[00:00:01]
NOW CLOSED.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
NOW, CITY SECRETARY, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS, UH, REOPEN THE SESSION FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEGUN AT FIVE 30.IT IS NOW 5:51 PM AND WE ARE, UH, GATHERED AS I WOULD REITERATE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ON THE FOURTH FLOOR AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET.
AND, UH, YOU MAY ATTEND THIS MEETING AND PARTICIPATE VIA, UH, VIDEO CONFERENCE OR TELEPHONIC, UH, 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 5 0 5 0 6 7 3 0 7 4, AND THE PASSCODE OF 9 1 6 6 7 7, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING.
AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AT THIS MEETING.
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU ONLY SHOULD CALL 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
LET AND MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S STAFF, AND THEY WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST.
AND WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH THE INVOCATION, THE PLEDGE, AND THE ROLL CALL AGAIN, RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
SO NOW I DID NOT WAIT FOR HER, BUT I DID COMPLY WITH THE LAWS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, STATE OF TEXAS, AND MADE ALL OF THESE, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY TO BEGIN THE, UH, MEETING OF THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE INVOCATION NOW AND THE PLEDGE, AND THEN THE ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK, WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US THE INVOCATION? LET US STAND AND BOW ALL WISE IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YET AGAIN, ALLOWING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSEMBLE.
WE THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT YOUR PRESENCE IS HERE WITH US, AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM, UH, OF DISCERNMENT AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY.
WE ASK ALL OF THIS NOW IN THE PRECIOUS AND POWERFUL NAME OF JESUS, THE RISEN CHRIST WE PRAY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR FORMER OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE QUORUM FOR THIS, THIS OPEN MEETING, MAYOR VART PRESENT, MAYOR PROTO HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
BEGIN WITH, UH, PROCLAMATIONS.WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, UH, FAIR HOUSING MONTH.
AND, UH, IS THERE, UH, ANYONE FROM THE HOUSING, UH, DEVELOPMENT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR? WE HAVE STAFF.
WOULD YOU ALL COME FORWARD PLEASE TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION? THANK YOU.
THIS IS FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, AND IT STATES THUSLY, WHEREAS APRIL IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH.
THE TIME TRADITIONALLY SET ASIDE TO COMMEMORATE THE ENACTMENT OF TITLE EIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1968 REPRESENTED THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION.
AND WHEREAS TITLE EIGHT WAS PASSED DAYS FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION OF THE REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
AND AMENDED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 1988 TO INCLUDE TWO PROTECTED CLASSES, FAMILY STATUS AND HANDICAP.
AND WHEREAS TITLE EIGHT PROHIBITS MONTH, EXCUSE ME, TITLE EIGHT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE OR COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN,
[00:05:01]
RELIGION, SEX, FAMILIAL STATUS, AND HANDICAP.AND WHEREAS FAIR HOUSING MONTH REAFFIRMS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FAIR HOUSING AS ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST CHERISHED AND FUNDAMENTAL VALUES.
AND WHEREAS THE 2024 FAIR HOUSING SUMMIT WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2024, AT THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER, 700 CROCKETT STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, TO EDUCATE CITIZENS AND TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO THOSE WHO STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS THROUGH PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WHEREAS THEIR HOUSING MONTH REMINDS AMERICANS THAT WHILE LAWS MAY REDUCE BARRIERS, THEY DO NOT ALWAYS REACH PEOPLE'S HEARTS TO CREATE UNDERSTANDING TOLERANCE AND MUTUAL RESPECT.
ONLY AMERICANS WORKING AND LIVING WITH OTHER AMERICANS CAN DO EXACTLY THAT.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BCI, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
I ASK THAT ALL CITIZENS WOULD JOIN ME IN THIS OBSERVANCE AND SUPPORT THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE DIVISION AND THE FAIR HOUSING COALITION OF A SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
IN RECOGNIZING THE ENORMOUS IMPACT THAT TITLE EIGHT HAS HAD ON THE LIVES OF ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS NINTH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
AND IT IS SIGNED THURMAN BILL BARTY, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND I PRESENT TO YOU THIS PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS FAIR HOUSING COALITION.
AS WE RECOGNIZE APRIL AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH, UM, YOU ALL ARE INVITED TO A MEET AND GREET RECEPTION THAT'S GONNA BE HELD TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD.
WE'RE GONNA HONOR DEMITRI MCCAIN.
SHE'S WITH HUD OUT OF WASHINGTON DC.
SHE'S ALSO THE PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE FAIR HOUSE, FAIR HOUSING, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
THE RECEPTION WILL BE ON AGAIN APRIL 23RD.
THAT'S A TUESDAY FROM FIVE 30 TILL SEVEN 1800, UM, LAKESHORE DRIVE.
THAT'S AT THE CARL PARKER CENTER HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
MS. MCCAIN WILL ALSO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THE FAIR HOUSING SUMMON ON APRIL THE 24TH.
THE SUMMIT WILL BE HELD AT NINE FROM 9:00 AM TO ONE 1:00 PM THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER AT 700 700 CROCKETT STREET IN BEAUMONT.
I LEFT A FLYER FOR EVERYONE, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THAT TABLE AT THE CHAIR, AND PLEASE, UH, FEEL FREE TO REGISTER.
THERE'S A QR CODE AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE ANY LIGHTS ON, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OFFERING FAIR HOUSING.
[IV.(1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments Regarding The Proposed Voluntary Disannexation Of 11.59 Acres Tract Of Land (Consisting Of Four Parcels) In The Corporate Limits Of The City Of Port Arthur (Located On State Highway 87 (aka South Gulfway Drive) Near The Intracoastal Waterway). Said Tract Of Land Is Legally Described As 11.59 Acres of Land Out Of The T. & N.O.R.R. Survey Section No. 122, Abstract No. 486 In Jefferson County, Texas. This Is the First Public Hearing Held Pursuant To Chapter 43.142 Of The Local Government Code. A Detailed Map Of The Proposed Area To Be Disannexed, Is Also Available For Inspection At Port Arthur City Hall, 444 Fourth Street, Port Arthur, Texas Between The Hours Of 8:00 A.M. And 5:00 P.M., Monday Through Friday And Continuously Online At www.portarthurtx.gov. A Second Public Hearing Will Be Held On April 23rd at 10:00 A.M. Thereafter, The City Council Will Consider An Ordinance Formalizing The Disannexation Of Said Tract At Its Regular City Council Meeting On May 7, 2024.]
[00:10:15]
AT THIS TIME.IT IS 6:01 PM AND WE WILL BEGIN ON PAGE THREE OF OUR PRINTED AGENDA.
PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED, UH, VOLUNTARY DE ANNEXATION OF 11.5 OR 11.6 ACRES OF LAND, UH, TRACK ACRES, TRACK OF LAND CONSISTING OF FOUR PARCELS IN THE COOPERATIVE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, LOCATED ON STATE HIGHWAY 87, UH, ALSO KNOWN AS, UH, SOUTH GOWAY DRIVE NEAR THE INTRICAL WATERWAY.
SAID TRACK OF LAND IS LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS 11.59 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF THE T AND NORR SURVEY SECTION NUMBER 1 22, ABSTRACT NUMBER 4 86 IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING HELD PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 43.142 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
A DETAILED MAP OF THE PROPOSED AREA TO BE THE ANNEXED OR THIS ANNEXED, UH, IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT PORT ARTHUR CITY HALL, 4 44 FOURTH STREET HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:00 AM AND 5:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND CONTINUOUSLY ONLINE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 23RD AT 10:00 AM THEREAFTER, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FORMALIZING THE, THIS ANNEXATION OF SAID TRACK AS IT AT ITS REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON MAY 7TH, 2024.
UH, HUEY TRANS CITY OF PA ALTO LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, COUNSEL, THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED DESANI STATION, VOLUNTARY DESANI STATION OF 11.59 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF FOUR TRACKS LOCATED ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 87 NEAR THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY.
UH, SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 2024, THE CITY RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE LANDOWNER GT LOGISTICS, LSE FORMERLY REQUESTING TO DE ANNEX FOUR TRACKS OF LAND FROM PORT ARTHUR'S CORPORATE LIMITS AND INTO THE EXTRA TERRITORIES JURISDICTION, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ETJ OR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF DE ANDERSON IS FOR THE LANDOWNER TO PROCEED WITH A PORTION OF THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE BLUE AMMONIA PROJECT THAT'S LINKED TO THE GT OMNI PORT SITE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY SITUATED IN THE ETJ INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UH, SOMETHING TO NOTE, ONCE THE DESANI STATION'S FINALIZED, THE CITY WILL ENTER INTO A IDA OR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER AND INCLUDE THE NEWLY DNX AREA INTO THE AGREEMENT TO CAPTURE THE IN LIEU OF TAX PAYMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
UH, ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2024, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION 24 DASH 0 8 9, WHICH AUTHORIZED PROCEEDING WITH THE DE ANNEXATION AFTER FINDING THAT THE FOUR PARCEL WERE CONTIGUOUS AND THAT THE D ANNEXING IS VALID IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 43.142 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
SO THE D ANNEX STATION IS VALID IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 43.142 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND ARTICLE ONE, SECTION SIX OF THE CITY CHARTER.
AND ADDITIONALLY ON MARCH 5TH, COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION 24 DASH EIGHT NINE, SETTING PUBLIC HEARING DATES AND PROVIDING PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER, PUBLIC PRIVATE ENTITY AGENCY, UTILITIES AND RAILROAD COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE SERVICE WITHIN THE AREA OF THE DISH ANNEX STATION AS DELINEATED IN SECTION FOUR 3.062 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOODMAN CODE.
UH, THE NOTICE WAS ALSO PUBLISHED IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
UH, ON THIS SLIDE YOU WILL SEE A ACTUAL COPY OF THE POSTING
[00:15:01]
THAT WAS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND THIS WAS THE SAME, UH, NOTICE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER.ALSO, UH, TO GIVE YOU GUYS A GOOD BETTER AREA OF WHERE THE PROPERTY'S LOCATED, IF YOU'RE TRAVELING DOWN STATE HIGHWAY 87, UH, ALSO KNOWN AS GUFFY DRIVE TOWARDS SABINE, PASS THE PROPERTY'S TO YOUR LEFT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE THE ATRIAL COASTAL WATERWAY, UH, BRIDGE, UH, KEY DATES TO CONSIDER, UM, ON TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD, UH, SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL TAKE PLACE AS YOU MENTIONED.
UM, AND AFTER THAT, ON TUESDAY, MAY 7TH, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE TO FINALIZE THE THE SAN STATION.
UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE COUNSEL.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? ANYONE WHO IS PRESENT IN THE GALLERY WOULD'VE, UH, A COMMENT.
UH, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCILMAN ETT? YEAH.
I THINK THE ONLY THING WE PROVIDE IS, UH, A WATER SERVICE.
AND IF, UH, THEY WERE TO LEVEL A BEAR AND WE HAVE THEM ANNEXED, WE GET TAXED AT THE TAX RATE IF WE DIS ANNEX THEM, IF WE, IF WE DON'T MM-HMM.
THEY, THEY'RE PART OF THE CITY JURISDICTION.
SO IF THEY BUILD ON THAT, WE GET, THEY GET TAXED.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE, UH, WE'RE TAXING 100% OF THE PROPERTY VALUE.
AND IF WE DE ANNEX THEM MM-HMM,
SO HOW ABOUT GETTING THOSE NUMBERS FOR ME? WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU AT THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE TAX DIFFERENTIATES GOING TO BE BEFORE WE D ANNEX.
UH, COUNSEL, I DON'T THINK THE, THE SITUATION IS, IF WE DON'T THIS, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH THE, UH, THE BLUE AMMONIA TERMINAL PROJECT.
OH, YOU DON'T THINK SO? I DON'T THINK THEY WILL.
WELL, I DON'T NEED THAT INFORMATION.
ONCE, ONCE WE DO THIS, UH, THIS ELECTION IN LINE FOR, IN LIEU OF TAX CONTRACTS.
HOW MANY JOBS ARE THEY PROPOSED TO, TO CREATE? UH, WE DO HAVE SOME REPS HERE FROM GT LOGISTICS THAT CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
JOHN SPILNER, UH, PROPERTY TAX MANAGER FOR GT LOGISTICS.
THERE ARE GONNA BE, POTENTIALLY, IF THIS PROJECT GOES FORWARD, 15 FULL-TIME.
THAT WILL BE COMBINATION OF, AT THIS LO THEY'LL BE AT THIS LOCATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, BUT GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE GULFPORT LOCATION AND OMNI PORT.
SO WE TALKING ABOUT 15 FULL-TIME JOBS, 15 FULL-TIME JOBS, PROFESSIONAL JOBS THAT YEAH.
UH, VERY HIGH PAYING, HIGH PAYING POSITIONS.
UH, HAVE YOU PUT OUT ANY JOB DESCRIPTION? HOW LONG IT GONNA TAKE FOR Y'ALL TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT AND HAVE Y'ALL, UM, PUT OUT ANY JOB DESCRIPTION, WHAT KIND OF EMPLOYMENT YOU'RE GONNA BE USING, OR PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE? WE HAVE NOT FORMALLY PUT OUT THESE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
THE FINAL INVESTMENT DECISION WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL FOURTH QUARTER OF 2024.
HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE FOR TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING? UH, IT'S PROPOSED TO BE IN SERVICE FIRST QUARTER OF 2027.
THAT WAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU, YOU GOING TO KNOW THE JOBS THAT'S GONNA BE FILLED, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE JOB.
WE, WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN PREPARE PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS TO GET IN LINE, DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO, UH, ACQUIRE SOME OF THESE JOBS.
I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THAT FOR ME.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? YEAH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ATTORNEY? NO.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE DECLARE THAT THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING WOULD NOW END
[00:20:01]
AT 6:10 PM WE GET A MOTION, UH, TO EFFECT COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.SO MAYOR, I GET A SECOND, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
AND WE WOULD END THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OF ENDING A.
SO IT IS ORDERED, THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL NOW END AT 6:11 PM ON THIS DATE.
NOW WE WILL MOVE BACK TO THE NORMAL FLOW OF OUR PRINTED AGENDA.
[III.A.(1) Gail Pellum, Sheila Norwood And Phyllis Baker Of The African American Cultural Society Regarding A Proposal Of The JB Matthews Building]
ON PAGE ONE, WE ARE READY FOR SPEAKERS.AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS ASK THAT COUNCILMAN KINLOCK WILL SERVE AS A TIMEKEEPER HERE ON THIS.
AND WE WOULD BEGIN, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR, ONE OF THESE IS GOING TO CLEAR IT.
AND EACH SPEAKER GETS FIVE MINUTES.
NOW WE HAVE FIRST, UH, SPEAKERS, MISS, UH, GAIL PELHAM, SHEILA NORWOOD, AND PHYLLIS BAKER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY REGARDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE JB MATTHEWS BUILDING.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, OR IF ONE IS GOING TO SPEAK, YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO GET FIVE MINUTES FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP.
I'M PHYLLIS LACY BAKER OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE SOCIETY.
I'M SHEILA NORWOOD OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE SOCIETY.
WE'RE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND WE'RE NOT NEW TO THE POSITION WE ARE STANDING IN NOW.
AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, THIS IS OUR THIRD TIME COMING BEFORE THE CONSOLE.
UH, THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WAS IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE 30TH OF JANUARY.
AT THAT TIME, WE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN ACQUIRING THE MATTHEWS CENTER, WHICH IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR ON RANSOM H BOULEVARD FOR A PERMANENT SITE, MORE OR LESS A RESIDENCE FOR OUR SOCIETY TO REPRESENT THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE SUPPORT AND STAND FOR.
AND I BELIEVE I JUST HAVE TO PUSH THE LITTLE GREEN BUTTON.
UM, AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, WE ARE HERE TODAY AS WE PROMISED WE WOULD BE.
WE SAID WE NEEDED ABOUT 60 DAYS TO LOOK INTO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL ASKED US FOR.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GO TO THE MATTHEW CENTER.
AND AT THAT TIME, AS WE SURVEYED WHAT THE BUILDING, UH, HAD TO OFFER AS FAR AS THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND SOME OTHER INCIDENTS THAT WE LEARNED, UH, ABOUT HAVING TO DO WITH THE, UM, HVAC SYSTEM, WE REALIZED THAT ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE WANTED TO USE IT FOR WAS NOT GOING TO BE PRACTICAL.
AND THAT WAS AS A MUSEUM OR A PLACE TO STORE ARTIFACTS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT WE LEARNED AS TO, UH, THE SIZE OF IT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO, WE HAD TO REEVALUATE.
AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, THAT'S MAIN THING THAT WE'RE GONNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO USE OUR SLIDE PRESENTATION TO HELP US WITHIN THE FIVE MINUTES THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. SHEILA.
THE, UH, PURPOSE THAT WE HAVE REEVALUATED IS TO UTILIZE THE BUILDING AS AN EVENTS, UM, CENTER AND TO, UM, HAVE MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS.
AND WE BASICALLY WANTED TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE COUNCIL TO UTILIZE THE BUILDING FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, OUR LAST PROJECT, UH, LAST MONTH WHEN WE HAD THE PORT MARKER, WE, UH, WANTED TO BASICALLY USE A SET BUILDING TO HAVE EVENTS IN THAT, YOU KNOW, ON THAT LINE TO UTILIZE, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE USE LIKE PUBLIC PLACES LIKE TO PULL OUT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND STUFF LIKE THAT PRESENTLY.
AND, UH, UTILIZING THAT BUILDING WOULD PROB WOULD GIVE US, YOU KNOW, A PERMANENT PLACE, A SET PLACE TO, UM, HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND EVENTS AND STUFF LIKE THIS.
AND I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE PRESENT BUILDING, HOW IT IS.
AND JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE SIGNAGE.
NOW WE'VE BEEN GETTING PUBLIC, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING THAT WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE BUILDING AND REMOVED THE DEDICATION TO DR. MATTHEWS AND, UM, HIS WIFE, MS. HELEN MATTHEWS, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE.
WE JUST WANTED TO, WE WANT TO LEAVE THE PRESENT DEDICATION SIGNAGE THERE AND JUST SIMPLY ADD A SIGNAGE ABOVE THE, UH,
[00:25:01]
THE TOP OF THE BUILDING THAT DESIGNATED.AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT IT IS ALSO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND, UM, ALSO IN THE FUTURE APPLY FOR AND HISTORICAL MARKER FOR THE BUILDING.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE BASICS OF WHAT WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE THE BUILDING FOR.
BUT DEFINITELY GET THE HISTORICAL MARKER FOR THE BUILDING.
AND THAT BEING THE CASE, WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH A BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE PHYSICAL USE OF THE BUILDING AT OUR DISCRETION FOR THE THINGS FOR WHICH OUR, UH, OUR SOCIETY ACTUALLY REPRESENTS.
UH, OUR UPCOMING PROJECT IS GOING TO BE JUNETEENTH.
AND RIGHT NOW WE WORKING IN EACH OTHER'S HOMES TO, UH, GET THE, THE THINGS TOGETHER AND, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU.
WE GO TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WE ARE MOVING AROUND.
AND THAT MEANS EVERY TIME WE MEET AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BASED UPON CONVENIENCE, EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED FOR THAT MEETING HAS TO MOVE WITH US.
UH, AND SO FOR THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE BUILDING, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE SOME KEYS WHERE WE COULD GO IN AND WE COULD BE ABLE TO, UH, USE IT AND WHICH NOT ON A DAILY BASIS.
RIGHT NOW WE MEET ONCE A WEEK AND, UH, OF COURSE WE WOULD HAVE THAT LIBERTY IF WE WERE ABLE TO AT LEAST HAVE THE USE OF IT.
BUT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY OTHER, UH, AMOUNTS OF MONEY AS FAR AS A BUDGET.
'CAUSE WE ARE NOT PAYING ANY STAFF MEMBERS.
WE DON'T NEED A CURATOR AS WE THOUGHT WE WOULD.
HAD WE BEEN LOOKING AT IT AS A MUSEUM.
AND AS MISS SHEILA SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT IT EXCEPT TO HAVE A SIGNAGE THAT INDICATES AS PEOPLE PASS BY THAT THAT IS THE LOCALE WHERE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE SOCIETY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS MEETS.
NOW YOU HAVE EXPENDED YOUR, YOUR YOUR TIME.
HAVE YOU COMPLETED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO DELIVER TODAY? YES, WE, YES WE HAVE.
WELL, WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING WITH THAT, UH, VERY PERTINENT INFORMATION.
COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY REMARKS, ANYTHING? COUNCIL DOESN'T.
SO WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[III.A.(2) Eddie Scaggs Regarding Placing The Choice On The Ballot (Plurality Versus Majority Voting System)]
BE, GO, UH, NOW TO OUR NEXT, UH, PRESENTERS WOULD BE, OR NOT PRESENTERS, EXCUSE ME.SPEAKERS WOULD BE, UH, MR. ED SKAGGS, UH, REGARDING PLACING THE CHOICE ON THE BALLOT.
UH, PLURALITY VERSUS MAJORITY VOTING SYSTEMS MAY BEGIN.
AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR YOUR PRESENTA YOUR, UH, SPEECH, UH, SO TO SPEAK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BART AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS EDDIE SKAGGS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
THIS IS AT LEAST THE FIFTH TIME THAT THE POLAR POLARITY VOTING SYSTEM VERSUS MAJORITY VOTING SYSTEM HAD BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
AS A TAXPAYER AND CONCERNED CITIZEN, I'M ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO PLACE BOTH VOTING SYSTEMS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT SO THAT THE PORT ARTHUR VOTERS CAN DECIDE WHICH SYSTEM THEY PREFER.
OUT OF 28,000 PLUS VOTERS IN PORT ARTHUR, ONLY EIGHT TO 9% ACTUALLY VOTE IN CITY ELECTIONS.
AND THAT'S CONSIDERED ON A GOOD, UH, VOTER TURNOUT DATE.
THEREFORE, WHEN THE CITY ELECTIONS LEAD TO RUNOFFS, EXTRA TIME AND MONEY IS SPENT AND FEWER VOTERS TURN OUT FOR THE RUNOFF.
AS A CITIZEN, I'M ASKING THAT A CHOICE BE AVAILABLE TO SEE IF PORT AUTHORS WANT TO CHANGE TO A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF ELECTING A MAYOR AND COUNCIL, SINCE OUR VOTER TURNOUT IS NOT THAT STRONG.
I WONDER HOW MANY PORT AUTHORS HERE TONIGHT KNOW WHAT VOTING SYSTEM WE HAVE AND, UM, IF THEY DO VOTE THE FIRST TIME, HOW MANY COME OUT AND VOTE THE SECOND TIME IF THERE'S A RUNOFF? AND YES, THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO EACH SYSTEM.
AS COUNCILMAN ETT SAID THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, HOWEVER, THAT'S LIFE.
YOU HAVE PROS AND CONS IN LIFE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT AS A, AS AN ATTORNEY, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU TRY A CASE, YOU'RE EITHER PRO OR CON, YOU'RE NOT BOTH.
AND ONCE THAT'S OVER, YOU ALLOW EITHER A JURY OR JUDGE TO DECIDE
[00:30:01]
THE OUTCOME.SO MY POSITION IS THAT WE ALLOW THAT YOU ALL PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO DECIDE IN NOVEMBER WHICH VOTING SYSTEM THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
UH, IN CLOSING, I'M REQUESTING THESE, UH, PORT ARTHUR CITY DO LIKEWISE, JUST AS A JUDGE OR JURY WOULD DO AFTER ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS PRESENTED.
AND LET THE CITIZENS DECIDE IN NOVEMBER WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
UH, I THINK COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS VERY MUCH.
AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW AS WELL, I WAS A PRODUCT OF A RUNOFF ELECTION.
SO NOT ONLY DID THE CITY HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, BUT I HAD TO SPEND MORE MONEY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THIS NEEDS TO BE PUT TO THE VOTERS, FOR THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.
UH, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE VOTERS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLURALITY VERSUS MAJORITY.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE PROS AND CONS OF IT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING BEFORE COUNCIL THESE SEVERAL TIMES THAT YOU HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
NO, UH, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALL THOSE TIMES.
AND ALSO, THIS IS ABOUT THE THIRD COUNCIL THAT I SAT ON, THAT WE HAD THIS SAME ITEM BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL.
COUNCIL HAS NEVER SUPPORTED IT.
BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OUR CITIZENS ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE A SAY AND I SUPPORT, UH, US PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT.
YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD PREFER US HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AS OPPOSED TO HAVING CITIZENS RUN AROUND GETTING A LOT OF SIGNATURES AND STUFF.
IF IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO, UH, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? IF WE HAD THAT PLACED ON THE NOVA NOVEMBER BALLOT, CITY SECRETARY ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, THAT WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD DO A JOINT ELECTION WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE, UM, ELECTION THAT'S COMING UP.
WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE ELECTION.
UM, I'D HAVE TO CHECK THE EXACT DATE.
I BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST THE 28TH, BUT IT'S SOMETIME IN THE LATTER PART OF AUGUST.
WELL, WELL, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T SUPPORT, UH, US DOING THE JOINT IF WE GOTTA PAY.
AND THE REASON I WOULDN'T BE IN, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S IN NOVEMBER, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A MAYORAL RACE.
WE DO HAVE A MAYORAL RACE, UH, SIX MONTHS LATER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAY WE GOTTA RUN THE ELECTION ANYWAY, SO IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE MORE IN FAVOR OF, UH, IN WHICH WE CAN NOW PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF THE CITIZENS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
SO I WOULD, UH, SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER PUTTING IT ON OUR REGULAR, UH, MAYORAL RACE ON THAT BALLOT.
AND THAT WAY IT WON'T COST ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES.
AND, UH, IT WON'T, IT WON'T UNTIL YOU GUYS GO OUT THERE AND GET SIGNATURES.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD SAVE A LOT OF WORK AND THEN WE GET A CITIZENS OF CHANGE.
THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS ON IT, EDDIE.
MR. KING, YOU'VE EXPENDED YOUR TIME WITH THE QUESTIONS AND, AND, AND, AND THE FIVE MINUTE, UH, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER REMARKS YOU NEEDED TO MAKE? NO, MA'AM.
OKAY, WE, SIR, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN DEE SAID BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
SHE GOT TO HAVE A MAYORAL ELECTION AND, AND, AND, UH, THIS WOULDN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL I, UH, THE FOLLOWING, SINCE WE GOT THE RUN OF THE ELECTION ANYWAY.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT ALWAYS BOTHERED ME ABOUT THE CURRENT EXISTING PLAN, WE WANT EVERYBODY ACCOUNTED FOR.
THE, THE PEOPLE IN, UH, TWO AND THREE WOULD ELECT SIX.
THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT FOUR WOULD ELECTRI FIVE.
THAT PUTS WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED? THAT PUTS INTO PLACE, WELL, YOU CAN PUT A SIX IN PLACE AND FIVE IN PLACE WHEN A PERSON TURNS OUT IN TWO OR THREE, THEY CAN RUN IN SIX.
OR WHEN THE PERSON, UH, TURNS OUT IN, UH,
[00:35:01]
IN, IN TWO, UH, IN DISTRICT ONE OR DISTRICT FOUR, THEY CAN RUN IN FIVE.SO I WAS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO BOTHERED ME WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S DYSFUNCTIONAL ABOUT THIS PLAN THAT'S IN PLACE? AND THE COUNCIL GOT THE RIGHT TO PUT A PLAN, THEIR OWN PLAN ON ALONG WITH THIS ONE.
WHAT'S DYSFUNCTIONAL ABOUT IT? WE HAVE FOUR.
FOUR OF THEM LIVES IN ONE DISTRICT, FOUR OF THEM.
[III.A.(3) Gloria Sanchez Regarding Woodworth Boulevard And Street Repairs]
TO THE NEXT, UH, ITEM, WHICH IS, UH, SPEAKERS FOR NUMBER THREE.WE HAVE PRINTED HERE MS. GLORIA SANCHEZ REGARDING WOOLWORTH, UH, BOULEVARD AND STREET REPAIRS.
NOW YOU ALL WILL STILL, I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I THINK BOTH OF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, HOWEVER, YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO GET THE FIVE MINUTES.
YOU BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS GLORIA SANCHEZ, 6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE IN PUERTO ARTHUR, TEXAS.
MY NAME IS JAKE CASTILLO, 24 15 LAKE SHORE DRIVE.
MAY I BEGIN? OKAY, THIS IS JUST A CONCERN, UH, CITIZENS ABOUT, UH, UH, BOULEVARD, UH, THE PROJECT TO BOULEVARD.
IT SAYS I HAVE CHOSEN, I I HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS ON ZOOM AND THOSE WHO WANTED TO BE HERE BUT COULD NOT ATTEND BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASON.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RE REQUEST THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING RECITING THE RESOLUTION APPROVAL, APPROVING $14.2 MILLION TO THE WORLD WAR BOULEVARD PROJECTS.
WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO RECONSTRUCTION OR CONSTRUCTION OF THE WOODWARD BOULEVARD.
HOWEVER, WE ARE OPPOSED TO USING STREET FUNDS FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION AND THE LANDSCAPINGS OF THE, OF THE PROJECT FUNDS OBTAINS, UH, THROUGH THE SALES OF THE BONDS SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTION.
CONS, CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTIONS OF THE STREETS AND RELATED ITEMS SHOULD BE, UH, USED FOR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS.
OUR REQUEST IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WE HAVE OBTAINED FROM OUR CITIZENS.
NUMBER ONE, THE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTING TO APPROVE THE RE RE RESOLUTION DID NOT LISTEN TO THE THREE OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE OTHER THREE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE POSTING IT, UNDERSTOOD THE RESOLUTIONS, UM, WOULD BE TAKING MONEY FROM THE STREETS FROM THE DISTRICTS, PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO FIX MORE STREETS.
THEY VOTING FOR OUR BEST INTEREST EXCEPT DISTRICT, UM, UH, DISTRICT TWO COUNCILWOMAN.
AND WHEN, AND WE ALSO VOTED FOR MAYOR AND LARGE MEMBERS DID NOT.
UM, DID YOU VOTE IN OUR BEST OF INTEREST AND SAY NON, UH, DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CITY AND DOING AND DOING TWO THINGS AT ONE TIME AS JUSTIFICATION FOR USING THE STREET FUNDS FOR PROJECTS, THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE, UH, SALES OF THE BOND STATES SOLELY FOR RECONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION OF THE, UH, STREETS AND RE UH, RELATED ITEMS. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU COULD TELL US? UH, BEAUTIFICATION AND LANDSCAPES ARE RELATED TO RECONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE STREETS.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU, YOU CANNOT.
IT'S BEEN, UH, SAID WOODWORTH BOULEVARD HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS THE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN.
WHO, WHEN, WHO, WHEN AND WHERE WAS THIS ACTION APPROVED? WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY? YOU? NUMBER FOUR.
YOU ARE USE, UM, YOU ARE USING APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE $50 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE STREETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO BEAUTIFY A 12 BLOCK BOULEVARD.
AND YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE IT'S OUR BEST INTEREST.
HAVE YOU, UH, DRIVEN AROUND OUR CITY? WE DO BELIEVE IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNCILMAN MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT SUPPORTED IN SUP IN SUPPORTING IT.
NUMBER FIVE, WE UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY.
HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE DONE WITH A PLAN.
MONEY SHOULD BE ALLOCATED FOR THE PURPOSE IN THE BUDGET.
TAKING MONEY ALLOCATED FOR THOSE TREAT IS NOT THE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
WE ELECTED YOU TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS, NOT YOURSELF.
IF YOU FEEL OUR REQUEST IS NOT WHAT MOST OF THE CITIZENS WANT, THEN WE ASK THE, UH, THAT YOU HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING OR A PLACE OR ITEM IN A BALLOT AND LET US VOTE ON IT.
YOUR FAILURE, YOUR FAILURE TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, LEAVES US NO CHOICE BUT TO BELIEVE OUR REQUEST WAS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO REVISIT THIS ISSUE.
IT WILL, IT WILL ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SAT IN THOSE SEATS UNDERSTAND OUR NEEDS AND OUR, AND HEAR OUR VOICES.
STREETS ARE OUR PRIORITY AND WE ARE TIRED OF HEARING EXCUSES ABOUT WHY THERE
[00:40:01]
HAS NOT BEEN MORE PROGRESS IN THE, IN THAT AREA.WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY MONEY TO BE MOVED FROM STREETS FUNDS TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN RECONSTRUCT OR CONSTRUCT OUR STREETS.
IT'S OUR HOPE THAT OUR COUNCIL WILL HEAR OUR CONCERN AND UNDERSTAND WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT, BUT WE ARE PREPARED TO ENSURE WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FOR OUR CAUSE OF TAXATION ON 2017.
SOME OF YOU START TALKING ABOUT FIXING OUR STREET SEVEN YEARS LATER.
HERE WE ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE LACK OF THE PROGRESS.
AND THEN SOME OF YOU TRYING TO MOVE MONEY FROM A STREET TO A VERIFICATION PROJECT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE THINKING THE WAY TO SAVE MONEY FROM OUR ALMOST 200 MILLIONS ANNUAL BUDGET TO ALLOCATE IT TO A STREETS.
FUNDS CAN, UH, I'M SORRY, ON THE STREET FUNDS.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET MORE STREETS.
WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH YOU FOR THE REASON WE ARE HERE TODAY.
NOW YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO WORK WITH US OR NO, WE WILL WAITING FOR YOU ON YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU DON'T THINK SO? WELL, I TELL YOU THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I, I'VE DONE THE SAME THING THAT YOU ALL DONE TODAY BEFORE I GOT BACK ON COUNCIL.
I CAME BEFORE COUNCIL WHEN THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT CAME UP.
I READ THE, UH, AUTHORIZATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION AND I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK UP 'CAUSE I COULD BRING IT BACK UP.
IT'S TIME I COULD BRING IT BACK UP.
AND WHEN I DO BRING IT BACK UP, WE'RE GONNA BE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE, UH, RESOLUTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE GOT.
UM, I WAS ON THE COUNCIL WHEN WE WENT AND GOT THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION AT 50 MILLION.
I BRING YOU A COPY IN CASE THEY, YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I KEEP PAPERWORK.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO, UH, BE BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
I BRING ALL THE INFORMATION AND ALSO THE RESOLUTIONS.
AND AT THAT TIME WE GOING TO TAKE IT UP AND WE'LL HAVE TO VOTE.
AND I GUESS YOU ALL WILL FIND OUT HOW WE STAND WITH IT.
BUT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO GET A LOT OF FACTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF EVERYTHING, SO I'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK.
UH, I DO HAVE A COPY OF THE ORDINANCE, UH, IN MY HAND AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND AS I HAVE READ IT AND AS I'VE GOTTEN THE LEGAL OPINION ON IT BEFORE WE EVEN, UH, WENT BEFORE, UM, UH, THE, UH, COMPANY TO GET, UH, THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, IT READS AND I WILL READ VERBATIM THE CITY CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO BE DESIGNATED CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
NUMBERS ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO BE ISSUED AND DELIVERANCE DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE VTCA AS AMENDED.
THEN IT GIVES THE AMOUNT, $8,900,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS TO BE INCURRED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC WORKS, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE CONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION OF CITY STREETS.
NOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT, BUT YOU DID NOT HIGHLIGHT.
AND OTHER STREET RELATED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO DRAINAGE AND SIDEWALKS ON SUCH STREET PROJECTS AND ANY ITEMS RELATED THERE TO.
THAT'S WHERE THE DISAGREEMENT GOES.
YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE PART ABOUT STREETS, BUT YOU FAIL TO HIGHLIGHT THE OTHER PART THAT ALLOWS THE CITY COUNCIL TO DESIGNATE THOSE RESOURCES FOR THE PROJECT, TO WHICH WE HAVE DESIGNATED IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OPINION BETWEEN THE, SOME CITIZENS, NOT ALL CITIZENS, BUT SOME CITIZENS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE HAVE ENGAGED IN THAT PROJECT.
I WAS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DID SAY THAT WE COULD DO BOTH PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.
I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THERE ARE PROJECTS GOING ALL AROUND OUR CITY WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CITY, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE OUR CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR OUR, UM, FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR CITY RECREATIONALLY AND NOT JUST, UH, AS, UM, A CITY THAT HOLDS, UH, THE
[00:45:01]
OIL INDUSTRY, UH, IN THE HIGH REGARD AND ESTEEM THAT WE DO.BUT THERE IS A VARIANCE OF OPINION.
WE GOT THE LEGAL OPINION AND THAT IS WHY WE SOUGHT TO GO FORTH.
AND I'M SIMPLY STATING THIS TODAY AS A POINT OF INFORMATION.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMING ON TODAY.
WOULD HE FAILED TO SAY, I SAID IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I CALLED OUR BOND ATTORNEY, CITY ATTORNEY AND STAFF WAS THERE.
CAN WE DO, CAN COUNCIL DO THIS? IT'S UNRELATED.
HE SAID, NO, YOU CANNOT DO IT BECAUSE IT'S UNRELATED TO STREETS.
HOW CAN YOU, YOU CAN'T TIE SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE SURFACE AND YOU GOT DIRECTIONAL DRILLING.
WELL, WHERE YOU GONNA DISTURB THE, THE, THE LAND ESCAPING ON, ON THE SURFACE.
AND WHEN YOU PUTTING EVERYTHING UNDERGROUND, HE SAID, YOU CANNOT DO IT.
IF YOU VIOLATE THE BOND COVENANT, YOU GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE'RE GONNA GET PENALIZED SOMEWHERE.
LEMME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE QUICKLY, AND I'M GONNA BE THROUGH WITH THIS COUNSEL THAT WAS A VIOLATION OF A GRANT THAT WE GOT FROM THE, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER FOR COVID SHOTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU THIS, BUT I GOT STAFF TO PULL IT UP.
THEY, THEY GONNA GIMME THE DOCUMENTATION.
WHAT THEY DID TO COVER THIS UP, THE FEDS FORCED THEM TO PAY BACK THE MONEY THAT THEY MISREPRESENTED.
THEY TOOK MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, TOOK MONEY OUT THE GENERAL FUND, 140, 170 OR $74,000 AND PUT THE MONEY BACK THAT THEY MISAPPROPRIATED UNDER THE GRANT THEY GOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE COVENANT.
SO THEY PAID IT BACK WITH YOUR TAX MONEY AND THEY PROBABLY PUT IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, LIKE THEY GOT THIS OTHER ITEM THAT YOU ADDRESS.
IT, IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITS INTENT IS TO GET IT BY YOU.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN IN, UH, ON PAGE SIX OF THE AGENDA.
TOP ITEM NUMBER TWO, PAGE SIX.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY KEEP TRYING LANDSCAPING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
[III.A.(4) Krystal James Of T-Mobile For Government Regarding Community Outreach And Community Development Programs]
WOULD BE, UH, NUMBER FOUR, MS. CRYSTAL JAMES OF T-MOBILE FOR GOVERNMENT REGARDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAMS. IS MISS, UH, CRYSTAL JAMES, EXCUSE ME.CRYSTAL JAMES OF, UH, T-MOBILE.
MOBILE MS. CRYSTAL JAMES, UH, T-MOBILE.
[III.A.(5) Melissa Charlot Regarding Update And Solutions To Paratransit Cancellation]
FIVE.MS. MELISSA CHARLOTTE, REGARDING UPDATE AND SOLUTIONS TO PARATRANSIT, UH, CANCELLATION.
I HAVE A PETITION THAT I HAD SIGNED.
I THINK I HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT DID VIDEOS, AND I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS ON STATING WHY MY PARATRANSIT IS REAL CRUCIAL FOR YOU, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, RECEIVED THE LETTER THAT SAID WE COULDN'T RIDE ANYMORE.
UM, THE COUNCIL HAD GRANDFATHERED US IN AND WE HAD A DATE THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO RIDE ON.
AND I CALLED ON THAT DATE TO SCHEDULE ME SOME TRANSPORTATION.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO RIDE, CATCH THE DOLLAR RIDE, BE TRANSPORTED TO THE LIBRARY, AND THEN CALL THE PARATRANSIT.
SO I HAD MY DOCTOR BECAUSE I'M UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE AND I CANNOT DO THE WALKING TO DO THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT THE COUNCIL TO KNOW, WHEN YOU RIDE THE PARATRANSIT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DOCTOR'S AUTHORIZATION TO BE ABLE TO RIDE THE PARATRANSIT.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I AM BEING, TRY TO BE FORCED TO RIDE A SERVICES THAT I DON'T QUALIFY FOR.
AND I'M, WHEN I SAY THAT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE DOLLARIDE.
SO I'M BRINGING UP A, UM, IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL BECAUSE Y'ALL HAD TOLD MR. IVAN MITCHELL THAT WE WERE GRANDFATHER IN AND HE'S NOT BEING COMPLIANT.
SO MY THING IS, HOW IS HE ABLE TO OVERRIDE THE COUNCIL AND NOT DO WHAT HE WAS TOLD TO DO?
[00:50:02]
I, I'M DONE.UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, BY STAFF ON, ON PARA TRANSIT, AND I ALSO INCLUDED IT FOR A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
SO A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS OR REMARKS WE CAN MAKE.
WE GONNA BE COVERING THEM SHORTLY.
SO IF YOU JUST WAIT AND YOU'LL SEE THEM, AND THAT WAY WE WON'T PULL ON THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT ALL TIE TOGETHER.
COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? NO, I'M SORRY.
MAYOR, IT IS A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
UM, I NEED TO CORRECT SOMETHING THAT I STATED.
WE ARE, WE ARE AREN'T, WE AREN'T CONSIDERING THAT RIGHT NOW.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
[III.B.(1) Presentation By PAEDC, SBDC, And Chamber Regarding Downtown Revitalization (Requested By Mayor Bartie And Councilmember Kinlaw)]
TO PAGE TWO OF OUR PRINTED AGENDA.AND WE WILL, AGAIN, NOW WITH PRESENTATIONS, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
AND WITH THE PRESENTATIONS YOU WOULD HAVE, UH, 20 MINUTES FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY PORT ARTHUR IN, OH, THAT'S PORT ARTHUR IN P-A-E-D-C, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, REGARDING DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR BCI AND COUNCILMAN KINLAW.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU WILL BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION? THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE DAY.
UH, TONIGHT, UH, MAYOR BARTY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELA, THANK YOU FOR, UH, INVITING US FOR THIS PRESENTATION, UH, WITH ME THIS EVENING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, FROM THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES DIVISION OF RETAIL STRATEGIES, MR. CHRIS BROER.
HE'S HERE WITH ME THIS EVENING.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM HIM IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, SOMEONE THAT PROBABLY DOES NOT NEED ANY, UH, INTRODUCTION, BUT I'LL INTRODUCE HER.
ANYWAY, FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, MY COUNTERPART, UH, MS. DANA ESPINOL, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT COLLABORATION AND VISION AS IT RELATES TO DOWNTOWN.
YOUR NOTE SAID THAT, UH, WE WOULD ALSO BE JOINED BY THE CHAMBER.
UH, REGRETTABLY, MR. TANT, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO COULD NOT JOIN US TONIGHT.
UH, AS CERTAINLY YOU ALL KNOW, HE'S NOT, UH, ALL THAT LONG FROM TAKING OVER HIS POSITION.
AND MR. TANS HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVE INTO THE CITY'S MASTER PLAN, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE THREE OF US HAVE.
SO WE TOLD HIM THAT, UH, WE'LL BE COMING BACK AND THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO JOIN US AT THAT POINT, BUT HE WANTED TO HAVE SOME TIME TO DO A DEEPER DIVE AND GO OVER THE, UH, OVERALL MASTER PLAN WITH, UH, HIS PARTICULAR BOARD.
OUR FOCUS THIS EVENING IS THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION SECTION OF THAT OVERALL, UH, MASTER PLAN.
UH, AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND VITAL, UH, MASTER PLAN AS IT RELATES TO THE FUTURE OF PORT ARTHUR.
THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT IS WHERE WE WANT TO FOCUS IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING THAT OVERALL CONCEPT THAT WAS DESIGNED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BACKGROUND ON HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING THAT PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE OVERALL MASTER PLAN.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. BONINGER.
THANK YOU, TERRY, FOR THE INTRODUCTION.
UH, AS TERRY MENTIONED, I AM, UH, CHRIS REGER WITH, UH, DOWNTOWN STRATEGIES.
I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION I'LL GIVE YOU AND, UH, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR FRIEND DANA.
BUT, UM, AS, AS TERRY MENTIONED, UM, THE, WELL, SO WE WORK WITH, UH, COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND, UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES IN THEIR DOWNTOWNS, UM, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND THE NAME OF THE GAME IS IMPLEMENTATION.
YOU KNOW, WE, EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS SOME TYPE OF PLAN AT SOME TIME IN HI, AT SOME TIME IN HISTORY.
THEY, THEY WENT OUT, THEY COMMISSIONED A PLAN.
THEY HAVE, UM, ALL THE STEPS NEEDED TO, TO IMPROVE THEIR, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE, TO IMPROVE THE, UH, THE AREA FOR THEIR CITIZENS.
OFTENTIMES IT'S SITTING THERE ON A SHELF FOR COMMUNITIES TO, UH, TO ENGAGE WITH.
AND, UH, WE SPECIALIZE IN HELPING COMMUNITIES IMPLEMENT THESE IDEAS.
WE, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
WE WANT TO TAKE THE IDEAS THAT YOU AS LEADERS HAVE, AND WE WANT TO TAKE THOSE, UH, THOSE, UH, THOSE STUDIES AND THOSE PLANS AND THOSE ANALYSES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE YEARS.
[00:55:01]
TO HELP TAKE, HELP THE COMMUNITY TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS AND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THOSE SMALL STEPS.SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, SO FROM A DOWNTOWN PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY IN OLD HISTORIC DOWNTOWNS THAT THEY NEED, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY NEED REINVESTMENT.
THEY NEED, UH, REVITALIZATION.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WANT AS COMMUNITY LEADERS? WE, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO REVITALIZE THAT DOWNTOWN, BRING IT BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY.
AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S BY BRINGING, BRINGING INTERNAL INVESTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN, BRINGING OUT, UM, OUTSIDE INVESTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN.
AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO BRING, BRING THOSE THINGS BACK TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THE STREETS, TO BE ABLE TO REDO THE SIDEWALKS, TO IMPROVE WALKABILITY, BRING THE CITIZENS BACK DOWNTOWN.
IF THE CITIZENS ARE DOWNTOWN, THE BUSINESSES ARE GONNA COME DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY TO BE MADE IF YOU RELOCATE TO THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO, WHAT GET, WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO MAKE IT A AN OVERARCHING, UM, MORE VIBRANT AREA UP? SO THE WAY THAT WE WORK, WHEN WE TRADITIONALLY WORK WITH COMMUNITIES, IT'S, UH, REALLY A THREE STEP PHASE.
IT'S A, UH, IT'S AN ANALYSIS, IT'S A DISCOVERY, US UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE LOCAL LEADERS WANT, WHAT DO THE CITIZENS WANT.
SO IN THE FIRST, UH, IN THE, THE, UH, AND THEN STEPS TWO AND THREE, WE, UH, WE HAVE THAT ANALYSIS PIECE.
WE HAVE THE, UM, WE CREATE THAT VISION.
WHAT ARE THOSE NEXT STEPS? WE OUTLINE WHAT THOSE NEXT STEPS ARE, THOSE BITE-SIZED PIECES THAT WE CAN TAKE ON.
AND THEN IT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE, WORKING WITH LOCAL STAFF, EITHER THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL STAFF OR EDC STAFF, HOWEVER YOU GUYS, HOWEVER YOU GUYS GIVE THAT CHARGE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE WORK WITH THE LOCAL STAFF IN ORDER TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THOSE PIECES.
THOSE PIECES RANGE FROM EVERYTHING TO LOOKING INTO, UH, EXISTING ZONING AND, UM, ZONING AND ORDINANCES AND POLICIES.
ARE WE PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD TO, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS? STREET SCAPING, UH, BRANDING, COMMUNITY BRANDING, UH, UH, WAY FINDING SIGNAGE.
WHAT ARE THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT, UH, ARE OUT THERE THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN IMPLEMENT TO, UH, TO CREATE THAT ATMOSPHERE? SO BY IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE.
OUR TEAM IS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH YOU AND ON YOUR BEHALF TO TAKE THESE STEPS.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST CREATING A PLAN, GIVING IT TO YOU, WE'RE TAKING THE PLANS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
WE OUTLINE THOSE EASY STEPS OR THOSE NEXT STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN.
AND THEN WE HELP YOU SIDE BY SIDE, UH, IMPLEMENT THOSE.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THAT PROCESS DISCOVERY, THAT'S THAT INITIAL ANALYSIS.
YOU HAVE THAT, UH, ACTION PLAN.
THOSE ARE THOSE LOW HANGING FRUIT PIECES, UH, PIECES OF, UH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE CAN TAKE ON.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ACTION.
AND THESE NEXT COUPLE, JUST BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW, FROM A DISCOVERY STANDPOINT, I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED TAKING PREVIOUS WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, PREVIOUS ANALYSIS THAT'S BEEN DONE AND IMPLEMENTING, AND THEN IDENTIFYING THOSE STEPS.
BUT A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS ALSO HOLDING MAYOR.
SO A A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS ALSO TO GETTING, UM, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE CITIZENS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE KEY PIECES OF THAT ANALYSIS OR THAT DISCOVERY PIECE, OR THAT'S DISCOVERY TIME, IS HOLDING A TOWN HALL WORKSHOP FOR CITIZENS, LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO COME OUT AND PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK.
WHAT ARE THE WANTS? WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE DON'T WANT IN THE COMMUNITY? AND SO WE INCORPORATE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION INTO THAT ACTION.
SO I, I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS ACTION PLAN.
THE, UH, I MENTIONED KEY PIECES, POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, LOOKING AT YOUR, UM, YOUR EXISTING CODING AND ORDINANCES, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS IN LINE WITH WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE COM DOWNTOWN FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, TOUR TOURISM AND PROMOTION.
UH, ARE THERE, ARE THERE PIECES OF MARKETING AND PROMOTION THAT WE CAN TAKE ON IN ORDER TO, UH, FOR A RELATIVELY LOW COST AND, UM, RELATIVELY LITTLE LEAD TIME? ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, DRAW PEOPLE INTO THE EXISTING ATTRACTIONS? AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE, LOOKING AT THAT ECONOMIC VI VITALITY OF THE DOWNTIME.
AND I'VE ALREADY COVERED MUCH OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND IT'S TRULY BOOTS ON THE GROUND, HAND IN HAND,
[01:00:01]
JOINT PARTNERSHIP, WORKING WITH YOU AS LOCAL LEADERS AND THE LOCAL STAFF TO, UH, TO IMPLEMENT THESE, UH, THESE ACTIONS.AND, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MS. DANA.
HOW ARE YOU TODAY? IT'S GOOD TO BE BEFORE YOU AGAIN THIS EVENING.
UM, I AM DANA ESPINAL, THE DIRECTOR OF THE LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
AND I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VITALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN, UH, UH, A STRATEGIC PLAN TO HELP US.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S THE MASTER PLAN, THE EDC GOALS.
IT IS THE CITY GOALS, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STREETS, UM, THE INVESTMENTS THAT OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS HAVE MADE.
AND IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THE REASON, UM, I'M HERE TODAY AS A STAKEHOLDER OF THE COMMUNITY IS, IS THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE APPROACHED ME ABOUT WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN? HOW DO WE GET THAT SPARK RIGHT? HOW DO WE START THAT SPARK TO GET THOSE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN? AND I, YOUR PLAN, YOUR MASTER PLAN, ON PAGE 63 TALKS ABOUT THAT.
IT TALKS ABOUT, AND IF I MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ THIS PARAGRAPH FOR EVERYONE, UM, THAT IS, UM, INVOLVED IN THIS MEETING TODAY.
PORT ARTHUR'S DOWNTOWN POSSESSES ONE OF THE CITY'S LARGEST OPPORTUNITIES TO DEFINE AND EXPAND ITS REGIONAL IDENTITY AND MARKET POPULARITY OVER THE NEXT DECADES.
THROUGH COORDINATED INVESTMENT IN URBAN LIVING, RESTAURANTS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND DOWNTOWN WORKPLACES, A CONTINUED FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN AND ITS CORE WILL STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S REGIONAL PROFILE.
A KEY PIECE IS TO CONTINUE THE EMPHASIS ON IMAGE INDUCING REINVESTMENT AND CONTINUING REVITALIZATION.
THE ONGOING REDEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN WILL PROVIDE THE LARGER COMMUNITY WITH THE DESTINATION FOR A WALKABLE URBAN EXPERIENCE.
IN ADDITION, DOWNTOWN'S REDEVELOPMENT WILL EXPAND THE CITY'S PROGRAMMIC OFFERINGS, THEREBY EXPANDING ITS COMPETITIVE POSITION, BRINGING THOSE COMPANIES AND JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OKAY, THE SBDC CENTER, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UM, FUNDED BY THE SBA, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
WE ARE A FEDERALLY FUNDED ENTITY.
AND OUR GOAL IN THE, AND THE ROLE THAT WE PLAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS TO HELP ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES NOT ONLY START THEIR BUSINESSES, BUT GROW THEIR BUSINESSES AND BE SUCCESSFUL AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE NEED A PLAN OF ACTION TO HELP US DEVELOP AND THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DOWNTOWN OF PORT ARTHUR IS IDENTIFY ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, CONDUCT WITH LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, WHAT THE LANDSCAPE OF DOWNTOWN COULD LOOK LIKE, AND DEVELOP THOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE A PART OF THAT.
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TO REACH OUT AND UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES AND ASPIRATIONS THEY HAVE FOR THEIR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY.
HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OFFER ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING AND SUPPORT.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM? ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL IS BECAUSE OF LACK OF BUSINESS ACUMEN, LACK OF BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE.
THEY'RE GOOD AT SOMETHING, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING IT.
OKAY? SO THE TRAINING AND THE SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT.
COMPONENT OF THAT FACILITATE ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
THE SBDC, WE ARE A VITAL RESOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE'RE SPONSORED AND HOSTED BY LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP THE GROWTH OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE WANNA PROMOTE INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY.
WE WANNA FOSTER A CULTURE OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
[01:05:01]
WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY BY ORGANIZING EVENTS, COMPETITIONS, AND INITIATIVES THAT ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEUR THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING.THAT COULD INCLUDE PITCH COMPETITIONS, BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITIONS, INNOVATION CHALLENGES.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.
WE WANNA CREATE A SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEM, BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AT THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, INVESTORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEM FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SUCCESS STORIES AND TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESSES OF THE BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND THAT IS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT TO SHOW FOLKS THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE VITAL AND ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND OF COURSE, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
WE WANNA ENSURE THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
WE WANNA BE THAT RESOURCE TO HELP THEM CREATE SMALL BUSINESSES, BE AND BE SUCCESSFUL AS AN ENTREPRENEUR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, THE FIRST GENTLEMAN, EXCUSE ME, SIR, WHAT WERE YOUR NAME? CHRIS REGER.
CHRIS, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU SAID, OKAY.
UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT HELPING CITIES IMPLEMENT THEIR PLAN.
OKAY? I SAT ON THREE COUNCILS.
THEY DRAW PLANS AND THEY DO JUST WHAT YOU SAID.
OKAY? THE LA THE ONE WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, WE PAID RIGHT AT $800,000 FOR THIS IS THE PLAN.
AND WHAT GETS ME IS WHEN EVERYONE TELL US WE GONNA MEET WITH CITIZENS, WE GOING TO UH, UH, CHECK WITH STATE, THAT'S WHAT THIS PLAN INCORPORATED.
THEY CHARGE THAT THEY WENT ALL OVER THIS TOWN, MEET WITH CITIZENS.
WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE REINVENTING THE WHEEL NO MORE.
WE NEED TO DO WHAT YOU SAID IN THAT LAST STEP IMPLEMENTATION.
WE NEED SOMEBODY TO START DOING IT.
YOU LOOK AT OUR PLAN THAT WE PAID $800,000 FOR THE THING THAT YOU SAID, CREATE REVITALIZATION.
YOU SAY WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE, WELL WHAT MOTIVA'S GOING TO DO? BRING THOSE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DOWN.
I'VE ALREADY HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SETTING UP BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PLAN, THEY WASN'T NOWHERE IN THE PLAN.
SO THE PLAN SHOULD BE REVISITED TO INCLUDE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WE PUT PUT BACK HERE AND WHAT SUPPORT THEM.
AND THEN WE GO TO MS. ESPINOL PORTION OF THE BRIEFING WHEN SHE SAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HELP CREATE AND START NEW BUSINESSES.
WELL, THE EDC GOT THIS PRESS BUILDING WHERE THEY HAVE A SECTION DEDICATED FOR INCUBATOR WHERE YOU SUPPOSED TO HAVE PEOPLE GO FOR NEW, STARTING OUR BUSINESS.
THAT'S WHERE THE INTERFACE NEEDS TO BE.
WE DON'T NEED SPENDING NO MORE MONEY.
WE DON'T NEED NO MORE MEETINGS WITH NOBODY.
WE NEED SOMEBODY TO START DOING WHAT WE PAID MONEY TO HAVE DONE.
SO EVERYTHING YOU SAID I AGREE WITH AND IT'S ALL IN PLACE.
THE IMPLEMENTATION IS WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU TALKED ABOUT IS ALREADY IS PLACE.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL PRESENTATION.
ONE OF THE THING YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES, ONE OF THE PROBLEM WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT STARTING UP NOW, I'M I'M TALKING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT UP AND RUNNING SMALL BUSINESS RIGHT NOW WILL GO TO THE EDC AND ASK FOR SOME HELP.
SOMETHING THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK, BUT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINE.
[01:10:01]
THEY VIOLATE THE GUIDELINES OR VIOLATE THE COVENANT, IT TURNS INTO A LOAN.WELL, SMALL BUSINESS NEED GRANTS.
A GRANT IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ESTABLISHED SMALL BUSINESSES FIVE TO 10 YEARS, THEY'RE DOING WELL.
IF THEY NEED SOME EQUIPMENT, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HELP 'EM.
EDC SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP 'EM ALL.
IT'S THE EDC NEEDS TO DO IS TO PUT THAT PORTION ON THE BALLOT, AND THAT'LL BE A FOUR B PROJECT AND ASK THE CITIZEN TO VOTE FOR IT, AND THEY'LL VOTE FOR IT TO GIVE SMALL BUSINESSES, GRANT ANYTHING.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD SMALL BI MEAN, UM, B PROJECTS FOREVER.
WE, EDC HAS SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON B PROJECTS, BUT THE CITIZEN NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
THEY GO TO SMALL BUSINESS AS A GRANT.
AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND CAN EXPAND.
THEY CAN'T TAKE, THEY CAN'T TAKE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A, OF A NEW MARKET OR SOME EQUIPMENT AND WHERE THEY CAN HIRE A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT TURNS INTO A LOAN.
THEY ALREADY BURDENED DOWN WITH DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION, GAS, WATER, AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT TAKE.
AND EMPLOYMENT, WHATEVER IT TAKES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPITAL.
SO I, I NEED FOR EDC AND EVERY, EVERY CHANCE I'VE GOTTEN, I'M ALWAYS MENTIONING THIS EDC NEED TO LOOK AT GIVING SMALL BUSINESSES A GRANT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TODAY, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BUT CAN WE PLEASE HAVE SOME UPDATES OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO SHOW THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING TOWARDS THE PLAN SO THAT IT HASN'T, SO WE'RE NOT GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT IT'S ON THE SHELF AND WE'RE PICKING IT UP TO BLOW OFF DUST.
MAY I ADDRESS THAT? UM, YES, WE CAN GO THROUGH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A WORKING DOCUMENT FOR ME.
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN AND, AND WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S MASTER PLAN.
AND SO, UM, AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND DO QUARTERLY PRESENTATIONS TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS HOW WE ARE RECRUITING SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE, IF YOU WILL, AND HOW WE'RE DEVELOPING SMALL BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, IF I MAY MAYOR, THE NEXT, UM, TIME I PRESENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, I CAN COME PREPARED AND DO THE PRESENTATION THAT MAYOR PRO TEM HAS REQUESTED.
I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH, UM, PRESIDENT TANT AS WELL AND ASK THAT HE INVITE SO SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE THRIVING IN PORT ARTHUR SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THEIR FACE AND KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM, AND THEN THEY CAN GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS WHO MAY WANT TO, TO BEGIN.
THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE SUCCESS STORIES, SUCCESS STORIES TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND I AS AN ANNUAL EVENT.
UM, OUR ANNUAL SMALL BUSINESS, UH, AWARDS BANQUET IS THIS MONTH, IT'S ON APRIL 30TH.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO COME AND TO SEE THE SUCCESS STORIES OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE THRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, WE CERTAINLY WILL SEND YOU THE INFORMATION TO MAKE YOU A PART OF THAT CELEBRATION.
WE, WE GET THE INFORMATION, BUT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T ALWAYS GET THE INFORMATION, SO WE WANT THEM TO SEE HOW WE ARE THRIVING AND HOW WE'RE GROWING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UM, FURTHER PARTICIPATE TOO.
PLEASE, WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UH, AND THIS IS FOR, UH, DANA, UH, OUR, OR TERRY, UH, WHEN YOU GUYS COME BACK NEXT TIME, I KNOW I'VE MET WITH BOTH OF YOU GUYS AND I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL BUSINESS TO COME DOWNTOWN.
UM, I AM THE TURS CHAIRMAN, BUT HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH BOTH YOUR DIFFERENT ENTITIES, THE EDC AND THE SBDC, UH, HAVING TURS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE CITY MUNICIPALITY.
SO I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, OUR COLLECTIVE BOARD, TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THAT SMALL BUSINESS DOWNTOWN AND TO THRIVE AND REBUILD OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND WELL AGAIN, UH, AS, AS WE CONCLUDE THIS,
[01:15:01]
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH PREPARING THE THOROUGHFARE THAT WOULD GET US GET US TO DOWNTOWN.
WE HAD A DISCUSSION EARLIER AND, AND, AND, AND, UH, SOME DIALOGUE ABOUT THE $14 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN ALREADY APPROPRIATED THROUGH THE BUDGET, IF I'M CORRECT, TO HANDLE THE THOROUGH FAIR THAT WOULD GET US TO DOWNTOWN.
I ENJOYED YOUR PART OF THE PRESENTATION 'CAUSE YOU ARE SAYING WHAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY AND MAKE SOME TYPES OF DECISIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THERE ARE SOME STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED.
WHAT I CANNOT, UH, ELABORATE ON WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE IN 20 20, 20 19, A MASTER PLAN HAD BEEN PREPARED, I BELIEVE, IN 2015.
NOW, IMPLEMENTATION, I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THE SAME PLAN.
SO WE ARE NOT VACATING THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT THE $800,000 WAS ACTUALLY SPENT TO ACTUALLY GIVE PORT ARTHUR ITS PLAN.
NOW, THE AUTHORS OF THAT PLAN ARE NOT WITH YOU.
I'M NOT GONNA MENTION THAT COMPANY OR, OR THOSE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT THIS TIME WHO ACTUALLY DREW UP THAT PLAN THAT YOU ALLUDED TO.
BUT I WANT THE RECORDS TO REFLECT THAT THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE SHARED IS INDIRECT CORRELATION WITH WHAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER AND THE CITIZENS AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MONIES.
AND ALSO TO A REMARK THAT WAS MADE ABOUT SOME OF THE BOND MONEY BEING NOT USED ACCORDING TO LAW.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW, WE ARE IN DIRECT COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND AS IT IS ACTUALLY DONE WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE INFORMATION FROM CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE WANT TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
WE ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO ALL IDEAS.
EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO AGREE ON THE PROCESS YET.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY DOES AGREE THAT THE PROCESS HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
AS I CLOSE WITH THIS, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR IT, WE WILL MOVE WITH IMPLEMENTATION AT SOME POINT AS SOON AS WE CAN GET SOME FORM OF CONGRUENCY WITH ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THE CITY FORWARD FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
THE BIRTH OF THE CITY BEGAN HERE, AND I BELIEVE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE IN DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR.
YOU HAVE SOME GO RIGHT IN, MAYOR.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD, UM, TO EMBRACE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIPS.
I'M GLAD THAT COUNSELOR KINLER MENTIONED THE THIRDS, YOU KNOW, THE THIRDS WAS FORMED PRIOR TO THE DOWNTOWN PLAN COUNCILOR, MEN COUNSELOR DOUCETTE MENTIONED THE AMOUNT THAT WAS SPENT.
UM, IN MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, THOSE AMOUNTS CAN BE SPENT IN FUTILITY.
BUT THE BEAUTIFUL THING OF OUR DOWNTOWN PLAN, IT DID A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF ALL THE ENGINEERING POSSIBILITIES AND CAPABILITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE A DEVELOPER LOOKS AT IMPLEMENTATION.
YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE ALL THE BLOCKS IN PLACE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AS A RESULT OF THAT.
DID WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WON THE NUMBER ONE AWARD FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING AS A RESULT OF THE DOWNTOWN PLAN? WHEN WE PRESENTED IT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT WAS THE FIRST CITY EVER TO WIN AN AWARD FOR THE DOWNTOWN PLAN.
AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT, UH, AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.
IT WAS AN EXERCISE THAT WHEN MOTIVA SAW IT, MOTIVA SAID, WE CAN IMPLEMENT, WE WILL COME DOWN AND BUY FOUR BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THERE IS ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY, AND WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND TO KEEP THE VISION ALIVE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT WE NEED TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND EVERY DAY WE ARE DOING THAT.
THANKS TO THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THE COUNCIL
[01:20:01]
APPROVED AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT OF $20 MILLION TO IMPROVE THE STREET SCAPE FROM HOUSTON AVENUE ALL THE WAY TO 73, WITH THE INTENTION FOR OF REPLACING THE BRIDGE FOR PROPER STREET EXTENSION, WHICH WE CAN USE AS AN EVACUATION ROAD, AS WELL AS IMPROVING OUR DOWNTOWN ENTRANCE.SO WE ARE CHEWING GOVERNMENT WALKING.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE EDC, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITIZENS.
WE WILL CONTINUE WORK WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS LONG AS I'M YOUR CITY MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP, AND COORDINATION.
AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR INDULGENCE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION.
[III.B.(2) Presentation By Grace Hub, Inc. Regarding Renewable Energy (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
TWO ON PAGE TWO OF PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE PRESENTATION BY GRACE HUB INCORPORATED REGARDING RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
AND YOU WILL HAVE 20 MINUTES GENTLEMEN WITH, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, PLEASE NOTE, UH, FOR THE RECORD THAT IT IS GRACE HUB INC.
AND DILIGENCE OFFSHORE SERVICES LLC.
UH, IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE STAND HERE TODAY.
UH, WE ARE HONORED, UH, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
WE THANK YOU FOR, UH, ADDING US TO THE AGENDA.
UH, WE ARE HERE, UH, MAN, IN A WONDERFUL SPACE AND WONDERFUL TIME, UH, TO, TO LET SOME KNOW AND TO UPDATE OTHERS, UH, ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST GROUNDBREAKING, UH, PROJECTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, UH, NOT ONLY BENEFIT TO, UH, THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, BUT IT HAS A CHANCE TO EXPAND, UH, THE ENERGY CITY, UH, MOTIF, UH, TO RENEWABLE ENERGY OFFSHORE.
UH, WE HAVE TODAY WITH US, UH, MR. HARRY CRAWFORD, UH, II, UH, WHO IS LOOKING TO INVEST, UH, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, INTO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, AND NOT ONLY THAT, UH, IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL TALK ABOUT, UH, THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS $31 MILLION PER YEAR, UH, TO BE GIVEN IN PROGRAMS, UH, AND GRANTS, UH, TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, UH, WITH THIS, UH, WONDERFUL, UH, PROJECT, UH, WE ARE EXCITED, UH, AND MR. HARRY WILL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OFFSHORE SERVICES, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 2000 JOBS, UH, THAT WILL BE BROUGHT, UH, WITH THIS, UH, PROJECT, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, THE ENERGY CO-OP, UH, CONCEPT, UH, WHERE ACTUAL CITIZENS, UH, WILL BE RECEIVING BENEFITS, UH, FROM THE WIND ENERGY, UH, THAT GOD CONTINUES TO LET BLOW, UH, MR. HARRY CRAWFORD.
AND ALSO I HAVE, UH, OUR COO, UH, FOR GRACE HUB, UH, OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF TRACKS, WHICH IS OUR LABOR UNION, UH, THAT HIRES PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.
UH, AND I, MYSELF AM THE CEO, UH, AND PRESIDENT OF GRACE HUB INC.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WOULD YOU OPEN YOUR BLUE FOLDERS THAT'S PRESENTED AT EACH ONE OF YOUR STATIONS, PLEASE, TO FOLLOW ALONG.
I'M HARRY CRAWFORD, MANAGING MEMBER OF DILIGENCE OFFSHORE SERVICES.
UH, I COME TODAY, FIRST OF ALL, I GIVE, UH, THANKS AND HONOR TO GOD, TO MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, TO, UH, HOLY SPIRIT IN HIS PRESENCE.
I START ANY ADVENTURE WITHOUT GIVING GOD HIS CREDIT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE HERE IN, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
I HAD SOME HURDLES TO, TO CLIMB, UH, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO COME, UH, BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND, UH, SPEAK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR PLANS ARE ON, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND.
WE, UH, WE, WE HAD PLANNED ON PUTTING A, UH, UH, BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IS A, A SHIP FACILITY, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR OFFSHORE WIND HUB.
UH, WE NEED ACREAGE TO, UH, CREATE THE HUB.
WE RAN INTO SOME PROBLEMS WITH, UH, SOME ISSUES WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, BUT I THINK TODAY WE WERE KIND ABLE TO GET THOSE STRAIGHT.
UH, THEY WANT US TO COME IN AND SIT DOWN WITH THEM, BUT IT WAS PROPER FOR US TO COME AND, AND TALK TO YOU ALL FIRST.
BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, OUR PLAN IS TO CREATE A, UH, MANUFACTURING FACILITY THAT WOULD MANUFACTURE TOWERS, UH, THAT ACTUALLY GO ON TOP OF THE, UH, UH, THAT YOU USE TO PUT THE WIND TURBINES OFFSHORE.
[01:25:01]
SO THIS WOULD CREATE MANUFACTURING JOBS, GOOD PAY AND CAREER JOBS, NOT JUST REGULAR OLD JOBS.UH, WE, UH, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING TWO, WHAT THEY CALL CSVS, WHICH ARE TWO SHIPS WITH AVARD AND FERNLEY RIGHT NOW.
AND EACH ONE OF THOSE SHIPS HOUSES 83 INDIVIDUALS.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 168 JOBS WITH JUST THOSE TWO, THE 2000 JOBS COME IN THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION PERIOD FOR BUILDING OUT THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY THAT WE PLAN TO, TO PUT, UH, ON THE ISLAND.
UH, IF WE COULD WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH YOU ALL TO EITHER LEASE OR BUY SOME PROPERTY FROM YOU, UH, NOT ONLY THAT WE WOULD MANUFACTURE IN COOPERATION WITH SOME OTHER GROUPS THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH OVERSEAS.
WE WOULD MANUFACTURE WHAT'S CALLED A YA AND A PITCH BEARING.
THEY ACTUALLY, ON THOSE TURBINES THAT ARE TURNING, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BALL BEARINGS IN THEM THAT, THAT HELP 'EM MOVE AROUND.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE TO BE MANUFACTURED.
SO WE WOULD BRING THAT, UH, THOSE JOBS, THOSE SKILLED JOBS HERE ALSO.
SO YOU FIGURE WHEN WE'RE ALL SET AND DONE AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD AND ALL AFTER EVERYBODY GOES HOME, GOES TO BED, GETS UP AND GET READY TO GO TO WORK THE NEXT DAY, THERE'S 400 PERMANENT JOBS, PIPE FITTING, UH, MAINTENANCE, AND, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UH, SKILLS.
BUT THEN THE MAJORITY OF 'EM WILL BE, UH, ELECTRICIAN JOBS BECAUSE WE ARE, WE'RE ACTUALLY CREATING RENEWABLE, UH, ENERGY BY WAY OF ELECTRICITY.
AND WE'VE ALREADY SIGNED AN MOU WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS, WHICH IF WE HAD 50 PEOPLE TODAY THAT NEEDED JOBS, THOSE 50 PEOPLE WOULD GO TOMORROW.
UH, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS WOULD HIRE THEM.
THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY HAVE INSURANCE.
IF THEY'RE MARRIED, THEN THEIR, THE FAMILIES WOULD BE INSURED AND THEY WOULD START MAKING $20 AN HOUR WHILE THEY'RE BEING TRAINED.
AND, AND THEN THEY WORKED THEIR WAY UP TO THESE JOURNEYMEN POSITIONS.
SO, I GUESS THE, THE BIGGEST PART FOR US, UH, AND, AND FOR THE REASON FOR US BEING HERE, IS TO GET SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL AND SUPPORT OF THE CITIZENS, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO EITHER LEASE OR, OR BUY LAND FROM ME, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA BURDEN THE, UH, THE GRID.
SO WE'RE CREATING OUR OWN ENERGY, UH, FOR OUR PROJECT.
AND IN DOING SO, THAT ENERGY WILL HAVE, UH, EXCESS, THERE'LL BE EXCESS ENERGY, WHICH, UH, YOUR PEOPLE WILL, UH, THE CITY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A CHOICE.
AND THOSE THAT ARE 65 OR OLDER WHO CAN PROVE THAT THEY OWN THEIR HOMES, THEN THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO PAY ENERGY, UH, AN ENERGY BILL BECAUSE WE WOULD GIVE THEM FREE ENERGY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE BRING TO THE CITY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN US ON THE NEWS, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN US DURING THE HOLIDAYS SUPPORTING THE, UH, CITIZENS HERE, BUT WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON STOPPING THERE.
IF WE CAN GET THE SUPPORT AND THE BLESSING OF THE COUNCIL, THEN THESE JOBS WOULD, WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE.
UH, AND THERE WOULD BE BASICALLY ANOTHER PORT, UH, BLACK OWNED, FIRST ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
UH, I KNOW I HAD A FEW MINUTES, MR. MAYOR.
SO I'M HOPING
UH, OH, 1 1, 1 THING WE'D LIKE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT, UH, BEFORE, UH, WE OPEN UP QUESTIONS, UH, IS, UH, MR. CRAWFORD AND DILIGENCE OFFSHORE, UH, IS NOT COMING, UH, WITH THEIR HANDS EMPTY.
UH, THEY HAVE CHOSEN, UH, GRACE HUB INC.
TO BE, UH, THE GENERAL PRINCIPAL FOR, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, UH, WHICH OPENS UP $31 MILLION PER YEAR, UH, UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THREE PROGRAMS. UH, THE FIRST PROGRAM, UH, IS THAT OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND IS A TRAINING PROGRAM WHERE, UH, WE WILL PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY 13 MILLION POINT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, 13 MILLION, $100,000, UH, BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR TRAINING PER YEAR, UH, FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UH, WHAT IT DOES IS IT OPENS UP A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF HOW WE CAN EMPOWER OUR CHILDREN, UH, TO GO INTO FIELDS, UH, THAT AUTOMATICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL FOR PORT ARTHUR, UH, TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD THINGS, UH, THAT ACTUALLY CAN SUSTAIN AMERICA.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS. UH, THE SECOND PROGRAM IS OUR BUSINESS FORTIFICATION PROJECT, UH, WHERE WE WILL ACTUALLY ISSUE EVERY YEAR $50,000 IN A GRANT TO
[01:30:01]
ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, WHICH OPENS UP THE REVENUE STREAMS, UH, WHICH OPENS UP, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOMES.UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, EXPAND THEIR BLUEPRINT IN LEARNING IN EDUCATION AND IN THEIR LIVES.
IT ELEVATES THE WHOLE CITIZEN.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE EVERY YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO WILL HELP THEM, UH, WITH EVERYTHING THE, FROM THE MECHANICS OF BUSINESS, UH, TO HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU DO YOUR ACCOUNTING TO HOW, UH, YOUR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES SHOULD BE DONE.
SO IT'S LOOKING AT THE HOLISTIC SIDE OF GROWTH.
UH, THE LAST PROGRAM, UH, THAT WILL BE WITHIN, UH, THAT 31 MILLION, UH, IS 100 DESIGNER GREEN ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES.
UH, AND THIS CORRELATES WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MOTIF OF GREEN ENERGY, UH, AND HOW WE CAN SUSTAIN OURSELVES.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND PORT ARTHUR, UH, BUT THE WIND DOESN'T STOP BLOWING.
SO IF WE ACTUALLY MOVE THESE HOMES TO LOOK, I LIKE TO SAY SEXY, UH, IN A WAY THAT IS, UM, OPEN TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME.
UH, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT POWERED BY WIND ENERGY, UH, IN WHICH WE CAN PUT WIND TURBINES, UH, UH, ON THE NEAR WATERS BY PLEASURE ISLAND AND HELP THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BECOME, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, GREEN ENERGY WIND ENERGY CITIES, UH, WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ARE THERE ANY CURRENT QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I, I SAW WHEN YOU ALL HAD THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY AND EVERYTHING, AND I WAS WONDERING WHEN, UH, I WAS GONNA HEAR SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, IT'S GREAT YOU TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS COMING TO PORT ARTHUR.
I DON'T CARE IF HE'S SELLING BALLOONS, THAT'S BUSINESS.
BUT, AND WHEN YOU COME TO PORT ARTHUR AND YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS, THEN WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO BRING NEW BUSINESSES TO OUR CITY.
BUT MY QUESTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO OUR, UH, MANAGER AND OUR ATTORNEYS AND STUFF, THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE INCENTIVES.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE WHAT WE CAN OFFER AND WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY, THIS TAXPAYER MONEY, SO WE JUST CONTROL IT, BUT IT IS A BOX THAT THEY TELL US WHAT WE COULD DO WITH IT.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THAT BOX THAT WILL HELP YOU TO GET THIS BUSINESS STARTED, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HERE TO PROVIDE.
SO ONCE YOU FIND OUT IF YOU GOT IT THERE, THEN WE GOT THE BUSINESS.
THAT'S WHY SOMETIME I GET KIND OF CONFUSED WHEN I HEAR INDIVIDUALS SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF WE WILL SUPPORT, WE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT ANY BUSINESS THAT WANT TO COME TO THE CITY.
WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ASKING OF US, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE LIMITED WHAT WE CAN DO.
YOU KNOW? SO I, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT LAND AND LEASING, THAT'S, HAVE YOU TALKED WITH, UH, OUR MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY IN REFERENCE TO YOUR NEEDS YET? NO, THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, THE HOLDUPS ON US ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THE LAND THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, THE UPLANDS ON, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND, WE HAD TO SPEAK WITH THE CORE ENGINEERS.
THERE WAS A, A MIX UP ON WHO OWNED IT.
UH, AND I THINK THE CORE KINDA STRAIGHTENED THAT OUT TODAY.
UH, THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T.
SO, WHICH EVIDENTLY, PORT ARTHUR DOES
AND SO AS ME, I MEAN, IMMEDIATELY WE, WE CAME HERE TO, TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN BUILD AND MOVE FORWARD AND CREATE THE JOBS AND THE REVENUE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR GRANTS.
WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT OURSELVES.
WHAT WE NEED IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY, A PLACE TO, TO BUILD.
AND THEN WE'VE ALREADY LINED UP THE, UH, THE RIGHT CORPORATIONS TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UH, GOING BE WORKING.
WELL, I THINK IF YOU ALL, YOU ALL GET THAT INFORMATION, THEN WHEN YOU ALL COME TO US, WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE ALL THE FACTS.
I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
WHEN YOU COME BEFORE US AND ASK
[01:35:01]
FOR OUR SUPPORT.WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU NEED.
IF YOU NEED A TANK, WE DON'T HAVE IT.
YOU NEED A GUN, WE MAY HAVE IT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ONE, UM, I THINK YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE JUST AS OF TODAY ABOUT THE LAND OR YOU PREPARING TO, RIGHT.
UM, WELL THEN I'LL WAIT FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THAT QUESTION.
PART OF THE PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED, UM, ENERGY SERVICES TO SENIOR CITIZENS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT PROCESS MAY WORK? SO, BY US NOT BEING, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN BID ON THE, UH,
UH, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN PROVIDE POWER TO THE CITIZENS WHO, UH, YOU MEET THE QUALIFICATION BY AGE AND, AND OWNERSHIP, UH, AT, AT NO COST.
UH, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH, UH, THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS SOLAR AND, AND, AND WIND, BUT, UH, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HOOKED DIRECTLY TO THE, UH, GREEN ENERGY SOURCE AND OTHERS, THEY GET IT THROUGH, UH, PEOPLE LIKE ENTERGY.
RIGHT? SO IF WE WERE SELLING POWER INTO THE GRID, WE WOULD HAVE A, UH, UH, A CLAUSE IN OUR STATEMENT OR IN OUR CONTRACT GOING TO SOMEBODY LIKE ENTERGY WHO WOULD TAKE THE EXCESS POWER THAT THOSE AREAS IN PORT ARTHUR, THESE, THESE ADDRESSES HERE, UH, THEY DON'T PAY FOR ENERGY BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING IT FROM US, ACTUALLY.
TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE IS A MONOPOLY OF INTERGY IN OUR CITY.
A WHAT A MONOPOLY OF ENERGY SERVICES BY INTERGY IN THE CITY OF PRODUCT.
BUT WHAT I DID READ ABOUT SOLAR POWER SERVICES, IT ALL DEPEND ON IF YOU ARE DOWNWIND.
SO HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT AN AVERAGE, YOU KNOW, RATE WOULD BE FOR THAT PERSON, FOR THAT SENIOR CITIZEN, TO DETERMINE IF IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A BENEFIT TO THEM? SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING, UH, THEY JUST DON'T PROVIDE AN FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND I AM NOT THE EXPERT, LEMME BE CLEAR ON THAT.
IT'S ONLY FROM WHAT I READ, THAT THESE, UM, TYPES OF ENERGY SOURCES DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH ENERGY.
WELL, I MEAN, TEXAS ITSELF IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS OF WIND ENERGY IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
WE, I MEAN, WE SUPPLY MORE WIND ENERGY THAN ANYBODY IN, IN, IN THE NATION, YOU KNOW? UH, AND SO, UH, IT'S NOT THE PROBLEM OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH ENERGY.
UH, IT'S A PROBLEM WITH, YOU HAVE SO MUCH, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO PUT IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND SO THEY, INSTEAD OF LOSING IT, WE PREFER TO HAVE IT DIRECTED TO SOMEBODY WHO COULD USE IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF NOT A CONCERN.
JUST A QUESTION OF HOW WOULD THIS EQUATE TO FUNDS BEING SAVED TO THESE INDIVIDUALS? HOW WOULD IT EQUATE TO, TO THEM TO SAVINGS? IT WOULDN'T HAVE.
AND THAT'S NOT A CONVERSATION FOR TODAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SO WE KNOW HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD WORK, SO WE CAN GIVE THEM REALISTIC EXPECTATION.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BASICALLY WHAT IT, I MEAN, UH, I'M A COUNTRY BOY, SO I'M GONNA CUT ACROSS THE FIELD, UH, CUTTING ACROSS THE FIELD.
THEY JUST WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY A BILL.
WE WOULD COVER IT WITH OUR EXCESS ENERGY.
YOU KNOW, WE, THERE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUILD BASICALLY LIKE A STORAGE, UH, WITH A PRIVATE LANDOWNER HERE IN PORT ARTHUR THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO.
AND BASICALLY WHAT YOU WOULD BUILD IS A STORAGE UNIT THERE, AND THAT UNIT WOULD PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY TO THE CITIZENS WHO YOU KNOW, ARE ON YOUR PROGRAM OR WHO, WHO, WHO NEED IT.
I'M, I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH TURBINE WIND ENERGY.
UH, BUT, UH, YOU KEEP SEEING SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF SPARKING MY INTEREST, AND I'M TOTALLY INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT, BUT WHEN YOU SAY THE OVERAGE AND YOU SELL, YOU SELL THE OVERAGE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO ARE YOU CAPPED ON THIS CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT YOU HAVE TO PRODUCE AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND SELL IT ONCE YOU GET PEOPLE ON A GRID THAT YOU PROVIDE ENERGY TO? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU, BECAUSE YOU KEEP SAYING, ONCE WE GET THIS OVERAGE WE'RE SELLING, WE WOULD PROVIDE THE ENERGY, OVERAGE ENERGY TO PEOPLE THAT MAY QUALIFY FOR A CERTAIN PROGRAM.
[01:40:01]
THAT'S NUMBER ONE.UH, THE NUMBER TWO QUESTION I HAVE IS IT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR 600 ACREAGE OR 200 ACREAGE ON SIX.
BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED, I WANT, I WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND I, I'M LIKE, COUNCILMAN DE SAID, ANYTIME YOU BRING AN OPPORTUNITY TO PORT ARTHUR, I'M INTERESTED.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY CAPPED AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT YOU'RE PRODUCING, AND THE OVERAGE GOES TO A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT QUALIFY, THAT'S NUMBER ONE QUESTION.
AND NUMBER TWO, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S 600 ACRE, 600, UH, ACREAGE THAT YOU'RE APPLYING FOR, FOR THE, UH, PROPOSAL LOCATION? NO, THE 600 ACRES IS FOR THE MANUFACTURING AND THE TURBINE MANUFACTURING AND THE, UH, THE, UH, SUB-COMPONENT MANUFACTURING OPERATION.
THE, THE OPERATION THAT WE WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO, TO BUILD WIND TURBINES, THAT WOULD BE IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND WHAT AREA WE COULD USE, UH, ON THE ISLAND TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE TURBINES OUT THERE.
THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WE PRODUCE WILL BE BASED UPON HOW OUR STUDY COMES BACK.
OUR, OUR STUDY, LIKE WE CAN BUILD, UH, A WIND FARM THAT PRODUCES FOR PURPOSES THIS CONVERSATION ONE GIGAWATT OF ENERGY.
AND THAT ONE GIGAWATT MIGHT BE MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR TOTAL OPERATION ON THE ISLAND.
SO THE, THE EXTRA ENERGY IS WHAT WILL NOW GO TO EITHER THE STORAGE I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT, OR TO THE GRID YOU SELL IT TO, TO ERCOT OR ENTERGY OR WHOEVER.
THAT'S THE WORD I WAS LOOKING FOR, SELLING IT.
YOU SELL IT TO ENERGY, RIGHT? YEAH.
I JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE SOMEONE HAS SOLAR PANELS ON THEIR HOUSE, THEY PRODUCE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENERGY.
NOW WE WORK, BUT, BUT FOR YOUR PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY I'M ABLE TO PROVIDE, WELL, WE NEED TO GET MORE DETAILS, NEED DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
IN OUR RACS, BUT I, I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION, SO YOU CAN, THANK YOU.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO PUT YOUR, YOUR TURBINES OFFSHORE.
I, HOW FAR OUT WE TALKING ABOUT? WELL, I MEAN, IF, IF WE ARE ABLE TO, WITH THE APPROVAL OF, OF, OF THE COUNCIL AND WITH APPROVAL OF THE CITIZENS, UH, WE COULD PUT INSIDE OF PLEASURE ISLAND, THE, THE BOUNDARIES OF PLEASURE ISLAND THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT PUT FIVE OR 10 ON THE ISLAND.
RIGHT? HOW, HOW MUCH WIND YOU NEED ON THE AVERAGE, UH, SIX MILES.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, PEOPLE THINK THE WIND'S NOT BLOWING.
PEOPLE THINK THE WIND'S NOT BLOWING AT, AT OUR HEIGHT.
THESE THINGS ARE 300 FEET TALL.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO YOU GOT WIND ALL THE TIME ENOUGH TO KEEP 'EM, KEEP 'EM TURNING.
SO YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD YOUR, YOUR TURBINE, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO CABLE IT, CABLE IT TO THE GRID.
YOU BRING IT TO THE GRID, AND THAT WHAT'S GOING ON, THE GRID IS GOING TO BE MEASURED.
SO LET'S SAY IF WE DO IT THERE, THERE'S TWO WAYS.
IF WE BUILD, UH, ON PLEASURE ISLAND, THEN WE WILL BUILD A SWITCH AND A CONVERTER TO RUN THE CABLES TO RIGHT.
LITTLE PRIVATE, UH, OPERATION.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW BIDDING ON OFFSHORE WIND LEASES WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, THAT'S 35, 40 MILES OUT IN THE WATER.
UH, BUT OF COURSE, TEXAS DOESN'T WANT, UH, THE TRANSMISSION LINES COMING ACROSS THEIR REAL ESTATE.
SO WE ARE HAVING TO GO TO LOUISIANA WITH OURS.
THAT'S THE, THE BID THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN AND COMING TO SHORE.
AND CAMERON, WE WERE KIND OF HOPING G TWO WOULD BUY IT, BUT THEY DECIDED TO GO TO BLUE HYDROGEN INSTEAD OF GREEN.
BUT ANYWAY, IF WE ARE ON PLEASURE ISLAND, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, THE BOEM OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE DEAL WITH, WITH THE CITY AND WELL, ALL THIS SUR PLUS POWER, ENERGY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BUILDING MORE GENERATORS TO CREATE POWER IS BUY FROM, BUY FROM YOU ALL.
AND, AND, AND IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING DOWN THE COST OF, UH, EXACTLY.
I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
A, A, A CLEANER, CHEAPER ENERGY FOR, FOR THE CITY AND THE, AND THE CONSTITUENTS.
YOU KNOW, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOME FRANCHISE FEE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ON CITIES RIGHT.
WELL, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION
[01:45:01]
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY SOMETHING, UH, POSITIVE WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR TO BRING THIS TO FRUITION.[III.B.(3) Presentation By Staff Regarding Paratransit Service]
TO, EXCUSE ME.UH, PRESENTATION, UH, IS NUMBER THREE ON PAGE TWO, PRESENTATION BY STAFF REGARDING PARA TRANSIT, UH, SERVICE.
LINDSEY, JUST, YOU CAN JUST JUMP TO THE SECOND PAGE.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANT TO DISPEL THIS A FEW THINGS THAT KEEP BEING SAID ABOUT PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
UM, IT'S COMPLICATED IN TERMS OF HOW WE QUALIFY PEOPLE.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF RULES AND STUFF, BUT ONE THING I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT IT WAS SAID TONIGHT THAT IT'S BASED ON HAVING A DOCTOR'S NOTE.
IT'S NOT BASED SOLELY ON HAVING THE DOCTOR'S NOTE.
UM, IT'S BASED ON, THAT IS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT GOES IN THE PROCESS OF QUALIFYING PEOPLE.
BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DOCTOR'S NOTE DOES NOT MEAN NECESSARILY YOU WILL QUALIFY FOR THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
PEOPLE SAY STUFF UP HERE AND IT GOES VIRAL.
AND THEN BEFORE I KNOW IT, EVERYBODY'S BRINGING A DOCTOR'S NOTE.
UM, AND, AND, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR SO IT'S NOT SOLELY BASED ON HAVING A DOCTOR'S NOTE.
THAT IS PART OF THE CRITERIA, THOUGH.
CAN, CAN YOU PLEASE ASK? YEAH.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO, TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT, UM, AND THEN I'LL GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, WHAT I WAS GONNA DISCUSS WITH YOU GUYS ALSO, THAT WHEN, UM, ALL OF OUR PARATRANSIT RIDERS, AT SOME POINT, UNLESS YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR, OF COURSE, HAVE TO WALK TO THE BUS.
YOU GOTTA HAVE TO WALK TO THE BUS FROM YOUR HOUSE.
IF WE PICK YOU UP DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOUSE FROM YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, IF YOU ARE OUT THE MALL, WE'RE PICKING YOU UP.
WHEREVER YOU'RE AT WALMART, YOU HAVE TO WALK TO THE BUS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE SMART, BUT WE DON'T CARRY PEOPLE TO THE BUS.
THEY HAVE TO WALK UNLESS YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR, THEN WE'LL PUSH YOU.
AND OF COURSE YOU'LL USE THE RAMP AND WE'LL GET YOU ON THE BUS, STRAP YOU DOWN.
SO EVERYBODY HAS TO WALK TO THE BUS.
UM, SO LAST TIME I WAS UP HERE, I SAID THAT WE HAD A SOLUTION.
I DIDN'T GO INTO DETAILS OF THE SOLUTION, BUT WE HAD A SOLUTION IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE FROM THAT, UM, THE PORT ACRES AREA, UM, ONTO OUR VEHICLES, UM, IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.
SO THE SOLUTION THAT WE IMPLEMENTED WAS, WELL, LEMME JUST JUMP BACK A LITTLE BIT.
PRIOR TO THAT DISCUSSION, I HAD MENTIONED THE ROUTE SEVEN.
I HAD MENTIONED THE ROUTE SEVEN AS AN OPTION.
THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM PEOPLE WAS THAT, UM, WALKING TO THOSE BUS STOPS WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, WE HEARD THEM, WE LISTENED TO THEM, WE WENT BACK, WE MADE AN ADJUSTMENT.
THE ADJUSTMENT MADE REGARDING THE ROUTE SEVEN WAS THAT IF YOU NOW QUALIFY FOR THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE, WE WILL PICK YOU UP AT YOUR DOOR.
SO WE'RE NO LONGER REQUIRING THOSE RESIDENTS TO WALK TO THE BUS STOP.
IF YOU HAVE A, I'M USING, I'M GONNA USE YOUR GENERAL, TELL ME.
IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY QUALIFIED AND YOU'RE ON OUR LIST, WE WILL COME TO YOUR DOOR.
NOW, PRIOR, WE HAD TOLD MELISSA CHARLOTTE THAT SHE NEEDED TO WALK TO THE BUS STOP.
SHE COMMUNICATED TO US THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION.
SO NOW WE ARE PICKING HER UP AT HER HOUSE AND WE'VE COMMUNICATED THAT TO HER.
UM, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THE, UH, WHAT YOU SEEN UP THERE.
THAT'S THE ADJUSTMENT WE MADE.
WE WILL PICK YOU UP AT YOUR HOUSE.
YOU GOT A CALL, OF COURSE, LIKE YOU WOULD'VE HAD TO ANYWAYS FOR THE SEVEN.
BUT ONCE YOU CALL, WE, WE SCHEDULE YOU, WE WILL PICK YOU UP AT YOUR HOUSE FROM THERE, YOU THEN MAKE THE TRANSFER IN THE CITY, UM, TO THE PARA TRANSIT BUS, WHICH WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A SEAMLESS TRANSFER.
AND THEN FROM THERE, YOU CAN GO WHEREVER IT IS THAT YOU'VE SCHEDULED TO WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF THE CITY'S PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
SO WE MADE, WE HEARD PEOPLE, THEY CAN'T WALK THAT THAT WAS AN IMPEDIMENT.
UM, IT'S AVAILABLE TO NOT JUST THOSE FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE, BUT WE MADE IT FOR EVERYONE.
SO IT'S, THAT'S NOT, WE, ONE THING I KEPT SAYING ABOUT, WE GOTTA BE EQUITABLE.
SO I'VE MADE IT EQUITABLE FOR ANYBODY WHO'S IN THAT BOUNDARY, WHO NEEDS THE SERVICE, WHO QUALIFIES FOR, UM, I'M TONGUE TIED MYSELF, WHO QUALIFIES FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICE, WHO USES THAT? ANYONE WHO CALLS WILL BE PICKED UP AT THEIR DOOR.
NOW WHO QUALIFIES FOR THAT WITH THE ROUTE SEVEN? SO WE MADE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR EVERYONE TO BE EQUITABLE, BECAUSE
[01:50:01]
WE'VE HAD OTHER PEOPLE COME AND SAY, WELL, I THINK THERE WAS A PRESENTATION LAST TIME I WAS UP HERE WAS SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT ME? AND THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO, UM, WAS MISTAKENLY PUT ONTO THE LIST.SO MORE PEOPLE NOW ARE ASKING, SO I GOTTA BE EQUITABLE, DAVID, IF I DO IT FOR ONE, I'M GONNA DO IT FOR ALL.
UM, SO THAT'S BASICALLY, I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP WITH EVERYONE.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I'M, I'M HERE TO ANSWER.
IS THAT YOU COMPLETE YOUR PRESENTATION THERE.
EXCUSE ME? YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR YEAH, I MEAN, I BASICALLY JUST HAD THE SLIDE CLARIFYING WHAT IT IS THAT WE DID FOR THE ADJUSTMENT THAT I SAID WE WOULD DO LAST, THE SOLUTION I SAID WE HAD, THAT WAS THE SOLUTION.
UM, AND IF IT NEEDS FURTHER CLARIFICATION, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN IT AND CLARIFY IT FURTHER FOR ANYONE.
JUST IF YOU CAN, UH, YOU STARTED YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARATRANSIT, UH, ELIGIBILITY.
SO WHAT ARE THE, IF IT'S JUST NOT THE DOCTOR'S EXCUSE, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE WHAT ELSE, UH, YOU NEED TO QUALIFY SO PEOPLE THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'S HERE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE HAVE NO, YOU KNOW, MISINFORMATION OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST QUESTION.
AND IF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT FIRST.
SO IT'S BASED ON, WELL, IT'S, IT'S TWO CRITERIA.
IT'S, YOU GOTTA BE QUALIFIED, BUT ALSO YOU HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE BOUNDARY.
SO THE BOUNDARY IS ONE OF THE QUALIFICATIONS PER SE.
AND THE BOUNDARY IS WHAT WE ADHERE TO IN TERMS OF, IF YOU'RE IN THE BOUNDARY, UM, YOU CAN USE THE SERVICE.
BUT TO GET QUALIFIED TO USE THE SERVICE IN GENERAL, IT IS BASED ON, UM, AN ASSESSMENT THAT OUR OFFICE DOES.
IT'S A, IT'S A FORM THAT WE HAVE.
UM, IT'S HAD TO GO THROUGH THE RIGORS OF THE FTA LOOKING AT IT.
THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE, UM, THEY'VE LOOKED AT IT, THEY'VE SAID, CHANGE THIS, CHANGE THAT.
THEY DID THAT I THINK FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID OUR, UH, ANNUAL AUDIT, I'M SORRY, OUR TRIENNIAL AUDIT.
UM, SO IT'S BASED ON SEVERAL CRITERIA OF LIKE YOUR DISABILITY, YOUR DOCTOR'S NOTE, UM, HOW FUNCTIONAL ARE YOU? UM, WHAT EXACTLY SOMETIMES ARE YOU USING IT FOR, IF YOU NEED IT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
AND, AND TO BE HONEST, I, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE WHO DO THIS, WHO SPECIALIZE IN IT.
SO I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK ON IT NECESSARILY, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW NEXT TIME I CAN GET THAT PERSON HERE.
THEY CAN TALK ALL DAY ABOUT IT.
SO, SO IT'S NOT MY AREA OF SPECIALTIES.
I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK, BUT, UM, THAT'S KIND OF A GENERAL OF WHAT IT IS.
IT'S A LOT OF THINGS ON THE LIST.
IT'S A FORM THAT WE GIVE THEM AND WE ASSESS THEM ALONG WITH THE DOCTORS.
ALONG WITH THE DOCTORS NOTE ALONG WITH AN APPLICATION THAT YOU GET.
AND MS. CHARLOTTE HAS GONE THROUGH THAT.
AND SHE DOES, SHE DOES QUALIFY FOR IT.
SO LET, LET'S JUST SAY CITIZEN DON'T, DON'T STATE HER NAME.
OH, LET'S JUST, LET'S DO THAT.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUT MY, MY THING IS THIS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THIS COUNCIL WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE, THE PARATRANSIT, UH, RIDES.
AND, AND THERE'S NO COST INCREASE.
WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, OUR THING IS THAT WE WANNA SATISFY THE CITIZENS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LEGAL IN DOING THAT.
UH, IF, AND THE LAST INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL WAS TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
WE GAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS TO OUR CITY MANAGER TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
IF WE HAVE TO OPEN UP THE BOUNDARIES, LET'S DO SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAME AND SPOKE BEFORE US, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS FEDERAL MONEY.
NOW WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO, WE'VE GOT FEDERAL GUIDELINES AND WE, WE LISTENING, WE, WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE GOTTA BE, UH, SMART ABOUT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, SERVICE THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UM, IF, IF, IF SHE'S ALREADY ABLE TO RIDE THE BUS, IF SHE'S, THEY'RE PICKING UP AT HOME, THE CITIZEN IS BEING PICKED UP AT HOME, ALL CITIZENS THAT QUALIFY OR BEING PICKED UP AT HOME, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION CAN BE RESOLVED QUICKLY.
BUT THAT'S THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, I, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT, UH, THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO ACCOMMODATE SIX PEOPLE.
IT'S NO COST, UH, INCREASE TO US AS LONG AS THEY QUALIFY.
AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOU, DIRECTOR, BUT, UH, LET'S, LET'S LOOK HARD AND LONG ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE A DEADLINE WAS GIVEN IN A COUNCIL MEETING, AND IF THAT DEADLINE HAS PASSED AND GONE AND WE HADN'T ACCOMMODATE THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT AT THIS TIME THE CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO WE DID.
SO WE, WE DID, WE MADE IT SO THAT THE, THE CHIEF FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, I, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE HERE AT THAT MEETING, SO PARDON ME IF YOU WEREN'T, BUT THE CHIEF FEEDBACK WE GOT THAT MEETING WAS THROUGH ROUTE SEVEN.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT WAS THAT WE REQUIRED PEOPLE TO WALK TO THE BUS STOP.
SO LET'S SAY IF THERE'S A BUS STOP, A BLOCK OR TWO AWAY, YOU HAD TO WALK AND YOU WOULD SCHEDULE IT AND WE'D PICK YOU UP.
YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO WALK, JUST CALL US, SCHEDULE IT AHEAD
[01:55:01]
OF TIME.WE WILL COME TO YOUR FRONT DOOR, WE'LL CALL YOU, OR YOU'LL SEE US, YOU'LL COME OUT, YOU'LL GET IN THE VEHICLE.
WE MADE, WE MADE AN ACCOMMODATION, WE MADE A CHANGE TO ACCOMMODATE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SAYING THEY CANNOT WALK TO THE BUS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE MET WHAT YOU GUYS ASKED US TO DO.
NO, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK IS THAT WE WERE GOING BACK TO LITERALLY SQUARE ONE, THAT WE WERE GOING BACK TO DELIVERING THAT DOOR, UH, THAT FRONT DOOR SERVICE, UH, TO OUR CITIZENS SO THAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE THEM.
I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO ASK THAT QUESTION THAT YOU GAVE TO COUNCILMAN KINLOCK, THAT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.
RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S BACK TO, AS IT WAS, UH, BEFORE WE HAVE WIDENED THE PARAMETERS OF OUR, UM, OF OUR PICKUP ZONES.
THE, YEAH, THE, THE, THE ONLY, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE NOW IS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE TRANSFER AT THE LIBRARY, BUT IT'S A SCHEDULED TRANSFER, SO YOU TRANSFER TO A PARATRANSIT BUS.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
AM I MAKING SENSE HOW THAT WORKS? EXPLAIN IT.
YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN IT SO THAT BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN YOU SAY TRANSFER, YOU HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THAT PERSON TO BE PICKED UP THERE.
SO LET GIVE, EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN.
SO, UM, LET'S SAY IF, LET'S SAY IT'S ME.
I, I NEED THE SERVICE AND I LIVE IN THE, UH, I LIVE IN EL VISTA.
UM, I WOULD CALL THE OFFICE, THE DISPATCHER WOULD SAY, OKAY, THEY WOULD TAKE MY INFORMATION DOWN.
THEY WOULD SCHEDULE TO PICK ME UP AT MY HOUSE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA COME TO MY DOOR AND PICK ME UP.
UM, IF I CHOOSE TO STAY WITHIN THE ROUTE SEVEN BOUNDARY, THEN THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ME SOMEWHERE WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY.
IF I NEED TO GO OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY, UM, THEY WOULD TAKE ME TO THE PORT ARTHUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND FROM THERE, I WOULD ALREADY HAVE A PRE-ARRANGED TRIP TO GET ONTO A PARATRANSIT BUS.
SO A PRE-ARRANGED, SCHEDULED TRIP TO GET ONTO A PARATRANSIT BUS.
AND FROM THERE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE CITY'S PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
SO IF THAT PERSON, AND, AND I'M, SO I'M ASKING THE QUESTION.
SO THAT PERSON IS PICKED UP FROM THEIR DOOR.
AND THEY ARE BROUGHT TO THE LIBRARY.
AND IS THAT A NO WAITING SITUATION? YES, WE WOULD HAVE, IT'S COORDINATED.
WE COORDINATED, IT'S COORDINATED.
NOW, THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS PERFECT.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND SAY THEY ARE, BUT THE INTENTION IS TO MAKE IT COORDINATED.
AND HERE'S THE QUESTION OF THE DAY.
WHY CAN'T WE GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS? SO I'M JUST ASKING.
SO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE WAS THE PARA TRANSIT BUSES WERE GOING TO THAT SPECIFIC AREA OF THE CITY AND TO, TO THAT BOUNDARY, UM, THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
AND I, I'VE SAID IT MANY TIMES, IT WAS A MISTAKE WE WERE MAKING.
THAT AREA IS NOT PART OF THE 80, THE CITY'S A DA PARATRANSIT BOUNDARY.
SO IT, IT NEVER, NEVER HAS BEEN, NEVER WAS.
BUT UM, THROUGH A, THROUGH AN ERROR, SOME INDIVIDUALS, SOME CITIZENS WERE PUT ONTO THE LIST OF QUALIFYING AND GOING TO THAT AREA.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS THE ISSUE AT, THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE AT HAND OF WHAT HAPPENED.
SO WE WOULD EITHER HAVE TO EXPAND THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE TO SERVE THAT ENTIRE AREA, WHICH WE JUST, FRANKLY, WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO AT THE MOMENT, UM, TO EXPAND THE SERVICE.
ANY, UM, FOR, REGARDLESS OF THE AREA THERE.
SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF VEHICLES, MANPOWER.
UM, IT'S NOT FUNDED TO DO THAT.
SO THE, SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE ROUTE SEVEN OVER THERE.
SO THE ROUTE SEVEN IS THE OPTION.
THE ADJUSTMENT I JUST EXPLAINED.
WE'VE MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE SO PEOPLE CAN STILL GET FROM THAT AREA OF THE CITY TO THE LIBRARY.
AND THEY STILL HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
SO WAS IT A VIOLATION OF A FEDERAL GUIDELINE THAT WE, WHAT WE WERE DOING, WERE WE VIOLATING A FEDERAL GUIDELINE? YES AND NO.
LET NOT SAY WE WERE VIOLATING A GUIDELINE.
THE, THE WAY WE WERE RUNNING THE SERVICE, IT WASN'T BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE UNFORTUNATELY HAD BEEN DENIED.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS AN ERA OF HOW THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE MAP.
SO YES, IT COULD BE BECAUSE YOU GET, IF YOU DO FOR ONE, YOU GOTTA DO FOR ALL.
THEY PUT SERVICE EQUITY, BUT, UM, WE WEREN'T PURPOSELY DOING IT.
IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL TO DO IT TO ANYBODY.
SO I DON'T WANNA GET UP HERE AND SAY WE ARE VIOLATING FELLOW GUIDELINES.
[02:00:01]
BUT, UM, NO, I, I THANK YOU.BUT, UM, THE ERROR WASN'T INTENTIONAL.
DENYING PEOPLE WASN'T INTENTIONAL.
IT WAS JUST AN ERROR AND WE HAD TO CLEAN IT UP.
BUT, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY WE LIGHTLY THE GUIDELINE 'CAUSE THERE WASN'T NOTHING INTENTIONAL THAT WAS BEING DONE.
THINGS HAPPEN AND ONCE YOU FIND IT, YOU CLEAN IT UP AND YOU, YOU MOVE FORWARD.
OKAY, I'M GONNA, I'M JUST WALK THIS DOWN BECAUSE I'M UPSET THAT WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO CITIZENS, THEY WERE BEING PICKED UP AND IT WAS TAKEN TO WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO.
YOU SENT A LETTER TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS SAYING THEY NO LONGER CAN DO IT.
THAT'S WHEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS STARTED CONTACTING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STARTED SAYING, I'M OUT OF ZONE, WHY I CAN'T GET PAID UP.
WE HAD A MEETING, IT WAS CONSENSUS.
THIS COUNCIL DIRECT, NOT DIRECTED, BUT WE JUST SAT, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AGAIN AND BRING IT BACK TO US.
YOU ALL SUGGESTED A WEEK OR TWO THE MAYOR SAY, NO, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME DONE, THEN WE GOING TO BE BEHIND.
30 DAYS CAME BY, YOU CAME BACK TO US AND YOU SAID, YES, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT.
NO, WE ARE NOT GONNA DEBATE HERE.
I'M SPEAKING NOW, AND I, AND I'LL LET YOU SPEAK.
YOU SAID YOU NEEDED TIME TO DO A BROCHURE AND READJUST THE ROUTES AND THAT'S WHEN WE LEFT.
SOMEONE ASKED HOW LONG IN THE REPLY WAS TWO WEEKS.
SO AFTER TWO WEEKS I STARTED GETTING CALLS.
I'M QUITE SURE EVERYBODY ELSE GOT CALLS THERE.
WE HAVE A RECEIVING THING, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? SO THE NEXT THING WE HEAR IS, OH, WE GOT IT FIXED.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PICKED UP AT THEIR HOUSES.
NOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK TO THE WALK AND CALL THING.
WE FIXED IT, WE GONNA PICK 'EM UP AT THE HOUSE.
YOU GONNA PICK 'EM UP, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO DROP 'EM AT THE LIBRARY FOR A TRANSFER.
AND YOU COVER THE PART THAT I WAS GOING TO COVER, BUT I'M JUST GONNA REPEAT IT.
IT IS NEVER GOING TO BE COORDINATED.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS AN APPOINTMENT AND THEY MISS IT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER, WE TALKING ABOUT DISABLED PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE SERVICE.
BUT IT WAS CONSENSUS TO US THAT WE WANTED IT FIXED.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A TRANSIT SPECIALIST, BUT I KNOW THAT WE COULD DEDICATE A VEHICLE EVEN IF THIS COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE PURCHASING A VEHICLE JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE.
YOU SEE, YOU SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER.
BUT WE CAN GET WHAT WE NEED AND WE COULD KEEP IT DOWN TO WHERE WE CAN AFFORD IT.
IT'S WHAT DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE? OUR WHOLE GOAL AND EXPECTATION IS A COUNCIL HAS BEEN RETURNING TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE IT WAS STOPPED.
SO IF WE WERE DOING IT BEFORE, IF WE WERE DOING IT BEFORE, I FIND IT SO OUTLANDISH THAT WE CAN'T FIND A WAY TO, TO DO IT AGAIN.
AND IF WE WERE DOING IT BEFORE, AND IS IT THE COUNCIL DESIRE THAT WE RETURNED IT, WHY HAVEN'T WE GOT SOMETHING BEFORE US THAT'S GOING TO HAVE US TO DO IT? BEFORE I TALKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT.
[02:05:01]
HE SAYS, WELL, WE GOT SOME BUSES DOWN.YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE SOME BUSES ARE DOWN, THEN WE CAN NOTIFY CITIZENS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA RETURN THIS CITIZEN.
I MEAN THIS SERVICE BACK TO WHERE IT WAS AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
AND I WANT YOU TO TELL ME THAT BECAUSE YOUR IDEAS IS STRICTLY WHAT YOU AS A DIRECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING TO US.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE US ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT DECISIONS ARE MADE HERE AND I AM NOT HAPPY THAT WE KEEP GETTING CALLS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE NEWS PEOPLE BEATING US UP FOR THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE.
AND I KNOW FROM LISTENING TO COUNCIL, WE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO HEAR WHY I CAN'T DO IT NO MORE.
I WANT TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, I THINK IT'S UP TO THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND NOT A DIRECTOR.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU TELL US, THAT'S FINE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO DO IT.
I PICK 'EM UP AND TAKE 'EM LIKE WE WERE DOING BEFORE, DO WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE AND WHENEVER WE DECIDE AND WHENEVER YOU SAY I CAN DO IT, PLEASE, LET'S DO IT.
LET'S NOT SAY SOMETHING AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
WE GOT CITIZENS, THIS IS NOT NEEDED.
WE, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO COME TO SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU HAVE TO TELL US THAT WHAT YOU NEED US TO DO, AND WE GOTTA EITHER TELL YOU WE GOING TO DO IT OR WE NOT GOING TO DO IT.
NOW WHEN WE SAY WE AIN'T DOING IT, THEN WHEN PEOPLE BEAT US UP, WE GOING TO BE READY FOR THE FIGHT.
BUT I'M NOT FIGHTING ANYMORE FOR SOMEBODY TELLING ME WHAT YOU CAN'T DO.
AND I HAVEN'T HAD AT LEAST A SAY IN IT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING, I WAS NOTICING THE BODY LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S HERE, THAT'S CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
AND I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR BODY LANGUAGE.
SO, BUT COUNCILMAN DEUCE SAID IT'S PRETTY MUCH COVERED EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD BE COVERING.
HE, HE DID, HE DID A WELL GOOD, HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB.
BUT, AND PUTTING IT, GIVE THEM BACK WHAT, WHAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD.
OH, YOU PRETENDING, UH, GIVE THEM BACK IF IT'S, THIS IS A HEALTH AND WELFARE.
THIS IS HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS.
THEY'LL HANDICAP AND DISABLED CITY MANAGER BRING TO US WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT YOU CITY MANAGER, AND THIS IS THE, I CONSIDER IT AN EMERGENCY HEALTH AND WELFARE.
LET'S GET, LET'S GET SOMETHING DONE SATISFIED WITH CITIZENS.
SO IF YOU DO THAT, THE BODY LANGUAGE WILL CHANGE.
YOU MENTIONED, I THINK, UM, BEFORE ABOUT THE STIPULATIONS OF WHAT IS PREVENTING US FROM BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDED BEFORE, EXCLUDING FUNDING.
I BELIEVE I REMEMBER YOU MENTIONING SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOUNDARIES.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC BOUNDARIES THAT ARE REGULATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THOSE BOUNDARIES, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA GET, I MEAN, I CAN EXPLAIN WHERE DOES THAT PART COME IN YOU? BUT IT'S GONNA GET, IT'S GONNA, AM I OKAY? IF YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN THAT, I'LL EXPLAIN IT.
WELL THEN IT'S, IT'S IN MY MIND IT'S A BIT CONVOLUTED.
SO OUTSIDE OF THE RESOURCES PART, WHICH, OKAY, SO LET ME TRY TO JUST, I'LL MAKE, TRY TO KEEP BABY SIMPLE BECAUSE IT IS MORE THAN ONE REASON AS TO WHY WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DID BEFORE.
SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES THAT WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF A FIXED ROUTE, DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN WHAT A FIXED ROUTE, LIKE A FIXED ROUTE IS, LIKE THE ROUTE 1, 2, 3 FIXED ROUTE BUS WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.
SO YOU BASICALLY WOULD PUT IT IN A
[02:10:01]
JS SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO.WE EXPAND, EXPANDED OUT WITHIN THAT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.
BUT THERE'S STILL SOME LITTLE PIECES TO EVEN THAT.
UM, BUT JUST TO KEEP IT GENERAL, WITHIN THAT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE, WE HAVE TO SERVE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
THERE'S A COUPLE EXCEPT EXCEPTIONS TO THAT OF COURSE.
UM, WITHIN THE RULES, THE REGULATIONS.
BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I THINK I WAS FIRST STATING THE THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE BOUNDARY RULE.
UM, THERE ARE PROVISIONS TO GOING OUTSIDE OF THAT.
UM, BUT OF COURSE THERE'S STILL RULES YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW AND GOING OUTSIDE OF THAT.
SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IT WHAT IS NEEDED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THOSE CUTOUT SPOTS WHERE SOME OF THESE RESIDENTS ARE LIVING THAT ARE NOT IN THAT THREEQUARTER MILE BOUNDARY.
AND IF WE CAN OVERCOME THOSE THINGS, TELL US WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH, SO THE, THE, THE CITY CAN MAKE A DECISION TO MAKE, UH, I SAID THIS LAST TIME, UM, TO EVERYBODY, THE CITY CAN MAKE A DECISION TO INVEST EVEN MORE FUNDS INTO THE CITY'S, UM, USING GENERAL FUNDS INTO THE CITY'S, UH, I'M GONNA SAY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET OUT OF SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS AND STUFF, IS YOU USE YOUR GENERAL FUNDS WITHIN YOUR GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, YOU BASE, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T DO WHATEVER YOU WANT OF COURSE.
BUT ALL THOSE REGULATIONS JUST GO AWAY.
AND WHEN YOU'RE AUDITED, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO A LOT.
HAVE WE RUN THE DATA TO TELL, TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEED? NO, I HAVE NOT.
IS CITY MANAGER IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE SO WE CAN KNOW HOW MUCH FUNDING NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO THE FOLLOWING BUDGET OR MAKE AN AMENDMENT SO THAT WE CAN NIP THIS IN THE BUD LIKE YESTERDAY.
BUT JUST, AND I, I, I CAN DO, IF THE CITY MANAGER HAS ME DO IT, I CAN DO IT.
BUT JUST SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, IT WOULD NOT JUST PROBABLY BE, UM, LIKE VISTA AREA.
WE HAVE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY TOO THAT WE DO NOT SERVE.
SO JUST, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER AREAS WE DON'T SERVE.
SO, UM, THERE'S A POTENTIAL IF YOU, LIKE I SAY, YOU DO FOR ONE, YOU DO FOR ALL YOU HAVE TO DO FOR ALL, JUST LET LET YOU KNOW.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD IDEA TO DO IT FOR ALL, BUT I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A POTENTIAL IF YOU DO IT FOR ONE MM-HMM.
WELL, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.
SO THAT WE CAN CREATE A PLAN YEAH.
EVEN IF WE DID THIS FUNDING, FUNDING THIS SECTION THIS YEAR, FUND THE NEXT SECTION.
BUT JUST SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW WHAT'S COMING.
THAT'S SOMETHING, IF THE CITY MANAGER HAS ME DO IT, I, I CAN, I CAN START LOOKING AT SOME NUMBERS AND SEEING WHAT I CAN PUT TOGETHER BASED ON OUR CURRENT, UM, OUR CURRENT COSTS PER MILE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I CAN LOOK AT STUFF LIKE THAT.
CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE REMARKS.
I'M LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE HEARING THE DISCUSSION AND HEARING WHAT THE DIRECTOR HAS SAID.
IVAN CLEARLY STATED THAT, UM, AND ADMITTED THAT WE HAVE INFRINGED FEDERAL LAW.
IT WAS A MISTAKE GOING AND THEN GOING OVER THE SERVICE THAT WAS BEING PROVIDED.
HE HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THAT MISTAKE.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT WE ARE MISSING HERE.
I HAVE COM I'M COMMITTED TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE BECAUSE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES TRI-ANNUAL REVIEWS, THE CITY WILL BE DINGED FOR THAT MISTAKE IF IT WAS DISCOVERED AND IT WAS NEVER CORRECTED.
IT WILL NOT ONLY BE DINGED FOR THE CURRENT FUNDING, BUT WE, IT'S LIKELY THAT WE BE ASKED TO PAY BACK TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO SCARE ANYBODY.
BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WHEN WE HAVE BEEN VISITED IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT DETECTED.
YOU GOTTA PAY BACK ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
HE HAVE ADMITTED THAT, WHICH IS GOOD AND IT'S IN THE PUBLIC IN HAVING SAID SO.
HE HAS TAKEN MEASURES, WE HAVE TAKEN MEASURES TO CORRECT IT AND TO BE EQUITABLE.
THIS IS THE WORD THAT WAS BEING USED TO BE EQUITABLE IN SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE CITY.
AND THAT HE HAS DONE, PEOPLE CONTINUED TO USE THE WORD THAT WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY.
THE OLD WAY WILL COST YOU MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF YOU GO BACK TO THE OLD WAY.
THE FACT IS, WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
[02:15:01]
THE SERVICE THAT IS NEEDED.ONE OR TWO PEOPLE MAY NOT BE SATISFIED WITH IT, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED.
SO I WILL MAKE SURE WHEN YOU CALL IN THE MORNING WITH THE NEW CHANGES THAT I HAVE IMPLEMENTED, HE'S NOT GOD.
SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN THAT MORNING.
I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A VEHICLE WAITING FOR YOU.
THE HURRICANE MIGHT STRIKE THAT MORNING.
LIGHTNING MAY STRIKE US THAT MORNING, BUT HE PROMISED.
I WILL MAKE SURE SOME OF US ARE JUST NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT.
SOME OF US ARE JUST NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT.
AND WE ARE ASKING TO EXPEND TENS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A CITY COUNCIL DECISION.
IF YOU SAY SO, I WILL BUDGET IT AND WE WILL PUT IT IN.
YES, I HEAR THE CITY MANAGER, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THE SAME TO YOU.
AS I SAID TO THE DIRECTOR, WHEN WE DISCUSS SOMETHING UP HERE AND WE ASK FOR SOMETHING, WE RESPECT IT, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUDGET IT.
WE COULD DIRECT YOU TO BUDGET IT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE NOT WORKING WITH THIS, BUT WE JUST WANT TO BE KNOWN THAT THERE'S WAYS, AND IF YOU BRING ME NUMBERS, I CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER WE WANT TO DO IT OR NOT.
AND I'M QUITE SURE ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FEEL THAT WAY.
BUT WHAT WE WANT ACCEPT IS A DECISION BEING MADE BY YOU OR THE STAFF TO TELL US.
THAT'S, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE GOING TO TAKE A BEATING, WE DESERVE A BEATING.
AND IF WE GONNA SPEND MONEY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND MONEY IN INAPPROPRIATE.
WE ARE NOT GONNA TRY TO DO IT.
AND AS FAR AS, UH, PAYING MONEY, NO, WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY NO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NO MONEY BECAUSE WE ALREADY REALIZE WHAT WE DONE, WHAT WE CAN'T DO.
SO WE NOT ASKING NOBODY TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S NOT EVEN IN THE CONVERSATION.
THE CONVERSATION IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WAS? AND WHEN YOU START BASING WHAT WE NEED BASED ON THE PROBABILITY, YES, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU DO IT FOR ONE, YOU GOTTA DO IT.
BUT IT'S THE OTHERS THAT GONNA COME ABOUT GONNA CREATE SUCH A PROBLEM FOR US.
AND LIKE I SAID, UH, THIS PAIR OF TRAFFIC, WHAT IF YOU HAD A VAN? WHAT IF WE HAD A VAN EQUIPPED FOR PARIS TRANSIT AND SOMEONE CALLED IT, IT WENT TO PICK THEM UP AND THEN IT TAKES THEM ON THEIR APPOINTMENT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE PAY FOR.
SEE? 'CAUSE I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOW.
I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SEE, THAT'S ONLY ONE SOLUTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT I EXPECT TO HEAR.
I DON'T EXPECT SOMEBODY TO TELL ME ONE I ONE WAY, AND THEN I GOTTA BUY IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING WHEN WE KEPT, YOU KEPT LEAVING THIS BRING SOMETHING I DIDN'T SAY, I DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE, THE, UH, THE VAN AT THAT TIME.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU HOW TO DO IT, BUT I KNOW THAT IF THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WAY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE ATTITUDE THAT YOU TAKE WHEN BRINGING THIS BEFORE US.
SEE, BECAUSE IF YOU TALKING BUS, WE DON'T NEED A BUS.
THEY GOT CITIES THAT PROVIDE THIS IN THE FORM OF VAN.
THEY HAVE VANS EQUIPPED FOR, FOR PARA FOR PAIR OF TRANSIT.
AND WHEN THEY CALL THE PA, THE THE VAN, THE VAN GOES DIRECTLY AND PICKS THEM UP AND TAKES THEM ON THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND BECAUSE WE PURCHASING IT, WE ARE NOT VIOLATING NO FEDERAL LAWS.
AM I RIGHT OR AM I WRONG? NO, YOU, YOU'RE ASKING ME THE YES.
AND LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THAT IN THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE WITH NOBODY, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND A SOLUTION AND WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO GET THAT SOLUTION.
BUT WE SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING BEFORE WE LEAVE TONIGHT.
BECAUSE THIS HAVE COME BACK HERE TOO MANY TIMES.
SO WHEN I ASKED WHAT IT TAKES, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I'M NOT, IT DON'T HAVE TO BE JUST BUSES
[02:20:04]
INVOLVED.IT COULD BE ONE VAN, ONE DRIVER, AND THAT'S THEIR SOLE MISSION IN LIFE.
RUN AROUND, PICK PEOPLE UP AND TAKE IT SOMEWHERE.
AND IF PUSH COME TO A SHOVE, TWO VANS, TWO DRIVERS.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THIS IS OUR CITIZENS.
THEY PAY TAXES AND WE CANNOT RELY ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
IF WE HAVE TO PAY, WE NEED TO PAY.
'CAUSE WHAT WE PAYING FOR IS NOT OUR MONEY IS THEIR MONEY.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU'VE DONE ANYTHING WRONG.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH BECAUSE THIS IS GOING ALONG TOO LONG AND WE, IT'S TOO MUCH BAD PUBLICITY FOR US.
WE COULD, WE COULD WORK THIS THING OUT.
IF WE, IF WE BOTH GOT THE SAME FOCUS AND WE WORKING TO SOLVE IT, WE GONNA DO IT.
BUT I WON'T ACCEPT, WE CAN'T OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NO, WE GOT MONEY.
THEY'RE THE ONE ASKING FOR THIS SERVICE.
I BET THE PERSON RIGHT, THAT, THAT POWER OF TRANSFER PROBABLY PAY TAXES.
AND IF THEY DON'T PAY TAXES, I KNOW WHEN THEY BUY SOMETHING, THEY PAY SALES TAX, WE GET THE SALES TAX, WE GET A PERCENTAGE OF IT BACK.
DON'T THINK THAT I FEEL YOU ARE NOT PROFICIENT AT WHAT YOU DO OR THAT YOU DON'T DO A GOOD JOB.
I'M JUST SAYING ON THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I THINK YOU KINDA NEED TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE IT IN.
THANK YOU MR. MITCHELL FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.
NEITHER DO WE HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE.
[III.E.(1) Discussion Regarding Alleged Criminal Activity At Prince Hall And Louis Manor (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
NOW TO THE SECTION FOR DISCUSSIONS.WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, UH, REGARDING ALLEGED, UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT PRINCE HALL AND LEWIS MANOR.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
UH, CITY MANAGER AT SOME POINT IN TIME TOMORROW YOU GET, YOU GET A BREAK.
I NEED TO MEET WITH YOU, THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
OKAY? I SAID I NEED TO MEET WITH Y'ALL SOMETIME.
OKAY? NOW I NEED TO WHO GONNA DO, WHO GONNA DO THE DISCUSSION? CHIEF OR HIS DESIGNEE? ANYTIME TODAY OR TONIGHT? NIGHT?
IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN LIKE THE LAST TIME, SIR.
WHAT YOU GOT FOR US ON LEWIS MANNING AND, AND CARPENTER? UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY? UH, WHAT WERE YOU ASKING FOR? WHAT WERE YOU ASKING FOR? THE FIGURES.
THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE RESPONDED TO THAT LOCATION.
UM, AT YOUR REQUEST, I REACHED OUT TO THE PORT ARTHUR HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH RIGHT.
THE TWO LOCATIONS THEY'RE PRIVATELY OWNED.
AS FAR AS LEWIS MANOR, WE RESPONDED TO LEWIS MANOR 144 TIMES SINCE JANUARY OF 2024.
HOW, HOW MANY CHARGES WAS FILED AND HOW MANY ARRESTS? I'M NOT SURE, UH, HOW MANY CHARGES WERE FILED, BUT WE HAD FOUR ARRESTS AT THAT LOCATION.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF, UH, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
WE HAD TWO AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, 11 ASSAULTS, TWO DEADLY CONDUCTS.
UM, FOUR PERSON WITH A GUN AND 12 SHOTS FIRED.
WHAT ABOUT PRINCE OLD? AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHY YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I TALK TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE AS FAR AWAY AS, AS AS GOWAY DRIVE.
AND AT NIGHT THEY LAY ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE OF THE BULLIES.
AND HERE THEY HEAR SHOTS FROM, FROM, FROM PRINCE HALL, AND THEY ADVISE THEIR KIDS THAT JUST LAY ON THE FLOOR OR SIT ON THE FLOOR.
NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THAT.
[02:25:01]
NOW, I GOT A PLAN THAT I OFFERED UP FIVE TO SIX YEARS AGO UNDER A COUPLE OF THE OTHER DIFFERENT CITY MANAGERS.THEY NEVER GOT AROUND THE IMPLEMENTED.
OKAY? BUT I NEED TO TALK WITH YOU TOMORROW.
CITY MANAGER AND THE FIRE CHIEF AT SOME POINT IN TIME AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, WE GOT SIX.
WE HAVE SIXLETS AND OUTLETS WITH SOME CROSSOVERS.
I WANT TO ISOLATE THOSE THINGS FROM THE, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
LIKE, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE THEM ONE WAY IN ON FOUR 13TH STREET.
AND THEY ONE WAY OUT ON 14TH STREET.
THAT'LL MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU ALL.
WHAT? YOU WON'T HAVE TO HAVE MORE EXTRA MANPOWER JUST IN CASE YOU'RE NEED IT.
THEY GOT ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
JUST GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY, COMING DOWN 15TH STREET AND LOOPING AROUND.
AND GOING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ON LINCOLN, THAT COMMUNITY NEED TO SHUT THAT DOWN.
NOW, WHAT WE CAN DO, AND I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, WE CAN PUT IN TEMPORARY BLOCKAGE.
WE CAN BLOCK STREETS, TEMP, TEMPORARY, TEMPORARY BARRICADES UP TO ONE YEAR.
AND AFTER ONE YEAR, WE HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO, TO ASK THE CITIZEN DO THEY WANNA MAKE IT PERMANENT OR DO THEY WANNA TAKE IT DOWN? THAT'S WHAT I'VE USED IN THE PAST.
SO WHAT YOU GOT AT PRINCE HALL, HOW MANY CALLS YOU GOT WITH, WITH THAT STATEMENT, SIR? I THINK WE REALLY DO NEED TO MEET TOMORROW.
WE, WE RESPONDED TO PRINCE HALL APARTMENTS 135 TIMES AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, UH, TWO TIMES, ASSAULT SEVEN TIMES, DEADLY CONDUCT FOUR TIMES FAMILY DIS DISTURBANCE, 14 TIMES A PERSON WITH A WEAPON OR, OR A KNIFE THREE TIMES.
AND WE HAD THREE, I THINK THREE ARRESTS AT THAT LOCATION OUTTA ALL OF THESE ACTIVITY ONLY MADE THREE ARRESTS.
WHAT KIND OF COOPERATION YOU GETTING OUT? MANAGEMENT, UH, MANAGEMENT IS VERY COOPERATIVE.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY THAT'S, UH, SUPPORTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND NOW PRINCIPAL WAS UNDER NEW MANAGER, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
AND I THINK HE SPOKE TO HIM THE OTHER NIGHT.
WELL, HE, HE CALLED ME, UH, A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND HE ASKED ME TO, MATTER OF FACT, HE MORE OR LESS TOLD ME TO TAKE IT OFF THE AGENDA.
AND I SAID, NO, YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
THE HE SAID, WHAT THAT, WHAT'S THAT GOING TO PROVE? I SAID, THE CITIZEN WANTS TO KNOW THE, WHAT COUNCIL IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THEIR SITUATION.
HE GOT THE ELDERLY PEOPLE OUT THERE.
THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS, HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AND PUT UP WITH THIS.
OKAY? THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS.
SO, AND I ALSO LET HIM KNOW THAT, UH, SHUTTING IT, TAKING THIS OFF THE AGENDA, NOT TO DISCUSS IT PUBLICLY.
AND HE SAID, I SAID, WHAT YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CHIEF? HE SAID, YES, I'M WORKING WITH THE CHIEF AND I'M DOING ALL THE THING THAT I CAN POSSIBLY DO WITH THE CHIEF.
I SAID, LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT YOU OFTEN, I DON'T PUT LIP LIPSTICK ON A PIG.
IT'S NOT GONNA IMPROVE THE PIG.
OKAY? WHAT? WE NEED SOMETHING CONCRETE.
WE NEED TO ISOLATE THOSE AREAS AND WHERE THEY CAN GO IN AND OUT ONLY WITH THE CAFETERIA.
AND ANOTHER THING IS THE CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEED TO BE DONE OUT THERE.
THE GRASS NEED TO BE CUT, GET YOUR CODE IN THE FENCE, NEED TO BE FIXED.
ALL THAT STUFF NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
NOW, SEWAGE BACKUPS, THEY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CITY SIDE AND THEY GOT PROBLEM TOO.
YOUR STAFF, THE STAFF TOLD ME TODAY, THAT IS NOT THE CITY'S PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS COMING FROM INSIDE SEWAGE, BACKING UP IN ALL THE, IN THE, IN SOME OF THE APARTMENTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
OKAY? WE NEED THOSE THINGS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THE NEW MANAGEMENT NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
HE, HE DID SEND A, AN EMAIL OF WHAT HIS PLANS ARE.
YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO READ THAT INTO THE RECORDS? THIS IS A RECORDED SESSION.
YEAH, HE SENT ME A YEAH, WE TALKED.
YEAH, WE TALKED, BUT WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE STARTING TOMORROW.
WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE AND I'LL GO OVER TO THE ISOLATION THE STREETS.
I'M GONNA ISOLATE WITH YOU ALL TOMORROW.
COUNCILMAN? UH, COUNCILMAN KENDALL.
UH, CHIEF, I, I DIDN'T GET THE NUMBERS ON PRINCE HALL, THE NUMBER, THE CALL, UH, RESPONSE CALLS.
WHAT WAS THE TOTAL? THAT PRINCE HALL.
AND THAT'S FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2024 TO 135 CALLS TO YESTERDAY, WHICH IS WHEN WE, UH, PULLED THE NUMBERS.
YOU SAID A HUNDRED FIFTY, THIRTY FIVE.
[02:30:01]
YOU, CHIEF.COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU NO, I WANT, I WANTED PUT A LIGHT BACK ON.
I WANTED YOU TO READ SOME OF WHAT THE PROPOSALS WERE FROM THE, UH, FROM THE MANAGER.
UM, HE CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HE TOLD US THAT HE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH US TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIFE, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE OVER IN PRINCE HALL.
HE SUBMITTED AN EMAIL, UH, LAST NIGHT, AND IN HIS EMAIL, HE SAYS HE IS GOING TO INSTALL NEW LED LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY.
HE'S GONNA HIRE OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICERS AND HAVE REACHED OUT ALREADY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO START RECRUITING THEM, WHICH, WHICH HE HAS.
HE'S GONNA EVICT PROBLEMATIC TENANTS AND ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP THEM SERVE EVICTION NOTICES.
HE SAID HE'S ALREADY CONTACTED A SECURITY COMPANY TO INSTALL CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY, AND THAT YOU SHOULD SEE THAT, OR WE SHOULD SEE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
AND THE SAME, THE SAME WITH THE LEWIS MANOR.
THE, THE, THE OWNER THAT'S VERY COOPERATIVE TOO.
HE, HE'S WILLING TO, UH, MAKE SOME CHANGES OUT THERE.
I'LL READ HIS LIST IF, IF IT PLEASES COUNSEL.
UH, THIS WAS SENT BY HIS LAWYER.
UM, THEY'RE SOURCING AND COMMENCEMENT OF IMPROVING LIGHTING AT THE PROPERTY.
CONTINUE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD WISE PROGRAM, SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ON MAKE READY UNITS TO TAKE BLIGHTED UNITS OFF THE NOT READY LIST.
REMOVAL OF PIT BULLDOGS FROM THE PROPERTY AS THEY WERE SECURITY HAZARDS AND POSTED NO DOG SIGNS.
CONTINUED CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ASKING US TO INCREASE PATROLS IN THAT AREA AND INVESTING IN A TASK FORCE GROUP TO, TO REACH THE YOUTH.
IS WHAT THE GENTLEMAN FROM LEWIS MANDER SAID HIS LAWYER? MM-HMM,
YOU WERE, YOU WERE CHIEF COUNCILMAN FRANK? NO, SIR.
SO COUNCILMAN LEWIS IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING A MEETING, UM, TOMORROW, ON TOMORROW.
CITY MANAGER WILL CITY MANAGER.
WILL YOU BE IN THAT MEETING TOMORROW? ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE TO, TO AS WELL SCHEDULE.
WHO WHO ARE YOU MEETING WITH ON TOMORROW? UM, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
I'VE CALLED, I WANT THE CHIEF OF POLICE THERE.
I WANT THE CITY MANAGER THERE.
BUT HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU CALLED THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PROPERTIES TO MEET WITH THEM AS WELL? NO, I'M GONNA MEET WITH THE STAFF.
WELL, WHEN DID I, I DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM MEETING WITH 'EM, BUT THEY ALREADY LINING UP WITH THE, THEY'RE PUTTING PROJECTS TOGETHER, PUTTING PROGRAMS TOGETHER TO WORK WITH THE CHIEF TO, TO COME IN.
HERE, HERE'S WHERE, HERE'S WHERE, HERE'S WHERE I, HERE'S WHAT I'M, I'M SAYING, I'M SAYING WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT FROM A PER PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT YOU EXPECT.
AND SO WE NEED A TIMELINE OF WHEN THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHEN THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO OCCUR, AS OPPOSED TO JUST GIVING A RANDOM LIST AND SAYING WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO DO.
I DON'T DIS I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, WE GONNA START TOMORROW AND WE GONNA WORK UNTIL WE GET IT ALL IN LINE.
AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE NO INTERMISSIONS OR, OR TAKING A BREAK.
WE'RE GOING TO STAY ON THIS FOR THE NEXT YEAR UNTIL THE BRAIN THAT THOSE PEOPLE, PRINCIPAL AND LEWIS MOUNT INTO SOME KIND OF COMPLIANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER STEP THAT WE CAN GO TO PUT 'EM ON A NUISANCE ORDINANCE.
UH, YOU KNOW, GOOD COUNCILMAN FRANK? OKAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, UM, WHEN WE MEET AND COUNCILMAN LEWIS, UM, IF WE HAVE THESE STATISTICS, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BACKING UP OF SEWER OUT THERE.
IT'S, IT'S A, UM, SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS THE TALL GRASS.
A VIOLATION OF THE CODE ORDINANCES.
I THINK YOU CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES OR WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES DIRECTLY WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGER.
YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CALL THE PROPERTY MANAGER IN THE CHIEF AND MYSELF AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE AND WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE AND WE CAN GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, A DAY OR TWO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND IF THEY PROVIDE US WITH A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, WE
[02:35:01]
WILL KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS.BUT IF IT'S ON THEIR SIDE, THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS IT
SO IT DOES MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE A MEETING FOR THAT.
AS I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO, THE FACT THAT IT'S ON THEIR SIDE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY REPORTED THAT IT'S NOT ON THE CITY SIDE.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS WHAT'S ON THE CITY SIDE, BUT IF IT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX OR WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ADDRESS IT.
UH, JUST TELL THEM, STOP FLUSHING WHAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FLUSHING DOWN THE TOILET
THAT'S ONLY WAY YOU COULD ADDRESS IT.
AND HE'S DONE THAT IN THE PAST.
UH, HE'S COME DOWN HERE ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS, MET WITH STAFF AND TALKED ABOUT MM-HMM.
SO I, I KNOW HE, HE'S WILLING TO DO IT, UH, NOW.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL WITH CHIEF TOO.
YOU DO NOT, WE DO NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION THAT WOULD INFRINGE ON HUD'S GUIDELINES.
WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS CLOSING OF CERTAIN STREETS AND SO ON, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, UM, HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES, YOU KNOW, UM, WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE CHIEF AND I TO REVIEW BEFORE WE EVEN MAKE A DECISION ON THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANNA DO TOMORROW.
WELL, AND I ALSO WANT FLO, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IN THAT MEETING.
THAT'S WHAT I FORGOT HER NAME.
BUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS AS FALLS ON THE, ON THE PUBLIC WORK.
WE'LL CALL YOU, WE'LL CALL YOU, CALL ME TOMORROW.
WE'LL CALL YOU, GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
ON THIS, AND THIS IS WHAT DISCUSSIONS I, WE'VE GONE 13 MINUTES.
WOULD YOU, UH, RECEIVE THE INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, THOSE WHOM HE ASKED, ASKED IF THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE, FIND OUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IF IT'S NOT TOMORROW, CLOSEST TIME TO TOMORROW, IT MIGHT BE NEXT MONDAY, WHICH WOULD BE THE CLOSEST TIME TO TOMORROW.
YOU CAN GET THESE INDIVIDUALS IN FOR A MEETING, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FROM THERE.
IS THAT GOOD? COMAN LEWIS? NOT, NOT, NOT A LONG DISCUSSION, YES OR NO? IS THAT GOOD? OKAY.
UH, SEE MEETINGS LAST LONG BECAUSE THE CHAIRPERSON ALLOWS IT TO LAST LONG.
IF YOU SEE WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO FOR THE PAST THREE HOURS, I'VE TRIED TO MOVE US AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHAT I'M CONTINUING TO DO.
NOW, THE NEXT ITEM OF T, THE NEXT ITEM, THE NEXT ITEM.
AND I'VE, IF I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOUR POINT OF HONOR, I DON'T HAVE TO, WANT ME TO RECOGNIZE THE POINT OF HONOR OR DOES THE GROUP WANNA CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING OF POINT OF MAYOR? WHAT IS YOUR POINT? WHAT'S YOUR POINT? NO, THANK YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? I COULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH BY NOW.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? MY POINT IS THE POINT.
BECAUSE THE CHAIR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT WHAT HE DOES.
I CAN REJECT IT, AND IF I DO, UNLESS SOMEONE APPEALS IT FROM THIS GROUP, I CAN MOVE ON.
I'VE READ IT AND I UNDERSTAND IT, HAVE TOTAL COMPREHENSION OF HOW IT GOES.
[III.E.(2) Discussion Regarding Vendors’ Participation In Port Arthur Projects (Requested By Councilmember Frank)]
WE ARE GOING TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS WE ARE GOING TO DO NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING VENDORS PARTICIPATION IN THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.UH, AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN FRANK.
UM, WE ARE, WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WITH ALL OF THE PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE GOING ON, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY, BUT EVEN MORE SO, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, WE ARE CURRENTLY SPENDING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS, PROJECTS HERE IN OUR CITY AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT A $67 MILLION, UH, PROJECT ON OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UH, THE $14 MILLION PROJECT FROM, UH, FOR THE WOODWORTH, UH, BOULEVARD PROJECT, $6 MILLION FOR THE ANIMAL CONTROL CENTER.
AND, UM, WE'VE ALREADY SPENT ABOUT $10 MILLION ON OUR BRAND SPANKING NEW, UH, PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE, WE ARE CONTINUALLY ASKING, UM, UH, THE, THE INDUSTRIES TO HIRE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.
AND ALL OF US ARE KEENLY, UH, SENSITIZED AND AWARE TO THE FACT THAT IN THE EVENINGS THERE IS A LINE OF PEOPLE WHO COME INTO, UH, LEAVING OUR CITY, WHO'VE BEEN IN OUR CITY WORKING.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE COGNIZANT
[02:40:01]
OF THE FACT THAT A LOT OF MONEY IS COMING INTO OUR CITY BEING SPENT IN, IN OUR CITY.BUT THE QUESTION HAS TO BE ASKED, HOW IS PORT ARTHUR BEING MADE BETTER BY ALL OF THIS MONEY THAT IS AROUND US AND, UH, BEING, UH, SPENT IN OUR CITY, ALL OF THIS MONEY? HOW IS IT, HOW IS IT AFFECTING US? WE LOOK AT THE, WE LOOK AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, IT'S AT 3.9, UM, UH, AND IT'S ABOUT THE SAME, UH, ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS 4.1, BUT YET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT 10.
WE HAVE A 10, UH, IN OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS GETTING TO PORT AUTHOR STAKEHOLDERS? HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE, UH, THAT THE CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE GIVING OUT ARE MAKING SURE THAT THESE MONIES ARE GETTING TO DBES, GETTING, UM, TO HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES AND GETTING UTILIZED BY MWBES THOSE MINORITY BUSINESSES AS WELL? WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR CITY, BUT HOW IS THIS RISING TIDE LIFTING OUR BOATS? AND IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS DONE WITH INTENTIONALITY.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE DONE BY ACCIDENT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE.
WE NEED TO, UH, HAVE OUR VENDORS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THESE, IN THESE PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE, UH, UH, UTILIZED, MAKING SURE THAT THE CONTRACTS, AND WE WANT TO TALK TO OUR ATTORNEY AS FAR AS THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEING CONCERNED.
TEXDOT HAS A 10% MINIMUM ON THEIR DBE PROGRAM.
HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT PORT ARTHUR STAKEHOLDERS, I TALKED TO, UH, JOE TAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO PARTNER TO ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY ARE, ARE, UH, OPERATING AND, AND FUNCTIONING AND PARTICIPATING, UH, IN THESE PROGRAMS. ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE CELEBRATED, THE ONE WHO'S BEEN A GREAT FRIEND OF PORT ARTHUR FOR OVER 29, 9 YEARS, UH, 20 YEARS NOW, HAS BEEN ELIZABETH CRAVENS.
AND SHE HAS BEEN AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO HAS SHOWN US WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SUPPORT, UH, BUSINESSES IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, UH, MID-AMERICAN CONTRACTORS.
BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE THRIVING, MORE INDIVIDUALS, UH, MORE, UH, ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE THRIVING.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT COUNCIL.
WE HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO ENSURE.
ANOTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO RAISE IN THIS DISCUSSION, AND THEN I'LL HEAR FROM YOU ALL.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE BIDDING PROCESSES THAT HAPPEN AND TRANSPIRE CASE IN POINT, WE HAD THE, WE HAD THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, UH, PROJECT THAT WAS BEHIND, UH, UH, NO, NO, NO.
THE PROJECT THAT WAS BEHIND, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PARKING LOT THAT WAS THERE WHEN WE HAD THAT DONE, UH, WE PAID WAY TOO MUCH TO HAVE THAT DONE WHEN WE COULD HAVE UTILIZED LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO DO THAT PROJECT.
WHAT HAPPENS IN TRANSPIRES IS COMPANIES COME IN AND BID THE PROJECT, AND THEN THEY TACK ON THEIR FEE ON TOP OF IT, SUBCONTRACT IT, AND THEN THEY'RE MAKING, THEY'RE CHARGING 20 TO 30 TO 40 TO 50% MORE ON THE PROJECT WHEN WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUR, UH, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE COMPANIES IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO DO IT.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS OF INCLUSION TO PUT OUR PEOPLE.
AND AND WHEN I SAY OUR PEOPLE, I MEAN CITIZENS, PEOPLE WITH ADDRESSES IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT HAS TO BE DONE WITH INTENTIONALITY.
I'LL SAY THIS AND THEN I'LL STEP ASIDE.
I, I, I'VE ALREADY USED THE STATEMENT, PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT YOU EXPECT.
AND WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL WILL COME AND ASK AND SAY, UM, WE GOT A PROJECT AND WE GOT ITEMS ON HERE TONIGHT WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO MAKE $800,000, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS GOING TO GO INTO THE
[02:45:01]
POCKETS OF STAKEHOLDERS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS AND TRANSPIRES? I I WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICES, UH, AND I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
UH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH NOTHING THAT YOU SAID, BUT WE HAVE A COMPLIANCE OFFICER.
YOU NEED TO GET A REPORT FROM OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICER AS WHAT IS BEING DONE AS FAR AS IN THE LIEU OF TAX CONTRACT.
AND THOSE, ALL THAT INFORMATION, OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICER, HE CAN PULL THAT TOGETHER AND REPORT ON THOSE MANUFACTURING JOBS.
NOW, FAR AS LOCAL VENDORS, WE GOT PURCHASING AGENTS DOWN, DOWN HERE IN CITY HALL, PURCHASING AGENT.
THAT PURCHASING AGENT NEEDS TO REPORT TO THE COUNCIL AS TO WHO'S BENEFITING FROM THESE PROJECTS.
I HAD THE SAME CONCERN, COUNCILMAN FRANK BROUGHT UP.
I, UH, BUT I MADE A MISSION NOW TO START LOOKING AT CONTRACTS VERY CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT, UH, INVOLVE FEDERAL FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING.
THERE MUST BE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THAT GOES TO MINORITY AND DBES AND WOMEN.
IT'S NOT IF YOU DO IT OR IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, IT'S A LAW.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO START LOOKING VERY CLOSE AT ON OUR CONTRACTS.
I WANT TO SEE WHERE THE MINORITY CON SUBCONTRACTOR IS LISTED.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THEY LIST THAT THAT'S PART OF THEIR CONTRACT.
THEY MUST IDENTIFY WHO THE MINORITY IS GOING TO BE.
IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL.
SO I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT A CONTRACT.
I DIDN'T BRING IT UP, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.
I'M, I'M GOING TO LOOK AT CONTRACTS AND I WON'T BE LOOKING FOR THAT.
IF IT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS, THEN I'M LOOKING FOR MINORITIES.
AND IF IT'S ALL DOLLARS, THEN I'M LOOKING AT, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE THAT CAN DO IT? OKAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, UH, MAYOR PRO TE THANK YOU MAYOR.
DO WE HAVE A PROCESS? 'CAUSE IF WE DO, I, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT IT.
TO WHERE WE ARE WORKING TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH THAT 10% THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES REQUIRE FOR DBES AND I, WITH OUR CONTRACTS, WE HAVE TO, AS LONG AS IT'S FEDERAL FUNDING, WE'VE GOT TO COMPLY WITH IT.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THOUGH, AS WELL, THAT WHATEVER HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU AS A BODY AND AS A COUNCIL, HAS TO BE PROPERLY VETTED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
YOU KNOW, UM, SO FROM WHAT I, ONE EXAMPLE, SEE, WE'RE NOT COMPLIANT WITH, UNLESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING IT CORRECTLY, WITH THE CURRENT, WITH SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA TODAY, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COMPLIANT.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL PASS MY DESK AND BRING AND BRING IT TO YOU WITHOUT IT BEING COMPLIANT WITH THE 10% DBE CONTRIBUTION, WHATEVER IS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS ARE CONCERNED, WE MAKE SURE THROUGH THE VETTING OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT.
SO WHETHER A CONTRACT IS BIDDED OR IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, AND WE GET TO CHOOSE THOSE, STILL HAVE TO MEET THOSE SAME REQUIREMENTS.
WHATEVER THE REQUIREMENT IS BY STATE LAW, WE DO, WE DO, WE COMPLY WITH IT.
AND THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF BEING FAIR AND EQUITABLE, IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF BEING LEGALLY COMPLIANT.
AND IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THE STATE LAW, STATE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES.
WE DO HAVE A POLICY ON, UM, ON PROCUREMENT THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL, AND IT'S BEEN OVERSEEN BY OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE, UM, COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE THE COUNCILMAN FRANK AND I HAVE HAD THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE, WE HAVE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, WE ARE TRYING TO BRIDGE THAT GAP BY WORKING WITH, UM, OUR LOCAL VENDORS ON THE 24TH OF THIS MONTH.
I THINK THAT WAS COUNCILOR D'S IDEA ON THE 24TH OF THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE AT THE CIVIC CENTER, UM, A, AN OPEN HOUSE FOR ALL PORT ARTHUR BUSINESSES, PORT ARTHUR.
[02:50:01]
ARTHUR ADDRESS TO, TO COME AND PARTICIPATE.AND THE, WE WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, WE WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE YOU AS A BUSINESS, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AS A MINORITY BUSINESS.
WHAT IT IS THAT, HOW CAN YOU DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF POFA? OKAY.
I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, AS COUNCILMAN FRANK SAID, AND ECHO BY COUNCILMAN DO, SAID THAT EVERY BUSINESS THAT IS REGISTERED HERE, THAT HAS A PHYSICAL ADDRESS IN THE CITY OF GU ARTHUR CAN SHARE IN THE LASHES THAT'S TAKING PLACE.
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING AROUND FROM THE CITY, THOUGH.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS BEING DONE.
AND WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
AND I UNDERSTAND, COUNCILMAN FRANK, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED AT THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, UM, TAKE A CUE FROM THAT TO MAKE SURE I TRULY, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THAT IS OUR INTENT, AND I DON'T WANNA BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, BUT THE PERCEPTION AND PERCEPTION CAN BE REALITY FOR SOME CITIZENS, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT THE INTENT.
BUT THE PERCEPTION HAS BEEN YOU CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE PIECE OF THE PIE TO A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS OR TO A PORT ARTHUR OWNED BUSINESS, AND YOU CAN CHECK THAT BOX AND WE'LL BE OKAY.
WE DON'T WANT OUR DBES OR PORT ARTHUR, UH, BUSINESSES TO GET CRUMBS OF THE PIE.
WE WANT THEM TO HAVE AN EQUITABLE PIECE OF THE PIE OR, OR, OR EVEN MINORITY BUSINESSES.
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN LED BY WOMEN FOR, UH, LET, LET'S TAKE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEING LED BY WOMEN AS A MINORITY BUSINESS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WOMEN HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS FAR AS IF WE ARE FOLLOWING FEDERAL GUIDELINES, THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO BID, YOU KNOW, ON, ON PROJECTS, LARGE PROJECTS, $20 MILLION PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, UH, ANOTHER ESTABLISHED BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF POFA DOES, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO GO, IT GOES THROUGH A VERY RIGOROUS VETTING PROCESS AS IS BEING LAID OUT BY BOTH STATE AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND FEDERAL PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES.
AND IT'S BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY, WE HAVE UPDATED OUR, OUR PROCUREMENT MANUAL, YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UPDATED OUR PROCUREMENT MANUAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE NO STUDENT UNTURNED.
THE, THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES OUT HERE THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TO ATTEND THAT WORKSHOP STILL AVAILABLE? YES, IT IS.
EVEN IF WE CLOSE, WE'LL OPEN IT AGAIN FOR PORT HALF A BUSINESSES.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, JUST A MOMENT IN CITY MANAGER AND ALL.
WE SPENT ABOUT 14 MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS ON THIS ITEM.
WHAT I CAN GATHER IS THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN, I MEAN, UH, CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY, IF WOULD WE BE IN, UH, ORDER, UH, REQUESTING A WORKSHOP FOR A COUNCIL SO THAT COUNCIL CAN BE PREPARED FOR IMPLEMENTATION? COUNCILMAN FRANK ON WHAT YOUR IDEA IS NOW WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE PROCUREMENT AS WELL AS OTHERS FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO LET US KNOW GOING FORWARD HOW WE CAN PUT OR PLACE THESE TENANTS OR ARTICLES IN A CONTRACT AS COUNCILMAN ETT WAS ACTUALLY SAYING THAT THEY WOULD BE PLACED IN A CONTRACT BEFORE WE LET THE CONTRACT.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE DISCUSSING SOMETHING AND WE ARE ALLUDING TO CONTRACTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN LIT AND THEY'VE BEEN LET, UNDER CERTAIN GUIDELINES, WE CAN'T GO BACK BECAUSE I THINK WE WOULD BE TOTALLY OUT OF, UH, UH, OUR LEGAL, UH, UH, REALMS. BUT GOING FORWARD, I BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, AND THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING THIS, COUNCILMAN, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS FROM SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ONCE YOU HAD EXPRESSED THIS AND ASKED HOW THEY WENT ABOUT DOING THIS AND MAKING THE NECESSARY, UH, CONCESSIONS IN THEIR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS.
IT WAS BASICALLY DONE WITH PROCUREMENT AND IN TOTAL ALIGNMENT WITH WHATEVER FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO WITH.
SO A WORKSHOP WOULD BE IN ORDER IF I'M, IF EVERYONE AGREES ON THIS AND, UH, AGAIN, TO USE COUNCILMAN LEWIS, TOMORROW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR US TO HAVE THIS.
NO, THAT JUST SHOWS THE URGENCY I BELIEVE IN WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
COUNCILMAN FRANK FOR ONE, ONE MINUTE.
JUST ONE, JUST ONE QUESTION, MAN.
THE QUESTION THAT I HAD TO ASK WAS THIS, IF THERE
[02:55:01]
IS A PROJECT THAT A CONTRACT HAS ALREADY BEEN SIGNED IN AND IT IS A VIABLE CONTRACT, BUT IT IS A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND CITY FUNDS, DOESN'T IT COME UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF FEDERAL PROB? BUT IF IT'S ALREADY SIGNED, BUT IT STILL COMES UNDER IT BE RETROACTIVE? I DON'T KNOW.WE AT SOMETHING FROM THE ATTORNEY.
THAT IS WHY I AM ASKING FOR A WORKSHOP.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN SIT HERE ALL NIGHT.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT 16 MINUTES AND 42 SECONDS ON THIS.
WE AREN'T GONNA GET ANY RESOLVE OUT OF THIS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN ANSWER IT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK A WORKSHOP WOULD BE IN ORDER.
WE CAN'T DO IT TOMORROW 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'D BE A MEETING WE'D HAVE TO POST.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FRANK FOR BRINGING THIS FOR, FOR US TO THE FOREFRONT.
AND WE WILL ALL WORK DILIGENTLY TO TRY WHAT DOMAN DO.
SAID, SAID THAT WORD FOR THE EVENING HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTATION TO IMPLEMENT THIS CONCEPT.
UH, OUR NEXT THING WOULD BE, UH, NUMBER
[III.E.(3) Discussion And Possible Action Regarding Paratransit Bus Status (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
THREE.HAVE WE SPOKEN ENOUGH ABOUT THAT, COUNCILMAN, THAT WE COULD FOREGO THIS? WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, WE TALKED A LOT, BUT DID WE GET ANYTHING RESOLVED AS TO WHAT TO EXPECT OR I WILL FOLLOW UP OR NEXT? YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THE COUNT, UH, CITY MANAGER HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN A DIRECTIVE THAT NEEDS IS GOING TO WORK WITH, UH, MR. UH, UH, MITCHELL.
SO, SO, SO, SO BASICALLY WE ALL WAS IN, IN LINE WITH GOING FORWARD AND YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT YEAH.
AND THEY'RE GONNA COME, HE'S GONNA COME BACK TO US WITH SOMETHING THAT'S HOPEFULLY IS DOABLE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I HAD IT ON THERE.
[III.E.(4) Discussion Regarding Length Of City Council Meetings (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
UH, DISCUSSION REGARDING THE LENGTH OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
AND THIS HAS MADE ME GO AND STUDY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, DEALING WITH TIME AND THE TIMELINESS OF MEETINGS AND THE ACTIONS OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE MEETING.
AND AS I SAID, IF I SIT HERE AND ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN, AN ATTORNEY, IT'LL JUST HAPPEN UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK.
AND AT THAT JUNCTURE WE HAVE TO NO, NO, NO.
JUST RECONVENE IN THE MORNING.
LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I LOOKED AT SOME MEETINGS AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MEETINGS.
I LOOKED AT MEETINGS FOR THE, BASED ON THE THREE COUNCILS THAT I SAT ON.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A THIRD GROUP OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I SAT WITH.
BUT, UH, WHAT WE JUST HAVE TO DO IS UNDERSTAND THE AGENDA AND HOW WE PRO GO THROUGH IT.
WE SPEND MORE TIME BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO OUR BUSINESS PORTION OF THIS AGENDA.
AND I THINK WE, UH, REALLY WANT TO GET OUR DISCUSSIONS IN AND WE WANT TO REALLY LET CITIZENS TALK.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE MULTIPLE SPEAKERS, THEN WE NEED TO ADHERE TO FIVE MINUTES.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE SHOULD LIMIT OUR QUESTIONS.
AND I ASK QUESTIONS SOMETIME I HAVE TO, BUT I'M GONNA KEEP THIS IN MIND FOR NOW.
'CAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE TUNED IN.
LET'S TALK ABOUT, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
IF WE GOT MORE THAN ONE PRESENTATION, THEN WE NEED TO LET THE PERSON KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU EXTENDED TIME BECAUSE YOU GOT A 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION.
SO WE LEAVE THERE AND WE GET INTO THE, UH, AWARDS, UH, PROCLAMATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE, IT'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA PROCLAMATION.
THAT MEANS THE MAYOR READS A PROCLAMATION.
THE MAYOR SAYS A FEW WORDS, BUT IT'S A PROCLAMATION, SOMEBODY BEING AWARDED.
ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, THEN WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
WE DON'T NEED EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTING ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CEREMONY.
IT'S AN O IT'S A PRESENTATION.
WE LOSE A LOT OF TIME, UH, IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
UH, AND THE OTHER THING IS STARTING THE MEETINGS ON TIME.
THOSE ARE THINGS I I, I KIND OF SEEN CONSISTENT WITH US.
AND THE, AND THE ONE THE MAYOR JUST ALLUDED TO WHEN HE SAID THE PRESIDING OFFICER, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA KEEP IT GOING.
BUT COUNCILMAN LEWIS, AND YOU ALL HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION TODAY, AND I THINK WHAT YOU SAID AND WHAT HE SAID IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
ANY MEMBER THAT STATES A POINT OF ORDER, EVERYONE STOP TALKING.
THE MAYOR, MAYOR, IF YOU WANT TO INTERRUPT SOMEONE, YOU SAY, POINT OF ORDER AND WE STOP TALKING AND YOU SAY,
[03:00:02]
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS LONG ENOUGH, WE MOVE ON.BECAUSE THE POINT OF ORDER DIRECTED TO SOMEONE WHO YOU GIVEN THE FLOOR, THAT PERSON THEN HAS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE OR NOT.
AND COUNCILMAN LEWIS SAID IT, UH, RIGHT.
HE SAID, WELL, IF WE'D DONE THE POINT OF ORDER, I'D HAVE SAID IT.
SO THOSE TYPE THINGS, WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF ORDER.
THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY, EVERYONE HAS TO USE POINT OF ORDER.
ONCE THE MAYOR IDENTIFY ONE OF US WITH THE FLOW, NO ONE INTERRUPTS US.
NOT EVEN THE MAYOR, UNLESS IT'S SAID, UNLESS YOU SAY POINT OF ORDER, AT WHICH TIME WE ENTERTAIN IT.
IF THE PERSON DOESN'T LIKE THE WAY THE MAYOR WROTE, THEN YOU ASK TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL, THEN WE DO A VOTE.
WHEN YOU APPEAL TO US, YOU TELL US WHAT YOU WANT.
YOU TELL US, I WISH TO CONTINUE, OR I WISH TO HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO WRAP UP WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS FIRST PORTION OF THIS MEETING.
'CAUSE NORMALLY WE GET TO LAST PART WHERE THE BUSINESS IS REALLY AT THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR REALLY START GOING, THEN HE LOSE HIS VOICE, HE GETS HUNGRY, HE GET READY TO GO.
SO WE ALL TALK ABOUT WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR HOURS.
SO I'M NOT SAYING ME ALL, I SAID I BROUGHT SOME THINGS UP THAT I OBSERVED WHILE WATCHING MEETINGS.
IT'S UP TO US TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
I THINK IF WE ALL KEEP THAT IN IN MIND, WE COULD START SHRINKING THIS MEETING IN THE, OKAY.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEVER WANT TO DO, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE DO, DO NOT WANNA RUSH THROUGH THESE AGENDAS.
WE MUST HAVE FULLY AND MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, MAYOR, IF THE, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIMIT YOUR RENT TIME, WE COULD GET OUTTA HERE A LOT QUICKER.
NO, MAYOR, LOOK, I'M, I'M CARRYING ON THE MEETING.
I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HIM SAY ANYTHING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY SECRETARY.
IS THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT FROM YOUR EXPERTISE WOULD HELP US TO LIMIT THIS TIME BY MANAGING HOW MANY SPEAKERS, HOW MANY PRESENTATIONS, HOW MANY ITEMS ARE ON THE AGENDA? HOW, HOW DO WE, HOW CAN WE CLEAN THAT PART UP? I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE DEFINITELY TIME SENSITIVE AND WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE WE ONLY MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK.
BUT AS FAR AS AGENDA ITEMS BEING ON THE AGENDA, THAT'S GOVERNED, UH, WHAT THE COUNCIL CAN PUT ON IS GOVERNED BY YOUR CHARTER, WHAT GOES ON AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUT IT ON.
AND THE CRITERIA FOR PUTTING IT ON.
WE HAVE IN THE PAST DONE THINGS LIKE FROM EVENING MEETINGS.
WE'VE LIMITED THE SPEAKERS BY ORDINANCE TO FIVE, WHICH WE HAD TONIGHT.
THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, BUT TO ME, WE RUN IT AS BEST WE CAN.
AND THE AGENDA FOLLOWS THE CHARTER OF WHAT YOU PUT ON.
EVERYBODY HAS A DEADLINE OF WHAT THEY REQUEST, AND IT GOES FROM THERE.
MAYBE WE CAN FIND THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I'M SPEAKING TO MY COWORKERS NOW.
MAYBE WE CAN FIND OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE THOSE ITEMS, ESPECIALLY DURING EVENING MEETINGS.
WHAT YOU SAID WAS IN THE CHARTER, NOT BY ORDINANCE, RIGHT? A PART OF THE CHARTER? NO, THAT, THAT PARTICULAR SO CHARTER TRAIN.
WHAT THE COUNCIL PUTS ON THE AGENDA AND THE DISCUSSIONS THAT FOLLOW IS IN YOUR RULES OF DECORUM THAT'S ATTACHED TO EVERY AGENDA.
UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND, UM, UM, AS WE'VE TRIED TO RESOLVE, HOW DO WE, UM, HOW DO WE MAKE MEETINGS SHORTER? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT MAKES MEETINGS LONGER, UH, AND I'M NOT ATTRIBUTING THIS TO ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHO ARE HERE, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST TRAININGS THAT YOU GET IS THAT, UM, THE PERSON WHO COMES TO A MEETING AND OPENS THEIR PACKET ON THE DAY OF THE MEETING IS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A TENDENCY TO MAKE THE MEETING LONG.
AND BY THAT, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THIS COUNCIL, WE WOULD GET OUR, WE'D GET OUR
[03:05:01]
MATERIAL ON FRIDAY EVENING, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A MEETING ON TUESDAY.ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I, I OFFERED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WAS TO CHANGE THAT SO THAT WE GET OUR MATERIAL A DAY EARLIER SO THAT WE COULD GO THROUGH THE PACKET, LOOK AT THE ITEMS, AND SO THAT WE COULD CALL THE CITY MANAGER AND GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR MATERIAL.
THERE ARE, IF I HAVE A QUESTION, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST ME.
IF I HAVE A QUESTION, I CALL THE CITY MANAGER, I GET THAT ANSWER.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH, THEN I BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND I BRING IT UP, I PULL IT OUT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, OR I TALK ABOUT IT WHERE IT IS.
AND IF IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIED OR INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN, I'LL PULL IT.
BUT IT WON'T CAUSE FIVE PEOPLE TO HAVE TO COME TO THE DA AND ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THE MEETING.
AND ALL I'M SAYING IS, I THINK IF WE COME TO MEETINGS PREPARED, WE CAN MAKE MEETINGS SHORTER.
COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, LER? YEAH.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE FOR YOUR COMMENT AS WELL.
BUT YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S WHAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE MAKE IT LONG.
UH, IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WE TURN IN, UH, DISCUSSION OR PRESENTATION INTO A DEBATE, AND THEN A COUNCIL MEMBER IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND AT AN AVERAGE OF SIX AND SEVEN MINUTES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT TIME ADDS UP WHEN YOU GOT SO MANY, YOU KNOW, ITEMS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO BE DISCUSSED.
SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING IN, CLEANING UP OUR MEETINGS, MAYBE WE ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, TWICE ON A, A SUBJECT THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE TIME.
UH, WE HAVE A CLOCK GIVE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD SPEAK AS LONG AS THEY WANT WANT, BUT HOWEVER, BE MINDFUL OF THE CITIZENS THAT'S OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S RIGHT AT NINE O'CLOCK AND WE STILL IS HA ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THE AGENDA.
SO IF WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, POLICE OUR OWN SELF UP AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY, OKAY, LOOK HERE GUYS, WE GOT TWO TIMES TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT.
IF IT'S SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, WE NEED TO JUST KIND OF ADHERE TO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WAS SHORTEN IT DOWN.
UM,
WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE UP A, A BUNCH OF TIME.
AND SO I, I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN KINLAW SAYS.
WE NEED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'RE SPEAKING THE AMOUNT OF, OF, OF TIMES THAT WE SPEAK ON A CERTAIN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UM, AND, AND IF YOU'VE SEEN ME AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I SPEAK, I SPEAK WHAT I'M GONNA SAY AND I SHUT UP.
I DON'T GO ON, I DON'T PONTIFICATE.
AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO TAKE, TAKE NOTE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
WE ALL GET OUR BOOKS JUST LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK SAID, WE GET 'EM ON THURSDAYS.
WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WE SHOULD HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GONNA SAY IS ALREADY UP HERE, OR YOU MAKE NOTES AND, AND YOU GET IT SAID AND YOU SAY IT ONCE, YOU DON'T REPEAT IT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND BEAT THE SAME DEAD HORSE AND YOU MOVE ON.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I'M SEEING.
WE ARE THE ONES, I'M TAKING MYSELF OUT BECAUSE I TRY NOT TO DO IT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE THE ONE THAT MAKES THESE MEETINGS LONG.
NOW, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS FOR ABOUT 12 MINUTES AND 23 SECONDS.
NOW WHAT WE, AND WHAT I HAVE ASCERTAINED IS THAT IN ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, AND UH, I THINK THIS IS NOT, I THINK I KNOW THIS IS WITH THE 12TH EDITION, UH, PUBLISHED IN 2020 THAT I HAVE BEFORE ME.
AND ON UH, PAGE, WELL NOT EVEN THE PAGE, BUT IN SECTION 43.8 DEALS WITH LENGTH AND NUMBER OF SPEECHES.
NOW I KNOW WE LIKE TO APPLY ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER FOR POINT OF ORDER.
WE LIKE TO APPLY ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER FOR ALL OTHER THINGS THE WAY MOTIONS ARE TAKEN.
SO, BUT IT IS, I BELIEVE UP TO THE, UH, CHAIRPERSON WHO I HAPPEN TO BE THE MAYOR.
SO I WOULD BE THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING, BUT I WOULD ALSO NEED ACTUAL COMPLIANCE AND, AND, AND THE BODY HERE, THE GOVERNING BODY.
I WOULD WANT YOU TO COMPLY WITH WHAT I WOULD BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT.
AND THAT WOULD BE THAT A MAXIMUM TIME WOULD BE SET FOR EACH SPEECH.
NOW, ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, AND WHAT I JUST CITED WOULD BE THAT A MEMBER HAVING OBTAINED THE FLOOR WHILE A DEBATE, UH, DEBATABLE MOTION IS IMMEDIATELY PENDING, CAN SPEAK NO LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES UNLESS HE OBTAINS THE CONSENT
[03:10:01]
OF THE ASSEMBLY.NOW 10 MINUTES TO MY, UH, SUMMATIONS A LONG TIME, BUT THIS IS WHAT ROBERT'S RULE SAYS.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ROBERT'S RULES, IT'S JUST ALMOST LIKE THE HOLY BIBLE.
YOU MIGHT LIKE SOME OF IT, BUT WHEN IT STARTS HURTING YOU, YOU DON'T REALLY LIKE THAT PART.
I DON'T LIKE THE 10 MINUTES, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT STATED HERE.
BUT IT ALSO SAYS WHEN A MEMBER'S TIME IS EXHAUSTED, THE CHAIR RISES.
WHICH MEANS THAT IN THIS POSITION, I DON'T HAVE TO PHYSICALLY STAND, BUT I CAN ASK A PERSON INTELLIGENTLY TO DISCONTINUE HIS OR HER SPEECH.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE SPOKEN LONG ENOUGH.
NOW THE CHAIR ALSO, AND I DID IT ON TODAY, I ASKED COUNCILMAN KEN LAW TO BEGIN THE TIMEKEEPING FOR ME.
SO NO ONE WOULD SAY THAT I'M JUST KEEPING TIME.
AND I LET DO, SAID, TALK LONGER THAN BAY BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE BAY OR I THE VICE VERSA.
YOU OKAY? NO, I JUST USE THAT AS AN ANALOGY.
HOWEVER, WITH IT HERE AND COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW EVEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE THING STAND UP SO WE COULD ALL SEE IT.
I WOULD EVEN ASK THAT WE WOULD EVEN COUNT CITY, UH, UH, A MANAGER.
WE WOULD EVEN, UH, INVEST INTO A TIME SYSTEM WHERE THE CLOCK COULD BE HERE.
IT COULD BE SEEN BY THE PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS THE LIGHTS.
I PARTICIPATED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON YESTERDAY, AND THERE WERE THREE LIGHTS, JUST LIKE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THE GREEN LIGHT, THE AMBER LIGHT AND THE RED LIGHT, RIGHT? WHEN YOU GET TO ONE MINUTE, THE AMBER LIGHT COMES ON.
WHEN YOU ARE PAST YOUR TIME, THE RED LIGHT.
AND THEN THERE WOULD EVEN BE A SOUND THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED AT THAT TIME THAT WOULD LET AN INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL KNOW THAT NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU ARE FROM ENDING, YOU MUST END AT THAT JUNCTURE.
THIS IS ALSO, AND THIS IS THE RIGHTS IN REGARD TO DEBATE OR NOT TRANSFERABLE.
IF YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES OR 10 MINUTES AND YOU ONLY USE TWO, YOU CAN'T TRANSFER YOUR TIME TO, OR I YIELD MY TIME TO COUNCILMAN DE SAID NO, IF I AM THROUGH, I AM COMPLETE.
AND THAT WOULD BE GOVERNED BY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN TO USE AS A RULE IN OUR MEETINGS.
I THINK THIS IS NOT, I THINK IT, BUT I KNOW IT, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE HOURS AND 33 MINUTES.
WE HAVE NOT EVEN ENTERED INTO ONE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE IT, HAVE WE? NO.
OR ONE ORDINANCE, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
NOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE IMPOSED UPON THE TIME OF SOME CITIZENS, SOME CONSTITUENCY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD TO STAY AS LONG AS THE MAYOR.
I'M COMPELLED TO STAY WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME ONCE IT WAS DISCUSSED OR WHATEVER THEY HAD AN AFFINITY FOR.
THEY HAVE EXCUSED THEMSELVES FROM THIS MEETING.
YET, IF YOU WERE HERE FOR AN ORDINANCE OR A RESOLUTION, YOU ARE STILL HERE, WHICH I THINK IS AN UNFAIR IMPOSITION UPON YOUR TIME.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND I THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
I WILL BEGIN TO STUDY THIS AS I HAVE AND GET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BE SURE THAT WHAT I AM IMPLEMENTING OR IMPOSING IS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE ACTUAL LAW THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND CITY.
I BELIEVE THAT ON PRESENTATIONS WE SHOULDN'T HAVE NO MORE THAN TWO.
'CAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU 20 MINUTES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 40 MINUTES RIGHT THERE.
THEN IF EACH PERSON IS GOING TO GET 10 MINUTES TO DISCUSS THAT, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF RIGHT THERE.
IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD INTRIGUE MEMBERS TO BEGIN TO DISCUSS.
SO I BELIEVE IF WE WOULD BEGIN TO SAY THAT NO MATTER WHEN THE MEETING IS, MORNING OR EVENING, THERE WOULD ONLY BE TWO PRESENTATIONS.
AND FOR SPEAKERS THERE WOULD ONLY BE TWO SPEAKERS.
IF WE DID THAT, WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT ONE HOUR IN THE MEETING RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN IF THE PERSON HAS, UH, UH, AN AFFINITY OR SOMETHING THAT HE OR SHE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WHATEVER MEETING A POSITION IS AVAILABLE.
WHAT WE HAVE IN PORT ARTHUR, EVERY TIME A PERSON CALLS, WE JUST PUT 'EM ON.
AND THAT, I THINK IS ACTUALLY BEING SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS.
BUT WHAT IT IS NOT DOING IS BEING SENSITIVE TO THE TIMES
[03:15:01]
OF THE COUNCILPERSONS OR OTHER CITIZENS WHO WOULD COME TO ATTEND THE MEETING FOR KNOWLEDGE SAKE.SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WOULD BELIEVE BEING THE CHAIRPERSON OF THIS GROUP, I BEGIN TO WORK WITH YOU, CITY SECRETARY, WITH THE HELP OF THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE WE ALL WORK IN CONCERT, PUTTING TOGETHER THE AGENDAS, AND WE ARE JUST GONNA BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE AGENDAS AND THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME WILL BE SPENT IF WE ARE HERE LONGER THAN THREE OR FOUR HOURS.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE, YOUR ABILITY TO LISTEN.
OKAY, SO I'M JUST HERE KICKING UP DUST, SWINGING MY LEGS AND JUST BEING HERE BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROPER THING TO DO.
YOU SAYING, BECAUSE I WANT TO GET TO THE POINT ABOUT THE DIRT WHERE IT'S OVER.
SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE WILL BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS.
SO WE THANK YOU AGAIN AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE NIGHT BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY GOT ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF.
I BET YOU NEXT MONTH IT WON'T BE LIKE THIS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCILMAN? YOU BROUGHT IT UP, MAN.
YOU SAID DON'T WANNA HAVE NOTHING TO SAY.
I HAD TO STAND UP Y'ALL FOR MY LEGS.
I, OH, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP ON THIS DISCUSSION, SIR? NO.
WOULD YOU COME UP TO THE MIC, PLEASE? SO IT IT CAN RECORD YOU.
YOU HAVE TO COME UP SO IT CAN RECORD YOU.
NO, I THOUGHT YOU, I THOUGHT YOU REALLY HAD SOMETHING TO SAY GOOD ENOUGH.
UH, NOW WHAT WE'LL DO IS MY LIFE BEEN ON? OH, OH, I THOUGHT YOU JUST LEFT IT ON MOST SAMUEL'S WHAT YOU DO? I'M VERY SORRY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE GOTTA BE MINDFUL OF, WE, WE DON'T RUSH THE TAX BILLS BUSY.
NOW, THE SECOND THING WE USED TO MEET THE, THE, THE AGENDA IS SHORT.
WE, WE BROUGHT, BROUGHT ABOUT THE, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THAT'S NOW WE ONLY MEET TWICE A WEEK.
AND THE ONLY PEOPLE OUT HERE COMPLAINING IS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I NEVER HAD ANYBODY COME UP TO ME AND COMPLAIN AND SAY THAT THE, THE MEETING IS TOO LONG.
IF THEY, IF THEY GOT AN, IF THEY GOT AN I, YOU A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU, YOU GOT A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU GOT A, YOU GOT A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT A PROBLEM.
YOU WERE VOLUNTEERED TO COME DOWN HERE, LET HIM, YOU VOLUNTEERED TO COME DOWN HERE.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S BOTHERING YOU TO STAY HERE AND TAKE CARE OF TAX, TAX BILLS BUSINESS IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, GO HOME AND STAY THERE.
NOW THE NEXT, UH, ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS WE ARE GOING TO GO TO PAGE FOUR.
NOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PRINTED AGENDA, I THINK A CITY SECRETARY, I AM, I AM FLOORING CORRECTLY ON I, OKAY.
AND, UH, ON PAGE FOUR, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY OTHER ITEMS OR ANY ITEMS RATHER OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
UH, AND NOW THIS ACTUALLY TELLS YOU THAT IT'S LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES PER A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE ON THE PRINTED AGENDA, BUT WE REALLY SAY ALMOST WE USE THE FUNERAL RULE ON YOU.
AND THEN DON'T USE THE, DON'T USE, AND I'M NOT BEING FUNNY OR FACETIOUS, BUT DON'T USE THE BLACK BAPTIST BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THE CLOCK.
Y'ALL ONLY CATCH THAT WHEN WE GET ON IN THE FUNERAL.
SO ANYONE HAS ANY ITEM OF COMMUNITY INTEREST? GO AHEAD.
NO, WE'RE NOT ON THE, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
NO, I THOUGHT YOU WAS PAST THAT.
YOU SEE, I'M TRYING TO TAKE Y'ALL SEE IN.
OKAY, NOW, UH,
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
UH, BILLONE ITEM OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IS THE NAACP, THE NATIONAL NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE WILL HAVE A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE ON, UM, APRIL 13TH FROM TWO TO 5:00 PM AT, UM, BARBARA JACKET PARK, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS GILLUM CIRCLE.
AND ALSO, PLEASE CONTACT IF ANY PORT ARTHUR BUSINESS IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE VENDOR WORKSHOP.
THE FLYERS STATE THAT REGISTRATION CLOSED ON APRIL 5TH.
HOWEVER, TODAY THE CITY MANAGER SAID, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CALL SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, BE REGISTERED.
ANYONE ELSE? AND, UH, JUST AS A MATTER OF REITERATION, THIS FAIR HOUSING SUMMIT ON NEXT TUESDAY,
[03:20:01]
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, MISS, UH, UH, IS ACTUALLY DR.UH, DIMITRI MCCAIN OF, UH, WHO IS ONE OF THE UNDER SECRETARIES, UH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ACTUALLY IN, UH, HUD.
AND SHE'S GONNA BE HERE IN OUR FAIR CITY.
AND IF YOU ALL AVAILABLE, UH, IF IS, UH, I THINK, WELL, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE RECEPTION THAT'S UP AT, AT THE, UH, CARL PARKING CENTER.
THIS, THIS IS THE ONE FOR THAT TALKS ABOUT THE NEXT DAY IN BEAUMONT.
I, I PICKED IT UP AND GOT CAUGHT UP ALL THE TIME.
NOW, UH, IF THERE ARE BE ANYMORE ITEMS, WE HAVE AN UNFINISHED, UH, BUSINESS ITEM.
AND COUNCILMAN DUC SAID GO AHEAD ON THAT.
HE SAID FIVE 30, UH, NEXT TUESDAY AT THE, UH, CAR PARK CENTER.
UH, AND YOU, EVERYONE IN PORT ARTHUR AND YOU ALL ARE ALL INVITED TO IT.
[VI.(1) P.R. No. 23680 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Special Road Use And Indemnity Agreement And Permit With Kirk Thomas]
DEUCEY, WE HAVE AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM, PR NUMBER 23 6 80, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A SPECIAL ROAD USE AND, UH, INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AND PERMIT WITH, UH, KIRK THOMAS.I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT.
I YOU WANNA MOVE? GOTTA PUT ON THE FLOOR.
YOU WANNA MOVE THAT? WE WOULD, WE WOULD, WE WOULD SECOND.
UH, MOVING SECOND IS ON THE FLOOR.
I MOVED THAT, UH, RELU PR NUMBER 23 6 80 A RESOLUTION, RISE CITY MAN INTO A SPECIAL ROAD USE AND IDENTITY AGREEMENT AND PERMIT WITH KIRK THOMAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.
AND SECOND, UH, THAT WE WILL REMOVE THIS ITEM FROM THE AGENDA.
THAT BEING ACTUALLY COMING A SECOND, WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON IT FIRST.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTIONS ON ANY QUESTIONS OR WE ALL IN FAVOR OF REMOVAL? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES I HAVING? SO THIS ORDERED, AND I BELIEVE THAT JUST KILLS THE OTHER PART OF THE MOTION.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.CONSENT AGENDA IS ACTUALLY ITEMS OF A ROUTINE NATURE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE.
AND THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY BEEN FURNISHED WITH SOME OF THE BACKGROUND ON THESE ITEMS. IF THERE WOULD BE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE, UH, HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY, PLEASE GIVE ME THE, UH, PAGE AND, AND ITEM NUMBER.
ANY OTHER ITEMS? ANY OTHER ITEMS? ANY OTHER ITEMS? MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEM TWO ON PAGE SIX AND ITEM UH, SIX ON PAGE SEVEN.
WAIT, YOU SAID PAGE EIGHT, WHICH ONE? 15, 16.
THERE WAS A RESOLUTION ON CONSENT THAT SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE WANTED TO SPEAK TO.
I GAVE YOU THE NUMBER EARLIER.
UH, RESOLUTION ON PAGE EIGHT, NUMBER 12.
I'M SORRY, I, I'M JUST LOOKING AT, AT, AT, AT MY NOTES.
UH, CAN YOU, CAN YOU GRAB IT FOR ME? ACTUALLY, THIS ONE, TAKE THAT FOR ME AND JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
AND, AND ON THIS ONE WE WON'T NEED TO DO, DO IT INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? YOU HAD ANOTHER ONE.
MAY I GET A MOTION NOW TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS NUMBER TWO ON PAGE SIX? ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE SEVEN, ITEM NUMBER 12 ON PAGE EIGHT.
MAYOR, EXCUSE ME, I MISSED THAT ONE.
AND ALSO ON PAGE EIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 15.
UH, MAY I GET A, UH, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SOME MOVED SECOND.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE, THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE STATED ITEMS. READY FOR QUESTION AND THE QUESTION READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
HAVE, SO IN THIS ORDER, WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA NOW WITH THE EXCLUSION
[03:25:01]
OF THE ITEM THAT WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS NOW.AND IF I RETURN TO PAGE SIX AND YOU AS WELL, UH, ITEM NUMBER
[VII.(2) P.R. No. 23602 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Amend The Professional Engineering Services Agreement With Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC, (AWC) Of Port Arthur, Texas To Include Construction Management Services Associated With The Woodworth Streetscape Improvements Project From Lakeshore Drive To State Highway 87 (Gulfway Drive), Increasing The Original Contract Amount By $448,493.00 To A New Contract Amount Not To Exceed $831,903.00. Funding Is Available In The Street Capital Fund Account No. 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000. Project No. ST4014-ENG.]
TWO, WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 6 0 2 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, L-L-C-A-W-C OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE WOODWORK, UH, STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FROM, UH, LAKE SHORE DRIVE TO STATE HIGHWAY 87 GULF DRIVE, INCREASING THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT BY $448,493 TO A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, $831,903.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET CAPITAL FUND.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 3 8 5 7 0 0.
AND MORE SUCCINCTLY, PROJECT NUMBER T 4 0 1 14 ENGINEERING, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? SO MOVED.
MOVE THEN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE IT.
UH, WE'RE READY FOR, UH, QUESTION.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? WE DEALING WITH ITEM NUMBER TWO RIGHT ON PAGE SIX? YES SIR.
I'M, I'M, I PULL THIS ITEM FOR PURPOSE.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STREETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND, AND I'M VOTING AGAINST IT.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
UH, THIS ITEM, WE HAD A MEMORANDUM FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ADDRESSING THIS ONE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, DID WE SEND OUT FOR RFQ? YEAH.
YOU SAID YOU'RE ASKING IF THEY DID? YES.
WELL, BECAUSE, BECAUSE HE RFQ.
JUST, JUST, BUT HE, THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION, THAT'S, THAT'S THE MEMO.
OH, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE MEMO? YEAH, THE MEMO AROUND THAT'S INCLUDED.
AND THAT'S FROM, THAT'S YOU WANT TO, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.
YOU WANT TO GET HIM? WHOEVER GONNA DO IT.
WE EVER GOING TO ANSWER IT BECAUSE SHE PUT A, SHE PUT A MEMO IN HERE.
UM, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY DID THE ENGINEERING CONTRACT, THE, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT WAS PART OF THAT RFQ.
BUT DUE TO FUNDING SOURCES NOT BEING AT TIME, THEY ONLY DECIDED TO DO THE, UM, ENGINEERING PORTION.
BUT THEN NOW THE FUNDING HAS COME, NOW THEY WANT TO INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PORTION.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S, SHE HAD HERE IN THIS MEMORANDUM.
BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT, THEN ALL YOU HAD IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FOR THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN.
THAT'S WHAT THIS, IT WAS IN THE BID? YES.
THAT'S WHAT THIS, THAT'S WHAT THIS, THAT'S WHAT THIS MEMO SAYS.
SO, AND THIS WAS ON THE 29TH OF FEBRUARY.
SO WE HAD PLE ENOUGH TIME TO GO OUT AND ASK TO REQUEST AN RFQ.
SO WHY DIDN'T WE DIDN'T, I MEAN, WHY WE DIDN'T, WELL WE DIDN'T DO IT 'CAUSE WE ALREADY HAD R FQ THAT WE DID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
LIKE I SAY, WHEN WE DID THE ORIGINAL RFQ, IT INCLUDED THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
SO WHEN THEY EVALUATED AND AWARDED IT TO THE COMPANY, IT, IT WAS FOR BOTH SERVICES.
BUT WHEN THEY CAME TIME TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE, THE COST FOR DOING EVERYTHING WAS SO ASTRONOMICAL, THEY DECIDED ONLY TO DO THE DESIGN, THE ENGINEERING, UH, PORTION.
BUT ONCE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING CAME IN, NOW THEY WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
SO IT WASN'T JUST ENGINEERING WHEN IT ORIGINALLY DID IT, IT JUST DECIDED JUST TO CONTRACT THAT PART OUT.
'CAUSE THE MEMORANDUM THAT I WAS READING IN THE BACKGROUND SAID THAT IN THE ORIGINAL ONE, IN THE ORIGINAL BID, THEY, THEY HAVE IT LISTED HERE WHERE IT WAS FOR ENGINEERING ONLY.
DID YOU, DID YOU SEE THAT? WELL, I MEAN THEY, DID YOU SEE THAT THEY WERE SELECTED AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING? ONLY DUE TO THE FUNDING.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BIDED, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PORTION OF THE EVALUATION WAS PART OF WHY THAT PERSON WAS PICKED.
IT'S JUST THAT WHEN YOU KNOW HOW YOU GO COME BACK TO NEGOTIATE, WHEN THEY NEGOTIATED THE PRICE WAS JUST TOO HIGH FOR 'EM.
SO IT WAS DECIDED BY THAT DEPARTMENT JUST TO AWARD 'EM, JUST THE ENGINEERING PORTION AND COME BACK LATER AND DO IT.
AND NOW WE ARE AT THE LATER PORTION.
CLEAR MM-HMM,
[03:30:01]
THAT WAS SIGNED, IT WAS SIGNED ONLY FOR ENGINEERING.THE CONTRACT WAS, BUT AGAIN, THE BID WHEN THEY EVALUATED WAS ON BOTH PORTIONS.
THEY ONLY DECIDED TO AWARD FOR MONEY REASONS ONE PORTION.
SO, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT WASN'T, THAT IT WAS JUST BIDED FOR ENGINEERING.
WE DID, AND THEN WE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO ADD CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT WAS PART OF THE BID ITSELF, AND IT'S PART OF THE EVALUATION.
IT'S JUST THAT WHEN THEY WENT TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICING, THEY FELT THAT THE MONEY WAS TOO HIGH AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE FUND.
SO THEY DECIDED TO COME BACK AND DO IT LATER.
WELL I'M NOT GONNA HOLD, HOLD THIS UP.
I'LL CHECK IT OUT MAR, BUT ONE MORE QUESTION ON THAT ONE BEFORE WE LEAVE IT.
LET'S GO TO THE MANAGEMENT PORTION.
AND THIS ONE IS GONNA BE FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
CLIFF, THAT'S, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON.
THIS QUESTION IS CITY MANAGER.
I'M LOOKING AT THIS, UH, CONTRACT, UH, OF 400 AND SOME THOUSAND 400 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MANAGE THIS PROJECT.
THEN WHEN I GO TO THE SCOPE, OKAY, I LOOK AT THE, THE SCOPE AS BEING ASSISTED CITY IN CONDUCTING RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE, ATTEND THE PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING, ATTEND CONSTRUCTION, ME PROGRESS MEETING FOR THE PROJECT, PROVIDE A FULL-TIME, UH, EIGHT HOUR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH MEANS, UH, 40 HOURS A WEEK, BUT HE AIN'T GONNA BE OUT EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
HE'S JUST GONNA BE INSPECTING ASSISTED CIVIC IN PUBLIC MEETINGS IS REQUIRED.
ASSIST US IN PUBLIC MEETING THAT'S REQUIRED.
REVIEW AND APPROVE CONSTRUCTIONS, SUBMITTALS, REVIEW AND RESPOND.
OUR, UH, UH, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
COORDINATE UTILITIES WITH PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK, CORRECT AND DESIGN ERRORS AND PAY DISCREPANCIES AND ADJUSTMENT NECESSARY.
PREPARE MONTHLY PAY REQUESTS FOR CITY APPROVAL, PREPARE CHANGE, ORDER REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION OF CITY APPROVAL.
PREPARE FOR, I'M READING ALL OF THESE SCOPES AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE NOT MANAGING THIS PROJECT FOR 400 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WITH ENGINEERS AND A STAFF.
AND WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS, WE NEED TO BE DOING THEM IN ORDER TO STAY ON TOP OF THE PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T NEED TO COME IN HERE AND, AND BRIEF OFF US ON, ON THE PROGRESS.
THAT'S WHAT STAFF SHOULD BE DOING.
THAT'S WHAT WE PAY STAFF TO DO.
I JUST, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT OUR ENGINEERS AND STAFF SHOULD NOT DO.
DUDE, I WAS, WE NEVER HAD SO MANY MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS AS I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD SOMEBODY IN ENGINEERING OR SOMEBODY WOULD GO OUT AND ENSURE THAT THESE JOBS ARE BEING DONE.
'CAUSE THIS, EVEN THEIR INSPECTORS DON'T STAY AT THE SITE.
THEY JUST GO OUT PERIODICALLY AND ENSURE THAT IT'S MEETING THE SPECIFICATION AND THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND FOR SOME REASON, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE JUST CONTINUOUSLY GET MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS.
AND THIS IS 480 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, TO JUST GO OUT THERE AND ENSURE THAT BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS GOING TO DO THE WORK, THE CONTRACTOR IS THE ONE THAT'S GONNA DO THE WORK.
THE CONTRACTOR HAS THE SPECIFICATIONS AND EVERYTHING.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION, RON, IS WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY 400 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS ONE? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW.
SO WHAT'S UP WITH, WELL, UH, I WISH WE HAD THE ENGINEER HERE, UM, JOHN CONELLO, WHO IS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, BUT, UM, COUNCILOR DOUCETTE, WE, JOHN CONELLO IS OUR ENGINEER ASSIGNED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
CITY'S ONLY ONE ENGINEER ASSIGNED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT.
WE DO HAVE OTHER ENGINEERS AS IS ASSIGNED TO THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WHO WORKS SPECIFICALLY ON THE UTILITIES PART OF IT.
HAVING SAID THIS, WE HAVE ENGINEERS WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE KIND OF SUPERVISION THAT IS NECESSARY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS BECAUSE WE ARE UNDERTAKING SEVERAL OTHER
[03:35:01]
PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, OUR CONTRACTORS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE, UM, VARIOUS CONTRACTS THAT ARE THERE TO, IN ORDER TO DELIVER QUALITY WORK.YOU KNOW, SO THAT IS PART OF THE QUALITY CONTROL THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET VALUE FOR OUR MONEY, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THOSE ARE CONCERNED.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE, THE CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, STICK WITH THE ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS AS IS OUTLINED.
WE HAVE JOHN, YOU WANNA COME? JOHN? YEAH.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, I AM ONE THAT OBJECTS TO THE TIME OF THESE MEETINGS.
I HAVE A FAMILY AT HOME AND I'D LIKE TO BE, UH, BE HOME RIGHT NOW, BUT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, I'M HERE LISTENING TO ALL THIS AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER COUNCILMAN DUC SAID'S QUESTION.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW UNDER CONTRACT, $108 MILLION WORTH OF WORK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS EVER HAD THAT MUCH WORK GOING ON.
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COVER THESE JOBS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HIRING CONSULTANTS.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I ASKED A QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO COME UP AND TELL ME WHY.
I MEAN, YOU COME OUT LIKE I'M SAYING, LIKE NO, I ASK THE QUESTION AND I ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE I WANNA KNOW IF WE GONNA PAY 480 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PAY THE 400 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
WHEN YOU TELL ME WE GOT MAJOR PROBLEMS, I MEAN, PROJECTS GOING ON AND RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T DO IT.
MM-HMM,
AND, AND SO, AND THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO HIRE EMPLOYEES, BUT TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THE CITY'S NOT GONNA HAVE THIS KIND OF WORK.
SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD RECOMMEND USING CONSULTANTS TO GET THESE PROJECTS BUILT.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OTHER UNREADINESS READY TO VOTE.
NONE OPPOSED I KNOW, BUT THE EYES HAD IT.
YEAH, BUT YOU DID HEAR WHAT I SAID.
BUT I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
NOW WE HAVE ON PAGE, EXCUSE ME, SEVEN, ITEM
[VII.(6) P.R. No. 23661 – A Resolution Authorizing The Acceptance Of A Request For Proposal Response From Selim Kiralp, LLC For The Leasing Of Two Buildings Inside The Gated Pleasure Island Marina And Further Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate Said Lease]
NUMBER SIX.IT IS PR NUMBER, UH, 2 3 6 61.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL RESPONSE FROM, UH, SEAL, UH,
PLEASURE ALLEN MARINA, AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE THE SAID LEASE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND MOVE.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 6 61.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? THANK YOU.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS ON THE AGENDA PREMATURELY.
UH, THERE ARE SOME OPEN DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD AS A COUNCIL THAT I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE RESOLVED WITH REGARD TO THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB, UH, AND THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD TABLE P NUMBER 23 6 61.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES, SIR? THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
WHAT ARE THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES? OH.
HE'S ASKING ABOUT THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
WELL, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS ABOUT OUR, UM, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB, AND WE'VE GOT SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON HOW WE WANTED TO GO FORWARD WITH, WITH THEM IF WE WANTED TO GO FORWARD WITH THEM.
UH, I JUST THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF UNRESOLVED ISSUES AND THIS IS PREMATURELY ON THE AGENDA.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS WE DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED AS A COUNCIL TO LOOK OUT TO DECIDE IF WE WANT TO ACCEPT, UH, THIS PROPOSAL OR NOT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL THAT WAS MADE BY, UH, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT RESPONDED TO THE RFP.
SO I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS PREMATURE ON THE AGENDA.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, I MEAN, MAYOR PRO, I TELL YOU, LIGHT IS ON.
I'D LIKE TO CITY MANAGER IF IT'S OKAY TO ASK MR. DAVIS TO COME FORWARD TO MAYBE
[03:40:01]
BE ABLE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.MR. DAVIS, YOU'RE SAYING SHED LIGHT, WE GONNA BE, UH, SPECIFIC? I WAS SAY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, EXCUSE ME.
THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES THAT, THAT THAT, OKAY.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE? MR. DAVIS IN PARTICULAR, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE ADDITIONAL UNRESOLVED ISSUES? NO, I, I DON'T KNOW.
IF YOU ASK ME A QUESTION, I CAN ANSWER IT LIKE A SPECIFIC QUESTION I CAN ANSWER.
NO, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE IN THE DISCUSSION PERIOD.
I'M SAYING SHE HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION I CAN ANSWER, ANSWER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN MEETING.
SHE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT IN THE MEETING.
THE STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS NEEDED AND QUESTIONS HADN'T BEEN ANSWERED.
REGARD AS FAR, FAR AS THE RFP WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.
THE PROPOSAL WAS GIVEN THE MATRIX, BUT FOR THE DETAILS WAS NEEDED REGARDING THE MATRIX.
UM, IN NOVEMBER, THE SAME PROPOSAL THAT YOU GUYS SAW LAST TIME, HE JUST RESUBMITTED IT THIS TIME.
AND THE REASON THAT IT WASN'T IN THE PACKET IS BECAUSE, UM, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE IT ALL BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT WAS IN THERE.
BUT IF YOU GUYS NEED THAT INFORMATION AGAIN, WE CAN GET IT TO YOU.
IT'S, IT'S ONLINE FROM THE NOVEMBER 7TH, UH, MEETING WHEN WE REJECTED IT.
CAN YOU SAY, MADAM, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OH, I DIDN'T SEE YOU LEG COUNCIL.
NORMALLY AND THAT'S TRUE AND THAT'S FACTUAL.
BUT WHEN WE WE'RE ASKED TO APPROVE SOME ON THE DAY, WE, WE HAVE THE BACKGROUND, SO, YOU KNOW, NOVEMBER, NO, WE HAD SO MANY MEETINGS.
BUT WE HAVE NO NOTATION TO SAY LOOK BACK FOR NOVEMBER AND TO GET THE RESUBMISSION OF A PROPOSAL.
I READ IT AND THAT'S, I ASKED YOU A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, A SIDEBAR.
I HAVE THE BACKGROUND, BUT THERE'S NO INDICATION TO SAY, HEY, GO BACK TO NOVEMBER AND LOOK AT THE RESUBMISSION OF THE PROPOSAL FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
NO, IT, IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THEY, THEY JUST TOOK IT OUT BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT WAS IN IT.
BUT I CAN, AGAIN, IF YOU GUYS NEEDED IT AGAIN, WE COULD SEND IT TO YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT YOU COULD REVIEW IT.
AND THIS IS ONLY FOR THE BUILDINGS, REMEMBER? YES.
AND WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE TWO THAT WE'LL SEND TO YOU GUYS.
ANY OTHER UN READINESS ON THIS? OKAY, NOW WE, I, MY LIGHT IS STILL ON.
WHEN WE DISCUSSED, UH, THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE YACHT CLUB AND THE POTENTIAL OF RENEWING THAT LEASE AGREEMENT, HE WAS NOT PRIVY TO THAT.
THAT IS STILL AN OPEN CONVERSATION THAT WE NEVER HAD A FINAL DISCUSSION AS TO WHAT OUR INTENTIONS WERE WITH THE YACHT CLUB.
THAT'S WHY I WAS GONNA CARRY THE MOTION, UH, TO WAS, UH, REMOVE THIS FOR RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE MOTION THAT WE HAD.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET US GET A, I STILL FOR EXPEDIT TIME AGAIN, THERE'S A MOTION.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REHASH IT BECAUSE IT WAS A MOTION TO TABLE.
WAS IT NOT THE TABLE? I JUST USE THE WRONG TERMINOLOGY.
ARE WE STILL IN THE DISCUSS DISCUSSION PHASE? 'CAUSE I STILL HAVE BEG POINT.
ARE WE STILL IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE? I STILL HAVE MY LIGHT ON.
SO MY, UM, THIS IS TO THE, UM, DIRECTLY TO THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB.
I ASKED FOR INFORMATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED BACK IN LIKE THE 1970S WHEN THE INITIAL CONTRACT, UM, WAS INITIATED OF WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE YACHT CLUB IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SPACE.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ALSO HAD THIS LIST SO THAT WE COULD BE COMPLIANT WITH THAT.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHAT I'VE SEEN, ONE OF THE THINGS ON HERE, IT'S NOT EVEN ABLE TO COMPLY WITH BECAUSE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR DOESN'T HAVE A BOY SCOUTS, UM, GROUP, BUT THERE'S A LIST OF ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS LEASE AGREEMENT.
AND IT WAS ALSO PROVIDED INFORMATION PROVIDED THAT THE YACHT CLUB WOULD RECEIVE THE ACCESS TO THE BUILDING FOR THIS DISCOUNTED RATE BECAUSE OF THE NONPROFIT STATUS.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
AND SO A FAIR MARKET RATE FOR THE YACHT CLUB WOULD BE REQUIRED, THE, UM, LEASE WOULD BE REQUIRED POINT OF ORDER BECAUSE IT IS ISN'T ONE.
OKAY, NOW YES, YOUR, YOUR YOUR POINT OF ORDER MA'AM.
I MADE A MOTION TO TABLE AND NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO DISCUSSION ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT A PART OF THIS.
WELL TAKEN NOW ON THE GROUP FOR THE GROUP, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR,
[03:45:01]
UH, SENTIMENTS ON THE DISCUSSION, ENSUING DISCUSSION AND, AND, AND TO, OR ACTUALLY BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE POINT OF ORDER.THE POINT OF ORDER WOULD ACTUALLY SEND US BACK TO THE ACTUAL TAKING OF THE VOTE.
SO WOULD YOU ALL CASH YOU ALLOW MAYOR, APPROACH HIM TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION? OR WOULD YOU WANT TO MOVE TO TAKING A VOTE? THE LATTER.
I MEAN, I'M JUST, YOU JUST TELL ME THE LATTER.
THE LATTER IS TO TAKE THE VOTE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DISCONTINUE YOUR DISCUSSION, MA'AM.
AND THIS, UH, UH, PARTICULAR ITEM IS TABLED UNTIL THE NEXT, SO THE SECRETARY HAS A CONCERN.
THAT'S ALL I WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? HMM? I DIDN'T HEAR.
I CAN'T HEAR, I CAN'T WHAT SHE SAID.
YEAH, THEY GOT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT GLASS.
AND THEN I GOT A HEARING CHALLENGE.
Y'ALL BETTER BUY SOME BETTER BATTERIES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? DO YOU NEED A ROLL CALL? YEAH.
NO, THERE WAS ONLY ONE NO VOTE.
I MEAN, I, THERE WAS, HMM, ONE.
ALRIGHT, SEE WE TOOK ALL THAT TIME.
THAT WAS FIVE MORE MINUTES RIGHT THERE.
ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S GO TO PAGE EIGHT.
[VII.(12) P.R. No. 23687 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Patriot Security Of Nederland, Texas For Security Guard Services For The Health Department In The Projected Budgetary Amount Of $50,000.00; Funds Available In The Health Department’s Transition Account, Project BU0006.OTH, Account 307-21-049-8512-00-10-000]
ITEM NUMBER TWO THREE, I MEAN A PR NUMBER 23, UH, 6 87.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH PATRIOT SIX, SECURITY OF NEEDLE IN TEXAS FOR THE SECURITY GUARD SERVICES FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $50,000.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S TRANSITION ACCOUNT PROJECT BU 0 0 0 6 POINT OTH ACCOUNT.
DASH 21 DASH 0 4 9 DASH 8 5 2 0 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVE OF COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? MOVE? MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN? FRANK? MAYOR.
MAYOR, WE'RE READY FOR A QUESTION ON THIS.
I WAS, I WAS ON, I WAS ON THE ROLL.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, UH, BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT THIS IS THE, UH, AN INCORRECT ACCOUNT NUMBER.
SO COULD WE AMEND THIS MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SUBJECT TO THE CORRECTION OF THE CORRECT.
DO I NEED TO CORRECT A CORRECT ACCOUNT NUMBER? OKAY.
WHAT, UH, CITY SECRETARY YOU HAVE THE, THE, THE CORRECT ACCOUNT NUMBER ON THIS? NO SIR, I DON'T, UM, THE MOTION HE RECOMMENDED WAS SUBJECT TO SUBJECT CORRECTION OF INSERT OF RESOLUTION.
NOW I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WAS HERE.
MAYBE THEY'RE GONE NOW BECAUSE NO ONE HAS STOOD UP WHEN WE CALLED THAT NUMBER OUT.
RIGHT? YOU HAVE THE NAME ON YOUR NOTE.
MAYOR, YOU HAVE THE NAME ON YOUR NOTE BE GAVE YOU.
THAT, THAT INDIVIDUAL ISN'T HERE.
WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS? SO WE, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS AMEND THE, UH, YES, THE MOTION, YOUR MOTION SUBJECT TO THE INSERTION OF THE CORRECT ACCOUNT NUMBER.
OKAY? SO WHEN WE CAN UPDATE, I NEED TO DO ANOTHER MOTION TO AMEND, AMEND YES TO AMEND IT.
ALRIGHT, I'LL MAKE A, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND PROPOSED RESOLUTION 23 6 87.
UH, THAT THE RIGHT ACCOUNT NUMBER BE CORRECTED AND THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION BE APPROVED AS READ.
CAN I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD AMEND THE ACCOUNT NUMBER ON PR NUMBER 23 6 8 7.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDING THE ACCOUNT NUMBER, ANY OPPOSES AS HAVE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THE ACCOUNT NUMBER AMENDED.
NOW WE REMAIN MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 6 8 7.
AND WE WERE, YOU SAY, SO MOVED.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN, UH, MOVED SECOND AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD AMEND THE, UH, UH, RESOLUTION.
ARE WE READY? TION, DURING ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR?
[03:50:01]
AYE.ANY OPPOSES AS HAVING? SO THIS ORDER, WE HAVE AMENDED.
I, I MEAN APPROVED THAT, THAT, UH, PARTICULAR, UH, RESOLUTION.
NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION NUMBER, UH,
[VII.(15) P.R. No. 23690 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Apply For The Fiscal Year 2024 Texas Department Of Transportation “Click It Or Ticket” Program]
WELL ITEM NUMBER 15 AND IT'S RESOLUTION NUMBER, UH, 23 6 9.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPLY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
WE'RE, UH, MAY GET MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SO WHO MAY GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SECOND MAYOR, IT IS MOVED.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 6 9 AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILWOMAN EVERFI, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THIS PROGRAM.
WELL CHIEF, Y'ALL CAN GO BACK AND LISTEN TO IT LATER, BUT I'M ASKING FOR THIS TO BE PART CITY MANAGER.
I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE DOING A LITTLE FELLOWSHIP RIGHT NOW.
UH, UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM AS A QUESTION FOR YOU? NOT A QUESTION, JUST A REQUEST.
I'M ASKING FOR THE CLICK IT OR TICKET TO BE PUBLICIZED.
I'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THERE WERE STREET SIGNS AVAILABLE SHOWING THAT WE ARE PART OF THIS PROGRAM TO HELP DECREASE IN THOSE, UM, IN THOSE COSTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PART OF THE GRANT OR NOT, BUT IF SO, CAN WE PLEASE MAKE THAT CONSIDERATION? YES MA'AM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN DEUCE YOUR LIGHT WITH IS ON.
WE GOOD? ALL NOW? WE READY? VOTE.
SO THIS ORDER WE APPROVED, UH, P NUMBER 23 6 9 0.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23685 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Port Arthur Police Chief Advisory Committee (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton Everfield) ]
WE WILL GO OVER TO PAGE, UH, 10, I THINK IT IS.PAGE 10 FOR THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
AND WE HAVE THE FIRST ITEM, ITEM NUMBER ONE ON PAGE 10, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 6 85.
IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND A REAPPOINTED A MEMBER TO THE, UH, A MEMBERS TO THE, UH, PORT ARTHUR POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND IT'S GONNA BE REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL, UH, WOMAN MAYOR PRO TEM HAMILTON HAVE A FIELD.
YOU HAVE THE NAMES ALREADY? NO, SIR.
I BELIEVE SHE WAS GONNA PROVIDE THEM HERSELF.
ROY, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY, ONLY NAME? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE, UH, THE MO WELL LET GET A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. CLAY ROY, UH, UH, TO WITH PR 23 6 85.
UH, MAY I GET MOTION? COUNCILMAN? UH, ETT? MAY I GET A SECOND? OH WAIT, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
I WANT, I HAVE A NAME FOR THE POLICE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER STRETCHERS? OKAY.
UH, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING, RIGHT? SO MOVED.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL ALL IN FAVOR? OH, WAIT A MINUTE.
ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE HAVE THOSE TWO NEW INDIVIDUALS FOR THE CHIEF'S, UH, ADVISORY, UH, BOARD.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23697 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Woolpert, Inc. Of Houston, Texas To Provide Professional Engineering Design And Bid Services For The Improvements Of Two Bridges For $178,818.40. Funds Will Be Available In The Capital Improvements Fund Account, 307-21-053- 8517-00-10-000, With $91,622.00 Allocated From Project Number BR0001.DES And $87,196.00 Allocated From Project Number BR0002.DES, Upon Approval Of PO 7240]
WE HAVE PR NUMBER 23 6 9 7.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER YOUR CONTRACT WITH WALPERT INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, TEXAS TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING DESIGN AND BID SERVICES FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS OF TWO BRIDGES FOR 178,800 AND, UH, $18 AND 40 CENTS FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND ACCOUNT.
3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 5 3 8 5 7 0 0 0 0 WITH $91,622 ALLOWED FOR THE PROJECT AROUND FOUR PROJECT NUMBER B 0 0 1 POINT DES AND $87,196 ALLOCATED FOR A PRO, UH, FROM BROTHER PROJECT, UH, NUMBER BR 0 0 0 0 0 2 DS UPON APPROVAL OF PO 72 40.
SO THAT'S GONNA COME IN A MINUTE, RIGHT? WELL WE ARE, OH YEAH.
THAT'S GONNA COME IN A MINUTE.
SO WITH THAT, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION APPROVAL.
UH, MAYOR PROTE SECOND IF MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 6 9 7 WITH THE CONTINGENCY OF, OF APPROVING PR NUMBER 72, UH, 40.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[03:55:01]
APPROVED.[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 23705 – A Resolution Authorizing Appointing A Member Or Members To The Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone TIRZ #1 Board]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, PR NUMBER 23 7 0 5.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING, UH, THE APPOINTMENT OF A MEMBER OR MEMBERSHIP DOWNTOWN TAX, UH, INCREMENT, UH, REINVESTMENT ZONE.
UH, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS.
UH, AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, UH, I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY THE CITY SECRETARY, UH, IF WE CAN REMOVE THIS ITEM UNTIL WE GET A LEGAL OPINION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING PROPERLY, OKAY.
FOR THAT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
MAYOR, UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 0 5 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND APPOINTMENT OF THE MEMBERS TO THE MEMBERS TO THE DOWNTOWN TAX INCREMENT RED INVESTMENT ZONE.
CHARGE NUMBER ONE, BE REMOVED AT THIS TIME UNTIL WE GET A LEGAL OPINION.
AND WE WILL REMOVE PR NUMBER 20 KID 3 7 0 5 UNTIL LEGAL OPINION HAS BEEN OBTAINED.
FOR THAT, WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION.
ANY QUESTION? ORDER COUNCILMAN FRANK WOULD LIKE TO JUST ON.
SO IT IS ORDERED PR 23 7 0 5 WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7231 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of Surplus Furniture & Minor Equipment Through Renee Bates Auctioneers, Inc & Technology Equipment Through Global Asset, LLC]
ON TO PAGE 11.UNDER ORDINANCE SAYS WE HAVE ITEM, UH, SECTION B, UH, NUMBER ONE PO NUMBER 72 31 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SURPLUS FURNITURE AND MINOR EQUIPMENT THROUGH RENEE BATES AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT THROUGH GLOBAL ASSET LLC.
A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KENDALL.
SO MOVE MAYOR I A SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK IS A MOVED SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 31 AS PRESENTED.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
SO WE WILL NOW APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 31 AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(2) P. O. No. 7234 – An Ordinance Amending The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Changing The Zoning From Medium Density Residential (MDR) To Planned Development District – 43 (PD-43) On Approximately 0.7245-Acre Of Land Consisting Of Tracts 5-A And 7-A, Block 498, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date.]
HAVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, PO NUMBER 72 34 IN ORDER IS AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY CHANGING THE ZONING FROM MEDIUM DENSITY, UH, TO A RESIDENTIAL MDR TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 43, PD 43 ON APPROXIMATELY 73.UH, A POINT 73 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF TRACKS FIVE A AND SEVEN EIGHT BLOCK 4 98 PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT TO NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATION IS PERMITTED TO EXIST SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDE IN FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE.
AND IT WILL BE Z 24 DASH ZERO ONE, VIVIAN BALLOU, AND THEN NEN.
AND, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? UH, KEN LOCK.
SO MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES.
IF THE MOVE AND SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 34 AS PRESENTED.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM.
AND SECOND THAT WE WILL TABLE ITEM PO 72 34 AS PRESENTED.
WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION ON THE TABLE TABLING.
OFFICER ITEM COUNCILMAN LEWIS, WHAT'S THE TABLE THEN? YOU'RE A YOU'RE ASKING COUNCIL BECK ASK WHY I'M TABLING IT.
UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS MATTER.
DOES THAT, UH, CLARIFY YOUR, UH, PERSON COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS, UH, THE DISCRE? WHAT IS THE DISCREPANCY? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS PROPERTY WAS ZONED COMMERCIAL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THAT IT'S OH, YES.
AT AT, AT SOME POINT IT WAS CHANGED TO COM, UH, TO RESIDENTIAL 2022 WAS CHANGED.
AND, AND IT WAS, IT WAS DONE NOT ACCORDING TO THE PROPER PROCEDURE, IS WHAT I'VE BEEN INFORMED.
UH, COUNTY CITY MANAGER, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, MAYOR, UM, BEFORE I KNOW WE HAD CITY SECRETARY, WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, QUESTION OF, UM, COUNCILMAN BECKHAM'S CONCERNS, I THINK WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS HERE
[04:00:01]
WHO COULD ADDRESS THAT AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK, UH, WE HAVE A CON SELECTION MEMO THAT, UM, STAFF HAS PREPARED HERE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, GO RIGHT HERE.
UM, FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, THAT WAS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
STAFF DID GO BACK TO RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF THIS PROPERTY PRIOR TO 20 2022.
UM, THE PROPERTY WAS IN FACT ZONED AS INDUSTRIAL WHEN STAFF ENGAGED THE FIRM PRECINCT NICHOLS TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CHANGE FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ONE OF THE RECOMME RECOMMENDATIONS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, UM, WAS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY ALONG THAT THOROUGHFARE BEGINNING AT GUFF WAY DRIVE ENDING AT, I BELIEVE IT MAY BE, UH, SIXTH STREET OR, UM, REVEREND RANSOM HOWARD STREET TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
AT THAT TIME, UM, PUBLICATION FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CHANGE WAS, UM, PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT THROUGH THE WATER BILLS OF ALL, UM, ACCOUNT HOLDERS WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT WAS ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE, UM, THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
UM, WE PROVIDED A MAP VIEWER AS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT SHOWED WHAT THE CURRENT EXISTING ZONING WAS, AS WELL AS THE, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES FOR ZONING.
BUT AGAIN, THIS WAS A COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO THOSE ARE HANDLED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT YOU WOULD DO.
WHAT WE SEE HERE TODAY, WHICH IS A ZONING AMENDMENT.
THE ZONING AMENDMENT DOES FOLLOW CHAPTER TWO 11.007 OF TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND TWO 11.006 OF TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH, UM, STATES THAT, UM, NOTICES, UM, MUST BE SENT MAILED, UM, TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET OF A SUGGESTED CHANGE.
UM, ALSO NOTICES MUST BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY.
BY THIS BEING A COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE TO THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE, IT WAS ALL ENTIRE ZONING OVERHAUL WHERE THE MAP AS WELL AS THE ORDINANCE ITSELF WAS CHANGED.
THEN THE PROPER PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, NOTIFYING THROUGH WATER BILLS, ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, AND OTHER, UM, TOOLS THAT WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO STAFF AT THAT TIME.
UH, MAY I APPROACH YOU OH, MY CONCERN COUNCILMAN LEWIS? WAS SHE? YES.
WELL THIS IS, WILL THIS ALLOW THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GO FORWARD WITH, WITH THEIR PLANS UNDER PLAN DEVELOPMENT? THAT IS, UM, CORRECT.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, UM, UNDER THE PD.
UM, IT RESTRICTS ALL OTHER USES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ALLOWED IN HEAVY COMMERCIAL OR COMMERCIAL GENERAL, WHICH IS THE NEW TERM THAT WE USE AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
AND ONLY CONFINE THAT TO A WRECKER SERVICE.
UM, I BELIEVE AUTO PARTS SALES AND OF COURSE, UM, WAREHOUSE, WHICH WOULD COMPLY WITH THE EXISTING WAREHOUSE THAT IS CURRENTLY LOCATED.
SO THIS WILL GET, THIS WILL GET THE OWNERS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE? THAT IS CORRECT.
IT WOULD BECAUSE I, I HATE TO SEE THIS HELD LEVEL BECAUSE THERE, THERE, THERE ARE BANKING COMMITMENTS.
CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GOT BLINDSIDED WITH THIS.
SO, AND THEN TO CAUSE A A TWO WEEK DELAY, IT'S GOING TO JEOPARDIZE WHAT INTEREST RATE AND WHATEVER THINGS THAT AGREEMENT IMPACTING THE BANK, IMPACTING WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS WHY I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO SEND IT BACK TO PLANNING ZONING.
BUT THAT CREATED A PROBLEM FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DEVELOPED IT.
AND THEY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY IN 2017 AND IT WAS ZONED, UH, IT WAS ZONED INDUSTRIAL, IT WAS ZONE COMMERCIAL IS CORRECT.
SO UN UNBEKNOWN BECAUSE OF THE, THE HUMONGOUS, UH, ADVERTISEMENT AND NOTICES AND EVERYTHING, UH, YOU ALL JUST BYPASS NOTIFYING THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND JUST WENT AHEAD WITH, YOU KNOW, AND SINCE THIS THING JUST GOT CAUGHT UP AND GOT LOST IN THE, IN THE, IN THE TRAFFIC.
BUT, UH, I, I'M NOT FARTING IT.
I'M FROM MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKED TO DO AND I'M TRYING TO DO THAT.
COUNCILMAN BECKHAM AND THAT WAS MY POINT TOO.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BLUSS AND THE, AND THE NEW WINDS CAN GO FORWARD WITH WHAT, WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
AND SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT, THAT THEY CAN UNDER THIS CURRENT ZONING IF COUNCIL SO CHOOSES? YES.
WELL THEN I'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO TABLE.
I WILL DRAW A SECOND, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DURING TODAY YES.
[04:05:01]
DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING.UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, UM, CONDUCTED A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, FOR THE TOPIC, THE, THE, UM, ACTION ITEM THAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU TODAY.
BUT THEY RECOMMENDED, THEY DISAPPROVED IT.
CORRECT? THEY DID RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL, UM, DENY THE REQUEST.
HOWEVER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AGAIN DOES PRESCRIBE THAT.
IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD TO APPROVE SAID REQUEST, IT WOULD BE THROUGH A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNCIL.
ANY OTHER, UH, AND WE'VE HAD, SO WE ARE BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION OF APPROVING THIS, UH, PO NUMBER 72 34.
ON THAT? SO JUST TELL ME, YES SIR.
WHAT IS THE PROPERTY ZONE? THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED AS MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND THAT'S REZONING TOOK PLACE IN 2022 AS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CHANGE.
SO IF IT IS, UH, UH, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL YES SIR.
OKAY, THEN THAT MEANS THAT THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ZONING CHANGE.
AND ACCORDING TO, UH, TWO 11, EVERYTHING, IT WENT THROUGH A ZONING COMMISSION AND THEY SAID NO.
AND IT'S, IT JUST TAKES 75% OF US HAVE SAID IT.
BUT THE PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE IS IT IS CURRENTLY ZONED AND IT RE AND IT REQUESTED REZONING AND WE HAD CITIZENS COME BEFORE US YES SIR.
THAT LIVED THERE AND THEY WENT BEFORE THE ZONING COMMISSION, THEY WENT THERE.
SO THIS IS FOR US TO OVERTURN IT.
THAT'S WHAT IT BASICALLY RETURN.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU SEE THAT, THAT ONE OF, ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT PROTESTED ABOUT IT, WE TALKED THE OTHER DAY.
SHE SAID SHE OPENED UP A BEAUTY SHOP DOWN THERE YEARS AGO AND SHE CAME DOWN FOR A, A ZONING, YOU KNOW, FOR REZONING AND A AND A SCHOOL.
AND THEY SAID YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO REZONE.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO REZONE BECAUSE IT WAS ON COMMERCIAL.
SO WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES OPPOSED? OKAY, IT APPEARS THAT THE AYES HAVE, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
[VIII.B.(3) P. O. 7235 – An Ordinance Amending The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Changing The Zoning From Heavy Industrial To Planned Development On Approximately A 3.155-Acre Tract Of Land Being Out Of Port Arthur Land Company, And Consisting Of Lot 5, Tract 4, Block 13, Range L, Port Arthur Land Company Subdivision, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date. Z24-02 – Health & Safety Council]
WE HAVE PEO NUMBER 72 35.IT IS AN ORDINANCES AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY CHANGING THE ZONING FROM HEAVY INDUSTRIAL TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT ON APPROXIMATELY 3.2 ACRES.
UH, TRACT OF LAND BEING OUT OF THE, OUT OF PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY, EXCUSE ME.
AND CONSISTING OF, OF LOT FIVE TRACK FOUR BLOCK 13 RANGE L PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY SUBDIVISION, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
AGAIN, VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED, UH, BE PUNISHED BY A FINE, UH, NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATION IS PERMITTED TO EXIST SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE LETTER KNOWN AS Z 24 DASH ZERO TWO HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE MAYOR, I GET A SECOND.
COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND MAYOR IS A MOVE.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 35 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION OR ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? AYE HAVE THIS WILL ORDER PO NUMBER 72 35 IS PRESENT IS APPROVED AS READ ON PAGE 12 WE HAVE PO NUMBER
[VIII.B.(4) P.O. No. 7239 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of Public Park Land Located At 2749 Lakeshore Drive, More Commonly Known As Hughen Park, In Accordance With The Ballot Proposition Approved By The Qualified Voters Of Port Arthur And Further Authorize The City Manager To Execute A Special Warranty Deed For The Conveyance]
72 39 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF PUBLIC PARK LAND LOCATED AT 27 49 LAKE SHORE DRIVE, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS HU HU PARK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE, UH, BALLOT, UH, PROPOSITION APPROVED BY THE QUALIFIED VOTER SUPPORT AUTHOR AND FURTHER AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED FOR THE CONVEYANCE.AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
[04:10:01]
SECOND.AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 39 AS PRESENTED, WE'RE READY FOR A QUESTION.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE AND SO PO NUMBER 72 39 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(5) P.O. No. 7240 – 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 Capital Improvement Fund By $750,000]
AND FINALLY WE HAVE PO NUMBER 72 40.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 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BY $750,000.
MIGHT GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW SECOND MAYOR, IT'S A MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 40 AS PRESENTED.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
PENALTY TWO 20 IS APPROVED AS READ.
AND AT THIS JUNCTURE, WITH THE ENTIRETY OF THE PRINTED AGENDA BEING COMPLETED, I'LL NOW DECLARE THIS MEETING OF THIS AUGUST BODY ADJOINED.
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.