[00:00:01]
RECORDING IN PROGRESS.UH, NOW WE WILL START OUR MEETING.
THE FOOT, THE TURFS, UH, REINVESTMENT ZONE.
TURS NUMBER ONE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
UH, NOTICES HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWNS CHURCH.
NUMBER ONE WILL HOLD A MEETING IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ON FRIDAY, UH, AUGUST 4TH, 2023 AT 11:00 AM IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.
AND THE ADDRESS IS 4 4 4 FORD STREET.
UH, THE MEETING WILL BE HELD ALSO IN TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING, UH, PERSONS TO ATTEND.
A QUORUM OF THE T BOARD WILL BE PRESENT PHYSICALLY IN THE CITY.
UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UH, THE NUMBER, TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7.
AND ALSO YOU CAN DIAL 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND YOU ENTER THE MEETING ID CODE, WHICH IS 8 9 2, UM, 9 6 6 5 1 3 0 6, AND THE PASS CODE WILL BE 3 9 5 5 1 3.
[1.Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.]
NEXT ON THE AGENDAS, NUMBER ONE INVOCATION PLEDGE OF TION.I'M GONNA ASK MAYOR BARTEE TO DO THE INVOCATION AND FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE AND WE'LL GET STARTED.
IF YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE WORD OF PREP.
FATHER GOD, IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE APPROACH OR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS HOUR.
DEAR GOD, WITH HUMBLE HEARTS, HAVING THE FATHER IN MIND, SET AND READY TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU WOULD PLACED BEFORE US, ALLOW US, DEAR GOD TO DO IT, PERFORM IT, AND ACTUALLY COMPLETE IT.
FATHER, ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, BLESS OUR CITY, BLESS ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, EVEN OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION.
THIS IS OUR PRAYER THAT WE OFFER UNTO YOU.
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB.
WE MAGNIFY YOU, WE LIFT YOU UP.
IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE DO PRAY.
I PLEDGE TO LEAD TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR BARTEE FOR THAT INVOCATION.
[2.Establishment of quorum and call to order.]
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE AGENDA.I'M GONNA ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU DO THAT? YES.
BOARD MEMBERS, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
CHAIRMAN THOMAS KEN, LAW COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HERE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DONALD R. FRANK, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
MAYOR THURMAN BARTEE, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
FRANK, YOU HERE? MICHAEL? UH, COMMISSIONER JEFFERSON COUNTY.
JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER RANDY T. MARTIN, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
[3.Approval of Minutes from the previous Downtown Tax Reinvestment Zone TIRZ #1 BoardMeeting held on Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.]
WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA THE APPROVE OF THE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS DOWNTOWN TAX REINVESTMENT ZONE TURNS NUMBER ONE, BOARD MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2023 AT 2:00 PM HAVE A MOTION.AND SECOND, IT WAS MOVED BY COACH GAMBLE AND SECOND BY MAYOR BARTEE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF LAST MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE IS NO QUESTION, I'LL NOW CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE MEETINGS OF JUNE 29TH AT 2:00 PM UH, WAS APPROVED.
[4.Discussion and possible action regarding current projects within the boundariesDowntown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CURRENT PROJECTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES, DOWNTOWN, TAX INCREMENT, REINVESTMENT ZONE TERMS, NUMBER ONE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT WE GOT.UM, AND I WAS JUST GONNA RECAP, UM, UM, THE PEOPLE IN MY, UH, TWO OF THE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE, MS. UH, MOORE AND MS. UH, TIBI, PRETTY LITTLE WRITTEN, UH, REPORT THAT I CAN ALSO MAIL YOU, UH, EMAIL YOU.
UM, BASICALLY WITH REGARD TO CURRENT PROJECTS, UH, WE JUST HAVE A QUICK SUMMARY, UH, THAT I CAN READ TO YOU ABOUT CURRENT PROJECTS.
THE TURS IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AURORA CAPITAL HOLDINGS ON A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, WHICH WE ALL AWARE OF, UH, IS ALSO AFFILIATED WITH MOTIVA.
THE PLAN IS CURRENTLY IS STILL IN THE BEGINNING STAGES.
HOWEVER, UM, FROM OUR LAST MEETING AND FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, THE PLAN IS MOVING, IS GETTING SOME TRACTION AND MOVING BACK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
[00:05:01]
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AURORA CAPITAL HOLDINGS, UM, AND ALSO MOTIVA REGARDING THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF FIFTH STREET AND WACO.THE PROJECT SHOULD COME TO FRUITION IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THERE WILL, THERE ARE ALSO, UM, WHAT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THEM AS FAR AS THE CITY IS CONCERNED, TO DO A STREET CLOSURE OR TO RE-UP THE STREET CLOSURE, I BELIEVE, HERE ON AUSTIN AVENUE.
UH, UH, AND FIFTH AND SIXTH STREETS, I BELIEVE, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN GET BACK TO WORK.
SO THE, THE BIGGEST NEWS WE HAVE WITH THAT IS THAT THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING TO A DATE WHERE THEY'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, WORKING ON THE BUILDINGS.
UM, UH, IN NOVEMBER, THE CITY WILL BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING, I BELIEVE IT'S NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
AND SO THEN THAT, UH, PROJECT, UH, FOR WHATEVER FACILITIES THEY'LL BE PUTTING IN, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING WILL BE UP AND RUNNING.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FALL, UH, AS WE APPROACH THE FALL, THEY'RE GONNA BE, UH, UH, AURORA IS GOING TO BEGIN, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, THE ACTIVITIES DOWNTOWN.
MRS. TAL, UM, IF YOU HAD A MOMENT, DID YOU WANNA TELL US ABOUT ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE ABOUT THE STREET CLOSURE? JUST IF YOU HAD A, UH, I KNOW THERE THAT YOU HAD A STREET CLOSURE, AND I'M SORRY FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.
I DIDN'T TELL MS. TAL I'S COMING TO COUNCIL SHORTLY.
THIS IS SHERI VITA, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
I WAS APPROACHED BY OUR LEGAL OFFICE THAT THEY WERE CONTACTED BY AURORA TO RE-UP THE STREET CLOSURES.
AND OUR, MY DISCUSSIONS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO, UM, ALIGN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MOVE WITH THE FULL STREET CLOSURE IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MANAGER, UM, JUDAH SMITH, AND ALSO TO FIND OUT THE TRANSITION FROM ALL THE EQUIPMENT TO BE MOVED FROM AND THE TIMING THEREOF, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CLOSE THE WHOLE STREET.
THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS, WE CLOSED HALF THE STREET, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD ONE WAY TRAFFIC GOING DOWN THAT STREET BECAUSE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS STILL EXISTING.
SO IT'S GONNA BE DEPENDENT UPON THE TIMING OF THE MOVE AND THE TIMING OF WHEN THEY START CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE HAVE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND SO IF YOU MIND, UH, REITERATING THAT'LL COME BEFORE COUNCIL ABOUT THE STREET CLOSURE, BUT I'M, I GUESS WE COULD BE SAFE TO NOT ASSUME, BUT ESTIMATE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE AT A FULL STREET CLOSURE BY THE END OF THE YEAR ONCE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS MOVING.
I GUESS AS THEY'RE MOVING, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE IT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE, UH, ACTIVITIES WOULD, WOULD DEFINITELY BE PICKING BACK UP AND THERE'LL BE SOMETHING ON THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA.
SO THAT'S WITH REGARD TO CURRENT PROJECTS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYONE WANTED TO ELABORATE ON, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVE THIS ONE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, WELL, I, I'LL START OFF, UH, WITH OUR NEW WEBSITE THAT WE'VE HAD OR HAD IN PLACE, DO WE HAVE ANY INTEREST SPARKED ANY INTEREST? UH, AS FAR AS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT ANSWER OR NOT, BUT HAVE WE SPARKED ANY INTEREST AT WANTING TO COME DOWNTOWN THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY WORK SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT WITH? UH, I HAVE.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I CAN DO THAT RESEARCH AND GET BACK WITH YOU.
WE'LL PUT THAT IN OUR TO-DO LIST.
UH, CHECK WHAT RESPONSES TO THE WEBSITE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CHAIRMAN? YES, I HAVE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION, CHAIRMAN.
UM, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WILL THERE BE ANY TYPE OF INTERRUPTION OF SERVICES? GOOD QUESTION.
CONCERNING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, NO, THERE'S NO PLAN FOR INTERRUPTIONS OF SERVICES.
WE'RE WORKING WITH MS. SMITH, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES, AND WE'RE DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR THE TRANSITION FROM THE BUILDING DOWNTOWN TO THE NEW FACILITIES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HOW THE CLINICS NEED TO BE MOVED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE ALL THE SERVICES ARE MAINTAINED FOR THE CITIZENS.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS ON NUMBER FOUR.
[5.Discussion and possible action regarding future projects for the Downtown TaxIncrement Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
FIVE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING FUTURE PROJECTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.TERRA NUMBER ONE, CITY ATTORNEY.
AND WE HAVE A FEW, UM, MORE ITEMS, UM, THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING SEVERAL IDEAS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ONE THING I JUST RECALL BEFORE, UH, GOING INTO WHAT'S ON THIS LIST IS THAT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CONSIDERING, UH, PLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE THAT, UH, WE MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT AS WELL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WEBSITE.
UM, BUT ALSO, SO FOR OUR ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HAD
[00:10:01]
LAST TIME, IN ORDER FOR THE TURS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND BEGIN EARNING REVENUE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT ESTABLISHING A LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT PLAN.THAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN WOULD INCLUDE MAJOR INFRAS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
UM, THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE WATER, SEWER, DEMOLITION OF DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING, TALKING TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HE IS PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT PLANS, THE CITY STREET WATER, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TURS.
IT WAS PROPOSED THAT AN INITIAL DEVELOPMENT AND AS AN INITIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE BOARD WOULD WORK ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES IN THE ZONE.
AND WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THE MANAGERS AND HIS STAFF ARE DOING AN ASSESSMENT OF THAT.
SUCH REDEVELOPMENT WE ARE HOPING WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT BY INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES AND RAISING REVENUE.
UM, AND JUST AS A SIDEBAR, THOSE THINGS, WATER, SEWER, DEMOLITION OF DEVELOP DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, THAT'S A PLAN THAT THE MANAGER IS PUTTING TOGETHER.
UM, WHEN I CHECKED IN WITH HIM, UH, ON IT, UH, HE'S STILL GATHERING SOME DATA AND I BELIEVE THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE WATER DEPARTMENT, THE CITY ENGINEER AND PUBLIC WORKS, UH, COME AND REPORT ON WHAT THE PLAN IS.
SO AS THE CITY MAKES ITS PLANS, THEY WANNA BRING THE TURS, UM, TO, INTO, INTO THAT PLAN AS WELL.
UH, IT WAS STATED AT THE MEETING THAT, UH, THE PORT HAD A SLEET OF PROJECTS AND THEY ALSO THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE TURS.
SO ADDING TO THE S WATER, SEWER, DEMOLITION, DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE AND ROAD CON CONSTRUCTION, WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, GET SOMETHING WITH THE PORT.
AND LAST TIME WE ALSO TALKED MR. PERTEL, ATTORNEY PERTEL, UH, AND, UM, MR. UH, COMMISSIONER MARTIN ARE GONNA KIND OF WORK TOGETHER TO KIND OF THINK OF SOME WAYS TO BRING THE PORT PROJECTS IN, IN, IN INVOLVED, UH, MORE WITH TURS AS WELL.
BASICALLY, UH, TO SUM IT UP, THE CITY MANAGER AT THE LAST MEETING PROPOSED THAT AS A LONG-TERM PROJECT, THE BOARD SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER REPLACING AND ESTABLISHING FIRE HYDRANTS ON PROPERTIES WITHIN THE TURS.
AND, UH, JUST AS A ADDED POINT, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN WE DID HAVE, UM, A LOT OF FIRE HYDRANTS THAT WERE OLD AT ONE TIME.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND HE INDICATED BY DOING SO, IT WOULD INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR POTENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND HE'S GONNA WORK WITH THE UTILITIES PROGRAM, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO, UH, DEVELOP A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON HAVING INFORMAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I THINK THAT'S ALREADY STARTED.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE HOPING AT THE NEXT TOURS MEETING THAT THE MANAGER, UH, CAN BRING, UH, THOSE REPORTS BACK TO YOU SO WE CAN GET STARTED.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND, AND DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS.
AND, UH, THE LAST THING HE AND I TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND OF COURSE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS ARE HERE, IF THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF WHICH WE ARE CONCERNED IN THIS AREA, UH, THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE REMOVED, UH, THAT WOULD HELP ATTRACT, THEN, UM, THAT'S, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ALSO, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, UM, ATTORNEY TIZ AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
ALRIGHT, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN, AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS TO OUR, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, AS WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN.
HOW MUCH COMMUNITY INPUT IS GOING TO BE A PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PLAN? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, OR JUST THOSE, UH, UH, THOSE PARTIES THAT HAVE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THAT CARRY THE, THE CRUX OF ALL THAT'S HAPPENING IN TRANSPIRE CURRENTLY, THE, THE SPECIFIC PLAN IS TO GET THE NUMBERS TOGETHER, THE ACTUAL DATA.
SO, UH, MS. ROBERTS, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, UM, MR. MATTHEWS, THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITY OPERATIONS, ALONG WITH UH, JOHN CANELLO, CITY ENGINEER, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH ACTUALLY PULLING TOGETHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR AREA.
THE, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA.
SO THAT IS MORE OF A DATA-DRIVEN ITEM, MORE SO THAN SOMETHING WHERE THE COMMUNITY WOULD NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE INPUT BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS WATER, EVERYBODY WANTS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AS FAR AS THE FIRE HYDRANTS, ET CETERA.
[00:15:01]
AT THAT LEVEL OF THE PLANNING, I WOULD NOT ANTICIPATE HAVING A LARGE COMMUNITY INPUT.BUT I THINK THE NEXT LEVEL OF THE PLAN WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, WE FIXED THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT NEXT? THAT WOULD BE WHERE WE WOULD BRING IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE VISION FOR DOWNTOWN AND HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? YES, CHAIRMAN.
UM, AND I GUESS THIS IS DIRECTED TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ONCE AGAIN.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS, UH, HOW MANY FIRE HYDRANTS ARE ACTUALLY IN THAT TUR, UH, IN THE TUR ZONE? WELL, IN THE ZONE, MS. LANGFORD IS GONNA COME UP WITH A GREAT ANSWER.
OH, AND MS. LANGFORD, WHY YOU ONE MORE QUESTION TOO.
AND HOW MANY ARE OPERABLE OR STILL OPERABLE? UM, IN TERMS OF, AND THE REASON WHY I BRING UP THIS QUESTION IS BECAUSE OF AVAILABILITY.
SO WHEN YOU ARE
UM, BASED ON THE DISCUSSION THAT I HAD WITH THE, UM, UTILITIES DIRECTOR, MR. CALVIN MATTHEWS, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 90 FIRE HYDRANTS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE TURS BOUNDARIES IN REGARDS TO HOW MANY OF THOSE FIRE HYDRANTS ARE OPERABLE.
THEY ARE COLLECTING THAT DATA AS WE SPEAK, TO GIVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UM, REPORT UPON THAT.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, WITH THEIR DISCUSSION WITH THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF MOST OF THESE FIRE HYDRANTS, UM, THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW WOULD BE TO REPLACE ALL 90.
UM, THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY, UM, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IF WE WERE TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UM, IN, IN THAT DATA, UM, LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE IN THE DATA MM-HMM.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME PROBABLY HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UM, THOSE THAT MIGHT, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO TIE INTO NEW INFRA INFRASTRUCTURE.
IS THAT, IS THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS? YES, SIR.
UH, QUESTION, UH, I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID IT'S TO TIE IN IN THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE DOWNTOWN.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, DR.
IAN, Y'ALL WANT TO INPUT ON THERE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, NO MORE QUESTIONS FOR, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER SIX,
[6.Approval of an invoice for the purchase of uniform shirts for the Downtown TaxIncrement Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1) Board members.]
APPROVE OF THE INVOICE FOR THE PURCHASE OF UNIFORM SHIRTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE CHURCH NUMBER ONE, BOARD MEMBERS, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT? SO MOVED.AND SECOND THAT WE APPROVE THE INVOICE FOR, UH, UNIFORM SHIRTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I NOW CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
THOSE OPPOSED THE AYES HAVE IT.
UH, DO WE HAVE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MATTERS.
NOW, LIKE I SAID, THE BIGGEST FOCUS IS THAT, UM, BY THE NEXT MEETING, THE MANAGER WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, ELABORATE MORE ON OUR FUTURE PLANS.
UH, YOU HAVE SOMETHING, UH, MAYOR BARTEE? YEAH.
[Additonal Item]
UH, WELL FIRST, UH, WITH THE MEETING AND SINCE WE HAVE SIX MINUTES,WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE FIRE HYDRANTS, AND I'M GLAD, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SPOKE ON IT.
I'VE BEEN IN SO MANY MEETINGS THIS WEEK, BUT I WAS IN A MEETING THE OTHER, UH, THE OTHER DAY, AND THEY'RE NOT JUST ONLY CHECKING THEM, UH, MR. JOHNSON IN, IN, IN THE THIRDS, THEY'RE CHECKING 'EM ALL OVER THE CITY.
UH, BECAUSE, AND THAT'S HOW SHE SAID THAT AS WE SPEAK, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHICH ONES ARE OPERABLE AS OPPOSED TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT.
AND I THINK WE WERE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE, OR SOMETHING IN SOME A MEETING AND THEY WERE APPRISING ME OF THE, AT THE OTHER DAY.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S A, UH, AN ONGOING PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THE REASON WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE IT IN SUCH A LONG TIME, AND, UH, I THINK THEY, I THINK THEY EVEN MENTIONED IT AGAIN IN COUNCIL MEETING PROBABLY ON TUESDAY.
THIS SAME, UH, DISCUSSION I THINK CAME UP OR SOMETHING IN A DISCUSSION CAME UP ABOUT THAT.
SO WE, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IT.
[00:20:01]
SHE SAID, I DIDN'T KNOW SHE REALLY HAD THE NUMBERS OF THE, THAT WERE IN THE TURS.SO I LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY ABOUT 90 IN THE CHURCH.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT, UH, UH, SPECIFIC DATA THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO US ON TODAY.
UH, THE NEXT THING IS, I KNOW ON, I THINK IT WAS LAST MEETING, UH, UH, UH, OUR ATTORNEY, UH, PERTEL WAS TELLING US ABOUT TRYING TO NARROW SOME THINGS DOWN.
UH, I'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS WITH, UH, POTENTIAL INVESTORS IN THE TUR IN THE T UH, ZONE FOR, UH, SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THEY, I, I'VE MET WITH THEM TWICE.
UH, I, I THINK, UH, THEY'RE GONNA SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH OUR ATTORNEYS BECAUSE ON MY LAST MEETING WITH THEM LAST WEEK, I TOLD 'EM THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO MEET WITH OUR ATTORNEYS TO WORK OUT SOME OF THE LEGAL, UH, RAMIFICATIONS THAT MIGHT BE INVOLVED WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND THEN THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO US OF THE BOARD ON WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE AND, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT, I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE, UH, PREPARED TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY BY, UH, THE END OF AUGUST OR THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COME BEFORE THE, THE, THE, UH, THE BOARD AND, AND, UH, FURTHER ENLIGHTEN US ON THAT.
BUT I MEAN, WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM BED CENTER WHERE WE WERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAD, WE WERE KIND OF NO DIRECTION AT ALL AND NOT NO DIRECTION.
IT WAS JUST THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, I THINK, UH, A PLAN.
AND NOW I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A PLAN, MR. CHAIRMAN.
WELL, I TOTALLY AGREE, UH, AND I KNOW THIS IS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON BABY ABOUT GETTING, UH, THE WORD OUT THERE VIA SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE PLAN.
THAT'S WHY WE BUILT OUR, OUR WEBSITE.
OUR JOB IS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR BARTEE FOR MEETING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO, UH, INVEST IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT AS A, THAT'S WHY THIS BOARD IS HERE.
UH, WE, WE WANT TO DEVELOP IN DOWNTOWN, WE WANT IN A TUR ZONE, AND WE WANT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED IF, YOU KNOW, WE GOT ANY TYPE OF FEEDBACK IF WE, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S A PLUS TO HAVE THOSE TWO INVESTORS THAT WANT TO INVEST IN PORT ARTHUR.
UM, ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS? INFORMATION COACH GA HIT YOUR, UH, LIGHT COACH.
WILL WE HAVE A HEADS UP WHEN I SAY A HEADS UP OR ANY INFORMATION, UH, FROM THAT GROUP OF SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO TO GIVE US A LITTLE TIME TO, TO STUDY BEFORE THEY MEET? I CAN, I CAN REQUEST THAT FROM THEM AND ONCE THEY MEET WITH THEIR ATTORNEYS, AND THEN THEY'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS LEGAL AND WHAT IS NOT AS FAR AS THEIR IDEAS ARE CONCERNED.
AND I CAN ASK THEM TO, TO PREPARE A PACKET WITH WHAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
AND WE CAN GET IT PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO YOU CAN HAVE IT.
BECAUSE I, I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON BEFORE, BEFOREHAND THEY JUST DROP IT ON US.
YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO KIND OF OKAY.
TO, TO LOOK AT IT, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT.
WELL, I CAN, UH, I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET, I HAVE TO CHECK WITH CHRISTIE IT EITHER NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER, BUT IT'S ANOTHER MEETING I'M GOING HAVE AND WHY, IF I MAY, UH, SURE.
UH, AND ATTORNEY, YOU'RE MY LAWYER, YOU STOP ME.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.
I DON'T PAY, BUT YOU KNOW, SHE'S MY LAWYER.
BUT, UH, UH, UH, THERE, THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT NEXT FRIDAY.
I WAS INFORMED EVEN THIS MORNING OF, UH, ANOTHER INVESTOR.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT IN THE CHURCH, BUT IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, AND WE MIGHT BE, IT MAY BE INTEREST BECAUSE ISN'T SOMETHING ON PLACE DIDN'T WE INCLUDE? NO, WE DIDN'T.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER PORT OF CALL IN THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR IN, IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND I'M SAYING A PORT OF CALL BECAUSE IT, IT, IT'S A CREATION OF A PORT BY A GROUP OF MINORITY INVESTORS.
AND THEY ARE PREPARED NOW TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT NEXT FRIDAY, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO ABOUT THE LAND ACQUISITION.
UH, UH, I'VE FORGOTTEN THE, THE, UH, THE ACREAGE ON, I GUESS IT'S THE NORTHERN PART OF THE ISLAND OR WHATEVER IT IS ON FRENCH ISLAND, BUT WE'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THAT NEXT, NEXT WEEK.
[00:25:01]
BUT JUST TO GIVE F Y I, IF IT, IT'S GOING TO BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, I'VE SUPPORTED THEM AS THE MAYOR.I, I, IT HAD NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, SO I COULD NOT SAY THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WAS, WAS IN SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
HEY, I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL WOULD BE IN OPPOSITION OF IT, BUT IT HADN'T BEEN ANYTHING THAT BE, THAT HAD COME BEFORE.
BUT AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY, I DID, UH, SUPPORT THEM TO GIVE THEM A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF EN UH, ENERGY AND, UH, I THINK DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, OF, OF MAYOR ORAL SUPPORT.
AND THEY'RE CREATING THIS, UH, PORT IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND WHAT THIS WOULD DO, THERE ARE 19 PORTS IN PORT IN, IN TEXAS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO PORTS OF THE 19.
SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET A THIRD PORT AND, AND THIS PORT IS BASED UPON, AND YOU, AND YOU OR I CAN SHARE THE DOCUMENTS WITH YOU ALL IS BASED UPON THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT IS GETTING READY TO HAPPEN UP AND DOWN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND WHAT WE ARE HAVING OUT IN S SUPREME PAST AND THE TYPE OF MATERIALS AND NEEDS THAT THEY WILL HAVE OUT THERE THAT IS, IS GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT, IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, PROBABLY, UH, A GREAT NEED FOR THAT PORT MORE THAN EVER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I, I CAN, I CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL WHAT THEY SENT ME TODAY, AND THEN YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT NEXT, UH, NEXT FRIDAY.
IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE GONNA BE, UH, NEWSWORTHY YEAH.
ON THAT GIFT AND ATTORNEY THEN IF WE DID THAT, IF THEY DID THAT AND WE, WE COULD MAKE THAT A PART OF DETERRED STOOP.
THERE'S A PROCESS FOR CHANGING THE BOUNDARIES.
WE, WE'D HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER? YES.
COUNCIL LEE AND HUMBLY CHAIRMAN, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN KIND OF BACK UP AND THEN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON, ON, ON AN ISSUE? YEAH, YEAH, PLEASE.
UH, CHAIRMAN HAS ASKED THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO LET ME RE WHAT YOU GOT ON WHAT ITEM? 'CAUSE I ONLY HAVE TWO THINGS POSTED.
IT IS, IT HAVE TO BE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OF OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
WHICH ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO OR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
PROBABLY DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, A CHAIRMAN IS ASKED THAT WE,
[7.EXECUTIVE SESSION]
UH, GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSSION, UH, MATTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0 8 7 TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, TAR NUMBER ONE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.WE WILL RECONVENE AFTER, UH, MEETING AND EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS 1133 AND WE WILL COME BACK AND, UH, WE'LL FOLLOW THE AGENDA THAT'S PRINTED.
UH, WE'RE NOW RECONVENING, UH, FROM, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION AND UH, I WOULD LIKE TO DO A ROLL CALL, CITY ATTORNEY TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM.
THOMAS KINLAW, COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CHAIRMAN HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THURMOND BARTEE MAYOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
MICHAEL SHANE, SENEGAL COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
JEFFERSON COUNTY JAMES GAMBLE.
COMMISSIONER JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER SABINE NATURE'S NAVIGATION DISTRICT HERE.
RANDY MARTIN, COMMISSIONER PORT OF PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S COMING OUTTA EXECUTIVE SESSION? UH, NO.
IF THERE ARE NO MORE MOTIONS, THERE'S NOTHING COMING OUTTA THE EXEC.
UH, I NOW CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? MOTION.
SECOND IS MOTION TO SECOND THAT WE ADJOURN THE TODAY'S TERMS MEETING.
AND ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE, THOSE OPPOSED THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.