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IN PROGRESS.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD MORNING.WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS SOME, UH, AI PROBLEMS IN SITUATIONS THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH, SO IT WASN'T ME.
I KNOW, UH, AT YOU, UH, AMONT A COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE HE SAID, COME ON, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND I TOLD HIM, THE CITY SECRETARY HAS TOLD ME TO WAIT.
SO NOW EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, AND THANK GOD I WAS PHYSICALLY HERE.
SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE GATHERED HERE ON THIS THE LORD'S DAY, A GREAT DAY, UH, DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, IN THE LAST MONTH OF THIS GREAT YEAR.
SO GOD HAS REALLY BEEN GRACIOUS IN, IN BLESSING US AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND EACH OF YOU SHOULD MAKE IT HERE FOR THIS 12TH MONTH OF THIS GREAT YEAR.
AND HE HAS YOU GATHERED HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREATEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, WHERE YOU ARE NOW, AND YOU ARE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET, AND YOU HAPPEN TO BE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR AT OUR CITY HALL.
AND I SAY ALL OF THIS BECAUSE I WELCOME YOU TO THE MEETING ON TODAY.
YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING, UH, VIA TELEPHONIC OR EVEN 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 MEETING ID OF 8 9 1 8 4 3 3 2 9 8 8, AND THE PASSCODE OF 7 5 6 6, 6 5, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE MEETING AND ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THIS MEETING OF BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE REASON FOR ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND THE CITY'S SECRETARIES, EFFICIENT STAFF WILL DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST.
WITH THOSE THINGS BEING SAID, WE WILL NOW BEGIN, I'LL OPENING FOR THE MEETING WITH AN INVOCATION, THE PLEDGE, AND THE ROLL CALL, PASTOR FRANK, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO OFFER THE INVOCATION FOR US THIS MORNING? YES, SIR.
LET US BOW ALL WISE IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YOUR GOODNESS AND YOUR FAITHFULNESS TOWARD US.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO AWAKEN TO A NEW DAY, ONE THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, BUT A DAY THAT IS FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND A DAY GOD THAT IS FULL FOR, UH, THE TAKING CARE OF ALL OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.
NOW, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM, FOR YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY.
PRAY FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND FOR OUR NATION, AND WE PRAY FOR THE WORLD AS WELL IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I HAVE LEDGE 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.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO SET THE QUORUM FOR ME, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER ETT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
WE WILL BEGIN THIS MEETING WITH PROCLAMATIONS.
OKAY, SO THERE AREN'T ANY ON THIS DATE, AND WE WILL NOW MOVE TO SPEAKERS AND WHICH THERE AREN'T ANY AS WELL.
AM I CORRECT? CITY SECRETARY? YES, SIR.
[III. B.(1) A Presentation By Paula Lowe Of Pattillo, Brown and Hill Regarding FY2021, FY2022 And FY2023 Audits (Part 1 of 2)]
WHICH IS PRESENTATIONS, AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION BY MS. PAULA LOWE, PATILLO BROWN AND HILL, REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021, FISCAL YEAR 2022, AND FISCAL YEAR 2023 AUDITS.[00:05:03]
AT THIS TIME.AS MENTIONED, I'M PAULA LAU WITH PATELLA BROWN HILL, AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
UM, IN ORDER TO PRESENT TO YOU, UH, THREE YEARS OF, UM, AUDIT FOR, UM, 21, 22, AND 23.
UM, JUST WANTED TO TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION ITEMS THIS MORNING.
UH, WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT, UM, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE AUDIT RESULTS WITH, WITH YOU, UM, DISCUSS SOME OF THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN OPEN IT TO THE VERY END, UH, FOR ANY TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AS WELL.
BUT AT ANY POINT IN TIME, IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO TO GO AHEAD AND STOP ME, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AS WELL.
SO, UM, JUST IN REGARDS, UM, AN OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT, WANNA PROVIDE YOU, UH, WITH, WITH WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE AUDIT IS, KIND OF WHAT THE PURPOSE IS, UM, OF THE ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
UM, THE PURPOSE IS, OR THE SCOPE IS BASICALLY THE, THE CITY AND ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE A SET OF RULES THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH.
UM, AND YOU GOT, THE CITY COUNCIL HIRES US AS AUDITORS TO COME IN AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GUIDELINES ARE BEING FOLLOWED AND THAT INFORMATION IS BEING PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE RULES WITHIN A MATERIAL RESPECT.
AND AS A PART OF THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THESE INF THIS INFORMATION IS PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT MANNER, WHAT WE DO IS WE ALSO LOOK AT CONTROLS, LOOK AT PROCESSES, LOOK AT HOW INFORMATION IS FUNNELED IN, IN, UM, TO THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, UH, FOR THE CITY AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT PROCESS, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO YOU, UM, IF THERE SOME CORONA CONTROLS OR PROCESSES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY, UM, AREN'T IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS GETTING TO YOU, UM, WITHIN A MATERIALLY BEING MATERIALLY CORRECT, THEN WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AS WELL AND PRESENT THOSE AS FINDINGS.
UM, BUT US AS AUDITORS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO THEN GIVE AN OPINION ON THE SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT YOU DO HAVE, UM, PROVIDED WITH YOU TODAY.
AND, UM, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT, UM, WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AS AUDITORS AND WHAT THE SCOPE IS OF THE ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
UM, THE AUDIT RESULTS, UM, YOU HAVE, WE'RE PRESENTING, UM, THREE YEARS OF INFORMATION, UM, FISCAL YEAR 20, 21, 22.
BOTH OF THOSE HAVE BEEN FINALIZED AND WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF WRAPPING UP THE 23 AUDIT.
UM, WE, AND THE PIECE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WRAP UP IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE SINGLE AUDIT SECTION.
UM, AND WE'LL GO IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL OF WHAT THAT SINGLE AUDIT SECTION IS AS WELL.
BUT THE, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AS YOU SEE THEM FOR 21, 22, THOSE ARE FINAL AS WELL AS THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORTS WITHIN THE 23 REPORT IS STILL IN A DRAFT PHASE, JUST IN CASE, UM, AS WE ARE FINISHING UP THE GRANT PIECE AND MAKING SURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS IS DONE, THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT HAPPENING, BUT THAT'S WHY THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED JUST YET.
UM, BUT AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE ART RESULTS, UH, FOR 23, THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE THE END RESULTS, UM, TO BE AND DON'T REALLY ANTICIPATE THAT CHANGING, UM, AS WELL.
BUT, UM, AS JUST A REMINDER, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, THE SINGLE ART REPORT, THAT INFORMATION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY AS OF MANAGEMENT AND US AS AUDITORS ARE COMING IN, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS MATERIALLY CORRECT AS WELL.
AND WE DO FOR 21 AND 23, WE HAVE FINALIZED THOSE, AS I MENTIONED, AND WE HAVE RENDERED AN UNMODIFIED
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OPINION ON THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, MEANING THAT THEY ARE MATERIALLY CORRECT AND WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT BEING THE CASE WITH THE 23, UM, FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT AS WELL.UM, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, UM, THE SINGLE AUDIT WE DID WAS THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, AND THERE'S ALSO, UM, A SINGLE AUDIT, THE SINGLE AUDIT.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT THAT IS, IS WHEN AN ENTITY DOES SPEND MORE THAN $750,000 OF FEDERAL AWARDS, UM, IT KICKS OFF ANOTHER COMPLIANCE ENGAGEMENT FOR US, UM, IN THE END.
AND ALSO TOO, IF THEY'RE SPENDING MORE THAN $750,000 OF STATE AWARDS, THAT ALSO KICKS OFF, UH, A COMPLIANCE ENGAGEMENT FOR THOSE PARTICULAR AWARDS AS WELL.
NOW, THIS ENTITY FOR 21 AND 23 DID NOT SPEND MORE THAN $750,000 OF STATE AWARDS.
SO A STATE SINGLE AUDIT WAS NOT REQUIRED FOR THOSE TWO YEARS.
UM, BUT FOR, UM, 21 AND 23 THAT, UH, THAT ONE'S FINALIZED, WE WERE ABLE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING AND DID, WERE ABLE TO RENDER AN UNMODIFIED OPINION FOR THE FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT.
NOW, FOR THE 23 SINGLE AUDIT, UM, WE HAD TO DO A STATE AND A FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT FOR THE ENTITY THIS YEAR.
THE ENTITY DID SPEND, THE CITY DID SPEND MORE THAN $750,000 OF STATE AWARDS THIS YEAR AS WELL.
UH, WE ARE GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING, UM, STILL LOOKING THROUGH SOME INFORMATION FOR THE GRANTS, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL AND STATE SINGLE AUDIT.
AND, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE A, A CLEAN OPINION AND UNMODIFIED OPINION THERE AS WELL.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON, UM, THE SLIDE, THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL AWARDS THAT WERE EXPENDED BY THE ENTITY, ALMOST 20 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, AND ALL OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
SO THERE'S FIVE OR FIVE TO SEVEN PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE.
UM, SO LOOKING MORE INTO, UM, THE AUDIT RESULTS, UM, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU IN THE VERY BEGINNING, KINDA THE SCOPE OF THE AUDIT ALSO INCLUDED, UH, REPORTING TO YOU ANY TYPE OF FINDINGS THAT WE HAD OR, UM, CONTROLS AND PROCESSES THAT WE COULD, WE FELT LIKE, UM, COULD BE IMPROVED, UM, HERE AT THE CITY.
UM, ONE OF THEM YOU SEE THERE AT THE VERY TOP FOR THE SINGLE LAW REPORT IS REGARDS TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT PIECE, NOT THE, THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE IN REGARDS TO COMPLIANCE.
BUT, UM, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT PIECE IS, UM, WHERE WE DID ARE WE ARE REPORTING AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS AND HAVE BEEN REPORTING THAT MATERIAL WEAKNESS IN 21, 22, AND THEN 23 AS WELL.
AND IT'S, UM, I MEAN, ONE OF THE BIG PIECES IS, UM, LOOKING AT BANK RECONCILIATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER, UH, RECONCILING A LOT OF THE, THE BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTS, LOOKING AT, UH, THE REVENUES AND EXPENSES, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE COMPLETE, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN A TIMELY MANNER BECAUSE YOU, UM, THE COUNCIL AND, UM, THE CITIZENS NEED THIS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS TIMELY.
NOW, WITH THAT, I SAY THAT NOW, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING ONCE ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, UM, DID GET COMPLETED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO IN AND LOOK AT THEM AND TEST THEM AND GET COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO SEE IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT IT'S MATERIALLY, UM, COMPLETE AND ACCURATE.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE SINGLE AUDIT PIECE, THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, UM, THE TRANSIT PROGRAM, UM, THERE WE HAVE A, UM, MATERIAL WEAKNESS OR A FINDING THAT WE WANTED TO, TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AS WELL.
AND IT'S PRIMARILY WITH, UM, THE REPORTING PIECE, UM, GETTING, UM, REQUESTING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE GRANTING AGENCY AND MAKING SURE THAT'S DONE TIMELY.
IT'S NOT, UM, 'CAUSE THAT DOES AFFECT THE CASH FLOW OF THE CITY AS WELL.
UH, OTHERWISE THE CITY IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS TRANSIT PROGRAM ALL UPFRONT.
AND THEN, UM, THEN EVENTUALLY, UH, WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO, UM, THEN GETTING REIMBURSEMENT AND, AND HELPING OUT WITH, WITH CASH FLOW FOR THAT.
AND NOW I CAN TURN TO SOME OF THE, THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS, UM, OF THE CITY, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, WE'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
I WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UM, THE TWO MAJOR FUNDS, UM, HERE AT THE CITY.
UM, OPERATIONAL FUNDS, UH, ONE, THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN THE WATER AND SEWER FUND AS WELL.
AND LOOKING HERE AT THE, THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, UH, WE HAVE A GRAPH THAT DOES SHOW ALL THREE YEARS, AND YOU CAN SEE, UM,
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A STEADY DECLINE THERE IN YOUR UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION AND CASH AS WELL.NOW, THE MIDDLE GRAPH, UM, THAT IS PRIMARILY RESTRICTED CASH BOND MONEY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YOU DO HAVE A HIGHER DOLLAR AMOUNT THERE THAN YOU ARE SPENDING IT DOWN, WHICH IS COMPLETELY REASONABLE SEEING, I MEAN, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ISSUING BONDS, YOU'RE ISSUING THEM FROM PROJECTS TO, UM, BUILD AND MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, HERE AT THE CITY.
BUT, UM, THE MORE, UM, THE MORE THE ITEM ON THE LEFT THAT YOU SEE THERE, IT'S, UM, UM, JUST CASH, UM, THERE IN GENERAL.
AND IT, IT STARTS, IT'S IN THE, IT'S IN THE NEGATIVE FOR THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, AS I MENTIONED, I WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UH, THE GENERAL FUND.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, I HAVE THREE YEAR, THREE YEARS OF INFORMATION AS WELL.
UM, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT JUST, UH, THE ENDING FUND BALANCE, IT, IT'S HOLDING GOODS OWN.
IT, UM, LOOKS LIKE, UM, A, A GOOD BALANCE.
YOU KNOW, HAVING THREE TO FOUR MONTHS OF FUND BALANCE IS KIND OF WHAT HAS BEEN, UM, UH, KIND OF A GOOD, A GOOD GUIDELINE FOR EVERYONE.
BUT ONCE YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE BALANCE SHEET FOR A SNAPSHOT IN TIME AS A SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023, YOU CAN SEE CASH IN THE GENERAL FUND IS, UM, JUST SHY OF, UM, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $300,000.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE OTHER FUNDS THAT, UM, HAVE SPENT ALL OF THIS CASH.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, WHAT WE REFER TO IS DUE TO ONE FROM DUE TOS AND DUE FROMS FROM OTHER FUNDS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE CAPTIONS IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS WELL.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
UH, MS. LOW, IF YOU WILL, IT'S NOW 10:00 AM AND WE'VE GOT TO GO INTO, UH, A PUBLIC MEETING, PUBLIC, UH, HEARING.
BUT WHAT WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO, JUST TAKE A SEAT AND THEN WE CAN COMPLETE GET BACK TO THIS LAST PAGE AND GET TO THE DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT YOU'VE REPORTED TO US OKAY.
AS SOON AS WE COMPLETE THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
OKAY, WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU IN A MOMENT.
[IV. (1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments And To Discuss The Following: Z24-07 Investar, Inc. – To Consider Granting A Specific Use Permit For 2.760-Acres Of Land Consisting Of Lot 2, Ravello Land, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas. (4997 North Twin City Highway, Suite #170) A Precise Drawing And Description Of This Property Will Also Be Presented At The Public Hearing And Can Be Examined In The City Planning Department, City Hall, Port Arthur, Texas If You Cannot Attend The Meeting You May Send A Letter To The Planning Director, City Of Port Arthur, 444 Fourth Street, Planning Department Third Floor, Port Arthur, Texas 77641. If There Are Additional Questions You May Contact The Planning Department At (409) 983-8133 The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City’s Website At www.portarthurtx.gov]
UH, WE WILL, UH, MOVE TO ROMAN NUMER FOUR ON PAGE TWO, WHICH IS PUBLIC HEARING, AND IT IS NOW 10:00 AM AND IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, UH, AND TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING, UH, FIRST WOULD BE Z 24 DASH OH SEVEN INVESTOR, UH, INCORPORATED TO CONSIDER GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR 2.8 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT TWO, UH, REVELO LAND, PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, MORE PARTICULARLY 49 97 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY, SUITE 1 7 0.A PRECISE DRAWING AND DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROPERTY WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND CAN BE EXAMINED IN THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT HERE AT CITY HALL IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THIS MEETING, YOU MAY SEND THE LETTER TO THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, 4 44 FOURTH STREET PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THIRD FLOOR, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 7 7 6 4 1.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, YOU MAY CONTACT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 3.
AND THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS PUBLIC HEARING OR AT OUR, ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
AND WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6.03 E OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE AND CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.760 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT TWO REVELO LAND, PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 4 9 9 7 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO SEEK THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL ZONE DISTRICT FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AMUSEMENT GAME ROOM.
A COMPLETED APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON AUGUST 12TH, 2024, REQUESTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROPERTY.
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THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE USE TYPE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION OF A LEGALLY CONFORMING USE AT THIS LOCATION.PUBLIC NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE PROPOSED SITE ON AUGUST 23RD, 2024, AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON AUGUST 24TH, 2024.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2024, INVITING CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED TO ONE, RECOMMENDING THE REQUEST BE DENIED ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2024.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH 3 97, CALLING FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE PUBLISHED A PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 2024, AS WELL AS PREPARED AND MAILED NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL, RETAIL DISTRICT, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE FOR LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL ACTIVITIES.
THESE LOCATIONS ARE TYPICALLY ALONG MAJOR THOROUGHFARES AND HIGHWAYS.
THE PROPOSED ZONING IS FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AMUSEMENT GAMING SITE.
THE SITE LOCATION IS ADJACENT TO THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, SOUTHEAST, AND WEST.
THIS IS AN AREA VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE PROPOSED LOCATION PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LOCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS TWO 11.006 AND TWO 11.007.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SEPTEMBER 23RD WITH THE PLAN AND ZONING OF COMMISSION, THERE WERE ZERO WRITTEN OPPOSITION, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITION, ZERO LETTERS RETURNED.
AND ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, TODAY WITH CITY COUNCIL, ZERO WRITTEN, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITIONS AND ZERO LETTERS RETURNED.
SECTION TWO 11 DASH OH SIX F OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT A CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE OR DENY THE PROPOSED MATTER BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.
THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION DENIED THE ABOVE-MENTIONED REQUEST.
THEREFORE, A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
UH, DID WE GET ANY TYPE OF, UH, OPINION ON WHY THE PLANNING IS ONLY DISAPPROVED IT? YOU SAID TWO ONE VOTE, RIGHT? THEY DENIED IT.
DID THEY STATE WHY? UM, THEY DID HAVE THEIR OPINIONS.
UM, THE COMMISSIONERS SAID, I CAN'T QUOTE THEM VER VERBATIM, BUT THEY DID EXPRESS THAT IT'S, THEY DON'T LIKE 'EM IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT BRINGS ANYTHING GREAT TO THE COMMUNITY.
COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT IN THE COMMUNITY? THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S HEALTHY FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO, AND THEY DON'T THINK IT BRINGS ANY GOOD TO THE COMMUNITY, SO THEY WOULD LIKE TO DENY THE REQUEST.
AND THAT IS THE ENTRYWAY TO WALMART, RIGHT? THAT'S ONE OF THOSE LITTLE OUTLET STORES, I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY? YES, SIR.
THAT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT? UH, BECKHAM.
AND IT IS A GAME ROOM, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU SAID, I, YOU STATED THERE WAS ZERO RESPONSE THAT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY 200 FOOT RAIDERS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
SO IT HAS A GREATER IMPACT UP ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, ON OUR ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, UH, AND DAS.
IT HAS A GREATER IMPACT, BUT THE RESPONSE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, IT WAS 200 FOOT RAIDERS.
AND WE GOT ENOUGH OF THOSE GAME ROOMS HERE AND, AND WE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH 'EM, AND THEY, AND THEY GOT COMPLETELY OUTTA HAND.
SOMEBODY TOOK SOME SIDE ACTION TO GET THESE THINGS APPROVED STATEWIDE, AND MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE TO GET THE, THE, UH, FBI INVOLVED
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TO, TO TRY TO GET THEM TO, UM, STAY ENFORCEMENT.IT STARTED OUT SUPPOSED TO BE GIFTS.
OKAY? NOW ALL KINDS OF MONEY IS PASSED AROUND.
I HAVE GOTTEN CALLS IN THE PAST THAT I WON $5,000 AND THEY WON'T PAY ME.
THAT'S A, THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF I'VE BEEN BEEN GETTING.
SO TO REALLY GET 'EM AND SHUT 'EM DOWN, THEY GOTTA GET 'EM UNDER THE ORGANIZED CRIME ACT.
MAY I APPROACH YOU? THANK YOU.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WITH THIS BECAUSE THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE WANTING TO COME IN AND PUT THESE GAME ROOMS IN, KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY DID THIS WHERE THERE'S NO RESIDENCES AROUND IT.
SO THE OWNERS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE NOTIFIED ARE THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO THE STRIP SHOPPING CENTER, CASA OLE WALMART, THEY ALL GOT NOTICES, BUT GUESS WHAT? THEY DON'T LIVE HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S, WHAT'S GONNA COME.
SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND WATCH THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN WANTING TO DO THIS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW IF THEY TRY TO PUT IT IN A LITTLE STRIP SHOPPING CENTER OR AN OLD GAS STATION OR WHATEVER, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE RESIDENCES AROUND.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND WANNA SPEAK AGAINST IT.
I, I WAS HOPING THAT WE'D HAVE SOME RESIDENCES COME AND SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE TO DO THAT.
SO WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH THIS.
UH, NOW, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT, IT, THIS IS FOR A GAME ROOM SPECIFIC USE OF, OF PERMIT, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
AS FOR A GAME ROOM AND IN, IN IN GAMING IN TEXAS, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EXCHANGE CASH, AM I CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I LOOK AT IT, UH, AS, AS A VIABLE BUSINESS, IF YOU HANDLE THE BUSINESS, THE WAY THE LAWS ARE WRITTEN NOW, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THOSE WHO OWN THE BUSINESSES TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS IN A LAWFUL MANNER.
YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS WHAT I SAY, AND, UH, UNLESS THE STATE CHANGES ITS GAMING LAWS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF, UH, FACILITIES IN COMMUNITIES.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCIL PERSON IS SAYING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL CALLING THE COUNCIL PERSON SAYING, I WON $5,000, BUT YOU NEED TO GO TO LOUISIANA IF YOU WANT TO WIN CASH.
RIGHT? IF YOU GO IN THERE, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
IF THEY ARE BE CONDUCTED IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO LEGISLATIVE, UH, RULES AND LAWS.
AM I CORRECT, UH, CITY ATTORNEY ON THAT? I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT, THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO THINK, OR I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SAID ABOUT THE CITY THAT WE JUST ARE UNFAVORABLE TOWARD CERTAIN BUSINESSES.
IF A MASSAGE PARLOR IS, IF THEY PERFORM THE CORRECT MASSAGES AS A MASSEUSE AND NOT AS SOME OTHER TYPE OF ENTITY, THEN YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOOD.
IF THE GAME ROOMS ARE STRICTLY FOR GAMING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO LIKE TO PLAY GAMES, THEN THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
BUT WHEN WE GET OUTSIDE OF THE RULES OF LAW, RIGHT? THEN THIS'S WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN, AND, UH, I CAN UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THIS COUNCIL TO EITHER, EITHER, UH, APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE.
I WOULD WANT TO APPROVE A BUSINESS, AND I MAY DIFFER WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
NOW, THE WAY THEY OPERATE THIS BUSINESS, THAT'S GOING TO BE UPON, AS COUNCILMAN SAID, THE FEDERAL STATE, AND EVEN THE CITY, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE SURE THAT IT IS DONE PROPERLY AND CORRECTLY.
BUT NOT THEY SAY THEY WERE GONNA DO ANYTHING BESIDES WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA BE PREJUDICED AGAINST A BUSINESS PERSON.
SO, UH, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO REALLY GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO KEEP A PERSON FROM MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN A BUSINESS THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY RUN IT A PROPER WAY.
MAYOR, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR COMMENTS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LEGISLATE MORALITY.
[00:30:01]
HAVE SEEN, UH, IN THE PAST, I THINK, UH, GUIDES US, UH, FOR OUR FUTURE DECISIONS.AND SO, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, THAT WE KNOW WHAT GAME ROOMS HAVE BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW WHAT GAME ROOMS, UH, HAVE, UM, HOW THEY HAVE OPERATED, UH, IN THE PAST.
AND SO I, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF ANY MORE GAME ROOMS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR MAYOR.
OKAY, WELL, WHICH ONE I SPOKE FIRST.
UH, MAYOR AND I, I, I UNDERSTAND YOU.
WE, WE DON'T WANT TO TURN AWAY BUSINESSES, AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
BUT WHEN WE TYPE UP A TYPE OF BUSINESS LIKE THIS THAT CAUSE A LOT OF HAVOC WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AT ALL WAGE IN SOME OCCASIONS GET ROBBED AND NOT REPORT BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVING OUT CASH MONEY.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE GAME ROOMS. AND AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE IN SUPPORT OF ANY MORE GAME ROOMS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE THEY KNOW TO COME TO THESE LOW INCOME, UH, COMMUNITIES SET UP, HAVE THESE GAME ROOMS, AND IT'S HARD ENOUGH WITHOUT THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESS.
SO I'M NOT BEING PREJUDICED, I'M JUST BEING CAREFUL HOW WE SELECT THE BUSINESSES THAT COME HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO AT THIS POINT, I, I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF ANY MORE GAME ROOMS. OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO FOLLOWING OUR ORDINANCE.
UH, WHAT THE MAYOR SAID IS, UH, NORMALLY WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ORDINANCE THAT ALLOW, UH, PEOPLE TO CONSTRUCT CERTAIN BUSINESSES AND, UH, BUILD HOMES IN CERTAIN AREAS.
IT'S, IT'S ALREADY, UH, DESIGNATED.
AND, UH, THOSE ZONES ARE DESIGNATED TO TRY TO KEEP US INTO AN AREA WHEREBY WE HAVE BUSINESS IN BUSINESSES, RESIDENTIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, SO THAT THERE'S NO INTRUSION ON EITHER ONE.
UH, THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR REQUEST FOR REZONING, THAT IS A TIME WHEN SOMEONE ASKS THE COUNCIL TO AMEND WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
OKAY? IF THE GAME ROOM WAS IN A PLACE WHEREBY IT WAS ALL OKAY WITH WHAT'S WRITTEN, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BEFORE US AND ASK PERMISSION FOR NOTHING.
THEY WOULD GO BEFORE PLANNING AND ZONING.
IT'LL BE APPROVED BY PLANNING AND ZONING, AND THEN EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.
PLANNING AND ZONING IS A BOARD THAT IS SELECTED BY, MANDATED BY THE STATE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLANNING, ZONING.
BOARD PLANNING AND ZONING ARE, IS GOVERNED BY THE STATE.
THEY CARRY OUT WHAT THE STATE SAYS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT NOTHING THAT I THINK IS, IS, UH, THAT COMPLICATED.
YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COME TIMES FOR THEM TO US TO GIVE SPECIAL USE PERMITS OR TO REZONE, I THINK THAT IS THE TIME WHEN HE, WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY NO AND ENFORCE WHAT'S IN PLACE.
I'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT ON THIS COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU BUY PROPERTY, YOU KNOW WHAT IT ZONE, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU BUILD IN IT, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH IT.
BUT TOO, TOO MANY TIME PEOPLE IN THIS CITY ARE BUYING PROPERTY AND THEN WANT TO COME AND ACCESS TO CHANGE IT, TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT THEY WANT.
AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE AS COUNSEL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK OUR TOOL TO HELP US DECIDE THIS IS NOT HOW WE AS COUNCIL FEEL, BUT FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES OF OUR STATE MANDATED PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
AND I THINK WHEN THEY VOTED TWO TO ONE, THEY KEPT IN MIND WHAT THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY WAS IN RESPECT TO THE LAW AND ALSO SERVING HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
WE JUST, IN FACT, GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE START ALTERING WHAT WE HAVE WRITTEN TO SATISFY ANY PARTICULAR BUSINESS OR PERSON.
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHAT'S, WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN THEY PASS THE GAME ROOM.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS GOT OTHER REASONS, INFLUENCE
[00:35:01]
THE LOBBYISTS AND INFLUENCE THEM, WIND AND D THEM, AND THEY'LL GO ALONG WITH MOSTLY ANYTHING.THEY TAKE THE, THEY TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM THE LOCAL PEOPLE.
BUT THANK GOD WE HAVE PLANNING, WE HAVE ZONING.
IT'S, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW OBVIOUS IT IS THAT THE GAME ROOM IS MORE CORRUPT THAN THE BINGO HALL.
YOU NOTICE SINCE THEY PUT IN THE GAME, BROUGHT IN GAMING, BINGO HAS DIMINISHED.
YOU NOTICE THAT USED TO BE THE V THE VFW HALL BE CROWDED CARS EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE THROUGH.
BUT WHEN THE GAME GAMING CAME IN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY MORE LUCRATIVE TO GO TO LEAVE THE BINGO PENS ALONE AND GO TO THE GAME ROOM.
SO IT IS PRETTY OBVIOUS MONEY IS CHANGING HANDS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? MM.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.
MAYOR, IT HAS BEEN MOVED A SECOND.
AND WE WOULD CLOSE THE FIRST, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:19 PM WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSE US? I THAT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
[IV. (2) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments And To Discuss The Following: Z24-08 Dewyvile Oil Company – To Consider Granting A Specific Use Permit For .4993-Acres Of Land Consisting Of Lot 8, Block 6, Range G, Port Arthur Land Company, Jefferson County, Texas (3949 North Twin City Highway) A Precise Drawing And Description Of This Property Will Also Be Presented At The Public Hearing And Can Be Examined In The City Planning Department, City Hall, Port Arthur, Texas If You Cannot Attend The Meeting You May Send A Letter To The Planning Director, City Of Port Arthur, 444 Fourth Street, Planning Department Third Floor, Port Arthur, Texas 77641. If There Are Additional Questions You May Contact The Planning Department At (409) 983-8133 The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City’s Website At www.portarthurtx.gov]
THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:19 AM ON THIS DATE.IT STATES HERE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, AS FOR THE PURPOSE, AGAIN, OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND TO, UH, DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING, Z 24 DASH ZERO EIGHT, THAT'S STEWARTVILLE OIL COMPANY TO CONSIDER GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR 0.5 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT EIGHT, BLOCK SIX RANGE G PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS 39 49 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
A PRECISE DRAWING AND DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROPERTY WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND CAN BE EXAMINED IN THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT HERE AT CITY HALL IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY SEND A LETTER TO THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, 4 44 FOURTH STREET PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THIRD FLOOR, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 7 7 6 4 1.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, YOU MAY CONTACT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 3 3.
THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE, UH, ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
MAY CONTINUE, MS. MILO? YES, SIR.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6.03 E OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE AND CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.4993 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT EIGHT BLOCK SIX RANGE G PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 3 9 9 4 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO SEEK THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL ZONE DISTRICT FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AMUSEMENT GAME ROOM.
A COMPLETED APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON OR AROUND AUGUST 12TH, 2024, REQUESTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROPERTY.
THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE USE TYPE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION OF AND LEGALLY A LEGALLY CONFORMING USE AT SAID LOCATION.
PUBLIC NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE PROPOSED SITE ON AUGUST 23RD, 2024, AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON AUGUST 24TH, 2024.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2024, INVITING CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED THREE ZERO, RECOMMENDING THE REQUEST BE DENIED.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH 3 98, CALLING FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE PUBLISHED A PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 2024, AS WELL AS PREPARED IN MAIL NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL ZONE DISTRICT, AND
[00:40:01]
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE FOR LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL ACTIVITIES.THESE LOCATIONS ARE TYPICALLY ALONG MAJOR THOROUGHFARES AND HIGHWAYS.
THE PROPOSED ZONING IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AMUSEMENT GAMING SITE.
THE SITE LOCATION IS ADJACENT TO THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT TO THE SOUTH AND WEST, AND NORTH IS NOT LO IS LOCATED AND THE NORTH IS LOCATED, IS NOT LOCATED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JURISDICTION.
THIS IS AN AREA VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A, A VIEW OF THE ACTUAL LOCATION, VIEW OF PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS TWO 11.006 AND TWO 11.007.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, THE PLANNING IS ZONING COMMISSION.
THERE WAS ZERO WRITTEN OPPOSITION, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITION, AND NO LETTERS RETURNED.
AND DECEMBER 3RD, 2024 FOR CITY COUNCIL TODAY, ZERO WRITTEN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY VERBAL SO FAR AND NO LETTERS RETURNED.
UH, SECTION TWO 11 DASH OH OH SIX F OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT A CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE OR DENY THE PROPOSED MATTER BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DENIED THE ABOVE MITCHELL REQUEST.
THEREFORE, A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
UH, MAY I APPROACH HIM? IS THIS THE PROPERTY THAT'S ON THE CORNER OF 39TH STREET IN TWIN CITY? YES, MA'AM.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE RACEWAY.
MM-HMM,
ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FUNERAL HOME.
I HAVE THE, THE SAME COMMENTS AS BEFORE.
MAYOR, WE HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION.
AND SO I THINK ALL THE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THIS HEARING.
SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE HEARING SECOND ON THIS ONE.
IT'S BEEN MOVING SECOND, AND WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING READY FOR QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING A AYE.
THE EPISODE IS ORDERED AT 10:26 AM WE WILL CLOSE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
SO MS. MALOW, NOW WE WILL RESUME
[III. B.(1) A Presentation By Paula Lowe Of Pattillo, Brown and Hill Regarding FY2021, FY2022 And FY2023 Audits (Part 2 of 2)]
OUR NORMAL, UH, PROCEEDINGS HERE AND, UH, WE WERE AT PRESENTATIONS NUMBER ONE AND WE WERE ON THE FINAL PAGE OF YOUR PRINTED PRESENTATION.UM, THIS POINT IN TIME, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO SEE IF YOU, UM, HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, MAKE UP SOME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, UM, APPRECIATE, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, THESE LOVELY LADIES THAT YOU HAVE, UM, HERE AT, UM, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS WELL.
SO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND, UH, MOVING THE CITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO, I WANNA REFER BACK TO THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
YOU MADE MENTION OF THE FIRST TWO COLUMNS.
CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE US SOME INSIGHT IN THE THIRD COLUMN? YES.
THE THIRD COLUMN IS, UM, UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION.
SO IT'S, UM, BASICALLY ON YOUR BALANCE SHEET FOR, UM, THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR, UM, ASSETS, UM, LIABILITIES.
AND THEN, SO AT THE END IT LEAVES YOU WITH WHAT IS UN UH, YOUR NET POSITION ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
AND, UM, DEBT POSITION IS BROKE OUT INTO THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
ONE OF THEM IS, UM, INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS, WHICH THAT PIECE TAKES ALL OF YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS MINUS THE LONG TERM DEBT, AND, UH, LEAVES YOU WITH, UM, A PORTION OF NET POSITION.
BUT THEN AT THE VERY END, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ENTITY HAS LEFT OVER WHAT IS UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION.
UM, AND, AND HERE AT THIS PARTICULAR CITY, IT IS A DEFICIT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE, DOES THAT HELP OUT? IT IS.
AND DO YOU GIVE AN OPINION? UM, DO YOU GIVE AN OPINION ABOUT THAT AS A FIRM? UM, SO, BUT BASICALLY, I MEAN, THAT IS, I MEAN,
[00:45:01]
IT HAS BEEN REDUCED KIND OF A MIRRORING, UM, WITH YOUR CASH POSITION AS WELL HERE AT THE CITY.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THE FIRST BEING, UH, ONE OF THE THING THAT YOU HAD SINGLED OUT FOR NON-COMPLIANCE IS A FEDERAL TRANSIT PROGRAM THAT'S, UH, QUITE A BIT OF GRANTS WE RECEIVE FROM THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THERE THAT WE BECOME NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR.
SO YOU SAID IT WAS TIMING OF REPORTS.
SO GIVE US A GOOD UNDERSTANDING AS COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE NON, UH, CPA QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
I THINK IT'S, UM, UH, MAKING SURE WE HAVE, UM, THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE PLACE AND TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UM, THOSE EXPONENTIAL REPORTS THAT REPORTING IS DONE TO THE GRANITE AGENCY IN A TIMELY MANNER.
ANOTHER ITEM THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, SEEMS VERY INTERESTING IS THE WATER AND SERVE FARM WITH SLOW SPENDING.
I THINK, UH, WE SAID WATER SERVE FARM, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF OUR GRANTS AND STUFF, I'M, I'M, I'M SEEING JUST FROM MY SIDE OVER HERE AS A COUNCILMAN, WE GET AWARDED, BUT IT'S A LONG TIME SPENDING.
AND IT'S, IT IS TO THE POINT HAS BECOME FRUSTRATING AND AGGRAVATING TO ME.
BUT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AUDIT NOW FOR 2021 AND 2022 AND 23 MM-HMM.
AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING CARRIED OVER AND OH, WELL, ALL WE ASKING FOR EXTENSIONS, YOU KNOW? YES.
AND, AND, UM, THAT IS, I HAVE NOT SEEN A SITUATION WHERE, UM, THE CITY HAS INTENDED TO SPEND GRANT MONEY AND THE GRANT AGENCY IS NOT PROVIDING THAT CASH EVENTUALLY TO THE CITY.
NOW, THE TIMING MIGHT BE NOT BE QUITE WHAT WE ALL WOULD LIKE, UM, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I, I HAVE NOT SEEN, UM, THAT SITUATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, REMARKS? OKAY.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE IN THIS.
AND THAT WAS IS, UH, UH, ONE THING WITH COUNCILMAN DUC SAID WAS ACTUALLY, UH, ASKING ABOUT THOSE, AND I LOOKED AT MATERIAL WEAKNESS, AND THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS.
SO THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I KNOW YOU'VE, UH, DISCUSSED WITH, WITH, WITH OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT HEAD OF IN YES.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY WORK ON.
UH, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE IN WORKING ON THIS.
I KNOW WHEN I CAME ON AS MAYOR IN 2019, WE WERE IN ARREARS ON REPORTING AND, AND, UH, I LEARNED THEN HOW THEY COULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR, UH, ABILITY FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION FOR THE GRANTING PROCESS FROM ANY FEDERAL AGENCY, BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, UH, ALMOST AS I PREPARE TO LEAVE, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR DILIGENCE, UH, UH, MAN AND, AND, AND THE FELLOW, UH, FIRM FOR COMING INTO CITY MANAGER, BEING SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE HANDLED SO THAT WE CAN BE
[00:50:01]
IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THESE FEDERAL THINGS, UH, UH, UH, REGULATIONS AND WHATEVER THAT HAPPENS IN WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH THE FINANCIALS, FINANCES OF OUR CITY.SO THIS, THIS ALMOST, I SEE IT, IT'S UP TO 2023.
AM I CORRECT? SO WE, WE ARE, WE ARE ABOUT, I THINK, UH, UH, LYNN, UH, WHERE, UH, PROBABLY IN YOUR INITIAL INTERVIEW THAT YOU TOLD THE CITY MANAGER YOU COULD DO IT.
WE, WE, WE, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE AND GETTING, GETTING OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
SO KINDLY, UH, MR. CO LEWIS, THIS LADIES ON NOW.
THE GRANT PROGRAM IS THE MONEY ALLOCATED FOR THE CITY, AND THEN THE CITY SPEND ITS OWN MONEY, THE DRAW DOWN AND DRAW DOWN.
THE CITY SPENDS ITS OWN, UH, MONEY FIRST.
AND THAT'S HOW A LOT OF GRANTS WORK.
IT'S ALLOCATED FIRST, AND THEN YOU, YOU COME UP WITH A PROGRAM TO HOW YOU GONNA SPEND THE MONEY AND THEN SUBMIT YOUR RE RECEIPTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEN YOU DRAW DOWN.
SO, SO BASICALLY THOUGH, YOU DETERMINE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY, THEN YOU SPEND IT AND THEN, UH, SHORTLY THEREAFTERWARDS TYPICALLY YOU DO RE UH, THE CITY ASKS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE GRANTING AGENCY AND THEN IT GETS REIMBURSED.
NOW, IF, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THE MONEY'S ALLOCATED THE CLOCK START TO RUN IT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THE MONEY GOES BACK, COME ON.
THAT TYPICALLY THAT IS CORRECT.
IT GOES BACK TO THE, TO THE POOL AND, AND SUBJECT TO COMP COMPETITION AND REALLOCATION TO OTHER, OTHER CITIES OR WHATEVER THAT, THAT, THAT THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT THERE IS A CASH FLOW THING THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE THE GRANNY AGENCIES ARE ALWAYS STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEND THAT MONEY YES.
SO YOU JUST KIND OF HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CASH FLOW AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WITH ALL THESE, UH, UH, BEHIND LATE AUDITS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, WE PUT THAT AT RISK.
YOU PUT, YOU PUT, UM, SOME AT RISK OF, UM, ONE NOT GETTING THE REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE GRANT AGENCY COULD SAY, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO FILE FOR THIS PARTICULAR REIMBURSEMENT WITHIN X AMOUNT OF TIMEFRAME, UM, BUT YOU DIDN'T, AND SO THE CITY COULD HAVE BEEN LIABLE FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A POSITION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR A GRANTS ACCOUNTANT.
THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER MS. HALEN WILLIAMS WORKED WITH MS. HELEN WILLIAMS, WHO WAS A GURU.
UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK MS. WILLIAMS FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO TO WORK WITH THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT.
BUT MS. HALEN WILLIAMS HAS NOW RETIRED, RETIRED
AND THAT IS REFLECTED ON 20 21, 22, AND 23.
UM, THE, OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR AND, UM, THE, UM, DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT, WE ARE WORKING FEVERISHLY BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE LOST AN INDIVIDUAL WITH OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND THAT'S ALL MS. HELEN DID.
SO FOR 35 YEARS, THAT'S ALL SHE DID.
AND I WAS COMPELLED TO BRING HER BACK.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOST, IT WAS THE BRAIN DRAIN.
YOU HAVE LOST THAT KNOWLEDGE BASE.
AND SO WE ARE FEVEROUSLY WORKING ON TRYING TO GET SOMEONE TO TRAIN THEM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK AND BUILD BACK THAT BEAST.
THAT WE HAVE LOST, YOU KNOW, AND CROSS TRAIN OTHER PEOPLE SO THAT WE DO NOT, AND AS YOU SO ELOQUENTLY SAID, THE PROBLEM IS IN DRAWDOWNS, IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE THE DRAWDOWNS ON TIME, IT HAS AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOUR CASH FLOW.
YOU'RE NOT REPLENISHING IT AS QUICK AS IT SHOULD BE.
THAT, SO THAT'S THE, THE THING.
BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH IVAN AND THE OTHER, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THE CITY GETS ABOUT $20 MILLION A YEAR IN GRANTS.
AND, UM, A CITY THIS SIZE, I MEAN, YOU, UM, THE CITY DOES HAVE A LOT OF YES.
AND THAT'S JUST FEDERAL PROGRAMS. YES.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME, THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, SO HAVING SOMEONE, UM, THAT SPECIALIZES IN AND DOES THE GRANT MANAGEMENT YES.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, STRINGS THAT, UM, THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THESE DOLLARS.
AND, UM, ADHERING TO ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
[00:55:01]
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, ON THE FRONT LINE WANTING TO MAKE THESE PROGRAMS WORK AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THEY'RE PROGRAM PEOPLE.THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTANTS.
LIKE, UM, WHAT WE ARE AND KNOW THIS OTHER SIDE OF, UM, THE BALL GAME TOO.
AND SO HAVING THOSE PEOPLE IN PLACE, UM, IS, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AND TECHNICAL.
IT'S COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY, YES.
I MEAN, KIND OF LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING YOUR OWN TAX RETURNS.
I MEAN, AND THE RULES CHANGE ALL THE TIME.
THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE RULES.
SO SAYING, YOU KNOW, UP TO DATE THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE, UM, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND, AND THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT PA PIECE TO IT TOO.
WHEN YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHO KNOWS WHO TO CALL, YOU KNOW, THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND MISS HELEN HAD THAT AS AN EAST IN THE HOLE.
SHE KNEW WHO TO CALL IN WASHINGTON OR, OR, OR IN HOUSTON OR, OR DALLAS MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THE CHANGES, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
I JUST WANT TO ASSURE THE COUNCIL OF THAT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS BECAUSE IT'S 10 30 NOW.
SO I WOKE UP
SO I WOKE UP AND I GOT THE QUESTION NOW.
IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND HOW MUCH, RIGHT? SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE A HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH BECAUSE WHEN WE DIDN'T DO THE ONE YEAR AUDIT, YOU COME IN OR NOT YOU, ANY FIRM COME IN, YOU'RE DOING IT AFTER TWO YEARS, IT'S GONNA COST YOU MORE MONEY THAN IF YOU HAD DONE IT IN THE QUARTERS WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF DOING IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
YOU GOT SO MUCH STUFF NOW YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH TO GET TO WHERE YOU WANT.
SO THAT'S THE BIG THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS AND, AND THAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS BE ON TOP OF IN THE FUTURE, IS THAT THESE AUDIT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CONDUCTED AT THE END OF EACH PHYSICAL YEAR.
AND TO SAY THAT WE ARE THREE BEHIND THAT SAYS THAT WE HA WE HAVEN'T MET THE REQUIREMENTS.
ONE, TWO, IT SAYS THAT WE PAYING MORE TO HAVE OUR AUDITING DONE THAN WE WOULD IF WE HAD DONE THEM IN A REQUIRED TIME.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN CAUGHT UP, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE AS ELECTED FISHER, UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE ARTISTS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED EVERY YEAR.
AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING IS THE RESULTS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING NEED TO BE CORRECTED, WE COULD CORRECT, OR WE COULD FIX, AS OPPOSED TO GETTING A RESULTS VOICE THREE YEARS BACK.
SO WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH THAT.
BUT IT'S A COST, SO WE GOTTA REMEMBER, WE GOTTA DO THE AUDITS SO THAT IT DOESN'T COST THE TAXPAYERS AS MUCH TO DO THESE REQUIRED AUDITS.
A BETTER JOB IS MANAGING THAT MONEY.
SO THAT WAS MY BIG QUESTION I HAD, BUT I WAS STILL SLEEPING UNTIL THE COUNCILMAN PROLONGED THIS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, UH, WHEN THE FINANCE DIRECTOR CAME IN, SHE HAD A BIG TASK TO COME ON BOARD WITH THE, THE AUDITS AND, AND HOW FAR WE WERE BACK.
BUT I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR FAULT.
THAT'S STAFF AND THAT'S MANAGEMENT, THAT'S COUNCIL FAULT THAT WE WERE SO FAR BEHIND ON THESE AUDITS.
BUT I DO AGREE IT COMES WITH A MORE EXPENSIVE COST WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP AND THE CHECKS AND BALANCE OF, OF, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE FINANCES, HOW WE SPEND, WHAT WE SPENDING ON, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING IT FOR.
THOSE ARE THE MAJOR FACTORS THAT DICTATES TO THIS COUNCIL, BECAUSE THE COUNCIL IS ULTIMATELY, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCES.
SO, UH, WITHOUT HAVING THAT UP TO DATE, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF PUT THIS COUNCIL AT A DISADVANTAGE, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, UNDERSTANDING HOW WELL ARE WE SPENDING IN THE RATINGS THAT WE ARE GETTING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AT THE
[01:00:01]
END OF THE AUDIT YEAR.SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN STAY ON BOARD, CATCH UP, MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS STAFF AND CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE SHOULDN'T BE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS AGAIN, BECAUSE IT COSTS, AND IT ALSO PREVENTS THIS COUNCIL FROM MAKING THOSE EDUCATED AND QUALIFIED DECISIONS BASED UPON FINANCES.
UM, I'VE TURNED THIS LIGHT ON AND OFF, UH, A FEW TIMES, UH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER I WANTED TO, UM, GO DOWN THIS, UH, TRAIL.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR, LYNN, I'D LIKE TO HEAR THROUGH YOUR EYES AND YOUR VOICE TODAY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY, AS A COUNCIL.
SOME OF THE THINGS YOU, YOU TOOK ON A, A GARGANTUAN TASK.
YOU CAME TO OUR CITY AND YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, FROM MY OPINION AND FROM I BELIEVE, THE CONSENSUS OF THE COUNCIL.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU SAW IN THIS AUDIT THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL, AS A CITY, AS A STAFF, TO GET THIS RIGHT AND TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR CITY AND OUR, UH, CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN.
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EVEN GET THIS FAR WITHOUT MY RIGHT HAND PERSON.
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, ARIEL GIBBS, UH, THE TWO OF US, WE, WE MAKE A BANGIN TEAM.
AND, UH, WE, I THINK TOGETHER WE, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS.
THERE ARE SOME PROCESS ISSUES.
I, I, I CAN'T FAULT MY PREDECESSOR.
THE ISSUE HAS BEEN PUTTING IN A BRAND NEW SYSTEM WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PUSHING TO HAVE THE SYSTEM NO LONGER HERE.
SO WE ARE STILL CONTINUING KIND OF IN THE BLIND USING A SYSTEM.
WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS IT FEELS LIKE THE SOFTWARE'S BEEN CONTROLLING US.
MY GOAL IS TO CONTROL THE DOGGONE SOFTWARE.
I'M IN CONTROL OF THE SOFTWARE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND THERE.
THE PIECES BEEN JUST COOPERATION AND KNOWLEDGE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME I KNOW I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN PLAYING CATCH UP, AND BOTH ARIEL AND I HAVE SEEN SOME THINGS NOW THAT WE NEEDED TO DO BETTER.
IT'S INTERNAL TO FINANCE AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MORE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND GIVING THEM THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWER AND THE TOOLS TO BE IN CONTROL OF THEIR BUDGETS AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN THEIR FUNDS AND JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT DIFFERENCE.
SO FOR US, JUST MORE COMMUNICATION.
AND WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR COUNCIL, THIS IS FOR ME, A TRANSITION YEAR.
I, WE JUST NOW GOT THIS 23 AUDIT.
UH, ONCE IT'S FINALIZED, I REALLY HAVE TO EVALUATE WHAT HAPPENED IN 24.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH 24 RIGHT NOW.
AND JUST A, JUST A REQUEST FOR FOR GRACE AS I GO THROUGH THIS.
I AM VERY PARTICULAR, AS YOU MAY HAVE FOUND FROM ME, VERY PARTICULAR.
AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE CASH FLOW.
I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT HOW MUCH CASH WE HAVE IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE FUNDS.
I KNOW WHEN THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, THEY'LL SAY, HEY, I NEED TO SPEND THIS.
AND THE FIRST THING I SAY IS, HEY, WHERE'S MY GRANT MONEY? YOU OWE ME MONEY
SO IT'S JUST A LOT OF COMMUNICATION AND AGAIN, JUST ASKING FOR GRACE FOR THIS 25 FISCAL YEAR 26 IS GONNA BE GREAT.
AND THE REASON WHY 25 IS, UH, TRANSITION YEARS, JUST FINISHING THE AUDIT, JUST FIGURING OUT WHERE WE ACTUALLY ARE AND FINDING WHETHER OR NOT I'VE PROVIDED YOU WITH A AND THE CITY MANAGER WITH DECENT ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS GOING FORWARD ON OUR BUDGET BUDGETS AND OUR SPENDING, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CLEANING OUR HOUSE AND FINANCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AN OLD DEACON AT THE CATHEDRAL OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH, JOHN BURTON USED TO SAY, YOU JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THE D DUCK DOESN'T EAT THE DUCK.
AND, UM, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS, UM, THE GENERAL FUND, IT SEEMS TO BE SLIDING A LITTLE BIT THERE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT? THE PART THAT I HAVE CONCERN WAS THAT I, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE, WITH, WITH MS POLL, OUR AUDITOR, IS THAT WE ARE SUBSIDIZING SOME OF THESE FUNDS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE NEGATIVE.
AND IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH SOME OF OUR GRANTS.
AND JUST, AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION.
WE HAVE HIRED A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT AND GRANTS OFFICER IN OUR OWN DEPARTMENT TO GET A, A BIGGER, BETTER WRANGLE ON THIS.
THE CFA, THE SINGLE AUDIT SHOULD BE VERY EASY AND SIMPLE TO DO.
[01:05:01]
ALL OF ALL OF THESE, AND I WANNA GET BACK TO KIND OF WHAT I'M USED TO.AND THE ONLY ISSUE, REALLY, THERE ISN'T TOO MUCH OF AN ISSUE WITH THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU HAVE SET ASIDE, YOU SAID TWO MONTHS AND 1.5 MILLION, I BELIEVE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP WITH THAT.
AND SO WE ARE IN BETTER POSITION.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT GOES DOWN.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THEN YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY USING THE MONEY FOR WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE CITY.
IF YOU CONTINUALLY TO RAISE UP YOUR, I UNDERSTAND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A, A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, IS IN THE ENTERPRISE, THAT IS MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN THAT IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT ON A REGULAR BASIS WHERE I, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FUND RIGHT THERE.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? UH, YOU THE QUESTION FOR FINANCE LADY? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
THE ONE THAT KEEPS YOU IN LINE,
LOOK, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, HOW LONG YOU BEEN WITH US? UH, THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR.
YOUR WHAT? YOU MOVE CLOSER TO THE MIC AGAIN, PLEASE.
SO YOU GOT TWO MORE YEARS? THAT'S CORRECT.
TO HELP US OUT THOUGH, THAT'S THE ONLY LET THE COUNCIL KNOW IS, UH, IT'S A, WE, WE ROTATE 'EM EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO SHE GOT, SHE GONNA BE WITH US TWO MORE YEARS.
SO Y'ALL GET US GET A GOOD NIGHT REST.
AND JUST WANNA KEEP THE CITY COUNCIL INFORMED THAT, OF COURSE, TIMELY FILING OUR ANNUAL AUDITS IS GONNA BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE COMING IN SESSION IN JANUARY, AND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN SEEING THE BILLS THAT THEY FILED.
AND ONE OF THE BILLS IS CALLED SENATE BILL 4 27 4 27.
HE'S A SENATOR THAT REPRESENTS THE CORPUS CHRISTI AND THE MCALLEN AREA OF TEXAS.
AND HE HAS FILED A BILL SAYING THAT IF THE CITY FAILS TO FILE, IT'S REQUIRED IT ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT, THEN THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE GRANTS.
SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT BILL GOES, BUT, UM, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ON, ON TRACK NOW, AND THAT WE WILL REMAIN ON TRACK IN CASE THAT BILL FOLLOWED BY SENATOR HINOJOSA TAKES TRACTION.
AND THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER LIGHTS ON.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR CONTINUANCE, UH, IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
[III. B.(2) A Presentation By Construction Zone of Southeast Texas, LLC Regarding The Animal Shelter Building Construction (Requested By Councilmembers Kinlaw And Frank)]
TO THE NEXT ITEM IN, UH, NUMBER TWO IN, UH, UNDER ROMAN NUMBER THREE.AND NUMBER TWO IS A PRESENTATION BY CONSTRUCTION ZONE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS LLC REGARDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER CONSTRUCTION.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW, AND FRANK, AND YOU ALL MAY APPROACH.
I REPRESENT CONSTRUCTION ZONE, UH, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE NEW ANIMAL SERVICES PROJECT.
UH, I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU A STATUS REPORT.
UH, WITH ME TODAY IS TIM MEHAN, MY ON SITE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE BACK.
ALSO, KEVIN MAY, PROJECT EXECUTIVE FOR OUR, OUR COMPANY.
AND THEN PGL ARCHITECT PAUL BONNET.
UM, BEGINNING WITH PAGE THREE, DO I WORK THIS OR SOMEBODY ELSE WORKING IT? OKAY.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE IS WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER AS A, UM, TIMELINE OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS SINCE WE HIT THESE UNDERGROUND FOUNDATIONS FROM THE OLD ST.
AND WHAT WE TRIED TO ORIGINALLY SHOW IS JUST THESE, UH, ITEMS, UH, AS WE WENT ALONG.
UH, WE'VE ALSO ADDED TO THIS CHART
[01:10:01]
SOME WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME HOLES BETWEEN SOME OF THE WORK WE WERE DOING.UM, AND IT SHOWS THAT THERE WAS WORK BEING DONE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY HAVE RAINED THAT DAY.
UH, WE HAD SURVEYS OUT ON THE SITE.
WE HAD, UM, UH, PEOPLE OUT THERE DRAINING THE SITE.
SO THERE WAS ALWAYS WORK GOING ON DURING THIS TIME.
WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS, UH, CHART, WE PICK UP WHERE WE WERE GIVEN THE APPROVAL OR DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW FOUNDATION DESIGN.
WE HAVE GOT THE SITE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE, UH, ALL THE HOLES WERE DUG, AND WE HAVE FOUNDATION CREWS THAT ARE GONNA MOBILIZE THIS WEEK TO START THE CONCRETE WORK AGAIN.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THAT SCHEDULE THAT WE THOUGHT OF WHEN WE FIRST, UH, GOT STARTED BACK ON THE SITE.
UM, THE NEXT PAGE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, BREAKDOWN OF WHAT, UH, JUST TALKED ABOUT.
DARLENE WANTED US TO SHOW SOME PICTURES OF THE PROGRESS AS WE WENT ALONG.
OUR FIRST STEP, OBVIOUSLY WAS TO GET THE OLD FOUNDATIONS OUT OF THE WAY THAT WERE INTERFERING WITH OUR PAVING IN THE FRONT.
AND THIS NEXT PICTURE YOU CAN SEE IS OUR CONCRETE BREAKER MACHINE OUT ON SITE WORKING.
UH, THAT WAS A SEVEN DAY PROCESS TO GET 21 OF THESE FOUNDATIONS OUT.
THEY WERE HUGE, BUT HE DID, UH, A A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN HE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT, UH, WHEN HE HAD, UH, FIRST GOT STARTED.
UH, THE NEXT PICTURE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSE UP BEFORE THEY BROKE ONE OF THESE FOOTINGS OUT.
THE NEXT PICTURE IS SHOWING AFTER THE CONCRETE WAS REMOVED, IT WAS DISCOVERED ALSO AFTER WE REMOVED THESE FOUNDATIONS THAT WE HAD.
THE WATER TABLE WAS HIGH AND WATER WAS PUMPING FROM UNDERNEATH.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN SEVERAL OF THESE PICTURES.
SO ONCE WE PUMPED THE HOLES OUT, AND I, AND I WISH WE HAD THE VIDEO, UH, THAT SHOWED IT.
'CAUSE IT REALLY SHOWS A LOT BETTER, UH, VIEW OF WHAT WE WERE PULLING OUT OF THESE HOLES.
AFTER WE GOT THE WATER PUMPED OUT, WE GOT ALL THAT CLEANED OUT.
JUST SOME MORE PICTURES OF, OF, UH, THE AREA OF VIEW OF THE HOLES.
BUT YOU CAN, IT, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THAT YELLOWISH SUBSTANCE YOU SEE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HOSE IS THAT MUCK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE HAD TO DRY THAT OUT BEFORE WE COULD EVEN START PUTTING FIELD DIRT BACK IN THE HOLE.
AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW MORE PICTURES OF THOSE HOLES.
WE DID NOT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PICTURES OF THE, UH, HOLES AFTER THEY, UH, HAVE BEEN FILLED IN, BUT THEY ARE FILLED IN.
AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE ARE SCHEDULING A CONCRETE CREWS TO GET STARTED THIS WEEK.
WELL, I, I HAVE SOME PICTURES TOO.
I HAVE PICTURES WHERE IT'S, NOBODY'S WORKING.
AND I'VE MET TIM A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT TIMES.
I WENT OUT THERE, TOOK PHOTOS WHERE IT WAS NOBODY WORKING ON A SUNNY DAY, WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS AFTER THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, A MEETING AND A HALF AGO, UH, I MEAN, A MONTH AND A HALF AGO I SPOKE WITH, UH, UH, DARLENE.
THEY SAID THAT YOU WERE GONNA BE, WELL, THE COMPANY'S GONNA BE THERE ON MONDAY.
I SHOWED UP TWICE AROUND 10 O'CLOCK, AROUND TWO O'CLOCK.
I EVEN SPOKE WITH MR. TIM BACK THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
HE WAS WAITING ON THE CREW TO COME.
THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP UNTIL THREE O'CLOCK.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE, AND, AND WHAT I'M GONNA DISPUTE ME SHOW YOU THE PHOTOS, IT'S NOT TRUE.
AND THE REASON I PUT IT ON HERE IS TO FIGURE OUT WHY YOU'RE NOT WORKING.
THE POWER ALARMS. WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THAT TWO MONTHS AGO, TWO MONTHS AGO, AT LEAST OVER TWO MONTHS AGO.
AND I ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I THANK DERRICK COLLINS FOR SENDING THE PHOTOS.
I DID GET THESE PHOTOS AS WELL.
AND UH, UH, AND THAT WAS SHARED TO ME AND ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL ABOUT POLLENS ARE BEING REMOVED.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE SUNNY DAYS AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT WORKING, I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I WANTED, WHERE'S THE CONTRACT? CITY
[01:15:01]
MANAGER, WHERE'S THE CONTRACT THAT, UH, BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION ZONE? AND, UH, SO THAT CON IF YOU DON'T MIND, YEAH, YEAH, GO AHEAD.'CAUSE I ASKED FOR THAT, FOR THIS MEETING.
THAT CONTRACT HAS OVER 2000 PAGES.
WE SENT A LINK TO, UM, BECAUSE SOMEBODY WAS SUPPOSED TO GET BACK WITH THE COUNSELOR.
YOU LET US KNOW THAT IT'S TOO BIG TO SEND.
WE'RE TRYING TO SEND THAT TO YOU.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK IT OUT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON IT AND GET IT TO YOU.
AND MY POINT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALIBI DAYS ARE BUILT INTO CONTRACTS THAT WE UTILIZE.
AND I SPOKE WITH TIM ON THE SITE.
I JUST DON'T WANT AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT SAYING THAT WE NEED ALIBI DAYS TO, BECAUSE WE HADN'T FINISHED THIS PROJECT WHERE I KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, AND TIM KNOWS THAT THERE WAS MANY DAYS THAT YOU GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN WORKING, BUT, AND YOU HADN'T BEEN WORKING.
AND DANNY, ABOUT THE PYLONS, WE CAN ONLY SAY SO MUCH ABOUT THE PYLONS, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD DO? YOU TALKED ABOUT PUMPING WATER OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE SITES.
I CAME BACK ON FRIDAY, I SAW THE VEHICLES OUT THERE, UTILITY VEHICLES.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW, AND WHEN I GET THIS CONTRACT, I WANT TO KNOW FOR MYSELF THE AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT WE AGREED UPON THE COUNCIL.
NOBODY CAN EXTEND THE CONTRACT EXCEPT FOR THIS COUNCIL.
NO EXTENSIONS ON CONTRACTS EXCEPT FOR, BECAUSE THOSE ALIBI DAYS ARE BUILT IN THE CONTRACTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO START TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.
WE NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE AND CONTRACTORS AND BUSINESSES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CONTRACTS THAT WE SIGN.
SO WHEN I GO OUT THERE AND I PASSED THERE FOR TWO WEEKS AND NOBODY'S BEEN WORKING FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT, I CONTACT THE MANAGER.
I CONTACT, UH, DARLENE BACK THERE.
I TAKE PHOTOS BECAUSE IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T COME OUT THERE AND WORK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED AND, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WE SHOULD HAVE WITH CONTRACTORS AND BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, I'M UNHAPPY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
THAT'S HOW I HAVE A PER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP FOR MR. TIM FOR ME GOING OUT THERE SO MANY TIMES.
SO WE DO, WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
I WANT TO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE COUNSEL TO HAVE THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE CONTRACT, UH, AS IT, UH, AS I SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE DAYS, THE COMPLETION DATES, ALIBI DAYS, PENALTIES.
IF YOU DON'T FINISH ON TIME, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, WE, WE CAN ACCESS PENALIZE, UH, ON CONTRACTING.
AND THAT'S JUST THE RELATIONSHIP WHEN YOU DO BUSINESS.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE CONCRETE PILINGS WERE A SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY, RIGHT? THEY WEREN'T APPARENT ON ANY DRAWINGS THAT YOU RECEIVED PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN THE PROJECT.
WE EVEN LOOKED AFTER WE'VE STARTED HITTING THEM TO SEE IF THERE WAS DRAWINGS OUT THERE AVAILABLE.
AND, AND WE EVEN CHECKED WITH THE DEMO CONTRACTOR, UH, SOMEBODY WE KNEW AT THE HOSPITAL AND NOBODY HAD DRAWINGS.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THIS, THIS WAS A SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY.
AND AND THE FACT THAT IT, YOU KNOW, PUT A DAMPER ON THE FORWARD PROGRESS ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER WAS REALLY THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN OR ANYBODY ELSE, WE JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE A DRAWING THAT SHOWED THAT THESE, THESE PILINGS WERE UNDERGROUND.
UM, YOUR, YOUR DATES RUN CONCURRENTLY, SO YOU HAVE A, A PRETTY GOOD, UM, LINE OF CONNECTIVITY THERE BETWEEN THOSE DATES.
BUT WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO WEDNESDAY, UM, SEP WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, YOU SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL.
WHAT WAS THAT? SUBMITTED WHAT FOR APPROVAL.
THAT WAS THE COST FOR US TO GO IN AND TAKE OUT THE, THE FOOTINGS, THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS TO FILL IN THE HOLES TO GET THE PAD BACK TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE WE STARTED RUNNING INTO ALL THE, OKAY.
AND THEN IT TOOK A MONTH FOR APPROVAL.
SO WHO DID YOU SUBMIT THAT APPROVAL TO? TO THE CITY AND TO THE ARCHITECT.
AND IT TOOK A MONTH TO DO THAT? YEAH.
I CAN'T TELL YOU EVERY DAY THAT, UH, IN THAT MONTH, BUT THERE WAS SEVERAL MEETINGS WE HAD WITH THE CITY TO GO OVER THE PROPOSAL.
THEY DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COSTS THAT WE WERE SUBMITTING WAS FAIR AND THAT THE SCOPE OF WORK WAS IN LINE WITH WHAT, WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN YOU REMOBILIZE, UM, 10 28.
[01:20:01]
BUT THAT MONTH IS, IS THAT MONTH OF, UM, OF, OF, OF APPROVAL TAKING A MONTH FOR APPROVAL? CITY MANAGER? WHAT IS THAT? WAS THAT US OR WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE? LET ME ASK, UM, DARLENE, UM, TO COME UP.I'M SURE THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MS. PIER AND THE CONTRACTOR AND THE ARCHITECT.
UH, THAT WAS DURING THE TIME WHEN THEY HAD TO GET THE NEW, UM, FOUNDATION DRAWINGS FROM THE ENGINEER.
SO AT THAT POINT, WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT, UM, A NEW DESIGN WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE, OF COURSE, THEN IT TAKES TIME FOR THEM TO DO THE DRAWINGS, GET THEM APPROVED, AND THEN GET THEM TO THE CONTRACTOR.
BUT IT HAS, IT GOES THROUGH AN APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO THAT'S, IT TAKES TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT THE FOUNDATION WILL SERVE THE BUILDING WELL.
SO THE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY I WAS IN, I WASN'T, I WAS IN THE, I WAS IN THE LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING.
I WASN'T IN THE ENGINEER BUILDING
SO THINGS TAKE TIME BECAUSE THEY, THEY WANNA BE SURE THAT THEY GET IT RIGHT.
SO I GUESS YOU HAD TO DO A WHOLE NEW FOUNDATION BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED THAT TRANSPIRED THE ENGINE.
THE ENGINEER DID THAT AND WE JUST WAITED FOR HER TO GET IT AND GET IT APPROVED AND THEN GET IT TO THEM.
AND THEN THEY HAD TO GET, UH, PEOPLE BACK ONTO THE JOB SITE BECAUSE THEY WERE ELSEWHERE WHILE THIS WAS BEING DONE.
SO IT HADN'T BEEN ANY, UH, CONTRACT, UH, EXTENSIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT RIGHT.
PRIOR TO US GETTING, 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT IN HAND.
SO I'M ASKING YOU DIRECTLY, WE DON'T HAVE A REQUISITION OR REQUEST FOR A CONTRACT EXTENSION BASED UPON, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, WE HAVEN'T SUBMITTED ANY OF THAT.
THE NEXT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS PART.
WELL, HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE US TO GET THROUGH? WE ALREADY KNOW IT'S PYLONS.
NOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE US? I NEED YOU GUYS, THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? WE ALREADY KNOW WE GOT THE PYLONS.
SO HOW LONG WE GONNA DO TO REMEDIATE THAT? GET 'EM OUT OF THE WAY.
SO WE CAN DO WITH THE FARM BASE.
WELL, WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE SOMEBODY COMING IN.
SOMEONE IS COMING IN TO, UH, START ON THE FOUNDATION THIS WEEK.
SO THEY'VE HAD TO MUCK IT OUT.
THEY COULD, BECAUSE THAT WET MATERIAL WAS THERE.
THEY HAD TO MUCK THAT OUT, PUT LIME IN IT, DRIED OUT, PUMP IT OUT.
IT HASN'T BEEN LIKE, NOTHING'S BEEN GOING ON, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY THINK THAT, OR IT MAY SEEM LIKE THAT, BUT THERE'S CONSTANTLY THINGS HAPPENING.
SO THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE US, ARE WE THROUGH WITH THE DRYING OUT THE MUCK, THE LIME? I MEAN, I'M ACTUALLY YOU GUYS, AS HE STATED, THE, THE, THE CONTRACTOR, THE SUB IS COMING IN THIS WEEK.
SO YOU REMEMBER TWO MIN A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, I ASKED YOU A DIRECT QUESTION RIGHT.
ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GONNA SHOW UP.
AND THERE WAS GONNA BE THAT MONDAY I WENT OUT THERE THAT MONDAY THEY WASN'T THERE.
SO THEY CAME IN LATER THAT EVENING TO DO THE CAME DEMOLITION.
TO THEY, THEY WERE DOING, AT THAT POINT, THEY WERE DOING THE DEMOLITION TO TAKE THE CONCRETE OUT OF THE GROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS AT THE RIGHT LEVEL.
I JUST, SO WHEN THEY START THE FOUNDATION, EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO.
SO THAT, THAT WAS ADDITIONAL WORK THAT HAD TO BE DONE.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS POINT THAT'S PREVENTING THE DRYING OUT.
WE ARE READY TO, WE READY TO GO MONDAY FOUNDATION.
AND THEY'D BE THERE MONDAY WITH CONCRETE DOING FOUNDATION.
SO WE HAVE NO MORE HOLDUPS ON, WE ALREADY KNOW THE FOUNDATIONS.
THE, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER ASKED FOR A MAP.
I THINK WE SHOULD GET THE, THE CITY SECRETARY JUST SAID, LINDSEY.
UM, WHEN THE CITY SECRETARY IS BACK, LET'S PUT IT ON THE RECORD.
WHETHER IT'S A THOUSAND OR 10,000 PAGES.
JUST, AND YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD, WE HAD THESE SITUATION BEFORE.
MY THING IS ACCOUNTABILITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT I SPOKE WITH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PAM, UH, DR.
THIGPEN, AND I SPOKE WITH THEM ON GETTING THE COUNCIL SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HOLD, UH, UH, STANDARDS.
AND THE STANDARDS ARE HOW LONG IS THIS PROJECT GONNA BE? WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE MEATS AND POTATOES.
BUT WE WANT, SO WHEN WE GO OUT THERE AND WE GETTING CALLS, WHY NOTHING'S BEING DONE.
SO THE MEAT AND POTATOES, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS.
THAT'S ALREADY BUILT IN, UH, PENALTIES.
[01:25:01]
IT'S GONNA BE ONE.THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN HOLD OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, VENDORS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THAT'S ALL WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
I TOTALLY, I DON'T WANT TO HOLD 2000 PAGES.
I I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH A COUPLE OF, WELL, ELECTRONICALLY.
WE CAN BE ELECTRONICALLY IF MANAGER DO THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THE, I DID REACH OUT TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE ON YESTERDAY, UM, TO RETRIEVE A COPY OF THAT CONTRACT, UM, PER COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, KEN LAWS REQUEST.
UM, THAT LINK WAS PROVIDED TO ME.
AND I DID FORWARD THAT LINK OVER TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW AND COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK.
IT WAS AROUND 3:46 AM I WILL ENSURE THAT THE REST OF COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVES THAT LINK.
UM, BUT THAT WAS FORWARDED FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE ON YESTERDAY.
I SAW IT THIS EARLY, EARLY THIS MORNING, AND IT WAS FORWARDED OVER TO YOU.
NOW, MY, MY MAIN CONCERN HERE IS THAT WE OPERATE WITHIN THE BUDGET.
AND WHATEVER CHANGES TAKE PLACE MUST BE DONE WITHIN CONTINGENCY, INCLUDING THE TIME PART OF IT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN HERE.
'CAUSE IT GETS PRETTY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN WE GOTTA COME BACK TO COUNCIL NOW AND SAY, WE GOT TO ADD MORE MONEY TO IT,
SO IF WE ARE GOOD ON CONTINGENCIES, THAT WHATEVER CHANGES, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE EXPERIENCE A VERY SAME THING ON 19TH AVENUE.
REMEMBER THAT'S WHERE THE, THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER WAS TO GO ONCE UPON A TIME.
AND THEN WE HAD TO ADE THAT AREA, REMEMBER? AND YEAH.
BUT HOPEFULLY, YEAH, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY WE, UM, WE STAY WITHIN BUDGET AND, UM, WE COULD WORK WITH YOU.
SO I, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, ARCHITECT, Y'ALL GO TO WORK.
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AND IF, IF WE, IF WE CAN, AND, UH, ATTORNEY, I GUESS YOU CAN LET ME KNOW IF, IF, IF WE CAN DO THAT.
CAN WE COM UH, UH, WE, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS, BUT CAN
[III. B.(3) A Presentation By The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation Regarding Vacant Commercial And Retail Spaces In The City Of Port Arthur And Plans For Attracting Businesses To Those Locations (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Beckcom)]
WE DEAL WITH THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, SIMULTANEOUSLY, OR WE, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH VERY SIMILAR.UH, BUT I KNOW THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS. BUT CAN, CAN WE DEAL WITH 'EM BOTH TOGETHER? I WOULD, MAYOR, I WOULD LEAVE THAT, UH, UP TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO ACTUALLY REQUESTED THE ITEM.
BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU FIRST IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR REQUESTS.
WE, WE, WE HAD THIS FROM LAST MEETING.
AND WE HAVE THE OTHER REQUEST.
COUNCIL ARE FROM FOUR, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTH DEALING WITH THE EDC AND WITH, UH, UH, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
SO IF WOULD, WOULD, WOULD YOU, UH, OR CAN YOU, WOULD YOU CONSENT TO HANDLING THEM BOTH TOGETHER? I'D RATHER HAVE MINE, UH, SEPARATE BECAUSE OKAY, NO PROBLEM.
LET'S GO WITH, UH, PRESENTATION NUMBER THREE.
PRESENTATION BY THE PORT ARTHUR, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REGARDING VACANT, COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL SPACES IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND PLANS FOR ATTRACTING BUSINESSES TO THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, BECKER.
GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
HONORED TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
UH, WISHING EVERYONE A BELATED HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GOOD TIME WITH FAMILY AND, AND FRIENDS.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM BECKHAM FOR PUTTING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE NEWS.
UH, STARBUCKS CLOSING, 10% OF ITS, UH, NATIONAL FACILITIES.
MCDONALD'S CLOSING 8% OF THEIR FACILITIES, CVS AND WALGREENS CLOSING THEIR SO-CALLED UNDERPERFORMING LOCATIONS.
WENDY'S CLOSING 15% OF THEIR FACILITIES, UH, DOESN'T EVEN STOP WITH THEM.
TARGET, UH, RESTRUCTURED AND CLOSING 5%, AND THE LEADER OF THEM ALL.
WALMART, UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, CLOSING FACILITIES.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT WHEN THESE PARTICULAR MAJOR CHAINS AND MANY MORE LIKE THEM, UH, SO MUCH AS SNEEZE, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR MICRO ENTERPRISES, OUR MOM AND POP ENTERPRISES CATCH A COLD.
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, UH, THOSE TYPES OF ENTERPRISES ARE STARTING TO CLOSE, SHOP,
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LEAVE.AND IF THEY WERE BRICK AND MORTAR BASED, LEAVE THAT BRICK AND MORTAR BEHIND.
HOWEVER, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO JUST SIMPLY THROW OUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND GIVE UP.
WE MUST REESTABLISH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS ATTRACT NEW ONES.
I WANNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARTNER, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
WE'LL SOON LAUNCH RESEARCH EFFORTS TO FIND OUT THE BASIS FOR FAILURE.
LIKE I SAY, WHEN LARGE NATIONAL OR GLOBAL CHAINS START TO CLOSE, THEN YES, THAT HAS AN IMPACT DOWN THE LINE.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST SIMPLY WALMART DOWN THE STREET MAY HAVE CLOSED.
THERE MAY BE OTHER UNDERPINNING THINGS THAT WE NEED TO RESEARCH AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CONTRIBUTING, ESPECIALLY IN OUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT RESEARCH, UH, IS IT A LACK OF MARKETING THAT PERHAPS A SMALL BUSINESS DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO? UH, IS IT AN INCOMPLETE OR NON-EXISTENT BUSINESS PLAN? UH, THAT IS JUST, IF IT EXISTS, MAYBE IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE PARTICULAR CUSTOMERS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT.
IS IT A MISMATCH OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR WHAT THE CUSTOMER OR THE COMMUNITY OR THE COMMUNITY'S LEADERSHIP WANTS? UH, ROUGHLY 45 MINUTES AGO, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ENTITIES THAT PERHAPS THE COMMUNITY AND ITS LEADERSHIP MAY NOT WANT.
UH, SO THAT, UH, HAS TO BE LOOKED AT.
IS IT ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT IS PREVENTING A SMALL BUSINESS, A MICRO BUSINESS FROM BEING RESILIENT? ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AND STUDIED BEFORE YOU START PUTTING TOGETHER PROGRAMS AND, AND PROCESSES TO ATTACK THOSE PROBLEMS. SO THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF WHATEVER, UH, CONTRACTION IS GOING ON IN THE ECONOMY, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES COME OUT STRONGER THAN THEY WERE GOING IN.
MORE RESILIENT, A WIDER CUSTOMER BASE, WIDER FOOT TRAFFIC, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
BUT AGAIN, WE CAN'T JUST STOP THERE.
UH, NOT ONLY JUST DISTRICT THREE, WHERE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THEM ALL THERE, UH, BUT ACROSS, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO RESEARCH AND QUERY THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES WOULD IT LIKE TO SEE? BECAUSE IF YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED A TYPE OF BUSINESS, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT THAT BUSINESS WHEN IT IS LOCATED AND FOUNDED IN YOUR PARTICULAR AREA.
UH, ADDITIONALLY MUST TAKE INTO THE CONSIDERATION THE COMMUNITY'S LEADERSHIP SUCH AS YOURSELVES.
LIKE I MENTIONED A LITTLE WHILE AGO, YOU WERE MAKING, UH, A STATEMENT ON THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU REPRESENT WANT TO SEE, OR IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, DO NOT WANT TO SEE.
UH, SPECIFIC TO, TO, TO, UH, DISTRICT THREE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM BECKMAN, AND I HAVEN'T HAD A DIRECT CONVERSATION ABOUT, ABOUT THIS, BUT I CAN READ THE ROOM, I CAN READ THE TEA LEAVES.
IF, IF SHE WAS TO HEAR ABOUT ONE MORE PARTICULAR TYPE OF FACILITY, NOT JUST A ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT THREE, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN HER MOUTH, BUT I'LL SPEAK, THINK SHE WOULD LOSE HER MIND.
I THINK THERE IS JUST NO ROOM FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY, WHAT DOES A PARTICULAR PORTION OF A COMMUNITY, IF NOT THIS, THEN THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GO AND RESEARCH AND FIND OUT ABOUT.
SO, UH, TO THAT END, UH, THIS IS VERY TIMELY.
JUST LAST EVENING, THE, UH, PA EDCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY CALLED COSTAR, WHICH WILL PROVIDE US A CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED DATABASE OF OUR VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED FACILITIES.
THAT IS UPDATED ON A, LIKE I SAY, CONTINUOUSLY.
THAT ON THAT NOT ONLY ALLOWS US TO KNOW AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHAT FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE, IT ALLOWS US TO THEN TURN AROUND AND MARKET THOSE BRICK AND MORTAR FACILITIES LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, STATEWIDE, AND NATIONALLY.
AND THE ABILITY TO DO THAT GOES A LONG WAY TO ENABLING THE CORPORATION TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AS WELL AS FINE FACILITIES FOR ALREADY EXISTING LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT, AGAIN, MAY HAVE LOST THEIR BRICK AND MORTAR DUE TO CONTRACTION, DUE TO RECESSION, DUE TO COVID, DUE TO WHATEVER, UH, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK
[01:35:01]
INTO A FACILITY.WELL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FACILITIES ARE, THEN IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO GET BACK INTO ONE.
SO WE WANT TO START PROVIDING THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION, BOTH AGAIN, LOCALLY, BUT ALSO REGIONALLY, STATEWIDE, AND NATIONALLY, TO ASSIST OUR EFFORTS IN BROADENING THE OVERALL BUSINESS BASE.
UH, I MENTIONED, UH, AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT, UH, DISTRICT THREE.
UH, I MENTIONED OBVIOUSLY, UH, CENTRAL MALL IS LOCATED THERE.
UH, NOT TO STEAL ANYONE ELSE'S THUNDER, BUT, UH, I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PROSPECTS THAT ARE IN ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS WITH A SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER ABOUT SETTING UP SHOP THERE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE UNDERLINING RESEARCH TO KNOW WHAT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT A PARTICULAR LOCATION, AND THEN WE CAN BE BETTER ASSISTANCE OF GETTING THAT PARTICULAR ENTITY THERE.
WHAT IS NEEDED IN SABINE PASS IS PERHAPS DIFFERENT.
WHAT'S NEEDED IN THE WEST SIDE AND WHAT'S NEEDED ON THE WEST SIDE IS PERHAPS DIFFERENT.
WHAT'S NEEDED, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND THEN ACTING ON THAT RESEARCH IS GOING TO INFORM THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE MOVE AHEAD IN MAKING SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES, MAKING SURE OUR ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE STABILIZED AND RESILIENT, AS WELL AS PROVIDING THEM OPPORTUNITIES WHEN ECONOMY TURNS AROUND TO EXPAND IF THEY SO DESIRE TO DO THAT.
YOU DO A NUMBER OF THINGS ALONG WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS THAT, AGAIN, MOVES US FORWARD.
UH, IT HELPS US, THIS RESEARCH HELPS US, AGAIN, NOT TO BE REDUNDANT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT BUSINESSES ARE GOING INTO THE RIGHT LOCATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THAT TAKES STUDY, THAT TAKES PARTNERSHIPS, THAT TAKES RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE POTENTIAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
HOWEVER, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE KEEPING ITEMS THREE AND FOUR SEPARATE, SO I DON'T WANNA SPILL OVER INTO NUMBER FOUR.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE I OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS, STUDY AFTER STUDY, AFTER STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE A STRONG, RESILIENT COMMUNITY OR SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL, OF SMALL BUSINESS STRENGTH, THAT SAME COMMUNITY MUST HAVE A STRONG AND VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
EVEN IF A BUSINESS IS NOT LOCATED DOWNTOWN, EVEN IF ITS PROPRIETORS, NEVER GO DOWNTOWN.
STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS SHOWN THERE'S A PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT WHEN YOU KNOW, AND AS A BUSINESS, THAT YOUR COMMUNITY DOES HAVE A BRIBER AND HAPPENING DOWNTOWN.
IT MATTERS TO YOUR YOUTH, IT MATTERS TO THE PARENTS OF THAT YOUTH.
IT MATTERS TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO ATTRACT THEM.
AND THEY DO RESEARCH AND SEE THAT NOTHING'S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AND NOTHING HAS BEEN HAPPENING.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER HOW LUCRATIVE IT MAY BE TO COME HERE.
THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONNOTATION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEFINITELY PAY SOME ATTENTION TO IS TURNING AROUND AND REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN, NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF DOWNTOWN, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE ENTIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM SABINE PASS ALL THE WAY UP TO DISTRICT THREE.
SO BY THAT, BEFORE WE, I ACCIDENTALLY SPILL OVER THE NUMBER FOUR.
LET ME IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOUR LIGHT WAS FIRST.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND JUST START WITH THE, WITH THE LAST THING.
THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS GONNA BE FOR NEW, NEW TYPE BUSINESS.
WHAT I TRY, I HAD INITIATED YEARS AGO PUTTING TAX ABATE FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THEN A ZONE FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I INITIATED THAT 25, 30 YEARS AGO.
OKAY, NOW IT'S COMING TO FRUITION.
WHEN THE, WHEN MOTIVA MOVED THEM 250, UH, EMPLOYEES ADMINISTRATIVE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THE ENGINEERING COMPANIES ARE GOING TO A COMP THAT'S, THAT'S IN PLACE.
WHAT ABOUT OUR SMALL BUSINESS? THEY'RE GOING TO BENEFIT.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BENEFIT.
BUT WHAT WE GOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND WE GOT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY, ANOTHER AVENUE FOR JOBS.
THE WIND TURBINES A HUGE, A HUGE, UH, PROJECT NOW FOR SMALL BUSINESS THAT ARE IN PLACE TODAY.
WHAT THEY NEED, AND I'VE ALWAYS, I TOLD LIST OF FLOYD A HUNDRED TIMES, WE, WE, WE, WE CATERING TO THE MANUFACTURING JOBS.
WE NEED TO SET UP A, A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
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SMALL BUSINESSES, EVERY TIME A SMALL BUSINESS OPERATOR, 10, 15, 20 YEARS HAVE WENT TO THE EDC.THEY WANTED TO GIVE 'EM A LOAN.
SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT NEED A LOAN.
YOU NEED A, THEY NEED, UH, A GRANT.
I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, JACK TIRE SERVICE DOWN THERE WENT TO EDC FOR A GRANT.
AND I'VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT A NUMBER OF TIMES.
WE NEED TO PUT ON SET ASIDE PROJECTS.
I DON'T CARE IF IT 10, 15, $20,000.
JACK TIRE SERVICE COULD USE PLATFORM TO SERVICE THE LARGE VEHICLES, AND HE COULD PUT MORE PEOPLE TO WORK.
IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE SAID THIS AND WHAT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO ME FOR COUNCIL, NOT THIS COUNCIL, BUT SOME COUNCIL MEMBER WAS HERE.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE HAD STORMS. UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE HAD IS OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE 40, AT THE TIME, I LOOKED AT IT LAST TIME I LOOKED AT IT, WE HAD 42 LICENSED ELECTRICIAN, GERMAN, AND, AND, UH, AND, UH, OTHER LICENSE THAT WAS PULLING PERMITS, PULLING PERMITS, GETTING RID OF ALL THAT MASTER ELECTRICIAN COSTS WAS PULLING PERMITS.
WHEN I LEFT COUNCIL, CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBER WENT AFTER AND PUT THOSE PEOPLE OUTTA BUILDING.
I PROPOSED WHEN I CAME BACK ON COUNCIL TO PUT THEM BACK IN, REINSTATE THOSE COMPANIES AND, AND SET UP A, A CATEGORY FOR NEW COMPANIES.
THESE ARE, THIS WAS SAVED HOMEOWNERS, TONS OF MONEY.
I I, I WENT TO VISIT A, A INDIVIDUAL THE OTHER DAY THAT, AND HE SAID, MAY YOU SEE THAT MY WIFE BEAUTICIAN SHOP, IT COST ME $1,500 FOR A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN TO COME AND JUST HOOK THE WIRE UP.
AND HE SAID, UH, HE ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY, SO WHY, SO WHAT'S CALLED, HE SAID, I GOT TO PAY A MASTER $5,000 A MASTER ELECTRICIAN, WHICH IS CITIES, CITIES CAN ESTABLISH THEIR OWN LICENSE.
IT IS STATE LAW AND IT HAS NEVER CHANGED.
BUT WHEN I PRESENTED THE PROJECT, THE REINSTATE TO PEOPLE, IT FAILED BY ONE VOTE.
AND THAT INDIVIDUAL IS ON THIS COUNCIL TODAY THAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL.
CASE IN POINT, ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS IN DISTRICT THREE IS JIMMY JOHNSON AND NINTH AVENUE.
THERE WAS A LARGE CONVENIENCE STORE BUILT THERE A FEW YEARS AGO.
IT CHANGED HANDS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
IT WAS A STRIPES, IT WAS A VALERO, I THINK IT WAS A SEVEN 11 AT ONE POINT.
IT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW, I THINK.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO GET ANOTHER BIG NAME GAS STATION TO COME IN THERE? I MEAN, THAT'S PRIME COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE BOARDS OFF THE WINDOW, GET NEW PERMITTING TO FILL UP THE GAS TANK.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING? JUST, UH, THAT ONE PARTICULAR PLACE? WHAT IS THE EDC DOING TO GET SOMEBODY IN THERE? THAT'S A, IN FACT, THAT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M, I'M GETTING AT.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT HAS TURNED OVER, AND I TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
'CAUSE THAT'S YOUR DISTRICT AND YOU, AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE ALL YOUR LIFE.
WHAT I AM MISSING AS A PRACTITIONER IS WHY DID IT TURN OVER THAT MANY TIMES? WHAT WAS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THAT? THAT REQUIRES RESEARCH, ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS, AND REACHING OUT NOW.
AND HAS ANYBODY FROM YOUR OFFICE DONE THAT? AT THIS POINT? AS LONG AS IT'S BEEN VACANT AND NO ACTIVITY HAS HAPPENED, THERE'S NOT EVEN A FOR SALE SIGN ON THE PROPERTY.
THE SHORT ANSWER, MA'AM, IS WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, UH, BUT MY QUESTION WAS, HAVE YOU DONE ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, REACHING OUT, ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH IN TERMS OF NOT JUST YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, BUT IN ESTABLISHING THESE RESEARCH PROGRAMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BUT AGAIN, COMING BACK TO THE PARTICULAR EXAMPLE THAT YOU, YOU GAVE, YOU TALKED ABOUT TURNOVER SEVERAL TIMES.
SO THE QUESTION IS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ASK AS I'M LAUNCHING INTO PUTTING SOMEONE ELSE IN THERE, IS FINDING A HOLD OF THOSE PREVIOUS FRANCHISEES AND OWNERS, WHAT WENT WRONG? IF ANYTHING, IT, SOMETIMES NOTHING GOES WRONG.
YOU JUST FOUND ANOTHER LOCATION.
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BUT LET'S JUST, FOR THE SAKE OF THIS CONVERSATION, SOMETHING WENT WRONG.WHAT WAS THAT? BECAUSE IF I DON'T KNOW THAT, THEN I MAY PUT SOMEONE ELSE IN THERE THAT'S A BIG NAME, LOTS OF RIBBON CUTTINGS IS FANCY, AND THEN HAVE THE SAME FAILURE THAT THEY DIDN'T RESEARCH.
I DIDN'T RESEARCH, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND HEAVEN FORBID IF WE GAVE THEM AN INCENTIVE TO PUT IN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE OR SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THERE'S NO RETURN ON INVESTMENT THERE BECAUSE THEY'VE MOVED ALONG.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE ARE, AS I MENTIONED, WE JUST HAD APPROVED LAST NIGHT, UH, THIS CONTINUOUS DATABASE, WHICH WILL ALLOW US NOT JUST TO KNOW THAT THE FACILITY IS VACANT, HOW LONG IT'S BEEN VACANT, WHO THE REAL OWNERS ARE, NOT JUST WHO THE FRANCHISEE, BUT WHO ARE THE UNDERLYING ULTIMATE OWNERS OF THE FACILITY.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT CAN EITHER SELL IT OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO PUT IN THERE.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT ENTITY THAT ALLOWS US TO EITHER BACKFILL OR REPURPOSE IT BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, HYPOTHETICALLY, ITS LOCATION IS NOT SUITABLE FOR WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY THERE.
AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, BUT YOU'RE STILL NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
MY SPECIFIC QUESTION AS TO THIS PROPERTY IS, HAVE YOU OR SOMEONE FROM THE EDC ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OR THE FRANCHISEES? HAVE YOU DONE THAT? IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR A YEAR, MA'AM.
LET ME JUST, IT'S A YES OR NO.
I WILL GO BACK AND LOOK THAT UP.
I WANT YOU TO FIND OUT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
A BIG PROPERTY LIKE THAT, THAT'S READY TO BE MOVED INTO.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IT SITTING VACANT AS LONG AS IT HAS WITH NOTHING BEING DONE.
I COULD PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE OWNER.
I FIGURED OUT WHO OWNS THE BUILDING.
I KNOW WHO ALL OF THE FRANCHISEES ARE.
I COULD DO THAT MYSELF, BUT THAT'S NOT MY JOB.
I SAT ON THE E DCS, I GOT MORE TIME ON IT FOR THAN, UH, MR. STOKES.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, HER QUESTION WAS, WHAT WERE WE DOING WITH THE, UH, VACANT PROPERTIES AND STUFF? YOU TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE NATIONAL CHANGE CLOSING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA ALWAYS EXIST.
MOST CITIES, THE MAJORITY OF THEIR, UH, REVENUE COMES FROM MOM AND POP.
UH, WHY BUSINESSES FAIL? IT FAILED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE GO INTO BUSINESS, DOES NOT DO THE PROPER RESEARCH, DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL, AND HAVE NO IDEA ON HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.
UH, ANOTHER REASON IT FAILS BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROFITABLE.
THAT'S WHY BUSINESS DON'T FAIL.
WHY A BUILDING STAYS VACANT OWNERS.
UH, THEY EITHER WANT MORE FOR THE BUILDING THAN WHAT IT'S WORTH.
YOU KNOW, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT KMART IN GROVES HAVE BEEN A BIG LLOYD BUILDING FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT STAYED VACANT, AND THEY TRIED TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE IN SOMETIME.
IT'S NOT ABOUT GETTING SOMEBODY TO GO IN, IT'S ABOUT SOMEBODY WANT TO GO IN.
SO WE FIRST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO THAT I SEEN DONE WHILE I SERVED ON EDC, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CERTAIN PLACE, YOU WANT TO DEVELOP A WORK, YOU ESTABLISH AN INCENTIVE.
OKAY? AND IN YOUR CASE, IT'S TWO WAYS.
WE, YOU COULD DO INCENTIVES THAT ARE WITHIN TYPE A OR YOU COULD DO INCENTIVE IN WHICH YOU GO TO THE, UH, VOTERS AND TELL 'EM YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A VOTER VOTE AGAINST AN INCENTIVE YET THAT THE EDC HAS PUT TO THEM WHEN IT COMES TO BENEFITING BUSINESSES ARE STUFF HERE IN PORT ARTHUR THEMSELVES, DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE'RE GONNA GETTING DOWN THERE BECAUSE EVERYBODY KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN, THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S NOT THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT INITIALLY WAS THE CITY OF, OF PORT ARTHUR.
OKAY? ONCE THE CITY INCORPORATED, GRIFFIN PARK, PERRY RIDGE, LAKEVIEW, PORT ACRES,
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SABINE PASS DOWNTOWN WAS NO LONGER CENTRAL OF THE CITY.THAT'S WHY MOST OF THE BUSINESSES AND EVERYTHING MOVED FROM DOWNTOWN, MORE CENTRAL TOWARD THE CITY.
SO DOWNTOWN CAN BE REVITALIZED.
AND MOST CITIES WHERE THERE'S A DOWNTOWN THAT IS LOCATED AWAY FROM CENTRAL OF THE CITY, THEY DEVELOP IT INTO BUSINESS DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL TO THAT.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN WAS ACTUALLY CENTRAL OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON TILL THEY STARTED BUILDING ALL OF THE SUBURBAN AREA, KATY AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS EXPANDING AWAY FROM THAT AREA IN HOUSTON, MAIN HOUSTON.
BUT IT TURNED INTO A BUSINESS DISTRICT CONVENTION CENTER, BALLPARK.
SO THE DOWNTOWN AREA HERE IS GONNA BE DEVELOPED.
IT'S GONNA BRING PEOPLE, WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE, PEOPLE GOING TO OPEN BUSINESS TO FEED THEM.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY INDIVIDUALS THINK YOU CAN MAKE PEOPLE COME DOWN AND STUFF.
I THINK IF YOU WANT TO HELP THIS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, WE ONCE HAD A PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITIZEN, IN WHICH WE GAVE PEOPLE MONEY TO FIX THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUILDINGS.
UH, WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL USED A LOT OF THE MONEY AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT AS, UH, MR. KELLY'S RESTAURANT BENEFITED.
IT WAS GREAT PROGRAM, BUT AS EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH EDC, IT ONLY LASTS FOR A CERTAIN TIME.
YOU EITHER PASS IT TO LAST THREE YEARS, TWO YEARS, OR WHATEVER YOUR DESIRED PURPOSE OF IT IS.
THOSE ARE INCENTIVE, INCENTIVE ARE YOU TO HAVE PEOPLE TO GO WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO GO AS OPPOSED TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
YOU DON'T GIVE INCENTIVE FOR PLACES THAT ARE ALREADY DEVELOPED AND ESTABLISHED.
THE REASON YOU DEVELOP THOSE PLACES IS THAT YOU COULD GET MAXIMUM RETURN.
BUT WHEN YOU WANNA DEVELOP, YOU HAVE TO DO INCENTIVES.
SO IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP AND HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN, YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF INCENTIVE THAT YOU COULD OFFER BUSINESSES.
NOT NECESSARILY JUST THE BIG BUSINESS, BUT AS YOU SAID, THE MOMMY POPS.
OKAY? AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN YOU'LL FIND WE CAN HELP OUR REVITALIZATION PLAN.
AND AS FAR AS GRANTS TO ANY SMALL BUSINESS IN MOM AND POP, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN GIVING TAXPAYERS MONEY WITHOUT VETTING AND ENSURING THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET A RETURN.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO IN BUSINESS.
THAT'S WHY BUSINESS OPENED AND BUSINESS IS CLOSED, BECAUSE SOME GO INTO BUSINESS HAD NO CLUE WHO OWNED THE BUSINESS.
THEY FAILED BECAUSE THEY WASN'T PREPARED.
THE LAST THING I HAVE TO NOTICE IS WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
AND IF PEOPLE WOULD RIDE AROUND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE TALK ABOUT NO BUSINESS WANT TO COME TO PORT ARTHUR.
DURING COVID, EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT BUSINESSES CLOSING EVERYTHING, COMING TO A STANDSTILL.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WAS CONSTANTLY BUILDING.
WHOEVER COMPLAINING ABOUT BUSINESSES, MOM AND POP NEED TO RIDE AROUND.
THERE'S BUSINESSES STARTING EVERY TIME ALL OVER THIS CITY.
PEOPLE OPENING A SHOP, A BUSINESS.
WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROVIDE WHAT CITIZEN NEED IN THE FORM OF SERVICES.
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WE ARE NOT HURTING.WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING BUSINESSES OPEN AND CLOSING THIS CITY.
AND WHEN PEOPLE START TELLING ME, WELL, WE GOTTA BRING BUSINESS.
YOU'RE NOT RIDING AROUND THIS CITY.
THE BUSINESS IS GOING UP AND WORKING EVERYWHERE.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU COME UP WITH INCENTIVES, AND THAT'S WHERE THE EDC COMES IN, IN UNDERSTANDING YOUR MISSION AND HOW YOU SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT US IN THAT AREA.
AND I'VE SPENT ENOUGH TIME TO KNOW THERE ARE MANY WAYS, BUT THOSE WAYS HAVE TO BE IN TWO PARTS.
ONE WITHIN YOUR 5 0 4, AND TWO WITHIN YOU ASKING CITIZENS TO SPEND MONEY TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THEM.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE VERY SHREWD ABOUT.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO SOMETHING WHERE CITIZENS CAN BENEFIT, CITIZENS WILL ALWAYS APPROVE BY NOT SEEING CITIZENS EVER VOTE AGAINST IT.
SO THE QUESTION, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR ABOUT RETAIL CHANGE CLOSING.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE THEY'VE BEEN EXISTENCE.
IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WHAT WE WANT TO GO AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO, AND WE NEED A PLAN.
AND WHEN WE DO A PLAN, WE NEED TO EXECUTE.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TAXPAYERS MONEY IN THIS CITY HAVING STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THIS, STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THAT, DOING THIS, DOING THAT.
MOST OF THESE PLANS IS SOMEWHERE IN THE OFFICE, ON THE SHELF.
MM-HMM,
LET'S START UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT'S IN OUR REALM TO DO AND NOT CATER TO PEOPLE TRYING TO TELL US WHAT TO DO, AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE ON WHAT OUR JOBS AND MISSIONS ARE.
THEN YOU'LL START SEEING THE MONEY.
LET'S WORK ON INCENTIVES TO BRING PEOPLE DOWN HERE DOWNTOWN.
WHAT CAN YOU OFFER SMALL BUSINESSES TO COME AND REINFORCE WHAT MOTIVA IS FIXING TO DO SO THAT THIS CAN MUSHROOMS UP? AND WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO DO IS TALK ABOUT CLEANING THE PLACE UP, BECAUSE NOBODY'S GONNA COME IF IT'S NOT CLEAN.
IF YOU WANNA REDEVELOP OR REVITALIZE YOU, YOU WEED.
SEED, SEED MEAN NOW YOU PLANT IT AND YOU BRING IT TO FRUITION.
SO LET'S UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S DONE.
INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW IT'S DONE AND LET'S PUT IT TO WORK.
UH, I THINK INCENTIVE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON, UH, DOWN THERE.
AND THEN NEXT TIME YOU COME TO THE COUNCIL, IF A COUNCIL MEMBER ASKS YOU, WHAT ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DO TO HELP FILL THE EVENT? WELL, WE OFFERING INCENTIVES.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? HEY, I'M, I'M GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO COME DOWN HERE.
IF THAT DON'T BRING 'EM DOWN HERE, IT AIN'T MY FAULT.
AND IF WE GET 'EM DOWN HERE AND THEY CLOSE, IT'S STILL NOT OUR FAULT.
THEY JUST WASN'T IN FRONT FOR BUSINESS.
OH, YOU, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, QUESTION, UH, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, WHAT IS OCCUPANCY, UH, UH, PERCENTAGE AT THE EDC RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, OUTSIDE, UH, INDIVIDUALS HOUSING AND A DC? DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER ON THAT? IN THE TWO FACILITIES? YEAH.
UH, AT THE, AT HEADQUARTERS, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND AT THE PRESS BUILDING, I WOULD SAY WE GOT THREE 90%, ROUGHLY NINE 90%.
SO WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? UH, IT'S, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE STARTED THIS, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WAS
[02:00:01]
HERE, I THINK UC SAID MYSELF, FRANK, THE MAYOR WAS ON BOARD.WHEN LAMAR IS SUPPOSED TO COME IN THERE WITH THE BISTRO, IS WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THAT PARTICULAR, UH, UH, ORGANIZATION BEING HOUSED AT DDC? UH, WELL, I, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO GROW THE CULINARY PROGRAM, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, SIR, AS YOU WERE AROUND THE BISTRO, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OUTGROWTH OF THE CULINARY PROGRAM.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO TO SPEAK FOR DR.
RENAR, UH, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THEM, WORK WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITY ITSELF IS SUITABLE FOR THAT GROWTH.
UH, THERE'S ONLY SO FAR WE CAN GO IN CONTROLLING THAT.
WE WE'RE NOT AT, YOU KNOW, THE COLLEGE, WE'RE NOT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN MY CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY HAVE LOST ANY OF THEIR INTERESTS OR MOMENTUM INTO MAKING SURE THE PROGRAM GROWS.
AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE NOT LOST OUR INTEREST IN SEEING THAT IT GROWS.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MARKET THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES THAT, UH, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES SPOKE ABOUT, THOSE MOM AND SOME OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MARKET THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES? HEY, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
WE WANT YOU TO COME, WE WANT TO HOUSE YOU IN THE EDC OR POSSIBLY, UH, THE, THE, THE PRESS BUILDING.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE THIS AREA KNOW THAT WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS? YES, SIR.
AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE ARE JUST GOING PENDING, UH, THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
UH, THE BOARD JUST APPROVED US BRINGING IN A PACKAGE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO KNOW WHERE ALL OF OUR FACILITIES ARE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND THEN MARKET, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MARKETING OURSELVES AS WELL AS WITH BROKERAGE PARTNERS, THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE FACILITIES.
UH, AGAIN, NOT JUST MARKETING THEM LOCALLY, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WOULD NEED THEM, BUT AGAIN, IN TERMS OF ATTRACTING THOSE THAT AREN'T ALREADY HERE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ALSO AVAILABLE ON REGIONAL AND NATIONAL DATABASES AS WELL.
AND, UM, JUST TO TAKE THIS WITH YOU, I THINK INCENTIVES ARE SOME TYPE OF TOOL THAT WE CAN USE IN OUR TOOLBOX.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO USE THAT IN, IN YOUR, YOUR GAME PLAN.
UH, I KNOW WE ALL HAVE APPOINTEES THAT ARE ON THE EDC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, AND IF WE CAN REDIRECT THEM TO AN AREA THAT IS BLIGHT THAT WE CAN HAVE A BUSINESS IN WITH A INCENTIVE PLAN TO BRING THAT BUSINESS, TO BRING JOBS, TO BRING HOUSING.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT MY COHORTS AND I, WE ALWAYS RUN INTO, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEST SIDE, THEY DON'T HAVE A STORE.
THEY DON'T HAVE AN HEB, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, SUSTAIN SOME TYPE OF QUALITY OF LIFE OVER THERE.
AND THE THING THAT WE HEAR ALL THE TIME, ROOFTOPS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE ROOFTOPS, WE'RE GONNA BRING THE BUSINESSES.
SO IT WORKS HAND IN HAND, SIR, WITH EACH OTHER DIRECTOR.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
I'VE TALKED WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, LEWIS.
WE WERE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE WEST SIDE.
BUT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO BRING THOSE BUSINESSES IN.
AND I SUPPORT ANY ENDEAVORS IN THAT.
AND BEFORE YOU GO ON, YOU SEE ME SMILING AT YOU, YOU KNOW THAT OURSELVES AND THE TURS, YOU'VE HEARD ME FROM DAY ONE.
WE NEED TO, AND AS LONG AS YOU AND I ARE BOTH BREATHING, THAT'S GOING TO COME.
IT'S NOT NEARLY AS FAST AS EITHER ONE OF US WANTS, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS THE CAPITAL I INCENTIVES.
UM, LET ME, LET ME SAY FOR THE RECORD, I BELIEVE IN STRATEGIC PLANNING.
I BELIEVE IN, IN, IN THE FACT THAT IF YOU GET BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND YOU, YOU, YOU DEVELOP A PLAN THAT WHEN THAT PLAN IS DEVELOPED AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE BUY-IN, INDIVIDUALS WILL FOLLOW THAT PLAN.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THE COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO MAKE UP OUR STAKEHOLDERS, THAT WE HAVE TO BUY INTO THE PLAN.
UH, INSTEAD OF, UM, INSTEAD, INSTEAD OF BEING DIVISIVE ABOUT THE PLAN, WE NEED TO BUY INTO THE PLAN.
UM, AND, AND THEN WE HAVE TO STOP BELIEVING, I BELIEVE, AS A CITY, UH, AND AS A COUNCIL, THAT WE, THAT WE CAN BE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR OTHER CITIES.
UM, UM, THERE'S BEEN SUCH RESISTANCE, UM, TO US, UH, EXPANDING, UH, OUR EDC,
[02:05:01]
UH, AND EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.UH, WE'VE RESISTED, UH, SO MUCH THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE DIALOGUE MANY TIMES ABOUT EXPANDING THE EDC TO AN A AND A-B-E-D-C THAT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE KIND OF INCENTIVES THAT WE CAN OFFER TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO COME INTO OUR CITY, THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT SO THAT WE CAN GET A DAVE AND BUSTER SO THAT WE CAN GET A MAIN EVENT, SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME RECREATIONAL THINGS IN OUR CITY FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT ADD TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY.
YOU, YOU, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BRING OUR CHILDREN.
WHEN I WAS A KID, WE HAD A ROLLER SKATING RINK WHERE WE GOT DROPPED OFF, OR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I BELIEVE EVEN OUR, MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS, BUT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE AN EXPANSION OF OUR MINDSET IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND TRANSPIRE.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? OKAY.
BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE, AND, UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKHAM, THIS IS WHY I ASKED IF WE COULD COMBINE THOSE.
BECAUSE IF WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE DISCUSSION, THE DIALOGUE HERE, EVERYTHING I THINK THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IN TWO, IN, IN, IN THE NEXT ITEM, IT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, UH, UH, CITY SECRETARY, IF I MAY, IF I CAN GO TO PAGE NINE, THERE'S AN ITEM ON PAGE NINE.
PAGE NINE, UH, IN THE, UH, YEAH, ITEM ON PAGE NINE.
UH, NUMBER ONE, I'M, WELL, I'M SAYING NUMBER ONE, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, UH, UH, YEAH.
NUMBER ONE IN NON-CONSENT SECTION THAT, UH, WE CAN JUST MOVE THROUGH THIS AND YEAH, WE CAN ACT ON THIS.
WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED WHAT YOU GO, WHAT YOU ALL COULD SAY.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE HERE, BUT WE, IT IS A WHOLE LOT OF TIME.
LET'S US DO THIS AND WE CAN MOVE ON.
ANYTHING EVERY, THAT WAS WHY I DID IT AND I'M NOT GONNA TALK 20 OR 30 MINUTES ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS READ THIS.
[VIII. A.(1) P.R. No. 23807 – A Resolution Authorizing Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation (PAEDC) To Enter Into A Professional Services And Consulting Agreement With Retail Strategies, LLC For The Provision Of Implementation Support Services For The Purposes Of Implementing The Downtown Revitalization Component Of The City Of Port Arthur’s Master Plan For An Amount Not To Exceed $45,000.00; Funds Available In PAEDC Account No. 120-80-625- 5420-00-00-000 (Professional Services)]
23 8 0 7, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND PORT AUTHOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES LLC FOR THE PROVISIONS OF IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION COMPONENT OF THE CITY'S PORT ARTHUR, UH, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR MASTER PLAN FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $45,000 FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR A-P-A-E-D-C ACCOUNT, UH, IN RATHER PA EED C ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH EIGHT ZERO DASH 6 2 5 DASH 5 4 2 DASH 0 0 0 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.AND LIKE I DO GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, P NUMBER 23 8 0 7 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DID THIS CONTRACT.
IT SAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UH, HIRE THEM TO HELP PROVIDE THE IMPLEMENTING THE DOWNTOWN REVALIDATION COMPONENT OF THE CITY, OF THE PORT ARTHUR MASTER PLAN.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WE HAVE THE PLAN, WHAT WE GONNA DO? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN? GO AHEAD.
I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT FOLLOWING YOUR QUESTION.
UH, SO CORRECT ME IF I, THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE WRONG ANSWER.
UH, THERE WAS, THERE HAS BEEN A PLAN PUT TOGETHER, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK SAID, BELIEVES IN THE PLANNING, BUT AS YOU ARTICULATE, UH, GOTTA IMPLEMENT, IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD FOR PLANS TO JUST SIT ON THE SHELF AND COLLECT US.
SO THIS ASPECT IS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH YOU JUST ARTICULATED, YOU WANNA SEE DONE WITH ALL OF THESE PLANS THAT GET CREATED.
WELL, THIS IS JUST ONE PARTICULAR AREA STAYING IN OUR LANE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF THAT OVERALL MASTER PLAN THAT HERE TO DATE HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU JUST GIVE A BRIEF, JUST, JUST TELL ME WHAT IT'S ABOUT?
[02:10:01]
OKAY.WHAT IT ENTAILS, MS. BEASLEY, SHE'S HERE.
WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO? LET ME INTRODUCE FROM RETAIL STRATEGIES.
THE PRESIDENT OF RETAIL STRATEGIES, MS. LACEY BEASLEY.
AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION.
IS THIS THE QUESTION? I DON'T NEED A PRESENTATION, MA'AM.
I JUST, I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? ABSOLUTELY.
WE ARE GOING TO COME IN AND DO A COMMUNITY SURVEY AND GET FEEDBACK FROM EVERYBODY.
TAKE A LOOK AT THAT MASTER PLAN THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PUT TOGETHER, DETERMINE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED, WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND REFRESH IT.
IT'S BEEN ALMOST 10 YEARS SINCE THEN.
SO WE CAN, AFTER THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY, WE'LL DO A STAKEHOLDER MEETING WHERE WE'LL BRING ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER HERE FROM THE COUNCIL, THE EDC, OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, AND WE WILL PUT TOGETHER A WORK ACTION PLAN FOR A LOCAL TASK FORCE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS DEFINE ABOUT 20 STRATEGIES THAT ARE SMALL, TACTICAL AND IMPLEMENTABLE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND GIVE EXAMPLES OF OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DONE THESE THINGS.
GIVE TEMPLATES TUTORIALS, A FULL BREAKDOWN OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IT'S, IT'S ITEMS THAT YOU CAN GET STARTED ON IMMEDIATELY.
WE'LL PROVIDE, FIRST OF ALL, WE'LL START WITH MARKET RESEARCH.
UM, THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR STAKEHOLDER MEETING, AND THEN WE'LL DELIVER THE PLAN TO YOU WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ON THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OR WORK WITH THE P-A-E-D-C.
AND SO EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A SMALL, TACTICAL, APPROACHABLE STEP TO MOVING FORWARD.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT DOWNTOWN LAST NIGHT OKAY.
THAT'S, I BASICALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
AND A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAVE.
FRANK, YOU'D LIKE STILL ON? NO, SIR.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR A.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO WORK YOU.
NOW THE NEXT ITEM WE'LL DO NOW IS WE RETURN TO, UH, MAYOR.
CAN WE HAVE A RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES? NO.
WE'LL RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UH, CITY SECRETARY MAYOR BARTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS HAD TO, HAD A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT HE HAD TO GO TO.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER ETT HERE.
UH, WE TAKING A BREAK? WE WERE READY TO BEGIN ON PAGE, UH, THREE, I BELIEVE IT IS.
I THOUGHT I WAS ON THE RIGHT PAGE, BUT I'M NOT.
[III.F.(1) A Status Update On The Proposed Contract Regarding Replacement Of Water Meters (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
PAGE TWO.AND NOW WE ARE AT, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
THAT'S THE ONLY, THE ONLY ONE ITEM THERE.
DISCUSSION OF THE UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED CONTRACT, UH, REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF OUR WATER METERS.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ETT.
AND I THINK MR. MATTHEWS, YOU HERE TO ANSWER FOR THAT? IT, GOOD MORNING, CALVIN.
I READ, UH, THE HANDOUT YOU GAVE US.
AND IT PRETTY MUCH COVERS EVERYTHING THAT, UH, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE, SO THE ONLY THING I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, I'M GONNA GO DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE.
EVERYTHING THAT I SEE HAPPENING, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT BEFORE WE BROUGHT THE FIRST CONTRACT FOR US TO APPROVE THE, UH, I MEAN WHEN THIS STARTED, IT KIND OF, THE CONVENTIONAL WAY IS TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT.
UH, AND I LEARNED A LOT IN TALKING, GOING THROUGH THE RFPS AND, AND I THINK JESS LEARNED A LOT.
AND WE STARTED REALIZING THAT WE'RE SPENDING THREE TO 4 MILLION OUT OF 14 MILLION FOR SOMEONE TO DO THINGS THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IN-HOUSE.
I MEAN, IT IS A LITTLE BIT SLOWER IN-HOUSE.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE IT'S, THIS IS A $10 MILLION JOB.
[02:15:01]
DOCUMENTS TOGETHER AND ALL.BUT WE HAVE RHONDA'S TEAM, WHICH IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED.
SEVERAL OF THEM WORKED ON THE PREVIOUS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T REPEAT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE PREVIOUS ONE WHERE THEY HAD TO CUT CABLES AND EVERYTHING Y'ALL HEAR ABOUT.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 9,000 METERS THAT HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS. SO, AND WE WENT WITH THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS.
WE'VE, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IS OUR EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT.
AND, UH, IT'S AN AREA THAT WE ARE CONFIDENT WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
CALVIN, YOU SAID TWO KEY THINGS THAT I'M REALLY, I, UH, SATISFIED WITH HEARING THE FIRST ONE WHEN YOU SAID, I'M LEARNING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO MORE.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN FEELING THAT I, I'VE FELT THAT WE CONTRACT TOO MUCH FOR WHAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THESE CERTAIN THINGS.
SIR? SIR, CAN I INTERRUPT? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING THE METERS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A MANAGEMENT OF THE, AND AND, AND PUTTING OUT THE DOCUMENTS.
THAT'S BASICALLY I'M PERFORMING THE IN-HOUSE, THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
'CAUSE I AM A PE AND I'M QUALIFIED TO DO THIS.
WELL SEE, THAT'S, I'M SAYING THE SAME THING YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST AND, UH, WHEN IT, WHEN WE GET TO A SITUATION LIKE THIS WHEREBY I APPROVE A CONTRACT, UH, IN JULY, NO, WE APPROVE IT AROUND FEBRUARY.
THAT CONTRACT INITIAL YOU APPROVED TO GO OUT FOR THE RFP.
AND, AND THEN ONCE WE RECEIVED THE RFPS, WE REQUESTED IT TO BE CANCELED.
WAS THAT THE RF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
SO ONCE YOU RECEIVED IT, BUT THAT, MY WHOLE POINT THAT I'M MAKING CALVIN, IS THAT THESE WATER METERS, FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH WATER BILLS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT BEING A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE HAVING BECAUSE OF WATER BILL, I, I PLACE REPLACING OF METERS AS A PRIORITY FOR US TO DO.
AND WHEN I SAY IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US TO DO IT, ONCE WE RECEIVE FUNDING OR WE HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE, THEN WHAT I LOOK FOR US IS TO EXECUTE DOING IT.
AND THE WAY WE DO IT IS WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO DO IT INITIALLY BECAUSE TIME WE WASTE THE PROBLEM.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE COULD LEARN FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, THAT CAN HELP US, THAT CAN SAVE US.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME TODAY IS, WELL, WELL, SIR, THERE WAS SOME FUNDING ISSUES ON THIS.
UH, AS, AND I WANNA SPEAK FOR MS. LIN HERE.
ONCE WE DECIDED TO GO IN-HOUSE AND WE STARTED TALKING TO LYNN ABOUT THE FUNDING, THE FUNDING WASN'T GONNA BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE TALKED TO LYNN RECENTLY.
I WAS ACTUALLY ON LEAVE WHEN THIS DISCUSSION HAPPENED.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE PLAN IS TO UNDERWRITE THIS WITH GENERAL FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN BID IT IN DECEMBER.
UH, THE FUNDING ACTUALLY WON'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN DELAYING IT BY IN-HOUSE.
IT'S WHEN THE FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE IS NEXT YEAR.
SO OUR IN-HOUSE SCHEDULE WAS BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
AND YOU'D HAVE TO TALK TO LYNN ABOUT WHEN, HOW THAT FUNDING WORKS AND WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE.
BUT WE'VE COMMUNICATED WITH FINANCE AND WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING OUR EFFORTS BASED ON THE SCHEDULE OF FUNDING.
WE ARE, I MEAN, WE'RE VERY TIGHT ON FUNDING.
I I THINK LYNN'S THING, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO IT, BUT THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT WILL BE CANCELED.
IT'S NOT A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, SO I WON'T TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE, BUT, WELL, YEAH.
WELL, THIS, WE'RE IN DEEP PROBLEMS ON FUNDING.
SEE, BUT SEE, THIS ITEM ON AGENDA IS FOR WATER METERS.
AND THAT FUNDING IS A SEPARATE FUNDING THAN THE OTHER FUNDING.
[02:20:01]
FEBRUARY OF 2024.WE'RE NOW IN OUR PHYSICAL YEAR 25 BUDGET.
SO IF WE STARTED THIS AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
WHEN YOU BRING IT TO COUNCIL, IF THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR IT, WHY BRING IT TO COUNCIL? COUNCIL DOESN'T APPROVE ANYTHING UNLESS IT'S FUNDING.
SO YOU ARE OPENING A CAN OF WORMS THERE.
AND I, I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THERE, BUT I WANT TO, I WANT TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU SAID.
WHENEVER IT COMES TO US TO APPROVE SOMETHING, IT SAYS FUNDING IS AVAILABLE SO WE APPROVE IT.
SO IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND I ASK WHY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, AND YOU TELL ME, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING.
THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT KINDA WORM BECAUSE MY FIRST QUESTION, I WHY DID YOU BRING IT TO US? YOU SEE, I DIDN'T, I I, THAT WASN'T A, THAT WASN'T A DIRECTION I WANTED TO GO.
BUT IF THAT'S DIRECTION THAT I'M HEARING, THAT IS A PROBLEM.
SO I'M NOT GONNA PROLONG THIS.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GIVE US A UPDATE, UH, SOMETIME IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
'CAUSE FROM WHAT I'M READING HERE, YOU SAY THE CITY STAFF WILL BE READY TO BID AND ADVERTISE THIS PROJECT IN THE THIRD WEEK OF DECEMBER.
THAT'S THE THIRD WEEK IN DECEMBER.
SO, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THIS.
AND IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD HOPE THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HAVING TIME WITH.
IF YOU BRING IT TO US AND WE APPROVE IT, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT ARISE, THAT THINGS WON'T GO AS PLANNED, THEN I THINK IT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO COME BACK BEFORE US AND LET US KNOW, HEY, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS.
WE GOT A, WE GOT A GLITCH IN HERE.
SO IT WON'T BE, AND THAT'S WHY KIND WE ARE NOT DOING IT.
I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS.
UH, COMMENTS? ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY.
ANY, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS.
UH, SO WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER) ]
NOW WE WILL, UH, MOVE TO, UH, WE'VE DONE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST.UH, AT THIS JUNCTURE, I DO, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT TODAY HAPPENS TO BE A SPECIAL DAY FOR OUR, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN OPERATIONS.
UH, IT HAPPENED TO BE, UH, BORN DAY, UH, DR.
UH, SO ON BEHALF OF OUR COUNCIL, WANT TO WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
I WAS INFORMED THIS MORNING IN OUR FRATERNITY CHAT THAT THIS WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY,
OH, YOUR LIGHT WAS JUST STILL ON.
IF THERE BE ANY OTHER NO, NO OTHER, UH, WELL, ON THIS EVENING, BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM AT THE, UH, WOODROW WILSON, UH, EARLY COLLEGE, UH, AUDITORIUM, MOTIVA, AND THEY'VE DONE IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS SPONSORING OUR, UH, SYMPHONY, A SYMPHONY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY PERFORMING TONIGHT WITH THE SYMPHONY, UH, TWO, UH, PORT S UH, UH, STUDENTS FROM, UH, THE MEMORIAL, UH, HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC DEPARTMENT WILL BE PERFORMING BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM UH, AND THERE, THERE, UH, AT, OH, CONCHE STARTS AT SEVEN, BUT AT SIX, THANK YOU MS. SANCHEZ.
BUT AT SIX, UH, THE, UH, LIGHT REFRESHMENTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A CHURCH, WE CALL IT FELLOWSHIP, BUT, UH, A RECEPTION, I BELIEVE IT IS BEGINS AT SIX.
AND THE ACTUAL CONCERT, THANK YOU FOR, FOR CORRECTING ME ON THAT.
THE ACTUAL CONCERT BEGINS AT SEVEN, AND I'VE ATTENDED, UH, FOR THE PAST, WELL, YEARS THAT THEY'VE HAD 'EM.
AND THEY, IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT CONCERT AND IT PUTS YOU IN THE FESTIVE, UH, IDE SEASON.
UH, THE CHRISTMAS MAKES IT REAL CHRISTMASY BEFORE YOU, SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, ATTEND ON THIS EVENING, YOU WOULD MISS A TREAT.
AND IT'S NO, NO CHARGE, RIGHT? NO CHARGE.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, IF THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER, THEN I BELIEVE I AM READY TO GO TO, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WHICH THERE ISN'T ANY, WHICH
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
WILL MOVE US NOW SWIFTLY TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.AND WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE IS INFORMATION THAT
[02:25:01]
HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED TO COUNCILPERSONS ON THESE ITEMS. AND IF THERE WOULD BE AN ITEM THAT A COUNCILPERSON WOULD WANT WITHDRAWN AND HANDLE, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, PLEASE INFORM ME OF THE PAGE NUMBER AND THE, UH, ITEM NUMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES.OH SIX ON SIX YOU SAID 10? NINE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE PULLED SOME OF THE ONES THAT I WANTED, BUT I DO HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL ONE.
MAY I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF NUMBER TWO? EXCUSE ME.
ON PAGE, ON PAGE FIVE, NUMBER EXCUSE.
OH, MAYOR, I FAILED TO MARK MY AGENDA, BUT I HAD MARKED AN ITEM THAT THE STAFF WANTED REMOVED.
WAS THAT INCLUDED? OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? EXCUSE ME.
STAFF, UH, REQUESTED TO REMOVE, I'M SORRY.
IT, AND I DIDN'T MAKE MY NOTES.
THANK YOU FOR, AND THERE HAS BEEN, UH, A REQUEST BY STAFF TO REMOVE NUMBER 14.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE IN, IN, IN THIS MOTION.
I NEED TO, WE NEED TO PULL IT.
CAN I PUT IN A MOTION? EVERYTHING ELSE REMOVE? YES, SIR.
UM, UH, I DIDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T HAVE ONE ANYWAY.
AND WE WILL REMOVE ITEM NUMBER 14.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? AND SHE'S EXPLAINED IT.
ANY OPPOSES? WE HERE THE AYES HAVE IT.
NUMBER ITEM NUMBER 14 IS REMOVED.
NOW A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, COUNTY, CITY SECRETARY WITH THE EXCLUSION OF NUMBERS 2, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, AND 18.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE A STATED, UH, ITEMS. UH, WE READY TO, UH, READY FOR QUESTION? NO QUESTIONS.
READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
A SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THOSE, UH, INCLUSIONS.
[VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 23966 - A Resolution Authorizing The Port Arthur Police Department To Pay $540,000.00 To Jefferson County As It Pertains To Housing Of Prisoners At The Jefferson County Jail; Funding Allocated In Police Department Account Number 001-17-045-5488- 00-30-000]
FOR THE, UH, ITEMS THAT WILL BE HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY, ITEM NUMBER TWO OR NUMBER TWO ON PAGE FIVE, WHICH IS PR 23 9 6 6.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PAY 540,000 TO JEFFERSON COUNTY AS IT PERTAINS TO HOUSING OF PRISONERS AT JEFFERSON COUNTY JAIL.
FUNDING THE ALLOCATED IN POLICE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH SEVEN DASH FOUR FIVE DASH 5 4 8 8 0 3 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? NO.
MOVE MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THIS ITEM.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? AND BEFORE WE DO THE QUESTIONS AND, AND TO THE SECRETARY, I MEAN CITY ATTORNEY, LET ME KNOW IF I'M INCORRECT.
THIS IS A PORTION, A PORTION OF A PAYMENT OF SOMETHING THAT WE HAD DONE A FEW YEARS BACK RIGHT.
WITH THE SHERIFF ON, ON, ON THESE TYPE ITEMS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
IT WAS AN INTERLOCAL GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT.
THAT THE CITY ENTERED IN WITH THE COUNTY TO SETTLE ALL CLAIMS FOR PAST SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF 540,000.
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER IN THE SIGN FOR THE PAYMENT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY OR, OR FOR THE POLICE CHIEF OR MAYBE A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SETTLEMENT OF SOME PREVIOUS AMOUNTS THAT HAD BEEN PASSED DUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THERE WAS SOME NEGOTIATION TO, TO GET TO THIS AMOUNT.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, BEING THAT THIS IS FROM SOME YEARS AGO, WAS THE SETTLEMENT CALCULATED AT THE DAY RATE THAT WAS INCURRED AT THAT TIME THAT WENT UNPAID OR WAS IT CALCULATED AT TODAY'S RATE? 'CAUSE THIS ALL
[02:30:01]
HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL.CHIEF DURSO, COULD YOU COME UP, CHIEF, CAN YOU TELL ME IF THE, THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS CALCULATED USING THE DAY RATES THAT WERE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THAT THESE CHARGES WERE INCURRED, THAT WENT UNPAID? I'M NOT SURE I WOULD'VE TO DO THE RESEARCH ON IT.
IT WAS, UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT OF JEFF COUNTY NEGOTIATED IT, SO I'M NOT SURE.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE DAY RATE RIGHT NOW? UH, $75 A DAY.
AND THESE EXPENSES WERE INCURRED DURING WHAT YEARS? IF YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO 2017.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DAY RATE WAS BACK THEN? UH, NO MA'AM.
I'M THINKING IT WAS LIKE $67 BACK THEN, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
BUT I THINK AT THAT TIME THEY WERE CHARGING DAILY NOW FOR, I THINK ON FELONIES THEY HIT YOU WITH THE ONE TIME $75 RATE.
BUT IF YOU GO IN THERE ON A MISDEMEANOR LIKE CLASS C MISDEMEANOR MM-HMM.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS CALCULATED.
I MEAN, DOES ANYBODY ON COUNCIL KNOW IF IT WAS CALCULATED AT THE, I I I JUST REMEMBER, UM, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR PRO, TIM MAYOR.
I, I JUST REMEMBER WHEN I CAME ON AT 17, WE HAD TO ENTERTAIN THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES, SO I WASN'T SURE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, I THINK TIM, WHEN YOU COME ON 19, YOU CAME ON IN, IT SETTLED, I THINK IN 19 AND IT, AND IT WAS SOME CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT THE, THE AMOUNT, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS A LOWER AMOUNT BACK THEN PRIOR TO 17.
BUT I REMEMBER WHEN I CAME ON AT UH, 17, WE HAD TO ENTERTAIN AND I, I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD TAKE THIS LONG TO NEGOTIATE THAT FAIR PRICE MARKET VALUE FOR THAT.
SO I, I THINK, I THINK ORIGINALLY THEY WANTED SOMEWHERE MAYBE 2 MILLION, MILLION, LIKE A MILLION.
THEY WANTED, THEY THREW THAT NUMBER OF MAYOR PRO TEM, LIKE TWO MILL MM-HMM.
AND WE HAD TO GO BACK AND I, I DO SAID MAKE AND KIND OF, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER AGENCIES, UH, DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED TOO THAT WERE IN THE SAME CLASS WE WERE IN.
AND ARE WE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, ARE WE ON A TIME CRUNCH TO GET THIS PAID? IS THERE PROVISIONS FOR WHEN IT SHOULD BE PAID? YES.
IN FACT, THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT STATES THAT IT HAS TO BE PAID ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AND SO I THINK THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS PROLONGED A PAYMENT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO, UM, MANY YEARS AGO.
WELL, AND I ASKED THAT QUESTION JUST IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED TO TABLE THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN, SINCE WE'RE ON A TIME CRUNCH, SO, OKAY.
I STILL WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WAS IT CALCULATED AT THE DAY RATE WHEN IT WAS INCURRED OR IF THERE WAS SOME OTHER NEGOTIATION THAT HAPPENED? IF THE CITY ATTORNEY COULD JUST CLARIFY THAT FOR ME.
SO I HAVE LOOKED FOR THE FILE EXPECTING TO FIND SETTLEMENT PAID TERMS, AND ALL I FOUND WAS THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
UM, SO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE PACKET IS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I COULD GARNER FOR THE COUNCIL EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY FOR ME TO FIND OUT.
I CAN TAKE, I CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR YOU GUYS.
YEAH, I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU CAN.
THEY, THEY SAID WE OWED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR HOUSING X AMOUNT OF PRISONERS FOR X AMOUNT OF PERIOD OF TIME.
AND PORT ARTHUR WASN'T THE ONLY CITY THAT QUESTIONED IT.
IT WAS, I THINK ROSE AND PORT NATURE, I THINK THE OTHER CITIES AROUND ALSO WAS PART OF THIS.
SO IT IS BEEN A NEGOTIATION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME TO REACH THE, AN AMOUNT THAT EVERYBODY AGREED ON IT.
AND I GUESS THIS IS OUR SETTLEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS NOT LIKE IT WAS PER DAY BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TO COST 540 SOME DOLLARS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY INITIALLY WAS SAYING WE HAD.
SO EVIDENTLY THIS HAD TO BE A NEGOTIATION OF THIS IS WHAT YOU PAY US AND WE GONNA BE HAPPY.
UM, AND TO THIS POINT NOW, WE SPEND ABOUT 114,000 A YEAR TO HOUSE PRISONERS.
BECAUSE WE'VE CONTINUALLY BEEN PAYING THEM.
THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING BEFORE SEVERAL OF US HERE.
WHENEVER I CAME IN AS COUNCILMAN ELLO WAS SAYING, THIS WAS ON THE TABLE.
AND, AND I REALLY THOUGHT UNTIL I HAD A AGENDA REVIEW THE OTHER DAY, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD ALREADY SETTLED AND IT WAS DONE.
BUT I CAN RECALL IT WAS IN THE MILLIONS, UH, I THINK IT WAS 2 MILLION.
[02:35:01]
AND BEAUMONT OWED A COUPLE MORE MILLION THAN WE DID, AND NOBODY WAS GOING TO PAY WHAT, YOU KNOW, ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE SHERIFF.BUT SHE AND ASKED SHERRY WHAT, WHAT THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD, THEY HAD COME UP WITH, WITH A REAL EXORBITANT AMOUNT.
SO, UH, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, THE AMOUNT THAT WE, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY, UH, REQUESTED.
DEFINITELY THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND, AND, AND AT NO POINT TOO, IN FAIRNESS TO THE COUNTY, THE SHERIFF CONTINUED TO TAKE PRISONERS FOR HER.
I REMEMBER DURING THAT TIME THEY SAID, YEAH, IT WAS TELEVISION.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS, UH, SENSATIONAL JOURNALISM.
THEY WERE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT PRISONERS FROM X, Y, AND Z CITIES AND HAD CITIES, YOU KNOW, FOLK, CITIZENS WERE UPSET ABOUT IT AND ALL TYPES OF THINGS.
UH, AND THAT YOU ALL COULD ONLY, WOULD ONLY BE, BE ABLE TO ARREST CLASS C PEOPLE.
YOU COULDN'T ARREST ARREST FELONS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TO TAKE 'EM.
SO ANY, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON IT? NO.
YOU, WE, YOU GOOD? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT IT DIDN'T JUST GET SETTLED.
UM, THIS WAS ACTUALLY, THE SETTLEMENT WAS DONE IN 2021.
UM, BUT THE PAYMENT IS DUE BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
SO I GUESS THE ENTITY, THEY'RE PAYING IT LIKE I WAS CITIZEN PAY ON THEIR WATER BILLS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE ARE DOING.
I THOUGHT I'D JUST BRING IT ON WITH THAT LIGHT.
YEAH, THE ROOM LIGHT THE ROOM UP.
READY? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 24020 – A Resolution Authorizing Payment Of Past-Due Invoices To American Mat & Timber Co. Of Houston, Texas, For The Rental Of Laminated Construction Mats For The City Of Port Arthur's Landfill For $48,385.00. Funds Are Available In FY24-25 The Public Works Department Landfill Division – Equipment Rental Account Number 403-50-320-5402-00-00-000]
ATTORNEY.OKAY, LET'S GO TO PAGE, UH, SIX.
ITEM NUMBER NINE ON PAGE SIX IS PR 2 40 20.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF PAST DUE INVOICES TO AMERICAN MAT AND TIMBER COMPANY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR THE RENTAL OF LAMINATED CONSTRUCTION MATS FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S LANDFILL FOR $48,385.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN FY 24 25.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, LANDFILL DIVISION, EQUIPMENT RENTAL ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 3 DASH 5 3 2 0 5 4 0 2 0 0.
I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK.
MAGGIE, THE SECOND COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SECOND MAYOR.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2040.
UH, WE READY FOR TIONS? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
MY QUESTION ON THIS IS, I UNDERSTAND PATHS DUE SOMETIME YOU GET KINDA LATE, BUT WHEN I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE BACKGROUND AND I LOOKED AT THE INVOICE, THE INVOICE WAS BE, I MEAN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THE INVOICES THAT THEY WANTED US TO PAY WAS AN INVOICE ON MAY THE 30TH, JULY THE FIFTH, JULY THE 13TH, JULY THE 30TH, AUGUST THE 30TH, OCTOBER THE 30TH, ANOTHER ONE ON OCTOBER THE 30TH, NOVEMBER THE 17TH, NOVEMBER THE 30TH, AND NOVEMBER THE 30TH.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE INVOICES ARE FROM 2023.
THEY SENT US THESE INVOICES, SO WE GOT THE INVOICES.
MY QUESTION IS, WHY WERE THEY NOT PAID? OKAY.
WHO CAN, UH, WHICH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT FOR US? I THINK IT'S THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS.
OH, WE GOT THE LANDFILL REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK WHERE WE COME TO ASK THE COUNCIL FOR FORGIVENESS
OH, HERE YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? YES.
HELLO, COUNSEL, UH, JORGE MORALES, UH, LANDFILL OPERATIONS MANAGER.
UH, THE, THE ANSWER TO THAT, UH, ONE, UH, I DO NOT HAVE A, AN, UH, ANSWER TO WHY WEREN'T THEY PAID.
[02:40:01]
WE DID NOT GO THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS.WE JUST, UH, GOT QUOTES FOR THREE MONTHS.
AND AFTER THREE MONTHS, UH, WE WEREN'T GETTING THE, THE INVOICES DIRECTLY, THEY WERE GOING TO FINANCE.
SO AS TO WHY THEY WEREN'T GETTING PAID, UH, AFTER THE THREE MONTHS THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY, UH, GOT THEM COATS, UH, THAT WAS ON US.
WE SHOULD HAVE, UH, BIDDED IT OUT.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHY WE FAILED.
NOW NO, BE, AS I UNDERSTAND AND ALL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT NOW, IS SOMEBODY ACTUALLY GIVING US AN INVOICE THAT MEAN THEY'VE GIVEN US THE INVOICE FOR WORK THEY'VE DONE OF THEIR PERFORMED.
AND MY QUESTION IS, WHY WASN'T THEY PAID? UH, THOSE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE, YES.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T RECEIVE THOSE INVOICES.
UH, WHENEVER WE DO GET INVOICES, WE DO, UH, INTERIM AND TO THE SYSTEM, AND THEN WE MAKE SURE THEY GET PAID.
BUT THESE INVOICES WE WEREN'T GETTING, PARDON ME NOW, INVOICE THAT YOU WASN'T GETTING.
YEAH, WE, THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT DIRECTLY RECEIVE THE INVOICES, IS WHAT HE'S SAYING.
THEN WELL, CITY MANAGER, LET'S FIND OUT WHY THIS WASN'T PAID.
I WANNA KNOW WHY WE DID NOT PAY US.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I LEMME I THINK THIS, IT IS AN EASY QUESTION.
IT'S JUST POOR COMMUNICATION, LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TRAINING TOMORROW MORNING ON, YOU KNOW, UM, WHERE DO WE SEND INVOICES AND THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENT AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AT NINE O'CLOCK TOMORROW MORNING, I'M CALLING ALL THE AVAILABLE.
I'VE SPOKEN TO THE CITY, UM, AND OUR DIRECTOR YESTERDAY, WE'RE CALLING ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER WITH, THAT'S A, THAT IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO ME TO SEE HOW WE RECTIFY THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, ADDED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW TYLER SYSTEM AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUT ALL THAT TOMORROW, OR WE GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH WHAT I REFER TO AS OUR PROBLEM DEPARTMENTS AND NOT ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE ADDRESSED.
THOSE ARE, THAT'S JUST A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS FALLING OFF THE RADAR BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
IT IS LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
YOU FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW THROUGH BECAUSE IT WAS NOT FOR FREE.
IT'S JUST POOR COMMUNICATION AND WE GOT TO FIX IT.
IT IS TRAINING IS TRAINING AND REINFORCED TRAINING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO HOLD EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR.
WE'VE GOTTA PAY THE PEOPLE THEIR MONEY.
BUT WE, WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE.
WHEN YOU DON'T GET THE BILL AT THE END OF THE MONTH, YOU PICK UP A PHONE OR YOU LEAVE THE LANDFILL OR WHEREVER YOU ARE AND COME DOWN TO CITY HALL TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE PAID AND WE DON'T NEED TO GET TO THIS ANYMORE.
AND IF I'VE GOT TO WRITE UP SOMEBODY OR TAKE ACTION, OTHERWISE I WILL.
BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO BE GETTING INTO THOSE EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS.
LET'S ENTER INTO THE RECORDS THAT WHATEVER IT TAKES, THE CITY MAN JUST EXPLAINED THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD ATTACK IT.
I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IT'S NO LONGER BE ACCEPTABLE.
AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I'VE HEARD WHAT WE GONNA DO TO FIX IT.
WE NEED TO STOP IT IN THE FUTURE.
SOMEONE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
ANY OPPOSES AS EVERYTHING WE WOULD APPROVE THE CHECK
YEAH, NEXT TIME WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS AT THE CHURCH.
ALL ALL IN FAVOR, UH, CITY SECRETARY.
[VII.C.(10) P.R. No. 24026 – A Resolution Authorizing The Purchase Of One (1) F-250 Pick Up Truck For The Fire Department From Chastang Ford Of Houston, Texas Through HGACBUY Contract No. FS12-23 In The Amount Of $105,975.00; Funding Is Available In FY24-25 Equipment Account Number 652-19-047-8523-00-00-000]
NEXT WE HAVE PR[02:45:01]
NUMBER 24 0 2 6 AS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF ONE F TWO 50 PICKUP TRUCK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM, UH, CHAST TANK FORD OF HOUSTON, TEXAS THROUGH THE HGAC BY CONTRACT, UH, NUMBER FS ONE 12 DASH 23 IN THE AMOUNT OF $105,975.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN FY 24 25 EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER, EXCUSE ME, SIX, UH, 52 DASH NINE DASH 0 4 7 DASH 8 5 2 3 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, MAYOR, I APPROACH HIM.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SECOND MAYOR IS MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 0 2 6 AS PRESENTED.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DUCEY? YES.
UH, HI, HOW YOU DOING CHIEF? MORNING.
HOW YOU DOING? ALRIGHT, I'M DOING OKAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, UH, TRUCK.
YOU KNOW, UH, FOR A HUNDRED SAY $106 DOLLARS, YOU COULD SAY WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS TRUCK THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY $106,000 FOR THIS TRUCK? 'CAUSE I WENT ONLINE AND, AND, AND I BUILT ME ONE FOR LESS THAN THIS.
SO YOU TELL ME WHAT ON THIS TRUCK? SO THE TRUCK'S, UM, RUNNING ROUGHLY $85,000 FOR EVERYTHING.
THIS TRUCK IS GONNA BE UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S OPERATIONS.
SO A CERTAIN, A FEW THINGS WE HAD TO DO DIFFERENT WITH THIS TRUCK THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE PAST ONES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS, UM, FOR MICAH OR THE LEATHER TYPE SEATING AND THE PLASTIC FLOORING AND OPERATIONS, IT HAS TO BE THAT BIGFOOT CONTAMINATION AND CROSS CONTAMINATION WHEN IT COMES TO THESE, UM, CARPETS AND DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND THAT WE GOING, THAT WE, THOSE GUYS GONNA SEE IN THE FIRE ALSO.
THIS, THIS TRUCK GONNA HAVE A CAMPER SHELL ROUGHLY SIX GRAND, $6,000 FOR THE CAMPER SHELL.
THEN INSIDE THAT CAMPER SHELL, YOU GONNA HAVE TECHNOLOGY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A POPUP BLIND FOR, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, TAG IN TAG OUR SYSTEM.
THAT WAY THE OPERATIONS CHIEF THAT'S ON THE SCENE OF THE HOUSE FIRE, HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE EVERYONE'S, WHO'S ALL ON THE SCENE AND HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EACH PERSON ON THAT SCENE.
THAT TECHNOLOGY IS ROUGHLY $15,000.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THAT, UH, ROUGHLY 20,000 INCREASE AT.
WELL, IT IT'S GOING, IT'S GOING TO DO A LOT.
IT'S GOING, IT'S GONNA HELP US COUNT FOR OUR PERSONNEL.
I THINK, UH, DE SAID IT'S RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO KNOW.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THAT.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING EARLIER.
YOU SAID ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PERSONNEL.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LIKE, SO FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE ON THAT SCENE, WE HAVE A TAGS FOR 'EM.
WE, UH, WHOEVER'S COMMANDING THAT SCENE WILL HAVE A TAG FOR THAT PERSON AND WE CAN KNOW EVERYONE ON THAT SCENE WHERE THEY'RE AT FAR AS, UM, THE REGULATIONS TO END TO OUT.
VERSUS US GIVING THE FIRES GOING OFF YEAH.
VERSUS THE GUY HOLDING THAT IN HIS HAND TO POP UP BLIND FOR THAT, UH, TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EVERYONE ON THAT SCENE.
WELL I WOULD SUGGEST THIS NEXT TIME KIND OF YEAH.
THE SOFTWARE, UH, TECHNOLOGY, UH, IF YOU WOULD JUST EXPLAIN IT.
EXPLAIN IT IN THE FRONT, BECAUSE WE GET, WE READ THESE EVERY IN MY COUNTERPARTS WE READ.
SO, UH, JUST IF YOU WOULD EXPLAIN IT SO WE CAN HAVE A BASIC IDEA ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'LL MAKE GOOD STEWARDS FOR THE MONEY.
[VII.C.(15) P.R. No. 24035 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Interlocal Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur And Jefferson County Precinct 3 For One-Time Assistance In The Clearing Of Vegetation Within The 7500-7700 Blocks Of The Old Twin City Highway Right-Of-Way Located In Port Arthur, Texas, At No Cost To The City Port Arthur (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw) ]
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S MOVE TO PAGE SEVEN.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A ENTER LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND JEFFERSON COUNTY PRECINCT THROUGH THREE FOR ONE TIME ASSISTANCE IN CLEARING OF VEGETATION WITHIN THE SEVENTY FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN HUNDRED BLOCKS OF THE OLD TWIN CITY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY LOCATED IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AT NO COST TO THE CITIZENS OR TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KLOCK.
OR MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEMBER DEUCE? UH, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER KLOCK.
COUNCILMAN FRANK? IT MOVED IN SECOND.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER DEUCE? YES.
[02:50:01]
ON THIS ONE HERE.I READ THROUGH IT, RIGHT? AND, AND I READ A LOT OF IT.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, UH, BE AN AGREEMENT AND THIS IS A ONE TIME THING, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT, WHAT THIS IS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SHANE IS, UH, GOING TO DO FOR US.
UH, OKAY THEN YEAH, COUNCILMAN DE SAID, OH, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD, PAM.
WE ONLY HAD TO HAVE IT FOR RECORD, SO, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM, UM, COMMISSIONER SHANE'S OFFICE AROUND NOVEMBER 18TH OF THIS YEAR, UM, REQUESTING TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO DO A ONE-TIME CLEARING OF THE VEGETATION THAT'S BEHIND WHERE THE FORMER OCCASION RESTAURANT AND THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE IS LOCATED, WHICH IS OLD TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
SO IT ENCOMPASSES ABOUT THREE BLOCKS, UM, OF AREA.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE BUSINESS OWNERS WITHIN THAT LOCATION.
UM, WE FIRST HAD TO DETERMINE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IN FACT IN THE CITY'S, UH, JURISDICTION.
UM, WE ALSO HAD TO RESEARCH TO SEE IF THAT PORTION OF RIGHT OF WAY WAS PART OF THE RAILROAD OR THE CITY.
UM, ONCE THOSE DETERMINATIONS WERE MET, MY ASSUMPTION IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW, UM, HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER SENEGAL.
AND SO WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN JUST DOING A ONE TIME CLEARING OF ALL OF THAT VEGETATION ALONG THAT THOROUGHFARE AND THE CITY WOULD RESUME, UM, KEEPING UP WITH THAT AREA THEREAFTER.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN A THORN IN MY SIDE EVER SINCE I TOOK THIS COUNCIL SEAT FOR DISTRICT THREE BECAUSE THAT FALLS IN MY DISTRICT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR STEPPING IN ON THIS.
UM, THE BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO ME.
THE CITY'S GONE OUT THERE AND CLEANED IT UP A FEW TIMES, BUT YES.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE GONNA MAINTAIN IT NOW?
ONCE IT'S DETERMINED NOW THAT IT IS DETERMINED THAT IT IS PART OF THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY, UM, I THINK THAT WAS THE ISSUE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS TEX DIED BY BEING A PORTION OF OLD TWIN CITY, PART OF PORT NATURES THE RAILROAD.
SO NOW THAT IT'S BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT IS IN FACT IN OUR JURISDICTION AND IT IS IN FACT OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WE WILL MAINTAIN IT THEN.
SO SOMEBODY'S GONNA GO OUT THERE AND CHECK ON IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CUT BACK? THAT IS CORRECT.
'CAUSE IT, IT POSES A HAZARD RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT TRAVELED A WHOLE LOT, MA'AM, BUT BY THE BUSINESSES AND MAYBE SOME PEOPLE THAT LIVE BACK THERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACK.
BUT THAT WHEN THAT VEGETATION GROWS OVER INTO THE STREET, IT IT'S A HAZARD.
I'M GLAD THIS IS GETTING TAKEN CARE OF.
AND YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO MAKE THE ROOM LIGHT NOW.
SO NOW Y'ALL NOT COMMISSIONING CENTER OR NOT KNOW, SUCKING US IN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE NEXT TIME HE GONNA CHARGE US
I MADE A PHONE CALL TO A, THEY GONNA MAKE IT LOOK REAL NICE ACROSS THE CITY, BUT HE DID STATE THAT THIS IS A ONETIME ASSISTANCE.
WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT AS WELL FOR APPROVAL.
BUT I NEEDED TO GET THIS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND MS. ROBINSON IS NOT IN IT, SO, BUT, BUT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WOULD KNOW.
WE WOULD DETERMINE IF IT'S PUBLIC WORK OR PARKS AND WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEARING.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SOLE PR PRR NUMBER 2 40 35 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VII.C.(16) P.R. No. 24037 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Gulf Express Construction LLC Of Groves, Texas, For The Repair Of The Pier And Gazebo Located At 800 Lakefront Drive (Boat Launch) On Pleasure Island, With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $25,500.00; Funding To Be Provided From Account Number 450-00-000-8525-00-00-000]
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO PAGE EIGHT, ITEM 16, PRR NUMBER, UH, 2 40 37.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH GULF EXPRESS CONSTRUCTION, LLC OF GROVE, TEXAS FOR THE REPAIR OF THE PIER AND GAZEBO LOCATED AT 800, UH, LAKEFRONT, UH, DRIVE, BOAT LAUNCH ON PLEASURE ISLAND AND A PROJECTED AT A PROJECTED, UH, IT SHOULD BE, UH, WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $25,500 FUNDING TO BE PROVIDED FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 50 DASH 0 0 0 0 85 25 DASH 0 0 0.
AND MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR PRO TEMP? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 40 37.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? OKAY, THE QUE I SAW CHAPTER
[02:55:01]
2 71 AGAIN.DID WE BID IT OUT? DID WE ADVERTISE A BID? OH, NO SIR.
OKAY THEN, UH, THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY.
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S LIKE THE LAST TIME, IF IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY, WE NEED TO POST THE BID SO THAT CITIZENS IN PORT ARTHUR OR BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND IF THEY DON'T RESPOND IF ON THEM.
BUT IF IT'S NOT EMERGENCY, WE NEED TO USE THE SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO STOP GETTING QUOTES.
MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT THAT WE JUST HAVE TO GET THE THREE QUOTES.
SO I LOOKED AT THE LIST, UM, THAT WAS PROVIDED BY PURCHASING AND JUST CALLED THREE NAMES OFF OF THIS AND THAT WERE THE QUOTES I GOT, I THOUGHT IT WAS 25,000.
I THINK IT'S 50 WHEN YOU GOT BID IT OUT.
COME UP, LET, LET, LET THE, LET THE GURU COME UP HERE AND SQUARE ME AWAY.
NO, BY LAW THE BID IS 50,000, 25,000 IS TO BRING TO COUNCIL.
UM, NOW AS FAR AS THESE QUOTES, WHEN GEORGE CALLED ME, I TOLD HIM TO CONTACT THE THREE, PULLED OUT THE PEOPLE.
UM, THE OTHER TWO QUOTES WERE PORT ARTHUR.
I THOUGHT THE GROVE ONE WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS THE GULF WAS PORT ARTHUR.
'CAUSE UM, WHEN I GAVE IT TO, I'D SAY CALLED THREE PORT, BUT WHEN I LOOKED, WHEN THEY CAME IN, THERE'S ACTUALLY CONFLICTING THINGS.
'CAUSE I SEEN ANOTHER ADDRESS WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS IN PORT ARTHUR
BUT THEN THEY GOT, AFTER, AFTER THESE CAME IN, AFTER THE QUOTES CAME IN, HE HAD THE, IT WAS ON GO, BUT IT'S IN GROVES.
I GUESS IT'S ON THAT OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE.
BUT THE OTHER TWO QUOTES WERE PORT ARTHUR.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, I I I'M GONNA LOOK AT THESE.
I WANT THE, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OURSELVES, THAT'S ALL.
WHETHER THEY GET THE JOB OR NOT, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S THE LOW, LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT.
THEN TWO OTHER PEOPLE APPLIED THAT WERE PORT ARTHUR.
AND, AND IT WAS STATED TO CALL THREE.
HE COULD, I TOLD HIM TO CALL THREE.
LIKE I SAY, THIS ONE WAS ON THAT LINE AND WE JUST MISUNDERSTOOD.
SO WE KNOW FOR THE FUTURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT THE INTENT WAS TO CALL THREE PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE FOR QUOTES.
TELL ME THIS HERE, JUST, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY.
THIS IS, YOU GUYS ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.
BUT JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH IF WE ADVERTISE IT IN THE NEWSPAPER? TIME CONSUMING? WELL, BUT SEE THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IF IT'S NOT EMERGENCY, IF IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT MORE VISIBLE TO OUR CITIZENS AND OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IF IT'S, IF IT'S NOT TIME CONSUMING, WHY DON'T WE DO IT? I MEAN, WELL THERE'S TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS.
OKAY? THE FIRST WAY IS IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU OPEN IT UP.
SO IN THIS CASE, I WANT HIM TO CALL THREE, FOUR OUT THE PEOPLE TO GIVE, PULL OUT THE CHANCE.
IF I BID IT OUT, IT OPENS IT UP TO EVERYBODY.
LIKE THE RESTROOMS, SOMEBODY ELSE OUT.
BUT YOU KNOW, I WANT US TO HAVE A METHOD IN WHICH I, THIS TIME YOU SAY YOU, YOU CALLING PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT.
BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM I HAVE.
IF YOU DETERMINE TO CALL EACH PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT, WHAT ABOUT THE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT THAT YOU DIDN'T CALL? THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AS A COUNCILMAN.
THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I GET, UH, ASKED BY CONSTITUENTS OF PEOPLE IN BUSINESS.
OKAY, YES, YOU SELECTED THREE PORT ARTHUR BUSINESSES, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT WE DIDN'T? WHAT IF ONE OF THEM WOULD'VE GOTTEN THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BID AND THEY COULD HAVE HAD THE JOB? YOU SEE, I UNDERSTAND TIME CONSTRAINTS, BUT WHENEVER WE DON'T HAVE AN EMERGENCY, LET'S OPEN IT UP.
NOT TO WHO WE CHOOSE, BUT TO WHO WANT TO APPLY.
IF YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH ALL OF THE RESPONSES.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT NAIVE, BUT GUESS WHAT? THAT'S WHAT WE PAY YOU GUYS FOR.
AND I AM FOR MAKING SURE PEOPLE IN PORT ARTHUR HAVE A CHANCE.
[03:00:01]
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY I CONTACTED THREE YEAH, BUT THOSE ARE THREE YOU CHOSE.I DON'T FEEL LIKE I COULD JUSTIFY IT TO A PERSON WHO SAYS I WOULD'VE BIDED ON IT IF I HAD KNOWN AND THEY FROM PORT ARTHUR.
SO ARE WE GONNA LEAVE IT OPEN TO PORT ARTHUR OR ARE WE GOING TO NARROW PORT ARTHUR SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IT THE NEXT TIME THIS COMES UP.
CH UH, CLIFF, BEFORE YOU GO, MAN, I, I THINK, UH, I THINK YOU ONTO SOMETHING WHEN YOU SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ENSURE PRO ARTHUR RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BID ON THOSE PROJECTS.
I THINK AT THE END, JUST A SECOND AGO YOU KIND OF ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BUT HOW DO, HOW DO SMALL BUSINESSES APPLY IF THEY DON'T KNOW? THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
IF THEY FIND OUT ABOUT IT, AND I, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH MY COUNTERPART HERE, BECAUSE IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU OPEN UP FOR EVERYONE AND THEN YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA GET A LOT MORE THAN PORT ARTHUR.
SO IF WE ARE TRYING TO STREAMLINE PORT ARTHUR BUSINESSES AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY, THAT'S WHAT I'M, I AGREE WITH HIM ON THAT.
I WANT PORT ARTHUR BUSINESSES TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BID ON THINGS THAT ARE IN PORT ARTHUR.
BUT HOW DO YOU DO THAT AND BE FAIR ABOUT IT? YOU KNOW, UH, I HEARD YOU KIND OF LIKE CHOKE UP A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? HOW DO YOU BE FAIR AND SAY, LOOK HERE, WE WANT PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS BUSINESSES TO BID ON THESE JOBS.
WELL, I MEAN, TO BE FAIR ABOUT IT, THE BEST WAY I CAN SAY DOING IT IS WHEN GEORGE OR WHOEVER COMES BY AND ASKS, YOU KNOW, JUST TELL 'EM TO CALL EVERY PORT OUT THE PERSON ON MY LIST.
NOW, IS THAT AN APPROVED VENDOR'S LIST OR SOMETHING YOU HAVE? YEAH.
UM, THEY, THERE'S A LIST THAT I HAVE THAT THING THAT ALSO THAT PEOPLE REGISTER ON THE CITY WEBSITE AS WELL AS, UM, PUBLIC PURCHASE.
UM, NOW FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY, UM, THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE DEALT WITH THE CITY AND SAY, I WOULD'VE HAD, I WOULD'VE DONE IT IF I'D HAVE KNOWN OR THEY WOULD'VE POSTED.
THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT IS IF THEY ARE TO CONTACT US SO WE CAN PUT 'EM ON THE LIST, I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO REGISTER, YOU KNOW, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I, BECAUSE EVEN WHEN WE DID OUR LAST PORT OUT, THE ROUNDUP LIFT FORM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A SMALL ATTENDANCE TEAM, YOU KNOW, FEW OF THE VENDORS, UM, LIKE LEMONADE LOGISTICS STUFF, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO THINGS AS FAR AS HAULING AND STUFF.
SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE 'EM OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO IF, UH, IF THEY WERE CONTACT PURCHASING AND WE CAN PUT 'EM ON THE LIST TO, SO I CAN INCREASE MY PORT OUT THE LIST OF VENDORS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WHEN WE SEND OUT FOR LITTLE QUOTES LIKE THAT, WE CAN KEEP IT IN PORT ARTHUR AS FAR AS FOR STUFF THAT WE CAN QUOTE ON, UM, TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW FOR A LOT OF BUSINESS, NOT CONSTRUCTION, IT'S NOT ONE OF THEM, BUT FOR A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES, THE ISSUE IS I DON'T HAVE MANY PORT ARTHUR PEOPLE.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO VENTURE OUT ON QUOTES AND THEY LOSE OUT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THE, THE LARGER MY DATABASE GETS WHAT BROUGHT OUT THE, THE BETTER I CAN MANEUVER THAT.
YOU GOT MINUTES? YEAH, I GOT ANOTHER QUESTION.
AND YOU SAID ABOUT THAT, HOW IS OUR VENDORS LIST? DO HOW MANY, DO WE HAVE A LOT OF PULL OUT THE PEOPLE ON IT OR WE DON'T? DEPENDS ON, UM, DEPENDS ON THE FIELD.
UH, DO YOU FEEL WE COULD INCREASE IT? I DON'T KNOW.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE LOGISTICS OF HOW MANY BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR AND THE TYPE.
SO LIKE, UH, I REALLY, I REALLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
I KNOW WE HAVE LIKE, LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO STUFF LIKE CONSTRUCTION TYPE WORK OR GRASS CUTTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
OKAY THEN, BUT THE WAY WE DO THAT IS WE, WE DO SOMETHING TO GET 'EM TO ATTEND SO WE COULD GET THAT INFORMATION TO 'EM.
SO IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE DON'T RIGHT, THEN YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING, UH, A ME, UH, CONFERENCE, A MEETING OR SOMETHING.
THEN, WELL, WHEN WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT A LOT INTO THE ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW, PUT IT ON THE NEWS, PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER SO WE COULD TRY TO GET THEM THERE.
MAKE A LITTLE CAPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO GET THE JOBS,
[03:05:02]
HELP US HELP YOU BY REGISTERING AS A VENDOR.SOMETHING THAT TO THAT WHEN THEY READ IT OR THEY HEAR IT, THEY UNDERSTAND.
WE WANT YOU TO GET ON THE LIST SO THAT WHEN WE ARE SELECTING, WE GO TO YOU ALL FIRST.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NOW THE PROCESS 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT IN THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE YOU SAY, WITH THE LESS THAN 50,000 CONTRACT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF THAT GO TO PEOPLE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO IN YOUR APRIL, LET'S GET IT.
LET'S GET THE WORD OUT ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO AND WHAT YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH AT THAT.
UH, WE SOMEONE WANNA SPEAK, BUT SEE IT'S A MOTION.
UH, YOU GONNA BOARD ON IT? NO.
BUT, BUT IT'S WHAT, WHAT IT IS IS MY ALLOWING SOMEONE FROM THE GALLERY IS AM I, IS IS MY DISCRETION OR WHAT, WHAT'S THE RULE ON THAT? NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MANDATED BY STATE LAW.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SPEAK REGARDING AN AGENDA ITEM, YOU HAVE TO ALLOW.
WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE GALLERY.
MY NAME IS GLORIA SANCHEZ AND I LIVE AT THREE SIX.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE I LIVE ANYMORE.
IS THIS ONE POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE OR BECAUSE IT WAS LESS THAN 50,000 DOESN'T HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS ONLY LIMIT TO THREE OR IT'S JUST WE HAVE TO AT LEAST HAVE THREE AND IT IS LESS WORK JUST TO CALL THREE OR WE CAN CALL FIVE, WE CAN CALL 10.
BECAUSE I FEEL THE MOST, THE MOST BEAT WE OR THE MOST COMPETITION WE HAVE, WE CAN GET A BETTER PRICE AND SAVE SOME MONEY.
UH, MR. WILLIAMS, I MEAN, WE CAN CALL AS MANY AS WE WANT BY LAW.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO AT LEAST HAVE THREE RESPONSES, WHICH HE HAD.
IS THAT, THAT THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
UH, YOU WANT COME, COME, COME, COME TO THE MIC, SO, OH, NO, NO.
IT ALLOW YOU JUST REQUIRED TO GET THREE QUOTES SO IT DON'T HAVE TO BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
IN THIS CASE, IT WASN'T THE, THE, UM, DEPARTMENT JUST WENT AND GOT TO THREE QUOTES.
NOW YEAH, IF THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MR. SANCHEZ, IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER, BUT, BUT I WANT YOU TO COME TO THE MIC 'CAUSE IT'S BEING RECORDED.
ARE, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, LET PUT, CUT YOUR CAMERA ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH, YEAH.
WE DON'T NEED TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
UM, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
I OWN SEVERAL PROPERTIES HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
NO, JUST TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE.
MR. TODAY I NOTICED MR. LADAY, MR. TODAY STATE YOUR ADDRESS, STATE YOUR ADDRESS.
I NOTICED ON SOME OF THE BIDS THERE'S A NON COLLUSION, UH, AFFIDAVIT THAT YOU MUST SIGN AND OTHER STIPULATIONS THAT WOULD KIND OF HINDER I BELIEVE SOME OF THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR FROM BIDDING.
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE OR, OR FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO MAY WORK AT THE CITY OR WHO MAY BE PERSONNEL OF THE CITY.
AND THEN YOU READ THE BID AND BY THE TIME YOU 22 OR 30 PAGES IN, YOU FIND OUT THIS INFORMATION AND YOU'VE ALREADY MADE A CALL TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR YOU'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, KNOWN SOMEBODY THAT WORK AT THE CITY MIGHT HAVE PASSED BY AND Y'ALL STOPPED AND CHIT CHATTED BECAUSE YOU'RE FRIENDLY WITH THE, THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THE WORKERS OF THE CITY.
AND IT JUST, IT'S CONCERNING TO ME.
AND I, I, I WAS LOOKING AND LISTENING AND I SAID, WELL HEY, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO CHIME IN AND GIVE MY OPINION.
CAN I ANSWER THAT? GO RIGHT HERE, MR. MR. WILLIAMS IS GOING TO ANSWER.
THE FIRST THING ON THAT IS I WOULD ALWAYS ADVISE ANYBODY TO CALL AND ACTUALLY GET THE INFORMATION AND NOT
[03:10:01]
ASSUME.SECOND THING IS ON THAT, THE NON COLLUSION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
WHAT THE NON COLLUSION HAS TO DEAL WITH IS FIVE PEOPLE GET TOGETHER.
I SAY I'M GONNA BID AT THIS, YOU GONNA BID AT THIS, YOU GONNA BID AT THIS SO I CAN WIN THIS ONE.
AND THEN YOU DO IT ON THE NEXT ONE AND EVERYBODY WORKS IT, THAT EVERYBODY WINS.
IT'S NOT TWO PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, IT'S JUST YOU'RE RIGGING THE BID TO WIN.
I APPRECIATE THAT MR. CLIFTON.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, ANYTIME, JUST, JUST CALL THE OFFICE AND I SAY THAT TO ANYBODY WATCHING, JUST CALL AND ASK, DON'T CALL THE STREET WORKER, DON'T CALL THE CALL PURCHASING.
I'M JUST, BECAUSE I GET THAT A LOT TOO.
PEOPLE CALL SOME CITY WORKER THAT DON'T WORK, THEY GIVE SOME MESSED UP INFORMATION AND YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST CALL PURCHASING.
YOU GOT THAT, THAT FROM THE T.
THAT ANSWER YOU MISSING TODAY? YES SIR.
UH, ANY MORE LIKES? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.C.(17) P.R. No. 24038 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Fourth Amendment To The Subaward Agreement With The Texas Parks And Wildlife Department (TPWD) For A Planning Grant For The Repaving Of The Boat Ramp And Fishing Pier Located On Pleasure Island, Extending The Agreement Term To December 31, 2025]
IS APPROVED.NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 17, WHICH IS ITEM, UH, PR NUMBER 24 0 3 8 AS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE SUB SUB-AWARD AGREEMENT WITH, UH, THE TEXAS PARKS AND, UH, WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT.
TW UH, TPWA, UH, WD FOR A PLANNING GRANT FOR THE REPAVING OF THE BOAT RAMP AND FISHING PIER LOCATED ON PLEASURE ISLAND, EXTENDING THE AGREEMENT TERM TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, GEORGE, WHEN I READ THE BACKGROUND TO THIS, I WAS ASTONISHED THAT WE INITIALLY STARTED THIS GRANT WAS INITIALLY IN 2021, IF I MISTAKEN.
AND I READ THE LETTER THAT CAME FROM MS. DELO DILLARD TO US TO YOU RATHER.
AND WHICH SHE SAYS THAT, UH, SHE NEEDED THIS REPORT SUBMITTED FOR THE GRANT AND SHE SAID BASICALLY IN THIS CORRESPONDENCE WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS THAT THIS REPORT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED AND IT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED IN A TIMEFRAME.
SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE REASON THE DATA COULD NOT BE USED IS BECAUSE IT WASN'T, IS NOT WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME.
THEN SHE GOES ON TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO, THEY ADVISE US TO EXTEND IT.
I'M WONDERING IF THE MONEY'S STILL THERE.
I, WHY, WHY CAN'T WE SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION AND GET THIS ON THIS, THIS PARTICULAR THING? WE HAVE TO, UM, WE HAVE TO GET A CONSULTANT TO DO THIS WORK.
AND THE ENGINEER WHO LOCATED THE CONSULTANT SAID THAT, UM, ONCE WE GET IT DONE, LIKE SHE STATED, YOU CAN GET IT OVER TO THE FISHERIES AND THAT'LL TAKE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS IN ITSELF.
'CAUSE WE INITIALLY HAD THE FORM, IT'S JUST THAT IT DIDN'T GET TO THE US FISHERIES IN TIME FOR THEIR THING.
'CAUSE I THINK ON HERE SHE HAD, IT WAS LISTED BACK IN 23 WHEN WE HAD IT COMPLETED, BUT IT WASN'T TURNED OVER INTO THE US FISHERIES HAND FOR THEM TO DO THEIR PART.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO REDO THAT SAME FORM AND GET IT TO THEM IN AN AMPLE TIME FOR THEM TO DO THE SIX MONTH, UM, PROCESS.
SO, SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA GET THE CONSULTANT TO REDO THIS FORM SO IT'LL BE UPDATED AND GET IT DIRECTLY IN THE HANDS OF THE NEXT PEOPLE WHO SHE TALKED ABOUT IN, UH, THE SECOND BULLET POINT, THE US FISHERIES.
AND THEN ONCE THEY DO THAT, WE'RE DONE WITH THE, UH, PLANNING GRANT AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE CONSTRUCTION GRANT.
BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND WHEN I SEE 2019 RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THIS AND I SEE A 21 RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THIS AND I SEE A 22 RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THIS AND A 23 RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THIS.
AND BASED ON WHAT SHE SAID EACH TIME, WHEN THE TIME CAME WHEREBY IT WASN'T IN TIME, THEN THEY'D TELL US TO DO AN EXTENSION AND WE'D BEEN DOING EXTENSIONS, EXTENSIONS, EXTENSION.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING, NOT ONLY IS THE MONEY THERE, BUT THEY, UM, INFORMED US THAT THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE PARKING LOT FROM 21, WHICH WE LOWERED THE COST ON SINCE THEN, THEY TOLD US THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR TO GET THE ORIGINAL DESIGN DONE.
[03:15:01]
WHEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT, YOU'RE WONDERING IF THE MONEY IS THERE, NOT ONLY IS THE MONEY THERE THAT THEY, UH, GRANTED US, BUT THERE'S ADDITIONAL MONEY WE CAN GO AFTER.WELL I, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO HEAR WE GOING AFTER MONEY, BUT THE PROBLEM I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE SUPPOSED TO DO TO GET THE MONEY.
SO YOU EVER HEARD A BIRD IN A HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH? WE GOOD? SO IF WE GOT THIS ONE, YEAH, LET'S GET THIS MONEY AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO GO AFTER THE OTHER MONEY.
ANY OTHER UN READINESS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AS A SO PR NUMBER 24 38 0 38, EXCUSE ME, IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VII.C.(18) P.R. No. 24039 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A 60-Month (5 Year) Communications Network And Service Agreement With Spectrum Gulf Coast, LLC To Operate, Use, Maintain, Repair, Upgrade, Replace And/Or Remove Internet And Video Services In The RV Park On Pleasure Island Located At 150 Pleasure Pier Boulevard. The Agreement Has A Total Projected Contract Cost Of $177,738.36; However, Spectrum Will Provide A One-Time Credit Of $15,400.00, Thereby Reducing The Total Projected Cost To $162,338.36; Which Will Be Paid In An Approximate Amount Of $35,000.00 Per Year, With Subsequent Years Subject To City Council's Annual Appropriation; Funding In The Communications Account No. 450-60-405-5482-00-00-000 Is Contingent Upon Approval Of A Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance No. 7297]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 18, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 24 0 39.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A 60 MONTH, FIVE YEAR, UH, COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH SPECTRUM GULF COAST LLC TO OPERATE, USE, MAINTAIN, REPAIR, UPGRADE, REPLACE AND OR REMOVE INTERNET AND VIDEO SERVICES TO THE RV PARK ON PLEASURE ISLAND, LOCATED AT ONE 50 PLEASURE, UH, BOULEVARD.
THE AGREEMENT HAS A TOTAL PROJECTED CONTRACT COST OF $177,738 AND A 36 CENTS.
HOWEVER, SPECTRUM WILL PROVIDE A ONE TIME CREDIT OF $15,400, THEREBY REDUCING THE TOTAL PROJECTED COST TO $162,338 AND THE 36 CENTS, WHICH WILL BE PAID IN AN APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF 35,000 PER YEAR WITH SUBSEQUENT YEARS SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL'S ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING IN THE COMMUNICATIONS ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 5 0 DASH SIX ZERO DASH 4 0 7 5 4 8 2 0 0 0.
AND THIS IS HOWEVER CONTINGENT ON APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT VIA ADOPTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER THREE, UH, SEVEN, UH, 90, I MEAN SEVEN, UH, 72 97.
AND THAT WOULD BE LATER IN THIS MEETING.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVED.
COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SECOND MAYOR IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 0 3 9 AS PRESENTED.
UH, IT'S JUST TO FIND OUT WITH THE PLEASURE, ALLEN.
THIS, THAT NEW RV PARK WE'RE GONNA TAKE OVER.
UH, WE DID A BUDGET THAT AND, AND, UH, WE HADN'T THE BUDGET WAS BEFORE THIS.
UHHUH, YOU KNOW, SO WE DID THE BUDGET BEFORE THEN.
SO WE WANT TO AMEND THE BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO CAUTIOUS YOU ON THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL TYPE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT WHEN WE HAD THAT IN MIND.
AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS COME UP.
WE JUST DON'T WANNA MAKE IT CONSTANTLY.
NOW WE'RE GONNA KEEP CHANGING THE BUDGET NOW BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO ALL THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE TOOK OVER THIS PARK.
OKAY? SO, UH, TRY TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS FEASIBLE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS WITH THESE BECAUSE WHEN WE DO 'EM, YOU DONE REAL WELL.
IN FACT, I
BUT SPECIFIC LINE ITEM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED AS COUNCIL.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE DID THAT MORE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO TAKE NOTE AND DO IS WHENEVER YOU MOVE MONEY, THEN WE SHOULD KNOW BEFORE WE APPROVE IT.
AND I READ IN THE BACKGROUND AND YOU STATED WHERE THIS MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM OUT YOUR BUDGET, IT'S GONNA COME FROM COMMUNICATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE COMMENT.
YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, WHAT IT ENTAIL TO TAKE THIS OVER, RIGHT.
WHAT ALL NEEDS TO DONE AND NEEDS TO GET IT DONE AND BRING IT TO US SO THAT, YOU KNOW, PLEASURE ISLAND RV PART.
DON'T BECOME A ALL YEAR DEAL WITH A MINUTED HOUR BUDGET.
[03:20:01]
GEORGE.THIS QUESTION IS MORE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, THE FACT THAT WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED JUST KIND OF ACCIDENTALLY WHEN WE TOOK OVER THE PARK.
THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A RECURRING THING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL THAT CONTRACTS EXPIRE.
WE DON'T KNOW THEY'VE EXPIRED OR THEY, THEY'RE COMING UP ON EXPIRATION.
SO, UM, UM, I DON'T WANNA ASSUME ANYTHING BECAUSE EVERYBODY PRACTICE IS ALL DIFFERENT.
BUT IS YOUR DEPARTMENT COMING UP WITH A TICKLE SYSTEM SO THAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS CONTRACT EXPIRES ON THIS DATE.
SO 30 DAYS BEFORE, 60 DAYS BEFORE WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
ARE YOU REVIEWING THINGS LIKE THAT? WE ARE.
IN FACT, I, I DO HAVE A SMALL COMMITTEE IN MY LAW DEPARTMENT COMING UP WITH AI SOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO TRACK CONTRACTS.
IT'S ALSO AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER BACK IN FULL SWING, I INTEND TO MEET WITH HIM TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST US.
NOW IT HAS NOT BEEN IN THE PAST THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO TRACK THE CONTRACT TERMS. THAT'S BEEN MORE OF AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE.
BUT I SEE HOW IT, IT IS BECOMING, UM, MORE PREVALENT IN LAW DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE THE LAW DEPARTMENT ASSIST IN MANAGING THEM BECAUSE OF, OF THE LEGAL TERM.
THERE WILL BE NO OTHER, WE BE READY TO VOTE.
UH, GLORIA SANCHEZ 6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE IN PUERTO ARTHUR, TEXAS.
IS THIS, UM, APPROVAL FOR THE 1,160 2003 38 36, OR ONLY FOR THE 35,000? THIS IS APPROVED FOR FIVE YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THAT, YOU GOT THAT INFORMATION.
THE ENTIRE, UM, CONTRACT IS FOR 1 1 62.
BUT I'M ASKING FOR A COUNCIL TO APPROVE THIS 35.
'CAUSE IT, IT IS JUST LIKE HE SAID, NEXT YEAR WHEN I GO INTO THE BUDGET SEASON, WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT'LL HAVE THE 30 WHATEVER NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE 35,000.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? EXCUSE.
I'M SORRY I DON'T USUALLY INTERRUPT YOU GUYS, BUT I WANTED TO SAY THAT IN OUR PROCESSING OF CONTRACTS, UM, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS IN PURCHASING HAS SET UP, WE HAVE SOFTWARE NOW CALLED LASER FISH THAT THEY USE TO PUT CONTRACT IN DATES.
SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AWARE OF.
UH, BUT HE HAS BEEN TRACKING CONTRACTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND I GET ALERTS ON MINE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BREAKDOWN IS, BUT WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT.
AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO BETTER, WE'LL DO IT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT TO THE SECRETARY.
HAVE TOLD PR NUMBER, UH, 2 40 39 IS APPROVED AS READ NOW WE'LL MOVE TO PAGE NINE
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24031 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Port Arthur Police Chief Advisory Committee (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
AND WE WILL BEGIN AT ITEM TWO UNDER THE NON-CONSENT, UH, AGENDA ITEM, UH, NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS PR 20 OR 24 0, UH, 31, UH, IS A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND OR REA APPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE CHIEF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
AND DO YOU HAVE THE NAME OF CITY
COUNCIL MEMBER ETT WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE ROSA GALAGOS.
COUNCILMAN DUC SAID THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR APPOINTEE? YES, MA'AM.
UH, UH, UH, ATTACHED TO THIS, UH, ITEM, WE'RE READY FOR A MOTION.
COUNCILMAN, UH, DUCEY, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN, UH, KINLER, ER, SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
AND WE WOULD APPOINT THE, UH, APPOINTEE AS, UH, NOMINATED OR RECOMMENDED BY COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24055 – A Resolution Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Adopting The City Of Port Arthur’s Legislative Priorities For The 89th Session Of The Texas State Legislature, 2025 (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, PR NUMBER, UH, 24 0 55.IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ADOPTING THE CITY
[03:25:01]
OF PORT ARTHUR'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE 89TH SESSION OF THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE 2025.THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
I BELIEVE WE, WE HAD FURTHER, WE DISCUSSED THIS FURTHER LAST WEEK, UH, OR LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
SO WE HAVE THAT, THAT, THAT THAT AGENDA.
UH, DO WE NEED TO NAME IT OR IT JUST KEEP IT BROAD.
IT'S VAGUE THE WAY IT'S STATED HERE.
UH, I'M ASKING CITY SECRETARY FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
PARDON? CITY ATTORNEY SHOULD NO.
DO WE HAVE OR EVERYONE HAS BEEN APPRISED TO WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE? SO THIS, THIS IS UNDER COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO WAIT AND TABLE IT OR IF THEY'D LIKE FOR ME TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IF, IF YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO MOVE FORWARD, I CAN BRIEF WHAT'S IN THAT.
WHAT, WHAT THE PLEASURE OF I MOVE TO TABLE IT.
YEAH, I MEAN, LIKE, UH, LIKE WE WOULD JUST TABLE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE SHE'S NOT HERE.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES? OKAY.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24056 – A Resolution Rescheduling The December 17 , 2024 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting At 5:30 P.M. To 9:30 A.M. (Requested By Mayor Bartie)]
UH, ITEM.OKAY, WE'LL GO DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS 24 0 5 6.
IT'S A RESOLUTION OF RESCHEDULING THE DECEMBER 17TH, 2024, REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING AT 5:30 PM TO 9:30 AM THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR EE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KINLOCK SOLE MOVE? I GET A SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR 20 40 56 AS APPROVED AS READ.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DEUCE? YEAH.
WHY, WHY ARE WE MOVING THIS? OKAY.
UH, I, I SUGGESTED IT BEING, UH, WE WOULD BE IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
WE, UH, STAFF, WE, UH, I THINK WE, WE, WE, WE, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE STAFF HERE.
AND WHEN, WHEN DURING WE, WHEN WE HAVE MEETINGS, BECAUSE IT'S AN EVENING TYPE MEETING, WE ARE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD KNOW THAT THE MEETING IN DECEMBER, ON THE SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER WOULD BE A MORNING MEETING.
AND THEY WOULD, THEY COULD MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND WE WOULD'VE TIME TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL.
AND IT, IT WOULD BE IN GREAT CONSIDERATION FOR OUR STAFF HERE IN, IN CITY HALL.
THE 17TH IS, SIR, THE 17TH IS REALLY, UH, NOT WITHIN THE, UH, HOLIDAY DAYS WHEN STAFF IS GOING TO BE OKAY DOING STUFF.
LIKE YOU WHOLE DECEMBERS FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT THESE MEETINGS, THEY'RE NOT FOR US TO RESCHEDULE OUR CONVENIENCE OR STUFF BECAUSE THEY'RE POSTED IN ADVANCE.
AND CITIZENS, UH, LOOK AT THAT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, FOLLOW THAT SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SITES.
UH, THERE'LL BE TIMES WHEN WE WILL HAVE MEETINGS SCHEDULED WHEN, UH, WE WILL NOT HAVE A, A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT BECAUSE OF A CONFERENCE OR SOMETHING, THEN THERE'S NO OTHER WAY BUT TO RESCHEDULE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD REASON FOR RESCHEDULING.
BUT JUST FOR WHAT YOU EXPLAINED ON DECEMBER THE 17TH, I DON'T SEE WHAT THAT SAYS THAT'S, UH, INTERFERING WITH ANY TYPE OF, UH, WORK THAT THE STAFF IS DOING DURING THAT TIMEFRAME IN WHICH WE GOING TO GO AND CHANGE WHAT IS IN THE SCHEDULE ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T SEE NO REASON FOR ALTERNATING THAT THOSE DATES THAT WE HAVE ARE NOT SET BY US.
THOSE DATES ARE SET AND GIVEN TO US.
SO I DON'T, I I DON'T THINK THAT'S SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR US TO ALTER WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN, UH, INFORMED AND LOOKING AT FOR THE LAST 10, 11 MONTHS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS QUESTION? QUESTION, QUESTION.
UM, CITY ATTORNEY, ARE WE LIMITED ON THE REASON AND RATIONALE BY WHICH WE CAN CHANGE MEETINGS? THE TEXT IS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ONLY REQUIRES THAT WE PROVIDE 72 HOURS ADVANCE NOTICE.
AND IF YOU ALSO GO BACK TO OUR ORDINANCE, OUR ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT SCHEDULING AND WHEN AND WHEN WE CAN AND WHEN WE SHOULD.
AND IT, AND IT STATES THAT AT TIMES WHEN, UH, THERE'S LACK OF
[03:30:01]
A QUORUM OR AN EVENT, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE GOING TO ATTENDING COUN CONFERENCES AND WE WON'T HAVE A QUORUM.THEN IT'S OBVIOUS FOR US TO RESCHEDULE AND THEY TELL US TO RESCHEDULE IT THE NEXT AVAILABLE DAY.
SO THERE IS A OILINESS GOVERNING THAT.
AND IF WE LOOK AT OUR OILINESS, IT TELLS US THAT WE WILL CONDUCT MEETINGS EVERY OTHER WEEK, TUESDAY ROTATING FROM MORNING TO EVENINGS.
AND THEN THE CITY SECRETARY DOES A SCHEDULE AT THE END OF EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE DETERMINE WHEN WE GOING TO MEET, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SCHEDULE, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT TELLS US HOW WE CONDUCT MEETINGS.
SO, UH, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE GONNA HAVE TO RESCHEDULE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THE DAY BEFORE HOLIDAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE TALKING THE, THE 17TH OF DECEMBER, THAT BUSINESS IS USUAL.
AND FOR US TO RESCHEDULE IT IS NOT RESCHEDULING, IT'S CHANGING TIME.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE GOTTA CHANGE THE TIME.
I DIDN'T KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER ETT WAS DONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ETT, THERE IS AN ORDINANCE, UM, IT DOES IN OUR ORDINANCE, IT'S SECTION TWO DASH 51.
IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS AND THERE ARE EVERY OTHER TUESDAY WITH ALTERNATING TIMES BETWEEN NINE 30 AND FIVE 30 PRO PROVIDED.
HOWEVER, THAT WHEN THE DAY IS FIXED ON A REGULAR MEETING AND THERE'S A HOLIDAY, THEN YOU CAN CHANGE IT.
IT ALSO SAYS THAT ALL THE REGULAR MEETINGS HAVE TO BE HELD IN THE CITY COUNCIL ROOM HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND THAT EVEN THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF ONE MEETING CAN BE CHANGED UPON A DULY ADOPTED MOTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH THE FINDING THAT IT'S A TEMPORARY CHANGE AS NECESSARY OR IS MORE CONVENIENT TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.
SO THE COUNCIL IS AUTHORIZED BY MOTION TO CHANGE IT, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S REQUIRED MAJORITY VOTE.
I NEVER SAID WE COULDN'T CHANGE IT.
WHAT I SAID WAS, IF YOU READ THE ORDINANCE, YOU JUST READ, IT'S CLEAR WE CONDUCT BUSINESS EVERY OTHER TUESDAY ALTERNATING FROM MORNING TO EVENING.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I AGREED WITH YOU.
BUT WELL AT THE END IT KIND SEEMED LIKE WE COULD CHANGE AT ANY TIME.
JUST WHEN COUNCILMAN DEE SAID, COUNCILMAN DEE SAID, WE SPENT 30 MINUTES ALMOST AGAIN TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING.
LET'S VOTE, LET'S CARRY IT ON VOTE.
IF THE MEETINGS GONNA BE THAT EVENING, IT BE IT'S GONNA BE THAT MORNING.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR A AYE.
OKAY, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT THREE.
WE GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
WE SPENT ENOUGH TIME, EVERYBODY'S EXPLAINED THEIR POSITION AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND SO WHAT WE DOING IT AND I DID IT AND I PUT IT ON FOR STAFF TO HELP STAFF DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER PR 24 0 5 6.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24057 – A Resolution Rescheduling The December 31, 2024 Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting To January 7, 2025 (Requested By Mayor Bartie)]
AIN'T GONNA BE HERE.ALRIGHT, NEXT ONE WOULD BE NUMBER FIVE, PR NUMBER 24 0 5 7 A A RESOLUTION RESCHEDULING THE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING TO JANUARY 7TH, REQUESTED AGAIN BY MAYOR BCE.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE DECEMBER 31ST, YOU JUST SAID THIS IS NOT COUNCILMAN DUC SAID, RECALL WHAT YOU SAID, IF IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE HOLIDAY.
SO I GUESS YOU GOT NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE, THAT'S CHRISTMAS, I MEAN NEW YEAR'S EVE.
AND AGAIN, FOR STAFF, I WORKED IN THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY ALL MY LIFE.
BUT THERE ARE FOLK WHO DON'T WORK IN THAT INDUSTRY AND WHO BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
GOD, DO THAT ANYTIME YOU WANT IT.
'CAUSE YOU CALL EM TAKE IT 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
YOU DON'T, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRAINED FOR.
THESE INDIVIDUALS HERE ARE NOT IN THAT MODE OF THINKING AND I UNDERSTAND IT.
SO I'M JUST EXPLAINING AS THEY DO AS TO WHY I SUGGESTED THAT WE WOULD PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE STAFF'S SAKE.
THE PEOPLE WHO HELP US RUN THIS CITY
[03:35:01]
DAY IN AND DAY OUT EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING US IF WE WOULD CONSIDER CHANGING THIS ONE.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR A COMMENT? I GOT, WELL WAIT, DIDN'T I GET A MOTION? OKAY.
NOW LET'S PUT IT, WE GET IT ON, ON ON COUNCILWOMAN BECK, GO AHEAD.
UM, I, I JUST, I HAVE A QUESTION AND I GUESS A COMMENT TOO.
UM, BY MY COUNT, THIS IS NOW I THINK FIVE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE RESCHEDULED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE DEVELOPS THE CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR, IF WE COULD CHECK AND SEE DO WE HAVE SOMETHING SCHEDULED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE? I MEAN, WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, AND CHECK ALL THOSE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, CONFERENCES THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO.
AND WE HAD TO MOVE A DATE OF A MEETING SO THAT PEOPLE COULD TRAVEL.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK UP TML AND YOU LOOK UP NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, THOSE DATES FOR 2025 ARE SET.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE SOMEBODY CHECK ALL THOSE TYPICAL CONFERENCES THAT WE GO TO, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK AND SEE IF WE'RE SCHEDULING SOMETHING OUT OR AROUND A HOLIDAY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP MOVING MEETINGS.
BECAUSE FOR ME PERSONALLY, AND I'VE, I'VE ARGUED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
MY COURT CALENDAR IS ALL THE WAY TO DECEMBER, 2025.
SO WHEN WE MOVE THIS MEETING TO JANUARY 7TH, I'VE GOT COURT THAT DAY.
BUT I AGREE WITH MOVING THIS MEETING 'CAUSE IT DON'T NEED TO BE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
BUT MY PERSONALLY, IT, IT REALLY AFFECTS ME WHEN I HAVE TO MOVE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE IT MESSES UP MY WHOLE COURT CALENDAR SOMETIMES FOR A MONTH BECAUSE I GOTTA MOVE SO MUCH STUFF AROUND.
SO WE COULD HAVE KIND OF A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS SO THAT MAYBE IN 2025 WE DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE SO MANY MEETINGS.
CAN WE DO THAT? I WILL ABSOLUTELY.
I'LL OFFER MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT INCLUDING THE CONFERENCES.
WE CHECK ELECTION DATES, DIFFERENT THINGS, HOLIDAYS, UH, NOW WE'VE NEVER, WE'VE ALWAYS LEFT THIS HOLIDAY WHERE IT FALLS TO GIVE THE COUNCIL THE, WE ALSO PUT ON THE SCHEDULE THAT THESE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, BUT HOWEVER I'M GONNA ADD THE CONFERENCES IN.
WE CHECK OTHER THINGS, UM, LIKE CITY HOLIDAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I WILL CERTAINLY DO A BETTER JOB ON SCHEDULING AND ALSO WITH THAT, THAT'S WHERE TAKEN MAYOR.
BUT IF, IF YOU WILL, I KNOW MY FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS HERE, IT'S NEVER BEEN A, A COLLABORATION.
I'VE ALWAYS JUST RECEIVED WHAT YOU ALL PRODUCED.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, AND, AND, AND NO, NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT SHE'S SAYING IF WE PUT SOME FORETHOUGHT INTO IT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY EASY TO DO THAT.
BUT ALSO IF YOU WOULD, UH, CHECK WITH MY OFFICE BECAUSE SHE SAID TML AND THIS AND, AND AND NC.
BUT THEN THE MAYOR HAS, YES, I'LL GIVE THE MAYOR HAS OTHER CONFERENCES OVER COUNCIL SECRETARY, WE CAN PUT 'EM ALL.
AND ALSO THE EMERGENCY, UH, UH, UH, UH YEAH, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT CONFERENCE THAT'S SO BEFORE YOU ALL DO IT IN JANUARY OR WHENEVER, LET'S, LET'S GET TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER WORKS WITH ME ON.
AND I DO ADMIT THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ATTENTIVE ENOUGH TO LOOK FOR THE CONFERENCES AND I WILL DO THAT HENCE COURT.
AND THEN, UH, WE CAN PROBABLY PUT I'M PUT OUT A MORE IN DEPTH AND ACCURATE CALENDAR.
NOT IS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.
ANY OTHER, ANY COUNCILMAN THIS SAID YOUR LIFE STILL ON? YES.
ONCE AGAIN, WHAT DAY IS THE 7TH OF JANUARY? TUESDAY.
OUR FIRST REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
IF WE GO BY OUR SCHEDULED NOW, NOW 14TH.
AND SO WE ARE TAKING THE WEEK.
SO, SO THE, UH, WEEK, SO THAT'S THE TUESDAY AFTER.
SO WE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE A MEETING FOR THE WEEK.
THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION, SIR.
WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.
YEAH, IT, IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE A MORNING MEETING.
I HAVE A SCHEDULED, I HAVE A DRAFT SCHEDULED.
IT WOULD BE A MORNING MEETING.
YEAH, IT WOULD BE A MORNING MEETING.
NEXT MEETING WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING.
SO WE NEVER CHANGED THE TIME WHEN WE RESCHEDULE A MEETING, DO WE TRY TO KEEP IT IN THE SAME TIME? SO YOU'VE HAD IN AN EVENING MEETING.
IS THAT GOOD? COUNCILMAN? YOU KNOW, Y'ALL SAY ONE THING AND THEN, AND THEN COME IN THERE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU READ AN ORDINANCE.
[03:40:01]
A DATE, A TIME.NOW WE COME BACK, WE CHANGE IT AND WE PUT IT BACK A WEEK LATER AND THE ORDINANCE SAYS THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME.
SO WE GONNA VOTE THE WAY YOU WANT ANYWAY, SAYING THAT WE
COUNCIL, MAYOR, WE DON'T GONNA TAKE NO ATTITUDE LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU RECOMMENDING THAT, THAT BE AN EVENING MEETING, MAYOR, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL JUST BE SPEAK MAYOR.
BE BE SENSIBLE AND CORDIAL ABOUT IT SINCE WE ARE DOING IT.
AND YOU ARE A PROPONENT OF EVENING MEETINGS.
YOU WANT TO ASK US TO CONSIDER DOING THAT ONE ON THE EVENING? WELL, YOU WANT THAT? COME ON.
ONE NOTE MEETING IN THE MORNING ON THE SEVENTH.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7292 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of Surplus Furniture, By A Public Online Auction Through Rene Bates Auctioneers, Inc & Technology Equipment Through Global Asset, LLC]
TO SOMETHING ELSE.ALRIGHT, NOW NEXT ITEM IS AN ORDINANCE, UH, IS PO NUMBER 72 92 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED IN THE SALE OF SURPLUS FURNITURE BY A PUBLIC ONLINE AUCTION THROUGH RENEE BATES AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT THROUGH GLOBAL, UH, ASSET LLC.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN MCIN LAW? SO MOVE HERE.
MAY I GET A, A SECOND COUNCILOR? FRANK SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PEO 72 92.
WE READY TO, UH, WE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT? SO PO NUMBER 72 92 IS APPROVED AS READ
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7293 – An Ordinance Amending Appendix A: The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Granting Specific Use Permit No. 243 To Allow The Land Use Of An Amusement, Gameroom On 2.760-Acres Of Land Consisting Of Lot 2, Ravello Land, Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By Fine Not To Exceed $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date Z24-07 (SUP #243) Investar Inc. (4997 North Twin City Highway, Suite #170) ]
AND WE HAVE PO NUMBER 72 93.IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX A, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT.
UH, NUMBER 2 43 TO ALLOW THE LAND USE OF AN AMUSEMENT GAME ROOM ON 2.8 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOTS.
TWO, UH, REVELO LAND PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, IN VIOLATION OF ANY PORTION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY FINE NOT TO EXCEED 2000 OF DOLLARS AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY, WHICH A 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.
AND THIS IS KNOWN AS Z 24 DASH ZERO SEVEN.
UH, SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER 2 43 INVESTOR INCORPORATED.
49 97 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY, SUITE ONE 70.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK SECOND.
AND UH, AND THIS IS WHAT, ON WHAT THESE TWO ARE ON THE GAME ROOM SITUATIONS THAT WE HAD THE, UH, PUBLIC, PUBLIC MEDIA ON, ON ABOUT TWO OR THREE HOURS AGO.
ALL ANY IN FAVOR OF THAT? ALL OPPOSED? NO.
OPPOSED? OPPOSITION HAS IT, IT IT FAILS.
CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? CALL? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TIM BECKHAM.
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7294 – An Ordinance Amending Appendix A: The Zoning Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur By Granting Specific Use Permit No. 244 To Allow The Land Use Of An Amusement, Gameroom On .4993-Acres Of Land Consisting Of Lot 8, Block 6, Range G, Port Arthur Land Company, Jefferson County, Texas (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By Fine Not To Exceed $2,000.00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense.); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date Z24-08 (SUP #244) Dewyvile Oil Company (3949 North Twin City Highway)]
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, ITEM ON PAGE 11.THIS IS, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 24 94.
MR. ORDINANCE, UH, AMENDING APPENDIX A, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY GRANTING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 4 4 TO ALLOW THE LAND USE OF AN AMUSEMENT GAME ROOM ON, UH, WITH FIVE ACRES OF OF 0.5 ACRES OF LAND, HALF ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT EIGHT BLOCK SIX RANGE G PORT ARTHUR LAND, THE COMPANY JEFFERSON COUNTY.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY FINE NOT TO EXCEED $2,000 AS PROVIDED, UH, IN, UH, CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE DASH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATION IS PERMITTED TO EXIST, SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION.
AND THIS IS KNOWN AS Z 24 DASH OH EIGHT.
SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER 2 4 4, UH, DO REVEAL OR COMPANY.
AND THAT'S 39 49, UH, NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY.
I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF MAYOR PRO.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN ETT? SECOND IT.
[03:45:01]
TO SECOND.UH, WHAT IS PO NUMBER 72 94 AS PRESENTED.
WE'RE READY FOR ANOTHER ROLL CALL ON THAT.
UH, CITY SECRETARY MAYOR PROTO BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER ETT? NO COUNCIL MEMBER.
[VIII.B.(4) P.O. No. 7297 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025, Increasing Pleasure Island By $35,000.00, General Fund By $90,099.00, Police Special Funds (Grants) $132,383.00; And Regulatory Enforcement Fund By $190,640.00]
FAILS.OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PO NUMBER 20, UH, 72 97.
AND APPROPRIATION ORDERS AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
INCREASING PLEASURE ISLAND BY, UH, 35,000, UH, GENERAL FUND BY $90,099 AND POLICE SPECIAL FUND, UH, UNDER GRANTS BY, UH, $132,383 AND REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT BY $190,640.
MAKING, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND, IS IT MOVED? AND SECOND AND MOVE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7 2 9 7 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION OR ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? IS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) ]
APPROVED AND AT THIS JUNCTURE WE ARE PREPARED TO GO INTO THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, IN OUR, UH, CONFERENCE ROOM DOWNSTAIRS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR.AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IN THE CLOSED MEETING, UH, IT'S THIS MEETING IS GONNA BE HELD IN PURSUANT TO, UH, VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE, UH, UH, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
BUT THE SECTION, UH, 5 5 1 0.071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, UH, TO MEET, UH, WE ARE GOING TO MEET WITH THE ATTORNEY TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON MATTERS IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEYS OF THE CITY COUNCIL UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACTS OR RELATING TO THE FIRST ITEM, UTILITY LIEN, UH, FILED AGAINST NORMANDY APARTMENTS AT 3,800, UH, THIRTY SIX FORTY EIGHT, THIRTY SEVEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX HUNDRED NORMANDY AVENUE, CITY OF FORT ARTHUR FOR ACCOUNTS, UH, NUMBER 14 38 0 5 DASH 0 0 8 2 7 4.
UH, THEN ACCOUNT NUMBER 14, UH, I MEAN 1 43 85.
8 0 5, UH, DASH 0 0 0 82 6 88.
AND ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR, UH, UH, 1 43, UH, 8 0 5 0 0 82 6 8 6.
AND ACCOUNT NUMBER, UH, 1 4 3 8 0 4 0 82 6 8 4.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS AND ALSO, UH, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND SHORT TERM RENTALS WILL BE DISCUSSED ALSO.
PLEASURE ISLAND BUILDINGS A AND B WILL BE DISCUSSED.
THE WIND TURBINE SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE LEASES ON PLEASURE ISLAND WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THIS CLOSED SESSION.
ALSO, THE SECOND GROUP OF ITEMS WHICH WILL FALL UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE AND WE'LL DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE ON THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OR OUR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UH, OF THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE ON STATE HIGHWAY 73 AND THE WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD.
THEN WE WOULD GO UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS UNDER A WOULD BE PLEASURE ALLEN BUILDINGS A AND B AND THEN B ITEM B, WHICH WOULD BE THE WIND TURBINE, SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE LEASE ON PLEASURE ISLAND AND C, WHICH WOULD BE CORAN CLEAN ENERGY LLC.
AND THEN WE WOULD GO TO SECTION 5 51 0.074, THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS A, THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EVALUATIONS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER, CITY SECRETARY AND MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN KINLOCK AND ALSO THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MAYOR REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN DOUCE.
ANY OF THESE ITEMS WITH NEED, UH, ANY ACTION
[03:50:01]
FROM THOSE ITEMS OR ON THOSE ITEMS. WE WILL RETURN TO AN OPEN SESSION HERE TO ADJOIN THIS MEETING FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ACT UPON THOSE ITEMS HERE IN, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS.AND THEN WE WILL BE ADJOURNED FROM THE ENTIRE MEETING.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECESS DOWN TO THE FOURTH LEVEL FOR OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, ARE WE BACK ON? YES SIR, I AM.
WOULD YOU PLEASE REESTABLISH FOR ME? MAYOR BARTEE.
WE'RE BACK IN SESSION AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, WE HAVE ONE MOTION COMING OUT OF, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YES, MAYOR, YOU DO HAVE A MOTION AS IT RELATES TO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM NINE 1D AND NINE THREE B COLLECTIVELY RELATED TO THE WIND TURBINE SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE LEASES ON ZER ISLAND.
YES, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ENTER A NON-BINDING LETTER TO AN, UH, INTENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH DUE DILIGENCE OFFSHORE SERVICE LLC FOR THE POSSIBLE WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION AGREEMENT ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE, UH, UH, A NON-BINDING LETTER TO, UH, DILIGENCE ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? ARE ANY QUESTIONS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE.
SO THIS MOTION PASSES, UH, THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER, UH, BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS AUGUST, AUGUST BODY.
AM I CORRECT? CITY SECRETARY AND CITY, UH, ATTORNEY.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE, AT 4:53 PM ON THIS DAY, THE THIRD DAY OF DECEMBER, 2024, DECLARE THIS MEETING DULY ADJOURNED.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ON DECEMBER 17TH.
AT NINE 30, UH, AM FOR OUR DECEMBER MEETING.
SO HAVE A JOVIAL, JOYOUS DECEMBER FROM HERE ON OUT.