[00:00:01]
WE'RE READY, MAYOR NOW.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
MORNING.OH, Y'ALL NOT GONNA BE IN THE FRONT? NO.
UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE ON TODAY, MONDAY THE 23RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024, TO HAVE A SPECIAL PORT ARTHUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IN THIS MEETING, YOU MAY ATTEND VIA 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 WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE ONCE YOU PLACE THE MEETING ID OF 8 5 1 2 7 2 6 9 9 3 6, AND ALSO THE PASSCODE OF 0 0 2 3 4 5, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE MEETING.
WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE, UH, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THIS MEETING, THEY COULD BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST CALL 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND SHE AND HER EFFICIENT STAFF WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWERS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE WILL GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL OPENING WITH THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE ROLL CALL IF YOU STAND, AND IF WE WOULD ALL JOIN ME IN RECITING THE LORD'S PRAYER OR THE MOTTO, PRAYER, IF YOU WILL, OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
TH KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DEARLY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, FOR PROVIDING US THE KINGDOM POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER.
NOW WE WILL RECITE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUALLY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO THANK YOU, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
THIS THING WON'T WORK, BUT I, I GUESS HE'D BEEN BACK UP HERE.
OH, THERE GO SOON AS I SAID HIS NAME AND TOUCHED IT.
[II. A Report Regarding Fiscal Year Budget For Utility Operations (Part 1 of 2)]
HAVE, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS A REPORT REGARDING FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR UTILITY OPERATIONS.AND I SEE MR. CALVIN, IT'S COMING UP.
AND EXCUSE ME, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE HAVE TO BEGIN IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, SO YEAH, GO, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
AND THE ISSUES AT HAND AND, UH, AT Y'ALL'S JOB TO APPROVE FUNDING.
SO WHATEVER THIS BOARD DECIDES, WE WILL PROCEED WITH.
AND I MEAN, I CAN READ THIS OR Y'ALL CAN READ IT.
I DON'T, YOU MAY WANT, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, IS
[00:05:01]
THERE'S A, IN THE SUMMARY, WE GO OVER HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, GOING BACK TO THE, ACTUALLY IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE EARLY, THE LATE 1990S.UH, THE OFFICIAL THING BEGAN IN 2007.
UH, THERE WAS WORK GOING ON UNTIL 2012 WHEN KELLY ALRIDGE RETIRED, AND IT APPEARS THE CITY UNILATERALLY STOPPED PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPLIANCE ORDER.
UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF CHANGEOVERS AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND TCEQ, SO THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE REPERCUSSION TO THE CITY.
UH, THERE WERE FINES THAT THE CITY FAILED TO PAY DURING THIS PERIOD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD COME AFTER US.
UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS BEFORE COVID.
THEY STARTED LOOKING AT IT DURING COVID.
IT GOT PUT ON THE SHELF AFTER COVID.
SO IT'S BEEN DELAYED, BUT IT IS COMING.
WE HAVE MET WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, TO SHOW THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUS.
UH, OUR BUDGET WAS BASED ON CONTINUING THAT SHOW OF GOOD FAITH.
IF WE DISCONTINUE THIS BUDGET AND DISCONTINUE ALL THE PROJECTS, WHICH LYNN WILL EXPLAIN DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, I PERSONALLY THINK IT WILL BE A SIGN OF BAD FAITH.
BUT WE WILL LIVE WITH WHATEVER Y'ALL DECIDE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHAT WHAT HE'S PROPOSING IS CLEAR TO, TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS THAT'S GONNA BE LOOKING, BECAUSE WE GETTING, I'M GETTING A LOT OF PUSHBACK ON SOME THINGS.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOUR PRESENTATION AND WHY WE HAVE TO, BASICALLY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ONLY LOOKING AT SEWER.
UH, SOME OF IT IS BEING ADDRESSED BY THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE ONGOING CHANGE ORDERS FOR THIS TREATMENT PLANT BECAUSE IT WAS OVER BUDGET AND WE REMOVED SOME ITEMS WITH THE INTENT OF INSTALLING 'EM.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO CONTINUE THESE CHANGE ORDERS, THE TREATMENT PLANT WILL PROBABLY FALL BEHIND.
UH, THAT'S AN ONGOING CONTRACT, SO WE'LL WORK IT AS BEST WE CAN.
THE, UH, THE SEWER SYSTEM, AS WE SHOWED EARLIER, WAS ABOUT $400 MILLION WORTH OF WORK TO BRING IT UP.
HOW MUCH? 400 MILLION IN THE SEWER.
UH, HOWEVER, IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COMES IN WITH AN ORDER, THEY WILL DICTATE TIME AND SCHEDULE.
AND WE CAN'T IGNORE THE WATER SYSTEM BECAUSE IF WE LOSE OUR WATER SYSTEM IS, IT'S IN VERY BAD SHAPE, ESPECIALLY IN THE OLDER AREAS OF TOWN.
UH, WE CAN'T EVEN FIGHT FIRES IN CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE OF THE PIPES ARE IN SUCH A BAD CONDITION.
UH, I THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN ON FIRE HYDRANTS, BUT A LOT OF IT'S NOT FIRE HYDRANTS.
IT'S ACTUALLY WATER LINES THAT ARE FULL OF NODULES AND RUST FROM BEING VERY OLD AND CAST IRON.
SO IT'S, UH, THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN A TERRIBLE CONDITION.
AND THEN WE, AND IT IS UP TO THE COUNCIL TO FIND THE MONEY IN TO PAY FOR THIS.
AND, UH, I MEAN, WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS IN WORKING WITH LYNN.
I MEAN, I'M NOT A FINANCE PERSON.
I CAN BUILD AND DIG HOLES AND REPLACE PIPE.
I MEAN, Y'ALL ARE AWARE OF WHAT RECOMMENDATION SHE'S HAD.
SHE'S HERE TO DO A PRESENTATION.
IF Y'ALL KNOW OF ANY OTHER WAY TO GET MONEY, WE'RE ALL EARS.
I'M, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, OKAY.
I'LL ASK YOU TO CEASE THIS MOMENT AND WE, WE, WE'LL HAVE YOU TO RETURN THIS AND NOW 10:00 AM AND WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING,
[III. To Receive And Consider Public Comment(s) For All Interested Citizens With Regard To The Budget For The City Of Port Arthur And The Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025. A Copy Of A Summary Of The Proposed Operating Budgets For The 2024-2025 Fiscal Year Is Attached Hereto And Made A Part Hereof As Exhibit "A". Citizens Shall Have The Opportunity To Provide Written And Oral Comments And To Ask Questions Concerning The Entire Budget. The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City's Website At www.portarthurtx.aov]
UH, AT, AT BEGIN NOW AT 10:00 AM THIS MORNING.AND THIS IS TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER COMMENTS FROM ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS WITH REGARD WITH REGARDS TO THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE, AND THE PORT ARTHUR SECTION FOR A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
A COPY OF A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE 20 24 20 25 FISCAL YEAR IS ATTACHED HERE TO, AND MADE A PART HEREOF AS EXHIBIT A.
CITIZENS SHALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMENTS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS
[00:10:01]
CONCERNING THE ENTIRE BUDGET.THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO, UH, VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW PORT ARTHUR TX.GOV.
NOW, THIS BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $1,794,627 OR 7.4%.
AND, UH, THAT NEW AMOUNT, $339,959 IS TAXED REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WOULD NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND IF THERE BE INDIVIDUALS IN THE GALLERY WHO WOULD CARE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET, BUDGET OR WOULD'VE QUESTIONS FOR THE BUDGET YOU MAY APPROACH AT THIS TIME.
IF ANYONE IN THE GALLERY WOULD WANT TO SPEAK OR HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET, ANYONE ONLINE WOULD WANT TO SPEAK OR HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET WHO WILL BE A PART OF THE CITIZENRY.
YOU MAY MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN AND YOU'LL BE RECOGNIZED AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND I HAVE ASKED, I BELIEVE A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES, NO ONE HAS RESPONDED TO THE ATTORNEYS.
HOLD MY NEXT, UH, ITEM ON HERE.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU'VE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING? YOU MAY NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO TIME BE BEG YOUR PARDON? I'M MUTED.
AND WHO, WHOM MIGHT I BE SPEAKING WITH? YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
YOU MUST TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND IF YOUR NAME IS DISPLAYED WITH, OKAY.
SHE'S TRYING TO GET YOU ON NOW.
WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, MA'AM.
WE CAN JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE.
MY NAME IS GLORIA SANCHEZ AND I LIVE AT 6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE, PUERTO ARTHUR, TEXAS 7 7 6 4 0.
AND UM, THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE, THE BUDGET, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR IS $425 MILLION 180 5 AND 1 0 7.
IS THIS CORRECT? AND WHO DO YOU HAVE THAT QUESTION FOR? I GUESS ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS LYNN, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, AND THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 383,102,993 DUE TO THE REQUESTED CH COUNSEL CHANGES SO THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GONE DOWN, IT'S GONE DOWN TO THREE 85 MILLION THIS YEAR.
WHAT INCREASE TOO MUCH LAST YEAR WAS 200 AND SOMETHING.
IT, IT'S A BIG INCREASE ON IT.
I CAN EXPLAIN THOSE INCREASES IN WHICH THERE WERE ABOUT 15 BUDGETS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS LAST YEAR THERE WAS NOT INCLUDED THE C-D-B-G-D-R, WHICH IS THE DISASTER RECOVERY, THAT IS 22 MILLION IN THE 25 BUDGET.
WHAT YOU ALSO MAY NOT SEE IS THE HAZARD MITIGATION.
I BELIEVE THAT'S 12 MILLION IN FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
THERE'S ALSO THE ADDED ALMOST 20 MILLION IN THE NEW BONDS THAT WE HAVE AND AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION LEFT FOR THE ARPA FUNDS.
SO THOSE ARE BIG INCREASES THAT CAME FROM THOSE DIFFERENT ADDITIONAL REVENUE ITEMS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CAPITAL.
[00:15:01]
OKAY.UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WE ARE GONNA GET MORE MONEY FROM THE TAXES, UM, PROPERTY TAXES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE INCREASE THE, THE PROPERTY TAXES IS BECAUSE THEY INCREASE THE VALUE ON THE PROPERTY.
BUT I SEE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO VERIFY WITH YOU IF IT IS POSSIBLE.
FIRST THING, IT IS 1,000,007 94, 6 27.
BUT THEN IN PAGE SEVEN IT IS, THE NUMBER IS DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T MATCH EVEN THOUGH YOU ADD THE 300 AND SOMETHING ON IT.
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS THE RIGHT NUMBER ON IT? IT IS TWO MILLIONS, 1 25, 5 86 OR THE NUMBER THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ON THE BOOKS BECAUSE THAT I SAID IT, WHEN YOU ADD THE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER, IT DIDN'T MATCH THAT ON THE, ON THE BOOK THAT YOU HAVE ON THE PAGE.
SO THE INCREASE IS ACTUALLY A 1.7 MILLION.
I'M JUST SAYING OF THAT 1.7, IF YOU TAKE OFF, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 300 PLUS THOUSAND THAT IS, THAT IS DUE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO NEW CONSTRUCTION MAKES UP PART OF THAT $1.7 MILLION.
THAT SHOULD BE CORRECT IN BOTH PLACES.
AND THEY ARE CORRECT FOR TOMORROW AND TODAY'S HEARING.
YEAH, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY MAIN CON, YOU KNOW.
UM, HOW MUCH IS THE INCREASE ON SALARY ON EMPLOYEES OR WHATEVER? WHAT IS THE PERCENT ON THE INCREASES? SO THE, UH, THE ACROSS THE BOARD IS 3%.
AND IS INCLUDE COUNCIL, BECAUSE I SEE INCREASE ON THE, ON THE SALARY ON THEM TO 3%.
THEY ARE LIKE EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY AND THEY GOTTA INCREASE EVERY SINGLE YEAR LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION? WHO WERE YOU REFERRING TO FOR CONS? CONS AND MAYOR BUDGET.
THERE'S, THERE'S A SET BY BY THEIR, UH, ORDINANCE I BELIEVE.
UM, AND CITY MANAGER IS NOT 3%.
IT'S BECAUSE A NEW EMPLOYEE, NEW PERSON COMING IN? OR DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IS POTENTIALLY, I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HIRE, I BELIEVE THE PERSON WAS INCLUDED IN THE 24 BUDGET AND NOT SURE THAT THAT PERSON IS HIRED, BUT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING HIRED.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE IS AN INCREASE FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERSON IN SOME MOVING OF SOME OF THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AROUND.
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THE REASON FOR THAT.
BUT IN SALARY, IN SALARY ITSELF, THERE'S ONLY A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD.
THERE IS NOT ANYONE GETTING MORE THAN THAT, THAT I KNOW OF.
DO YOU HAVE ALREADY UPDATE WHAT IS GONNA SPEND THE 19 MILLION ON CERTIFICATE? THE OBLIGATION THAT THEY JUST APPROVE IT.
THERE IS A TENTATIVE, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE, BY THE STAFF, BUT NOBODY KNOWS HOW WE GONNA SPEND THIS MONEY.
YET WE HAVE A POTENTIAL, IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T MIND, WE HAVE A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXPRESSED BY COUNSEL.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 11.6 PARK IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH ARE ABOUT 2 MILLION CLUBHOUSE IMPROVEMENTS AT PLEASURE ISLAND FOR 1.25 STREET IMPROVEMENTS ABOUT 4.75.
THAT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT.
UM, I SEE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, 750,000 BUCKS FOR OVERTIME FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES THIS TIME, IT IS GONNA STILL BE THIS KIND OF MONEY AND OVERTIME WITH MORE EMPLOYEES ALREADY CURRENT, DO YOU KNOW OR SHOULD KNOW? WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I AM UNCLEAR AS TO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE FULLY STAFFED AND AT THIS TIME, THE, IF THEY WERE FULLY STAFFED, PERHAPS IT WOULD GO DOWN.
MAYBE WHEN THEY ARE NOT FULLY STAFFED, IT WILL GO UP, BUT THEN THE ACTUAL SALARY WOULD GO DOWN BETWEEN THE TWO.
THAT IS ABOUT THE, A PRETTY GOOD ESTIMATE OF WHERE WE, WHAT WE WILL NEED TO FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE, UM, THEIR OVERTIME WAS OVER A MILLION ON IT? I DON'T HAVE, WE HAVE A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES, 50 EMPLOYEES.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS IN THE, IN THE BUDGET BOOK, I BELIEVE IT'S PAGE 168, WHERE WE
[00:20:01]
START WITH THE SALARIES.YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN EACH OF THOSE PLACES HAVE THE AMOUNT OF PE OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
I GUESS THIS QUESTION IS FOR, UM, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR THE S WE KNOW THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEED MORE REVENUE.
SOMEBODY IS THINKING HOW IS THE WAY THAT THEY GONNA STUDY OF GETTING MORE REVENUES BECAUSE WE SPEND A MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CHANGE THE PARTS, THE, THE, I'M SORRY, THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO A NEW LOCATION.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE EXPLANATION THAT THEY GIVE IT TO ME WAS BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET MORE REVENUES FROM THERE.
AND, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA SERVE NATURE, GROW DIFFERENT AREAS AND IT LOOK LIKE WE STILL PUTTING MONEY INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIKE I SAID, IS SOMEBODY HAS ANY IDEA THAT HOW THEY'RE GONNA START IN, UM, INCREASE THE REVENUES ON IT.
CURRENTLY, THE BALANCE IS DEFINITELY BALANCED FOR ESPECIALLY THE HEALTH.
IF YOU ALSO LOOK, THERE'S ANOTHER PLACE FOR HEALTH THAT IS ALSO REVENUE DRIVEN, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF THE, SOME OF THE, THE EMPLOYEES OUT OF, IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR BUDGET AND IN THE ONLINE ONE, IT'S ALL OF THE TITLES ON THE TABLE OF CONTENTS ARE ACTUALLY HYPERLINKED.
IF YOU GO UNDER THE SPECIAL REVENUE, THERE'S A SECTION CALLED HEALTH AND HEALTH IS A ANO A DIFFERENT FUND IN WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE COMING IN AND A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS COMING IN THROUGH THERE.
IF THERE ARE POTENTIALS FOR OTHER REVENUES AS WE GO ON THROUGH THE YEAR, I'M SURE WE WILL BE MAKING AMENDMENTS TO ACCEPT AND SPEND THOSE REVENUES THROUGHOUT 2025 FISCAL YEAR.
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPLANATION.
IS THAT ALL OF YOUR INQUIRY, MA'AM? YES.
ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD BE ONLINE OR IN THE GALLERY? THERE AREN'T ANY.
AND, UH, AT THIS JUNCTURE WE CAN ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SECOND THAT WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON TODAY AT 10:13 AM AND IT BEGAN AT 10:00 AM AND ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? CLOSURE? WE WERE READY TO VOTE.
HAVE IT SO ALL OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW DECLARED CLOSED.
NOW WE'LL MOVE SWIFTLY BACK TO THE, UH, REPORT.
EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, YOU'RE READY FOR THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT.
EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, ON PAGE TWO, YOU HAVE AN ACTION ITEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW HAS YOUR MOTION REGARDING POSTPONING THE VOTE.
WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM HERE TO CONSIDER THE ACTION ON THE ON, AND THIS WOULD BE BEFORE THE CLOSURE, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
[IV. To Consider Taking Action On The Adoption Of The City Of Port Arthur's Proposed Annual Operating Budget And Capital Improvement Program For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025]
THE, UH, ADOPTION OF THE CITY OF, OF PORT ARTHUR'S PROPOSED ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT A FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25 ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BE POSTPONED AT THIS TIME.
AND THAT THE FINAL VOTE OF THE BUDGET WOULD BE HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 24, 20 24 DURING THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD ADOPT THE PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET.
UH, THIS SHOULD BE THE FIRST VOTE.
AM I CORRECT ON, ON, ON THAT? UH, YES SIR.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I I SAY IT CORRECTLY.
AND, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM BECKHAM.
I THOUGHT WE WERE VOTING ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
WE ARE THIS UNTIL TOMORROW, RIGHT? WE ARE, I I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD? YES.
[II. A Report Regarding Fiscal Year Budget For Utility Operations (Part 2 of 2)]
I, MR. MATTHEWS IS STILL HERE.UH, AND, UH, WE, WE, IF YOU CARE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN, ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, UH, FINANCE
[00:25:01]
DIRECTOR UP FOR A PRESENTATION IF IT'S ALRIGHT.IF I MAY, I JUST HAVE A BRIEF EIGHT PAGE PRESENTATION, WHICH YOU HAVE IS JUST THE BRIEF POWERPOINT.
TO RECAP THE BUDGET I WANTED TO EXPRESS JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE.
THE GENERAL FUND, ENTERPRISE AND SPECIAL REVENUE ARE SOME OF OUR MAIN ONES.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE ENTERPRISE WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT IT'S A DIRECT DELIVERABLE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, AND IT'S CREATED TO GENERATE REVENUE, TO COVER EXPENSES AND ACTS LIKE A BUSINESS.
I HAVE OUR BUDGET PROCESS STATUS, AND WE DO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRESENTED TO YOU.
IT HAS IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE EIGHT AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL, THE REMOVAL OF THE RATE INCREASE, INCREASE OF 10% IN PROJECTED COST FOR A HEALTH INSURANCE PROPOSED 3% SALARY.
NEWLY FUNDED CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH 19.625, WHICH IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS.
AND ALL TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ARE DUE TO ADMINISTRATION DEBT OBLIGATION AND FUNDING FOR INTERNAL AND CAPITAL FUNDS.
AND THAT'S THROUGHOUT YOUR, THAT'S THROUGHOUT YOUR BUDGET THAT, UH, WAS GIVEN TO YOU THERE.
THE, YOUR COUNCIL ADOPTED FINANCIAL POLICY.
I DID NEED TO EXPRESS GENERAL FUND DOES HAVE 60 DAYS OF OPERATING COSTS AS A FUND BALANCE PLUS 1.5 MILLION THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AT ALL.
SOLID WASTE HAS 45 DAYS OF OPERATING COSTS AS A FUND BALANCE.
WATER WASTEWATER HAS ZERO DAYS.
AND HERE ARE SOME AUDITED RED FLAGS FOR A WATER AND SEWER FUND THAT WE ARE CLOSELY MONITORING AND THAT WE HAVE A NEGATIVE CASH FLOW, WHICH MEANS THAT THE EXPENDITURES DO EXCEED THE REVENUE.
THE EMERGENCY REPAIR COSTS SEEMED TO BE DRIVING A LOT OF THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THE AGE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AT END OF SEPTEMBER, 2023, THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR PROVIDED A REPORT THAT SHOWED THAT THE WATER AND SEW WAS OPERATING IN A NEGATIVE CASH FLOW.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 22 AUDIT, THERE'S A NEGATIVE CASH, CASH FLOW AND THE DRAFT IS FISCAL YEAR 23 NEGATIVE FOR NEAR CONCLUSION AT 24.
I'M SEEING A POSITIVE ONE, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT I, SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE AND BEEN DOING THE AUDIT PIECE OF THE NEGATIVE CASH FLOW, THERE'S NO MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE FUND TO HANDLE EMERGENCIES IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25.
WHAT I HAVE PLANNED IS EXACTLY, OR WHAT IS IN THERE.
NOW WHAT IS PLANNED IS WHAT IS PLANNED AND NOTHING MORE THE IMPACT OF THE EXPECTED DEFICIT.
AND YOU, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THE, THE COUNCIL HAS, HAS, HAS WANTED TO TAKE WITH US.
IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE THAT IS NOT PART OF THEIR BUDGET, GENERAL FUND WILL BE SUBSIDIZING THAT THERE ARE NO NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS AS DIRECTED BY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.
JUST FOR LACK OF FUNDING RATE INCREASE FOR INDUSTRIES A SMALLER AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT THE LAST TIME.
AND ALSO THAT INCREASE WILL NOT SUSTAIN THE FUND GRANTS.
THOUGH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS AND HAVE APPLIED FOR GRANTS, I'M UNABLE TO BUDGET FOR GRANTS.
I CANNOT DO THAT UNTIL I ACTUALLY HAVE A GRANT IN HAND FOR FUTURE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE BACK TO SUBSIDIZING.
AND THIS COULD AFFECT THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS FOR FUTURE GENERAL CAPITAL PROJECTS WITHOUT FRESH AND NEW SUSTAINED REVENUE, THIS WILL LIKELY INCREASE THE NEGATIVE CASH AVAILABILITY.
AND AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT MUCH CLOSER IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND GENERAL FUND ONGOING SUBSIDIZING OF WATER AND SEWER WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF THE CURRENT A PLUS CREDIT RATING.
I DID HAVE THIS REVIEW IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR LAST WEEK BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA GIVE YOU ANY KIND OF MISINFORMATION ON THIS.
SO TO RECAP, THE BUDGET IS AS PRESENTED IS IN BALANCE.
ALTHOUGH THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IS IN BALANCE, THE NEGATIVE CASH FLOW WILL CONTINUE.
THAT'S A CONCERN, BUT WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR THAT.
THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR A SYSTEM UPGRADES AND REPAIRS.
ONGOING NEGATIVE CASH FLOW IN THE WATER AND SEWER IS A FISCALLY UNSOUND POLICY.
WITH THE CURRENT RATES BASED ON PRIOR TO DIRECTION DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION OF COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE BALANCE BUDGET PRESENTED WILL BE RECOMMENDED.
I GUESS TO ADD TO THAT, UH, WITH THIS CURRENT BUDGET, THERE'S NO PIPE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE EXISTING PIPE BURSTING CREW.
[00:30:01]
WORK THAT THEY DO WILL NEED TO BE FUNDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND.THERE IS NO SECOND PIPE BURSTING CREW.
THERE'S NO NEW EQUIPMENT AT ALL IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THERE'S NO CAPITAL PROJECTS, THERE'S NO EMERGENCY FUNDING.
UH, THE CPI FOR THE WATER INDUSTRY THIS YEAR IS 4.7% AND THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR INFLATION, WHICH IS PRIMARILY HITS US IN CHEMICALS, UH, AND FUEL AND MATERIALS SUCH AS PIPE REPAIR CLAMPS, WHICH ARE USED ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND BRASS, WHICH IS THE THINGS THAT ARE USED TO INSTALL WATER METERS AND REPAIR WATER METERS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE WILL BE.
AND I, I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY.
UH, THE CITY MANAGER, UM, LET ME JUST REITERATE HERE THAT, UM, LET ME THANK LYNN FOR, UM, WORKING WITH US WITH STAFF FROM THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET.
UM, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE ONLY STICKING POINT IN THIS BALANCE BUDGET IS UTILITIES AT, I THOUGHT AT ONE POINT WE HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL IN PROVIDING A 7.5% INCREASE.
LYNN SPOKE ABOUT A 10.5% INCREASE THAT WOULD'VE GOTTEN US ENOUGH REVENUE TO PLAN FOR FUTURE.
THAT WOULD'VE PROVIDED US WITH A LITTLE MORE INCOME FOR THE FUTURE AS WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MUCH DEEDED IMPROVEMENTS THAT BIN SPOKE ABOUT.
UM, WE THOUGHT AT ONE TIME THAT WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL FOR 7.5%.
UM, I SPOKE WITH ANN ON FRIDAY.
IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THE APPETITE TO INCLUDE THE 7.5%, YOU WILL DEFINITELY GET A REDUCTION IN THE CREDIT RATING.
SO COUNCIL HAS THE DECISION TO MAKE, IF YOU DO NOT, LET ME REPEAT IT AGAIN.
THE CITY WILL LOSE ITS CREDITS RATING OF A PLUS IF WE DO NOT FUND IT AND WE CONTINUE TO GO TO THE GENERAL FUND TO SUBSIDIZE THE ENTERPRISE FUND, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR CREDIT RATING OF A PLUS.
THERE IS NO IF NO BUTS ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S A COUNCIL'S DECISION.
SO I'M PLEADING WITH THE COUNCIL AT THIS POINT.
WE STILL HAVE A DAY, WE STILL HAVE 24 HOURS.
WE'LL COME BACK TOMORROW AGAIN, AND WE WILL LOOK AT IT ONLY THIS YEAR.
I MET WITH CALVIN THIS MORNING, ONLY THIS YEAR.
I ASKED HIM TO BRING ME ALL THE EMERGENCY MEMOS THAT HE HAD.
WE HAD A $1.77 MILLION IN EMERGENCIES AND THAT'S THE PIPES THAT BREAK OVER THE WEEKEND THAT NONE OF THEM WERE UNDER $10,000, $50,000 UPWARDS.
I SPOKE TO LEE, THERE'S NO MONEY IN THIS BUDGET TO DO EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
UM, THIS MORNING THERE WAS A BREAK ON NINTH AVENUE NEAR TO THE, UM, HISPANIC CHURCH WITH WATER IN THE AIR.
THERE WILL BE NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO ADDRESS THOSE.
SO I'M, I'M PLEADING WITH COUNSEL.
I AM PLEADING WITH COUNSEL TO AT LEAST CONSIDER A RATE INCREASE THAT WILL COVER THE EXPENSES THAT WE WILL, WE MAY HAVE TO INCUR IN THE NEW FINANCIAL YEAR.
AT LEAST CONSIDER WHAT YOU PROPOSED.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE UTILITY FUND.
YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT WANT TO RUN THE RISK OF JEOPARDIZING THE CITY'S CREDIT WRITTEN AT THIS POINT.
I WILL WORK WITH THE COUNCIL TO SEE HOW THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.
I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, UH, HERE HOW IT'S BEEN, UH, GIVEN TO US IN PRESENTATION.
UH, THEN, UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME BACK AND CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST TOLD US PLEASE? OKAY.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR SLIDES PLEASE? OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE A PAGE NUMBER? LET'S SEE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT IS PRESENTED, I JUST WANT TO GET IT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
[00:35:01]
THE THREE FUNDS IN YOUR FIRST SLIDE, I THINK IT WAS, OR YOUR SECOND SLIDE.THE, THE ENTERPRISE AND THE SPECIAL FUNDS.
YOU SAID THE ENTERPRISE SHOULD BE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO CITIZENS.
AND THEY SHOULD BE SELF-SUSTAINING? THAT IS CORRECT.
DOES IT ANYTHING SAYS THAT WE CAN'T USE GENERAL FUND MONEY TO FUND ANY PORTION OF ENTERPRISE IF IT'S DEALING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY? IS IT ANYTHING THAT SAYS WE CANNOT? NO, THERE IS NOT.
SO THAT'S THE POINT THAT I WANT TO GET.
WHENEVER WE'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS, DON'T GIVE IT TO US OR THE CITIZENS AS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T DO.
THE ENTERPRISE IS NOT FUNCTIONING THE WAY WITH THE, WITH IT, IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING WITH THE PURPOSE OF IT BEING CALLED AN ENTERPRISE FOR ITS FUNCTION.
THAT'S WHY I NEEDED TO START WITH THAT DEFINITION.
WELL, WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT A LOT OF STUFF.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT PLEDGE ISLAND.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAME WAY I AGREED AND IT'S NOT OKAY.
GETTING MONEY FROM EVERYWHERE TO PUT OVER THERE.
SO THAT POINT IS, MY POINT I'M MAKING IS SURE WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE FACE WITH HERE AND GET EVERYTHING THE WAY IT IS.
SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS WE CAN'T.
ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WERE MADE, OKAY, WAS THAT IF WE DO NOT HAVE THIS INCREASE, THAT IF WE HAD EMERGENCY, WE WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO MAKE REPAIRS.
I JUST HEARD THAT STATEMENT MADE.
I THINK CALVIN WAS THE ONE THAT MADE DOWN.
WHEN CALVIN, IF IF YOU, IF IF I'M, IF I, OKAY, SO I DIDN'T MENTION THAT IN MY SLIDE.
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, MR. OKAY.
I WANT TO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CORRECT.
I HEARD YOU SAY AS IT STANDS, IF WE HAD AN EMERGENCY, AND ALSO THIS WAS REPEATED BY THE CITY MANAGER, IF WE HAD AN EMERGENCY LIKE WE HAD WITH A PIPE BURST, IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS RATE INCREASE, WE WON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX THE PIPE.
UH, MANY OF THE EMERGENCY MEMOS ARE FUNDED OUTTA CAPITAL.
LIKE WHEN WE LOSE A LARGE PUMP STATION AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE AND REBUILD PUMPS, THAT'S EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE PUMP STATION.
SO IT FITS TO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
UH, WE SAY ON, UH, NORTH PLANT LIFT STATION, I THINK WE SPENT, I DON'T KNOW, 50, A HUNDRED, 200,000, 300,000.
UH, I GUESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WE CAN DEPLETE BUDGETS, UH, SO WE CAN USE IT TO GET TO THE BALANCE BUDGET.
WE REMOVED, I BELIEVE TWO AND A HALF MILLION FROM PRIMARILY OUR EQUIPMENT REPAIR AND MATERIAL BUDGETS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREATLY REDUCED.
WE CANNOT REMOVE CHEMICAL BUDGETS BECAUSE WITHOUT CHEMICALS WE CANNOT TREAT WATER.
WE CANNOT PROCESS SLUDGE AND WE CANNOT TREAT WASTE WATER.
UH, THE, THE DISCRETIONAL BUDGET IS REPAIR MATERIALS, CLAMPS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S STARTING TO WHEN THIS EMERGENCY HAPPENS.
SO I HAVE ONE TODAY THAT I WILL BE WORKING WITH RON ON.
THE MAIN OUTFALL LIFT STATION DOES NOT HAVE ANY OPERATING PUMPS INSIDE OF IT.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S A ITEM THAT I MENTIONED TO RON THIS MORNING.
LEMME RE SO LEMME REPEAT MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION WAS, I HEARD YOU AND THE MANAGER INFORM THE COUNCIL THAT AS IT NOW STANDS, THERE'S NO MONEY IN WATER UTILITIES, UH, TO DO PROJECTS.
AND YOU ALSO BOTH THOUGHT, YOU ALSO SAID THAT THAT MANAGERS ESPECIALLY USE AN EXAMPLE.
WE HAD A WATER MAIN BREAK TODAY.
IF THIS OCCURS NEXT YEAR, WE WON'T HAVE MONEY TO
[00:40:01]
FIX IT.WE WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY DURING THE YEAR GUARANTEED.
ONCE, ONCE AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS WOULD THE LINE GET FIXED? UH, IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY, WE WILL HAVE TO GET APPROVAL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEND JOURNAL FUND MONEY, SO BE HONEST.
WELL, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THEN WE WILL THE CITY MANAGER AND REQUEST GENERAL FUND MONEY.
I'M MAKING, I DON'T MIND LISTENING.
I DON'T MIND TAKING ADVICE, BUT AT LEAST I WANT TO HEAR A FACT.
AND I DO NOT, SIR, I DO NOT KNOW IF GENERAL FUND HAS THE MONEY TO FUND IT.
I, I'D HAVE NO CONNECTION TO GENERAL FUND.
SO, WELL, CALVIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMENT ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IF YOU OR ANYBODY TELL ME THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO MONEY IN WATER UTILITIES, THAT IF A WATER LINE BREAK THAT WE CAN'T FIX IT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE DO PRESENTATION, I EXPECT US TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND.
THE POINT THAT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY LEFT, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WHEN I KEEP HEARING SOMEBODY TELL ME, IF YOU DON'T DO THIS, THIS IS WHAT GOING TO HAPPEN.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE THING ABOUT THIS.
NO, DON'T TELL ME, JUST TELL ME.
WE DON'T HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
MONEY HAVE TO BE TAKEN SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET IT DONE.
SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, AND I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, GIVE ME THE FACT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY, THIS IS A CITY.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICE AND TAKE CARE OF CITIZENS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
UM, TALKING ABOUT THE RATING, I UNDERSTAND THAT THOROUGHLY.
AND, UH, IF WE WERE TO, WERE TO HELP OR DO SOMETHING WITH WATER UTILITY JUST THIS YEAR, JUST THIS YEAR, LYNN, THIS IS YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE.
IF WE DID SOMETHING JUST THIS YEAR, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR OR YEAR AFTER I'M TALKING THIS YEAR.
IF WE DID SOMETHING TO SUBSIDIZE WAR UTIL FOR, FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THIS YEAR, THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR RATING JUST ONE YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE COST OF THAT, THE REPAIRS.
IF IT'S MINIMALLY, IF WE'RE BACK TO JUST A 1.5 AND I CAN STILL SUSTAIN OUR FUND BALANCE, WILL WILL BE GOOD.
OKAY, WELL YOU SEE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL.
THE LOOK AT THAT TAKE, LOOK AT FROM THAT ASPECT.
SEE THAT'S THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING WITH APPROVING A RATE INCREASE.
BECAUSE IF WE GOT 1.5, THEN WHY, WHY AREN'T WE CONSIDERING IT? YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT FUNDING AND SUBSIDIZING WATER UTILITIES EVERY YEAR LIKE WE HAD IN THE PAST.
IT'S JUST THAT WHEN WE GET TO BUDGET TIME, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GOTTA HAVE A RATE INCREASE.
WE DON'T START LOOKING AT THESE THINGS BEFORE WE GET TO THE BUDGET AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
SO I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S ALL WE SAID THE LAST MEETING AND EVERY MEETING WE'VE HAD, EVERY MEETING WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE ASKED TO, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO LESSEN THE, THIS INCREASE TO BRING THIS INCREASE DOWN.
BUT EVER SINCE IT IS ALWAYS BEEN, IF YOU DON'T DO 7.5, WE CAN'T DO NOTHING.
THAT'S THE PART THAT I CAN'T GET AROUND BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS I'VE ASKED AND THE COMMENTS I MADE SAYS THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING EXCEPT JUST A 7.5 THAT EITHER YOU GONNA DO IT ALL
[00:45:01]
THIS WAY OR WE ARE NOT GONNA DO NOTHING.AND I JUST ASKED QUESTIONS THAT WERE VERY SIMPLE AND MADE COMMENTS, UH, THAT I KNOW ARE DURABLE AND I'VE HEARD RESPONSES THAT SAID WE COULD DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST A 7.5 AND LEAVE IT DRY.
OKAY? UH, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, I SEE WITH THAT.
COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN FRANK, SPEAK GOOD MORNING.
LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS MORNING THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE PAST IS A PROJECTOR OF THE FUTURE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED IN THE PAST AND IT WILL GIVE US SOME STEPS TO LOOK FORWARD AND SEE WHAT POTENTIALLY, UH, IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IT WILL SERVE PERHAPS AS A, AN INDICATOR OF WHAT CAN LAY BEFORE US.
I HAVE IN MY HAND, RESOLUTION 18 3 78, A RESOLUTION AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CITY.
A PORT ARTHUR'S WATER AND SEWER ENTERPRISE FUND.
THIS WAS A RESOLUTION IN 2018 FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING, WHETHER YOU ARE ON THE DEUS OR WHETHER YOU ARE ON, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE BROADCAST OR WHEREVER FOR THOSE OF US.
AND WHAT IT, WHAT IT IS, IS A RESOLUTION WHERE COUNCIL IN 2018, UM, UH, FORGAVE $54,168,420 OF DEBT FROM THE WATER AND SEWER GENERAL FUND.
IT WAS, IT, IT IT WAS, IT WAS MONEY THAT ACCUMULATED OVER A TIME BECAUSE AS LYNN HAS SAID, OUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT OPERATED THE WATER AND SEWER FUND AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND OPERATING ON ITS OWN MERITS, BUT RATHER TAKING FROM, UH, THE GENERAL FUND OVER AN ELONGATED PERIOD OF TIME, OVER A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THIS COUNCIL IN 2018, UH, DEEMED IT NECESSARY, SAW IT MANDATORY TO FORGIVE ALL OF THAT LOAN AND PAY IT IN FULL ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2018.
AND HERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN 2024, IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, UH, WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE TO DO AN INCREASE THAT WILL STOP US FROM DOING WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED IN THE PAST.
NONE OF US HERE HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN OR TRANSPIRE OR TO THE DEGREE IN WHICH IT WILL TRANSPIRE.
REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE PASS THIS BUDGET, WE WILL, BEFORE WE PASS ANOTHER BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER HURRICANE SEASON.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BEFALL US.
BUT WOULDN'T IT BEHOOVE US TO MAKE A DECISION ON TODAY THAT WOULD PUT US IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
ANYTHING THAT MIGHT TRANSPIRE TO THE DETRIMENT AND WELLBEING OF OUR CITIZENS.
I AM NOT, I AM NOT TRYING TO SAY IN ANY WAY FORM, IN ANY WAY, FORM OR FASHION THAT I AM, I'M EXCEEDINGLY HAPPY TO VOTE FOR AN INCREASE OF 7.5%.
AND TO GO INTO THE POCKETS OF OUR CITIZENS.
I I HAVE PUBLICLY STATED, I AM VOTING YES FOR THIS AND I WILL VOTE FOR THIS.
BUT I WANT US TO SWALLOW HARD AND VOTE FOR THIS ON TODAY.
I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TODAY TO SWALLOW HARD AND VOTE FOR THIS.
WE HAD A SITUATION, UM, MANY YEARS AGO WHERE WE DIDN'T MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE, UH, DURING A HURRICANE SEASON.
AND WE LOST A LOT OF EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE ARE IN THAT PLACE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
IT MAY CAUSE US A LITTLE WORK, IT MAY CAUSE US SOME HEARTBURN.
IT MAY CAUSE US WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO COST US.
BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN OR WHAT MIGHT TRANSPIRE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK OUR CONSTITUENTS IN THE FACE.
[00:50:01]
SAY, I DID WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BEST, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY, FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE PORT AUTHOR STAFF FOR THE ENTIRETY OF ALL THAT IS RIGHT IN THIS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.I THINK WE GOTTA, I THINK WE GOTTA LOOK AT IT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR CREDIT RATING IS GOING TO GO DOWN THE POTENTIAL, LET'S SAY IT DOESN'T GO DOWN.
LET'S SAY EVERYTHING HAPPENS AND TRANSPIRES AND, AND, AND WE, IT, IT STAYS WHERE IT IS BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO, TO STAY RIGHT AT THAT MILLION THAT, THAT OUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR SAID, MAN, I, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
BUT WITH, BUT WITH THE, THE, THE, THE, THE AGE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE, WITH THE PIPING THAT WE HAVE UNDER OUR CITY, WHEN A LEAK OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT JUST HAPPENED ON TODAY, JUST TODAY, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN.
BUT JUST ON THAT MAGNITUDE, IF WE GET, IF WE GET FIVE OR SIX MORE OF THOSE AND THEN OTHER SITUATIONS HAPPEN, WE WE'RE OUT OF THE BOX, OUR CREDIT RATING GOES DOWN.
IS IT WORTH IT TO SAY THAT WE WERE RIGHT? IT, WAIT, LET'S ASK THIS QUESTION ON TODAY.
IS IT WORTH IT TO ROLL THE DICE? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE TAKING OUR STAKES AND WE ARE ROLLING THE DICE TO SAY THAT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.
THAT NOTHING, NOTHING OVER $1.5 MILLION IS GOING TO HIT OUR CITY AND OUR CREDIT RATING WILL BE ABLE TO STAY WHERE IT IS.
I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S TOO BIG A GAMBLE FOR US TO PAY I AND, AND TOO, TOO BIG A GAME FOR US TO PLAY.
UH, CAN I ASK COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH.
WE GOT A, WE GOT A DEFICIT PROBLEM.
WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH ONE POINT? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT WOULD $1.7 MILLION ANNUALLY WILL HAVE ON WHAT COULD WE KEEP? I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, CAN I GO THROUGH THE SEVEN POINT A HALF PERCENT REAL QUICK? OKAY.
WE, WE PUT IN 1.3 FOR THE SECOND PIPE BURSTING CREW.
OKAY? WE USED TO KEEP IT AT SEVEN POINT A HALF.
WE REDUCED CAPITAL TO 25 MILLION.
WE'VE GOT 1.87 FOR INFLATION, WHICH IS LOW, BUT BECAUSE THE PIPE BURSTING CREW WILL TAKE 1.87 OF WHAT? 1.87.
IT'S FOR INFLATION AND P WE TALKING ABOUT MILLION P MILLIONS, WE TALKING ABOUT HARD DOLLARS.
ALL THESE ARE PERCENTAGES OF THE IT PERCENTAGE.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
IF YOU ADD THAT UP, IT COMES TO 7.5%.
SO THE WAY THE 1.87% WORKS AGAINST A 4.1 CPI IS THE 1.3 WILL BE DELAYED.
IT, IT TAKES A WHILE TO DEVELOP A CREW.
SO THAT INCOME WILL BE COMING IN.
IT WILL OFFSET THE INFLATION IF YOU GET RID OF THE 1.3.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS ON IN INFLATION.
BUT THE AS DOC, I MEAN MR. DOUCETTE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU KEEP SAYING 25 MILLION.
25 MILLION WAS WHAT CAME OUT OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
WE WENT FROM 30 MILLION IN CAPITAL TO 25 MILLION.
WHATEVER COUNCIL DECIDES TO APPROVE, WE, THAT'S THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WE WILL DO.
SO WHAT I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU, WHAT IS THE, TO, TO WORK ON THESE FUTURE PROJECTS, TO KEEP THE THINGS IN PLACE.
WHAT MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU NEED ANNUALLY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CP WILL BE? CPR YOU ASKED ME, LIKE RIGHT NOW, I GET ON THE MIC IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE WITHOUT THE NUMBERS BEING IN FRONT OF ME.
I BELIEVE I TOOK OUT AT LEAST 4.5 MILLION.
YOU NEED A MINIMUM OF 4.5 MILLION THAT WOULD HAVE FUNDED AT LEAST THE 25 MILLION.
THE INCREASES THE NATURAL INFLATION INCREASES IN, IN, IN.
SO I THINK THAT IS THE NUMBER THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR.
APPROXIMATELY 4.5 MILLION IS THE NUMBER.
I BELIEVE YOU WERE LOOKING, YOU WERE LOOKING FOR APPROXIMATELY $4.5 MILLION SUSTAINABLE ANNUALLY TO KEEP THE, TO, TO SUSTAINABLE
[00:55:01]
TEST, CORRECT? HOLD THIS LINE LINE.AND COVER POTENTIAL, UH, PROBLEMS AND DEVELOP OUR PROJECTS.
A MINIMUM OF 4.5 MILLION MINIMUM.
IT DOES NOT MOVE NECESSARILY OUR FUND BALANCE RAPIDLY.
IT'LL GET US THERE AND HOPEFULLY START GETTING US A FUND BALANCE TO HOLD.
NOW I WANT YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED YOU EARLIER.
WHAT WILL ONE FOUR GENERATES $1.7 MILLION ON THE B PROJECT.
WE COULD EARMARK THAT STRICTLY FOR B PROJECT.
AND HOW MANY WILL THAT GENERATE IN ONE YEAR FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR IS 1.7.
$1.7 MILLION FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.
AND WE CAN PUT A LIMIT ON THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO A FOUR B PROJECT FOR WARDEN? FOR, FOR YOU DO.
AND WE COULD, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS SPLIT THE INCREASE.
WE COULD PUT PART OF IT, IT ON THE FOUR AND, AND I'VE 0.8 MILLION LEFT.
SO IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THE COUNCIL MAY FEASIBLY WANT TO GO, THEN I JUST WOULD NEED 2.8 MILLION FOR, UH, TO BE VERY HONEST, FOR ME TO BREATHE AND FOR ME TO NOT HAVE UPSET STOMACH FOR A WHILE.
$2.828 MILLION MORE FOUR POINT HALF PERCENT REVENUE.
ABOUT A FOUR POINT A HALF PERCENT.
SO THAT BE A 2.8 MILLION BE THE MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT YOU'LL NEED ANNUALLY MORE WITH 1.75.
SO WHEN I, THE REASON I'M, THE REASON I'M LOOKING AT, SEE WE GOT A BASICALLY A, A A FOUR A CORPORATION AND, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, OKAY? BUT TO DO FOUR B PROJECT, WE HAVE TO ASK THE PUBLIC, CAN WE DO FOUR B? WE CAN PUT THIS UNDER FOUR B PROJECT AND PUT IT ON AND PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
AND WHAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN SPLIT NOW YOU CAN HOLD A, THIS IS A REFERENDUM.
WHAT THE 30 DAYS? IT DON'T HAVE TO HAVE NO HUNDRED.
IT'S NOT LIKE, IT'S NOT LIKE REPLACING A, A COUNCIL SEAT'S 120 DAYS.
BUT YOU CAN HOLD A REFERENDUM, BUT WITHIN 30 DAYS OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE REPLACING A COUNCIL NUMBER.
WHAT I'M, I'M, I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
WE'LL, LOOKING AT THE FOUR B PROJECT FOR SOME OF THIS CALLS, WE'LL SPREAD IT OUT OVER ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN HERE.
SALES TAXES, WE'LL SPREAD IT OUT ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
FOLKS COMING IN AND OUTTA HERE ARE SPENDING MONEY WORKING THE REFINERY.
OKAY, NOW WE CAN, THAT PART OF THAT COST.
AND THEN THE OTHER COST, THE BALANCE OF THE COST THAT WE GOING TO NEED TO, TO KEEP THESE PROJECTS IN PLACE, TO KEEP THESE PROJECTS IN PLACE AND NOT LOSE ANYTHING.
WE CAN PUT THAT, UH, HAVE A LESS INCREASE ON OUR WATER AND SEWAGE LOWER INCREASE.
SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S SPLIT IT.
THAT'S JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT, OKAY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE WEAK TO DO, WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO DO NOTHING.
WE MUST MAINTAIN THESE PROJECTS.
WE ARE UNDER THESE MANDATES, UNFUNDED MANDATES.
WE'RE UNDER THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
WE GOT TO HOLD THE LINE ON THESE PROJECTS AND WE, IT IS UP TO THE COUNCIL TO FIND THE REVENUE STREAMS TO GET IT DONE.
AND I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE CITIZEN EVERYWHERE I GO.
WE DON'T NEED NO WATER INCREASE, BUT THEY MUST, THE CITIZEN MUST UNDERSTAND THE DAY HAS IS GONE.
THAT WE'RE GOING TO FUND THE WATER AND SEWAGE DEPARTMENT THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES.
WE WAS FUNDING THE WATER AND SEWAGE DEPARTMENT, THE GENERAL FUND.
THE, THE, THE TAX PROPERTY TAXES WAS ARTIFICIALLY HIGH TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE WATER AND SEWAGE DEPARTMENT WAS MAINTAINED OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK TO DO THE INCREASES TO GET THE WATER AND SEWAGE THE PROBLEM ON IT OWN FEET.
WE CAN'T SUBSIDIZE FROM THE GENERAL FUND ANYMORE.
AND WE DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO RAISING THE PROPERTY TAXES TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND.
WE MAY AS WELL BITE THE BULLET, FIND A WAY TO SPLIT THIS COST.
WE GOT A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OVER THERE.
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE REPAIR STREETS WE NEED TO LOOK AT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.FUND PARTIALLY FUND THIS WARD AND SEW THIS.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THESE PROJECTS AND STAY ON SCHEDULE.
AND WE MUST DO ALL THINGS POSSIBLE.
FIND WAYS, SIMPLIFY TO EXPLAIN, GO TO ORGANIZATION MEETINGS, GO TO CHURCHES, SEND LETTERS OUT, PUT STUFF IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, UH, WATER SEWAGE BILLS TO EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT WE MUST DO.
IF WE DON'T DO IT, WE ARE GOING TO BE FINE.
AND THAT'S GONNA COME FROM A TAX APPEAL.
WHAT DO YOU RATHER DO? MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AND KEEP, KEEP WORKING AT IT OR PAY FINES IF YOU DON'T DO IT.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK, UM, YOU KNOW, I LISTENED TO, TO MY COHORTS AND I REALLY AM, UH, TORN BETWEEN SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SAID TODAY.
UH, I THINK I WAS ON COUNCIL IN 2018 THAT, UH, WAS PART OF THE COUNCIL TO FORGIVE AND TO BE, I WAS ASKED TO BE A TEAM PLAYER BACK THEN.
UM, BUT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT CREDIT RATINGS, WE TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO, UH, I JUST HAVE A GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT ALWAYS GOING BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS AND, AND GETTING OUR BUTTS OUT OF TROUBLE.
AT THE LAST MEETING THE MAYOR SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAD A L MEETING AND HE SAID ABOUT THE COMPROMISING, COMPROMISING, FIND A SOLUTION, GO BACK AND FIND A SOLUTION.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING TODAY THAT, UH, STAFF DID NOT GO BACK AND TRY TO FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION.
YOU GUYS WANNA STAY FAST, TWO TO 7% AND 8, 8, 8 5 ON, UH, INDUSTRY OR IN BUSINESSES.
SO BASICALLY WE STILL AT A STANDSTILL.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GUN FIGHT, UH, WITH, WITH ME.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS.
UH, SOME OF MY CAR COHORTS HAS BROUGHT THAT UP AND, AND GAVE THEIR OPINION ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
WE, WE TALK ABOUT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PERSON THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO, CIPS, ANYTHING IMPROVEMENTS IS THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF.
UH, NO COUNCIL MEMBER IS HERE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE DIRECTION TO STAFF AND FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO, HOW WE CAN DO IT, WHEN WE CAN DO IT.
UM, WE HAD LLY PRO, UH, PRESENTATION BY CALVIN AND DR.
TOMA ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS WE CAN GET FUNDING.
THEY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GRANT SOLUTIONS THAT FELL.
THEY TALKED ABOUT, UM, ONGOING, I'M SORRY, GRANT GRANTS ARE ONGOING.
I MEAN, WE, YEAH, BUT, BUT CONSTANTLY APPLYING.
I, I KNOW THAT AND YOU KNOW THAT, BUT WE NEVER GET 'EM.
SO WE, WE, WE, WE GOT OUR FINGERS CROSSED, WE GOT OUR HOPES UP, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS PRESENT TO COUNCIL ABOUT OFFSETTING AND OFF COST OF MONIES THAT WE WOULD NEED FOR CIPS.
I MEAN, I, LISTEN, I WRITE IT DOWN WHAT YOU GUYS SAY.
SO I KNOW IT'S ONGOING, BUT WE NEVER GET 'EM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE, WE TALK ABOUT IT, WE PRESENT ABOUT IT, BUT WE DON'T GET 'EM.
SO THEN THAT PUTS US AT SQUARE ONE AGAIN, MAKING A HARD DECISION FOR EVERYONE THAT'S ON THIS DIOCESE.
NOW, EITHER WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE CITIZENS AND, AND GET THAT MONEY, OR WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND GET THAT MONEY.
ARE WE GOING TO, NO, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION.
I DON'T WANT TO COUNTER PUT YOU, I'M JUST MAKING STATEMENTS WHERE THAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE? YOU KNOW, IT PUSHED THIS COUNCIL AT A DIFFICULT DECISION TO BE MADE BECAUSE SERVICES THAT CITIZENS SHOULD GET, THAT THEY PAY FOR.
WE HADN'T BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB ON THAT.
NOW WE TALK ABOUT THE 50, 50, 50 MILLION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
I WASN'T ON COUNCIL, BUT THIS COUNCIL IS CALLED TO RECTIFY SOME OF THE PAST MISHAPS.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M VERY MUCH UNHAPPY WITH THAT.
BUT I'M ON THIS COUNCIL TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND IF A SOLUTION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO ME, I WOULD CONSIDER AND I WOULD VOTE MY OWN CONSCIOUS ABOUT WHAT I WANNA VOTE BASED UPON INPUT FROM CITIZENS, FROM STAFF, FROM THE CITY MANAGER, FROM MY COHORTS.
SO, UH, THIS IS A DIFFICULT THING FOR ME TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE NEED IT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T BELIEVE IN DOING IT ON THE BACKS OF THE CITIZENS.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, AGAIN, YOU SAID, UH, WE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR STATED LAST MEETING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD GO BACK AND FIND A SOLUTION.
BUT WE HAVEN'T FOUND A SOLUTION.
WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE LEFT.
[01:05:01]
WE, I KNEW THAT WE HAD ONE OPTION THAT WAS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE AND THAT SECOND OPTION WAS PRESENTED TO COUNSEL THAT FAILED.SO THAT SECOND OPTION IS STILL STANDING, UH, WITH THE SEVEN, FIVE AND A EIGHT EIGHT, WHAT IS IT? AN EIGHT AND EIGHT AND FIVE WITH INDUSTRY, I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY WITH THE WATER RATE.
SO IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT IF YOU DO SEVEN AND EIGHT AND A HALF ON INDUSTRY.
I MEAN, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
UM, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE THE SEVEN AND A HALF, NO, WE WERE, I JUST WENT OVER THE THREE AREAS THAT IT'S BROKEN INTO.
YOU HAVE TO REDUCE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT IT WAS ASKED BY THE MAYOR FOR YOU GUYS TO GO BACK AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE AND THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS.
SO, UH, GO BACK AND LOOK AT A MEETING.
IF YOU DON'T, JUST GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT OPTION WOULD BE, SIR.
IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME AND I'S GO LOOK AT IT.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE SUBJECT MATTERS, JOBS TO FIND SOLUTIONS BASED UPON THE MONIES THAT WE GIVE AND WE TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE TAKES MONEY.
IT ALWAYS TAKES MONEY TO DO ANYTHING.
SO, UH, THANK YOU MAN, UH, UH, MANAGER AND AND MAYOR FOR MY COMMENTS.
BUT I DID WANT TO HAVE MY COMMENTS BEEN KNOWN.
UM, I'M JUST NOT GONNA SIT BACK AND, AND NOT SAY ANYTHING.
BUT I HAVE A STRONG CONVICTION OF WHAT I THINK IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND WHY WE SHOULD DO IT.
SO OUTTA THE SEVEN YEARS, FOUR YEARS WE HAD WATER INCREASES.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHEN I'M GIVING INFORMATION, I WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU GUYS SAY AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE TAPES OF WHAT YOU SAID, NO, LAST YEAR, LAST BUDGET, IT WAS THE SAME WAY.
WE HAD D NEED TO DO WHAT THE CITY HAS DARN NEEDS.
YOU KNOW, WE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAVE POSSIBILITY GRANT WRITERS COMING IN AND HELPING OUT AND, AND OFFSETTING THESE COSTS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA CUT, CUT, CUT.
BUT WE'RE AT THIS POINT AGAIN, NEXT BUDGET, THIS BUDGET, 20 24, 25, THE SAME DOG AND PONY SHOW TO ME THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH.
SO, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE MAY HAVE TO JUST REVISIT.
SO, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THE TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
MR. DOUCETTE, I'M GONNA BE SHORT IN QUICK.
I THINK EVERYBODY SPOKE AND I THINK WE GOT A GOOD PICTURE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS AND COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS, IN 2018, I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN, UH, WE DONE THIS, UH, FORGAVE THIS DEATH.
AND THE REASON WE DID IT, BECAUSE ALL THE TIME PEOPLE KEPT SAYING THAT THE WATER UTILITY OWED THE GENERAL FUND.
WE TALKED WITH THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND WE SAID, HOW CAN THIS BE? BECAUSE THIS IS, OUR MONEY IS ALREADY SPENT.
HOW CAN WE OWE IT? YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE TAKING MONEY OUT YOUR SAVINGS, PUTTING YOUR CHECK IN TO PAY BILLS, AND THEN SAYING, MY, MY CHECKING ACCOUNT OWES MY SAVING ACCOUNT.
KNOWING THE CHECKING ACCOUNT AIN'T GOT NO MONEY.
THAT'S WHY YOU PUT IT IN THERE.
AND WHEN IT WAS FORGAVE, UH, WE DIDN'T PAY NOTHING 'CAUSE THERE WASN'T NO MONEY INVOLVED.
IT WAS JUST THAT WE WERE SAYING SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T EXIST.
WE WERE SAYING ONE DIS OWES THIS, BUT IT'S STILL OUR MONEY, IT'S OUR FUNDS AND WE SPENDING IT.
SO THAT JUST A, THAT WAS JUST A CLARIFICATION.
I WAS ON THE COUNCIL AND THAT IS HOW THAT CAME ABOUT.
PEOPLE KEPT SAYING, A, PEOPLE KEPT SAYING A DEBT.
WE WERE DOING WHAT I SAID HAD BEEN DONE.
IT WAS BEING SUBSIDIZED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE OF ITS DEALING WITH, KEEPING MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THE WATER AND THE SERVICES.
WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE DONE IT THAT LONG.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP SAYING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY IT WAS FORGAVE.
IT, IT WAS NO SUCH THING AS THAT DEATH.
OKAY, WE NOT VOTING ON THIS TODAY.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT, UH, THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT UP.
AND THAT WAS, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, HE'S SAYING TYPE B, BUT WE HAVE A TYPE A AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SOUGHT AFTER ASKED JUST REQUEST AND SEE IF THEY WAS WILLING TO, UH, GIVE US, UH, HELP IN THAT FORM WHERE WE COULD HAVE LEVERAGED IT,
[01:10:01]
THE MONEY.UH, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, LET'S TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES.
WE HAVE A PROVEN THEM TO GIVE US THE THREE YEARS, AGAIN, 1 MILLION A YEAR FOR PARTS.
SO WHAT IS OUR PRIORITIES? IS OUR PRIORITIES THE 1 MILLION FOR PARKS, OR SHOULD WE BE ASKING THEM TO GIVE US 1 MILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE? THOSE ARE THINGS WE COULD CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, I MEAN, EVERY TIME WE TALK, WE KEEP BRINGING UP SUGGESTIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EV AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEN WE'RE BEING TOLD IS UP TO US TO WHAT TO DO.
WE GOT ALL THESE IDEAS, BUT REALLY WE DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO IT.
WE KEEP THROWING THESE IDEAS OUT, BUT IT'S UP TO THE MANAGER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND STAFF TO DETERMINE HOW TO DO THESE THINGS.
WE JUST TALKING, BUT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SAYING AND WHAT WE SAYING IS POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN THE MAYOR SAID THE CREATIVE METHOD LEGALLY, AND HE, AND HE PUT EMPHASIS ON IT, HE SAID, LEGALLY, MEANING WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WE WANT TO SEE, WE WANT TO, WE WANNA DO SOMETHING, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT WRONG.
WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
WE HAVE TO GET SOME FUNDING FOR WAR UTILITIES.
WE HAVE TO GET SOME PROJECT DONE.
BUT LET'S JUST SEE AND WORK TOWARD THAT.
I THINK IF WE REALLY PUT THE EFFORT TO MAKING IT HAPPEN, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING JUST ONE WAY AND KEEP US BACKED UP IN THE CORNER BECAUSE OUR SERVICE IS NOT GOOD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS PRETTY HARD TO CONVINCE CITIZENS THAT IF WE RAISE THE RATE, THE SERVICE IS GOING TO GET BETTER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR US TO SAY IT IS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE WATER METER.
SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, REPLACING AND WE HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT, BUT IT'S ALMOST EIGHT, NINE MONTHS AND WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
SO OUR SERVICE WE GOT RIGHT NOW IS BAD.
AND THE LAST COMMENT I'M GONNA MAKE IS CALVIN, I I I'VE READ THIS, UH, INNER OFFICE THAT, THAT YOU PREPARED AND PASSED TO US TODAY.
AND I READ IT AND I LOOKED AT EVERYTHING.
ALL OF THESE, ALL THIS WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH LIFT STATIONS, ALL WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, ALL THIS TIME WE'VE BEEN DOING PIPE BURSTING.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT THIS ORDINANCE SAYS.
SO WE ARE DOING IT AT A RATE THAT IT'S FAILING FASTER THAN WE'RE DOING IT.
FROM, FROM, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOREVER, BUT WHEN I GOT HERE, I, I TALKED TO A LOT OF THE OLD HANDS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND DURING THIS PERIOD AFTER 2012, IT SEEMS THAT MANY RE UPGRADE PROJECTS PROGRAMS WERE STOPPED.
I ASSUME IT WAS FOR LACK OF FUNDING.
BUT THE FIRE HYDRANT REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WAS STOPPED.
THE PIPELINE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WAS STOPPED.
UH, VALVE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WAS STOPPED.
VERY FEW OF OUR WATER VALVES WORK.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING TO SHUT OFF LARGER AND LARGER AREAS OF THE CITY TO DO REPAIRS.
I MEAN, WE ARE REPAIRING PUMP STATIONS.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME IN DESIGN THAT WOULD BE REPLACED THAT ARE IN VERY BAD SHAPE.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE ONE OVER ON HOUSTON AVENUE IS BEING WORKED ON TODAY.
SO THERE ARE PROJECT PROGRAMS GOING ON.
WELL, THAT, THAT WAS MY, THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I READ THROUGH THE WHOLE MEMORANDUM AND EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING, WE'VE BEEN DOING THOSE THINGS AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THEM, UH, PIPE VERSUS WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, IMPROVEMENT TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, UH, LIFT STATION, UH, REPLACING LIFT STATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY.
WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY.
[01:15:01]
SO, AND I'VE NOTICED THAT WHEN WE GET MANDATES FROM THE STATE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, LIKE FOR A HANDICAP, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE US A WINDOW IN WHICH WE SUPPOSED TO CONSTANTLY DO SO MUCH.SO IS THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY OR IS THAT A CERTAIN PRESCRIBED AMOUNT OF WORK WE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE MANDATE THAT ARE THEY, ARE THEY SPECIFIC THAT WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING IT? WE, IT CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE A MANDATE, UH, IT IS BEING WORKED ON AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S LEVEL.
THEY WILL NOT GIVE US ANY DETAILED INFORMATION OF WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING.
BUT WORST CASE WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE OUTSTANDING SEWER WORK, WHICH WE IDENTIFIED IN AN EARLIER PRESENTATION OF ABOUT $400 MILLION.
TCEQ TYPICALLY LOOKS AT A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT 10 YEARS.
SO IF THEY DID THAT, YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT 40 MILLION A YEAR FOR 10 YEARS JUST FOR SEWER WORK.
NOW WHAT'LL COME DOWN? I HAVE NO IDEA.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE A EXTREME CASE WOULD BE SO, SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CLEARLY WE ARE NOT UNDER A MANDATE.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THIS LADY AND SHOW HER GOOD FAITH.
AND THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS, BECAUSE MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE AS A COUNCILMAN IS WHEN THE CITY COMES UNDER A MANDATE, THAT MANDATE IS SOMETHING THAT IS DISCUSSED WITH STATE OFFICIALS AND CITY IN WHICH THEY PUT YOU UNDER A MANDATE THAT WILL NOT CREATE A HARDSHIP UPON THE CITY.
IT'S NOT THEY GOING TO TELL YOU YOU'RE GONNA DO A, B, C, D.
IT'S NORMALLY LOOKING AT THE STATUS OF CITIES AND WHAT THE CITIES CAN DO.
SO IF WE ARE NOT UNDER THE MANDATE, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND EVEN IF WE COME UNDER MANDATE OR IF WE JUST DO EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO, UNLESS WE DO IT, YOU KNOW, WE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS UNTIL THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS REPLACED AND ALL, YOU KNOW.
SO I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION 'CAUSE I FOUND IT ODD THAT WHEN I READ THIS, I DID NOT SEE, SO A PARTICULAR MANDATE.
ONE, ONE CORRECTION, SIR, I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU.
THERE ARE TWO MANDATES THAT I'D FORGET, FAILED TO MENTION.
WE HAVE TO DO 2000 FEET A, UH, YEAR OF SEWER REPLACEMENT AND I THINK SIX MANHOLES.
AND THE 365, UH, FORCE MAIN REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS BIDDING PROBABLY THIS WEEK OR NEXT, IS A, UH, SPECIAL PROJECT, UH, WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH TCQ.
SO WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE TWO PROJECTS.
I CAN HAVE ENGINEER, BUT, BUT I MEAN, SINCE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ARE REQUIRED AND, AND WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT UNLESS WE CAN GET SOME MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THOSE, I MEAN THE ONGOING AND SABINE PASS, IT'S ABOUT 500,000 A YEAR TO DO THAT.
SO IS IS MANDATED FOR 2000 FEET, YOU SAID IT'S 2000 FEET OF SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT SEWER AND SIX MANHOLES.
IT'S GENERALLY AROUND 500,000 A YEAR.
WE NEED TO BID ONE UNTIL WE GET IT COMPLETED, RIGHT? NOVEMBER.
WE'LL NEED TO BID THAT JOB IN NOVEMBER.
'CAUSE YOU CAN ONLY WORK IN SABINE PASS AROUND CHRISTMAS.
BUT THAT'S NOT, I MEAN, $500,000 FOR, UH, A YEAR OUT, OUT THERE TO DO SEARCH.
AND UH, THE FORCE MAIN, THAT'S, I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT'S FORCE MAIN IS ABOUT $2 MILLION.
HUH? THE 2 MILLION FOR THE FORCE MAIN.
OKAY, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT.
ALRIGHT, THEN LET ME NOT, NOT HOLD UP THIS ANYMORE.
I THINK I GOT MY ANSWERS THAT I NEEDED.
MY COMMENT IS ABOUT, ONE IS ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UH, MANDATES THAT WE EXPECT ARE COMING WITH THESE MANDATES.
IF WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER FOR SEWAGE AND OUR SEWAGE IS, I'M SORRY, OUR WATER AFFECTS THE SEWAGE, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SHOWING A VERY STRONG GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
[01:20:01]
MY OPINION THAT 33 MILLION THAT WAS INITIALLY, UM, SUGGESTED TO INCLUDE WATER AND SEWAGE VERSUS THE COULD BE EXPECTED 40 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS JUST FOR SEWAGE.SO IF WE SHOW A GOOD FAITH EFFORT OF BALANCING THOSE PROJECTS, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE IN A BETTER SITUATION.
WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO ALL OF THE NEEDS VERSUS ONLY WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED GOING BACK TO 2009 WITH THE SEWAGE SITUATION AND WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING UP.
SO AGAIN, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION FOR US, ADDRESSING BOTH THE WATER AND SEWAGE IN THE AMOUNT THAT WE PROVIDE THAT ON HOW WE FUND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN VERSUS US HAVING THIS MANDATE FOR SEWAGE AND IT DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THROUGH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
THE OTHER PART IS I HEAR ABOUT THE, UM, WHAT WE CAN PROPOSE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT AND SPLIT THE, UM, THIS COST.
YES, IT IS A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME THAN IF WE HAD A COUNCIL CHANGE REGARDING THIS ITEM GOING TO A, A BALLOT.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S STILL UP IN THE AIR BECAUSE YOU'RE WAITING FOR A VOTE.
WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS, AND I'M ASKING THAT WE DO TAKE THAT DEEP SWALLOW AND JUST HARD, UH, MAKE THESE HARD UM, DECISIONS.
UM, LYNN, CAN YOU COME TO THE DAY AS JUST ONE? AND THEN I WANT TO ADDRESS, UM, YOU AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER, UM, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, AS YOU STAND BEFORE US TODAY AND AS WE ARE HERE, CAN YOU SAY TO US, BECAUSE I, I SAW THE QUESTION BEING ASKED AND I WAS WA LOOKING AT YOUR RESPONSE AND SO I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT, I WANT IT TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE RECORD.
HAVE YOU AND THE STAFF, THE CITY MANAGER, HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AS DEEPLY AS YOU CAN TO TRY TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE DECISION TO THIS INCREASE? HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN AND, AND, AND DONE ALL THAT YOU CAN TO SEE WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE OR WHAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO, TO NOT HAVE TO DO, UH, THIS 7.5% INCREASE WE HAVE LOOKED AT.
EVERYTHING IN THE RESULT HAS BEEN HAVING TO MAKE CUTS INSTEAD TO BRING YOU THE BALANCED BUDGET.
SO THEREFORE THE RECOMMENDATION, POTENTIALLY THIS WILL BE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION TO USE GENERAL FUND, EVEN THOUGH IT IS ALLOWABLE, IS ALSO NOT BEST PRACTICE.
AT MINIMUM, WE SHOULD MINIMALLY, AND I'M TALKING TO AS A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE WITH EXPERIENCE, AT LEAST KEEP UP WITH THE CPI AND CPI IS 4.7%.
WE'RE NOT ASKING TAXPAYERS, WE'RE ASKING USERS OF OUR WATER AND SEWER.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHO WE'RE ASKING TO USE THAT JUST EVERYONE WHO USES WATER AND SEWER, THAT'S IT.
AND THAT IS NORMAL PRACTICE TO, AND THAT'S ONLY JUST FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
THAT'S JUST NORMALLY A CPI LOOKING AT THAT, AT JUST THE MINIMUM IT'S SUPPOSED TO OPERATE AS AN ENTERPRISE.
IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SUBSIDIZED, EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN, I WOULD JUST SAY IT JUST IS NOT THE BEST PRACTICE FOR THAT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING.
I THINK THE IDEA OF DEDICATING A SALES TAX IS A REALLY GOOD ONE TO HELP REDUCE THE AMOUNT THAT HAS TO, TO BE RAISED.
UNFORTUNATELY, CPI CONTINUES TO GO UP EVERY YEAR.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CPI BE IN THE NEGATIVE, BUT EVEN WHEN I WAS IN DIFFERENT STATES, EVEN CPIS OVER THREE, 3.6%, 3.7% THIS YEAR IS 4.7%.
I ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION AND I USUALLY CAPTURE JUST ONE THIS ONE ONCE A YEAR.
WHAT IS THAT? I I WOULD, I WOULD DARE SAY THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN WITHIN THE CURRENT MEANS.
AND WHAT I HAD RECOMMENDED IS SUSTAINED REVENUE.
I GET GRANTS, IT'S JUST A ONE-TIME
[01:25:01]
PUMP AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.BUT I BELIEVE THAT I HAD RECOMMENDED SUSTAINED REVENUE TO SUSTAINED THE FUND.
AND IF I'M SPEAKING OUTTA TURN, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
LET ME SAY THIS, UM, ONE OF I I I WENT TO THE CITIZENS, UH, AS MANY AS I COULD AND IN THE BEST WAY THAT I COULD, UM, TO TRY TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY FELT ABOUT A VOTE FOR AN INCREASE.
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF US ON THE DEUS AND ACROSS THE CITY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF, UM, THIS INCREASE.
I GET, YOU KNOW, A TEXT MESSAGE, UM, CONTINUALLY SAYING DON'T VOTE FOR THE INCREASE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
BUT CITY MANAGER, LET ME, LET ME BE CLEAR AND I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND AS, AS THE, UM, AS THE COUNCIL AND AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE STAFF, WE ARE A TEAM.
WE RISE TOGETHER, WE FALL TOGETHER.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, AND I HAVE TO ADDRESS WHAT, WHAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN, THE ANSWERS THAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN, MUCH OF THE TREPIDATION AND MUCH OF THE DISCONTENT THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE FEELING ABOUT THIS INCREASE IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL, BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING UNDERSERVED.
THEY FEEL AS THOUGH CITY MANAGER, THEY ARE BEING UNDERSERVED WITH THE WATER BILLS AND THE METERS.
THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE BEING UNDERSERVED WITH TRASH PICKUP.
THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE BEING UNDERSERVED IN THE CITY AND THAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY COMING TO THEM AND ASKING THEM FOR MORE, BUT THEY ARE RECEIVING LESS SERVICES.
THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO DIFFICULT FOR THEM.
IF WE WERE DOING, YOU KNOW, AND I, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF WE WERE GIVING THEM OPTIMUM SERVICE, AND AND LEMME SAY THIS, I KNOW THAT I TRY AND THE THE ENTIRETY OF THE COUNCIL TRIES WHEN WE GET THOSE PHONE CALLS THAT THERE'S WATER IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE ALLEY OR A METER OR THERE'S WATER, WE CALL AND CALVIN AND THE STAFF, THEY JUMP ON IT.
THE, UH, CO COUNCILMAN LEWIS WAS SO ATTENTIVE TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN, UH, PRINCE HALL AND GETTING THAT SEWER FIXED WHEN THEY HAD SEWER BACKED UP.
I GOT A PHONE CALL ON FRIDAY FROM A PROMINENT CITIZEN, A CITIZEN WHO WE LOVE SO MUCH.
HIS WHOLE HOUSE IN DISTRICT FOUR WAS OVERRUN WITH RAW SEWAGE IN HIS HOUSE.
OVERRUN AN 80-YEAR-OLD MAN WITH AN ELDERLY, WITH A SICKLY WIFE HAD BACKUP SEWAGE IN HIS HOUSE.
WE'VE GOT, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO STAND STILL DEAL.
I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT TO STAND STILL IS JUST TO SAY, WELL, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO AND HELP ANYBODY WHEN THEY CALL.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GO AND HELP THEM.
I'M NOT TRYING TO SCARE US, UH, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL PERSONS, BUT IT, IT'S, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
UM, I THINK COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
HE READ THE MEMO AND, UM, YES, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
WE HAVE MADE GRADUAL PROGRESS OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE GAPING HOLES AND NEEDS IN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WHEN CALVIN AND HIS TEAM WENT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LESS THAN THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
AND THE ATTORNEY, THAT'S WHAT YOU REPORTED BACK TO ME, WAS SATISFIED THAT OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A PLAN, BUT WE HAVE MADE CONSTANT PROGRESS.
SO YES, COUNCILMAN DO SAID YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE ARE SAYING AT THE SAME TIME IS WE WANT THAT PROGRESS TO CONTINUE AND WE WANT TO BE MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE IN STAYING ON TOP OF IT BEFORE THE CONSENT ORDER COMES DOWN IN OTHER AREAS.
WE WANT TO SHOW THAT GOOD FAITH, YOU KNOW,
[01:30:01]
IN OTHER AREAS SO THAT WHEN IT COMES DOWN, WE CAN WORK HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE EGS OFFICE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING.YES, WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS, BUT WE, WE ARE TELLING THE COUNCIL WE WANT TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS.
AND YES, WE HAVE HAD THAT PROBLEM FOR OVER 30 YEARS, OVER 30 YEARS.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S TIME AS WE COULD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST CENSUS, THE LAST CENSUS, UM, NUMBERS FOR THE CITY, CITY HAVE GROWN BY ABOUT 6,000 PEOPLE.
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK CALVIN PUT OUT A STATISTIC THERE SOME TIME AGO.
UM, WE ARE NOW WHAT, 500 MILES OF, OF, UM, WATER OF WATERLINE.
OKAY? SO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
WE ARE GROWING AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN I CAME HERE, THERE WAS NO DOMINION COURT AND DOMINION RANCH AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THERE.
SO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHILST WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT THE SUPREME PRESENTED TO US.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT WITH NOT TRYING TO RUB PETER TO PAY PAUL AS LEAN INDICATED, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE ADOPT THE BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE POSSIBLE.
YES, WE CAN, WE CAN LEARN FROM THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE WANT TO ADOPT THE BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE POSSIBLE.
AND ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT WE COULD DO IS PAY AS WE GO ALONG AND WE ARE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO SHARE IN THAT BURDEN OF PAIN AS WE GO ALONG BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT DONE THE RIGHT THING IN THE LAST 30 YEARS TO ADDRESS THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WE WANT TO GROW AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS NEW DEVELOPMENT AND NEW BUSINESSES AND NEW INDIVIDUALS TO OUR CITY.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY, LIKE MANY OTHER CITIES THAT HAS THAT SAME CHALLENGE, WE DO HAVE A PLAN TO ADDRESS IT.
IT'S A, IT'S A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW.
IT'S A VERY BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW.
BUT WE WANT, WE DO WANT TO ADDRESS IT AND WE WANNA WORK WITH THE COUNCIL AS A TEAM TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I PROMISE THIS IS MY LAST COMMENT AND THIS IS AN APPEAL TO, TO CHRISTIANS THAT ARE LISTENING.
CITY MANAGER JUST SAID OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, WE HAVE NOT DONE WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN ORDER NOT TO BE IN THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION.
SO OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME OPTIONS THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR OUR FOREFATHER SINS.
LET'S NOT MOVE THAT AND PASS THE BUCK ON TO OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT THAT I THINK OF IS EVE ATE THE FRUIT AND WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR THOSE SINS 3000 PLUS YEARS LATER.
AND WE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF DECISION, RIGHT? WE'RE STUCK WITH IT, WE'RE STUCK WITH THE DECISION THAT SHE MADE.
WE'RE STUCK WITH THE DECISION OF THAT FOREFATHER RIGHT NOW.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THEM TO DEAL AND HAVING THESE SAME CONVERSATIONS 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 YEARS FROM NOW.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
SO EVEN THOUGH THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO, WE GOT TO PAY FOR WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT EFFICIENT WATER SERVICE, WE WANT EFFICIENT TRASH PICKUP, BUT IT ALSO COMES AT A COST.
YOU WANT BREAD OUT OF THE STORE, BUT YOU JUST CHOOSE TO BUY IT OR NOT.
WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE WHETHER WE WANT TO USE WATER OR NOT.
THIS IS JUST AN APPEAL TO THE CITIZENS TO PLEASE TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHEN YOU DO CALL US OR EMAIL US OR COME, YOU KNOW, BY, BY THE OFFICERS.
JUST KNOW THAT ALL OF US, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT IT, WE MAY THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE DIFFERENT AVENUES ABOUT IT.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS DIOCESE HAS THE HEART TO WANT TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
[01:35:01]
WE MAY NOT AGREE ON HOW TO MAKE IT RIGHT, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS OUR INTENT, IS TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND TO NOT TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.AND WE NEED NOT WAIT ON SOMEBODY TO TELL US WHAT'S RIGHT TO DO.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE WAITING FOR MANDATES FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOUSE.
WE KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WE SHOULDN'T BE ROBBING PETER, ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOUSE AND WE CAN DO THAT.
UH, WHEN WE FIRST, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITIES, THE MANDATES WAS FUNDED.
IT WAS 75 25 MANDATES WAS FUNDED.
TODAY WE HAVE THIS 100% ON THE TAXPAYERS.
AND BACK THEN WE WAS, AND IT GOES BACK, WATER AND SEWAGE DEPARTMENT, UH, FUNDED THROUGH GENERAL FUND GO ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE SEVENTIES.
OKAY? SO THEY NEVER DIDN'T WANT TO BITE THE BULLET.
AND I TRIED TO GET GEORGE DERE TO GET THE CITY WATER AND SEWAGE ON HIS OWN.
THEY WAS RELUCTANT TO DO IT FOR THE SAME REASON THAT WE ARE RELUCTANT DO, BECAUSE WE HAD TO TRANSFER IT TO THE, TO THE, TO THE USERS.
BUT TODAY WE MUST TRANSFER IT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US SHARE THE COST WITH THE EDC.
THAT'S TAX BILLS MONEY, SHARE THE COST WITH THIS INCREASE TO STAY ON TRACK TO DELIVER THE SERVICE.
WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN DELIVERING THE SERVICE, BUT WE'VE BEEN SLACK IN SOME AREAS, BUT WE'VE STILL BEEN DELIVERING THE SERVICE.
BUT WE MUST INCREASE THE SERVICE AND THE CITIZENS ARE UPSET.
YOU, YOU RIGHT COUNCILMAN FRANK, BECAUSE WE, THEY UNDERSERVED.
SO TO, TO STAY ON TRACK, WE CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO FUND THIS CITY AND STAFF.
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO FUND IT AND GIVE THE EDC CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S PART OF, THAT'S TAX BILL'S MONEY SPREAD THIS, SPREAD, THIS COST OUT.
SO IT'S, IT IS, WE, WE GOTTA DO THIS.
AND WE SPEND MILLIONS, MILLIONS UNDERGROUND.
YOU DON'T SEE IT, BUT WE SPENDING MILLIONS.
IT'S BEEN GOING OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS AND WE'LL CATCH UP IN SOMETIME OR ANOTHER, BUT WE MUST DO CERTAIN THINGS IN A CERTAIN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE FUNDING.
AND IT'S MANDATORY THAT WE DO THIS AND THE CITIZEN, WE GOT TO FIND A WAY AS A COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE CITIZEN WHERE THEY'LL BE COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTANDING.
UH, AND THAT'S AS WE MAYBE, UH, REACHING A CONCLUDING MOMENT.
BUT I, I HAVE SOME REMARKS I WANT MAKE.
UH, AND THEY ARE BASICALLY A SUMMATION, IF YOU WILL, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD SINCE, UH, WE BEGAN DISCUSSING THIS PROBABLY ABOUT ALMOST AN HOUR AGO.
UM, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF SOME BAD OR EVEN UNWISE DECISIONS IN THE PAST.
HOWEVER, WE'VE GOT TO RECTIFY 'EM.
WE CAN'T POINT THE FINGER AND TRY TO BLAME WHOMEVER.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD BE HERE TILL NEXT MONDAY DOING THAT.
BUT WE HAVE A TASK BEFORE US TO RECTIFY WHAT THE PAST HAS PRESENTED TO US PRESENTLY.
I TOO HAVE SPOKEN WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT A RATE INCREASE.
YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THOSE CITIZENS HAS TO BE CANDID.
WHEN ENTERGY DECIDES TO MAKE AN INCREASE, THEY MAY GO TO THE PUC OR PUBLIC INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM COME OUT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TO ASK HOW YOU FELT ABOUT AN INCREASE.
WHEN THE CABLE COMPANY DECIDES, OR THE TELEPHONE COMPANY DECIDES TO MAKE AN INCREASE, THEY DON'T CONTACT YOU AND SEE IF YOU ARE ABLE, IF YOU HAVE GOTTEN A RAISE ON YOUR JOB, YOU KNOW, IF
[01:40:01]
YOU HAVE SOME MORE, UH, DISPOSABLE INCOME TO, UH, ACTUALLY HELP THEM GROW THEIR COMPANIES WITH NO, IT IS TIME AND THEY PLACE THE INCREASE ON YOUR BILL AND YOU EITHER PAY OR NOT RECEIVE THE SERVICES.THOSE EXAMPLES WILL HELP AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAPPENS TO BE JOHN Q PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS HERE WITH THE WATER.
NOW, HISTORICALLY WITH WATER BILLS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THE WATER BILL IN PORT ARTHUR WAS THE CHEAPEST BILL ANYONE HAD THE WATER BILL IN PORT ARTHUR DIDN'T BE PAID EVERY MONTH.
YOU COULD PAY YOUR WATER BILLS TWICE A YEAR.
YOU ALL KNOW IT AND NEVER BE TURNED OFF.
BUT THOSE ARE PRACTICES OF THE PAST STANSBERRY.
YOU ALL HAVE COME IN AND CORRECTED THAT PART.
NOW, WHAT HAPPENED ALSO IN CORRECTING THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
INSTEAD OF PAYING $4 AND 97 CENTS A MONTH FOR WATER AND YOU WERE USING 900,000 GALLONS, YOU KNOW, YOU BEGAN TO PAY 30, 40, 50, 67, 89 OR EVEN A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH FOR WATER AND SEWER AND GARBAGE AND TRASH.
WHICH BRINGS ON ANOTHER DISCUSSION WITH THIS JOHN Q PUBLIC, BECAUSE WHEN THE TRASH IS NOT PICKED UP EVERY TWO WEEKS OR EVERY THREE WEEKS, WHATEVER THAT ROTATION IS, THAT GIVES THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO NOW HAS HAD TO CHANGE HIS FINANCIAL OR HER, UH, BUDGETARY MEANS AT HOME.
AND EVERY TIME THEY BACK OUTTA THEIR DRIVEWAY, THEY SEE THE TRASH OR THEY DRIVE DOWN THE STREET.
YOU KNOW, THIS BRINGS ON DISCOMFORT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T GET BY THAT.
BUT IN THAT CONVERSATION ALSO, YOU TRY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
BUT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF A CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE, OR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAVE WITH INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THIS AND JUST HAD IT TWICE ON YESTERDAY AFTER CHURCH, YOU KNOW, AND LOU IS THE PLACE TO GO IN PORT ARTHUR AND YOU'RE GOING TO RUN ACROSS EVERYBODY IN THERE.
YOU KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE, THEY REALLY PRAYED UP BECAUSE THEY JUST COMING OUTTA CHURCH AND THEN THEY SEE THE MAYOR AND THEY CAN TELL YOU ABOUT HOW DISGRUNTLED THEY ARE ABOUT THEIR WATER BILLS AND, AND, AND THE INCREASE.
AND BEING THE MAYOR OF WHOM I AM, I I'M, I'M GONNA STOP AND HAVE, I'M ACCESSIBLE.
SO I'M GONNA TALK WITH YOU AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH WHAT I JUST SAID.
I, I GO THROUGH WITH THEM AND WHEN THEY GET, OR WHEN I GET TO THE PART THAT SAYS INFRASTRUCTURE IN PORT ARTHUR IS IN SOME PLACES OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, OR IT'S CLOSE TO 80 OR 90.
AND THEN I TELL THEM, WELL, DO YOU STILL MOVE THE WAY YOU MOVED AND YOU WERE 20 AND YOU ARE 70.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE 20 YOU JUMPED OUT OF THE BED.
YOU KNOW, YOU RUN DOWN ALL, YOU RUN DOWN THE STAIRS, YOU KNOW, AT 70 YOU GINGERLY RISE UP TO BE SURE YOU ARE ALIVE.
SIT, PUT YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR AND EASE YOURSELF OUT OF THE BID.
WELL INFRASTRUCTURE HAS THE SAME, SAME COMPONENTS.
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, 60 YEARS AGO, THE SEWER PIPE COULD FLOW FREELY, THE WATER COULD FLOW FREELY.
YOUR WATER PRESSURE IN YOUR SHOWER COULD BURST YOUR WATER, YOUR, YOUR SHOWER HEAD BECAUSE THE PRESSURE WAS COMING SO GREATLY.
NOW IT TRICKLES DOWN BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SYSTEM THAT'S THERE TO GET THE WATER TO YOU HAS GOTTEN OLDER.
SOME OF THOSE PIPES ARE CLAY PIPES.
SOME OF THOSE PIPES ARE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PIPES.
OKAY? SOME ARE SIX INCHES, SOME ARE MAYBE 12 TO 18 INCHES.
OKAY? ALL OF THIS HAS AN IMPACT
[01:45:01]
ON YOU.BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE TYPE CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISGRUNTLED ABOUT THE SERVICES, WHO ARE DISGRUNTLED ABOUT THE INCREASES, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE DISGRUNTLED ABOUT MANY, MANY THINGS.
AND YOU HAVE GOT TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPRESS THEIR DISENCHANTMENT.
YET YOU HAVE GOT TO STAND FIRMLY ON THE POSITIVENESS OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DELIVER.
THAT IF YOUR ENTIRE PIPING STRUCTURE, AND I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, I'VE JUST LEARNED THIS FROM HANGING AROUND CALVIN, IF IT COLLAPSES, YOU KNOW, IF FOR WHATEVER REASON WATER PRESSURE IN THOSE WATER TOWERS, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER UP THERE.
GET IT UP THERE TO COME DOWN TO COME OUT, FLOW OUT TO YOUR HOME.
ALL OF BEES ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED MONIES TO ACTUALLY BE SURE THAT EVERY TIME YOU FLUSH IT GOES WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO AND NOT IN YOUR GARAGE OR COME OUT OF THE SHOWER IN THE BACK AND END UP ON THE FLOOR IN THE DEN.
OKAY? ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THOSE CONVENIENCES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IN THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR, WE EXPECT NOW WE HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH A CITIZEN.
AND TOWARD THE END OF THE CONVERSATION THEY CAN SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MIND PAYING THE INCREASE IF Y'ALL GOING TO DO IT RIGHT.
YOU SEE? BUT YOU'VE GOT TO FIRST MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE DISENCHANTED AND THEY ARE DISPLEASED WITH OUR DELIVERY IN THE PAST.
OKAY? BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER.
AND THE DELIVERABLES THAT THEY EXPECT SO THAT WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO INCREASE WHAT THEY PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES, THEY CAN ACTUALLY AGREE TO PAYING NOW A POSSIBILITY OF A DECREASE IN AN A PLUS CREDIT RATING FROM THESE LARGE CREDIT FOLK IN NEW YORK AND THESE OTHER PLACES THAT SHOULD CAUSE YOU TO TREMBLE.
'CAUSE WE WORKED HARD AND I'VE GOT TO SAY WE DID BECAUSE IT IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF STAFF COUNCIL AND EVEN CITIZENS IN BEING SURE I KNOW, I HEARD COUNCILMAN LEWIS FOR YEARS TALK ABOUT A CREDIT RATING.
NOW WE'VE GOTTEN, I BELIEVE, TO THE LEVEL THAT HE HAS ALLUDED TO FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAD OUR BOND COUNCIL, THE BOND, UH, UH, INVEST THE INVESTMENT, UH, PRINCIPLE INDIVIDUAL HERE LETTING US KNOW HOW WE STAND IN NEW YORK, WHERE ALL OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
IF PORT ARTHUR THROUGH OUR WELL PREPARED, I WOULD CALL IT A COMPTROLLER, OR OUR FINANCE GURU HAS LET US KNOW, WE CAN CONTINUE THE PROCESS THAT I BEGAN WITH, THAT WE HAVE MADE OR OUR FOREFATHERS SEE WHERE MIND YOU MADE SOME DECISIONS.
WERE NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST IN 2024 FOR IN 2025.
IF WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO VACATE THOSE PRACTICES AND BEGIN TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR FUTURE GROWTH IN 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS UP HERE.
JUST LIKE WE ARE HAVING THIS SAME TYPE OF CONVERSATION.
WE DON'T WANNA MESS UP THE CREDIT RATING.
IF WE THINK ABOUT THE HUMAN PART OF THIS, NOT HAVING READY FUNDS, IF
[01:50:01]
DISASTER WOULD OCCUR, IT'S ONLY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.I'VE EXPERIENCED STORMS IN PORT ARTHUR IN MID-NOVEMBER.
WE SHOULD NOT PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO WHERE FINANCIALLY WE HAVE NOT MADE SOUND DECISIONS THAT AGAIN, WOULD FOSTER FORWARD FUTURE MOVEMENT.
SO I WOULD ADMONISH US AND WOULD PRAY UPON US FOR CONSIDERATION TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO LET THIS DEPARTMENT HAVE WHAT, WHICH SUSTAINED NOT ONLY THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT WOULD SUSTAIN THE ENTIRE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT MAY NOT BE POPULAR TODAY, BUT IT IS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT ANY CITIZEN WHO IS ATTENDING TODAY, OR IF THEY WOULD LOOK AT THIS EVEN IN THE FUTURE, I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD HOLD ANY INDIVIDUAL HERE IN A NEGATIVE OR NON-REPRESENTATIVE WAY FOR MAKING A GOOD DECISION FOR OUR FUTURE.
AND ALL, ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS THAT I JUST DISCUSSED HAVE US REMAIN BEING A GOOD CRITIC WORTHY CITY, HAVE US REMAIN BEING A CITY THAT DELIVERS THE SERVICES THAT IT ACTUALLY CHARGES FOR AND HAVE US REMAIN BEING A CITY THAT I ALWAYS SAY IT'S THE GREATEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WITH GREATNESS COMES RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO SUSTAIN THE LIVELIHOODS OF INDIVIDUALS HERE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
AND IF WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE WATER SYSTEMS AND THE SEWER SYSTEMS, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR EVEN ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
OKAY? AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A VOTE.
AM I CORRECT, MR. UH, SAY SECRETARY? NO.
SO WE READY TO CLOSE? WE READY TO GO, RIGHT? I'M DID YOU BUY US LUNCH? UH, UH, CITY MATCH? NO, WE DIDN'T.
YOU DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GONNA BE THIS LONG? HUH? WE DIDN'T.
SEE YOU CAN'T EVER, YOU CAN'T EVER, YOU CAN'T EVER, YOU KNOW, JUDGE US.
UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOIN MAYOR SECOND.
HAVE WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW AT FOUR, FOUR O'CLOCK EXECUTIVE SESSION FIVE 30 REGULARLY.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? CITY EXECUTIVE FOUR O'CLOCK EXECUTIVE? YES.
I WAS STILL THINKING NINE 30 THIS MORNING, I MEAN 10 O'CLOCK AND CHRISTIE CALLED ME AND THEN I HAD A LITTLE FAMILY EMERGENCY AND SO THAT MESSED ME UP.