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GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
OUR MEETING IS STARTING AT 9 41.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL ]
MR. FRANK, WOULD YOU MIND LEANING US IN IN VACATION, PLEASE? IN PRAYER? LET'S STAND AND BOW IN PRAYER.ALL, ALWAYS IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, GOOD MORNING.
WE LOVE YOU, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YET AGAIN GIVING US ANOTHER DAY AND AN OPPORTUNITY AT LIFE.
WE ASK FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS, THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SAID, DONE OR THOUGHT THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRARY TO YOUR WORD WILL AND WAY.
AND THEN AS WE COME INTO THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY, GOD, WE PRAY THAT WE WOULD STAND ON ONE ACCORD.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND THEN YOUR PEACE AS WELL AS WE, UH, DO THE BIDDING OF THIS CITY ON TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN ADVANCE, IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY.
I PLEDGE TO THE BLACK OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WILL CONDUCT THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 21ST, 2024 AT NINE 30, WHICH WE START AT 9:41 AM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME BY TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER, FIFTH FLOOR, CITY HALL, 4 4 4 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
THE PUBLIC MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING IN PERSON OR BY DIALING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOLL FREE NUMBERS AND ENTERING THE MEETING ID 8 2 4 1 4 5 8 0 2 3 0.
AND PASSCODE 4 8 8 1 5 3 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 USING US TOLL FREE OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9 US TOLL FREE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACTS, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WILL PROVIDE FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, FOR REASONS ATTENDING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BETTER SERVE YOU.
REQUEST SHOULD BE RECEIVED 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 THROUGH THE OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE, HTTP WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
CITY SECRETARY, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE A ROLL CALL.
MAYOR PRO TIM HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
YOU HAVE A COURT MAYOR PRO TIM.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS ]
FOR PROCLAMATIONS.WERE THESE OKAY, WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS.
THE FIRST IS FOR PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, KT MAINTENANCE COMPANY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM, MR. KENNY? GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
WHEREAS IN 2004 TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, KT MAINTENANCE COMPANY INCORPORATED PURCHASED 800 PROCTOR STREET INVESTING IN DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR.
THEY REMODELED AND REFURBISHED THE BUILDING AND CREATED A HIRING AND TRAINING CENTER FOR LOCAL APPLICANTS AS WELL AS SHOP FACILITIES.
KTMC, INSULATION AND SCAFFOLDING.
LLC WAS ADDED IN 2013, AND WHEREAS THEY ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF SEVERAL MAJOR EXPANSION PROJECTS AND OUTAGES AT FACILITIES IN OUR AREA, PROVIDING TRAINED AND QUALIFIED SUPPORT PERSONNEL SUCH AS THIRD PARTY SAFETY ATTENDANTS, FIRE GUARDS, CONFINED SPACE ATTENDANTS AND BOTTLE WATCHES, FLAGGERS CLEANUP AND GENERAL LABOR.
AND WHEREAS KT MAINTENANCE COMPANY INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPAL OF OFFERING HIGHLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED THIRD PARTY SAFETY ATTENDANCE.
THEY BELIEVE THAT SPECIALIZED TRAINING ENSURES A HIGHER QUALITY OF SAFETY SUPPORT FOR THEIR CLIENTS.
PRIME CONTRACTORS, MOST NOTABLY, THEY HAVE
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AN OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECORD HAVING A-T-R-I-R OF ZERO.SINCE 2012, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING AWARDS SAFETY AWARD, ANNUALLY, THE SMALL BUSINESS AWARD, TEXAS WORKFORCE EMPLOYER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, 2009, STATE OF TEXAS, OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION BEST PRACTICES BUSINESS SKILL MODEL FOR BUSINESS SKILLS USE 2010 INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR.
2015 MOTIVA HEAVY HITTER AWARD, 2016 EXXONMOBIL CONTRACTOR SAFETY AWARD, 2016.
AND THE OWNER TRIBUTE AWARD PRESENTED BY MOTIVA ENTERPRISES 2023.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 20 2004, THEY HAVE ASSISTED ALONGSIDE INDUSTRIAL ALONGSIDE INDUSTRY IN DISASTER RECOVERY, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THEIR CLIENT'S FACILITIES.
KT MAINTENANCE HAS PROVIDED RECOVERY SUPPORT FOR EXXONMOBIL BEAUMONT COMPLEX MOTIVA, PAR, TOTAL IN ENERGIES, PAR AND VALERO, PAR.
AND WHEREAS THEIR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PUT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO WORK AND INCREASE THE ECONOMY OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOCAL INDUSTRY BECAUSE WITH OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL.
MS. SHERRY, THIS SYSTEM IS NOTATING.
SO COUNSELORS, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY, I'M JUST CHECK OUT YOUR LIGHTS, MR. LEWIS.
UH, I MET, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET KT MAINTENANCE, UH, K UH, KENNY TIMS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO AT A-A-M-L-K BREAKFAST.
I, I BROUGHT SOME, I WAS BRINGING SOME OF MINORITY BUSINESS PEOPLE WITH ME, AND HE, AND HE HANDED ME A CALL AT THE DOOR AND I SAID, WHAT DO YOU DO? HE SAID, I'M NOT GONNA BE DOING ANYTHING IF I DON'T FIND SOME WORK.
I SAID, YOU GOT ANY MORE THOSE CARS? HE SAID, YES.
SO HE JOINED ME AND I WENT FROM TABLE TO TABLES.
ALL OF THE CORPORATE BUSINESS PEOPLE WERE THERE INTRODUCING HIM, AND HE GOT HIS FIRST START FROM, UH, MOTIVA.
MOTIVA GAVE HIM HIS FIRST START.
NOW, THE REASON I TALKED TO THE MAYOR ABOUT A PROCLAMATION, HE HAS GONE FROM 807 TO 800 EMPLOYEES.
NOW, YOU KNOW HOW ALL INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTS WE HAVE, HE'S GONE FROM SEVEN TO 800 EMPLOYEES.
HE IS DOWN TO 12 EMPLOYEES, DOWN TO 12.
ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE HERE, THE HUMAN RESOURCES OF OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
THE GENERAL, THE GENERAL GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
THE, THE COMPANIES HAVE HIRED GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
AND THESE GENERAL CONTRACTORS HAVE CREATED A BRANCH THAT DOES WHAT HE USED TO DO.
THE HUMAN RESOURCE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE CONTRACTS AND NEED TO, WE NEED TO PUT OUR, UH, SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE TO WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
APPRECIATE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND ONE OTHER THING BRIEFLY, HE HAS WALKED INTO HIS, HIS, UH, CONFERENCE ROOM AND HIS JAM PACKED WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES.
AND HE WALKS IN THERE AND HE SAID, I'M, ALL OF YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO WORK FOR ME.
MAJORITY OF YOU GOT PROBLEMS. SOME OF YOU ALL GOT SOME PROBLEMS. IF YOU, I'M GONNA WALK OUT OF THIS ROOM.
IF YOU ALL LEAVE WITH THE PROBLEM, GO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, CLEAN YOURSELF UP, COME BACK, I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE.
HE WALKS OUT THE ROOM, COME BACK.
OVER 50% OF THE PEOPLE WAS GONE.
BUT HE, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, HE HAS PUT FAMILIES BACK TOGETHER THAT GIVE HIM A LIVING WHERE THEY CAN MAKE A, A LIVING WAGE, PUT 'EM BACK TOGETHER.
SOME OF 'EM HAS RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILY, RESTORED 'EM, AND, BUT HE NEEDS OUR HELP TO CALL ATTENTION TO HIS PLIGHT.
THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY HAS CUT HIM OUT BY CREATING A BRANCH OF THEIR OWN.
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ANY REMARKS? WELL, ON THE BEHALF OF KT MAINTENANCE, UH, ANY, I APPRECIATE THE GUARD THAT I SERVE.WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED TO US.
OUR GOAL AND THE MISSION HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE'RE DEDICATED TO PORT ARTHUR TO TRY TO KEEP AND PUT PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO AND PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND TRUST THAT, UH, GOD WILL CONTINUE TO OPEN DOORS FOR US SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HELP PORT ARTHUR IN YOUR GROWTH THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE, I KNOW THAT'S PART OF YOUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO GROW PORT ARTHUR, AND WE WANNA CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
SO, UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERLAST, ONE OF YOU AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
PAM, ARE YOU GONNA TAKE A PHOTO? SOMEBODY'S GONNA TAKE A PHOTO.
HOW YOU DOING? COUNCILMAN DO SAID YOU GOT SOMETHING YOU WANNA SAY? NO, I'M GOOD.
NO, HE GOT HIS HAND AS RAISED ON
ALL RIGHT, MR. DOUCETTE, DID YOU HAVE ANY WORDS? UH, SHOOT.
OUR NEXT PRO, OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS FOR THE AMERICAN MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.
IS ANYONE HERE FOR THAT? WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
THERE ISN'T ACTUALLY A PERSON IN THE CHAMBERS FORD, WHEREAS THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES WAS FOUNDED IN 1924 IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS AS THE AMERICAN MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION BY STATE MUNICIPAL LEAGUES SEEKING MORE COORDINATION AND NATIONAL REPRESENTATION AS CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES EXPANDED RAPIDLY.
AND WHEREAS THE NONPARTISAN NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, REPRESENTING THE INTEREST OF MORE THAN 19,000 CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEREAS TODAY, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 49 STATE MUNICIPAL LEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL LEADERSHIP, DRIVE INNOVATION, AND INFLUENCE THE FEDERAL POLICIES THAT IMPACTS LOCAL PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS AS THE VOICE OF CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES IN WASHINGTON, DC, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES HAS SUCCESSFULLY CHAMPIONED FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT SUPPORT MUNICIPALITIES AND HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO EDUCATE POLICY MAKERS ON THE REALITIES OF LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WHEREAS PORT ARTHUR IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND HAS BENEFITED FROM THE ORGANIZATION'S RESEARCH, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, FEDERAL ADVOCACY, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
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LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE BEDROCK OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, PROVIDING 336 MILLION RESIDENTS WITH THE MOST ACCOUNTABLE, RESPONSIVE, INCLUSIVE, ETHICAL, AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD.AND WHEREAS FROM THE NATION'S SMALLEST VILLAGES TO THE LARGEST CITIES, AMERICA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL IN TRANSFORMING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THE GREATEST MOST INFLUENTIAL NATION IN THE WORLD HISTORY.
AND WHEREAS PORT ARTHUR WAS FIRST INCORPORATED IN 1898, AND IS PROUDLY SERVED TODAY BY SEVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE OF 714 DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BARTEE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, NOW HEREBY PROCLAIM HEREBY PROCLAIMS MAY, 2024 AS NATIONAL CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES MONTH IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES HISTORIC CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE AN HEREIN TO SET MY HAND AND SEALED THE SEAL AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 21ST DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024 THURMOND.
BILL BARTY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN.
THAT WAS READ INTO THE RECORD ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
[III.A.(1) Eduardo Ochoa Regarding 62nd Street In A Condition Of Disrepair ]
NEXT IS PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS SPEAKERS.WE HAVE MR. EDUARDO OCHOA REGARDING 62ND STREET AND A CONDITION OF DESPAIR.
WILL YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? YES, GOOD MORNING.
UH, MY NAME IS EDUARDO OCHOA AND, UH, I'M THE RESIDENT OF 26 80 60 SECOND STREET IN PORT ACRES, PORT ARTHUR.
UH, IN THREE, IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS, IT WOULD BE, UH, 10 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED AT THE RESIDENT.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND STATE YOUR CONCERN.
THE THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, IF YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF IF YOU WANT.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, RAISE MY CONCERN AND, UH, BRING ATTENTION TO THE CONDITION OF 62ND STREET.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, IN THE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT, UH, WE'VE LIVED THERE, MY FAMILY, I AND, UH, THE NEIGHBORS, UH, WE'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING FOR REPAIRS OF THE, OF THE ROAD.
UH, AND, UH, WE JUST LIKE TO MAKE THAT, UH, LIKE I SAID, BRING ATTENTION TO THAT AND, UH, TRY TO, UH, GET SOME, UH, LONG OVERDUE REPAIRS.
UH, IF THERE CAN, UH, BE ANY INFORMATION SHARED WITH ME AND, UH, WITH, UH, THOSE, THOSE LISTENING ABOUT, UH, WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND, UH, WHY WE HAVEN'T SEEN, UH, THE MUCH NEEDED AND, UH, THE REPAIRS.
CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE REGARDING THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION? YES.
UM, I, I TRIED TO REACH OUT ON FOUR OCCASIONS TO MR. OCHOA SOMETIME LAST WEEK, AND IT WENT TO VOICEMAIL, YOU KNOW, UM, I ALSO LEFT A MESSAGE THAT COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, SINCE THAT IS HIS DISTRICT, AND ASKED YOU TO REACH OUT TO HIM.
UM, THE INFORMATION WAS AND STILL IS THAT YOUR, THE STREET IS BEING SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED IN-HOUSE.
UM, WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND, UM, OUR ENGINEER, JOHN CONELLO.
SO YOU ARE ON THE LIST PRETTY SOON TO BE, UM, REPAIRED.
UM, UH, ALSO, COUNCILMAN ETTE WANTED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU.
UM, SO WE WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW AS WELL AS YOU, THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN AND, UM, YOU, WE ARE WELL ON SCHEDULE TO, TO GET THAT STREET DONE.
I, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS.
UM, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH A, A COUNCIL MEMBER, DOUCETTE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, HOW LONG HAS THIS, UH, 62ND STREET BEEN SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS? AND, UH, IF THERE COULD BE A ESTIMATE TIMEFRAME FOR WHEN IT WOULD, UH, MIGHT SEE SOME ATTENTION BECAUSE, UH, I'VE SEEN THIS ROAD, UH, AND NEEDED REPAIR FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, I'VE ALSO RE UH, ASKED FOR DOCUMENTATION OR SOMETHING SO THAT WE, UH, WE GET THE RIGHT THING DONE.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION YOU COULD SHARE? NO, BUT I COULD CALL, I WOULD NOT, UM, ATTEMPT TO DO THAT, BUT I COULD CALL YOU SOMETIME LATER TODAY TO GIVE YOU THE EXACT SCHEDULE.
I KNOW WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, AS I STATED WITH THE, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
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AND WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE DONE IN-HOUSE, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 90 DAYS.
I'M PRETTY MUCH SURE ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW.
UM, YES, SIR, WE HAD A DISCUSSION OF LAST WEEK IN THE PRESENCE OF COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
AND I DID SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH YOU.
YEAH, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, UH, SHARING THAT WITH ME.
DON'T LEAVE JUST YET, MR. KINLAW.
OH, UH, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTE.
I'M JUST WANTING TO KNOW, I THINK YOU ASKED A QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK, UH, SINCE IT'S GONNA BE REPAIRED, UH, 1690 DAYS.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT THAT LOOKS KIND OF REASONABLE TO ME THAT OH, YEAH.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT STREET HAS BEEN, UH, ON THE LIST AND YOUR ADDRESS IS 26 80.
MR. LEWIS, CITY MANAGER, HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU ON BEEFING UP AN ADDITIONAL CREW IN, IN HOUSE TO, TO ADDRESS ALL THESE REPAIRS WE GOT, I, WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THE CREW THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING TO COMPLETE THE LIST OF SOME 35 STREETS THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSE.
UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING OUR BUDGET.
UM, I WILL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR REVENUE STREAMS AND, UM, AND FUNDING FOR THAT.
UM, THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AS THE ID THAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE NEW BUDGET.
AS FAR AS RESOURCES ARE CONCERNED.
MR. OCHO, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? UH, NO MA'AM.
JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND, AND WE WILL STAY IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
UH, I, WE WILL CALL YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, AS SOON AS WE MOBILIZE THE TEAM AND WE GET THEM THERE WITHIN THE 60 TO 90 DAYS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH COUNCIL MANDU SAID TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Human Resources Regarding Hiring Practices, The Status Of Vacancies Including The Current Number Of Vacancies And Those Vacant For Two Years Or More, The Number Of Temporary, Contract And Consultant Positions Currently Held For Two Years Or More (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw) ]
UP FOR PRESENTATIONS.A PRESENTATION BY HUMAN RESOURCES REGARDING HIRING PRACTICES, THE STATUS OF VACANCIES, INCLUDING THE CURRENT NUMBER OF VACANCIES, AND THOSE VACANT FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE.
THE NUMBER OF TEMPORARY CONTRACTS AND CONSULTANT POSITIONS CURRENTLY HELD FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW.
GOOD MORNING COUNCIL, UM, STAFF AND CITIZENS.
I HOPE YOU ALL ARE WELL THIS MORNING.
UM, HUMAN RESOURCES CONTINUES TO WORK WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS TO FILL VACANCIES PROMPTLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, WHILE ADHERING TO ALL APPLICABLE CITY POLICIES, DESCRIPTION REQUIREMENTS AND STATE AND FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT LAWS DRIVE VACANCIES, OF COURSE, UM, POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO APPLY FOR THESE VACANCIES ARISE DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS SUCH AS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, TERMINATIONS, RESTRUCTURING, AND RECLASSIFICATIONS.
THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES WILL FLUCTUATE WITH EVERY, UM, UPDATE DUE TO THE REASONS MENTIONED PRIOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE WORKING TO FILL VACANCIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE RECOGNIZE WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS INDUSTRY.
THE HIRING PROCESS, WHEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS A JOB VACANCY, WE TYPICALLY ADVERTISE THE POSITIONS THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS SUCH AS ONLINE JOB BOARDS, THE CITY'S WEBSITE, OTHER, UM, RECRUITMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS TML, THE JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS INCLUDES DETAILS ABOUT THE POSITIONS SUCH AS JOB TITLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIRED LOCATION, SALARY, AND BENEFITS.
THESE JOB VACANCIES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB SEEKERS TO APPLY AND POTENTIALLY SECURE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY.
FOR THE CITY, FILLING JOB VACANCIES IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE LOOK, WE SEEK TO, UH, PICK THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE BECAUSE IT'S ESSENTIAL TO A SMOOTH OPERATION AND GROWTH OF THE ORGANIZATION.
THE PROCESS OF FILLING JOB VACANCIES TYPICALLY INVOLVE SEVERAL STEPS, INCLUDING RECEIVING AND REVIEWING APPLICATIONS, CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, ASSESSING CANDIDATES, QUALIFICATIONS AND THEIR FIT FOR THEIR ROLE, AND ULTIMATELY SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE CANDIDATE TO FILL THE POSITION.
THE VACANCIES, UM, THEY ARISE BECAUSE OF, UM, A NEW POSITION.
SOMEONE MAY HAVE BEEN TERMINATED, SOMEONE MAY HAVE BEEN, MAY HAVE RESIGNED.
UM, THERE MAY BE A NEW POSITION IN THE BUDGET.
THE DEPARTMENT SUBMITS A REQUISITION AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE VACANCY, AND IT'S EXECUTED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
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THE POSITION IS POSTED INTERNALLY, EXTERNALLY, OR BOTH DEPENDING ON THE SKILLSET NEEDED FOR THE POSITION.MOST OF THE TIME, ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS ARE POSTED INTERNALLY FOR SEVEN DAYS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY INTERNAL BIDDERS, THEN WE GO OUTSIDE FOR SEVEN DAYS.
AND WE USE, UM, A SOFTWARE PROGRAM CALLED THE APPLICANT MANAGER.
AND IT ALSO POSTS THE JOBS ON LIKE INDEED, ZIPRECRUITER, JOBS.COM AND OTHER, UM, WEBSITES.
THE APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED BY HUMAN RESOURCES TO SEEK THOSE WHO MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE VACANT POSITION.
THE APPLICATIONS AND REFERRALS, THE REFERRAL FORMS ARE SENT TO THE DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW AND SET UP INTERVIEWS WITH AN HR REPRESENTATIVE.
PRESENT HR REQUEST TO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS MATRIX AND MATRIX CRITERIA FOR REVIEW.
PRIOR TO INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATES, ONCE A CANDIDATE HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED, THE CITY MANAGER SIGNATURE EXECUTES THE DOCUMENT AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT PREREQUISITE AS ARE SET UP.
THE PROCESS VARIES DEPENDING ON WHEN A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE IS AVAILABLE TO START SAID PROCESS.
WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE THIS PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHEN IT TAKES LONGER THAN NORMAL, AND THOSE INSTANCES MAY INCLUDE THE CANDIDATE SCHEDULING, UH, TESTING FACILITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ONCE THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT PREREQUISITE ARE CLEAR, HR COORDINATES WITH THE CANDIDATE AND THE DEPARTMENT AND TO START, UM, TO COORDINATE A START DATE.
UH, A REGRET LETTER IS SENT TO OTHER CANDIDATES WHO ARE NOT HIRED VIA THE APPLICANT MANAGER ONCE THE POSITION IS CLOSED.
IF AN INTERNAL BIDDER WAS RECOMMENDED FOR AN INTERNAL POSTING, REGRETS ARE SENT TO THOSE, EXCUSE ME, TO THOSE EMPLOYEES VIA INTEROFFICE MAIL CONFIDENTIALLY.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, WE HAVE FIVE PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT.
FOUR TECHNICAL POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT, NINE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT, AND 60 LABOR OPERATIONS POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT FOR, FOR A TOTAL OF 78 POSITIONS.
THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF TEMPORARY POSITIONS, UM, IN THAT CITY TEMP AND AGENCY TEMP, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY NINE CITY TEMPORARIES AND 46 AGENCY TEMPS THROUGH AUGUST.
TALENT FOR WHICH WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH EMPLOYING TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THROUGH OUR AGENCY, REDUCES THE COST OF THE TO THE CITY.
AS FAR AS BENEFITS, FLEXIBILITY, AND LIABILITY, MOST OF THE TEMPORARIES ARE IN, UH, PARKS AND REC.
UM, WE HAVE A FEW IN METER READER, UM, SOME IN PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THOSE NONE.
BUT THE, UM, MAJORITY OF OUR TEMPORARIES ARE THROUGH ARGUS TALENT, AND THEY'RE SCATTERED EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, WE HAVE SOME IN PUBLIC WORKS, IT EQUIPMENT SERVICES, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, BILLING, WATER DISTRIBUTION, AND CONVEYANCE.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE POSITION, WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR AND UTILITY OPERATIONS IN THE DISTRIBUTION, UH, DIVISION THAT HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE AUGUST OF 2022.
THERE'S A NATIONWIDE ISSUE WITH INDIVIDUALS SECURING THIS LICENSE NEEDED TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THIS POSITION.
AS FAR AS THE CONSULTANTS OR, UM, CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE THAT HAS BEEN PERFORMING DUTIES, UH, AS THE PUBLIC SERVICES, UM, CONSULTANT FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITY OPERATIONS.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN SINCE JANUARY OF 2018.
SO THE CITY MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO FILL THESE, THESE VACANCIES DEMONSTRATING A COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND ACHIEVING ITS GOALS.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. KINLAW? THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM.
UH, DIRECTOR, UH, JUST TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS UP ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M UNHAPPY WITH THE NUMBER OF 78.
IT SEEMS TO GROW EVERY TIME WE, UH, WE ASK FOR A PRESENTATION OF THIS COUNCIL, DISCUSS THESE, THESE TOPICS.
I MEAN, I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS, AND IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING ELSE.
I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DOES IT TAKE SOMEBODY WITH A CDL TO CUT GRASS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY POSITIONS THAT ARE TEMPORARY, ARE GIVEN TO ANOTHER COMPANY TO USE? THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE A LIVING OR WANT TO BE PROVIDED.
BUT THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, YOU LOOK ON THE EMPLOYEE, UH, WEBSITE THAT THE CITY HAS FOR EMPLOYMENT, THOSE SAME JOBS ARE STILL THERE.
UH, MY QUESTION TO YOU, ONE IS, IS, UH, HOW MANY JOBS THAT WE HAVE, AND I I PUT THIS IN ON HERE, ON UNDER A DISCUSSION IN MY PRESENTATION THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY MORE THAN TWO YEARS IS ON YOUR BOOKS AS A JOB THAT YOU CAN'T FEEL.
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FEEL THIS JOB, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND I DID ANSWER THAT QUESTION WHEN I MENTIONED THAT IT'S THE, THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN OPEN FOR, UM, MORE THAN TWO YEARS, SINCE AUGUST OF 22.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S IN WATER DISTRIBUTION.
SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE JOB THAT'S BEEN REOCCURRING FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
AND THAT'S THE JOB THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF NOW? YES, SIR.
THAT'S ONE THAT'S BEEN UN WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO FILL BECAUSE OF THE LICENSE THAT THEY NEED.
THE, ARE YOU READING FROM A, A PRESENTATION OR WHAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE YOUR NUMBERS.
UH, AND IF YOU CAN COLLABORATE AND GIVE THESE NUMBERS TO YOUR COHORT THAT WE CAN LOOK, BECAUSE WHAT I WANT TO DO, I WANT TO COMPARE YOUR NUMBERS AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRUST FACTOR.
IT'S JUST THAT WHEN I GET PHONE CALLS AND PEOPLE WANT TO GET JOBS, THEY CAN'T GET JOBS, THE CITY DON'T NOTIFY 'EM IF THEY'RE, AND I, IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, I, I'VE GIVEN THE CITY MANAGERS SIX JOBS, UH, UH, POTENTIAL JOB, UH, CANDIDATES WITH DEGREES, AND THEY HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE HR DEPARTMENT.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? YOU SAID SEVEN DAYS, THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN SOMETIMES IT TAKES LONGER BECAUSE OF, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPENDENT ON TESTING AND, AND DEPARTMENTS GETTING BACK WITH YOU AFTER DOING THE INTERVIEW.
BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY AND TO HAVE 78 POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, OPEN LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE TO HIRE PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR.
WE'RE NOT DOING IT INSIDE OR IN-HOUSE.
I HAVE A SITUATION WITH THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO HAVE THAT PRESENTATION WITH THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'VE DISCLOSED.
I'M GONNA REVIEW THIS VIDEO, UH, THAT YOU STATED THE NUMBERS, AND YES, SIR, I'M GONNA COMPARE THESE TO WHAT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
AND IF YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S ONLY ONE JOB THAT'S BEEN REOCCURRING FOR 1, 1, 1 JOB FOR OVER TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, I MAY HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT I'M GONNA LOOK AT IT.
I'VE SEEN THESE JOBS ON THERE.
I'VE SEEN THAT WE REISE JOB DESCRIPTIONS BECAUSE OF HAVING CDLS.
I MEAN, THAT WAS GIVEN A PRESENTATION, UH, THE LAST TIME YOU CAME BEFORE US.
IT WAS A GRANT WRITER'S, UH, POSITION.
UH, YOU SAID, UH, YOUR CITY MANAGER STATED THAT HE HAD 17, 18 APPLICANTS.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO, UM, WHAT I RECEIVED FROM MS. BELLARD WAS YOU WANTED THE STATUS OF VAS, INCLUDING THE CURRENT NUMBER OF VACANCIES, WHICH I GAVE, AND THOSE VACANT FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE.
SO THE WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR IS THE, IS THE POSITION THAT'S BEEN OPEN FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE? WE DO HAVE REOCCURRING POSITIONS.
I, IF, IF I DIDN'T EXPLAIN MYSELF CORRECTLY.
NO, I'M EXPLAINING MYSELF CORRECTLY NOW.
WE DO HAVE REOCCURRING POSITIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE LEAVE, PEOPLE RETIRE, PEOPLE RESIGN.
SO THOSE POSITIONS ARE GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE A REVOLVING DOOR.
UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE READING THE NUMBERS IN REFERENCE TO, I CAN COMPARE IT TO WHAT'S ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
WE NEED TO START HIRING PEOPLE MORE EFFECTIVELY IN EFFICIENCY IN THIS MATTER, IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING CITY EMPLOYEES.
THE TEMP THING, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, BUT IF A PERSON IS WORKING FIVE YEARS TEMP, WHY NOT GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO GET EMPLOYED BY THE CITY? I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT WE PLAY THIS GAME THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE ON ONE END AND WE TAKE FROM ANOTHER END.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE SAME JOBS ON THE BOOKS FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
AS YOU CAN ALSO TESTIFY, I'VE BEEN ASKING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE EFFICIENT IN HIRING PEOPLE FOR PORT ARTHUR? MM-HMM.
HE SAID HE HAD 17, 18, UH, POSITION.
I MEAN, UH, APPLICANTS, WE HAVEN'T HEARD A DOGONE THING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED IN THIS CITY.
AND, AND I HOPE THAT WE TAKE THESE JOBS SERIOUSLY, AND WHEN WE, WE INTERVIEW THESE INDIVIDUALS, WE CAN GET THESE PEOPLE HIRED.
BUT IF IT'S ON OUR SIDE, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THEN I DO AT THIS POINT.
AND WITH THE GRANT WRITER, SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, WE DID RECEIVE A RECOMMENDATION JUST LAST WEEK.
SO THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION, THIS EMPLOYEE, WELL, THIS POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE WILL BE GOING THROUGH PRE-EMPLOYMENT, UH, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE'VE HEARD IN TWO MONTHS ABOUT THAT.
AND I, I, I DO WANT TO BE, UH, TRANSPARENT AND IF THE MANAGER DOESN'T MIND, I WANT TO, UH, BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU ALL SOMETHING AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, OF COURSE.
UH, SO THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, DIRECTOR, THAT'S ALL WE ASKING FOR.
WE WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A TEAM TOGETHER.
AND WHAT WE DO, IF I GET SOMEONE THAT'S QUALIFIED OR WE GET PHONE CALLS ALL THE TIME MM-HMM.
UM, THE MANAGER DOES, WHEN YOU ALL DO GIVE HIM RESUMES OR, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED, HE DOES GIVE ME THOSE APPLICATIONS.
AND I DO REACH OUT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS VIA EMAIL LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY DO NEED TO APPLY FOR A POSITION THAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND IF THEY MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS,
[00:35:01]
THEN THEY'LL BE SUBJECT TO AN INTERVIEW IF THAT DEPARTMENT CHOOSES TO INTERVIEW THEM.SO THEY'RE NOT NOT BEING NOTICED WHEN THEY'RE GIVEN TO ME.
AND THEN LAST THING, I'M JUST GONNA END ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT A HIGH OVERTIME IN THE LARGEST BUDGET, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE LARGEST BUDGETS IN THE CITY.
UH, FINDING WAYS TO BE INNOVATIVE, TO HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS, CUT DOWN ON OVERTIME, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
AND, AND IF WE HAVE TO DO MORE HIRING FAIRES, I KNOW YOU'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, IF WE COULD HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT, IF WE HAVE TO DO IT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DIVVIES ON THE, THE CIVIC CENTER, WE CAN DO THAT.
UH, BECHTEL HAD SOMETHING LOWER LAST WEEK THAT HAD OVER, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR 500 PEOPLE THERE.
BUT IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THE, TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO HIRE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND GIVE BACK TO THE CITY IN PORT, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BENEFIT THIS, THIS CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND I'M SORRY, I DID MISS A SLIDE BECAUSE WE ARE, UM, WORKING ON PREPARING OR WE'RE GOING TO HOST A JOB FAIR, UH, NEXT MONTH.
AND WE, UH, ALSO WANNA CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES JUST FOR HUMAN RESOURCES ON LIKE FACEBOOK OR AN INSTAGRAM, EXCUSE ME, AND INSTAGRAM SO THAT WE CAN GET, UH, THE INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND WE ALSO PUT OUT AN RF, UH, P THROUGH PURCHASING.
SO WE'RE AWAITING BIDS BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COMPENSATION AND, UM, THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN FOR THE CITY.
IT WENT OUT ON APRIL THE 30TH, AND THE BIDS CLOSE ON, UM, MAY 30TH.
SO THAT WILL BE, THAT'LL HELP US BE COMPETITIVE AS FAR AS SALARIES AS WELL.
OH, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR STAMINA.
YOU, YOU, YOU HOLD YOUR POSITION PRETTY GOOD.
SO MY QUESTION IS IN-HOUSE, OH, DO WE STILL HAVE OUR TEMP SERVICE? PORT ARTHUR TEMP SERVICE IN, IN-HOUSE? WE DO HAVE NINE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EMPLOYED AT CITY TEMPORARIES.
AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO COMPETE FOR OPEN POSITIONS.
WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE BIDS THAT COME, UM, UP FOR, UH, INTERNAL BIDDING, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BID.
WHAT, IS THERE ANYTHING PROHIBITED FROM, LIKE WHAT, WHAT REQUIRE THE, UH, THE WATER LICENSE, I THINK IS WHAT YOU, THAT'S THE POSITION THAT'S OPEN.
IS THERE ANYTHING RESTRICTING THEM FROM THAT TEMPORARY POOL TO WORK THAT POSITION? OR CAN THEY LEGALLY WORK THAT POSITION WITHOUT A LICENSE? HOW MANY LICENSE LEVELS? WE GOT A TO DI THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A UTILITY OPERATIONS QUESTION.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? I'M NOT COMFORTABLE ANSWERING THAT.
COULD YOU GET THAT ANSWER FOR ME? SURE.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE DR I MEAN, MR. MATTHEWS IS HERE, IF YOU'D LIKE FOR HIM TO YEAH, YEAH.
THE, UH, DISPOSITION BASICALLY IS OVERSEEING THE, THE CREWS THAT WORK ON THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DISTRIBUTION LICENSE.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE DISTRIBUTION LICENSE, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DISTRIBUTION LICENSE.
AND, UH, NO, NOT ON A, YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING ON A TEMPORARY BASIS UNTIL THEY GET THEIR LICENSE.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE, NOT AT THAT LEVEL.
THEY COULD BE A MAINTENANCE WORKER ONE, OR I THINK A TWO.
AND WHILE THEY WORKING, WE PAY FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO GO TO CLASS AND, AND GET THEIR LICENSE, AND THEN THEY CAN WORK THEIR WAY UP.
UH, AT THE RECENT WATER, TEXAS WATER 24 CONFERENCE IN FORT WORTH, UH, THERE IS A STATE PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT THE STATE WILL PROVIDE ALL THE DATA TO GET THE LICENSE.
AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE IN INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING IT.
AND MAYBE ALSO THE LADY IN SINE PASS, THERE'S A MASSIVE SHORTAGE OF LICENSED WATER WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND DISTRIBUTION LICENSED PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, LET ALONE JUST THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO THIS IDEA OF TALKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, THIS IS A LONG TERM SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
BUT SO AS, AS OF, AS OF NOW, IT'S JUST IN YOUR MIND.
HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING? UH, I'VE GOTTEN THE INFORMATION AND I JUST TALKED TO, WITH RON A FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DID HE WANT ME TO DO IT? AND HE WANTS TO SET THE MEETING, WHICH I THINK IS A MUCH BETTER THING.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG ISSUE.
[00:40:01]
TO TAKE IT SERIOUS.SO WHAT, SO WE NEED THIS DONE LIKE YESTERDAY, CITY MANAGER, IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO BUILD A POOL OF YOUNGSTERS THAT'S INTERESTED, UH, IN, IN HIGH SCHOOL, COME UNDER THE DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION, I GUESS, HOWEVER YOU WANNA PUT IT.
USED TO HAVE A DISTRIBUTED DISTRIBUTIVE EDUCATION, YOU CALL IT.
WE USED TO CALL IT VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, BUT THAT WAS A FEW, IT'S KATE AT MEMORIAL.
SO
NO, I SAID, WE USED TO CALL IT VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
BUT UNDER, UM, MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE LIKE A, IT'S CALLED, UH, KATE, AND IT'S LIKE TRAININGS FOR DIFFERENT TRADES, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.
AND I'M SURE THAT THEY HAVE IT AT, UH, OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M ALWAYS PROUD OF, THOSE HOUSES ON WEST 19TH, WEST 19TH MO MAJORITY OF THOSE HOMES WAS BUILT BY PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS.
THEY KILLED THE PROGRAM TO GIVE THE TEACHERS A RAISE THAT MAKE ABOUT AS MUCH SENSE AS ME TRYING TO EMPTY LAKE SABINE WITH A BUCKET.
BUT NOW ONE OTHER THING, UH, CALLS ME A CONCERN.
YOU SAY YOU GOT 78 POSITIONS? UH, YES SIR.
YOU, THAT MONEY THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR THOSE POSITIONS MM-HMM.
BUT THOSE POSITIONS, YOU CANNOT MOVE THAT MONEY AROUND BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU GOT SEVEN, EIGHT POSITIONS.
AND IT, AND IT CREATES SOME SUSPICION IN ELECTED OFFICIALS MIND THAT THIS MONEY IS BEING USED FOR OTHER THINGS.
BUT I'M, YOU ARE REASSURING ME THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
AS, AS YOU CORRECTLY SAID, YOU CANNOT MOVE THAT MONEY.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THERE'S CYNTHIA POSITIONS ON FIELD, BUT THOSE 78 POSITIONS, SOME OF THOSE ARE AT SOME STAGE OF BEING FILLED, WHETHER THE, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE NOTICES ARE SENT OUT, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A POOL OF APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, FIVE OF THEM MAY BE FILLED AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER GOING THROUGH THE DRUG TESTING PROCESS.
SO THEY'RE AT SOME STAGE OR DEGREE OF BEING, THEY'RE NOT JUST SITTING THERE BEING ON FIELD.
UM, A COUPLE OF THEM WERE JUST ANSWERED BY YOU AND MR. MATTHEWS TOGETHER.
UM, THE FOUR PROFESSIONAL VACANCIES, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT DEPARTMENTS THOSE ARE IN? UH, YES MA'AM.
I KNOW ONE IS THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, THE CONTROLLER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND THE SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY.
IT WAS FOUR TECHNICAL POSITIONS AND FIVE PROFESSIONALS.
AND THEN, UM, THE TEMPORARY AGENCY THAT WE'RE USING, ISN'T THAT A FIRM OUTTA HOUSTON? YES, MA'AM.
ARE THEY PROVIDING LOCAL PEOPLE FOR OUR JOBS? YES, MA'AM.
IS THERE A TEMP AGENCY LOCAL THAT WE COULD ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF? UM, YES, THEY ARE.
AND WHEN WE, UH, DO THE BIDDING PROCESS, THEY DO BID, BUT THEY JUST DON'T, THEY'RE NOT THE LOWEST BIDDER.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY IN YOUR OFFICE THAT DOES A SEARCH FOR CANDIDATES ON THINGS LIKE LINKEDIN OR INDEED OR ZIPRECRUITER? UH, WE HAVE A RECRUITER, YES, MA'AM.
AND WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY USING TO RECRUIT PEOPLE? ARE THEY USING ANY OF THOSE WEBSITES? WELL, WE HAVE A, UH, SOFTWARE THAT WE USE THE APPLICANT MANAGER.
SO THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE POST ON OUR WEBSITE, THOSE ALSO KICK OUT TO THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, WEBSITES.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, ZIPRECRUITER INDEED, WHEN THEY APPLY IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE APPLICANT MANAGER.
SO IF THEY'RE APPLYING ON DIFFERENT, UM, SOFTWARES OR, UM, WEBSITES LIKE THE ONES THAT I MENTIONED, IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE APPLICANT MANAGER SO THAT WE KNOW AND IT'S ALL IN ONE POOL.
BUT THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE APPLICANT IS HAVING TO ACTUALLY TAKE STEPS ON THEIR END.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THE PERSON THAT'S DOING RECRUITING IN, IN, IN THE CITY IN YOUR OFFICE, ARE THEY ACTIVELY REACHING OUT AND DOING SEARCHES? LIKE ON ZIPRECRUITER, YOU CAN PUT IN THE, THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU WANT AND IT WILL SEND YOU, EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T APPLIED.
IT WILL SEND YOU PEOPLE THAT MEET THOSE QUALIFICATIONS AND THEN YOU CAN SEND SOMETHING OUT TO THEM, HEY, APPLY FOR THIS JOB.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, MA'AM.
IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CITY MANAGER? ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT, SAY YOU, WE ARE OPEN TO IDEAS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE INNOVATIVE.
WE WANT THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST, BUT FIRST WE WANT APPLICANTS FROM THE CITY OF PORT AFRICA.
BUT WE DO, WE DO, WE ARE OPEN AND, UM, WE, WE, WE THINK DIVERSITY AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
PEOPLE FROM FAR AND WIDE, WE ARE OPEN TO THEM AS WELL FOR THEIR EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE.
[00:45:01]
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO IT INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE CANDIDATES TO, TO CLICK ON SOMETHING ON INDEED OR LINKEDIN OR ZIP RECRUITER.IF WE ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
I THINK IT, IT KIND OF BEHOOVES US AT THIS POINT WITH 78 VACANCIES.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE'LL LOOK AT IT.
OKAY, MA WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT, MAAM.
THANK YOU MI MR. DOUCETTE, WOULD YOU PLEASE MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD AFTER EACH SESSION, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND JUST CONFIRM IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR NOT.
THE LAST TIME I, I WANT TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS AND COUNCILMAN, UH, BECKHAM WERE, WERE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, WE DID TALK ABOUT MOVING FROM TEMPORARY, UH, TO THE PERMANENT, UH, SIDE OF HOUSE, UH, HERE WITH THE CITY.
AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO ASK WAS, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD AT THE LAST OPPORTUNITY WAS, WAS THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE TEMPORARY, WHO WANTED TO MOVE TO THE PERMANENT SIDE OF THE HOUSE, THEY HAD TO GET, THEY HAD TO BE, UH, APPROVED OF BY THEIR SUPERVISOR.
HAVE WE ADJUSTED THAT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION SO THAT NOW THEY HAVE A MORE DIRECT PIPELINE TO BE MOVING, UH, INTO A PERMANENT STATUS AS A TEMPORARY MOVING FROM TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT.
REMEMBER WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT? YES, SIR.
UM, AND I HAVE TO RECEIVE A REQUISITION AND JUSTIFICATION FROM A DEPARTMENT HEAD TO DO SO.
UM, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE UP TO MR. BURTON.
HE CAN GET WITH HIS DEPARTMENT HEADS TO, I MEAN, 'CAUSE I'M ONLY HR WELL, WHAT I, I GUESS WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO IS THE FACT THAT IF A TEMPORARY PERSON SAW A PERMANENT SPOT YES, SIR.
THAT THEY COULD APPLY FOR, I THINK THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THEIR SUPERVISOR AND HAD TO BE RECOMMENDED BY THE SUPERVISOR TO, UH, NO, SIR.
IF, IF WE HAVE A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE AND THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT'S TO THE PUBLIC, THEY CAN'T APPLY.
AND, AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD ACCEPT THEIR APPLICATION.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR SUPERVISOR, THEY JUST HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THAT POSITION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR, UH, IF THEY, ESPECIALLY IF THEY MISS THE INTERNAL BIDDING, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE A CITY TEMP, THEY CAN BID ON IT INTERNALLY.
IF THEY MISS THAT PROCESS AND IT GOES OUTSIDE, THEY CAN STILL APPLY.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS WAS AS WELL, AND TO PIGGYBACK OFF COUNCIL, UM, BECKHAM'S, UH, IS THAT WHOLE IDEA OF THE STAFFING AGENCY.
AND YOU DID SAY THAT THE REASON WHY WE DON'T USE THE LOCAL STAFFING AGENCY IS BECAUSE IN THE MIDST OF THE PROCESS, UH, THEY DON'T SCORE, UH, VERY WELL OR THAT THEY ARE NOT THE LOWEST BIDDER.
I WANNA SUBMIT AND SUGGEST TO US, UH, THAT IF THERE ARE, THAT THERE ARE TIMES, UH, WHEN THERE HAVE TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT STAFFING MODEL.
UH, PARTICULARLY IN AN ISSUE LIKE THIS.
I THINK THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A STAFFING AGENCY THAT IS IN HOUSTON, AND THEY DO APPLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DO, UH, ALLOW, UH, AND RECOMMEND INDIVIDUALS FROM PORT ARTHUR.
BUT THERE'S NO WAY THAT THAT STAFFING AGENCY CAN KNOW THE KINDS OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT WE WANT TO HAVE FILL THESE POSITIONS AND WHO ARE NEEDED FOR THIS.
I THINK THAT A LOCAL STAFFING AGENCY HAS THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR THUMB OR THEIR FINGERPRINT MORE ON THE PULSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS CITY WHO COULD APPLY FOR THIS POSITION, UH, AND UTILIZE IT TO THE GREATEST DEGREE FOR THE CITY.
SO I THINK TO THE CITY MANAGER TO YOU AS WELL AS TO THE COUNCIL, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO, TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL, UM, LOCAL, UH, CI UH, AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP US OR, UH, EITHER USE BOTH AND TO FIND A WAY TO USE BOTH AND OKAY.
UH, TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE PRESENTATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN HELP OUR CITY AS WELL.
BECAUSE THEY, THEY KNOW, TRUST ME, AND THEY KNOW AND NOT TO, UM, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE TEMPORARY AGENCY THAT WE USE CURRENTLY, THEY KNOW WHAT WE NEED BECAUSE WE TELL THEM WHAT WE NEED JUST AS WE WOULD DO IF WE HAD A PORT ARTHUR VENDOR THAT WAS THE TOP, UM, TEMPORARY AGENCY THAT WE USED HERE.
HERE'S WHAT I'M SAYING, I GUESS, AND I
[00:50:01]
WANT TO BE CLEAR, THEY, THE, THE OUT OF TOWN AGENCY, THEY KNOW THE POSITION THAT YOU NEED.THE IN TOWN AGENCY, KNOW THE PEOPLE OKAY.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO, TO GET OVER TO US.
JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS FAR AS TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, WE HAD A DISPATCHER THAT LEFT A WHILE BACK.
Y'ALL MAY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF IT.
AND, UH, IKA AND HER TEAM HELPED FILL THAT POSITION WITH A TEMPORARY, IT'S A PRETTY HIGH STRESS POSITION.
UH, THIS YOUNG LADY HAS WORKED OUT QUITE WELL AND DARRELL HARMON, OUR MANAGERS WORKED WITH HR AND HER TEAM AND THEY JUST POSTED THE POSITIONS.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS YOUNG LADY IS APPLYING FOR THE JOB.
SO I MEAN, IT, IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WORKS.
AND, UH, I, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
CHAIR DOES A VERY GOOD JOB IN, IN, IN WORKING WITH THE MANAGERS TO, UH, GET THE POSITIONS OUT.
OKAY, MR. KLOW, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
BROAD, TIM, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE BY THE CITY MANAGER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A REVOLVING DOORBELL POSITIONS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ASKING.
THE QUESTION WHEN I PUT THIS ON IS WHAT WE HAD TODAY, YOU KNOW, NOT TOMORROW, NOT NEXT WEEK, TODAY.
AND IF WE DON'T FILL THESE POSITIONS AS OF TODAY MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, NEXT TIME I PUT IT ON, I KNOW WE HAVE JOBS THAT'S GONNA BE COMING AND GOING, PEOPLE RETIRING, WHATEVER REASON, TERMINATIONS OR WHATEVER.
BUT AS OF TODAY, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
SO THAT'S WHY I BOUGHT THIS AND PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA, THAT WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN, BEEN DOING IN THE PAST.
BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HOVERING AROUND 60, 70, 80.
EVERY TIME YOU ASK FOR A PRESENTATION.
SO IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TODAY TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE HIRING, UH, PRACTICES OR, UH, AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK STATED EARLIER, WHAT CAN WE DO THE PULSES ON PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW? I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF A, A, A, A TEMPORARY AGENT, UH, AGENCY THAT IN PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE THEY HIRING PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR IN PORT ARTHUR.
THEY GOT MORE INVESTMENT IN PORT ARTHUR TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO I DON'T KNOW YOUR MATRIX AND HOW YOU DETERMINE WHO'S THE PERSON THAT GET OF CHOICE.
THE RFP OR RFQ DOESN'T MATTER TO ME, BUT I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE HERE HIRED IN PORT ARTHUR AND BRING THIS NUMBER OF 78 DOWN AS OF TODAY.
UH, CALVIN, YOU DON'T MIND? YES, SIR.
YOU ARE GONNA BE TALKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THE WATER TREATING LICENSE PROGRAM.
LET ME SUGGEST SOMETHING TO YOU.
THEY CAN START 'EM IN THE NINTH GRADE LEVEL ONE SOPHOMORE YEAR LEVEL TWO, JUNIOR YEAR LEVEL THREE, SENIOR YEAR LEVEL FOUR.
AND THEY COULD COME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEIR LICENSE READY TO GO TO WORK.
THEY, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE POSITION.
SO THEY WILL COME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE ENTRY LEVEL, LIKE A, A D WASTE WATER? WELL, YEAH, AN ENTRY LEVEL.
THEY CAN COME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN ENTRY LEVEL, BUT IF THEY GO HIGHER, THEY HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY YEARS OF WORK.
I CAN GET YOU THOSE YEARS FOR EACH LICENSE.
SO YOU, YOU CAN GET THE D LICENSE, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING LICENSE.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION, IT'S A NUMBER.
IT'S NOT AN A A LETTER, IT'S A THREE.
SO YOU CAN GET A THREE LICENSE IN DISTRIBUTION OR COLLECTION.
YOU CAN GET A D LICENSE AND WATER TREATMENT.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT WITH, NO, BASICALLY IT'S A BEGINNER'S LICENSE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO, I THINK THEY JUST CHANGED IT AT TCQ, YOU HAVE, I THINK THREE YEARS TO FINISH ALL YOUR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND GET IT, I THINK IT'S A ONE, ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BASED ON WHETHER YOU HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE OR NOT COLLEGE HOURS TO GET THE C LICENSE.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE EXPERIENCE PLUS YOU HAVE TO PASS THE TEST.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO PASS THE KIDS IF YOU'RE, UNLESS YOU WERE GOING TO SCHOOL AT NIGHT AND WORKING DURING THE DAY, YOU WOULDN'T GET THE EXPERIENCE TO GET THE NEXT LICENSE.
SO YOU COME OUTTA SCHOOL WITH A BEGINNER'S LICENSE.
BUT, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY, YOU GOT SOME SUMMER OF VACATION, THEY CAN WORK THESE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WHERE YOU ALL CAN GET TOGETHER AND WORK THIS INTO THE CURRICULUM.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND IT'S, IT IS NOT THAT I DON'T SEE WHERE IT'S
[00:55:01]
THAT DIFFICULT.UM, WHATEVER YOU, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO IT NEED TO GET DONE.
SO WHAT WE NEED AT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE NEED A POOL OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN PULL FROM.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN THE FUTURE.
LONG TERM WE NEED A POOL OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THAT WE CAN PULL FROM.
SO CITY MANAGER, THE STATE YOU GOT YOUR MARGIN WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
COUNCILMAN DO HAVE ANYTHING I'M ABOUT TO ASK? OKAY, DID OKAY.
MR. DOUCETTE, I DIDN'T SEE YOUR NAME ON THE LIST, BUT JUST DOUBLE CHECK.
I LEMME JUST HAVE ONE COME IN.
UM, IN THE NEW BUDGET, I WILL BE PROPOSING FUNDING FOR CITIZENS ACADEMY.
UM, OF WHICH WE WILL HAVE TWO SESSIONS PER YEAR, I THINK FROM THE CITIZENS ACADEMY HAS DONE IN MUCH MORE INFLUENTIAL COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO ATTRACT RESIDENTS, PORT ENS, UM, WHO, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ONES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CREATING A CAREER OUT OF, UM, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO, UM, FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF, OF ENS, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, HAVING THEM BEING RETAINED HERE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, UM, TENURE OF OUR, UM, EMPLOYEES, SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE WORKED THERE FOR 30, 40 YEARS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE PROVIDE A VERY ATTRACTIVE, UM, RETIREMENT PACKAGE.
THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE LOOK FOR.
YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF RETENTION, WE ARE ONE OF THE VERY FEW MUNICIPALITIES THAT PROVIDE MATCH A MATCH OF SIX, UM, SIX TO ONE, SIX TO TWO, UM, 5 2, 5 2, 5 2.
MOST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE SEVEN.
YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE AS THE RESOURCE BASE OF THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT AND MAKE IT AS ATTRACTIVE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE CITIZENS WHO WANTS TO REMAIN HERE, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG CITIZENS, WE WANT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS A FUTURE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AFRICA THAT THEY CAN BUY A HOUSE FOR $200,000 AND LIVE HERE, SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE BEST SCHOOLS POSSIBLE RIGHT HERE AND SEND THEM OFF TO COLLEGE.
THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN OF RETENTION THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
IT'S A SLOW PROCESS, BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE GRADUALLY.
MY REQUEST, UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, MR. DOUCETTE IS, UM, MAKING AN EFFORT TO REJOIN US.
IT'S JUST HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, MY REQUEST IS FOR US TO MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO BE COMPETITIVE ON ALL LEVELS.
JUST A STRONG EFFORT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE TRANSITION THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH JUST LIFE.
LIFE HAPPENS AND PEOPLE DECIDE I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
OR, UM, THEY'RE NOT THE RIGHT FIT FOR US FOR THE CITY, OR THEY CHOOSE TO RETIRE, WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS.
WE KNOW THAT THE PROCESS WILL BE CYCLICAL.
BUT I WANT US TO, UM, LEMME NOT SAY I WANT, I'M ASKING THAT WE BE AGGRESSIVE AND WANTING TO BE COMPETITIVE.
DO WE HAVE A RECRUITER LIKE THAT IS THEIR JOB? UH, WE HAVE AN HR ANALYST IN, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND HER SOLE DUTIES IS RECRUITING.
SO THAT WOULD BE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE VISIBLE NOT ONLY HERE, BUT MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, 25 MILE RADIUS.
HOWEVER, IT'S, IT'S DECIDED YES MA'AM, BUT STRONG OF COURSE, HERE AT HOME FIRST.
AND SO THAT PERSON IS IN AND OUT OF DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS TO RECRUIT FOR THESE 78 PLUS VACANCIES.
SHE IS FAIRLY, UH, NEW TO THIS POSITION.
SHE STARTED IN MAYBE MARCH, SO SHE'S HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
BUT, UH, WE'RE WELCOME TO IDEAS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE SO THAT WE CAN GET THESE POSITIONS FILLED.
I WOULD EVEN SAY LET LET HER COME WITH US TO DIFFERENT EVENTS SOMETIMES BECAUSE HER, IT, IT'S NETWORKING.
NO, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT'S, YEAH.
IT'S THE ESSENCE IF CITY MANAGER, AGAIN, UM, IT'S THE ESSENCE OF NETWORKING.
AND I DON'T MEAN THAT LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PIGGYBACK INTO A MEETING, BUT IT'S LITERALLY THE ESSENCE
[01:00:01]
OF NETWORKING.THE BNIS, THE, WE HAD TO BE OUT THERE SO PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO WORK WITH US.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR THEM TO WANNA BE HERE TOO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[III.C.(1) A Report By Staff And Rick Davis, Assistant City Manager, League City Texas Regarding The Strategic Planning Process ]
CITY MANAGERS STAFF REPORT.UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER ONE, A STAFF REPORT BY MR. RICK DAVIS.
UM, I PROMISED THE COUNCIL WHEN I FIRST BECAME CITY MANAGER THAT, UM, AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN, UM, SPOKEN TO BY VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS THE NEED FOR A STRATEGIC PLAN AND, UM, WE HAVE HAD THAT FUNDING IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
UM, I HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL HAS GONE ON, GONE OUT.
UM, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO MR. RICK DAVIS, MR. RICK DAVIS, UM, AS, UM, RICK, COULD YOU COME TO THE PODIUM PLEASE? YEAH.
UM, MR. RICK DIVIS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US AND WITH MS. PERKINS FOR QUITE SOME TIME IN MY OFFICE AS FAR AS, UM, HE'S ONE OF THE EXPERTS HAVING SERVED WITH THE CITY OF BE TOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
HE HAVE MOVED ON TO THE CITY OF LAKE CITY, YOU KNOW, WHERE HE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE ASSISTANCE SENIOR, THE MANAGER.
BUT MR. RICK DAVIS IS THE GURU AS FAR AS MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC PLANNING IS CONCERNED.
AND, UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST SEVEN PROPOSALS.
I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEM WITH STAFF TO SEE HOW WE IMPLEMENT THIS.
UM, JUST SPEAKING WITH MS. BOSWELL, WE DO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR A STRATEGIC PLAN AS AN ESSENTIAL POLICY DOCUMENT FOR THE RUNNING OF OUR CITY.
UM, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS WITH OTHER PLANS, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, UM, A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PIECES TO THAT PUZZLE, RICK, WHICH RICK UNDERSTANDS.
AND SO I'VE ASKED RICK TO MAKE A SMALL PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
LET ME, UH, SAY MADAM MAYOR PRO TEM.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU.
I BRING THE WARM GREETINGS OF OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL IN LAKE CITY AND OUR CITY MANAGER, JOHN MAGAR.
UH, IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE INVOLVED IN A CONCEPT AND APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS THAT I HAVE FOUND TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I ALWAYS SAY I WISH I HAD KNOWN THIS BACK IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF MY CITY MANAGEMENT CAREER IN THE NINETIES AND NOW 30 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
I WISH I HAD ANOTHER 30 YEARS TO GIVE THAT I COULD, I COULD SEE THIS, UH, TYPE OF PLAN HAVE ITS, UH, IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT I SERVE.
UH, I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED, UH, TO ASSIST A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES, UH, THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ADVISE THEM, UH, NOT FOR ANY PROFIT ON MY OWN, UH, SAKE, BUT JUST FOR THE SHEER PASSION I HAVE FOR, UH, COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIC PLANNING.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THIS TERM COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND IT DOES DIFFER FROM THE MORE ORTHODOX APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT MOST COMMUNITIES TAKE.
SO THE ORTHODOX, UH, UH, APPROACH TO IT IS WE LOCK A BUNCH OF, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS IN A BOARDROOM.
AND THEY COME OUT EVENTUALLY WITH THIS PRETTY BINDER FULL OF SCATTER PLOTS AND, AND DIAGRAMS AND REGRESSION ANALYSIS.
AND WE CALL THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHAT GENERALLY HAPPENS IS THAT PLAN FINDS ITS WAY TO A BOOKCASE WHERE IT IS NEVER REFERENCED AGAIN.
AND, UH, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING THAT THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE SELDOM DO CITIES BEGIN WITH THE SERVED TO FORMULATE THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN.
IN OTHER WORDS, WORDS, WE VERY, UH, FREQUENTLY FAIL TO ASK OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS ARE OF OUR SERVICE, WHAT THEY WANT US TO BE DOING.
AND IT SEEMS SILLY THAT WE WOULD DO IT THAT WAY.
WE THEREAFTER SPEND A MAJORITY OF OUR TIME JUSTIFYING OUR EXISTENCE TO OUR CITIZENS BY PROCLAIMING OUR CREDENTIALS, OUR EXPERTISE, THE FACT THAT WE WERE ELECTED, ET CETERA, WHEN REALLY WHAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE ALWAYS WANTED IS TO BE HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, AND TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THEIR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.
A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING ALLOWS THE CITY TO DEMONSTRATE ALL THREE OF THESE QUALITIES.
AND THAT'S WHY THE BOOK THAT I CO-AUTHORED YEARS AGO IS CALLED ELEVATING TRUST.
BECAUSE WHEN WE LISTEN TO PEOPLE, WHEN WE DEMONSTRATE TO THEM THAT WE UNDERSTAND THEM AND WE HAVE THEIR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, THE RESULT, THE PRODUCT OF THAT EXERCISE IS ELEVATED TRUST.
AND TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS.
IT'S WHAT JIM COLLINS WOULD CALL IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT SETTING.
IF YOU'VE EVER READ HIS BOOK GOOD TO GREAT AND HIS COMPANION,
[01:05:01]
GOOD TO GREAT FOR THE SOCIAL SECTORS, IT IS WHAT DRIVES OUR RESOURCE ENGINE.IT IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO DO WHAT WE DO WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE TRUST.
WE SPEND OUR TIME TREATING THE SYMPTOMS OF OUR TRUST DEFICIT INSTEAD OF BUILDING TRUST AND ROUND AND ROUND THE CYCLE GOES.
IT'S WHY SO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS LEAVE OO OFFICE DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE MORE EFFECT THAN THEY WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE HAD.
SO COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIC PLANNING IS A PROCESS OF DEEP COMMUNITY LISTENING AND THE SUBSEQUENT IDENTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY OR CITIZEN PRIORITIES.
THOSE THINGS AS CITIZENS BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKELY TO ELEVATE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT IS A TEXTBOOK DEFINITION OF WHAT COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIC PLANNING IS.
THE PROCESS OF DOING THIS IS CONTAINED IN A FEW BOOKS THAT I GAVE, UH, MR. BURTON AND A FEW OF YOUR STAFF.
UH, I AM ALSO AVAILABLE AT YOUR DISPOSAL IN THE FUTURE JUST OUTTA PROFESSIONAL COURTESY.
MY LOVE FOR TEXAS COMMUNITIES AND MY DESIRE TO SEE PORT ARTHUR BE THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE IN THE FUTURE TO ASSIST YOU IN WHATEVER WAY I CAN.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE MORE TIME.
YOU'RE PROBABLY GLAD I DIDN'T COME WITH A BIG POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, BUT BELIEVE ME, I DO HAVE ONE AND I'M WILLING TO SHARE IT WITH YOU, UH, IN THE FUTURE IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT AND HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THIS UNIQUE APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING.
AND WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO INTERACTING WITH YOU.
AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING WORTHY OF A WORKSHOP, UH, FOR, UH, US AS A CITY COUNCIL AS WE EMBARK UPON THIS AND, UH, GET READY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS IN A WORKSHOP FORMAT FOR US.
I AM EXCITED THAT YOU'RE HERE,
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF THOSE SAME THINGS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
BUT I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT WE ARE TAKING THE, UM, BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL APPROACH, LIKE COMMUNITY BASED PLANNING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONVINCE SOMEONE TO GO ALONG WITH YOU WHEN IT'S, WHEN THEY'RE A PART OF THE PLAN INITIALLY.
IT'S ALWAYS MORE POWERFUL THAN BUY-IN, ISN'T IT? ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. DAVIS, AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.
I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
CITY MANAGER, WAS THAT THE, JUST YES, IT IS.
UM, AS SOON AS, UM, THROUGH THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH RICK AND, UM, I WILL DECIDE, UM, AS TO WHAT DIRECTION WE ARE GOING IN, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS, UH, AS RICK STATED, A TRANSFORMATIVE DOCUMENT THAT HAS, UM, A, A VERY SERIOUS INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR BUDGETING PROCESS AS WE CONTINUE TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO DEVELOPMENT, UM, IN, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE WILL WORK TO GET THAT AS PART OF OUR POLICY DOCUMENTS.
IT'S LONG OVERDUE, BUT WE ARE GOING, WE ARE GETTING THERE.
IS THIS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT, UM, WE DID A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO WHERE WE INVITED THE CITIZENS TO COME TO CITY HALL INTO THE CIVIC CENTER? YES.
THAT WAS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS THAT, THAT HAD, UM, A COMMUNITY INPUT MM-HMM.
AND IT WAS ALSO PART OF OUR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN.
WERE RE REQUESTED COMMUNITY INPUT, YOU KNOW, INTO THE, AS AS A PLANNER.
I FEEL AS, AS RICK, UM, STATED.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN CREATE PLANS THAT ARE TRANSFORMATIVE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT AND BUY INTO IT, THAT IS THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT.
IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT IT IS MUCH MORE SUSTAINABLE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
[III.C.(2) A Report By The Utility Staff Regarding The Attorney General’s Findings On Wastewater ]
ON TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.CONTINUE TO REPORT BY THE UTILITY STAFF REGARDING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S FINDINGS OF WASTE WASTEWATER, MR. HANEY TOME OH, AND MR. CALVIN WALKER.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PROAM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, WE NEEDED AS A UTILITIES DEPARTMENT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM
[01:10:02]
WHERE WE ARE ON THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RECENTLY IN, UH, AUSTIN.AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE AS A CITY SERVE APPROXIMATELY 51,000 CITIZENS.
THE WASTEWATER, UH, SYSTEM CONSISTS OF THREE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
THE MAIN PLANT ON PROCTOR STREET, THE PLANT THAT IS IN PORT ACRES OF HIGHWAY 365.
AND WE HAVE A PLANT IN SABINE PASS.
WE ALSO SERVE THE CITIZENS THROUGH 57 SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATIONS AND APPROXIMATELY 230 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER PIPE.
THE VIOLATIONS OF MAJOR CONCERN TO THE, UH, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL GO BACK TO ABOUT 20 YEARS.
SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT 20 YEARS OF VIOLATIONS AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS THAT ARE NOT MEETING PERMIT LIMITS DISCHARGES ILL OF ILLEGAL DISCHARGES OF SEWER AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS FROM MANHOLES AND LIFT STATIONS, SANITARY SEWER DISCHARGES IN PEOPLE'S YARDS, AND SOME THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN PEOPLE'S HOMES.
EQUIPMENT FAILURES AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS THAT TOOK PLACE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THESE VIOLATIONS, HISTORY IS NOT WORKING VERY WELL TO THE CITY'S ADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE MANY OF THESE VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN IGNORED YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THEM.
AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WILL GO OVER WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN ADMINISTRATION AND ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE AND AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
ISSUES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ROUGHLY SINCE 2018.
UH, WHEN I, UH, JOINED THE TEAM, WE HIRED MULTIPLE ENGINEERING COMPANIES TO ASSIST THE CITY WITH DESIGNING DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HAD TO BE DESIGNED BID AND CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTED.
WE ALSO, UH, HIRED A NEW UTILITIES DIRECTOR, WHICH IS MR. MATTHEWS, WHO HAS, WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, AS WELL AS HIS 30 YEARS OF WASTEWATER EXPERIENCE THAT HAS BEEN OF TREMENDOUS HELP IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUES WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
WE ALSO HIRED AN ENGINEERING MANAGER, WHICH IS MS. JESS LAU, WHO HAS DOUBLE LICENSES AND A WASTEWATER LICENSE, AS WELL AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING LICENSE.
WE ALSO CREATED A NEW ENGINEERING POSITION AND WE RECENTLY HIRED A PERSON IN THAT POSITION.
WE HIRED A COMPLIANCE MANAGER WHO WAS A PREVIOUS TCEQ EMPLOYEE, WHO HAS BEEN, MR. FLOYD HAS BEEN BASIC, OUR CONNECTION TO TCEQ AND HOW WE ARE HANDLING THESE ISSUES THAT ARE TCEQ RELATED.
WE ALSO HIRED TWO EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GONNA, THAT ARE INSPECTING IN THE FIELD FOR FAT OIL AND GREASE, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO MANAGE THE FAT AND OIL IN GREASE PROGRAM FROM MAINLY RESTAURANTS, UH, NURSING HOMES AND OTHER FACILITIES THAT HAVE MAJOR COOKING.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE OR WE ARE WORKING ON CHANGING, IS THE CULTURE.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAD IS BASICALLY OLD SCHOOL VERSUS NEW SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OLD SCHOOL, IT IS FIGHT TCEQ, TAKE THEM TO COURT, DON'T HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE RULES VERSUS THE NEW SCHOOL IS FIX THINGS THAT PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THAT PROVIDES SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE TCEQ HAS SUCH BAD EXPERIENCES IN PORT ARTHUR THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO WHERE WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM LIKE WE DID A WEEK AGO, THEY'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT, I WALKED INTO THE OFFICE 2008,
[01:15:01]
2009, AND I GOT CURSED OUT AS A-T-C-E-Q EMPLOYEE FOR ASKING FOR CERTAIN DOCUMENTATION.AND THAT'S A CULTURE WITH CHANGING WITH THE REGULATING AGENCIES AS WELL AS WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
'CAUSE THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE HAD EMPLOYEE WISE IS PATCH IT.
DON'T FIX IT, PATCH IT, MAKE IT WORK.
SO YOU CAN WALK INTO A SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION WITH A LEAKY PIPE THAT HAS A RUBBER TUBE ON IT WITH TWO STAINLESS STEEL CLAMPS, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE WE CAN DO, SHOULD DO OR EVER CONSIDER ANYMORE AS A CITY.
SO CURRENTLY WHEN WE TELL AN EMPLOYEE A PUMP GOES DOWN, GO REPLACE IT OR TAKE IT OUT AND FIX IT, THEY'RE LIKE IN SHOCK, BUT WE ALWAYS PATCHED IT OR WE JUST LET IT GO.
WE ARE CHANGING THAT CULTURE AND IT'S WORKING BECAUSE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE DONE AND WE WILL DISCUSS THOSE AS WELL.
SO ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT, UH, AND COLLECTION SYSTEM, OPERATION CHANGES.
FIRST OF ALL, ON THE TREATMENT, NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE HAD FOUR A LICENSED PEOPLE AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH THE NECESSARY EDUCATION AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCE TO MANAGE THESE PLANTS.
WE EVEN STARTED OUR OWN LABORATORY, WHICH IS FULLY STAFFED TO WHERE WE'RE DOING ALL THE TESTING.
AND WHAT THAT DOES, IT GIVES US IMMEDIATE DATA, IMMEDIATE RESULTS SO WE CAN TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION WHEN IT'S NEEDED.
WE DEVELOPED STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR ALL THE TREATMENT FACILITIES.
IF PUMP ONE GOES DOWN, THIS IS WHAT YOU DO TO KEEP OPERATING.
SO THERE IS SOPS FOR EVERYTHING WE DO AT THESE FACILITIES TODAY.
AND WE HAVE ALSO SOPS DEVELOPED FOR SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS.
IF THE PLANTS HAVE AN OVERFLOW, THE EMPLOYEES HAVE A PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE FLOW TO READ THE FLOW REPORT.
THE FLOW AND RECORD KEEPING WAS A BIG THING.
THE TCEQ ALWAYS HAD AN ISSUE WITH.
THEY SHOW UP TO THEIR INSPECTIONS, THERE'S NO GOOD RECORD KEEPING.
THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REVITALIZED AND WE HAVE EXCELLENT RECORD KEEPING AT ALL THE PLANS TODAY ON THE COLLECTION SYSTEM ITSELF.
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO CREATE IN 2018 2019 IS AN IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING CREW.
THAT WAS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, FULLY FUNDED BY INDUSTRY $1.1 MILLION TO BUY ALL THE EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING THE CAMERA TRUCK.
AND THAT CREW IS ABLE TO ELIMINATE PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY PREVENTING US FROM HAVING TO GO DESIGN BID AWARD.
SO WE SAVE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT'S JEOPARDIZING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, PREVENTING CUSTOMERS FROM HAVING SERVICES.
WE CAN SEND THAT CREW AND THEY ELIMINATE THESE PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY.
ALSO, WE RESTRUCTURE THE SOPS FOR REPORTING THE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW.
SO NOW THERE'S A STANDARD THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO FOLLOW.
THIS SLIDE WILL SHOW YOU IN YELLOW ALL THE SANITARY SEWER LINES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, WHICH ARE EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT A THIRD OF THE PIPING THAT, UH, WE OWN AND OPERATE.
AND ALSO KEEP ON YOUR MIND THAT NORTH OF 73 AND EAST OF 69, THAT 96, THAT AREA IS PRETTY NEW.
SO IT, IT DOESN'T NEED MUCH REHABILITATION.
BUT IN MY OPINION, WE HAVE PUT A GOOD DENT IN THAT SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE PIPING THAT NEEDED TO BE REHABILITATED SO FAR FOR THE LIFT STATIONS.
TECHNICALLY TILL ABOUT 2018, 2019, NOT MUCH MUCH HAS BEEN DONE TO THE LIFT STATIONS SINCE 2018.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS 16 OUT OF THE 57 LIFT STATIONS, 12 OF THEM GOT A COMPLETE REHABILITATION ON ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
AND SOME OF THEM HAD REHABILITATION MECHANICAL IN PUMPING OR ADD A BYPASS, UH, FITTING.
SO WE CAN BYPASS THESE STATIONS TO WORK ON THEM.
BUT WE HAVE 16 LIFT STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY ADDRESSED.
THE BUSINESS PARK LIFT STATION HAS ALSO BEEN COMPLETED, WHICH INCREASE THE CAPACITY SO THE BUSINESS PART CAN HAVE MORE CLIENTS.
[01:20:03]
AND THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU THE LOCATIONS OF THE LIFT STATIONS, THE 16 LIFT STATIONS ROUGHLY THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED ON AND, UH, BROUGHT UP TO STANDARDS.SABINE PASS COLLECTION SYSTEM IS INDEPENDENT SYSTEM ON ITS OWN.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH THE ISSUES IN SABINE PASS EARLY TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH THE STATE, UH, WITH A SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW INITIATIVE.
AND IN SUMMARY, WHAT THAT DOES, WE PROMISE THE STATE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS IN THAT SYSTEM.
AND IN RETURN, WE WON'T BE FINED.
WE WON'T BE, UH, BASICALLY UNDER AN AGREED ORDER.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY PART BECAUSE OF ALL THE VIOLATIONS THAT WERE NOT ADDRESSED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN SABINE PASSED, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND RIGHT NOW, BASED ON WHAT WE PROMISED TO DO IN SABINE PASS, WE ARE 4,000 FEET AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND THREE MANHOLES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
SO WE ARE TECHNICALLY ABOUT TWO YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE IN SABINE PASS.
WE CONCENTRATED INITIALLY ON THE AREA AROUND THE SCHOOL 'CAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO HAVE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS IN THAT AREA.
TODAY WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE PUMP STATION THAT, UH, TAKES ALL THAT SEWER AND PUMP IT TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
BY THE TIME WE FINISH WHAT'S GOING ON IN SABINE PASS, WE SHOULD REDUCE THE FLOW TO THE PLANT SIGNIFICANTLY, WHICH IS GONNA HELP IT MEET PERMIT LIMITS.
AND IN YELLOW, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PIPING NETWORK THAT HAS BEEN, UH, REPLACED IN SABINE PASS SO FAR.
AND WE HAVE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL LINE WE'RE WORKING ON NOW THAT GOES FROM THAT RV PARK TO THE PLANT.
THAT IS NOT, UH, SHOWN ON THIS.
THIS HAPPENED SINCE WE DID THIS PRESENTATION TWO WEEKS AGO.
SOME OF THE PICTURES, HOW WE ARE RAISING THE MANHOLES BECAUSE HIGH TIDE IN THAT AREA IS DEADLY TO OUR, UH, COLLECTION SYSTEM.
SO WE TRY TO ELEVATE THE TOP OF THE MANHOLE.
SO IF IT'S IN A DITCH, THE HIGH TIDE IS NOT GONNA PUT WATER IN IT.
THE MAIN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS BASICALLY THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS.
AND THE ISSUE WITH THAT PLANT IS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE CULTURE WAS, IF IT BREAKS, DON'T FIX IT.
EVEN IF IT'S A CLARIFIER, EVEN IF IT'S A DE GRID SYSTEM, EVEN IF IT IS A PUMP, BECAUSE WE ARE FIXING TO BUILD A NEW PLANT.
SO IN 1819, THE TEAM TOOK THE DECISION OF FIX WHAT WE NEED TO FIX WHILE WE ARE BUILDING A NEW PLANT.
AND LIKE YOU ALL KNOW, THIS COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A $73 MILLION PROJECT TO COMPLETELY REHABILITATE THE PLANT, COMPLETELY REHABILITATE THE MAIN PUMP STATION.
AND RECENTLY YOU APPROVED THE $5.6 MILLION PROJECT TO REPLACE THE PIPE BETWEEN THE MAIN LIFT STATION AND THE PLANT.
THE SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE FOR THIS PLANT IS 2026, BUT TODAY, IF A PUMP FAILS, THAT'S GONNA BE REPLACED IN JANUARY, 2025.
WE ARE NOT WAITING, WE ARE GETTING IT DONE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT MORE NEGATIVE THINGS ON OUR RECORD WITH THE STATE AND THE EPA.
SO WE ARE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THIS PLANT BE IN COMPLIANCE.
AND BY THE TIME THIS WORK IS COMPLETED, THE PLANT WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE.
UH, NO IFS AND BUTS ABOUT IT 'CAUSE WE ARE USING STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGIES, BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT.
AND THIS IS A VISUAL OF WHERE THE MAIN OUTFALL LIFT STATION IS.
THE 42 INCH FORCE MAIN THAT WE WILL BE INSTALLING.
WE ARE WAITING ON MATERIALS NOW, WHICH SHOULD BE DELIVERED WITHIN TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
AND THE PARAMETER OF THE MAIN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, EVERY COMPONENT OF THAT PLANT IS GONNA BE GETTING SOME KIND OF IMPROVEMENT, REHABILITATION OR REPLACEMENT.
SOME OF THE PICTURES FROM THE GRAND OPENING AND THE NOT GRAND OPENING, BUT THE GROUND BREAKING GRAND OPENING IN 26 AND SOME OF THE, SOME PICTURES OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THIS PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE TODAY.
FRIES AND NICHOLS ARE, UH, PERFORMING ALL THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, UH, PART ON THIS PROJECT.
[01:25:01]
AND THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF THE MONTHLY, UH, SNAPSHOT WE GET OF THE PROGRESS'S.THE SECOND PLANT IS THE PORT ACRES WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UH, THIS PLANT HAS ALSO UNDERGONE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT IS THE AEROBIC AERATION BASIN, THE CENTRIFUGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, THE MODIFICATION TO THE DIGESTERS, THE INFLUENT LIFT STATION.
WE JUST DID A MAJOR PROJECT THERE.
UH, NEW SLUDGE RETURN PUMPS CLARIFY REHABILITATIONS.
AND UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE PROJECT THAT'S SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2024, WHICH TO FINISH THE BYPASS HEADER, PIPING AND VALVES.
ONE OF THE BEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE'VE DONE TO THIS PLANT IS WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE ITS CAPACITY WITH VERY MINIMAL INVESTMENT IN SOME PUMPS AND, UH, CLARIFIER, UH, SIZE INCREASES, OTHERWISE IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE LOAD THAT IT GETS TODAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE SABINE PASS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UH, THE CLARIFIERS HAVE BEEN, UH, REPLACED IN 22.
WE ALSO HAVE PHASE ONE, UH, THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
THAT INCLUDES SLUDGE, GRID PUMPS, BLOWERS, UH, CHLORINE SYSTEM CLEANING, CLARIFIERS.
ALL KINDS OF COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN, UH, ADDRESSED.
AND UH, PHASE TWO OF THIS PROJECT THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2025 IS DRYING BEDS, SIDEWALK AND, UH, SAFETY HANDRAIL.
THIS PLANT TODAY IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE 0.3 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
THE PROBLEM WE ARE HAVING IS WHAT'S COMING TO THE PLANT DUE TO THE INFILTRATION INFLOW FROM THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSING ISSUES AT THE PLANT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE REPLACED ALL THE PIPING WE REPLACED.
AND THIS LAST SECTION THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION TODAY IS THE LAST PIECE OF PIPE THAT GOES THROUGH THE MARSH.
AND ONCE WE REPLACE IT, THAT FLOW IS GONNA BE REDUCED.
AND THIS PLANT, WE ARE HOPING WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET PERMIT LIMITS AS WELL.
WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY WENT OUT THERE TO REPLACE IT, BASICALLY THE FIRST COMPANY WALKED OFF THE JOB, IT WAS THAT BAD.
IT HASN'T BEEN CLEANED IN PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS, SO WE HAD TO GET A SECOND COMPANY TO FINISH IT.
AS FAR AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET AND THE FIVE YEAR PROGRAM THAT COUNCIL, UH, APPROVED.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE 2024 IS ON SCHEDULE AND IS EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION DESIGN OR GETTING CLOSE TO COMPLETION.
THE 2025 BUDGET, UH, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT, UH, SET IN STONE TYPE PROJECTS.
EVERY YEAR WE REVIEW WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED, WHAT NEED TO BE MODIFIED.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON ADJUSTING, UH, SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS BASED ON THE CURRENT NEED.
BUT IF YOU LOOK ON THE FUNDING SOURCE ON THE BOTTOM, WE'RE TRYING TO FUND THESE PROJECTS NOT ONLY THROUGH BOND SALES, BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING AFTER GRANTS.
AND WE ARE ALSO USING THE CASH THAT WE HAVE THAT IS ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT IS NOT BEING USED FOR OPERATIONS.
THAT WAY WE USE WHAT WE HAVE AND AT THE SAME TIME MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF DEBT WE IMPOSE ON THE DEPARTMENT AND THE YEARLY PAYMENTS.
SO LIFT STATION PROJECTS UNDER DESIGN AND STUDY, LIKE I SAID, OUT OF THE 57, WE HAVE DONE 16 LIFT STATIONS.
WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE MAJORITY OF NEED WORK.
SO WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE UNDER CAPACITY STUDY BECAUSE THE BACK, THE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS TAKING PLACE IN THE COLLECTION SYSTEM ARE BECAUSE THE LIFT STATION CANNOT PUMP ENOUGH.
SO WE ARE DOING THOSE STUDIES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL THREE UNDER DESIGN, WHICH ARE IN THE BUDGET TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION, AND TWO OF THEM ARE FOR RELOCATIONS.
WHAT WE HAVE, UH, WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, OR LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE,
[01:30:01]
IS FOR US TO APPLY FOR A GRANT FOR $20 MILLION TO DEDICATE STRICTLY THAT MONEY TO SANITARY SOLAR STATIONS.AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A VERY STRONG CHANCE OF GETTING THAT, UH, GRANT FUNDING.
AND IF WE DO, THIS WILL ADDRESS ABOUT 15 OF THE SANITARY SEW LIFT STATIONS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED ON.
SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED.
THE FINAL GRANT APPLICATION IS DUE NOVEMBER.
WE ARE SENDING HOURS IN JUNE, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY BE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND GET ON TOP OF THAT LIST.
BUT IF WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN, IT'S GONNA SAVE OUR CITIZENS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND ADDRESS 15 OF THESE LIFT STATIONS, WHICH IS ABOUT 30% OF WHAT'S LEFT TO DO ON THE SANITARY SEW PIPE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER DESIGN AND, UH, STUDY.
WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4 UNDER DESIGN.
UH, ONE IS DESIGNED, COMPLETED FIXING TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS IN THE BUDGET FOR, UH, IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM BUDGET AND ALSO THE CITYWIDE SEW REHAB CONTRACT TWO, UH, IS FIXING, IS COMPLETE.
WE ARE WAITING TILL AUGUST TO LET IT OUT.
UH, 'CAUSE WE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ON THAT.
AND THIS IS GONNA END UP PROBABLY BEING ABOUT A $3 MILLION PROJECT IF WE GET THE 2025, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
SO THAT'S GONNA PUT A GOOD DENT ON THAT SEWER SYSTEM AS WELL.
BUT WE ALSO APPLIED FOR ANOTHER $20 MILLION GRANT THAT ADDRESSES STRICTLY SANITARY SOAR PIPE.
SO IF WE GET THIS FUNDING, IT'S GONNA HELP US GET AHEAD OF THAT CURVE BECAUSE UNTIL WE ARE FIXING MORE PIPE THAN PIPE IS FAILING, WE ARE NOT GONNA GET AHEAD AND WE HAVE TO INVEST SOME MONEY IN THAT SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.
AND IN RED IS THE SANITARY SEWER PIPING NETWORK THAT THE GRANT WILL COVER IF WE ARE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING THIS GRANT.
IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THEY LISTENED TO THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE YOU TODAY.
THEY ARE PLEASED THAT WE HAVE FINALLY GOT ON THE RIGHT PATH, THAT WE ARE DOING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED, THAT THE CHANGES ARE GONNA BE POSITIVE.
WE ARE PUTTING, PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AHEAD OF ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE NOT FORGETTING THE PAST.
THEY'RE NOT FORGETTING ALL THE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AND DIDN'T.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK WITH US TO TELL US WHAT THEY ARE GONNA DO AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
UH, IF THERE'S GONNA BE PENALTIES OR NOT.
ARE WE GONNA BE UNDER ANOTHER AGREED ORDER TO, WE ARE FORCED TO INSPECT, INVEST SO MUCH DOLLARS EVERY YEAR INTO THAT SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM.
WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS PRESENTATION AND THEM SEEING THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH IS GONNA PROBABLY NOT ELIMINATE WHAT THEY WANNA DO, BUT AT LEAST SOFTEN THAT BLOW A LITTLE BIT.
AND AS SOON AS WE GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM, MR. BURTON WILL DISPERSE IT TO YOU ALL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
TOMAN, FOR YOUR CONCISE, UH, REPORT, UH, FOR US.
UM, IT LAYS BEFORE US, UM, YOUR DILIGENT EFFORTS, UH, BUT ALSO A DAUNTING TASK, UH, FOR US AS A CITY.
UM, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL FOR, UM, LAYING IT OUT, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR US AND LETTING US KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE FACING.
BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES AS A CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GET CAUGHT UP IN, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE, BUT WE DON'T REALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE WIZARD OF OZ, THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT THERE'S A CURTAIN AND PEOPLE DON'T SEE IT, UH, WHAT'S BEHIND THE CURTAIN? AND SO YOU KIND OF LET US BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
I WAS, I WAS MOST, UH, APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT AS WELL, THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA DO FUNDING GOING FORWARD, LOOKING AT THAT.
[01:35:01]
BUT I WANNA REMIND US AS WELL, AND I WANNA REMIND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER THAT WHEN WE WERE AT NLC CONFERENCES, I'VE SENT BACK INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE HUB, UH, THAT'S TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW IN THE MONTH OF MAY.THAT'S HELPING SMALL AND MEDIUM CITIES GET THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE NEEDING.
UH, FOR THIS, I THANK GOD FOR THE $20 MILLION THAT WE'RE GOING FOR, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, AND AS ALL OF US CAN SEE, THERE'S GOING, THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH MORE MONEY, UH, THAT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
WE'VE NOT MADE THOSE, UM, DECISIONS IN THE PAST AND NOT CASTING ANY ASPERSIONS, BUT WE'VE KIND OF LET THAT GO.
UH, BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO, TO GET IT ACCOMPLISHED.
MOST OF OUR CITIZENS DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT, UH, THE VALVE REPAIR THAT WE ARE DOING, UH, RIGHT NOW, THAT IF WE HAD ALLOWED THAT TO GO, WE WOULD NOT HAD WATER, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE, UH, SOUTHERN SIDE OF HIGHWAY 73.
SO IT'S BEEN IMPERATIVE THAT WE WORK ON THAT, UH, AND GET THAT STRUCTURED.
BUT MR. CITY MANAGER, I WANNA REMIND US CONSISTENTLY UNTIL WE GET INVOLVED, UH, IN, UH, THAT LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE HUB TO THE FULLEST POSSIBILITY TO GET THE MONIES HERE IN PORT ARTHUR THAT WE NEED.
WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GOING TO CONFERENCES AND DO WE NEED TO GO? DON'T WE NEED TO GO? CITIES ARE UTILIZING THESE MONIES.
WE'VE GOTTEN MONEY FROM ARPA, UH, FROM THE AMERICAN RECOVERY, UH, PROGRAM ACT, UH, FROM THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE NECESSITIES THAT WE NEED, UH, TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED.
SO I WANT TO BE SURE, MISS CITY MANAGER, UH, THAT WE DON'T MISS IT AND THAT WE ARE SENDING, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED.
HANNEY, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND ONE OF THE, MY PET PEEVES THAT SABINE PASSED HAS BEEN A HEADACHE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND YOU, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON THAT.
A LOT OF QUICK SAND, A LOT OF OPEN AREAS.
WAS SEWAGE, BEEN RUNNING FREELY FOR YEARS, BEEN GOING FOR YEARS, AND I'VE DOCUMENTED THAT AND TURN IT IN OVER THE YEARS, BUT I'M GLAD YOU ARE AHEAD OF THE SCHEDULE ON THAT.
AND CITY MANAGER, THE GRANT PROCESS THAT THEY'RE PURSUING THE GRANTS AND WE DOING SOME OF THAT IN HOUSE OR IS THAT OUTSIDE THE GRAND RUN? WE'RE TACKLING INTERNAL FRONTS ON, IN-HOUSE OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALLY WE ARE DOING IT.
SO YOU'RE DOING IT MOST OF IT IN HOUSE OR YES, MOST OF IT WE'RE DOING IN HOUSE.
HA YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW, UH, YOU'VE BEEN WITH US A WHILE AND YOU EARN YOUR KEEP, SO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS.
OKAY? SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU.
WELL, I MEAN, IT, IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO MONEY, OKAY? IN 1819, THE TEAM HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON ACTUALLY CONVERTING THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT INTO THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
IT IS TO WHERE IT IS SELF-SUFFICIENT AND NOT DEPENDENT ON THE GENERAL FUND.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THAT POINT, WE WERE ABLE TO START INVESTING MONEY IN THESE PROJECTS.
AND THE PACE WE ARE AT IS NOT A BAD PACE, BUT WE, IN MY OPINION, NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THEY CAN, WE CAN EXPEDITE THE FINAL COMPLETION DATE AND BRING IT CLOSER TO US AND NOT LET IT BE 20 YEARS FROM TODAY.
MR. KIMBA, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO, TIM.
ANNIE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S AS A COUNCILMAN AND THAT'S A POLITICIAN.
WE, WE NEED TO HEAR THE UGLY TRUTH.
UH, IT JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT, UH, YOU STATED EARLIER THAT THIS TYPE OF NEGLIGENCE HAS HAPPENED OVER 10, 15 YEARS PRIOR TO ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR, UH, STAFF HERE.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PICKING UP THE PIECES AND TRYING TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
BUT, UH, WHAT KIND OF GOT MY HERE TODAY WAS WHEN YOU SAID, UH, PENALTIES AND FINES AFTER GIVING THIS PRESENTATION, THIS LLY PRESENTATION TO THE POWERS THAT BE, UM, IT, IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR ME, YOU KNOW,
[01:40:01]
YOU KNOW, KNOWING IF FOR WHATEVER REASON WHY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG IT HAPPENED.BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME NOW AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED TO GET THIS RIGHT, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, THE PROJECT, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEWER PIPING.
WE'D ALSO TALK ABOUT LIFT STATIONS AND STILL, AFTER PRESENTING THIS AND, AND FINDING WAYS TO GET FUNDING, UM, WE STILL BE, WE STILL MAY BE PENALIZED IN THE END ABOUT SOME OF THE PAST HISTORY OF NEGLIGENCE.
SO, UH, I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD AS COLLECTIVE COUNSEL.
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, WE'RE WORKING WITH STAFF, WE'RE WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER TO TRY TO DO THIS RIGHT.
BUT FROM, YOU KNOW, THIS DAY FORWARD, WE NEED TO STAY ON TOP.
I DO AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS AND ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS, THAT THERE ARE TAXPAYERS MONEY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE FUNDING.
SO, I SPOKE EARLIER WITH THE HR DIRECTOR ABOUT THE GRANT WRITER.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE ARE DOING SOMETHING, UH, IN-HOUSE OR SOME, UM, UM, CHANCES OF TRYING TO GET THIS IN-HOUSE.
WE GOT TWO, YOU SAID TWO $20 MILLION OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THAT WE HIRE SOMEONE THAT'S A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, UH, TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
SO, CONTINUE WORKING HARD, UH, KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET WITH THE MANAGER AND SAY, I'M GONNA PUSH THE ISSUE ABOUT THIS GRANT WRITER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE FUNDING TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS.
I THINK THE DEPARTMENT TODAY HAVE THE CORRECT LEADERSHIP, AND THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
THE LEADERSHIP WE HAVE TODAY IS VERY, IS WORKING VERY HARD TO MAINLY PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY WITHIN THE MEANS THAT WE ARE MAKING AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND AS FAR AS THE FINES ARE CONCERNED, WE WILL ALWAYS SUBMIT AN SEP SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT.
SO IF THEY COME IN AND GIVE US A FINE, WE WILL TAKE THAT MONEY AND USE IT TO REPLACE SEWER PIPE INSTEAD OF JUST PAYING IT TO THE STATE.
NOW, WE CANNOT DO THAT TO THE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, VALUE OF THE FINE, BUT WE CAN PROBABLY DO 80, 90% OF IT IN AN SEP.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THE FINES SET US BACK.
WE'RE GONNA USE THESE FINES TO DO MORE WORK WITH THAT MONEY.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT WE MAKE CORRECTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE? COULD WE OFFSET SOME OF THE FINES AND PENALTIES? IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY GET SOME OF THOSE BACK? AFTER MAKING THE REPAIRS ON THE PLANS THEMSELVES? THE MAJORITY OF THE FINES ARE BEING, THE MAJORITY OF THE VIOLATIONS ARE BEING ADDRESSED WITH THESE ONGOING PROJECTS.
OUR BIGGEST ISSUE IS IN THE COLLECTION SYSTEM AND THE LIFT STATIONS.
SO WE ARE INVESTING THE MONEY, WE CAN INVEST WITHIN BUDGET, BUT WE ARE GONNA NEED TO IN INJECT MORE MONEY IN THAT.
UH, EVEN IF THE STATE COMES BACK AND SAYS, YOU ARE FINE.
YOU KNOW, KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE AS A CITY, WE NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY IN IT.
WHETHER THAT MONEY COMES FROM A GRANT FUNDING OR WE NEED TO DO A RATE INCREASE TO DO THAT, WHATEVER IT TAKES, WE NEED TO INJECT MORE MONEY.
THE COUNCIL DON'T OWN THE SYSTEM.
THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR OWN THAT SYSTEM, AND WE EITHER REHAB IT FOR THEM AND MAKE IT LAST LONGER, OR WE KEEP IT LIKE IT, LIKE IT HAS BEEN KEPT FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE NOW AND IT FAILS AND WE GET BACK TO THE SAME SITUATION FACING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALL OVER AGAIN.
UM, CITY MANAGER, ONE LAST THING.
THAT WOULD NEVER BE AN ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION.
I WILL GIVE COUNCILMAN, CITY MANAGER.
MR. DOUCETTE, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IN REFERENCE TO THE, UH, WASTEWATER, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, WHAT ABOUT THE, UH, PIPES? YOU KNOW, SO MANY LEAKS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE LEAKS ARE GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEM ALSO.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ADDRESSING THAT, THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE PIPES.
BECAUSE THE PIPES IS ACTUALLY LOSING A LOT OF WATER.
THAT WATER TREATING, YOU KNOW, I HEAR WE HAVE TO GET MORE MONEY.
YES, WE CAN GET MORE MONEY, BUT IF WE KEEP TREATING THE WATER AND LOSING IT, UH, WE ARE NOT GAINING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I THINK I WANT TO REALLY HEAR ABOUT IS THE, UH, LOSS OF WATER BECAUSE, UH, WITH ALL THE LEAKS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW,
[01:45:01]
WE HAVING WATER CONSISTENTLY TURNED OFF IN DIFFERENT AREAS BECAUSE OF THE LEAKS TO REPAIR.SO WE LOSING A LOT OF WATER THAT'S BEEN TREATED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO START.
ALSO LOOKING AT PLACING THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED INTO.
I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME NOW.
I'M HEARING TODAY, THAT WAS A GREAT BRIEFING ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND HOW WE GOING TO ATTACK WASTEWATER, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL PLANTS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WATER THAT WE'RE LOSING? COUNCILMAN? AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 57 WATER LINES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR, UH, SOURCE OF WATER LOSS.
THOSE 57 LINES HAVE BEEN, UH, DESIGNED AND ARE READY TO GO OUT FOR CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL.
TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO APPROVED THE ATLANTA WATERLINE PROJECT THAT, UH, WENT TO CONSTRUCTION ON THE 20TH, WHICH IS YESTERDAY.
WE WERE WAITING ON MATERIAL TO BE, UH, DELIVERED THE REST OF THESE LINES.
WE SUBMITTED, I BELIEVE, AROUND SEVEN APPLICATIONS TO THE TEXAS WAR DEVELOPMENT BOARD THIS YEAR, THAT THE RESULTS SHOULD COME OUT IN, UH, JULY, AUGUST FOR THESE SPECIFIC WAR LINES.
SO IF THE TEXAS WAR DEVELOPMENT BOARD APPROVED THAT, UH, FUNDING, WE WILL BE ABLE TO START BIDDING ALL THESE LINES.
ALSO, IN THE 2025 BUDGET, WE PUT IN $5 MILLION FOR WAR LINE REPLACEMENT THROUGH THE TEXAS WAR DEVELOPMENT BOARD, UH, FUNDING.
BUT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO FUND THESE PROJECTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
SO EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DESIGNED, READY TO GO.
WE ARE JUST WAITING ON THE FUNDING AND THE REASON WE WANNA GO THROUGH TEXAS FOR DEVELOPMENT BOARD, 'CAUSE THEIR INTEREST RATE IS VERY LOW.
AND FOR CITIES LIKE PORT ARTHUR, WE DO GET FORGIVENESS ON SOME OF THESE LOANS, UH, ONCE WE START THE PROJECTS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, PERSONAL PROPERTIES, I THINK CALVIN TALKED ABOUT A GRANT FOR HOMEOWNERS TO REPLACE THOSE SEWER LINES ON, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IT SEEMED LIKE SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT A GRANT TO, TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFILTRATION ON THESE PRIVATE LINES THAT GETS INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TO TREAT.
I, I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN WHAT, UH, WHAT CALVIN WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS THE LEAD AND COPPER STUDY THAT WE ARE HAVING TO DO.
SO THE GOVERNMENT IS GONNA PROVIDE, UH, FUNDING TO REPLACE THE LINE FROM THE WATER METER TO THE HOUSE.
SO THAT, THAT'S NOT IN THE WORKS YET.
WE'RE STILL IN THE SURVEY PHASE OF THAT TO DETERMINE, UH, WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN.
AND ACTUALLY, YOU ALL ARE APPROVING A CONTRACT TODAY FOR THE SURVEY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE LIGHTS, BUT I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT.
THIS IS REGARDING THE OVERALL, UM, WAY THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO FUND THESE PROJECTS.
AND THIS IS MORE SO CITY MANAGER.
HAVE WE PETITIONED ANY OF OUR STATE OR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS TO ASK TO BE INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE BILLS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BE ATTACHED TO FOR THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED? ALL THEY CAN DO IS TELL US NO.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THOSE GRANT PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE AT THE CITY LEVEL.
AND SO THEY CAN CHAMPION OUR NEEDS AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS, THROUGH THE VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES.
IT'S THROUGH A SYSTEM OF COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION.
WE KEEP THEM INFORMED AS TO WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE, AND HOW THEY CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE TO US POLITICALLY SO THAT OUR APPLICATION GETS THE RIGHT RECOGNITION THAT IT NEEDS AT THE RIGHT TIME AS IT GOES THROUGH THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, AND NOT JUST OUR APPLICATIONS FOR THE GRANT FUNDING, BUT SPECIFICALLY JUST BEING STRAIGHTFORWARD.
AND, AND I'M, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
CLEARLY IT IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
BUT WE ASK FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WHEN IT'S INCLUDED IN A BILL THAT WE KNOW IS GETTING SUPPORT, THEN I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THAT SUPPORT AS WELL.
AND, AND, AND WE'VE DONE THAT DURING THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS.
[01:50:01]
YEAR RON WAS THERE.WE WENT AND MET WITH ALL THESE CONGRESSMEN AND STATE REPS, AND WE PUSHED VERY HARD FOR FUNDING ON THE UTILITY SIDE FOR THE WATER LEAKS AND, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANS.
SO WE ARE PUSHING AS MUCH AS WE CAN ON THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CULTURAL THINGS THAT ALSO NEED TO BE, UH, BROUGHT TO THE TABLE IS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS PEOPLE DIDN'T CONSIDER THIS UTILITIES AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
IT HAS TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, IT HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
AND THEN GETTING GRANTS, PUSHING THROUGH THE STATE FOR FUNDING IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WE WANNA DO.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE PUSHING FOR $40 MILLION WORTH OF GRANT FUNDING NOW.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS FUND AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND AND IT HAS TO BALANCE ITSELF.
AND IF WE HAVE TO DO IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CANNOT FUND, WE NEED TO DO IT THROUGH OUR RATE INCREASES.
THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS RATE INCREASES.
IT'S A VERY HARD DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE FUNDING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO SO WE DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE FACING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
IT'S, IT'S JUST TOUGH DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER.
AND THIS COUNCIL HAS MADE SEVERAL VERY TOUGH DECISIONS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND IF YOU ALL DIDN'T, THERE WOULDN'T BE A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BEING REPLACED AT 73 MILLION.
THERE WOULDN'T BE ELEVATED STORAGE TANKS BEING PAINTED EVERY YEAR.
THERE WOULDN'T BE 16 LIFT STATIONS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED.
THERE WOULDN'T BE IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING OR CITYWIDE PIPE BURSTING PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED.
SO YOU ALL DON'T HAVE, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS, BUT PROMISE YOU WHEN I
YES, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO CALVIN AND DR.
TOMI FOR BEING PART OF THE TEAM.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WAS IN TERS, YOU KNOW, UM, WE DID NOT HAVE THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE NEEDED, AND I MADE THE VERY TOUGH DECISION THAT WE NEEDED SOMEBODY LIKE CALVIN WHO HAS THE, THE, THE, THE, UM, KNOWLEDGE BASE AND THE CREDENTIALS AS WELL TO RUN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
BUT HERE IT IS THAT HE HAS TAKEN UP THE MANTLE AND HE HAS RUN WITH IT, UM, TAKEN A TEAM APPROACH TO WHAT HE, WHAT HE'S DOING.
HE HAS LOOKED AT STAFF, AND THEN WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REORGANIZING OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT MEET ONLY TO THESE DEMANDS.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE, YOU KNOW, AS TO HOW WE CAN PREPARE THE CITY FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S OKAY TO FIX THE TAPS, IT'S OKAY TO DO PIPE SPIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ARE WE PREPARING TO ATTRACT NEW DEVELOPMENT INTO THE CITY IF THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS OVERLOADED? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
AND SO WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW, I'M DISCUSSING IT WITH STAFF, I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH HIM, THE NEED FOR AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY THE UTILITY ASSETS THAT WE HAVE TO DO A CONDITION ANALYSIS OF THOSE.
AND WE USE THAT PLAN TO GO AFTER FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S STATE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, AND AS DR TO INDICATED WHETHER WE USE IT TO GO TO INCREASE OUR, OUR CREDIT RATING SO THAT WE CAN GET THE CORRECT BOND FUNDING THAT WE NEED.
SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN THERE IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.
ALL WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST 30 YEARS IS PUT ON A BANDAGE.
YOU KNOW, ALL WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST 30 YEARS IS REDUCING THE, THE, THE, THE, THE RATES THAT WE HAVE HAD IN ORDER TO PACIFY A CERTAIN, UM, UM, SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON DOING THE RIGHT THING TO PUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FRONT AND CENTER TO BE PREPARED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING DOWN THE ROAD.
SO AS SOMEBODY DOESN'T MAKE A DECISION, WE ARE GOING ELSEWHERE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE US WITH WATER, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ATTRACT DEVELOPMENT WATER IS, IT IS CRITICAL TO, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
A DEVELOPER HAS ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE WORLD THAT HE NEEDS TO COME TO A COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW HE KNOWS, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION,
[01:55:01]
HE CAN'T GET THAT ON GOOGLE, YOU KNOW, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE IS THE CARRYING CAPACITY AND THE STATE OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE, YOU MAKE COUNCIL MAKES THOSE HARD DECISIONS.
AND I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU MAKING THOSE HARD DECISIONS IN ORDER THAT WE CAN PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY TO BE WHERE WE ARE TO ATTRACT ROUTINE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY.
COMMENT ONE MOMENT, MR. DOUCETTE.
I THINK THE CITY MANAGER PRETTY MUCH COVERED WHAT I WAS, WAS GOING TO ADDRESS.
AND THAT IS, DO WE, WE HAVE HOW MUCH ROOM WE HAVE UNDER OUR DEBT SERVICE FOR CERTIFICATES OR OBLIGATION TO HELP OUT WITH SOME OF THIS STUFF.
DO WE HAVE ANY ROOM ON THE DEBT SERVICE? WELL, AS SOON AS WE THREW WITH THE 20, WE ARE, WE ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN.
WE ARE THROUGH THE 2022 AUDIT.
I JUST SIGNED THE LETTER THIS MORNING FOR OUR, OUR NEW BUDGET.
AND, UM, WE ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, BUT I'M NOT PREPARED TO DIVULGE US YET WHERE WE ARE.
WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
WE, I THINK WE'RE IN A VERY STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION, BUT I'M LOOKING THREE OR FOUR YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
AND I WILL PRESENT COUNSEL WITH A RECOMMENDATION AS TO HOW MUCH DEBT WE CAN UNDERTAKE.
AND I WILL ALSO PRESENT YOU WITH A PRIORITY LIST, WHICH WILL INCLUDE UTILITIES ALSO WHERE WE NEED TO GO TO, UM, MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO YOU THE BRIEFING.
I UNDERSTAND EVERY TIME WE HAVE BRIEFINGS, WE ALL, WE TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED.
OKAY? HOW WATER UTILITIES HAVE BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY GENERAL FUND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT IS ALL WE, WE HAVE STOPPED DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN STOPPED SUPPLEMENTING THE, UH, UTILITY FUND WITH THE, UH, ENTERPRISE FUND, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND RATHER.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO DO IS JUST CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR, I HOPE IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND LACK, LACK IN THE BRIEFNESS TODAY, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN YOU WANT TO COME TO US, UH, THINK WHAT THE COUNCIL NEED TO KNOW IS WHAT SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.
UH, WE CAN IMAGINE ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, CITIZENS CAN EVEN COME TO THAT CONCLUSION.
BUT WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE AVAILABLE FUNDINGS, OKAY? WHAT DO WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO APPROVE? AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HAVE A PLAN BECAUSE THIS ELEPHANT WE HAVE WITH WATER UTILITIES IN THE CITY IS NOT GONNA BE ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE OR TWO, THREE YEARS.
OKAY? BUT WHAT IS THE PLAN? LET'S THROW, LIKE, UH, DR.
ING WAS SAYING, WE'VE SELECTED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PIPES THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS YEAR.
OKAY, LET'S HAVE SOME FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WHAT AVAILABLE FUNDING WE HAVE.
ARE WE GONNA GET SOME THIS YEAR? WHAT ARE WE GONNA GO AFTER THIS YEAR? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO GO OUT FOR NEXT YEAR? INSTEAD OF JUST THE PLAN, WE HAVE TO START EXECUTING IT.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A PLAN, NOT FOR THE LONG TERM, BUT FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE ON HOW WE GONNA GET TO THE END OF THE ROAD.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR.
UH, BRING ME DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN FUND IT.
EVEN IF IT'S JUST 10 MILLION THIS YEAR.
UH, WE GONNA TAKE 10 MILLION AND WE'RE GONNA DO THIS WITH THE 10 MILLION WHEN WE DONE THE BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT I'LL BE LOOKING FOR, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH WATER UTILITIES AT THAT TIME.
AND I THINK ALL THE CITIZENS WOULD BE WANTING TO HEAR HOW WE GONNA ADDRESS THE WATER LOSS.
WE, WE KEPT TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING, BUT THE WATER LOSS IS CRITICAL AND THE WATER METERS.
MAY I PROAM REAL QUICK? YES, SIR.
UH, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT MR. BURTON IMPLEMENTED WAS TO ESTABLISH A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT.
SO THE PLAN IS IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT IS NOT FIXED, BUT FLUENT.
SO WE UPDATED EVERY YEAR WHEN WE ARE DOING THE BUDGET.
ALSO, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAD HIRED A COMPANY THAT DID A STUDY ON, BASED ON THIS CAPITAL PROGRAM, WHAT RATE INCREASES ARE NEEDED, ASSUMING THERE IS NO FUNDING FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE.
SO WE HAVE THE PLAN IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, WE KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO STRUCTURE IT, AND I'M SURE MR. BURTON CAN SHARE IT WITH THE COUNCIL BECAUSE
[02:00:02]
IT'S BEEN GIVEN AS A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL AS WELL.BUT LOOK, LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE TALKING FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT EACH OTHER FOR THE PARTY AT THE TIME.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO THIS YEAR? WHAT WE GONNA DO NEXT YEAR? AND THAT'S IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW AND WHERE WE GOING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE LONG, THE LONG TERM PLAN, LIKE YOU SAY, FIVE YEARS, AND HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A WHOLE LOT.
BUT, UH, THE IMMEDIATE PLAN IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS YEAR? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NEXT YEAR? AND WHEN WE DECIDE WHAT WE GOING TO DO, INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN A PLAN, WE NEED TO BE EXECUTING IT.
WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'VE SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
WHATEVER WE SET OUT, WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
AND IF WE DO THAT EACH YEAR, THEN THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN WILL ALWAYS BE EXECUTED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MAINLY WHAT WE GOING TO DO NOW.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING? UH, DO WE HAVE THE MONEY? WHAT MONEY DO YOU NEED? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO NOW? AND THEN WE'LL ALL GET TOGETHER.
WE GOT THE PLAN, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT IS ABOUT EXECUTION.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS A COPY OF WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US AND THEN IT, IT MAY BEGIN TO COME TOGETHER.
I'LL SHARE EVERYTHING WITH MR. BURTON.
[III.C.(3) A Report By The Transit Department Regarding Availability Of Services ]
A REPORT BY THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES.HOW YOU DOING? WELL, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A QUICK UPDATE FOR WHAT WAS REQUESTED ABOUT, LET'S SAY FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS AGO, UM, REGARDING EXTENDING THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING, UM, ADDITIONAL SERVICE TO RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
UM, AS OF NOW, I'VE MET WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND FINANCE TO LOOK AT, UH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POSSIBLE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF FINANCING AND WHAT I GUESS MAKES, MAKES SENSE FOR US.
UM, WE'VE DECIDED TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL CONTRACTORS AS A WAY PROBABLY TO GET THE BEST, UM, THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
SO AS OF NOW, I AM, EXCUSE ME, I'M, I'M ACTIVELY LOOKING AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR DIFFERENT AGENCIES OR CITY GOVERNMENTS WHO PROVIDE, UH, SERVICE ON THEIR OWN, UH, NOT UTILIZING FEDERAL FUNDS.
UM, BASED ON A REVIEW OF THOSE CONTRACTS, WE COULD POSSIBLY, UH, SUBMIT AN REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM VARIOUS COMPANIES TO SEE WHAT THEY OFFER AND AT WHAT COST.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
IT'S, IT'S ON MY LIST OF THINGS I'M WORKING ON.
UM, BUT WE AS OF NOW DO NOT OF COURSE, HAVE A DEFINITE ANSWER.
WE'RE STILL IN THE EXPLORATION PHASE OF IT REVIEWING.
SO THIS IS JUST MORE OF A QUICK UPDATE FOR COUNCIL, UM, TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT IT IS STILL ON MY RADAR AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER'S RADAR.
IF, IF I RECALL ABOUT A MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF AGO, WE DID GIVE A DIRECTIVE TO YOU, UH, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME HERE THAT WE WOULD, UH, ALSO INCORPORATE THEM INTO, UH, THE PLAN OF ACTION.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY IS YOU BASICALLY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES OF WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THE ONES THAT CAME BEFORE US.
I THINK IT WAS ADDITIONAL FOUR OR FIVE, SIX MAYBE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE WERE DOING WITH NO COST TO THE CITY AT ALL.
SO WHY NOW? UH, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS HAPPENED THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO.
AND THE REMEDY FROM WHAT TOOK PLACE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUR FAULT, WE CAUGHT IT.
WE SENT OUT LETTERS, BUT IT WAS NO COST TO THE CITY AT THAT POINT WHEN WE WAS PROVIDING THE SERVICE.
SO WHY CAN'T WE DO THE SAME THING WE WERE DOING BEFORE, UH, TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO? THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION.
I MEAN, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLORE FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE FOUR TO SIX PEOPLE THAT MAY BE AFFECTED.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO OPEN IT UP, BUT NOBODY'S COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND SUGGEST THAT THEY NEEDED THAT SERVICE.
SO WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT? CITY MANAGER? UH, I THINK THE COUNCIL GAVE A DIRECTIVE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
WE DIDN'T WANT YOU TO KEEP ON EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES WE WANTED TO GET DONE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT SOMETHING THAT WAS
[02:05:01]
SO SIMPLE TO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, AND WE WANTED TO DO IT LEGALLY, BUT WE WERE PROVIDING IT BEFORE AND WE COULD DO IT, WE CAN OPEN UP THE ROUTES.SO SOMEBODY GIMME AN EXPLANATION ON THAT.
LET ME, UM, LET ME SIMPLIFY WHAT, UM, UM, IVAN IS SAYING HERE.
UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THE COUNCIL ASKED TO BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION AS TO HOW MUCH IT WAS GOING TO COST TO PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WE PRESENTLY SERVICE WHO WERE OUTSIDE OF THE ROUTE.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD HAD A DISCUSSION WITH OUR AREA REPRESENTATIVE, UM, FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UM, OUR AREA COUNCIL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WHO INFORMED US THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE THAT, THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE CHANGES, UH, AS TO HOW WE COULD DO THAT.
AND THAT WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT HAS GONE ABOUT MAKING THE CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY IN THE ROUTE AND HAS POSTED THAT ONLINE.
UM, IN SPITE OF THAT, COUNCIL STILL NEEDED THAT COST.
SO WE WENT BACK TO THE TABLE AND I MET WITH THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AND, UM, MR. MITCHELL.
AND, UM, WE LOOKED AT THE TWO POSSIBILITIES.
WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, OF, UM, UM, UM, SUBBING THE, THE SERVICE OUT TO AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.
AND ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS THAT YOU COULD DO THAT IS THROUGH AN RFQ OR AN RFPA REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
AND SO WE FOUND THAT WE WERE, WE ARE WORKING AROUND A BUDGET OF ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WHERE WHEN WE HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE IT THE MOST, UM, CLOSE, THE NEIGHBORING CITY THAT DOES THAT IS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
AND SO WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO, TO BEAUMONT TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT THE IMPORTANT PART OF IT, WE HAVE NOT CONTINUED TO DIS DIS WE HAVE NOT DISCONTINUED THE SERVICE TO THE EXISTING RECIPIENTS OF THE SERVICE.
WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT BASED ON THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE HAVE DONE.
BUT GOING FORWARD, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED, WHICH IS IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR SO, WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTRACTING IT OUT.
AND THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD CONTRACT THAT OUT IS THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
AND WE THINK THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS, THERE ARE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT WOULD VERY MUCH PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD BE AT A COST SAVING TO THE COMMUNITY WHILST WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE NOT ONLY TO THE SIX, BUT TO THE 26 OR THE 226,000 PEOPLE WHO MAY NEED IT IN THE FUTURE AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH IT.
AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT DISCONTINUED THE SERVICE.
WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
I'M REPEATING MYSELF THROUGH AN UPGRADE OF THE BROCHURE AND, AND, AND, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ALTERNATIVE, AS I DISCUSSED WITH COUNCILMAN KINLER LOUIS, UM, UM, UCED TO PROVE, BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THE LAST PERSONS WHO APPROACHED ME IN PUTTING THAT ON THE AGENDA AGAIN, BECAUSE HE NEEDED AN UPDATE OF IT.
AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM IN VERY SIMPLE TERMS, AS A COST SAVING TO THE CITY, WE CAN CONTINUE TO CHEW GUM AND WALK, BUT WE HAVE NOT DISCONTINUED THE SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WHAT IS THE MR. MR. DOUCETTE? OKAY.
HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THEY WERE, THAT THEY WERE GONNA LOOK AT, UH, CONTRACTING, UH, A SERVICE THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WHO LIE OUTSIDE OF THE AREA THAT WE CAN, UH, PICK UP.
IT WON'T BE LIKE IT'S A SERVICE IF NOT SUPPLIED IN ANOTHER CITY.
WE SAID THAT THE LAST TIME WE MET.
AND, UH, I KNOW LIKE COUNCIL
THE BUS PROBLEM, UH, WITH PICKING UP THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE, UH, DESIGNATED AREA OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AND WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING.
OKAY? UH, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED WHEN IT FIRST CAME TO US BY SIMPLY GOING TO OTHER CITIES, FIND OUT HOW DO YOU, UH, CARRY, PICK UP PAIR OF TRANS PEOPLE.
[02:10:01]
YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE CONTRACTED LIKE THE CITY MAN SAYS HE GOT THE ANSWER.BUT MY PROBLEM IS WHEN I HEAR THE DIRECTOR SAYS, I'M STILL EXPLORING.
NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA CONTINUE TO EXPLORE.
THIS IS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PRIORITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT AND THE CITY MANAGER.
YES, WE DON'T NEED THE MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT I ASKED THE MANAGER SAID, YOU PROBABLY BOUGHT, UH, A HUNDRED SOMETHING THOUSAND.
YOU PROBABLY COULD GET SOME COMPANY TO COME IN HERE, AND THEY WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA WHILE WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THOSE THAT WE CAN UNDER THE FEDERAL GROUND.
I, AS A COUNCILMAN, DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANYMORE.
I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN ALLOWED AMPLE ENOUGH TIME TO COME TO A FIX.
EVIDENTLY, IT'S NOT A PRIORITY.
WELL, I THINK IT'S BETTER BECOME A PRIORITY.
IN FACT, THE NEXT MEETING WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING ETCHED IN STONE BECAUSE WE WAITED TOO LONG.
WELL, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES, IS THIS THIS COMPLICATED? I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, BUT I COULD TELL THE DEPART, UH, THE PURCHASE DEPARTMENT SENT OUT ALREADY HELPED YOU, UH, UH, A ABUSE, AND SOMEBODY'S GOING TO TAKE IT TO DO THIS, AND WE CONTRACT IT.
LISTEN TO THIS, NO EXCUSE FOR US TO STILL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS OR LOOKING INTO THIS.
UH, COUNSEL, WE REALLY NEED TO PUT AN EMPHASIS ON WHAT WE ASKING AND WHAT WE
I DON'T FEEL NO STAFF MANAGER OR STAFF SHOULD NOT CARRY OUT OUR DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE PLAYED WITH THIS TOO LONG.
SOMETHING HAS BEST TO HAPPENED QUICK.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? NO.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.
WE HAVE NONE CORRESPONDENCE, CITY SECRETARY.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion Regarding Enforcement Of The City Ordinance Pertaining To Trash Pickup And Removal (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Hamilton Everfield) ]
UM, NEXT FOUR DISCUSSIONS.A DISCUSSION REGARDING ENFORCEMENTS OF THE CITY ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO TRASH PICKUP AND REMOVAL REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HAMILTON, EVER FIELD.
SO THIS I BROUGHT UP AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY MANAGER AND THE DIRECTORS OF THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THERE WAS AN INCIDENT LAST SATURDAY WHERE A CONTRACTOR CUT TREES FROM, UM, A RESIDENT, A PUERTO ARTHUR RESIDENT'S HOME THAT'S NEXT TO A BUSINESS.
THE CONTRACTOR DROPPED THE TREES IN THE DITCH OF THE BUSINESS.
WE WANT TO OFFER CLARITY, THAT CLARITY TO CITIZENS THAT IF YOU CUT TREES, THE HOMEOWNER CUTS LIMBS, OR ANY CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS AT YOUR OWN HOME YOURSELF, THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PUT IT AT THE EDGE OF YOUR YARD FOR OUR CITY, UH, STAFF TO PICK UP.
IF A CONTRACTOR CUTS TREES, UM, CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS ON YOUR PROPERTY, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BRING IT TO THE LANDFILL.
THIS CONTRACTOR DUMPED IT IN THE DITCH, WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE DRAIN, WHICH WOULD OBSTRUCT WATER FLOW, WHICH THEN PROCEEDS TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITIES, I MEAN, OUR, OUR, THE CITY'S STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO FLOOD.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL DOING OUR PART TO MAKE SURE OUR DITCHES AND CULVERTS ARE CLEANED IN FRONT OF OUR OWN HOMES, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWING CONTRACTORS TO DUMP THIS IN FRONT OF OUR HOMES EITHER.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, PLEASE SAY SOMETHING.
SO THE, THE DISCUSSION PART OF THIS
[02:15:01]
IS FOCUSED ON WHAT IS IT CITY MANAGER THAT WE CAN DO? AND I'M JUST ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE SHARE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE, UM, THESE RULES.WE CAN SAY WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT IF CODE ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROPERLY ENFORCE OR PROVIDE CITATIONS TO THESE CONTRACTORS, THEN WE'RE STILL AT A LOSS.
I THINK WE, WE HAD SOMETIME AGO, ABOUT MAYBE SIX MONTHS OR SO AGO, UM, I REMEMBER, UM,
AND, UM, WE MADE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS AS FAR AS THOSE ARE CONCERNED.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS, UM, TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING ORDINANCES AS IT DEALS WITH, UM, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND AS WELL AS THE TRAINING OF OUR, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE, UH, COORDINATING OUR ACTIVITIES, UM, IN A TRILATERAL MANNER.
THAT IS THE COURT SYSTEM, UM, THE, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND, UM, THE ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT, UM, WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF MY, UM, MAJOR CONCERNS AS CITY MANAGER IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO PASS ORDINANCES.
AND IN THE PAST, UM, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW THROUGH IN TERMS OF TRAINING AND INTERPRETATION OF THOSE ORDINANCE IS CLEAR TO STAFF, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A CRITICAL PART OF THE CONFLICT OR MISREPRESENTATION SOMETIMES OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, AS IT CREATES A BARRIER FOR ENFORCEMENT.
IF THE, IF, IF THE, IF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF STAFF DOES NOT UNDERSTAND OR COMPREHEND WHAT HIS OR HER RESPONSIBILITIES IS VIS-A-VIS TO THE POLICY DOCUMENT, THEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW? SO I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BOOKS AND, AND, UM, UM, WORK WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT, LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE ORDINANCES AS IT RELATES TO TRASH AND, AND LIT PICK UP AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND A KEY, OTHER KEY COMPONENT OF IT IS EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW, THE ORDINANCES ARE THERE, BUT IS THE PUBLIC WILL AS TO WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AS I WAS SHARING WITH YOU, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCES IN ALPHA, LOUISIANA.
IT IS VERY, IN, IN STATES LIKE FLORIDA, IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT YOU MAKE THESE BUNDLES OF, OF, OF TRASH 25 POUNDS, AND IT HAS TO BE TIED IN A CERTAIN MANNER AT A CERTAIN LENGTH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IT COULD BE EASILY PICKED UP.
YOU KNOW, YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE CITY AND PEOPLE JUST CUT A TREE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN JUST PUT IT ANYWHERE ANYHOW, YOU KNOW, APART FROM THAT, WE NEED TO, IT GOES BACK TO THE EDUCATION PROCESS.
SO WE WILL DO THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO USE TECHNOLOGY, UM, IN TERMS OF THE VEHICLES THAT WE CONTINUE TO USE ON THE SPOT, BECAUSE RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN.
WELL, THE TRASH HAS BEEN THERE FOR TWO WEEKS.
SOMETIMES THAT IS NOT SO TRUE, YOU KNOW, SO AS WE CONTINUE TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE GROUND, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ENGAGE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE SOFTWARE THAT IS REQUIRED.
SO WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS AND SAYS, WELL, LISTEN, THEY HAVEN'T PICKED UP MY, MY TUTOR FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE CAN SAY, MA'AM, YES, HERE IT IS IN TIME.
WE CAN SEND YOU A TEXT AND SHOW THAT THE TRUCK WAS AT YOUR HOUSE AT 9 0 5 THIS MORNING, BUT THE TUTOR WAS STILL IN YOUR GARAGE.
OR WE CAN GRACIOUSLY APOLOGIZE TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND SAY TO THE INDIVIDUAL, YES, THE TRUCK DRIVER MISSED IT, WE ARE GOING TO SEND HIM RIGHT BACK, HIM OR HER RIGHT BACK TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE SERVICE AND APOLOGIZE FOR IT AND MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE ON DIFFERENT FRONTS TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AND THOSE SHORTCOMINGS, UM, AS A MUNICIPALITY.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND WHILE I TALK WITH DARLENE AND, UM, MISS, UM, UM, MISS, UM, MS. LANGFORD TO SEE HOW WE REACTIVATE THE, UM, THE COMMITTEE, UM, CONSTABLE KINLER, WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE DID COME TOGETHER AS COMMITTEE ORDINANCE TO DO UPDATES.
I THINK PAM, UH, DARLENE, IT WAS A GROUP OF US, UH, SOME OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, SOME OF THE PAST COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THAT WERE ONBOARD AND TRYING TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD ON THE BOOKS THAT WE WASN'T ENFORCING AND FINDING THEM INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENFORCE THOSE THINGS.
SO, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO COMMITTEE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEAM.
[02:20:01]
I THINK THAT WE NEED, UH, PROBABLY WOULD GET SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALONG WITH STAFF CITY MANAGER, AND TO GO OVER THOSE THINGS BECAUSE UNLESS WE NOTIFY AND USE WHAT WE HAVE AS A TOOL LIKE FACEBOOK, LIKE, UH, THE CITY WEBPAGE TO ENSURE AND, AND, AND TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS ABOUT, UH, CUTTING TREES AND PUTTING THEM IN THE DITCH, AND THEN YOU POSSIBLY GONNA HAVE A FLOOD NEXT WEEK, AND THEN YOU ARE ASKING, UH, STAFF IN THE CITY WHY THE DRAINAGE, UH, SITUATION IS GOING ON.WE JUST NEED TO INFORM THE CITIZENS OF WHAT SOME OF THE DOS AND DON'TS, UH, FOG WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE FOG, UH, N AND M, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THINGS, UH, WITHIN OUR LIMITATIONS TO ENSURE THE CITIZENS THAT WE CAN CHANGE.
MR. FRANK? YES, I THINK, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON IS WHAT YOU SAID, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM IS, IS THIS WHOLE IDEA OF PUTTING TRASH IN THE DITCHES.
UM, AND, UM, MANY TIMES WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT, THAT TRASH, UH, HAS.
I THINK ONE OF THE WAY TO SEND A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE TO OUR CITIZENS IS CITY MANAGER, IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A SCHEDULE OF, OF WHEN OUR DITCHES ARE GOING TO BE EXCAVATED AND DUG OUT.
UH, OF COURSE, WE, THE OTHER DAY WHEN IT RAINED, UH, MAN, WE HAD A WHOLE ISSUE WHERE, UM, WE HAD A WHOLE ISSUE WHERE FLOODING WAS HAPPENING VERY RAPIDLY.
WE WERE GETTING PHONE CALLS, SITUATIONS WERE HAPPENING.
BUT I THINK IF WE HAD A SCHEDULE WHERE WE WOULD DIG OUT OUR DITCHES AGAIN AND PUT THAT ON A SCHEDULE, INDIVIDUALS WILL KNOW, WOULD KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS NOT TO PUT TRASH IN THOSE DITCHES, UH, AND TO KEEP THAT OPEN AND, AND SHARE THAT MESSAGE OF WHY THAT HAPPENS AND WHY THAT'S TRANSPIRING.
SO I THINK, UM, I THINK WE, I THINK WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS A SCHEDULE OF, OF THOSE DITCHES BEING DUG OUT AS WE MAKE PREPARATIONS, OF COURSE, ALWAYS GOING FORWARD.
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRASH, BUT I THINK IT DOES SEND THAT MESSAGE TO OUR CITIZENS THAT TRASH OUGHT NOT BE PUT IN THOSE DITCHES.
WE HAVE MS. LANGFORD AT THE BACK THERE, AND MS. ROBERTS, LET'S MAKE A NOTE OF THAT, BECAUSE THE SAME WAY THAT WE COULD PUBLISH THE REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF STREETS ON THE WEBSITE, I THINK WE NEED TO DEVELOP A SCHEDULE AS WELL WHERE WE CAN TELL THE RESIDENTS, WE WILL BE IN YOUR AREA USING THE GRAPPLER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED TO REFORM OR REHA OR REMOVE RESIDUE, UM, UM, UM, IN OUR VARIOUS DITCHES.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE NEED TO DO THAT SO THAT PEOPLE COULD KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE COULD ALSO INFORM THEM OF THE EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT, THE NEED NOT TO CLOG THOSE DITCHES WITH THE TREES AND THE BRANCHES AND THE DEBRIS AND THE TRASH THAT THEY CONTINUALLY PUT ON THE GROUND AS WELL.
THAT'S, THAT'S A SIMPLE, IT'S A SIMP SIMPLE FIX.
I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN THESE SCHEDULES ARE PUT OUT, THAT IT COINCIDES WITH WHATEVER THEIR GARBAGE PICKUP DAY IS.
SO, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOUR GARBAGE PICKUP IS DAY IS ON A MONDAY, THEN YOUR TRASH PICKUP DAY MAY BE EVERY OTHER MONDAY, WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS, SOME CONSISTENCY SO THAT IT DOESN'T CAUSE, UM, CONFUSION TO THE CITIZENS AT ALL REGARDING WHEN THE GARBAGE OR WHEN THE TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP.
BUT THEN ALSO THAT IT, IT'S NOT PUT OUT WHEN YOU DECIDE TO, IT'S PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, 24 HOURS OR 48 HOURS BEFORE YOUR TRASH PICKUP IS SCHEDULED, SO THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING, UM, ADDITIONAL NUISANCE OF TRASH JUST BEING PUT OUT.
AND THERE'S A, AND PROVIDING THAT UNDERSTANDING OF, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A TOILET ON THE SIDE OF YOUR, IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS, OR A COUCH IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE FOR A WEEK BECAUSE IT'S YOUR TRASH DAY.
SO JUST PLEASE INCLUDE, UM, CLARIFICATION WHEN THAT INFORMATION IS PUT OUT ON THE WEBSITE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS COMMENT.
UH, THAT PROBLEM WITH THE TREES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT CAUSED DELAY.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE GO BACK TO THE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT STATES, YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY SUPPOSED TO PUT SO MUCH TRASH OUT TO THE, UH, SIDE OF THE STREET ON DAYS THAT YOU'RE GOING, THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT PICKED UP.
UH, AND, UH, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID, EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE HAVE THIS WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, UH, DIFFERENT FACEBOOK PAGE AND STUFF.
WE NEED TO START PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING IT COMMITTEE TO, UH,
[02:25:01]
GO BACK AND GO OVER OUR CITY ORDINANCES, UH, THE CODES RATHER TO UPDATE 'EM AND STUFF.BUT THE CODES THAT WE HAVE NOW IN EXISTENCE ARE THE MARCH THAT WE SHOULD BE ENFORCING.
WE SHOULDN'T ENFORCE THE CODES.
UH, PEOPLE, UH, CUT TREES AND, AND NOW THAT PUT OTHER TRASH TO THE ROAD, THEY'RE PUTTING THEM IN DITCHES, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DO.
I'M QUITE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS INFORM THEM ON THE WELL PAGE AND THROUGH OTHER METHODS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE TOLERATED.
WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THESE CODES THAT WE ENFORCE, THE CODES THAT WE HAVE.
WE WON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM THAT'S EXISTING, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND INFORMATION OUT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH PRICE YOU CAN PUT TO THE ROAD ON ANY GIVEN PICK DATE.
BECAUSE IF YOU PUT MORE THAN THAT, SAY SOMEBODY CUT A TREE, YOU ALMOST FILL THE TRUCK UP WITH THE TREE, NOW THE TRUCK HAS TO GO TO THE LANDFILL, COME BACK, GET BACK ON THE ROUTE, AND THEN WE GET BEHIND THAT WE CANNOT PICK TRASH UP ON, ON THE DAY THAT WE STAY, THAT WE WILL, WE NEED TO INFORM THEM ON THE WEBSITE OR THROUGH STANDS, BUT LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
WE WON'T BE PICKING UP THE TRASH ON THIS DAY.
WE'LL PICK IT UP ON THAT CASE.
SAME WITH GARBAGE, BECAUSE THE TRASH IS NOT BEING PICKED UP.
SOMETIMES THEY GET BEHIND CITY MANAGER.
YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE ANYTIME WE GET OFF SCHEDULE, AND IF ANYTHING IS WRONG AND WE NEED TO INFORM THE CITIZENS.
MS. BECKHAM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, THE DIRECTOR AND OUR OFFICERS.
UM, ANYTIME THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT THREE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUTTING THINGS IN THE DITCH AND WE'VE GOT CITIZENS COMPLAINING, I CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO DARLENE WHO'S IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, AND USUALLY LATER THAT DAY, THE SITUATION HAS BEEN DEALT WITH.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE, IF THERE'S A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT I ADDRESS WITH THEM, IT IS DEALT WITH VERY, VERY QUICKLY, INEFFICIENTLY.
SO, UM, THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.
THE COMMUNICATION IS DEFINITELY OPEN.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND ACTUALLY THEM BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CITING WHAT NEEDS TO BE CITED.
BUT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS ARE AWARE OF WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND, AND CITE YOU.
OUR INTENT IS NOT TO, UM, TO CITE CITIZENS INITIALLY.
IT IS TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND TAKE CARE OF OUR DITCHES, CULVERTS FOR, UM, COMPLETE WATER FLOW AND FOR BEAUTIFICATION OF OUR CITY.
MR. LEWIS, DO YOU, YOU STILL HAVE A COMMENT, MR. LEWIS? YEAH, CITY, CITY MANAGER.
HOW MANY TRASH TRUCKS WE HAVE THAT'S AVAILABLE.
ANYBODY KNOW THAT? IF NOT, YOU CAN GET IT LATER.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU, WE ARE FULLY STOPPED WITH TRASH TRUCKS, BOTH TRASH AND GARBAGE TRUCKS RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT PART OF IT, UNLESS THERE'S A PANDEMIC OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
UM, WE HAVE GOTTEN ON TRACK WHERE WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUDGET FOR TRASH TRUCKS ON AN AS YOU, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AS WE CONTINUE TO ROTATE OUT THE TRASH TRUCKS THAT HAS OUTLIVED THEIR USEFUL LIFE, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, WHAT OUR ONLY CHALLENGE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAY ON TOP IS THE, UM, MAINTENANCE, THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THOSE TRASH TRUCKS, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT, UM, ANY MAJOR LARGER CURRENCIES.
IN TERMS OF, UM, UM, UM, IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT, I THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER THAT HURDLE AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED.
AND THAT HAS ASSISTED US IN, IN BEING VERY TIMELY IN MAINTAINING OUR ROUTES.
UM, WE HAVE NOW THE ONLY CHALLENGE THOUGH, THE ONLY CHALLENGE THOUGH, UM, IS WITH, UM, OUR STAFF, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A VERY HIGH TURNOVER OF STAFF IN THAT IT'S NOT A PLEASANT JOB.
AND THAT'S WHY AS THE, THE DIRECTOR OF HR INDICATED, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WEED STRUCTURE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PERFUME WHEN PEOPLE COME AND LIFT UP THOSE TOES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IN IT.
IT'S NOT PERFUME OR COLON THAT'S IN IT,
[02:30:01]
IT'S TRASH THAT'S IN IT.AND THESE PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE WAGES THAT WE PAY THEM APART FROM THE ABUSE THAT THEY GET FROM THE PUBLIC.
MY QUESTION IS NOT, DO WE HAVE, I THINK WE HAD NINE OR 10 TRASH TRUCKS, NINE OR 10 GARBAGE TRUCKS.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE IN OPERATION? ROBERT, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? BECAUSE IN THE BACK, BUT I KNOW WE ARE FULLY STOPPED.
WE ARE FULLY STOPPED RIGHT NOW WITH WHATEVER, UM, NUMBER THAT YOU FULLY SELF YES, WE ARE FULLY STOCKED WITH, WITH TRASH TRUCKS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO, TEMAN COUNCIL.
I'M PULLING UP THAT INFORMATION.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOUR QUESTION WAS REGARDING THE NUMBER OF GARBAGE TRUCKS THAT WE HAVE OPERATIONAL.
IS THAT CORRECT? WHEN THE, WE GOT A FULL SET OF, WE UPPED THE STAFF ON OUR GUYS.
IT USED TO BE NINE OR 10, BUT HOW MANY WE HAVE IN OPERATION AND HOW MANY TRASH TRUCKS WE HAVE IN OPERATION, THEY USUALLY RUN NINE OR 10.
SO FOR GARBAGE, WE HAVE 10 AND GARBAGE.
YOU GOT 10, 10 THAT ARE OPERATIONAL.
THAT'S THE, AND THEN YOUR NEXT QUESTION WAS, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH TRUCKS, FIVE.
WHAT IS THE FULLY SAFE? WE GOT FIVE IN OPERATION.
WHAT IS WHEN WE GET UP AND STAY UP, WHAT IS IT? SO IN TRASH? YEAH, TRASH.
WE HAVE, WHEN YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED IT, HOW MANY, HOW MANY? WE HAVE 10 TOTAL, BUT FIVE ARE OPERATIONAL.
YOU HAVE 10 TRASH TRUCKS AND YOU ONLY HAVE FIVE.
SO WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER FIVE? ARE YOU GOING TO THAT FROM HARVEY STORM OR WHAT? THEY'RE IN REPAIR.
AM I ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS? WE LOST, WE, WE LOST QUITE A BIT FROM THAT HARVEY STORM, AND I NOTICED IN, IN BACKGROUND INFORMATION IN SOME OF THESE THINGS, WE, WE ARE STILL REPLACING.
SOME OF THESE TRUCKS THAT ARE DOWN ARE, THE MAINTENANCE HAS GONE, HAS INCREASED, OKAY.
SOME OF THE TRUCKS THAT ARE DOWN ARE FROM, UH, 2017.
WHEN, WHEN, SO THE MAINTENANCE, WHEN THE MAINTENANCE GET TO 30, 30% OR 40% OR 50% ABOVE THAT, THEN YOU START LOOKING AT REPLACING OR WHAT? YES, SIR.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE DEPRECIATED VALUE, RIGHT.
SO ONCE WE REACH THAT POINT WHERE THE DEPRECIATED VALUE IS EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING SPENDING ON THE TRUCK, THEN WE'RE RECOMMENDING IT FOR REPLACEMENT.
YOU SAID 2017 THAT WE STILL HAVE TRUCKS.
WE STILL HAVE SOME TRUCKS THAT WERE FLOODED IN 2017.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE REPLACED? I THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE MOST OF THEM, WE'RE RECYCLING THEM OUT.
WE'RE CYCLING OUT, CYCLING THEM OUT.
BUT OF COURSE, WE CAN'T REPLACE AN ENTIRE FLEET, YES.
BUT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE HAD MORE THAN FIVE THAT ARE OPERATIONAL.
UH, THIS WAS AS THE, AS OF THE LAST REPORT THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE GARAGE, WHICH WAS, UM, THIS ONE WAS DATED, UH, MAY 15TH, EXCUSE ME,
SO I'LL RECEIVE AN UPDATED, UM, REPORT TOMORROW, CITY MANAGER, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE TRUCKS FOR MORE OPERATIONS.
UH, MS. ROBERTS WILL PREPARE A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT FOR COUNCIL.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO PUT MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.
WELL, LET'S PUT IT IN WRITING.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion Regarding Initiating A Review And Amendment Of Article I., Chapter 106, Section 106-7 (A) And (C) As It Pertains To Designated Streets Upon Which Commercial Vehicles Exceeding 10,000 Pounds May Be Prohibited From Operating On And The Enforcement. (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw) ]
NUMBER TWO, A DISCUSSION REGARDING INITIATING A REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE ONE, CHAPTER 1 0 6, SECTION 1 0 6 DASH SEVEN A AND C AS IT PERTAINS TO DESIGNATED STREETS UPON WHICH COMMERCIAL VEHICLES EXCEEDING 10,000 POUNDS MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM OPERATING ON, AND THE ENFORCEMENT REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.THIS? YES, SIR, THIS LEADS ME, UH, THIS LEADS ME RIGHT INTO WHAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER WITH THE PREVIOUS, UH, UH, DISCUSSION
[02:35:01]
ABOUT UPDATING THE ORDINANCE.UH, THIS HAS BEEN, AND, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, CITY SECRETARY, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS, I DIDN'T GET THE DATE, BUT I KNOW YOU DID YOUR RESEARCH WHEN I CALLED YOU ABOUT THIS.
HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN ON THE BOOKS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY WE CAN START ENFORCING AND ASSURE TO CITIZENS? I'M GONNA HAVE TO DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I DID FIND OUT SOME MORE INFORMATION SINCE WE SPOKE.
HE WAS TELLING ME THAT A REVISION HAD BEEN DONE UNDER PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF.
CITY MANAGER, BEFORE I START ELABORATING, AND I'M GONNA ASK, UM, NO, UM, LEMME SHARE WITH YOU.
I THINK, UM, THE LAST CITY MANAGER WAS MR. MCDOUGALL WHEN HE WAS THERE.
HE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND, UM, RON ASINO WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AT THE TIME.
AND BILL MCCOY, BILL MCCOY, I THINK WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER WHEN THEY DID SOME WORK ON THE DESIGNATED ROUTES.
UM, I THINK AT THAT TIME, UM, WE HEARD, I'M JUST GOING OFF FROM MEMORY, WE HAD, UM, PROCTOR STREET BEING ADDED TO IT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE ROUTES.
UM, BUT I'VE, I'VE, FROM THEM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD ANY COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ROUTES, UM, THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UM, SOME INPUT FROM TEXT DOT, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UM, SOME INPUT FROM OUR, OUR, UM, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
WELL, UH, THE WAY YOU WANT, YOU KNOW.
I'M GONNA ASK LIEUTENANT SIGLEY, IF YOU WAS, COME UP WHILE HE'S COMING UP.
UHHUH, THE THING THAT I'M KINDA SO, UH, IMPERATIVE AND, AND PASSIONATE ABOUT, WE'VE BEEN SPENDING, UH, MONIES ON STREETS EVERY YEAR.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ACCOMMODATE AND, AND REPORT STREETS THAT WE NEED TO REHAB.
UH, UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE SPEND IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS $50 MILLION, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS NEVER DONE BEFORE.
UH, WE ALSO WANTED TO GET WITH TDOT, I BOUGHT THIS SAME THING UP MAYBE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A TRUCK ROUTE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PEPSI TRUCKS COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, TO THE GROCERY STORES.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT COKE TRUCKS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HOME CONSTRUCTION.
WHEN THEY'RE BRINGING MATERIALS TO THE HOUSES THAT'S GONNA BE BUILT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE TRUCKS THAT ARE CUTTING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, MESSING UP THESE STREETS, AND THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY FOR 'EM.
AND WE KNOW, I'VE BEEN GETTING PICTURES, COUNCILMAN FRANK HAS BEEN GETTING PICTURES OF TRUCKS THAT ARE GOING TO EITHER TO THE PORT OR TO REFINERIES, TAN UP THE STREETS, TAN UP SIGNS.
I'VE TALKED WITH LIEUTENANT SIEGEL BEFORE ABOUT WHEN THEY TOW THE, THE, THE, I MEAN, THEY TORE DOWN THE DOGGONE LIGHT FIXTURES AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION THAT WE HAD TO REPAIR.
LET'S START PUTTING THE PRESSURE BACK ON THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES THAT'S GONNA USE OUR STREET TO CUT THROUGH OUR STREETS, AND WE HAVE TO, UH, ENFORCE THIS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO I, I'VE ASKED LIEUTENANT SINGER TO COME UP, AND I JUST WANT SOME OPTIONS.
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO, UH, WHEN WE KNOW TRUCKS LIKE THAT ARE HEAVY WHEEL AXLE TRUCKS, THEY'RE COMING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT READY FOR OUR STREETS, TEAR OUR STREETS UP.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT TO ENFORCE THESE? GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THE BEST I CAN TELL YOU IS IT, I WAS CAUGHT BLINDSIDED, SO I WASN'T REALLY PREPARED.
ALTHOUGH, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE STREETS THAT ARE WE KNOW OF, I THINK THAT YOU REFERENCED WHEN WE SPOKE 19TH STREET, WHICH IS A DESIGNATED TRUCK ROUTE, WEST SEVENTH, WHICH IS A DESIGNATED TRUCK ROUTE.
CAN YOU COME A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC, PLEASE, SIR? OH, I'M SORRY.
THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, THE ENFORCEMENT FOR THOSE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE, REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE, HAVE TO BE CAUGHT.
UH, WE HAVE TO BE PHYSICALLY BE THERE AND AVAILABLE TO SEE THE ACTIONS TAKE PLACE.
IE YOU'RE GONNA GO FROM GULF WAY TO THOMAS, AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE ONE OF THE AVENUES.
THAT'S JUST NOT, WE, WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO CATCH 'EM.
UH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT MAY BE A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE.
YES, WE CAN ADDRESS THE COMPANY.
THE DIFFICULTY IS FINDING THE OFFENDING DRIVER.
AND UNLESS THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM A CITIZEN WHO IS COMPLAINING TRUCK NUMBER AND TRY TO BACKTRACK TO SEE WHO ACTUAL THE DRIVER WAS, UH, UH, OUR STAFFING DOESN'T NECESSARILY PERMIT THE AVAILABILITY OF HAVING INDIVIDUAL LOOKING SPECIFICALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THOSE INFRACTIONS, IF THEY HAPPEN TO ENCOUNTER 'EM.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE AWARE OF WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS, THEY,
[02:40:01]
THEY SHOULD, AND HOPEFULLY DO ADDRESS THEM.UH, WELL, LET, LEMME ASK YOU THIS, WHY YOU'RE THINKING, UH, LT, WHAT ABOUT ESTABLISHING A, A TRUCK ROUTE, A HEAVY AXLE TRUCK, TRUCK ROUTE AROUND THE CITY LIMITS? UH, UNLESS YOU ARE DELIVERING, OR UNLESS YOU'RE DELIVERING PRODUCTS TO A HOME, WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY DO TO ENSURE THAT THE DAMAGE THAT WE SEEING ON OUR STREETS, THAT THE CITIZENS ARE OCCURRING? THE, THE COST.
WHAT, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT OUR STREETS ARE NOT RATED FOR 10, WHAT IS IT? 10,000 POUNDS.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A FULLY LOADED FUEL TRUCK THAT'S COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PEOPLE ARE SENDING PHOTOS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IE COUNCILMAN FRANK AND MYSELF, AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH PHOTOS OR JUST CAUSE, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING THAT'S MORE CRITICAL AND HARD, WHAT WE ARE DOING, BECAUSE OUR STREETS ARE MESSED UP.
WE'D BE HEARING IT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ALL THE TIME.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO ON OUR SIDE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERY LITTLE THING WE CAN DO TO NOT PUT THE COSTS ON THE CITIZENS? THERE IS AN ORDINANCE, BUT I, I'M, AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE IT IS THAT PREVENTS ANY HEAVY VEHICLES ENTERING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS UNLESS THEY HAVE POINT A TO POINT B OR A NECESSITY TO BE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
THE CUT THROUGHS, AGAIN, IT NEEDS TO BE, WE HAVE TO CATCH THEM.
UH, THE BEST THAT I CAN SUGGEST IS POTENTIALLY CREATE SOME TYPE OF A, A LISTING OF WHERE THESE MAJOR FRACTURES ARE OCCURRING.
NOW, I KNOW WE HAD SOME ISSUES IN PORT ACRES WHERE THEY WERE USING JADE AS A CUT THROUGH BETWEEN 73 AND 365, AND WE WERE ABLE, WE ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS THEM THE BEST WE COULD AS OUR PERSONNEL ALLOWED.
WELL, IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO GET WITH YOU, UH, LT ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND SOME OF YOUR, UH, MAYBE THE CHIEF TO FIND OUT IF WE CAN CONTACT THE COMPANIES AND LET THEM KNOW.
WE'RE GONNA HOPEFULLY ESTABLISH A TRUCK ROUTE BECAUSE WE CAN CARRY ACROSS WHEN YOUR TRUCKS IS TEARING DOWN, OUR TRAFFIC LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO REPAIR.
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE THINGS WITH THE UPDATED ORDINANCE.
UH, COMMITTEE AGAIN, THANK YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR STREETS AND BIG TRUCKS, WEST SEVENTH STREET IS BEING COMPLETELY TORN UP.
A LOT OF VEHICLE, LOT OF 18 WHEELS ARE GOING TO THE PORT.
YOU, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GET WITH, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PORT.
ONCE THEY PUT THAT FLY OVER IN PLACE, THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OF THOSE, UH, BIG TRUCKS COME DOWN SEVENTH STREET.
BUT THAT HAS TO, IT NEED TO BE AN INDUSTRIAL BASE ON WEST SEVENTH STREET FROM LINCOLN TO MLK.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S IN BAD SHAPE BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER DID NOT INSTRUCTED PEOPLE TO TAKE, TAKE ALL OF THAT OLD SOFT STUFF OUT AND GET DOWN TO THE CLAY AND PUT AN INDUSTRIAL BASE IN THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE STILL HAVING TROUBLE.
BUT I TALKED TO THE, THE MR. KELLY, AND, UH, THAT'S MONEY, OR THAT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, SO WE CAN PUT AN INDUSTRIAL BASE STREET ON WEST SEVENTH STREET.
SO I APPRECIATE IF YOU GET WITH THEM ON THAT.
[III.F.(3) A Discussion Regarding Drainage Issues At Rice Farm Road And Surrounding Area Coming From Willow Place Townhomes (Requested By Councilmember Beckcom) ]
ALL RIGHT, NUMBER THREE, A DISCUSSION REGARDING DRAINAGE ISSUES AT RICE FARM ROAD AND SURROUNDING AREA.COMING FROM WILLOW PLACE TOWN HOMES REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM, MS. BECKHAM.
THIS IS FOR MR. CANTELLA, AND I BELIEVE DR.
AND LINDSEY, I EMAILED YOU A COUPLE OF PICTURES EARLIER.
IF YOU, IF YOU GOT THOSE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PULL 'EM UP.
YOU, SO, AFTER THE RAIN EVENT THAT WE HAD, UH, BACK BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY, UH, THERE WAS ONE RAIN EVENT ON MAY THE NINTH.
THERE WAS ANOTHER ON MAY THE 11TH.
UM, A CONCERNED CITIZEN THAT LIVES IN MY DISTRICT AND SPECIFICALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, SENT ME SOME PICTURES OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, THAT'S BEHIND THE WILLOW PLACE TOWN HOMES, AND IT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY, UH, TO, I BELIEVE THAT'S WILLOW WOOD LANE.
THAT GOES BACK TO THE, THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BACK THERE.
AND ASIDE FROM HURRICANE HARVEY, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS AREA FLOODED AS BAD AS IT WAS THAT DAY.
UH, THE DITCHES WERE JUST COMPLETELY FULL.
THE WATER WENT COMPLETELY ACROSS THE GRASS, UH, UH, RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, AND THE RESIDENTS WERE USING THIS RIGHT OF WAY THAT DAY TO AVOID THE FLOODING THAT WAS ON JIMMY JOHNSON.
WILLOW WOOD LANE WAS ALSO FLOODED MORE THAN I'VE EVER SEEN SINCE HURRICANE HARVEY.
UH, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF CARS THAT WENT OFF IN THE DITCH, UH, ON THE EAST, EAST SIDE OF, OF WILLOW WOOD LANE.
[02:45:01]
UM, AND I WAS TOLD, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THE RIGHT OF WAY BEHIND THE, THE TOWN HOMES, UH, A CAR WENT OFF IN THAT DITCH AS WELL.UM, THE CITY MANAGER GAVE ME SOME INFORMATION BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, I'D LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPER OF THE WILL, THE WILLOW WOOD TOWN HOMES, UH, IN REGARDS TO HIS, UM, RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE DRAINAGE ISSUE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT HIM GETTING WITH DRAINAGE DISTRICT SEVEN TO DO SOMETHING TO ALLEVIATE THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM HERE, UH, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE EVER SINCE THAT CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
WELL, UH, COUNCILMAN, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, I'M SORRY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A LONG ONGOING, UH, PROBLEM OUT THERE.
WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT WENT IN, IT DID INCREASE THE FLOWS INTO THAT DITCH.
WE'VE QUANTIFIED THAT AND WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE ALLOWANCES FOR A NEW PROJECT, A NEW DRAINAGE PROJECT TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. UM, IN NOVEMBER, THE COUNCIL AGREED TO HIRE, UH, SOUTH TECH ENGINEERS.
WE, THEY'VE STARTED THEIR WORK, THEIR PLANS ARE COMPLETE.
WE ARE ABOUT READY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT.
UM, IT WILL TAKE THE WATER OFF OF RICE FARM ROAD BACK TO JIMMY JOHNSON, UNDER JIMMY JOHNSON INTO THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT SYSTEM.
UM, WE MET WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND WE'VE, UH, FORMULATED AN INTERLOCAL PROJECT WHERE WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT IF IT, IF COUNCIL AGREES TO THIS, THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THE LABOR TO BUILD THE DITCH, AND THE CITY WILL, UM, PROVIDE THE MATERIALS AND THE EQUIPMENT, NOT NECESSARILY OUR EQUIPMENT, BUT WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE THAT MONIES TO HAVE THEM BUILD THE DITCH.
UM, WE ARE GONNA LET A PROJECT TO INCREASE THE FLOW UNDER JIMMY JOHNSON, THAT THOSE, THOSE PLANS ARE READY.
SO WE'LL BE GOING OUT FOR BIDS ON THAT SHORTLY HERE.
THERE'S THREE OBSTACLES, I GUESS, THAT I SEE IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW TO GETTING THIS PROJECT IMPLEMENTED.
UH, THERE'S A WATERLINE, A 12 INCH WATERLINE THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED.
UH, WE NEED A 20 FOOT EASEMENT FROM THE CHURCH TO WIDEN THE STITCH.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO THE PASTOR THERE.
AND THEN ALSO THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS EVER DONE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO PARTNER ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO EVERYTHING IN THE CITY.
AND NUMBER TWO, THEY'RE THE EXPERTS ON DRAINAGE.
AND SO IT JUST MAKES GOOD SENSE TO, UH, IN INCLUDE THEM IN THESE PROJECTS.
AND, AND THEY'RE VERY RECEPTIVE TO HELPING US ON THIS ONE.
SO I THINK IT'LL WORK OUT GOOD.
DOES THE DEVELOPER OF THE TOWN HOME COMPLEX HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY HERE? THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, THAT GOES BACK TO WHEN THIS TOWN HOME WENT IN.
DD SIX HAD IMPLEMENTED SOME DETENTION REQUIREMENTS AFTER THE FACT THAT AFTER THEY HAD STARTED THEIR DEVELOPMENT, SO WE DID NOT INCLUDE ANY DETENTION IN THAT FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT.
AND SO, JUST TO KIND OF QUANTIFY IT, DON'T HOLD ME TO THESE NUMBERS, BUT GENERALLY THE OUTFALL OF THIS DITCH IS ABOUT 200 CFS CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
THEIR DEVELOPMENT ADDED ABOUT 20 TO 30 CFS TO THE OVERALL DITCH THAT'S THERE.
UM, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S KIND OF IN THIS SAME AREA IS THAT THE INTERSECTION OF BRAUS AND RICE FARM, THERE ARE TWO NEW STORM DRAINS.
I SAY NEW, THEY WERE PUT IN SOMETIME AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY.
ANYTIME WE HAVE EVEN THE LEAST A BIT OF RAIN, THOSE STORM DRAINS JUST, THEY, THEY BUBBLE UP WITH ALL KINDS OF WHATEVER HAPPENS TO BE IN THERE.
IT WAS BEFORE THIS PARTICULAR RAIN EVENT IN MAY.
AND I, I BELIEVE I SENT THOSE AROUND TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED TOO, JUST TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? YES.
WELL, WHEN THIS RAIN EVENT HAPPENED BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND, IT WAS EVEN WORSE.
SO, I, I, I'VE HEARD, I I WASN'T ABLE TO QUANTIFY IT.
WE GOT ABOUT THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN ABOUT AN HOUR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT AREA EXPERIENCED THAT MUCH RAIN, BUT, UH, IT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
AND SO A LOT OF THOSE DITCHES WERE FILLED IN WITH SUBSTANDARD, SMALLER CULVERTS.
NOW, WHETHER WE TAKE THAT ON AS A PROJECT OR NOT, IT'S NOT IN THE PLANS RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT AREA, THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT POINTED IT OUT ALONG BRAZOS AND, UH, BACK TO THE HIGHWAY DOES HOLD WATER, RIGHT? YES.
THE LEAST RAIN EVENT WILL, WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
[02:50:01]
SPOKE BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT THE BARRICADE THAT'S BEEN DAMAGED AT THE END OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY.DO WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO SECURE THAT FOR US? YES.
I SPOKE TO THE ASSISTANT, THE MANAGER ABOUT IT, AND SHE HAD TO GET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THE WEEK IS UP OR BEFORE THE DAYS UP, WE, WE TAKE CARE OF THAT.
I WENT OUT THERE MYSELF AND I LOOKED AT THAT, UM, WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAINAGE PART OF IT, JOHN, I DON'T THINK I'VE SHARED THAT WITH YOU AS YET, BUT I HAD ALAN SIMS COME OUT THERE THOSE VERY SAME DAYS WHILST IT WAS RAINING AND WE DROVE AROUND THE AREA AND, UM, BECKHAM IS RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THE DELUGE OUT THERE WAS HEAVY MM-HMM.
ALMOST TO THE MAN'S FLOOR AGAIN.
AND I ASKED, UM, OUR ENGINEER AT CELTICS WHILST IT WAS RAINING TO COME OUT THERE SO THAT HE HAS AN EYE VIEW AS TO WHERE THAT WATER WAS AT THE POINT IN TIME.
YES, HE DID COME OUT AND HE DID LOOK AT IT.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE FIELD KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WOULD HAVE.
SO AS HE CONTINUES TO DESIGN THE RISE FARM ROAD TO TAKE WATER AND BREAK IT, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE IT TO, UM, UM, UM, TWIN CITY.
AND BACK SOME OF IT BACK TO RISE FARM ROAD SO THAT WE COULD GET IT OFF, UM, UNDERNEATH JIMMY JOHNSON AND INTO THE OUTFALL, UM, FOR DD SEVEN, I THINK THAT WOULD SERVE AS WELL.
I THINK WE STILL NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION THOUGH ABOUT THE PROPERTY AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH.
SO APART FROM THE EASEMENTS, LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, WE COULD NEGOTIATE, UM, OR WORK WITH THE CHURCH TO SEE HOW WE RESOLVE THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, THE PROPERTIES KID LIKES TO USE THE VALUE OF PROPERTIES IN THAT DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, TO PRESERVE IT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
WELL, AND THE, THE OTHER ISSUE, AND, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO SOLVE THIS, IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE TOWN HOMES AND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEY'RE LOCKED IN WHEN JIMMY JOHNSON FLOODS.
BECAUSE WILLOW WOOD FLOODS JIMMY JOHNSON FLOODS.
AND I MEAN, I FEEL SORRY THAT THEY HAD TO BUST THROUGH THIS BARRICADE TO GET OUTTA THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THAT REALLY WAS THE ONLY, THE ONLY OPTION FOR 'EM.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS TO THAT.
WHILE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM, THEY'RE STILL GONNA GET FLOODED IN.
UN UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DRIVE TO THE WILLOWS APARTMENTS WAS NOT CONSTRUCTED AS A CITY STREET.
IT WAS, IT WAS A DRIVEWAY, BASICALLY.
AND SO IT'S LOW AND IT FLOODS, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT WATER OFF OF THAT PROPERTY, BUT THE ELEVATION IS A PROBLEM.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DESIGN A FLOOD PROJECT FOR THE CITY, WE DESIGNED FOR A 25 YEAR STORM.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A STORM OUT THERE THAT'S GONNA INUNDATE THESE STREETS, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'LL REMAIN PASSABLE.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT I WAS REFERRING TO.
THAT'S A NEW EXTENSION TO, UM, THE STREET OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THAT'S THE EXTENSION TO RISE FARM ROAD, WHERE WE HAVE THE GATE, YOU SEE WHERE THE GATE WAS BUSTED OPEN.
WELL, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN THE, THE WAY WILLOW WOOD IS RIGHT THERE.
IT'S AT THE END, TOWARDS THE END.
AND IF YOU COME BACK THIS WAY, IT'S RICE BARN.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE MEANTIME TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF ON BO WELL, ON ONE SIDE, UM, THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT HAD GREETED IT ON THE, ON THE, ON THE LEFT SIDE.
SO ON THE RIGHT SIDE, IT'S VERY MUCH COMPROMISED BY SLUDGE.
AND SO I'VE ASKED BRAD, AND IT'S OVERGROWN.
AND IF YOU RIDE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, THE LADY AT THE CORNER OF THERE WITH THE, THE HOUSE YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THE WATER FLOWS ALL THE WAY INTO HER YARD, YOU KNOW, SEE THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT SHOWS IT AFTER THE WATER STARTED TO REC RECEIVE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, IT'S JUST THAT DITCH IS COMPLETELY OCCLUDED.
SO WE NEED TO, I THINK I, YES, BUT BRAD, BRAD WAS OUT THERE ON THURSDAY, LAST WEEK.
AND THEN, SO WHEN, WHEN OUR PROJECT IS FINISHED, THIS STREET, THIS ROAD RIGHT AWAY, YOU SEE WILL BE A DITCH.
SO THAT WHOLE THING WILL BE A DITCH.
THE WHOLE THING WILL BE THE DITCH, AND IT'LL BE SIX FOOT BOTTOM, TWO TO ONE SIDE SLOPES.
A DRAINAGE DISTRICT DITCH THAT'LL HOLD A LOT OF WATER.
AND NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE UP AND DOWN IT.
I KNOW THAT WAS A PROBLEM ALSO WITH THE GATE BEING BREACHED, BUT, UH, IT, IT WILL HELP A LOT.
WE'VE ALSO PLANNED FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
[02:55:01]
RIGHT OF THIS PICTURE WHERE THE WILLOW'S APARTMENTS.TOME, WE, WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT WE'RE DOING ALL THIS DESIGN AND PLANNING AND WHEN IS IT GONNA GET IMPLEMENTED AND TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS, OUR ORIGINAL REQUEST FROM DD SEVEN WAS THEY'RE GONNA CONCRETE THAT DITCH AFTER THE SERIES CONTRACTOR CUT IT AND, UH, GET IT READY FOR CONCRETE.
YESTERDAY, DD SEVEN, WE ONLY HAD TO ASK ONCE AGREED THEY'RE GONNA CUT THAT DITCH AND THEY ARE GONNA REALIGN IT WITH CONCRETE WITHOUT US HAVING TO CONTRACT IT OUT.
AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO IS WE'RE PLANNING ON, HOPEFULLY BRING YOU THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT NEXT MEETING.
SO WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THAT, THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY START ON THE DITCH IN THE AREA THAT DOESN'T NEED THE EASEMENT WHILE WE GET THE EASEMENT.
AND THE SECOND THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS IS WE HAVE A BOTTLENECK EDGE, JIMMY JOHNSON.
THOSE BOXES NEED TO BE UP SIZED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO WAYS TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH A THREE MONTHS BIDDING PROCESS.
SO IF WE CAN GET THOSE TWO THINGS TO START ON A SHORTER, UH, TIMELINE, WE WILL BE EXPEDITING THE SOLUTION FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS OUT THERE.
[III.F.(4) A Discussion And Possible Action Regarding Appointment Of A Parliamentarian For Regular Council Meetings (Requested By Councilmember Doucet) ]
MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION RE I APOLOGIZE, YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING, UM, THAT WAS OH, YEAH, WE CAN ROLL NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF A PARLIAMENTARIAN FOR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.THE REASON I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IS A LOT OF TIMES WE GET CAUGHT UP WITH PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.
ALSO, WE HAVE, UH, COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT, UH, RELATED TO THE ISSUE THAT WE ARE CAUGHT ON THE VOTE ON.
SO I FEEL THAT WE HAVE A, UH, PARLIAMENTARY PARLIAMENT TERRA AT OUR MEETINGS, NOT JUST OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
IF WE DO IT FOR A YEAR OR SIX MONTHS, IT'D HAVE US GO THROUGH THE MEETINGS A LITTLE FASTER RATHER THAN QUESTIONING WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE THIS PROCEDURE, UH, THIS IS CORRECT, OR WHAT LAW RULES WAS SAYS.
LET'S JUST HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN IN END.
AND THEN THE PARLIAMENTARIAN CAN KEEP US ONCOURSE ON TOPIC AND ALSO RULE ON ANY POINT OF ORDER.
UH, IF WE HAVE ANY DISAGREEMENTS, I THINK IT'D BE A SMOOTH SAILING BECAUSE A LOT OF, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, THEY HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SENATE, THE US SENATE, UH, THE US REPRESENTATIVE, STATE AND LOCAL, THEY ALL HAVE A PROBLEM, MATERIALS TO, UH, KEEP WITH PROCEDURES.
SO I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL, UH, DIRECT THE MANAGER, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A PART MATERIAL CONTRACTED TO, UH, ATTEND OUR MEETINGS.
AND, UH, ONCE OUR METERS GET GOING, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT WATER RULES OF WATER AND THE, UH, DECORUM AND EVERYTHING, THEN WE COULD THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT HAPPEN ONCE.
BUT NOW THINKING WE HAVE, WHEN OUR METERS GO A LITTLE FASTER, A LITTLE SMOOTH.
SO I LIKE, UH, I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AFTER ANYBODY WHO HAVE COMMENTS, COMMENT, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT COUNCIL HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION.
'CAUSE IF COUNCIL IS NOT IN FAVOR OF IT, AND I WON'T MAKE THE MOTION.
UM, COUNCIL MEDU SAID, I AGREE THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD CONTRACT IT OUT TO SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TAKE IN OUR OWN HANDS.
IF WE WANNA NOMINATE, UH, HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S ON THIS COUNCIL TO BE THAT PERSON, I'LL BE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
BUT WE, THE THING THAT I FEEL THAT, UH, SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE IN THESE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE TO RESPECT EACH OTHER.
SO, UM, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE DIFFERENCE OF, UH, OPINIONS, SO TO ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE TO COME IN, UH, AND WE CONTRACT THAT PERSON FOR SIX MONTHS OR TWO A YEAR, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A COST SAVING THING THAT WE SHOULD DO ON THIS COUNCIL.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO CONCENTRATE
[03:00:01]
ON, WE ALL GOT ROBERT RULES OF ORDER BOOKS HERE.I MADE SURE THAT WHEN, UH, WHEN, UH, WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL AND ENSURE THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THAT.
WE JUST HAVE TO READ AND BE RESPECTFUL, UH, TO EACH OTHER AND, AND HOPE THAT, UH, THE PERSON THAT'S PRESIDING OVER THIS MEETING, UH, AND IF HE'S NOT THE ONE TO DO THAT, UH, SOMEONE THAT'S THE PARLIAMENTARIAN THAT'S ON THE COUNCIL APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL, UH, COULD BE THE ONE THAT DICTATES, UH, UH, UH, WHAT ACTUALLY SHOULD GOES ON THE RULES.
SO ACTUALLY GETTING SOMEONE TO COME IN AND DO THAT, I WOULDN'T BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE, BUT I AGREE THAT WE DO NEED SOME ASSISTANCE IN THAT REGARD.
UM, WHETHER IT BE ONE OF US ON COUNCIL OR SOMEONE FROM THE, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
JUST, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, IF ANYONE, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE WITH Y'ALL.
WE DON'T NEED NOBODY OUTSIDE COMING HERE.
UM, BRIEFLY, IF, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH, UM, PARLIAMENT PROCEDURE, ANYBODY HERE CAN GOOGLE IT AND, AND IT, IT POPS UP WHO'S RIGHT OR WHO'S WRONG, YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROPER, SEE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE MANUAL OF THE BOOK.
AND, AND, AND MAYOR PROTE, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE WAY YOU'RE HANDLING THE MEETING TODAY.
IT'S FREE OF RANTING AND FREE OF INTERFERING WITH, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SPEAKING.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
MR. FRANK, UH, I AGREE AND CONCUR WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED AN OUTSIDE INDIVIDUAL.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE SURE, UM, THAT WHEN WE COME TO THOSE POINTS IN TIMES WHERE THERE MAY BE A DISAGREEMENT OF PARLIAMENT PROCEDURE, AS COUNCILMAN LEWIS SAID, WE CAN FIND OUT, WE CAN GET THE ANSWER AND THEN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, MR. DU SAID, I AGREED THAT YES, WE DO.
I DO AGREE THAT WE DO NEED, UM, ASSISTANCE WITH ORDER DURING OUR, OUR MEETINGS.
IT IS WILL HELP US WITH EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR TIME, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO HELP US MANAGE OUR OWN EMOTIONAL STATUS WHEN WE ARE RESPONDING TO EACH OTHER.
ALSO, TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, I DO AGREE THAT SOMEONE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO HELP KEEP US IN ORDER.
BUT AGAIN, THAT IS OUR STAFF AND WE WOULD NEED TO RESPECT THE, UM, THE JOB THAT WE WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM TO HELP US MANAGE OURSELVES.
SO WHETHER IT'S FOR 90 DAYS, WHETHER IT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, I AM DEFINITELY OPEN TO US HAVING SOME TYPE OF SOMEONE IN TO HELP US KEEP ORDER.
BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, LET'S START WITH POSSIBLY 90 DAYS.
MR. FRANK, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ETT SERVE AS A PARLIAMENTARIAN FOR 90 DAYS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, SEEK TO DO THIS.
DO YOU ACCEPT MR. ETT SECOND? I SURE WILL.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND I THINK THAT A, A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE FOR MR. DOUCETTE TO, UM, BE OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN.
WE DID NOT SAY A FOR HOW LONG? 90.
UM, MOVED BY MR. FRANK, SECONDED BY MS. BECKHAM DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE ALREADY HAD OUR DISCUSSION.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER) ]
ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER PURSUANT TO 5 5 1 0.0415.THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAY MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS, OR CONDOLENCE.
TWO, INFORMATION REGARDING HOLIDAY SCHEDULES.
THREE, AN HONORARY OR SALUTARY RECOGNITION OF A PUBLIC, OFFICIAL PUBLIC EMPLOYEE, OR OTHER CITIZEN, EXCEPT THAT A DISCUSSION REGARDING A CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF A PERSON'S PUBLIC OFFICE OR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT IS NOT AN HONORARY OR SALUTARY RECOGNITION FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
NUMBER FOUR, A REMINDER ABOUT AN UPCOMING EVENT ORGANIZED OR SPONSORED BY THE GOVERNING BODY.
FIVE, INFORMATION REGARDING A SOCIAL, CEREMONIAL OR COMMUNITY EVENT ORGANIZED OR SPONSORED BY AN ENTITY OTHER THAN THE GOVERNING BODY THAT WAS ATTENDED, OR IS SCHEDULED TO BE ATTENDED BY A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY, OR AN OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEE OF THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
AND SIX ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING AN IMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH
[03:05:01]
AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THAT HAS ARISEN AFTER THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA.POSSIBLE ACTION MAY NOT BE DISCUSSED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS REPORT.
UM, MS. BECKHAM, I JUST WANTED TO REPORT ON, UH, NUMBER FIVE, THE OTAKU FOOD FESTIVAL THAT HAPPENED OVER MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND.
UM, DESPITE THE HORRIBLE WEATHER THAT KIND OF TOOK IT OUT ON MOTHER'S DAY, IT WAS A VERY WELL ATTENDED EVENT.
AND, UH, I SPOKE TO VINCENT OTA AFTER THE, UH, EVENT, UH, HAD TO KIND OF DISBAND BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, AND HE ENSURED ME THAT THEY WILL BE BACK.
ALTHOUGH THEY'VE DECIDED NOT TO COME BACK DURING THE SUMMER, THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK IN THE FALL.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT, WHAT FESTIVAL, I THINK IT'S THE, MAYBE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.
IT'S ANOTHER FESTIVAL THAT THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK FOR IN THE FALL.
UH, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEATHER EVENTS THAT WE TEND TO HAVE DURING THE SUMMER, SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK UNTIL THEN.
UM, THE, WE HAVE, WE HAD THE VERY SAD PASSING OF A MEMBER OF STAFF, A VERY YOUNG MEMBER OF STAFF IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH MS. SHADI, A MOTHER OF FIVE.
AND, UM, IT HAD A VERY TRAUMATIC EFFECT ON THE STAFF MEMBERS, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THAT HOW WE WERE ABLE TO BURY THE YOUNG LADY ON SUNDAY.
AND, UM, WE JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MS. SUNITA DIXON LOCKETT, UM, WHO LEFT US, UM, A VERY JOVIAL PERSON.
I WAS ABLE TO SEND OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT TEAM TO PROVIDE COUNSELING TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF STAFF BECAUSE IT WAS SUDDEN SHE WAS PREGNANT AND SHE WAS WITH CHILD.
AND, UM, LUCKILY THE BABY WAS SAVED PREMATURELY, BUT, UM, JUST REMEMBER HER AND THE YOUNG KIDS THAT SHE LEFT BEHIND.
UM, WE ALL SEND OUR CONDOLENCES.
UM, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS, MAY STILL MAY A COUPLE OF MORE DAYS, AND THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT MAY HAVE SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND JUST A REMINDER THAT GOD HAS MADE US PERFECTLY COMPLEX, EACH OF US DIFFERENTLY.
SO PLEASE, UM, IF YOU NEED HELP, SEEK HELP.
IF YOU SEE SOMEONE THAT NEEDS HELP, PLEASE OFFER THAT OR GET THEM TO SOMEONE THAT CAN, AGAIN, MAY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
REAL QUICK ON ANOTHER NOTE, UM, THERE IS A GENTLEMAN WHO'S FROM PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S CALLED MR. GARY BROWN, AND HE APPEARS ON 1 0 2 0.1.
AND THOSE OF US, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO LISTEN TO THIS GENTLEMAN EVERY MORNING.
IT WAS FIRST THAT TOM JOINED THE MONEY SHOW, AND NOW IT'S THE RICKY SMILEY SHOW.
BUT IF YOU LISTEN, ANY OF YOU LISTEN TO HIM THIS MORNING, MR. HAYES, THAT'S JIM'S WRONG BROTHER, RIGHT? OH, IF YOU LISTEN TO HIM THIS MORNING, HE WENT AT A TANGENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS MAN IS BEING HEARD BY MILLIONS, TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS EVERY MORNING.
AND HE WANTS, HE, HE'S A SON OF THE SOIL, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AS HE SO ELOQUENTLY STATED THIS MORNING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE MR. HAYES, YOU KNOW, FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO HUMOR, WHICH SERVES AS A FORM OF THERAPY WHEN YOU DRIVE TO WORK FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD AND YOU LEFT THE HOUSE IN A BAD MOOD, YOU CERTAINLY GET TO WORK IN A GOOD MOOD BY THE TIME YOU'RE THROUGH LISTENING TO HIM.
WHETHER HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS COLLECTION OF, UM, SEVERAL INVENTIONS THAT HE HAVE DONE, OR WHETHER HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AS WENDY'S, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HILARIOUS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HE ADDS HUMOR TO DRIVING INTO WORK IN THE MORNING AND MORE PARTICULARLY, SO THIS MAN IS FROM PORT ARTHUR AND HE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, THE MAYOR NEEDS TO GIVE HIM A KEY TO THE CITY.
SO MR. HAYS, WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND IF YOU LISTEN, I BROUGHT YOUR MESSAGE.
I KNOW HE'S LISTENING TO YOU AND HE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
HE DEFINITELY HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
MAYOR TIM, I THINK HE'S STARTING SOMETHING OVER HERE.
BECAUSE GARY IS GONNA WANT TO COME HERE AND YEAH.
AND I THINK HE'S VERY MUCH IN DESERVING OF DOING IT.
LET'S TRY TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
HE WAS MY CLASSMATE TJ CLASS OF 83 AND RECENTLY ATTENDED OUR 40 YEAR REUNION.
HE CAME IN FROM CALIFORNIA FOR IT.
HE'S IIR, YOU KNOW, HE PROVIDES THERAPY TO THE NATION IN THE MORNING.
YOU SAY HE, HE SUPPLIED THERAPY TO THE NATION IN THE MORNING.
[03:10:01]
TREAD LIGHTLY.SO MAYOR, WE HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN NOW, NOW WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT.
LET THAT STATE PARLIAMENT, MR. JUST SAID, YOU'RE NOT OKAY.
THAT WAS NICE TO, TO LIGHTEN THE MOVE.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.UM, NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE OF ROUTINE AND ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE.
THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN FURNISHED WITH BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT MATERIAL ON EACH ITEM AND OR IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
ALL ITEMS WILL BE ACTED UPON BY ONE VOTE WITHOUT BEING DISCUSSED SEPARATELY, UNLESS REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A CITIZEN IN WHICH THE EVENT, IN WHICH EVENT, THE ITEM OR ITEMS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION IN ITS NORMAL SEQUENCE.
AFTER THE ITEMS NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION HAVE BEEN ACTED UPON A TRAVEL EXPENSE.
SPECIAL MEETING, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE, THE ITEMS STARTING AT C FOR RESOLUTIONS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO BE PULLED? YES.
UH, PR NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER TWO ON PAGE FOUR, PR 23 7.
WHAT WAS THE NEXT ONE? THAT'S ALL.
AS WE HAVE, NOR ARE THE LIGHTS, NOR ARE THE ITEMS TO BE PULLED FOR PR NUMBER TWO.
THREE SEVEN FOR THAT ITEM TO BE PULLED.
EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS, JUST FOR CONFIRMATION, DO I HAVE TO READ EACH ONE? NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
SO ON SECTION C RESOLUTIONS, WE WILL READY FOR A VOTE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? UH, MAYOR PROTO, I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENTED DINNER WITH THE EXCLUSION OF NUMBER TWO.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ALL CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED, EXCLUDING
[VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 23737 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Professional Services Agreement With Arceneaux Wilson & Cole Of Port Arthur, Texas For The Lead Service Line Inventory Project, In The Total Amount Not To Exceed $800,000.00; Funds Are Available In FY24 For $500,000.00 And $300,000.00 In Proposed FY25 (Pending The Council’s Approval). Account No. 405-40-000- 8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS00024-CON ]
PR NUMBER 2 3 7 3 7 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR THE LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY PROJECT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $800,000 FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN FY 2 4 4, $500,000 AND $300,000 IN PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 PENDING THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 4 0 0 0 8 516 0 0 0 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 0 2 4 CON.
MR. ETT? YES, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
THE FIRST, CAN WE NEED A MOTION? GET IT ON THE FLOOR FIRST.
YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION A SECOND? SECOND, MR. DOUCETTE? YES, I SEE THAT IN 2021, THE EPA, UH, RELEASE IN ATLANTA, UM, UH, MAKING THIS REQUIREMENT AND THIS REQUIREMENT WAS TO HAVE IT ALL COMPLETED AND COMPLY WITH THE, UH, NEW ADDENDUM ON OCTOBER THE 16TH, 2024 THIS'S OCTOBER THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, WHEN I STARTED READING IT THROUGH THE, UH, RESOLUTION AND THE CONTRACT AND STUFF, I FOUND OUT THAT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 180 DAYS, BUT IF WE, IF WE SIGN THE CONTRACT TODAY, WHICH IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, THERE'S NOTHING BUT 148 DAYS LEFT BEFORE WE SUPPOSED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO WHAT'S WITH THAT? SOMEBODY EXPLAINED TO ME WHY WE JUST STARTED NOW AND WE SUPPOSED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE IN OCTOBER, AND IF THE CONTRACT IS FOR 180 DAYS, THAT
[03:15:01]
CONTRACT EXPIRES.I MEAN, WE GO PAST THE EXPIRATION DATE TO HAVE THIS IMPLEMENTED.
WHAT'S GOING ON? COUNCILMAN? UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS PROVIDING GRANT FUNDING FOR THE SURVEY THAT IS REQUESTED FOR THE LEAD AND COPPER, UH, TO THE, BY THE DIFFERENT CITIES.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY FILED FOR THE GRANT FUNDING AND DID NOT RECEIVE IT.
AND AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, WE PUT $500,000 IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT, UH, PROGRAM IN CASE WE DON'T GET THAT FUNDING.
SO WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS, UH, SURVEY.
SO WE HAVE BEEN CONSULTING WITH DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK.
UH, A WC BASICALLY ARE GONNA MANAGE THESE COMPANIES FOR US.
WE ARE GONNA ENGAGE WITH TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE GONNA GO OUT THERE AND DO THAT SURVEY, AND THEY ARE PRETTY SURE THEY CAN GET IT DONE BEFORE OCTOBER 16.
HOWEVER, AS A SECONDARY MEASURE, IN CASE THEY DON'T GET IT DONE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE EPA WITH THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ADDED $300,000 AS A SECOND PHASE OF THIS PROJECT THAT GOES TO THE 2025 BUDGET IN CASE WE DON'T GET IT DONE THIS YEAR.
SO WE, WE BELIEVE IT CAN BE DONE.
WE ARE NOT DEPENDING ON ONE SOURCE, WE'RE DEPENDING ON MULTIPLE, UH, SOURCES TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY.
ALSO,
SO WE HAD PRICES AT 4000001.8 MILLION AND WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE AT A FRACTION OF THAT COST.
WE ALSO APPLIED FOR, OH, SORRY, WE ALSO APPLIED FOR THE GRANT AGAIN THIS YEAR, BUT THERE'S NO, UH, RESULTS YET.
SO IF WE GET THE GRANT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, FUND IT THROUGH THAT AS WELL.
SO, SO WHAT IS THIS, UH, CONTRACT WITH
SO THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY A WC FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND ALSO THAT IS GONNA AVOID OR PREVENT US OR ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT NOW INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH AN RFQ FOR THREE MONTHS AND NOT MEET THE DEADLINE.
I DO ONE LAST QUESTION, JUST SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND I THINK I COULD GET A, NOW, A WC IS GOING TO DO THE WORK OF THIS.
A WC IS GOING TO MANAGE THE PROJECT, CORRECT? THEY'RE GONNA MANAGE THE PROJECT, THEY'RE GONNA MANAGE THE INFORMATION THAT COMES IN.
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF PUTTING IT IN THE CORRECT FORMAT AND SUBMITTING IT TO THE A PA.
NOW, IF THEY'RE GOING TO MANAGE THE PROJECT, OKAY, THEN WHY COULDN'T WE CONTRACT THE PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO DO THE WORK? BECAUSE WE, BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THAT'S GONNA TAKE TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE, AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK WORK BEFORE OCTOBER 16.
SO THIS WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, HAVING A PROJECT AND, UH, SENDING OUT THE REQUEST FOR REPORT.
OKAY, SO WE SAID ON THIS ALL THIS TIME, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, UH, PUTTING IN THE GLASS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID AND I, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT LATELY, IS WHEN WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, WE NEED TO GET IT DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER, ESPECIALLY WITH REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY IF THEY GIVE US A TIMEFRAME.
AND ALSO, UH, IF THEY GIVE US DEADLINES TO DO THINGS, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEET THESE DEADLINES AND GET THINGS DONE.
THIS SEEMS LIKE 2011, I MEAN 2021, WHICH IT WAS PUT OUT, AND I'M QUITE SURE LAST YEAR WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WE'VE COMING UP ON THIS AND NOW WE COMING WITH SOMETHING TO CIRCUMVENT GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS ON PROCURING THE PROPER WAY.
THAT'S WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING.
WE, WE DID GO FOR THE GRANT FUNDING LAST YEAR, WHICH WE DIDN'T
[03:20:01]
GET, AND WE ARE WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE WHERE WE KNOW WE CAN STILL FINISH IT JUST BECAUSE WE WERE STILL WAITING ON THIS GRANT FUNDING TRYING NOT TO SPEND CITY MONEY.BUT WE ARE AT THE POINT TO THAT GRANT DIDN'T COME OUT YET AND WE DON'T WANNA WAIT ANYMORE BECAUSE IF WE WAIT ANYMORE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FINISH IT.
SO OUR OBJECTIVE WITH WAITING WAS TO DEPEND ON THAT FUNDING TO COME IN AND NOT SPEND CAPITAL MONEY TO DO IT THAT WE CAN PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WELL, MY CONCERN WITH US WAITING RIGHT AND DOING THIS IS WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT, UH, WE GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, A ARSENAL WILSON AND CODE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT OR REQUEST FOR, UH, SUPPOSE OR REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
NOW, THIS IS A PROJECT YOU SHOULD REQUEST FOR A QUALIFICATION.
WHAT YOU DESCRIBED TO ME IS, UH, GOING AROUND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE GO THROUGH PROCESS BECAUSE OF OUR TIME RESTRAINTS.
SEE, AND THAT'S WHAT MY PURPOSE WAS STATED EARLIER.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET DEADLINES AND REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE COMING FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT IN ANYMORE ON THIS.
ANY, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER LIGHTS.
ALL IN FAVOR? A A ANY OPPOSED MEASURE PASSES.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23750 – A Resolution Documenting That Pursuant To The Amendment Of Section 9 Of Article II Of The City Charter Approved At The May 2, 1992 City Election In The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, District 3 Councilmember Shall Serve As Mayor Pro Tem And Shall Act As Mayor During The Absence Or Disability Of The Mayor And Shall Serve As Mayor Pro Tem Until May 2025 ]
ON TO THE NEXT SECTION.ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION.
NON-CONSENT, A RESOLUTIONS NON-CONSENT PR NUMBER 2 3 7 5 0 A RESOLUTION DOCUMENTING THAT PURSUANT TO THE AMENDMENT OF SECTION NINE OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE CITY CHARTER APPROVED AT THE MAY 2ND, 1992 CITY ELECTION IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DISTRICT THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHALL SERVE AS MAYOR PROTE AND SHALL ACT AS MAYOR DURING THE ABSENCE OR DISABILITY OF THE MAYOR, AND SHALL SERVE AS MAYOR PRO TEM UNTIL MAY, 2025 SWEARING IN OF MAYOR PRO TEM DENEEN BECKHAM.
I MAKE A MOTION, WE ACCEPT IT.
I'M SORRY MR. LEWIS, I APOLOGIZE.
I I DIDN'T SEE YOUR LIGHT CITY SECRETARY DISCUSSION.
IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO, AND YOU NEED TO GET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THIS ITEM REQUIRES SOME OLD VOTE.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT IT IN THE CHARTER AND TOOK IT AWAY FROM THE COUNCIL BECAUSE WE USED TO ARGUE AND FIGHT FOR, UM, ONE HOUR TO TWO HOURS OFFICE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A COUNCIL THAT WAS SEATED HERE THAT REQUESTED THAT WE DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTY, ADMINISTERIAL DUTY OF DOING IT IN OPEN SESSION.
SO WE'VE DONE THAT SINCE THEN.
NO, IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S JUST A FRACTION.
BUT WE, WE CAN MOVE IT TO THE FRONT OF THE, WE CAN MOVE IT TO THE FRONT OF THE AGENDA IN THERE, LIKE PROCLAMATIONS OR WHATEVER PRESENTATION WHERE IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A VOTE FROM A COUNCIL BECAUSE IT, IT WAS, AND IT'S PEACEFUL NOW.
YOU JUST ROTATE THE THING AND EVERYTHING GOES WELL.
AND, BUT IT STILL HAS A POTENTIAL WITH THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, VOTING ON IT, AND THAT CAN BE A PROBLEM IN THE FU FOR FUTURE COUNSEL.
OKAY, WE'D LIKE TO GET AWAY FROM THAT VOTE.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SAID THE, A PREVIOUS COUNCIL MADE A REQUEST FOR FOR, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? IN THE PAST, THERE HAVE BEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANTED TO DO THIS IN OPEN SESSION AND HAVE THEIR SWEARING IN.
THERE WAS NOTHING THAT SAID WE COULD NOT, SO WE HAVE JUST KEPT THAT PRACTICE AND WE'VE ALWAYS DONE A RESOLUTION WHETHER, WHETHER WE SWORE THEM IN AT THE MEETING OR NOT.
WE'VE ALWAYS DONE A RESOLUTION.
OKAY, MR. LUCIA LIGHT STILL ON? I'M SORRY.
WELL, I'M MAKING CERTAIN I UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE JUST SAID.
UH, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT HAD HAPPENED, CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBER WAS BEING PASSED OVER BECAUSE THEY HAD THE VOTES TO BLOCK IT, WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND I'M, AND MY THING BACK THEN, I SAID, IF YOU EVER DO IT TO ME, YOU'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
AND THEY DID IT TO ME AND THEY NEVER DID IT AGAIN BECAUSE I PUT IT IN THE CHARTER AND THAT ALL THAT PROBLEM WENT AWAY.
OKAY, BUT THIS APPEARANCE HERE REQUIRING A VOTE, THAT'S A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR FUTURE COUNCIL.
SO WE NEED TO JUST DO IT IN OPEN SESSIONS, SWEAR IT IN PROCLAMATION, HOWEVER YOU WANT, DO IT.
BUT WE, I'M SAYING GET AWAY FROM THE VOTE BECAUSE, OKAY, SO MAYBE THIS COUNCIL CAN MAKE THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE FORMALITY PART SINCE IT IS A PART OF THE CHARTER THAT IT CHANGES EVERY, UM, YEAR
[03:25:01]
IN MAY AND MOVES DOWN THE AISLE FOR EACH DISTRICT.SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, CONSIDER, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE DID RIGHT NOW.
CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD A QUESTION? CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WORDING OF THE CHARTER, BUT IT, IT, IT IS A RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TODAY.
SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE A VOTE TODAY.
SO, AND THEN WE'LL LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF IT'S THE, IF IT'S A MATTER THAT CAN BE JUST CONSIDERED BY CONSENT OR, OR JUST UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CHARTER.
IT CAN BE DONE IN, UH, OPEN SESSION, BUT NOT, NOT REQUIRE, BUT A RESOLUTION REQUIRES A VOTE.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IT REQUIRES A RESOLUTION, IT MAY NOT.
SO IN, UM, IT'S A MOTION WAS PUT ON THE FLOOR BY MR. KINLAW.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? MEASURE PASSES.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY, THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID OR INDIRECTLY PAID.
OFFERED, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, PROMISED TO PAY.
CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE, ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISE ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING ON WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT WHICH I, AT THE ELECTION, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED AT THE ELECTION, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
NOW YOU GONNA TAKE YOUR OATH IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, I DONNE BECKHAM.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) ]
MEETING EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.0101 OF CHAPTER 5 5, 1, OPEN MEETINGS, LAW OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FORMERLY ARTICLE 6 2 5 2 DASH SEVEN SECTION TWO A.PRIOR TO GOING INTO CLOSED MEETING, THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE CITY SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, A CLOSED MEETING OF EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL NOW BE HELD PURSUANT TO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 5 5 1 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071.
LITIGATION AND OR LEGAL ADVICE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 2 LAND SECTION FIVE 5.073 NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS FOR PERSPECTIVE GIFTS TO THE CITY.
SECTION FIVE FIVE PERSONNEL SECTION 5 0 7 6, SECURITY PERSONNEL OR DEVICES, SECTION 5 0 8 7 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CENT NUMBER ONE, SECTION 5 5, 1 0.07 GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR CONSULTATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING PO REGARDING POTENTIAL AND OR PENDING CLAIMS, CONTRACTS, LITIGATION, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INCLUDING AMBULANCE SERVICES TO
[03:30:01]
SECTION 5 51 0.07 GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR IE 9 3 2 WELLFORD AVENUE, 1 4 4 5 WEST EIGHTH STREET AND 2.023 ACRES OF DITCH RIGHT OF WAY NORTH OF WEST 19TH STREET.THE ITEMS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACTED ON IN OPEN SESSION.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE MEETING NOTE, IF THE MEETING EXTENDS, WE WILL NOT BE EXTENDING PAST 1159.
WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR EXECUTIVE.
YEAH, WE ARE ADJOURNED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION OR BREAK FOR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE RETURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION CITY SECRETARY, WILL WE PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL? MAYOR PROTE HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE ONE MOTION, A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO PROCEED WITH THE LISTING OF THE CITY OWNED VACANT TRACKS OF LAND AT 9 3 2 WELLFORD AVENUE AND 1445 WEST EIGHTH STREET FOR SALE WITH A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2 72 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECONDED FOR MOTION NUMBER ONE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
WE CAN NOW ADJOURN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 1 56.
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.