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GOOD.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD AFTERNOON.WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL AND EDC JOINT SPECIAL MEETING ON TODAY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 AT 4:00 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOW, THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED THROUGH THE MEETINGS OF TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS. HOWEVER, YOU WILL HAVE TO DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 2 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 8 0 8 5 4 5 2 1 9 4, AND THE PASSCODE OF 4 2 9 3 7 9, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
ALSO, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
HOWEVER, IT MUST BE DONE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE.
UH, MAKE YOUR WISHES KNOWN FOR THE ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY OF STAFF WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU ON YOUR REQUEST.
WE WILL NOW HAVE AN INVOCATION THAT IF YOU HAVE, UH, TELL NIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE OR WHATEVER TYPE OF, UH, TECHNICAL APPARATUS YOU MAY HAVE, BUT YOU WOULD JUST SILENCE IT AT THIS TIME.
ALSO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INVOCATION TO PLEDGE AND ROLL CALL.
WHAT AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO ASK FORMER COUNCILWOMAN INGRID HOLMES TO OFFER THE, UH, INVOCATION FOR US
IF YOU BOW WITH ME, FATHER GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU THANKING YOU FOR JUST ANOTHER DAY.
WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY, THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU BESTOW ON US EVERY DAY.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE ALL OF US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR THOUGHTS AND TO MAKE DECISIONS BEST FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THIS WE ASK IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME.
WOULD YOU ALL JOIN US WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND AT THIS JUNCTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN WELCOME YOU AND ASK THE CITY SECRETARY TO ESTABLISH QUORUMS FOR BOTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO TIMM HAMILTON.
THANK YOU FOR THE EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PRESIDENT DARRELL ANDERSON, SECRETARY KAYLA JACOBS.
MELVIN GETWOOD, PRESENT DIRECTOR JODY HOLTON.
YOU HAVE A QUORUM OF THE EDC AS WELL, MAYOR.
AND THE EDC PERSONNEL, UH, IF YOU WILL, WE HAVE SOME CHAIRS HERE.
THAT WAY YOU ALL WILL BE A PART OF THIS IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN IF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT.
BUT YOU ALL MIND COMING, TAKING THESE SEATS HERE AND THE ATTORNEY AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
I BELIEVE WE WERE GOING TO, UH, CITY SECRETARY, WE'D BE ABLE TO GET TWO OTHER SEATS FOR, FOR THOSE, UH, AS WELL.
BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
I COULDN'T, THEY WERE, THEY WERE SHORT.
BUT IF THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE SITTING THOSE FOUR THERE AND THEN YOU WOULD LET THE ATTORNEY SIT ON THE EDGE AND THE, UH, EDC DIRECTOR SIT ON THE, ON, ON
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THE EDGE THERE.THAT WOULD BE, ARE YOU COMING UP MR. LEBO? NO, I, I HAVE TO GO.
I DON'T WANT TO GET 'EM SITTING.
AND WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS, BUT BECAUSE I COULD NOT CHANGE IT, WE HAD ALREADY POSTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE MEETING HERE IN THIS, UH, FACILITY.
THIS FACILITY IS ACTUALLY EQUIPPED TO RECORD THE MEETING AND DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY.
HAD WE MOVED IT WITHOUT REQUESTED TODAY, WE WOULD'VE BEEN OUT OF, UH, COMPLIANCE.
'CAUSE I EITHER WANTED IT IN THE LOBBY THERE OR OVER IN THE, UH, ELL MOORE BUILDING.
AND WE CAN'T, UH, DO THAT BECAUSE IT WASN'T POSTED AS SUCH.
SO THAT'S WHY WE, I THINK THIS IS A LOT BETTER.
ARE YOU, YOU, YOU COMFORTABLE THE ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.
GOT, I GOT, I GOT 17 ATTORNEYS.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS HAS MADE IT HIS ARRIVAL.
[II. (1) Proposed Changes To The PAEDC Bylaws As Approved By The PAEDC On November 14, 2023.]
WE'D LIKE TO DO IS WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, UH, UH, CHANGES TO THE P-A-E-D-C BYLAWS AS APPROVED BY THE P-A-E-D-C ON NOVEMBER 14TH.UH, CITY ATTORNEY, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR, YES, I CAN.
UM, WE, WE HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, AND I DO HAVE A, UM, COMMUNICATION THAT I NEED TO SHARE WITH THE EDC ATTORNEY, BUT THEY HAVE SOME PROPOSED BYLAWS, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE COUNSEL, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO IS TO GIVE US A RED LINE AND ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO STUDY IT.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, WE WOULD LIKE, UM, I THINK YOU STATED YOU MIGHT WANT THEM TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS IF Y'ALL WANT TO JUST HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THAT.
SEE, I MEAN, I SAID, UH, E-D-E-D-C ATTORNEY OR, OR HE BE THE PERSON OR, OR THE DIRECTOR THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD GIVE US THE INFORMATION.
UH, HAD, HAD, HAD YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK, SPEAK WITH HIM ON WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
N NO, SORRY, WE DIDN'T GET TO THE OKAY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING WE, AND YOU WERE HAVE ATTORNEY KLEIN PRIVILEGE AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT PRIOR TO OUR COMING INTO THIS SESSION.
UH, BUT SHE'S EXPLAINED IT BASICALLY.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, WHICH IS, UM, PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE AND, AND, AND ENCOURAGING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
BUT WE'LL PRESENT A, A RED LINE VERSION OF, UH, AND A CLEAN VERSION FOR YOU TO, SO THAT YOU CAN, UH, EVALUATE THE CHANGES.
UM, AND, AND IN THAT CONTEXT, LET ME SORT OF TELL YOU WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK A, OR THE, I'M SORRY.
THE EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, TOOK A LOOK AT THE BYLAWS AND THEY ASKED IF I WOULD, UM, PROPOSE REVISIONS FOR PURPOSES OF BEST PRACTICES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH BYLAWS WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND SO I, I TOOK THOSE BYLAWS, WHICH IS 20 SOME PAGES LONG NOW, I THINK IS, IS HOW LONG THEY ARE NOW.
UM, AND I WENT THROUGH THEM AND I MADE, UM, SOME PROPOSED CHANGES BASICALLY ON BEST PRACTICES.
AND WE HAD THREE MEETINGS, I BELIEVE, REGARDING THE CHANGES TO THESE BYLAWS WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ONE, WHICH WAS IN A PUBLIC HEARING SETTING, UM, WHERE THE PUBLIC WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AND GIVE INPUT AS WELL AND THEIR THOUGHTS.
UM, WE MADE SOME REVISIONS BASED ON THAT.
AND THEN WE HELD TWO MORE MEETINGS, I BELIEVE, WHERE THE, WHERE THE BOARD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THOUGHTS AND INPUT ON PROPOSED CHANGES, UM, FROM A HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WHAT THE BOARD ULTIMATELY DID WAS APPROVE, UM, TAKING OUT SOME SECTIONS WHICH ARE REPETITIVE OF STATE LAW NOT REQUIRED TO BE IN YOUR BYLAWS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN OTHER DOCUMENTS, EITHER STATE STATUTE OR IN YOUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, ALSO CALLED A CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION.
THE OTHER THING THEY, WE DID THAT, THAT THEY APPROVED WAS THEY TOOK OUT SECTIONS, UM, THAT WERE MORE APPROPRIATELY PLACED IN PER IN, IN A POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL.
AND SO SOME OF THE SECTIONS WERE REMOVED OUTTA THE BYLAWS AND PUT INTO A POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD LAST NIGHT.
UM, AND THEN THE, UM, OTHER THING THAT THEY DID IS BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL, THERE WAS A BIG SECTION ON, ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN ETHICS BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED AN ORDINANCE
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THAT REQUIRES THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO COMPLY WITH THE CITY WITH THAT DOCUMENT, RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS THE SAME OR DIFFERENT BETWEEN WHAT CITY COUNCIL EXPECTS THE BOARD TO COMPLY WITH IN THEIR OWN WHAT WAS IN THE BYLAWS THAT WAS STRICKEN.AND, UM, IT IS A REQUIREMENT NOW AS IT IS BY ORDINANCE, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN PLACED INTO THE BYLAWS.
IT'S EITHER THE BYLAWS OR THE PERSONNEL POLICY.
I THINK IT'S IN THE, IN OR IN THE PO I THINK IT'S IN THE DIRECTOR'S POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL THAT JUST A REMINDER TO THE BOARD THAT THEY, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND ETHICS POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THIS BODY, UM, RECENTLY.
AND SO WHEN WE SEND YOU, UM, A REDLINE VERSION, I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU, IF ALL YOU DO IS LOOK AT THE REDLINE VERSION, YOU'RE NOT GETTING, UH, A FULL, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
BECAUSE MANY OF WHAT, MUCH OF WHAT WAS STRUCK WAS REPETITIVE OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR, OR OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
SOME OF IT WAS MOVED INTO THE PERSONNEL POLICY, WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE A COPY OF AS WELL, SO THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT WITH THE RED LINE VERSION.
UM, AND I WILL ALSO, UM, DO MY BEST TO ANNOTATE WHERE THINGS WERE STRICKEN BECAUSE YOU CAN FIND IT IN EITHER THE CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION OR IN STATE LAW SO THAT, THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE SOME OF THOSE WENT.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUICK, CAN I ASK A QUICK LITTLE CLEANUP QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRESPOND.
I, WE WOULD, I'D DEFINITELY LIKE TO GET COPIES OF THOSE POLICIES SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW WHERE THOSE DELETIONS ARE.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF I HEARD CORRECTLY.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK 'CAUSE I BELIEVE THE EDC ADOPTED THE CITY'S PERSONNEL POLICY, UH, A WHILE BACK.
UM, SO YES, AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS, UH, IT'S NOT A PERSONNEL POLICY.
IT'S A POLICY, IT'S A BOARD, IT'S A BOARD OF DIRECTOR POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL.
SO IT DIRECTS HOW THE BOARD IS TO OPERATE THE, OBVIOUSLY THE, THAT THEY HAVE ADOPTED THE PERSONNEL POLICY.
AND SO THE PERSONNEL POLICIES ARE APPLICABLE TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE, OF THE ORGANIZATION.
I WAS REFERRING TO SIMPLY A POLICY OF THE BOARD ON HOW THE BOARD SHOULD OPERATE IN CERTAIN AREAS.
WILL, WILL THAT POLICY PROCEDURE BE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AS WELL? YEAH.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE LAW TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD IS HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT UNDER THE LAW IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO BE APPROVED.
BIG BYLAW QUESTION AND THEN I'LL BE QUE AND, UM, THIS IS JUST SO WE WOULD BE KIND OF CLEAR IN CASE COUNSEL WANTED TO DISCUSS IT IN THE, UM, ARTICLE SIX.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT THAT ITEMS THAT ARE APPROVED, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE EDC, THEY STILL HAVE TO COME BEFORE COUNSEL IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION ORDER OR A MOTION.
AND I WAS JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD HOW THAT PROCESS WOULD BE.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRACTICE THAT WE'VE HAD, IS THAT ANY RESOLUTIONS, ORDINANCE, NOT RESOLUTIONS, BUT ANYTHING WITH THAT DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WOULD BE APPROVED FINAL APPROVAL BY COUNCIL VIA OR A RESOLUTION OR A MOTION.
AND, AND THAT'S CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION AS TO HOW THEY WANNA APPROVE THOSE THINGS.
UM, MOST OF, NO, I WOULD SAY ACTUALLY, WELL, NO, NOT ALL.
UM, ALL, EVERYBODY DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY ACTUALLY.
UM, BUT IT, IT'S REALLY WITHIN CITY COUNCIL'S PURVIEW TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO APPROVE THOSE THINGS.
I THINK BY RESOLUTION IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO DO IT.
I SEE NO REASON WHY CITY COUNCIL SHOULDN'T CONTINUE TO APPROVE THOSE THINGS BY RESOLUTION.
UM, HOWEVER, AS I'VE STATED IN THE PAST, THE BYLAWS OF THE CORPORATION ARE NOT BINDING ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF SO, CITY COUNCIL PREFERS TO APPROVE THESE BY RESOLUTION.
CITY COUNCIL SHOULD EITHER A, IF, IF THEIR CONCERN THAT THE BODY WILL NOT CONTINUE TO DO THAT, THEY SHOULD CREATE A POLICY OF THEIR OWN THAT DICTATES THAT THEY WILL APPROVE THESE ITEMS BY RESOLUTION OR JUST CONTINUE BY PRACTICE.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IN THE BEST, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO APPROVE IT.
I SEE NO REASON NOT TO CONTINUE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
BUT IT'S NOT IN THE BYLAWS BECAUSE AGAIN, AS I'VE STATED IN THE PAST, UM, THESE ARE BYLAWS OF THE CORPORATION.
THEY ARE NOT THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, OR BYLAWS OF THIS GOVERNING BODY, THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEY ARE AS SUCH NOT BINDING ON THIS CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE REMOVED AS WELL.
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COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, BUT AREN'T BINDING ON THEM THAT ARE IN THESE DOCUMENTS.AND I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND THAT TO THE EXTENT THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO CONTINUE THOSE PRACTICES, THEY SHOULD, UM, PUT THOSE PROVISIONS IN THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN POLICY OR, OR IF THEY TRUST EACH OTHER, JUST CONTINUE BY PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO ATTORNEY AND WHAT WE CAN DO, AND, AND I'M MOVING ON TO HAVE OTHERS IF WE HAVE SOME OTHER INPUT, BUT, BUT JUST, BUT BEFORE WE WOULD EVEN DO ANY TYPE OF APPROVING OF ANYTHING, THERE IS A PERIOD AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ACCORDING TO THE CONSENSUS OF THE, UH, COUNSEL, WE WOULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW WHATEVER IT IS THE BOARD HAS DECIDED THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO IT IN THIS MEETING TODAY.
SO, I MEAN, WE COULD SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING IT, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE BASICALLY A MOOT ISSUE.
WE AREN'T SAYING WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT.
WE AREN'T SAYING WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, BUT WE ARE SAYING WE HAVEN'T BEEN APPRISED OF IT.
SO THEREFORE NO DECISION CAN BE MADE ABOUT IT.
AND WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF YOU WILL, THAT THE ATTORNEYS ATTORNEY, YOU, CHARLIE, I'M GONNA CALL YOU THAT, THAT'S FINE.
ATTORNEY CHARLIE AND ATTORNEY, UH, CHIEF, NO, YOU ALL WOULD GET TOGETHER AND THEN YOU WOULD COME BACK TO US BASICALLY, BASICALLY THE GENERAL BODY WITH WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH.
NOW, I DID ALSO MAKE MENTION OF THIS THIS MORNING WHEN WE HAD A, A MOMENT TO HAVE DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY BE READY TO MOVE ON IT AT THE NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT'S SO DIRE THAT IT HAS TO BE DONE REAL EXPEDITIOUSLY AND WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO IT.
SO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WILL HAVE TIME TO REVIEW WHATEVER IT IS HE OR SHE, YOU KNOW, IS DEALING WITH, THEN WE CAN HAVE A A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MEETING AND MAYBE UNDER, UH, LESS DURESS.
'CAUSE WE, WE DO HAVE DURESS TODAY.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE OUR SYMPHONIC PRESENTATION, BUT WE HAVE A MECHANICAL SITUATION HERE AT THE CITY HALL THAT BY FIVE 30 WE NEED TO EXIT BECAUSE THERE IS A TECHNICAL SITUATION THAT THEY'RE COMING TO REDO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HERE.
AND SO IT, THAT SORT OF PUTS US IN, UH, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A, A, A SQUEEZE FOR TIME.
SO IF, IF, IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY AND IF CONSENSUS OF BOTH GROUPS, UH, BUT I'VE TAKEN A VOTE, BUT I DON'T THINK I SEE ANYBODY SAYING, NO, WE CAN'T DO IT.
I, YEAH, THERE'S NO VOTE NECESSARY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY APPROVE THIS BOARD HAS APPROVED THE BYLAWS.
THEY WENT THROUGH A VERY, UM, OPEN, TRANSPARENT, LENGTHY PROCESS TO DO SO.
I IS ENCOURAGING THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DO THE SAME.
AND, AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, UH, FOR, FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I TO GET TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE, UM, WE BOTH UNDERSTAND AND WHAT, WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE AND WHY WE CAN HAVE A RED LINE PRESENTED.
Y'ALL CAN HAVE THE SAME SORT OF OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES IN WHY BEFORE YOU APPROVE 'EM.
I THINK THAT'S A, A, A PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE PROCESS AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST IN WHATEVER WAY NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT, UH, PROCESS WORK FOR THIS BODY.
UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, BEFORE WE ACT HERE, I DON'T HAVE ANY LIGHTS FOR YOU ALL, SO I DON'T SEE ANYONE'S HANDS.
COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE, UH, REPETITIONS YOU SPOKE OF CHARLIE WHEN I REVIEWED IT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU SAID YOU DELETED SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY WAS ALREADY IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND IT'D BE REPETITIOUS.
UH, WAS IT REALLY NECESSARY BECAUSE ALL THOSE, IT'S REPETITION.
IT DOESN'T, UH, TAKE AWAY, IT JUST ALLOW THE INFORMATION TO BE PLACED INTO A, UH, PARTICULAR AREA WHEREBY THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED ON COULD GO THERE AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING IT UP IN THE STATE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
WE HAVE THAT ALSO HERE OF COUNCIL.
A LOT OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES AND OUR LAWS, ALL OUR ORDINANCE AND STUFF ARE NOTHING BUT A MIRROR OF THEM.
BUT IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE IT HERE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO GO TO LOOK IT UP IN THE STATE.
SAME WAY WITH THOSE THAT THE EDC AVENUE BYLAWS, ALTHOUGH IT, IT IS MENTIONED IN 5 0 4, HOW MANY TIMES YOU GONNA GO READ 5 0 4.
BUT IF IT'S YOUR BYLAWS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GIVEN, SO THEY CAN REFER IT TO THEIR BYLAWS AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GO, UH, LOOK IT UP IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
'CAUSE THEY PROBABLY NOT AWARE OF THAT.
I NEED TO GO LOOK AT IT IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
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WHEN I REVIEW IT, THAT WAS THE INTENT AS NOT BE REPETITIOUS.UM, NO, THERE'S REALLY, THERE'S REALLY THREE INTENTS WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF THESE CHANGES.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND I'LL GO AHEAD.
AND I THINK IT INCLUDES WHAT SOME OF THE, WHAT YOU'VE JUST, YOU'VE JUST ASKED COUNCIL MEMBER TO SET, THERE'S THREE REALLY, UH, TO, TO NOT HAVE REPETITION WHERE REPETITION ISN'T NECESSARY.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH PLACING INTO A DOCUMENT LIKE THE BYLAWS, UM, PROVISIONS OF STATE LAW.
IF STATE LAW CHANGES AND PEOPLE FORGET THAT IT'S ALSO IN THE BYLAWS, THEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE BYLAWS AND DOING SOMETHING INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW BECAUSE NO ONE WENT BACK TO THE BYLAWS AND MADE THE CHANGE OR SOMEONE FORGOT TO GO TO THE BYLAWS AND MAKE THE CHANGE.
AND IT, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT MAKES IT PROBLEMATIC.
SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST REPETITION ON THAT POINT.
UH, IF YOU GO LOOK AT BYLAWS OF, OF ANY CORPORATION, AND FOLKS FORGET THAT, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, AND WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS ACT AND BEST PRACTICE.
AND WE SHOULD FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH CREATING BYLAWS FOR NON-PROFIT, UH, CORPORATIONS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THESE BYLAWS, WHICH, UH, BEST PRACTICES STATES YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE IN YOUR BYLAWS.
IT THAT BELONGS IN OTHER PLACES, LIKE A POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL, LIKE IN AN ADOPTED CODE OF ETHICS, WHICH Y'ALL HAVE JUST ADOPTED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S OTHER REASONS WHY, UM, THAT IT SHOULD, THAT THEY SHOULD BE BROUGHT OUT.
SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST REPETITION.
THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES AT PLAY, UM, WHY THIS BOARD DECIDED, UM, SOME OF THESE THINGS SHOULD BE REMOVED.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? YES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK THIS IS A PREMIUM OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO GET SOME THINGS CORRECTED, SOME THINGS THAT HAVE GONE PERHAPS AWRY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED AND OCCURRED IS THAT THE BYLAWS ADDRESS, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PORT ARTHUR EDC AND THE 5 0 1 PROCTOR, UH, THE NONPROFIT.
AND SO, UH, FOR WHATEVER RE IT'S, I'M TALKING ABOUT BYLAWS.
SO THE BYLAWS, UH, ULTIMATELY, UH, THE LAST TIME THAT I LOOKED AT THEM, UH, SAID THAT, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO SIT ON THAT 5 0 1 PROCTOR BOARD, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE, UH, A PART OF THE EDC, UH, THAT THEY WOULD BE THE PRESIDENT, THAT THEY WOULD BE THE VICE PRESIDENT, AND THEY WOULD BE THE SECRETARY.
SO THREE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD SIT ON THE 5 0 1 PROCTOR BOARD FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, THAT HAS, UM, NOT HAPPENED, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
NOW, UH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, AND THE SECRETARY ON THE CURRENT BOARD DON'T SIT ON THE 5 0 1 PROCTOR BOARD.
IS THAT CORRECT? HOLD, HOLD, HOLD ON A MINUTE, COUNSEL.
WE ARE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE EDCS BYLAWS.
WELL, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GETTING THERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT E BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM CORRECTING THEIR BYLAWS.
THE EDCS BYLAWS, THE BYLAWS THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ASKED IS FOR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.
I'M ASKING IF THEY ARE IN VIOLATION OF THEIR BYLAWS, IF, BECAUSE THEY'RE, I'M ASKING, FIRST OF ALL, IS THAT A PART OF THEIR, THEIR BYLAWS MANDATED THAT NO, THEY NOT THE EBC BYLAWS? NO, THEY DON'T.
THE BYLAWS OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, IS IT 5 0 1 PROCTOR, THOUGH? THAT'S CONTAINED IN THAT ORGANIZATION'S BYLAWS.
IT'S NOT IN THE EDC BYLAWS? NO, IT'S NOT.
IT'S IN THE BYLAWS, BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR ONE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF.
THIS ONLY TALKS ABOUT HOW THE ACTUAL EDC GOVERNS, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF IS IN ANOTHER SET OF BYLAWS OKAY.
OF NONPROFIT THAT THEY CREATED.
SO THIS, SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? NOT ANYMORE.
CITY ATTORNEY RAI THEN, UH, TWO SEPARATE ANIMALS.
WELL, WE GOOD? WE, WE CLEARING, CLARIFYING QUESTION.
CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD SOMETHING? YES.
UM, I WOULD REQUEST A COPY OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
WE DO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE EDC.
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YOU COULD PROVIDE US, UM, WITH A COPY OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, I'LL REVIEW THEM WITH OUR PERSONNEL POLICIES AS WELL AS THE OTHER CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU CERTAINLY.UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UM, CONFLICT.
SO, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND ATTORNEY CHARLES CHARLIE.
AND WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DISCUSSION HERE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS FIRST ITEM? OKAY.
THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST ITEM.
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE SECOND ITEM, WHICH IS THE, UH, STRATEGIC MAYOR.
UH, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EDC BYLAWS AS APPROVED BY THE EDC OR WHATEVER THEY, IF THE LAST REGULATION THAT I I READ, IT TOOK FIVE OATHS TO CHA TO PROPOSE A CHANGE.
WHAT DID, WHO DO YOU HAVE THE FIVE OATHS TO PROPOSE A CHANGE TO THE EDC BYLAW THEN SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL POINT OF ORDER.
AND I NEED TO KNOW, I NEED TO KNOW COUNCIL, HE CALLED THE POINT OF ORDER.
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN ASK THE BOARD IF THEY HAVE FIVE VOTES.
NO, LET ME, LET ME DEAL WITH THE POINT OF ORDER.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S POSITION.
WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT? BUT CHILD, SOME COUNCILS COME ON.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S KEEP OUT WITH THE COURT NOW AND NO, SIR.
WE HAD A POINT OF ORDER RAISED.
THE POINT OF ORDER STATED, YOU STATED THAT AN ACTOR CANNOT ASK, AND I'M SAYING THE ACTOR DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYBODY'S NAME.
INDIVIDUAL CANNOT ASK THE BOARD A PARTICULAR QUESTION.
ASK IF THEY HAVE, I MEAN, HE CAN'T CANVAS A VOTE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK HE'S ASKING HIM ABOUT AN ACTION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST.
ARE YOU ASKING HAVE THEY VOTED ON THIS? NO, I'M ASKING WHEN THE PROPOSAL CHANGE, EDC BOARD PROPOSAL CHANGE TO THE BYLAWS REQUIRES FIVE VOTES OF THE EDC BOARD.
WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? OR WHEN DID IT CHANGE? OKAY, JUST A MINUTE.
I'M, I'M STILL DEALING WITH THE POINT OF ORDER.
YOU CONTINUE WITH YOUR QUESTION WITH THE POINT OF ORDER.
SO HE SAID HE'S NOT ASKING WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DID THE POINT OF ORDER ON GODMAN, FRANK, AM I CORRECT? I I, I, I HE NEEDS TO CLARIFY BECAUSE, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I SAY.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION, BUT I'M TRYING TO GRAB A HOLD OF ONE THOUGHT.
I'M, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO OKAY.
ASKED HIM AND HE, HE, HE WENT TO NO, I'M, I'M TELLING JUST A MINUTE TO COUNCILMAN, HE WENT THROUGH A LONG DISSERTATION TO PROBABLY REALLY GET THERE.
WHAT WE, WHAT I'M DEALING WITH IS THE POINT OF ORDER.
I'M STILL DEALING WITH THE POINT OF ORDER OF HIS NOT BEING ABLE AND ACTING, NOT BEING ABLE TO ASK ABOUT A VOTE.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I AM DEALING ON.
IS MY POINT, RIGHT? IS MY QUESTION.
SO WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS NOW TAKE THE POINT OF ORDER AND WHAT THE GROUNDS AT THE POINT OF ORDER IS ON AND SEE WHAT, WHAT I, I THINK I CAN POLL MY BODY AS TO SEE IF YOU THINK THAT IS A VALID POINT OF ORDER.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING THEN? YES, MA'AM.
I THINK HE'S ASKING DID THEY HAVE A, HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS? THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, HE DIDN'T, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE PA.
BUT HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T SAY THAT, DID HE? EVERYBODY LISTENING DID NOT.
WE, WE GOT TIME CONSTRAINTS ON, I I THINK I TOLD US THAT EARLIER.
I'M STILL DEALING WITH THE POINT OF ORDER.
YOU WITHDRAW THAT POINT OF ORDER.
DO YOU WITHDRAW IT? YOU WITHDRAW THAT POINT OF ORDER.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT NOW.
WAIT JUST A MINUTE BEFORE WE DO THAT, COUNCILMAN.
'CAUSE COUNCILMAN LEWIS STILL, WHICH I, JUST MY QUESTION JUST A MINUTE.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, IF YOU CAN BE AS SPECIFIC AS THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS, ASK THEIR ATTORNEY POINT BLANK.
THE ONE THING THAT WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, DIALOGUE.
WILL YOU, WITH QUESTION? GOT QUESTION.
YOU, WHEN DID THE EDC BYLAWS CHANGE WHERE IT DID NOT REQUIRE FIVE VOTES TO AMEND THE BYLAWS? I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF VOTES.
LET ME, LET ME ANSWER THE QUESTION.
THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME STATED THAT THE EDC VOTED ON NOVEMBER 14TH.
[00:30:01]
I DON'T HAVE THE, THE VOTE COUNT.WELL, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE THE VOTE COUNT OR THE, OKAY.
UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, VAL AND CHARLIE, FOR TO APPROVE BYLAWS, WHATEVER, IT JUST TAKES MAJORITY VOTES, RIGHT? NO, TYPICALLY IT DOES.
TYPICALLY, I MEAN, EVERY TIME I'VE SEEN THE VOTE.
BUT WE, I UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
NO, THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION RIGHT.
IS GOING TO RESOLVE ALL THIS TO A POOL BYLAWS.
IF WE HAVE UNDER, UNDER STATE LAW.
IF WE HAVE FIVE MEMBERS, THEN IT, I MEAN, NINE MEMBERS, IT TAKES FIVE.
BUT WHEN YOU WENT TO SEVEN, IT ONLY TAKES FOUR.
NOW, COUNCIL LEWIS, YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON.
MY QUESTION STILL STANDS HOW MANY VOTED TO AMEND THE BYLAWS? I, I'M SORRY, SIR.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I INQUIRED HERE AND I'VE, I'VE LOOKED AT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JUST 'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA INTERRUPT HIM.
HOWEVER, MAY, MAY, MAY I ANSWER THAT? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, BUT I CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER.
NOW, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, AND FOR WHAT I'VE READ THE SECRETARY, NEITHER THE PRESIDENT IS HERE.
THE SECRETARY IS THE CUSTODIAN OF YOUR RECORD.
THE SECRETARY ISN'T PRESENT AT THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, SO WE CAN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT, NEXT WE GO.
WHAT'S YOUR NEXT QUESTION? I DON'T HAVE A NEXT QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, NOW COUNCILMAN FRANK.
[II. (2) Strategic Priorities Of The PAEDC]
WE WANNA DO NOW IS MOVE TO THE SECOND ITEM, WHICH IS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF THE P-A-E-D-C.NOW, UH, COUNCIL, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANNA BE A COUNCILMAN
UH, MAYOR, IS, IS THAT MICROPHONE ON Y'ALL? NO.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE SHORT ON TIME, SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS AND THEN HOPEFULLY, UH, EXPAND UPON IT.
AT THAT QUARTERLY MEETING THAT YOU REFERENCED A LITTLE WHILE AGO, UH, BACK IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, APPROVED, UH, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT WOULD, UH, SERVE AS THE GUIDEPOSTS FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE COURSE OF ITS 10 YEARS.
AND, UH, THAT WILL THEN, UH, BASICALLY SPEAK TO A STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH IS BEING DEVELOPED.
I JUST WANT TO TOUCH UPON WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE.
UH, ANSWER ANY HIGH LEVEL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, A NUTSHELL, ATTRACTING NEW ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES TO PORT ARTHUR.
UH, PRIMARILY TO BACKFILL WHAT BE LOST OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES.
UH, DEVELOPING OUR OWN, UH, ENTREPRENEURS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE STRONG AND VIABLE.
UH, DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW BRANDING, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE P-A-E-D-C.
UH, USUALLY THAT CONVERSATION BEGINS AND ENDS WITH OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, AND USUALLY IT'S ENOUGH SAID, UH, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN, INCREASING THE INVENTORY OF AVAILABLE HOUSING ACROSS ALL INCOME CLASSES.
NOT EVERY STRATEGIC PRIORITY THAT'S LISTED HERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE EDC WOULD BE THE LEAD OF.
SOME OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE SIMPLY WOULD BE STRATEGIC PARTNERS OF OTHER ENTITIES THAT WOULD BE TAKING THE LEAD IN THESE THINGS.
IT'S JUST SIMPLY THAT IN TOTAL, THESE ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT WE FEEL WE NEED TO FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSFULLY.
UH, GOING BACK TO THE LIST, THE CONTINUED, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND BUILD OUT OF JADE AVENUE, HIGHWAY 73 AND SPUR 93 INDUSTRIAL PARKS, THE CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, UH, THE PRESS BUILDING AND LAUNCHING THAT, UH, CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, UH, OFFICIALLY STRENGTHENING, IMPROVING THE VIABILITY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, JUST TO INSERT, UM, COUNSEL, YOU, I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS, UH, ONLY ABOUT 5% OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, ARE CLASSIFIED AS NON-SMALL BUSINESSES BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU HAVE 500 OR MORE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE CLASSIFIED AS SMALL BUSINESSES, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE THEM STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE THEIR VIABILITY FOR THE LONG HAUL.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, IMPORTANT TO OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS, CONTINUED WORK ON WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
[00:35:01]
UH, IN TOTAL, THOSE ARE THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT, UH, MAKE UP, UH, OUR FOCUS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS AN ORGANIZATION.NOW, AS I HAVE, HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE, AND I THINK I WOULD ASSUME EVERY OTHER COUNCIL PERSON IS, MY MIND COMES TO A THOUGHT PROCESS OF, UH, ACTUALLY WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOT THAT EVERYONE HAS TO AGREE WITH WHAT I, I AM THINKING AT, AT, AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A TYPE A EDC.
OKAY? AND I KNOW THROUGH MY TRAVEL, THROUGH MY RESEARCH, THROUGH CONVERSATION AND EVEN INTERACTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS, NOT ONLY, UH, FROM AROUND TEXAS, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS.
BUT I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH FOLK WHO ARE IN THE NATIONAL REALM OF EDCS AT, UH, NLC EVEN A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UH, IN TEXAS, IF WE ARE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A TYPE A AND BEDC, WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION FROM WHAT I HAVE GATHERED AND UNDERSTAND TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES.
NOW, YOU DID JUST REFERENCE AND CLARIFY BECAUSE AS FAR AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOES, THEY ACTUALLY IDENT, I MEAN, UH, DEFINE A SMALL BUSINESS AS A BUSINESS THAT HAS 500 OR LESS OR 499 OR LESS.
NOW, I KNOW IN PORT ARTHUR, WE HAVE SOME, SOME EVEN INDUSTRIAL PLACES THAT HAVE 300 EMPLOYEES.
SO TECHNICALLY THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESS, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE FIVE OR MAYBE 10, OR MAYBE AT SOME POINT WITH, WHEN, UH, CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS COME IN, 15 OR 20 EMPLOYEES, I WOULD BE A PROPONENT OF DOING WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT'S NECESSARY TO PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS IN PORT ARTHUR.
THE IDEA OR THE CONCEPT OF ALLOWING OUR EDC TO BE AN A AND A-B-E-D-C, THE REASON BEING WE WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION, OR YOU ALL WOULD BE, AND I'M SAYING WE, BECAUSE WE ARE THE GOVERNING BODY WITH YOU TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES TO FLOURISH IN PORT ARTHUR.
NOT THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT HAS THE DEFINITION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE 500 OR MORE, BUT EVEN, I MEAN 500 OR LESS.
BUT IT WOULD BE, UH, REAL GOOD FOR THEM.
BUT MOST OF THOSE BUSINESSES ARE ALREADY INDUSTRIAL TYPE BUSINESSES, WHICH THE A ALREADY HAS AN OBLIGATION LEGALLY AND CONSTITUTIONALLY TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH ON, UH, AN ECONOMIC LEVEL, BUT A SMALL, WHAT WE WOULD CALL MOM AND POP THOSE BUSINESSES.
I BELIEVE LEGALLY, AND YOU ALL TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, FROM THE ATTORNEYS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, YOU REALLY CAN'T DO A LOT TO HELP THOSE BUSINESSES BECAUSE YOU ARE CLASSIFIED AS AN A AND WHICH PROHIBITS YOU FROM DOING SEVERAL THINGS THAT A CITY THAT HAS A B OR BOTH TYPES WOULD BE ABLE TO DO.
AM I CORRECT ON THAT? UH, YES SIR.
UH, I GUESS THE DISTINCTION WOULD BE, UH, THE WORD YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS MICRO BUSINESS ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT.
AND YOU, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, MOM AND POP, UH, AS A TYPE A, UH, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WHAT WE CAN ASSIST THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES IN IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, I THINK, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND IS HELPING THOSE BUSINESSES AS IT RELATES TO THEIR VIABILITY OF GETTING OFF THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED A PARKING LOT DOWN THE LINE OR SOME SEWER PUT IN OR WHATEVER IS ANOTHER ISSUE.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD ACCESS TO CAPITAL, ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING, ACCESS TO BUSINESS PLANNING, SO FORTH AND SO ON, UH, NO, THAT STEPS AWAY FROM THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD BE FOCUSED ON.
BUT IF, YOU KNOW, JUST UNDER THAT PARTICULAR HEADING AND DEALING WITH THE, UH, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER, UH, I WOULD PUT FORTH THAT THOUGHT PROCESS EVEN TODAY FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF A TYPE A AND A TYPE B COEXISTING IN EDC OR OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND IT'S FUNCTIONING IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS.
AND IT IS IN DIRECT CORRELATION, IN LINE WITH ATTRACTING NEW ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES TO OUR CITY.
IT ALSO HELPS TO DEVELOP HOMEGROWN ENTREPRENEURS, AND IT STRENGTHENS AND IT IS ALSO AN
[00:40:01]
IMPROVEMENT, IMPROVING ELEMENT OR TOOL FOR THE VIABILITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S SMALL BUSINESSES.SO THAT IS WHY I WOULD DO WHAT I'M DOING NOW AND VIRTUALLY AND EVEN THOSE WHO ARE GATHERED HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, FOR US TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT AND HOW WE WANT PORT ARTHUR TO LOOK.
I WOULD SAY THIS, I'VE SEVERAL COUNCILPERSONS, SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAD SEVERAL CITIZENS TO TELL ME HOW BEAUTIFUL MOUNT BELLEVUE IS.
MOUNT BELLEVUE IS, AND HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS LITTLE CITY THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY HAS MORE THAN 50,000 FOLK NOW AND ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION, I DON'T KNOW.
OUR ATTORNEY MIGHT COME FROM OVER THAT WAY, I'M NOT SURE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE EDC IS THERE IF THEY EVEN HAVE EXISTENCE OF AN EDC, BUT I KNOW FOR PORT ARTHUR, THEY HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF THAT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT PORT ARTHUR WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TYPE A AND A TYPE B.
TYPE A IS ONLY DEALING WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TYPE OF BUSINESSES.
IF I'M NOT, IF I'M WRONG, CORRECT ME, IT, WE CAN ONLY HELP REFINERIES.
WE CAN ONLY HELP SOME BUSINESS THAT ACTUALLY DEALS IN SOME INDUSTRIAL TYPE MANNER.
AND SO IF I WANT TO, OR MY COLLEAGUE HERE, OR WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT OR EVEN SOME TYPE OF CORNER CLOTHING STORE, YOU ALL CAN'T LEGALLY ASSIST THEM, AS HE SAID, TO PUT A PARKING LOT FOR ANY TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE YOUR CHARTER SAYS THAT YOU CAN.
SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD EMPLOY YOU.
THAT'S WHY I WOULD BEG YOU, THAT'S WHY I WOULD JUST ASK YOU THAT WE WOULD BEGIN TO CONSIDER DOING THIS.
AND IF WE COULD DO IT IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER, PUT IT BEFORE THE VOTERS IN MAY OF 2024 YEAH.
THAT AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.
IF THEY SAY THEY DON'T WANT IT, THEN WE DON'T HAVE AN ARGUMENT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T EVEN LET THEM HAVE ANY INPUT ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD BE AN A AND A B.
I'M NOT SAYING DO AWAY WITH THE A.
SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO MISCONSTRUE MY STATEMENT.
BECAUSE I FOUND OUT THROUGH NETWORKING, THROUGH TRAVEL, THROUGH COMPENSATION WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WHO HAS AN EDC THAT IS AN A AND A B AND WHAT THOSE ADVANTAGES ARE FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES.
SO, UM, THE, I IF I CAN GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE INPUT.
IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, IF, IF, IF THIS, IF THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS, IT IS FULLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE GOVERNING BODY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
THIS BOARD DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO DICTATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU PUT THAT BEFORE THE BORDER, BEFORE THE VOTERS.
AND IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY CREATE AN A.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S AUTHORITY UNDER STATE LAW TO AUTHORIZE A TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS.
WE JUST RECENTLY ACCOMPLISHED THAT IN THE CITY OF HITCHCOCK.
UM, WE PLACED IT BEFORE THE VOTERS IN THE CITY OF HITCHCOCK.
AND, UH, AND THE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED GIVING A TYPE THAT TYPE A CORPORATION, TYPE B PROJECT AUTHORITY
AND YOU CAN DO THAT HERE AS WELL IF THIS BODY DETERMINES THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, I CAN ASSIST IF THE BOARD CHOOSES, IF THIS BODY CHOOSES TO DO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST THE CITY ATTORNEY IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS TO PUT THAT BEFORE THE VOTERS IF, IF THIS BODY CHOOSES TO DO SO.
BUT IT'S PURELY WITHIN YOUR PUR PURVIEW.
UH, ANYONE ELSE ON E DT BEFORE I GO UP? COME UP TO HERE? YES SIR.
CHARLIE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT'S ON A POOR PER PROJECT BASIS OR IS IT? NO, WE, WE HAVE IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE PLACED ON THE BALLOT TO GIVE TYPE A CORPORATIONS.
UM, AND THERE'S BEEN NO CHALLENGE TO IT TO GIVE TYPE A CORPORATIONS, UM, CARTE BLANCHE ANY TYPE B PROJECT.
AND WE PUT PLACED THAT ON THE BALLOT IN MULTIPLE CITIES AND IT'S BEEN ADOPTED.
DOES THAT NOT EFFECTIVELY MAKE THAT ORGANIZATION THEN A TYPE B? NO, IT MAKES IT A TYPE A WITH TYPE B POWERS.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UH, COUNCILMAN NO ONE ELSE DOWN BELOW? OKAY.
[00:45:01]
WE DO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES.THE, THE MISSION OF THE EDC IS TO CREATE NEW AND EXPANDING BUSINESS.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE TO COME THAT HAD, UH, WE BOUGHT EQUIPMENT TO HELP THEM ESTABLISH IN, UH, BUSINESS AND STUFF.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED EDC FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND WE'VE APPROVED IT, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN PROCEDURES THEY MUST GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR IT.
AND THAT SEEMED TO BE SOME OF THE PROBLEM, AS OPPOSED TO JUST GIVING THE MONEY WITHOUT HAVING SOME TYPE OF, UH, SUPPORT.
BUT THE EDC DON'T HA ASSIST JUST INDUSTRIAL IT, IT ASSISTS, ASSISTS AND PROVIDE INCENTIVE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO NO, MAYOR, WE, WE DO, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TOO.
UH, THE, THE, THE OTHER THING IS WHEN YOU A TYPE A, YOU CAN DO TYPE B AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES, YOU AUTOMATICALLY COULD DO BE, BECAUSE YOUR MISSION IS TO ESTABLISH AND EXPAND OR EXPAND NEW BUSINESS, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE IT COULD BE A SMALL BUSINESS PERSON WHO WANTS TO EXPAND AND, AND, UH, HAVE MORE PEOPLE WORKING, OR THEY MAY EXPAND TO GET MORE BUS, UH, BUSINESS, WHICH WOULD MEAN MORE TAX REVENUE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE EDC CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE INCENTIVES, BUT THEY JUST MUST QUALIFY.
BUT THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS THE TYPE A IS JUST FOR INDUSTRIAL.
IT IS NOT JUST FOR INDUSTRIAL.
YOU KNOW? AND AS FAR AS THE TYPE B, YOU KNOW, UH, YEAH, WE PUT IT ON A BALLOT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THIS, I ALWAYS SAY IT.
I'M AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT ONE, MARY, WE COULD, WE COULD PUT IT ON A BALLOT BECAUSE I'M NOT AFRAID TO LET CITIZENS DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
THE ONLY THING I ALWAYS SAY IS, LET'S MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS IS INFORMED ON WHAT WE WANT THEM TO VOTE ON.
LET'S NOT JUST TELL THEM ONE THING SO THEY CAN VOTE THE WAY YOU WANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE A, AND YOU COULD DO TYPE B STUFF, BUT DON'T TELL 'EM YOU CAN'T DO TYPE B BECAUSE THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT INFORMED THEM CORRECTLY.
DON'T TELL THEM YOU CAN'T DO SMALL BUSINESS THAT AIN'T RIGHT.
EITHER TYPE A CAN ASSIST SMALL BUSINESS TYPE A CAN DO TYPE B.
AS LONG AS WE TELL THE CITIZENS WHAT'S CORRECT, LET'S PUT IT TO THE VOTERS.
BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION OKAY.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS RELATING TO THE, UM, INDUSTRIAL PARK ON WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD AND THE PRESS BUILDING.
UM, I'VE RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT SOME INQUIRIES WERE MADE ABOUT, UM, BRINGING SOME BUSINESS TO THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, THE BUSINESS PARK ON WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD.
AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS CLOSED.
UH, AND THERE WAS ALSO AN INQUIRY FROM CONGRESSMAN RANDY WEBER'S OFFICE ABOUT RENTING SOME SPACE AT THE PRESS BUILDING.
AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING AVAILABLE WHEN YOU DEAL WITH THE, UH, THE LATTER.
UH, THAT WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
UH, NEVER HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH ANYONE FROM CONGRESSMAN STAFF OR HIM.
UH, WE WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE THEM.
UH, I THINK A CONVERSATION IN A DETAILED CONVERSATION WOULD PROBABLY REVEAL THAT, UH, HEADQUARTERS WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE SUITABLE, UH, IF I WERE HIM AND HIS STAFF.
AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE SPACE AVAILABLE THERE, BUT, UH, THAT'S JUST A CONVERSATION.
BUT I ALWAYS KIND OF FEEL LIKE IF I HEAR SOMEONE, WELL, SOMEONE TOLD SOMEONE THAT SOMETHING WAS CLOSED DIDN'T COME FROM ME, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY I WOULD BE THE ONE SIGNING THE, THE PAPERS.
SO DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM AS FAR AS REALLY THE SAME ANSWER ON THE INDUSTRIAL PART.
UH, WE ARE NOT CLOSED FOR BUSINESS.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS BODY THIS MORNING JUST APPROVED, UH, A, A BODY OF WORK THAT WE WILL BE GETTING NEW SURVEYING, NEW AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SO THAT BUSINESSES WHEN THEY CALL, WILL HAVE UP TO UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE, NEW AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY,
[00:50:01]
UH, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.SO AGAIN, UH, NO, OUR PARKS ARE, ARE WIDE OPEN AND WE CAN'T, UH, FILL THEM QUICK ENOUGH.
UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, IF YOU ALL SHOULD HAPPEN TO FIELD CALLS LIKE THAT, UH, PLEASE ASK, HAVE YOU TALKED TO MR. STOKES? AND IF NOT, PLEASE GET AHOLD OF ME, GET ME THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION.
I'LL GET TO THEM WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEED AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH CONGRESSMAN WEBER'S OFFICE AND HAVE THEM DO THAT.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE, LIKE I SAY, I, IT'S UP FOR HIM TO SAY, BUT I JUST THINK HEADQUARTERS WOULD BE BETTER SUITED FOR WHAT I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO.
BUT WE'LL SHOW THEM WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE ABOUT THE, UH, TYPE B UM, UH, THE TYPE B UH, ENTITY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SAY, AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, WITH COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, THAT, UH, WE JUST NEED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT, WHICH GOES WITH, UM, THE TYPE B.
AND IN DOING THAT, I WANT TO ASK, UM, THE ATTORNEY, UH, A QUESTION AND THEN, UH, MAKE, WELL, I'LL MAKE MY STATEMENTS AND THEN ASK THE QUESTION.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, A TYPE B, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE TYPE B, UH, EDC DOES NOT, UM, ERADICATE IN ANY WAY THE FIDUCIARY, UH, CONCERNS OR RESPONSIBILITIES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT WANT TO, UH, BE A PART OF A PROJECT WITH THE EDC, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO OPEN UP JUST A FREE FOR ALL WHERE WE JUST HAND OUT MONEY AND PEOPLE'S CREDIT REPORTS AND CREDIT, UM, AND, AND, AND ABILITY TO PAY BACK A LOAN OR WHATEVER IS JUST THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.
THIS IS NOT TYPE, THAT TYPE OF, UH, UM, UH, EDC, TYPE B DOES NOT JUST MAKE IT, YOU CAN JUST COME GET MONEY AND JUST GO HAVE A, A WONDERFUL GOOD TIME.
UM, BUT AS WELL, I WANT TO SAY AS WELL THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT TYPE B, WHAT HAPPENS IS UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM AS IT OPERATES NOW, AND OUR ATTORNEY CAN HELP ME WITH THAT AS WELL, WHEN WE GET READY TO DO A TYPE B PROJECT, RIGHT NOW, ALL TYPE B PROS PROJECTS HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTER.
THEY, WE ARE DOING, WE'RE AN A, E, D, C, AND SO THAT TYPE B EVERYONE, WE ATTEMPT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE, THE VOTER.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SUPPLANT OR BYPASS THE VOTER.
WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO OPEN UP ANOTHER DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY BY WHICH WE CAN DO THAT IN A SMOOTHER, MORE EFFICIENT, IN A, A SMOOTHER AND MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.
AND SO, IN, IN, IN SAYING THAT, AS YOU, MR. ATTORNEY, UH, HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON IN HITCHCOCK, I THINK IT IS, AND THAT TYPE A, UM, EDC, UH, THAT CAN DO B PROJECTS, HOW DOES THAT, DOES THAT CLOSE THE DOOR ON ALL THOSE, UH, CITIES WHO HAVE TYPE A AND TYPE B NOW? AND SO NO OTHER, THERE'S NO NECESSITY TO DO THAT, TO BE A TYPE A AND TYPE B NOW? IS THAT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? SO THERE'S, THERE ARE NOT A WHOLE LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BOTH TYPE A AND TYPE B.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEW SHORE IS ONE, UM, BUT THEY HAD A SPECIAL LAW CREATED, LEMME SAY THIS, SO LEMME SAY THIS.
I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN TO STOP YOU.
BUT WHEN THEY, THEY AREN'T TYPE A AND TYPE B BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A TYPE B, YOU CAN DO A A, YOU CAN DO A PROJECTS, RIGHT? THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
BUT THERE ARE A FEW CITIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BOTH A TYPE A AND A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I, I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THEY'VE DONE THAT.
IT'S JUST A SPLITTING OF THE TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE AS YOU'VE STATED, A TYPE B CORPORATION CAN DO A TYPE A PROJECT.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT'S THE CASE.
FULCHER WERE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE FULCHER EDC, AND THEY HAVE BOTH A TYPE A AND A TYPE B, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO JOINT PROJECTS.
THERE WAS SOME WEIRD THING IN THE LAW THAT ALLOWED THAT.
AND NOW THAT THAT HAS GONE AWAY AND THEY'VE GOTTA SEPARATE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT DOING A, DOING A JOINT ELECTION WHERE THE TYPE A CORPORATION GOES AWAY, THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS GO TO THE TYPE B CORPORATION SO THAT THE TYPE B CORPORATION WILL HAVE DOUBLE THE MONEY AND THEY DON'T HAVE TWO BOARDS TRYING TO USE SEPARATE DOLLARS.
SO, UM, I SAY ALL THAT, UM, TO SAY, I PROBABLY LOST YOUR QUESTION IN MY HEAD AS I WAS EXPLAINING IT, BUT NO, IT DOES NOT, IT, IT DOES NOT DO AWAY WITH BOTH TYPE A AND TYPE B CORPORATIONS, BUT THERE'S NO REASON TO DO SO BECAUSE A TYPE B CORPORATION CAN DO A TYPE A, UM, PROJECT.
AND THE PROVISION AND THE STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES YOU TO HOLD AN ELECTION FOR A TYPE A TO DO TYPE B
[00:55:01]
PROJECTS SOLVES THE MAIN ISSUE THAT TYPE A CORPORATIONS HAVE RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY WANNA DO A TYPE B PROJECT.BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO A TYPE A CORPORATION AND THEY WANNA DO A TYPE B PROJECT, THEY'RE ON, USUALLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE A BUSINESS, THEY'RE ON A TIMELINE, THEY'RE WANTING TO GET THINGS DONE QUICKLY, AND THEY CAN'T ALWAYS WAIT FOR AN ELECTION TO OCCUR IN ORDER FOR THAT TYPE B PROJECT TO BE AUTHORIZED, UM, UNDER THAT TYPE A CORPORATION AUTHORITY, BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY COME TO YOU AND ON MAY 20TH AND THE NEXT ELECTION ISN'T AUTHORIZED UNTIL NOVEMBER, YOU KNOW, THEY OFTENTIMES CAN'T WAIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY'D LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT ELECTION.
AND SO BY, UH, BY HAVING AN ELECTION THAT AUTHORIZES ALL TYPE A CORPORATION TO HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO ALL TYPE B PROJECTS, YOU TAKE THAT WAITING PERIOD OUT OF THE EQUATION SO THAT IF A COMPANY COMES TO THE CITY AND IT IS A TYPE B AUTHORIZED PROJECT, THE CORPORATION CAN ANALYZE AND MAKE A DECISION ON THAT PROJECT MUCH QUICKER WITHOUT HAVING TO GO WAIT THE TIME TO GO TO THE BALLOT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AS, AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL PROJECTS BY THE CORPORATION, CITY COUNCIL HAS ULTIMATE APPROVAL AUTHORITY OVER WHETHER OR NOT THOSE PROJECTS OCCUR AND THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE MADE.
MY QUESTION IS REGARDING DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW BRANDING, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE P-A-E-D-C.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND HOW IS THAT BEING FOLLOWED THROUGH ON? I'D LIKE TO SEE A MORE, UM, CONDUCIVE PROCESS.
CONDUCIVE IS THE WRONG WORD, COLLABORATIVE PROCESS BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND, UM, P-A-E-D-C.
TOO OFTEN, IT SEEMS AS IF WE ARE SOMETIMES COUSINS WHO DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER, BUT I WANT US TO ACT LIKE WE'RE BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE AND YOUR MOM MAKE YOU SLEEP IN THE SAME ROOM.
I'M, I'M STEALING THAT BY THE WAY.
SO, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, TO MARKETING AND HOW WE ARE VIEWED TOO OFTEN WE HAVE A NEGATIVE PERCEPTION, BUT FOR MANY PEOPLE, PERCEPTION IS REALITY.
AND WE WANT TO HELP CHANGE, UH, THEIR REALITY BY CHANGING THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHAT WE'RE OFFERING TO THE COMMUNITY IN AFAR.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S ALREADY IN THE WORKS UNDER DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW BRANDING, MARKETING AND MESSAGING FOR THE P-A-E-D-C, THAT THAT IS IN CONJUNCTION CITY MANAGER AND, UM, MR. STOKES, THAT WE WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY AS A FAMILY TO GET THIS DONE.
THAT'S A, UH, EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
UH, WE'RE JUST GETTING UNDERWAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE WILL BE DOING, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS WORKING WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS, UH, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT MESSAGING IS UNIFORM, UH, BENEFITS BOTH THE CITY AND THE EDC.
UH, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AS WE DEVELOP THAT BRANDING AND MESSAGING WILL TAKE, WILL BEGIN, ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE PLACE AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE.
I, ONE OTHER THING I HEARD FROM A BUSINESS OWNER I WAS SPEAKING WITH WHO ONLY QUALIFIED FOR TYPE B, AND SO QUITE POSSIBLY THEY WERE IN THEIR FEELINGS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET, UM, TO RECEIVE BENEFIT FROM P-A-E-D-C.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, IT WAS VERY, IT RESONATED WITH ME.
HE SAID THAT A LACK OF COLLABORATION, UM, EXUDES INCOMPETENCE AND I DON'T AT ALL WANT US TO BE VIEWED AS INCOMPETENT AT ALL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BEING REPRESENTED AS ONE.
AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS, CAN ANYONE TELL ME ON A TYPE A CORPORATION, WHAT SMALL BUSINESS HAVE GOTTEN A GRANT? CAN ANYBODY TELL ME, HAVE ANY SMALL BUSINESS ON THE TYPE A GOT A GRANT? NO, THEY'VE GOTTEN LOANS OR THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET LOANS.
I, I KNOW OF NO SMALL UNLESS, HEY, IT COMES
BUT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT SMALL, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT SMALL BUSINESS ON THE TYPE A HAS GOTTEN A GRANT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
[01:00:01]
AND IT'S NO PROBLEM.WE GOING TO SEE IF THE, UH, UH, CEO CAN ANSWER IF NOT, AND WE'LL MOVE AND SOMEONE WHEN IT, IF HE HAS AN ANSWER WHEN I CALL UPON ME, HE'LL GIVE IT.
I'LL BE THE LAST ONE TO SPEAK.
OBVIOUSLY, THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A LONG TIME AND PREDATES ME.
UH, BASED ON THE FILES IN MY OFFICE, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT OVER THE NEARLY TWO DECADE EXISTENCE OF THIS ORGANIZATION, A GREAT NUMBER OF BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO MICRO BUSINESSES.
AS I JUST POINTED OUT, 98% OF PORT ARTHUR'S BUSINESSES WITHIN ITS CITY LIMIT ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS SMALL BUSINESSES.
IF YOU THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY THAT THE P-A-E-D-C HAS NEVER GIVEN FUNDING, PROVIDED FUNDING, I DIDN'T TO SMALL BUSINESS, SIR.
THAT CONTRADICTS TWO DECADES OF EXISTENCE.
SO WE EITHER HAVE TO WORK WITH THE FEDS AND CHANGE THEIR DEFINITION OF A SMALL BUSINESS, OR WE CAN ALIGN OURSELVES WITH IT AND CHANGE OUR RHETORIC, ONE OR THE OTHER.
THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY, SIR.
IS THAT, IS THAT ANSWERED? COUNCILMAN? NO.
MY QUESTION IS, HOW MANY SMALL ON FOUR A, HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE GOTTEN A GRANT? OKAY.
HE, HE'S NOT ABLE TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION AT THIS TIME AT AT, HE SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE IT TO YOU.
HE'S NOT ABLE TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
YOU'D HAVE TO REVIEW DOCUMENTS IN HIS OFFICE TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS HE POSSIBLY KILLED.
I I, I'LL ACCEPT THAT FOR NOW.
NOW, TYPE A THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.
IN ORDER TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS, WE ALWAYS TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS AND, AND LABEL WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY ON THE TYPE BI HAVE NEVER KNOWN ON TYPE A, THE BOARD HAS GIVEN A TYPE B UH, GRANT.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO A TYPE B, WE HAVE TO ASK THE VOTERS AND DESCRIBE WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE.
UH, CONTRARY WITH THE ATTORNEY, LEMME SHARE, HOLD ON.
THE REASON THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TRYING TO PUSH TO GO TO TYPE B OR TO BOTH, OR TO ONLY TYPE B AND STILL DO TYPE A IT, ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SERVE.
I'M GONNA STOP BECAUSE I I DON'T HAVE MUCH.
WAIT A MINUTE ON TIME B, WE DON'T WAIT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, THOSE INSINUATIONS THAT YOU ARE MAKING OR ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS GREAT BODY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE SAYING WHAT YOU JUST BEGAN TO SAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN DIGNIFIED BY REPEATING THE COUNCIL.
MY QUESTION IS ON TYPE A, ARE COUNCIL MEMBER'S ALLOWED TO SERVE NO.
ON TYPE B COUNCILMAN'S ALLOWED TO SERVE? OH, OKAY.
SO YOU, YOU ACT NOT ASKED THAT, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU ASKED.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT YOU DID NOT ASK WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
I JUST CLARIFIED THAT, THAT COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN.
LISTEN, I DON'T HAVE BUT ABOUT 26 MORE MINUTES AND I WILL NOT SPEND ANOTHER FIVE OF THOSE MINUTES DIGNIFYING THOSE TYPE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ARE ASKING.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN AMUSE AN ADJECTIVE TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED POINT OF ATTORNEY.
NO, YOU DIDN'T DO NO POINT OF LAW.
NO, I OF A ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY OF, NO.
I'M GOING, YOU ME, YOU DON'T RUN NOTHING.
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? GO AHEAD.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, YOU NEED TO RELEASE THAT CHAIR AND GIVE IT TO THE, THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
NOW, IF YOU ALL DON'T HAVE THE ALMOST SAID IT.
GUA, STAND UP AND STAND UP TO THIS CHAIRMAN.
NOW THE, THE MAYOR PRO TE YOU WANT, AND HOLD ON.
YOU WANNA ENGAGE IN MAYOR? YOU NEED THE ATION TO CHAIR TO THE MAYOR.
WE DON'T LET HIM, LET HIM DO WHAT HE'S DOING.
I JUST, I DON'T WANT HIM HAVE NO ATTACK.
THIS BLOOD AIN'T GONNA BE ON MY HANDS.
KEEP TALKING BECAUSE GO AHEAD.
BUT YOU I WHAT? I SAID THANK YOU.
I MEAN NO, YOU SAID YOU WERE THROUGH COUNCILMAN.
I SAID, BUT COME ON, LET'S GET OUT THE DECORUM YOU JUST SAID I'M THROUGH.
[01:05:01]
WE WE'RE STILL ON STRATEGIES, UH, AND I WANTED TO KIND OF ASK YOU, UH, CEO COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF EMPHASIZE ON.CHARLIE, I KIND OF SAW YOUR FACE A LITTLE BIT IN SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND I, I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU LATER, OFFLINE, BUT MY, MY OPINION IS TO OPEN DOORS FOR MORE OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THE GREATER CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, THOSE THINGS COME WITH, UH, GETTING INFORMATION.
SO, UH, I WILL WAIT UNTIL YOU GET THIS INFORMATION TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THIS COHORT.
UH, ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT LONG TERM GOES OF WHAT YOU, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE PRESS BUILDING? UH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO GET INFORMATION AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS JUST TO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
UH, I DID TOO GET THE CALL FROM THE CONGRESSMAN'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO INQUIRE WHY THEY WOULDN'T GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THE PRESS BUILDING.
SO I, I, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, BECKHAM AND MARKETING STRATEGY.
UM, MAYOR PRO, TIM BROUGHT THAT UP.
I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY RAMP UP ON MAKING SURE THAT WE SELL OUR, OUR NAME OUT THERE TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON AND TO GET INFORMATION ON.
AND I KNOW THIS MAY WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO GET THAT INFORMATION HERE IN THIS SHORT SETTING, BUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE NEXT, UM, UM, CITY MANAGER, THE NEXT, UH, COLLABORATIVE MEETING THAT WE HAVE, MAYBE WE CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S ONLINE AND IS LISTENING TO OUR JOINT MEETING CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
WE WANT THAT BUILDING TO BE A SUCCESS.
WE WANT THE BUSINESS PART TO BE A SUCCESS.
WE WANT THE CITY TO BE A SUCCESS.
BUT HOW WE DO THAT IS TO TELL OUR OWN STORY.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN GIVE TO YOU.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER REMARK BEFORE WE MOVE? AND LAST ITEM? YEAH, JUST QUICK.
UH, CHARLIE, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE MONEY AND THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS INTERESTING WITH THE TYPE A AND THE TYPE B.
THAT PERCENTAGE WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL ON HOW MUCH EACH ONE GOT FROM EACH.
I MEAN, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PERCENT EACH ONE GOT.
IT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
SO, SO ONCE, IF THEY GO BACK AND YOU GO TO A B FOR AN EXAMPLE, UH, THAT, THAT AMOUNT CAN REMAIN THE SAME OR THAT AMOUNT CAN INCREASE.
'CAUSE IT'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT PERCENTAGE IS GONNA GO TO IT.
SO BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS BODY WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLY WANTING TO DO, THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD OCCUR ON THE BALLOT IS GIVING THIS BOARD AUTHORITY TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS.
IT WOULD NOT CHANGE IT TO A TYPE B CORPORATION.
IT WOULD STILL BE A TYPE A CORPORATION, BUT IT WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS WITH THE SAME WITH THE SAME DOLLARS THAT IT CURRENTLY HAS.
WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE, THAT, THAT I'VE JUST HEARD, BUT I THINK IS A WAY OF, UH, DOING THAT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD BE, UH, UH, INTERESTED IN THE, THE BOARD WILL STAY AS IT STANDS IS JUST THAT FROM THEN ON, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO VOTERS TO DO BEES.
YOU, YOU HAVE ALREADY GONE, YOU'VE ALREADY GONE TO THE VOTERS AND SAID, VOTERS, DO YOU MIND IF THIS TYPE A CORPORATION DOES TYPE B PROJECTS? AND IF THEY VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THEN THIS, THIS CORPORATION WOULD REMAIN A TYPE A CORPORATION.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE TO A TYPE B.
IT STAYS A TYPE A CORPORATION SUBJECT TO THE SAME RULES AND REGULATIONS OF A TYPE A CORPORATION.
EXCEPT THAT IT IS THE PROJECTS THAT IT IS AUTHORIZED TO DO IS NOW OPEN TO TYPE B PROJECTS.
WELL, YOU KNOW THAT, I MEAN, THAT SEEMED LIKE A SOLUTION TO WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
JUST LISTENING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, ALL I EVER HEARD WAS EITHER YOU GOT A TYPE A, YOU GOT TYPE B, OR YOU COULD HAVE A TYPE A AND A TYPE B, BUT NEVER.
NO ONE'S SAYING IF YOU GOT A TYPE A, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PASS ONE, UH, DO, UH, ORDINANCE WHEREBY YOU GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO, UH, TYPE B PROJECTS AND STUFF.
UH, WE'VE DONE IT IN MULTIPLE CITIES.
WE'VE ASSISTED WITH DOING IT ONE BALLOT PROPOSITION GIVEN A TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE AUTHORITY TO DO A TYPE B PROJECT.
IF THAT PASSES, AGAIN, NOTHING CHANGES.
IT'S STILL A TYPE A CORPORATION DOESN'T CHANGE TO A TYPE B CORPORATIONS.
IT'S STILL SUBJECT TO CHAPTER 5 0 1 WITH RESPECT TO THE BOARD, HOW THE BOARD IS APPOINTED, HOW THE BOARD IS SET, ALL OF THAT STILL SUBJECT TO THOSE SAME RULES AND REGULATIONS.
THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGES IS NOW IF THEY, IF
[01:10:01]
A COMPANY COMES AND WANTS TO, AND IT'S, AND IT WANTS TO DO A PROJECT THAT IS ONLY AUTHORIZED UNDER CHAPTER, UM, 5 0 5 OF THE, OF THE CODE B.A B CORPORATION, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THAT PERIOD OF TIME TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
'CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IT AND THEY'VE ALREADY AUTHORIZED IN ADVANCE.
SO THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHETHER IT'S AN APPROPRIATE PROJECT BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THIS BODY AND WHETHER OR NOT IT FITS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT THIS BO THAT THESE TWO BODIES HAVE GENERALLY AGREED ON.
IT'LL DETERMINE, IT'LL MAKE A DECISION, IT'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BODY WHO THEN APPROVES THE PROJECT PROGRAM AND OUR EXPENDITURE.
I THINK YOU NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
AND I THINK THAT COULD COME UP FOR A DISCUSSION BECAUSE I THINK THE CONCERNS OF MYSELF AND CITIZENS IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS START GOING ANYWHERE BY, WE HAD BOYS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS WAY HERE SEEN TO BE WHERE NOW WE CAN ADDRESS TYPE BS.
YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME MAKEUP, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCEDURE.
IT JUST GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE SAME, IT GIVES YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE SAME THING, WITH THE SAME POT OF MIND.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WHENEVER I MADE MY STATEMENTS, IT HAS NOTHING ONE IOTA TO DO WITH ANYONE ON THIS GROUP HILL WISHING TO SERVE WHERE WE GO TO ENOUGH MEETINGS, WE ARE OBLIGATED ENOUGH.
SO I AM NOT SAYING THIS SO I COULD BE IN A MEETING WITH YOU ALL ON A MONDAY NIGHT, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN LAST NIGHT DURING MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.
I DON'T WANNA WANNA BE WITH YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT US TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS ATTORNEY.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE PROPOSED THIS, OR I AM PROPOSING THIS.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE OR, OR ED, C ATTORNEY, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THIS ON THE BALLOT IN MAY? YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER THIS? UH, VAL, PLEASE.
YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE YEAH, VAL STEPPED OUT.
I HAVEN'T TURNED, I I'VE GOT A NECK THING.
I DON'T, SHOULD I ANSWER THIS? I GUESS
I THOUGHT THE VOICE SOUNDED DEEPER.
ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I GET FOR HAVING A BAD NECK.
UH, UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, OR I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ORDER YOUR ELECTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO IT BY RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST, I MEAN, YOU COULD, YOU HAVE TO ORDER IT BY FEBRUARY AND THERE'S NO PROCESS OTHER THAN WHATEVER PROCESS YOU DECIDE TO HAVE FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THIS SHOULD GO ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S PUTTING TOGETHER THE, I MEAN, IT'S EASY TO PUT TOGETHER THE, THE ORDER ORDER IN THE ELECTION.
IT'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SPECIAL ELECTION.
IT DOESN'T TAKE ANY TIME AT ALL.
AND IS THIS BODY PREPARED TO ACCEPT THOSE TYPE B BUSINESSES? WELL, EXCUSE ME.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SAY IN IT.
THEY, THERE THEIR VOTE WOULD BE AT THE BALLOT BOX.
HE JUST TOLD US, HE EXPLAINED IT TO US EARLIER.
WE ARE THE GOVERNOR BODY, SO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DECISION.
SO WE PUT IT, AND I'M TRYING TO MOVE SWIFT OF Y'ALL.
WE GOT, WE REALLY GOT 15 MINUTES.
BUT MY QUESTION WASN'T ABOUT THE DECISION AT ALL.
IT'S LIKE, DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, EVEN FOR THE CITY SIDE, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT WHAT'S COMING.
WELL, WE, WELL, IF, IF, IF, IF WE DO, IT'S GOING TO BE UP INCUMBENT UPON US TO PUT IT BEFORE THE CITIZENS, CITIZENS, IF THEY VOTED, THEY VOTED UP OR DOWN.
IF THEY VOTED UP, THEN IT'S GOING TO OCCUR.
BASICALLY THE WAY THE ATTORNEY HAS SAID, THIS GROUP WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ACTUALLY, OR YOU BEING THE CEO TO TAKE IN INFORMATION, BRING TO YOUR BODY.
THAT WOULD BE FROM A BE AS LONG AS THEY QUALIFIED FOR IT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE GATHERED.
NOW WE DONE TALKED ABOUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF, BUT I DEUCED LIKE YOUR DADDY, I DON'T WANT TO, I DEUCED COME ON THE CONVERSATION.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON POLICY PERSPECTIVE FOR THIS BOARD, BUT MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT, UM, THAT IT DOESN'T ADD ANY EXTRA WORK TO THE BOARD.
UH, A CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO, NO, BABE, LET BE COUNCILOR.
LET COUNCILOR LEWIS GO FOR A SECOND.
IF YOU WANNA TALK, I'M LET YOU TALK.
LEMME LEMME CHAIR THE MEETING.
LEMME SAY, LEMME SAY THIS FOR MAYOR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT ARE PRESENTED AND, AND, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE AROUND THE TABLE, UM, ABOUT TYPE A AND TYPE B, UM, UM, UM, INSTITUTIONS OR, OR, OR MAKEUPS.
[01:15:01]
HAVE A VERY, THERE ARE CERTAIN POLICIES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE LIKE OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THAT PROVIDES A DIRECTION FOR FUTURE LAND USE.YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE AS FAR AS THOSE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT EMANATES FROM THE EDC OR WHETHER IT'S BEEN BOUGHT IN, UM, BY THE EDC.
ALL WE HAVE TO IS COORDINATE THOSE, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR IT TO GEL AND IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE SHOULDN'T BE TOO MUCH DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE POLICIES ALREADY IN PLACE ON THE CT AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE POLICIES RARELY MIMIC THE POLICIES FROM THE EDCN FOR THOSE TO REALLY WORK.
SO WE'VE GOT A GOOD ENGINE IN PLACE ALREADY AND, AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN AT WORK FOR YEARS.
ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO FUEL IT FOR IT TO WORK AND, AND CITY MANAGER.
IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME JUST SORT OF PIGGYBACKING ON THAT, SINCE, SINCE I BECOME THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE BOARD HERE, I I I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN, UM, I MEAN I CERTAINLY, I'M DOUBLE CHECKING, MAKE SURE IT'S VAL BACK THERE.
CERTAINLY VAL AND I HAVE, I THINK HAVE ESTABLISHED A, A, A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BEST INTERESTS OF BOTH OF THESE BODIES, UM, ARE, ARE REPRESENTED BY THIS BODY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS GROUP HERE HAS HAD, SINCE THIS NEW GROUP HAS COME ON BOARD, IS VERY INTERESTED IN ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH THIS GOVERNING BODY BECAUSE THEY KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I TELL THEM ON A DAILY BASIS THAT THAT IS ULTIMATELY THIS BODY THAT, THAT DETERMINES THE PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND EXPENDITURES.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THESE ARE, THESE ARE TAX DOLLARS.
AND, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE, HAVE REALLY COME A LONG WAY, UH, AT LEAST SINCE MY ARRIVAL IN, IN, IN MAKING THAT COLLABORATION, UH, A BETTER PARTNERSHIP.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, LOOK, MAKE A CORRECTION FOUR B CORPORATION.
WE ARE, WE ARE FOUR A CORPORATION.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOUR B PROJECTS.
SO WHY CHANGE? AND THIS THING ABOUT CORROBORATION BETWEEN THE COUNCIL, YOU GO PEDAL AS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I NEED TO, I NEED TO KNOW STILL WHEN AND THE, I WANT THE MINUTES OR WHEN THE, WHEN THAT BOARD EDC BOARD VOTED TO AMEND THE BYLAW.
WHAT DID AND ANOTHER AND ONE HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
YOU READ THAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ADAM, COUNCIL FROM LEWIS.
LOOK, I NEED TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
I GOTTA TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE, MY QUESTION IS, OKAY, BROTHER, MY QUESTION IS, YOU'VE ASKED, I'M NOT READING THAT.
MY 20 QUESTION, MY QUESTION IS WHEN MOVE AWAY, MOVE AWAY.
MY QUESTION IS, WHEN IS THIS COUNCIL, WHEN IS THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO STAND UP TO THE BARY OF THE CHAIRMAN? SAID WHO? NEXT WEEK.
[II. (3) Potential Economic Incentive Tools]
THE NEXT WEEK, THE LAST AVENUE WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW IS POTENTIAL ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TOOLS.DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR THAT? UH, UH, UH, EDC DIRECTOR, UH, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, SUCH FUNDS.
UM, UNCLE MAYOR BEFORE WEAND, WHILE I HAVE THESE TOGETHER, UM, I NEED DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY.
VERY SIMPLY, UH, YOU HAD A HOUSING PROJECT THAT SUNSET IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
OKAY? THE VOTERS HAD VOTED IN, THE VOTERS HAD VOTED INTO EXISTENCE, A PROGRAM THAT CALLED FOR THE BUILDING OF 60 HOMES.
THE EDC UH, SET ASIDE FUNDING TO HELP WITH CLOSING AS WELL AS DOWN PAYMENTS.
OKAY? APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THOSE HOMES WERE CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND THEN SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
AND THEN THE PROJECT, WHAT THE VOTE, THE TIMELINE OF THE VOTERS GAVE CAME TO AN END SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022.
VERY SIMPLY, I NEED DIRECTION AND CITY ATTORNEY, I WOULD ASK ALSO DOES, IF YOU WANT TO REKINDLE THAT, ASKING THE VOTERS, DO YOU WANT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT? MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON THE BALLOT.
I SEE CITY SECRETARY, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, CITY ATTORNEY NODDING, AFFIRMATIVE.
AND THEN IF THAT'S A IS TRUE, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS, THE GOVERNING PARTY.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO, TO ANSWER THAT TO THE ATTORNEY? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING? I'D LIKE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE PROPOSITION, BUT, BUT I, I'LL RESEARCH IT, BUT I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTE.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.WELL, IF THE MONEY EXPIRED, YEAH, LET ME RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU.
I, I KIND OF FELT THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING, AGAIN, SORT LIKE WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS WAS ASKING, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT DIRECT INFORMATION RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
AND IT WOULD BE CORRECT A FRIVOLOUS ACTUALLY TO ANSWER THAT AND NOT WITH THE DATA THAT YOU NEED TO BE, BE CORRECT ON IT.
SO UNDER ECONOMIC TOOLS, AND NOW THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO NEED AND THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO.
NOW WE ARE GOING, I'M, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR, UH, UH, A ENJOYMENT OF THIS, THIS, THIS SESSION IN A FEW MOMENTS.
HOWEVER, THE NEW QUARTER BEGINS IN A FEW WEEKS IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND WE HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
NOW, IF WE CAN, PROBABLY IN THE LAST OR FINAL WEEK OF JANUARY, WE CAN REASSEMBLE THIS BODY AND, AND SEE WHERE WE ARE ON CER CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TONIGHT.
MAYBE HAVE ATTORNEY, BUT YOU ALL, YOU ALL WOULD HAVE A TIME AND THAT WE GIVE, UH, YOU THE ONE WHO BROUGHT IT UP ABOUT THE TIME, UH, OUR BEING ABLE, WE WOULD GET TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
YEAH, THOSE, THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU ALL BY THE 1ST OF JANUARY.
GIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS A CHANCE TO REVIEW WHAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY DONE.
THEN WE CAN HAVE MOMENTS TO DISCUSS.
AND BY THE END OF JANUARY, BY, BY OUR FINAL MEETING IN JANUARY, EITHER PASS A RESOLUTION THAT THIS CAN BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT FOR MAY MM-HMM.
BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, IT'S SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY.
THOSE IN ALL OF THOSE, UH, ITEMS FOR THE ACTUAL, UH, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS MUST BE IN PLACE, I THINK WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE OR WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND THEN ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
SO WOULD YOU ALL AGREE WITH, AND AND I HAVE EVERYBODY HERE, AND WE WILL GET AS WE GET CLOSER FOLLOWING THE NEW YEAR, UH, ON WHAT DAY IN JANUARY WOULD BE A POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE THAT FIRST QUARTERLY MEETING, UH, WITH THE GRACE OF GOD FOR 2024.
SO YOU ALL WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
OKAY? AND COUNSEL, HOW, HOW Y'ALL FEEL.
AND, AND THAT WAY WE AND THE ATTORNEYS WILL, WILL HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER EVERYONE ELSE.
UH, AND THE REASON IS CITY MANAGER DID, UH, UH, UH, INFORM ME OF SOME WORK, TECHNICAL WORK THAT HAS TO GO ON IN THIS BUILDING BEGINNING AT FIVE 30.
OKAY? THEN WE DO HAVE THE, UH, CONCERT RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, UH, WITH, UH, THE SYMPHONY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, A GUEST CONDUCTOR TONIGHT, UH, MR. GLENN ALEXANDER II, UH, AND WHO BY THE WAY, CONDUCTED THE ATLANTA, UH, PHILHARMONIC, UH, SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND ON SATURDAY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM FOR TONIGHT, UH, IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
ALSO TO INFORM YOU THAT HIS FATHER GLENN ALEXANDER, THE A PASO, UH, THE NURSE PRACTITIONER WHO'S DEALT WITH BABIES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS PASSED AWAY.
BUT THE YOUNG MAN WANTED TO KEEP HIS OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS THAT HE HAD FROM NEW YORK TO ATLANTA TO PORT ARTHUR AND SOMEWHERE ELSE.
HE HAS TO GO AFTER PORT ARTHUR BEFORE HE WOULD EVEN ATTEMPT TO DO FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ON HIS FATHER.
SO IF, IF YOU PRAY, YOU KNOW, GIVE, PRAY HIS STRENGTH EVEN ON TONIGHT AND HIS FAMILY'S STRENGTH AS THEY MOVE AFTER TONIGHT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING A FUNERAL SERVICE FOR HIS NAMESAKE, HIS DAD.
OKAY? BUT HE'S GONNA BE THERE TONIGHT AND EVERYONE WHO CAN, I BELIEVE HE WOULD FEEL REAL GOOD SEEING A LOT OF PORT ARTHUR THERE TONIGHT TO, UH, HELP SHERRY ALONG.
OKAY? AND AGAIN, THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE, COUNSEL.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG DAY AND IF YOU'RE COMING WHERE I'M GOING, YOU GOT ABOUT ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF OR THREE HOURS, OKAY? UH, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN GO HOME.
AND THE BLESSING IS GOD BLESSES YOU IN THE MORNING AND YOU GET UP AND START IT AGAIN.
OKAY? COUNCILMAN DE SAID, YEAH, ONE COMMENT, GO AHEAD BEFORE WE GO, UH, RIGHT QUICK IN REFERENCE TO WHAT, UH, MR. MR. SOKI SAYS, LOOK, LEMME JUST THROW SOMETHING THAT CANCEL THE, THE PROGRAM WITH THE HOUSING.
THE EDCI WAS ON AT THE TIME, IT WAS APPROVED BECAUSE HOUSING WAS A PROBLEM HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THAT WAS A TYPE B THING THAT WE COULD HAVE HELPED WITH.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S WENT TO THE VOTERS TO ALLOW 'EM TO DO IT.
AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A YEAR, THREE YEARS WITH RECURRING.
THE REASON IT WAS NOT RENEWAL, IT WAS BECAUSE OF BUDGET ISSUE.
EDC JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO RENEW IT.
SO IT WASN'T THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO RENEW IT OR IT'S NOT NOTHING THAT WE IN THAT THEY WERE INTO.
IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET AND THE REASON IT WAS, UH, BROUGHT BEFORE EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY HAD MONEY AT THE TIME AND IT WAS FINANCIALLY
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PRETTY GOOD.WE FOUND OUT THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REDO THIS PROGRAM AND THAT'S WHY IT DIDN'T GET RENEWED.
AND THE MONEY THAT THEY DIDN'T SPEND, THAT'S JUST OUR ALL EDC CONTRACTS, UH, PROPOSITION IS YOU GOT X AMOUNT OF TIME.
IF YOU DON'T SPEND THE MONEY, IT GOES BACK.
SO YOU GOTTA SPEND THE MONEY AND THE MONEY GO BACK.
AND AT THIS TIME, ARE YOU READY FOR ME? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WAS GONNA DO JUST NOW.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
OKAY, WE'LL, UH, BE MOVING, UH, PROPERLY.
SECOND, AND WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO SAY YOU MAY REMAIN, THAT'S ON YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL.