[00:00:01]
WILL NOW DECLARE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW ADJOIN.NOW WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING FOR TODAY, MAY 7TH, 2024.
UH, IT IS NOW 5:37 PM WE ARE LOCATED HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE, UH, CITY HALL AT THE ADDRESS THAT WAS JUST STATED TO BEGIN OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, COUNCIL MEETING, THIS MEETING.
AND I THINK, I'M SORRY,
THAT'S WHY I KEPT IN THE BOX OF HERE.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
NOW.UH, WELCOME HERE TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND WE ARE SITUATED AT, UH, 4 44 FOURTH STREET ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF OUR CITY HALL HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
TODAY IS, UH, MAY 7TH, TUESDAY AND IT IS NOW 5:38 PM AND WE ARE AGAIN, BEGINNING OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU MAY ATTEND THIS MEETING VIA, UH, TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, MEDIUMS. HOWEVER YOU MUST 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 8 1 7 0 8 5 8 0 2 1 AND THE PASSCODE OF 8 8 0 8 6 2.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AT OUR MEETING.
AND IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AT, UH, AREA CODE 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 AND MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S STAFF AND THEY WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU AND PROVIDE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN OUR MEETING IN OUR REGULAR FASHION WITH THE INVOCATION TO PLEDGE.
UH, COUNCILMAN UH, FRANK, WOULD YOU GIVE US OUR INVOCATION PLEASE, SIR.
AND WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US? LET US BOW ALL WISE IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO BE FOUND, FIRST OF ALL IN YOUR PRESENCE AND THEN IN THIS CHAMBER ON TODAY.
WE PRAY THAT AS WE ENTER INTO THIS MEETING, YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR WISDOM, YOUR GUIDANCE AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF OUR CITY.
WE PRAY FOR OUR CITY AND TOTALITY, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD CROWN US HEAVENLY FATHER WITH YOUR HEAVENLY PROTECTION AND KEEP US SAFE, OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES, AND EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS US.
WE ASK IT EVEN NOW IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF 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 SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE QUORUM? MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PROTI HAMILTON.
EVER FEEL PRESENT? COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS HERE.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH PROCLAMATIONS.AND I DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE.
AND THIS PROCLAMATION HAPPENS TO BE FOR MS. AMBER SADE ROBINSON.
WOULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH? THANK YOU MS. ROBINSON.
AND HERE I WANT TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION THAT I HAVE
[00:05:01]
PREPARED FOR YOU.AND THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
IT READS THUSLY, WHEREAS AMBER CHARADE ROBINSON GREW UP IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WHEREAS MS. ROBINSON WAS A 2007 COTILLION BELL, PRESENTED BY THE PORT ARTHUR ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, AND A MEMBER OF THE PORT ARTHUR CHAPTER OF TOP TEENS OF AMERICA, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1964 BY THE TOP LADIES OF DISTINCTION INCORPORATED, WHERE SHE PARTICIPATED IN SERVICE WORK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING HEAT AND THE CONCERT BAND FOR FOUR YEARS AND WAS THE FLUTE PICCOLO SECTION LEADER WITH MARCHING WITH THE MARCHING HEAT.
SHE COMPETED AT THE UNIVERSITY IN INTEREST SCHOLASTIC LEAGUE AND AT STATE COMPETITIONS RECEIVING GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS FOR SOLO AND ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES.
AND WHEREAS RECOGNIZED AS A CELEBRATED ACTRESS FOLLOWING HURRICANE HARVEY, AMBER USED HER PLATFORM TO BRING NATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE STORM'S IMPACT ON HER HOMETOWN OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS MS. ROBINSON, YOUR HOMETOWN CELEBRATES YOU, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH A PROCLAMATION AND A KEY TO THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
SO NOW THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BOCE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 7TH, 2024 AS AMBER SHADAY ROBINSON DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I URGE ALL CITIZENS AND ALL WHO ARE PRESENT HERE IN THE CHAMBERS TO HELP ME IN JOINING ME IN EXTENDING BEST WISHES AND CONTINUED SUCCESS TO OUR HOMETOWN BABY, WHO HAS BECOME A LITTLE OLD LADY
I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THE SEVENTH DAY OF MAY, 2024.
AND IT IS SIGNED THURMAN BILL BARCE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I'M GOING TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT THIS TO YOU.
TELL ME I'M GONNA MOVE THIS BACK.
AND I FIRST WANT TO PRESENT PRESENTATION TO YOU NOW.
SO MARY, IF YOU GET A GOOD ONE UP THERE, SHE'S GONNA PUT YOU IN THE PAPER
AND WE WISH YOU GOD BLESSING UPON YOU.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING ME.
THIS IS MY, MY BREAD AND BUTTER.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND
[00:10:01]
YEAH,AND IF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH US QUICKLY.
MS. AMBER, WHEN YOU FINISH, WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US SOME OF THE, THE SHOWS THAT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF? YES.
AND YOUR, WHAT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE WHEN YOU FINISH.
MARY MO HAS A, UH, UH, SHE HAS IT ALL PRINTED OUT.
SO IF YOU CAN READ ABOUT AMBER, UH, ALSO IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWS, UH, HER HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER.
BUT THIS IS ALL OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND SO SOMEBODY TAKE ALL OUR PEOPLE.
WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN THIS CITY, BUT LOOK AT ALL THIS LOVE RIGHT HERE.
NOW YOU GONNA TALK? TELL, TELL THEM.
I THANK MY PARENTS BECAUSE WITHOUT MY PARENTS I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
WE GONNA TAKE PICTURES OUTSIDE? NO, WE, BUT I DIDN'T WANT ME TO SPEAK.
I AM CURRENTLY ON A APPLE TV SHOW CALLED PALM ROYAL.
OUR LAST EPISODE COMES OUT TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED, I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU GET TO BINGING.
I WAS ALSO IN THE ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED, UH, OF JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH.
UM, I'VE DONE EPISODES OF LOOT ON APPLE TV.
ON CBS, UM, HE ON WHEELS ON A MC.
UM, I JUST FINISHED A PLAY IN LA CALLED BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU, WHICH WAS SET IN LODI, TEXAS, WHICH WAS REALLY FUN.
AM I MISSING SOMETHING? OH, I DID A MOVIE CALLED ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, WHICH IS A BET MOVIE.
ANYTHING ELSE? OH, I DID STUBER, WHICH WAS A
I WAS IN STUBER, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WAS ON AN EPISODE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON CBS WITH SAYS THE ENTERTAINER.
I STAY WORKING, I STAY WITH A JOB.
AND THERE'S PLENTY MORE TO CALL.
AND WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU.
I'M RIGHT HERE WITH GOOSEBUMPS.
BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH, THAT WE KNOW IN THE, AND SO I AM GONNA BE IN JUST SAY, OH, I KNOW HER.
CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF YOUR SUCCESS.
WE HAVE SOME LIGHTS ON, SO PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YET.
AND I'VE KNOWN YOU A LONG TIME.
I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS
YOU YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MY DAUGHTERS, BUT THANK YOU.
THIS IS JUST THE TESTIMONY OF A YOUNG LADY THAT'S MAKING AND DOING BIG THINGS.
KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THANK YOU.
AND BE IN SOME MORE MOVIES AS WELL.
WELL, WE, WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU.
A LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME MR. HENRY MAYS.
MANY S MANY INDIVIDUALS WILL REMEMBER THAT NAME BECAUSE HE WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING UP THAT KIND OF PLATFORM FOR PLAYS AND, AND THEATRICS AND ALL OF THOSE
[00:15:01]
KINDS OF THINGS.AND YOU'RE FALLING RIGHT INTO THAT TRADITION.
AND SO WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.
GOD BLESS AND KEEPING THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU MS. AMBER.
[III.A.(1) Greg Benson Regarding The Fire Department]
AND NOW WE'LL MOVE TO SPEAKERS AND BE MINDFUL THAT EACH SPEAKER HAS FIVE MINUTES AND WE HAVE A TIMER WHO WILL, UH, BE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT.WE'LL BEGIN WITH MR. UH, GREG BENSON REGARDING THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN YOU COME UP, YOU CAN BEGIN STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE A FIVE MINUTE TIME, TIME LIMIT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS GREG BENSON, 30 35 LAKE ARTHUR DRIVE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, PROVIDE TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES I HAD WHILE SERVING AS THE FIRE CHIEF HERE FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS.
I WAS SUBJECT TO A HIGHLY TOXIC, HOSTILE, UH, CULTURE WITH A LOT OF DISRESPECT.
THE CULTURE WAS, WAS FOSTERED BY CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY MODELED THIS GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK CRONYISM.
AND ALSO I WAS SUBJECTED TO A LACK OF TRUST OF AND TRANSPARENCY FROM MY SUPERVISOR, WHICH WAS A CITY MANAGER WHO MORE THAN ONE TIME STATED, I'VE GOT YOUR BACK.
BECAUSE I BROUGHT THINGS TO HIM THAT PEOPLE WERE DOING.
AND HE INDICATED I HAVE YOUR BACK.
THE, UH, THE BUILT IN OR THE SHIFT IN ATTITUDE AND COURTESY, I'LL SAY FROM THE CITY MANAGER, SEEMED TO, UH, OCCUR AROUND THE TIME OF THE AMBULANCE EMS CHANGE.
SO THAT MAKES ME WONDER OR KIND OF IDENTIFY SOME THINGS THERE.
UH, TWO WEEKS AGO, THE CITY MANAGER WAS A SPEAKER, OR A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE CITY MANAGER WAS A SPEAKER.
HE PRAISED ME TWO WEEKS LATER, HE TERMINATES ME.
SO WAS HE LYING WHEN HE SPOKE AT ROTARY? AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHEN HE SPEAKS, WHAT IS HE ACTUALLY SAYING? SO I HAD ALSO SENT MANY EMAILS TO HR AND CITY MANAGER ASKING FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION AND RECEIVED NO REPLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH WHAT CHAOS IS, ANYBODY? OKAY.
WELL, I'M JUST GONNA THROW OUT AN ACRONYM FOR YOU.
CHAOS IS CITY HALL ACHIEVING ORGANIZATIONAL SABOTAGE.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER ACRONYM FOR GREAT, BUT I WON'T SHARE THAT WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
UH, DURING MY TIME HERE, I WORK VERY DILIGENTLY ON PROVIDING THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION.
UH, WE DID THAT THROUGH, UH, GROUPS OF, FOR WORKING TO DESIGN THE FIRE STATION, FUTURE FIRE STATIONS.
ALSO, UH, SPECIFICATION WORKING GROUP FOR THE NEW FIRE APPARATUS.
ALSO RAN INTO, UH, SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE PORT ARTHUR DISPATCH SYSTEM.
SO PART OF THAT WAS WORKING TO TRANSFORM, WHICH IS TAKING RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS NOW FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF RUINED MUNICIPALITIES.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE, THAT REMAIN OPEN THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF IT IS, BUT THERE WAS AN OPEN, UH, FORMAL COMPLAINT FILED BY CITY AMBULANCE ON APRIL 12TH REGARDING DEPUTY CHIEF HAVENS.
AND ALSO IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT HE MAY HAVE DRIVEN, UH, HIS, EXCUSE ME, CHIEF, PLEASE DON'T, JUST DON'T IMPLICATE, JUST SAY ANY NAMES.
AND I DO HAVE A DOCUMENT HERE THAT I'LL GIVE THE CITY SECRETARY IN A FEW MINUTES FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT PROVIDES A LOT MORE DETAILS ON STUFF.
BUT BEING TRANSPARENT, YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS THE POTENTIAL OF SOME ILLEGAL ACTIVITY CONDUCTED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THE, UH, THE OTHER THING THAT THAT WAS ACHIEVED HERE WAS TO WORK TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE LEVELS TO THE ENTIRE CITY BECAUSE THE CITY'S SERVICE LEVELS WERE VERY, VERY LOW.
THEY WERE BELOW NATIONAL STATE STANDARDS.
[00:20:01]
ONE OF THE THINGS INITIALLY WAS TO WORK TO ACHIEVE HIGHER LEVELS OF SAFETY AND SERVICE FOR PEOPLE.THAT WAS DONE THROUGH DIRECTING AND PROVIDING, MAKING SURE ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS GOT OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE TRAINING BECAUSE BEFORE THEY WERE CHERRY PICKED AND WHO GOT TRAINING, SOME PEOPLE GOT A LOT OF IT, SOME PEOPLE GOT, NONE OF IT IMPROVED COMMUNITY SAFETY THROUGH BOTH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OR EMERGENCY, UH, MEDICAL SERVICE SYSTEM.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE CPR TRAINING ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY AND SAFETY AWARENESS AND BEGAN THE PROCESS TO MEET STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS.
AND THAT WOULD BE ISO WHICH WASN'T BEING MET AT ALL AT THIS POINT.
AND NATIONAL ACCREDITATION, WHICH THE CITY MANAGER HAD INITIALLY SUGGESTED OR TOLD ME THAT HE WANTED THAT TO BE A GOAL, WHICH REQUIRED A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT.
UM, AND, AND ALL THE, EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE TRIED TO SUPPORT THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND, AND THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT WAS SO CRITICAL.
THE, UH, SERVING OTHERS IS AND WAS THE GOAL, UH, AND COMMITMENT THAT I, UH, DEMONSTRATED HOW THINGS WERE PRESENTED TO ME WERE VERY DIFFERENT, HOWEVER, BUT THAT'S, UH, TO KEEP IT WITHIN THAT FIVE MINUTES, I WILL, UH, PROVIDE THE CITY SECRETARY WITH THE DOCUMENT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR RE REMARKS, CHIEF.
[III.A.(2) Lillian Harris Regarding Noise Complaints]
WE HAVE OUR, EXCUSE ME, NEXT SPEAKER.UH, MS. HARRIS, WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO, CAN YOU TAKE A A MIC TO HER BACK THERE WHERE SHE'S SEATED? NO, SHE HAS TO COME UP.
WE HAVE A CHAIR UP HERE FOR YOU.
YOU, SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME UP.
WE'RE GONNA BRING THE MIC, MICROPHONE TO YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL TIME TODAY.
I HATE TO EVEN BE HERE TO TAKE UP THE TIME WITH THIS SITUATION, BUT IT'S BEEN UNBEARABLE.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBOR, THIS IS ALL TAKING PLACE ON, UH, THE 3,800 BLOCK OF AMHERST, AND HE'S CONSTANTLY PLAYING HIS MUSIC.
HE'S WAKING US UP AT 2 30, 3 30, 4 30, 5 30 IN THE MORNING.
I'VE CALLED COUNTLESS TIMES RECENTLY ON LAST SATURDAY, THEY FINALLY CAUGHT HIM AND GAVE HIM A WARNING.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE ALSO GOT A TICKET.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND, WELL, LONGER THAN A YEAR.
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE NOTHING CAN BE DONE.
AND HE CONTINUES TO PLAY THE MUSIC.
AND IF THEY COME BY TOO MUCH, HE'LL WAIT UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO GET UP AND TURN THE MUSIC ON AS LOUD AS HE CAN.
HE'S NOT JUST DISTURBING ME, HE'S DISTURBING OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME OF THEM.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BLOCK AS HIS FRIENDS.
I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY'RE SAYING WE'VE CALLED THE COPS BEFORE AND NOTHING HAD GOTTEN DONE.
AND SO IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF WORK ON MY PART.
I'VE CALLED A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, EMAILED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I WON'T CALL ANY NAMES, BUT IT IS ON THE BULLETIN ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE I'VE CALLED, WHAT I'VE DONE, AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL FOR HELP.
MY MOTHER IS 84 YEARS OLD AND SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO HAVE TO LIVE IN HER HOUSE WITH NO PEACE.
HOWEVER, I SPOKE TO CHIEF TODAY AND HE SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME THINGS THEY WERE WORKING ON.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE HADN'T GOT ANY RELIEF FOR THE LAST YEAR.
HE JUST MAKES THE NOISE LONG ENOUGH UNTIL HE THINKS THE COP COMES BECAUSE HE HAVE A SCANNER.
I KNOW THAT HE HAVE A SCANNER.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO NEXT.
I'M WAITING RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WAITING ON THE ATTORNEY TO FILE, TO FILE CHARGES.
AND JUST RIGHT NOW, WE JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP US WITH THIS, THIS MAN CONSTANTLY DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER DAY IN AND DAY OUT BECAUSE HE HAS HIS OWN BUSINESS SO HE COULD COME AND GO AS HE PLEASES.
SO HE HAS THE ABILITY TO JUST TORMENT US ALL DAY LONG IF THAT'S WHAT HE WANNA DO.
MS. HARRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, AND WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
I WILL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO HELP YOU WITH THIS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME HEALTH ISSUES THAT KIND OF LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY.
[00:25:01]
A ANYTIME THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO OR HEARD, I WANT YOU TO GIVE ME A CALL.YOU HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO HELP YOU WITH THIS, THIS MATTER.
UH, MS. HARRIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD OF THIS.
UH, CHIEF, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP REAL QUICK, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT THIS TIME.
CHIEF, YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP AND FINDING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP MS. HARRIS OUT? SHE HAS A DETAIL, UH, MEMORANDUM STATING THAT SHE'S CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO MANY TIMES.
I'LL BRING YOU BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
AND BEFORE YOU, YOU TALK CHIEF, I MEAN, WE, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME CALLS LIKE THIS BEFORE AND YOU HAVE ADDRESSED THOSE THINGS, BUT, UH, PERSON THAT'S HAVING DIFFICULTIES OF, UM, NOISE ORDINANCE IN OUR CITY, WHAT IS THE RAMIFICATIONS? WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY DO TO HELP MS. HARRIS OUT AND HOW SOON CAN WE HELP HER OUT? BECAUSE I'M LOOKING ON HERE ON A FACT SHEET.
SHE HAS TWO POLICE OFFICER'S NAME AND CASE NUMBERS.
SO, UH, BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH MS. HARRIS AND WE HAVE A PLAN TOGETHER THAT WE'RE GONNA USE TO ATTACK THE SITUATION.
UM, SHE HAS FILED CHARGES AND THE VIOLATOR WAS ALSO WRITTEN A TICKET FOR LOUD MUSIC.
IT'S JUST SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET THERE, WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.
UH, IT'S LIKE THE CAT AND MOUSE GAME AND WE, AND WE'RE PLAYING IT, UH, AND WE'RE GOING CONTINUE TO PLAY IT BECAUSE SHE'S A TAXPAYER IN OUR CITY.
WELL, ARKANSAS DIGEST SYSTEM TO MS. HARRIS, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME BACK THERE, UH, IF YOU CAN RECORD, IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, IF YOU RECORDING, SHE HAS A RECORDING.
SO ISN'T IT, EVERY TIME I CALL, I HAVE ALL ONE ENTIRE SITUATION.
AND WHEN SHE GOT THIS, YOU SAID, WELL, I DON'T HEAR ANY, OR NO, I NOT.
WELL, MS. HARRIS, YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAVE THE, THE EYES AND THE EARS OF THE COUNCIL NOW.
SO AGAIN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN IS YOUR COUNCILMAN.
YOU AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, UH, MYSELF, COUNCILMAN KINLAW AND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
Y'ALL COUNCILMAN, UH, DO SAID YOU, OH, YOU SAID OKAY.
AGAIN, UH, AT, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER, I PREPARED A, A REPORT FOR COUNCIL.
SO I'LL SUBMIT THAT TO YOU GUYS, UM, BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND MS. HARRIS, UH, I WAS MADE, UH, UH, APPRISED THAT YOU DID EMAIL ME, UH, AND, UH, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT TWO DAYS AGO AND YOU TOLD, AND WHAT, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL DOING IS, AND CHIEF SHE DID IN THE EMAIL, SHE ATTACHED THESE DOCUMENTS.
WELL, THE, UH, COPIES OF THE, UH, TICKET AND WARNING BELIEVE THAT, UH, OFFICERS HAD ACTUALLY, UH, ISSUE TO, TO THE, UH, GENTLEMAN.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SEE, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS IN, IN GOVERNMENT DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT TAKES SOME TIME, BUT JUST REST ASSURED THAT OUR CHIEF AND THIS DEPARTMENT ARE WORKING ON IT.
UH, EVEN IF A OFFICER DOESN'T ANSWER YOU EXACTLY THE WAY YOU MAY WANT THE ANSWER TO COME TO YOU, THEY ARE MADE AWARE OF IT.
AND EVERY TIME YOU CALL, IT'S RECORDED.
SO THEY HAVE DOCUMENTED PROOF THAT YOU ARE CALLING, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY CATCHING THE PERSON OR OBSERVING THE PERSON DOING WHATEVER, ALLEGEDLY THEY, THEY, THEY ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE DONE OR TO BE DOING.
BUT THE DOCUMENTED PROOF IS THAT YOU HAVE CALLED.
SHE, AND, AND TO HER, TO HER POINT, SHE HAS LEGITIMATE VIDEO, UH, THAT WE PLAN TO FILE IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
HOWEVER, WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE RECORDING FROM YOUR RING CAMERA, WE DON'T KNOW WHICH HOUSE IT'S COMING FROM.
THAT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT TO PROVE THAT POINT.
SO, BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GUYS THAT ARE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
BUT I DO HAVE VIDEO, ACTUAL VIDEO, EVEN ACTUAL VIDEO OF HIM.
BUT YOU KNOW, LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GONNA IN, I GUESS YOU CALL IT POLICE SIGNS THAT ARE NOT, UH, CIVILIAN SCIENCE, SO TO SPEAK.
SO I KNOW THE CHIEF DOESN'T WANT TO DIVULGE WHAT HIS PLAN IS.
HE SHOULDN'T, BUT THEY HAVE A PLAN.
[00:30:01]
HAS A PLAN FOR IT.ANY, ANYONE? WHAT? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? JUST SO HEAR YOU LIKE CHIEF, HAVE THERE BEEN IN ANY CITATION ISSUED AT ALL? YES, SIR.
YEAH, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE'VE ONLY ISSUED ONE CITATION AND SHE'S CALLED MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO THE JUDGE TO HER POINT, SO HOW MUCH WAS THAT? HOW MUCH WILL HE FIND? UH, IT SHOULD BE IN THE COURT SYSTEM NOW.
AND SHE'S ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT TO, UH, A MUNICIPAL COURT WITH, UH, ATTORNEY SANDERS.
WELL, I HOPE THE, I HOPE THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE GET HIS ATTENTION SINCE HE'S ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM.
BUT, BUT, BUT COUNSEL, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO NO.
THEY, THEY'VE DONE THEIR JOBS.
LET'S NOT MAKE THAT STATEMENT, MAYOR.
BUT LET'S NOT MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
LET'S NOT MAKE THAT STATEMENT, COUNCILMAN.
OKAY, WE GONNA MOVE ON? GO AHEAD.
NOW, UH, NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER, UH, ZIMA ESCOBIDO REGARDING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SHE'S, NO, I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS GOING TO BE VIRTUAL OR NOT, SO SHE WALKED OVER MS. ESCOBIDO.
I'VE SAID IT THREE TIMES WITH NO ANSWER.
[III.A.(4) Hilton Kelley Representing The Community In-Power And Development Association Inc. (CIDA Inc.) Regarding EPA Technical Assistance For Funding]
MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.MR. HILTON KELLY, REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY IN POWER AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, COOPERATED, CIDA, INC.
REGARDING EPA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FUNDING.
BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
AS STATED, MY NAME IS HILTON KELLY.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY IN POWER AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, LOCATED HERE IN THE, UH, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, ORGANIZATION.
UH, I RESIDE AT 600 AUSTIN AVENUE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND I HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT I'D LIKE TO READ AND I HAVE SOME PARTNERS THAT ARE GONNA COME UP.
SO I'M GONNA YIELD SOME OF MY TIME.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM THE CITY COUNCIL OF AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
IS WORKING ON CA AND PARTNERS ANTHROP C ALLIANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM, SSM STUDIO AND METAMORPHOSIS DESIGN TEAM ARE WORKING ON AN APPLICATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CHANGE GRANT IS FOR UP TO $20 MILLION FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITY DRIVEN INVESTMENT CHANGE.
UH, THIS GRANT AIMS TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THROUGH PROJECTS THAT REDUCE POLLUTION, INCREASE COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE CHALLENGES.
AS SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CEDARS PROJECT INSTALLED A PILOT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN THE MONTROSE AREA, UH, THE, UH, WITH TEXAS A AND M GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TEXAS, THE GIFT LAMAR UNIVERSITY BEAUMONT, AND OF COURSE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WERE ABLE TO GARNER THE ATTENTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY THROUGH OUR APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND NOW THEY'RE HERE WORKING WITH US ON A MUCH LARGER PROJECT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROJECT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT APPLICATION AIMS TO EXPAND ON THAT WORK THAT WE DID IN MONTROSE.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO YIELD SOME OF MY TIME TO MICHELLE SCHMIT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND SMM CHANGE.
YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE SMM DESIGN TEAM, UM, WHO CAN SHOW YOU SOME OF THE DESIGNS THAT MR. KELLY IS PASSING OUT TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EPA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS LIZ C I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH SMM BASED IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.
WE'VE BEEN HERE TODAY, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, CDA ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN HERE IN MARCH KICKING OFF THE PROJECT.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT CA WAS ONE OF 50 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RECEIVE THIS UNIQUE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH THE EPA, UM, TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION UP TO $20 MILLION TO FUND, UH, FLOOD REDUCTION AND POLLUTION REDUCTION, UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE MONTROSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND, AND IN PARTICULAR HAD A, A COUPLE OF SESSIONS TODAY WHERE WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING SOME OF OUR DRAFT DESIGNS FOR MONTROSE PARK, UM, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB LOCATED IN THE MONTROSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND THESE DESIGNS INCLUDE SHADE, CRE, CREATING TREE
[00:35:01]
CANOPY, RAIN GARDENS, BIOSWALES, UM, SOLAR POWER COOLING PAVILION, PERMEABLE STREETS AND MORE.UM, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE DRAFT DESIGNS, THE DRAFT DESIGN OPTIONS, UM, AND WE WILL, WE CAN CIRCULATE THOSE TO YOU IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THEM.
UM, BUT WE WILL BE GOING BACK, UM, THIS EVENING TO BEGIN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS APPLICATION TO GET THAT $20 MILLION FROM THE EPA.
UM, AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING SOME OF YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THIS DESIGN WORK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL, USABLE SPACE THAT IS NOT ONLY A BEAUTIFICATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO, UM, HELPS TO CREATE A MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
UM, AS LIZ MENTIONED, WE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK, NOT ONLY FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO HAD A REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK SESSION WITH THE PARKS AND REC, UH, DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS IN ENGINEERING, AND RECEIVED SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD, UH, AND PLAN ON INCORPORATING THAT INTO OUR DESIGN.
BUT THIS IS REALLY TO START THE CONVERSATION AND START TO, UH, CREATE A JOINT VISION THAT IS GOING TO MAKE A STRONG APPLICATION TO THE EPA SO THAT WE CAN BRING IN $20 MILLION TO INVEST IN MONTROSE.
UM, YEAH, SO I'D LOVE TO KIND OF POTENTIALLY, UM, KICK OFF A LARGER CONVERSATION FOLLOWING UP ON THIS WHERE WE GO INTO DETAILS ABOUT THE PLANS AND WE CAN RECEIVE THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU HAVE, ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, AND, UH, TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, JOHN, EXCUSE ME.
IN THE FUTURE WHEN Y'ALL HAVE SOMETHING OF THIS SIGNIFICANT THAT HAS THAT GREAT OF IMPACT GIVE WITH THE DISTRICT FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND SO HE, HE PUT YOU ON, SEE, HE'LL PUT YOU ON A PRESENTATION THAT'LL GIVE YOU MORE TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, THAT'S, THAT'S A YOUNG MAN RIGHT THERE WITH THE YELLOW SHIRT ON.
WHAT ABOUT SELF? YOU'VE BEEN GOING AFTER THAT? SOME OF THAT SELF MONEY, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS? SOMETHING THAT I STARTED OFF, UH, I KNOW GOING AFTER, BACK IN MY YOUNGER DAYS, LIKE OH, 20 YEARS AGO.
BUT NOW WE'VE KIND OF UPGRADED, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I SERVED ON KNEE JACK, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY PANEL TO EPA.
AND UH, ALSO I'VE WORKED WITH THE REGIONAL HEALTH EQUITY COUNCIL UNDER HHS.
SO I'VE GRADUATED A LITTLE BIT, WELL, WELL GRADUATED IN THAT.
THERE'S STILL MONEY THAT, THAT, THAT THESE REFIN, SEE, WE HAVE THE MOST REFINERIES AROUND HERE.
AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING FINED.
MONEY AND, AND, AND THE MONEY THEY'RE BEING FINED GOES INTO THE EPA POT.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST FOR THIS AREA.
ANYBODY COULD APPLY FOR THE MONEY.
SO THAT'S WHY I ASK WHETHER WE GET IT, WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE APPLYING FOR SOME OF THAT MONEY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHOULD BE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
'CAUSE MOST OF THE MONEY PROBABLY COMES FROM THIS AREA.
I'VE GONE AFTER NUMBER, NUMBER STEPS THAT I HAVE.
I HAVE, UH, ACHIEVED GETTING A COUPLE OF STEPS IN MY EARLY YEARS, BUT YET AT THE SAME TIME, THE REFINERIES HAVE THE OPTION OF ACTUALLY, UH, DELEGATING WHO GETS THAT, THAT MONEY OR NOT.
AND MOST OF THE TIME, BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT I WANT TO IMPLEMENT, THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM TO ME LIKE WE WANNA DO STUFF LIKE PUT IN AIR MONITORING SYSTEMS. THEY DON'T WANT THAT.
BUT, BUT THEY WILL GIVE YOU MONEY TO DO, UH, UH, INSTALLATION FOR YOUR HOME OR, UH, MAYBE PLANT A TREE OR TWO.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SOME REAL DATA GATHERING, THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT.
SO MOST OF MY, MY, UH, MONEY, UH, REQUEST WOULD BE FOR, UH, MONITORING OF AIR.
BUT LET'S GET MONEY FOR ANYTHING THAT WE GET MONEY.
NOW, I MEAN THAT, MY WHOLE POINT IS, YEAH, WE GOT WHAT WE WANT, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S MONEY THERE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT DON'T HAVE TO BE FOR AIR MONITORING.
WELL, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE ARE GOING AFTER $20 MILLION, SO LET'S KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED ON THAT.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS IF YOU TALKING TO AIR MONITORING AND STUFF AND, UH, YOU GETTING PUSHED BACK FROM THE INDUSTRY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET WITH THE INDUSTRY AND LET INDUSTRY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THIS CAN HELP US.
MAY, MAY, MAY, I, MAY I SAY SOMETHING ON THIS, IT'S CALLED A PORT ARTHUR INDUSTRIAL HOOP.
THE MONIES, UH, THAT ARE EPA AND EVEN TCEQ GETS, OR WHEN THOSE PLANS ARE, ARE, ARE ACTUALLY PLACED, UH, UPON THOSE FOR, I GUESS WRONG FOR THE MISSIONS OR MM-HMM.
AS YOU STATED, THEY HAVE ALREADY SIGNED ON TO PROGRAMS WHICH WERE PROGRAMS FOR, UH, EFFICIENCY IN THEIR HOMES.
AND BECAUSE A LOT OF THE OLDER HOMES IN THE 7 7, 6 4 OH UH, ZIP CODE
[00:40:01]
WEREN'T ACTUALLY MM-HMM.SO THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEARS.
NOW, WHAT MAY HAVE TO HAPPEN, ACCORDING TO WHAT COUNCILMAN DUCEY IS TALKING ABOUT, GOING TO THE PAIG AND FINDING OUT WHAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
'CAUSE THE EPA AND TCEQ HAS SIGNED OFF ON WHAT THE, THOSE WHAT PROGRAMS THEY CAN ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, UH, APPROPRIATE THIS MONEY TOWARD.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD'VE TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
I FILED NUMEROUS, UH, COMPLAINTS WHEN IT COMES TO EMISSION EVENTS.
I FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THE, UH, TCEQ, TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH.
I HAVE NUMEROUS VIDEOS, LIKE THE LADY BACK THERE, SHE GOT VIDEO, SHE GOT PICTURES, I GOT VIDEO AND PICTURES.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU TRY TO APPLY THAT TO THE STATE, WHICH YOUR COMPLAINT, THEY DON'T WANNA ACCEPT THAT, THAT, UH, INFORMATION.
SO, BUT YEAH, I AM ON TOP OF THAT AND I THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND PURSUE SOME OF THOSE STEPS.
COUNCILMAN KENLEY, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH.
SO WHAT ACTUALLY DO YOU NEED FROM THE COUNCIL TO DO? ARE YOU ASKING FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT? UH, I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR SKETCHES AND, UH, I'M INTERESTED.
SO WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE COUNCIL TO HELP OR HELP ENDORSE YOU TO GET THIS MONEY INTO PORT ARTHUR? WELL, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
I'LL LET MICHELLE STEP UP OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THE CITY TO BE A STATUTORY PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT.
AND WHAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR SPECIFICALLY AS A STATUTORY PARTNER WOULD BE FOR THE CITY TO PINPOINT A DESIGNATED PERSON THAT WOULD HELP US NAVIGATE THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND ENSURE THAT WE GET ALL THE PROPER PERMITS, UH, BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STICKING TO ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY HAVE AND THAT, UM, OF COURSE THAT THE CITY IS ON BOARD WITH THE DESIGNS TO BEGIN WITH CITY MANAGER.
IS THAT DOABLE? I MEAN, WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? LET'S HEAR YOU OUT.
WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND REVIEW TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
ONE, ONE QUESTION, AND I NOTICED THE PROPOSAL DEALS WITH THE MARCH ROSE EDITION.
HOWEVER, THE, THE, AND I'M, I'M NOT AGAINST A MARCH ROSE.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE POPULATION AND THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THIS AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING MAYBE ON, IN THIS DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE A LARGER POPULATION THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT.
IS IT, DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN A CERTAIN PORSCHE PART OF TOWN OR THIS, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE WORKED WITH, I MET YOU ALL FIVE YEARS AGO AND Y'ALL WERE WORKING WITH, WITH, WITH THE MARCH ROSE, UH, UH, YEAH.
SO IS IS IT JUST BECAUSE OF THAT OR CAN THIS BE PLACED ANYWHERE IN PORT ARTHUR? WELL, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT THAN WE'VE WORKED THERE IN THE PAST.
UM, THE REASON WE SELECTED MONTROSE AND MONTROSE WAS SUCH A PERFECT FIT FOR THIS, IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO HEAVILY IMPACTED BY REPEATED FLOODING.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST LYING AREAS IN THE CITY.
AND CURRENTLY THERE'S UM, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SIGNIFICANT PRODUCT, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE THAT WOULD REDUCE SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS.
SO THIS WOULD BE A PILOT PROJECT REALLY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
AND IF IT CAN BE DONE IN MONTROSE, IT'S CERTAINLY DUPLICABLE IN AREAS LIKE DOWN DOWNTOWN OR EL VISTA, VISTA VILLAGE, OR ANY AREA IN THE CITY.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY JUST A $20 MILLION PHENOMENAL SHOWCASE THAT WOULD PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON PORT ARTHUR.
YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ALL WANT TO LOCATE OUT THERE PREVAILING WINDS.
THERE ARE NO REFINERY ON THIS SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
THE PREVAILING WINDS 80% OF THE YEAR IS FROM SOUTHWEST.
AND THAT, I CAN SEE WHY YOU WANT TO DO THAT, AND THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR IT, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE A INDUSTRY BACKGROUND ABOUT 45 YEARS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL, FRANK.
EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GRATEFUL TO SEE YOU DO IT.
UM, THE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $20 MILLION, ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU ALL WILL BE IN COMPETITION FOR THE $20 MILLION? IS IT ALL GOING TO COME TO THE MONTROSE AREA? UM, SPEAK ON THAT.
THANK YOU LIZ, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FROM NEW ORLEANS.
UM, SO THE EPA HAS $2 BILLION, A $2 BILLION POT TO GIVE OUT TO COMMUNITIES LIKE PORT ARTHUR FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK.
SO EACH ONE OF THE GRANTS IS BETWEEN 10 TO $20 MILLION.
UM, THEY HAVE NOT STARTED GIVING OUT THESE GRANTS YET, BUT THE DEADLINE, IT'S A ROLLING DEADLINE AND THE DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER.
SO WE'RE AIMING TO HAVE OUR APPLICATION FOR THE GRANT IN WITH THE, THE SELECTED DESIGN WORK, UM, IN WELL BEFORE THAT, SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A COMPETITIVE CHANCE AT GETTING SOME OF THAT MONEY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE TO SAY ONE OTHER WORD.
I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STAND A VERY GOOD CHANCE THERE ARE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN KIND OF, UH,
[00:45:01]
PUSHED OUT OF THE RACE, BUT WE ARE STILL IN THERE AND OUR CHANCES OF ACHIEVING THIS LOOKS PRETTY DARN GOOD.AND, UH, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS WILL SHINE.
[III.A.(5) Wayne Dolcefino of Dolcefino Consulting Regarding Ambulance Contract]
WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE NUMBER FIVE ON SPEAKERS.UH, DO ON THOSE, UH, DO ESPINO CONSULTING REGARDING AMBULANCE CONTRACTS.
YOU WOULD'VE FIVE MINUTES, SIR.
AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M GETTING OLD.
SO I I, I LIKE THIS OLD SOUTHERN ROCK MUSIC FROM LENNON SKIDDER.
THEY HAVE A SONG CALLED THAT SMELLS.
AND RIGHT NOW THE SMELL IN THIS PLACE REEKS, IT REEKS OF CRONYISM, IT REEKS UP PUBLIC CORRUPTION.
UM, IT CERTAINLY REEKS OF A CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS ALLOWED A CITY MANAGER TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH ARROGANT POWER THAT HE BELIEVES IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I, I, I INVESTIGATE THINGS IN LOTS OF CITIES AND, AND NORMALLY MOST PLACES, CITY COUNCIL, THE PEOPLE THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE ELECTED THEORETICALLY ARE THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, RIGHT? LIKE YOU, PEOPLE ARE IN CHARGE, RIGHT? IN MOST CITIES, THE CITY MANAGER WOULD NEVER FIRE A DEPARTMENT HEAD UNLESS THEY WENT TO CITY COUNCIL AND SAID, HEY, I DON'T LIKE THIS GUY OR THIS WOMAN FOR WHATEVER REASON.
LET KNOW ME, SIR, WERE YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT AMBULANCES OR WERE YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR FORM OF GOVERNANCE? UH, I HAVE HERE TO ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK ON THE AMBULANCE CONTRACT.
AND I WISH I'M, I'M NOT TO GIVE ADVANCEMENT.
I I WOULD ADMONISH YOU TO SPEAK ON THE AMBULANCE CONTRACT.
THAT'S ENOUGH OF YOUR INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
OKAY? I I NEVER GAVE YOU AN INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN WHAT I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, MAYOR.
SO I THAT'S YOUR CITY SECRETARY'S PROBLEM, NOT MINE.
I CAME HERE TO SPEAK IN A PUBLIC SESSION ON AMBULANCE CONTRACT.
SIR, I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL, MAYOR, TO TELL ME THAT I'M NOT OBLIGATED TO SPEAK ONLY ABOUT AN AMBULANCE CONTRACT WHEN MAINLY FROM MY OFFICE EVER SAID THAT.
WE SAID WE WANTED TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
SO, CAN I FINISH PLEASE? MAYOR, THE FIRE CHIEF WAS FIRED AND HE WAS FIRED.
HE'S GONNA TELL YOU FOR REPORTING POSSIBLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS HERE AND YOUR SENIOR MANAGER TOLD ME, AND I THINK I GOT THE QUOTE, I WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE FALSE RESPONSE TIMES GIVEN.
CAN I CALL BO MAYOR? IT'S BEEN MONTHS NOTHING.
THE FIRE CHIEF HELPED ME EXPOSE FALSIFIED RESPONSE TIMES.
AND WHAT WAS HIS REWARD? HIS REWARD WAS TO GET FIRED.
AND YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THIS GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT KIND OF AN EXPERT NOW.
GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEMS AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT, THIS GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM HERE WANTED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE BEFORE.
I THINK EVERY MEMBER OF THAT COMMAND, STAFF OF THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD TOO, SHOULD HAVE TO GIVE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE OF ANY TICKETS OR TRAVEL OR ANYTHING OF VALUE THEY'VE GOTTEN FROM ANY AMBULANCE COMPANY.
I DO KNOW ONE THING, THIS FIRE CHIEF HELPED ME, AND I'M GONNA STICK AROUND TILL I, TILL I GET TO THAT SMELL.
'CAUSE I KIND OF KNOW WHERE IT ALREADY IS.
I WOULD LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL STUFF KNOW THAT IN MARCH THE FIRE CHIEF GAVE YOU A FULL REPORT, INCLUDING AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES AND THE CITY MANAGER DIDN'T GIVE IT TO YOU.
MAYBE LOOK, MAYBE YOU GUYS ARE JUST WEAK AND YOU DON'T CARE.
MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE FOLKS ELECTED YOU FOLKS FOR SO THAT Y'ALL SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING WHILE SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST APPLAUDED FOR BEING AN EXTRAORDINARY EMPLOYEE GETS WHACKED BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THE GOOD OLD BOYS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS DON'T WANT 'EM.
MAYBE YOU DON'T CARE THAT YOUR AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIME IN MARCH WAS 97% COMPLIANCE BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY GOT BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'M GOING ALL OVER THE STATE INVESTIGATING AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES.
AND LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM BUSINESS FOR A WHILE.
AND LEMME TELL YOU ONE THING, I KNOW THE SMELL WHEN I SMELL IT, AND IF YOU DON'T WANNA CLEAN IT UP AND YOU CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T WANNA CLEAN IT UP, THEN GOD BLESS YOU.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU WHAT HAPPENED IS NOT GOOD FOR THIS CITY.
THESE PEOPLE WERE CHEATED BY WHAT HAPPENED.
THE CITY MAJOR IS KNOWN FOR EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS ABOUT FALSIFIED RESPONSE TIMES AND DID NOT A DAMN THING ABOUT IT.
CAN I, CAN I FINISH DOWN THERE OR YOU NEED TO INTERRUPT ME AGAIN?
[00:50:01]
GOT ONE MINUTE.DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO TALK ABOUT.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR PORTION OF
HE'S REQUESTED THAT HE WOULD BE RESCHEDULED, UH, CANNOT BE PRESENT ON TONIGHT.
[III.B.(2) A Presentation By The Westside New Addition Organization Regarding The Overpass And West Reverend Dr. Ransom Howard Street (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
NEXT WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION BY THE WEST SIDE ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATION REGARDING THE OVERPASS AND WEST REVEREND DR.AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
YOU'LL HAVE TO USE 'EM ALL, BUT YOU DO HAVE THAT
I RESIDE AT 8 26 WEST SIXTH STREET.
I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE NEW EDITION OF THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR, RESIDENTS OF WEST SIDE EDITION.
I JOINED WITH SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET PERIODICALLY AT THE WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO SHARE OUR CONCERNS FOR SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD UNITY.
OUR GROUP INITIALLY STARTED IN 2018 WHEN GUNSHOTS WERE HEARD AT THE CORNER STORE LOCATED AT WEST SEVENTH STREET AND HARDING AVENUE, CAUSING GRAVE CONCERN OF ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY THE MANY WOMEN, BOTH YOUNG AND OLD WHO LIVED ALONE.
THE POLICE CHIEF AND THEN OUR COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT ONE AND SEVERAL CONCERNED RESIDENTS MET AT THE WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ALLOWING US TO VOICE OUR FEARS.
NOT LONG AFTERWARD, WE WITNESSED A GRADUAL REDUCTION OF DRUG EXCHANGE TRAFFIC THAT IMPEDED OUR DRIVING BY THE CORNER.
SINCE THE FIRST MEETING WE HAVE CALLED OTHER MEETINGS TO ALERT CITY DEPARTMENTS OF PROBLEMS ARISING FROM UNLAWFUL TRASH, DUMPING LOOSE DOGS, ROWDY NEIGHBORS, UNSIGHTLY, VACANT HOMES AND OTHER ISSUES.
WE THANK THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED ALLEVIATE OUR CONCERNS.
NOW WE HAVE COME TO MAKE OUR COUNCILS AWARE OF ANOTHER PRESSING ISSUE THAT HAS RECENTLY BECOME APPARENT.
THAT IS THE LACK OF INFORMATION, MISINFORMATION, AND TOTAL DISREGARD FOR OUR OPINIONS AND OUR PRESENCE AS PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CONSTRUCT A FLYOVER ADJACENT TO OUR 12 BLOCKS OF HOME SOUTH OF WEST SEVENTH STREET, WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A FLYOVER UNTIL PORT COMMISSIONERS WERE INVITED TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WHERE IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WERE PLANS FOR POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION OF A FLYOVER.
THOSE PRESENT WERE ALARMED AND SHOCKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH A PROJECT WITHOUT OUR HAVING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PLANS.
SINCE OCTOBER, 2023, MEETING CALLS WERE MADE TO ASK ABOUT A PROPOSED COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE PORT REPRESENTATIVES WOULD PROVIDE CLARITY OF THE PLANS FOR THE FLYOVER.
WE RECEIVED NO DEFINITE DATE WHEN A MEETING WAS SCHEDULED.
NOT ONE RESIDENT OF THE NEW EDITION WAS NOTIFIED BEFOREHAND.
FLYERS HAD BEEN PREPARED, BUT NOT ONE REACHED US.
OUR QUESTION IS, WHY DO ELECTED OFFICIALS MOVED FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE INPUT OF CITIZENS WHO WOULD BE MOST AFFECTED? IS IT ASSUMED THAT WE, THAT YOU FEEL WE ARE TOO ILL-INFORMED OR IGNORANT OR TOO COMPLACENT OR APATHETIC TO WANT TO BE A PART OF PLANNING THAT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR LIVES? OR IS THERE TOTAL DISREGARD FOR OUR POSITION AS TAXPAYERS, AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS WE DESERVE BETTER? THANK YOU.
I RESIDE AT 1131 WEST FIFTH STREET.
I TOO AM A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE NEW EDITION ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I HAVE HELPED ORGANIZE ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CALLED TO REGULAR TO REGISTER RATHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH OUR, WITHIN OUR 12 BLOCK AREA.
MANY OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW EDITION ARE THIRD GENERATION INHABITANTS WHO TAKE PRIDE IN THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR GRANDPARENTS PURCHASED THEIR LOTS AFTER, WHILE AFTER WHITE RATHER COUNCILMEN NOTED THAT THE INFLUX OF NEGROES TO PORT ARTHUR, AND THIS IS TAKEN
[00:55:01]
FROM HISTORICAL RECORDS, UM, MAY, I'M SORRY, INFLUX OF NEGROES TO PORT ARTHUR DURING THE FORTIES, THREATENED TO INFRINGE ON THE ALL WHITE SIDE OF OUR CITY AS A TRACK OF LAND HAD TO BE SET ASIDE FOR NEGROES TO LIVE.SEVENTH STREET AT THE TIME WAS A LEVY THAT SEPARATED THE MARSH AREA FROM THE WEST SIDE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
ONCE THE MARSH WAS FILLED IN, BLACKS BEGAN TO PURCHASE THE, UH, THEIR LOTS OF IMMEDIATELY, THUS CREATING THE NEW EDITION.
OUR PURPOSE HERE THIS EVENING IS TO STAY CLEARLY THAT OUR GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS DO, UH, DOES NOT OPPOSE ANY PROGRESS THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE CONSTRUC CONSTRUCTION OF THE FLYOVER.
WE DO OBJECT, HOWEVER, TO THE FACT THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CITY GOVERNMENT HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO US TO APPRISE US OF SUCH A MONUMENTAL DECISION.
THERE ARE STILL THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE FLYOVER IS.
EVEN TO THIS VERY DAY, HAD TWO PORT COMMISSIONERS NOT ATTENDED, OUR NOVEMBER 23RD NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WOULD HAVE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE DARK.
MY DISMAY LIES IN THE FACT THAT NOT ONE OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, IN PARTICULAR, DID NOT CALL ONE OF US TO TELL US OF THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
TO ADD MORE SALT TO OUR WOUNDS, PORT COMMISSIONERS REFER TO THE FLYOVER AS A FUTURE POSSIBILITY, NOT A DONE DEAL WHILE VISITING WITH US AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
HAVING REPRESENTATION ON COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS IS A LONG AWAITED OPPORTUNITY FOR US, OUR PEOPLE, TO FEEL A PART OF DECISION MAKING THAT IMPACTS OUR LIVES.
INSTEAD, WE ARE LEFT TO FIGURE OUT OUR FUTURE IN OUR PART OF TOWN ON OUR OWN.
WE STILL A PART OF THE NEW EDITION BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE THERE.
WE ARE STILL A PART OF THE NEW EDITION BECAUSE WE FEEL WE OWE IT TO THE INVESTMENT OF OUR ANCESTORS.
WE ARE STILL A PART OF THE NEW EDITION BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE HOPE THAT WE CAN LIVE AND GROW TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY WHOSE ROOTS RUN DEEP.
IS IS IT TOO MUCH TO SOLICIT SOME SEMBLANCE OF CONCERN FOR THOSE OF US WHO EMBRACE OUR PAST WHILE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE? I CAN ONLY PRAY THAT WHAT I HAVE SAID HAS NOT FALLEN ON DEAF EARS OR HEART AND HEARTS.
I AM HERE TO DO THE WRAP UP TO MY ESTEEMED COUNSEL.
I RESIDE AT 1 3 2 5 WEST SIXTH STREET AND I AM THE OWNER OF PETRIE'S HOME CARE, LLC.
UM, MY MOTHER WAS A PROUD, UM, WEST SIDE GIRL, GRADUATED IN 1972 FROM LINCOLN HIGH.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE WEST SIDE ALL OF MY LIFE AND I OWN SEVERAL PROPERTIES THERE NOW.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN A ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND PETRI HOME CARE, UM, SPONSORS REFRESHMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS NEEDED FOR THE, UM, PEOPLE IN THE 12 BLOCK RADIUS, WHICH WE CALL THE NEW EDITION RESIDENTS.
OUR GROUP IS NOT AN HOH, WE ARE NOT SEEKING ANY LEGAL ACTION TO IMPEDE THE PLAN FLY OVER.
WE WANT TO SEE PROGRESS IN THE CITY.
UM, I'M HERE TO JUST EXPRESS MY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE SINCE WE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND MY CONCERNS ARE PRECAUTIONARY.
I SEEK ANSWERS TO THE WHAT IFS.
UM, SOME STATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE LITTLE OR NO EFFECT ON THE TRAFFIC.
UH, CURRENTLY NOW I AM A NURSE.
MY SPECIALTY IS IN PALLIATIVE CARE.
THAT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING OR HAVE A TERMINAL CONDITION THAT CANNOT, YOU KNOW, BE FIXED.
UM, AND NOW WHEN IT TAKES ME, UM, TIME TO, UH, GET MY PATIENTS TO AN OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE IN THE MORNING, THAT USUALLY REQUIRES THEM TO BE THERE AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING.
THE TRAFFIC IS SO BAD I HAVE TO LEAVE SOMETIMES AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, OR IF I GET A CALL THAT SOMEONE'S DYING, UM, IN THOSE HOURS THAT THE TRAFFIC ARE SO, UM, THAT THE TRAFFIC IS SUCH A PROBLEM.
UH, I CAN'T GET OUT IN A SWIFT TIME.
UM, WE CONCLUDE THAT MORE TRUCKS COULD MEAN, YOU KNOW,
[01:00:01]
AND MORE TRAFFIC COULD BE POSSIBLE CONSIDERED FOR THIS FLYOVER.FIRST WE WONDERED FOR THE CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON SEVENTH STREET, UH, THE POTHOLES THAT ARE THERE NOW.
WE ARE HOPING THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED TO SEEK TO CORRECT AND REINFORCE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF SEVENTH STREET.
UM, I WAS WONDERING IF A STUDY HAS BEEN DONE, UM, ON THE HIGH TRAFFIC.
THE 18 WHEEL IS THE RESPONSE TO THE AMBULANCE GETTING IN AND OUT AS I HAVE A ANT THAT HAS A A 33-YEAR-OLD HANDICAPPED CHILD THAT CAN'T, UM, ACCESSIBLY GET OUT.
SHE'S JUST ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS, UH, IN THAT AREA.
AND, UH, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S MORE ACCIDENTS, UM, WE HAVE FIVE, UH, EXITS LEAVING OUT DENVER, LINCOLN HARDING, UH, WOODFORD AND FOLEY.
THE BACK OF OUR HOUSES IS THE WATERWAY, UH, THE LEVY, WHICH I ALWAYS CALLED IT.
UM, I'M JUST CONCERNED FOR OUR ELDERLY, UM, THEIR, THEIR NEED TO GET OUT.
WE HAVE VERY, UM, NON NON, NON NON JANES, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE NON JANES THERE.
BEATRICE BRANCH, WHO'S 97 YEARS OLD, WHO HUSBAND WAS, UM, AT THE, AT, UH, POLICE CHIEF.
AND, UM, ANOTHER LADY NAMED MS. SMITH.
SHE HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST.
LINDA GABRIEL'S MOTHER ON SEVENTH STREET, MS. MERCY GABRIEL.
AND THAT'S JUST A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MIGHT KNOW.
AND FINALLY, THERE ARE STILL CHILDREN WHO PLAY AT THE PARK BEHIND THE JB MATTHEW CENTER.
AND IN THE SUMMERTIME, UH, IT'S REALLY A HIGH INFLUX OF KIDS.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ALL OF THE, UM, KIDS THAT LIVE IN THE NEW ADDITION, THEY HAVE TO WALK THERE BECAUSE BUS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO HIM.
SO PERHAPS THESE ISSUE ARE OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCES, UM, TO THE PORT.
BUT WE ARE VERY CON AND, UM, TO THE COUNCIL AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED AT THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO STATE PERSONALLY THAT I AM, UM, ONE OF THE YOUNG RESIDENTS AS WELL AS MS. YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ.
SHE'S, UM, A TELLER AT LA MANITA ON, UM, GOWAY DRIVE.
SHE IS ONE OF THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT IS OF ANOTHER, UM, CULTURE.
AND, UH, WE ALL TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE LOVE OUR WEST SIDE EDITION.
SO WE THANK I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME AND TAKING TIME TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL, UM, ANSWER OUR CRY.
UH, JUST, JUST A MOMENT, Y'ALL.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, HAVE YOU ALL TALKED WITH THE PORT ABOUT THE, YOUR CONCERNS YET? HAVE Y'ALL ADDRESSED, ADDRESSED THESE CONCERNS WITH THE PORT? YES.
UH, WE WENT TO THE EDC MEETING.
ANYWAY,
UH, TETTE DID NOT ENUMERATE THEM AS THEY WERE PRINTED BECAUSE THERE ARE FIVE DEFINITIVE REASONS WHY WE FEEL MORE SHOULD BE DONE ON PART OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO MAKE SURE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SAFEGUARDED IN THE NEW EDITION.
I SPOKE WITH MR. KELLY THEN JUST EARLIER THIS WEEK, WELL LAST WEEK, I SHOULD SAY LAST WEEK.
I, UH, WAS ASKED BY, UH, OUR COMMISSIONER, MR. JOHN CUOMO, WHO'S PRESIDENT WOULD I MEET HIM ON DENVER BECAUSE HE FELT THAT I MAY NOT HAVE CLARITY AS FAR AS WHERE THE FLYOVER WOULD DESCEND.
AND THE PROPERTY THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM THE EDC AT WHICH TIME MR. KELLY ALSO, UH, UH, ATTENDED AND, UH, I GUESS MONITORED US TO MAKE SURE WE WERE SAYING THE RIGHT THINGS.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT I REITERATED OUR CONCERNS AND THE CONCERNS ARE VERY LEGITIMATE IN THAT SET.
WE ARE REALLY IN A LITTLE VALLEY, MORE OR LESS MM-HMM.
WE ARE BOUND ON FOUR SIDES BY EITHER PROPERTY, THE PORT, AND NOW WHAT HAD BEEN PORT IRON IS THE PORT AGAIN.
AND ALL WE HAVE IS SEVENTH STREET AS A MEANS OF EITHER TRAVELING EAST OR WEST WITH THE LNG TRAFFIC THAT
[01:05:01]
BLOCKS 82 GETTING THROUGH AT CERTAIN TIMES OF DAY, THE MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.SO THAT MEANS THAT IF I WANNA GO TO JUDY'S TO BUY SOMETHING, I HAVE TO WAIT, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR TRAFFIC TO PASS, IF THE TRAFFIC INCREASES AS IT'S PROJECTED TO DO SO.
BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF A FLYOVER IS TO HAVE BETTER, UH, EXITS FOR THE TRUCKS TO COME INTO SEVENTH STREET AND THEN PROGRESS ONTO 87, THEN 73 AND SO FORTH.
I KNOW SOME CHANGES ARE GOING TO OCCUR AND MY CITIZENS AND I SAY MY CITIZENS, 'CAUSE THESE ARE MY CONSTITUENTS WHO WE LIVE TOGETHER AND WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND WE ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE SINGLE WOMEN WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, HAS ANYONE DONE ANY KIND OF STUDY OR PROJECTION OR EVALUATION OR EVEN CONSULTED US AS CITIZENS TO KNOW WHAT OUR CONCERNS MAY HAVE BEEN? THAT'S ALL.
AND I HAVE TOLD THE PORT, THE PORT KNOWS WE'VE VISITED, WE'VE TAKEN TOURS OF THE PORT.
WE KNOW HOW EXTENSIVE THE PORT IS.
WE KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PORT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I WONDER IF ANYBODY KNOWS ABOUT US.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I OVERHEARD SOMETHING THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF.
THE, THE, THE FLYOVER IS NOT COMPLETE, IS NOT, I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNDED.
BUT WHAT I'M HEARING, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS WHAT NOW? THE FLY OVER THE OVERPASS, UHHUH
THAT IT HAS NOT, THIS IS A PROPOSAL.
IT'S A BUT NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
WE HAD A MEETING AT OUR LITTLE WEST SIDE DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
WE HAVE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR WHEN WE MET THE PORT COMMISSIONERS.
ONLY TWO COULD ATTEND BECAUSE OF SOME ACT THAT TEXAS HAS ABOUT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND THE ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAID THAT THAT WAS THE PROPOSAL FOR A FLYOVER.
THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS A FLYOVER? SO THE PERSON, MR. UH, KAMAU SAID, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T WANNA SAY HIS NAME.
THE COMMISSIONER SAID, A FLYOVER IS NOTHING MORE THAN THE OVERPASS.
HOW YOU GONNA HAVE AN OVERPASS? AND WE ARE SITTING RIGHT HERE.
HE SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT'S JUST A PROPOSAL.
BUT AT THAT TIME, IT HAD ALREADY BEEN OKAYED.
SO NOW WE ARE SAYING, WHY WEREN'T WE NOTIFIED? WHY WEREN'T WE TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY OF THIS? AND WE SEEN THE SIMULATION OF THIS DESCENT DOWN TO SEVENTH STREET.
AND, UH, HE PRESENTED TO THE EDC AS WELL.
AND AT THE EDC MEETING, HE DID LOOK AT WHAT WE HAD CONCERNS, THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
SO MY POINT IS, IN HINDSIGHT, WE JUST WANT SOMEONE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND WILL ANYTHING BE DONE TO SAFEGUARD THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO SECURE.
WE, UH, WORKED HARD TO GET THE LITTLE PARK FIXED FOR OUR CHILDREN.
FAMILIES OUT THERE, PEOPLE USE THE JP MATTHEW CENTER FOR, UM, LITTLE RECEPTIONS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND SO FORTH.
WE JUST WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR WAY OF LIFE.
MAYBE WE'LL GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
MAYBE SOMEONE WILL DO, UH, UH, PUT A STORY THERE.
WHATEVER THE CASE IS, JUST LET US KNOW SOMETHING.
AND I, AND MY, GO AHEAD MYSELF, AS WELL AS BEING A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA AFFECT MY RESPONSE TIME TO MY PATIENTS THAT I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE CITY TOO.
NOW, I, JOHN, THE, THE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE, OF THE PORT TOLD ME THAT YOU, HE TOOK YOU ON A TOUR OVER THERE.
WE, WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT HELPING US WHO ARE SITTING ON FIFTH STREET, SIXTH STREET, AND PROCTOR.
WELL, LET, LET, LET, LET ME SAY THIS, OKAY.
AND WHAT I'VE TALKED, I'VE TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE PORT, AND LIKE I, MY, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS THING HAS BEEN FUNDED.
WHAT IS PROPOSALS? IT IS SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN ON FIFTH STREET.
ON SEVENTH STREET? NO, NOT SEVENTH STREET.
IT'S GONNA COME DOWN ON FIFTH STREET.
BUT THEY'RE GONNA APPROACH IT, BUT THE, THE LANDING IS GONNA BE ON, ON FIFTH.
NOW, NOW, WHEN I, WHEN I MET WITH THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE I FIRST GOT BACK ON COUNCIL WHEN I, I SAID THIS WAS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND THE PORT TO WORK TOGETHER ON
[01:10:01]
UPGRADING, UH, AN INDUSTRIAL BASE ON SEVENTH STREET, BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS NOT GONNA HOLD RIGHT NOW, THE TRAFFIC, THE 18 WHEELERS ALL OVER TOWN.BUT ONCE THEY PUT THAT FLY OVER IN PLACE, THAT 18 WHEELERS, THEY, THEY GONNA COME.
WE GONNA GET 'EM OFF OF PROCTOR STREET, GONNA GET 'EM OFF OF HOUSTON AVENUE.
THEY GONNA COME AROUND TO 73 AND COME AND, AND COME AND APPROACH AND COME DOWN SEVENTH STREET.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC COMING DOWN SEVENTH STREET, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT AT NIGHT.
WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER AREAS.
WE'RE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW EDITION.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE, WE, WE, WE, UH, WE'VE EXPENDED THE TIME, THE TIME ELEMENTS ON IT, BUT NO, Y'ALL JUST WAIT JUST A SECOND.
A FEW OTHERS HAVE SOMETHING DU SAID YOU HAD SOMETHING.
BUT, BUT WHAT I'M, WHAT I WANNA SAY IS CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE PORT TO GET SOME THINGS DONE FOR THE NEW EDITION.
AND ALSO SEVENTH STREET, PUT IT INDUSTRIAL BASE FROM LINCOLN AVENUE.
FROM LINCOLN TO MLKA KIND OF, UM, INDUSTRIAL BASE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PORT AND THE CITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
WELL, I'M SURE YOU ALL WILL GET TOGETHER.
DON'T, DON'T, COMAN DO SAID, YES, I AGREE WITH YOU.
AND, UH, I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT MYSELF.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH AS A COUNCIL.
WHEN DEVELOPERS AND THINGS WANT BRING SOMETHING INTO AN AREA LIKE THAT, WE KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
MAINLY TRACK SEMIS GOING TO THE PORT.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT ON PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE THE PEOPLE TO HAVE A HALL, TOWN HALL MEETING IN THE PARTICULAR AREA AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITIZENS, UH, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO SO THEY CAN HEAR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE, BECAUSE IT MAY NOT HAPPEN TO CHANGE, BUT AT LEAST THEY CAN INCORPORATE SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND I ATTENDED THE MEETING WHERE I SAW THAT I HAD TO BREAK SIMULATIONS AND SO FORTH OVER THERE AT THE EDC.
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE THAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL ALSO, BECAUSE IF IT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL, THEN THE PEOPLE ATTENDING WOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT CITIZENS WHO VIEW WOULD HAVE SEEN, AND PEOPLE ANSWERING QUESTIONS, MORE PEOPLE WOULD'VE KNOWN.
WE'VE DONE A BAD JOB OF COMMUNICATING.
WE'VE DONE A BAD JOB OF GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT.
WE JUST HAVE TO WORK ON IMPROVING IT.
THEY AIN'T NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND I, AND I TALK TO THE MANAGER ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
WE NEED TO START JUST INFORMING CITIZENS.
SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WE CAN'T STOP.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, AT LEAST HERE WITH CITIZENS HAVE TO SAY AND CONSIDER WHAT THEY SAY, THEN WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY CITIZENS AND OUR, UH, DEVELOPERS OR OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE.
THANK YOU, MR. BUT I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH WHAT YOU ALL SAYING.
I JUST FEEL WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE TO COME AND TELL US THAT.
UH, COSMAN, UH, KIM, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
MS. LATHAM, UH, I, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I'M AT A DISADVANTAGE OF, OF THIS PROPOSAL, UH, WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED TO ME AND DOING A, A, A VISIT AT THE PORT.
SO I WAS HERE, UH, TALKING WITH MY COHORT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK.
AND I KNEW IT WAS POSSIBILITY OF WANTING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO THAT MAGNITUDE.
BUT OF COURSE, UH, AS, UH, AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER AND AS, SO AS, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
OUR, OUR CONCERN IS THE WEST SIDE.
UNTIL THEY COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND TELL THIS COUNCIL, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO DO, A FUNDING SOURCE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, LEWIS HAS STATED, MM-HMM.
WE HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING UNLESS THEY TALK WITH US AND MEET WITH US.
AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE BRINGING IT UP TO OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY, YOU KNOW, I INTRODUCED A, A HAVING A TRUCK, TRUCK ROUTE.
AND GUESS WHO BEARS THE BURDEN OF THAT? THE CITY.
AND IF WE CAN DO, LIKE SOME OTHER CITIES HAVE A TRUCK ROUTE AND TICKET THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THOSE TRUCKS TRYING TO FIND EASY ACCESS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME CHANGES AND ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE COSTS.
UH, I HAD TO ASK MY COHORT, I KNOW WHAT A PASSOVER OVERPASS, BUT WHEN YOU MENTIONED FLYOVER, IT KIND OF THREW ME.
[01:15:01]
BUT I KNOW WHAT IT IS.BUT AT THE TIME THAT I WAS INTRODUCED TO THIS PERSONALLY, IT WAS JUST A IDEA, AND I'M HERE, THAT YOU GUYS HAD MEETINGS ABOUT YES.
WITH THE PORT ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT MAY I JUST SAY YES MA'AM, FOR THE SAKE OF MY, MY PEOPLE.
AND I, I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP, I'M ON THE PHONE, Y'ALL GUESS WHAT'S HAPPENING? Y'ALL LET'S ME DO THIS.
AND I'VE TOLD COUNCILMAN LEWIS, DON'T RELY ON WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
GET US, WE, I GIVE HER 20 NAMES, SHE TAKES 20 NAMES, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY WALK OUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL WE GET EVERYONE CON CONTACTED.
BECAUSE WE ARE INTENT ON PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THEN YOU KNOW HOW, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS FEEL.
BECAUSE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO SOMEONE I SAID, AND THE FLYOVER, AND THEY SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND SO, AND THAT GOES ON TO T DOT NOT CUTTING THE GRASS WHERE WE CAN, WE DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO KEEP OUR AREA SAFE.
NOW WE ARE JUST PUTTING IT BACK IN THE COUNCIL'S HAND AT THIS POINT.
UM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD HAD, UM, WAS SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THE MEETING AS WELL, BECAUSE I SAW THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DEVELOP THAT COMMUNICATION THAT IS SO BADLY NEEDED, UM, HAVE NO FEAR.
WE ARE GOING TO SIT MR. MR MR. THE CHAIRMAN WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
BUT WE HAVE RESCHEDULED THE MEETING, AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS, THAT COMMUNITY INPUT AND INFORMATION IS BEING DISSEMINATED IN A VERY TIMELY AND RELEVANT MANNER TO ALLAY WHATEVER FEARS THAT YOU HAVE AS RESIDENTS.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion Regarding Council Adoption Of Resolutions That Do Not Follow City Ordinances (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
WE'RE NOW, EXCUSE ME, DOWN TO DISCUSSIONS.WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORTS AT ALL.
WE HAD DISCUSSIONS NOW WITH THE FIRST DISCUSSION, THE DISCUSSION REGARDING COUNCIL ADOPTION RESOLUTIONS THAT, UH, DO NOT FOLLOW CITY ORDINANCE.
THIS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
MORE THAN 10 ON THAT, UH, CITY, CITY ATTORNEY.
DOES COUNCIL ASK THE AUTHORITY AND INDIVIDUALLY, COLLECTIVELY, OR UNANIMOUSLY TO, TO VIOLATE ANY CITY ORDINANCE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, STATE OR FEDERAL LAW? WELL, GENERALLY NOT.
IF BY ANY CHANCE, COUNCIL ADOPTS A ORDINANCE THAT VIOLATES, OR A PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE VIOLATES A CITY ORDINANCE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, STATE OF FEDERAL LAW, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT RESOLUTION? WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY.
UH, FOR ONE THING, WHEN YOU SET UP PORTION, UH, MO ALL ORDINANCES, I THINK HAVE A SAVINGS CLAUSE IN THEM THAT IF ANY PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE IS HELD TO BE INVALID, THE REMAINING PORTION IS VALID.
SO IT WOULD DEPEND UPON THE ORDINANCE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND RE AND THAT PERTAINS TO RESOLUTIONS ALSO, CORRECT? I'M SORRY? IT PERTAINS TO RESOLUTIONS ALSO.
NOW, IF COUNCIL DO VIOLATE THE ORDINANCES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, STATE OF FEDERAL LAW, AND THEY ARE CHARGED, DOES THE CITY PROVIDE DEFENSE OR MUST THE COUNCIL PERSON GET THEIR OWN DEFENSE? I THINK THE CITY WOULD PROVIDE THE DEFENSE IF THEY ACTED IN GOOD FAITH.
IF THEY VIOLATED THE ORDINANCE IS AT GOOD FAITH.
WELL, CERTAINLY, IF, IF THEY VIOLATED THE ORDINANCE AND DIDN'T REALIZE THEY WERE VIOLATING IT.
THEN WE GO BACK TO THAT, THAT PHRASE THAT THEY ALWAYS USE IN GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS, KNOWINGLY.
MY POINT, AND THE REASON I ASKED HIM TO GIVE
[01:20:01]
THOSE RESPONSE, BECAUSE I, I, I READ VERBATIM ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO BUSINESS WE DO UP HERE AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO IS DUKE SAID, WAY IS D.AND UH, HE'S SAID, WELL, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THAT AIN'T THE CASE.
I SPENT MANY HOURS READING AND PREPARING FOR THESE MEETINGS.
MOST OF THE AUDIENCES I KNOW IF I READ THEM AND I QUOTE 'EM OVER HERE, IS ONLY TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ME.
AND WE ALL NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS.
'CAUSE EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ANSWER TO THESE VOTES, ESPECIALLY IF WE KNOWINGLY, KNOWINGLY VIOLATE ORDINANCE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES, STATE OF FEDERAL LAWS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY THAT ABOUT THAT ONE, MAYOR.
I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY OTHER LIGHT HERE.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion Regarding The Operation Of Pleasure Island (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO NUMBER TWO ON THE DISCUSSIONS.IS IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE OPERATION OF, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND.
THAT'S REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
YEAH, THAT'S GONNA BE SHORT TOO, BECAUSE I'M IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT PLEASURE ISLAND AND HIS OPERATIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE APPEARS TO BE DECISIONS AND THINGS BEING DONE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
SEEMS LIKE THE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE BY THE MANAGER OR THE ISLAND, THE DIRECTOR AND THE COUNCIL.
UH, PLEASURE ISLAND HAS A BUDGET.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
THEY ESTABLISH A BUDGET EACH YEAR.
BUT I'VE NOTICED THAT WE GETTING TO WHERE WE DOING CERTAIN THINGS, WE GATHERING MONEY AND RAISING MONEY TO DO THINGS, I'M ALL FOR IT.
BUT I ALWAYS SAY THERE'S A WAY THAT WE MANAGE THIS MONEY, AND IT'S A BIG DEAL WITH ME.
ESPECIALLY THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE APPROVED THE, UH, THE RESTROOM'S RENOVATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, WE HAD BY WHERE THE, I WAS ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE FOR A PROJECT? AND I DIDN'T GET THE ANSWER.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS MONEY TRANSFERRED TO THEIR BUDGET TO GET THE REST OF THE MONEY.
WELL, IF YOU TRANSFERRED MONEY FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO IF YOU GOING TO TRANSFER MONEY, IT COULD BE IN THE RESOLUTION, BUT WE MUST BE NOTIFIED THAT WE ARE APPROVING THE TRANSFER OF SUCH FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN TRACK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE APPROPRIATE MONEY.
AND THE DIRECTOR SHOULD KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND IF IT WAS IN THE BUDGET OR NOT.
AND THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT QUESTIONING STAFF.
YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND, I HEAR THE TERM SAY, LET STAFF DO THEIR JOB.
I DO LET STAFF DO THEIR JOB, BUT I READ A LOT OF THIS STUFF AND PREPARE FOR THESE MEETINGS.
AND IF IT'S NOT RIGHT WHEN I READ IT, I'M GONNA GO BACK AND FIND OUT WHAT'S WRITTEN.
AND WHEN I BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL AND I STATE IT, I'M ONLY STATING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DIDN'T READ IT OR DID NOT KNOW IT EXIST.
BUT WE NEED TO FOLLOW OUR ORDINANCES AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND FINANCE.
WE ARE UP HERE TO NOT RUBBER STAMP REQUESTS FOR US.
WE ARE UP HERE TO ENSURE THAT THESE ORDINANCE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS ARE BEING FOLLOWED.
SO STAFF, I RESPECT THEM, I UNDERSTAND THAT REQUEST.
BUT WHEN I REVIEW THESE AGENDAS AND DO MY BACKGROUND, IF IT AIN'T FOLLOWING
[01:25:01]
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, ORDINANCE, CODE, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, IT'S GOING TO BE QUESTIONED IN COUNCIL.WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY ALWAYS PRESENT WITH US WHEN THESE ORDINANCE AND STUFF BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON WHETHER IT'S CORRECT OR WRONG, WE NEED TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY BECAUSE WE NEED TO FOLLOW IT.
AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT'S WHAT WE HERE.
WE NOT HERE TO RUBBER STEP ENOUGH OF THAT ONE, MAYOR.
[III.F.(3) A Discussion Regarding Boards And Committees (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton Everfield)]
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE DISCUSSIONS, THIS DISCUSSION REGARDING BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR PO.
THE PURPOSE OF PUTTING THIS, UM, DISCUSSION ITEM ON WAS FOR MY COWORKERS AND I TO BE AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT SERVE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REACHING OUT TO EACH OF THE CITY LIAISON THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED BY OUR CITY MANAGER TO OVERSEE THESE COMMITTEES AND BOARDS.
SOME OF OUR APPOINTEES ARE ACTIVE AND PARTICIPATE, AND SOME OF THEM AREN'T.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE REVIEW OUR APPOINTMENTS AND CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, ACTIVE.
MAYBE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE COME UP AND THEY AREN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
IF THAT BE THE CASE, THEN PLEASE MAKE AN EFFORT TO REPLACE THEM.
BUT SOME OF THEM ARE NOT AWARE OF THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTIONS.
I WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTIONS THAT STARTED THAT BOARD OR THAT COMMITTEE.
AND SO, BEING THAT THIS RESOLUTIONS WERE ADOPTED YEARS AGO, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
AND SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO REVIEW THEM AND SEE WHICH MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED SO THAT WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITH THE TIME OF THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE ARE APPOINTING TO SERVE IN THESE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
SO AS SOON AS WE COMPLETE THAT PROCESS, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HELP ME GATHER, UM, THESE DOCUMENTS.
THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AND QUITE POSSIBLY IN A WORKSHOP FORM, UH, FORMAT.
THERE ARE ABOUT EIGHT TO 10 DIFFERENT BOARDS.
FIVE OVERALL, BUT 10 DIFFERENT BOARDS, BUT ONLY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX DO WE ALL APPOINT TO THE OTHERS OR THOSE THAT THE MAYOR ONLY APPOINTS TO.
SO AGAIN, UM, LET'S PLEASE REVIEW OUR APPOINTMENTS AND THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARDS SO THAT WE CAN BE READY TO REVIEW THOSE RESOLUTIONS FOR POSSIBLE UPDATE IF NECESSARY.
COUNCILMAN DUCEY, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD TOPIC, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UH, SECRETARY AND COUNCIL, WE APPOINT PEOPLE AND SHE RECORDS THEM.
AND WE ALSO, AS SHE STATED, HAVE A LIAISON THAT OVERSEE ALL OUR COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS.
HOWEVER, IF OUR APPOINTEES ARE NOT ATTENDING OR THEY BECOME, UH, DISRUPTIVE OR THERE'S A PROBLEM, THEN IT'S UP TO THE PERSON OVERSEE THE, UH, BOARD OR COMMITTEE TO LET US AS COUNCIL MEMBER KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN APPOINTEE THAT IS NOT FULFILLING THE REQUIREMENTS AND NOT ATTENDING THE MEETING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SOMEBODY REALLY OVERSEEING EACH ONE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE THERE AND THEY KNOW IF OUR APPOINTEES ARE NOT DOING IT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NOT GONNA RUN OUR APPOINTEES DOWN OR ATTEND THESE MEETINGS, BUT WE APPOINT THEM FOR, TO DO THE PARTICULAR JOB.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING WRONG WITH OUR APPOINTEES, NOT ATTENDING MEETINGS OR NOT SHOWING UP, THEN I THINK, UH, THE PERSON OVERSEES IT NEED TO BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION, NOT TO THE COUNCIL, REALLY TO FIRST US AS INDIVIDUALS.
AND IF WE DON'T CORRECT IT, THEN BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT THAT'S BEEN WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THE TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT, THAT, THAT SHOULDN'T SOLVE IT.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
NOW WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ONE NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE THREE, WHICH WE, UH, REPORTS OF, UH, OUR ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.UM, I ATTENDED A, UM, A TREE PLANTING AT ADAMS PARK.
UH, WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, ENERGY TRANSFER AND A FEW OTHER, UM, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, AGENCIES THAT, UM,
[01:30:01]
ACTUALLY DONATED THE PLANTING OF 125 TREES AT ADAMS PARK, WHICH IS, UH, BEHIND LUCIAN ADAMS, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CLOSE TO MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.AND I, I DO WANNA LET OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN KNOW I DID DRIVE BY AFTER THE STORM TO SEE IF WE HAD ANY DAMAGE FROM THE STORM.
AND THERE'S A FEW TREES THAT HAVE KIND OF FALLEN OVER.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DAMAGED, BUT WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE, UH, STOOD BACK UP AND, AND, UH, AND REPLANTED.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS THE O TACO FOOD FESTIVAL.
THIS IS COMING UP AT CENTRAL MALL.
THIS IS, UH, COMING UP THIS WEEKEND, MAY 11TH, UH, AND 12TH ON SATURDAY.
ON THE 11TH IT WILL BE FROM 12 TO EIGHT AND FROM ON SUNDAY, WHICH IS MOTHER'S DAY.
THIS IS A FOOD FESTIVAL THAT WAS, UM, UH, IT CAME IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR AND IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT AGAIN, UH, COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
AND, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND.
THERE'S NO ADMISSION FREE, UH, NO ADMISSION FEE.
AND THERE ARE, UM, 26, I BELIEVE FOOD VENDORS OUTSIDE CENTRAL MALL.
AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ALSO INSIDE THE MALL AS WELL.
SO PLEASE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ATTEND.
WE HAVE HAD A LOT GOING ON WEATHER-WISE.
GOD HAS SAW FIT TO TRENCH US A LOT LATELY, SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE WORKING AS DILIGENTLY AS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ALSO TO WORK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN WITH REPAIRING OR, AND AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGING SO THEY CAN BE REPAIRED FOR THE WATERLINES.
I APPRECIATE HOW HARD THESE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET THE TRASH OUT.
I LEARNED THIS WEEK, I MEAN, TO GET THE TRASH UP, I LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPORT THAT'S PROVIDED THAT WILL STATE WHERE THAT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST, UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S PROVIDED DAILY, IF NOT EVERY OTHER DAY.
WE'VE RECEIVED SOME CALLS THAT, OH, TRASH HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP IN FRONT OF MY HOME FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO, BUT THE DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE BEEN OVER THERE LAST WEEK, BUT WE HAD ANOTHER STORM, SO NOW THERE'S MORE TRASH.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOUR, YOUR, UM, PATIENTS.
AND I'M NOT AT ALL SAYING DON'T LET US KNOW.
WE NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE IT'S BLOCKING SOME OF THE CULVERTS, IT'S BLOCKING THE DRAINS AND WE WANNA BE GOOD STEWARDS AND HELP TO REMOVE SOME OF THOSE, UM, THAT DEBRIS OUT OF THOSE DRAINS TO HELP DECREASE OR PREVENT FLOODING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE PLEASE MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO REMOVE THE TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM THE DITCHES IN FRONT OF OUR HOMES.
AND IF YOU DO SEE IT, UM, IN CULVERTS AND IN DRAINS, DO PLEASE LET US KNOW.
BUT WE ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING TO REMOVE THAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? OH YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY.
YOU SAID THAT'S GOING TO BE A LUNCHEON OR SOMETHING? FREE LUNCHEON? NO, IT'S THE OTA FOOD FESTIVAL AT CENTRAL MALL THIS WEEKEND.
OH, IT'S GONNA BE FREE, BUT IT, BUT IT'S FREE.
WELL LET THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN FRANK KNOW IT'S THE BROWN BAG.
WELL, WELL THE FOOD IS NOT FREE.
OKAY, WELL, WELL THAT'S NEGOTIABLE.
ALRIGHT, UH, NOW WE'RE ON PAGE FOUR, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
WE HAVE, UH, AND I THINK I'M MOVING.
[VI.(1) P.R. No. 23638 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 1 For The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Delk Construction, Inc. Of Nederland, Texas Increasing The Contract Amount By $6,000.00 To A New Contract Amount Of $191,000.00 For Port Arthur Transit's Storage Building Construction; Funds Available In Account 401-70-530-8512-00-60- 000, Project TR2035B.CAP.BUI]
OKAY.ON PAGE FOUR, UNFINISHED BUSINESS PR NUMBER 23 6 38.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND DELK CONSTRUCTION, COOPERED OF NEEDLE IN TEXAS, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $6,000.
SO A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $191,000 FOR PORT ARTHUR TRANSIT STORAGE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 1 DASH SEVEN ZERO DASH 5 3 8 5 2 6 0 0.
AND IT IS PROJECT T 2 0 35 B POINT, UH, OR BBU.
I, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR, UH, APPROVAL ON THAT? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND THE, UH, PR
[01:35:01]
AS IT WAS STATED.WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
SO THIS HONOR, THE PR NUMBER 23 6 38 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
MOVE NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ROMAN NUMERAL SEVEN, ACTUALLY BEGINS ON PAGE FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.PAGE EIGHT, I BELIEVE YOU SAID EIGHT.
UH, THESE ARE ITEMS ABOUT 21 DIFFERENT ITEMS HERE, UH, AND ITEMS OF ROUTINE IN NATURE.
AND COUNCILMAN COUNCIL HAS BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF THE HISTORIC INFORMATION THAT'S ON THESE.
UH, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY THAT YOU WOULD WANT WITHDRAWN, PLEASE GIVE ME THE PAGE NUMBER AND ITEM NUMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN ETT ITEM.
ITEM TWO, ITEM NUMBER 10, PAGE EIGHT.
OKAY, I THOUGHT YOU SAID OKAY.
AND PAGE, UH, EIGHT, EIGHT AND 21.
ON PAGE EIGHT, EIGHT PAGE ITEM 21, 8 AND ITEM 21.
ANY OTHERS? I BETTER ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE SATED ITEMS BY COUNCILPERSONS.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? SECOND? IT MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, EXCUSE ME, THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF, OF ITEMS NUMBER 10.
UH, ITEM 12, ITEM ITEM 13, ITEM 19 AND ITEM 21.
UH, AND Y'ALL GOT, I KNOW THOSE ARE THE CORRECT ONES, RIGHT? YEAH.
WE WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONS ON IT AND WE DID GET A SECOND.
SO WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? AS HAVE, SO IT'S ALL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THESE ITEMS THAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO INDIVIDUALLY, UH, ADDRESS.
[VII.(10) P.R. No. 23728 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Citywide Master Drainage Plan From Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC, Of Port Arthur, Texas. Funds Are Not Impacted With Acceptance. Project No. DR1P05]
UH, THAT WOULD BE ON PAGE SIX, ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS ITEM 23 7 28.THERE'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE, UH, CITYWIDE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN FROM ARSENAL.
WILSON AND COLE, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FUNDS ARE NOT IMPACTED WITH ACCEPTANCE.
THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER DR ONE P ZERO FIVE.
SECOND IS MOVE SECOND WOULD APPROVE, EXCUSE ME.
UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 28 AS READY? WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? Y YES.
I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THIS ITEM.
YEAH, MY, THIS, THIS IS DRAINAGE, UH, CITYWIDE DRAINAGE PLAN IS, IS ALL THIS GONNA BE THE MASTER PLAN? IT'S ALL GONNA BE INCLUDED.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN HERE.
MAKE SURE WEST SIDE FLOODING 19TH STREET.
SO ONCE WE, ONCE WE IMPROVED, ONCE THE COUNCIL APPROVED THIS, IT'S TIME TO GO TO IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WHAT WE, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE USE IT AS A TOOL IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM, RIGHT.
TO FOCUS ON VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE CITY TO DEVELOP PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS FOR VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE CITY.
THE, THE, THE COMPANY HAS HIGHLIGHTED LOW HANGING FRUIT TO BE PICKED.
AND THOSE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO FOR THE LONG TERM.
WHICH WILL BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THOSE AS WELL.
[01:40:01]
THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE GRA BASICALLY GONNA BE GRAVITY FLOW.RIGHT? THIS WAS WITH, WE, WE, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THE ENGINEERS.
WE ARE BOTH IN-HOUSE AND THE, THE CONSULTANTS WHO PREPARED THE REPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE DO THE PROBLEMS. DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
WE ALREADY HAVE $2 MILLION IN THERE.
THAT, AND, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT IT BECAUSE I'M GETTING HAMMERED ON A REGULAR BASIS BY, UM, PASTOR COMO.
UM, LEMME JUST SHARE WITH YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL, UM, UM, DIRECTED ME TO DO WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH MOTIVA TO CLEAR THE DRAIN THAT'S OUT THERE AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE WILL COME BACK, HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL AT THE NEXT MEETING AS TO WHAT WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO.
THEY ARE WANTING TO PURCHASE THAT, THAT THAT DRAIN? YES, THAT DRAINAGE.
ANY OTHER, UH, COUNCILMAN DUCEY? YEAH.
HE DRINKS IN, UH, 19TH STREET.
19TH STREET IS JUST WAITING FOR THIS STUDY.
RIGHT? BUT THAT, THAT'S BEEN FUNDED.
WELL, IT'S, WE, WE HAVE $2 MILLION THAT'S FUNDED THAT'S FUNDED FROM APPLE, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S BEEN MADE BY, BY, UM, IN, IN, IN THE, UM, REPORT AS TO WHAT WE COULD USE THAT FOR.
BUT THE 19TH STREET DRAINAGE THING, DIDN'T, WE, DIDN'T IT, WASN'T IT A STUDY AND DESIGN ALREADY DONE? NO, NO.
WE, WE, THE, THE, THE COMPANY MADE SEVERAL, GIVE US SEVERAL UPDATES AS TO WHAT THEY THINK WAS, UM, WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE MODELING THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THAT.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE WAITING OUT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE HAD IT ALL, WE ARE GOING TO WORK OKAY WITH THE MODELING THAT WAS PROVIDED.
YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE, COUNCILMAN LOU? YES.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST A MODEL.
'CAUSE I RECALL LOOKING AT IT, UH, REVEREND SCOTT'S AVENUE, THREE FEET GO TO 19TH STREET, 17TH, 18TH, 19TH IS GOING TO FUND, GOING TO DRAIN THERE THREE FEET AND DOWN 19TH STREET, IT'S GONNA BE THREE FEET ALL THE WAY TO MLK.
AND THEN IT'S GONNA GO TO SIX FEET.
THAT'S, IT'S GONNA BE GRAVITY FLOW.
SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS JUST A MODEL.
SO NOW WE GOT THE REALS MCCOY.
COUNCILMAN FRANK? NO, I SIMPLY WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS AND WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, UH, FOR A VERY LONG TIME, SINCE MY TIME HERE ON, UH, COUNCIL.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE MODEL HAS BEEN, UH, COMPLETED.
IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WE WERE WAITING ON.
UM, THE DIFFICULTY WAS, AND LET ME THANK ALL OF OUR, UH, CITIZENS FOR BEING, UH, PATIENT, UH, WITH US.
BUT THERE WERE, UH, THIS MODEL WAS, HAD NEVER BEEN DONE.
UH, AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE, UH, DOING IT, UH, THEY HAD SO MANY DRAINS AND SO MANY CULVERTS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS, UH, THAT, THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE.
AND LEMME QUICKLY RUSH TO SAY, UH, THAT THIS TYPE OF STUDY HAD NOT BEEN DONE IN OUR CITY BEFORE.
SO THIS IS A FIRST, BUT IT PUTS US ON A NEW TRACK AND TAKES US TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A, ANY OPPOSES AS
[VII.(12) P.R. No. 23733 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager Through The Pleasure Island Department To Accept A Donation From The S.A.L.T. Club In The Form Of Mulch For The Beautification Of Pleasure Island]
TO PAGE SEVEN, NOW NUMBER 12, PR NUMBER 23 7 33.IT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE PLEASURE ISLAND DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM THE SALT CLUB IN THE FORM OF MULCH FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF PLEASURE.
ALLEN, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.
AND SECOND, WE'RE NOT READY FOR QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? THANK YOU.
MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU COME UP PLEASE? I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
LET ME SAY, I APPRECIATE THE DONATION FROM THIS ORGANIZATION AND I JUST WANNA KNOW, UM, IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR WHERE THE BEAUTIFICATION IS TO TAKE PLACE, NUMBER ONE, AND THE DONATION OF THE MULCH? IS IT GONNA BE BROUGHT IN BY TRUCKS WHERE WE'VE GOT A DUMP TRUCK THAT'S GONNA COME IN AND DUMP IT? ARE WE GONNA HAVE BAGS OF IT? SO, YES MA'AM.
SO PREVIOUSLY, UM, THE SAW CLUB HAS DONATED THE MULCH TO US, AND WHAT THEY DO IS, UM, I THINK IT MIGHT BE AROUND $2,000 THAT THEY'RE GONNA DONATE, UM, WORTH OF MULCH.
THEY'RE GONNA BRING THE TRUCKS IN.
WE HAVE A AREA INSIDE A DRIVE STORAGE THAT'S BEHIND A, A REMOTE ACCESS GATE, AND IT'S GONNA BE COVERED WITH, UM, TARP.
AND WHENEVER WE DO USE IT, UM, ALL OF OUR FLOWER BEDS WHERE THE MONUMENT IS, THAT SAYS PORT ARTHUR, PLEASURE ISLAND.
EVERY, EVERY AREA WHERE, UM, WE HAVE A FLOWER BED IS WHERE WE'LL PUT THE MULCH.
SO IT'S GONNA BE PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS? YES.
AND YOU CAN USE IT AS NEEDED? YES.
ANY OTHER UN READINESS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES AS HAVE.
SO THIS ORDER, WE WOULD ACCEPT
[01:45:01]
PR NUMBER 23 7 33 AS PRESENTED.[VII.(13) P.R. No. 23734 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) With Lamar University Of Beaumont, Texas To Explore Repurposing The Palms At Pleasure Island Golf Course Property, Located At 1901 T.B. Ellison Parkway, Port Arthur, Texas 77640]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 13, PR NUMBER 23 7 34.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING COMMONLY AN MOU WITH LAMAR, UNIVERSITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS TO EXPLORE REPURPOSING THE PALMS AT PLEASURE ISLAND GOLF COURSE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1901 TB ELLISON PARKWAY, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND THAT HAPPENS TO BE ON PLEASURE ISLAND AS WELL.
MEGAN, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN ETT? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 34 AT RED.
UH, WE TALKING ABOUT THIS CLUB HOUSE OUT THERE.
EXCUSE ME, MAY I ANSWER YOUR NO.
AM I CORRECT ON IT? NO, NO, NO, NO.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CLUBHOUSE.
BUT IS THE CLUBHOUSE PART OF IT? NO.
WHAT THIS IS TRYING TO LOOK AT IS, UM, THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS AND PROPERTIES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE UNIVERSITY IS A RESEARCH, UM, INSTITUTION TO SEE WHAT, UM, BENEFITS COULD BE DERIVED IN WORKING WITH US.
YOU KNOW, UM, I JUST, IT WAS A SIMPLE QUESTION.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW, WAS IT THE CLUBHOUSE AND THIS CLUBHOUSE DON'T INCLUDE IN IT? NO PROBLEM.
I HAD ALREADY ASKED THAT FOR YOU.
COUNCILMAN BECK, YOU DIDN'T ASK IT.
WELL, AND, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS PART OF MY QUESTION TOO.
I UNDERSTAND FROM, FROM READING THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT WITH THE MOU, THAT IT, IT'S ONLY LIKE THE, THE, THE, WHERE THE GOLF COURSE USED TO BE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FLORA AND THE FAUNA, BUT WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE END RESULT? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO THEY WANNA DO? MAY, MAY, MAY I ANSWER ON THAT? AND THE REASON I'M THERE, BECAUSE I ASKED THOSE SAME QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL ASKING AND IT'S A STUDY.
IF I'M, IF I'M, IF I'M CORRECT, WE TALKED ABOUT IT'S, IT'S A PROPOSAL.
THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE GOING TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITIES AND THEN PRESENT SOMETHING TO US THAT WHAT MAY BE ABLE TO OCCUR OUT THERE ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO, SO THE END RESULT WILL BE A PRESENTATION TO US, TO US, AND WE'LL MAKE A DECISION WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO WITH THE PROPERTY.
OKAY? IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE RUNAWAY TRAINS.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHERS? WE'LL BE READY TO VOTE.
SO IT IS ORDERED, WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 34 AS
[VII.(19) P.R. No. 23745 – A Resolution Authorizing The Pre-Qualification Of Thirteen (13) Civil Engineering Firms And Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate With Said Firms For The Purpose Of Providing Professional Engineering Services For The City Of Port Arthur. This Pre-Qualification Will Be For A Two (2) Year Period]
READ.NEXT WE ARE OVER TO PAGE EIGHT.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE PREQUALIFICATION OF 13 CIVIL ENGINEERING FIRMS AND AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE WITH SAID FIRMS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THIS PREQUALIFICATION WILL BE FOR A TWO YEAR PERIOD.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN, UH, KEN LAW.
SECOND MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 3 7 4 5.
AS WE READ, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THIS WAS DONE THE LAST Y UH, LAST YEAR.
SO THE REQUIREMENT FOR PROCUREMENT IS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
WE MUST SEND OUT REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A STATE LAW AND STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
YOU GONNA HANDLE THIS ONE? YES.
WHO'S GONNA HANDLE IT? GO AHEAD.
IS WHEN I GET STUCK, I'LL CALL BACKUP
OKAY, WELL DON, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
I USE SMALL CALIBER BULLIES, SO YOU DON'T NEED NO HELP.
SO OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STATES, WE MUST SEND OUT REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS WHEN SEEKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS, RIGHT? SO WHY DO WE DO THIS? OKAY, WELL I WAS, I I COULDN'T FIND CLIFF IN THE CROWD.
YEAH, HE WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE.
I KEPT LOOKING FORWARD TO, OKAY.
PARDON ME? NOW WE DID DO RF QS.
[01:50:01]
SO YOU PRE-QUALIFIED, UH, THESE FIRMS? YES.SO SAY WE GET A PROJECT, YOU DON'T SEND OUT QUALIFICATION, BUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU PREQUALIFIED, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PREQUALIFICATION IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DID THE DUE DILIGENCE TO SAY THAT THESE FIRMS ARE QUALIFIED.
SO WHEN A PARTICULAR JOB COMES UP IN THAT, WE CAN GO TO ONE OF THOSE FIRMS TO DO A JOB, NEGOTIATE TO HAVE A PROJECT.
WHEN A JOB COME UP, THE LAW SAYS WE SENT OUT A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION.
BY DOING THIS LIST, I COULD SEE WHERE IT REDUCES WHAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE TO DO BECAUSE Y'ALL JUST GO PICK SOMEBODY OFF THE LIST.
BUT I'M QUESTIONING WHETHER THAT IS FOLLOWING THE LAW BECAUSE THE LAW SAYS WE MUST SEND OUT A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
ACTUALLY THE LAW SAYS WE HAVE TO GO WITH WHO WE FEEL IS MOST QUALIFIED.
SO BY PRE-QUALIFYING, WE HAVE MET OUR OBLIGATION WITH THE LAW.
IT DOES NOT STATE THAT WE HAVE TO DO A RFQ FOR EVERY ENGINEERING OR WHATEVER PROJECT.
WE JUST HAVE TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED.
SO IF WE DO A RFQ FOR QUALIFIED CIVIL ENGINEERS AND WE HAVE TO DO AN ENGINEERING PROJECT, BIO'S ALREADY PRE-QUALIFYING, WE CAN GO WITH ONE OF THOSE ENGINEERS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION TO GO IN THERE.
YOU TELLING ME THAT WE GOT A PROJECT FOR AN ENGINEERING FIRM? MM-HMM?
UH, YOU HAVE SOMETHING COUNCILWOMAN? I DO.
MY QUESTION IS MORE FOR MR. CANELLA.
JOHN, I RECALL A FEW MEETINGS AGO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY AND THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE INVOLVED IN THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT, UH, TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT THESE ENGINEERS WOULD HELP YOU WITH IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
WELL, UM, NOT ANYTHING ANYTHING SPECIFIC, BUT JUST IN, IN GENERAL, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ENVISION THESE 13 DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COMPANIES HELPING YOU WITH? JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THIS QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE SENT OUT, THIS RFQ WAS FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING, IT WAS KIND OF A BROAD GROUP.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME R FQS OUT FOR STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
SO THIS ISN'T AN END ALL OF THE LIST OF ENGINEERS THAT WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH.
BUT IN, IN MY REALM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE SOLICITING WORK FOR THE, UM, LAKE ARTHUR DETENTION STUDY.
WE'VE ALREADY HIRED AN ENGINEER TO DO THE RICE FARM ROAD PROJECT.
UM, ON THE STREET SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NINTH AVENUE, JIMMY JOHNSON EXTENSION, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL STREET REHAB PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WHICH WE'LL PROBABLY LUMP ABOUT 15 OR 20 STREETS INTO ONE PROJECT AND, AND GIVE THAT TO AN ENGINEER.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK ON THE SEWER, WATER, AND SEWER SIDE.
HANEY'S GOT QUITE A FEW PROJECTS THAT I KNOW HE'S CONSIDERING FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE PUMP STATIONS THAT NEED TO BE REDONE NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE 19TH STREET PROJECT, WE'VE KIND OF ALREADY GOT AN ENGINEER LINED OUT FOR THE WEST SIDE, THAT PROJECT, BUT THOSE ALL WOULD BE PICKED OUT OF THIS GROUP.
SO THIS IS LIKE A KIND OF A GLOBAL, UH, UH, A, A A A A GLOBAL SET OF PROJECTS THAT YOU ENVISION USING ALL THESE DIFFERENT PRE-QUALIFIED ENGINEERING FIRMS FOR.
UH, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO LIFT UP, UH, AND MAKE, UM, BRING ATTENTION TO ONE THING.
UH, WE HAD HAD, WE'D HAD A DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, UH, CONCERNING, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORTH TO THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO LIFT UP, UM, AND SAY THAT WHEN RESOLUTIONS COME TO THE COUNCIL, WE GET A BINDER, WE GET A BOOK, AND AS WE LOOK AT THOSE BOOKS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT GOING WILLY-NILLY.
[01:55:01]
LOOKING AT THESE RESOLUTIONS, THERE ARE SIGNATURES THAT GO ON THE BACK OF THESE.AND SO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT BY FINANCE.
THESE, UH, RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT BY OUR ATTORNEY.
THESE RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT BY MR. CANELLA AND THEY SIGN OFF.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THESE COME TO US, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE KNOW THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO KNOW THE LAW, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO KNOW FINANCES, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO KNOW ENGINEERING, THEY, THEIR CREDENTIALS ARE ON THE LINE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE AS THEY ARE PART OF STAFF, THEY'RE DOING THOSE, THEY'VE DONE THEIR DUE D DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON IT AS COUNCIL, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO I SIMPLY WANTED TO STATE THAT.
UH, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE COUNCILMAN JU SAID YES.
IN, IN, IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE REASON I SAID THIS ABOUT THE, UH, AUDIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING THEM, YOU KNOW, IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THE FACT THAT I GAVE A PERFECT EXAMPLE TO THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK OVER, BUT NOW THAT YOU BRING IT UP, I WILL.
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND SAID THAT AN ORDINANCE SHOULD BE DONE A CERTAIN WAY.
THE THE CITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID TO COUNCIL THAT I DID NOT SIGN OFF ON IT.
THAT WAS TELLING COUNCIL RIGHT THEN THERE WAS A VIOLATION, BUT YET ALL COUNCIL APPROVE IT.
SO THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP TODAY, COUNCILMAN FRANK, IT'S THE POINT OUT TO COUNSEL THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, IF THERE'S QUESTIONS WE CAN ALWAYS CLARIFY THROUGH THE ATTORNEY AND THE PEOPLE, BUT JUST SOMEONE SAYING, WE GONNA GO WITH WHAT THEY SAY.
THAT'S NOT PARTICULARLY THE CASE BECAUSE SOMETIME THEY MAY BE IN ERROR, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T READ IT.
SO WE ARE NOT HERE TO TAKE THEIR WORD.
WE ACCEPT WHAT THEY SAY WHEN WE GET IT AND WE LOOK AT IT.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE.
WE HAVE TO ALSO GO AND READ FOR OURSELVES.
AND THEN THAT'S WHY WE ASK THE QUESTIONS.
WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT WE ARE SAYING, THIS IS WHAT I READ.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER? IF THE ANSWER IS GOOD, THEN THAT'S FINE.
IF I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, I'LL LET IT GO THEN.
BUT I'LL GO BACK AND DO SOME RESEARCH.
AND THEN I'LL BE, SO SAME WAY WITH, UH, WE APPROVED ONE WITH THE, UH, PURCHASING.
I QUESTION IT, I GOT AN EXPLANATION FROM STAFF.
THEN HE CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME I MADE A MISTAKE.
I AIRED AND WHEN I SPOKE, BUT THE, IT WAS APPROVED, BUT I QUESTIONED IT.
AND I DIDN'T GET INTO AN ARGUMENT, BUT WHEN I WENT BACK AND CHECKED IT OUT, COUNCILMAN KINLAW DID ALSO, WE WERE TOLD BY THE STAFF MEMBER YOU WERE CORRECT AND I AIRED.
NOW, I DIDN'T BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE READ AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE WE JUST SAY EVERYTHING THAT SAYS IS CORRECT.
I DON'T QUESTION WHAT THEY SAY.
IF I DOUBT IT, I'LL GO BACK AND RESEARCH IT AGAIN.
BUT WE ARE NOT HERE TO RUBBER STAMP IF WE HAVE A QUESTION.
I'M NOT SAYING THEY I WANNA DO THEIR JOB.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW WHAT'S WRITTEN.
MR. MAYOR, YOU KNOW WHAT, REAL QUICK, UM, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT NEW.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE PUT IN THE CAMERAS AS WELL THAT WE ARE RENEWING WHAT WE HAD, THE LIST THAT WE HAD HAD EXPIRED.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE HAVE DONE FOR OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE HERE.
CLEARLY IF WE HAD PUT THAT IN THE CAMP, IT WOULD'VE HELPED YOU AND AVOIDED ON QUESTION.
AND ALSO COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, I'D LIKE TO ADD JUST TO YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON.
THIS LAW CAME FROM THE 1972 OR 72 8 BROOKS ENGINEERING PROCUREMENT ACT.
IT WAS A FEDERAL LAW SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE JACK BROOKS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
SO THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, NOTHING NEW.
IT'S BEEN CODIFIED FOR OVER 40, MAYBE 50 YEARS NOW.
STATE PRE PRE RF ENGINEERING PROCUREMENT ACT.
HOW YOU PROCURE ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, UM, BEEN CODIFIED
[02:00:01]
IN STATE LAW AND MUNICIPAL LAW ALSO.I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PRE-QUALIFYING.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAD QUESTIONED ABOUT.
I SAID I'VE ACCEPTED THE ANSWER.
I SAID, OKAY, I'M GONNA GO BACK AND CHECK ON THE EFFECT ON WHY WE DO IT.
BECAUSE IF WE GOTTA GET FIRMS IN THERE, WE NEED TO GET 50 FIRMS IN.
WE, WE ASK FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WE GO THROUGH 'EM AND THAT'S IT.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS ALREADY DONE, BUT I MEAN THAT WOULD'VE KILLED IT RIGHT THEN I'M GOOD.
AS THEN READY TO CALL A QUESTION.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.(21) P.R. No. 23747 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate A Contract With Vitol Biomethane Of Houston, Texas, For The Property Lease And Development Of A Project To Convert Landfill Gas Into A Gas-To-Energy Project. Funds Are Not Required To Negotiate The Contract]
NOW MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 21, WHICH IS PER NUMBER 23 7 4 7 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH A VITAL BO, I MEAN BIO, UH, METHANE OF, UH, HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR THE PROPERTY, UH, LEASE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT TO CONVERT LANDFILL GAS INTO A GAS TO ENERGY PROJECT.FUNDS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN ETT.
SECOND, IF IT MOVED IN SECONDARY WOULD APPROVE ADAM 21, WHICH IS P HOUR 23 7.
WE READ FOR QUESTION COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
UH, HOW MUCH, UM, WE GOING TO REVENUE WE GONNA GENERATE FROM THIS? WE, UM, I DON'T WANT TO PUT A FIGURE OUT THERE AS YET UNTIL I NEGOTIATE WITH THE COMPANY
I THINK IT'S BAD BUSINESS, YOU KNOW.
BUT MY, MY POINT IS, IT'S A COUNCIL MEMBER'S JOB IS TO LOOK FOR FUTURE REVENUES IN THE FUTURE.
A LOOK AT A PROJECT OR SOMETHING BEING PRESENTED AND PROJECT IT OUT AND GO AFTER IT.
NOW WE, WE WILL LEAVE NO PENNY ON THE TABLE.
NOW, THIS PROJECT HERE, OVER 20 SOMETHING YEARS AGO, 25 YEARS AGO, I LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD THE CITY MAN, TOLD THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME, WE NEED TO CON MONITORS ON THERE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SELL GAS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE'LL, BUT THEY'RE DOING IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS, THIS TIME AROUND.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THIS PROJECT.
AND THESE PEOPLE I'D LIKE TO THANK IS CALVIN MATTHEWS, JESSE LI OSA, UH, FLO ROBERTS, JUSTIN THOMAS, AND GEORGE MORALE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THOSE PEOPLE FOR GETTING THIS PROJECT GOING.
THIS, THIS IS GOING TO GENERATE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
QUITE A BIT OF MONEY, WHAT I HEARD, A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND HO HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY
READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AS AB ORDERED, WE WILL APPROVE PR NUMBER, UH, 23 7 47 AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23726 – A Resolution Appointing A Member Or Members To The Pleasure Island Advisory Commission (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton Everfield)]
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, NON-CONSENT ITEMS, WHICH ARE RIGHT, UH, A RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 26.IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBER TO THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY, UH, COMMISSION.
AND THIS REQUESTED BY MAYOR PROTE, UH, HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
UH, AND YOU HAVE A NAME OF A CITY SECRETARY HAD OR I BELIEVE THANK YOU, MAYOR.
YOU HAVE THE CITY SECRETARY? NO MA'AM.
I DON'T, YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA GIVE IT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU HAVE THE NAME? YES, MA'AM.
AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ONLY, UH, ONLY NAME? YES, SIR.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHER NAMES? WE READY, UH, TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO, MS. UH, CHARLOTTE MOSES IS APPOINTED TO THE, UH, ALITY COMMISSION ADVISORY, UH, BOARD.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23732 – A Resolution Authorizing The Acceptance Of The Response To A Request For Proposal 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]
[02:05:01]
NEXT WE HAVE ON PAGE NINE, ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 7 3 2 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE, UH, RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FROM, UH,SAID LEASE, UH, MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.
SECOND IF MOVE AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 32 IS READY.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE? YES, MAYOR, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EXTENSIVELY.
WE'VE ALSO HAD TWO PRESENTATIONS BY THE YACHT CLUB WHO CURRENTLY BEEN IN THE BUILDINGS.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR YEARS.
THEY, THEY BROUGHT TWO PRESENTATIONS TO US.
AND WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, I THOUGHT WE CAME TO A CONSENSUS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS INDIVIDUAL AND THE, UH, YACHT CLUB MEET TO ENSURE THAT THE YACHT CLUB WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF MAINTAINING THAT BUILDING.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD UP AND TRY TO PULL THE BUILDING FROM UNDER THE ORGANIZATION AFTER ALL THE YEAR THEY'VE BEEN MAINTAINING AND PAYING THE UTILITIES AND EVERYTHING.
IT'S NOT BEEN A, A COST TO THE CITY.
AND, UH, IT WASN'T AN O ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, I DON'T THINK, UH, UH, JUST TO PULL IT LIKE THAT WAS THE CASE AND I THOUGHT IT'S GONNA BE WORKED OUT.
BUT IF THE PROPOSAL HERE THAT I'M READING MEANS THAT WE JUST GONNA LEASE THIS, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, AUTHORIZE THE MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A LEASE WITH, WITH THIS, UH, COMPANY.
IS THAT WHAT THIS ABOUT? LEMME LEMME JUST NO, NO, NO, SIR.
I'M JUST, LET ME LET GET ALL THE, GET ALL, GET ALL THE REMARKS QUESTIONS OF, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP YOU GAVE ME.
EVERYONE'S GONNA GET TWO MINUTES IF YOU SPEAK.
SO AFTER YOU GET PAST TWO MINUTES, I'M GONNA STOP YOU.
UM, ON NOVEMBER 7TH, THIS COUNCIL GAVE THE GO AHEAD FOR US TO GO OUT FOR A SECOND.
RFP, THAT'S A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THAT SECOND RFP, THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB AND CELINE KLAS COMPANY BOTH SUBMITTED PROPOSALS.
AT THAT TIME, COUNSEL GAVE INSTRUCTION FOR THE RFP TO BE SENT OUT FOR PROFIT.
THE INTENT FOR THE FOR PROFIT IS FOR US TO CHARGE FULL MARKET VALUE RATE FOR THE LEASE OF THE BUILDING IN ADDITION TO HAVING A COMPANY THAT WOULD EITHER SELL A SERVICE OR A PRODUCT SO THAT WE COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM SALES TAX FROM THE BUSINESS THAT WOULD GO ON IN THAT BUILDING WHERE THAT TENANT WOULD PAY FULL MARKET VALUE RATE TWICE THE BID WAS OUT BOTH TIMES, MR. LENE KLAP AND HIS COMPANY OUTBID THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUBMITTED THE BID.
I DO NOT WANT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO CONTINUE TO BE THE TYPE OF ENTITY THAT WILL DISMISS OUR OWN PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO US AWARDING A BID.
IT IS NOT GOOD BUSINESS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THE YACHT CLUB.
I AM NOT AT ALL DIMINISHING THE SERVICES THAT THE YACHT CLUB HAS PROVIDED TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OVER THE YEARS.
HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT SCORE THE HIGHEST ON THIS BID.
THEY ARE NOT A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
UM, AFTER THE MEETING, THE, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM JUST SPOKE OF, WE HAD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE WE SPOKE OF RENEWING THE LEASE WITH THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB.
AND, UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HAVING A WORKSHOP WHERE WE WOULD GET THE YACHT CLUB TOGETHER WITH MR. KOP TO, UM, DISCUSS WHETHER THEY COULD HAVE A PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER TO BENEFIT BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION SINCE THEN THAT THE YACHT CLUB DOES NOT WANT
[02:10:01]
TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT LIKE THAT.SO MY POSITION IS, AND I MAKE A MOTION NOW, WHICH IS PART OF, UH, THE, THE BENEFIT OF THE REQUEST FOR, UM, UH, QUALIFICATION OR REQUEST FOR, UH, PROPOSAL, IS THAT WE CAN REJECT BOTH OF THE PROPOSALS.
SO I MAKE A MOTION NOW THAT WE REJECT BOTH OF THE PROPOSALS.
YOU, WE, WE, WE WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
UH, COUNCIL I, I'LL RENEW THE MOTION WHEN WE FINISH OUR DISCUSSION.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? YES.
UM, AGAIN, WE DID, UM, HAVE A SEA CHANGE WHERE WE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO GO, UH, IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, UH, ON THE ISLAND.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO DO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO, UH, HERE AS A COUNCIL, IS TO MAKE, UH, THOSE MOVES AND TO DO THOSE THINGS, UH, THAT WOULD BRING VALUE, UH, TO THE ISLAND.
UH, SINCE I HAVE BEEN, UH, ON COUNCIL, AND SINCE I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN OF PORT ARTHUR, I'VE HEARD COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO ON THE ISLAND? WHAT CAN HAPPEN ON THE ISLAND? AND SO WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES NOW ARISE FOR US TO DO THOSE THINGS, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE AS A COUNCIL, UH, WE SHOULD GO BACK.
I APPRECIATE, UH, THE YACHT CLUB AND ALL THAT, UH, THEY HAVE DONE, UH, OVER THE YEARS, UH, SINCE 1965.
UH, BUT WE DID DO WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO AS COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, DENEEN BECKHAM, UH, SAID.
WE SAID THAT WE WOULD GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR, UH, THE WINNER OF, UH, THE RFP, UH, TO ALLOW THE YACHT CLUB, TO HAVE THE BUILDING, USE THE BUILDING FOR THEIR OPERATIONS, UM, AND TO DO THAT.
BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE YACHT CLUB HAS NOW DECIDED THAT THEY DON'T WANT THAT.
UH, AND SO, AND THEY HAVE MADE THAT, UH, QUITE CLEAR, UH, WITH A POST BY THE PLEASURE ISLAND PIRATES, UH, THAT THEY DON'T WANT, UH, TO PARTNER, UH, IN A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO I THINK THAT AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBILITY, AND THAT IS FOR, UH, THE PROMOTION OF WHAT WE DO HERE FOR OUR CITIZENS IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, I'M IN SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD.
UH, YOUR LIGHT WAS COSMAN LEWIS.
UH, HOW DID WE END UP WITH THIS ON THE MARKET? WHY? WHO DECIDED TO BID THIS OUT? WHO DECIDED THIS? GEORGE, HOW DID WE END UP WITH THIS BEING BIDDED OUT FOR, FOR PROFIT, WHAT HAVE YOU, HOW DID INITIALLY, UM, SOME OF THE YACHT CLUB MEMBERS CAME TO OUR OFFICE TO DISCUSS PICKING BACK UP THE ORIGINAL LEASE, BECAUSE IT EXPIRED IN 2020.
AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT YOU CAN'T JUST RENEW A LEASE IF IT'S BEEN EXPIRED FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS.
SO THE CORRECT PROCESS WAS TO GO OUT FOR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
OH, THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED IT? YES, SIR.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO, DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS CITY ATTORNEY? DO WE HAVE, HAVE TO GO TO, AND SOME, YOU KNOW, I, I MET WITH THE, THE, UH, THE GUY THAT HE, HE SAID HE, AS FAR AS HE'S CONCERNED, THE YACHT CLUB CAN CONTINUE TO, AND HE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH 'EM.
THEY CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IT IS THEY DO.
IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH HIM.
BUT I'M HEARING SOMETHING DIFFERENT NOW.
SO THAT MEANS THEY MAY HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING AND THEY DON'T, THAT MEANS ALSO SOUND LIKE TO ME, THEY DON'T WANNA GET LOCKED IN OR SOMETHING.
SO WHERE ARE WE ON THIS, WHERE, WHERE YOU ARE NOW IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL IS A REQUEST, UH, TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MAN TO ACCEPT HIS MR. AL'S PROPOSAL.
YOUR MIC ON IS YOUR MIC ON, WHICH IS YES.
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A LEASE WITH HIM.
YOU'RE JUST AUTHORIZING ACCEPTING HIS PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZING A NEGOTIATION OF A LEASE.
NOW, WHICH YOU CAN REJECT SO CITY MANAGERS CAN NEGOTIATE A, A LEASE WITH THEM.
THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
ARE YOU ALL OPEN FOR A LEASE? THANK YOU.
YOUR TIME IS, YOUR TIME IS UP.
THE CITY OF CHN, YOU'VE SPOKEN.
UH, NOW EVERYONE HAS ACTUALLY SPOKEN ON THIS EXCEPT OKAY.
NO, BUT HE'S NOT A VOTING MEMBER,
[02:15:01]
SO I'M, I'M, YEAH.AND, UH, HIS LIGHT IS NOT ON, HE'S NOT A VOTING MEMBER.
THESE ARE FOR, FOR THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
AND EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN ONCE AND BEEN ALLOW AT YOUR, YOUR TIME.
SO I'M GONNA CALL FOR THE QUESTION ON THIS AND, UH, POINT OF ORDER.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT BASED ON A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE.
CAN YOU GIVE ONE MINUTE? OKAY.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMENT MADE ABOUT, UH, THE COUNCIL, UH, DECIDING TO DO THIS FOR, FOR PROFITS, I WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL THEN, BUT THE LAST MEETING THIS COUNCIL DISCUSSED AS, UH, WAS STATED, WAS IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND WE, WE CLEARLY DECIDED THAT WE'D DO A WORKSHOP.
SO IF WE GONNA DO A WORKSHOP, I DON'T SEE HOW WE COULD COME BACK TODAY WITH THIS TO APPROVE THIS NEGOTIATION.
THE SECOND THING IS I LIKE TO HAVE THE QUESTION ANSWERED IN THE BEGINNING, WHO DECIDED THAT IT SHOULD BE FOR PROFITS? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU KNOW, WHERE DID THE DECISION COME FROM? YOU KNOW? OKAY.
ON THAT, JUST TO BRIEFLY ANSWER, THE COUNCIL, DID THE COUNCIL, UH, WHERE WAS THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME WHEN THEY CAME BEFORE THE GROUP? UH, THE COUNCIL, THE CITY COUNCIL.
AM I CORRECT, UH, ON THAT DOCUMENT? CITY ATTORNEY? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO IT, IT WAS A COUNCIL DECISION THAT THE ISLAND, UH, WOULD OPERATE FOR A PROFIT.
IT, IT CAME IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION, WAS A RESOLUTION REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR A DISCUSSION.
THE REASON I'M ASKING, RIGHT, WE, I HEAR A LOT ABOUT RESOLUTIONS COMING FOR COUNCIL, BUT I HAVE WENT BACK SINCE 2018 AND I'VE REVIEWED A LOT OF MEETINGS WHEREBY THERE'S THINGS BROUGHT BEFORE, BUT THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
SO I JUST ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION.
THIS IS A SIMPLE QUESTION, AND I GAVE YOU, I GAVE YOU A SIMPLE ANSWER.
NO, YOU TELL THE COUNCIL, MAYOR.
WELL, YOU'RE TIME, THE TIME RIGHT NOW.
UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR, APPROACH HIM.
I DID, BUT IF WE'RE OFF IN MINUTE SECOND, GO AHEAD.
THIS IS ON THE AGENDA AGAIN, BECAUSE A BID WAS PROVIDED, THE MATRIX HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO US.
THERE WAS A PERSON, AN ENTITY WHO SCORED THE HIGHEST, AND NOW WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
IT HOW WE'RE GOING TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO AWARD OR NOT.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW PLEASURE ISLAND, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I'M IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUED GROWTH ON DISTRICT ISLAND, I MEAN, ON, ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO US CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THE YACHT CLUB, BUT CONTINUED GROWTH FOR PROFIT, FULL MARKET RENT RATE.
AND WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THIS COMPANY FROM NOT WANTING TO DO BUSINESS WITH US AT ALL, BECAUSE WE CAN'T MAKE UP OUR MINDS ON HOW WE RESPECT OUR OWN PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE PLEASE MOVE FORWARD AND NOT CONTINUE.
TO SLOW FOOT THIS? YES, MA'AM.
UH, JUST, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? I JUST HAVE ME CITY MANAGER.
I'M, I'M READING FROM THE MEMO BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
I'M READING FROM THE MEMO FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
THE PORT ARTHUR CITY COUNCIL INFORMED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO PROCEED WITH ISSUING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
THAT WAS ON JANUARY 11TH, 2024, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE PLEASURE ISLAND EARTH CLUB.
THE COUNCIL HAS REQUESTED AN RFP TO BE ISSUED REQUESTING FOR-PROFIT PROPOSALS.
IN SUMMARY, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS REQUESTED THE CITY PROCEED WITH AN ASSURANCE ISSUANCE OF A RFP REQUEST REQUESTING FOR NON-PROFIT, FOR-PROFIT PROPOSALS.
ATTACHED, PLEASE FIND THE MARKET STUDY REQUESTED BY THE PLEASURE ISLAND DIRECTOR.
THAT WAS A MEMO THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ON JANUARY 24TH.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU GOOD? OKAY.
UH, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ORDER BECAUSE COUNCILMAN BECCA? YES.
AND, AND IN THE, OH, I'M SORRY.
SUPPOSED TO BE FRANK, I'M SORRY.
AGAIN, WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE HAVE, WE, AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE SAID, AND ALL
[02:20:01]
COUNCIL WAS IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD GET THE TWO INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER SO THEY COULD TALK, AND EVERYBODY WAS IN AGREEMENT.SO NOW WE'VE COME TO THAT POINT IN THAT PLACE WHERE COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM HAS SAID, AND WE HAVE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE YACHT CLUB WANTS.
THEY DON'T WANT A PARTNERSHIP.
THEY DON'T WANT TO, THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO IS DOING THIS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND SO, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE WHERE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE ANY MORE RESPONSIBILITY THAN THAT.
WE'VE GIVEN THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
THE INDIVIDUAL HAS SAID THAT HE WOULD, HE WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PERPETUATE A RELATIONSHIP.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED, OKAY.
NOW ANYONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING ELSE? SOMEONE IN, IN THE, OKAY.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THEM? OR ANOTHER STATEMENT OR ONE MINUTE STATEMENT BEFORE I GO TO THEM? I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER Y'ALL PASSING AROUND? IS THAT A, IS THAT A RESOLUTION VOTED ON? NO, THAT'S JUST READ.
HE WAS CHECKING THE DATE ON THAT.
IS IT SOMETHING WE VOTED ON? NO, IT, IT JUST A MEMORANDUM OR WHAT IS IT? IT, IT'S ABOUT THE RFP.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHY YOUR LINE WAS ON.
THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
THE, THE LAST EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE HAD WHERE WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS, WE SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP TO GET EVERYONE TOGETHER.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ANTICIPATED IN OUR LAST EXECUTIVE SESSION WHEN WE SPOKE OF THIS.
A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TRANSPIRED.
LOTS OF, LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD BEHIND THE SCENES SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE SPOKE OF THIS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO THIS NEEDS TO GO TO A WORKSHOP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE PARTIES GET TOGETHER, AND THEN WE NEED TO GO FROM THERE.
THIS IS NOT THE WORKSHOP THAT WE ANTICIPATE? NO, NO, NO.
I AM ALLUDING TO WHAT? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM.
I WAS TRYING TO GET TO THE CITY MANAGER.
BECAUSE I CAN MAYOR CALL AGAIN.
AND JUST A MINUTE, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE GROUPS GETTING TOGETHER, THAT WAS A CONSENSUS NOT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT A, A GIST OF A DECISION THAT WAS MADE WAS BASED UPON THOSE GROUPS GETTING TOGETHER.
I KNOW THAT I DID SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A WORKSHOP, AND IF WE SAID THAT THEY WOULD, WE WOULD GET 'EM TOGETHER.
NOW, IF THE PARTIES, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SAY THE MANAGER NOW, AND, UH, MR. DAVIS TO COME UP, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, AND WE COULD, WE COULD MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE IF WE, WE JUST RELINQUISH TO MIKE, TIM FOR SECOND, SIR.
AND THEN I'M, I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SAY SOMETHING.
WHAT I'M ASKING, AND I BELIEVE I'M, I'M ASKING, UH, WITH THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THIS GROUP, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER, BOTH GROUPS TOGETHER, THE, THE, THE, UH, DEVELOPER AND THE TENANT, THE PRESENT TENANT? IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER AS, AS, AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE? I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL HAVE TO DISCUSS A DISCUSSION ON THIS, THAT, THAT'S BETWEEN Y'ALL.
HE KIND OF JUST DID THE WHOLE SPIEL JUST NOW.
I, I DID THE PROCESS THE WAY WE SUPPOSED TO.
SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO GIVE MR. BURTON A OKAY.
TO TELL ME TO DO THAT, I'M GOOD WITH IT.
BUT, UM, MAYOR, WE HAVE THE DEVELOPER HERE TONIGHT.
AND CAN WE HEAR FROM THE DEVELOPER AS WELL? I MEAN, YES.
HE'S RIGHT HERE WITH US, YOU KNOW, MISS, DO YOU WISH SIR, TO COME TO THE PODIUM? MR. MAYOR AND MR. CITY MANAGER HERE, HOLD, I RECOGNIZE YOU.
I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE, I'M, I'M YOU WERE ASKING, OKAY, THEN.
SO YOU ALL ARE WITH THE, UH, YACHT CLUB? YEAH.
WHO WAS THE DEVELOPER? OKAY, Y'ALL COME STAND BY EACH OTHER,
RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY, IT IS NOT, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SOMEONE DISLIKING SOMEONE.
AND AS THEY APPROACHED HIM AND SAYING, WE WANT TO CONDUCT BUSINESS NOW AS THE MAYOR TO PRESID IN THE
[02:25:01]
OFFICE OF THIS BODY, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ALL SOMETHING IS YOUR GROUP, SIR? 'CAUSE WE PERCEIVE SOMETHING TO THE CONTRARY, BUT IS YOUR GROUP WILLING TO DISCUSS WITH THIS GENTLEMAN THE POSSIBILITIES GOING IN THE FUTURE FOR THAT PROPERTY? IF YOU JUST ANSWER THAT YES OR NO ASKING YES OR NO, WHICH, WHICH ONE OF Y'ALL, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME FROM CITY COUNCIL.WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO THAT FORMALLY, SIR.
SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BEING GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT? YES, SIR.
SO, BUT, SO TO ANSWER YOUR ANSWER TO YOUR, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, SIR.
WOULD YOUR GROUP BE WILLING TO ENTER IN A DISCUSSION TO SEE IF AN AMICABLE SOLUTION CAN BE REACHED ON THIS PROPERTY OR INHABITING THE PROPERTY? YES, SIR.
SO, NO, THIS, YES OR NO? UH, IT'S NOT, WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME DO THIS.
YES OR NO? YES OR NO, SIR? NO, OUR COMPANY, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT? NO, SIR.
YOU RETURN TO YOUR SEAT, OKAY.
YOU GONNA RETURN TO YOUR SEAT? YOU'VE ALREADY TOLD ME YOU'RE NOT WILLING.
NOW, SIR, YOU SAID THAT YOU ALL ARE WILLING TO DO THIS.
SO IF YOU ALL ARE WILLING TO TRY IT, UH, MET CITY MANAGER, AN ATTORNEY, IS IT ANY POSSIBLE WAY THAT WE CAN ASK THE DEVELOPER, MAYBE NOT IN THIS CITY, TO NEGOTIATE OR SEE IF AN I SAY IT, IF AN AMICABLE SOLUTION CAN BE REACHED? IS THAT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN'T COMPEL HIM, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN ASK HIM IN A DIFFERENT SETTING.
IS THAT POSSIBLE? I THINK ALL YOU CAN DO IS EITHER ACCEPT OR REJECT HIM.
QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU MAYOR, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
OKAY? ASK TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.
DID YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY? OKAY, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO, UH, WE'VE ALREADY, I HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT.
UH, DO WE NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, MR. MAYOR? WELL, YOU ASK ME TO CALL FOR THE VOTE NOW.
SO, UH, UH, IF THIS IS FROM THE VOTING MEMBERS NOW, NOT TO IGNORE YOU, I WITHDRAW MAYOR, SO HE MIGHT SPEAK.
UM, FOUR 10 PLEASURE PURE BOULEVARD SLIP C SEVEN.
I AM THE, UM, RECENT PAST COMMODORE OF THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB, AND IN THE SPRING OF 2022, I APPROACHED THE CITY VIA YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, MR. GEORGE DAVIS, TO DISCUSS RENEWING OF THE LEASE WITH THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB.
WE ENTERED INTO DISCUSSIONS AND WE CAME UP WITH A DRAFT LEASE THAT BOTH OF US REPRESENTING OUR ORGANIZATIONS AGREED WITH.
I WAS VERBALLY TOLD THAT THAT LEASE WAS SENT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND AFTER MULTIPLE MONTHS, I REFERRED TO MR. DAVIS TO FIND OUT WHERE, TO THE COLLECT ISLAND DIRECTOR TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE LEASE.
I WAS INSTRUCTED TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY, UM, SECRETARY AND TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ESTABLISH THE STATUS OF THE LEASE.
OVER A HALF DOZEN ATTEMPTS VIA EMAIL AND PHONE CALL WERE IGNORED.
NO RESPONSE, NONE, NO RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE LEASE.
AS OF THIS DATE, LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES AGO, THE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB HAS NOT RECEIVED A FORMAL NOTICE FROM THE CITY AS TO OUR STATUS, DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS.
SO, MR. MAY I APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING US THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THE GUIDANCE TO BE IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE DEVELOPER.
MAY I ASK HIM A QUESTION? JUST MAY COMPLETE.
YOU TALK ABOUT GROWING PLEASURE ISLAND.
OUR YACHT CLUB HAS HAD OVER, UM, 5,700 INTERACTIONS ON OUR PAGE THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A MONTHLY JUNIOR SAILING DAY, WHICH HAS BROUGHT PEOPLE WHO WERE UNAWARE OF WHAT PLEASURE ISLAND HAS TO OFFER OUT.
RECENTLY ON SATURDAY, WE BROUGHT GROUPS FROM NORTH HOUSTON DOWN TO SEE THE AREA.
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE COME IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR OUTREACH AND OUR EFFORTS.
WE ARE THE GROWTH THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WE ARE ESTABLISHED.
WE HAVE RIDDEN OUT HALF DOZEN HURRICANES.
WE'RE THE ONLY BUILDING ON THE ISLAND.
IT'S NOT HOUSING THAT IS REMAINED, AND IT'S OUR SWEAT AND BLOOD THAT HAS REBUILT.
THE MARINA HAS PAID SLIP FEES DESPITE NOT HAVING THE SERVICES GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR LEASE, MAINTAINING THE BUILDING, MAINTAINING THE GROUNDS, AND ASSISTING IN THE AREA, AND ASSISTING IN THE ADVERTISING.
IF YOU TURN AROUND, YOU'LL SEE A SAILBOAT FLYING A SPINNAKER ON YOUR CITY LOGO.
IF YOU DRIVE DOWN 82, YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE
[02:30:01]
OF A CATAMARAN FLYING A SPINNAKER ON A RACE THAT WE PUT ON TWO YEARS AGO.OUR CLUB IS SUFFERING, AND OUR ABILITY TO ASSIST THE CITY IN THE GROWTH IS SUFFERING FROM THIS.
OUR VOLUNTEER CORPS, WHO GIVES TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IS NOT DEVELOPING YOUTH PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE IN HERE FIGHTING FOR THIS.
IN OCTOBER OF 2022, THIS COUNCIL ELECTED TO RAISE THE SLIP RATES TO THOSE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT IS IN KEAH, TEXAS.
THERE WAS NOT A FOLLOWING RAISE OF AMENITIES TO MATCH.
I SAT DOWN AND HAD A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH MR. BURTON AND WITH MR. DAVIS, AND THEY SAID THAT WE AND OUR FUTURE WAS SOLID ON THIS ISLAND.
I QUESTIONED WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY WERE, WE WEREN'T GIVING ANY FORMAL NOTICE OF ANY OF THIS.
UM, DRAKE THIBODAUX, UH, SLIP C 9 4 10.
UM, COUPLE QUICK COMMENTS, AND THEN SEVERAL OF Y'ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN ABLE NICE ENOUGH TO TALK TO US OFFLINE.
ONE QUICK COMMENT THOUGH, SIR.
UM, A FACEBOOK PAGE THAT DOES NOT HAVE PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB DOES NOT REPRESENT, UM, A FORMAL, UH, RESPONSE.
SO WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE READING SOMEWHERE ELSE, UNLESS IT'S COMING FROM OUR WEBPAGE, I'D PROBABLY ASK YOU TO MAYBE NOT TAKE THAT INTO, UH, CONSIDERATION REGARDLESS OF SOME OF THE FEELINGS.
UM, LIKE BRIAN SAID, WE DID HAVE A LEASE.
IT'S, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEASE, IT'S, UM, FIVE, FIVE AND FIVE, WHICH IS RENEWABLE IN FIVE YEAR TERMS EACH TIME.
SO WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE ABLE TO SIGN, BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T, UM, BEEN ABLE TO SECURE THE LEASE FROM YOU GUYS AND THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
UM, YOU GUYS WANT US TO MEET WITH SOME, SOMEBODY? WE'LL MEET WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD SOMETHING, I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE IT ANY WAY, ANYTHING AWAY FROM ANYBODY ABOUT A, A $2,000 DONATION.
UH, WE GAVE $60,000 WORTH OF VOLUNTEER HOURS RECORDED, DOCUMENTED.
UM, THAT CAN BE PROVEN AT ANY TIME.
EACH ONE OF THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE, MYSELF INCLUDED, UM, AVERAGE 35, 30 $700 A YEAR PER PERSON THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR SLIP FEES OUT THERE.
THAT'S ON TOP OF GOING OUT AND VOLUNTEERING ON TOP OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TRY TO DO STUFF ON THE ISLAND.
I KNOW PEOPLE FROM OTHER SITES, FROM, UH, OTHER CITIES COME IN AND I KNOW WE WANNA FOCUS ON, FOCUS ON PORT ARTHUR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS BRING REVENUE TO CITY, TO CITY.
TAKE CARE OF PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE TRY TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, A YOUNG HISPANIC FAMILY SATURDAY THAT CAME OUT.
UM, AND I DON'T LIKE TO LOOK SOMETIMES, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
ONE OF OUR MEMBERS IS HISPANIC.
HE SPOKE WITH THEM AND THE LITTLE KIDS, YOU COULD TELL THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY WERE HAVING A LOT OF FUN AND WE WERE GIVING AWAY FREE LUNCH.
AND I THINK THEY GOT MISINTERPRETED AND THEY GOT SCARED.
SEUSS HAS A SAYING, UM, OR HAD A SAYING, I SHOULD SAY, IN THE WORLD, YOU MAY BE ONE PERSON, BUT TO THAT ONE PERSON, YOU MAY BE THE WORLD.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE THAT ONE PERSON.
I'M 37 0 1 RUSSELL GROSS, TEXAS, UM, BUSINESS.
SALINE COURT SHOULD BUILD A BUILDING OF THEIR OWN ON THE ISLAND.
WE KEEP OUR BUILDING THAT WE BUILT.
Y'ALL DIDN'T PAY FOR THAT BUILDING BOARD.
ARTHUR YACHT CLUB BUILT THAT BUILDING.
CELINE SHOULD BUILD A BUILDING RIGHT NEXT TO THE BATHROOMS THAT GEORGE IS BUILT.
THEY WANT TO, YOU WANT TO DO AWAY WITH PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB'S BUILDING AND GIVE IT TO THEM.
AND GOD KNOWS WHAT'S HE HE GONNA TURN IT INTO? I HEAR JET SKIS PUT JET SKIS IN THE MARINA.
YOU GO TO ANY RESORT, WHAT DO YOU SEE? YOU SEE A CATAMARAN CALLED A HOBY WAY.
DO WE HAVE A BEACH AT THE ISLAND? YES, WE DO.
YOU COULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANT RIGHT THERE.
IT'S THERE, BUT YOU WANT TO TAKE FROM ONE PERSON
[02:35:01]
AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO THEM TO DEVELOP.WE BUILT IT WITHOUT PORT ARTHUR YACHT CLUB.
WE BUILT THAT MARINA FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
SO TIFFANY, IF YOU WANNA THROW AWAY PART A PLEASURE ISLAND THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1965, AND GIVE IT TO A GUY THAT AS SOON AS HE GETS IT DEVELOPED, HE'S GONE.
AND THEN THAT PLACE IS GONNA BE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND BY THE WAY, HERE'S THE CONTRACT.
THE LEAST 2015, I WAS A COMMODORE TRYING TO GET IT DONE.
JIMMY D***S BROUGHT IT TO Y'ALL, AND Y'ALL STONEWALL TO THIS DAY.
WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.
ALRIGHT GENTLEMEN, I, I USED TO SIT IN A SEAT LIKE YOU DID, AND YOU GET DOWN TO THE CRUNCH TIME AND IT'S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION AND MOVE ON.
UM, WE OFTEN HAD A SAYING IN AUSTIN IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM.
AND THE WHOLE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS DRIVING THIS? WHY ARE WE TRYING TO GET TO THIS POINT? DO YOU NOT HAVE ANY OTHER EMPTY BUILDINGS IN PORT ARTHUR? DO YOU NOT HAVE ANY OTHER VACANT PROPERTY? EVEN ALONG THE BULKHEAD THERE ON PLEASURE ISLAND, THERE ARE LOTS OF OP PADS THERE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHY DESTROY ONE TO REPLACE IT WITH ONE THAT'S A MAYBE.
DOES THIS GENTLEMAN NOT GET A CONTRACT FROM YOU AND ANSWER AN RFP ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO TO MAKE A PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY ACROSS AND TO PUT IN A WATERPARK AND A HOTEL? WHERE IS IT? THE CONTRACT TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN EXECUTED.
EARNEST MONEY HAS NEVER BEEN PLACED.
I DISCOVERED THROUGH A TITLE COMPANY FRIEND THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SHOW UP WITH A CHECK.
SO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOW? THE SAME THING.
MAYBE THAT BUILDING WILL JUST SIT EMPTY LIKE THE REST OF THE EMPTY BUILDINGS.
PORT ARTHUR, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.
GO AHEAD, GO RIGHT AHEAD, COUNCILOR FRANK, YOUR LANGUAGE AGAIN, AND LET ME SAY THIS FOR THE LAST TIME, IS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A $140 MILLION EXPENDITURE OF BRINGING A PARK, A WATERPARK TO PLEASURE ISLAND THROUGH A DEVELOPER THAT WILL BRING 600,000 INDIVIDUALS TO PORT ARTHUR A YEAR.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE A BUSINESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, EVERYTHING IN LIFE CAN BE A, MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOING TO LIVE TILL TOMORROW, BUT NOTHING BEATS A FAILURE, BUT A TRY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS ISLAND.
EVERY COUNCIL BEFORE US HAS BEEN TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ON THAT ISLAND.
AND SO WE ARE NOT TRYING TO STOP ANYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CHILDREN OF PORT ARTHUR AND TO BRING THEM OUT ON YACHT CLUB, UH, BOATING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUE TO SAY ABOUT PORT ARTHUR IS THAT WE HAVE NOT LEARNED TO WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.
IF NO INDI NO, NO, NO ENTITY OUGHT TO HAVE THE SOLE RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING.
I YOU SAY DON'T, YOU SAID, DON'T TAKE, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S WRITTEN ON, UH, THE, ON THE, ON THE, UM, ON, ON THE FACEBOOK OR WHATEVER.
BUT WE HAVE A COUNCILMAN WHO SAID THAT, THAT THAT, UM, THAT THE, THE YACHT CLUB NO LONGER WANTED, UH, TO PARTNER WITH MR. KOP.
BE SURE, COUNCILMAN, THAT WE ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT SAY TO THOSE WHO WANT TO COME AND DEVELOP IN PORT ARTHUR.
YOU CAN GET SOMETHING DONE IN THIS CITY AND IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MONTHS AND YEARS TO DO IT.
WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL HAS ALREADY WON THE RFP.
NOW YOU CAN GO BACK AND TELL THAT INDIVIDUAL, YOU WON THE RFP FOR NOTHING.
WELL, WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO BUSINESSES? THEY WANT TO COME TO THIS CITY THAT, THAT, THAT SPECIAL INTERESTS RUN THE CITY.
[02:40:01]
WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU? I, I'M OVER.I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT AN INTENT TO THROW ANYTHING AWAY AND WE'RE NOT GIVING ANYTHING TO ANYONE ELSE.
THIS IS AN INTENT TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
NO ONE, LEMME NOT SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE.
MY INTENT IS NOT AT ALL TO SAY TO THE YACHT CLUB THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME.
HERE WE ARE SAYING THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BUILDING.
I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN RUN YOUR BUSINESS MOST EFFICIENT, YOUR PROGRAMMING MOST EFFICIENTLY.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS, TAKE A VOTE AND FOCUS ON THE MAIN THING OF THIS RESOLUTION.
THE MAIN THING OF THIS RESOLUTION IS ARE WE GOING TO INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ELISE, WITH ALI KLIP WHO WON THE BID PERIOD? OKAY, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
UH, JUST REMEMBER, MR. MAYOR COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKHAM, THANK YOU.
I'M ALL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLEASURE ISLAND AND I'VE MET WITH YOU SEVERAL TIMES.
MAYOR, MAY I HAVE CALLED FOR THE VOTE STATE, EXCUSE ME, POINT OF ORDER ALL DISCUSSION OF ORDER CALL FOR THE VOTE.
BUT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU, COUNCILMAN FRANK DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THAT I WAS ALLOWING, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL BECKHAM TO SPEAK.
MR. GR I'VE MET WITH YOU SEVERAL TIMES AND YOU, THOUGH I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR EFFORTS TO DEVELOP THE ISLAND.
MY MY FAMILY DEVELOPED THE ISLAND MANY YEARS AGO.
MY GRANDPARENTS OWNED SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISLAND BACK IN THE, THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, AND I'M VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
BUT I'M ALSO FOR WHAT THE YACHT CLUB HAS DONE, AND Y'ALL KNOW THAT I SUPPORT YOU AS WELL.
SO I WANT ONE OF YOU TO, TO COME AND SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO CANCEL BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU WERE IN LIMBO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS COUNCIL.
MAYOR, WHEN THE VOTE IS, WHEN CALL FOR THE VOTE HAPPENS, ALL DEBATE CEASES.
LOOK AT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
HOLD ON JUST, JUST A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE.
I WAS GIVEN COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM RULE ON MY POINT.
MAYOR, I, I HAD TO EVEN RECOGNIZE YOU YET, SIR, JUST, JUST WAIT A MINUTE.
WERE YOU THROUGH WITH YOUR, UH, I, THE BOX COUNCILWOMAN? I REQUESTED THAT SOMEONE FROM THE YACHT CLUB EXPLAIN THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO CANCEL BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE IN LIMBO WITH WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH WHAT WE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
UH, COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
YOU NOTICED THAT, UM, I, I HADN'T SPOKE ON THIS AT ALL, SO I'M KIND OF LIKE TORN, BUT BETWEEN, HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT? MM-HMM.
UH, THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT HOWEVER, WE AT THIS POINT THAT WE DECIDED TO GO INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION OF, UH, HOW WE WANTED TO ENTERTAIN THE ISLAND FOR SO MANY YEARS, WE WEREN'T ABLE, UNABLE TO GET SOMEONE OF THAT MAGNITUDE WANTING TO COME IN AND INVEST IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I DID MEET WITH SOME OF THE PERSONNEL FROM THE YACHT CLUB AND KIND OF GOT SOME INSIGHT BECAUSE I'M A 55-YEAR-OLD GUY AND WAS NEVER INVITED TO GO TO THE YACHT CLUB EVEN WHEN I WAS A KID.
SO EVEN MY DAUGHTERS WENT THROUGH PORT ARTHUR, ISD NEVER BEEN, UH, GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE YACHT CLUB.
AND I HEAR SOME OF THE STORIES COUNCILWOMAN BECKMAN STATED ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE YACHT CLUB, BUT PEOPLE OF PORT ARTHUR AND ALL THE GENTLEMEN HERE THAT SIT THERE, THEY GAVE THEIR ADDRESS, THEY'RE NOW FROM PORT ARTHUR.
SO ARE WE GONNA HAVE, UH, A COUNCIL THAT'S GONNA LOOK AT AND INVEST IN THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR? AND I'M HERE AND THE YACHT CLUB HAS BEEN HERE HOW MANY YEARS? 60 SOMETHING YEARS.
SO, I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR? SO I, I KIND OF SAT BACK AND LISTENED TO ALL THE REMARKS OF BOTH PARTIES AND, UH, AND THE DEVELOPERS SAYING HE'S NOT WILLING TO TALK.
BUT WE DID GIVE CLEAR AND DECIDES TO, UH, INSTRUCTIONS THAT WE DID WANT TO HAVE A WORKSHOP.
BUT WHAT WILL, WHAT WILL WE WORKSHOP ON IF ONE PARTY DOESN'T
[02:45:01]
WANNA WORK WITH THE OTHER? SO WE STILL BACK AT THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M JUST KIND OF READING MORE INTO IT, UH, IN, IN THIS SITUATION.
BUT, UH, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS.
NOW, ARE WE GONNA WEIGH A A, A DEVELOPER WANTING TO COME TO PLEASURE ISLAND, WANTING TO INVEST? ARE WE GONNA HAVE THE YACHT CLUB THAT REALLY HAS A REGIONAL TYPE YACHT CLUB THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SERVICE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS IN THE ISD OF PORT ARTHUR? WHERE, WHERE WE GONNA GO WITH THIS? WHERE ARE WE GOING? I MEAN, THE NUMBERS.
I MEAN, I LOOK AT THE PICTURES, I, I VISIT WITH THE PERSONNEL AND KIND OF SEEN SOME OF THOSE, UH, PHOTOS OF THE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY'RE NOT FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I'M ASKING MYSELF.
I'M KIND OF TORN BETWEEN BECAUSE I DO WANT TO SEE A LOAN EXISTING, UH, ORGANIZATION BE FRIGHTFUL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT ARE WE GONNA WEIGH IT AGAINST A DEVELOPER THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET DEVELOPMENT DONE IN PLEASURE ISLAND? SO, UH, THANK, THANK YOU.
SO I HAVE MY, MY ASSISTANT TIMEKEEPER FOR TELLING ME THANK YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO KINDA LISTEN TO EVERYONE BECAUSE I'M KIND OF TORN BETWEEN THIS, THIS OBJECTIVE.
OKAY, NOW, COUNCILMAN FRANK, WE GONNA CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR, EXCUSE ME POINT.
MAYOR, WE GONNA CALL FOR THE VOTE? MAYOR, MAYOR POINT AM I, AM I IN ORDER? MAYOR, SIR, I I DON'T WANT SPEAK.
NO, NO, BUT EVEN MAYOR, EVEN WITH A POINT OF ORDER.
BUT AT THIS POINT, MAYOR, NO, I CALLED FOR THE VOTE.
WE'VE HAD MAYOR, DISCUSSION, MAYOR FOR THE PAST 25 MINUTES, MAYOR, AND I'VE GIVEN EVERY, AND WE'VE BEEN PAM ABOUT IT, MAYOR.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOW WE EITHER GOING, EITHER VOTE UP OR DOWN.
MAYOR, SIR, I'M IN A YES, MAYOR.
NO, NO, NO, NOT YOU, YOU WAIT.
MAYOR, WHO MADE, BUT LET HIM TALK.
AM I IN ORDER? I THINK THE CHAIR CALL FOR THE VOTE, YOUR HONOR.
WE, WE, WE, WE'VE ALREADY, OKAY, WE CALLING FOR THE VOTE, BUT WE CALLING FOR THE VOTE, SIR, NO.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, MAYOR, MAYOR, MAYOR, LET'S NOT MAYOR, MAYOR, CALL, VOTE PLEASE.
MAYOR, MAYOR, MAYOR, DON'T DO THIS.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE, VOTE AGAINST.
THE ONLY PERSON CAN CALL FOR THE ROLE FOR THE VOTE IS THE PERSON WHO MADE THE MOTION.
WHO MADE THE MOTION? MAN, IT'S BEEN SO LONG.
BUT YOU NEED TO FIND OUT BECAUSE IF COUNCILMAN FRANK DID NOT MAKE THE MOTION, HE CAN'T CALL FOR THE VOTE.
WHO MADE THE MOTION? SO DON'T TELL ME COUNCIL MEMBER LUMM MADE THE MOTION AND COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK SECONDARY.
SO THEREFORE HE CANNOT CALL FOR THE VOTE.
OKAY? WE AIN'T GOING TO, WE GOING TO DO IT.
RIGHT? I MADE A SECONDARY MOTION TO PULL IT TO TABLE IT.
YOUR SECONDARY MOTION HAD NOT BEEN EVEN SECOND OR SECOND OR EVEN ACTIVE.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FIRST MOTION IN YOUR DIALOGUE, UH, ABOUT, UH, REBECCA? YES.
I'M GONNA CALL FOR A MOTION TO CHAIR.
OKAY, EVERYBODY CALL THE MOTION.
SECONDARY MOTION WAS NOT SECONDED.
AGAIN, THAT'S JUST MONEY, RIGHT? SECONDARY MOTION TAKES PRECEDENT.
CAN WE HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO? I KEEP ASKING THEM.
YOU KEEP, THIS IS DOWNRIGHT EMBARRASSING.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOTHING HERE.
I'VE HAD SOME WORK MEETINGS IN HERE.
WE THROUGH WITH THE DISCUSSION, ANY MEMBER CAN MAKE A SUBSIDIARY MOTION COMMONLY REFERRED TO A SECOND MOTION.
AT WHICH TIME, IF IT'S SECOND, THEN IT COMES TO THE FLOOR.
THE COUNCIL WILL THEN DEAL WITH THAT MOTION.
AND THEN THE, SO AFTER WE FINISH DISCUSSION, YOU CALL PARLIAMENTARY, SHE MAKES A SECONDARY.
BUT, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS EVERYBODY IS, IS GIVING THEIR PARLIAMENTARY.
WELL I JUST SAID LET'S READ IT.
WELL, NO, THIS AIN'T YOUR THOUGHT SHOW.
THAT'S ALL WHERE YOUR BOOK AT? YOU TOLD ME.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE ATTORNEY.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE ATTORNEY.
IT'S TOO PHIL, WE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
BUT GIVE TELL YOU, YOU WON'T LET HIM GO.
I MADE A SECONDARY MOTION BEFORE THE CALL FOR VOTE WAS EVER MADE.
AND THEREFORE DID WE ENTERTAINED THAT'S CORRECT.
I MOVED TO TABLE PR NUMBER 2 3 7 3 2.
[02:50:02]
MOTION.YOU GOTTA ACT ON A MOTION SHE MADE.
MY SECONDARY MOTION WAS TO TABLE P 3 7 32.
I MADE IT PROBABLY 30 MINUTES AGO.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU TO RESTATE IT.
AND YOU SAID COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I SECOND IT.
AND WHAT AND WHAT WAS THE MOTION? I MOTION TO TABLE PR NUMBER 2 3 7 3 2.
MAYOR, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
OKAY, SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND SHE IS ASKING, IT'S BEEN MOVING SECOND THAT WE WOULD TABLE, WHICH ONE IS IT? UH, PR NUMBER, UH, 23 7 32.
THAT WE, THAT WE WOULD TABLE THIS.
AND THEY ASKED ALSO FOR, UH, A CALL TO TABLE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAM MAYOR PRO TIM HAMILTON.
YOU CAN YOU CAN YOU CAN'T IT WON? MAKE PEOPLE MAD.
YOU HAVE NO CONFLICT ABOUT NO, YOU'RE A VOTING MEMBER.
YOU HAVE NO CONFLICT ABOUT OUR CHARTER.
SAYS, SAYS YOU VOTE YES OR NO.
SO WHETHER I VOTE YES AND NO, DO WHAT I DON'T DO.
AT LEAST YOU VOTED, NOT ABSTAIN.
OKAY? I GIVE A SPEECH FOR VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTER, IT'S GONNA BE COUNTED AS A YES VOTE OR NO VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DIRECT CONFLICT, IT'S GOING TO BE COUNTED.
I, I TOLD I YOU BETTER LEAVE AT ABSENCE ALL ALONE.
OKAY, ON THIS, UH, WE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO NEGATIVE, OKAY.
SO THEREFORE YOU TELL US THE MEASURE FAILS TO TABLE THE ITEM.
NOW, SO WE GO BACK TO THE, TO THE MAYOR MOTION, RIGHT? YES SIR.
NOW THE MAIN MOTION IS THE ACTUAL PR NUMBER 2 37, UH, 32.
AND I THINK I'VE READ IT BEFORE AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
UH, ON THAT MOTION WE ARE READY AND IT'S, IT IS ALREADY ON THE FOCUS, SO WE CAN VOTE ON THAT.
DO YOU WANT DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT AS WELL? YES SIR, I CAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM, THIS IS TO APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 3 7 3 4.
MAYOR PRO TIM HAMILTON, EVER FIELD? YES.
MAYOR BARTY MAN, IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT, THAT'S ALL I'M TELLING YOU.
OF A HEART ATTACK AND THEY KILL PEOPLE.
WHICH ONE I SUPPOSED TO SAY NO? YES.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
UH, MR. EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM? YEAH.
LET, NO, JUST LET HIM TALK AND LEAVE.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7243 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 38 (Fire Prevention And Protection) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur By Replacing Ch. 38 Fire Prevention And Protection In Its Entirety With International Fire Code 2021; Repealing All Ordinances Or Parts Of Ordinances In Conflict Therewith; Providing A Penalty For Violations By Fine Not Exceeding Two Thousand Dollars, As Provided In Section 5 Of This Code Or As May Be Otherwise Imposed By State Law; Providing A Savings Clause; And Providing For Publication And An Effective Date Immediately After Publication]
PO NUMBER 72 43 HE SAID ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 38, FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY REPLACING CHAPTER 38, FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION IN ITS ENTIRETY WITH INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE 2021.REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, THEREWITH PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS BY FIVE, NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN SECTION OR FIVE OF THIS CODE OR AS MAY BE OTHERWISE IMPOSED BY STATE LAW PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND, UH, MAYOR PO.
TIM SECOND IT WOULD MOVE IN SECOND AND WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 72 43 AS PRESENTED.
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QUESTION UNDER QUESTIONS.ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO PO PO NUMBER 72 43 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7246 – An Ordinance Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur Disannexing 11.59 Acres Tract Of Land Located Along State Highway 87 (AKA South Gulfway Drive) Near The Intracoastal Waterway) From The Corporate Boundaries Of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas; Providing For The Following: Findings Of Fact, Effective Date, Filing, Severability, And Proper Notice & Meeting]
PO NUMBER 72 46.IT IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, THIS ANNEXING 11 AND A HALF OF A ACRES OF TRACK OF LAND LOCATED ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 87, ALSO KNOWN AS SOUTH GULF WAY DRIVE NEAR THE INTRA COASTAL WATERWAY FROM THE CORPORATE BOUNDARIES OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, PROVIDING FOR THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS OF FACT, UH, EFFECTIVE DATE FILING SEVERABILITY AND PROPER NOTICE OF, UH, OF NOTICE AND MEETING.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? MOTION TO FREE.
OKAY, MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN? UH, ETT SECOND IS REMOVED.
AND SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 46 IS READ.
HONOR ANY QUESTION IS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY THE OPPOSE US AYES HAVE IT? SO PO NUMBER 72 46 IS APPROVED AS READ AND
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7247 – An Ordinance By The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Authorizing The Settlement Of Centerpoint Energy Resources Corp., D/B/A Centerpoint Energy Entex And Centerpoint Energy Texas Gas's Statement Of Intent To Increase Rates In The Houston, Texas Coast, South Texas, And Beaumont/East Texas Divisions, Filed October 30, 2023; Finding That The Meeting Complies With The Open Meetings Act; Making Other Findings And Provisions Related To The Subject; And Declaring An Effective Date]
WE HAVE PO NUMBER 72 47 WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT OF CENTER POINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORPORATION DBA CENTER POINT ENERGY IN TEXAS AND CENTER POINT ENERGY, TEXAS GASES, UH, STATEMENT OF INTENT TO INCREASE RATES IN THE HOUSTON, UH, IN THE HOUSTON, TEXAS GULF, TEXAS COAST, SOUTH TEXAS AND BEAUMONT EAST TEXAS DIVISIONS, UH, FILED OCTOBER 30TH, 2023 OF FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KEN LAW MOVE MAYOR, I GET A SECOND, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 47 AS PRESENTED.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE.
SO ORDER PO NUMBER 72 47 IS APPROVED AS READ AND CITY SECRETARY AS I CAN ASCERTAIN FROM THIS PRINTED DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE PRINTED AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.
THEREFORE, I WOULD AT THIS JUNCTURE CAUSE THIS MEETING TO BE ADJOINED.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU'LL BEING HERE AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING.