WHERE IT RUNS OUT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO STILL LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES.
LIKE I SAID, SINCE WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2019, IN THE VERY EARLY AGES OF, OF NON-PROFIT WORK.
AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, IF YOU'RE A PART OF ANYA, IT IS, THE BIG PART IS RAISING FUNDS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE WANT.
UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO GET RECOGNITION, AS WE CONTINUE TO GO TO MORE CITIES AND MORE COMMUNITIES, UM, AND THEY CONTINUE TO SEE THE WORK WE DO, OUR GOAL IS TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO BRING IN DONORS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO FREE FOR WHOMEVER, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT THANK YOU, MR. COME FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND, UH, PASS A MESSAGE ON THE BERNARD FOR ME, PLEASE.
THAT I STILL WAITING ON MY, UH, TRAIL BURGER
I WILL MAKE SURE I, YOU KNOW WHAT, I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I CALLED HIM BERNARD.
AS SOON, AS SOON AS WE, AS SOON AS WE ROLL OUT EVERYTHING IN JANUARY, I SPOKE TO HIM A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.
[01:20:01]
OUR GOAL IS TO, TO HAVE HIM COME OUT AT SOME POINT WHEN WE DO A KIND OF A FULL ROLLOUT AND HAVE AS MANY EMPLOYEES THERE, UH, TO DO KIND OF A MEET AND GREET AS WELL.SO HE'S, HE'S ALWAYS OPEN TO STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO GET HIM DOWN HERE.
[III.B.5. A Presentation By The Port Arthur Quasquicentennial (125th Anniversary) Celebration Committee. Representatives, Ms. Verna Rutherford, Ms. Pat Avery, Dr. Albert T. Thigpen And Dr. Sam Monroe]
PRESENTATION IS BY THE PORT ARTHUR QUEST CENTENNIAL.FOR THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COMMITTEE, UH, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE, MISS VERNER RUTHERFORD, MISS UH, PAT AVERY, DR.
AND MIGHT I ADD THAT, UH, CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF, OR EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE? WE WERE AT THE EXACT, THE INITIAL MEETING, UH, OF, OF THE COMMITTEES.
MAYOR, LET ME ALSO ADD THAT, UM, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE BUDGETED $25,000, UM, TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMPANY, RIGHT? YEP.
I WOULD ASSUME YOU ALL WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
OKAY, MAYOR, MY NAME IS AL THIGPEN.
MY ADDRESS IS 8 28 EAST 11TH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND I'M HERE TODAY AND OUR TEAM, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ARRAYED IN GOLD AND WHITE, WHICH ARE THE OFFICIAL COLORS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE ALSO WANNA KNOW FOR THE RECORDS, THAT'S THE OFFICIAL COLORS OF GEORGIA TECH.
BUT WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE REPRESENT THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE QUAL QUIN CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE CELEBRATION TEAM.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH THE INEVITABLE VERNA RUTHERFORD AND THE OUTSTANDING MS. PAT AVERY, AND WE ARE HERE TO INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF THE QUIN CENTENNIAL AND WHAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE ON NEXT YEAR.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA LET MS. RUTH COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE HERSELF AS WELL AS THE CELEBRATION TEAM.
AND MY NAME IS VERNA RUTHERFORD, AND I RESIDE AT 81 38 HEATHER BROOK TRAIL IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND PROUD TO, UH, TO BE A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR REALLY ALL MY LIFE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I'D LIKE, UH, TO CALL ON PAT AVERY, AND SHE CAN INTRODUCE HERSELF.
I'D LIVE AT 30 35 LAKE ARTHUR DRIVE, AND ALSO IN HOUSTON TOO.
SALMON ROWE IS UNABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY, HOWEVER, HE IS THE FOURTH MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, UH, MAYOR BART AND, UM, UH, CITY MANAGER BURTON, YOU MET WITH PAT AND I, I GUESS BACK IN JULY OR AUGUST, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT, UH, WE ASKED, UH, OR PAT ASKED FOR, UH, PERMISSION FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO, UH, PREPARE THE CELEBRATION PLANS FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THOUGHT THAT WAS A GENEROUS OFFER, THAT THE CHAMBER WAS WILLING TO DO THAT, AND EVEN MORE GENEROUS FOR, UM, THE CITY OFFICIALS TO FEEL THAT YOU COULD TRUST THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO DO THAT.
OF COURSE, WE LISTENED INTENTLY TO YOUR IDEAS, AND YOU HAD A LOT OF THEM.
YOU HAD A LOT MORE THAN WE KIND OF SAT THERE THINKING THAT WE WERE GOING TO, TO DO.
UM, BUT IT'S EXCITING, AND WE'VE SPENT THE LAST FEW MONTHS LISTENING AND BRINGING IN PARTNERS TO WORK WITH US.
UH, AND WE ARE EXCITED NOW TO KNOW THAT THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO COME TO, INTO FRUITION.
I THINK THE BEST ASSET THAT YOU ADDED TO THE TEAM WAS OUR GOOD FRIEND, DR.
THIGPEN, WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY.
UH, AND HE BECAME, I GUESS, A MORE FULL-TIME, UH, PROBABLY 150% FULL-TIME, UH, CITY EMPLOYEE SINCE THAT FIRST TIME THAT WE DISCUSSED HIM BEING, UH, WORKING WITH YOU FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
UH, AGAIN, IT IS AN EXCITING TIME.
THE CUSCO CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION IS, UH, ONE THAT LENDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BRING IN A DIVERSE BLEND OF, UH, COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES, CITIZENS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, IS TO BRING IN THAT RICH, THAT BLEND OF THE RICH CULTURE AND HISTORY, UH, AND HELP TO SHARE WHAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST 125 YEARS IN, IN THIS CITY, UH, WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE NOW AND WHO WILL BE HERE LONG BEFORE US.
BECAUSE A FEW OF US WHO WERE ON THE, UH, CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE PROBABLY WON'T BE HERE FOR THE NEXT 25 FIFTH CELEBRATION.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BRING IN YOUTH AND TO EDUCATE THE YOUTH, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT'S INCORPORATED IN, INTO THE PLANS.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE, OR THE CELEBRATION PLAN, IS TO,
[01:25:01]
UH, LEVERAGE EXISTING, UH, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS SO THAT WE CAN BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE, BUT TO ADD SOME NEW EVENTS, SOME OF WHICH YOU PRESENTED TO US AS SUGGESTIONS, SOME COST, A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, AND SOME COST, A LOT OF MONEY.SO WITH THAT, UH, DOWN THE LINE, WE'LL BE, UM, GETTING OUR, OUR FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE HEAVILY ACTIVATED.
UM, BUT AS THE FOUR OF US THEN, UH, DR.
MONROE AND I STARTED TALKING, THEN WE REALLY STARTED KNOWING THAT AS WE BROUGHT IN ALL OF THE OTHER PLAYERS, WE WANTED TO LEAVE ROOM TO HEAR THEIR IDEAS.
AND IT IS AMAZING AND IMPRESSIVE, THE NUMBER OF, UM, NEW IDEAS AND INTERESTED PARTIES JUST TODAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
UM, I'VE GOTTEN TWO CALLS FROM TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE IDEAS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT AND TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
UH, AND, UH, AS WE WERE MAKING CALLS FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING THERE, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND.
ONE OF WHICH IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT, AND, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING PLANNED FOR THE CELEBRATION, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA STEAL THE THUNDER OF THAT PLAN.
IS IT UN IS IT UNROLLS DOWN THE LINE? BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WAS PARTICULARLY INTRIGUING WAS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE CITY HISTORICAL MARKERS ALL OVER THE CITY, AND WE ALL DRIVE BY THEM, AND WE DON'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT'S ON THEM, YOU KNOW? SO INITIALLY PAT ASKED ME TO SNAP A PICTURE OF THE ONE OVER AT THE, UH, UH, SEAFARER CENTER.
SO THE KANSAS CITY, UM, RAILROAD RAIL, UH, HISTORICAL MARKER BACK OVER AT THE OLD KANSAS CITY DEPOT.
UH, IF YOU STOP AND LOOK AND READ IT, THEN YOU JUST REALLY GET THIS WARM FEELING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT DAY, WHEN, WHEN THE CITY, THE TRAIN ROLLED INTO TOWN, AND IN THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR CITY, UM, EVOLVED FROM THERE.
AND THOSE MARKERS ARE EVERYWHERE.
WE'VE GOT SOME EXCITING IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY, UM, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN BRING THAT TO LIFE, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE NOTICE THOSE MARKERS AND UNDERSTAND AND, AND KNOW WHAT'S ON THEM.
THINK ABOUT MS. DOROTHY INGRAM IN HER PICTURE THERE AT THE ELEVATOR.
UM, AS YOU GET OFF THE ELEVATOR HERE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR, UH, WHAT A DELIGHTFUL LADY.
WHAT A LADY FULL OF SPUN AND, AND JUST, SHE, SHE MENTORED SO MANY OF US.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO HER SCHOOL, BUT I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE DID HAVE THAT PLEASURE FOR ME, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, THE, THE, THE FIRST DAY ONE OF OUR PASTORS, UM, IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CAME TO TOWN, SHE ASKED ME AS A 22 OR 23 YEAR OLD TO SPEAK AND GIVE SOME WELCOMING COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, THINK BACK ON THAT, THAT IS MENTORING, THAT IS DEVELOPING ME.
THAT IS GETTING SOMEONE WHO SHE HELPED TAKE AS A YOUNG LADY OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE TO DO SOMETHING.
I'M GETTING CHILLS THINKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE FOR THOSE OF US WHO KNOW OR WHO KNEW, UM, MISS, UM, MS. INGRAM, WE KNEW THAT WE DIDN'T SAY NO TO HER.
SO I HAD TO DO IT, AND I BETTER DO IT, RIGHT? SO
THIG P I THINK PAT AND I BOTH OWE HIM AN APOLOGY.
HE REALLY WANTED US TO WEAR GOLD AND WHITE, BUT WE EITHER HAD SOMETHING SHINY THAT WAS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR CITY COUNCIL, OR WE HAD A WARM SWEATER, OR IN PAT'S CASE, A VERY, UH, COOL SUMMER DRESS.
SO HERE WE ARE, REGULAR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF BEING THE GOLDEN GIRLS THAT DR.
UM, SERIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
PAT'S GOT SOME EXCITING NEWS ABOUT ONE OF THE FIRST, WELL, I GUESS THE KICKOFF EVENT THAT THAT IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT, AND THEN WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AND, AND GET YOUR INPUT.
AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY.
SO JUST LET US KNOW AS YOU THINK OF IDEAS.
SEND US AN EMAIL, SEND US A TEXT, OR GIVE US A CALL.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT IT.
AND EVEN BETTER, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD JUST A FEW WHO ARE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND UP IF YOU ARE SERVING ON THE CELEBRATION TEAM AND THE CHAMBER, AND YES, PLEASE DO.
AND, BUT THE, THE LIST IS COMPRISED OF, I THINK WE HAVE 32 PEOPLE NOW, AND THEY ARE VERY HIGHLY REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANTED TO START WITH, UM, LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AND ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW THAT THE ALL AMERICA CITY WAS, WAS KIND OF THE, THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION MARKER, IF YOU WILL.
UH, THAT, THAT CELEBRATION AT THAT TIME, THE HUNDREDTH YEAR CENTENNIAL, THERE WERE THE BOOKS THAT WERE WRITTEN ABOUT THE HISTORY UP UNTIL THAT POINT.
AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE 50TH.
I WASN'T HERE AT THAT TIME, OR I WASN'T OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW ABOUT IT IF I WAS.
SO, UM, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS.
THIGPEN TALKED TO, UH, STEVEN WILLIAMS AT THE LIBRARY.
[01:30:01]
WITH A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.UH, IF WE HAD, HAVE EVEN TRIED TO OPEN EVERY BOOK AND FILE, WE WOULD'VE BEEN THERE FOR THE FULL YEAR LOOKING THROUGH.
SO WE WERE WISE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT WE NEEDED TO PULL IN HISTORICAL RESOURCES, UH, THAT KNOW THAT INFORMATION AT, YOU KNOW, THE TIP OF THEIR TONGUE.
AND SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT, MM, I GUESS ABOUT 12 OF OUR CELEBRATION TEAM MEMBERS WHO WE, WE CONSIDER OUR HISTORICAL ADVISORS.
YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT TWO OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, OR TWO OF THOSE HISTORICAL ADVISORS ARE TWO VERY YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG LADIES THAT WORK FOR YOU AT THE LIBRARY.
AND SO, IN ADDITION TO STEVEN AND WHAT HE DOES, HE'S GOT THIS, THIS TEAM THAT'S GOT A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF CARRYING FORWARD THAT HISTORY THAT YVONNE SUTHERLAND, UH, PROBABLY BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE VERY EARLIEST DAYS THAT LESLIE MCMAHON IS CARRYING FORWARD.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE GET THE YOUTH OF, OF THE CITY INVOLVED.
AND SO, AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH DR.
UM, PORTERIE AND, AND ALSO WITH CHRISTIE HYDE AS THE CIVILIAN PAST SUPERINTENDENT, WILL BE INVOLVING SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, UH, IT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO NOT JUST, UM, CELEBRATE AND PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR, BUT TO EDUCATE SO THAT THOSE COMING BEHIND US WILL BE ABLE TO BE STANDING HERE IN 25 AND 50 YEARS, UM, WITH THAT.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TAKE A BREAK AND I'M GONNA ASK AND KNOW PAT'S GOT SOME INFORMATION SHE'D LIKE TO SHARE.
WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCREEN, I HAD THIS, UH, LOGO DESIGN FOR MY ANNUAL BANQUET TO SALUTE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S OVER THE BRIDGE.
YOU'VE GOT YOUR BIRDS, YOU GOT YOUR REFINERY IN THE BACKGROUND, AND YOU GOT A SHIP COMING OUT OF THERE.
SO WE TRIED TO CAPTURE EVERYTHING, UH, THAT IS NEEDED.
UH, JANUARY 26TH IS THE ANNUAL BANQUET, WHICH SALUTES THE CITY.
I TELL YOU THAT I AM ALMOST SOLD OUT ALREADY.
IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, UM, ANNUAL BANQUET WE'VE EVER HAD.
AND SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, WE, UH, WE PLAN TO DO SOMETHING EVERY MONTH AT THE, AT THE CHAMBER, AT A LUNCHEON OR BREAKFAST, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY HISTORIC, UM, CITY IN OUR STATE.
UH, THE, LET'S SEE, I'M WORKING WITH DR.
I BEEN WORKING FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS NOW TO REDESIGN, TO DUPLICATE THE, THE PORT ARTHUR FLAG.
AND WE FINALLY GOT A FINAL DRAFT.
UH, MAY I REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID.
I, I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT QUITE A LOT WHEN, UH, I WAS LIKE LOOKING AT THE HOCKEY THINGS AND AMERICANS HAD THEIR, THEIR FLAG TIED AROUND THEM.
UH, THE MAYOR HAD INDICATED HE'D LOVE TO SEE KIDS IN PORT ARTHUR, UH, DUPLICATE THAT.
UH, THIS, UH, A LOGO WAS DESIGNED BY ERIC SULLIVAN.
AND WE HAVE, I'VE GIVEN, UH, DR.
THICK PEN, ABOUT 10 COPIES OF OTHER ONES THAT, UM, THAT YOU ALL MAY WANNA CONSIDER, UH, AS THE LOGO FOR THIS YEAR, BIG CELEBRATION.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE COMMITTEE IS REALLY EXCITED.
AND, UM, THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOTTA SAY.
UH, WELL, THE FINAL THING WE'D LIKE THE, THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE AWAY AND TAKE BACK TO YOUR VARIOUS DISTRICTS IS THE MESSAGE OF INCLUSION.
THAT THIS IS THE HUNDRED 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THE GOAL OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO INCLUDE ALL ASPECTS OF THAT HISTORY SO THAT WE ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF NOT ONLY WHAT PORT ARTHUR WAS, WHAT IT HAS BECOME, AND WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT BEING.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY BEARING GIFTS.
WE HAVE A BOOK, WHICH IS CALLED, I HAD A HUNCH, WHICH IS A BOOK WRITTEN BY ARTHUR STILLWELL AND TALKS ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF PORT ARTHUR IN HOW HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE HIS DREAM INTO A REALITY.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT YEAR.
WE HAVE EVENTS THAT ARE PLANNED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE QUIN CENTENNIAL.
AND AS THE BOOKS ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, LISTENING TO YOUR QUESTIONS IN CASE THERE'S ANY INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU.
LISTEN, EXCITED ABOUT THE QUIN CENTENNIAL, UH, THAT, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, AND CELEBRATING, AND SO GRATEFUL, UH, WANT EVERYBODY
[01:35:01]
TO KNOW.UH, PORT ARTHUR IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PLACE, UH, TO BE FROM.
UM, AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A PLACE WHERE DREAMS CAN COME TRUE.
I TRULY FEEL THAT WAY, THAT PORT ARTHUR IS A PLACE WHERE DREAMS CAN COME TRUE FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDREN, UH, AND ALL, UH, THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD WANT AND DESIRE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TO DO.
UH, OF COURSE, AS A COUNCIL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TO DO AS CITIZENS OF OUR, OF OUR TOWN.
AS YOU WORK, AS ALL OF YOU WORK, UH, WITH THE CHAMBER, UH, WITH STAKEHOLDERS, WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING, WE JUST GOT BACK FROM, UH, TOTAL AND THE GREAT CELEBRATION THAT WAS GOING ON OUT THERE.
AND, UH, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SIT WITH AN, UH, A MAN FROM AUSTRIA, UH, AT OUR TABLE.
AND WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT HIS COUNTRY AND WHAT HE SEES AND HOW PORT ARTHUR IS.
HE WAS VERY IMPRESSED, UH, WITH OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT PORT ARTHUR IS A GLOBAL CITY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GLOBAL CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, WE TALK ABOUT NEW NEW YORK, WE TALK ABOUT LOS ANGELES AND ALL OF THESE OTHER CITIES, BUT PORT ARTHUR IS A GLOBAL CITY, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF MINDSET AND THAT KIND OF UNDERSTANDING.
BUT WE HAVE THE BLESSING OF NOT ONLY BEING A GLOBAL CITY, BUT BEING A COMMUNITY CITY.
UH, WE MEET EACH OTHER WHEREVER WE GO, WHETHER WE'RE IN KANSAS CITY OR NEW YORK, OR WHERE IN FLORIDA, WHEREVER WE GO, WE MEET PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR AND EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY FROM PORT ARTHUR.
AND THAT'S THAT SENSE OF BEING, UH, HOME WHEN YOU MEET SOMEBODY FROM PORT ARTHUR.
SO TO, FOR HAVING OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THAT.
AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PORT ARTHUR, THE FIRST PLACE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WHERE K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS WERE, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY IN, UH, THE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAS THE MOST SUPER BOWLS, WE'VE GOT SO MUCH THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND WE'RE READY TO LET THE PARTY START.
SO, UH, GW BAILEY, WHO IS A PORT ARTHUR NATIVE HOLLYWOOD STAR IS GOING TO BE OUR SPEAKER AT THE, AT OUR ANNUAL BANQUET.
PORTERIE WILL, WILL RECEIVE THE ARTHUR EAST STILLWELL AWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE? WELL, I WANT, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AS ME UP THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND AS AN EX OIT MEMBER OF THIS GREAT, GREAT BODY THAT'S, UH, PREPARING THE, UH, CELEBRATORY, UH, FUNCTIONS FOR THE CHOIR QUIZ CENTENNIAL.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNEW I COULD GET IT.
WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, I WENT TO CLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE MISS DARING WAS THE PRINCIPAL AND MISS SYLVIA MARTIN TAUGHT PHONICS, AND IF I CAN HEAR YOU, AND I CAN SPELL WHAT I NEED TO SPELL, AND THERE ARE PHONICS THAT YOU LEARNED EVERY DAY AND YOU REPEATED EVERY DAY.
I JUST CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT IF YOU WOULD ADD ABOUT ANOTHER 10 YEARS, ALMOST TO THAT, OR MAYBE SEVEN OR EIGHT, IS WHEN I ACTUALLY BEGAN TO LEARN PHONETIC SOUNDS IN PORT ARTHUR SCHOOLS.
AND THAT I USE TODAY AT 68 YEARS OLD TO, UH, REVEREND FRANK, I'M STILL IN MY RIGHT MIND,
OKAY? I WASN'T GONNA BE AN ENGINEER.
BUT IN PORT ARTHUR, YOU HAD THOSE TYPE COMMITMENTS FROM INDIVIDUALS OVER THIS 125 YEAR PERIOD THAT WOULD RESULT IN INDIVIDUALS LIKE WE HAVE TODAY.
THE SPEAKER COMING, YOU KNOW, DR.
UH, THOSE OF US WHO SAY HE ON DESK, UH, THOSE WHO ARE SITTING THERE IN THE AUDIENCE, WE'VE ALL BEEN TOUCHED IN SOME SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION, RIGHT? AS YOU SAID, NOT BEING A NATIVE OR FULL ARTHUR, BUT COMING HERE AND MS. INGRAM OR MS. INGRAM GIVING YOU AN ASSIGNMENT THAT YOU WERE THINKING YOU WERE INCAPABLE OF DOING, BUT SHE
[01:40:01]
COULD SEE IN YOU THOSE CAPABILITIES.AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT THE FLAG.
AND LOOK WHERE YOU ARE NOW, AND I'M GONNA BE THE FIRST PERSON TO ADORN THE FLAG, MONIQUE, SO YOU CAN HAVE A PICTURE OF IT.
AND BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT I COMMUNICATE WITH, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THEIR CITIES, ALL HAD A CITY FLAG.
AND I WAS WONDERING WHERE OURS WAS
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
THIGPEN, WHEN HE WALKED IN THIS MORNING, I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS BEING CAPRIC CLEAN.
WE HAVE NO EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.
NEITHER DO WE HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS.
AND THERE ISN'T A PUBLIC HEARING.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
HAVE REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST.UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK JUST FOR ONE SECOND ON ONE ON THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE HAD THE U G K DATE, UH, THAT WAS CELEBRATED HERE, THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY, A U GK DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
TH BEEN HANDLED IT FOR ME, UH, THE PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION AND A KEITH, THE CITY TO THE, THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ACTUALLY, UH, WERE THE SPONSORS AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK MISS QUEEN WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO WAS PART OF THE U G K GROUP.
UH, AND WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, EXISTENCE OF YOU ALL IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND IN THE GENRE OF RAP, WHICH MAYBE SOME OF US, IT'S ABOVE US, BEYOND US, HOWEVER OUR OFFSPRING ACTUALLY KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, UH, UH, A FUNCTIONING GENRE OF, OF MUSIC.
I DID HAVE COLLEAGUES FROM ATLANTA AND AUSTIN WHO WERE HERE.
HOWEVER, WE, I HAD OTHER COMMITMENTS BECAUSE ON MOTIVA'S, UH, SPONSORING OF THE SYMPHONY, I ATTENDED THE SYMPHONY.
UH, UH, AND THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION, UH, OF MUSIC FOR THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR AS WE WOULD BEGIN THE, UH, CHRISTMAS, UH, U TIDE SEASON ON HOLIDAY SEASON HERE IN THE CITY.
I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A PRESENTATION, UH, BY, UM, UH, A YOUNG MAN.
I CALL HIM A YOUNG MAN, BUT HE CAME, UH, AND TALKED TO US ABOUT, UH, SLEEPING HEAVENLY, UH, PEACE.
UH, IT WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PUTS TOGETHER BEDS AND, UH, DELIVERS THEM HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, AS I LISTENED TO THAT, IT WAS, IT TOUCHED MY HEART.
UH, AND SO THIS COMING WEEKEND ON DECEMBER THE EIGHTH, WE HAVE A UNITED, A COALITION OF INDIVIDUALS FROM CHURCHES, UH, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DELIVERING 20 BEDS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SO THAT CHILDREN IN PORT ARTHUR WILL NOT BE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR THIS CHRISTMAS.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT AS WELL WANT TO OPERATE OR TO, UH, ASSIST.
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL, AND THAT NUMBER IS 4 0 9 7 1 8 0 0 3 6.
YOU CAN TALK TO MR. JACK SEELEY.
UH, THIS WON'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL JUST BE DOING FOR THIS CHRISTMAS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTING OURSELVES TO WORKING ALONG WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND SO, UH, BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE THE CHRISTMAS PROJECT THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON THIS COMING SATURDAY.
ANY OTHER, OH, THE, UH, ALSO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, THERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT SLEEPING HEAVILY PIECE THAT WILL BE PUT ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD WANT TO, UH, EXIST.
THEY'LL BE PICKING UP THE BEDS, UH, ASSEMBLING THEM AT THE HOMES, UH, THIS WEEKEND.
SO IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE EITHER THIS WEEKEND OR IN WEEKS, THAT WILL BE, UH, COMING FORWARD, YOU CAN DO SO.
AND I'LL TAKE IT AT THIS JUNCTURE TO, UH, REITERATE THE, UH, CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, UH, ON SATURDAY HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR.
WE WANT IT TO BE A FAMILY AFFAIR.
IT BEGINS AT, UH, 12 NOON, AT 12 NOON ON PROCTOR STREET, UH, AND, AND, UH, FOURTH STREET, AND I BELIEVE ABOUT FROM HOUSTON AVENUE TO, UH,
[01:45:01]
WACO.UH, BUT THAT MIGHT BE THE BLOCK OFF AREA, IF, IF I'M CORRECT, DR.
TH FOR THAT, UH, IT'S GONNA BE, THERE'S NO CHARGE GONNA BE GAMES FUN FOR LITTLE CHILDREN TO MIDDLE AGED CHILDREN.
UH, I HAVE A SELLING THEIR GOODS.
AND AT 6:00 PM WE WOULD BEGIN THE, UH, CANDLELIGHT, UH, PARADE, UH, AT 6:00 PM FROM LAMAR, PORT ARTHUR, I BELIEVE, UH, ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON AVENUE.
AND WE WOULD WANT FOLK TO LINE THE PARADE ROUTE.
AND THERE'S STILL, UH, SOME SLOTS AVAILABLE.
IF YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION WOULD WANT TO BE IN THE PARADE, UH, JUST CALL HERE TO CITY HALL.
YOU CAN CALL MY OFFICE AND SPEAK WITH CHRISTY, AND SHE'LL PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE, UH, THE RIGHT PERSON, OR TAKE HER INFORMATION AND HAVE THEM TO CON YOU, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A NICE PARADE.
WE HAVE BEGUN BY MAKING SOME BUDGETARY, UH, ADJUSTMENTS, UH, TO BE SURE THAT THE CITY IS DECORATED NICELY, AND WE INTEND TO ADD EACH YEAR TO OUR STOCKPILE OF DECORATIONS.
SO THE DECORATIONS MAY NOT BE ALL THAT YOU MIGHT THINK THEY SHOULD BE THIS YEAR, BUT WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND EVEN A YEAR AFTER.
OKAY? BUT WE WANT EVERY CITIZEN, AND ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE, AND I'M SAYING FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE, EVEN THOSE WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING VIRTUALLY, THAT THE WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE SOUTHEAST TEXAS STYLE, WHICH MEANS IT'S EITHER GOING TO RAIN SNOW, OR IT'LL BE REAL WARM
SO TAKE YOUR PICK AND SATURDAY, BE ABLE TO, YEAH, TAKE YOUR PICK AND BE, BE READY, TOJO IT ON THIS SATURDAY, UH, DECEMBER 10TH AND BEGINNING AT 12 NOON, AND THE PARADE BEGINS AT 6:00 PM OKAY.
IF THERE AREN'T ANYTHING ELSE FOR FRANK, NO, I JUST, SO YOU LIKE MY DEAL? I'M GOOD.
[VI.1. P.R. No. 22822 - A Resolution Approving The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation Engaging The Services Of The Chapman Firm PLLC For Legal Services In The Interest Of The Construction Project At 549 4th Street For An Amount Not To Exceed $50,000.00. Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80-625-5420-00-00-000]
NOW WE HAVE SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS.WE HAVE PR NUMBER 22 8, EXCUSE ME, 22.
IT'S A RESOLUTION APPROVING OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SECTION FOR A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ENGAGED, ENGAGING IN THE SERVICES OF CHAPMAN FIRM, P L L C, FOR LEGAL SERVICES IN THE INTEREST OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT 5 49 4, UH, STREET, HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN EDC, ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 20 86, 25, 54, 20.
AGAIN, AT THIS JUNCTURE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, MAY I, UH, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE THIS, OKAY? AND I DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION FROM THE EDC BOARD.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO STILL GO AHEAD AND TABLE IT THOUGH? OKAY.
BUT IF YOU THINK THE INFORMATION IS, I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU.
UM, WELL, I GUESS, DID YOU GET IT ON THE FLOOR? I'M SORRY? DO YOU WANNA GET IT ON THE FLOOR? I CAN JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THE EDC BOARD DID VOTE TO AMEND THE CONTRACT TO 25,000.
SO THAT WAS THE INFORMATION I BELIEVE YOU ALL WERE WAITING ON, BUT THEY DID MAKE THAT DECISION, UH, AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING.
SO IF I CAN GET A MOTION WITH THE AMENDED AMOUNT, THAT'S WHEN, YES.
SO IS IT, IS IT ALREADY ON, I'M SORRY, I'M NOT INTERRUPTING YOU BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TO GO TO WHAT WE HAVE PRINTED ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE TO GO TO WHAT'S PRINTED ON THE AGENDA AND THEN WE'LL AMEND IT AND COME BACK AND THEN WE'LL AMEND IT.
WELL, I CAN ENTERTAIN THE MOTION TO APPROVE PR NUMBER 22 8.
SO MOVE, MR. MAYOR, GET A SECOND.
COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND IF MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P NUMBER 22 8 22 AS, UH, RED ARE, WE READ A QUESTION AND THEN WE WOULD, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO AMEND, YOU MAY DO SO.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, WOULD YOU, UH, BE SO KIND AS TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION FOR AMENDING MR. MAYOR? I MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, PR NUMBER 22 8 22 BE AMENDED TO REFLECT $25,000 AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000 AS OPPOSED TO $50,000.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN MARK, WOULD YOU SECOND THAT SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD DO THE AMENDED AMOUNT.
AND I VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HEARD THE AMENDED AMOUNT TO, UH, PR NUMBER 22 8 22 FROM 50,000 TO 25,000.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? WELL, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE WILL BE NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT? ANY OPPOSERS? OKAY, THE AMENDMENT PASSES.
AND NOW I WILL PASS THE MAIN MOTION.
MAIN MOTION WOULD BE WHAT WAS STATED FOR PR NUMBER 22 8 22.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? RIGHT? OKAY.
[01:50:01]
ANY OPPOSERS WITH THE AMENDED AMOUNT IN INSERTED THE, UH, PROPOSITION PASSES? OKAY,[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEMS OF BASICALLY ROUTINE NATURE.
THEY ACTUALLY BEING ON PAGE FOUR AND THEY GO THROUGH, UH, PAGE FIVE.
WHEN I THREW ON PAGE FIVE AS WELL, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THERE.
WOULD THERE BE ANY OF THOSE ITEMS THAT ANY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO BE WITHDRAWN AND ACTED ON INDIVIDUALLY? ANY OF THOSE? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6? I BELIEVE IT IS ANY OF THE SIX ITEMS, IF NOT, MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN JONES FOR APPROVAL? OKAY, COUNCILMAN, HOLD, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT IS PRESENTED ON, UH, OUR WRITTEN AGENDA.
THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSERS? I HAVE TO IS HONOR, WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ.
[VIII.A.1. P.R. No. 22928 - A Resolution Authorizing One-Time Exceptions To The Ceremonial Street Renaming Policy (Requested By Councilmember Jones) (Part 1 of 2)]
WE'RE NOW MOVED TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA AND THIS BE RESOLUTIONS, UH, FOR NON-CONSENT.AND WE HAVE PR NUMBER 22 9 82, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ONE TIME EXCEPTIONS TO THE CEREMONIAL STREET NAMING.
STREET RENAMING POLICY HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, UH, UH, A CITY ATTORNEY.
IS IT, UH, WOULD I BE IN ORDER ASKING THAT WE WOULD WITH, UH, WITHDRAW THIS TO RIGHT NOW AND ACT ON IT AFTER WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? THANK YOU.
I WOULD WANT US TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, WITH SOME OTHER INFORMATION AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK OUT AND VOTE, UH, ON IT WHEN WE RETURN.
UH, DOES EVERYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'LL DO? WE'LL, WE'LL DISCUSS IT AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK.
OKAY? YOU HAVE A LEGAL QUESTION? I CAN ANSWER A LEGAL QUESTION.
IT WOULD HOLD UNDER THE FIRST ITEM YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION RIGHT NOW, WHY WE GOTTA GO TO EXECUTIVE THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE SOME THINGS I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY DISCUSS, UH, PRIVATELY ON IT.
AND, AND THEN WE COME BACK OUT AND VOTE.
WELL, IT'S NOTHING BUT NAME, CHANCE, THEN WHAT WE HAVE FOR, UH, YES, SIR.
BUT I HAVE THE ENTIRE RESOLUTION HERE AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST ONE OR TWO ITEMS, SO I'D WANT US TO BE SURE I'M I'M PRIV TO IT.
OKAY? AND GOD WANT US TO GO IN AND GO DOWNSTAIRS AND DISCUSS IT AND COME BACK AND VOTE ON IT.
OKAY? THAT WAY WE ARE DOING IT ALL ABOVE BOARD.
[VIII.A.2. P.R. No. 22932 - A Resolution Authorizing The December 20, 2022 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting To Be Rescheduled From 5:30 P.M. To December 20, 2022 At 9:30 A.M.]
TO PR NUMBER 22 2 9 32 WAS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING, UH, THE, UH, DECEMBER 20TH, 2022, REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING TO BE RESCHEDULED FROM 5:30 PM ON THAT DATE TO 9:30 AM ON DECEMBER 20TH, UH, 2022.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVE OF COUNCILMAN MARKS? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES? IS IT MOVED? AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 2, 2 93.
TWO AS READ, WE READ FOR QUESTION.
THEY UNDER THE QUESTIONS HERE, WE READY TO VOTE ON IN FAVOR? AH, ANY OPPOSERS? I HAVE IT TOWARDS AUDIT.
UH, THE DECEMBER 20TH MEETING NOW WILL BE AT 9:30 AM UH, THAT'S OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
[VIII.A.3. P.R. No. 22933 - A Resolution Authorizing The January 3, 2023 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting Date To Be Rescheduled To January 9, 2023]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 22 93 3, THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE JANUARY 3RD, 2023, REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING DATE TO BE RESCHEDULED TO JANUARY 9TH, 2023.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR PRO HOLMES? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE CHAIRING THAT MEETING, THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT THE, UH, MEETING, WELL PR NUMBER 22 9 33 WOULD BE, UH, APPROVED.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? THE QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IF GOT A QUESTION? YES, SIR.
WHAT TIME DOES THAT? OH, EXCUSE ME.
I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T, IT IT WOULD BE THE ALL SCHEDULED NINE 30 MEETING ANYWAY ON THAT DAY.
YEAH, NO, DECEMBER 20TH, BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY SUPPOSED TO BE A FIVE 30 MEETING.
YEAH, BUT NINE, THE DECEMBER 3RD MEETING WOULD BE A NINE 30 MEETING ANYWAY, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T PUT THE TIME ON IT.
WE'RE GONNA GO ALL MORNING UNTIL JANUARY.
SEE, SEE I'M SAYING IN MY RIGHT MIND QUESTION.
UH, WE READY? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AH, IT OPPOSES EYES HAVE IT SO IT IS.
[VIII.B.1. P.O. No. 7110 - An Ordinance Designating Tuesday, December 27, 2022 As A Legal Holiday]
[01:55:01]
AN ORDINANCE, UH, NUMBER, UH, 71 1 0.IT'S AN ORDINANCE, UH, DESIGNATED TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27TH, 2022 AS A LEGAL HOLIDAY.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE MR. MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKED SECOND IS REMOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 1 1 0 AS READ OR ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE QUESTION THERE.
RIGHT IN COUNCILWOMAN, DOES THAT TAKE, UM, INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE HAVE A DESIGNATED NUMBER OF DAYS AND YEAH, WE, IT DOES MEET THAT REQUIREMENT IF I CAN ANSWER, BUT MAYBE PR, HR WON'T DO WELL WHAT IT IS BECAUSE CHRISTMAS IS ON A SUNDAY.
IT'S OFFICIALLY OBSERVED THE MONDAY.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE TUESDAY, YOU KNOW, OFFICE.
WELL, BECAUSE, AND THAT I THINK THAT FALLS, THAT BALANCES THE DAY.
IT'S ALWAYS A FLOATING HOLIDAY THAT'S BEEN AWARDED STAFF AND STAFF VOTES ON IT AND AFTER THE VOTE, YES, IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL.
AND THE DOC, I LIKE THE WAY, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN MARK SAID CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS ON THE WEEKEND.
SO THEY WERE GONNA BE OFF ANYWAY, BUT THEY WEREN'T COMING
[VIII.B.2. P.O. No. 7115-An Ordinance Authorizing The Execution Of A Special Warranty Deed To Stephen Romeo, As It Pertains To The Property Located At 580 Pleasure Pier Boulevard; Legally Described As Unit 215, Building "B", Phase II, Pleasure Island Sea Cabins]
WE HAVE, UH, P NUMBER 71 15 AN OR IS AUTHORIZED IN THE EXECUTION OF A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED TO, UH, STEVEN, UH, OR ROMERO AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT FIVE 80 PLEASURE ISLAND BOULEVARD, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS UNIT TWO 15, BUILDING B PHASE, UH, TWO, PLEASURE.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR PROTE HOLMES? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND.
MAYOR IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P NUMBER SEVEN.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? I'M SORRY, I COVERED IT UP.
NO QUESTIONS OR WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
[VIII.B.3. P.O. No. 7116 - An Ordinance Extending The Declaration Of Disaster Pursuant To §418.108(b) Of The Texas Government Code]
NEXT WE HAVE PO NUMBER 7 116 IS AN OR OF EXTENDING THE DECLARATION OF DISASTER PURSUANT TO FOUR 18.108.SUBSECTION B OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
SO MOVE MAYOR, I GET A SECOND.
SECOND IS REMOVED THE SECONDARY WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER SEVEN 16 AS READ.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AH, ANY POSES AS THIS ORDER? AND FINALLY
[VIII.B.4. P.O. No. 7117 - An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 22-84 As It Pertains To Providing For Holiday Pay For Fiscal Year 2022/2023]
WE HAVE PO NUMBER 7 117 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2284 AS IT PERTAINS TO PROVIDING FOR A HOLIDAY PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2022.MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, MAYOR PROTE, MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCIL JONES SECOND MAYOR IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 1 17 AS READ.
WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION ON IT, THE ORIENTED DISCUSSION.
I DIDN'T SEE YOU LIKE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
WHAT WAS THE AMENDMENT AMENDMENT AUDIENCE? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ORIGINALLY READ YOU READ GIVE ME 7 1 17.
REMEMBER IT WAS COUNCIL, UM, JONES IS, IT WAS THE COUNCIL'S WISH THAT, UM, WHEN WE MAKE HOLIDAY PAY THAT'S BEING MADE TO ALL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING TEMPS AS WELL, YOU KNOW, SO THAT YEAH.
TEMPS THAT ARE NON-CITY TEMPS THAT IS BEING PAID THROUGH AN AGENCY.
AND SO WE HAD TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH THE AGENCY SO THAT THE AGENCY COULD, UM, WE COULD PASS THE FUNDS TO THE AGENCY AND THEY COULD DO IT FOR US.
THAT'S AT NO EXTRA COST TO THE CITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSERS? I HAVE TO HONOR.
WE WILL ACCEPT APPEAL NUMBER 7 1 7 AS READ ALSO, I, BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D WANT TO INFORM ALL AGAIN THAT ON SATURDAY EVENING FOLLOWING THE PARADE, WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IT'S GONNA BE THE TREE THAT'S GONNA BE OUT, OUT FRONT THERE.
SO AS MANY AS WE CAN HAVE AS POSSIBLE, WE WANT YOU TO ATTEND THIS.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, BEGIN A TRADITION OR, UH, RE BEGIN, UH, REACTIVATE, IF YOU WILL, A TRADITION THAT COVID PROBABLY TOOK US AWAY FROM, AND, UH, A FAMILY TRADITION HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE WANT EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS ALL OF THE CITIZENS AND EVEN OUR FRIENDS, TO, UH, BE HERE ON SATURDAY
[02:00:01]
AGAIN AT, UH, BEGINNING AT NOON ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH THROUGH THE PARADE.CADILLAC PARADE BEGINS AT SIX AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PARADE, OR AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PARADE, WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICIAL LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
UH, AT THIS JUNCTURE, I'M, UH, UHIN A MOTION TO, UH, NOT, NOT, NOT REALLY ADJOURN, BUT ACT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF BEING THE, UH, OFFICER HERE.I HAVE THE, UM, CHARGE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA BE DEALING WITH SECTION 5 51 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER 5 51 OPEN MEETINGS LAWS HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WAS FORMERLY, UH, THE GOV, FORMERLY ARTICLE 62 52 DASH 17, SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION EIGHT.
AND PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE MEETING, I MUST INFORM YOU THAT IN THE MEETING WE WILL DISCUSS SECTION 5 5 1 0.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OR PENDING CLAIMS, UH, LITIGATIONS, UH, CONTRACTS AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ALSO, WE WILL DISCUSS SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE WILL ALSO COVER SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OR OUR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, AND ALSO SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND OR INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
AND WHAT WE WOULD DO AT THIS JUNCTURE, WE WOULD RECESS AGAIN AND WE WILL RETURN, IF THERE WOULD BE ITEMS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ACTION ON AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WOULD RETURN HERE IN THE GENERAL SESSION AND ACT UPON THOSE ITEMS IN THIS OPEN SESSION.
SO WE WILL NOW RETIRE TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM DOWNSTAIRS.
UH, SERVICE CITY SECRETARY, WE CAN CALL THE ROAD.
WE'LL ESTABLISH THE QUORUM FOR ME.
YOU WANNA CALL THE ROLL? I'LL CALL THE, I'LL CALL THE, YEAH, I THINK, THERE WE GO.
MAYOR BART, PRESENT, MAYOR PROTE HOLMES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES.
SO KINDLY, UH, THERE IS AN ACTION ITEM THAT'S COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, ATTORNEY? YES.
UM, WE ARE, UM, THE MOTION THAT WE WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO AUTHORIZE THE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND MR. WILLIAM AND THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PROPERTY AT 1600 HOUSTON AVENUE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES? DEFINITELY IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, UH, PASS THE MOTION THAT HAS BEEN READ BY CITY SECRETARY PERTAINING TO THE PROPERTY, THE 1600 HOUSTON AVENUE SITUATED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ARE THEY UNDER THE QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AH, IT OPPOSERS.
OURS ORDERED THAT MOTION PASSAGE.
[VIII.A.1. P.R. No. 22928 - A Resolution Authorizing One-Time Exceptions To The Ceremonial Street Renaming Policy (Requested By Councilmember Jones) (Part 2 of 2)]
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, UH, A MOTION, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, WE HAVE A PR THAT WE PR HELD TO TABLE THE PR WHAT'S THAT NUMBER WE HAD HELD TILL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION PR 22 9 28.AND ON THAT PARTICULAR, UH, PIECE OF, OF, UH, UH, I WAS GONNA SAY PIECE OF LEGISLATION ON THAT PARTICULAR MATTER, WE PUT, UH, YOU GOTTA BRING IT TO FLOOR AND DO I NEED TO READ IT AGAIN? YEAH, JUST PUT, YEAH, READ IT.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ONE TIME EXCEPTIONS TO THE CEREMONIAL STREET NAMING POLICY HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JONES.
AND I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE.
AM I CORRECT? WELL, TO GET IT ON THE FLOOR, AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO TABLE OR POST MOTION.
COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN FRANK POSTPONE.
YOU WANT THE MOTION? THE TABLE? NO,
[02:05:01]
NO.POSTPONE MOTION TO BRING IT BACK ON THE FLOOR.
GET IN ON MOTION TO BRING IT BACK ON THE FLOOR, MAN.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WILL BRING THIS PR BACK ON THE FOR READY FOR QUESTION.
QUESTION? YEAH, MAYOR, UH, I BROUGHT THE ITEM TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, I, I WAS HOPING WE'LL MOVE ON IT, BUT, UH, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAPE IT, BUT THAT'S THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO TAPE IT.
YOUR, YOUR PREFERENCE OF BEAT FOR REMOVAL.
NO, I SAID I DON'T WANT, DIDN'T WANT THE TABLE, I WANTED ACTION ON, BUT, BUT, UH, Y'ALL REQUEST THAT WE TABLE I WANTED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM IF YOU WANT.
BUT WE, UH, UH, I THINK THE MOTION IS FOR, UH, UH, THE TABLE.
AND IT WASN'T, I THOUGHT I WAS MAKING YEAH, BRING, BRING IT, PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.
SO WE HAVE IT, WE HAVE IT BACK ON THE FLOOR.
UH, SO WITH IT BEING BACK ON THE FLOOR, UM, AND TELL ME IF I'M CORRECT.
ATTORNEY YOU, MY PARLIAMENTARIAN HERE, UM, HE HAD A QUESTION ON THE MOTION, AND I'VE ENTERTAINED THIS QUESTION SO WE MOVE RIGHT VOTING ON IT, RIGHT? YOU VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION, YOU CAN VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION.
CARRY THE VOTE, RIGHT? YES, YOU CAN.
UM, WITH THAT MOTION TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FLOOR.
SO NOW IT'S A LIVE MOTION BACK ON THE FLOOR FOR A DISCUSSION.
AT THIS TIME, INSTEAD OF HAVING DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TAPE.
NOW YOU TABLE IT, IT COMES BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
ARE YOU TABLING OR POSTPONING? OR POSTPONING? OKAY.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD POSTPONE P R NUMBER 22.
AGAIN, I DON'T SEE NO REASON TO TAPE, BUT IT'S, I MEAN, POSTPONES ITEM, UH, WE DONE IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL NAME CHANGED AND, AND I SEE NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T GO FORWARD WITH IT NOW THAT DESERVING PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING AND, UH, BEEN NOTIFIED.
SO OBVIOUSLY NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T, UH, GET 'EM THAT DAY IN COURT.
LET, LET 'EM BE RECOGNIZED AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I, I WANT TO THE COUNCIL HAVE A TICKET AT HEART TO US DO THIS THING FOR, UH, ONE EXCEPTIONS FOR THESE PEOPLE, AND THEN LATER ON OUTTA LINE WE CAN GET TO COUNSELING AND DO SOME DIFFERENT CHANGES.
SO I REQUEST THAT WE ARE GOING AND, UH, APPROVE THIS ITEM FOR THESE NAME CHANGES.
YOUR READINESS IS TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION.
WE ARE READY TO CARRY A VOTE ON THAT.
YOU WANT ME TO DO IT OR YOU GONNA, AND THIS, AND THIS IS ON POSTPONING THE MOTION.
UH, THE, UH, YOU GOING RESOLUTION.
YOU GONNA DO IT LINDSEY? YOU HAVE PLEASE? UH, YES.
OR I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER JONES.
THAT WE'RE READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT OF THIS AUGUST BODY.
UH, COUNCILMAN UH, JONES MOVE TO ADJOURN ME.
UH, SECOND, UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? SECOND IS MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WILL ADJOURN THIS AUGUST BODY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN YOUR INDULGENCE.
ANY OPPOSES? AYE TO HIS HONOR, THIS BODY IS NOW A JOINT.