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OKAY.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD MORNING.AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU HERE TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET CITY HALL IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THE MEETING MAY BE ATTENDING AN ACCESS THROUGH THE, UH, MEDIUMS OF VIDEO CONFERENCE OR TELEPHONE OR TELEPHONIC THAT MAY BE DONE BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST HAVE THE MEETING ID OF 8 4 0 6 9 7 4 8 0 4 7, AND THE PASSCODE OF 0 9 0 3 2 8, AND YOU WILL BE, BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING.
WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, UH, AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AND THEY DO WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POLISH TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST.
NOW, IF YOU WOULD SILENCE YOUR TELEPHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND WE WILL HAVE THE INVOCATION, AND FOLLOWING THE INVOCATION, WE WILL HAVE A ROLL CALL.
LET'S STAND PLEASE AND WE'LL, I'LL DO THE INVOCATION.
FATHER GOD IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THAT WE APPROACH YOUR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS HOUR.
WE ASK THAT YOU WILL ALLOW US, DEAR GOD, TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY IN A MANNER IN WHICH IT'S PLEASING TO YOU.
DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS CITY.
YOU'VE BLESSED US FOR 125 YEARS.
DEAR GOD, AS WE BEGIN TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER 125, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US THE BLESSINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT IT'S DONE DEC AND IN ORDER, AND ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL.
WE PRAISE YOU, WE MAGNIFY YOU, WE HONOR YOU, WE LIFT YOU UP BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD GOD.
YOU'RE SUCH A KIND FATHER, YOU ARE A EVERLASTING FRIEND, AND YOU ARE OUR HOPE FOR TOMORROW AND FORS, DEAR GOD, WE ARE MIGHTY, MIGHTY GRATEFUL, AND BE WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING.
THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS FOR HIS SAKE, WE DO PRAY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR YES, SIR.
WE NOW HAVE PROCLAMATIONS AND I DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY BEING DECLARED AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH.
IS THERE SPECIAL GROUP HERE TO RECEIVE THIS? YOU ALL ARE MUCH TOO YOUNG.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE THAT I'M GOING TO READ AND IT'S STATES, WHEREAS MAY IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND WHEREAS OLDER ADULTS IN PORT ARTHUR ARE THE ROOTS FROM WHICH OUR COMMUNITY GROWS.WHO BESTOWED GIFTS OR WE NO, IT SAYS WHO, I'M SORRY.
WHO BESTOWED GIFTS OF WISDOM AND INSIGHT UPON YOUNGER GENERATIONS AND STRENGTHENED BONDS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS TO CREATE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
AND WHEREAS THE OLDER ADULTS IN PORT ARTHUR SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR ROLE IN CREATING AND BROING THE FIBER OF OUR COMMUNITY
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AND OUR NATION.AND WHEREAS WE WISH TO JOIN TOGETHER TO EXTEND ASSISTANCE TO THE OLDER ADULTS IN PORT ARTHUR BY INCREASING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO REMAIN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AS ACTIVELY ENGAGED CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS OLDER AMERICANS, SMU AND SPONSORED BY NA NUTRITION AND SERVICES FOR SENIORS IN NON-PROFIT AGENCY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING INNOVATIVE, EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST OLDER ADULTS IN LEADING QUALITY LIVES WHILE MAINTAINING DIGNITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
AND WHEREAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DIVERSITY, STRENGTH, AND UNITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO MAKE THEIR LIVES COMFORTABLE AND RESPECTABLE.
AND WHEREAS TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY, CULTURALLY, OR OTHERWISE, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PORT AUTHOR TEXAS NUTRITION SERVICES FOR SENIORS IS HOSTING THE 12TH ANNUAL DELIVER THE DIFFERENCE, BENEFITING MEALS ON WHEELS TO HONOR SHERRY AND JEFF BRANICK THURSDAY, MAY 4TH, 2023.
NOW, THEREFORE, AYE THURMAN, BILL BTE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM MAY, 2023 AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND I ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEARING TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS 25TH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023.
AND IT'S SIGNED BY ME THURMAN BILL BCI, MAYOR OF FORT ARTHUR, AND I'M GOING TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT THIS TO YOU, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I JUST WANNA TELL YOU AND YOUR FELLOW CITY COUNCILMAN HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU BECAUSE IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO.
AND I WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU HOW LUCKY THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR ARE TO HAVE EACH ONE OF YOU FIGHTING FOR THEM.
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE ARM IN ARM WE CAN REALLY DELIVER THE DIFFERENCE TO.
SO, SO MANY AND THE NEED IS SO GREAT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION, NOT ONLY TO OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I WANNA QUICKLY INTRODUCE, THIS IS OUR BOARD CHAIR, COLIN MOORE AND OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT, STACEY OLSEN.
AND YOU, YOU, OH, DID, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK, THANK YOU ALL AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL.
[III.A.(1) Dr. Matthew Hoch Of Lamar University Regarding North Pleasure Island Restoration Grant Application]
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, UH, SPEAKERS.WE HAVE OUR FIRST SPEAKER, DR.
MATTHEW HART OF LAMAR UNIVERSITY REGARDING NORTH PLEASURE ISLAND RESTORATION GRANT APPLICATION.
I'M A RESIDENT AT NINE 15 CENTRAL DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
SO I AM A NON-RESIDENT, UH, BUT I ENJOY
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THE RESOURCES HERE IN PORT ARTHUR AND PLEASURE ISLAND IMMENSELY OVER THE YEARS I LIVED IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, WHICH HAS BEEN 15 NOW.UH, I ACTUALLY, I I SHOULD BACK UP.
I BELIEVE I NEED TO REQUEST MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES FROM THE COUNCIL.
WHAT'S THAT? WE'LL APPROVE IT.
SO I REPRESENT A, A GROUP THROUGH THE LAMAR CENTER FOR RESILIENCY, AND I BELIEVE SOME OTHER ISSUES HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGH THE LA LAMAR CENTER FOR RESILIENCY THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING A GROUP INTERESTED IN BOTH THE COASTAL RESTORATION FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL AS WELL AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGICAL BASIS.
AND, UH, THE TOPIC HERE IS TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LAMAR CENTER FOR RESILIENCY AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING PARTNERSHIP THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTY.
UH, AND I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK FIRST, BECAUSE I MEET WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT 1130 TODAY.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO APPLY FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF, UH, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE COASTAL EROSION PLANNING AND RESPONSE ACT GRANTS, UH, TO RESTORE THE ERODED NORTH END PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND BEFORE I GET INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS OF, OF WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING, UH, FROM THE CITY IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT WE, WE ARE PROPOSING AND REQUESTING, I'D LIKE TO JUST GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE, THE HISTORY OF NEED AND THE BENEFITS OF SUCH A PROJECT CHECK.
AND SO MANY OF YOU ARE WELL AWARE THE HISTORY OF OF PLEASURE ISLAND.
UH, IT'S LARGELY BEEN FORMED WITH DREDGE MATERIAL FROM, UH, CREATING THE SABINE NICHE'S WATERWAY, THE SHIP CHANNEL.
AND THAT WAS FIRST DONE IN, UH, 1908.
WE HAVE AN IMAGE HERE OF THE, THE SHIP CHANNEL, AND LET'S SEE IF I HAVE A LASER HERE.
SO HERE WE HAVE THE SHIP CHANNEL.
AND SO THE ISLAND ON THE SABINE LAKESIDE IS, UH, WHAT WE'RE CALLING NORTH PLEASURE ISLAND FROM THIS POINT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE, UH, NATURE'S RIVER.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE ISLAND WAS IN 1939.
UH, SOMETIME IN 1950S, THE CHANNEL WAS CHANGED TO ABANDON, UH, THE, THE NORTH END AND CREATE THIS, UH, KIND OF DEAD END FORK IN THE CHANNEL, WHICH, UH, BEANS FLEET USES FOR BARGE STAGING RIGHT NOW.
AND WE CAN SEE THAT THE NORTH END OF PLEASURE ISLAND, UH, THIS AREA RIGHT HERE HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO ERODE.
AND AS WE MOVE INTO SUBSEQUENT DECADES, UH, WE SEE THAT THERE WAS SOME EROSION UP TO 1996, BUT SINCE 1996, WE'VE HAD AGGRESSIVE EROSION, AND IT COULD BARELY EVEN MAKE OUT THE REMNANTS OF THE ISLAND.
NOW, IF YOU DRIVE UP THE NORTH LEVY ROAD ON PLEASURE ISLAND, YOU'LL SEE JUST A VERY THIN SLICE OF TREES THAT ARE ERODING AWAY AND, UH, FALLING INTO EITHER THE SHIP CHANNEL OR SABINE LAKE, AS WE CAN SEE IN THESE, THESE IMAGES.
SO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND OUR NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE SHIPPING CHANNEL HAS GONE FROM HAVING, UH, PROTECTION BY THE ISLAND, WHICH IS ALSO PROVIDED FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE HAVE, UH, ENJOYED USING THAT RESOURCE IN THE PAST WHEN THE ISLAND EXISTED AS A FAVORITE ANGLING SPOT.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE'VE LOST ALL THAT PROTECTION BECAUSE THE ISLAND IS EFFECTIVELY GONE.
AND SO THAT MAKES THE, THE CITY MORE VULNERABLE, THE SHIP CHANNEL, MORE VO VULNERABLE TO SEDIMENTATION.
UH, AND THERE IS NO REAL ECOLOGICAL VALUE OF THE REMNANTS OF THE ISLAND TODAY, EXCEPT FOR MAYBE SOME, SOME ANGLERS FISH STORIES FROM THE PAST.
AND SO THIS RESTORATION PROJECT IS A TIER ONE OR TOP TIER PROJECT ON THE TEXAS COASTAL RESILIENCY MASTER PLAN.
UH, IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST AND IT MADE THE MASTER PLAN, UH, THIS YEAR.
AND SO I JUST WANNA POINT TO, UH, THIS IMAGE, WHICH ON THE LEFT, WHICH SHOWS, UH, AN ORANGE OUTLINE OF THE, THE RESTORATION PROJECT SITE THAT'S PUBLISHED IN THE COASTAL MASTER PLAN.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS EFFECTIVELY THE AREA, THE MINIMUM AREA THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE BE RESTORED, WHERE WE THINK WE CAN DO BETTER WITH GREATER OUT OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS.
UH, THIS ABILITY TO ADDRESS VULNERABILITIES, THIS COMES RIGHT FROM THE
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MASTER PLAN FOR THIS PROJECT.UH, THE DARKENED COLORED AREAS AROUND THE CIRCLES OF THE ICONS IS REPRESENTING, UH, UH, EFFECTIVELY THE STATE'S, UH, UH, MERIT TOWARDS THE ABILITY OF THE PROJECT TO ADDRESS VULNERABILITIES OF LAND CHANGE, UH, LOSS OF HABITAT, UH, BAYSHORE, UH, HABITAT LOSS.
OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT ON THE GULF COAST, SO YOU DON'T SEE ANY COLOR AROUND THIS, THIS ICON.
AND THEN FLOODING, FLOODING FROM STORM SURGE FLOODING FROM RAIN EVENTS AND FLOODING FROM, UH, TIDAL TIAL CHANGE.
AND THEN LAST, THE PROJECT ALSO ADDRESSES, UH, WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY DEGRADATION.
SO JUST AS, UH, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A KEPPER RESTORATION PROJECT, IT'S OFTEN IN THREE PHASES.
SO EACH PHASE IS ALIGNED WITH THE, THE TWO YEAR ANNUAL BUDGET OR TWO YEAR BIANNUAL BUDGET OF TEXAS.
SO WE'RE APPLYING FOR PHASE ONE, WHICH LARGELY ADDRESSES, UH, COLLECTING ENGINEERING DATA TO BE USED IN THE DESIGN PROCESS, ASSESSING COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER NEEDS AND INTEREST TO GET OUT OF THE PROJECT, AND PRIORITIZING THOSE, UH, PERMITTING, BOTH CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING AS WELL AS PERMITTING, UH, THROUGH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
AND THE, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE AT LEAST A 60% DESIGN COMPLETED WITHIN THOSE FIRST TWO YEARS, UH, REPRESENTING PHASE ONE.
AND I'LL ADDRESS THAT IN, IN A, IN A, IN A MOMENT.
UH, THE NEXT PHASE IS TO COMPLETE DESIGN AND TO INITIATE CONTRACTS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THERE IS SOME MATCH THERE, BUT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR WAIVER AND WE WOULD PURSUE THAT WAIVER.
AND THEN THIRD IS THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
THIS IS THE LARGEST COST PHASE IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING FUNDING FOR EACH TWO YEAR PHASE CONSECUTIVELY, WE'D BE LOOKING AT A PROJECT BEING CLEAT COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT SIX AND A HALF YEARS.
AND SO THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT IS SIMPLY A GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE WHERE I'VE CREATED SOME POLYGONS TO LOOK AT THE FOOTPRINT AREA OF POSSIBLE PROJECTS OF DIFFERENT SCALE.
UH, THE LAST KEPPRA CYCLE, THE CITY HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH G O, UH, LOOKING AT A PROJECT OF A SMALL SCALE IN RED, WHICH, WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT A 50 ACRE HABITAT AND NOT EXTENDING TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION OF THE SHIP CHANNEL OR THE COASTAL COMMUNITY OF CITY, OF PORT ARTHUR AND GROVES.
SO, UH, AS THEY SAY, GO BIG OR GO HOME, UH, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THIS SCALED UP TO AS MUCH AS A 600 ACRE, UH, MARSHLAND COMPLEX, UH, TO MAXIMIZE, UH, BOTH COASTAL PROTECTION AS WELL AS, UH, ECOLOGICAL VALUE.
UH, THESE ARE THE, THE ACTION ICONS IN WHAT THEY STAND FOR THAT ARE LISTED IN THE COASTAL MASTER PLAN, UH, THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD ADDRESS.
AND SO, UH, IT WOULD INCREASE FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BIRD CITY, SO THERE COULD BE A FOCUS ON, ON BIRDING HABITAT.
UH, THE AREA IS ALREADY A, AN EXCELLENT AREA FOR, FOR ANGLERS AND FISHING, AS WELL AS, UH, A LARGE MARSHLAND COMPLEX WILL INCREASE THE VALUE TO INDUSTRY IN HELPING WITH THE RESTORATION BECAUSE THEY CAN GAIN CARBON CREDITS FOR CREATING MARSHLAND.
UH, OF COURSE THAT WE, WE'D SEE PROTECTION OF THE BAYSHORE.
UH, WE'D IMPROVED COMMUNITY RESILIENCY BY THE MARSHLAND COMPLEX, REDUCING WAVE ENERGY EROSION FORCES.
UH, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT CONSIDERING THAT WITH NEW LEVIES BEING MADE, UH, TO PROTECT PORT ARTHUR, UH, HE SIMPLY WOULD NOT WANT HIGH STORM WAVE ENERGY ERODING THOSE LEVEES AND HAVING THAT MARSH IN FRONT WOULD MITIGATE A LOT OF THAT WAVE ENERGY.
AND THEN, UH, NEXT IS, UH, ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
A LARGE SCALE PROJECT WOULD BE DESIGNED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOME CHANGES IN OUR, IN OUR ENVIRONMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES.
UH, THIS IS A, A PROJECT THAT'S LONG BEEN NEGLECTED.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOR DECADES, THE ISLAND HAS ERODED AWAY WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIAL ACTION TO PREVENT THE EROSION.
AND SO IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT THAT HAPPENS, UH, BOTH FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF, OF THE SHIP CHANNEL, OF COURSE, UH, BEING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE, THE NAVIGATION
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CHANNEL, UH, ADDRESSES ISSUES OF MAINTAINING COASTAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.AND, UH, JUST TO ADD, AND THIS INCLUDES LAMAR'S ROLE HERE, THAT, THAT THE, THE SITE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH LAMAR, UH, HAVING A, A GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN ENGINEERING WITH NATURE, OR IN OTHER WORDS, NATURE-BASED COASTAL RESTORATION.
AND SO IT WOULD BECOME A PROJECT SITE FOR THOSE GRADUATE STUDENTS AS WELL AS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE SITE TO BRING IN STUDENTS FROM, UH, LA UH, LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR, AS WELL AS, UH, PERFORMING COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH YOUNGER SCHOOL GROUPS.
UH, SO WE, WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT IT ALSO, UH, ADDRESSES THIS, THIS LAST POINT OF GROWING, UH, KNOWLEDGE BASE AND EXPERIENCE.
SO, LIKE I SAID, GO BIG OR GO SMALL.
THIS IS JUST A, MY CRUDE SKETCH OF A, A POTENTIAL VISION, LARGE MARSHLAND WITH TIDAL CREEK CENTER, INTERCONNECTING WITH SABINE LAKE, UH, MAYBE SOME INTERIOR, UH, AREAS OF PONDS THAT EMULATE THE REVETMENT, UH, LAGOON TO THE SOUTH, AND NOW TO WHAT THE, THE MEAT OF THE REQUEST HERE.
UH, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, A THREE-WAY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LAMAR UNIVERSITY AND JEFFERSON COUNTY.
UH, LAMAR WOULD TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS IN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO ORGANIZING STAKEHOLDERS AND SEEKING STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT, AS WELL AS, UH, ASSESSING OTHER PUBLIC NEEDS AND INTERESTS.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING SURVEY FOR THE NORTH PLEASURE ISLAND RESTORATION TO GET THAT KIND OF PUBLIC INPUT, UH, THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR ABOUT, UH, SIX MONTHS NOW.
UH, WE WOULD ALSO, UH, BOTH IN THE SHORT TERM OF PHASE ONE AND IN THE LONG TERM, UH, MANAGE THE PROJECT.
AND, UH, IN PHASE ONE, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE FACULTY AT LAMAR, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO COLLECTING SOME OF THE DATA FOR THE DESIGN FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WHAT WE WOULD NEED, BECAUSE THE SUBMERGED LAND TRACKS THAT WOULD COME TO THE SURFACE AGAIN, UH, WOULD BE OWNED BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO THE PROJECT WOULD REQUIRE AN EASEMENT BETWEEN THE, THE GLO, SO THE STATE AND PORT ARTHUR, AS WELL AS SIGNING OFF ON ANY PERMITS SUCH AS THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMIT.
IT ALSO, UH, WOULD REQUIRE A 20 YEAR COMMITMENT TO A PROJECT MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, ALTHOUGH LAMAR'S COMMITTED TO HELP FACILITATE GRANT WRITING FOR ANY OF THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR ANY KIND OF REPAIR TO A MAJOR STORM OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
UH, WE ALSO SEEK FOR, FOR BOTH JEFFERSON COUNTY AND THE CITY TO HELP FACILITATE A NETWORK OF STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TO SEEK SUPPORT AND INPUT ON THE PROJECT SCALE AND DESIGN THE MATCH CONTRIBUTION IN PHASE ONE, THE 40% MATCH ARE ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW, IF WE GO TO THE MAXIMUM SCALE PROJECT WOULD BE REQUEST ABOUT $150,000 FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS WELL EQUALLY, IF NOT MORE, FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY.
UH, THERE WOULD BE SOME IN-KIND MATCH CONTRIBUTION FROM LAMAR.
UH, AND, AND, UH, AND THEN IN THE SUBSEQUENT PHASES THAT REQUIRE MATCH, LAMAR WOULD SEEK FUNDS FROM, FROM INDUSTRY, UH, AS WELL AS APPLY FOR THAT WAIVER.
SO I MEET WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY NEXT TO, UH, PERFORM A SIMILAR PRESENTATION, UH, TO MAKE, UH, THE SIMILAR REQUEST.
AND SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS PROPOSED HERE IS TO ENTER INTO A THREE WAY MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THIS LAMAR UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR RESILIENCY, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, IN, UH, SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
AND SO OUR, OUR TIMELINE HERE, UH, OOPS, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
GOT A LITTLE BIT TRIGGER HAPPY.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PRE-PROPOSAL, UH, STAKEHOLDERS MEETING OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UH, TO GATHER SOME INPUT ON SCALE THE, UH, THE PROJECT PROPOSAL, UH, AND DURING THE MONTH OF MAY.
ALSO, UH, ENTER IN, FORMALIZE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, SOLICIT LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS, ALL TO BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION AND MAKE VERY STRONG APPLICATION.
AND THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THIS CYCLE
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OF KEPPER FUNDING FOR THE J O IS JUNE 1ST.AND JUST ON A FINAL NOTE, IF YOU'VE NOT TAKEN THE PLEASURE ISLAND RESTORATION OPINION SURVEY, UH, LET ME KNOW.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD AND I CAN SEND YOU DETAILS.
BUT OTHERWISE, WE, WE, UH, HAVE THE QR CODE AND THE URL HERE, UH, TO GIVE YOUR OWN PERSONAL INPUT ON, ON THIS PROJECT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE I DIDN'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH.
UH, ENLIGHTEN ME ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS NORTH END OF PLEASURE ISLAND, AND I ASSUME THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF WILL GET BACK WITH US END OF TIMELY FASHION SO THAT WE CAN ACT UPON IT.
UH, REAL QUICK, AND YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S OBLIGATION OR PRE OBLIGATION OF THIS, THE 20 YEAR COMMITMENT PROJECT, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR COST.
TELL ME YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, WHAT WOULD THAT ACTUALLY BE? UH, AFTER SUBMITTING THE GRANT PAPERWORK AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SAY OR TO COME ON BOARD WITH THIS PROJECT SO THAT, THAT TIME SCALE BEGINS AFTER CONSTRUCTION.
AND UNLESS THERE WERE PLANS TO, UH, INCREASE ACCESS, ACCESS, UH, THE, I THINK THE, THE MEDIA CONCERNS WOULD BE STORM ISSUES, UH, ASSUMING THAT THERE AREN'T ANY, UH, DESIGN PROBLEMS THAT, UH, OCCUR.
BUT THE, THE KEY THERE IS THAT, AND I SPOKE WITH G O ABOUT THIS, THAT THERE ARE FUNDING SOURCES.
SO IF THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM, THERE ARE FUNDING POOLS AT G O TO GO BACK AND REQUEST MONEY FOR, FOR MAKING THOSE REPAIRS, BECAUSE WE DO RELY ON CONTRACTORS AT GLO LINES UP.
AND SO THEY, THEY ENTER INTO THIS PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
UH, SO THE STATE IN EFFECT IS ALSO THE, THE FOURTH PARTNER IN THE ARRANGEMENT, AS WELL AS IF WE HAVE A MAJOR STORM THAT DOES DAMAGE, THERE'S SPECIFICALLY, UH, FUNDING SOURCES, UH, TO, TO DO REPAIRS.
AND, UH, APPARENTLY THAT THAT COMES THROUGH FEMA.
SO, UH, LAMAR BE TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO MAKE THOSE GRAND APPLICATIONS.
AND MY SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION, UM, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, UH, THE LETTER OF SUPPORT.
SO WE HAVE TO GET THAT IN BY MAY.
SO YOU NEED A REAL QUICK RESPONSE BACK FROM A COUNCIL IF WE GONNA SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
HO, UH, SPECIFICALLY ON THE, UH, 20 YEAR COMMITMENT TO MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC NUMBERS AS TO WHAT ANNUAL, UH, EXPENSES ARE GONNA BE, UH, FOR THAT? NO, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN, I CAN CONFER WITH, UH, G O PROJECT MANAGERS TO SEE HOW, UH, SIMILAR SCALE PROJECTS, WHAT KINDS OF COSTS THESE THEY'VE INCURRED.
UM, WELL JUST, JUST JUST A MINUTE MATTER YOU NO, NO, YOU GO AHEAD.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION ON TODAY, BUT IT SEEMS, UH, AND IT, IT'S NEEDED AND NECESSARY, UH, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, THAT WE SEE FORTHCOMING ON THE ISLAND.
SO IT IS, IT IS NEEDFUL AND NECESSARY, BUT DOESN'T IT, WHAT HAS PREVENTED THIS FROM HAPPENING, UH, TILL NOW? I MEAN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIMELY, BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN A, UH, A LONG TIME INCOMING.
AND, UH, HAVE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE, WE SEEM TO BE KIND OF BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, UH, IN DOING THIS.
AM I, AM I WRONG IN THAT ASSERTION? UH, SIR, I, I HAVE NOT LOOKED BACK IN, UH, GOING BACK THROUGH ALL 13 GRANT CYCLES OF KEPPRA.
UH, SO IF WE'RE ON CYCLE 13, THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 26 YEARS OF KEPPRA FUNDING.
AND, AND SO I'VE, I'VE NOT DONE THE HOMEWORK ON HOW MANY CYCLES BACK.
THIS HAS BEEN A TIER ONE PROJECT, SO I, I CONCEDE THAT IGNORANCE, UH, BUT THE ISLAND'S BEEN ERODING PRIOR TO, TO THAT TIME SCALE.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT TIMESCALE RECENTLY IS THAT THERE'S BEEN MORE FUNDING, UH, THROUGH THE KEPPRA PROGRAM BECAUSE SOME OF THE FUNDING FROM THE DEEPWATER HORIZON, UH, IS FUNNELED INTO KEPPRA.
THERE'S ALSO THE GULF OF MEXICO ENERGY SECURITY ACT, THAT'S MORE RECENT FUNDING.
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WHAT, ACTUALLY, THAT'S THE, THE GO MESA ACRONYM.AND THAT WOULD FUND THE A HUNDRED PERCENT COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO THERE, THERE'S ACTUALLY INCREASED AMOUNTS OF GO MESA AND GLO AT THE MOST CURRENT WORKSHOP, REALLY PROMOTED BIG PROJECTS AS THEY, THEY WANT TO INVEST IN SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES.
AND HONESTLY, WHAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED, THE LAST CYCLE FROM NORTH PLEASURE ISLAND WAS MINUSCULE 50 ACRES, AND TO JUST ACHIEVE THE 1970 FOOTPRINT, THAT'S ABOUT A MINIMUM OF 150 ACRES MM-HMM.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.
AND I SIMPLY, I SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, I, I SIMPLY, UM, MAKE THIS COMMENT BECAUSE, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF, UM, THE ENERGY SUPPLY HERE NATIONALLY, THAT THE PROTECTING OF THOSE RESOURCES AND THE PROTECTING OF THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
AND SO, AS YOU SAID, THE ISLAND DOES THAT.
AND, AND SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I WAS RISING TO SAY.
UM, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH DR.
AND, UM, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE, BOTH THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS SUCH A PROJECT WOULD BRING TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OVER A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK DR.
HAWK TO COME AND PRESENT IT TO THE COUNCIL, UM, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS TO BUILD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE DETERIORATION OF OUR COASTAL ENVIRONMENT, UM, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AS IT CONTINUE TO OCCUR.
HLE STATED, THIS IS, WE ARE IN THE VERY INITIAL, UM, STAGES OF THE PROJECT, UM, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERMITTING AND, UM, THE USE OF SOME EASEMENTS AS IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AND OWNED BY THE CITY.
UM, WE WILL ENGAGE THE, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE ALREADY ENGAGED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT IT AND TO LOOK AT WHAT, UM, MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING AND, AND MUTUAL, UM, COMMUNICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE CREATED LEGALLY IN ORDER TO ENGAGE AND TO SUSTAIN FOR THE LONG TERM AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT.
AT THE CORE OF THAT PROJECT IS THE HARDENING OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS OUR COAST OF OUR COASTAL AREA, AND PREVENT IT FROM ERODING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SO WE WILL, AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL IN TERMS OF, UM, AND, AND IN TERMS OF, UM, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AS WELL AS WHAT IT WOULD IN, AS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, UH, HOPEFULLY IN THE AREA OF 150,000.
AND AS HE CLEARLY STATE, 150,000 WOULD BE COMING FROM, HE'S GOING TO MAKE A REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY AND KNOW THAT THE COUNTY, I'VE SPOKEN TO THE COUNTY JUDGE, IT DOES HAVE THE BACKING OF THE COUNTY JUDGE AS WELL.
AND, UM, THE COUNTY JUDGE HAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, THE STATE, THE, THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND WE CAN, UM, SEE THE, THEIR, THEIR SUPPORT AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, WE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT ALL IN ALL, IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.
IT'S A VERY GOOD PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, FOR LAMAR UNIVERSITY, AND FOR THE COUNTY THAT WILL YIELD BENEFITS, TREMENDOUS BENEFITS FOR THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF THE CITY AND CITIZENS.
J JUST AS A, A, A PROFESSIONAL, UH, PERSONAL COMMENT, UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ASSESSING RESTORATION PROJECTS AS A, AS A BIOLOGIST AND COASTAL SCIENTISTS, UH, FOR GOING ON ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW.
I'VE STARTED DOING SOME MARSH RESEARCH.
AND SO, UH, MY OWN PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN WHAT'S TAKEN ME SO LONG TO GET INVOLVED IS, IS THAT I HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN, IN OTHER TYPES OF WORK.
AND WHAT HAS REALLY KIND OF AMPLIFIED THE, THE EFFORT HAS BEEN THE FORMATION OF OUR CENTER FOR RESILIENCY.
AND SO THIS HAS BROAD INTERDISCIPLINARY SUPPORT.
SO OUR GROUP INVOLVES SOCIOLOGISTS, ENGINEERS, UH, PEOPLE IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT IS QUITE A COMPREHENSIVE GROUP OF FACULTY THAT ARE, ARE SHARING AN INTEREST.
AND, UH, WE WORKED INITIALLY WITH, WITH, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY, UH, WHO HELPED INTRODUCE ME TO THESE FUNDING
[00:35:01]
PROGRAMS. AND I REGRET THAT, UH, TWO YEARS AGO.I, I DID NOT DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH THE CITY, UH, TO START THIS PROCESS PROPERLY, UH, FROM THE START.
BUT TH THIS IS, THIS IS OUR CHANCE, AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY COMPREHENSIVE VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, AND I, I HOPE ONE DAY I CAN SHOW MY GRANDKIDS AND TAKE THEM FISHING THERE.
[III.A.(2) Roderick Shields And Karina Shields Of Open Book Real Estate Investments, LLC Regarding The Zoning Board Of Adjustment Meeting Held On April 13, 2023]
WE'LL MOVE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. RODERICK SHIELDS AND KARINA, MRS. KARINA SHIELDS OF, UH, OPEN BOOK REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS, LLC REGARDING THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS MEETING HELD ON APRIL 13TH, 2023.CAN YOU BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS RODERICK SHIELDS, UH, ADDRESS 59 99 MARV AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS MY WIFE, KARINA SHIELDS AS WELL.
UH, BORN AND RAISED, PORT ARTHUR CITIZEN.
UH, CREATED A COMPANY, MAN, LEMME FIX THIS, UH, WHICH IS OPEN BOOK REAL ESTATE, WHICH WE GO UNDER, WHICH WE DO RESIDENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALSO HELP, UH, RESIDENTS BECOME HOMEOWNERS THROUGH DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND DIFFERENT PROCEDURES THAT WE DO.
UH, I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR PLANT AND ZONING ABOUT A PROPERTY I ACQUIRED AND NEEDED INFORMATION ON, WHAT CAN I PUT ON THE PROPERTY? UH, AS YOU CAN CHASE TO THE SCREEN.
WE FINALLY WANTED TO DEVELOP A MICRO, UH, COMMUNITY FOR HOMEOWNERS.
UH, AT THAT TIME, THE PLANNER WAS DESIREE, WHICH SAYS, REGARDING YOUR RECENT REQUEST TO REZONE THE LOTS AT LINCOLNWOOD AND TERENCE AVENUE, YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO REZONE THE PROPERTY.
SINCE THE PROPOSED OF THE USE OF TWO FAMILY DUPLEXES IS PERMITTED ALREADY THERE, THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, WHICH ALLOWS THIS USE BY RIGHT.
ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONS CAN BE DISCUSSED WITH PHIL, THE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL, UH, GREATLY.
AFTER THAT EMAIL, WE GOT IN CONTACT WITH MR. PHIL VALARD, UH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE RIGHT HERE.
WE SET A MEETING WITH 'EM, SAT DOWN WITH HIM IN PERSON.
HE INFORMED US OF EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO ON THIS PROPERTY THAT TOOK PLACE ON JUNE 23RD, 2022.
WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH MR. PHIL VALARD, WITH THE CITY CODES, ALSO ENGINEERS, CIVIL ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD APPROVE.
AND THAT'S THE EMAILS THAT YOU CAN SEE.
UH, HE WOULD'VE TO SEE THE DESIGN, THE ENTIRE PROJECT TO SAY YES OR NO.
HOWEVER, 600 SQUARE FOOT IS THE MINIMUM SIZE OF A DWELLING.
SO 800 SQUARE FOOT WOULD PROPERLY PROPERLY WORK IF ALL OF THE CONDITIONS WERE MET.
SO WE FINALLY DEVELOPED, UH OH, NEXT SLIDE IS SOUTH TEXAS.
AS YOU'RE AWARE THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR REQUIRES CERTAIN DOCUMENTATION BEFORE YOU CAN BE GRANTED A PERMIT TO BUILD, WHICH IS FINANCES FOR THE BOUNDARY BLUEPRINTS, PLOT PLAN, GRADING TB 10 ELEVATION CERTIFICATES, WHAT WAS ALL COMPLETED BY SOUTH TECH SURVEYS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE REPLAT RIGHT HERE, AS IT WAS DESCRIBED.
THIS PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN PHASES, AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS DIVIDED.
AND THE REPLAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY.
WE'VE ALSO GRANTED NUMBERS FROM MS. RHONDA BELL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE NUMBERS WILL BE ACTIVE ONCE PERMITTED WAS STARTED.
NEXT SLIDE IS THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THE ACTUAL ARCHITECT DESIGNS THAT WE HAD DEVELOPED OF THE UNITS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE BLUEPRINTS AND EVERYTHING ARE ADDRESSED, OPEN BOOK REAL ESTATE, AND ALSO HAS ALL THE ELEVATION SEARCH PLOT PLANS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO GET A PERMIT, UH, PUT IN AN APPLICATION TO HAVE A PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING ON JANUARY 6TH.
I WAS INFORMED ON 18TH, JANUARY 18TH THAT WE WOULD HAVE A MEETING ON JANUARY 18TH.
LATER I WAS CALLED AND INFORMED THAT A NEW ORDINANCE HAD BEEN PUT IN, THAT THIS PROJECT IS NO LONGER GOOD BECAUSE, UH, THE NEW ORDINANCE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO STEP IN AND HELP ME SAVE THIS PROJECT FOR THE BENEFIT OF PORT ARTHUR AND ITS
[00:40:01]
CITIZENS.NOW, SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS IS ARE WE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE SHORTAGE OF HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN SECTION EIGHT, WHICH WAS STATED AT THE ZONE MEETING THAT I WAS BRINGING SECTION EIGHT HOUSING, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE THESE UNITS AFFORDABLE.
UH, BY US OWNING THE LAND, WE CAN ADJUST THE PRICES AND WE HAVE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUILDERS WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS AND MAKE THESE UNITS WHERE THE CITIZENS CAN GET IN THESE UNITS AFFORDABLE, AND ALSO HAVE MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE HOUSING, CAR GROCERIES, AND ABLE TO LIVE.
UH, OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE IT.
UH, GEORGIA HAS DONE A SMALL THING, UH, COLLEGE, UH, SMALL COLLEGE.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO STEP IN FOR ME AND REVIEW THESE DOCUMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, KIND OF CLARIFY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE ITEM WENT BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS ISSUED A DENIAL.
UM, THE, UH, APPROPRIATE PROCESS FOR APPEALING A DECISION OF THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS IS THE COURTS.
THE LAW DOESN'T GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE A ZBA DECISION THAT HAS TO GO TO DISTRICT COURT.
SO THERE MAY BE, WE'RE JUST REQUESTING A REZONE LIKE WE ORIGINALLY REQUESTED, AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE CITY THAT IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE REZONED.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE FIRST PAPER RIGHT HERE, REGARDING YOUR RECENT REQUEST, IT WAS A REQUEST THAT WAS DENIED BY THE CITY STATING WE DIDN'T NEED THAT.
SO WHAT TOOK PLACE IS THAT WE REDID OUR ZONING ORDINANCE IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND THERE'S MAJOR CHANGES, THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
UM, I HAVE HERE THAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED ON JUNE 30TH, 2022.
LET ME LOOK AT THE EXACT DATE.
LET ME GET THE DATE IT WAS APPROVED, AND LET ME GET THE EXACT DATE.
I THINK IT WAS IN JUNE OF 2022 WHEN WE HAD WORKED FOR A LONG TIME ON CHANGING OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND, UH, WHILE I'M TRYING TO GET THE PAGE TO GO DOWN AND GET THE EXACT DATE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONCE THE ZONING ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT, IF A PERSON HAD NOT ACTUALLY HAD A PERMIT IN HAND, THEN THEY COULDN'T FALL UNDER THE OLD ZONING.
UM, IF YOU ARE IN FACT INTERESTED IN, IN DOING SOME TYPE OF REZONING, THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
SO THE ACTUAL DATE THAT THE ITEM PASSED WAS JULY 5TH, 2022.
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE WAS J JANUARY 1ST.
SO WE DID IT WHERE WE PUT IT IN THE PAPER, WE PUT IT EVERYWHERE WE COULD PUT IT.
UM, WE DID, UH, ADVERTISEMENT SO PEOPLE WOULD BE AWARE OF IT.
SO I GUESS, I'M NOT SURE OF THE DATE YOU MADE THAT REQUEST, BUT, UM, THE NEW ORDINANCE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE INTO EFFECT UNTIL JANUARY 1ST.
SO WHEN YOU HAD A DISCUSSION, PROBABLY IN, IN JUNE OR JULY, THAT WAS VALID, BUT A PERMIT HAD TO HAVE BEEN PULLED IN ORDER FOR YOU TO FALL UNDER THE OLD ORDINANCE.
UM, SO IF YOUR REQUEST AT THIS POINT IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO OVERRIDE THE ZBA DECISION, I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COURT.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IT REZONED, THEN THAT AUTHORITY WOULD FIRST LIE WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND I WOULD, UH, RECOMMEND THAT THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD TAKE THAT REQUEST BECAUSE IT IS NOW ZONED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
AND IT'S ALSO ZONED, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S IN A COMMUNITY, SO IT'S ALSO ZONED, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
IT'S ALSO ZONED FOR GROCERY STORES, UH, CONVENIENCE STORES, CONSTRUCTION FACILITY, UH, AMUSEMENT PARKS, URGENT CARES, WHICH THE CITIZENS VOICE AND OPINION AND SAID THEY DID NOT, UH, WERE IN FAVOR FOR ANYTHING COMMERCIAL.
THEY WERE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT RESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, SO JUST TO NOT GO INTO IT TOO MUCH, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT WITH YOU.
AND I, I NEEDED TO SIT WITH YOU ALONG WITH PLANNING AND ZONING TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST A SMALL RADIUS IN THE VISTA VILLAGE COMMUNITY? I THINK THERE'S JUST A, A FEW, IT'S JUST A COUPLE OF LOTS.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, THEN THE REST OF IT IS, I BELIEVE, RESIDENTIAL FORM.
BUT, UM, BASICALLY YOUR, YOUR ANSWER WOULD LIE WITH P AND Z TO ASK THAT IT BE REZONED.
I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THIS.
AND THOSE, AND I WOULD, I ALSO, UH, LIKE TO GET ANY INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL IS THIS IS HOW, UH, BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED WITH THE
[00:45:01]
CITY.I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WAS LOOKED AT OR WAS I TAKEN SERIOUSLY ON THE MATTER, BUT MONEY WAS SPENT ON THE PROJECT.
AND WHEN WE GET ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THE CITY REQUIRES, WHICH I WASN'T AWARE OF ANY OF THE CHANGES, WHICH MY PRO PROPERTY WAS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR SOME KIND OF HELP HERE.
I'M NOT SURE OF WHAT THE, THE, WHAT ALL TOOK PLACE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ZONING ORDINANCE WHEN YOU MADE THE INQUIRY, OR GUESS IT WAS IN JUNE AND THEN THE CHANGE TOOK PLACE JANUARY 1ST.
WHAT THE COUNCIL, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TOO MUCH FOR THE COUNCIL CUZ THEY CAN SPEAK, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PASSED IT WAY BACK IN JULY AND WAITED FIVE OR SIX MONTHS FOR IT TO BECOME EFFECTIVE WAS SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE AWARE OF THE CHANGES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH YOU.
UM, BUT YOU'D JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BECAUSE THERE IS, UH, DATES RIGHT HERE ALL THE WAY BACK TO AUGUST ON THESE EMAILS.
SO WAS THE BUILT OFFICIAL NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGES OR WELL, WHEN IN AUGUST IT WAS AUTHORIZED MM-HMM.
SO IF YOU HAD HAD THAT PERMIT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, BY DECEMBER 31ST, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN OKAY.
I KNOW, BUT HOW, I KNOW Y'ALL POSTED IN NEWSPAPERS AND HOW AM I, HOW WAS I DIRECTLY, I WAS DEALING WITH THE ZONING AND ALSO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
SO I'M NOT SURE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE AWARE OF, YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE NEED WHAT CHANGES OF I WOULD BE AFFECTED AND MY PROJECT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE UPCOMING CHANGES.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT YOUR CONVERSATIONS WERE, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN GO FROM NOW.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD AND I YES, MA'AM.
I, I, I DO NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND, UH, P P AND Z CAN TOO AND SEE WHERE YOU CAN GO FROM HERE.
COUNCILWOMAN MOSES? YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
SO YOU WENT BEFORE THE PZA, THE, THE PLANNING, YOU, YOU HAVE NOT DONE THAT? WELL, I, UH, CONTACTED PLANNING AND ZONING, WHICH IS, I GUESS LARRY, UH, RIGHT HERE WAS DESIREE WAS THE DIRECT SENIOR PLANNER THAT ADVISED ME.
WHEN WAS THAT? THAT WAS IN JUNE LAST YEAR? YES MA'AM.
AND SO YOU WERE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING YOU WERE NEVER INFORMED OF THE CHANGES OF THE, THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY ADOPTED? YES, MA'AM.
I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF JUNE UNTIL JAN UNTIL JANUARY.
THIS YEAR THEY WERE AWARE THAT THAT WAS GOING TO, THE ONLY WAY I WAS AWARE IS WHEN THEY CALLED ME AND STATED THAT THEY WASN'T HAVING THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING BECAUSE THE NEW ORDINANCE TOOK PLACE IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO WHEN DID YOU CONTACT THEM? THAT THAT WAS THE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR? YES MA'AM.
THAT WAS ON JANUARY THE EIGHTH WHEN I, UH, SUBMITTED THE, FOR THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING.
SO WHO HAVE YOU SP SPOKEN WITH FROM JANUARY 8TH UNTIL NOW? UH, PRETTY MUCH, UH, MR HAS YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH, UM, TO BRING YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE WELL WE WERE ABLE TO BRING AND TO GET DIRECTIONS? WHERE, WHERE DID ANYONE GIVE YOU ANY DIRECTION? AFTER JANUARY 8TH.
AND THIS IS THE END OF APRIL? YES, MA'AM.
SO DID ANYBODY ON STAFF GIVE YOU DIRECTIVES AS TO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, THIS IS WHAT'S YOUR NEXT STEPS ARE? YES, MA'AM.
THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL IN, UH, HELPING ME GET SET UP WITH A ZONING, THE ZBA MEETING, UHHUH
LIKE I SAID, MR. LANGSTON FELT THAT IT WAS A, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
SECTION EIGHT OFFICER, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE RESULTS WERE.
I DIDN'T WANT YOU DID GO TO ZBA.
I DID GO TO THE ZBA AND YOU WERE DENIED.
WHEN DID THE DENIAL COME UP? ABOUT WHEN WAS, WHEN WAS HE DENIED? APRIL 14TH.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE MEETING WAS NOT A, A REALLY, A FAIR MEETING.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASKED, I MEAN, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU BOTH.
I THINK THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE LEGALITY OF THE MEETING, THAT THAT WOULD BE, SO WE TELLING HIM TO GO BACK TO ZBA NOW? NO.
SO WHAT I'M TELLING HIM THAT, UH, THE ZBA, IF HE'S DISSATISFIED WITH THE ZBA, IF HE FEELS THERE'S AN ERROR THAT THE LAW PROVIDES THAT YOU TAKE THAT TO DISTRICT COURT.
AND COUNSEL CAN BE AWARE, BUT ANY GRIEVANCE OR CONCERN ABOUT THE ZBA HAS TO GO TO DISTRICT COURT.
YOU THERE, WOULD YOU SAY, HOWEVER, IF HE WANTS TO, I DIDN'T MEAN TO, YOU KNOW, CUT YOU OFF, BUT IF HE WANTS TO ASK FOR A ZONING CHANGE, SO THE ZBA GIVES A VARIANCE, RIGHT? THE VARIANCE HAS BEEN DENIED.
HIS ONLY OPTION TO GET THAT OVERTURNED IS TO GO TO DISTRICT COURT.
NOW, IF HE WANTS TO GET IT REZONED, THEN I WOULD SAY HE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
WELL, WE JUST WANNA GIVE HIM CLEAR DIRECTION AS TO WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO.
CUZ IF, UH, IF HE'S NOT CLEAR STANDING HERE AND HE'S GONNA WALK AWAY, NO ONE'S CALLED HIM IN TO GIVE HIM DIRECTED DIRECTIONS, CLEAR DIRECTIONS ON WHAT HIS NEXT STEPS ARE, HE'S NOT GONNA KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN
[00:50:01]
HE LEAVES THAT PODIUM.HE JUST NEEDS TO KNOW CLEARLY WHO COULD HE MEET WITH TO HELP GIVE HIM, I BELIEVE STAFF HAS EXPLAINED THAT.
AND, UH, WE WILL SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN THE ZBA PROCESS.
WELL, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN IT TO HIM.
BUT WHEN THERE'S A LEGAL MATTER, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REPRESENT BOTH SIDES, BUT, UM, I THINK THE, THE INFORMATION, UH, CAN BE SHARED WITH YOU IF IT WASN'T EXPLAINED TO YOU.
YOU AT THE ZBA LEVEL, USUALLY AT THOSE MEETINGS THEY READ YOUR RIGHT TO APPEAL.
BUT I'LL WORK WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT CLEAR DIRECTIONS AS TO NEXT STEPS.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU, UH, FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO DEVELOP.
UM, WE, WE, WE WANT THAT IN OUR CITY, OF COURSE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF CHALLENGES WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY LOOKS THE WAY THAT WE WANT IT TO LOOK AS WELL.
AND SO THE ZONING PROCESS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT, AND OUR STAFF WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY ALONG WITH FRIES AND NICKELS TO COME UP WITH A, UH, REZONING OF OUR CITY.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, YOU AND I DID TALK, UM, UH, WE TALKED AS YOU WERE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TALK TO ME ABOUT WHERE TO GO AND WHAT GUIDANCE AND WITH MY LIMITED, UH, KNOWLEDGE, I WAS TRYING TO GUIDE YOU, UH, TO THE STAFF, UH, AND ALL OF THAT, AND PLACE YOU IN THEIR HANDS BECAUSE THAT'S AS FAR AS MY, UH, MY, UM, MY, UH, EFFORTS CAN GO.
AND SO, UM, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID ASK, UM, THE, THE, UH, ATTORNEY WAS IF THERE WAS A GRANDFATHER ASPECT TO ANY OF THIS, UH, AND, UH, WHAT WAS GIVEN TO ME WAS WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH YOU ALREADY, THAT IF THE PERMIT HAD BEEN GRANTED BEFORE ALL OF THAT HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED, THERE WOULD BE A GRANDFATHER ASPECT TO YOUR PROJECT.
SO, BUT BECAUSE THAT PERMIT WAS AFTER THAT, AND SO I DID INQUIRE THAT, UH, UH, TO SEE, UH, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP YOU.
SO, UH, I WANT YOU TO KEEP GOING.
I WANT YOU TO KEEP DOING, UH, GO BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
WE CAN'T, UH, FROM WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED TODAY, OVERRIDE THAT.
BUT I WANT YOU TO BE ENCOURAGED AND I WANT YOU, UH, TO BE ACTIVE AND VIABLE IN OUR CITY AND WHERE, UH, OUR CITY IS TRYING TO GO.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, APPRECIATE THAT BEFORE DAY.
[III.A.(3) Mary Alice Cheatam Regarding A Response Letter From The City Of Port Arthur]
WE ARE MOVED NOW TO OUR NEXT, UH, SPEAKER.UH, MS. MARY IS CHEATHAM REGARDING A RESPONSE LETTER FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
YOUR APPROACH, PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS MARY ALICE CHEATHAM AND I LIVE AT 1206TH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND, UM, I AM TO THAT A FEW MINUTES OVER FIVE MINUTES CUZ I'M READING A STATEMENT, MY STATEMENT, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UH, I'M A TAXPAYER CITIZEN OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE.
I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD BY ATTORNEY, BASICALLY, I WAS WASTING MY TIME COMING BEFORE YOU ALL TO, UH, YOU ALL CONCERNING MY SITUATION.
I HAVE, UH, BEC THAT I HAVE BECAUSE IT WAS NOTHING YOU ALL COULD DO ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, MY COMPLAINT WOULD ONLY BE SENT RIGHT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM? WHO POLICES THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT? I AM HERE TO, I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE ON TWO OCCASIONS, OCTOBER 25TH, 22, AND NOVEMBER 2ND, 2022, I WAS TREATED VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND UNPROFESSIONAL BY A CITY, TEXAS PUT OUT THE TEXAS CITY EMPLOYEE.
AND AFTER I REPORTED THE INCIDENT, IT WAS COVERED UP AND SWEPT UNDER THE RUG BY, UH, ONE OF THE ADMINISTRATORS.
UH, I NEVER, I NEVER ASKED TO BE TOLD WHAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE TO THAT, UH, EMPLOYEE.
IF ANYTHING, I ONLY ASK THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION ACKNOWLEDGE I WAS TREATED IN A DISRESPECTFUL AND UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER BY THIS PERSON WHO I FEEL SHOULDN'T HAVE NEVER BEEN HIRED DUE TO THE FACT, UH, THAT PERSON HAD ISSUES.
CAN WE GO THAT DEEP OR, WELL, I'M NOT MENTIONING ANY NAMES.
I WANNA BE SURE WE, WE WITH THE LAW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RULES OF DECORUM, IT JUST, I WANT TO JUST MAKE YOU MINDFUL OF THOSE AND THAT'S HANDED OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, DO ANY TYPE OF PERSONAL ATTACKS OR THINGS
[00:55:01]
LIKE THAT ON PEOPLE.SO JUST BE MINDFUL OF THE, THE RULES OF DECORUM.
AND, UH, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT? I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SHOW THE PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR.
UH, WITH FEMALES, OKAY, SO I'LL GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, ON, UH, 2 20 22, HE GOT IN MY FACE IN A VERY THUGISH AND BULLISHING MANNER, ARGUING BACK AND FORTH WITH ME ALL WHILE ON TAXPAYER'S TIME, THIS PERSON WAS UPSET WITH ME BECAUSE I CALLED HIS SUPERVISOR AND REPORTED HIM FOR ALLOWING A DANGEROUS DIRT PILE WITH IRON ROY STICKING OUT AND UNCOVERED HOLES, UH, ON THE SIDE OF MY PROPERTY NOT TO HAVE SAFETY BARRELS AROUND IT.
UH, I'VE HAD, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'VE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS, UH, CONSTRUCTION ISSUE.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHY I WAS CALLING THAT PERSON ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS.
ON, UH, ON 10 25, 22, I LITERALLY HAD TO FLAG THIS PERSON DOWN ABOUT A MINUTE BEFORE, UH, HE DECIDED TO STOP HIS TRUCK AND DISCUSS THE DANGEROUS AREA SURROUNDING MY HOME.
EVEN AT ONE POINT, ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, WOMEN IN MY DISTRICT CAME BY MY HOME AND WITNESSED THE DANGEROUS, THE DANGEROUS AREA.
ON 11 3 22, I TURNED IN A COMPLAINT COVERING WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ME AND THE EMPLOYEE, UH, WHICH OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 2ND, 22.
I INCLUDED THE TWO PEOPLE WHO WAS PRESENT WHILE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, AND I INCLUDED THE FEMALE WITNESS TELEPHONE NUMBER.
WHEN I RECEIVED A RESPONSE LETTER ON NOVEMBER 21ST, 22, THE, UH, ADMINISTRATOR WHO ORIGINALLY, UH, INVESTIGATED THE CASE STATED IT WAS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING AND A MISCOMMUNICATION.
LIKE I DID NOT REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME AND WHAT THIS PERSON HAD DONE.
IN THE LETTER, HE STATE THAT NO LONG, I NO LONGER HAVE ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE EMPLOYEE.
AN EMPLOYEE, UH, IS DIRECTED NOT TO FURTHER CONVERSATE, WRITTEN OR FACE-TO-FACE, UH, WITH ME.
IF THIS WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNI AND MISCOMMUNICATION, THEN WHY CAN'T I ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPERTY AND THE STREET PROJECT, UM, THAT MY TAXPAYER'S MONEY IS, UM, SUPPORTING? AND HE EVEN MENTIONED THE, UM, THE EMPLOYEE'S NAME IN THE REPORT.
Y'ALL SAY YOU CAN'T MENTION NAMES, BUT HE, HE MENTIONED THE NAME IN THE REPORT, UM, SEE AN EMPLOYEE NAME AND TRIED WHEN IT WAS ALL BEING COVERED UP.
THE, UH, EMPLOYEE NAME WAS, UH, MENTIONED ON, UH, NOVEMBER 28TH, 2022.
I APPEALED, UH, THE RESPONSE LETTER DRAFTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.
A MEETING WAS SET UP BY THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
UH, BETWEEN MY, THE, THE, UH, HUMAN RESOURCE, UH, DIRECTOR AND, UH, THE THREE ADMINISTRATORS, I EXPECT THE, I EXPRESSED THE FACT THAT, UH, I FELT THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION WAS A COVER UP AND THE INCIDENT WAS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, UH, PROTECTING ONE OF THEIR OWN.
I WAS, I WAS SURE IT WAS A COVERUP.
AFTER I ASKED THE ME ONE OF THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS, UH, DID HE SPEAK TO THE FEMALE WITNESS AND ALL, HE, UH, AND ALL HE COULD SAY IS, WHO'S THAT? I TOLD HIM, THE PERSON WHO WAS PRESENT WHEN THE EMPLOYEE DISRESPECTED ME.
HE THEN ASKED ME FOR THE, UM, THE FEMALE, UH, TELEPHONE NUMBER, THE FEMALE WITNESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER.
NOW THE FEMALE TELEPHONE NUMBER WAS ON THE COMPLAINT, AND THE NAME WAS ALSO ON THE COMPLAINT.
I ASKED HIM, DID HE SPEAK TO THE MALE WITNESS? HE LOOKED AT ME, THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SAID, I SPOKE TO STA TO STAFF.
IF HE HAD SPOKE TO THE, UM, THE MALE WITNESS, ALL HE HAD TO DO IS SAY YES OR NO, BUT HE DIDN'T SAY THAT.
I KNEW THEN AND THERE THAT HE NEVER SPOKE TO ANYONE WHO I PLACED ON THE COMPLAINT.
AS A WITNESS, I REALIZED HE HAD TRULY COVERED THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT UP, UH, HOW MANY TIMES.
AND I, I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS, UH, PERSON FALSIFIED CITY DOCUMENTS ON RESPONSE LETTERS? UM, ALSO, HE, UH, ON THE LETTER, HE SAID THAT HE AND THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES WAS ASKED TO REVIEW MY COMPLAINT TOGETHER AND RESPOND TO ME.
WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DIRECTOR CONCERNING THE RESPONSE LETTER,
[01:00:01]
UH, SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT.THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ALONE INVESTIGATED THE COMPLAINT, AND AFTER THAT, THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS HANDED TO HER TO FILE.
ON MARCH 15TH, 2023, I FILED, I FILLED OUT A SPEAKER'S REQUEST FORM TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL.
ON MARCH 22ND, 2023, I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE NUMBER FROM THE ATTORNEY.
THIS IS WHEN I WAS TOLD I COULD NOT MENTION ANY NAMES THAT WAS FILED WITH ME BECAUSE I'VE TOLD, I INFORMED HER THAT THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL STILL NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, UM, THAT I HAD BEEN DISRESPECTED BY THE CITY EMPLOYEE AND ANYTHING AND ANYTHING I EVER WANTED WAS, AND THE ONLY THING I EVER WANTED WAS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I HAD BEEN DONE WRONG.
SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WOULD GET WITH THE PORT ARTHUR CITY MANAGER IN ORDER TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER.
SHE INFORMED ME A MEETING WOULD BE SET UP WITH ME AND THE CITY, UH, MANAGER ON MARCH 31ST, 22.
AT TWO 30, I DID INDEED MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
THE MEETING LASTS LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.
UH, I WAS AT FIRST VERY PLEASED WITH THE SOLUTION THAT WE AGREED UPON, WHICH WAS THAT I, HE WOULD PERSONALLY DRAFT THE SECOND, UH, RESPONSE LETTER AND IT WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS INDEED TREATED UNPROFESSIONALLY BY THE CITY EMPLOYEE, NOT CARING IF THE CITY EMPLOYEE NAME WOULD BE MENTIONED.
JUST THAT I HAD BEEN DONE WRONG.
I RECEIVED A SECOND RESPONSE LETTER APRIL 6TH, 2023.
I WAS VERY DISRE DISRE, UH, DISAPPOINTED.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE MANAGER DID NOT DRAFT THE LETTER HIMSELF.
NOTHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND I TALKED ABOUT WAS WRITTEN.
SO THE LE UH, ON THE LETTER, I WAS NOT TOLD THE TRUTH.
THE LETTER NEVER MENTIONED THE MARCH 31ST, 2023 MEETING BETWEEN MYSELF AND HIM.
THE SECOND RESPONSE LETTER WAS DATED MARCH 31ST, UH, 2023, AND WAS IN RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST TO SPEAK TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL ON MARCH 15TH, 2023.
SECOND RESPONSE LETTER ALSO STATES THAT AT NEVER AT ANY TIME WAS IT, IT IS A COVERUP DONE.
THE VERY MENTION OF THERE WAS NO COVERUP IS BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO DRAFTED THE SECOND LETTER IS THE SAME PERSON WHO DRAFTED THE FIRST LETTER RESPONSE.
IN CONCLUSION, EXCUSE ME, IN CONCLUSION, EVERY CITIZEN IN THE PORT, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, SHOULD BE TREATED FAIR AND EQUAL AT ALL TIMES.
YOU SHOULD NOT RECEIVE JUSTICE JUST BECAUSE OF WHO YOU KNOW.
YOU ARE ALL IN POSITIONS TO TREAT EVERY CITIZEN OF PORT ARTHUR FAIR AND EQUAL.
YOU TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT, JUST NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE BIGGER GUN, YOU TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT? JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN MY CASE, IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE ON PAPER TO ME THAT I WAS DISRESPECTED ON, UH, OCTOBER 25TH, 22 AND NOVEMBER 2ND, 2022 BY ONE OF YOUR OWN.
I NEVER, NOT ONE TIME ASKED YOU ALL TO TELL ME WHAT, IF ANYTHING YOU DID TO THAT PERSON BECAUSE OF THE DISRESPECT FOR BEHAVIOR TOWARDS ME.
IF THE ADMINISTRATION CANNOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMPLOYEE'S MISCONDUCT AND UNPROFESSIONALISM, IF YOU CANNOT DO THAT, MAYBE IT'S TIME TO RESIDE YOUR POSITIONS.
REMEMBER, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS.
AND MY QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD Y'ALL, LIKE IF A PERSON, ANYBODY, GOD IN Y'ALL FACE, IN A BULLYING MANNER, WOULD IT BE OKAY? WOULD IT BE CONSIDERED A MISUNDERSTANDING? MISCOMMUNICATION? NO.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY WOULD SAY YES, THAT THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY, MS. SEATON, UH, ANYONE HAS ANY REMARKS FROM MS. SHEET, CITY ATTORNEY? ANYTHING? OKAY.
THANK YOU PROCEEDING FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TO US.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Staff Regarding The February Monthly Financial Report]
WE NOW HAVE PRESENTATION BY STAFF REGARDING THE, UH, FEBRUARY MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I DO HAVE IF FOR YOU TODAY, THE, UH, FEBRUARY FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, THIS IS THE FIFTH MONTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE'RE GETTING STARTED ON THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AND I HAVE A LITTLE QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT THIS TIME.
[01:05:01]
THE FIRST PAGE, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE GENERAL FUND.THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES CURRENTLY ARE 57.4 MILLION, 2.7 MILLION ABOVE ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME, 14.5 MILLION HAS BEEN COLLECTED IN PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, IT'S SLIGHTLY BELOW THE BUDGETED LEVEL, BUT NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
UH, UH, THAT DID JUMP UP A LOT, UH, BECAUSE MOST OF YOUR PROPERTY TAXES COME IN IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
SO THE MAJORITY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ALREADY, UH, 28.8 MILLION IN INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS.
THOSE COME IN REALLY EARLY IN OCTOBER, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY.
ALL OF THOSE PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS WELL.
SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE GENERAL FUND, UH, THROUGH FEBRUARY, UH, 6.3 MILLION IS IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE AND 5% ABOVE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THERE IS A TWO MONTH TIME LAG AND RECEIPTS FOR SALES TAX.
REMEMBER, THE FEBRUARY RECEIPTS REPRESENT DECEMBER SALES.
OTHER REVENUES ARE ABOVE THE ESTIN LEVEL BY ABOUT 2.4 MILLION, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY, UH, DUE TO THE, UH, INTEREST EARNINGS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, UH, IN RATES THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE THE, UH, GENERAL FUND OPERATING EXPENDITURES, 26.1 MILLION THROUGH FEBRUARY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BELOW THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY, UH, 4.8 MILLION.
UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE REQUESTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS NEEDED.
THE AMENDED BUDGET HAS AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 26 MILLION OR 130 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UH, THE TOTAL REVENUES ARE 57.4 MILLION AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 30.6 MILLION RESULT IN A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE OF 61.4 MILLION.
AT THIS TIME, UH, THE FED BALANCE IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WELL IN EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF 60 DAYS PLUS ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, THE PRIMARY, UH, FACT IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PAYMENTS, UH, INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS COME IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THE EXPENDITURES ARE SPREAD OUT MORE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A HIGH BALANCE, AND THEN IT'LL GO, UH, DOWN AS YOU REACH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE THE WATER FUND.
UH, REVENUES TOTAL 14.8 MILLION, UH, AT FEBRUARY 28TH, WHICH IS ABOVE THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY ABOUT 469,000.
REVENUES FROM INDUSTRY ARE 200,000 ABOVE THE EXPECTED AMOUNT AT THIS TIME, OPERATING EXPENDITURES TOTAL 10 MILLION, WHICH IS UNDER THE BUDGETED LEVEL BY 75,000, RESULTING IN A BALANCED, BALANCED BUDGET AT THIS TIME.
NEXT PAGE, UH, SOLID WASTE REVENUES TOTAL 4.2 MILLION THROUGH FEBRUARY, WHICH IS BELOW THE ESTIMATE BY 216,000.
OPERATING EXPENSES ARE CURRENTLY 2.3 MILLION, WHICH IS ALSO UNDER BUDGET BY 961,000.
THE REVENUES EXCEED EXPENSES BY 983,000, LEAVING THE FUND IN A BALANCED POSITION AT THIS TIME.
STAFF WILL CONTINUE, HOWEVER, TO MONITOR THE FUND TO ENSURE THAT EXPENSES REMAIN IN LINE WITH AVAILABLE REVENUES.
ISLAND REVENUES ARE 740,000, WHICH IS ABOVE THE ESTIMATE BY ABOUT 289,000.
OPERATING EXPENSES ARE 283,000, WHICH IS 124,000 BELOW THE BUDGETED AMOUNT.
THE REVENUES EXCEED EXPENSES AT THIS TIME BY 418,000.
UH, NEXT PAGE, WE'LL START WITH THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE STREET SUMMARY ALLOCATION BY YEAR IN DISTRICT, UH, TOTAL ALLOCATION FOR ALL YEARS IS 75.9 MILLION.
THAT'S 19.5 MILLION FOR YEAR ONE, 14.4 MILLION FOR YEAR TWO, 15.2 MILLION IN YEAR THREE, 16.8 MILLION IN YEAR FOUR AND 10 MILLION IN YEAR FIVE.
I DID INCREASE THE YEAR FOUR ALLOCATION, UH, BY ABOUT 3.2 MILLION, UH, BY ADDING IN THE TECH STOCK GRANT FUNDING FOR THE, UM, SABINE AREA, UH, AND MECHANIC STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, SINCE WE HAD THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING, IT WASN'T IN THERE BEFORE.
WE HAVE THE STREET SUMMARY EXPENSES.
UH, 25.8 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT THROUGH FEBRUARY, LEAVING A BALANCE OF 50.1 MILLION,
[01:10:01]
OF WHICH 35.1 MILLION IS COMMITTED TO OPEN STREET PROJECTS.AND THERE'S CURRENTLY 15 MILLION RE REMAINING TO BE ALLOCATED FROM YEAR ONE THROUGH FIVE ALLOCATIONS AND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.
NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE THE OPEN STREET PROJECTS.
UH, AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, 51.5 MILLION HAD BEEN BUDGETED FOR OPEN STREET PROJECTS.
16.4 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 35.1 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE OPEN PROJECTS.
NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE THE, UM, GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BUDGET IS 42.6 MILLION EXPENDITURES TOTAL, 8.9 MILLION WITH 33.7 MILLION REMAINING TO BE SPENT.
THESE DO INCLUDE THE VARIOUS FACILITY, CITY FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, TECHNOLOGY, PURCHASE OF A FIRE VEHICLE, PUBLIC WORKS, AND PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS.
NEXT PAGE, UH, IS THE OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE'LL START WITH, UH, THE OTHER STREET IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING BRIDGE AND SIDEWALK REPAIRS BUDGETED AT 700,000, UH, NO EXPENDITURES SO FAR.
DRAINAGE, THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IS 69.1 MILLION, PRIMARILY FUNDED BY FEMA MITIGATION GRANTS.
AND CDBG 6.6 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TODAY LEAVING A BALANCE OF 62.6 MILLION.
UM, THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IS BUDGET IS 55.1 MILLION, PRIMARILY FOR PARKING LOT EXPANSION AND FIBER OPTIC IMPROVEMENTS.
3 MILLION WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH AN E D A GRANT.
UH, 834,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE, LEAVING A BALANCE OF 4.3 MILLION.
WATER UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE CURRENTLY BUDGETED AT 90.5 MILLION, PRIMARILY FOR THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
25.7 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE, UH, WITH 64.8 MILLION REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS.
SOLID WASTE IMPROVEMENTS CURRENTLY BUDGETED AT 5 MILLION INCLUDE A NEW LANDFILL SALE, CONSTRUCTION OF A DETENTION POND, AND, UH, NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EQUIPMENT, UH, FUNDS, UH, FUNDED BY BONDS AND INDUSTRY DONATIONS.
861,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
UH, THERE'S SEVERAL NEW PROJECTS THIS YEAR, 2.7 MILLION HAS BEEN BUDGETED, UH, INCLUDED BOAT LAUNCH, PARKING LOT, DOCK REPAIRS, DISC GOLF COURSE RENOVATION.
UH, THE LAKE FUND PARK LANDS PLAYSCAPE, PRIMARILY FUNDED BY BONDS AND A TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT.
201,000 HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE.
UM, THEN WE HAVE THE, UH, A R P GRANT PRO PROJECTS ARPA, UH, MARCH OF 21.
THE CITY WAS AWARDED 26.7 MILLION, UH, AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANT FUNDS.
UH, THE PROJECTS, UH, HAVE BEEN REALLOCATED TO INCLUDE 13 MILLION FOR WATER WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, 7.1 MILLION FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
A TOTAL OF 3.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT LEAVING A BALANCE OF 23.2 MILLION.
AND THE NEXT PAGE, UH, WE HAVE JUST, THIS IS JUST THAT LITTLE RECAP OF THE 2021 CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION PROJECTS, UH, THE 32.9 MILLION THAT WAS ISSUED IN FISCAL YEAR 21.
THESE INCLUDE STREET PROJECTS, DRAINAGE PUMP STATIONS, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER, NEW HEALTH BUILDING RENOVATIONS, AND WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS.
2.9 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR LEAVING A BALANCE OF 30 MILLION.
LINDSEY, UH, IS THE DISASTER FUNDS.
UH, THE HURRICANE HARVEY, 31.5 MILLION HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM, UH, PRIMARILY FOR FEMA IN INSURANCE, 34.5 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES, LEAVING A $3 MILLION BALANCE.
AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENTS FROM OPEN PROJECTS ARE ANTICIPATED TO FURTHER REDUCE THE CITY'S OUT OF POCKET COST, APPROXIMATELY 790,000.
THE COVID 19, UH, FUND, 3.1 MILLION RECORDED IN REVENUES AND DONATIONS, UH, AND EXPENDITURES TO DATE OF 3.5 MILLION.
HURRICANE LAURA, 217,000 RECEIVED IN INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENTS, UH, AND 3.4 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
THE CITY DOES CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CAPTURE AS MUCH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT IS MY REPORT FOR TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE
[01:15:01]
WANT COME FROM JONES? GO AHEAD.WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW WHERE GOING.
THAT'S A WHOLE NEW CITY, UH, GEORGE DAVIDSON AND DR.
HENRY, UH, RESIDENCE OF PLEASURE ISLAND.
TERRY, ABOUT WHERE Y'ALL GOT IT FROM? WHO'S ON WATCH WHEN ALL THAT'S HAPPENING? THANK YOU.
AND I HAVE ONE, ONE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK.
UH, HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT MONEY, WE GOT 14 MILLION I THINK ONE TIME OR, AND THEN WE'LL GET FOR WHATEVER THE SECOND PAYMENT IT IS, BUT HOW MUCH MORE TIME, DO YOU KNOW THE, THE, THE, THE RENT AMOUNT, BELIEVE TIME BELIEVE LEADS THROUGH 26, IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK WE HAVE TO SPEND IT BY THE END OF 26.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT TWO MORE YEARS MM-HMM.
I JUST WANT, I'M JUST KEEP IT UP AND WANT TO BE SURE.
AND MAYOR, ALL OUR AR FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE ARE ON TIME REPORTING BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, A JURY IS WORKING ON THAT WITH US.
UM, I DID GET A MESSAGE FROM ADURO SOMETIME LAST WEEK, INDICATING THAT THOSE MUNICIPALITIES WHO HAVE NOT ALLOCATED THEIR FUNDS, THEY WILL BE CLAWED BACK.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A MATTER MOVING THROUGH CONGRESS RIGHT NOW.
I THINK I GOT, UH, BECAUSE MESSAGE FROM CLAWED BACK, REVEREND FRANK, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN WASHINGTON, BUT WE, THE, WE ARE SAFE AND WE ARE MOVING SPEEDILY.
WE ALL OUR MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS AND, AND, AND WE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE ALLOCATIONS, WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE WITH THE PROJECTS.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY IN THE EXECUTION PHASE.
THE PROJECTS, SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE ALREADY IN THE EXECUTION PHASE.
SO NOW THE ARPA FUNDS, WE CAN RE WE STILL IN THE GOOD PHASE, GOOD TIMEFRAME IF WE NEED TO REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, CAN'T WE? NO.
UM, BECAUSE I, WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I THINK WE HAVE ALLOCATED ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT.
THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM.
THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE WIGGLE.
THERE'S SOME WIGGLE ROOM, BUT WE HAVE OUTSTANDING PROJECTS.
WE JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM JUST IN CASE, JUST IN CASE WE HAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM.
I WILL, I WILL DEFINITELY SHARE THAT WITH COUNCIL WHEN WE GET TO THAT.
THAT, THAT WILL DEFINITELY, I GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME,
BUT WE HAVE TWO MORE YEARS ON THIS.
I SAID, JUST WANTED, JUST BE SURE ABOUT THAT.
UH, WE CAN MOVE TO, NOW, WE CAN GO TO PAGE TWO.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION IN THE CORRESPONDENCE OR ANY DISCUSSIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST ]
REPORTS OF, UH, INTEREST COMMUNITY INTERESTS THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, MA'AM.ONE THING I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE IS, IS THAT THEY'RE GOING, THERE'S GOING TO BE A STOP THE VIOLENCE, UH, PARADE AND RALLY, UH, THIS COMING, UH, WEEKEND ON APRIL, UH, 29TH HERE IN OUR CITY.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BEGIN AT 10:00 AM ON THE CORNER OF STILLWELL, UH, AND SEVENTH STREET.
AND THEY'LL BE MARCH AND WE'LL, WE WILL BE MARCHING, UH, TO, UM, UH, GILLUM CIRCLE.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING ALL INDIVIDUALS TO LINE UP, UH, AT ABOUT 10 45, UH, FOR THAT STOP THE VIOLENCE, UH, PARADE HERE IN THE CITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO GIVE SOME CONDOLENCES, UH, TO SOME FAMILY.
UH, ERIC DORSEY, WHO WAS A CLASSMATE OF MINE, BIG SAM, UH, HE PASSED, UH, ON THIS WEEK.
UH, ALSO, UM, THE JONES FAMILY, UH, LAWRENCE JONES, UH, BUTTERBALL, AND, UH, UM, ALSO ZEL DAVIS PONCHO.
AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO BRING CONDOLENCES, UH, TO THOSE FAMILY AND REMIND YOU ABOUT THAT.
UH, STOP THE VIOLENCE, UH, RALLY THIS WEEKEND.
MAYOR PROTE, UH, I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU TO THE WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT, NOT WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT, I'M SORRY, TO THE WEST SIDE GROUP AT THE DEVELOPMENT CENTER LAST WEEK.
MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'VE SELECTED NOT TO RUN AGAIN, AND THEY GAVE ME A THANK YOU FOR WHAT I'VE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATED IT, AND IT WAS TRULY A SURPRISE.
WE WOULD, UH, HAVE, UH, REPORTS.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.[01:20:01]
HAVE ITEMS, UH, THAT ARE BASICALLY OF ROUTINE IN NATURE.YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION ON THOSE ITEMS. AND, UH, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS THAT WE WOULD LIKE WITHDRAW, SEE, SEE THAT ATTORNEY, YOU HAVE SOMETHING, YOU, YOU KNOW WHICH ONE WE WANT.
UH, I HAVE NOT, THERE IS, UH, ONE ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, REMOVED.
UH, WE WOULD, WE WOULD JUST, WE WOULD LIKE TO HOLD IT UNTIL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, EXECUTIVE SESSION 3 1 0 6.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER, UM, ON PAGE, UH, I THINK IT'S SIX ON PAGE SIX, ITEM NUMBER 10, UH, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY.
WE WOULD LIKE THIS ONE, UH, REMOVED FOR NOW, AND WE WOULD ACT UPON IT FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
LOOK, I'LL SEE YOU LATER ON PAGE.
UH, ITEM 18, ITEM NUMBER 18, PR 23 118.
OKAY, WE HAVE THAT ONE WITHDRAWN.
I'M READY TO, UH, HAVE A MOTION WITH THE EXCLUSION OF TWO ITEMS, OR WITHDRAW TWO ITEMS, NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER 18 FOR, UH, APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, COUNCIL MCKEN LAW MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES, YOUR SECOND, HE'S BEEN MOVED.
THE SECOND, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. UH, NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER 18.
AND THE QUESTION IS READY TO VOTE.
HAVE IT, SO IT IS ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS READ NOW.
UH, ANYBODY WAS SUPPOSED TO KILL ONE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST TWO.
NUMBER 10 ON, WE WANNA HOLD NUMBER 10 WOULD BE, WOULD, WOULD BE ACTED UPON? WELL, YEAH.
LET ME, LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
IF YOU WANT, UH, THE EXPLANATION COULD BE GIVEN HERE IF YOU WANNA SAVE TIME.
I CAN HAVE, UH, STAFF COME UP AND EXPLAIN.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, IT'S, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT DONE NOW, HOLD IT.
WE'LL, WE'LL HOLD IT CUZ I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR THEM.
AND WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK UP AND DO 10 AFTER THE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED.
[VII.(18) P. R. No. 23118 — A Resolution To Ratify The City Manager's Decision To Approve The Transaction Manager Emergency Extension With Central Square In The Amount Of $ 30, 000.00; Funding Is Available From Finance Account No. 001- 07- 015- 5425- 00- 10- 000, Credit Card/ Online Fees]
NUMBER 18, PR NUMBER 23 1 18.YEAH, A RESOLUTION TO RATIFY THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO APPROVE THE TRANSACTION MANAGER EMERGENCY EXTENSION WITH CENTRAL SQUARE IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FROM FINANCE.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH ZERO SEVEN DASH 0 1 5 DASH 5 4 20.
UH, YEAH, 5 4 25 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 10 DASH ZERO ZERO CREDIT CARD ONLINE FILES.
UH, MAY I GET APPROVAL FOR THIS ONE? UH, SORRY.
UH, READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN, UH, MARKS? YES, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER, I JUST WANT TO, UH, TO GET SOME INFORMATION AS TO, TO WHY IS THERE, UH, A PROBLEM TRANSITIONING TO THE TYLER SYSTEM, UH, WITH, WITH THE, UH, TRANSACTION FEES? JUST CAN YOU JUST GIVE US SOME, GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT? YEAH, AS YOU, UM, APPROPRIATELY INDICATED THERE IS THE TRANSITION FROM, UM, NAVINE TO TYLER, WHICH IS THE NEW SYSTEM THAT WE ARE, UM, UM, ABOUT TO ADOPT.
AND, UM, THE VENDORS THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED ON THE NAVINE, WE COULD NO LONGER USE THOSE.
AND THE, THERE WAS A LIST THAT TYLER FIRST PROVIDED US WITH, WHICH CONTINUED TO DIMINISH SIGNIFICANTLY IN TERMS OF VENDORS THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING TO US.
UM, I THINK THE GIST OF IT WAS THAT, UH, WE HAD JUST HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK THAT TYLER HAS SEEN, UH, RIGHT NOW THAT THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE OR THEY COULD UNDERTAKE SOME, UM, OF, OF THOSE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
[01:25:01]
AND SO INSTEAD OF A LIST OF SOME EIGHT THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THEM ABOUT A SIX OR EIGHT, IT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO THREE RIGHT NOW.AND, UM, OUR LAST CONVERSATION WAS OF LAST WEEK.
WE, WEDNESDAY OR SO, THEY SAID TO US, WELL, AS WE THINK THAT WE WILL, UM, TAKE OVER THOSE, UM, THOSE DUTIES AT SOME TIME.
SO THIS IS WHERE IT HAS GOTTEN US BECAUSE OF OUR BACK AND FORTH WITH TYLER AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING WITH THEM AS TO, UM, WHAT WE SHOULD DO, UM, AS, AS PART OF IMPLEMENTING THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE HAVE ASKED THEM FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
THEY HAVE APPOINTED CERTAIN MEMBERS OF STAFF ON THEIR SIDE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US.
UM, IT'S NOT ONLY WITH THE UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM, BUT IT'S ALSO THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, UM, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH IN ORDER TO, UM, IMPLEMENT THE SYSTEM.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO GET IT DONE, UM, ON TIME WITH THE UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM.
UM, UM, IN TERMS OF, THERE IS OTHER DETAILS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK OUT IN TERMS OF THE ABSORPTION OF FEES AND WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO PASS ON THOSE TO THE, UM, TO THE, TO THE CUSTOMERS OR NOT.
I THINK WE HAVE MADE A DECISION THAT WE, THEY ACCEPT WELL WITH, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WILL PASS ON THOSE TO THE OFFENDERS, WHICH IS ABOUT $2 OR SO, YOU KNOW, UH, SINCE THEY'RE PAYING FOR A TRAFFIC TICKET.
AND, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, IN TERMS OF THE UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM, WE WOULD HAVE TO ABSORB THOSE BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY PAYING THE, BUT WE HAVE NOT YET, UM, CONCLUDED IT ALL.
WE STILL HAVE A FEW MEETINGS TO GO WITH TYLER, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE, WE ARE VERY MUCH COMFORTABLE WITH THEM AND IN ADOPTING THE SYSTEM, NOT ONLY FOR THE UTILITY BILLING SYSTEM, BUT FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS BACKS AND RECREATIONS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND, AND OTHERS.
IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED AND TIME CONSUMING, UM, AS THOSE VENDORS, AS THEY REFER TO CONTINUE TO NOD OUT.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE VENDOR THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CITY, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS TO THOSE THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN.
DID I SAY IT APPROPRIATELY? CANDY
DID THAT, DID THAT TAKE CARE OF WHAT YOU
IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLICATED AND IT REQUIRES AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
ONGOING DISCUSSION WITH THAILAND.
I I I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLICATIONS IN TRANSITIONING FROM ONE SOFTWARE PROGRAM TO THE OTHER.
MY CONCERN MR. MANAGER IS YOU, YOU SAID THAT, UH, IN, IN, IN THIS PROCESS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE FEES THAT ARE INCURRED AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PASSING THOSE ON TO YOU SAID NOW IN, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE GONNA PASS IT ON TO, TO THE OFFENDERS, BUT FOR OUR CITIZENS YOU ARE PAYING THAT WATER BILLS.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH THAT, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHEN WE THE RAID HIKE OR WE GONNA PASS THAT? NO, NO, NO, NO.
WE DON'T GO TO PASS THOSE OFF.
WE DON'T GO TO PAST THOSE OR NO.
UM, WHAT, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THOUGH THAT THE UTILITY FUND ABSORBED THOSE FEES BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET OUT OF, OF, OF THE HABIT OF, OF SUPPLEMENTING THE UTILITY FUND.
AND UM, THE UTILITY FUND HAS TO STAND ON ITS OWN AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
AND SO WITH THE NEXT BUDGET, THAT WILL BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
THE UTILITY FUND IS GOING TO PAY THREE, IT HAS TO PAY THREE IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY GET OUT OF THE POCKET OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THE UTILITY FUND ALWAYS HAS ITS HAND IN THE POCKET OF THE, THE GENERAL FUND.
AND WE NEED TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT.
SO WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE ACTUALLY CUTTING TIDE AND ACTUALLY ACTUALLY BEING SELF-SUFFICIENT WITH THIS NEW PROGRAM IN THIS BUDGET? YOU HAVE A TIME, THIS BUDGET.
IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE NEGOTIATED RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR, THEIR POCKET, THE HANDS OUT OF THE POCKET OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE STAND ON THEIR OWN.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYE HAVE SWEAR AUDIT PR NUMBER 23, UH, ONE 18 IS APPROVED.
WE'LL NOW MOVE OVER TO, UH, THE ONE ITEM FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE IN THE NON-CONSENT AND AS A REQUEST TO ACTUALLY HOLD THIS ITEM UNTIL WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE'RE ACTIVE ON IT WHEN WE RETURN TO OPEN.
[01:30:01]
NO, NO, NO.[IX. * CLOSED MEETING ( EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
OKAY.SO WHAT WE HAVE IS, UH, WE'RE READY TO MOVE INTO OUR CLOSED, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IN THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, IN, IN, IN COMPLIANCE AND IN A REQUIREMENT OF, UH, SECTION 5 55, 1 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER, UH, 50 51 OF OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THERE WERE FORM FORMALLY ARTICLE 62 52 DASH 17 SECTION TWO SUBSECTION A, UH, THAT PRIOR GOING INTO THE MEETING, I MUST MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, BEING THE, UH, CHAIRPERSON OF THIS MEETING, SECTION 5 51 0.0 71, UH, OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
UH, WE WILL DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND, UH, PENDING CLAIMS, UH, CONTRACTS, LITIGATION, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE WILL ALSO COVER SECTION 5 51 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE WILL COVER SECTION 5 51 0.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND OR INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'LL, WE WILL RETURN HERE IN CHAMBERS AT THE END OF EXECUTIVE SESSION TO ACT UPON ITEMS THAT WOULD NEED, UH, AND REQUIRE, UH, THE OPEN VOTE.
YOU READY FOR ME TO CALL THE ROLL MAYOR? OKAY, WE ARE READY? YES.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, IT'S 1246.
UH, MAYOR BART, PRESENT COUN MAYOR PRO.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE? YEAH.
UH, WE ARE NOW BACK IN SESSION.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON.
FIRST ON PAGE SIX OF OUR NORMAL AND REGULAR AGENDA, UH, COMING OUT OF THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM NUMBER 10.
AND IT READS, APPEAR NUMBER 23 1 0 6.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH TRICON INCORPORATED AND IT'S WORDED CORRECTLY, RIGHT? YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THE OKAY WITH TRICON INCORPORATED OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
YOU PURCHASE DYE DIESEL FUEL FOR PUBLIC WORKS PLEASURE ISLAND AND UTILITY OPERATIONS WITHIN ANNUAL PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $250,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN FUEL ACCOUNTS 0 0 1 DASH 21 DASH 55 DASH 53.
I MEAN 52 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 70 DASH ZERO, WHICH IS DRAINAGE ALSO IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 43 DASH 5 3 25 2 3 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 LANDFILL.
ALSO, UH, ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 50 DASH 60 DASH 41 10 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 PLEASURE ISLAND ACCOUNT NUMBER 410 DASH 40 DASH TWO 10 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND UH, NUMBER 4 1 10 DASH 40 DASH TWO 15 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND FOR, EXCUSE ME, ONE ZERO DASH 40 DASH 2020 DASH 5 20 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND 4 1 0 DASH 40 DASH 2 25 DASH 5 20 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE FROM UTILITY SERVICES.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILWOMAN MOSES.
MAY I GET, UH, EXCUSE ME A SECOND.
IT IS MOVE IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 1 0 6.
[01:35:03]
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTIONING? UH, MAYOR, I HAVE UH, SUMMARY.UM, UH, WE WOULD ASK THAT THIS ITEM BE AMENDED.
THE, UH, THERE'S A CORRECTION MADE IN THE LOWEST BITTER WAS ACTUALLY SUNCOAST RESOURCES.
SO WE ASKED THAT THIS ITEM BE, UH, AMENDED TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO SUNCOAST RESOURCES AND THERE IS AN UPDATED BID TABULATION.
SO WE'D ASK THAT IT BE AMENDED.
AND THE AMENDED, UH, UH, FORM OF THE MOTION IS ACCEPTABLE.
SO WE ARE READY, UH, FOR NO VOTE QUESTIONS.
SO THIS HONOR, WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23, I MEAN 23 1 0 6.
[VIII.A.(1) P. R. No. 23091 — A Resolution Authorizing An Excavation Permit To Be Issued Pursuant To Chapter 94, Article VII ( Excavations) Of The Code Of Ordinances, For Approximately 20. 22- Acres Of Land Out Of A 161. 34-Acre Tract Of Land Being Situated On Tract No. 033 Of The W. M. Davis Survey, Abstract No. 7, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas. E23- 01 — Entergy Texas, Inc.]
NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER, UH, I POINTED TO THE WRONG 1 23 0 9 1 AND IT IS, EXCUSE ME, ON PAGE NINE.AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN AN EXCAVATION PERMIT TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 94.
ARTICLE SEVEN, EXCAVATIONS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR APPROXIMATELY 20.2 22 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF, UH, A 1 61 0.34 ACRE TRACT OF LAND BEING, UH, SITUATED ON TRACK NUMBER 0 33 OF THE W M DAVIS SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER SEVEN, PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THAT'S E 23 DASH ZERO ONE ENERGY, TEXAS INCORPORATED.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN MARKS.
UH, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? IT'S BEEN MOVING.
SECONDLY, WE WOULD ACCEPT P R NUMBER 20 23 0 91.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? CITY, THE ATTORNEY, UH, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE AMENDMENT.
UM, AND THEN THERE MAY, MAY BE A REPRESENTATIVE IF YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE THAT THE PERMIT, UH, STATE, UH, TIME CONS, THE CON TIME CONSTRAINTS.
I THINK THAT WERE RECOMMENDED THAT THERE'LL BE A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD AND THAT THE NOISE LEVEL, UH, BE MONITORED.
DID YOU ALL HAVE ANY INPUT ON THAT, ON THE TIME CONSTRAINTS OR ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD, THAT YOU'D WANNA RECOMMEND? WE HAVE OUR IDEA.
UH, I THINK THE TIME CONSTRAINT WAS, UM, ARTICULATED.
UH, MISS MRS. LANGFORD IS NOT IN HERE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD END AT 7:00 PM OR IT'S IS WHAT I YEAH.
UM, I GUESS YOU PUT IN PERIOD.
7:00 AM HE HAD A REASONABLE TIME.
FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM DOES THAT FIT YOU ALL? UH, YES.
MONDAY AND MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
WE, WE JUST WANNA CLARIFY THE TIMEFRAME SO THAT WE WOULD ADD SOMETHING.
UH, SO MY NAME'S BRIAN PITTSON.
UM, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW ADDRESS AT, UH, 42 75 NORTH TRAM ROAD IN VIER, UH, FOR MOVING HERE FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, THE TIME, TIME STARTING TIME, 7:00 AM IS OUR NORMAL STARTING TIME.
7:00 PM WOULD BE A LONGER SHIFT THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD WORK, BUT WE UM, WOULD EX WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT SEVEN FOR, YOU KNOW, RAIN DELAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WORKING, WORKING DAYS INITIALLY, UM, WE HAD PLANNED TO WORK SIX DAYS PER WEEK AND I WOULD ASK IF WE COULD WORK SIX DAYS PER WEEK IF WE COULD MONITOR NOISE BELOW THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT OF WHAT THE ORDINANCE STATES OF 85 DECIBELS AT THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND SIX DAYS WOULD BE, UH, ONLY NOT SUN SUNDAY, BUT, BUT ON ANY SIX DAYS OUT OF A SEVEN DAY PERIOD.
IT WOULD BE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WITH THE SIX DAYS, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ATTORNEY.
WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE? UH, I BELIEVE THAT THAT MAY BE OF WHAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, THE DE THE DIRECT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, LANGFORD STATED, UH, IF THERE'S A CONCERN, UH, IF YOU ALL CAN GIVE THEM THE, SORRY, THE SOUND IS MISSING.
GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO, TO CONFER WITH HER, BUT IN A MANNER THAT'S, THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO WE CAN, UH, AMEND AND THIS EVEN SAY SIX DAYS AND YOU ALL WOULD WORK WITH HER TO BE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT EVERYBODY AT THIS TIME, IF, IF FIVE DAYS, UH, I WOULD ACCEPT FIVE DAYS, WELL, NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
AND WITH THE ABILITY TO MAYBE AMEND THAT TO, IF WE CAN PROVE SOME SOUND MONITORING LATER ON TO AMEND THOSE, THE, THE, THOSE TIMEFRAMES, THOSE SIX DAYS, I, I WOULD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? NO.
HAVE, SO IS HONORED WITH, WITH THE NECESSARY COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOWING, UH, THIS
[01:40:01]
MEETING WITH YOU ALL WITH, UH, UH, MS. LANGSFORD AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT PREP, UH, READY? THANK YOU.NOW I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, UH, SHOULDN'T BE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT WILL COME BEFORE THIS BODY.
SO WHAT I DO NOW IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
CHAIRMAN, IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ADJOINED THIS MEETING AND I BELIEVE WE RETURNED ON, I FORGOT WHAT DAY IT WAS.
IS IT MAY? NO, IT'S GONNA BE MAY.
IT'S GONNA BE NINTH, 10TH, EIGHT, SEVENTH SOMETHING.