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IN PROGRESS.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
THANK YOU.WE READY FOR THE SECRETARY? OKAY.
WE ARE GATHERED HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 4TH, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024.
THE TIME NOW IS 5:52 PM AND YOU MAY PARTICIPATE AND ATTEND THE MEETING VIA TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS, HOWEVER YOU WOULD FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9, AND YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING CODE OF 8 6 0 8 7 4 4 6 6 4 6, AND THE PASSCODE OF 5 4 5 9 2.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
AND ALSO IN THIS MEETING, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IF YOU WOULD HAVE A NEED FOR A REASONABLE, UH, SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO REQUEST THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS.
YOU WOULD CALL AREA CODE (409) 983-8115 AND INFORM THE CITY SECRETARY'S STAMP OF WHAT YOUR REQUEST IS FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, AND THEY WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO PROVIDE THOSE FOR YOU.
AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION, A PLEDGE AND ROLL CALL.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA DEVIATE FROM THE NORM AND I AM GOING TO ASK DR.
QUEEN, IS THAT YOUR DAD? OR I GUESS YOU, YOU COULD DO IT FOR ME, THEN.
I WAS REALLY GONNA GET YOUR DAD TO DO IT, BUT YOU WANT HIM TO DO IT.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO BEGIN THE MEETING WITH THE INDICATION FAR AS IF YOU WILL.
GOD, OUR FATHER, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SPACE.
GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE DEAR CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
GOD, THAT YOU ARE UNITING US WITH CARDS THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN.
GOD, YOU ARE, UH, GUIDING US IN THE MIDST OF GOD PRODUCTION.
GOD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GUIDING US IN THE MIDST OF GOD, CREATIVITY, GOD, AND YOU ARE GUIDING US IN THE MIDST OF GOVERNANCE RIGHT NOW.
WE ASK THAT THE PEACE OF GOD FLOW THROUGH THIS PLACE.
GOD, THE PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD EQUIP OUR LEADERS GOD, WITH YOUR POWER.
GOD, LET YOUR DODO US REIGN SUPREME GOD AND UNITE US WITH CORDS THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN, GOD, AND TEACH US HOW TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES, GOD.
AND LET US KNOW THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, GOD, THAT YOU ARE IN FULL CONTROL, GOD.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD ORDER OUR STEPS.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD ORDER THIS MEETING GOD AND LET IT BE IN DECENCY AND IN ORDER, GOD.
AND WE ASK THAT YOUR GLORY WOULD SURROUND US WITH A CLOUD OF, OF, OF PEACE, GOD, JOY, AND LOVE GOD, AND CONTINUE TO SHOW FORTH YOUR POWER IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
GOD DECREASE US AND INCREASE YOU.
IT'S IN A GLORIOUS NAME OF HE WHO GIVES LIFE, HE WHO CONTROLS DEATH, AND HE WHO IS THE MASTER OF ALL THINGS YESHUA, JESUS, THE CHRIST OF NAZARETH, THAT WE PRAY AND LET THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD SAY, AMEN.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING.
SEE THE SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE QUORUM PRESENT, MAYOR PRO TIM BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER ETT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LONG, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A QUORUM MAYOR.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
CAN WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING ON THIS EVENING WITH PROCLAMATIONS, AND WE DO HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION THAT I HAVE HERE BEFORE ME.AND THIS PROCLAMATION IS FOR MEN'S HELP MONTH HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR.
THAT'S ACTUALLY DONE WITH OUR GIFT OF LIFE, MEN'S HEALTH, UH, GROUP, AND YOU ALL ARE
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PRESENT.AND SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE SPECIAL, VERY SPECIAL, EVEN FOR ME, VERY, VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION THAT WE'VE PREPARED.
AND IT SAYS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, WHEREAS JUNE 20TH, 2024 IS NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH MONTH.
AND WHEREAS PRO PROSTATE CANCER IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY DIAGNOSED CANCER IN MEN, ASIDE FROM SKIN CANCER, AND ABOUT ONE IN EIGHT MEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER DURING THEIR LIFETIME.
AND WHEREAS TEXAS IS THE MEDICALLY UNINSURED CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WITH 4.9 MILLION TEXANS WITHOUT COVERAGE.
AND WHEREAS IN 2024, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 20,790 MEN IN TEXAS WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER.
APPROXIMATELY 2,360 WILL DIE FROM THE DISEASE.
AND WHEREAS GIFT OF LIFE IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS MEDICAL PARTNERS MAKE AVAILABLE MEN'S FREE HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INCLUDING PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN OR PSA SCREENING PRIMARY CARE TEST, HIV AND HEPATITIS C TEST, ALONG WITH ONSITE PHYSICIAN CONSULTATIONS TO REVIEW TEST OUTCOMES AND NAVIGATE MEN TO CARE.
AND WHEREAS GIFT OF LIFE WILL HOST REGIONAL MEN'S HEALTH SCREENING EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND JULY.
AND WHEREAS SINCE THE YEAR 2000, MORE THAN 11,000 SOUTHEAST TEXAS MEN HAVE RECEIVED GIFT OF LIFE FREE PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING, HELPING TO EXTEND THE LIVES OF 81 MEN WHO WERE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND WHO WERE PROVIDED ACCESS TO DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BOCHY, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE, 2024 AS MEN'S HEALTH MONTH, AND SPECIFICALLY THIS TUESDAY, JUNE 4TH, 2024 AS GIFT OF LIFE, MEN'S HEALTH AWARENESS DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I URGE AND ASK ALL MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY TO PURSUE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH PRACTICES AND EARLY DETECTION EFFORTS.
AND IT SIGNED IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS FOURTH DAY OF JUNE IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
AND THIS SPECIAL PART OF THIS PROCLAMATION TODAY IS FOR PORT ARTHUR'S GREATEST FATHER PIGGY.
WE ARE CELEBRATING THE MEMORY OF DR. GLENN E. ALEXANDER SENIOR INSPIRED, AND GLEN DID NOW HE INSPIRED THE TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND BOUNDLESS COMPASSION
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TO CITIZENS AND TO HIS PATIENTS.BECAUSE OF THIS GIFT OF LIFE WILL BE CELEBRATING THIS HOMETOWN HERO'S LEGACY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JUNE AND GIFT OF LIFE WILL BE DEDICATING ITS MEN'S HELP SCREENING IN PORT ARTHUR, MORE SPECIFICALLY ON JUNE 22ND TO AND FOR AND IN THE LOVING MEMORY OF DR. GLENN ALEXANDER.
NOT ONLY WAS GLENN'S MISSION PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATED BY THE SPIRIT OF MEN'S HEALTH MONTH, BUT ALSO FATHER'S DAY LENDS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SIGNIFICANCE AS GLENN WAS TRULY THE BELOVED FATHER FIGURE HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE INTENSE PEAK AND THE DARK VALLEYS OF CORVID 19, YOU ALL REMEMBER THE PANDEMIC PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DIRECTOR OF SERVICES OF OUR HEALTH SERVICES, DR. JUDITH SMITH, DREW UPON THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF HER LONGTIME FRIEND WHO UNIQUELY UNDERSTOOD THE BURDENS OF LEADERSHIP.
DURING SUCH PRECARIOUS TIMES, DR. GLENN REGULARLY SENT DR. SMITH SUPPORTIVE AND LOVING TEXT MESSAGES.
DR. SMITH RECALLS THOSE TEXTS AND I QUOTE, GOT ME THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.
I KEPT THEM ALL IN A NOTE ON MY PHONE AS A REMINDER FOR DAYS WHEN I NEED TO BE UPLIFTED AND TO REMEMBER THE FRIENDSHIP I WILL FOREVER CHERISH IN THE QUOTE.
AS THE FORMER HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO HELPED TRAIN DR. SMITH, DR.
ALEXANDER'S WORDS OF WISDOM WERE UNDERSCORED BY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND A LIFETIME OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.
YOU ALL KNOW DR. ALEXANDER, MY FRIEND, WHOM I AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO AS GLENN, WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS HOMETOWN AND ACHIEVING AS MUCH EDUCATION AS POSSIBLE THROUGH HIS ACADEMIC PURSUITS THAT ACTUALLY TOOK HIM TO PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY TO TEXAS WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE HONED HIS SKILLS IN BIOLOGY AND IN PROFESSIONAL NURSING.
HE EVENTUALLY RETURNED HOME AND BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE, CERTIFIED PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER, NOT ONLY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, BUT IN ORANGE COUNTY, EVEN AROUND HARDIN COUNTY AND NEWTON COUNTY AND ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THIS REGION.
HIS PRIVATE PRACTICE SPANNED OVER THREE DECADES DURING WHICH HE PROVIDED NOT JUST MEDICAL CARE, BUT HOLISTIC, BENEVOLENT SUPPORT TO COUNTLESS FAMILIES UPON HIS RETIREMENT.
IN 2022, DR. ALEXANDER HAD SERVED FOUR GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND PARTNERED WITH OVER NINE UNIVERSITIES TO HELP TRAIN AND MENTOR OTHER ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES.
DR. GLENN COMMITTED HIS WHOLE HEART TO PORT AUTHOR, AND THIS SAID BY DR. SMITH, WHERE AGAIN I QUOTE, SHE SAID, HE'S ALWAYS TOLD US TO STAND IN THE GAP OF OUR CITY AND REMINDED US THAT LOVE WAS THE GREATEST MOTIVATOR OF ALL.
THIS WAS SOMETHING HE EXEMPLIFIED IN HIS LIFE AS HE PRAYED MIGHTILY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND GAVE EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP EVERYONE HE COULD.
ALEXANDER'S LIFE WAS DEFINED BY LOVE, A SINCERE AND HUMBLE MAN OF GOD.
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AND GRANDFATHER FOUNDED RUACH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL, A WORSHIP CENTER THAT ADOPTED THE SPECIAL MISSION TO UPLIFT THE UNDERSERVED.THIS INCLUDED THE POOREST OF THE POOR, EVEN IN HAITI WHERE HE TRANSCENDED BORDERS AND TRANSFORMED LIVES BY PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE TO THOUSANDS OF DESTITUTE CHILDREN.
ALEXANDER'S BELIEF THAT HIS OWN PERSONAL HEARTACHES AND HARDSHIPS COULD BUILD BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THOSE SUFFERING.
AND UPON A DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATE CANCER, HE IMMEDIATELY EMBARKED ON A CRUSADE OF PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY.
USING HIS CANCER BATTLE TO EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE EARLY DETECTION AMONG MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HE BECAME A SYMBOL OF HOPE, A CHAMPION FOR THOSE WHO WERE FACING SIMILAR BATTLES, ALWAYS EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR SCREENING AND PROACTIVE HEALTH MEASURES.
DR. ALEXANDER LEVERAGED HIS POSITION IN THE COMMUNITY AND AS A PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR TO DIRECT CLIENTS TO GIFT OF LIFE'S FREE LIFESAVING SERVICES FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED MEN.
LAST YEAR, HE EVEN ATTENDED THE ORGANIZATION'S SCREAMING EVENT AT PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PERSONALLY CONGRATULATE LOCAL MEN ON THEIR EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH.
THE ENORMOUS IMPACT THAT DR. GLENN LEFT ON THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ITS CITIZENS HE LOVED, HE SERVED EVEN STAGGERING IN ITS DEPTH AND ITS BREADTH.
BUT AS WE REMEMBER THIS BELOVED MAN, WE ARE REMINDED THAT THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE ONE PERSON CAN HAVE ON A COMMUNITY AND THE ENDURING IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR EACH OTHER.
I TOOK THE TIME TO READ OR REALLY PARAPHRASED, BUT AS I READ, I HAD TO SAY IT ALL.
DR. GLENN NOT ONLY WAS A GOOD INDIVIDUAL, HE WAS MY PERSONAL FRIEND FOR 31 YEARS, HE SERVED AS A CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR ME IN ANY POLITICAL ENDEAVOR THAT I WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION THAT I WAS GOING TO GO AFTER.
THERE HAS NOT EVER BEEN A TIME THAT I'VE GONE AFTER POLITICAL PURSUITS WITHOUT DR. GLENN, BUT ONE THING I KNOW, HE LEFT AN IMPRESSION UPON ME AND I KNOW HE'S LEFT AN IMPRESSION UPON YOU.
SO I PRESENT TO THE GIFT OF LIFE RU I MINISTRY.
I WANT ALL Y'ALL TO COME UP HERE.
EVERYBODY COME ON DOWN TO THE FRONT AND I'M GONNA PRESENT THIS TO THEM.
HIS, HIS, HIS HIS BRIDE IS HERE.
THEY'RE WATCHING, BUT THEY'RE WATCHING.
YO, WHAT'S UP Y'ALL? COME ON DOWN.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT WE HAVE, THIS IS MY HOUSE.
SOMEBODY GONNA TAKE SOME PICTURES OF IT.
SO Y'ALL COME DOWN HERE LIKE HERE ON EITHER SIDE.
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AND THESE ARE HIS CHURCH FAMILY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH,AND SHE'S RIGHT ON THIS SIDE, RIGHT THERE.
AND WE GONNA DO THE PHOTOGRAPHIC THING FIRST AND THEN YOU ALL CAN SPEAK.
I'M GONNA STAND RIGHT THERE BETWEEN Y'ALL.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA HOLD IT AND SOMEBODY HOLD.
AND YOU GONNA PUT ANOTHER ONE UP? YEAH.
NOW YOU ALL JUST STATE YOU'ALL CAN TURN TO FACE TO COUNCIL.
OUR MAYOR PRO TEAM IS THERE AND SHE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, AND SOON AS SHE FINISHES, SHE'LL CALL ANYONE ELSE IF THEY WANTS TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THIS WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT SO MANY MEN AND AND FAMILIES HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU BEING HERE AND WE APPRECIATE THIS PARTNERSHIP VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, THANK YOU.
IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL OF Y'ALL HERE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT DR. GLENN ALEXANDER EXUDED TO US AND TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR SHOWING UP FOR HIM AND THANK Y'ALL FOR CONTINUING THE MISSION THROUGH THE CHURCH AND THROUGH HEALTHCARE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ABSOLUTELY A PILLAR OF STRENGTH AND HA YOUR SHOWER AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S WATCHING.
ON BEHALF OF THE GIFT OF LIFE AND VIRGINIANA ROGERS, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, AND CERTAINLY WHAT A, UM, HEARTFELT TRIBUTE THAT WE ARE SO HONORED THAT YOSHI ALLOWED US TO PAY LOVING TRIBUTE TO DR. GLENN.
UM, WE WERE BLESSED IF, FOR THOSE I KNOW MOST OF YOU KNEW GLENN, AND WHEN WE FIRST MET HIM, IT WAS AS IF THERE WAS AN AURA OF CERTAIN ENERGY AND GOODNESS THAT ILLUMINATED EVERYTHING ABOUT HIS PRESENCE.
YOU FELT SAFE, YOU FELT BLESSED, AND YOU CERTAINLY FELT LIKE YOU WERE WITH SOMEONE WHO TRULY CARED ABOUT YOU.
AND GLENN CARED ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.
HE CARED ABOUT THE MEN IMPORT AUTHOR.
AND AS YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU CERTAINLY HEARD THE MAYOR SAY SO ARTICULATELY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ALL OF THOSE WORDS BECAUSE, UM, GLENN MEANT SO MUCH TO US AND OUR PROGRAM, AND HE WAS THAT CHAMPION THAT WE BELIEVED ENLI ENLISTED OTHER MEN TO COME TO OUR SCREENINGS AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE FREE LIFESAVING SCREENINGS THAT WE OFFER THEIR, THEIR IMPORT AUTHOR.
WE WILL BE IN OTHER LOCATIONS AS THE MAYOR CITED, BUT WE WISH THAT YOUR VOICES AND THOSE THAT ARE WITH US TODAY WILL REPRESENT GLEN'S AND HIS LEGENDARY IMPACT ON PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS.
AND REALLY BEYOND, I THINK ONE PERSON IS A RIPPLING EFFECT AS THEY TOUCH YOUR LIFE AND YOU GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WE FEEL SO HONORED, UH, UM, FROM MY, MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WAS SO BLESSED IN THE LIMITED TIME THAT I WAS ABLE TO KNOW GLEN, BUT FOR ALL OF US AND OUR PROGRAM THAT SAW HIS INFLUENCE.
SO FROM THE GIFT OF LIFE, OUR LOVE, AND, UH, CERTAINLY OUR TREASURED MEMORIES ARE WITH GLEN, AND WE KNOW THAT HIS, HE IS FOREVER REMEMBERED AND HIS, HIS INFLUENCE AND HIS INSPIRATION WILL RESONATE.
AS WE'RE IN PORT ARTHUR ON JUNE 22ND, WE WILL BE REMEMBERING GLEN AGAIN THAT ENTIRE DAY, AND WE'LL BE SPEAKING OF THE LOVING IMPACT THAT HE HAD IN, THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST TEXAS, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE INFLUENCE OF HEALTHCARE FOR MEN IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS WHO NEED THESE SERVICES.
SO FROM OUR HEARTS TO YOURS AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR THE FRIENDS AND THE, THE CHURCH MEMBERS THAT ARE WITH US, AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY, I HOPE YOU'LL BE WITH US ON JUNE 22ND, AGAIN TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO, AT THIS TIME, WOULD JUDITH, WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE A COMMENT? THANK YOU, MAYOR
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AND COUNCIL.MOST OF MY COMMENTS WERE ALREADY STATED IN THE QUOTES.
UM, APOSTLE DR. GLENN TO ME WAS MORE THAN JUST MY PASTOR, BUT HE WAS MY SUPERVISOR AT ONE TIME.
AND AS MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, DURING THE OPEN HOUSE OF THE NEW HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HIS PICTURE STANDS THERE BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE'S SHOULDERS THAT WE STAND ON.
AND HE WAS ONE OF THOSE STRONG, STRONG ROCKS THAT I STOOD ON.
UM, IN THE QUOTE, IT SAID THAT OFTEN DURING THE PANDEMIC, HE WOULD TEXT AND HE WOULD JUST KIND OF GIVE ME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
THAT JUST REALLY HELPED BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS, HE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE HE HAD WALKED THAT JOURNEY, NOT NECESSARILY IN SUCH A PANDEMIC, BUT AS A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE.
SO FOR ME, IT WAS JUST SUCH, YOU KNOW, A BLESSING TO STILL HAVE HIM.
AND I DO HAVE ALL OF HIS TEXT MESSAGES BECAUSE AS IT WAS STATED IN THE, THE WORDS THAT, UM, THE MAYOR READ, I, I, I COPIED THEM AND PUT THEM IN MY NOTES SO THAT I COULD HAVE THEM EVEN DURING DAYS OF TRIALS THAT OF COURSE WE WILL STILL GO THROUGH, I'LL HAVE THOSE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
SO I'M GRATEFUL REALLY TO HAVE HAD HIM IN MY LIFE.
PASTOR, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
UM, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WATCHING, UH, Y SHARA, GLEN ELLE AND YANDY, UH, AND OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS THAT ARE WATCHING TODAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO DO, UM, IS TO CONTINUE THE MEMORY AND THE LEGACY THAT MY HUSBAND HAS ESTABLISHED.
AND YOU COULD JUST WITH OUR RUOK FAMILY HERE ON THIS AFTERNOON, THIS IS SUCH A TESTAMENT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, HE INSTILLED IN US, THE FOUNDATION THAT HE LAID.
HE ALWAYS TOLD US THAT LOVE IS A MOTIVATING FACTOR AND ALL THAT WE DO THAT LOVE WAS OUR MASCOT AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT LEGACY.
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, GLEN WAS, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS OF HIS MINISTRY WAS IN HEALTH AND IN HEALING.
AND FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HE TOOK CARE OF THE CHILDREN OF OUR CITY.
AND, UM, JUST IN LISTENING TO STORIES AND TESTIMONIES, EVEN NOW I KNOW THAT I'LL NEVER KNOW THE FULL IMPACT OF GLEN'S LIFE UPON THE PERSONS AND THE PEOPLE THAT HE SERVED OVER FOUR GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT SAYS A LOT FOR ONE MAN.
MM-HMM,
I WENT TO A PROGRAM THAT I THINK A GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM, AND A LADY WAS SITTING THERE AND SHE SAID, OH, I MET HIM ONCE, BUT HE HAD A WORD FOR ME.
AND HE WAS JUST THAT KIND OF A PERSON.
HE WAS A MAN OF GREAT UNDERSTANDING.
AND I'VE SAID THIS ALL THE TIME TOO.
IT WAS NOT ANYTHING ANYWHERE THAT YOU COULD NOT ASK HIM CONCERNING ANYTHING.
AND SO MANY OF US KNOW HIM AS APOSTLE.
SOME OF US KNOW HIM AS A FRIEND.
I KNOW HIM AS MY, MY LOVE, MY LIFE PARTNER, YOU KNOW, THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO BE HIS WIFE, BUT TO WORK WITH HIM IN MINISTRY, TO WORK WITH HIM IN HIS CLINIC.
AND NOT EVERYBODY GETS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, HE INSTILLED IN US, WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE THAT LEGACY.
SO YOU'LL BE SEEING A LOT OF US, A LOT OF RUOK, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY JUST SO THAT WE WILL KEEP HIS LEGACY AND HIS MEMORY ALIVE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY TO THE GIFT OF LIFE, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
BUT FOR WHAT YOU ALL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, BUT FOR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE TODAY, WHEN INGRID CALLED, I LITERALLY WAS IN TEARS BECAUSE THIS IS, IT'S ONLY BEEN SIX MONTHS ON NOVEMBER THE 29TH, 2023, MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER.
I FEEL THE LOSS OF MY HUSBAND, BUT I HAVE, SO WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND SO MUCH THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON.
AND SO WHEN SHE CALLED, MY HEART WAS JUST FULL, BECAUSE TO THINK THAT YOU ALL WOULD THINK ENOUGH OF HIM TO REMEMBER AND TO HONOR HIM.
AND SO FOR THAT, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE MEN IN THIS CITY, IN THIS COUNTY TO PLEASE GET THESE SCREENINGS.
GLEN WAS A, A CANCER PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR.
MANY PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT HE WENT THROUGH THAT PERIOD WITH GRACE, YOU KNOW, AND WITH SUCH STRENGTH.
BUT WHENEVER HE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER MEN TO GET THAT EARLY DETECTIVE SCREENING, HE DID THAT.
AND SO, UH, IF, IF, IF HE WERE SPEAKING, IF HE WERE HERE RIGHT NOW, HE WOULD DO THAT.
AND SO HERE I AM IN HIS STEAD TO ENCOURAGE ALL MEN ALL OVER TO DO THE SAME.
AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
AND FOR OUR RUACH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH,
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MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I WANNA CHALLENGE ALL OF MY, UH, COHORTS UP HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LET EVERYONE IN OUR VARIOUS DISTRICTS KNOW ABOUT THE JUNE 22ND EVENT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND EVERYONE THAT'S HERE IN THE GALLERY, I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU AS WELL TO PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE EVENT ON JUNE THE 22ND AT OUR BRAND NEW PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO IF ANYONE WANTS HIM DURING THE WEEK, OKAY.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA FIX EVERYTHING BACK.
THE MAYOR'S CARRYING A BOX TO THE BACK THAT HAS THE BROCHURES FOR THE, UM, THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE UPCOMING, SPECIFICALLY THE ONE IN PORT ARTHUR ON JUNE THE 22ND.
SO AS YOU LEAVE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GRAB ONE OF THOSE SO THAT YOU CAN GIVE THIS INFORMATION TO THOSE THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE.
AND, UH, PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION, UH, IT'S RIGHT THERE BY THE BACK DOOR IF YOU'LL GRAB ONE ON YOUR WAY OUT.
AND WANT TO THANK MAYOR FOR TIM FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS FOR US.
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO ROMAN NUM THREE, RIGHT? OH, PUBLIC, I'M SORRY, BECAUSE WE DID OH, THANK YOU.
AND I'M VERY SORRY WE WERE CAUGHT UP IN A CEREMONIAL SITUATION.
COUNCILMAN DE SAID, NORMALLY TELLS ME THAT, BUT WHAT HAPPENED? YOU DIDN'T KNOW MY WASN'T THAT LONG.
ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S TIME.
[IV.(1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments To Consider The Proposed Amendment Of The Following: Proposed Change: A Zoning Map Amendment (Z24-04) To Consider A Replat Request To Change From “HDR” High Density Residential To Heavy Industrial “HI” To Allow For A Laydown Yard For Industrial Projects Legal Description: For 34.13-Acres Of Land Replat Of Part Of Lots 5 & 6, BLK 2, Range “O” Port Arthur Land Company Subdivision City Of Port Arthur Jefferson County, Texas Citizens With Questions Regarding Description Of This Property Can Contact The City Planning Department At (409) 983-8133. The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City’s Website At www.portarthurtx.gov]
OKAY.WE ARE AT, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
WE SHOULD HAVE BEGUN ABOUT 25 MINUTES AGO.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS A PUBLIC, IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE FOLLOWING, PROPOSED CHANGE, WHICH IS A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, UH, Z 24 DASH ZERO FOUR, TO CONSIDER A RE PLA REQUEST TO CHANGE FROM HDRA HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO HEAVY INDUSTRIAL HI TO ALLOW FOR A LAY DOWN YARD FOR INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.
THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA IS FOR 34 POINT 13 ACRES OF LAND REPL OF PARTS OF LOTS, FIVE AND SIX BLOCK TWO RANGE.
OH, PORT ARTHUR LAND, THE COMPANY SUBDIVISION CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS CITIZENS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROPERTY, CAN CONTACT THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT AREA CODE 4 9 9 8 3 8 1 3 3.
THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
AND MS. MARLOW IS HERE, AND I BELIEVE YOU MAY BEGIN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH, OH, TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR A ZONE CHANGE REQUEST C 24 0 4 GIBSON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6.03 E OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE AND CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, ALSO
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REFERRED TO AS A ZONING CHANGE OR REZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 34 POINT 13 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOTS FIVE AND SIX BLOCK TWO RANGE D PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED NORTHEAST OF MAIN AVENUE AND SOUTHEAST OF CRANE BAYOU.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, FORMALLY REFERRED TO AS MULTIFAMILY TO A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LAY DOWN YARD FOR INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.
A COMPLETED APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON OR AROUND MARCH 25TH, 2024, REQUESTING A ZONING CHANGE FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROPERTY.
THE ZONING CHANGE WOULD ALLOW FOR THE USE TYPE ASSOCIATED WITH A LAY DOWN YARD FOR INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS AS A LEGALLY CONFORMING USE AT SAID LOCATION.
PUBLIC NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE PROPOSED SITE ON MARCH 28TH, AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON MARCH 30TH, 2024.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 15TH, 2024, INVITING CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR SAID REQUEST.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED FOR ZERO, RECOMMENDING THE REQUEST BE APPROVED ON APRIL 9TH, 2024.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 DASH 5 48, CALLING FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE PUBLISHED A PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON MAY 18TH, 2024, AS WELL AS PREPARED IN MAILED NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 20TH, 2024.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY IN A HIGH DENSITY RES RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS TO ESTABLISH AREAS APPROPRIATE FOR MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS.
THE PROPOSED ZONING IS A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE LOCATIONS FOR LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL USES THAT INVOLVE EXTENSIVE PROCESSING, MANUFACTURING, OR ASSEMBLY OF LARGE PRODUCTS OR EQUIPMENT.
THE DISTRICT IS ATTEND INTEND TO ALLOW FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE MORE INTENSE THAN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AND MAY INCLUDE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OR THE USE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
THIS IS AN AREA VIEW OF THE PROPERTY? NO, THE SITE LOCATION IS ADJACENT TO THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO THE EAST AND SOUTH, AND LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO THE WEST.
THIS IS AN AREA OF VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A VIEW OF THE STREET FRONTAGE AND PROPOSED LOCATION.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A VIEW SOUTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS TWO 11.006 AND TWO 11.007.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ON APRIL 15TH, 2024, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECEIVED ZERO WRITTEN OPPOSITIONS, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITIONS, AND NO LETTERS RETURNED ON JUNE 4TH.
AS OF TODAY, JUNE 4TH, 2024, THERE WAS NO WRITTEN OPPOSITION, NO VERBAL OPPOSITION.
AND ONE LETTER RETURNED TO CITY COUNCIL.
THIS SLIDE REFERS TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION TWO 11.006 F OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT A CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE OR DENY THE PROPOSED MATTER BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.
THEREFORE, A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE QUIET TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION IN REFERENCE TO ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT, THAT SHOWS THE VIEW OF THE PROPERTY FROM THE SOUTH AND NO WEST OF THE PROPOSED SITE.
THAT WAS THE ONE WHERE WE HAD, THAT'S THE APARTMENT COMPLEX OVER THERE.
THERE'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND RIGHT, THERE'S ALSO A FIRE STATION,
[00:40:01]
RIGHT? RIGHT ACROSS THE APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THE FIRE STATION.YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE GET CLOSE TO THIS AND WE START HAVING HEAVY INDUSTRIAL.
OKAY, WE HAVE A ZONE FOR A MULTIFAMILY, WHICH IS HIGH DENSITY RES RESIDENCE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, I JUST GET A PROBLEM WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO TURN RESIDENTIAL INTO COMMERCIAL.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE PEOPLE LIVING IN THOSE APARTMENTS AND SURROUNDING AREA HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO ONLY CERTAIN WORK CLOSE PROXIMITY BECAUSE IF YOU GO FARTHER ALONG, PROCTOR IS ALL COMMERCIAL, BUT THAT'S COMMERCIAL.
THEY PROBABLY LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT.
BUT NOW WE'RE MOVING COMMERCIAL NOW CLOSER TO RESIDENTIAL.
AND THE, AND THE WAY WE PROPOSING TO DO IT IS BY CHANGING RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL.
AND, AND, UH, WHEN WE SENT OUT LETTERS 200 FEET, YOU KNOW, IT DEPEND ON WHERE WE SENT IT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE ON 200 FEET.
SO THAT'S VERY DISTORTING WHEN WE HEAR ZERO, A POLL, ZERO COMPLAINT, THAT'S BASED ON THE LETTERS YOU'RE SENDING AND IT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT THAT LIVES IN THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS HEAR AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UH, I HAVE A CONCERN WITH, AND I HAVE A VERY, UH, CONCERN WHEN WE START TAKING RESIDENTIAL FOR COMMERCIAL.
WE GOT A LOT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
SOMEBODY WANNA DO COMMERCIAL, THAT'S WHY WE GOT THESE AREAS ZONE COMMERCIAL.
WE GOT 'EM ZONE COMMERCIAL FOR YOU TO DO COMMERCIAL IN THEM.
WE GOT RESIDENTIAL ZONE SO THAT YOU COULD LIVE OR BUILD RESIDENCE IN THERE, WHETHER IT IS SINGLE FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE WHY WE DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE COME TO US AND EXPECT US TO CHANGE AND LET YOU MOVE CLOSER TO RESIDENTIAL.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT, BECAUSE AS A COUNCILMAN, I LOOK AT IT, IF I LIVED IN THE APARTMENT, I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO IT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU TURN RESIDENTIAL AREA INTO A COMMERCIAL AREA, NOW THEY DO THE LAY DOWN, PEOPLE COME DROPPING STUFF THERE ALL THE TIME OF DAY IN THE EVENING AT NIGHT.
AND NOW I'M SUBJECTED TO ALL THIS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'VE SIGNED UP FOR.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO BRING OUT THE FACTOR THAT THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX IS RIGHT THERE AND IT'S BEEN THERE AND IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY GONNA BE PUTTING THINGS ON, HOW CLOSE THEY GONNA BE TO THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, HAMILTON EVER FIELD? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THE, I'M LOOKING AT THIS MAP AND THE ONLY THING THAT SEPARATES, UM, WHERE THE LAY DOWN YARD WILL BE WEST CRANE BAYOU, I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT BAYOU, BUT THE RESIDENT RIGHT ON LINDA DRIVE, THAT IS LITERALLY NEXT DOOR.
THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THAT IS A BAYOU THAT NORMALLY FLOODS.
SO I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE GRASS AREA THAT IS, UM, NOTED WITH THE RED BULLETS MAINTAINS A LOT OF THAT WATER AND OFFERS PROTECTION TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO IT, WELL NEXT DOOR TO IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF OF MY CONCERNS.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET WE GOT A GOOD VIEW OF THE END OF, UM, OF MAINE.
IT'S HORRIBLE WITH BOATS AND TIRES AND TRASH THAT'S CONSISTENTLY DROPPED THERE.
AND NO MATTER HOW OFTEN WE AS A CITY GO TO PICK IT UP, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY RECOURSE TO THOSE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT CAN CONTINUE TO DROP THINGS THERE.
SO I DON'T, I WANT BUSINESS TO GROW, BUT I HAVE A CONCERN AS TO HOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP US TO CLEAN UP WHAT'S ALREADY THERE AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S NOT ONLY ON LINDA DRIVE, BUT ALSO THOSE HOMES THAT ARE ON MAINE.
DID WE HAVE ANY STUDIES DONE TO SUPPORT ANY OF THOSE CONCERNS? UM, IN THE PAST? I'M NOT SURE, BUT GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[00:45:01]
UM, FROM MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY STUDIES DONE WITHIN THAT AREA.UM, WE ARE REFERENCING LAND THAT HAS BEEN UNDEVELOPED AND REMAINS UNDEVELOPED FOREVER.
UM, WE DO EXPERIENCE ISSUES ALONG LEWIS FOSTER DRIVE.
A BIG PART OF THOSE ISSUES IS BECAUSE IT'S UNDEVELOPED LAND.
IT'S BROAD LAND THAT SITS, UM, THAT IS UNPROTECTED, UNDEVELOPED, AND PEOPLE DO USE IT AS A DUMPING GROUND.
UM, CITY HAS USED, UM, THEIR RESOURCES, UM, TO GO AND, UM, APPLY CLEANUP EFFORTS ON MANY OCCASIONS, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UM, WITHIN THAT PROPERTY, WE HAVE PUT, UM, CAMERAS OUT, UM, ON THAT PROPERTY TO SEE IF WE CAN CATCH THOSE WHO ARE VIOLATING OUR, UM, OUR ORDINANCES.
HOWEVER, THE VIOLATORS LEARN WHERE THE CAMERAS ARE AND THEY DO TAKE THEM.
UM, WE HAVE ASKED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO SEE IF THEY COULD TRY TO DRIVE AND MAN THAT AREA AS WELL.
UM, THEY DO SO TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, BUT IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
BUT, UH, HONESTLY, THE BIGGEST PART OF THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE IT IS UNMANAGED RAW LAND THAT IS UNDEVELOPED.
AND YOU FIND THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BUSINESSES NOR RESIDENTS, UM, PEOPLE UTILIZE IT AS DUMPING GROUNDS BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT'S OFF OF THE BEATING PATH.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE, UM, OVERFLOW OF THE BAYOU VERY OFTEN? UM, THAT WOULD BE, UM, HONESTLY, A QUESTION FOR DD SEVEN.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT BY YOU IN THAT DRAINAGE DITCH, UM, THAT YOU SPEAK OF, THAT SEPARATES THAT LAND FROM THE PROPERTIES THAT RESIDE ON, UM, OR THE RESIDENTS THAT RESIDE ON LINDA DRIVE, THAT IS MANAGED BY THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
AND THEY DO ATTEND PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS WHEN THESE CASES ARE BROUGHT TO US.
AND THEY DO PROVIDE, UM, GUIDANCE TO THOSE DEVELOPERS ON WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MANAGE DRAINAGE WITHIN THAT AREA.
I WOULD ASK THAT THAT BE AN ISSUE WHEN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR PRE-DEVELOPMENT, UM, MEETINGS THAT, THAT BE BROUGHT UP BECAUSE I, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT MY LANE.
BUT I SEE IT ALL THE TIME AND, AND IT, IT CATCHES A LOT OF THAT WATER.
AND THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO SIGN OFF ON THOSE DRAWINGS, UM, IN A LOT OF CASES.
UM, AND I, I CAN DEFINITELY GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK, UM, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND THAT SIZE.
UM, SOMETIMES THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT ALSO REQUIRES SEPARATE PERMITTING, UM, FROM THE CITY.
BUT I CAN DEFINITELY CHECK ON THAT TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S THE CASE.
UH, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS.
IS THAT WHERE, THAT'S LEWIS DRIVE? MM-HMM.
THAT'S STREET GOING TOWARDS MAINE.
THAT, THAT MAINE AND UH, LEWIS FOSTER DRIVE? THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT'S WHERE THE OLD HUMAN RESOURCE BUILDING USED.
OH, WELL, THAT DEVELOPMENT WOULD'VE DEVELOPED INTO RESIDENTIAL A LONG TIME AGO, BUT THEY GOT INTO A FIGHT, BIG COURT BATTLE.
AND, UH, THEY SHIFTED EVERYTHING TOWARD, UH, MIDCOUNTY.
THAT'S, UH, AND THAT LAND JUST SIT THERE.
DUMPING GROUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA BE PUT IN THERE? TEMPORARY LAY DOWN OR WHAT, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE? I BELIEVE? OH, THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT, UM, FROM THE, THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS HERE THAT CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, YOU CAN LIFT THE WHOLE THING.
I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS SO SHORT.
WELL, I'M A LITTLE HIGHER UP THAN THEY ARE.
BUT, UH, MY NAME'S MATT MARAK.
I WORK FOR THE, UH, COMPANY THAT OWNS THE PROPERTY, GIBSON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, UH, SIX 10 MAIN AVENUE, FORT ARTHUR.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD BRING UP IS THAT I'M A LITTLE FAMILIAR WITH THE DUMPING ON LEWIS.
THAT'S MORE DOWN THE STREET AND AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I KIND OF WANT TO ORIENT EVERYBODY.
UH, THE PROPERTY WE OWN, WE'VE ACTUALLY FENCED IT THERE.
ANY, THERE'S NO DUMPING ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, I'M REALLY BAD WITH GEOGRAPHY, SO I'M NOT GONNA USE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST.
[00:50:02]
OUR OFFICE, OUR CORPORATE OFFICE IS LOCATED THERE ON THE CORNER OF MAIN AND THE PROCTOR EXTENSION.IT'S A PERFORMANCE BLASTING AND COATING, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UH, AND IF YOU THAT YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE TRIANGLE.
THAT'S WHERE OUR OFFICE BUILDING IS, OR ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS.
IF YOU GO AROUND THE CORNER DOWN PROCTOR EXTENSION, UH, A LITTLE FURTHER, AND YOU CAN SEE THE OVER ON THE OVERLAY WHERE IT'S DEVELOPED, THAT PAVED AREA BEHIND THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT, THAT IS ZONED HIGH INDUSTRIAL.
WE HAVE A INDOOR BLAST AND PAINT FACILITY AND A OUTSIDE BLAST PAD.
UH, MAINLY WE DO, WE WE DO, UH, EXCHANGERS, YOU KNOW, PIPE JOINTS, LARGE, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY ROLL IN THE PIPE, SET IT OUT THE BACK END OF THIS PROPERTY, THE 34 ACRES IS ADJACENT TO OUR PROPERTY THAT WE ALREADY ARE OPERATING ON.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD POTENTIALLY UTILIZE THE PROPERTY, TAKE THE, WE HAVE IT'S ALL FENCE.
WE COULD TAKE THE FENCE DOWN, WE COULD PUT, IF WE HAD TO LAY ADDITIONAL PIPE DOWN OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S REALLY NOT, THERE'S NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A TO COME IN AND DO SOMETHING NEW.
BUT THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED.
WE ARE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY, THE, WE'RE ON THE CORNER DOWN THERE AT THE END WHERE IT MEETS PROCTOR EXTENSION, AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT LITTLE BUILDING WITH THE STRIP RIGHT THERE, TEAM INDUSTRIAL IS BEHIND THERE AS WELL.
AND TEAM INDUSTRIAL ACTUALLY IS, I THINK THEY'RE INSIDE THAT LOOP TOO, WHERE THE OLD VFW HALL ON MAIN AVENUE.
AND THEN THE NEXT, BETWEEN LINDA AND THE VFW HALL AND BACK IS THE SQUARE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, SO IT, RIGHT NOW IT IS FENCED.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A FENCE UP.
UH, WHEN THE BLAST FACILITY WAS DEVELOPED, THE DD SEVEN DID HAVE US PUT A RETENTION POND IN, AND I ATTENDED THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING, AND I KNOW DD ALL THE DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS WERE, WERE THERE.
AND I COULDN'T QUOTE EXACTLY WHAT DD SEVEN SAID.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I KNOW THAT IF THERE WAS ANY, BEFORE ANYTHING WAS DEVELOPED OUT THERE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE IT FOR THE DRAINAGE PURPOSES BECAUSE CRANE BAYOU IS RIGHT THERE.
I KNOW LINDA KIND OF DROPS DOWNHILL, SO THEY GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT THEY DO.
SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY NOT, WE'RE NOT NEW LOOKING FOR A NEW USE OF, IT'S, WE'RE REALLY KIND OF WANTING TO EXPAND WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING ON THE PROPERTY NEARBY.
SO NOT, NOT SOMETHING NEW COMING TO THE RESIDENCE OR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, I MEAN LEWIS DRIVE IS KIND OF ACROSS IT CATTY CORNER.
I GUESS I'D KIND OF LOOK AT IT MORE LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THAT.
AND IF YOU GO DOWN THAT LEWIS DRIVE AND YOU SEE WHERE EVERYBODY UNFORTUNATELY USES THAT BEHIND THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
WE'RE ON THE, THE VFW HALL'S THE BEST LANDMARK I CAN GIVE YOU IF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT IS, WE'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT.
SO THEN JUST THOUGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS EVERYTHING I HEARD.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR HIM? COUNCILMAN? YES.
ARE YOU GONNA BE BLASTING, YOU MENTIONED, YOU MENTIONED SAND.
YEAH, I THINK SANDBLASTING ISS NOT THE, WE WET USE THAT TURN ANYMORE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA TO BRING IN EXCHANGERS FROM A, FROM REFINERIES AND WHAT THAT AND WE, WE WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.
THEY, OUR BLAST YARD ENTRANCE IS ON THE PROCTOR EXTENSION.
IT'S ACROSS FROM VESSEL REPAIR, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M NOT, IF YOU GO DOWN, IF YOU, IF YOU CAME DOWN MAIN AND TOOK A LEFT ON THE PROCTOR EXTENSION, GOING BACK TOWARDS, UH, THERE'S VESSEL REPAIR RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S ECO WORKS, I BELIEVE RIGHT THERE.
A TEAM INDUSTRIAL IS ACTUALLY BETWEEN US BEFORE YOU GET TO OUR BLAST FACILITY.
THEY HAVE A LARGE PAINT BUILDING TOO.
ONE OTHER THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
ARE YOU BLASTING OUTSIDE OR IN, UH, WE ARE BLASTING OUTSIDE WHERE WE HAVE A PERMIT.
WE HAVE AN OUTDOOR BLAST PAD FACILITY FOR ITEMS THAT ARE TOO LARGE TO ROLL INTO THE BLAST BUILDING.
NOW WHAT'D THAT PERMIT ALLOW YOU TO DO THE PERMIT? UH, TO WHAT EXTENT? TO WHAT EXTENT? IT, IT'S GOT A, IT'S GOT A, A MEASUREMENT AS FAR AS HOW MUCH WE CAN DO, BUT I CAN'T QUOTE YOU ON IT RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THAT PERMIT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 10 YEARS AT LEAST.
HOW FAR WERE YOU FROM THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR ANY, ANY RESIDENTIAL AREA? UH, WELL AGAIN, THAT'S THE, I'M NOT GOING I 50 FEET, QUARTER MILE.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT CORNER OF THE PROPERTY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:55:01]
FARTHEST CORNER CLOSEST TO LINDA DRIVE, IT'S CLOSER TO THE APARTMENTS THAN, WELL, THE OTHER PART IS MM-HMM.I'M NOT GOOD WITH DISTANCE, I'M SORRY.
BUT IT'S FROM, WE'RE NOT ON TOP OF MAIN AVENUE.
WE'RE, WE'RE, IF I COULD THE CURSOR, IF YOU MOVED IT UP INTO THE RIGHT, WE'RE OVER, WE'RE BACK OVER HERE DOING THINGS AND WE'VE GOT THAT FENCE.
BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD UTILIZE THE PROPERTY.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE A DRIVE OUT THERE TO REORIENTATE MYSELF.
BUT I DON'T, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM AT THIS POINT.
UH, COUNCILMAN UC SAID OKAY, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, I'M GLAD YOU COUNCILMAN LEWIS ASKED A QUESTION TO GET YOU UP THERE.
SO I COULD TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, YOU ALL SITUATED YOUR COMPANY THERE AND YOU ESTABLISHED IT THERE IN THE COMMERCIALS ZONE AREA, APARTMENTS AND ALL THAT WAS ALSO THERE.
EVIDENTLY YOU ALL PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE PROBABLY, UH, WHEN YOU ESTABLISH YOUR BUSINESS, IT WASN'T ON THERE.
SO YOU, YOU COULDN'T PUT YOUR BUSINESS THERE.
THE PROPERTY YOU OWN, YOU OWN THE PROPERTY YOU FENCED IN IS, AM I CORRECT? WE, WE DO OWN THAT.
THEN WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU PURCHASE IT, YOU HAD TO KNOW RIGHT THEN IT WAS ZONE RESIDENTIAL AND THAT YOU CANNOT DO RESIDENTIAL WORK IN IT.
WELL, I, I ACTUALLY, IF I'M BEING HONEST SIR, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE CITY HAD ZONED AT HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
WELL, SO THAT'S, WELL, YOU KNOW THAT SOMETIME WE END UP WITH YES, SIR.
GETTING INTO THINGS WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.
THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING TO YOU IS THAT ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE COMING TOWARD THE RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THE PROPERTY IS OWNED FOR RESIDENTIAL.
YOU KNOW, AND I TELL BUSINESSES THAT ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, WE LIKE BUSINESS TO BE IN BUS, IN IN COMMERCIAL.
WE LIKE OUR RESIDENTIAL TO REMAIN RESIDENTIAL.
IF YOU START EXPANDING AND YOU'RE EXPANDING TO, AND YOU'RE TAKING RESIDENTIAL FROM, FROM, UH, TO MAKE COMMERCIAL, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH ME.
MY PROBLEM IS THAT RESIDENTIAL, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY YOU'RE NOW ASKING FOR IS CLOSER TO PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDENT AND HAS BEEN THERE.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'M MOST CONCERNED WITH FROM A COUNCILMAN STAND UP POINT OF VIEW.
BECAUSE WE ARE NORMALLY ONE THAT THEY'RE COMING AND CALLING US AND TELLING US ABOUT.
THEY MAY NOT FILL OUT NO LETTER, THEY MAY NOT GO TO THE PLANNING, THE ZONING MEETING 'CAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THOSE TYPE THINGS.
BUT WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND IS WHEN YOU START PUTTING THIS NEXT TO MY HOUSE OR CLOSE TO MY HOUSE, THEN THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING OF US.
AND THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT OUR RESIDENTIAL AREA WHERE PEOPLE WILL ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND BUSINESS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE BUSINESS EXPAND, BETTER BUSINESS, BETTER ECONOMY, BETTER FOR CITIZENS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO STAY WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE GOT.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE EXCEPTIONS.
I UNDERSTAND EXCEPTIONS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE EXCEPTIONS AS OPPOSED TO RULE.
I, I DID YOU WANT I COULD ADDRESS ANYTHING? NO.
HERE, COUNCILMAN, UH, HILLFIELD.
AGAIN, THIS IS NO INTENT TO SAY WE ARE NOT WELCOMING BUSINESS THERE.
I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE, THE BLASTING, UH, BUILDING IS FURTHER DOWN.
IT'S, I'M, AGAIN, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT I WANNA SAY IT'S PROBABLY LIKE A QUARTER MILE AWAY FROM THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
BUT THE PROPERTY WHERE THE, THAT'S BEEN TAGGED FOR US TO LOOK AT TODAY IS LITERALLY SEPARATED BY A DITCH FOR THE RESIDENTS.
SO AGAIN, THE SAME THING I STATED TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS NOT AFFECTING ONE, THE DRAINAGE FLOW FOR THE RESIDENTS IN LINDA DRIVE AND BEYOND UP TO GULF WAY.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WITH, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAINE WHERE VERA IS WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT AFFECTING THAT WATER FLOW OR THE UNDERGROUND, UM, THE GROUNDWATER.
[01:00:01]
WHAT TYPE OF LAY DOWN YARD IS IT GOING TO BE? WELL, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LARGE PIECES OF IN, IN INDUSTRIAL, UH, MATERIAL PIPES, EXCHANGERS.UH, IT, WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE PROPERTY TO PUT THINGS ON IT AND OKAY.
THAT'S REALLY WHY WE WANTED TO GET IT REZONED BECAUSE I MEAN, I, WE WANNA TRY TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AS WELL.
AND I, I THINK THAT IT'S, UH, YEAH.
AS IT'S ALREADY ADJACENT, I DON'T REALLY THINK THERE'S GONNA BE, IF, IF WE UTILIZE IT AT ALL, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY DIRECT PLANS RIGHT NOW TO DO OKAY.
ANYTHING, BUT IT'S GONNA BE, AT THIS POINT, A LAY DOWN JUST TO PUT MATERIAL DOWN.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, WE HAVEN'T GONE TO AS, AS FAR AS TRYING TO DETERMINE IF WE COULD, WE CAN'T EVEN ENTER THE PROPERTY OFF OF MAINE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST A LANDLOCKED PIECE THAT OUR COMPANY OWNS THAT'S ADJACENT TO OUR EXISTING OPERATIONS.
AND WHAT WOULD BE YOUR EXPECTED AVERAGE HOURS OF OPERATION TO CONFIRM THAT IT WOULDN'T BE LATE NIGHT WITH LARGE TRUCKS GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS? WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE ANY CHANGE AT ALL THAN WHAT THE, THERE'S, I MEAN, I'M NOT, HAVEN'T BEEN THERE LATE AT NIGHT.
I'M NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU, BUT, UH, THE TRUCK TRAFFIC I WOULDN'T THINK WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT BECAUSE UNLESS WE THERE WAS AN ENTRANCE ON MAIN AVENUE, YOU, THE ONLY WAY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT IS OFF OUR EXISTING GATE OFF OF THE PROCTOR EXTENSION.
IS THAT AN, I'M NOT SURE IF I ANSWERED THE QUESTION THAT YOU DID.
SO, BUT IF YOU DO HAVE ACCESS THROUGH MAIN THEN, WHICH COULD BE A POSSIBILITY.
I'M ASKING AT SOME POINT YOU CAN'T RULE ANYTHING OUT EVER.
SO I'M ASKING THAT IT NOT BE LATE NIGHT TO NOT AFFECT THE, THE NOISE TO AFFECT THE NEIGHBORS.
I MEAN, I I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, EVEN NOW WE WE'RE NOT TAKING DELIVERIES AT AFTER BUSINESS HOURS.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA CHANGE ANYTIME SOON.
WELL, THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR TIME.
CONSTABLE LEWIS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, YEAH.
MY, MY CONCERN, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE LAY DOWN MM-HMM.
IT'S THE OUTSIDE BLASTING SAND BLASTING.
I CAN I ANSWER THAT? GO AHEAD.
YEAH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE'RE NOT INTENDING TO DO ANY OPERATIONS ON THE PROPERTY.
WE'RE APPLYING TO REZONE JUST TO, JUST TO USE IT AS A LAY DOWN.
NOT TO CONDUCT ANY BLASTING OR PAINTING OPERATIONS ON IT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA PUT THAT IN WRITING, THAT'S WHAT OUR APPLICATION'S FOR, FOR A LAY DOWN YARD.
CAN, CAN I ADDRESS YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN? RESPECTFULLY.
UH, OUR PERMIT IS FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE, AND I TRUTHFULLY DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN LEGALLY CONDUCT ANY BLASTING OPERATIONS ON THE UNIMPROVED PROPERTY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT COVERED BY THE PERMIT.
'CAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE YEAH, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE, THE SAND, THE BLASTING, THE SILICOSIS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
PREVAILING WINDS, YOU KNOW, 80% OF THE YEARS OUTTA SOUTHWEST, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE GOING TOWARDS THE RESIDENCE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'D BE ANY CHANGE IF THE PERMIT DOESN'T COVER THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO BLASTING, YOU GOTTA COME BACK AND GET A PERMIT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING ON THE 34 ACRES WE'RE SEEKING TO REZONE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME, COUNCILMAN? YEAH.
WELL, THAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE PERMIT.
BLASTING IS NOT COVERED BY THE PERMIT.
I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY BLASTING OR PAINTING OPERATIONS ARE COVERED BY THE PERMIT FOR THAT, FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THAT PERMIT IS FOR THE EXISTING BLAST YARD THAT HAS THE ENTRANCE OFF PROCTOR EXTENSION RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER, UH, REMARKS? ANY REMARKS FROM THE GALLERY? ANY DISCUSSIONS FROM THE GALLERY, MS. MARLOW OR, UH, CITIZEN CITY MANAGER? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED TO STATE FOR CLARITY, AS THE GENTLEMAN JUST STATED, UM, THE PERMIT FOR BLASTING IS A PERMIT THAT'S ISSUED THROUGH TCEQ THAT IS NOT MANAGED BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, THEREFORE IF THE PROPERTY IS RESOLVED, IT WOULD BE RESOLVED TO ALLOW FOR ANY USES THAT ARE ALLOWED UNDER OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, FOR BLASTING.
THAT'S A SEPARATE PERMITTING THAT COMES THROUGH TCEQ.
WHEN YOU GO OUT FOR THAT PERMIT FROM TCEQ.
ASKING, OH, THAT GONNA BE PUBLIC HEARING? WELL THAT BE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I, AT THIS POINT, AND I, I'M NOT ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE BUSINESS.
I AM A EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, IT'S MY, I DO NOT HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE
[01:05:01]
GONNA TRY TO ADJUST, AMEND, FILE FOR ANOTHER PERMIT OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE 34 ACRES.SO IT WOULD BE JUST TO LITERALLY PUT EQUIPMENT OR LAY IT, LAY IT DOWN ON THE DIRT SO WE COULD MOVE IT OUT OF, HAVE EXTRA SPACE.
ANY OTHER REMARKS? YOU MAY HAVE A SEAT, SIR.
AND, AND NO OTHER REMARKS OR OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYTHING? SO I BELIEVE AT THIS JUNCTURE WE CAN DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, END MOTION.
I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE I GET A MOTION, UH, IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP SECOND BEEN MOVED A SECOND THAT WE WOULD END THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT BEGAN, UH, ALMOST, UH, 35 MINUTES AGO.
THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ORDINANCE ON IT.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS COVERING.
THAT ONE IS A, IS A PO COVERING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? IS IT? YEAH, BUT BUT YOU WANNA WAIT UNTIL YOU GET NO, WELL, I'M NOT, I NORMALLY GET A PAD, YOU KNOW, SO YOU ALL DIDN'T TELL ME EXACTLY.
SO WE'LL JUST TAKE IT IN SEQUENCE AND TAKE IT THEN.
YEAH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET, I DIDN'T GET, UH, A REQUEST FOR IT.
ANY OPPOSES AS HAVE RESORTED? UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS NOW ENDED.
NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO, I BELIEVE IT IS PAGE ONE, AND
[III.A.(1) Shane Jennings On Behalf Of The Saltwater Anglers League Of Texas (SALT) Regarding Pleasure Island Cleanup]
WE WILL RETURN TO ROME NUMERAL THREE.WE HAVE SPEAKERS AND, AND NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE LISTED IT, UH, SHANE JENNINGS EVER.
I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT SHANE WILL NOT BE PRESENT, BUT FLYERS ARE, ARE PRESENT, UH, HERE IN THE BACK THAT ACTUALLY DEALS WITH, UH, AND ON BEHALF OF THE SALTWATER ANGLERS LEAGUE, UH, THE SALT REGARDING THE PRESSURE ISLAND, UH, CLEANUP.
AND THEY ARE, SOMEONE HAS THOSE IN THE BACK.
AND, AND THEY'LL HAVE THOSE THERE.
AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY PICK UP ONE OF THOSE, UH, ACTUAL SOME FLYERS ALONG WITH THE INFORMATION FORM THE, UH, GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM.
THEY'RE ALL BACK IN, IN THE REAR.
[III.A.(2) Greg Benson Regarding Experience]
WE HAVE A SPEAKER, UH, GREG BENSON, REGARDING EXPERIENCE.OUR SPEAKERS HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO DO THEIR PREPARED SPEECH OR THEIR SPEECH ON, UH, THE MATTER THAT'S CONCERNING THEM.
MR. UH, BENSON, YOU WILL INTRODUCE YOURSELF PLEASE AND THE TIME WE'LL BEGIN FOR ME.
GREG BENSON, 30 35 LAKE ARTHUR DRIVE.
I JUST WANNA PROVIDE THE, UH, COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC WITH A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, OVERVIEW OF WHAT I EXPERIENCED HERE FOR HEALTH, SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE LEVELS.
WHEN I WAS SERVING AS THE, UH, THE FORMER FIRE CHIEF WHEN I GOT HERE, I ASSESSED AND IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCIES IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS AND THEY ALL NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.
AND THE, UH, THE UNION PRESIDENT AT THAT TIME ALSO PROVIDED A DOCUMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF WITH IDENTIFICATION OF THINGS THAT THEY HAD CONCERNS ON.
THE UNION HAD CONCERNS ON ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, UH, WAS AIR CONDITIONING AND THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE FIRE STATIONS AND A LOT OF FIRE APPARATUS WEREN'T WORKING RIGHT.
AND MANY TIMES IT WAS CERTAIN FIRE APPARATUS THEY HAD TO BE FIXED LIKE EVERY TWO OR THREE MONTHS.
AND THE COMPANY WAS MAKING LOTS OF MONEY MAKING, FIXING THESE THINGS MULTIPLE TIMES INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM PROVIDE A WARRANTY LIKE I BROUGHT UP.
SO ALSO, JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS TOO, THE STAFFING OF THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS LOW AND THERE'S BEEN SOME LONG DELAYS FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HR DEPARTMENT AND DOING ENTRY AND PROMOTIONAL TESTS.
IN ONE CASE, JUST ONE EXAMPLE, IN THE SPRING OF 2022, THERE WAS A TEST REQUESTED.
THE TEST WAS NOT DONE UNTIL JULY OF 2022.
SO BASICALLY THERE WAS ABOUT FOUR MONTHS BETWEEN THE TIME OF, WE NEED TO DO THIS TEST UNTIL THE TIME THEY POSTED IT.
AND THEN YOU GOTTA DO 30 DAY FOR STUDY.
AND SO REALLY IT WAS A SIX MONTH PROCESS THAT ENDS UP REALLY DRAGGING THAT OUT.
SO THE, UH, THE OTHER THING WAS IT SHARED WITH THE CITY MANAGER NUMEROUS, UH, REPORTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, LAWSUITS THAT WERE BEING FILED AGAINST CITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE OF WATER PROBLEMS.
[01:10:01]
AND THERE WAS MULTIPLE ONES WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE, THEY COULDN'T GET WATER.THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN, THE INSURANCE COMPANY SUED, THE HOMEOWNER SUED LOTS OF THAT.
SO, AND THAT THE SUITS AGAINST, UH, ALSO AGAINST RESPONSE TIMES, LOW RESPONSE TIMES IS REALLY INCREASING AS WELL.
IN FACT, THERE'S A, UH, A LAWSUIT, THERE'S SEVERAL LAWSUITS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALLEGING THAT AN ORGANIZATION FALSIFIED RESPONSE DOCUMENTS OR RESPONSE TIMES.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSE TIME IS CRITICAL.
IF YOU'RE NOT BREATHING OR YOUR HEART'S NOT PUMPING, IS TIME IMPORTANT? YEAH.
IF YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, IT'S TIME IMPORTANT.
NOW YOUR, IF YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, YOU ARE GOING FROM, UH, YOUR 2% EVERY MINUTE YOU'RE GONNA UP YOUR LOSS.
SO, BUT THE NORMALIZATION OF DEVIANCE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR NEEDS TO STOP.
UH, IT'S VERY, IT CREATES A VERY UNSAFE ORGANIZATION AND, AND A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS LOTS OF IMPROVEMENT.
SO STOPPING THAT NORMALIZATION OF DEVIANCE, AND THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TO THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT ANY REAL RE RE FEEDBACK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD THE FACT OF DOING A TOTAL, TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE, AND THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR CONTINUED QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TO AVOID THAT NORMALIZATION OF DEVIANCE OF THIS IS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.
THIS IS THE WAY, IT'S NOT THE CORRECT WAY TO DO A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
SO A LOT OF THE, MANY OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY ITEMS WERE, WERE NOT BEING DONE.
ONE EXAMPLE WAS, UH, TEXAS COMMISSION ON FIRE PROTECTION.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO ENTER EVERY INJURY REPORT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE REPORTED INJURY THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE I GOT HERE.
SO, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, LETTING YOU KNOW TO, FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING, UH, IS YOUR DIRECTION AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
BUT IT ALSO WORKS TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY TO REDUCE THE LIABILITY AND REDUCE THE THE RISK FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT THEY'RE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU DO THAT, YOU CAN MAKE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LESS VULNERABLE THAN THEY NEED TO BE, THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME ACTION, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THAT WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CITY MANAGER AS, AS YOU WOULD'VE EXPECTED.
THE OTHER THING, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR GIFT OF LIFE PRESENTATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW, MAYOR, IF YOU OR CITY, REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S AWARE OF THAT.
JUNE IS ALSO PTSD AWARENESS MONTH, AND THAT SHOULD ALSO PERHAPS BE PUT OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY WELL AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY, NOT JUST EMPLOYEES, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT HAVE PTSD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE EXPERIENCE, SOME OF THE ITEMS, AND ALSO LET YOU KNOW SOME AREAS WHICH YOU CAN, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WORK TO IMPROVE.
OKAY? THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT, THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, MS. VINCENT, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YOU HAD A REMARK FOR, UH, YEAH, I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
I NEED JUST, I JUST NEED A YES OR NO, UH, HOW LONG YOU WORKED FOR THE CITY? UM, TWO, I DON'T KNOW, TWO YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? A FIRE HAS BEEN RECORDED IN THE BUILDING.
A FIRE HAS BEEN RECORDED IN THE BUILDING.
ARE YOU SERIOUS? PLEASE PROCEED TO THE STAIRWAY.
AT, AT, AT THIS TIME WE WILL, UH, UH, RECESS.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO EXIT THE BUILDING, PLEASE.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE THE STAIRS.
WE ARE, COULD YOU RETURN, UH, COUNCILMAN PLEASE.
UH, CITY ATTORNEY IS COMING AS SOON AS HE GETS HERE, UH, BECAUSE I THINK I GOT FOUR.
UH, WE CAN RETURN, UH, THE SESSION AS SOON AS A CITY ATTORNEY COMES BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS OCCURRED FOR THOSE WHO MAY STILL BE JOINING US.
IF YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITIES, WE ARE GOING TO DEVIATE FROM THE REGULAR PRINTED AGENDA.
WE ARE GOING TO, I'M GONNA TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND JUST MOVE IT.
SO, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE HOUR THAT WE COULD PROBABLY STAY IN THE BUILDING WITHOUT THE AIR.
THE AIR IS GOING TO CUT OFF IN, IN, IN, IN ABOUT AN
[01:15:01]
HOUR.AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE GOING TO GO, SO I CAN EXPLAIN IT TO EVERYONE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE CONSENT AGENDA, THEN WE WILL DO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE DISCUSSION ITEMS OR OTHER ITEMS, THOSE ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED ON THE MEETING ON JUNE 18TH.
SO, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY TOTALLY UNDERSTANDS, I'M GOING TO, TO DO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
IF WE ARE WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
IF NOT, WHATEVER WE DON'T COMPLETE WILL BE DISCRETIONARY ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR, AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE DONE ON JUNE 18TH.
NOT TO HURT ANYBODY'S FEELINGS, AND I'M SORRY IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, BUT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE INCIDENT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE CITY SECRETARY TO REESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR ME, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
FRANK, YOU HAVE A QUORUM, MAYOR.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
OKAY.AS I JUST STATED, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO PAGE FOUR ON PAGE FOUR.
UNDER ROMAN NUMERAL SEVEN, WE BEGIN WITH WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THIS CON UH, PART OF THE AGENDA HAS ITEMS THAT ARE OF A ROUTINE IN NATURE.
UH, COUNSEL HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH MANY OF THE, UH, HISTORICAL OR INFORMATIONAL FACTS ON THIS, UH, ON THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS. AND IF THERE'LL BE ANY ITEMS THAT A COUNCILPERSON WANTS TO BE WITHDRAWN AND ACTED UPON INDIVIDUALLY, YOU WILL LET ME KNOW NOW BY STATING THE PAGE NUMBER AND THAT ITEM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, HAMILTON? YES, SIR.
ITEM NUMBER, ITEM SIX ON PAGE FIVE.
YOU SAID SIX ON PAGE FIVE AND 17.
MAYOR, IF POSSIBLE, YES, MA'AM.
IF, IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE, CAN WE MOVE NUMBER SIX TO THE BEGINNING, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME FOR OUR GUEST? OKAY.
NO, I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
OKAY, COUNCIL, UH, UH, MAYOR PODIUM.
ANY OTHER ITEMS WE WANT REMOVED? ANY OTHER ITEMS? WE WON'T REMOVE ANY OTHER ITEMS. THERE'LL BE NONE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS TO TWO ITEM SIX, ITEM 12, AND ITEM 17.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN ETT? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, BILL PRO BECKHAM SECOND.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT AND APPROVE THE CONSENT A, UH, AGENDA WITH THE, UH, EXCLUSION OF THOSE AFTER STATED ITEMS. WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION.
SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED NOW AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON EVER FIELD, WE WILL GO TO PAGE FIVE, ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS RESOLUTION OR PR NUMBER 23 5.
I DID, I, YOU, I WAS HOLDING, LOOKING AT SIX AND SAID IF IT IS ITEM SIX, PAGE FIVE.
[VII.(6) P.R. No. 23766 – A Resolution In Support Of The Port Arthur Offshore Wind Hub On Pleasure Island To Be Produced By Diligence Offshore Services LLC]
OKAY.ON, UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 66, IT IS A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PORT ARTHUR OFFSHORE WIND HUB ON PLEASURE ISLAND TO BE PRODUCED BY DILIGENCE OFFSHORE SERVICES LL SEEK.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN EVER? FIELD SECOND.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 66.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DEUCE? YES.
WHEN I READ THE BACKGROUND, IT SAYS, UH, A RES A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT OR THE, UH, WIND.
AND I'VE SEEN IN THE RESOLUTION IS BASICALLY SAYS THE CITY IS FULLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
HOW ARE WE COMMITTED? I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE COMMITTING? WHAT ARE WE COMMITTING
[01:20:01]
TO? WHAT ARE WE COMMITTING TO? OKAY.YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING THE QUESTION FOR, FOR WHOEVER PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
CAN YOU TELL HIM THE EXTENT OF THE COMMITMENT? THERE'S NO FINANCIAL COMMITMENT.
I KNOW FOR SURE OF OUR BEING IN SUPPORT OF THIS, UH, INDUSTRY LOCATED ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
THE, UM, GROUP OF, UM, INVESTORS, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN GOING OUT THERE AND SECURING FUNDING, UM, IN WHATEVER FORM THAT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH A WIND FARM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER FACILITIES OF THEIR OWN PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND SO THIS IS TO ASSIST THEM TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE IDEA, THE PROJECT IDEA DOES HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WISH THEM WELL IN ORDER WHEN THEY MEET WHATEVER FUNDING AGENCIES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S A VIABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VENTURE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT COULD MATERIALIZE AND PROVIDE SOME SORT OF ECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR THE CITY.
SO WE LIKE THE IDEA, WE LIKE THE IDEA.
AND SO WE'VE PUT IT ON THE, UM, AGENDA TO SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S FEASIBLE.
UM, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO ATTRACT FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD GO TO THE SECOND STAGE TO SEE HOW THIS COULD MATERIALIZE.
SO BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
IT'S A, IT'S A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT.
IS THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S IT, YES.
I, I KNOW IT SAYS RESOLUTION NORMALLY.
'CAUSE I'VE SEEN TIME WHEN PEOPLE ASK US TO, TO, UH, HAVE LETTERS WHEREBY WE SUPPORT.
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHEN I READ THE RESOLUTION AND YOU START SAYING, THE CITY'S FULLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL ELEMENT, WHEN YOU SAY FULLY COMMITTED, NOW YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHY I ASK WHAT IT WAS, WHAT IT ENTAILS.
AND ALSO, UH, THE LAST PART OF THAT WHICH ASSIST WITH ALL, WITH ALL AVAILABLE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO ENABLE OR SU A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, OF THE INITIATIVE.
WHENEVER WE APPROVE SOMETHING, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE APPROVING.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
SO IF THIS RESOLUTION IS ONE BY WHICH WE DEVELOP A LETTER AND WE HAVE THEM TO HAVE IT, WHEREBY WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF HAVING THIS, AND WE, AND, AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO EMBARK ABOUT IT, AND, UH, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF IT, I UNDERSTAND IT.
AS LONG, AS, LONG AS IT'S NOTHING DEALING WITH, UH, RESOURCE AND SUPPORT DID, DOES NOT COME BACK TO US.
BECAUSE IF WE SAY NOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK LATER AND SAY, WELL, WE APPROVED THIS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS IN SUPPORT IN THE FARM OF A LETTER AS OPPOSED TO SOME RESOURCES.
UH, BUT, BUT, UH, AGAIN, UM, COUNCIL AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, LIKE ANY DEVELOPER, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND REPORT TO THE COUNCIL AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURE AS BEING LAID DOWN BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE HAVE INCENTIVES AND THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I KNOW THAT'S NOT A QUESTION, IT'S JUST THAT IT WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE WERE ASKING AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS A LETTER STATING THAT WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE AND, AND I'M ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
I I WOULD ECHO WHAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE JUST SAID, AND, AND AS A LAWYER, I DON'T LIKE BROAD LANGUAGE.
I DON'T LIKE SOMETHING THAT SAYS, UM, ALL AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
I IF WE COULD DO THIS IN A LETTER OF SUPPORT AS COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE PROPOSED RATHER THAN A RESOLUTION, I'D BE A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
UM, THERE'S JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT GO BEHIND THIS PROJECT AND, AND I WANNA PLAY OFF ONE OF THE WORDS THAT YOU SAID.
IS IT FEASIBLE? HAVE THERE BEEN FEASIBILITY STUDIES DONE? UH, HAVE WE TALKED TO THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS? HAVE WE, UM, HAVE WE TALKED TO THE COAST GUARD? HAVE WE ENGAGED THE NAVI NAVIGATION DISTRICT? THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE BEFORE THIS PROJECT COULD EVEN GET OFF THE GROUND.
SO I, I, I HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE LANGUAGE IN THIS RESOLUTION.
I'D RATHER SEE IT AS A LETTER OF SUPPORT, LET THEM GO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, LET US DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, BECAUSE THE ONLY THING I KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPANY IS A PRESENTATION THAT THEY DID IN APRIL.
[01:25:01]
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY FINANCIALS.I HAVEN'T SEEN, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE BASED UPON TO, TO LAUNCH INTO THE SUPPORT OF A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING FURTHER TO CALL? OKAY.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? OKAY, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
OH, YOU, YOU LIKED WITH YEAH, IT WAS ON.
ONE OF THE THINGS I, I MET WITH THE COMPANY.
I SPENT SOME TIME WITH 'EM, AND, UH, WE WENT OVER ALL THE DETAILS.
FIRST THING I LET 'EM KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON MONEY.
OKAY? WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROJECTS AND, AND POSSIBLY, UM, ADVERTISEMENT AND, AND DIRECT YOU IN, IN MAYBE HELP YOU DIRECT YOU IN FORMAL GRANT.
BUT THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY TOLD ME, WE DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY.
WE GOT OUR, WE HAVE OUR OWN RESOURCES.
I SAID IT WAS GOOD, BUT I, YOU ALL ARE CORRECT THE LANGUAGE THAT IT APPEARS THAT OUR INTENT IS, IF THE, IF THAT SITUATION COMES UP TO HELP 'EM WITH MONETARY WISE, UH, IT'LL, THAT'S WHAT RESOLUTION WILL DO.
THEY'LL POINT OUT YOUR INTENT.
SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH Y'ALL, HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH US SUBMITTING OUR COMMITMENT IN A LETTER OR SOMETHING AND NOT IN, NOT IN THIS FORM HERE.
COME AND GET UP AT THE SAME, THAT'S GOOD.
AND CITY MANAGER WE WORK ON, UH, WITH, UH, ATTORNEY, THE, UH, CONSENSUS OR ACTUALLY ACTION MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS FOR THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, UH, ON THIS.
SO NOW, UH, IF, IF WE PASS THE RESOLUTION, WHATEVER DOCUMENTATION THEY NEED FROM THE CITY, CAN IT ONLY, CAN IT BE AS WE HAVE NORMALLY DONE? BECAUSE I THINK THE NORMAL PROCEDURE THAT I'VE, UH, ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN, EVEN IF WE HAVE A RESOLUTION AND THE PERSON NEEDS SOME FORM OF DOCUMENTATION THAT THE CITY SUPPORTS IT.
THIS HAS BEEN WITH DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS, WE JUST HAVE A LETTER THAT, THAT THE MAYOR SIGNS STATING THAT THE, THE POSITION OF THE COUNCIL, WE'VE APPROVED IT IN A RESOLUTION.
AND IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, I MEAN, IT'S BEEN DONE THAT WAY.
WELL, WELL, MAYOR, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEND A LETTER, YOU HAD JUST, UH, AMEND THE MOTION TO PROVIDE A LETTER AND NOT PASS THE RESOLUTION SOLUTION.
SO, UH, ON, ON ON THIS, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU MADE A MOTION.
SO YOU, YOU WOULD, WOULD YOU BE IN OPPOSITION OF A MOTION BEING AMENDED FROM A RESOLUTION? NO.
YOU SECOND, UH, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD, WOULD YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPPOSITION OF WORDING CHANGING? OKAY.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT EXCEPT THAT AS AND, AND MOVE ON.
SO FROM WITH, WITHOUT, UH, TAKING UP A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, IT MOVES FROM A RESOLUTION TO A ACTUAL LETTER THAT WOULD BE SENT IN SUPPORT OF, UH, DILIGENT OFFSHORE.
SO WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.(2) P.R. No. 23739 – A Resolution Establishing A Special Event Known As The 2024 Juneteenth Festivities, Designating Barbara Jacket Park As The Entertainment Area, Naming The Willie Carter Outreach Center As Exclusive Concessionaire And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement For The Established Event As Provided In Chapter 90 (Special Events) Of The City Of Port Arthur Code Of Ordinances]
YOU.NOW, THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE, WE'LL GO TO ITEM TWO.
NOW, ITEM TWO IS PR NUMBER 23 7 39.
IT IS A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL EVENT KNOWN AS THE 2024 JUNETEENTH FESTIVITIES DESIGNATING BARBARA JACKET PARK AS THE ENTERTAINMENT AR, UH, AREA, NAMING THE WILLIE, UH, CARTER OUTREACH CENTER AS EXCLUSIVE CONCESSIONAIRE AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE ESTABL FOR THE ESTABLISHED EVENT AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER 90.
SPECIAL EVENTS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
CODE OF ORDINANCES, I GET A RELU
SO, MOTION, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO.
SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 7 39 AS PRESENTED.
WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION COUNCILWOMAN EVER.
OKAY? I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS ITEM.
CHANGING THE NAME ON THE THIRD LINE.
IT SAYS, NAMING THE WILLIE CARTER OUTREACH CENTER.
UM, I'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AND THEY ASKED FOR IT TO BE CHANGED TO NAMING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY AND NOT CARTER.
UH, ON YOUR MOTION, COUNCILMAN DOUCE, WOULD YOU ACCEPT OUR REMOVING WILLIE CARTER OUTREACH AND PUTTING, YOU SAID AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY? YES, SIR.
THAT WOULD BE LINE THREE OF NUMBER TWO
[01:30:01]
ON PAGE FOUR, LINE THREE OF NUMBER TWO ON PAGE FOUR.I'M GONNA, AM I CORRECT? YOU SEE ON, ON LINE THREE AND YEP.
YEAH, THE WILLIE CARTER, IT, SHE SAYS, CHANGE IT TO, YEAH, WILLIE CARTER OUTREACH AND CENTER IS ON THE NEXT LINE.
SO WE'D HAVE TO INCLUDE BOTH OF THEM.
AND SO CHANGE, SO I SPOKE, I SPOKE WITH THE PERSON WHO ACTUALLY MADE THE REQUEST FOR THIS RESOLUTION, AND THAT WAS NOT PROVIDED CORRECTLY.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY.
AND THEY JUST SAID WILLIE CARTER? YES, SIR.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT WILLIE CARTER WAS ALWAYS THE SCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL PLACE.
THE WILLIAM CARTER OUTREACH CENTER HAS ALWAYS DONE THE JUNETEENTH AS WELL.
AND IF YOU LOOK, THAT MEANS THAT THE INSURANCE IS UNDER WILLIE CARTER'S NAME.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED AS WELL.
AND THAT MEANS THAT THE EVENT, DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR INSURANCE? OKAY.
IS IT POSSIBLE INSURANCE TO, IS IT BECAUSE IT'S THE, I I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE SOCIETY THAT HOSTED.
SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE.
THEY'RE IN CONJUNCTION WITH, BECAUSE MR. HULEN, WHO IS OVER THE WOOD, I, HE DOES THE STUFF WITH THEM.
SO, SO CAN WE JUST ADD IT? IS THAT POSSIBLE? MM-HMM.
WELL, BUT FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES, ATTORNEY OR WAIT, DOESN'T MEAN, AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COUNCIL PERSON, BUT FOR UNDER BUSINESS PURPOSES AND THE, THE LEGAL ASPECT OF IT, THE INSURANCE, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS RIGHT, THE RESOLUTION NEEDS TO STATE WHOMEVER THAT POLICY HOLDER IS, IF I'M CORRECT.
AND THEY CAN UNDERSTAND, UNLESS THEY GO BY AND PAY FOR THAT INSURANCE, PAY FOR SOME INSURANCE, AND THEN WE, IT WOULD BE THE DAY BEFORE JUNETEENTH BECAUSE WE DON'T COME BACK TILL THE 18TH.
BELIEVE, IS IT POSSIBLE WE NOT REMOVE WILLIE CARTER OUTREACH CENTER AND ADD THE LANGUAGE? UM, PARENT IN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WANNA USE PARTNERSHIP WITH OR TO SAY IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH WOULD THAT MEANT, HOW HAVE WE ALWAYS DONE IT? OH, JUST IT, JUST LIKE THIS.
WO CAN YOU ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY? WE'VE NEVER HAD TO USE THE INSURANCE, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE COVERAGE.
I CAN ACCEPT IT THAT UMBRELLA.
I'M JUST MAKING THE REQUEST OF WHAT THE ORGANIZATION ASKS.
YEAH, BUT IF THE ORGANIZATION DOESN'T HAVE THE INSURANCE, I UNDERSTAND, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE, THEY WANT TO HAVE THE FUNCTION.
WHAT WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE NAME ON.
THAT'S WHAT I'LL EXPLAIN IT TO THEM.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR BEING SO AMICABLE AND, UH, AGREEABLE.
[VII.(12) P.R. No. 23776 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Contract Between The Department Of State Health Services And The City Of Port Arthur To Implement A Heart And Stroke Prevention Innovative Program. The Total Of This Grant Will Not Exceed $170,000.00 And Will Expire August 31, 2025. No City Match Is Required]
NEXT.NUMBER 12 ON PAGE, UH, SIX, UH, PR NUMBER 23 77 6.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO IMPLEMENT A HEART AND STROKE PREVENTION INNOVATIVE PROGRAM.
THE TOTAL OF THIS GRANT WILL NOT EXCEED $170,000 AND WILL EXPIRE AUGUST 31ST, 2025.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN EVERFI SECOND.
OKAY, THE MOVE AND SECONDARY, WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 3 7 7 6 AS PRESENTED.
THE REASON THAT I PULLED THIS IS NOT BECAUSE I'M OPPOSED TO THIS AT ALL.
SO LET ME MAKE THAT PERFECTLY CLEAR.
I'M VERY MUCH, UH, UH, IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, HEART AND STROKE PREVENTION INNOVATIVE PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP AND FOR THE GRANT.
UH, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH DR. SMITH BEFORE WE STARTED AND SHE AND I BOTH AGREED THAT, THAT THIS WAS KIND OF A PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UH, TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC, UH, SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ACTUALLY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND, AND THE REGION AS A WHOLE WHEN IT COMES TO STROKES.
UM, AND I'M SPEAKING FROM A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD BACK IN 2018.
UH, I TOOK MYSELF TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A STROKE.
AND BECAUSE I HAD ALL OF THE SYMPTOMS, I HAD ONE SIDE PARALYSIS, I HAD SPEECH DEFICIT.
UH, THEY GAVE ME A CLOT BUSTING DRUG.
AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO ONE AVAILABLE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AT ANY OF OUR HOSPITALS TO ASSESS A STROKE PATIENT.
NONE OF THE NEUROLOGISTS TOOK CALL.
WE DON'T HAVE A STROKE UNIT, SO TO
[01:35:01]
SPEAK.AND THEY SENT ME TO HOUSTON AND THANK GOD THEY DID BECAUSE I DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A STROKE.
I HAD SOMETHING ELSE, UH, THANK GOODNESS.
AND, UM, BUT, BUT THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE REGION.
SO I WANTED DR. SMITH TO MAKE JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AND HER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR CURRENT SITUATION IS.
THINGS WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE NOW, BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE HERE WITH OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS WHEN SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING STROKE SYMPTOMS. SO, DR. SMITH, COULD YOU MAKE A FEW COMMENTS IN THAT REGARD? THANK YOU.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, UM, AND THIS GRANT IS FOR PREVENTION.
WHAT OUR PLAN IS, IS TO DEVISE A WORK PLAN TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HIGH RISK TO PREVENT STROKES AND HEART DISEASE.
MR. BURTON, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE DO HAVE THIS, UH, MR. BRIAN CHANDLER.
HE IS THE COO OF BAPTIST HOSPITAL, AND HE CAN REALLY ACTUALLY REMARK ON WHAT, UM, DO SOME REMARKS ON WHAT BAPTIST DOES.
IF I COULD JUST BRIEFLY MAKE ONE MORE STATEMENT.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY BIG CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A POPULATION THAT IS AT HIGH RISK FOR HEART DISEASE AND FOR STROKE.
AND FOR US NOT TO HAVE WHAT WE NEED FOR THAT POPULATION HERE IS, IS SUCH, SUCH A CONCERN.
AND MR. MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
UH, I WAS JUST HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT, UH, UH, DR. SMITH ASKED ME TO COME UP AND SPEAK IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL, SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR, FOR MORE PROFESSIONALS, ESPECIALLY NEUROLOGISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MOST OF OUR NEUROLOGISTS NOW WORK IN THE AMBULATORY SETTING.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
UH, SINCE 2006 BAPTIST HOSPITALS HAD A TELE NEUROLOGY PROGRAM WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND MEMORIAL HERMANN.
WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THAT.
AND SO YEARS BACK, WE WOULD, WE WOULD USE THE CLOT BUSTING DRUG, TPA.
WE USE A DRUG CALLED TNK NOW, WHICH IS ABOUT A FIVE TO 10 MINUTE DOSAGE ON THAT.
BEFORE IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS BACK THEN WE WOULD ALSO DRIP AND SHIP.
SO WE'D DRIP, DRIP THE DRUG AND THEN WE'D SHIP OUT AND SHIP TO MEMORIAL HARMON NEURO UNIT.
UM, OVER THE LAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS, WE PRETTY MUCH KEEP PROBABLY 80% OF OUR STROKE PATIENTS HERE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL.
WE ARE A PRIMARY STROKE CENTER AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL.
WE'VE BEEN A PRIMARY STROKE CENTER SINCE ABOUT 2008.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF TRYING TO PURSUE A COMPREHENSIVE STROKE PROGRAM, WHICH THAT REQUIRES INTERVENTIONAL NEURO NEURORADIOLOGY, WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND DO A LOT OF INTERVENTIONAL NEUROCARE IN THE BRAIN WITHOUT HAVING TO DO EXTRA CRANIAL WORK, OPEN UP THE BRAIN AND, AND CUT IT OPEN AND ACTUALLY GO INTO IT LIKE A NEUROSURGEON WOULD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRESSION, UM, WITH, I KNOW BAPTIST HOSPITAL SPECIFICALLY.
UM, BUT WE PRETTY MUCH TAKE CARE OF, UH, IF, IF YOU'RE HAVING A STROKE AND YOU COME TO BAPTIST HOSPITAL, UNLESS YOU NEED NEUROSURGICAL INTERVENTION, WE'RE GONNA KEEP YOU, UM, IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
THAT WAS THE SCARIEST AMBULANCE RIDE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.
MY FAMILY WAS HERE AND I WAS BY MYSELF IN AN AMBULANCE, BUT THEY TOOK ME TO MEMORIAL HERMANN IN HOUSTON.
THERE'S PROBABLY, UH, THEY TOOK GOOD CARE OF MES.
THERE'S PROBABLY CLOSE TO 200 PATIENTS, UH, A YEAR, MAYBE MORE, THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE SHIPPED OUT FOR NEUROSURGICAL INTERVENTION.
SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT WITH OUR PROFESSIONALS.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS DIRECT, UM, WE HAVE 24 7, UH, TELENE CARE AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL.
WE DO IT IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
WE ALSO HAVE ROBOTS ON THE FLOOR.
WE BRING ROBOTS TO THE ROOMS WITH THE PATIENTS, AND IT HAS A BIG COMPUTER SCREEN IN FRONT OF THE PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND IT'S ALL LINKED UP TO OUR EMR AND THE NEUROLOGIST IS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND SO WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE PRIMARY CARE AND THE PHYSICIANS AT THE HOSPITAL AND THE NEUROLOGIST IN HOUSTON.
AND I REALLY DID WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, KINDA WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE HERE AND WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE.
UM, AND I REALLY HOPE WE CAN GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS PREVENTION PROGRAM, NEED TO REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE DIABETES MANAGEMENT, HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT.
UM, THERE'S A LOT, LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT, ON THE PREVENTION SIDE AND ALSO EDUCATION ON JUST THAT SIMPLE ACRONYM OF FAST FACE MM-HMM.
UH, MAYOR PROTE, I HAD A SIMILAR THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I ENDED UP, UH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, SO I SAID, LET'S GO.
HE SAID, I SAID, WHERE IS THE EQUIPMENT? HE SAID, IN HOUSTON.
SO I WENT TO HOUSTON AND GUESS WHAT? THREE DAYS LATER, $27,000.
THEY TOLD ME, UH, THE TEAM TOOK QUITE A TEAM.
THEY SAID, UH, YOU HAVE VERTIGO
YEAH, THERE'S, THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS.
SO MINE WAS ACTUALLY WHAT'S CALLED A HEMIPLEGIC
[01:40:01]
MIGRAINE.IT'S A VERY RARE FORM OF MIGRAINE WHERE THERE'S PARALYSIS ON ONE SIDE AND YOU, YOU REALLY PRESENT LIKE YOU'RE HAVING A STROKE.
YEAH, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
MY PRIOR LIFE BEFORE COOI WAS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND MY, MY AREA OF OPERATIONS WAS NEURO.
SO, SO IT IS ON PR NUMBER 23, EXCUSE ME.
7 66 IS APPROVED AS WHERE? NEXT
[VII.(17) P.R. No. 23782 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Final Change Order No. 4 For Final Reconciliation Of Quantities, Increasing The Contract Amount By $703.95 To A New Contract Amount Of $1,768,727.95, Accepting The Engineer’s Certificate Of Completion, Contractor’s Affidavit Of Guarantee And Affidavit Of Final Payment And Release, And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Certificate Of Acceptance For The Sanitary Sewer System Rehabilitation Contract No. 1 By King Solutions, LLC Of Houston, Texas And Authorizing The Release Of Retainage In The Amount Of $88,438.20 From Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00- 000, Project No. WS-0006-CON]
WE'LL MOVE TO PAGE SEVEN AND NUMBER, OR ITEM NUMBER 17.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FINAL CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FOUR FOR FINAL RECONCILIATION OF QUANTITIES, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT, EXCUSE ME, BY $703 AND 95 CENTS TO A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,768,727 AND 95 CENTS, ACCEPTING THE ENGINEER'S, UH, CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION CONTRACTORS AFFIDAVIT OF GUARANTEE AND AFFIDAVIT OF FINAL PAYMENT AND RELEASE.
AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE FOR THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM.
REHABILITATION CONTRACT NUMBER ONE BY KING SOLUTIONS, LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND AUTHORIZING THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF 88 THOU $88,438 AND 20 CENTS FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 4 0 DASH 0 0 0 8 5 16 0 0 0 DASH ZERO ZERO.
OR ALSO KNOWN AS PROJECT NUMBER, NUMBER WS 0 0 0 6 DASH KAHN.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A, A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE P OR EXCUSE ME, A PR NUMBER 2 37 82 AS APPROVED.
WE'RE ASKING TO RELEASE THE RETAINAGE FEE AND AUTHORIZE LETTER.
ACCEPT THE LETTER OF COMPLETION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HAVE THEY DONE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FOUR? THEY ARE COMPLETE, SIR.
SO BASICALLY WE'D DONE CHANGE ORDER FOUR, BUT WE NEVER HAD COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THIS WOULD'VE GONE, WE WOULD'VE TALKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WE WOULD'VE PROCEEDED.
AS I UNDERSTAND THIS CONTRACT IS, WAS AN OVER, WE BASICALLY HAD TWO YEARS OF BUDGET ON IT.
THERE WAS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO.
SO WE, AND WE HAD SEWERS WHERE TCEQ CAME OUT.
WE HAD SEWERS, THE SEWAGE IN THE BACKYARD AND WE UTILIZED THE, THE 25% CHANGE, ALMOST 25% CHANGE ORDER TO REPAIR PEOPLE.
ALSO, COUNCILMAN, REALLY QUICK, THIS WAS NOT AN ACTUAL CHANGE ORDER.
WHEN WE WERE CLOSING THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS ON ONE OF THE PIPE DIMENSIONS THAT WERE IN THE CONTRACT, THERE WAS AN OVERRUN A FEW FEET.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ENDED UP BEING TO ADJUST THOSE FINAL, UH, NUMBERS.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE RE MEASURABLE CONTRACT, SIR.
IT IS NOT A LUMP SUM CONTRACT.
THEY BID A PRICE PER FOOT FOR SEWERS.
THEY BID A PRICE PER MANHOLE AND THEY'RE PAID ON THE ACTUAL, UH, LINEAR FOOT OF PIPE THAT THEY PUT IN AND THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF MANHOLES.
SO IT'S AT THE VERY END YOU RECONCILE THE NUMBER OF FEET THEY DID FOR EACH SIZE OF PIPE.
OKAY, I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND IT SAYS THIS CHANGE ORDER IS REQUEST TO APPROVE A $389,801 INCREASE.
IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, SIR, YOU'RE LOOKING MINUTE AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECT.
WHAT WAS IT? $703 AND 95 CENTS.
OKAY, SO IT'S $703 INCREASE OR DECREASE COUNT.
SO BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING NOW.
SO WE HAD AN INCREASE, RIGHT? CORRECT, SIR.
[01:45:02]
'CAUSE THEY INSTALLED A, I THINK THE UNIT RATE WAS $80 A FOOTER.I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT IT'S SO MANY FEET OF PIPE.
IT WAS A FINAL ADJUSTMENT ON THE QUANTITY OF ONE OF THE PIPES THAT WAS INSTALLED.
SO BECAUSE IT WAS $700 INCREASE, WE HAD TO CALL IT CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FOUR.
AND ON, ON SEWER LINES AND WATER LINES, THEY'RE TYPICALLY REMEASURED CONTRACTS.
AND AS WE GET INTO THESE, BECAUSE WE'RE BUDGETING FOR THESE, JUST SO COUNCIL KNOWS, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS, WE'RE AT THE END, THERE'S A FINAL CLOSEOUT.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE PIPE BURSTING, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE MANHOLE.
IF IT'S ANOTHER TWO FEET, I CAN'T COME TO COUNCIL AND ASK FOR TWO FEET OF PIPE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY YOU CAN'T COME TO COUNCIL AND ASK, I CAN COME AFTER THE FACT LIKE I AM HERE.
THAT'S IT'S CONSTRUCTION, SIR.
THE PROCESS IS YOU'LL GIVE AN X AMOUNT OF DOLLAR CORRECT.
FOR EVERY PRO, FOR EVERY PROJECT.
IF YOU EXCEED THAT AMOUNT OR YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT AMOUNT, YOU COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR A POOL FOR MORE MONEY.
I DON'T WANT TO COME TO COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT ABOUT I IT'S ABOUT A PROCESS.
'CAUSE WHEN I READ THE MATERIAL AND I GO OVER IT, I'M FOLLOWING A PROCESS.
SO WHEN IT'S NOT FOLLOWED, THAT'S WHEN I HAVE QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE, I'VE HAD A QUESTION.
WHEN WE START PAYING MORE MONEY AND THEN WE SAYING GIVE 'EM ALL OF THE RETAINERS.
'CAUSE NORMALLY WHEN I READ OUR PROCESS, OUR PROCESS SAYS AFTER THE JOB IS COMPLETED AND ALL OF THE FIGURES ARE IN, THEN WE DO THE RELEASE AND THE CONTRACT.
SO THAT'S WHY I FIND IT FUNNY.
ANYTIME I SEE A REQUEST FOR A TO ACCEPT THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND RELEASE OF RETAINAGE, THEN I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING TO SAY CHANGE BECAUSE NOW THE JOB IS DONE, ALL THE MONIES ARE PAID.
AND THAT'S WHY I HAD THE QUESTION.
UM, CITY MANAGER, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF EXAMPLE WHERE YOU'RE IN THE TRENCHES, YOU RECOGNIZE THE TWO FEET OF PIPE.
IS THERE ANYTHING IN THAT PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE CAN UPDATE TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE CON CONSTRUCTION FOR THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS? TRY TO STREAMLINE OUR PROCESS A LITTLE BIT.
I WOULD ASK THE ENGINEERS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I HE'S THE ENGINEER.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO, TO STREAMLINE OUR PROCESS SO THAT IT'S, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, I MEAN IT'S $700, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROCESS.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO HELP WITH MAKING SURE WE NOT IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION, THIS IS THE KIND OF SITUATION TO, WE HAVE A QUANTITY MANHOLE TO MANHOLE, LET'S SAY 400 FEET.
AND WHEN THEY DO BURST THAT SECTION, IT TURNS OUT TO BE 420 FEET.
RIGHT? SO THE CONTINGENCY WOULDN'T BE USED FOR 15%.
YOU KNOW, GO BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS.
RIGHT? AS LONG AS WE HAVE A BID ITEM THAT IS DOCUMENTED THAT WE CAN FOLLOW FOR A PRICE PER UNIT COST, WE CAN USE THAT CONTINGENCY.
AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO STOP THE JOB.
WE CAN'T STOP THE JOB IN THE MIDDLE OF A PIPE BURST.
THAT WAY WE HAVE THAT CONTINGENCY.
AND WHEN IT'S DONE, THEN WE BRING IT TO COUNCIL AS A CLOSEOUT DOCUMENT AT THE END OF THE PROJECT.
IF WE ARE GONNA GO OVER THE CONTINGENCY AND IT'S A PLANNED PROJECT, PLANNED QUANTITY PLANNED, SOMETHING THAT'S ADDED TO THE CONTRACT, UH, UH, SCOPE OF WORK, THEN WE CAN COME AND DO A CHANGE ORDER.
BUT IF WE CAN HAVE A CONTINGENCY, THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL ON THESE UNIT COST PROJECTS THAT ARE PERFECT PER CUBIC YARD OR WHATEVER PROJECT WE'RE DOING.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO UPDATE WHATEVER, UH, RESOLUTION OR THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT PROCESS IS SO THAT WE CAN OFFER A CONTINGENCY? WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT THE PROCUREMENT PART OF IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTINGENCIES
[01:50:01]
INCLUDED THEREIN.UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? UH, HE COVERED IT ON THE CONTINGENCY.
USUALLY WHEN YOU CALCULATE EVERYTHING, IF YOU ADD A 10, IF IT'S A LARGE ENOUGH PROJECT, YOU'LL HAVE A, A 10% WOULD MEAN A LOT OF MONEY.
SO YOU COULD BUILD IN WHEN SOMETHING WAS SMALL, IT'S DIFFICULT.
COUNCILMAN DO SAID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE.
IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, WE DON'T NEED TO REINVENT A WHEEL.
WHEN WE HAVE PROJECTS, WE HAVE CONTINGENCY BUILT IN.
WHEN YOU BRING THE ESTIMATED COST IS SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN CONTINGENCY.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE CHANGE ORDERS.
BECAUSE IF WE START EXCEEDING THOSE AMOUNT, THOSE YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
BUT THE PROJECTS ARE NEVER FUNDED THAT THIS IS GOING TO COST THIS AMOUNT.
THERE'S ALWAYS A CONTINGENCY THAT IS CALCULATED IN IT.
SO ANYTIME YOU PASS THE CONTINGENCY, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE REQUIRED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG OR NEED TO BE AMENDED FOR THE PROCESS, JUST THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT AND FOLLOW IT.
WE JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE DOING THINGS AND IN SOME CASES IT DEPENDS ON HOW ARE WE ON TOP OF MANAGING OR WHOEVER MANAGING OUR PROJECTS OR DEALING WITH IT.
BECAUSE NORMALLY IF YOU SEE SOMETHING RUNNING, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.
BUT ONE THING WE NEED TO GET IN THE HABIT OF AND TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO, WHEN A JOB IS COMPLETE AND EVERYTHING IS VERIFIED BY THE CITY, THEN WE GO BACK AND WE RELEASE RETAINAGE AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I SEE ANYTHING FOR US TO APPROVE, THAT'S NOT PART OF JUST THAT.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE I PROCESS SAYS WE GET THE JOB COMPLETED, WE INSPECT IT, WE'LL APPROVE IT, AND WE'VE PAID THE INDIVIDUAL ALL THE MONEY THAT HE'S DUE.
SO NOW WE CAN RELEASE HIS RETAINAGE.
NOW THAT'S THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS.
JUST ON THE CONTINGENCY REAL QUICK.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT DID NOT HAVE A CONTINGENCY LINE ITEM, BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY, I THINK WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THE COUNCIL TO PUT CONTINGENCY LINE ITEMS IN THESE CONTRACTS AND WE WILL START DOING THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE NORMAL THING.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU CONTRACT IT TO CONTRACTS UP TO NOW TO A CONTRACTOR, HE'S GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING.
WE GOTTA HAVE CONTINGENCY ALWAYS BUILT IN.
WHEN WE ESTIMATE STREETS, WE DO AN ESTIMATED COST PLUS WE PUT IN THE CONTINGENCY FOR THAT PARTICULAR STREET IN CASE IT GOES OVER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
WE'D LOVE YOUR APPROVAL ON THE CONTINGENCY.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY START DOING THAT AND THAT WAY WE'LL ELIMINATE THESE TYPE DISCUSSIONS IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE ANY OTHER UNREADINESS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ANY OPPOSERS OP NUMBER 23 7 82 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23788 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Port Arthur Police Chief Advisory Committee (Requested By Councilmember Frank)]
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA ON PAGE EIGHT, EXCUSE ME.BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE UNDER A RESOLUTIONS NON, UH, CONSENT.
PR NUMBER 2 37 88 IS A RESOLUTION, APPOINTING AND OR REAPPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBERS THROUGH THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE CHIEF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN RE AND I THINK WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO REMOVE THIS.
UH, WITH, WITH THE NAME OF THAT INDIVIDUAL PLEASE.
AND WE HAVE MR. CHARLES GUNNER'S NAME AS THE PERSON FOR THIS, UH, PARTICULAR, UH, RESOLUTION, UH, BY COUNCILMAN WHO WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
SO, UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, EVER FIELD SECOND.
THEY WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER, UH, 23 7 88 WITH THE NAME OF CHARLES GUNNER, UH, AS THE, UH, APPOINTEE BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
READY FOR QUESTION? UH, ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[01:55:01]
NUMBER 23 7 88 WITH CHARLES GUNNER'S NAME BEING INSERTED HAS BEEN APPROVED OR[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23793 – A Resolution Appointing A Member Or Members To The Pleasure Island Advisory Commission (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
IS APPROVED.NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 7 93.
IT IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
THE SECRETARY OR COUNCILMAN? YES.
MR. FRED OWENS NAME HAS BEEN OR WILL IS INSERTED.
SO, UH, NOW I'M GONNA GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL WITH FRED OWENS NAME BEING THE, UH, APPOINTEE, UH, BY COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
MAY I GET A SECOND MAYOR? I APPROACH HIM.
THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 93 WITH MR. FRED OWEN'S NAME BEING INSERTED.
WE'RE READY FOR, UH, QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IS ORDERED PR NUMBER 23 7 93 IS APPROVED WITH MR. FRED ORANGE NAME BEING INSERTED AS THE APPOINTEE
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7250 – An Ordinance Amending The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Changing The Zoning From High Density Residential To Heavy Industrial On Approximately A 34.13-Acre Tract Of Land Being Out Of Port Arthur Land Company, And Consisting Of Part Of Lots 5 & 6, Block 2, Range "D", Port Arthur Land Company Subdivision, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date Z24-04 – Gipson Commercial Properties]
REMOVE THE PAGE NINE.WE HAVE, UH, UNDER ITEM, UH, ROMAN NUMER, EXCUSE ME, NUMBER, UH, EIGHT, UH, AND ORDINANCE, WHICH IS PO NUMBER 72 5 0.
IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY CHANGING THE ZONING FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO HEAVY INDUSTRIAL OR ON APPROXIMATELY, UH, 35 ACRE TRACT OF LAND, UH, BEING OUT OF THE PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY AND CONSISTING OF BLOCK, UH, POINTS OF LOTS, UH, FIVE AND SIX BLOCK TWO RANGE D PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY SUBDIVISION, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY FINE, NOT EXCEEDING 2000 OF DOLLARS AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATION IS PERMITTED TO EXIST, SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE, UH, IT'S NUMBER Z 24 DASH ZERO FOUR GIBSON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN ETT? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR PRO TEM BECKHAM SECOND IS REMOVED.
AND WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER 72 50 AS PRESENTED.
WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION IF QUESTION.
COUNCILWOMAN, UH, HAMILTON? YES SIR.
I JUST WANT TO PUT ON RECORD, UM, CITY MANAGER WHEN THIS PROCESS BEGINS TO TAKE PLACE, I WOULD LIKE FOR SOME TYPE OF RE UM, US TO COME TO SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT, SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION FOR THE REPAIR OF THE STREETS.
THESE, UM, ITEMS THAT WILL BE ON THAT LAY DOWN YARD WILL BE EXTREMELY HEAVY.
MORE HEAVY TRUCKS WILL GO THROUGH OUR STREETS ON MAIN AND ALSO ON LEWIS FOSTER.
AND I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WE WILL NOT BE THE ONLY ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRING OF OUR STREETS AND THAT BE SHARED COSTS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A ENTRANCE ON MAIN STREET.
IF THEY CONTINUE TO USE PROCTOR EXTENSION AS MOST OF THOSE COMPANIES DO ON THAT END, THEN WE MAY NOT HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS. BUT IF THERE IS AN ENTRANCE ON MAIN AND LEWIS FOSTER, THEN WE WILL HAVE SOME ISSUES.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO QUESTION.
BUT I WAS, I WAS PRIED TO THE DISCUSSION THAT COUNCILMAN HAMILTON EVER FIELD HAD AND WHAT I SUGGESTED THAT THOSE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE BENEFITS THE PORT THAT WE CAN GET WITH THE PORT.
AND FOR LIKE WEST SEVENTH STREET ALSO, UM, WE NEEDED INDUSTRIAL BASED PUT IN DOWN THERE AN INDUSTRIAL BASE.
AND WE GET AN INDUSTRIAL BASE THAT'LL TAKE CARE OF THOSE BECAUSE THOSE EXCHANGES ARE EXTREMELY HEAVY.
SO WE, SO WE GIVE IT THE PORT AND, AND THE INDUSTRY DOWN THERE AND SOME KIND OF ATTACKS OR, OR GET 'EM TO AGREE TO CONTRIBUTE.
UH, I THINK WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
THE CITY MANAGER GOT A NEW PROJECT.
[02:00:02]
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR REZONING AND IT'S GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW THE REZONING CODE OF ORDINANCE.THEY'RE REQUESTING TO REZONE FROM, UH, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO, UH, HEAVY INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL.
WE CAN'T MAKE ANY STIPULATION ON ANY REQUIREMENTS ON ANYBODY.
IF WE RULE YES, THEN THE PROPERTY IS NOW COMMERCIAL.
IF YOU SAY NO, IT REMAINS HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
BUT WE CAN'T SAY WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THIS IF WE DO THAT.
AND IF THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT IN THE CODE OF WILDERNESS.
SO WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NO DEAL.
AM I CORRECT? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
UH, OKAY, LEMME COUNCILMAN, LEMME MAKE IT REAL SIMPLE.
IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU APPROVE THE, UH, ORDINANCE, THEN, THEN THE WHATEVER IS ALLOWED UNDER THAT ZONING PROVISION IN THE CODE WOULD BE ALLOWED THERE.
AND WE CAN'T ADD ANY, ANY REQUIREMENTS AS ARE NOT IN THE REQUIREMENT, NOT AS TO THE ZONING.
WE CAN'T, YOU CAN'T PUT THE REQUIREMENT FOR US TO APPROVE IT OR ADD ANY, WHATEVER THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
SO IF YOU APPROVE THIS, IT IS GOING, THE PROPERTY IS NOW ZONED HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, WHATEVER THEY CAN DO OR IS ALLOWED IN THAT UNDER OUR CODE OF A, THEY CAN DO, THERE'S NO STIPULATIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
'CAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ASKING THEM TO DO, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE PART OF 'CAUSE IF YOU APPROVE THIS ONCE YOU APPROVE IT
AND, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
WE CAN'T EVEN SAY NO IF THE CODE SAY YES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR BEFORE WE VOTE.
UM, CONSTABLE LEWIS, YOU HAD SOMETHING OH, YOUR OFF.
UH, I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THAT HEAVY DENSE, HEAVY DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DENSITY HOUSING DENSITY WAS PUT IN PLACE.
UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS IT BEFORE OR DID, DID THAT FALL UNDER THAT CITYWIDE, UH, REZONING PLANNING AND ZONING? UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, I KNOW THAT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROPERTY WAS ZONED AS MULTIPLE FAMILY.
UM, THIS GOES BACK TO 1989 WHEN THE LAST ZONING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, UNDER THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE, WE JUST REVERTED THE, UM, TITLE IF YOU WILL.
SO, UM, THERE IS A CHART THAT BASICALLY SHOWS YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S EQUIVALENT TO WHAT.
SO NOW, UM, HIGH DENSITY RESIDE, UM, I'M SORRY, MULTIPLE FAMILY IS REF REFERENCED AS HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
SO WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE USE THE LAND USE.
WHAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE ALLOWED IN THAT AREA UNDER THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE? WE JUST CHANGED WHAT YOU CALLED IT.
BUT IT WAS ZONED AS MULTIPLE FAMILY IN 1989.
WHAT WAS IT PRIOR TO 1989? I'M NOT SURE.
IF THEY GOING TO CHANGE IT, DO SOME SANDBLAST AND STUFF OUTSIDE, THEY GOTTA GET A ANOTHER PERMIT.
OKAY? SO WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DEMANDS ON ANYBODY THAT I SEE.
WE ALL KNOW WE, WE CAN'T DO IT AND I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT REQUIRING IT.
BUT MY POINT ABOUT GETTING HELP IS, IS, UH, FOR THE INDUSTRIES DOWN THERE AND, AND THE PORT THAT, THAT WORK AND DOWN THERE DEVELOP IT, IT, UH, ENHANCES WHAT THE PORT IS DOING.
I WANT TO TALK, I'M GOING TO GO MYSELF, CITY MANAGER, YOU CAN GO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M, I'M GONNA GO AND TALK WITH 'EM.
OKAY? I'M GOING TO TALK TO KELLY AND THEM ABOUT HELPING US WITH PUT A, A, A HEAVY BASE DOWN THERE, AN INDUSTRIAL BASE ON THAT STREET, AND ALSO HELP US WITH WEST SEVENTH STREET TOO, TO PUT AN INDUSTRIAL BASE THERE ALSO.
I, I'LL, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UM, I'M VERY CLEAR ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE VOTE YES OR WE VOTE NO ON THIS ORDINANCE, BUT IF WE APPROVE THIS AND BUSINESS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AS EXPECTED WITH THIS HEAVY MATERIAL
[02:05:01]
AND YOU MESS UP OUR STREETS, THEN I'M ASKING A CITY MANAGER TO PLEASE HAVE THE CONVERSATION, AT LEAST HAVE THE CONVERSATION SO THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR REPAIRING STREETS FOR SOMEBODY ELSE'S REVENUE.LET ME, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH YOU, WE ARE HAVING, EXCUSE ME, AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION ON USER FEEDS RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT THAT DEVELOPMENT IS CONTINUES TO HAVE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND A WAY OF MAKING THE DEVELOPER PEACE, HIS OR HER SHEER BASED ON THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
AND SO THAT DISCUSSION WILL CONTINUE.
I THINK THIS IS IN THE SAME VEIN AND SPIRIT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU SEE THAT SOMETHING COUNCILMAN YOU SAY? NO, THAT'S GOOD.
WE READY TO VOTE ARE ALL IN FAVOR AND PASS AN ORDINANCE.
ONE OPPOSER THE OTHER AYES THAT SAYS, I THINK THAT PASSES, UH, WHAT, HOWEVER YOU WANNA DO THAT.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE NA VOTE ONE.
UH, FROM YOUR ATE ON THAT, IT PASSES.
SO, UH, PO NUMBER 7 72 50 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7251 – An Ordinance Updating The Official Map Of The City Of Port Arthur To Confirm The Official Corporate Boundaries And Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)/Industrial District Of Port Arthur, Texas; Providing For Maintenance And Filing Of The Official MapAnd Related Matters]
OKAY.NEXT WE HAVE, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO UNDER ORDINANCES, UH, PO NUMBER 72, UH, 51.
IT IS AN ORDINANCE UPDATING THE OFFICIAL MAP OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
HE CONFIRMED THE OFFICIAL CORPORATE BOUNDARIES AND EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, THE ETJ INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, PROVIDING FOR MAINTENANCE AND FILLING OF THE OFFICIAL, UH, FILING, EXCUSE ME, OF THE OFFICIAL MAP AND RELATED MATTERS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN EVER FEEL SECOND? IT IS BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE APPEAL NUMBER 72 51 AS PRESENTED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IT ON APPEAL NUMBER 72 51 IS APPROVED AS READ NOW BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL INCIDENT THAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED HERE TO ON THIS EVENING.
I JUST WANT TO DO THIS FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES.
IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT, UH, PAGE ONE AND ITEM NUMBER ONE THAT BELIEVE THAT THAT REPORT WASN'T NEEDED AFTER WE DID APPROVED THOSE OR ITEMS THAT WERE ACTUALLY ADJUSTED OR ACTUALLY IN, UH, CORRELATION WITH THAT PRESENTATION.
IF WE LOOK AT, UH, NUMBER, UH, ROMAN NU NUMBER THREE ON PAGE TWO, WHERE THE STAFF REPORT AN UPDATE ON THE PASS TO THE RESTROOMS LOCATED ON O MILLS, UH, OPERATIONS CENTER WOULD BE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CARRIED OVER TO THE MEETING ON THE 18TH OF, UH, JUNE.
OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.
AND WE WERE ALREADY GOING TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER ONE FOR THE STATUS OF VEHICLES UNDERGOING REPAIRS THAT HAD BEEN A REQUEST TO BE REMOVED.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion Regarding The Number Of Active And Inactive Fire Hydrants And The Insurance Services Office (ISO) Fire Score (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
BE A DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE AND INACTIVE FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.I THINK WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES BECAUSE I, IT WAS ABOUT 8 45 OR 8 47 AND THEY SAID I HAD ONE HOUR.
IF YOU CAN COME UP, UH, FIRE CHIEF, UH, HAVENS AND, UH, GIVE US, COUNCILMAN LEWIS REQUESTED THIS INFORMATION.
GIVE US, UH, THE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UM, SO, UM, I LOOKED INTO THE MATTER AND THE, THERE'S, THERE SEEMS TO BE TWO PARTS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HYDRANTS.
WHAT'S IN SERVICE, WHAT'S OUTTA SERVICE, OUR O RATING, HOW THAT'S ALL GONNA BE AFFECTED.
UM, SO, UH, QUICK RESEARCH WE HAVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 2,290, UH, HYDRANTS IN THE, IN THE CITY.
UM, THAT NUMBER CHANGES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE ADD STREETS, WE ADD HYDRANTS, WE DEVELOP SOMETHING, WE ADD HYDRANTS.
WE, UM, UH, SOMETIMES MOVE THEM OR REMOVE THEM, UH, AS CASES MAY BE.
BUT THE BEST NUMBER I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW IS, UH, 2290.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
WELL, WHAT'S THE FUNCTION THEN AND NON-FUNCTION THEN? OKAY.
SO WE TEST OUR HYDRANTS ON A ROTATIONAL BA BASIS.
[02:10:02]
WE TRY TO, UM, UH, TEST ONE THIRD TO ONE QUARTER OF THEM EVERY YEAR.SO WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UM, RECORDS MANAGEMENT DATABASE CHANGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WHENEVER YOU MOVE DATA FROM ONE, UH, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO ANOTHER, EVERYTHING GETS SCREWED UP.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO GO BACK AND, UH, UH, REVISIT STUFF.
SO I GOT INTO OUR SYSTEM TODAY AND I WENT BACK AS FAR AS, UH, JANUARY OF 2023.
OUT OF THOSE, UM, 655 HYDRANTS, WE HAVE 65 THAT ARE, UH, UH, PENDING WORK ORDERS ON THEM.
UM, SOME OF 'EM ARE COMPLETELY OUTTA SERVICE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN HIT BY A CAR OR SOMETHING.
UH, SOME OF 'EM ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR.
SOME OF 'EM HAVE LOW WATER FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, WHICH WITH SOME OF THE WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE, UM, UM, PERFORMING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, THOSE PRESSURES ARE RISING.
OKAY? UM, SOMETIMES IT'S A MATTER OF THEY DID REPAIR ON ONE PART OF THE, UH, WATER MAIN SYSTEM AND SOMEBODY FORGOT TO JUST OPEN A VALVE ALL THE WAY.
SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE ITEMS ARE BEING, UH, IDENTIFIED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THAT INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED AND COMMUNICATED, UH, WITH THE WATERWORKS MM-HMM.
AND, UH, THEY ARE ADDRESSING THOSE MATTERS AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.
UM, AND THEY CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU MORE ABOUT THEIR REPLACEMENT PLAN BECAUSE, UH, WE FIND THE PROBLEMS. THEY FIX THE PROBLEMS. OKAY.
UM, THE, UH, AS FAR AS OUR ISO RATING GOES, YEAH.
UH, RIGHT NOW OUR ISO RATING IS A TWO, UH, THE VERY BEST A CITY CAN ACHIEVE IS A ONE.
UM, OUR LAST ISO AUDIT WAS, WAS DONE APPROXIMATELY WELL RIGHT AT 10 YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE USUALLY DONE IN 10 YEAR INCREMENTS, GIVE OR TAKE.
UM, THE PROCESS WAS STARTED FOR THE, UH, PREVIOUS CHIEF LEFT.
AND, UH, I'VE JUST PICKED UP THE INFORMATION AND STARTED GOING THROUGH IT.
THE, UM, I REACHED OUT, I, I, UH, I REACHED OUT TO A CONSULTANT THAT WE HAVE USED BEFORE.
AND, UM, I KIND OF EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, THE, THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT.
WE, WE'VE HAD TWO RECORDS MANAGEMENT CHANGES SINCE THAT LAST AUDIT.
UM, AND HE FEELS CONFIDENT THAT, UM, HE WILL, HE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US, UM, HOPEFULLY MAINTAIN A TWO, IF NOT IMPROVE IT.
UM, THE, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, UM, THE OTHER SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS THE FOLKS FROM, UM, UM, THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, WE ALL FEEL IT'S VERY PRUDENT TO SECURE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MM-HMM.
WELL THAT TWO, THE RANGE IS FROM ONE TO 10, RIGHT? IT'S ACTUALLY FROM ONE TO, IS IT 14? 14 OR 15? OKAY.
AND SO YOU, YOU BASICALLY GOT, UH, 60, YOU TESTED 655, YOU GOT ABOUT 6 65.
YEAH, WE, WE TRIED TO DO, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT ANYWHERE FROM A THIRD TO A QUARTER A YEAR.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE FIXING TO START RAMPING BACK UP ON IT FOR THIS YEAR.
SO YOU'RE PROBABLY, WE'LL PROBABLY GET ANOTHER FIVE, 600 HYDRANTS DONE THIS YEAR, IF NOT MORE.
WELL, MY CONCERN IS IMPACTING OUR ISO ALREADY IMPACTS YOUR INSURANCE ON YOUR, ON YOUR HOMES AND EVERYTHING.
WELL, MY, MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENCY IN THE FIELD.
YOU KNOW, UM, WITH, UM, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW THE WATER DEPARTMENT UNDER THE BUS BY ANY MEANS.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS GROWN OVER DECADES.
THIS IS, THIS IS NO ONE PERSON'S FAULT THAT THAT'S STANDING IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, IF LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FROM WHAT HAS BEEN TESTED AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY, UH, PENDING WORK ORDER, UH, REPLACEMENT REPAIR, WHAT HAVE YOU MM-HMM.
[02:15:01]
THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ABOUT 10% OF THEM THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED RIGHT OFF THE BAT.AND THEN, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT CALVIN COULD EXPAND ON IF YOU WOULD LIKE, IS THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT A HYDRANT REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE IT SITS THERE STILL IN THE YARD, THAT THOSE THINGS WEAR OUT OVER THE YEARS AND WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S, ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S ALL HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I JUST, THAT'S A LOT.
WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT THIS, IT WAS HAD, SOME YEARS AGO IT HAD SOME BIG NUMBER, LIKE 300 OR SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, BUT Y'ALL GOT THAT NUMBER WAY WEIGHTED.
YOU GOT A CONSTANTLY, YOU GOT A PROGRAM, YOU CONSTANTLY WORKING.
WE'RE WORKING, LOOKING AT IT CONSTANTLY.
BUT I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND THAT 300 AND SOME OF 'EM WASN'T WORKING.
WHAT ABOUT REPLACEMENT? HOW, HOW ARE WE DOING THAT ON YOU NOW? HE, HE JUST EXPLAINED TO US THAT WE TRIED TO INSPECT 600 TO 700 EACH YEAR.
WE HAVE AN APPROVED BUDGET OF $90,000, WHICH WE JUST SPENT AND BOUGHT 24 HYDRANTS.
THAT'S 24 HYDRANTS TO BE DELIVERED TO HO MILLS.
AND IT COST A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THREE $4,000 ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO INSTALL IT.
SO IT'S, IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT I SAY HERE ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU FUND IT, WE WILL DO IT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I SAY.
YOU ALL GOTTA LET US KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS SO WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO DO IT.
'CAUSE WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE HYDRANT, WE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CITIZENS' PROPERTY AND STUFF GETTING OUT THERE AND TIME ENOUGH TO DO IT.
SO SOMETIME, YEAH, WE GOING TO PUT MONEY THERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A SAFETY, THAT'S FIRE AND SAFETY FOR CITIZENS.
SO WE, WE WILL, AS COUNCIL, THAT'S OUR KIND, THAT'S KIND, WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
SO WE SAYING LIKE 24, UH, WE FUNDED, YOU KNOW, AND WE GOT 22 SAY 23, 2300 AND YOU GOT 10%.
SO YOU NEED, THAT'S 230 THAT WE KNOW ARE GONNA BE NEEDED.
SO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BUYS, 25 HYDRANTS.
AND SO YOU NEED ABOUT 10 TIMES A HUNDRED THOUSAND YOU NEED AND THAT'S A, THAT'S JUST SETTING IN THE YARD.
WELL, SO YOU'RE GONNA NEED ANOTHER THAT MUCH TO INSTALL THEM.
WELL, WELL YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET TO WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRE HYDRANTS.
WE GOT 20, 20 SOME HUNDRED, WE BUYING 10% A YEAR.
YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE DOING.
I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND BUY A THOUSAND THIS YEAR, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE HAVE TO FIND A MEDIUM AND THAT MEDIUM NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL.
AND THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER WE THINK INVESTING THAT MUCH MONEY FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS IN POINT.
AND I'M QUITE SURE WE ALL GOING TO BE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
SO, SO SIR, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, SURE.
CALVIN, IF ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE IS LOW WATER FLOW, WE HAVE UH, QUITE A FEW WATER PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED SINCE THE MID 2000.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN, BEFORE I GOT HERE, BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHERE PORT ARTHUR WAS, THEY WERE DESIGNED AND WE'VE MANY TIMES STOOD HERE AND SAY WE NEED 25 TO $30 MILLION FOR THAT.
UH, THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELP.
AND IT AS PART OF REPLACING THE WATER LINES, IT WOULD BE MUCH, IT WOULD REDUCE THE COST OF INSTALLING FIRE HYDRANTS ALONG THOSE WATER LINES.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE A CONTRACTOR ON SITE.
SO IF YOU WOULD APPROVE $30 MILLION FOR THOSE WATER LINES AND WE COULD GET SOME FIRE HYDRANTS INSTALLED.
WELL I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING BEING A COUNCILMAN AND LIKE EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT ATTENDING THESE CONFERENCES AND I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, UH, THE MAIN THING IS US BEING A GOOD RATING, A BOND RATING.
AND WHEN WE HAVE A GOOD BOND RATING, THEN WE NEED TO GO AND LOOK AT DEATH AND WE NEED TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES.
AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CITIZENS, THAT'S A PRIORITY.
AND, AND UH, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW SO WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AND BUY THE THING.
WE JUST ASK TO LET US KNOW WHAT THE STATUS IS AND WE SET PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, A CITY MANAGER DO A BUDGET.
BUT YOU SEE WE APPROVE THE BUDGET.
[02:20:01]
THAT, BUT IF WE DON'T AGREE HOW IT'S GOING AND WE CHANGE IT, OKAY.WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF CITIZENS.
WE HAVE TO PUT THEIR, THEIR NEEDS FIRST.
AND FIRE HYDRANTS WE, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ESPECIALLY IF WE LOOKING AT A CERTAIN AREA THAT HAS A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WILL DRIVE THE PRIORITY IN WHAT WE DO, ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AND, AND ENSURING, GO AHEAD CALVIN.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE FIRE CHIEF HERE, INTRA FIRE CHIEF HAS A VERY GOOD GIS SYSTEM.
SO WHEN THEY TEST 'EM, THE DATA'S ON THERE AND THEY CHANGE COLOR.
SO AS FAR AS KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE, IT'S PRETTY VISIBLE.
I IT MAY NOT BE VISIBLE TO Y'ALL, BUT I'M SURE YOU COULD GIVE THEM A DEMONSTRATION OF, I GUESS I CAN GIVE YOU A DEMONSTRATION.
NO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD.
'CAUSE ALL WE NEED THOUGH, CALVIN, IS WE HAVE A MAP OF THE CITY.
SO IF THEY'RE ON A MAP, IF WE GOT A, A, A LARGE NUMBER IN A CERTAIN AREA, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE KNOW WE NEED TO PUT A, A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFORT THAN WE WOULD NORMALLY DO WITH GETTING MORE INTO THAT AREA THIS YEAR.
MAYBE WE MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND TWICE AS MUCH THIS YEAR.
MAYBE WE CAN'T SPEND IT NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET ENOUGH INFORMATION AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE 2000.
BUT OF THOSE 2000 SOMETHING, THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN LEWIS ASKED WAS THE KEY QUESTION, HOW MANY OR NON-OPERATIONAL THE ONES WE NEED TO FIX, WE PROBABLY GET AROUND FIXING.
BUT HOW MANY NEED TO BE REPLACED? THAT'S THE TYPE DATA.
THAT'S THE KIND OF INFORMATION AT THE COUNCILMAN I EXPECT TO, TO RECEIVE.
I WANNA KNOW HOW MANY ARE NON OPERATIONAL.
IS IT ANY AREA THAT HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM? COUNCILMAN, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
HOW ABOUT WE GIVE YOU ALL A PRESENTATION OF WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA COST, AND THEN THIS IS PERFECT TIMING 'CAUSE YOU'RE FIXING TO APPROVE BUDGETS.
SO YOU'LL TELL US, PUT THIS, THIS, THIS IN THE BUDGET, PAY FOR IT FROM HERE, HERE AND THERE.
HOW ABOUT THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT BUDGET'S ABOUT.
I JUST HOPE THAT, THAT WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE GONNA SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE ALL THESE QUESTIONS, THINGS GONNA BE ADDRESSED.
IT AIN'T GONNA BE NO SHORT TIME, LONG TIME.
'CAUSE WE GONNA SET PRIORITIES AND WE GONNA FUND PRIORITIES AND WE NEED TO GET PRIORITIES DONE.
WE CAN DO A WORKSHOP OR WE CAN DO A PRESENTATION DURING THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU ALL, Y'ALL GIVE US THE NO, THE THING ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU GET THESE 30 MEN, WE, WE DON'T NEED, WE JUST NEED TO BE UPDATED ON THINGS.
UH, UH, THAT, THAT COMES TO THE COUNCIL AND CITIZENS.
SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FOUND OUT WE GOT THESE MANY, THAT MANY THIS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
I THINK RIGHT NOW THE MAIN THING, UH, WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
THE QUESTION HE BROUGHT UP, I'M STILL, I SEE Y'ALL GOT A HANDLE ON IT.
WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE GOTTA DEAL WITH THOUGH.
AND WHAT YOU SAYING IS YOU COULD GET THAT TOGETHER AND BRING IT BACK TO US AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
UM, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
IT IS EXTREMELY, UM, IMPORTANT AND WATER PERIOD FOR WHATEVER WE'RE USING IT FOR IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO CITIZENS HEARING THIS CONVERSATION AND KNOWING THERE'S A FIRE HYDRANT THAT MAY NOT BE WORKING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.
CHIEF, I KNOW YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION OF HOW THEY WOULD STILL BE SERVICED, BUT FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE REAL SHORT WHAT THAT IS SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN STILL BE TAKEN CARE OF EVEN IF THERE IS NOT A FUNCTIONING HYDRO IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
I HATE TO, I HATE TO HURT YOU ALL, BUT I TOLD YOU 8 47 WAS THE TIME THAT HE TOLD ME ON THE ONE HOUR.
IT'S NOW, NO, WAIT A MINUTE, IT'S NOW EIGHT 50 NOW.
UH, WE CAN CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION ON THE 18TH.
I I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT, UH, IT'S ABOUT THREE MINUTES OVER THE ONE HOUR PERIOD THAT THEY GAVE ME.
UH, UH, AM I CORRECT ON THAT? IT'S STILL ON.
I MEAN WELL, I KNOW, I KNOW THE ADS STILL ON, BUT YOU WANT TO GO DOWN ON THE ELEVATOR? YOU WANT TO DO I WANT TO DO WHAT I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO.
OKAY, MA'AM, WE CAN, WE CAN GET, WE CAN SUM THIS UP VERY FAST, SIR.
WE CAN, WE CAN SUM THIS UP VERY FAST.
SO IF YOU WOULD JUST TAKE MY LEAD, NO ONE NEVER WOULD HAVE NO, WAIT A MINUTE.
[02:25:01]
GONNA TAKE, I'M GONNA TAKE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND IF I'M WRONG, Y'ALL TELL ME NEXT WEEK MEETING IS NOW ADJOIN.