[00:00:01]
NOW AGAIN,[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
I'D LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE TODAY IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.UH, THAT WAS TO BEGIN AT 5:30 PM IT'S NOW 5 37 AND WE ARE BEGINNING THIS MEETING.
YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING AND, UH, PARTICIPATE, UH, BY TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS. UH, YOU MUST FIRST DIAL RECORDING AND PRO RECORDING STOPPED.
AND SO I MUST WAIT UNTIL SHE SAYS IT'S ON AGAIN, RIGHT? YES.
OKAY, AGAIN, UH, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, APRIL 11TH, 2023.
THE MEETING WAS TO BEGIN AT 5:30 PM IT IS NOW 5:38 PM AND WE ARE BEGINNING THE MEETING.
YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING BY BOTH TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, MEDIUMS. YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 R 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9, AND YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING PASS MEETING ID 8 9 9 9 9 1 2 6 9 0 4 AND THE PASS CODE OF 0 7 7 6 8 6 AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
WE'RE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE OR NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE WOULD DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWER TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE ELECTRONIC DEVICES, WE WANT YOU TO SILENCE THOSE OR MUTE THOSE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE.
UH, COUNCILMAN MOSES, WOULD YOU DO THE INVOCATION FOR US, PLEASE? AND DO THE PLEDGE? YES.
YOU BOW WITH ME, ME, FATHER GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY WE'VE BEEN GIVEN TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE THANK YOU, OH GOD, FOR WHAT YOU'VE CAUSED, UM, OUR CITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, LIVE AND TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND.
AND WE THANK YOU, OH GOD, FOR ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY OUR CITIZENRY AND OUR STAFF AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN ITS ENTIRETY.
WE THANK YOU OH GOD, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THIS CITY.
WE THANK YOU OH GOD, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND WE THANK YOU, GOD, THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID AND DONE IN THIS MEETING WILL BEAT YOUR GLORY UNTO YOUR HONOR.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE, OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH THE QUORUM? MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ANY PROCLAMATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY BEFORE ME CITY THE SECRETARY.
SO, SO THERE AREN'T ANY PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE NEED AT THIS OR WE HAVE TO PREPARE OR PRESENT RATHER, AT THIS JUNCTURE, WE'LL MOVE NOW SWIFTLY TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHICH WOULD BE PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
WE HAVE SPEAKERS, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, UH, WOULD BE MR. ROBERT SEXTON REGARDING RECREATION OF VEHICLES AND TOINE PASSED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT HE ISN'T PRESENT.
IS MR. SEXTON PRESENT? MR. SEXTON? MR. SEXTON, IF YOU ARE PRESENT, STAND PLEASE.
[III.B. (1) A Presentation By Verna Rutherford, Dr. Albert Thigpen, Pat Avery, Dr. Sam Monroe, Tom Neal And Tammy Kotzur Of The Quasquicentennial Committee Regarding The Unveiling of Quasquicentennial Way]
NOW WE WILL GO TO PRESENTATIONS.WE NOW HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MRS. VERNAL, ER, DR.
[00:05:01]
MR. TOM NEAL AND MR. MS. TAMMY, UH, COACH, UH, OF THE, UH, QU CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE REGARDING THE UNVEILING OF THE QU CENTENNIAL WAY.WOULD YOU ALL COME FORWARD PLEASE SEE HOW THEY DID ME, RIGHT? YES.
AS YOU RECALL, IN JANUARY, THE COUNCIL WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO DESIGNATE AN AREA AS THE CENTENNIAL STILLWELL GATES CELEBRATION ESCAPE CENTER.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, YOU DESIGNATED THAT THE FOURTH STREET WOULD BE CEREMONIALLY RENAMED AS COQUI CENTENNIAL WAY IN CELEBRATION OF THE CITY'S HUNDRED AND 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO I'M HERE TODAY WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT UNVEILING TAKE PLACE.
WE HAVE THE STREET SIGNS SET UP DOWNSTAIRS AND AT THE MAYOR'S BEHE, WE WILL ASK YOU ALL TO GO DOWNSTAIRS AND UNVEIL THAT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY BEFORE? OKAY.
AM I CORRECT? UH, CITY ATTORNEY.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO RECESS TO THE FOURTH STREET.
FOURTH STREET IN AUSTIN? YES, SIR.
AND, UH, AT THAT POINT WE WILL HAVE THE UNVEILING OF OUR CEREMONIAL STREET IN HONOR OF OUR 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, WE WILL RECESS AND MOVE DOWNSTAIRS.
THANK YOU ALSO KINDLY FOR WAITING UNTIL I RETURN.
DO WE NEED TO REESTABLISH? YES, SIR.
MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PROTE HOLMES.
WE CAN RECONVENE THE MEETING AND
[III.B. (2) A Presentation By Vivian Ballou Of Legacy CDC Regarding Housing (Requested By Councilmember Moses)]
OUR PRESENTERS MAYOR.ANYONE DOESN'T KNOW THESE YOUNG LADIES.
THESE ARE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
MONROE WEREN'T ABLE TO BE WITH US TONIGHT.
WE CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THE CELEBRATION TEAM, MANY OF WHOM ARE IN THE OFFICE FOR PARTICIPATING IN HELPING US WITH UNVEILING THE SIGN FORWE CENTENNIAL WAY, UH, JUST AS A CREW.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU'VE CHARGED THE COMMITTEE WITH LEVERAGING AND HAVING EVENTS WHICH CELEBRATE PORT ARTHUR'S HUNDRED 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
OUR NEXT EVENT THAT WE HAVE COMING UP AND CARDS HAVE BEEN PASSED OUT IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND IN PARTICULAR PRAYER FOR PORT ARTHUR, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON MAY 4TH, 2023.
UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO THANK YOU MAYOR, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, MOSES AND FRANK FOR BEING PART OF THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ACTIVITY.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THAT, UH, INFORMATION OUT THAT'LL TAKE PLACE ON MAY 4TH, UH, AT THE VARIOUS TIMES LISTED ON THE PROGRAM.
BUT THERE WILL BE THREE SESSIONS DURING THE DAY.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT THE CITY'S, UH, THE WEBSITE FOR THE QUI CENTENNIAL HAS GONE LIVE.
AND SO WE INVITE ALL THE PUBLIC TO VIEW THE WEBSITE.
IT IS A VAST REPOSITORY OF INFORMATION ON THE CITIZENS EVENTS AND ELEMENTS THAT HAVE MADE PORT ARTHUR WHAT IT IS TODAY.
UH, WE AGAIN COMPLIMENT MR. GARY DICKER ON THE MAMMOTH WORK HE DID IN PUTTING THE WEBSITE TOGETHER, ALONG WITH A LOT OF ASSISTANCE AND A SPECIAL KUDOS TO MS. RUTHERFORD AND MS. KOCHER BECAUSE THEY DID A LOT OF THE EDITING THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT AND WE'RE SO VERY PROUD OF THAT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO MAY 23RD WHEN WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE PORT ARTHUR'S ANNIVERSARY.
UH, THAT DAY WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO YOU IN THE COUNCIL.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE THE CITY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH OLD-FASHIONED CAKE AND ICE CREAM.
AND THEN FINALLY, MAY 28TH, WE'RE GOING TO DO A SPECIAL TREE PLANNING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES ON THE ACTUAL DATE OF THE CITY'S CHARTERIZATION.
SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH HAVING THOSE ELEMENTS.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, EVENTS THAT WE ARE LEVERAGING.
WE HAVE OTHER EVENTS IN THE YEAR WHICH WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN THE CELEBRATION OF PORT ARTHUR'S HUNDRED 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
[00:10:01]
YOU ALL.EVENING, WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? JUST IN CLOSING, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SEEING OUR FACES AND YOUR FACES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF, OF VALUE IN THE CITY EMPLOYEES, AND WE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY CELEBRATING THE SIGNAGE AND THE EVENT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR ALL OF THE BACKGROUND WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, WHETHER IT'S BEEN, I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE HERE CAUSE I'M GONNA LEAVE SOMEONE OFF, BUT THE PURCHASING, THE ELECTRICAL TEAM AND THOSE WHO ARE PUTTING UP THE SIGNAGE, JUST A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND WE WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR, UH, THE, UH, THE VALUABLE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, WELCOME, WE HAVE, WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.
SO, UH, ANY MEMBERS OF THE QUIN CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE, PLEASE STAND AT THIS TIME.
AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, UNLESS THE COUNCIL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, WE THANK YOU ALL AND YOU ALL ARE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING TO MAKE THIS 125TH YEAR OF EXISTING AS A MUNICIPALITY IN TEXAS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND THANK YOU.
[III.B. (3) A Presentation By (CEAT) Regarding The Code Enforcement Association Of Texas Training Event]
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TO CONTINUE IN THE PROCESS OF OUR MEETINGS.WE'RE ENROLL NUMERAL THREE AND WE WILL BEGIN NOW WITH A PRESENTATION BY KATE REGARDING THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS TRAINING EVENT.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME OF, AGAIN, OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
SO WE ARE HERE AT THE BEHEST OF OUR DIRECTOR OF PAMELA LANGFORD.
ASKED TO BRING A PRESENTATION REGARDING SOME EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT TO THE CITY, UH, THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS.
AND SO I'M GONNA LET JAMES, UH, TAKE OVER FROM HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL.
THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS, TAKE THE MIC OUT.
YEAH, THAT, WAIT, I HAVE A LOUD MOUTH AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THIS, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS IS A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION, THE 4,000 PLUS MEMBERS.
IT FORMED TO STUDY AND ADVANCE THE SCIENCE AND THE PRACTICE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT THROUGH CERTIFICATION AND TO FURTHER THE INTEREST OF THE PROFESSION, THE MEMBERS OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD VISITED THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OFFICE IN AUGUST OF 2022.
THEY WERE HERE TO FINALIZE THE DETAILS AND VENUES FOR A TRAINING COURSE THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 38TH ANNUAL SEAT CONFERENCE THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD IN BEAUMONT.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS HOSTED TWO OF THE ARENA REGIONAL TRAININGS, ONE IN 2013 AND IN OCTOBER, 2017.
THE 2017 TRAINING WAS SCHEDULED FOR 8 17 8 20 17.
BUT WE ALL EXPERIENCED THE DEVASTATION OF HURRICANE HARVEY TRAINING WAS RESCHEDULED TWICE, BUT WITH YOU FINALLY ABLE TO HOST IT.
AND WE HAD A GREAT SUCCESS AT THAT MOMENT.
WE HAD SOMEWHAT 30 CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
FEBRUARY THE 15TH OF 2023, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CODE COMPLIANCE DIVISION HOSTED ITS SECOND, ITS FIRST TWO STATEWIDE COURSES PRESENTED BY MR. KELVIN BEAN, A SEAT PAST PRESIDENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT CONSULTANT IN FEBRUARY OF 20 23, 46.
CODE OFFICERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS ATTENDED THIS TRAINING.
[00:15:05]
AND OF COURSE, WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE THE CITY'S UPCOMING CLARK.I WAS NOT GONNA MESS UP ENOUGH.
SO NOW WE JUST WANT TO, UH, HAVE YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE SLIDES THAT WE TOOK OF THE EVENT.
AND OF COURSE, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS WERE A PART OF THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE AND WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT THEY WERE THERE TO, UH, MAKE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION FELT WELCOME IN PORT ARTHUR.
THIS MOMENT YOU WILL SEE THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S NEW ELECTRIC BUSES ARE TRANSPORTING A LOT OF OUR PARTICIPANTS TO OUR TRAINING SESSION.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES
SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, TO DISPLAY THE ELECTRIC BUSES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD NOT SEEN THEM AND HAD NOT BEEN ON ONE, SO THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO WE THANK IVAN AND HIS TEAM FOR THAT.
WE ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE ATTENDEES TO, UM, HAVE LUNCH AT OUR MUSEUM WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORT ARTHUR AND WHAT PORT ARTHUR HAS TO OFFER.
UM, WE THANK THEM, OUR MAYOR FOR, UH, WELCOMING, UH, THE SEAT MEMBERS AT THE MUSEUM AND JUST TELLING THEM ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN PORT ARTHUR.
WHEREVER WE GO, WE PROMOTE OUR CITY.
AND WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, WE DEFINITELY PROMOTE OUR CITY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT, UH, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE.
AND SO, MR. CALVIN BEAN, UM, WHICH IS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT CONSULTANT, HE WAS THE, UH, GENTLEMAN WHO PRESENTED THE TRAININGS AND HE IS A SEAT PASS PRESIDENT.
SO HE, WE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM HERE, UH, TO TRAIN THE CODE OFFICERS.
AND THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER PAST PRESIDENT, MS. DARLENE MAY.
I'M SHOWING SOME OF OUR STAFF THERE.
AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR STAFF.
AND THEY WERE, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THE TRAINING HERE AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO PORT ARTHUR.
AND THIS IS THE MAYOR AND, UH, SOME OF OUR ATTENDEES AT THE MUSEUM.
OKAY, SO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THIS? OKAY.
THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS, NOT ONLY ARE EMPLOYEES, GREAT EMPLOYEES AND GREAT AT HOSTING, THEY'RE ALSO GREAT AT INSTRUCTING FROM 2014 TO THE PRESIDENT OF COM.
EMPLOYEES HAVE TAUGHT NUMEROUS CODE ENFORCEMENT COURSES ON THE REGIONAL AND STATE LEVEL TO PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION EDUCATION UNITS AS WELL AS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.
EMPLOYEES HAVE TAUGHT AT SEVERAL ANNUAL SEAT CONFERENCES, INCLUDED THE LATEST CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS IN BEAUMONT DUE TO WORD OF MOUTH.
WE ALSO WERE INVITED TO INSTRUCT AT THE CENTRAL TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION 2018 CONFERENCE AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND IN THE DEMAND, AND FOR INSTRUCTING, THEY DO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR PROUD.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME SLIDES OF INSTRUCTION EVENTS THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE DONE.
AND NOT ONLY ARE EMPLOYEES GREAT AT HOSTING AND INSTRUCTING, THEY'RE GREAT AT SERVING.
WE HAVE, HOLD ON THE MIC, SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS, I'M SORRY, SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE, UH, SERVED ON THE SEAT COMMITTEES
[00:20:02]
AND AT THIS TIME, UH, MR. BROWN, WE WANNA CONGRATULATE HIM.HE IS ACTUALLY ON THE BOARD OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS AS A SERGEANT AT ARM.
AND ALSO, MS. FLANAGAN IS SERVING ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND MS. BRYANT IS SERVING ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
SO OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION.
AND SO, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE TRAINING HERE TO PORT ARTHUR.
SO WHENEVER THEY DO HAVE THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCES, UH, IF WE CAN GET THEM TO COME TO PORT ARTHUR, THAT WILL MEAN HOTEL ROOMS. THAT WILL MEAN THAT THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR DOLLARS HERE.
SO IT'S SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE THE CONFERENCE IN PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S NEVER BEEN HELD IN PORT ARTHUR BEFORE.
AND TO WRAP THIS UP, WE WANNA SAY OUR THANK YOUS TO ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE TAKEN PART MS. PAMELA LANGFORD, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS AND BRINGING BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, MR. LANGFORD AND MR. THIG PENN FOR WELCOMING, WELCOMING THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS TO OUR CITY.
WE THANK YOU, SIR FOR MEETING US AT THE MUSEUM AND COMING IN AND WELCOMING ALL OF THOSE THAT HAD COME TO OUR EVENT.
AND WE THANK YOU AGAIN CUZ YOU REALLY MADE IT GOOD.
AND IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU EVEN KNEW PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
YOU KNEW PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
MISS TAMMY KOK, ARE YOU STILL HERE FROM THE VISITOR'S BUREAU? THEY, THEY PUT HANDS ON US AND THEY REALLY HELPED US A LOT THAT WE'VE GOT OUR BANS THROUGH THEM.
THEY DID A LOT FOR OUR, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE? BAGS, SWAG BAGS,
BUT THEY ALSO, UH, SHE ALSO MET WITH THE SEAT BOARD AND COULD GIVE THEM INFORMATION ON, UH, WHAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO IF THEY BRING OTHER TRAINING TO OUR CITY.
MR. MITCHELL, MR. IVIN MITCHELL AND THE TRANSIT TEAM, THEY WERE 100% DEFINITELY WE NEEDED THEM.
THEY MADE SURE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION WAS THERE FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND THEY ALSO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON OUR NEW ELECTRIC BUSES.
THAT, AS WAS SAID EARLIER, A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT EXISTED.
THEY GOT A CHANCE TO RIDE ON THEM.
THEY FOUND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED THAT.
MR. TOM NEAL AND THE MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST FOR HIS HOSPITALITY.
AND THEY GAVE A TOUR WHILE ALL OF THEM WERE THERE.
UH, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN SOME OF THOSE PAINTINGS IN THERE, MAN.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IF WE COULD HAVE OUR ALL Y'ALL CODE TEAM TO STAND UP PLEASE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO, UM, REALLY, WE REALLY WANNA THANK OUR CODE TEAM FOR, UH, DOING PORT ARTHUR, THE PROUD PEOPLE.
WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH OUR TEAM AND THEY WORK HARD AND WE JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET YOU SEE THEM TODAY.
WE HAVE SOME NEW CODE OFFICES AS WELL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
COUNT, UH, COUNCIL, YOU ALL HAVE ANY REMARKS FOR YEP.
COUNCIL MCKEN LAW DARLENE, THANK YOU.
YOU, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, YOU'RE VERY IMPRESSIVE.
AND, UH, GET OUT THERE AND WRITE SOME CITATIONS,
LET'S GET THAT, LET'S GET THAT STATED.
BUT, UH, DARLENE DID, UH, UH, OTHER REGIONAL OFFICES, DID THEY FIND, OR DID YOU GUYS FIND OUT THAT IF THEY'RE FACING THE SAME THINGS WE WERE FACING HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? OH YES.
SO YOU COLLABORATED ON THE GOOD THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT.
WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE THE THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH, BUT YEAH, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT EVERYWHERE YOU GO, IT'S THE SAME THING.
SAME TYPES OF VIOLATIONS, SAME TYPES OF ISSUES THAT THEY DEAL WITH.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION ON A DAY.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO THE COLD OFFICERS, YOU GUYS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR CITY.
UH, YOU CATCH A LOT OF FLACK, YOU CATCH SOME OF THE DISTURBANCES AND SOME OF THE BACKLASH, UH, BECAUSE OF THE JOB THAT YOU DO.
BUT YOU ARE SO VITAL, UH, TO THE CITY THAT WE LIVE IN, AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY IS SAFE.
THAT OUR OUR CITY IS PUTTING FORTH THE KIND OF IMAGE THAT WE WANT FOR OUR CITIZENS AND FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS OF OUR CITY.
SO MAN, WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
[00:25:02]
OKAY.COUNCILWOMAN MOSES? YEAH, AND I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BE BRIEF AND QUICK.
I'VE SAT IN THE SEAT OF NOT BEING ACTUALLY A CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT WORKING FOR THE CITY.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST AN UNAPPRECIATED PLACE TO BE IN.
BUT WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT SOMETIMES KNOCKING ON DOORS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE GONNA FACE AND TRYING TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THIS TIME AND AGE, UM, AND THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, UM, ALL OVER THE WORLD, I THINK ABOUT AND, AND CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU, UM, EVERY DAY BECAUSE I, I, I HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S TOUGH.
YOU, I I REALLY BELIEVE THAT SOMETIMES YOUR LIVES ARE AT RISK CUZ PEOPLE OUT THERE DON'T CARE.
BUT I DO, UH, BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ALL OF OUR HEARTS IS JUST, UM, IT IS JUST THE PLACE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I THINK I CAN ONLY ECHO THE COMMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER.
MOSES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, VERY CLOSELY IN, UH, MY DISTRICT AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO EVEN CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH YOU ARE MEETING THEIR NEEDS AND THAT YOU'RE NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE OR TO, TO CAUSE ANY HARM TO THEM.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU.
AND COMAN MARKS, UH, YES, UH, TO THE ENTIRE GROUP, UH, ESPECIALLY MR. BROWN, WHO I INTERACT WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS,
UH, WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OUT IN DISTRICT FOUR, BUT, UH, YOUR TEAM HAS ALWAYS RESPONDED TO THE CALLS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE AND, AND WE'RE REALLY MAKING PROGRESS.
IT'S NOT AS FAST AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND I CAN ONLY EXPRESS THEIR SENTIMENTS BY SAYING, DITO.
AND MAY, MAY, I, MAY I SAY MY INSIDE JOKE AND I TOLD Y'ALL BACK THERE,
AND THEN WHEN I GOT CLOSE, I SAID ALL THIS, THESE OLD GEEZERS, OKAY,
OH, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THEM, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
AND ONE THING I KNOW I LEARNED THIS FROM MR. BROWN SOMETIMES IN MY OFFICE, HE'S THERE TWICE A DAY IN, UH, UH, EXPRESSING SOME, UH, DISH PLEASURES THAT HE'S ENCOUNTERED AND SAYING HOW HE'S GOING TO HANDLE THEM.
OKAY? AND MOST OF THE TIME, UH, HE HOUNDS THEM EXACTLY LIKE HE SAYS.
BUT WHAT HE KNOWS IS THAT HE HAS THE ADMINISTRATION AND THIS COUNCIL BEHIND WHAT THAT DECISION IS GOING TO BE WHEN YOU ALL ARE OUT THERE.
AND COUNCIL MCKEN LAW SAID, WRITE THOSE CITATIONS.
JUST KNOW THAT YOU COME TO COUNCIL MCKEN LAW AND HE WANTS YOU TO WRITE THE CITATION
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU AND AS YOU SAID COUNCILWOMAN HOLMES, YOU ARE NOT THERE TO CAUSE HARM.
WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THE AESTHETIC APPEARANCE OF OUR CITY SINCE I BEGAN.
COUNCILMAN MOSES HAS TALKED ABOUT COLD ENFORCEMENT.
I KNOW SHE SHOULD FEEL LIKE A MOTHER WHO'S LEAVING UP NEST
THAT YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO EVEN FORCE.
WELL, WE DON'T SAY ALL THAT, BUT, OKAY, NOW
[III.B. (4) A Progress Report By The Water Utilities Department Regarding Pipebursting]
NEXT WE HAVE A REPORT BY, UH, THE WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT REGARDING PIPE IN THE PIPE BURST UPDATE.I THINK WE HAVE A HANDOUT HERE IF YOU WANT.
UH, EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, SORRY, CALVIN, UH, COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT CAUSE HE'S AT A CONFERENCE, TEXAS WAR CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON, REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT, UH, THIS WEEK.
SO I'M GONNA BE PROVIDING YOU A BRIEF UPDATE OF THE PIPE BURSTING CREW AND ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE TOPICS WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS IS WHAT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY CITY FORCES,
[00:30:01]
WHAT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY CONTRACTORS, WHAT PROJECTS WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE BIDDING PHASE.WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING AN IN-HOUSE, UH, PIPE BURSTING CREW? AND THEN I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE HANDOUT.
SO IN 2018, UH, WE DECIDED TO PUT A PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND, UH, BRING ALL THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, UH, TO THIS ROOM AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING CREW.
BUT WE ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDS AT THE TIME BECAUSE THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY ITS OWN BILLS YET TO PAY FOR THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED.
ALTHOUGH WE CAN USE THE STAFF WE ALREADY HAD.
AND THEY AGREED TO FUND APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION, UH, TO FUND THIS CREW AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT IT NEEDED AT THE TIME.
SO IN 2019, WE STARTED BUYING THE EQUIPMENT, PREPPING THE CREW UP AND GETTING READY TO, UH, START THAT OPERATION.
AND REAL BRIEFLY, WHAT PIPE BURSTING DOES IS YOU GO THROUGH THE EXISTING PIPE, BREAK IT UP WITH A BURSTING HEAD WHILE YOU ARE PULLING A NEW HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, UH, PIPE BEHIND THAT BURSTING HEAD.
AND THEN WE DIG UP ALL THE MANHOLES AND ALL THE SERVICE LINES AND REPLACE THEM.
SO WHEN WE ARE, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PIPE BURSTING, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALSO REPLACING MANHOLES AS WELL AS SERVICE LINES UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE.
IT'S OUR PEOPLE THAT MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN.
THE STAFF THAT'S DEDICATED TO THIS CAUSE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING PIPE BURSTING, WE ALWAYS SEND THEM TO THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE TYPE, UH, AREAS BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE THERE, THAT MEANS MOST CASES THERE IS NO PIPE IN THE GROUND, THERE'S A CAVITY GOING THROUGH AND THEY'RE GOING OUT THERE TO ELIMINATE THAT CAVITY, REPLACE IT WITH A PIPE, AND MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS IN THE AREA HAVE SANITARY SEWER SERVICES.
AND THE CREW STARTED WITH SIX PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PIPE BURSTING AND ONE SUPERVISOR THAT HAD 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT WAS THERE TO TRAIN THEM.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF WHAT THE PIPE BURSTING OPERATION LOOKED LIKE WITH THE BURSTING HEAD AND THE MACHINE THAT'S IN THE HALL THAT, UH, DOES ALL THE WORK, ALL THE PULLING NEXT, THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ALREADY BY THE CITY PIPE BURSTING CREW IN THE LEXINGTON AREA ON THE 42ND STREET, PART OF TOWN, NINTH AVENUE AND PROCTOR STREET AREA.
WE HAVE DODGE PLACE, A LANE KRAMER PLACE, NINTH AVENUE DIXIE DRIVE, THIRD AND FOURTH STREET, PROCTOR STREET, FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
AND THE MAP, THE AERIAL VIEW THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLIDE IS SHOWING WHAT SECTIONS OF THOSE STREETS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
THE QUEEN IN THE GULF WAY AREA.
WE HAVE 12TH, 13TH, AND 14TH STREET, NINTH AVENUE IN THE GULF WAY AREA.
WE HAVE STANLEY BOULEVARD, 12TH AND 13TH STREETS WEST OF SAVANNAH BETWEEN GULF WAY AND THOMAS BOULEVARD.
WE HAVE DONE WORK ON THOMAS BOULEVARD AS WELL AS ON 12 13TH, 14TH AND 15TH STREET HOUSTON AVENUE IN THE GULF WAY AREA.
12, 13TH, 14TH, 15TH, 16TH, 17TH AND 18TH.
WEST STREETS WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN THOSE AREAS.
WE COMPLETED SECTIONS AT ROOSEVELT AVENUE, HARDING AVENUE, DUNBAR AVENUE, AND WASHINGTON AVENUE.
AND WHEN YOU SEE A LINE GOING THROUGH THE ALLEY, IT ACTUALLY IS SERVING HOUSES ON BOTH SIDES.
THAT'S WHY THE TWO STREETS ARE NAMED, UH, THAT ARE ON EACH SIDE OF THAT ALLEY.
IN THE PORT ACRES AREA, WE DID 65TH STREET AND END STREET, AGAIN UTILIZING CITY FORCES IN THE SABINE AREA, SABINE PASS AREA WITH IT SOUTH GULF WAY, GREENWICH STREET, SOUTH 11TH AVENUE AND MECHANIC STREET.
AND WE STARTED WORKING IN SABINE, UH, PASS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE INCEPTION OF THE SCREW, WHICH WAS A MISTAKE BECAUSE
[00:35:01]
SABINE PASS IS A VERY DIFFICULT AREA TO WORK IN DUE TO THE TIDE THAT YOU HAVE ALMOST 24 HOURS A DAY.SO IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, BUT IT WAS NOT A VERY GOOD TRAINING GROUND.
BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE AND LEARNED FROM.
THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THE PROGRESS AND FROM THE INCEPTION UP TO TODAY, WHEN WE SAY TOTAL FOOTAGE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PIPE MANHOLES, SERVICE LINES, SURFACE RESTORATION, FENCING, GRASS, OR WHEREVER IT TAKES TO LEAVE THE SITE EQUAL OR BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN THEY GOT THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN 2018 WE WERE SPENDING ABOUT $198 A FOOT.
2 15, 20 20 WENT DOWN TO ONE 12 IN 2021 AND ONE 18 IN 2022.
IF WE CONTINUE PUTTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF PIPE IN THE GROUND TODAY THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN TODAY FOR THE REST OF THIS BUDGET THIS YEAR, FISCAL YEAR, OUR PRICE CAN BE $85 A FOOT.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, UH, SHORTLY.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE COST PER FOOT WITH INCLUDING EVERY POSSIBLE COST, SALARIES, BENEFITS, RETIREMENT COST, EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT, MAINTENANCE FUEL, AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT DEPRECIATION, BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT WE BOUGHT IS DEPRECIATING ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR IS WHAT WE ARE ESTIMATING CAUSE IT'S GOT A LIFETIME OF, UH, 10 YEARS.
SO WE ARE INCLUDING EVERYTHING IN THAT COST.
AND WE ARE ALSO ATTACHING ABOUT A 15% CONTINGENCY OF THINGS THAT ARE UNKNOWN.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST THE COST OF THE PIPE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ACTUAL OPERATIONAL COST THE CONTRACTORS HAVE COMPLETE.
AND, UH, BRIEFLY, THE CITY STAFF HAS DONE ABOUT 6.1 MILES OF PIPE ALREADY.
THE CITY STAFF, CITY STAFF HAVE COMPLETED, NO, SINCE THEY STARTED.
THEY'VE DONE ABOUT 6.1 MILES, UH, CONTRACTING PIPE BURSTING.
WE STARTED DOING THAT LAST YEAR.
WE COMPLETED THREE PROJECTS SO FAR.
UH, SABINE PASS PIPE BURSTING PROJECT ONE, WHICH WAS ON PEARL STREET, SOUTH 11TH AVENUE AND TREEMONT STREET, SABINE PASS PIPE BURSTING PROJECT TWO THAT COVERED AREAS ON SOUTH 14TH STREET, BUER STREET, SOUTH 11TH AVENUE, THREE MONTHS STREET, SOUTH 15TH STREET AND SOUTH GULF WAY DRIVE.
AND IT ALSO COVERED SOUTH THIRD AVENUE AND MECHANIC STREET.
THE MOST RECENT PROJECT THAT WE JUST COMPLETED WITH THE CONTRACTORS WAS THE LAKESIDE AREA STADIUM ROAD TO WILLIAMS AVENUE.
AND THAT COVERED LAKESHORE DRIVE AND LAKESIDE DRIVE.
THE REASON YOU'RE SEEING PIPE BURSTING AND SABINE PASS IS BECAUSE WE HAD ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO COMPLETE A THOUSAND FEET OF PIPE A YEAR WITH THE ASSOCIATED MANHOLES AND SERVICE LINES.
SO WE DON'T GO UNDER ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO FAR FROM THE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE MADE IN THE PIPING SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE IMPROVEMENTS WE MADE TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN DOWN THERE, WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITHIN THE PERMIT LIMITS AND THE AMOUNT OF FLOW COMING TO THE PLANT HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
SO WHATEVER, WHAT WE ARE DOING OUT THERE IS WORKING.
AND THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THE WORK THAT'S BEING CONTRACTED OUT.
WE ARE DESIGNING THESE PROJECTS IN HOUSE.
THEY ARE BEING COMPLETED BY CITY STAFF, BY MY COMPANY, ALL THE DRAFTING, THE FIELD WORK, UH, THE BIDDING PHASE, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT IN THE BIDDING PHASE TODAY FOR SANITARY SEWER PIPE BURSTING SLASH REHABIL REHABILITATION.
WE HAVE A CONTRACT THAT SHOULD OPEN BIDS IN A WEEK OR TWO, WHICH IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, BUDGETED, UH, COST.
IT'S GONNA COVER AREAS ON 22ND STREET, EIGHTH AVENUE, PROCTOR STREET, FIFTH STREET, SIXTH STREET, SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH, AND 10TH STREET.
CONTRACT THREE IS ALSO ON THE BIDDING PHASE FOR SABINE PASS, WHICH IS GONNA GO ON PEARL STREET ALL THE WAY TO THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION.
SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES WE HAVE WHEN YOU OPERATE AN IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING CREW.
SO YOU GET A CALL, YOU HAVE A CITIZEN THAT CANNOT FLUSH, WE GO INVESTIGATE AND THERE
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IS NO PIPE IN THE GROUND.SO IF WE WANNA GO AND ENGINEER, ADVERTISE, BID, AWARD, AND WAIT FOR CONSTRUCTION, IT'LL TAKE A MINIMUM OF FOUR MONTHS.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE THIS IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING CREW, WE CAN DISPATCH THAT CREW FROM WHEREVER THEY'RE WORKING TODAY, MAKE THAT THEIR NEXT JOB.
AND WITHIN DAYS OR WEEKS WE CAN BE ON THAT SITE REPLACING PIPE AND NOT PATCHING, UH, PIPE THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND PATCH OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO WE ARE REPLACING NOT PATCHING.
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT THING, WHEN YOU HAVE A PIPE BURSTING CREW, RIGHT NOW, THE PIPE BURSTING, YOU'RE SEEING THROUGH THE CONTRACTORS IS IN A CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT THIS COUNCIL HAVE APPROVED.
AND IT'S IN THAT CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FIVE PROJECTED, UH, BUDGET YEARS.
BUT IF THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR THAT, IT IS NOT AVAILABLE, OR FUTURE COUNCILS DECIDE, IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO PIPE BURST, THAT OPERATION WILL NOT STOP.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE PIPE AND NOT PATCH USING OUR CITY FORCES.
AND ALSO IT IS MUCH CHEAPER FOR US TO PIPE BURST USING OUR CITY CREWS INSTEAD OF CONTRACTORS.
THIS LAST CONTRACT WE JUST CLOSED UP, THE TOTAL PER FOOT COST WAS $226 AT OUR HIGHEST.
WE ARE PROJECTING THIS YEAR TO BE AT 85.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND WE ARE PROJECTING TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY CAUSE OUR COST IS CONSTANT.
THE PRODUCTIVITY IS WHAT IS GONNA DRIVE THAT PER FOOT DOWN.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, UH, MOVING FORWARD TOWARDS.
AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UH, DOES CLARIFY SOME QUESTIONS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, I WANNA REFER TO WOULD BE ABOUT PAGE 10 IN THE, IN THE HANDOUT.
UH, IT'S THE HOUSTON AVENUE GOWAY, UH, AREA.
UM, BACK IN, UH, LEMME THINK IT WAS IN MAY OF 2021, WE HAD A, UM, WE HAD A RAIN SITUATION THAT THE WEST SIDE OVER THERE OFF OF TERMINAL ROAD AND, AND, UH, 17 19 17 18 19 STREET, YOU KNOW, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, MR. BRIAN MAXILE AND OF DRAINAGE DISTRICT SEVEN, I WAS ABLE TO, UH, WE WE RODE THROUGH THAT THING AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE, IT WAS ALMOST AKIN TO HARVEY, IF YOU RECALL, UH, NOW WITH THE PIPE BURSTING THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE REPLACED PIPING ALONG OVER IN THAT AREA BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GOT A CALL ABOUT THIS TODAY.
AND, AND THEY TOLD ME TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, MY CONSTITUENTS TOLD ME TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I ADVOCATE FOR THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING, UH, WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO AS FAR AS REPLACING THE PIPE TO KEEP THE WATER OUT OF THOSE, THOSE HOMES OVER THERE.
SO WITH THE WORK THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED OVER THERE, UH, TELL ME, I CAN GO BACK TO MY CONSTITUENTS TONIGHT WHEN I LEAVE HERE AND, AND TELL THEM THAT, UH, WE'VE DONE, UH, WEST 18TH, 17TH, 16TH, 15TH AND ALL OF THAT, AND WE SHOULD SEE SOME RELIEF.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT IT'S GONNA BE TOTALLY ALLEVIATED WHENEVER WE HAVE A HEAVY RAIN LIKE THAT WHERE WATER RISES PRETTY QUICKLY.
BUT TELL ME THAT, THAT, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEE SOME TYPE OF RELIEF WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE COMPLETED SO FAR.
COUNCILMAN, I THINK, UH, MR. CANTELLA'S GONNA REPRESENTATION AFTER THIS.
AND THAT QUESTION RELATES MORE TO HIS PART OF PIPING, WHICH IS THE STORM WATER PIPING.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE REPLACE IN SANITARY SEWER DOES NOT HELP THE DRAINAGE ISSUE.
AND THE REASON IS WHEN WE TIGHTEN UP OUR SYSTEM, THEN THE STORE, THE SANITARY SHORE PIPE, IS NO LONGER TAKING ANY OF THAT RAIN WATER.
SO WHAT WE DO ON THE SANITARY SEWER SIDE DOES NOT HELP THE STORM WATER.
BUT I KNOW I'VE HEARD JOHN AND HIS TEAM AND FLO TALK ABOUT THIS AREA, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE SOME PLANS FOR IT.
SO I THINK THEY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BETTER THAN I CAN.
TOME, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION AND THANK
[00:45:01]
YOU.I KNOW I CALL YOU A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SEWER, UH, TYPE ISSUES, AND I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CUTTING THE PRO THE, THE TIME PROCESS DOWN FROM FOUR MONTHS TO A COUPLE OF DAYS.
AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING BACK UP INTO YOUR BATHROOMS AND SEWER SYSTEMS. SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS NUMBER, BUT I WAS LOOKING TWO QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ANSWER.
HOW MANY, UH, PIPE BURSTING CREWS DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE CURRENTLY? NOW THAT'S THE FIRST HALF OF THAT.
AND ON A AVERAGE QUARTERLY, YEARLY, HOW MUCH ARE WE ACTUALLY SAVING BY HAVING A CREW LIKE THIS IMPLEMENTED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? OKAY.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE ONE CREW THAT IS MADE OUT OF SEVEN PEOPLE.
THE COMPANY THAT JUST DID THE LAST FIVE BURSTING JOB FOR US HAD 12 PEOPLE ON THEIR CREW.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE VERSUS THE CONTRACTOR AND HOW THEY ARE OPERATING.
SO WE ARE RUNNING THE OPERATION WITH HALF THE STAFF THAT THEY USUALLY DO.
UH, IF WE ARE TO CONTRACT ALL THE WORK INSTEAD OF PIPE BURST IT, AND LET'S ASSUME IT AT $118 A FOOT LIKE WE WERE LAST YEAR VERSUS THE 1 26.
SO THAT'S $108 EXTRA PER FOOT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY.
SO IF WE ARE DOING 10,000 FEET, LET'S SAY A YEAR, ONLY TIMES 108, UH, DOLLARS A FOOT, THAT'S A MILLION $8,000.
WE ARE SAVING A LOT OF MONEY DOING IT IN HOUSE.
WHILE WE, I MEAN, THE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON THIS CREW, FIVE OF THEM ARE PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR SPEND THEIR MONEY IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND THAT'S A CREW THAT DOESN'T WORK MUCH OVER TIME EITHER.
THEY ARE ON A FOUR 10 HOUR SHIFT.
SO THEY TRY TO WRAP EVERYTHING UP WITHIN THAT SHIFT, AND THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WORK AS MUCH OVER TIME.
UM, TOME FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS JUST, UM, I THINK STEMS BACK A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN WE WERE, UM, THE PRESENTATION.
AND I JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO CONFIRM ACTUALLY WHAT WE ARE WE SEE HAPPENING HERE.
A CHANGE WAS COMING IN 2019 WITH THAT CREW.
THE CHANGES HERE, IT'S TAKING PLACE AND IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY DOING THE WORK THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO.
I JUST WISH, WISH WE COULD AFFORD TO HAVE MORE OF OUR OWN PIPE BURSTING CREWS GOING.
UM, I THINK IT'S A TREMENDOUS JOB THAT THESE GUYS HAVE DONE.
THIS IS HARD WORK AND IT'S NOT EASY WORK.
AND FOR THEM, US TO, AT THE TIME YOU SAID WHEN WE STARTED IT, NO ONE WAS TRAINED AND DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND FOR US TO GET THIS KIND OF WORK DONE IN THREE YEARS, MY THREE YEARS, YES MA'AM.
UM, IS I, I I REALLY BELIEVE IT'S UNHEARD OF.
SO I AM THANKFUL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CREW BEING TRAINED, KNOWING HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE, BECAUSE WHEN WE GO BACK MANY YEARS, THIS, THESE, THESE ISSUES THAT WE ARE SEEING NOW HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND IT WAS, THEY WERE NOT ADDRESSED IN HOUSE.
WE WERE SPENDING THE MONEY CONTRACTING IT OUT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS STRIDE IN THREE YEARS.
AND I'M SAYING IT FOR THE RECORD, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
SO I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE PRESENTATION.
IT SOLIDIFIES THAT PAST YEARS.
AND I'M NOT GONNA DWELL ON THAT.
NOTHING HAS TAKEN PLACE IN HOUSE, BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR WHAT IS GOING ON AND GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NEXT COUNCIL OR THE COUNCIL COMING ADD MORE TO THIS SO THAT IT CAN ENHANCE AND GO A LITTLE, GET A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
WE KNOW THAT THE WORK HAS NOT GONE, GONE AS FAST AS WE WOULD LIKE, BUT WE CERTAINLY, OH, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO I'M THANKFUL THAT WE STARTED SOMEWHERE AND I PRAY THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND BETTER IT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED AND HAVE MORE CREWS, MORE PEOPLE WORKING IN PORT ARTHUR, MORE PEOPLE HIRED BY, UM, UH, AND WORKING FOR AND LIVING IN THE CITY.
IF WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THE MONEY, THEN GIVE US THE MONEY.
WE'LL, WE'LL CREATE THE JOBS AND THIS IS WHAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH SEVEN PEOPLE AND WE CAN ADD SEVEN MORE AND ANOTHER ADD DOUBLE THAT.
I THINK THAT THE CITY AT THAT POINT, WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANKS TO YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION OF CITY MANAGER AND HIS TEAM FOR, UM, JUST SEEING THE
[00:50:01]
VISION AND NOT STAYING STAGNANT.I COMMEND THE WORK AND I APPRECIATE WHAT I'VE SEEN TAKE PLACE WHILE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL SINCE 2015.
IF, IF THE CITY MANAGER DIDN'T, UH, DIDN'T SEE THE VISION AND THE COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT WILLING TO PUT THE EFFORT TO LEARN, NONE OF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE.
I MEAN, WE STRUGGLED WITH, UH, COVID.
WE STRUGGLED WITH TWO FREEZES.
WE STRUGGLED WITH, UH, TWO HURRICANES AND WE STILL MADE IT.
AND THE PLAN WAS ALWAYS TO HAVE TWO CREWS DOING PIPE BURSTING.
AND NOW FINALLY THE FUNDING OF THE DEPARTMENT IS ALLOWING US TO PROPOSE IN THIS BUDGET HERE, SIX MORE PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE TWO, SIX, UH, PEOPLE TEAMS, YES.
AND ONE SUPERVISOR'S GONNA SUPERVISE BOTH OF THEM.
THOSE SIX PEOPLE MIGHT COST US AROUND $400,000, 370,000 WITH ALL THE BENEFITS, BUT IF THEY PUT 10,000 FEET OF PIPE, THEY'RE SAVING A MILLION, 80,000.
SO THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS DEFINITELY THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE RECORD, WHEN I SAY IT IN 2019, A CHANGE IS COMING.
AND GUESS WHAT? I BELIEVE THE CHANGE IS RIGHT HERE.
THANK YOU, COURT COUNCIL, FRANK.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, UM, ALL OF THE, THE STAFF THAT'S PUT IN THIS KIND OF YOMAN EFFORT.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER, UH, AS WELL.
I HAD MY LIGHT ON TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, UH, BUT I LEANED OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER TO ASK IT BECAUSE AS YOU WERE MAKING THAT, UH, PRESENTATION MR. ARTEMIS HANCOCK, UH, FACE, UH, HIS FACE JUST CAME INTO MY MIND AND I LEANED OVER, UH, TO THE CITY MANAGER AND ASKED, IS HIS HOUSE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS? AND HE SAID, YES.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT ABOUT ONE PERSON, IT'S ABOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT MR. HANCOCK HAS BEEN COMING AND MR. HANCOCK REPRESENTS SO MANY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED THIS KIND OF WORK DONE, UH, FOR THEIR HOME AND FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.
UH, AND TO SEE THAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE MADE.
SO THE WORK IS BEING DONE AND IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
SO MR. HANCOCK, IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, WE ARE ON OUR WAY.
WE, WE EVEN, UH, COMING TO A STREAM IN THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE LIFT STATION THAT SERVES HIS RESIDENCE AND HIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAVE A FINAL RESOLUTION TO HIS ISSUE.
SO THE PLAN IS ALREADY BEING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PUMP STATION IS ALREADY BEING DESIGNED.
WE'RE BUILDING A NEW ONE INSTEAD OF REHABBING THE EXISTING ONE.
AND THIS COUNCIL, AGAIN, APPROVE THE ENGINEERING SERVICE AGREEMENT TO DO IT.
WHAT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO YOU AND, AND, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE, FOR ALL THAT THEY ARE DOING NOW, I'D LIKE TO JUST ASK MAYBE ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS, UH, BECAUSE AS I'VE READ THIS, UH, THE PIPE VERSION INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF SANITARY SEWER, PIPE MANHOLES AND SERVICE LINES UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE WE SPOKE ABOUT.
YOU WERE, I THINK, A PART OF THE PRESENTATION ON THE COMPOSITE MANHOLES, UH, COVERS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
NOW, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID RECEIVE, UH, SOME GRANT MONEY, FEW ABOUT A MONTH AGO MAYBE THAT WOULD, I THINK INCLUDED IN THE WRITING UP THE GRANT, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MANHOLES, BECAUSE MANY OF, I THINK MANY OF THESE SITUATIONS COME FROM THE ANTIQUATED MANHOLES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE BRICK.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, I LEARNED ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UH, OR I THINK IT YOURSELF AND SOMEONE ELSE THAT WAS IN THIS MEETING, BUT WE HAD THIS PRESENTATION DONE FOR US.
NOW, ARE WE IN A POSITION TO, UH, UTILIZE THE, THE COMPOSITE MANHOLES? BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DRAINAGE, I KNOW YOU SAID SOMETIME THE DRAINAGE IN, BUT THIS WHAT WAS COMING BACK OUT OF THOSE MANHOLES APART OF SEWER THAT SOMEHOW SEEPED INTO THOSE, THOSE, UH, THOSE AREAS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, AT LEAST DURING MY TENURE, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THOSE COMPOSITE MANHOLES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO PREVENT ALL OF THIS AND ALSO BE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO CHANGE THOSE ANTIQUATED MANHOLES THAT ARE ALL AROUND THE CITY.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE WORK IN BEING PASSED WHEN I CAME ON WORK HAD BEGUN OUT THERE.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, THIS WITHOUT ANY REALLY, UH, UH, IMPERIAL DATA, BUT JUST FROM OUR BALLING IT, I COULD SEE THAT PROBABLY IF YOU SAY WE'VE DONE 6.1 MILES, MAYBE THREE MILES HAS BEEN IN SEINE, PASS ANOTHER THREE MILES, MAYBE HAVE BEEN IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN.
BUT I'M LOOKING AT WHAT THE CONTRACTORS HAVE DONE AND WHAT OUR CREW HAS DONE.
AND TO ADD THOSE TOGETHER, WE'VE DONE, WE HAVEN'T, UH, NEGLECTED THAT
[00:55:01]
AREA OR THAT PART OF TOWN AS SOME CITIZENS HAVE ACTUALLY IMPLICATED.NOW, WHAT WE ARE DOING, AS YOU ARE SAYING, IS I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT, UH, HAS BEEN SAID BY MY, MY, MY FELLOW, UH, FELLOW COUNCIL PERSON SAID IS TO, UH, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU OUGHT ARE PLANNING ON DOING THE NEXT, UH, BUDGET, UH, IS TO INCREASE THE CREW SO THAT, BECAUSE THAT SAVINGS ACCORDING TO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU, UH, PUT OUT IS I THINK GREAT AS FAR AS OUR DOING IT.
WHEN I GO THROUGH THIS, THIS, UH, MANIFESTING, I CAN ALSO SEE THE ADVANTAGES THAT YOU HAVE ON ONE OF THESE PAGES OF SHOWING, DOING IT IN-HOUSE AS OPPOSED TO, I JUST DID A COMPARISON ANALYSIS OF IT, UH, HAVING CONTRACTORS.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR PORT ARTHUR.
WE'D BE ABLE TO HIRE PORT ARTHURS ALSO.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE FOLK WHO WOULD HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN PORT ARTHUR.
BUT ALSO I'D WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE ARE WORKING WITH ANTIQUATED, OLD, VERY OLD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS IN THE TUNE OF MAYBE 100 AND PLUS WE'VE BEEN HERE 125 YEARS.
OKAY? SO SOME OF THIS, MAYBE IT'S BEEN THERE THAT LONG AND YOU ALL ARE DOING A REAL GOOD JOB AT IT.
AGAIN, AS I TOLD THE GROUP, UH, PRIOR TO YOU, YOUR COMING, YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION HERE AND THIS COUNCIL ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE IT ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE CAN'T CHANGE IT ALL AT ONE TIME, BUT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE PO WHAT WE CAN.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS COMPOSITE, UH, MANHOLE SITUATION WORKED OUT IN THOSE COVERS.
WORKED OUT, UH, ON UH, NINTH AVENUE AND 39TH AND 37TH WHERE YOU GET THIS BACKFLOW.
YOU KNOW, I, IF IF, IF WE CAN DO THAT WITH MAYBE EVEN THE, UH, PARTICIPATION OF THE CONTRACTOR WORKING WITH YOUR GROUP FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THOSE, THOSE, THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THAT MATERIAL, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD AGAIN, MAKE THE JOB MORE EFFECTIVE AND CITIZENS WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF ALL OF THIS.
BUT WE, WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT AND SUGGEST THAT IN YOUR THINKING, THAT MIGHT NEVER BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PURSUE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
UH, I'M A BIG, UH, SUPPORTER OF NEW PRODUCTS.
UH, WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH HIGH DENSITY POLY, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO USE IT.
AND UH, BUT WHEN I PICK A PRODUCT TO USE, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST.
SO I TOOK THOSE VERY SERIOUSLY.
I MET WITH THE SUPPLIER THAT, UH, SELLS THOSE COVERS.
AND I EVEN WENT TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON AND MET WITH MR. TRINO PEDRAZA, WHO IS THE UTILITIES DIRECTOR THERE AND HAS BEEN USING THESE COVERS.
AND THEY EVEN TOOK THESE COVERS AND DID SOME TESTING ON THEM TO SEE IF THEY WORK OR NOT.
AND HE SHOWED ME WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND THEY ARE WORKING.
SO WHAT WE DID, THE TWO CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE OUT FOR BIDS NOW, WE SPEC THOSE MANHOLE COVERS IN THOSE CONTRACTS OR APPROVED EQUAL TO KEEP THAT, YOU KNOW, FIELD OPEN AND MAKE SURE THE CITY'S INTEREST IS PROTECTED.
BUT WE ARE ALREADY SPECKING THEM IN OUR CONTRACTS.
SO THOSE COMPOSITE COVERS, THAT'S ALL THE SPECIFICATIONS, THE COMPOSITE COVERS THAT SEAL UP AND PREVENT STORE MORE FROM GETTING INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM.
THEY ARE IN THESE TWO JOBS THAT ARE UP FOR BIDS.
AND JUST, JUST TO KNOW, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY FIRST, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO BE EDUCATED ON SEWER AND MANHOLES.
THEY WORK, I MEAN THE CITY OF GALVESTON IS NOT EVEN REPLACING A LOT OF THE MANHOLES.
THEY'RE ONLY REPLACING THOSE LIDS.
HE SAID THAT I WASN'T SURE UP HAVING TO, UH, UPSIZE THEIR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT CAUSE THEY WERE AT THE 90% CAPACITY.
THEY BROUGHT IT BELOW 75 AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DESIGN A NEW PLANT RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY ARE WORKING THOSE COVER.
AND FOR COUNSEL, YOU ALL ARE NOT PRIVY TO WHAT, WHAT I'VE BEEN PRIVY TO ON THIS PRESENTATION AND WITH, WITH THE BEHALF OF, UH, DR.
TOOMEY, MAYBE AT SOME OTHER TIME WE CAN HAVE A WORKSHOP, MAY HAVE THIS PERSON TO COME BACK TO TOTALLY EXPLAIN TO YOU ALL WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THEM AND THE PROTECTION THAT THEY GIVE TO US.
AND, UH, I'M GLAD YOU SAID IT BECAUSE HE SAID IT EVIDENTLY IT WORKS.
AND AND I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU WENT TO GAS HOUSTON BOUGHT MORE OF THEM THAN, THAN, BUT HOUSTON HASN'T COMPLAINED ABOUT THEM EITHER.
AND THESE ARE CITIES THAT ARE USING THOSE COVERS AS WE SPEAK.
I WANTED TO SEE GALVESTON BECAUSE THEY'RE CLOSER TO
[01:00:01]
US, LIKE IN SABINE PASS AND WE HAVE MANHOLES THAT STAY UNDER WAR EVERY TIME IT TRAINS.THAT'S WHY GALVESTON WAS A BETTER COMPARISON TO US THAN HOUSTON AND YEAH, WELL SEE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THE ENGINEER AND I'M THE POLITICIAN.
SO SEE, BUT THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE ENGINEER.
BUT WE, WE, WE, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
LET ME JUST SHARE WITH THE COUNSELOR, UM, DR.
WE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY ABOUT A THREE WEEKS AGO.
UM, WE HAVE TO PUT $10,000 WITH IT, UM, SO THAT WE COULD, UM, AS OUR CONTRIBUTION.
FOR, WE'LL BE USING THAT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MANHOLES AND, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR STORMWATER SEWER.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, A REPORT, UH, UH NO, NO, NO.
[III.B. (5) A Progress Report By The Public Works Department Regarding Streets]
WAS THERE.A REPORT BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REGARDING STREETS MAYOR.
UM, WE HAVE MS, UM, ROBERTS AND HER CREW, UM, THE IN-HOUSE PART OF IT, AND THEN WE HAVE THE CONTRACTED PART OF IT.
UH, EACH, UH, THERE SHOULD BE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M FLO ROBERTS PUBLIC PARTS DIRECTOR.
I HAVE HERE WITH ME MR. DONALD BATES, WHO IS THE STREET SUPERINTENDENT, AND MR. JAMES SMITH, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT STREET SUPERINTENDENT.
DOES EVERYONE HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION? OKAY.
THAT'S OUR STREETS DIVISION STAFF.
I WANTED TO, TO SHOW THEM OFF.
UM, THEY DO A LOT OF, A LOT OF, OF HARD WORK.
THEY'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF OUR, UH, BOMAG RECLAIMER STABILIZER.
UM, THIS IS A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT, UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE.
UM, YOU ALL WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN ENSURING THAT WE HAD THE FUNDS AVAILABLE AND, AND APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF THIS, THIS, UH, THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO NEXT SLIDE IS JUST GOING OVER AN OVERVIEW OF, OF WHAT I'M GOING TO COVER.
UM, YOU'LL SEE PROJECTS AND STREETS, UH, INTERCHANGEABLY THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
UM, PROJECTS, UH, STREETS THERE, IT'LL CONTAIN SEVERAL ARE ONE BLOCK.
SO, WHICH IS WHY I'M USING PROJECTS AND STREETS INTERCHANGEABLY.
SO FIRST WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, THE COMPLETED STREETS PER DISTRICT PER YEAR.
SO WE'LL START WITH DISTRICT ONE, POSITION FIVE.
AND IT GOES THROUGH, UH, ALL IT LISTS ALL THE NUMBER OF STREETS THAT ARE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, UH, AND THE TOTAL COST PER YEAR.
AT THE VERY BOTTOM, WE HAVE COMPLETED, UM, 27 STREETS, UH, 29 TOTAL THAT ARE EITHER COMPLETED OR IN PROCESS, UH, WITH A TOTAL OF $613,843 AND 79 CENTS.
UH, 20 STREETS, UH, HAVE, ARE LISTED HERE.
ONE IS IN PROGRESS FOR A TOTAL VALUE OF $386,931 AND 48 CENTS.
DISTRICT THREE POSITION SIX 12 STREETS ARE LISTED.
TWO ARE IN PROGRESS FOR VALUE OF $148,806 AND 97 CENTS.
AND LAST DISTRICT, DISTRICT FOUR, POSITION SIX.
UM, AND I DO APOLOGIZE, THERE IS A TYPO.
THERE HAVE BEEN 44, NOT 20, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND, AND ARE IN PROGRESS.
37 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED 44 TOTAL.
UH, THE REPAIR COST VALUE IS CORRECT, $1,079,708 AND 84 CENTS.
SO NOW WE'LL GO THROUGH THE, UH, ANNUAL NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
IN 2019, WE'VE COMPLETED THREE,
[01:05:01]
SAME FOR 2020.AND THUS FOUR AND 20 23 7 PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR A TOTAL OF 93 PROJECTS BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023.
AVERAGE MONTHLY PROJECT COMPLETION.
SO ON AVERAGE, WE HAVE COMPLETED 1.8 PROJECTS PER MONTH WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER, UH, IN 20 22, 5 0.3.
SO THE AVERAGE COMPLETED IN 2019, AND 2020 WAS 0.2 5, 20 21, 1 0.4.
AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, 0.6, THE WHITE LINE YOU SEE IS THAT AVERAGE LINE OF 1.8 FUNDS EXPENDED 2019, WE EXPENDED, UH, EIGHT $8,694 AND 91 CENTS.
2020 $59,973 AND 49 CENTS, 20 21, 240 $8,309 AND 51 CENTS.
AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, $474,150 AND 74 CENTS.
UM, THE TOTAL EXPENDED THIS YEAR, UH, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT BETWEEN 2019 AND CURRENT YEAR $2,229,291 AND 8 CENTS.
I WON'T READ ALL THE BARS
UM, BUT IF YOU WANT, I CAN, I CAN GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, AND THIS JUST EXPLAINS, UM, WHAT WE HAVE, UH, EXPENDED PER DISTRICT PER YEAR.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME PHOTOS BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF, UH, ONE STREET IN EACH DISTRICT.
SO IN DISTRICT ONE, WE HAVE 23RD STREET FROM GULF AVENUE TO MEMORIAL BEFORE, DURING, OH, THERE WE GO.
AFTER THE COST OF REPAIR FOR THIS STREET WAS $77,597 AND 47 CENTS.
DISTRICT TWO DRYDEN BETWEEN NINTH AND ROSEDALE.
AND THAT COST WAS $87,607 AND 96 CENTS.
NEXT WE HAVE 57TH STREET FROM STAFF SERGEANT LUCIAN ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE DEAD END.
THAT COST WAS $30,744 AND 77 CENTS.
AND IN DISTRICT FOUR, SAN ANTONIO FROM THOMAS TO GULF WAY.
AND THAT WAS $187,784 AND 66 CENTS.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO, OF COURSE, CONTINUE, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THOSE STREETS THAT, THAT WE HAVE LISTED AS IN PROGRESS, UH, ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES.
UM, AND THEN FROM THERE, UM, ONCE WE GET TO THE END OF THAT LIST, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ALL.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE END OF THAT LIST, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ALL TO CONFIRM, UH, THE NEXT STREETS FOR YOUR, EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
AND SO I WANT TO END WITH ANOTHER PICTURE,
UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, REPORT.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE IN THE, UH, PORT ACRES, MONTROSE, UH, EL VISTA, WESTSIDE, THE LAKESIDE AREA, THAT ARE REALLY PLEASED WITH THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AND HAVE REALLY BEEN SINGING THE PRAISES OF THE CREWS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED, WORKED WITH THEM.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I DO HAVE.
UH, IN FACT, IT WAS, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, WAS DRIVING DOWN, UH, SAVANNAH HEADED TO CITY HALL OKAY.
TURNED RIGHT ONTO 19TH STREET.
UH, AND THERE WERE, UH, TWO CREWS WORKING DOWN THERE.
[01:10:01]
WHAT, WHAT STREETS THEY WERE.UH, BEFORE YOU GOT TO WACO, THEY WERE REDOING, UH, THOSE TWO STREETS.
THEY, THEY WERE ACTUALLY DEAD ENDS.
AND, UH, I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW DID THEY THO THOSE AREAS GET CHOSEN TO BE WORKED ON WITH? WAS THAT AN IN-HOUSE CREW OR WERE THOSE CONTRACTORS WORKING? NOW? I BELIEVE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN IN-HOUSE CREW.
AND, AND, AND THE REASON I ASK, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE THE ONES THAT GETS THE CALL FROM THE CONSTITUENTS.
UH, AND SHE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE POTHOLES IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE, AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT ALIGNMENTS AND TIRES AND, AND THOSE TYPE THINGS.
AND WHEN I SAW THAT, UH, THE TWO STREETS BEING WORKED ON, ON 19TH STREET, THIS WAS LIKE TWO DAYS BEFORE, UH, SHE CALLED ME.
AND THEN TWO DAYS AFTER THAT I SAW, SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON, ON OFF OF 19TH STREET.
THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS, AH, I THINK WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS.
HOW DO WE CHOOSE WHICH STREETS WE'RE GOING TO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO REPAIR OR RE REPLACE OR, OR WHATEVER.
UH, AND, AND HOW DO WE WE MAKE THOSE CHOICES? OKAY.
SO BACK IN THE END OF 2019, BEGINNING OF 2020, UH, WE EMPLOYED IMS, WHICH IS, UM, A, A COMPANY THAT COMES OUT AND THEY DO X-RAY OF THE, OF X STREETS.
AND SO THEY, THEY DID THAT X-RAY SERVICE ON ALL OF THE STREETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THEY RATED THE STREET EACH STREET, UM, AND PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY.
ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION AND, AND THAT, THAT RANKING, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IS, UH, ONE TO 10 OR ZERO TO 10.
UM, AND I THINK 10 IS THE WORST.
I MAY HAVE, I MAY HAVE IT IN THE, THE RANKING INVERTED.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, WE TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND WE LOOK AT THOSE THAT ARE RATED THE WORST.
WE'LL MEET WITH YOU ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY, OKAY, WELL THESE ARE THE STREETS THAT THESE COM THIS COMPANY RATED THE WORST.
IS IT YOUR PLEASURE TO HAVE THESE STREETS COMPLETED? OKAY.
SO IF, IF, IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, THE STREETS THAT WERE BEING WORKED ON ON 19TH STREET, WHICH WERE, AGAIN, THEY WERE DEAD END MM-HMM.
AND THEY MAY HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I WAS PART OF THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT WAS IN 2019 AND I DIDN'T COME ON BOARD UNTIL DE DECEMBER OF 2020.
SO, UH, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO, TO THAT DECISION, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO ME MM-HMM.
UH, SO, UH, WHEN THE NEXT MEETING, WHEN WE HAVE THE NEXT MEETING ABOUT, UH, CHOOSING THOSE STREETS, WHEN WILL THAT TAKE PLACE? AND HOPEFULLY IT'S, IT'S PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, CUZ I MIGHT NOT BE HERE AFTER THE ELECTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE BEFORE, IF, BEFORE I GO, BEFORE THE ELECTION IS, IS, IS, IS DONE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE CALLED ME, UH, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STREETS ARE PRIORITIZED AND THAT THEY TH THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE WE, WE TAKE CARE OF UNINHABITED STREETS.
[01:15:02]
OKAY.AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ACKNOWLEDGE ME.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I WAS TALKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MOSES EARLY, UH, THIS AFTERNOON, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THIS JOURNEY WITH STREETS, YOU KNOW, AT NO TIME HAD A COUNCIL.
AND AMIR HAS PUT IN 50 ME WORTH OF $50 MILLION IN FIVE YEARS, UH, OF STREET AND, AND INVENTED THIS STREET PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU KNOW, GETTING YOUR CALCULATIONS, I WAS WRITING SOME THINGS DOWN 105 STREETS IN FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, FIVE YEARS.
I MEAN, THAT'S SO IMPRESSIVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, WITH ME, PRIORITY STREETS IS PRIORITY, DRAINAGE PRIORITY.
WE ARE TAKING THIS STREET PROGRAM SERIOUSLY.
IT'S VERY SERIOUSNESS TO US IN THIS COUNCIL AND MY COHORTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M ASKED A QUESTION, WHY HAVEN'T WE, YOU KNOW, STARTED STREETS OR WHY HAVEN'T WE STOPPED STREETS AT NO TIME WE'VE EVER STOPPED, UH, REHABED ON STREETS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS OF STREETS.
I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE THE ENGINEER, JOHN, AND, AND MARTIN, YOU GUYS, AND I'M ON, AND I'M GLAD FOR THE MANAGER TO GIMME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH STAFF.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPROVING OUR ABILITY TO CONSTRUCT STREETS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS, THE NETWORK AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS WITH THE CITY MANAGER ALONG WITH HIS STAFF.
AT NO TIME HAS EVER HAPPENED THAT THIS, THAT A CITY IS, THAT THIS CITY HAS SPENT $50 MILLION IN FIVE YEARS ON STREETS.
SO I'D WANT TO TELL YOU CONGRATULATIONS AND KUDOS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS FIGHT.
WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE, AND WE STARTED IN 2019 TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU MANAGER FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING THIS EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH STREETS.
I I WANT TO CONTINUE TO CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN, UM, UM, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS ARE REALLY, REALLY BAD, IT TAKES TIME TO TURN A BIG SHIP.
SHIPS DON'T JUST TURN, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE TURNING A CORNER.
AND SO WHEN WE PUT OUT THOSE NUMBERS, OR WHEN WE'RE SAYING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, STREETS ARE BEING FIXED, LISTEN, PEOPLE COME AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHERE, WHERE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PATCHING.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT IS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS EONS OLD.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SITUATIONS AND STREETS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PATCHED IN YEARS.
I RAN ON SOME OF THOSE STREETS AND PLAYED FOOTBALL IN SOME OF THOSE STREETS THAT NEVER HAVE BEEN TOUCHED, YOU KNOW, UH, AND SO, BUT NOW THEY'RE BEING TOUCHED.
I, I WENT DOWN, UM, UH, WEST 17 STREET, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THERE IN THAT 100 BLOCK.
IT'S A TERRIBLE LITTLE PATCH OF ROAD.
BUT THAT'S THE WAY I COME HOME FROM CHURCH.
AND I SEE WHERE YOU HAVE WILLIAMS, UH, AVENUE ON HERE, UH, COMING UP.
UH, IF, IF, IF YOUR SCALE IS ONE TO 10, WILLIAMS AVENUE IS 25.
MAN, Y'ALL, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT IS, IT'S, IT'S BECAUSE I RIDE THROUGH LAKEVIEW.
I RIDE ALL OVER LOOKING AT THESE STREETS.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE STREETS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT PRETTY REGULARLY, CUZ WE'VE NOT DONE THAT.
BUT MA'AM, YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED, YOU'RE TO BE THANKED, UH, YOU TO BE PRAISED AND LAUDED, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO SAY TO OUR CITIZENS, THE WORK IS BEING DONE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN MOSES, MAN, I GET TO, TO JUST SAY 2015, WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL AND COMING OFF OF EDC, THANKFUL THAT EDC GAVE US A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD NO BOND FOR STREETS, NO MONEY.
BACK IN 2016, PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT STREET, STREET, STREET STREETS.
I THINK I, UM, I, I, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KIND OF TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THAT BACK IN 2017, UH, WHEN WE FINALLY DID GO FOR THE BOND AND GET A BUDGET FOR STREETS, I KEPT SEEING NOTEBOOKS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
AND I ACTUALLY SAID IN COUNCIL, IF I SAW ANOTHER NOTEBOOK, I WAS GONNA LITERALLY GET SICK BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF SEEING A PLAN, A PLAN, A PLAN.
BUT TO SIT HERE IN 2023 AND SEE HOW, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE HIRED, UH, MR. BATES BACK IN 2018, AND DR.
HANEY BROUGHT YOU, UH, RECRUITED.
[01:20:01]
AND YOU KINDA WAS LIKE, IT'S STILL NOT FAST ENOUGH.YOU KNOW, WASN'T GOING FAST ENOUGH BECAUSE WE'D HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY WAS, AND WE KEPT BEING HAMMERED ON NOTHING'S BEING DONE.
MY CAR'S GETTING TORN UP, GOTTA CALL, YOU KNOW, MY, MY, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL GETTING THOSE CALLS.
BUT WE ARE WORKING JUST LIKE THE PIPE BURSTING CREW.
I'M THANKFUL TO YOU GUYS TO COME UP AND PRESENT TO CITIZENS THAT THE WORK IS BEING DONE.
I'VE SEEN PROGRESS IN STREETS, DRAINAGE, PIPE BURSTING.
IT'S NOT FAST AS, AS EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE, BUT YOU WERE PATIENT FOR 20 YEARS.
BUT FINALLY IN FIVE YEARS, WE'VE GOT SOME SERIOUS WORK DONE AND WE HAVE BEEN BEAT OVER THE HEAD.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN BEAT OVER THE HEAD WITH A MA A MALLET ABOUT STREETS AND UNAPPRECIATED.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A HELL OF A JOB.
I COMMEND YOU WITH EVERYTHING WITHIN ME, FROM YOU COMING ON BOARD, MR. BATES TRAINING PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO WORK EQUIPMENT.
I MET YOU ON THE STREET OVER THERE BY SONIC 25TH STREET, WATCHED YOU GUYS LAY THE ROAD WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED IN 2019.
I STAYED OUT THERE, WATCHED HOW YOU DID THE WORK, WATCHED YOU OWN EQUIPMENT, WATCHED JAMES ON EQUIPMENT ON A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, ON NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OVER ON THE OTHER STREET BY SONNET.
HOW YOU GUYS DID THE WORK, HOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK FOR THE CITY, AND HOW YOU'VE MOVED AND PROGRESSED IN COVID IN A HURRICANE WITH EVERYTHING COMING AGAINST US.
BUT YOU'VE DONE IT AND WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD.
I AM THANKFUL FOR WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I REMEMBER SITTING HERE IN 2019 IN A MEETING AND SOMEBODY HANDED ME ANOTHER BIG NOTEBOOK ABOUT THIS BIG, I TOOK IT HOME AND I I AM SICK OF THE NOTEBOOKS.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE SOME FEET TO THE FIRE? THE MANAGER, CITY MANAGER HAS MOVED PROGRESSIVELY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
THE CITY COUNCILS HAVE DONE THE SAME EXACT THING, BUYING WHATEVER EQUIPMENT YOU NEED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO YOU'D HAVE NOT PIECEMEALED EQUIPMENT, BUT YOU'D HAVE THE TOP OF THE LINE AND THE BEST YOU HAVE THREE CREWS.
CUZ I ASKED OUTSIDE, HOW MANY CREWS DO YOU HAVE WORKING? WE STARTED WITH ONE.
AND IF CITIZENS WOULD JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF KUDOS TO SAY, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
I I WOULD JUST BE THOROUGHLY AND JUST THANKFUL FOR SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT, WHERE WE STARTED FROM IN 2017.
GO BACK TWO YEARS, 2015 WITH NO MONEY AND THE EDC GIVING US A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO THEN HAVING A BOND PUT IN PLACE IN 2017.
WE ACTUALLY WASN'T EVEN PREPARED AND READY TO BE USED IN 20 20 18, 20 19 AND TO BE HERE IN 2023.
WE'VE DONE MORE IN SEVEN YEARS THAN I'VE SEEN HAPPEN.
AND I WAS EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, AND I WAS OVER THE SUMMER C D B G PROGRAM THAT HIRED EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TOOLS.
I WAS ABLE TO HIRE THEM AND PUT THEM TO WORK TO FILL POTHOLES.
UH, DID YOU ALREADY SUPERVISOR BASED, ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OR SUPERINTENDENT? YOU, YOU ALL HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? WE JUST BEGUN.
WE GONNA GET THOSE KUDOS, I GUARANTEE YOU.
UH, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT JAMES, I JUST WANNA MAKE, I WANNA MAKE, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, WELL, WE DOING, WE'RE GETTING IT DONE.
JUST BE PATIENT, BUT WE GONNA GET IT DONE.
I LIKE TO, I LIKE TO SAY THIS, UH, TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
I MEAN THESE, THESE, THESE ARE YOUR, UH, TEAM MEMBERS AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PASS IN DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND TOWN.
I BLOW THE HORN AT Y'ALL IN WAVE.
UH, I'VE SEEN YOU ALL DOING SOME WORK IN SOME INCREMENT WEATHER.
I'VE SEEN YOU ALL DOING WORK IN NICE WEATHER.
[01:25:02]
AS DILIGENT AND I'M LOOKING AT THE CREW HERE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.SO BEING THE MAYOR OF PORT ARTHUR, EVEN IF SOME OF MY CITIZENS DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE CREDIT BILL, I'M THERE MAYOR TOO.
SO I IN THERE SAID, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ALL THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
NOW, ONE THING THAT YOU GAVE ME, UH, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, UH, SOMETHING THAT I COULD, UH, ACTUALLY BRAG ON DURING MY TENURE HERE.
THEY'VE SPENT 2.3 MILLION SINCE I CAME IN 19 UP UNTIL THE DAY.
IF THEY PUT ME OUT TOMORROW ON STREETS IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND I HAVE THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE HERE TO SHOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILMAN MARKS WAS SAYING.
CAUSE I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE STREETS WHERE THERE WEREN'T ANY RESIDENTS.
SO I LOOKED AT THAT AS HOPE AND FAITH THAT SOMEDAY SOMEONE WOULD BUILD A HOME ON THOSE STREETS AND THEY CAN'T SAY THAT THEY, THERE'S BAD OR NO EGRESS OR EGRESS, WHATEVER YOU CALL THAT GRESS TO GET THERE.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT.
COUNCILMAN MARKS AND, AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SEE THE CORRIDOR IN PORT ARTHUR, AND IT'S NO SECRET IN MINE IF I LET IT BE KNOWN SOUTH OF 73, I WANT TO SEE THIS CORRIDOR GROW.
AND ONE THING YOU DID NOT SAY, AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY AN ATTORNEY CAN STOP ME,
CAN I JUST, JUST ONE LAST THING AND, AND, UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR ALWAYS LIKE TO CALL ME THE BAD COP BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT MY CONSTITUENTS CALLED ME ABOUT.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S JUST PART OF MY JOB.
BUT I, I DID BEGIN MY, UH, MY COMMENTS FIRST THANKING YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN MY DISTRICT.
SECOND THING THAT I WANT TO ASK RIGHT NOW, MS. ROBERTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, WAS IN A, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AND A COMMENT WAS MADE, UH, CONCERNING SOMEONE FOLLOWING THE TRUCKS THAT DO THE PATCHING, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT FILL THE POTHOLES MM-HMM.
AND, UH, A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT, UH, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON ON THAT TRUCK.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW IN, IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT YOU'D NEVER DO THAT TYPE WORK WITH JUST ONE PERSON ON THE TRUCK.
I WANT, I WANT THAT PUT ON THE RECORD MM-HMM.
SO WHOEVER MADE THAT COMMENT, MADE THAT COMMENT AND IT WAS ERRONEOUS.
AND I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS IN PORT ARTHUR KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE ON, ON, ON THAT TRUCK, WOULD YOU? THAT IS CORRECT.
CITY SUPERVISOR WHO GOES AFTER MAYOR, I THINK, UH, OUR BEST HELD ASSET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS THE WORKERS WHO WORK WITH US AS PART OF THE TEAM IN A VERY COLLABORATIVE AND COORDINATED WAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK MR. SMITH AND MR. BEATS FOR THAT.
I WANT TO THANK THE GARAGE FOR THAT.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, I, I STAY IN PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THEM AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT AS COUNCIL CONTINUES TO MAKE ITS WISH KNOWN IN TERMS OF ATTENDING TO THE CITY'S PRIORITIES, WE HAVE THE JOB TO COORDINATE IT AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AS YOU PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE BRING ON THE MECHANICS THAT, UM, UM, UM, ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS BEING SERVICED ON TIME SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT CONTINUOUS PROGRESS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, BOTH IN STREETS AND THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S A VERY COLLABORATIVE AND IT'S A VERY COORDINATED APPROACH THAT WE TAKE.
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WHEN WE DO THE NEXT BUDGET.
[01:30:01]
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY IN THE CITY OF PORT.WE WILL ALIGN OUR HUMAN RESOURCE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR US IN THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAXIMIZE OUR PRODUCTIVITY IN THE CITY OF PORT.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM AND ALL THOSE IN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WHO CAN, AND, AND, AND THE STREETS AND THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT AND THE GARAGE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, UM, WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A TRUCK, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP DOWN THE COST AND THEN WE HAVE TO CALL THE DIRECTOR OF, OF PAKISTAN RECREATIONS CAN BE USED.
YOUR YOUR, TO CUT DOWN THE COST AND TO DELIVER MORE FOR THE PE FOR THE CITY OF PORT.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS, OF COURSE, COTTON AND TO DELIVER MORE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU IMMENSELY FOR WHAT YOU DO.
YOU ALL DO A HECK OF A DRUM ON THE VERY STROUS CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WE ALL ARE VERY, VERY EXCEEDINGLY AND EXCEPTIONALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE TEAM.
AND NO, JUST DID SOUND CHOKE, KINDA CHOKED UP A LITTLE BIT ME, 100% GRAHAM.
WE APPRECIATE GREAT, GREAT, GREAT COUNCIL.
MCKEN NO, MARY, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT IT KIND OF CHOKED UP A LITTLE BIT AND THAT WAS JUST HEARTFELT WITH MANAGER AND YOUR TEAM.
THAT JUST SHOWS IN A TESTIMONY THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD.
IT'S A HARD AND IT'S A TOUGH JOB, AND WE RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AND WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING, BUT WE'RE IN THE FIGHT TOGETHER WITH YOU AND WE CONTINUE THIS PROCESS.
GO TO SECOND PART, SECOND FORM SPEECH PRESENTATION.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, YEAH, I KNOW WE HAD ANOTHER, UM, I WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN HIM ALL THAT TIME IF I'VE KNOWN THAT.
I, I PROMISE MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT.
UH, I, I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MR. BATES.
MS. ROBERTS, UH, FOR THE JOB THEY'RE DOING, UM, THAT, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT YOU WERE SEEING IN HER PRESENTATION THAT MACK IS REALLY GONNA BE VALUABLE AS WE START WORKING THESE STREETS IN THE FUTURE, REDOING AND, AND GETTING DOWN TO THE BASE AND REHAB THE BASE.
UM, I'M GONNA JUST GO OVER QUICKLY THESE 15 SLIDES FOR THE, UH, THE CONTRACTED WORK THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE STREET PROGRAM.
THE FIRST, UM, STREET I WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT HERE IS SOUTH FIRST AVENUE IN SABINE PASS.
THIS WAS A TEXT DOT FUNDED PROJECT, UH, 75 25, $700,000.
AND WE'RE VIRTUALLY A WEEK AWAY FROM FINISHING THIS.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT, WE'VE GOT THE DITCHES DUG, AND THERE'S A 18 WHEELER USING THAT CONCRETE PAVEMENT RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, WHICH IS, UH, KIND OF THE IMPETUS OF THIS JOB WAS TO DO A CONCRETE STREET.
ELITE CONSTRUCTION WAS OUR CONTRACTOR, AND AGAIN, THEIR COMPLETION DATE IS MAY 1ST.
SO THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
THE NEXT STREET THAT WE'LL BE DOING IN SABINE PASS IS MECHANIC STREET.
AGAIN, THIS IS A, UH, TECH DOT FUNDED PROJECT WITH US PROVIDING, UH, 25% OF THE FUNDS, AND IT'S 2.3 MILLION IN MECHANIC STREET.
YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF IT HERE IS, UH, RIGHT NOW AN ASPHALT ROADWAY WITH, AND IF YOU'LL LOOK IN THE PICTURE, THIS IS, I GOTTA THANK MR. HANEY FOR, UH, PUTTING THE SLIP LINING ON THIS PROJECT AND DOING THE SEWER LINES AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE WE GET THERE, THAT, THAT'S BEEN WORKING OUT WELL.
UM, THE NEXT STREET IS FIFTH AND SIXTH, WHICH, UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A, A CONSTANT THORN IN OUR SIDE, BUT I CAN ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE ABOUT A WEEK AWAY FROM FINISHING
AND, UH, AND, AND WE DO KNOW THAT THE CONTRACTOR WAS OVER THEIR ALLOTTED TIME.
THEY WERE DUE TO AFTER EXTENSIONS.
THEY WERE DUE TO BE FINISHED FEBRUARY 18TH, WHICH THEY'RE ANOTHER 40 DAYS LATE.
AND, UM, I WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE CONTRACTOR LAST WEEK TO, UH, DISCUSS THE CLOSEOUT ON THIS DOCU ON THIS PROJECT.
[01:35:01]
WE'RE DONE.I WANT TO THANK MR. FLOOD FOR HELPING ME OUT ON THIS JOB BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL IRATE CITIZENS, AND I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE IT DID NOT COME OUT LIKE I WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEEN IT, THAT THE TIME IT TOOK TOO LONG TO DO.
UM, THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT CONTRACT, WHICH IS ONGOING RIGHT NOW, IS IN DISTRICT ONE WITH ALCO CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS A 4.3 MILLION PROJECT THAT WE STARTED IN MARCH.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, THEY'RE WORKING ON EIGHTH AVENUE.
THERE'S A PICTURE THERE OF, UH, THE CORNER OF THEM FORMING UP THERE WILL BE FORMING UP THE CURB GUTTER THERE, REPLACING THAT.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN, UH, MOVING ALONG WELL.
I'M, I'M PRETTY PLEASED WITH ALCO AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GIVE THEM SOME MORE WORK AFTER THIS.
HOPEFULLY THINGS KEEP GOING WELL.
THE NEXT LIST, UH, IS A PROJECT THAT'S COMPLETED.
DISTRICT ONE FOR, THESE ARE MAJORITY DISTRICT FOUR PROJECTS.
THERE'S BASICALLY 31 STREET SEGMENTS, A TOTAL OF 8.75 MILES.
AND THIS WAS COMPLETED BACK IN JUNE, WHICH I SHOULD POINT OUT, THESE COSTS WERE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THE CONTRACTED AMOUNTS WE'RE SEEING NOW, BUT THIS WAS DONE IN 2020.
THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED LAST YEAR.
THE NEXT PROJECT THAT WE HAVE, GULF COAST, UH, DISTRICT 23 CONTRACT.
AND, UH, THEY'RE JUST GETTING STARTED IN EARNEST.
THEY'VE FINISHED 29TH STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE BY THE BOB HOPE SCHOOL.
UM, THEY'VE FINISHED 28TH AND FIFTH AVENUE, ALSO BEHIND THIS, UH, OFF OF NINTH AVENUE.
AND, UM, THERE'S 2020 SEGMENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THIS CONTRACT.
AND WE DO WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THEM GETTING BEHIND.
AND WE WANT THIS ONE, UH, FINISHING UP BETTER THAN FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
I HAD THIS, I HAD THIS NEXT SLIDE IN HERE TO TALK ABOUT PROCTOR STREET STREET EXTENSION.
WE WERE SCHEDULED TO DO THIS STREET, BUT THE BIDS CAME IN 1.8 MILLION, WHICH WAS ABOUT $800,000 MORE.
SO WE PULLED THE STREET SEGMENT.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRUCK TRAFFIC ON PROCTOR STREET EXTENSION.
AND SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO TEXDOT, D O T, TRIED TO GET SOME FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES.
THIS ONE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE REWORKED EXTENSIVELY DUE TO THE TRUCKS THAT TRAVEL IT.
AND I'VE GOT SOME PICTURES THERE THAT KIND OF PROVE MY POINT.
THE NEXT PROJECT IS, UH, WOODWORTH BOULEVARD, WHICH I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOCATING ANOTHER $4 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT.
THE PLANS ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING FINISHED.
AND SO MY MY PLAN IS TO, UH, HAVE MY MAY 1ST GO OUT FOR BIDS ON THIS PROJECT.
THE NEXT PROJECT IS, UH, NINTH AVENUE.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR YEARS.
THAT CITY ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THIS PROJECT BACK IN THE NINETIES.
SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY AVAILABLE.
WE'VE JUST RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT TO REMOVE THE UTILITIES OUT OF THE WAY ON THIS PROJECT.
AND SO, IF, UH, THE COUNCIL'S DEEMS FIT, THIS WOULD BE A PROJECT THAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERTAKE IN THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH THAT FUNDING, BUT MY IDEA WOULD BE TO DO IT IN PARTS AND PHASES.
THERE'S ALSO SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE SEEK OUT SOME TECH DOT FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH I'LL BE APPLYING FOR SOME, UH, BEAUMONT DISTRICT FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE TRYING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE UTILITY RELOCATIONS.
WE'VE GOT ENERGY IDENTIFYING THEIR POLES THAT NEED TO COME OUT OF THE WAY.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TALKING TO THE GAS COMPANY.
THERE'S SOME LINES THAT NEED TO BE MOVED.
AND, UH, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN, UH, WE'LL GET THE WATER AND SEWER LINES OUT OF THE WAY.
[01:40:01]
IN A FOUR-LANE CONCRETE PAVED SECTION.THE NEXT, UH, PRIORITY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESS IS THIS WEST SEVENTH STREET.
UM, WE HAD APPLIED FOR SOME D O T DISCRETIONARY FUNDS WITH, UH, SECRETARY CHEGG, BUT WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL.
THE PORT WAS, SO, I CAN'T COMPLAIN TOO BAD.
UM, BUT THIS ROAD IS SEEING A LOT OF HEAVY TRAFFIC.
AND, UH, AS WE PROGRESS, AS THE CITY PROGRESSES FORWARD, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS ROUTE.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE, THE BEST ROUTE FOR TRUCKS COMING INTO THE PORT, BUT IT NEEDS SOME WORK AND SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
REAL QUICKLY, I WANTED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE KIND OF FACING IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WE'RE, UM, ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE THERE A PICTURE OF DIAMOND AVENUE, WHICH WE PAVED LAST YEAR, UM, WITH A CONTRACTOR AND, UH, SEWER AND WATER, I GUESS IT WAS A WATER LINE THAT WAS INSTALLED ACROSS THE STREET THAT WE HAD JUST PAVED.
AND, UH, I'M NOT HERE BECAUSE CALVIN AND I, MR. MATTHEWS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB OF TRYING TO COORDINATE THIS WORK.
THE WATER AND SEWER LINES THEY NEED TO BE DONE FIRST, BECAUSE IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR US TO KIND OF COME IN HERE AND REPAIR A ROAD AND THEN HAVE TO DIG IT UP.
THE SECOND TWO PICTURES, YOU SEE, WERE ON FIFTH STREET, BASICALLY TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE HAD A WATER LEAK JUST RIGHT BEFORE WE PAVED THE STREET.
THANK GOD WE GOT IT FIXED AND ADDRESSED.
SO NOW WE FIXED THE ROADWAY WITHOUT HAVING A, A WATER LEAK UNDER OUR NEW PAVEMENT.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, DARRELL HARMON FOR HELPING US WITH THAT, TAKING CARE OF THAT.
THE NEXT ITEM I I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WE HAVE, UH, MR. KENNETH BANO AND, UH, THE GIS TEAM WORKING ON PREPARING A MAP OF THESE STREETS.
BECAUSE ONE THING I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IS TO HAVE AN INVENTORY OF THESE STREETS WHEN WE'VE DONE 'EM, HOW MUCH WE SPENT ON 'EM.
AND THAT WAY THE GENERATIONS THAT COME AFTER US WILL KNOW WHEN A STREET WAS REPAIRED AND THEY'LL KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT, WHY THESE STREETS MAYBE ARE FAILING IN THE FUTURE.
WILL THEY LAST 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS WILL HAVE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, UH, WHEN WE GET THIS GIS, UH, INSTALLED AND, UH, DO A BETTER ACCOUNTING OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS ISN'T A STREET PROJECT, BUT I DID WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, THE BOAT RAMP IS, UH, ALSO PROGRESSING PRETTY WELL DOWN.
WE'LL BE OPENING THAT UP FOR FISHERMAN, UH, BROWN MAY 15TH.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER FOR ALLOWING, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE SO INVOLVED WITH THE STREET AND REHABS.
UH, I, I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID THE RECORD KEEPING PART OF THAT WITH THE GI SYSTEM.
THEY WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THESE STREETS WERE CONSTRUCTED HIM.
AND THAT BENEFITS THE CITY BECAUSE WE KNOW AT A CERTAIN TIME THAT THESE STREETS WILL FAIL AT A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, ALSO, UH, CITY MANAGER, I KNOW, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THIS AGAIN.
I KINDA EXPRESSED THIS TO THE CITY MANAGER MAYBE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, ABOUT A TRUCK ROUTE, HEAVY TRUCK ROUTE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY COME INTO OUR CITY AND THEY TELL THESE STREETS AND THEY'RE GONE.
YOU KNOW, AND I EXPRESSED THIS ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS FROM THE MANAGER.
MANAGER SAID, WE GOTTA LOOK AT IT LEGALLY.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN AND THEY TRY TO AVOID CERTAIN AREAS AND THEY DRIVE THROUGH THE CITY AND THEY DESTROY THE STREETS AND NEVER SAY ANYTHING.
THE CURBS, YOU KNOW, GOWAY MEMORIAL.
SO I'VE EXPRESSED THAT TO THE MANAGER AND HE'S LOOKING INTO IT.
BUT I WANNA REVISIT THAT IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF WE CAN ENFORCE A TRUCK ROUTE, HEAVY TRUCK ROUTE FOR SOME OF THOSE TRUCKS THAT'S COMING INTO OUR CITIES.
SO MANAGER, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS.
BUT AS FAR AS YOUR PRESENTATION, THANK YOU.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT THREE.
WE ARE ATTACKING, UH, THESE STREETS.
AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT IN A COUPLE YEARS THAT THESE STREETS WILL BE COMPLETED.
SO THANKS AGAIN GUYS, AND YOUR HARD WORK AND THANK
[01:45:01]
YOU MANAGER.A COUNCILWOMAN, WE HAVE PRO HOLMES.
I ACTUALLY, I WAS GONNA SAY EXACTLY WHAT COUNCILMAN KENK SAID.
I MEAN, IT'S, WE DO HAVE STREETS THAT ARE HEAVILY TRAFFICKED BY LARGE TRUCKS, PARTICULARLY SEVENTH STREET, I THINK.
UM, WE HAVE NOT, SEVENTH STREET DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THIS 15 YEARS AGO.
IT'S, IT'S, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TRUCKS AND BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC THERE.
SO LOOKING AT SOMETHING TO ASSIST US IN, IN GUIDELINES OR ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, TO CONSIDER SOME ASSISTANCE FROM ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON THE OTHER WAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN A CONCERN SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I WANNA ALSO SAY I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY TO THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, BUT THE HARD WORK THAT I HAVE SEEN YOUR STAFF DO IN THE LAST, UM, THREE YEARS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN DIRECTING YOUR DIRECTORS AND YOUR STAFF.
SO I SAY KUDOS TO ALL OF THEM AND TO YOU, MANAGER FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT.
MAY I SAY THIS BEFORE WE GO ON? UH, WITH THE PROJECT ON, UH, WE, WE WEST SEVENTH ON RANSOM OR WEST RANSOM, HOWARD, UH, WE DID AT MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO GET A GRANT.
WE WERE NOT GRANTED THE MONIES.
HOWEVER, UH, I HAVE A MEETING WITH SET UP AGAIN TOMORROW WITH, UH, CITY MANAGER, MYSELF AND MAYBE CITY ATTORNEY AND, UH, UH, UH, A CONSULTANT OUT OF WASHINGTON WHO WILL SHOW US, I TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
AND THEY, THEY, I THINK YOU, YOUR OFFICE IS SUPPOSED TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THEM ON THIS.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO TALK WITH A CONSULTANT WHO ACTUALLY WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THE CITY IN THAT THIS IS A NEW WAY THAT THINGS ARE DONE AND BUSINESSES DONE WITH MUNICIPALITIES, WITH MONEY COMING DIRECTLY TO THE CITIES.
THAT MONIES WOULD HELP US FIRST CORRECT THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM ON WEST RANSOM HOWARD, AND THEN CORRECT THE CONSTRUCTION PROBLEM OR RECONSTRUCTION OF THAT, UH, THOROUGHFARE THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE TRAFFIC AND THE WEIGHT OF THOSE TYPE TRUCKS.
BECAUSE OUR PORT IS GROWING AND THIS IS AN ECONOMIC FACTOR FOR PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.
AND WE ARE APPROACHING IT AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE LEARNING IT FROM, UH, STEP ONE CUZ I, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD GO BACK AND REAPPLY, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
WHILE, WHILE YOU WERE SAYING THAT.
MR. CAN KEN TELL GREAT REPORT.
THANK YOU FOR THE JOB THAT YOU DO, UH, WITH YOUR, UH, STAFF.
CAN I, I, I WAS LOOKING AT THIS, UM, REPORT, OPK REPORT, UM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHY NOT? ONE DIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE WEST SIDE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT? UM, WELL, WE HAVE 2 MILLION ALLOCATED AND WE HAVE AN ENGINEER THAT'S BEEN LOOKING AT IT.
WHAT'S SLOWING US DOWN IS THE MASTER PLAN, THE DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN.
AND I'VE ASKED THEM, AND I'M NOT GONNA MENTION THE NAME, BUT WE NEED TO GET THAT MASTER PLAN FINISHED IN THE FOLEY AVENUE AREA SO WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE, UH, PROBLEMS IN THE STORM SEWER SYSTEM.
AND, UH, THEN WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, A FIRM AVAILABLE TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION.
WELL NOT DO THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT DO THE ENGINEERING WORK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
LET ME SAY THIS, I, IT, I, OH MY GOD.
UM, I LO I LOVE PORT ARTHUR AND I, I LOVE TELLING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING ACCOMPLISHED 17 WEST 17, 18, 19.
THE, YOU KNOW, IT FLOODED AND IT FLOODS, MAN, JUST IN PEOPLE'S HOMES AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO OVER A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THIS MONEY, UM, MAN, I BOPPED DOWN THERE CAUSE I'M THE CITY, UM, UH, PERSON FOR THE ENTIRE
[01:50:01]
CITY.AND I SAW THE FOLK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND I TOLD 'EM, MAN, WE GONNA FIX SOME DRAINAGE ON WEST 17, 18, AND 19.
AND, AND, AND I WON'T MENTION A NAME, BUT ONE OF THE RESIDENTS LOOKED AT ME, SAID, OKAY, YEAH.
AND HE'S RIGHT AND I'M WRONG CUZ IT HASN'T HAPPENED.
AND I DON'T CARE, I DON'T KNOW WHO THE FIRM IS.
I APPRECIATE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SABINE PASS.
A BOAT RAMP IS WONDERFUL AND I'VE ADVOCATED FOR THAT BOAT RAMP.
I ADVOCATE FOR EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY, BUT HOW CAN WE NOT GET A REPORT THAT IS NECESSARY TO GET THIS DONE? THEY, THAT'S BO THAT'S CRAZY.
WE KNOW IT'S COMING AND WE'VE GOT $2 MILLION.
WE'VE GIVEN THE CITY MANAGER, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ENGINEERING FIRMS TO HELP AND TO DO, GET A LIST OF THEM THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM TO DO THIS.
AND NOT ONE SINGLE SOLITARY PENNY HAS GONE TO A DESIGN OR PREPARATION OR WHATEVER.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN WHEN WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING? I MEAN, I LOVE STREETS, I LOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT NOT ONE DIME HAS GONE TO THIS PROJECT.
AND MAN, IF YOU GOTTA, IF YOU GOTTA LET THAT COMPANY GO, GET OUR MONEY BACK, AND I KNOW THAT WE SPENT $250,000 ON THAT STUDY, DIDN'T WE? HELLO? IT WAS MORE THAN THAT.
WELL, WELL WE, AND WE AIN'T GOT THE STUDY.
AND, UH, I WILL BRING THE FIRM TO COUNCIL THE NEXT MEETING AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA CALL 'EM NOW.
WE'RE GONNA GO OVER AND, UH, WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE YEAR THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
AND, AND, AND I WANT TO REITERATE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS.
UH, I'M NOT A BIG PLANNING PERSON.
I WANT TO GET THE WORK DONE AND I COULD MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, I'VE GIVEN THEM A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY DEFINE THE, THE PRIORITIES THERE, BUT IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT I THINK IS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, AND, AND I MEAN, THEY, THEY DO AN ABUNDANCE OF WORK MM-HMM.
AND THIS CITY HAS BEEN GOOD TO THEM.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO BE BACK BURNER.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, STEP KIDS.
AND SO CITY MANAGER, WITH ALL DUE DILIGENCE AND DELIVERANCE, UM, UH, SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN.
IF YOU GOTTA FIRE 'EM AND GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT, BREAK THE CONTRACT.
TELL 'EM WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK.
WHATEVER YOU GOTTA DO, WHATEVER YOU GOTTA DO BECAUSE THAT'S MAL FEAST.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S MALPRACTICE.
COUNCILMAN MARKS, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. CANELLA AND, UH, GOES BACK TO, UH, THE TEXT DOT FUNDING, UH, FOR SOUTH FIRST AVENUE AND SABINE PASS AND MECHANIC STREET.
AND SABINE PASS SAID IT'S 25% OF, UH, THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED FOR THOSE TWO PROJECTS.
I THINK ONE IS 782,000, THE OTHER ONE IS 2.4 MILLION.
UH, THE 25% MATCHING, DOES THAT COME OUT OF THE, UH, THE, THE BOND MONEY THAT THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR, FOR STREETS? I, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS, IF I CAN GET TO MY NOTES.
WHERE WE ARE GONNA ACTUALLY, UH, REDO OR, OR BEAUTIFY THAT AREA LANDSCAPE.
THE, THE FOUR $4 BILLION THAT, THAT WERE ALLOCATED, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? THE 4 MILLION? THAT'S NOT OUT OF THAT BOND MONEY, IS IT? I
[01:55:01]
COULD TELL YOU, I MEAN THE COUNCIL APPROVED IT, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S JUST OUT OF THE STREET PROGRAM, I GUESS.IT'S PART OF THE STREET PROGRAM.
IT'S PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM THAT IS ALL GOES TOWARDS STREETSCAPE AND, UM, STREET RENEWING.
AND, AND ONE THING I WOULD WANT TO POINT OUT, THE 4 MILLION IS NOT JUST FOR LANDSCAPING.
THE LANDSCAPING IS THE IRRIGATION AND THE LIGHTING IS PROBABLY ABOUT 1.2 MILLION OF THAT PROJECT.
IT'S JUST AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT CONCRETE PAVEMENT THROUGH THERE THAT WE'RE DOING SUBSTANTIALLY.
UH, BUT I WILL HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF ACTUALLY WHERE THE COSTS GO.
AND THEN JUST ONE LAST QUESTION TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK WAS ALLUDING TO ABOUT THE WEST SIDE AND THE FLOODING THAT THAT TAKES PLACE OVER THERE OFF OF OUR 19TH STREET AND TERMINAL ROAD.
AGAIN, I SPOKE ABOUT THAT EARLIER, BACK WAS IN MAY OF, UH, 21 WHEN WE HAD THAT EPISODE WHERE THE WATER WAS IN, IN ALL THOSE FOLKS HOMES BACK THERE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT DOING THE X-RAYS AND THE CAMERAS, AND I THINK WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE DID ALL OF THAT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD.
IT'S TWO YEARS AND HERE WE ARE AND NOT AGAIN, NOT ONE PENNY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BACK THERE.
AND, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS BACK THERE ARE NOT, ARE NONE TOO HAPPY AT THIS TIME.
SO, UH, WITH, WITH ALL DUE DILIGENCE, COULD WE JUST, YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY HERE AT THE NEXT MEETING? YES.
UH, FROM THE, UH, UH, FIRM THAT'S DOING THE PLANS, WHATEVER MASTER PLAN.
SO, YES, UH, PLEASE, UH, LET US, UH, ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND THEY CAN HEAR WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT THESE FOLKS HAVE BEEN TELLING US AND, AND WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE WILL TAKE THE APPROACH WHERE WILL RE-STRATEGIZE AND COMPARTMENTALIZE THE WEST SIDE PROJECT, WHERE WE'LL, UM, WE'LL LOOK AT IT, WE'LL TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE MASTER DRAINAGE PROJECT AND SEE WHETHER WE COULD LOOK AT THE, UM, STUDY INDEPENDENTLY SO THAT WE GET SOME TRACTION ON IT.
IT'S BEEN OVER DELETE AND WE HAVE UNDER-DELIVERED AND THERE'S NO, UM, EXCUSE FOR THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES, UM, BUT WE NEED TO, UM, RE-STRATEGIZE AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH ANOTHER PLAN.
AND, BUT AGAIN, AND ME AGAIN, IMI HIM, UM, FIFTH, FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
I KNOW WE HAVE MADE FRIENDS ON FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET.
UM, BUT I'M THANKFUL AGAIN THAT WE HAVE YES.
IT TOOK TOO MUCH TIME TO COMPLETE.
IT DEFINITELY TOOK TOO MUCH TIME TO COMPLETE.
AND AS WE GO ALONG, WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR MANAGEMENT AND, AND, AND, UM, THE LEVEL OF SUPERVISION WE PROVIDE IN THE STREETS AREA.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE TO IMPROVE.
WE HAVE TO IMPROVE AS WE CONTINUE TO STRATEGIZE IN ORDER TO DELIVER ON TIME AND CUT BACK THE COSTS, YOU KNOW, UM, WE WILL THANK YOU ALL.
UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, EVEN MR. FLOOD, UH, YOU, YOU, A GREAT REPORT.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT, UH, YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB ALONG WITH, WITH, WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, DIRECTOR AND, AND, AND HER, HER, HER GROUP AND, AND THE TEAM.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, WITH THE, AND I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY, MY, MY SENTIMENTS.
UH, I THINK AT THIS JUNCTURE IT'S TIME TO REMOVE OURSELVES FROM WHOMEVER THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE OR ENGINEERS ARE FOR THAT PROJECT.
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EXISTING CONTRACT, I THINK IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS, WE WILL PROBABLY BE BEST.
SO HAVE THEM IN DO IT IN ADDITION TO DO HELP THEM HERE AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING, UH, I'M GOING TELL THE CITY SECRETARY, AND NOW I WANNA PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AT THE NEXT MEETING, HAVE A PRESENTATION BY WHOMEVER THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE.
THEY SHOULD BE PRESENT NOW, IF THEY WANT TO DISCUSS IT, THEY WILL BE PRESENT.
THEY CAN BE LIKE A COURT OF LAW.
THEY CAN BE FAILURE TO APPEAR.
[02:00:01]
OKAY.AND FIGURE TO APPEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN WANT IT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO HAVE CONTRACT ENGINEERS WHO WILL DO THE SPECIFICATIONS PRESENT TO US WHAT IS NEEDED.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS ONE THING.
STOP ME ATTORNEY IF I'M WRONG, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WHAT WAS PRESENTED WAS GARBAGE.
MAYOR, MAYOR, I'M THROUGH, I'M THROUGH.
IF THERE'S A ISSUE WITH A CONTRACT THAT WE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED OF IT AND HANDLE IT THROUGH THE PARAMETERS SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT WITH ME.
THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT IF WE HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
ALRIGHT, SIR, PLEASE GET IT DONE.
AND THIS IS NOT A THREAT, THIS IS A PROMISE.
WELL, AND NOT TO MENTION THE 60 MILLION WORTH OF DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE GOTTA GET DONE IN LAKE HARTH, WELL NOT LAKE ARTHUR, BUT STONEGATE, PORT ACRES AND VISTA.
I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT.
I FEEL YOUR PAIN, HONEY, WITH THE SAME PEOPLE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO ASK THAT QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY, IT'S NOT TO DIMINISH AT ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY FRUSTRATING.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
BUT WE APPRECIATE, AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS STOPPED ME.
THEY STOPPED EACH OF US AT EVERY JUNCTURE TO LET US KNOW.
AND THEY TOLD ME, MAN, YOU SAID THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THEN YOU AND YOU AND BRIAN AND BRIAN RODE OUT THERE.
I WAS IN MY OFFICE AND IT HASN'T BEEN.
AND SO THEY ARE FRUSTRATED, UNDERSTOOD.
AND I CAN ONLY EXPRESS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME BECAUSE I'M ELECTED BY THOSE SAME PEOPLE.
AND IF I'M VOTING FOR THESE PEOPLE TO GET JOBS AND THEY AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB, I NEED TO VOTE FOR THEM, THEM NOT TO HAVE THE JOB.
NOW, UH, NEXT WE HAVE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ANY,
[III.C. (1) City News Letter]
UH, UH, WE HAVE CITY NEWSLETTER.DID WE HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT? UH, FROM, UH, MS. GIBBS OR SOMETHING? WE DON'T.
OH, NO, NO, NOT, NOT GOTTA ON YOURSELF.
AH, UH, WE, WE HAD THAT ITEM PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
JUST AS A MATTER OF RECOGNITION.
WE HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE VR WEBSITE.
UH, THE NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL WE HAVE FOR COMMUNICATING NOT ONLY WITH THE EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND IT'S NAMED INTOUCH IN TUNE, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO FEATURE INFORMATION SUCH AS SOME OF THE ITEMS YOU DISCOVERED, UH, DISCUSSED TONIGHT REGARDING, UH, ITEMS WHERE THE CITY IS MOVING FORWARD IN THE AREAS SUCH AS STREET DRAINAGE.
IT'S ALSO DESIGNED TO RECOGNIZE VARIOUS EMPLOYEES AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE, WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THEM.
UH, WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS TONIGHT WHO ARE FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF, UH, INTOUCH IN TUNE, SUCH AS MS. ALPO, MS. DAVIS, MS. GIBBS.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT.
AND SO WE WILL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT AND TO LEARN FROM IT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT IT.
UH, THERE'S A SPECIAL FEATURE FROM THE MANAGER, SO, UH, THE BOTTOM LINE.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE MANAGER TAKES THE TIME FOR EACH ADDITION TO FOCUS ON A SPECIAL ISSUE THAT IS OF IMPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO THANK THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE COMMUNITY, UH, EDITORIAL COMMITTEE WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME GETTING THIS TOGETHER, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE EDITIONS OF IT.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
NOW MOVE TO, UH, OUR REPORTS FROM THE, UH, COMMUNITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY INTERESTS.AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THE FACT OF, OF THE
[02:05:01]
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER THAT WILL BE OCCURRING ON MAY 4TH.IT IS GOING TO BEGIN AT 6:30 AM OUT AT THE, UH, CULTURAL ON CULTURAL DRIVE AT THE BAR BIBLE CIVIC CENTER.
THAT WOULD BE A 30 MINUTE PRAYER SESSION ON NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AT 6:30 AM UH, WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, MOSES.
UH, AND AT 12 TO 1230, UH, AND THAT'S GONNA BE FROM 6:00 AM UNTIL SIX 30.
AND THEN AT, FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 1230 WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, PASTOR DONALD FRANK.
AND THEN AT SIX TO 6:00 PM UNTIL 6:30 PM WITH THE, OR SCH MAYOR BOITE, UH, AT THE BARB BAR CIVIC CENTER FOR THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.
AND THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR 125TH, UH, CELEBRATION.
I DON'T SEE IT, SO I CAN'T SAY IT.
UH, ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, INFORMATION COUNSEL, GO AHEAD.
UM, MR. UH, BURTON, UH, I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS, BUT TOMORROW NIGHT OUT IN, UH, UH, PORT ACRES COMMUNITY DISTRICT FOUR, UH, CHIEF BENSON IS, UH, GOING TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY MEETING AT, UH, THE CHURCH OF, UH, NEW WORLD HARVEST CHURCH, LOCATED AT 63 66 JADE AVENUE.
UH, UH, PASSED BY, UH, KEITH RICHARD, FORMER COUNCILMAN.
AND THE, UH, TOPIC IS GOING TO BE THE NEW, UH, FIRE STATION THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT, UH, IN, IN IN PORT ACRES.
UH, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN THE COMMUNICATIONS OUT.
WE CHIEF BENSON, IF YOU MIGHT, WOULD YOU, UH, HAVE A WORD TO SAY ABOUT, ABOUT THE MEETING, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA COVER? UM, THAT'S, THAT'S TOMORROW.
TOMORROW EVENING AT, UH, 6:00 PM 63 66 JADE AVENUE.
OH, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL MAYOR.
UM, AND JUST ONE THING, IT'S AT SEVEN O'CLOCK TOMORROW NIGHT, I'M SORRY.
AND YES, WE'RE GOING TO, THE INTENT IS TO LET YOU KNOW, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE IN THE PORT ACRES AREA IS TO THE PROPOSED PLAN FOR BUILDING A REPLACEMENT FOR STATION THREE.
UM, AS IT IS NOT A PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT PROJECT, IT'S A PORT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND PORT ACRES PROJECT.
SO IT'S FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT REALLY IT'S THERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANNA LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND JUST SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, AS WELL AS, AND THEY'LL BE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE, UH, THE COMPANY THAT'S BEEN DOING THE ARCHITECTURAL WORK.
THEY'VE GOT, UH, PICTURES, FLOOR PLANS, SOME RENDERINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE COVERING OUT THERE.
SO, AND THEN WE'LL OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TIME TO TAKE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, ANY COMMENTS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CAKE AND ICE CREAM.
ANY, ANY, ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, I'D LIKE TO ADD, UH, MS.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, ANNUAL EAST EGG HUNT.
IT, IT, AND, UH, IT WAS, I FORGOT WHAT DAY IT WAS, BUT IT WAS A SATURDAY BEFORE, UH, EASTER AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
THE STAFF AND THE SUPPORT STAFF FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE, UH, WERE OUT THERE WHO WERE DOING THE WORK, UH, TO MAKING SURE THAT THE CITIZENS HAD A GREAT, GREAT TIME.
I'M SORRY I COULDN'T GET IN THE, UH, DUNCAN BOOTH, BUT MEDICALLY IT WASN'T THE PLACE THAT I SHOULD BE AT THIS TIME.
MAYBE NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, MY HIPS MAY BE A LITTLE MORE STABLE AND I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT FALL.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, IT WAS VERY NICE AND TO SEE THE JOY ON THE FACES OF THE KIDS WHO WERE OUT THERE AND EVEN THE PARENTS AND CHIEF, THE WAY EVERYONE CONDUCTED THEMSELVES.
UH, THE POLICE HAD NO PROBLEMS. THE POLICEMEN, UH, ONE, ONE YOUNG LADY WAS IN THE SAC WITH THE CHILDREN.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS, THE FIREMEN WERE THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GIVING THE, THE, THE HEADS OUT
[02:10:01]
TO THE KIDS, UH, FIREMEN HEADS, ALL OF THIS IS AN ENHANCEMENT FOR OUR CITY.AND IT SHOWS EVEN AT A TIME THAT SOME MAY WANT TO BRING ON CONFUSION, THAT THERE IS A COHESIVENESS IN OUR CITY FOR GROWTH.
THERE'S A COHESIVENESS HERE FOR FORWARD MOVEMENT AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOURSELF AND OTHERS WHO ARE THERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
I THINK WE MOVE, UH, RIGHT ALONG.UH, THERE ISN'T ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE ARE ITEMS BASICALLY OF ROUTINE NATURE AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEM THAT ANYONE WOULD WANT TO BE WITHDRAWN AND HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY, UH, THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE THROUGH PAGE.
UH, SEE THAT'S ALMOST THROUGH PAGE SEVEN.
UH, YEAH, THE TOP PAGE EIGHT FROM PAGE THREE TO PAGE EIGHT.
UH, IF THERE ISN'T ANY, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ALL OF THE ITEMS, UH, AS THEY ARE PRINTED HERE.
UH, WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION THE HONOR QUESTIONS.
SO AS ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED, NEXT WE
[VIII.A. (1) P.R. No. 23065 - A Resolution Ratifying The Repair Of Fire Engine 6 By Siddons-Martin Of Port Arthur, Texas In The Not To Exceed Amount Of $99,469.50. Funds Are Available In Fire Department Motor Vehicle Maintenance Account No. 001-19-047- 5319-00-30-00]
HAVE THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA AND WE WILL BEGIN ON PAGE EIGHT WITH, UH, PR NUMBER 2 30 65 A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE REPAIR OF, UH, FIRE ENGINE SIX BY THE, UH, SIGHT ORANGES MORTON OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS IN THE NA EXCEED AMOUNT OF $99,469 AND 50 CENTS.FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN FIRE DEPARTMENT MOTOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
UH, 19 DASH 0 4 7 DASH 5 319 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH THREE DASH ZERO ZERO.
MAY GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR PROTE, MAGGIE, A SECOND COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW.
SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 0 65 AS READ.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO IT IS HONORED.
[VIII.A. (2) P.R. No. 23087 - A Resolution Approving Water And Sewer Adjustments To Certain Utility Accounts Due To Leaks And/Or Equipment Malfunction]
PR NUMBER 2 30 87 A RESOLUTION APPRO WATER AND SEWER ADJUSTMENTS TO CERTAIN UTILITY ACCOUNTS DUE TO LEAKS AND OR EQUIPMENT MAIL FUNCTION.MAY I GET A, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK.
SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 0 8 7 AS READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ARE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
EXCUSE ME, SIR, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
ANY THE OPPOSES THE AYES IS ORDERED.
PR NUMBER 2387 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.A. (3) P.R. No. 23088 - A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager's Decision To Authorize Emergency Repair To The 15 Kilovolt Cables At The Water Purification Plant, For The Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $75,856.68 From Water Utilities Account No. 410-40-210-5318-00-00-000, Equipment Maintenance]
HAVE PR NUMBER 23 0 8 8 A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE 15 KILOVOLT CABLES AT THE WATER PURIFICATION PLANT FOR THE TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED, UH, AMOUNT OF $75,856 AND 68 CENT FROM WATER UTILITIES.ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH TWO 10 DASH 53 18 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN? UH, KEN LOCK SECONDARY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE APPROVED PR NUMBER 2388.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? ANY QUESTIONS? ARE ANY QUESTIONS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYES HAVE AND SO PR NUMBER 23 0 8 8 IS APPROVED.
[VIII.A. (4) P.R. No. 23089 - A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager's Decision To Authorize Emergency Repair To The North Plant Lift Station By Brystar Contracting, Inc. Of Beaumont, Texas In The Total Amount Not To Exceed $578,195.53; Funds Are Available In Water Utilities Capital Improvement Fund Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00-000, Water Utility Systems, Project String WS0005-CON]
NEXT WE HAVE P R NUMBER 23 0 89.A RESOLUTION AUTHOR, UH, RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE NORTH PLANT LIFT STATION BY, BY STAR CONTRACTING INCORPORATED OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $578,195 AND 53 CENT.
THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN WATER UTILITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR FIVE DASH 40 DASH 0 0 0 DASH 85 16 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
[02:15:01]
THIS IS THE WATER UTILITY SYSTEM PROJECT.UH, STRING WS 0 0 0 5 DASH CON.
AND I GUESS THAT WOULD BE CONSTRUCTION.
THIS, UH, WE NEED A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN FRANK MOTION? UH, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS? SO SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P NUMBER 23 0 89 AS RED.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVE OR AS HONORED, WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 0 8 9 AS RED.
[VIII.A. (5) P.R. No. 23098 - A Resolution Requesting Ratification Of The Purchase Of A Vacant Tract Of Land At The Jefferson County Delinquent Tax Sale ("Sheriffs Sale") As Part Of The Proposed Development Of The New Fire Station No. 3 In The Amount Of $13,000.00. Funding Available In Capital Improvement Account No. 307-21-409-8512-00-10-000, Project BU0013-OTH]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 0 9 8 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING RATIFICATION OF THE PURCHASE OF A VACANT TRACK OF LAND AT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DELINQUENT TAX SALE SHERIFF'S SALE AS PART OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW FIRE STATION.NUMBER THREE IN THE AMOUNT OF $13,000 FUNDING AVAILABLE IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 4 0 9 DASH 8 5 12 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 1 0 0 0 0 PROJECT B U 0 0 1 3 T H MAY I GET A, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, MAYOR PROTE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECONDARY.
THEY WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 2398.
MAY WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS.
MAY WE VOTE? ALL OF, UH, IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVE SO IT IS HONOR PR NUMBER 23 0 9 8 IS APPROVED AS READ ON ORDINANCE SAYS THERE ARE NONE AND I AM NOW READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT OF THIS AUGUST BODY.
AND HAS BEEN MOVED IN THIRD BY THIS
SO, UH, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES, EVAN? SO IT IS HONOR, THIS MEETING IS NOW, UH, JOINED AND THERE'S ONE THING IN ADJOURNMENT AND I, WE HAD IT HERE.
AND IT'S ON, IT'S, IT'S ON THE SCREEN THERE.
AND SO I GUESS, AND OUR SITTING NEWSLETTER, IT'LL ALSO BE PUBLISHED, BUT APRIL 22ND IN ABOUT ANOTHER SATURDAY.
NOT THIS SATURDAY, BUT SATURDAY WEEK, UH, ON EARTH DAY.
AND YOU CAN, UH, ACTUALLY GO THROUGH, UH, GO TO THE CITY'S WEBPAGE AND FIND OUT ABOUT IT AND VOLUNTEER AND COME OUT AND ASSIST A ON EARTH DAY APRIL 22ND.
AND I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE, WOULD BE BEGINNING AT 7:30 AM ON THAT MORNING AND BREAKFAST WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.