Dec 19, 2023 City Council

PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.

MAYOR BART.

PRESENT MAYOR PRO, TIMM HAMILTON.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE.

YOU HAVE A QUORUM MAYOR.

THANK YOU SO KINDLY AND AGAIN, WELCOME TO EACH OF YOU FOR BEING PRESENT ON THIS DATE.

THE 23RD,

[00:05:01]

OR EXCUSE ME, 19TH OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 23 PROCLAMATIONS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY BEFORE ME.

I DON'T HAVE ANY.

AND SO THERE AREN'T ANY PROCLAMATIONS TODAY.

FIRST UP, WE HAVE A SPEAKER, MR. JAKE JOHNSON.

JUNIOR.

IT'S MR. JAKE JOHNSON.

JUNIOR.

PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER.

MR. JAKE JOHNSON.

HE'S NOT HERE.

NEXT WE HAVE MS. REBECCA GOMEZ REGARDING A DOG PARK AT ROOSEVELT PARK.

[III.A.(2) Rebecca Gomez Regarding A Dog Park At Roosevelt Park]

WOULD YOU APPROACH, PLEASE, MA'AM, TO STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS? WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO LADIES ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO LISTEN TO ME THIS EVENING.

MY NAME IS REBECCA GOMEZ AND I LIVE AT 1921 GULF WAY DRIVE 7 7 6 4 0.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'M NOT ONLY HERE TO GIVE MY OPINION, I ALSO FEEL THAT I'M ENTITLED TO SOME ANSWERS BECAUSE SOMEONE CAME UP WITH WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

WITHOUT PROPER NOTICE OR RESEARCH, MY NEIGHBORS AND I ARE WANTING TO KNOW IF, IF AND WHEN IT WAS POSTED WHERE IT WAS, SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE COMMENTS AND IF IT WAS POSTED, HOW MANY WERE NEGATIVE, HOW MANY WERE POSITIVE.

ALSO, BY HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH MY NEIGHBORS, WE HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING THE SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUES THAT COULD MOST LIKELY HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS TO EVERYONE.

THE LACK OF DISCUSSIONS WITH CITIZENS PRIOR TO MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE PROPOSED CHANGES IS A PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE I WOULD OFTEN LOOK OUTSIDE AND SEE FAMILIES GATHERING TOGETHER FOR HOURS PLAYING SOFTBALL.

THEY WOULD BRING THEIR COOLERS AND SANDWICHES AND JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME, GOOD, CLEAN, FUN.

FINALLY, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS COMPUTER AGE, YOU CAN'T HARDLY GET CHILDREN TO GET OUT AND MOVE THEIR BIG MUSCLES, BUT THIS IS WHAT I WOULD SEE OFTEN OUTSIDE MY WINDOW.

OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD PLAY SOCCER, DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES.

YOU KNOW, LATINOS WOULD COME AND PLAY SOCCER FOR HOURS, AND THEN YOU HAD ORGANIZATION, CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS, THEY WOULD COME AND SING HYMNS AND GATHERINGS AND GIVE THE WORD OF GOD.

WE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU BUILD A FACILITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? AND THE CHANCES ARE THAT IT WON'T BE EVEN USED.

ALSO, IF YOU'RE DOING IT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD PETS, DID ANYONE CHECK WITH THE VETERINARIANS TO SEE HOW MANY REGISTERED PETS LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WHO IS GOING TO MANAGE THE PARK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S STATE, THAT IT'S CLEAN? WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A MYSTERIOUS RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AMONG DOGS, AND IT'S SPREADING.

IT'S IN 16 STATES SO FAR.

UH, KENNEL, COUGH, SNEEZING, NASAL DISCHARGE, FOAMING OF THE MOUTH, AND, UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT CAN BE A PROBLEM TO CITIZENS LIKE MYSELF.

I TOO HAVE ALLERGIES AND I'M CONCERNED THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON ANTIHISTAMINES BECAUSE COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR I LOOK FORWARD TO RAGING UP MY WINDOWS TO GET THE SOUTHWEST BREEZE, AND I'M ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT, BUT NOW I'M THINKING, WELL, IF IT'S GONNA BE A DOG PARK, THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER.

I CAN NO LONGER ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE AND THE, AND THE BREEZE.

SO THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SAY, AND I THANK YOU FOR HEARING IT.

OKAY, THANK YOU MS. GOMEZ.

UH, FOR YOUR REMARKS, UH, SEE COUNCILMAN LEWIS HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU.

MS. GOMEZ BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION AND WE DID NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, DID WE? I DON'T RECALL HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING OR PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE WE DONE BEFORE.

THIS WAS JUST, UH, WHAT WE'LL DO, UH, STAFF,

[00:10:02]

UH, CITY MANAGER.

WHAT PART OF YOUR STAFF IS IN CHARGE OF THAT PROGRAM? THE MATTER DOES NOT REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT DOESN'T, OKAY.

WHAT WAS HIS WHAT? NO, NO.

HE SAID IT DOESN'T REQUIRE, IT DID NOT REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT DECISION.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YEAH, AND I GATHER THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND DO A PUBLIC HEARING.

BUT, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES.

IT ALL OUR PARKS, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, WE HAD A, UH, CITYWIDE PARK AND MY UNDERSTANDING PARKS WAS MEETING WITH THE CITIZENS IN THIS RESPECTIVE AREAS TO, UH, GET THAT INPUT OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE PARK.

UH, SINCE IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT PARK ALSO.

AND, UH, I'M QUITE SURE THAT YOU ALL WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO HAVE A, THE DOG, UH, PARK IN THERE.

SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE HOW FAR ARE WE ALONG WITH THAT PROJECT? CITY MANAGER? WE'VE JUST RECEIVED FUNDING FOR IT.

UM, WE HAVEN'T DESIGNED ANYTHING YET.

WE ARE NOT IN THE DESIGN STAGE.

YOU'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGE.

THEN I THINK IF IT'S, UH, IF WE STILL IN DESIGN, I THINK IT'S A TIME THAT, UH, WE ADDRESS THIS, UH, IT COME BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A DOG PARK IN LIEU OF A PART.

THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.

I THINK WE CAN, UH, LOOK AT ONE OF THE LARGER PARKS, BECAUSE MOST PLACES I'VE BEEN, IF YOU HAVE A LARGE PARK, THEY ALWAYS HAS A LITTLE AREA THAT WAS DESIGNATED IN SOME PART OF IT, IN WHICH IT WAS DESIGNATED FOR DOGS, YOU KNOW, DOG PARKS.

SO I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD RELOOK THIS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, ENSURE THAT THAT PARK REMAINED, UH, APART FOR THE CITIZENS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE STILL CAN ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS.

SINCE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO IT, I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT.

WHEN YOU ALL DO THE REVIEWS OF, UM, MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, PLEASE HAVE A SURVEY TO ASK WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ARE THE RESIDENTS WANTING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? THAT WAY WE CAN BE CLEAR AND NOT HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THINK MAY BE FEASIBLE FOR THAT SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO UTILIZE AN INSTRUMENT OF THAT NATURE, UM, IN THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR VERY AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE RECREATION IS MOVING INTO.

IT'S VERY IRONIC THAT PEOPLE ARE, UH, TALKING AGAINST IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK BELIEVE IN THE DEMOCRACY PART OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND INTERVIEW THE NEIGHBORS AND SEE WHETHER THEY, THEY WANT IT OR NOT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT THAT WE SEND OUT A FLYER OR A QUESTIONNAIRE.

I'M ALMOST SURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PEOPLE WOULD EMBRACE INVESTING $50,000 IN A DOG PARK FOR THEM.

A VERY AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD.

MAKE IT MUCH MORE AFFLUENT THAN IT IS.

UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES.

I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US.

AND, UH, IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOUR OTHER NEIGHBORS, UH, WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, FEEL AS YOU DO, UM, BE SURE AND TALK TO THEM AS WELL AS WE, AND THEY ARE, REACH OUT TO THEM AND, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.

I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF SURVEY THAT WENT OUT THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT MY QUESTION IS, DID IT INCLUDE ROOSEVELT PARK? I KNOW IT INCLUDED ROSE HILL, IT INCLUDED LUCIAN ADAMS, BUT WAS ROOSEVELT PARK INCLUDED IN THAT SURVEY THAT WENT OUT? THE SURVEY, MS. ALPO IS THERE, BUT THE SURVEY THAT WENT OUT, THIS NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF DOG PARKS IN, IN, IN THE VARIOUS PARKS.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

AND, AND INCIDENTALLY, I NEVER RECEIVED THAT SURVEY MYSELF, AND I LIVE REALLY CLOSE TO LUCIAN ADAMS, SO I, I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU.

WE COULD TAKE A VERY SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO EACH AND WE COULD SEND OUT, WE WILL REWORK IT.

WE WILL REWORK IT.

DEFINITELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON.

UH, WHEN WE GO OUT AND, AND RETHINK THIS THING AND, UH, PUT FLYERS OUT WITHIN A 200 FEET OF, OF NORTHEAST WEST SOUTH.

SO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WHAT WE WANTS TO DO

[00:15:01]

AND BRING THEIR INPUT.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.

OKAY,

[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Arceneaux, Wilson And Cole, LLC Providing An Update On The City Of Port Arthur Master Drainage Plan]

THAT PIPE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OUT OR IF IT'S IN GOOD CONDITION.

NEXT, WE'LL MOVE TO PRESENTATIONS.

WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, LLC, PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN.

MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.

UH, I'M MARCO OCHO WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE.

I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF THE LATEST UPDATE ON THE, UH, THE CITYWIDE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN.

THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN HAD THREE COMPONENTS TO IT, THE FIRST BEING A DRAINAGE CRITERIA MANUAL, THE SECOND BEING A DRAINAGE SYSTEM INVENTORY DATABASE, AND THE THIRD BEING AN ENGINEERED DRAINAGE SYSTEM ANALYSIS.

THE FIRST PART WAS A DRAINAGE CRITERIA MANUAL.

THIS WAS CREATED TO ESTABLISH A STANDARD FOR ANALYSIS, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

THIS STANDARD PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY GROWTH FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN.

THIS WAS DELIVERED TO THE CITY BACK IN JANUARY.

UH, IT IS BEING REVIEWED AND IT WILL, THE FINAL WILL BE, UH, WILL BE TURNED IN AT THE END WITH EVERYTHING ELSE AFTER REVIEW.

WE RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS ADOPTING THAT INTO CITY ORDINANCE ONCE IT'S FINALIZED.

THE SECOND PART WAS A DRAINAGE SYSTEM INVENTORY DATABASE.

THIS CONTAINS THE COMPLETE INVENTORY OF ALL OF THE DRAINAGE ASSETS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

THESE ASSETS CONTAIN DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH PIPE AND STRUCTURE WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

THIS DATABASE CAN BE MAINTAINED BY THE CITY STAFF AND SHARED BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS.

A PRELIMINARY VERSION OF THIS DATABASE WAS DELIVERED LAST MONTH, UH, AND CAN, CAN CONTINUE USE AT ANY CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE OVERALL VIEW OF THAT DATABASE.

UH, IT'S THE ENTIRE DRAINAGE SYSTEM FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.

THE DATABASE CONTAINS 11,000, A LITTLE OVER 11,000 STRUCTURES, AND IT'S BROKEN UP, UM, BY DIFFERENT CONDITION CODES.

THESE CONDITION CODES ARE, UM, ASSESSMENTS OF WHAT WE DID WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE STRUCTURE, IF IT NEEDED, IF IT WAS CLEANED, IF IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, IF IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, UM, THAT WAY.

THERE IS, UH, A LIST OF ITEMS THAT THE CITY CAN WORK THROUGH TO MAKE PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.

THERE'S ALSO 193 MILES OF PIPES.

WE IDENTIFIED 37 MILES, ROUGHLY 37 MILES OF PIPES THAT ARE LESS THAN 18 INCHES, WHICH IS, UH, A DESIGNED, UH, RECOMMENDATION.

THIS, UH, GIS DATABASE THAT WE HAVE, YOU CAN OPEN IT UP AND SELECT ANY ASSET WITHIN IT AND SEE DIFFERENT DETAILS.

SO BASICALLY, IF YOU CLICK ON A STRUCTURE, IT WILL, UH, IT'LL OPEN UP AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THAT STRUCTURE.

NOT WHEN I CLICK IT FROM THIS DISTANCE THOUGH, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, .

WELL, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT THEN.

SO IF YOU CLICK ON THE STRUCTURE THOUGH, IT'LL OPEN UP AND IT'LL, IT'LL GIVE YOU INFORMATION AS FAR AS WHAT MATERIAL IT WAS MADE OF, UH, WHAT CONDITION IT WAS WHEN WE, WHEN WE OPENED IT UP.

IT WON'T DO IT FROM THE PICTURE.

IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WON'T GO, BUT, UM, IT'LL GIVE YOU THE CONDITION, LIKE I SAID, AS FAR AS WHAT CONDITION THAT THAT MANHOLE IS.

AND YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SELECT A PHOTO THERE THAT SHOWS YOU, IN MOST INSTANCES, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE GROUND AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE INSIDE.

IF WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN IT UP.

I'M GONNA KEEP CLICKING, SEE IF IT GETS PAST IT.

AH, EVEN BETTER.

OKAY, SO I'LL KEEP GOING FROM HERE.

UM, IF YOU CLICK ON THE PIPE, IT'LL DO THE SAME THING.

IT'LL TELL YOU THE DIRECTION THAT PIPE'S GOING FROM, LIKE WHAT STRUCTURE TO WHAT STRUCTURE.

IT'LL GIVE YOU THE SIZE OF THAT PIPE.

IT'LL TELL YOU WHAT MATERIAL IT'S MADE OF.

IT'LL GIVE YOU A CONDITION CODE AS WELL, BASICALLY SAYING IF

[00:20:01]

UM, IN MOST INSTANCES ON BOTH ENDS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A PICTURE OF IT, OBVIOUSLY, BETWEEN IF THERE, IF WE FOUND ANY INSTANCES WHERE THERE WAS A FAILURE ALONG THAT ROUTE, IT'LL ALSO INDICATE THAT, SO THAT WAY IT CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED IN A PROJECT LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.

YEAH, I KNOW IT.

LET HIM LET HIM FINISH.

JUST LET HIM FINISH THERE.

YOU JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

SO THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OR AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU WOULD DO WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT.

UM, THIS ONE WAS KINDA HARD TO ACCESS, BUT IT SHOWS HOW IT'S A BRICK MANHOLE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO OUT THERE AND, AND REPLACE.

OBVIOUSLY A, I DON'T MEAN TO SAY OBVIOUSLY, BUT IN A BRICK MANHOLE, THERE'S A LOT OF INFILTRATION THAT COMES IN THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE PORTIONS BETWEEN THE BRICK AND IT CAUSES STORM SEWER TO BACK UP EVEN, UH, WHEN IT WASN'T MEANT TO.

HEY, AND IT, I GUESS TO KIND OF REPEAT, IF YOU CLICK ON THE PIPE, IT'LL ALSO OPEN UP, SHOW YOU ELEVATIONS AND THE DETAILS AS I STARTED TO DESCRIBE, I KNOW IT'S KIND OF SMALL TO READ, BUT THIS IS AN OVERALL PICTURE OF ALL OF THE STRUCTURES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED, THAT HAVE CRACKS IN 'EM SOMETIMES, UH, MANHOLE TOPS THAT ARE BROKEN, UH, FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

THIS IS A PICTURE THAT SHOW, THAT SHOWS YOU ALL THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.

EITHER THEY WERE A BRICK, UH, OR THE TOPS ARE JUST COMPLETELY NOT REPAIRABLE.

THE PURPLE INDICATES ALL THE PIPES THAT ARE UNDER 18 INCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

UM, ONCE THEY'RE THAT SMALLER, ONCE THEY'RE LOWER THAN THAT, IT'S HARD TO MAINTAIN.

IT'S HARD TO, THEY'RE EASIER TO GET CLOGGED.

UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP.

UH, THE LAST THING WAS A ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

UH, WE USED ALL OF THIS DATABASE TO CREATE A MODEL.

THAT MODEL WAS CREATED USING, UH, THE SYSTEM THAT THE DATABASE THAT WE HAD ALSO PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, UH, LIDAR THAT, UH, UM, WE USED TO SIMULATE A FIVE, A 10, AND A 25 YEAR STORM.

THESE SIMULATIONS WERE, WERE CREATED TO ANALYZE THE SYSTEM AND FIND OUT WHAT PIPES ARE FILLING UP TOO FAST AND ARE NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE WATER THAT'S BEING DELIVERED TO 'EM.

UM, IT'S ALSO, SO AT THE END WE END UP WITH THIS LONG DEAL THAT SHOWS WHERE'S THE INUNDATION, WHERE'S THE WATER COMING OUT, AND WHAT PIPES ARE FAILING THROUGHOUT THE, THE STORM EVENT.

WE, UM, WE HAVE DELIVERED THAT, OR AT LEAST A PRELIMINARY RESULT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, AND I'LL TRY TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THERE.

SO THE, THE SYSTEM WAS BROKEN UP INTO 12, UH, DISTINCT BASINS.

THESE WERE ALL BASED OFF OF THE SYSTEM WHERE THE END AND EVERYTHING ELSE, ALONG WITH, UH, SEPARATE PUMP STATIONS.

THIS SHOWS A 25 YEAR INUNDATION ACROSS THE CITY.

UM, AS IT'S BEEN ANALYZED, THESE PIPES ARE PIPES THAT ARE FULL THROUGHOUT THAT SY THAT SOME THAT THAT ANALYSIS.

UH, SO THEY'RE EITHER FULL BECAUSE SOMETHING DOWNSTREAM IS CAUSING IT TO FILL UP OR IT'S FULL BECAUSE IT'S GETTING MORE WATER THAN IT'S ABLE TO HANDLE.

BY USING THAT INFORMATION, WE WERE, WE CAME UP WITH A LIST OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS.

UH, YOU'LL FIND THAT IN THE BACK OF THE REPORT.

IT'S A GROWING LIST THAT WE ARE CONTINUALLY ADDING TO.

THIS LIST IS OUR PRELIMINARY LIST THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GO OVER WITH CITY STAFF AND, UH, USING THAT, WE'RE GONNA DETERMINE A GOOD TIMEFRAME FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.

ONCE WE HAVE THEM BROKEN OUT INTO PROJECTS THAT ARE ABLE TO BE DONE, WE'LL COME UP WITH A COST FOR EACH ONE OF 'EM.

AND OUR PLAN FROM HERE IS TO MEET WITH STAFF TO START BUILDING THOSE, UH, REVIEWING THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, SEEING IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL PROJECTS THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

IN ADDITION TO THE LIST THAT WE'VE CREATED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH DD SEVEN AND DISCUSS IT WITH 'EM.

WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH 'EM A COUPLE TIMES, BUT WE'RE GONNA SHOW 'EM WHAT OUR FINDINGS ARE AND, UH, HAVE THEM REVIEW THE, THE SIMULATION AS WELL.

AND WE'LL TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND GIVE YOU A FINAL REPORT, UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN START UTILIZING, BUT IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE UTILIZED RIGHT NOW.

AND AT THIS TIME, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE.

COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU YOUR LIGHT WAS ON.

GO BACK TO 19TH STREET.

[00:25:01]

MAY YOU TURN MY MIC OFF BACK TO 19TH STREET.

UH OH, WELL GO BACK 19TH AND THEN TERMINAL ROAD, 19TH STREET.

WHICH ONE? TERMINAL.

I THOUGHT A LINE GOING NORTH AND NORTH TO SOUTH.

IS THAT THAT THREE INCH LINE GOING TO BE PLACED, PLACED IN THERE? THREE INCH DRAIN LINE.

THE THREE INCH.

WELL, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO STOP YOU WHILE, WHILE WE WAS LEWIS.

YES, BECAUSE LOOK, WOULD YOU YIELD, UH, TO, UH, A REQUEST THAT I'M GONNA MAKE AND THEN WE, WE ARE GONNA COME BACK TO IT.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR 6:00 PM AND WE, WE ALL, I JUST GOTTA KEEP WITH, UH, WHAT THE PROPER PROTOCOL.

NO PROBLEM.

SO IF YOU ALL JUST HAVE A SEAT THERE FOR A MOMENT, WE GOING TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THEN WE'LL RETURN TO THIS, THIS, THIS REPORT.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, AND THANK YOU ALL.

NOW IT IS NOW 6:04 PM AND ON PAGE TWO OF YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE LISTED THERE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT YOU AUTHORIZE A MAJOR PIPELINE PERMIT TO CHEVRON PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY LP FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A 12 INCH CARBON STEEL PIPELINE WITH THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

OKAY,

[IV.(1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments To Consider Whether Or Not To Authorize A Major Pipeline Permit To Chevron Phillips Petroleum Company, LP For The Installation Of A Twelve Inch (12”) Carbon Steel Pipeline With The City Limits Of Port Arthur, Texas. A Map With The Proposed Route And Other Information Concerning The Pipeline Will Be Presented At The Public Hearing And Can Be Examined In The Public Works Department, City Hall, Port Arthur, Texas Prior To The Hearing]

A MAP WITH THE PROPOSED ROUTE AND OTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PIPELINE WILL BE PRESENTED AT THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PUBLIC HEARING AND CAN BE EXAMINED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, CITY HALL, HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR PRIOR TO THIS HEARING.

SO IF YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THAT, UH, REQUEST, IT WOULD'VE BEEN GRANTED.

AND NOW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ATTORNEY, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING I BELIEVE IS GONNA BE GIVEN BY, BY THE DEPART.

THAT MR. CAN TELL ME.

I'M NOT SURE WHO'S DOING IT.

POSSIBLY PUBLIC WORKS.

I I USUALLY TRUST, UH, MS. RHONDA TO HELP ME WITH THESE THINGS, BUT I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THIS PIPELINE RUNS FROM THE HURRICANE PROTECTION LEVEE RIGHT BEHIND THE, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN PORT ACRES OFF RIGHT OFF 365.

IT RUNS BEHIND THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BACK TO WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD.

AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE RECEIVED THE PLANS.

WE HAD A PUBLIC, UH, PIPELINE COMMITTEE MEETING.

WHEN WAS THAT? RHONDA? TWO WEEKS AGO.

TWO WEEKS AGO.

AND THAT EVERYONE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO GO AHEAD AND AWARD THE PERMIT TO, UH, CHEVRON PIPELINE.

UH, COUNCILMAN ETT? I'LL WAIT TILL HE FINISHED.

BEFORE WE GO TO THE COUNCIL, CAN WE SEE IF THE PUBLIC HAS ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.

YES, MA'AM.

I WAS, AND I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING INCORRECTLY.

I WAS ON THE WRONG PAGE.

UH, DOES ANYONE IN THE GALLERY HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE ON THE PIPELINE? ANYONE IN THE GALLERY WOULD HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR REMARKS? ANYONE IN THE GALLERY WITH ANY CONCERNS OR REMARKS? I GATHER THAT THERE AREN'T ANY COUNCILMAN ETT.

UH, OKAY.

OH, I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT.

THEN AFTER WE ARE THROUGH, THIS DOES CORRESPOND WITH PR 23 5 2 OH, THAT'S ALL? YES.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS FINDING HERE, UH, ON.

AND YOU WILL SEE A CORRESPONDING, UH, DOCUMENT ON PAGE 10.

AND THIS IS WHAT SHE WAS ALLUDING TO.

23 5 20.

BUT WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT.

FOLLOWING YOUR REMARKS.

HOUSE MEDU.

I'LL MAKE MOVE.

SO, UH, THERE ARE NOT ANY REMARKS FROM COUNCIL AGAIN AND NONE FROM THE GALLERY.

THERE IS A COMPANION, UH, RESOLUTION ON PAGE 10.

WE'LL, JUST, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T, WE CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING TOO.

UH, SECOND COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.

UH, MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

COUNCILMAN DUCEY.

ALL MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WERE CLOSED.

THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT BEGAN.

I BELIEVE IT'S 6 0 4 AND IT'S NOW 6 0 7.

FOUND ON PAGE 10, NUMBER 23 5 20.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW ENDED.

UH, WE WILL NOT.

WE DO HAVE A COMPANION, UH, RESOLUTION THAT IS IN DIRECT CORRELATION WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, HEARING

[00:30:01]

AND IT STATES IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PERMANENT EASEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL COMPANY, LP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INSTALLATION AND MAINTAINING OF A 12 INCH BURIED CARBON STEEL ETHYLENE PIPELINE WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.

AND NOW I GOT A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

COUNCILMAN FRANK.

SO MOVE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS HAS BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 20 AS PRESENTED AND READ.

WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.

RON, IS THIS THE ONE THAT'S DEALING WITH COLONIAL BACK, THAT PIPELINE? NO, IT'S NOT THE ONE.

THANK.

CAN I, ANY OTHER, CAN I MAKE A EXPLANATION? I THINK GO .

ON THIS ONE THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER COMPANION ITEM, SO I APOLOGIZE.

THIS ONE IS THE EASEMENT TO ALLOW THE PIPELINE.

WHICH CITY ENGINEER? THIS ONE.

THAT'S THE NUMBER WE'RE WORKING ON.

WHAT'S THE, THE ONE WE'RE ON NOW? 2, 3, 5 2 OH, THIS IS THE EASEMENT.

AND THEN JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS GONNA BE ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER AND THAT'S THE PERMIT.

UM, SO THIS IS THE EASEMENT.

AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW? WHAT'S THE NUMBER? THE NEXT ONE.

OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 2, 3, 5, 2 OH, THAT'S JUST THE EASEMENT.

AND, AND THEN THAT'S WHAT, AFTER THAT, AFTER THAT, WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, WE WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND VOTE ON 2, 3, 4, 9, 9 2.

I'M SORRY, THE NUMBERS.

FOUR.

NINE.

OKAY, JUST, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW.

NO, IT WAS MY FAULT.

I, I PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE .

I WASN'T GIVEN THAT ONE.

2, 3, 4, 9 9.

AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, 2, 3, 4, 9 9 IS AUTHORIZING THE PERMIT ON NINE.

AND THEN THE ONE THAT WE'RE ON NOW IS THE EASEMENT TO PUT THE PIPELINE.

SO THEY'RE KIND OF HAND IN HAND.

YEAH, I HAVE IT HERE.

NOW, ANY OTHER READINESS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES THYE HAVE ORDER? WE HAVE APPROVED PR NUMBER 23 5 20.

NOW THERE IS ANOTHER ONE IN DIRECT CORRELATION WITH IT, PLEASE.

NINE NUMBER TWO, IT, WHICH IS ON PAGE NINE, PR NUMBER 23 4 9 9.

IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF MAJOR PIPELINE PERMIT.

23 DASH ZERO ONE FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TWO, CHEVRON PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY LP OF THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A 12 INCH CARBON STEEL PIPELINE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.

COUNCILMAN BECKHAM SECOND.

I GET A SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 9 9 AS PRESENTED AND READ.

ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES? AS FOR THIS ORDER, WE HAVE APPROVED PR NUMBER 23 4 9 9 AS PRESENTED.

NOW WE WILL RETURN TO THE NORMALCY OF OUR AGENDA AND WE'LL RETURN BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, OH, THE PRESENTATION.

EXCUSE ME? I SAID PUBLIC HEARING.

I LOOKED AT WHAT I HAD MARKED.

THE PRESENTATION, EXCUSE ME, OF, UH, HUDSON O WILSON AND COLE, YOURS WAS ALMOST LIKE A PUBLIC HEARING.

OKAY, GO RIGHT AHEAD.

AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL LEWIS, YOU WERE, UH, ASKING A QUESTION AT THAT TIME.

TURN YOUR MIC ON.

WHAT, WHAT? YOU STILL WE'RE BACK.

WE'RE BACK AT THAT.

YEAH, I, I HAD A QUESTION FROM ON THE 19TH STREET.

THAT WAS A, YOU GOING DOWN, YOU HAD IT HIGHLIGHTED.

WAS THAT SCOTT DRIVE OR SCOTT STREET THAT YOU HAD IT HIGHLIGHTED? WELL, MY, I BELIEVE IT WAS, IT WAS JUST TO OPEN UP THE, THE PIPE THOUGH.

THERE, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SIMULATION THAT SHOWED HOW WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE PIPE, HOW IT'S GONNA OPEN IT UP AND GIVE YOU ALL THE DATA FOR THAT SPECIFIC PIECE OF PIPE.

OR THAT STRUCTURE.

NO, YOU'RE GONNA BE GOING FROM GOWAY DRIVE TO 19TH STREET FROM FROM 19TH STREET TO TERMINAL ROAD TO MLK.

I THINK I'VE SEEN SOME, SOME PLANS.

SCOTT, SCOTT AVENUE OR

[00:35:01]

SCOTT STREET.

IT'S GONNA BE THREE A THREE INCH PIPE TO 19TH STREET DOWN 19TH STREET, TURNING WEST GONNA BE A, I MEAN A THREE AND THREE FOOT.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GET TO TERMINAL ROAD ALL THE WAY TO MLK, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO CONVERT TO A SIX INCH.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS, I BELIEVE THAT WAS WHAT WAS PROPOSED.

THEN FROM A SIX INCH GONNA ALL THE WAY TO PROCTOR STREET, UH, PUMP STATION, CORRECT? YES, SIR.

WELL, IT GOES TO THE, THE CANAL WHICH DELIVERS TO THE, TO THE LIFT STATION OR THE PUMP STATION.

CORRECT.

AND I, I MIGHT ASK, UH, I'M NOT A MECHANICAL ENGINEER OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST I'M LISTENING TO THE SIZE OF THOSE PIPES WITH DD SEVEN AND THE INCREASING SIZE.

AND THAT WOULD WORK WITH DD SEVEN AS WELL? YES, SIR.

UH, SO ALL THE PUMP STATIONS ARE, ARE EXACTLY LIKE THEY HAVE 'EM RIGHT NOW.

AND FROM ALL INDICATIONS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING THE WATER TO THE PUMP STATIONS.

AND ONCE WE MAXIMIZE THE PUMP STATION, SO TO SPEAK, THEY MAY HAVE TO UPGRADE.

BUT ALL THE SIMULATIONS SHOW THAT EVERY, THAT UPSIZING IS GONNA AT LEAST HELP OUT THE RESIDENTS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.

WHEN YOU WERE DOING THE STUDY, DID YOU ASCERTAIN AS TO WHY THERE WAS THAT PROMINENT FLOODING ON WEST 19TH STREET? WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WE, UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS ABOUT THAT, AND SOME OF THE, UH, STAKEHOLDERS WHO LIVE ON THAT STREET, UH, HAD BEEN INUNDATED WITH, WITH FLOODING EVERY TIME, ALL THE TIME, UH, DURING THE HEAVY RAINS.

NOT JUST ON, NOT JUST DURING HARVEY, BUT WHEN THERE WOULD BE INTERMITTENT RAIN AS WELL.

UH, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD HAVE FLOODING.

DID YOU FIND OUT WHY, WHY THAT FLOODING? UM, WAS WHAT WAS CREATING THAT FLOODING THEN? WILL THIS ADDRESS IT? AND THEN THIRDLY, UM, AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIST, UM, WILL YOUR LIST PRIORITIZE, UH, THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, AFFECTED BY THAT KIND OF FLOODING? YES, SIR.

THE, SO THE, LEMME WORK ON YOUR LIST TO MAKE SURE I ANSWER EVERYTHING.

UM, THE FLOODING THAT WE GOT BASICALLY SHOWED SIMILAR FLOODING TO WHAT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO US, UH, IN THAT AREA ON WEST 19TH.

UM, SO THAT WAS THE PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT IN THERE WAS BASICALLY SAYING, LOOK, IF WE PUT IN THESE SIZE PIPES, IT SEEMS LIKE IT LOWERS THAT.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE OF JUST HOW LOW THAT AREA IS COMPARED TO THE REST OF IT.

UH, IN ADDITION WITH CITY STAFF, WE WENT OUT THERE AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LINES WERE TELEVISED AND VIDEOTAPED AND MADE SURE, AND THERE WAS NO BLOCKAGES THAT WERE FOUND.

IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS ALL CLEAR.

SO THERE WAS NO QUICK FIX, SO TO SPEAK.

THERE WAS A, UH, WE RAN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SIMULATIONS AS FAR AS CONNECTING PIPES THAT HADN'T BEEN CONNECTED BEFORE, BUT IT WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN OTHER AREAS.

SO WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SAW THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WAS BASICALLY A COLLECTION OF ALL THOSE EFFORTS TO, TO COME UP WITH A FINAL PLAN THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS, UH, THE BEST PLAN FOR EVERYBODY.

UM, WHAT WAS THE NEXT QUESTION? I DIDN'T ANSWER.

UM, I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION.

WELL, AS FAR AS THE PRIORITY GOES, I'M SORRY.

NOW I REMEMBER, UH, THE PRIORITIES.

WE REALLY WANNA BE ABLE TO SIT WITH THE STAFF AND BASICALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE BASED OFF OF THE, THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE SAYING ARE THERE, DO YOU AGREE? DO WE HAVE 'EM IN THE RIGHT ORDER? UH, WE HAVE A PRELIMINARY SET THAT WE PUT IN THERE, BUT THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THE SYSTEM ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE'RE NOT, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SIT THERE AND SAY, NO, WE ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BETTER, BETTER THING TO START OFF WITH FIRST.

UH, IT'LL ALSO BE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A COST DEAL, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHAT DO WE HAVE THE FUNDS FOR RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN WORK WITH AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN GET AND IT'S GONNA BE A MORE MEANINGFUL CHANGE OUT.

AND SO WE WILL, UH, THOSE WILL BE HIGHER PRIORITY THAN THE OTHER ONES.

WELL, LET ME ADVOCATE, LET ME ADVOCATE ABSOLUTELY REAL QUICKLY.

UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR ON FROM 16, 17, 18, 19, ALL OF THAT, UH, IN THAT AREA FROM THE 100 ALL THE WAY TO, UH, SCOTT AVENUE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL THREE YEARS AGO, UH, HAVE BEEN, UH, CONTINUALLY, UH, UH, ASKING FOR SOME KIND OF HELP, UM, BECAUSE THEIR HOMES FLOOD WHEN IT RAINS.

UH, AND SO, UH, THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AND WAITING, UM, FOR THIS, FOR THIS, UH, STUDY TO BE DONE AND FOR THE KIND OF HELP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, GIVING TO ALLEVIATE, UH, THAT FLOODING.

SO, UM, I, I WANT TO SAY MR. CITY MANAGER, UH, AND, AND COUNCIL AS WELL, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, AS A PRIORITY, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AREA FIRST AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UH, MOVE FROM THERE.

NO, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS, RIGHT NOW IT'S TOP ON THE LIST AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE WOULD BE ANY REASON TO TO MOVE IT DOWN.

I'LL SAY IT THAT WAY.

THAT DISCUSSION BROUGHT ABOUT THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.

THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT WAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN FUNDED ALREADY WITH THE A RC MONEY, RIGHT?

[00:40:01]

RIGHT, RON? YES.

I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN FUNDED.

IT HAD BEEN DONE.

SO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

TALKING ABOUT BEGINNING.

IT'S, IT'S BEEN FUNDED.

WE WERE JUST WAITING ON THE MILE.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

THEY RC SO THAT'S ONE ALREADY FUNDED.

WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S FUNDED ALREADY.

OUR, OUR REPORT IS, IT'S ALREADY FUNDED.

SO, AND ANSWER TO THE COUNCILMAN QUESTION, HE'S SAID, WE NEED TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY.

NO, IT'S ALREADY BEEN A PRIORITY.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN FUNDED.

WE JUST WAITING TO DO IT.

THAT'S A DONE DEAL ALREADY.

SO THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE PRIORITY.

UH, THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT KIND OF STRIKE THIS QUESTION AS YOU WERE TALKED ABOUT, THE INCREASE IN THE PIPE AND WHETHER IT WAS GOING TO BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH DD SEVEN.

AND ALSO WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PUMPS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE AND IS NOT OUR PUMPS, OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING THE WATER TO THE PUMPS.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF LINES WE WANT TO INCREASE.

BUT THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED THAT KIND OF THREW ME OFF IS THAT, OKAY, WHEN WE DO THIS, WILL IT, WILL IT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS WITH THE PUMPS WITH DDC? AND YOU SAID AND DD SEVEN AND YOU SAID, WELL, GRAVITY, GO AHEAD.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN ENSURING THAT WHEN WE MADE THIS ADJUSTMENT, WE DON'T MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT FOR NOW.

WE MADE THE ADJUSTMENT WITH THE FUTURE IN MIND, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE IT.

AND INCREASING THOSE PIPES IS THE FIRST THING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THAT WILL ASSURE US GETTING THE WATER TO THE PUMPS.

IF WE, IF WE HAVE TO ADJUST ANYTHING, IT SHOULD BE THE PUMPS TO GET IT ALL OUT.

IF WE HAVE TO GO ANYTHING, BUT THOSE PIPES ARE CRITICAL TO US, THAT'S OUR SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, DD SEVEN, THEY OUT THERE, BUT WE GOTTA GET IT.

THOSE PUMPS IS WHERE SOME, SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT REALLY ENSURE THAT WE PUT IN A PIPE THAT'S NOT JUST FOR TODAY.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PIPE THAT'S BIG ENOUGH THAT IN THE FUTURE, EVEN TO GET THESE HEAVY RAIN, WE STILL COULD GET THE WATER OUT TO THE PUMPS.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ON THE TCEQ WEBSITE OF ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT UPDATES OF PERMITS THAT, UM, UPGRADED OR CHANGED.

AND I GUESS JUST TO ADDRESS IT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF WHAT THAT DESIGN CRITERIA MANUAL'S FOR, UM, ALL OF THE, THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED FOR A SMALLER STORM THAN WHAT WE'RE SHOWING IN THAT INUNDATION.

THAT INUNDATION THAT WE'RE SHOWING IS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT TO WHERE THE, THE, THE CITY STARTS LOOKING AT IT FROM A 25 YEAR STANDPOINT AND NOT A TENURE OR WHATEVER IT WAS BEFORE.

SO WE ARE, WE'RE DESIGNING FROM THE NEW ATLAS 1425 YEAR STORM.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANALYZING THE SYSTEM FROM.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE, THE PIPES OR THE, THE STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING REPLACED ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS UPSIZING THOSE PIPES.

'CAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE TAKING ON WATER THAT'S IN THE, THAT'S INFILTRATION FROM THE, FROM THE GROUND THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DRAIN THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE DRAINING.

IT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE, THE STATUS OF THOSE STRUCTURES, YOU'RE GETTING MORE WATER THAN YOU EVEN SHOULD BE.

I UNDERSTOOD IT THE FIRST TIME YOU SAID IT.

JUST, I MADE THE COMMENTS WHEN YOU REFER TO THE PUMPS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE CITIZENS 'CAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

YES SIR.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIZEN UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PUMPS IS NOT THE MAIN CONCERN HERE.

THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT WE PUT THE RIGHT SIZE, UH, PIPE IN AND THAT WE GET THE WATER TO THOSE PUMPS.

IF THE PUMPS CAN'T PUSH WHAT'S COMING OUT, THEN WE NEED TO GO AND GET BIGGER PUMP.

BUT BEFORE WE COULD DECIDE WHETHER THE PUMP IS BIG OR SMALL ENOUGH, WE GOTTA FIRST GET THE WATER TO IT.

AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO PACK.

THAT'S WHY I COMMENTED BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT CITIZENS TO THINK THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AND ALL THE PUMPS ARE INVOLVED RIGHT NOW.

NOW WE TALKING ABOUT THE PIPE AND GETTING THE WATER TO IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.

WE JUST GOT IT.

AND I WILL READ THE CHARTS, BUT I AM ASKING IF THERE IS, IF IT'S IN HERE, JUST TELL ME.

BUT IF IT'S NOT, THEN I'M ASKING FOR SOME TYPE OF FLOW CHART TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR.

I'M NOT AN ENGINEER SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CLEARLY FOLLOW SO THAT I CAN REPEAT THIS ON ALL SEVEN AND HEB WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS ME, OKAY, SO I NEED THIS FLOW CHART TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.

UM, THAT WOULD HELP ME, THAT WOULD HELP OFFER SOME CLARITY FOR ME.

THEN I ALSO LOOKED AT,

[00:45:01]

AND THIS WAS BACK IN JUNE, 2023 THAT THESE, THAT NEW APPLICATIONS OR RENEWED APPLICATIONS HAD TO BE SUBMITTED.

HAS THAT BEEN DONE? HAS YOUR TEAM OR OUR CIVIL ENGINEER REVIEWED WHAT THOSE LISTS ARE SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO COME BACK LATER TO REPEAT SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES.

AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS, WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, ARE THERE ANY, HAS THERE BEEN ANY TESTING, LEAD TESTING DONE WHILE WE'RE IN THIS PROCESS OF REVIEWING THESE PIPES OR RE REPLACING THEM AS NEEDED? SO, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, UH, THE LITTLE BIT THAT I, I SHOULDN'T SAY A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT I KNOW FROM THE TCUQ CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE LEAD-BASED TESTING, WE WERE NOT DOING ANY TESTING AS PART OF WHAT WE'VE, OUR SCOPE OF WORK.

BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T, DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT INDICATES THAT WE NEEDED TO, I GUESS IS OR YOU KNOW, SAID, HEY, WE NEED TO DO SOME TESTING IN THIS AREA.

UM, DURING OUR INVESTIGATION, OUR INSPECTIONS, NOTHING SHOWED US THAT WE HAVE LEAD PIPE IN THOSE AREAS.

IT WAS ALL CONCRETE OR, UH, PLASTIC ALREADY.

SO CAN WE GET A FLOW CHART? YEAH, I WILL.

I'LL DEFINITELY WORK ON.

TRYING TO SEE IF I CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

OKAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? YEAH, I WAS READING, I'M, I WAS, I WAS READING AND JUST GOING THROUGH THIS, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT PAGE, I DON'T HAVE A, THERE'S NOT A NUMBER ON THE PAGE, BUT IT'S THE DATA COLLECTION AND INSPECTION PAGE.

AND I WAS JUST WANTING TO BE SURE THAT ALL OF US, UH, ON THIS DESK AND ALL OF US AS CITIZENS REALLY REALIZED WHAT A MASSIVE PROJECT, UH, THAT THIS IS.

UH, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PIPING AND, AND ALL THAT'S, UM, ALL THAT'S ONGOING, UH, IN REBUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR CITY.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR, UH, THE MONIES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED.

BUT LET'S, LET'S BE CLEAR AND LET'S UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS HAS TO BE A, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROJECT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND FAR, UH, FAR SURPASSING EVEN THIS COUNCIL.

AND SO AS WE PRIORITIZE IT, UM, CITY MANAGER, I THINK YOU, YOU KNOW THAT, BUT, UH, HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT? YOU EAT 'EM A PIECE AT A TIME.

UH, BUT, UH, THIS IS A MASSIVE PROJECT, A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING.

AND AS I WAS READING THIS, IT WAS JUST, UH, YOU, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, MEMORIAL UNDERPASS PUMP STATION BUILT IN 1950S CONSTRUCTED BY CONCRETE ROOF WALLS AND FOUNDATION MONRO MONTROSE PUMP STATION BUILT IN THE 1970S.

SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ARCHAIC AND SO, UM, IT'S A MASSIVE PROJECT.

UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, I WANT TO TRACK THE FLOODING ON WEST 19TH TERMINAL ROAD.

I WANT MAKE SURE WE TRACKING 17TH 18 19TH STREET IS GONNA GO INTO, UH, UH, SCOTT STREET OR TEXAS AVENUE.

AND SO I, I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU BY SAYING IT'S GONNA BE A 36 INCH PIPE AND THEN THEY HAVE TO PUT IN SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF, OF HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS OR ALONG THOSE LINES.

THAT'S GONNA BE THREE FEET IN DIAMETER.

AM I RIGHT? WELL, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA GO TO 19TH STREET.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE THREE FEET IN DIAMETER.

THEN YOU'RE GONNA GO TO MLK ALL THE WAY DOWN TERMINAL ROAD.

THE MLK IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BE THREE FEET.

THEN WHEN YOU GET TO MLK, YOU'RE GOING TO TURN TOWARD THE, TO THE PUMP STATION.

IT'S GONNA GO TO SIX FEET.

NOW WHAT I WANNA NOTE IS THAT GOING TO IN REQUIRE, IT'S ALL GONNA BE GRAVITY FLOW, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

GRAVITY FLOOR, IT DIRECTIONAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING RIGHT? GRAVITY FLOOR, WELL IS, OR THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL PUMPING IN THE FUTURE OR WHEN YOU GET THERE, UH, THAT, THAT PUMP STATION ON PRO GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP UP.

SO WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED OFF WHAT SIZE THAT, BUT BASED OFF OF THE SIMULATIONS, WHAT SIZE IS GONNA BE NEEDED TO BE ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THAT AREA.

THE, I I DIDN'T WANNA INTERRUPT EARLIER, BUT I MEAN, THIS IS OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

IT HASN'T BEEN DESIGNED.

WE WEREN'T, THAT WASN'T PART OF WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SAY THIS IS WHAT SIZE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT INTO THIS AREA.

THAT'S PART OF THAT.

THE OTHER PROJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, THERE MAY BE A CHANCE THAT ONCE IT'S GONE OUT THERE AND SURVEYED THAT THEY CAN'T PUT IN A THREE FOOT PIPE, THAT THEY NEED TO PUT IN 2 24 INCH PIPES BECAUSE OF COVERAGE ISSUES OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

THAT'S GONNA BE DONE IN DESIGN.

UM,

[00:50:01]

BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, YES, IT, IT, WE HAVE DESIGNED IT OR WE HAVE GIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS BASED OFF A STRAIGHT, UH, GRAVITY FLOW, NO PUMPING.

UH, CITY MANAGER.

UM, UM, LEMME JUST ECHO, UM, UM, THE QUESTION THAT REVEREND, UM, COUNCILOR FRANK HAD, THIS IS A MASSIVE PROJECT WE ARE TALKING OF JUST MONDAY.

WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS HERE.

UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, MAYBE FREE $400 MILLION AND UM, IT'S AN ELEPHANT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EXTEND IT OVER A PERIOD OF MAYBE 10 YEARS OR SO.

MAYBE HALF A BILLION.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT ABOUT HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IF IT'S DONE RIGHT.

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT JUST THE IMPACTS ON THE 18TH AND 19TH STREET AREA, , YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT OF $20 MILLION JUST IN THAT AREA, 19TH STREET AND 18TH STREET.

UM, JUST TO REMOVE THE CULVERTS THAT THEY'RE PRESENTLY MAY GET US THE $2 MILLION THAT WE HAVE.

SO IT'S, IT'S A HUGE ELEPHANT, A HUGE ELEPHANT THAT HAS TO BE PRIORITIZED AS PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM OVER A PERIOD OF USE.

UM, IT IS PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO FOUR, $500 MILLION.

AND THE, AND THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.

SO EVERY TIME YOU GET A SINGLE DOLLAR, THERE'S INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO START PUTTING THAT TO USE.

NO MATTER WHAT SIZE THAT THAT POT IS THAT YOU GET OR THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND, IT'S ABLE TO BE PUT TO USE AND GET THE MOST OUT OF IT.

IT'S ALL READY FOR YOU.

ANY OTHER, UH, REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR THIS PRESENTATION? IF, UH, MAYOR OKAY.

GO RIGHT.

DIDN'T YOU LIKE ESTIMATED TIME ON IMPLEMENTATION AFTER YOU GET THE PLAN AND ALL THIS STUFF APPROVED, ESTIMATED TIME ON GETTING STARTED TO GET STARTED? I, I GUESS I WANNA BE CLEAR WHEN YOU SAY GET STARTED AS FAR AS LIKE THE FIRST PROJECT GOES AS FAR AS IMPLEMENT, WE'RE IN THE PLANNING STAGE RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW, ONCE YOU, THE PLANNING STAGE IS ALL THAT'S IMPROVED, APPROVED WHEN ESTIMATED TIME WE GET INTO CONTRACTS AND, AND START IMPLEMENTING WELL ALL CONSTRUCTIONS, WELL ALL OF OURS GIVES NOTHING BUT RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE GIVEN.

ALL OF, THEY'RE ALL STILL GONNA HAVE TO GO TO DESIGN AT SOME POINT.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE BROKEN UP INTO THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, GONE TO DESIGN.

DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE WILLING OR THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO AT EACH TIME, THAT'S GONNA DETERMINE WHEN IT GOES TO CONSTRUCTION, UM, OR, OR HOW LONG THE DESIGN IT'LL TAKE.

I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE HELPED GET TOGETHER SOME PROJECTS AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO PLACE SOME OF THESE BRICK MANHOLES THAT I TALKED ABOUT AND I THINK THOSE HOPEFULLY ARE GETTING CLOSER.

THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE MUCH QUICKER AND I THINK CAN BE, YOU KNOW, UH, VERY HELPFUL IN A QUICK MANNER.

BUT, UM, I HATE TO COMMIT TO THE PLAN PART OR THE, THE DESIGN PART OF IT 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN THOSE ARE GONNA HAPPEN OR HOW BIG THOSE WILL BE.

THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.

NOW WE HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT IT IS IN DIRECT CORRELATION AS WELL WITH THE PRESENTATION BY ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE.

IT'S A RESOLUTION THAT CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 10.

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IT'S PR NUMBER 23 5 26.

AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, YOU SEE THAT.

AND IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE FOR A FINAL CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE OF MARCH 1ST, 2024, AMENDING THE REVISED CONTRACT COMPLETION DATE OF DECEMBER 17TH, 2023 FOR ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO COMPLETE ITS DEVELOPMENT OF A CITYWIDE MASTER DRAINAGE PLANNED FOR NO BUDGETARY IMPACT.

SO NOW MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I GET A SECOND MAYOR PRO TIM.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 3 5 26 AS PRESENTED AND READ.

WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.

THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, HAVE WE PAID FOR THIS PROJECT? IT STARTING IN 2 21.

CITY MANAGER IS IS, IS IT PAID? YES.

[00:55:01]

NOW I GET TO MY QUESTIONS.

YES, IT'S GONNA HELP US IDENTIFIED EVERYTHING WE NEED.

BUT MY PROBLEM IS TIME.

IT CALLS FOR THEM TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ASKED FOR.

I READ ALL THE DOCUMENTS, I WENT BACK TO THE INITIAL RESOLUTION AND EVERYTHING SAYS THAT WE CHOSE THIS FIRM AND THEY AGREED TO DO IT IN 365 DAYS.

OKAY? ALSO, I THINK ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBER WAS TALKING ABOUT A TIMEFRAME.

AND IN THAT RESOLUTION IT WAS A TIMEFRAME GIVEN.

IT WAS A BREAKDOWN OF THE DESIGN SCHEDULE, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TOLD TONIGHT.

IT WAS A BREAKDOWN DATA ACQUISITION, 150 DAYS SYSTEM ANALYSIS, SIX, UH, 150 DAYS DRAFT OF THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN, 40 DAYS AND OUR FINAL MASTER DRAIN PLAN, 25 DAYS TOTAL OF 365 DAYS.

THAT'S WHEN THIS PLAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO US.

THEN I WENT AND LOOKED AT THE CHANGE ORDERS.

THE FIRST, ACCORDING TO THE RESOLUTION, WE APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION WAS SIGNED, APPROVED ON THE 17TH OF AUGUST, 2021.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 365 DAYS.

THAT'S AUGUST, 2022.

CHANGE ONE WAS SUBMITTED NOVEMBER THE NINTH, 2022.

SO THE FIRST CHANGE ORDER THAT CAME TO THE COUNCIL WAS ACTUALLY AFTER THE TIME THE WHOLE PROJECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THAT CHANGE ORDER REQUESTED AN EXTENSION OF 270 DAYS.

THAT'S NINE MORE MONTHS.

SO THEN WE GO 209 MORE MONTHS.

WE WENT FROM AUGUST 22 WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US TO MAY, IT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO US.

THEN CHANGE ORDER TWO WAS SUBMITTED ON THE 24TH DAY OF MAY, 2023.

THAT CALL FOR AN ADDITIONAL 180 DAYS.

THAT'S SIX MORE MONTHS.

SO IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED FROM THE FIRST ONE WHEN THEY GOT TO TWO 70 IN MAY.

SO WE GETTING AN EXTENS A REQUEST FOR EXTENSION IN MAY.

OKAY? THEN THIS CHANGE ORDER HERE THAT'S ACCOMPANY THIS RESOLUTION STATES THAT THEY WOULD LACK AN ADDITIONAL 75 DAYS.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DAYS INCLUDED.

THIS TIME IN THIS EXTENSION, YOU GAVE US AN END DATE, BUT YOU DIDN'T TELL US HOW MANY DAYS IT WAS, BUT IT'S 75 DAYS.

THIS TIMELINE I CAME UP WITH, WE HAD A CONTRACT TO DO THIS.

THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BEEN ONE YEAR.

AND IN TOTAL, IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, IT WOULD'VE TAKEN US NINE, 900 DAYS.

I MEAN 900 DAYS ALMOST.

WHAT? MORE THAN TWO TIMES THE LENGTH TIME? YES, WE NEED THIS DATA IN ORDER TO GET THE WORK DONE, BUT WHEN WE SENT OUT FOR PROPOSALS, COMPANIES SUBMIT PROPOSALS AND WE SELECT PROPOSALS BASED ON NOT NECESSARILY JUST MONEY, BUT THE TIME IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO DO THE JOB.

WHEN I LOOKED AT EVERY EXTENSION, THEY SAY, WE WANNA DO A GREAT JOB, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT.

BUT IT'S NOT CHANGING THE SCOPE.

THE SCOPE NEVER CHANGED.

THAT MEANS THAT FROM THE SCOPE THAT WE GAVE THEM INITIALLY,

[01:00:01]

THEY TAKE A LOOK AT HOW LONG THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO DO AND THE PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEN THEY GIVE US THE DATE AND THAT'S WHEN WE SIGN IT AND THEY ACTUALLY GIVE US THIS INFORMATION.

SO THEY SAYING THIS, IF WE DO THIS THEN WE GONNA DO IT IN ONE YEAR.

AND HERE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT GIVING EXTENSIONS.

NO, THIS INFORMATION WE SEE HERE, ACCORDING TO THIS ORIGINAL RESOLUTION, SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN US TO AUGUST, SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN US TO, GIVEN TO US IN AUGUST, 2022.

SO WHATEVER THINGS WE WANTED TO DO TO START WORKING THIS PLAN, WE COULD HAVE BEEN WORKING THIS PLAN.

WE COULD HAVE PUT IT IN BUDGET YEAR FOR 2020 2 23 AND STARTED WORKING ON IT.

BUT I'M JUST AT AWE THAT YOU KEEP ASKING US FOR EXTENSIONS, BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE SCOPE.

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE UNACCEPTABLE.

AND I DON'T SEE WHY I WE SHOULD BE EXTENDING.

WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS GETTING BACK SOME OF THIS MONEY WE PAID.

THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING TONIGHT.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS EXTENSION, BUT I'M ALSO WANT TO ASK CITY ATTORNEY TO THE ATTORNEY.

WE TALKING CONTRACT AGAIN.

DID WE HAVE THE PHRASE THAT WE PUT IN OUR CONTRACTS WHEN THEY DON'T MEET THE DATE TALK, I'LL PULL THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT.

I'M LOOKING AT THIS RESOLUTION.

THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE SERVICES CONTRACT.

SO YOU MEAN THAT LET ME, LET ME GO AGAIN.

SO THE ATTORNEY, I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RESOLUTION AND A CONTRACT.

NO, LET ME JUST, I GIVE THE CONTRACTS THE RESOLUTION TELLS ME THE BASIC STUFF, BUT THE CONTRACT GOING TO TELL ME IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PLAN DONE AT THIS TIME WHAT IT IS.

SO I'M ASKING DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ME THAT INFORMATION OR YOU DON'T? WHAT I AM SAYING IS IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT.

WE HAVE A STANDARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT.

UH, AND THERE IS A PENALTY CLAUSE IN IT.

IF YOU DON'T, UH, I KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T MEET THE TERMS. IT IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS.

OH YEAH.

BUT UM, BUT IT'S, WE CAN LOOK INTO IT'S STILL THE SAME.

SO YOU JUST COULD TELL, I MEAN I'M NOT, I'M NOT FOR YOU TO HAVE SOMETHING OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD WHEN I ASK THE QUESTION.

YES, FANCY.

BUT I KNOW THAT WE PUT IN THOSE CONTRACTS ALSO FOR DESIGN THAT THEY SHOULD MEET THIS DATE.

THAT'S ALL PART OF PEOPLE COMING AND CHARGING US FOR A SERVICE.

AND WE NOT GETTING A SERVICE.

THIS IS TOO LATE.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS IN AUGUST, 2022.

AND HERE WE AT HERE, YOU ASKING ME FOR 75 MORE DAYS TO GO INTO 2024.

THAT IS NOT THE WAY YOU ALL SERVE US.

I'M, I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I AM DISAPPOINTED AND I'M DISAPPOINTED FOR THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU GET OUR JOB, IT'S TOO MANY CHANGE ORDERS.

I SAID IT WHEN I GOT ON CANCEL.

YOU SIGN A CONTRACT, WE SIGN A CONTRACT EVERY TIME WE CHANGE SOMETHING, YOU CHARGE US, WE PAY.

BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO NOT HOLD EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS THING.

THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THIS TO HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.

NO EXCUSE NONE.

AND TO ACT FOR 75 MORE DAYS, WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR CONTRACT SAYS, THEN WE NEED TO REEVALUATE THIS ITEM.

THIS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE GOTTA DO.

I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.

DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO MISUNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.

THEIR, THEIR WORK.

I'VE, I'VE LOOKED AT THEIR WORK IS GREAT.

I HAVE NOTHING.

BUT IT IS NOT IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IT'S TOO LONG.

AND THEREFORE, IF YOU GOING TO TAKE THIS LONG, THEN

[01:05:01]

WE START LOOKING AT HOW MUCH WE PAID.

WE NEED TO BE COMPENSATED SOMETHING.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB, BUT THE TIME WE'VE BEEN WAITING AND YOU GOT THE MONEY ALREADY.

THAT'S WHY MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, HAD YOU BEEN PAID, YOU GOT THE MONEY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET EXTENDED.

OH, NO, NO, NO.

SO I THINK I MADE MY POINT, BUT I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS AND WE GET THE, THE WORDING IN THE CONTRACT ON THIS TIME AND THEN WE MAKE A DECISION.

I'LL MOVE TO TABLE THIS ITEM.

BUT SEE WE HAVE A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

ON, ON, ON, ON.

WE HAVE, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO TO EITHER APPROVE IT OR, OR, OR OBJECT TO.

NOW YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM SOME MORE TIME.

I MEAN YOU JUST GOT THROUGH TALKING ABOUT TIME.

NOW WHEN WE TABLE IT, LET ME EXPLAIN IT MAYOR, LEMME EXPLAIN.

PARDON ME.

I APOLOGIZE.

WHEN WE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOTION WE CAN'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION.

SO YOU JUST NEED TO ASK THIS THERE A SECOND.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY, WELL WE SEE VOTE YET ON, ON THIS MOTION.

LET'S, LET'S SEE.

ALL IN FAVOR? NO, NO, NO, NO.

I JUST MADE A SECONDARY MOTION NOW.

SO WE GOING TO, SO, SO YOU SAID THE WORD, SO WE NEED TO DEAL ON A SECONDARY MOTION.

YOU SAID THE WORD BEFORE WE GO TO THE MAIN MOTION.

SO MY MOTION IS THAT WE TABLE THIS UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE INFORMATION OF WHAT WAS IN THAT CONTRACT.

IF THEY DID NOT COMPLETE IT, AND IN THE TIMEFRAME.

SO WE CAN DO THAT BY THE NEXT MEETING.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO TABLE IT NOW.

SO NOW WE HAVE A SECONDARY MOTION.

YOU DIDN'T SAY, YOU SAID YOU MOVED.

NO, WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE'S A SECOND.

HE'S MADE A MOTION.

NO CONVERSATION IN BETWEEN.

WE NEED A SECOND.

SO ON THAT, UH, THE MOTION, SECONDARY MOTION.

COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOUR LIKE, YEAH.

SECONDARY MOTION.

I'LL SECOND THAT AND IT'S GOING AUTOMATICALLY COME BACK FOR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

AND WE'RE READY.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? IF YOU MOVE TO TABLE IT, YOU'RE TABLING IT TILL THE NEXT, SO YOU NOW GOTTA VOTE ON THE MOTION? NO.

NOW, BUT WE'LL VOTE ON THE SECONDARY FIRST.

ALL IN FAVOR? BUT I HAVE QUESTION.

I HAVE A QUESTION FIRST.

OH, OKAY.

MY, OH, NOW YOU LIGHT ON.

THAT'S OKAY.

UM, CITY ATTORNEY, DOES THIS HINDER ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE ON ANY TIMELINES FOR THIS CONTRACT? I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT.

I'M JUST, I I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT.

I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE ROBERT'S RULES ON, YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT SOME ONE OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONALS WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT AT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ENGINEERING PROJECT.

CAN WE CONFIRM THAT I'M NOT AGAINST TABLING.

I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, THAT WE WON'T BE VIOLATING ANYTHING BY THE TIMELINES OF WHATEVER OUR NEXT MEETING IS.

I, WELL, YOU'RE BE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION TILL MARCH OF 2024.

SO IF YOU HOLD THAT DECISION TILL THE NEXT TIME, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THE ENGINEERS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE ANY RAMIFICATIONS THAT I'M AWARE OF.

JUST ONE CLEAR THIS TIME.

UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, THEY ALREADY HAVE EXCEEDED THIS ONE.

IF YOU READ THE INFORMATION, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED ON 14 DECEMBER, SO THAT MEANS RIGHT NOW WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS PLAN AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

I WAS CLEAR ON THAT.

WELL, I'M JUST EXPLAINING TO YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, SO THAT YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT HINDERED.

I'M JUST SAYING WHEREVER THEY ARE NOW, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON THE 14TH, 17TH.

SO YOU ALREADY PASSED THE DATE.

SO ALL I'M, ALL I'M SAYING IS BECAUSE OF, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE PENALTY BECAUSE WE WENT TO TWO.

THESE ARE TOO MANY DAYS JUST TO SAY WE'RE GONNA, WE GOTTA STOP DOING THAT.

I ACTUALLY AGREED WITH YOU.

I JUST WANNA CLARIFICATION ON WERE THERE ANY LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS? NO, I WOULDN'T DO IT.

AND I THINK THAT AS, AS THAT, THAT'S BEEN ANSWERED.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SECONDARY MOTION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY YES, GO AHEAD.

AND I, I, I, I APOLOGIZE.

I KNOW WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO REALLY DEBATE THE TABLING, BUT I DON'T WANNA HOLD A CITY MANAGER.

IS THAT OKAY? TABLE IT.

IT'LL COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.

IT'S GONNA AUTOMATICALLY COME BACK IN THE SAME FORM IN WHICH IT IS, IT JUST COME BACK ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

THAT'S

[01:10:01]

LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME PROVIDE YOU WITH, WE'VE FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

LET ME PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION.

UM, COUNCILMAN ETT, YOU ARE RIGHT.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON YOUR DATES AND THE CALCULATIONS OF THE DATES THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED.

HOWEVER, LET US REMEMBER THAT WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS STARTED, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.

AND THEN WE HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DELAY AS A RESULT OF THAT.

NUMBER TWO, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PROJECT OF THAT NATURE UNDERTAKING IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

ALL OF IT, WHICH REQUIRES MANUAL RESEARCH ON ALL THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THE MANHOLES THAT WAS NEVER BEEN RECORDED ON THE EXISTING DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE.

AND SO IT REQUIRED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BACK AND FORTH IN TERMS OF, UM, TRYING TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THOSE EXISTED OR WHETHER THOSE DID NOT EXIST.

I'M JUST PROVIDING YOU WITH INFORMATION AS TO WHAT WAS AVAILABLE AND WHAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CONSULTANTS AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT.

AND THIRDLY, AND THIRDLY, THERE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CONSULTANTS AND THE CITY.

AND THEN WE WORKED IN CO COLLABORATION WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THE DOCUMENTATION AND, AND, AND THE DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT IS USABLE WHEN WE NEEDED IT.

I, I JUST THINK THAT IS INFORMATION AND FOR EDIFICATION, BUT COUNCILOR, COUNCILMAN, ETT, YOU'RE RIGHT IN TERMS OF THE DATES, BUT THOSE WERE THREE SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS AS FAR IT'S CONCERNED.

WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE.

MOTION IS NON DEBATABLE.

YOU'RE READY? OKAY.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? TWO.

UH, ANY, ANYONE? UH, NOT IN FAVOR, NO.

AS ORDERED, NOW WE ARE THROUGH, WE DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE IT'S TABLED UNTIL THE NEXT REGULARITY SCHEDULED MEETING OF, UH, THIS COUNCIL.

JUST HAVE HERE ALL THE THINGS WE DO AND SOME SPECIALIZED THINGS WE DO.

THANK YOU ALL.

ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, BACK TO THE NORMAL FLOW.

UH, EXCUSE ME, THANK

[III.B.(2) Year End Report Presented By City Attorney]

YOU.

ON NUMBER TWO HERE WE HAVE THE YEAR END REPORT PRESENTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.

OKAY? AND THIS IS JUST A BRIEF REPORT, UM, THAT I'M GIVING.

IT LOOKS THICK, BUT I'M GONNA GO REALLY QUICKLY THROUGH THIS.

THIS IS JUST A YEAR IN REPORT.

I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE WORK ON.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT THINGS IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

SO, UH, A WHILE BACK WE USED TO DO A YEARLY REPORT.

SO I THOUGHT I'D DO A VERY BRIEF RE YEARLY REPORT.

UM, AND I WON'T READ ALL OF THIS.

UH, IN OUR BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF IT, I, UM, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO.

UM, BASICALLY WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, THERE ARE EIGHT, EIGHT OF US ALTOGETHER TOTAL.

UH, UH, THREE LAWYERS, MYSELF AND TWO OTHERS.

WE WORK ON EVERY ASPECT OF CITY GOVERNMENT.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES I GET PHONE CALLS, PEOPLE WILL ASK ME PERSONAL LEGAL QUESTIONS AND I'LL SAY, WELL, NO MA'AM, I JUST REPRESENT THE CITY OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

IN FACT, SOMEONE CALLED TODAY AND THEY SAID, WELL, YOU'RE THE CITY ATTORNEY, RIGHT? CAN YOU HELP ME WITH MY WILL? CAN YOU HELP ME WITH MY, WHATEVER'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE? THEY THINK .

SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE, UH, BIT OF OPEN SESSION OF WHAT WE DO.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE WONDER WHAT DO WE DO? AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW WE GET THOSE CALLS.

SO IN MY LITTLE BRIEF INTRO, BRIEF OVERVIEW, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE REPRESENT JUST REALLY EVERY ASPECT OF THE CITY.

UM, AND WE ATTEND ALL MEETINGS.

UH, WE EVEN WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES.

UM, AND JUST REALLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHARTER, WE TOUCH ON EVERY AREA OF LEGALITY WITHIN THE CITY.

IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, UM, THAT'S JUST MY LITTLE BRIEF INTRODUCTION THAT, UH, BASICALLY REITERATES WHAT'S IN THE CHARTER.

AND THEN I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE SERVICE.

UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TURN THE PAGE A CITY, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND, UH, WE SAID THIS IN ONE OF OUR CONFERENCES.

SOMETIMES THEY CALL US THE GRINCH THAT STOLE CHRISTMAS.

UH, BECAUSE WE REPRESENT SO MANY DEPARTMENTS AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TELL YOU NEWS THAT YOU DON'T LIKE, BUT WE DO REALLY TRY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY.

AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON EDUCATING, UH, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ON ALL THE MULTIPLE CHANGES IN THE LAW.

UM, BUT WE

[01:15:01]

UM, WE HELP WITH PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETINGS.

WE TRY TO ATTEND ALL OF THOSE CONSTRUCTION BOARD.

WE TRY TO ATTEND ALL OF THOSE.

MO MOST OF THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY VERY GOOD IN HANDLING THESE THINGS ON THEIR OWN.

UH, WE TRY TO DO TRAININGS FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

UH, FINANCE, WE HELP WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND CONTRACT PREPARATION.

WE HELP WITH THE BUDGET CALENDAR.

A BIG, BIG THING WE DO IS DEALING WITH FIRE, CIVIL SERVICE, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, DRAFTING AGREEMENTS, DISCIPLINARY ISSUES, AND ARBITRATION.

UH, SAME THING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, I'M JUST KIND OF HITTING SOME BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT WE WORK ON A LOT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYMENT LAW CLAIMS, QUESTIONS, APPLICATION OF HOW INSURANCE GOES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE REPRESENT THE CITY BEFORE THE EEOC, UH, VARIOUS TYPES OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

MUNICIPAL COURT ON THE NEXT PAGE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR.

FOR MANY YEARS, WE HAD A, UH, CITY PROSECUTOR THAT, UH, WORKED WITH US FOR THE PAST MAYBE 19 YEARS.

WE HAVE MERGED THAT POSITION INTO THE OFFICE AND WE PROSECUTE CLASS C AND OTHER OFFENSES.

UM, SO WE HAVE A MYRIAD OF THINGS WE DO.

I'LL KIND OF LET IT SPEAK FOR ITSELF.

BUT WE WORK WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND, UM, WE JUST, I JUST HAVE THOSE ON THOSE NEXT TWO PAGES AND IF ANYONE EVER HAS QUESTIONS, BUT THESE ARE THE, ALL THE THINGS WE DO WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

UM, AS YOU SEE, IT'S A WIDE RANGE OF LEGAL ISSUES AS WELL.

OTHER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, ON THE NEXT PAGES THAT WE REPRESENT THE CITY IN LAWSUITS, CLAIMS, ARBITRATION, MEDIATION, AND LITIGATION.

I HAVE HERE NEXT THAT WE MANAGE T-M-L-I-R-P DEFENSE LITIGATION.

SO A LOT OF TIMES FOR THINGS SUCH AS AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS, UM, EMPLOYMENT LAW, CASE CASES, SOME THINGS WE ARE COVERED BY INSURANCE.

AND WE WORK WITH T-M-L-I-R-P AS THE LIAISON AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE REPRESENT THE CITY AND GO TO COURT.

UM, I KIND OF SAY MOST OF THE THINGS WHERE THE CITY IS THE PLAINTIFF.

UH, WE REPRESENT THE CITY.

AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT OUR INSURANCE COVERAGE DOESN'T PICK UP, SUCH AS CONTRACT CLAIMS, DECLARATORY JUDGEMENTS, ET CETERA.

WE WORK WITH DECLARE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WE'VE WORKED ON, UH, IN RECENT YEARS IS THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

UH, YOU KNOW, THE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.

UH, WE WORK WITH THE BUDGET ELECTIONS, REAL ESTATE ISSUES.

REAL ESTATE ISSUES TAKE UP A GREAT DEAL OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

WE DEAL WITH THE PURCHASE AND SALE OF LAND.

OUR BIGGEST THING, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE DEPARTMENT SOMEWHAT HELPS TO BRING IN REVENUE IS THAT WE HELP DRAFT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENTS.

I WON'T GO ON A LONG TANGENT ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE REALLY CHANGED THE WAY WE'VE DONE THAT THROUGH THE COUNCIL, HAVING A COMMITTEE, HAVING A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNCIL.

AND WE'VE BEEN BRINGING AN AVERAGE COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE WHOLE CITY, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OF $30 MILLION OF REVENUE TO THE CITY PER YEAR, THE WAY WE RESTRUCTURED OUR AGREEMENTS.

AND THAT IS A BIG PROCESS THAT INVOLVES US AND ALL OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT WORK WITH THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE MORE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, AND CONTRACTS.

OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS SEEM TO BE AN EVERYDAY THING.

ANNEXATION, UH, DIS ANNEXATION, IMMINENT DOMAIN CASES WE DEAL WITH AND WE GO TO COURT.

AND ON THE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS, WE HAVE TO WRITE LETTERS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FIND OUT IF SOMETHING IS RELEASABLE.

REAL QUICK, ON THE NEXT PAGE, I'M NOT GONNA STAY ON THIS PAGE LONG.

WE DEAL WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, HELPING KEEP THE MANUAL UP, ADVISING THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND WHEN THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, MAKING SURE THAT WE FOLLOW WHAT THE EMERGENCY ANNEX ANNEXES.

UM, ALL THE LAWS KIND OF CHANGE WHEN THERE'S A EMERGENCY, SUCH AS A HURRICANE, WHERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROCUREMENT, UH, STANDARDS.

AND WE MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ARE TRYING TO SURVIVE, THAT WE FOLLOW THE LAW.

AND THAT PAGE KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

PAGE EIGHT, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUME OF LEGAL REVIEW THAT WE DO IN THIS, IN THIS AGENDA ALONE.

WE PROBABLY HAVE 75 TO $80 MILLION OF, UH, CONTRACT VALUE.

UM, OVER THE YEARS WE DRAFT AND OR REVIEW BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE DEPARTMENTS SEND THE AGENDA ITEMS OVER AND WE REVIEW.

BUT ON AN AVERAGE OF 300 PLUS CONTRACTS A YEAR, UH, FOR TOTALING IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, OVER 1800 CONTRACTS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE VERY PROUD OF, AND I FORGOT TO STOP AND THANK OUR STAFF, UM, UH, MR. TRAN, WHO WORKS WITH THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENTS, WHO IS REALLY BECOME AN EXPERT AND IS WELL RESPECTED, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE

[01:20:01]

DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES ON, ON MAKING SURE THESE, UH, INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS, UH, COME TO FRUITION.

AND ALSO MISS GWEN THIBODAUX IN COLLECTIONS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

WE HAVE ALSO, SHE SPEARHEADS THAT COLLECTED $1.4 MILLION IN COLLECTIONS, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS LIKE GRASS CUTTING, DEMOLITION AND WATER LANES.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF PROPERTY, UH, OUT THERE THAT WE MAINTAIN.

AND THAT IS MONEY THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN COLLECTED.

OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS, UM, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, I'LL GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN, BUT WE, WE DO THOUSANDS OF THEM AND AG OPINIONS, 'CAUSE SOME THINGS AREN'T RELEASABLE.

UM, LIKE CERTAIN POLICE ACTIVITIES AND VIDEOS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AREN'T RELEASABLE.

LET'S JUST KIND OF GO TO IDA'S.

I CALL 'EM REAL SHORT.

IDA'S INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT OVER SEVERAL YEARS.

UM, WE HAVE COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UM, WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED OUR REVENUE.

WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE IN 2011 DOING THESE THINGS, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE, I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS, BUT AS CITY ATTORNEY IN ABOUT 20 13, 20 14, WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO IT.

WE WERE GETTING ABOUT 23 MILLION A YEAR, AND WE WANTED TO CHANGE OUR VALUE, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD BE GETTING, UM, THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE WOULD BE GETTING AND PUT MORE TEETH IN IT.

WE HAVE A VERY STRONG IDA, UM, INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT, AND THOSE ARE THE AGREEMENTS WITH VARIOUS IN INDUSTRIES IN THE ETJ.

AND SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS OVER THOSE YEARS, WE PRETTY MUCH AVERAGE ABOUT 30 MILLION A YEAR FROM WHAT IT USED TO BE IN THE TWENTIES.

UH, WE HAVE SOME STRONG LANGUAGE IN THERE.

WE HAVE THE, THE, UH, VALUE, UH, EITHER AT 95% OR STARTING AT 80% OF VALUE.

AND WE ALSO GIVE INCENTIVES, UH, IF FOR HIRING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S, UM, UH, HANDLED BY MR. TRAN.

WE HAVE 27 TOTAL AGREEMENTS IN EFFECT, 18 MAIN IDA.

THAT'S THE MAIN REFINERY PLANT INDUSTRY, FIVE EXPANSIONS, THREE PIPELINES, AND WE HAVE ONE PENDING.

UM, WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS, UM, IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU START LOOKING AT THE FIRST YEAR THAT I HAVE ON HERE WITH THE 30 MILLION, OUR TAXABLE VALUE WAS HIGH.

IT WAS 0.792.

THEN IN ABOUT 2021, THE TAXABLE VALUE WENT FROM 0.79 TO, UH, PER $100 OF VALUATION TO 0.074.

THE TAX TAX RATE DROPPED AGAIN TO 0.069 TO 0.0648.

AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED ON THIS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, EVEN THOUGH THE TAX RATE IS GOING DOWN, REVENUE IS STAYING UP BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THESE AGREEMENTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TAX RATE GOES DOWN, YOU WOULD EXPECT TO GET LESS MONEY.

BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENT THAT GOES 80 THE FIRST YEAR, 81, THE SECOND YEAR, 82, THE THIRD YEAR, WHAT IS BEING, THE PERCENTAGE BEING, I WOULD SAY TAXED OR, OR CHARGED TO THEM, THAT'S GOING UP EVEN THOUGH THE TAX RATE IS GOING DOWN.

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO HAVE A PRETTY STEADY RATE, AND WE HOPE TO KEEP THAT OVER 30 MILLION.

AND WE, WE, WE ALMOST BABYSIT THOSE AND WORRY EVERYBODY TO DEATH.

AND AGAIN, IT IS VERY COLLABORATIVE WITH OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS.

BUT THAT IS A BIG TICKET ITEM THAT WE WORK ON.

AND WE'VE DONE SOME DIFFERENT TYPE OF EXPANSIONS, UH, SUCH AS WITH THE LNGS.

UH, WE'VE, UH, WORKED ON TAKING A DIFFERENT ROUTE, UH, BRINGING THE EDC INVOLVED IN IT WITH THE FIRST SOURCE.

SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF, UM, UNUSUAL THINGS WITH IT.

AND THE AVERAGE CITY IN TEXAS GETS ABOUT 65%, WHERE WE ARE STARTING AT 80%.

OKAY, REAL QUICKLY, I WON'T HOLD YOU.

GO TO PAGE 10.

THIS IS JUST ALL OF THE LIENS WE FILED TO SHOW YOU WHERE THAT 1.42, UH, MILLION DOLLARS HAS COME FROM.

UH, WE'VE JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE GO, MRS. THIBODAUX GOES THROUGH THE RECORDS, WORKS WITH THE FINANCE TEAM, WORKS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WITH DEMOLITION, WATER DEPARTMENT.

ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS WORK VERY WELL.

AND WE KIND OF TRY TO GET OUT THERE AND FIND WHO OWES SOMETHING TO THE CITY AND WRITING LETTERS AND AS WELL AS PROPERTY IS SOLD.

SO THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY OWED TO THE CITY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT.

SO WE ARE A LAW FIRM, WE'RE A COLLECTION AGENCY.

WE DO IT ALL.

AND ALSO WE FILE LIENS ON PROPERTY.

SO LIKE WHEN YOU SEE THE CITY CUTTING GRASS DEMOLISHING HOUSES, LIENS ARE FILED SO THAT THAT MONEY CAN BE RECOUPED.

GOING TO PAGE 11, EVAN, UH, FISCAL YEAR BY NUMBERS.

NOW I WANTED TO

[01:25:01]

KIND OF, KIND OF GIVE A EXPLANATION OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.

WE, WE, WE REPRESENT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE ALSO UTILIZE ASSISTANCE, UM, FROM DIFFERENT, UM, LAW FIRMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT LEGAL FEES.

UM, SO WHAT HAPPENED IS WE WERE ONCE FOR, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR 28, 20 19, WE GOT A, WE WERE APPROPRIATED IN THE BUDGET $93,000.

NOW, THE MONEY THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATED IS NOT JUST FOR LEGAL FEES, BUT THAT'S OUR APPROPRIATION NUMBER.

WE USE IT FOR, UH, CLOSING COSTS, UH, FILING FEES, UM, EVERYTHING YOU COULD THINK OF.

LAND SURVEYS, SOMETIMES WE NEED ENGINEERING HELP, SO WE USE THAT.

BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT LEGAL FEES, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO FOR ATTORNEY'S FEES, WE, OF THE APPROPRIATION OF 93,000, WE SPENT 75 IN 2018.

UM, AND THE GREEN LINE, I BELIEVE REPRESENTS WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPENT IN LEGAL FEES AND THE PURPLE LINES, THE APPROPRIATION.

IN 2019, WE WERE APPROPRIATED A HUNDRED THOUSAND.

WE SPENT ABOUT 92.

NOW, WHAT'S GOING ON? 2020.

2021, WHEN WE HAD THE PANDEMIC, EVERYTHING FLIPPED TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD.

AND WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, VIEWS AT HOW WE HANDLE EMPLOYMENT.

LAW ISSUES.

HAD WE HAD TO DO POLICIES, WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF TRAINING AS A RESULT OF COVID.

UM, AND THEN ALSO IN 20 20, 20 21, WE STARTED WORKING ON REDISTRICTING.

SO WHEN WE DID OUR BUDGET, WHEN THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED, WE GOT $400,000.

WE SPENT 285.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THAT LATER IN 21, 22.

UM, WE ALSO DEALT WITH REDISTRICTING AND ADDITIONAL FEES AND THINGS WE NEEDED FOR COVID.

UM, THE BIGGEST ONE WAS THE REDISTRICTING.

'CAUSE THE CITIES DON'T USUALLY DO IT, BUT WE SPENT 242,000.

SO WE KIND OF SEE THAT THE GREEN LINES ALWAYS STAYS UNDER THE APPROPRIATION.

UM, IN 2022 TO 2023, WE DECIDED THAT WE DIDN'T NEED THAT MUCH FUNDING.

AND IT'S BEEN OUR GOAL NOT TO UTILIZE THAT MUCH FUNDING.

SO WE, WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, WE ASKED FOR LESS MONEY FOR 425,000, WE SPENT 107.

AND AS YOU SEE NOW, WE ARE WANTING TO GO BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, PRE PANDEMIC, PRE UH, REDISTRICTING WHERE WE LOWERED THE AMOUNT.

SO FOR THIS YEAR WE TOOK ANOTHER A HUNDRED.

SO WE ARE STEPPING DOWN THE APPROPRIATION AND THE SPENDING.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE FOR, UH, THAT THE NEXT THING, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW, WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE CONTRACTS AND YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT THROUGH TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTS IN ALL THE YEARS, EVEN IF YOU JUST LOOK AT 2023, WE'VE HANDLED, WE COUNTED ABOUT 223 CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE REVIEWED.

UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS UNDER 25.

SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS, YOU KNOW, I I I BELIEVE IN TRYING TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE OUR TIME AND, UH, DOT ALL OUR I'S, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH FEDERAL CONTRACTOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, WHEN WE DEAL WITH FEDERAL GRANT MONIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY DON'T GIVE A LOT OF LEEWAY IF YOU MISS A STEP.

SO WE HAVE REALLY REVAMPED, AND FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WE HAVE STANDARDIZED MANY OF OUR CONTRACTS OVER THE YEARS.

SO, UM, BUT THAT'S THE HIGH VOLUME THAT WE DO.

AND LIKE ON EACH AGENDA, WE HAVE A MULTITUDE OF CONTRACTS.

NEXT PAGE RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES.

, UH, EVERY YEAR, FOUR TO 500 RESOLUTIONS REVIEWED AN AVERAGE OF MAYBE 75 TO 90 ORDINANCES RE-REVIEWED AGAIN.

UM, IT'S JUST A LOT.

AND THE AGENDA GOES FAST AND FURIOUS.

SO WE ARE, WE'RE MOVING AT A FAST PACE ON THAT NEXT PAGE.

AG OPINIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, REAL QUICKLY OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS AND AG OPINIONS, UH, TAKE UP A LOT OF CITIES TIMES.

SO WE JUST KIND OF PUT THAT NUMBER FOR, YOU CAN SEE THAT NEXT WOULD BE OKAY.

I HAVE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, BUT I DO ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER DETAIL JUST SO YOU WOULD HAVE THAT DATA.

UM, I KIND OF WANT TO GO OVER THE, THE, UH, FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR, I HAVE A DETAIL JUST IN THE BACK.

I HAVE A DETAIL OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS SPENT ON THOSE FEES AND WHO WE USE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE.

UM, AND A LOT OF 'EM ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME ONES OVER AND OVER.

UM, AND I JUST GOTTA GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHO WE UTILIZE.

UM, AND WE ARE VERY MINDFUL.

UM, WE USE THE BCAST FIRM FOR TRAINING.

UH, WE F FORMULATED AN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE.

[01:30:01]

SOME YEARS AGO WE KIND OF STOPPED, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT MR. BOJORQUEZ WAS HERE RECENTLY.

UH, WE DO TRAININGS.

HE DOES TRAININGS WITH STAFF AND, UM, WE ALSO, UH, HAVE THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK OVER KIND OF SPECIAL THINGS.

SO WE, WE HAVE THAT, UH, FIRM THAT WE USE.

ANOTHER ONE THAT REALLY HELPS US GET OUR AGENDA PROCESSED.

AND WE, WE ARE VERY, UH, FRUGAL IN THE WAY WE DO IT.

UH, THE BROWN HOFFMEISTER FIRM, THEY DO ALL THE TRAINING FOR CITY ATTORNEYS.

AND WHEN WE HAVE KIND OF UNUSUAL PROCUREMENT QUESTIONS, UH, WE KIND OF ALL COME TO THE TABLE AND WORK WITH THEM.

UH, OF COURSE FOR MANY YEARS WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR CALVERT CLARK, STELLI AND EVES BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY OUR INSURANCE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I REALLY JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE AS I COME TO A CLOSE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE NOT COVERED.

AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE LAWSUITS WHERE THEY REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND THEY'RE NOT COVERED BY OUR INSURANCE.

CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE? AND, UH, THE CALVERT FIRM HELPS US WITH THAT.

THEY ALSO HELP US ON PRE-LITIGATION WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT LAW CLAIMS TO HOPEFULLY RESOLVE IT BEFORE IT TURNS INTO A LAWSUIT.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE VERY, YOU KNOW, UH, CAREFUL IN HOW WE UTILIZE THAT IN KEEPING THOSE FUNDS.

UH, WE HAVE USED ROSS GANNOWAY FOR TRAINING.

THE WHITLOW FIRM IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN VERY USEFUL.

UH, MR. KEN WHITLOW HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN, UH, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF THESE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, WE'LL GET TO CERTAIN LEGAL QUESTIONS.

UH, AND HE HELPED US GREATLY WITH THAT BEFORE.

UM, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'M NOT LEAVING ANYBODY OUT.

I'M ABOUT TO YEAH, I'M GETTING TO THAT.

I'M GOING ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

OLSSON AND OLSSON HAS BEEN, UM, UTILIZED BY US AND THEY HAVE BEEN REQUESTED OFTEN BY COUNSEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CHANGED OUR IDA.

UH, OFTEN YOU'VE SEEN MR. PERTEL HERE, UM, WHO IS PRETTY MUCH, UH, HIS FIRM IS AN EXPERT ON INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENTS, AND THEY'VE BEEN UTILIZED TO REALLY HELP US WITH, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE MEET WITH THOSE TEAMS OF LAWYERS FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT REFINERIES THAT WE ARE CLEAR ON WHERE WE WANT TO GO ON THE IDAS.

THEY ALSO, UH, ALSO, UH, SERVE AS SPECIAL COUNSEL FORTS.

UM, THEY'VE HELPED US WITH A MYRIAD OF THINGS AS WELL AS TRAINING THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, REVIEWING OUR, UH, COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE TO THE ZONING.

AND SO FOR THINGS LIKE INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING ESPECIALLY, WE COMPLETELY REWROTE THE ZONING.

AND ANY ISSUE WE HAVE WITH THAT, UH, WE UTILIZE THEM.

UH, LITTLER MIDDLESTON HAS IS ALL SOMEONE WE USE ONLY WHEN WE HAVE CERTAIN PROBLEMS DEALING WITH EMPLOYMENT LAW.

UM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE SOME CONFIDENTIAL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, TO TRY TO RESOLVE CLAIMS. WHAT WE TRY TO DO ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE STAFF IS THAT WE TRY TO RESOLVE IT BEFORE IT COMES A LAWSUIT.

AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL.

THEY HELPED US TO REDO ALL OF THE POLICIES.

ALL OF OUR POLICIES HAD TO BE REDONE DURING THE COVID, UH, TIME.

I'M JUST MAKING SURE BIGGER STAFF, HEATH, DELGADO AND ACOSTA HAVE HELPED US WITH REDISTRICTING AND WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL REDISTRICTING.

AND, UM, IF I'M FORGETTING ANYONE, THE OTHERS ARE MAYBE ONE OTHER THAT HELPS US WITH CIVIL SERVICE PROBLEMS. AND FINALLY, UM, I WANT TO JUST REFER TO CRANE CATON AND JAMES.

THEY'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 40 YEARS.

THEY ARE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEYS, AND WE ONLY UTILIZE THEM WHEN THERE ARE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, UH, DEALING WITH THE INDUSTRY OR THINGS HAPPENING HERE.

AND WE WERE IN A SUIT FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS, UH, DEALING WITH THE EPA SUPERFUND SITES.

SO THEY'VE WORKED WITH THAT.

SO SOMETIMES WE DO, UH, HAVE HELP ON SPECIAL PROJECTS.

THESE THINGS ARE ALWAYS DISCUSSED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO, UM, STAY WITHIN OR UNDER THAT AMOUNT.

UM, BUT WE DO, UH, A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF TOPICS.

AND SO, UM, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THAT.

UM, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE A OVERVIEW.

UM, OUR GOALS, OF COURSE, FOR THE YEAR COMING UP, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO, UH, STANDARDIZE SOME THINGS HERE AND, UH, DO A LITTLE MORE TRAINING.

AND, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE ARE.

UM, BUT, UH, WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

SHE HAS A QUESTION.

I DON'T MIND.

YOU CAN COME UP MISS MS. JONES.

NO, MA'AM.

NO MA'AM.

COME TO THE MIC.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE.

JONES.

PUT IT, I KIND OF PUT IT DOWN.

MS. JONES, MS. JONES,

[01:35:02]

SIX 40 EAST, 10TH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE COME IN TO HELP YOU, IS IT A SET PRICE THAT YOU, THEY CHARGE YOU OR THEY CHARGE YOU ON, UH, FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO? OR HOW DO YOU ALL SET TO PLAY THERE? MOST ATTORNEYS DON'T HAVE NOBODY .

MOST ATTORNEYS CHARGE US A HOURLY RATE BECAUSE WE ARE A MUNICIPALITY.

USUALLY THEY GIVE US A DISCOUNTED RATE AND THEY ONLY CHARGE FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY WORK.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY, WE JUST GIVE THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.

YOU HAVE TO SHOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE UPON COMPLETION OF THE TASK AND COMPLETION OF THE HOURS.

THEN THEY CHARGE US A HOURLY RATE AND WE USUALLY GET A DISCOUNT AS WELL.

WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH ANYONE WITHOUT, UM, GOING BEFORE COUNCIL.

AND I DID LEAVE ONE OFF THAT I FORGOT ABOUT TO MENTION, AND, UM, I'LL MENTION THAT JUST CERTAIN, BUT NO, EVERYBODY WORKS OFF A HOURLY RATE AND AFTER THEY'VE PERFORMED, WE EXAMINE THAT.

AND ARE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY OF PORT ARTHUR THAT YOU HAVE NO SERVICE FOR THEM? YOU KNOW, LIKE, NO, I HAVE, I HAD A PROBLEM.

OH, OKAY.

I MINOR PROBLEM THAT I COULD USE THE CITY ATTORNEY.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE, I THINK, YEAH, WE REPRESENT THE MUNICIPALITY, WE REPRESENT THE CITY.

SO LIKE PEOPLE CALL AND THEY SAY, WELL, HEY, CAN YOU HELP WITH, UH, AND, AND, AND I, IT'S A COMMON MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE MAKE.

THEY'LL SAY, WELL, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH SOMETHING PERSONAL, LIKE MY WILL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE SOLELY REPRESENT THIS ENTITY, THE CITY AS A, AS A ENTITY.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT.

YEAH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.

AND WE CAREFULLY EXPLAIN THAT TO 'EM.

DUE TIME IN THE PAST I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM AND I, SOMEBODY INTRODUCED ME TO IT AND I KNEW THAT, I KNOW THAT ANOTHER, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THIS, NOT KNOW THAT.

AND WE ALWAYS CAREFULLY EXPLAIN IT TO 'EM AND MAYBE, UH, SHOW THEM WHERE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CAN BE.

ALL RIGHTY.

AND THESE PEOPLE THAT HELP YOU OUT, DO THEY, UH, UH, HAVE THEY ONE NUMBER, QUITE A FEW TO HELP, THEY HELP TO WIN QUITE A FEW CASES? OR OR HOW MANY TIMES DO THEY FAIL? WE DON'T REALLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WITH MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE WORK WE DO IS CIVIL, THEIR CONTRACT PREPARATION.

AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT OUR CONTRACTS ARE IN LINE.

SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT LIKE INDUSTRIAL REVENUE, THAT'S MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY IS PROTECTED AND THAT WE HAVE STRONG CONTRACTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MORE WHAT WE DO IS WHAT THEY CALL IN THE LEGAL WORLD.

AND I TRY NOT TO BE TOO OVERLY TECHNICAL TRANSACTIONAL WORK.

WE DO CONTRACTS AND WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR LEGAL POSITION IS STRONG AND THEY, THEY SOMETIMES ASSIST US ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

UH, BUT WE, UM, AS FAR AS LIKE LITIGATION, LIKE MOST OF THE LITIGATION WE DO, WE DON'T REALLY DO FARM THAT OUT, BUT WHEN WE SOMETIMES NEED ADDITIONAL HELP, AND ALL OF THIS IS ALWAYS, UH, BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT.

OH, ONE MORE THING.

SURE.

AND I DON'T WANNA HOLD YOU OFF THE PIPES THAT YOU ALL SPOKE ABOUT.

WELL, THIS COMPANY, I FORGOT WHICH ONE IS GOING TO, UH, ASK YOU ALL TO USE, PUT THESE PIPES ON OUR LANE, OUR PROPERTY A LITTLE BACK, LITTLE, LITTLE FURTHER BACK THAN YOU ALL SAID THAT, UH, AGREED TO THAT ONE OF THESE COMPANIES PUT THE PIPES ON OUR PROPERTY, CITY PROPERTY.

DO YOU REMEMBER? CAN Y'ALL, YES.

I THINK IT WAS, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN WE APPROVED SOMETHING, CHEVRON PROJECT CHEVRON.

AND, AND MOST OF THAT PROPERTY CITY MANAGER PROBABLY TELL YOU IT'S NOT LIKE OUR PROPERTIES.

WE WAS GIVING THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE PIPELINES RUNNING THROUGH THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT JUST LIKE ON JUST THE CITY PROPERTY.

SOME OF THEM MAY BE EASEMENTS, UH, CITY MANAGER, AM I CORRECT ON THAT? BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WOULD JUST COME IN THE CITY ALL IN PUTTING IN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN THE BACK OF US.

YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE UPKEEP OF THAT PIPE, UH, IF IT'S RUNNING.

BUT, BUT NOW ON THAT, THE UP THAT PIPE ON THERE, WE'RE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT ONE SOME OTHER TIME.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THIS IS NOT THE PROPER TIME FOR ME TO DISCUSS THAT.

AND, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE EXPLAINED THIS TO COUNCIL I KNOW, BUT JUST SO PEOPLE WOULD KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP UP WITH ALL THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

I, I, I, YES MA'AM.

NO, IT'S, IT'S IT BOTHER.

IT'S CREDIBLE.

IT'S CREDIBLE, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT THE PROPER TIME OKAY.

FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I DID FORGET ONE PARTICULAR THING I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE AS WELL.

WE ALSO, AS A RESULT OF, UH, RECEIVING A LOT OF FEMA, UH, AND FEDERAL FUNDING, WE DID WIND UP UTILIZING THE, THE, THE ASSISTANCE OF A AFFIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN FEDERAL PROCUREMENT TO MAKE SURE.

AND, UH, WHEN YOU SAY WHAT'S THE RESULT OF THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE RESULT OF THAT IS SOME OF OUR MAJOR FEMA PROJECTS ARE IN THE $40 MILLION, $30 MILLION, $20 MILLION RANGE.

[01:40:01]

WE'VE HAD TRAINING FROM TDO, BUT, UM, WE'VE KIND OF UTILIZED THE HELP OF THOSE WHO SPECIALIZE AND TRY THOSE CASES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR THINGS ARE AIRED TIGHT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, WE ARE NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE THEN THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WILL COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, YOU FORGOT TO DO THIS.

UM, THE FEDERAL PROCUREMENT LANGUAGE IS VERY CUMBERSOME.

SO, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST FORGOT THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.

AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

BUT, UM, THIS, THIS, BASICALLY, THIS PRESENTATION GIVES A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO.

UH, WELL THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

CITY COUNCIL LEWIS, YOU LIGHT IT ON? YES.

UH, CITY ATTORNEY.

THIS IS FOR THE PAST ONE YEAR.

UH, AND WELL, THE, THE ATTACHMENTS WILL GO BACK FIVE OR SIX YEARS, I BELIEVE THE ATTACHMENTS GO BACK.

YEAH, THERE'S ATTACHMENTS AT THE BACK THAT BREAK DOWN EVERYTHING.

YEAH, I'M LOOKING AT THE ATTACHMENT NUMBERS.

THAT GOES BACK, BACK FIVE OR SIX YEARS, I THINK, ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 2018.

SO YOU HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.

SO IT'S SEVERAL FISCAL YEARS THAT IT INVOLVES, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO ALL TO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS, SO I THOUGHT I'D JUST GIVE IT TO YOU, UH, IN THIS FORMAT.

AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT WITH YOU.

BUT, AND LIKE I SAID, WE KIND OF PUT THAT GRAPH TOGETHER TO SHOW THAT, NOT JUST GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS, BUT WHAT WAS APPROPRIATED AND TO MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN THE GUIDELINES.

AND WE ARE ALSO, EVERY YEAR WE'VE BEEN TAKING MONEY OUT OF THAT LINE ITEM.

THAT'S IT.

THE NEXT ITEM IS ON PAGE TWO.

OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.

AND

[III.E.(1) A Discussion Regarding Councilmembers Following Rules Of Decorum (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]

UH, AND IT IS, UH, UNDER E DISCUSSIONS ITEM NUMBER ONE.

IT IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOLLOWING RULES OF DECORUM.

AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.

YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

REMEMBER THIS AND DO, LIKE DUC SAID, DOING IT.

THIS TOPIC CAME FROM OUR LAST MEETING AND WE HAD THE CHAOS.

THERE'S NOT A COUNCIL, THE CITY COUNCIL, I DON'T THINK THAT EXISTS WHEREBY THEY DON'T HAVE HEATED DISCUSSIONS.

BUT SOMETIME OUR HEATED DISCUSSIONS CAN, UH, BE CONSTRUED AS CHAOS AND ARGUMENT.

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE SAY, BUT HOW WE SAYING IT.

AND, UH, I THINK WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND ROBBER RULES OF OILS AND PROCEDURES AND EACH ONE OUR PARTICULAR ROLE.

FOR ONE, THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOMETIME THE MAYOR WILL MAKE A MISTAKE AND I'LL, AND I'LL SAY, AND I'LL SAY SOMETHING TO HIM, BUT THAT'S NOT ORDER.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW I NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT DOING THIS BY THE PROCEDURES BECAUSE IT WILL STOP CONFUSIONS.

AND ALTHOUGH I SAY SOMETHING TO 'EM AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE REALIZES THEY SAYING SOMETHING TO IT.

SO NOW YOU HAVE A PERSON PRESIDING, GOT DIFFERENT PEOPLE TALKING.

WELL, WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO.

SO WE AS COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE ARE RECOGNIZED, WE ARE GIVEN THE FLOOR.

IF BY ANY CHANCE WE ARE INTERRUPTED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER, UH, ANYBODY ELSE, IT SHOULD BE IN A POINT OF ORDER.

AND IF YOU SAY A POINT OF ORDER, THEN EVERYBODY BE QUIET.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL ENTERTAIN THE POINT OF ORDER, MAKE SURE THAT HE RULES ON IT.

NOW, ONCE HE RULES ON IT, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT WHAT HE RULES AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER, OR WE CAN REQUEST TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL.

SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND UNDERSTAND AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE DON'T GET INTO A DEBATE WITH THE PRESIDING PERSON, LET'S FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES.

LET'S WAIT TILL HE RULE YOU SPEAK.

THEN YOU REQUEST FROM HIM TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL.

THEN THE PRESIDING PERSON IN THIS CASE IS THE MAYOR.

BUT IT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THE MAYOR.

IT PERTAIN TO THE MAYOR PROTE OR ANY COUNCIL PERSON THAT SITS IN THAT SEAT.

IF SOMEONE APPEAL YOUR RULING TO THIS COUNCIL, YOU MUST THEN RECEIVE A VOTE FROM THE COUNCIL.

IT IS NOW THE COUNCIL'S DECISION, NOT THE PRESIDING PERSON.

SO WE ALL NEED TO

[01:45:01]

IF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER, BRING ROBERT RULES OF WATERS AND KEEP IT UP HERE.

BUT REMEMBER, WE CAN HAVE HEATED ARGUMENTS OR DEBATES, BUT WHEN TWO PEOPLE ARE TALKING AT THE SAME TIME IS NOT A DEBATE.

IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF DECORUM.

DECORUM.

SO REMEMBER, NO TWO PEOPLE SHOULD EVER BE SPEAKING AT ONE TIME.

AND I THINK EVEN WHEN WE GET OUR HEATED DEBATES, THERE'LL BE MORE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE LISTENING.

AND IT WON'T SEEM LIKE WE ARE ARGUING BECAUSE WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WE HAVE THESE EXCHANGES AND THEY SAY, OH, THEY LIKE CIRCLES.

BUT THEN AGAIN, AFTER THE MEETING, WE ALL LAUGHING AND TALKING WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE MOVE ON.

SO LET'S REMEMBER WE ELECTED FOR THE, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE RULES BY WHICH WE CONDUCT OURSELF BY, AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE OUTBURSTS.

AND WE JUST HAVE TO RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.

WE HAVE TO POLICE ONE ANOTHER.

'CAUSE UNDERSTAND THIS, IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS COUNCIL MAKES FINAL DECISIONS ON EVERYTHING.

SO IF WE ALLOW OUR MEETINGS TO BE CONDUCTED, NOT FOUND DECORUM, IT'S OUR FAULT IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO ENFORCE OUR RULES OF DECORUM ON OURSELVES, AND WE ALL SHOULD WORK TOGETHER.

I COULD SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NIGHT, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO ANY LONGER.

THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES, SIR.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA REMIND, UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE THAT YOU FAILED TO COVER, YOU KNOW, ALMOST FAILED, JUST AN OVERSIGHT.

BUT ANYTIME THE CHAIR WANTS TO GET PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE, MUST RELEASE THE CHAIR.

MUST RELEASE THE CHAIR.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CHAIRMAN GETTING INVOLVED IN A DEBATE, BUT THEY MUST RELEASE THE CHAIR.

OKAY, THERE ISN'T ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER.

WE'LL MOVE TO NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING, REGARDING, EXCUSE ME, QUALIFICATIONS FOR DISTRICT TWO UNDER ARTICLE NUMBER TWO.

UH, SECTION SECTION TWO OF THE CITY CHARTER.

AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

OKAY, YOU'RE READING KIND OF SLOW TONIGHT, GETTING SLEEPY.

BUT ANYWAY, , UH, MY CONCERN, MY CONCERN IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION CITY ATTORNEY, I WANTED TO KNOW IS DID YOU MAKE THE PHONE CALL TO FIND OUT THAT HELP THE QUALIFICATION OF, OF DISTRICT TWO COUNCILPERSON IS BEING LOOKED INTO BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? IS THERE ANY KIND OF INVESTIGATION GOING, OR IS THE TEXAS RANGERS INVOLVED? I NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.

AND WHAT DID, YOU MADE THE PHONE CALL.

WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT? I HAVE PUT THE CALL IN AND I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE ANSWER YET, BUT I HAVE CALLED, UM, I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU, BUT I HAVE CALLED, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE FROM MY CALL YET.

I'M GONNA, I'M EXPECTING A CALL.

LET ME SUGGEST SOMETHING.

GET WITH, UH, THE CHIEF.

NO, NO.

GET WITH THE, THE ARSENAL.

HE'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

GET WITH HIM AND YOU ALL GET TOGETHER WITH, AND YOU, Y'ALL GET WITH THE DA'S OFFICE AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS SET IT UP WITH ARSON ARSENAL SAID YOU CAN, YOU CAN TALK TO HIM TOMORROW.

HE'LL SET IT UP.

I'VE LEFT THE MESSAGES, BUT YES, I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT AND I'LL REPORT BACK.

UH, WE'LL NOW MOVE TO, OH, OH, EXCUSE ME.

EXCUSE ME.

EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE RIGHT HERE.

COUNCILMAN ETT.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE ON, SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT JUST COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THIS DOES NOT NEED TO HAVE THIS MUCH DISTRACTION.

I GET TIRED OF PEOPLE ASKING ME ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS A SIMPLE QUESTION, SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA JUMP ON THE WAGON WITH, UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS ON THIS CITY ATTORNEY.

GET AN ANSWER SO THAT WE KNOW WHEN PEOPLE ASK US THIS, WE GIVE THEM A STRAIGHT ANSWER AND PRETTY SOON IT'LL GO AWAY.

BUT I AM TIRED OF DRESSING THIS TO OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY COME AND THEY ASK ME ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET AN ANSWER.

[01:50:02]

NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, SECTION ROMAN NUMER FIVE ON PAGE TWO REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST, UH, BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.

UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, BE SURE AND RECOGNIZE THE PORT NATURES GROVES HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE STATE FIVE A CHAMPIONSHIP LAST WEEKEND.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE PORT ARTHUR CITY LIMITS THAT ATTEND PORT HSS GROVES HIGH SCHOOL.

AND I THINK WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THOSE STUDENTS AND THOSE TEACHERS.

UH, I, MYSELF TAUGHT IN THE DISTRICT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

MY, UH, DAUGHTER AND MY BONUS SON WENT THROUGH THE DISTRICT.

UH, WHERE I LIVE NOW IS PORT ARTHUR CITY LIMITS, BUT IT IS THE PORT NECHES SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND I THINK AS A COUNCIL, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR STUDENTS THAT ATTEND PORT NECHES GROVE, PORT NECHES GROVES HIGH SCHOOL, AND TO COMMEND THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND THEIR EFFORTS TO WIN THAT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

UH, I WANNA REMIND THEM MOST OF, MOST OF THE CITIZEN IN PORT ARTHUR AND I'VE, OVER THE PAST I FOUND SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WAS UNAWARE.

WE HAVE A FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PORT ARTHUR AT LEAST WE GOT A MINIMUM OF FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO, AND, AND IT'S IN ORDER TO GO AHEAD AND RECOGNIZE POOR NATURES ALSO.

OKAY, MAYOR, I APPROACH HIM.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

I WANTED TO, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ALSO JUST PUT IN A PLUG.

THE MVP OF THE GAME IS A PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT, AND I WAS IN DALLAS WHEN HE DID HIS INTERVIEW AND HE ACTUALLY SAID, I'M FROM PORT ARTHUR.

AND SO I WAS JUST, I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND I'M GLAD THAT HE REPRESENTED WELL.

UM, THE OTHER PART IS THIS IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

WE ALL MAY NOT SEE EACH OTHER UNTIL, UM, AFTER THE NEW YEAR.

PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET ABOUT YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD LOSSES.

MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL.

EVERY TIME I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING LIGHT TO IT.

PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM.

MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL, SO PLEASE LOVE ON THEM.

UM, A SIMPLE PHONE CALL, A LETTER, HANDWRITTEN NOTES MEAN A LOT.

SO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

BE THERE ANYMORE.

NOW HAVE THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS.

AND, UH, WITH THE PORT ARTHUR STUDENTS WHO, I MEAN PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE STUDENTS AT PORT NATURE'S GROVES, UH, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THAT OUT OR WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE AS CITY MANAGER.

IS THERE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT YOU CAN ASSIGN TO THAT? NOW WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE STUDENTS, WE CAN'T RECOGNIZE EVERY STUDENT OR RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO WERE ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND, UH, COULD YOU FIND THAT OUT? AND AT SOME POINT IN JANUARY, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE THE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE PORT NATURES INDIAN.

UH, I THINK IT'S, UH, FOUR A FIVE A FIVE A DIVISION DIVISION, TWO DIVISION OR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW WE COULD GET THAT DONE, BUT I'M MORE THAN SURE THERE'S PROBABLY A COUNSELOR OR SOME SYSTEM OUT THERE IN THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT'LL GIVE US THAT.

BUT WE ALL DON'T NEED TO GO ASK FOR IT.

GET SOME CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL TO DO THAT.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING COUNCIL? YES, UH, MANAGER BURTON, IF YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THAT, I'VE STILL GOT QUITE A FEW CONNECTIONS WITH THE DISTRICT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PERSON.

AND NOW WE WILL MOVE TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WHICH THERE ISN'T ANY.

AND WE

[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]

AND THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE ITEMS THAT ARE BASICALLY CONSIDERED TO BE A, A ROUTINE IN, UH, NATURE.

AND THEY ARE, THEY, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THESE ITEMS. AND THEY WOULD, THEY ACTUALLY BEGIN ON PAGE FOUR AND THEY GO THROUGH LINK PAGE, UH, PAGE NINE, RIGHT? YEAH, GO THROUGH PAGE NINE.

SO FROM PAGE FOUR TO PAGE NINE, WE HAVE THESE ITEMS. UH, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITHDRAWN AND TO BE, UH, HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY, COUNCILMAN BECKER, THANK YOU.

ON PAGE TWO AND GIVE ME THE PAGE NUMBER AND ITEM PLEASE.

I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, AND SIX.

ON PAGE NUMBER FIVE,

[01:55:01]

ON 5, 4, 5 AND SIX.

OKAY, ON PAGE SIX, NUMBERS NINE, 10, AND 11.

LEMME LOOK AT PAGE SIX.

COULD YOU SAY THOSE AGAIN FOR ME? 9, 10, 11, 9, 10, 11.

PAGE EIGHT.

ITEM 21, PAGE EIGHT.

ADAM, 21 YOU SAID? YES.

AND THAT'S IT.

UH, LEMME SEE.

COUNCILMAN ETT, ONE ON FOUR, MAYOR ONE ON FOUR, RIGHT.

AND, OKAY.

RESOLUTION ONE.

I'M SORRY, I'M LOOKING AT A, OKAY, ONE ON FOUR AND 20 ON EIGHT.

ON WHICH, WHICH ONE? THIS NUMBER 20 ON EIGHT.

ON PAGE EIGHT.

UH, NUMBER PAGE SIX.

NUMBER 10.

ON WHICH PAGE? PAGE SIX.

NUMBER 10.

PAGE SIX.

YOU SAID NUMBER 10? NUMBER 10.

COUNCILMAN BECKER? YEAH, SHE'S ALREADY CALLED THAT ONE NOW.

OH, COUNCILWOMAN.

SHE GOT FOUR OF MINE ALREADY.

LET'S SEE.

UH, OH YEAH, NUMBER PAGE SEVEN, NUMBER 16.

NUMBER 16.

ONE SUPPOSED ON SEVEN.

PAGE SEVEN.

UM, UH, PAGE EIGHT, NUMBER 20.

ANYBODY GET THAT ONE? YEAH, YOU SAID, OH, Y'ALL GETTING ALL THE GOOD STUFF.

WHICH ONE? WHICH ONE ON EIGHT? DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

WHICH ONE DID YOU SAY? OKAY, THAT'S, I'M THROUGH WITH IT.

THAT'S IT.

SHE GOT THREE, THREE OUT OF FOUR NOW.

OH, EXCUSE ME.

WE'RE OKAY.

YOUR, YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, EXCUSE ME, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN STATED.

ITEM NUMBER ONE, ITEM FOUR, ITEM FIVE, ITEM SIX, ITEM NINE, ITEM 10, ITEM 11, ITEM 16, ITEM 20 AND ITEM 21.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP SECOND.

IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT CALLED OUT AND THE ALL THESE ITEMS WOULD BE APPROVED.

INDIVIDUALLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS PR 23 2 21.

ANY OPPOSES THERE UNDER ANY OPPOSES? SO WE ARE READY FOR THIS.

COUNCILMAN? NO, YOUR LIGHT WENT OFF.

OKAY, NOW WE HAVE

[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 23221 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 4 Between The City Of Port Arthur And Allco, LLC, Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Removal Of Nashville Avenue From 11th Street To Rev. Dr. Ransom Howard Street On The 2022-2023 Street Rehabilitation – District 1 Project, Decreasing The Contract Amount Of $5,283,801.30 By $230,961.10 To The New Contract Amount Of $5,052,840.20. Funds Are Impacted In The Street Capital Fund Account No. 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000]

IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FOUR, BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ALL COAL LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE REMOVAL OF NASHVILLE AVENUE FROM 11TH STREET TO REVEREND DR.

RANSOM HOWARD STREET ON THE 20 22 20 23 STREET REHABILITATION DISTRICT ONE PROJECT DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF $5,283,801 AND 30 CENTS BY $230,961 AND 10 10 CENTS TO THE NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $5,052,840 AND 20 CENTS.

FUNDS ARE, ARE IMPACTED IN THE STREET CAPITAL FUND.

ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH FIVE THREE DASH 8 5 7 DASH 0 0 0.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK, DON'T MOVE MA'AM, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? IS IT MOVED IN? OH.

OH, I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WAS CALLING.

OKAY, BUT I HEARD YOU.

THING IS DEALING WITH THE STREETS.

IS IT MOVED IN SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I MEAN BY COUNCILMAN FRANK AND LEWIS, ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.

ON THIS PARTICULAR

[02:00:02]

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

I I READ THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, I DIDN'T KNOW WHY UH, IT WAS BEING REMOVED, BUT WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHENEVER WE DO THE SELECT THESE STREETS AND WE PUT THESE STREETS OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSPARENT, WE SHOULD PUBLISH THESE STREETS.

SO WE START PUTTING STREETS ON, ON THE AGENDA AND THEN WE APPROVE THESE STREETS AND CITIZENS KNOW WE PUT STREETS ON THE, ON THIS LIST, THEN WE DECIDE TO TAKE STREETS OFF.

I THINK IF WE EVER TAKE 'EM OFF, WHOMEVER MAKING THE REQUEST, AND MOST LIKELY GONNA BE A DISTRICT COUNCIL, NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE CITIZENS WHY YOU TAKING THEIR STREETS OFF THE ROAD? OFF, OFF THE, WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH THAT.

WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL IF WE SELECT STREETS AND WE FUND THOSE STREETS, CITIZENS KNOW THAT THERE ARE STREETS ON THERE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A STREET OFF OF THERE, WE NEED TO COME BEFORE IT IS CANCELED.

NOT ONLY LET COUNCIL KNOW 'CAUSE WE NOT GONNA REALLY OBJECT TO IT, WHAT YOU TAKING IN YOUR DISTRICT, 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THE HEAT ANYWAY.

BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THESE CITIZENS SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY STREET IS NOW NO LONGER ON THE STREET AFTER THEY'VE BEEN SELECTED AND FUNDED.

THAT'S TRANSPARENCY.

THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION.

I WANTED TO MAKE REMARKS TO THAT.

UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.

UH, CITY MANAGER.

COULD YOU GET, UM, TO RESPOND TO THIS? 'CAUSE I, I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS LIST AND I'VE GOT A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS.

I'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS STUFF AND GOING TO SEE WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND I WANTED TO KNOW THE SAME QUESTION.

WHAT YOU REMOVED IT, WHY YOU REMOVED IT AND WHAT IT MAY NOT BE EXPLAINED CORRECTLY IN OUR RESOLUTION IN OUR MEMO, BUT THIS STREET WAS DONE, IT WAS COMPLETED BY THE CITY STREET DEPARTMENT.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REMOVING IT CON WE'RE REMOVING IT OUT OF A, A CONTRACTOR'S CONTRACT.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT'S A CHANGE ORDER TO A CONTRACT.

WE WEREN'T GONNA REDO THE STREET AFTER IT'D ALREADY BEEN DONE.

I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 4 51.

UH, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE IT.

SO, PR NUMBER 23 2 21 IS APPROVED AS READ.

[VII.C.(4) P.R. No. 23451 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Agreement With Brystar Contracting, LLC, Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Stonegate Drainage Improvement Project For The Amount Of $18,672,548.00. Funds Are Available In The Hazard Mitigation Grant Account No. 154-00-000-8515-00-10-000 And The Community Development Block Grant DR Account No. 148-00-000- 8515-00-10-000. Project No. DR1P04]

IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH BY, UH, BRIGHTSTAR CONTRACTING LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE STONEGATE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $18,672,548.

FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT.

ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 54 DASH 0 0 85 15 0 0 0 0.

AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT BLOCK.

GRANT DIARA ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 4 8 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 DASH 8 5 1 5 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH 0 0 0 KNOWN ALSO AS PROJECT NUMBER DIARA ONE P ZERO FOUR.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SO MOVED.

MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR SECOND.

IT'S MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, PR NUMBER 23.

4 51 IS WHERE? READY FOR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, SO THIS REALLY IS JUST AN, AN ATTEMPT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TO LET THE, THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE STONEGATE NEIGHBORHOOD UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAS TAKEN SO LONG.

UM, WE ENTERED INTO, UM, A DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN BACK IN 2018 AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE HARVEY AND IT'S NOW 2023 AND THE BIDS JUST WENT OUT.

SO I WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLAIN SO THAT MY CONSTITUENTS IN THE STONEGATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SURROUNDING AREAS WILL UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG TO GET THIS PROJECT OUT FOR BIDS.

, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE PROJECT IN ITSELF IN ITS ENTIRETY IS FEDERALLY FUNDED.

AND SO WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH FEMA AND CDBG REGULATIONS.

UM, OVER THE YEARS AS WE HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH, UM, WITH FEMA THROUGH OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, DURING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD COVID AND, AND THAT TOOK A TOLL ON THE PROJECT.

WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MET WITH ALL THE BCRS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT WERE NEEDED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT DID,

[02:05:01]

UM, PASS THE TEST FOR FUNDING.

AND THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FEMA AND THE CITY HAS BEEN A LONG ONE.

IT'S, IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAD TO ON THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKING IN, IN THE PORT ACRES AREA AND, AND, UM, IN EL, IN EL VISTA, THOSE, THOSE WERE PART OF THE THREE PROJECTS THAT THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON THROUGH AURAURA.

AND, UM, IT HAS COME TO FRUITION.

FINALLY, FINALLY IS BEEN FUNDED FULLY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THOSE TWO, THOSE NORMALLY TAKE QUITE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN ORDER TO GET THEM FUNDED TO CROSS ALL OUR I'S AND DOT ALL OUR T'S AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS BEING FULLY AND COMPLETELY FOLLOWED.

ANY OTHER THANK YOU.

CITY MANAGER.

I, I, I WANTED THAT TO BE EXPLAINED TO THE CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND.

UH, A NUMBER OF THEM WERE IN THE SAME PLACE THAT I WAS AFTER HARVEY, WHERE THEIR HOUSES FLOODED.

UH, AND WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FEMA AND THE GLO AND IT, IT TOOK ME FIVE YEARS TO GET DONE WITH THE GLO, SO I UNDERSTAND WHY IT TAKES SO LONG TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THOSE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING THAT SO THAT THEY'LL, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG.

CITY MANAGER GENERAL.

ONE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT IS THAT A, HOW DID, HOW DID THAT CDBG MONEY QUALIFY? IS, IS THAT A CENSUS TRACK THERE OR SOMETHING? NO, NO, NO, NO.

IT'S, IT'S WHAT'S IT'S A DIFFERENT PORT OF MONEY THAT'S, THAT'S WAS AVAILABLE.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FOREIGN EN ENTITLEMENT.

UM, AS, AS PART OF THE CITY'S ENTITLEMENT, IT WAS A DIFFERENT PORT OF MONEY THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

AND AS THE MONEY BECAME AVAILABLE, WE MADE SURE THAT AURA WENT AFTER THE MONEY FOR US AND, AND, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT FUNDED.

AND, AND THAT'S WHY IT TOOK TIME BECAUSE THERE HAD TO BE CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY, BETWEEN AURA AND EVEN AT POINTS IN TIME OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING WAS FORTHCOMING.

IS WE HAVE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ALL OF THESE JOBS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THIS PROPOSAL.

ON ANOTHER UN READINESS, YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES AYES ORDER WILL BE APPROVED.

PR NUMBER 2 3 4 51 AS READ.

NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 4 82.

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE, EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE SO COLD GROUP LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR PROFESSIONAL PLANNING SERVICES FOR PORT ARTHUR TRANSIT AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IN THE TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $78,750.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN TRANSIT.

ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 1 7 0 554 20 0 0 DASH 6 0 0 AND $18,570 WILL BE REMOVED FROM THAT ACCOUNT.

AND UH, PROJECT NUMBER FOR THAT ONE WOULD BE TR 1 9 4 4 2 AND THE OTHER ACCOUNT WOULD BE 0 0 1 DASH THREE DASH 0 3 1 DASH 54 20 0 1 0 0 0 AND $60,180.

BILL BE APPROPRIATED FROM THAT ACCOUNT.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.

MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 82 AS RED.

WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN UH, BECKHAM? THANK YOU.

I HAVE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS AND I SPENT CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME GOING THROUGH THE, THE DOCUMENTS THAT SUPPORT THIS.

UM, SO, SO THIS IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ALL DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ENUMERATE ARE ON-CALL PLANNING SERVICES WITH PLANNERS AND ENGINEERS, GRANT RESEARCH, WRITING AND FUNDING SERVICES ON-CALL ENGINEERING SUPPORT, CONTINUOUS RESEARCH OF STATE-OF-THE-ART, INNOVATION, AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS.

ON-CALL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE, DEVELOPING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, UH, REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS IN ALL DEPARTMENTS.

AND THEN ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT I SAW THAT WAS OF INTEREST IS TO, TO, UH, HELP THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TRANSIT DEPARTMENT REALIZE ITS VISION.

SO MY, MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS

[02:10:01]

AND, AND I DON'T SEE ANY DELIVERABLES, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT A LOT OF THIS WORK IS INTANGIBLE.

SO AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING TRANSPARENT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHY DO WE NEED THIS? OKAY.

WELL, JUST A MINUTE.

ARE YOU GOING TO ASK I'M, YEAH.

LET IVAN CAN COME UP FOR A MINUTE.

LET, LEMME JUST, UM, THE PRELUDE TO THIS.

JUST UTILIZING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY.

ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WAS IT EMELDA THAT OCCURRED AND WE RECEIVED $700,000 MM-HMM.

FOR THE PROJECT NEXT TO THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT.

AND, UM, PROJECT IN ITSELF WAS NOT A TRANSIT PROJECT, BUT IT WAS FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND IF WE BECAME CREATIVE, AND WE DID, WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT $700,000 AT THE TIME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHEN WE WORKED ACROSS THE LINES WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE IN THE, AROUND THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE AND CAUSE LESS FLOODING IN THAT AREA.

NO, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANSIT.

AND THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF PORTS OF MONIES COMING UP THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU CAN WORK TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OR THROUGH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OR THROUGH PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND BECOME VERY CREATIVE TO SUBMIT THOSE PROPOSALS TO TEXT DOT OR, OR, OR, OR TO, TO, UM, OR TO IVAN'S AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THOSE FUNDING A AVAILABLE.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

TURN IT ON.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE, UM, UM, WAS IT, IS IT WACO OR THE TWO STREETS THAT WE HAVE DONE DALLAS AT FORT WORTH, THAT DALLAS AT FORT WORTH.

AND IF WE, IF WE CONTINUE TO STAY AT IT AND TO BE AS CREATIVE AS WE ARE AT IT, I THINK THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD SPEND PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR TO ACCESS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IS AVAILABLE OUT HERE.

JUST TODAY, JUST TODAY, I SAT WITH THE DURA GROUP.

THERE'S $20 MILLION COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO THROUGH THE EPA AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS BE CREATIVE IN IDENTIFYING PROJECTS THAT WILL PROVIDE SOME SORT OF RESILIENCY.

AS LONG AS IT CAN SHOW THAT WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE RESILIENCY OF THE CITY, WE CAN QUALIFY FOR THAT $20 MILLION.

AND SO I'M, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A NEXUS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN ACCESS FEDERAL FUNDING.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES.

YOU COULD GO AHEAD NOW, IVAN.

AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US WRITE SOME OF THOSE GRANTS.

UM, A LOT OF THESE GRANTS ARE HIGHLY COMPLICATED TO WRITE.

UM, THE WRITING PORTION NECESSARILY ISN'T DIFFICULT, BUT SOME OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS STUFF THAT, I MEAN, YEAH, WE HAVE STAFF, BUT STAFF EITHER DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE IN IT, OR WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME.

SO A CONTRACT LIKE THIS IS GONNA ALLOW ME TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE, UM, FORM A PLAN TO PURSUE THESE GRANTS AND GET THEM SUBMITTED FOR THE CITY.

UM, IT ALSO IS GONNA ALLOW ME TO WRITE RFPS BETTER WHEN WE WRITE RFPS.

UM, I WANT MY RFPS TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE SO I GET THE BEST BIDS AND PRODUCT IN THE END.

UM, SOME RFPS ARE OUTSIDE OF MY EXPERTISE, SO THEN I HAVE TO REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY TO HELP ME WITH THAT EXPERTISE AND FIND THOSE PEOPLE TO HELP ME RIDE IT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ON THAT LIST THAT YOU LISTED OFF OR THINGS THAT YES, WE, WE CAN DO SOME OF IT, BUT HAVING THAT EXPERTISE OF SOMEBODY ELSE HELPING US IS GONNA HELP US DO IT EVEN BETTER.

ON, I GUESS, WHAT, WHAT COMES UP AND WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE.

UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT.

YOU TOO.

OH, YOU TOO.

NO, GO.

I'LL, I'LL YIELD TO YOU.

UH, NO, GO AHEAD.

IF YOU, OKAY.

WELL, MY, PART OF THE, THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT THERE'S NOT ANY MEASURABLES.

THERE'S NOT, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF THE DELIVER THE, THE DELIVERABLES WILL BE BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME, BUT THERE'S NO, UM, THERE'S NO WAY TO MEASURE THAT.

YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY RFPS ARE THEY GONNA HELP US WITH? WHAT IS IT GONNA LOOK LIKE ON THE, ON THE OTHER END OF IT? WELL, I MEAN, I, THERE'S A LOT OF INTANGIBLES.

SO I, I CAN'T REALLY SAY RFPS, HOW MANY I KNOW THAT, UM, THEY WILL BE ASSISTING US WITH THEM, BUT, UM, IT DEPENDS

[02:15:01]

SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY HOW MANY, BUT DEFINITELY WHEN THEY COME UP AND WE NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE, ACTUALLY, JUST THE OTHER DAY, THE CITY MANAGER ASSIGNED ME AN RFP THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.

UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT DONE WELL.

SO ONCE THIS CONTRACT BECOMES EFFECTIVE, I WILL BE UTILIZING THEM TO HELP ME WRITE THIS RFP.

SO, UH, I CAN'T REALLY SAY HOW MANY, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, SOMETIMES IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT COMES DOWN AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND WHAT NEEDS TO OCCUR.

COUNCILMAN DUCEY.

IPU, I WAS GOING TO PULL IT BEFORE I GOT OTHER QUESTIONS.

I'M GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION.

WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, I UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S COMING FROM THE TRANSIT FUND, THAT'S FEDERAL MONEY.

YOU GET IT.

ANYWAY, SO I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN OUTTA FEDERAL MONEY.

IT'S THE $60,180 THAT GOT MY ATTENTION, BECAUSE NOW WE TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

SO WE WANT TO ADD ALL THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO GET THE SAME SERVICE THAT YOU'RE GETTING AND YOU'RE GETTING IT FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS.

I FEEL THE SAME WAY.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOBS, UH, DOING REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.

MAYBE WE NEED TO SEND, MAN, MAYBE WE SEND DIRECTORS SOMEWHERE SO THEY COULD BE TAUGHT TO WRITE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL IF THEY HAVING PROBLEMS DOING IT.

A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS THAT WE DO MIGHT CALL FOR A LOT OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND, AND DESIGNING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE ENGINEERS HERE ON OUR, UH, STAFF.

UH, SO I'M NOT TOO MUCH FOR THIS IN THE UMBRELLA FOR WHICH IS PRESENTED TO US $60,000, BUT IT'S JUST FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, AND WE'RE GOING TO AT THE DISPOSAL OF SOMEBODY AS THE, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

UH, WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT IT.

I THINK, DIDN'T WE PUT A GRANT WRITER IN THE BUDGET TO YES.

YES, WE DID.

DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, SUCH AS ABANDONMENTS.

SO GRANT WRITING, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE GRANT WRITING.

AND, AND IT'S BECAUSE WE, WE HIRED SOMEBODY NOW TO DO GRANT WRITING AND THOSE ALSO COULD HELP YOU TOO, WITH SOME OF YOUR GRANTS THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING ABOUT.

SO I, I DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT I WENT A LITTLE FARTHER BECAUSE THE $60,180 WAS NOT COMING FROM THE FEDERAL, BUT WAS COMING FROM US.

I DECIDED TO SEE WHERE IT CAME FROM.

SO IT COMING FROM COMMUNITY SERVICE.

SO WHEN I LOOKED AT COMMUNITY SERVICE, I LOOKED AT, WE ACTUALLY ALLOCATED $282,500 FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ONLY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

SO I GO BACK AND I SAY, WOW, 2022, IT WAS 70,000 2020 1, 22, ESTIMATED 51,002,000, 2021, THE ACTUAL, NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH ACTUAL 37,000 2019, 2020.

THE ACTUAL IS 43,500.

SO WE WENT FROM ROUND THE 40, 50,000 RANGE THAT WE ARE ALLOCATING, AND WE PUT 282,000.

SO MY QUESTION, WHY DID WE PUT THAT MUCH MONEY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE? AND WE NOT KNOW WHY, BECAUSE NOW WHEN YOU COME AND TELL ME IT'S, IT'S IN THIS BUDGET.

I MEAN, IT'S IN THIS LINE ITEM.

OKAY, THEN, SO HOW DID WE GET TO 282? POLICE ANSWER.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UM, THE LINE ITEM THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PLANNING, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUDGET.

UM, PART OF THAT ALLOCATION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS 137,000, IS FOR US TO BEGIN THE PROJECT OF REDOING THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS FOR THE CITY.

THAT PROJECT IS FOLLOWING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE THE ZONING UPDATE.

NOW WE MUST DO THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS.

SO THE 280,000 THAT'S IN THAT LINE ITEM IS NOT FOR ONE PROJECT, IT'S FOR SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS, IT'S FOR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIMILAR TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHERE WE HAVE TO, UH, RELY ON SERVICES TO DO SURVEYS FOR THE CITY.

WE DO APPRAISALS, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE VARIOUS

[02:20:01]

AND THEN THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL 100,000 ALLOCATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TO ASSIST WITH, UM, GRANT WRITING, UM, GRANT WRITING, UM, PROJECTS, UM, FOR SPECIAL GRANTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ALL THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

I, I'M TELLING YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO NAME 'EM ALL, PAM.

I KNOW HOW IT IS, BUT I'M MAKING A POINT.

MY POINT THAT I'M MAKING IS, IF WE APPROVE A BUDGET AND WE AVERAGING 40, $50,000 AND WE GONNA PUT 282,000 IN IT, IF, IF I KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

IT SAYS IN THE PREPARATION OF A BUDGET, IT SAYS, ANY LARGE INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR MUST BE EXPLAINED.

MM-HMM, .

SO YOU SEE THAT BIG INCREASE IF, IF WE HAD COVERED IT THEN, RIGHT? MM-HMM, , I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION.

SO MAYBE THIS WILL HELP IN OUR NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GO DOWN THIS LIST AND IF SOMETHING IS OUTTA WHACK THAT US KNOW, AND THEN I WON'T BE ASKING THE QUESTIONS.

UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? FRANK.

FRANK, I'M SORRY.

YOUR LIGHT WAS, OH, LET, LET, LET HIM GO.

LET HIM GO.

I THOUGHT HE WAS ASLEEP.

LET YOU GO.

I THOUGHT HE WAS ASLEEP.

BUT HE, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU ALL FOR ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

BUT I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, BECAUSE AFTER WE GOT BACK FROM NLC, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED, EVEN COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT AND MYSELF, WAS THIS, UM, NLC UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE HUB, UH, THAT THE $4 BILLION OF MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE.

UH, BUT WHAT IT ENTAILS IS GETTING TEAMS OF INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER TO GO AFTER THIS MONEY.

AND THIS, THE, THIS, UM, THIS WILL HELP THE CITY MANAGER AND THE TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS GO AFTER THIS POCKET OF MONEY, THIS BUCKET OF MONEY, THIS $4 BILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE.

TEAMS, UH, CITIES, UH, STAFF ARE ALREADY STRETCHED.

THEY'RE STRETCHED.

THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SO MANY THINGS, BUT THIS WILL ALLOW, UH, AND ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT STRESS ON THEM TO GO AFTER SOME OF THESE POCKETS OF MONEY AS WELL.

WE, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ON TONIGHT, UH, THE $500 MILLION OR SO OF MONIES THAT, THAT ARE NEEDED, UH, TO, TO FIX OUR STREETS AND TO FIX OUR DRAINAGE, AND TO DO ALL THAT'S NEEDED AND NECESSARY.

BUT THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WILL HELP OUR STAFF, UH, TO GO FORWARD AND DO THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO GET OUR CITY, UH, TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.

AND CAN, AND CAN I, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? CAN I ADD OH, OH, I'M SORRY.

I WAS GONNA ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.

SO, ONE MEASURABLE I CAN SAY IS LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE DID USE TRANSIT ONLY USE THE SOCAL GROUP.

UM, WE HAD SOME TCEQ WORK, UM, WORK THAT MY STAFF IN TRANSIT HAD.

WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TCEQ, UM, OUR AREA EXPERTISE.

SO WE HIRED THEM.

THEY ACTUALLY FOUND THIS MONEY TO PAY FOR A LOT OF THE WORK.

TCEQ WAS REQUIRING US TO DO SAVE THE CITY, PROBABLY ABOUT $30,000 THAT OTHERWISE I WOULD'VE HAD TO MAYBE DIP INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR.

SO, UM, WE'RE NOT JUST, I GUESS, PASSING 'EM OVER MONEY.

THEY ARE DOING WORK WHEN WE ASSIGN IT TO THEM DOING THEIR BEST TO GET US THE FUNDS THAT WE NEED.

AND ALSO JUST HELPING US UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE, UM, IN ANY DEPARTMENTS.

COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE YOU NEED TO, YOU OUTSOURCE IT, GET SOME, YOU KNOW, GET, GET YOU SOME HELP.

OKAY? MM-HMM.

, UH, I'M CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED THAT I GO OVER AND TALK WITH YOU.

AND I DID GO OVER AND TALK WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UH, ABOUT ADDITIONAL WORK WEST, WEST OF, OF YOUR FACILITY.

AND, UH, YES.

MY, MY QUESTION IS, AFTER I VISITED WITH YOU ALL OUTTA THAT $700,000, YOU HAD SOMETHING LIKE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO SEND BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THEY, THEY, HE CAME UP WITH AN IDEA TO DO ADDITIONAL WORK.

AND SO I MET WITH HIM AND HE WAS LOOKING AT FUNDING MAY NEEDS, MAY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL HELP FROM THE CITY.

BUT WHAT I NOTICED, UH, FORT WORTH ABU IT, IT, IT ABUT THE, UH, THE PORT.

SO WHEN I FINISHED VISITING WITH THEM, I WALKED OVER TO THE PORT AND MET WITH THE THREE ADMINISTRATORS OVER THERE.

THEY GOT FUNDING THAT CAN HELP OUT.

SO, AND I, AND LIKE I TOLD 'EM, IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET.

YOU ALL REACH OUT TO THE, TO THE TRANSIT

[02:25:01]

DEPARTMENT.

AND I WALKED BACK OVER THERE.

I TOLD THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO THEM.

SO, SO THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO SIDEWALKS AND STREETS AND IT'S GOING TO BE FIXED ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON AVENUE WITH THE HELP OF THE PORT.

Y'ALL.

THEY WORKING TOGETHER.

ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, UNREADINESS HONOR, CAN WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

WE'LL HAVE PR NUMBER 23 4 90.

ANY OPPOSES? I SO AUDIT.

[VII.C.(6) P.R. No. 23490 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager's Decision For Change Order No. 2 To The Contract For AAA Asphalt Paving, LLC. Of Pinehurst, Texas For Port Arthur Transit's Dallas And Fort Worth Avenues Road Reconstruction Project In The Amount Of $41,119.14 For A New Contract Amount Of $605,671.64; Funds Available In Account 401-70-530-8525-00-60-000, Project DR1P06]

NEXT ONE IS FINE.

SO THAT'S YOURS? YEAH.

I'M, OH, I'M SORRY.

IT'S A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION FOR CHANGE.

AUDIT NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT FOR AAA ASPHALT PAVING, LLC OF PINEHURST, TEXAS FOR PORT ARTHUR TRANSIT.

NOW I SEE DALLAS AND FORTH WORTH AVENUES, UH, ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,119 AND 14 CENTS FOR A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $605,671 AND 64 CENTS.

FUNDS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 1 DASH SEVEN ZERO DASH FIVE 30 DASH 82 25 DASH 0 6 0 0.

THIS IS PROJECT DR ONE P ZERO SIX.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO, MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DEUCE.

IT IS MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 4 90.

COUNCILMAN BECKER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS AGAIN IS JUST, UH, UH, AN ATTEMPT TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE A CHANGE ORDER AND WHY THERE'S, UH, AN INCREASE, UH, IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT.

SO IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN, UH, JUST IN GENERAL TERMS WHY IT IS THAT WE HAD TO, UH, INCREASE THIS.

SO A, A LOT OF THIS COMES FROM, UH, DALLAS AVENUE.

WHEN WE OPENED UP DALLAS AVENUE, UM, WHAT WAS UNDERGROUND, WE KNEW THERE WAS STUFF ON THE GROUND, BUT ONCE WE SAW WHAT WAS THERE, IT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED.

UM, IT WAS OLD PIPES, ALL TYPES OF STUFF.

SO THAT'S LED TO A LOT OF THESE COST INCREASES IN QUANTITIES, UM, THAT OUR ENGINEERS HAVE APPROVED.

UM, THEY'VE LOOKED IT OVER, THEY MADE SURE WE'VE WE'RE PAYING FOR WHAT WE GOT.

UM, SO A LOT OF IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH THINGS WE WEREN'T ANTICIPATING, UM, HAPPENED.

SO WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO PAY FOR IT.

WE HAD TO FIX IT WHILE WE HAD CONTRACTORS OUT THERE.

WE COULDN'T JUST LEAVE IT LIKE IT WAS.

OKAY, WE'RE GOOD.

ON ANY MORE READINESS, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER NINE, UH, ON PAGE SIX PRR NUMBER 23 4 9 4 RESOLUTION APPROVING A TRAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SECTION FOR A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

ANY OPPOSES? AYE.

DRAFT.

SO THIS ORDER, WE APPROVE PR NUMBER 2, 3, 4, 9 0.

[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 23494 – A Resolution Approving A Training Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation And Lamar State College Port Arthur For Tuition Reimbursement For Five (5) Port Arthur Resident High School Graduates Attending A 2-Year Associate Degree Program Not To Exceed $67,500.00; Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80- 625-5475-00-00-000]

AND LAMAR STATE COLLEGE OF PORT ARTHUR FOR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR FIVE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ATTENDING A TWO YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM NOT TO EXCEED $67,500 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN EDC.

ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH 8 0 6 2 5 DASH 54 75 DASH 0 0 0 0.

I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

COUNCILMAN ETT.

SO VOTE I GET A SECOND.

MAY APPROACH HIM SECOND.

SIX YEARS, THE MAJORITY OF THEM, AND THERE'S BEEN ABOUT 35 GRADUATES IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 9 4 AS READ.

WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONS.

COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKER, THANK YOU.

I PULLED THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE MR. STOKES IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, AND I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR HIM.

UH, BUT I BELIEVE THAT CITY MANAGER MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS.

UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.

UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I AM A PROFESSOR AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR.

AND FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN THE, UH, PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE PARALEGAL PROGRAM.

UH, AND A COUPLE OF MY CONCERNS WITH THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE FIELD, UH, THAT THIS, UH, SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE FOR.

AND PART OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT CAME ALONG WITH THIS SAYS THAT, UH, THAT THEY WILL GET AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN A FIELD THAT IS IN GREAT DEMAND, BUT IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT INDUSTRY.

UM, AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARALEGAL PROGRAM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT BASED OFF OF THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, UH, STATS THAT PARALEGALS ARE IN GREAT DEMAND IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

UM, OF THE GRADUATES FROM THE PROGRAM THAT I'VE HAD IN THE LAST

[02:30:01]

THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BEFORE THEY WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE AND GRADUATED.

UH, TWO OF THEM DECIDED TO GO OUT OF TOWN.

UH, AND SO 33 OF THOSE GRADUATES ARE STILL EMPLOYED RIGHT HERE.

UH, I GET CALLS DAILY FROM ATTORNEYS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR PARALEGALS.

SO THAT, UH, IS A, UH, THAT'S A, A PROFESSION THAT IS IN HIGH DEMAND HERE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS WELL AS NURSING.

UH, THERE'S A HUGE NURSING PROGRAM AT LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR.

THEY HAVE JUST BROKE GROUND ON A BRAND NEW ALLIED HEALTH ALLIED HEALTH FACILITY.

UH, SO THAT'S ANOTHER FIELD THAT'S IN GREAT DEMAND.

SO MY, MY FIRST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GONNA BE LIMITED TO STUDENTS THAT ARE ONLY GOING INTO INDUSTRY GETTING A PROCESS OPERATOR CERTIFICATE OR A A TWO YEAR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN PROCESS OPERATION.

UM, AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH, UH, IT SAYS THAT THIS IS FOR FIVE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.

SO THE SEMANTICS IN THAT SENTENCE HAS ME A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.

ARE THESE FOR STUDENTS THAT ONLY GRADUATE FROM PORT ARTHUR SCHOOLS? OR ARE THEY FOR STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR AND MAYBE ATTEND PORT NAS OR THEY ATTEND ERLAND? SO I, I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER IF YOU CAN DO THAT OR IF WE NEED TO TABLE THIS UNTIL MR. STOKES IS HERE.

UM, ONLY MR. STOKES CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION APART FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY.

YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING.

THE ONLY THING I WOULD KNOW IS THAT YEAH, IT, YOU, IT SHOULDN'T BE, IT SHOULD BE JUST PORT ARTHUR RESIDENCE.

IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY WENT TO.

AS LONG AS THEY LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR.

THAT'S, THAT WAS MY, WELL, IT SAYS PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

SO THE SEMANTICS OF THAT SENTENCE, AND YOU KNOW, ME BEING A LAWYER, I'M GONNA PICK IT APART THAT THAT DOESN'T CLARIFY WHETHER OR NOT IT, IT REQUIRES THEM TO BE ALSO A STUDENT THAT GRADUATES FROM A PORT ARTHUR ISD SCHOOL.

SO I, IN LIGHT OF THAT, I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS UNTIL MR. STOKES IS HERE.

WE HAVE PR AND NUMBER 23 4 9 5 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD TABLE THIS ITEM NUMBER 23 4 9 4 OR ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF TABLING.

[VII.C.(10) P.R. No. 23495 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation To Utilize PreEmployment Workforce Training Funds To Implement A 2024 Youth Employment Program In An Amount Not To Exceed $83,200.00; Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80-625-5475-00-00-000 ]

SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TO UTILIZE PRE-EMPLOYMENT WORKFORCE TRAINING FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT A 2024 YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $83,200 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN EDC ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 0 8 6 2 5 5 4 7 5 0 0 0 0.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND.

IT'S MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 4 9 5 AS READ, WE READ FOR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN BECKER.

SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS WITH, UH, WITH THIS ITEM AS WELL.

UH, THIS READS THAT IT WILL HELP UP TO 13 GRADUATING PORT ARTHUR STUDENTS THAT ARE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION.

AND SINCE, UM, MR. STOKES IS NOT HERE, I MOVE TO TABLE THIS SECOND.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD TABLE PR NUMBER 23 4 9 5.

AS, AS HAS BEEN READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTION ON THAT THERE? UN INTEGRATED FOLK.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

OH, I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T SEE YOUR LIGHT.

EXCUSE ME.

IT'S BECAUSE I I JUST TURNED IT ON.

IT'S OKAY.

IS THE CONCERN THAT THE STUDENTS, SO IF THEY DO ATTEND A SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF THE PORT ARTHUR DISTRICT, BUT ARE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS, DO WE NOT WANT TO, TO HAVE THE, THE PROGRAM OR WHAT'S THE CONCERN? I'M, I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO ASK.

I DON'T KNOW IF SHE, I DON'T KNOW.

CAN I ANSWER? OH, I JUST WANTED TO THROW SOMETHING.

ALL OF OUR EDC ITEMS, YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS, PERIOD.

WE DON'T GO FURTHER THAN IF YOU LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR.

TO ME, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY GO TO.

I THINK THE WORDING COULD BE CLEARED UP THOUGH.

'CAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO, ALL THESE PROJECTS, IF IT'S A CONTRACT FOR ANYTHING FOR PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS, PERIOD.

YEAH, I WAS JUST CONCERNED IT WASN CLEAR.

WE CAN MAKE, I THINK WE SHOULD RECOMMEND CLEAN IT UP.

OH, COUNCILMAN DOUCE.

WHAT YOU SAY? YEAH, I'LL FINN AND SAY WE GOING TO JUST TALK ABOUT THIS, THE QUESTIONS SHE PUT 'EM ON THERE TO DIRECT THEM TO THE EDC DIRECTOR OR SOMEONE FROM THE EDC TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.

AND THEY, THEY LET LET THEM GIVE A PROPER ANSWER INSTEAD OF US GUESSING OR

[02:35:01]

PR NUMBER 23 500 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, SECTION FOUR EIGHT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S, ACCEPTANCE OF A QUOTE, UH, A QUOTE AND ENTERING INTO A SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH PANAMA EQUIPMENT OF CLEVELAND, TEXAS FOR THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF TWO GENERATOR OR, OR SERVICING THE EDC BUILDING LOCATED AT 5 0 1 PROCTOR STREET AND 5 49 FOURTH STREET IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $11,876 AND 94 CENTS.

SO WE STILL HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR RIGHT AT THE TABLE.

HAVE IT AT THE TABLE.

NEXT WE HAVE

[VII.C.(11) P.R. No. 23500 – A Resolution Approving The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation’s Acceptance Of A Quote And Entering Into A Service Agreement With Panama Equipment Of Cleveland, Texas For The Preventative Maintenance Of Two (2) Generators Servicing The EDC Building Located At 501 Procter Street And 549 4th Street; In An Annual Amount Not To Exceed $11,876.94. Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80- 625-5318-00-00-000]

FUNDS AVAILABLE IN OUR EDC ACCOUNT.

NUMBER ONE 20 DASH 86 2 5 DASH 53 18 DASH 0 0 0 0 0.

I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION UPON APPROVAL.

MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, P NUMBER 23 500 AS PRESENTED IN READ.

WE READY FOR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN BECKER? I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO TABLE THIS AS WELL UNTIL THE EDC DIRECTOR.

OKAY, LEMME GET A SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECONDARY.

WE WILL TABLE PR NUMBER 23 500.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? YOUR, YOUR LIGHT IS ON COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? OKAY.

WE HAVE, UH, NUMBER 16, ITEMS NUMBER 16 ON PAGE SEVEN, IT IS, UH, A RESOLUTION 23 5 0 7 A RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 DASH 66 IN ITS ENTIRETY AS IT PERTAINS TO AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT AND IDA WITH LG CHEM LTD.

ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO RESORTED.

WE WILL TABLE PR NUMBER 23 500 UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.

[VII.C.(16) P.R. No. 23507 – A Resolution Rescinding Resolution No. 23-066, In Its Entirety, As It Pertains To An Industrial District Agreement (IDA) With LG Chem, LTD]

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL COUNCIL, FRANK, SO MOVE I GET A SECOND.

COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND IT REMOVED.

SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PRO NUMBER 23 5 0 7.

UH, ANY, DID ANYONE TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH, UH, ARE THEY MOVING THE PROJECT OR THEY, AND AGAIN, IT HAD A SLIGHT REFERENCE TO IT.

IT IS POSTPONED OKAY.

TO SEE IF CITY ATTORNEY CAN ANSWER THAT.

YEAH, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

UM, THERE WAS, IT WAS CONTINGENT UPON A LAND ACQUISITION AND THEY DECIDED, UM, JUST TO POSTPONE IT.

SO THEY, THEY WANNA HOLD OFF AGREEMENT 'CAUSE THEY'LL BE GOING TO ANOTHER LOCATION.

SO IT'S TIED TO THIS LOCATION.

THEY'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

PR NUMBER ON PAGE EIGHT, PR NUMBER 2 3 5 13.

ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.

SO ORDER, WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 0 7.

NEXT WE HAVE

[VII.C.(20) P.R. No. 23513 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With J-Quad Planning Group Of Plano, Texas, For Consultant Services To Develop Two Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) Plans For The Not To Exceed Amount Of $49,900.00. Funding Is Available In The Following Accounts: 001- 13-031-5420-00-10-000 ($26,900.00); 108-13-033-5420-00-40-000 Project #HE1903-GRE-PRO ($11,500.00), 105-13-033-5420-00-40- 000 Project # CD23144-GRE-PRO ($8,500.00); And 001-13-033- 5420-00-40-000 ($3,000.00)]

IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH J QUAD OR J CARD PLANNING GROUP OF PLAN OF PLANO, TEXAS FOR CONSULTING SERVICES TO DEVELOP TWO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZE REVITALIZATION STRATEGY AREA PLANS IN OUR ESSAY FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $49,900.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS, 0 0 1 DASH 13 DASH 31 DASH 52 20 0 0 0 0 FROM THAT ACCOUNT, $26,900.

THE NEXT ACCOUNT WOULD BE YOUR ACCOUNT.

1 0 8 DASH 13 DASH THREE DASH 0 33 DASH, UH, 54 20 DASH ZERO DASH 4 0 0.

IT HAS A PROJECT NUMBER OF HE 1 9 3 DASH G-R-E-P-R-O AND THE AMOUNT FROM THAT ACCOUNT WOULD BE $11,500.

THE NEXT ACCOUNT WOULD BE ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 0 5 DASH THREE DASH 0 3 3 DASH 5 4 2 0 0 DASH 4 0 0 0.

PROJECT NUMBER CD 23 1 44 DASH GRE DASH PRO.

THE AMOUNT FROM THAT ACCOUNT, $8,500.

AND

[02:40:01]

ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH ONE THREE DASH 0 0 3 DASH 5 4 2 0 0 4 0 DASH 0 0 0.

AND THE AMOUNT FROM THAT ACCOUNT WOULD BE $3,000.

COUNCILMAN LEWIS, MAY I GET ACCOUNT A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND CITY? UH, SORRY.

MAYOR PROTI, IT'S BEEN MOVED THAT SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 1 3 AS RED RIVER READY FOR QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES.

UH, I TRIED TO OPEN THIS TO GET THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

I, IT, IT WOULDN'T LOAD IT.

YOU KNOW, ALL I, ALL I GOT WAS THE INITIAL THING.

DID ANYBODY ELSE WAS ABLE TO OPEN IT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT ON THE INTERNET.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT GETTING A FOLDER.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING TOO.

OKAY, RON, TELL ME WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? OKAY, THIS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO A, UM, ACCESS FUNDING FROM HUD THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM, UM, THE ALLOCATION THAT WE NORMALLY RECEIVE OF A MILLION PLUS DOLLARS A YEAR.

UM, HUD HAS THIS NEW PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN FOCUS ON SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY REQUIRE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PLAN THAT WOULD IDENTIFY ALL THE DEFICIENCIES, WHETHER IT BE INFRASTRUCTURE OR ECONOMIC ACTIV OR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES OR HOUSING SO THAT WE CAN ACCESS THAT MONEY.

AND THOSE MONEY COMES IN BUNDLES OF 20 AND $40 MILLION.

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE SAT DOWN WITH JWA WHO PREPARES OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR OUR CDBG ANNUAL ALLOCATION.

AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE STRATEGIC AREAS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THAT WE, IN ORDER FOR US TO GO, UM, UM, TO ACCESS THE FUNDING.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE ARE GOING TO ENGAGE WARD IN ORDER TO PREPARE, DO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, PREPARE THE PLAN THAT'S NECESSARY, AND FOR US TO GO AFTER THE LARGE POT OF MONEY THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THAT'S MONEY THAT'S WELL SPENT.

UM, ANY OTHER READINESS? AND ALL OF THE, THE, THE FUNDING HERE AGAIN COMES FROM HUD.

THE FUNDING THAT WE ARE USING IS HARD FUNDING TO DO THAT.

SO WE, WE ARE USING HUT MONEY TO GO AFTER HUT BUNNY .

PR ITEM 21, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 2, 3 5 1 5 IS A RESOLUTION RENEWING COASTAL LEASE NUMBER CL 9 5 0 0 0 3 BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE, EXTENDING THE EXPIRATION DATE TO JUNE 19TH, 2030.

ANY OTHERS? OKAY, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR A.

AYE, ANY OPPOSES AS HAVE WE APPROVE PR NUMBER 25 5 13 AS PRESENTED.

NEXT WE HAVE

[VII.C.(21) P.R. No. 23515 – A Resolution Renewing Coastal Lease Number CL950003 Between The City Of Port Arthur And The Texas General Land Office, Extending The Expiration Date To June 19, 2030]

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.

MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? SECOND IT'S REMOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PRE NUMBER 23 5 15 AS READ.

WE ARE READY, UH, FOR QUESTION OF COUNCILMAN BECKER.

UH, THIS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED BY OUR, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, WHEN I READ THIS, MY LAWYER BRAIN KIND OF TURNED INSIDE OUT BECAUSE IF THE EXPIRATION DATE IS 2030 AND IT'S FOR A 10 YEAR TERM, THAT MEANS THAT IT EXPIRED IN 2020.

AND I KNOW THAT WAS DURING COVID, SO I JUST NEED SO THAT IT WILL SATISFY MY LAWYER BRAIN.

WW EXPLAIN WHY THERE'S THIS DISCREPANCY IN THE DATES LIKE THAT.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LETTER WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ATTACHED, BUT I'LL FORWARD IT TO YOU ALL.

UM, UH, WHEN WE WORKED ON THIS, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND MRS. UH, VITOL WORKED ON THAT AND THEY WROTE HER A LETTER SAYING THE RENEWAL OF THE COASTAL PUBLIC LANDS EASEMENT.

AND THEY PUT THE NUMBER WAS DELAYED DUE TO COD.

THE TERM FOR THE AGREEMENT WAS FROM SUPPOSED TO BE THE PREVIOUS WAS FROM 2010 TO 2020 AND IT'S FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS EFFECTIVE JUNE, 2020.

AND WE USUALLY NEVER DO BACK DATED, BUT IT WAS DUE TO COVID.

SO, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FORMAL LETTER FROM THEM AND WE'LL, WE'LL FORWARD THAT TO YOU THIS EVENING.

SO THERE'S NOT ANY KIND OF PENALTIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR NOT ENTERING INTO THE AGREEMENT AT THE TIME THAT IT EXPIRED? NO, BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF MORE ON THEIR, THEIR PART TOO, YOU KNOW, SO THEY JUST WANTED US TO GET IT AGREED UPON.

NINE, WE HAVE THE FIRST ITEM, UH, UH, PR NUMBER 23 4 69, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND EMPLOYMENT AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE PORT ARTHUR FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.

BUT THEY'RE FINE WITH IT AND WE FORWARD WITH IT.

[02:45:01]

I KNOW I'M READINESS.

WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES AYES ADV ORDER WE APPROVE PR NUMBER 2, 3 5 1 5 AS READ.

AND NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ON PAGE

[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23469 – A Resolution Approving The First Amended And Restated Agreement For Professional Services And Employment As Chief Executive Officer Of The Port Arthur 4A Economic Development Corporation]

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM SECOND? IT'S MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23.

4 69 IS RED.

READY FOR QUESTION? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FOR COUNCILMAN BECKERMAN VERSION INDUCING? I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME OTHER NEGOTIATIONS AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS BEFORE WE'RE READY TO VOTE ON IT.

OKAY? THEN GIVE A SECOND.

SECOND IT BEEN MOVED SECONDARY WILL TABLE.

UH, ITEM NUMBER 23 4 69.

UH, WITH A QUESTION ON IT.

ANY QUESTIONS WHETHER THE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY PROPOSALS? AYES HAVE IT.

SO THAT A IS TABLE.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

UH, WELL NUMBER TWO HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED.

NUMBER 3 23 5 0 6, RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED A DIRECTOR OR DIRECTORS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SECTION FOR A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.

AND SO ITEM NUMBER THREE, I'M SORRY, I HAD, I HAD THAT CHECKED OFF FOR ANOTHER REASON, BUT THAT MEANT I HAD SO MUCH GONNA SPEAK.

RESOLUTION

[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 23506 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Director Or Directors To The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation (Requested By Councilmembers Beckcom And Lewis) ]

THIS DISMISS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MEMBERS BECKHAM AND LEWIS.

MAY I GET A MR. MAYOR? YES, SIR.

I VOTE THAT WE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS BASED UPON THE TRAINING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.

UH, AS COUNCILMAN UH, THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE HERE, WE HAD SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT CAME FORTH THAT SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE, UH, TOWARD, UH, TAKING OUT THAT LANGUAGE OF APPOINTMENTS AND MOVING TOWARD NOMINATIONS.

AND SO I THINK BASED UPON THAT TRANS, BASED UPON THAT TRAINING AND BASED UPON WHAT WE RECEIVED, I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, UH, FOR US TO DO THAT.

WE GET A SECOND ON THIS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE A SECONDARY MOTION QUESTION.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

YOU SAID IT'S A SECOND.

OKAY, SECOND.

WAIT A MINUTE.

LEMME GET TO THE QUESTION.

I HAVE A SECOND ON IT.

NOPE, I DIDN'T SECOND IT.

I SAID I HAVE A SECONDARY MOTION.

WELL JUST A MINUTE.

DO WE HAVE, I SEE IF I GET A MINUTE SECOND ON THE FIRST MOTION.

HOLD UP.

LEMME SEE IF I GET A SECOND.

I'M GO RIGHT AHEAD.

SECRETARY, HAVE A QUESTION.

DID WE GET IT ON THE FLOOR FIRST? WAS HE MOVE THE SECOND? TRYING TO DO JUST THE ACTUAL ITEM? NO, WE DID NOT GET THE ITEM ON THE FLOOR YET.

SO FIRST WE GOTTA GET THE ITEM ON THE FLOOR, THEN WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION.

UH, SO I GET A MOTION.

UH, COUNCILMAN DUCEY.

MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN BECKER? MAY I GET A SECOND MAYOR PRO TEMP TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR? ONLY? ONLY TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.

I UNDERSTAND.

OKAY, IT'S ON.

OKAY, NOW THE MAIN MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR.

NOW, NOW I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

I HAVE A SECONDARY MOTION.

OH, WAIT A MINUTE.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE.

I GOT A MOTION.

I'M, I'M GONNA SEE IF IT'S GONNA DIE FOR LACK OF A SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION.

POINT OF BOARD A MINUTE, MAYOR.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF ORDER? OKAY, WE, NO ONE CAN HAVE A SECONDARY MOTION UNLESS EVERYBODY HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE MAIN MOTION.

WELL, SO THE MAIN MOTION IS POINT OF ORDER.

MAYOR, I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THE MOTION HAS BEEN PUT ON.

I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR DEBATE.

I CAN AUTOMATICALLY MAKE IT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

STATE THAT I CAN AUTOMATICALLY PULL OUT YOUR, PULL OUT YOUR PULL IT OUT.

OH, WAIT, NOW JUST A MINUTE.

WE DON'T ARGUE NO MORE.

YEAH, YEAH.

JUST ATTORNEY.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON THIS? LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

OKAY? YEAH, I'M GOING TO GO WITH MY ATTORNEY.

I GO, YOU CAN READ, I'M GONNA GO WITH MY ATTORNEY.

HERE WE GO.

A MOTION, SECONDARY MOTION.

YOU REALLY TALKING ABOUT A SUBSIDIARY MOTION IS A MOTION TO TABLE, BUT JUST GIMME JUST A SECOND.

I'M LOOKING FOR MY LITTLE, OKAY.

[02:50:03]

MOTIONS 56 6.

OF COURSE, I DON'T HAVE MY CHEAT SHEET, BUT, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK COUNCIL MEMBER, DO YOU WANT TO STATE WHERE IN THE RULE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A MAIN MOTION.

'CAUSE I'M ASKING, I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO PULL MY BOOK OUT.

OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE IT.

BUT WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

THE MAIN MOTION IS TO HEAR THE ITEM.

THEN THE SECONDARY MOTION OR THE SUBSIDIARY MOTION CAN BE MADE AFTERWARDS.

BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING SHOWING WHERE WE CAN'T DISCUSS THE MAIN MOTION, JUST LET ME KNOW.

I THOUGHT I DON'T, WITHOUT HAVING MY INFORMATION UP HERE, I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T DISCUSS THE MAIN MOTION.

BUT I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO DIRECT ME TO THAT PROVISION, WHAT IT SAYS, CITY ATTORNEY, IT SAYS, WHENEVER YOU MAKE A MOTION, IT SAYS THE MOTION MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE FORE SECOND.

AND BEFORE YOU CAN DISPOSE OF THE MOTION, YOU MUST ALLOW ANYONE WANTING TO DISCUSS THE MOTION, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE MOTION.

LET, LET, LET, LET HER FIND THAT.

SO YEAH, I'M, I'M, I HAVE MY INFORMATION.

NOW THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE FROM ROBERT'S RULES DOES STATE THAT ONCE A MOTION IS MADE AND IT'S SECOND, THEN THE BODY CAN DISCUSS, GO OVER THE ME THE, THE MAIN MOTION, AND THEN ANY SUBSIDIARY MOTION.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDINGS.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE READY TO DO THAT, THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE.

IF YOU ALL WANT ME TO LOOK IT UP ANY FURTHER, THAT'S FINE.

YOU ATTORNEY, CAN I, CAN I GO AHEAD.

COMPLETE MY .

I JUST WANTED TO COMPLETE MY SENTENCE.

YEAH, I'M MOVING FA YEAH, MOVING FAST.

YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE ARE HERE FOR THAT MAIN ITEM.

SO THEN IF YOU WANNA HAVE DISCUSSION, THEN ALL PARTIES ARE THEN ABLE TO MAKE OTHER MOTIONS AFTERWARDS.

NOW WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.

AND IT'S BEEN SECOND, UH, I THINK, UH, MAY APPROACH HIM.

SECONDED.

NOW WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION ON THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

COUNCILMAN BECKHAM, HE SAID YOU HAD SOMETHING ON THAT.

WELL, , I DON'T WANNA VIOLATE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, BUT I, I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS THAT WE TAKE THESE TWO NAMES AND WE SPLIT THEM INTO TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON THAT MY APPOINTEE WHOSE TERM HAS EXPIRED THAT NEEDS TO BE REAPPOINTED.

THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT.

SO, CAN I RESPOND TO, GO AHEAD.

I THINK THAT THAT'S, UM, CONSIDER IF YOU WANNA TAKE, WE HAVE TAKEN UP PEOPLE SEPARATELY.

LET'S DO THAT.

CAN WE DO THAT? CAN WE HAVE TAKEN UP PEOPLE IN SEP SEPARATELY DO THAT? SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, LIKE YOU CAN TAKE VOTE ON PERSON A, THEN TAKE A VOTE ON PERSON B.

NOW, JUST TO ANSWER WHERE I THINK WE'RE GOING, I MEAN, THE STATE LAW IS GONNA OVERRIDE EVEN IF WE DON'T MAKE THAT CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE LAW STILL TAKES PRECEDENT.

SO WE CAN, I'LL GET TO THAT QUESTION LATER, BUT YES, WE CAN BREAK IT UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT VOTES.

SEE THE SECRETARY, WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.

SEE THE SECRETARY, YOU HAVE THE NAME OF THE, THE, UH, PERSON THAT COUNCILMAN BECKER, MAY COUNCILMAN BECKHAM IS REPORTING JERRY LEBO.

OKAY, NOW ON THIS, WE, WE HAVE, UH, UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? YOUR LIGHT IS ON.

OKAY, GO AHEAD.

I HAVE, I DO HAVE A, I'M, I'M, I'M STILL ON THE QUESTIONS, SIR.

I WAS JUST GETTING THE NAME.

PLACED IN WITH THE MOTION.

WHERE ARE WE IN UPDATING THIS RESOLUTION? ACCORDING TO THE TRAINING THAT WE HAD WITH HAVING NOMINEES VERSUS APPOINTEES, WHICH I DO SEE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, NOT UP FOR DEBATE, IT DOES STATE IN HERE APPOINTED BY THE BODY.

SO THAT PART IS CLEAR.

BUT WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A NOMINEE? I'M SORRY? HAVING A NOMINEE VERSUS AN APPOINTEE.

SO WE NEVER HAD ANYTHING THAT ADDRESSED THAT, THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN THE EDCS BYLAWS.

SO THE EDC HAS ALREADY SUBMITTED SOME UPDATES TO THE BYLAWS HAS NOT.

WE, WAIT, LET ME JUST FINISH.

SO WE HAVE TO GO BY STATE LAW AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A DIRECTIVE OR ANSWER FROM THE, FROM THE COUNTY OR FROM THE DISTRICT

[02:55:01]

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

SO IF YOU GO BY STATE LAW, THIS RESOLUTION AS PRINTED SHOULD GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.

NOW THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE IN THE EDC BYLAWS, BUT AS THEY'VE DISCUSSED, THE EDC BYLAWS APPLY TO THE EDC.

SO THE COUNCIL CAN, CAN GO AHEAD AND GO ALONG WITH WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DIRECTED, YOU KNOW, IN STATE LAW AND HOW YOU'VE BEEN.

IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, MEANING, UH, THE COUNCIL HAS TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY ACCORDING TO THE STATUTE.

SO IT, RIGHT NOW, I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING PENDING WHERE YOU WANT TO CORRECT ME.

CITY SECRETARY.

WHERE NOW YOU WANNA TAKE THE VOTE SEPARATELY SO YOU COULD DO TWO MOTIONS.

UH, FLOYD BATIS.

WE CAN'T ACCEPT ANOTHER NAME.

WE, WE, WE ARE DEALING WITH THE NAME ON, ON THIS MAIN MOTION.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH THE NAME.

WITH THAT NAME.

YOU HAVE TWO NAMES, BUT WE WANT TO THEN TAKE ONE NAME AT A TIME TO VOTE.

SO YOU NEED A MOTION TO, OKAY, SO WE HAVE THAT WHOLE NEW MOTION.

THE FIRST PERSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO A ROLL CALL? VOTE MAYOR ON EACH NAME.

UM, ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? OKAY, LET'S GO WITH THE ROLL CALL PLEASE.

BEGINNING WITH A, WE NEED A MOTION FIRST, MADAM SECRETARY, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE NAME OF JERRY LAB AS A, AS A PERSON TO BE PLACED ON YOU.

SAY, NOW PUT THE THING ON SECOND.

ANY QUESTION? ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S VOTE.

SECRETARY, GO AHEAD PLEASE.

COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER ETT? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES.

MAYOR BARTY? YES.

MEASURE PASSES FOR REAPPOINTMENT OF JERRY LEBO.

OKAY, NOW DO WE NEED ANOTHER MOTION FOR THE OTHER NAME, MA'AM? I CORRECT? YES, SIR.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.

WELL, FRANK, LIKE YOUR LIGHT WAS STILL ON.

YOU WANT TO SAY THAT? OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES.

UH, FLOYD TIF.

THERE'S A MOTION.

YOU NEED A SECOND, RIGHT? ARE WE GETTING A MOTION? WE NEED A SECOND? YES, SIR.

OKAY, SECOND.

OKAY, LET'S GET A SECOND.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I GOT A QUESTION.

GO RIGHT HERE.

OKAY, BEFORE WE TAKE THIS VOTE, WE DON'T NEED A LONG DEBATE.

WE'VE HAD OUR LETTER FROM THE DA AND EVERYBODY AND ALL IT SAID BASICALLY WAS WE SHOULD ESTABLISH NOW THE, UH, NOMINATION SO THAT THERE'LL BE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT IT NEEDED TO BE VOTED ON.

THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE PROCESS WE'VE BEEN USED, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO CHANGE THIS FOR CLARIFICATION, BUT WE DON'T GO BACK AND BACK DATE NOTHING.

OR SAY, BECAUSE WE HAD IT TRAINING, IT DOESN'T START.

THEN WE HAVE TO DO THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK.

SO ALL I'M GONNA SAY IS ABOUT THIS.

Y'ALL KNOW THIS HAS BEEN DRAGGING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

CITIZENS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, CITIZENS ASKED ABOUT, SO 'EM SAY THE SAME THING.

I NORMALLY SAY IN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WHEN THIS NAME WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP, THE COUNCIL VOTED NOT TO.

AND THE COUNCIL STATED THEIR REASONS.

THEIR REASONS WAS BECAUSE OF LITIGATIONS AND ALSO, UH, A PERSON PLACED THE GRIEVANCE BEING EMPLOYED TO THE PLACE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR MEETING AND STUFF.

SO I CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT.

I UNDERSTOOD THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THOUGHT PROCESS AND I MAY NOT HAVE.

BUT I RESPECT THAT BECAUSE THEY HAD A REASON.

I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS AND EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING TO THIS TO UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT NOW, THERE IS NO LITIGATION.

THE PERSON WHO PLACED THE COMMENT IS NO LONGER WORKING IN THIS CITY ORDER.

CAN I SAY SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.

AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH LITIGATION.

ATTORNEY.

UH, JUST WANNA CAUTION YOU ALL THAT WE ARE IN A LITIGATION, WE ARE IN A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.

SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY ABOUT THE PRIOR LITIGATION, OKAY? BECAUSE THERE'S A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE DON'T WANNA BREACH.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE NOT TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT LOSS.

WELL, THAT'S IF, IF THAT'S NOT MISDEMEANOR AT ALL, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T, I'M WELL AWARE OF IT.

THAT'S WHY I HAVE NOT STATED ANYTHING.

I'M JUST STATING FACTS.

OKAY? OKAY.

AND THAT IS THE FACT, THE PERSON THAT WE, THAT THE COUNCIL HAD CONCERNS ABOUT IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED.

THAT'S JUST A FACT.

[03:00:01]

SO NOW IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO A COUNCIL MEMBER MAKING A NOMINATION AND WE VOTING AND SUPPORT OF THEM.

OR WE DON'T, BUT, OKAY, COME ON.

NO, MAYOR, DON'T IT? NO, BUT DON'T DO THAT.

COME ON, COME ON, PLEASE.

I, I KNOW, BUT DON'T DO THAT.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT.

SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND TO NOT DO THIS, YOU OUGHT TO JUSTIFY TO CITIZENS.

'CAUSE CITIZEN NEED TO KNOW TOO.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO STATE.

UH, MAYOR, I APPROACH HIM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

CITY ATTORNEY.

WHEN THIS MEASURE FAILED INITIALLY, WHAT WERE THE RAM OF? WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR IT TO EVEN COME BACK AGAIN IF IT ALREADY FAILED? I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ONLY THE PREVAILING, IF YOU WERE ON THE PREVAILING SIDE, COULD YOU BRING IT BACK? IS THE PREVAILING SIDE OR THREE MONTHS AND THREE MONTHS HAVE PASSED.

SO IT IS LEGITIMATELY ON THE FLOOR.

MM-HMM, .

AND LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN THE PROFESSION.

AND THEN THE OTHER, UM, STATEMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS THERE WERE OTHER REASONS BEYOND WHICH I DON'T EVEN THINK CAN BE DISCUSSED.

UH, ON THE, FROM THIS DIOCESE, THERE WAS MORE TO OUR DECISION THAN WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED.

OKAY? COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU ANSWERED THAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE BEEN TALK ABOUT IT.

MY, UH, APPOINTMENT APPOINTEE TRIGGERED, TRIGGERED SOME LEGISLATION TRIGGER TRIGGERED A LAWSUIT.

DID WE JUST SAY WE, WE AREN'T GONNA SPEAK ON CITY ATTORNEY, BUT, BUT ATTORNEY COUNCILMAN, WE, WE, WE DON'T WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE VOTE.

CAN WE JUST TAKE THE VOTE? NO, THERE'S A CITIZEN THAT WANTS TO SPEAK.

WELL, BUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED? YOU ALL ACTUALLY, AND I'M GIVING YOU ALL THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW.

I'M GIVING YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTED.

WHAT TRIGGERED THE WHOLE THING WAS TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS SITTING COUNCIL MEMBERS GO DOWN TO THE EDC.

WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE.

THEY GO DOWN TO THE EDC AND CHANGE THE EVALUATION.

TWO SITTING, COUNCIL MEMBER ONE AND FOUR CHANGE THE EVALUATION.

THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED THE LAWSUIT.

AND I'M GIVING YOU ALL THE BENEFIT THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS.

AND NOW THAT LAWSUIT HAD TO COME TO THEM SITTING ON THE COUNCIL.

NOW YOU TALK ABOUT A CONFLICT.

THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED.

NOW, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, THAT'S THE, THE EX ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SITTING BACK THERE THAT SIT IN ON THE REEVALUATION POINT OF ORDER.

POINT OF ORDER.

IT'S YOUR YOUR POINT OF THE POINT IS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING LITIGATION.

NO, WE ARE TREADING ON VERY, VERY THIN ICE.

NO, AND I WANT, I'M ASKING US TO PLEASE NO.

YEAH, PLEASE.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THIS PROCESS, WITH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO, AND THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN DIS DISRESPECT WHOLE.

ROBERT IS IN MY POCKET AND, AND, AND THEN I'M IN ORDER.

THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN DIS I THE POINT OF ORDER IS, AND IT'S RULING ACCORDING TO OUR PARLIAMENTARY EXPERT THAT WE HAVE UP HERE.

MR. DO SAID I RULE ON THE ORDER AND THEN I MAKE THE DECISION.

IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT WANT IT, YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THE DECISION THAT I'M RULING ON A POINT OF ORDER, WE ARE GOING TO CARRY THE VOTE.

HOWEVER, BEFORE WE CARRY THE VOTE, THERE IS A CITIZEN WHO HAS REQUESTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

YOU MAY COME STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE.

MY NAME'S SUSIE.

SHE, I LIVE AT 8 0 6 SOUTH WIND.

UM, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE.

UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING ME, UH, THIS MOMENT TO SPEAK.

UM, I SEE, UH, OBVIOUSLY SINCE YOU WANNA WAIT FOR A NEW, UH, THING TO BE RECORDED OR FILED OR OR APPROVED, THAT BEFORE YOU DECIDE ON, UH, THIS APPOINTMENT, BUT I SPEAK FOR SEVERAL RESIDENTS, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T SEE THEM HERE IN THE HOUSE, I, I ASSURE YOU SOME OF THEM ARE WATCHING OR WILL BE WATCHING.

AND IT IS ABOUT FLOYD BAPTIST AND HIS ELIGIBILITY.

HE'S HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND EDUCATED.

HE IS AN AWARD WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.

THE LARGEST ASSOCIATION PREFER FOR PROFESSIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS IN THE WORLD.

WITH A 2020 HONORARY

[03:05:01]

HE IS AN EXPERT IN HIS FIELD.

HE IS PROVEN 17 YEARS OF SUCCESS IN EXCELLENT SERVICE, BRINGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN REVENUES AND IN TAXES.

HE IS OUR BEST RESOURCE FOR ATTRACTING SUCCESSFUL INDUSTRIES.

HE KNOWS THE RULES IN HOW TO MAINTAIN AND MANAGE EDC FUNDS, WHICH THE CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM HIS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND DIRECT KNOWLEDGE FOR THE COUNCIL TO REJECT OR POSTPONE FOR REJECTION.

THE CITIZEN IS SENDING A MESSAGE TO CITIZENS AND OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE BEST APPOINTEES AVAILABLE TO THE EDC BOARD IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZENS.

THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY MANAGE SHOULD BE MANAGED IN A WAY TO BENEFIT PORT ARTHUR.

WE, THE PEOPLE OF PORT ARTHUR DESERVE THE BEST APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.

THIS CANDIDATE IS OF HIGHEST QU QUA, HIGHLY QUALIFIED, ADMIRED BY THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY AND INTERNATIONALLY HE'S THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE IN HIS FIELD.

HE HAS A PROVEN SUCCESS RE RECORD FOR 17 YEARS THAT HE WITH A PROMINENT, WITH PROMINENT BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU GUYS APPOINTED, HAS SHOWN HIS EXPERTISE TO NEGOTIATE AND THEREBY ADDED THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY REVENUES AND TAXES.

COUNCIL'S DENIAL OF THIS APPOINTMENT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO WHAT THE CITIZENS OF THE, OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR DESERVE.

REJECTING THIS APPOINTMENT IS REJECTING HIGHLY QUALIFIED REPRESENTATION TO HELP DEVELOP AND MANAGE TAX PAYERS FUNDS.

WE, THE PEOPLE DESERVE THE BEST THAT IS AVAILABLE.

UH, WE ARE READY TO TAKE A VOTE.

AMEN.

ON THIS.

UH, I'M NOT THROUGH WITH MY COMMENTS.

I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ANY COMMENTS.

I HAD MY LIGHT ON.

I NEVER TURNED IT OFF.

WELL, I, BUT I JUST SAID I DID NOT RECOGNIZE YOU.

OH, OKAY.

I, I ACCEPT.

THAT'S, I ACCEPT, I ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY.

NO, NO, I'M NOT APOLOGIZING.

I'M CORRECTING YOU NOW.

LET'S NOT GET IT TWISTED.

ALRIGHT? OH, NO, NO.

YOU DON'T SPEAK UNTIL I, I, UH, SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK.

I'M GONNA LET HIM SPEAK.

Y'ALL DONE TOOK ALL THE TIME YOU WANT.

SO LET ME DO, BUT LET ME DO ME TALK B OKAY.

MASTRO, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU, NOW, THESE ARE ALL THESE ALTERNATIVE MOTIVES AS TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S OUT THERE, WHICH IS NOT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR APPOINTEE.

ONE OF THE UNDER UNDERLYING PROBLEMS, ONE OF THE UNDERLINING PROBLEMS I'M GONNA REINSTATE.

TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS CREATED THIS WHOLE PROBLEM.

OKAY? WAIT.

NOW WAIT A MINUTE, COUNCILMAN, BUT COUNCILMAN YOU, THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT COUNCILMAN, BUT COUNCILMAN YOU ARE MAKING INSINUATIONS THAT WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE CONSIDERING, OKAY? RIGHT NOW.

NOW, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK AS THE YOUNG LADY JUST SPOKE? WELL ON BEHALF OF YOUR PERSON? WELL, MY FINAL SAY SO COME ON.

NO, NO, NO, SIR.

I ASKED THE QUESTION, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK AS THE YOUNG LADY JUST SPOKE ON BEHALF OF YOUR NOMINEE? THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

WE, OKAY.

WELL, DON'T TALK ABOUT, I'M TALKING WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS DONE.

WELL, SHE SPEAK ABOUT SHE, HIS ABILITIES, HIS QUALIFICATIONS.

SPEAK ABOUT THOSE, SIR.

SO WE CAN GO, WE CAN MOVE ON, PLEASE.

THAT'S ALREADY ALL THAT'S BEEN STATED.

WELL, LET'S VOTE.

HOLD ON.

NO, NO.

I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO STATE.

THE UNDERLYING THING IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO BE VOTED BE VOTING ON THIS, THE FIRST THING THAT WHEN HE BECAME, WHEN HE BECAME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EDC, THE FIRST PERSON HE TERMINATED RIGHT HERE SITTING.

UH, DOES THAT DISQUALIFY IN ANY WAY? WHAT WE GETTING READY TO DO THIS? THAT'S ALL I WANT TO KNOW.

YOU JUST NEED TO CALL, I'M ASKING HIM NOT TO GO THERE.

EVERYBODY'S MADE THEIR COMMENTS IF IT'S GO CALL THE QUESTION.

WE'RE READY TO, UH, TO VOTE.

UH, CITY SECRETARY, THIS IS FOR THE MOTION TO APPOINT, UM, FLOYD BATIST.

COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM?

[03:10:01]

COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

FRANK? NO.

MAYOR PRO TIMM HAMILTON? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES.

MAYOR BARTEE? NO.

THE MOTION FAILS FOR LACK OF A OF, UM, OKAY.

THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

OKAY, NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.

AND THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE, EXCUSE ME, I LOST WHERE I WAS.

[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 23511 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Citizen’s Pipeline Advisory Committee]

I BELIEVE IT IS ON NINE.

NEXT ITEM IS P NUMBER 23 5 11.

IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE CITIZENS PIPELINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

I BELIEVE YOU DO HAVE A NAME FOR THAT.

UH, CITY SECRETARY DON COLLINS.

OKAY, WE HAVE THE CITIZEN DAWN COLLINS TO BE APPOINTED TO THIS COMMITTEE.

UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SO VOTE.

MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? OKAY, IT'S MOVED IN SECOND.

THEN WE WOULD APPOINT, UH, THE MR. DAWN COLLINS AS A MEMBER OF THE, UH, PIPELINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE IT SO ORDERED.

MR. COLLINS IS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE.

NEXT WE HAVE,

[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 23519 – A Resolution Authorizing Membership In The African American Mayors Association In The Amount Of $5,000.00 Account No. 001-01-005-5470-00-10-000]

UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MEMBERSHIP IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES ASSOCIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000.

THE MONIES FOR THIS IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 0 5 5 4 7 0 0 0.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.

MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR SECOND.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 19.

WE READY FOR QUESTION? UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES.

IT SAYS HERE'S FAR THE, UH, MEMBERSHIP IN THE, IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION IN AMOUNT OF $5,000.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THE RE THE, UH, REQUEST.

ANYBODY MADE THE REQUEST, BUT WHAT WHAT I GOT CONCERNED WITH IS WHEN GIVEN ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, THING.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACCOUNT IS.

I I FAILED TO MENTION THIS ONE, BUT JUST IN REMARKS TODAY, THE, UH, MEMBERSHIP, YOU CAN'T BELONG TO EVERYTHING.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO JOIN THE MAYOR, THE AFRICAN AMERICANS, UH, ASSOCIATION.

WE NEED TO START ADDRESSING OUR TENSIONS AND TO, UH, THESE STATES, THESE WATER BILLS AND THESE SERVICE PROBLEMS AND ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF.

AND WE NEED TO GET TRAINING AND STUFF.

BUT ASKING CITIZENS TO PAY FOR ORGANIZATION FEES, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT FARFETCHED.

AND THAT'S JUST MY SIDE.

OH, COUNCILMAN BECKER? YES.

UH, THIS AMOUNT, UH, $5,000.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG IS THE MEMBERSHIP FOR AND WHAT DOES THIS $5,000 COVER? I MEAN, IS THAT JUST FOR A MEMBERSHIP OR DOES IT COVER TRAINING, SEMINARS, TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT THINGS.

I'D, I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS YOU.

THE INFORMATION COUNT, UH, IN THERE COUNCIL JUST COVERS MEMBERSHIP TO THE ORGANIZATION.

AND THEN IF YOU, UM, GOT TO TRAVEL, WE'VE GOT TO, UM, PAY THAT OUT OF THE TRAVEL, UM, BUDGET.

AND HOW LONG IS THAT MEMBERSHIP GOOD FOR, UH, FOR YOU? IF FROM TODAY, IF WE APPROVE IT.

SEE, I, I COULD DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

THOUGH I COULD DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

LET ME SEE.

IS IT, AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE MEMBERSHIP? YES.

YES, IT IS FOR THE MEMBERSHIP.

WHERE IS IT? 1 8, 1 9.

WHERE IS IT? MAY I EXPOUND ON IT? I GET, UH, CITY MANAGER.

SURE.

IT'S BASED ON, IT'S BASED ON CITY SIZE AS, AS ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE.

UH, AND AREAS OF, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR SIZE CITIES, OVERSIZED MAYOR, THE MEMBERSHIP IS $5,000 BECAUSE WE ARE OVER 50,000 RESIDENTS.

WE HAVE, UH, OUR BUDGET RUNS ABOUT 195 MILLION.

I HAVE A COPY.

UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.

WE HAVE A HUNDRED,

[03:15:01]

OF THAT 195 MILLION, 19 MILLION IS, IS PROPERTY TAXES.

NOW, I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE THAT WANTED TAXPAYERS TO SPEND $5,000 FOR THEM TO, TO JOIN AN, JOIN AN ORGANIZATION.

AND HE DON'T PAY A DIME IN PROPERTY TAXES.

NOT ONE DIME.

I WENT TO THE, I WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE AGAIN TODAY.

PULLED HIS NAME UP.

WHAT PROPERTIES? HE'LL PAYING TAXES ON, ZERO ON NO PROPERTY.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I PULLED, I PULLED MINE UP BY NAME, PULLED OTHERS UP BY NAME.

ALL THE PROPERTY THAT THEY PAY TAXES ON CAME UP.

THE CHAIRMAN PUT HIS NAME BACK, SAID RUN, RUN HIS NAME AGAIN.

HE DON'T OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY.

HE DON'T PAY A DIME IN PROPERTY TAXES.

AND WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH PROPERTY TAXES.

HE DON'T PAY A DIME.

NOW.

ONE DIME.

NOW HE WANTS TO WANT, WANT THE TAX PAYERS TO PICK UP $5,000 BILL SO HE CAN GO HAVE A GOOD TIME.

HE GOING TO GO EARLY, GET, GET A PER THEM AND THEY GONNA STAY LATE.

GET AN ADDITIONAL PER THEM.

I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS AND I WILL NOT SUPPORT IT.

UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER TWO LIGHTS ON.

I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED.

THAT WAS ABOUT THE CALL FOR, BUT NOPE.

NOTHING.

UH, COUNCILMAN, YOU SAID YOU HAD THAT THERE? YES.

I JUST WANT TO ALSO REMIND COUNSEL, WHEN WE APPROVE THESE THINGS, IT'S JUST LIKE, UH, WHEN WE APPROVE THE, UH, THE MAYOR BEING A CANDIDATE FOR NLC COMMITTEES, WITH THAT COMES OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, LIKE ATTENDING THE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT FOSTERING THAT OTHER I COST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY, WHY SAY, MAYOR, YES, WE SUPPORT YOU FOR DOING THIS.

AND HE SAYS, WELL, I GOTTA GO TO A MEETING.

WHAT YOU GONNA SAY? WELL, YOU CAN'T GO TO THE MEETING.

WELL, WHY YOU WON'T SAY YOU CAN'T GO TO THE MEETING.

WELL, THIS THE SAME THING HERE.

IF WE APPROVE THIS, NOT ONLY ARE WE APPROVING FOR THIS MEMBERSHIP FEE, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THEY SAY THERE'S A MEETING OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS.

AND IF OUR MAYOR SAYS, I REQUEST TO GO MAKE IT PRE, IF THIS COUNCIL TURN AROUND AND SAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T GO TO MEETING.

WELL, THE QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN, WHY DID YOU APPROVE ME BEING ON THAT? SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, ALTHOUGH HE SAID IT'S $5,000, IT'S, IT, IT, IT, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU MORE THAN THAT IF WE APPROVE IT.

AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THE ISSUES FOR OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION THAT WE LIVE IN A STATE, UH, IN THE STATE, THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS WHERE WE GOT A $30 BILLION SURPLUS.

COUNCILMAN FRANK.

WHY ARE WE ASHAMED OF BEING BLACK? WHY? OH, YEAH.

YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT.

YOU CAN GO, AH, AND ALL YOU WANT TO DO, BUT THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN COUNCIL.

THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITY.

AND SO NOW YOU HAVE A AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR WHO WANTS TO BE A PART OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS NATIONALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

EVERYBODY CAN BELONG TO EVERYTHING ELSE.

WHY CAN'T THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR OF A PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITY, BE A PART OF THE MAYOR, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, THE BLACK MAYORS ASSOCIATION IN THE UNITED STATES? AND I SAW, I SAW MY BELOVED COUNCIL PERSON BACK THERE GO, OH, IT'S A BLACK THING.

NO, IT'S NOT A BLACK THING.

IT'S NOT A WHITE THING.

BUT WE, BUT BLACKS HAVE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND WE ARE AN ADVOCATE FOR THOSE ISSUES.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU ARE ON THE MENU.

WE NEED TO BE, LET'S BE, LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT IT.

LET'S STOP NICKEL AND DIMING IT.

LET'S ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

YOU GOT SIX BLACK FACES SITTING UP HERE, AND YOU DON'T WANT YOUR BLACK MAYOR TO BE A PART OF THE BLACK MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

OH, I, NO, I DIDN'T.

I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU.

GET A CHANCE THOUGH.

TALKING TO US, TALKING TO US AS A COUNCIL, TALKING TO US AS A PEOPLE TALKING TO US.

THERE ARE ISSUES.

AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ADVOCATE FOR THOSE ISSUES.

[03:20:01]

BUT WE ARE, BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE UNDEREDUCATED.

YOU DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADVOCATED WATER IN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.

WE GOT THE POOREST INFRASTRUCTURE, POOREST WATER, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, DETROIT, NO WATER, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK CITIES.

HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? BECAUSE WE DON'T ADVOCATE AND YOU GONNA SIT UP HERE AND NOT, AND NOT, AND AND WHAT? BECAUSE WHAT? IT'S $5,000.

STOP.

POOR MOUTHING, STOP ACTING AS THOUGH IT'S COMING OUT OF YOUR POCKET.

WHEN IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING, LET'S GET MOTIVA TO PAY FOR IT.

LET'S GET CHEVRON TO PAY FOR IT.

SOMEBODY OUGHT TO PAY FOR IT.

WE'RE BREATHING THE AIR.

THEY KILLING US.

AND YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANNA SAY, BUT I'M VOTING FOR IT.

AND I IMPLORE EVERY BLACK FACE AT LEAST TO VOTE FOR IT ON THIS COUNCIL.

UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

COUNCILMAN FRAME? DON'T, NO, DON'T ADDRESS ME.

BECAUSE I WASN'T, I'M GOING, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GONNA REMIND, HOLD ON.

NO, JUST, JUST MAKE YOUR STATEMENT, COUNSEL, PLEASE.

I'M GONNA MAKE MY STATEMENT.

JUST MAKE YOUR STATEMENT, PLEASE.

I, I AND, AND I REALLY DON'T PR WHEN I DID MY NOMINATION, I REALLY DON'T APPRECIATE YOUR PROFANITY ON, ON, ON A BLACK CANDIDATE.

OKAY? THEN I NOMINATED YOUR PROFANITY A PASTOR.

I DIDN'T CUS YOU CUSSING ME OUT.

NO.

NOW CALL COUNCILMAN LEWIS.

NO.

HOLD, NO, HOLD ON, ON, I'M GONNA SAY COUNCILMAN LEWIS NEVER CURSED.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

HOLD ON.

STOP, HOLD ON.

ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN, POINT OF ORDER.

CURSED.

POINT OF ORDER.

LET'S SPEAK ABOUT THE BLACK POINT OF ORDER TO BOTH OF YOU.

POINT JUST A MINUTE.

I GOT THE FLOW, BUT, BUT NO, NO, I HAVE THAT.

NO NEED TO BE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW.

NOW I RECOGNIZE YOU BECAUSE YOUR LIGHT CAME ON.

I THOUGHT YOU HAD SOME, WE ARE AT THE QUESTION PORTION OF EMOTION.

I HAVE A, A BRIEF COMMENT, SIR.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT, SIR.

THROUGH WITH IT, SIR.

EVERYBODY UP HERE THAT, THAT LOOKS BLACK.

NOT NECESSARILY BLACK.

NOW LET NO, LEMME SAY SOMETHING.

IF YOU ARE SO PROUD, WHY DID YOU VOTE AGAINST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NAMED THURGOOD MARSHALL? YOU, YOU VOTED AGAINST POINT OF ORDER.

POINT OF YOU VOTED AGAINST OF ORDER.

POINT OF ORDER AGAINST THURGOOD MARSHALL.

PLEASE, PLEASE ADDRESS VOTED POINT OF POINT OFF TOPIC.

POINT OF SO PROUD TO BEING BLACK.

YOU VOTED AGAINST PORT OF WATER.

PORT OF WATER.

MEMORIAL HIGH.

BE THURGOOD MARSHALL BACK TO YOU DID.

NO, YOU DID.

DON'T, DON'T YOU VERY PROUD.

MAYOR CAN TAKE A RECESS.

WE A RECESS.

OH, WE VOTE PLEASE.

CAN WE TAKE A RECESS? WELL, IT, IT'S, IT IS NINE O'CLOCK.

VOTING AGAINST, WE CAN VOTE VOTING JUST A MINUTE.

I HAVE COUNCILMAN ETT.

YOU KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

IT'S GONNA BE ADDRESSED THE NEXT MEETING AND WE GONNA START CENSORING BECAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

BUT MY COMMENT IS SIMPLY THIS, IN REFERENCE TO, UH, COUNCILMAN FROM, UH, WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A BLACK OR WHITE ISSUE.

THIS IS ABOUT, UH, YOU ASKING FOR TAX PAYERS MONEY.

WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN A COMMENT IS MADE THAT WE ACT LIKE IT'S OUR MONEY, WE BETTER BE ACTING LIKE IT'S OUR MONEY.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ELECT US TO DO.

TO HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.

NOT JUST BLESS IT BECAUSE WE THINK IS RIGHT.

NO, YOU ARE RIGHT.

I ACT LIKE IT'S MY MONEY 'CAUSE I MANAGE MY MONEY.

AND WHEN I MAKE A DECISION UP HERE, IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE ABOUT RACE, ETHNIC GROUP, RELIGION, A CREED.

I'M TALKING ABOUT TAXPAYERS MONEY.

I RESPECT EVERY COUNCILMAN

[03:25:01]

VIEW ON THIS COUNCIL.

BUT WHEN YOU MAKE A STATEMENT, I'M ACTING LIKE MY MONEY.

I WON'T LET EVERYBODY KNOW I AM.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU ELECTED ME TO DO.

MAKE SURE YOUR MONEY IS SPENT.

AND WHEN WE DOING THAT, WE'RE NOT POLE MOUTHING.

WE JUST MANAGING.

SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GET IN DEBATE AND I'M NOT SAYING WHAT, HOW WE FEEL, BUT LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT OTHER VOTES OR HOW WE OTHER FEEL.

YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND MOVE ON AND STAY ON THE TOPIC.

YOU KNOW, UH, UH, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OFF THE TOPIC IS WHEN WE GET ALL THIS BACK AND FORTH AND STUFF, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE ACTION TAKEN BECAUSE WE NOT GONNA SET FOR THIS.

YOU KNOW, UH, WE SET THE RULE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN BEGINNING, AND WE GET TO THIS THEN THE MAYOR'S STAND POINT OF ORDER.

AND IF YOU DON'T RESPECT HIM, THEN YOU NEED TO BE CHECKED.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GONNA START ADDRESSING.

THIS IS EMBARRASSING.

TALK FRANK HERE.

THIS IS JUST A RESOLUTION TO SEE IF YOU'RE GONNA VOTE FOR SOMEONE TO BE IN AN ORGANIZATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE TOPIC THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY CONVERSATION WASN'T ABOUT THAT.

WELL, NO, I'M SAYING THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE, I THINK THAT WE ARE VENTURING INTO SOME NO, THEY GO I JUST WANT YOU TO STICK WITH THE SUBJECTS.

IT'S OKAY.

THAT'S MY THING.

YOU CAN, I'M NOT TRYING TO STOP ANYONE'S S BUT LET'S JUST IT'S OKAY WITH ME.

WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING FOR AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

UH, IN EVERY FACET OF GOVERNANCE, PARTICULARLY IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, IN MUNICIPALITIES, THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION FOR MAYORS.

AND IT IS A CULTURE FOR MAYORS.

NOW, IN THAT CULTURE, THERE ARE SUBCULTURES.

EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A MAYOR IN ANY ONE OF THE 19,000 PLUS CITIES, VILLAGES, TRIBES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A PART OF THE MAYORAL CULTURE.

AND ACCORDING TO THAT INDIVIDUAL'S ETHNICITY, THAT INDIVIDUAL BECOMES A PART OF A SUBCULTURE, OR THAT PERSON'S GENDER ALLOWS THAT INDIVIDUAL TO BECOME A PART OF A SUBCULTURE.

EVEN IN 2023, ACCORDING TO THEIR SEXUAL SEXUAL IDENTITY, THEY BECOME A PART OF A SUBCULTURE BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

IN 1954, I WAS BORN COLORED.

I LATER BECAME NEGRO, AND LATER I BECAME BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN, WHICH PLACES ME IN THE SUBCULTURE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

BUT BECAUSE I AM ALSO A PART OF THE MAINE OR THE BIG CULTURE, WHICH IS THE MAYORAL CULTURE IN AMERICA, IT PERMITS AND ALLOWS ME TO BECOME A MEMBER OF WHAT IS CALLED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYORS ASSOCIATION.

IN EACH SUBCULTURE THAT A MAYOR OR A MAYOR INDIVIDUAL IN AMERICA BELONGS TO, THERE ARE CERTAIN IDIOSYNCRASIES, THERE ARE CERTAIN OR SPECIFIC PECULIARITIES THAT ACTUALLY ALIGN ITSELF WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL'S BEING MY, BEING AFRICAN AMERICAN, I ALIGN WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SUBCULTURE.

IT WAS STATED THAT I WOULD JUST GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME WHERE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYWHERE THAT ANYONE HAS EVER GONE SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF EVEN THEIR HOME THAT THEY DID NOT ENJOY THEMSELVES.

YET, WHEN THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, I BELIEVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS TAKE

[03:30:01]

CARE OF BUSINESS.

YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MULTITASK EACH AND EVERY DAY.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHEREVER THE MEETING IS, I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.

JUST LIKE ANY OF YOU WHO WOULD BE LISTENING OR WHO ARE PRESENT IN HERE.

NOW, THE NEXT THING IS BEING A PART OF THE SUBCULTURE CULTURE.

THERE ARE CERTAIN INSTANCES WHERE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS ARE DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS.

IF I WOULD BE A MALE, THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE LGBT UH, Q DEPO, OR I WOULD BE A PART OF THAT GROUP.

IF I WOULD BE A FEMALE, I WOULD BE A PART OF THAT GROUP.

IF I WOULD BE HISPANIC, I WOULD BE A PART OF THAT GROUP.

IF I WERE ASIAN, I WOULD ALSO BE A PART OF THAT GROUP.

THE SUBCULTURES ARE A PART OF THE MAYOR ORAL EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M IN A CITY THAT HAS FOR THE PAST THREE TIMES OR THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, ELECTED AN AFRICAN AMERICAN AS A MAYOR.

MAYBE THE TWO PREVIOUS PERSONS ATTORNEY WASHINGTON.

MAKE MAKE YOUR PARDON.

ATTORNEY MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT.

CAN I SAY SOMETHING? YES.

I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, ON ALL THESE ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS WE TALK ABOUT FOLLOWING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

WE HAVE A QUESTION ON THE TABLE WITH EACH ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

AND I WOULD JUST CAUTION THE COUNCIL ON ANY ITEM, NOT JUST THIS, TO STICK TO WHAT THE MAIN MOTION QUESTION IS.

BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE, WE'RE ELABORATING ON THINGS AND UH, WE ARE KIND OF GOING, WE'RE GOING OUT.

WE ARE NOT KIND OF, I SAY KIND OF ALL THE TIME, BUT THIS ISN'T KIND OF, WE'RE GOING INTO SO MANY OTHER AREAS ON ALL OF THE ORDINANCES AND ALL OF THE RESOLUTIONS.

LET'S, I WOULD, I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO STICK WITH THE MAIN MOTION OKAY.

AND DEAL WITH JUST THAT ISSUE.

I WAS ONLY TRYING TO ANSWER'S ANSWER WHAT QUESTIONS I HEARD BROUGHT UP DURING THE QUESTION BROUGHT OF THIS MOTION.

AND THEN FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM HERE ON OUT ON EVERYTHING.

LET'S JUST STICK WITH THE MAIN MOTION.

AND, AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND CONTRARY MAYBE WHAT SOMEONE MAY THINK, FEEL, OR EVEN BELIEVE, BEING A PART OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS OVER 500 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT HAVE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN AS MAYORS, IT IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO BE FROM A CITY LIKE PORT ARTHUR AND TO BE THE MAYOR AND FOR IT TO BE KNOWN THAT THE PERSONS WHOM I REPRESENT DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO BE A PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION.

SOMEONE WAS JUST SAYING ABOUT MAKING A MISTAKE.

WELL, I GUESS I'M THE FIRST ONE WHO'S ASKED TO DO IT, BUT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO COME BEHIND ME.

WHO'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE ME AND SOMEONE'S GONNA COME BEHIND THEM WOULD PROBABLY LOOK LIKE ME.

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE THIS CITY THAT SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION? AND THE QUESTION WAS, WHY IS THE MONIES THIS AMOUNT? I THINK I DID GIVE THE CITY MANAGER YOU, THE BREAKDOWN IS JUST LIKE THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU BELONG TO, ACCORDING TO THE POPULATION OF YOUR CITY IS WHAT YOUR YEARLY DUES WOULD BE.

THAT IS WHY IT'S $5,000 TO EVEN ANSWER.

SO ALL I'M SAYING IS I'M NOT UP HERE TRYING TO MISUSE TAXPAYERS MONIES.

THERE WAS ANOTHER MEETING THAT HAPPENS.

IF YOU CAN RECALL THE FIRST MEETING.

I PAID MY OWN WAY LAST YEAR.

I WENT TO CITY, DID SOMETHING.

NO, WAIT A MINUTE.

AND I BROUGHT BACK SOME MONIES BECAUSE OF THE NETWORKING THAT I COULD DO AND HAD ANOTHER GROUP TO PAY THE REGISTRATION.

WHAT MONEY AND THE, AND THE CITY DID NOT HAVE TO PAY THE REGISTRATION.

[03:35:01]

I'M HERE TRYING TO SEE IF I CAN ENHANCE WHAT IS DUE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY NETWORKING WITH PERSONS FROM AROUND THIS COUNTRY, FROM AROUND THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

PLEASE PORT ARTHUR DON'T TAKE STEPS BACKWARDS.

SOME OF THIS, AND I'M GOING OFF SCRIPT RIGHT NOW.

ATTORNEY, LET'S NOT GO OFF TH MAYOR, THAT'S ALL IT IS.

IT'S NOT AGAINST ANYTHING ELSE BUT THURMAN BOYCE, YOU ALL HEARD IT AND IT DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER ME.

AND YOU KNOW WHY IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME? 'CAUSE THE GOD I SERVE HAS ALREADY TOLD ME THAT NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME IS GOING TO PROSPER.

MY PRAYER TO HIM BEFORE I CAME IN HERE WAS, GOD LET YOUR WILL BE DONE WITH THIS SITUATION.

NOW, EVIDENTLY IT'S NOT HIS WILL THAT YOU PAY FOR THIS, FOR ME TO GO.

BUT JUST LIKE I DID IT BEFORE, I'M GOING TO GO AND WHATEVER I COULD BRING BACK TO HELP MY CITY, I WILL BRING IT BACK.

AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE UP HERE WHO WOULD THINK DIFFERENT OR WHO MAY DECIDE AND THEY COULD VOTE AGAINST THIS BECAUSE THURMOND WANTS TO GO, I WOULD BEG YOU TO, TO RETHINK YOUR POSITIONING ON IT.

'CAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO MISUSE ABUSE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD BE IN THE NEGATIVE TO THE CITY OR TO ANY CITIZEN IN PORT ARTHUR.

AND IT'S ONE THING I'M NOT GOING TO DIGNIFY IS WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID ABOUT OWNING PROPERTY.

I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE PROPERTY IN MY NAME.

AND I WISH THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT.

AND I THANK GOD YOU BETTER.

THANK GOD THAT HE CHANGED ME.

BA 'CAUSE BOY, I WOULD DO YOU SOMETHING.

NO, YOU WOULDN'T MAKE IT.

NEXT ITEM ON PAGE 10, I BELIEVE NOW, UH, WOULD BE, I THINK IT'S NUMBER SEVEN.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

YOU WOULDN'T MAKE IT.

MATTER OF FACT, MAYOR, MAYOR, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND STAY WITH WITHIN ROBERT'S RULES.

SHUT UP.

LET'S JUST STAY WITHIN ROBERT'S RULES PLEASE.

THE VOTE WAS CALLED FOR YOU CALLED THE QUESTION.

CITY SECRETARY.

UH, IF YOU CAN PLEASE CALL THE QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

FRANK? YES.

MAYOR PROM HAMILTON? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? NO.

[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 23523 – A Resolution Authorizing The January 2, 2024 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting Date To Be Cancelled Or Rescheduled ]

WE'VE ALREADY DONE NUMBER SIX.

NUMBER SEVEN, THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING JANUARY 2ND.

WELL, EXCUSE, I CALL THE NUMBER OUT.

PR NUMBER 23 5 23 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE JANUARY 2ND, 2024.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING DATE TO BE CANCELED OR RESCHEDULED? MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.

SO VOTE.

MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM SECOND.

BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 23 AS READ.

SEE THE ATTORNEY YOUR LIGHT ON? YES, SIR.

UM, WE, WE, WE SAID CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE.

SO YOU'D HAVE TO DECIDE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE.

I KNOW WE DO HAVE A MEETING ON THE NINTH, RIGHT? CITY SECRETARY.

IT WOULD BE THE NINTH IF WE MOVED IT.

'CAUSE IT IT'S, IT'S THE SECOND NOW.

OH, I'M SO SORRY.

THAT WE MEET ON THE EIGHTH? BECAUSE WE ARE POSTING, WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSED SOME OF THOSE DATES? YEAH, WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSED ON, ON THE FIRST.

YEAH, SO IF YOU MOVED IT TO THE NEXT TUESDAY, IT WOULD BE JANUARY 9TH.

THE NINTH UHHUH.

AND THEN YOU'D HAVE ONE.

I BE SCHEDULED FOR THE NINTH, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE FOUND OUT TODAY THE CITY MANAGER HAD AN ISSUE THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED ON THE EIGHTH.

IS THAT RIGHT? CITY MANAGER ON THE YES, ON THE EIGHTH.

WE, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I BEEN THAT.

CAN WE MEET ON THE EIGHTH? MAYBE THE, UM, OR MAYBE BEFORE THAT WE CAN MEET UP, HUH? BECAUSE I THINK BEFORE THAT WOULD BE A FRIDAY.

THE WEEK, THE WEEK, LET'S SAY THE, THE, THE, MAYBE THE WEDNESDAY OR THE THURSDAY.

THE THURSDAY IS WHAT DATE? WHAT'S THE THURSDAYS ? OH NO, SECOND JANUARY 4TH.

I WILL SAY THAT IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO POST BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

I MEAN, IS IT POSSIBLE CITY MANAGER IF, WOULD IT NOT HURT

[03:40:01]

THE EIGHTH WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST IF WE COULD DO THAT.

AND WE CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT.

LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE CALENDAR BEFORE YOU GO INTO THAT.

GO.

IF YOU HAVE A MEETING ON FRIDAY, WE WOULD HAVE TO POST ON JANUARY 2ND.

WE CLOSED JANUARY 1ST.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN, WE, WE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING THE AGENDA TOGETHER, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE.

LET ME, YEAH.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING, SOME INPUT FROM, FROM ADMINISTRATION? YEAH.

DID YOU SPEAK TO, UM, UM, MEMBERS OF STAFF TO SEE WHERE THEY CAN BE HELD FOR ONE DAY? THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT, UM, THE, UM, THE VENDOR, UM, TO SEE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO HOLD THEIR BID.

BUT IT WAS DAY AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK WHEN THE DISCUSSION WAS MADE.

OKAY, GO AHEAD.

ON, ON THIS.

RIGHT? SO LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE SAYING BECAUSE WE TALKING, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU NEED TO DONE.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO HAVE DONE? CITY MANAGER.

BY WHAT DATE? I HAVE I, WHAT DATE? JANUARY.

I HAVE MY BID, THE BIDS IN FOR WOODWORTH.

UM, AND YOU, THEY EXPIRE ON JANUARY THE EIGHTH.

SO YOU GOTTA HAVE THEM, I NEED TO GET IT BEFORE COUNCIL BEFORE JANUARY THE EIGHTH.

WHEN IT GETS TO JANUARY 8TH, THE BIDS HAVE EXPIRED.

SO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO, I WAS TRYING TO HOLD THE BIDS FOR ONE DAY, UH, FOR JANUARY THE NINTH TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING ON THE NINTH.

SO CAN WE DO THAT? YOU KNOW? UM, BUT WE, THAT WAS AS THE MEMBER OF STAFF, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER INDICATED STAFF WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT FIVE O'CLOCK TODAY IN ORDER TO CONTACT ME.

BUT CITY, CITY MANAGER, SINCE WE, WE, WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME, DO YOU THINK STAFF THAT YOU COULD GET WHOMEVER THAT WAS, WE SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING WITH ON THE EIGHTH TO JUST, UH, DO IT ON THE NINTH.

AND I KNOW I SAW SOMETHING ON THE MEMOIR OR SOMETHING.

WE'RE KIND OF GETTING INTO DELIBERATION, SO LET'S STICK WITH THE CALENDAR.

THE CALENDAR.

I KNOW YOU HAVE AN ITEM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GO INTO TALKING TO THIS PERSON AND TALK, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? 'CAUSE WE KIND OF GETTING INTO, I'M LIBERATING THE ISSUE.

SO YOU JUST GOTTA FIND A SUITABLE DATE.

UM, THE NINTH, THE NINTH WOULD BE OUR REGULAR MEETING.

RIGHT? RIGHT.

AND I, I GUESS WHAT THE MANAGER'S SAYING, HE HAS A DEADLINE OF THE EIGHTH.

RIGHT? SO, SO WOULD THE EIGHTH BE SUITABLE? CITY MANAGER OR FOR US WOULD BE ON THE EIGHTH? WOULD CAN WE MEET ON THE EIGHTH? THAT'S, AND THAT WOULD BE, AND NO MEETING ON THE NINTH.

WOULD THAT BE OKAY? YEAH.

AND THERE'S GONNA BE A MORNING MEETING.

IT WOULD TO BE A MORNING MEETING? YEAH.

BECAUSE THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL GAME IS AT NIGHT IN, IN HOUSTON.

YOU CAN'T BE ON THE EIGHTH.

UNLESS WE MAKE A DECISION AND WHAT WE JUST OKAY.

SAID THE EIGHTH IN THE MORNING, IT, IT SATISFIED THE CITY MANAGERS AND ITSELF.

SO, SO WE, SO WE, WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN THIS RESOLUTION OR I JUST WON'T BE ABLE.

WELL WE, WE, WE NEED TO, OKAY, SO WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ON THE 16TH ANYWAY, SO WE'LL DO IT, WE CAN ON THE EIGHTH AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE 16TH.

ANY OPPOSES? AYE HAVE ORDER WE AT MEETING IS RESCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 8TH, 2024 AT WHAT? NINE 30? YES.

BE ABLE TO INCLUDE, UH, COLLEGE STUDENTS.

YES MA'AM.

UH, LEMME SEE.

WE DID 5 26 NOW 23 5 29 A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE GOVERNING RULES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.

UH, AND IT REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TIMM HAMILTON.

AND YOU, YOU HAVE THOSE? UH UH OKAY.

YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW, OR THE CITY SECRETARY GONNA LET US KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEY ARE.

THIS AMENDMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE NAMES.

IT INCLUDES THE AGES OF THE STUDENTS, WHICH WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.

UM, IT PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT THE STUDENTS WILL BE AGED SIX, WELL, I'M SORRY.

IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 11, WE'VE MADE AN UPDATE TO HAVE THE, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE, IT JUST TO BE LISTED AS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND GRADUATES THEREOF, WHO ARE UNDER 22 YEARS OLD OF AGE.

AND OUR PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.

THE PURPOSE OF THE 22 YEARS IS FOR US TO

[03:45:01]

SO OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL, UM, BE DESIGNATED AS SENIOR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THAT'S THE UPDATE.

MAY, MAY, MAY, MAY, I, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? AND MAY WE SAY THAT IF THEY ARE OVER 20, THEY ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS.

SO LIKE THE LAWYER WAS JUST SAYING EARLIER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY 20 IS NOT AND WANNA BE ON IT, AND IF THEY ARE STUDENTS, SO THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE IN A, IN A FOUR YEAR OR TWO YEAR INSTITUTION, RIGHT? YES.

IT, IT CLEARLY STATES STUDENTS.

UH, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT PART.

WE ARE READY.

UH, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

NEXT WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE ON B ORDINANCES OR NON-CONSENT, UH, PO NUMBER 72 19 AND ORDINANCE THAT'S AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SURPLUS FURNITURE AND MINOR EQUIPMENT THROUGH RENEE BATES AUCTIONEERS AND GLOBAL ASSETS.

ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE IT.

SO WE ARE GOOD.

[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7219 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of Surplus Furniture And Minor Equipment Through Rene Bates Auctioneers And Global Assets]

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED, MAN.

OKAY, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SECOND.

IT'S MOVED.

AND SECOND, WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 19.

WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT NOW? ANY QUESTION? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT SO IT IS APPROVED.

NEXT WE

[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7220 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Execution Of A Developer Participation Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And D & T Interest, LLC For The Development Of 3.568 Acres Of Land Located On Jimmy Johnson Boulevard Near The Babe Zaharias Golf Course Pursuant To Sections 212.071 And 212.072 Of The Texas Local Government Code, V.T.C.A.]

HAVE PO NUMBER 72 20 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED IN THE EXECUTION OF A DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR AND DNT ENTRIES, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 3.6 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED ON JIMMY JOHNSON BOULEVARD NEAR THE BABES HART GOLF COURSE PURSUANT TO SECTIONS TWO, TWO, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, 2 1 2 0.071 AND 2 1 2 0.072 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE VTCA.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, MAYOR .

MAY I GET A, A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS SECOND.

IT BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7 2 2 0.

THAT'S WHERE WE READY FOR QUESTION.

UH, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.

YES, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO TABLE THIS.

OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND TO TABLE PO NUMBER 7 2 2 0.

UH, WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION ON THAT UNDER THE QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE.

WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE NUMBER 72 21, AN ORDINANCE AS IT PERTAINS TO PROVIDING FOR HOLIDAY PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.

IN THE OPPOSES AYE ORDINANCE WILL BE TABLED.

[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7221 – An Ordinance As It Pertains To Providing For Holiday Pay For Fiscal Year 2023/2024]

2024.

UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.

MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DUCEY SECOND, IS IT MOVED? AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 21 AS READ.

WE ARE READY.

UH, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO, UM, A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.

THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THIS.

THANK YOU CITY EMPLOYEES FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I WANT TO OFFER SOME TRANSPARENCY.

CITY MANAGER FOR STAFF NOT TO ASSUME THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEE $300 ON THEIR CHECK BECAUSE THIS IS TAXED DIFFERENTLY.

I'M NOT A TAX PROFESSIONAL.

I SAID I AM NOT A TAX PROFESSIONAL.

HOWEVER, I, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS WILL BE TAXED AS A GIFT.

SO I WANT NO, NO.

SO I WANNA BE CLEAR, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR.

IT'LL BE TAXED AS PART OF, OF PERSONAL, THAT'S WHERE IT WAS BUDGETED AND IT'LL BE TAXED AS IT'S YOUR, THE WAGES ANOMALY, TAXED, TMRS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

CITIES.

WE RED DEDUCTED FROM IT.

MAY I JUST SAY CITIES CANNOT GIVE GIFTS OR BONUSES? IT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL PAY.

THAT'S GOOD.

THAT, THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION I WAS LOOKING FOR.

THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKING ME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, COUNCILMAN DUCEY? YES.

IT STATES HERE, THE CITY COUNCIL DESIRES TO PROVIDE ALL PERMANENT, FULL-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES.

THE GIFT, MY QUESTION IS, WHEN DID WE DISCUSS THIS? I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN, I WAS AT EVERY BUDGET.

MEGAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW.

IT SAYS HERE, WE, IT'S OUR DESIRE.

SO I JUST WANNA KNOW, IS SOMEBODY DISCUSSING I WOULDN'T INCLUDED WHEN I SAY IT WAS DESIRED.

IT'S SOME, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE DONE THAT.

UM, THE LAST TIME THAT IT WAS DONE, I KNOW THAT IT WAS QUESTIONED AS TO WHETHER IT WAS BUDGETED.

WHAT, WHAT? I MADE SURE THAT IT WAS BUDGETED THIS TIME ON THE APPROPRIATE, UM, UM, HEADINGS

[03:50:01]

ON THE PERSONNEL.

UM, AND IT WAS, UM, GIVEN OUT AS PART OF THE BUDGET.

THEN.

NOW MY NEXT QUESTION.

YOU SAID IT WAS BUDGETED.

IT WAS BUDGETED.

WHERE AND WHEN WERE WE TOLD IT GOING TO BE? IT WAS GONNA BE IN THE BUDGET.

IT WAS BUDGETED ON THE PERSONNEL IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.

WHEN, WHEN WAS IT EXPLAINED? I'VE ATTENDED ALL OF THE BUDGET MEETINGS.

WHEN DID ANYONE TELL THE COUNCIL WHO WERE PRESENT THAT IT WILL BE A HOLIDAY PAY INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET? I DON'T THINK IT WAS SPECIFICALLY STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE THEN, OR THE CITY MANAGER NOW, OR I AT THE TIME, BUT, UM, IT WAS PLACED IN THE BUDGET.

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT'S OKAY.

THEN SINCE IT WAS PLACED IN THE BUDGET, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ANYTHING DEALING WITH PAY TO EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, DOUCETTE WILL NEVER, DOUCETTE, WILL NEVER VOTE OR OPPOSE.

BUT THERE'S A PROPER WAY THAT WE DO TRANSPARENCY AND, AND WHEN IT COME TO THAT BUDGET, I WAS, I WANTED TO TALK.

NOBODY WANTED TO TALK, BUT THESE THINGS KEEP POPPING UP AND I KEEP SAYING THEM.

IT'S TRANSPARENCY.

WHEN WE VOTE TO GIVE THIS, IT'S NOT JUST FOR OUR BENEFIT, IT'S FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE GOING TO GIVE THIS PAY AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DISCUSS IT, THEY KNOW IT AND WE PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.

AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND, I TAKE YOUR WORD CITY MANAGER, THAT YOU PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.

I'M NEVER AGAINST ANY EMPLOYEES, UH, BENEFITS OR ANYTHING WE COULD DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT I'M ADAMANT ABOUT THE WAY WE DO IT.

ADAMANT.

COUNCILMAN FRANK.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR, UH, STAFF MEMBERS AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYEES OF OUR CITY.

WE APPRECIATE YOU, UM, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR AND THE WORKLOAD, UH, HAS BEEN HEAVY.

BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

UH, AS FAR AS WHAT COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT IS SAYING, I WANT TO ENSURE, UH, ASSURE HIM AS WELL, UH, THAT I CARE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WHAT ALL THE BUDGET HAS IN IT.

UH, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO BE A BLESSING OF SO MANY, WE SHOULD ALWAYS SEIZE THAT.

UH, ALL WELL, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

IN THE OPPOSES AYE.

AS AVERAGE ORDERED, WE HAVE APPROVED PO NUMBER 72 21.

AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THIS BODY.

SO WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS, UH, WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY HOLIDAY.

HAPPY KWANZA.

HAPPY HANUKKAH.

AND, UH, DEUCEY TELLING ME TO COME ON.

I MISSED NO CALL ON ME.

GO AHEAD MR. DOUCETTE.

A MOTION TO ADJOIN.

THANK IT.

IS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

WE WOULD ADJOIN THIS BODY.