* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. GOOD MORNING. WE [00:00:01] ARE READY. CITY SECRETARY. [I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL] GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR JANUARY 31ST HERE AT UH, 9:30 AM AND IT IS NOW, UH, 9 44. AND WE'RE READY TO BEGIN THE MEETING. UH, THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND THE COUNCIL HAS TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT HERE IN THE CHAMBERS. AND YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING. IF YOU CANNOT BE, UH, PHYSICALLY PRESENT BY, UH, VIDEO CONFERENCING OR TELECONFERENCING, UH, YOU WOULD FIRST NEED TO DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9. AND UH, YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEDIAN ID OF 8 4 3 4 4 6 0 5 3 3 3. AND THE PASS CODE OF, OR PASSCODE, EXCUSE ME, OF 4 1 7 5 1 3. AND IF YOU, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A SPECIFIC DISABILITY AND NEEDS CERTAIN OR SPECIFIC ACCOMMODATIONS, THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU. HOWEVER, YOU MUST CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE BY DIALING 4 0 9 9, UH, 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND MAKE THAT REQUEST. AND THEY WILL DO ALL THAT IN THEIR POWER TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR COUNCILMAN MARKS TWO LEADERS IN THE INVOCATION, AND WE'LL HAVE THE PLEASURE FOR LEADERS IN THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU BUY 'EM? PLEASE, FATHER GOD, WE COME TO YOU THIS MORNING THANKING YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. WE THANK YOU, FATHER FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL BLESSINGS AND OUR COLLECTIVE BLESSINGS. YES, WE ASK YOU, FATHER, THAT YOU LOOK DOWN UPON THIS MEETING TODAY AND GIVE US THE STRENGTH, THE COURAGE, AND THE WISDOM TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. YES. WE ASK THIS IN YOUR SON'S NAME, AMEN. THANK AMEN. AMEN. TO JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IS STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU ALSO KINDLY FOR JOINING US IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY. WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE COURTROOM FOR ME? MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO. TIM HOLMES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE. MAYOR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU SO KINDLY. AND AGAIN, YOU WANNA WELCOME EACH OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY BEFORE WE WOULD ACTUALLY BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY, UH, COURTESIES AND THANKS TO MAYOR APPROACH HIM FOR HANDLING THE MEETING DURING MY ABSENCE. UH, AND I ALMOST CALLED YOU AGAIN THIS MORNING BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE TOO COLD FOR MY HELP, BUT OKAY. BUT I THANK YOU SO KINDLY AND THE COUNCIL AND PAUL, YOU'VE DONE EVEN CITIZENS WHO GAVE ME WELL WISHES DURING THE TIME OF MY, UH, CONVALESCENCE, UH, PROCLAMATIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY, I DON'T HAVE ANY BEFORE ME AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROCLAMATIONS. [III.A.1. Claire Jackson Of Motiva To Present Grants To The Port Arthur Police Department And The Port Arthur Fire Department] SO WE'LL MOVE TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHICH IS PETITIONS. WE HAVE SPEAKERS THIS MORNING. WE HAVE MS. CLA JACKSON OF YOU PRESENT GRANTS THROUGH, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE, UH, PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, I SAID, YOU HERE MS. ROBERTS? SO YOU ARE THAT PERSON. WE JUST HAD HER NAME. WOULD YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I AM RAYMOND SH ROBERTS, THE S R C A ADVISOR FOR MOTIVA. AND HERE I HAVE, UM, WITH ME WE HAVE JODY MOFFITT, I VICE PRES, VICE VP OF PRODUCTION, JODY, UM, SHANE THOMAS, OUR FIRE CHIEF, AND ERIC ROBERTS, OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY, UH, MANAGER. WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, GRANTS THAT THEY WON THROUGH OUR FIRST RESPONDER GRANTS THAT WE HAVE AT MOTIVA. WE HAD 25, UM, APPLICANTS NATIONWIDE AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT OUR PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IN PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE GRANTS [00:05:01] FIRE HOLD OFF THE POLICE . SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS AWARDED $9,875 AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS AWARDED $6,600. SO THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO KINDLY. DO YOU MIND IF WE TAKE A PICTURE, IF YOU COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE? OF COURSE. OH, I'LL THIS OF COURSE HERE . I DUNNO, HOW DID THE BIG GUY COME? YES, SIR. WE'RE PUT HERE. WE PUT THE MAYOR. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THANKS TO MOTIVA FOR THIS GRACIOUS GIFT TO OUR CITY. NEXT [III.A.2. Hassan Shomalzadeh Of HP Engineering/Construction, Inc. Regarding Willowood Townhouse Development, Fire Department Excess Requirement] WE HAVE MR. HASSAN OF HP ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED REGARDING WILLOW WOOD TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS REQUIREMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE SHOULD BE ACCESS, BUT, GOOD. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL. I HAVE SOME HANDOUT IF I MAY GIVE IT TO CITY SECRETARY. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. HEY MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M DEVELOPING A PROJECT TOWNHOUSE PROJECT 6.5 MILLION, WHICH BRING TO THE CITY APPROXIMATELY $400,000 A YEAR. REAL ESTATE TAXES AND WATER AND SEWER REVENUE. I SUBMITTED A PLAN TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THEIR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, SHOWING AN ENTRANCE TO THE RICE FARM ROAD CITY DEPARTMENT. REVIEWED THE PLAN AND GOT APPROVAL. THIS IS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT NUMBER ONE, THE LOCATION OF THAT ENTRANCE. I HAVE COMPLETED ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALMOST 60% OF THE BUILDINGS. RECENTLY I SAW A CREW AT THE END OF THE RICE FARM ROAD ASSEMBLING A WOODEN BA A WOODEN FORMS TO PULL A CONCRETE BARRIER AT THE END OF THAT ROAD, CLOSING THE ROAD PERMANENTLY. THIS KIND OF BARRIER USUALLY USED FOR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT DIVIDING THE TRAFFIC LANES. WHEN I ASK DO I HAVE A RIGHT OR APPROVAL TO USE THAT ENTRANCE, [00:10:01] I WAS TOLD BY CITY MANAGER, WHICH IS NOT MADE ON THE JOB SITE, IS GONNA GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND DISCUSS WITH THE STAFF AND GET BACK WITH ME. AND I HAVEN'T HEARD NO REPLY. I TRIED TO CALL TWO THREE TIMES, DIDN'T GET A REPLY. GAVE YOU A BACKGROUND. RISE FARM ROAD BACK IN 85 WAS BARRICADED THE PORTION OF THE ROAD ALMOST 460 FEET LONG AND WAS BARRICADED UNTIL THE DAY CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IMPROVED THE ROAD AS A TRUE TRAFFIC ROAD OR COLLECTOR ROAD. THIS IS SHOWN ON THE ORDINANCE NUMBER OR OR RESOLUTION NUMBER 85 DASH 67. UNTIL SUCH A DAY THAT END OF THE ROAD TO BE CLOSED BY TYPE THREE BARRICADE, IT TELL YOU HAD TO INSTALL IT AND MAINTAIN IT UNTIL SUCH A DAY, MAYOR AND CANCEL, CANCEL. I'M HERE TO REQUEST A DECISION ON WHETHER I CAN CONTINUE TO MY CONSTRUCTION THE WAY THE SETUP PLAN APPROVED. MY PLAN IS STEEL DON'T VIOLATE IT. ANY ORDINANCE THAT ROAD REMAIN CLOSE BY PROPOSING A GATE THAT I SHOW IN EXHIBIT NUMBER THREE, THAT R WOULD CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE ONLY THING THAT THAT ROAD IS, THAT GATE OR ENTRANCE WOULD ALLOW FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CITY STAFF TO USE IT WHEN IT'S NECESSARY. THE ROAD REMAIN CLOSED TO TRAFFIC. NOBODY CAN USE IT EXCEPT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CITY STAFF WHEN IT NEEDED. MY PLAN DOES NOT VIOLATING ANY, ANY ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING. I'M TO THE POINT THE CONTRACTOR IS IN INSTALLING FENCE AROUND THE SITE AND THEY THAT THEY FABRICATING A GATE ON THE TOWNHOUSE ENTRANCE BECAUSE WE GONNA HAVE A GATE. IT'S CLOSED SEVEN AT THE EMERGENCY USE. I'M HERE TO YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME EXPRESS MY CONCERN. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. ASSAN. UH, COS MCKEN. THANK YOU MR. ASSAN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UH, THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT IS IN MY DISTRICT AND I'VE GOT NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT IF YOU'RE GONNA OPEN THAT ROAD COMPLETELY. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT ROAD WOULD NEVER BE ACCESSED BY THE PUBLIC OR AUTOMOBILES GOING THROUGH THAT AREA. YES SIR. THE ROAD REMAINED CLOSE. NUMBER TWO, WE WOULD HAVE BARRICADES ON BOTH SIDES OF THOSE. THAT ENTRANCE ON THAT, WHAT IS THAT? THE WEST SIDE AS AS LONG AND ON ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THAT. YES SIR. AND IT IS ONLY GONNA BE ACCESSED BY EMERGENCY PURPOSES ONLY. UH, FIRE CITY. IT'S A EASEMENT TO DO SOME TYPE OF WORK OR SOME TYPE OF EMERGENCY CALL. CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OKAY. UM, CITY MANAGER, YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO IMPLY? I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE TELL OUR CITIZENS IN ARE MY CITIZENS IN DISTRICT THREE, EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. AND I'VE HAD NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WILL BE JUST AS IT IS NOW. IF IT'S SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE I NEED TO KNOW AT THIS POINT. SO WE CAN ASSURE THE PUBLIC IN THE, IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT WE WON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF CARS THAT CUT BACK IN THAT AREA TRYING TO DIVERT AND GET BACK ON JIMMY JOHNSON. SO I JUST WANT TO BE STRAIGHTFORWARD THAT THEY'LL HAVE NO ACCESS, NO PUBLIC ACCESS, JUST ONLY EMERGENCY PURPOSES ONLY. YES SIR. THAT'S CORRECT. AND ALSO I WOULD ADD THAT THERE IS, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THERE IS A LITTLE PORTION OF THE ROAD THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED AND ALSO THAT PORTION IS PART OF THE, MY DEVELOPMENT. I PAY FOR IT AND ALSO I'M WILLING TO PAY THE GATE THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE PACKAGE OR SHOWS ON EXHIBIT NUMBER THREE. OKAY. WELL THE STANDARD OF THAT PORTION I THINK IS THAT THAT 50 60 UH, FEET YARDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S TO THE LEFT. YES. YES SIR. SO IT HAS TO BE WITHIN STANDARDS OF THE CITY, RIGHT? UNDERSTAND. CORRECT. MAKE WHATEVER WHAT FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENT IS A CITY STANDARD. YES, SIR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE SOMETHING. [00:15:01] CITY MANAGER. YEAH. THANK, THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THE MATTER IS NOT AS SIMPLISTIC AS THE DEVELOPER MAKES IT TO SOUND. UM, IT'S A MATTER THAT REQUIRES THE INTERVENTION OF THE FIRE MARSHAL AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT A CITY MANAGER'S DECISION. IT'S A MATTER THAT I HAVE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL MAKING THE INPUT AS IS REQUIRED. THE MATTER IS ALSO CONVOLUTED BY THE FACT THAT, SO WHEN THE PLANS WERE APPROVED AND WHAT WAS DISCLOSED TO THE PLANNING STAFF. SO IT'S A MATTER THAT REQUIRES INTENSE INVESTIGATION AND REVIEW OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH THE CITY MANAGER CANNOT BE INVOLVED IN AT ANY TIME IN MAKING A DECISION. THERE WERE TWO ORDINANCES, ONE A PD THAT APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT. AND THERE IS ANOTHER ORDINANCE THAT SPECIFICALLY STATES WHEN THE THE ROAD IS TO BE OPENED AND IN WHAT CONDITION IT IS TO BE IN OPEN IN TERMS OF ITS IMPROVEMENT, IS NOT AS SIMPLISTIC AS THE DEVELOPER MAKES IT TO SOUND OR AS THE COUNTS WOULD LIKE TO HEAR. THE MATTER IS A MATTER FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHATEVER THE DECISION THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MAKES IN TERMS OF HANDLING IT, THAT IS THE DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO BUY TO. SO IT'S A MATTER THAT RE REQUIRES INTENT. AND I, I SEE THE FIRE MARSHAL IS HERE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE FIRE MARSHAL BEFORE. I WANT THE FIRE MARSHAL TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE COUNCIL WHAT IS THAT STICK AND WHEN THE PLANS WERE REVIEWED, WHAT WAS REVED, WHAT WAS, WHAT THEY WERE INFORMED OF AND WHAT APPEARED BOTH ON THE PRELIMINARY PLANS AND WHAT PRESENTLY APPEARS ON THE FINAL PLANS. YES, WE HAVE, WE CAN HAVE THE FAIR MARSHAL COME FORWARD AND EXPLAIN THAT IN DETAIL TO US. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. SO PER FIRE CODE, UH, DEVELOPMENT, THE SIZE OF THIS ONE DOES REQUIRE TWO ENTRANCES. UH, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE THOSE TO BE THROUGH STREETS. IT SIMPLY REQUIRES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE TWO ENTRANCES. UH, THAT WAS ON THE PLANS THAT WE APPROVED. IT SHOWED THAT SECTION OF THE ROAD BEING DEVELOPED TO THE SECOND ENTRANCE. UM, I HAVE NOT SEEN, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVEN'T SEEN THIS PROPOSAL THAT YOU GUYS WERE JUST GIVEN. SO I CAN'T COMMENT SPECIFICALLY AND SAY, YES, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, UH, MEETS OUR REQUIREMENTS. CUZ UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT ACTUALLY IN WRITING YET. BUT THE LOCATION, JUST IN GENERAL, THE LOCATION OF THAT SECOND ENTRANCE THAT WAS ON THE PLANS THAT WERE SIGNED OFF ON, UH, DOES MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS. UM, MR. HASSAN MENTIONED PUTTING A GATE ACROSS THAT IF THAT IS LIMITED BY, SAY THE KNX EQUIPMENT THAT WE UTILIZE FOR OUR ENTRANCE AND OUR USE ONLY, THAT DOES MEET OUR FIRE CODE REQUIREMENTS. I SAID IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A THROUGH STREET. IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A SECOND EXIT. IT'S MEANT TO BE A SECOND ENTRANCE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES. SO HOLD UP YOU THROUGH. NO, I I'M JUST GONNA ASK YOU, YOU HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES. I JUST WANNA KEEP YES, SIR. OKAY. YOU DO. OKAY. COUNCILMAN FRANK. SO THE GATE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, OR THE GATE THAT MR. HASSAN WANTS MM-HMM. , THAT GATE IS GOING TO BE LOCKED, CORRECT? UH, THAT'S WHAT HE'S PROPOSING LOCKED BY. SO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, WHO, WHO, HOW DO, HOW DO YOU GET IT OPEN? IT'S LOCKED BY. SO IT'S KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED ON SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, THERE'S A LITTLE FD SIGN NEAR SOME OF THE FRONT DOORS WITH A STEEL BOX IN THERE. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND ONLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ACCESS TO THAT. WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THE KEY TO THAT. THAT'S CALLED THE KNOX KEY SECURE SYSTEM. UH, THERE'S ALSO PADLOCKS THAT TIE IN WITH THAT SYSTEM. IF IT'S A MANUAL SLIDING GATE, HE CAN PURCHASE ONE OF THE KNOCKS, PADLOCKS PUT ON THERE. AND THE KEY TO THOSE IS LOCKED AND SECURED IN OUR FIRETRUCKS. OKAY. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN JOHN? YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR MA'AM. COUNCIL, MY ONLY CONCERN IS, UH, THIS COUNCIL, KEN LAW DISTRICT, AND HE ASKED ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO ME. HE ASKED DR. HU SON WAS, HAVE THIS A, B, AND C? AND HE SAYS, YES, YOU CAN HAVE ALL WE [00:20:01] NEED. AND MY MY CONCERN IS WHY WE GOTTA KEEP COMING FOR THE COUNCIL WITH THESE MATTERS WHEN ALL THE DEVELOPER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOTTA DO IS GET TOGETHER CHEAP AND WASHBURN AND JOE AND EXPAND PLANS FOR THEM. WHAT, WHAT'S ALL YOUR PLANS? PUT THE PLANS IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU KNOW, WHY WE GOTTA COME IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL AND MR. RABBITS AND RAISE, AND THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. IT'S SIMPLE. KNOW, KILL, ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. AND HE AGREED. SO WHY WE STAY AT THE STANDSTILL, WHY HE CAN'T GET PROJECT? NO, HE SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS TO THIS PROJECT, IN MY OPINION. YOU KNOW, SO THIS SHOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER. GOTTA GET TOGETHER, GET THE PLAN STRAIGHTENED. NOW I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION. . YEAH. WHY WE HERE? DUH. OKAY. UH, CITY ATTORNEY. YES. UH, I GUESS THIS NEW PROPOSAL IS WHAT HE HANDED OUT IS SOMETHING NEW. BUT, UH, I THINK WHAT I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, AND I THINK SOME OF THESE ARE MATTERS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE I CAN GIVE YOU SOME LEGAL ADVICE, OKAY? YOU HAVE TO GO BY THE PLANS THAT WERE APPROVED AT THE TIME THE DEVELOPMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE. UM, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I JUST SAW THIS PROPOSAL, BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT USING PUBLIC DOC DOLLARS TO OPEN UP A ROAD, IF THAT'S THE PROPOSAL, IS THAT WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS? THE IMPROVEMENT OF THAT SECTION THAT IS TALKING TO MIKE, PLEASE. THE, THE IMPROVEMENT THAT YOU SEE ON EXHIBIT NUMBER ONE IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT DEVELOPER PAY FOR. THAT IS NOT PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS IS PART OF THE PLAN. IS THAT PROPERTY OWNED BY YOU? THIS A SERIES RIGHT OF AWAY THE IMPROVEMENT BE DONE BY DEVELOPER. OKAY. BUT IF WE MAKE IT A PUBLIC STREET, EVEN IF, IF YOU MAKE IT A PUBLIC STREET, THE PUBLIC HAS TO HAVE FULL ACCESS TO IT. YOU CAN'T PUT UP A BARRIER ON A PUBLIC STREET. SO I THINK THAT MAYBE THIS REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE CONVERSATION AND STUDY. I SEE. AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF ADVISE, BECAUSE I'M JUST SEEING THE PROPOSAL AND I'D LIKE TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN A ROAD, IF IT'S PUBLIC, IF IT'S PUBLIC PROPERTY, THE PUBLIC HAS TO, HAS ACCESS TO IT. SO MAYBE WE NEED TO SIT OUT AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR PROPOSAL IS. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE HANDING OUT NOW. BUT BECAUSE IF IT'S, IF IT'S PUBLICLY OWNED, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS. AND I GUESS I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU'RE ASKING. I DON'T, I'M JUST SEEING THIS PROPOSAL FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO MAYBE WE'LL GET SOME MORE INFORMATION AND GO FROM THERE. JUST, UH, I'M SORRY. THAT WILL PROBABLY BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GET SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HE'S ASKING. OKAY, LET ME LET COUNCILMAN MARKS SPEAKING IN KNOWLEDGE SPEAKING. YEAH. SPOKE COMAN. MARK. OKAY. IN, IN LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION, THERE WAS AN ORIGINAL PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED. AND THEN THIS IS, THIS IS A MODIFIED PLAN THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY. IS A OR IS THIS THE SAME PLAN? THIS IS THE SAME PLAN. TALKING TO MIKE, PLEASE. I'M SORRY. IT'S THE SAME PLAN EXCEPT WE DON'T SHOW THE GATE AT THAT ENTRANCE. WE PROVIDING A GATE ON THAT AREA, THAT IMPROVEMENT WILL BEGIN COMING TO THE TIMELINES. SO THAT'S ENTRANCE. OKAY. SO IT'S MODIFIED THEN IF YOU ADDED A GATE, THEN IT'S JUST A GATE. I UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS SUBMITTED ORIGINALLY. AM I RIGHT OR WRONG? UH, THERE WAS NO, THERE IS NO ADDITION TO THE PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED. NOW THIS WAS ORIG. MADAM, MADAME ATTORNEY. NO, I'M MY LIGHT ON FOR WHEN YOU FINISH. NO, NO, I'M ASKING YOU. I'M NOT PART OF THE, THAT PROCESS. BUT WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, BECAUSE WE'RE POSTED JUST AS A SPEAKER, IF WE CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND THAT WAY WE CAN COME BACK AND REPORT TO THE COUNCIL WITH THE RIGHT FACTS AND THE RIGHT INFORMATION. BUT I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEVELOPER IS ASKING, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A SPEAKER, UM, POSTING, WE, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HE'S ASKING. THIS IS, UH, I I I CAN, WE CAN BE BETTER PREPARED TO ANSWER COUNSEL'S QUESTIONS. I GUESS HE'S ASKING THE, THAT THE CITY CONSIDER HIS NEW PROPOSAL. BUT WE NEED TO, TO, TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, WHAT'S DIFFERENT AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S BEING ASKED. SO, UH, I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE THE PROPER FORM BECAUSE THIS IS A SPEAKER. YES. AND WE'RE TURNING THIS INTO A DISCUSSION AND A DELIBERATION. BUT IF YOU WOULD GIVE STAFF THE TIME, WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM AS SOON AS THIS AFTERNOON AND SIT DOWN AND TALK TO HIM AND GET A, GET A FEEL FOR WHAT HE'S ASKING. OKAY. UH, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MARKY, THAT THAT'S, IT IS MODIFIED. I THINK THAT WAS THE GIST IS IS THAT THAT'S MODIFIED. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCIL MCKEN LAW. HEY, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE GOT THE PHOTOS UP HERE. I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE, UH, MY, MY DISTRICT AND, AND OUR COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT THREE THAT IF YOU LOOK TO THE EAST OF THIS SCREEN HERE, THE [00:25:01] BARRIER CAGE THAT'S RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM. CAN YOU CHANGE THAT PHOTO? UH, LINDSEY? NO. GO. EXACTLY. THAT'S THE AREA, THAT'S THE ROAD RIGHT THERE THAT HE'S SPEAKING OF. BUT YOU TALK ABOUT GOING MAYBE ABOUT 60 FEET DOWN THE WAY HE WANTS TO DEVELOP THAT ROAD AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE BACK OF THOSE, UH, TOWNHOUSES. SO, BUT ONCE AGAIN, MY QUESTION, AND YOU'RE VERY THOROUGH WITH THAT, THERE WILL NOT BE ACCESS TO PUBLIC ON THAT ROAD BECAUSE THIS BASICALLY IS SUBSTANDARD ROAD RIGHT THERE. AND I, OTHER THAN THE FIRE AND, AND, AND UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. BUT ANY OTHER ACCESS DRIVING CARS AND ALL OF OTHER STUFF, DELIVERIES, NO ACCESS, AND I WOULDN'T BE IN SUPPORT OF THAT. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU CLARIFIED THOSE ANSWERS WITH ME TODAY. I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT BECAUSE OF BEING A PRESENTATION, YOU PROBABLY WANT TO GET THIS TO US AND, AND GET ON THERE SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO THE FIRE MARSHAL, HE'S GAVE ME CONFIDENCE OF WHAT, WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE HAPPENING IN THAT AREA. SO I'M OKAY. AND, UH, THEN YOUR NEXT STEP WILL PROBABLY, IF YOU DO PUT THIS BACK WHERE WE CAN GET DISCUSSION ON THIS BECAUSE, UH, YOU HAVE IT ON THE PRESENTATION WITH NO POS WITH NO POSSIBLE ACTION TODAY, RIGHT? NO POSSIBLE THERE'S NOTHING AND IT IS ONLY A SPEAKER. NOW WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE GONE, WE'VE GONE ABOUT 20 MINUTES IF IT WERE A PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR TIME AND WHAT YOU DONE, AND WE, YOU'LL HEAR FROM US AGAIN OR SOMEONE WILL CONTACT YOU ABOUT IT. OKAY? THANK YOU KINDLY. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE [III.A.3. Dr. Rosalind Queen Regarding Calling Before You Dig, Training And Customer Service] TO THE NEXT, UH, SPEAKER. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, DR. ROSALYN QUEEN REGARDING CALLING BEFORE YOU DIG TRAINING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. OKAY, WE GOOD? OKAY. WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS OF MORNING MAYOR COUNSEL. MY NAME IS DR. ROSALYN QUEEN. I LIVE AT 2294 BAYOU DRIVE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, 77,640. I'M HERE TODAY DUE TO A DANGEROUS EVENT THAT OCCURRED AT MY HOME ON JANUARY 21ST, 23. AT AROUND 3:00 AM THERE WAS A HUGE WATER MAIN BREAK IN MY FRONT YARD. AFTER CALLING AND SENDING EMAILS TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT, THE CITY CREW FINALLY SHOWED UP AROUND 10:00 AM THERE WAS SEVERAL EMPLOYEES LOOKING AT THE MESS IN MY FRONT YARD, PROBABLY COLLECTING OVERTIME SINCE IT WAS ON A SATURDAY. NOW, WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE? A ROUTINE FOR A ROUTINE LINE REPAIR TURNED INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT WAS DUE TO A PARENT SHORTCUTS AND NO ONE FOLLOWING POLICY OR PROTOCOL. WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED WAS THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD HAVE CALLED BEFORE DIGGING. SO THEN THE CITY EMPLOYEES, WHOSE NAME I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION OR REPEAT, STARTED DIGGING AND HIT A GAS LINE. NOW, THIS CAUSED TEXAS GAS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME OUT. THIS ALSO SHUT DOWN THE WHOLE ENTIRE LAKESIDE PARK EDITION. NO ONE HAD WATER AT ALL FOR HOURS WHILE WAITING ON THE GAS COMPANY. EMPLOYEES SHOWED UP AND THE CITY EMPLOYEE HAD THE AUDACITY TO ARGUE WITH ME ON MY PROPERTY ABOUT WHOSE FAULT THIS WAS. IT'S APPARENT TO ME THAT CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD ATTEND AND ALL TRAINING PROVIDED THROUGH THE HR DEPARTMENT, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. IT IS NOT THE CUSTOMER THAT IS ALWAYS RIGHT. BUT WHEN CITY EMPLOYEES BECOME DISRESPECTFUL AND CONFRONTATIONAL WITH CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN MY BOOK, WE NO LONGER LIVE IN A, IN THE DARK AGES WHERE CITY EMPLOYEES THINK THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL AND CONFRONTATIONAL, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROPERTY OF VETERANS AND SENIOR CITIZEN HOMEOWNERS. THIS IS WHERE THE EMPLOYEE SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR HIS ACTIONS. THIS APOLOGY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR EMPLOYEE AND NOT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THINGS OF THIS NATURE PROBABLY HAPPENS TO CITIZENS [00:30:01] MORE THAN THEY WILL ADMIT FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION BY EMPLOYEES. AGAIN, TRAINING CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE PLUS BE CALLING BEFORE DIGGING, MAY KEEP THE CITY FROM PAYING ADDITIONAL MONIES TO TEXAS GAS AND ENERGY FOR UNNECESSARY TIME. THANKS FOR HEARING WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU DR. QUEEN. WE HAVE ANY REMARKS? UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS? YES, I, I, I HAVE TO SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE DR. QUEEN ACTUALLY CALLED ME THAT SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WE LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, AND MY WATER WAS OFF TOO. AND SHE EXPRESSED TO ME, UH, HER CONCERN FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AND MY QUESTION TO HER AT THAT TIME WAS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, 8 1 1 WAS CALLED, UH, BECAUSE YOU, ANYTIME YOU DIG IN AN EASEMENT, WHETHER YOU ARE A CITIZEN, A PRIVATE CITIZEN, OR A MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE, WE HAVE PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHEN DIGGING BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE UTILITIES THAT ARE IN THOSE EASEMENTS. AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS THE GAS LINE WAS BREACHED AND, AND TURNED OFF ALL THE WATER. AND THEN WE, WE HAD AN EXPLOSIVE SITUATION. SO I ASKED HER TO COME TODAY. UH, IT WAS MY SUGGESTION THAT SHE COME TO PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE, UH, OUR EMPLOYEES NEED TO KNOW, AND I KNOW THERE IS A PROTOCOL THAT, UH, WHENEVER THEY DIG THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LINES ARE MARKED BY THOSE UTILITIES THAT ARE IN THOSE EASEMENTS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, COMING OUT TODAY TO EXPRESS, UH, THIS CONCERN AND HOPEFULLY THAT WE PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION TO NOT ONLY OUR, OUR CITIZENS, BUT TO, UH, OUR STAFF SO THAT THEY, THEY CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS, IS ASKED TO FOLLOW WHEN DIGGING IN EASEMENT, UTILITY EASEMENTS. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. ANYONE ELSE? I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK COMMENT TO MAKE AND IT WAS THAT, UM, MY, I'M MAKING THIS COMMENT ON BEHALF OF MY HUSBAND. HE WANTS TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK AND FINISH PUTTING THE DIRT AND SOME GRASS SINCE THAT HOLE NOW IS COVERED WITH THE DIRT THEY TOOK OUT, WHICH I POSTED A COPY OF WHAT THE HOLE WAS AND HOW MUCH DIRT CAME OUT OF THE GROUND OR BECAUSE OF ALL THE RAIN WE'RE HAVING, THAT TOP LAYER OF DIRT IS COMING OFF AND IT'S GOING DOWN THE DRAIN. SO WE GOT OTHER PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. QUEEN AND DR. QUEEN. WOULD I EITHER, I WOULD JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE IF THERE WERE ANY, UH, MISCONDUCT CONSTRUED BY OUR CITY EMPLOYEE. UH, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE IF THE CITY EMPLOYEE DID NOT SPEAK IN A FRIENDLY MANNER. AND ALSO I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. UH, YES. UH, ON THAT INCIDENT WE CALL LOCATES THAT MORNING. COME, COME, COME, COME IN THE MIC PLEASE. UH, YES, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, THAT MORNING WE CALL LOCATES AND, UH, IT'S BETWEEN SEVEN 30 AND EIGHT WHEN YOU CALLED IN. THE CREW HAD TO DO A REPAIR AND BEAN PASS WHILE THEY WERE WAITING ON LO LOCATES TO SHOW UP. THEY RETURNED TO THE LOCATION, IT WAS MARKED, UH, THEY HIT THE GAS LINE. AND WHEN WE HIT A GAS LINE, WE'RE REQUIRED TO CALL LOCATES AGAIN, WHICH NOTIFIES THE GAS COMPANY. WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO STEP BACK AWAY FROM THE JOB UNTIL THE GAS COMPANY ARRIVES. SO WE HAD TO WAIT AGAIN FOR THE GAS COMPANY TO ARRIVE, WHICH DELAYED THE REPAIR. OKAY? SO, OKAY. IT SHOULD BE, THANK YOU. OKAY, WE THANK YOU, KEN. OKAY, OUR [III.A.4. Jason Kotz Regarding The Wrecker Ordinance, New Subsection J] NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS WOULD BE ON PAGE TWO, STILL ENROLLMENT NUMERAL THREE. UH, WE HAVE JASON KOZ, UH, REGARDING THE WRECKER ORDINANCE, UH, NEW SUB SECTION J. WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, SIR? IT'S, UH, JASON COATES, COAT 63 51 WEST WESTPORT OFF THE ROAD. I'M THE OWNER OF AIRPORT GULF AND COATS TOWING. WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE CITY FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. I HAVE PERSONALLY RECENTLY, Y'ALL HAVE PASSED A RECORD ORDINANCE OF AMENDING THE ORDINANCE THAT A TOW TRUCK IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE PARKED AT A HOUSE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR. I PERSONALLY HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES [00:35:01] THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. THEY PAY TAXES AND THEY'RE U EVERYTHING THEY DO IS IN PORT ARTHUR. THEY'RE ON CALL 24 7, 365, RECORD CALL. Y'ALL GET A, UM, WE GOT A TIME ALLOTTED TIME TO BE RESPONDED TO A CALL FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. I THINK IT'S 25 MINUTES BY THE TIME WE GET TO CALL TO CALL THE DRIVER AND GET TO THE SCENE WITH THIS ORDINANCE THAT Y'ALL HAVE PASSED. THAT MEANS MY DRIVERS CANNOT BE ON CALL AND HAVE THEIR RECORDS PARKED AT THEIR RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WHERE THEY LIVE TO GO GET THIS CAR OR A VEHICLE, WHATEVER THE SCENE THEY HAVE TO GO TO. IN OTHER WORDS, Y'ALL WANT THEM TO PARK OUTSIDE THE CITY, I'M ASSUMING, AND DRIVE THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE TO GET THE RECORD, RESPOND TO THE RECORD CALL, GO BACK, PARK THE TRUCK, AND COME BACK AND LIVE AT THEIR HOUSE. THEY CANNOT TAKE THEIR RECORDS TO THEIR HOUSE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW Y'ALL ARE JUST NAMING RECORDS IN THIS ORDINANCE. THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TIME WARNER TRUCK, THE SAME SIZE TRUCK, WHICH IS A ONE TON BEEFED UP, ONE TON THAT PARKS AT THEIR HOUSE. THEY'RE ON CALL AN ENERGY TRUCK OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE OF THAT MATTER WHEN THEY'RE ON CALL. SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT, I MIGHT HAVE TO LET THESE EMPLOYEES GO BECAUSE WE'RE, THEY CANNOT PARK THAT VEHICLE AT THEIR HOUSE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WERE PRESENTED RIGHT WITH THIS OR WHATEVER, WHEN Y'ALL HAD THIS ORDINANCE GOING IN EFFECT THE CHANGE, NONE OF US GOT NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS GOING ON. IT'S KIND, BASICALLY IT'S PUTTING THE NEWSPAPER AND WE ALL GOT IT ALL AT ONE TIME. SO BASICALLY, I GUESS I'M ASKING Y'ALL, Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL COULD REVIEW THIS ORDINANCE AND REALIZE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE PASSED AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THESE EMPLOYEES THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. I MEAN, IT'S JUST ANYBODY. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A JOB. I WE'RE REQUIRED TO BE 24 7. WE'RE TRYING TO BE ON CALL. SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RE GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. UH, CITY ATTORNEY. NOW, I, I READ WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, MR. MR. COST. I DON'T WANNA SAY YOUR NAME CORRECTLY. WHAT'S THAT? YOUR LAST NAME? COACH. COACH, I'M SORRY. MAKES ME WANNA SAY SO. THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE. MR. COACH, UH, CITY ATTORNEY. UH, HE, HE ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE HAD JUST PASSED. IS, AM I, IS HE CORRECT ON THAT OR IS THIS AN ARGUMENT THAT WAS ALREADY THERE? WE HAVE JUST MAYBE MOVED INTO ENFORCEMENT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CODES, WHICH WOULD BE THE, UH, AHEAD, UH, THIS WAS A ORDINANCE THAT WAS AMENDED, UH, IN NOVEMBER. OF COURSE, I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT COPY. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET ME GET YOUR DATE. IT WAS IN NOVEMBER THAT IT WAS AN AMENDMENT WHERE THEY ADDED SUBSECTION J. AND, UM, I WAS JUST PULLING UP SOMETHING ON MY COMPUTER, UH, TO GIVE US RESPONSE. AND BASICALLY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, BUT A REQUEST WAS MADE TO ADD IT TO THE RECORD ORDINANCE. NOW, WHEN HE SAYS, LIKE IN THE RECORD ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REGULATE RECORDS, SO THERE WAS A PROVISION ADDED, BUT IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, I WAS TRYING TO PULL IT UP, BUT Y'ALL CAME TO ME TOO FAST. UM, THE, UH, ZONING ORDINANCE DOES NOT ALLOW CERTAIN TYPES OF VEHICLES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. UM, SO TH THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, AND IT'S NOT JUST A WRECKER, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ANY TYPE OF LIKE COMMERCIAL TYPE VEHICLE. I'LL PULL THE EXACT REFERENCE UP. AND AGAIN, LIKE ANYBODY THAT HAS A QUESTION, I KNOW WE ARE LISTED AS SPEAKERS, I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT WITH YOU AND KIND OF GO OVER IT WITH YOU. BUT IT'S IN, IT'S BEEN IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND I CAN PULL IT UP IN JUST A SECOND. AND IT SAID OVERNIGHT AND THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO TAKE THE OVERNIGHT OUT AND TO ADD THAT TO THE RECORD ORDINANCE. SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. BUT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, CERTAIN VEHICLES, CERTAIN LARGE TYPES OF VEHICLES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. AND THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR YEARS. AND IT'S ALSO CONSISTENT WITH, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN, UH, MANY CITIES AROUND THE STATE. BUT THERE WAS A REQUEST, UM, IN NOVEMBER TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THAT IT'D BE SPEC SPECIFIED IN THE RECORD ORDINANCE. AND NOT THAT IT JUST BE OVERNIGHT. UM, SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ELABORATE. YES. YES, SIR. UH, I THINK WHAT SHE REFERRING TO AS THE ZONING, THAT'S COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, WHICH IS GOT A MORE WHITE STANDARD, UH, THAN WHAT THE TRUCK THAT OUR DRIVER DRIVE HOME. IT'S NOT AN 18 WHEELER WRECK. IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF A DUMP TRUCK. IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF A TANKER TRUCK. IT'S A SMALL, IT'S A ONE TON RECORD THAT'S BEEFED UP A LITTLE BIT. THE HANDLE. YES, SIR. SO WITH THAT BEING THE [00:40:01] ZONING THING GOING INTO THE RECORD ORDINANCE THAT IT WENT TO, IT'S NOT CLEAR. IT JUST SAYS RECORDS. WELL, SOMETHING ELSE, IF THIS IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO OFFER, I REMEMBER COUNCILMAN JONES WANTS TO SPEAK, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE WORKED OUT. YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. SO WE JUST GOING TO PRESENT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING UP FOR A DISCUSSION. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT IT'S, IT'S TO BE SPOKEN ABOUT. WE ARE TAKING IN WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE. WE'LL STUDY IT AS A COUNCIL, LOOK AT IT. AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED AT A PROPER TIME, WE'LL WE'LL PUT FORTH AN AMEND. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU MAYOR. THAT'S MY IDEA. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UH, YOU TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS, ALL THIS AGAIN. CAUSE RECORD SERVICE, IF YOU CALL FOR A PURPOSE SERVICE, THEY GOTTA BE AT THEIR HOUSE. THEY GET A CAR TO THEIR HOUSE, THEY WANT TO GET UP IN THEIR TRUCK AND GET RIGHT, GET RIGHT AWAY ON HIS CARS. ALSO, THIS GUY PROVIDE, PROVIDE, UH, SECURITY ON THESE, ON THESE JOBS. THEY GOT HAVE A MAJOR WRECK. THEY DOCTOR ROAD OFF, THEY CLEANED UP, THEY DO OTHER THINGS BESIDES THIS NEW RECORD SERVICE. SO WE TAKE ANOTHER HARD LOOK AT THE SEAL WE GOING, THAT'S WHAT WE GOING TRY TO AMEND IT AND GET THIS GAS SOME BELIEVE THAT'S WE GONNA DO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. THAT'S IT. WELL, THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. CAN. OKAY, [III.A.5. Juan Reyes Regarding The Wrecker Ordinance, New Subsection J] NEXT WE HAVE MR. WARREN RES REGARDING THE RECORD ORDINANCE. UH, NEW SUBSECTION J STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE, SIR. GOOD MORNING. UH, JUANES AND, UH, 29 41 EIGHTH AVENUE. UH, PRETTY MUCH IS WHAT HE TALK ABOUT, ABOUT THE RECORDS. YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S HARD IN US. IT'S HERE IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY I GUESS BECAUSE LIKE HE SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN ALL PARK THE TRUCKS IN THE HOUSE, HE PROBABLY LET HIS EMPLOYEES GO. AND IT'S HARD. LIKE I SAY, IT'S HARD IN US AND IT'S HARD IN THE, THE COMMUNITY. SO IT'S REALLY, I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT AND MAKE A DECISION ON THIS. SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT. OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S IT. THANK, THANK [III.A.6. Allen Valka Of Allen Valka/Opie's Towing Regarding City Ordinance No. 22-78, Wreckers At Home] YOU SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE MR. ALLEN VAKA OF ALAN VAKA OPS, UH, TOYING REGARDING CITY ORDINANCE NUMBER 22 DASH 78 RECORDS AT HOME. TO COME UP PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. HELLO, I'M ALAN VAKA, LIVE AT 37 41 MEMORIAL BOULEVARD. I'M THE OWNER OF OPIE STONE OPIE'S, STOLEN IN TRANSPORT. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SEE THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS OF GETTING THIS ORDINANCE DEMOLISHED OFF OF HERE. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEVER NO REASON FOR IT TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST A TOW TRUCK COMPANY HAULING JUNK CARS AROUND. WE'RE A RECORD SERVICE SERVING THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO KEEP IT A PORT ARTHUR. WE DO EVERYTHING FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. AND WE STAND FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. THAT'S WHY WE'VE DONE THIS RECORD STUFF OUR WHOLE LIFE. AS MR. COAT SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT 2030 YEARS ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY, 24 7, RAIN SNOWS, SLEETS, SHINE, HURRICANES, TORNADOES, WHATEVER. THIS RED NOR AWKWARDNESS LIKE HE SAID, IT'S CAUSING TROUBLE WITH OUR DRIVERS, OUR AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET TO OUR CUSTOMERS QUICK ENOUGH. WE'RE TALKING A 25 MINUTE TIMEFRAME, NO MATTER IF IT'S A TOW, UNLOCK A JUMPSTART OR WRECK CAR IN A DITCH, WHATEVER. WE'RE D WE'RE BEEN DOING THIS AND WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THE CITIZENS AND OURSELVES TO TAKE CARE AND MAKE OURSELVES LOOK GOOD. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS ALL THIS TIME FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS. ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ON 69. ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON. THE CLOVERLEAF, THEY'RE FIXING SHUT MORE OF THE CLOVERLEAF DOWN. YOU WANT US TO GO BACK TO OUR HOUSE? GO GET THE RECORD. GO OVER THERE AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, WE GOT A FOUR CAR, FIVE CAR PILOT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET THERE QUICK ENOUGH. THAT'S WRONG. AND WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THIS ORDINANCE BACK THEN OF THE TOW TRUCKS BE BEING MESSED WITH NEEDS TO RETHINK THEIR OCCUPATION. WE'RE NOT JUST A TOW TRUCK SERVICE. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR REGISTRATIONS AND OUR PERMITS, WE'RE CONSIDERED EMERGENCY RECORD SERVICES THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WE ANSWER EVERY MONTH AND EVERY YEAR TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSE AND REGULATIONS, WHICH IS WAY MORE HIGHER POWERFUL THAN Y'ALL ARE. THIS IS, Y'ALL ARE CAUSING THIS ON US. THIS BEAUTIFICATION STUFF THAT FIRST STARTED ALL OF THIS. THAT'S WHY I CAME ON THE NEWS CAUSE I'M PRETTY IN PINK. BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU WANNA WORRY ABOUT BEAUTIFICATION. HOW ABOUT THIS? THE OTHER NIGHT WHILE THIS RAM IS COMING ON, WE'RE WORKING A WRECK HARD UP UPSIDE DOWN IN THE DITCH. AND THE DITCH DITCH IS FOUR FOOT OF GRASS IN IT. TRASH, DEBRIS, EVERYTHING FROM NOBODY PICKING UP THE TRASH, NOBODY CLEANING UP. THIS IS WHAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT WHEN WE GET ON SCENE AND WE TAKE CARE OF CALLS, WE'RE DONE QUICKER THAN ANYTHING. AND WE DO MORE OF THE CITY OF CLEANING THE ROADS UP FROM THE DEBRIS OF THESE INCIDENCES THAN THE CITY DOES. SO WE NEED TO DO SIT DOWN. WE NEED TO HAVE A TALK ABOUT THIS. 24 7 TOW TRUCKS SHOULD NOT BE INVESTIGATED WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. WE ARE STATE CERTIFIED. WE ARE COUNTY JEFFERSON [00:45:01] COUNTY CERTIFIED. WE'RE ALSO CERTIFIED IN PORT ARTHUR. AND WE ABIDE BY THEIR RULES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE CAN'T BE DOING THIS. YOU'RE NOT HURTING US. ONLY YOU'RE HURTING OUR CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. AIN'T THAT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR IS FOR OUR CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. THEN ABOLISH THIS RECORD ORDINANCE THAT YOU GOT ON THIS FOR TOW TRUCKS AT OUR HOUSE AND ABOLISH IT AND SUPPORT US TO DEFENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR 24 7. WE GOT DRIVERS THAT DON'T EVEN SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES CUZ WE'RE TOO BUSY WORKING BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS COME FIRST. CITY OF PORT ARTHUR COMES FIRST. THAT'S WHAT WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IN THE GET GO, WASN'T IT? THEN WHEN DO WE START COMMUNICATING? Y'ALL DID PULL THIS UP AND Y'ALL DID START POSTING THIS, STARTED THIS NINE 13 OF 2022 WHEN Y'ALL ADDED JAY J. UNLESS A RECORD IS BEING OPERATED BY THE PURPOSE OF TOWING OR REMOVING THE VEHICLE AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER ONE 14, SECTION 1 21 OF THE PORT DAKOTA OF ORDINANCES, NO RECORD SHALL BE PARKED AT ANY OPEN PARKING SPACE GARAGE, COME ON. CARPORT DRIVEWAY, FRONT YARD OR SIMILAR PARKING FACILITIES IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA. HOW'S THAT GONNA JUSTIFY TAKING CARE OF THE CITY? HOW'S THAT GONNA JUSTIFY TAKING CARE OF OUR CITIZENS? YOU DON'T HEAR US TALKING ABOUT OUR MONEY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIVES, LIVES OF THE CITY. PORT ARTHUR AND LAST YEAR'S SENSES ON POPULATION IN PORT ARTHUR WAS 66,000 PEOPLE ORIGINALLY RIGHT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR WITH CONSTRUCTION. ALL THE EXPANSIONS, ALL THE REFINERIES AND STUFF. JUST GOT A LETTER THE OTHER DAY FROM TECH. DO ADD ANOTHER 50,000 TO IT. SO YOU'RE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND THAT WE'RE HAVING TO SIT BACK AND LET THEM WAIT AND THEIR LIVES GET JEOPARDIZED AND THE CONSTRUCTION SLOWS DOWN. WE WANT THE MONEY IN PORT ARTHUR. THEN WE NEED TO HELP THESE CITIZENS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GO TO WORK. THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR BILLS. OUR DRIVERS CAN PAY THEIR BILLS, WE CAN PAY OUR TAXES. EVERYBODY LIVES IN PORT ARTHUR. THEY PAY THEIR RENT, UTILITIES, GARBAGE PROPERTY TAXES. WE PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON ALL OF OUR STORAGE YARDS LICENSE IN PORT ARTHUR BY CITY AND THE STATE. SO I'M ASKING FOR, UH, LET'S COME TOGETHER ON THIS AND DEMOLISH ALL THIS, TRYING TO REGULATE THE TOW TRUCKS BEING IN OUR RESIDENCE IF THEY'RE LEGAL AND YOU GOT THAT PORT ARTHUR PD STICKER ON THERE, OR JEFFERSON COUNTY OR WHATEVER, AND IT'S LEGAL AND IT'S STATE CERTIFIED. THERE AIN'T NO DIFFERENT THAN THE TEXAS DOCK TRUCK, PORT ARTHUR TRUCK, CITY DEPARTMENT, TRUCK, WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT TRUCK. WE'RE THE SAME THING. THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S MY POINT OF THIS IS, IS BECAUSE WE'RE HERE FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, WE MADE THIS OBLIGATION AND WE PAY THIS CITY TO OPERATE IN THIS CITY UNDER THE GUIDELINES. BUT THIS ONE GUIDELINE IS, SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THOUGHT OF. SO I'M ASKING FOR IT TO BE DEMOLISHED FROM THE ACCOUNT, THE ORDINANCE, EVEN PARKING AT NIGHTTIME. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE TOUCHED TO TOW TRUCKS. WE'RE 24 7, 365 DAYS A YEAR. WHEN Y'ALL ARE AT HOME SLEEPING WITH Y'ALL'S FAMILY, WE'RE OUT THERE IN THE WEATHER SAVING CITIZENS. SO YOU NEED TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT AND SUPPORT THE TOW TRUCKS INSTEAD OF GETTING DOWN ON US. ANY QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. I'M GONNA ASK YOU FOR QUESTIONS. ALL MY EARS ARE YOU THROUGH? SO ARE ARE YOU THROUGH, HAVE YOU COMPLETED YOUR PRE OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. Y'ALL COVERED STUFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MCKEN. HEY, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND UH, THANK YOU, UH, OPIE OP, I I I I'LL LISTEN TO YOUR PRESENTATION AND I'M HEARING THAT YOU'RE SAVING LIVES. YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOUR TOW TRUCKS ARE, ARE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY. YOU'RE STAYING BUSY, NOT MAKING A LOT OF MONEY. IT'S SAVING THE CITIZENS. WELL, YOU JUST, THEY DEPEND ON US. BOY. THEY DEPENDING ON Y'ALL HO HOLD, HOLD ON. OP IT. I WANT YOU TO DO THAT. I'VE GIVEN YOU GOOD CHANCE TO SEE IF SOMEONE'S GONNA SPEAK. I DON'T WANT 'EM TO HAVE, IT'S NOT FOR A DISCUSSION. YOU WERE SPEAKING. OKAY. NOW THEY MAY HAVE SOMETHING THEY TO YOU, I AFRAID UP TO BRING IT TO THE TABLE AND I'M BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE. SO GO AHEAD. WELL, I'M ONLY JUST REPEATING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SIR. YOU SAYING YOU'RE BUSY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TOW TRUCKS OUT THERE, YOU'RE SAVING LIVES AND IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. BUT YOU'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF ORDINANCE, UH, NEW SUBSECTION J YES. AND I, I I'VE GOT MANY CALLS ABOUT THAT. BUT THEN YOU EARLIER STATED THAT YOU'RE PICKING UP MORE DEBRIS AND, AND GARBAGE THAN THE CITY WORKERS. SEE, I THINK THAT'S UNFAIR TO YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT WELL, THAT'S YOUR OPINION. HOLD ON, WAIT A MINUTE. GO AHEAD. I DON'T WANT US TO YES, SIR. BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE MAKING AND PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILIES. SO I THINK THEY WOULD PROBABLY TAKE OF OFFENSE IF YOU SAYING THAT WITHOUT HAVING ANY DATA. MY THING TO YOU IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU COME UP ON A WRECK, I DO SEE TOW TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING OFF TRACK IN ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOUR BUSINESS AT, WHERE, WHERE'S YOUR BUSINESS LOCATED PHYSICALLY? 3,200 BLOCK OF 25TH STREET. OKAY, SO IT'S IN PORT ARTHUR. WELL, YEAH. IT'S THE ONLY WAY OPERATES THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT WHAT, 10 MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? ABOUT 12. [00:50:01] SO IF YOU SAID YOU'RE ON MEMORIAL AND YOU SAID 25TH STREET BY THE TIME YOU, BUT YOU GOTTA REALIZE WHEN YOU GET OUT, PUT YOUR JEANS ON, PUT YOUR, AND BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TIMEFRAME. WELL, ALL, ALL I'M JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE START CROSSING RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESSES TO TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. I DON'T KNOW. IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES. BUT GO, GO AHEAD. TOW TRUCKS ARE THE BUSINESS. OUR RESIDENCE IS WHERE WE LAY OUR HEAD AT. RIGHT. SO YOU TRUCKS, WE ALLOW OTHER BUSINESSES TO DO THE SAME THING YOU'RE SPEAKING OF TO BRING THOSE DUMP TRUCKS HOME. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING DUMP TRUCKS. I'M JUST SAYING IT'S IN THE SAME CATEGORY. IT'S NEVER BEEN TOW TRUCKS OR GO CARRIES THEM. OH, EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE COUNCIL. KEN LAW. YEAH, IF YOU JUST, JUST MAKE A STATEMENT. I'M JUST ASK QUESTIONS. I'M GONNA JUST MAKE A STATEMENT. YES, SIR. WE GONNA, I HOPE THAT IT'S OUR, UH, OUR WILL AS A TOTAL COUNSELOR TO LOOK INTO THIS. UH, I HAVE CONCERNS, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MIX, UH, BUSINESSES WITH RESIDENTIAL. UH, I KNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR CARS HOOKED UP WHILE YOU'RE AT YOUR HOUSE OR YOU I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING UNTIL I GET THAT WE STAY BY EATING LUNCH, TAKING CARE OF DINNER, SLEEP. NO, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT FOR, THIS IS NOT FOR DEBATE. I'M JUST MAKING A STATEMENT AND WE'RE GONNA END IT. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE DOING THAT OR NOT, BUT WE GOTTA GET THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THIS SUBSECTION J BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE FAIR TO YOU GUYS. AND WE ALSO WANT TO BE FAIR TO THE RESIDENCE OF PORT ARTHUR. AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE A TOW TRUCK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE A CAR HOOKED UP OVERNIGHT, 24 HOURS. I WOULD NEVER SEE. WE'VE NEVER, WE WE'RE NOT ALLOW TOW TRUCK. NO, NO. I'M JUST MAKING STATEMENTS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND. AND THEN WE GET THE DATA AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON IT. YEAH, I THINK Y'ALL NEED SOME DATA. OKAY. OKAY. THANK, THANK YOU. THANK SIR. UH, MR. VAKA FOR YOUR, YOUR APPRECIATION YOU'LL SPEAK TO TODAY. WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. NOW WE'LL [III.B.1. A Presentation By Dr. Liv Haselbach, Teressa Duesler, And Davon Chargois Regarding An Introduction Of The Lamar Center For Resiliency] MOVE NOW TO, UH, PRESENTATIONS. UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY DR. LIV SERACH, UH, THERESA, UH, DUESLER, UH, AND DEVON SHAWA REGARDING AN, UH, INTRODUCTION TO THE LAMAR CENTER FOR RESILIENCY. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HI, MY NAME'S LEE SACH. I'M A PROFESSOR AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR RESILIENCY. AND DEVON SUA IS, UH, ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WORKING FOR SOME PROJECTS IN THE CENTER OF RESILIENCY. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE AND DO THIS PRESENTATION. I HAVE LEFT THE PDF AND SOME COPIES HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON IT AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE EVERYONE'S TIME TOO MUCH HERE. SO IF YOU COULD, UM, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO, THE CENTER FOR RESILIENCY AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY STARTED WITH THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION REQUEST THAT THE UNIVERSITY DID TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. UM, IT BASICALLY, UH, SAID THAT WE WANTED TO SERVE THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ASSIST IN ESTABLISHING A NETWORKING CENTER AND DATA COLLABORATIVE PROVIDING SERVICE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR IMPROVED MULTI DISASTER RESILIENCY IN THE GULF COAST REGION. AND AS, UH, DR. EVANS SAID, WE GET A LOT OF DISASTERS HERE, SO WE NEEDED A CENTER FOR THIS. UM, IT WAS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN JULY OF 2021. AND WE STARTED WITH JUST THIS ONE PAGE DOCUMENT IN SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2021. SO COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? SO WHAT I ENVISIONED AND WHAT THE PROVOST AND THE PRESIDENT ENVISIONED IS THIS BRINGING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY TOGETHER WITH AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING ALL FIVE COLLEGES, OTHER MAJOR CENTERS AT LAMAR, THE TEXAS DISASTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS FINANCE AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES. BUT OUR VISION AS WAS IN THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION REQUEST, WAS TO BE A NETWORKING CENTER AND A DATA COLLABORATIVE FOR MULTI DISASTER RESILIENCE SERVING, UM, THE GULF REGION. SO COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? WE HAVE SOME CORE PROJECT VALUES ON IT, THAT IT'S FOR THE GULF COMMUNITY NEEDS. WE WOULD BE, HAVE DATA INTEGRITY, RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY, INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE AND DIVERSITY. AND THEN SOME CORE COMPONENTS IS WE'D HAVE EDUCATION, OUTREACH, RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, AND INFORMING DECISION MAKING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, UM, ITEMS THAT WE WOULD BE TOING HERE WITH A COMMUNICATION EXCHANGE. AND OF COURSE, ASSESSOR WORK AND PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS A, A FOUNDATION OF LAMAR UNIVERSITY. SO WE STARTED IT WITH THIS PLAN THAT I'M THE DIRECTOR AND WE HAVE STAFF AND WE HAVE A EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING, UH, BASICALLY THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY. WE ALSO HAVE AN EXTERNAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND ONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES HERE IS ON IT AND, UH, REPRESENTING THE AREA AND THE STATE. BUT IN THE MIDDLE THERE YOU'LL SEE THESE FOUR BOXES. SO BASICALLY WE HAVE SPRINGBOARD PROJECTS, AND THAT IS EVERY SINGLE COLLEGE [00:55:01] GETS SOME, UH, FINANCING EACH YEAR FOR THEIR PROFESSORS IN ALL TO DO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, DEALING WITH, UM, UH, SOUP KITCHEN OR, UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTION STUFF DURING DISASTERS OR WHETHER IT HAS TO DO WITH ALZHEIMER'S, UH, DISEASE AND THE IMPACTS OF, OF DISASTERS ON IT OR OTHER A ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AREA. WE ALSO HAVE INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS WHERE WE TRY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HAVE MORE COMMUNICATION. WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL INITIATIVES AND I, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THEM HERE. AND THEN OUR BIGGEST THING IS THE FLOOD COORDINATION STUDY. WE FLOOD, WE FLOOD A LOT. UM, I STARTED THAT HERE IN THE FALL OF 2019 JUST AFTER TROPICAL STORM AMELDA. AND IT'S BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVE AND AS IT'S, IT'S STATED HERE AS WE DO EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND RESEARCH. SO COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? SO LAST FISCAL YEAR WE ESTABLISHED THE CENTER. WE GOT OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WE HIRED SOME STAFF, WE ESTABLISHED THE ADVISORY COUNCIL. WE STARTED SOME PROTOCOLS BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION FROM SCRATCH. AND WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH SPRINGBOARD PROJECTS, LAMAR PROJECTS, FLOOD COORDINATION STUDY IN THE FIRST YEAR. WE INVOLVED OVER 70 FACULTY, OVER A HUNDRED STUDENTS, AND, UH, TO THE ORDER OF ONE, 1.2 MILLION TO THEM TO DO THESE INITIATIVES FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A WEBSITE AND WE HAD SOME OTHER RESOURCES FOR THERE. I I WOULD ASK YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT TOPICS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I KNOW I'M TALKING FAST, BUT I DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME THIS YEAR. WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS YEAR'S PROJECTS, BUT, UH, MAINLY EXPANDING THE INITIATIVES. AND THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE. UM, THIS MONTH WE LAUNCHED A CITIZEN LECTURE SERIES. THE FIRST SPEAKER WAS ENERGY, WHICH BASICALLY THEY WERE TELLING, UM, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT. AND SO THESE CITIZEN LECTURES WILL FEED FOR THE PUBLIC. UH, THERE'LL BE ONCE A MONTH. UH, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE NEXT ONE IN FEBRUARY WILL BE FROM, UM, VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS TALKING ABOUT VOLUNTEERING FOR IT. WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY SOME JUDGES AND MAY MAYBE TO DO A HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS ONE. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE CITIZENS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR MIGHT ALSO START ATTENDING THESE LECTURES. WE HAVE SOME BROWN BAGS ON OUR, OUR RESEARCH, THE SUMMIT. AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU, UNDER EDUCATION, WE'VE STARTED A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES. SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ONE IN OCTOBER WHERE SOCIAL WORKERS COULD GET THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR IT. WE'LL HAVE A POVERTY POVERTY SIMULATION IN APRIL AND OTHER ONES SO THAT DIFFERENT, UM, PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE CAN CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION FOR BASICALLY NO COST FOR THEIR VARIOUS LICENSES THAT THEY HAVE. BUT THE OTHER ONE THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO START IS THE CENTER FOR RESILIENCY CORE. AND WE'RE ESTABLISHING A TRAINING PROGRAM TO HAVE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE MORE PREPARED, A LITTLE BIT SMARTER BEFORE A HURRICANE, KNOWING THINGS LIKE IF YOU GO OUT, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN WATER, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BUG SPRAY, MEDICAL KITS, ALL VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT. AND, UM, I S T C IS GONNA DEVELOP THAT TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE TO START TAKING FOR THE AREA HERE. UM, AND UH, SO YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FLOOD COORDINATION STUDY BECAUSE UH, I WORK A LOT WITH DD SEVEN AND I KNOW IT FLOODS A LOT HERE. WE HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS AND IT'S WELL ATTENDED, STATE, FEDERAL AND ALL PEOPLE GOING ON IT. BUT OUR LARGEST PROJECT IS THAT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WE HAVE DEPLOYED OVER 70, UM, LOW-COST FLOOD SENSORS IN THE SEVEN COUNTY REGION. SEVERAL OF 'EM HERE THAT DD SEVEN HE HAD US PUT IN. AND I JUST WANNA ALSO TELL YOU THAT WE WERE JUST AWARDED A DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANT THAT DEVON IS HELPING US WITH, UM, WHICH WE ARE JUST KICKING OFF, BUT WILL ALLOW US TO PUT IN AT LEAST 20 MORE SENSORS. PLUS THE GLO IS INTERESTED IN MAYBE US EXPANDING MORE SO THAT MORE AREAS THAT YOU'RE FLOOD PRONE HERE FOR YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS OR FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW. AND I'LL GONNA SHOW YOU A LITTLE DETAIL ON IT BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PUBLIC DASHBOARD. OUR SECOND BIG THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HERE IS THE HIGH FREQUENCY RADAR PROJECT. AND I'LL GO TO THE SLIDES FOR IT. BUT WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS ON POLLUTION AND DREDGING AND OTHER TOPICS THAT ARE IMPORTANT HERE, LIKE, UH, A MOBILE LEVEE TESTER IN THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS. NEXT ONE, PLEASE. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN SOME TER EXTERNAL GRANTS AND THIS BIG ONE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, I LEFT ANOTHER SHORT PDF ON IT, IT'S JUST KICKING OFF. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA YET, BUT I'VE LEFT IT OVER THERE IN CASE YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT. AND IN CASE YOU WANT US TO COME BACK AS [01:00:01] WE START DEVELOPING IT, NOT ONLY WILL THAT HAVE MORE FLOOD SENSORS, BUT IT ALSO PUTS IN AIR SENSORS FOR AIR POLLUTION AND SOME WATER QUALITY SENSORS. AND SO WE'RE HOPING AS WE DECIDE WHERE THESE MIGHT GO, WE'LL GET COMMUNITY INPUT TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE, MORE INFORMATIVE FOR YOU GUYS. UH, NEXT SLIDE. SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE HIGH FREQUENCY RADAR PROJECT AND I FIRST WANNA THANK THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE HELPED US GET THIS GOING. AND THIS PROJECT IS, UH, LED BY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, EL PASO AND SOME OTHER ONES, BUT WE'RE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND HERE AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IT JUST SO HAPPENS IS THEY USE RADAR TO FIGURE OUT WHERE CURRENTS ARE GOING, WHERE THE WAVES ARE GOING, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, EAST, SOUTH, NORTH, AND WEST. AND THEY ALREADY HAVE IT ALL SET UP ON THE GULF. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN OUR ESTUARIES MUCH YET. SO THIS IS A, A GLO PROJECT TO TRY IT OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN DO IT. NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE JUST INSTALLED ON GALVESTON BAY, UM, THROUGH THE RADARS AND THEY'VE BEEN COMMISSIONED AND THEY'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE DATA ON THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE NOAH SITE, BUT YOU ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS SABINE LIKE, AND AS I SAID, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS HELPED US WITH THIS BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE RADAR UNITS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BUT THEY'RE NOT YET COMMISSIONED. THEY'RE WORKING ON IT IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY ON PLEASURE ISLAND, ONE OF THEM ON A LEVY FOR A PLACEMENT AREA THAT THE CORE HAS LET US PUT ON AND ANOTHER AT YOUR CITY PARK. AND THERE HAVE SOME MEMBERS RIGHT HERE THAT HAVE HELPED US, UH, TO GET ALL THESE PERMITS IN HANGING IN. PLEASURE, FEL FLAK. UH, SO THANK UH, WANNA THANK THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. WHAT THIS DOES IS IF, UM, THERE'S AN OIL SPILL, UH, IT SORT OF MEASURES THE, THE CURRENTS, WHICH WAY IS THE WATER FLOWING? SO YOU HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHERE TO GO FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR IT'S FOGGY IN A, A FISHERMAN'S BOAT GOES AND DRIFTS AND YOU WANNA KNOW WHICH WAY THEY MIGHT GO ON. SO FOR ANY OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS OR STORM SURGE, WHICH WAY ARE THE CURRENTS GOING? SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME IDEA FOR ANY OF THOSE EMERGENCY RESPONSES. YOU CAN SEE THE ONE THING THERE, THOSE ARE SOLAR PANELS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ELECTRICITY THERE, SO THEY'RE PUTTING IN SOLAR PANELS TO OPERATE THAT ONE. AS I SAID, IT'S HOPEFULLY GONNA BE COMMISSIONED SOON AND LATER ON IN THE SPRING, UM, WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS ON HOW YOU CAN GO TO THE SITE AND SEE WHERE IT MIGHT GO FOR ANY OF YOUR EMERGENCY ME NEEDS HERE IN THE CITY. AND I'M HOPING THAT SOME OF YOUR EMERGENCY GROUPS WILL ATTEND THOSE, UM, AS WE PRESENT WITH IT. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO PORT ARTHUR. UM, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE LETTING US BE ABLE TO TRY THIS OUT ON SABINE LAKE. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THE OTHER DETAIL I WANTED TO GO IN WAS LOW COST SENSORS. UM, THERE WAS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGE APPROACHED US, UH, TO TRY OUT SOME OF THESE LOW COST SENSORS TO FIGURE OUT HOW HIGH THE WATER IS IN, IN THE RIVERS, IN THE BAYOU, IN YOUR DITCHES, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ALL TO HELP WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND MODELING AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR OUR FLOODING HERE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND YOU CAN SEE WE WORK TOGETHER AND LAMAR IS THE ASSET MANAGER. SO WE'RE THE ONES BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER. AND FORTUNATELY THIS CENTER IS ALLOWING TO PAY FOR IT ORIGINALLY STARTED BY THE TWO RIVER AUTHORITIES FUNDING US. BUT GOING ON. AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE IN IT, INCLUDING ONE OF THE REFINERIES WHERE, UM, ON THE NATURES RIVER, THEY'VE INSTALLED ONE OF THESE ONES. UH, NEXT ONE, PLEASE. BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IT'S A SENSOR THAT HAS SOLAR POWER AND WIFI, AND IT JUST HAS A SENSOR IN THE WATER. AND SO IT TELLS YOU HOW MANY FEET THE WATER IS ABOVE IT, AND IT GOES TO THE INTERNET AND THEN GOES TO WHERE WE WANNA HAVE IT FOR THE PUBLIC. SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS WHAT IS MORE INTERESTING FOR YOU? ANYONE HERE IN THE ROOM COULD GO TO THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS RAIN SITE. IT'S OPERATED BY THE SABINE RIVER AUTHORITY, AND THEY'VE LET US PUT OUR SENSORS ON IT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE SENSORS FROM THE U S G S. AND THERE ARE MANY SENSORS, AND YOU CAN GO IN AND FOCUS IN ON YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOUR AREA AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. AND YOU MIGHT THEN SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS IT'S THREE FEET, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THE LAST YEAR WITH OUR, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PROFESSORS TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY HA GIVE SOME INFORMATION ON THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SITE ON WHAT IT MEANS. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO. IF THE SENSORS IN A DITCH AND WE HAVE IT THERE AND SAY, WELL, THE FIRST THRESHOLD IS HALFWAY UP THE DITCH, THEN, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE DITCH IS HALF FULL. BUT IF IT'S THE TOP OF THE BANK, THEN THE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE RIGHT OFF BY THE TOP OF THE BANK IS SIX FEET. SO WE HAVE THE ISSUE THERE, OR IN THAT ONE TO THE LEFT THERE. IF IT'S ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIDGE, WELL THAT MIGHT BE THE TIME TO SHUT DOWN THAT ROAD [01:05:01] BEFORE WE HAVE AN INCIDENT FOR A LOW WATER CROSSING FOR IT. SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THESE AND WE HOPE PEOPLE ARE GONNA START USING THEM, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD. AND WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN, UH, CONNECT WITH THE CENTER FOR RESILIENCY. AND AS I SAID, I DO HAVE ONE MORE SMALL SLIDE DECK, WHICH WE DID NOT PRINT. HE DIDN'T PRINT THAT ONE OUT, UM, UH, ON THE, THE DOE GRANT. AND SO IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO COME BACK LATER ON, THAT'S THE ONE WHERE WE'RE HOPING TO PUT IN MORE FLOOD SENSORS, AIR POLLUTION SENSORS, AND SOME WATER QUALITY SENSORS IN PORT ARTHUR. SO THANKS FOR LETTING ME COME, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE PUBLIC WILL START COMING TO OUR EVENTS AND START LOOKING IN THESE WEBSITES. UM, AND THAT YOU WILL ALSO PROMOTE THAT YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGE MIRRORS AND OTHER DECISION MAKERS, UH, COME TO BE INFORMED ON SOME OF THESE THINGS WE'VE HAD THE HONOR TO BE A PART OF. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, AM I BEING THE MAYOR? WE ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH, UH, FLOOD MITIGATION. I KNOW, UH, IN, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE CITY MANAGER. AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO WITH THE, UH, UH, TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY HAS A PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE CONTACTED US FOR DATA ON FLOODING WITHIN THE CITY. AND AS HE WAS DOING THIS, I WAS TRYING TO GO THROUGH THIS TO FIND THE EMAIL, BUT CHARLES FROM CHARLES, YEAH, HE'S, HE'S WORKING WITH, SHE'S, HE'S WORKING WITH THEM. MAYOR. OKAY. SO, SO WITH, WITH THE, THE DOE PROJECT, IT'S A AND M U T PRAYER REVIEW, AUSTIN IN OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LAB. OKAY. AND I'M THE, I LEAD THE BRINGING THE PEOPLE HERE, BUT TEXAS TARGET COMMUNITIES IS, UH, BRINGING, IS HELPING. I'M JUST AN ENGINEER. SO, UH, I'M NOT AS GOOD AT SOME OF THESE OTHER TALENTS. SO YEAH. I'M ALSO ON THE NATURES RIVER FLOOD PLANNING GROUP FOR THE STATE. OKAY. WELL, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE ALL COMING IN. IT'S REAL GOOD. IT'S GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS OH YEAH. GOING ON. AND I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M, UH, EXCITED THAT LAMAR UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS A MY ALMA MATER IS, IS, IS, IS A INVOLVED WITH, IS RESILIENCY, UH, PROGRAM. AND, UH, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO, UH, AVAIL OURSELVES STAFF FOR INFORMATION FOR STUDIES THAT'S GOING TO ENHANCE THE, UH, PROTECTIVE BARRIERS, SO TO SPEAK, THAT WE HAVE FOR FLOODING IN OUR CITY. AND EVEN IN OUR REGION. WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED. WELL, YOU HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION. YES. AND YOU CAN TELL I LIKE TO TALK. SO I'M, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME TO SHOW THINGS AND, AND BRING ANY OTHER PEOPLE FOR IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES. BUT THE CITY MANAGER, WE, WE, WE WE'RE, WE ARE GETTING CONTACT WITH YOU BEFORE NEXT WEDNESDAY. YES. YEAH. I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MEETING OH, OKAY. FOR THE NIGHT. GO AHEAD. OH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK MS. CHERYL BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO POST THAT LAST COMMUNITY EVENT ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR PORT ARTHUR AND ON THE WEBSITE. SO, OKAY. WE KNOW TO REACH OUT TO HER AND, AND WE'LL GET YOU WITH, UH, SEE OUR P SHE WAS IN HERE A MOMENT AGO, BUT SHE RIGHT, YOU RIGHT THERE. OH, OH, OH, OKAY. I COULDN'T SEE HER. YEAH. GET, GET, GET. THANK YOU. UH, INDIRECT CONTACT WITH HER MAYOR. THIS IS, THIS IS A MODEL EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMEDIATE TANGIBLES, BUT SECURES THE, THE LIVES AND PROPERTY, UM, BY PROVIDING CREDIBLE AND ON THE SPOT INFORMATION, UM, TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. SO DOC, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, UM, AND, AND, AND DEVONNE FOR THAT BECAUSE IT, IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER, IT WILL MEAN THAT WE HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AS WE CONTINUE TO COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS IN ORDER TO SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTIES. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND, AND I'M NOT THE FIRST RESPONDER PERSON COMING OUT, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN RESPOND BETTER. THANK YOU. AND LET US KNOW ABOUT THAT MEETING. HA. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. OKAY, [III.B.2. A Presentation By Staff Regarding An Update On Crime And Police Department Vacancies (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw)] NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, BY STAFF REGARDING AN UPDATE ON CRIME AND POLICE DEPARTMENT VACANCIES, AS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW. OKAY. ASSISTANT CHIEF. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNSEL, UH, MR. BURTON STAFF AND CITIZENS. MY NAME'S MICHAEL FRAUS AND I'M, UH, ONE OF THE DEPUTY CHIEFS OVER AT THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I, AND I LIKE THE WORD RESILIENT CUZ I'M HOPING THAT WHAT I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY SHOWS THE RESILIENCY IN THE, IN WHAT WE OVERCOME TO PROVIDE A, A GOOD POSITIVE SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS HERE IN, IN PORT ARTHUR. UH, THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO DO THAT IS JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE HAD IN, UH, IN WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER 2022. TO KINDA GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT [01:10:01] OF WHERE WE'RE AT. OUR, UH, OUR OFFICERS BEEN WORKING HARD. THEY RESPONDED TO 53,628 CALLS FOR SERVICE OVER THE LAST YEAR. THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, OVER 2,350 MORE CALLS THAN THE YEAR PRIOR. UH, THOSE CALLS RESULTED IN 1,110 ARREST OF THOSE, THE NOTABLE ONES, UH, 152 NARCOTICS RELATED ARREST, 78 DWI ARREST, AND 64 ARRESTS, FRONT UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON. UH, THAT'S, WE'VE HAD TO REALLY, UH, DIG IN AND LEARN ALL THE NEW LAWS WITH CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO SAFEGUARD, UH, OUR CITIZENS, BUT ALSO NOT INFRINGE ON THE RIGHT OF THE CITIZENS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE RESPONDED TO 2,759 AUTOMOBILE CRASHES. WE ALL KNOW THAT AUTOMOBILE CRASHES, UH, A LOT OF TIMES OR A RESULT OF, UH, MAYBE SOME CARELESSNESS OR SOME NEGLIGENCE IN DRIVING. SO WE TRY TO KEEP UP WITH OUR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. AND OVER THE SAME YEAR, WE MADE 3,868 TRAFFIC STOPS. UH, WE RESPONDED TO 3,688 ALARMS. UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT A MAJORITY, THANK GOD, THE MAJORITY OF THE ALARMS THAT WE DO RESPOND TO ARE FALSE ALARMS. AND THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAND IN HAND TO COME UP WITH SOME PROGRAMS TO, TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF, UM, OF FALSE ALARMS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY. AND THAT'S GAINING COMPLIANCE FROM THE HOMEOWNERS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR ALARM SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, THAT THEIR ALARM SYSTEMS ARE WORKING PROPERLY AND, UH, IN TURN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FALSE ALARMS THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE TO RESPOND TO. OUR DEPARTMENT MADE A GOAL TO BETTER PROMOTE THE CULTURE OF COMMUNITY POLICING. UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT CULTURE HAS TO BE INTRODUCED DURING THE INFANCY STAGE OF THE POLICE OFFICER'S CAREER. SO WE IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS THAT, UH, GAVE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW OFFICERS THAT ARE IN TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE AT LEAST FIVE SELF-INITIATED POSITIVE CITIZEN CONTACTS DURING EVERY SINGLE STAGE OF THEIR TRAINING PROGRAM. WE HAVE TO INSTILL THIS COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL WHEN THEY FIRST STEP INTO THE DOORS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH, WE ACTUALLY CREATED A WAY THAT WE CAN MEASURE, UH, HOW THAT'S GOING. IN 2022, WE LOGGED 127 OF THOSE POSITIVE SELF-INITIATED CITIZEN CONTACTS WE IMPLEMENTED, AND MA MADE IT MEASURABLE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WE EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO INCREASE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUSH. AND, UH, ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR IS NOT ONLY PUSH THAT FOR OUR NEW OFFICERS, BUT ALSO REDEDICATE OURSELVES FOR OUR EXISTING, UH, OFFICERS AS WELL. NOT ONLY WERE OUR SWORN PERSONNEL VERY BUSY, UH, BUT OUR CIVILIAN STAFF, UH, CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO OUR OPERATIONS. OUR TELECOMMUNICATION OFFICERS, WHICH MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW, IS DISPATCHERS ANSWERED 45,000 FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN NINE ONE ONE CALLS IN 2022. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS 21,228 CALLS RECEIVED THROUGH OUR NON-EMERGENCY NUMBERS. THAT'S A TOTAL OF 62,818 CALLS THAT THEY HANDLED. NOW, KEEP IN MIND, NOT ONLY THEY HANDLE IN THOSE CALLS, BUT THIS IS THE SAME GROUP OF PERSONNEL THAT'S DISPATCHING THOSE 53,000 CALLS TO OUR OFFICERS. THEY'RE, UH, EXTREMELY BUSY IN THAT TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICE. OUR FORENSIC TEAM AND EVIDENCE CUSTODIANS, THOSE ARE KEY PLAYERS IN PROCESSING EVIDENCE AND SOLVING CRIMES, ARE, UH, CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS PROCESSED 8,675 PIECES OF EVIDENCE. THAT MEANS THEY PERFORMED SOME SORT OF ANALYSIS ON EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE THAT, UH, THEY HANDLED. THAT ALSO DOESN'T REFLECT THE NUMBER OF VIDEOS THAT THEY COLLECTED. THEY HAD TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND COLLECT 550 OVER 550, UH, SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS TO HELP SOLVE CRIMES. UH, THIS TEAM, THEY'RE ALSO CERTIFIED TO ANALYZE, UH, FINGERPRINTS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN IDENTIFYING NUMEROUS SUSPECTS. OUR EVIDENCE CUSTODIANS TOOK IN OVER 15,000 PIECES IN EVIDENCE. TH THOSE ARE, UH, EVIDENCE THAT WE HOLD AWAITING CRIMINAL, UH, TRIAL. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR CITY DID EXPERIENCE EIGHT HOMICIDES DURING 2022. HOWEVER, WE'VE MADE ARREST IN SIX OF THOSE CASES. UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN GOING BACK AND REVIEWING COLD CASES. AND LAST YEAR WE ACTUALLY SOLVED A, UH, COLD CASE MURDER FROM 1988 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE TEXAS RANGERS AS EVIDENCED BY RECENT CONVICTIONS FOR MAJOR CASES THAT ORIGINATED OUR CITY. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH US. [01:15:01] UH, THEY'RE VERY DILIGENT IN WORKING WITH US AND PREPARING FOR ALL OF OUR CASES. I ALSO NEED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE, UH, WE'VE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH ATF AND THAT PARTNERSHIP HAS RESULTED IN 17 FEDERAL INDICTMENTS LAST YEAR FOR CASES INVOLVING FIREARMS AND NARCOTICS. THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY LED THE ENTIRE EASTERN REGION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OUR DETECTIVE ASSIGNED TO THAT, UH, THAT PARTNERSHIP AND OUR NARCOTICS AND GUNS TEAM WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN HAPPENED. ANOTHER INITIATIVE THAT WE BROUGHT BACK IN 2022 CENTERS AROUND THE WELLNESS OF OUR OFFICERS AND OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO IN ADDITION TO THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT'S MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, OUR DEPARTMENT RELAUNCHED OUR CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS OUR LOCAL PASTORS TO PARTICIPATE AFTER RECEIVING, UH, TRAINING. THESE PASTORS HAVE COMMITTED TO BE PRESENT IN AND AROUND THE POLICE STATION, UH, TO BE AVAILABLE TO ANY OF OUR STAFF OR PERSONNEL THAT HAVE A NEED, UH, TO SPEAK WITH THEM. BUT THEY'VE ALSO COMMITTED TO MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO VICTIMS OF CRIME WHO REQUIRE SOME EMOTIONAL OR SPIRITUAL SUPPORT DURING THEIR TIMES OF NEED. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO, UH, RETIREMENT, WE KIND OF TOOK A STEP BACKWARDS, UH, WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER LIAISON PROGRAM. THAT'S WHERE WE PARTNER UP WITH SPIN TOP M H M R. UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH TO RELAUNCH THAT. UH, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM AND IT PROVIDES US RESEARCH NOT ONLY TO DIVERT THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL CRISIS FROM INCARCERATION, BUT IT PUTS THEM IN A STEP TO RECOVERY AND RECEIVING PROPER ASSISTANCE. THIS MENTAL TOP CENTER HAS RECENTLY, UH, REASSIGNED A NEW QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FOR OUR CITY. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF CREDENTIALING THEM SO THEY CAN BE IN OUR DEPARTMENT. UH, WE HAVE A DESIGNATED SPACE THAT WE WANNA MAKE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO WORK OUT OF, AND WE'RE MAKING A PLAN TO AT LEAST GET THEM WHERE THEY HAVE SOME TIME WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT AND GET SOME TIME FOR THEM OUT IN THE STREETS. PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS. THE INCREDIBLE PART OF ALL THESE STATS IS WE ACCOMPLISH THIS WHILE WORKING THROUGH SOME STAFF SHORTAGES. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE EIGHT VACANCIES FOR OUR SWORN PERSONNEL. UH, WE HAVE 14 NEW OFFICERS THAT ARE IN OUR TRAINING PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR THAT ARE ATTENDING THE POLICE ACADEMY. SO OUR TRAINING PROGRAM RUNS 21 WEEKS, SO THEY HAVE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ALL OF THAT. AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE IN THE ACADEMY ARE GONNA GRADUATE IN MAY. UH, WE ACTUALLY HELD A CIVIL SERVICE EXAM TWO WEEKS AGO, AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE 11 NEW CANDIDATES THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, COMPLETED THE EXAM SUCCESSFULLY AND ARE GONNA BE MOVING INTO THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION PORTION OF OUR HIRING PROCESS. WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES IN OUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE SEVEN CANDIDATES GOING THROUGH THE BACKGROUND PROCESS FOR THAT. AND, UH, I NEED TO THANK OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THE HELP THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED US IN FULFILLING THESE VACANCIES. UM, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. THEY'RE THE GLUE THAT KEEPS IT ALL TOGETHER. UH, A LOT OF US COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY WITHOUT HAVING THOSE KEY PLAYERS. UH, SO THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, UH, WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR. AND I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN FRANK. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION ON TODAY. AND I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW, UH, FOR REQUESTING, UM, THIS PRESENTATION ON TODAY. ALL OF OUR MINDS, UH, HERE IN PORT ARTHUR. AND EVEN ACROSS, UH, THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF OUR NATION, UH, IS ON THE SITUATION IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE NOW WITH TYRE NICHOLS. YES, SIR. UH, AND SO, UM, I WANT TO OFFER CONDOLENCES TO, UH, THAT CITY, TO THAT FAMILY. BUT AS WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, THANK OUR STAFF, UH, AS WELL. WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DO, UM, A YEOMAN JOB IN, IN LIGHT OF SOME VERY, VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. SO I WANT TO THANK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, AND ESPECIALLY THE STAFF, THE CHIEF AND ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. BUT IT IS, IT IS, UH, CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR CITIZENS. UH, WE ARE ONE SITUA. WE HAVE TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE ALWAYS ONE SITUATION AWAY. ONE STOP AWAY. ONE, ONE, UM, ONE DIFFICULTY, ONE CRISIS AWAY FROM THAT SITUATION HAPPENING. UM, MICHAEL BROWN, UH, SITUATION IN 2014 IN FERGUSON. AND IT JUST CONTINUES TO, [01:20:01] UH, PROLIFERATE CONTINUES TO GROW, CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO BE, BE DILIGENT IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, GIVING YOU ALL WHAT YOU NEED, BUT ALWAYS KEEPING YOU MINDFUL OF THAT COMMUNITY, UH, POLICING ASPECT, UH, THAT YOU MENTIONED. AND THAT IS SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR THAT TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR OFFICERS, UH, THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, BUT I WANT YOU AS WELL, AND I WANT ALL OF US TO CONTINUE, UH, TO BE DILIGENT IN WHAT WE DO. RECOGNIZING THAT EVERY STOP IS SOMEONE'S SON, SOMEONE'S CHILD, UH, THAT IS SOMEONE'S FATHER, SOMEONE'S HUSBAND, UH, AND THAT WE ALL WANT TO RETURN HOME SAFELY, SIR. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT TODAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MCKEN LAW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU CHIEF FOR YOUR, YOUR REPORT. UH, GUYS, I PUT THIS ON HERE BECAUSE I, I'VE BEEN GETTING CALLS HOW WELL YOU GUYS BEEN DOING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE HIRING PROCESS. AND I GOT THREE KEY THINGS I WROTE DOWN, UH, THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY POLICING. IF WE GO BACK TO THAT, I THINK WE CAN GET A LOT MORE DONE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AS WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL AS WORKING WITH, UH, OTHER ENTITIES. YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FIVE PHASE OF CONTACT MODELS. PERFECT. EACH PHASE THOSE OFFICERS GO THROUGH, THAT BRINGS THEM ALONG ON THEIR PHASE PERIOD TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO HANDLE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND THE HIRING PRACTICES. I'VE TALKED TO YOUR CHIEF ALL THE TIME ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO. I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU MAY BE ALLOCATED 117 OFFICERS, SOMETHING AROUND THAT ATTENTION. 1 29. 1 29. YES, SIR. SO, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN BEATING THEM UP. WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY DO? I'VE BEEN BEATING YOU UP ABOUT WHAT CAN WE GET PEOPLE, HOW DO WE GET OFFICERS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR OFFICERS ARE STRESSED OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE MANY OF THOSE OFFICERS THAT HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SCHEDULING PRO, UH, PROBLEMS WE HAVE. SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THESE OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. I FULLY SUPPORT THAT I PUT YOU ON IT BECAUSE I WANT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND, AND BE AWARE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ALONG WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. COUNCILMAN MARKS, JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. UH, LIVING OFF OF ONE OF THE MAIN ARTERIES IN THE CITY, UH, HIGHWAY 73 GOING WEST, UH, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 1100, NO, NO, UH, 3000 TRAFFIC STOPS. YES, SIR. OVER THE LAST YEAR. DO YOU HAVE THE DATA THAT SAYS, UH, HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE NON-RESIDENTS OF FORT ARTHUR? N NO, SIR. I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD QUANTIFY THAT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TRAFFIC STOPS, RESULT AND DIFFERENT THINGS. SOMETIMES IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, TO ME THE PERFECT TRAFFIC STOP IS, UH, WHEN YOU CAN GET SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION AND GO, HEY, THIS IS, THIS IS, IS HAPPENING. AND, YOU KNOW, SOME RE RESULT IN CITATIONS AND SOME RESULT IN, UH, IN TALKING TO, BUT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE, THE WHOLE OBJECT OF IT IS TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR. UH, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, QUANTIFY, I CAN CHECK, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN EXTRACT THAT INFORMATION LIKE READILY. RIGHT. AND THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF CALLS TO, TO COUNSEL MYSELF INCLUDED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF PORT ARTHUR ON A DAILY BASIS. YES. FROM, FROM, UH, WORKERS, FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY. AND I KNOW I, I'VE NOTICED ALONG 73 WEST AND, UH, WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD, UH, GOING NORTH, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, SPEEDING MM-HMM. ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS THERE. AND, AND, AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING OUR CITY. AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD THE DATA AND IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, TRY TO EXTRAPOLATE THAT AND SHARE IT WITH US AT SOME TIME BECAUSE, UH, WITH THE, UH, INFLUX OF WORKERS FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY, IT IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE, UH, IMPLORE THEM TO COMPLY WITH, WITH OUR TRAFFIC LAWS. YES, SIR. AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, YOU WANT TO TALK TO FOLK AND WARN THEM AND, AND, AND THAT TYPE THING, BUT EXCUSE ME, I, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF TIMES, AGAIN, ON THOSE TWO MAIN CORRIDORS, JUST WESTPORT OFF THE ROAD AND, AND GOING DOWN HIGHWAY 73, IT'S, IT'S LIKE, UH, BEING ON THE AUDUBON IN GERMANY, AND, AND I'D BE REMISS IF I, IF I FAILED TO ALSO MENTION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH DPS, AND SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST SOLELY OUR NUMBERS FROM THE [01:25:01] PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. BUT IT'S VERY OFTEN THAT WE ACTUALLY, UH, REACH OUT TO DPS IF, IF WE NEED A LITTLE SPECIAL ATTENTION. AND YOU MENTIONED 73, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE HIGHLIGHT WITH THEM IS 73. WE, UH, HAVE ENJOYED VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH TECH DOT, WE WE'RE WELL AWARE THAT THERE'S MANY PROJECTS GOING ON. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE ANOTHER CALL TODAY WITH TECH OP BECAUSE WE'RE KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON ALL THESE PROJECTS, UH, THAT IT'S, THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE A BLESSING WHEN THEY'RE DONE. UH, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME. AND, UH, SO WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP VERY CLOSE COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH ALL THOSE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT AND THOSE THAT ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BY THE PROJECT. YEAH. OKAY. COUNSEL, ONE OTHER QUESTION. ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THE, UH, THE TOPIC OF, UH, MENTAL HEALTH. YES, SIR. AND, UH, YOU SAID THAT WE'RE, UH, THERE'S ONE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE WORKING WITH THAT, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ON STACK TO WORK WITH STAFF, AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH, UH, OFFICERS. YES, SIR. AND, AND HOW MANY OF THOSE, AND, AND WHAT IS THIS ONE PERSON THAT YOU'RE TRYING ONE YEAH. ONE PERSON THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO WORK WITH THO OUR, OUR PEOPLE ALREADY. SO THERE'S A PROJECT THAT SPIN TOP, UH, CENTER HAS, AND IT'S WITH ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE, THE AREA. SO I KNOW THERE'S SEVERAL AGENCIES, UH, THAT WORK IT AND OVERLAP FOR OUR JURISDICTION AS WELL, LIKE JEFFERSON COUNTY. UH, BUT WHAT THE IDEAL IS, IS TO WORK TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO HAVE IT A A FULL-TIME PERSON LIKE WE HAD ENJOYED IN THE PAST, IS SOMEONE THAT IT'S A, A CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH POLICE OFFICER, WHICH WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE. WE HAVE NUMEROUS. AND FOR THEM TO BE IN THE POLICE CAR WITH THE QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, WHERE THEY, IT'S A PROACTIVE APPROACH WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE THAT NEED THE HELP AND PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANCE. BUT IN THE EVENT THAT A, UH, A CALL FOR SERVICE COMES OUT WITH A PERSON THAT'S EXPERIENCED A MEDIA CRISIS THAT THEY CAN REDR AND HELP OUT WITH THAT CALL, THAT THE WHOLE GOAL OF THE PRO PROGRAM IS ONCE AGAIN, IS TO, UH, LOWER THE AMOUNT. UH, JAIL ISN'T ALWAYS THE ANSWER. UH, AND, AND THERE'S SOMETIMES THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND, UH, THAT INCARCERATION'S NOT GONNA BE THE ANSWER FOR IT. SO WE TRY TO HELP FACILITATE THAT TO WHERE WE CAN GET THEM THERE. WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY, UH, WITH M MH M R AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'VE MET WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, NOT ONLY TO GET THIS PROGRAM BACK GOING, BUT TO BRING CLASSES TO OUR OFFICERS, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR OFFICERS RECEIVE IN THE BASIC ACADEMY. UH, IT'S A, IT'S A HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN CRISIS, HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM PROPERLY. BUT WE ALSO HAVE UPDATES. AND SO TWO OF THE AREAS THAT WE TRY TO KEEP UPDATE WITH FORMAL TRAINING IS DEESCALATION AND CRISIS INTERVENTION. AND SO THOSE ARE CONSTANTLY ONGOING. AND WE'RE PLANNING ON ANOTHER ROUND OF SOME CRISIS INTERVENTION, UH, TRAINING, UH, COMING UP. AND JUST, JUST ONE LAST QUESTION ON THAT SUBJECT. THE, THE ONE PERSON THAT, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN, YOU WANTED TO BRING THEM ON STAFF, IS THAT NO, NO. THEY'RE STILL EMPLOYED BY SPIN TALK. OKAY. WE'RE PROVIDING THEM A SPACE SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS. OKAY. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MAYOR, UH, MIKE, CHIEF. ME, UH, YOU WENT TO, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH ABOUT FOUR, UH, POLICE CHIEFS, YOU KNOW? YES, SIR. AND THEY FINALLY FOUND A GOOD JOB. YOU CAN DO PRESENTATION. THAT'S A GOOD JOB FOR YOU. THAT'S PIT FOR YOU. . I'VE MISSED THE PODIUM. I HADN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE. , ALL KIDS ASIDE, GOOD HECK OF A JOB. UH, SHEEP FREIGHTS, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE. I WROTE SOME NOTES DOWN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE TRAFFIC STOPS, UH, UWIS, UH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, WRECKS. THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. AND, UH, YOU ALL VERY, UH, UH, VISIBLE THERE RIGHT NOW, DOING A GOOD JOB. APPRECIATE YOU ALL. AND Y'ALL KEEP DOING WHAT Y'ALL DOING. YES, SIR. IT'S A GREAT TEAM. AND, UH, GOT A GOOD TEAM, MATE. WE, AND WE'RE BLESSED, UH, TO HAVE A GOOD TEAM. WE DON'T EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE SEE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, AND WE'RE BLESSED FOR THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S A DIRECT, UH, REFLECTION OF THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE. RIGHT, RIGHT. TOGETHER THIS IN, IN CONVERSATION AND STAYING IN TOUCH. SO, GOOD. GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB. CHIEF RORI RE ROE, APPRECIATE Y'ALL, MAN. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DEPUTY CHIEF, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR? THE WHOLE ISSUE [01:30:01] OF, UH, MY, I'M GLAD THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF MENTIONED THE ISSUE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT, UM, THAT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE. UM, BOTH THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE POLICE CHIEF AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT ASPECT OF IT TO SEE HOW WE COULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE POLICY AS IT RELATES TO THAT. AND, UM, THE, THE FIRE CHIEF HAS SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO ME IN ORDER THAT WE LOOK AT IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT IS ADDRESSING THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT. NOT FROM A CRIMINAL STANDPOINT, BUT FROM A STANDPOINT, A HEALTH STANDPOINT. YOU KNOW, AS WE COULD CONTINUE TO SERVICE OUR CITIZENS, NOT ONLY THE CITIZENS, BUT THE FIRST RESPONDERS IS CRITICAL. SINCE AFTER COVID, YOU HAVE SEEN A RISE IN, IN, IN, IN MEN OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS FAR AS FIRST RESPONDERS ARE CONCERNED, AND THE POLICE AND THE FIRE IS A CRITICAL PART OF THAT. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE, YOU KNOW, UM, AT, AT THAT LEVEL. YEAH. OKAY. I WAS MAYOR. GO, GO. I WAS GOING TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION THAT, UM, THAT COUNCILMAN MARKS ASKED, BECAUSE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO DO A RIDE ALONG WITH ONE OF THE OFFICERS, AND WE, UH, ANSWERED 10 CALLS DURING THAT SHIFT, UM, WHILE I WAS IN THE VEHICLE. AND EIGHT OF THEM WERE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. OUT OF THE 10 CALLS THAT WE RESPONDED TO, EIGHT OF THEM WERE REPEAT OR, YOU KNOW, UH, IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT THEY HAD BEEN RESPONDED TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO IT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BLESSED IN THIS CITY TO, TO, TO REALLY KNOW OUR CITIZENS. AND, UH, THAT'S WHERE I'M EXCITED TO GET THIS PROGRAM RELAUNCHED BECAUSE THE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF 'EM, THEY, THEY ENJOY WORK IN A CERTAIN AREA. AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, I SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITY POLICING WHEN YOU SEE THAT SAME OFFICER AND YOU KNOW, THAT SAME OFFICER. AND SO, UH, WE'RE VERY BLESSED THAT WE CAN ASSIST ANYONE THAT COMES IN ANY QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND GIVE REFERRALS AND BE PROACTIVE AND NOT WAIT TILL THAT CALL COMES IN WHEN SOMEONE IS IN CRISIS. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UM, ROMAN NUMERAL, OR FOUR AND FIVE. FOUR WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEGUN AT 10 IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ONE, IF WE DON'T. AND [V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS? UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST FROM ANY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL, MCKEN. HEY, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, REAL QUICK, UH, I RECEIVED SOMETHING, UH, THIS MORNING ABOUT THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS STAND DOWN 2023. IT'S GONNA BE AT THE BOB BOWERS CIVIC CENTER, 34 0 1 CULTURAL CENTER DRIVE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. AND WHAT THIS PARTICULAR STAND DOWN, IT WOULD BENEFIT, UH, HOMELESS VETERANS. VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FAMILIES OF HOMELESS VETERANS. IT'S GONNA BE SERVICES THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE, UH, 30 NONPROFITS THAT WILL PROVIDE SERVICE VETERANS WHO ARE IN NEED OF CLOTHING, SHELTER, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, INFORMATION FOR DISABILITY, MEDICAL SCREENING, MEDICAL HEALTH SCREENING, LEGAL SERVICES, VA CLAIMS AND BENEFIT INFORMATION, AS WELL AS, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, TREATMENT INFORMATION, HIV AIDS INFORMATION, SNAP FOOD STAMPS INFORMATION HELP WITH THE DD TWO FOURTEENS, UH, SERVICE FOR WOMEN VETS AND SURVIVOR BENEFITS, SNACK LUNCHES, A WALKTHROUGH EVENT. MASKS, MASKS, AND SOCIAL DISTANCE WILL BE REQUIRED. AND THE DATE WILL BE THIS FRIDAY, UH, FEBRUARY THE THIRD FROM 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND I THINK WE HAVE A REP THAT'S UP HERE, AND I, IF YOU WANT TO CUT, I, I CHECK WITH LEGAL AND SHE SAY YOU CAN HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THAT SAID, IS THAT MR. CHAMBER? YES. GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL. COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL CHAMBERS. UH, I LIVE AT 24 20 GREEN AVENUE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. UM, I'M, UH, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, UH, STAND DOWN 2023, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY THAT WE'RE HOSTING FOR, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, THE VETERANS, THE HOMELESS VETERANS, AND THE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE HOMELESS POPULATION HERE IN PORT ARTHUR. SO I INVITE YOU TO COME OUT, UH, ON FRIDAY. UH, IT'S BEING HELD BETWEEN, UH, 9:00 AM AND 2:00 PM AT THE BOB BY CIVIC CENTER HERE IN OUR, OUR CITY. I THINK IT'S, UH, AN EYE OPENER, UH, FOR OUR CITY. UH, WE DO HAVE HOMELESS, UH, MEMBERS HERE, PEOPLE, UH, THAT'S IN OUR CITY, AND I THINK IT, UH, WOULD BE, BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE COUNCIL OR, AND ALL OF THE CITIZENS HERE ARE PORT ARTHUR. THANK YOU. [01:35:01] THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JAMES. DR. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY INTERESTS? NO. WE JUST WANT TO OFFER CONDOLENCES FOR SHERRY BIARD, UH, OUR CITY SECRETARY. OKAY. UH, IN THE PASSING OF HER SISTER. SO WE WANT SHERRY TO KNOW OUR PRAYERS AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH SHE AND HER FAMILY ON TOGETHER. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR MARY AND ALSO MS. CHERYL GIBBS AND THE LOSS OF HER BROTHER. SO LET'S, LET'S KEEP HER AND HER FAMILY IN, IN OUR PRAYERS AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THANK YOU. IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO, [VII. CONSENT AGENDA] OKAY. WE'LL MOVE NOW TO, UH, ROMAN NU SEVEN, IT, WHICH IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA. AND, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEMS THAT, UH, YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN. AND I'M SENDING YOU THE, UH, COUNSEL THAT'S BEEN GIVEN, UH, SOME INFORMATION ON THESE ITEMS PRIOR TO, UH, ACTUALLY COMING TO MEETING. AND, UH, IF THAT WOULD BE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU'D WANT WITHDRAWN FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND TO LET ME KNOW NOW, COUNCILWOMAN HOLMES? UH, YES. , I'D LIKE TO, UM, NUMBER 25 ON PAGE NINE. PAGE NINE AND NUMBER 25. OKAY. WITHDRAW THAT ONE. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? YES. OKAY. COUNCIL MARKS, UH, LET'S SEE. IT'S, UH, RESOLUTION 2 29 78. ON PAGE. IT'S ON PAGE. IT'S C 13. CONSENT ID NUMBER 13. I JUST PULL THE WHOLE THING IN ON PAGE SIX. IT'S PAGE SIX. YEAH. IS THAT PAGE SIX? OKAY. OKAY. NUMBER 13. AND THEN RESOLUTION 22 9 94, WHICH IS, UH, CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 26. WHAT PAGE IS THAT? IT'S 26. I JUST PULL A WHOLE ON PAGE NINE. OH, PAGE NINE. YEAH, PAGE NINE. OKAY. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? OKAY. UH, I'D LIKE TO TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND PULL WITHDRAW PR NUMBER 22 9 82 ON PAGE SEVEN. AND WE WILL HANDLE THAT ONE INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL. WHICH ONE? HERE? UH, NINE, NUMBER 16. I'M SORRY. OKAY. AFTER YOU EVEN SHARED THOSE NUMBERS, I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE GONNA GET ME THE NUMBERS. WHAT YOU SAY? A NUMBER LIKE YOU THREW WITH IT. OKAY. IT'S NUMBER 16 ON PAGE SEVEN. OKAY. NOW, IF THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY OTHERS, I, I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, ACCEPT THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE STATED, UH, ITEMS. SO MOVED SECOND. AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY WHAT THEY WERE BEING ITEM NUMBER 13, ITEM NUMBER 16, ITEMS NUMBER 25 AND 26 CUSTOMER MARKS. OKAY. UH, IF, IF I CAN, ITEM 13, UH, AND ITEM 26, THERE, THOSE ARE TWO GENERATORS, ONE BEING PURCHASED BY, UH, THE EDC AND THE OTHER ONE BEING PURCHASED BY CITI. AND, AND I NOTICED THAT THE, GOING THROUGH THIS THING THAT THEY WERE, UH, PURCHASED FROM TWO DIFFERENT, UH, HEY. UM, OKAY. NO. SO, NO, I THOUGHT GONNA PUT, I WAS TRYING TO GET PURCHASED. YOU'RE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I'M JUST, I'M SORRY. I'M AHEAD. I'M AHEAD OF MYSELF. YEAH. YEAH, YOU WERE. I WAS, I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP. , I TALK. OKAY. ALRIGHT. OKAY. A MOTION. A MOTION. COUNCILWOMAN HOLMES. UH, SO MOVED. SECOND, SECOND, AND SECOND IN THE RULING. THE SECOND. THANK YOU ALL THAT, UH, WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE ITEMS THAT BEING STATED. ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? THE, YES. OKAY. I'M READY FOR QUESTIONS. NO. OKAY. GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA? NO, WE HAVE TO APPROVE. WE OKAY. WE STILL HAVEN'T FINISHED THE MOTION. ALL THOSE, YEAH. Y OKAY, SO HOLD ON, HOLD ON. WAIT, WAIT. I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK. WE GET DOWNSTAIRS. . ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. IN OPPOSERS. AYE. HAVE INSURANCE ORDER. WE WOULD ACCEPT BE CONSIDERED JUDGE STATEMENT. NOW. NOW, AND THEN WE, I'M GONNA GET TO YOURS. OKAY. BEFORE WE WOULD GO [VII.C.16. P.R. No. 22982 - A Resolution Establishing The Quasquicentennial Sti I well-Gates Celebration Scape Centre For The City Of Port Arthur's Recognition Of Its 125th Anniversary] TO THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH, UH, AND I'LL JUST TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE TO DO THIS. UH, ITEM NUMBER [01:40:01] 16 ON PAGE SEVEN, IT IS A, UH, A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE QUA CENTENNIAL. I SAID IT RIGHT, RIGHT. DR. DICK FIT, UH, STEEL WEAR GATES CELEBRATION, UH, ESCAPE CENTER FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S RECOGNITION OF ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY. AND I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE, UH, THE, UH, CENTENNIAL, UH, COMMISSION. THEY'RE HERE AND THEY WANT YOU GIVE US A LITTLE PRESENTATION ON, ON THIS. SO I'LL HAVE YOU ALL TO DO IT BEFORE I GET A, A MOTION FOR US. IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY? GET IT ON THE FLOOR. LET ME GET IT ON THE FLOOR. OKAY. MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN FRANK MOTION? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND. IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THIS. UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION NOW? YOU ALL MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME IS AL THIGPEN AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE. I'M HERE WITH THE VER RUTHERFORD, WHO IS ALSO ESSENTIALLY CHAIRING OUR STEERING COMMITTEE ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE CELEBRATION TEAM. AND AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS CHARGED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE THE QUI CENTENNIAL IN GREAT STYLE. AND SO THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION IS A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A HUB FOR THAT CELEBRATION FOR SIGNAGE AND OTHER THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO TO BRING CITIZENS AND VISITORS. SO WE'RE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH WHAT WILL BE KNOWN AS THE QUI CENTENNIAL STILLWELL GATES CELEBRATION SCAPE CENTER. AND THAT WOULD BE AN AREA AROUND CITY HALL, WHICH WILL INCLUDE FOURTH STREET ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON AVENUE LAKESHORE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP SPECIAL SIGNAGE, ACKNOWLEDGING THE KWE CENTENNIAL, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO INVITE PEOPLE DOWN TO VISIT THE AREA AND ALSO OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT EFFORT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. WE HAVE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE UP PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL IS VERY PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY THAT REPRESENTS PORT ARTHUR. AND SO WE ARE MAKING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WE MAKE THAT INCLUSION. WE'RE ALSO MAKING DISCOVERIES, MS. SCOTT, WHO IS BEHIND ME, ALONG WITH LESLIE MCMAHON AND OTHERS HAVE DISCOVERED SOME TIME CAPSULES. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PERHAPS LOOK INTO SOME OF THOSE AND SEE WHAT'S IN THEM AS WELL AS A TIME CAPSULE FOR THIS ONE. SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA LET MS. RUTHERFORD HAVE A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU DR. THIGPEN. FOR THE RECORD, VERNER RUTHERFORD RESIDED 81 38, HEATHER BROOK TRAIL AND PORT AUTHOR. UH, THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS I THINK WE'VE DONE IN A VERY LONG TIME. AND, AND IT'S BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE STEPPING FORWARD. WE CAN'T WALK INTO A ROOM WITHOUT SOMEONE COMING UP TO US AND SAYING, HEY, I WANT TO BE INVOLVED. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. WE'VE EVEN BEEN OFFERED SPACE IN SOMEONE'S OFFICE IF WE NEED A PLACE TO WORK. UM, AND CERTAINLY THE LIBRARY STAFF HAS JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS AMONG OTHERS. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S RESTORED MY, UH, FAITH AND, AND AND ENTHUSIASM ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WE'VE GOT YOUNG PEOPLE, SEVERAL OF THEM STANDING BEHIND ME, BUT MANY OTHERS, UM, WHO PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY, UH, JUST FROM GOING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE RECORDS THAN THAN SOME OF US OLDER FOLKS DO. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE CARRYING US FORWARD AND, AND LAUNCHING INTO THE NEXT 25 YEARS IN FUTURE, UH, CELEBRATIONS. AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE PRIVILEGE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO STARTING TO BEGIN GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT IN THE NEXT, UH, LET'S SAY TWO WEEKS SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. AGAIN, IT'S JUST A REMINDER, WHEN WE TALKED, UH, MONTH OR SO AGO, WE, WE SAID WE AREN'T GONNA TRY TO RECREATE A OR INVENT A LOT OF NEW ACTIVITIES. WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE EXISTING ACTIVITIES SO THAT WE CAN USE OUR TIME WISELY, UM, EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE'LL BE GOING INTO THE FUTURE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, AND THANK YOU. AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO GET TO WORK WITH DR. THIGPEN AGAIN AFTER MANY YEARS OF US WORKING TOGETHER IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS. UH, AND ALSO, UM, HAVING PAT AVERY AND, UH, DR. SAM MONROE ON THE TEAM WITH, WITH US. THANK YOU. SO WE WOULD ASK THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION FAVORABLY TO ALLOW US TO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION HUB, WHICH WILL BECOME A CENTER PART OF THE CELEBRATION. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE, ON, ON, ON THE MOTION THAT BE, UH, QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSERS POLLERS? AYE. SO THIS ORDER, WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 9 82 AS RED. THANK YOU ALL SO KINDLY. NOW WE HAVE, [01:45:06] LET ME SEE, UH, NUMBER [VII.C.13. P.R. No. 22978 - A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation Approving A Quote From Panama Equipment Of Cleveland, Texas And Engaging Their Services To Purchase And Install A 200KW 3 Phase Natural Gas Generator At The EDC Office Building Located At 501 Procter Street; In An Amount Not To Exceed $192,142.86. Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80-625-8522-00-00-000] 13 ON PAGE SIX. THIS IS PR NUMBER 22 978. IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION APPROVING A QUOTE FROM PANAMA EQUIPMENT OF CLEVELAND, TEXAS AND ENGAGING THEIR SERVICES TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL A 200 KILOWATT THREE PHASE NATURAL GAS GENERATOR AT THE EDC OFFICE BUILDING LOCATED AT 5 0 1 PROCTOR STREET, EXCUSE ME, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $192,142 AND 86 CENT FUNDS AVAILABLE IN EDC. ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH EIGHT DASH 6 25 DASH 85 22 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0. UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN HOLMES? SO MOVED. MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 9 78. AS READ, WE ARE READ PRE QUESTION THE COUNCIL MARKS. THE QUESTION I HAD WAS, UH, IT IS JUST GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA, UH, WITH THIS 22 9 78 AND THEN, UH, LOOKING AT 22 9 94, I KNOW THE EDC IS A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE CITY, BUT WE'RE BUYING TWO NATURAL GAS, UH, GENERATORS, ONE FOR 192,000 AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M OUT OF LINE HERE TO LOOK AT THE 20 2009 94 AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THAT ONE'S BEING PURCHASED FOR WHAT? 500? 500 AND IT, YEAH. HOW MUCH? HUNDRED 700. ALMOST 700. ALMOST 700,000. AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF, CAN WE AT SOME IN, IN THE FUTURE, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN ISSUES LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY EAST HIGH DOLLAR, UH, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, PIECES LIKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TALKING TWO ENTITIES, CAN WE KIND OF TIE THOSE TOGETHER, SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME TYPE OF, UH, QUANTITY DISCOUNTS WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE DOING THESE THINGS? THAT, THAT'S JUST A QUESTION FOR, FOR OKAY. UH, A CITY FUTURE. FOR FUTURE. FOR FUTURE FUTURE. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT READINESS ON THIS MOTION? HONOR ANY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR NUMBER 13, AYE. OKAY. ANY OPPOSERS AYE HAVE, SO AS ORDER, WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 9 78 AS READ. UH, NOW WE HAVE, UH, EXCUSE ME, PR NUMBER, WELL [VII.C.25. P.R. No. 22993 - A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Global Emergency Services, LLC Of Beaumont, Texas, For Emergency Trash Collection Services To Be Used In The Event Of An Unforeseen Emergency. Funding Is Available In The Solid Waste Trash Collection Other Contractual Services Account, Account Number 403-50-305-5470-00-00-000, For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $50,000.00] NUMBER 25 ON PAGE NINE, PR 2 2 90 93. IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GLOBAL EMERGENCY SERVICES LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR EMERGENCY TRASH COLLECTION SERVICES TO BE USED IN THE EVENT OF AN UNFORESEEN EMERGENCY. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE SOLID WASTE TRASH COLLECTION. OTHER, UH, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES ACCOUNT ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 3 DASH FIVE DASH 3 0 5 DASH 5 4 70 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 FOR, UH, THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $50,000. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE MA'AM, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARK? SECOND. THERE'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 90 93 AS READ. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS. UH, COUNCIL HOLMES? YES. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CORRECT. UH, MANAGER, I JUST WANNA KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN EMERGENCY, WE'VE HAD, I GUESS QUITE A FEW EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE COME UP REGARDING, UM, THIS, THIS SERVICE. AND WE KNOW THAT OUR STAFF WORKS EXTREMELY HARD AND DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE PICKED UP. BUT WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY WHEN YOU SAY AN EMERGENCY ARE, ARE YOU MEANING? UM, COUNSEL, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE, UM, THE EMERGENCY REFERRED TO HERE DOES NOT RELATE TO A HURRICANE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, WHICH WE HAVE SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS. UM, THOSE ARE MUCH, UH, ADDRESSED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DE DEBRIS REMOVAL AND THAT SORT OF OF THING. SO THAT IS SEPARATE IN THIS THING. UM, IF THE COUNCIL RECALLS, AND THEN I THINK THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY RECALL SOMETIME IN JANUARY LAST YEAR AS THE PANDEMIC REVED ON, UM, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND WE HAD CERTAIN, [01:50:01] UM, UM, DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CHAIN SUPPLY AND THAT IN EFFECT HAD A, A CASCADING EFFECT ON, UM, ON GARBAGE AND, AND TRASH PICKUP THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THAT LASTED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND COUNCIL GAVE THE DIRECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR US TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS BECAUSE THE, THOSE CONCERNS ARE SERVICES THAT CITIZENS CONTINUALLY PAY FOR AND THEY DO EXPECT THE SERVICE. AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE, THE, THE REMOVAL AND THEN PICKUP OF TRASH AND, AND, AND GARBAGE, UM, AFFECTS THE WELLBEING AND HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS. SO WE MUST GET IT OUT OF THERE IN A VERY TIMELY, UM, MANNER. AND SO WHAT WE, I HAVE DONE, UM, SINCE COUNCILOR ASKED ME TO, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PROVISION IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, TO WHEN ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, AN EMERGENCY OF THAT NATURE AGAIN OCCURS. THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WHERE WE CAN GO AND, UM, SEEK OUT THE SERVICES OF, UM, TRASH TRUCKS AND GARBAGE TRUCKS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE IMMEDIATE CONCERNS. UM, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE OPERATING FROM AN ENTERPRISE FUND, AND SO IT'S OPERATED LIKE A BUSINESS AND, UM, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE BEING EXPENDED. BUT AS I INDICATED FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THOSE WHEN THEY EVER ARRIVE AGAIN OR THEY ARRIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONCERNS, UM, FROM CITIZENS REGARDING THIS AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THAT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, MADAM COUNSELOR, LET, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE UTILITIES DID SOME, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT DID SOMETHING VERY INNOVATIVE IN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF, OF, OF THE, THE CONDITION OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, OVER THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS AS WELL. WE HAVE SEEN DEVELOPMENT MUSHROOM THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE, YOU KNOW, AS A MUNICIPALITY IS TO LOOK AT THE TRASH ROUTES AND THE GARBAGE ROUTES, UM, BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO APPROVE, UM, UM, CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY. BUT WE HAVE MA REMAINED WITH THE SAME TRASH ROUTES THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE NOT ADDRESSED OUR GROUP AS A MUNICIPALITY. SO IT MEANS THAT WE CONTINUE TO STRETCH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN TRASH AND GARBAGE PICKUP. NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT IT. I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE DIRECTOR OF OF PUBLIC WORKS TO SEE WHETHER WE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND TO SEE WHETHER WE CAN COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING, YOU KNOW, THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN. AND, UM, WE WILL, WE, WE, WE WILL LOOK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE RESEARCH THAT'S NECESSARY, ADDRESS THE GROUP OF THE CITY AND TO BE PROACTIVE IN OUR APPROACH FOR THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? UN READINESS. OKAY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? AYE HAVE SO HONOR, WE WILL ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 9 93 AS [VII.C.26. P.R. No. 22994 - A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Waukesha-Pearce Industries, Inc. For The Purchase, Delivery, And Installation Of A Generac SG0750 750KW Natural Gas Generator For The Health Department Facility Located At 5860 9th Avenue Through The BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Program, Contract No. 657-21, With The Projected Budgetary Amount Of $694,302.00; Funding Available In Capital Improvements Account No. 307-21-049-8512-00-10-000; Project No. BU0006 OTH] READ NOW WE HAVE P NUMBER 26, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 22 994. THIS IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH UH, WA KEISHA PIERCE INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED FOR THE PURCHASE DELIVERY AT INSTALLATION OF A GENERIC, UH, SG UH, 0 7 50, UH, SEVEN 50 KILOWATT, UH, NATURAL GAS GENERATOR FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACILITY LOCATED AT, UH, 58 60 NINTH AVENUE THROUGH THE BUYBOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAM. CONTRACT NUMBER 65 7 DASH 21 WITH THE PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $694,302 FUNDING AVAILABLE IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 49 DASH 8 5 12 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH 0 0 0 PROJECT NUMBER B U 0 0 6 O T H. AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS. SO MOVE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KENK? UH, SECOND IS REMOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 9 94 IS READY. READY FOR QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN? UH, MARKS, UH, MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED WHEN WE ADDRESS RESOLUTION 22 9 78. RIGHT, SO WE'RE READY TO VOTE. OKAY, NO OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS. READINESS, WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSERS ALEXANDER? SO IS AUDIT PR NUMBER 22 9 94 IS ACCEPTED [VIII.A.1. P.R. No. 22363 - A Resolution Canceling The February 28, 2023 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting] [01:55:01] AND APPROVED. WE'RE NOW MOVED TO THE NON CONSENT AGENDA. UH, WE HAVE FIRST, UH, PR NUMBER 22 360 3. IT'S A RESOLUTION, UH, COUNSELING THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023 REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNSEL MEETING. UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, MAYOR PROTE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE PR NUMBER 22 360 3. ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION, MAYOR? YES, GO AHEAD. OH, GO AHEAD. YES, UH, MAYOR, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE REASON FOR COUNSELING? OKAY, UH, THAT IS WHEN WE ARE GONNA BE THE SOUTHEAST GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS. I'M SORRY, I WAS HERE TO CALL SOMETHING ELSE. GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS IN AUSTIN. THANK YOU MAYOR. ON, ON THOSE ON THAT DATE. COUNCIL. OKAY. ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? OKAY, WE, YEAH, GO RIGHT IN. COUNSEL, ARE WE GONNA RESCHEDULE? SHOULD I ANSWER? I JUST TURNED MY LIGHT ON. I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS THE RIGHT PERSON. WE JU WE JUST DECIDED WE, IT'S REC, IT'S UP TO COUNCIL, BUT IT WAS RECOMMENDED JUST TO GO ON WITH THE, REGULARLY THE PICK UP ON THE REGULAR SCHEDULE CUZ THEN YOU'D BE TWO WEEKS BACK TO BACK AND WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH. SO IT'S UP TO YOU ALL THOUGH, BUT IT'S ALL, THEN WE'D BE TWO WEEKS BACK TO BACK. WE MAYBE NOT ENOUGH FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU ATTORNEY. OKAY. ANY OTHER UNRE? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSERS? AYE HAVE. SO, UH, HONOR, HONOR THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT, EXCUSE ME. PR NUMBER 22 360 3. [VIII.A.2. P.R. No. 22860 - A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Beautification Commission (Requested By Councilmember Jones)] NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 22 8 60 A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED A MEMBER OR MEMBERS OF THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION AS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JONES AND, UH, CITY SECRETARY. DO YOU HAVE A NAME FOR THAT? YES MA'AM. WE HAVE TRELL MCCULLOUGH AND GLORIA SANCHEZ. OKAY. YOU HEARD THE NAMES? UH, COUNCILMAN JONES HAS ALREADY SUBMITTED THOSE NAMES. UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN JONES? OKAY, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL LAW SECOND. SECOND IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THIS, UH, UH, MOTION. WE READY FOR QUESTIONING? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS. WE ARE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSERS AYE HAVE IS ORDERED WITH THE NAMES THAT'S BEEN STATED BY THE CITY SECRETARY. WE HAVE APPROVAL FOR PR NUMBER 22 80 60 0. [VIII.B.1. P.R. No. 7114 - An Ordinance Amending Chapter 114 - Vehicle For Hire, Article II - Emergency Medical Vehicle, Sections 114-31 Through 114-43 Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur As It Pertains To Emergency Medical Vehicles] NEXT WE HAVE, UH, AN ORDINANCE PO NUMBER 7 114. IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 114, VEHICLE FOR HIRE, ARTICLE TWO, EMERGENCY MEDICAL VEHICLE SECTION 114 DASH 31 THROUGH HUNDRED 1443 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS IT PERTAINS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL VEHICLES. MAY I GET A CO, UH, EXCUSE MY MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK MOTION? MA'AM, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P E O NUMBER SEVEN. 114 IS READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN JONES? YES. QUESTION. CAN ANYBODY EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? UH, PICK FOR HIGH, UH, WHAT WE PERTAINING TO? OKAY, YOU SAID WHAT? UH, COUNT PERTAINING TO PICK FOR HIGH. WHAT, UH, GO AHEAD. ANSWER. THIS IS ABOUT THE EMERGENCY, UH, MEDICAL VEHICLE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BASICALLY THIS IS THE AMBULANCE ORDINANCE. WE HAD UPDATED IT RECENTLY, BUT THEN IN COMBING BACK OVER IT, WE FINE TUNED THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE. AND BASICALLY WE HAD SOME THINGS THAT IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE THAT WE, WE WANTED TO ADOPT. SO THIS IS JUST LIKE A, A MORE DETAIL ON, UM, THE, THE AMBULANCE ORDINANCE. SO WE, WE'VE FINE TUNED IT TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE IN LINE WITH THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE. SO JUST SOME LITTLE SMALL FINE TUNING WAS DONE. WE JUST HAD APPROVED IT RECENTLY, BUT THEN WE FOUND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO UPDATE. SO THIS IS JUST A SEC, ANOTHER AMENDMENT TO THAT. AND I THINK WE'RE THERE NOW. SO SEVEN YOU AND ARCADIA WORKING OUT, WORKING? NO, THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, IT'S THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH, HEALTH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE. OKAY. THIS IS JUST OUR GENERIC AMBULANCE, NOT A CONTRACTOR OR ANYTHING. OKAY. OKAY. UHHUH. . OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON READINESS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. IN THE OPPOSERS? AYE HAVE, SO HONOR WILL ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 114 AS READ. NEXT [VIII.B.2. P.R. No. 7120 - An Ordinance Providing For The Conduct Of A Special Election On May 6, 2023 To Submit A Proposition As To Whether Or Not The City Charter Shall Be Amended In Accordance With Chapter 271 Of The Texas Election Code And Providing For The Publication Of The Election Notice (Requested By Councilmember Jones)] WE HAVE PO NUMBER 7 1 20 AN ORDINANCE PROVIDED FOR THE CONDUCT OF SPECIAL ELECTION ON MAY 6TH, 2023 TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL ASKED TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY SHALL, I MEAN THE CITY CHARTER SHALL BE AMENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 2 71 OF THE TEXAS, UH, ELECTION CODE AND PROVIDED FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE ELECTION NOTICE. AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. UH, SO COUNCILWOMAN JONES, I GET A MOTION. [02:00:01] GO MOVE MA'AM. MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP SECOND MAAM, IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER 7 1 20. UH, WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? OKAY, UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS? UH, YES AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I HAVE HERE. UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE, FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. AND WE'RE ASKING TO AMEND THE CITY CHARTER? YEAH, CORRECT. WHOLE CHARTER. AND, AND, AND NORMALLY WE WOULD GO THROUGH OR APPOINT A CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE TO COME BACK AND DETERMINE WHETHER WE WOULD DO SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE. IS ISN'T THAT BEEN THE, THE, THE PROTOCOL? NO, THAT'S BEEN THE NORM, I THINK. OKAY. AND WHY WOULD WE NOT GO AND FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL THIS TIME? OKAY. IS THAT A SOMETHING, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THIS, THIS IS JUST SOME, THIS IS WHAT WAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST. YEAH. AND IT, IT IS VERY GENERAL. THE SUBMITTED, THE SUBMITTED IT'S VERY GENERAL WOULD PROBABLY, IT'S IT'S NOT SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT IN THE CHARTER WOULD BE SHARED. NO. IT TELLS YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S BEING AMENDED, BUT WHAT'S BEING ASKED AND WHY WE'RE AT THIS POINT. THAT WOULD BE THE SUBMIT THE PERSON SUBMITTING IT WOULD'VE TO RIGHT. ANSWER THAT. BUT THIS IS THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE TO PUT IT ON. OKAY. NO PHYSICAL REQUEST, OBVIOUSLY BY A COUNCIL MEMBER TO PUT IT. OKAY. I HAVE, UH, GENTLEMEN FROM THE, AND AND I'M GONNA HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ONCE WE WELL GO, GO AHEAD. COUNCILMAN JONES. YOU YOU? YEAH, MA'AM. UH, I, I WAS, I WAS GETTING A CALLS FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ASKED ME THE SAME QUESTION AND AFTER A LOT OF BRAINSTORMING AND AFTER A LOT OF THINKING OVER THIS, THIS, THIS ITEM, UH, I THOUGHT IT'D BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF, OF, UH, ME PERSONALLY. GIVE IT TO THE COMMUNITY, GIVE IT TO THE VOTERS, GIVE IT TO THE CITIZENS. I DON'T WANT, I SHOULDN'T THINK THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD MADE THAT DECISION, MY PERSONAL OPINION OF WHETHER THIS ITEM SHOULD GO FORWARD OR NOT. I THINK THE CITIZENS SHOULD DECIDE, YOU KNOW, ON THE CHARTER CHANGE AND THAT'S THEIR MONEY. NOT THIS MINE, NOT THIS OUR, SO AFTER A LOT OF BRAINSTORMING, THINKING OVER CONSIDERING IT AND GETTING CALLS AND PROSING CONS. SO I DECIDED PERSONALLY MYSELF, I'D RATHER GIVE IT TO THE CITIZEN THAN THEM DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH IT. NOT THE, NOT THE COUNCIL. THAT'S ME PERSONALLY. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCIL MARKS. YES. AND, AND SO THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS, WHY WOULD WE DEVIATE FROM PROTOCOL? I THINK IT WAS BACK IN 2019 WHEN WE, UH, HAD THE LAST CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE. I THINK, WAS IT 2019 AND I WAS LAST AMENDED IT ON NOVEMBER 17TH. 2020. 2020 NOVEMBER. IT WAS NOVEMBER OF 20. 2020, YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION CAME. BUT THE CHARTER CA CHANGE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY CONVENED IN 2019. AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE TO, TO, TO AMEND THE CHARTER. BUT BECAUSE OF C O V I D IT WAS DELAYED UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2020. AND AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD WE DEVIATE FROM THE PROTOCOL THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE FOR YEARS, THAT WE WOULD GO TO A CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE. THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE WOULD ACTUALLY BRING RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW THEY WANTED TO AMEND THE CHARTER. AND IF THIS WAS, UH, IN, IN THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE, THEN, THEN THE COUNCIL WOULD THEN, UH, RECEIVE IT AND VOTE ON IT. BUT I I, I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, FOR SOMEONE TO, TO, TO ASK, ANSWER THE QUESTION WHY ARE WE DEVIATING FROM THE PROTOCOL? OKAY. A COUNCILMAN HOLMES, I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILMAN MARKS IS SAYING, NOT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER CHARTER CHANGES THAT NEED TO OCCUR. AND IF BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCES, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN TO CALL FOR ANOTHER SPECIAL ELECTION. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR UPCOMING ELECTIONS WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTION, THIS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT WOULD BE SOMETHING J JUST PLACED ON? NO, IT WOULD BE, IT'S A SPECIAL ELECTION. WOULDN'T BE NO COST. WELL, NO, I'M NOT INTO THE COST. NO, I WAS JUST SAYING, BUT THIS WOULD BE A SPECIAL ELECTION CUZ THE GENERAL ELECTION IS HAPPENING. YOU HAVE TO TURN, DETERMINE WHETHER YOU WANNA CALL SOMETHING SPECIAL TO PUT THIS PROPOSITION ON. TECHNICALLY IT'S A STILL CALLED THE SPECIAL ELECTION, BUT IT WOULD BE [02:05:01] A PART OF THE GENERAL ELECTION. OH, MAY 6TH. IT CAN BE ON THE SAME DATE. YES. MAY 6TH. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. OKAY. BUT THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU, YOU HAVE TO WAIT, YOU KNOW, TO AMEND THE CHARTER AGAIN AFTER THAT TIME. OKAY. COUNCIL MCKENNA. THANK YOU MARY. WAIT, WAIT. WHEN I FINISH I, THERE, THERE WAS ONE OTHER QUESTION. GO AHEAD. NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. THERE WAS ONE OTHER QUESTION. UH, AND THIS IS ON PAGE 11. UH, THE PROPOSITION AS WRITTEN. OKAY. UH, IT SAYS BEGINNING IN MAY, BEGINNING MAY 27, MAY, 2027, THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT FIVE SHALL BE ELECTED BY EMBER DISTRICT BY PLURALITY COMPOSED OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR FOR A TWO YEAR TERM. AND THEN IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IT SAYS, BEGINNING 2027, THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SIX SHALL BE ELECTED BY MULTI-MEMBER DISTRICT BY PLURALITY COMPOSED OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICTS TWO AND FOUR. SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE OMITTING THE CITIZENS IN DISTRICT THREE IN THE, WHEN, WHEN THIS IS IS WRITTEN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PROVIDED FOR IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE WAY THESE ARE WRITTEN UP. SO, OKAY. COUNCIL MCKEN LAW AND, AND, AND I, AND I DID ALSO READ THAT, UH, MAYOR, BUT, UH, IF WE GONNA LOOK AT ONLY THE 2 71 AND WE WOULDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE DOG OWN, UH, CHARTER CHANGES, I THINK THAT WOULD KIND OF PUT US IN THE, IN THE BACK LOOP. SO, UH, DOING AND HAVING COM, UH, COMMITTEE TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS WITH THE CHARTER, I THINK THAT WOULD BENEFIT US AS A CITY THAT WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING SINCE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN IT UP AND BRING IT BACK TO THE CITIZENS AT THAT TIME. SO, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, OUTTA CURIOSITY, JUST ONLY ADDRESSING 2 71 AND HAVING TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE POSSIBLY HAVE TO CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I THINK WE ARE PREMATURE ON THAT. SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY TWO TAKE ON THAT. AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN LOOK AT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF THE CHARTER CHANGES. OKAY. LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. OKAY. AND IT, I DO HAVE TO, WHEN HE SAID THAT I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THERE APPEARS THERE IS A TYPO IN THAT, AND THE, THOSE WHO BROUGHT IT FORTH CAN ALSO, FOR DISTRICTS FIVE, THAT WOULD BE COMBINED OF DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR FOR DISTRICT SIX, THAT WOULD BE DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE, I BELIEVE THERE'S A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR. SO FOR DISTRICT SIX, IT WOULD BE COMPOSED OF, UH, FOR DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE. SO IF IT SAYS FOUR, THAT IS WHAT, WHAT PAGE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? NOW? I'M LOOKING AT THE EXHIBIT OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. MM-HMM. . IT DOES, FOR SOME REASON, DISTRICT FOUR IS IN THERE TWICE, SO THAT IS A TYPO. YEAH. RIGHT. THE WAY IT WAS ASKED IS THAT DISTRICT FIVE BE ELECTED, UH, COMPOSED OF COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR, AND DISTRICT SIX IS SUPPOSED TO BE TWO AND THREE FOR SOME REASON THERE'S A FOUR IN THERE, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED, SO WOULD THIS NEED TO BE RESUBMITTED? NO, IT CAN BE AMENDED. OKAY. AT THE MEETING. OKAY. THAT WAS A TYPO. THEY DEFINITELY SAID TWO AND THREE, BUT IT MIGHT BE TYPE IN WRONG. ALL, ALL, ALL THE COUNCIL , WE HAVE A PERSON, UH, UH, FROM THE, UH, GALLERY KE SPEAK, SPEAK STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR. OKAY. YES. UH, WILLIE LEWIS JR 2301 LAKESHORE DRIVE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, THE CITY BY THE SEA. HUNDRED 44 SQUARE MILES, 67 SQUARE MILES OF WATER. AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BEACH. I'M HERE. AND WILL YOU ALL STAND THE CITIZEN FOR THE, THE COMMITTEE THAT INITIATED WHAT THE COUNCIL FAILED TO DO. THIS A UNITED CITIZEN OF PORT ARTHUR. THIS PRESENTATION WAS THE, THE, THE CITY, UH, THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMISSION PRESENTED THIS VERY SAME ITEM. COUNCILMAN MARKS, YOU ABSTAIN FROM VOTING. THE REST OF IT WAS UNANIMOUS, VOTED TO ACCEPT THIS WHEN IT CAME TO THE CITY FOR EVERYTHING ON PAROLE. WHEN IT CAME TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THEY MADE THE MOTION NOT TO ACCEPT IT. AND WHAT THEY DID CAME UP WITH THIS SEVEN AND EIGHT OR FOUR YEARS AND, UH, TO, TO STAGGER IT. OKAY? BUT I'M HERE, UNITED CITIZEN BOARD AUTHOR TO SUPPORT COUNCILMAN ON JONES INITIATIVE. THE BENEFIT OF THAT INITIATIVE, BASICALLY FOUR OR FIVE THINGS. [02:10:03] FIRST OF ALL, IT HAS NO EFFECT. THIS CHARTER, ALL WE ASK Y'ALL, DO JUST PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IN MAY. NO SPECIAL, NOTHING SPECIAL. JUST PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IN MAY. WE REQUESTED THIS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I CAN BE PERMITTED TO SAY THIS, WE ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD TO SERVE THE LORD AND THEN SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. NOW, IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, SINCE THE COUNCIL REJECTED TO PUT THIS IN PLACE, IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, THREE AS THREE OF US, US CAME DOWN WITH CO, INCLUDING MYSELF, THREE OF US, IT WAS HIS HAZARDOUS DUTY. THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE WAS ASKED AT THE TIME BY THE PRESIDENT TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND PUT IT ON THE BALLOT SINCE THE COUNCIL DELAYED, DELAYED. SO WE HAD TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET SIGNATURES AND SUBMIT THE, UH, THE PETITION TO THE CITY OF SECRETARY'S OFFICE. BUT THREE OF US COMING DOWN WITH, UH, COVID, I CAME DOWN WITH STR THROAT AND COVID, 10 DAYS OF REPEAT. THAT'S A, THAT'S 10, THAT'S 10 DAYS OF REPEAT. THAT'S 30 DAYS. THAT HAD A 30 DAY IMPACT ON WHAT WE START TO ACCOMPLISH. NOW, THE EFFECT OF THIS TO PUT OF PUTTING COUNCILMAN, UH, JONES'S, UH, INITIATIVE IN, IN PLACE ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS MAKE THE DECISION. KNOW Y'ALL CAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT OR A COUNCIL. IF YOU WANNA PUT YOUR OWN PROGRAM ON, YOU CAN DO IT. OKAY? IF IT FAILS, NOTHING CHANGES THE POTENTIAL OF BRINGING BACK DIVERSITY TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT IS NOT HERE. WE GOT WHAT, A $200 MILLION BUDGET AND ONE ETHNIC GROUP MAKING ALL THE DECISION IF WE FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY WOULDN'T PUT UP WITH THAT FIVE MINUTES. WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO PUT DIVERSITY BACK ON THE COUNCIL. NOW, HOW CAN WE ACCOMPLISH THAT? BY ADOPTING, ALLOWING THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON COUNCILMAN JONES', INITIALLY, SEVEN AND EIGHT, TWO AT LARGE SEATS, A LOT OF TAX MONEY IS WASTED ON IT. 2008, WHEN THAT WENT INTO IN POSITION AS PRINCE PRINCE, UH, INITIATIVE, IT WENT INTO PLACE. I WON THE, UH, THE ED LARGE SEAT, THE UNEXPIRED TURN. AND, UH, I GOT, I PERSUADED THE COUNCIL TO PUT, UH, 78 ON THE BALLOT TO MAKE IT PLURALITY LIVING IN THE CITY. TWO TOP VOTES GET SERVED. WELL, I, I WAS, I LOST THAT POSITION AND IMMEDIATELY THE INEXPERIENCED PERSON THAT TOOK MY PLACE TURNED AROUND AND VOTED WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BASED UPON THE CITY ATTORNEY'S RECOMMENDATION, VOTED WITH THE COUNCIL MILLS TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE IT WAS GONNA COST $80,000. IT WAS GONNA COST $80,000 TO, UH, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND, AND RESCIND THAT MAJORITY TO VOTE. WELL, IT, IT, SINCE I FAILED TO GET REELECTED, THE $80,000 TURN, THEY END UP SPENDING $600,000 ON RUNOFFS. $600,000 ON RUNOFF. NOW, KEEP IN MIND, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR DID NOT HAVE ANY MONEY IN THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND, BUT THEY SPENT 600,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON RUNOFF. AND SINCE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY ON EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUNDS, THEY REPAIRED EQUIPMENT. ONE PARTICULAR TRUCK, THEY REPAIRED GARBAGE TRUCK. THEY SPENT OVER $800,000 ON ONE GARBAGE TRUCK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY IN THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND. NOW, THE SECOND IMPACT, COUNCILMAN SCOTT OR COUNCILMAN JONES, UH, INITIAL WOULD BE IT'D BE 100% SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT SEVEN AND EIGHT IS GOING TO GO AWAY. SEVEN IS GOING TO BECOME FIVE, EIGHT'S GOING TO BECOME SIX. NOW, YOU, YOU GOT THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE THAT LIVING IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. TWO AND FOUR WILL BE SELECTING WHO GOING, WHO GOING TO, UH, SERVE IN SIX TWO. I MEAN, DISTRICT ONE AND FOUR IS GONNA MAKE A DECISION ON, ON WHO GONNA SERVE IN IN FIVE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE. AND WE, AND WE GOT A GOOD CHANCE. IT'S NOT GUARANTEED TO, TO PUT DIVERSITY AND MY THROAT GETTING DRY. I'M STILL IMPACTED FROM THAT. UH, YOU GOT A MINUTE? I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE. OKAY? YEAH. ANOTHER MINUTE. OKAY. WELL, YOU GOT A CHANCE. WE, WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BRING DIVERSITY BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AND WE NEED DIVERSITY ON THE CITY COUNCIL. AND THAT'S A, THAT HAS A GREAT CHANCE WITH OUR, [02:15:01] UH, OUR LARGE BLOCK OF, UH, NEXT BLOCK OF LARGE BLOCK OF MINORITIES IN PORT ARTHUR IS THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. THEY'RE ABOUT FOR 35%. THEY HAVE NO SAY SO IN NOTHING. WE NEED DIVERSITY ON THE CITY COUNCIL. ANY, UH, QUESTIONS? OKAY. NO, THAT'S OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL FOR QUESTIONS. I'M, I'M GONNA CALL, I'M GONNA DO THAT. YOU THROUGH? YEAH. OKAY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR, I GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR NOW. I THANK I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. OKAY. AND THAT WAS PART OF THE QUESTIONS. WE'RE READY TO VOTE. NO, I GOT A QUESTION. OKAY. COUNCIL, MY MARKS, I GOT THE WATER. MR. YEAH, HE GOT YOU. YOU DIDN'T RANK OUT IT. NO LAWYER DRINKS OUT OF IT. HUH? I THINK I JUST NEED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF CORRECTIONS. UH, AND, AND, UH, I WAS ON THE CITY, UH, ON, ON THE, UH, CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE. NO, CHANGE COMMISSION. ON THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE. CORRECT. YOU SAID I ABSTAINED. I, I, MY, I RECALL MY VOTE WAS NO, MY VOTE WAS NO. OKAY. I, I VOTED AGAINST THAT AND I ARGUED AGAINST THAT, AND I STILL ARGUED AGAINST THAT TODAY. WHY? AND, AND I DID STATE AT THE TIME THAT I WAS ON THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE THAT IF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, THEN FINE. BUT I WAS AGAINST IT AND, AND, AND IT MOVED FORWARD. IT CAME TO COUNCIL, IT CAME TO COUNCIL. I WAS NOT ON COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL VOTED AGAINST IT. AND, AND, AND SO THEY VOTED IT. DAMN. MY QUESTION AND NO, I'M, I'M NOT ASKING A QUESTION BECAUSE JUST MAKE A STATEMENT. I'M JUST MAKING A STATEMENT. MY POSITION TODAY, AS ALWAYS, AND I STATED IT EARLIER, WE HAVE A PROTOCOL IN PLACE ON HOW WE INITIATE CHARTER CHANGE. CORRECTION. CORRECTION. OKAY. NO, SIR. HOLD ON. OKAY. THERE IS A PROTOCOL WHERE A CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE IS CONVENED. IT, IT, IT WORKS OVER SEVERAL MONTHS. THEY ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES THAT ARE NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THERE ARE MULTIPLE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE CHARTER. AND THEN THEY, THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS COME BACK. THE COUNSEL AND COUNSEL EITHER APPROVES OR DISAPPROVE THOSE, AND THAT'S THE PROTOCOL. SO I'M JUST ASKING WHY DID WE DEVIATE FROM PROTOCOL THIS TIME? OKAY. RHETORICALLY. OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. UH, YOU GOT A QUESTION? GO RIGHT HERE. I, THE ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK NO, CAN I STATEMENT OH, OH, THE STATEMENT. CAN I ADDRESS WHAT HE JUST SAID? NO, SIR. NO, SIR. THAT, NO SIR. NOT PROTOCOL. NO, SIR. THIS? YES. YOU GOOD? YOU GOOD? OKAY. CITY ATTORNEY, I CAN CARRY, GO AHEAD TO A VOTE. OKAY. WHAT WE DO, WE READY TO GO THE VOTE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL, VOTE. OKAY, WE'RE READY. THIS, THIS SENATOR QUESTION, MAYOR. OH. OH, OKAY. YOU WAS, I'M NOT TO SPEAKING, JUST CLEAR MY HEAD UP. JUST TO, JUST THE, DOES THE CITIZEN HAVE THE, THE, UH, POWER OR THE RIGHT TO OVER CALL OR, OR PROTOCOL? PROTOCOL? PROTOCOL LAW IS, I MEAN THIS SAYING KEEP SAYING PROTOCOL, BUT PROTOCOL HAS A, A, I MEAN, WHAT PART DOES THE CITIZEN HAVE? CAN THEY OVERRIDE THE CITIZEN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PROTOCOL. PROTOCOL. THE PROCESS IN AMENDING THE CHARTER IS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER NINE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. AND IT'S ALSO IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION. BUT BASICALLY, UH, CHAPTER NINE OF THE, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SETS FORTH THAT THE CHARTER CAN BE AMENDED, UH, BY THE MUNICIPALITY ON ITS OWN MOTION. THE MUNICIPALITY CAN SUBMIT ITEMS TO THE VOTERS. HOWEVER, OUR PROCESS, YOU CAN DO IT AND PUT A RELU, OUR ORDINANCE ON THE AGENDA AND JUST DO IT. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PROCESS THAT THERE'S A CHARTER. SO BOTH WAYS ARE LEGAL. SO THERE'S ALSO A PROCESS THAT WE'VE HAD MANY TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE A CHARTER COMMISSION. THE CHARTER COMMISSION IS APPOINTED, AND THAT'S, UM, THEY STUDY THE CHARTER, THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL. AND BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE, THEN THE COUNCIL CAN SUBMIT IT TO THE VOTERS. SO THE COUNCIL CAN GO THROUGH THE CHARTER QUESTION, THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, OR THE COUNCIL CAN DO IT ON ITS OWN MOTION. YEAH, THAT'S MY QUESTION. THE VOTERS. BUT, BUT IT, BUT IT'S THE COUNCIL. NOW, IF A VOTER WANTS TO DO IT, THEY HAVE A PETITION. OKAY. BUT IT COMES THROUGH, WHEN IT COMES THROUGH THE COUNCIL, IT CAN BE THE COUNCIL ON ITS OWN MOTION, USUALLY BY THE RECOMMENDATION OF A COMMITTEE OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER HIMSELF CAN DO IT. OKAY. CALL COUNCIL FRANK. I, I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY, [02:20:01] MAYOR, I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE, BUT I, I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY, UM, THE SPEAKER DID MAKE THE COMMENT THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE, UH, AS WE WOULD SEE FIT TO VOTE. BUT I THINK THAT TRANSPARENCY NEEDS TO BE MADE AS WELL, UH, FOR OUR PUBLIC WHO'S WATCHING THIS, FOR THEM TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE. AND SO I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO DO THAT. UH, WHAT IS AT STAKE HERE IS, IS THAT IF THIS IS PUT ON THE COUNCIL, WE ARE GOING TO OUR CITIZENRY AND WE'RE ASKING THEM TO MAKE A DECISION TO GO FROM PLURALITY TO MAJORITY VOTE PLURALITY SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE LIMITED, I'M SORRY, GOING FROM MAJORITY TO PLURALITY. I, I, I APOLOGIZE. I MISSPOKE. GOING FROM, UM, MAJORITY, WHICH CAUSES RUNOFFS TO PLURALITY, WHERE THE PERSON WHO GOT THE MOST VOTES WOULD BE THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD, UH, BE THE PERSON GIVING, GIVEN THAT SEAT. UNDERSTANDING AS WELL THAT IF THAT HAPPENS AND TRANSPIRES, WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE THREE YEAR TERMS HERE ON, UH, COUNCIL. BUT WE WOULD GO TO TWO YEAR TERMS BECAUSE IT IS A, A MUNICIPALITY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE ARE THREE YEAR TERMS. BUT IN A MUNICIPALITY, WE WILL BE GOING TO TWO YEAR TERMS, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE EVEN THAT IF THERE WERE NO RUNOFFS, WE WOULD BE HAVING MORE ELECTIONS. AND AS WELL, THAT WE WOULD, UH, BE CAUSING OUR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO BE, UH, LIMITED FROM THREE YEARS TO TWO YEARS. SO A PERSON WHO WOULD COME ON CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL, INVARIABLY EVERY OTHER YEAR WE WOULD HAVE AN ELECTION EVERY OTHER YEAR AS OPPOSED TO THREE YEARS. SO IT'S UNDERSTOOD ALSO A VOTE FOR THIS WOULD AS WELL CAUSE AND CREATE A SITUATION WHERE, UH, ULTIMATELY, UH, A CHARTER CHANGE WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AGAIN, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T EVEN PUT IN PLACE THE CHARTER CHANGES AND IMPLEMENTED THE CHARTER CHANGES THAT WE VOTED FOR BEFORE. THOSE, UH, HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN IN, BEEN INSTITUTED. IT WON'T BE INSTITUTED UNTIL 2024, SO MM-HMM. SO, NO, LISTEN WHAT I'M SAYING, SO THE CHARTER CHANGES THAT WE WOULD BE VOTING FOR NOW WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT IN PLACE AFTER THE CHARTER CHANGES THAT HAVEN'T BE, HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET, BEEN PUT IN PLACE. YES. YES. THAT GOES AWAY. OKAY. NO SIR. NO SIR. NO SIR. NO SIR. DOES NOT GO AWAY? NO. OKAY. UH, ANY OTHER COUNCILWOMAN? I MEAN, MAY I APPROACH YOU? YOU YIELD? OKAY. UH, ARE, ARE YOU COMPLETE? UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO I, I WANT TO, I WANT NO, IT DOES NOT GO AWAY. IT DOES NOT SUPPLANT WHAT IS ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON. THOSE CHARTER CHANGES HAVE TO BE PUT IN PLACE BEFORE THE MADAM MADAM. OKAY, MADAM. ATTORNEY. ATTORNEY. OKAY, LET'S, WHAT I'M GONNA GET READY TO DO IS WE GONE ABOUT 15, 20 MINUTES THIS DISCUSSING AND GO AHEAD. COUNCILMAN JONES. MAYOR, IF YOU WILL. I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, ONE MINUTE AND I, I THINK IT'S ALL PANEL. WE'LL, WE'LL SIT THERE SPOKEN I'D TO HAVE MY ONE GET MY ONE MINUTE TO THE SPEAKER JUST FOR HIM. NO QUESTION. JUST I GET MY ONE MINUTE TO, BUT I KNOW I DIDN'T TELL YOU HAD A MINUTE, BUT I NEVER, I NEVER ASKED. QUESTION YOUR REQUESTS ONE MINUTE. I NEVER I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT OUT, OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART. YES, SIR. AND THE GOD THAT I HAVE IN, I'M GONNA LET HIM SPEAK. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY, GO AHEAD. SPEAK SIR. YES. UH, THIS DOESN'T, THE CHARTER CHANGE HAS EXPIRED NOVEMBER THE 17TH. THE PLAN IS ALREADY GOING IN THE, THIS COUNCIL'S GOING TO BE THE NEW COUNCIL. MAY ELECTION IS GOING TO BE UNDER, UH, THE NEW, THE, THE PAST CHARTER CHANGE. IT DOESN'T GO AWAY, IT GOES INTO PLACE. IT'S NOTHING. IT IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH THE PREVIOUS CHARTER CHANGE. ARE YOU FOLLOWED ME? THE PREVIOUS CHARTER CHANGE IS GOING TO GO IN PLACE. OKAY, LET ME, LET ME MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER. 78 IS GOING AWAY. YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ELECTED UNDER 80 ANYMORE. UH, THE OTHER PERSON THAT'S ON WHAT? 78 GOES AWAY, IT'S 70 AND EIGHT, NINE IS GOING TO BECOME FIVE AND SIX BECAUSE THEY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SEATS ON THE COUNCIL JUST FOR NUMERICAL PURPOSE. YOU GOT SEVEN AND EIGHT. YOU GOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, AND EIGHT. SO THAT GOES AWAY. THE NUMBERS COME DOWN TO FIVE AND SIX. [02:25:01] THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE. THAT IS IN PLACE. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN CHANGE IT. THE TWO YEARS HAS, HAS PASSED NOVEMBER THE 17TH HAS PASSED YOU. SO YOU CAN NOW PUT A, A NEW CHARTER CHANGE IN PLACE. BUT IF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTERS TO VOTE ON THIS, IT WILL NOT GO INTO PLACE UNTIL 2006. 2026. OKAY? IT'S NOT, WE THANK ANYBODY HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT WAS JUST GO WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES ASKED TO GIVE YOU THAT MINUTE. WHAT? BLACK. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WE'RE READY TO VOTE AND WE'RE GOING TO JUST JUDGE JURY ROLL CALL. VOTE AND IT IT, SIR, IT'S ALL COUNCIL MEMBER. FRANK? NO. MAYOR I PRO TIM HOLMES? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES MAYOR BART, NO. MEASURE FAILS. OKAY, MAYOR FAILS. OKAY. FAILS. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. [VIII.B.3. P.R. No. 7123 - An Ordinance Of The City Council Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing Participation With Other Entergy Service Area Cities In Matters Concerning Entergy Texas, Inc. At The Public Utility Commission Of Texas In 2023; Authorizing The Hiring Of Lawyers And Rate Experts; Authorizing The City's Participation To The Full Extent Permitted By Law At The Public Utility Commission Of Texas; Finding That The Meeting Complies With The Open Meetings Act; And Declaring An Effective Date] OKAY, OUR NEXT ITEM IS PO NUMBER 71 23. IT'S AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL OF PORT ARTHUR TEXAS AUTHORIZED WITH PARTICIPATION WITH OTHER ENERGY SERVICE AREA CITIES IN MATTERS CONCERNING ENERGY TEXAS INCORPORATED AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF TEXAS IN 2023. AUTHORIZING IN THE HIRING OF LAWYERS AND RATE EXPERTS AUTHORIZING THE CITIES PARTICIPATION TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF TEXAS. FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND DECLARING AND EFFECTIVE DATE. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR MAYOR PRO KEMP? SO MOVED. MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES. SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER SEVEN. 1 2 3 AS READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. IN THE OPPOSERS? AYE HAVE, SO THIS ORDER, WE WOULD ACCEPT PO NUMBER SEVEN. 1 2 3. [IX. "CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)] WE ARE NOW READY TO MOVE INTO OUR CLOSED, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION AND IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 5 51 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER 5 51 OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE, UH, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY, EXCUSE ME, ARTICLE 62 52 DASH 17 SECTION TWO SUBSECTION EIGHT. UH, PRIOR TO GOING INTO THIS MEETING, I BEING THE PRESIDER OF THIS MEETING, I WOULD MAKE THIS FOLLOWING STATEMENT WE WILL DISCUSS IN THE CLOSED SE SESSION SECTION 5 51 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OR PENDING CLAIMS, CONTRACTS, LITIGATION, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. ALSO, WE WILL, UH, DISCUSS SECTION 5 51 POINT, UH, 0 8 7 OF THE, THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND OR INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PROSPECTS. AND SECTION 5 51 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. AND WOULD THERE BE ANY ACTION THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE CLOSED SECTION SESSION? WE WOULD COME BACK IN OUR OPEN SESSION AND ACTUALLY DISCUSS AND ACT UPON THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY. SO AT THIS JUNCTURE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS RECESS THIS MEETING AND WE WILL RETURN, UH, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CLOSED MEETING. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION ON TODAY. OKAY, I DIDN'T SAY THAT. FINISHED. UH, GET ME OUT OF HERE PLEASE. . MAYOR BART. PRESENT MAYOR PRO. TIM HOLMES. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER? MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK? HERE. MAYOR, YOU HAVE A QUO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW BACK IN SESSION, UH, HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AND THERE WAS NOT ANY ACTION, UH, ITEMS THAT [02:30:01] WOULD COME UP FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. YOU SAID ONE MOTION AT ONE. ONE. OKAY. WOULD YOU READ IT FOR ME PLEASE? UM, YES. FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WE HAVE A MOTION LISTING. THE VACANT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS IS THREE 30 RICHMOND AVENUE, 6 27 WEST 10TH STREET, AND NINE 16 EIGHTH STREET FOR SALE WITH A LICENSE REAL ESTATE BROKER PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2 72 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. OKAY, MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, MAYOR PRO TIM. SO MOVED. MA'AM, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND. GO AHEAD. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, HONOR THE MOTION AS READ BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. WE READY FOR QUESTIONING THERE? HONOR ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSERS AYE HAVE SO THIS AUDIT, WE WILL HONOR THE, AND ACCEPT THE MOTION THAT'S READ OUT BY A CITY ATTORNEY COMING OUT OF ON PROPERTY, COMING OUT OF OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. BE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, MATTERS. WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD ADJOURN THIS AUGUST BODY AND WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR VIEWERSHIP AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN. I BELIEVE IT IS ON THE 14TH OF UH, FEBRUARY. GOD BLESS YOU. WILL NOW DISMISSED SEPTEMBER. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.