[00:00:02]
I NEED TO DO THAT FIRST,[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
RIGHT? GOOD EVENING.GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME HERE TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
UH, YOU, WE ARE SITUATED HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET, HERE IN THE CITY ON THE, UH, FOURTH FLOOR, FIFTH FLOOR OF CITY HALL.
AND THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED, AND YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING VIA TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS. HOWEVER YOU MUST FIRST DIAL, 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.
AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 5 6 0 6 7 4 0 1 1 9, AND YOU WOULD HAVE THE PASSCODE OF 6 9 3 0 4 8, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
ALSO, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AT THIS PARTICULAR MEETING.
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE A NEED OR A DESIRE FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST FIRST CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
HOWEVER, IT MUST BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO THAT THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE AFFORDED YOU.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL STAND AND HAVE THE INVOCATION, A PLEDGE, AND A ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN FRANK, WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US INDICATION AGAIN, LET US BOW ALWAYS IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, AGAIN, WE COME BEFORE YOU THANKING YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL AND BLESSED DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF, UH, CONVENING TODAY, FATHER, AND BEING ALLOWED TO, UH, MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL BLESS AND BENEFIT YOUR PEOPLE.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU EVEN NOW FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED AND FOR ALL THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE.
WE AGAIN, GOD, ASK THAT YOU WOULD TOUCH THE ALEXANDER FAMILY, THAT YOU WOULD SUSTAIN THEM AND HOLD THEM, AND THAT WE WOULD SEE YOUR POWER IN THEIR LIVES.
TOUCH OUR CITY, TOUCH OUR NATION, TOUCH OUR WORLD.
WOULD YOU JOIN US, PLEASE? NOW, IN SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING.
SEE THE SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO SET THE QUORUM FOREST, PLEASE? MAYOR BARTEE.
PRESENT, MAYOR PRO TIMM HAMILTON.
AND AGAIN, WELCOME TEACHER VIEW WHO HAVE GATHERED HERE, UH, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON HERE AT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING OVER THERE THAT I SHOULD HAVE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
NEXT WE WILL MOVE TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHICH WOULD BE PETITIONS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER HERE, DAVID JONES, REGARDING FEDERAL ROCKETER INFLUENCE AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, YOUR AGENDA MAY HAVE A NAME HERE, BUT I HAVE A PERSON WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK IN THE PLACE OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE NAME IS PRINTED IN THE, EXCUSE ME AGENDA.
[III.A.(2) Justin Bach Regarding Ambulance Service]
YES, SIR.UH, REGARDING AMBULANCE SERVICE.
BEGIN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
JASON MERCER, 37 20 CORLEY STREET.
UH, MY NAME AGAIN IS JASON MERCER.
I'VE BEEN WITH ACADIAN AMBULANCE, UH, FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS OR SO AND WANTED TO COME BEFORE COUNSEL, UH, JUST TO OFFER SOME CLARIFICATION TO SOME OF THE, THE SITUATION THAT WE'VE FOUND OURSELVES IN.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, DISCUSSION INDIVIDUALLY, UH, BUT NOT WITH THE, WITH THE FULL COUNSEL IN ATTENDANCE.
AND SO WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO TO OFFER SOME, SOME, SOME THOUGHTS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND CERTAINLY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY FROM, FROM YOU GUYS.
[00:05:01]
UM, SO WE'VE, AS YOU KNOW, BEEN GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE, FOR 17 YEARS, THE LAST 13 OF WHICH AS THE SOLE PROVIDER.AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
UM, OUR COMPLIANCE RECORD, UH, THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAS BEEN ABOUT 93% COMPLIANT, BUT WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE'RE DOING NINE OUTTA 10, WELL THERE'S ONE OUT OF 10 THAT, THAT WE'RE MISSING THE MARK ON.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS, UH, BEEN MOTIVATED TO TRY TO RESOLVE.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, UH, MAKE ENOUGH MOVEMENT ON THAT FRONT COUNCIL AND THE CHIEF ELECTED TO GO TO A TWO PROVIDER SYSTEM TO TRY TO IMPROVE FROM THE COMPLIANCE FROM THE 93% THAT WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING.
UM, WE'LL NEVER GET TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, EVEN WITH TWO AGENCIES LIKE OURS AND CITY WORKING TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WE WON'T HIT A HUNDRED, BUT, BUT WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO, TO RAISE OUR BAR AND, AND TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO THAT.
UM, SO THERE, THERE AGAIN, SINGLE PROVIDER SYSTEMS. THERE'S A LOT OF OF COMMUNICATION AROUND THAT AND, AND OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH IT.
UM, OUR 52 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, UH, HAS SERVED US WELL, BEING A SINGLE PROVIDER, BUT, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL HAS MADE THAT DECISION.
AND SO AGAIN, WE WANNA WORK WITH, WITH THE CITY, UM, WITH CHIEF BENSON AND, AND WITH THE OTHER AGENCY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN FOR THE CITIZENS.
AND WE FEEL, UM, THAT THERE'S A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE OUR INITIAL REVIEW OF THE CONTRACT, AND IT WAS NEVER OUR INTENT, UH, I NEED TO SAY TO, TO, TO NOT PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UM, WE, WE CERTAINLY DID NOT EVER INTEND TO, TO, UH, DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND.
UM, I KNOW SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION MAY BE THAT, THAT WE UP AND LEFT.
IT WAS NEVER OUR PLAN OR GOAL OR INTENT TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY CONFUSION, UH, THAT THIS HAS RESULTED IN.
BUT, BUT THERE'S REALLY JUST THREE, THREE THINGS THAT, THAT WE ARE HOPING TO GET CLARITY ON WITHIN THE CURRENT CONTRACT.
AND ASSUMING WE CAN GET THAT CLARITY, IT WOULD GIVE US THE COMFORT TO SIGN THE CURRENT CONTRACT AS HAS ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED.
UH, SO THE THREE THINGS FOR US ARE TO KIND OF SOME CLARITY AROUND THE TIMING OF THE RESPONSE ZONE, UH, ROTATION.
UM, SO UNDERSTANDING THERE'S GONNA BE A, A FAIR, UM, SYSTEM.
IT WOULD HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TIMEFRAME WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE, FOR THE ZONES TO SWAP.
UM, THE SECOND THING IS, IS JUST SOME CLARIFICATION AROUND THE CLAUSE AND THE ORDINANCE.
AND IN THE CONTRACT THAT DEALS WITH THE SEQUESTRATION OF AMBULANCES, WE KNOW THAT THAT WAS A CLAUSE PUT IN UNDER THE SINGLE PROVIDER, UH, SCENARIO SO THAT THE CITY WOULD BE PROTECTED SHOULD THE AMBULANCE COMPANY UP AND LEAVE OVERNIGHT.
WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION TO YOUR CITIZENS.
UM, HOWEVER WE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CLEAR ABOUT WHAT MIGHT TRIGGER THAT CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT TO GO INTO EFFECT.
AND SO IF THERE'D BE A WAY TO, TO GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT, IT WOULD HELP US.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS, IS JUST SOME OF THE RESPONSE ZONES WITH THE FINES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CONTRACT.
WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE IDEA BEHIND HAVING FINES AND, AND WE, UH, CERTAINLY AGREE TO, TO PLAY BY THOSE RULES, BUT THERE'S SOME FAR REACHING PARTS OF THE CITY THAT, THAT WE ARE NOT SURE ANY SERVICE COULD, COULD MEET THE COMPLIANCE FOR.
AND SO WONDERING IF THERE'S EXCEPTIONS TO THOSE AREAS.
UH, SABINE PASS, PLEASURE ISLAND BEING, BEING THE FEW THAT COME TO MIND.
AND, AND I THINK THAT, UM, WORKING TOGETHER WITH, WITH OUR FRIENDS AT CITY AMBULANCE, WHO, WHO I KNOW PERSONALLY, I THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CHIEF TO, TO COME TO SOME CLARIFICATION ON THESE THINGS.
BUT, BUT THAT'S BEEN THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE SEEN UP TO THIS POINT.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO, TO OFFER OUR APOLOGIES FOR THE, FOR THE CONFUSION THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED AND TO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AROUND JUST THOSE THREE THINGS BEING THE, THE MAIN TOPICS THAT WE WERE HOPING TO, TO GET CLARITY ON.
AND THAT CLARITY COULD, COULD COME IN FORM OF A, OF AN EMAIL FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, A MEMO FROM THE CHIEF, UM, WHATEVER COUNCIL FEEL MIGHT FEEL APPROPRIATE.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SERVE THE CITIZENS, UH, TO ADDRESS COUNCIL THIS EVENING AND, AND HOPEFULLY TO BE BACK INTO THE ROTATION SOON.
UH, WOULD THERE BE ANY REMARKS OF QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HERE.
HOW LONG FOR A SINGLE PROVIDER? AS A SINGLE PROVIDER? I BELIEVE IT'S 13 YEARS.
SEE, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THAT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE CHOICES.
WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE CHOICES.
ALL THE SINGLE PROVIDERS, TELEPHONE SYSTEM, THE GAS, THE NATURAL GAS, UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THOSE ARE FRANCHISES.
AND WHEN THIS, WHEN CITY HALL WAS BEING FILLED UP WITH, WITH AMBULANCE SERVICE EVERY TWO YEARS FOR NEW PEOPLE WANTS TO COME IN AND, AND THE EXISTING COMPANY WAS BUYING EACH, BUYING EACH OTHER OUT, AND YOU END UP WITH ONE OR TWO, WE'VE HAD AS MUCH AS THREE AND FOUR.
[00:10:01]
BUT WE DON'T NEED, BUT TWO, THE CITIZENS NEED A CHOICE.AND THE LAST TIME, UH, SOMEONE CAME HERE AND THEY, THEY VOTED IT DOWN TO STAY WITH THE STAY WITH THE ONE SERVICE WE HAD HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, DOCTORS, NURSES COMPLAIN, WE NEED TO SERVE IT.
BUT THE COUNSELOR AT THAT TIME, AND IT IS A DIFFERENT MAKEUP TODAY, IGNORED IT.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROPONENT OF AT LEAST TWO SERVICES WE'VE HAD THREE AND FOUR.
OKAY? WHEN ACADIAN CAME IN, WE HAD AT LEAST TWO OR THREE ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND I FOUGHT AND ARGUE TO STAY WITH THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TO STAY WITH THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FAIL YOU.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
BUT I'M AT THE POINT NOW, TWO SERVICES IS ALL WE NEED.
OKAY? AND WHAT, AND ANOTHER THING WANT WE WANNA STOP DOING, LET THE EXISTING COMPANIES BUY THE OTHER COMPANY.
WE NEED TO SHUT THAT DOWN SO WE CAN MAINTAIN ALL TWO SERVICES, OKAY? AND IT'S ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO DO.
WE NEED TO PUT IN THE CONTRACT WHEN CONTRACTS EXPIRE AND EXISTING SERVICES COME UP AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OTHERS.
NO, WE NEED TO SHUT THOSE THINGS DOWN, OKAY? WE NEED TWO SERVICES.
I'M GONNA ALWAYS SUPPORT THAT.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, QUICKLY, HEB HOWARD HATFIELD COMPLAINED.
I FOUGHT FOR THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
WE GOT HEB HATFIELD WENT AWAY.
LET THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM PREVAIL.
COUNCIL TOOK THOSE, ALL THOSE IN CONSIDERATION.
IN FACT, BEN TOOK THEM INTO CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL HAS FELT THAT, UH, YOUR CONCERNS WERE SOME THAT WE ADDRESSED.
THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE IS FOR ANY AMBULANCE SERVICE WHO GONNA SERVE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
YOU ACCEPT THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN, AND IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THE CONTRACT THAT'S WRITTEN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SERVE IN THE CITY.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE GOING TO KILL ANY CONTRACT FOR ANY AMBULANCE SERVICE.
UH, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IN A CONTRACT THAT WE EXPECT BOTH SERVICE TO APPLY BY.
ALSO, THE FACT THAT, UH, THE ROTATION BASIS, WE E ESTABLISHED SAFE COUNCIL THAT YES, WE GONNA ROTATE.
WHEN YOU ROTATE, UH, YOU AND THE WHOEVER IN CHARGE OF THE OTHER SERVICE SHOULD SIT DOWN WITH THE CHIEF AND Y'ALL DECIDE WHICH BEST FOR BOTH COMPANIES TO WORK.
WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DECIDED IS THE TWO SERVICES THAT WORKS IN THIS CITY IS GONNA BE EQUAL.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF BOTH COMPANIES.
WE ARE SUPPORTING YOU ALL TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
ANYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S UNFAIR OR UNJUST, WE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE FINAL SAY.
WE ARE THE ONES THAT'S COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS FAIR AND JUST ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THAT.
YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT NEVER WAS A MISCOMMUNICATIONS BY US, NOBODY ELSE.
'CAUSE WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SAID FROM THE FIRST TIME.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU ALL SIGN THE CONTRACT TODAY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED.
IF YOU ALL, AND ANY, AND THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE CONCERNING THE ROTATION, WE DON'T NEED TO PUT IT IN WRITING.
WE HAVE ALREADY ISSUED A DIRECTIVE AND THAT DIRECTIVE WILL BE CARRIED OUT.
OTHER THAN THAT, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL UNJUST ABOUT ALL THE OTHER CITY FEELING UNJUSTIFIED, THEN YOU COME TO US.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE EXPECT THE SAME THING FOR BOTH SERVICES, AND WE SUPPORT BOTH SERVICES A HUNDRED PERCENT AND WANT YOU ALL TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SO BETTER SO YOU ALL COULD BETTER SERVE OUR CITIZENS.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
UH, REAL QUICK, UH, YOU SAID SOME STATISTICS IN YOUR NUMBERS.
YOU SAID 93%, UH, TIME, THAT'S THE COMPLIANCE RESPONSE AVERAGE OVER THE TRAILING 12 MONTHS OF SERVICE ON THE 9 1 1 SIDE.
AND HOW DO YOU, UH, UH, TURN IN THAT DATA? ARE, ARE YOU TURNING THAT DATA INTO THE, UH, FIRE CHIEF OR YES, SIR.
[00:15:01]
THAT DATA AND DETERMINES IS A 93% IN 12 MONTHS? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, OUR SYSTEM DOCUMENTS CALLS THROUGH OUR CAD OR COM, UH, COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH.AND SO IT HAS TIMESTAMPS IN IT THAT WE EXPORTS THOSE REPORTS, UH, PUT 'EM INTO A FORMAT THAT CHIEF HAS ACCESS TO ON A, ON A GOOGLE DRIVE.
UH, AND HE COMPARES IT, I THINK, TO THE STATISTICS THAT HIS DISPATCH CENTER HAS TO VERIFY.
WELL, UM, MR. MERCER, UH, JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON MY COHORT, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, WE, WE SET A, A HARD LINE ON THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE, AND WE EXPECT THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE GETTING.
UH, I WROTE IN MY NOTES DOWNSTAIRS, ROTATION GPS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
ARE YOU ALSO GONNA PROVIDE GPS LOCATION OF YOUR, YOUR BUSES? I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO SOME MEMBERS OF OUR OPERATION TEAM ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY WE ACQUIRED.
UM, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU AN WELL, THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS CONCERNED TO ME PERSONALLY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE.
I WANNA KNOW WHERE YOUR BUSES ARE WHEN YOU'RE SERVICING OUR CITIES.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I DO AGREE THAT SOMETIMES WE PUT OURSELF IN SITUATIONS THAT WE NEED TO GET BETTER WITH, BUT YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS ACCOUNTABILITY, I WANNA KNOW WHERE THEY AT.
UH, EVEN IF WE GO TO TWO SERVICES, I WANNA KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT YOU AT AND ALL OF US IN THE CITY, UH, LIMITS, UH, ROTATION.
I, I ALSO AGREE THAT ROTATION WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD BE LUCRATIVE TO OUR, OUR CITY, UH, TO KIND OF FRESHEN UP TO GET NEW EYES, GREEN EYES ON NEW AREAS.
BUT YOU'VE BEEN HERE 13 YEARS, SO, UH, I'M SURE THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK OUT, YOU CAN WORK THAT OUT WITH THE MANAGEMENT AND LEGAL, UH, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE'VE GIVEN AMPLE TIME, WE NEED NOW START IN EMPHASIZING AND ON THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR MAKING SURE THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, MY REQUEST IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, THE CITY CAN CONTROL, BUT IT'S STILL A REQUEST TO CONFIRM THAT THE INSURANCE CARRIER THAT IS PROVIDE THAT, UM, IS IN NETWORK WITH YOUR COMPANY.
AND THIS WILL BE TO ANY COMPANY THAT COMES TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
TO PLEASE, PLEASE DO THE RESEARCH AND CONFIRM WHO IS THE GREATEST, UM, MEDICAL INSURANCE PROVIDER IN OUR AREA SO THAT WHEN, AND IF WE DO HAVE THIS ROTATION THAT A CITIZEN IN ZONE ONE OR TWO, OR ZONE A OR B IS NOT IN NETWORK, AND THE PROVIDER WHO DOES NOT PROVIDE THEIR TAKE, THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE IS GONNA HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET, THAT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY UNFAIR.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR OUR SOME OUT 700 EMPLOYEES, OUR CARRIER IS BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON ON THIS DESK, IS THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO, AGAIN, I KNOW IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTROL, BUT I AM ASKING FOR THE PROVIDERS TO PLEASE TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU ARE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH CHIEF BENSON TO CONFIRM HOW THAT ROTATION IS HELD.
IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE CITIZENS TO NOT BE IN THAT ZONE ON THAT SPECIFIC DAY AND NOT BE IN THAT WORK WITH THAT SPECIFIC PROVIDER.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO PROVIDE SOME DOCUMENTATION BACK TO COUNSEL ON THAT? IS THAT THE EASIEST METHOD? BUT WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND ACCORDING TO THE ZIP CODE, WHO WAS THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE GREATEST PROVIDER, BUT THE PROVIDER WHO HAD THE MOST, UM, COVERAGE IN OUR AREA? YES, MA'AM.
UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, SIR.
THE MAIN PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL, UM, OF COURSE AS YOU HAVE STATED, AND AS IS UNDERSTOOD, IS THAT WE PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE THAT WE CAN FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND YOU ALL, FOR 13 YEARS HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THAT SERVICE.
THE REASON THAT WE GOT HERE AND THE, THE, THE, THE, THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE NOW IS, IS THAT AS COUNCILMAN, WE RECEIVED SOME COMMENTS, WE RECEIVED SOME CALLS, UH, THAT ULTIMATELY THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AND SOME, SOME DIFFICULTIES.
I KNOW YOU'VE QUOTED AND STATED WHAT YOUR DATA IS, BUT, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON WHY WE GOT HERE AND WE FELT, YOU KNOW, UH, COMPELLED TO GO OUT FOR ANOTHER SERVICE, IS THAT WE WANTED TO INCREASE, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT NEEDED AN AMBULANCE SERVICE GETTING AN AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
HAVING SAID THAT, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
[00:20:01]
THE SEQUESTRATION OF AMBULANCES.UM, WAS WAS THAT A PART OF THE INITIAL, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 13 YEARS, HAS THAT BEEN A PART OF THE, OF THE CONTRACT THAT YOU SIGNED PREVIOUSLY HERE IN THE CITY? YES, SIR.
IT WAS, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A CLAUSE THAT WE WORKED WITH THE CITY TO INCORPORATE WHEN WE WERE THE ONLY PROVIDER.
SO THE, THE PROTECTION POINT FOR THE CITY WAS IF WE UP AND DECIDED TO LEAVE OVERNIGHT THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE A LEGAL, UH, A LEGAL RAMIFICATION AGAINST US AS THE ONLY EMS AGENCY IN THE CITY TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STAFF IT WITH FIREMEN OR WHOMEVER TO, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.
AND SO OUR, OUR, UM, QUESTION IS NOW THAT THERE ARE TWO PROVIDERS, WHAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT? THAT, THAT'S THE, THE, THE GIST OF THE, OF THE QUESTION FROM OUR SIDE.
AND SO THE, AND SO THE OTHER AMBULANCE SERVICE SIGNED THAT, THAT CONTRACT WITH THE SEQUESTRATION, UH, AS WELL.
UM, LET, AND WHAT, UNDER YOUR UNDERSTANDING, WHAT IS IT THAT, SO JUST THE FACT THAT YOU ALL MIGHT LEAVE UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT OR LEAVE, UM, IN, IN A VERY, YOU KNOW, HURRIED MANNER, THAT WE WOULD AS A CITY BE ABLE TO HOLD FIVE AMBULANCES? YES, SIR.
YOU, YOU'D HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT LEAST FIVE AMBULANCES FROM US, SO THAT YOU COULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE CITIZENS.
WE WOULD LEASE THOSE FROM YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW THE LANGUAGE IN THE, IN THE CONTRACT READS.
AND SO WHAT IS THE, WHAT'S THE DIFFICULTY WITH THAT? NOW? AMBULANCES ARE, ARE AT A PREMIUM, UH, AND, AND, AND SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO, TO LEAVE UNITS BEHIND, BUT MORE IMPORTANT TO THAT IS, IS NOT HAVING CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MIGHT TRIGGER THAT CLAUSE.
AND SO I THINK FOR US, IT'S, IT'S LESS ABOUT THE FIVE AMBULANCES AND MORE ABOUT UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT THE CITY FEEL INAPPROPRIATE TO, TO, UH, ENACT THAT, THAT POSITION? WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT, UH, HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CONTRACT FOR OVER 13 YEARS THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TRIGGERED OR TRIGGERED OR EVER COME CLOSE TO BEING TRIGGERED.
I I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, LEAVES TO BE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED, UM, SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
OF COURSE, THAT'S UP TO YOU AND YOUR COMPANY.
I JUST, JUST WANTED TO HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
THE OTHER ASPECT OF IT IS THIS COUNCIL, IS WE AWARE OF WHAT HAP OF THE FACT THAT SABINE PASS, UH, IS ON THE OUTER FRINGES OF OUR CITY, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, UH, TO GET, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, AND EVERYONE ELSE, UM, TO FIX, UM, THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN SABINE PASS.
SO WE KNOW IT CAN BE CONGESTED.
UM, AND IT WOULD NOT BE, AND I'M SPEAKING AS A COUNCILMAN, I WOULD NOT, UH, BE OPPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE DONE TO KEEP YOU ALL OR ANY, UH, SERVICE FROM BEING, UM, PENALIZED, UH, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN TRANSPIRES, UH, IN SABINE PASS.
IT CAN TAKE YOU 20 MINUTES TO GET TO SABINE PASS, OR IT CAN TAKE YOU AN HOUR TO GET TO SINE PASS, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT, UH, THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, UM, UH, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT, UM, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, THERE IN SABINE PASS.
UM, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT VIOLATE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE ATTORNEY THAT HAS ADVISED YOU ABOUT THIS CONTRACT SITUATION.
AND, AND DID YOU BRAINSTORM ANY SITUATIONS WHERE YOU THINK THAT THE SEQUESTRATION CLAUSE MIGHT COME INTO EFFECT WITH TWO AMBULANCE SERVICES? I, I MEAN, YES, IT WAS DISCUSSED.
UH, OUR, OUR THOUGHT IS THAT AS LONG AS THERE ARE TWO PROVIDERS, THERE WOULD BE COVERAGE, UH, ENOUGH TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE CITY IN A, IN A PINCH.
AND SO, UH, UNLESS BOTH SERVICES LEFT SIMULTANEOUSLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WOULD BE A, A TIME WHERE THAT CLAUSE WOULD, WOULD GO INTO EFFECT.
UM, AGAIN, IT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN TO PROTECT THE CITY WHEN THERE WAS JUST ONE, ONE SERVICE, UH, OPERATING RIGHT.
WHICH WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD AT THAT POINT THAT, THAT IF WE MADE A DECISION TO UP AND LEAVE, THAT THAT CITY WOULD BE, WOULD BE HIGH AND DRY.
UM, BUT WITH TWO SERVICES, UH, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO SEE A SCENARIO WHERE THAT MIGHT COME INTO PLAY.
THERE AREN'T ANY MORE COMMENTS? UH, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WITNESSED WAS, UH, I, WHAT I FOUND OUT, THE EX THE, THE OTHER FIRE CHIEF HAD ACADIAN SELF-REPORTED.
AND WHAT I WITNESSED IN MY CHURCH THAT WAS AN EMERGENCY AND WHAT I WITNESSED, I'M STANDING THERE FOR OPEN HOUR WAITING.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE.
I'M, WE WAITING FOR THE ACADIAN.
[00:25:01]
THEY SHOWED, THE SUPERVISOR SHOWED UP, AND AFTER, AFTER ABOUT 30, 40 MINUTES, THE SUPERVISOR SHOWED UP AND I THEN ABOUT 30, 40 MINUTES LATER, HOUR LATER, THE AMBULANCE SHOWED UP.SO WHEN I DID, I CHECKED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY REPORTED, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY REPORTED, THE AMBULANCE WAS NOT THERE.
THEY REPORTED THE SUPERVISOR ARRIVING AND I QUESTIONED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S BEEN GOING ON, HE SAID, WE'VE BEEN COVERING FOR CADEN MANY, MANY TIMES WE'VE BEEN COVERING FOR 'EM.
AND I CHECKED ON SOMETHING ELSE AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHY THEY WERE SELF-REPORTING WHO ALLOWED THEM TO SELF-REPORT.
THEN I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT WAS THE EXISTING PEOPLE WAS IN PLACE, WAS GETTING URGS.
THAT'S WHY THEY WAS SELF-REPORTED.
THAT'S NOT FOR YOU, BUT I'M TELLING YOU WHAT I KNOW.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT, SIR.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT,
[III.A.(3) A Representative Of Cascades At Port Arthur Facility Regarding Ambulance Service]
UH, SPEAKER TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CASCADES AT PORT ARTHUR FACILITY REGARDING, UH, AMBULANCE SERVICE.MY NAME IS ANDY HILL AND I REPRESENT CASCADES AT PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE LOCATED AT 6609TH AVENUE.
UH, SO I COME HERE TODAY REPRESENTING, UH, THREE SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHURS.
THAT IS CASCADES AT PORT ARTHUR CASCADES AT SENIOR REHABILITATION AND BOND V WE ARE THE ONLY THREE SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES IN THE AREA COMBINED.
WE HAVE A CENSUS DAILY OF OVER 250 CRITICALLY ILL RESIDENTS, AND THOSE RESIDENTS REQUIRE 24 7 CARE.
SO WE OPERATE 365 DAYS A YEAR, 24 7, AND OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR AMBULANCE SERVICES ON A DAILY BASIS.
FROM NUMBERS ALONE, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED AT LEAST TWO PARTIES FOR OUR AMBULANCE SERVICES.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, WE ARE AT RISK OF NOT BEING IN COMPLIANCE DUE TO THIS CONTRACTUAL ISSUE WITH ACADIAN AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE REGULATED VERY HEAVILY BY TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BY THE CDC, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL EMERGENCY RESPONSE CONTRACTS, EMERGENCY EVACUATION CONTRACTS, AND I, AS THE ADMINISTRATOR, ULTIMATELY AM IN CHARGE OF THE RESIDENTS IN MY FACILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE FOR THE CURRENT SITUATION RIGHT NOW, THE MATH ALONE DOESN'T ADD UP.
IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE MY FACILITY ALONE TODAY, I HAVE 76 RESIDENTS.
I BELIEVE CURRENTLY THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT TO 10 UNITS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY BEING GENEROUS.
BASED ON STAFFING, YOU CAN ONLY TRANSPORT TWO PEOPLE IN AN AMBULANCE.
SO THAT ALONE, IF WE USED ALL UNITS FOR EVACUATING MY FACILITY, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR ALL THREE SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES.
AND THEN THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE OUR RESIDENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD NEED EMERGENCY SERVICES ALSO, UM, I BELIEVE ACADIAN DOES HAVE IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, JEFFERSON, UH, ORANGE COUNTY AND HARDIN COUNTY, 54 AMBULANCES, 22 WHEELCHAIR VANS, TWO SHUTTLE BUSES, AND AN AMBU THAT THEY CAN CALL ON IN ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY SITUATION.
I KNOW OVER THE PAST YEARS, ACADIAN HAS HANDLED NUMEROUS TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES EVACUATIONS VERY APPROPRIATELY AND REMOVED ALL OF OUR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS PRIOR TO ANY HARM COMING FROM HURRICANES.
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SO THEY HAVE BEEN A PROVIDER I HAD 17 YEARS, BUT CORRECTION 13 YEARS DURING THIS TIME WITH A COMPLIANCE RATE OVER 90%.IF IT'S 93, THEN I STAND CORRECTED.
I'M SAYING OVER 90, THE STATE AVERAGE IS 80%.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY EXCEEDING THE REST OF THE STATE BY A VERY HEALTHY MARGIN.
BRINGING A SECOND PROVIDER IN CAN AID WITH THAT, BUT I, I THINK WE NEED TO ADJUST THE CONTRACTS TO MAKE IT BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH PROVIDERS AND TO ENSURE THAT I HAVE SERVICES AT MY DISPOSAL TO PROTECT MY RESIDENTS.
WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER THAT DISASTERS AREN'T JUST HURRICANES.
WE HAVE TIME TO PREPARE, BUT WE ARE SURROUNDED BY THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD A FIRE AT THE, UH, LION ELASTOMERS.
I KNOW IT CAUSED SOME AIR QUALITY ISSUES.
THEY WERE ABLE TO, UH, PUT THAT OUT VERY QUICKLY.
BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD TPC WITH THE EXPLOSION.
GOD FORBID, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WITH OUR REFINERIES THAT ARE CLOSER IN PROXIMITY TO PORT ARTHUR.
BUT THAT COULD PUT AN IMMEDIATE RISK AT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS IN THE SSNS WHERE WE WOULD NEED IMMEDIATE ACTION.
I FEEL THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED A SERVICE LIKE ACADIAN THAT HAS THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY FROM THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES THAT THEY CAN PULL FROM TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THEIR RESIDENTS.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN FIVE EVACUATIONS WITH NURSING HOMES.
ACADIAN WAS THE SOLE PROVIDER DURING THOSE, AND IN THE TIME THAT IS A HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT, THEY ACTED VERY ADMIRABLY IN ASSISTING US WITH GETTING ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO SAFETY.
UH, COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON, YOU MENTIONED, UH, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ACADIAN IS CONTRACTED IN NETWORK WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AS, OR MOST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WITHIN PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE GET THAT DATA FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT I SEE IN OUR, OUR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE TO MAKE WITNESS TO HOW MUCH PRO BONO WORK THAT ACADIAN HAS PROVIDED FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ACTUALLY, YOUR TIME IS ABOUT UP.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE GATHERED WHAT YOUR MESSAGE IS.
UH, I HAVE A FEW FOLK HERE, COUNCILMAN, MY COLLEAGUES HERE WILL CARE TO ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA REFER TO THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCIES.
NOBODY'S GOING PROVIDE A SERVICE WHERE THEY PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY RIGHT OFF.
OKAY? 'CAUSE WHEN EMERGENCIES COME, I DON'T CARE HOW MANY AMBULANCE YOU HAVE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE OTHER TYPE OF UNITS OR OTHER PEOPLE IN PLACE, AND YOU CALL PLACES TO COME AND ASSIST YOU IN EMERGENCY.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH S WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, THE EMERGENCIES WE KNOW, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE MORE.
WE ARE VERY AWARE OF ACADIA'S, UH, WORK HERE IN THE CITY OVER YEARS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF ONE NURSING FACILITY.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OTHER NURSING FACILITIES.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO WHAT THEY SAY, BUT MY POINT I'M MAKING TO YOU IS, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, WE, WE MAKING A DECISION HERE BASED ON WHAT CITIZENS ARE SAYING AND BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO WORK IN NURSING FACILITIES.
SO, NOT THAT I TAKE WHAT YOU SAID LIGHTLY, BUT IT'S JUST YOUR SIDE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW, I'M QUITE SURE WHAT WE ARE DOING IS BY LAW, SO WE'RE NOT VIOLATING ANYTHING.
OKAY? SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MESSAGE WAS OR WHAT IT WAS INTENDED, BUT WE ARE VERY AWARE OF ACADIA'S RECORD, BUT OUR DECISIONS ARE BASED ON CITIZENS AND ALSO LIKE YOU OTHER MEDICAL PEOPLE IN THE NURSING HOMES, IN THE HOSPITALS.
WE HEARD FROM ALL OF THEM PRIOR TO YOU.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING FOR THEM FOR YEARS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FOR US, BUT I JUST DIDN'T SEE WHAT WAS YOUR MESSAGE
[00:35:01]
TO US THAT WE HAD ALREADY NOT CONSIDERED AND CONSIDERED VERY SERIOUSLY.WE'RE MAKING OUR DECISIONS AND DURING WHAT WE DO.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
UH, MR. HILL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ON THE PHONE PRIOR TO YOU AND ACTUALLY GETTING YOU HERE AND TO SPEAK TO THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UH, BUT MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, YOU STATED EARLIER THAT YOU HAD THREE FACILITIES, ABOUT 76 PEOPLE IN EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES, SOMEWHAT AROUND THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER 57,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
SO YOU ARE WITH CASCADE AND YOU HAVE TO JUST SOLELY LOOK AT THEM.
WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE WHOLE CITY WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I ASKED A QUESTION TO THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER, MR. MERCER, ABOUT THE 93%, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT IS SELF-REPORTING OR, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IS THAT JUST TRUE NUMBERS? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE CALLS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, THE, THE MESSAGES, THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED PRIOR TO MAKING A HARD DECISION LIKE THIS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISION BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALSO MENTIONED A CONTRACT DISPUTE THAT WE HAVE WITH ACADIAN.
THEY HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN WHEN THEY WANNA SIGN.
ONCE THEY GET THE INFORMATION, WE GAVE IT TO 'EM.
THEY HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH THEM, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MAY NEED TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THE CONTRACT.
UH, THIS COUNCIL IS GONNA ALWAYS TAKE THE POSITION ON, UH, BENEFITING THE CITIZENS AT ALL COSTS.
AND IF THE, IF IT'S A TRUE NUMBER OF 93% AND HAVING TWO SERVICES, THE NUMBERS OUGHT TO GO UP.
SO IT'S GONNA BENEFIT THE CITIZENS NO MATTER WHAT AT ALL COSTS WITH THIS COHORT OF COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCILWOMEN.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR CANDID, UH, UH, RESPONSE IN TALKING WITH YOU EARLIER LAST WEEK.
THAT'S MY POSITION IN TAKING CARE OF THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.
YOU AND I HAD A PHONE CONVERSATION LAST WEEK AS WELL, AND YOU THREW A LOT OF INFORMATION AT ME THAT I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR, AND I REFERRED YOU TO THE, THE FIRE CHIEF TO GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN I FOLLOWED UP ON SOME OF IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE WHEN THERE'S A, A DISASTER.
AND I CAN REMEMBER BACK TO HURRICANE IKE WHEN WE HAD C ONE THIRTIES THAT LANDED AT THE AIRPORT, AND WE LOADED UP ALL THE NURSING HOME RESIDENTS AND GOT THEM OUTTA HERE.
UM, AND I CAN REMEMBER DURING HURRICANE HARVEY WHEN MY HOUSE WAS FLOODED, AND I WATCHED, UH, A FRIEND OF MINE FROM THE SWAT TEAM IN GEORGETOWN COME IN SOME KIND OF, UH, AQUATIC VEHICLE DOWN JIMMY JOHNSON BOULEVARD WHEN IT WAS FLOODED, AND THEY WERE GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THOSE NURSING HOMES.
UH, I DON'T THINK BOND V WAS IN EXISTENCE AT THE TIME, BUT THE, UH, SENIOR REHAB AND, UH, THE FACILITY THAT'S NOW CASCADES, THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE BOTH EVACUATED.
WE'VE GOT THE NATIONAL GUARD, WE'VE GOT THE CAGE AND ARMY.
THEY WERE LAUNCHING BOATS OUTTA MY FRONT YARD.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, UH, EMERGENCIES LIKE THAT, WE'VE GOT OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
SO I DON'T WANT THE, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR TO THINK THAT WE'RE FALLING DOWN ON THE JOB BY NOT PROVIDING RESOURCES WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.
WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS AT OUR DISPOSAL.
AND THAT WOULDN'T BE ANY OTHER REMARKS.
AND, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE, AND WE ARE USING THE TERMS, YOU KNOW, DISASTER AND EMERGENCY.
A DISASTER IS AN EMERGENCY, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT.
IT HAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONNOTATION WHEN A DISASTER OCCURS, AS COUNCILWOMAN WAS JUST SPEAKING OF, AND, UH, ATTORNEY, WHAT IS THE, UH, I CAN'T THINK OF THE PROPER TERM WHEN WE CALL THE STATE, UH, STAR REQUEST.
STAR REQUEST, THAT'S A STAR REQUEST THAT, THAT, THAT COMES OUT, THAT THE STAR REQUEST, WELL, THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL SEND DOWN WHATEVER ASSISTANCE THAT WE NEED, AS SHE JUST STATED, IF IT'S THOSE C ONE THIRTIES OR, OR WHAT, WHATEVER THOSE NUMBERS ARE, OR ALL THOSE FLIGHTS AND EVEN, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD GET INDIVIDUALS FROM FACILITIES SUCH AS YOURS IN A DISASTER THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD OCCUR.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW, EVEN IF THEY'RE IN A NURSING HOME, IF THEY'RE IN A HOSPITAL, OR EVEN IF THEY'RE IN THEIR, UH, IN THEIR OWN PRIVATE HOMES, THAT IN A DISASTER WE WOULD BE COVERED WITH STAR REQUESTS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS AND EVEN, UH, EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FEMA AND EVERYONE ELSE WOULD REALLY BE SURE THAT IF WE HAVE TO MOVE INDIVIDUALS FROM PHYSICALLY FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO SAFETY OR HIGHER GROUND, THAT WOULD OCCUR AT, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR CONCERNS, BUT AGAIN, AS COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SAID, IF YOU ARE UNDER A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH A PRIVATE PROVIDER, THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN YOU AND THAT PRIVATE PROVIDER.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT AS CLEAR AND AS SUCCINCTLY AS, AS SUCCINCT
[00:40:01]
AS POSSIBLE, CONTRACT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ACADIAN FOR SIGNAGE, OR THERE ARE SIGNATURES AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE TENANTS OF THE CONTRACT SET FORTH BY THIS AUGUSTA BODY.IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO SIGN IT, AS SOMEONE HAS ALREADY SAID THAT IT IS THEIR PREROGATIVE AND THEY MOVE ON, THEN YOU WOULD GET YOUR SERVICES FROM WHOMEVER IS HERE AND WHOMEVER IS GOING TO COME.
BUT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE BECAUSE OF NON SIGNING, IF I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY, OR THEIR SIGNATURE ON A DOCUMENT HAS NOT OCCURRED IN A TIMELY FASHION THAT WE SET FORTH BY NOVEMBER 1ST.
AND I BELIEVE TODAY IS NOVEMBER 28TH.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND GOD BLESS YOU ON TAKING CARE OF ALL OF THOSE FOLK AS YOU ALL TAKE CARE OF EVERY DAY.
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS.
[III.A.(4) The United Citizens Of Port Arthur Regarding Plurality Vote]
FOUR, UNITED CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR REGARDING ALITY VOTE.CAN WE STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE, AND YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BART AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS EDDIE SKAGGS.
I RESIDE AT 80 24 CHINEY ROCK COURT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
I, ALONG WITH THE ORGANIZATION I REPRESENT, WHICH IS THE UNITED CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL FOR THE FOURTH TIME ON THE ISSUE, WHICH I'LL GET TO SHORTLY, UH, WITH THE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, PLEASE STAND SO YOU CAN BE RECOGNIZED.
APARTHEID THE STATE OF BEING APART, ABUSER, TAKING UNDUE ADVANTAGE OF AND UTTERLY ENJOYING IT.
ABUSED RECIPIENT OF WHATEVER ABUSER DECIDES TO MEET OUT OUT OF 28,000 PLUS VOTERS, ONLY 2,995 VOTED IN THE LAST MAYORAL GENERAL ELECTION.
THAT'S EARLY AND ELECTION DAY VOTING, A RUNOFF WAS HELD.
FEWER VOTERS SHOWED UP FOR THE RUNOFF ELECTION.
THE INITIAL COST OF THE ELECTION WAS $44,964 AND 64 CENTS FOR THE RUNOFF.
THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL COST, WHICH WAS $58,662 AND 54 CENTS FOR A TOTAL COST OF $103,627 AND 18 CENTS FOR 219 FUEL VOTERS.
MORE RECENTLY, THE ACTUAL COUNCIL ITSELF, THAT WAS AN ELECTION WHERE WE HAD 18 PEOPLE RUNNING FOR SIX POSITIONS.
IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THIS ELECTION, THE INITIAL ELECTION COST $80,000.
THE, UM, THE RUNOFF ALSO COST AN ADDITIONAL 80 FOR A TOTAL COST ESTIMATED AROUND 160.
HISTORY HAS SHOWN REPEATEDLY THAT FEWER VOTERS RETURN FOR THE RUNOFF, ESPECIALLY HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, WHICH IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE.
IF YOU HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF SIX PEOPLE, A MOTHER, FATHER, AND, AND, AND FOUR CHILDREN, AND THESE CHILDREN LEAVE THE HOUSE, YOU ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE TO REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY BILLS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE TO BUY FOOD FOR.
YOUR WATER BILL GOES DOWN, YOUR ELECTRIC BILL GOES DOWN, ALL OF THESE THINGS GO DOWN BECAUSE YOU HAVE FEWER
[00:45:01]
PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE.WE ARE HAVING FEWER VOTERS, BUT WE ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT GOOD, UM, STEWARDSHIP AT ALL.
WE ARE ASKING FOR THE FOURTH TIME THAT THE POLARITY VOTING SYSTEM VERSUS THE MAJORITY VOTING SYSTEM, WHICH, WHICH INCLUDES HAVING RUNOFFS BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT IN THE NEXT CITY ELECTIONS.
SO THE VOTERS IN PORT ARTHUR CAN EXPRESS THEIR PREFERENCE.
PORT ARTHUR HAD A POLARITY VOTING SYSTEM FROM 1998 TO 2008 WHEN WE HAD A LARGER POPULATION AND MORE PEOPLE ACTUALLY COMING OUT AND PARTICIPATING TO VOTE.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50,000, 52,000 PEOPLE, AND I JUST GAVE YOU THE NUMBERS ON, ON THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT IN THE MAYOR ELECTION.
WE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THE NUMBERS FOR THIS LAST COUNCIL ELECTION.
FOR SOME REASON, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN HARD TO COME BY, BUT BASED ON WHAT I SAW AND OBSERVED, AND BASED ON THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO WHO WAS AT THE POLLING SITES, THEY BELIEVE FEWER PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO VOTE.
SO WE ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY FOR FEWER PEOPLE.
THAT IS NOT GOOD STEWARDSHIP, AND YOU CAN'T SAY THAT IT IS AS OUR CURRENT GOVERNING BODY THAT WORKS FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOTING SYSTEM PREFERENCE IS NOT THE ISSUE.
WE WANT THE, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, WHO YOU WORK FOR, TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT.
THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR HAVE THAT RIGHT TO BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THE VOTING SYSTEM PREFERENCE BY CASTING THEIR DESIRE AT THE POLLS.
THEREFORE, WE ARE ASKING MAYOR BARTEE AND COUNCIL BEFORE EVERYONE PRESENT IN THIS ASSEMBLY TO MAKE IT KNOWN THIS NOVEMBER 28TH, 2023, WHETHER THE POLARITY VOTING SYSTEM VERSUS THE MAJORITY VOTING SYSTEM WILL BE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE VOTERS OF PORT ARTHUR TO DECIDE WHICH SYSTEM THEY PREFER.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THAT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS AND A LOT OF WORDS THAT'S TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS.
OKAY? WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT 20, UH, 2,900 PEOPLE VOTING, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VOTING SYSTEM, IF YOU GO TO, IF YOU GOOGLE, UH, MAJORITY VERSUS POLARITY MM-HMM,
YOU, UH, MENTIONED PRETTY MUCH THE DISADVANTAGE OF MAYBE THE MAJORITY, BUT YOU DON'T ADDRESS THE POLARITY.
THE OTHER THING IS ASSOCIATING WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT VOTING, OKAY? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE NOT GOING BACK OUT TO THE, TO THE, UH, POLL MM-HMM.
OKAY? SO YOU CAN'T CHANGE A SYSTEM BASED ON PEOPLE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COST, YOU KNOW, YES, THERE'S A COST, BUT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT COSTS IS CITIES, COUNTIES, STATES, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF CONDUCTING AN ELECTION, THEY COULD BUDGET ENOUGH MONEY TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION.
IN, IN EVENT, THERE'S A RUNOFF.
THEY HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE RUNOFF.
IF THERE'S NO RUNOFF, THEN THERE'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RUNOFF.
WHAT CREATES THE RUNOFF? THE RUNOFF IS NOT CREATED BY THE VOTING SYSTEM.
THE RUNOFF IS CREATED WHEN, UH, X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DECIDE TO RUN FOR ONE POSITION.
OKAY? THAT'S CREATE THE RUNOFFS.
SO IT'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM, IT'S THE PEOPLE.
FOUR PEOPLE WANT TO RUN FOR ONE POSITION.
THAT'S WHAT CREATE THE RUNOFF.
YOU'RE NOT SAVING MONEY BECAUSE IT'S BUDGETED FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS FOR ALL LEVELS.
NOW, WE TALK ABOUT TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, OKAY? IF YOU NOTICE AT THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL, ALL LEVELS USE MAJORITY.
[00:50:01]
REASON THEY USE MAJORITY, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE REPRESENT A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE.LIKE A DISTRICT COUNCILMAN, A ADJUSTERS OF THE PEACE FOR A CERTAIN PRECINCT, THE COUNTY JUDGE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, US REPRESENTATIVE.
WHEN YOU REPRESENT A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, THEN THEY EXPECT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU GOING TO REPRESENT TO VOTE.
THEY'RE SAYING THAT IF LESS THAN 50% OF THE PEOPLE VOTE FOR YOU, YOU SHOULDN'T SERVE IN ORDER TO SERVE AND REPRESENT THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE.
THEY SAID YOU MUST HAVE THE MAJORITY.
AND SO WHEN YOU ARE ELECTED, YOU'RE NOT ELECTED BY THE MINORITY.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY.
AND WHY DO THEY SAY THAT? YOU MUST HAVE THE MAJORITY, YOU MUST HAVE THE AJO, THE MAJORITY.
BECAUSE IF YOU ARE ELECTED BY LESS THAN THE MAJORITY TO REPRESENT A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT HIM OR DIDN'T WANT THAT PERSON.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY USE THE MAJORITY SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT IN PUERTO ARTHUR, IT'S IN ALL CITIES, ALL STATE, ALL COUNTIES, ALL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
THE MAJORITY IS TO ENSURE THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO REPRESENT A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE, THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PEOPLE ELECT YOU.
NOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THAT LARGE SEAT IS DIFFERENT THAN A SPECIAL GROUP.
BUT NOW IN THAT LARGE SEAT IS DEALING WITH THE WHOLE CITY, OKAY? IN THAT CASE, YOU COULD PUT A PERSON DOING THE SAME TYPE JOBS WITH A PLURALITY.
BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYS YOU CAN'T EMPLOY, EMPLOY BOTH SYSTEM, RIGHT? STATE OF TEXAS SAYS YOU EITHER GOTTA BE PLURALITY MM-HMM,
SO THAT'S WHY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ALL CITIES THAT I KNOW OF, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT USED A MAJORITY SYSTEM.
THE POLARITY SYSTEM IS GOOD WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SERVE THE SAME GROUP WITH THE SAME PURPOSE AND SAME RESPONSIBILITY, SCHOOL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES, BOYS, THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHICH ONES GO.
THEY ALL GONNA DO THE SAME THING.
THEREFORE, YOU CAN SAY, LET'S USE THE POLARITY SYSTEM AND THE TOP VOTE GETTERS GET IT BECAUSE THEY GONNA BE DOING THE SAME THING.
SO WHENEVER THEY SERVE, IT'S NOT LIKE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT THEM.
SEE, THAT'S WHY THE MAJORITY SYSTEM IS NOT USED JUST IN PORT ARTHUR, OR IT'S USED IN SEVERAL OTHER, IT'S NOT USED IN OTHER CITIES.
AND I CAN SPEAK ABOUT MAJORITY AND PLURALITY BECAUSE ON THE PLURALITY SYSTEM, I'D BEEN THE MAYOR OF PORT ARTHUR, I WON THE PRIMARY.
I COULD HAVE BEEN TO MANY OTHERS, BUT I WOULD NEVER LOOK TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE I DIDN'T WIN.
PEOPLE DIDN'T GO BACK OUT AND VOTE FOR ME.
SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE SYSTEM, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY ASK OURSELVES, IS THAT GONNA FIX THE PROBLEM? IT'S NOT.
AND I'VE HEARD THIS BACK AND FORTH, AND I BELIEVE CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHTS TO DECIDE, BUT WHEN CITIZENS GOING TO DECIDE, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO CHOOSE FROM.
YOU ALL HAVE MADE A GOOD POINT OR WANT PLURALITY, BUT I DON'T EVER HEAR Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGE OF PLURALITY.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAY IF YOU GOOGLE IT, THERE'S ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW IS IT DONE IN ALL CITIES, COUNTIES, STATE AND FEDERAL,
[00:55:02]
IT'S MAJORITY.SO WHY WOULD WE WANT TO BE DOING IT WITH PLURALITY? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MUST CONSIDER, WE MUST CONSIDER.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE WRONG AT THE WAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FROM BOTH POINTS.
LET'S GIVE INFORMATION THE WAY IT IS AND LET PEOPLE CHOOSE.
I'M NOT AFRAID TO PUT IT ON BALLOT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS HEAR BOTH SIDES SO THAT THEY COULD BE AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE CHOOSING FROM AND NOT THINK THAT THE RA SYSTEM IS COSTING MORE MONEY.
THE RA SYSTEM IS INJUST, UH, UH, UH, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
SO YOU COULD PUT IT ON A BALLOT.
I'M NOT AFRAID TO PUT IT ON A BALLOT.
AND IF WE PUT IT ON A BALLOT, WE PUT IT ON A BALLOT WHEN WE HAVE OUR NORMAL ELECTIONS, RIGHT? WE DON'T DO SPECIAL ELECTION FOR IT.
BUT CITIZENS NEED TO UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES.
AND I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT I JUST SAID.
YOU AIN'T GONNA FIND IT ON NO CITY, COUNTY, STATE, OR FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT LIKE I SAID, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I SERVE CITIZENS WELL.
I'M, I'M REAL BIG ON NUMBERS, SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT MM-HMM,
UM, I WAS PART OF THE RUNOFF IN DISTRICT THREE.
UH, AND, AND NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, DOES THE CITY HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, BUT THE CANDIDATES HAVE TO DO IT AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD, CORRECT.
TO GET THE VOTERS TO COME BACK OUT.
AND, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE, I WISH I HAD MY ACTUAL NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE'S ROUGHLY 6,700 REGISTERED VOTERS IN DISTRICT THREE.
UH, AND AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE HAD BARELY 500 THAT CAME OUT TO VOTE.
BUT AT THE RUNOFF, WE ACTUALLY HAD MORE.
WE USUALLY HAVE LESS THAT COME OUT FOR THE RUNOFF.
AND I'M NOT PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK 'CAUSE I HAD A BIG TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WAS HELPING ME, BUT TO GET THE VOTERS TO COME OUT TO VOTE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS IF WE'RE DOING A MAJORITY OR A PLURALITY TYPE OF ELECTION, IT'S GETTING PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO THE POLLS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED CITIZENS LIKE YOU AND THE GROUP THAT YOU REPRESENT TO HELP US GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE REAL ISSUE, IS GETTING PEOPLE TO THE POLLS.
UH, YOUR RUNOFF, UH, THE PRIMARY WAS A MAJORITY.
THE RUNOFF, THE, THE REASON YOU GOT MORE TO COME OUT, YOUR RUNOFF WAS ALITY.
NOW, LET'S DEAL WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTION.
ALL FEDERAL ELECTIONS OF ALITY.
LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY ALL FEDERAL ELECTIONS ARE PARALITY.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
NOW, NOW, AFTER THE RECONSTRUCTION, ALL THE ELECTION WAS ALITY.
YOU HAD MINORITIES, CONGRESSMEN, YOU HAD MINORITY SENATORS AFTER THE AFTER RECONSTRUCTION.
WHAT HAPPENED? WHY WAS THEY THERE? ALITY.
ISTS WENT TO THE POLLS AND BLOCK VOTED.
THAT'S WHY YOU GOT MINORS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR AND ALL THAT UNDER RECONSTRUCTION.
NOW, HOW DID YOU GET RID OF 'EM? WHY WAS THE MENIST PURGED OUT OF CONGRESS AND OUT OF THE SENATE? WHAT YOU WHAT THEY DID? BOTH PARTIES.
THEY, THEY TOOK A CLUE FROM MISSISSIPPI.
THEY, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND REPUBLICAN PARTY, THEY WENT TO THE MAJORITY SYSTEM.
IF NOBODY GOT 50%, YOU CREATE RUNOFFS.
THAT'S HOW THEY PURGED ALL MINORITIES OUT OF THE SENATE AND OUT OF THE CONGRESS.
ALL FEDERAL ELECTIONS IS STILL, THE FINAL ONE IS STILL ON MORALITY.
YOU GOT TWO AND THREE PARTIES.
WELL, NO POINT OF WHAT DO YOU MEAN? POINT OF MINUTE? JUST A MINUTE OF MINUTE.
GOT A POINT OF ORDER TO STATE YOUR POINT, PLEASE, SIR.
MY MY MY POINT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAJORITY, JUST STATE YOUR POINT.
JUST STATE YOUR POINT AND MINORITY AND,
[01:00:01]
AND, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ON THE, UH, MAJORITY.WITH THE POINT OF ORDER, YOU JUST GO, OKAY, WELL, THAT'S IT.
STILL WITH YOUR POINT OF ORDER DOESN'T CHANGE.
THE, THE FEDERAL ELECTION, THE FINAL ONES, THE PRIMARIES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE PRIMARIES OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTY IS ON THE MAJORITY.
THAT'S HOW THEY ELIMINATE THE MINORITIES.
NOW, THE, THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE POLL, EVERYTHING IS ALITY.
YOU GOT TWO AND THREE DIFFERENT PARTS.
BUT WHAT THEY DID, THEY CHANGED THE FRONT END OF IT.
HOW YOU GET INTO THE FINAL ELECTION, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
THAT'S HOW THEY PURGED ALL MINORITIES OUT OF THE SENATE AND OUT OF THE CONGRESS.
NOW, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THE NEXT AVAILABLE ELECTION? NEXT ONLY WHEN, PROBABLY NEXT NOVEMBER.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T SEE NO ELECTION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE THERE.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO, THIS COUNCIL NEED TO CONSIDER, PUT THEIR PLAN ON THE COUNCIL, NEED TO PUT THEIR PLAN ON VERSUS KOPA PLAN.
PUT THE TWO PLANS ON, AND LET'S DEBATE IT PUBLICLY AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY.
SO EVERYBODY GO TO THE POLL AND VOTE IN THE PLAN THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP.
THANK YOU, MR. MR. UH, SKAGGS.
WE, WE WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
[III.B.(1) The Rotary Club Of Port Arthur Texas, Board Of Directors And The Rotary Foundation Regarding A Donation To The Port Arthur Health Department]
NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE ROTARY FOUNDATION REGARDING A DONATION TO THE PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE TO MAKE THAT PRESENTATION.
I'M SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE PORT ARTHUR ROTARY CLUB.
AND TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THEM WITH A CHECK OF $4,000 TO THEIR, UM, UM, FAMILY NURSE, FAMILY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM WHERE THEY, UH, PROVIDE CAR SEATS TO, UM, SINGLE MOTHERS.
AND THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE THOSE CAR SEATS WITH THIS FUNDING THAT THE ROTARY CLUB OF PORT ARTHUR IS GONNA PRESENT THEM WITH TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, UM, OUR PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION IS HERE, UM, RUSSELL BUSS.
I'M PRESIDENT OF THE PORT ARTHUR ROTARY FOUNDATION.
AND TOGETHER THE, THE, THE TWO PRESIDENTS WANT TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF PORT ARTHUR.
SEE, SHE'S GONNA TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU ALL DOING IT.
ONE MORE MANAGER, RIGHT? A LITTLE BIT.
UHHUH DEPARTMENT NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP IS A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN, UM, HAS BEEN HOSTING OR HELPING US, WE'RE YOU'RE HELPING US SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR FOR 15 YEARS NOW.
[01:05:01]
A NATIONAL PROGRAM AND WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD TO HAVE IT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR AND TO SERVE THE MOMS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE.AND THE THING THAT THIS, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST YEAR THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US THIS MONEY.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST AMOUNT THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US.
UM, AND, BUT PART OF THE THING THAT, THAT THEY SAW THAT WE ARE, THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE HAVING IS THAT WE HAVE THESE MAMAS GONNA BRING THESE BRAND NEW LITTLE BABIES HOME AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE CAR SEATS TO PUT THEIR BABIES IN.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY FOOD TO PUT ON THE TABLE.
AND SO WE'RE ALL ABOUT HELPING 'EM WITH RESOURCES.
SO IF, IF THEY'RE GIVING US MONEY, THEN WE GET TO HELP BE THAT RESOURCE AND PROVIDE THE CAR SEATS.
SO SINCE THIS IS A BIGGER AMOUNT THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BUY A LITTLE BIT NICER CAR SEATS.
WE ALWAYS BUY CAR SEATS THAT'LL GO FROM A FOUR POUND BABY TO ABOUT A 60 POUND CHILD.
SO IT LASTS A GOOD LITTLE WHILE.
BUT WITH THIS EXTRA MONEY, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BUY A LITTLE BIT NICER CAR SEATS SO WE CAN PAMPER 'EM JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, JUST SO THAT THEY KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP THROUGH THE YEARS.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US.
NOT ONLY HAVE YOU HELPED US WITH NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, BUT THROUGHOUT CID AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, YOU'VE HELPED US.
AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL IN JUST A MINUTE.
UH, MAYOR POCHE HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU.
ALSO, I WANTED TO GIVE MS. CARLA A 15 SECOND TIME OF FAME TO TELL US ACTUALLY WHAT THE NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP DOES.
NOT ONLY FOR PROVIDING CAR SEATS, BUT ALL OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE ARE OFFERING TO, UM, THE CITIZENS.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT UP
UM, I HAVE, I AM THE SUPERVISOR FOR THE NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN WITH NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS SINCE THE VERY, VERY, VERY BEGINNING 15 YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, SO I, WE ARE A PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE ALL REGISTERED NURSES AND WE PAIR UP ONE-ON-ONE WITH FIRST TIME PREGNANT MOMS. UM, WE GET 'EM AS EARLY IN THEIR PREGNANCY AS WE CAN, AND WE WORK WITH THEM IN THE HOME PREFERABLY, UM, UNTIL THE BABY TURNS TWO.
SO FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WE'RE IN THAT HOME WITH A NURSE'S EYES LOOKING AND LOVING AND INVESTING OF OURSELVES AND, AND TEACH THEM, TRYING TO HELP 'EM, LIKE I SAID, BEING A RESOURCE AGENT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT TRYING TO HELP THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE THE BEST MAMA THAT THEY COULD BE.
THE BEST MAMA AND THE DADDY, THE BEST GRANDPARENTS, WHOEVER WANTS TO, THAT, THAT MAMA WANTS TO BE INVOLVED.
WE WANT THEM ALL INVOLVED BECAUSE BY CHANGING THAT MAMA'S LIFE, WE'RE CHANGING THE BABY'S LIFE.
BUT IF WE DO THAT TO ENOUGH PEOPLE, WE'RE, WE'RE CH CHANGING COMMUNITY RIGHT.
BY CHANGING FAMILIES BY CHANGE, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR.
UM, I'VE GOT SIX NURSES THAT, THAT, AND THERE'S SEVEN OF US.
I CARRY A LITTLE BITTY CASELOAD 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO SERVE THE MAMAS THAT WE SERVE.
SO, THANK YOU COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL, JUST FOR LETTING US THANK, GIMME A MINUTE.
I FEEL YOUR PASSION, UH, FOR THIS, UH, BY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TODAY IS GIVING TUESDAY.
AND SO HOW APPROPRIATE ON THIS DAY THAT YOU COME ABSOLUTELY.
UH, TO GIVE AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN THAT.
AND I THINK ALL OF US COULD ACCEPT THAT CHALLENGE TO DO, UH, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GIFTS.
AND, AND AGAIN, I LIKE TO SAY WHEN WE SET THIS UP, BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LAST WEEK AND IT WAS THANKSGIVING AND I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS, IT WAS GIVEN TUESDAY UNTIL THIS MORNING,
AND, UH, BUT I THOUGHT IT'S THIS TUESDAY.
IT HAS A LOT OF TITLES FOR THE DATE, BUT THIS ONE OF GIVING AND YOU ARE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BROTHER RUSSELL SAID ONE THING, HE SAID, YOUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS FABULOUS.
SO, UH, YOU ALL, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, OUR DIRECTOR IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND YOU CAN LET OUR, OUR, UH, HEALTH DIRECTOR KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING A NEEDED SERVICE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
[01:10:01]
YOU ARE ASSISTING OUR COMMUNITY WITH SERVICE AND SERVICE WHERE YOUR MONEY IS, WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.ONE MORE THING CARLA DID NOT MENTION, AND SHE CUT HERSELF SHORT.
WE ACTUALLY COVER FIVE COUNTIES.
WE SERVE HARDEN, UH, JAMES JEFFERSON, HARDEN ORANGE, AND CHAMBERS COUNTY CHAMBER OF PORT OF CHAMBER, EASTPORT.
'CAUSE THAT'S A LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG WAY.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA TURN ANYBODY AWAY.
BUT YES, WE SERVE, WE SERVE ALL THOSE, WE'VE, WITH MY SIX NURSES AND MYSELF, WE, WE ARE FUNDED TO SERVE 150 MOMS. THAT, THAT'S FABULOUS.
WE APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
I I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE HELP YOU ALL HAVE DONE WITH ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS THE FIVE STAR OF GRANT.
I WOULD LOVE TO HELP GO OVER AND TEACH THE CITY MANAGER IN HIS AREA ON HOW TO PURSUE GRANTS AND WHATEVER.
I'VE BEEN, BEEN TRYING TO GET HIM TO CREATE A GRANT DE A GRANT DEPARTMENT.
BUT ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FROM ROT RECORD.
Y'ALL BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND YOU'RE GOING BE HERE FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT THAT HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN FIVE STAR WITH ME.
OUR NEXT ITEM THAT WE ARE, UH, UNDER ON PAGE TWO, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, DELETED FROM THE ITEMS. TWO AND THREE HAVE BEEN DELETED FROM THE, UH, AGENDA.
[III.B.(4) A Presentation By The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Regarding Update And Status Of 1st Source Program]
WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, A PRESENTATION BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, EDC REGARDING UPDATE AND STATUS OF FIRST SOURCE PROGRAM.MAYOR POINT OF ALL, WE, WE ARE NOT DELETING THEM.
WE'RE MOVING IT FORWARD TO GET THE, THE OTHER ORGANIZATION HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL, UH, HONORED TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
UH, WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE A UPDATE ON THE, UH, FIRST CHOICE PROGRAM.
SO I HAD TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A RESEARCH, UH, TO PROVIDE YOU THE UPDATE.
UH, THIS PROGRAM ORIGINALLY CAME INTO BEING IN 2010 BY WAY OF RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, IN A NUTSHELL, IT WAS INTENDED, UH, CONTINUES TO, TO BE THE INTENT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS GET A FAIR SHARE OF THE HIRING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AN INDUSTRIAL BOOM, UH, THAT WILL, UH, CONTINUE ON.
UH, THAT, LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL, UH, INTENT, UH, BRINGING THE PROGRAM INTO, UH, FRUITION.
UH, LIKE I SAY, THAT STARTED IN 2010.
UH, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IN TERMS OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, CONSTRUCT OF THE PROGRAM, UH, FOR VARIOUS SUNDRY REASONS, UH, IT CAME TO A CLOSE IN 2021.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, THAT'S JUST A CLOSURE IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION.
UH, WHAT WILL NEVER COME TO A CLOSE IS THE INTENT AND SPIRIT OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS, PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING A FAIR SHARE AND A FAIR SHOT AT OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE INCENTIVIZED BY THE PORT ARTHUR EDC.
SO THAT WILL CONTINUE ON, UH, AND NEVER GO AWAY.
SO WE MAY, UH, CON, RECONSTRUCT AND USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY, MODERN APPLICATIONS TO, UH, REPLICATE.
WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT PROGRAM WHEN IT CAME TO BEING IN 2010? UH, LIKE I SAY, UH, THAT SPIRIT AND INTENT WILL CONTINUE ON.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE, UH, IN ANY INCENTIVE PACKAGES THAT LOCAL HIRING, LOCAL HIRING LOCAL IS AT THE TOP OF THE PRIORITY LIST.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND UNDERWRITE TRAINING WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LOCAL CITIZENS ARE GETTING TRAINED IN HIGH DEMAND JOBS.
UH, THE TYPES OF JOBS THAT OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES NEED, LOCAL INDUSTRY NEEDS THAT WILL CONTINUE ON.
UH, SO NAMES OF PROGRAMS MAY CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, BUT THE INTENT IN SPIRIT WILL NOT CHANGE.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONTINU ON CONTINUATION OF THAT SPIRIT AND INTENT, UH, AS I'VE NOTICED, UH, AS WE CONTINUE ON, IT
[01:15:01]
DOESN'T, UH, MATTER HOW MANY JOBS MAY BE AVAILABLE AND HOW MUCH TRAINING THAT YOU MAY HAVE IF A HOLISTIC APPROACH HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN TAKE THAT JOB, KEEP THAT JOB, AND BE COMFORTABLY EXECUTING WHATEVER YOUR EMPLOYER WANTS YOU TO DO.SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, IS, IS MY VISION IS MAKING SURE THAT IN ADDITION TO TRAINING, IN ADDITION TO INSISTING THAT, UH, ANYONE WE INCENTIVIZE HIRES LOCAL, THAT WE ALSO BROADEN OUR PROGRAM AND BROADEN OUR VIEW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT.
UH, I COULD GIVE YOU A MYRIAD OF EXAMPLES, BUT YOU'VE GOT A, A LONG AGENDA.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU ONE, UH, THAT WE ARE EMBARKING UPON.
UH, CERTAINLY AS YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS EARLIER THIS MONTH, UH, APPROVED A PROPOSITION AS IT RELATES TO CHILDCARE.
AND CERTAINLY YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE THAT WE LOST CLOSE TO OUR NATION, LOST CLOSE TO 25% OF ITS CHILDCARE CAPACITY COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLACE.
AND PORT ARTHUR IS CERTAINLY, UH, NOT, UH, HAS NOT ESCAPED THAT AS WELL.
AND SO IT, YOU CAN HAVE A, A JOB AVAILABLE TO YOU, BUT IF YOU ALSO CANNOT PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND TAKE CARE OF THEM, MUCH LIKE THE FOLKS THAT PRECEDED ME, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEN YOUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE THAT JOB, EXECUTE, FOCUS, ATTEND TO IT, IS GOING TO BE MARRED BY THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NOT DID NOT HAVE ACCESSIBLE TO YOU IS CHILDCARE.
NOW, THAT'S 25% OF THE NATION'S CAPACITY.
LIKE I SAY, THAT HITS PORT ARTHUR TOO.
BUT, UH, IT PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE SURPRISED TO YOU THAT THE AREAS HIT MOST IN TERMS OF THAT REDUCTION HAPPEN TO BE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON AND HAVE ALREADY BEGUN WORKING ON, IS GETTING IN LINE, IF YOU WILL, UH, WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES IN AUSTIN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EARLY APPLY AND GET IN LINE AND, UH, HOTLY PURSUE THE FUNDING THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS A RESULT OF THE PROPOSITION THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED AS IT RELATES TO PROVISION OF CHILDCARE AND CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BE SEEKING FEDERAL FUNDING IN THAT SAME AREA TO BRING MONEY HOME TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE FACILITIES AND BASICALLY CLOSE THE GAP THAT WAS CREATED AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EMPLOYMENT, NOT SIMPLY JUST INSISTING THAT SOMEONE HIRE LOCAL.
OKAY, WE CAN INSIST THAT, BUT IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE JOB BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN ALL THAT TRAINING THAT WE UNDERWROTE AND ALL OF THE INSISTING THAT YOU HIRE LOCAL WILL GO BY THE WAYSIDE.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT.
UH, YES, WE WILL CONTINUE ON IN PROGRAMS THAT PRECEDED ME, UH, WILL MAKE THEM BIGGER, WE'LL EXPAND THEM.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, AT LEAST ON MY WATCH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE PORT ARTHUR EDC APPLIES A BROADER APPROACH TO HELPING OUR LOCAL CITIZENS BE ABLE TO TAKE A JOB, KEEP A JOB, FOCUS ON THAT JOB, AND PROVIDE LONG-TERM BENEFITS TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY.
SO, COMING BACK TO THE FIRST CHOICE PROGRAM, UH, AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF INCARNATION AND, AND NAMES AND SO FORTH AND SO ON, THE INTENT AND THE SPIRIT, WHICH BY IS SIMPLY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LOCAL CITIZENS ARE GETTING THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THEIR FAIR, UH, BITE AT THE APPLE.
UH, AS JOBS CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS INDUSTRIAL BOOM THAT WILL CONTINUE ON.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WILL SUPPLEMENT THAT INTENT WITH MAKING SURE THAT OTHER ASPECTS OF HAVING DUE EMPLOYMENT ARE ALSO, UH, TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, AND, AND THAT WE WORK WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO BRING THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS TO FRUITION.
THE REASON I REQUEST TO PUT THIS ON THE BOARD, CHILDCARE, ALL THE OTHER STUFF SOUNDS GOOD.
BUT I'M INTERESTED IN FIRST SOURCE.
YOU MENTIONED WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, ADOPTED FOR.
AND THAT WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED INCENTIVE FROM THE ECONOMIC CORPORATION HAD EMPLOYED THE PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS SEE FIRST SOURCE DEAL WITH PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS, MAKING SURE PEOPLE GET JOBS FOLLOWING UP TO SEE IF THEY
[01:20:01]
ARE RETAINED.BUT I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH, BECAUSE WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING IN OUR CONTRACTS WITH INDUSTRY, SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT, OH, Y'ALL STOPPED GIVING THESE ABATEMENTS.
WE TAX ALL ENTITIES AT THE SAME PERCENTAGE.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THAT PERCENTAGE DOWN.
ONE OF THE WAYS THEY CAN WORK IT DOWN IS BY EMPLOYING PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT, NOT LOCALS, PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.
AND WE STARTED INCLUDING IN OUR CONTRACTS THAT THEY WORK WITH FIRST SOURCE.
SO WE HAVE GENERAL CONTRACTORS WHO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY GET CONTRACT REFINERY, THE REFINERY, LET 'EM KNOW THAT YOU WORK WITH THE ECONOMIC PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WHEN YOU GET READY TO FILL THESE JOBS, THESE CONTRACTING JOBS WE HAVE MOTIVA VALERO IS IS, IS FITTING TO RAMP UP IN JANUARY.
MOTIVA'S ALSO TWO MAJOR PROJECTS WOULD TURN AROUND AND STUFF.
THE FIRST SOURCE IS WHERE THE EDC WORKS WITH THAT GC FINDING OUT WHAT THE D GC IS GOING TO NEED.
THEN THE EDC HAS ACCESS TO THE WORKFORCE SOLUTION DATA BANK, AND THEY CAN EXTRACT FROM THAT DATA BANK PORT ARTHUR RESIDENCE ONLY.
AND THE FIRST SOURCE IS SET UP WITH INDUSTRY.
ONCE YOU, IF HE SAYS, I NEED 50 WELDS, EDC COULD GO INTO TECH SOLUTION WORK, UH, WORK SOLUTION, AND FIND OUT HOW MANY WELDERS YOU HAVE THAT ARE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, LOOKING FOR JOBS, YOU ALL CONTACT THEM, HAVE 'EM TO COME IN, GIVE THEM A CARD.
THERE'S A CARD OVER THERE AT THE EDC, YOU SEND IT TO THE REFINERY.
THEY EITHER HIRE OR THEY SAY NO.
THEY SEND THE, THEY SEND IT BACK TO YOU WITH THE CARD.
THEY SEND THE CARD BACK TO YOU.
SO YOU COULD TRACK, YOU TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY ARE HIRING, AND IF THEY HIRE PEOPLE, IF THEY DON'T HIRE 'EM, WE FIND OUT WHY THEY'RE NOT HIRING ALL THIS DATA YOU SUPPOSED TO BE GATHERING SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY HAVE MET THE INCENTIVE OR NOT, THEN WE KNOW, SEE, BEFORE THEN WE RELIED ON US FOR THEM TO TELL US IF THEY HIRED PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE THAT WASN'T WORKING OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS LIKE HIRING A FOX TO WATCH THE HEN HOUSE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT TO FIRST SOURCE, BUT WE DIDN'T GO TO FIRST.
WE KNEW THAT IN ORDER FOR FIRST SOURCE TO WORK IN OUR CONTRACT, FOR US TO EXTRACT THAT DATA, EDC WOULD'VE TO HAVE THE ACCESS.
SO EDC HAS ACCESS TO, TO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE SKILLED AND CRAFT PEOPLE.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT TALKING WITH THAT GC THAT FIT IN THE RAMP UP IN, IN, UH, VALERO, IF YOU'RE NOT TALKING WITH THE GC, THAT FITTING TO RAMP UP IN MOTIVA, WE GONNA BE ON THE SAME BOAT.
WE ALWAYS ARE ALL OF THESE JOBS, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN PORT ARTHUR THAT COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM.
SO THE FIRST SOURCE RE REFERRAL IS ONE THAT THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN THERE.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY LOOKING FOR JOBS, CALL 'EM, SAY, HEY, YOU WANNA GO INTERVIEW? YEAH.
IF YOU'RE OUT THE COURT AND YOU REFER 'EM, SO NOW THEY KNOW THE PERSON'S COMING DOWN HERE, BEING REFERRED BY THE CITY, AND THEY KNOW THAT THIS PERSON IS GONNA BE ONE THAT'S GONNA COUNT TOWARD YOUR INCENTIVE OR NOT.
THAT'S A VERY VITAL PROGRAM IN ORDER FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GONNA HIRE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.
AND WITHOUT THAT, WE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
SO IF THE EDC RIGHT NOW IS NOT IN CONTACT WITH WHOEVER GONNA HAVE THAT GENERAL CONTACT FOR VALERO IN JANUARY, AND FOR MOTIVA, IF WE ARE NOT IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE LEFT OUT
[01:25:01]
HOLDING THE BAGS.THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THAT PROGRAM IS.
YOU KNOW, WE TAUGHT CHILDCARE FINE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT CAN WORK AND THAT'S WHAT THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED AN UPDATE ON.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY I PUT IT ON THERE.
SO, UH, YOU STATED EARLIER WHEN YOU STATED YOU'VE DONE THE RESEARCH, I THINK NOW YOU NEED TO GET BACK WITH THE PEOPLE, FIND OUT WHERE THE CARDS ARE, HOW DO WE ENTER THE, THIS BANK CONTACT VALERO, FIND OUT WHO'S THE GC FOR THIS UPCOMING TURNAROUND CALL VALERO, WHO'S THE NC? FIND OUT, GET IN CONTACT WITH THEM SO THAT YOU CAN GET A LIST OF NAMES OF CRAFTS THAT THEY GONNA WANT.
BE READY TO SEND OUT CARS AND ASK PEOPLE SO WE COULD SEND PEOPLE INSTEAD OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW TO APPLY.
NO, THEY GAVE US A, THEY GAVE US A WAY TO DO IT, BUT WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO DO IT.
SO HOW ABOUT GOING BACK AND FIND OUT, AND WE'LL CHECK BACK PROBABLY AROUND JANUARY, THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, I'LL ASK YOU TO COME BACK AND LET US KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THE REFINERY BECAUSE THEY GOTTA ANSWER TO US.
THEY GOTTA ANSWER TO US WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GET THEIR INCENTIVE.
THEY GOT, AND LOOK HERE, WE GONNA GO TO YOU.
OH, THEY HAVEN'T HIRED NOBODY AND YOU DON'T GET NO INCENTIVE.
SO COUNCILMAN DE SAID, I, I WONDER, I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ITEM MOMENT.
I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU GOT ON THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE, NOW THE PLANT MANAGER SAID IN JANUARY, THEY GONNA NEED AT LEAST 4,000 WORKERS, 4,000.
NOW, THE KEY TO THAT, WHAT EDC COULD BE DOING, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TURNAROUNDS EVERY SIX YEARS ABOUT A COMPLETE TURNAROUND, SIX TO EIGHT YEARS.
YOU CAN GO INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS, START 'EM OUT EARLY, FIND OUT WHO INTERESTED IN CRAFTS HELP, THE HELP THAT WHEN THEY COME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL WELDER, ELECTRICIAN INSTRUMENTATION PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THEY COME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'LL HAVE SOME SKILLS THAT THEY CAN MARKET IT.
OR THEY COULD GO STRAIGHT INTO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN THE PLANT BECAUSE THE, YOU GO TO THE PLANTS AND FIND OUT WHEN IS THEIR NEXT TURNAROUND.
WHAT WE GOT SIX, WE GOT 15, 16 OF THEM.
THEY ALL HAVE TO HAVE TURNAROUND FOR SAFETY REASONS.
FIND OUT WHEN, FIND OUT, IT'S GONNA BE FOUR TO SIX YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
START GETTING THE PEOPLE TRAINED IN WHEN THEY GET INTO HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN THEY COME OUT, THEY CAN GO, GO INTO AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, BE READY.
AND THOSE ARE SIX FIGURE JOBS.
MY LITTLE NEIGHBOR IS A WELDER.
HE'S A HISPANIC, HE'S A WELDER.
HE WAS HIS, HE WAS GETTING $95 A DAY PER THEM GOING ACROSS THE BRIDGE, WORKING AT, UH, UH, SHANIA FOR SEVEN YEARS.
NOW, I'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS, THEY SAID PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE NOT WORK.
BUT I'VE HAD, OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH INDUSTRY AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
I HAVE, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY COME TO ME AND SAY, WE CAN'T FIND WORK.
I SAID, WHAT SKILLS YOU GOT? WHAT ARE YOUR SKILLS? BECAUSE I, I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT, I'M ASKING YOU, WHAT ARE YOUR SKILLS? BECAUSE I, AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT, I HAVE NEVER HAD A CRAFTSMAN TO COME TO ME AND SAID HE COULDN'T FIND NO WORD.
IF YOU GOT, IF YOU ARE CRAFTSMAN AND YOU CAN'T FIND WHERE YOU GOT SOME OTHER PROBLEMS, OKAY, NOW, EVEN IF YOU GOT PROBLEMS, NOW YOU CAN WORK WITH INDUSTRY TO CREATE A, A PROGRAM THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO QUALIFY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO QUALIFY TO GO IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE, UH, GATE.
YOU CAN HAVE LAY DOWN THINGS WELDING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE WELDING, ALL KIND OF MACHINIST WORK DONE OUTSIDE HOMELAND SECURITY PUTS LIMITS ON PEOPLE.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, JUST GO INTO THE, GO TO TALK TO REFINERIES, MANAGE PUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE, FIND OUT WHEN THEY GOING TO BE COMING DOWN, AND THEN YOU CAN PLAN FROM THERE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. STOKES FOR, FOR THIS ATION.
AND, AND, AND I'M HEARING WHAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES THERE SAYING, UH, WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO, AND WHAT WE DO HAVE, ACCORDING TO WHAT CITY ATTORNEY IN HER OFFICE IS, WE HAVE A COMPLIANCE OFFICER ACTUALLY DEALS WITH THE IDAS AND SOME OTHER COMPLIANT ISSUES THAT DEAL WITH OUR INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORS.
YOU MAY WANT TO GET WITH, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, UH, AL AND YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WORK OUT WHAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MADE REFERENCE TO.
[01:30:01]
WITH A PLAN OF ACTION GOING FORWARD.IF ANYONE HAS KNOWN ME SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR, EVEN PRIOR TO BEING MAYOR, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STICKLER FOR HIRING PORT AUTHORS.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD ENHANCE THAT, I WOULD WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.
BUT NOW, ONE THING I HEARD IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THINGS THAT WOULD INHIBIT OR CAUSE INDIVIDUALS NOT TO TAKE THE JOBS.
IF YOU HAVE MOTHERS AND SOMETIME FATHERS WHO ENDED UP HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN AND CHILDCARE, PROPER PROFESSIONAL CHILDCARE IS NOT AVAILABLE, THEN IT'S MORE PRUDENT FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILD THAN MAYBE TAKE THAT JOB.
BECAUSE THEN THE GOVERNMENT, THE SAME GOVERNMENT THAT SAYS THEY NEED TO WORK WOULD BE ON THEM FOR BEING DERELICT AND CARING FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE PROFESSIONAL HERE.
MAKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS WORK TOGETHER AND TO USE A COUNCILMAN FRANK'S, UH, UH, TERMINOLOGY OF PHRASEOLOGY THERE, YOU KNOW, PUT ALL THAT IN THE GUMBO AND MAKE IT GOOD AND BE, IT'LL BE OKAY.
WELL, MAYOR, LET ME THROW THIS IN THE GUMBO WHILE I'M STANDING OVER THE POT.
UM, UH, THANK, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN UH, DOUCETTE FOR PUTTING THIS ON.
UH, TODAY, THIS IS VITAL INFORMATION, BUT IF THERE IS A CAVEAT THAT CAN BE ADDED TO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO DO, I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT THERE WOULD BE A WAY BY WHICH BUSINESSES CAN BE ADDED.
THAT IS BY ESTABLISHING NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS, BUT HAVING CATALOGED BUSINESSES THAT CAN BE UTILIZED.
DOING THOSE, TURN THOSE TURNAROUNDS, TRUCKING COMPANIES, UM, OTHER BUSINESSES IN, IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES AS A WHOLE, UM, UH, STAFFING AGENCY.
WE HAVE A STAFFING AGENCY HERE IN, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
THAT STAFFING AGENCY CAN BE USED AS WELL AND UTILIZED, UH, FOOD SERVICES, UH, SMALL RESTAURANTS, ALL OF THOSE, UH, BUSINESSES.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY A RISING TIDE SHOULD NOT LIFT ALL BOATS.
AND SO, UH, IF WE CAN DO THAT, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A PART OF THAT FIRST SOURCE, UH, PROGRAMMING AS WELL.
UH, I'M SORRY, I, I TAUGHT PEOPLE, BUT ACTUALLY FIRST SOURCE SUPPOSED TO BE ALSO DEALING WITH BUSINESSES, TRUCKING, ALL THIS STUFF.
THAT'S A WHOLE REASON FOR HIM.
MEET WITH THAT GC, THAT GC KNOW WHAT HE'S GONNA BE NEEDING.
AND THEN WE SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE GOT, JUST LIKE TRUCKS, HE MAY NEED 500, BUT IF WE GOT 300, I MEAN, IF WE GOT TWO THAT WANNA WORK THEM ARE TWO, WE GET TO REFER.
SO IT BUSINESSES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THIS, AND I DON'T MEAN TO, I'M WRITE IT, I'M NOT GONNA PUT ANYBODY ON FRONT, FRONT STREET RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I HAVE REACHED OUT TO CONTRACTING, UH, AND CONTRACT OR CONTRACTING BUSINESSES, UH, TO RETURN PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND, UM, THEY'VE RECEIVED NO PHONE CALLS.
AND SO I'M NOT GONNA PUT ANYBODY ON FRONT STREET HERE AND NOW, BUT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE AND SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE DONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I WOULD ASK THAT AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, UM, PROCESS WITH THE GCS TO PLEASE HAVE CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT CERTAIN SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN BLACKBALLED.
AND IT'S NOT SOME THAT, SOMETHING THAT, UM, THEY WANNA DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, OPENLY, IT'S ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THE, YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THE CREW, YOU'RE NOT A PART OF THE, THE COOL KIDS CLUB, THEN YOU'RE NOT INCLUDED IN SOME OF THESE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE SOME LARGE CONTRACTORS WHO, UM, RECEIVE THE CONTRACT OUT OUTRIGHT AND, AND RIGHTLY SO.
HOWEVER, THEY'VE CREATED SUB COMPANIES THAT ARE PROVIDING SOME OF THE SAME SERVICES AND ARE NOT USING OUR OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY KEEPING
[01:35:01]
IT ALL IN HOUSE.SO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT IS ILLEGAL, BUT THERE HAS BEEN, UM, AT TIMES WHEN IT BECOMES UNETHICAL, I, SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GC.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YOUR LIKE, MR. YES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINGS FOR, FOR INDUSTRY AND, AND DEVELOPMENTS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING GRANTS CITIES, ALSO DOING A THIRD OF WHATEVER FOR GRANT.
THE EDC HAVE NOT DONE A THING, NOT ONE GRANT THAT I KNOW OF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT DEVELOP SMALL BUSINESSES THAT'S UP AND RUNNING 5, 10, 10, 15 YEARS IN.
WE NEED TO, THEY DON'T, SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT NEED A LOAN.
THEY STRUGGLING ENOUGH AS IT IS.
THEY PUT TWO, THREE PEOPLE TO WORK, BUT THEY NEED GRANTS FOR EQUIPMENT TO ENHANCE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
THAT'S WHAT EDC NEED TO WORK, COME UP WITH A PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SAYING I'M LOOK NO STARTUPS.
I'VE BEEN DOWN THAT STARTUP ROAD OKAY.
WITH, WITH, UH, CDBG MONIES, 300 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND, UH, WE DID THAT STARTUP DOESN'T WORK.
THE ONLY OUT OF THAT PROGRAM, THE ONLY ONE PAID US BACK WAS, UH, UHUH.
WE ARE OFF TOPIC, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU CALLING NAMES.
NO, I'M NOT GONNA NAMES NO, NO, JUST DON'T CALL A NAME COUNCILMAN.
I'M NOT GONNA CALL, I'M GONNA LET YOU CONTINUE.
THE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE BEFORE, YEAH, BEFORE YOU INTERRUPTED ME, THE ONLY ONE THAT PAID US BACK WAS ESTABLISHED SMALLER BUSINESS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DRINKING DOWN THERE, BUT THEY JUMPED A GUN.
DULY NOTICE, SIR, THAT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY, MR. ABSOLUTELY.
[III.E.(1) A Discussion Regarding Implementing A Community Beautification Department (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton)]
WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT, UH, ITEM.WE'LL HAVE THE DISCUSSION ITEM UNDER DISCUSSIONS.
ITEM NUMBER ONE, A DISCUSSION, UH, REGARDING IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR PROIN PROIN, UH, HAMILTON.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING, UM, COMMUNITY CLEANUPS.
THERE WAS PREVIOUSLY A, WELL, IT'S NOT PREVIOUSLY, IT IS AN ACTIVE PROGRAM.
WE JUST HAVE NOT CLEANED UP IN A WHILE CALLED THE HELPING HANDS.
AND THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE CITIZENS, UM, NOT ONLY FROM PORT ARTHUR, BUT EVEN FROM OUR SURROUNDING AREAS, WOULD COME TO ASSIST US IN PICKING UP TRASH AND DEBRIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WOULD ALSO ASSIST WITH CLEANING OUT CULVERTS, CLEANING OUT ALLEYWAYS, UM, PICKING UP SHRUBBERY FROM, UM, IN FRONT OF CITIZENS' HOMES.
THIS IS NEEDED IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HELP BEAUTIFY OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES TO WHERE THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY THAT FOCUSES ON BEAUTIFICATION.
AND THIS IS, UM, A WAY TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST OUR PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENTS, OUR STREETS DEPARTMENTS, OUR DRAINAGE DEPARTMENTS, AND OUR, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENTS.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A SLUG TO ANY OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE'RE STILL MISSING THE MARK BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TRASH AND DEBRIS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE STILL HAVE BOATS, LITERALLY BOATS AND YARDS, AND THEY'RE DROPPED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH, WE DON'T HAVE THE DEER, DEER.
MY UNCLE WOULD TELL ME, GIRL, YOU'RE SAYING IT WRONG, BUT I WANTED WHATEVER CAMERA YOU LOOK AT ON THE DEER BLIND, THOSE NIGHT CAMERAS, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE AND WE CAN'T PUT THEM ON SOMEONE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
BUT HOW ELSE WILL WE KNOW WHO'S DROPPING OFF THIS DEBRIS IN SOMEONE ELSE, YOU KNOW, ON, ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY? SO WHO'S RESPONSIBILITY WOULD IT BE? HOWEVER, THIS IS OUR HOUSE.
WE LIVE HERE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NICE AND THAT IT'S CLEAN.
SO I'M ASKING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, CONSIDER HAVING A DEPARTMENT THAT MAY SEPARATE THE CITY INTO ZONES AS SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS I LISTED ALREADY DO.
AND IF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR TWO MILE RADIUS, YOU KNOW THAT THE GRASS IS ALWAYS CUT, THE TREES ARE ALWAYS TRIMMED.
THE CULVERTS ARE ALWAYS CLEAN, AND IT ISN'T A CERTAIN,
[01:40:01]
UM, DEPARTMENT BEING PULLED AWAY FROM THEIR DAILY TASK TO GO AND HANDLE THE GRASS GROWING OR A TREE LIMB HANGING OVER.AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE ON TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
THERE IS A TREE THAT'S BEEN HANGING OVER, UM, FOR OVER A MONTH NOW.
IT HAS BECOME ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS.
PEOPLE MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT LANE BECAUSE IF THE WIND IS BLOWING TOO STRONG OR IT'S RAINING, THEN YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE TREE MOVING.
AND YOU'LL BE CONCERNED IT COULD FALL ON YOUR CAR.
IT'S ON A RESIDENT'S PROPERTY, BUT IT'S HANGING OVER.
THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
SO WE CALL THE STATES AND ASK FOR HELP FOR IT TO BE TRIMMED.
BUT IS IT THAT PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY, IF IT'S ON THE EASEMENT, ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS COME INTO PLAY.
SO MY CONCERN IS US NOT, UM, MY CONCERN IS US NOT HAVING CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT OF WHERE WE CAN FILL IN THESE GAPS.
IT CAN'T BE JUST ON, YOU KNOW, ONE DEPARTMENT.
IT CAN'T JUST BE ON CODE ENFORCEMENT.
IT CAN'T JUST BE ON ENVIRONMENTAL.
IF PARKS AND REC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PARKS AND, AND EXAMPLE GRASS CUTTING ON THE PARKS, THEN LET THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GRASS CUTTING ON THE PARKS.
HOWEVER, THEY WILL GO OUT AND PICK UP TIRES AS WELL.
SO WE NEED SOME HELP ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ELEVATING, UM, AND EDIFYING OURSELVES WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
ANYONE ELSE ON THAT DISCUSSION ITEM? OKAY, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
NOW MOVE TO, UH, ROMAN NUMBER, UH, FIVE, WHICH WOULD BE REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTERESTS.ANYONE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER? YES.
UM, YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE PACKET ON YOUR DESK.
UM, THIS IS FROM THE RIBBON CUTTING AT THE PLEASURE ISLAND, UH, LAKEFRONT PARK.
SO GEORGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE RIBBON CUTTING OR NO? OKAY.
UM, SO THESE ARE SOME PICTURES.
A FEW OF THEM WERE TAKEN BY, UM, UH, THE FOLKS AT THE CIVIC CENTER AND THEN OTHERS WERE TAKEN BY THE, UH, PEOPLE FROM CRAFTSMEN.
UM, I'M WAITING TO SEE THEM UPDATE THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE.
THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FACEBOOK PAGE, AND THEY TOOK A NUMBER OF PICTURES OF ALL OF THE KIDS.
I, I DON'T EVEN HAVE A ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY CHILDREN WERE OUT THERE FROM THE WHEATLEY.
UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, PROBABLY WHAT, MAYBE 60, 75 KIDS WERE OUT THERE.
UM, I WENT OUT FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING AS ALL MY COHORTS WERE IN ATLANTA FOR A, UM, CONFERENCE.
AND THERE WE ARE CUTTING THE RIBBON.
AND I THINK THE NEXT PICTURE IS, UH, THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE DID A REALLY NICE, UH, SPREAD ON THE FRONT PAGE.
UM, THAT IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND ME.
AND THEY DID A REALLY NICE ARTICLE, UH, ABOUT THE, THE NEW PARK AND, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR.
PORT ARTHUR NEWS ALSO DID A REALLY NICE ARTICLE WITH SOME PICTURES.
UM, SO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE CRAFTSMAN FACEBOOK PAGE.
UH, THEY TOOK HUNDREDS OF PROFESSIONAL PICTURES THAT THEY PLANNED TO PUT UP THERE AT SOME POINT.
UH, I WOULD SAY THOUGH, IF YOU PLAN TO GO OUT THERE, BRING BUG SPRAY
SO TAKE YOUR BUG SPRAY, BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GIVE A REMINDER, UM, THAT OF OUR COWORKER OF MANY YEARS, UH, JESSE BRAN'S, UH, SERVICES ARE TOMORROW.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT IT.
JESSE'S WORKED HERE, UM, SINCE 2003 AND RETIRED LAST YEAR.
BUT, UH, THAT WILL BE TOMORROW, UH, ON THE 29TH FROM FOUR TO SEVEN AT THE SCOTT HALL, AT THE TEMPLE IN SCOTT HALL AT THE TEMPLE, 41, 0 1 73.
AND WE'RE JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE.
UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM AND, UH, HE GAVE A LOT OF GREAT SERVICE TO THE CITY.
AND HE DID SERVE AS CITY PRO PROSECUTOR, PROSECUTOR.
I WAS JUST BEING SPECIFIC ON YES, I SEE THE PROSECUTOR.
YOU JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT THOSE SERVICES TOMORROW.
AND WE APPRECIATE HIM FOR HIS SERVICES AND TO HIS FAMILY.
I DID SPEAK ON THE DAY THAT HE DID PASS AWAY TO HIS BROTHER, OUR, UH, ESTEEMED, UH, COUNTY JUDGE JEFF BRANICK ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
AND I OFFERED CONDOLENCES FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE ENTIRE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR TO HE AND HIS FAMILY ON THAT.
UH, COUNCILMAN ETT? WHAT, SIR?
[01:45:01]
OH, OKAY.I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD AIDS DAY 2023, UM, IN RECOGNITION OF WORLD AIDS DAY ON NOVEMBER 30TH, WHICH IS THIS COMING THURSDAY, DAY AFTER TOMORROW.
THE PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH.
WE'LL BE OFFERING FREE STD SCREENINGS, CONFIDENTIAL HIV, AND SYPHILIS TESTING WITH RESULTS BACK IN 10 MINUTES.
ANYONE THAT TAKES THESE TESTS HAS A CHANCE TO WIN $25.
YOU'LL BE PUT INTO A DRAWING TO WIN A $25 GIFT CARD, AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A BASKET, A GIFT BASKET WORTH $250.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILIES, AND ENCOURAGE, UM, UM, PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW TO GO AND GET TESTED.
AGAIN, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS FREE TESTING.
THAT'S THIS COMING THURSDAY AT THE PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, I'M THE ITEM ONE EXPRESSION OF THANKS FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE.
THAT'S THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM BY NAME.
LEONARD GABRIEL, WILLIE GREEN, WE CALL HIM.
TYPE LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES OKAY.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THESE ARE THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO SERVE.
DIDN'T WANT ME TO APPOINT THEM AS DIRECTORS ON THE EDC BOARD.
OKAY? I WENT TO THOSE PEOPLE, ALL FIVE OF 'EM.
AND I ENDED UP WITH A SIXTH NAME AND THE SIXTH NAME.
Y'ALL KNOW WHO THE SIXTH NAME WAS.
AFTER THESE FIVE PEOPLE TURNED ME DOWN, I ASKED FOR DIVINE HELP.
AND THAT'S HOW I GOT THE SIXTH NAME.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE HAVE ONE OTHER, UH, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE ON NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM AT, UH, WIL WOODROW WILSON EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
RIGHT DOWN THE STREET THERE, UH, MOTIVA IS ACTUALLY SPONSORING WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SYMPHONY WITH THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS, UH, SYMPHONY, ACTUALLY, UH, BEING IN PERFORMANCE, WE HAVE, UH, THIS YEAR YOUNG MAN, UH, WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY FRATERNITY BROTHER.
UH, GLENN ALEXANDER III WILL BE A CONDUCTOR, AND HE IS ALSO A GUEST PIANIST FOR THE CONCERT ON NEXT TUESDAY.
AND SO WE WANT TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY OUT.
AND AS I SPEAK ABOUT THIS, GLEN HAS AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN HIS FAMILY.
I WAS IN TYLER ON YESTERDAY VISITING WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
HIS FATHER SUFFERED AN ANEURYSM THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AS THEY CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING AT, UH, LAKE PALESTINE IN PALESTINE, TEXAS.
AND SO HIS FATHER RIGHT NOW IS IN VERY CRITICAL CONDITION AT A HOSPITAL IN TYLER.
THE TYLER, UH, I THINK HIS MOTHER FRANCIS HOSPITAL IN TYLER.
SO IF YOU PRAY, BE IN PRAYER FOR HIS DAD.
AND I CAN IMAGINE, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE STRESS AND THE STRAIN THAT HE'S UNDER NOW AS HIS FATHER IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND HE PREPARES FOR THIS CONCERT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
BUT AGAIN, AND NOT TO PASS MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR ANYTHING, BUT GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING.
AND HE KNEW ALL OF THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THEY DID THE CONTRACT WITH CLINT.
SO JUST KEEP HIM LIFTED AND HIS FAMILY LIFTED, AND FOR SURE HIS DAD LIFTED AND MAYBE GOD MIGHT JUST WORK THAT MIRACLE OUT.
BUT ON NEXT TUESDAY, AND HE ASSURED ME YESTERDAY THAT HE WOULD BE THERE.
SO WE, WE, WE, WE WANT TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT HIM ON THIS.
OKAY, ANYTHING ELSE? US? OKAY.
THERE'LL BE, UH, NO OTHER COMMENTS.
[VI.(1) P.R. No. 23405 – A Resolution Appointing Members To The Port Arthur Youth Advisory Council (YAC) (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton)]
NOW TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS ON PAGE THREE.UH, SEE THAT, THAT'S ROMAN NUMER, UH, SIX, UH, PR NUMBER 2 34 0 5.
IT'S A RESOLUTION APPOINTED MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE YAK AS REQUESTED BY MAYOR PROTE HAMILTON.
[01:50:01]
UM, AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY HAS THEIR NAMES OR WHAT.MAYOR MA'AM, I HAVE SOME NAMES FOR YOU TODAY.
AND I'M, I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO GIVE YOU MINE THE NEXT TIME 'CAUSE I DON'T, I WAS BUSY AND, UH, DIDN'T I GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU? GO RIGHT HERE.
WOULD YOU SAY THOSE NAMES? COUNCIL MEMBER DESCENT WILL BE APPOINTING AIDEN WHITLEY AND TAYLOR WHITLEY.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK WILL BE APPOINTING MICHAEL BRISCOE AND MCKAYLA BRISCOE.
I CAN GIVE YOU ONE NAME IF, IF I MAY.
IF I'M IN ORDER WITH THAT AND THE OTHERS, I HAVE TO, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH HIM YET.
I HAVE THE IDEA, BUT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH HIM.
UH, KAYLIN, UH, UH, GARDNER JUNIOR OR THE THIRD? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE LAST NAME? KAYLIN.
YEAH, HE AGREED SUNDAY THAT THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING HE WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN.
AND WE GET TWO MORE COUNCILWOMAN.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HAS OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT THREE STUDENTS.
FROM THE GR UM, NOT AGES, I'M SORRY.
GRADES SIXTH GRADE TO 10TH GRADE.
HOWEVER, UM, I AM OPEN FOR US MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO OFFER 11TH GRADE AND THAT STILL OFFERS THE STUDENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS YEAR AND STILL FULL NEXT YEAR.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO WITHDRAW MY NAME BECAUSE HE'S IN 11TH GRADE'S.
IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL AGREE ON, I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL STILL ALLOW THE MM-HMM.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU NEED TO BRING IN, YOU NEED TO BRING A RESOLUTION WHERE WE COULD AMEND IT AND THAT WAY MAYOR COULD KEEP HIS NAME ON TO THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU BRING A RESOLUTION TO AMEND IT.
WE'LL MAKE A NOTE FROM TWO TO THREE.
WITH THE, THE NAMES THE THREE I'M, I'M SORRY.
YOU SAID FROM TWO? IT'S, IT'S ALREADY ON THREE.
WELL, BUT FROM THE, FROM THE 11TH GRADE, YES.
AND SO YOU WERE ONE IN THE SENIORS BECAUSE THEY'LL BE AGING OUT.
YEAH, THEY DON'T GET ANY SERVICE OUT OF THEM.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN ETT.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKER SECOND.
IT'S ON THE NAMES FOR THE APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE? ONE QUESTION.
CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE MY NAMES? I, I WAS NOT GETTING THOSE.
YOU ALL ACCEPT THOSE NAMES IN YOUR, IN YOUR MOTION IN SECOND, RIGHT? OKAY.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY.
IN YOUR OPPOSES I HAVE TO HAVE IT.
SO ORDER AND THEN BY NEXT WEEK I HAVE MY OTHER TWO.
[VI.(2) P.R. No. 23419 – A Resolution Appointing Members To The Port Arthur Housing Finance Corporation Board Of Directors]
PR NUMBER 23 4 19.IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTED MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR HOUSING FINANCE COOPERATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND I'M JUST ASKING A QUESTION BECAUSE WHAT I EXPLAINED IT TO A PERSON, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY AREN'T, THEY AREN'T GONNA REALLY HAVE TO BE MEETING A LOT.
THEY NEED TO HAVE ATTORNEY RIGHT.
PROBABLY TO DISPOSE OF THE MONEY.
YEAH, THEY, WELL, THEY, THEY NEED TO, THEY WILL MEET JUST VERY BRIEFLY.
IT'S NOT AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM WOULD BE ASKING FOR.
WE HAVE SOME BUSINESS TO CONCLUDE.
AND THAT PERSON CAN JUST BE THERE AND MOVE ON.
WE NEED, WE, WE HAVE SOME THINGS THEY HAVEN'T MET IN MANY YEARS, SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO CONCLUDE, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS BEING A LONG-TERM PROJECT.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT, YOU SAID IT FIRST, SIR.
YEAH, THE NAME BECAUSE I THINK SHE WANT FROM ME, RIGHT? YES.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH FOR
[01:55:01]
A QUORUM SO THEY CAN TAKE ACTION ON THAT MONEY? DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH FOR THAT? BE FOR AN ATTORNEY? I GUESS WE NEED EVERYBODY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.WE STILL HAVE SOME BLANKS, SO, YES.
UH, COUNCIL, WELL, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.
ROBERT REED'S NAME IS STILL MISSPELLED.
I DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING FUNNY BY THAT.
UH, COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? THANK YOU MAYOR.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE A NAME FOR ME YET? OKAY.
I JUST HAVE TO PULL THE NAME OUT THE HEAD.
HUH? YOU CAN BRING JUST ONE MORE.
I PUT IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHO I ASKED IT AND I, AND I COULDN'T TELL THEM.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT 'EM ON THE FRONT STREET LIKE THAT.
SO LET ME GO BACK AND REALLY EXPLAIN IT TO 'EM.
AND, UH, NEXT WEEK I CAN PROBABLY ADD THAT NAME FOR YOU.
YOU WANNA PUT IT BACK ON FOR THE FIFTH? YEAH.
WELL LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD, PUT BACK ON PROVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND I CAN START CONTACTING YOU.
AND THEN YOU PUT IT BACK ON FOR I THANK YOU.
YEAH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET A MOTION ON MS. COUNCILMAN.
FRANK, GIMME A MOTION, PLEASE.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, IF WE MOVE A SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 19 WITH THE NAMES THAT THE CITY SECRETARY HAS.
UH, SO DILIGENTLY RECORDED FROM OUR, UH, COUNCIL PERSONS, UH, WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONING ON ANY QUESTIONS, WHETHER THE VOTE ALL IN FAVOR A AYE, ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE TO, SO THIS ORDERED NEXT
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE WOULD HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.AND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE ARE ITEMS OF, UH, SOME ITEMS WE WOULD CALL 'EM A ROUTINE NATURE.
AND THAT IS FROM PAGE, UH, PAGE FOUR THROUGH, I THINK IT IS PAGE, UH, WAIT A MINUTE.
THROUGH PAGE EIGHT, ISN'T IT? YES.
NINE BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING ELSE ON NINE.
FROM PAGE FOUR TO PAGE NINE, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BE WITHDRAWN, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE PAGE NUMBER AND THE ITEM NUMBER IF YOU WILL.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL, UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE ON PAGE FIVE.
THAT WAS THE SAME ONE? YEAH, I WANT D ONE.
BECK CAN GO, SHE MIGHT PULL SOMETHING ON
WHICH, WHICH, WHICH ONE? HE'S GONNA DEFER TO COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM.
I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER NINE ON PAGE SIX.
NUMBER NINE, I'VE GOT NUMBER 11, 12, AND 14 ON PAGE SEVEN.
AND NUMBER 15 YOU SAID, RIGHT? YES.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THE TOP ON PAGE DATE.
UH, COSMAN FRANK? NO, I DID, I I GOT YOURS, RIGHT? ONE OF, YES.
DUC SAID YOU'RE THE ONE I KNOW.
NO, I WANT THEM TO GO FIRST 'CAUSE I'D PULL 'EM ALL IF THEY HADN'T PULLED THEM.
SO, OKAY, THEY ALREADY GOT NINE, ALREADY GOT 12, THREE ON FIVE.
WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME GET TO IT.
YOU SAID NUMBER 17, RIGHT? 18 ON EIGHT 18.
BOTH OF THEM 18 ON EIGHT, 17, AND 18.
AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE WITHDRAWN ITEMS? NUMBER ONE, ITEM NUMBER THREE, ITEM NUMBER NINE, ITEMS 11, 12 AND 14 ITEMS 15, 17, 18, AND 21.
[02:00:01]
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ALL OF THE OTHERS, UH, FROM COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? OKAY, MAY I GET A, A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE.IT'S MOVED TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE WITHDRAWAL ITEMS AS STATED PREVIOUSLY.
COUNCILOR FRANKLIN, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO IT IS ORDERED, WE, EXCUSE ME, HAVE APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA NOW FOR THE ITEMS THAT WERE WITHDRAWN TO BE TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY, WE HAVE ON PAGE FIVE, ITEM NUMBER ONE,
[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 23257 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Ratify Change Order No. 6 And Accept The Project Completion Documents For The Lift Station Remediation And Mitigation Project With BDS Constructors, LLC DBA MK Constructors Of Vidor, Texas, And Release The Retainage In The Amount Of $69,289.40; Funding For The Project Is Available In Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00- 000, Project No. WS0005-CON]
PR NUMBER 23 2 5 7.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO RATIFY, EXCUSE ME.
UH, CHANGE ORDER NUMBER SIX AND ACCEPT THE PROJECT COMPLETION DOCUMENTS FOR THE LIFT STATION REMEDIATION AND MITIGATION PROJECT WITH BDS CONSTRUCTOR.
L-L-C-D-B-A-M-K CONSTRUCTORS OF VITAL TEXAS.
AND RELEASE THE RETAINAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $69,289 AND 40 CENTS.
FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH FOUR ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 8 5 1 16 DASH 0 0 0.
AND THEN IT SAYS PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 0 5.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KIM? SO MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND.
WE HAVE, UH, HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 2 5 7 AS READ.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, SIR.
UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, WHAT YOUR APPROVAL GOTTA SPEAK TO, UH, MR. MATTHEWS? SURE.
OKAY, MR. MATTHEWS, GOOD EVENING.
HEY, MR. MATTHEWS, HOW YOU SIR? I'M DOING WELL.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS, UM, A LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO YOU BY ARSENAL, WILSON AND COLE, UH, DATED FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023.
UH, IT WAS ADDRESSING, UM, THIS CHANGE ORDER, UH, THAT WE'RE BEING CALLED UPON TO, UH, VOTE ON, UH, TONIGHT.
IT'S A TWO-PART RESOLUTION ONE IS TO, UM, ADD, UH, MONEY TO, UH, THE, UM, UH, CONTRACT OF $24,610 IN AS WELL AS RELEASING THE RETAINAGE OF $69,289 AND 40 CENTS.
IN THE LETTER THAT WAS ADDRESSED TO YOU, ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE STATED, UM, THAT THE, UH, CONTRACT WAS BEING INCREASED BY THE AFOREMENTIONED, UH, $24,000 $624,610 BECAUSE OF AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY HAD WITH, UM, ENTERGY, UH, UH, DURING THE, UH, UH, ENGINEERING PHASE.
UM, UM, THEY HAD HAD AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THEM THAT THEY WERE GONNA USE A THREE PHASE DELTA SERVICE AND THEN THAT GOT CHANGED.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOME KIND OF MISUNDERSTANDING WHERE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED AND THAT HAS CREATED, UH, THAT, UM, OVERAGE.
IS THAT RIGHT? THEY, DURING THE, UH, DESIGN PHASE ENTERGY INTO, SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CONVERT THE POWER TO THE STATION FROM, UH, LET'S SEE, EXISTING DELTA SERVICE.
THEY WERE GONNA CONVERT IT TO A THREE PHASE Y SERVICE WITH A GROUND.
AND THE PANELS AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCHES WERE CONSTRUCTED THE 'CAUSE THE EXISTING GENERATORS WERE, UH, DELTA, THE TRANSFER SWITCHES AND ALL WERE CONSTRUCTED TO HANDLE THE INCOMING POWER BEING Y AND THEN GENERATORS BEING DELTA.
AND WHEN THEY WENT TO DO THE, SO IT WAS ALL INSTALLED AND WHEN THEY WENT TO DO THE CONNECTION, ENTERGY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THE SERVICE.
I I, I'D HAVE TO GET AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TO GET MUCH DEEPER INTO THIS.
AND WHEN THEY WEREN'T CHANGING THE SERVICE, THEN WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO PAY THEM TO DO CHANGES TO THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS INSTALLED BASED ON THE ORIGINAL NOTICE FROM ENTERGY SO THAT IT WOULD WORK WITH THE EXISTING, UH, DELTA SERVICE.
SO WE'VE ALREADY PAID THIS MONEY.
UH, THE 24,000 CONTRACTOR PAID IT.
[02:05:01]
IT, IT IT HAD TO BE DONE OR YOU COULDN'T CONVERT TO THE NEW SYSTEMS. SO THE CONTRACTOR PAID IT.AND SO THEY'RE TRYING TO GET MONEY BACK FROM US OR WHERE, SO THEY'RE, THE CONTRACTOR, CONTRACTOR INSTALLED WHAT WAS DESIGNED BASED ON WHAT ENTERGY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
SO I GUESS WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT.
SO THE CONTRACTOR BUILT WHAT WAS DESIGNED BASED ON ENTERGY'S INPUT AND THEN WHEN THE FINAL, FINAL, I MEAN THIS CONTRACT WAS DELAYED BECAUSE OF PARTS AVAILABILITY, EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY, I CAN GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
UH, SO WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THERE TO DO THE CONNECTION ON THE, THE STATIONS WHERE THIS WAS AN ISSUE, ENTERGY SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE IT.
WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT AS IT WAS.
WE'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE SAID WE'RE GONNA DO.
SO THE EQUIPMENT HAD TO BE MODIFIED TO WORK WITH THE SYSTEM THAT ENTERGY WAS GOING, WAS PROVIDING.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE PAID THE $24,610 OR WE HAVE NOT.
SO MY QUESTION OR MY STATEMENT IS, IS WE OUGHT NOT PAY IT.
I, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY, I THINK WE SHOULD, BUT IF NOT, I MEAN, AS AN ENGINEER, WELL, THE REASON WHY I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT PAY IT IS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU MAKE CHANGE ORDERS, THAT INCREASES AND, AND THOSE THINGS COST MONEY.
BUT AT THE SAME POINT, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE UM, $26,000 WAS NOT A A, A DIFFICULTY IN THE CITY.
THE DIFFICULTY WAS BASED UPON AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS REACHED BETWEEN ENERGY AND A WSC AND SO AND SO, WELL, AM I WRONG? WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS I, THIS CONTRACT STARTED BEFORE I CAME HERE.
SO WHO WAS ALL INVOLVED IN THE ORIGINAL CHANGE? I, I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
'CAUSE CALVIN WASN'T THERE AT THE TIME.
THE WAY IT HAPPENED IS AT THE TIME OF THE DESIGN, THERE WAS A CERTAIN STANDARD THAT WAS SET BY ENTERGY, AND THE DESIGN WAS BASED ON THAT STANDARD.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IS IT TOOK 550 EXTRA DAYS TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE POINT OF COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE OF THE DELAYS IN THE MATERIAL AVAILABILITY AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE THE COMPONENTS THAT TOOK THE LONGEST TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF DELAYS.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE ENTERGY IS, IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO POWER US UP, THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR STANDARD TO WHERE WHAT WE INSTALLED IN TRANSFER SWITCHES CANNOT WORK WITH THE NEW STANDARDS.
SO WE EITHER COULD CHANGE OUR TRANSFER SWITCHES TO WORK WITH ENERGY STANDARDS, OR WE DON'T POWER THE STATIONS.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE, I MEAN, WE HAD TO CHANGE THESE, UH, TRANSFER SWITCHES.
WE HAD 12 LIFT STATIONS THAT WERE NOT OPERATING LIKE THEY SHOULD.
AND, AND THESE LIFT STATIONS WERE DAMAGED BY, CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH STORM IT WAS.
SO THE FUNDING FOR THEM BASICALLY CAME FROM, UH, INSURANCE MONEY.
SO A LOT OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE DID WERE MADE THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY FUNDING THESE REPAIRS.
IT JUST SEEMS TO PLACE US, WHICH IS THE MAIL.
SO IT, IT JUST SEEMS TO PLACE US IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION, UH, BECAUSE AS WE'RE BEING STEWARDS OF, OF THE MONEY AND BEING STEWARDS OF WHAT, UM, IS ALLOWED.
I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT IT SEEMS IN THE READING OF THIS THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE BETWEEN ENERGY AND ARSENAL, WILSON AND COLES, AND THAT, UM, THAT THEY HAD AN UNDERSTANDING IN THAT DESIGN PHASE.
UM, I KNOW LAWS CHANGE AND, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND CHANGE, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT ULTIMATELY THE CITY IS BEING CALLED UPON TO EAT THIS CHANGE ORDER IN THE MIDST OF AN, AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS BETWEEN, UM, ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE'S AND ENERGY.
BUT WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE CALLED UPON TO PAY THE MONEY BECAUSE OF IT.
THERE IS NO AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE AND ENERGY.
THERE'S ENERGY STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW IN DESIGN AND THERE IS NO AGREEMENT BETWEEN US AND THEM OR ARSENAL WILSON AND CALLING THEM IF THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR STANDARDS OR NOT.
JUST LIKE LAST MEETING, WE CHANGED OUR BUILDING CODES, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE IBC 2021.
SO NOW EVERYBODY GOTTA FOLLOW THOSE NEW CODES.
[02:10:01]
CHANGE THAT HAPPENED AND I'M NOT CERTAIN, BUT MOST LIKELY THE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE OLD STANDARD WAS NOT READILY AVAILABLE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES WE ARE HAVING WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN.AND THAT'S WHY THEY MOST LIKELY SWITCHED TO THE NEW STANDARDS.
LET, LET ME READ, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN INCLUDED Y ELECTRICAL SERVICE AT 46TH STREET, ALVES, NINTH AVENUE, AND MONTROSE FROM ENTERGY INTO THE SITES.
THIS WAS COORDINATED WITH ENTERGY BY THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER DOING THE PROJECT'S DESIGN PHASE.
WHEN ENTERGY MADE THEIR SITE INSPECTIONS WITH THE CONTRACTOR PRIOR TO MAIN POWER SUPPLY CONNECTION, THEY INFORMED THE CONTRACTOR THAT THESE SERVICES WERE NOT GOING TO BE CHANGED FROM THE EXISTING THREE PHASE DELTA SERVICE TO THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED Y SERVICE DUE TO THE INCREASED COST IMPLICATIONS, MATERIAL AVAIL AVAILABILITY, AND UNKNOWN SCHEDULE FOR CONVERTING TO THE Y ELECTRICAL SERVICES.
WHICH IS, THAT WAS, THAT'S AN, THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN AGREEMENT TO ME, WHICH IS WHAT ENTERGY IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO, THEIR STANDARD WAS AND TOUGH FOR US.
WE EITHER CHANGE OUR, UH, SWITCH GEARS OR THEY WON'T CONNECT US.
I MEAN, IT'S A MONOPOLY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
THEY'RE THE ONLY POWER SUPPLIER.
I COULDN'T PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, GET ME ANOTHER SUPPLIER, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO BASICALLY WHEN YOU GO, WHEN YOU START A DESIGN, YOU GO TO THE ENERGY SUPPLIER AND THEY, EXCUSE ME, AS AN ENGINEER, WHEN YOU START A DESIGN, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF POWER IS COMING IN IT.
YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE NATURAL GAS, DO I HAVE NATURAL GAS? AM I RUN MY GENERATOR ON DIESEL OR NATURAL GAS? BUT IN THIS CASE IT'S THREE PHASE POWER.
AND YOU HAVE TO DESIGN TO WHAT THIS ENERGY SUPPLIER TELLS YOU THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPLY.
AND IF THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND BEFORE YOU FINISH, YOU WILL NOT ENERGIZE THE PROJECT UNLESS YOU MATCH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
TOME SAID THEY'RE THE ONLY SUPPLIER IN THE HOUSE.
I JUST, MY THING IS IT'S JUST US BITING THE BULLET BECAUSE INSTEAD OF THEM, THE BULLET OF WHAT THEY, UM, DECIDED TO DO, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, REALLY DECIDED UPON IN THE, IN THE PROJECT DESIGN PHASE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? NO.
BUT I WANTED, OKAY, I WANNA KNOW, I THINK YOU CLARIFIED THE CHANGE ORDER SIX.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE CONTRACTOR WAS THE ONE THAT PAID FOR IT? WELL, HE HAD TO INSTALL THE EQUIPMENT.
SO HE HAD TO GO BUY THE EQUIPMENT IS WHAT I MEANT BY THAT.
WELL, IT'S INSTALLED AND IT'S CONNECTED AND OPERATING AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE NOT PROCESSED THE CHANGE ORDER.
SO HERE IS WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM.
WHEN I REVIEW EVERYTHING, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
IF HE DETERMINES THAT HE NEEDS TO PURCHASE SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE IT WASN'T COVERED IN THE SCOPE, THAT MEAN HE CAN REQUEST A CHANGE ORDER.
THEN THE COUNCIL APPROVES IT SO HE DON'T SPEND MONEY AND THEN TELL US WE OWE HIM TO REPLACE IT.
YOU, YOU FIND OUT IF WE GOING TO AGREE TO IT.
BECAUSE WHAT THEY, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING NOW ARE QUESTIONS WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED BEFORE THIS CAME ABOUT.
IF IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO US AND I WANT TO PULL IT FOR THE REASONS THAT IT AIN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
THE WAY I'M READING IT, WHEN I GO TO THINK I SHOULDN'T HEAR NOTHING ABOUT US HAVING TO INCLUDE MONEY TO PAY IN A CHANGE ORDER AND ON THE SAME REQUEST YOU TELLING ME TO RELEASE RETAINAGE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS PAY THE 24,000 AND SOMETHING AND THE JOB IS COMPLETED.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS GOING TO PULL IT.
'CAUSE WHEN I READ THAT, THE FIRST THING I'M SAYING IS IF THE JOB IS COMPLETED, WHAT YOU MEAN WE OWE YOU 24,000 BUCKS? 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T APPROVE IT.
WHEN I'M REVIEWING STUFF AND I
[02:15:01]
LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND, WE ARE GONNA FOLLOW POLICY AND PROCEDURES.'CAUSE IF WE DON'T, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PAY AND IT AIN'T GONNA BE CITIZENS.
WE DO NOT GO WITH ANY CHANGES UNLESS THIS COUNCIL APPROVE IT.
AND COUNCILMAN, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT CHANGE ORDERS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL BEFORE THEY ARE PROCESSED.
AND IN THIS SITUATION, HAVING 12 LIFT STATIONS NOT OPERATING A FIELD ORDER WAS MADE, THE CONTRACTOR AGREED TO GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, DO THAT SWITCH BECAUSE HE HAD TO ORDER MATERIAL THAT AGAIN WE HAD TO WAIT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS FOR IT TO COME IN.
BUT SEE THAT'S WHAT I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR.
BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, THIS THING WAS EXTENDED OVER A YEAR WITH CHANGE ORDERS.
I GOT A QUESTION ON WHY WE KEEP EXTENDING THINGS.
I ALWAYS SAY WE PAY PEOPLE, GET OUR CONTRACT, GET US UNDER CONTRACT.
THEY DRAG FEED AND COME UP HERE AND ACT FOR EXTENSIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY START LOOKING AT THEM BECAUSE EVERYTHING COMES FROM A WHISTLING CODE AND THEY JUST SUBMIT WHATEVER THE REQUEST IS AND THEN IT COMES HERE AND IT'S LIKE IT'S SOMETHING NO, YOU GOTTA SCOPE WHEN YOU TAKE THIS JOB, YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT.
IT IS UP TO YOU TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO FIX IT.
NOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT UNFORESEEN THAT WE KNOW THEY CAN'T DO IT, THEN YES WE EAT IT.
BUT NOW WE DESIGNED IT EVERYTHING.
BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CONTRACT'S SUPPOSED TO BE UP TO, TO PAR WITH EVERYTHING TOO.
YOU KNOW, HE DONE, HE DONE EXTENDED THIS THING OVER A YEAR.
OKAY? HE'S GOT SIX, $9,000 THAT HE ASKING US TO GIVE HIM BACK.
BUT YOU WANT TO PENNY PITCH US FOR 24,000 THAT YOU SPENT AND WE DIDN'T APPROVE.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS DON'T TELL ME IT'S EMERGENCY.
IF YOU TOOK FIVE YEARS, I MEAN YOU TOOK 500 DAYS LONG.
DON'T TELL ME IT'S EMERGENCY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT GONNA APPROVE.
I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR WHEN YOU COME UP HERE TELLING ME SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MEET THE COMMON SENSE TEST.
WE'RE NOT CALLING IT AN EMERGENCY.
AND IF ANYBODY TO BLAME IN THIS SITUATION IS NOT THE ENGINEER IS NOT THE CONTRACTOR.
IT'S INJURY ENERGY CHANGING THEIR STANDARDS.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE $24,000 BEING SPENT.
IF YOU WANNA WORK THAT DEAL, I DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM.
IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
YOU DIDN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL.
THAT'S OUR POLICY AND PROCEDURES.
AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT.
IF THAT CONTRACT IS TO CHOOSE TO SPEND MONEY THAT'S ON HIM.
THE POLICY IS IF HE WANTS TO INCREASE THIS CONTRACT, HE'S SUPPOSED TO PUT IN A REQUEST FOR CHANGE ORDER.
THAT CHANGE ORDER, COME TO THIS COUNCIL AND THIS COUNCIL APPROVES IT.
NOW I SAID IT WASN'T DONE THAT.
ALL I'M SAYING IS IN THE FUTURE, IF IT'S NOT DONE RIGHT, I'M GONNA REQUEST THAT THE MANAGER AND I'M GONNA ASK COUNSELORS TO SUPPORT IT, THAT WE NOT PAY.
AND WHOEVER MADE THAT DECISION THAT VIOLATED OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, YOU PAY IT.
SO EXCUSES WE NOT HERE, I'M SAYING ABOUT VIOLATING OUR POLICY PROCEDURES RIGHT NOW I'M TALKING BLACK AND WHITE.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU FROM THE FIRST SECOND YOU SAID IT, SO SO IT'S WHAT THEY SAYING HIS COUNCILMAN FRANK PULLED IT.
THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION.
WAIT, OKAY, SO LET'S JUST FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AND STUFF COMES OUT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING THE ABOUT.
UM, CITY MANAGER, WHEN WE DO HAVE THESE TYPES OF ISSUES COME UP, FIRST OF ALL, I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE SOMEBODY TAKING THE EFFORT TO GO THAT EXTRA MILE, PAY THE MONEY UP FRONT SO THAT WE COULD BE OPERATING.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE POWER TO 12 PUMP STATIONS.
HOWEVER, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE SO THAT THEY
[02:20:01]
DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO COME BACK TO US AND WE CAN ACTUALLY OPERATE.SO HAD THAT NOT BEEN PAID, WE JUST GONNA BE DOWN UNTIL OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING OR DO WE CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WE HAVE TO JUST CALL FOR EMERGENCY MEETING IS ALL I KNOW ABOUT.
AND I GOT THE MESSAGE FROM THE COUNCIL.
AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND WHEN THE SITUATION ARISES, THE COUNCIL IS APPRISED.
I, I KNOW THAT YOU GOT THE MESSAGE.
I'M ASKING WHAT IS IN PLACE NOW OR WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING'S COMMUNICATION.
THE KEY HERE IS COMMUNICATION.
IT'S NOT A POLICY OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S THE KEY HERE IS COMMUNICATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTATION THAT CAME FROM US, NO, IT CAME ON THE 20 IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
WE ARE IN CHRISTMAS RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT AND WE'LL WORK, WE'LL WORK AS A TEAM.
YOU KNOW, MY TEAM AND MYSELF WILL WORK TO ADDRESS THOSE SHORTCOMINGS.
WE WILL WORK, IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION PROCESS TO ADDRESS THOSE SHORTCOMINGS.
THOSE ARE SHORTCOMINGS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
UH, NOW ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU ALONG? YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? OKAY, SO WE ARE READY, UH, ARE QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS? AYE.
FROM THE SOUND IT WAS ONE, ONLY ONE NO COUNT.
UH, THAT WOULD BE APPROVED NUMBER PR IS 23 4 34.
BEG WHAT HE RECORDING MAY, HE WAS RECORDING AND HE WAS TRYING TO RECORD THE VOTE.
SO JUST CONFIRMING THE ONE NO WAS FRANK.
NEXT WE HAVE ON PAGE SIX PR NUMBER 23 4 54.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND DEPARTMENT TO RENOVATE A PAVILION THROUGH PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUP USA OF BEAUMONT CHECKS.
WHICH ONE? WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE I DON'T HAVE, I HAVE THIS CIRCLE.
OKAY, NOW WE SIT ON THAT SEAT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS YEAH, I GOT IT.
Y'ALL ALREADY, Y'ALL ALREADY SPOKEN SO LONG.
I THOUGHT WE WERE COVERED BY 10 OF THEM.
WE JUST SOMETIMES TIME DOES THAT.
[VII.C.(3) P.R. No. 23434 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Second Year (Final Renewal) Of The City Of Port Arthur Fire Department's Contract With CAT5 Resources Of Nederland, Texas For The Generator Maintenance And/Or Repairs To All Fire Station Locations In The City Of Port Arthur In The Not To Exceed Amount Of $25,000.00; Funding Is Available In The Fire Department's Building Maintenance Account No. 001-19-047-5312- 00-30-000]
THREE ON PAGE FIVE.WE KEPT FIVE RESOURCES OF NEEDLING TEXAS FOR THE, UH, GENERATOR MAINTENANCE AND OR REPAIRS TO ALL FIRE STATION LO FIRE STATION LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $25,000 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE FIVE DEPARTMENTS.
BUILDING MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH NINE DASH 0 4 7 DASH 5 3 2 0 3 0 0 0.
AND MIGHT I ADD I I I CHANGED MY ORDER ON THIS.
I READ THIS WHILE YOU ALL WERE TALKING.
SO WHERE IT WAS TIME TO MOVE AND THAT'S WHY I NORMALLY DON'T READ 'EM BECAUSE IT'LL IT'LL DO THAT
SO I, IIII STAND CORRECT ON THAT BAD.
OKAY, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN ETT SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 34.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YEAH.
WE GOT A GENERATOR AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE GOT GENERATORS AND WE GOT DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, RIGHT? WHAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT? WHAT IS IT COST FOR THIS ONE? FOR THAT ONE.
AND SEE IF ONE PERSON COULD GIVE US THE BEST PRICE TO MAINTAIN ALL THE GENERATORS AS OPPOSED TO EVERYBODY GOING OUT AND GET THEIR OWN CONTRACTORS.
SO THIS ONE HERE IS IN MOTION.
I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT IT, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT.
WHEN WE PROVIDING A SERVICE THAT IS COMMON TO THE CITY.
[02:25:02]
LET'S GO WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA GIVE US THE BEST DEAL.'CAUSE THE MORE WE GOT THE PROBABLY BETTER DEAL WE GET INSTEAD OF PAYING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS FOR THE SAME THING.
ESPECIALLY, UM, THOSE THAT, UH, SOME MIGHT BE, UM, DIESEL DRIVEN, SOME MIGHT BE, UM, NATURAL GAS.
SO WE LOOK AT CATEGORIZE IT AND LOOK LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER UNDER READINESS? OKAY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 23454 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager Through The Pleasure Island Department To Renovate A Pavilion Through Preferred Facilities Group – USA Of Beaumont, Texas For The Renovation Of A Pavilion, Through Texas BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 581-19, In The Total Amount Not To Exceed $29,875.00; Funding Available In Account Number 307-60-000- 8525-00-10-000 Project Number PI0003]
PR NUMBER 2 34 54.NUMBER NINE, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE ALITY DEPARTMENT, UH, TO RENOVATE A PAVILION THROUGH PREFERRED UTILITIES GROUP, USA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE RENOVATION OF A PAVILION THROUGH TEXAS BUYBOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 5 81 DASH ONE NINE AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $28,875.
FUNDING AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 6 0 0 0 85 25 DASH 0 0 0 0.
AND PROJECT NUMBER PI I 0 0 0 3.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 34 54 AS RED, RED FOR QUESTION.
UH, MR. BURTON, WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS SENT OUT FOR BID? UM, I'M SORRY, WHAT? SAY THAT AGAIN.
IT WAS, UM, IT WAS SELECTED THROUGH THE BIBLE PROCESS.
I JUST NEEDED SOME CLARIFICATION.
YES, THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M GONNA KNOW COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
IF I, I READ THIS, UH, REQUEST THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN, AND BASICALLY WHAT I READ AND WHAT WE WANTED AND WHAT YOU ALL WANTED TO DO.
AND I THINK IT WAS HAVING A ROOF TO MATCH THE, THE, UH, BLUE COLOR THAT WE'RE USING AND, AND THE, THE, I GUESS IT'S A COLOR SCHEME OUT THERE.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHY DIDN'T WE GO OUT FOR BUSINESS? BECAUSE IF I'M LOOKING AT THE SCOPE, WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS, UH, PEOPLE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR THAT DOES RENOVATION WHO IS LICENSED AND BOUGHT IT.
SO I HAD, I HAD CITIZEN TO QUESTION ME.
WHY DIDN'T WE GET A CHANCE TO BID ON IT? SO I WANT TO KNOW IF IT IS NOT PERTAINING TO LIKE VEHICLES AND SOMETHING WHERE THEY SAY A 2020 5% DISCOUNT.
I EVEN QUESTION THAT BECAUSE IT'S 25% DISCOUNT BASED ON WHAT THEIR PRICE IS.
NOT WHAT YOU COULD GET IT FOR.
BUT FOR RENOVATION, WHY ARE WE USING THAT? WHY ARE WE NOT GIVING OUR CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BID ON THIS? BLESS YOU.
WHY ARE WE NOT GIVING OUR CITIZENS A CHANCE TO BE, WHY DO I HAVE TO ANSWER THAT? OKAY.
UM, I KNOW MR. BURTON AND COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM WAS AT THE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING.
AND SO THAT'S THE, WE WANTED IT IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THEY'VE ALREADY DONE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
BUT IT GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, IT'S GOING TO TAKE WHOEVER GOING, IF THEY DO IT, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET THE SAME MATERIAL.
SO IF WE BID IT OUT SO I GO GET THE SAME MATERIAL, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT NOT JUST GIVING JOB.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY DOES A GREAT JOB, WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT BID, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, IT LOOK PRETTY.
MAYBE SOMEBODY COULD DO IT, MAKE IT LOOK EVEN PRETTIER OR IT COULD BE THE SAME, BUT IT CAN SAVE US MONEY.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE BID PROCESS.
AND I DON'T MIND, UH, UH, WHEN WE GO THROUGH BUY BOARD FOR SOME THINGS, BUT WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE DON'T USE BIDS OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BECAUSE BIDS AND REQUEST PROPOSALS IS WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES IN PROCUREMENT.
BUT I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE I WANT CITIZENS
[02:30:01]
IN PORT ARTHUR TO GET THE MONEY AND DO THE WORK.NOW, WHEN THEY DON'T DO THE WORK TO OUR SATISFACTION, THEN WE DON'T USE 'EM NO MORE.
BUT THE FIRST PRIORITY SHOULD BE TO GET TO WORK.
AND HOW DO WE DO THAT? SIMPLE.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE ON THAT RON, IS, IS WITH UH, CLIFF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SINCE CLIFF HERE TONIGHT.
I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM IN A WHILE.
OH, CLIFF, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU THRILLED MAN.
I'M GONNA TELL YOUR DADDY WHEN I TALK TO HIM NEXT TIME.
THE OTHER THING IS WE SAY IN BED FROM 3000 TO 50,000, WE, WE SHOULD CONTACT TWO HUBS.
ARE WE DO, ARE WE DOING THAT? YES.
OH, YOU WAS SLOW ANSWERING CLIFF.
BUT I'M, I MEAN, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU MEAN AS FAR AS THIS PROJECT, THE CO-OP OR IN GENERAL? SO I, I I REALIZE YOU MEANT IN GENERAL.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THIS NOW IN LINE WITH WHAT I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, ABOUT BIDS AND ABOUT GIVING OUR CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, CITY MANAGER.
I THINK IT'S TIME WE DO ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE.
UH, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS IT WE DID, HOW YOU CALL IT, WHERE WE, WE INVITE ALL OF THE LOCAL, THE PORT ARTHUR BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.
WHEN Y'ALL GAVE THEM THE INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO GET WORK FROM US, UH, UH, UH, WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE? AND IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WORKSHOP THAT WE DID AT THE CIVIC CENTER, WE NEED TO PUT ONE ON, WE NEED TO PUT ANOTHER ON.
'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM PERIODICALLY, RON, SO THAT CITIZENS KNOW TO PUT THEIR NAME ON A VENDOR LIST.
YOU SEE? AND THEN WE KNOW WHO TO SEND IT OUT TO BECAUSE OUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE SPEND PORT ARTHUR.
IF WE'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEBODY THAT GONNA DO THE JOB, LET'S GIVE IT TO THE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT BECAUSE MORE THAN LIKELY THEY GOT AN ACCOUNT AT ONE OF THE STORES IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO THEY BUY THERE, WE'RE GONNA GET THE TAX SALES TAX ON IT.
AND IF THEY LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR, THEY PAYING TAXES.
BUT LET'S TRY TO DO IT SO THAT WHEN CITIZENS ASK US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHY, WHY, WHY WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE BID.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO NOT SEND OUT FOR A BID, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IN A SITUATION WHERE WE USE THE OTHER METHODS AND STUFF.
OKAY? I, I AGREE, BUT I, I DO WANNA SAY THIS.
I, I, BEING A PULLED OUT THE RESIDENT AND BORN HERE, I DO MAKE AN EFFORT TO GO TO PULL OUT THE VENDORS.
I HAVE TO BE HONEST THOUGH, A LOT OF PULL ARTHUR VENDORS DO NOT WANT TO BID NOW.
I, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT KNOWN.
SO WHEN THEY COME TO YOU WITH THAT, A LOT OF 'EM DON'T LIKE THE BIDDING OR QUOTING PROCESS 'CAUSE THEY FIT AND THEN THE COP OUT ANSWER IS, WELL YOU GONNA GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE ANYWAY.
UM, THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I'M FACING WHEN IT COMES TO PART VENDORS.
CLIFF, CLIFF, LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I DON'T EVER BELIEVE ONE THING.
I HEAR YOU, BUT I'M GONNA CHECK IN THE END.
SO WHEN SOMEBODY TELL ME THAT, I DON'T SAY THAT EVERYTHING THEY SAYING IS CORRECT, BUT IF YOU TELL ME WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE BID AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN BID ITEM, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW I SHOULD LISTEN TO.
SO, UH, THE FACT IS WE GOTTA ADVERTISE AND WE GOTTA REQUEST.
AND ONCE WE DO THAT, THEN WE HAVE FULFILL OUR PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
IF, IF A BID GOES OUT, THEN THEY DON'T GET IT.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY TALK TO ME, I SAY, WELL, THEY SEND IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT RESPONDING.
IF YOU DON'T WANT A BID ON IT AND OH, I BID IT, WELL I DIDN'T GET IT.
I I'M NOT HERE TO SAY GIVE PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE.
NOW DON'T SAY GIVE PORT ARTHUR.
I'M SAYING IF THEY QUALIFY, LET'S GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY.
I, TRUST ME, I HAVE A LIST OF PARTS.
THEY'RE NOT SAYING NOW AS FAR AS BIDS.
SO MAKE THAT CLEAR AS FAR AS ADVERTISING EVERYTHING THAT'S DONE FOR BIDS OVER $50,000.
RIGHT? SO ANYTHING UNDER 50, WE JUST SEND OUT QUOTES.
SO WHEN I DO QUOTE OUT, I DO SEND TO A LIST OF PULL OUT THE VENDORS AS WELL AS THE
[02:35:01]
REQUIRED HUBS BY STATE OR DBS IF IT'S FEDERAL MONEY.NOW, SOMETIME WE DO GO TO, UH, CO-OPS, UM, BECAUSE SOME PROJECTS REQUIRE LITTLE EXPEDIENCY AND IT'S, AND IT'S FASTER.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING IF IT'S TIME SENSITIVE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON I JUST WANNA PUT ALL THAT OUT THERE ON THE JUSTIFICATIONS.
WE DO, I KNOW ABOUT THE TIME SENSITIVE, BUT LEMME TELL YOU I UNDERSTAND TIME SENSITIVE.
'CAUSE WHEN WE PLAN, WE HAVE TIME INCORPORATED IN IT.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TIME SENSITIVE AND I WANT IT TO BE TIME SENSITIVE.
OKAY? SO I'M JUST SAYING IN FUTURE, ALL I'M DOING IS POINTING OUT THINGS THAT WHEN STUFF COMES BEFORE COUNCIL, I AS ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, THESE ARE THINGS THAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE DEFENSIVE ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S JUST SOME POINTS THAT I HAVE CONCERNS.
I JUST SAY QUESTIONS AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR WHAT MY QUESTIONS ARE.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
UM, I WILL SAY THOUGH, IF ANYBODY COMES TO YOU WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE THEM CONTACT ME.
'CAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT.
'CAUSE ANOTHER COUNCILMAN BROUGHT UP ABOUT A LOCAL STAFFING VENDOR.
SO IF, IF YOU HEAR, IF THESE PEOPLE TALK TO YOU, PLEASE PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH ME.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I LISTENED.
AND THEN I'LL COME TO THE MANAGER AND TALK WITH THE MANAGER ABOUT IT.
OR, UH, IN A FORUM LIKE THIS, I'LL ASK YOU.
BUT IN THE FUTURE THEN IF YOU WANT ME TO REFER 'EM TO YOU, I SURE WILL.
'CAUSE I MAKE SURE TO PUT 'EM ON THE LIST IF I'M NOT AWARE OF'EM THINGS.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO HIM.
UH, COUNCILMAN ETT, ANY OTHER UNREGISTER? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 5 4.
[VII.C.(11) P.R. No. 23457 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Agreement With Industrial And Commercial Mechanical (ICM) Of Beaumont, Texas, Through BuyBoard For The Cleaning Of The HVAC System In The City Hall Annex For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $47,450.59. Funds Are Available In The Capital Improvement Fund Buildings Account Number 307-21-049-8512-00- 10-000, Project Number BU0002-OTH]
ON PAGE SEVEN, NUMBER 11, ITEM NUMBER 11.UH, PR NUMBER 2, 3, 4, 5 7 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL MECHANICAL ICM OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS THROUGH BY BOARD FOR THE CLEANING OF THE HVAC SYSTEM IN THE CITY HALL ANNEX FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $47,450 AND 59 CENTS.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BUILDINGS.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 4 9 8 502 0 0 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER BU 0 0 0 2 DASH OH TH.
MAY I GET, UH, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 5 7.
IT'S, WE READ UP THE QUESTION.
THIS IS KIND OF THE SAME SITUATION.
I REALIZE THIS IS A BY BOARD, BUT IF, UH, IF WE SENT THIS OUT BID, IF WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A A, A BETTER RESULT ON THE, ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING AND I, I, I GUESS I I NEED TO UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE THINK IT'S GONNA COME IN AT UNDER $50,000, WE DON'T HAVE TO SEND IT OUT FOR BID.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? I'M SORRY TO CALL YOU BACK UP.
SO BY, BY STATE LAW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO BID IF IT'S OVER $50,000.
SO WHEN, WHEN I USE THE WORD BIDDING, WE ARE REFERRING TO ADVERTISING TWICE IN THE PAPER.
DOING THE SEAL BIDS AND OPEN IT UP ON A CERTAIN DAY.
ANYTHING UNDER THERE, WE JUST REQUIRED TO GET THREE QUOTES.
UM, TO AVOID THE THREE QUOTES OR EVEN BIDDING IN SOME CASES, YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT LIKE BYWOOD.
UM, AND JUST CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS JUST BASICALLY AN ORGANIZATION THAT BIDS IT OUT THEMSELVES.
BUT EVERY GOVERNOR ORGANIZATION IS PART OF THAT.
WE ALL COOPERATIVE WITH GREEN TO THE PRICE SETTING THOSE CONTRACTS.
SO GENERALLY THE PRICING IS BETTER WITH THE CO-OPS BECAUSE YOU'RE BIDDING FOR THE WHOLE REGION STATE OR FED WHATEVER, DEPENDING ON WHAT AREA THAT PARTICULAR CO-OP IS COVERED.
SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHEN IT COMES BACK AT $47,000, I MEAN, DID YOU THINK THAT WAS REASONABLE WHEN THAT, AND WHEN IT CAME BACK AT THAT NUMBER? YES.
UH, I THINK ICM GIVES A GOOD REASONABLE PRICE UNDER THE BUY BOY CONTRACT.
UM, THEY ALSO, THEY'RE NOT LOCUS FAR AS PORT ARTHUR, BUT THEY'RE IN THE AREA AS FAR AS BEAUMONT.
UM, AND THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT I'VE KIND OF LET GO BECAUSE ALSO I KNOW OF NO HVAC PORT OUT THE VENDORS.
UH, I KNOW A COUPLE DUDE, THEY DON'T DO IT TO THIS DEGREE.
UM, AND A COUPLE THAT I'VE CONTACTED HADN'T RESPONDED IN A LONG TIME, SO, ALRIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ANY OTHER UNDER READINESS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[02:40:01]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER[VII.C.(12) P.R. No. 23460 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager Through The Pleasure Island Department To Re-Roof The Pleasure Island Office Through Preferred Facilities Group – USA Of Beaumont, Texas, Through Texas BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 581- 19, In The Total Amount Not To Exceed $39,531.33; Funding Available In Account Number 450-60-400-5312-00-00-000]
12 PR NUMBER 2 3 4 6 0.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE PLEASURE ISLAND DEPARTMENT TO REROOF THE PLEASURE ISLAND OFFICE THROUGH PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUP USA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS THROUGH TEXAS BY BOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 5 81 DASH ONE NINE, THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 39,005 $31 AND 33 CENTS.
FUNDING AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 5 0 DASH SIX 400 DASH 53 12 0 0 0.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 6 0 AS RED.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS QUESTION IS GONNA BE FOR GEORGE OR IF IT'S GONNA BE FOR OUR CITY MANAGER, UM, BUT I'M WONDERING SINCE THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB BUILDING IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR, WHY WAS IT NOT CONSIDERED TO BE REROOFED AT THE SAME TIME? IT'S BEEN EXPOSED TO THE SAME TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES THAT DAMAGED THE, THE PLEASURE ISLAND OFFICE.
AND IT MIGHT BE A COST SAVING EFFORT TO TRY TO GET THEM BOTH REROOFED AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, AS FAR AS THE YACHT CLUB GO, NO ONE INFORMED ME THAT THEIR ROOF WAS MESSED UP.
FOR EXAMPLE, TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE INFORMED US THAT THEIR ROOF WAS MESSED UP.
SO IF IT IS DAMAGED, NO ONE FROM THE YACHT CLUB HAS INFORMED ME.
AND IF THEY INFORM US, I'LL PUT IT IN THE BUDGET SO WE CAN FIX IT.
AND THAT'S NOT, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES, BUT THAT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE DIRECTOR TO KIND OF FIND OUT IF MAYBE THEIR ROOF NEEDED TO BE LOOKED OUT AT THE SAME TIME.
WELL, I MEAN, I JUST LOOK AT IT AS IF THERE'S AN ISSUE TO THAT MAGNITUDE THAT THEY WOULD INFORM ME.
NOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, GEORGE, UM, WE ARE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHETHER, UM, THE NECESSARY REPAIRS NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WELL, AND, AND MY CONCERN IS THERE ARE SOME VENDORS THAT WILL CHARGE ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAUSE OF THE REMOTE LOCATION OF PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND IT, IT WOULD BE TO OUR BENEFIT TO SEE IF THIS COMPANY THAT'S GONNA REROOF THE, THE OFFICE IF THEY COULD LOOK AT IT AND MAYBE SAVE US SOME MONEY AND REROOFING THE YACHT CLUB TOO.
ANY OTHER WE ON ANY WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? AS, AS A RESULT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 6 0 AS READ.
[VII.C.(14) P.R. No. 23463 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Jefferson County Tourism Grant For Improvements To The Beach/Park On The Waterway On Pleasure Island In The Amount Of $25,000.00]
HAVE PR NUMBER OR ITEM 14, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 2 3 4 6 3.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY JU GRANT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BEACH PARK ON THE WATERWAY OF PLEASURE ISLAND IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000.
MAY GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SO MOVE I GET A SECOND, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 4 63 AS READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM.
THIS IS PROBABLY FOR MR. DAVIS.
UM, THERE'S THE, THERE'S SOME INCONSISTENT LANGUAGE.
SO I'M KIND OF WONDERING WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BENCH PARK ON WATERWAY FUNDING AND OR THE BEACH PARK AND THE BENCH TURF? CAN YOU DISTINGUISH THAT FOR ME? THE NAME OF THE ACTUAL GRANT IS THE BEACH PARK ON THE WATERWAY THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTY.
AND THE, THE, THE 25,000 IS DESIGNATED FOR THE BENCHES AND THE TURF FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO THE BEACH PARK IS THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE GRANT ITSELF.
OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY GRANT? YES.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT'S GOING TO, THAT THE MONEY'S GONNA BE USED FOR? WHAT'S THE, FOR THE BENCHES AND THE TURF FOR THE PHOTO OP PROJECT.
ANY OTHER UN READINESS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? THE AYES HAVE IT SO ORDERED WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 FOR SIX THREE AS RED.
[VII.C.(15) P.R. No. 23464 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Kraftsman Commercial Playgrounds And Water Parks Of Spring, Texas For The Construction Of A Playground, Through Texas BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 679- 22, In The Total Amount Not To Exceed $56,616.75; Funding Available In Account Number 307-60-000-8525-00-10-000 Project Number PI0003]
HAVE PR NUMBER, I MEAN ITEM NUMBER 15 PR NUMBER 23 4 6 4 4, EXCUSE ME.THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CRAFTSMAN COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUNDS AND WATER PARKS OF SPRING, TEXAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PLAYGROUND, UH, THROUGH TEXAS BY BOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 6 79 DASH 22 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $56,616 AND THE 75 CENTS FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THE ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 6 0 0 82.
I EXCUSE 85 25 DASH 0 0 0 PROJECT NUMBER PI 0 0 0 3 MAG.
[02:45:01]
A MOTION FOR OF COUNCILMAN FRANK.COUNCILMAN KENNEL LAW SECOND MA'AM.
IT BEEN MOVED AND SECONDARY WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 4 6 4 IS EVERY READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM? YES.
UM, I, AND I KNOW THAT THE LAKESIDE PARK PREDATED MY, UH, TENURE ON COUNCIL AND THIS IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT BUILT THE LAKESIDE PARK.
SO IT'LL ALL LOOK THE SAME, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WHEN THEY BID ON LAKESIDE PARK, IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CONTEMPLATED AT THAT SAME TIME OR NOT.
I MEAN I, I CAN IMAGINE THAT THE DAMAGES TO THIS LITTLE PLAYGROUND AT THE RV PARK WERE PROBABLY APPARENT AT THE TIME THAT LAKESIDE PARK WAS TORN DOWN.
UH UH, NO, IT WAS NOT BECAUSE THE, UM, THE MONIES FOR LAKESIDE PARK WAS IDENTIFIED BY BECKY WAS THE, UM, UM, UM, ACTING CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME.
AND IT WAS SOME MONEY THAT WAS LEFT OVER FROM SOME BOND ISSUES.
SO NO, IT WAS NOT AT THE TIME.
COUNCILMAN DUCEY? YEAH, RON, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THIS JUST INFORMATION ON PROCEDURES.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, IF I READ IT CORRECTLY, IT, IT STATED THAT, UH, THE MONEY WAS APPROVED IN THE BUDGET AND THE PROJECT NUMBER THAT WAS STATED HERE.
THESE PROJECT NUMBERS, THESE PROJECT NUMBERS ARE BEING GIVEN ONCE THE PROJECT IS UH, SELECTED.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY IT'S APPROVED IN THE BUDGET AND YOU SAY PROJECT NUMBER, THAT'S ONE I MENTIONED.
EVEN WITH PARK AND RECREATION, THIS SAME PERTAIN HERE.
WHEN WE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET, ALL MONEY IN THE BUDGET IS FOR O AND M OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
ANY PROJECTS THAT WE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED.
THAT'S WHY I WAS STATED THAT ANY PROJECTS THAT WE WANTED TO DO, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED AND THE MONEY ALLOCATED FOR THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THIS COUNCIL AND YOU SAY APPROVED IN THE COUNCIL, IT'S NOT EVEN A QUESTION ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF WE HAD ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL APPROVE 'EM.
SO IN THE FUTURE, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE IS OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, HOW ABOUT GOING BACK THROUGH RON AND GETTING ME A LIST OF THE PROJECTS AND THE PROJECT NUMBERS? SO WHEN I SEE A PROJECT AND IT SAYS IT WAS APPROVED, THEN I KNOW IT WAS APPROVED.
'CAUSE SEE WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THAT.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE GOT A LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BUDGET.
BUT I THINK IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE'RE GONNA ELIMINATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECTS.
UM, UM, UM, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED OR UNDER THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, WE WILL DO, HAS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED UNDER THE RECURRENT, UM, BUDGET AS PART OF, OF OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE? WE WILL.
SO IT PLACES THEM, UM, IN TWO SEPARATE CATEGORIES AND WE WILL DO THAT.
SO I'LL KNOW IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR YOUR INTERPRETATION.
SO I'LL KNOW WHERE THE MONEY COMING FROM.
WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE WILL DO THAT.
AS LONG AS YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED UNAPPROVED BY CARL.
ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO ALL WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 6 4 RED.
[VII.C.(17) P.R. No. 23466 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Interlocal Agreement (Cost Reimbursement Agreement) With The Port Of Port Arthur Navigation District For The Painting Of The Port's Logos On The Water Tower Located At Railroad Avenue And Thomas Boulevard]
HAVE ITEM NUMBER 17, PR NUMBER 23 46 6.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, COST REIMBURSEMENT AND, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, PORT OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT FOR THE PAINTING OF THE PORCH LOGO ON THE WATER TOWER LOCATED AT RAILROAD AVENUE AND THE THOMAS BOULEVARD.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
JUST, JUST, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, RON.
UH, IT, WHAT'S THE GOING THING? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT CITIES DO NOW.
THEY, UH, ADVERTISE, THEY LET PEOPLE MARKET.
SO WHAT, WHAT WAS THE GOING RATE? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT DOES PEOPLE PAY WHEN THEY PUT SOMETHING ON A WATER TOWER? YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I LOOKED AT THE LAST WATER TOWER WE DID ON THE WEST SIDE.
UHHUH,
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AYE HAVE FOR THIS HONOR, WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 6 6.
[VII.C.(18) P.R. No. 23470 – A Resolution Calling For A Public Hearing To Consider A Zoning Map Amendment For 21.308-Acre Tract Or Parcel Of Land Being Out Of And Part Of The W. Kyle Survey, A-414, And Consisting Of All Of Lots 10-25, Block 27, A Portion Of Oleander, Violet, Gardenia, Camellia, Cox, & Daisy Streets, And A Portion Of Willow Drive, A Portion Of Blocks 25 & 26, And All Of Blocks 14, 15, & 16 Of The Palomar Addition, Section 1, An Unrecorded Subdivision Plat, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas]
PR NUMBER ITEM 18, PR NUMBER 23 4 70.A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER
[02:50:01]
A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FOR 21.3 OR FOUR ACRES OF LAND OR PARCEL OF LAND BEING OUT OF AND PART OF THE W KYLE SURVEY, A DASH FOUR 14 AND CONSISTING OF ALL LOTS, 10 THROUGH 25 BLOCK 27, A PORTION OF OLENDER, VIOLET, GARDENIA, CAMELIA, COX, AND DAISY STREETS.AND A PORTION OF WILLOW DRIVE A PORTION OF BLOCKS 25 AND 26.
AND ALL OF BLOCKS 14, 15 AND 16 OF THE PALMORE AUDITION.
SECTION ONE, AN UNRECORDED SUBDIVISION PLAQUE.
PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
BBS CONSTRUCTORS, L-L-C-D-B-A.
MK CONSTRUCTORS, UH, MAY GET A MOTION FOR, UH, APPROVAL.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKER.
THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 34 70 AS, UH, PRESENTED.
UH, READY FOR, UH, QUESTION COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
THIS IS A REQUEST TO REZONE FROM RESIDENTIAL TO LIKE COMMERCIAL AND LET'S GET THAT.
THIS IS A RE, UM, REQUEST TO REZONE FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WAS FORMALLY REFERRED TO AS MULTIPLE FAMILY TO, UH, COMMERCIAL RETAIL, WHICH WAS LIKE COMMERCIAL.
UH, THE, THE REASON I PULL THIS TO INFORM COUNCIL, AND THAT'S NOT IN THE PALAMA DISTRICT, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING OR PURCHASING OUR OWN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S MULTIFAMILY OR SINGLE FAMILY.
IT'S JUST THAT THAT'S BEEN ZONED THAT WAY.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS, THEY'RE LIVING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE WE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING RESIDENTS.
PEOPLE ARE BUYING IT OR THEY OWN IT, BUT THEY WANT TO TURN IT IN TO LIKE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
IT MAY BE OKAY WITH THEM, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU, YOU DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DON'T SEE 'EM COMING TO US NORTH OF 73 TOO OFTEN, BUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SOUTH.
YOU WANNA BUY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OR YOU OWN RESIDENCE, BUT THEN YOU SEE A CHANCE TO WANNA MAKE MONEY, BUT YOU WANNA BRING IN COMMERCIAL ON THE RESIDENTS IN HERE THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE AND HAVE HOMES HERE.
SO I JUST WANT COUNCIL TO BE AWARE THAT THAT'S A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND WE NEED TO TAKE, START TAKING A LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS WANTING TO DO BUSINESS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
IF YOU WANNA DO BUSINESS, GO BUY A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
'CAUSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COSTS MORE THAN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
BUT COUNCIL, MAY, MAY I ADD THIS? THIS IS JUST AS FAR AS TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT.
NO, BUT I'M JUST LETTING COUNCIL KNOW.
BUT I, BUT I, I KNOW, BUT OKAY, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COULD YOU SAY IT THERE AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A DECISION ON IT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, YOU COVERED IT, MAYOR.
WHAT DO BABY TELL? I COVERED IT.
MINUTE, A MINUTE, MINUTE, GOT A VOTE, SAID THAT'S WHAT WE GONNA DO.
YOU SAID I COVERED IT SO I THOUGHT YOU WAS JUST GIVING ME MY KUDOS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, DO SAY WHAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIME THEY'LL, THEY'LL COME INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND BUT COUNCILMAN YOU'RE SAYING THE SAME THING HE SAID NO, NO YOU DON'T.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING SAY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU WHAT I'M GONNA SAY, BUT HOLD ON.
ISN'T THIS REQUESTING A PUBLIC HEARING? IT IS, YEAH.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT THE DIALOGUE THAT WE ARE USING RIGHT NOW AND I HAVE TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING AND THE MEETINGS LAST LONGER BECAUSE I ALLOW RHETORIC TO GO ON AND ON.
THOSE STATEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
BECAUSE YOU ARE AT THAT POINT SHAPING A PERSON'S DECISION AS TO HOW HE OR SHE, SHE.
POINT, POINT, POINT, POINT OF POINT OF ALL I COULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
BUT WE DO A POINT OF ALL I I COULD SAY IT WITH LESS WORDS.
I COULD HAVE SAID THAT WITH LESS WORDS.
THEY BUY LAND CONDITIONING UP ON SOMEBODY CHANGING THE ZONE.
THAT'S WHAT THE SALES, THAT'S WHAT THE SALES IS.
[02:55:02]
OKAY.ALRIGHT, LET'S VOTE ALL IN FAVOR.
ANY OPPOSED? AYE HAVE SO ORDER.
YOU OPPOSED? YOU GOT, YOU GOT THAT? UH, CITY SECRETARY OPPOSED? I OPPOSED.
NOW LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 21.
[VII.C.(21) P.R. No. 23475 – A Resolution Calling For A Public Hearing To Consider A Zoning Map Amendment For 4.000-Acre Tract Or Parcel Of Land, Consisting Of TR 2, Lot 8, Block 12, Port Acres, Jefferson County, Texas]
I THINK I'M GOING RIGHT, RIGHT.COUNCILMAN BECK? I DIDN'T MISSED THAT.
NO, I'M, NO, I'M JUST, YOU BE THE LAW ON SEEING WHAT I MISSED.
SO I'M, I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.
IT IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FOR FOUR ACRE TRACT OR A PARCEL OF LAND CONSISTING OF TR TWO LOT EIGHT BLOCK 12 PORT ACRES, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET UH, A SECOND? UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM SECOND IS MOVED AND SECONDARY WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
OKAY, SAME PERTAINS TO THIS PROPERTY ONCE AGAIN, IT IS, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND IT REQUESTED TO GO TO HIGH DENSITY.
UM, THE PROPERTY IS ZONED AS RESIDENTIAL.
HOWEVER, UM, THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
IT'S CURRENTLY SHEPHERDS INN, UH, GASPER CENTER, HOSPITALITY HOUSE.
UM, THAT IS WHAT IS LOCATED AT THIS LOCATION AT THE MOMENT.
OKAY? AND THIS IS THE ONLY ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING SO WE CAN EXPRESS OUR, OUR DIFFERENT, UH, DESIRES AND FEELINGS ON THAT.
WE READY FOR QUESTION AFTER A QUESTION.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR.
A IN THE OPPOSES AS HAVE A, WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 7 5 AS READ.
NEXT WE WILL MOVE TO ROMAN NUMERAL EIGHT, WHICH IS
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23449 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur And Fittz And Shipman, Inc. Of Port Arthur, Texas, For The Construction Management Of The Mechanic Street Roadway Improvement Project From Dowling Street (Highway 87) To S. 1st Avenue In Sabine Pass, Texas, For The Amount Of $131,935.00 Funding Is Available In Account Number 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000, Project No. ST1P90.ENG ]
ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION.WE HAVE THE FIRST ONE, UH, PR NUMBER 2 3 4 4 9 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND FITZ AND SHIPMAN INCORPORATED OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF THE MECHANIC STREET ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FROM DOLIN STREET HIGHWAY 87 TO FIRST, UH, SOUTH FIRST AVENUE IN SABINE PAST TEXAS FOR THE AMOUNT OF $131,935.
AND ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 21 5 3 8 5 7 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER ST ONE P NINE ZERO NG.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? NO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
SECOND MAYOR, IT MOVED THE SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONING THERE UNDER ANY QUESTION IS TO SUPPORT ARTHUR, THE COMPANY.
ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVING SO THOUGHT YOU DID GOOD ON THAT ONE, BUT CLIFF.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23479 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Port Arthur Police Chief Advisory Committee (Requested By Mayor Bartie)]
NUMBER 23 4 7 9 A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REPOINT A MEMBER OR MEMBERS SHOULD THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT'S REQUESTED BY YOURS TRULY MAYOR, BROUGHT YOU HAVE THOSE NAMES? YES, SIR.WOULD BE ALFRED CUOMO AND MELANIE NED.
OKAY, THOSE ARE THE NAMES WE'RE READY FOR.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? SO MAYOR, MAY I GET A COUNCILMAN? UH, DOUCETTE SECOND.
AND SECOND, ARE WE READY FOR A QUESTION? ANY THE QUESTION? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY REAPPOINTED TO THE MAYOR'S.
I MEAN THE, UH, POLICE CHIEFS, UH, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7184 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 14, Article XXIII (Police Chief Advisory Committee), Section 14-691 (Created), Section 14-693 (Powers) And Section 14-694 (Administration) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur]
ORDINANCE NUMBER 71 84, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE THAT'S 23.POLICE CHIEF ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SECTION 14 DASH 6 91.
CREATED SECTION 14 DASH 6 93 POWERS AND SECTION 14 DASH 6 9 4, ADMINISTRATION OF THE CODE OF TUM ASSIST FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM SECOND? IT IS REMOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 71 84 AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YEAH, CHIEF, UH, WHY, WHY ARE WE CHANGING OUR VAL, SONY WHY ARE WE CHANGING SHALLOW WHEEL? THAT'S A QUESTION.
YEAH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY A REQUEST THAT WAS MADE.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME LEVEL OF CONFUSION
[03:00:01]
AND UH, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DEFER TO THE CHIEF.THIS WAS HIS REQUEST FLEXIBILITY.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DELEGATE.
IF YOU, UH, IF YOU HAD, IF YOU USE, UM, SHELL, YOU COULD ALWAYS, UH, RESCHEDULE, DEFER, UH, UH, UH, OR CANCEL THE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW.
BUT IF YOU SAY SHELL THAT MEAN THAT THEY, THEY THEY WEEK THEY MEET, THEY SUPPOSED TO MEET ONCE MONTHLY, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S SOMETHING NOT LACK OF PEOPLE WANTING TO COME OR IF SOMETHING COME UP, YOU COULD ALWAYS CANCEL AND CHANGE.
SO I DIDN'T SEE WHY WE CHANGED THE WORD, UH, FROM SHELL TO WILL.
'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT SHELL MEANS AND WHAT WILL MEANS.
RIGHT? WELL, I LOOKED AT IT SHALL MEANS IT IS AUTOMATIC.
WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT THAT MONTH.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CANCEL IT.
NO, I MEAN THIS, I I WAS AT SHELL TOO SHALL MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD CONDUCT IT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO, YOU COULD ALWAYS CANCEL, RESCHEDULE, RIGHT, VAL? MM-HMM.
BUT IT, IT THREW ME FOR A LOOP WHEN IT, IT WAS THAT WAY.
BUT I HAVE ONE MORE THING TOO.
WHILE YOU'RE CHANGING IT, WON'T WE, WON'T WE SAY CHIEF OR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE? I LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE WE KEEP SAYING CHIEF, CHIEF.
SO LET'S JUST, IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A CHANGE, WHY DON'T WE MAKE A CHANGE? SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ALSO ADD TO THAT AMENDMENT.
THE, THE CHIEF OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE? DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE.
YEAH, I I JUST WANNA SAY, UM,
UM, THERE, THERE IS A LAWYER THAT IS SERVING ON THE ADVISORY BOARD NOW, AND HE BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION AND HE'S ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA BE A STICKLER FOR IF IT SAYS SHALL, THEN THEY SHALL MEET ONCE A MONTH.
SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH CHANGING IT TO WILL SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
BECAUSE IF IT SAYS SHALL, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY ON THE BOARD AND YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT WITHOUT SPEAKING NAMES, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA HOLD YOU TO THAT.
'CAUSE HE WAS, HE WAS IN MY EAR BEFORE I EVEN GOT ON COUNCIL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
SO I'M, I'M IN, I'M, I'M WITH YOU.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? JUDGE, YOU CHANGE CHERYL TO ME.
YOU GOTTA GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY YOU NEED.
OUGHT SAY ORDER
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, YOU MADE AN AMENDMENT.
HE WAS JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE.
WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR TO, FOR THE LANGUAGE CHIEF OR DESIGNATED.
NOW WE, NOW YOU NEED TO SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
OKAY, NOW I'M GOING TO TALK SLOWLY TO GET TO THE O ORIGINAL.
ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
THE, UH, AND I GOTTA REALLY SAY THIS.
PO NUMBER, UH, 7 180 4 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED AND READ.
AND WITH THE, UH, UH, ACCOMPANYING, UH, AMENDMENT NOW, THERE WILL BE NO OTHER BUSINESS COME BEFORE THIS GREAT AUGUST'S BODY OF GOVERNANCE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE MOVE TO ADJOIN? OH, HOW YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU DON'T SECOND THAT.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL.
ANY THEY OPPOSE US? YOU MAY REMAIN.
ALRIGHT, VAL, YOU TELL YOU SOMETHING.