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RECORDING IN PROGRESS.UH, UH, THE TIME IS TWO 12 AND THIS AFTERNOON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TS PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
UH, THE DAY IS THURSDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2023 AT 2:00 PM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FIFTH FLOOR IN THE CHAMBERS, UH, THE ADDRESS IS 4 44 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
THIS MEETING WILL ALSO BE HELD BY TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING ANY PERSONS ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM OF THE T BOARD WOULD BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.
UH, THE PUBLIC MAY PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING IN PERSON, OR BY DIALING IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOLL FREE NUMBERS AND ENTERING THE MEETING ID, WHICH IS 8 9 1 8 8 3 8, UH, 65 51.
AND THE PASSCODE WILL BE 8 6 0 2 2 0.
UH, THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS AND, UH, ADOPT SUCH ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS, MOTIONS, AND TAKE DIRECT INDIRECT ACTIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY, UH, CONVENIENT OR DESIRABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING MATTERS.
SO WE ARE NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, MAYOR, WOULD YOU DO THE INVOCATION,
[1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.]
UH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ELIAN, SO WE CAN START THE MEETING.WOULD YOU ALL STAND, PLEASE, MR. PLEASE, IN THE WORD OF PRAYER.
FATHER GOD, IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE HUMBLE SERVANTS COME BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY.
AT IS OUR DEAR GOD, CONTRITE HEARTS HUMBLED AND YET THANKFUL.
DEAR GOD, FOR ALL OF THE MANYFOLD BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON US, WE ASK NOW, DEAR GOD, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW YOUR PRESENCE TO BE HERE IN THIS MEETING.
ALLOW WHATEVER PROCEEDINGS THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY UNDERTAKE.
LET THOSE BE IN ACCORDANCE TO WHAT YOUR WILL IS FOR THIS CITY.
WE'LL BE MIGHT GRATEFUL AND EVER SO GRATEFUL, DEAR GOD, TO GIVE YOU PRAISE, GLORY, AND THE HONOR.
THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
OUR PLEDGE, THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH SINS NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS ESTABLISH QUORUM.
[2. Establishment of quorum and call to order.]
UH, MADAM UH, ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU DO THAT? YES.UH, MR. CHAIRMAN THOMAS, KEN, LAW COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CHAIRMAN PRAYER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THURMAN.
BARTEE MAYOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
COMMISSIONER JEFFERSON COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER JEFFERSON COUNTY, DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, PRESENT.
JOSEPH JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER SABINE NATURE'S NAVIGATION DISTRICT PRESENT.
RANDY T. MARTIN, COMMISSIONER, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
[3. Approval of Minutes from the previous Downtown Tax Reinvestment Zone TIRZ #1 Board Meeting held on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS DOWNTOWN TAX REINVESTMENT ZONE.CHARGE NUMBER ONE, BOARD MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, MARCH 23RD, UH, 2023 AT THREE O'CLOCK.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PAST MEETING? SO MOVED.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES AND MEETING ON THURSDAY, MARCH 23RD, 2023 AT 3:00 PM ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE WILL NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I NOW CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding current projects within the boundaries Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
DISCUSS SOME POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CURRENT PROJECTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT, REINVESTMENT ZONE, TURF NUMBER ONE, CITY ATTORNEY.UM, AT THIS TIME WE ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT CURRENT PROJECTS.
UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, WE HAVE ONE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, WITH AURORA, AURORA CAPITAL HOLDINGS.
AND, UH, WE ARE, UM, UH, STILL AWAITING THE BEGINNING OF THAT PROJECT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, MADE A PLAN, UM, FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A, UH, BUDGET FOR THE TS BOARD AND, UH, TER REINVESTMENT ZONE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE MONTHLY REPORT FOR APRIL 30TH, 2023.
AND, UH, IF POSSIBLE, UM, IN TALKING ABOUT CURRENT PROJECTS, UH, AND LOOKING AT OUR, UH, FINANCIAL STATUS, UH, WE WOULD ASK
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THE, UH, CITY, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, MRS. CANDY, DANIEL, IF SHE WOULD MAYBE COME BY AND, UH, EXPLAIN THE HANDOUT SO WE WOULD SEE OUR FINANCIAL STATUS TO KICK OFF THIS, UH, DISCUSSION.GOOD AFTERNOON, I BELIEVE AFTERNOON.
THEY'LL PASSED ALL THESE, UM, THESE REPORTS OUT, THIS LITTLE REPORT, IT'S JUST AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, CURRENTLY YOU CAN SEE THAT WE BUDGETED $54,700 TO BE RECEIVED FROM PORT ARTHUR AND THE OTHER ENTITIES.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WE BUDGETED.
THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY MONEY THAT'S COME IN YET BECAUSE WE BILL THOSE IN AUGUST.
AND SO THE MONEY COMES IN RIGHT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING TO COME IN.
WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IT'S GONNA BE THAT MUCH, BUT IT PROBABLY WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE THE ACTUAL RECEIVED IN, UH, LAST YEAR WAS 52,744.
SO THAT'S A REASONABLE ESTIMATE TO EXPECT.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UH, WE BUDGETED TO SPEND $10,000 FOR OPERATIONS, AND YOU'VE SPENT 4,900, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S FOR SOME MARKETING THAT YOU DID.
AND THAT'S ALL REALLY THAT'S BEEN SPENT.
UH, THE OTHER AMOUNT BUDGETED WAS 50,000.
WE BUDGETED TO TRANSFER TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE ALSO SENT 50,000 LAST YEAR OF THE MONEY THAT WE HAD RECEIVED.
SO THAT WOULD, UH, IF THIS ALL COMES TO PASS, WE'LL END UP WITH AN ENDING BALANCE OF AROUND 19,000.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 50,000 A YEAR THAT YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING IN, UM, TAXES.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT PAGE, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE RECAP OF THE DOWNTOWN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND THE FIRST LINE, THE DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPES, UM, AND IMPROVEMENTS THERE OF 1,000,100 25,000 OF THAT NUMBER, ONLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS COMING FROM THE TS.
THE REST OF THAT BUDGET IS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND IT WAS ALREADY BUDGETED THERE.
SO, AND OF THAT NUMBER, WE'VE SPENT 835,000 WITH A REMAINING BALANCE OF 289,000.
UM, THE NEXT LINE IS THE, UH, FIBER OPTICS, WHICH IS THE E D A GRANT.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S NO TER MONEY INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE RECAP OF WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CANDY.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YOU'RE LINE ON? YES.
UH, THE E D GRANT, UH, WHAT DOES E D STAND FOR? I'M SORRY.
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ASSOCIATION.
I DON'T DO, UH, INITIALS VERY WELL EITHER
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THAT? WELL, I GUESS THAT WOULD KIND OF GIVE US NUMBER FOUR AND THEN WE CAN, UM, MAYBE, UH, HAVE MR. PERTA COME UP FOR OUR DISCUSSION, CUZ UH, THE NEXT DISCUSSION WOULD BE ABOUT FUTURE PROJECTS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE BULK OF THE MEETING SHOULD BE ABOUT.
[5. Discussion and possible action regarding future projects for the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
NUMBER FIVE, UH, DISCUSSED POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING FUTURE PROJECTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN, UH, TAX INCREMENT, REINVESTMENT ZONE TERMS. NUMBER ONE, ART PERAL.I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA COME BACK HERE FUSSING AGAIN.
IN, IN THAT, UH, WE NEED TO START REALLY DECIDING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO INSTEAD OF JUST MEETING, YOU KNOW, I LIKE Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY COMING HERE, BUT ALL WE ALL WE'RE DOING IS MEETING.
WE NEED, WE NEED TO DECIDE AS A, AS A BOARD, AS A BODY, WHAT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE WE GOING TO DO? AND, AND WE NEED THAT FROM YOU GUYS.
WE, YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHICH WAY TO GO AS STAFF.
WE CAN THINK OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
WE CAN THINK OF, ESPECIALLY FROM THE CITY SIDE, CUZ THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TO, TO HELP THE CITY.
AND IF YOU LEFT IT UP THE STAFF, WE COULD COME UP WITH A THOUSAND PROJECTS THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD BE FUNDED THROUGH HERE, BUT WHAT WE NEED IS PROJECTS THAT EVERYBODY IS BUYING INTO FROM THE PORT, FROM THE NAVIGATION DISTRICTS.
WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU BUYING IN, INTO THAT'S GOING TO HELP US LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY? AND, AND IF, IF YOU WANT FOR US TO COME UP WITH SOME, WITH SOME IDEAS THAT WILL, THAT WILL HELP HELP, YOU KNOW, ALL EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT MAY BE WHERE WE NEED TO START, BUT WE NEED HELP FROM YOU GUYS.
WHAT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE OCCUR IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT? AND, AND
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WE CAN THINK OF SOME AND WHAT WE'LL DO NEXT TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE TO START MOVING.WE'LL, WE'LL BRING SOME, WE'LL BRING SOME PROJECTS, SOME POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
YOU GUYS, IF, IF YOU HAVE SOME, UH, BRING THOSE UP AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE SO WE CAN START MOVING FORWARD INSTEAD OF JUST COMING HERE TALKING ABOUT WORK, LET'S ACTUALLY WORK.
YES, THANK YOU MR. PER I FOR THAT.
UH, THE GREAT EMPHASIS THAT YOU PUT ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING OR WE, MAYBE WE ARE JUST BEING BAPTIST IN MEETING JUST TO MEET, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT YOU SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION OF OUR COMING UP WITH SOME IDEAS ARE YEAH, YOU ALL AS STAFF BRINGING TO US YES, WE CAN PROJECTS THAT ARE FIRST OF ALL POSSIBLE AND PERTINENT TO THE GROWTH IN IN THE TOURIST DISTRICT.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO OFFER ONE NOW IF I MAY, IF, IF I'M IN ORDER FOR A CONSIDERATION, UH, WE, UH, SHOULD BE ABLE TO, I HOPE I'M NOT PUTTING ANYTHING BEFORE, UH, A COURT, UH, UH, CITY MANAGER.
WE SHOULD BE, UH, THINKING ABOUT WHAT ENHANCEMENTS WE NEED TO DO, WHERE THE MOTIVA, UH, PROPERTIES ARE.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO APPROACH THE, UH, COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS ABOUT THE STREETS THAT, UH, I, I THINK IT'S FIFTH STREET AND PORTION OF WACO.
AM I, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT, WHICH ONE, WHAT'S THERE NOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO TAKE, BE SURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ACTUALLY CITY OWNED AND IT'S ALL A PART OF THE CHURCH, RIGHT? THAT THAT WOULD BE A PROJECT THAT WE WOULD LOOK INTO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUNDING ASPECT OF IT MIGHT BE, BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING BECAUSE IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THAT PROJECT AND WE SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING CITY MANAGER IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, HAVE SPECIFICS ON THE DATES AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS ON THAT, THAT IS GOING TO BRING SOME MONEY MR. CHAIRMAN YEAH.
TO THE TUR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
THEN THE TAXING ENTITY WOULD BE PAYING MEMBERS, RIGHT? RIGHT THERE.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT AS ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT, UH, BEING, UH, LOOK, YOU KNOW, CARED FOR CARE.
WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH WHEREWITHAL TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE TAX INCENTIVES AND, AND FINANCES THAT WE WOULD GET FROM IT.
AND, AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE OTHER ENTITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH THE PORT, IS THAT RIGHT NOW THERE, EVERYBODY HAS PROJECTS ON THE BOARD.
AND SO WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT FROM THE OTHER ENTITIES IS, IS WHAT PROJECT DO YOU HAVE, DO YOUR STAFF HAVE ON THE BOARD THAT THAT WOULD HELP BY BEING IN THE T? NOT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO WOULD HELP BY BEING IN TAS, BUT IS THERE A, A, A PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE ON, ON THE BOARD AT YOUR, AT, AT YOUR ENTITY BY IT BEING IN THE TAS WILL HELP WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DEVELOPING THERE? OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE COMING THERE WILL, WILL THE, THE TAX INCENTIVES THAT THEY CAN GET FROM BEING IN THE TOURIST, WILL THAT HELP THEM.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO ASK YOUR STAFF.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT FROM THE, FROM THE PORT WITH THE, WITH THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE PROPERTY, THE PORT PROPERTY THAT ARE THERE.
NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO START THINKING ABOUT THINGS TO DO WITH THAT, WITH THAT PROPERTY TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY, WHICH IS GOING TO INCREASE THE VALUE FOR ALL OF US.
EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OUT HERE THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
IF WE CLEAN UP THAT, THOSE AREAS OUT THERE, THAT HELPS EVERYBODY.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU RAISE THAT VALUE ON THE, OF THE TAXES, IT RAISES EVERY, ALL THE TAXES.
AND SO IT MAY BE PROPERTY THAT'S THAT, THAT THE PORT IS IN NEGOTIATION WITH, WITH SOMEBODY OR ONE OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS OR IN NEGOTIATION WITH.
IF WE CAN MOVE IT INTO THE TS WHERE THEY CAN GET, GET TAX BREAKS ON THAT, THAT MAY HELP THE IMPETUS OF THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT WITH OUR STAFF ON THE FRONT END BE BECAUSE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME TO THIS MEETING, BASICALLY WHAT YOU, THE OTHER ENTITIES YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT JUST THE CITY, WHAT IS THIS GOING DO TO DO AFFECT PROPERTY DOWNTOWN CITY? WELL, THE TERRAS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A COMPACT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN HAVE, IT CAN BE SEPARATE, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONTIGUOUS.
SO IF THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT MAY NOT, MAY NOT BE CONTIGUOUS IN THIS, BUT BY, BY DOING A DEAL WITH THEM, HELPING THEM DO THAT PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMEWHERE PORT OR SOMEWHERE IN ONE OF THE NAVIGATION DISTRICTS, YOU CAN STILL GET ASSISTANCE
[00:15:01]
ON THOSE PROJECTS.BUT YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT FROM YOUR STAFF, IS THERE A PROJECT THAT DETER CAN HELP US WITH? AND IF THERE IS, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S BRING THAT AND IT, AND IT MAY BE A PROJECT WHERE THE, WHERE THE ENTITY MAY NOT WANNA PUT IN ANY MORE MONEY.
YOU MAY NOT WANNA PUT IN ANY MORE MONEY, YOU MAY NOT WANNA RAISE YOUR, YOUR TAX, BUT IF IT'S GONNA HELP YOU GET A TAX BREAK BY BEING IN THE TACE, WHY WOULDN'T YOU DO THAT? AND ALL WE NEED TO DO IS JUST, JUST AMEND THE TOUR AND THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH DEALS THAT YOU ARE ALREADY WORKING ON.
THE TOURISTS CAN HELP YOU WITH THOSE, WITH THOSE DEALS.
AND SO WE, BUT WHAT WE WILL DO AS FAR AS FROM, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND WE'LL ALSO TALK WITH, TALK WITH THE PORT AND SOME, WE'LL, WE'LL BRING SOME PROJECTS THAT WE THINK CAN HAVE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE, IN THE TERRACE.
AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT, HAVE THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A LIST OF, OF PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS CAN, CAN CONSIDER.
UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? NO, UH, COMMISSIONER MARTIN.
UH, WOULD YOU HAVE TIME THIS, UM, THIS WEEK COMING IN TO, WE CAN FILTER THROUGH SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOARD Y YES.
TOGETHER AND UH, I MEAN WE HAVE A TON OF PROJECTS ON THE BOARD, BUT IF WE CAN JUST FILTER THROUGH WHICH ONES WHICH ONE.
AND WE CAN DO THEM TO BRING TO THE TERRACE BOARD.
UH, I WOULD SAY BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE THREE THAT WE CAN, UM, SUGGEST.
AND, AND NOW, NOW WE CAN, WE CAN MEET REMOTELY AND SO WE, WE CAN SIT THERE AND WE CAN DO IT.
SO, SO ALL WE GOTTA DO WE FIND A DATE, GET YOUR STAFF.
AND, UM, CITY STAFF AND I, WE'LL JUST PICK A DATE AND WE'LL, WE'LL SIT DOWN AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL GO THROUGH 'EM.
I JUST WANT SOMETHING VALUABLE.
A WHOLE BUSHEL OF, UH, PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO FILTER IT OUT.
SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S DIRECTLY FOR THIS BOARD.
AND IF, IF YOU DO COMMISSION, IF YOU JUST GET YOUR STAFF TO, TO GET WITH, WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, WE'LL WE'LL CALL A MEETING AND WE'LL, WE'LL SIT DOWN AND WE'LL SEE WHICH PROJECTS ARE VIABLE, WHICH ONE ARE LONG TERM, WHICH ONE ARE SHORT TERM, AND, AND WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE TYPE OF PLANNING THAT WE NEED TO DO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO START DOING.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION.
UH, CITY ATTORNEY, MR. PERTA, WOULD YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN LIKE MAYBE WHAT TYPE OF TYPES OF PROJECTS SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT OR WHAT YOU WANNA LOOK AT IN, IN, IN THE TURDS YOU WANT TO LOOK AT, AT INFRASTRUCTURE TYPE PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOING TO HELP RAISE THE VALUE OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PRETTY PROJECTS DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE TERRORISTS.
THEY JUST DON'T WHEN PLAYGROUNDS AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF DON'T DO ANYTHING.
WHAT YOU, WHAT, WHAT YOU WANNA LOOK AT FOR THE TOURISTS OR THE, THE WATER, THE SEWER, THE, THOSE, THOSE TYPE, THOSE TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU PUT THAT IN THERE, THE VALUE AUTOMATICALLY INCREASES.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU GOT, IF YOU GOT UH, UH, TRACKS RAIL AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, CUZ YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE AT A CROSSROADS.
YOU HAVE HEAVY RAIL AND YOU HAVE HEAVY WATER.
I MEAN, SO, SO, AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT HERE IN, IN THE HEART.
SO, SO THERE OUGHT TO BE HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS THAT'S GOING TO HELP RAISE THE VALUE HERE BECAUSE YOU, YOU GOT EVERY EVERYBODY'S SHIPS HERE, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE COMING HERE, THEY, THEY COME BY SHIP, THEN THEY OFFLOAD ON THE RAIL.
SO, SO, SO WHAT ANY TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEALS THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THOSE DEALS.
AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS DO THE TYPE OF DEAL THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE VALUE.
CUZ THE MORE YOU INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY OUT THERE, THE MORE TAX DOLLARS YOU COME IN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS, AS THIS BOARD, WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THE INCREMENT THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S PLACED IN THIS, IN THIS DISTRICT IS NOT MUCH NOBODY'S PUTTING IN OTHER THAN, THAN THE CITY IS PUTTING IN, UH, WHAT, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE PUTTING IN BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE YOU MONEY WHEN THEY CAN'T SEE THAT YOU'VE DONE ANYTHING.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS BOARD, IT, WE, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE, THE MOMENTUM TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE LIKE, WELL WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? SO WHEN YOU HAVE A PROJECT, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PORT OR NAVIGATION DISTRICT THAT HAS A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THE PORT OR N THEN THEY'RE GONNA PUT THEIR MONEY IN BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SAY THE ONLY WAY THIS PROJECT IS GONNA WORK IS WE CAN'T PUT IT IN WITH JUST CITY MONEY.
SO, SO WE GONNA HAVE TO PUT IN OUR OWN MONEY.
AND WHEN YOU PUT IN YOUR OWN MONEY KNOWING YOU'RE GONNA GET THAT BENEFIT, THEN AT THAT POINT YOUR, YOUR BOARD WILL SAY, YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO BENEFIT OUR BOARD.
SO YES, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR INCREMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT OUR RETURN IS GONNA BE.
AND YOUR STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE, OKAY, THIS TAX, THESE TAXES THAT WE'RE RECEIVING NOW IF WE
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PUT IN THIS MUCH, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS MUCH BACK AND WE CAN HELP THIS DEAL MAKE.AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN, WE JUST HAVE THE, AS YOU CAN SEE, $50,000, YOU KNOW, $50,000.
THAT'S WHAT WE TAKE IN EVERY YEAR.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH $50,000? NOTHING.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NOTHING.
YOU CAN'T EVEN PAY A CONSULTANT WITH $50,000.
SO, SO HOW YOU GONNA DO A PROJECT? SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO, SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT PROJECT, FIND SOMETHING YOU'RE GONNA DO, AND THEN YOU DEVELOP THAT FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT.
AND IT, IT CAN BE CITY, COUNTY, IT CAN BE THE DISTRICTS AND YOU, YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP, BUT IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP, NOT SOMETHING PRETTY.
AND I ALWAYS SAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU'RE DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING ANYTHING PRETTY.
YOU, YOU SHOULD BE DOING THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GONNA LAST CUZ PRETTY DOESN'T LAST.
YOU KNOW THAT THE WATER SEWER BUILDINGS, THOSE THINGS, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE 20, 30 YEARS, NOTHING PRETTY LAST 20 YEARS PERIOD.
AND SO, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN A TUR, BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT, YOU'RE ABOUT TAXES RAISING THE TAXABLE VALUE.
SO YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING ANYTHING PRETTY, YOU SHOULD BE DOING THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GONNA LAST THINGS, THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOING GONNA BE HARD AND, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA LAST AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO WORK ON AS A TERRORIST.
ART, I THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE.
UH, WE WANNA DO IT THAT WAY AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE LONG TERM INVESTMENTS ON THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, DIRECTORS BOARD.
UH, I, I, CITY MANAGER, I THINK CITY MANAGER.
LEMME TELL YOU, I I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AGAIN.
UM, WE DO ALREADY HAVE A BLUEPRINT THAT WE COULD WORK FROM AND THAT'S A DOWNTOWN PLAN.
UM, CLEARLY WE HAVE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TURDS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE COULD WORK ON ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IS REPLACING ALL THE FIRE HYDRANTS BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CRITICAL ASPECT OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ANYBODY WHO'S GOING TO LOCATE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING OUT A FIRE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD INCREASE NOT ONLY THE PROPERTY VALUES, BUT ENSURE THAT UM, ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION, YOU CAN GET REASONABLE RATES FOR THOSE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL DO, I WILL WORK WITH, UM, LET ME WORK WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, DR.
HANEY AND CALVIN TO SEE IF WE PUT FORWARD A, A, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SPREAD OVER FIVE YEARS AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WE'LL LOOK AT WATER WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR, AS THE MAYOR SAID, NOT ONLY MOTIVA, UM, BUT FOR THE PORT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON A GRANT RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD BENEFIT DE TURDS AND THAT IS, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE GRANTS MAY KNOWS ABOUT IT, UM, WHERE, UM, FROM WEST SEVENTH STREET ALL THE WAY TO 73.
AND THAT'S A ROAD BEING USED BY THE PORT.
UM, I HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH THE PORT MANAGER ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, TO PUT FORWARD AN APPLICATION, WE HAVE MR. HARRIS, WHO IS WORKING WITH US TO SEE HOW WE PUT TOGETHER A CONTRACT TO GET THAT DONE.
BUT THAT WILL ALSO BENEFIT, BENEFIT THE TWOS.
UM, UM, THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION, BUT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO FORMALIZE IT.
WE NEED TO FORMALIZE IT AND, UM, WE WILL GET SOMETHING READY.
WE'LL, AT LEAST IN THE FORM OF A SPREADSHEET, WE WILL, I'LL MEET WITH DR.
HENEY AND WE'LL GET SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, UM, READY.
NOW THE CHURCH IS GONNA HAVE TO PAY THE CITY FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUT IN, INTO THE TILTS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M, I NEED MORE STAFF.
AND I'LL BE UTILIZING MY STAFF TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE FOR FREE.
THE IS GONNA HAVE TO, WHETHER CAN I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW WHETHER YOU GONNA HAVE AN AN ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO GET THE JOB DONE, YOU KNOW, THE TOOLS IS GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR YES.
TACE, THE TACE IS, IS A ENTITY.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO PAY ITS WAY.
YEAH, BUT THAT'S BUT BUT THAT'S WHY YOU, THAT'S WHY YOU WORK ON DOING THINGS THAT CREATE THE VALUE SO THAT THE VALUE CAN PAY.
AND SO, SO THAT'S WHY YOU WANNA DO PROJECTS THAT CREATE, CREATE VALUE.
FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THIS, THIS FIRE, THE FIRE DURING THE FIRE HYDRANTS.
THE FIRE HYDRANTS GOING THROUGH, GOING THROUGH, AND WHEN YOU GO THROUGH AND YOU REDO THE FIRE, ALL THE FIRE HYDRANTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN THE, IN THE TERRACE, WHICH MAKING WATER AVAILABLE, MOST OF THOSE PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY WHERE YOU HAVE HAVE THE, THE DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES WHERE THERE HASN'T BEEN GOOD FIRE SERVICE, THE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE MAD, BUT THEIR NEXT TAX BILL, IT'S
[00:25:01]
GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE INCREASED BECAUSE CUZ THAT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS THERE DIDN'T HAVE, DIDN'T HAVE PROPER WATER SERVICE.AND WHEN, WHEN THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT GOES THROUGH AND THEY LOOK AT THAT, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND THOSE BUYERS ARE GOING UP, THOSE TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING GONNA GO UP AND RIGHTFULLY SO BECAUSE THOSE PROPERTIES ARE WORTH MORE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PUT THEM ON THE, ON THE MARKET.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF PLANS THAT YOU, THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT, AT DOING, AND YOU CAN DO THOSE THE TURS WIDE, BUT AS YOU SAY, YOU GOTTA USE THE MONEY THAT'S FROM THE TURS.
YOU GOTTA USE THAT TO PAY YOUR BILLS.
WE'LL PUT TOGETHER A MODEL FOR YOU.
WE'LL PUT, DEFINITELY PUT TOGETHER A MODEL.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH, UM, HAVING, UH, INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNED TO THE TURS, BUT I THINK WE COULD, I MEAN THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO SHARE SOME OF THE COSTS FOR THE STAFF, HAVING SOMEONE WHO SPECIFICALLY ATTEND TO THOSE THINGS ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS, YOU KNOW, I'LL WORK ON SOMETHING FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR YOU.
SO YOU'LL HAVE SOMETHING WHEN I, WHEN WE COME BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND IT'S NOT FREE, SO WE NO, IT'S NOT GONNA BE FREE.
I LIKE TO STUDY, BUT, BUT LOOK AT IT THIS WEEK, MR. CHAIRMAN, AFTER THAT YOUR, YOUR PROPERTY VALUES WILL GO UP, WILL GO UP, AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED, YOU KNOW, TO FUND IT.
IT WILL, IT IS, IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
UM, MAYOR, MAYOR, MAYOR BART, MAY, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN AND, AND, AND TO MR. FAIRCHILD AND, AND, AND TO MR. BURTON THE MEETINGS, AND I THINK I CAN GET THE OTHER, UH, UM, TERRY'S BOARD MEMBERS TO, UH, AGREE WITH ME ON THIS.
OUR OUR MEETINGS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE MEANINGFUL.
NOW, BECAUSE THE DIRECTIVES IS A LOT CLEARER ON WHAT OUR DUTY IS AS A BOARD AND WHAT WE, WE ARE PUTTING FORTH, UH, WHAT, UH, CITY MANAGER ALLUDED TO OR THE PROJECT THAT WOULD BE REALLY SOMETHING FOR THE PORT.
BUT IT IS GONNA BENEFIT THE CITY AND THE CHURCH.
WE TRIED, WE, WE WE'VE GOTTEN A WORK OUT ON IT.
BECAUSE WE WERE DENIED THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO ON THOSE FUNDS.
AND, AND THE DENIAL, WE, WE HAVE SOMEONE STUDYING.
YOU ASKED ABOUT IT IN ANOTHER SETTING ABOUT MR. HARRIS.
MR. HARRIS IS A CONSULTANT IN WASHINGTON DC THAT THE TURD CAN ACTUALLY GET ON BOARD WITH THE CITY WITH BECAUSE HE'S THE GENTLEMAN THERE WHO CAN FIND SOME GRANTS TO REPLACE FIRE HYDRANT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THE EXPERT, WE ARE NOT THE EXPERTS AT, BUT IF THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO UNDERTAKE, WE EMPLOY HIM TO FIND THAT OUT AND GET THE FUNDING FOR US.
SO, YOU KNOW, THO THO BUT THESE MEETINGS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE MEANINGFUL, UH, MORE AND MORE PRODUCTIVE THANKS TO YOU ALL MR. PERS THE CITY MANAGER.
EVEN WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A TER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARE BECOMING WELL, I KNOW FOR ME, I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND, BUT I, I THINK THAT THE OTHERS WOULD, WOULD AGREE WITH ME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE MEANINGFULLY AGREE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE GROWING AND, AND WE ARE MOVING.
SO, UH, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE DISCOURAGED THAT WE ARE NOT, BUT WE ARE.
WE, WE ARE IN A, IN A LEARNING PROCESS.
AND I MEAN, YOU RIGHT NOW, TODAY WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE PROJECTS, ACTUALLY.
MR.
WE'LL PROVIDE SPREAD JUST NUMBERS.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, I THINK, UH, THAT'S SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING IN THE FOREFRONT OF TRYING TO, UH, GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO, UH, IS VAL, SHE SHE STEPPED OUT.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE PLANNING TO GO TO RIGHT, RIGHT.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN EXACT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS THOUGH MAYBE MEET LIKE, UH, MR. PERTA, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD CALL IT A COMMITTEE MEETING.
THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY OF DOING IT TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THE LIST OF PROJECTS OR WE JUST HAVE AN INFORMAL MEETING WITH EACH.
WE WE'LL DO IT FROM STAFF AND WE'LL BRING STAFF.
AND WE'LL BRING IT, WE'LL BRING IT TO THE, WE'LL BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MEET BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH STAFF FROM THE, FROM THE PORT BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONER HAS SOME IDEAS.
SO WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH HIS PORT STAFF AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH, WITH OUR STAFF TO COME WITH SOME IDEAS.
UH, D OR VAL? THE 24TH OF JULY.
WHAT, WHAT DAY IS THAT? WHAT IS OUR NEXT MEETING? MRS. D I BELIEVE SHE HAS A DATE.
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THIRD, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THIRD THURSDAY.I THINK WE SAID THE THIRD THURSDAY, BUT THAT'S COMING UP PRETTY CLOSE.
WHAT DAY IS THAT? OH, THE 20TH WAS THE THIRD THURSDAY.
LET'S, LET'S DO IT THE FOURTH.
CAUSE WE KNOW AT THE FOURTH, THE FOURTH THURSDAY, UH, WHAT DATE WOULD THAT BE, DR.
SO, UH, WE OKAY WITH THAT? D 27TH? UH, 27TH AT, YEAH.
YEAH, IT COULD BE TWO OR THREE, WHATEVER.
ARE YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE WITH TWO O'CLOCK OR THREE? O O'CLOCK? TWO.
THE, UH, JULY 27TH, TWO O'CLOCK AS, UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN MARK OUR CALENDARS FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND BY THE END, THE CITY MANAGER AND ART WOULD HAVE THIS LIST.
THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, SINCE WE, WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
[6. EXECUTIVE SESSION:]
UH, GUYS.WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, WE DON'T NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO, UH, I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? IT'S MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? IF'S NO QUESTIONS? I NOW CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURN.