[00:00:01]
IS ORDERED THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NOW CLOSED.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.RECORDING IN PROGRESS, AND THANK YOU.
SHE WAS, THAT WAS THE END OF THAT ONE.
SHE'S GONNA LET ME KNOW WHEN, WHEN THE OTHER ONE BEGINS.
I'M SORRY, I WAS GOING A LITTLE TOO QUICKLY.
AGAIN, GOOD EVENING TO EACH OF YOU.
WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HEARING IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, MARCH 14TH, 2023.
AND IT IS NOW 5:43 PM AND YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING PHYSICALLY BY YOUR PRESENCE, OR YOU MAY PARTICIPATE THROUGH THE MEDIUMS OF TELEPHONIC DEVICE OR VIDEO CONFERENCE DEVICE.
HOWEVER, TO PARTICIPATE, YOU MUST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9 AND YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 7 2 8 3 9 9 9 5 AND THE PASSCODE, UH, 2 4 1 8 7.
AND AS USUAL, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACTS.
AND IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, THOSE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND MAKE THAT REQUEST.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU BY PROVIDING YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SILENCE THOSE AT THIS JUNCTURE, IF YOU WILL.
AND REVEREND FRANK, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO DO THE INVOCATION FOR US? YES, SIR.
AND WOULD YOU ALL STAND AND WE WILL DO INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
LET US BOW ALL WISE IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, AS WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, WE COME WITH HEARTS FULL OF THANKSGIVING.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING THAT IS OURS, GOD, TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY, TO LIVE IN THIS CITY, AND TO BE ALLOWED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE BIDDING AND BUSINESS OF THIS CITY.
WE PRAY YOUR CHOICES AND RICHEST BLESSINGS UPON ALL WHO ARE HERE AND ALL WHO ARE GAZING UPON THIS, UH, TELECAST ON TODAY AS WELL.
AND IN CLOSING, WE SIMPLY SAY, THANK YOU, THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS, THE RISEN CHRIST WE PRAY.
COUNCILMAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CEREMONY.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH ROMAN NUMER, NUMBER TWO ON WITH PROCLAMATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
PRO PROCLAMATIONS IN ROMAN NUMERAL TWO.[00:05:01]
HERE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO THE PORT ARTHUR ALUMNI CHAPTER OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY INCORPORATED.I SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF CAFE SIDE WHO ARE PRESENT HERE.
UH, AND SEE WE HAVE THE POLL MARK HERE, UH, IN THE PERSON OF, UH, JUDGE DONALD FLOYD.
UH, JUDGE, WOULD YOU ALL MIND COMING FORWARD AND I WILL READ THE, THE, UH, AND THE MEMBERS.
I WILL REMAIN HERE AND READ THE PROCLAMATION.
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION HONORING PORT ARTHUR ALUMNI CHAPTER OF KAPPA ALPHA SIDE PATERNITY INCORPORATED IN RECOGNITION OF 70 YEARS.
AND ON THIS 70TH CHAPTER ANNIVERSARY, IT MATTERS NOT HOW STRAIGHT THE GATE, HOW CHARGED WITH PUNISHMENT THE SCROLL.
I AM THE CAPTAIN OF MY SOUL FROM THE POEM BY WILLIAM HENLEY.
WHEREAS CAP ALPHA I INCORPORATED IS A 112 YEAR OLD INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WITH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE MEMBERS AND CHAPTERS GLOBALLY.
AND WHEREAS KAPPA ALPHA SIDE FRATERNITY AS A FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION, IT'S DEDICATED TO THE SINGULAR PURPOSE OF ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR.
AND WHEREAS BROTHERS PERRY COLEMAN, AUTHOR CRAFT RUSSELL M GETWOOD, ANDERSON H HARRISON, OSCAR J MCNEIL, SPURGEON WALLACE, AND THOMAS WELCH III AS CHAPTER FOUNDERS, APPLIED FOR THE CHAPTER TO ESTABLISH AN ALUMNI CHAPTER HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS ON MARCH 13TH, 1953, THE FOUNDERS RECEIVED SAID CHARTER AND THE PORT AUTHOR ALUMNI CHAPTER WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MEMBER OF THE FRATERNITY'S SOUTHWESTERN PROVINCE, WHICH INCLUDES THE STATES OF ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, NEW MEXICO, AND TEXAS, THE LARGEST PROVINCE OF THE FRATERNITY.
AND WHEREAS SINCE ITS FOUNDING, THE CHAPTER HAS MAINTAINED THE FRATERNAL STANDARD OF ACHIEVEMENT, INCLUDING WINNING MULTIPLE PROVINCIAL SMALL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS AND NATIONALLY THE RONALD AURA YOUNG WEBSITE OF THE YEAR AWARD.
AND WHEREAS THE PORT AUTHOR ALUMNI CHAPTER THROUGH ITS MEMBERS HAS DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH LEADERSHIP ROLES IN EDUCATION, MEDICINE, PHARMACY, GOVERNMENT, SPORTS, INDUSTRY, MILITARY, THE JUDICIARY, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WISHES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE PORT AUTHOR ALUMNI CHAPTER ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 70TH ANNIVERSARY NOW, THEREFORE, AYE THURMAN, BILL BARCHI MAYOR, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT AUTHOR TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 13TH THROUGH MARCH 30TH AS PORT AUTHOR ALUMNI CHAPTER KAPPA
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ARTHUR TO JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING THIS MILESTONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S LEGACY IN WITNESS WHERE OF I HAVE HERE TWO, SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED ON THIS DOCUMENT THIS 14TH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023.AND IT SIGNED THE HONORABLE THURMAN BILL BARCHI MAYOR.
AND MIGHT I ALSO ADD A MEMBER OF THE GREATEST FRATERNITY ON EARTH KNOWN TO MAN? AMEN TO MAN
WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN AND IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER CAMPUS IN THE BUILDING, WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US IN A PHOTO OP PLEASE.
HOW YOU DOING MR. MAYOR? ON BEHALF OF THE PORT ARTHUR ALUMNI CHAPTER KAPPA ALPHA, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PROCLAMATION OF 70 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF PORT ARTHUR ALUMNI CHAPTER.
AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE BROTHERS OF THE CHAPTER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHERE WE HAVE PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
AZEL FLORES REGARDING, UH, CITY PROJECTS PERTAINING TO STREETS, DRAINAGE, AND THE CITY OWN PROPERTIES.
IF YOU WERE HERE, MAY I APPROACH PLEASE, DR.
[III.A.2. Kelley Kays, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Regarding The Port Arthur Animal Shelter]
AS A SPEAKER, KELLY KS DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE REGARDING THE PORT AUTHOR ANIMAL SHELTER.WOULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND YOU BEGIN BY SAYING YOUR, STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS KELLY KS AND I'M A DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND MY ADDRESS IS 46 7 18 IH 10 EAST WINNIE TEXAS.
I, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT PORT ARTHUR.
I CARE ABOUT YOUR ANIMALS, YOUR ENVIRONMENT, AND YOUR PEOPLE.
THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION COLLABORATED TO FORM THE ONE HEALTH INITIATIVE, WHICH YOU CAN FIND EASILY ON THE CDCS WEBSITE.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE OVERLAP.
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CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR PEOPLE, AND OUR ANIMALS, WHERE ALL OF THOSE OVERLAP IS THE PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS THE HEALTHIEST.AND I WANT PORT ARTHUR TO HAVE ONE HEALTH.
BEING A NO-KILL CITY IS DEFINED AS HAVING 90% OF THE ANIMALS THAT COME INTO THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER LEAVE THE SHELTER ALIVE.
THAT HAPPENS BY OWNERS RECLAIMING THEIR LOST PETS.
IT HAPPENS THROUGH ADOPTION AND IT HAPPENS THROUGH RESCUES, RETRIEVING THE ANIMALS AND EXTENDING THEIR ADOPTION ABILITY.
SOME TAKING 'EM AS FAR AWAY AS CANADA ALSO BECOMING NO-KILL HAS SHOWN TO BRING HUGE BENEFITS TO THE ECONOMY.
THEY DID A STUDY, THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER STUDIED AUSTIN, AND IT BROUGHT OVER 157 MILLION TO THE ECONOMY OF AUSTIN BY BEING NO KILL.
THE BENEFITS OF NO KILLER ARE ENORMOUS COMPANIES CAN RECRUIT USING THAT SLOGAN.
UM, IT'S A SENSE OF PRIDE WITHIN THE CITY WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE TAKEN CARE OF YOUR ANIMALS.
PORT ARTHUR DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE THEIR NEW SHELTER IN PLACE TO START THE NO KILL PROCESS.
IT'S A PHILOSOPHY AND IT'S EMBRACED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND THE PROCEDURE PROCEDURES THAT ARE IMPLEMENTED BY U CITY COUNCIL, UM, THROUGH AN ADVISORY BOARD, GENERALLY WITH THE VETERINARIAN ON THAT BOARD TO HELP MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS I'M OFFERING TO SERVE.
SINCE I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF TAKING BEAUMONT FROM A SIMILAR TO STATISTIC OF LESS THAN 50% LIVE RELEASE TO NO KILL, I BECAME THEIR VETERINARIAN IN 2016 AND THEY ACHIEVED NO KILL STATUS IN 2018.
UM, AND THEY RAISED IT, LIKE I SAID, FROM LESS THAN 50% TO 90%, WHICH IS THE DEFINITION OF NO KILL.
MEANING NINE OUT OF 10 ANIMALS COME OUT ALIVE.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SANITATION AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE CAN START IMMEDIATELY, WHICH WILL RAISE THE ADOPTABILITY OF THE PORT ARTHUR ANIMALS.
RESCUES ARE THE ANSWER, AS I'VE SAID.
AND THEN YOU CAN DEVELOP TRAP, NEUTER AND RELEASE PROGRAMS FOR THE FERAL ANIMALS.
I WOULD, I WOULD REACH TODAY AND HOPE THAT Y'ALL MIGHT GIVE ME A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO BE ASSISTANCE TO PORT ARTHUR.
AND ALSO PLEASE VOTE TO MAKE PORT ARTHUR AND OAK HILL CITY.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ANYTHING? I DON'T THINK IF THEY ARE, THANK YOU.
[III.A.3. Ricky Jason Regarding The Port Arthur Animal Shelter]
NEXT WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S MR. RICKY JASON REGARDING THE PORT AUTHOR ANIMAL SHELTER.BEGIN MR. JASON BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS COMMUNITY ACTIVIST RICKY JASON, AND I AM THE PROTEGE OF DICK GREGORY, 2233 10TH STREET.
AND I'M ALSO THE FILMMAKER OF BIRD, THE LIFE OF TRAGIC DEATH OF JAMES BIRD JR.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LADY.
WAS JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THE ANIMALS.
UH, I'VE BEEN, FOR 10 YEARS, I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE CITY POUND AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW NEAT IT IS, HOW CLEAN IT IS.
AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. MITCHELL.
IT'S BEEN PEOPLE JUST, JUST A MINUTE.
WE DON'T WANT TO IMPLICATE ANY, SAY ANY NAMES.
PEOPLE BEEN DUMPING DOGS THERE WHEN I PASS BY THERE AND I'VE HEARD THE PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.
THE ONLY THING IS THAT IT'S JUST SO SMALL.
WHAT I DO, I GO IN TWO TIMES OR THREE TIMES A WEEK.
I LOOK AT THE ANIMALS, I GO BACK OUT, I TALK TO SENIOR CITIZENS.
I TALK TO ELDERLY PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT'S IN NEED FOR AN ANIMAL.
AND I DONATED, I'VE BOUGHT PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED DOGS WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE I LIKE THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE WAY THEY, Y'ALL HAVE IT GOING.
IF Y'ALL COULD ADD ON TO THE BUILDING AND MAKE IT BIGGER, BUT THE STAFF THERE ARE MISS THE GUY THAT'S RUNNING IT.
AND ONE THING ABOUT IT, I GOES THERE SOMETIMES THE DOGS BE THIS SKINNY AND I GO BACK THE NEXT WEEK.
THEY BE, AND A LOT OF 'EM, HE TRY TO KEEP 'EM ALIVE.
IT'S BEEN DOGS THAT'S BEEN IN THERE TWO AND THREE MONTHS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE A GIFT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A GIFT.
AND THE MAN THAT'S RUNNING IT, HE HAS A GIFT.
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SO I SAY WHOEVER TRYING TO DEMONIZE THE PLACE, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.WHOEVER TRYING TO DESTROY THE POUND, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
THAT PLACE IS CLEANER THAN PET MARK.
I GOES THERE, I WATCHES THERE, I SEE EVERYTHING THEY DOING THERE.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF THAT STAFF.
SO ALL I CAN SAY IS MAKE IT BIGGER.
YOU KNOW, I FLEW IN TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS SERIOUS.
LIKE MY TEACHER, DICK GREGORY WOULD TELL ME, ANIMALS ARE LOVE.
LIKE I SAID, I'M HOPING Y'ALL CAN ADD ON OR I LIKE THE LOCATION OR FIND ANOTHER LOCATION BECAUSE THEY CRAMMED UP IN THERE AND THEY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN THERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHATEVER SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO DO, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
I'M COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, RICKY, JASON, AND I HOPE THAT THIS BOARD IS LISTENING BECAUSE WE NEED OUR ANIMALS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. JASON ANYMORE? OKAY, THANK YOU, MR. JASON.
[III.B.1. A Presentation By Verna Rutherford, Pat Avery, Dr. Albert Thigpen, Dr. Sam Monroe, Steering Committee Regarding The Quasquicentennial Logo And Website]
MOVE TO PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MS. VERNER RUTHERFORD, UH, MS. PAT AVERY, DR.
SAM MONROE, OR MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE REGARDING THE CHOIRS, QUIZ, CENTENNIAL, LOGO, AND WEBSITE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ALRIGHT, IT IS INDEED MY PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH MS. ARI, MS. RUTHERFORD, UH, MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND WE HAVE MADE IT OUR PURPOSE TO BE BEFORE YOU RELATIVELY OFTEN TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE QUE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE OR THE Q COMMITTEE IS WORKING VERY HARD TO CARRY OUT THE CHARGE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TONIGHT TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE CELEBRATION TEAM WITH US.
SO IF YOU ARE WITH US, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND.
THESE ARE MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS SUBCOMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO HELP CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE.
NOW, TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. MS. SAVORY, MS. MR. ROBINSON, YOU WANT ME?
WE ARE UNVEILING, UM, THE LOGO FOR TO BE USED THIS YEAR FOR THE CITY.
AND, UM, IT WAS, UH, A LOT OF HELP FROM THE MAYOR THAT, UH, GAVE HIM LIKE FIVE DIFFERENT CHOICES AND HE PICKED OUT THE ONE THAT HE THOUGHT WAS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE THERE, UH, TONIGHT.
IT DOES HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT INCORPORATE OUR CITY.
IT'S GOT PALM TREES, IT'S GOT THE RAILROADS, GOT THE, UH, THE, THE, UM, UH, TANKERS AND, UH, IT'S ALL THERE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IN THE AUDIENCE, WE'RE ALSO PAIR CLASSING OUT STICKERS, WHICH HAVE THE LOGO.
AND AS YOU SEE OTHER THINGS UNVEILED, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE LOGO CONTAINED THEREIN.
READY? OKAY, SO WE HAVE JUST A FEW WORDS TO SAY BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO LEAVE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO, UH, PREVIEW THE WEBSITE.
UM, AND WE FEEL LIKE YOU WILL BE AS WELL.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU, UH, THE, THE WEBSITE GARY DICKERT WITH LAMAR PORT AUTHOR, HAS DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED.
IT HAS SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT, UM, OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS.
I'M WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOUR OWN RACHEL SCOTT FROM, UM, THE PORT AUTHOR LIBRARY, WHO IS AN AMAZING YOUNG LADY WHO KNOWS SO MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORY, UH, OF OUR CITY AND WORKING THROUGH TAMMY CUTLER'S PUBLICITY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, OF THE PUBLICITY COMMITTEE HERE THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS.
UM, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN PARTICULAR HAVE JUST SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, WORKING ON IT.
SO FOR TONIGHT, YOU'LL SEE A PREVIEW OF IT.
IT WILL BE GOING LIVE IN A FEW DAYS, PROBABLY SOMETIME EARLY NEXT WEEK.
THAT WAY IT'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO GIVE US YOUR
[00:25:01]
FEEDBACK.IF YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU LIKE OR YOU DON'T LIKE, YOU WON'T BE SEEING EVERYTHING BECAUSE IT'S JUST FILLED WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION.
UM, BUT YOU'LL GET AN IDEA OF THE TEMPLATE, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ANY ONE OF US, OR, OR GARY, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE FEEDBACK BETWEEN NOW AND IT GOING LIVE NEXT WEEK.
WE WANT EXPECT, INVITE YOU TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR AREA, YOUR PARTICULAR CULTURE, SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE ALL THAT WE CAN.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, LETTERHEAD THAT'S GONNA BE MADE.
SO MAYOR, IF YOU WANNA SEND SOMETHING OUT WITH THIS YEAR'S, UH, I'M WORKING ON IT.
WE SHOULD HAVE IT BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND THE LAST THING I WOULD JUST MENTION IS, AGAIN, WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T CALL ATTENTION TO THE PUBLICITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'VE MENTIONED THOSE THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON THE, UM, THE WEBSITE INTENTLY, UM, YOUR OWN CHERYL, UM, GIBBS, YOUR PIO, AND I'M NOT SURE IF CHERYL'S HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, CHERYL, UM, AS WELL AS I MENTIONED, TAMMY CUTER, UM, SHETA, UH, GARDNER WITH THE PORTA PORT AUTHOR, DOREEN BADO, SEA FERRIS CENTER, AND ED KESSLER, AMONG OTHERS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THEM.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT A 52 PERSON COMMITTEE.
SO IT IS A BROAD, VERY DIVERSE COMMITTEE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I'M, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR WITH LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR AND MAYOR BART'S FAVORITE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU USED TO STOLE MY PUNCH.
IF YOU ALL HAVE HIM DOING PHOTOGRAPHY FOR IT, I'M GONNA BE INVOLVED.
I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF 40 20 LAKESHORE DRIVE.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR, UH, ABOUT 12 YEARS NOW.
SO WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED, I WORKED DIRECTLY FOR TOM NEAL AND HIS, UH, SUPERVISOR'S SUPERVISOR WAS DR.
SO I'VE BEEN WASHED IN THE HISTORY OF PORT ARTHUR BY TWO OF THE BASKS.
SO I'VE BEEN VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS WEBSITE.
WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF CONTENT, BUT IT'S, UH, A LIVING DOCUMENT.
IT'S GOING TO GROW AND CONTINUE TO BECOME LARGER AND AND DEEPER.
IT FEATURES THE, THE LOGO AND THE SQUI CENTENNIAL ACROSS HERE WITH 125TH, UH, YEAR, SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, THIS HOMEPAGE HAS A, UH, A SLIDER GALLERY ACROSS THE BOTTOM THAT FEATURES A LOT OF THE IMAGES FROM PORT ARTHUR PAST GET.
AND WE TRY TO, UH, FEATURE AS MANY DIFFERENT, UH, COMMUNITIES AND GROUPS AS POSSIBLE, COACH GAMBLE.
AND SO THIS HOMEPAGE IS REALLY JUST AN INTRODUCTION TO, UH, THE WEBSITE.
AND AS WE SCROLL DOWN, THESE ARE THREE OF THE MAJOR EVENTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE YEAR.
AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE A CONTACT FORM AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE EVENTS OF THE YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE AN EVENTS CALENDAR.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT SLOW, AND SO AS WE GO THROUGH THE YEAR, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND NOT JUST, UM, KWAKU CENTENNIAL EVENTS, BUT, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND, UH, ONE 25TH, UH, SANCTIONED EVENTS.
UH, THESE, THESE WILL BE PHOTOS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE, UH, HOW THIS IS BEING BUILT AT THE MOMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I THINK THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW ARE THE DIFFERENT CULTURES IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND, UM, THESE ARE FOUR OF THE EXAMPLES.
AND SO THESE MAIN PAGES, I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN USE THE WEST SIDE STORY.
UM, IT WILL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH CULTURE WITH SOME PHOTOGRAPHY.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT FOLKS WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO EACH OF, OF THESE GROUPS.
UM, AND THEN AS WE GO A LITTLE DEEPER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE NOT NOTABLE PEOPLE IN EACH GROUP AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT FOLKS.
AND THIS LIST OF, UH, NOTABLES WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
YOU CAN SEE I'VE ALREADY ADDED JAMAL AND,
[00:30:01]
UH, RICHARD PERKINS AND BUNBEE, AND, AND WE'LL JUST STACK THOSE LINKS AND HAVE EVERY PERSON WE CAN THINK OF LISTED AMONG THESE FOLKS.UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF, AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THIS VERY INTERESTING HISTORICAL MARKERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT'S HARD TO FIND THE TIME TO DRIVE AROUND AND SEE THEM ALL.
SO YOU CAN GO HERE TO THIS MAP.
WE HAVE THEM NUMBERED IN THE LIST AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY CLICK ON ONE AND GO TO THAT PAGE AND READ THAT MARKER.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE EVERY MARKER IN PORT ARTHUR SITTING AT YOUR COMPUTER AT HOME.
SO IF YOU DECIDE YOU'D LIKE TO GO OUT AND SEE THE, THE SITE ITSELF, YOU CAN DO THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A TIMELINE.
THE TIMELINE IS STARTS IN 1528, AND IT GOES THROUGH UNTIL PRESENT DAY.
AND YOU'RE ABLE TO JUST SCROLL THROUGH AND READ ABOUT HOW THIS AREA AND THE CITY CAME TOGETHER AND, AND HOW IT'S GROWN AND BECOME WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND SO UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE HURRICANES LISTED IN HERE, BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR REALITY, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A GALLERY, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON, I SCANNED 300 PHOTOS AT THE LIBRARY THE OTHER DAY.
AND SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THIS GALLERY TOGETHER.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN CATEGORIES SO THAT YOU CAN GO AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SAY YOU WANT TO READ ABOUT THE WEST SIDE, YOU CAN CLICK THIS AND IT WILL GO TO THAT GALLERY.
AND SO, UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING ALL OF THOSE IMAGES SCANNED AND INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT WILL HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT, NEXT WEEK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS MOST PROUD OF, UM, AND YOU CAN'T SEE THIS BECAUSE THE CITY HAS BLOCKED FACEBOOK.
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? YEAH,
BUT THIS WILL ACTUALLY, UH, IT WILL SEND FACEBOOK THROUGH OUR WEBSITE.
AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING PEOPLE TO DO IS TO GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, THE QUENTIN FACEBOOK PAGE, AND PUT THEIR PERSONAL REMEMBRANCES, WHICH WILL THEN APPEAR HERE.
NOW WE'LL GO THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL BEFORE IT APPEARS JUST TO BE SAFE.
BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THAT THIS IS THEIR CELEBRATION, THAT THEIR FAMILY MATTERS IN REMEMBERING WHO PORT PORT ARTHUR IS.
AND SO THIS WILL BE, UM, PART OF DOING THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE US THEIR FAMILY PHOTOS TO BE BECOME PART OF OUR ARCHIVES.
AND THEN FINALLY, OVER HERE, WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, GOOD LOOKING GROUP OF PEOPLE RIGHT HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL PAGE.
WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS CREDIT FOR SUPPORTING THIS AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
AND AS THEY WERE MENTIONING EARLIER, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS EFFORT.
AND THEN, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, ANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THOMAS TWEEDLE DRONE VIDEOS OF PORT ARTHUR.
HE COME, HE LIVES IN AUSTIN, BUT HE'S FROM PORT ARTHUR.
HE'S A THOMAS JEFFERSON GRADUATE.
HE COMES TO PORT ARTHUR TO SHOOT DRONE VIDEOS.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE ALL SECTIONS OF PORT ARTHUR CURRENT DAY, UH, FROM THE SKY.
HE'LL FOLLOW NINTH AVENUE FROM GULF WAY TO PROCTOR, AND YOU CAN WATCH THAT AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE HOWARD'S WAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE A BLOG.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY AS A, A WAY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, NEW THINGS, UM, AS THEY COME UP AND AS WE, AS WE THINK OF THEM.
AND IT'S BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A STORY ABOUT JOHN GATES, AND THEN THE REST OF THIS, THESE ARE LINKS TO THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS WHO ARE, ARE WORKING ON THIS.
IT'S NOT, IT, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S STILL A LOT TO GO, BUT, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.
MICROPHONE ZA HAS, UH, SET UP AN A TWITTER AND AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT.
SO AREAS THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IN BEING INVOLVED IN, BUT, UH, BETWEEN GARY AND, AND KELSEY, UM, HAVE SET UP THE WEBSITE AND THOSE TWO SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, THERE'S PLENTY MORE TO COME FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE.
BUT FOR THIS EVENING, WE REALLY WANNA LEAVE THIS WITH YOU, THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO PLEASE CALL US AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU SEE, WHAT YOU DO WANT TO HAVE ADDED.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE,
[00:35:01]
DON'T HESITATE TO CALL US.AND, UH, MS. AVERY, UH, LET THE OTHER ARTISTS KNOW.
IT WAS JUST LIKE THIS ONE SHOWED EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, YOU JUST LIKE THE COLOR RED, UH, BUT, UH,
BUT, UM, THEY WERE ALL DESIGNED BY THE SAME GUY, SO, OH, OKAY.
IT, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHICH ONE YOU CHOSE ABOUT
[III.B.2. A Presentation By James Gileylen With JQUAD Planning Group Regarding The 2021 Home Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program Grant ( HOME- ARP) And Allocations Recommendations]
HAVE, UH, IANS A PRESENTATION BY MR. JAMES GILLIAN, UH, WITH, UH, JAY QUAD.UH, IT'S A PLANNING GROUP REGARDING THE 2021 HOME IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIPS, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAM GRANT, OR HOME, A R P AND ALLOCATIONS FROM, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I HAVE SOMETHING, AFTER YOU MAKE THIS, UH, PRESENTATION, YOU BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, JAMES GILLIAN, WITH J QUAD PLANNING GROUP, UH, 6 0 1 OH WEST SPRING CREEK PARKWAY, DALLAS, TEXAS.
UM, PLEASED TO, UH, RECOMMEND FOR YOU, UH, YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF 1,000,453, UH, DOLLARS FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HUD UNDER THE HOME AMERICAN RESCUE AND RECOVERY PLAN.
AND ALSO, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALLOCATIONS.
SO I HAVE A POWERPOINT TO GO THROUGH, UH, HOW WE RECEIVE THE FUNDS, AND ALSO, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS MADE FOR YOUR ACCEPTANCE FOR PROJECTS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE CONGRESS ALLOCATED BACK IN, UM, UH, UH, 2021, ABOUT 19 MILLION TOTAL FOR THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S AN ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM WITH AN ALLOCATION TO CITY, STATES AND, UH, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS.
PORT ARTHUR HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR $1,000,453.
UH, WE SUBMITTED OUR ALLOCATION PLAN DOCUMENTATION AND CERTIFICATIONS, UH, TO HUD BACK IN DECEMBER.
UH, HUD ACCEPTED THE PLAN AND WE HAVE NOW BEEN AWARDED AS A CITY, UH, THE TOTAL, UH, REQUEST, WHICH WAS $1,000,453.
THAT WAS THE MAXIMUM THAT WE COULD REQUEST.
UM, THERE ARE ONLY FOUR ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE FUNDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH RENT AND UTILITIES, UH, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AND I'LL GO THROUGH, THERE'S AN ARRAY OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT CAN BE FUNDED.
AND THEN, UH, NON CONGREGATE HOUSING.
UH, HOMELESSNESS WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR PRIORITIES OF HUD.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS, PEOPLE WHO ARE, ARE IN JEOPARDY OF BECOMING HOMELESS, AND EVEN THOSE WHO ARE TEMPORARILY IN A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD BECOME HOMELESS, UH, ANYTIME IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THINGS LIKE, UH, UM, UH, VIOLENCE, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND ALSO, UH, FLEEING SEXUAL ABUSE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, ALSO THERE'S AN EMPHASIS ON OTHER POPULATIONS, THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD HOUSING, UH, WITHOUT PAYING A MAJOR PORTION OF THEIR INCOME.
UH, HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, AND I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE, UH, MORE IN DEPTH.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, ONE OF THE NEW CHANGES FOR THIS PARTICULAR FUND WAS TYPICALLY THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE WILL FUND HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR VETERANS.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN EXPANDED SO THAT EVEN IF THE VETERAN ISN'T LIVING WITH THE SPOUSE AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN, UH, THEY TOO CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE BENEFITS.
SO THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT IN, IN, UH, THAT.
SO, UH, BOTH, UH, THEY, UH, ARE ELIGIBLE, UH, FIRST WITH RENTAL HOUSING.
SO YOU CAN FUND UNDER THIS GRANT, UH, RENTAL HOUSING, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, EITHER TO PAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COST, UH, OR PAY FOR OTHER ASSOCIATED COSTS WITH DEVELOPMENT AS THEY'RE LISTED.
SO BOTH HARD COST RELOCATION AND ALSO OPERATING COSTS.
TENANT BASE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, IT'S A FORM OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE WHERE, UH, UNDER THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, YOU CAN PAY, UH, A PORTION OF RENT AND UTILITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.
[00:40:02]
UH, AND UNDER TENANT BASE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, IT HAS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, UH, AND IT'S PROVIDED TO YOU IN THE BRIEFING, UH, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT CAN BE, UH, UM, SUPPORTED BY THIS GRANT.
YOU AS A COUNCIL AND, UH, ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHICH OF THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES YOU WISH TO FUND BY APPLICATION.
UH, BUT THIS IS JUST A LISTING OF THOSE OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND THEN NON CONGREGATE HOUSING WAS ALSO A, UH, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHEN THE, WITHIN THE GRANT, I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS ONE JUST IN A LITTLE MORE DEPTH, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY THE ONE THAT'S NEW FOR, UH, MOST COMMUNITIES.
SO, DURING COVID, PEOPLE WERE HOUSED, THE WAY IN WHICH HOMELESSNESS, UH, WAS ACTUALLY HOUSED IN THE PAST, WHICH IS YOU BUILD A SHELTER, YOU PROVIDE, UH, OPEN SERVICES FOR SLEEPING QUARTERS, UH, FOOD AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IN RECOGNITION OF THIS GRANT, HU SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE NON CONGREGATE HOUSING, WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAS TO BE A COMPLETE UNIT WHERE THE PERSON, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE IN A POSITION OF BEING IN A SHELTER TYPE, UH, UH, CONCERN, UH, THEY SHOULD HAVE PRIVATE LIVING SPACES, UH, PRIVATE SPACES FOR BATHING AND PRIVATE SPACES FOR DINNER PREPARATION.
SO NON CONGREGATE VERSUS CONGREGATE HOUSING, WHICH WOULD BE MORE OF THE SHELTER TYPE.
UH, ELIGIBLE EXPENSES FOR ALL OF THESE INCLUDES THE STRUCTURE, REHABILITATION, ACQUISITION, UM, DEMOLITION COSTS.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COSTS THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CHOOSE FROM IN TERMS OF, UH, EACH ONE OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS AS YOU FUND THESE PROGRAMS. UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.
SO RECENT PROJECTS, UH, DALLAS AND FORT WORTH ACTUALLY PAID FOR THE ACQUISITION OF OLD MOTEL PROPERTIES.
AND THEN TO CREATE THAT NON CONGREGATE HOUSING, THEY ACTUALLY TOOK IT, CONVERTED IT TO KIND OF A TOWNHOUSE TYPE, UH, STRUCTURE WHERE THEY COULD ADD THE BATHROOM, THE KITCHEN, AND THE OTHER FACILITIES.
UM, SO THEY'VE USED SOME OF THE FUNDS, OF COURSE, THEY'VE GOTTEN A LOT MORE FUNDING THAN, THAN YOU'VE RECEIVED.
SO IT'S ALSO, UH, DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED.
UH, THIS IS A CASE THAT WE WORKED WITH IN CLEVELAND, OHIO.
UH, ONE OF THE RESTAURANT CORPORATIONS THERE THAT HAS A LINE OF RESTAURANTS, UH, FROM FINE DINING ON, CREATED A PROGRAM WHERE EX-FELONS ARE TRAINED IN A CULINARY INSTITUTE, UH, AND THEN ARE ALLOWED TO WORK, UH, WITHIN THEIR PARTICULAR RESTAURANTS.
UH, THE PROBLEM WAS THAT EX-FELONS HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME, UH, BEING HOUSED AND QUALIFYING FOR HOUSING.
SO WITH THE HOME A R P FUNDS, THEY'RE ADDING, UH, HOUSING SO THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ALSO HOUSE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN RECOVERY, WORKING IN THE RESTAURANTS AND BEING TRAINED IN THE CULINARY INSTITUTE.
UH, AND THEN SOME OF THE CITIES HAVE SELECTED LOWER COST HOUSING, LIKE TINY HOMES.
THIS IS A PROJECT IN AUSTIN, UH, TEXAS WHERE, UH, CREATING HOUSING, BUT MAKING SURE THAT, PARTICULARLY FOR VETERANS, SENIORS AND OTHERS, IT'S MORE IN SCALE WITH THEIR NEED FOR LIVING SPACE.
UH, IN DALLAS, THIS IS A CLUSTER HOUSING UNIT.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THREE HOUSING UNITS FOR SENIORS THAT ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER, ALMOST LIKE A, A TOWNHOME OR TYPE, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, IT, UH, PROVIDED THEM WITH QUALITY HOUSING, BUT AT A LOWER COST BECAUSE OF THE LESS LAND COST THAT WAS INVOLVED.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, A PROJECT THAT WE WORKED WITH IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, WHERE IT'S MODULAR HOUSING, IT CUT THE COST BY ABOUT $50,000 PER UNIT.
BUT AS YOU'LL SEE, MODULAR, WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH PANELS ON SITE, WE ADDED PORCHES AND ROOFS TO MIRROR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT EXISTED, UH, WITHIN THAT AREA SO THAT IT LOWERED THE COST, BUT CREATED A UNIT THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO LIVE AND HAVE IN THEIR, UH, PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE RECEIVED THE ALLOCATION.
HUD ACCEPTED OUR PLAN AND ALLOCATED THE FULL AMOUNT THAT THE CITY WAS ELIGIBLE FOR.
UH, WE HELD A PRE-BID CONFERENCE BACK IN NOVEMBER FOR ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD, UH, WHEN WE PUT OUT THE RFP FOR PROJECTS, UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS WERE.
UH, FOUR PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED, UH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
FIRST SALVATION ARMY, THEY APPLIED FOR $50,000 FOR THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT WERE LISTED IN THE SLIDE PRESENTATION.
UH, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE FULL $50,000 FOR THEM.
FAMILY SERVICES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS REQUESTED $660,000.
UH, WERE RECOMMENDING ONLY THE $60,000 FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY
[00:45:01]
RECOMMEND, THEY REQUESTED 600,000 FOR THE NON CONGREGATE HOUSING, BUT IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE, UH, BY DEFINITION WHAT THEY HAD TO PROVIDE IN TERMS OF INDEPENDENT LIVING SPACES.AND THEN FINALLY, UH, I MEAN, SEC, THIRDLY, LEGACY CDC REQUESTED $810,000.
A TOTAL OF 610,000 WAS REQUESTED FOR, UH, RENTAL HOUSING RENOVATION.
THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED FUNDING, UH, FROM THE STATE FOR ACQUISITION OF 19 UNITS.
UH, THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE RECOMMENDED WILL PROVIDE FOR THE REHAB OF THOSE UNITS.
AND THEN THEY ALSO REQUESTED, UH, TOTAL OF, UH, UM, UH, $550,000 FOR, UH, FOR THE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE ONLY RECOMMENDED, UM, FOR YOUR APPROVAL THOUGH 375,000, NOT BECAUSE IT WAS A BAD APPLICATION, BUT BECAUSE, UH, WE ONLY HAD $1,000,453.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, CATHOLIC CHARITIES REQUESTED 105,000, UH, $18 FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE FULL ALLOCATION TO THEM.
SO I'LL STOP THERE AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
WHAT'S T B R A? YOU, YOU, I HEARD YOU, IS THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
WHAT IS THE T B R A? IT IS, UH, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
SO THAT'S FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS THAT NEED PERMANENT HOUSING.
AND WHAT TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOES IS IT EITHER, UH, YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER PAY FOR A PORTION OF THEIR RENT OR YOU CAN PAY FOR SECURITY DEPOSITS AND UTILITIES.
FOR THEM, IT'S STILL INTENDED TO BE, UH, TEMPORARY HOUSING OR HOUSING THAT WILL, UH, BE AVAILABLE TO THEM UNTIL THEY CAN GET STRUCTURED AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT RENTAL HOUSING ON THEIR OWN.
AND WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAM WOULD THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET THAT ASSISTANCE? WHO QUALIFIES THEM FOR THOSE DIFFERENT TIERS? SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, LEGACY C D C APPLIED FOR THE FUNDING.
AND SO THEY WILL DO THE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION, UH, AS TO THE QUALIFICATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS RESIDENCY, UH, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, AND DO THE EXAMINATION OF HOW MUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE THEY'LL BE PROVIDED.
AND, UH, AND, UH, CHECKS AND BALANCE ON THAT.
DO THE STATE COMES IN AND THEY AUDIT THE LEGACY CORPORATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE QUALIFIED FOR THOSE? YES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S TWO THINGS.
UH, ONE LEGACY HAS A CURRENT, UH, ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO PROVIDE SERVICES UNDER THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO THE STATE WILL BE MONITORING THEM FOR COMPLIANCE FOR THE STATE FUNDING.
THE CITY WILL HAVE TO MONITOR ON THE BASIS OF THE $350,000 THAT'S RECEIVED, AND AGAIN, ENSURE THAT THEY'RE MEETING THE, UH, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THE CITIZENS ABOUT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE HAVE STILL A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STILL SUFFERING IN THEIR HOMES FROM HURRICANES, FROM HURRICANE RITA, UH, FROM HURRICANE HARVEY, UH, STILL TRYING TO GET, AND THESE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET, UH, THEIR HOMES FIXED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HA HAS HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED, UH, ALL OF THE MONIES ARE GONE, UH, FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS PLANNING, UH, REGIONAL PLANNING, UH, AS WELL AS THE G O.
WE'VE CONTACTED ALL OF THEM, BUT YET STILL SOME OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HOMES.
AND SO, AS THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, UH, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE HOMELESS IN THE FUTURE OR ON THE VERGE OF BEING HOMELESS.
DOES THE MONEY GOING TO LEGACY? UM, COULD IT BE DIVERTED OR COULD IT BE USED BECAUSE YOU DID GIVE, UH, SOME OF THESE CLUSTER HOUSES FOR SENIORS OR, OR SOME OF THESE TINY HOMES? COULDN'T, COULDN'T THAT MONEY BE, COULDN'T THIS MONEY BE, UH, UH, DEDICATED TOWARD THAT, UH, AS A, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PRECLUDE ANY, OR TO EXCLUDE, UH, ANYONE FROM GETTING ANY OF THE HELP.
UM, BUT, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE, UH, ONE OF THE MAJOR AREAS, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY.
SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING FORWARD, IS THAT DECISION IS YET TO BE MADE, THAT DECISION IS GOING TO BE MADE.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? OKAY, SO THE, THE FIRST RESPONSE IS, KEEP IN MIND THAT
[00:50:01]
THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER HOMELESS OR IN IMMINENT DANGER BECOMING HOMELESS.UH, SO THAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR ANY OF, OF THE FUNDING.
SO ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO FIRST ASSIST.
SO IF YOU HAVE SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY OR OTHERS WHO ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS, UH, OR EVEN HOMELESS NOW BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANES, THEY WOULD IN FACT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE PROGRAM FUNDING.
UM, THE, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE FACT THAT, UM, UM, THERE HAS TO BE SOME, UH, RECOGNITION OF HOMELESSNESS OR, UH, IN IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING HOMELESS FOR THOSE, BUT IT HAS TO SPECIFICALLY, UM, AND THAT WOULD BE, HAVE THAT HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT AND THAT WOULD BE MADE KNOWN ON THE APPLICATION THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED.
SO ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT, UM, THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS, WE, WELL, I'LL GO BACK.
WE STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH NOTIFYING ALL THE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY.
WE HELD A, A MAJOR WORKSHOP FOR THOSE, AND ALSO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING, UH, UH, AN APPLICATION FOR THESE FUNDS.
THE ONLY CRITERIA WAS THAT THEY HAD TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR FUNDINGS WOULD BE CONNECTED TO HOMELESSNESS OR PREVENTION OF, OF HOMELESSNESS, OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK.
UH, THEN WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THAT WAS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTED TO APPLY.
WE HOLD HELD A PREPAID CONFERENCE WHERE WE WALKED THEM THROUGH THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE NEXUS BETWEEN HOMELESS AND IN IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING HOMELESS.
WE ONLY RECEIVED FOUR APPLICATIONS THOUGH, AND OF THOSE APPLICATIONS, UH, LEGACY CDC WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT REQUESTED, UH, PROVIDING, UH, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND, UH, ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR CAPACITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY FUNDED IN DOING, UH, THAT PARTICULAR, SO IT WASN'T RESTRICTED TO ANY PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
WE STRICTLY WENT BY, UH, RFPS RESPONSES THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
ANYONE ELSE? WELL, WE THANK YOU MR. GILLIAN, FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS DEVIATE FROM THE, UH, PRINTED AGENDA.
MIND GOING TO PAGE NINE, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PART OF GALLERY AS WELL.
PAGE NINE, NUMBER 27, IT'S PR NUMBER 2314.
THIS IS RESOLUTION APPROVING THE $1,000,453, UH, ALLOCATIONS FOR THE 2021 HOME IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIP, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAM HOME, A R P FUNDING FOR FROM RATHER THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE THIS OUTTA SEQUENCE AND THIS IS WHAT HE HAD JUST PRESENTED TO US.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN MARKS THE SO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND BILL.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN, UH, SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 1 14 AS READ.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYE HAVE, SO HIS ORDER, WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2314 AS RED.
NOW WE WILL DO A, UH, WELL THAT WAS ANOTHER PRESENTATION, BUT I THINK HE DID 'EM BOTH TOGETHER.
[III.B.3. A Presentation By James Gileylen With JQUAD Planning Group Regarding Affordable Housing]
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.YOU WANNA PASS IT OUT? OH, HE HAS IT UP ON ME, YES.
UM, CAN I, UH, THE COUNCIL HAD REQUESTED GETTING SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, JUST KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE PRIMER ON WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS.
UH, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE RULES AND LAWS ON THAT.
AND SO HE IS HERE FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US.
UH, I'LL START BY SAYING I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY PROBABLY FOR ABOUT 14 OR 15 YEARS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE GRANTS AND, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AND SO I WAS REQUESTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PORT ARTHUR.
UH, I'LL START BY, BY SUGGESTING TO YOU THAT I WANT YOU TO EMBRACE SORT OF A, A, A, A NEW COLLECTIVE, UH, DEFINITION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS HOUSING.
IT'S DEFINED BY HOUSING COST, NOT BY THE HOUSING TYPE, WHICH IS MULTI-FAMILY, A
[00:55:01]
SINGLE FAMILY, SO FORTH, AND NOT BY WHO LIVES THERE.AND I WANTED TO EXPAND THAT TO HAVE YOU CONSIDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW, UH, IT'S BEING SUPPORTED.
SO KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROGRAMS IN THE FEDERAL, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AND EVEN LOCALLY THAT YOU CAN USE TO TRY AND CREATE AFFORDABILITY IN HOUSING, UH, IN VARIOUS PRODUCTS.
SO YOU GOT FEDERAL AND STATE AND LOCAL GRANTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO BRIDGE THE HOUSING GAP BETWEEN INCOME AND WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD VERSUS WHAT THE HOUSING ISN'T CURRENTLY COSTING IN YOUR MARKETPLACE.
YOU ALSO HAVE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT WITHIN YOUR CITY.
UH, SO, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS LIKE IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE NOT ONLY HOUSING, BUT REDEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT CREATES OPTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSING.
AND SO, UM, HOUSING IS REALLY BASED ON, IT'S PROGRAM BASED AS OPPOSED TO A PARTICULAR TYPE OF HOUSING.
IT'S ALSO ADMINISTERED BY BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES.
UH, IT'S GENERALLY DISTINGUISHED BY THE FACT THAT IT'S INCOME ELIGIBLE.
SO YOU'RE PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME FOR RENT.
THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THEN IT'S NOT LOCATION RESTRICTED BECAUSE IT CAN BE ANYWHERE, UH, OR IN ANY CONFIGURATION THAT YOU REALLY WANT.
AND THEN IT SUPPORTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING REALLY DOES SUPPORT BOTH RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP TYPE HOUSING.
UM, THE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN READ IT FROM HERE, BUT THE EMPHASIS HERE IS THAT ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AT A PARTICULAR INCOME LEVEL.
SO WHEN WE SAY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME FOR HOUSING.
UH, AND AS YOU SEE BY THIS CHART, UH, WHEN YOU START TO BREAK DOWN EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS, UH, A PERSON'S, THE CRITERIA IS THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD HOUSING BUT PAY NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING.
CUZ THAT'S THE THRESHOLD THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SET.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT LINE NUMBER, UH, FOUR, A FAMILY OF FOUR RIGHT NOW IN PORT ARTHUR CAN EARN UP TO $58,950 AND STILL BE CONSIDERED, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY PAY 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR RENT.
SO 30% SPREAD OUT OVER A YEAR.
UH, THEY QUALIFY IF THEY'RE AT UP TO $58,950.
THERE'VE BEEN A, YOU YOU MIND IF WE JUMP IN? BUT I DON'T WANT, GO AHEAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOUR 30% OF INCOME, YOUR TOTAL INCOME OF A YEAR BASED UPON HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOW INCOME HOUSING VERSUS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? OKAY.
YOU KNOW, WE PLAN WITH WORDS AND I'M TRYING TO, I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, LOW INCOME HOUSING VERSUS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, I ASKED THE, OUR CITY ATTORNEY ALONG WITH SOME OF MY COHORTS SO WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF A MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I WANT TO, I'M VERY, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH IN TUNE AND WANTING TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO? OKAY.
LET ME TRY TO SKIP AHEAD AND GO TO, UH, THIS SLIDE.
SO I WANNA DISTINGUISH BETWEEN, CUZ IT'S ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IN CATEGORIES.
SO THE FIRST CATEGORY THAT YOU'RE GENERALLY AWARE OF IS PROGRAMS THAT WERE SET UP TO HOUSE PEOPLE, UH, AND MAINLY BY PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES WHO EARN 30% OR BELOW THE MEDIUM INCOME.
SO THAT'S A GROUP THAT FIRST OF ALL HAS TO BE DEPENDENT UPON DEEP SUBSIDIES.
SO GENERALLY, IF YOU ARE IN THAT CATEGORY, UH, EARNING NO MORE THAN 30% OF THE MEDIUM INCOME, YOU GENERALLY ARE LOOKING AT PUBLIC HOUSING TYPE PROJECTS WHERE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, RECEIVES FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, AGAIN, HOUSING THAT THE PERSON PAYS BASED ON THEIR PERSONAL INCOME, NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING.
THEN YOU GOT A SECOND CATEGORY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH A ALLOWS PEOPLE BETWEEN 60 AND 80% OF MEDIUM INCOME TO BE SUPPORTED.
THIS PARTICULAR, UH, TYPE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BEST KNOWN BY THE SECTION EIGHT, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHERE LANDLORDS ARE ABLE TO, UH, RECEIVE A VOUCHER FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OR SOME OTHER PUBLIC ENTITY THAT PROVIDES VOUCHERS FOR A PERSON TO GO OUT AND FIND HOUSING.
[01:00:01]
SO THEY TAKE THAT SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER, THEY PAY NO MORE THAN 80% OF THEIR INCOME FOR RENT, AND THEY CAN CHOOSE THE HOUSING UNIT OF THEIR, OF, YOU KNOW, OF THEIR CHOICE, BUT THERE IS NO DESIGNATED UNIT, IF YOU WILL.UH, IT CAN BE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY WHERE THEY CAN FIND A UNIT THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO THEM AT THAT PARTICULAR PRICE.
THEN YOU HAVE SOME PROGRAMS, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL, LIKE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS, AND ALSO OTHER FUNDING THAT THE STATE FUNDS, WHICH ALSO SUPPORTS PEOPLE WHO ARE BASICALLY AT 60, UH, PERCENT TO 80% OF INCOME.
NOW YOU SEE THAT MOSTLY WHERE DEVELOPERS MAKE APPLICATION TO TD, H C A, THE STATE AGENCY.
THEY RECEIVE BOND FINANCING OR EITHER THEY RECEIVE TAX CREDIT FINANCING, THEY BILL A HOUSE HOUSING, THEY OPERATE THE HOUSING OR, AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIES.
UH, AND, AND THE DEVELOPER RECEIVES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR DEVELOPMENT COST AND THE, UH, THE BONDS THAT REPLACES THE EQUITY THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THOSE UNITS.
WITH THE STIPULATION BEING THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE ACCEPTED THAT TYPE OF FINANCING AND THE BOND SUPPORT, THEN THOSE UNITS CAN'T BE RENTED CHARGING MORE THAN 60% OF A PERSON'S INCOME.
NOW YOU'VE ENGAGED IN PROJECTS OR DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE MORE AT THE 80% OF INCOME LIMIT AS WELL, YOUR DOWNTOWN FOUR B FOUR A DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT LEGACY CDC, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, THEY ACTUALLY, UH, HAD PERSONS WHO WERE IN A RANGE FROM 120% OR 110% OF MEDIUM INCOME ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN TO 80% AS LONG AS THEY COULD AFFORD IT AND QUALIFY.
AND THEN THEY RECEIVED THAT, THEY WERE AT THAT 80%, UH, CAP ON INCOME, THEY COULD RECEIVE DOWN PAYMENT AND CLOSING COSTS.
THE CITY INVESTED INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY TO REPLACE THE, UH, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS ON THE GROUND.
AND THAT SORT, THAT'S STILL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE WAYS IN WHICH YOU'VE, UH, TYPICALLY SPONSORED, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND YOU'VE HAD ALL FOUR LEVELS OF THAT TYPE OF HOUSING IN YOUR CITY.
NOW THE, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT, SINCE WE'RE ON THIS SUBJECT, THE ONLY OTHER THING IS THAT THE PROCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXPANDING.
SO SOME CITIES ARE NOW EXPERIMENTING WITH THINGS LIKE, UH, INCLUSIONARY ZONING, WHICH ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO RECEIVE A BONUS IN TERMS OF DENSITY IN THEIR DEVELOPMENTS IN EXCHANGE FOR PROVIDING SOME COMPONENT OF AFFORDABILITY, WHETHER IT'S MULTI-FAMILY OR SINGLE FAMILY.
UH, AND SO THAT'S BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY, EVEN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, UH, TIF, UH, TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DISTRICTS.
AND EVEN THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE ALSO IS SORT OF SHIFTING THAT TO MAKE MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UH, WITHIN CITIES TO, UH, BUT IT'S ALL INTENDED TO BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN A PERSON'S PERSONAL INCOME AND WHAT'S AFFORDABLE.
UH, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT YOU RECENTLY HAVE SEEN, LIKE THE N C UH, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL PROJECT DOWNTOWN.
UH, THAT'S A DEVELOPMENT IN WHICH THEY APPLIED FOR DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS FROM THE STATE.
UH, THE, UM, UNIT MIX THAT'S MANDATED FOR HAVING RECEIVED THAT FUNDING IS THAT 70% OF THE UNITS IN THAT DEVELOPMENT HAVE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AT THE 80% OF MEDIUM INCOME.
AND THEN THE OTHER 30% CAN BE TO ANYONE, UH, WITH MARKET RATE, INCOME OR INCOME THAT EXCEEDS THE 80%.
UH, SO ULTIMATELY YOU'RE LOOKING AT RENTS AS I UNDERSTAND IT PROBABLY IN THE 800 S FOR, UH, FOR A ONE BEDROOM AND, UH, AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH FOR A TWO BEDROOM.
BUT ALSO THE, PROBABLY THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT CURRENTLY IN YOUR MARKETPLACE, UH, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, 80% OF INCOME FOR RENT AND MARKET RATES.
SO ESSENTIALLY RIGHT NOW, IF YOU, IF THAT PROJECT WERE COMPLETE, IT, IT WOULDN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU AT 80% OR A HUNDRED PERCENT, YOU'D PROBABLY STILL PAY IN THAT SAME, UH, 800 FOR A, UH, SINGLE FAMILY AND PROBABLY A THOUSAND OR A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND.
UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU, YOU OKAY, COUNCILMAN MARKS, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS CONCERNING
[01:05:01]
THE PROJECT THAT YOU'VE JUST MENTIONED, THE NDC HERE, UH, WHEN THAT PROJECT WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT TO US THROUGH THE, UH, EDC AND, AND VIILI TO COUNCIL, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF ENHANCING THE AVAILABILITY OF, UH, HOUSING IN A REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN MM-HMM.IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, HOW DOES THAT FIT IN A FRAMEWORK OF REVITALIZATION OF, UH, OF AN AREA TO ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAT SPACE? SO, SO FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S PROBABLY A, A A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WANTING TO CREATE, AGAIN, IF WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE OLD DEFINITION OF LOW INCOME HOUSING EQUALING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND START TO LOOK AT THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING BASED ON THE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO HOUSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THEN THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SLIDE, I PROVIDED YOU WITH SOME DATA THAT I COLLECTED ON THE CITY.
SO THE AVERAGE WAGE FOR ALL JOBS IN THE CITY IS 47,000.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE HIGH END JOBS, LIKE, UH, $200,000 FOR EXECUTIVES AND, YOU KNOW, $150,000 FOR PORT AUTHORITY, SPECIALIZED, UH, RESOURCES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THE AVERAGE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT JUST REGULAR JOBS, THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 47,000 POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS CITY, 54,000 TO 63,000 TEACHERS, 45 TO 65,000.
AND YOU SEE THE REST, UH, REFINERIES, CITY EMPLOYEES, HOSPITALITY, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FAMILY OF FOUR $58,000 BEING, UH, 80% OF MEDIUM INCOME PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE ANSWER IN PART TO YOUR QUESTION IS THAT IN DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, AND IF YOU'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THIS IS A MAJOR GROUP OF FOLKS THAT YOU WANT YOUR PRODUCT TO MIRROR 80% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING.
AGAIN, IT'S OUT OF THAT CATEGORY OF THE 30%.
SO IT'S NOT PUBLIC HOUSING, IT'S OUT OF THAT CATEGORY GENERALLY FOR TAX CREDITS, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM CAPS AT 60% OF ANY INCOME.
BUT REALLY THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT YOU'VE HAD DOWNTOWN SO FAR MADE ELIGIBILITY AT 80% OF MEDIUM INCOME ARE HIGHER.
SO MY, THAT'S A LONG WAY OF SAYING THAT THE, THE RESOURCES THAT YOU'VE TARGETED THROUGH YOUR FOUR A AND B UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, FUNDING THAT YOU'VE TARGETED THROUGH THE OTHER GRANTS THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED, UH, HAVE BEEN TARGETED AT THAT 80%.
NOW, IF YOU AS A COMMUNITY BEGIN TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS LIKE INCLUSIONARY ZONING, UH, TAX INCREMENT, FINANCE DISTRICTS, THINGS THAT WILL LOWER THE COSTS AND BE A, UH, A FACTOR IN TERMS OF DEVELOPERS CHOOSING TO BUILD HOUSING, PERHAPS YOU GET, UH, MORE PRODUCT.
BUT AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW IN DOWNTOWN, IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE BECAUSE, UH, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN, IT'S VERY, UH, DIFFICULT TO JUMPSTART THAT.
AND REALLY, I'LL JUST, MY FINAL COMMENT IS EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IS BASED ON HOUSING AND ROOFTOPS.
SO IF YOU WANT MAJOR GROCERY STORES OR OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN, YOU GOTTA HAVE ROOFTOPS, RIGHT? IN ORDER TO HAVE ROOFTOPS, YOU GOTTA HAVE PEOPLE AND THEY GOTTA BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE HOUSING.
SO, SO YOU'RE, I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I CAN RECOMMEND IN MY OPINION IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO EXPAND THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'VE GOT TO HIT THE INCOME RANGES THAT YOU ARE WANTING TO MARKET TO.
SO IF MOTIVA IS BEGINNING TO MOVE WORKFORCE INTO DOWNTOWN, THAT'S GOING TO ENHANCE YOUR ABILITY TO GET HOUSING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY.
[01:10:01]
UH, SORT OF THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO JUMPSTART WITH, UH, THE LEGACY CDC, UH, SINGLE FAMILY AND WITH THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, NOW THE GOAL IS TO EXPAND THAT SO THAT YOU CAN ATTRACT, UH, A WORKFORCE OR PEOPLE WHO ARE BUYING HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN THAT DON'T EVEN NEED A SUBSIDY.AND I'M NOT SURE IF, IF YOU ARE THE PERSON THAT I NEED TO BE ADDRESSING THIS TO, BUT HAVING BEEN ON THE EDC THROUGH THE, UH, REVITALIZATION PLAN AND MOVING INTO CITY COUNCIL AND, AND SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE NDC BUILDING, UH, OUR APARTMENTS, THE VISION AND THEN WAS THE VISION OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL WAS THAT THE REVITALIZATION WAS GONNA TAKE PLACE AND WE WERE GONNA, WE WERE GONNA GROW THIS DOWNTOWN AREA AND WE WERE GOING TO, UH, PUT IN PLACE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, UH, AND, AND AVAILABILITY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETAIL, FOR, UH, OTHER TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO COME.
BUT IT WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH, I GUESS WITH, WITH, UH, MOTIVA AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT 500 OFFICE JOBS COMING OUT OF THAT PLANT COMING DOWNTOWN INTO THESE BUILDINGS, AND THAT THERE WERE GONNA BE THE REQUISITE SERVICES NEEDED TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THOSE FOLK, WHICH WE WERE HOPING THAT THERE WERE GONNA BE HOUSING AND, AND OTHER ENTITIES.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEDIUM INCOMES THAT LOOKING AT THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS, I'M NOT SURE THE NUMBERS THAT, THAT I WAS MADE AWARE OF WERE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT AS FAR AS MEDIAN INCOMES, THOSE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE PLANTS.
AND, AND, AND SO THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE YOU IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PLANNING AND, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE E D C ALONG WITH, WITH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A, A, A DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME ACTS OF GOD THAT TOOK PLACE, THE PANDEMIC, UH, UH, UH, HURRICANE, UH, HARVEY AND EVERYTHING AND, AND WORK KINDA STOPPED, BUT WE WERE STILL THINKING ABOUT THAT.
BUT THEN FOR US TO CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM AND CHANGE THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT'S EVENTUALLY THE TERMED AFFORDABLE HOUSING RATHER THAN THE TYPE HOUSING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AGAIN, IN MY OPINION, AND IT'S ONLY MY OPINION, IT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF WHAT ALL THAT MONEY THAT WE SPENT AND ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT THAT WE SPENT AS A CITY, NOT AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS AN ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE FORCED TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF WHAT OUR VISION FOR REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN.
WELL, IF I COULD RESPOND TO THAT, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE STILL ON THE RIGHT PATH.
UM, YOUR, YOUR INTENT IS TO GET HIGHER PRICE HOUSING, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA START SOMEWHERE.
SO I WOULD CONTEND THAT IF YOU'VE GOT A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COSTING $24 MILLION IN DOWNTOWN, AND THE AVERAGE RENT IS GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 850 AND PROBABLY $1,050, UH, UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY STEPS UP.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT, I MEAN, THE WHOLE VISION WAS IF WE COULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE WAS A MARKET FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE DOWNTOWN, THEN DEVELOPERS WILL COME BACK AND, UH, ACCEPT THAT CHALLENGE.
AND YOU'LL SEE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE EVEN THE HIGHER END THAT MIRRORS THE WORKFORCE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE WORKFORCE WASN'T THERE.
AND THE BEST OPPORTUNITY YOU HAD WAS TO GET THESE, THESE RENTS IN PLACE.
AND I, I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS A LONG TIME IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
WE STARTED THE SAME WAY, UH, DEVELOPERS SAID IN THE LATE 1990S, THEY COULDN'T BUILD HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN.
WE HAD, UH, 400 UNITS OF HOUSING IN DOWNTOWN.
[01:15:01]
WE BORROWED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE HUD A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN SECTION 1 0 8 LOAN GUARANTEE, WHICH ISN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE.AND WE ONLY EXTENDED LENDING TO DEVELOPERS FOR A 36 MONTH, UH, PERIOD IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T GET, THEY COULD GET PERMANENT FINANCING, BUT NO ONE WANTED TO TAKE THE RISK DURING THE 36 MONTHS.
UH, MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, TODAY WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF UNITS BECAUSE AFTER LOANING ABOUT 800 AND, UH, UM, UH, UH, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, THE BANKS ACTUALLY ASKED THE CITY TO STOP PROVIDING THAT FINANCING BECAUSE THE BANKS WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT FINANCING, UH, THEMSELVES DIRECTLY.
SO WE HOPE, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT BE ON THAT SCALE, BUT WE HOPE THAT'S THE SUCCESS THAT YOU'LL SEE.
IF THE MARKET IS DEMONSTRATED AND THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY MOVE INTO DOWNTOWN TO WORK, THEN THEY WILL CHOOSE HOUSING, AND YOU WILL HAVE ALREADY MADE IT PAST THE FIRST OBSTACLE, WHICH IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU CAN CREATE THIS PRODUCT THAT THEY WANT AND WANT TO SEE IN DOWNTOWN.
BUT AGAIN, JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
THIS IS NOT LOW INCOME HOUSING IF YOU'VE GOTTA PAY, MARY, I'M SORRY, WE'RE OFF TOPIC.
THE PRESENTATION WAS SUPPOSED TO JUST BE A FACT SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF WHAT, HOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS.
I DON'T WANNA GET INTO ANY PARTICULAR PROJECT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT POSTED TO TALK ABOUT PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
WE JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE FACTS OF WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW IS THAT DEFINED, AND HOW IS THAT APPLIED.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK, I THINK WE ARE GOING OFF INTO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
COUNCILMAN FRANK AND I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
SO MY QUESTION IS THAT WE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT THOSE DEFINITIONS ARE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IT IS.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO ANY PARTICULAR, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE WAGE SCALE.
SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AVERAGE SALARIES, BUT IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE PART ON THE CHART WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOUSES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT OR ASK TO CLARIFY, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST WANT TO KNOW FACTS SPECIFIC.
WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS? WHAT ARE THE TYPES? NOW THE 80%, LIKE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A FAMILY OF ONE, THE 80% IS, UH, 41,250.
THAT IS THE MAXIMUM THAT A PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY TO FIT WITHIN THE PROGRAM, RIGHT? CORRECT.
BUT WHAT IF YOU HAVE A PERSON, UH, SO MY QUESTION IS, BUT, BUT, BUT YOU'RE NOT LIMITED FROM GOING UNDER THAT.
SO IF A PERSON MADE 20 1002 50, THEY WOULD STILL FIT WITHIN THAT RANGE, RIGHT? IS 80, IS IT 80% OR BELOW? THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, 80% OR BELOW.
AND THE MAIN THING YOU WANT TO CONSIDER IS THAT IF YOU ARE EARNING 21 AND NOT 41, THEN THE DEVELOPER AND OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU QUALIFY TO REPAY OR PAY THE RENT ON THAT PARTICULAR UNIT.
IF YOU'RE NOT AT 80%, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY QUALIFY TO LIVE THERE, BECAUSE IF THE RENTS ARE SET AT A RATE THAT'S EQUAL TO 80% OF MEDIAN, NOT 80% AND BELOW, THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE ONLY GONNA BE EXTENDED A LEASE IF YOU CAN AFFORD THAT 800 OR A THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, SO JUST TO DOLLAR RENT.
SO JUST TO, I WANTED TO CLARIFY, JUST SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND.
SO LIKE THAT ONE PERSON AT 80%, THE RENT WOULD BE SET AT 30% OF THAT PERSON'S INCOME DIVIDED BY 12? YEAH.
THROUGH THE DAY WHEN THE, WHEN, WHEN THE DEVELOPER RECEIVED FINANCING, THEY AGREED BY ACCEPTING THE FUNDING FROM THE STATE THAT THEY WOULD OFFER THEIR UNITS BASED ON A RENT THAT WOULD BE SET AT 80% OF A PERSON'S MEDIUM INCOME.
SO IT'S NOT AS IF YOU CAN OFFER RENTS AT, AT DIFFERENT PRICES ON THAT SCALE.
IT IS THAT THEY AGREED THAT THE RENT, UH, WOULD BE 80 EQUAL TO 80% OF THAT PERSON'S INCOME, PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING.
SO, SO IF A PERSON CAN'T QUALIFY FOR WHAT IS CURRENTLY, UH, $850 RENT OR 1,500 RENT, THEN THEY JUST CAN'T QUALIFY.
ALSO, I HAD A QUICK, ANOTHER QUESTION, AND THEN I'LL LET, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
WHEN, HOW LONG, LIKE IF A DEVELOPER, ANY DEVELOPER, ANYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS PROGRAM, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME? ARE THEY, ARE THEY ON A, UH, A TIMEFRAME FOR THEM TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS? LIKE IS BASED ON THE FINANCING? LIKE IF, IF THERE IS A, A DEVELOPER, HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM? YEAH, SO, SO TYPICALLY IF YOU'RE A DEVELOPER FOR THIS TYPE OF FINANCING, YOU HAVE AGREED TO EITHER A, A 20 YEAR
[01:20:01]
OR SOME LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY.AND THAT MEANS THAT YOUR RENT CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE IT.
THE MARKET GOES UP AND INCOMES GO UP.
YOU CAN CHARGE A HIGHER RENT FOR THAT 80% OF UNITS, BUT YOU CAN NEVER, UH, GO UNDER WHAT IS AFFORDABLE TO A PERSON AT 80% OF MEDIUM PAY IN NO MORE THAN 30% OF THE INCOME.
SO THAT'S WHY I USE THE EXAMPLE RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT MEDIUM RENTS, MEDIUM RENTS AND MARKET RATE RENTS ARE ALMOST THE SAME IN PORT ARTHUR RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT MEANS THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO REAL DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN WHAT A PERSON, BECAUSE MARKET RATE RENT IS WHAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD AT 80% OF INCOME.
AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES, BUT THAT MEANS THAT, UH, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT'S AFFORDABLE.
BUT THAT'LL CHANGE OVER TIME DEPENDING ON HOW THE MARKET, FRANK.
THE REASON WHY, AND LET ME DO THIS IN SUMMATION, THE REASON WHY YOUR PRESENTATION IS IMPORTANT TO US IS ALONG THE LINES WHY DR.
KEN LAW WAS ASKING THE QUESTIONS THAT HE WAS IS CAUSE WE HAVE A PERCEPTION PROBLEM HERE.
AND THAT PERCEPTION IS, IS THAT, UH, CONTINUALLY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LOW INCOME HOUSING, UH, WHICH IS NEEDED, AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T DECRY THAT OR, OR SAY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OR FASHION, IT IS NOT NEEDED.
BUT IN THE, UH, IN THE, UM, IN THE EFFORT TO TRY TO ELEVATE PORT ARTHUR AND TO ELEVATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE OPINION OR PERCEPTIONS OF PORT ARTHUR ARE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RAISE THAT PERCEPTION SO THAT PRODUCTION CAN CONTINUE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY THIS DEFINING OF LOW INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME AND ALL OF THAT IS NECESSARY SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
SO MANY TIMES PROJECTS WILL COME AND THEN, UH, LOW, UH, INCOME OR LOW INCOME OR MODERATE INCOME, UH, HOUSING IS BEING, UH, DEVELOPED.
AND THAT CARRIES UNFORTUNATELY A STIGMA, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, ULTIMATELY NOW TRYING TO ERADICATE THAT STIGMA AND TO DEVELOP AT THE SAME TIME ARE BOTH IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY, AS A COUNCIL, UH, AS WE SEEK TO GO FORWARD.
IF I MAY, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M EMPHASIZING THAT THERE'S A NEED TO CHANGE THAT PERCEPTION.
WE NEED TO REPLACE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING, BECAUSE REALLY YOUR INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DEVELOPING HOUSING THAT THE MARKET WANTS TO SEE BASED ON AFFORDABILITY THAT'S IN THE MARKET.
SO I CONTEND THAT IT'S MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND THE REASON I USE THE EXAMPLE OF THOSE DIFFERENT WAGES IS THAT YOU'VE GOT A SEGMENT OF YOUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT DOESN'T NEED LOW INCOME HOUSING OR EVEN SOME OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTS.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS INCOME RANGES AND, UM, AND, AND THEN THAT THEY'LL SUPPORT THOSE, THOSE PRODUCTS.
CITY, JIM, MR. GILLIAN, WHILST YOU DID GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF, UM, THE, UM, VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO BE WORKFORCE.
WELL, FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PUBLIC, THEN YEAH.
UH, THE SLIDE THAT I USED PREVIOUSLY, I USED THOSE, I USED THOSE INCOME RANGES, YOU KNOW, TO TO JUST TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IF A FAMILY OF FOUR EARNING $58,950 IS RIGHT NOW CONSIDERED 80% OF YOUR INCOME, PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME FOR HOUSING, THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF FOLKS IN PORT ARTHUR RIGHT NOW THAT NEED HOUSING IN THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WHO NEED HOUSING THAT'S OF HIGHER PRICE OR LOWER PRICE.
I'M JUST SIMPLY EMPHASIZING THAT YOU ALREADY GOT PRODUCTS OUT THERE LIKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, THAT'S PROVIDED FOR THE PEOPLE AT THE LOWER END AND THEN THE PRIVATE MARKET WHO ARE PROVIDING HOUSING THAT COST.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOUSING THAT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO THOSE TO BE THE CVS TECH, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WORKS AT LAMAR, PORT ARTHUR, YOU KNOW, AND THESE, UM, CATEGORIES OF WORKERS AS WELL.
YEAH, I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, MOTIVA WAGES RIGHT NOW IN THE PLANTS, YOU LOOK AT THE WORKFORCE AT, UH, AT THE PORT AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT SOME VERY HIGH INCOMES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO Y YOUR HOPE WOULD BE THAT AS MOTIVA MAKES THE SHIFT INTO DOWNTOWN, THEIR WORKFORCE WOULD CHOOSE DOWNTOWN FOR HOUSING.
PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WOULD PROVIDE IT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT GREATER DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING AND PRICING AND THAT SORT
[01:25:01]
OF THING.WELL, GILLIAN, UH, THINK WE WOULD THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO, UH, EXPRESSIONS
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
OF, UH, THANKS OR CONGRATULATIONS OR CONDOLENCES OF ANY OTHER INFORMATION, UH, THAT COUNCIL PERSONS MAY DEEM NECESSARY, UH, AT THIS JUNCTURE.ANY INFORMATION? UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, THAT COUNCILWOMAN HOLMES MAYOR PRO TIM ISN'T HERE TODAY.
SHE IS CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY TODAY, AND SHE ASKED THAT SHE WOULD BE EXCUSED TO CELEBRATE WITH HER FAMILY, HER, UH, BIRTHDAY ON TODAY.
SO WE WOULD WANT TO AGAIN, SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAYOR PROTE HOLMES.
IF THERE THAT COUNCILMAN FRANK, UH, AGAIN, CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MR. ELIJAH LIVINGS, UH, AND HIS FAMILY.
I ATTENDED THAT FUNERAL IN SEVERAL OTHERS ON SATURDAY.
BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO PRAY FOR THAT FAMILY AND, UH, UH, ASKING THAT THEY WOULD BE COMFORTED IN THEIR TIME, UH, OF THEIR LOVED ONES PASSING.
UH, AND LET'S SEE, WE HAVE ONE ITEM HERE.
LET ME SEE ON PAGE 13, AND I'M GOING GET TO THE SECRETARY TO BE SURE.
AND I, I'LL SEE WHICH ONE THAT IS.
BUT WE'LL DO THAT ONE AFTER WE DO, OKAY.
NOW WE WILL, UH, NOW GO TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.
WE NEED, WE WANTED TO DO THAT BEFORE CONSENT.
AND, AND I, I WAS THINKING AFTER ON PAGE
[VIII.B.1. P. O. No. 7127 — An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2022 And Ending September 30, 2023 By Increasing The Golf Course Fund By $ 100, 000. 00, Increasing The Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund By 977, 400. 00 And Increasing The Capital Reserve Fund By 220, 367. 00]
13, EVERYONE, ITEM NUMBER ONE, AND IT'S AN, UH, AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMEND IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023 BY INCREASING THE GOLF COURSE FUND BY $100,000, INCREASING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND BY $977,400, AND INCREASING THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND BY $220,367.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK MOTION? MA'AM, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND IS REMOVED IN SECOND.
NO, THE, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT APPEAL NUMBER 71 27 AS READ, WE ARE, UH, READY FOR QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN MARKS? YES, MR. MAYOR, COULD, UH, WE HAVE SOME DETAIL PROVIDED FOR, UH, THESE INCREASES, PLEASE.
I I THOUGHT YOU ALL HAD THEM IN THE PACKET.
YEAH, MAYOR, THE BUDGET, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT IS REQUESTED TO INCREASE THE APPROPRIATIONS AND FOR THE GOLF COURSE FUND BY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXED BY 977 AND THE CAPITAL RESERVE BY TWO $227,000 AND $367.
UM, THE ADDITIONAL 100,000 REQUESTED TO INCREASE THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED IN 2022.
SO IT'S NOT NEW MONEY THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR, IT'S, WE'RE CARRYING IT OVER FROM 2022.
AND THE SAME, UM, AMOUNTS FOR THE 200 $977,000, $977,400.
AGAIN, IT WAS APPROPRIATED IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2022.
AND WE ARE ASKING THAT IT'D BE ROLLED OVER.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS ONE CONCERN ABOUT IT, BUT WE CAN, EVEN IF WE APPROVE THIS, WE CAN STILL HOLD THE ITEM.
YOU CAN STILL HOLD THE ITEM YES.
FOUR, WHATEVER CONCERN YOU HAVE.
BUT YES, THOSE ARE, UM, AMOUNTS THAT WAS BUDGETED IN THE 2022 BUDGET, AND WE ARE BASICALLY ROLLING THE MOVER AND AS THE, THE AMOUNT FOR, FOR THE WE FINDING PROJECT, IT'S HOP TAX MONEY THAT WE ARE BASICALLY ROLLING OVER FROM 2022.
[01:30:01]
DOESN'T CHANGE IT.IS THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? COUNCIL MOORE? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WITNESS? DON'T HAVE ANY READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYE HAVE SHOWED AS AUDIT, WE WOULD ACCEPT THE AUDIENCE OF RESOLUTION AS READ.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND, AND, AND THE, UH, FOLK IN THE GALLERY.AND, UH, THIS IS BASICALLY ITEMS OF ROUTINE NATURE.
AND UNLESS WE HAVE A REQUEST TO REMOVE ANY ITEM OR WITHDRAW AND DEAL, DEAL WITH IT INDIVIDUALLY, WE WILL REMOVE, WE WILL APPROVE THE ENTIRE PACKET IN THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS? THERE IS ONE ITEM THAT WE WANT TO REMOVE.
UH, ON PAGE FOUR, PR NUMBER 22 506.
WE WANT TO REMOVE THIS ENTIRE ITEM AT THIS JUNCTION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, AND WE WILL ONLY, UH, BY MISTAKENLY RE UH, PLACING IT BACK ON THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE REMOVED? OKAY.
AND THEN ON, THAT'S ON PAGE FOUR, AND THEN ON PAGE EIGHT, UH, OKAY, BUT WHICH, WHICH ONE? YOU READY? Y'ALL READY? OKAY.
UH, MAYOR, UH, A TWO ON PAGE FOUR.
AND THEN ON PAGE EIGHT, UH, PR NUMBER 2,307, THAT'S PAGE EIGHT.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, IEM NUMBER 23, UH, 2 23 7.
ANY OTHER ITEMS? ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM REMOVAL? IF THERE AREN'T ANY, WE, UH, BE READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO ITEMS. UH, ITEM A TWO AND ITEM 23, WHICH WILL BE HANDLED, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, UH, WRITTEN FOR A MOTION OF COUNCILMAN MARKS.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK.
IN SECONDARY, WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE TWO PREVIOUSLY STATED ITEMS. ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION, HONOR THE QUESTIONS.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
HAVE IT? SO, AS ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED, AS, UH, INDICATED NOW WITH THE ITEMS THAT WERE,
[VII.A.2. Mayor Thurman Bartie: African American Mayor' s Conference Washington, DC April 18 — 22, 2023 5, 749. 40]
UH, WERE DRAWN, THE FIRST ITEM BEING ON PAGE FOUR, UH, ITEM A TWO BY, UH, REQUEST OF MAYOR BARI FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR'S CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC ON THE DATES OF APRIL 18TH THROUGH THE 22ND AND 2023.AND, UH, REQUEST AN AMOUNT IN FIVE OF $5,749 AND 40 CENTS.
GET A, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, TWO, WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT ITEM.
UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THESE APPROVED TRAVELS.
UH, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE TALKED WITH US COLLECTIVELY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE REASONS WHY, I JUST WANTED YOU TO CONTINUE THAT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IN LETTING THEM KNOW WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO GO OUT THERE AND NETWORK WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN ACTUALLY GET THINGS DONE IN THIS CITY.
SO, I PULLED THIS ITEM SO THAT YOU CAN EXPRESS THIS TO ENTIRE CITY ABOUT HOW THIS IS GONNA REFLECT ON OUR GREAT CITY.
WELL, UH, MR. MAYOR, LET'S SPEAK BEFORE YOU, OKAY.
COSMAN FRANK, THANK YOU FOR PULLING IT DR.
UM, ON THE LAST OCCASION THAT, UM, YOU WANTED TO GO MAYOR TO THIS, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR'S CONFERENCE, UH, I WAS ONE OF THE MEMBERS AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, UH, WHO, UH, VOTED AGAINST IT, UH, AS THE ENTIRETY OF THE COUNCIL.
DID YOU YOURSELF VOTED, UH, AGAINST IT AT THE END OF THE, AT THE END OF, UH, THAT VOTE? UM, UH, BUT OF COURSE, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, I'M GOING TO BE, UH, ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS TO VOTE FOR IT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
AND I WANTED TO COMMEND AND THANK YOU, UH, AS WELL.
UM, ALL OF US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE STRENGTHS, UH, THOSE, UH, THINGS THAT WE BRING TO THE ENTIRETY OF COUNCIL.
[01:35:01]
UH, IS THE ABILITY TO NETWORK.UH, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, UH, AND SO, UH, WHEN WE VOTE ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES, UH, IT SAYS FOR US THAT WE ARE CHOOSING TO BE PROGRESSIVE AS OPPOSED TO REGRESSIVE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU TO GO, UH, AND JUST, UH, DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU DO, AND TO BRING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS MEASURE.
UH, AND I WANT TO, UH, SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I KNOW THIS, THE CITIZENS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE WERE AT THE, UH, PORT WHEN SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION CAME DOWN TO ACTUALLY AWARD THE PORT, UH, A GRANT FOR $13.6 MILLION.
AND I DON'T THINK THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY KNOW THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CONTACTS THAT WERE MADE THROUGH, UH, THE MAYOR WITH, UH, SOMEONE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S OFFICE.
AND THAT APPROVAL FOR 13.6 MILLION WAS DONE WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO OF A MEETING AFTER, UH, THE PORT DIRECTOR, LARRY KELLY, SPOKE TO US THAT DAY AND TALKED ABOUT THE NINE TIMES THAT THEY HAD APPLIED FOR THAT SAME GRANT, BUT, AND WAS TURNED DOWN NINE TIMES UNTIL THERE WAS A CONTACT MADE, UH, IN THAT OFFICE BASED ON THE, UH, RELATIONSHIP THAT THE MAYOR HAS DEVELOPED IN WASHINGTON DC AND WE, WE AWARDED 13.6 MILLION.
SO IT'S, WITH THAT, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD VOTE FOR THIS, THIS ITEM THIS TIME, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK, UH, I DON'T SEE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR HERE, BUT THERE IS A TRAVEL BUDGET AND THERE ARE PRE-APPROVED TRAVEL ITEMS ON THAT BUDGET.
UH, AND JUST, JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, UH, IS THERE SOMEONE FROM FINANCE HERE, MR. CITY MANAGER, SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, EXACTLY WHAT'S IN IT, WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR, AND, AND WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE MID-YEAR NOW, AND, AND WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN SPENT AND WHAT'S, UH, REMAINING.
THAT WOULD BE AN ANALYSIS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH LITTER.
BUT IF ONE IS ASKING THAT WHETHER FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE, YES, FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE AT THIS POINT.
UH, TO BOTH MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SPOKEN FAVORABLY FOR THIS, I, I, UH, I'M HUMBLED AND I THANK YOU.
ENTER THE, UH, THOSE OF YOU TOGETHER HERE, EVEN IN THE GALLERY.
UH, AS A MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS IN GOVERNMENT, JUST AS IN YOUR HOMES, UH, IN YOUR BUSINESSES, IN YOUR CHURCHES, IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU ARE NOT CONDUCTING BUSINESS AT HOME.
THE WAY YOU CONDUCTED IT TWO YEARS AGO, YOU'RE NOT CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN YOUR CHURCHES OR IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS AS YOU DID FIVE YEARS AGO.
IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER AND YOU ARE ACTUALLY CONDUCTING BUSINESS, AND YOU ARE EVERYDAY, UH, PROFESSION, IT'S NOT BEING CONDUCTED IN A VERY SAME WAY.
YOU DID PROBABLY 24 MONTHS OR 36 MONTHS AGO.
GOVERNMENT IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED AS IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
RIGHT NOW, GOVERNMENT, THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION THAT WE HAVE, THE, THE ACTUAL CONGRESS, NO MATTER WHAT POLITICAL IDEOLOGISTS THEY MAY BE ON AS FAR AS THE PARTISANSHIP, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED VEHEMENTLY TO BE SURE THAT MONIES WOULD COME DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITIES.
[01:40:01]
THERE ARE CABINET LEVEL DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HANDLING THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING DIRECTLY TO OUR COMMUNITIES.THERE ARE OVER 19,000 COMMUNITIES AND VILLAGES AND RESERVATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHENEVER REQUEST THE MADE FOR DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS TO ANY OF THESE VILLAGES.
BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH CABINET LEVEL POSITIONS.
THIS IS WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS RIGHT NOW AND THE WAY IT'S DONE.
I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE OFFICES WHO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
ON LAST YEAR, AS COUNCILMAN FRANK SAID, HOW LONG WITH THE COUNCIL JUST VOTED NO.
I USE MY PERSONAL FUNDS TO GO TO WASHINGTON, DC FOR ABOUT FOUR DAYS, NO FLIGHT, FOOD, HOTEL.
BUT THROUGH THAT, I FORMED RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO, ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITH THE BUDKE, IS ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR, BUT NO INFORMATION GETS TO THE EIGHTH FLOOR WITHOUT PASSING FIRST ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR.
IF THE UNDER SECRETARIES DON'T HAVE DIALOGUE WITH YOU AND ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU ARE TRYING TO GET, IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT YOUR REQUEST GETS UP TO THE EIGHTH FLOOR IN THAT.
AND WITH THAT IN MIND, GOD BLESSED ME TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL OF PERSONALITY, TO HAVE COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND TO BE ASTUTE ENOUGH TO EXPLAIN MYSELF IN A PROPER MANNER.
AND THROUGH THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, I WAS ABLE TO HAVE EVERY PERSON IN THAT ROOM KNOW THE PASSION THAT I HAD FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN MY COMMUNITY DOWN HERE IN LITTLE OLD TEXAS, WHEN WE FINISHED THE PRESENTATION, AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS, THE UNDERSECRETARY SAID, MAYOR, I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE HERE.
I CAN NOW PUT A FACE WITH THE REQUEST.
YOU SEE, BECAUSE WE HAVE 11,000 REQUESTS, I HAD NO IDEA WE WOULD GET IT.
I KNEW THE PORT HAD TRIED TO GET THESE MONIES SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
I SAID ALL THAT TO SAY THIS IN THE BEGINNING.
I SAID, YOU, YOU CAN'T CONDUCT BUSINESS THE WAY YOU DID IN THE PAST.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOUR CITY IS GOING TO GET SOMETHING AND BE A RECIPIENT OF SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, YOU MUST AGGRESSIVELY GO AFTER THOSE.
AND YOU HAVE TO AGGRESSIVELY SEEK THOSE BY BEING PRESENT WHEN DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING ON.
THERE'S AN ADAGE THAT I LEARNED IN WASHINGTON THAT SAID, IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE ROOM WHEN THE DISCUSSION GOES ON, YOU ARE PROBABLY PART OF THE MENU.
AND I DIDN'T WANT PORT ARTHUR TO BE PART OF THE MENU.
SO I MADE THIS REQUEST AGAIN THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER MY GOING BACK TO WASHINGTON AGAIN TO SEE IF GOD WOULD BLESS US AGAIN WITH MAYBE SOME FORM AND SOME SEMBLANCE OF FUNDING THAT WE WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED FOR.
I, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROPER WAY TO DO THIS, AND YOU'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.
I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR PRE TRAVEL, UH, EXPENSES, YOU'RE DOING THAT, WE'VE ASKED YOU TO GO AND TELL THE COMMUNITY EXACTLY WHY THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT, BASED UPON BEING ON THE TRAVEL, UH, EXPENSE COMMITTEE MYSELF.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT TO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S OUT HERE AND THE LISTENERS OUT THERE ON, ON THE WEBSITE.
AND I, I, I TOO, UH, WILL, UH, APPROVE
[01:45:01]
THIS, UH, THIS, THIS PRE-TRIAL EXPENSE BASED UPON YOUR CONNECTIONS AND BASED ON WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SERVICE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION? IF NOT, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
IN THE OPPOSERS, AYES HAVE TO ORDER A TWO OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
AND NOW WE HAVE ON PAGE EIGHT, NUMBER 23, PR NUMBER 23 0 0 7.
IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO YOUR CONTRACT WITH, UH, PREFERRED, EXCUSE ME, FERTILITY GROUP USA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE SOUTH PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT THE BABES HARRIES GOLF COURSE.
[VII.C.1. P. R. No. 22506 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate A Contract With Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole LLC ( AWC) Of Port Arthur, Texas For Professional Services Associated With The Planning And Design Of The Underground Utilities & Communication Systems Infrastructure Project. This Is Part Of The Economic Development Administration Investment Plan ( EDA). Funds Are Available In Account 305- 21- 625- 8525- 00- 00- 000. Project Number DT0003]
WE SKIPPED THE, THE ITEM.WE, WE SKIPPED ITEM NUMBER ONE.
WE HELD 2 2506, NUMBER ONE ON PAGE FOUR.
NO, WE, WE PULLED THAT ONE RIGHT AND NOW WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT.
WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH IT, WE HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE.
YEAH, WE TO REMOVE, WE HELD THAT ONE AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT A TWO PASSED IT.
NOW WE NEED TO A MOTION TO GET IT ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL, OR YOU CAN ASK TO REMOVE IT.
SO GET IT ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL ASK TO REMOVE IT FROM THERE.
WELL, I, I GET A MOTION FOR PR, PR NUMBER 22 5 0 6.
AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER, NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, L L C A W C OF PORT ARTHUR FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
THIS IS PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION INVESTMENT PLAN.
E D A FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 5 DASH 21 DASH 6 25 DASH 8 5 25 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND IT'S PROJECT NUMBER D T 0 0 0 3.
MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, COUNCIL MARK.
SO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCIL MCKEN LAW SECOND MAYOR.
UH, IT BEEN MOVED THAT WE WOULD, UH, MOVE THE SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS.
MAY WE READY FOR QUESTION? AND, UH, MAYOR, THIS ITEM HAD ACTUALLY BEEN APPROVED AT A PRIOR MEETING AND IT'S ON HERE IN ERROR.
SO WE ASKED THAT YOU WERE I KNOW AND I SAID THAT, BUT I I'M SORRY WE HAD TO GO THROUGH, YOU SAID YOU ROBERT, WE HAVE TO DO, SORRY.
OKAY, NOW I CAN MOVE TO, UH, NO, NO, MA'AM.
SO I MAKE A, IT'S ON THE FLOOR.
IT'S ON THE FLOOR NOW AM I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY.
MAKE, SO I MOVE THAT WE REMOVED PR NUMBER 22 506.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TWO FOR REMOVAL WITH QUESTION.
IN THE OPPOSERS AYE, TO RESULT OF THIS IS ACTUALLY REMOVED FROM TODAY'S AGENDA.
[VII.23. P. R. No. 23007— A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Preferred Facilities Group - USA, Of Beaumont, Texas For The Repairs To The South Pedestrian Bridge At The Babe Zaharias Golf Course, Through The Choice Partners Purchasing Program, Contract No. 20/ 017MR- 17 With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $ 124, 020. 67. Funding Available In Golf Course Fund Account 103- 25- 065- 8526- 00- 20- 000]
WILL GO TO PAGE EIGHT.IT IS A RESOLUTION OF AUTHORIZING IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUPS USA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE SOUTH PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT THE BAYS AREAS GOLF COURSE DUE TO THE CHOICE PARTNERS PURCHASING PROGRAM.
CONTRACT NUMBER 21 21 17 MR 17 WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF 124,000, $20 AND 67 CENTS FUNDING AVAILABLE IN GOLF COURSE FUND ACCOUNT 1 0 3 DASH 25 DASH 6 0 6 5 DASH 8 5 26 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH TWO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? GENTLEMEN, DON'T MOVE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN? MARKS SECOND.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON YOU? UH, IT WAS BEING PULLED.
YOU'LL LIKE HIM OVER FOR THE PRIVATE CITY.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MS. FRANK AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT, UH, UH, MEETING.
UH, I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED SOME OF THE, MY OBJECTIONS WITH, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER SO WE CAN GET SOME MORE ANSWERS CLARIFIED ON THIS.
UH, MARY, OKAY, YOU, I NEED TO GET A MOTION FOR A TABLE, RIGHT? SO YOU JUST MADE A MOTION, YOU JUST DID.
AND SECOND THAT WE WERE TABLE PR NUMBER 23 0 DASH SEVEN.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVE, SO IS AUDIT THE PR NUMBER 2 3 0 0 7
[01:50:01]
FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IS NOW TABLE.AND LET'S SEE, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT? YES.
THAT IS GOING TO BE, I THINK IT'S BEGINS ON PAGE 12, RIGHT? 12.
YEAH, I CAN, I COULDN'T GET TO IT.
AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE WOULD, UH, DEAL WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.
[VIII.A.1. P. R. No. 22565 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Allco, LLC Of Beaumont, Texas For The Replacement Of An Existing 16" Force Main Known As El Vista Sanitary Sewer Force Main With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of 2, 299, 500. 50. Funding Is Available In Account No. 405- 40- 000- 8516- 00- 00- 000, Sewer System, Project No. WS0007- CON]
WITH, UH, PR NUMBERS 22 5 65.IT IS UH, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EX EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH ALCO LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING 16 INCH FORCE MAIN KNOWN AS L VEST, SANITARY SEWER FORCE MAIN, WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $2,299,500 AND 50 CENT.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH FOUR DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 85 16 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 SEWER A SYSTEM.
PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 7 DASH CON.
MAY I A MOTION FOR APPROVAL CAUSE MARKS SO MOVED.
COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND MAYOR, IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 22 5 65 AS READY.
READY FOR QUESTION? THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYE ADDED SO IT IS ORDER.
[VIII.A.2. P. R. No. 22972 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Allco, LLC Of Beaumont, Texas For The 9th Avenue Sanitary Sewer Main Replacement With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $ 808, 376. 25. Funding Is Available In Account No. 307- 21- 049- 8512- 00- 10- 000, Project No. B00006- CON]
PR NUMBER 22 9 72.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH ALCO LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE NINTH AVENUE SANITARY SEWER MAIN REPLACEMENT WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $808,376 AND 25 CENTS.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 0 49 DASH 8 5 12 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO.
PROJECT NUMBER B U 0 0 6 CON AND MAGGIE, GET A MOTION, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, MARKS SO MOVED.
MAYOR MAGGIE, SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
THAT WOULD EXCEPT PR NUMBER 2 29 72.
AS READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONING UNDER THE QUESTIONS WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
[VIII.A.3. P. R. No. 22999 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation To Accept Close Out Documents Submitted By SETEX Facilities And Maintenance, LLC And Approve The Release Of Retainage For The 549 4th St. Phase I And Phase II Additions And Renovations In The Amounts Of $ 362, 499. 99 And $ 102, 992. 82, Respectively. Funding Is Available In The EDC Account No. 307- 00- 000- 2050- 00- 00- 000, Project No. ED0549]
HAVE PR NUMBER 2 2 9 99.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TO ACCEPT CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY S SOUTHEAST TEXAS FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE LLC AND APPROVE THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE FOR THE 5 49 FOURTH STREET, PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF 662,499, EXCUSE ME, 362 YEP.
THOUSAND $499 AND 99 CENTS AND $102,992 AND 82 CENT RESPECTIVELY.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE EDC ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 DASH 2050 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN JONES IS BEEN MOVED IN SECONDARY.
WE WOULD ACCEPT P R NUMBER 2 2 9 99.
ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VIII.A.4. P. R. No. 23010 — A Resolution Appointing A Member To The Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City Of Port Arthur, And Whose Term Shall Expire October 30, 2024]
A RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 1 0.IT'S A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A MEMBER TO THE PLAN AND ZONING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR AND WHOSE TERMS SHALL EXPIRE OCTOBER 30TH, 2024.
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE NAME TO THE SECRETARY? SUE LIMA ESCOBIDO.
AND SHE WILL BE REPLACING MR. UH, FERNANDO RAMIREZ, WHO PASSED AWAY ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I THINK IT WAS.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN JONES MOVE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND.
[01:55:01]
WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 0 1 0.ANY QUESTIONS ON IT? HONOR ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY FOR VOTING? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVING SO IT IS AUDIT AND, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
I HAVE THE NUMBERS DOWN IN MY OFFICE.
I'LL GIVE THAT TO YOU FOR YOUR, UH, CONTACT WITH HER.
[VIII.A.5. P. R. No. 23023 — A Resolution Authorizing The March 28, 2023 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting Date To Be Rescheduled Or Cancelled]
NEXT WE HAVE PR AND NUMBER 20.IT WAS THOSE TWO THREES WERE THROWING ME OFF FOR A SECOND.
23 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MARCH 28TH, 2023.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING DATE TO BE RE SCHEDULED.
AND WE ARE GONNA RESCHEDULE IT FOR MARCH 30TH.
AM I CORRECT? AND THAT, THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS AT NINE 30? YEAH.
MARCH 30TH AT NINE 30 10:00 AM OH, AT 10:00 AM EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
MARCH 30TH, 10:00 AM WE ARE GONNA BE IN WASHINGTON ON THE 28TH.
WE WEREN'T COMING BACK UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DATE.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING IT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THAT? UH, COSMAN MARKS.
SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2323 AS STATED, WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION AND I THINK I JUST ANSWER THOSE.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IN HIS ORDER FOR THE NEXT ONE, COUNCILMAN FRANK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT THIS ONE FOR ME? NO, NO, NO.
YEAH, YOU CAN DO IT FROM THERE.
UM, PUT YOUR MIC, CUT YOUR MIC ON.
[VIII.B.2. P. O. No. 7130 — An Ordinance Authorizing The Conveyance Of The City Owned Vacant Tracts Of Land Commonly Known As 725, 733 And 735 West 5th Street To First Sixth Street Baptist Church Pursuant To § 253. 011 Of The Texas Local Government Code]
GOING TO GO TO NUMBER TWO.UM, PO NUMBER 71 30 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF THE CITY.
OWNED VACANT CONTRACTS OF LAND COMMONLY KNOWN AS 7 25 7 33, AND 7 35 WEST FIFTH STREET TO THE FIRST SIXTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, PURSUANT TO 2 53 0.01.
ONE OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? QUESTION? QUESTION, ASK QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UH, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PROTE, JUST, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE MAYOR HAS ABSTAINED HIMSELF BECAUSE OF SOME, UH, POSSIBLY, UH, I MEAN, THAT'S LEGAL CRIMINAL.
WE JUST WANTED TO PUT IT FOR THE RECORD THAT, UH, THIS IS WHY HE'S NOT ACTUALLY CONDUCTING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND RECUSING HIMSELF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND I WAS GONNA SAY, ONCE I STEPPED BACK, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE VOTE WAS GONNA GO.
UH, THAT, THAT I AM A MEMBER OF ASSOCIATE MINISTER AT THAT CHURCH GROWING UP IN THAT CHURCH MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE PROPER FOR ME TO VOTE ON THAT.
AND WHAT YOU JUST DID WAS CONTINUE TO HELP OUR CHURCH, HELP THE COMMUNITY.
THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS FOOD BANK IS GOING TO DONATE A STATION THAT WE COULD PLACE NEXT TO OUR PARKING LOT.
WE OWN ALL OF, MOST ALL OF THE LAND AROUND THERE, EXCEPT THOSE LOTS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND ANY, UH, PROPER PERSONS.
I'M, I THINK YOU'VE, YOU'VE EXPLAINED IT SO I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE ON.
SO I JUST, I WAS JUST DOING IT FOR YOU ALL ALSO.
[VIII.B.3. P. O. No. 7133 — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 86 Solid Waste, Article III Refuse, Section 86- 79( H) As It Pertains To The Rate For Heavy Users And Special Waste Rate And Providing For Publication]
NEXT WE HAVE P O NUMBER 71 33 IN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 86, SOLID WASTE ARTICLE, UH, THREE REFUSE SECTION 86 DASH 79 H AS IT PERTAINS TO THE RATE FOR HEAVY USERS AND SPECIAL WASTES RATE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN JONES? OKAY.
I MIGHT GET A SECOND SECONDARY.
IT'LL MOVE IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THIS ORDER.
71 33 AS READ, WE ARE READY, UH, FOR QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN OH, YOUR LIFE STILL ON? OKAY, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
[VIII.B.4. P. O. No. 7134 — An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Suspending The Rates Proposed By Texas Gas Service Company' s TGS" Or " Company") Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program GRIP") Filing Made With The City On February 9, 2023; Finding That The Meeting Complies With The Open Meetings Act; Making Other Findings And Provisions Related To The Subject, And Declaring An Effective Date]
NEXT WE HAVE PO NUMBER 71 34.IT'S AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS SUSPENDING THE RATES PROPOSED BY TEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANIES, TGS OR COMPANY GAS RELIABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM GRIP, UH, FILED AND MADE
[02:00:01]
WITH THE CITY ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2023.FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS SO MOVED, MAN.
OH, I DON'T KNOW WHY I HIT THAT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE ORDINANCE.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTIONING THE HONOR? ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IT IS ORDERED, UH, WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 71 34 AS READ, UH, ACCORDING TO OUR PRINTED AGENDA, THAT ISN'T ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS AUGUSTA BODY.
AND WHAT I COULD DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO MOVE MAYOR SECOND IS REMOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD ADJOIN THIS BODY.
WE, UH, WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT.
BEFORE I WOULD LEAVE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
AND IT IS GOOD TO NOTE THAT THAT, THAT OUR GREEK, UH, FAMILY AND D NINE, UH, UH, PARTICIPANTS ARE INTERESTED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I UNDERSTOOD TODAY FROM ONE OF YOUR S THAT YOU WILL BE HERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND OTHER THINGS.
WITH THAT IN MIND, WE ARE READY FOR TO VOTE.