[00:00:01]
EXCUSE ME.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD MORNING.WE ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN OUR MEETING.
GOOD MORNING TO EACH OF YOU, AND WE ARE GATHERED HERE ON TODAY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, IN THE YEAR 2023, UH, FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE HAD A MEETING, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEGUN MAYBE SIX MINUTES AGO, BUT WE WERE ALL GATHERING AND IT'S NOW 9 36, AND WE ARE BEGINNING THE MEETING.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED THROUGH THE MEDIUMS OF A VIDEO CONFERENCE OR TELEPHONIC.
UH, YOU MUST FIRST, HOWEVER, DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
ENTER MEETING ID OF 8 2 2 9 6 7 2 6 2 4 2, AND A PASSCODE OF 3 8 6 9 2 9.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACTS AT THIS MEETING.
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S STAFF WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS HOURS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I DO HAVE SOME GUESTS, AND MAY I GET ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS TO COME FORWARD AND THEY'LL ALL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, RIGHT.
QUICKLY, JUST GIVE ONE STUDENT, COME RIGHT ON.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO STAND RIGHT THERE, YOUNG MAN.
AND WHEN IT'S TIME TO, TO DO THE LEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, YOU'RE GONNA LEAD THE GROUP.
SINCE YOU ALL ARE HERE, I WANT TO UTILIZE YOUR TALENTS.
SO WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WE'LL TELL YOU AND YOU'LL START US OFF.
OKAY? NOW, WOULD YOU ALL STAND, PLEASE? COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW? WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS OFF OF THE IMPLICATION? THANK YOU.
MAYOR, WOULD YOU STAND WITH ME? OH, OH.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO DO BUSINESS, TO CONDUCT BUSINESS FOR THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BLESS EVERYONE, BLESS THE STAFF, BLESS THESE STUDENTS.
CONTINUE WATCHING OVER THIS GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
WE'D ALL LET TO KNOW THAT LAST DAY THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON YOU AND YOUR SERVICE.
WE ASK ALL THESE BLESSINGS IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME, I PRAY, AND WE PRAY.
I PLEAD ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FOR, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION ON THE GOD, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE, PRO JUSTICE FOR.
WOULD YOU KINDLY STATE YOUR NAME AND THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE FROM? MY NAME IS ALEXANDER GONZALEZ, AND I ATTEND THE COA ACADEMY OF FACILITATIVE STUDIES.
NOW, CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR US, PLEASE? MAYOR BARTEE PRESENT.
WE WILL NOW HAVE PROCLAMATIONS, CITY SECRETARY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY BEFORE ME THAT.
[III.A.(1) Executive Director Tammy Kotzur Of The Port Arthur Convention And Visitors Bureau Regarding The Cajun Capital Party]
WE'LL NOW MOVE, UH, TO SPEAKERS.OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TAMMY COUTURE, UH, OF THE PORT ARTHUR CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU REGARDING THE CAJUN CAPITAL, WHICH IS PORT ARTHUR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IS THIS ON? UH, I JUST WANTED TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS AWARE.
NEXT THURSDAY THE 21ST, WE WILL BE DOING A CAJUN CAPITAL OF TEXAS OFFICIAL RECOGNITION PARTY.
IT WILL BE AT THE MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST.
YOU HAVE FLYERS IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I DO HAVE FLYERS IN THE BACK.
AND, UH, REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTIAN MANUEL AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SENATOR CREIGHTON'S OFFICE WILL BE JOINING US AS THEY OFFICIALLY GIVE US THE DESIGNATION OF CAJUN CAPITAL OF TEXAS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WE DID LEARN ABOUT IT IN JULY, BUT WE NEEDED A LITTLE TO, WE, WE LEARNED ABOUT IT RIGHT THEN IN JULY.
SO THIS IS OUR OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF IT.
WE HAVE STARTED MARKETING WITH IT ALREADY, BUT I DID WANNA THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE IT WAS THE CITY COUNCIL THAT PAVED THE
[00:05:01]
WAY.IT IS THE CITY THAT BECAME THE CAJUN CAPITAL, AND IT HAD TO START WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WE ALSO DID HAVE HELP FROM THE CHAMBER, THE, UH, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR LAMAR, AND SOME LOCAL, UH, CAJUN RESIDENTS, ESTHER BENOIT AND SO ON.
UM, AND OF COURSE, WE'RE SO PLEASED THAT OUR, UH, STATE REPRE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR WERE ABLE TO CARRY THE LEGISLATION.
I CERTAINLY SAY IT WAS A LEARNING CURVE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN THAT INVOLVED, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REPRESENT THE CITY AT THE HEARINGS, THE SENATE, AND THE HOUSE HEARINGS.
UM, IT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE THE CAJUN CAPITAL AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO ALL JOIN US FROM FOUR TO SIX NEXT THURSDAY AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS.
AND COUNCIL, SO WE HAVE THE INVITATION AND CITY SECRETARY, I DON'T KNOW IF EVER NEED TO BE POSTED.
IF WE ARE ALL AT WOULD, WOULD YOU PLEASE HANDLE ALL OF THAT FOR US AND WE CAN ALL ATTEND? OKAY, THANK YOU KINDLY.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Staff Regarding Street Completion By Districts And Future Street Projects (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw)]
NOW WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY STAFF REGARDING STREET COMPLETIONS BY DISTRICTS AND FUTURE STREET PROJECTS, AS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
AND OKAY, WE HAVE MS. ROBERTS COMING FORWARD.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TOME, UH, PRESENTED, UH, GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE STREETS, PROJECTS, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE, OR THE STREETS THAT WERE COMPLETED IN BY INTERNAL STAFF, UH, BACK ON AUGUST 1ST.
UH, THERE WERE A FEW DISCREPANCIES DURING THAT PRESENTATION, AND SO COUNCILMAN KINLAW ASKED ME TO COME BACK AND TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL.
SO, UH, THEREFORE YOU WON'T SEE ANY PHOTOS OR ANY GRAPHS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I'M JUST PROVIDING THAT UPDATED INFORMATION, UM, THAT THE PHOTOS, GRAPHS, THOSE WERE PROVIDED BOTH ON, UH, AUGUST, UH, FIRST AND APRIL 11TH OF THIS YEAR.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE I'LL GO TO, UH, IS THE SLIDES, THE SLIDE LISTING ALL OF THE STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR DISTRICT ONE, POSITION FIVE.
UH, SO THAT TOTAL THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN EXPENDED IS $454,000.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE THE FOURTH SLIDE, IT GIVES YOU A, UH, UH, THE NUMBER OF STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, EXCUSE ME, UH, FOR DISTRICT ONE, POSITION FIVE.
SO THAT TOTAL, UM, SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE STREETS PROGRAM THAT INTERNAL INTERNAL CREWS HAVE BEEN COMPLETE, HAVE COMPLETED IS 29.
MOVING ALONG TO DISTRICT TWO, POSITION FIVE.
UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 22 STREETS FOR A TOTAL OF $322,625 AND 46 CENTS.
DISTRICT THREE, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS OF CONCERN TO COUNCILMAN KINLAW.
UH, WE'VE COMPLETED, UH, JUST UNDER $150,000 WORTH, UH, UH, WHICH TOTALED 10 STREETS.
MAJORITY OF THE STREETS WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT ARE WITHIN DISTRICT THREE OR CONCRETE STREETS, AND THOSE ARE DONE BY CONTRACTORS AND DISTRICT FOUR, POSITION SIX.
UM, THE TOTAL THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THUS FOR, UH, $1,081,683 AND 73 CENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 42 STREETS, UH, IN DISTRICT FOUR.
SO I'LL MOVE ON TO THE STREETS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS.
SO IN DISTRICT ONE, THERE ARE THREE STREETS THAT ARE IN PRO PROCESS, EXCUSE ME, ONE IN DISTRICT TWO.
THERE ARE TWO IN DISTRICT THREE, FIVE, UH, SIX IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, THE TOTAL FOR EACH DISTRICT, UH, IS LISTED THERE, UH, ON, ON YOUR SCREEN FOR EACH DISTRICT, UH, SO FAR WE'VE EXPENDED 189,000.
AGAIN, THESE ARE STREETS THAT ARE IN PROCESS OF BEING COMPLETED.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, HAVE NOT COMPLETED THESE.
[00:10:05]
AND THEN FINALLY, THESE ARE THE NEXT FEW STREETS, UH, THAT WE HAVE ONLINE, UH, TO BE COMPLETED, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, BRING UP THE NEXT ROUND OF STREETS TO YOU, PRESENT THE NEXT ROUND OF STREETS TO YOU, UH, TO BE COMPLETED.SO, UH, FOUR, UH, TWO IN DISTRICT ONE WEST SIXTH STREET AND GRANNIS AVENUE, ONE IN DISTRICT THREE 12TH STREET, AND ONE IN DISTRICT FOUR SALISBURY DRIVE.
SO THE LAST SLIDE WILL GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, WHAT IS IN PROGRESS, AND WHAT IS WHAT IS FORTHCOMING.
SO IN TOTAL, WE HAVE 119 STREETS THAT EITHER HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN PROGRESS OR ARE ARE ARE UPCOMING.
THOUGH THE NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED SO FAR IS 116, 106, EXCUSE ME, 16 ARE IN PROGRESS.
THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A BRIEFING THAT YOU REFERRED TO, UH, DR.
TOME IN REFERENCE TO STREETS, UH, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT WE HAD NEW BOUNDARIES, NEW DISTRICT.
STREETS THAT WERE IN ONE DISTRICT IS NO LONGER IN THAT DISTRICT.
WE MENTIONED AT THAT TIME THAT THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED.
AND WE ASKED AT THAT TIME TO GET THAT LIST STRAIGHT AND IT'S STILL NOT STRAIGHT.
SO WHAT ERRORS ARE YOU SEEING? PARDON ME? WHAT ERRORS ARE YOU SEEING? I'M, I'M SORRY.
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU.
HOW ABOUT NOW? IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
YOU HAVE STREETS AND FOUR MM-HMM.
AND IT'S PROBABLY THAT WAY IN ALL FOUR DISTRICTS BECAUSE THIS LIST IS THE SAME LIST THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BEFORE THE, THE LINES CHANGED.
AND WHEN THE LINES CHANGED, THE LIST WASN'T CHANGED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU ALL ATTENTION.
WHEN YOU GAVE US THE BRIEFING.
SO WE BASICALLY GOT THE SAME INFORMATION WITH THE SAME LIST AGAIN, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
WELL, DID YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THEM? 'CAUSE IT THERE'S QUITE A FEW.
WELL, THE LIST IS NOT STRAIGHT.
IT NEEDS TO BE THE STREETS THAT IDENTIFIED NEED TO BE PLACED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS BASED ON THE NEW LINES THAT WERE DRAWN WHEN THE DISTRICT CAME UP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CORRECTION.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
BUT ONLY, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE IS AB ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
UH, I DO SEE SOME STREETS THAT MAY BE STILL IN, UM, UM, OTHER DISTRICTS.
UM, MY CONCERN THAT, UH, WHEN I ASKED THIS TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, IN HOPES TO KEEPING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED THAT THIS CITY IS DOING, UH, WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO WITH THE STREETS, UH, THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.
UH, I DO THINK THAT SOME HOUSEKEEPING, UH, ROOST THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO ATTEND TO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN DISTRICT THREE AT THE TIME IS ONLY HAS 10 STREETS, AND THEN FOUR HAS 42, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE WITH A TOTAL OF 29 MM-HMM.
AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT WHEN HE STATED THAT, UH, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AND WHEN WE HAVE TO GET OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT FUNDING MM-HMM.
SO ONE THING I DON'T SEE IN HERE IS PERCENTAGE BY DISTRICTS.
UH, ONCE YOU GET THE CLARIFICATION ON THE, THE RE THE, THE RENEWED LINES THAT WE HAVE, THE DISTRICT LINES, AND EVEN IF THOSE STREETS ARE IN ANOTHER DISTRICT, THOSE THAT OTHER DISTRICT'S GONNA GET ACCOUNT FOR THE PERCENTAGE
[00:15:01]
OF COMPLETION OF THE STREET.AND THIS IS WHY IT'S SO PARAMOUNT, I WOULD HOPE, AND, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THIS WITH, UH, CITY, CITY MANAGER ON A A QUARTER BASIS, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR THAT YOU COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND, AND PRESENT THIS, BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANNA SEE THE, THE FUNDING SOURCE, THEY WANNA SEE THE LOCATION, AND THEY WANNA SEE TIMELINE.
THAT'S ALL THE, THE CITIZENS WANNA SEE WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT GETTING THEIR STREETS.
WHERE AM I ON THE LIST? YOU KNOW, WILL MY STREET GET FIXED THIS TIME? THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS.
SO, UH, IF YOU CAN, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THIS, REAL SIMPLE, 15 MINUTES, 20 MINUTES, SAY, HEY, WE ARE ON, WE THROUGH IT, 600 BLOCK OR SEVENTH STREET, WE'RE MOVING ON TO, UH, JIMMY JOHNSON AND NINTH AVENUE.
UM, THE TIMEFRAME IS THIS, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF ANSWERS THAT THE CITIZENS THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, BECAUSE WE CAN GO OUT AND TELL OUR CITIZENS, SAY, HEY GUYS, YOU'RE ON THE LIST.
THE ANTICIPATED TIMEFRAME IS THIS.
AND, BUT WE NEED THIS INFORMATION THAT'S PUBLICLY KNOWN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HIDING ANYTHING.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET TO YOUR STREET.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF STREETS, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO GET STREETS DONE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
LET ME JUST ASK A, A QUESTION THAT'S KIND OF GENERAL.
SO HOW ARE, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE FIXING STREETS, AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF THAT, BUT WHAT IS THE PROGRAM LIKE? CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT TO US? THE PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THE QUICK PATCHING OF STREETS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME STREETS THAT HAVE POTHOLES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UM, DOING SOME DETRIMENT TO TIRES AND CARS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS HOW DO, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? DO YOU WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO CALL YOU? ARE THERE CREWS THAT ARE GOING OUT LOOKING FOR THOSE DURING THE DAY? EXPLAIN TO US AND TO OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE? IT ACTUALLY ENTAILS BOTH, UH, SO BOTH CITIZENS CALLING, UH, AND REPORTING POTHOLES.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CREW, UM, THAT'LL RIDE AROUND AND WE'LL IDENTIFY POTHOLES AND WE'LL ADDRESS THEM AS THEY ARE MOVING ABOUT.
UM, I KNOW AS I'M MOVING ABOUT, I'LL, I'LL CALL IN AND SAY, HEY, UH, I SEE A POTHOLE IN THIS AREA.
I NEED YOU ALL TO, TO DO A WORK ORDER AND TO ADDRESS THIS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A CULMINATION OF, OF ALL OF THAT.
AND SO EVEN AS CITIZENS ARE WATCHING THIS, UH, PRESENTATION ON THE DAY, AND THEY'RE WATCHING US, I WANT TO SAY TO THEM, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN SAY TO THEM, JUST SIMPLY CALL.
IF THERE'S AN AREA ON YOUR STREET OR THAT YOU COME ACROSS, SIMPLY MAKE THAT CALL TO US SO THAT WE CAN GET IT, YOU KNOW, UH, PATCHED UNTIL WE GET TO THE PROCESS OF DOING A A, A TOTAL FIX ON THE STREET.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP, UH, IN MANY REGARDS.
CAN I SAY YES, PLEASE? THERE THERE ARE TWO WAYS THEY, THAT THEY CAN REPORT IT.
UH, THERE'S A FORM ONLINE THAT THEY CAN USE TO REPORT IT, AND THEY CAN ALSO CALL THE OFFICE, WHICH IS NINE EIGHT THREE EIGHT FIVE ONE ONE.
SO THERE'S A FORM ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
AND THE NUMBER AGAIN? 9 8 3 8 5 1 1 9 8 3 8 5 1 1.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YEAH, JUST ONE QUESTION.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE POTHOLE.
UH, AT ONE TIME, I, I THOUGHT WE'D DOING THAT BY AREAS, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU, YOU HAD AN AREA AND THEN IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MAJOR, THEN Y'ALL WOULD GO AND TAKE CARE OF THAT IF IT BECAME UNSAFE.
SO WE JUST, WE ARE JUST GOING BY CALLS NOW? NOT SOLELY, NO, SIR.
WELL, I'M JUST ASKING WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? UM, AS I STATED, WE ARE, WE ARE USING CALLS.
WE ARE IDENTIFYING THEM OURSELVES, OUR STAFF AS THEY, UH, WILL GO OUT AND IDENTIFY THEM, INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT, ME, UM, AND OUR ACTUAL POTHOLE CREW.
WE'LL GO OUT AND IDENTIFY POTHOLES AND WE'LL REPAIR THEM AS THEY'RE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE'RE NOT SOLELY RELAY RELYING ON CITIZENS TO CALL IN AND REPORT THEM.
BUT THE QUESTION WAS, ARE WE STILL WORKING LIKE THIS PART OF THE TOWN AND THEN THEY MOVE FROM THIS PART TO THAT PART UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS EGREGIOUS? YES, SIR.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I NEED TO GET WITH YOU ON DISTRICT GOING TO SEE WHAT'S THE STATUS OF SOME OF THE OTHER STREETS.
[00:20:01]
AVENUE, FOR EXAMPLE, LI LIBERTY ON LIBERTY AVENUE ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO 19TH STREET, THEY GOT EVERY PATCH ON.THE ONLY PATCH IT DOESN'T HAVE IS A OKRA PATCH.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY DONE PATCH AND PATCH AND PATCH AND, UH, REWORKING.
I SEE Y'ALL DOING SOME REWORK ON, ON PROCTOR 3,800 BLOCK, I BELIEVE 38 OR 3,900 BLOCK.
WELL, THEY, THEY PATCHED IT, BUT THEN IT HAD A, A, A DIP THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL, YOU ALL ARE REWORKING THAT.
AND ALSO, THE 3,500 BLOCK HAS A, A DIP, UH, 3,500 BLOCK OF PROCTOR AS WELL.
3,800 BLOCK OF PROCTER AND 3,500 BLOCK OF PROCTOR.
BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IF, IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HIT THAT, THAT THAT SUMP, THAT'S UNLEVEL AND, UH, THEY GONNA LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I NEED TO GET WITH YOU AND GO OVER SOME OF THESE HERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR REMARKS FOR MS. UH ROBERTS? OKAY.
ON ANY, THANK YOU MS. ROBERTS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON THIS MORNING.
UH, NEXT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, WE HAVE ONE CORRESPONDENCE THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE US VERY LONG.
UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY PRESENTATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES, UH, A COMMUNICATION
[III.D.(1) Communication Regarding The Appointment Of Floyd Batiste To The Economic Development Corporation Board (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
REGARD, AN APPOINTMENT OF, UH, FLOYD BATISTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.I THINK AS A STATEMENT YOU WANTED TO READ INTO THE RECORDS.
GIVE YOU, UH, PROCEED, PLEASE.
I COUNCILMAN WILLIE LEWIS, APPOINTING FLOYD TO THE E D C BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO BE READ INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD AS A COMMUNICATION OR CORRESPONDENCE.
THIS REQUIRES NO VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRESPONDENCE.
UH, IT IS NOW 9 58, AND WE ARE TO BEGIN A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AT, UH, 10:00 AM UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYBE WE BEGIN A MINUTE EARLY, OR WE NEED TO WAIT RIGHT UNTIL OKAY.
RIGHT UNTIL, UNTIL THAT MOMENT.
UH, THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM HERE, UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW, UH, A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT IN THE TWO MINUTES DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY TURNING OFF WATER WITHOUT, UH, NOTIFICATIONS NOTIFYING CITIZENS, UH, REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
UH, AND THERE'S, WELL, ANOTHER ITEM HERE, AND WE HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES, AGAIN, A DISCUSSION REGARDING, UH, DISCOUNTED WATER AND SEWER SEWAGE BILLS TO SENIOR CITIZENS, UH, REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT MAKE 10 O'CLOCK.
YEAH, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE 10 O'CLOCK.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE 10 O'CLOCK.
AND WHAT WE WILL BEGIN, UH, IN ONE MINUTE, WE'LL ACTUALLY BEGIN THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
AND BY LAW, IT HAS TO BEGIN AT THAT TIME.
AND ACCORDING TO MY KILOMETER AND THE KILOMETER AGAINST THE WALL, 10:00 AM SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN A FEW SECONDS.
AND AT THAT TIME, I WILL BEGIN READING THE CAPTION.
[IV. (1) A Public Hearing To Consider Whether Or Not Public Convenience And Necessity Require The Operation In The City Of The Proposed Wrecker Company And To Authorize The Chief Of Police To Issue A Wrecker Permit For The Following Named Business: Apex Towing & Recovery Ryan Kuckenbecker, Owner/Operator 6810 Gulfway Drive Port Arthur, TX 77642]
IT IS NOW 10:00 AM WE WILL BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING.IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSARY, UH, AND NECESSITY REQUIRE THE OPERATION, UH, IN THE CITY OF THE PROPOSED RECORD COMPANY, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO ISSUE A RECORD PERMIT FOR THE FOLLOWING NAMED BUSINESS APEX TOWING AND RECOVERY.
RYAN, UH, UCK AND BECKER, UH, THE OWNER AND OPERATOR AT 68 10 GULF WAY DRIVE, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR 7 7 6 4 2.
AND I BELIEVE WE ARE READY TO BEGIN.
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
LIEUTENANT SEGLER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[00:25:01]
THE WRECKER SERVICES, UH, FOR CHIEF DSO.UH, RYAN KUCK BECKER IS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF APEX TOWING AND RECOVERY.
HE'S BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS, AND IS CURRENTLY LICENSED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSE AND REGULATION FOR WRECKER OPERATION.
HE'S APPLYING FOR A BUSINESS PERMIT, AND HIS INTENT IS TO BE ADDED TO THE NON PREFERENCE ROTATION SYSTEM.
UH, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 15 WRECKER COMPANIES ON THE NON PREFERENCE ROTATION LIST WITH A MAXIMUM 17, WHICH ARE ALLOWED BY ORDINANCE PER SECTION ONE 14 DASH 1 3 3 CODE ORDINANCES.
ALL INSPECTIONS OF HIS VEHICLE AND HIS FACILITY, UH, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
HE HAS COMPLIED WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? ANY COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS IN THE GALLERY? ANY COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS? OKAY.
UH, MAYOR, UH, LIEUTENANT, UH, HAVE THIS, UH, COMPANY BEEN WITH PORT ARTHUR BEFORE? HAS HE EVER BEEN UTILIZING WITH PORT ARTHUR BEFORE? NO, SIR.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HE HAS BEEN, UH, BASED OUT OF ORANGE.
ORIGINALLY, AND HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE MID-SOUTH COUNTY AREAS, JUST NOT WITHIN THE CITY.
UH, HOW MANY, UH, PERMIT PER PERMITTED RECORDS DO WE HAVE? WE CURRENTLY HAVE 15.
WHAT ABOUT THE ROTATION LIST? THAT THE 1717? YES, SIR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILLOR FRANK, CITY MANAGER? AS I WAS PERUSING THIS, THIS ITEM, IT, IT OCCURRED TO ME, I TRIED TO CALL YOU BECAUSE I WANTED TO GET THIS INFORMATION BEFORE COUNSEL, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO, TO TOUCH BASES WITH YOU.
WHAT IS IT THAT NECESSITATES, UM, THIS HEARING? IS IT, UM, IS IT BY LAW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? WHAT IS IT THAT NECESSITATES THAT WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR RECORDS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY? AND I JUST WANT TO BE APPRISED OF THAT.
UM, I, I JUST HEARD THAT WE HAVE A LIMIT OF 17, BUT I'M, I'M ASKING WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR RECORDS, UM, AND NOT OTHER BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE IN THE, IN THE CITY.
WHAT IS IT THAT NECESSITY? WHAT IS IT ABOUT RECORD SERVICES THAT NECESSITATES THIS HEARING AND ALL THAT HAPPENS AND TRANSPIRES WITH THAT? I'M NOT APPRISED OF IT.
AND PERHAPS I TRIED TO GET THE INFORMATION, BUT I DIDN'T.
BUT I WANTED TO BE, UM, BE MADE AWARE OF THAT.
RIGHT NOW, I, I, I WOULD YIELD TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, I'M ALMOST SURE THAT THERE'S A REQUIREMENT BY ORDINANCE AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, COUNCILMAN, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ORDINANCE ONE 14 DASH 1 33 REQUIRES THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD TO APPROVE A COMPANY THAT LISTS, THAT WANTS TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF EVIDENCE.
ORDINANCE, CODE OF ORDINANCE PRESS SECTION ONE 14 DASH 1 33.
I REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE REASON WHY PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED.
SO IT'S A CITY ORDINANCE OR A STATE ORDINANCE.
I MEAN, IT APPEARS TO BE A, IT APPEARS TO BE A CITY ORDINANCE.
UH, QUICK, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS? YES.
WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR TAXI CABS TOO.
PERMITS NOT ONLY JUST RECORD, WE HAVE TAXI CABS ALSO.
WELL, I, I, AGAIN, I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE APPRISED OF THAT.
WHAT, WHY YOU, YOU HAVE LONGSTANDING HISTORY ON THIS COUNCIL, AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WOULD AN ORDINANCE DO THAT FOR, FOR RECORD SERVICES, BUT NOT FOR RESTAURANTS, FOR OTHER BUSINESSES.
IT'S A BUSINESS OPERATING IN THE CITY.
WHY, WHY IS A LIMIT PLACED ON, ON THAT IN A, IN A, YOU KNOW, IN A STATE WHERE FREE ENTERPRISE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, IS OUR CORE VALUE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE THAT FOUR RECORDS AND WHAT APP PRIZES.
WHY, WHY A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
MAY I ANSWER THAT QUESTION? OKAY.
COUNCILMAN, I MEAN, UH, CITY MANAGER.
UM, I, SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, FOR OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE RESTAURANTS, THOSE ARE GOVERNED BY THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THE ZONING ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY STATES WHERE, AND WHAT, UM, YOU, YOU CAN WEAR AND WHEN AND, AND HOW YOU CAN ESTABLISH A BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, SO THERE ARE CERTAIN CRITERIA, UH, TO THE VERY MINUTE DETAIL OF SETBACKS, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THEY SHOULD OPERATE, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY SHOULD DISPOSE OF THEIR WASTE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OILS AND FATS AND GREASES,
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY, VERY MUCH DETAILED, UM, IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.AND THAT IS BEING GOVERNED AND TO SOME VERY GREAT EXTENT.
THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS AND ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO UNDERTAKE THOSE.
JUST LIKE THE ZONING ORDINANCE, JUST LIKE THE REC ORDINANCE, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH THAT'S NOT UNDER THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THE ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, PRETTY MUCH TAKES YEARS OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT OPERATES WITHIN THE CITY AND SETS THE STANDARDS FOR THEM.
IS THAT GOOD COUNCIL? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, ANY ATTORNEY, YOU ADD SOMETHING ALSO IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID.
IT'S UP TO THE CITY TO DETERMINE IF THEY EVEN WANT TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF SERVICE.
THE LAW ALLOWS A CITY TO DETERMINE A LITTLE BIT EVEN MORE IF THEY EVEN WANT TO HAVE IT.
YOU CAN'T PREVENT, LIKE A RESTAURANT FROM OPENING.
THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
BUT SOMETHING LIKE THE NUMBER OF WRECK, THE NUMBER OF TAXI CABS, WHETHER YOU WANT UBER, THAT THING, THEY DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO NECESSARILY COME INTO YOUR CITY.
AND THAT DECISION ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO IT IS UP TO THE COUNCIL, UP TO THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT A CAP ON HOW MANY WE HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU HAVE THE MORE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THAT IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE MANAGER SAID.
COUNCILMAN MCKINLEY? THANK YOU.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, UH, UH, ALSO, WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE, LIEUTENANT, UH, 15 OUTTA 17, THIS PERSON WOULD BE NUMBER 15.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE ROTATION LIST.
HE WOULD BE NUMBER, HE WOULD BE NUMBER 16, SIR.
AND HOW THE ATTORNEY ALSO BROUGHT UP SOMETHING A GREAT POINT.
NOW WE GOT THIS ROTATION LIST THAT WE UTILIZE THAT YOU CAN DO BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LIMITS, UM, AND GIVING INFORMATION, UH, CITY ORDINANCE ONE 14 DASH 1 33 ON WHY AND HOW, SO HOW CAN, UH, ONE DO YOU GIVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY ORDINANCE TO EVERY, UH, RECORD TRUCK SERVICE THAT'S IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? SO THEY KNOW, HEY, THIS IS HOW WE DO BUSINESS IN OUR CITY.
UH, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLY BY.
DO YOU GIVE THAT TO EVERY, UH, RECORD, RECORD TRUCK, THESE 16? IT, IT IS PROVIDED WHENEVER THEY MAKE THE APPLICATION.
SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE WALKING INTO AND WHAT, WHAT RULES AND REGULATIONS WE DEMAND.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I AM AVAILABLE FOR THEIR TO BE ASKED.
SO YES, EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
WHETHER THEY ACTUALLY MAINTAIN A COPY OF IT OR NOT.
WE HAD AN ISSUE A YEAR OR SO AGO.
IN REGARDS TO THE OTHER, SO YES, WHENEVER IT WAS ADJUSTED AND MODIFIED, A NEW COPY WAS SENT TO ALL OF THE RECORD SERVICES.
AND THAT'S WHAT CREATED THE TURMOIL.
THANK YOU FOR WALKING THE DOG FOR ME, UH, UH, LIEUTENANT, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
I WANTED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY BY AT THIS POINT.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE ENFORCERS OF THAT, THAT ORDINANCE BEING A, A LIEUTENANT WITH THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, HE'S WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION OR TALK TO ANY RECORD SERVICE OFFLINE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS KNOW ABOUT RECORD SERVICES AND TOLL SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
FOR THE 16 THAT WE HAVE, HOW ARE THEY BEING MANAGED TO CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCES? WE'VE ALL RECEIVED SEVERAL, UM, PHONE CALLS, EMAILS BEING SENT, PICTURES SHOWING THAT SOME OF THESE RECORDS ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
HOW IS THAT BEING ENFORCED? WE, WE HAD AN ISSUE IN, IN THE SPRING, UH, IT WAS ADDRESSED.
CITATION WAS ISSUED AND FORWARDED TO MUNICIPAL COURT.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE HAD TO BE A COMPLAINT THAT WAS COMPLETED BY THE CITY PROSECUTOR IN ORDER TO GO FORTH AND SET IT FOR TRIAL.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING, UH, THE COMPLAINT TO BE COMPLETED SO WE CAN PROCEED FORWARD.
I, I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I'M TALKING ABOUT MESSAGES FROM LIKE LAST WEEK, MADAM COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE ARE DEVIATING FROM THE, THE AGENDA IN THAT RESPECT, THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDER.
SO HOW CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THEY FOLLOW THROUGH AND HELD TO THE ORDINANCE? WE CAN SCHEDULE THE FILE ITEM ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
[00:35:02]
OKAY.I WANT TO GO BACK TO COUNCILMAN FRANK'S QUESTION.
UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TAKES THE APPLICATION, VERIFY THAT THE PERSON MEETS ALL OF THE CITY REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO OPERATE WITHIN OUR CITY.
THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS THAT IT IS THE DECISION OF THE GOVERNING BODY, THE COUNCIL, TO ALLOW THE PERMIT OR NOT ALLOW THE PERMIT.
SO, BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK PROPOSED.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A PUBLIC HEARING? YES, WE HAVE IT IN THERE, BUT IF WE GET TO A POINT LIKE WE ARE NOW, WHERE WE DISCUSSING IT, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT? BECAUSE WE, THE ONES GONNA MAKE THE DECISION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S QUALIFIED AND THE APPLICATION MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEY RECOMMENDING THAT WE APPROVE THE PERMIT BECAUSE THE P THE PERSON MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
SO WHY DO WE DO A PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AND ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED PRIOR TO.
IT IS A, IT IS A OPPORTUNITY FROM YOU TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT FOR THE COUNCIL.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE CITIZENS ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS BEING DONE.
AND SO THIS IS FOR YOU TO GET THAT RESPONSE FROM THE CITIZENS, AND THEN YOU UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION IN WEIGHING WHETHER YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
BUT THE, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT FOR THE COUNCIL.
IT'S FOR THE CITIZENS TO GIVE YOU THEIR VIEWS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A BUSINESS TO OPERATE, SO LET ME, LET ME GET THIS CORRECT 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO ASK YOU.
IF SERGEANT ZIEGLER COMES TO US AND SAYS, THIS PERSON HAS APPLIED FOR AN APPLICATION TO OPERATE A RECORD SERVICE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE PORT ARTHUR.
THIS PERSON MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS I'VE WENT THROUGH AND VERIFY.
I QUESTION HIM AND CITIZENS COME BEFORE US AND SAID, WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER RECORD SERVICE.
SO DOES THE COUNCIL DENY YOU DON'T HAVE TO DENY IT.
YOU JUST GET GATHERING THAT INFORMATION TO GET A PULSE ON HOW THE CITIZENS MAY FEEL ABOUT IT.
THEY JUST, UH, ASSIST YOU IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
I UNDERSTOOD, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN FRANK ASKED A QUESTION AND I HEARD A LOT OF ANSWERS, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T HEAR AN ANSWER THAT REALLY JUSTIFIED IT.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I ASKED.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, CITY ATTORNEY IN THE ORDERS FOR RECORDS AND TAXI CABS.
THERE USED TO BE THE REASON WE WAS HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS.
IT WAS BE, IT WAS GOING BEYOND A LI A CERTAIN LIMIT.
I REALLY DON'T SEE WHAT THAT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
BUT IN THOSE ORDINANCE, IS THE NEED AND NECESSITY, IS IT STILL A PART OF THAT ORDINANCE? I BELIEVE SO.
AND YOU COULD, AND IF WE GONNA GO BEYOND 17, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE TIME WE NEED A, A, A PUBLIC HEARING OR SOMETHING.
WE ALREADY GOT A CAP 17, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WELL, COUNCILMAN BAPTISTE, I MEAN, UH, BAPTISTE
WE DON'T NEED TO, WE DON'T NEED A PUBLIC HEARING AS LONG AS WE ARE BELOW THE SEP BELOW THE CAP.
NOW, IF WE'RE GONNA EXCEED THE CAP, NEED AND NECESSITY WILL KICK IN.
I GOT TWO OF Y'ALL AGREEING WITH ME, HUH? EVERYTHING UNDER VEHICLES FOR HIRE, BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I GUESS CITIZENS ARE, UH, LIVES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT OR THEIR SAFETY, THEN THAT'S WHY IT SAYS EVERYTHING UNDER ONE 14 REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT'S AMBULANCES, THAT'S, UH, TAXI CABS, ALL OF THAT, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT THAT'S IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.
WE CAN ALWAYS ADDRESS THAT AT ANOTHER TIME.
BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST SO YOU CAN HEAR WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY.
'CAUSE THEIR LIVES MAY BE INVOLVED.
BUT, UM, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE REASON BEHIND
[00:40:01]
IT.UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE, UH, GALLERY? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT, FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
OUR PUBLIC HEARING WILL NOW BE CONCLUDED.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TERMINATE, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM SECOND.
REMOVE THE SECOND THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT BEGAN 16 MINUTES AGO, UH, PER THE CAPTION THAT I READ AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES A ORDERED THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS NOW CONCLUDED.
WE'LL NOW MOVE BACK TO THE NORMAL FLOW OF THE AGENDA.
[III.E (1) A Discussion Regarding The City Turning Off Water Without Notifying Citizens (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
A, UM, D CORRESPONDENCE.NOW, UH, NUMBER ONE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY TURNING OFF WATER WITHOUT NOTIFYING CITIZENS, UH, AS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES, MAYOR.
I, I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME I WAS IN COUNCIL AND, AND JUST THIS SHORT TIME, AND WE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH WATER RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S CONSTANTLY BEING ADDRESSED WITH THE LEAKS THAT PIPE BURSTING.
BUT WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF CALLS.
SOME OF THE CALLS ARE ALWAYS REFERRING TO, THEY TURNED THE WATER OFF AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME I WAS DOING THIS.
AND, UH, I TALKED WITH THE MR. MATTHEWS WITH THE, UM, WALL UTILITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE, HE, HE EXPLAINED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THEY GET TO A SCENE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE LEAK IS SO BIG, LIKE, LIKE WITH A MAIN, THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET IT OFF REAL QUICK.
BUT IF IT'S NOT THAT TYPE OF LEAKING, YOU'RE TURNING IT OFF.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE, THE PROCESS? SO BASICALLY WHAT I GET EXPLAINED, AND IT'S ALWAYS EXPLAINED TO ME, IS THAT WE, UH, NOTIFY THE PEOPLE AND WE TURN THE WATER OFF.
BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN SOME CASES.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN SOME CASES BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE JUST MAKING THE PHONE CALLS.
SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY THEY DIDN'T GET THE CALL, BUT MAYBE THEY DID OR DIDN'T.
SO I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT THE BLANK.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT POLICY OR WHAT PROCEDURE WE HAVE THAT IF IT WASN'T DONE, THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE WAS THE PROBLEM? FOR AN EXAMPLE, THE PERSON TURNING THE WATER OFF, DO THEY KNOW THE PERSON'S NAME? DID THE PERSON HAVE ANY TYPE DOCUMENTATION? SAID, I TURNED THIS WATER OFF AT THIS LOCATION AT THIS TIME.
I NOTIFIED BLACKBOARD CONNECT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THAT PERSON FOR WATER UTILITIES COULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO.
RIGHT? AND SEND IT TO BLACKBOARD CONNECT.
AND FOR SOME REASON, WHEN THE DOMESTIC OUT THERE, THE PERSON THERE RECEIVING IT HAD TO DO SOMETHING, OR THEY SENT IT OUT 10, 15 MINUTES LATER.
BUT THE PROBLEM CAN BE IDENTIFIED IF YOU GOT A PROCESS.
SO THAT MEANS WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH WATER, SINCE WE HAVING ALL THESE COMPLAINTS, WHOEVER TURNED IT OFF SHOULD HAVE SOME TIME OF DOCUMENTATION SAYING, I TURNED IT OFF AT THIS TIME.
AT THIS TIME, BLACK BOY CONNECT.
OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, I RECEIVED THE CALL AT THIS TIME AND I SENT IT OUT AT THIS TIME.
SO NOW WE KNOW OUR SYSTEM IS WORKING.
WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE SAYING.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING WE REALLY HAVE IS SOMEBODY SAID, SOMEBODY TOLD ME AM AM I CORRECT? THE CURRENT PROCEDURE IS THE PERSON TURNING OFF CALLS THE DISPATCHER, WHICH IS THE SAME NUMBER THAT THE CITIZENS CALL AND THE DISPATCHER IS THE ONE THAT PUTS THE SYSTEM INTO BLACKBOARD CONNECT.
UH, TWO THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN.
ONE, BLACKBOARD CONNECT HAS TO BE OPERATING.
IT'S BEEN DOWN A LITTLE BIT HERE RECENTLY, AND PEOPLE NEED TO REGISTER@DSTAND.COM.
'CAUSE IF THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED, THEY DON'T GET THE NOTICE.
[00:45:01]
THE CHERYL GIBBS PUTS IT ON THE WEBSITE.MATTER OF FACT, WHILE WE WERE SETTING HERE, A NOTICE CAME UP ON THE WEBSITE SAYING THAT THERE WAS AN AREA THAT WAS GONNA BE SHUT OFF.
UH, SO THE, THE PERSON THAT WOULD LOG ALL THIS IS THE DISPATCHER, AND SHE WOULD KNOW WHO, WHO CALLED AND THAT IT WAS PUT UP.
IT, IF THIS WHITEBOARD CONNECT IS DOWN, IT, UH, THEN GOES TO THE WEBSITE, WHICH I GET AN EMAIL.
TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO ALL CHERYL'S EMAILS GO TO.
SO THAT'S THE CURRENT PROCEDURE.
WELL, CALVIN, YOU, YOU EXPLAIN IT THE SAME WAY I EXPLAINED IT.
AND IF BLACK BOY CONNECTED DOWN, THEN I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I'M QUITE SURE WE CAN WE GO TO OUR ALTERNATES, THE WEBSITE AND ALL THE OTHER GOOD STUFF.
YOU KNOW, I GET IT OVER ON MY PHONE TOO, BUT WHAT I SAID WAS, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME THE PERSON TURNED IT OFF? IS IT RECORDED THROUGH THE DISPATCHER? I CAN VERIFY EXACTLY WHAT'S WRITTEN DOWN BY THE DISPATCHER.
IT, IT'S WRITTEN DOWN BY HAND AND THEN ULTIMATELY PUT INTO EXCEL.
WHAT DISPATCHER ARE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TRINA AND ROXANNE AT THE SERVICE CENTER? IT'S A CITY.
SO IF THEY SAY THEY GET THE CALL AT A CERTAIN TIME, BUT NOW WHAT TIME DID THE, THE CREW GET THERE THAT WE WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH THE WORK ORDERS? WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT IF I ASKED A QUESTION, YOU COULD SAY, OKAY, WHO TURNED THE WATER OFF OVER THERE? I DID.
WHAT TIME YOU TURN? I TURNED IT OFF AT FIVE MINUTES AFTER 10.
AT THIS TIME, THE DISPATCH RECEIVED A CALL AND I RECEIVED A CALL.
AT THIS TIME, WHAT I'M BASICALLY TRYING TO GET TO CALVIN IS THAT IF THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK, BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE IT FELL THROUGH.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET.
UNTIL WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY IF THAT WAS A PROBLEM.
IF THE SYSTEM WORKING, IT'S FINE, BUT WITH THE SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING, CAN WE IDENTIFY WHERE THE SYSTEM IS BROKE? BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE NOT DOING THAT JOB, WE NEED TO START HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE.
SO IF THAT WAS A BREAK IN THIS SYSTEM, SEE YOU EXPLAINING THE SYSTEM TO ME, AND I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT'S IF IT WORKED.
RIGHT? BUT IF SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL, WHO I CAN LOOK INTO THE SYSTEM AND SEE IF IT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED.
BUT, UH, THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT.
MY WHOLE POINT IS IF I ASK, THAT SHOULD BE SOME WAY THAT YOU COULD CHECK AND VERIFY THROUGH YOUR SYSTEM THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM AND THEN THIS WAS DONE SO THAT THIS DON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
THE ONLY WAY WE GOING TO EVER MOVE FORWARD IS HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
WE CAN ONLY HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IF WE CAN IDENTIFY WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.
AND I'M, AND I, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO DO.
YOU KNOW, SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO FIND OUT WHO DROPPED THE BALL AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA STOP SOME OF THESE CALLS.
YOU GET 'EM AS MUCH AS I DO, SIR.
SO I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU TOO.
I MEAN THIS, WE, WE IN THIS TOGETHER, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOUR SYSTEM IS NOT, WE DON'T, WE GOT A GOOD SYSTEM, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE THAT WHO DO NOT FOLLOW WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY I PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT'S MY INTENT IS TO HAVE US TO ESTABLISH A WAY THAT IF OUR SYSTEM DON'T WORK, WE COULD IDENTIFY WHO LET IT DOWN WHERE IT WAS BROKE.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? NOT WE'LL MOVE TO ADAM NUMBER
[III.E (2) A Discussion Regarding Discounting Water And Sewage Bill To Senior Citizens By 7 Percent (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
TWO UNDER DISCUSSIONS DISCUSSION REGARDING DISCOUNTING[00:50:01]
WATER AND SEWER BILL TO SENIOR CITIZENS BY A 7%.AND THIS IS BEING REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
UH, ONE OF, WE, WE GOT THE 7% IS THAT'S IN PLACE, BUT IT'S IMPACTING AND OUR BIG CUSTOMERS IS, IS INDUSTRY.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET OUR BIGGEST REVENUES FROM WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOKING FOR COUNCIL TO DISCOUNT THE 7%.
WE CAN DO 3.5 THIS BUDGET AND 3.5 THE NEXT BUDGET.
WHAT WE GONNA DO IS DISCOUNT IT TO THE, THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
NOW WHAT COUNCIL NEEDED TO MAKE A DECISION, IS IT GONNA BE 62? AND WITH COUNCIL, COUNCIL PERSON, UH, HAMILTON, WE WOULD HAD SOME DISCUSSION.
OKAY, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION WHAT AGE BRACKET IS 62 AND UP OR 65 IN, UP, AND WE COULD BRING CITY MANAGER.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD TWO RESOLUTION CITY, CITY ATTORNEY.
TWO RESOLUTION, ONE FOR 3.5 FOR NEXT COUNCIL, ONE FOR 3.5 AND ONE FOR 7% CITY MANAGER.
YOU SAID THAT C D B G PROGRAM DOES THAT.
THAT PROGRAM IS IN WITH HELPING SENIORS, HELPING, UH, LOW INCOME PEOPLE WITH THEIR WATER BILLS.
THAT PROGRAM ENDED A YEAR AGO.
THERE IS NO MONIES AVAILABLE TO HELP.
SO, UH, WHAT I'M PROPOSING THAT WE DISCOUNT THE 7% EITHER ALL, ALL AT ONCE OR IN TWO PARTS TO, FOR OUR CITIZENS.
THE MONEY WAS GIVEN TO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZ THROUGH THE C D B G PROGRAM.
THE MONEY HAD TO BE REAPPROPRIATED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT USED BY THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THERE WERE CERTAIN RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR THAT MONEY.
CITY ATTORNEY, UM, I, UM, HEARD WHAT THE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WAS PROPOSING AND I TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK INTO IT WHEN I, WHEN YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY, THERE'S, THERE'S A WAY TO DO THIS.
SO LET ME JUST CLARIFY BY SAYING THAT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE JUST TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT RATES.
YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO DIFFERENT RATES.
BUT WHAT YOU CAN HAVE IS YOU CAN CREATE A PROGRAM AND PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION.
THAT'S WHAT CITIES ARE DOING FOR PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN, SO IT'S, YOU CAN GET THERE, IT'S JUST HOW YOU GET THERE.
SO LIKE, YOU COULDN'T SAY, HERE'S THE RATE FOR PEOPLE 62 OR 65, AND HERE'S THE RATE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT COULDN'T BE PUT INTO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES LIKE THAT.
BUT IF YOU WANNA CREATE A PROGRAM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW THEY HAVE EXEMPTIONS FOR PEOPLE OVER A CERTAIN AGE.
YOU CAN CREATE AN EXEMPTION FOR PEOPLE OVER A CERTAIN AGE, THEN THEY WOULD APPLY FOR IT AND BE VETTED.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE.
UM, THE OTHER DAY WE WERE IN A STAFF MEETING, AND I MIGHT'VE SPOKE TO ABRUPTLY, BUT I WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT I WAS SAYING THERE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO VET THEM TO MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE.
SO WHERE PEOPLE JUST AREN'T, I PUT IT, YOU KNOW, MY MOM'S 90 YEARS OLD, SO I'M GONNA SAY THIS IS MY MOM'S WATER BILL, BUT REALLY IT'S MINE.
SO YOU WANNA HAVE AN EXEMPTION PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE YOU CAN PROPERLY VET IT TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE AND LIVE WHERE THEY SAY.
BUT IT WOULDN'T JUST BE TWO RATES.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN EXEMPTION AND AN APPLICATION THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED.
UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPAND ON, UH, WHAT YOU HAD MENTIONED BECAUSE I WAS IN ON THAT INFORMAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.
AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON DISABILITY, THEY'RE RECEIVING SS, S D OR SS SS I, UH, THAT WE COULD HAVE THEM AS PART OF THAT EXEMPTION AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, TO HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE ONCE A QUARTER OR ONCE, YOU KNOW, EVERY SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER, THAT WE GO THROUGH THAT VETTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL RECEIVING DISABILITY AND THEY ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR OLDER INDIVIDUALS, BUT THOSE WHO MAY BE DISABLED.
AND I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE I HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE NOT YET SENIOR CITIZENS, BUT THEY ARE DISABLED.
UM, SEVERAL IN PARTICULAR THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN THEIR FIFTIES, BUT THEY'RE ON SOME TYPE OF OF DISABILITY.
SO I'D LIKE TO ADD THEM FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE EXCLUSION AS WELL.
[00:55:01]
OKAY.CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU PLEASE, UM, TELL US WHERE THE FUNDS ARE THAT WERE RETURNED FOR THOSE CITIZENS WHO DID NOT QUALIFY? COULD YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? YEAH.
IT WAS IN THE LAST, NOT THIS CURRENT C D B D I LOCATION, IT WAS IN THE LAST C D B G I LOCATION.
AND IT WAS REAPPROPRIATED, I THINK, TO THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT.
THE COUNCIL AND, AND WHEN IT WAS, IT WAS A DECISION OF THE COUNCIL.
A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE TO THE COUNCIL.
WE PROVIDED THE HISTORY OF IT.
WHEN IT WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM, IT WASN'T UTILIZED OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME.
THE CRITERIA WAS DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT STAFF.
AND, UM, IT WAS REAPPROPRIATED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL.
THIS WAS LAST YEAR, THE LAST C D B G ALLOCATION, NOT THIS CURRENT C D B G ALLOCATION.
WHEN WE MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
AGAIN, I, WHENEVER IT COMES UP, I THINK IT WAS PART OF THE COVID PROGRAM AS WELL.
BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN STIPULATIONS AS WELL THAT CAME WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAD TO PRESENT YOUR BILL, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD, AND, AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN CRITERIA, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PELT OUT BY HUD FOR QUALIFICATION.
UM, THE MONEY WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS PART OF THE CRITERIA AS WELL.
SO THAT A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WOULD DISPOSE OF THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, PROVIDED BY HER.
COUNCILMAN? UH, FRANK? UH, YES, MAYOR, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CONSIDERATION, UH, BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, OUR ELDERLY, UH, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED.
BUT I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR, UM, THE COUNSEL OF, UM, OUR ATTORNEY BECAUSE THE PROCESS HAS TO BE, UH, IN PLACE, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UM, VIOLATIONS OF IT, UH, AND ABUSE OF IT.
SO, SO THAT HAS TO BE PUT IN PLACE, UH, AS WELL.
SO I, I THINK THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT AS WELL AS IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO THAT, UH, THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY JUST LIKE THEY DO FOR A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, RIGHT? UH, THOSE HAVE TO BE APPLIED FOR, AND THIS WOULD BE APPLIED FOR AS WELL.
SIMPLY PROVING THE FACT THAT YOU ARE 62 OR 65 AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE DISABLED AND YOU WOULD BE APPLYING FOR THAT EXEMPTION THAT WOULD BE GIVEN.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO GO ON THAT.
AND SO I THINK JUST THE DIRECTION OF STAFF TO BRING THAT TO US, UH, AND HAVE THAT WORK DONE FOR US, AND THEN APPROVING IT BY COUNCIL.
COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES, I AGREE.
150%, HOWEVER, IT'S ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, WE JUST RAISED THE WATER RATES 7% TO BALANCE A BUDGET.
SO THEREFORE, IF YOU GIVE ANY TYPE DISCOUNT, YOU'RE BASICALLY GOING TO REDUCE YOUR PROJECTED INCOME FOR WHICH WE ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
SO I DON'T SEE WHERE AS EMERGENCY, AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT US PLANNING, SO IT, IT IS GOOD.
WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT NOT ONLY WATER, BUT IF WE WANNA DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR OUR SENIORS, OUR DISABLED, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS INTO DISCUSSION, GET IT APPROVED SO THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING A BUDGET, WE COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE LOSS OF REVENUE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE WHEN WE DO THOSE TYPE THINGS.
WE JUST, RIGHT NOW, WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AND WE JUST RAISE THE RATE 7%.
SO IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE, BUT AT, AT THIS STAGE, YOU KNOW THAT, UH, UH, WE ARE MISSING IT.
AND WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT ADAPTING THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S STILL RULES THAT WE CAN ADAPT THE BUDGET.
AND Y'ALL, I'M QUITE SURE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THE RULE FOR A AMENDING A BUDGET ONCE IT'S APPROVED.
SO THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN AS I, I WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT WE LATE WITH IT.
UH, THE, DISCUSS THE SIDEBAR DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD, MYSELF, MAYOR PRO TILLMAN AND COUNCILMAN BECKHAM WAS ABOUT EXEMPTION.
[01:00:01]
DISCOUNT, WE TALKED ABOUT EXEMPTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE SAID.AND, AND MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THOSE THINGS.
NOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO LATE TO PUT AN EXEMPTION IN PLACE.
YES, WE HAVE APPROVED THE BUDGET, BUT WE, YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AND THEN WE CAN DO SOME AND DO EXEMPTION.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE ARE NOT PROHIBITED.
WE'RE NOT PROHIBITED FROM DOING EXEMPTION.
I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THE BIG CUSTOMERS INDUSTRY, BIG CUSTOMERS, IS GOING TO OFFSET THE LITTLE BIT OF A LOSS THAT, THAT WE GOING TO BE IMPACTED WITH IT.
BUT THE BIG CUSTOMERS IS WHERE WE GOING TO GET THE BIG MONIES FROM TO GET OUR SYSTEM UP TO WHERE WE CAN BUY CHEMICALS AND WHERE WE CAN RE REPAIR ALL OF THESE OLD, UH, LEAKY WATER LINES.
OKAY? WE ARE LOSING 30%, WE LOSING 30% OF THE WATER THAT WE ARE SENDING OUT.
WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
OKAY? BUT EXEMPTION IS NOT GOING TO HURT US FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZEN.
OKAY? UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
I, IT WILL, IN THE FORM OF REVENUE, THE BUDGET WAS, THE BUDGET IS DONE ON A PROJECTION OF INCOME.
AND ANY, IF YOU DO AN EXEMPTION, WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DOING IS YOU ARE GIVEN SOMETHING THAT YOU EXPECTED TO GET.
SO ANYTHING YOU DO THAT WILL IMPACT ON WHAT THE PROJECTED INCOME FOR WATER UTILITIES FOR THIS COMING YEAR HAS GOT TO BE AN IMPACT ON IT.
WE JUST NEED TO GET THESE THINGS AND, UH, PUT 'EM, PUT 'EM OUT.
LET'S, WHEN I, WHEN WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THESE THINGS.
BUT ONCE WE ESTABLISH A BUDGET, WE NEED TO MANAGE IT AND STAY WITHIN IT.
WE CAN'T JUST BE TAKING MONEY, DOING MONEY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO STOP THAT.
AN EXEMPTION DOES IMPACT ON A BUDGET.
ANYTIME YOU DO NOT GET THE MONEY THAT YOU ARE PROJECTED TO GET, THAT'S AN IMPACT.
SO IT IS, IT IS AN IMPACT AND WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS FINANCES.
I WILL MEET WITH THE STAFF WHERE COUNCILOR FRANK AND WE WILL SIT DOWN AND DESIGN IT WITH, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO ABUSE OF IT.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
LOOK AT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE CRITERIA.
AND, UM, WE WILL BRING SOMETHING BACK TO COUNCIL.
GIVE US ABOUT 30 DAYS TO DO THAT.
IF I NEED AN EXTENSION, I'LL ASK COUNSEL.
I'LL REQUEST AN EXTENSION FOR YOU, BUT COUNCILOR LEWIS WILL LOOK AT IT, DESIGN SOMETHING AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING JUST BRIEFLY.
CITY ATTORNEY, IS THERE ANYTHING LEGALLY CONFLICTING WITH STATE LAW THAT THAT WOULD PROHIBIT US FROM PUTTING AN EXEMPTION IN PLACE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZEN? PUTTING AN EXEMPTION IN PLACE? YEAH, YOU CAN PUT AN EXEMPTION IN PLACE.
YOU HAVE TO DO IT BY CREATE A PROGRAM.
THE BUDGET DOESN'T GO INTO TO EFFECT UNTIL OCTOBER THE FIRST.
WELL, WITH THE BUDGET, I THINK THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
YEAH, THAT'S, BUT I'M SAYING YOU CAN LEGALLY DO AN EXEMPTION.
NOW HOW IT IMPACTS THE BUDGET WOULD BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
WE, WE, WE, COUNCIL LOUIS, BASED ON OUR COUNSELOR, DO SAY THIS THING.
WE'LL TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO IT.
WE'LL LOOK AT IT, WE'LL CRUNCH THE NUMBERS, WE'LL LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE THAT FALL WITHIN THAT CATEGORY, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL TELL YOU WHETHER IT'S GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OR A MINOR EFFECT ON THE BUDGET.
WE WILL DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
MOVE TO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE ON PAGE TWO, WHICH REPORTS AND ITEMS OF COMMUNITY ENTRIES, UH, THAT COUNCIL PERSONS WOULD HAVE.I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE, UH, MY APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO CALVIN MATTHEWS AND TO DR.
UH, THESE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING IN DISTRICT THREE.
UH, JUST FOR INFORMATION FOR ANYBODY THAT DIDN'T KNOW.
[01:05:01]
OUT AS A SEEMINGLY MAYBE A MINOR ISSUE IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD, AND IT TURNED INTO A SINKHOLE THAT AFFECTED A LARGE PORTION OF THE STONEGATE NEIGHBORHOOD.TOMI AND THEIR CREWS WERE JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
UH, I WAS TEXTING THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND SENDING THEM ADDRESSES, AND I WENT OUT THERE AND LOOKED TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND THEY JUST REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, IN MY OPINION.
AND I JUST WANNA TELL YOU GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM, FROM, FROM ME PERSONALLY, AND THEN ALSO FROM THE CITIZENS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SINGING YOUR PRAISES STILL TODAY,
ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY INFORMATION? ANYONE ELSE? THERE WOULD BE NONE.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE A REMINDER THAT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
JUST AS JUST A REMINDER TO PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES FIRST, AND THOSE AROUND YOU, ESPECIALLY YOUR FAMILY, EVEN YOUR COWORKERS.
WHEN YOU HEAR SOMETHING, PLEASE, UM, GO TO THAT PERSON JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK.
NOT TO NECESSARILY BE INTRUSIVE, BUT BE AWARE.
AND MY DADDY TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO, SMART PEOPLE GO AND SEE SOMEBODY WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T THINK THAT THEY NEED HELP OFTEN ARE THOSE THAT DO.
SO LET'S BE SMART ABOUT IT, AND IF WE NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, LET'S TALK TO SOMEBODY SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND THOSE AROUND US.
ANY OTHERS? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE NOW TO, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
SO WE WILL NOW GO, OH, EXCUSE ME.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.AND THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS ITEMS, UH, BASICALLY A ROUTINE NATURE.
AND IF A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A DESIRE TO HAVE AN ITEM WITHDRAWN, THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW BY GIVING ME THE ITEM NUMBER AND THE PAGE, IF YOU WILL.
COUNCILMAN? UH, ETT? A ON FOUR A? NO, A TWO ON FOUR.
COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? UH, A TWO AS WELL.
UH, I ALSO, UM, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT A THREE THROUGH A SIX.
YOU SAID COMMENTS OR YOU WANT, SO YOU WANT THOSE WITHDRAWN? EACH ONE? YES.
WITHOUT, UH, ANY FURTHER, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ACTUALLY BEGINS ON PAGE THREE WITH ITS CAPTION AND GOES THROUGH, UH, PAGES.
UH, I REMEMBER IT'S EIGHT, EXCUSE ME.
SEVEN GOES THROUGH PAGE SEVEN.
UH, YEAH, GOES THROUGH PAGE SEVEN.
UH, WE HAD A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS A TWO, A THREE, A FOUR, A FIVE, AND A SIX.
MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS IT.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THOSE THAT I JUST STATED.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? HONOR ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL? AYE.
AS HAVING, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF THOSE THAT WE WOULD NOW DO INDIVIDUALLY.
[VII (A2) Mayor Pro Tem Tiffany Hamilton: International Economic Development Council Annual Conference (IEDC) Dallas, TX September 17-20, 2023 $3,078.99]
A TWO, WHICH IS, EXCUSE ME.THESE ARE REQUESTS FOR PRE-APPROVAL OF TRAVEL PURSUANT TO SEVEN EIGHT DASH 2 69, SUBSECTION B, SUBSECTION EIGHT OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 18 DASH 63.
UH, A TWO IS FOR MAYOR PRO TIM TIFFANY HAMILTON HAS MADE A REQUEST TO ATTEND THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE I E D C IN DALLAS, TEXAS, SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2023 AT THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF 3070 $8 AND 99 CENTS.
UH, MAY I GET A, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCIL MC KINLOCK.
[01:10:01]
SO MOVED.MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND? IS IT MOVED? AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, A TWO AS JUST, SIR, YOU JUST PUT ON THE FLOOR.
WE'LL, I THINK AT THE PROPER TIME.
YOU OKAY, SO I'M, AM I FLOORING CORRECTLY? THIRD.
OKAY, NOW WE ARE READY FOR THE DISCUSSION AND THE QUESTIONS.
UH, YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE HERE.
WE HAVE A REQUEST BY THE MAYOR PRO TEAM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CON CON ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
THAT CONFERENCE THEY HAD NORMALLY DEALING WITH, THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NORMALLY ATTENDED BY THE, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CERTIFIED THAT NORMALLY GET TO HAVE TO RE-TAKE SO MANY HOURS, LIKE 15 HOURS OR SOMETHING, UH, EVERY THREE YEARS TO CONTINUE TO BE CERTIFIED.
THE OTHER CONFERENCES THAT THE RE THE REMAINDER OF THE CONFERENCE THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN, THAT IS THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, COUNCIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
NOW THAT CONFERENCE THERE, THEY BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON, UH, THE LATEST, UH, THING THAT IMPACTED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ALSO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT, UH, ADVISE THE STATE LEGISLATORS AND EVERYTHING WITH ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
THAT COUNCIL IS 1725 IN HOUSTON, AND THE, AND THE I E D C CONFERENCE IS 3070 $8 IN DALLAS.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHY THE MAYOR PRO WOULD WANT TO GO TO THAT ONE.
AND I GO TO THE OTHER ONES THAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, I'VE LOOKED AT THE AGENDA FOR THIS CONFERENCE FOR EVERY DAY.
UM, AND I JUST, I DON'T SEE THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, OF ANY OF THE SPEAKERS.
UH, THE PLACES THAT THEY COME FROM, THE CITIES THEY COME FROM, THE, THE STATES AND COUNTRIES THAT THEY COME FROM, UH, THAT HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE WOULD BE ANYTHING OF VALUE THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY AT A COST OF $3,000.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY, AND IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE RAISED THE WATER RATES, I JUST, I DON'T THINK THIS SPEAKS WELL TO OUR CITIZENS.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE THAT, UH, ATTENDANCE TO THE ONE IN HOUSTON WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE BENEFICIAL THAN THIS ONE IN DALLAS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCIL OR MAYOR PRO TEMP? YES, SIR.
I CAN GIVE A STATEMENT THAT MAY HELP ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED.
UM, IT IS NOT AT ALL TO TRY TO CONVINCE, BUT JUST TO SHARE, UM, INFORMATION AS A PART OF, UM, MY PURPOSE FOR WANTING TO ATTEND, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WILL ACTUALLY READ WHAT WAS SUBMITTED BEING THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS TO SUBMIT A PURPOSE OF WHY WE WANT TO ATTEND CONFERENCES.
AND MY STATEMENT WAS, THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL CONFERENCE WILL OFFER ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS AND OTHER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND TO LEARN NEW STRATEGIES FROM EXPERIENCED INNOVATIVE LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.
ATTENDANCE ALONGSIDE OUR P A E D C, OUR PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PRESENTS A UNITED FRONT TO THE WORLD AND ADDED VALUE AS WE BUILD UP A MORE POSITIVE REPUTATION FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THESE INTENSIVE LEARNING AND NETWORKING EXPERIENCES PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF DYNAMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AN EXAMPLE IS GAINING DIRECT ACCESS TO A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF GRANT SEEKING TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE GRANT MAKERS FROM A RANGE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OR PROJECTS.
I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO LEARN WILL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE EACH TIME I ATTEND A WORKSHOP, A CONFERENCE, A, A SESSION, ANY TYPE OF OP, ANY TYPE OF, UM, VENUE OR OPPORTUNITY THAT
[01:15:01]
I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LEARN IT IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PORT ARTHUR LONG TERM.IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.
WHEN I HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH E D C BOARD MEMBERS AND THE DIRECTOR, THEY WERE ACTUALLY WANTING MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE AT THE I E D C CONFERENCE BECAUSE OF THE UNITED FRONT THAT IT SHOWS.
AND BEING ABLE TO PUT US ON A PROPER MAP, BEING ABLE TO PUT US ON THE MAP ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, WE HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL PORT, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE, THE BUSINESS PARK INITIATED BECAUSE OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS.
SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE I E D C CONFERENCE TO BE IN TEXAS VERY OFTEN.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT BEING IN TEXAS AND CITIES IN TEXAS TO SHOW UP AT THIS INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE.
MAYOR PROIN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO AMEND YOUR REQUEST TO ATTEND THE T E D C IN LIEU OF THE I E D E D C ANNUAL CONFERENCE? I WOULD PREFER TO ATTEND THE I E D C CONFERENCE, BEING THAT SIT, LET'S SEE, ONE, I THINK FIVE OTHERS.
WILL BE ATTENDING THAT CONFERENCE SHOWING THE REPRESENTATION IN TEXAS.
HOWEVER, WE NEED MORE REPRESENTATION BEYOND THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS THAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO AMEND IT? NO, SIR.
AND BEFORE WE HAVE A VOTE ON THIS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I DID ATTEND THE I A B C CONFERENCE IN, UH, LAS VEGAS ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
AND I FOUND OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
I WAS REALLY, UH, HAPPY THAT THEY WERE COMING TO TEXAS, HOWEVER THEY SAID IT BACK WHENEVER I HAD GONE TO LAS VEGAS, THINKING 2021.
THAT CONFERENCE ACTUALLY ALLOWS YOUR CITY TO, UH, NEGOTIATE BEGIN RELATIONSHIPS, AS YOU JUST SAID, WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
AND IN THE UNITED STATES, NOW, MANY CITIES THAT ARE SITUATED LIKE WE ARE IN ON, ON WATER IMPORTS WITH RAIL THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO SHIP OVERSEAS, ARE DOING SISTER CITY TYPE OF, UH, UH, MOUS OR AGREEMENTS.
AND THE ECONOMIC, UH, RESULTS WOULD BE THAT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CAN BE CONDUCTED AGAIN, FURTHER IN YOUR CITY ON EVEN ANOTHER SCALE WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THAT CONSIDERATION, UH, IS THERE.
AND COUNCILMAN DUCEY, YOU SAID ABOUT THE AMOUNTS.
I BELIEVE IT IS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE REGISTRATION FOR THIS CONFERENCE IS A LOT MORE THAN THE REGISTRATION FOR OTHER CONFERENCES.
AND I THINK PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF THE $3,000 I THINK IS THE REGISTRATION FEE.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, THE REGISTRATION IS A LOT HIGHER ON THAT.
BUT THAT IS A CONSIDERATION AND IT DOES ACTUALLY IMPROVE ECONOMIC STABILITY IN YOUR CITY WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I KNOW THIS FROM SPEAKING WITH FELLOW MAYORS IN OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE BEGUN THESE TYPE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COUNTRIES IN THE FAR EAST AND EVEN ON THE OTHER CONTINENTS, UH, BECAUSE OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUILD FROM THERE AND HAVE SOME TYPE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT IS POSITIVE.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, MAYOR.
UM, AS I'M SITTING HERE ON TODAY, AND I'M LISTENING TO THE DIALOGUE ABOUT THIS, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AS THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE, THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN, UM, THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND, UH, THE TEXAS CONFERENCE.
BUT ALSO I'M LOOKING AT STUDENTS WHO ARE SITTING HERE TODAY.
AND I AM UNDERSTANDING THAT AS I'M LOOKING AT THEM, THAT THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NO LONGER COMPETING
[01:20:02]
ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.WE'RE COMPETING ON A GLOBAL LEVEL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN AS I'M SITTING HERE AND AS WE'RE SITTING AT THE DAY IS ON TODAY, THERE ARE SHIPS THAT ARE COMING FROM INDIA AND FROM OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD TO OUR PORTS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS GOT TO UNDERSTAND AND KEEP PARAMOUNT IN OUR THINKING IS THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO GROW OUR CITY, YOU'VE GOT TO GROW OUR LEADERS AND LEADERS GROW BY GOING.
AND SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
UH, IT'S A, A MATTER OF PERSONAL CONSIDERATION.
WE ARE DOING, UM, AS ONE, AS COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM SAID, WE HAVE TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION AND BE GREAT STEWARDS.
AND WE'RE SEEKING TO DO THAT BY THE CONSIDERATION OF, UM, THE, THE DISABLED AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED RELIEF ON THE WATER.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN DO BOTH.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE NOT SWALLOW A CAMEL AND, AND GAG ON A GNA.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IMPERATIVE THAT WE CAN DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A WIDER PURVIEW THAN JUST THE $1,000 DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE TEXAS AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.
SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT HER GOING BECAUSE I WANT HER, IF SHE COMES BACK WITH ONE BUSINESS, IF SHE COMES BACK WITH ONE CONNECTION THAT IS ABLE TO HELP US, IT IS WORTH MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS DIFFERENTIATION IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL AND THE TEXAS CONFERENCE.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A GREATER VISION FOR OUR CITY THAN $1,000.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THE SISTER CITY TYPE THING.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU CANNOT DO THOSE KIND OF A BUSINESSES.
YOU FIRST HAVE TO JOIN THE SISTER CITY INTERNATIONAL.
YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER AHEAD OF TIME.
OKAY? THAT'S, THAT'S STEP ONE.
NOW, IT'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND WHEN WE GO TO, UH, N L C IN, IN WASHINGTON DC THIS COMPONENT IS GOING TO BE THERE.
INTERNATIONAL, UH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT COMPONENT IS ALWAYS THERE.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND IT, IT'LL BE ON YOUR SCALE.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN ATTEND IT IN NOVEMBER.
OKAY? IT'LL AL IT'S ALWAYS THERE.
BUT FOR AS SISTER CITY THING, YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF SISTER CITY INTERNATIONAL.
I, I REMEMBER A PREVIOUS MAYOR BOUGHT A TICKET, BOUGHT A TICKET TO A SISTER CITY THING, COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE, WE STEP ONE SISTER CITY INTERNATIONAL.
WE WAS NOT A MEMBER, HADN'T PAID THE FEES, BUT THEN BOUGHT A PARTICULAR GOAL TO GO TO CHINA.
SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MAYOR PRO TEAM TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL BANK IN, IN NOVEMBER.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, THANK YOU.
I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, RE I RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION ON THIS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, THOUGH, FROM OUR E D C, WHO IS ATTENDING, DO WE KNOW SOMEONE? THEY WERE PRESENT, BUT HE'S GONE NOW.
WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, HAMILTON, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE FROM OUR E D C GOING.
UM, YES, THE DIRECTOR IS ATTENDING AND I BELIEVE TWO OTHER E D C BOARD MEMBERS ARE ATTENDING.
AND THE CONVERSATION, UM, THAT'S BEEN HAD IS WE ARE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO SHOW A UNITED FRONT AND HAVE SUPPORT FROM OUR CITY LEADERS.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO DO A ROLL CALL.
VOTE PLEASE ON THIS COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM? NO.
[VII (A3) - (A6) (A3) Mayor Thurman Bartie: Texas Economic Development Council Annual Conference (TEDC) Houston, TX October 11-13, 2023 $1,725.28 (A4) Councilmember Willie Lewis: Texas Economic Development Council Annual Conference (TEDC) Houston, TX October 11-13, 2023 $1,725.28 (A5) Councilmember Thomas Kinlaw: Texas Economic Development Council Annual Conference (TEDC) Houston, TX October 11-13, 2023 $1,725.28 (A6) Councilmember Donald Frank: Texas Economic Development Council Annual Conference (TEDC) Houston, TX October 11-13, 2023 $1,725.28]
UH, NOW MOVE TO A THREE A AND, AND I'M TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL THE SAME, WE CAN HAVE NO PROBLEM WHEN WE'LL TAKE 'EM ALL TOGETHER.A THREE, A FOUR, A FIVE, AND A SIX.
[01:25:01]
THIS IS A REQUEST TO ATTEND THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE, THE T E D C IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, OCTOBER 11TH THROUGH THE 13TH OF 2023.EACH PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED IT HAS A MONETARY AMOUNT OF $1,725 AND 28 CENTS AS PART OF THEIR MONETARY REQUEST.
THE REQUEST TOWARDS, OR MAYOR BTI, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
COUNCILMAN KEN LAW AND THE COUNCILMAN FRANK, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND MAYOR PRO TEMP? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE A THREE, A FOUR, A FIVE, AND A SIX.
NOW WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN ASKED SOME QUESTIONS FROM SOME CITIZENS THAT SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA, AND I'M PASSING ON SOME INFORMATION FROM THEM AS WELL AS QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS ASKED WHY AM I NOT ATTENDING? UH, I RECEIVED THIS TRAINING A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I ATTENDED THE, UH, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, UH, NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, WE WERE TRAINED ON E D C MATTERS AS WELL AS GIVEN A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
SO I FELT LIKE, UH, THIS WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ATTEND.
UH, AND I ALSO HAVE A PERSONAL CONFLICT DURING THOSE DATES AS WELL.
UH, WHAT WAS ASKED OF ME BY CITIZENS IS THAT IF THIS IS A CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON, WHY ARE WE NOT DRIVING BACK AND FORTH, RATHER THAN STAYING IN HOTELS AND SPENDING PER DIEM SO THAT THAT COMES FROM THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT THREE.
COUNCILMAN KINLAW? WELL, IT'S A THREE DAY CONFERENCE, AND, AND FOR ME, UH, I REMEMBER WE GOT A PRESENTATION FROM SOMEONE FROM E D C TO GIVE US INTAKE ABOUT, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THIS PARTICULAR CONFERENCE, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS ABOUT THREE MEETINGS AGO ABOUT GOING AND FINDING OUT WHAT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN BRING BACK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I'M GONNA STAY IN HOUSTON, I'D RATHER JUST STAY FOR THE WHOLE CONFERENCE.
SO, I MEAN, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT.
IT'S NEVER BEEN A SITUATION OR CONCERN TO ANY CITIZEN ABOUT DRIVING BACK TO HOUSTON.
IT'S A THREE DAY CONFERENCE, UH, THAT WE CAN ATTEND.
AND FOR ME, I DON'T LIKE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER BEEN A CONCERN BEFORE.
UH, NO ONE'S EVER CALLED ME ABOUT, UH, DRIVING BACK AND FORTH FROM HOUSTON.
SO, UH, I THOUGHT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THIS IS TO GET THE INFORMATION TO BRING BACK TO THE CITY FOR GREATER OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN DOWNTOWN, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE TERRACE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? OKAY.
SO AS ORDER A THREE, A FOUR, A FIVE, AND A SIX.
[VIII.A (1) P.R. No. 23100 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Citizen’s Pipeline Advisory Committee]
MOVE TO PAGE EIGHT OR UH, SEVEN.PAGE SEVEN, WHICH IS THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
AND WE HAVE RESOLUTIONS AND OR, UH, ORDINANCES THAT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH HERE.
WE'LL BEGIN NOW WITH, UH, PR NUMBER 23 100.
IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND A REAPPOINTED.
THE MEMBER, OUR MEMBERS TO THE CITIZENS PIPELINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE THE NAMES? UH, I HAVE ONE NAME FOR DISTRICT THREE.
WE HAVE A NAME OF THAT INDIVIDUAL FOR THIS MAY, UH, GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE PERSON FOR THE APPOINTMENT FOR OUR DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UH, WE'RE READY FOR VOTE.
SO THAT IS ORDERED AND APPROVED.
NEXT WE WOULD HAVE OUR RESOLUTION.
UM, I HAD A ONE FOR DISTRICT TWO FOR THAT SAME ITEM.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO, I HAVE TO GET ANOTHER MOTION.
REOPEN IT FOR RECONSIDERATION IF YOU'VE ALREADY VOTED.
DO I NEED TO GET THEM THE, THE, THE, THE MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION? WHO MADE THE MOTION FOR ME? YOU OKAY.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER, UH, PR NUMBER 23 100.
AND YOU SECOND IT RIGHT, SIR? AND I SECOND IT.
SO NOW IF, IF, IF ACTUALLY REOPENED, UH, I BELIEVE ON COUNCILWOMAN.
I MEAN, MAYOR PROAM, GO READY? YES, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO INSERT THE NAME FOR DISTRICT TWO.
YOU HAVE THAT CITY SECRETARY? YES, SIR.
SO WE'LL NOW JUST BE VOTING NOW ON, ON THE DISTRICT TWO, UH, APPOINTEE.
RIGHT? AND, AND, AND WE'LL DO THREE AGAIN INCLUDED.
[01:30:01]
LOOKING AT THE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 100, IT LOOKS LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER POSITIONS HAVE EXPIRED.SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE LOOKING AT APPOINTMENTS FROM THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? YEAH, WE, I'LL HAVE ONE I DON'T HAVE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, UM, KELLY, UH, MATTHEW CHRISTIAN, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO HIS, HIS NAME HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO WE HAVE THREE NAMES SUBMITTED.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU HAD SOMETHING? YES.
ANY OTHERS? OKAY, WE ARE READY.
UH, WE'RE READY TO VOTE THEN ON THESE NAMES.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S FOUR NAMES.
WE ARE READY TO VOTE ON THE FOUR, UH, NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REPRESENT ON THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, PIPE PIPELINE, UH, ADVISORY, UH, UH, COMMITTEE.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR.
SO THIS AUDIT, THE, THOSE MEMBERS ARE NOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23, 2 73.
[VIII.A (2) P.R. No. 23273 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate A Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Biomethane Partners Of Irving, Texas For Engineering Services For The Study, Design, And Conversion Of Landfill Gas To Energy Project]
I THINK WE ARE GOING TO TABLE.'CAUSE YOU GET A MOTION FOR TABLE.
AND WE WOULD TABLE P R NUMBER 23.
SO IT'S ALL OF THAT PARTICULAR, UH, RESOLUTION IS TABLED UNTIL NEXT MEETING.
[VIII.A (3) P.R. No. 23294 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Golf Course Committee]
WE 23 2 94.THE RESOLUTION, UH, APPOINTED AND REAPPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE ON THAT.
I KNOW I, I SUBMITTED MY NAME TO BE A MEMBER ON THAT.
UH, AND YOU SAID THAT WAS ANOTHER NAME AS WELL? I GOT A NAME.
THERE'S ONLY ONE SLOT, SO YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHO.
WELL, THERE'S ONLY ONE SLOT, SO YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE.
YOU SAID YOU HAD SOMETHING? YEAH, I HAVE A NAME.
AND OKAY, I WANT TO APPOINT, UH, RAYMOND SCOTT.
AND, UH, NOW THESE ARE POINT, I MEAN, ON, ON THIS COMMITTEE.
THIS WAS THIS, THESE WERE COUNCIL PERSON, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES.
I THINK IT, I BE JUST COUNCIL.
NOW I JUST NEED A CLARIFICATION ON SOMETHING AND I CAN, UH, REALLY REMOVE MYSELF.
COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM HAS MADE A REQUEST.
WHEN I DID, THERE WAS NOT ANY NAME IN THAT EMAIL THAT SAID SOMEONE WANTED TO SERVE.
I, AND I SENT AN EMAIL TO YOU.
I DIDN'T SEND IT TO I THINK EVERYBODY THAT WAS ON THAT, BUT ACTUALLY IN THIS MAYOR'S EX OFFICIAL ATTORNEY ON THOSE COMMITTEES.
ANYWAY, AM I CORRECT WITH THAT? I'D HAVE TO LOOK THAT UP.
JUST LOOK THAT UP TO SEE, UH, UM, ON MY COMPUTER.
YOU HAVE EMMANUEL PRESTON, YOU HAVE CLAY LEWIS, SR.
AND THEN THE OPENING, WE HAVE ONE SLIDE ON, ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS KINLAW.
AND THEN YOU HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DONALD R. FRANK.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE SINCE SHE WANTS TO, I I, I ALSO HAVE A DESIRE TO THEN, BUT I WAS TRYING TO SEE, SINCE I AM THE MAYOR, IF I'M EX-OFFICIAL ON THE COMMITTEE, THEN I, I CAN JUST, JUST WITHDRAW MYSELF.
IT SAYS THE TERMS OF THE COMMITTEE IS THAT THE MAYOR WITH APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL CAN APPOINT THREE MEMBERS WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER'S.
DESIGNEES ARE NON, UM, NON-VOTING MEMBERS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE ACCORDING TO THIS, THIS, THIS IS ALSO THE MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT.
THE MAYOR IS AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO FILL THE VACANCY TO THE COMMITTEE AND MAY APPOINT ADDITIONAL MEMBERS BY MEMORANDUM FILED WITH THE CITY SECRETARY.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S ALL THAT IT SAYS.
WELL, UH, I YIELD TO YOU COUNCILMAN BECKER.
WE, WE, UH, SO ON THAT COUNCILMAN BECKHAM OKAY.
WOULD BE THE BE YOUR NAME IN SEARCH FOR THAT.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VIII B (1) P.O. No. 7174 – An Ordinance Reconsidering Ordinance No. 23-38 As It Pertains To Closing, Vacating, Abandoning, And Conveying A 2.042-Acre Portion Of An Improved Dedicated Public Right-Of-Way, Known As Terminal Road, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
WE HAVE PO NUMBER, EXCUSE ME, 7 1 7 4.[01:35:01]
AN ORDINANCE ARE, ARE RECONSIDERING.ORDINANCE NUMBER 2338 AS IT PERTAINS TO CLOSING, VACATING, ABANDONING, EXCUSE ME.
AND CONVEYING A 2.0 ACRE PORTION OF AN, UH, IMPROVED, UH, DEDICATED PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, KNOWN AS TERMINAL ROAD, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY, PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
UH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED, I THINK BEFORE 8 22 DASH OH TWO MOTIVA ENTERPRISES, THE L L C, UH, ON THAT COUNCILMAN DEUCE.
I, UH, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, AMEND THE APPRO, UH, THE RESOLUTION AS IT WAS APPROVED, UH, WITH THE ADDITION THAT, UH, BOTH PARTIES, THE CITY AND MOTIVA WILL GET TOGETHER IN THE DEEDED WHEN DURING THE DEED.
AND THAT WE, AND THAT WE INCLUDE, UH, RESTRICTIONS IN WHICH, UH, MOTIVA HAS ALREADY AGREED TO.
SO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UH, LANGUAGE IS PUT IN THE WAY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UH, YOU IN THE MOTION, WE, THIS IS FOR, BECAUSE THIS IS A FINAL APPROVAL.
WE'D HAVE TO STATE WHAT THOSE DEEDED, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS ARE? UH, THAT THEY'VE AGREED TO? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, IF, IF, IF WE CAN'T DO IT NOW, I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T.
UH, BECAUSE I, I'VE SEEN WHAT WE APPROVED ACTIONS IN THE PAST SAYING PENDING.
I SEEN THEM DO THAT IN THE PAST.
BUT YOU COULD, UH, YOU COULD PUT SUBJECT TO DEEDED RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE, UM, AGREEABLE BY BOTH SIDES.
I MAY STILL NEED TO BRING IT BACK.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT YOU AGREEING TO.
WELL, WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY BOTH AGREED.
THAT'S WHAT WE BOTH AGREED TO.
THAT ONCE YOU DO IT AND THEY SAY IT AND EVERYBODY AGREED, THEN YOU BRING IT BACK AND WE'LL, OKAY.
SO I'LL BRING THE DE RESTRICTIONS BACK FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
'CAUSE ATTORNEY HAMMER WILL BEGUN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING ON THAT BECAUSE WE HAD APPROVED IT ALREADY.
WELL, YOU GONNA HAVE TO STOP CLOSING.
YOU GOTTA, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
YOU HAVE TO PUT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS IN THE DEEDED BEFORE YOU CLOSE, BEFORE YOU CLOSE.
SO I'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU THOUGH.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD SLOW THAT PROCESS DOWN THAT, THAT WE HAD BEGUN WHEN WE APPROVED IT.
BUT IT DOESN'T RESEND THE PROCESS.
IT DOESN'T, IT JUST, SO YEAH, YOU NEED TO STATE THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO AMEND THIS RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS, UH, AGREED BY BOTH PARTIES.
AND THEN I'LL BRING, I'LL BRING THE DE I MEAN AS SIMPLE AS, AS THE, THEN I'LL BRING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR APPROVAL.
WE CAN MOVE IT AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE ON MM-HMM.
AND I'M GONNA COME BACK WITH A RESOLUTION STATING WHAT THE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS ARE.
UH, WITH THAT, AND THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE INSERTED AGAIN IN THIS PO NUMBER 7 1 7 4 ATTORNEY.
THAT BECAUSE THE AMENDMENT THAT THE ITEM SAYS TO RESCIND WE'RE NOT RESCINDED, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO WHAT WE STATED.
SO YOU HAVE THE CITY SECRETARY.
THEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, AMEND PO NUMBER.
WELL, THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, ACCORDING TO THE WORDING THAT THE CITY SECRETARY HAS NOW WE'RE READY TO, UH, READY AT WAS QUESTION.
SO IT IS ORDERED THAT, UH, PO IS APPROVED.
[VIII B (2) P.O. No. 7175 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Adding Article II, Division III, Section 2-80 To The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, Establishing A Code Of Ethics; Providing For A Penalty For The Violation Of This Ordinance; Providing For Repealing, Savings And Severability Clauses; Providing For An Effective Date Of This Ordinance; And Providing For The Publication Of The Caption Hereof]
WE HAVE, UH, PO NUMBER 7 1 75.IT IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ADDING ARTICLE TWO DIVISION THREE, SECTION TWO DASH 80 TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, ESTABLISHING A CODE OF ETHICS PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION OF THIS ORDINANCE, PROVIDING FOR REPEALING SAVINGS AND SEVERAL ABILITY CLAUSES PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION HERE.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF, UH, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7 1 7 5 AS READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONING.
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, IT'S NOT SO MUCH QUESTIONS AS IT IS, I'M JUST A REAL STICKLER FOR, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE CLEAN.
[01:40:01]
JUST REALLY MINOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN THE DOCUMENT, LIKE SPACING AND WORDS THAT ARE STUCK TOGETHER.AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A FORMATTING THING WHEN IT PRINTED OR WHAT THINK IT WAS.
YEAH, WE, WE DID, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I PUT ON THE RESOLUTION IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME FORM, AND SOME OF OUR TYPING DID GO A LITTLE OFF, SO WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAN.
AND, UH, SENT TO MINI CODE PROPERLY SO THE WORDS WON'T RUN TOGETHER.
AND, AND THIS IS JUST A CLARIFICATION.
UM, THIS IS ON PAGE 16 OF THE DOCUMENT AND IT'S UNDER SECTION FOUR PROCEDURE FOR COMPLAINTS AGAINST CITY OFFICIALS.
UH, UNDER INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPLAINT, UM, UNDER NUMBER ONE, AND THEN SMALL ROMAN NUMERAL ONE, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY OR PERSON DESIGNATED BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF SUCH VOTE, UH, APPOINT AN ATTORNEY FROM A LIST OF FIVE ATTORNEYS PREVIOUSLY SELECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THESE PURPOSES.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYWHERE IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT THERE'S A PROCEDURE FOR THAT.
IS THAT SOMEPLACE ELSE? UM, I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO PROBABLY ADD THE PROCEDURES ON WHAT WE'LL DO, WE CAN MAKE NOTE OF THAT AND WE CAN COME BACK WITH HOW WE WOULD ADOPT THE PROCEDURES.
SO THAT'D BE LIKE AN ADDENDUM.
WE'LL ADOPT THE PROCEDURES ON HOW WE WOULD HAVE A LIST ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND THAT, THAT WAS THE ONLY OTHER CLARIFICATION THAT I NEEDED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO AUDIT, WE HAVE APPROVED APPEAL NUMBER 7 1 7 5 AS RED.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
WE ARE READY TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.AND IN THIS CLOSED EXEC EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.10, ONE OF THE, EXCUSE ME, CHAPTER 5 5 1 OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FORMALLY WAS ARTICLE 62 52 DASH 17 SECTION TWO SUBSECTION A.
AND PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE MEETING, I WILL MAKE THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT.
IN THE MEETING, WE WILL COVER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS AND TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OR PENDING CLAIMS, CONTRACTS, LITIGATIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE'LL ALSO COVER SECTION 5 5 1 0.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE FOR ATTORNEY CONSULTATION TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND COUNSEL IN CONNECTION WITH THE CITY'S RIGHTS, DUTIES, PRIVILEGES, AND OBLIGATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH PENDING LITIGATION AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS, I A F F, VOCAL 3 9 7.
WE ALSO COVER SECTION 5 51 0.074 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EVALUATIONS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER, CITY SECRETARY, AND MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AS REQUESTED BY MAYOR BARCHI.
AND WE'LL COVER SECTION, UH, 5 5 1 0.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
AND IF THERE'LL BE ANY ITEMS THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED SEC SESSION THAT WOULD REQUIRE ACTION, WE WILL WILL RETURN TO OPEN SESSION HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND TAKE ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, WE WILL RECESS TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM FOR OUR CLOSED SESSION AND BEFORE WE GO TO THE CLOSED SESSION, WANT ALL THE STUDENTS TO STAND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I KNOW YOU WANT TO STAND UP.
I KNOW YOU WANT TO STAND IF YOU HAVEN'T STOOD IN THE LAST TWO HOURS.
UH, MS. LOW, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, STAFF HERE WITH YOU.
AND, UH, UH, COUNCIL, THEY'RE ASKING ME TO HAVE YOU ALL TO COME UP, WANT Y'ALL TO COME UP BECAUSE I THINK Y'ALL WANNA DO SOME PICTURES UP HERE.
IF YOU WOULD COME HERE, COUNCIL CAN STAND BEHIND YOU.
IF WE CAN STAND, WE CAN STAND BEHIND YOU AND YOU ALL CAN STAND THERE.
THEY CAN KINDA MOVE THAT, THAT PODIUM.
THEY CAN ROLL OR ROLL THE PODIUM, THEN THEY CAN COME STAND RIGHT UP HERE.
YOU ALL COME AROUND AND STAND THERE AND, UH, NAH.
I SAW SOME OF Y'ALL YESTERDAY.
YOU DOING OKAY? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
[01:45:02]
YES MA'AM.WHAT'S UP MAN? PAM GET IS RIGHT PAM.
HOLD UP UNTIL, UH, COUNCILMAN SAID WHEN AFTER THAT HE WASN'T ON SMOKE.
HE TOOK A, HE'S GOING TO TAKE A BREATHING TREATMENT.
HOW YOU WANT? YOU WANT A PLANE? YEAH.
WELL, I GUESS, COME ON, COME ON.
HE'S TAKING A BREATHING TREATMENT.
HE WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE YOU OVER THERE.
YOU GOT ALL THOSE ON THE END? THAT DOES LOOK GOOD.
YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT UP HERE? YEAH.
WE CAN CRITIQUE IT BEFORE IT OUT.
AND LOOK, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
AND WE, AND WE HOPE THAT THIS EXPERIENCE TODAY MAKES YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT.
WHO WANTS TO
WELL, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR AGE THIS SEEMS BORING.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHO WANTS IN POLITICS.
NOBODY, NO ONE WOULD TO BE IN POLITICS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY RIGHT NOW.
I HOPE I'M ALIVE WHEN YOU DO IT.
YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANNA DO THIS? YEAH.
MAYA AND WHAT'S YOUR NAME? OKAY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME SIR? KILLING.
WHAT'S UP BROTHER? YOU GOOD MAN? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? YOU ALRIGHT BROTHER? ALRIGHT, WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME? WHAT'S UP YOUNG MAN? YOU ALL? ALRIGHT, WHAT'S UP? WHAT'S UP? YOU ALL RIGHT MAN? OKAY.
UH, WE ARE, EXCUSE ME, BACK SESSION FROM OUR REGULARLY, UH, SCHEDULED MEETING THAT BEGAN AT 9 36 ON THIS MORNING.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ATTORNEY THERE ON ANY, UH, ACTION ITEMS? YES.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU ALL JUST, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE AMBULANCE AGREEMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS.
MAY I GET, UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE EXTEND THE, UH, AGREEMENT FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS.
SECOND MAYOR, IF WE MOVE AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD EXTEND THE, I HAVE TO SAY FIRST RESPONDER, BUT AMBULANCE, UH, AGREEMENT FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS ARE READY FOR QUESTIONING.
AND ANY QUESTIONS WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
WE WILL NOW, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION COURT.
COUNCILMAN DEUCE SAID, UH, FOR THE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR US TO ADJOIN.
SECOND THAT WE WOULD ADJOIN THE MEETING, AS I STATED EARLIER, BEGAN TODAY SEPTEMBER 12TH AT 9:36 AM THIS MORNING.
ANY QUESTIONS? AND ON ANY WE READY VOTE.
ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE SO ORDERED NOW, UH, NEXT WE HAVE HERE WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 4 44, UH, FOR STREET AND PORT ARTHUR FOR A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
[01:50:06]
WE OUGHT TO BE SWITCHING OVER THERE.BUT THEY KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE NO SYSTEM OVER THERE.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S I DON'T SEE HOW THEY GOING.
WELL THAT'S AN OLD SYSTEM ANYWAY.
SAYS HE GOT THAT, THAT WHAT THEY CALL A UG SOMETHING MAR MARCH DOWN THERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT EVEN ALL AT ONE.
SEE THAT'S FROM THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT.
I'M LIKE, WONDER WHY THEY GOT, THAT'S AN OLD THING NOW.
THAT'S WHEN I WAS TEACHING IN OH FIVE AND OH SIX IN THE COMPUTER LAB.
I MEAN, AT U B C, BIG OLD YEAH, YEAH.
NO MORE RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
I'M GONNA LET YOU GET BACK OVER THERE.
UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE AGAIN IN THE PORT ARTHUR, UH, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ON TODAY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023.
IT, IT'S ACTUALLY AT 1:38 PM THAT WE ARE GONNA CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER.
AND YOU MAY ATTEND THIS MEETING, UH, BY VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, VIDEO, VIDEO CONFERENCE.
THAT'S TRUE AND BY TELEPHONIC, UH, UH, MEDIUMS. BUT YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 4 1 0 0, NO, EXCUSE ME, 8 4 1 2 3 2 6 3 6 3 3 4 4, AND THE PASSCODE OF 1 9 0 9 2 8.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN THIS MEETING.
AND IF YOU WOULD HAVE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AT 4 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 TO MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN AND THAT THEY WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THE HALF HOURS TO ACTUALLY COMPLY WITH YOUR REQUEST.
WE'LL STAND, WE'LL HAVE, UH, AN INVOCATION AND A PLEDGE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, THE ORDER OF BUSINESS.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANKLIN, YOU DO A SHORT PRAYER, PLEASE.
FATHER, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR MERCY AND YOUR LOVE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY, CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO.
UH, ITEM ONE IS P R NUMBER 23 3 2 8.
BILL BARCE AS A NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY BOARD CANDIDATE FOR, UH, BOARD MEMBERSHIP, UH, IN THE N L C.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES.
IT REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD PASS THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, WE'RE READY FOR A QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, THAT'S ADDITIONAL TRAVEL AND EXPENSES FOR TRAVEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I AM ABOUT THAT.
UH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CANDIDATE AND, AND BEING ON THE BOARD.
IT'S JUST THAT IT'S GONNA CO COST CAUSE FOR ADDITIONAL TRAVEL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON IT? AND ON ANY, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? NO.
SO IT'S ORDERED THAT WE WILL, UH, APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 33 28.
YOU MIGHT GET A, UH, MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
[01:55:01]
MOVE FOR ADJOURNMENT.WE WOULD ADJOURN THIS GREAT MEETING.
ANY OPPOSES? AYE, ADV ORDERED.