[00:00:01]
AS SOON AS IT TELLS ME THAT I'M GOOD.
HEY, WHAT'S UP, MILES? APPLE GOT THE WHOLE CREW.
Y'ALL LOOKING GOOD? OH, YOU MADE IT WORK RIGHT THE LAST TIME.
OH, WELL, LET'S, LET'S SHARE WITH THEM.
OH, UH, READY? WE SHOULD BE RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD MORNING.WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TODAY, TUESDAY, JULY 16TH, 2024 AT, UH, 9:35 AM WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING THIS MEETING STARTED.
UH, YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING, EXCUSE ME, VIA, UH, TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS, HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9, AND YOU WOULD ENTER THE, UH, MEETING ID OF 8 3 0 0 6 6 0 3 8, I MEAN 3 6 8 5, AND THE PASSCODE OF 2 4 2 4 4 6, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AT THIS PARTICULAR MEETING.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST CALL 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY AND HER STAFF WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUEST.
NOW, WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR REGULAR, UH, OPENING, WHICH HAS BEEN INVOCATION TO PLEDGE AND A ROLL CALL.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES, YOU WOULD JUST MUTE THOSE, PLEASE FOR ME AT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, JUNCTURE.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT WORKING RIGHT, SHERRY, BUT MAYBE LINDSEY BROKE IT.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE US AN IMPLICATION? YES, SIR.
LET US BOW ALL, ALWAYS IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YET AGAIN, GIVING US ANOTHER DAY.
WE THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU TODAY, GOD, EVEN AS YOU ARE BLESSING US, WE ASK ON TODAY, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM TO MAKE DECISIONS, UH, THIS DAY.
WE PRAY PROTECTION FOR ALL OF OUR, OUR STAFF, AND FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES TODAY.
AND WE PRAY, GOD, THAT ALL WE DO HERE TODAY MIGHT BRING YOU GLORY.
WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION AS WELL.
A GOD THAT YOU MIGHT UNIFY US AND BRING US AS ONE.
IN THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING AND TOUCH SCREEN AS WITNESS NOT WORTH.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO SET THE, UH, QUORUM FOR PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, EXPRESS THIS AND WE WOULD ASK TO PRAYER AS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, UH, EVERFI.
[00:05:01]
I HAVE ANY HEALTH PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, SO TELL ME IF I'M STEPPING ON THE HIPAA LAWS, BUT YOU MAY WONDER WHY SHE HASN'T BEEN HERE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.SHE HAS, UH, A CONDITION KNOWN AS COVID.
AND, UH, SHE'S HAD IT TO THE EXTENT THAT, UH, SHE CONTINUES TO TEST POSITIVE AND I KNOW I DID FOR A LONG TIME, UH, EVEN AFTER I THOUGHT I WAS OKAY.
SO THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE HER HERE AT COUNCIL MEETING.
SO CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HER AND AS LONG AS SHE TESTS POSITIVE, I WOULD WANT HER TO STAY AWAY FROM ME.
SO AS, AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO TEST POSITIVE STAY AT YOUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DOING BECAUSE I ASKED HER TO DO THE SAME.
UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
THANK YOU, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
OH, YOU WIPING YOUR NOSE THAT WE DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM, SIR.
I JUST WANT THE ROOM TO BE NICE AND READY FOR, FOR THE MEETING.
WHAT WE WILL DO NOW, WE HAVE PROCLAMATIONS AND SHERRY, BUT THESE PROCLAMATIONS INVOLVE OUR CITY STAFF.
THESE, THESE TWO THAT I HAVE HERE DEALING WITH.
BUT I KNOW COUNCILMAN LEWIS WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE PIPE BURSTING GROUP.
AND THOSE, SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS DEVIATE FROM THE PRINTED AGENDA.
AND YOU TOLD ME IT'S NUMBER TWO ON, UH, YES SIR.
PRESENTATIONS ON, ON WHICH PAGE? I'M ON, I'M SORRY.
SO IT WOULD BE, UH, WAIT, NO, NO, NO, I DON'T, I WANT YOU RIGHT HERE.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Staff Regarding The Prince Hall Pipe Bursting Team (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
PRESENTATION BY, UH, STAFF REGARDING THE PRINCE HALL PIPE BURSTING.PRINCE ALL THREW ME ALL, THAT'S WHY I KEPT CLEANSING THROUGH IT.
BUT WE CALL PRINCIPAL, UH, PIPE BURSTING TEAM, AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
AND WE WANT TO, UH, DEVIATE FROM THE NORM AND ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN SO THAT Y'ALL CAN RETURN TO PIPE BURSTING AND WE CAN KEEP GOING WITH THE MEETING.
CALVIN, YOU GOING TO DO THE PRESENTATION OR ARE THE TEAM LEADERS GOING TO DO IT? HOW YOU WANT? HOW Y'ALL WANT TO HANDLE THIS? I WAS GONNA LET INTRODUCE THE CREW.
SO BE CALVIN MATTHEWS, YOU BEFORE I GOT HERE, UH, I THINK, UH, MOTIVA AND SOME OF THE EDITOR INDUSTRIES HELPED THE CITY PROCURE THE EQUIPMENT TO HAVE AN IN-HOUSE PIPE BURSTING CREW, WHICH IS BASICALLY HOW WE REPLACE SEWER PIPES.
UH, BEN JOINED US FROM BEAUMONT AND HAS LED THIS CREW SINCE INCEPTION.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING BETWEEN TWO AND 3000 FEET OF SEWER PIPE REPLACEMENT A MONTH.
AND IT, THEY'RE ALSO VERY RESPONSIVE AND ABLE TO GO TO WHEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY LINE THAT COLLAPSE.
SO INSTEAD OF TAKING THREE MONTHS TO BID TO REPAIR, WE CAN GET BEN OVER THERE AS LONG AS THERE'S NOT TOO MANY OF 'EM AT ONE TIME.
SO, UH, BEN, YOU HAVE YOUR CREW.
MAYBE YOU COULD INTRODUCE 'EM.
UM, BY BURSTING, UM, I GOT A CREW OF PEOPLE HERE PRESENT, UH, IS, UH, UH, CEDRIC WADE OPERATOR.
CAN THEY ALL COME UP AND AND JOIN YOU UP HERE? THEY ALL, YEAH, THEY COME UP.
SO THE NEWS LADY COULD, SHE MIGHT WANNA TAKE CARE OF A PICTURE.
ALL Y'ALL GET IN FRONT RIGHT HERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I EAT Y'ALL SPREAD OUT, SO, SO SHE CAN GET Y'ALL GOOD.
Y'ALL STAY RIGHT THERE BECAUSE PAM, AND SHE'S COMING FOR OUR WELL PAGE.
I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU.
WELL, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY I WANTED TO SAY IS, I, I KNOW THEY'RE HERE FOR PRINCE HALL.
PRINCE HALL APARTMENTS HAD A VERY BAD PROBLEM.
THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLACE THE MAIN SEWER DOWN OUR, IN OUR RIGHT OF WAY, OUR SEWER.
SO IT OPENED UP THE FLOW FOR THE BUILDINGS.
BUT THEY BASICALLY DO THIS EVERY DAY.
THEY WORK, UH, FOUR DAYS OF WORK A WEEK, 10 HOURS A DAY, AND SOMETIMES A
[00:10:01]
LITTLE OVERTIME.AND, UH, IT'S, THEY REALLY SAVE US FOR A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH TCEQ.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, TO OBSERVE YOU GUYS UP CLOSE AND, AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH YOU GUYS, MAN.
THEY GET THE WORK DONE AND IT, IT, IT DON'T RAIN, IT RAINS ON THEM.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE OUT THERE ALL HOURS A NIGHT.
HOW MANY, I THINK Y ALL, HOW MANY FEET OF OF PIPE DID Y'ALL PULL FOR FOR PRINCE HOLE? WE PULLED, UH, 1300 FEET.
WE REPLACED 1300 FEET OF PIPE.
NOW THAT AND, UH, THREE, THREE MANHOLES.
NOW THAT HAD THE, THAT IMPACTED 120 RESIDENTS.
I MEAN, THEY HAD, THEY, THEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS TOO WITHIN THE UNITS.
BUT THE CITY PUT THAT THIS PIPE BURSTING CREW PUT THAT MAIN LINE IN VERY QUICK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY ARE VERY EFFICIENT.
AND THE CITY MANAGER, WE NEED TO DOUBLE UP.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED, WE NEED EXTRA CREWS, MAN.
WE NEED TO BUILD ANOTHER CREW.
BUT THEY GET SOME WORK DONE AND THEN IT IS NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT, WHAT, ABOUT 10 10 OF Y'ALL? NO, NO, THIS HERE.
THEY FIRST GOT STARTED INTO SABINE, PA GO.
ANYTIME YOU GET, SOME PEOPLE CAN'T FLOW OR HAVE TO REPLACE UP IN THE ALLEY.
THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT COME THERE AND, AND GET IT DONE IMMEDIATELY.
GET THE PEOPLE FLOWING AND GET THE SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY THEY PAY TAXES.
YOU GOT A VERY EFFICIENT CREW.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
AND I JUST HAD TO KIND OF SHOW YOU ALL OFF, YOU KNOW, SHOW OUR APPRECIATION.
CITY MANAGER, YOU GONNA BUY 'EM LUNCH?
UH, TAYLOR START MY RIGHT COUNCILOR KEN LAW.
HEY GUYS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
I REMEMBER, UH, WHEN WE STARTED THIS, UH, VENTURE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WOULD BE TO THE CITY AND WOULD SAVE THE CITY, UH, UH, MONEY.
AND THAT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND ALSO SAVING, COST SAVING.
BUT I'M SO GLAD, I HOPE TO HAVE ANOTHER TEAM.
PRETTY SOON I'LL BE TALKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO IMPLEMENT A, A SECOND TEAM OR A SECOND TIER OF YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOU'RE LIKE, LIKE COUNCILMAN LEWIS STATED EARLIER, YOU'RE VERY VALUABLE IN THIS CITY AND WE REALLY NEED YOU GUYS.
SO, UH, DIRECTOR, WHATEVER THEY NEED, LET'S MAKE SURE THEY GET IT.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT, AND, UH, WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN A SECOND CREW BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO.
BUT SINCE WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SEWAGE, IT IS A PRIORITY.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PRIORITY TO ESTABLISH THAT SECOND CREW.
I KNOW LAST TIME I WAS ON CANCER, WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO IT.
I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET.
THIS IS NOT KNOW WE NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK YOU NEED TO BRING ALL OF THE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS, HOW MANY PEOPLE, WHAT EQUIPMENT COSTS THAT NEEDS TO COME TO THE COUNCIL BECAUSE I SEE US SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD BE GOING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED AND WE NEED TO DO IT.
WE GOTTA STOP RELYING ON PEOPLE COMING IN.
CONTRACTS, CONTRACTS, CONTRACTS.
WE NEED TO GET THE EQUIPMENT PEOPLE TRAINED AND WE NEED TO HELP OURSELVES.
NOBODY HELPS SOMEBODY WHO DON'T HELP THEMSELVES.
SO YOU NEED TO GATHER WHAT IT TAKES FOR A SECOND.
IT NEEDS TO COME TO THIS COUNCIL AND LET THE COUNCIL TELL YOU NO, WE AIN'T GONNA SAY NO.
I KNOW NOBODY HERE GONNA SAY NO, NOT WITH THE PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING OUR PROBLEM HERE.
BUT, AND LISTEN TO HOW MUCH FEET THEY COULD DO IN THE MONTH.
THAT MEANS TWO CREWS DO TWICE AS MUCH.
AND WE HAVE TO GET THIS FIXED FOR THE CITIZENS.
WE NOT CONTRACTORS, WE HAVE TO DO IT.
SO HOW ABOUT BRINGING US SOMETHING, PUT IT ON US.
I'LL BE WAITING FOR IT MYSELF.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING THE WORK.
I JUST WANT TO ADD, UH, MY, MY CONGRATULATIONS AND MY THANKS, ESPECIALLY MY THANKS.
UM, I HAVE, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT I KNOW, UH, THAT LIVE
[00:15:01]
IN PRINCE, UH, PRINCE HALL, UH, AND I KNOW THAT THEY GREATLY APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, UH, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY.AND WE JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU, UH, AND APPLAUD YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO BECAUSE IT'S HOT OUT THERE AND IT'S, IT'S DIRTY OUT THERE AND WE KNOW THAT YOU GUYS WORK HARD AND, UH, WE JUST PRAY FOR YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR HEALTH AS YOU, AS YOU GET THIS WORK DONE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
WELL, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU ALL.
I KNOW I'VE NOTICED YOU ALL, I COULD RECALL ONE SUNDAY, UH, LEAVING CHURCH, AND THAT WAS THE SITUATION.
AND, UH, A CITIZEN CALLED ME AND, UH, I MADE A CALL AND THEN I WENT BACK AND YOU ALL WERE REALLY GOING.
I THINK AT THAT POINT Y'ALL WERE KNOCKING ON SOME PEOPLE'S DOORS TO TELL 'EM WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND YOU HADN'T TOLD 'EM THAT MORNING BECAUSE THEY WERE PROBABLY GOING TO CHURCH A LOT OF THE FOLK IN THAT AREA.
BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, I I, I SAW THAT DILIGENCE AND THEN I'VE BEEN INFORMED OF WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE OUT IN THE, IN THE, UH, SABINE PASS AREA.
UH, AND IT, IT, IT, IT IS VERY APPRECIATIVE, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, THE PRINCE HALL PROJECT, UH, AND, AND THE OTHER AREAS OF TOWN.
SO WE WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, UH, AS, AS IT'S BEEN STATED, IF WE THINK ABOUT IT, WE ARE AT THE, UH, BEGINNING OF A, UH, BUDGET PREPARATION.
SO IT MIGHT BE, UH, PRUDENT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE, UH, BUDGETARY ASPECT OF BEGINNING ANOTHER CREW AND PLACE IT IN A NEW BUDGET.
AND IF IT CAN GET APPROVED, THEN THE CREW IS THERE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT, THAT, THAT MONEY'S APPROPRIATED, IT'S VOTED UPON.
AND IT'S JUST, UH, AT THAT POINT, UH, CONTINGENT UPON YOU ALL MAKING THE CHOICES AS TO WHOM YOU WANT TO HAVE FOR THE, UH, THE NEXT, THE NEXT GROUP OR NEXT CREW.
AND YOU COULD HAVE MAYBE TWO CREWS, UH, TRAINED DOING THIS, THIS, THIS VERY IMPORTANT WORK FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS WANTED TO BE SURE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A MOMENT HERE TO BE RECOGNIZED.
UH, THAT WHAT I WANT TO DO, AND HE, THAT AGAIN, HE ASKED ME TO SAY THIS, UH, CITY MANAGER, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO FOR THE PIPE B CREW? I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF CREWS IN PORT ARTHUR, AND MAYBE WE MIGHT GET A CHANCE TO GET TO EVERYBODY, BUT IS IT ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD DO FOR THEM IN A CELEBRATORY MANNER OF LUNCH OR BREAKFAST OR SOMETHING VERY, VERY SOON FOR THESE MEN? UH, AND Y'ALL LET ME KNOW SO I CAN SHOW UP, UH,
EVERYONE'S, EVERYONE'S NAME IS, COME AND SAY YOUR NAMES PLEASE.
PEYTON MAINTENANCE WORKER, TR THITO OPERATOR.
BRIAN YOUNG, MAINTENANCE WORKER.
AGAIN, WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR THIS, UH, CITY MANAGER.
IS THERE, IS THERE AN ANSWER TO THAT REQUEST? LET ME GET, I I I'LL GET TO CALVIN.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT COUNCILMAN LEWIS TO SAY I DIDN'T ASK WHAT HE ASKED ME TO, HE REQUESTED THAT I WOULD ASK.
SO CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE, ALL THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL DONE.
THE, THE CITIZEN REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
NOW WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT MINUTES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BEGIN A, UH, PUBLIC, A PUBLIC HEARING AT, UH, 10:00 AM SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS GO BACK TO THE NORMAL FLOW ON OUR, UH, PRINTED AGENDA.
AND WHAT WE HAVE IS PROCLAMATIONS.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS (Part 1 of 2)]
AND WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION NOW FROM THE, UH, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, UH, WHEREAS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, UH, AND THE CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION FIELD IS A DIVERSE AND COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM THAT IMPROVES THE PERSONAL, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC[00:20:01]
HELP.AND WHEREAS THEY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF PARK AND RECREATION SERVICES THAT ENRICH THE LIVES OF CITIZENS AND MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND EVEN TO VISIT.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS THE SKILLED WORK OF PARKS AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY COHESION AND RESILIENCY, CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE AND EVEN WITH EACH OTHER, AND TO PROVIDE AND PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH, FOR LIVING SOCIAL EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
AND WHEREAS WE VALUE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT PARKS AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS AND VOLUNTEERS PERFORM TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL ENRICHMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR YOUTH, FOR OUR ADULTS, AND EVEN FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS.
AND TO ENSURE OUR PARKS AND RECREATIONAL SPACE AND SPACES ARE CLEAN, SAFE, INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING, AND READY TO USE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS IS DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION AND EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF FOR THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO MAKING OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BARTY, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JULY 19TH AS, UH, 24, BUT JULY 19TH, 2024 AS PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANT RECOGNITION OF YOUR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 16TH DAY OF JULY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
AND IT SIGNED TO THURMAN BILL BARTY MAYOR.
AND MS. ALPO, WOULD YOU PLEASE APPROACH AND I WILL PRESENT YOU WITH THIS AND WHOMEVER YOU WANT TO COME, EVERYBODY COME UP.
AND LOOK, I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL SO KNOW THIS IS MY CRIBS.
I'M, I'M GONNA REARRANGE THE FURNACE.
YOU ALL COME ON UP AND Y'ALL GET ACROSS RIGHT THERE.
AND WE GOING TO GET RIGHT HERE.
Y'ALL GET ON EITHER SIDE SO THEY CAN TAKE THE PICTURE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY GONNA PUT IN THE NEWSPAPER, BUT THEY MIGHT PUT YOU, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
YEAH, Y'ALL COME ON AND Y'ALL FACE BACK.
AND LOOK, IF I COULD DO THIS COUNCIL, WOULD YOU ALL STAND PLEASE? SO WHEN THEY TAKE THE PICTURE, THEY CAN GET YOU STANDING AND YEAH.
YEAH, WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE.
AND MS. ALPO AND TO THE STAFF AGAIN, EVERYBODY.
THANKS YOU ALL, ALL THAT YOU DO.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, WHAT'S OUR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE EACH OF THEIR NAMES, DO YOU? UM, I CAN GET THAT FROM THE DIRECTOR.
I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK THE STAFF AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THEM AND WHAT THEY DO IN
[00:25:01]
THE HEAT.AND, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY GO THROUGH, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEM WITH THAT AND WITH THE PROGRAMMING THEY PROVIDE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO, TO THANK THEM.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE STAFF.
I WANNA REITERATE AGAIN WHAT I SAID FOR THE GUYS IN THE PIPE BURSTING TEAM, THAT WE KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING IN CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOT IDEAL YEAR ROUND.
AND RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S SO HOT.
AND I SEE A LOT OF YOU GUYS ARE HAVING TO WEAR LONG SLEEVE, LONG PANTS, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
SO OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALSO JUST TO, TO BE SAFE AND TO BE HEALTHY AND DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.
THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR US IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CITY AND TO THE, THE SATISFACTION OF, OF ALL OF THE CITIZENS.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL GET A LOT OF FLACK SOMETIMES BECAUSE THIS PART'S NOT MOW AND THIS ESPLANADE ISS NOT MOWED.
BUT WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
STAY SAFE OUT THERE AND BROKE THE SCREEN.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
AS COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM SAID, UH, PEOPLE SEE, UH, OUR CITY, UH, THROUGH YOUR EYES.
SO WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT YOU DO IMPACTS OUR CITY.
PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PORT ARTHUR, SEE OUR CITY THROUGH YOUR EYES.
I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE, UH, YOU CAN SEE A MAJOR CHANGE SINCE, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN MORE EMPLOYEES, UH, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I, I SEE A LOT OF 'EM ON THE, UH, THE MEDIUMS AND ACTUALLY IN THE PARKS AND CUTTING.
AND THAT, THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING PRIDE OF OUR CITY.
AND THAT'S THE FIRST STEP THAT, UH, WE ARE MAKING CHANGES.
SO TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
WE KNOW IT'S HOT, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, ANYTHING YOU GUYS NEED, PLEASE LET THE COUNCIL KNOW.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL, ALL THE WORK THAT, THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU, MAYBE YOU CAN GET WITH THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND, AND YOU ALL TAKE OVER, TELL THEM, GIVE YOU ALL THE MONEY, AND Y'ALL TAKE OVER THE LANDSCAPING COMING INTO THE, INTO THE CITY SO WE CAN KEEP IT UP.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT.
BECAUSE THEY ONLY CUT, THEY ONLY CUT WHAT, TWICE A YEAR? TWICE, YEAH.
AND, AND YOU, YOU GOT THE LANDSCAPING MORE.
IF, IF YOU TAKE IT OVER AND THEY, AND THEY GIVE YOU THE MONEY, IT'LL, IT'LL ALWAYS LOOK NICE.
HAVE A GOOD FACADE EVERY TIME YOU COME IN.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO, THIS IS NOT ALL OUR STAFF 'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE OUR SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM.
THE BABIES ARE BOWLING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE DO HAVE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, OUR AQUATIC STAFF THAT'S NOT HERE, BUT I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE APPRECIATED AS WELL.
WELL, AT THIS JUNCTURE YOU ALL, WE WILL GO TO PAGE, I THINK IT IS PAGE THREE.
OUR PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR 10:00 AM AND WE'RE READY TO SEE THE SECRETARY MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
[IV.(1) To Consider Whether Or Not To Issue A Permit To Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC C/O Sempra Energy Of Houston, Texas For The Installation Of A Forty-Two Inch (42”) Natural Gas Pipeline Within The Corporate Limits Of The City Of Port Arthur]
WE'LL NOW HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THE PUBLIC HEARING.AND THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO ISSUE A PERMIT TO PORT AUTHOR PIPELINE, LLC, COMMONLY KNOWN, UH, UH, SEMPRA ENERGY OR ENERGY, I'M SORRY, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE LIGHT BILL.
A MAP OF THE PROPOSED ROUTE AND OTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PIPELINE WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CAN BE EXAMINED IN THE NEAR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HERE AT CITY HALL PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE DOWN THERE AT THE VERY MOMENT.
NOW IF YOU WANT TO, UH, EXAMINE IT OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE HEARING, YOU MAY STILL EXAMINE IT.
AND SO AT THIS JUNCTURE FOR THE CITY, UH, CITY MANAGER, WHO DO WE HAVE THAT WILL SPEAK? OH, OKAY.
UM, GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL THIS MORNING.
UM, WE HAVE A PIPELINE REQUEST HERE FROM SEMPRA ENERGY, WHICH AS EVERYONE KNOWS IS BUILDING A TREMENDOUS LNG PLANT DOWN SOUTH OF PORT ARTHUR GOING TOWARDS SABINE PASS.
AND, UH, THIS PIPELINE WILL RUN ACTUALLY FROM LOUISIANA UNDER LAKE SABINE AND TIE IN UNDER THE SHIP CHANNEL TO THE S NEW
[00:30:01]
FACILITY.UM, WE'VE HAD THE MEETING WITH THE PIPELINE COMMITTEE MET ON JUNE 6TH, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, IT WAS UNANIMOUS OF THE MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS PIPELINE.
AND, UM, IF YOU DO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I DO BELIEVE SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEMPRA ARE HERE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK THEM.
AND, UH, UH, MR.
BUT I THINK THE, UH, THEY ABOUT RIGHT THERE.
I THINK THE, UH, CAMERA AND EVERYTHING DOES IT A LITTLE BETTER WITH IT LIKE THAT.
GO RIGHT IN IF WE HAVE, UH, ANY QUESTIONS, I GUESS, OR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, I GUESS IS THE MAIN THING AND, UH, COME UP.
IF SOMEONE HAS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR REMARKS FROM THE GALLERY? DO WE HAVE ANYONE WITH ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR THIS? I DON'T HEAR YOU.
AND AND THERE'S NO WAY I COULD KNOW 'CAUSE UH, MY SCREEN ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY, SO I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS HERE.
BUT I STILL DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS NOW.
I GUESS YOU HAVE TO TOUCH IT ABOUT 30 TIMES.
AND THEN ON THE 30TH TIME I KEPT PUNCHING.
DO YOU TOUCH IT? UH, MAYOR, I
UH, AND THEN WHAT'S THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE AND WHERE IT'S GOING FROM AND TO AGAIN, UH, THE PIPELINE ORIGINATES IN MO REGARD PARISH, IT'S A 42 INCH PIPELINE, AS THE MAYOR SAID.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M ANYA MCINNIS.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING SEMPRA INFRASTRUCTURE AND PORT ARTHUR LNG PROJECT ON BEHALF OF OUR TEAM.
I'VE GOT THE REAL EXPERTS HERE, BUT I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
IT'S A, IT'S A 72 MILE, 42 INCH PIPELINE THAT WILL ORIGINATE IN BEAUREGARD PARISH AND END AT THE PORT ARTHUR LNG PROJECT.
IT WILL BRING THE NATURAL GAS GAS THAT WE THEN WILL CONVERT INTO LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS AT THAT PLANT.
SO, BOGAR, IS FORT POLK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? RITER? NO, UH, IT'S, UH, RAGLEY.
THERE'LL BE A COMPRESSOR STATION UP IN RAGLEY AND IT TIES, TIES INTO A PIPELINE UP IN THAT GENERAL AREA.
WE'LL HAVE A COMPRESSOR STATION IN, IN RAGLEY, AND THEN IT'LL COME DOWN THROUGH, UH, BOGAR PARISH, CALCA PARISH, CAMERON PARISH, AND THEN ACROSS THE CHANNEL INTO, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE CROSSING THROUGH THE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR, WHICH REQUIRED US TO GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, WHICH WE ACTUALLY BEGAN IN 22.
UH, KELLY, UH, PROSSER AND I ACTUALLY MET WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BACK THEN TO INTRODUCE THE PROJECT.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH PORT ARTHUR, L AND G AND THE TIMING STARTED TO, TO COME TOGETHER, WE, UM, UH, WENT BEFORE THE PIPELINE COMMITTEE ON JUNE THE SIXTH.
SO WOULD YOU HAVE A STANDALONE OPERATOR OR, AND HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT IT'S NO LEAKAGE? I'M GONNA TURN THIS QUESTION OVER TO JERRY COCHRANE WITH OUR TEAM.
'CAUSE HE'S OUR PIPELINE EXPERT.
WELL, WHILE YOU WALKING UP, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO EASE THE CITIZENS AND ENSURE THAT I KNOW PIPELINES IS ALWAYS A CONCERN TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A STANDALONE OPERATOR, OR IT'S HOW OFTEN WILL IT BE INSPECTED? UH, WHAT'S THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR COMPANY ENSURING THAT THERE'S NO LEAKAGE? UH, THANK YOU MR. COUNCILMAN.
AND I'M JERRY CARPENTER WITH, UH, SEMPRA.
UM, YEAH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE'RE UNDER STRICT.
IT, IT'S BUILT ACCORDING TO DOT RULES AND REGULATIONS.
WE DO, UH, ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.
WE HAVE TO DO, WE DO SMART PICKING TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE PIPE.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WHERE WE'RE CROSSING THE CITY PROPERTY, WE'RE GONNA BE ABOUT 120 FEET DEEP.
SO, BUT YEAH, WE HAVE A REAL STRINGENT OPERATING MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT WE, THAT WE ABIDE BY.
ANY, I DON'T SEE, WE SEE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER LIGHTS? UH, ANY OTHER REMARKS FROM THE, UH, GALLERY AND NO OTHER REMARKS? UH, CITY SECRETARY? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A NOTE.
WE DON'T HAVE A COMPANION, UH, ON THIS.
I I JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT, UH, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, BETTER ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
AND IT'S, UH, SECOND, UH, COUNCILMAN KINLOCK.
IF IT MOVED IN SECONDARY, WE WOULD END THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS NOW 10 0 8, UH, PM SO WE, I HAD SEVEN IN MY MIND SEVEN MINUTES THAT WE'VE, UH, ACTUALLY EXPENDED ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND IT WOULD BE NOW ALL IN FAVOR A AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? SO THE AYES HAVE IT, SO
[00:35:01]
IT'S ORDERED THAT THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING HAS NOW ENDED AND WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS.CAN I JUST SAY PUBLICLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS OF WORKING TOGETHER.
OKAY, NOW WE WILL MOVE TO OUR, AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, GOING BACK TO OUR NORMAL FLOW, UH, IN OUR, UH,
[II. PROCLAMATIONS (Part 2 of 2)]
ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION.THIS, UH, AGAIN, THIS, I'M SORRY, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT WAS SEPARATE.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND OFFICER, THE MAYOR.
IT SAYS, WHERE ELSE? UH, WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY.
THAT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAME ONE I DON'T THINK IT IS.
NO, IT'S IT IS A DIFFERENT ONE.
IT'S D AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS, IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR PARKS, TIME SPENT IN NATURE POSITIVELY IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH BY INCREASING COGNITIVE, UH, PERFORMANCE AND WELLBEING.
ALLEVIATING ILLNESSES SUCH AS DEPRESSION, UH, ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERS, AND EVEN ALZHEIMER'S.
AND WHEREAS A LEADING PROVIDER, A PROVIDER, WHETHER OF HEALTHY MEALS, NUTRITION SERVICES AND EDUCATION, PARKS AND RECREATION ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING SPACE FOR POPULAR SPORTS, HIKING TRAILS, SWIMMING POOLS, AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE ACTIV ACTIVE LIFESTYLES.
AND WHEREAS A LEADING PROVIDER OF HEALTHY MEALS, NUTRITIONAL SERVICE AND EDUCATION, PARKS AND RECREATION PARKS AND RECREATIONS ENCOURAGES PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING, UH, FOR POPULAR SPORTS, HIKING, SWIMMING POOLS, AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES.
DESIGNS, I THINK I READ THAT ONE AGAIN, BUT I JUST WENT BACK TO IT.
AND WHEREAS I'M MOVING IN PROGRAMMING, UH, AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS OUT OF SCHOOL TIME, UH, PROGRAMMING, YOUTH SPORTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ARE CRITICAL TO CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION INCREASED A COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY VALUE, UH, VALUES, EXPANSION OF THE LOCAL TAX BASE, INCREASED TOURISM AND THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF BUSINESSES AND CRIME REDUCTION, IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL AND ADAPTABLE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITIES RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE, OUR PARKS AND NATURAL RECREATION AREAS ENSURE THE ECOLOGICAL BEAUTY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND RECREATE OUTDOORS.
AND WHEREAS THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS DESIGNATED JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BOCHE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF JULY PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE BENEFITS OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE THE BEDROCK OF OUR COMMUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL, WHERE WELLBEING IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEARING TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 18TH DAY OF JUNE IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
AND IT SIGNED THURMOND BILL
AND SO THIS ACTUALLY DECLARES OUR REMAINDER OF THIS MONTH OF JULY PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH.
YOU CAN COME UP AND PROCEED THIS WITHOUT MY GOING BACK DOWN.
WELL, COUNCILMAN DE SAID TO HIM, I NEED, WE NEED TO TAKE A PICTURE.
HE, HE'S A SENIOR, SO I'M GONNA LISTEN TO HIM.
[00:40:01]
I JUST BEEN HERE WHILE, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
THIS ONE IS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE FIRST ONE WAS FOR THE STAFF.
SO THIS ONE IS CLEARING JULY, SO I GUESS WE'LL OPEN IT.
I JUST WANNA GIVE CREDIT TO WHEN I MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, GETTING WITH THE, THE, THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ON, ON THAT BUDGET AND YES, SIR.
THAT WAS, I THINK, UH, THAT WAS, I GOT THAT IDEA FROM COUNCILMAN ETT REMINDED ME TO DO THAT.
I'M JUST GONNA GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR THAT.
AND YOU, YOU WERE SAYING ON, ON THE HIGHWAY SITUATION YEAH.
WHEN COMING INTO THE PORT OFFICE.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU, IF I MAY OR COUNCIL CITY, CITY MANAGER, THEY ONLY CUT TWICE.
I RECEIVED A COUPLE OF CALLS FROM SOME CITIZENS AND I, THAT'S WHEN I CALLED THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THAT THE, IT WAS BEING MOLDED IN SOME OF THE, THE MID-COUNTY AREAS AND NOT IN OUR AREAS, BUT WE TOLD ME IT WASN'T YOUR DEPARTMENT'S JOB TO ACTUALLY DO IT.
YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THE LANDSCAPING AND THE MO OF THOSE AREAS.
AND THE CITIZENS HAD A GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE THEY SEE THE OTHER AREAS BEING MANICURED IN OUR AREA.
NOT SO IF, IF IT'S, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD DO IT, BUT I THINK IT, UH, MIKE, THE, THE, THE REGIONAL, UH, PERSON FOR, UH, BUT IT'S THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU COULD BEGIN SOME DIALOGUE WITH THEM, WITH THAT IDEA THAT THAT COUNCILMAN UH, YES SIR LEWIS MENTIONED.
AND THEN IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MOU FROM US AND FROM THEM WE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL, WE WOULD ENGAGE IT.
LET THE CITY, CITY MANAGER KNOW AND WE CAN ENGAGE INTO IT.
AND THEN BECAUSE IT'S A FINANCIAL OR I GUESS ENCUMBRANCE WITH IT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL WOULD, UH, BEGIN WORKING ON ALL OF THAT.
AND BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE AT THE, UH, BEGINNING OF, OF, OF, UH, BUDGET.
AND THAT COULD BE SOMETHING AGAIN THAT WE COULD, IF, IF WE WOULD HAVE TO MAYBE MATCH SOMETHING OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE I THINK FOR THE AESTHETIC APPEARANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CONCERN OF CITIZENS YES SIR.
BECAUSE THEY REALLY BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION, I THINK.
AND YOU ALL, UH, NOT THAT I PASSED AND REALLY NOTICED IT, BUT THEY MADE THE COMPARISON.
SO IF WE CAN, YES, WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT IT.
COUNCIL FROM DE SAID YES, THOSE ARE SIMPLY DONE BY THE MEMO MOUS WITH THE STATE, THE STATE DON'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY 'CAUSE THEY ONLY DOING IT ABOUT TWICE ANYWAY.
SO THEY'LL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO CONTRIBUTE WHAT IT COST THEM TO NORMALLY DO IT ANYWAY.
AND THEREFORE WE CAN NOW PUT IN A LITTLE EXTRA SO WE COULD CUT IT MORE TIMES.
BECAUSE THE STATE ONLY GOING TO CUT IT ABOUT TWICE A YEAR.
AND WHEN YOU GO THROUGH CITIES WHERE IT'S ALL CUT AND DRESSED UP IS NORMALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT WITH THEIR STATE AGENCY WHEREBY YOU GIMME WHAT IT'S GONNA COST YOU FOR YOUR TWO CUTS AND I'LL MAINTAIN IT.
SO INSTEAD OF CUTTING IT TWO TIMES A YEAR, YOU MAY GET IT CUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR OR AS NEEDED.
YOU COULD SEND PEOPLE OUT THERE TO PICK UP THE TRASH.
SO WE COULD KEEP IT CLEANER, BUT IT'S DONE BY COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE STATE.
IF IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, IT'S DONE BETWEEN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES.
UM, LEMME JUST SHARE WITH COUNCIL, WE ARE ALREADY, I'M ALREADY IN, UM, DISCUSSION WITH THE STATE HIGHWAY ON THE MATTER.
WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT THE, UM, THE PLANS AND VARIOUS ENTRANCES TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE HAVE ALREADY FIGURED OUT THE COST THAT IS GOING TO TAKE AND WHAT THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO PAY BE.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY FIGURED OUT IT'S ABOUT $5,000 THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET FROM THE STATE TO DO THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE AGREED UPON WITH THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE IS THAT THEY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CUTS AND THEY HAVE GONE OUT FOR MORE CONTRACTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CUTS PRIVATELY.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN STRATEGIC AREAS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
69 IS ONE OF THEM, 73 BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ENTRANCES TO OUR CITY.
AND, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THOSE.
AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF IF WE'VE GOT TO DO IT, WE'VE GOT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF AND THE ASSETS OF THE, UM, UM, PARKS AND RECREATIONS
[00:45:01]
DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO UNDERTAKE THOSE.SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION WITH THE, WITH THE, UM, WITH TEXT AT THIS POINT.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, EVER FIELD? OKAY.
LEMME GET BACK TO THE RIGHT PAGE.
[III.A.(1) Charles Linton Of The Aqua Clean USA LLC Regarding Jump Starting A Business And Employing Locals From Port Arthur]
NOW MOVE TO, UH, ROMAN NUMBER THREE OF PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.AND WE CAN BEGIN WITH, UH, NUMBER ONE.
UH, WE HAVE SPEAKERS, UH, UH, CHARLES LINTON OF THE AQUA CLEAN U-S-A-L-L-C REGARDING JUMPSTARTING THE BUSINESS AND EMPLOYING LOCALS FROM PORT ARTHUR.
SO MR. LIN
AND MR. LINTON, YOU WOULD'VE FIVE MINUTES, UH, YOU CAN BEGIN, YOU KNOW, BY, BY STATING YOUR NAME AND WE HAVE THE TIME ON AND YOU, YOU'RE GONNA BE, UH, WITH FIVE MINUTES.
UH, MY NAME IS CHARLES LENTON.
UM, I AM A PORT ARTHUR NATIVE.
UM, I'M EMBARKING ON THE OPENING, UH, INDUSTRIAL, UM, WATER BLASTING TANK CLEANING COMPANY.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO, UM, WORK SAFELY WITH NON-TOUCH, UH, EQUIPMENT.
UM, KIND OF DIFFERENT FROM OUR OLD STYLE OF, UM, OF CLEANING.
UM, UM, I'M LOOKING TO EMPLOY, UM, UP TO 25, UM, EMPLOYEES FROM PORT ARTHUR AND WAS BASICALLY LOOKING FOR, UM, ANY INCENTIVES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
YOU SAID YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WHAT? I WAS TRYING TO SEE WHAT WAS AVAILABLE.
UH, NOW WHAT IT IS, WE HAVE, YOU WERE DOWN AS A SPEAKER AND A PRESENTER.
SO IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE SAYING YOU'RE TRYING TO SEE, HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE EDC OR? YES, I HAVE.
DID THEY TELL YOU WHAT WAS AVAILABLE? YES, I HAVE.
WELL SEE IF HE TOLD YOU WHAT WAS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN HAD.
I, I DON'T THINK WE ARE NOT THE PROFESSIONAL, SO TO SPEAK, AS THEY HAVE ALL OF THE INTRICACIES JUST TO ANSWER SOMETHING.
I DON'T WANT US TO, UH, INVOLVE OURSELVES WITH SAYING A, B AND C IS AVAILABLE AND WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE SURE.
OR WITH THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST MY, MY TOTAL UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE, MAYBE THE, THE BETTER WAY OF DOING IT IS GOING TO THEM AND IT, THEY WILL IN TURN BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL IF IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN APPROVE IF THE MONEY IS THERE OR DISAPPROVE.
BUT THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST MY EXPLANATION TO IT.
BUT COUNCILMAN DO SAID GO RIGHT AHEAD.
HOW ABOUT GETTING WITH THE EDC DIRECTOR AND EXPRESS CONCERNS I HAVE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT THE SECOND, THE THIRD PERSON HAS COME BEFORE US, UH, TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO, UH, GET SOMETHING OR NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE MEET WITH THE BOYS OVER THERE.
I SERVED ON THAT BOARD FOR AGES.
ANYBODY COMING? AND HE SAYS HE'S TALKING ABOUT 25 EMPLOYEES AND, AND, AND, UH, EVERYTHING.
MAY I ASK YOU, UH, WHAT'S THE, UH, RATE, UH, WAGES ANYWHERE BETWEEN 22 AND 35 AN HOUR? 22 AND $35 AN HOUR? 25 PEOPLE WANT TO START A BUSINESS IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING APPLICATIONS AND STUFF DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR, UH, REQUESTS TO THE BOARD OVER THERE SO THE BOARD CAN HEAR.
DID YOU, DID YOU GO BEFORE THE BOARD OVER THERE? UM, AND, AND, AND, AND PRESENT IT? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE BOARD CONSISTS OF.
I HAD NO, THE BOARD IS LIKE US, YOU KNOW.
UM, NO, I WAS, UM, SCHEDULED A MEETING AND I SPOKE WITH, UM, UH, THE CEO THERE AND SECRETARY THERE.
UH, TELL YOU WHAT, SOMETIME AFTER THE MEETING, JUST, UH, WELL RON, YOU HAVE HIS NAME FROM HERE.
HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT CHECKING WITH MR. STOCKS AND, AND FIND OUT WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN, WHY THERE'S NOTHING FOR
[00:50:01]
SOMEBODY WANTING TO START A BUSINESS HERE WITH 25 EMPLOYEES AND A SALARY WITHIN THAT RANGE? I WANT TO KNOW WHY.I SAT ON THAT BOARD FOR A WHILE, SO IT IS PRETTY INTERESTING.
I DON'T KNOW ALL IT TAKES, BUT LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST, LIKE, SINCE HE GOT TO US, IT'S A FOOD CALL.
AND, AND, UH, LET ME KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, WHAT TO DEAL WITH THIS.
UM, I'M, I'M INTERESTED, INTERESTED AS WELL, UH, 25 JOB OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ARE YOU ASKING THE COUNCIL FOR SOME TYPE OF FUNDING TO START YOUR BUSINESS? WHAT ACTUALLY YOU ARE, YOU'RE ASKING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT TO THE EDC TO ASK THAT SAME QUESTION, BUT, UH, EDCS, SBAS, THEY, THEY, THEY HELP START BUSINESSES LIKE THAT.
UH, ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR GOALS, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR IDEAS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, YOU BRING IT TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY HELP YOU BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND OF COURSE, UH, THE NEEDS OF WHAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY ALLOCATE.
SO WHAT ARE YOU ASKING THE CITY TO HELP YOU OUT WITH SO I CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING? UM, I THINK YOU JUST ANSWERED, I WAS PRETTY MUCH LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON WHERE TO GO.
SO, UH, IF, IF YOU WOULD DO THAT, UH, UH, SBA SBCS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE EDCS, UH, WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL TO WANNA START BUSINESSES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHERE'S THE MISHAP OR WHERE'S THE THIN LINE AT? BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT.
WE WANT YOU FROM PORT ARTHUR, I KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK HOME AND START BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, AGAIN, UH, PLEASE START WITH THEM.
UH, THE CITY MANAGERS WAS GIVEN, UH, DIRECTIVES TO, TO GET WITH, UH, YOU AND UH, EDC DIRECTOR TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO HELP YOU GAIN, UH, SOME TYPE OF FUNDING AND POSSIBLY HIRE, UH, UH, EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, YOU HAVE MY NUMBER, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY HICCUPS OR ROADBLOCKS THAT I CAN POSSIBLY HELP YOU OUT WITH.
BUT THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO WANT TO GO AND START A BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
THANK YOU MR. LINTON, UH, FOR COMING HOME AND WANTING TO, UH, START A BUSINESS, UH, HERE BACK IN YOUR HOMETOWN.
UM, UH, MOST ESPECIALLY, LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
DID YOU SPEAK WITH MR. STOKES PERSONALLY? YES, I DID.
AND WHAT DIRECTION DID HE GIVE YOU? SBA.
SO HE GAVE YOU SOME DIRECTIONS, UH, TO TAKE.
AND SO YOUR COMING TO US WAS JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE, UM, TO HELP YOU START THE BUSINESS AS WELL.
BUT HE DID GIVE YOU DIRECTION.
WELL WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR CONCERN AND, AND YOUR DILIGENCE ON THIS.
OH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? UH, GO RIGHT IN.
NO SPECIFICALLY, UM, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO PUT IT OUT THERE NOW, BUT DID YOU ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION WITH THE, THE EDC ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS TO KNOW WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT WE MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER? WAS THAT CONVERSATION HAD? YES.
OKAY, NEXT WE WILL MOVE TO, UH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE STAFF AND, UH, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
WE CAN GO NOW TO PAGE TWO, FORMAL NUMERAL THREE, FOUR DISCUSSIONS.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion Regarding Operation Of Pleasure Island (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
UH, UNDER DISCUSSIONS.THE FIRST DISCUSSION IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING OPERATION OF PLEASURE ISLAND.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
WHO'S GOING ANSWER QUESTIONS?
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET UP HERE.
HEY, HOW YOU DOING JUDGE? I'M GOOD.
THAT'S SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF, UH, PLEASURE ISLAND.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND UH, ALSO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPEND OUT THERE ON PLEASURE ISLAND, ESPECIALLY IN, IN PARTICULAR THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TOO ALSO TODAY.
[00:55:01]
AND ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, INCREASING THE STUFF.UH, WE TALKING ABOUT PLEASURE ITEM.
MAYOR, IF YOU WANT, I CAN ACTUALLY HIT THAT ITEM BECAUSE IT'S IS RELATED TO THIS AND THEREFORE, THEREFORE AFTER THAT, IF YOU WANT, YOU COULD GO TO IT.
I MEAN THAT'S BETTER THAN ME DOING TALKING, TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND THEN WE, WHEN WE GET BACK TO IT PAGE, WE CAN LOOK RIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON PAGE, UM, FOUR.
RUSSELL, DO CITY INCREASE THE CITY PARK PLEASURE ISLAND R PARK.
SO WHEN HE WAS SAYING ONCE HE WOULD DO THIS AND WHAT WE CAN DO, I CAN JUST GET IT ON THE FLOOR.
THAT'S, WOULD YOU LIKE, THAT WOULD BE THE BETTER WAY TO GET IT ON THE FLOOR NOW.
AND UH, AND THEN YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WELL, I'M GOING TO CARRY IT AND THEN AFTER I FINISH 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT AFTER I FINISH WE CAN GO TO IT.
WE CAN GO TO IT BECAUSE IT'S DEALING WITH THE OPERATION AND STUFF.
LEMME FLAG AIN'T GONNA BE DEALING WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SEE SECRETARY GE WHAT WE'LL DO AND JUST REMIND ME.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DONE IT ANYMORE WITH PLEASURE ISLAND.
IT WAS A, UH, IT WAS A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS.
I, I JUST, IN MY MIND, I CAN'T SEE HOW PLEASURE ISLAND COULD BE A, A DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE BUT P PLEASURE ISLAND'S SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING LIKE AN ENTERPRISE FUND? CORRECT.
SO IT'S A ENTERPRISE FUND, BUT I KEEP SEEING MONEY TRANSFERRED TO IT AND WE SPENDING MONEY AND THEN WE ARE NOT MAKING MONEY.
AND THE DECISIONS BEING MADE, IT'S LIKE WHEN IT COME TO COUNCIL, IT IS LIKE, APPROVE THIS, APPROVE THAT AND COUNCIL SOMETIME AND READ AND SAY OKAY.
BUT WHAT I DO IS I LOOK AT THE BUDGETS, I LOOK AT ACTUALLY WHAT WE GAVE AND WHAT WE ALLOW FOR PLEDGE ISLAND WHEN WE DO A BUDGET AND THEN AS THE YEAR GO, WE GOING TO HAVE CHANGES.
BUT FOR SOME REASON WE KEEP SPENDING, YOU KNOW, UH, I WENT BACK TILL 2013 LOOKING AT BUDGETS FOR PLEASURE ISLAND AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN CONSISTENT.
BUT THEN WE DO MAKE DECISIONS.
SOMETIME THERE'S A REACTION TO WHAT WE DO.
AND, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
THE REVENUE AND THAT'S THE SLIPS.
WELL, THE DRIVE STORAGE IS GONE.
HUH? ARE YOU STILL DOING THAT? MM-HMM.
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE STILL OPERATING.
BUT YOU KNOW THAT THOSE ARE THE THRUSTS OF YOUR, UH, REVENUE.
THE MARINA, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN I WENT ALL THE WAY BACK AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THESE BUDGETS FOR THE WEEKEND, I, I SPENT THE WHOLE WEEKEND WITH PLEASURE ALLEN.
WE MADE DECISIONS THAT I'M BEGINNING TO START QUESTIONING WHY WE MADE THEM.
AND WHEN I DO THAT, I COME TO THE POINT LIKE, WELL WE REALLY HAD NO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT WHERE WE COULD REALLY GET INTO IT AND GIVE OUR INPUT ON DECISIONS WE MAKING.
YOU KNOW, ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE BOAT SLIPS FOR RENTAL THINGS.
WE DID, WE INCREASED THE RENT OF THE SLIPS.
SLIPS, UH, WHEN DID WE DO THAT? UM, 22.
AND SOME PEOPLE LEFT BECAUSE PRICE WENT UP.
YOU KNOW, AND UH, SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE RAISE A PRICE, IT MAY SAY WE GONNA MAKE MORE MONEY.
'CAUSE THE CONCEPT IS IF I, IF I RAISE THE PRICE, I'M MAKE, MAKE, MAKE MORE MONEY.
BUT THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE BACKSIDE TOO.
'CAUSE YOU MIGHT NOW HAVE AS MANY THAT EVEN WITH THE INCREASE, YOU'RE GONNA FARE BETTER.
SO I LOOKED AT THIS BUDGET AND WE DON'T MAKE, WHAT WE ARE MAKING THEN IS, IS, IS, IS WENT DOWN.
AND SAME THING WITH THE UH, RV.
WHEN I LOOKED AT YOUR REQUESTS, WE PUT IN THE WIFI AND CABLE SYSTEM FOR THE RV.
[01:00:01]
DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY DO IT.NOW THEY DON'T DO THESE CONTRACT WITH SPECTRUM BECAUSE SPECTRUM DOES JUST WHAT YOU SAID IN HERE, THEY CHARGE YOU X AMOUNT OF DOLLAR A MONTH FOR HOW MANY UNITS AND THE, OKAY.
TRAILERS, IF YOU HAD APARTMENTS, IT WOULD BE X MILE DOLLARS FOR EACH APARTMENT.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LONG-TERM CONTRACT.
BUT PEOPLE USING FIRE STICKS NOW AND OTHER THINGS, THEY'RE NOT REALLY USING THEM CABLES.
SO THAT'S WHY MOST DEVELOPMENT NOW DON'T TIE IT IN WITH RENT AND THEY LET THE PEOPLE GO INDIVIDUALLY.
NOW WE COULD ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU SAID THE REASON FOR BRINGING AND DOING THAT CONTRACT IN.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SWAPPED THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE TRAILER OR LIVING THERE.
THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN SPECTRUM TO COME OUT AND THEY COULD HAVE GOT THEIR OWN SERVICE, CORRECT? NO.
LIKE WHEN YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE STICK, YOU, YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT, BUT THE SERVICE HAS TO BE PROVIDED WITH THE WIFI ITSELF.
YEAH, BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WILDFIRE.
I'M SAYING SOMEBODY COULD ROLL IN A R RV AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT, GEORGE, I HAD A MOTOR HOME AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I'M ALWAYS GOING TO, UH, VACATIONS AND WE STAY IN RVS.
I'M FINNA GO DOWN TO THE FESTIVAL DOWN THERE IN MORGAN CITY.
AND THOSE SPOTS, WHEN YOU ROLL INTO 'EM, THEY GOT A, THEY GOT A SET FEE.
BUT IF YOU WANT CABLE OR YOU WANT WIFI SERVICE, IT'S THERE, BUT YOU ONLY GET IT IF YOU PAY FOR IT.
SO PEOPLE THAT GONNA BE THERE FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THEY GOT THEIR OWN SERVICE.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE WHERE WE GONNA MAKE MONEY.
I DIDN'T SEE THE NEED WHERE WE NEEDED TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT, ALTHOUGH IT SOUND GOOD.
'CAUSE THE WAY I CALCULATED, I GUESS THE WAY YOU LOOKED AT IT WAS FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE PAY, IF WE INCREASE IT $50 FOR 42, WE END UP MAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT WE PAYING.
BUT WE GOTTA HAVE EVERYBODY IN THERE.
THEN I LOOKED AT THE RATE AND THE MONEY WE WAS GETTING FROM THE LAST SIX, SEVEN YEARS FROM THE RV POINT.
AT ONE POINT IT WAS PRETTY STEADY, BUT LATELY IT'S DI SO I ASSUME WE'RE NOT FULL.
AS I EXPLAINED, UM, TO MY BOARD YESTERDAY AT THE BOARD MEETING, OUR NUMBER ONE TENANT BASICALLY IS THE REFINERY.
AND WITH, UH, EXAMPLE, LIKE SAY ZACHARY GOING BANKRUPT.
THAT TOOK A A BULK OUTTA OUR PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THESE PROJECTS PICK UP, SAY FOR EXAMPLE IF IT'S A, UM, A PROJECT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE OUT OF TOWNERS COME IN, THEY CALL AND THEY REQUEST TO BE IN OUR PARK EVEN OUT OF THE TWO ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
IT'S JUST WE ARE AT A TIME RIGHT NOW FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THEY HAVEN'T HAD THESE REFINERY PROJECTS.
SO YES, IT IT IS HALF FULL TODAY.
BUT THE NORM IS, IS A FULL PARK BECAUSE OF THESE REFINERY PROJECTS.
BUT, UH, SIMPLY GONNA BE HERE FOR YEARS.
I MEAN, UH, NOT FOR YEARS BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA OPEN UP EVENTUALLY.
THAT'S HOW IT IS WHEN WE IN THE INDUSTRIAL, YOU GOT TURN AROUND AND SHUT DOWN.
SO DO YOU LAY YOUR HEAD TO MAKE MONEY ON SOMETHING AS A ROLLERCOASTER? THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND THAT, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS IT WORTH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, UH, EVEN GETTING INTO IT? OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA RAISE THE PRICE.
SO WHAT THE PRICE IS GOING TO DO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME YOU SAY WE RAISE THE PRICE, WE MAKE MORE MONEY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF IT'S NOT FULL, THEN WE AIN'T GONNA MAKE MONEY.
AND THEN WE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, WE DEPENDING ON WORKERS LIKE ZACHARY, THEY LEFT.
AND WHEN I SAY THE OPERATION CITY MANAGER, I MEAN, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO KNOW ABOUT THINGS, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO GETTING A, A REQUEST, SAY YES OR NO BECAUSE WHEN WE GET A REQUEST, SAY YES OR NO, WE DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH TIME TO REALLY DO RESEARCH ON IT TO SEE AND TO COMMENT PROPERLY.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHEN I SAY HOW WE OPERATE AND WE SAY WE HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD.
DOES A, DOES THE ADVISORY BOARD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY AND HAVE INPUT TO DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN REFERENCE TO THE MANAGEMENT
[01:05:01]
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAND? I HAVE A BOARD MEMBER.YOU COULD ASK MY BOARD MEMBER.
I, I BRING EVERYTHING TO MY BOARD.
I SEND MY AGENDA TO EVERYBODY.
SO DO THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK AND PROVIDE INPUT BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
THE OTHER THING IS NOW CITY MANAGER ON YOUR SIDE OF THE HOUSE, OKAY.
WE, WE PUT THE PLEASURE OUT ON BOARD UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION AND SAYS IT IS TO BE A DEPARTMENT.
BUT EVERYTHING STILL COMES THROUGH THE COUNCIL AND FINALS DECISIONS ON THE ISLAND ITSELF.
DO WE HAVE ANY PART OF PARKS INCORPORATED IN THE ISLAND? 'CAUSE I, I WAS READING SOMETHING THAT SAYS THAT PARKS MAINTAIN SOME PORTION OF THAT ISLAND, UH, THE LOGAN PARK OR SOMETHING YOU NO.
THE, THE ANSWER, THE QUESTION IS NO.
BUT I ENCOURAGE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER.
IF THERE IS A SHORTFALL AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY COULD ASSIST EACH OTHER PARKS AND RECREATIONS ASSIST PLEASURE ISLAND OR THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK TOGETHER AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, I HOPE ALL OF THEM DO THAT, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WORK THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING FOR PARKS, THAT'S, I MEAN, WE PAY 'EM TO WORK IN PARKS.
AND, AND THEY NEED TO BE DOING WORK WITH PARKS.
AND IF WE NEED PEOPLE AT PLEASANT ISLAND, THEN WE NEED TO HIRE PEOPLE TO WORK ON PLEASANT ISLAND BECAUSE THAT ISLAND IS SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING, LIKE A ENTERPRISE FUND.
AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPENT ON THE ISLAND THIS YEAR, AND I LOOK AT THE BUDGET, RIGHT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MOVING MONEY LIKE THAT AND, AND, AND KEEP FILLING IN FOR OUR, WE HAVE TO DO THE ISLAND LIKE WE DO EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY.
WHEN WE DO THIS BUDGET, WE NEED TO SAY WHAT WE PLANNING ON DOING FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GOVERN OUR MONIES.
AND THAT'S HOW WE SUPPOSED TO SPEND THE MONEY.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN'T SEE FORESEE WHEN WE'RE DOING THE, DOING THE BUDGET, BUT I COULD TELL YOU THE MONEY WE HAVE SPENT THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR.
AND WE HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY AND THE MONEY COMES UP AND, UH, EVERYTHING.
SO I'M GONNA DO SOME MORE, SOME MORE HOMEWORK.
I THINK I'M GOING TO, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF OUR MEETING.
WE GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY GOT AN IDEA OF WHERE I'M GOING.
SO I'LL DO SOME MORE WORK AND THEN I'LL COME BACK AND DISCUSS THIS.
YOU KNOW, I WANT THE ISLAND TO BE DEVELOPED AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT WHAT WE AS COUNCIL STAFF AND EVERYBODY HAS TO UNDERSTAND IS WE HAVE TAX DOLLARS.
WE ONLY COULD USE TAX DOLLARS FOR CERTAIN THINGS THE CITY DON'T DEVELOP.
WE DO INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DEVELOP.
AND WHEN WE DEALING WITH PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS BECAUSE WE'VE, UH, HAVE WE CLOSED ON THE, UH, LAND SALE CITY MANAGER FOR, UH, PLEASURE ALLEN FOR THE WATER PARK? HAVE WE, HAVE WE CLOSED ON THAT? NO, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE DEVELOPER TO RESPOND TO US.
YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
YOU KNOW, WE GET INTO THINGS AND START DOING THINGS, BUT IT'S LIKE WAY WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BEEN SAYING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT.
WE HAVEN'T ENCLOSED ON LAND, BUT HOW LONG IT BEEN? ALMOST OVER A YEAR.
WE GOTTA KEEP MOVING, YOU KNOW? WE CAN'T GET ENGAGED 'CAUSE SOMEBODY COME IN AND PROMISE THE WORLD BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY.
SO WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND WHEN SOMEONE COME TO US AND ASK US, WE NEED TO TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN DO.
A LOT OF CITIZENS SAY WHAT WE COULD DO OVER THERE.
I, WE DONE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND PROMISE US, OH, WE GONNA DO THIS, WE GONNA DO THIS.
BUT WHAT CITIZENS DON'T UNDERSTAND, THEY WANT US TO GIVE THEM MORE MONEY TO DO WHAT THEY GONNA MAKE MONEY FOR THAN WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO WITH THE TAX PAYERS MONEY.
[01:10:01]
KNOW, SO WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE MOVING.SO WE GOTTA LOCKED IN, SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING A WATER PARK SO WE DON'T HAVE NOTHING ELSE MOVING BECAUSE THIS IS A PROJECT WE SUPPOSED TO GET.
NOW IF THE PROJECT AIN'T HAPPENING, WE SHOULD BE SEEKING OTHER PRIVATE INVESTORS TO DO IT.
I THINK I'M PUT IT BACK ON ANOTHER TIME SO WE, SO I COULD GET SOME MORE THINGS IN, BUT I'M NOT GONNA WAIT.
LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT GONNA, DO WE GET AN IDEA, BUT AS FAR AS HOW WE DO BUSINESS, RAISE PRICE TO GET MORE MONEY SOMETIME IT DOESN'T WORK.
BUT IT WAS IN LINE WITH THAT, UH, THAT, UH, ITEM.
SO AFTER EVERYBODY SPEAK IF YOU WANT MAYOR, YOU COULD GO TO THAT ITEM AND THEN WE'LL KNOCK THAT ONE OUT.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE QUICK THING AND, AND HONESTLY, THE, THE DECISION TO INCREASE THE PRICE WASN'T BASED ON MAKING MONEY, IS IT'S ANOTHER AMENITY.
SO IS TO GET THE PEN, THE TENANT TO PAY FOR THE AMENITY.
IT'S NOT EVEN A CONCERN ABOUT, OH, WE NEED TO MAKE MORE MONEY.
NOW WE ARE ADDING ANOTHER AMENITY TO THE RV PART.
WELL, WELL, IT HAD TO BE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE SENSE OF MAKING MORE MONEY BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO ADD AN AMENITY, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT.
SO WHAT YOU DO IS YOU FILE TO GET REVENUE TO SUBSIDIZE AND PAY FOR IT.
SO IT IS OKAY BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT, YOU COULD ADD THE SAME AMENITIES, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THE PRICE.
SO IF YOU ADD THE, THE BUSINESS AND YOU RAISE THE PRICE, YOU'RE DOING IT TO COMPENSATE WHAT YOU'RE ADDING.
UH, MAY I APPROACH BECK? THANK YOU.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE JUST SAID.
UM, LINDSEY, WOULD YOU PULL THOSE PICTURES UP, PLEASE? THESE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE ISLAND THAT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE SENT TO ME.
THEY PREDATE HURRICANE BARREL.
UH, THIS IS THE RESTROOM IN THE, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S AT THE MARINA.
YOU CAN JUST KEEP SCROLLING THROUGH 'EM.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THIS.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S IN DISREPAIR.
THERE'S NO AMENITIES FOR THE RV PARK.
UH, IT'S ABOUT HALF FULL AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF THE OTHER RV PARKS ACROSS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THEY ARE FULL.
MY CALCULATIONS WERE, WE'RE AT ABOUT $165,000 A YEAR LOSS BECAUSE OF THE, THE PARK.
WE GOT DOCKS THAT ARE IN HORRIBLE DISREPAIR.
AND AGAIN, THIS ALL PREDATES HURRICANE BARREL.
I SAW THE STORY ON THE NEWS, I THINK YESTERDAY EVENING AND THIS MORNING ABOUT THE, UH, HURRICANE DAMAGE.
WELL, A LOT OF THIS STUFF WAS ALREADY DAMAGED BEFORE BARREL EVER DECIDED THAT SHE WAS GONNA COME HERE.
I MEAN, THIS IS OUR NEW PART THAT WE PAID ALMOST $800,000 FOR.
I JUST THINK WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
UH, AND AS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK, I'M TOLD BY SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT WHEN THEY TRY TO SPEAK AT MEETINGS, THAT THEY'RE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN.
MR. LINDSAY, DO YOU MIND SHOWING THEM THE CURRENT PICTURES? PLEASE? HERE'S THE RESTROOM FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY? BECAUSE WHEN I DID HEAR ABOUT THOSE, UM, THE CONDITIONER, RESTROOM, I DID SPEAK WITH MY STAFF AND TOLD THEM AS THE SCHEDULE IS MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY FOR CLEANING THE RESTROOMS. REGARDLESS, IT'S OUR JOB TO KEEP 'EM CLEAN, SO YOU ARE CORRECT.
AND AS FAR AS THE GRASS, I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE GRASS THAT'S A, A CITYWIDE ISSUE.
WE, WE CUT GRASS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
IF THE GRASS IS NOT CUT ON A PARTICULAR DAY, IT'S JUST NOT CUT.
WE CAN'T CUT IT 'CAUSE IT'S TOO WET.
DO WE HAVE THESE RESTROOMS ON THE SCHEDULE FOR THEM TO CHECK THEM MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY, EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY.
AND I'M GLAD YOU THINK THAT THAT'S FUNNY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, COME ON.
UM, WHERE DO I START? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD, UH, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CREATE ANY BANTER OR TO, TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ALWAYS UNDERSTAND IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PHILOSOPHY THAT WE EMBRACE.
[01:15:01]
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, UM, PLEASURE ISLAND AND IT BEING AN ENTERPRISE, UH, FUND, IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRODUCT THAT WE PRESENT TO INDIVIDUALS WILL INCREASE THE USAGE OF AN AREA.SO, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT AN AMENITY.
I DO APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN D'S, UM, INSIGHT, UH, AS TO, UH, BALANCING THE BUDGETS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UH, THAT GO INTO AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
THAT IT, IT LITERALLY MEANS THAT THAT ENTERPRISE HAS TO STAND ON ITS OWN AND PAY ITS OWN WAY.
BUT AS YOU MAKE, UM, AS YOU MAKE EFFORTS TO MAKE IT MORE, UH, UH, UH, TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO INDIVIDUALS, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
THAT THAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO EMBRACE ABOUT, UH, THE ENTIRETY OF OUR CITY.
NOT JUST UR ISLAND, BUT THE ENTIRETY OF OUR CITY.
MR. DOUCETTE SAID A FEW MOMENTS AGO, NO ONE HELPS ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
AND I QUOTE, AND SO PART OF HELPING OURSELVES IS MAKING OUR CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE AND DOING THOSE THINGS THAT WILL CAUSE INDIVIDUALS TO WANT TO COME TO OUR CITY.
LET US ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN, UH, ON THE ISLAND AS A DIRECTOR? UM, NEARLY THREE YEARS.
BUT LET'S APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE JOB YOU'VE, UH, THE JOB YOU'VE DONE SINCE YOU'VE, YOU'VE DONE THERE.
UM, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING MONEY, THE MONEY THAT MR. DOUCETTE IS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING HAVE BEEN UPGRADES, THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND SPENDING.
WE PUT A BIRD SANCTUARY OR A BIRD OUTLOOK, UH, FACILITY ON THE ISLAND.
UH, WE'VE PA DONE SOME PAVING THERE.
WE'VE DONE SOME RENOVATION OF BATHROOMS ON THE ISLAND.
WHEN WOULD THAT, WHEN WAS THAT RE RENOVATION ON THE ISLAND DONE FOR THE BATHROOMS? WELL, THE CONTRACT JUST WAS SIGNED WITHIN THE LAST MONTH.
JU JUST, JUST, JUST, JUST SAYING, YEAH, BUT IT'S GONNA BE THE NEXT 90 DAYS.
SO I'M SAYING WE ARE SPENDING MONEY AND PERHAPS IT IS YOU, PERHAPS MR. D SAID, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT IT IS MONEY, UH, THAT, THAT CAUSES, UH, THE OUTLAY OF MONEY, UH, THAT IS IN AN OVERAGE OF, UH, NOT ALLOWING US TO OPERATE AT A PROFIT RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE HAVE TO BELIEVE, AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE OUTLAY OF CAPITAL NOW WILL BRING ABOUT THE DESIRED RESULTS LATER.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS THE MINDSET THAT WE NEED, UH, THAT WE NEED TO EMBRACE.
SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT MR. ETT IS SAYING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME FORETHOUGHT AND SOME FORESIGHT AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING INTO ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, I JUST LISTENED TO ALL THE COMMENTS AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO ME, YOU KNOW, I WAS NEVER A PERSON WHO SAY, I GOT YOU TYPE GUY.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER WANT TO BE SOMEONE TO SAY, I GOT YOU.
JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT WE ARE A TEAM.
WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER.
NOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU INHERITED WAS, UH, PREDATES YOU.
AND YOU AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ALONG WITH THE MANAGER ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO THE BETTER THAT ISLAND.
WE ALL KNOW IT'S A, A DOMINANT ROUGH, WE ALL KNOW THAT.
WE'VE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR YEARS.
BUT THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER, COMMUNICATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT WE CAN HAVE TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COME TO YOU, I'VE CAME TO YOU TO, YOU KNOW, AS THE DIRECTOR OF THAT ISLAND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
UH, UH, AND IF YOU ARE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOARD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU DO THAT.
BUT IT SEEMS TO SAY TODAY THAT YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR BOARD AND GIVE THEM THE INPUT AND THE LATITUDE TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL WITH SUGGESTIONS.
SO, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, I, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A CHANGE.
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE, UH, CHANGE THE MENTALITY OF THE ISLAND, RESPECT OF ISLAND.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME AND ENJOY THE ISLAND.
AND I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH JOB, BUT IF YOU NEED HELP, DIRECTOR, PLEASE GET WITH THE MANAGER, GET WITH THIS COUNCIL, GET WITH YOUR BOARD, AND JUST KEEP THIS COMMUNICATION GOING ON.
NOW, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HAVE KIND OF BEEN SILENT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ISLAND.
I HADN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DEVELOPER.
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS ABOUT CLOSING ON THE LAND.
I'M INTERESTED BECAUSE OUR THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING GETS STALLED ONCE IT'S INTRODUCED TO THE COUNCIL.
I'M NOT SAYING WHOSE FAULT IT IS OR WHATEVER.
I THINK I REACHED OUT TO YOU ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, WANTED TO MEET WITH THE DEVELOPER.
I WANT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU, MAN.
AND, AND I'M GOOD BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, YOU, IF YOU REACH OUT AND CALL, I HAVE NO PROBLEM
[01:20:01]
ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS.AND I, AGAIN, EVEN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU CALL ME TODAY, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHATEVER IT, AND, AND YOU GOT ALL, IF Y'ALL WANNA KNOW NOW, IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS.
YOU, UH, I CAME TO YOU ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.
YOU TOLD ME THE GUY WAS OUTTA COUNTRY.
YEAH, HE, HE COMES BACK THURSDAY.
I REMEMBER THE WHOLE CONVERSATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, UH, COUNCIL, UH, I DON'T THINK EVERYTHING IN PORT ARTHUR IS BAD.
I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALL CRITICIZE ONE ANOTHER.
MY THING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER IS TO FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT SITUATION, TO MAKE IT BETTER, UM, NOW THAN WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL.
SO, AGAIN, PLEASE GET WITH YOUR BOARD, GIVE IT TO CITY MANAGER, GIVE WITH THIS COUNCIL, AND LET US KNOW WHAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO AND PROVIDE UPDATES SO WE DON'T HAVE THESE I GOT YOU.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT AND THEN COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES.
I WANT TO JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT.
NO, THEY, THEY'VE ALREADY SPOKEN A CONVERSATION.
UM, THE TEAM EFFORT IS WHAT I WANT TO REITERATE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GEORGE, FOR SHARING THOSE UPDATES AND JUST, UM, TO PUT IT OUT THERE, THE DEVELOPER, EVEN DURING, UM, THE STORM SHOWED CONCERN ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE AND ASKED HOW THEY COULD, UM, HOW THEY COULD HELP.
BUT I WILL, I WILL HOLD MY TONE ON THE INFORMATION, BUT GEORGE, WE ARE DEFINITELY, UM, I THINK IT'S BEST COMING FROM YOU TO KNOW WHAT THE UPDATES ARE FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WATER PRO WATER PARK PROJECT.
BUT JUST TO REITERATE TO THE COMMUNITY, THE PROJECT IS NOT ON HOLD.
THE DEVELOPER IS STILL INTERESTED AND THINGS ARE STILL MOVING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAY, YOU KNOW, SEEM LIKE WHEN I SAY SOMETHING AND ALWAYS BRINGING UP OTHER THINGS, I, I STAY ON A TOPIC.
THE TOPIC WAS FOR THE OPERATION AND FUNDING AND STUFF.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO DISCUSS.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT BUDGETING, THAT'S HOW WE DO THINGS.
WE DON'T DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY BRIGHT IDEAS.
THAT'S WHY I BRING THESE TOPICS TO YOU.
THAT'S WHY I TALK ABOUT FUNDING.
I DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN'T DO.
WE CAN DO DEVELOPMENT, WE CAN BEAUTIFY, YES, WE COULD DO ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS WHEN WE DON'T DO THOSE THINGS BUDGETED AND IN A FASHION THAT WE ARE MANAGING OUR MONIES, WE CAN'T BE SPONTANEOUS.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, I'VE WORKED WITH EVERY CITY MANAGERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 2000 AND, UH, PROBABLY 10 OR SOMETHING SINCE
I WORKED WITH DIFFERENT FINANCE DIRECTORS.
THE KEY TO THIS CITY IS MANAGING THE MONEY.
AND WHEN I SPEAK, IT'S BECAUSE WE NEED TO STICK WITH THAT.
PEOPLE, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT.
THAT'S WHAT I BE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M NOT HERE TO SAY WE CAN'T DEVELOP, I'M NOT HERE AND SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS.
I SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR MONEY, WE APPROVE IT TO BE SPENT.
BUT SOME OF THE COMMENTS I GET WHEN I TALK ABOUT MONEY LEAD ME TO BELIEVE YOU NOT LOOKING AT MONEY OR YOU DON'T STAND BUDGET.
WHEN WE DONE THE BUDGET PROCESS, I COULD TELL BY ATTENDANCE THE CONCERN ABOUT MONEY, BUT EVERYTHING WE CAN DO FOR OUR CITY IS GOING TO BE EVOLVED AROUND MONEY.
THE BETTER WE MANAGE IT, THE MORE WE CAN DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK MONEY, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE MONEY.
AND IT'S, I'M NEVER GOING TO CRITICIZE OR I GOT YOU.
I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY DO IN THIS CITY, BUT
[01:25:01]
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID, I'M GONNA SAY IT.BUT SOMETIME YOU HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
AND WHEN I MAKE COMMENTS, MY COMMENTS ARE NEVER DIRECTED IN RESPECT TO WHAT COUNCILMEN SAY.
IT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT'S THE THING? I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN THAT GEORGE, I, I KNOW YOU JUST SAID, BUT THE QUESTIONS AND THINGS I SAY ARE THINGS, IF YOU LISTEN, YOU CAN, I'M NOT AGAINST THAT, BUT IT'S A CERTAIN WAY WE DO THINGS.
AND IF I DON'T SEE IT, I'M ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, LET'S UNDERSTAND.
I APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO OUT THERE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN 'CAUSE WE DOING GOOD.
AND WHEN WE START SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T PUT IN THE BOOK, I HAVE CONCERNS.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASK QUESTIONS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND DON'T THINK I'M AGAINST IMPROVEMENTS IN DEVELOPING THE ISLAND, OR THAT I DON'T GET ALONG WITH US.
YEAH, I GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY, BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO SAY WHAT PEOPLE PUT ME IN THEIR SEAT TO SAY, OKAY.
YOU'RE LIKE, YOU, YOU YOU TURNED IT OFF.
I, I, ON, UM, UM, MS. UH, WHAT DO I, OKAY.
SO I GUESS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION WAS BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECT FOR THE WATERPARK AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
UM, AS WE WERE INTERVIEWING FOR OUR, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WAS ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS, EVERY QUESTION, UM, THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS SEEKING TO BECOME OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UM, WAS HAVE YOU HAD ANY, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, P THREE OR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS? I ASK THAT TO EVERY ONE OF OUR CANDIDATES BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS IMPERATIVE AND IMPORTANT TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO TO DEVELOP THE ISLAND.
AND SO I AM SO GRATEFUL, UH, THAT, UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND, UH, THE CANDIDATES WHO HAD, UM, THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND SO THAT WILL HELP US AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAND AND GET US TO MOVE THOSE PROJECTS ALONG AS THEY BECOME, UH, AVAILABLE TO US.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT.
UM, GEORGE, I, I NOTICED KIND OF LABORING YOU A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW.
UH, I DON'T THINK ANY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IS, UH, NOT FOR WANTING THE ACCOUNTABILITY FACTOR.
OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENED FINANCIALLY ARE RESPONSIBLY.
UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE SOME CERTAIN CONCERNS, IT GOES TO THE PROPER DEPARTMENT OR THE MANAGER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO DO IT IN A SETTING LIKE THIS TO ALWAYS SAY, I GOT YOU, TYPE THING.
I FEEL THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS.
THAT'S JUST PERSONALLY WITH ME.
SO I FEEL EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S UP HERE TODAY RESPECTFULLY WANT CHANGE, WANT DEVELOPMENT, WANT A BETTER, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
AND IT'S JUST NOT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER FEELS THAT WAY.
SO I PUBLICLY, I WANT THE, THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT, UH, THAT, UH, I FEEL THAT WAY PERSONALLY, THAT I WANT PORT ARTHUR TO GROW AND BE BETTER, UH, A BETTER CITY, UH, AS LONG AS IT POSSIBLY CAN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE.
AND, UH, UH, LIKE I SAID, I DO WANNA MEET WITH THE DEVELOPER MM-HMM.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, GEORGE, UH, MY QUESTION IS, WELL, THAT, UH, WATER PARK DEVELOPER, WELL, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT? HAVE THE DEVELOPERS HAVE THE, HAVE THE VENTURE CAPITALISTS MOVED ON OR NO, SO, OR WHAT THE, THE STATE IS, IN FEBRUARY, PRIOR TO THE CITY ATTORNEY RETIRING, SHE DID SEND, UH, A CONTRACT TO THE DEVELOPER AND HIS LAWYER.
AND THEN IN MARCH, WHEN THE, UH, MR. BLACK CAME ALONG, BY THIS TIME, THE FOCUS WAS SHIFTED TOWARD THE, UM, THE BUILDINGS INSIDE THE MARINA BECAUSE HE DID PUT IN FOR THAT RFP AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE WORKING KIND OF ON ONE THING AT A TIME.
AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF THAT MR. BLACK INFORMED ME THE OTHER DAY THAT THE DEVELOPER LAWYER IS WORKING ON
[01:30:01]
THAT LEASE FOR THOSE BUILDINGS.SO IT'S BASICALLY ONE LEASE AT A TIME.
I'M ABOUT REVENUE, YOU KNOW, THAT ISLAND IS THERE, WE'VE BEEN FINANCING IT FOR YEARS.
WE NEED TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE, PUT SOME THINGS IN PLACE THAT'S DOABLE.
UM, SO WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A MEETING WITH THE DEVELOPER? UH, MAY THE 14TH.
HE'S BEEN OUT THE COUNTRY SINCE, BASICALLY.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS WITH MAY? MAY, RIGHT.
2, 2, 2 THINGS I TAKE AWAY FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE HERE.
UM, I HAD THE DISCUSSION WITH THE FORMER CITY ATTORNEY, UM, BEFORE SHE LEFT, AND, UM, HOPEFULLY I WILL TAKE IT UP WITH THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY.
THERE IS SOME FLAWS IN THE CHARTER CHANGE THAT TOOK PLACE YEARS AGO THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT.
AS FAR AS THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS CONCERNED.
THE WAY THAT IT'S CRAFTED, IT APPEARS TO BE A BONE THAT WAS JUST SENT, YOU KNOW, AND IT DOES NOT REALLY GIVE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT DOES NOT STATE A CLEAR MANDATE AND RULE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WILL DEAL WITH, WITH THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY.
WE WILL SIT DOWN, WE WILL LOOK AT THE CHARTER, WE'LL LOOK AT THE CHANGE, AND IF NEEDS POSSIBLE, WE'LL BRING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL OR WHETHER IT NEEDS, YOU KNOW, UM, ANOTHER CHARTER CHANGE AGAIN.
BUT THAT WILL PROVIDE A PIVOTAL ROLE IN CREATING THE POLICY DOCUMENT THAT WE NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE AS, AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
NOW IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST DANGLING IN THE EAR AND IT APPEARS, IT, IT'S NOT WORKING.
IT'S NOT WORKING, BUT I THINK IT'S A PRIORITY THAT I WILL TAKE UP WITH YOU, MR. BLACK, NO
I WILL TAKE IT AWAY WITH THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY TO, TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS IT OKAY.
SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME A RECURRING DECIMAL FOR US TO DEAL WITH.
ANOTHER THING, UM, GEORGE, YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE, UM, UH, UM, GETTING GRANTS, SMALL GRANTS AND SO ON.
AND, UM, LYNN HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AT PROVIDING THE NECESSARY, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE REVENUES THAT YOU GOT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.
UM, YOU BENEFITED FROM THE APPLE FUNDS.
THOSE WERE NOT FUNDS THAT WERE BUDGETED, BUT THOSE THAT WERE, THOSE WERE FUNDS THAT, UH, COULD AS A RESULT OF THE INTEREST RATE, THE INTEREST THAT WE GOT ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN YOU BENEFITED FROM THOSE AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN DECISIONS, SEEING THAT HE NEEDED THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS CONCERNED TO CONTINUE FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND, UM, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REINVEST IT IN THE, WHAT WE COULD DO, WE COULD PREPARE A STATEMENT OF THOSE FOR THE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS, AND THEN WE COULD PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL.
THE LANGUAGE NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO IN MAY.
NO, I DIDN'T SPEND ANY TIME ON, I JUST INITIATED BRINGING IT BACK AND PUTTING IT UNDER YOUR CONTROL AND ALL OF THE, THE LANGUAGE AND STUFF, LIKE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME, FOOL THAT, THAT WE HAD TO GET THE, I HAD TO GET IT BACK UNDER YOUR CONTROL.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DEVELOP IT ALL TO GET IT BACK.
SO NOW WE CAN POLICE THE LANGUAGE UP IN MAY.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. DAVIS FOR YOUR, YOUR INDULGENCE.
[VII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23617 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Increase The City Of Port Arthur's Pleasure Island RV Park's Monthly Lot Rental Rates]
AGAIN, DEVIATE FROM THE NORMAL FLOW OF THE AGENDA.GO TO PAGE FOUR IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING US WITH THAT.
AND THERE IS A RESOLUTION, PR NUMBER 23 6 17.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO INCREASE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S PLEASURE, ISLAND RV PARKS, MONTHLY LOT RENTAL RATES.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK, YOU GIVE US A, A MOTION ON THIS, PLEASE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND, AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 6 17 AS PRESENTED.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? WE THE QUESTION READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE HAVE ONE OPPOSED, ONE OPPOSITION.
AND, UH, AYES, AYES HAVE SO AS ORDERED, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 6 1 7 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
NOW WE WILL MOVE BACK MAY POINT OF ORDER, OKAY? YES, SIR.
WHAT YOUR POINT OF ORDER, I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT I NEED TO KNOW, IS THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, TIFFANY IS, SHE'S IN JEFFERSON COUNTY OR IS SHE IN ORANGE COUNTY? WHERE IS SHE? OKAY.
I I SIR, I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER BEING, SHE IS ON THE SCREEN, WHICH MEANS SHE'S PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING.
UNLESS ATTORNEY CAN TELL HER SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOUR POINT OF ORDER CAN'T BE, CAN'T BE DISCUSSED.
AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
[01:35:01]
MOVE ON.WAIT, I WANT TO HEAR AN ANSWER.
I JUST WANT TO HEAR THE CLARIFICATION FROM THE ATTORNEY, OKAY? YES, SIR.
SHE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING, RIGHT? IF SHE'S IN BAD BACK AFRICA, SHE CAN PARTICIPATE.
BUT COUNCILMAN, SHE CAN'T VOTE.
COUNCILMAN YOU OUT OF ORDER? SHE CANNOT VOTE.
COUNCILMAN YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.
SHE CAN PARTICIPATE, BUT YOU CANNOT VOTE.
YOU DON'T TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET BELLIGERENT.
YOU DON'T, SIR, PLEASE HELP US SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SHE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
THAT'S UNDER THE, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TODAY? NO, SIR.
ATTORNEY SUB FROM THE, FROM THE OPINION THAT YOU PUT OUT, YOU HIGHLIGHTED, BUT SUBSECTION C IT TALK ABOUT JURISDICTION.
WE HAVE JURISDICTION IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND WE HAVE JURISDICTION IN, IN, IN, UH, ORANGE COUNTY.
WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION IN LOUISIANA.
IF IT ALSO, IN YOUR OPINION, POINT, POINT OF ORDER, NO, NO POINT OF ORDER.
MAYOR, YOUR POINT, YOUR POINT.
THE POINT IS, IS POINT IS THE COUNCILMAN TRYING TO, DD YOU DISCUSS WITH THE ATTORNEY, HE'S THE LEGAL ADVICE OF THE COUNSEL IS HIS QUESTION.
WHAT IS HIS QUESTION? BECAUSE IF HE'S TRYING TO TELL THE ATTORNEY HIS JOB, MAYBE WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS BECAUSE I WAS WILLING TO HEAR THE COUNCILMAN OUT.
YOU CAN'T TELL THE ATTORNEY WHAT HIS JOB IS RESPONSIBLE.
WELL, LET ME, LET ME FINISH MY OPINION.
ON THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING, THAT THE OPINION CAME FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL AS THE CITY'S SECRETARY.
UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMETHING, COUNCILMAN, THAT THIS COUNCIL MEMBER IS NOT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY UNIT TO DISCLOSE THIS.
WE JUST CAN'T LABOR ON THIS UNTIL WE GET A POINT.
THE POINT IS, DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW OR WE CAN JUST CONTINUE WITH THIS VOTING PROCESS? WELL, EVEN WITH THAT, MAY, MAY, THAT'S, WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO INTO QUESTIONING THOUGH.
THE, THE FACT IS, IF THE PERSON IS ON, IS ON THE VIDEO AND THEY ARE PARTICIPATING, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
I THINK THAT IS THE GENERAL, NO QUESTION.
WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION, SIR? THE, HIS OPINION THAT HE PUT OUT ON THE SUBSECTION C IT SAYS JURISDICTION.
WE HAVE JURISDICTION IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
WE GOT JURISDICTION IN ORANGE COUNTY.
OKAY, BECAUSE WE GOT THE, THE, THE TITLE COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN, JUST A MINUTE.
YOU BUILD A POINT OF ORDER AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING ON.
JUST A MINUTE, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE.
WHAT'S YOUR POINT OF ORDER ON THIS JURISDICTION? MY POINT OF ORDER? SHE CAN, YOU, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER.
YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER VOTING.
OKAY, SIR, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER VOTING.
OKAY? AND YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU WANT TO HAVE.
SIR, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF THE ATTORNEY, AND I BELIEVE EVEN THE CITY SECRETARY, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BECAUSE SOME OTHERS OF US HAVE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS VIA TELEPHONIC, UH, MEDIUMS. IF YOU ARE ENGAGED IN THIS MEETING, ACCORDING TO LAW THAT I UNDERSTAND, YOU CAN VOTE IF YOU'RE IN BABACK AFRICA, IF YOU ARE ON WEST OR M HOWARD STREET.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, SIR, IF ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO SAY PERTINENT, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MOVE ON WITH THE MEETING.
WELL, YOU GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
YOU ANSWERED MR. MR. LEWIS AND GOD BLESS YOU AND I THANK YOU.
WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THAT ITEM WITH THE VOTE OF ALL OF THE COUNCIL.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion Regarding Obtaining Warrants For Code Enforcement (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS THE DISCUSSION OBTAINING, UH, OR REGARDING OBTAINING WARRANTS FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.AND THIS TOO HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT FROM THE STAFF, UH, MR. BROWN, OR, OR, OKAY, WELL, MS. PIERRE, NO.
I'LL PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TO GET CLARIFICATION.
UH, WE HAVE THE ATTORNEY ALSO PRESENT.
I'VE GOT A FEEDBACK FROM HIM ALSO.
I'VE HEARD MR. BROWN, THE PROBLEM THAT I INCURRED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IS I TALKED WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST THIS PART.
IT'S, UH, IT IS, SAME THING HAPPENED WITH ANIMAL CONTROL, WHEREBY THEY WANT TO GET ON SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY AND SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T GO ON THE PROPERTY, WE GOTTA GET A WARRANT.
OKAY, THEN TIME PASSED BY, ASKED ABOUT IT.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A WARRANT, OKAY? WE'RE WAITING ON A WARRANT.
SO WITH ATTORNEY HERE AND MR. BROWN HERE, I WANT TO KNOW HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A CODE FOR MR. OFFICER, WHETHER IT BE PERMITS
[01:40:01]
OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL TO GET A WARRANT? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? AND YOU, YOU QUESTION THE ATTORNEY? YEAH, WHICHEVER ONE THAT CAN.AND HE'S, HE'S PROBABLY THE ONE THAT GOT, THAT'S LEGAL BECAUSE THAT'S, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND WE COULD ALL HEAR THIS, SUPPOSEDLY THE DEPARTMENT'S SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE COURT AND REQUEST THE, UH, WARRANT.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WHEN THEY GO TO THE COURT, THE ONE THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH, IT IS THE PROSECUTOR WHO IS OUR GUY.
COUNCILMAN DEE SAID THE, AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU, YOU THE CODE OF CRIMINAL MOVE THE MIC A LITTLE.
THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE AUTHORIZES THE ISSUANCE OF A SEARCH WARRANT BY A MAGISTRATE TO A DIRECTED TO A POLICE OFFICER.
OUR CITY COURT, CITY JUDGE IS THE MAGISTRATE.
THE PROCEDURE IS FOR SOMEONE TO GO TO HIM, FILE AN AFFIDAVIT REQUESTING THE SEARCH WARRANT, EXPLAINING IN THE AFFIDAVIT WHY IT'S NEEDED, AND THE JUDGE WILL CONSIDER IT AND ISSUE THE WARRANT.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I GUESS MAYBE I NEED TO PUT THIS PACK ON, OR BETTER YET, I COULD TALK WITH THE, THE JUDGE BEFORE I START TALKING AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM AND I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS INVOLVED, BUT I COULD SEE RIGHT NOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE EVERYTHING FACTUAL WHEN I ADDRESS IT, BECAUSE WHEN I ADDRESS IT, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEAD ISSUE.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS PROCESS IS BEING HELD UP.
UH, CITY MANAGER, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU COULD ALSO LOOK INTO ALSO AND, UH, FIND OUT WHY THESE DEPARTMENTS CANNOT WORK TOGETHER.
OKAY? WHEN ONE REQUESTS SOMETHING AND IT GOES THROUGH ANOTHER ONE, THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF THIS.
BUT NOT ENFORCING A CODE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET A WARRANT, IS NOT AN ANSWER.
IT'S NOT AN ANSWER BECAUSE WE ISSUED THE WARRANTS.
I WILL NOT BE A PING PONG BALL.
IF I GO TO ONE DEPARTMENT, THEY TELL ME THAT THAT'S WHERE IT IS, AND I ASK THE QUESTION, THEN THEY SAY, WELL, IT'S THIS ONE.
OKAY, THEN I GO TO THAT ONE, THEN IT SAYS THIS ONE.
OKAY? I DON'T KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.
ALL I'M DOING IS TRYING TO ASK SO I CAN FIND OUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE, YOU COULD GIVE ME THAT MESSAGE OFFLINE.
IF I NEED TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL, I WILL.
IF I THINK THIS MATTER IS FIXED, THEN THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT I'M ADDRESSING AND WHAT MY CONCERNS ARE.
SO FROM THAT POINT ON, WE KNOW THAT WE SHOULD NOT HEAR.
SIR, WE ARE GONNA FORCE THESE CODES.
MAY, MAY, MAY, MAY I SAY SOMETHING EVEN BEFORE I THINK, I MEAN, I'M LISTENING TO YOU, I'M HEARING YOU.
WHAT I BELIEVE WE MIGHT BE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO WORK ON.
NOW, IF, IF WE ARE BLESSED, WE MAY HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY IN PLACE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST OR SOMETHING, WHICH NOT NOT TOO LONG.
IT MIGHT SEEM LONG ON, ON, ON, ON THE CALENDAR, BUT, UH, ONCE WE GET AN ATTORNEY, I, A PERMANENT ATTORNEY, NOT THE, UH, THAT OUR INTERIM INTERIM ATTORNEY WANTS, DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT OR CAN'T DO IT.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE GET THE CITY, THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY IN PLACE, THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH, WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER.
BECAUSE CODE ENFORCEMENT IS SOMETHING, AND WHAT I LIKE TO SAY THERE, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU, WE WOULD BE IMPROPER TO BRING A JUDGE IN HERE TO ASK HIM ANY QUESTIONS.
JUST A MINUTE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD DO IT BECAUSE THE JUDGE IS GOING TO SIGN WHAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT, IF ALL OF THE ELEMENTS ARE THERE, HE OR SHE SIGNS WHATEVER THAT DOCUMENT IS THAT'S PLACED BEFORE IN, IN DO, UH, UH, ACTUALLY IN THEIR, UH, DOING THEIR, THEIR MAGISTRATE DUTIES.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT THE JUDGE HOLDING IT UP.
IF YOU DON'T EVER BRING IT TO HIM, YOU CAN'T SIGN IT.
[01:45:01]
THERE HAS BEEN AN IMPASSE, UH, WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS AND THE, UH, CODE, THE, THE, THE CODE, UH, DEPARTMENT.I'M, UH, ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO MAYBE, AND HOPEFULLY WE GET THE NEXT CITY ATTORNEY IN PLACE, COUNCILMAN DEUCE AND CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL.
THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE'D WORK ON.
IT'S ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
IT'S ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO, UH, WITH THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY.
YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
YEAH, WE GET, WE GET THAT INDIVIDUAL IN PLACE AND THEN THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY BEGIN TO WORK ON AND BE SURE THAT, UH, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HAS WHAT IT NEEDS FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY CAN ENFORCE WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
COUNCIL MAYOR, AS I WAS STATING, I NEVER SAID I COULD.
I SAID I WOULD TALK WITH THE JUDGE IF I NO, WAIT A MINUTE, MARY.
LET NO, JUST MADE THE STATE NO.
NOT THAT YOU WERE IMPLYING THAT.
I WAS JUST SAYING AND YOU HAVE ALL, ALL, LEMME FINISH ALL LATITUDE TO SPEAK WITH THE JUDGE.
SPEAKING ONCE AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND ALL, I PUT THIS ON AN ITEM, I PUT IT ON A AGENDA TO LET COUNSEL AND EVERYBODY KNOW WE'RE TAKING TOO MUCH TIME AND IT'S NOT WORKING.
I BROUGHT UP THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO GET THEM TOGETHER SO THAT THEY COULD BE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
I ASK THAT THE MANAGER GET INVOLVED IN IT BECAUSE HE OVERSEES THE CITY AND IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, BUT I MADE IT CLEAR.
I DON'T, I'M NOT TELLING WHO TO DO WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING FIX IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO BRING TO RESOLVE.
THAT'S ALL I WAS SPEAKING WHAT I WAS SPEAKING ON, SIR.
ANYTHING ELSE, MR. BROWN ON THIS? NO, SIR.
OKAY, WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS, IS, UH, MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
OKAY, COUNCIL FRANK, WHERE'S THE PROSECUTOR? OKAY, THE PROSECUTOR.
THE PROSECUTOR, WHERE'S THE PROSECUTOR? I DON'T KNOW.
THESE, THESE CODE VIOLATION, YOU TURN 'EM OVER TO THE PROSECUTOR.
ONCE WE ISSUE THE, LET'S TAKE THE SITUATION BACK A SECOND.
ONCE WE DO OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND WE FIND OUT WHAT VIOLATIONS EXIST PRIOR TO WHAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO NOW, WE USED TO ISSUE CITATIONS.
THE COUNCIL GAVE US THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE THOSE CITATIONS.
WELL THEN LATER ON, DURING THE PROCESS OF WHATEVER THE CITY ATTORNEY AT THE TIME FELT WAS RIGHT, WE NO LONGER WERE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE INTERIM CITY SECRETARY, I MEAN CITY ATTORNEY SAID WE ARE NOT ACTUAL PEACE OFFICERS AND THEY ISSUE WARRANTS TO PEACE OFFICERS.
THEY GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO WRITE AN ISSUE CITATIONS TO PEACE OFFICERS.
BUT IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, IT STATED THAT BY THE COUNCIL GIVING US THE AUTHORITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
YET WE STILL HAVE BEEN GETTING FEED, UH, NOT FEEDBACK, BUT WE'VE BEEN GETTING STATIC FROM THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ACTUAL PEACE OFFICERS.
SO NOW WE HAVE TO, HOW WOULD WE SAY, REARRANGE OUR WAY OF DOING THINGS SO THAT WE CAN BE IN LINE WITH THE COURTS AND IN LINE WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
I FELT AS THOUGH A LOT OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE WARRANTS WAS BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THEY, THAT'S WHERE THAT, THAT PROBLEM, THAT MISUNDERSTANDING AND EVERYTHING CAME IN.
WE STILL FILL OUT THOSE THAT ARE LOOKED AT UPON IN THE COURTS AS CITATIONS YET.
SO YOU GOT A STACK OF FI A CITATION THAT YOU, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S DORMANT.
THAT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.
WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD CITATIONS ISSUED TO PEOPLE AND THEY'VE GONE ON TO GLORY AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE JUDGE.
[01:50:01]
MAY DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING COUNCILWOMAN OVERFIELD? NO.AS I STATED, WHEN THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY ARRIVES, IT'S ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
WE'LL CORRECT THAT AND THEN HOPEFULLY IN SIX MONTHS TIME OR LESS, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH A REMEDY.
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM, UH, WHICH IS, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY ENTRIES IF THERE WOULD BE ANY, UH, REPORTS, UH, FROM COUNCIL PERSONS ON, UH, INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE AT THIS SIDE.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS ON.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
ACTUALLY OUR CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE THERE IS NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.THERE ARE ITEMS ON THIS, UH, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE VERY FIRST ITEM THAT HAVE, THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, APPROVED ON THE PLEASURE ISLAND, UH, SITUATION.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION PRIOR TO, UH, COMING TO THE MEETING AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD WANT WITHDRAWN AND OR INDIVIDUALLY, UH, ON, ON THIS AGENDA, JUST A MINUTE, I'M JUST MAKING SURE I HAVE THE RIGHT, CORRECT PAGE AS ON THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA FROM PAGE FOUR THROUGH, UH, I THINK THROUGH PAGE, UH, FIVE.
YEAH, PAGE FOUR THROUGH PAGE FIVE.
UH, IF THAT WOULD BE ITEMS YOU WANT, REMOVE COUNCILMAN DUCEY, GIMME THE ITEM IN THE PAGE.
SIX ON FOUR AND NINE ON FIVE AND NINE ON FIVE ON FIVE.
ANY OTHERS? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH.
ITEM FOUR ON PAGE, UH, SIX FOUR ON SIX ON FOUR.
IF YOU KEEP SAYING GOOD MORNING, YOU'LL BE JUST WHERE I AM.
ANY, ANY, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.
I CAN GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT BE CONSIDERED AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
SECOND, IS IT MOVED? AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS SIX AND NINE.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION UNDER THE QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE EXCLUSION OF WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED.
NOW LET US GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL
[VII.C.(6) P.R. No. 23835 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Reject The Request For Proposals Of Meter And AMI Equipment Replacement For Guaranteed Energy Savings]
ACTIONS.UH, ON PAGE FOUR, ITEM NUMBER SIX, PR 23 8 35 IS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO REJECT THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OF METER AND A MI EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR GUARANTEED ENERGY, UH, SAVINGS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 8 35, WHICH EVERY READY FOR QUESTION.
IT'S BEEN SO LONG WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO WHEN I SAW IT, I REALLY WAS LIKE, REALLY THIS IS TO REPLACE THE WATER METERS AND, UH, STUFF.
THE COUNCIL APPROVED THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IN MARCH, AROUND MARCH THE 26TH OF 27TH, MEANING PROBABLY 27TH WE APPROVED THIS, UH, PROPOSAL.
OKAY? AND NOW WE ARE GETTING REQUEST HERE IN JULY.
AND THE QUEST SAYING WE WANT TO REJECT THE PROPOSAL AND RE ADVERTISE ALL THE PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING WITH WATER METER WATER BILLS WHEN WE APPROVE
[01:55:01]
THIS IN MARCH.I WOULD THINK THAT BY NOW WE WERE REPLACING THEM, BUT ALL OF US, SOMETHING I HEAR YOU WANT US TO REJECT IT IN JULY.
SO I HAD TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ONE TOO.
UH, THE REQUEST SAYS, BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL DID NOT MEET THE MODEL THAT THE CITY INTENDED FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE, WE DONE THE SCOPE, WE DONE THE SCOPE.
SO EVIDENTLY WHAT WE WANTED DONE IS WHAT WE DONE.
AND WE ASKED INDIVIDUALS TO RESPOND TO A PROPOSAL.
WE HAD THREE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE BACKGROUND THAT RESPONDED TO THIS PROPOSAL.
AND WHEN THEY RESPOND, IT COST MONEY, TIME, AND EFFORT.
THEN WE DECIDED TO DO THE PROCESS AND WE SELECTED A COMPANY.
AND THIS COMPANY WE SELECTED, WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE NORMALLY DO, WE APPROVED IT AND WE DID WHAT YOU ALL ASKED US TO DO AND WHAT THE MANAGER ASKED US TO DO, WE ASKED, WE APPROVED YOU TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT.
SO IN JULY, MY QUESTION IS ONE, DID WE ACTUALLY NEGOTIATE WITH THIS COMPANY? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
DID WE? OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA GIMME ALL THE QUESTIONS AND THEN I WAS GONNA ANSWER NO ONE AT A TIME.
UH, SO WE COULD GIVE YOU YES SIR.
WE WENT OUT FOR AN RFP FOR AN ENERGY GUARANTEED ENERGY SAVINGS PERFORMANCE CONTRACT.
UH, AND WE REVIEWED THE, ALL OF THE SUBMITTALS LIKE QUITE EXTENSIVELY.
WE SELECTED, UH, ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS TO GO WITH OR COMPANIES TO GO WITH AND WE MET WITH THEM AND WE DISCUSSED IT WITH THEM.
AND THIS WHOLE TIME WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND WHAT IS OUT THERE.
AND THE, UH, IT BASICALLY IS NOT IN THE BEST, THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST TO PROCEED WITH A GUARANTEED ENERGY CONTRACT.
THERE ARE OTHER MODELS THAT ARE WAY BETTER FOR THE CITY.
SO WE ARE ASKING TO CANCEL THIS CONTRACT AFTER NEGOTIATING AND TALKING TO THEM, AND WE WILL PROCEED UNDER A DIFFERENT MODEL WITH A NEW RFP.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA ASK THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, DID WE ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRM? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
I HAVE TO KNOW YOUR DEFINITION OF NEGOTIATIONS.
WE DISCUSS WITH THEM HOW THEY WILL PROCEED.
WE DID NOT SIT DOWN AND TALK DOLLARS AND CENTS, NO NEGOTIATIONS.
ACCORDING TO WHAT I READ ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND HOW WE SUPPOSED TO DO BUSINESS NEGOTIATION IS WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH THE PERSON AND WE START TALKING ABOUT ENSURING THAT WHAT THIS SCOPE WAS, THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS ALL THEY'RE GONNA DO AND THEY TELL US HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA CHARGE AND WE SAY, IT'S OKAY, WE GOT ALL, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT, LET'S SIGN THE CONTRACT.
OR HEY, WE DON'T FEEL YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS.
AND THEY SAY, I'M NOT DOING THAT.
OKAY, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
OR EVERYTHING IS FINE THE PRICE YOU WANNA CHARGE ME, I COULD GET BETTER THAN THAT.
SO I'M ASKING SIMPLE QUESTIONS, CALVIN, AND I'M GONNA ASK AGAIN, WE NEVER GOT TO THE POINT OF NEGOTIATING FINAL DOLLAR PRICES.
THIS IS NOT BUYING A COW OR A HORSE.
YOU WANT TO WAIT A MINUTE? HEY GUYS, YOU KNOW, ALL I, ALL I WANT IS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS NOT QUESTIONS I'M ASKING BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE HAVE PROCESS IN PLACE, OKAY, CALVIN, YOU WALKED EVERYTHING DOWN.
WE GOT TO THE POINT WHEREBY YOU CAME TO US AND YOU ASKED US TO APPROVE
[02:00:03]
THE CITY MANAGER.ENTER ENTERING INTO, OKAY, LEMME READ IT.
YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? WHAT IT SAID, WHAT WE APPROVED, HUH? YES.
WHERE'S THE CITY OF PORT ARTS SOLICITED REQUEST OR PROPOSAL FOR ME TO AND A MI EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR THE GUARANTEED THIS SAVING PROJECT ON JANUARY 20TH, 2022, WHERE CITY PORT OUT RECEIVED PROPOSALS FROM THREE FIRMS ATTACHED.
OKAY, PER RESOLUTION, 24 1 6 6, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH A MASCO INCORPORATION FOR THE METER AND A MI EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR THE GUARANTEED ENERGY SAVINGS PROJECT.
NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE APPROVE WITH THIS RESOLUTION.
SO WHEN I ASK QUESTIONS, RIGHT, I, IT'S NOT ONE THAT I WANT TO LISTEN TO EXPLANATIONS.
I ASKED THE QUESTION, I SAID WE APPROVED FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER IN NEGOTIATION WITH THE FIRM THAT HAD BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THEY HAD BEEN SELECTED.
SO MY QUESTION IS, DID THAT HAPPEN? YES, SIR, IT DID.
AND WE REQUESTED FROM THE COMPANY HOW WE WANNA STRUCTURE THIS PROJECT SO THAT THEY WILL COME IN, THEY WILL REPLACE ALL THE METERS, THEY WILL HANDLE ALL THE FINANCING, AND THE CITY WILL MAKE PAYMENTS FOR 15 YEARS TO PAY FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND THEY COULD NOT MEET THIS CONDITION THAT WE HAD.
THEY WANT US TO PAY THEM BY THE TIME THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED.
SO YES, SIR, WE DID GO INTO NEGOTIATIONS AND THEY WOULD NOT MEET THE CONDITIONS WE HAD.
OKAY? UH, ALRIGHT, HOW ABOUT, UH, HAVE I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM YOU GUYS? OKAY, BECAUSE, UH, MAY I JUST GOT ONE MORE.
UH, LET'S, LET'S HEAR FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FIRM.
SEE, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING IS, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT NOBODY CONTACTED THE FIRM FROM THE TIME WE APPROVED THIS IN MARCH.
OKAY? WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT ON MAY THE EIGHTH, A PERSON FROM YOUR OFFICE CONTACTED THEM AND SAID THE PROJECT WAS ON HOLD.
OKAY? THEN ON AND AROUND MAY THE 16TH, A REP FROM YOUR, FROM THE COMPANY CALLED A MANAGER AND PAM LANGFORD TO SET UP A MEETING.
SO THEY SENT A EMAIL MESSAGE ON THE 30TH OF MAY TO RON ON JESS, CALVIN AND LYNN BOSWELL REMINDING THEM THAT THEY WERE SELECTED AND WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH US.
THEN THE REQUESTED ON JUNE THE 10TH OR THE 12TH AS POSSIBLE, AS SUGGESTING THAT ON JUNE THE 12TH, 10TH OR 12TH THAT THERE'S POSSIBLE MEETING DATE, VIVIAN FROM THE MANAGER'S OFFICE RESPONDED WITH THE MANAGER WAS AVAILABLE ON BOTH DAYS, THEN ON JUNE THE THIRD WAS SUPPOSED TO INVITE TO MEET ON THE 10TH.
BUT SHE GOT A CALL FROM CALVIN ON THE 4TH OF JUNE BY EMAIL THAT'S SAYING THE MEETING WILL BE CANCELED AND THEY WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN WE ARE READY.
THAT'S ON JUNE THE, THE, UH, FOURTH JUNE THE SIXTH CALVIN.
THE PERSON CONTACTED CALVIN AND REQUESTED AND ASKED WHY WE ARE NOT GOING TO MEET.
AT WHICH TIME THEY WOULD NOTIFY THAT THE FIRM INTENT THAT, THAT THE CITY INTENDS TO REJECT THE PROPOSAL.
YOU SEE, THAT'S A PROBLEM I'M HAVE WHEN I ASK SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND WHEN SOMEBODY TELLS ME SOMETHING.
SO NOW IF ANYBODY WANNA DISPUTE, I HAVE NO, NO, NO, I'M UPSET BECAUSE MY QUESTION, I WANT TO TALK WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FIRM SO THAT THE FIRM, SHE COULD COME UP AND EITHER VERIFY THIS INFORMATION HERE OR NOT.
[02:05:01]
GET THE ANSWER.THAT'S WHY I ASK SIMPLE QUESTIONS, OKAY? AND I EXPECT, UH, RIGHT? FOR NOW, WHEN YOU ASK US TO APPROVE THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS, THAT'S WHAT WE APPROVE.
THE WAY TO TAKE, TO STOP IT IS THE SAME WAY YOU'RE DOING HERE.
BUT WHEN WE ARE DOING IT AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SELECTED AND CONTACTED AND SAID, HEY, YOU GOT IT, AND WE CHANGED OUR MIND AND WE DON'T GO THROUGH THE NECESSARY PROCESS TO DOING IT, I, IT'S UPSET ME BECAUSE THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T WANNA DO BUSINESS WITH US.
OKAY? AND WHEN I ASK THE QUESTIONS, IT'S TO RESOLVE ISSUES.
I'M NOT HERE, BUT I HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE TO ANSWER MY QUESTION AND ANSWER IT TRUTHFULLY.
I ASKED DID WE NEGOTIATE WITH THAT? AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT NEGOTIATION MEANS, AND YOU TOLD ME YES.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THEY NEVER MET WITH THE MANAGER.
I HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FIRM HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I I MUST SAY IT RIGHT NOW, THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS TO LET COUNCIL KNOW, AND THE REASON I PULL IT, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN DOING BUSINESS OTHER THAN BUY THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WITHIN THE CITY.
AND IF OUR ENGINEERS COME TO US OR OUR REPRESENTATIVE COME TO US AND SAY, LOOK, HEY, WE NEED TO RETHINK THIS.
WE DON'T THINK WE MADE A GOOD DECISION ON THIS.
WE NEED TO BACK OUT AND DO SOMETHING ELSE.
IT IS TELL US WHAT WE DO IS YOU COME AND TELL US FIRST WE NEED YOU ALL TO REJECT THIS.
THEN YOU GO AND TELL THEM WE'RE OUT OF IT.
WE APPROVED IT AND NOTIFY 'EM THAT COUNCIL DID NOT.
AND YOU GONNA EXPLAIN TO US WHY YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND AND WHY WE SHOULD DO IT.
AND WE ALSO AS COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE TO REALIZE HOW WE GONNA LOOK WITH THE FIRM THAT WE CALLED AND TOLD THEM WE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH 'EM.
OKAY? WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE TELL US, WHEN, WHEN WE APPROVE THE CITY MANAGER DOING IT, WE DIDN'T TELL THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF AND THE MANAGER ASKED US TO DO.
BUT SEE, I UNDERSTAND ONCE WE APPROVE IT AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TOO.
THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT THIS BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THIS PROJECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROLLING.
AND IF WE DIDN'T WANT THEM, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE A DECISION.
I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE TIMEFRAME IT TAKES US TO DO THINGS.
WHEN YOU ASK US TO APPROVE IT, WE APPROVING IT, WE DOING OUR PART.
Y'ALL NEED TO GET WITH IT AND GET AND DO YOUR PART.
AND THEN WHEN WE DO IT, WE NEED TO FOLLOW A POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT MY QUESTION WAS VERY SPECIFIC AND I, AND, AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND YOU ALL TELL ME YES.
AND I KNOW THE, THE ANSWER IS NO.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THE PERSON FROM THE FIRM WAS HERE TODAY TO CONFIRM THIS INFORMATION.
'CAUSE SHE HAS TEXT MESSAGES THAT SHE WAS BASICALLY REFERRING TO AND READING FROM AND EVERYTHING.
SO I'M NOT GONNA BE LEGAL THIS, BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST NEED TO HEAR YOU ALL NOW EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THIS AND WHY ARE WE GONNA REJECT THIS? 'CAUSE WE NEED THESE METERS REPLACED AND YOU'RE TELLING ME ABOUT, UH, THERE'S OTHER WAYS OUT THERE.
YES, THIS FIRM ALSO KNOW OF ALSO, UH, WAYS THAT IT COULD BE FUNDED, BUT IF WE NEVER TALK TO 'EM AND NEVER GET TO THAT POINT, WE WASTING TIME.
BUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN, WHEN YOU COME IN AND EXPLAIN AND, AND GIMME, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN.
THIS WAS DONE IN MARCH AND THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WENT OUT IN JANUARY.
[02:10:01]
THAT WE GOING DELAY THIS? I MEAN, WE'RE JUST GONNA REJECT IT AND WE'RE GONNA JUST START OVER AND WE NEVER TALK TO THAT FIRM.OKAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE FIRM FORGOT TO GIVE YOU THE DATE.
WHEN WE MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES, WE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT AND THEY COULDN'T AGREE ON OUR TERMS. SO THE STATEMENT THAT WE NEVER MET WITH THEM IS NOT A CORRECT STATEMENT.
SECONDLY, THE REASON WE WANNA DO IT DIFFERENTLY IS BECAUSE WE WANTED THIS COMPANY TO HANDLE EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE PAYMENTS.
BUT IF WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND HANDLE OUR OWN FINANCES AND THEN BRING THIS COMPANY AS AN INTERMEDIATE COMPANY THAT'S GONNA BRING ANOTHER METER COMPANY TO DO THE PROJECT WHILE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR COMMISSION OFF OF IT, IT'S NOT THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST.
WE'D RATHER GO OUT THERE, GET OUR OWN METER COMPANY TO DO IT.
WE CAN GET A BETTER FINANCING GRADE THAN THEY CAN GET IF WE ARE GONNA FINANCE IT OURSELVES AND SAVE THE CITY MONEY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY, YOU KNOW? AND, AND AND TELL YOU TRUTH.
NOW THAT'S A GREAT EXPLANATION AND I REALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
TOMA, THAT'S THE WAY I EXPECT US TO DO BUSINESS.
I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND IT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO BEFORE WE GO TO DO SEND OUT FOR A REQUEST PROPOSAL.
OKAY? WE NEED TO DO BUSINESS LIKE THAT.
WE CAN'T START THE PROCESS, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEN WE SAYING, WELL, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT THAT WAY.
WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO DO IT PRIOR.
WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THESE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS WERE DONE IN RESPECT TO OUR SCOPE.
SO IN OUR SCOPE, WE SHOULD HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR, WE WANT YOU TO GET THE FUNDING OR WE WANT YOU TO A, B, C, D, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE THREE FIRMS RESPONDED TO.
NOT WHAT WE HAD OR WHAT WE FOUND OUT LATER AFTER WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I SURE SUPPORTED A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S THE, THAT'S AFTER WE STARTED A PROCESS.
AND I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACING METERS.
WE, WE SENT OUT REQUESTS FOR IT IN JANUARY AND HERE WE ARE IN JULY AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STARTING THE PROCESS AGAIN.
SO THAT MEAN THAT WE STARTED OVER AGAIN.
IF IT TOOK US SIX MONTHS TO GET FROM HERE TO HERE AND WE STARTED AGAIN, IT TAKES SIX MORE MONTHS.
THAT'S ONE YEAR FROM THE TIME THIS COUNCIL APPROVED GOING OUT FOR, WELL, IT, WE HAD TO APPROVE IT BEFORE BECAUSE YOU DONE THE RF Q WE APPROVED THE RF, THE REQUEST.
NO, YOU SENT IT OUT IN JANUARY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF HERE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK WE, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT DOING BUSINESS, I MEAN YOU COULD COME AND EXPLAIN IT NOW, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WASTED SEVERAL MONTHS AND NO TELLING HOW MUCH LONGER NOW.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS A FACT.
BECAUSE IF WE HAD DONE IT AND HAD OUR DUCKS WHEN WE DONE A REQUEST, RIGHT, WE'VE BEEN KEPT MOVING ON.
SO NOW HOW DO WE GET AROUND THE FIRM? WE SELECTED, SO FIRST OF ALL, THE GUARANTEE THE ENERGY SAVINGS PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS CAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO THE WAY WE PUT IT OUT, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF IT.
THIS PARTICULAR FIRM DID NOT WANNA DO THAT.
WE DID MEET WITH THAT FIRM ON APRIL 17TH.
CHAD NOBLES WAS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE.
WE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THAT STAFF CAN BE TOLD THAT YOU NEVER MET WITH THESE PEOPLE WHEN WE'RE STANDING HERE AND SAYING WE DID MEET WITH THEM, WE DID NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, WE GAVE THEM OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THEY COULDN'T MEET IT THE LAST FEW MONTHS WERE NOT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME.
BECAUSE THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE ARE DOING THIS PROJECT IS IDENTIFY WHAT METERS WE WANT TO USE.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS AT THE SERIAL POR ARTHUR BEFORE.
WE ARE, I MEAN WE HAD TO SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON THE METERS.
THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS DONE EIGHT YEARS AGO.
SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, TWO METERS THAT WE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT THEY WILL PERFORM PROPERLY AND THEY WILL BE HIGHLY EFFICIENT TYPE METERS.
SO WE ALREADY IDENTIFIED WHICH TWO METERS WE WANT TO COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER FOR
[02:15:01]
THIS PROJECT.SO, AND, AND WE CAN SAVE A LOT OF TIME IF THIS COUNCIL CHOOSES TO, BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE METER COMPANIES ARE ON BUYBOARD.
SO WE CAN GO TO BUYBOARD AND GET PRICES AND GET THIS STARTED VERY QUICKLY.
IF THE, IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES OR ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S AN OPTION I THINK WILL SPEED UP THIS PROCESS.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, DR. HANEY, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM YOU, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, I READ EVERY BIT OF THIS REQUEST FOR REJECTION AND STUFF AND WHAT EVERYTHING I ADDRESSED WAS STRICTLY BASED ON ALL THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED, EVEN ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, I WENT BACK TO ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU ASKED US TO DO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
'CAUSE I WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WRITE IT DOWN, I READ IT, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IT, I'M GONNA DO ALL THE BACKGROUND, WE'LL GONNA DO EVERYTHING.
SO YOU COMING AND YOU'RE SAYING WE DID THIS, WE DID THAT.
THEY SAYING THAT ALL, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE SELECT AND WE NOTIFY SOMEBODY THAT WE HAVE ALSO OUR DOCUMENTATION AND ENSURE THAT WE FILING OUR PROCEDURES, WE OUTLINE.
BECAUSE IF WE IN DO THINGS, THEN WE PUT OURSELF OUT THERE, THEN WE ARE OPEN FOR LITIGATION.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN WHEN I START TALKING ABOUT THIS, YOUR EXPLANATION.
I'M CON I'M CONVINCED THAT WE HAVEN'T STEPPED OUT.
I DON'T THINK WE DID ANYTHING FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT PURCHASING TOO.
JUST THAT WE NEED TO TAKE MORE TIME BEFORE WE SEND OUT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
SO WHEN WE GO AND START THIS PROCESS, WE DON'T START IT AND GET HALFWAY DOWN THE STREAM AND SAY, OH NO, WE TOO WENT THE OTHER WAY.
AND THEN NOW WE'VE GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY BACK UPSTREAM.
TIME IS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE JOB.
AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT ALARMED.
'CAUSE WHEN I STARTED READING, I SEE JANUARY AND NOW I'M IN JULY AND I'M WONDERING, WOW, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD SOME MEETINGS ROLLING AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.
I'M NOT GONNA DISPUTE YOUR EXPLANATIONS.
I I CAN REALLY IDENTIFY WITH 'EM.
BUT WE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE VERY CLEAR ON WHERE THIS CITY STANDS AND WE NEED TO GIVE RESPONSE TO THEM IN A FASHION SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND CLEARLY NOW THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
MAKE IT CLEAR AND LET'S KEEP DOCUMENTATIONS ALSO.
I BELIEVE WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHEN WE MET WITH THEM THAT THIS IS THE OPTION WE WANT AND WE, WE DIDN'T HESITATE TO TELL THEM IT'S NOT GONNA WORK IF WE DON'T GET IT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE STRAIGHT ON THIS AND IF WE STRAIGHT THEN THAT'S GOOD.
WE ARE VERY STRAIGHT COUNCILMAN, BUT WE'RE NOT STRAIGHT ON TIMEFRAME BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO THIS UPFRONT FROM NOW ON.
THAT'S THAT PART I'M NOT BACKING OFF.
OKAY, THEN WE WASTED A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE PROBABLY TWO MONTHS AGO.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MA'AM.
COUNCILMAN KEN LAW REAL QUICK.
UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA LABOR THIS, UH, DR.
TOMA AND DIRECTOR, UH, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN? DO WE HAVE TO START EXACTLY OVER AT THE BEGINNING TO R-F-Q-R-P THEN, UH, SELECT PROCESS AND GIMME A TIMEFRAME BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I, I WAS ON BOARD.
I THINK COUNCILMAN, UH, DOUCETTE WAS ON BOARD WHEN WE HAD THOSE METERS BEFORE.
THAT WAS GIVING US SO MUCH PROBLEMS. YOU GUYS KNOW I WAS CALLING YOU, RINGING YOU PHONES, THE CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF, UH, ADAPTERS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AND THEY DIDN'T TELL US ABOUT.
AND IT COST THE CITY A LOT OF MONEY.
HOW LONG WOULD THIS PROCESS TAKE? UH, IF WE START, IF WE GO, IF WE GO BY BOARD? UH, WE, WE TRYING TO, WE WERE TRYING TO GET A MEETING WITH EVERYBODY INCLUDING CLIFF.
THIS REALLY CAME ABOUT THIS RECENTLY, BUT IF WE GO BY BOARD, IT'S VERY QUICK.
WE JUST CAN GET BIDS FROM THESE TWO UNDER BY BOARD AND WE'LL GO WITH THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR THE METERS.
AND A MI, UH, IT'S A TWO STEP PROCESS.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVED.
WE'D HAVE TO GET PRE-APPROVED FOR THE, FOR THE SALE OF THE O AND M, UH, FINANCING PACKAGE FROM, UH, LYNN CAN TELL ME THE ACTUAL NAME.
IT'S NOT LIKE A BONDING COMPANY, BUT IT'S A LIKE GOVERNMENT FINANCING COMPANY.
SO JUST LIKE BUYING A HOUSE, YOU GET PRE-APPROVED FOR THE, THE LOAN.
YOU THEN, UH, WHEN YOU DO THE, UH, YOU GO OUT FOR A BUYBOARD, IT'S A TWO STEP PROCESS.
[02:20:01]
THEY DO A, AN AUDIT OF THE METERS, WHICH GIVES YOU SOME CERTAINTY THAT YOU WILL GET THE MONEY BACK.I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT LEAST 10%.
IT, WE EXPECT IT TO BE HIGHER, THAT THE METER ACCURACY IS OFF THAT MUCH.
SO THEY GO OUT AND THEY DO A REPRESENTATIVE AUDIT OF VARIOUS METER SIZES TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT THIS PAYMENT.
IF THAT AUDIT PASSES, THEN YOU SECURE THE LOAN AND YOU GO TO PHASE TWO, WHICH IS INSTALL THE METERS.
IT'S A BETWEEN A NINE MONTH AND A 12 MONTH PROCESS TO INSTALL THE METERS.
UH, THE AUDIT IS PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH, I WOULD THINK.
YOU DO 60 METERS, IT'S LIKE 60 TO 80 METERS THAT YOU HAVE TO PULL OUT AND HAVE 'EM TESTED AND THEN, UH, GO FORWARD.
BUT YOU NEED THAT AUDIT TO BE REASONABLY SECURE.
YOU'RE GOING TO GENERATE THE REVENUE TO PAY FOR THE, UH, THE LOAN.
AND I THINK THE LOAN THING, LYNN WOULD HAVE TO TELL ME HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE.
I DON'T THINK THAT TAKES LONG TO GET APPROVED FOR THE O AND M LOAN.
WELL, WE, WE DEPEND ON YOU GUYS.
I, I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE HIT IT ON THE, ON THE HEAD WITH THE HAMMER, UH, THAT WE DEPEND ON YOU SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO DELIVER TO THE COUNCIL THE BEST OPTIONS AND DELIVER THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR US, THE COUNCIL TO TAKE AN ENTIRE VOTE.
UH, MAYOR FOR COUNCIL ETT, UH, THE INFORMATION, THE GUIDELINE, THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS, UH, WAS THAT PASSED ON TO YOU BY THE COMPANY OR WAS THAT GIVEN TO YOU BY THE CITY MANAGER? BECAUSE I LOOKED AT IT AND I READ THE BACKGROUND.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU PULLED THIS ITEM.
UH, BUT, UH, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TIMELINES OF EVENTS WITH THE CITY VERSUS THE COMPANY.
HOW DID YOU GET THAT INFORMATION? THE, THE TIMELINES WERE, UH, UH, FROM THE FIRM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HE, HE SAID THAT, UH, THEY HAD A DATE AND THE DATE THAT, UH, THEY MENTIONED APRIL THE 17TH WAS NOT A DATE THAT I HAD AND THE PART THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
TO THEM, IT WASN'T SO MUCH ABOUT THIS COMMUNICATIONS.
BUT THE COMMUNIC, I, I, I HEARD THE OTHER SIDE, BUT I SAY HEARD THEIR SIDE.
YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY WITH, SO YOUR INFORMATION TIMELINE CAME FROM THE COMPANY ITSELF, RIGHT? TO, TO CORRELATE SOMETHING WITH, UH, YEAH, MOST DEFINITELY.
UH, WHAT, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, AND PLEASE COME UP, I THINK DOUCETTE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST OPTION.
UH, AND OF COURSE I KNOW YOU, UH, BUT OUR BEST OPTION IS TO SAY THIS CITY, JUST EXCUSE ME.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME MA'AM, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS DEVALE ALUMS. I'M WITH AMCO AND I ABSOLUTELY RESPECT, UM, ANY DECISION THAT STAFF WANTS TO MAKE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO DISPUTE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
REGARDING THE APRIL 17TH MEETING, YES, THERE WAS A MEETING WITH MR. NOBLES AND SOME OPTIONS WERE PRESENTED.
WHAT CAME OUTTA THAT WAS WE WANTED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH FINANCE AND CITY MANAGER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS AND MULTIPLE WAYS THAT THINGS CAN BE FUNDED.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND CAN PROVIDE MANY REFERENCES TO THAT EFFECT.
WE WERE NOT GIVEN THAT SECONDARY OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE CONCERN WAS, IS THAT THERE WAS NO MEETING TO ACTUALLY NEGOTIATE WHAT FUNDING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.
IF YOU'RE GOING BY BOARD, YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING AS THE ESCO PROCESS.
YOU'RE, FROM WHAT I HEARD, YOU'RE GONNA BE FINANCING IT.
SO IF YOU DON'T WANNA FINANCE IT, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.
BUT WE NEVER SAT DOWN TO DISCUSS THAT.
AND THAT WAS THE CLARIFICATION I WANTED TO PROVIDE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER ELSE WANNA SPEAK.
COULD YOU COME BACK? YES, SIR.
THE METERS, THE METERS THAT, THAT'S BEING REMOVED, THAT, THAT'S POOR PERFORMANCE.
WAS THAT FROM YOUR COMPANY? NO, SIR.
IT WAS FROM A PREVIOUS COMPANY, BUT I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT, YES.
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL PUT THOSE IN THOSE, UH, IN THOSE METERS IN, WAS THERE A MAINTENANCE? DID Y'ALL TRAIN THE PE THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN THESE YES SIR.
THERE WAS, UM, MAIN MAINTENANCE, UH, WAS IGNORED IN A LOT OF WAYS AND THERE WERE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH, THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.
WE HAVE PRESENTED IT THREE, FOUR TIMES TO MULTIPLE STAFF MEMBERS.
YOU WERE TELLING ME THAT YOU ALL TRAINED.
NOW MY NEXT QUESTION IS CITY MA.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WAS HERE OR NOT.
UH, NO, THEY WASN'T HERE EITHER.
BUT WAS THE TRAINING PROGRAM EVER IMPLEMENTED? I, I DON'T WHY SOMETHING'S SERIOUSLY WRONG WHEN YOU HAVE TO PULL ALL
[02:25:01]
THESE METERS OUT AND DUMP 'EM.THEY WASN'T PROPERLY CALIBRATED.
YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ALL THEM VEHICLES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
I'M A PRO, I'M A PROCESS ANALYZER TECHNICIAN.
NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONGOING PEOPLE MAINTAINING THIS STUFF.
I, I MEAN THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ISSUE.
I I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT WAS IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE CITY OR NOT WITHIN THE CITY, BUT WE MET WITH CITY STAFF OVER THE YEARS MANY TIMES TO GO THROUGH WHAT ARE MAINTENANCE ISSUES AND WHAT ARE WARRANTY ISSUES AND HOW TO HANDLE BOTH WITHOUT A, WITHOUT A MAINTENANCE CREW TO MAINTAIN THIS EQUIPMENT AND KEEP IT IN ALL CALIBRATED AND CROSSCHECK IT, IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO FAIL.
IT'S GOING TO KEEP, IT'S GOING FAIL.
ITT, ANYTHING YOU PUT IN IT WASTE A LOT OF MONEY.
NOW, IF, IF THE GARAGE FOR, FOR JUST FOR LAYMAN'S EXAMPLE, IF THE GARAGE FAIL OR CHANGE THE OIL IN THE VEHICLES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IT'S GOING TO FAIL.
AND WHEN THEY FAIL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE A MOTOR CAL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT.
WITHOUT IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE, IF WE DON'T IMPLEMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM, WE GOING TO DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE GONNA BE RIGHT BACK AT THE SAME THING AGAIN.
WELL, YOU, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF A METERS AS A SERVICE AS WELL.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DISCUSS FURTHER.
AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP YOUR CITY QUITE A BIT.
AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO GRANTS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW THAT WE WANTED TO PURSUE.
YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, MY WHOLE CAREER, 45 YEARS, I WAS A PROCESS OPERATOR THEN I, I WAS AN INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN AND PROCESS ANALYZE TECHNICIAN.
I MADE MY LIVING MAINTAINING EQUIPMENT.
UH, COUNCILMAN YOU LADIES ON? OH NO.
MAYOR, CAN I, I GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
BEEN ON THE FLOOR FOR 47 MINUTES.
UM, UH, VERY IMPORTANT POINT, MAYOR.
YES, BUT I, I WANT, I WANNA MOVE THE MEETING ON.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? ONLY? ANY QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AS
[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 23839 – A Resolution Authorizing The Third Year (Second Renewal) For Mowing Contracts Between The City Of Port Arthur And Amelia Lawn Care & Landscaping Of Port Arthur, Texas For Group 1, Valencia Lawn Of Port Arthur, Texas For Group 1(A), Consider Us Of Port Arthur, Texas For Group 8, And Whit's Grass Cutting Of Port Arthur, Texas For Group 9; The Second Year (First Renewal) For The Mowing Contract With Consider Us Of Port Arthur, Texas For Group 2; For Mowing Of Various City Properties, Parks & Right-Of-Ways With An Estimated Budgetary Impact Of $83,979.00 (FY 2024 $31,992.00 And FY 2025 $51,987.00) Funding Available In Parks Account No. 001-25-065-5311-00-20-000]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER NINE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 8 3 9.ON PAGE FIVE, IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THIRD SECOND RENEWAL FOR MO CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND AMELIA LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPING OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
FOR GROUP ONE, VALENCIA, LAWN OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOUR, GROUP ONE A, UH, CONSIDER US OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR GROUP EIGHT AND WITS, UH, GRASS CUTTING OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR GROUP NINE THE SECOND YEAR.
FIRST RENEWAL FOR THE MO CONTRACT FOR OR MO CONTRACT WITH.
CONSIDER US A PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR GROUP TWO FOR MORE AND OF VARIOUS CITY, UH, PROPERTIES, PARKS AND RIGHT OF WAYS.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE RIGHTS OF WAY WITH AN ESTIMATED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $83,979 OF FISCAL YEAR 2024 OF UH, $31,992 AND FISCAL YEAR 2025 OF $51,987.
UH, ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 25 6 5 3 1 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? UH, KEN LOCK.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 8 39 AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, THANK YOU.
I TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT GETTING OUT OF GRASS CUTTING BUSINESS OTHER THAN CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME, SOME, UH, PROPERTIES WHERE WE GOT ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE THAT WE GO AND CUT BECAUSE EVERY TIME OUR COAL ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE PASS BY, THEY SAY THE GRASS IS GROWN.
[02:30:01]
I DON'T KNOW.WE HAVE QUITE A FEW CONTRACTS OF CUTTING GRASS HERE IN THE CITY AND SOME OF THE PROPERTY, PRIVATE PROPERTY.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, WHEN WE CUT GRASS THERE, SOMETIMES WE GET TO WHERE WE GOT LIENS ON THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S OUR FAMOUS THING HERE IN THE CITY.
WE PUT LIENS EVERY TIME WE CUT IT IN.
WELL, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LIEN WHERE IT IS ACTUALLY MORE MONEY OWED TO THE CITY THAN WHAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTH.
ALSO, THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE IF SOMEBODY OWE SO MUCH BACK TAXES ON PROPERTY WHERE WE GET TO WHERE WE UPSIDE DOWN IT, WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY AND HAVE THE COUNTY TO AUCTION THE PROPERTY.
AND WHEN WE DO IT THAT WAY, WHOEVER BUYS IT NOW THEY PUT IT BACK ON THE TAX ROAD.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPERTIES WE ARE CUTTING SO THAT WE GET TO THE POINT WHEREBY INSTEAD OF CUTTING PROPERTY, PUTTING A LIEN AND IN THE END WE NOT GETTING NO REVENUE FOR BUT WE PAYING SOMEBODY TO GO CUT IT.
AND IT'S NOT EVEN THE CITY PROPERTY, IT'S PUBLIC PROPERTY.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THIS AND WE NEED TO START TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CUT THIS OUT.
WE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USING TYPE OF MONEY, CUT PRIVATE PEOPLE YARDS AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIME FOR PUBLIC AND HEALTH SAFETY.
WE HAVE TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
BUT WHEN WE START DOING AS MUCH AS WE DOING, THEN THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR SYSTEM.
SO WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WE NEED TO START FINDING OUT WHICH PROPERTIES THAT WHILE WE PUT LIENS ON THEM, WE KNOW THAT WE GOT SOMETHING THERE.
BUT IF WE GOT LIENS ON PROPERTY AND WHEN YOU SAY THE PROPERTY AIN'T WORTH BUT $1,500 AND YOU GOT $3,000 WORTH OF LIEN AND YOU'RE STEADY GOING UP, YOU'RE STEADY PAYING MONEY WHEN WE COULD LET THE COUNTY IN IT AND THEN WE PUT IT BACK ON THE TAX ROLL AND INSTEAD OF CUTTING IT WITH NOW WE DON'T PAY NOBODY TO CUT IT.
SO NOW WE ALSO GET THE TAX MONEY AND THAT'S NOT NOTHING THAT YOU WOULD BE INVOLVED WITH.
SO THAT'S NOT DIRECTED TO YOU BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT OUR ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO KNOW WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE ACTIONS AND WHAT ACTIONS WE TAKE.
BUT I TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, RON.
WE GOTTA GET OUT THIS GRASS CUTTING BUSINESS, OKAY? WE HAVE TO GET OUT THIS GRASS CUTTING BUSINESS.
'CAUSE IF YOU ADD ALL THESE CONTRACTS TOGETHER, IT'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO THAT'S GONNA FIT THE CITIZENS WHO PAY THIS TAX AS OPPOSED TO CUTTING SOMEBODY YARD BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO CUT IT.
OKAY? THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT.
AND THAT WAS FOR THE NEXT ITEM.
SO I JUST SAID I'LL JUST SHOOT IT ONE TIME AND THEN WE GET WHAT? WE GOTTA FIX THAT.
WE GOTTA GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARDS.
SO HAVE THE NEW ATTORNEY THAT'S ON MY LIST OF THAT.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO, GET OUT THIS GRASS CUTTING BUSINESS.
WE NOT IN THE GRASS CUT CUTTING BUSINESS.
WE DOES IT, WE DO IT ONLY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO DO THAT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, CITY MANAGER.
THAT'S AN OR THAT'S AN, UH, A CITY ORDINANCE THAT I INITIATED.
THE SUB SUBSTANDARD LOTS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS ADJACENT TO THE SUBSTANDARD LOTS.
WE CAN JUST DONATE IT TO 'EM, SELL IT TO 'EM FOR A DOLLAR THAT AND GET IT BACK ON THE TAX ROW.
EVERYTHING THAT WE'LL CUT IN AND, YOU KNOW, PUT IT BACK ON THE TAX ROAD.
IT'S AN ORDINANCE I DID THAT YEARS AGO AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN, UH, GIVE IT TO 'EM.
THEY'RE GONNA MAINTAIN IT AND CUT THE GRASS.
BUT THE KEY THING IS BACK ON TAX, WE CAN COLLECT SOME TAXES SO THAT INSTEAD OF MONEY LEAVING, IT'LL BE COMING TOWARD US.
OKAY, ANY OTHER, UH, READINESS? IF NOT, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? SO ORDER PR NUMBER 23 8 39 IS APPROVED AS READ.
NEXT WE HAVE THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA BEGINNING ON PAGE SIX AND WE WILL
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23706 – A Resolution Authorizing The Purchase Of A Tractor From Beaumont Tractor Company, Inc. Of Beaumont, Texas For The Pleasure Island Department With A Total Projected Budgetary Impact Of $46,250.00; Funding Available In Account No. 450-00- 000-8522-00-00-000, Project No. ARP017.OTH.EQU Is Contingent Upon Pending Budget Amendment PO No. 7256]
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST ITEM THERE.PAGE, UH, OUT PR NUMBER 23 7 0 6.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A TRACTOR FROM, UH, BEAUMONT TRACTOR COMPANY,
[02:35:01]
INCORPORATED THE BEAUMONT TEXAS FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND DEPARTMENT WITH A TOTAL BUDGET TOTAL PROJECTED OR PROJECTED RATHER BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $46,250.FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 50 85 22 0 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER A RP ONE TH POINT EQU IS CONTINGENT UPON, UH, THE, UH, BUDGETARY AMENDMENT PO NUMBER 7 2 5 6.
THAT WILL BE, UH, BE LOOKED AT LATER.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVED.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 0 6 AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, IT'S, UH, FOR 46.
WHAT KIND OF TRACK IS THIS? BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA PULL A BACK WING WITH IT.
COUNCIL, I MEAN, UH, MR. DAVIS.
YEAH, YOU SAID I I WAS READING IN THE BACKGROUND IT SAID THAT UH, THE TRACTOR WILL BE ABLE TO PULL BAT WING.
YES, WE HAVE, WE ALREADY PURCHASED THE BAT WING.
BUT THIS TRACTOR, WHAT SIDE TRACTOR? THAT IS FOR 46 THING.
THAT'S, IT'S GONNA PULL THAT BACK WING.
IT'S KIND OF SMART, BUT, OKAY.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BEHE, UH, PR NUMBER 23 7 0 6 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 23795 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager’s Decision To Authorize The Emergency Repair To The Austin Avenue 12” Gravity Sewer, For The Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $195,000.00; The Funding For This Project In Water Utilities Account No. 405-40- 000-8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS0016-CON Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of A Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance No. 7256]
P NUMBER 23 7 9 5.IT IS A RESOLUTION, AUTHOR OR RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE AUSTIN AVENUE 12 INCH GRAVITY, UH, SEWER FOR THE TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED IN AMOUNT OF 195,000.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IN WATER UTILITIES ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 8 5 16 0 0 0.
AND IT IS PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 16 CON IS A CONTINGENT UPON, AGAIN, THE APPROVAL OF A BUDGETARY, A BUDGET MIN AMENDMENT VIA ADOPTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 72 56.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PROTE SECOND.
AND SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR OR NUMBER 23 7 95 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? QUESTION.
WHEN WAS THIS? IS THIS FINISHED? OKAY, HE'S COMING UP.
WE REMOVED THE, UH, THERE'S, THE ONLY THING LEFT ON SITE IS ONE PIECE OF PIPE.
I'VE GOTTA GET A LONGER TRAILER.
THIS MORNING WE HAD 'EM REMOVE SOME OF THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, BARRICADES.
THERE WAS SOME BARRICADES AND CONES STORED THERE.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HAD WE FINISHED IT? YES, IT'S FINISHED.
AND THE OTHER, AND THE, AND THE OTHER THING I HAD, I NOTICED THAT WE MADE THIS REQUEST LIKE IN APRIL OR SOMETHING.
IT, YOU KNOW, SO MY QUESTION IS WHY WE RATIFYING IT.
THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHY I ASKED.
SO WE, THE, THE, JUST SO I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THIS IS.
THIS IS THE OLD SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAIL YARD AND THERE WAS A BAKERY, I THINK IT WAS SUNBEAM.
I, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A BIG SLAB THERE.
SO THE SEWER RUNS ACROSS THE OLD RAIL YARD AND UNDERNEATH THE SLAB OF THE, THE BAKERY, IT FELL IN A COUPLE OF PLACES AND IT IMPACTS ALL THE HOUSES TO THE EAST OF THAT RAIL YARD.
KIND OF FROM THOMAS TO, UH, GULF WAY TO, UH, THE CIRCLE THAT KIND OF WAS KIND OF THAT AREA.
WE SENT, UH, BAKER'S CREW GLOBAL DRILLING OUT.
THEY OPENED THE LINE AND THEN 36TH STREET FAILED.
WE HAD SEVERAL, A BIG PROBLEM ON 36TH STREET.
WE PULLED THIS CONTRACTOR OFF OF THIS JOB, PUT HIM ON 36TH STREET.
'CAUSE HE HAD THE EQUIPMENT IN THE CITY TO OPEN UP 36TH STREET.
AND BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
I READ ALL, ALL THAT AND, AND OKAY.
I MEAN, WE HAD LIKE A THOUSAND PICTURES.
SO I I'M PRETTY AWARE OF THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK WHY WERE WE RATIFYING IT BECAUSE OF THE TIMEFRAME? SEEMED LIKE IT HAD BEEN BEFORE COUNCIL MONTHS AGO TO APPROVE US DOING THIS WORK.
[02:40:01]
I UNDERSTAND.THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I SAY THAT.
IF, IF, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, THEN THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WE SHOULD BE HA IT SHOULD BE COMING BEFORE US SO WE COULD APPROVE ALL THESE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW THE VALUE UNTIL IT'S OVER.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO DESIGN.
I MEAN, WE GO IN THERE AND THIS, THIS PROJECT I KNOW THAT TURNED INTO A MA MAJOR PROJECT.
WE JUST, WE WANT TO KNOW THAT'S AN EMERGENCY.
SO YOU SEE, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL WE GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I MEAN, I MEAN THAT'S, I GET WITH RYAN, WHEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEMO THAT'S ONGOING, WE COULD COME IN AND JUST GIVE YOU A, A SYNOPSIS OF THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IT WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S, YOU'RE SPENDING MONEY AND WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T APPROVED IT.
SO WHENEVER WE ARE SPENDING MONEY, WHEN YOU HAVEN'T APPROVED IT, THE WAY WE CAN KNOW IS WHEN YOU ALL SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND WE APPROVE THIS WORK TO BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
SO WE KNOW, BUT WHEN WE SAY RATIFYING, IT'S SOMETHING LIKE SOMETHING BURST OVERNIGHT AND WE HAD TO GET 'EM OUT HERE AND WE KNOW THIS MANAGER AIN'T GONNA CALL NOBODY AT NIGHT AND WE AIN'T GONNA DO THAT.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT A TIMEFRAME LIKE THIS THAT HAS ELAPSED, I UNDERSTAND THEN THIS COMING BEFORE ME IS NOT TO RATIFY.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD HAVE BEEN RATIFIED THIS THE FIRST MEETING AFTER WE, AFTER IT CAME ACROSS.
'CAUSE THAT'S ALL WE DOING NOW, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
UH, CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN THIS QUESTION? NO.
UH, THEN WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A, ANY OPPOSES AYE.
SO PR NUMBER 23 7 9 5 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 23813 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager's Decision To Authorize The Emergency Installation Of 16" Casing And 12" Gravity Sewer In Sabine Pass, For The Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $184,320.00; The Funding For This Project In Water Utilities Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS0016-CON, Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of A Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance No. 7256]
NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 8 13.IT IS A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY INSTALLATION OF 16 INCH CASING AND 12 INCH GRAVITY SEWER IN SABINE PASS FOR THE TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $184,320.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IN WATER UTILITIES ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 4 0 8 5 16 0 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 1 16 IS CONTINGENT UPON AGAIN, THE APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT VIA ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROPOSED, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER 72 56.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN ETT? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SECONDARY.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 8 13 AS PRESENTED, WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, IN DOING THE MATH ON THIS, I'M COMING UP WITH A DIFFERENT AMOUNT FOR INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT.
IT SAYS 53,900 AND IT ACTUALLY ADDS UP TO 44,700.
AM I LOOKING AT THE RIGHT THING, NUMBER FIVE, OR DID I SKIP THAT? IT IS NUMBER THREE.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
SO IT IS ORDERED, PR NUMBER 23 8 13 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 23818 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing The Publication Of The Notice Of Intention To Issue City Of Port Arthur, Texas Combination Tax And Revenue Certificates Of Obligation In A Principal Amount Not To Exceed $19,675,000.00 For The Construction Of Public Works And Any Items Related Thereto And For The Payment Of Contractual Obligations For Professional Services; Authorizing The Distribution Of A Preliminary Official Statement Relating To Such Certificates; And Containing Other Provisions Relating Thereto]
FOUR, PR NUMBER 23 8 1 8.IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 19,006, NO 19,675,000 UH, DOLLARS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC, UH, WORKS AND ANY ITEMS RELATED THERETO AND FOR THE PAYMENT OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AUTHORIZING THE DISTRIBUTION OF A PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT, UH, RELATING TO SUCH CERTIFICATES AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING THERE TOO.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WOULD, WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 8 1 8 AS PRESENTED.
READY FOR QUESTION? ANY QUESTIONS? A, UM, I, I'VE JUST GOT A, OKAY, WE GOT OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR HERE WITH US.
UM, THAT'S, UM, NORMALLY WHEN WE DO THOSE GIVES US, UM, SOME SORT OF REPORT ON THE STATE OF HEALTH OF OUR FINANCES.
SO WE, WE HAVE ANN HERE WITH US TODAY.
[02:45:08]
HONORABLE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES MA'AM.MR. BURTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK IN PORT ARTHUR FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ANN BERGER ININ AND WE SERVE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
THE PARTICULAR ITEM THAT'S FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY INITIATES THE PROCESS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO FUND PROJECTED, UH, I'M SORRY, PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE CITY.
IT'S A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $19,675,000 IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT THIS DOES IS IT INITIATES THE PROCESS, BUT IT IS, IT IS NOT BINDING AS OF YOUR ACTIONS TODAY, IF YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE NOTICE OF INTENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE DATE AT WHICH THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER THE ACTION, THE PROJECTS THAT THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING, UM, AND ALL OF THE PERTINENT INFORMATION GOES INTO THE NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION ONCE A WEEK FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS.
IT ALSO GOES ON YOUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
SO THE CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS PROPOSING TO DO.
WE WOULD, UM, IN TANDEM WITH THE PROCESS, WE WOULD, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON A DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT TO THE EXTENT THAT THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED AND POSITIONED, WE WOULD SEND THIS INFORMATION TO STANDARD IMPORTS, THE RATING AGENCY WHO WE HAVE SENT YOUR COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR 2022 AUDIT.
AND THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THAT NOW, WE WOULD HAVE A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THEM AND WE WOULD BE BACK BEFORE YOU ON A PROJECTED TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, WHEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY BRING TO YOU THE PROJECTED SALE, WHICH WOULD HAVE THE PAR AMOUNT, THE SPECIFIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AT THAT TIME.
AND IF YOU APPROVE THE SALE AT THAT TIME, WE ARE PROJECTED TO CLOSE ON OCTOBER 3RD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WE WORK IN A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES, WHICH IS VERY FAVORABLY VIEWED NOT ONLY BY THE RATING AGENCIES BUT BY YOUR INVESTORS, IS THAT YOU HAVE A ROLLING FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
AND WE UNDERSTAND, AND THE RATING AGENCIES AND INVESTORS UNDERSTAND THAT IT DOES CHANGE AND EVOLVE, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT, IT IT POINTS TO A DIRECTION IN WHICH THE CITY IS HEADING.
SO WHEN WE WORK WITH YOUR FINANCE STAFF IN SOLVING THIS PARTICULAR BOND ISSUE, WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR PRO FORMA.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE STRUCTURE THE TRANSACTION THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER TODAY, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR FIVE YEAR PLAN.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN ETT? I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER.
JUST COMMENT ON THE ITEM HERE.
SHE, SHE CAN HAVE A SEAT IN CASE SHE NO, HOLD IN IN CASE THE MANAGER HOLD UP.
JUST, JUST REMAIN RIGHT THERE PLEASE.
NOW COUNCILMAN LEWIS, WAIT A MINUTE.
YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE A QUESTION? YES, I SAY I HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT NOT FOR HER.
OKAY, SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR HER.
I'M, WHILE SHE'S THERE, LET ME, LET ME DO IT.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
IS THERE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATING THE BOND COVENANT? SO, UM, WHEN YOU SAY A PENALTY FOR VIOLATING THE BOND COVENANT, SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, WHICH ARE, HAVE, ARE SECURED BY THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND REALLY THE, THE BOND COVENANT, UM, AS LONG AS YOU ARE PAYING YOUR DEBT SERVICE ON A TIMELY BASIS, THEN YOU'RE REALLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE, THE BOND COVENANTS MADE TO BOND HOLDERS ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF DEBT.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT STANDPOINT.
YOU ISSUE THE BONDS FOR YOU IDENTIFIED THE, IN THE COVENANT, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY ON, IF YOU VIOLATE THAT SPENDING ON SOMETHING ELSE OR GO BUY SOME VEHICLES, IS THERE A PENALTY? SO YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU'VE GOTTA GO BACK AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE LANGUAGE WITH EACH BOND ISSUE.
AND EACH TIME WE'VE DONE THIS, THERE'S BEEN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN FOCUSED ON WHAT THE SPECIFIC GOALS WERE AT THE TIME OF THAT ISSUANCE.
AND SO, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO GO BACK AND READ THE LANGUAGE.
UM, SOMETIMES IT SAYS A SPECIFIC PROJECT AND THEN IT HAS AND RELATED ITEMS. SO SOMETIMES OTHER, UM, OTHER USES OF THAT MONEY MAY BE A RELATED
[02:50:01]
ITEM TO ONE OF THE PROJECTS.SO I WOULD REALLY NEED TO DEFER TO BOND COUNSEL TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
BUT, UM, WE, THE EACH DOCUMENT IS, IS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT IS INCLUDED OR PROJECTED TO BE INCLUDED WITH EACH FINANCING.
ANY, ANY OTHER THINGS THAT OUR FINANCIAL PERSON ACCORDING TO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? WE THANK YOU SO KINDLY.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM BEFORE VOTE? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, I AM GLAD COUNCILMAN LIZ BROUGHT THAT UP.
WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CERTIFICATES THIS MINUTE.
MAY I HELP YOU WITH SOMETHING? I, YES.
I CAME TO FORWARD TALKING TO MIKE RIGHT THERE SPEAKING TO MIKE.
YOU AIN'T GONNA TO GOD TO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY AND TO ALL OF MY COWORKERS.
I THANK GOD FOR MY LOVELY WIFE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BEEN MARRIED 55 YEARS THIS COMING DECEMBER THE 20TH.
SO HAPPENED THAT THE DEVIL HAVE ITS WAY OF DOING THINGS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE HOME THAT SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING INTO.
BUT I HEAR EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT YOU DON'T NEED.
BUT WHEN WHEELCHAIRS HAVE TO BE BROUGHT IN A HOME, WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE HOSPITAL BEDS TO COME INTO A HOME, THEN YOU CAN SAY YOURSELF, NOT ME, BUT YOU.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS LIFE.
SEE, WE ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO LIVE HERE AND TO DO GOD'S WILL.
NOT WHAT I WANT, BUT WHAT THE LORD WANT.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I OWN OR HOW MUCH I CAN SPEND, IT'S STILL GOD'S WILL.
AND I'M WORKING TO GET HOME IN A FEW MINUTES BECAUSE SHE'S AT HOME NOW.
BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL TWO MONTHS, THEN THE NEXT THING THEY HAD ME IN THERE TWO MONTHS.
THAT'S TELLING YOU WHAT THE DEVIL CAN DO TO YOU, BUT GOD WILL USE WHO HE WANT.
DO YOU BELIEVE IT? I CAN GIVE YOU THAT FULL ANSWER ALREADY RIGHT THERE.
GOD GOT WHO WE WANT TO SIT THERE IN DECEIT OF NOW.
SO THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS TO OBEY, DO WHAT HE SAY DO.
NO ONE NEED TO LOOK AT ME AND HOLLER ABOUT.
WELL I TELL YOU AFTER A WHILE I GET SUCH AND SUCH AND I GET SUCH AND SUCH.
BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WORK TOGETHER, SHOW LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
AND I'M HERE TO SEE THE STAFF TODAY.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY HE KEEP YOU.
AND, AND, UH, OUR BOND ADVISOR, WE NEED TO GET WITH THE, WITH BOND ADVISOR, BUT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND WE NEED TO BRING THIS BACK.
[02:55:01]
IF WE GONNA DO CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE FUNDING.YOU KNOW, THEY SAY YOU CAN MAKE IT GENERAL SO THAT IT COULD COVER EVERYTHING I SAID, BUT I THINK THAT'S CAUSING A LOT OF CONFUSION.
NOT AMONG WITH JUST CITIZENS, ALSO COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTANDING THIS RELATED TO TYPE.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WE CAN MAKE THINGS GENERAL, BUT WE DON'T MAKE IT GENERAL TO USE MONEY FOR WHAT MONEY IS NOT FOR.
SO RATHER THAN GO DOWN THIS SAME ROAD AGAIN, IF WE WANT THIS MONEY, WE NEED TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE GOING TO DO WITH IT.
WHEN WE APPROVE THIS MONEY, WHAT WE SPEND IT ON, ALL THE CITIZENS WILL AGREE THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.
WE NEED TO STOP SAYING RELATED.
WE GONNA PUT IT IN, UH, THE GENERAL PROJECT.
LET ME GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE WHAT I'M SAYING.
WE SAY HERE IN, UH, CONSTRUCTIONS OF, UH, CITY BUILDINGS, NO.
IF WE GOING TO TAKE ANY PORTION OF THAT MONEY TO PUT IN CITY BUILDING, WE SHOULD HAVE EXACTLY WHICH BUILDING AND ESTIMATED COSTS.
AND WHEN THAT COMES TO THE COUNCIL, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WE'RE APPROVING.
BECAUSE ONCE IT'S APPROVED, THAT'S THE WAY I AND CITIZENS EXPECT IT TO BE SPENT.
AND WHEN WE DO BUSINESS THAT WAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT MY INTERPRETATION IS OR WHAT YOUR INTERPRETATION IS.
EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND THIS MUCH MONEY ON THESE THREE BUILDINGS.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND THIS MONEY STREETS, STREETS SEEM TO BE THE MAGIC WORD WHEN WE WON'T DO CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION.
WHILE WE GOING IN TO GET MONEY FOR STREETS, WHEN WE GOT MONEY WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE RIGHT NOW WE NOT SPENDING LET'S DO THE MONEY FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
NOW WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO BACK AND GET MORE MONEY FOR STREETS, LET'S GO BACK AND GET MORE MONEY FOR STREETS.
BUT LET'S NOT KEEP SEEING STREETS AND THE MONEY KEEP GOING THERE, BUT WE AIN'T, WE AIN'T USING IT.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET OUT THE HABIT OF GET MONEY AND PUT MONEY IN AND JOIN INTEREST ON MONEY LIKE APA FUND.
YOU KNOW, I KEEP HEARING FROM THE INTEREST OF APA, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO MAKE MONEY ON, WE GOT MONEY TO DO THINGS WITH AND WE NEED TO GET THINGS DONE.
WHATEVER WE SAID THE MONEY WE GETTING FOR WE NEED TO DO IT.
IT'S NOT TO SET IN DRAW INTEREST AND THEN WE DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THE ARPA FUND.
OKAY? WE DIVIDE THAT MONEY, LET'S SPEND IT, LET'S NOT SAVE IT.
WE HAVE TO DO BUSINESS AND SPENDING THIS MONEY.
SO I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF APPROVING FOR US TO, UH, DO THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS IF WE CANNOT HAVE A DETAILED LIST AND A BREAKDOWN OF HOW THIS MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT SO THAT IT BE CLEAR TO ALL OF US ON THIS COUNCIL AND ALL CITIZENS, HOW ARE WE GONNA SPEND THIS MONEY? OKAY? BECAUSE THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THIS CONFLICT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SPECIFIC AND WE RIDE RELYING ON WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT I THINK LET'S ELIMINATE WHAT WE THINK.
LET'S PUT IT SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.
LET'S SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANT THE MONEY FOR, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA USE THE MONEY FOR AND THEREFORE THERE'LL BE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
NOW, WHAT WE ASKING TODAY, SHE ALSO MENTIONED IS TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE SALE OF THAT, OF AMOUNT OF BOND.
SO TO, AND THAT'S WHY I SAY WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE GOING TO DO.
BECAUSE IF WE GOT 10 MILLIONS OF THIS MONEY THAT WE TALKING ABOUT DOING STREETS WITH, WHY ARE WE GONNA SELL THESE CERTIFICATES? OBLIGATION.
WE TRYING TO, WE SPEND, LET'S WAIT TILL WE SPEND THE MONEY AND THEN WE DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION, UH, WHAT'S HER NAME? OUR BARN.
[03:00:01]
TO WHAT I WAS SAYING AND, AND I THINK SHE COULD BEST GIVE US SOME ADVICE ON THIS TOO BECAUSE YES, SIR.WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SELLING THESE CERTIFICATES, AND SO WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY.
AND RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE FEDS ARE GETTING READY TO START TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLY LOWERING RATES.
YOU SEE, SO WE DON'T, WHY ARE WE GONNA MAKE A DECISION AT THIS TIME WITHOUT AN EMERGENCY LEAVE? BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED DONE, THEN LET'S PUT IT SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE GONNA DO WITH IT AND KNOW WHY WE GOING WITH THIS.
BUT BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN WAIT FIVE TO SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, WE MIGHT GET A BETTER INTEREST RATE, WHICH WAS GOING TO BEST SERVE US.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS MONEY, WE GOTTA TAKE ALL THESE THINGS IN CONSIDERATION.
WE GOTTA KNOW THAT IF WE WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND SELL SOME CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, IT'S GOTTA BE A SERIOUS NEED.
AND WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, ALL I WANNA KNOW IS WHAT WE GOING TO USE, HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOING TO DO THIS, HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOING TO SPEND FOR THAT, AND WHAT IT GOING TO BE FOR BEFORE WE CAN APPROVE IT.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER WAY WE CAN APPROVE IT.
OTHER THAN THAT WE JUST APPROVING A A BLANK CHECK.
SO COUNCILMAN YOU SAID IN IN RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS? YES, PLEASE.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY IS A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 19,000,675 WITH A, WITH A BROAD LIST OF POTENTIAL FOR PROJECTS.
THE SPECIFIC DECISION ABOUT WHICH PROJECTS AND WHAT DOLLAR ALLOCATIONS.
SO PER THIS SCHEDULE, I WOULD BE BACK SEPTEMBER 10TH AND THAT'S WHEN YOU WOULD TAKE THE FORMAL ADOPTING ACTION.
SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND PROBABLY THAT FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, MAYBE EVEN SEPTEMBER 3RD OR SEPTEMBER 4TH TO PUT MORE REVISIONS AND MORE SPECIFICITY.
YES, WE DO RELATED TO THE PROJECTS AND RELATED TO THE COST.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS ITEM ACTION TODAY IS NON-BINDING.
I MEAN, WE COULD COME BACK AND YOU COULD MAKE THE DECISION NOT TO SELL CERTIFICATES AT ALL.
THIS JUST ALLOWS THE PROCESS TO START AND TO INFORMING THE COMMUNITY OF YOUR DECISIONS.
AND AND COUNCILMAN DU SAID, I, I DO APPRECIATE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH INTEREST RATES.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THOUGH, THE REASON THAT WE HAVE THIS TIMING AND MOST OF MY OTHER CITIES HAVE THIS SAME TIMING IS BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TAX RATE MANAGEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY KIND OF DRIVING THIS TIMING, THE PREPARATION OF YOUR BUDGET, YOUR SETTING OF YOUR TAX RATE, SPECIFICALLY YOUR DEBT SERVICE AND INS FUND TAX RATE.
SO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THAT IF THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THIS IS, THIS TIMING.
A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
I'VE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED THE FUNDS, I'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE IF YOU BORROW THE MONEY WHEN YOU NEED IT, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY GONNA BE CRITICIZED.
I THINK IF WE SOMETIMES GAME AND TRY TO GUESS WHEN INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA BE HIGHER OR LOWER, WE OPEN OURSELVES UP FOR POTENTIAL CRITICISM BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA BE TOMORROW, MUCH LESS THREE MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.
AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY THE STARTING OF THE PROCESS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO, ANY WAY WE CAN HELP FACILITATE FURTHER REVISIONS AND FURTHER REFINEMENT IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I COMPLETELY CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILMAN ETT HAS SAID 100%.
UH, AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING, UH, THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT WE CAN DO OR UTILIZE THIS MONEY.
I ALSO AGREE WITH HIM, UH, ABOUT THAT, UH, MONEY FOR STREETS AS WELL.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT I THINK WE CAN, UH, WORK WITH STAFF, UH, AND AS A COUNCIL AND THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, AND IDENTIFY.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE STARTED TO, UH, WORK ON THE BATHROOMS, UH, OUT AT THE, UM, MAINTENANCE ANNEX, UH, OUT THERE.
WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THEY NEED SOME MORE UPGRADES.
AND SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT.
UH, AS FAR AS UPGRADING THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
OF COURSE WE'RE LOOKING AT FIRE STATIONS, UH, AS WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, UH, AS WELL.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WHEN WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THE ONE IN PORT ACRES.
AND THEN, UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO GEORGE FOR A WHILE ABOUT FINISHING UP, UM,
[03:05:01]
THE CLUBHOUSE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WE WERE TALKING EARLY ABOUT REVENUE AND GENERATING REVENUE.
IF WE FINISHED THAT BUILDING, UH, UTILIZE SOME OF THIS MONEY TO FINISH THAT BUILDING.
UH, INDIVIDUALS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, UH, VENUES TO HAVE, UH, UM, UH, FESTIVITIES AND UH, TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF UH, UH, UH, UH, GATHERINGS.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE US, UH, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
SO I THINK WE CAN UTILIZE THE MONEY, BUT WE DO WANT THAT LIST, UH, COMING FORWARD.
AND THEN THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT IS AS WE'VE TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER, THEY'RE CONCLUDING THAT AUDIT AND I THINK THAT BY GOING FORWARD, WE GOT ONE MORE.
YEAH, I THINK THAT BY GOING FORWARD, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK ON THE DAY THAT WE'RE COMING.
THIS IS NOT A 100, UH, VOTE FOR THIS TODAY IS NOT A 100 UM, PERCENT DONE DEAL AS YOU'VE SAID.
UM, UH, AND SO, UH, IT IS NOT THAT KIND OF DEFINITIVE MOMENT, BUT I THINK IT DOES ALLOW US TO IDENTIFY THOSE PROJECTS AND TO MOVE FORWARD AS WELL.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY, THAT WAS PR NUMBER 23 8 1 8 NUMBER FOUR.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 23822 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 3, To The Contract With Preferred Facilities Group – USA, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas For The Construction Of Wayfinding Signs For The Wayfinding And Monument Signage Program For The City Of Port Arthur, To Fabricate Backplates For The Existing Primary And Secondary Monument Signs In The Amount Of $24,500.00; Perform Water Line Taps At The Monument Signs Located At 2838 Highway 365 In The Amount Of $18,300.00 And 444 4th Street In The Amount Of $1,900.00, Thereby Increasing The Contract Amount By $53,900.00 To A New Total Projected Budgetary Contract Amount Of $1,179,869.79 ($1,029,740.13 Available In Account Number 140-15- 600-5470-00-20-000 Project Number HO1020 And $150,129.66 Available In Account Number 307-25-067-8525-00-10-000 Project Number PR0009-OTH) Is Contingent Upon Pending Budget Amendment PO No. 7256]
NEXT WE MOVE TO PAGE SEVEN, WHICH WOULD BE PER NUMBER 23 8 2 2.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ORDER NUMBER THREE.
NUMBER THREE TO THE CONTRACT WITH PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUP, U-S-A-L-L-C OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WAY FINDING SIGNS FOR THE WAY FINDING AND MONUMENT SIGNAGE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO FABRICATE BACK PLATES FOR THE EXISTING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MONUMENT.
SIGNS IN THE AMOUNT OF $24,500 PERFORMED.
WATERLINE TAPS AT THE MONUMENT SIGNS LOCATED AT UH, 28 38 HIGHWAY 365 IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,300 AND 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,900, THEREBY INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $53,900 TO A NEW TOTAL, UH, PROJECTED BUDGETARY CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,179,869 AND 79 CENTS.
AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 40 DASH 15 DASH 600 600 DASH 54 70 DASH 0 20 0.
PROJECT NUMBER H OH 1 0 2 0 AND $150,129 AND 66 AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 25 DASH SIX SEVEN DASH 82.
UH, EXCUSE ME, 85 25 DASH ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO PROJECT NUMBER PR 0 0 0 9 DASH TN AND IT IS CONTINGENT AS BEFORE UPON PENDING BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER PEO NUMBER 72 56.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK DOUBLE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
OKAY, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKER, THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS MUST BE A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR, UM, BECAUSE THE, THE AGENDA SAYS THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO BE INCREASED IS 53,900, BUT ALL OF THE ATTACHMENTS THAT CAME AS WELL AS THE RESOLUTION SAYS THAT THE AMOUNT IS $44,700.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN AMOUNT ON WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM IS AND WHAT THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION AMOUNT IS IN LINCOLN.
SO WE SEE WE NEED TO CORRECT THE 53,000 YES MARK THROUGH AND SHOULD BE 44,000.
UH, WHO DID THE MOTION? I'M SORRY.
COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU ACCEPT THAT? YES.
ANY OTHER UN READINESS COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
WHAT IS THE FIRST ACCOUNT? WHAT IS 1 41 4 0 1 5 6 0 5 4 7.
WHAT IS THAT ACCOUNT? THAT'S HOTEL OCCUPANCY.
[03:10:01]
AND WHAT'S THE 3 0 7? THAT IS ONE OF THE PROJECT ACCOUNT NUMBERS THAT'S COMING FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SIDE.YEAH, BUT WHAT'S THE ACCOUNT NUMBER? WHAT'S THE LINE? IT IS 3 0 7 2 5.
WHAT? WHAT IS IT? BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT.
I DIDN'T FIND IT, SO LET ME KNOW.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I DIDN'T SEE THE ONE YOU NE YOU YOU LISTED EARLIER.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T LOOK IN HOTEL TAX OCCUPANCY FOR THAT'S FUNDING.
UH, BUT WHAT IS 3 0 7? I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT ONE.
WHAT IS IT MS. LYNN? CAN YOU IS 25 PARKING DEPARTMENT 25 THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FOR PARK AND RECREATION.
CITY, CITY SECRETARY, CAN YOU INCLUDE FOR THE NEXT MEETING, UH, DISCUSSION ON ACCOUNTS, UH, ACCOUNTING? NO, THE REASON BEING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M LOOKING FOR THESE ACCOUNTS, FOR THESE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, YOU, YOU, YOU READ 50,000 NUMBERS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN READING NUMBERS.
I DONE BROUGHT THIS UP WITH FINANCE BEFORE ABOUT US PUTTING ALL THESE NUMBERS UP HERE.
NOW IT'S SIMPLE FOR US TO JUST SAY WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM AND WHEN WE LOOKING FOR, WE COULD GO TO THE LINE ITEM IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
YOU PUT ALL THESE NUMBERS IN HERE, I'D BE RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE TRYING TO VERIFY WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING FOR ME BECAUSE YOU GOT YOU REQUESTING TWO 150,000 UH, AND STUFF.
BUT WE DIDN'T BREAK DOWN THE AMOUNT FROM EACH ONE OF THOSE ACCOUNTS EITHER.
WE JUST PUT WHERE THE MONEY WAS COMING FROM, THE TWO ACCOUNTS.
YOU KNOW, HOW AM I, HOW AM I GOING TO KEEP UP WITH THIS IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TAKING? NO, IT NOT.
I, THAT'S WHY I BE TALKING ABOUT FINANCE.
I THINK YOU COULD SAVE ME SOME TIME.
YOU'RE KILLING ME WITH NUMBERS.
BUT IF YOU SAY THAT THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN PARK AND RECREATION ADMINISTRATION PARK AND RECREATION MAINTENANCE, THEN THAT'S IDENTIFYING WHERE THE MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET.
AND THE MAYOR CAN SAY THAT QUICKER THAN HE COULD READ NUMBERS.
I COULD FIND IT AND ALL OF US COULD CONFIDE IT AND WE KNOW WHERE THIS MONEY'S COMING FROM.
AND I SAID BEFORE IT IS LIKE, DO THEY KNOW WHERE IT'S AT? WHAT'S SO FUNNY WAS I, I ASKED THEM ONE TIME UP TO THE PODIUM, I SAID, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LINE NUMBER IS? NO, I HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
WELL IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA KNOW.
SO LET'S, I'M GONNA BRING THAT FOR A DISCUSSION THAT WE CHANGED THE WAY WE IDENTIFY FUNDING SO THAT WE'LL KNOW WHAT WE, WHERE THAT MONEY COME FROM AND WHEN YOU REVIEW IT AT HOME, YOU CAN KNOW WHERE THE FUNDING TO COME FROM.
YOU COULD GO TO THE BUDGET INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE NUMBER.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES I CAN'T GET THE NUMBER AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH IT.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT AT THAT TIME.
BUT UH, I KNOW NOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, I BELIEVE.
IS WAY FINDING GOING TO CONTINUE TO COST, YOU KNOW, YOU BOUGHT THE PROJECT INITIALLY WITH ABOUT HOW MUCH IT GONNA COST US TO DO IT? MM-HMM
AND WE DID IT THEN, OH, WE GONNA DO THIS.
SO WE ADDED A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY.
OKAY, NOW WE WANT TO PUT BACKS ON THEM.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, ARE WE EVER GOING TO FINISH WITH THIS? OR THIS IS SOMETHING WE GOING NO, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE ALLOCATE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO THIS PROJECT.
BUT WHEN WE SAY THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND THE NEXT THING THAT WE START DOING THIS HERE, I JUST WANNA KNOW, ARE WE PRETTY MUCH, SO TECHNICALLY WE'RE STILL UNDER BUDGET 'CAUSE WE HAD A DECREASE NO, NO, I, NO, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS THIS WILL BE DONE.
'CAUSE AS WE GET INTO IT, CERTAIN LITTLE KINKS WERE, BUT WE SHOULD FINISH WITH THIS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH PHASE TWO.
[03:15:01]
TWO, BUT PHASE ONE IS THE ONE THAT I THOUGHT WE WAS AT.BUT WE KEEP LAST SEE PHASE ONE IS GOING UP.
SO YOU KEEP TAKING THE MONEY WITH PHASE ONE.
WE GONNA TAKE MONEY THAT WE'VE HAD FOR PHASE TWO.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M NOTICING THAT THE FIRST PHASE, THE COST IS COMING UP BECAUSE WE ARE CHANGING THINGS OKAY.
AND DOING THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE INITIALLY.
SO WE HAVEN'T GOT TO PHASE TWO.
AND THAT'S MY CONCERN BECAUSE WE DO THE SAME THING AND WE DO IN PHASE TWO, THEN WHAT WE GOING TO END UP AT PUTTING A LOT MORE MONEY INTO THE IJ THAN WE PROJECTED AND THAT WE PLANNED FOR AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
UH, COUNCILMAN KENMORE? YEAH, MAYOR, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
MAYBE, UH, THE CITY SEC OR WELL, KELLY'S OVER THERE, OR THE ATTORNEY WITH, WITH US HAVING TO MAKE THE CORRECTION ON THIS, UM, NON-CONSENT, UH, ITEM, UH, TO 44, UH, THOUSAND 700.
HOW DO WE PROPERLY PUT THIS IN THE, FOR VOTING? I, I THINK WE HAD IT ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE THE MAYOR READ IT WITH THE 53 900.
SO HOW DO WE GET IT BACK ON THE FLOOR TO MAKE THE CORRECTION? SO, AND THAT'S A GOOD CATCHME PRO TIM WITH THE $44,000.
YOU MADE A A WE MADE THE AMENDMENT ON.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I ASKED YOU ALL ABOUT IT.
CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE SOMETHING REAL QUICK? THE, WITH THE WAY FINDING SIGNS, I HAVE SEEN THE IMPROVEMENT ON SUNDAY NIGHT DRIVING FROM HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ THE SIGN NOW BASED ON THE CHANGES.
WELL, AND MIGHT, MIGHT I ADD THAT, UH, WITH PHASE TWO WE ARE MAKING THE CORRECTIONS, WE ARE FINDING OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
AND I CAN RECALL WHENEVER WE DID BRING THIS UP ORIGINALLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, UH, ONCE THEY, THEY ACTUALLY PUT THEM OUT AND, AND IT WAS BASED UPON SOME INFORMATION FROM CITIZENS.
IT WASN'T JUST US OR EVEN STAFF, BUT FOLK BEGAN, THEY WERE, UH, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE STILL EXCITED ABOUT THEM, BUT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO READ 'EM BETTER AND, AND, AND, UH, THE AESTHETIC APPEARANCE, I THINK IS WHAT WE ARE CORRECTING.
SO THAT'S WHY A COUNCILMAN, THEY KINDA ADDING A FEW LITTLE THINGS.
SO IN PHASE TWO, WHEN SHE COMES OR IF IT'S MORE MONEY OR OTHER MONIES, WE'LL ALREADY KNOW WHY IT IS, BECAUSE WHEN WE DID PHASE ONE WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK.
WE JUST HAD A, A, UH, I THINK AN ARTIST CONCEPT OF THEM.
NOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE ACTUAL PRACTICAL, UH, YOU KNOW, SCIENCE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN AND IT DOES ENHANCE AS CITY MANAGERS SAID THE, UH, UH, LIVELIHOOD OF, OF OUR CITY.
SO IF, UH, COUNCILOR LEWIS, YOU HAD SOMETHING? OH, I JUST REMIND IF, IF COUNCIL, IF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCILMAN DOE QUIT LOSING THEIR WAY, WE WON'T HAVE TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY ON IT.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO HIS HONOR, WE APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 8 22.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 23841 – A Resolution Authorizing The Execution Of A Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And BerryDunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC (BerryDunn) Of Portland, Maine, For The Development Of A Citywide Five-Year Strategic Plan, With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $125,000.00. Account No. 001-01-005-5470-00-10- 000/Project MA0042]
OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 8 41.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND BARRY DUNN, MCNE AND PARKER, LLC BARRY DUNN OF PORTLAND, MAINE, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CITYWIDE FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $125,000.
AND AGAIN, IT'S AN ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 0 1 5 54 70 0 0 0 0.
AND IT HAS PROJECT NUMBER MA 0 0 4 2.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN ETT? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND? IS IT MOVED IN SECOND? THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 8 41 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ONCE AGAIN, THE ACCOUNTS, I WAS RUNNING THEM DOWN.
OKAY, I SEE TWO ACCOUNTS LISTED.
IS IT? AND WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM? IT'S, IT'S, HUH? IT'S IT'S THE SINGLE ACCOUNT, ISN'T IT? YEAH, IT'S A SINGLE ACCOUNT, BUT IT, IT IS A PROJECT.
THE PROJECT NUMBERS ARE BEING GIVEN WHEN THEY DO A PROJECT.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET,
[03:20:01]
IF IT WAS A PROJECT MEMBER, IT IS PROBABLY BEEN IN A SPECIAL PURPOSE FUND AND THE PROJECT NUMBER WOULD'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED WHEN WE APPROVE THE BUDGET.IF WE, IF, IF IT'S NOT THERE WHEN WE APPROVE THE BUDGET, WHENEVER WE APPROVE FUNDING, THEY ASSIGN A PROJECT NUMBER.
SO THAT'S HOW THE PROJECT NUMBERS COME, COME ABOUT.
SO ONCE AGAIN, ALSO TO FUND IT.
OKAY, SO THEY GOT IT ON THERE.
WHAT IS THIS ACCOUNT? I MEAN, WHAT LINE ITEM? IF IF IF, IF I GO TO THE BUDGET, IF WHERE'S THE LINE ITEM? IF YOU, IF YOU GO TO THE BUDGET, LENA, I THINK I'M CORRECT.
IT WAS, THAT WAS BUDGETED UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
YOU SEE? AND, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT'S MY POINT THAT I'VE BEEN MAKING.
WHATEVER WE, THAT LINE ITEM IS WHEN WE APPROVE THIS BUDGET, WE APPROVE IT FOR SOMETHING.
AND IT WASN'T FOR THIS STRATEGIC, WELL, LET'S SEE, LET ME GET THE RIGHT WORD FOR IT.
YES, IT WAS OKAY IF YOU PULLED THE BUDGET, IT WAS ALL RIGHT.
IT WAS CLEARLY STATED IN THE BUDGET.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE WE'RE NOT GONNA DEBATE.
I'LL GO BACK AND IN FACT, AFTER THE MEETING I'LL GET WITH YOUR CITY MANAGER AND I WANNA SEE IT.
ANY OTHERS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY, THANK YOU AYES AB, WE'VE APPROVED PR NUMBER 23 8 41 AS PRESENTED.
NOW WE WITH ORDINANCES, UH, FOR THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7232 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Amending Article III, Divisions 4 & 5 (Discharge Of Waste Into Public Sewers) Of Chapter 110 (Utilities) Of The Code Of Ordinances; Regulating The Discharge Of Industrial Waste, Wastewater And Other Matter Into The Sanitary Sewers Of The City By Adding A New Standard Of Surcharges For BOD, TSS And Ammonia Under 110.215(a)(2), Revising The Current Local Limits Under 110-215(d) And Increasing The Fee For Liquid Waste Disposal Under 110-245(i) And Providing For Publication]
NOW PO NUMBER 7 2 3 2, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AMENDING ARTICLE THREE, DIVISIONS FOUR AND FIVE, DISCHARGE OF WASTE INTO PUBLIC SEWERS OF CHAPTER ONE, 10, UTILITIES OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES REGULATING THE DISCHARGE OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE, WASTEWATER AND OTHER MATTER INTO THE SANITARY SEWERS OF THE CITY BY ADDING A NEW STANDARD OF SURCHARGES FOR B-O-D-T-S-S AND AMMONIA UNDER 1 1 0 0.2 15.SUBSECTION A SUBSECTION TWO, UH, UH, ADVISING THE CURRENT LOCAL LIMITS UNDER ONE, ONE, UH, ONE 10 RATHER DASH TWO 15 SUBSECTION D AND INCREASING THE FEE FOR LIQUID WASTE DISPOSAL UNDER ONE 10 DASH 2 45 SUBSECTION I AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO, MOVE I GET A SECOND.
SECOND IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 72 32 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES.
THIS IS AN INCREASE IN, OKAY, THIS, THIS INCREASES WHAT, WHAT, CALVIN? WE, I MEAN I'M, I I READ ALL THESE TECHNICALITIES, BUT I'M LIKE THE CITIZENS, OKAY, WWW WHAT ARE WE GONNA INCREASE? COMMERCIAL, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I'VE GOT FLOYD HERE, HE'S THE EXPERT IN, IN THIS.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS THAT LIKE, UH, WHAT'S THE SPRINT AND UH, WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE? SUPERIOR WASTE.
THEY BASICALLY BRING WASTE HERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I GOT YOU.
AND THEY TREAT IT AND THEN THEY DIS THEY PRETREAT IT AND THEN THEY DISCHARGE IT TO US AND WE CHARGE 'EM.
UH, CURRENTLY WE CHARGE 'EM 3 CENTS A GALLON.
WE DON'T, THIS DON'T REFER TO, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
THIS IS, THIS IS PEOPLE LIKE IN THE GOT ENOUGH EDC.
OKAY, OTHER QUESTIONS? READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A.
WE APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 32 AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7248 – An Ordinance As It Pertains To The Fire Department Staffing Levels]
HAVE PO NUMBER 72 48.AND ORDER THIS AS IT PERTAINS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING LEVELS.
I MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVE OF COUNCILOR MCKEN LAW MAYOR, I GET A SECOND.
COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN FRANK SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 48 AS IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
HOW YOU DOING? CHIEF HAVEN? OH, JUST FINE.
HOW ABOUT YOURSELF? ALRIGHT, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE STAFFING COMING BEFORE, BEFORE WE DO A BUDGET.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DISCUSSING THIS WHEN WE GET TO YOUR PERSONNEL LINE, BUT ONE THING THAT KIND OF GOT ME MM-HMM,
ONE IS YOU, YOU LOOKING TO INCREASE ONE POSITION
[03:25:01]
AND YOU SAID THAT BY ADDING THE, UH, ADDITIONAL BATTALION CHIEF AND YOUR AND YOUR CAPTAIN'S POSITION AND ELIMINATE THE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION THAT IT'LL BE A WASH.I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT GONNA BE A, A WASH.
'CAUSE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THOSE SALARIES AND STUFF FOR THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS GONNA BE INCREASING AND THERE ARE TWO INCREASES VERSUS, UH, ONE FOR A BATTALION CHIEF, EVEN WITH THE DIFFERENT, RIGHT? YES.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE A WASH, SO I WANT YOU TO PAY ME THE WASH.
UM, THAT POSITION WAS CREATED, UM, TWO AND ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, UH, THROUGH THE BUDGETARY PROCESS.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN FILLED SINCE THEN.
WE'VE NEVER PAID ONE DIME FOR, UM, FOR THAT POSITION ALREADY IN THIS BUDGET YEAR.
WE'RE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH IT.
WE HAVEN'T PAID 1 CENT TOWARD THAT POSITION IN THE FEW MONTHS THAT WE HAVE LEFT.
THE CREATING THE CREATION OF AN EXTRA POSITION AND CHANGING THE RANKS A LITTLE BIT, UM, IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE A BUDGETARY IMPACT THIS YEAR, BUT IT IS JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, THERE WILL BE ONGOING IMPACTS DOWN THE ROAD.
WELL THAT'S, YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD TOO.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN NOW, RIGHT? BUT I KNOW AS THEY GET INCREASES IN STUFF, THESE TWO DIFFERENT, A CAPTAIN AND A BATTALION CHIEF, THOSE ARE YOUR TWO HIGHER UNDER UNDERNEATH YOUR DEPUTY CHIEF.
AND, AND THE CHIEF AND YOU, THESE ARE THE TOP PAYING PEOPLE AND EVENTUALLY THEIR SALARIES IS GOING TO BE COMBINED SALARIES IS GONNA BE MORE THAN WHAT THE DE THE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF WOULD BE.
BUT SO, SO WE STRAIGHT ON THAT ONE.
AND I UNDERSTAND NOW MY OTHER QUESTION I HAD FROM MY READING, THIS IS IF WE CREATE THIS POSITION TWO YEARS AGO, MM-HMM,
AND NOBODY NEVER FILLED IT, YOU KNOW, AND NOW WE WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL IN THE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT WHEN WE CREATED THIS POSITION AFTER WE DIDN'T FILL IT THE FIRST YEAR? WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE SAYS, HEY, LET'S, UH, ADD ANOTHER POSITION FOR THIS AND THAT WE WE COULD DO IT.
I MEAN, WHY, WHY ARE WE, UH, WHY ARE WE WORRYING ABOUT A POSITION THAT WE HAVE A FEELING IN TWO YEARS? MY SENTIMENT, IF YOU DIDN'T PUT NOBODY IN THERE IN TWO YEARS, YOU DIDN'T NEED IT IN THE BEGINNING.
SO WHY ARE YOU EVEN WORRIED ABOUT IT? NOW, COUNSEL, IF I MAY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RELATED TO THAT PARTICULAR POSITION WAS THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, GUIDANCE FROM THE SITTING CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT HOW THAT POSITION COULD BE FILLED.
HOWEVER, AFTER DOING FURTHER RESEARCH AND CONSULTING WITH AN ADDITIONAL ATTORNEY, WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ALTERNATIVE.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT THAT WAS A DELAY IN FILLING THAT POSITION.
UH, SECONDLY, UH, THAT WAS A CONSIDERATION OF THE FUTURE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE GROWTH OF THE CITY ITSELF AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE NEEDING IN THE FUTURE.
AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THAT PARTICULAR POSITION, UH, WOULD NOT SERVE US IN THE WAY THAT THE RECONSTRUCTION THAT THE CHIEF HAS PROPOSED WOULD.
SO ACTUALLY YOU HAVE, THIS IS ON THE ALLOTMENT OF HAVING TWO DEPUTY CHIEFS NOW AS WE SPEAK, RIGHT? YOU HAVE CHIEF? YES, SIR.
AND, AND BY OMITTING THE, ONE OF THE POSITIONS, YOU'RE A BATTALION CHIEF, HOW WOULD YOU DO AN AUTO MERIT ON YOUR BATTALION CHIEF IF WE APPROVE THIS TODAY? WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE AFTER THE DEPUTY CHIEF IF SOMETHING, IF YOU GUYS WERE NOT IN POCKET? SO HOW WOULD YOU RANK THOSE INDIVIDUALS? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE FIVE, RIGHT? YES.
SO NORMALLY THE WAY THAT, UH, THE WAY THAT THAT WORKS IS THAT IF I'M OUT OF TOWN, THE DEPUTY'S IN CHARGE, IF RIGHT, BOTH THE DEPUTY AND I ARE BOTH OUT OF TOWN, THEN WE APPOINT ONE OF THE OTHER BATTALION CHIEFS OR THE FIRE MARSHAL TO, UH, UH, BE THE PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT FOR ANYTHING MAJOR THAT HAPPENS.
AND, AND REAL QUICK, JUST TO EASE MY MIND, WHY WAS IT SO HARD TO HIRE OR FIND A QUALIFIED PERSON FOR THAT SECOND DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION WHENEVER, UM, IN-HOUSE OR OUTHOUSE? WAIT, IT, IT'S NOT THAT WE COULDN'T FIND ONE, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE IN SO LONG.
I MEAN, SINCE IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED, I MEAN, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A POSITION THAT WAS REQUESTED
[03:30:01]
AND WAS NOT FILLED BY MY PREDECESSOR.SO I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT I SEE RIGHT NOW FACING THE DEPARTMENT.
ONE OF IT IS INCREASED NEEDS IN OUR TRAINING DIVISION.
THE OTHER ONE IS ESTABLISHING A CHIEF OFFICER THAT HIS SOLE FOCUS IS EMS ISSUES.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE, UH, MANPOWER REQUESTS, UH, FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WE NEED TO START UPPING OUR STAFFING LEVELS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO, UM, INITIATE ANY OF THESE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SUCH AS, UH, A, UH, CITY, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AMBULANCE SERVICE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE PERSONNEL AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO STAFF THOSE UNITS.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT NEW DIVISION THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN BEHIND THE, UH, HOSPITAL OFF OF, UH, EXTENSION OF JIMMY JOHNSON, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OUT THERE.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE A NEED FOR A, UM, ANOTHER FIRE STATION OUT THERE.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO STAFF IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT AS IT MAY BE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION.
IT'S HARDER TO FIND THE PEOPLE TO PUT ON THE TRUCKS.
YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA BUILD UP YOUR PERSONNEL LEVEL BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A PLACE TO PUT 'EM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE, IS TRYING TO BUILD UP OUR FOREST SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED WHENEVER THAT THAT GROWTH DOES TAKE PLACE, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS AND NOT BE CONSTANTLY PLAYING CATCH UP YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WELL, I LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING.
I, I LIKE THAT YOU'RE THINKING IN ADVANCE AND, AND BEING PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? YES.
I, I, I HAD A, I HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ASKING ABOUT THE STAFFING, BUT I ALSO FOUND OUT, UH, WHEN I TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, THAT THIS KIND OF, THAT THIS STAFFING, UH, IS CONCURRENT WITH, UH, PR NUMBER 23 8 37, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY FOR OUR ISO AUDIT.
AND SO WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS, AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE STAFFING LEVELS, IS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, UH, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, WE'RE AT A TWO.
SO I THINK THAT, AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT, UH, BY, BY MAKING THESE CHANGES AND ADDING THIS STAFF, THAT WE CAN PROBABLY GET TO ONE WHICH WOULD AFFECT, UH, THE INSURANCE RATES IN OUR CITY, RIGHT? YES, IT WOULD.
THE, UM, ONE IS ALWAYS THE GOAL.
UH, RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, I THINK THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 67 CITIES THAT HAVE A ISO RATING OF ONE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
UM, THAT IS OUR HOPE IS THAT WE MOVE CLOSER TO THAT GOAL.
WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THIS AUDIT OR NOT? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, I THINK WE DO HAVE, UH, MEASURES IN PLACE NOW TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TO SUSTAIN THAT TOO.
UH, AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT EVEN THOUGH THE, THIS ITEMS JUST NOW ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING BACK AND FORTH AND, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I'M PLANNING ON GETTING ALL THE PLAYERS, WATER DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY TOGETHER THAT HAS A, UM, A PIECE OF THE PIE IN THAT ISO AUDIT AND, UH, START FORMULATING A STRATEGY ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO GATHER THE INFORMATION AND WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANT ON DEVELOPING THE REPORT.
LET'S, LET'S IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS AND LET'S GET TO THAT ONE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
CHIEF HAVENS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE.
ADV PO NUMBER 72 48 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7249 – An Ordinance Amending The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Changing The Zoning From Neighborhood Services To Low Density Residential On Approximately 1.437-Acre Tracts Of Land Being Out Of Vista Village Subdivision, And Consisting Of Tracts CA-1-A, CA-1-B, And CA-1-C, Replat Of All Of Tract CA-1, Of A Replat Of Commercial “A”, Vista Village Subdivision, City Of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date]
WE HAVE ON PAGE EIGHT PO NUMBER 72, UH, 49, AND IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDED THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY CHANGING THE ZONING FROM NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UH, TO LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ON APPROXIMATELY 1.5 ACRES.TRACKS OF LAND BEING OUT OF VISTA VILLAGE SUBDIVISION AND CONSISTING OF TRACKS CA ONE DASH ACA ONE DASH B AND CA ONE DASH C REPL OF ALL OF TRACK CA DASH ONE OF A REPL OF COMMERCIAL,
[03:35:01]
A VISTA VILLAGE SUBDIVISION CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.VIOLATION OF ANY PORT PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE POINT 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 A PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE.
THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS Z 24 DASH OH FIVE OPEN BOOK REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? SOME MOVE.
MAYOR, MIGHT I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS, UH, ORDINANCE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ARE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
PO NUMBER 72 49 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED NOW.
[VIII.B.(4) P.O. No. 7256 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2023 And Ending September 30, 2024, Increasing The Water & Sewer Capital Project By $379,320.00, The Transit Fund By $145,212.00, The Pleasure Island Fund By $30,000.00, And Capital Fund By $160,000.00.]
NUMBER FOUR, PO NUMBER 72 56 AND APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
INCREASING THE WATER AND SOIL CAPITAL PROJECT BY $379,320.
THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND BY $30,000 AND CAPITAL FUND BY $160,000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO BECKHAM.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 56 PRESENTED.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
UH, THE TRANSIT, ALL THAT IS IS TRANSIT FINISHED SHORT? IT'S SHORT FINISH.
WHAT, WHAT DID HE NEED? MONEY? UH, UH, WHERE IS IT GONNA GO WRONG? IT'S FOR, IT'S FOR WHAT? THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN APPENDIX.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE THIRD PAGE THAT OUTLINES EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE MONEY WAS THAT HE NEEDED.
WAS THAT A NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET? WAS THERE NOT A PAGE, A THIRD ATTACHMENT TO THAT? BECAUSE HE OUTLINED BY, HE OUTLINED BY EACH ONE WHAT WAS NEEDED TO FINISH IT OUT.
IF IT'S THERE, I OKAY, THEN THAT'S OKAY.
IT'S JUST THAT I CAN, AND I, I I'M SORRY.
I, I'M HERE IF YOU WANT ME TO CLARIFY IT.
NO, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE PAPER IN FRONT OF YOU, IF IT'S, IF IT IS IN THE BACKGROUND AND I'LL OVERLOOK IT.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR.
[VIII.B.(5) P.O. No. 7257 – An Ordinance Extending The Declaration Of Disaster Pursuant To §418.108(b) Of The Texas Government Code]
NEXT ITEM, PO NUMBER 72 57.AN ORDER IS EXTENDING THE DECLARATION OF DISASTER PURSUANT TO FOUR 18 DASH 1 0 8 SUBSECTION B OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW SECOND.
IT IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 57.
COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? OH, YOUR LIGHT IS JUST ON.
OKAY, THERE ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY? UH, TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVING SO THIS ON PO NUMBER 72 57 YEARS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.B.(6) P.O. No. 7258 – An Ordinance Extending The Declaration Of Disaster Pursuant To §418.108(b) Of The Texas Government Code]
WE HAVE PO NUMBER 72 58.AN HONOR IS EXTENDING THE DECLARATION OF DISASTER AGAIN PURSUANT TO FOUR 18 DASH 1 0 8 SUBSECTION B OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? SECOND.
IT IS MOVED IN SECOND IS REMOVED.
AND SECOND THAT PO NUMBER 72 58 WOULD BE APPROVED.
AS WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION UNDER QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSES AYE HAVE.
SO IS HONOR 70 PO 72 58 IS APPROVED AS READ
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION AND SO WE WILL RECESS TO, UH, THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND WE WILL BEGIN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.IN THIS SECTION SESSION, WE WILL BE, UH, WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF 5 5 1 0.101 OF CHAPTER 5 5 1 OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FORM THE ARTICLE
[03:40:01]
62 52 DASH 17 SECTION TWO SUBSECTION EIGHT.THAT MIGHT BE IN THE PRESIDING OFFICER IN THIS, UH, AUGUST, THE BODY I WOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING, UH, DECLARATION.
UH, WE WOULD ACTUALLY IN THE CLOSED SECTION COVER SECTION 5 5 1 0.074, THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND THIS IS MORE SUCCINCTLY TO DISCUSS THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNCIL MEMBER ETT AS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
AND ONCE WE COMPLETE THE THAT DISCUSSION, IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS OF ACTION FOR ACTION, WE WILL RETURN HERE TO COUNCIL AND ADJOIN THE ACTUAL COUNCIL MEETING THAT BEGAN THIS MORNING AT ABOUT 9 35.
AND WE WOULD ASK, HAVE ACTION ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, WE WILL RECESS TO THE COUNCIL CHA COUNCIL, UH, CONFERENCE ROOM FOR, UH, THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL RETURN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH A QUORUM? MAYOR RT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A COURT.
DO WE HAVE ANY BUSINESS COMING OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO.
COULD I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVE SECOND.