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A OKAY.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
WE ARE GATHERED HERE, EXCUSE ME, TODAY AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.IT IS NOW 1 0 6 FOR A 1:00 PM MEETING HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN THE, UH, TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS, HOWEVER 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 CODE OF 8 7 9 4 7, EXCUSE ME, 4 6 7 9 1 6 3 3, AND THE PASSCODE OF 4 7 0 0 2 7 AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
ALSO, THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WILL HAVE NEEDED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS PARTICULAR MEETING ON TODAY TO MAKE THAT REQUEST KNOWN.
AND THEY WOULD'VE DONE ALL THAT WAS IN THEIR POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU.
BUT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE NOW.
WE WILL HAVE AN INVOCATION AND PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE, AND THE ROLL CALL IF YOU ALL STAND, PLEASE, SO WE CAN PARTICIPATE.
AND THE INVOCATION, FATHER GOD, IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE APPROACH YOUR THRONE, GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS HOUR.
DEAR GOD, THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US, EVEN ON TODAY.
YOU AWAKENED US THIS MORNING AND YOU'VE ALLOWED US TO BEGIN OUR DAY ON THIS MORNING.
AND YOU BROUGHT US TO THIS VERY HOUR.
AND FOR THIS, WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE AND HUMBLED.
WE ASK NOW, DEAR GOD, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW US THE TEMPERANCE, THE KNOWLEDGE, AND ALL THAT WE NEED TO CARRY OUT THE BUSINESS OF THIS FAIR CITY.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR US IN THIS CITY, AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO GUIDE US SO THAT WE WILL GUIDE OUR CITY IN THE MANNER AND IN THE WAY ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, THAT IT WOULD BE GUIDED.
THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
FOR SAKE, WE DO PRAY A MAN, AND THANK GOD, PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND TO ESTABLISH THE QUO FOR US.
MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO, TIMM HAMILTON PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
[III. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
JUNCTURE, BECAUSE THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING AND THERE IS AN ITEM THAT IS, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE ON PAGE TWO THAT CALLS FOR A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.I'D LIKE FOR US TO ACTUALLY GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE DISCUSSION OF ANY KIND THAT IS ACTUALLY, UH, NUMERAL ONE.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS AT THIS MOMENT INFORM YOU ALL WHO GATHERED THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWNSTAIRS INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.10, ONE OF THE CHAPTER OF 5 5 1, WHICH IS THE OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE GOVERNING OF THE STATE OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY, UH, ARTICLE 62 52 DASH 17, SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION EIGHT.
AND PRIOR TO OUR GOING INTO THE MEETING, MY BEING THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THIS MEETING, I AM TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN THE CLOSED MEETING THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO IN JUST A MOMENT, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, AND WE WILL DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OR PENDING CLAIMS, CONTRACTS, LITIGATION, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING AMBULANCE SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THESE ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND IF THERE'LL BE A NEED TO ACT UPON ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL RETURN HERE TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND WE WILL ACT UPON IT IN OPEN.
NOW, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS RECESS DOWNSTAIRS.
THE COUNCIL WILL, IF YOU ALL CARE, UH, AND WISH YOU, YOU WOULD REMAIN UNTIL WE RETURN.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE, UH, REESTABLISH MAYOR VART.
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COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.WE ARE RETURNING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION BACK INTO OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 13TH AT WHICH BEGAN AT 1:06 PM ON TODAY.
WERE THERE ANY ACTIONS FROM THE MEETING? NO, SIR.
SO THERE'S NO POINT IN NEED FOR THE ITEM NUMBER ONE FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO, UH, INDICATIONS OF ANY, UH, POSSIBILITIES OF PURSUING THIS IN A MANNER.
IT, IT MAY HAVE BEEN REQUESTED.
SO AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR A ENJOYMENT AND IF YOU ALL WILL HAVE DISCUSSIONS, YOU'LL DISCUSS THOSE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN DOUCETTE, MOVE FOR ADJOIN.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCIL, COUNCIL MCKEN LAW.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROBABLY SECOND THAT WE WOULD BE, UH, ADJOINING THIS MEETING THAT ACTUALLY BEGAN, EXCUSE ME, SOME 50 MINUTES AGO.
AND, UH, WE WOULD ASK AS WE EVEN ADJOIN THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US, UH, YOUR BLESSINGS AS I THINK ALL OF US WILL BE LEAVING IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO TO, UH, GO TO NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES MEETING IN ATLANTA, UH, GEORGIA AND MAYOR POINT OF LAW.
YOU DON'T WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE TO BREAK IN HOMES.
THAT'S WHY WE DON'T ANNOUNCE IT.
AND, UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO, UH, AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN LEWIS ON THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO IGNORE THAT
SO I WOULD THANK YOU ABL BARNETT, IF I MAY.
HAVE IT SO RESORT THIS MEETING IS NOW JOINED.