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RECORDING IN PROGRESS.HERE, WE GOOD? WE GOOD GUYS? THANK YOU.
UH, TODAY, NOTICES HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN TOUR NUMBER ONE.
WE'LL HOLD A MEETING IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024, AT 2:00 PM AT THE PORT ARTHUR CITY HALL, FIFTH FLOOR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THE ADDRESS IS 4 4 4 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
THIS MEETING WOULD ALSO BE HELD BY TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IN ADDITION TO ALLOW PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM OF THET BOARD WILL BE PRESENT, PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.
UH, THE PUBLIC MAY BE PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING OR IN PERSON BY DIALING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOLL FREE NUMBERS.
AND ENTER THE MEETING ID CODE, WHICH IS 8 6 4 5 2 3 1 5 4 7 7.
AND THE PASS CODE IS 2 2 0 3 7 8.
UH, IF YOU WANT TO DO A TOLL FREE, THE NUMBER IS 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7.
AND AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER IS 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND THAT IS ALSO A TOLL FREE NUMBER.
THIS MEETING IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL START THIS TERRY MEETING AS, UH, PRINTED ON
[1.Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.]
THE AGENDA.THE FIRST THING WE WILL FOLLOW IS THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLE, AND THEN WE'LL ESTABLISH A QUORUM.
WOULD YOU DO THE INVOCATION? YES, SIR.
SHALL ALL PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER.
FATHER GOD, IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE APPROACH YOUR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS OUR DEAR GOD, WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, THANKING YOU FOR AWAKENING US THIS MORNING AND ALLOWING US TO MAKE IT TO THIS PORTION OF OUR DAY.
NOW, WE ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING.
ALLOW US TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL AND YOUR WAKE.
WE'LL BE EVER SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL.
THESE THINGS WE ARE ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, FOR HIS SAKE, WE DO PRAY.
TO THE OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION IN THE GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[2.Establishment of quorum and call to order.]
I ESTABLISH THE QUORUM, PLEASE, SIR? YES, SIR.UH, FOR THAT, UH, WE, I GUESS WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE AGENDA AS PRINTED.
[3.Approval of Minutes from the previous Downtown Tax Reinvestment Zone TIRZ #1 BoardMeeting held on Monday, January 4, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.]
NEXT WE HAVE IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS DOWNTOWN TUR DOWNTOWN TAX REINVESTMENT ZONE.TURS NUMBER ONE BOARD MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, JANUARY 4TH, 2024 AT 2:00 PM MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THAT? SO MOVED, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS MOTION WAS SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[4.Discussion and possible action regarding current and future projects within the boundariesDowntown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
NEXT, DISCUSS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ROOMS REGARDING CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE TOWARDS NUMBER ONE.CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT YOU GOT, OR, OR CITY MANAGER.
WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON? UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT'S THE SAME THOUGH AS IT RELATES TO THE DEVELOPMENT FOR MOTIVA.
I KNOW THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING TOMORROW.
TO UPDATE THE CITY COUNCIL AS TO WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE, UM, IT OFF TO THE NEXT MEETING THAT'S ON THE FIFTH.
SO IT'S NEXT WEEK? IT'S NEXT WEEK, YEAH.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK, HAVE WE HEARD ANY? SO WE'RE GONNA GET A COMPLETE, WE'RE GONNA GET THE UPDATE THAT IS PENDING IS GOING TO BE, UH, AN UPDATE ON WHERE THEY ARE, PROJECTIONS YES.
HAVE WE HEARD ANY, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE, THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES DOWNTOWN? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WELL, MINE HAS ONLY BEEN VISUAL.
UH, THEY ARE GET, UH, THE SHRUBBERY NURSERY IS OUT THERE WORKING TODAY.
UH, ALSO I SPOKE WITH, UH, MRS. BALLOU.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FINALIZE IF THEY WERE ALL THE CONTRACTUAL MANAGEMENT OF THE FACILITY, BUT I SAW SOME CARS PARKED BY THAT OFFICE.
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UH, IT COULD BE SOME CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE, IT COULD BE SOME FOLK THAT'S WORKING WHERE THE OFFICE IS GOING TO BE IN THAT BUILDING.UH, I GUESS THE COMMUNITY BUILDING.
SO I'VE SEEN SOME MOVEMENT THERE, UH, ON THAT.
THAT CAUSES ME TO THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP UP WITH A DATE OF, UH, CITY MANAGER WAS GONNA CHECK WITH, WHAT'S HIS NAME? JAMES.
BUT, UH, THEY HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION, MR. CHAIRMAN, ON WHO IS GOING TO MANAGE IT AND BOARD MEMBERS.
SO I THINK THAT COULD BE A ROADBLOCK.
BUT, BUT THAT FIRST SECTION OR ON WHAT THAT MOBILE OR WHATEVER THAT AVENUE IS OR EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE LOOKED LIKE IT'S READY BECAUSE I SAW THEM BRINGING, UH, AGAIN, IT WAS VISUALS BEING SO, MY, MY PART, I SAW THEM BRINGING, UH, APPLIANCES IN THERE.
UH, BUT THEY, THEY ALSO HAD SOME ISSUES WITH LATE DELIVERIES, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I THINK LIKE DISHWASHERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THE, THE, UH, I GUESS THE OWNERSHIP IN THAT, IN THAT FACILITY AS AT, UH, THAT THEY JUST GETTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS DELIVERED AND INSTALLED.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY THEY SAID, THEY TOLD US, WELL, LAST TIME, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DECEMBER, THEY SAID THEY MAY NEED THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND, UH, GOING INTO THE THIRD MONTH, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GOING DO IT NOW.
ALSO ON, ON DOWNTOWN PROJECTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS NOTICED ON THE, UH, ADAMS BUILDING THERE, UH, FOR, UH, WHERE THE MOTIVA COMPLEX IS GONNA BE.
THERE IS, UH, AND I PASSED, UH, I THINK IT WAS SATURDAY, AND WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF IT, UH, THEY REMOVED ALL, IF YOU NOTICE ALL THE WINDOW FRAMES ON EVERY FLOOR, EVERY EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT.
THEY ALSO DOING SOME WORK OVER IN THE, I I STILL CALL THE OLD, OLD FEDERAL BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET, BUT YOU CAN'T HARDLY SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL, IT'S BEHIND THOSE GATES.
BUT I KNOW THEY REMOVED ALL OF THOSE WINDOWS.
AND, UH, I SPOKE WITH THE YOUNG MAN, UH, THEIR OFFICES OVER WHERE THE, UH, UH,
AND, AND THE OTHER LITTLE, UH, SOCIAL CLUB WAS IN THAT BUILDING, THAT GRAY BUILDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE INVITED ME TO COME OVER AND VISIT AT ANYTIME, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA GO ANYWHERE.
THEY WORKING HARD, BUT, UH, AND THAT'S WHERE IT APPEARED TO BE.
BUT THEY, HE, HE WAS TELLING ME THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOVIES THAT WAS JUST THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH HIM AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, LUNCHING LUNCHEON? UH, NO, UH, IT WAS THE CHAMBER, BUT YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION BREAKFAST.
UH, UH, LAST, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEDNESDAY.
AND, AND, AND I SPOKE WITH HIM OVER AT LAMAR ABOUT IT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHEN HE INVITED ME UP THERE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, COME BY AND LOOK AT IT.
AND I TOLD HIM, I, I HAD NOTICED THE MEN WORKING, REMOVING THE WINDOWS, BUT THEY HADN'T REMOVED ALL OF THEM.
AND IT APPEARS THAT THEY'VE TAKEN ALL OF THOSE OUT.
UH, AND I THINK THEY HAVE TO, THOSE HAVE TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO THE, UH, HISTORIC SOMETHING.
SO, BUT, AND THAT'S WHAT THE GUY WAS TELLING ME, THE COMPANY, HE, HE'S OVER, HE'S A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
SO THERE IS SOME MOVEMENT HAPPENING THERE.
AND THE LAST THING, BUT THE CITY MANAGER, I GET BACK WITH YOU ALL ON THAT, UH, I THINK I KIND OF PRIVATELY MENTIONED IT TO YOU, CHAIRMAN, WE ARE, UH, WORKING WITH A GROUP, UH, TO MAYBE BRING AN ANNUAL, UH, FESTIVAL HERE.
AND WE WERE WORKING HARD TO SEE IF WE COULD ATTRACT THEM.
AND I TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A TUR, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TURD ZONE.
WHEN WE MET THE OTHER DAY, WE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER MEETING.
BUT MYSELF, CITY MANAGER, UH, MS. ALPO PARK, PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, DIRECTOR, MS, UH, UH, APO, TAMMY AND ADAM, UH, FROM THE, UH, CONVENTION, CONVENTION, UH, VISITORS BUREAU.
AND, AND, AND ADAM, BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY HANDLES OUR FACILITIES.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TWO FACILITIES IN THIS ROUTE THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT HAVING IT DOWNTOWN FROM.
HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE SOME MOVEMENT ON, UH, ROSE HILL, BUT THE DEPARTMENT CLUB AS WELL.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A BIG FESTIVAL, UH, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, ATTRACT.
AND, AND THEY GOING TO BRING, ONCE THEY GET FURTHER, THEY GONNA BRING THE INFORMATION TO US AND THEY'LL PRESENT IT TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT I WAS, I WAS ALSO TELLING 'EM ABOUT THE TS BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL'S ENTITIES CAN, WOULD WANT TO BE INVOLVED
[00:10:01]
IN.AND WE ARE GONNA TRY TO MAKE AN ANNUAL EVENT, BUT WE, SO, YOU KNOW, MR. CHAIRMAN, NO.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY AS I WAS IN, AS, AS I OFTEN DO, UM, I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW WE GOT AWAY FROM CAVALCADE.
UM, BUT CAVALCADE USED TO BE SUCH A BIG THING IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
I MEAN, EVEN BEFORE WE HAD MARDI GRAS.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT AWAY FROM THE CELEBRATION OF CAVALCADE AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE, AND THE BANDS AND ALL OF THE FESTIVITIES HERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF COMMITTEES PUT TOGETHER TO JUST TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE REVITALIZATION AND THE REINSTITUTION OF CAVALCADE AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS.
I MEAN, WE ARE BECOMING A, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REVITALIZATION AS WELL AS A PETROCHEMICAL HUB AGAIN.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AND AN ENERGY, UH, UH, CITY AGAIN.
AND I MEAN, JUST TO BRING BACK AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, BRINGING PORT ARTHUR BACK AND JUST THE CELEBRATION OF, OF THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, UH, BEGIN TO, UH, TO, UH, TO DELVE INTO.
CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, UH, THEY, THEY STILL HAVE IT.
I KNOW THEY HAVE THE QUEENS AND THE ART SHOWS, AND THE YOUNG LADIES ARE STILL INVOLVED.
AND I KNOW, UH, LAMAR, PORT ARTHUR, I THINK THEY HOST THE, UH, ACTIVITY WHERE, WHERE THEY SELECT THE QUEEN, I THINK SO, YEAH.
I THINK, I KNOW THEY HAVE AN OFFICE WHERE IT IS THIRD COAST BANK NOW, IN, IN, IN THAT BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL IN THERE OR NOT.
YOU ALL, YOU ALL EVER GO BE OUT THERE WHERE, WHERE THIRD COAST IS.
I KNOW THEY HAD AN OFFICE IN THERE, BUT THAT WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING WE WOULD DO TO THE MANAGER.
MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE CONTACT WITH WHOMEVER IF, IF THEY'RE STILL IN, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL IN EXISTENCE.
AND THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GET 'EM TO COME BACK TO PROCTOR STREET.
AND BECAUSE IT, IT WOULD NORMALLY BE HELD IN OCTOBER.
SO THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO APPROACH 'EM, UH, FOR THAT.
BUT IT WAS SUCH A, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE THE BANNER COMING IN, UH, TO PORT ARTHUR AND ALL OF THOSE.
AND AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, IT MIGHT BE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WHAT YOU LIKE.
I'M SORRY, IT COULD BE A COLLABORATION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING A MOTOR VEHICLE, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUP IN, UH, DURING THAT TIME AND, YOU KNOW, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S A SEPARATE ENTITY, BUT OIL, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER IT WAS CAB OIL CA SO DURING THAT TIME, BUT I MEAN, JUST, JUST, UM, BRINGING IT IN AS AN ENERGY CELEBRATION OR WHATEVER.
JUST FINDING, FINDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING BACK DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE WATER SIDE, SO I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT THE LAND SIDE.
UM, BUT, UH, ALL OF US GET WATER BILLS, RIGHT? SO, UH, THERE'S A LITTLE AREA ON THE WATER BILL THAT SAYS, UH, DONATE TO THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
AND SO I WAS ASKING, WELL, I'VE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY IF, YOU KNOW, UH, CUSTOMERS ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING MONEY INTO THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
UM, COULD THAT BE USED TOWARDS SOME TOURIST PROJECTS? UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH AESTHETICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE TURS IS WORKING TO BEAUTIFY DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT POSSIBLY THE BEAUTIFICATION COULD COMMITTEE COULD COLLABORATE WITH, UH, US TO ACTUALLY GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL OR WE ALL ARE WANTING TO HAVE DONE, DONE.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY STIPULATIONS, RON THERE OR, UH, KIND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF A THING? YEAH.
UM, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE, THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, IN THE SUMS OF HUNDRED OF A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS
WELL, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER MS. ADAMS WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF THAT GROUP, AND THEY FOCUS PRIMARILY ON JUST, UH, LIKE, UH, SHRUBS AND GREENERY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE MIGHT NEED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
AND, UM, WITH THIS, AND MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE, SO YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE BUY-IN MM-HMM.
[00:15:01]
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY LOOK AT AND KIND HOPEFULLY HAVE, UH, CITIZENS BUY IN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY, WE REALLY WANT.UM, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT POSSIBILITY, UH, THO THOSE ARE ALWAYS POSSIBILITIES THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO TO SEE, UM, HOW WE CAN BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT, UM, IN, IN HAVING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SERVE THE BETTER PURPOSE OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
YOU KNOW, UM, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I I WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, WE AS A BODY, AS THE THIRDS, WHICH IS PART OF THE CITY, FUTURISTICALLY SPEAKING, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING OUR BODY AS A GROUP TO INCLUDE MORE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT, UM, MOTIVA TO, WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT MAYOR, UM, HAS EXPRESSED SOME INTEREST TO BE PART OF YOU, PART OF THE THIRDS, YOU KNOW, SEEING THAT THEY HAVE PROPERTY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE TAXES, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE PUT BACK INTO THE PORT FOR UTILIZATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
SO I WANT US TO BEGIN TO THINK OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER PRIVATE SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT EITHER OWN PROPERTY IN WITHIN THE TURDS, OR DO INTEND TO MOVE INTO THE TURDS, UM, AND LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
BECAUSE BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT WE ESTABLISHED FOR, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD, UM, CONTINUE TO PUT PROPERTIES BACK ON THE, ON THE, THE, THE, THE, AS A TAXING PUT PROPERTIES BACK OR, AND INCREASE THE PROPERTIES VALUES WITHIN THE, SO THAT WE COULD UTILIZE THE, WHAT THE, THE TAXES THAT ARE BEING GENERATED TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHATEVER WE DO, MOVING ON FROM HERE ON, WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BECOME PART OF US AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND AS WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THOUGHT TO PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS WITHIN THE TURS, IT'S A GOOD THING.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REPRESENTATION RIGHT NOW ON THE TURS, IT'S MORE, LESS MADE OUT OF JUST THE TAX IN ENTITIES THAT ARE QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO, UM, ATTRACT THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.
IF YOU AND I SAY SO, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE MODELS THAT EXIST ELSEWHERE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS IN HOUSTON, JUST GO ONLINE AND LOOK AT IT.
IT'S MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES THAT CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE TOOLS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S, THEY SEE IT AS A DRAW FOR THEIR BUSINESSES TO COME DOWNTOWN.
AND THEY MAY ALSO USE IT AS AN INCENTIVE FOR, UM, TAX ABATEMENT AS WELL FOR THEM, YOU KNOW? UM, SO LET, LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THAT TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WE COULD BE AS A BODY.
BECAUSE REMEMBER, UM, AND I THINK IT WAS ART WHO TOLD US THAT, UM, YES, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TWOS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GENERATE THAT IS TO PUT TOGETHER A MINI, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE CITY'S PLAN, YOU KNOW, AND FINANCE, EITHER WE ARE GOING OUT THERE TO GET, UM, BONDS OR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION ON OUR OWN.
WHEN I SAY ON OUR, THE TRUTHS, ON THE, TAKE THAT ON ITS OWN, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO FINANCE THOSE PROJECTS, THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND LOOK AT ALL THE POSSIBILITIES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO DO.
AND THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA, UM, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THAT YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED BUY-IN, BUT NOW FROM A CORPORATE LEVEL, UH, MY, MY SUGGESTION WAS JUST BUY-IN FROM A CITIZENRY LEVEL.
UM, AS WELL, SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS IN PLACE SO THAT WHEN MAJOR PROJECTS COME ON BOARD, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WILL KNOW, AND IT'LL BE A, UH, I, I THINK WOULD BE MORE OF A, UH, PROSPEROUS OR, OR, UH, EASY FLOWING TYPE OF, UH, UH, SITUATION.
UH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, WITH, UH, ONE OF THOSE, LIKE THE BEAUTIFICATION, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHEN I WEAR THIS I AROUND, THEY ASK, WELL, WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT? AND SO WHEN THEY'RE ASKING THAT, YOU KNOW,
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I HAVE TO GO INTO, YOU KNOW, SOME FORM OF BRIEF EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.AND THEN WE'RE LIKE, WELL, OKAY, YOU NEED MONEY FOR THAT
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH MAYBE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED MM-HMM.
AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, TOO, BECAUSE HERE IT IS, YOU'VE GOT THREE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HERE, AND THERE WILL BE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, NOT TOMORROW, BUT EARLIER ON IN MARCH FOR APPROVAL FOR THE WOOD, THE WOODWORTH BOULEVARD.
AND COUNCIL WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE DECISION, YOU KNOW, THAT LET'S GO AHEAD AND INVEST $14 MILLION TO IMPROVE WOODWORTH, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ENTRANCE TO YOUR CITY, TO YOUR DOWNTOWN, AND THE THIRDS IS PART OF DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN INVEST $250 MILLION.
YOU BUILD A HOUSE FOR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND YOUR DRIVEWAY LOOKS LIKE YEAH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, JUST THINK OF IT ON THAT LEVEL.
AND HERE IT IS THAT COUNCIL HAS MADE THE COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN WOODWORTH, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE, TO THE DOWNTOWN HOUSE, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ATTRACTIVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S MOTORABLE AND IT'S SAFE.
YOU KNOW, TO GET INTO OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT'S A GOOD START.
AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE VALUE OF PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THOSE THINGS.
AND AGAIN, UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT PART OF IT, BUT COME FRIDAY WE HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, $10 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN INVESTED ON NINTH AVENUE, AND WE HAVE MOVED OUT SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT OWING A DOLLAR TO MOTIVA, YOU KNOW? UM, AND ON FRIDAY WE HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTING OUT THERE, AND, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER BUILDING AGAIN, THAT WILL BE REPURPOSED.
AND I THINK WE DID A, WE DID A, A SPREADSHEET A FEW YEARS AGO, AND IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS OR SO, THOSE FOUR BUILDINGS WILL GENERATE ABOUT $7 MILLION IN TAXES, JUST IN THAT SQUARE.
WILL GENERATE $7 MILLION IN TAXES FOR THE TUR.
AND, AND MAY I ASK, WHAT'S THE INTENT OF THAT HEALTH BUILDING? WHAT, HOW WILL MOTIVA USE THAT? HOW WILL THEY UTILIZE THAT BUILDING? I THINK, UM, AND DON'T HOLD ME TO IT.
WHEN IT WAS FIRST DISCUSSED, IT WAS, UM, TO BE USED AS PART OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, YOU BRING IN A HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, I GUESS, WHERE THEY WILL PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR JOBS.
IN YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA, WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR US, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT THIS? I'M SORRY.
HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE SABINE HOTEL? IS SOMEBODY STILL INTERESTED IN THAT? SO, YES, THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST AND, UM, I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE TIMING TO DISCUSS IT WITH COUNSEL.
ARE WE GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT IT? YEAH.
MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT IS NOT JUST TALK.
BECAUSE I HATE TO JUST RAISE YOUR HOOPS AND THEN IT JUST ALL FALLS APART BECAUSE MANY OF PEOPLE HAVE COME, YOU KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING TANGIBLE OKAY.
AND IN WRITING, YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I UNDERSTAND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? YES.
I MEAN, SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, UH, CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE SABINE UH, THE SABINE HOTEL, BECAUSE, UH, I REMEMBER IN PAST DISCUSSIONS, UH, WHEN, UH, ART WAS HERE, UH, HE MADE THE SUGGESTION OF ACTUALLY RAISING THAT BUILDING.
AND SO, UH, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE ATTEMPT AFTER ATTEMPT, BUT IF THIS ONE FALLS THROUGH, I MEAN, IS THERE SOME POSSIBILITY OF CONSIDERATION FOR RAISING THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY? NO, NOT AS YET.
WE STILL, WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE.
WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE IF AN INVESTOR COMES IN.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, IMPEDIMENTS TO IT IS THE ABATEMENT OF ASBESTOS IN THE BUILDING.
IT'S ABOUT $2 MILLION, UM, WHICH IS A SIZABLE INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ABATEMENT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, AGAIN, WE ARE JUST, TODAY WE HAD A MEET A BROWNFIELD MEETING WITH STAFF, AND WE DID GET A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, WHEN I WAS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT,
[00:25:01]
WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE $300,000, PAM.AND, UM, WE HAVE SEEN CLOSE THAT PROJECT AND DID THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THEN WE ARE GOING OUT FOR MORE MONEY AGAIN, GRANT MONEY TO SEE WHETHER WE COULD LOWER THE COST.
SO ANY INVESTOR WHO COMES IN AND LOOKS AT THE BUILDING, THAT PART OF IT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE ALREADY, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION.
UH, ANY MORE QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE HERE AT TURS? BUILDING TURF AREA IN DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR? I SEE WE GOT A IT PERSON.
DID Y'ALL WANNA TALK ABOUT THE WEBSITE OR YOU WANT TO, HOW YOU WANNA DO THAT? TOR YOU WANT TO JUST WAIT NUMBER SIX? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, LET'S WAIT UNTIL NUMBER SIX.
THANK TO KEEP ME ON IT, MAYOR BARI.
WELL, WHILE WE WERE ON, ON, UH, JUST OPEN DISCUSSION ALMOST, UH, WHAT WE WERE TALKING, I'M HEARING WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.
THERE'S, AND IT IS NOT A TOTALLY NEW CONCEPT, BUT I BELIEVE THE APPROACH THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE COUNTRY IS, IS, IS, IS IT IS NEW NOW, I BELIEVE.
IT'S, UH, P THREE AND THAT IS, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR US TO BE, AND I, I OFFERED IT, I THINK I MENTIONED IT TO, TO THE COUNCIL AND EVEN TO US, UH, ON THIS PANEL HERE.
I THINK IT'S APRIL 4TH, IF I'M CORRECT, APRIL 4TH AND FORTH WORTH.
UH, I SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR WHEN WE WERE IN WASHINGTON BEFORE, AND I TOLD HIM I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A NICE CONTINGENT, UH, UH, UH, OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS FROM PORT ARTHUR FOR THE CHURCH.
AND WHEN YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS AND, AND THOSE THINGS, UH, P THREE IS PERFECT AGAIN FOR US TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROGRAM BECAUSE IF WE GET A GOOD NUMBER OF PERSONS THERE, UH, IT'S ABOUT A DAY CONFERENCE OR A DAY AND A HALF OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, PAM, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN, YOU ALL HAVE CHECKED ON IT FOR US.
UH, AND WE MAY WANT TO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CHURCH CAN AFFORD TO SEND THE, UH, UH, THE BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY'S GONNA SEND US, I'M GONNA GO IF I GOTTA PICK UP AND SELL SOME CANS BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT'S, IT IS THAT IMPORTANT.
AND I LEARNED ABOUT IT IN WASHINGTON.
WELL, AGAIN, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE MY, OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY HERE.
BUT THEY HAD SENT ME AN INVITATION TO BE WITH SOME MAYORS IN ATLANTA IN DECEMBER.
BUT Y'ALL KNOW HOW THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS ROOM, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU, AND WE MISSED OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE MISSED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY A FEW WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF THE, THE, UH, SHORTSIGHTEDNESS THAT WE SUFFERED FROM IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WHERE MAYORS, WELL, AT AMAZON, IN LOS, IN LOS ANGELES WITH MAYOR BASS AS AMAZON WAS ACTUALLY HONORING AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS AND THEY HONOR HER IN PARTICULAR.
AND EACH AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE, AMAZON, STARBUCKS, AND SOME, UH, OTHERS, UH, MADE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE FORM OF GRANTS TO, TO THE MAYORS WHO ATTENDED.
BUT I COULDN'T ATTEND BECAUSE MY CITY, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T PAID FOR MY MEMBERSHIP.
SO I WASN'T INVITED TO THAT, EVEN IF I COULD HAVE SOLD SOME CANS TO BUY A TICKET TO GO.
BUT I'M, SEE, I JUST LIKE TO TELL THE TRUTH AND TELL EVERYBODY, SO EVERYBODY KNOW.
IF YOU, IF YOU ASK ME FIRST AWAKENED OR HAVE BEEN AWAKENED ALL DAY AWAKE ALL DAY, I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME STORY.
SO I WOULDN'T WANT THE TURD TO BEGIN LIKE THAT, IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
AND THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHO WITH THE CITY OR WITH ANY OTHER ENTITY, THAT IS A GOOD PROJECT AND A GOOD PROGRAM FOR US TO ATTEND AS A GROUP.
AND I BELIEVE BECAUSE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT'S GONNA BE DISSEMINATED THERE IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE GROWTH IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
IF I MAY, UM, THE 2024 P THREE CONFERENCE, ALSO REFERRED TO AS P THREE C 2024 WOULD BE HELD ON MARCH 11TH THROUGH THE 13TH IN DALLAS, TEXAS AT THE SHERATON DALLAS HOTEL.
UM, THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
UM, MEMBERS OF STAFF DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF CITY STAFF HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, UH, APPROXIMATELY A YEAR, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, THAT YOU DO LEARN, UM, AT ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE.
UM, WE WERE ALSO, UM, THE, I'M SORRY, THE DIRECTOR OR CEO OF THE EDC, UM, THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE EDC ALSO WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIVATE
[00:30:01]
ENTITIES THAT ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE AS WELL THAT LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO PARTNER WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES IN REGARDS TO, UM, DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS AND OTHER SUCH PROJECTS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.SO IT IS A WORTHWHILE CONFERENCE WEALTH OF INFORMATION, BUT IT WILL BE MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THE 11TH THROUGH THE 13TH IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
AND WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FORWARDED OVER TO THE TURS COMMITTEE IF YOU'RE TURS COMMISSIONER, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
AND, AND PAM ONE I WAS ALLUDING TO IS, IS APRIL 4TH.
THIGPEN, I WAS, I HAD GIVEN, I KNOW I GAVE IT TO HIM PERSONALLY.
THAT INFORMATION ON THAT ONE, THAT'S GOING TO BE A COURSE ONE DAY AND A HALF I BELIEVE, OR JUST ONE DAY WHERE YOU WILL LEAVE THERE BEING A CERTIFIED P THREE INDIVIDUAL.
BUT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE ON, ON, ON, ON THE P THREE, UH, INVESTMENTS, SO TO SPEAK.
LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN SOMEBODY WOULD SEE THIS AND ASK YOU, AND YOU'D HAVE TO GO INTO A DEEPER EXPLANATION ABOUT IT.
WELL, WITH P THREE ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE, YOU WOULD REALLY UNDERSTAND IT AND YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO APPROACH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
WHO WOULD ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH US? WHO WOULD ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR ENTITIES ARE BASICALLY PUBLIC ENTITIES AND FOR GROWTH OF, OF THOSE ENTITIES.
I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION IN FORWARD THAT OVER AS WELL.
BUT I, I KNOW THIS ONE WE WOULD, WOULD WAIT, WEREN'T GOING EVEN BE AVAILABLE FOR THAT ONE.
AND I THINK THAT ONE IS MORE OF ADMINISTRATIVE FOR LIKE CITY MANAGERS EXCUSE AND CITY MANAGERS AND EDC DIRECTORS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WELL YOU ALL REALLY GO THROUGH EXTENSIVE TRAINING.
OUR DEAL WOULD BE MORE OF A, UH, THAT I THINK IN APRIL IT'S GONNA BE MORE OF, UH, JUST KIND OF A CRASH COURSE.
'CAUSE THEY SAY THEY GONNA DO IT WHAT THEY DO, WHAT Y'ALL, IN ALL THOSE DAYS, YES, THEY'LL DO IT IN THAT ONE DAY.
AND THEY, AND THEY ARE DOING THIS.
THEY WERE FOR MAYORS AND I GUESS AT NLC MM-HMM.
BECAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS ACTUALLY AT THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS WHERE THERE WAS A BIG PRESENTATION ON IT.
WE'LL RESEARCH THAT INFORMATION AND GET THAT OVER TO EVERYONE.
SO I'M UNDERSTANDING IT'S TWO DATES, TWO DIFFERENT DATES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S THE, UM, ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT WILL BE IN MARCH.
AND THEN THE, UM, COURSE THAT THE MAYOR IS SPEAKING OF IT'S COURSE, WHICH WILL BE IN APRIL.
LET ME, LET ME, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? YEAH.
UM, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, THE THE ANNUAL YES.
THAT YOU WENT, UH, THAT YOU ALL WENT TO.
UM, DID YOU HAVE LIKE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS GO OR WHO ACTUALLY WAS IN ATTENDANCE THERE BESIDES, YOU KNOW, YOURSELF AND AT ATTEND AND, UH, THE EDC DIRECTOR AND AT THAT TIME? UM, IT WAS THE DIRECTOR OF PLEASURE ISLAND.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL, UM, DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE ISLAND.
UM, WE ALSO HAD THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS, UM, TO ATTEND THAT MEETING.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE ATTENDED THE P THREE CONFERENCE, SO WE REALLY KIND OF WANTED TO GO AND GIVING MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT THOSE OFFERINGS WERE.
UM, SO WE DID DEVELOP A SMALL GROUP, UM, AGAIN, THE DIRECTOR OF PLEASURE ISLAND, JUST BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL PARKS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY THAT WE DO HAVE UP FOR SALE, UM, TO HELP DRIVE DEVELOPMENT IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD THAT SHE ATTENDED AS WELL.
SO IF WE WERE TO, UM, RETURN, UM, AND GO BACK TO THAT CONFERENCE, WE PROBABLY WOULD ASSEMBLE A, A, A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT GROUP.
UM, MAYBE SOME OF THE SAME AND A FEW OTHERS THAT WE WOULD ASK TO COME IN.
UM, DEFINITELY OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AS IT RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT A LOT OF COMPANIES WANT TO HAVE.
UM, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR EDC TO BE THERE.
A LOT OF COMPANIES LOOK FOR AREAS THAT ARE SITE READY.
THAT MEANS THE PRESENCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, SUCH AS WATER, SANITARY SEW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO IT, IT WOULD BE MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD BRING BACK TO THAT CONFERENCE.
AND IN TERMS OF, UH, BECAUSE I, WE, WE WE'RE HEADING INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A, A A REALLY, UH, UH, IN DEPTH TECHNOLOGY MM-HMM.
MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE PART OF, OR SOMEONE THAT'S PART OF THE IT GROUP.
TRAINING OR CONFERENCE THAT YOU ATTEND THESE DAYS.
I JUST CAME BACK FROM GRANBURY, TEXAS.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.UM, FROM A CITY MANAGER'S CLINIC.
AND THERE WAS A WHOLE ENTIRE SESSION THAT DEALT WITH AI TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS, UM, CHAT GPT, WHICH I LOVE, UH,
SO IT'S, IT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL FOR IT TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS OKAY.
THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, MARTIN HAS ANOTHER SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT HE HAS TO GO TO, BUT HE JUST WANTED ME TO EXPRESS THAT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UH, THANK YOU PAM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND IF YOU COULD GIVE THO THAT INFORMATION ON THE DATES LOCATION, UM, WE'LL SURE.
[5.Discussion regarding the appointment of a new TIRZ Representative for Jefferson County.]
FIVE, DISCUSS DISCUSSION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW TURS REPRESENTATIVE FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY, UH, JOE CITY MANAGER.HOW ARE WE GONNA LEAD INTO THAT? SHERRY, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION INTO, UH, LEADING TO THIS TOPIC? I KNOW YOU, YOU GOT YOUR BOOK OPEN OVER THERE, JOE.
NOW THE COMMISSIONER THAT WANT TO SERVE ANYMORE OR YEAH.
UM, HE KINDA EXPRESSED TO ME, AND I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO ELSE HE TALKED TO.
I BASICALLY TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T, HE COULDN'T RESIGN OR COULDN'T GIVE UP HIS SEAT, BUT, UH, HE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS GOING ON AND HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE WOULD ENTERTAIN AN ACTION TO REAPPOINT SOMEONE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, THAT IT HAS TO BE SOME ENTITY THAT'S IN CHARGE OF SOME TYPE OF BUDGET.
NOT SOMEONE THAT'S IN THAT BUDGET, OR CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, SHERRY OR JOE.
UM, I'M REA I'M, I THINK I'M READING FROM THE CORRECT LAW BECAUSE WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THIS YEARS AGO, UH, THAT WAS THE MAIN COURSE OF ACTION.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE COMMISSIONERS, UH, YOU HAVE A COUNTY COMMISSIONER AS WELL, NAVIGATION COMMISSIONER, PORT COMMISSIONERS.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY ARE GOVERNING OF A BUDGET OF SOME SORT, SOME TYPE OF TAX.
WHAT I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS EACH, EACH ENTITY TAXING ENTITY THAT VOLUNTARILY ADJOINS DETERRED HAS REPRESENTATION.
SO ON THAT, I DON'T KNOW, I WAS JUST THINKING IF THE COMMISSIONER DOESN'T, THEN I WOULD IS IS IT PROPERTY TO GO TO THE COUNTY JUDGE AND ASK FOR WHOMEVER HE WOULD APPOINT OR I, I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MAY I SPEAK TO THAT? PLEASE.
I THINK THIS IS THE CORRECT PROVISION AND IT SAYS THE VACANCY ON THE BOARD IS FILLED FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM BY THE APPOINTMENT OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE TAXING UNIT THAT APPOINTED THE DIRECTOR WHO SERVED IN THE VACANT POSITION.
SO WOULD APPEAR THAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT WOULD BE THE ENTITY THAT'S EXACTLY WHO WOULD HAVE TO FILL THE APPOINTMENT BY A RECOMMENDATION OF THEIR OWN CHOOSING.
WE'LL, PROBABLY THAT HE COULD TELL.
SO I, I, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S HOW RANDY COACH GAMBLE AND MYSELF GOT HERE ON THE BOARD.
WE WERE ACTUALLY VOTED IN BY OUR BOARDS TO REPRESENT OUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS.
SO THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PAR FOR THE COURSE, SO TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, YES, UH, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SPEAK WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER CYNICAL, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO, THEY WOULD HAVE TO VOTE.
UH, AS A, AS, AS A BODY LIKE, UH, THE ATTORNEY SAID TO, UH, VOTE SOMEONE IN.
AND, UH, THAT'S HOW WE GOT PLACED ON, ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY YOUR COMMISSION, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THAT'S HOW THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
WE HAD TO GO AND THEY, WE DECIDED, AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK UP HERE, UH, TO MAKE A, UH, UH, A DECISION, UH, REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF T'S UH, MEMBERS.
SO I, I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND ATTORNEY AS WELL.
UM, MAYBE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL ALLOW YOU GUYS, I GUESS, TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SEE IF THEY WILL BE WILLING TO APPOINT SOMEONE ELSE IF YOU GOT THAT.
OH, MAY, MAY, MAY I SUGGEST THIS.
AND, AND NOT TO, UH, DISRESPECT THE COMMISSIONER, BUT IF, IF THE ATTORNEYS, IF YOU COULD ASK THE COMMISSIONER IF HE HAS A PERSON IN MIND AND THEN HE WOULD IN TURN WORK WITH HIS GROUP, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD GO, HE WOULD LET THE COUNTY JUDGE KNOW, I GUESS, IN WHATEVER, IN A WRITTEN FORM HE IS RESIGNING AND HE COULD PROBABLY, AT THE SAME TIME HE RESIGNS AND THEY, BECAUSE I GUESS THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION.
AND THEY ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION.
AND, AND ALL, THEY MAY JUST HAVE THEIR OWN THOUGHT, BUT THAT MIGHT, THAT WOULD BE A SUGGESTION THAT MIGHT WORK WELL.
[00:40:01]
WELL, WE, I GUESS WE CAN LOOK IN THAT.YOU GOT THAT, TORI? WE GOT IT, DEE.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, I'M QUITE SURE THAT WHEN WE ESTABLISH THIS, THERE HAD TO BE SOMEONE THAT'S OVER TAXING INTO SOME TYPE OF BUDGET.
SO LET'S ALSO LOOKING AT WHEN WE DISCUSS THAT WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE, UH, IF WE CAN GO TO PRIVATE, I'M LIKE, RON, SHE, I WISH WE COULD APPOINT SOMEONE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COME HERE.
THAT'D BE GREAT FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT
[6.Approval of Phase Two of the advertisement plan for the Downtown Tax IncrementReinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1).]
ONE.SIX, UH, APPROVAL OF, UH, PHASE TWO OF THE ADVERTISEMENT PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE CHARGE NUMBER ONE.
UH, WANT TO GET WITH THAT, TORI? COME ON, WHAT WE GOT.
HELLO GENTLEMEN, HOW ARE YOU? OKAY, SO WE ARE GOOD.
WE ARE ACTUALLY MOVING TO PHASE TWO OF OUR ADVERTISEMENT PLAN.
SO WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED THE WEBSITE.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE WEBSITE? BRIEFLY? BRIEFLY.
AND WE ARE MOVING TO THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WEBSITE TO MAKE THE WEBSITE BETTER AND REVAMPED AND ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO ENTITIES AND DIFFERENT TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENTS TO HELP BRING SOME FUNDING TO THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
SO A PART OF OUR PHASE TWO, WE'LL BE WORKING IN-HOUSE THIS TIME.
UM, AND WE HAVE FROM IT MS. TIANA JOHNSON.
SHE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE TS BOARD DIRECTLY ABOUT UTILIZING OUR WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE, KIND OF REVAMPING IT TO HOW WE ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE THE PLATFORM BE UTILIZED IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MORE LUCRATIVE FOR THE TOURS BOARD TO HAVE ENTITIES ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO US USING OUR GOOGLE ADVERTISEMENT.
UM, FACEBOOK JUST TO KIND OF PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE ON THE MAP AND HAVE ENTITIES LOOK AT OURSELVES.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT PHASE TWO WILL LOOK LIKE? GO AHEAD.
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE
THAT WOULD BE MS. TIANA WHO KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS OF ACTUAL AI, GETTING THINGS TO BE PUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES AND KIND OF SITTING DOWN WITH SOME COMPANIES AND ENTITIES TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET US UP AND RUNNING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GREAT QUESTION.
AND JUST TO BE, JUST TO BE, UH, TRANSPARENT, WE ARE BEFORE BEAUMONT.
I KNOW WE SORT ENCOUNTERED COMPETITION WITH THEM, BUT, UH, I DID READ THE ARTICLE THAT THE MAYOR, UH, WAS IN WASHINGTON, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UH, ABOUT THE TURS AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE TURS IN BEAUMONT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GET IT OUT THERE THAT WE WERE BEFORE BEAUMONT ARTHUR THERE WAS FIRST.
SO BEAUMONT IS STARTING THEIR OWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
BUT PORT ARTHUR, THE FIRST PORT WAS NUMBER ONE.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE NUMBER ONE.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE BEST TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
OUR REVITAL REVITALIZATION PLAN WILL COME TO FRUITION.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THIS PROPERLY.
WE WENT OUT AND WE SPENT $8,000 OR HOW MUCH EVER IT WAS WITH THIS GENTLEMAN WHO GAVE US SOMETHING.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHTS WHEN WE BEGIN TAMPERING WITH HIS WEBSITE THAT NOBODY COMES BACK AND SUE US.
THAT IS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT NOW.
TO MAKE SURE THAT LEGALLY WE HAVE GOOD A, A GOOD FOOT TO STAND ON.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BEST PRODUCT OUT THERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE AS WELL THAT WE HAVE LEGAL STANDING.
I KNOW THAT MS. PERKINS CALLED THE GENTLEMAN AFTER WE HAD A MEETING WITH, UM, UM, COUNSELOR KINLER.
AND, UM, HE WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF GIVING UP HIS RIGHTS AT ALL YES.
THAT LEAVES US, IT BEGS THE QUESTION, ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE WEBSITE OR ARE WE, AND, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES AND INVESTMENT IN THE WEBSITE THAT HE COULD CLAIM OWNERSHIP FOR IT.
THAT'S A LEGAL QUESTION THAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE TO STUDY.
MM-HMM,
IF NOT, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO DECIDE WHAT IS NECESSARY
[00:45:01]
AS FAR AS THE CITY IS CONCERNED BECAUSE OF OUR INITIAL INVESTMENT THAT WE MEAN, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR ON THAT.THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER IS VERY CLEAR, UH, IN HIS STATEMENT, UH, TO KIND OF GIVE EVERY, EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COME ON BOARD.
UH, DISCUSSION WITH ME AND MS. PERKINS.
UH, UH, D AND TORI WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE GENTLEMAN THAT PROVIDED THE WEBSITE FOR US, UH, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE WEBSITE.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAD, UH, UH, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF TO CALL A PAST CITY ATTORNEY OR SHE'S STILL STEADY CITY ATTORNEY UNTIL MARCH 1ST.
SHE'S STILL OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
ATTORNEY TSOW, SHE WAS STILL, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION AS WELL, BUT WE DID TALK WITH HIM.
I WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO HIM.
WE HAD THREE PHASES THAT WE WERE GONNA ADHERE TO IN GETTING THIS WEBSITE, UH, ON BOARD.
UH, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE TABLE.
WE WANT TO BE INVITING ONTO DOORS TO OPEN.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AS A TCE.
UH, SO I DID KEEP VAL IN THE LOOP ABOUT, UH, PROVIDING AN EXPLANATION AND OR HIS INTENTIONS WITH THE, THE TURS WEBSITE.
UH, HE BASICALLY, WHEN I TALK WITH HIM, I SAY, HEY, YOU GOTTA CONTACT WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
YOU HAVE TO TALK TO, UH, MS. PERKINSON AT THE TIME HAD ACCESS TO, OR SHE STILL HAS ACCESS TO THE WEBSITE AND HE CREATED THE WEBSITE ON A SERVER.
NOW HIS JOB IS TOTALLY COMPLETE BASED UPON, UM, OUR REQUIREMENTS ON THE PHASE ONE.
HOWEVER, HE IS THE DOMAIN CARRIER OF THE WEBSITE.
NOW, UH, WE ENTERED A, A CONTRACT WITH HIM ON PHASE ONE ONLY.
AND, UH, THE THING, THE QUESTION IS, WILL WE STILL BE LIABLE OR WOULD HE BE LIABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO MAKE CHANGES ON THIS WEBSITE? AND SO PER OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT THAT WE ACTUALLY SIGNED WITH HIM, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN IN THE WEBSITE WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM THE END OF THE CONTRACT.
UM, IT HAS JUST BEEN A TROUBLE TO ACTUALLY GET IN CONTACT WITH MR. HUNTER.
HE IS AWARE OF WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO TURN INTO THE CITY.
FEBRUARY 13TH, WE MAILED HIM A LETTER.
IT WAS RETURNED TO SENDER TO US.
WE THEN CONTACTED MR. HUNTER ABOUT THE WEBSITE AND BEING ABLE TO RELEASE IT TO THE CITY.
HE VERBALLY TOLD MS. PERKINS, YES, HE WILL.
FEBRUARY 22ND, MS. PERKINS FOLLOWED UP WITH HIM.
UM, WE DO HAVE OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT.
I CAN GIVE YOU ALL A COPY OF IT.
IT SAYS THAT WE OWN ALL THE RIGHTS, ALL THE BOARDS TO THE WEBSITE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE TANGIBLE PRODUCT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DELIVER TO US.
SO OUR DELIVERABLE WAS THE WEBSITE.
WE AS THE TS ENTITY OWN THE WEBSITE.
IT HAS JUST KIND OF BEEN A HASSLE ACTUALLY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH MR. HUNTER.
UM, THE ADDRESSES HE GIVES US TYPICALLY TEND TO BE WRONG.
THE LACK OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MR. HUNTER.
IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THE TURS DOES HAVE A WORKABLE WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE FULL ACCESS TO.
AND THAT WILL BE THROUGH MRS. JOHNSON AND OUR OWN IT DEPARTMENT.
SO TO BE CLEAR, THE CITY MANAGER IS RIGHT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
UH, UH, SHE, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA BE SUED AFTER SPENDING MONEY AND HAVING MS. JOHNSON COME IN AND VAMP, UH, THE CURRENT WEBSITE.
GUYS, IF YOU WANNA TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT IT, IT'S VERY NICE.
IT'S, AND IT'S GONNA BE BETTER.
IT IS GONNA RE EVOLVE INTO SOMETHING BIGGER AND BETTER.
UH, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING IF, YOU KNOW THERE'S NO WAY OF FORM OR FACTION THAT HE CAN COME BACK AND TRY TO DO ANYTHING THAT'S OUT OF THE BOX OF WHAT WE INTENDED AS A COLLECTIVE BOARD.
WELL HE HAS ACCESS IN ANY WAY ADMINISTRATIVE ACCESS TO OUR WEBSITE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CUT ALL TIES WITH HIM.
WE WE'RE TRYING TO GOOD QUESTION, SIR.
WE'RE CUTTING ALL TIES WITH YOU.
WE ARE TRYING LEGALLY WE NEED TO CUT ALL TIES WITH, FIND SOMEWHERE IF WE CAN TO CUT ALL TIES WITH MR. JOHNSON SO THAT WE ARE MR. HUNTER, MR. HUNTER, WHETHER DO YOU CALL IT THE DOMAIN OR WHATEVER.
I KNOW WHAT DOMAIN CARRY MR. HUNTER.
WE CUT ALL TIES WITH MR. HUNTER.
I WILL, I'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT QUESTION WHEN WE MEET NEXT FOR OUR NEXT TERMS MEETING.
'CAUSE I CAN'T GIVE YOU A DIRECT ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU HAVE ONE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JOE? YOU GOT SOMETHING? OKAY.
UH, THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
I THINK THANK YOU'VE COMPLETED THE AGENDA TO WORRY MS. JOHNSON.
DE WE GOT ANYTHING ELSE? WE GOOD? I, YEAH, LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY, MAN.
UM, AT THE PRESENTATION, THE WEBSITE WAS TREMENDOUS BUT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE IT, UM, THE CITY WEBSITE DURING, UH, PREPARATION FOR BOARD MEETINGS AND BEING ABLE TO PULL, UH, ALL THE INFORMATION UP.
[00:50:01]
JOB.AND, UH, UH, USEFUL, UH, BEYOND EXPECTATION.
LET ME JUST SHARE THIS AS COUNCILOR, UH, UM, REV SAID.
SO, UM, FRANK, I WAS AT A MEETING IN SUGARLAND ON FRIDAY MORNING, THE STATE OF THE CITY, UM, UM, STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
AND ONE PERSON CAME UP TO ME AND SHE TOLD ME, LISTEN, I WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE.
IT'S REMARK FROM SUGARLAND SAID.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE AND IT'S REMARK.
SHE SAID, I JUDGE THE CONTENT, UH, UH, OF A WEBSITE IF I CAN ACCESS IT ON MY PHONE, YOU KNOW, AND SHE SAID, IT'S AMAZING HOW I CAN ACCESS THE CITY OF PO'S WEBSITE ON MY PHONE RIGHT NOW AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION I NEED JUST DRIVING.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD COMMENT.
WELL, MS. JOHNSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE WE GONNA PULL, WE GONNA GIVE YOU ALL YOUR ROSES WHILE YOU'RE HERE.
IT WAS HARD TO MANEUVER THE WESTS.
AND, UM, UM, MS. JOHNSON, TELL US, UH, YOUR NAME AND WHAT DEPARTMENT AND JUST KIND OF GIVE US A LITTLE CAVEAT ABOUT THIS WEBSITE AND YOUR TITLE.
I'M THE WEBSITE SLASH DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I WORK FOR THE IT DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS TOOK A COUPLE MONTHS.
UH, WE, I MET WITH LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I HAD MY PAPERS IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, I MET WITH CIVIC PLUS I WANNA SAY IN AUGUST.
AND WE LAUNCHED THIS IN FEBRUARY.
IT TOOK A LOT, IT TOOK A LOT OF, UH, MEETING WITH CIVIC PLUS I MET WITH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEADS TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE PAGES TO SEE WHAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED, WHAT NEEDED TO JUST BE COMPLETELY TAKEN OFF.
UM, ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BEEN, IT'S BEEN A JOY WORKING HERE.
SO LIKE, I DON'T, I WAS GONNA SAY SO FAR IT'S GONNA BE SO TERRIBLE.
'CAUSE ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE JUST BEEN LIKE SUPER, SUPER RESPONSIVE, SUPER HELPFUL.
SOME OF THESE PICTURES WERE FROM THE GIS MAPPING TEAM.
SOME OF THE PICTURES I WENT TO VINCE AND I TOOK, UM, I THINK TWO OF OUR BIGGEST GOALS WERE TO HAVE MORE FACES ON THE WEBSITE.
'CAUSE OUR GOAL WAS TO LOOK, 'CAUSE WE WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW, YES, YOU CAN WORK HERE, BUT YOU CAN ALSO RAISE YOUR FAMILY HERE.
SO WE WANTED TO ADD MORE PICTURES TO THE WEBSITE.
UH, WE WANTED TO SHOW OFF THE EVENTS.
'CAUSE AT PORT ARTHUR HAS A LOT OF EVENTS.
I WENT TO THE, ON MY, ON MY DOWNTIME.
I WENT TO THE EVENT AT CENTRAL MALL SATURDAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF COOL THINGS HAPPENING HERE.
SO MY GOAL GOING FORWARD IS TO KEEP PUSHING PEOPLE TO COME TO THE WEBSITE BY PUT LIKE, SHOWING OFF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING HERE, WHICH IS LIKE JUST ME SITTING HERE IN THIS MEETING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY QUITE A LOT.
UM, AND SO, AND ALSO THE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO, TO USE LIKE NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE ON, I ACTUALLY HAVE A PLUGIN ON MY COMPUTER THAT LETS ME SEE WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE ON A PHONE.
SO LIKE, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THINGS, I WAS MAKING SURE, OKAY, THIS IS GONNA LOOK FINE ON THE PHONE.
THIS IS GONNA LOOK GOOD ON THE PHONE.
UM, AND I THINK, I CAN'T THINK OF REALLY ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ON THE SPOT.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, REVAMPING THE, THE WEBSITE.
UH, I SEE WE GOT THOSE SIX MAJOR EYE CONCEPTS ON THERE.
AND IT'S REALLY, IT IS VERY, UH, TALKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK.
IT'S VERY, UH, SIMPLE TO GET TO.
WE DON'T WANNA BE SO COMPLEX THAT PEOPLE THAT'S OUT THERE TRYING TO ACCESS OR GET GAIN ACCESS INTO OUR CITY HAVE A A HARD PROBLEM IN GETTING THEM.
AND THEN ONCE YOU CLICKED ON THEM, THEY HAVE SUBTITLES THAT'S UNDER THERE.
AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE TO MANEUVER THROUGH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
UH, JOHNSON UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, NO? NO.
UH, MAYOR BARTEE, MS. JOHNSON, UH, WELL AGAIN, I THINK WE WELCOME YOU ON BOARD, BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I THINK IT WAS RIGHT, UM, YOU HAD CAME TO COUNCIL MEETING AND YOU MADE AN IMPRESSION OF JUST A SIDEBAR.
Y'ALL GAVE ME A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR MY OFFICE ON MY SIDE, AND THEN I COULD REALLY BE ABLE TO VIEW THE, UH, WEB PAGE
BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT I WAS JUST THROWING SHADES.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU GIVE ME A NEW SYSTEM.
YEAH, I'M GONNA THANK YOU, JESUS.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK? NO, I'M FINISHED.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU MS. JOHNSON FOR A PHENOMENAL JOB THAT YOU DID AND, UM, AND ARE DOING IN REVAMPING OUR WEBSITE FOR THE CITY.UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MS. JOHNSON, UM, IS WORKING WITH US ON IS UNDER THE TAB THAT'S CALLED, UM, DOING BUSINESS.
UM, PART OF THAT, AND IT DOES INCLUDE THE TERMS, BUT IT'S LETTING BUSINESSES KNOW WHAT TOOLS WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE TOOLBOX AND TRYING TO ATTRACT MORE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, SHE HAS STARTED PUTTING INFORMATION UP UNDER THAT, THAT LINK.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
THERE'S A, UM, APPLICATIONS THAT SHE'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT ARE FILLABLE, THAT PEOPLE CAN PULL, UM, FROM THAT, THAT SITE ITSELF UNDER DOING BUSINESS.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A CONTINUOUS JOB.
UM, AND SHE REALLY HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH IN HELPING US TO REALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, I THINK WE'VE COME TO AN END.
UM, I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURN.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE ADJOURN THIS TURFS MEETING.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURN ADJOURNED.