[00:00:02]
RECORDING IN PROGRESS.AND AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
YOU.WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024, AND THE MEETING WHERE TO WAS TO BEGIN AT FIVE 30.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOW 5:44 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AND WE ARE BEGINNING THE MEETING.
YOU MAY PARTICIPATE AND ATTEND THIS MEETING VIA TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS, HOWEVER YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 7 3 7 1 7 0 8 2 0 6, AND THE PASSCODE OF 9 2 8 4 3 2, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE AND ATTEND THIS MEETING.
WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR SPECIAL REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND YOU WOULD CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND MAKE KNOWN TO HER STAFF YOUR REQUEST FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, AND THEY WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO MUTE IT AT THIS TIME, AND WE WILL HAVE AN INVOCATION FOLLOWING THE INVOCATION.
WE WILL ALL SAY OR RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND THEN THE ROLL CALL, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK AGAIN, WOULD YOU BLESS US WITH THE INVOCATION? LET US BOW AGAIN.
FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ALL WISE AND ETERNAL GOD.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US YET AGAIN.
AND AS WE RECONVENE, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING IN OUR WORLD.
WE CONTINUALLY ASK GOD FOR YOUR WISDOM AS WE DELIBERATE TODAY, AND AS WE HEAR FROM OUR CITIZENS, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD MOLD AND MEL OUR HEARTS AND MINDS THAT WE MIGHT DO YOUR WILL.
LET US NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR FORMER OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH A QUARUM? YES, SIR.
PRESENT, MAYOR PROTI HAMILTON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, DO YOU SEE HER ON YOUR SCREEN? I DON'T HAVE MY, NOPE.
WE'LL WATCH AND AND TAG HER IN WHEN SHE COMES BACK ON THE SCREEN.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WE WOULD BEGIN WITH THE PROCLAMATIONS,
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
AND WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR MR. RYAN KIDWELL DAY.HE'S NOT HERE, MR. MR. DAY ISN'T HERE.
BUT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, UH, FOR HIM.
AND WHAT I WOULD DO IS JUST ACKNOWLEDGE IT SINCE I HAVE IT.
AND IT ACTUALLY, UH, ALLUDES TO THIS DATE.
AND IT SAYS, FOR THE RECORD, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, OFFICE OF THE BEWARE.
RYAN KIDWELL JOINED THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SWAT TEAM IN 2002 AS A YOUNG PATROLMAN.
[00:05:01]
A BASIC OPERATOR, ADVANCED TEAM LEADER, AND ULTIMATELY RETIRED AS THE ASSISTANT COMMANDER.AND WHEREAS WE COMMEND YOUR TENURE COMMITMENT AND GUIDANCE DURING YOUR 22 YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE SWAT TEAM.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE RYAN KIDWELL FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND HIS FAMILY, I MEAN, HIS MANY, EXCUSE ME, ACCOMPLISHMENTS NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BOCE, MAYOR OF THE GREATEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 13TH AS RHYME KIDWELL DAY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I ASK ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN HONORING HIM FOR HIS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEARING TRUE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS 13TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
AND IS SIGNED YOURS TRULY, THURMAN BILL BARCE.
MAYOR, CHIEF, WOULD YOU COME UP AND RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION PLEASE FOR YOUR FORMER EMPLOYEE? SOMETHING WENT WRONG.
HE WASN'T HERE TO RECEIVE IT, SO, OKAY.
HE'S ONE OF OUR, HE'S ONE OF OUR UNDERCOVER AGENTS.
NOW WE WILL BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER THAT'S LISTED NUMBER ONE, HAS INFORMED US THAT HE WOULD WANT TO, OR HE MADE A REQUEST TO THE CITY SECRETARY TO CHANGE THE DATE OF HIS, UH, APPEARING BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
[III.A.(2) Courvesiaye Lockhart And Remmie Lockhart Regarding Solar Energy Opportunities]
ER LOCKHART AND MS. REMY LOCKHART REGARDING SOLAR ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.WE FIRST LIKE YOU ALL TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, ALRIGHT.
AND SEE YOUR ADDRESS AND FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS REMI LOCKHART AND MY NAME IS CAVA LOCKHART.
AND WE STAY AT 40 21 LEXI AVENUE IN FORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND, UH, SO CAN WE GET STARTED? ALRIGHT, WELL, GOOD EVENING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY.
MY NAME IS REMI LOCKHART, AS I STATED, AND MY PARTNER,
AND THE SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRY IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE BUSINESS.
AND WE WOULD LIKE PORT ARTHUR TO JOIN THE CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION.
WARREN BUFFET, UM, IS A SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, AND HE STATED THAT, UM, ENERGY DEREGULATION WILL BE THE LARGEST TRANSFER OF WEALTH IN HISTORY.
DEREGULATION OF ENERGY JUST SIMPLY MEANS THAT IT'S GIVING PEOPLE THE OPTION TO CHOOSE THEIR ENERGY SOURCE SUCH AS THEIR PROVIDER, OR ACTUALLY JUST GOING TO, UH, SOLAR ENERGY.
THIS IS THE NEXT WEALTH TREND HERE AT HARBOR SOLAR.
WE PRIMARILY SERVICE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
UH, WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2017 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UH, WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, SOLAR, SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATIONS.
WE HAVE A A PLUS RATING WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.
WE CURRENTLY SERVE 19 STATES, INCLUDING TEXAS, AND EXPECT TO HAVE MORE STATES BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
UM, IN THE UNITED STATES, ABOUT 130 MILLION PEOPLE ARE PLUGGED INTO WHAT WE CALL THE POWER GRID USING NON-RENEWABLE DIRTY ENERGY.
AND OF THOSE 130 MILLION HOMES, 86 MILLION HOMES QUALIFIED FOR A $0 DOWN SOLAR, WHERE CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY UPFRONT MONEY OR PAYMENTS TO TRANSFER TO SOLAR ENERGY.
SO WHAT'S THE FORECAST FOR SOLAR ENERGY? SOLAR ENERGY IS THE CLEANEST, MOST RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE AVAILABLE.
YOU CAN'T GET ANY CLEANER THAN THE SUN.
OKAY GUYS, SO IN 2022, ABOUT, UM, THERE WAS A BIG GROWTH, 40% GROWTH, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ENERGY, AND IT'S RISING EVERY YEAR, UM, GROSSLY ABOUT ANNUALLY.
SOLAR ENERGY MAKES $450 BILLION B, NOT MILLION.
SO WHAT IS THE FORECAST FOR SOLAR ENERGY RIGHT NOW? WHAT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BY, UH, THE GROWTH FOR SOLAR ENERGY? SO FIRST THING IS OUR GOVERNMENT, UM, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
[00:10:01]
AND CONGRESS, UM, PASSED THE SOLAR INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT WHERE HOMEOWNERS WILL RECEIVE A 30% TAX CREDIT JUST BY TRANSFERRING OVER TO SOLAR ENERGY.THERE'S THE ZERO DOWN DOLLAR, UM, THE $0 SOLAR, UH, PROGRAM WHERE HOMEOWNERS CAN, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANY UPFRONT COSTS FOR SOLAR INSTALLATION.
ALSO, IF YOU ALL ARE NOT AWARE OF STATES ARE NOW MANDATING SUCH AS CALIFORNIA, UM, THAT EVERY HOME HAVE TO GO TO SOLAR ENERGY.
SO THIS IS STARTING TO COME UP TO WHERE NOW STATES ARE MANDATING IT BECAUSE THE POWER GRID DISTURBANCES.
SO WHAT ARE THE CONS OF NOT GOING SOLAR, RISING ELECTRIC COSTS, CONTINUE RENTING AND PAYING FOR ENERGY FOREVER, AND BEING AT THE MERCY OF THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES.
WHAT ARE THE PROS OF GOING SOLAR? YOU HAVE IMMEDIATE SAVINGS ON YOUR BILL.
UH, FIXED ENERGY COSTS, OWNERSHIP OF YOUR ELECTRICITY, A 30% TAX CREDIT, A HUNDRED PERCENT PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR FIVE YEARS.
ABILITY TO SELL BACK YOUR EXCESS ENERGY TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES TO RECEIVE MONEY BACK.
UM, AND ALSO WE'RE SAVING THE PLANET FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE GOAL, IS TO GET CLEANER ENERGY.
SO GUYS, THESE INCENTIVES ONLY REQUIRES US AS CONSULTANTS AND THE COMMUNITY IS BY GETTING THE ELECTRIC BILL FROM US.
SO WE CAN KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE.
OKAY GUYS, SO GOING BACK TO THIS WEALTH TREND, ASK YOURSELVES, IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN COMPANIES SUCH AS APPLE OR AMAZON, WOULD YOU TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY? EARNING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IS CALLED A WEALTH TREND.
AND THAT'S WHERE RED AT GUYS SOLAR ENERGY WEALTH TREND HAS MADE ITS WAY SUPPORT AL TEXAS.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO POSITION OURSELVES TO GENERATE WEALTH FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS NOW CAN SAVE AND MAKE MONEY WITH SOLAR ENERGY.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS HOW TO BUILD A LUCRATIVE SOLAR BROKERAGE WITH HARBOR SOLAR.
UNLIKE OTHER COMPANIES WHERE YOU NEED HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF SALES REPS TO EARN OVER $1 MILLION IN A YEAR AT HARBOR, YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EARN A MILLION DOLLAR INCOME WITH JUST 10 TO 20 PRODUCTIVE PART-TIME.
SOLAR CONSULTANTS, HARBOR SOLAR OFFERS PHENOMENAL EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE LEARNING NEVER STOPS AND YOU NEVER STOP GROWING.
YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR EFFICIENCY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND CONNECT WITH PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS AND MENTORS.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS TO EARN ON THE HARBOR PLATFORM.
ONE WAY IS THROUGH PERSONAL SALES WHERE YOU CAN EARN BETWEEN 30 570,000, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH MORE YOU'D HAVE.
I'D HAVE TO GET INFORMATION OR APPROVE THE PHONE.
MAY MAYOR THE OTHERS HERE WE CAN, WE CAN EXTEND THE COUNCIL CAN EXTEND THE TIME.
UH, I'LL MAKE AND A TWO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT SHE BE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO SUMMARIZE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXTENSION.
UM, ONE WAY, UH, THROUGH UM, EARNING MONEY IS THROUGH PERSONAL SALES WHERE YOU CAN EARN BETWEEN 30 $507,000 PER CLIENT THAT'S APPROVED FOR SOLAR ENERGY.
OR IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BUILDING A BROKERAGE, YOU'RE QUALIFIED FOR PARTNER SALES, REVENUE SHARE, MENTOR BONUS, AND LEADERSHIP STYLE BONUS.
ALRIGHT, SO THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO BEGIN A CAREER WITH HARBOR SOLAR.
ONE, YOU CAN JOIN AS A SOLAR CONSULTANT WHERE YOU'LL PAY A ONE-TIME FEE OF $99 AND A $50 MONTHLY TECHNOLOGY COST.
OR TWO, YOU CAN JOIN OUR TEAM FOR FREE AS A SOLAR AMBASSADOR WHERE YOU CAN EARN $1,000 PER REFERRAL IF THE CLIENT IS APPROVED AND TRANSFERS TO SOLAR ENERGY.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS INTERESTED IN? IS IT GETTING YOUR FREE ENERGY SAVINGS ANALYSIS TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR SOLAR TO SAVE MONEY? IT IS ABSOLUTELY FREE OF CHARGE TO RUN AN ANALYSIS TO FIND THE BEST SAVINGS WHEN CHANGING TO SOLAR.
IS IT TO BECOME A SOLAR AMBASSADOR AT NO COST AND EARN A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EVERY SOLAR CELL THAT YOU REFER? OR IS IT TO BECOME A SOLAR CONSULTANT TO EARN UP TO FIVE STREAMS OF INCOME WHILE LEARNING FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME? SO VERY, UH, QUICKLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE IS NO LOSING WITH ANY OPTION THAT YOU MAY CHOOSE.
AND IT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION, UH, FOR CLIENTS, SOLAR AMBASSADORS AND CONSULTANTS.
NOW, VERY QUICKLY, THE BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY IS THAT, UM, OH, EXCUSE ME.
THERE ARE IMMEDIATE RESIDENT SAVINGS WITH OWNERSHIP OF THEIR ELECTRICITY AND INCREASING HOME VALUE, NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND HEALING OUR ENVIRONMENT BY USING CLEANER ENERGY.
ALSO, HARBOR SOLAR HAS A FUNDRAISING PROGRAM FOR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY
[00:15:01]
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES, WHERE THROUGH REFERRALS, THESE ORGANIZATIONS CAN EARN $1,000 FOR CLIENTS THAT ARE APPROVED AND TRANSFERRED TO SOLAR ENERGY, EXCUSE ME, AND TRANSFERRED TO SOLAR ENERGY.THERE ARE 86 MILLION HOMES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS ENERGY TODAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT WILL THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S IMPACT BE AT THIS MOMENT? WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU GUYS TO OUR CONVENTION ON FEBRUARY 17TH AND 18, 2024 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE EITHER TEXT OR EMAIL REMY AND MYSELF USING THE INFORMATION PROVIDED.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT TONIGHT'S, UM, AT THE END OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, EXCUSE ME.
IT IS A TIME OF REGENERATION AND RESTORATION FOR OUR CITY AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ARE AS EXCITED AS WE ARE ABOUT INVESTING IN OURSELVES AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING.
AND NOW WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, LADIES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THE COMMENTS THAT I'M GONNA MAKE ARE NOT IN ANY WAY AN AFFRONT TO YOUR BUSINESS OR TO YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I WANT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IN CONSIDERING ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT FOR ANY TYPE OF SOLAR ENERGY AT YOUR HOME.
I'M AN ATTORNEY AND I'VE REPRESENTED A NUMBER OF CLIENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE ELDERLY, UH, THAT HAVE GOTTEN INTO THESE CONTRACTS.
AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE SIGNED.
THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT A LIEN HAS BEEN PLACED ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, NOT EVERYONE GETS MONEY BACK IMMEDIATELY FROM THE PRODUCTION OF SOLAR ENERGY.
UH, SO ANYONE THAT THINKS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, UM, NOT, NOT BECOMING A, A CONSULTANT OR, OR, OR SOMEONE THAT'S WITH, WITH YOUR COMPANY, BUT, BUT WANTING TO GET THIS APPLIED TO YOUR HOME OR YOUR BUSINESS, PLEASE CONSULT AN ATTORNEY BEFORE YOU DO IT, BECAUSE THESE CONTRACTS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A WAY OUT.
UH, AND THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS AS BENEFICIAL TO, UH, THE CLIENT AS THEY PURPORT TO BE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A, A CAUTION TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
PLEASE CONSULT AN ATTORNEY BEFORE YOU AGREE TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS, UH, ATTACHED TO YOUR HOME.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IN THE FUTURE, UH, KNOW Y'ALL PROBABLY GONNA BE GOING TO OTHER CITIES AND GET ON A, HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER TO, TO ALLOW YOU TO DO A PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE LIMITED YOURSELVES TO FIVE MINUTES TO, WITH A PRESENTATION YOU COULD GET A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THEY PUT YOU UNDER THE PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOT, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOT HEAR IS, UH, YOUR COMPANY, ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY, PAY THE NOTE ON THE, ON THE SOLAR PANELS FOR ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS OR WHAT? NO.
SO, UM, NO, WE DON'T PAY FOR YOUR OWN NOTE.
UM, BUT WHAT WE DO IS INSTEAD OF, UM, YOU PAYING THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES, YOU'RE ACTUALLY PAYING OFF YOUR PANELS.
SO YOU'RE NOT PAYING ANY EXTRA MONEY OR ANYTHING.
YOU'RE JUST TRANSFERRING TO ON YOUR OWN ENERGY.
WELL, LET ME SHARE, LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
I'M GLAD THAT NOW IT'S 26% TAX CREDIT.
BUT YOU SAYING IT'S 30, IT'S 30% NOW.
AND THE LAST COUPLE YEARS I HAVE NOT PAID ANY TAXES.
MY EXEMPTIONS TOOK CARE OF THE COURSE.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, THAT, THOSE CREDITS, AND NOW AS FAR AS THAT WRITING UP FOR, I'VE WRITTEN UP OVER $50,000 WORTH OF CUSTOMERS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE SIGNED THEM ALL UP, HAVE 'EM COLLECTED.
NOT ONE DIME, BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, HOW DO YOU ALL EXPLAIN THINGS? I I LISTEN AT THE SOLO PEOPLE FOR OVER TWO OR THREE YEARS.
DO NOT DEAL WITH ANYBODY OVER THE PHONE.
HAVE 'EM TO COME TO YOU AND SIT DOWN WITH YOU AN ATTORNEY.
AND BECAUSE THE COMPANY IN TEXAS, THEY CAN'T, IF, IF FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER OR YOUR DEFAULT, THEY CANNOT PUT A LIEN ON YOUR PROPERTY, OKAY? THEY CANNOT DO IT.
SO, SO, WELL, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LIKE THE CLEAN ENERGY THING, SO GOOD LUCK.
GOOD LUCK TO Y ALL BUT MEANWHILE WE'LL GET A PRESENTATION NEXT TIME.
WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A MEETING.
WELL, IT'S TENTATIVE MEETING WITH, UH, MAYOR BARI THIS THURSDAY.
WE DID TRY TO DO THAT, BUT THE MEETING AND EVERYTHING JUST IS SET.
WE REALLY TRIED TO CONDENSE IT AS MUCH AS WE COULD, BUT IT'S JUST SO MUCH INFORMATION.
BUT YES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE, RIGHT? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
[00:20:01]
WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS SAID, YOU KNOW, HE HAD PEOPLE CALLING ME TO PUT 'EM AT MY HOUSE,AND, UH, I, I KIND OF TOLD HIM I WASN'T INTERESTED, BUT I SEE WHY HE GAVE HIM MY TELEPHONE NUMBER AND INFORMATION.
I SEE WHY HE KEPT BOTHERING ME.
SO IF LOUIS CALL Y'ALL, HE'S TRYING TO GET A HUSTLE.
ANY, ANY OTHER CAMERAS FOR THE YOUNG LADIES? WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL AND AS, AS, AS, AS YOU HAD BEGUN, I KNEW WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY, WHAT YOU, BUT, BUT I, TO PUT THE TIMER ON YOU, I KNEW IT WOULD TAKE YOU LONGER OR THERE MAY BE A WORKSHOP TYPE SITUATION.
BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE SAID THAT IN THE TEXT OR EMAIL OR SOMETHING.
UH, AND THE CITY CITY MANAGEMENT WOULD LET YOU KNOW ABOUT HIS ASSISTANCE.
YOU WOULD MEET WITH HIS ASSISTANTS.
THEY WOULD THEN EITHER SET UP A WORKSHOP OR THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION THAT, AND COUNCILMAN LEWIS WAS ALLUDED TO, AND SO THAT YOU COULD EVEN HAVE MORE TIME TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS YOU ACTUALLY ARE PROPOSING.
AND, UH, AGAIN, YOU WOULD WANT TO CONTACT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, OKAY.
AND, UH, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT YOU WITH ONE OF HIS ABLE ASSISTANTS.
'CAUSE IN GOVERNMENT, IT, IT DOESN'T GO QUICKLY.
BUT WE THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITMENT THAT, THAT YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TO WANT TO, UH, AND, AND OF COURSE WE'VE HAD FOLKS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH IT.
AND AGAIN, WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, I KNOW AT THE ONSET OF SOLAR PANELS, THERE WAS SOME DISHEARTENING INFORMATION TO SOME HOMEOWNERS WHO WERE SENIOR CITIZENS AND THAT ACTUALLY MADE THEM RESPOND THE WAY COUNCILMAN DEUCE SAID, EVEN THOUGH HE'S YOUNGER.
UH, THAT MADE HIM JUST RESPONDED NOT TO WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME, UH MM-HMM,
SO EVEN WITH THAT, HIS ABLE-BODIED ASSISTANCE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE YOU THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
SO WHEN THE CITY MANAGER BRINGS UP A RESOLUTION TO THIS COUNCIL TO PROPOSE WHATEVER IT IS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE WORKED OUT.
UH, MAYOR, GO RIGHT AHEAD LADIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH OH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND YES, I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED.
WHEN YOU DO COME BACK, IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING THAT FULL PRESENTATION OR WORKSHOP TO US, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, UM, DISADVANTAGES REGARDING WEATHER, SO WHEN IT RAINS OR THE LEVELS OF HUMIDITY, UH, WHAT HAPPENS DURING HURRICANE SEASON AND IF PAYMENTS ARE, ARE MISSED SO THAT WE CAN JUST GIVE ALL OF THE FACTUAL INFORMATION TO OUR CITIZENS AND THEN LET THEM MAKE A SOUND DECISION.
SO I'M JUST ASKING BE PREPARED WITH THAT INFORMATION WHEN YOU COME BACK.
COUNCIL LEWIS, YOU GOT SOMETHING? YES, BUT JUST BRIEFLY, THE TAX CREDIT, MY TOTAL COST WAS $83,000.
THE TAX CREDIT OVER TIME, THEY DON'T, YOU DON'T GET IT UP FRONT OVER TIME.
DROP MY OUT OF POCKET COST DOWN TO $51,000.
WELL, IT, IT, IT IS A GOOD PROGRAM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL GOING TO IMPLEMENT YOUR, BUT THE ONE I GOT IS, IS I'M SATISFIED WITH IT.
WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS BEFORE WE LEAVE, UM, SORRY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT IS A LONG TIME FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WE'RE THE CONSULTANTS HERE FOR PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO WHAT WE DO AT HARBOR, WE'RE JUST NOT DOING INSTALLATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU EVERYTHING.
SO WE WILL BE YOUR CONTACT PEOPLE TO HELP YOU WITH THOSE THINGS.
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT, WE'RE GONNA HANG, YOU KNOW, LET YOU, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ELDERLY OR PEOPLE JUST LEAVE YOU GO PUT IT ON AND THEN WE'RE DONE.
IT DOESN'T, WE DON'T WORK THAT WAY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY OTHER COMPANIES HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE, AND, AND, AND BRIEFLY AND I'M THROUGH WITH IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO NOW, SEE, I'M STUCK WITH, I GOTTA REMOVE TWO TREES.
OKAY? I CAN KNOCK A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE OFF OF MY BILL ONCE I MOVE THEM TWO, REMOVE THOSE TWO TREES.
OKAY? SO TRY TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT SOLAR.
I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT SUNSHINE.
AND, AND, AND ONE, ONE LAST THING, AND THIS IS JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A HORROR STORY OR IF HOW TRUE IT
[00:25:01]
IS.BUT ONE HOMEOWNER DID INFORM ME THAT THEIR INSURANCE DID NOT COVER THE SOLAR PANELS ON THEIR PROPERTY OR WINDSTORM.
SO HAVE THEY, BUT THIS WAS A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND IF A HURRICANE COMES, IT LIFT THROUGH A ROOF OFF, IT'S GONNA LIFT OFF YOUR SOLAR PANELS IF THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
BUT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ROOF, BUT NOT THE SOLAR THAT YOU'VE PURCHASED.
SO, UH, UH, I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO THEY, THEY SAY THAT IT WASN'T COVERED.
SO, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
NO, FROM, UM, WHAT, UH, WITH THE SOLAR PANELS THAT WE HAVE AT HARBOR, IT IS OKAY.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, OUR PANELS THAT WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR HURRICANE SEASON.
IF, UM, TREES OR ANYTHING GO, UM, YOU HAVE THAT WARRANTY WITH THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE DO HERE HAVE AT HARPER SOLAR IS THE WARRANTY FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, ALSO, UM, IT'S SO MUCH MORE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT YES, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
BUT YES, WE DO HAVE WARRANTIES FOR THOSE PEOPLE FOR 25 YEARS.
ONE OTHER THING, THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA PUT, YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A GOOD ROOF.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING TOO, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ROOF MAKE, THEY PUT ANYTHING.
AND THE SECOND THING, BEFORE YOU ALL INSTALL YOUR, YOUR, YOUR SOLAR CONTACT, YOUR HOME, YOUR, YOUR WINDSTORM PEOPLE, THEY GOT, THEY, THEY WANT TO KNOW.
I GOT, I CONTACTED THE WINDSTORM PEOPLE GOT THEM INVOLVED, AND THEY HAD TO GO BACK AND DO SOME, MAKE SOME MORE, MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS.
AND ONE OF THE THING I LIKE, ONCE THEY, THEY'LL PULL UP MY, MY HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 18 18, 18 89.
SO WHAT THEY DO, THEY WILL PULL A VACUUM ON YOUR HOUSE IF, IF THEY CAN, THEY CAN'T PULL A VACUUM ON MY HOUSE, BUT IT'S LIKE TRYING TO PULL A VACUUM ON THE ON SIDE.
SO IF THEY CAN PULL A VACUUM, THEY'RE GOING TO SEAL UP ALL, ALL OF THE FOREIGN AIR THING THEY PUT, GET IT WHERE THEY CAN PULL A VACUUM ON YOUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S GOING TO FURTHER DECREASE YOUR BILL.
AND IT'S ALL CUSTOM TO YOUR HOME.
SO EVERYONE ONE HOME IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME.
SO WHAT HE HAS WOULDN'T BE FOR YOUR HOME AND EVERYTHING.
WELL, Y'ALL ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE PRESENTATION.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By David Adefeso & Cedric Ceballos Of The Sootchy Charitable Foundation & Sootchy Inc. Regarding The Sootchy Education Program (SEP) (Requested By Mayor Bartie]
AN ACTUAL PRESENTATION.WE HAVE AN ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
AND THIS IS A PRESENTATION BY MR. DAVID AT
AND THIS IS REGARDING THE SOCI EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, UH, SEP.
AND IT'S BEEN, UH, ACTUALLY REQUESTED BY MYSELF, BY MAYOR
HOWEVER, IF YOU ALL CAN RECALL, THEY WERE HERE BEFORE, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN OCTOBER OR SEPTEMBER OR SOME OTHER TIME.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS HERE FOR, FROM BOB HOPE SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAVE A PORT ARTHUR, UH, PAID PERSON HERE.
AND, UH, A SABINE PASS INDIVIDUAL HERE, OR, UH, UH, EVEN AKO INDIVIDUAL.
AND, AND THIS IS MY REASON WHY I'M ASKING BECAUSE DR.
THIG THEN RELIGIOUSLY SENT OUT EMAILS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALREADY GOTTEN A COPY OF IT, BUT I DID, UH, BECAUSE I REQUESTED THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD BE INFORMED ABOUT, ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION ON NIGHT.
HOWEVER, THERE MAY MAYBE SOME WHO ARE LOOKING ONLINE, BUT YOU ALL ARE FREE TO BEGIN YOUR PROCESS AND YOU HAVE EXACTLY, UH, 20 MINUTES.
UH, I CAN MAKE THIS TIME WORK.
I HAD IT SET ON FIVE, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVE TO READ THE DIRECTIONS AGAIN.
I JUST GOT THIS LITTLE GADGET.
I AM THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF SUI CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND SUI INC.
AND WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE A PLAN THAT WE HOPE WILL CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY, UH, OF OUR COUNTRY.
HOW IS THIS? WE INTEND TO, TO, UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR PERMISSION, UH, TO SET UP, UH, THE SUJI EDUCATION PROGRAM IN HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE BELIEVE IT'LL CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF, UH, IT HAS A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR COUNTRY AND PROVIDE
[00:30:01]
NOT JUST $14,400 PER CHILD, BUT ALSO TO HELP EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, ALSO TO HELP CHANGE THE WAY OUR REAL ESTATE WORKS AND IMPROVE REAL ESTATE AND CREATE REAL JOBS AND REAL BUSINESSES.BUT BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A, A A VERY GOOD FRIEND AND, UH, OF MINE, WHO IS ALSO MY PARTNER, A FORMER NBA PLAYER, UH, 12 YEARS ALL STAR CEDRIC SABALOS.
AND, UH, CEDRIC AND I HAVE SORT OF, UH, A MEETING OF MINES.
YOU KNOW, MANY OF US ASK US WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY ARE WE IN PORT ARTHUR? AND, AND I, I TELL HIM, WHY NOT, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON HE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT.
SO ONCE CEDRIC SPEAKS, I'LL, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, I AM A, UM, BORN AND RAISED LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
BUT I SPENT EACH SUMMER IN EACH TEXAS KILGORE LONGVIEW AREA.
SO I GOT THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY SIDE OF IT.
UH, THE REASON ME AND DAVID HAD PARTNER IN THIS, BECAUSE I HAVE A FOUNDATION AS WELL, THAT CATERS TO, UM, THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN THROUGH ATHLETICS AS WELL AS, UM, HELPING FEED, CLOTHE AND, AND NOURISH THE HOMELESS.
UM, WHEN HE CAME TO ME WITH THIS PRESENTATION, IT FIT RIGHT INTO WHAT, HOW I, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE NBA AND AND, AND MEET AND SEE SO MANY PLACES AND, AND CONTINENCE AND COUNTRIES AND EVERYTHING.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, GROWING UP IN LOS ANGELES, UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY SPORTS PEOPLE PLAYING ONE YEAR OF VARSITY, MY SENIOR YEAR, I PLAYED ONE YEAR OF VARSITY AVERAGING ABOUT FOUR TO EIGHT MINUTES.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T QUALIFY YOU FOR A SCHOLARSHIP.
SO IN MY MIND, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET MY EDUCATION.
UH, I MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE UP NORTH VENTURA, CALIFORNIA AND PAY FOR MY OWN EDUCATION AT THE TIME, I JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE WORKING AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT.
WHEN THE COACH WALKED IN, REMEMBERING MY LAST NAME, SABALOS THOUGHT I WAS SPANISH.
LONG STORY SHORT, HE OFFERED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME PLAY BASKETBALL IS UNIVERSITY, WHICH I HAD ALREADY PAID FOR AND ATTENDED MYSELF.
THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING HERE IS THE KIDS THAT ARE OUT THERE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY.
THEY NEED SOMEBODY JUST TO PUSH 'EM ALONG.
AND OBVIOUSLY, I DIDN'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY THROUGH BASKETBALL.
I JUST GOT THAT FROM A CHANCE FOR ME GOING TO WORK AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT, EARNING MY KEEP.
SO IF WE GIVE THESE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY, IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SMALL AS MINUTE AS $500 TO PUSH THEM OVER THE STATISTIC THAT'S SHOWN THAT SMALL DONATIONS HELP.
BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO 14 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR TO HELP THEM PAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION, TO PAY FOR THEIR TRADE SCHOOL, GIVE 'EM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS, THEIR OWN BUSINESS, IT JUST COULD HELP THEM OUT.
NOW I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO CHANGE MY LIFESTYLE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFESTYLE BECAUSE OF THIS.
AND IF WE CAN GIVE 'EM THE OPPORTUNITY TO START HERE IN PORT ARTHUR TO DO THAT WITH THE CHILDREN THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WALK THE STREETS, THAT PLAY HERE, THAT, THAT GROW HERE, UH, IT'D BE A GREAT CHANCE FOR NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT THE, BUT EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD.
THE PROGRAM HAS THREE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO GET EVERY CHILD THAT WE CAN, AN OPPORTUNITY IN LIFE.
GENERATIONAL POVERTY IS SOMETHING WE KNOW ABOUT.
AND, AND, AND, AND IT'S A CYCLE THAT, THAT SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO BREAK OUT OF.
EDUCATION HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE THE ONE THING THAT CAN DO THAT.
STUDIES SHOW IF A CHILD GOES TO COLLEGE OR HAS A HIGHER EDUCATION, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE $1 MILLION MORE.
YOU ADD THAT TO WHAT THE MEDIAN INCOME IN AMERICA IS NOW.
SO WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
THE FIRST IS ACCESS, FIN, UH, UH, FINANCING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WE'RE GOING TO BE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN YOUR COMMUNITY, IN YOUR, YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS.
WE'RE GOING TO BRING OUR RESOURCES, OUR TIME, OUR MONEY.
WE'RE, WE'VE DONE DOZENS OF THESE AROUND THE COUNTRY IN MANY, MANY CITIES.
WE INTEND TO SIGN UP EVERY CHILD, STARTING WITH 3000 CHILDREN.
WE HAVE A FUN, HAPPY HOUR AND A HALF EVENT.
WE GIVE 'EM FOOD, WE GIVE 'EM, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY COMES.
BUT IT'S ALSO FOR THEM TO LEARN AND FOR US TO HAND THEM A COLLEGE FUND.
THE SECOND COMPONENT IS FINANCING.
60% OF THE CO UH, THE COST OF A HIGHER EDUCATION IN AMERICA IS PAID FOR BY THE PARENTS WHO WERE THE GUESTS.
WE TALK ABOUT STUDENT DEBT AND SECTION 5 29 AND COLLEGE SAVINGS AND ALL THIS.
10% IS PAID BY, UH, UH, SAVINGS, UH, THE CHILD SAVINGS 10% BY THE PARENT SAVINGS.
[00:35:01]
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT 60% BECAUSE OF POVERTY.SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE ARE REPLACING THE WAY COLLEGE IS FUNDED IN 45 DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE FIRST IS WE'RE, WELL, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ENGAGING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS, IT IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
I TELL THE CITIES WE GO INTO, IF WE FAIL, WE ALL FAIL TOGETHER.
BECAUSE THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GET YOUR KIDS AS MANY OF YOUR KIDS IN EDUCATION.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE ENGAGED THE EMPLOYERS.
WE'VE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT'S SIMILAR TO A 401K PLAN, OR 4 0 3 B OR 4 57, OR A PENSION PLAN THAT SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE.
BASICALLY, YOU PUT IN A HUNDRED DOLLARS, YOUR EMPLOYER MATCHES A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE EMPLOYERS WE'VE TALKED TO, THE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES ARE WILLING TO DO IT.
WE WORK WITH SOME OF THE LARGEST FOUNDATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST ONES, LOCAL, NATIONAL.
AND MANY OF THESE FOUNDATIONS HAVE ALLOTTED HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THAT MONEY, UNFORTUNATELY, DOESN'T GET TO WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO.
THE THIRD COMPONENT IS THE GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT SPENDS $140 BILLION ON GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MONEY GOES IN WHEN THE CHILD IS 18 YEARS OLD.
THE COST OF COLLEGE GOES UP BY 8% EVERY YEAR.
SO THE KID CAN, CAN KNOW HE HAS A COLLEGE FUND, SO THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THREE COMPONENTS.
THE PARENT ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, WE EXPECT TO PUT IN A CONTRIBUTION AND WE ALSO DO MATCHING FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
SO THIS IS FIVE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WE'VE CREATED.
AND THEN THE THIRD PART, REMEMBER IT'S ACCESS FINANCING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY.
WE DON'T ACTUALLY GIVE THE KIDS ANY MONEY.
SO INSTEAD OF HANDING YOU FREE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR HANDING YOU FREE, WE DON'T WANT FREE STUFF.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE IN HERE DOING FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND THE ADULTS IF THEY WANT.
THEY CAN COME IN, WATCH A VIDEO, AND ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS, AND THEY CAN WIN.
AND BY THE TIME YOUR KIDS ARE 18 YEARS OLD, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF CREDIT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STOCK, A BOND? WHAT'S INSURANCE? WHAT'S A SOLAR PANEL? WHAT'S FINANCING THE THINGS I, AS A FINANCIAL ADVISOR HAVE TAUGHT PEOPLE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS? MY BACKGROUND, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I CAME FROM LAGOS, NIGERIA 33 YEARS AGO.
RIGHT AFTER I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, I HAD $250.
I WAS HOMELESS FOR SIX MONTHS.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY, BUT I WAS BLESSED.
AND I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE I HAD A COLLEGE DEGREE WITH NO STUDENT DEBT FROM LAGOS.
SO TWO YEARS AFTER I GOT HERE, I PASSED MY CP EXAMS, TOP 3% IN THE COUNTRY.
TWO YEARS AFTER THAT, I GOT TO HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, GRADUATED, WENT TO WALL STREET, HAD $125,000 IN STUDENT DEBT THAT I PAID OVER TWO YEARS BECAUSE I WAS WORKING ON WALL STREET.
I WAS BLESSED FIVE YEARS AGO AFTER SETTING UP MY OWN COMPANY AND GROWING IT AROUND THE COUNTRY AND CONSOLIDATING DURING THE PANDEMIC AND BECOMING MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN I EVER THOUGHT I'D EVER BECOME.
I TURNED AROUND FIVE YEARS AGO AND I REALIZED PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND AND CEDRIC HAD LEFT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE US BEHIND.
WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN.
EDUCATION IS THE SUREST WAY OF DOING THIS.
SO WE STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO ON THIS MISSION, AND NINE MONTHS AGO, AFTER DOING AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF RESEARCH AND SPENDING EXCUSE MY FRENCH AND INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY DOING RESEARCH AND VISITING PLACES, WE STARTED AN EIGHT CITY TOUR.
WE SPENT NINE MONTHS OVER THREE PROCESSES, VERY STRICT.
AND, AND, AND I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO ANNOUNCE IT, BUT YOU WERE ACTUALLY THE WINNER.
WE SELECTED YOU FROM EIGHT AMERICAN CITIES.
THE REASONS WHY WE SELECTED YOU IS BECAUSE WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME HERE AND WE FELT THE LOVE THAT WE VISITED THE PORTS WE VISITED, VISIT THE SENIOR CENTER.
WE, WE HAD A PRESENTATION OVER HERE.
WE FELT THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY REQUIRED, UH, UM, THE TYPE OF LOVE THAT WE INTEND TO BRING OVER HERE.
WE'D LOVE YOUR SUPPORT IF POSSIBLE, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.
'CAUSE WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT US, WE WILL FAIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
[00:40:01]
FOUND OUT WHEN YOU VISITED THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THAT WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE DON'T ONLY HAVE ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN OUR CITY BOUNDARIES.WE HAVE MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, IT SAYS WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR SEP? YOU SAY ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE K 12 PROGRAM WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO ARE YOU LIMITING THAT TO JUST THE PORT ARTHUR, ISD OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS THAT LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR THAT MAY ATTEND PORT NCHE OR ERLAND OR ONE OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS? IT'S EITHER ONE.
UH, OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE, WHEN WE DESIGN THE PLAN, WE DESIGN THE PLAN TO BE FLEXIBLE.
SO IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS AS A WAY TO ATTRACT CHILDREN TO PORT ARTHUR, TO GO TO SCHOOL HERE BY EXCLUDING CHILDREN WHO GO TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE CAN BUILD IT INTO THE PLAN.
WELL, I DON'T WANNA EXCLUDE ANYONE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, IS THIS GONNA BE INCLUSIVE OF THE CHILDREN THAT LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, BUT THEY ATTEND ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S, THAT'S WITHIN THE, THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY LIVE IN.
SO ARE YOU SAYING IT WOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF THOSE STUDENTS? THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE DESIGNED IT.
UNLESS YOU DECIDE OTHERWISE, YOU CAN TELL US YOU, YOU'D PREFER SOMETHING ELSE.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFER, WE'LL KEEP IT THAT WAY.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, YOU SAY THAT THIS IS FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN A TWO OR FOUR YEAR COLLEGE OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEGREE.
UM, OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ALL HAVE DUAL ENROLLMENT AND THEY ALSO, UH, SEVERAL SCHOOLS HAVE THE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THE STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE WITH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AS WELL AS A TWO YEAR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN GENERAL STUDIES.
UM, SOME OF THAT IS AT NO COST TO THE PARENTS, BUT SOME OF THE DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES ARE AT A A COST TO PARENTS.
SO WILL IT INCLUDE CHILDREN THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE DUAL ENROLLMENT? YES.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS.
TRADE SCHOOLS, THERE'S ARE PARTLY VOCATIONAL, WELL, DUAL ENROLLMENT IS NOT JUST TRADE SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE DUAL ENROLLMENT AT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS.
THAT LEADS TOWARDS EITHER A TWO YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE OR A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE.
IT'S NOT TRADE SCHOOL, IT'S IT'S COLLEGE.
SO WILL IT INCLUDE THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL? YES.
COUNCILMAN, UH, DOUCETTE? YES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
VERY FEW TIMES I GET A CHANCE TO HEAR SOMEBODY COME UP FOR COUNCIL THAT'S STRICTLY GOING TOWARD EDUCATION IN OUR KIDS.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME EVERYBODY COME BEFORE US.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BUSINESS AND CITY AND GOVERNMENT.
BUT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING FOR CHILDREN IN OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, I WILL, I'LL BE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER I NEED TO DO AS A COUNCILMAN IN ORDER TO SUPPORT YOUR FOUNDATION AND YOUR GOALS AND WHAT YOU ARE HOPING TO DO FOR OUR KIDS.
TO LET THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY KNOW THAT WE MAY BE DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR KIDS ARE FUTURE AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO BETTER THEM AND EDUCATE THEM AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY.
LIKE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT, UH, AND YOU GUYS ARE, ARE ROLE MODELS BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING HOMELESS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING IN THE SUPERMARKET, AND THEN I WATCH YOU PLAY IN THE NBA GAME.
YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S WHAT KIDS NEED TO HEAR.
KIDS NEED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO TELLING THEM, I WAS LIKE YOU, BUT THERE'S A WORLD OUT THERE FOR IT, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, WHATEVER WE COULD DO AS A COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE WILLING TO THROW MY SUPPORT BEHIND IT.
AND, UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL TO HELP AND VOLUNTEER, UH, JUST GIMME A SHOUT.
YOU CAN FIND ME ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
YOU KNOW, I'LL DO ANYTHING I CAN.
WELL, NO, I, I, WE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION IN AMERICA.
WE ARE THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD PER CAPITA INCOME.
AND OVERALL, OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS LAGGING BEHIND MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
I I'LL TELL YOU A RECENT EXPERIENCE.
I WAS, UH, I'M ON THE ADVISORY, UH, COMMITTEE OF, UH, UH, THE BRUINS INSTITUTE, WHICH IS THE, THE NATIONAL THINK TANK.
AND I WAS WITH, UH, THEM, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO, A FEW DAYS AGO, TALKING ABOUT, UH, HOW TO EDUCATE 1 BILLION CHILDREN IN, IN, IN AFRICA, BECAUSE AFRICA IS PRODUCING A LOT OF THE, THE FUTURE WORKFORCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING ACROSS THE WORLD.
[00:45:01]
A LOT OF AMAZING IDEAS FROM REALLY BRILLIANT PEOPLE.AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE INCLUDED, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME RENOWNED ECONOMISTS AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST FOUNDATIONS IN THE WORLD FOCUSED ON AFRICA.
AND I STOOD UP AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M AFRICAN, AND I LOVE THE FACT WE HAVE SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE FOCUSED ON SOLVING THE EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS IN AFRICA.
WE GOT THOSE PROBLEMS RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA.
WE HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT'S NOT WORKING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE HAVE A, A SYSTEM WHERE, WHERE KIDS WHO ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF COLLEGE EVENTUALLY DON'T GO AND STAY IN A, A GENERATIONAL CYCLE.
KIDS WHO WERE, WERE PRINTING, WHO ARE UNEDUCATED ABOUT BASIC FINANCIAL LITERACY, BASIC MINDFULNESS, AND A LOT OF THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN THE FUTURE IN THE FORM OF, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, SOCIOECONOMIC ILLS, DRUGS, GANGS, KIDS WHO ARE POOR.
POVERTY HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO, TO BE THE, THE EASIEST PATH TO DRUGS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND CRIME AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE ON SOMETHING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE THREE FACTS, ACCESS, FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL LIT, UH, THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT ARE RESTRAINTS IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE LOCALLY, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, STATE AND, AND FEDERALLY.
UH, BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU ASK FOR SUPPORT AND OBLIGATION FROM THE CITIES, WHAT ARE ACTUALLY YOU ASKING US TO DO, UH, AS A CITY? UH, I SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD LOCALLY HERE, UH, P-A-I-S-D FOR SIX YEARS AND TWO OF THOSE YEARS AS SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT.
SO I'M ASKING, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THIS COLLECTIVE BODY OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TO SUPPORT IN YOUR ENDEAVORS WITH THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY? WELL, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE CHILDREN.
UH, THIS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
I LOVE TELEVISION PAPERS AND ALL ADS.
BUT WE, WE NEED ACCESS TO THE CHILDREN, UH, TO, TO GET TO THE SCHOOLS, THE, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, THE YMCAS, UH, TO THE PARENTS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE.
AND ALSO, LET ME ADD, UH, TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THE FUNDS TO COLLEGE OR, OR TRADE SCHOOL.
THEY CAN TAKE THOSE FUNDS AND GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND USE THEM WHEN IT COMES TO THE REAL ESTATE PROGRAM, WHERE THEY PURCHASING THEIR OWN HOME, STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
THEY HAVE TO SPEND THAT MONEY IN PORT ARTHUR.
THOSE ARE THE STIPULATIONS THAT WE WANT TO APPLY THAT.
UH, IF, IF THEY, IF COLLEGE IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO GET THAT EDUCATION, THAT'S FINE.
THEY WANNA START THEIR OWN BUSINESS, BE A BARBER.
UH, WE, WE FREQUENTLY VISIT A CIGAR SPOT HERE, UM, IF THEY WANNA START THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
BUT STARTING IT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, KEEPING THOSE FUNDS HERE, KEEPING AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, UH, TO BLOSSOM THIS SEATING.
AND, AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE MORE.
SO ONE IS ACCESS TO THE CHILDREN, WHICH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE WE'VE MET SOME OF THOSE CHILDREN.
THE SECOND IS ACCESS TO THE FINANCING SOURCES.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED FOR THESE 12 AND A HALF MILLION CHILDREN.
AND NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A RATIO.
THERE'S 3.3 MILLION, UH, BLACK KIDS.
THERE'S 4.3 MILLION HISPANIC KIDS.
THERE ARE 4.6 MILLION WHITE KIDS.
THERE'S 2 MILLION MIXED RACE KIDS AND 568,000.
WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACROSS THE BOARD ENDING THIS GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF POVERTY.
SO THE SECOND THING WE NEED, REMEMBER THE FOUR WAYS WE RAISE THE MONEY, EMPLOYERS, WE NEED ACCESS TO YOUR EMPLOYERS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU ARE MAKING MONEY OVER HERE.
HELP OUR CHILDREN GROW THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE SO THEY COULD BE MORE EDUCATED FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE WORKING, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OTHER STATES ASSEMBLIES.
WE NEED ACCESS TO YOUR STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND YOUR SENATORS TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THEM.
WE ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE OF BILLS IN OTHER STATES, GEORGIA AND, UM, UH, UM, ARKANSAS.
AND THEN, AND WE HAVE A FEDERAL BILL, UH, EARNED TO LEARN.
OUR PART IS GONNA BRING $1 BILLION IS MY PARTNER'S BILL, MY, YOU KNOW, UH, $1 BILLION, UH, INTO THIS SPACE.
SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO INTRODUCE US TO THOSE FOUNDATIONS THAT SUPPORT YOU, UH, THE EMPLOYERS IN YOUR SCHOOL, IN YOUR, UH, UH, HERE.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING WE NEED, WHICH WE WILL TAKE CARE OF.
SO WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.
RIGHT? WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING AND HOW THE COMMUNITY IS COMING TOGETHER.
SO, SO JUST SPEAKING ABOUT IT AND, AND, AND, AND, AND ELEVATING IT.
I THINK OTHER CITIES, UH, WILL SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I THINK WE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
WELL, THE, THE ONE THING I THINK LEGALLY WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COLLECTIVE COUNCIL IS DO A LOT OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR YOUR ENDEAVORS, UH, AS GETTING ACCESS TO, UH, SCHOOL BOARDS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES HERE THAT COULD PROBABLY, YOU COULD TALK TO ON THAT PERSONAL BASE, BUT, UH, I, I DO, I AM VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, YOUR PROGRAM.
UH, I, I DO AGREE WITH YOU WHEN YOU STATED
[00:50:01]
EARLIER THAT COLLEGE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.I, I CHOOSE THE MILITARY FIRST, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE WAS SOMETHING THAT I, I I ENDEAVORED LATER.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU GONNA PROVIDE TO OUR CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING PORT ARTHUR AS ONE OF THE WINNERS.
THANK, OKAY, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
WE PRAY BEFORE EVERY SCHOOL, UH, BEFORE EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SO I BELIEVE IN ANSWERED PRAYERS.
AND, AND IF WITH GOD'S HELP, I PRAY THAT ALL OF THIS COMES TO TRANS, UH, YOU KNOW, COMES TO TRANSPIRE, THAT IT TRANSPIRES, AND THAT OUR KIDS IN OUR CITY, UM, UH, GROW, UH, THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, PERHAPS THAT THEY, UH, COULD NEVER, UM, ENVISION.
IS THERE A COMPONENT WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO, UH, AS WELL, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, UH, GET INVOLVED? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING SOME COMPONENT THAT EXPOSES THEM, UM, TO DIFFERENT THINGS OR FIELD TRIPS OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? EXPOSURE IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CHILDREN LACK IN SO MANY WAYS, SHAPES AND REGARDS IS EXPOSURE.
DOES, DOES YOUR, DOES YOUR PROGRAM YES.
IS, IS EXPOSURE IN TWO WAYS IN GENERAL.
THE FIRST WAY IS THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THERE'S, UH, EXPOSURE THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, RIGHT? SO WE EXPOSE THESE CHILDREN, LIKE YOU SAID, ONLY 37% OF AMERICAN CHILDREN GO TO COLLEGE.
HOW ABOUT THE OTHER? 63%? THEY NEED TO GET A JOB, AN APPRENTICESHIP OR VOCATIONAL, INTRODUCE THEM TO A CARPENTRY COMPANY OR A TRUCK DRIVING COMPANY.
THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SEW.
THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO, YOU KNOW, UH, HVAC, YOU KNOW, SO WE INTRODUCE THEM AND WE EXPOSE THEM TO EMPLOYERS THAT ARE WILLING, YOU KNOW, WE PAY FOR IT THROUGH MONEY THEY'VE ACCUMULATED.
WE PAY FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S THE FIRST WAY.
THE SECOND WAY IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
I'M ON THE, THE BOARD OF, OF A FEW ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO EXPOSE OUR CHILDREN MORE TO PEOPLE WHO CAN HAVE A LASTING IMPACT IN THEIR LIVES.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS ACTUALLY TAKING THESE KIDS ON FIELD TRIPS TO, UH, COLLEGES.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE KIDS LIVE IN HBCU, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES AND THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IN THE DOOR, RIGHT? THEY LIVE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THEY JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FOR THEM.
SO, SO THAT EXPOSURE AND DRIVING THEM TO SEE THAT THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEING ON THE STREET, RIGHT, IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE, HAVE BUILT AND WE CONTINUE TO ENHANCE.
AND ALSO, UH, UM, I STATED BEFORE THE NBA AS A ETERNITY, I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO NOT ONLY, UM, THERE'S ONLY 4,000 MEMBERS THAT EVER PLAYED IN THE NBA, BUT, UH, THREE OF THE DOMINANT ONES ARE RIGHT HERE FROM PORT ARTHUR, STEVEN JACKSON, RAJAN RONDO, KENDRICK PERKIN.
SO I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THESE GENTLEMEN.
SO NOT ONLY DID COUNCILMAN DUCEY SAY THAT THIS IS A HERO TYPE OF SITUATION, BUT LOCALLY GROWN HEROES WILL COME BACK, UH, TO SUPPORT, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL PRESENTATION.
AT LEAST Y'ALL GOT IT IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
WE CAN HAVE SOME TIME, HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
UH, MOST OF THE KIDS, OH, PORT ARTHUR CITY, PORT ARTHUR HAS FIVE PLUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
OKAY? FIVE PLUS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY DAUGHTER, I HAVE A, ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS, UH, SHE LIVES IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
AND, UH, SHE GRADUATED FROM XAVIER UNIVERSITY WITH HONORS.
SHE TOLD ME A STORY ONE TIME, AND I'LL BE BRIEF.
THE PRIVATE, SEE, THE KIDS NEED THE, THE KIND OF ATTENTION THAT YOU ALL THEY NEED, THE, THE NURTURING THAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY? THEY NEED THAT INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION.
PRIVATE INDUSTRY TOOK OVER STRUGGLING SCHOOLS, STRUGGLING SCHOOLS IN ATLANTA OR A LOW INCOME AREA.
KIDS WAS FAILING WHEN IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY TOOK OVER.
THOSE KIDS COMPETED WITH THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY THOUGHT THEY, THEY SET ASIDE, UH, FUNDS FOR THEM.
NO, THEY COMPETED AGAINST THE WHOLE DISTRICT, THOSE STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.
THOSE KIDS GRADUATED AND THEY HAD GOT OVER $25 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND THAT CAME FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
SO WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING, YOU GOING GIVE 'EM, YOU GOING, YOU GOING TO GIVE 'EM, YOU BE DEDICATED TO THE ATTENTION THAT THEY NEED, THE NURTURING THAT THEY NEED.
[00:55:01]
TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED.THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TEACHER, THE EDUCATOR ONLY HAVE THAT CHILD FOR EIGHT HOURS.
THE PARENTS HAVE THAT CHILD FOR 16.
AND SOME OF 'EM WANTS TO BLAME THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE PROBLEM.
YOU'VE GOT THE CHILD FOR TWO THIRDS OF THE TIME.
THE PARENTS GOT THE CHILD FOR TWO THIRDS OF THE TIME.
PARENTS NEED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON SOME OF THESE THINGS SO THEY CAN HELP THEIR KIDS WHEN THEY COME HOME.
THERE OUGHT BE SOME KIND OF A PROCESS OR SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN STRENGTHEN THE, THE PARENTS OR ON WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THE PARENTS WHEN THAT CHILD COME HOME AND, AND START PLAYING.
YOU DON'T PLAY WITH THAT COMPUTER AND, AND GO TO SHOW YOU HOW, HOW THE KIDS ARE PREOCCUPIED.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO PORT ARTHUR CAME OFF A FARM IN EVERGREEN, LOUISIANA.
AND DON'T ASK ME WHERE THEY'RE AT, OKAY? AND WELL, I'LL TELL YOU ANYWAY.
IT'S DOWN BY PLUM, NEARLY PLUM THE WOODS AND NEARLY OUT THE WORLD.
TODAY, WHEN I CAME HERE, THE PARKS WAS FULL OF KIDS PLAYING BASKETBALL OUTSIDE.
WE GOT TOP-NOTCH PARKS AND YOU DON'T HARDLY SEE ANY KIDS.
WHERE ARE THEY? THEY AT, THEY GOT THEIR LITTLE, THESE LITTLE THINGS HERE AND SOMEWHERE INDIVIDUALLY.
WE ARE SELLING OFF PARKS, LACK OF ACTIVITY, BUT THE POINT.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AND WHATEVER I CAN DO AND WHATEVER THE COUNCIL CAN DO TO HELP Y'ALL GET YOUR, GET THE WORD OUT OR, AND WE WELCOME, WE ARE WILLING TO HELP.
OKAY? APPRECIATE Y'ALL, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, COUNCILMAN D SAID YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE FOR YEAH, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SO THRILLED 'CAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS.
LIKE I SAID, YOU GET, I DON'T MAKE COMMENTS FOR CEREMONIES AND ALL THAT AND PRESENTATION.
BUT WHAT YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT KIDS, YOU GET MY UNDIVIDED ATTENTION AND, AND I WAS SO GLAD TO HEAR A PRESENTATION THAT GOT ME EXCITED TO EVEN SPEAK.
OKAY? AND I'M GONNA GIVE Y'ALL MY CARD AND I WANT Y'ALL TO GET WITH ME, NOT AS A COUNCILMAN, BUT AS AN INDIVIDUAL HERE IN THE CITY THAT WANTS TO HELP AND DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU ALL.
OKAY? WELL LOOK, I THINK SOMEONE ELSE HAS SOME CARDS THEY WANT TO PASS OUT TO YOU.
AND WHILE, WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
WE BEGAN THIS RELATIONSHIP ABOUT ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, AND COUNCIL, AND TO ALL WHO ARE LISTENING, THIS RELATIONSHIP BEGAN AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS ASSOCIATION, WHERE MY CITY DOES NOT WANNA PAY MY DUES.
AND NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW NETWORKING WILL BRING TO PORT ARTHUR.
YOU KNOW, SOME SAY I'M THERE HAVING A GOOD TIME OR WHATEVER, BUT THAT DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER ME BECAUSE GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING WITH ME AND THROUGH ME.
THIS RELATIONSHIP BEGAN THERE.
BUT I DID NOT TRY TO HINDER WHAT I KNEW, WHAT BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE AND SUPPORT EVEN IN MY COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN DENIED THIS YEAR, A FEW MEETINGS AGO.
BUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE GENTLEMEN THAT EACH PERSON HERE NOW HAS SPOKEN FAVORABLY TOWARD BEGAN THERE.
WE CANNOT CONDUCT THE CITY'S BUSINESS IN 1960 WAYS IN 2024.
I'M NOT SCOLDING ANYONE, I'M JUST PASSING ON THE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE THAT WAS HOW I MET DAVID.
GENTLEMEN, YOU ALL HADN'T GOT BACK ON COUNCIL YET.
THEY MADE A PRESENTATION TO PARENTS RIGHT HERE IN THE COURTROOM AND TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, COUNCILMAN BECKERMAN.
WE, WE INVITED THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, TONIGHT I HAVE FOLK HERE FROM THE BOB HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU ALL STAND, PLEASE, OR ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, WE TALKED TOGETHER.
AND AS SOON AS THEY FINISH WITH THIS PRESENTATION, THEY'LL WALK OUT AND YOU CAN HAVE SOME PRIVATE TIME WITH THEM OUT IN, IN THE LIBRARY AREA OUT THERE.
AND, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE SITUATED IN PORT ARTHUR WOULD GET INVOLVED.
THEY WERE HERE FOR THE VERY FIRST ONE, AND THEY WERE ENERGIZED.
[01:00:01]
JUST DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO EMAILS, SO SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT READ THE EMAIL TOMORROW AND SAY, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE LAST NIGHT.I DON'T THINK THAT'S INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN IT.
AND THEN THERE IS A CONSIDERATION THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM BROUGHT UP.
UH, WE HAVE NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND I THINK YOU AND I, UH, SAID, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR, UH, THAT IF PORT ARTHUR DOESN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT YET, WE ARE ONE OF THE CITIES THAT OUR COUNCILWOMAN, UH, MAYOR
I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW THE CONCEPT TO FAIL.
IF I BRING IT TO OUR FOLK HERE AND THEY WON'T ACCEPT IT, THEN WE ARE, WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES THAT UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE BRINGING, AND WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
I JUST WANTED MY CITIZENS IN PORT ARTHUR TO BE INFORMED FIRST, AND I WOULD PRAY GOD THAT THEY WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WOULD LOVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND JUST TO SAY IT CORRECTLY, IT'LL BE OPEN.
IT'LL BE OPEN FOR COUNCILWOMAN BECKER TO OTHERS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO LIMIT A CHILD'S OPPORTUNITY NO MATTER WHAT HIS RACIAL OR ETHNICITY, UH, PREFERENCE OR WHATEVER IS STILL A CHILD THAT WE HAVE DOMINION OVER.
AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO WITHHOLD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE THIS BETTER LIFE.
AND IF YOU ARE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU READ YOUR EMAILS FROM SUSIE, BUT IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T, IF YOU WILL, IT WILL TOTALLY INVIGORATE YOU TO ACTUALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
AND MAYBE EVEN THINK ABOUT, AS COUNCILMAN DE SAID, SAID, HOW YOU COULD BE OF HELP, HOW YOU COULD PUT EVEN YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN, OR A NIECE OR A NEPHEW, OR A GODCHILD OR SOME CHILD IN THE PROGRAM SUCH AS THIS.
BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO, WE MIGHT BE ALL GONE, BUT IN 20 YEARS OR 15 YEARS, THIS, THOSE LITTLE KIDS RIGHT THERE HAVE FUNDS THAT WOULD EITHER ALLOW THEM TO GO TO COLLEGE, GO TO TRADE SCHOOL, OR EVEN BECOME A PROPERTY OWNER, THE LAND ON BELLA HOME, RIGHT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND THAT IS GUARANTEEING OUR FUTURE.
SO WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I BELIEVE, UH, THEY WILL, THEY, THEY WILL HAVE SOME, UH, CONVERSATION FOR YOU.
OUTSIDE THERE, I HEARD THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE SAYS SO.
SORRY, I, I CAN'T BRING YOU AND HAVE DINNER WITH YOU.
SO I DO HAVE, OH, OH, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UH, DAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BACK.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT HERE IN OUR CITY.
I, IT SEEMS AS IF YOU'RE COMING JUST TO DO THIS PRESENTATION, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, THERE WAS A WORKSHOP PROVIDED BACK IN OCTOBER FOR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY, AND THERE WERE A GOOD NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THERE.
AND IN BETWEEN THAT TIME, THEY CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
SO I'M SO GLAD, I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU CHOSE US AND THAT YOU FELT THE ENERGY AND THE LOVE AND COMMITMENT WHEN YOU WERE HERE.
UM, BACK IN OCTOBER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ASK, UM, ONE OF THE ASKS WAS, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? YES, WE CAN PROVIDE LETTERS OF SUPPORT, BUT I WANT TO CHALLENGE US AS A CITY TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND BE ONE OF THOSE FIRST CORPORATE SPONSORS FOR OUR, UH, STAFF.
AND BE ONE OF THOSE MATCHING, UM, BE ONE OF THE, THE COMPANIES THAT WILL MATCH WHAT A PARENT IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR CHILD'S FUND.
I AM, AGAIN, SO EXCITED THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE.
I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE SOME TOWN HALLS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THIS INFORMATION OUT IN, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, YES, WE DO WANT TO SUPPORT ALL THE CHILDREN, BUT AGAIN, I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU CHOSE PORT ARTHUR TO HELP SUPPORT CHILDREN WHO ARE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS AND CHRIS TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU.AND, UH, CITY MANAGER AND, AND COUNCIL, UH, UH, AND THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WHO WOULD, UH, AGREE WITH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE 600 SOME EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IF IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE WOULD STUDY OR REVIEW HOW WE CAN GET EVERY CHILD THAT IS A LEGAL CHILD, AND I, I'M SAYING, I'M SAYING THAT FOR A REASON, A LEGAL CHILD OF A, A PORT ARTHUR EMPLOYEE, THAT THOSE WOULD BE THE CHILDREN THAT THE CITY WOULD MOVE WITH.
NOW, EVERYBODY WHO WORKS FOR PORT ARTHUR DOESN'T LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR, BUT GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND I CAN'T JUST SAY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HELP A CHILD WHO MAY NOT LIVE IN PORT ARTHUR, BUT HIS MOTHER OR HIS DAD COMES TO WORK HERE TO MAKE THIS CITY BETTER.
I THINK THAT'S THE BENEFIT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ACTUALLY GIVE OF THEIR TIME IN THIS CITY.
AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A CONSIDERATION THAT I LIKE TO PUT UP FRONT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
LIKE I TOLD THE YOUNG LADIES WITH SOLAR, IT MOVES SLOW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE US TO GET OFF THE TRAIN CENTER, BUT WE ALL, I KNOW WE AT THE STATION GETTING ON THE RIDE.
SO, BUT, BUT THAT'S A CONSIDERATION.
AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU GOT YOUR STAFF AND YOU, Y'ALL ARE STEADY AND SEE WHAT IT IS BECAUSE, BECAUSE COUNCILMAN DEA GONNA BE WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY COMING FROM.
AND SO WE GOING, WE WE'LL KNOW AT THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, AT THE NEXT BUDGET HEARING, AT THE NEXT BUDGET HEARING WHAT THAT CONTRIBUTION WOULD NEED TO BE.
AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, IF YOU GO TO THESE MEETINGS AND FIND OUT, I BELIEVE THAT THE BIDEN HABIT ADMINISTRATION HAD SOME FORMS OF GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
CDBG MONEY AIN'T GONNA PAY FOR THIS.
THEY HAVE A WHOLE NEW METHOD OF GETTING MONEY INTO COMMUNITIES AND THEY LOOK FOR INNOVATION AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS.
SO COULD BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE MANAGER IF YOU COULD HAVE A BIG OLD LONG FEATHER IN YOUR HEAD FOR, TO SHOW MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES HOW TO GET IT DONE.
AND IF YOU WILL, YOU ALL WOULD MEET WITH MY COLLEAGUES BACK THERE.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SHOWED UP.
SO, AND I KNOW THAT DR. LOPEZ WOULD DEFINITELY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL BRING BACK.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, NEITHER.
DO WE HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE? UH, NOW WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND THE FIRST DISCUSSION
[III.E.(1) A Discussion Regarding The Purpose And Function Of The Pleasure Island Advisory Committee (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
ITEM IS A DISCUSSION, UH, REGARDING THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUETTE.SO NOW COUNCIL MEMBER WITH, WITH MR. GEORGE, UH, DAVIS, BE THE PERSON THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, UH, ADDRESS THAT EITHER, EITHER HIM OR THE MANAGER THAT THAT'S UP TO, THAT'S UP TO STAFF WHO THEY WANT TO COME UP THERE.
WHICH ANYBODY WHO THE MANAGERS SELECT TO COME UP.
HE SET HIM ON ANOTHER MISSION.
WHAT'S HAPPENING? SO HERE'S ALL YOU WHAT WE GOT.
UH, THE PLAGIARIZING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE SENT TWO, UH, PROPOSITIONS TO CITIZENS TO APPROVE.
ONE WAS IN 2013, IF I'M CORRECT, WHAT THE COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSED.
AND I WAS ON A COUNCIL AT THAT TIMES, COME OUT VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
THE PLEASURE ISLAND AT ONE TIME USED TO DO THEIR OWN CONTRACTING, GOING THROUGH CONTRACTING.
UH, AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY GOT WHERE THEY GOT IN CONTRACTING.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS SUFFICIENT TO DO THE WORK.
IT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION BACK AND FORWARD.
AND IT ENDED UP THE COMMISSION TELLING THE COUNCIL AND THIS TALKING COUNCIL
[01:10:01]
THAT, HEY, IS Y'ALL ISLAND? SO WHAT THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO DO WAS PLACE THE ISLAND WHEREBY THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO BE OVERSEEN BY THE MANAGER SO THAT ANY CONTRACTS AND STUFF THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT BEFORE IT COME TO COUNCIL, THEY WOULD GET WITH THE MANAGER AND EVERYTHING.SO THE, SO THE MANAGER COULD ADVISE THE COUNCIL.
SO BASICALLY, WE NOW HAD CONTROL OF THIS SPENDING OF MONEY BY THIS COMMISSION.
SO THE FIRST PROPOSITION THAT WAS DONE, THAT BASICALLY WHAT IT SAYS, UH, THAT THEY WILL FALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY AND THE SUPERVISION OF THE MANAGER.
OKAY? THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS PASSED WHERE WE ASKED THE CITIZENS TO HAVE THE ADVISORY COMMISSION BE A, A DEPARTMENT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET TO THE, UH, ADVISORY COMMISSION BEING A DEPARTMENT? A DEPARTMENT, UH, COMES UNDER THE MANAGER.
YOU HAVE DIRECTORS, YOU HAVE, UH, THAT'S YOU WANNA GET IN THE HOUSE.
HE GET UP HERE, GEORGE, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY DON'T NO, NO.
GUESS WHAT, GEORGE? HEY, NICKIA.
I NOTICED
NO, THAT'S ONE THING I NOTICED.
EVERY TIME I BRING UP SOMETHING BEFORE YOUR TIME, YOU ARE QUICK TO SAY BEFORE MY TIME.
THAT'S WHY I WOULD DEFINITELY TELL YOU THAT.
THE WHOLE INTENT WAS FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND NOT TO BE ABLE TO DO CONTRACTING AND STUFF AND, AND NOT COME BACK TO THE CITY JUST ADDING UP.
BUT THEIR FUNCTION WAS BASICALLY TO, UH, DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE ISLAND.
OUR DIRECTOR OF THE ISLAND WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE CITY, NOT THE COMMISSIONER, THAT ALL EMPLOYEES OUT THERE WAS ALSO EMPLOYED, BUT THOSE, BUT THEY NORMALLY USED TO BE IN CHARGE OF MAINTAINING THE ISLAND.
AND THE DIRECTOR OVER THERE WAS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THE MANAGER.
WHEREBY THE, UH, DIRECTOR ATTENDED ALL THE MEETINGS, WHATEVER THEY DISCUSSED IN THE MEETING, HE WOULD COME BACK AND BRIEF THE MANAGER.
SO THE MANAGER'S FULL AWARE OF IT.
IF THEY NEEDED ANY CON ANY INFORMATION BACK, HE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT THERE WAS A COMPLETE COMMUNICATIONS THERE.
SO I WANNA KNOW, WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW? ARE THEY STILL DOING THAT OR HAVE WE TAKEN THOSE RESPONSIBILITY? BECAUSE THE ISLAND COMMISSION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL JUST, JUST DO.
WELL, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S AN ADVISORY BOARD.
SO BASICALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY HAS CHANGED.
LIKE YOU SAID, THEY CAN'T DO THE CONTRACTS, THEY CAN'T, UM, DUE TO FINANCES AND NONE OF THE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I JUST LOOK AT IT AS IT'S WRITTEN IN THE CHARTER AS AN ADVISORY BOARD.
THE, THE, THE, FOR THE, UM, EDIFICATION OF THE, THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE COUNCIL, THE PLEASURE ISLAND COMMISSION AS IT WAS THEN HAS TOTALLY LOST ITS AUTONOMY WHEN THE CHARTER CHANGE WAS MADE.
AND ITS STATUS WAS CHANGED FROM AN AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATION, AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, TO AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH, UM, JUST THE, THE, THE, THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE ADVICE.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU CORRECTLY SAID, UM, COUNCILOR D SAID, THE PLEASURE ISLAND IS RIGHT NOW A DEPARTMENT AS EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT UNDER THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS THE CHARTER CHANGE CITY ATTORNEY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT WAS THE CHARTER CHANGE THAT WAS PART OF THE CHARTER CHANGE.
THE, THE, THE PLEASURE ISLAND DIRECTOR REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER AND NOT TO ANY ADVISORY MEMBER.
YOU KNOW, UM, THE ADVISORY MEMBERS HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SEE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THE BUDGET, THEY ARE THERE TO ADVISE WHATEVER THAT MEANS, BECAUSE WHEN THE CHANGE WAS MADE, THERE WAS NO CLEAR AND SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT THEIR ROLE WAS.
IN SOME, FOR SOME REASON, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN SOME PLACES, THEY STILL MAINTAIN THE WORD COMMISSION, WHICH I THINK IS AN ANOMALY OR SOMETHING OF
[01:15:01]
THAT NATURE.BUT THEY HAVE NO REAL AUTHORITY.
AND THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF THE STORY.
I THINK WE STILL NEED TO DO SOME WORK TO CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS LEFT THERE AS RESIDUE, BECAUSE IT IS VERY MUCH MISLEADING FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THINK THAT THERE'S AUTONOMY AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
AND THERE'S NO AUTONOMY WHEN IT WAS MADE, THEY, THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PLEASURE.
WE HEAR MEMBERS SAYING THAT, WHERE IS OUR MONEY? IT'S NO LONGER OUR MONEY.
IT'S THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S MONEY RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE PLEASURE ISLAND COMMISSION THAT ONCE EXISTED BECAME A DEPARTMENT OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF POFA CITY ATTORNEY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I INTERPRET WHEN I, UH, READ THE PROPOSITION.
SO NEXT THING THAT, WE'LL, THAT I'LL BE LOOKING INTO, AND I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE BRING PROPOSITIONS TO THE CITIZENS, OUR PROPOSITIONS SUPPOSED TO BE DETAILED.
OKAY? AND THERE'S NOT A PROPOSITION THAT WENT TO THE CITIZENS THAT SAYS THAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WILL BE TAKEN FROM THEM.
UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE SAY THAT THEY WILL BECOME A DEPARTMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE PUT TO THE CITIZEN.
BUT IT'S SO, IT'S SO GENERAL THAT ONCE I HEAR THE CITY MANAGER'S EXPLANATION, IT CAN, IT CAN FIT IN THAT IN THEM REALMS. IT CAN FIT IN THEM REALMS. SO WHAT I'LL DO IS I JUST GO BACK AND, UH, GET THE, THE, UH, ORIGINAL ONE THAT WAS PLACED IN WHEN THEY WERE ESTABLISHED, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE OUR, OUR PROPOSITIONS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SO GENERAL THAT WE SAY SOMETHING TO THE CITIZENS OR THE PUBLIC AND THEY VOTE ON IT.
BUT WHEN WE PUT IT INTO PLAY, IT IS DIFFERENT.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE CLARIFICATION AND I'LL, AND I DO THAT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO AND THANK YOU, GEORGE.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, GEORGE, WHEN YOU STAND THERE.
ALLEN HAD BEEN GONE FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT? 10, 15 YEARS FROM UNDER THE CITY.
THEY HAD, BASICALLY, IT WAS AUTONOMOUS.
WHAT WE, I PUSHED AND PUSHED AND PUSHED AND GOT A CHARTER CHANGE GOING.
JOHN DEERE AND, UH, ROBERT TROY, UH, INSTRUCTED THOSE TWO GUYS RANG THE, THE PLEASURE ISLAND BACK AND PUT IT UNDER THE CITY WHERE THEY CAN REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY IT IS GONE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL, ANY CONTROL UNLESS THEY WAS GONNA SELL SOME LAND.
BUT THE LANGUAGE, THE LANGUAGE NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
SO NEXT TIME WE HAVE A CHARTER CHANGE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE GOT TO CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION
[III.E.(2) A Discussion Regarding The Street Fund Account (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
ITEM, A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE STREET FUND ACCOUNT AND HAS ALSO BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.UH, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE, UH, STATE MANAGER? GO AHEAD.
WHO GOT IT? UH, SOMEBODY BETTER GET UP HERE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S PUT RON ON A GUN.
AND IF YOU CAN'T, THERE YOU GO.
YOU, YOU, UH, YEAH, YOU NEED, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION BECAUSE I KNOW I WASN'T GONNA PROBABLY GET THE ANSWER.
WHAT I REQUESTED WAS A, A REPORT ON THE STREET FUND.
AND WHAT I MEANT BY STREET FUND, I MEANT HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE SPENT? WE SELLING CERTIFICATES.
I WANNA KNOW, HAVE WE SOLD FOUR ROUNDS? DID WE SELL 40 MILLIONS OF CERTIFICATES SO FAR? OKAY.
AND IF SO, EACH TIME WE SELL CERTIFICATES, WE HAVE MONEY THAT IS DIVIDED UP AMONG DISTRICTS, THEN THERE'S MONEY THAT IS LEFT.
[01:20:01]
MANAGING PROJECTS, UH, STREET EQUIPMENT.SAY FOR INSTANCE, A, A A PAVER BREAK OR SOMETHING.
WE WANTED MONEY TO FIX THESE THINGS.
WE WANTED MONEY TO REPAIR THESE THINGS.
WE WANTED MONEY AVAILABLE IF WE HAD TO GET A MANAGER.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE EXTRA MONEY IS THERE FOR.
BUT THAT MONEY IS ALL BUDGETED FOR EACH YEAR.
AND AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD, HOW MUCH MONEY IS REMAINING IN ANY OTHER DISTRICT, WHEN COUNCIL APPROVED THAT MONEY, EACH YEAR YOU APPROVE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR A DISTRICT.
SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IF THE DISTRICT DID NOT SPEND ALL OF THE MONEY, IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T COMPLETE ALL YOUR ROADS.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T COMPLETE ALL OUR ROADS, THEN THE MONEY IN THERE, IT'S FOR THOSE STREETS THAT WE DID NOT COMPLETE.
SO THEY SHOULD BE ROLLED OVER.
IT IS NOT MONEY TO BE JUST MOVED FROM THE DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S ALLOCATED TO THE DISTRICT.
SO ONE, HOW MANY CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS WE SOLD, HOW MUCH WAS ALLOCATED, ALLOCATED TO THE DISTRICT? HOW MUCH HAD BEEN SPENT BY YEAR? WE SHOULD HAVE, THIS IS INFORMATION THAT FACTS, TODAY WE SHOULD HAVE RECORDS OF IT.
WE'VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THIS.
THE OTHER ONE IS THE ORDINANCE FOR 20 22, 20.
LET'S SEE, FISCAL YEAR CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION THAT YOU ALL DID IN, UH, 23, UH, FOR THE 25.5 MILLION, UH, 25.5 MILLION, 10 MILLION OF THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR STREETS.
SO WHERE IS IT NOW? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF IT'S 10 MINUTES, 10 MILLION OF THE 25.5 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED, THAT MEANS YOU GOT 10 MILLION.
DID WE SELL THOSE CERTIFICATES? AND IF WE SOLD THOSE CERTIFICATES, THEN WHERE'S THE MONEY? ALSO, UH, IF YOU GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT THE STREETS, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT MONIES WAS SPENT OUT OF STREET FUNDS.
UH, YOU GOT AT, I SEE LYNN WRITING.
YEAH, YOU GOT 'EM, LYNN? YEAH.
WHENEVER YOU GIMME THE, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT ALONE.
BECAUSE, UH, AND THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IN THE SOCIAL AND WITH THIS SPEAKER, I'VE LOOKED AT EVERY MEETING PRESENTATION AND READ EVERY RE RESOLUTION SINCE 2018, REFERENCE TO STREET.
AND I JUST CAN'T SEE WHERE WE ARE.
WE ASKED RON, WE ASKED, UH, IN AUGUST.
WE ASKED IN AUGUST THAT STAFF GO BACK AND TAKE THOSE STREETS THAT ARE NO LONGER IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAD BEEN SELECTED ALREADY.
MOVE THEM IN THE PROPER DISTRICT.
THE MONEY SHOULD MOVE WITH IT, BECAUSE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED.
BUT WE SAID IN AUGUST TO CLEAN THAT UP.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STREETS IN OUR DISTRICTS, WE KNOW WHAT STREETS ARE ON THE LIST TO BE REPAIRED AND THE, AND THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
BECAUSE IF YOU GOT NEW AREAS, LIKE ALL AREAS CHANGED.
SO ALL THE, ALL THE DISTRICT, UH, HAD STREETS MOVED FROM ONE DISTRICT TO ANOTHER.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO.
THEY SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO DO IT BECAUSE WE ARE READY NOW TO SELECT STREETS.
I MEAN, WE, WE ASKED FOR THIS INFORMATION IN AUGUST.
WE NEED TO SELECT STREETS BECAUSE IF WE SELECT THE STREETS, THEN WE COULD START GOING FOR CONTRACTING.
WE COULD START, UH, UH, GET READY TO GET 'EM DONE.
THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW WE FALL BEHIND.
WE FALL BEHIND BECAUSE WE'RE BEING REACTIVE.
WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS SAYING SOMETHING, THEN WE START MOVING.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET ON IT BECAUSE I'M READY TO GET INVOLVED WITH THESE STREETS.
AND THE DISTRICTS PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME, AND THESE ARE QUESTIONS
[01:25:01]
THAT IF YOU GIMME THE ANSWER AND GET THE WORK DONE, THEN WE COULD GET MOVING AND WE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AVAILABLE.'CAUSE IN AUGUST, THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T SELECTED STREET THIS FOR THIS YEAR.
SO WE, IN FEBRUARY AND IN FEBRUARY, WE'RE GONNA BE STARTING A NEW, A NEW BUDGET CYCLE.
AND WE HAVEN'T SELECTED STREETS.
SO I NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON STREETS OF MY DISTRICT.
I'M QUITE SURE ALL THE DISTRICT COUNCILMEN PROB COUNCIL MEMBERS PROBABLY FEEL THE SAME WAY.
WE NEED THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY PICK OUR STREETS, BUT WE CAN MONITOR OUR MONIES IN OUR DISTRICTS, AND WE CAN MONITOR WORKING OUR DISTRICTS BECAUSE, UH, IF WE DON'T GET INVOLVED, WE START HAVING SOME DECISIONS MADE THAT ARE NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR DISTRICTS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN WHERE WE HAD STREETS DONE IN SEAMEN IN DISTRICT THREE WHEN COUNCILMAN KINLAW WAS THERE, AND I, I HAD FOUR LAST TIME I WAS ON, WE, THAT'S ABOUT THREE, FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS BUDGETED.
RON, YOU GET TO, YOU GET WHAT I'M ASKING FOR? I DO.
AND, UM, I'M SURE THAT THE, THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AND NOW THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS HAVE TAKEN NOTES.
SO WE'LL PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND PROVIDE YOU WITH A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR IS WORKING ON OUR AUDIT THAT WILL GIVE US A MUCH MORE CONCISE AND PRECISE, UM, UM, REPORT AS TO WHERE OUR MONIES ARE.
UNSPENT MONIES, AS WELL AS SPENT MONIES.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, COUNSELOR, WE ARE DEALING WITH BOTH REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION.
AND AS YOU RIGHTLY SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME STREETS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE SPENT MORE THAN WE ORIGINALLY INTENDED.
BUT, UM, WE WILL, I THINK THAT'S OUR DUTY TO YOU AND TO THE, UM, COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE YOU, UM, VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT INFORMATION AS TO THE NATURE OF OUR FINANCES AS TO WHERE WE ARE.
I THINK IT'S GONNA, I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP THE, THE NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR ALSO, BECAUSE I KEEP SEEING THESE AMENDMENTS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AS THEY WERE OCCURRING AND NOT ALL AT THE END.
SO I THINK IF WE GET THAT INFORMATION TO HER PERTAINING THE STREETS, I THINK THAT'D BE ONE THING OFF HER PLATE.
AND I THINK IT ALSO ALLOW THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO START, UH, SELECTING STREETS AND WE START GETTING THESE STREETS.
SOME NEED DESIGN OR SOME NEED TO BE DONE.
I'M DO, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, COUNCIL, UM, I NEED IT.
THE, UM, THE WHOLE INTENTION OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS IS AGAIN, UM, I AGREE WITH LIN, IS TO BRING TRANSPARENCY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THE COUNCIL KNOWS HOW WE ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY, YOU KNOW, UM, AS LONG AS THE MONEY IS APPROPRIATED ON ONE SIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AVAILABLE AND IT'S JUST CLEAN AND, AND TRANSPARENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES.
NOW, UH, THE NEXT ITEM, IT WOULD BE
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
ROMAN NUMER FIVE.WE HAVE REPORTS OF ANY, UH, ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST FROM ANY, UH, COUNCIL PERSON.
I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS COMING ON.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THOSE STUDENTS AND TO DR.
OUR CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO NETWORK AND TODAY WAS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW IMPORTANT NETWORKING IS, UM, WITH OTHER CITIES.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HOW OTHER CITIES WERE GROWING, UM, THEIR YOUTH.
SO I TRULY WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK THE CITY, THANK, UM, DR.
THIGPEN FOR HIS SUPPORT IN HELPING US TO MOVE OUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU ALL A AGAIN, DR.
THIGPEN, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR TAKING THE REINS OF THAT AND ACTUALLY BRINGING IT TO FRUITION.
AND THEY ARE, YOU ALL ARE A FUNCTIONING GROUP AGAIN, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:30:01]
WE WOULD MOVE NOW TO, UH, ROMAN[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
NUMERAL SEVEN, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.AND WITH THIS CONSENT AGENDA THAT I, THE INFORMATION ON EACH OF THE ITEMS WE HAVE BEEN, UH, YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION ON IT, AND I BELIEVE THIS ACTUALLY RUNS FROM PAGE THREE THROUGH PAGE SIX.
IF THERE HAVE BE ITEMS THAT YOU ALL WOULD WANT, UH, REMOVED, WOULD YOU PLEASE THIS, UH, COUNCILMAN BECKER.
LEMME KNOW THE PAGE NUMBER AND THE ITEM NUMBER.
WHAT PAGE? AND ALSO PAGE SEVEN.
OH, WAIT, I'M SORRY, I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF.
UH, ITEM C ONE, ITEM NUMBER ONE.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, A THREE ON FOUR.
WAIT, I'M, I'M GOING HEAR IN IN YOU RIGHT ON PAGE THREE A.
YEAH, SHE PULLED THE WHOLE THING.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT YOU PULLED ALL OF THEM.
UH, LET ME AND BA GOT THE OTHER ONE, SO I'M GOOD, MAYOR.
UM, MAY I GET A MOTION NOW TO HOLD ON THERE? ONE MORE? OH, OH, EXCUSE ME.
COUNSELOR, UH, ON PAGE FOUR, NUMBER TWO, I JUST GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
LEMME GET MY FINGERS TOGETHER ON NUMBER TWO.
NOW, READY TO ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS. UH, A ON PAGE THREE, ITEM NUMBER ONE UNDER C ON PAGE FOUR, ITEM NUMBER TWO ON PAGE FOUR, UNDER C.
AND ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE FIVE, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE OTHER ITEMS ON THIS? UH, COUNCILOR KINLOCK.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE ITEMS. I JUST SO MENTIONED.
UH, WELL, I HEAR IT TOO FAST FOR QUESTION.
NO, IN THE COURT, COUNCILMAN, FRANK, YOU, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION IN YOUR LIFE WITH THIS ON.
SO ALL OF THOSE ITEMS, UH, BUT NOT WITHDRAWN OR NOW APPROVED.
[VII.A. Travel Request / Travel Expense Reports]
ITEM NUMBER A, WHICH IS TRAVEL REQUEST AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.AND THIS IS REQUEST FOR PRE-APPROVAL OF, UH, TRAVEL PURSUANT TO 78 DASH 2 69 SUBSECTION, UH, B AND, UH, EIGHT OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE SYSTEM.
AND IT SPECIFICALLY HAS ITEM A ONE, ITEM, A TWO ITEM, A THREE ITEM A FOUR.
UM, AND ACTUALLY WE CAN, WE, WE DID THE MINUTES.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN MCKINLEY ON THOSE MOVE, MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE ITEM A ON PAGES THREE AND FOUR.
THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF TRANSPARENCY.
I'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS FROM SOME CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND THIS IS IN REFERENCE PRIMARILY TO ITEM NUMBER A ONE AND A THREE.
SO THIS IS TRAVEL REQUESTED BY, UH, THE MAYOR AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, UH, TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, CONGRESSIONAL CITY CONFERENCE, UH, IN WASHINGTON, DC AND IT REGARDS THE TRAVEL DATES AND, UM, UH, I WANNA INVITE THE PUBLIC, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS, UH, LOCATED ONLINE@CCC.NLC.ORG.
UH, THE ACTUAL DATES OF THE CONFERENCE ARE MARCH 11TH THROUGH THE 13TH.
UH, BUT THERE IS SOME PRE-CONFERENCE EDUCATION, UH, AND SESSIONS THAT OCCUR ON MARCH 9TH AND 10TH.
UH, AND SO THE TRAVEL DATES FOR THE MAYOR AND FOR COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, ARE MARCH
[01:35:01]
THE EIGHTH THROUGH THE 14TH, WHICH ACCORDING TO OUR, UH, OUR CITY CHARTER, WE'RE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL A DAY BEFORE THE CONFERENCE BEGINS, AND TO STAY A DAY AFTER THE CONFERENCE ENDS.SO, I WANNA BE SURE I'M LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE NOW.
UH, THERE IS SOME, UM, UH, EXECUTIVE EDUCATION SCHEDULES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON MARCH THE NINTH, UH, FROM 8 45 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 5:00 PM IN THE EVENING.
UH, AND SO SINCE, UH, BOTH OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, ARE GOING TO BE TRAVELING, UH, WHERE THEY WILL BE THERE FOR THESE SESSIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ON MARCH THE NINTH, I WANNA BE SURE THAT, UH, THEY WILL BE THERE FOR THESE EDUCATIONAL, UH, AGENDA ITEMS THAT WILL BE OCCURRING ON MARCH THE NINTH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? COUNCILMAN ETT YOUR LIGHT WAS ON? YES.
NOW, WITH THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR'S PROBABLY GOING SAY HE GOT THOSE MEETINGS, AND I KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
IF YOU, YOU STILL, YOU'VE BEEN A CANDIDATE.
SO IF, BUT, BUT IF IT'S, IF THAT'S THE NC UNIVERSITY WHERE SHE WAS ALLUDED TO, NO.
WELL, I KNOW, UH, FOR NLC, NORMALLY SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE COMMITTEE PEOPLE YEAH.
IF YOU'RE ON SOME OF THE COMMITTEES YOU, YOU GO TO.
BUT AS FAR AS, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, THE ADVANCE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THESE TRAVEL AND WE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO, AND I KNOW WE GOT DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF IT, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE AS A COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE GET HAMMERED, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE GONNA, IF WE WANT TO GO TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY CONFERENCE, AND THE CONFERENCE IS FROM THE, UH, 13TH THROUGH THE 14TH, THAT IS THE ACTUAL DAYS OF THE CONFERENCE ITSELF, THEN IF WE ARE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO FUND IT, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO GO TO.
UH, THESE OTHER SESSIONS, THEY, THEY OFFER, BUT THAT'S TAX.
THAT'S, THAT'S TAXPAYER'S MONEY, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE, I WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE, BUT I WANT THIS.
I THINK WHEN WE DO TRAVEL, WE SHOULD ALWAYS CONSIDER THE TAXPAYERS AND TRY TO GET WHAT WE REALLY WANT OUT OF IT.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THESE IN LC SINCE I'VE BEEN ON CANCER 2011.
AND FOR SOME REASON, IT'S, IT, IT IS BEEN ACCEPTED LATELY.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO TO GET THESE PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS THAT WE PAY FOR 'EM, WELL, THE REQUEST IS FOR THIS.
SO WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK'S, UH, REQUEST, UH, DID WE, CITY SECRETARY, DID WE HAVE A, UH, DID I LOOKED AT THE BACKGROUND OF THE, UH, TRAVEL REQUESTS THAT WAS DONE? I DIDN'T SEE THE, THE COURSE, THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT ADDITIONAL YEAH.
MAY I ASK NOW I HAVE IT ON MY DESK OF ALL THE COURT.
THE COURT IS FROM THOSE TWO DAYS, BUT SHE HAS THEM NOW, I BELIEVE.
AND, AND IT BEGAN THAT MORNING UNTIL ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE.
AND THEN SOME OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE LATER THAN THAT.
AND, BUT, BUT IT'S TWO DAYS OF, OF ACTUAL OR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, IT'S, UH, I THINK, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT DAY IT IS.
BUT WHATEVER DAY THE NINTH IS, IT'S MARCH 9TH AND 10TH.
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE, A SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OR SOMETHING, OR, OKAY.
WELL, OR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THOSE DAYS OFF.
SO ACTUALLY, MAYOR, SO YOU'RE NOT ATTENDING ANY, UH, COMMITTEE MEETINGS? NO, THAT'S COMMITTEE MEETINGS, I'M SAYING WOULD BE AFTER IN A, IN, IN THE AFTERNOON IF, AND I HAD, I, I GOT THE SCHEDULE PRINTED OUT.
I PRINTED IT OUT EARLIER TODAY.
SO I I I, I WOULD BE AMID MAYBE JUST STANDING SAYING IT, BUT THE CLASSES BEGIN, I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AT 8:00 AM THAT MORNING, OR EIGHT ON MARCH THE NINTH.
THAT'S WHY IT, IT IS BRUTAL TO GET THERE THE DAY BEFORE AND THEY END IF, IF I'M, IF I AM CORRECT ON THIS, UH, BECAUSE I GOT AN EMAIL THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, HILL DAY IS ON, I BELIEVE, THURSDAY OR FRIDAY OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT, THAT LAST DAY IS.
AND THAT'S THE DAY THAT WE GO TO CAPITOL HILL.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOING TO FINISH AT 11 O'CLOCK OR AT FIVE O'CLOCK FROM LAST YEAR.
WE FINISHED AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK, BECAUSE THE, UH, NLC, UH, AND I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE GROUP.
THEY DO ALL OF THE SCHEDULING WITH YOUR SENATORS AND WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES,
[01:40:01]
AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE TIMES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS UNTIL YOU GET TO THE BRIEFING THE DAY PRIOR TO CAPITOL HILL DAY.I, I, SO, SO THAT, THAT'S WHY IT'S P JUST HAVE YOUR RESERVATION FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL, GET TO THE AIRPORT AT, YOU KNOW, IN A TIMELY FASHION.
AND IT IS A BENEFIT TO THOSE OF US WHO WANT TO BE EXPOSED TO, UH, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ATTEND NLC UNIVERSITY PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT IS AN ENHANCEMENT ON YOUR, SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WE SAYING IT'S TAXPAYER'S MONEY, AND IT IS, BUT IT ALLOWS THE COUNCIL, OR THE COUNCIL PERSONS WHO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO UNDERSTAND POLICY, TO IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES, AND TO EVEN BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THOSE POLICIES IN A BETTER, MORE UNDERSTANDABLE FASHION.
IF YOU ARE IN THOSE SESSIONS WHERE THEY ARE DISSEMINATING THAT VERY INFORMATION.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING NLC SINCE 2011.
I KNOW HOW IT WORKS WITH CAPITOL HILL, AND I KNOW THE CONFERENCES, OKAY.
THE ADDITIONAL SESSIONS THAT WE, THAT THEY CALL TO THE A HUNDRED AND FIFTY, ONE FIFTY SESSION.
NOW, COUNCILMAN LEWIS IS GOING TO THE SAME CONFERENCE, AND HE'S GONNA GO, UH, FROM THE 10TH THROUGH THE 14TH, WHICH WILL PUT HIM THERE THE DAY BEFORE THE CONFERENCE AND GET HIM OUT THE DAY AFTER THE CONFERENCE.
SO HE'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO CAPITOL HILL AND DO ALL OF THAT.
HIS 37TH, UH, YOURS AND, AND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
ONE IS 42 SOMETHING, ONE IS 43 SOMETHING.
SO BASICALLY I COULD SUPPORT, UH, TRAVELING.
BUT THESE EXTRA CLASSES AT 150 SOME DOLLARS, I THINK, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT GOES TO HOW WE BELIEVE IN SERVING.
AND I, I'M NOT SAYING, I'M GONNA GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MAYOR, JUST THAT I'M, I DON'T BELIEVE IN IT.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, WE WENT TO THE NLC CONFERENCE IN, IN NOVEMBER IN ATLANTA.
SO WE, GOING BACK TO AN NLC CONFERENCE, I THOUGHT WHEN WE AGREED IT WAS ONE NLC CONFERENCE AND ONE TML CONFERENCE A YEAR, NO.
WHAT THEN? WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT IF, IF WE WOULD, NO, NO, NO.
BUT IF WE WOULD JUST BE COGNIZANT OF CHANGE THAT OCCURS IN OUR EXISTENCE NOW, PROBABLY WHENEVER THIS RULE WAS PUT IN PLACE MM-HMM.
AND I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS, I'M JUST BEING FACTUAL.
SO I HAVE TO GO TO EVERYTHING THAT THEY OFFER ME TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SOMETHING.
NOW, SOME FOLK KNOW EVERYTHING ALREADY, SO I DON'T SEE A REASON WHY THEY SHOULD GO.
I HAVE NOT BEEN BLESSED BY GOD TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF LEARNING CAPACITY.
SO I HAVE TO BE WHERE THEY ARE TEACHING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN RETAIN THE INFORMATION.
NOW, THAT'S WHY I GO, OKAY, NOW EVERYBODY HAS HIS OWN DISCRETION AS TO HOW HE OR SHE WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
BUT IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE WHOM I THINK THE CITIZENS WOULD WANT OF ME, WHETHER THEY VOTED FOR ME OR THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME, I AM THEIR MAYOR.
AND SO I HAVE TO PREPARE MYSELF NOT TO SPEAK FOR COUNCILMAN FRANK.
BUT IF THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE PLACED BEFORE US, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE EVERY POSSIBILITY AND PROBABILITY OF BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE COULD BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
WELL, WELL, ONE THING ABOUT IT, I'M GONNA SAY THIS AND I'M, I'M DONE.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAY, YOU COULD GO IN A SECOND.
YOU MADE A, YOU MADE A COMMENT, MAYOR, THAT I'M ALL FOR IT.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS FOR THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL,
[01:45:01]
BUT WE SEE THINGS DIFFERENT.WELL, I'M LIKE, THIS WHAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL HAS PUT IN ITS ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
THIS COUNCIL HAS THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, OKAY.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO CHANGE IT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE SAY, CHANGE IT.
OKAY, WELL, NO, LET'S REVIEW IT.
LET'S REVIEW IT, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT NEEDS TO BE OR IF IT DOESN'T, OKAY, WELL STUDY WHAT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTES, OKAY.
AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
THE MAJORITY SPEAK, AND I'M FOR IT NOW IS IN BLACK AND WHITE, I SUPPORT IT.
BUT IF WE GOT IT IN WRITING, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING I'M GONNA ACCEPT SOMEONE SAYING, WELL, THE COUNCIL BEFORE DID THIS, BUT WE CHANGE.
NO, IF IT'S IN WRITING, IT'S FOR EVERY COUNCIL.
THIS COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS CHANGE IT.
SO IF WE NEED TO GO BACK, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE TRAVEL.
BECAUSE I SEE RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING FOR A LOT AND CITIZENS NEED TO HEAR WHAT WE ALL GOTTA SAY WHEN IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHY SO, SO MANY PEOPLE COMMENT ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY HEARD WHAT WE SAID BEFORE, AND THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES OTHER THAN PEOPLE DOING STUFF.
SO WE COULD, WE, THAT'S WHY I SUGGESTED REVIEWING IT.
YOU HAD SPOKEN ALREADY, COUNCILMAN I TRYING RUN BACK.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YOUR LIGHT, YOUR LIGHT IS YES.
UH, MAY THE, I ATTENDED THE ONE IN ATLANTA.
THE ONE IN ATLANTA, AND THE ONE, THE ONE THAT'S IN WASHINGTON DC THE ONE IN DC IS MUCH BROADER.
YOU CAN DO A WHOLE, YOU CAN GET INTO A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.
AND THE ONE IN ATLANTA, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A, IT WAS GOOD, GREAT.
AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT WAS A NARROW CIRCLE.
BUT, UH, IF I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, I WENT TO THE, TO, TO, UH, THE ONE IN WASHINGTON, DC YEARS AGO.
I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT, MEET WITH THE LABOR DEPARTMENT, GOT WITH MY CONGRESSMAN.
YOU GOT ACCESS TO YOUR, TO YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN.
OKAY? I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT, AND BY GETTING INTO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT, I FILED, I FILED CHARGES AGAINST THE OIL INDUSTRY.
I, I PULLED THE CONTRACTS FROM THE LABOR DEPARTMENT ON EVERYTHING THAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO.
THAT'S WHEN I DISCOVERED YOUR BIG, YOUR BIG RETAILERS, YOUR BIG OIL INTEREST AND EVERYTHING, THEY ALL GOT MILITARY CONTRACTS, YOUR BIG RETAIL, EVERYBODY GOT MILITARY CON.
AND THEY AGREED IN THEIR AGREEMENTS.
I SIT DOWN THERE AND, AND READ ALL THAT.
GOT ALL THEIR AGREEMENTS IN THEIR GRIEVANCE WHEN THEY SUPPOSED TO EXPAND.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SELL A COMMUNITY AHEAD OF TIME.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A, A, A LABEL, A HIRING, A HIRING PRACTICE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GOING TO EXPAND AND WHAT TRAINING THEY GOING BE NEEDING.
AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
SO IT, YOU NEED TO ATTEND, WE NEED TO ATTEND BOTH OF 'EM.
ONE IN ATLANTA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
NOW, MALE, I NEED FOR YOU TO PROBLEM ME ONE THING THIS TIME WHEN YOU GO, YOU, YOU WENT TO WASHINGTON A WHILE BACK, RIGHT? YEAH.
BRING BACK SOMETHING THAT'S MORE, UH, THE, THE TAX BILL CAN CONSUME, LOSE THAT YOU BROUGHT BACK.
LET'S, WE, WE ARE NOT GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, KENDALL, UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS FOR THAT.
UH, I, I DO THINK IT'S A NEED FOR, TO BROADEN OUR PERSPECTIVE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOING OUT THERE AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND BRINGING OPPORTUNITIES BACK TO PORT ARTHUR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PROBLEM AND I WAS ON THE TRAVEL, UM, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE, AND I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN MOSES, UH, AT THE TIME.
AND WE, WE, WE WANTED TO STREAMLINE AND ENSURE THAT COUNCILMEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO CONFERENCE AT THEIR, AT THEIR DISCRETION.
HOWEVER, THEY HAD TO REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, UH, THE NEED AND WHAT WOULD THEY BRING BACK.
SO THE APPROVE TRAVELS, UH, AND THERE WAS NO LIMITATION.
UH, COUNCILMAN DE SAID THERE WAS NO LIMITATION.
HOWEVER, THEY HAD TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL COLLECTIVELY AND TO STATE, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU GOING, WHAT A BENEFIT IT'S GONNA PROVIDE TO PORT ARTHUR.
[01:50:01]
APPROVED, UH, UH, TRAVELS WAS, UH, N-L-C-T-M-L PUT ARTHUR DAY AT THE CAPITOL IN AUSTIN.AND THE MAYOR HAD AN ADDITIONAL ONE, WHICH IS THE US MAYOR CONFERENCE, UH, THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO, THAT HE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO GO BASED UPON THE TRAVEL.
AND IF I'M WRONG, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, CORRECT ME.
'CAUSE YOU WERE IN THAT MEETING AS WELL.
SO, JUST TO GIVE THE UPDATES ON THAT, UH, THOSE THREE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AN ADDITIONAL TRAVEL FOR THE MAYOR WITH THE US MAYOR CONFERENCE WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE DID NOT PLACE A LIMITATION ON, UH, IF WE GO TO ONE IN DC OR IF YOU GO ONE IN ATLANTA, THAT WASN'T A, THAT WASN'T A THING.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, WE WERE BEING TRANSPARENT, GIVING COUNCIL MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING BACK HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHY, UH, WE ARE DOING THIS AND WHY THE COMMITTEE CAME TOGETHER AND MADE THOSE APPROVED TRAVELS, UH, AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL AS THE MAYOR.
YES, I, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS WELL, UH, AND SAY THAT AND ASSURE, UM, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR THAT THIS, UH, THAT THESE TRIPS ARE NOT VACATIONS.
UH, THEY ARE NOT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES JUST TO SIT BACK IN A ROOM.
I'VE BEEN AT THE, UH, CONFERENCES WITH, UH, MR. ETT.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT HE CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT WE WORK HARD COUNT, UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, UM, LEWIS AS WELL.
UM, WE SAT IN CLASSES TOGETHER.
UM, COUNCILMAN DEUCE AND I LOOKED AT KIOSKS AND TALKED ABOUT BRINGING THOSE BACK TO THE CITY.
SO INDIVIDUALS COULD PAY THEIR WATER BILLS WITHOUT GOING IN.
YOU COULD PAY IT AT A KIOSK THAT WOULD BE LOCATED AT DIFFERENT PLACES WITHIN THE CITY.
WE ARE SEEKING TO MAKE, UM, UH, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BETTER.
AND SO AS WE GO TO THESE CONFERENCES, UH, WE SEE HOW OTHERS WE ARE, WE ARE ALLOWED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AT ROUND TABLES WITH OTHER CITIZENS, AND WE HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, HOW THEY'RE DOING, UH, THINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
UH, WE CAN SEE HOW SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE HANDLED, HOW THEIR CITIES ARE GROWING, UH, AND WE CAN COME BACK AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS.
WE'VE DONE THAT ON THIS COUNCIL.
UH, AS WE HAVE, UH, TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS PROGRAMS, AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THAT.
ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS COME FROM, UH, THESE TRIPS, UH, AS WE, UH, SEEK TO COME BACK AND TO WORK.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LEARN, WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT, UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK, UH, THOSE, WE ARE TRYING TO GO AND BRING THOSE THINGS BACK TO THE CITY.
I RECOGNIZE, UM, UH, WHAT THE MEDIAN INCOME OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY, IN OUR CITY IS.
AND SO I, I THINK, UH, UM, COUNCILMAN DSET, UH, FOR WATCHING, UH, OVER THE RESOURCES OF OUR CITY.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A DIFFERENCE OF $471 AND 45 CENTS, UH, BETWEEN, UM, WHAT THE MAYOR AND I ARE GOING TO BE, UH, UH, EXPENDING GOING FOR EXTRA CLASSES, UM, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS IS GOING TO BE EXPENDING.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $471, UH, THAT DIFFERENCE.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO GET INFORMATION.
COUNCILMAN BECKER, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN $471, BECAUSE IT'S ALSO EXTRA NIGHTS OF HOTEL STAY.
BUT REGARDLESS, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE HERE AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR EDUCATION, BUT THIS IS NOT AN OVERLAPPING SCHEDULE WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE GOING SO THAT WE CAN ALL ATTEND THE VARIOUS SCHEDULES AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION.
WE'RE HAVING TWO PEOPLE GO TO ALL THE SAME SESSIONS.
SO, UM, FROM A A, A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE POSITION, I, I JUST DON'T THINK IT IS, IT, IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR US TO SEND TWO PEOPLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO DAYS WITH HOTEL EXPENSE AND THE EXPENSE OF THE ADDITIONAL SESSIONS WHEN IT, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT AN OVERLAP WHERE WE NEED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO BE THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT.
JUST, JUST AGAIN, BEING TRANSPARENT TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE AND SEE WHAT THE SESSIONS ARE THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S NOT AN OVERLAP WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THERE TO ATTEND ALL OF THE SESSIONS THAT ARE OFFERED.
LET ME JUST CLARIFY TWO THINGS.
ONE, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, I HAVE NEVER SAID ANYBODY GO TO CONFERENCE AND PARTY.
[01:55:01]
WE BE IN SESSIONS TOGETHER.I'VE NEVER HAD NOTHING THAT, THAT'S NOT BEEN ME.
I KNOW YOU GO TO A CONFERENCE, I'VE SEEN US ALL IN SESSION.
WE'VE BEEN IN SESSIONS TOGETHER, SO I'VE NEVER IMPLIED THAT.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE COST AND EVERYTHING.
UH, AND AS REFERENCE TO COUNCILMAN KINLAW, THE NLC, THE TML AND THE, UH, TRIANGLE IS ONE EACH, THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE PRE-APPROVAL.
OKAY? SO THIS IS A PRE-APPROVAL, AND THAT'S WHY YOU ALL BROUGHT IT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING, UH, TO THIS ONE HERE.
AND AS I STATED EARLIER, I'VE BEEN IN, DURING EAST COUNCIL FOREVER.
EVERYBODY KNOWS NLC DOES FOUR.
WE CAN LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AND DECIDE WHICH ONES WE WANNA GO TO.
SO I, I NEVER MADE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS DIOCESE TO SAY THAT YOU ALL DON'T ATTEND THESE CLASSES AND DON'T BE WHERE Y'ALL SUPPOSED TO BE.
I NEVER SAID THAT AND I NEVER IMPLIED IT.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THOSE TWO THINGS.
OKAY? UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I THINK THE AYES WERE STRONGER.
SO THE MAGIC PASSES ARE SECTION A, NOW ON PAGE
[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 23554 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation (PAEDC) To Enter Into A Purchase Agreement For The Sale Of Certain PAEDC-Owned Land Located Along West Fifth, Sixth, And Seventh Streets In Port Arthur, To The Port Of Port Arthur Navigation District]
FOUR.UH, AND THE RESOLUTIONS, UH, PR NUMBER 2 3 5 5 4.
IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR.
SECTION FOUR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, P-A-E-D-C TO ENTER INTO A PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR THE SALE OF CERTAIN P-A-E-D-C OWNED LAND LOCATED ALONG WEST FIFTH, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH STREET.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD BE RANSOM HOWARD STREET.
NOW, I GREW UP, IT WAS SEVENTH.
SEE WHEN WILLIAMS OUT THERE, IT WAS SEVENTH.
NOW THAT NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO IT'S, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS PUT, NO, LET'S PUT IT RIGHT.
MAY I RESPOND PLEASE? WE HAVE TO LIST IT HOW IT WAS LISTED IN THE ORIGINAL DEED WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT.
NOW Y'ALL GO TO THE ORIGINAL DEED AND FIND IN WHAT IT LEGAL DESCRIPTION WEST SEVENTH.
AND, AND TELL 'EM TO PUT, PUT THE RIGHT NAME OF THE DESCRIPTION.
UH, IN THE, IN, UH, IN THE CITY COURT OFFICE DOCUMENT AND, UH, AND IT, I GUESS A SALE TO THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO WILL BE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
AND WE WOULD ACCEPT PR NUMBER 23 5.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILOR LEWIS? YES.
HE'S, I MEAN, UH, THE CEO YES.
SELLING THIS PROPERTY, THESE LOTS HERE.
AND I KNOW THE EDC BEEN ON THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, WHAT'S THE PORT'S PLAN FOR THOSE LOTS? THANK YOU, SIR.
UH, THIS IS US JOINING ALONGSIDE OUR STRATEGIC PARTNER, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WHO'S ALSO PROVIDED, UH, A SALE OF LAND.
AND THIS IS TO FACILITATE THE, WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE FLYOVER PROJECT, UH, FROM THE PORTS MAIN TERMINAL OVER TO THE, THE WEST SIDE, UH, TO GIVE THEM ROOM FOR GROWTH, BASICALLY.
SO WHEN THE FLOWER WILL COME DOWN, IT'S GONNA BE UP THESE LOTS GOING TO, THEY NEED THIS ROOM FOR YOU ORDER YES, SIR.
AND, AND ALSO, AND CAN I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR FACILITATING AND SUPPORTING THE OUTREACH THAT THE PORT DID? OH, YEAH.
THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH IT ABOUT THREE YEARS.
BUT IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.
ONE OF THE THINGS GOING TO GIVE THE, GIVE THE, UH, THE PORT CONTINUOUS ACCESS.
WHEN STORMS COME IN, THE, THE GATES GO UP AND THEY CAN'T ACT, CANNOT ACCESS THE PORT.
SO NOW THEY GOT, THEY DON'T HAVE AN OVERPASS AND THEY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, THE TRUCKS AND THINGS BE ABLE TO, AND THE ACTIVITY WILL BE ABLE TO, AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK, WHICH KEEPS OUR COMMERCE GOING.
BECAUSE AFTER EVERY STORM I USED TO STAND IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND NOTHING'S COMING DOWN THE CHANNEL.
BUT WHEN THE PORT HAVE GOT ACTIVITY, THEY BE MOVING.
WHICH INCREASES, OBVIOUSLY THE IMPACT.
[02:00:01]
IF YOU COULD STAY RIGHT THERE YES, SIR.BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST INTERJECT, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS JUST, UH, BROUGHT UP AT THE MEETING THAT THE PORT HAD A FEW MONTHS AGO MAYBE.
AND THEY SHOWED THE DIAGRAM, RIGHT? THE ACTUAL DRAWING OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I WOULD, I THINK THREE, FOUR YEARS FROM NOW.
HOPEFULLY, IF THEY WERE CONTINGENT UPON THEM ACQUIRING THE LAND AND HOW IT IS GOING TO ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE EVEN DURING, UH, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT NO MORE SONGS, HOPEFULLY.
BUT, BUT THEY CALL THAT A TIDAL WAVE.
THAT'D BE ONLY, THAT'D BE THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD KEEP THEM OUT OF IT.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, FRANK? NO SIR.
WE DISCUSSED TALKING, UH, SELLING THEIR PROPERTY WHEN I WAS ON THE EDC AND WE DID NOT DO IT BECAUSE WE WAS TRYING TO GET THE PORT TO TELL US WHAT THEY WERE GONNA DO WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, UH, THE PORT HAS PLANNED, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS SEEN THEM.
I GUESS THE MAYOR HAD SEEN THEM.
UH, THE PORT NEVER CAME BEFORE, UH, CANCELED.
IN FACT, CITIZENS WHO IMPACTED, HAVEN'T SE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.
THE PORT HAS NOT REACHED OUT TO THEM TO TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO.
A LOT OF WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING IS BASED ON ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, PROPERTY OWNED BY PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY SELL OR NOT SELL.
AND, UH, THEY WANNA BUY THE PROPERTY.
WELL, RIGHT THERE THEY GOT CHURCH, UH, FIRST SIXTH STREET CHURCH YEAH.
BUT RIGHT ACROSS FROM IT WE HAVE OUR, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER AND WE ALSO HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
WELL, YOU SEE, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
ME, A LOT OF TIMES THEY GONNA BE ON THAT OLD COMO TAXI.
MY THING IS, WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS GOING ON AND PEOPLE COME UP TO US AND THEN WE GOT A RESOLUTION.
BUT NO ONE IN THE CITY IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
NOBODY IN THE CITY KNOWS THIS PLAN THAT THEY TALK ABOUT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS TOLD ME ABOUT IT, TOLD ME, HAVE YOU BEEN OVER THERE? NO, I'M NOT GOING OVER THERE.
WHY DON'T THEY COME OVER HERE AND STAND IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND TELL ALL OF US ABOUT IT SO THE CITIZENS COULD HEAR WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE NOT AMBASSADORS FOR BUSINESSES AND PORTS.
WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE GETTING A BIG HIT FOR BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WELL, NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TRANSPARENCY WORKS.
IF YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING ON THE WEST SIDE, YOU GOT PLANS ON THE WEST SIDE, WHY DON'T THE PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE KNOW ABOUT IT? WHY DON'T YOU TELL 'EM WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO? SEE HOW THEY FIT INTO IT.
YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN, THEY TELL 'EM ABOUT THE OLD PAT? YEAH, OLD PAT.
OLD PAT GONNA BE BY THEM HOMES OVER THERE.
YOU THINK THOSE PEOPLE GONNA GO ALONG FOR, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT SIDE THINGS GOING ON, THE CITIZEN DON'T EVEN KNOW.
SO THAT'S WHY IT STALL WHEN I WAS ON THE EDC, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THEY DIDN'T TELL US, BUT NOW I'M HEARING THEY GOT THIS PLAN.
WHO KNOWS THE PLAN? A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS? NO, THE HOLD YOU BEATING UP THE CHOIR MEMBERS? NO, NO, NO.
I JUST, THAT'S JUST NO, DON'T, DON'T DO THAT TO ME.
THAT'S NOT FIGURATIVE SPEAKING.
I SAID YOU BEAT THE CHOIR MEMBERS.
NO, THEY DID HAVE AND I, NO, I, BUT I, I I'M LISTENING TO YOU.
NOW AND I CAN UNDERSTAND AND I HOPE MR. KELLY AND THEIR STAFF IS LISTENING.
SO WHEN THEY PURSUE OTHER MOVEMENT IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR MM-HMM.
IF, IF YOU ALL ARE LISTENING, DO NOT OFFEND MY COLLEAGUES BY NOT COMING HERE FIRST.
AND THEN GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS YOU DID.
AND THE WEST SIDE AT, AT THE WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.
IT WON'T GO 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T TAKE CARE YOU FIRST.
AND, AND I REMEMBER I GOT, WELL OF COURSE I HAD, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN IN PLACE.
I'M GONNA GET IT LIKE BAY LOUIS RIGHT NOW SINCE GEORGE DEREL WAS CITY MANAGER.
AND HOW I KNOW IT, 'CAUSE THE LADY, REVEREND DR.
RANSOM HOWARD AND MR. RELE MET AND WE KNEW THAT OUR CHURCH COULD STAY THERE AND THEY WERE
[02:05:01]
GONNA BE SOME MOVEMENT.YOU REMEMBER THAT BABY? YOU KNOW, ALL THE OLD STUFF THAT THEY WERE GOING TO START AT, AT SHORT, GRANNY'S GOING TO DENVER AND THEY WOULD NOT COME ON THE GULF OF GRANNY'S GOING TOWARD LINCOLN.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE DEAL.
YOU, YOU CONFIRMING WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
YOU SAID THAT, BUT I REMEMBER.
BUT I WANT MR. KELLY AND THIS GROUP TO, TO, TO RESPECT YOUR WISHES, MARY, THAT THEY WOULD COME AND, AND, AND JUST MAKE A PRESENTATION FIRST.
SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE FAILING TO UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT AMBASSADORS FOR SHARE, FOR STAKEHOLDERS AND ALL BUSINESSES.
AND WHEN YOU COME BEFORE US, YOU COME BEFORE ALL OF THE COUNCIL.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHEN YOU COME BEFORE US, THERE ARE CITIZENS THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE OR CITIZENS GOING VIEW THIS.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING.
SO LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
AND, AND, AND OUR TERRORIST CHAIRMAN.
BECAUSE THIS ALL HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TERRORIST MAYOR.
THIS IS THE SAME TRANSACTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN SELLING AS WELL.
DID Y'ALL, UH, I MEAN IT WAS LISTED.
DO THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME, THIS PROCESS AS WE DO IT IS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
SO VAL VAL'S SHAKING HER HEAD GOING SHOT HIS TIE.
UP OR DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE A TAXING ENTITY.
I KNOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE I VOTE ON THIS.
TELL, TELL US, VAL, CATCH YOUR MIC ON RIGHT BEFORE I VOTE.
IAND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PORT OR THE PORT? WELL, WELL, NO, I'M SORRY TO EAT.
DD DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WITH US BECAUSE REMEMBER, THEY'S DON'T FOLLOW OUR PURCHASING RULES 'CAUSE THEY'RE NONPROFIT.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE BEFORE I VOTE ON THIS, OKAY.
THEY ARE PROPERTY AND THEY WESTFIELD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU GOT
WHEN I MET WITH THE PORT, WHEN I RETURNED TO COUNCIL, I MET WITH THE PORT AND I TOLD THEM I WANT THEM TO, TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY AND PUT AND PUT ON A DOG AND PONY SHOW SO THEY CAN KNOW WHAT'S, SINCE THEY, THEY HAD NOT, UH, MADE EVERYBODY AWARE.
SO THEY, THEY WENT, THEY PUT IT ON AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
IF PEOPLE WAS IN AND OUT ALL THAT DAY, IT WAS IN AND OUT AND THEY, THEY WENT ADDITIONAL THREE DAYS.
YOU KNOW, THE CROWDS JUST STARTED DROPPING OFF.
BUT THAT FIRST DAY THEY WAS, THEY WERE VERY, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO YEARS TO BE IN PLACE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS, ON THIS ITEM ABOUT ITEM NUMBER ONE? OKAY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY, CITIZEN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I WANT TO KNOW IF THE APPRAISAL OR THE LAND WAS MADE, BUT, UH, PRIVATE APPRAISAL OR THEY JUST WENT TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY APPRAISAL AND GOT THE NUMBERS FROM THERE.
I'M GONNA LET THE ATTORNEY ANSWER YOU WITH THAT.
AND SHE WOULD TELL YOU, SHE'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW, HOW PUBLIC PROPERTIES ARE HANDLED BY LAW.
THIS, THIS IS A SIMPLE QUESTION.
THEY WENT TO THE APPRAISAL VALUE THAT IS A JEFFERSON COUNTY WEBSITE OR SOMEBODY MADE PRIVATE APPRAISAL.
UH, THE NUMBERS FOR THIS, IF, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ATTORNEYS GOING TO ANSWER, I'M NOT SURE THE METHOD OF THAT.
THEY USED TO COME UP WITH THEIR PRICE BECAUSE THE TRANSACTION, BUT YOU CAN MAYBE ANSWER.
MR. STOKES MAY KNOW MR. UH, STOKES, UH, YES, IT IS AN ATTACHMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOES.
UH, THIS WAS A PRIVATE, UH, ASSESSMENT, UH, DONE PERFORMED BY THE LEGAL, THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION OF THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS LAWYERS.
SO YES, THEY MAY HAVE STARTED AND CERTAINLY WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US BY THE, UH, PURCHASER ORIGINALLY WAS PROBABLY BASED ON JK JEFFERSON, UH, COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT INFORMATION.
BUT WE CAN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT RELY UPON THAT.
SO A PRI A SEPARATE ASSESSMENT WAS DONE BY THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION.
DOES THAT ANSWER GO, GO AHEAD.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION, IT IS, THIS WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
ANYBODY CAME BUY THIS PROPERTY? OE JUST WAS A DEAL BETWEEN THE FOUR, FOUR AND ETC ENERGY TO ENERGY.
UH, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT MR. STOKES? IF I HEARD THE QUESTION? I DON'T WANNA, I THINK SHE WAS, WAS IT ON AN OPEN BID? IF THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MS. SANCHEZ OR DID?
[02:10:01]
OKAY.LIKE WAS IT AN OPEN BID OR JUST THAT PROP, THOSE, THOSE PIECES OF PROPERTY WERE ONLY OFFERED, OR MORE THAN IT WAS A REQUEST BY THE PORT.
I KINDA KNOW WHAT THE INSIDE THE, IT WAS A REQUEST FROM THE PORT DIRECTLY TO THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN PARALLEL WITH A RE REQUEST THAT THEY'RE MAKING OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THOSE PARCELS.
AND, AND THEY WENT THROUGH BECAUSE IT, IT'S LIKE OURS, RIGHT? THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THROUGH THE BROKERS.
AM I CORRECT ATTORNEY ON THAT? THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH BROKERS ON THAT? NO.
I THEY'RE NOT A TECH, THEY'RE NOT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.
UH, SO YOU HAVE THAT MS. SANCHEZ ON THAT THEY, IT, IT, IT WASN'T PUT OUT IN OPEN BILL.
LIKE THEY WERE JUST LOOKING FOR A PURCHASER THAT THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE APPROACHED WITH A PROPO APPROACHED A APPROACHED WITH A PROPOSAL.
I WAS PUTTING ALL THOSE WORDS TOGETHER.
THEY WERE APPROACHED WITH A PROPOSAL.
AND THE PROPOSAL WAS TO, UH, SECURE THAT PROPERTY FOR THE, FOR THE GROWTH OF THE, UH, PORT OF PORT ARTHUR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON IT? GALLERY? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, MAYOR, OH, GO AHEAD.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT FROM ENTITY TO ENTITY, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A REFERENDUM.
RIGHT? IT DOESN'T REQUIRE, AND, AND THEY CANNOT, THEY, THEY APPRAISE VALUE.
THEY WANT THE PROPER PROCEDURE.
AND IT'S NOTHING TO BE OPEN LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU WAS THINKING, THE PUBLIC COULDN'T BID ON IT AND JUST IS FROM ENTITY TO ENTITY.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON IT? UN READINESS, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
SO HIS AUDIT, PR NUMBER 2 3 5 5 4 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 23558 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Contracts With Martin Asphalt Company Of Houston, Texas, And P Squared Emulsion Plants, LLC Of Elm Mott, Texas, To Provide Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions To The City Of Port Arthur For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $250,000.00. Funding Is Available In The Streets Maintenance Account, 001-21-053-5316-00-70-000, And The Capital Improvement Fund Streets Program Account, 307-21-053- 8517-00-10-000, Various Projects (Part 1 of 2)]
PR NUMBER, UH, 2 3 5, 5 8 IS THE RESOLUTION.AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS WITH MARTIN ASPHALT COMPANY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND P SQUARE EMULSION PLANTS, LLC OF ELMONT, TEXAS TO PROVIDE ASPHALT OIL AND EMULSION TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $250,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT, 0 0 1 DASH 21 DASH 0 5 3 DASH 5 3 6 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH SEVEN ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND STREETS PROGRAM ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH FIVE THREE DASH 8 5 1 7 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO VARIOUS PROJECTS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 5 5 8 AS RED AND PRESENTED.
I WASN'T GONNA CALL YOUR NAME AGAIN.
UH, REAL QUICK, UH, I'M GLAD RON JUST TO KNOW THAT, UH, WE, WE GOT THIS ON HERE AS FAR AS, UH, UM, ASPHALT.
HOWEVER, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO ANSWER.
WHY TWO ACCOUNTS? THAT'S MY FIRST ONE.
AND THEN, UH, ON THE TRANSPORT OF MATERIALS TO THE CITY, IT SHOWS THAT THEY WASN'T THE LOWEST BIDDER.
HOWEVER, MY QUESTION IS WHY P SQUARED EMO PLANT? THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER.
THEY WASN'T AWARDED BECAUSE, IS IT BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO TRANSPORT THE MATERIALS TO THE CITY OR WE HAVING A ACCESS AS A STAFF OF, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS? I WANT TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE AND WHEN WE'RE SPENDING FOR ASPHALT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL STORE IT LOCALLY OR HAVE SOME FORM OF STORING IT WHERE WE CAN HAVE EASY ACCESS.
THAT'S THE QUESTION I WAS ASKED BEFORE ABOUT WHY AND WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GET ASPHALT DOWN TO THIS AREA.
OH, I THINK OF OUR PUBLIC WORDS DIRECTOR.
IS ON, I CAN'T SEE HER, BUT, UH, ARE, ARE YOU, ARE YOU THERE? UH, MS. MS, UH, ROBERTS EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL? YES SIR, I AM.
SO I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE FIRST QUESTION? COUNCILMAN KENDALL.
MY, MY QUESTION IS WHY TWO ACCOUNTS? THAT'S THE VERY FIRST ONE.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS THE, THEY WASN'T AWARDED THE, THE LOWEST BID, HOWEVER, THEY WERE PASSED OVER BECAUSE, UH, READING THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION BECAUSE OF NOT ABLE TO TRANSPORT MATERIALS TO THE CITY OR HAVE ACCESS TO STAFF.
[02:15:01]
SO, UH, KIND OF LET ME KNOW WHY WE DID TWO ACCOUNTS.AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, WELL, WHY WASN'T, UH, THE AWARDING, UH, UH, WINNER GIVING THAT BASED UPON TRANSPORTING MATERIALS TO THE CITY? UH, WE ARE NOT HAVING ABILITY TO STORE ASPHALT, BUT I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE IT ON HERE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE TRANSPARENT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF POTHOLES THAT WE NEED TO FILL AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IT READILY AVAILABLE IN THE CITY.
SO, TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, THE TWO ACCOUNTS, WE HAVE TWO ACCOUNTS THAT ARE USED TO, UH, REPAIR STREETS.
ONE IS FOR THE STREETS PROGRAM AND ONE IS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF STREETS.
SO FOR PROPER ACCOUNTING, TWO ACCOUNTS ARE USED IN THAT RESOLUTION.
SO HOW CAN YOU SEPARATE IT? A DIRECTOR MAY STEP ON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY, OR ARE YOU JUST SAYING THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO SO MANY STREETS TO FILL POTHOLES BASED ON THE ASPHALT? HOW DO YOU KEEP ACCOUNT OF THAT, SIR? SO, UH, ACTUALLY THE ACCOUNTING IS MADE ON, ON, UH, OUR TIME SHEETS AND ON OUR, OUR WEEKLY RECORDS.
SO, UH, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO ANSWER DIRECTOR OR YOU WANT LET, UH, THE SECOND QUESTION BE ANSWERED BY CLIFF.
UM, AND THE SECOND QUESTION, EXCUSE ME, YOU ASKED ABOUT, UH, P SQUARE.
P SQUARED IS LOCATED IN ELMONT, WHICH IS NEAR, WACO IS ACTUALLY JUST NORTH OF WACO.
SO THE CLOSEST LARGE CITY, UM, IS WACO.
SO, UM, SO, UM, TRYING TO TRANSPORT THAT HOT MIXED MATERIAL TO THE CITY FOR UH, USE IMMEDIATE FOR IMMEDIATE USE WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
SO, SO DO WE HAVE A STORAGE AREA? I MEAN, HOW DO WE DO THAT AS NEEDED? WE CONTACT THE COMPANY AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED SO MANY POUNDS GALLONS TO GET HERE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME BASED UPON THE NEED, OR, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT IS HOW IT'S DONE.
YOU YOU GOT SOMETHING? WAIT, THE ONLY THING I WAS GONNA ADD IS, SORRY.
THE, THE, THE ONLY THING I WAS GONNA ADD IS MOST OF THE ASPHALT IS PICKED UP AND MARTIN ASPHALT HAS A LOCATION IN BEAUMONT, IN BEAUMONT OR HOUSTON? BEAUMONT.
THE CORPORATE THING IS IN HOUSTON.
THAT'S WHERE THE BIDDER SUBMITTED.
SO THAT WAS PUT, BUT THEY HAVE A LOCATION IN BEAUMONT, KIND LIKE MARTIN MARIETTA HAS OUT THERE, BUT THEY HAVE A BEAUMONT LOCATION.
ANY OTHER, UH, CAN I HAVE A COMMENT MAAM? GO RIGHT IN.
I WANNA ASK THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM BECAUSE I DO APOLOGIZE.
ONE OF THE OTHER ATTORNEYS DID.
AND NOW THAT THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFICATIONS MORE CLOSELY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE, UH, DISQUALIFYING A BIDDER THAT WE DID SO ON THE CORRECT BASIS.
WE BETTER UNDERSTAND A MOTION, RIGHT? HOLD ON, LET ME GO AHEAD.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT.
NOW WHERE'S THE LOWEST BIDDER? RIGHT HERE.
LOOK ON THE SEC, LOOK ON YOUR BACKGROUND.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T DO ANYTHING.
OH, SOMEBODY OUGHT TO HAVE IT.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ARE THEY FROM? ELWOOD.
THEY'RE WACO AND THAT'S WHERE THEY PLANTED, WE CALL ELMONT.
YOU SEE THAT WITH HOT MIX? WHEN YOU BRING HOT MIX, THEY NORMALLY PUT IT DOWN.
AND THEY GETTING THE ONE FROM BEAUMONT BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SO THIS IS CASE WHERE THE LOWEST BIDDER MAY NOT BE THE MOST RESPONSIVE BIDDER.
SO I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T NOT GO WITH A PLACE.
I MEAN, YOU A LAWYER AND I'M, AND I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSPORTING AND, AND ASPHALT.
'CAUSE IF THAT ASPHALT GET START GETTING COLD AND YOU TRY TO PUT IT DOWN, WHEN YOU PUT IT DOWN, IT'S GONNA START CRACKING.
BUT HOWEVER, THE, THE, THE BID SPECIFICATION SAYS THE CITY WILL AWARD THE CONTRACT TO THE LOWEST.
IF THE CONTRACTOR, THAT'S WHAT I READ, IS UNABLE TO SUPPLY THE MATERIALS IN A TIMELY MANNER, THE CITY WILL CONTACT THE NEXT LOWEST AWARDED CONTRACTOR.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD ASK IF, DO WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE CONTRACTOR SAYING THAT HE CAN'T GET IT TO US BECAUSE THE BID DOCUMENT SAYS THEY BRING THE STUFF TO US.
SO, AND I APOLOGIZE THAT WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THIS AS CLOSELY AS WE SHOULD HAVE.
[02:20:01]
LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.WHAT DOES THE STATE LAW SAYS IN PURCHASING IS LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER? I MEAN, I MEAN, YOU'RE TELLING ME ABOUT LOW, I UNDERSTAND LOW AND THAT IS THE LOWEST BIDDER.
NO, THE LOWEST BIDDER IS BEING SKIPPED, RIGHT? NO, BUT IT'S NOT RESPONSIVE.
NO, THE, THE RESPONSIVENESS SAYS THAT THEY BRING IT TO US, NOT US TO GO PICK IT UP.
SO I, I WOULD, I WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE AS A CITY ATTORNEY AT THIS TIME MOVING FORWARD, BUT, UH, OKAY, WELL LET'S DO THAT.
YOU CAN WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND, AND, AND, AND, UH, WHAT WE'LL DO ON ADVICE OF OUR ATTORNEY, SHE HAS ASKED US TO TABLE IT.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE 5 3 5 5 8, UH, FROM COUNCIL MCKEN LAW, PLEASE.
WELL, ONE QUESTION YOU CAN STILL, AND I, AND I CAN WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.
MAYBE WE CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S, WHAT THE, THEY CAN EXPLAIN IT.
BUT I'M, I'M, I'M, AS I'M READING IT, I'M HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH WAIT, LET'S MOVE.
UH, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE TWO ACCOUNTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW TALKED, TALKED ABOUT WHENEVER YOU BRING TWO ACCOUNTS, NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM EACH ACCOUNT.
I WANT TO KNOW, I WANNA KNOW WHAT I'M APPROVING BECAUSE I'M GONNA KEEP UP WITH THE MONEY TOO.
DIRECTOR, YOU ON DIRECTOR? OKAY.
DID YOU HEAR THAT WHENEVER? YES SIR, I DID.
OKAY, THEN WHENEVER YOU BRING TWO COUNTS, TELL US HOW MUCH MONEY IS GONNA COME FROM ONE ACCOUNT AND HOW MUCH MONEY IS COMING FROM THE OTHER COUNT.
DON'T JUST GIMME TWO, TWO NUMBERS.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, THIS ALWAYS HAS BEEN THE, THE LOW BIDDER, LOW AND RESPONSIVE BIDDER.
YOU COULD BE THE LOW BIDDER BUT YOU CAN'T GET IT IN TIME A TIMELY MANNER.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THE MAJORITY OF THIS CONTRACT IS GONNA BE US PICKING UP THE ASPHALT.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, SO DRIVING TO ELMONT IS, IS NOT WHAT OUR CREW GONNA DO EITHER, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT KNOW ON ITS WAY.
MAYBE, MAYBE IF, LIKE I SAID, IF WE MAY, IF YOU, IF YOU ALL WANNA HOLD THIS ITEM FOR A MINUTE, WE'LL GO IN THE BACK AND GET OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE BID DOCUMENT SAID THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS TO BRING IT TO THE CITY.
SO YOU CAN ONLY ELIMINATE BASED ON SOMETHING IN THE BID DOCUMENT.
BUT IF WE ARE MISREADING OR WE MISUNDERSTANDING, IF YOU ALL WANNA HOLD IT FOR A LITTLE BIT, WE CAN TRY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.
AND WE, WE ARE RETURNING TO THIS.
WE NEED TO GET THIS STUFF REPAIR.
I DON'T WANNA HOLD UP THE PROJECT, BUT I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE NO, NO, NO.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JUST HOLDING UP THE ITEM.
UNTIL YOU ALL CAN GATHER THE INFORMATION.
WE, THEY'LL GATHER IN THE BACK WITH OTHER ATTORNEYS.
SO YOU WANT TO JUST, YEAH, SHE WANTS TO HOLD IT AND WE'LL RETURN TO IT.
UM, MAYOR SET ASIDE OR WHATEVER THE TERM IS.
YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SOMEBODY GOT A QUESTION? GO.
YOU, YOU, YOU OKAY? ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY I WASN'T LOOKING UP.
UM, I HEARD THAT MARTIN MARIETTA WAS IN BEAUMONT, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE ON GOWAY DRIVE.
MARTIN MARIETTA, AFTER YOU BEING PASSED, AFTER YOU CROSSED THE BRIDGE, IS THAT NOT WHERE WE'RE GETTING THIS FROM? THEY DO HAVE A PLAN OUT THERE, BUT THIS IS MARTIN ASPHALT.
THIS IS NOT MARTIN MARY ASPHALT.
I JUST SAY MARTIN MARY AS AN EXAMPLE OF LIKE, SOMEBODY CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT OFFICE, BUT NO, THIS IS MARTIN ASPHALT.
YEAH, MARY, I, I LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RESERVATION OF COUNCIL, JUST SET THIS ASIDE SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE CLARIFICATION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND DIRECTORS.
MOVE AND SECOND AND SET THIS ASIDE.
AND MAYBE LATER IN THIS MEETING, HOPE WE NOT UNTIL 12, BUT, AND LATER IN THE MEETING WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE ON.
I'M MOVING YOU TALK FOR A HOUR NOW.
LET ME TALK FOR MY TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
OKAY, I'M TRYING TO STAY AWAKE.
OKAY, NOW, UH, ALL IN FAVOR FOR THAT? AYE.
ANYBODY? OKAY, ANYBODY OPPOSED TO IT? OKAY.
[VII.C.(6) P.R. No. 23582 – A Resolution Calling For A Public Hearing To Consider A Zoning Map Amendment For 0.7245-Acre Of Land Being Out Of The City Of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas (1428 Austin Avenue & 501 13th Street]
TO ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE FIVE, IF I'M CORRECT.[02:25:01]
WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH MY PAGES.ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE FIVE, WHICH IS, UH, PR NUMBER 23 5 82.
THERE'S A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP, EXCUSE ME, AMENDMENT FOR, UH, IT'S ABOUT ONE ACRE OF LAND, UH, BEING OUT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, UH, SUCCINCTLY 14TH, 28 AUSTIN AVENUE AND 5 0 1 13TH STREET.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? OH, I MEAN I DIDN'T REVIEW THE SECOND COUNCILMAN DO ETT.
LOOK, I GOT YOUR NAME ON HERE.
SEE WHEN Y'ALL CALL HIM OUT, I HAVE YOUR NAME WRITTEN DOWN AND SO I'M JUST READING WHAT I'M SEEING.
OKAY, NOW WE READY FOR QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? OH, GOT SOMEBODY HERE FROM PLANNING IS GOOD EVENING.
WHAT, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? THIS IS JUST CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
YEAH, JUST CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU DON'T NEED IT TO GO RESTROOM JUICE.
WHAT YOU SAYING COUNCIL, I'LL GO BY THERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOU.
SO ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? I'LL SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IT IS ALL PR NUMBER 23 5 82 IS APPROVED.
WE JUST GOTTA MOVE THROUGH REAL QUICK.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING NOW WE ARE READY FOR THE, UH, THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. THAT'S BEGINNING ON PAGE SIX.
NOW WE HAVE A CASH IN THE LOT AND, AND I'M GONNA BE CORRECT SECRETARY ON THIS ITEM HERE.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23559 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Contracts With Mid County Land Co., LLC, Vulcan Construction Materials, Martin Marietta Materials, Texas Materials, And Modern Concrete & Materials To Road Building Materials To The City Of Port Arthur For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $1,000,000.00. Funding Is Available In The Streets Maintenance Account, 001-21-053-5316-00-70-000, And The Capital Improvement Fund Streets Program Account, 307-21-053-8517-00- 10-000, Various Projects]
ONE, PR 2 3 5 5 9.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED MR. WILLIAMS CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS WITH MID-COUNTY LAND COMPANY LLC, VULCAN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, TEXAS MATERIALS AND MODERN CONCRETES AND MATERIALS TO ROAD BUILDING MATERIALS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
0 0 1 DASH TWO ONE DASH 0 5 3 DASH 5 3 1 6 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 7 0 0 0 0.
AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS STREET PROGRAM ACCOUNT 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH FIVE THREE DASH 8 5 1 7 0 0 0 WHICH IS VARIOUS ACCOUNTS.
AND WE UH, WELL MAY I GET ON THE FLOOR? MAY I GET A MOTION? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED MAN.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
NOW I HAVE A NOTE HERE THAT WE HAVE TO CAST LINES AGAINST.
OUR, UH, PROCUREMENT AGENT WILL LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
OKAY? BASICALLY FOR TWO OF THE ITEMS WE HAD, UH, IDENTICAL COSTS.
SO WE HAVE TO CAST THE LOTS TO PICK WHO WILL BE THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR.
UM, ON ONE OF THE, SO WE HAVE IT FOR LIMESTONE SO THAT WE HAVE A CAST THE LOTS FOR OUR SECONDARY VENDOR, UM, UH, FOR THE PICKUP AT THE PLANT.
SO THE TWO VENDORS ARE, UM, MARTIN CONCRETE AND THIS TIME MARTIN MARIETTA.
SO I HAVE THE TWO NAMES IN HERE.
SO I WILL SHAKE 'EM UP AND THEN THE MAYOR JUST HAVE TO PICK THE NAME.
THAT WOULD BECOME OUR SECONDARY VENDOR FOR THE PLANT.
AND THEN WE'LL DO IT AGAIN FOR THE CEMENT STABILIZED SAND.
OKAY? SO CA AND IT'LL BE THE SAME EXACT VENDORS IF YOU SEND THE CASTING BLAST, DON'T YOU, DON'T YOU BRING SOMETHING? OKAY.
YEAH, I GOT YEAH, COME RIGHT ON.
WHY DIDN'T YOU COME HERE MAN? THOUGHT NO.
[02:30:01]
YEAH, YOU COULD JUST COME RIGHT DOWN ON THE FRONT.YOU KNOW LIKE THE USHERS AT CHURCH? YEAH, PICK UP OFF.
JUST DO BUT JUDGE JUDY TAKE IT UP HERE.
ALRIGHT,
DID YOU JUST SAY THAT? UHHUH? THAT'S WHAT I START, I THINK I JUST WON.
AND THE LUCKY BITTER IS MODERN CONCRETE AND MATERIALS.
YOU KNOW WHICH ONE THAT'S FOR RIGHT? LIMESTONE FOR THE LIMESTONE FOR THE PLANT.
NOW THE NEXT ONE IS FULL OF WHAT? HEAT STABILIZED SAND.
OKAY, THERE THREE COMPONENTS TO THAT.
BUT THAT, THAT'S GOING GONNA BE OKAY.
AND YOU SAY THIS IS FOR, UH, HEAT S SAND.
SO THIS WILL BE FROM THE PRIMARY VENDOR AND THEN WHOEVER'S NOT WILL BE THE SECOND VENDOR.
AND FOR THE CEMENT AND THE OTHER STUFF MR. CLIFF SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BE DOING IS MODERN CONCRETE AND MATERIALS.
YOU MUST HAVE HAD 'EM BOTH IN, I MEAN THAT'S ONLY NAME WE HAD IN THE BOX.
MARTIN MARIETTA BE THE SECONDARY.
MARTIN MARIETTA IS THE SECONDARY.
WELL YOU GONNA HAVE ALL OF THAT ALL RIGHT NOW.
AND UH, CITY SECRETARY, I'VE COMPLETED THAT TASK.
NOW WE'LL MOVE NOW WAIT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE VOTE.
MAYOR MA'AM, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE VOTE NOW.
ON QUESTION THE, UH, LIMESTONE Y'ALL ON THE QUESTIONS? YEAH, I ALREADY HAD ALREADY HAD ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT? YEAH, RIGHT.
SO THE, SO A QUESTION ON THE LIMESTONES, THE WINNER IS MAR IS MODERN CONCRETE AND MATERIALS.
AND ON THE UH, FOR THE SECONDARY FOR THAT WOULD BE MARTIN MARIETTA ON THE CONCRETE.
AND THE OTHER MATERIALS WOULD BE MODERN, CONCRETE AND MATERIALS.
AND THE SECONDARY FOR THAT WOULD BE MARTIN MARIETTA.
DID I SAY IT CORRECTLY? MR. WILLIAMS? YES SIR.
YOU KNOW, YOU THE PROCUREMENT MAN.
SO FOR THE LIMESTONE WE WERE JUST PULLING FOR THE SECONDARY VENDOR.
SO MARTIN WOULD JUST BE THE SECONDARY VENDOR FOR THE, FOR THE PLANT, FOR THE CAST, THE LOTS AND THEN FOR THE SEMEN STABILIZED SAND MARTIN WOULD BE THE PRIMARY.
THEN MARTIN MARY WOULD BE THE SECONDARY ON THAT ONE.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE SECOND ONE.
YOU NOT, YOU'RE NOT WITH YOU OF READINESS.
YEAH RON, ONCE AGAIN WE GOT THE TWO ACCOUNTS.
Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH STUFF LIKE THIS.
WELL KNOW HOW MUCH FROM EACH ACCOUNT.
ALRIGHT, LET'S AND CITY MANAGER IS THAT IN, IN THE FUTURE AND FOR US ALL TO BE TO WORK TOGETHER COHESIVELY WITH
NICE, NICE, NICE INTERACTIONS.
WE COULD HAD THE NEXT ALWAYS JUST SEND IT WITH WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUTTA WHAT? BECAUSE MR. DE SAID IS GOING TO HOLD A MEETING UP FOR AN HOUR UNTIL YOU, YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
IT GONNA START NEXT WEEK NOW AIN'T NOT THIS WEEK.
WELL I'M GONNA JUST REMIND YOU EVERYONE THAT COMING UP, NO NOT BE NO MORE.
MAYBE THE NIGHT THEY MIGHT HAVE KNOWN THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE GOT THAT ALL IN FAVOR A AYE.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23561 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Professional Engineering Services Contract With Chica And Associates, Inc. For Construction Management And Value Engineering Services Regarding The Stonegate Drainage Improvement Project For The Not To Exceed Amount Of $1,117,996.38. Funds Are To Be Available From 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-ENG]
WE HAVE, I THINK I'M GOING RIGHT PR NUMBER 23 5 61.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICE CONTRACT WITH CHICA AND ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND VALUE ENGINEERING SERVICES.
REGARDING THE STONEGATE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $1,117,996 AND 38 CENTS.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE HAZARD MITIGATION ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 5 4 DASH ZERO ZERO.
[02:35:01]
THAT'S 8 5 1 5 0 0 0 0.AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, UH, ACCOUNT D ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 4 0 0 0 DASH 8 5 1 0 0 0 0.
AND IT IS UH, CONSIDERED TO BE PROJECT NUMBER DR ONE P ZERO FOUR DASH ENGINEERING.
AND I'D LIKE TO ADD ON THIS IF I MAY, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS MONEY WAS BEFORE ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE HERE OF HOW, HOW THAT WOULD BE DEED OUT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DEUCE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SECOND MAYOR IT IS MOVED IN SECONDARY.
WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 5 61 AS READ.
I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE PR NUMBER 23 5 61 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
NOW WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS MOVE TO PAGE EIGHT IF YOU WILL MOVE TO PAGE EIGHT.
THERE IS RIGHT BEFORE THE ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING, UH, SECTION WHERE WE ALL GONNA BE HAPPY.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7228 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2023 And Ending September 30, 2024, Increasing The General Fund By $129,730.00 Capital Fund Buy $1,214,500.00, Pleasure Island Fund By $286,715.00 The CDBG-DR By $4,207,065.00, And The Hazard Mitigation Fund By $35,592,566.00]
NUMBER 7 2 2 8.IT IS AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024 INCREASING THE GENERAL FUND BY $129,730 CAPITAL FUND BY $1,214,500 PLEASURE ISLAND FUND TO BUY $286,715.
THE C-D-B-G-D-R BY $4,207,065 AND THE HAD HAD THE HA HAZARDOUS MITIGATION FUND BY $35,592,566.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK, MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7 2 2 8 AS READ AND PRESENTED.
YOU GOT? OKAY, WE ALL, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE HAS PASSED.
NOW LET'S GO BACK TO PAGE SEVEN, IF YOU WILL.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 23586 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Florida Floats, Inc. DBA Bellingham Marine Of Jacksonville, Florida For The Rehabilitation Of The Pleasure Island Marina In The Amount Not To Exceed $1,382,900.00; The Funding For This Project In Account Number 307-60-000-8525-00-10-000 Project Number PI0001 Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of A Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance 7228]
WITH PR NUMBER T 23 5 8 6.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGERS TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH FLORIDA FLOATS INCORPORATED DBA BELLINGHAM MAR OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE PLEASURE ISLAND MARINA IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,382,900.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH SIX ZERO DASH 8 5 2 5 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH ZERO.
PROJECT NUMBER PI 0 0 0 1 IS CONTINGENT UPON AND WHAT WE HAD JUST APPROVED.
SO I DON'T NEED ATTORNEY, I DON'T NEED TO READ THAT, DO I? 'CAUSE WE JUST APPROVED THAT.
AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKHAM SECOND, UH, REMOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR 23 5 86 AS, UH, READ, WE'RE READY FOR A QUESTIONNAIRE.
YES, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE BROAD TERM REHABILITATION.
WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? OKAY, COUNT A CITY.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT, GEORGE? COME GEORGE HAS A, A, A DESCRIPTION OF IT.
THAT'S WHY I CALLED THE CITY MANAGER.
I WAS, I WAS GONNA ASK FOR GEORGE.
UH, I AIN'T THINKING ABOUT YOU.
[02:40:20]
THIS IS PRETTY DETAILED.IT'S TAKEN ME A MINUTE TO GET THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
ALL RIGHT, THIS ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SEE THIS? SO, UH, SOMEBODY WANT SEE? OH, Y'ALL GOT IT? YEAH, ITS IN THE BOOK IS OKAY.
MAYBE YOU DIDN'T GET I, THIS, THIS WAS NOT IN MY BOOK.
UH, CITY, UH, UH, UH, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
BE A LITTLE MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE INCLUSIONS IN THE CITY COUNCIL BOOK.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE READY? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO IT IS ORDERED.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 23589 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 1 To The Contract With BDS Construction, LLC DBA MK Construction Of Vidor, Texas, For The Landfill Waterline Extension Project, Increasing The Contract Amount By $74,870.00 To The New Total Contract Amount Of $1,457,379.00 Funds Are Available In Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS-0008 CON]
23 5 89 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO THE CONCRETE AIR LAWS FOR THE CONTRACT WITH BDS CONSTRUCTION, L-L-C-D-B-A MK CON CONSTRUCTION OF VITA TEXAS FOR THE LANDFILL WATERLINE EXTENSION PROJECT.INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $74,870 TO THE NEW TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 1,457,307 $9.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN A SINGLE ACCOUNT.
NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH FOUR ZERO DASH 0 0 0 DASH 85 16 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO.
PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 0 8 CON FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO MAYOR, MAKE THE SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
OKAY, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS THERE ANY, WE ARE READY TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY GONNA HAVE FRESH WATER AT THE LANDFILL.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES? HEY MAN, WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON THAT SINCE I GOT HERE.
SINCE YOU WAS THE FIRST GOT ELECTED BUT OKAY.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 23591 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager Or His Designee To Negotiate A Professional Services Agreement With Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC, (AWC) Of Port Arthur, Texas, For Engineering Construction Management Services Associated With The El Vista Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project. Project No. DR1P02-CON]
NOW THE NEXT ONE IS P NUMBER 23 9 5 91 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, LLC KNOWN AS A WC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR THE ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR VISTA SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ATTORNEY.IS THERE SOMETHING WE WANT TO ADD TO THIS? YES, PLEASE.
AND THEN I'M CALL FOR A MOTION UNTIL SHE SAYS WHAT SHE'S GONNA SAY.
OH YES, I HAVE CHANGED, BUT IT'S GONNA BE INCLUDED IN THE MOTION 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T CALLED MOTION.
OKAY, LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO COME BACK.
YOU READY FOR ME TO SET? YEAH, IT'S BOTH.
ARE YOU READY FOR ME OR YES MA'AM.
SO INSTEAD OF, UH, THE LANGUAGE WE HAVE, WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND THE REMAINING LANGUAGE STAYS THE SAME, BUT IT'S JUST TO AUTHOR, TO AUTHORIZE HIM TO NEGOTIATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ALREADY EXISTING CONTRACT.
OKAY? SO MOVE, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK SECOND.
I I WAS ASKING YOU, I CAN'T EVEN DO IT.
WELL MAY ACTUALLY IT'S BEEN MOVING THEN.
I'M TRYING TO GO TO WHAT WOULD MAYOR, THANK YOU.
OKAY, NOW BECAUSE IT, IT'S IT'S ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY THERE.
I MEAN, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? I HAVE IT.
I'M JUST GONNA REFER TO IT AS 91 IS APPROVED.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 23592 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager Or His Designee To Negotiate A Professional Services Agreement With Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC, (AWC) Of Port Arthur, Texas For Engineering Construction Management Services Associated With The Port Acres Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project. Project No. DR1P03-ENG ]
HAVE NINE TWO, THEY HAVE THE SAME UH, UH, PREFIXED NUMBERS HERE.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN O. WILSON.
[02:45:02]
OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PORT A ACRES SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.AND WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, UH, UH, ATTORNEY? YES.
UH, JUST TO SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE, WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT NOW IS TO NEGOTIATE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT AND WE ARE JUST SAYING TO NEGOTIATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE, THE EXISTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT.
UH, SO MOVED ON THAT MS. BECKHAM.
YEAH, I WAS ON MR. SISTER BECKHAM.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD SEE EVERYBODY LOSING IT RIGHT NOW.
UH, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE OF PR NUMBER 23 5 9 2 REFERRED TO COMMON AS 92 AS PRESENTED WITH THE STATEMENT FROM OUR ATTORNEY.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? YOU SAID YOU SAID I TWO, RIGHT? UH, SHE DID.
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 23595 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) With Research, Applied Technology, Education, And Services (RATES), Inc. Of Edinburg, Texas, To Address Coastal Management Plan Goals With No Budgetary Funding Impact]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 5 9 5 IS A RESOLUTION.AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO, UH, ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING MOU WITH RESEARCH APPLIED TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION AND SERVICES, ALL THE A TES RATES INCORPORATED OF EDINBURG, TEXAS TO ADDRESS COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN GOALS WITH NO BUDGETARY FUNDING IMPACT MAG.
UM, MOTION, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A A ANY OPPOSES? AYE.
SO IT IS ORDERED NOW ON PAGE EIGHT, UH,
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 23596 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Terminate The Non-Exclusive Ambulance Agreement With Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc. As It Pertains To Providing Ambulance Service In The City Of Port Arthur]
PR NUMBER 2 3 5 9 6.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING, EXCUSE ME, THE CITY MANAGER TO TERMINATE THE NON-EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE AGREEMENT WITH ACADIAN AMBULANCE INCORPORATED AS IT PERTAINS TO PROVIDING AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? IT BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 23.
WE AFTER THE COURTS ON THIS, THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? THANK YOU.
PR NUMBER 23 5 9 6 WOULD BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 23604 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Amendment No. 2 To The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And LJA Engineering Of Beaumont, Texas, Extending The Project Duration By 57 Calendar Days Until March 15, 2024. There Is No Budgetary Impact For The Extension]
HAVE P NUMBER 23 6 0 4.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND LJA ENGINEERING OF BEAUMONT TEXAS EXTENDED A PROJECT DURATION BY 57 CALENDAR DAYS UNTIL MARCH 15TH, 2024.
THERE IS NO BUDGETARY IMPACT FOR THIS EXTENSION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DEUCE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PRO NUMBER 23 6 0 4 AS PRESENTED.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? THERE AREN'T ANY LIGHTS ON? NO QUESTIONS.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 23605 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Director Or Directors To The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation (Requested By Councilmembers Lewis and Doucet)]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 2, 3, 6, 0 5, A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED A DIRECTOR OR DIRECTORS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, LEWIS AND ETT.
DO YOU HAVE THOSE NAMES? CITY SECRETARY? NO, SIR.
I MEAN, YEAH, I KNOW THEY GUY.
IT DONE GOT LATE IN THE EVENING AND THE SUN HAS GONE DOWN.
WHO DO YOU HAVE? MORRIS ALBRIGHT.
AIN'T NO WAY IT GOING TO ALL RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, MS. MS. RAYMOND AND MR. ALBRIGHT AS THE APPOINTEES.
ARE WE READY FOR A QUESTION? WE NEED A MOTION.
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GO AHEAD.ANY OPPOSE? ANY AND YOU, YOU FOUR TOO, RIGHT? OKAY.
ANY OPPOSES? NONE WILL SAY IT IS GOOD.
SO WE HAVE TWO NEW MEMBERS FOR MS, UH, FOR THIS.
MS. RAYMOND AND MR. ALBRIGHT, WELCOME ABOARD.
IF YOU ALL ARE LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION NOW WITH THE POWER VESTED IN ME THROUGH, OH, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT ONE.
YEAH, I, I DO, I WAS LIKE, I WAS USED DOING THE THIRD GRADE.
WHICH ONE? WHICH ONE? WHICH ONE WAS IT? THE ONE ON PAGE SIX, ONE WAS ON.
WHERE IS THAT? THAT'S ON PAGE FOUR.
NO, I KNEW IT WAS UP THERE SOMEWHERE.
I KNEW IT WAS TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THE PEN.
OKAY, NOW WE ARE READY TO REVISIT IN THE MOTION TO BASICALLY, DOES IT REMAIN ON THE FLOOR ATTORNEY OR DO I NEED TO PUT IT BACK? PUT IT BACK.
[VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 23558 (2) – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Contracts With Martin Asphalt Company Of Houston, Texas, And P Squared Emulsion Plants, LLC Of Elm Mott, Texas, To Provide Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions To The City Of Port Arthur For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $250,000.00. Funding Is Available In The Streets Maintenance Account, 001-21-053-5316-00-70-000, And The Capital Improvement Fund Streets Program Account, 307-21-053- 8517-00-10-000, Various Projects (Part 2 of 2)]
PR NUMBER 23 5 5 8.THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS BETWEEN MARTIN ASPHALT COMPANY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND P SQUARE.
EMULSION PLANTS, LLC OF ELMONT, MOTT TEXAS TO PROVIDE ASPHALT OIL AND EMULSION TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $250,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET STREETS MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT 0 0 1 DASH 2 1 5 3 DASH 5 3 6 0 7 0.
AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ACCOUNT IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT FUND STREET PROGRAM ACCOUNT, UH, NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 5 3 8 5 7 0 0 0 0.
AND IT'S TITLED VARIOUS PROJECTS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE MAYOR BACK, GET A SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I SEE YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
UH, COUNCILMAN KINLOCK OR, OR UH, YES, MAYOR.
WELL, WHAT I WOULD DO IS LET THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR BASIS FOR ELIMINATION IS.
IT'S CLEAR THAT ONE OF THEM IS THE LOWEST BIDDER.
UM, AND WE DO SEE WHAT THE SPECIFICATIONS SAY.
THERE'S A COMPANY IN ELMONT, THERE'S A COMPANY IN HOUSTON.
SO, UM, I GUESS WE WOULD JUST LET THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR REASONING IS AND LET THE COUNCIL DECIDE.
AND THAT WOULD BE MR. WI, MR. WILLIAMS OR YOU NEED THE ACTUAL WORK OR PUBLIC WORK? IF YOU, IF YOU ARE SATISFIED.
I, I, I, I AM TRYING TO, THAT'S WHAT HE DID EARLIER.
SO MY CONCERN IS YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A VALID BASIS FOR ELIMINATING A LOW BIDDER.
SO I GUESS IT WOULD BE UP TO THE COUNCIL TO DETERMINE IF THEY FEEL LIKE WHAT HAS BEEN STATED IS, IS A VALID BASIS.
UM, SO IF YOU DON'T NEED TO HEAR THE EXPLANATION AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, MR. MAYOR OH NO, NO, NO.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE ARE ABOVE BOARD AND TRANSPARENT WHEN WE MADE THIS DECISION AND GOING TO THE SECOND ONE.
AND IF WE ARE WITH WITHIN REGULATIONS, I'M OKAY WITH IT, BUT I'M, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I PROVIDED INFORMATION TO YOU ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF WE OKAY WITH IT, I'M OKAY WITH IT.
AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITH ABOVE BOARD.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN CONTINUE.
YOU HAVE ONE VENDOR IN HOUSTON, ONE IN ELMONT, AND I GUESS THEY FILLED THE ONE IN HOUSTON.
THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION IN THE PACKET.
SO DO WE HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT THEY'RE SAYING? WELL, ALL, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE CORPORATE OFFICES IN HOUSTON, RIGHT.
AND THEY PROBABLY DO THEIR WORK FROM THE CORPORATE OFFICE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE PHYSICAL ADDRESS.
I UNDERSTAND THE ATTORNEY, WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOCAL OFFICE EITHER.
BUT IF THE COUNSEL FEELS COMFORTABLE, UNDERSTAND, I'M JUST GOING OFF THE PAPERWORK.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON READINESS? HONOR? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I HEARD, UM, MS. TIANO CORRECTLY, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION, WE COULD STILL BE COVERED WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT WAS, UM, PROVIDED BECAUSE WE'RE ON RECORD.
HOW, HOW DO WE CONFIRM THAT WE RECEIVED THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND NOT BE SUED AFTER THE FACT? AND MR. YOU ARE, YOU'RE GONNA BE RELYING ON THE REPRESENTATIONS THAT STAFF HAS MADE THAT THE LOWEST BIDDER CANNOT PERFORM.
AND INTEGRITY OF THE SELLER, I THINK IS, IS IS
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IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THIS.WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT EITHER COMPANY.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE LOW BID.
WE DON'T GO INTO THAT, THAT BID DOESN'T TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT, BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE INTEGRITY, INTEGRITY OF THE SELLER, I BELIEVE HAS A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH IT OR HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD SAY LET'S GO WITH THAT.
ALL IN FAVOR? A A ANY OPPOSE US AYE HAVE SO ALL THE BAD, THE RESOLUTION PASSED.
NOW AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE POWER OF VEST IN ME.
THROUGH MY BEING THE SHY PERSON OR THE MEETING SAY FAMILY.
I TOLD Y'ALL SHOW OR ONE OF Y'ALL MAKE A MOTION.
I KNOW WHAT I WAS TRAINED FOR.
WE DO, DID SHALL I GO TO TRAINING? BUT THEY RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR, MAYOR, YOU NEED TO LEAVE THAT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT? YOU NEED TO LEAVE THAT ESSENCE ALL ALONE.
I NEED DO WHAT? MESSING WITH ME.