[00:00:01]
IS NOW CLOSED.NOW I'D LIKE TO SAY AGAIN GOOD
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
EVENING AND WELCOME AGAIN TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.WE ARE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ON THE SEC ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF UH, COUNCIL IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING TODAY ON JUNE 6TH, WE ARE BEGINNING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING AT 5:39 PM AND YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING THROUGH THE MEDIUMS OF TELEPHONIC OR EITHER, EITHER EITHER VIDEO CONFERENCE, HOWEVER YOU MUST ACCESS EITHER OF THOSE BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9 AND YOU WILL ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 2 6 4 9 5 0 9 1 9 AND THE PASSCODE OF 3 4 1 8 4 6 AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
OKAY,
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND THE CITY OF, EXCUSE ME, PORT ARTHUR WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR SUCH.
AND IF ANY PERSON WOULD DESIRE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 AND MAKE THAT REQUEST HOWEVER IT MUST BE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL MEETING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION AND WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND COUNCILMAN FRANK, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US THE INVOCATION? YES SIR.
ALL ETERNAL GOD OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE THIS OCCASION.
COME GOD THAT YOU BE WITH US ON TODAY, OUR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS.
WE ASK THAT YOU PUT YOUR PROTECTIVE HAND OF MERCY, LOVE AND GRACE AROUND US.
WE MIGHT ALWAYS BE OF THE AMEN.
RECEIVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY, WHICH YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR ME PLEASE.
MAYOR BART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO HAMILTON PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE.
WE ARE IN OUR MEETING AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
PROCLAMATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO ON THIS EVENING.THIS PROCLAMATION IS BEING DONE IN OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN VETERANS DAY.
THE PROCLAMATION READS THUSLY AND I THINK I HAVE WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE IN OUR MIDST.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND? IT READS A PROCLAMATION HONORING WOMEN VETERANS.
THERE IS A STATEMENT HERE THAT SAYS YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK.
WHEREAS PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS IS A SOCIOECONOMICALLY ETHNICALLY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS
[00:05:01]
HAS A RICH HISTORY OF ITS CITIZENS PARTICIPATING IN OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENSE, INCLUDING MAKING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.AND WHEREAS DURING THIS QUE CENTENNIAL YEAR, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF PORT ARTHUR WISH TO TAKE NO NOTE OF 2023 AS BEING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN'S ARMED SERVICES INTEGRATION ACT.
SIGNED IN 1948 BY THEN PRESIDENT HARRY S TRUMAN PROVIDING WOMEN FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE US ARMY, THE US NAVY, THE US MARINE CORP, AND THE US AIR FORCE.
AND WHEREAS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN TO THE GROWTH, STRENGTH, AND SUCCESS OF THE COUNTRY'S ARMED FORCES ARE INDEED WORTHY OF HONOR AND RECOGNITION.
AND WHEREAS AS A PRECURSOR OF THE WOMEN'S ARMED SERVICES INTEGRATION ACT OF 1948, THE SIX EIGHT BATTALION WAS FORMED AND DEPLOYED OVERSEAS DURING WORLD WAR II IN 1945 AS THE FIRST ALL MINORITY ALL FEMALE UNIT CONSISTING OF 855 WOMEN EARNING THE NICKNAME SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, THE MARCH OF LATE THE MARTO NOEL LOW MORALE.
AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN RECOGNITION OF NUMBER ONE, THE PIONEERING MILITARY SERVICE OF THOSE WOMEN, NUMBER TWO, EXCUSE ME, THE DEVOTION TO DUTY OF THOSE WOMEN.
AND NUMBER THREE, THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THOSE WOMEN TO INCREASE THE MORALE OF ALL UNITED STATES PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS DURING WORLD WAR II AWARDED THEM THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR AND THE ORGANIZATION PALMS. P A L M S, PORT AUTHOR LINCOLN MILITARY SISTERS HAD ITS GENESIS IN PORT ARTHUR IN 2023.
AND WHEREAS THIS SEMINAL GROUP CONSISTING OF MRS. SIDONIA DEANS, DR.
ALMA JUNO, MISS STACY LANDO, DR.
MICHELLE SNORT GRASS, HAVE SPIRITEDLY UNDERTAKEN THE TASK OF CONNECTING THEIR MILITARY SISTERS TO EACH OTHER AS WELL AS TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WHEREAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT IN JUNE, 2017 SIGNED INTO LAW THE BILL DESIGNATING JUNE 12TH AS WOMEN'S VETERAN DAY IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS DEEM IT ALL TOGETHER, FITTING AND PROPER TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
[00:10:01]
OF WOMEN VETERANS, THE TRIPLE EIGHT OR THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, EXCUSE ME, BATALION AND THE FOUNDERS OF PALMS NOW THEREFORE, AYE THURMAN BILL BARCHI QUE CENTENNIAL MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.DO WE HEAR BIBLE PROCLAIM JUNE 12TH, 2023 AS THE INAUGURAL WOMEN VETERANS DAY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
I INVITE ALL THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR TO JOIN ME IN THE CELEBRATING OF THESE UNIQUE, COURAGEOUS AND POWERFUL LADIES WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION AS WELL AS TO THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HEAR UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS SIXTH DAY OF JUNE, 2023.
AND IT'S SIGNED THURMOND BILL BCI, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE GIVE THESE LADIES A HAND, THE SIX LADIES WHO REPRESENT WHAT I COINED AS THE CORE GROUP OF PALMS AND THESE LADIES REPRESENTED OUR COUNTRY WELL AND OUR SAFETY.
AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN AND EVEN TO THE OTHER LADIES WHO ARE JOINING THEM ARE HERE TODAY.
YOU ALL WENT SO I COULD STAY AND HANG OUT.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT AND THANK GOD FOR YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
COUNSEL, DO YOU ALL HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THESE LADIES AS I GO DOWN AND PRESENT THEM THEIR PROCLAMATION? YES, I CAN.
I CAN APPRECIATE ALL OF ALL OF Y'ALL SERVICE AND EVERYTHING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED IN, WE WAS ONLY 12% IN THE NATION, BUT WE WAS 35% OF THE COMBAT TROOPS IN, IN VIETNAM, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU ALL HAVE DONE FOR US AND MAKE THE SACRIFICES.
SOME OF YOU MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING BILL.
THANK YOU LADIES FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR DOING IT WITH CLASS AND GRACE CUZ EVEN RIGHT NOW, Y'ALL LOOK GOOD.
THEIR T-SHIRTS SAY, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A WOMAN WITH A DD TWO 14
AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING HOME WILL.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO MY SISTERS IN ARMS. I'M ALSO A VETERAN, BUT WE KNOW THOSE BROTHERS OF US WHO WERE IN THE VIETNAM ERA.
WE KNOW WHAT YOU ALL DID FOR US AND HOW YOU KEPT OUR MORALE UP DURING THAT TIME.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID WAS A TRUE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M A VETERAN AND AS WELL, BUT HOW APPROPRIATE THAT
[00:15:01]
THIS COMES ON JUNE THE SIXTH ON, ON THE DAY THAT WE CELEBRATE, UH, D-DAY AND THE NORMANDY, UH, INVASION, UH, ON TODAY.AND SO WE CAN'T TAKE FREEDOM FOR GRANTED YOU DID NOT TAKE FREEDOM FOR GRANTED AND SERVED, UH, YOUR COUNTRY AND HOW APPROPRIATE IT AS WELL THAT YOU ARE STILL SERVING YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPLAUD YOU APPRECIATIVELY ON TODAY.
THE SIX CALLS COME DOWN PLEASE.
NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THESE LADIES ARE THE CORE, THE FEMALE JUDGE WHO HAS ACTUALLY ASSISTED THE MAYOR ALONG THE COUNCIL AND MY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IN PUT TOGETHER THE CELEBRATION THAT WE WERE GONNA CELEBRATE ALL FEMALE VETERANS FOR WOMEN'S VETERANS ON MONDAY, BEGINNING AT 10:00 AM AT THE PAVILION HERE AT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO NOW TWO OTHER LADIES WHO ARE VETERANS, YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US HERE FOR THE PHOTO OP AND ANY OTHER, WE HAVE ANY OTHER FEMALE VETERANS.
AND Y'ALL COME ON CLOSE TO ME AND, AND THEN WE, WE, UH, YEAH.
AND, UH, YOU ALL HAVE ANYONE WANNA SPEAK? DR.
MALOW? I KINDA LOOKED AT HER AND SEE AND THEN Y'ALL CAN, Y'ALL CAN STAND HERE AND CIRCLE HER AND SHE SPEAKS.
ON BEHALF OF MY MILITARY SISTERS AND MYSELF, WE ARE SO HUMBLED AND HONORED THAT YOU REPRESENTED US OR RECOGNIZED US TODAY.
UH, MAYOR BARTE, OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE US, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE DO WHAT WE DO NOT TO BE RECOGNIZED, BUT IT IS NICE WHEN WE ARE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS MAYOR BARTE.
AND, UM, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, JUST MANY, MANY CELEBRATIONS FOR FEMALE VETERANS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND YOU, Y'ALL LOOK AT THEIR T-SHIRTS.
UH, I LIKE TO SAY ONE OTHER, WELL, TWO OTHER THINGS.
MILO DID NOT REACH OUT TO ME TO TELL ME WE WERE WEARING THEM TODAY.
SO YES, YOU WOULD SAVE THE GIRLS FOR MONDAY, TWO 14, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE US, PERIOD.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERY FEMALE.
UH, SO YOU OUGHT TO GET SOMETHING IN SINCE YOU THREE WERE HERE TODAY.
UH, I'M GONNA HAVE MY OFFICER PREPARE YOU A COPY OF THE, UH, PROCLAMATION AND I'LL PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL ON MONDAY, CUZ YOU, YOU, YOU ARE THE THREE WHO CAME AND JOINED THEM TODAY.
AND, UH, SOMEBODY REMIND ME
AND, AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL GET 'EM DONE AND HAVE THEM HAVE THEM PREPARE FOR YOU FOR, UH, FOR MONDAY, OKAY? AND, UH, ON MONDAY MORNING, AND THIS IS EVERYONE WHO'S IN CHAMBERS NOW, IF YOU CAN AND WILL JOIN US OUT, UH, FOR A NICE PROGRAM.
AND VETERANS, UH, UH, I'VE BEEN GETTING EMAILS TODAY FROM WASHINGTON AND, UH, EVEN DEALING WITH THE, THE YOUNG LADY, MS. COFIELD IN HOUSTON.
UH, DID SHE GET AHOLD OF YOU, DR.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ORCHESTRATED ALL OF THAT.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE DOING DR UH, THIGPEN AND HIS STAFF, MS. LANGSFORD, THEY PREPARED THESE DR.
THIGPEN, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, OKAY.
AND SO THOSE WHO ARE HERE, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE ONE.
EVERYBODY HAS YEAH, CHIEF HAS HIM BACK THERE.
[00:20:01]
UH, A FACEBOOK, UH, A TIKTOK INSTAGRAM, UH, YOU HAVE TELEGRAM, UH, PUT IT ON YOUR PAGE, OKAY? UH, SEND IN A TELEGRAM AND INVITE VETERANS OUT TO JOIN US HERE TODAY.AND, UH, MISS MR. DENISE BK, I APPRECIATE THE TEXT BECAUSE YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO BE SURE I HAD SOME OTHER WOMEN HERE TODAY.
OKAY? SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL SO KINDLY.
AND EXCUSE ME, I, I THINK WE DO HAVE THE SPOUSES OF TWO OF THE LADIES.
WE, AND YOU, YOU ALL THE SPOUSES OF, OF, OF YOU KNOW, BUT Y'ALL DON'T DOUBT NO LEGS.
THEY GOT A, THEY GOT A DD TWO 14, MAN.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL SO KINDLY.
[III.A.(1) Henry LaBrie Regarding Property Development]
NEXT ITEM IS MR. HENRY.HENRY, UM, YEAH, HENRY LABREE REGARDING PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.
IS MR. LABREE PRESENT? MR. LABREE? MR. LABREE, DID YOU CALL HIM OUT? SEE YOU OUT.
[VII.(14) P.R. No. 23191 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept A Donation From Motiva Enterprises, LLC In The Amount Of $5,000.00 For First Responder Support And Assistance]
ARE GOING TO SORT OF GO OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL PRINTED ORDER.SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO DO ON PAGE SIX, THERE IS A PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 1 91.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM MOTIVA ENTERPRISES L L C IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 FOR FIRST RESPONDER SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE.
AND MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN MARKS SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR PRO SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 1 91 AS READ, OR WE READY FOR QUESTION? YOU HONOR ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IS ORDERED, WE WILL ACCEPT P NUMBER 23 1 91 AS READ.
NOW, I THINK THERE'S A PRESENTATION.
BUT YOU, I HAVE EVERYBODY HELPS ME OUT.
I, I'M NOT ANGRY,
I WAS GONNA GO BACK TO THIS PART OF THE PAGE.
NOW WE WILL HAVE, UH, MS. CLARA JACKSON AND HER GROUP AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENT A CHECK THAT I, NO, I CAN'T CASH.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
WE DO HAVE A CHECK PRESENTED TO THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR $5,000.
IT IS TO SUPPORT THE SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL RUNS TO HELP INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS IN HOMES IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE'RE GONNA, SO YOU GET TO, IT'S GONNA FEEL WEIRD, BUT YOU'LL HAVE A CHIP.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Melinda Smith With Gary Traylor And Associates Regarding The Hurricane Harvey Local Buyout Grant]
OKAY, NOW WE WILL GET BACK TO THE NORMAL PROGRESSION AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MELINDA SMITH WITH GARY TAYLOR AND ASSOCIATES REGARDING THE HURRICANE[00:25:01]
HARVEY, UH, LOCAL BUYOUT GRANT.FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT SEEN ME, BECAUSE A, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND B I SEE SOME NEW FACES.
I WORK WITH TRAILER AND ASSOCIATES, AND WE WERE HIRED BY THE CITY TO HELP WITH THE DR 43 32, HURRICANE HARVEY, C D B G, DR.
ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS WAS THE HURRICANE HARVEY LOCAL BUYOUT PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BEFORE I HIT THE SLIDES, I WILL GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
DURING HURRICANE IKE, THE STATE RAN AN ACQUISITION PROGRAM AND PURCHASED PROJECTS DIRECTLY THROUGH THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
WHEN THE FUNDING WAS RELEASED FOR HURRICANE HARVEY, THEY SAW THE FLAWS IN THEIR WAYS, UM, SOMEWHAT, UM, FROM THE HURRICANE IKE TRIED TO, OR HURRICANE IKE PROGRAM TRIED TO LEARN FROM THAT AND APPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE TO GIVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES CONTROL OVER A BUYOUT AND ACQUISITION PROGRAM.
SO THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WAS ROLLED OUT AS PART OF A HURRICANE DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THROUGH OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE SIMILAR.
UM, THIS ONE DID HAVE SOME, I'LL CALL IT ADDITIONAL RED TAPE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS DON'T CARRY.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER SOME OF THOSE AS I CONTINUE.
BUT I JUST WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW, THIS IS A, A, UM, NEW PROGRAM FOR THE STATE.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT HASN'T NECESSARILY WORKED OUT THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED AND NOT HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INTEREST AND SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
BUT, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THE CITY DID HAVE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE FOR 4 MILLION AND SOME CHANGE TO CREATE A LOCAL ACQUISITION AND OR BUYOUT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF RELOCATING RESIDENTS LOCATED IN FLOOD PR, FLOOD PRONE AREAS, AND REMOVING A THREAT OF FUTURE FLOODING.
THE HOUSING GUIDELINES WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY IN JUNE OF 2021, AND ORIGINALLY PRIORITIZED AREAS THAT WERE KNOWN TO BE AT HIGH RISK OF FLOODING AS IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S 2018.
SO POST HURRICANE HARVEY, COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF UNMET NEEDS, AND THAT INCLUDED AN AREA THAT WAS BOUNDED BY THOMAS BOULEVARD, FIFTH STREET, HOUSTON AVENUE, AND FORT WORTH AVENUE THAT WAS DESIGNATED AS A RISK REDUCTION AREA FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T HERE FOR THAT DE UH, RESOLUTION.
THAT JUST MEANT THAT IT'S A FLOOD PL FLOOD PRONE, I'M SO SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHY THOSE WORDS ARE HARD FOR ME TO SAY TONIGHT.
FLOOD PRONE AREA THAT IS NOT LOCATED IN A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA, SO NOT NECESSARILY IN A FLOODPLAIN, BUT IT HAS EXPERIENCED REPETITIVE LOSS AND REPETITIVE FLOODING.
SO THE PROGRAM HAD ENOUGH MONEY, WE ASSUMED TO ASSIST AROUND 30 HOUSEHOLDS BASED ON THE FAIR MARKET VALUE, BOTH PRE-STORM AND POST-STORM AT THE TIME THAT THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
AND IT DID INCLUDE INCENTIVES FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
CURRENTLY, THE CONTRACT ENDS DATE FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE AND THE CITY IS DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
SO PRIOR TO EVEN THIS PROGRAM ROLLING OUT, WE BEGAN TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FUNDS.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WAS SCHEDULED AND HELD IN MARCH OF 2020.
AND SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED, ADVERTISED HAD TO BE CANCELED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE SHUTDOWN THAT FOLLOWED THAT INITIAL COMMUNITY MEETING WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
IT WAS COVERED BY THE NEWS MEDIA, BOTH IN PRINT, RADIO AND TV.
UM, I THINK WE HAD AROUND 40 TO 50 RESIDENTS AT THAT FIRST MEETING.
AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, A LOT OF INTEREST WAS EXPRESSED, BUT PREDOMINANTLY THAT MEETING WAS ATTENDED BY RESIDENTS OF THE HERGE FOLEY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA CIRCLE BACK TO YOU.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT INITIAL INTAKE PERIOD, THAT FOLLOWED A SETTLING DOWN AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
AND ONCE WE RESUMED TO NORMAL, WE DID RECEIVE 13 APPLICATIONS.
[00:30:01]
TO ABOUT 70 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE LOCATED IN THE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AREA.AND AFTER EVERYTHING SETTLED DOWN, I DON'T WANNA OVERSTATE, BUT I WOULD SAY WE GOT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN 102 HUNDRED PHONE CALLS ASKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
WE THEN CONDUCTED A SECOND, SORRY.
WE THEN CONDUCTED A SECOND INTAKE PERIOD EARLIER THIS YEAR BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1ST AND MARCH 31ST.
SO A 60 DAY PERIOD, WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THESE PROGRAMS. WE OPENED THE PROGRAM UP TO ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY.
WE PUT OUT A NOTICE OF APPLICATION AVAILABILITY IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWS.
WE PRINTED THAT NOTICE IN THREE LANGUAGES.
ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE NOTICES WERE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND WE ALSO POSTED FLYERS IN PROMINENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
UM, GAS STATIONS, DOLLAR STORES, GROCERY STORES, ANY PLACE THAT PEOPLE COME AND GO.
AND YOU TYPICALLY SEE ANY KIND OF INFORMATIONAL FLYERS.
WE ALSO HELD TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON FEBRUARY 7TH, ONE AT NOON AND ONE AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
AGAIN, WE FIELDED NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS AND WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE ATTEND EACH OF THE MEETINGS.
NO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE SECOND INTAKE PERIOD.
SO OF THE 13 APPLICATIONS THAT WE INITIALLY RECEIVED, SEVEN APPLICANTS OUTRIGHT, OUTRIGHT WITHDREW THEIR APPLICATIONS ONCE THEY LEARNED THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO EITHER REBUILD ON THAT SAME SPOT OR THAT THEIR EXISTING HOME COULD NOT BE REPAIRED.
UM, ANOTHER ALSO THOUGHT THAT THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO BE MORE, UM, AIMED TOWARDS REBUILDING HOMES.
DID NOT OFFICIALLY WITHDRAW, BUT FAILED TO CONTINUE COMMUNICATIONS WITH US.
WHEN WE, UM, TRIED TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THE REMAINING FIVE APPLICATIONS NEVER DID RESPOND TO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS.
BASICALLY, WE DID NOT PUT A RUBBER STAMP AND DENY ANYBODY FOR LACK OF INFORMATION.
WE REACHED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES BY PHONE, BY PHONE CALL, BY EMAIL, ALL AVAILABLE CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE REACHED OUT, WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU TO KEEP YOU IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND BASICALLY PEOPLE JUST WERE NO LONGER INTERESTED.
UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE NO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS QUALIFIED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO WHAT CHANGED? YOU KNOW, A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE OUR INITIAL MEETINGS IN MARCH OF 2020.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE, HER AT FOLEY NEIGHBORHOOD RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM VALERO.
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE HAD FOCUSED ON THAT AREA WAS THAT MANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS HAD BEEN DENIED REBUILDING ASSISTANCE OR RECONSTRUCTION THROUGH THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE'S DIRECT HOUSING PROGRAM.
UH, MOSTLY THAT WAS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS DUE TO PIPELINES AND OTHER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN THE AREA HAD, HAS VERY STRICT RULES ABOUT SAFE DISTANCES BETWEEN HOUSING AND ANYTHING THEY DEEM A HAZARD, UM, TO HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, ALSO THERE WAS NOBODY TO COMBINE ANY KIND OF INCENTIVES TO OFFER HOUSING.
IT REALLY DIDN'T ALIGN VERY WELL WITH THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS.
UM, MOST PEOPLE IN THE AREA THAT WERE, UM, VISITING WITH US ABOUT THESE APPLICATIONS DID NOT HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO.
THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING THE PROPERTY AND BASICALLY WE JUST COULDN'T OFFER ENOUGH ASSISTANCE TO MAKE SOMEONE WHOLE AGAIN FOLLOWING THE HURRICANE.
HOUSING INSECURITY INCREASED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY HAS DECREASED.
WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING WHAT MOST COST SELLERS MARKET.
UM, THERE IS A LOT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH GOING ON IN Y'ALL'S AREA, BUT YET A REDUCED AMOUNT OF HOUSING DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE STORMS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED OVER THE PAST DECADE, FOR SURE, UM, BETWEEN AMELDA AND HARVEY AND OTHER STORMS. SO DEMAND IS HIGH, SUPPLY IS LOW.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FREQUENTLY HEARD FROM HOMEOWNERS IS THAT I CAN JUST SELL MY HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO RED TAPE, THERE'S NO HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH.
IF I WANT OUT RIGHT NOW, SOMEONE WILL BUY IT, FIX IT UP, I CAN RENT IT TO
[00:35:01]
SOMEBODY.WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING IN HERE DUE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GROWTH OF THE, UM, OIL AND PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.
WHY WOULD I SELL THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? UM, ALSO PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES AND CLARIFICATIONS ISSUED BY THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE MADE US REALIZE THAT THOSE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WHILE INTENDED TO DO GOOD THINGS, WERE JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
A LOT OF 'EM WERE REIMBURSEMENT ONLY.
AND GIVEN THAT BEING LOW TO MODERATE INCOME WAS ONE OF THE MAIN QUALIFYING FACTORS FOR THIS PROGRAM, IT'S JUST NOT REALISTIC TO EXPECT THAT SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIT THE BILL AND THEN WAIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, WHAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE IN THE FEW INSTANCES WE HAVE DONE IN OTHER PLACES, MONTHS AND MONTHS? UM, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THAT ON THE ONE HOMEOWNER THAT'S TRYING TO GET ABOUT $1,400 IN MOVING EXPENSES.
AND I WANNA SAY THAT WAS MAYBE DECEMBER THAT WE REQUESTED THOSE FUNDS.
SO IT JUST HAS NOT BEEN THE PROGRAM THAT WE HOPED IT WOULD BE.
UM, SO WHAT NEXT? UM, THERE'S TWO REAL OPTIONS.
ONE IS TE UH, REQUEST ANY KIND OF EXTENSION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS AND SEE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE MISSED IN SOME WAY TO SPEND THESE FUNDS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUT REALISTICALLY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE WOULD BE.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO RETURN THOSE REMAINING FUNDS TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
RIGHT NOW, ONLY A PORTION HAS BEEN EXPENDED AND THAT IS JUST OVER $60,000.
THAT IS OUR FEES FOR THE INITIAL SETUP AND RUNNING OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A WAIVER GRANTED TO ALL OF THE STATES, SORRY, ALL OF THE CITIES THAT ACCEPTED THIS FUNDING BECAUSE THAT AMOUNT DOES EXCEED THE CAP FOR ADMINISTRATION FUNDS.
AND BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN THE WAY IT'S WORKED OUT, BASICALLY EVERYWHERE THE STATE HAS GRANTED A WAIVER TO ALLOW THOSE FUNDS TO STAY, NO ONE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ANY MONEY BACK.
IT IS WHAT IT IS AND EVERYONE JUST MOVE ON.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD LEAVE JUST OVER $4 MILLION TO BE DE OBLIGATED.
THE DEO OBLIGATED FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR MULTI-HOUSING, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING.
UM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE SPENT.
THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE HAS ASSURED US THAT THEY WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SPEND IT AT LEAST WITHIN THE REGION, WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION BOUNDARIES, BUT THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE IT.
UM, AND THEY CERTAINLY CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THE FUNDS WOULD STAY IN PORT ARTHUR, BUT THEY DO HAVE OTHER NEEDS AND THAT IS WHY I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE RELEASE THE FUNDS BACK TO THE JOURNAL LAND OFFICE AND ALLOW THEM TO USE THEM WHERE THEY CAN BE SPENT.
UM, THERE ARE STILL FAMILIES WITHOUT HOMES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THIS FREES IT UP AND ALLOWS THEM TO USE IT, UM, BEFORE THEY EXPIRE OR HAVE TO BE RETURNED TO HUD.
SO AT LEAST THEY STAY HOPEFULLY IN THE AREA, CERTAINLY IN THE STATE AND, AND ARE USED FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.
THAT'S IT IF I HAD ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNCIL MC FRANK, MS. SMITH, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE INSIGHT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US ON TODAY.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE HAVE SOME BUREAUCRATIC FUTILITY, UH, GOING ON HERE.
UH, SIMPLY PUT, UM, YOU HAVE A PROGRAM, UH, AND I, AND DON'T, DON'T, I'M NOT, IT'S NOT YOU ULTIMATELY, IS THAT WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT IT JUST SEEMS AS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE $4 MILLION THAT WE CAN UTILIZE AND WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE PARAMETERS OF THE PROGRAM DON'T HELP US.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT, CAN YOU BRING A MESSAGE BACK TO WHO, WHOMEVER THAT, UM, THAT ULTIMATELY, THAT THE G O SHOULD CONSIDER, OR IN SOME WAY RECONSIDER SETTING THE DYNAMICS OF THE PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE IT OR TO TAKE THOSE $4 MILLION AND SEND THAT MONEY IN, IN, IN A, IN A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN REBUILD SOME HOMES EVERY WEEK.
I HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO CALL ME BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE SENIOR CITIZENS OR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE FLOOR BOARDS ARE ROTTING OR THEIR HOMES ARE INFESTED WITH RODENTS OF SOME KIND.
OR THEY, WE NEED A PROGRAM BY WHICH WE CAN REBUILD HOMES.
[00:40:01]
SO IF THAT MONEY CAN BE REALLOCATED TO THAT PROGRAM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO WRITE A LETTER AND SEE IF THEY CAN REINSTITUTE, UM, THAT BUILDING PROGRAM OF ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO REBUILD HOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY.SO IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE GLO HAS SOME MONEY, $4 MILLION, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATED AND REALLOCATED IN A WAY IN WHICH IT CAN BE VIABLY, UH, DISPERSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UH, DO YOU DO, DO YOU THINK WRITING A LETTER IS, SHOULD WE WRITE A LETTER? SHOULD WE MAKE A CALL? HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WHAT THE, THE DIRE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY IS? SO I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT WRITING A LETTER TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A PROGRAM THAT THEY ARE AWARE WAS NOT A SUCCESS OVERALL.
WE CAN FIND OUT FOR CERTAIN, AND I, I HATE TO EVEN SPECULATE TO THE POINT OF MISQUOTING ANYTHING, BUT BECAUSE THE STATE DID STILL ADMINISTER THE HOUSING PROGRAM, WHEN THESE FUNDS ARE RETURNED, IT WILL STAY WITHIN HOUSING.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON THAT THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE IT STAYS IN THE AREA.
NOW THAT IS SOMETHING CERTAINLY THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE RECONSIDERED AGAIN.
UM, I THINK THEY TRIED TO TAKE SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM IKE, UM, AND REAPPLY THEM AND PARTS WORKED AND PARTS DID NOT.
UM, IF ANY OF YOU RECALL, UNDER IKE, WE HAD THE REQUIREMENT THAT ONCE THE MONEY WAS IN HOUSING, IT STAYED IN HOUSING AND 55% OF FUNDING WENT TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND 45% WORK WENT TOWARDS HOUSING.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN FLIP FLOPPED, UM, BUT ONCE HOUSING, IT ALWAYS WAS, UM, THAT STAYS TRUE FOR THE HARVEY PROGRAM.
BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME PORTIONS THAT ARE LOCAL AND SOME PORTIONS THAT ARE STATE RUN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE RUNNING INTO THE ISSUE NOW.
I DON'T KNOW THAT HONESTLY IT WOULD CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT I THINK THAT THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE DOES NEED TO BE AWARE FROM OUR COMMUNITIES WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY ANOTHER DISASTERS AROUND THE CORNER, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT'S A LONG TIME FROM NOW, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO KNOW FROM THE COMMUNITIES WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SO I'M HAPPY TO HELP WRITE THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, FORWARD IT ALONG.
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HEATHER LARON, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
MR. CITY MANAGER, CAN WE WORK ON THAT? CAN WE WRITE A LETTER, UH, INFORMING THEM OF THE, THE SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AND TRY TO TRY TO ENGAGE THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SQUEAKY WHEEL SOMETIMES GETS SOME GREASE, SO, AND THEY CAN'T SAY YES IF YOU DON'T ASK.
UH, MS. SMITH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, WHAT OTHER REGIONS OR CITIES OR HAVING FUNDS DEO OBLIGATED? OOH, MOST ARE DEO OBLIGATING, AT LEAST A PORTION.
UM, SOME COMMUNITIES DID NOT EVEN ACCEPT THE FUNDING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND IT.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND THAT DOES SPAN ALL THE WAY DOWN, UM, ALMOST TO THE VALLEY, ALL THE WAY TO THE SABINE RIVER, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE SEEING SIMILAR ISSUES.
UM, WE HAVE HAD A FEW THAT USED THE FUNDING TO MATCH HMGP BUYOUTS.
UM, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY APPLICATION THAT THEY RECEIVED.
UM, WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE AT THIS POINT, MORE OF SECOND HOMES.
UM, THE REGION DID MEET A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME THRESHOLD THAT OPENED UP SOME FUNDING FOR URGENT NEED IN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. AND THOSE, UM, ARE BASICALLY ABANDONED PROPERTIES THAT PEOPLE ALREADY HAD, HOMES THEY WERE LIVING IN AND WE'RE JUST DISPOSING OF PROPERTY.
UM, OVERALL, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING IS BEING RETURNED TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
AND THAT LEADS ME TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
IF MOST OF THE MONEY IS BEING RETURNED, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR REHABILITATION OF HOUSING, HOW'S IT GOING TO BE REPURPOSED NOW? SO THIS PROGRAM WAS
[00:45:01]
NOT FOR REHABILITATION OF HOUSING, UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS SOLELY FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY.AND THEN THE HOME WOULD HAVE TO BE DEMOLISHED OR ANY STRUCTURES THERE ON, AND DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S STRUCTURED, IT COULD EITHER RETURN TO GREEN SPACE OR POTENTIALLY BE REDEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE OR USED FOR SOME SORT OF, UM, COMMUNITY BENEFIT SUCH AS A PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, WE DID TRY TO GO THAT ANGLE HERE AS WELL, BY THE WAY.
AND WE COULDN'T NEVER GET ENOUGH OF AN INTEREST IN A SPECIFIC AREA, UM, TO KIND OF GROUP SOME PROPERTIES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE HOPING TO DO IS REPURPOSE THIS MONEY THAT WAS INTENDED TO BUY OUT AND ACQUIRE PROPERTIES TO MOVE IT TO THE REHAB AND RECONSTRUCTION.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE OVERSUBSCRIPTION AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING SPECIFICALLY, THAT IS WHERE THEIR GREATEST NEED IS SEEN AS FAR AS REBUILDING.
UM, AND TRYING TO RAISE THE HOUSING STOCK IS IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING SPECIFICALLY RATHER THAN SINGLE FAMILY.
UM, SO WHEN THE MONEY IS REPURPOSED, IT GOES BACK TO THE GLO MM-HMM.
SO IF WE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, I THINK YOU SAID THE VALLEY OR DOWN, HOW AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE REPURPOSED SINCE THEY'RE AT SYNC, THERE WAS, UH, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH PARTICIPATION IN IN, IN USING THESE FUNDS.
CAN YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE ON HOW MUCH MONEY'S GOING BACK? I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO FIND OUT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE WOULD HAVE, AND WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU.
AND, AND, AND, AND THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE BE BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION THAT WE HAVE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR SPECIFICALLY BEING AT ONE TIME IN THE NOT SO DISTANT PAST 85% OF OUR POPULATION WAS CONSIDERED ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
AND WHEN WE HAD THE SERIES OF STORMS FROM 2005 UP UNTIL 2007, OUR HOUSING ISSUES HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED.
AND THEN WE HAD THE, THE, THE LAYOFFS AND, AND, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS THIS TYPE THING.
WHEN YOU SEE THAT MONEY THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED FOR A CERTAIN AREA, A CERTAIN CITY, AND THEN BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASONS, UH, WE DON'T GET ENOUGH PARTICIPATION BECAUSE OF THE GUIDELINES OR THE RESTRICTIONS, UH, ATTACHED TO THOSE FUNDS.
AND WE SEE THAT MONEY GO BACK AND WE LOOK AND WHEN WE WALK OUTTA HERE AND WE SAY, OH, WE COULD USE THAT MONEY HERE.
AND, AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION COULD FIND A WAY TO HELP OUT THE CITIES ALL UP AND DOWN THE COAST OF, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS HERE.
BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF US, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE, WE'RE, WE'RE INDUSTRY RICH, BUT WE'RE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND, AND MR. CITY MANAGER AT AS SOON AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GET THAT LETTER OUT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO EXPRESS TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE G O TO WHATEVER THEY COULD DO TO, TO RECONSIDER REPURPOSING THE MONEY THAT THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR OUR AREAS SO THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY USE IT HERE IF OKAY.
OH, I, AND I, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS, UM, HAS, WE SAID WE WERE SO EXCITED
IT, UM, IT HAD SO MANY HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH AND IT WAS SO HARD TO QUALIFY AND IT JUST AT THE END OF THE DAY DID NOT MEET THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO REPURPOSE IT IN A WAY THAT DOES MEET THOSE UNMET NEEDS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I'M HAPPY TO, LIKE I SAID, FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
DO ANYTHING WE CAN DO, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW Y'ALL, I MEAN, Y'ALL WERE DEVASTATED
[00:50:01]
BY HARVEY.WE, WE ALL SAW IT, WE ALL WATCHED IT PLAY OUT ON TV.
UM, WE, WE KNOW THEY HAD TO HAVE SEEN IT TOO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT VISIBLE AGAIN AND MAKE SURE THEY REALIZE THE EFFECTS AND WHAT REALLY TRULY IS NEEDED.
ONE LAST, UH, JUST A MINUTE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP.
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, ALL OF WHICH MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.
UM, HOW MANY PARCELS ARE IN THE AREA THAT YOU SPECIFIED THE NEIGHBORHOOD SOUTH OF THOMAS BOULEVARD AND NORTH OF FIFTH STREET IN THE EAST OF HOUSTON AVENUE AND WEST OF FORT WORTH AVENUE.
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PARCELS ARE IN THAT AREA? OH, I WANNA SAY AROUND 40 OR 50.
WAS THAT OKAY, SO OR WAS THAT THIS TOTAL 70? I'M SO SORRY.
SO FOR HOWEVER MANY ROOFTOPS ARE IN THAT AREA, UM, IT'S NOT, IT WOULDN'T BE THAT EXPENSIVE FOR US TO ACTUALLY SEND A LETTER TO THEM.
JUST TO RECAP ON WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERING, WE, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE PANDEMIC STOPPED A LOT OF THE FACE-TO-FACE, BUT WE'RE NOT ABOVE SENDING SOMEBODY A LETTER.
I KNOW WE PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER, PEOPLE WILL MISS IT.
WE MAY HAVE POSTED IT ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S NOT, NO, PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY EVEN LOOK AT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WEBSITE, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WILL CHECK THEIR MAIL EVEN IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SLIP SOMETHING IN THEIR WATER BILL FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PARCELS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECEIVED THE INFORMATION AND AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME GOT THE OFFER AGAIN.
THEN THE OTHER PART WOULD BE FOR MS. LARON.
I THINK YOU SAID HER NAME WAS THAT'S THE, THE DIRECTOR.
DID SHE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR HER, BUT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO WHOMEVER THE, UM, GRANT ORGANIZER OR THE AUTHORITY WITH THE G O, UM, TO ASK FOR AMENDMENTS TO THIS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS MONEY AT HOME.
AND IF SHE WAS DENIED, IT WAS JUST DENIED.
BUT AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ASKING, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MADE THE OFFER TO USE THE FUNDS, BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL BE USED IN PORT ARTHUR.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE FIRST OPTION.
WE SHOULD, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT IN THE CURRENT GUIDELINES SO THAT WE CAN USE THIS MONEY HERE AT HOME.
AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THAT, WELL, IN THIS, UM, PRESENTATION, IT SAYS THE PROGRAM BUDGETED FUNDS TO ASSIST APPROPRIATELY 30 HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING INCENTIVES TO ASSIST IN RELOCATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE INCENTIVES THAT YOU MENTIONED WOULD BE REIMBURSABLE.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MOVING EXPENSES, I BELIEVE UP TO $5,000, UM, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE ON A NEW PROPERTY.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON THE OTHER ONE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS FOR TENANTS LIVING IN RENTAL PROPERTIES, UM, UNDER THE U A AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE COMPARABLE HOUSING IF YOU'RE A RENTER.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT WAS 48 MONTHS OF RENT SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE COULD ASSIST WITH IF IT WAS A RENTER BEING DISPLACED.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS ALSO AN OUTRIGHT BUYOUT INCENTIVE THAT WOULD HELP MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOME IN A FLOODPLAIN AND A HOME OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN THAT'S COMPARABLE IN SQUARE FOOTAGE AND AMENITIES.
AND EVEN WITH THAT $30,000, IT STILL WASN'T USUALLY ENOUGH TO FILL THAT GAP BETWEEN CURRENT AND THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF A HOME IN A FLOOD PLAIN VERSUS ONE OUTSIDE OF ONE.
SO WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED IS THE ASK FOR WHAT COULD BE AMENDED IN THE GUIDELINES.
SO AN INCREASE IN THE, THOSE INCENTIVES TO AN INCREASE, UM, NOT JUST AN INCREASE IN THE INCENTIVES, BUT THE REMOVAL OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT BE REIMBURSABLE OR HELP THAT RESIDENT FIND OTHER FUNDING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND INSTEAD OF GLO REQUIRING THAT MONEY TO BE PAID OUT BY THE RESIDENT, THEY CAN GET THEIR REIMBURSEMENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I'M SURE THAT THERE COULD BE OTHER FUNDING QUITE POSSIBLY
[00:55:01]
THROUGH ANOTHER GLO PROGRAM.SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THE STATE TO HELP US NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS.
$4 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR US TO JUST SAY, OH, WELL, LET'S GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND I'M ASKING THAT THEY HELP US FIGHT FOR THAT MONEY.
AND AT MINIMUM JUST HAVE THE ASK AND JUST EXPLAIN TO THEM, YES.
THAT HERE'S THE, THE PROBLEMS WE RAN INTO AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS AND WE EXPECT YOU TO AS WELL.
I'M EXPECTING, EXPECTING THAT.
YOU LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TOO? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, NO, THAT'S WHAT SAY THAT THE GENERAL BUT NOT YOU.
I MEAN IN THE GENERALLY YES, YES, YES.
THAT WE, WE SAY YOU LISTEN, WE, WE NEED HELP.
WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU OFFER AND WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST THEN AND, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO DIFFERENTLY AS WELL? RIGHT.
WE'RE, WE'RE SERVING THE SAME PEOPLE, SO WE GOTTA FIX IT.
UH, TO THE MANAGER, YOU HAD SOMETHING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE FOR CLARITY.
UM, AGAIN, AS, UM, MS. MELINDA EXPLAINED THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM WAS FOR BUYOUT AND ACQUISITION, AS PART OF A BUYOUT AND ACQUISITION PROGRAM, YOU'RE OFFERING, UM, RESIDENTS FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THE STRUCTURES THAT THEY CURRENTLY OWN.
SO IN A LOT OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE CONSIDERED FLOOD-PRONE AREAS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STRUCTURES THAT HAVE AN ESTIMATED VALUE, SOMETIMES A 14, $15,000.
SO YOU'RE PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY FROM THEM AND YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO START OVER.
AND SO IN STARTING OVER, AS SHE EXPLAINED IN MOVING OUT OF A FLOOD PRONE AREA, NOW YOU'RE GOING INTO A MORTGAGE OF APPROXIMATELY $250,000, BUT YOU'VE ONLY RECEIVED $14,000 FOR SELLING THAT HOME.
SO THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD IN TRYING TO SELL THIS PROGRAM TO CITIZENS.
THERE WAS REALLY NO RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRED OR ELDERLY OR ON FIXED INCOME, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE INCOME REQUIREMENTS, ARE BEING ASKED TO START OVER AND PICK UP MORTGAGES THAT THEY CAN'T AND HONESTY AFFORD.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WHEN CRAFTING THAT LETTER TO G O, WE ARE ASKING TO MAYBE LIFT SOME OF THESE RESTRICTIONS, UM, WHERE IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A BUYOUT, UM, BUT JUST HELPING WITH, I GUESS SIMILAR TO LIKE THEIR HAT PROGRAM MAYBE FOR, UM, RENOVATIONS TO EXISTING STRUCTURES OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
BECAUSE THAT WAS DEFINITELY A, A HUGE PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE EXPERIENCED WHEN REACHING OUT TO RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST THE DA DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AREA, THAT WAS AN AREA THAT WE HAD TO ESTABLISH BY RESOLUTION BECAUSE IT WASN'T CONSIDERED A FEMA BLOOD PRONE AREA.
BUT THERE WERE BOTH MONTROSE, MONTROSE ONE, MONTROSE TWO, THE LAKEVIEW AREA, HERGAN AND FOLEY STONEGATE AREA.
THERE WERE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT WE DID TARGET AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, FOR THE, THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES, IT JUST WAS NOT A, A PROGRAM THAT BENEFITED THEM.
EVEN WITH THE INCENTIVES, IF YOUR HOME IS VALUED AT 15,000, YOU GET A $30,000 INCENTIVE, THAT'S STILL ONLY $45,000.
AND THEN WE ARE ASKING THEM TO START OVER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN DRAFTING THIS LETTER, WE ARE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE FOR, AND THAT WOULD BE TO HELP PEOPLE MAYBE REPAIRED, UM, OR RENOVATE WHAT'S EXISTING, NOT TO START OVER.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, JUST LASTLY, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ON THIS SUBJECT A LONG TIME, BUT IT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
THE, THE, THE, THE CITY MANAGER IS SO I IS, IS RIGHT ON TARGET CUZ WE GET SO MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS AND WE, AND PEOPLE, WHEN THEY BRING THESE PROGRAMS TO GLO OR WHOEVER THEY BRING THESE PROGRAMS, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET A BRAND NEW HOME BUILT, MANY OF THEM DON'T UNDERSTAND THEIR TAXES ARE GONNA GO UP.
SO THEY'RE LIVING IN A HOUSE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WERE PAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MINUSCULE TAXES, LITTLE TAX FEW, A LITTLE BIT OF TAX ON, BUT NOW THEY GOT A, ANOTHER, A HOUSE AND THE TAXES WENT UP AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE TAXES ON THE HOUSE.
THOSE ARE THE PROBLEMS THAT THE G O HAS TO UNDERSTAND IN THESE, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING, WHEN EVERY TIME WE GO SOMEWHERE, WHETHER IT'S THE N L C OR TO THESE OTHER MEETINGS, CITIES ARE FIGHTING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW A, A PUNCH OR ANYTHING, BUT THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, THOSE FUNDS GOING THERE, WE NEED THOSE FUNDS TO COME DIRECTLY TO THE CITY, NOT TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION
[01:00:01]
WHO MAY GIVE US WHAT WE NEED OR GIVE US A PORTION OF WHAT WE NEED.WE NEED, WE NEED TO TRY TO WORK TOWARD GETTING THOSE FUNDS TO CITIES AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH A REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION THAT KIND OF TREATS US LIKE THE LITTLE STEPCHILD AS OPPOSED TO CHEATING US LIKE A CITY THAT HAS SOME NEEDS.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION.
WELL, UH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD SAY, BUT THAT WE THANK YOU FOR THIS AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UH, DRAFT A, A LETTER WITH SOME SPECIFIC, UH, TENANTS THAT WE THINK WILL BE APPLE PRO OR PORT AUTHOR.
NOW IF THEY HEAR IT, THEY HEAR IT.
AND, UH, IF EVEN IF WE WOULD NEED TO TO DEAL WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, THE, UH, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, STATE SENATORS, UH, WE WOULD EVEN GO TO THAT LINK TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET CONSIDERATION FOR THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SITUATION IN PORT ARTHUR AND THAT THE G O WOULD HAVE MERCY OWNERS.
SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT WORK TO DO.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
OKAY, WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ON.THAT'S NOW WE WILL HAVE OUR, UH, REPORTS OF ITEMS OF INTEREST, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND BEFORE I WOULD PASS IT ON, I DID, UH, MENTION DURING THE PROCLAMATION OF THE RECOGNITION OF WOMEN VETERANS ON MONDAY AT 10:00 AM HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AT THE PAVILION.
YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND, AND WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD ASSIST US IN PUTTING THE WORD OUT THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING WOMEN VETERANS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE WOULD HAVE, UH, SOME OF OUR VETERAN ASSISTANT, UH, ASSISTANCE, UH, GROUPS WHO PLAN TO BE PRESENT TO, UH, DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON, UH, SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR VETERANS, FOR ALL VETERANS, MALE AND FEMALE.
BUT ON MONDAY, WE WILL RECOGNIZE AND HONOR FEMALE VETERANS AT 10:00 AM AT THE PAVILION.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVITIES THAT ARE COMING UP.
I GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT JUNETEENTH.
PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR JUNETEENTH ACTIVITIES.
THE FIRST BEING ON THURSDAY, UM, JUNE 8TH, THERE WILL BE THE FLAG RAISING AT THE SUBCOUNTY COURTHOUSE ON THE FRONT LAWN STARTING AT 10 30.
AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THERE WILL BE JAZZ IN THE PARK.
AND COMMISSIONER SENEGAL HAS SO GRACIOUSLY OFFERED THAT TO THE CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT, UM, THOSE ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING THE FLAG RAISING.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE OUR INTEREST MEETING FOR OUR JUNETEENTH PAGEANT.
UM, THE JUNETEENTH PAGEANT WILL BE THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, JUNE 16TH AT 5:00 PM UM, MORE INFORMATION WILL BE ON THE JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTH PAGE, UM, ON FACEBOOK.
AND WE'LL ALSO SHARE THIS INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S WEBSITE, UM, AND OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS ON, THERE'S A SNEAKERS BALL ON THAT FRIDAY.
ALSO SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT ON SATURDAY.
PLEASE, PLEASE ALSO GET OUT TO VOTE ON THE FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING IS GONNA BE ON JUNE 12TH.
I SAW, I HEARD A COMMENT THAT SOMEONE SAID, THOSE THAT CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH WON'T COME OUT TO VOTE ANYWAY, AND I TOOK OFFENSE TO THAT.
SO I'M JUST ASKING, DID YOU PLEASE SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT? SHOW 'EM THAT YOU WILL COME OUT TO VOTE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE AND PLEASE COME OUT TO SUPPORT OUR JUNETEENTH ACTIVITIES.
[01:05:01]
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.UH, ON THIS PAST SATURDAY, THIS SWORN TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT OF THANKS TO, UH, THE GIFT OF LIFE AND THE PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE, UH, FREE MEN'S HEALTH SCREENINGS THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, I WAS, UH, PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO VISIT THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF TO TWO HOURS.
UH, AND THE TURNOUT WAS TREMENDOUS.
UH, I THINK THERE WERE, UH, 179 MEN WHO PRE-REGISTERED, AND THEN THEY ALSO ACCEPTED OVER 20, UH, WALK-INS.
SO THEY, THEY SERVICED OVER 200 MEN ON SATURDAY.
UH, THE, UH, THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERED, I THINK, TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 61 PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING.
AND THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE TWO ROTATIONS OF PHYSICIANS WHO WERE THERE TO HELP WITH THE SCREENING.
SO, UH, I THINK THE, UH, THE CITY WOULD BE PROUD OF HOW, UH, THE STAFF, UH, ORGANIZED AND, UH, MADE READY.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A, UH, A, AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, UH, IN, IN FORT WORTH LAST WEEKEND, THE DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF HER STAFF WERE NOT THERE, SO SHE HAD TO RELY ON TEAM MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS READY.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT EVERYONE WHO CAME THROUGH THERE, ESPECIALLY THE PHYSICIANS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN UPPER MANAGEMENT OF THE GIFT OF LIFE, WERE REALLY IMPRESSED AT HOW WELL ORGANIZED AND HOW THE STAFF, UH, RESPONDED PROFESSIONALLY TO, UH, THE, UH, THE PATIENTS THAT CAME IN.
AND, AND I THINK THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT AGAIN, AND THE GIFT OF LIFE SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY DID.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WORK HERE TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO OFFER CONDOLENCES TO ONE OF OUR, UH, WONDERFUL STAFF, UH, MEMBERS.
ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, MR. GLENN WHITE.
UH, HIS MOTHER, UH, TRANSITIONED AND WENT HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD.
AND SO WE'RE OFFERING CONDOLENCES, UH, TO HE AND HIS FAMILY, UH, IN THIS, UH, IN THIS HOUR.
SO OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, MR. BRAD BROWN.
HE FROM THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, HE, HE CAME OUT ON RICHMOND AND, AND, AND, UH, 11TH STREET AND SOLVED A PROBLEM FROM FLOODING FROM A PLUG DRAINAGE FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
MR. SIRE HAND BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND HE, HE SHOWED UP AND CLEARED THE PROBLEM OUT AND, UH, THEY, THEY WERE VERY THANKFUL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY WON'T BE FLOODED ANYMORE.
ANY OTHER REMARKS? IF THERE AREN'T ANY, WE WILL MOVE ON TO PAGE THREE.
[VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
SIX UNFINISHED BUSINESS.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND SM BROTHERS AND SISTERS CORPORATION DBA ISLAND GROCERY AND CAJUN CABINS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.90 CENT, SIX ACRES LOCATED AT 1900.
COUNCILMAN, UH, GET A MOTION? MOTION FOR RULE.
IT BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD NO, TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO TABLE, I'M SORRY.
TO TABLE, UH, PR NUMBER, I'M SORRY I'VE USED THE WRONG TERM.
THE TABLE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 1 73.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTIONING ONLY? ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
HAVE SO RESULT OF THIS, THIS MATTER IS TABLED.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE ARE ITEMS OF ROUTINE NATURE AND YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN, UH, THE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING ON THESE PARTICULAR
[01:10:01]
ITEMS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE FOUR, UH, SUCCINCTLY.P R NUMBER 23 1 64 AND P R NUMBER 23 1 65 WOULD BE WITHDRAWN AND TABLED.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? MR. MAYOR? YES.
UH, UH, ITEM A ONE ON, ON, UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY SECRETARY.
ALSO THAT'S ON PAGE, UH, O UH, THREE.
AND ALSO YOU SAID ITEM THREE, YOU SAID? NO, NO.
Y'ALL GOT THAT QUESTION FOR THE CITY SECRETARY? OKAY.
ALSO PAGE, UH, FIVE, UH, ITEM 12.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YE YES MA'AM.
I'D LIKE TO PULL, UM, PR 23, 0 30 CAMERA PAGE ON PAGE ONE.
YOU SAID PAGE ON PAGE THREE? PAGE, PAGE, I'M SORRY.
PAGE THREE AND WHICH ONE? OKAY.
NUMBER ONE ON PAGE THREE, NUMBER ONE.
I'M LOOKING FOR THE, THAT'S NUMBER 11.
HE'S ALREADY ASKED THAT TO BE WITHDRAWN.
UH, AND LASTLY, 23 1 90 NUMBER 13.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS A ONE, ITEM NUMBER ONE ON PAGE THREE, ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE ON PAGE FOUR, ITEMS 11 AND 12 ON PAGE FIVE.
AND ITEMS 13 AND 15 ON PAGE SIX.
I, MAYBE I TURN MY LIGHT ON TOO LATER.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS WHOLE THING CHANGED ON ME.
I WANTED TO PULL 15 HOW? 15 ON PAGE.
THAT'S SIX NUMBER 15 PAGE, SIX PAGE.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALREADY DONE IT.
OH, I, I THOUGHT WE WANTED TO INCLUDE IT.
FOR FRANK, I THINK OF, OF BASICALLY ONE.
SO WITH THE EXPERT, I SAID 15, BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN PULLED.
SECOND, IT BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN WITHDRAWN.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IS ORDERED NOW, UH, FOR THE ITEMS THAT WE WILL USE, UH, WE'LL HANDLE INDIVIDUALLY.
[VII.A.(1) Mayor Thurman Bartie: Golden Triangle Days Austin, TX February 26 – March 1, 2023 $2,214.30]
ITEM, UH, A ONE IS UNDER TRAVEL EXPERIENCE REPORTS MAYOR THURMAN BART GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS, AUSTIN, TEXAS, FEBRUARY 26TH THROUGH MARCH 1ST, 2023 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,214 AND 30 CENTS.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR PROTE SECOND.
OKAY, WE READY FOR, UH, QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? OH, YES, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
THE MAYOR SAID IF I WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING, ASK HIM.
MAYOR, UH, MY QUESTION IS WHY IT TOOK SO LONG THEY GOT A POLICY UNLESS IN THE POLICY CHANGED, YOU HAVE TO WITHIN 30 DAYS.
I THINK IT'S, THAT'S THE POLICY WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.
UH, I WAS INFORMED WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
IT WASN'T THAT I DID, I WASN'T TRYING TO RECONCILE, UH, I WAS INFORMED LATER THAT THEY HAD GIVEN ME TOO
[01:15:01]
MUCH MONEY WHEN THIS OCCURRED.AND ONCE I WAS INFORMED, THEN I WAS, UH, TOLD THAT THAT, THAT THAT WOULD BE, UH, AN AMOUNT TO BE REIMBURSED AND I REIMBURSED THEM.
BUT I THINK IT WAS ALREADY PASSED PROBABLY THE 30 DAYS THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT.
PROBABLY WHEN I WAS INFORMED THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, TUMORS HAD BEEN GIVEN TO ME.
AND THEN I JUST MADE A CHECK AND SO THEY JUST, UH, WERE ABLE TO PUT IT ON AND THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T RECONCILED WITH THE OTHERS.
ANY OTHER UNREADINESS ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.C.(1) P.R. 23030 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Greenscapes Six, LLC Of Baytown, Texas For ADA Compliant Bus Stop Construction At Various Locations In The City Of Port Arthur, Texas In The Amount Not To Exceed $153,291.00. Funding Is Available In Account 401-70-530-8525-00-60-000, Project TR11316CAP.OCO]
NOW, NEXT WE HAVE NUMBER ONE ON PAGE THREE, THE RESOLUTION'S 2030 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND CENTER MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GREEN SCAPES.SIX LLC OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS FOR ADA COMPLIANT BUS STOP CONSTRUCTION AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS IN THE AMOUNT NOTED $153,291.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT 4 0 1 DASH 70 DASH FIVE 30 DASH 8 5 25 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 60 DASH ZERO ZERO.
AND THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER Q3 16 CAP OC O.
AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? MOTION? MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS, UH, RESOLUTION AS READY.
READY FOR QUESTION? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS? YOU, ME, YOU HAD THE QUESTION ON THIS ONE? OKAY.
UM, I LOOKED AT THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED ON THIS PROJECT AND UM, THE PROJECT, UM, IS FOR $153,291.
THERE WERE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT BID ON THIS PROJECT AND WE RECEIVED THE BID FOR $153,291.
UM, THE OTHER TWO BIDS THAT WE GOT FOR THE 26 BUS STOPS WERE, UM, $400,000, UH, IN THE 400,000, OVER $450,000.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE DISCREPANCY, UM, OF GETTING THE PROJECT DONE.
UM, UH, MAYBE NOT ON THE CHEAP, BUT THE QUALITY THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE VARIANCE BETWEEN, UH, THE BIDS.
AND THEN I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE BUS STOPS.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE, UM, BUS STOPS THAT ARE GONNA KEEP THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RIDING THE BUS OUT OF THE RAIN, OUT OF THE WIND, UH, OUT OF THE COLD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHILE THEY'RE ON THE BUS STOPS? UM, AND WHAT KIND OF BUS STOPS ARE WE GONNA HAVE FOR 26 BUS STOPS FOR $153,000? OKAY.
COUNCIL, FRANK, I'M, I'M, I'M AVAILABLE.
YOU LET ME, I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND.
BE RECOGNIZED, PLEASE CHAIR, RECOGNIZE HIM, PLEASE.
MAY THE CHAIR RECOGNIZE, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF, UM, TRANSIT HERE? YEAH, GO, UH, GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT DID ARISE TO US WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE BIDS.
UM, WE HAD OUR ENGINEER DOING ENGINEERING ESTIMATE.
SO THE BID THAT WE ACCEPTED ACTUALLY IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ENGINEERING ESTIMATE.
AND I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE MAYBE.
UM, BUT IT DOES COINCIDE WITH THE ENGINEER WAS ESTIMATING IN TERMS OF THE COST WHILE THE OTHER TWO BIDDERS WERE SO HIGH.
UM, WE, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW, BUT IT DOES MATCH THE ENGINEERING ESTIMATE, WHICH IS WHAT I REQUIRE FOR ALL MY PROJECTS.
CAUSE I WANT TO DO LIKE A GOOD COMPARISON TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT OVERPAYING OR UNDER THE PAY.
UM, UH, WE ARE ALSO TO LOOK INTO THIS CONTRACTOR AND, UM, WE DID FIND OUT THEY HAVE DONE WORK FOR THE CITY BEFORE.
FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, THEY DID GOOD WORK FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT WHAT THEY DID AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET FROM THEM IN TERMS OF THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, OKAY.
SO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, UH, ENCLOSED BUS STOPS? NOT ENCLOSED BUS STOPS.
SO, SO BASICALLY, BASICALLY, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT MOST OF OUR CURRENT BUS STOPS RIGHT NOW WHERE WE DROP OFF OUR PASSENGERS ON AND OFF, IT'S JUST A, IT IS JUST A, A SIGN IN THE GROUND
[01:20:01]
WITH LIKE THE POLE.SO WHEN THEY GET OFF THE BUS, WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ON THE BUS, THEY'LL, LOT OF TIMES STEPPING IN GRASS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE NEAR DITCHES, SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT ADA COMPLIANT, THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, THEY'RE NOT WHAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO THIS PROJECT IS THE FIRST STEP OF UPGRADING THOSE BUS STOPS SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET ON AND OFF THE BUS, THEY HAVE A SOLID ADA COMPLIANT SURFACE.
AND THAT'S WHERE SOMEBODY, IF THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF DISABILITY, IF THEY'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR, OR EVEN IF YOU'RE ABLE BODIED, THESE WILL ADD THAT SOLID PAD.
PLUS WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT TO NEARBY SIDEWALKS, OR IF IT'S A SIDEWALK ALREADY THERE, WE'RE GONNA DO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SIDEWALK.
SO I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, WILL IT KEEP OUR BUS RIDERS OUT OF THE RAIN WITH THE WIND BLOWING? NO.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT.
THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, SURFACE WORK IN TERMS OF THE PADS THAT ACTUALLY THE, THE FDA GIVES US MONEY TO FIX AND UPGRADE TO MAKE SURE IT'S COMPLIANT.
BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE OF SHELTERS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
NOW, NOW WE HAVE PURCHASED SOME BENCHES THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND SO WE WILL BE INSTALLING BENCHES AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE TO SIT.
I THINK, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER, I THINK WE, WE CAN DO BETTER.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE GOT, WE'VE GOT MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT, UM, WE'VE GOT MONEY THAT'S COMING, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO UTILIZE THAT MONEY COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ADD OUR MONEY TO IT SO THAT WE CAN GET A BETTER PRODUCT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RIDING THE BUS? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? YEAH, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A POSSIBILITY, BUT, UM, JUST, JUST SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I, YOU, I THINK JUST SPEAKING OF SHELTERS, SO CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET, THE SHELTER IS GONNA COST US JUST TO PURCHASE IT BETWEEN 25 TO $30,000 FOR A SHELTER.
SO WE DO HAVE MONEY, BUT OF COURSE WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDS.
AND THE GOAL NOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN BOARD THE BUS SAFELY AND GET OFF THE BUS SAFELY.
UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR STOPS JUST ARE NOT, UM, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE OFFERING TO, TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
BUT IT DOES, IT DOES KEEP 'EM OUT OF THE RAIN.
IS THAT, WHAT DO DO I GET, DO WE GET THAT? NO, NO.
WHAT FOR THIS CAREER PROJECT? NO, THIS IS SIMPLY TO FIX THE SURFACE SO THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT BOARDING IN THE GRASS OR NEAR DITCHES ANYMORE.
I, I, I THINK THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT, THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THIS FEDERAL EXPENDITURE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUS STOP IS A D A COMPLIANT.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE.
THAT'S THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE AS IS OUTLINED BY THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
YOU CAN ONLY USE THAT MONEY TO MAKE THE BUST OF E D A COMPLIANT.
NOW, AS HE SAID, HE HAS OTHER MONIES THAT HE'S, HE WILL LOOK AT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE SHELTERS, WHICH WOULD BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT WE ARE MEETING THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS RIGHT NOW OF MAKING IT A D COMPLIANT WHERE IT IS NOT, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU DON'T, YOU PUT THE FEDERAL GRANT, THE ENTIRE PROGRAM IN JEOPARDY.
SO WE ARE TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT HERE.
AND IT, IT'S, UH, YEAH, AND IT, IT'S, IT'S A LI I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD, BUT IT'S MORE OF A, I DON'T SAY LIABILITY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DO LOOK AT.
YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GUYS INVESTING IN ADA A AROUND YOUR FACILITIES? ARE YOU DOING ADA BUSES? I MEAN, IT'S A REAL BIG THING.
THEY LOOK AT WHEN WE DO OUR REPORTING, ARE WE REINVESTING THEIR MONEY INTO ADA, WHICH THEY TAKE VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NOW DOING.
WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SEVERAL MORE ROUNDS OF THIS, UM, OVER THE NEXT PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS.
CAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN THESE STOPS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SURFACE AND ALSO THE SIDEWALK THAT THEY CONNECT TO.
WELL, AND, AND, AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THE, UM, DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE PRESENTLY WE ARE UNDER A COURT ORDER THAT PROCEEDS BY TIME WHERE THE CITY HAS TO, UM, UH, A RESIDENT SU THE CITY BECAUSE OUR SIDEWALKS NOT THE ADA COMPLIANT.
AND SO WE ARE UNDER A COURT ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVEST A MINIMUM OF $50,000 EVERY YEAR TO MAKE OUR SIDEWALKS.
NOW, THIS IS ANOTHER STEP USING FEDERAL MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUS STOPS ARE ED COMPLIANT.
[01:25:01]
YES.SO THAT IT DOES NOT, WHEN WE, WHEN THE TRIENNIAL IS DONE, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES IN EVERY THREE YEARS AND DOES A TRIENNIAL, THAT WE ARE NOT DINGED ON THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT KEEP UP WITH THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS OF EXPENDITURE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US.
BUT IT'S A STEPPING STONE TO BE BUILT UPON THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON.
I MEAN, AND THERE'S OTHER BENEFITS COMING FROM IT.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA FIX SOME CURB RAMPS TOO.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU'VE USED THAT CURB RAMP, EVEN DON'T USE THE BUSES, THE CURB RAMP WILL BE IMPROVED.
THE SIDEWALK WILL BE IMPROVED IN THIS CRACK.
SO I MEAN, THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER BENEFITS NOT JUST TO OUR TRANSIT RIDERS, BUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO USE THAT SPACE, YOU ALSO BENEFIT FROM IT.
UM, WELL, YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, BUT, UH, WITH ALL EXPEDIENCY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MOVE AS A CITY TOWARD, UH, CAUSING THESE, UH, BUS STOPS TO BE PROTECTED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RIDING THE BUS.
SO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET US TO THAT POINT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND THE STAFF'S EFFORTS, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER.
IS THERE AN AVERAGE OR AN APPROXIMATE TIMEFRAME THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH THE CITIZENS TO KNOW, UM, HOW LONG THAT MAYBE I HEARD HIM MENTION A ONE AND A HALF TO TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME? WAS THAT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BENCHES AND SHELTERS? I, I CAN ANSWER THAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO THE TIMEFRAME I GAVE, THAT'S FOR THIS ONGOING PROJECT TO DO ADA COMPLIANT BUS.
SO THE ONE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU NOW, THAT'S ROUND ONE.
UM, WE CURRENTLY ARE AT ROUND TWO IN TERMS OF DESIGN, WE'RE GONNA DO ROUND THREE, AROUND FOUR AND ROUND FIVE.
SO THE ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS THAT WE GET, HOPEFULLY, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL GET ALL FIVE ROUNDS DONE, UM, AND HAVE THESE BUS STOPS UPGRADED.
BUT THAT, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, THE SHELTERS OR BENCHES.
THIS IS JUST FOR THE ADA WORK THAT THE FELLOW GOVERNMENT WANTS US TO DO WITH, WITH THEIR FUNDS.
SO CAN WE, NOT TO BE FUNNY, BUT WALKING TRUE GUM AT THE SAME TIME ON SOMETHING LIKE HAVE THINGS GOING IN TANDEM, IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE BENCHES AND SHELTERS WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THE ADA COMPLIANT PORTION? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE DO AS, ABSOLUTELY, AS THE FEDERAL FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE, UM, IN TERMS OF GRANT FUNDS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPLEMENT WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN UNDER TICK OR IS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS TO COMPLEMENT, UM, WHAT IS BEEN, UM, THE PROJECTS THAT WE UNDERTAKEN, WHETHER IT'S BUS SHELTERS, WHETHER IT'S THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITE ITSELF, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT WE WILL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE PLANNING THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THAT.
AND, UM, THE, THE PROJECT EXECUTION.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER AN APPROXIMATE TIMEFRAME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO OFFER GO AHEAD, IVAN.
YEAH, SO I, I MEAN, I, I REALLY DON'T WANNA GIVE A TIMEFRAME AND I, I CAN'T NEED IT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD'VE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND GIVE BACK TO YOU AT A LATER DATE.
AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK TOO AS WELL, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE RELEASE OF FUNDING BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, AS IT COMES UP, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DONE THE GROUNDWORK OR WHAT IS REQUESTED OF US PRELIMINARY IN ORDER TO TAKE, UM, UM, ADVANTAGE OF THE NEXT PHASE OF FUNDING.
SO IF THE NEXT PHASE OF FUNDING IS FOR THE PROVIDER OF BUS SHELTERS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADA COMPLIANT FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL APPLY FOR THE BUS SHELTERS.
BUT WE WILL, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS LOOK OUT FOR THOSE, AND WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TRANSPORTATION AND, AND, AND BUS ROUTE EXPERIENCE A PLEASURABLE ONE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOUR QUESTION, ORIGINAL QUESTION WAS TO COVER THE SHELTERS KEEP, KEEP THE, UH, THE BUS RIDERS OUT, THE RAIN AND THE WIND AND YOU CAN'T USE THAT MONEY FOR THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
NO, THE MONEY PER MY UNDERSTANDING TO, IT'S, IT'S MAKE IT ADA COMPLIANCE.
SO THAT'S TO PUT A PAD THERE AND PERHAPS SOME SEATING.
[01:30:01]
THEY'RE STILL EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER.NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH A, WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF BELOW LOWER INCOME PEOPLE.
WANT CITY MANAGER, WHEN WILL WE GET INTO THE CDBG BUDGET? UH, WHAT WE CAN DO LOOK AT PUTTING, USING CDBG MONEY TO, TO MATCH THE DIFFERENCE OF THE MONEY TO, TO, TO COVER THE, THE SHELTER, TO KEEP THE PEOPLE OUT, OUT OF THE WEATHER.
YOU FOLLOW ME? WE CAN DO THAT EVEN IF WE HAVE TO CITY MANAGER, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO ADVANCE THE MONEY.
AND WHEN WE, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN HUD QUALIFIED THE GRANT, WE CAN REIMBURSE OURSELVES.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY OF TRYING TO GET, GET THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE WEATHER.
UH, AND YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE? NO, I, I COULDN'T PULL UP MY CALCULATION, BUT $25,000, UH, PER SHELTER, UH, TIME, THE 26TH, MAYBE OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUR, OUR PARTNERS HERE IN THE CITY, OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS COULD HELP US WITH THAT, UH, WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, THEY GAVE US MONEY FOR, UM, FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER OR FOR FIRE ALARMS TODAY.
SO MAYBE THEY CAN GIVE US SOME MONEY FOR TO COVER THE SHELTERS.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE.
UH, AND UH, MR. MITCHELL ON THAT, WOULD YOU ALL BEGIN CITY MANAGER? YOU ALL BEGIN THAT TO, UH, LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, I'LL BEING ADA COMPLIANT AS WELL AS BEING SURE.
YOU KNOW, THAT THE PERSON WHO WE ARE TRYING TO BE SURE THAT HE CAN ROLL HIS WHEELCHAIR UP AND GET ON THE BUS WON'T BE DROWNED BEFORE HE GETS THROUGH THE BUS.
I'M SORRY, I, I CAUGHT, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT SECOND.
WELL, WELL, I KINDA SAY IT JUST IN A HUMOROUS WAY, BUT, SO THERE'S A SHELTER OR SOME TYPE OF COVERING OVER THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE, UH, WHO IS IN A WHEELCHAIR OR SOME PERSON WHO HAS SOME MOBILITY ISSUES, AND THEY ARE DEPENDENT AND RELIANT UPON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
AND, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTICED SINCE WE ARE DISCUSSING IT, AND THAT'S A PROLONGED THIS, BUT AT OUR MAIN TERMINAL WHERE WE DO TRANSPORT, UH, TRANSFERS, THAT, THAT'S WHEN I RODE BUSES BACK IN THE DAY, RIGHT HERE ON AUSTIN, WE USED TO CALL IT THE TRANSFER PORTAL.
AND WE HAVE A TRANSFER TRANSFER PORTAL, UH, OUT BY THE LIBRARY.
AND IF IT'S RAINING, THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO GET OFF THE BUS, MOVE TO ANOTHER BUS, OR EVEN IF THEY'RE WAITING FOR ALL THAT BUS TO COME, THEY ARE IN THE ELEMENTS.
I MEAN, IT, IT, IT LOOKS GOOD OUT THERE.
IT, UH, MR. WASHINGTON AND THOSE DID A GREAT JOB, I THINK WITH THE CEMENT FINISHING AND THE CEMENT WORK.
AND, AND YOU ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT NICE WITH THE SEATING AND THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR YOUR MACHINERY, BUT FOR THE PATRONS THAT WHOM YOU SERVE, UH, THEY ARE NOT COVERED IN INCREMENT WEATHER.
SO IF, IF YOU WILL PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK, UH, AT, INTO BEING SURE THAT AROUND TOWN, IF IT'S 26 BUS STOPS OR WHATEVER, AND IF WE BE, WOULD BEGIN AT ONE AND JUST MOVE IT ALONG IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS, COUNCILMAN, WHATEVER WE COULD DO YEAH.
WE COULD BEGIN DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.
TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW WHO, UH, UTILIZE THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN ALL WAYS.
M MAYOR, I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT.
IT, IT'S AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF CITIZENS RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE SPENDING PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT NOW AROUND THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS GONE OUT AND, AND SOUGHT IN TERMS OF FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND IT'S WORKED OUT FOUR YEARS IN THE MACON.
WE HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN TO THE STAGE OF EXECUTION WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE CONSTRUCTION WORK AND DOVETAILING IT WITH THE, WITH THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY OF THE, THE PASSENGERS WHO BOUGHT THE BUS AT THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT IS ENHANCED IN EVERY WAY.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT.
LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW WE ARE NOW INVESTING PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS, A MILLION DOLLARS OF GRANT MONEY TODAY.
IF YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU SEE THE CONSTRUCTION TICKETING, PLEASE.
CITY MANAGER, UH, MARY ACID, YOU CAN GET WITH MARY ESSETT CDBG GRANT MANAGER AND SEE IF SHE GOT ANY RESIDUAL FUNDS.
AND, AND ANOTHER THING WE CAN DO, GET WITH EDC AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY FOUR B RESIDUAL FUNDS THAT WE COULD, WE COULD PUT TOWARDS THAT.
[01:35:01]
WILL.UH, ANY OTHER UNRE ON THIS? I CLARIFY ONE MORE THING.
SO, SO THIS FIRST SET OF 26 BUS STOPS, WE'RE DOING THEM WITHIN THE SAME AREA.
IT'S, IT'S POINT ECONOMY IS A SCALE.
SO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M NOT GONNA DO 26 BUS STOPS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME, UM, UP IN MID COUNTY, SOME DOWNTOWN, SOME ON THE WEST SIDE.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE FOR THE CONTRACTOR.
SO AS YOU SEE THESE ROLLOUT, YOU SEE US WORKING ALONG AER QUARTER THAT WE SERVE, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET TO ALL THE QUARTERS THAT SOUND, THAT'S JUST FYI FOR YOU GUYS.
WELL, WE, HE'S ASKING THE QUESTION, DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF BUS STOPS THAT WE DO HAVE? MR. MITCHELL, HOW MANY BUS STOPS DO WE HAVE? YES, SIR.
UM, UM, OH GOSH, I THINK WE HAVE BETWEEN THREE 50 TO 400 IF I RECALL.
UM, THE NUMBER KIND OF GOES UP AND DOWN DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I BELIEVE BETWEEN 50 TO 400 AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT 88 COMPLIANT, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE NOW TACKLING THIS ISSUE, UM, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS US TO TACKLE.
UH, WE READY TO, UH, VOTE ON THIS? YES.
SO WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 22 23 3.
NOW THERE ARE THE, THE ITEMS WITH THE EDC, IS THAT ITEM FOUR AND FIVE THAT WE WANT A TABLE? UH, NO.
UH, WE HAVE ITEM 23,205, THE APPOINTMENT ITEM 23.
I KNEW IT WAS AN EDC ITEM AND I HAD, IT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY, IS IT? UH, AND WHAT PAGE IS THAT? ON, ON THE, NO, NO, THE APPOINTMENT.
WE WANT THOSE TWO, BUT ON PAGE, ON THE FINAL PAGE.
ON PAGE SEVEN, I'M, I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.
MOVE SOMETHING OUT OF, UH, THE, THE ORDER OF, UH, WE
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 23205 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Director Or Directors To The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton)]
HAVE PR NUMBER 23,205 A RESOLUTION, EXCUSE ME, APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED DIRECTOR OR DIRECTORS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR PROTE HAMILTON CITY SECRETARY.
YOU HAVE THE NAME, THE CHANCE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE A NAME TO INSERT MS. KAYLA JACOBS AS THE APPOINTEE BY MAYOR PROTE HAMILTON.
IT'LL MOVE IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT P NUMBER 23, 2 5.
WITH THE NAME OF MS. KAYLA JACOBS INSERTED AS THE APPOINTEE.
AND ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
HAVE SO HONORED MS. UH, KAYLA JACOBS, YOU ARE NOW THE APPOINTEE FOR MAYOR PROTE HAMILTON ON THE EDC, AND THEY WILL GET WITH YOU ON THAT.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR IT? MM-HMM.
THANK YOU MS. KAYLA JACOBS FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE.
KAYLA IS A VISIONARY AND I KNOW THAT SHE'S GOING TO HELP PUSH US FORWARD AND PROPEL THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ATTRACTING GOOD, STRONG BUSINESSES AND BEING ABLE TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR FOLLOW THROUGH ON HOW WE TREAT BUSINESSES.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, CAN WE DO THAT ATTORNEY? UM, WE CAN'T, I MEAN, YOU'D HAVE TO JUST, UH, MAKE THE AMENDMENT, UH, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
YOU WANNA MAKE IT, IF THE, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS WANTS TO ADD HIS PERSON, WE'LL JUST MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS EXISTING ONE.
YEAH, JUST MAKE THE AMENDMENT TO ADD YOURS.
YEAH, WE CAN DO, JUST MAKE THE AMENDMENT STATE YOUR NAME AND HE'S APPOINT TO WHAT? PLEASURE, HONOR COMMISSION.
LET JUST GOC NO, WAIT A MINUTE.
HOLD UP THIS, WAIT A MINUTE, NOW I HAVE PR NUMBER 23 2 7 A RESOLUTION.
APPOINTING MEMBER OR A MEMBER TO THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY COMMISSION AS COM AS REQUESTED BY MEL PRO.
NOW MAYOR PRO, TIM HAMILTON DOES NOT HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
SO NOW I HAVE COUNCILMAN LEWIS HAS AN APPOINTEE.
[01:40:01]
YOU ARE THE APPOINTEE.WAIT, I GOTTA HAVE A VOTE ON IT.
OKAY, THEN MOVE THIS SECOND THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS HAVE MR. TRAINOR APPOINTED TO THE PLEDGE COMMISSION, UH, AS APPOINTED TO YOU BY COUNCILMAN LORD.
COURT AND THE QUESTION BE READY TO VOTE.
HAVE, SO HIS ORDER, YOU ARE THE APPOINTEE FOR OUR COUNCILMAN LEWIS ON THE PLACE ISLAND ADVISORY BOARD.
AND ON THAT AGAIN, I THINK I DID SAY, UH, YOU AREN'T READY FOR YOURS YET, SO, WE'LL, IT'LL BE PLACED ON, THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S ALL LEGAL, RIGHT? AN ATTORNEY? YES.
ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S MOVE TO PAGE FOUR.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS ON PAGE FOUR PR.
CAN I DO BOTH OF THESE TOGETHER OR I NEED TO DO 'EM INDIVIDUALLY? WE WANT TO TABLE THOSE.
[VII.C.(4) P.R. No. 23164 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation To Enter Into A Contract For Landscaping And Irrigation Maintenance At The Spur 93 And Jade Ave. Business Parks With Frey’s Landscape LLC Of Orange, Texas In The Amount Of $90,600.00; PAEDC Funding Account No. 120-80-625-5479-00-00-000]
UH, I NEED A MOTION TO TABLE PR NUMBER 23 1 64 COUNCILMAN MARKS.SO MOVE, MAY, MAY I GET A SECOND MAYOR, APPROACH HIM SECOND.
AND WE WILL TABLE PR NUMBER 23 1 64.
WE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
HAVE IT, SO IT'S ORDERED PR NUMBER 23 1 64 IS TABLE.
[VII.C.(5) P.R. No. 23165 – A Resolution Approving The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation Engaging The Services Of Schindler Elevator Corporation Of Houston, Texas For An Extended Warranty Agreement To Service Two (2) Elevators At The Press Building Located At 549 4th Street, In The Amount Of $11,184.00. Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80-625-5312-00-00-000]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 1 65.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR A TABLE IN COUNCILMAN FRANK? THAT TABLE MOTION? OKAY, MAYOR, GET A SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WERE, UH, TABLE 23 1 65.
UH, WE ARE READY FOR, UH, QUESTION UNDER THE QUESTIONS.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR FOR THE MOTION? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVING, SO IS ORDER PR NUMBER 23,165 IS TABLE WAIT, GO AHEAD AND TABLE THAT.
I'LL DEAL WITH IT NEXT, NEXT TIME WHEN IT COME UP.
[VII.C.(11) P.R. No. 23183 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager’s Decision To Authorize The Payment Of The Second Quarter Solid Waste Permit Fee For The Landfill To The Texas Commission On Environmental Quality With A Budgetary Impact Of $28,486.61. Funding Is Available In The Landfill’s Regulatory Costs Account, 403-50-320-5471-00-00-000]
OKAY.IT'S A RESOLUTION TO HOW TO FIND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION, UH, TO AUTHORIZE THE PAYMENT OF THE SECOND QUARTER SOLID WASTE PERMIT FEE FOR OTHER LANDFILL TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WITH THE BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $28,486 AND 61 CENTS.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE LANDFILL'S REGULATORY COST ACCOUNT.
4 0 3 DASH FIVE DASH THREE 20 DASH 5 4 71 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS.
MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR PROTE SECOND.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES, I'M DONE.
SINCE WE'RE DEALING WITH THE LANDFILL CITY MANAGER, UH, I, I'M TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY, WE NEED TO GET RE WE NEED TO GET PURCHASE A TUB GRINDER TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF, OF THE, UH, LANDFILL.
WE NEED TO PURCHASE A TUB GRINDER.
NOT THE ONE THAT THEY MAKE ICE CREAM WITH.
WHAT?
UM, IT'S, IT'S A VERY VALID OBSERVATION, RIGHT? UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
THE, THE REVENUES OF THE LANDFILL IS ON THE, ON THE UP PRICE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE LANDFILL, THERE ARE TOO MANY, UM, LARGE TREES, RIGHT? THAT WE ARE CUTTING WITHOUT WE GRIND THEM OR SHREDDED AND PUTTING IT INTO THE LANDFILL.
SO IT WOULD, YES, IT WOULD EXTEND THE LIFE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONSIDER.
UM, WE ARE PRESENTLY DOING A STUDY OF, UM, HOW WE CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AND LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS.
IT'S A, IT'S A VALID IDEA, THANK YOU.
BUT IT'S NOT AN ICE CREAM JOB.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? MAYOR? WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES? SO ORDER WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 180 3 AS PRESENTED AND READ.
[VII.C.(12) P.R. No. 23185 – A Resolution Amending Resolution Number 23-196 As It Pertains To Increasing The Annual Budgetary Impact For Sun Coast Resources, Inc. Of Houston, Texas, For Dyed Diesel Fuel From $250,000.00 To $900,000.00. Funding Is Available In 001-21-055-5230-00-70-000 (Drainage), 403-50-320-5230-00-00-000 (Landfill), 450-60-410-5230-00-00-000 (Pleasure Island), 410-40-210-5230-00-00-000, 410-40-215-5230-00-00-000, 410-40-220-5230-00-00-000, 410-40-225-5230-00-00-000 (Utility Services)]
HAVE PR NUMBER 2185.IT IS A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 DASH 1 96 AS IT PERTAINS TO INCREASING THE ANNUAL BUDGETARY IMPACT FOR A SUN COAST RE RESOURCES INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR DYED DIESEL FUEL FROM 100, I MEAN $225,000 TO $900,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN EXCUSE ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 21 DASH ZERO ZERO.
I MEAN DASH 0 5 5 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO DASH SEVEN DASH ZERO ZERO DRAINAGE.
ALSO ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 3 4 0 3 DASH FIVE DASH THREE 20 DASH 5 20 30 DASH 0 0 0
[01:45:01]
DASH ZERO ZERO LANDFILL.AND ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 50 60 40 10 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 PLEASURE ISLAND ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 1 10 42 10 52 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH TWO 15 DASH 52 30 DASH DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH TWO 20 DASH 52 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 0 0.
AND FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH 2 25 DASH 5 2 30 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 UTILITIES SERVICES.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? UH, FRANK, SO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND IF THE MOVE IN SECOND.
SO, UH, FOR, APPROVED FOR PR NUMBER 23 180 5.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
UH, WHEN I NOTICED A, IT WAS PURCHASED IN THE FUEL THE CITY MANAGER WHEN THE LAST TIME WE HAD A, A, A FUEL CARD AUDIT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUEL IS BEING PUT IN THE PROPER, PROPER, UH, VEHICLES AND NOT PRIVATE VEHICLES.
WHEN THE LAST TIME WE HAD ONE, THE LAST TIME WE CAUGHT 'EM, IT WAS AN OFF-DUTY POLICEMAN JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THE SERVICE STATION AND THE OWNER MENTIONED THEY WAS PUTTING VE PUTTING, UH, FUEL IN THE PRIVATE VEHICLE AND WE C WE CAUGHT A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM.
IT'S FUEL, IT'S DIESEL, IT'S FUEL.
THE LAST THING WE HAD IN ORDER, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, WE CAN DEAL WITH IT LATER ON IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO DEAL WITH IT.
FINANCE DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY OKAY.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOMEBODY DOING THAT.
LET'S, CAN YOU RESPOND? NO, I'M, I'M GOOD.
ANY OTHER UNREADINESS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? YEAH, YEAH, I DID.
I WANTED, UM, THE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK WAS, THIS IS RED DYE DIESEL, WHICH IS NOT USED IN VEHICLES, IT'S USED IN ALL OF THE OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR THE CITY.
SO THIS IS NOT DIESEL THAT'S GOING IN THE, TO, TO, UM, TO, UH, UH, TRUCKS OR, YOU KNOW, TO ON-ROAD VEHICLES.
SO THE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK WAS THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS COMING OUT OF THE DRAINAGE BUDGET, LANDFILL PLEASURE ISLAND TANK AND ALL OF THAT UTILITY ARE ALL OF OUR OFF, ARE ALL OF OUR MACHINERIES USING RED DYE DIESEL? OKAY.
WHO WOULD WE BE QUESTIONING ON THAT CITY MANAGER? ALL OF OUR VEHICLES THAT LET, LET'S CITY MANAGER, LET, LET, LET ME SEE.
I I WOULD DEFER TO THE DIRECTOR PUBLIC.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS? UM, I KNOW THOSE ARE, IT IS DIESEL THAT'S BEEN, UM, PURCHASED SPECIFICALLY FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND IN USING OTHER AREAS AS IS REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, BY THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT MM-HMM.
IT'S NOT DIESEL THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR TRUCK.
AND THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE WE'RE USING IT FOR ALL OF OUR, UH, ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE USED.
EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION.
SO IT'S USED IN THE, THE LARGE EQUIPMENT.
SO LIKE OUR COMPACTORS, UH, BULLDOZERS GREAT.
THOSE LARGE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT.
UM, THE SMALLER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT USE DIESEL FUEL WILL USE THE DIESEL FUEL THAT YOU'LL GET FROM AN EXXON OR A SHELL OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE OFF-ROAD VEHICLES THAT WE CAN USE ARE USING THE RED DYE CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS AS OPPOSED TO THE DIESEL THAT YOU WOULD GET FROM THE THE PUMP.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE DO FOLLOW WHATEVER THE GUIDELINES ARE THAT THE MANUFACTURER GIVES US.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? YES.
COUNCILMAN MARKS, WAIT, GO AHEAD.
MY, MY QUESTION IS, UH, WE'RE GOING FROM A BUDGET REQUEST OR APPROVED BUDGET OF 250,000 TO 900,000, WHICH IS DIFFERENCE IS 650,000.
WHY SUCH A, A BIG INCREASE IN WE ARE MID-YEAR, UH, THROUGH THE BUDGET.
WE'RE IN THE SIX MONTH SINCE THE BUDGET, UH, NO, WE'VE ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, EIGHT, NINE MONTHS NOW.
JUST WHY THE INCREASE FOR 650,000? THERE'S AN INCREASE BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED
[01:50:01]
OPERATIONS, MAINLY BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED OPERATIONS AT THE LANDFILL.SO IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW CONTRACT AT THE LANDFILL WHERE WE ARE RECEIVING, UM, DIRT, UH, DIRT, UH, FROM A CONTRACTOR.
AND SO THEY'RE SUPPLYING THE CITY WITH, UH, THE LANDFILL WITH THE DIRT.
BUT IN ORDER TO MOVE THAT DIRT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE TO FILL, UM, TO COVER, UH, ALL OF THE TRASH AND DEBRIS THAT WE HAVE AT THE LANDFILL, WE HAVE TO OF COURSE, OPERATE OUR EQUIPMENT MORE FREQUENTLY.
SO THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'RE, I, I PUT IN 900,000 JUST TO COVER US, NOT NECESSARILY, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO USE ALL OF THAT.
ANY OTHER, AND IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS, CUT YOUR MIC OFF.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION THAT WE ARE AMENDING, UM, IT ONLY, UM, COVERED $250,000 AND THIS ONE YES.
UM, IS COVERED INCLUDING OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
UM, UNLIKE THE FIRST RESOLUTION THAT, UM, PROVIDED FOR $250,000 AND, UM, AS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WAS CORRECTLY SEATED, WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY IN THE LANDFILL, WHICH WILL, UM, UM, TRANSCEND INTO A LOT OF SAVINGS AND INCREASED REVENUE FOR US IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER? YES, SIR.
THE LANDFILL ARE, ARE WE DRIVING INTO THE LANDFILL? WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT PROTECTING OUR TIRES? I RECALL ONE BUDGET TIME, I MEAN THE, THE, JUST TO, JUST TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE AND WENT THROUGH THE ROOF.
UH, AS, AS, UH, VEHICLES ENTER THE LANDFILL, THEY'RE ENTERING ON ASPHALTS LAB.
SO AS THEY'RE, THEY ENTER, THEY, THEY COME TO THE BUILDING THAT'S ASPHALT, THEY'RE DRIVING UP TO THE, THE CELL TO DUMP.
UM, THAT'S ASPHALT AS WELL AS THEY GO UP THE HILL.
UM, THAT'S DIRT AND BULL ROCK.
AND AS THEY'RE EXITING, THE LANDFILL IS ALSO ASPHALT.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAPPENS TO HIS ORDER.
WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23, UH, 180 5.
[VII.C.(13) P.R.No. 23190 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Contract Amendment No. 2, Adding 180 Calendar Days To The Revised Contract Completion Date Of June 20th, 2023 Amending To The New Contract Completion Date Of December 17th, 2023 For Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas To Complete Its Development Of A Citywide Master Drainage Plan With No Budgetary Impact]
NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 190.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED INCENTIVE MANAGER TO EX MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, ADDING 180 CALENDAR DAYS TO THE REVISED CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE OF JUNE 20TH, 2020, 2023, AMENDING TO THE NEW CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE OF DECEMBER 17TH, 2023 FOR ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, L L L C OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO COMPLETE HIS DEVELOPMENT OF A, UH, CITYWIDE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN WITH NO BUDGETARY IMPACT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCIL LEWIS? YES.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PROTE SECOND.
IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23.
COUNCILMAN FRANK, MAYOR, I CAN'T BELIEVE, IS THERE SOMEONE FROM ARSENAL WILSON AND COLES IN THIS BODY ON THIS EVENING? NO.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD ASK FOR 180 CALENDAR DAYS TO BE ADDED TO A CONTRACT AND THAT NO ONE WOULD BE HERE TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT FROM THEIR, FROM THEIR COMPANY.
I SEE OUR STAFF HERE AND I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT, UM, I, I DID ASK A QUESTION.
I SENT A, I LEFT A MESSAGE ON OUR FINANCE, UH, DIRECTOR, MS. DANIEL'S PHONE, AND I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT SHE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH WE HAD ALREADY PAID.
CAN, CAN YOU SAY CITY, THE MANAGER, HOW OLD IS THIS CONTRACT? HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN UNDER CONTRACT? I, I KNOW IT'S WELL INTO SIX MONTHS AS IT, BUT UM, IT'S, WELL GONE INTO SIX MONTHS RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY ARE LEAST SIX MONTHS AWAY.
LIKE WE LET THIS CONTRACT OUT MAYBE IN DECEMBER, NOVEMBER SOMETIME OF 2022.
UM, THERE, UH, ABOUT THERE, MR. CAVELLI, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, YOUR QUESTION? YES.
UH, THIS CONTRACT, I BELIEVE IF I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT
[01:55:01]
MATERIAL, I, I DO KNOW IT PRECEDES ME BEING AT THE CITY.UM, THE RESOLUTION, I GUESS THAT WAS SEPTEMBER OF 2021 IS WHEN IT WAS FIRST STARTED.
SO SINCE 2021 AND MAY, MAY, MAY I JUST ASK A QUESTION, MR. FRANK OR COUNCIL FRANK, YOU WERE ASKING SOMETHING.
BUT THEN YOU'VE BROUGHT US UP IN ME.
HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY REPORTS OR ANY, UH, PROGRESS ON THIS SINCE THAT TIME? WELL, WE'VE, UH, BEEN MEETING WITH THEM.
THEY DID DELIVER THE, UH, PRELIMINARY DRAINAGE MANUAL THAT WAS LAST WEEK, WHICH WE'VE GOT THAT IN HAND.
AND THAT WAS A MAJORITY, NOT A MAJORITY, BUT SAY 20% OF THE STUDY.
UM, WE HAVE NOW, WHEN DID WE GET THAT? UH, I BELIEVE FEBRUARY OF 23.
SO ALL OF 22, YOU, WE GOT NOTHING.
JUST THEM, UH, COLLECTING DATA.
NOW I DO KNOW THAT OUT OF THE 1.2 MILLION 590,000 IS FOR DATA COLLECTION AND THEY'VE COMPLETED THAT EFFORT, SHE SAYS, SO ABOUT 590,000? YES.
THAT'S BEEN PROBABLY, UH, EXPENDED YES.
ON THAT PARTICULAR TYPE CONTRACT.
NOW, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND I, AND I'M JUST WANTING TO EXPEDITE SOME TIME HERE, UH, COUNCIL, UH, UH, CITY MANAGER AND, AND COUNCIL ON THIS, I, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR THE DATE MM-HMM.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD AGREE CUZ THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY.
THEY WOULD EVEN BE HERE TO DEFEND OR EVEN PROJECT TO US, YOU KNOW, JUST VERBALLY WHY, UH, WE, WE, WE, WE WOULD NEED THIS.
SO I WOULD PROPOSE CITY MANAGER AND TO MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU ALL COULD UNDERSTAND AND, UH, CITY, UH, ATTORNEY, YOU TELL ME IF IT'S, IF I'M CORRECT ON THIS, I'D GIVE THEM 30 DAYS TO GIVE US A REPORT.
CAUSE IF THEY HAVE ONLY GIVEN US A REPORT OF ALMOST A TWO YEAR PERIOD OF 20% OF THE WORK, WE NEED TO KNOW IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
DON'T, DON'T WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF BOND ON THIS OR I THINK THE MANAGER WANTS TO STATE SOME.
LET, LET ME SHARE THIS, JOHN, UM, ASINO WILSON COLE JUST PRESENTED US AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WITH A VERY DETAILED REPORT AS TO WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE PROJECT.
THEY WERE HERE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, AS A, AT THE END OF THE REPORT, YOU KNOW, THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO REQUEST AN EXTENSION OF THAT.
SO IN, IN DUE CONSIDERATION OF THAT, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, MAYO, THAT WE PROVIDE THEM, WE ASK THEM, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH A 90 DAY EXTENSION AND GIVE US A REPORT AS TO WHERE THEY ARE IN 90 DAYS.
WELL, I COULD, I THINK IT'S REASONABLE THAT 30 AND GO AT NIGHT.
THAT, THAT SOUNDS VERY, I CAN AGREE WITH THAT.
SO THAT WE, WE STAY, WE REMAIN CURRENT.
THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING, AND I WANNA BE SURE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE, UH, THE WAY THIS, THIS IS, THIS, THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY PRESENTED, CAN WE AMEND AND REMOVE 180 DAYS AND INSERT 90 DAYS? YES.
YOU CAN AMEND THE ITEM AND ASK FOR, TURN YOUR MIC ON.
YOU CAN AMEND THE ITEM AND, AND ADJUST THE DATES FROM WHAT'S WRITTEN IF THAT'S WHAT YOU, OKAY.
SO WE HAVE TO, I HAVE TO CARRY A MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT FIRST AND THEN YEAH.
YOU HAVE TO MOVE TO AMEND IT AND THEN GO BACK AND, UH, OKAY.
SO I GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
I WANT TO ASK, WE FINISH COMMENTING ON THE CURRENT, OKAY.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER, THAT WE HAD A VERY DETAILED PRESENTATION DURING THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE IS A PART OF THE HOLDUP IN THE PROGRESS WAS THAT SOME MANHOLES HAD BEEN COVERED BY OUR CITY STAFF AND THEY WERE NOT EVEN ABLE TO GET TO SOME OF THE DRAINS.
AND THEY ALSO REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE DRAINS WERE NOT EVEN ACCOUNTED FOR ON OUR GIS SYSTEM.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE FOLLOW UP THAT WAS NEEDED BETWEEN, UM, THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE HAD AND NOW HAVE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, HAVE THEY GOTTEN IN CONTACT OR HAVE WE PROVIDED THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD? WELL, UH, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE, UH, LOCATIONS OF ALL THE INLETS, BUT SOME OF 'EM ARE INACCESSIBLE.
SO NO, WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED ACCESS TO THE UNACCESSIBLE MANHOLES.
SO THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN'T GET A REPORT IN 90 DAYS,
[02:00:01]
BUT WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO THEIR PART.SO THERE WERE SOME INLETS THAT WERE SO OVERGROWN IT, THE, THE DIRT LOOKED SO HARD THAT IT TURNED INTO LIKE CEMENT MM-HMM.
SO IS, DO WE HAVE TO REMOVE THAT FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD OR IS THAT A PART OF THEIR CONTRACT THAT THEY WOULD REMOVE IT? THEY, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT CAPABLE OR THEY, IT'S NOT IN THEIR CONTRACT TO REMOVE OR TO IDENTIFY.
NOW WE DID MOBILIZE SOME CAMERAS OUT ON THE WEST SIDE TO IDENTIFY SOME, UH, CONSTRAINTS AND DEBRIS THAT, THAT THAT WAS OUR EQUIPMENT.
YOU KNOW, SO IF WE WANT TO PURSUE THAT IN OTHER INSTANCES WE CAN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST DONE THE WEST SIDE.
SO I'D JUST LIKE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME GRACE TO OURSELVES YES.
TO GIVE OUR STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR PORTION OF THE PROJECT.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE, THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME.
I I DID WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY'RE HAVING TOO IS WITH THEIR MODEL, THEY'RE TRYING TO RUN THIS COMPUTER MODEL, AND SO THAT'S TAKING 'EM LONGER THAN THEY EXPECTED ALONG WITH THE DATA COLLECTION.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, AND YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN FRANK AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS.
I AM, UH, I DON'T, I JUST, I'M NOT UPSET, BUT I I I DO SHARE YOUR SENTIMENT THAT THIS HAS TAKEN TOO LONG.
AND I, BUT HONESTLY, MAYOR, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT OTHER THAN BREAK A CONTRACT THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY WELL, WITH THIS AND I'M SEE COUNCILMAN LEWIS HAS HAS AS ALREADY YES.
THE MODEL THAT THEY'RE WORKING FROM IS A, IS A 1969 MODEL, ISN'T IT? NO, NO.
THEY'RE CREATING THEIR OWN NEW MODEL.
WELL, THEY RIGHT, THEY'RE CREATING A NEW MODEL.
BUT, BUT THE, THE WHOLE EXISTING MODEL IS FROM WAS WHAT, 1969? WELL, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN 1982.
THAT, THAT THEY'VE USED THAT TO KIND OF IDENTIFY AND MOVE FORWARD, BUT THEY'VE ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND SURVEYED EVERY LOCATION.
I THINK THERE WERE 10,000 INLETS IN THE CITY.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF UNFORESEEN, THAT'S GONNA BE SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS.
I MEAN, IT IS JUST LIKE THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE HAZARD OF THE JOB.
I MEAN YEAH, BUT YOU GOING HAVE YEARS, SCENES, YEARS.
WELL, YOU GONNA HAVE UNFORESEEN MAN.
WE'RE WORKING OFF AN OLD MODEL.
YOU GOTTA FIND IT AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA FIND PROBLEMS. YEAH.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT ON, ON THIS, YOU ALL, IF, IF, IF WE CAN, WHAT THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED, IF WE WOULD TAKE A, I TAKE A MOTION TO AMEND WHAT WE HAVE, THEY'LL GIVE THEM 90 DAYS IN 90 DAYS AS MAYOR ER SAID, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB AND THEY CAN GET THE COMPLETE REPORT BACK TO US OR GET SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO CLOSURE TO THIS CONTRACT IN 90 DAYS.
AND IF THEY NEED 90 MORE AFTER THAT, BUT IT WILL SHOW SOME PROGRESS YES.
FROM AT LEAST FEBRUARY UP UNTIL YES.
WHENEVER THIS 90 DAY PERIOD IS TOLD.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE PRUDENT.
LET ME ASK ONE QUESTION, MAYOR, IF I'M CITY ATTORNEY, WERE THERE ANY COILS IN THE CONTRACT WHERE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE SOME STUFF COMPLETED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME AMENDS THAT THEY WOULD MAKE TO THE CITY? I MEAN, THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT THAT BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T COMPLETE IT, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT.
BUT THERE'S A SCOPE OF WORK THAT WAS, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN A TIME WHEN WE SAY IN A TIMELY MANNER, WE HAD A SPECIFIC DATE THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, TO WORK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED.
AND THAT DATE WAS WHEN THE ORIGINAL DATE YOU DID A CHANGE ORDER BEFOREHAND.
UH, AND IT WAS REVISED TO JUNE 20TH, 23.
BUT THERE WAS AN INITIAL, UM, I THINK THE INITIAL CHANGE ORDER BEFORE THAT.
WE ORIGINALLY GAVE 'EM A YEAR AND I THINK WE EXTENDED IT 270 DAYS.
AND, AND JUST, SO IF YOU WANNA AMEND IT, YOU CAN AMEND THE ITEM INSTEAD OF DOING 180 DAY CHANGE ORDER, YOU CAN DO A 90 DAY CHANGE ORDER.
BUT WE, THAT WOULD BE, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE MOTION THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET, UH, 90 DAY, UH, UH, CHANGE OUR COUNCILMAN.
FRANK, WOULD YOU, UH, I MAKE A MIL, I MAKE A MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT TO PR NUMBER 23 190 THAT WE WOULD MOVE FROM 180 CALENDAR DAYS TO 90 CALENDAR DAYS.
COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS, MAY I GET A SECOND? SURE.
IT'S BEEN MOVING SECOND, UH, THAT WE WOULD AMEND IT FROM 180 TO 90 DAYS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? MARK MORE QUESTIONS, BROTHER, ON THIS ITEM? MAY I, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT WE, THE PROVIDERS WE'VE, UH, UPDATES YES.
COME AND PROVIDED TO A STATUS REPORT AS TO WHERE THEY OKAY.
[02:05:01]
I THINK SUFFICE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE, THE AMENDMENT SAYS WE'RE CHANGING THE COMPLETION DATE.OR ARE WE JUST ASKING FOR A REPORT IN FROM WE ARE CHANGING THE COMPLETION DATE FROM 10 90 10 FOR 90 DAYS INSTEAD OF 180 DAYS.
SO WITH, SINCE WE DID CHANGE A COMPLETION DATE TO 90 DAYS, UM, CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE CONTACT THEM TO ASK THEM TO COME FOR THEY LISTEN TO THE 30 OR 60 THEY'RE LISTENING DAYS TO THEY'RE LISTENING.
BUT IT'S A, TRUST ME, THE FORMAL PROCESS, BUT TRUST THROUGH BET YOU.
I KNOW THEY, THEY'RE LISTENING.
WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT.
I MEAN, I AIN'T HAVE A, WE HAVE A PROCESS.
THEY, WITH THE PROCESS THAT THEY WILL BE ON OUR, UM, THE AGENDA PRIOR TO.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS WITH THE MANHOLES THAT WE RECOGNIZED THAT WERE COVERED MM-HMM.
EXCUSE ME, I'M IN THE 90 DAYS IS WHAT I KNOW.
I SAID IF WE, I WAS TALKING 30 REALLY, BUT IN THE 90 DAYS, WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED TO DO, WE WILL DO SO THAT THEY CAN COMPLETE THE JOB.
I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I SAID EARLIER, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
WE READY FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND READY TO BE READY TO VOTE ALL IN PAPER? AYE.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE BACK THE MOTION, MA'AM.
NOW THE MAIN MOTION TO, UH, ADDING IN THE 90 CALENDAR DAYS MAY GET A MOTION, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PROTE SECOND IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD DO 23 1 90 AS AMENDED.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT HONOR? ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYES HAVE SO THIS ORDERED
[VII.C.(15) P.R. No. 23200 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager’s Decision To Authorize Change Order No. 3 To The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Gulf Coast, A CRH Company Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Various Streets Roadway Improvement Project – District 2 & 3, Which Increased The Total Contract Amount By $196,098.09 And Expanded The Scope Of Work On Lakefront Avenue. Funding Is Available In The Capital Improvement Project Account 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000]
NEXT, NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO PR NUMBER 23.200 IS A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE GULF COAST, A C R H COMPANY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE VARIOUS STREETS.
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE, WHICH INCREASED THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT BY 196,000 AT $98, EXCUSE ME, AND 9 CENTS AND EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF WORK ON LAKEFRONT AVENUE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
UH, 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 0 5 3 DASH 8 5 1 17 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN MARKS? SO MAY I GET A SECOND? MAY I APPROACH HIM SECOND? IF IT MOVE TO SECOND, IF WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
UH, CITY MANAGER? YOU GOTTA, I NEED TO YES, SIR.
I NOTICED THERE THERE ARE THREE, THERE WAS THREE CHANGE ORDERS? YES.
YOU HAD 23, YOU HAD 23 STREETS AND YOU CHANGED THE NUMBER TO, TO, TO 19.
WHO MADE THAT DECISION? COUNSEL? UM, I HAVE A LITTLE POWERPOINT IF Y'ALL WANT AHEAD ME TO REVIEW IT.
10 MILLION IS WHAT IT STARTED OUT AS WHEN WE FIRST BID IT OUT.
UM, AND SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PASS OUT.
I JUST PUT THIS TOGETHER REAL QUICK.
BUT, UH, LINDSAY, IF YOU COULD GO TO THAT FIRST SLIDE.
IT WAS FOR DISTRICT TWO AND THREE.
UM, THE PICTURE'S NOT POPPING UP, BUT THERE'S, RIGHT NOW THE CONTRACTOR'S WORKING ON, UH, UH, EVERGREEN IN FRONT OF TERRELL ELEMENTARY.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, LINDSEY? UM, THE FIRST CHANGE ORDER, BASICALLY WE HAD SPECKED OUT LITHO TECH, WHICH IS A ROAD BUILDING MATERIAL MM-HMM.
IT WAS LIKE $900 A TON WHERE WE CAN BUY CEMENT FOR, YOU KNOW, $200 A TON.
SO WE REMOVED PROCTOR STREET EXTENSION.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T DO PROCTOR STREET EXTENSION, IT JUST MEANS WE REMOVED IT FROM THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE THE BIDS WERE HIGH.
UM, THAT LOWERED THE CONTRACT AMOUNT TO 7,734,000.
AND, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, LINDSEY, PLEASE.
UM, AT THAT POINT THERE WAS SOME PROBLEMS ON 29TH STREET THAT POPPED UP.
WE HAD A, A HUGE HOLE OUT THERE.
[02:10:01]
WAS A WATER LINE, IT WASN'T A WATER LINE.COUNCIL APPROVED THAT CHANGE ORDER TWO BROUGHT THE AMOUNT UP TO 8.233 MILLION.
BUT THESE CHANGE ORDERS WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
I CAN AGREE WITH, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
BUT I WAS JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE IT.
NOW MY QUESTION IS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE.
DIDN'T Y'ALL DO THAT? DID THE COUNCIL APPROVE IT BEFORE YOU ALL DID IT? NO.
SECOND CHANGE ORDER, UH, 490 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS, I BELIEVE.
NOW WE, YOU FREED UP TWO, TWO MILLIONS OF THEM.
MY QUESTION IS, DID YOU ALL GO AHEAD.
THE COMMITTEE, THE MANAGER'S COMMITTEE, YOU ALL THE STAFF, DID YOU ALL MAKE THAT DECISION AND DO AND WENT AHEAD AND PERFORMED THE WORK AND THEN BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL? OR DID YOU ALL BRING IT TO COUNCIL BEFORE YOU DID THE WORK? ON, ON THE FIRST CHANGE ORDER, WE BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL BEFORE WE DID THE WORK.
ON THE SECOND CHANGE ORDER, I BELIEVE WE HAD PERFORMED THE WORK ALREADY AND THEN WE BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL.
NOW THE THIRD CHANGE ORDER, IT'S AN 198,000.
Y'ALL PERFORMED THE, Y'ALL MADE A DECISION.
I, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH STAFF MAKING DECISIONS.
BUT WHAT I GOT A PROBLEM WITH IS IMPLEMENT GOING AHEAD AND PERFORM THE WORK WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVING.
AND NOW YOU'RE COMING TO COUNCIL WITH THIS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE AND ASKING FOR RATIFICATION OF A DECISION THAT THE COUNCIL DIDN'T MAKE.
NOW, UH, MY PROBLEM IS I GOT THE, I CAN'T SAY I GOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE I HAVE NO BENEFIT FROM IT.
SO IF I, IF I DECLARE A CONFLICT, CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND RECUSE MYSELF, UH, IT'S GONNA BE VOTED.
AND I DON'T LEGITIMATELY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IT'S GONNA BE COUNTED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT NOW, WE TALKING ABOUT A $600,000 DECISION, THE 490 SOME THOUSAND MM-HMM.
AND IF I COULD JUST DEFEND MYSELF, I KNOW, I REALIZE THE COUNCIL, I REALIZE THE CONTRACTORS NEED TO BE PAID.
AND I, AND I WANT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, MADE A FEW PHONE CALL CALLS, SOME PAST ENGINEERS TO MAKE SURE THAT YEAH.
THAT'S NOT, THAT WAS NOT THE CORE OF ENGINEERS ROAD.
MAKE SURE I MADE SURE THAT THAT WAS OUR ROAD.
IT IT IS THE CITY ROAD DOWN ON THE OTHER END OF NORTH END THAT'S CORE OF ENGINEERS.
UH, SO WHEN, WHEN CITY MANAGER HIRED ME, FIRST PART OF 2022, I HAD VISITED WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE BROUGHT THEM OUT, AND I KNOW YOUR TWO MEMBERS ARE NEW TO THE COUNCIL, BUT WE HAD BROUGHT 'EM OVER TO REVIEW THE LIST AND TALK ABOUT THINGS.
A LOT OF COUNCILMEN AND, AND PARTICULARLY THE TWO COUNCILWOMEN HAD EXPRESSED TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, I AM THE EXPERT.
I AM GONNA MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.
AND SO I FELT LIKE I HAD SOME CONFIDENCE, THEY HAD CONFIDENCE IN ME TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
UH, IT WAS NOT, UH, INHABITED.
BUT WE HAD OPENED UP THE FRISBEE GOLF COURSE.
AND SO THE MANAGER HAD ASKED ME TO LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF IT WAS AVAILABLE, IF WE COULD REDO IT.
AND SO I GOT A, A QUOTE FROM THE CONTRACTOR AND THEY WERE OUT THERE WORKING AT THE TIME.
SO I COULD HAVE DELAYED THIS DECISION.
THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO REMOBILIZE, WE DIDN'T INCUR ANOTHER $20,000 MOBILIZATION COST.
BUT I MADE THE DECISION THAT WE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
AND HONESTLY, I WISH Y'ALL WOULD TELL ME RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE ITEMS, I WON'T, I WON'T DO THAT WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.
BUT IT'S GONNA SLOW DOWN THE CONTRACTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.
HE HAD REQUESTED AN ITEM ON BERNHARDT TO BE DONE, AND WE ENDED UP LOOKING AT IT, AND WE MADE SOME DECISIONS IF WE MOVED FORWARD WITH COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
THAT TAKES TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO GET COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
WHY WOULD IT TELL? OKAY, MY POINT IS, WHEN YOU DID T YOU WAS DOING TB
[02:15:01]
LS THAT YOU HAD A CONTRACTOR DO TB ELLIS.UH, LAKEFRONT WAS, WAS NOT A PART OF THE CONTRACT.
WELL, NO, THAT'S NOT WELL, THIS SMALL, THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL PART OF IT.
NO, BUT WHILE YOU AND I CONTRACTORS, YOU GO, YOU WALKED AT, YOU WENT OUT THERE AND YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY GOING, THEY GOING BID, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
YOU HAD TIME TO BRING LAKEFRONT TO THE COUNCIL.
THEY HAD TIME TO DO THAT AND, AND INVOLVE COUNSEL IN MAKING THAT DECISION.
IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE TIME, BUT I BASICALLY HAVE ONE GIRL WHO'S PROCESSING FOUR CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
SO I HAVE PRIORITIES EVERY, EVERY WEEK OR EVERY TWO WEEKS.
I CAN GET ONE TO TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
IT TAKES TIME TO GET THESE THINGS OUT.
I'M GONNA STILL, MY VOTE GONNA STILL BE COUNTED.
I DON'T WANNA VOTE ON SOMETHING I DIDN'T HAVE.
NOTHING TO DO WITH JUST MARK ME ABSENT.
ANY OTHER UNREADINESS ON THIS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
GO, GO RIGHT HERE FOR THE, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE AND THE EXPLANATION.
I KNOW THAT WE'D HAD CONVERSATIONS BEFORE ABOUT THE DRAINAGE ON THESE STREETS THAT ARE BEING REPAIRED.
BUT, UM, OVERALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE WATER LINES UNDERNEATH THESE STREETS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND YES.
I, I HAVE A RUNNING LIST OF, UH, ISSUES WITH WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT THAT I KEEP TRACK OF.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THIS CONTRACT ON DUFF DRIVE, THERE'S SOME SANITARY SEWER MANHOLES THAT NEED TO BE MOVED.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA WAIT ON THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT TO MOVE THESE WATER AND SEWER LINES.
THAT, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, BUT THEN WE DISCOVER PROBLEMS AS WE MOVE ALONG.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT, BUT WE, WE DO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE ESTABLISHED WITH THE, UH, CALVIN AND, UH, HANEY.
AND FOR YOUR ONE PERSON, DO YOU NEED MORE STAFF? CITY MANAGER? I MEAN, WHAT WE WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF CONTRACTS AND WE'RE, THIS IS A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE STREETS, AND IF IT'S TAKING US THIS LONG TO GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO FIX THAT? WE ARE HAVING AN INTERNAL DISCUSSION ON THAT.
WHATEVER ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES THAT IS REQUIRED, I THINK WE WILL, WE ARE ADDRESSING IT.
TO MAKE IT MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.
BUT YOU DON'T NEED NOTHING FROM US.
LET ME JUST SHARE THIS WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE COUNCIL HERE.
I ASKED FOR DE CAN I BE RECOGNIZED.
UM, LET ME, LET ME SAY I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN LEWIS'S, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RATIFICATION OF IT.
BUT LET ME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY, UH, AS WELL THAT SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL, ALL THAT I HAVE HEARD, AND ALL THAT WE HAVE HEARD HAS BEEN STREETS, STREETS, STREETS, AND MORE STREETS.
AND IN, IN AN ENDEAVOR TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, I WANT TO SIGN ON AND SAY THANK YOU, MR. CANELLA.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS BECAUSE STREETS ARE BEING DONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT OPTIMALLY, PERHAPS, UH, IT'S NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO ALL THE TIME, IS TO DO A RATIFICATION AFTER WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
BUT THERE HAS TO BE A LEVEL OF TRUST THAT WE HAVE IN OUR STAFF, UH, AND AS FAR AS STREETS ARE CONCERNED, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, TO EXPEDITE THAT AND TO GET THAT DONE, BECAUSE WE NEED THAT WORK DONE.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL.
AND SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO RATIFY, UH, THIS VOTE ON TODAY, UH, FOR THESE STREETS.
ANY OTHER UNREADINESS ON THIS? WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
WILL AYE, UH, APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 200? NOW WE WILL GO MOVE TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23189 – A Resolution Authorizing The July 4, 2023 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting Date To Be Rescheduled To July 10, 2023]
HAVE PR NUMBER 23 180 9 AS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THIS JULY 4TH, UH, 2023 REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, MEETING TO BE RESCHEDULED FOR JULY 10TH, 2023.[02:20:01]
MAY I GET A MOTION? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOST OF, OKAY.MAY I GET A, UH, SECOND COUNCILMAN MARKS SECOND.
MOVE? SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVED? UH, PR NUMBER 23 180 9 IS READY.
READY FOR QUESTION? MAYOR? YES, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW IT'S A MONDAY.
SO DID WE WANNA KEEP IT AN EVENING MEETING OR DID WE WANNA MAKE IT A DAY MEETING? UH, I, I REALLY THOUGHT WHEN WE HAD DISCUSSED IT WAS GOING TO BE A DAY MEETING AT 10.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? AND I DIDN'T, I I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT, UH, AGENDA REVIEW.
AT, AT 10:00 AM WE'LL GET IT PUT IN THERE.
WE'LL PUT THAT IN AT 10:00 AM YOU CHECK IT WITH YOUR MOTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE READY FOR VOTING.
HAVE IT TO ITS ORDER THAT THE MEETING ON JULY 10TH WILL BE AT 10:00 AM AS WELL.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23201 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Lamar University—Center For Resiliency In Collaboration With Jefferson County For Support And Collaboration In Regard To Pleasure Island Erosion, Mitigation, Restoration And Enhancement As Well As Ecosystem Protection And Increased Port Arthur Community Resiliency With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $150,000.00, Funds Available In Account No. 001-01-005-5470-00-10-000, Project No. MA0030]
NOW, PR NUMBER 23 2 0 1.THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN SENATE MANAGER THE 10TH.
A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR RESILIENCY IN COLLABORATION WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY FOR SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION REGARD TO PLEASURE ISLAND EROSION MITIGATION, RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT, AS WELL AS ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION.
AND INCREASE PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY RESILIENCY WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $150,000.
FUNDS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 0 0 5 5 4 7 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS SECOND.
IF WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 2 0 1 IS READY.
IN THE QUESTIONS DONE IN THE QUESTIONS ON, UH, THIS ITEM, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
ANY, THE OPPOSERS, THE AYES HAVE SWORN IS AUDIT PR NUMBER 23,201.
AS READ HAS BEEN APPROVED, THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER BUSINESS OR ITEMS TO COME COURT.
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL BEING HERE.
WE ARE NOW READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, MARKS SECOND IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, ADJOIN THIS GREAT MEETING.
ANY OPPOSERS? AYES HAVE IT AT 8 0 1.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU ON THE 23RD I GUESS IT IS.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR VETERANS, UH, APPRECIATION.
WOMEN VETERANS DAY ON MONDAY THE 12TH, 10:00 AM AT THE PAVILION HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND ALSO EARLY VOTING BEGINS ON MONDAY, SEVEN O'CLOCK SEVEN.
AT SEVEN ON, UH, AT, AT THE LIBRARY AND THE, AND THE, HERE IN THE CITY HALL.