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OKAY.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD AFTERNOON.WE ARE GATHERED HERE FOR A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING THAT'S BEEN, UH, POSTED AND SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, 2023, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, AND AT 2:00 PM IT'S ABOUT TWO 10 NOW.
WE NOW HAVE A COURTROOM AND WE MAY BEGIN.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ACCESSED BY THOSE WHO WOULD WISH TO PARTICIPATE BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND YOU MUST ENTER A MEETING ID 8 4 9 1 0 75 8 2 39, AND THE PASSCODE OF 7 3 2 4 1 0, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED ENTRY INTO THE MEETING.
ALSO, IF THERE WOULD BE THOSE WHO WOULD NEED SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND WHATEVER THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE, YOU ONLY MUST CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 15 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL MEETING.
MAKE THAT REQUEST KNOWN TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND THEY WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWERS TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR YOU.
UH, WE WILL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE, UH, MAYOR APPROACH HERE.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US THE INVOCATION ON TODAY? MAYOR PROHI WILL GIVE US THE INVOCATION.
WE'LL HAVE THE PLEDGE AND THE MEETING WE'LL PROCEED IF YOU ABEY WITH ME.
FATHER GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY THANKING YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US CONTINUED DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN GUIDING THIS CITY AND MAKING IT THE CITY OF COURT.
WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS ALL THOSE, UH, WHO ARE HERE GATHERED WITH US TODAY, EITHER BY TELEPROMPT OR IN PERSON.
WE THANK YOU LORD, AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU PLANNED TO DO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR LIVES, EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN, AND EACH AND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AND CITY STAFF IN YOUR DARLING JESUS NAME, AMEN.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? JOIN US PLEASE.
IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IS STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH THE COURTROOM FOR US? MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO.
[II.1 P.R. No. 22657 — A Resolution Authorizing The February 14, 2023 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting To Be Rescheduled From 5:30 P.M. To February 14, 2023 At 9:30 A.M.]
NEXT WE WILL HAVE, UH, AN ITEM REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION ON, ON NON-CON CONSENT.UH, ITEM IT, ITEM BEING PR NUMBER 22 65 7 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FEBRUARY 14TH, 2023 REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING TO BE RESCHEDULED FROM A 5:30 PM MEETING TO FEBRUARY 14TH ON THE SAME DATE, 2023.
HOWEVER, AT 9:30 AM UH, MAY I APPROACH HERE? MAY I GET A, UH, A MOTION? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCIL? UH, KEN LAW SECONDARY.
IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 60 57.
RED, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? THERE ARE ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS.
657 IS APPROVED AND THE MEETING ON VALENTINE'S DAY WILL BE AT 9:30 AM INSTEAD OF 5:30 PM AND THAT'S, SO THAT ALL MAY GO AND PRACTICE CUPID MEETING.
[III.1 To Discuss The Potential Use Of City Owned Property]
NUMBER ONE IS TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL USE OF, UH, CITY OWNED PROPERTY AT 3,600 GATES BOULEVARD FOR A PROPOSED MUNICIPAL SAFETY COMPLEX.AND WE WILL HAVE EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY, UH, ATTORNEY.
SO WE READY? WE READY? CITY MANAGER? YES.
UM, BEFORE WE BEGIN, MAYOR LEMME CITY MANAGER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR MIC IS ON.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, NOW, YEAH.
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UM, WHILE, UM, IT IS GIVEN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE, UM, IT'S A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.WE FREQUENTLY MEET TWICE A MONTH, YOU KNOW, TO APPROVE WHAT'S ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, FOR, FOR THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY.
THAT ALSO PROVIDES US WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME WHERE WE CAN SHARE WITH NOT ONLY THE COUNSELOR OF THE PUBLIC AS TO WHAT WE DO AT THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL ON, UM, AN, AN IE.
THAT IS STAFF AND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT IT NECESSARY, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THIS SORT OF WORKSHOP WHERE WE CAN ENGAGE IN SOME SORT OF INFORMATION SHARING WITH THE COUNCIL AS TO WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE NEED TO GO, AND THE HOT TOPIC SUBJECTS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY IDENTIFY, THAT WE MAY PROVIDE CLARIFICATION AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION ON.
UM, FOR NOT ONLY FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE COUNCIL, BUT FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW, UM, TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS AFTERNOON, MAYOR, IS WE ARE TAKING AN OPPORTUNITY, THE PRE SUBJECTS THAT WE HAVE LISTED ON THE AGENDA, WE ARE TAKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO ELABORATE ON THOSE WITH THE COUNCIL SO THAT WE, AS WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS, NOT ONLY WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT OUR PLANNING PROCESS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL THAT MAY BE REQUIRED ON EACH OF THOSE SUBJECT MATTERS.
AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ME ASK MS. LANGFORD TO, UM, LEADERS, UH, WITH THE FIRST DISCUSSION SUBJECT, THE POTENTIAL USE OF CITY OWN PROPERTY AT 3,600 GATES QUALIFIED AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT STRANGE TO SIT HERE AND ADDRESS COUNCIL TODAY, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
UM, ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2022, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM PEAL INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, TEXAS PROVIDED COUNSEL WITH A PRESENTATION, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE CITY, THE PROPOSED, UM, NEW ANIMAL SHELTER FOR THE CITY, AS WELL AS, UM, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 15.2 ACRE SITE, FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE ST.
MARY'S HOSPITAL SITE AT 3,600 GATES MEMORIAL BOULEVARD.
UM, DURING THAT PRESENTATION, UM, THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS.
COUNCIL EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED FOR THAT SITE, NAMELY, UM, A PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX WOULD INCLUDE, UM, THE CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND MUNICIPAL COURT AT THAT TIME.
DURING THAT PRESENTATION, COUNSEL DID EXPRESS THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP TO FURTHER DISCUSS, UM, WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED, WHICH IS WHAT LED US HERE TODAY.
UM, ON MAY 20, AND I'LL GO BACK AS FAR AS, I'M SORRY, MAY 25TH, 2021, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 21 DASH 2 21.
THAT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED THE CONTRACT WITH PEAL INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON TO PERFORM A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE ORIGINAL SITE FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER DEVELOPMENT AT 1401 19TH STREET.
UM, AS PART OF THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UM, THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ABOUT THE MODE OF DEMOLITION OF THE FORMER BUILDING THAT WAS THERE, WHICH WAS OUR WA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, IN WORKING WITH PGOS GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERS AS WELL AS OUR CITY STAFF, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THAT SITE WOULD BE UNSTABLE TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF PERMANENT DEVELOPMENT AT THAT LOCATION, WHICH LED STAFF BACK INTO DOING SOME RESEARCH AND UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF COUNCIL, UM, TO LOCATE ANOTHER CITY OWNED PROPERTY, UM, TO PLACE THE CITY'S ANIMAL SHELTER.
AFTER LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED, UM, IN OWNED BY THE CITY, UM, AS WELL AS THEIR LOCATION, UM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ST.
MARY'S SITE THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN REEDED BACK TO THE CITY WOULD BE THE MOST PLAUSIBLE SITE TO PUT IN ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, IN DISCUSSING THAT SITE, THIS SITE IS A LITTLE, WAS MUCH LARGER THAN THE ORIGINAL SITE, WHICH WAS ANTICIPATED FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER BEING 15.2 ACRES OF LAND.
UM, WE BEGAN, UM, AND WE ENTERED INTO ANOTHER AGREEMENT WITH PEAL ON MAY 24TH, 2022, UNDER RESOLUTION NUMBER 22 DASH 2 37, WHICH AUTHORIZED AGREEMENT WITH THEM TO DEVELOP A FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN.
THE PURPOSE OF THAT FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN WAS NOT ONLY TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT TO ALSO IDENTIFY OTHER USES FOR THE CITY AND WHAT CAN
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GO ON THAT 15 ACRE SITE.AFTER SPEAKING WITH VARIOUS MEMBERS OF STAFF, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE THEIR DISCUSSION, UM, WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND LEADERSHIP REGARDING THEIR NEEDS FOR EXPANSION AND AC ACCOUNTABLE SPACES FOR THEM.
SO, UM, THE IDEA CAME ABOUT IN DEVELOPING A MUNICIPAL, A PUBLIC SAFETY MUNICIPAL COMPLEX AS A CONCEPT FOR THAT SITE.
UM, THE SERVICES, AGAIN, WOULD BE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND MUNICIPAL COURT AREA.
UM, IF COUNSEL HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT OUR CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU ARE AWARE OF THE CONDITION OF THAT BUILDING.
UM, THERE'S SEVERAL ISSUES, UM, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE FACT THAT, UM, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY GROWN OUT OF IT.
UM, THERE ARE ISSUES WITH ROOFING, UM, AN ADEQUATE SPACE FOR A LOT OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY, OR A LOT OF THE, UM, RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAVE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE, UM, EVIDENCE AREA, UM, THE AREA THAT THE DISPATCHERS WORK IN AND MANY OTHER, UM, AREAS WITHIN THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSION WITH PD WAS TO CONSIDER THE BUILDING ON NINTH AVENUE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY RENOVATING FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS TEXAS HEALTH SERVICES BUILDING.
UM, HOWEVER, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THESE SERVICES REMAIN CENTRALIZED.
AND SO IN DISCUSSING WITH PAL THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE ST.
MARY'S SITE, THAT IS WHY THOSE DIVISIONS WERE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT DISCUSSION AS STATED BY MS. DARLENE PIERRE AT THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, THEREFORE, UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO COUNSEL TO PROVIDE THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF WITH DIRECTION ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
AGAIN, IT'S A 15.2 ACRE SITE, WHICH IS MORE THAN ENOUGH SPACE FOR JUST AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, MOVING THESE RESOURCES OUT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I MEAN, OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF PORT ARTHUR, AND MAKING THEM MORE CENTRALIZED IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A PLAN THAT WOULD POSSIBLY BE IMPLEMENTED YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
UM, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION THAT WE WOULD ASK COUNSEL TO JUST KEEP IN MIND IS THAT OUR CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MUNICIPAL COURT IS LOCATED IN THE TURS.
AS WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED MANY OF TIMES FOR MR. ART PARTAL, WHO, UH, SERVES AS, UM, ADDITIONAL LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE TURS, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONCENTRATE ON MOVING NON-PROFIT, NON-TAXABLE SERVICES OUT AND TAXABLE SERVICES IN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HELPS TO SUPPORT THAT TUR ZONE.
UM, I HAVE BEEN, UM, WORKING TO DEVELOP SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER, MORE SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE ARE WITHIN THAT PROCESS.
UM, THE LAST ITEM WOULD BE ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2022.
THERE WAS RESOLUTION NUMBER 22 DASH 5 64 THAT WAS APPROVED, UM, TO AUTHORIZE A CONTRACT AGAIN WITH PAL OF HOUSTON FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION OF THAT ANIMAL SHELTER.
THE NOTICE OF REWARD WAS ISSUED FROM THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2022.
WE RECEIVED THAT NOTICE BACK ON JANUARY 4TH FROM PEAL.
AND THE NOTICE TO PROCEED UNFORTUNATELY HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.
I DID SPEAK WITH THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT RIGHT BEFORE COMING TO THIS MEETING, AND WE WILL WORK WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THIS NOTICE GETS ISSUED HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE, UM, GOING BACK TO MARCH 12TH, 2021, UM, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION, IT WAS PART OF THE BUDGET MEETING, UM, WHERE $2.5 MILLION WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UM, TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, UM, FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, THE $2.5 MILLION, EXCUSE ME, WAS ACTUALLY EARMARKED TO BE INCLUDED, UM, IN THE 2022 BUDGET.
UM, THERE WAS $150,000 THAT WAS ACTUALLY ALLOCATED DURING THAT FISCAL YEAR TO BEGIN THE DESIGN PHASE.
UM, AFTER HAVING A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH PEAL, UM, AS WELL AS STARTING TO TO SEE THE RISE FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, WE DID COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO REQUEST THAT THE BUDGET BE REVISED AND
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THE AMOUNT TO BE BROUGHT UP TO 6.65 MILLION, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL BY ISSUING THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR THIS PROJECT.THOSE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, I BELIEVE WERE ISSUED IN MAY OF 2022.
DO WE HAVE, OKAY, GO, GO, GO AHEAD.
DO WE HAVE ANY? IT'S, IT'S, UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS AS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.
YEAH, I I HAVE A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, UH, AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WOULD SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES WANTED TO GO FIRST AND THEN, OR I CAN BEGIN, UH, IF OTHERS WANTED TO.
UH, I THINK THAT EVERYONE WOULD KNOW MY POSITION ON THE THOUGHT OF, UH, ACTUALLY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, UH, UH, CITY MANAGEMENT LANGUAGE FOR SUCH AN ELOQUENTLY PRESENTED, UH, PIECE OF MATERIAL.
AND VERY, VERY INTELLIGENTLY PRESENTED.
HOWEVER, ON DECEMBER 6TH, I BELIEVE I MADE A COMMENT.
IF, IF I DID NOT FELT IT, I COULD NOT EVER SUPPORT MOVEMENT FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE GATES AREA.
I JUST, I CAN'T DO IT AS LONG AS I'M MAYOR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BE MAYOR FOR LIFE.
SO THERE MAY BE OTHER MAYORS WHO WOULD, UH, PROCEED, UH, SUCCEED ME.
WHO, WHO MAY, UH, SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE, I HAVE NO, NO, NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
BUT THE, UH, BIG QUESTION THAT COMES TO MIND IS WHY WOULD WE REMOTELY CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL AND VACATE AN AREA THAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO REDEVELOP? NOW, WHEN I ASK THAT QUESTION RHETORICAL IN ONE WAY, BUT ALSO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE CAN ALSO BE THOUGHT OF IN A MORE TANGIBLE MEANS BECAUSE WE ARE IN PORT ARTHUR, WE ARE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, AND WE ACTUALLY SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO PORT ARTHUR THROUGH THE YEARS.
OKAY? UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, UH, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, NOT ONE TIME, DID YOU ADDRESS AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FROM YOU ALL FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION AS TO SOME DOWNTOWN POSSIBILITIES.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD WANT YOU TO GIMME ME SOME PROS AND CONS BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU I CAN'T SUPPORT IT AND I THINK MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL NOT SUPPORT IT.
BUT YOU HAVE NOT COME TO SAY, OKAY, WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT YOUR POSITION IS, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
SO I THINK YOU'RE IGNORING WHAT YOU ALL KNOW.
AND I WOULD EVEN GO AS FAR AS TO SAY, THIS IS A WASTE OF MY TIME.
I DIDN'T DRIVE A HUNDRED MILES IN ALL THIS TRAFFIC GOING 90 PLUS MILES PER HOUR TO GET HERE TO HEAR THIS AGAIN.
IT'S JUST THAT I DIDN'T COME TO HEAR THIS.
OKAY? IT'S JUST LIKE I DIDN'T COME HERE ON THAT DAY, ON THE SIXTH OF, UH, DECEMBER, WHENEVER THAT WAS SIXTH.
I DIDN'T COME ON THAT DAY TO HEAR IT.
AND NEITHER HAVE I COME AS GOD BLESSED ME TO WAKE UP THIS MORNING, YOU KNOW, MADE TO WAKE UP LUNCH AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO HEAR THIS AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT I VISION FOR PORT ARTHUR.
BUT I HAVE TO EXPRESS, I'M NOT GONNA BE A PHONY AND SAY THAT I SUPPORT IT KNOWING THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, I DON'T.
NOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CENTRALIZATION OF SERVICES, THAT'S COMMENDABLE.
HOWEVER, TO VACATE THE EXACT AREA THAT WE WANT TO DEVELOP UNDER THE PREMISE OF CENTRALIZATION, I THINK IS LUDICROUS.
THE REASON WHY, BECAUSE THESE SAME CENTRALIZED SERVICES ARE GIVEN IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA RIGHT NOW, THOSE FOLK WHO COME FROM NEEDLING, THOSE PEOPLE WHO COME FOR ESE, THAT'S WHY YOU WANNA CENTRALIZE THAT.
FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T VOTE FOR ME, THEY WILL VOTE FOR ANYBODY UP HERE.
BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CENTRALIZING SOMETHING.
AND I ALREADY KNOW THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT WE GET TO SUPPLY OIL SERVICES.
WE CAN PUT THIS HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
WE WILL STILL GET THE MONEY AND THE FOLK FROM PORT, IF THEY NEED THESE SERVICES, THEY GONNA HAVE TO CATCH 'EM AND RIDE TO PORT OUT THERE.
NOW, WHAT YOU ARE DOING, PORT ARTHURS, WHO LIVE SOUTH OF 69, AND I'M GOING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT I JUST GOTTA JUMP OVER, Y'ALL, JUST GIMME THAT OPTION.
NOW THEY GOTTA CATCH A RIDE TO THE OTHER, OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.
THEY PORT ARTHURS, OKAY? HOWEVER, I KNOW SOME OF THAT POPULATION LIVES IN THAT AREA, BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE ARE VACATING WHAT WE WANT TO REDEVELOP TO HELP A BUNCH OF FOLK THAT DON'T GIVE A HOOT ABOUT US.
AND I'M JUST TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.
I'M NOT, I'M JUST BEING EMPHATIC.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOT TO CONSIDER.
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THE CENTRALIZATION OF SERVICES, AGAIN, IS COMMENDABLE AND THE THOUGHT OF TAXATION ISSUE AND BEING IN THE CHURCH, UNDERSTANDING THE CITY'S NOT GONNA PAY ANY TAXES.BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN WE VACATE THIS, THIS FURTHER HELPS THE BLIGHT THAT WE HAVE DOWN HERE ALREADY.
WE ARE IN A SITUATION NOW WHERE I'M WAITING FOR THE MEETING, UH, WITH THE, UH, MOTIVA GROUP SO WE CAN EXACTLY FIND OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT PROPERTY.
AND THEN WE WANT TO DISCUSS MOVING EVEN MORE SERVICES FROM THIS CARTER, WHERE Y'ALL GONNA PUT CITY HALL? BECAUSE WE NEED A CITY HALL.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY HEAT IN MY OFFICE.
AND I HAD TO WEAR LONG JOHNS AND A OVERCOAT LAST WEEK CUZ I HAD NO HEAT ON MY SIDE OF THIS BUILDING.
SO WE GONNA MOVE CITY HALL DOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE GETTING READY TO TAKE UP, PICK UP EVERYTHING, LET'S PICK UP EVERYTHING AND GO NOT ONE THING AT A TIME AND FURTHER LEAVE OUR CITY TO B BLIGHT.
SO MOVEMENT OF THESE CITY SERVICES, I ALREADY KNOW AND I HAVE TO SAY IT, THEY WILL FURTHER PUSH FORWARD THE BLIGHT THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE AND WITH THE CHURCH.
WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO ACTUALLY PUT THE CHURCH TOGETHER TO BEGIN THE BABY, GO OUT AND SEEK INDIVIDUALS TO COME WITH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN THIS AREA.
WHEN THE CITY DECIDES THAT IT'S GOING TO LEAVE THE AREA, IT'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO AN INVESTOR WHO'S COMING IN WITH $50 MILLION TO INVEST THAT WE GOING TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA COST US 20 MILLION OR SOMETHING.
WE, WE GOING ANOTHER PART OF TOWN.
CUZ WE WANT Y'ALL TO HAVE ALL OF THIS, Y'ALL.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU, PROFESSOR LITTLE, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WAS SUPPORTED.
THANK YOU PAM, FOR YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE UP HERE AND WE MAKING DECISIONS FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY, WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF THINGS.
SO AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT NOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, SINCE, UH, 2017, WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE FIRE MUNICIPAL COURTS BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE ISSUES AND SPACE AVAILABILITY.
WE'RE HAVING TO RENT AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND, UM, WHEN I TALKED WITH THE MANAGER A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, I ASKED HIM, I SAID, LOOK HERE MAN, LET'S FIND, LET'S PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SINCE YOU GUYS BEEN ON BOARD, HE'S DONE EXACTLY THAT.
HE'S TRIED TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN GROW.
THE CITY HAS NOW TURNING THAT SHIP AROUND THAT WE CAN GET BACK ON PATH.
NOW, UH, THE MAYOR HAD SOME COMMENTS AND HE STR YOU KNOW, HE FEELS STRONG ABOUT NOT WANTING TO DO IT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, LIKE HE SAID, HE'S ONLY ONE VOTE.
AND WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE, THE GREATER NEED OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, I ROAST A COUPLE THINGS DOWN HERE, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS TAKING NOTES AS YOU WERE TALKING AS WELL AS THE MAYOR.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE WHAT WE ARE PAYING TO KEEP SOME OF THOSE THINGS ACTIVE, UH, UH, AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WHOLE BUILDING THAT'S OVER THERE, CENTRALIZED LOCATION.
WE TALK ABOUT CUTTING DOWN EMERGENCY TIMES THAT WOULD DO EXACTLY THAT BECAUSE YOUR PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, NORTH OF 73, YOU GOT MORE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON ON THE EAST SIDE OF, UH, MEMORIAL.
AND THE WEST SIDE IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT USED TO BE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, CHANCE TO DEVELOP, TO HAVE BRAND NEW FACILITIES.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN BREAK, YOU KNOW, BEATING YOUR HEAD ABOUT DEVELOP, DEVELOP, DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, FELLOW, UH, FEDERAL FED DOLLARS THAT WE ACTUALLY GETTING TO SERVICE SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES.
WE JUST CAN'T LOOK AT IT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THOSE DOLLARS.
WE JUST CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA SERVICE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE ARE ALL GETTING THE MONIES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITIES OF MID COUNTY AS WELL.
AND IT'S NOWHERE THAT WE CAN NEVER SAY THAT WE CAN'T HAVE SATELLITE STATIONS TO SERVICE THIS SIDE OF TOWN.
CITIES THAT ARE GROWING TAMPA WAS JUST LIKE THIS A BLOCK TYPE, UH, CITY.
THEY HAVE SATELLITE POLICE STATIONS ALL OVER TO CUT DOWN ON EMERGENCY TIME FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE FIRE FDS.
SO WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT MOVING AND PICKING UP DOWNTOWN AND JUST GOING OUT INTO OTHER AREAS, BUT IT'S STILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S STILL PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
SO WE JUST CAN'T NOT LOOK AT ONE SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM AND SAY, OMIT ONE SIDE BASED UPON HOW WE FEEL AND THE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES THAT WE, WE'VE BEEN THIS WAY FOR OVER 25 YEARS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
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WE ARE JUST NOW GETTING A, UH, IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN GO BASED UPON THE NUMBERS ON THE LAST, UH, CENSUS.YOU GUYS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, DR.
THG PENN, COUNTING PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THEY ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUT SINCE WE KNOW THAT INFORMATION, WE KNOW WHERE THE COMMUNITIES ARE, WE NEED TO ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE NEED TO SERVICE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL BECAUSE OF FED DOLLARS THAT WE ACTUALLY GET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M OPEN-MINDED TO SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND ANYTIME WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD AND, AND, AND BRING NEW SERVICES, UH, BRING NEW BUILDINGS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I'M A MINUTE TO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAVE TO SAY, SINCE 2016 AND SERVING HERE ON COUNCIL, IT'S VERY, UM, INSPIRATIONAL TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF GROWTH IN OUR CITY TO SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW BUILDINGS.
UM, COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU NOTED, UH, PAM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID ON 5 22 OF 22, IS THAT THE RIGHT DATE? OR FIVE? 5TH OF MAY OF 22.
WE ENGAGED PEGOL TO LOOK AT A PUBLIC SAFETY MUNICIPAL CONCEPT.
IS THAT THIS COUNCIL, LET ME ASK THAT.
THIS COUNCIL VOTE? YES, MA'AM.
ON MAY 24TH, 2022, IT WAS THROUGH RESOLUTION NUMBER 22 DASH 2 37.
IT WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS AUTHORIZED WITH PAL TO DEVELOP A FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED ANIMAL SHELTER.
RECREATION AREA AND OTHER CITY FACILITIES.
AND THEN LET ME GO BACK A YEAR.
WE DESIGNATED $2.5 MILLION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A DESIGN PHASE OF A COMPLEX SAFETY COM PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX.
THAT'S FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
BUT THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
BUT WHEN DID WE DESIGNATE THE 2.5 MILLION? THE 2.5 MILLION WAS DISCUSSED IN A BUDGETARY MEETING ON MARCH 12TH, 2021.
AT THAT TIME, THE, UM, IT WAS $150,000 WAS DESIGNATED, AND THAT AGAIN, WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, WHERE 2.5 MILLION WOULD BE PUT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S BUDGET TO BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
BUT JUST FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND THEN 5 22 AGAIN, IS IT 6.5 MILLION? WAS WE WENT FOR BONDS.
IS THAT A TIME? DO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN TIMETABLE OF THESE DATES AND RESOLUTIONS THAT THIS COUNCIL APPROVED? YES.
ON MAY 25TH, 2021, THERE WAS RELU ORDINANCE NUMBER, EXCUSE ME, UM, 21 DASH 38 THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AND THAT AUTHORIZED THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
IT WAS SIX POINT, UH, 6.5 MILLION THAT WAS PART OF, UM, THOSE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THOSE DATES AND WHAT THEY WERE FOR.
SO I'M GLAD YOU REPEATED THEM.
BUT BASICALLY I AM, UM, AS A COUNCIL PERSON LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING, I KNOW WHAT THE BUILDINGS LOOK LIKE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE ROOF OF LEAKING GARBAGE CANS, CATCHING THE WATER, UH, FROM THE ROOF, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, NEEDING NEW FACILITIES, UM, AND, AND MOVING FORWARD, WHETHER WE'RE DOWN, I AGREE WITH TOWN COUNCILMAN MCKINLEY, WHETHER WE'RE DOWNTOWN, UM, I LOOK AT MAYBE A SATELLITE OFFICE HERE, BUT WHATEVER, WE CAN BE CENTRALIZED.
IT'S NOT ABOUT A ONE SECTOR OF A COMMUNITY.
IT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT THE WHOLE CITY BENEFITING FROM US, BEING CENTRALLY LOCATED IN A PLACE WHEN WE GOT THAT PROPERTY AND THEY GAVE US THE PROPERTY FROM ACTUALLY FROM THE HOSPITAL, 15.2 ACRES OF LAND, I, I CAN'T, CAN'T IMAGINE HOW WE WOULD NOT HAVE AN OPEN MIND CONCEPT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SEE NEW IN THE CENTER OF OUR CITY.
IT'S, IT'S THERE TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT, HOW WE CAN EXPAND, HOW WE CAN GROW FROM THAT AND BE ABLE TO SEE A NEW FACILITY LOCATED IN THAT PLACE.
[00:30:01]
AS A, AS IS, UM, MY OWN SELF.I SPEAK FOR CHARLOTTE AS THE MAYOR SPOKE FOR HIMSELF.
YOU CAN POSSIBLY SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY HERE.
AND MY VOICE IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND, TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT COME OUT OF THAT WRETCHED BUILDING AND BE ABLE TO, UH, BE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD BE FREE TO MOVE FREE, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE THE EVIDENCE, UH, PROPERLY STORED, UH, NOT IN BOXES SOMEWHERE BOXED UP IN OTHER STORAGE FACILITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, SOMEWHERE IN THE FIRE STATION AND SOMEWHERE ELSE, STORED WHEREVER IN DIFFERENT PLACES WITHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT HAVING ENOUGH PLACE TO WORK ROOM.
AND OUR CITIZENS DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS, UM, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOCATED, UM, SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE IS MOVEMENT AND ROOM.
AND SO I DON'T WANNA HAVE A CLOSED MIND.
I'M OPEN TO SEE WHAT THE PLANS HEAD.
UM, BUT IF WE ARE ABLE TO PUT THE FUTURE AS WE HAVE DONE WITH DOWNTOWN, AND NONE OF US KNEW WHAT THE DOWNTOWN, UH, DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE OR HOW IT WOULD COME ACROSS BUILDING 29 HOMES, UH, THAT WE WERE FOUGHT ABOUT RIGHT AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, THEY'RE GONNA BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT THAN WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
WELL, THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE OCCUPIED AND SOMEBODY LIVES IN THEM.
IT'S ALL DONE BY WHAT WE CANNOT SEE.
BUT IF WE HAVE A PLAN PUT FORTH IN FRONT OF US TO BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, KINDA WHAT WE'RE DOING, I'M OPEN.
I AM OPEN, UH, TO SEEING WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN BE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HOUSED IN A FACILITY THAT IS LESS THAN ADEQUATE.
WE HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
UM, WHO COULD HAVE SEEN A, A PRESS BUILDING, UH, THAT PORT ARTHUR NEWS BUILDING WAS RAGGEDY AND LOOKED LIKE NOBODY COULD OCCUPY IT.
EVERYTHING WE DO, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPEN CONCEPT OR MIND ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER PORT ARTHUR.
IT IS ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPEN CONCEPT, OPEN MIND, AND HAVE A, A VISION THAT WE CAN SEE AND TRY TO SEE WHERE WE CAN PLACE IT, WHERE IT COULD BE AGREEABLE AND AMENABLE TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
LET THE CITIZENS HAVE A VOICE AND WHAT, UM, AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR HOW YOU LAID IT OUT.
UM, AND I THANK, THANK YOU FOR, AND THE STAFF FOR EVEN HAVING AN OPEN CONCEPT AND AN OPEN MIND TO THINK THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER, AND EVEN IF BETTER IS IF THERE'S SOME LAND IN DOWNTOWN.
I'M NOT A CLOSED MIND TO THAT, BUT WHEREVER WE CAN PLACE THIS AND IT'S CENTRALLY LOCATED AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR CAN UTILIZE IT, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARD.
WHERE WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE? WHERE IS THE LAND MASS? WHERE CAN WE PLACE THIS? BUT NOT HAVE A CLOSED MIND, JUST BECAUSE IT'S DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR.
I'LL GO AFTER, UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS.
HOWARD, YOU ALL ON THIS ON MY SCREEN, MA'AM.
AND SO, UM, WE STILL HAVE TRAINS IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND THEY MOVE AS THEY WILL.
UM, THE MAYOR MAKES, UH, SUCH A COMPELLING ARGUMENT WHEN HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN AND OUR INTEREST IN DOWNTOWN AND WHAT DOWNTOWN CAN BE.
AND, UH, WE DO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT AS A COUNCIL, WE ARE HELD, UM, WE ARE HELD BY THE DECISIONS OF THOSE THAT PRECEDED US.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT HAS BEEN PROMISED TO BUY MOTIVA, UH, TO COME DOWNTOWN IN THE PURCHASE OF THOSE BUILDINGS, PART OF THAT AS WELL WAS THE SELLING OF THE HEALTH BUILDING.
UH, AND THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED AS WELL AS THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER BUILDING, UM, THAT FUTURISTICALLY HELD, UM, UH, THE HOPES OF OUR, UM, OUR HEALTH BUILDING.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE CAUGHT LITERALLY BE TWEAKED IN BETWEEN.
AND AS, UH, COUNCILMAN MOSES SAYS, WE CAN'T BE HELD.
UM, WE CAN'T BE HELD COMPLETELY, UM, UH, PRISONERS OF OUR WHIMS AND OUR WANTS.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO MOVE IN A WAY, UH, THAT ULTIMATELY BENEFITS AND BLESSES OUR CITY.
I AM WITH THE MAYOR FROM THAT PARTICULAR STANDPOINT THAT OUR, OUR FEELINGS, OUR WANTS, OUR DESIRES, OUR NEEDS COME FIRST.
WHAT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR NEEDS COME FIR FIRST.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE REPORT, UM, COMPLETELY,
[00:35:01]
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME ACROSS MY MIND WAS, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER, UM, WE CANNOT FORGET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEING HOUSED IN OUR, UH, SOLID WASTE, UH, AND TRASH DEPARTMENTS.THOSE BUILDINGS ARE ATROCIOUS.
UH, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ATROCIOUS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I DON'T WANT TO, UH, PUBLICLY, UH, STATE WHAT THEY HAVE TO, UM, ENDURE IN THOSE FACILITIES.
I WOULD, AND, AND LET ME SAY THIS, THIS, I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILMAN MOSES TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE TRASH CANS THAT BECAUSE OF THE LEAKING BUILDING, UH, WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE IN, AND THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY CASTING ANY DISPARAGING REMARKS OR BELIEVING THAT THOSE CONDITIONS THAT OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT PORT ARTHUR'S FINEST HAVE TO ENDURE.
BUT LET ME SAY, I BELIEVE THOSE FACILITIES ARE IN WANT OF 10 TIMES MORE THAN WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO ENDURE.
AND SO, AS WE'RE BEGINNING TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY FOR THOSE FACILITIES AND ON WHAT FACILITIES, I THINK THAT THAT BUILDING NEEDS TO GO TO THE TOP OF THE LIST BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ENDURED THAT FOR SUCH AN ELONGATED PERIOD OF TIME AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO ENDURE ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT NEEDS AND WHAT WE NEED TO WORK ON AND WHAT WE NEED TO BEGIN TO DO, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE BACK TO, UM, THE DRAWING BOARD WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES THAT ARE IN THE GREATEST NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR, OUR, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES AND HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO I WANTED TO SAY, OKAY, COUNSELMAN, LEMME SHARE.
I'M GLAD THAT COUNCILMAN FRANK BROUGHT THAT UP.
BUT, UM, COUNCIL DID APPROVE FUNDING FOR THOSE BUILDINGS.
YOU BROUGHT THAT PERSONALLY TO MY ATTENTION.
WE EVEN VISITED OUT THERE WITH THE CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, I KNOW MISS, SHE'S NOT HERE.
MS. UM, ROBERTS HAS GONE OUT FOR, UM, QUOTATIONS FOR THAT.
AND, UM, A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET TO UPGRADE THOSE FACILITIES.
SO WE ARE, WELL, ON THE WAY APART FROM THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, MOVING THE ENTIRE FACILITY, UM, BECAUSE IT'S IN THE FLOOD ZONE.
UM, THE NEW MAPS FOR FEMA HAVE INDICATED AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, UM, 87 HAS THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM RIGHT AT THE BACK OF THE, WHICH CONTINUALLY MAKES THE PROPERTY PRONE TO FLOODING.
SO FOR THE NEXT 2010 TO 20 YEARS, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AND SEE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE GOT, UM, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WORKING ON A NEW SITE FOR, UM, UM, UM, HO MILLS A FACILITY IN THE NEXT 10 TO 15 YEARS, HOW WE CAN, HOW CAN WE MOVE THEM BECAUSE IT'S A FLOOD ZONE.
AND IT'S GOING TO RE AS FEMA CONTINUE TO DRAW THE MAPS, IT'S GOING TO REM REMAIN AS PART OF THE FLOOD ZONE, AND IT'LL BE CONTINUALLY PRO TO FLOOD.
IN THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, WE LOST ALL OUR EQUIPMENT THAT WAS LEFT THERE.
JUST PUTTING THE EQUIPMENT ON TOP OF THE LANDFILL IS NOT AN OPTION.
IT'S NOT, IT'S TIME THAT WE GET NEW FACILITIES WHERE WE CAN HOUSE OUR EQUIPMENT IN THE TIME OF A DISASTER AND WE DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS GO TO THE LANDFILL.
SO THAT'S ON THE DRAWING BOARD AS WELL.
BUT TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE, YES, WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS IT IN THIS FINANCIALLY BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT AN OPTION.
THE FACILITIES WAS DESIGNED MAYBE 40 YEARS AGO, AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A PENITENTIARY, AND THAT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND I PROMISED THEM THAT FOR CHRISTMAS.
I WENT OVER THERE AND I HAD LUNCH WITH THESE PEOPLE AND I PROMISED THEM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO GET YOU OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEING DESIGNED RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE, THERE ARE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, UH, THAT I HAVE AND I'M, I'M GONNA BEGIN AT THE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER.
WHEN WE FIRST, UH, UH, TALKED ABOUT, UH, APPROVING FUNDS TO, TO REPLACE OR BUILD A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER, AND WE, WE WERE GIVEN A 19 STREET SITE YES.
WHERE THE OLD, UH, WATER TREATMENT WATER TREATMENT YES.
WAS, AND WE WERE MOVING ALONG PRETTY SMOOTHLY WITH THAT MM-HMM.
[00:40:01]
US FROM, FROM MOVING AHEAD.AND SO WE SCRAPPED THOSE PLANS AT THAT TIME.
WELL, WE SCRAPPED THE IDEA OF RELOCATING TO THAT 19TH STREET SITE.
THE PLANS OR THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED DURING THAT TIME IS STILL VIABLE.
AND WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THE PLANET IN REGARDS TO HOW THE BUILDING WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE NEW SITE.
WE DIDN'T SCRAP THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE HERE IS, UH, WE MOVED ON TO THE GATES SITE.
AFTER THAT, THAT PROPERTY WAS, UH, UH, DONATED OR DEEDED BACK TO THE CITY.
AND WE, WE'VE GOT THE SAME PLAN IN PLACE.
DID WE EVER LOOK AT WHAT THE COST OF REMOVING THAT RETAINING WALL AND, AND WAS IT, UH, NOT FEASIBLE TO, TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AND STILL, BECAUSE WE STILL ON THAT SITE.
WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO MR. JOE WILSON WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, AND ASKED THAT HE PROVIDES SOME PRELIMINARY, UM, NUMBERS ON, UM, AS WELL AS OUR CITY ENGINEER, EXCUSE ME, MR. JOHN CANELLA.
UM, IN SPEAKING WITH THEM AT THE TIME, UM, THE ESTIMATE THEY GAVE WAS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND POSSIBLY COULD RISE.
UM, IN REGARDS TO MITIGATING THAT SITE AND GETTING IT BACKFILLED AND, UM, AN ACCEPTABLE SITE, IF YOU WILL, FOR ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT TO GO THERE.
AND, AND WE, WE, WE ARE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
NOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS AND, AND GOT A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG, THE COST OF THE, OF, OF BUILDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER YES.
HAS GROWN TO, WHAT, WHAT'S THE NUMBER? I DON'T WANT TO THROW IT A NUMBER OUT THERE.
WHAT IS, IT'S SIX, 6.65 MILLION.
THAT'S THE CURRENT NUMBER, YES.
AND FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET.
IF I, AND I THOUGHT I'D HEARD SOME, SOME OTHER NUMBERS THROWN AROUND SOMEWHERE AROUND BETWEEN 10 AND 12 MILLION TO DO NOT FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FINAL NUMBER WOULD BE.
UH, WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, AND OF COURSE, ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, UH, WE WOULD PUT THAT, UM, DESIGN OUT FOR BID, AND THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD GET MORE OF A HARD FIGURE ON WHAT THAT CONSTRUCTION COST WOULD BE.
BUT GOING BACK TO, UH, THE 19TH STREET SITE TO TO, TO MITIGATE THE ISSUE WITH THE RETAINING WALL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND AGAIN, IT WAS A PRELIMINARY NUMBER.
SO WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT AT 6.5 WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT 7 MILLION.
IF WE DID THE MITIGATION THERE, AND THEN THE 6.5, IF THAT NUMBER REMAINED THE SAME.
AND LET'S JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
IT, IT WOULD COST US 7 MILLION WITH THE, WITH THAT, THE, THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED BACK ON.
UH, AND THAT WAS AT, I GUESS THIS WAS PR 22, 2 37.
THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY, UH, TARGETING THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
IT WAS, UM, TARGETING IT, THE ANIMAL SHELTER WAS DEFINITELY THE FOCAL POINT.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS 15.2 ACRES OF LAND.
OUR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT WE WENT FROM A FOUR ACRE SITE TO A 15 ACRE SITE.
SO WE DIDN'T WANNA JUST GO OUT THERE AND PLOP AN ANIMAL SHELTER DOWN ANYWHERE, WHICH COULD KIND OF MESS UP THE FLOOR OF THAT SITE.
AND HOW WE MAY WANT TO FU IN THE FUTURE DEVELOP THAT SITE FOR OTHER FACILITIES RIGHT.
OR PROGRAMS OR PURPOSES THAT THE CITY MAY HAVE.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE CAME BACK TO COUNCIL AND ASKED, COULD WE WORK WITH PALL TO DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN ON THE BEST USE OF THAT SITE BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND SO SUBSEQUENTLY, WHEN, WHEN THEY MADE A PRESENTATION TO US, UH, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, OR A MONTH OR SO AGO, THAT'S WHEN THEY CAME WITH THE, THE COMPLEX.
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU HEARD SEVERAL OF US SAY, WELL, WE NEVER SAW THAT.
WE, WE, WE WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
[00:45:01]
SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL ACTUALLY VOTED ON TO APPROVE, WAS THAT NO, SIR.SO WHAT, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US THAT DAY WAS, WAS NEW TO US.
SO, SO THE REACTION WAS, WAS NATURAL, I WOULD THINK.
AND SO, SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, OKAY, WELL, IF WE, IF WE COMMISSIONED, UH, UH, DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN MM-HMM.
AND THEN WE SOLD THIS BUILDING, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE MOVING OUT HERE, AND EVERYTHING'S WORKING TOGETHER.
WE, WE WERE PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER SO THAT, UH, WE CAN MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND, AND, AND PUT US IN A POSITION TO, TO, TO REVITALIZE OUR DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS SOME OTHER AREAS IN TOWN.
SO WITH THAT MASTER PLAN, UH, AND, AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S TIED INTO WHAT WE DID, DOWN WHAT WE DID WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MM-HMM.
WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ANIMAL SHELTER AT GATES.
BUT THE OTHER PART IS NOT, UH, IS NOT SET IN STONE YET.
WE, WE HAVEN'T APPROVED THAT YET.
AND WHAT, I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS, IS THAT AS A COUNCIL, THE INFORMATION, THE, THE, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE DETERMINES WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL, UH, CAN DETERMINE HOW WE'RE GOING FORWARD, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER.
I THINK EVERY COUNCILPERSON HERE, UH, WANTS THIS CITY TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD.
THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE SOME, UH, AS FAR AS DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ABOUT, UH, WHERE AND HOW WE DO CERTAIN THINGS.
BUT I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYBODY HERE WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND, AND, AND REBUILD PORT ARTHUR TO MAKE IT WHAT, UH, THE, THE, THE DESTINATION PLACE OR, OR, OR A, A, A CITY THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ATTRACTED TO COME HERE AND, AND RAISE A FAMILY TO BRING A BUSINESS OR WHATEVER.
BUT WE CAN ONLY DO, WELL, WE CAN DO WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S PRESENTED TO US, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE WEEDS ON SOME OF THIS STUFF THAT'S FOR STAFF TO DO.
SO HERE, THE MAYOR MADE, MADE, MADE A PASSIONATE, UH, UH, PRESENTATION, AND SO DID COUNCILWOMAN MOSES ABOUT, AND, AND THOSE ARE ALL DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY APPROVE MONEY'S BASED ON WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US, THEN BEFORE INFORMATION, IF THERE'S A CHANGE IN, IN, IN, IN THE INFOR THE, A CHANGE IN THE DIRECTION THAT STAFF IS WANTING TO GO, BECAUSE DYNAMICS HAVE CHANGED.
SO, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M HAVING AN ISSUE WITH GOING FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER ON 19TH STREET, IT WOULD COST $500,000 TO DO A, UH, AN ANALYSIS OR, OR MITIGATION OF THAT, THAT PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE, THE COST OR ADD $500,000 TO A $6.5 MILLION COST, WHICH WOULD RAISE THAT TO 7 MILLION.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO A 15 ACRE SITE AS OPPOSED TO A FOUR ACRE SITE, WHICH IS, AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE TIRE, AN ENTIRE COMPLEX WITH FIRE POLICE AND EVERYTHING.
AND WE JUST COMPLETED AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT THING HERE IN, IN THE, IN THE PRESS BUILDING.
[00:50:02]
SO I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, TO, TO, TO DO IS, IS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MAKE MM-HMM.WE'VE, WE'VE GOT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN, BEEN GETTING CLEAR ENOUGH NUMBERS AS TO WHAT THESE THINGS ARE GONNA COST.
WE NOT IN A COMPLETE MASTER PLAN.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE GATE SITE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER, POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU, YOU'RE GONNA PUT DOWN THERE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN GIVE US THE, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SET IN STONE, WE COULD STILL USE THAT, THAT PROPERTY ON, ON 19TH STREET IF WE MITIGATE IT AND PUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER, BECAUSE YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RESIDENCES AROUND THERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESSES RIGHT THERE OR ANYTHING.
BUT WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT 6.5 MILLION FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND WE'RE SPENDING, UH, LITTLE OVER 7 MILLION FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AM I RIGHT OR WRONG FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? WE ARE AT 9.3 MILLION.
AND THAT, THAT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WAS ALSO APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEY HAVE BEGAN CONSTRUCTION ON THAT.
SO THEY, THE OKAY, SO 9.3 MILLION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT THAT, AND, AND I KNOW INITIALLY IT WASN'T 9.3 FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, IT WAS AROUND SEVEN, RIGHT? SEVEN, I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS ACTUALLY 4.5 MILLION.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T SUBSTANTIATED UPON PLANS.
AND, AND, AND SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ESTIMATES, BUT THEN I KNOW WHEN, WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED, AND I HEARD THOSE NUMBERS, AND I SAID TO MYSELF, WHY WOULD WE SPEND MORE MONEY ON AN ANIMAL SHELTER THAN WE WOULD ON A HEALTH DEPARTMENT? MM-HMM.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR ELDERLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR SICK PEOPLE WITH TUBERCULOSIS AND STUFF.
AND WE'RE FOCUSING MORE MONIES, MORE FUNDING ON AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT, AND I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
AND I'M GLAD WE IN THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS WORKSHOP NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS A PLACE FOR US TO VOICE THESE THINGS.
IT'S IN WORKSHOPS SO THAT WE CAN GET A TRUE PICTURE, UH, UH, UH, OF WHAT COUNCIL, WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL, HOW WE'VE TAKEN THE, AND DIGESTED THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED TO US MM-HMM.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE AS A COUNCIL CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, AND WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE RELEVANT AND, AND, AND, AND, AND TIMELY.
AND, AND THAT'S THE THING, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING, THE TIME FACTOR HERE IS, UH, IS CRUCIAL MM-HMM.
BUT THAT I I, I, I'VE SAID A LOT, BUT I, I HOPE I WAS CLEAR YES, SIR.
AND, AND, AND SUCCINCT ABOUT WHAT, UH, I'M LOOKING AT AND, AND HOW I'M, I'M, I'M APPROACHING THIS.
BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT A, A MASTER PLAN AND ALTERNATIVE PLANS CAN BE PUT TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME, AND WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE THINGS AND SEE WHAT'S GONNA BE BEST FOR US GOING FORWARD.
COUNSEL, MAYOR PROTE, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, MS. LANGFORD, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.
YOU ALWAYS PROVIDE US INFORMATION WITH ALL OF THE FACTS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOLLOWING WHAT OUR DECISIONS HAVE BEEN.
MY POINT, AT LEAST, WHAT I WANNA SHARE AND THINK, I, I DO THINK THAT THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS DESERVE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES.
[00:55:01]
LAST MEETING WAS LOCATION.ONE OF THE POINTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS MADE, WE JUST CREATED AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FACILITY DOWNTOWN.
AND I THINK HE ALSO MADE THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY IS.
SOMETIME AGO, I THINK, UM, WHEN I WAS ON EDC, WE DECIDED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WE WERE GONNA GROW THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FROM A DOWNTOWN PERSPECTIVE.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING SOME OF THOSE KEY FACILITIES THAT ARE, ARE BASIC TO A COMMUNITY, TO ANOTHER AREA.
ARE WE GOING TO THEN CONSIDER MOVING CITY HALL DOWN THERE? I WOULD THINK THAT WE HAVE INVESTED QUITE A BIT OF MONEY IN HAVING VARIOUS CONSULTANTS TO LOOK AT THIS BUILDING OR THAT BUILDING OR THAT FACILITY.
AND FUNDS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT DOLLARS, BUT WE ALL KNOW ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE CONSISTENCY OF SERVICES AND THE FLOW THROUGH OF SERVICES AND HOW WHEN WE OFFER THOSE SERVICES, IF I AM GOING TO GO TO BUILDING INSPECTIONS FOR SOMETHING AND I NEED SOMETHING FROM FIRE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH COULD BE CONSISTENT, THAT THOSE PLACES AREN'T A PLACE WHERE I HAVE TO GO ACROSS TOWN TO GET IT.
NOW, DOES THAT MEAN IT NEEDS TO ALL BE ON GATES? I DON'T KNOW.
OR DOES IT ALL NEED TO BE DOWNTOWN? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE ONE THING I HEARD IN THAT I HAD RESERVATIONS, WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT IN THE WAY WE DO THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY ONCE THERE IS A MASTER PLAN, THE COUNCILS THAT FOLLOW US WILL SEE WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY IS, WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HOW WE WANNA GET THERE.
WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING THIS SIDE OF THE CITY AND WHAT BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT WE HAVE, WHAT AN AMAZING DOWNTOWN AREA WE COULD HAVE.
BUT YET WE WANT TO MOVE THOSE THINGS.
I AGREE 100% THAT WE HAVE ALL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO AS WE BUILD, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST POLICE AND FIRE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLID WASTE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY HALL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WHERE WE PUT THEM IS SO IMPORTANT TO HOW OUR CITY DEVELOPS.
AND THOSE ARE BASIC CITY SERVICES.
SO THEIR LOCATIONS REALLY NEED TO BE IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX.
WHEREVER THAT IS, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
COUNCILMAN MARK, YOU SEE HAVE SOMETHING.
ANYONE ELSE? WELL, UH, COUNCILMAN OF GO, GO AHEAD.
CALL YOU COUNCILMAN, CITY MANAGER.
I'M GLAD THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN MARKS BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, LET ME REMIND COUNCIL, PUT THE MIC A LITTLE CLOSER HERE.
LET ME REMIND COUNCIL THAT THE, UM, WHAT, UM, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER REFERRED TO WITH THE SITE ON 19TH STREET.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE EXISTING FOUNDATION, BUT IT WAS BURIED THERE.
AND IT, IT'S THE, THE COST THAT WAS QUOTED OF $500,000 IS A MINIMUM.
WHAT WAS BURIED THERE, IT WAS CHEAP.
WHOEVER MADE THE DECISION, CITY MANAGER OR COUNSELOR AT THE TIME TO BURY IT, THERE WAS THE CHEAPEST COST AT THE TIME TO BURY IT INSTEAD OF CUTTING IT OUT.
NOW, WHEN YOU OPEN THAT DEAD PERSON'S BOX, YOU BETTER BE PREPARED WHAT, WHATEVER IS BURIED THERE TO BURY IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND AT THE TIME WHEN WE BURIED IT THERE, WE BURIED IT AT THE COST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAID EVERY TIME FOR IT TO BURY IT THERE.
AND WE DON'T KNOW, THE COST OF $500,000 WAS QUOTED AS A MINIMUM.
IT MIGHT BE $10 MILLION WHEN YOU START DIGGING IT UP, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS BURIED THERE AT THE TIME AND LEFT ALONE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE TOLD YOU THE IDEA OF MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND DO NOTHING WITH IT.
SO, BUT WHAT WAS BURIED THERE WOULD START AT A MINIMUM COST OF $500,000 TO EXCAVATE IT.
IT MIGHT END UP, IF WE HAVE A BUDGET OF $10 MILLION, TAKING $10 MILLION TO EXCAVATE IT AND DRUM IT, PUT IT IN DRUMS AND TAKE IT TO A SIDEWAY, IT CAN BE REBURIED AGAIN.
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SO IN THE ENTRIES OF RESOURCES, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD DECISION TO SAY, WELL, LET'S GO TO ANOTHER SITE THAT'S NOT CONTAMINATED AS THIS SITE IS.NOW, I, WE ARE USING THIS SITE TO STORM MATERIAL FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE BY THERE, WE ARE USING IT TO STORE MATERIAL FOR, UM, OUR STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE WE HAVE ALL THIS MILL MATERIAL FROM FIFTH STREET STREET, FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET, AND OTHER STREETS, WE CAN STORE IT THERE.
ALL THE EXCESS PIPE MATERIAL THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE USING IT RIGHT NOW TO STORE IT THERE.
UM, AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO PLAN.
AND I HEARD MS. HOLMES SAY, COUNCILOR MAX, YOU SAID IT'S ECHOED BY COUNCILOR KEN, WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A VISION FOR THE ENTIRE CITY AS WE CONTINUE TO PLAN THIS THING IS, SO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS SO OLD, NEVER 30 YEARS AND MORE OLD.
I WAS UP UNTIL 1130 LAST NIGHT, TAKING CALLS FROM RESIDENTS IN THE STONEGATE AREA TALKING ABOUT RAW SEWER IN THEIR FRONT YARDS, SENDING ME PICTURES OF IT.
I HAD TO CALL A MEETING THIS MORNING OF THE UTILITY STAFF.
YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MADE OUT OF CLEAR OUT THERE MORE THAN 30 YEARS OLD.
AND ALL OF IT IS BACKING UP RIGHT NOW.
ALL, YOU KNOW, I GET THE CALLS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF IT IS BACKING UP.
AND THEN WHEN WE THINK WE, IT'S IN ONE AREA, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
HEATING AND CALVIN TELL ME, WELL, YOU JUST CAN'T GO AND ADDRESS HER CONCERN.
YOU GOT TO ADDRESS A FOUR BLOCK CONCERN, SO IT'S NO LONGER $50,000.
IT'S $400,000 RIGHT NOW, AND THEN I'VE GOT TO BRING YOU A MEMO TO DO AN EMERGENCY CARD.
YOU KNOW, NOW, NO, THIS IS A $400,000 THAT WE'VE GOT TO TRANSFER FROM ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE INTENDED TO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE YOU, AS A COUNCIL, OUR BEST AVAILABLE PRACTICES AND PROCESSES AS YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT, AT, AT OUR DISPOSAL.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL SUMMED UP IN ADDRESSING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
NEVER BEFORE, NEVER BEFORE WE HAD A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
NEVER BEFORE I LOST MY PARENTS WHEN I CAME TO THE PODIUM THERE BY A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO UNDRESSED ME ABOUT A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN, TOLD ME, AND WE DON'T NEED THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE, THE, THE FUNDING AGENCIES OR OUR CREDITORS TOLD TO US, THAT IS WHY YOU CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A GOOD CREDIT RATING.
YOU ARE TELLING ME WHERE THE CITY IS GOING WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
YOU ARE TELLING ME HOW YOU ARE ABOUT TO GROW.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, HOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS SERVICES THAT PRODUCES REVENUE FOR YOU.
WE WILL HAVE IMPROVEMENTS, PLAN, AND, AND SO WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO GROW ON THAT TRAJECTORY.
IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT COUNSELOR MAX BROUGHT OF THE ISSUE WITH, WITH THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IF WE DID NOT GET 26.7 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE EXTRA $45 MILLION THAT WE NEEDED.
WE DID NOT HAVE TO GO TO, TO THE, UM, TO, TO OUR, OUR, UM, OUR BUDGET OR RECURRENT BUDGET TO ADDRESS IT.
IT WAS ADDRESSED THE SHORTFALL FOR THE COVID CENTER.
REMEMBER AT ONE TIME WE SPOKE ABOUT THE, UH, UH, UH, PRECINCT ALL THERE AS PART OF THE, THE, THE FACILITY.
THEN WE SAID, NO, MS. JU NEEDED A CENTER.
SO IF A PANDEMIC OCCURS, NOT IF WHEN IT OCCURS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THE FACILITIES IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT.