* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. YOU READY, [00:00:01] CHIEF? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE THIS MORNING. GOOD MORNING IN PROGRESS. OKAY, SO I CAN SAY IT AGAIN. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FOR ME, MERRY CHRISTMAS. OKAY. AND, UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE AT, UH, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN A GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING. IN THIS MEETING, YOU MAY ATTEND BOTH, UH, VIDEO CONFERENCE OR TELEPHONIC METHODS, HOWEVER YOU WOULD FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING ONCE YOU PUT THE MEETING ID 8 1 4 8 9 9 4 9 6 6 1, AND THE PASSCODE OF 6 1 7 9 9 9, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING. ALSO IN THIS MEETING, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR ANY SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR YOU TO ATTEND THIS MEETING, YOU WOULD ONLY CALL THE SECRETARY CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND YOU WOULD DO THAT BY DIALING 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND SPEAK TO WITH HER ABLE STAFF, AND THEY WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUEST. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WILL BEGIN [I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL] WITH OUR NORMAL OPENING AND INVOCATION TO PLEDGE AND THE ROLL CALL. AND ALSO, IF YOU ARE GATHERED HERE IN THE CHAMBERS, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SILENCE YOUR PHONE THAT I JUST DID MINE, AND WE WILL BEGIN AND I'LL REMOVE MY CARE. BUT I'LL DO THE INVOCATION THIS MORNING. WOULD YOU BOW WITH ME IN THE WORD OF PRAYER? FATHER GOD, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE APPROACH YOUR THORN OF GRACE AND MERCY AT THIS HOUR, HUMBLED AND THANKFUL FOR YOUR MANYFOLD BLESSINGS. DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH US IN THE FURTHERANCE OF THIS MEETING, ALLOWING US TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL FOR THIS CITY AND THE GREAT CITIZENS THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED FOR US HERE, CONTINUE TO BLESS US, DEAR GOD. AND WE THANK YOU EVEN MORE SO DURING THIS PARTICULAR TIME OF YEAR AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. BLESS US, KEEP US AND GUIDE US. THAT'S WHAT WE ASK IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, JESUS THE CHRIST. AMEN. AND THANK GOD, WOULD YOU PLEASE NOW JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY. SECRETARY. WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO SET THE QUO. MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO, TIMM BECKHAM. COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER DEE HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LONG HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE. YOU HAVE A QUORUM, MA'AM. THANK YOU SO KINDLY. AS I HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY ALREADY WELCOMED YOU HERE, UH, PROCLAMATIONS. I DON'T HAVE ANY HERE IN FRONT OF ME TO THE SECRETARY. THERE AREN'T ANY, AM I CORRECT? OKAY. NOW [III.A.(1) Kelly Anderson Regarding Code Compliance] WE WILL MOVE TO SPEAKERS. WE HAVE A MR. KELLY ANDERSON, OR MS. KELLY ANDERSON, EXCUSE ME, UH, REGARDING CODE COMPLIANCE. WOULD YOU COME, PLEASE? YOU BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. YES, KELLY, COME, COME RIGHT TO THE MIC PLEASE, MA'AM. FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. SO GIMME A LITTLE BIT OF YES, MA'AM. LEEWAY. UM, I LIVE AT 51 0 1 FIFTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. YES, MA'AM. I'M A RECENT TRANSPLANT FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. OKAY. I LOVE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. THANK YOU. THE PEOPLE ARE GREAT. THEY'RE KIND, THEY'RE CORDIAL. NO BAD EXPERIENCES EXCEPT FOR MY NEIGHBOR. 51 0 7 FIFTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR. WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR JUST A LITTLE OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS. UH, TWO YEARS AGO, WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS GARBAGE PILING UP, BLOWING INTO OUR YARD. I HAVE A 90-YEAR-OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW THAT WE CAME DOWN TO TAKE CARE OF HER. SHE HAS PARKINSON'S, SO SHE'S UNABLE TO DO FOR HERSELF. UM, AND BEFORE THAT, SHE WAS PICKING UP HIS GARBAGE FROM HER FRONT YARD AND DEALING WITH HIS RUDE FAMILY MEMBERS, THROWING DIRTY DIAPERS, USED SANITARY PRODUCTS IN THE FRONT YARD, THEM EMPTYING THEIR CARS OF ALL THEIR TRASH IN OUR FRONT YARD. WE CAME DOWN, [00:05:01] UM, THEY HAD ANOTHER, I GUESS THEY HAD RENTERS THERE FOR SIX MONTHS. THEY MOVED OUT AND I THINK IT'S THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY NOW. WE ORIGINALLY APPROACHED THEM, NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR, ADULT TO ADULT, MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, TO PLEASE CLEAN YOUR PROPERTY BECAUSE IT AFFECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE NEXT DOOR USING OUR FRONT PORCH WHERE WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SWING. WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES AROUND OUR, AROUND OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE WERE MET WITH FOUL LANGUAGE, UH, CURSING. UM, I SPOKE TO HIM, WOMAN TO ANOTHER ADULT MALE. HE SEEMED TO TAKE THAT WELL, AND HE DOES ABSOLUTELY SPEAK ENGLISH, ALTHOUGH IN COURT HE PROFESSES NOT TO. UM, SO WE TRIED THE NON-LEGAL WAY WITHOUT CAUSING A BIG STIR. WE LIKE TO KEEP TO OURSELVES. HIS BACKYARD IS ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS. BROKEN APPLIANCES, WASHING MACHINES, DOING THEIR WASH OUTSIDE IN THE BACKYARD. AND THEN AS RECENTLY AS THE LAST SIX MONTHS, HAVING A WASH MACHINE IN A DRYER IN THE FRONT YARD. ALL THE GRAY WATER GOES INTO THE GROUND. HE'S, UM, TAKING APART ENGINE PARTS, THE OIL'S GOING INTO THE GROUND. WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, UM, WE HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR OVER TWO, ALMOST TWO YEARS. THEY HAVE DONE THEIR PAPERWORK. THEY HAVE TAKEN PICTURES. WE HAVE SUBMITTED PAPERWORK AND PICTURES VIA EMAIL, VIA COURT APPEARANCES AS WELL. HE HAS BEEN TO MUNICIPAL COURT MULTIPLE TIMES, BEEN CITED AT LEAST TWO MAY, MAYBE THREE TIMES. EACH TIME HE GOES IN, HE GETS A CONTINUANCE AND MORE TIME, A FINE, A CONTINUANCE AND MORE TIME EACH TIME. FAMILY MEMBERS COME TO THE PROPERTY RIGHT BEFORE THE COURT DATE, MAKE THE APPEARANCE OF CLEANING IT UP. AND THEN AFTER COURT, AND HE'S LET GO WITH A WARNING OR PROBATION AS THE LAST CASE. HE COMES HOME. THEY VERY SAME DAY WITH ANOTHER TRUCKLOAD OF BROKEN APPLIANCES, BROKEN AIR CONDITIONERS, PEOPLE'S GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE BAGS, TRASH. UM, WE'RE TALKING, UM, FOOD AND TRASH BAGS, ALL ON VIDEO CAMERA. UM, WE BOUGHT A VIDEO CAMERA TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THIS. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE INSTANCES WHERE WE HAD TO CONTACT THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WHEN WE SPOKE TO HIM AND ASKED HIM REPEATEDLY, KINDLY, PLEASE DON'T HAVE YOUR NEIGHBORS PARKING ON OUR FRONT LAWN, PLEASE DON'T HAVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR, YOUR, UH, VISITORS COMING OVER AND THROWING DIRTY DIAPERS IN OUR FRONT YARD. THESE ARE FULL OF, YOU KNOW, BIOHAZARDS. AND, UM, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST LITTLE NERVOUS. AND MR. BROWN'S OFFICE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL. AND ON TOP OF IT, I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS, UH, TIMES TO OUR REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS DISTRICT TWO. MRS. HAMILTON. SHE HAS CALLED BACK AND EMAILED A COUPLE TIMES. UH, BUT MOST OF MY PHONE CALLS ARE NOT RETURNED OR, AND HER CASE, THERE'S NO VOICEMAIL TO CONTINUE TO KEEP IN CONTACT. I HAVE BEEN TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TWICE IN PERSON. I SPOKE TO A VERY NICE YOUNG LADY. I SUBMITTED OUR INFORMATION. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE BY SOMEBODY IN HIS DEPARTMENT, UM, A PHONE CALL OR SOME KIND OF CONTACT, WHETHER IT BE BY PHONE OR BY EMAIL. WE HAVE SENT PICTURES, NO RESPONSE. UM, WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE. WE HAVE TAKEN IT, UH, TO THE NEWS. THEY FINALLY CAME OUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THEY INTERVIEWED AND THEY HAD TO LEAVE EARLY BECAUSE HE WAS THREATENING THEM VERBALLY. AND HE WAS STANDING AT THE EDGE OF HIS PROPERTY, THREATENING THE BOTH REPORTERS AND THE, THE, UM, THE LADY, THE PHOTOGRAPHER WITH THE CAMERA WITH VIOLENCE. OKAY. MY HUSBAND HAS GOTTEN INTO IT. WE'VE HAD TO PORT OUR, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OUT FOR THERE FOR THAT. UM, WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH ANIMAL CONTROL HAVING TO COME OUT REPEATEDLY BECAUSE HIS PUPPIES THAT ARE NO LONGER THERE, THANKS TO ANIMAL CONTROL IN PORT ARTHUR, THEY FINALLY REMOVED ALL THE DOGS. WE HAVE PERSONALLY SCRAPED TWO OF HIS PUPPIES. WELL, ONE ADULT DOG AND ONE PUPPY IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OFF THE STREET BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CONTAINED IN THE BACKYARD. ANIMAL CONTROL CAME OUT AFTER HOURS AND PICKED THOSE UP AND DISPOSE OF THEM. THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN SELLING FOOD OUT OF THEIR HOME. AND I, I KNOW BY CODE AND COMPLIANCE THAT THEY CAN'T DO THAT [00:10:01] THROUGH THAT, UH, WEBSITE. ON YOUR, UM, CITY PORT ARTHUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE COMPLAINED AND I HAVE VIDEO OF THAT AS WELL. WE EVEN TALKED TO THE UBER, NOT THE UBER DRIVERS. UM, IS IT POSTMATE OR WHATEVER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT SERVICE YOU HAVE DOWN HERE. WE TALKED TO THE DELIVERY DRIVER AND HE WAS IN FACT DELIVERING TO PEOPLE THAT WERE ORDERING ONLINE AND BRINGING THE FOOD AND BRINGING THE MONEY BACK TO THE PEOPLE. WE, WE SPOKE TO HIM PERSONALLY ALSO. WE SAW HIM EXCHANGING MONEY FOR FOOD. AND WE HAVE THAT ON CAMERA. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. SO I FEEL AT A LOSS BECAUSE I KNOW I'M ONLY ONE PERSON, ONE RESIDENT IN THIS BIG CITY, AND I FEEL LIKE MY COMPLAINTS ARE FALLING ON DEAF EARS. I DON'T GET A COURTESY CALL BACK. AND I'M A VERY EASYGOING PERSON. I LIKE TO STICK TO MYSELF. I DON'T LIKE TO BE CONCERNED WITH ANYBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS UNLESS IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME OR YOU'RE DOING HARM TO SOMEONE ELSE. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING BY THE BOOKS, AND I'M BEYOND FRUSTRATED. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW CANNOT, CANNOT GO UP AND PICK UP AFTER THREE GROWN PEOPLE NEXT DOOR, TWO ADULT CHILDREN AND TWO SMALLER CHILDREN. WE HAVE TRIED TO CALL CHILD SERVICES ON THE, UH, AUTISTIC CHILD THAT RUNS IN THE STREET BAREFOOT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, IN JUST A DIAPER, AND MAKES IT FOUR BLOCKS DOWN BEFORE THE PARENTS ARE EVEN AWARE. NOW, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T GO ON THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S NOT OUR PROPERTY. MY HUSBAND HAS STOOD OUTSIDE ON THE FRONT PORCH AND SCREAMED TO THE NEXT DOOR, DOOR NEIGHBOR, NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, SORRY, THAT THEIR CHILD IS THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET, NO SHOES PLAYING IN, PLAYING IN COLD WATER, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW. AND THEN THE PARENTS DON'T EVEN COME OUT. THEY'RE TOO BUSY DOING WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY SEND THE TEENAGE SON OUT TO GET THE BOY. SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO. WE'VE DONE, 'CAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO A STRANGER'S CHILD AND BE ACCUSED OF DOING SOMETHING IN INAPPROPRIATE. I HAVE SIX CHILDREN THAT ARE ALL GROWN AND LIVING IN ANOTHER STATE AND DOING THEIR OWN THING. SO I AM, I'M A RETIRED NURSE. I KNOW WHAT THE HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT HIS PROPERTY COULD CAUSE TO MY FAMILY. THE FAMILY'S ACROSS THE STREET. I'VE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE HIS HOUSE IS A FIRE HAZARD. IF HIS HOUSE GOES UP WITH ALL OF THAT DEBRIS, THE HOUSE NEXT TO HIM ON ONE SIDE AND OUR HOUSE, THEY WILL GO UP IN FLAMES INSTANTLY. HE DOESN'T HAVE A SEWER SYSTEM THAT'S OPERATING THAT HE CAN PLUG HIS WASHER AND DRYER INTO. SO ALL THAT GRAY WATER GOES INTO THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE LOST THE GRASS ON THE SIDE OF THE FENCE WHERE WE SHARE PROPERTY WITH HIS DRIVEWAY IS ON OUR PROPERTY. WE HAD A SURVEYOR COME OUT AND MARK THE PROPERTY AND WE FENCED IT OFF WITH SOME TWINE AND SOME, UH, POSTS. HE CAME OUT AND IMMEDIATELY RIPPED IT DOWN. HE HAS, UP UNTIL RECENTLY HAD ALL OF HIS JUNK WE'RE TALKING ENGINE PARTS, BROKEN WASHERS AND DRYERS, BROKEN AIR CONDITIONERS ALL LEANING UP AGAINST OUR FENCE ON OUR PROPERTY, BREAKING DOWN OUR FENCE. SO ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING. TWO YEARS IS WAY TOO LONG FOR THIS TO KEEP GOING ON. AND MR. BROWN HAS ALL THE PHOTOS. I UNFORTUNATELY ONLY GET PAID ONCE A MONTH SINCE I'M ON DISABILITY AFTER HAVING A STROKE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WHICH FORCED ME TO QUIT MY NURSING JOB. AND I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PRINT UP ALL THE VIDEOS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. AND ALL THE PICTURES, MR. BROWN, HOWEVER, DOES HAVE THE PICTURES. MR. ST. UH, I THINK IT'S THE ATTORNEY JOSEPH. HE HAS PICTURES. ALSO. WE ATTENDED THE LAST COURT MEETINGS AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT IN EACH TIME. JUST A MINUTE. I'M SORRY. OH NO, YOU JUST SAID ONE THING. YOU SAID THIS HAS BEEN IN MUNICIPAL COURT? YES, IT HAS. OKAY, STOP RIGHT THERE. STOP RIGHT THERE. WE WON'T DISCUSS ANY, ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT. OKAY? OKAY. AND WE DON'T, WE WON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON IT. I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A LITIGATION ON THIS AND I THOUGHT I HEARD THAT. WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAID. YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. WHAT? THE MAYOR, SO, NO, SIR. WHAT'S MA'AM? WHAT? NO, WE, WE DON'T WANNA DISCUSS ANY OF THAT. I, I DON'T WANNA, I'M GONNA ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY. NOT TOO GO RIGHT, GO RIGHT AHEAD. OKAY. CITY ATTORNEY, SHE SAID THAT IT WAS IN, UH, COURT AND, UH, THE COMPLAINT, BUT CAN WE RESPOND TO WHAT SHE SAID IN REFERENCE [00:15:01] TO THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY AND HER ACTIONS? I SPOKE WITH HER EARLIER BEFORE THE MEETING AND IT WAS NICE TO SPEAK WITH HER AND HEAR WHAT HER SIDE OF THE STORY IS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CASE, OUR CASES ARE IN MUNICIPAL COURT AND THERE ARE SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD IN MARCH. WE CAN CHECK TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE WE CAN GET WITH LITIGATION, PERHAPS FILING IN DISTRICT COURT. IT'S COMMON FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES TO EXPECT THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN IN MUNICIPAL COURT BEFORE THEY HEAR THE CASE IN DISTRICT COURT. SO I WILL CHECK TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE WE CAN GET IN THE, IN THE RESOLUTION. THAT WAS THAT. I DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S MENTAL, MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES INVOLVED. AND SO IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE A TEAM OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPERTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT WE SHOULD KNOW, UH, WHAT, WHERE WE WERE, WHAT'S BEING DONE AND ALL. OKAY. THANK MR. OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE. [III.B.(1) A Presentation By Councilmember Lewis Regarding A Historical Place Versus Downtown ] UH, NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, UH, REGARDING A HISTORIC PLACE VERSUS, UH, DOWNTOWN COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS. THANK WOKE. COUNCILMAN? COUNCILMAN? YEP. YEAH. THANK YOU MAN. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE FOR MY WOKENESS. NOT THAT I WAS SLEEPING OR ANYTHING, BUT AS I BECOME AWARE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS NOT A CENTRALIZED BUSINESS DISTRICT. IT'S JUST AN OLD HISTORICAL PLACE FROM, FROM, YOU KNOW, OUR AND COUNCILMAN ETT WAS CORRECT. I RESEARCHED IT. YOU, YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA IS BASICALLY CENTRAL MALL 365, WHERE IT'S ALL THE BUSINESSES DIS ALL THE BUSINESSES AND THINGS ARE CENTRALIZED. AND THAT, THAT IS CONSIDERED YOUR DOWNTOWN. IT IT IS. WE HAVE A NEW DOWNTOWN. SO ALL WE GOT DOWN HERE IS JUST A HISTORICAL PLACE WHERE MUSEUMS AND OLD BUILDING STRUCTURES, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA REFER TO FROM NOW ON AS A, A HISTORICAL PLACE. AND OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT IS, IS OUT THERE ON 365. EVERYTHING IS CENTRALIZED OVER THERE. OKAY. AND THE NEXT ITEM, THE PRESENTATION BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS REGARDING TEMPORARY STREET COLO. HOLD ON, WAIT A MINUTE. HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. I'M, I'M GONNA CALL IT OUT. OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW. YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU WERE THROUGH. I THOUGHT YOU WERE, BUT I SAW YOUR MIC COME BACK. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. OKAY. YEAH, LET'S JUST KEEP, WE GONNA KEEP GOING. SO YOU WERE THROUGH WITH I'M THROUGH WITH THAT. OKAY. YEAH. AND THAT, AGAIN, IT'S A HISTORICAL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SUBJECTIVE, BUT YOU SAID, YOU SAID THAT'S HOW YOU ARE GOING TO REFER TO IT. RIGHT? OKAY. THAT, THAT, THAT'S QUITE ALL YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE THAT, THAT LATITUDE THAT YOU MAY ALRIGHT. YEAH. NOW. ALRIGHT. OKAY. NOW WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM. [III.B.(2) A Presentation By Councilmember Lewis Regarding Temporary Street Closings For The Safety Of Prince Hall Residences] IT'S THREE A PRESENTATION BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS REGARDING TEMPORARY STREET CLOSINGS FOR THE SAFETY OF PRINCE HALL RESIDENCE. GO RIGHT AHEAD. YEAH, SO THAT HAS BEEN A, A, A PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME. I INHERITED 'EM, WELL, WE ALL INHERITED THE PROBLEMS OVER THAT. UH, THE SEWAGE, THE CITY HAS CORRECTED THE SEWAGE ISSUES. UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE DONE SOME THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE WEEKEND PROBLEMS OF DRIVING, SPEEDING THROUGH THE SHOOTING. THE PLACE OF, I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THIS OUT OF THE NEWS, BUT, UH, THAT'S IT IS ENDANGERING THE CITIZEN KNOW THAT. SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING TO GET WITH THE STAFF AND DO A TEMPORARY CLOSURE, 15TH STREET AND D WALK, THAT, THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL CUT IN AROUND, OKAY. 15TH STREET AND DAL CLOSE THAT TEMPORARILY, 13TH STREET AND D WALL CLOSED THAT TEMPORARILY, SO THEY CAN'T LOOP AROUND. AND ALSO SOME, THERE'S SOME CROSSOVER THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. THEY CAN, FROM THE PARKING LOTS, WE NEED TO BLOCK THAT, KEEP 'EM FROM CUTTING ACROSS WASHINGTON AND, AND 14 NEED TO BE CLOSED TEMPORARILY. AND ALSO, UH, 13TH AND LINCOLN CLOSE. THE STAFF CAN CLOSE THOSE TEMPORARY. AND AFTER, AFTER ONE YEAR, SIX MONTHS OR ONE YEAR, WE CAN HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND NOTIFY EVERYBODY DOWN THERE FOR A PERMANENT CLOSING. THAT'S, THAT'S THE STANDARD PROCEDURE. YOU CLOSE IT TEMPORARILY AND THEN YOU, YOU HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER TO, UH, INVOLVE THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M PROPOSING. I NEED TO MEET WITH THE STAFF, CITY MANAGER AT SOME POINT IN TIME. FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT [00:20:01] ON THIS ISSUE. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE. YEAH. IN REFERENCE TO CLOSING STREETS WHERE CITIZENS LIVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DEPEND ON THE CITIZENS IN THE AREA. UH, THEY GOT CITIZENS THAT LIVE THERE, THEY TAKE CERTAIN ROUTES AND STUFF, AND COUNCILMAN LEWIS MENTIONED, UH, CLOSING SEVERAL STREETS THERE TEMPORARILY. AND THEN AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, THEN WE COULD GO BACK AND CLOSE IT PERMANENTLY, UH, WITH NOTIFYING THE CITIZENS. I THINK CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE AN INPUT WHEN WE START WANTING TO CLOSE STREETS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHERE THEY TRAVEL AS FAR AS THE SHOOTING, UH, DRIVE-BYS, YOU KNOW, THEY DRIVE, THEY DRIVE BY OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. SO WE START CLOSING STREETS IN REFERENCE TO DRIVE-BY. I MEAN, EVERY STREET THAT THEY DRIVING BY, THEY, WE GOTTA CLOSE 'EM. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO START CLOSE, UH, CLOSING STREET WITHOUT AT LEAST A OPEN MEETING WHEREBY CITIZEN THAT LIVE IN THE AREA HAVE SOME KIND OF INPUT ON THAT. 'CAUSE THEY THE ONE THAT DRIVE THESE STREETS EVERY DAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YES. I, I'VE TALKED WITH THE CITIZENS OUT THERE AND I WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TALKED WITH 'EM, WHAT, WHAT I WAS GONNA PROPOSE. AND I EXPLAINED IT TO THEM AND THEY, THEY WAS HAPPY FOR IT THERE BECAUSE IT'S, IT IS OUTTA CONTROL. IT'S GOT, IT'S SO BAD OVER THERE, OVER ON, ON GULF WAY, DRIVE OVER ON GOWAY DRIVE. THAT LADY RIGHT ON THE CORNER, I THINK IT'S LINCOLN AND GOWAY. THEY SLEEP ON THE FLOOR ON THE WEEKENDS BECAUSE OF THE SHOOTINGS OVER THERE. YOU GO DOWN THERE ON D WALT AND 15TH STREET, BEHIND THE, BEHIND ST. JOHN CHURCH, D WALTON 15TH NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN GO, THAT'S BULLET HOLES IN THE, IN THE TELEVISION. AND THEY COMING FROM PRINCE HALL AREA. THEY DRIVE THROUGH THAT AND THEY JUST DISRUPTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY RACE CARS DOWN 14TH STREET AND THEY LOOP IT AND THEY CUT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS. IF YOU CLOSE 'EM OFF, THEY GOT, YOU GONNA HAVE ONE WAY IN ON 14TH STREET. AND YOU, YOU GO IN ON 14TH STREET, YOU GONNA COME OUT ON 14TH STREET. YOU GO IN ON 13TH STREET, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT ON 13TH STREET. IT'S NO MORE LOOPING AROUND, NO MORE CUTTING FROM 14TH STREET. AND, AND, AND THE LINCOLN CUTTING ACROSS THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMING AROUND ON DAL AND 15TH, YOU KILL ALL OF THAT. THEY'LL HAVE TO GO IN ON 14TH STREET AND THEY'LL HAVE TO COME OUT ON 14TH STREET, GO IN ON 13TH STREET. THEY HAVE TO COME OUT. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE. I HAVE NO PROBLEM. I PUT THE, I GUESS, SOME FLYERS AND GO THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY CAN COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. BUT IT'S FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS IN, IN, UH, PRINCE HALL, THAT'S, AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. WE, WE CAN QUIET IT ALL DOWN AND CREATE A CUL-DE-SAC AND THEY CANNOT BE, UH, CUTTING THROUGH THAT AND RACING ON WEEKENDS. I'M NOT DOING THIS WITHOUT, WITHOUT THE PUBLIC INPUT. NOW I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER AREAS I'M, I'M AT THIS TIME I'M CONCERNED ABOUT PRINCE HALL D ONE 14 OR 14TH 13. THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. THE REST OF 'EM, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT LATER ON. OKAY. COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST TO ASK, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, I MEAN, UNTIL WE GET SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION TO, UH, EITHER CLOSING THE STREETS OR RE OR, UM, REROUTING THOSE AREAS, HAVE YOU TALKED WITH THE POLICE CHIEF TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU COULD GET MORE, UH, PATROLS, UH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR CRIME ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T IN THAT PARTICULAR SIDE OF TOWN? SO, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU TALKED WITH THE POLICE CHIEF TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU OH, YES. THEY FULLY AWARE OF IT. WE HAVEN'T SAT DOWN AND, AND MET YET. OKAY. WE'LL WORK OUT THE DETAILS. THE CHIEF, IS THAT BAD? ALL, I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT IF YOU WILL GET WITH HIM AND INCREASE THE, UH, PATROLS OVER THERE UNTIL, BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A STREET CLOSURE. IT MIGHT, MAY TAKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE, THE QUICK FIXES TO GET WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND FIGURE OUT IF YOU CAN GET MORE PATROLS OVER THERE TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU CAN DIVERT SOME OF THOSE, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN AT NIGHT, GET WITH MANAGEMENT THAT'S AT THE, UH, COMPLEX TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, NOW WE HAVE A CURFEW. SOME OF THOSE THINGS I THINK WOULD HELP IN THAT AREA OF TOWN BECAUSE I, I'VE GOTTEN CALLS ABOUT IT AS WELL. BUT THE QUICK FIXES GET WITH, UH, THE CHIEF RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH PATROLS. UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. THE CHIEF IS, I INFORM THE CHIEF ABOUT IT AND, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I'M CITY MANAGER AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, WE NEED TO, I NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM. OKAY. [00:25:04] OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. WHAT WE'LL DO NOW, UH, CITY SECRETARY SAID THE GENTLEMAN IS GONNA BE ON ZOOM. IS HE, UH, READY? MR. UH, CHARLES CLARK III? YES, SIR. I DON'T SEE HIM. LOG IN. HI. I'LL BE FILLING IN FOR CHARLES. HE COULD NOT. OKAY. JUST A MINUTE. JUST JUST A MINUTE. JUST A MINUTE. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE YOU WERE, YOU WERE PRESENT AND, UH, YOU ARE. SO LET ME INTRODUCE WHAT'S GETTING READY TO OCCUR. WE [III.C.(3) A Presentation By Charles Clark, III Regarding The Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative Grant] HAVE A PRESENTATION BY CHARLES CLARK III, UH, REGARDING THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE GRANT. AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IF, IF, IF YOU ARE CHARLES OR YOU REPRESENT CHARLES, BUT YOU CAN STATE WHO YOU ARE IF YOU AREN'T CHARLES. AND, UH, YOU WOULD BEGIN YOUR, UH, DO YOU HAVE GRAPHICS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UH, AND YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS THOSE CITY SECRETARY, WE PASSED OUT A HARD COPY. IT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING THEY WOULD BE SHARING THAT PRESENTATION ON SCREEN. I'M NOT SURE SINCE THE PRESENTER HAS CHANGED. OKAY. WELL, IF, IF, IF YOU MAY PROCEED, GO RIGHT IN. CAN YOU ALL SEE THAT? YES. YES MA'AM. WE CAN. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS CARMELA GREEN AND I'M THE PROJECT ADVISOR, UH, AT MOVEMENT STRATEGY CENTER. AND CHARLES CLARK COULD NOT BE HERE, BUT I'M ALSO PART OF THE TEAM, SO I'LL BE REPRESENTING, UH, WE JUST WANNA GIVE, AND I'M ALSO HERE WITH DAVE FROST AS WELL. UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY, UM, ABOUT BLOOMBERG ASSOCIATES. BLOOMBERG ASSOCIATES IS THE PHILAN PHILANTHROPIC CONSULTING ARM OF MICHAEL R BLOOMBERG'S CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES FOUNDED IN 2014. IT WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH CLIENT CITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, TAKING A STRATEGIC COLLABORATIVE AND RESULTS ORIENTED APPROACH TO MAKING CITIES STRONGER, SAFER, MORE EQUITABLE AND EFFICIENT. ITS TEAM OF GLOBALLY, I'M SORRY. OH, OKAY. IT IS, UM, SORRY. IT'S TEAM OF GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERTS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS HAS WORKED WITH CITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE ON HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS IN ORDER TO TAKE THAT CHANGE AND TRANSFORM DYNAMIC VISION INTO REALITY. IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ANNOUNCED AT 25 CITIES IN CANADA, MEXICO, AND THE UNITED STATES WILL RECEIVE ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE GRANTS UP TO 25,000 EACH, PLUS TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO INSTALL PROJECTS THAT USE ART AND DESIGN TO IMPROVE STREET SAFETY, REVITALIZE PUBLIC SPACES, REVITALIZE PUBLIC SPACES, AND ENGAGE RESIDENCE. THE NEW ART INITIATIVE PROJECTS TO BE INSTALLED IN 2024 WERE CHOSEN FOR MORE THAN 200 APPLICATIONS. AND EACH ADDRESSES A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE RELATED TO PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY IN THEIR CITY. IN 20 25, 10 CITIES HAVE, UH, WILL BE AWARDED ANYWHERE BETWEEN $10,000 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THESE AWARDED A HUNDRED THOUSAND WILL REQUIRE A COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE FOR THE PROJECT AREA UP TO TWO YEARS. THE FOLLOWING CITIES WILL RECEIVE SUPPORT, UH, TO IMPROVE A CHALLENGING INTERSECTION, UM, USING CURB EXTENSIONS AND OTHER TOOLS, REDUCE CONFLICTS BETWEEN DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS ALONG A SERIES OF INTERSECTIONS AND CREATE OR ENHANCE SAFE PEDESTRIAN SPACE. IN ADDITION TO THE GRANTS, THE SELECTED CITIES WILL RECEIVE TECHNICAL CONSULTING PROVIDED BY BLOOMBERG ASSOCIATES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A TACTICAL URBANISM FIRM CALLED STREET PLANS. THE EXPANSION OF THE ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE IN CANADA, MEXICO, AND THE US BUILDS UPON THREE PRIOR ROUNDS OF ASPHALT, ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE GRANTS GIVEN BETWEEN 2020 AND 2022, WHICH SUPPORTED A TOTAL OF 65 STREET DESIGN PROJECTS ACROSS 42 CITIES IN THE US AND 22 IN EUROPE. THIS FOURTH ROUND OF THE ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE WILL BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ASPHALT PROJECTS TO NINE D. UH, SO OUR PROJECT TEAM WILL BE PURE DIGITAL ARTS INNOVATION CENTER, WHICH IS LOCATED THERE IN PORT ARTHUR. THAT, UH, CHARLES CLARK II IS HEADING AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ALSO THE ARTIST IN CROSS. UH, I'M ALSO PART OF THE PROJECT TEAM, WHICH IS MOVEMENT STRATEGY CENTER. WE ARE A NONPROFIT BASED IN OAKLAND, BUT WE HAVE, UH, FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECTS ALL OVER THE US INCLUDING PORT ARTHUR. UM, I GOT TO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN 2022 WHEN WE DID THE INAUGURAL UGK DAY, WHICH WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. UH, WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME COLLABORATORS AS WELL ON THIS [00:30:01] PROJECT WITH US, WHICH IS THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER, PARKS AND RECREATION, PORT ARTHUR VISITORS CONVENTION, UH, BUREAU, LOCAL NONPROFITS, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND ALSO THE LOCAL CELEBRITIES OF PORT ARTHUR. SO, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE CAN CREATE, UM, ASPHALT ART, WHICH ARE INSIDE INTERSECTIONS, MID BLOCK, UM, AS A PART OF CROSSWALKS AND QUICK BUILD CURB EXTENSIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER PEDESTRIAN ONLY AREAS. UH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING TO DO, SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS TO TAKE. WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW, UH, UM, A FEW EXAMPLES. UH, THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PUBLIC SPACE. WE ENVISION SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, LINING THE BIKE PATH ON THOMAS BOULEVARD. THE BUILDING MATERIALS ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND WITH NATIVE PLANTS EASILY MAINTAIN. AND THIS IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF SITES OUR TEAM HAS, HAS CONSIDERED AHEAD OF THE MEETING, WHICH IS AT WEST 10TH STREET AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN AVENUE. AND THEN I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND HAND THIS OFF TO DAVE FROST, THE ARTIST, TO TALK ABOUT THE DESIRE WE'RE INTERESTED IN, UH, DEVELOPING FOR THIS AREA. HELLO. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? YES. SO, UM, MY NAME IS DAVE FROST. I'M THE, I'M THE AND PROPRIETOR OF ART DESIGN, UM, FORMER ART INSTITUTE GRADUATE ARTIST. I WAS GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR ME. SO, UM, MY IDEA FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PART, FOR ARTHUR, UM, WITH, UH, LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, I WANTED TO COMMEMORATE THE ALUMNI OF LINCOLN HIGH STUDENTS MEMORIAL HIGH. SO I FIGURED IT WOULD BE A GOOD, UM, IT WOULD BE A GOOD, I GUESS SHOUT OUT TO REMEMBER BEING ALUMNI AND ALSO HIGH. AND I HAVE LOGO ON, ON THE, I FILLED THE THING FROM PIONEER TO, AND WHEN ALL THE STUDENTS WOULD COME OUT THE SCHOOL, THE FIRST THING THEY SEE IS THEIR, THEIR COLORS, THE SCHOOL AND ACROSS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GO ACROSS, YOU KNOW, LINCOLN, LINCOLN ALUMNI, SOUTH THE CORNER, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS. AND SO THAT'S MY IDEA FOR, FOR THAT SECTION. THANK YOU, DAVE. SO THIS IS THE SITE WITH THE MOST PROMISE. UH, WE HAVE AN EYE TOWARDS IMPROVING THE BIKE PATH ON THOMAS BOULEVARD. THIS WILL BE THE SITE WHERE THE PUBLIC ART, UH, DESIGNS, UH, TERMINATE. AND THIS IS THE DESIGN FROM DAVE. THIS, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF FOUR DESIGN. UM, AND THIS EXPLAIN REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY WHY I CHOSE THIS. UM, WITH, UH, WITH CIRCLE BEING OUR BIGGEST PART, I WANTED SOMETHING THAT WOULD GRAB PEOPLE'S, AND I SAID, I HAVE, I HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT DESIGN THIS, BUT MAINLY I JUST WANTED TO DOWN THE COLOR, BLACK BEING COLOR, NATURE, TRANQUILITY, THE, OR SOME HERE, YELLOW SUNSHINE, HUNGER, GO DOWN AND PICNIC, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. THE CIRCLE PLAY. YOU KNOW, KIDS WOULD PROBABLY SIT THERE AND JUST, JUST, YOU KNOW, DO WHATEVER THEY WANNA. I KNOW KIDS, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HAVE A CIRCLE, YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE TO SIT THERE WITH THEIR FRIENDS OR WHATEVER, AND, AND THE LINE, THE LION ARE KIND OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS WAY, GO HERE THIS WAY. GO HERE. SO IT'S ALL ON [00:35:01] A PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE, AND, AND GIVE A FEELING OF, OF COMFORT. AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE WELCOME HERE. YOU'RE WELCOME HERE. STAY ALIVE. UM, I WISH, UH, I KNOW, UM, I KNOW IF, UH, IF CAR, THE, BUT THEY ALL HAVE, THEY'RE, I HAVE, I HAVE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE IN THE MIDDLE, RED, WHITE AND BLUE IN THE, I JUST KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE CAPTAIN, BUT THAT MIGHT, IT MIGHT ADD A YOU. UM, THEN I HAVE, UH, I HAVE A CIRCLE WITH, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE MEXICANS. UH, THESE ARE THE COLORS OF THE MEXICAN FLAG AND THE, UM, AND THE EAGLE HAVE A, A, A PRETTY LARGE, UH, LATINO POPULATION. THE CIRCLE ON THE BOTTOM, THE STAR WITH THE STAR AND RED AND BLACK REPRESENTS THE ASIAN POPULATION THAT HAVE, WHICH IS KIND OF SMALL, BUT I'M THINKING INTO ACCOUNT. AND THEN, AND THE BLACK, THE BLACK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THOSE ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN. UM, NEXT ONE, THE ONE NEXT TO IT. NATURAL, NATURAL COLORS OF, OF THE PARK ITSELF. YOU KNOW, BROWN, GRAY, GREEN, BLACK. AND IT, IT'S ABOUT THE SAME CONCEPT. THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THAT. BUT I, I FEEL LIKE NO MATTER WHAT THE DESIGN, UM, AND JUST RELAX AND JUST, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT THERE'S SAFE AND IT'S SOMEWHERE, UH, IT'S A CREATIVE SPACE. IT, IT'S A SPACE. THEY CAN RELAX, YOU KNOW, WHERE EVERYONE GATHER TIME. THANK YOU, DAVE. AND JUST TO ADD, UM, WE'RE OPEN TO DESIGNS AND OF COURSE, COMMUNITY INPUT. UM, IF WE ARE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE GRANT, THEY ALSO HELP WITH THAT CONSULTING AS WELL. UM, IF WE WANT TO DO, UM, MOVE INTO SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO GET INPUT AS WELL. UM, AND SO THESE ARE WHAT OUR PROJECT TEAM NEEDS ARE, OF COURSE, IS THE RESOLUTION FOR SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND A COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY TO UPKEEP AND MAINTAIN THE PROJECT SITE FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. UH, WE ALSO WANT TO DO THE COLLABORATION ON THE GRANT WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. WE'VE ALREADY CREATED, UH, AN APPLICATION, BUT THEN WE WOULD INVITE THOSE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION. AND WE, UM, ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY'S GRANT WRITER AS WELL TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED. UM, BUT THIS IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR THE TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? UH, YOU LIGHTS ON? YEAH, I LIKE THE IDEA. I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT. IS THAT'S GONNA BE A PERMANENT PART. IS IT, IS IT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE BRICKS OR ASPHALT? YEAH. OR IS IT PAINTED ON? I THINK SHE CAN ASK. I THINK IT'S PAINTED ON, BUT THEY COULD PROBABLY EXPLAIN BETTER. WELL, IF IT'S, IF IT'S PAINTED WELL, CAN I GET AN ANSWER FROM THE YOUNG LADY UP THERE AND ANOTHER SURE. GO AHEAD. AND ONE OTHER THING WHILE I'M ABLE TO GET ALL THE, MY QUESTIONS ON, UH, HOW DO YOU GET PAID FROM THE GRANT OR, OR WE HAVE TO PAY YOU UP FRONT. UH, WE WOULD BE PAID THROUGH THE GRANT. OKAY. SO, OKAY. YES, IT WOULD NOT, THE ONLY COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE ASKING THE CITY FOR IS THE, JUST THE MAINTENANCE OF IT. UM, IT IS PAINTED. I'M GONNA HAVE DAVE PROBABLY, UM, HE'S THE ARTIST HERE. UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT'S PAINTED AND EASILY CAN EASILY BE REDESIGNED AND CHANGED. IS THAT, IS THAT GONNA BE WALK-IN TRAFFIC OVER THAT SURFACE? OR IS IT GONNA, IS IT GONNA BE A DRIVE OVER SURFACE? UM, I THINK THAT IT'S, UM, A WALKING, YEAH. EXCUSE ME. MAY, MAY MAY, MA'AM, BUT I KNOW THAT WE, EXCUSE ME, DESIGN, EXCUSE ME, BROKE IT UP A BIT SO THAT IT'S LIKE A PART OF A PLAY AREA AND POSSIBLY A, A, A PART WHERE YOU'RE JUST RESTING, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE FULL LENGTH OF THE, THE BIKE LANES. OKAY. UM, BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT YES, YES. EXCUSE ME. UH, AND [00:40:01] WE, WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM STAFF TO ANSWER YOU A LOT BETTER, UH, AS YOU, ONCE OF THE, UH, LOCATION IS CHOSEN. OKAY. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD KNOW WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A TRAP, UH, AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE VEHICULAR, UH, MOVEMENT, A WALK, OR, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER AREA. YEAH. BUT THAT WOULD BE ON THE CHOICE. UH, YES MA'AM. MS. LANGSFORD, WOULD YOU BE, UH, BECAUSE SHE'S HERE? NOT, BUT WE, WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO HAS SURPRISED ME OF A LOT OF IT. THE BIGGEST THING COUNCIL, I THINK IS THE UPKEEP. THE, THE, UH, UH, 24 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE, UH, COMPLETION OF IT THAT THE CITY WITH, UH, THE MAINTENANCE ON WHAT, WHATEVER THE CHOICE IS. SO GO, GO RIGHT AHEAD. UH, MS. LANGSFORD? YES, SIR. MAYOR, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. UM, THE MAYOR IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE, I DID MEET, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MR. CLARK, UM, IN REGARDS TO WHAT HE IS PROPOSING TO COUNSEL. UM, IN OUR CONVERSATION, THERE WERE TWO AREAS OF DISCUSSION THAT WAS THE INTERSECTION OF WEST 10TH AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN. UM, AS WELL AS THE ENTRANCE INTO, UM, UM, GILHAM CIRCLE, UM, PARK. BOTH AREAS WOULD BE TRAVELED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, IF THOSE ARE THE TWO AREAS THAT ARE SELECTED. UM, FOR THIS SPECIFIC GRANT, THE BIKE TRAIL, UM, ON THOMAS BOULEVARD, AGAIN, IT IS A BIKE TRAIL, SO THAT WOULD BE FOOT TRAFFIC AS WELL AS BICYCLE TRAFFIC THAT WOULD TRAVEL DOWN THAT AREA. IF THAT IS SELECTED. IF, UM, AWARDED THE GRANT, THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE, UM, FOR MAINTENANCE OF THIS AREA, UM, FOR UP TO TWO YEARS. UM, FOLLOWING THOSE TWO YEARS, IF WE WERE TO DISPOSE OF THE ARTWORK OR MAINTAIN THE ARTWORK, THE GRANT DOES, UM, REQUEST THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF PLAN THAT IS PUT IN PLACE ON HOW WE WOULD MAINTAIN IT AFTER THE TWO YEAR PERIOD. WILL THAT BE SOMETHING THAT PARK AND RECREATION BE HANDLING, OR WOULD IT, UM, MORE THAN LIKELY, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION OR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. OKAY. OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. ANY OTHER, UH, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS. OKAY. WOULD, WOULD THERE BE ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU COULD TO SHARE AT THIS TIME? OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH IN ENOUGH INFORMATION. WE APPRECIATE THIS. AND IF IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL, WE WOULD, UH, EITHER INFORM YOU OR MS. LANGSFORD WILL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO KINDLY. ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE, EXCUSE ME, ON PAGE TWO. EXCUSE ME, MA'AM. OKAY. YOU HAD A NOTE THAT THERE IS A COMPANION ITEM ON THE AGENDA. OH, EXCUSE ME. IT'S SHE, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. PAGE 10, NUMBER EIGHT. YEAH, ON PAGE 10. LET'S, LET'S GO, LET'S GO TO THAT. THANK YOU. CITY SECRETARY. AND SHE JUST, THAT'S WHY SHE HAS HER JOB. WE APPRECIATE YOU. OKAY. UH, [VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 24082 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur Expressing Support For A Grant Application Being Submitted By Trill Digital Arts Innovation Center, Sponsored By Movement Strategy Center, For The Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative Grant In An Amount Up To $100,000.00, And Committing To The City's Responsibility For Upkeep And Programming Should The Grant Be Awarded] ON PAGE 10, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UH, PR NUMBER 2 4 0 82. IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A GRANT APPLICATION BEING SUBMITTED BY TRI DESIGN, DESIGN ARTS INNOVATION CENTER, SPONSORED BY MOVEMENT STRATEGY CENTER FOR THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT UP TO $100,000. AND COMMITTING TO THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR UPKEEP AND PROGRAMMING. SHOULD THE GRANT BE AWARDED. MAY I GET, UH, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO, WILL, MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILOR? FRANK SECOND IS REMOVED. AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER SIX. I MEAN, UH, 24 0 82 AS PRESENTED. UH, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN LEWIS. YEAH, THERE IS A PAINT THAT'S, THAT'S REAL DOABLE, BUT WE, THEY, WE WOULD'VE THAT WOULD BE, YEAH, TOTALLY. IF, IF THE GRANT IS, IS, UH, APPROVED, THEN WE, THAT DISCUSSION WOULD HAPPEN WITH, WITH THAT GENTLEMAN. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHERS? BUT NOW WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT. SO PR NUMBER 24 0 82 IS APPROVED THAT READ, IF YOU ALL IS STILL THERE, YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR THAT. NOW, BACK TO PAGE TWO. AM I CORRECT? CITY SECRETARY. OKAY. NOW WE WILL GO TO, UH, ITEM, UH, D OR, UH, [III.D. Employee Recognition] EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AND RECOGNITION OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, EMPLOYEE, PROFESSIONAL, ACADEMIC, AND COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS. UH, OKAY. DR. THIGPEN IS GOING TO, UH, PRESENT THAT AND AS HE COMES, [00:45:01] UH, I'M NOT SURE. AND BUT YOU GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HERE WHO JUST 48 HOURS AGO OR SO, OR 72 MAYBE RECEIVED, UH, A DEGREE. SO I KNOW YOU GOT THAT ONE ON THERE TOO, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. OKAY. WE GOOD? I THINK WE GOT IT. I THINK WE GOT IT. UH, GOOD MORNING. OUR MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND COUNCIL, UH, WE ARE ALWAYS GLAD AND VERY PROUD OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHEN THEY MAKE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS, UH, PROFESSIONAL MILESTONES, ACADEMIC MILESTONES, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH MILESTONES. BECAUSE THESE TYPE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS INDICATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, AS WELL AS TO GROWTH IN HELPING THE CITY BECOME BETTER AS AN ORGANIZATION. SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE WHO HAVE THOSE TYPE OF MILESTONES AT THIS TIME. FIRST, WE WANNA OFFER CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER PROGRAM. UH, YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR INDIVIDUALS HERE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY, SUCH AS THE CITY MANAGER, HAVE THE CPM DESIGNATION AFTER THEIR SIGNATURE. AND THAT IS INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, BUT IT IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED PROGRAM. AND IT'S DESIGNED IS TO ENHANCE THE PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP, UH, ABILITIES OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLIC CENTER, UH, MANAGERS. SO WITH THE ADVANCED SKILLS AND MANAGEMENT FINANCE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE, THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP THEIR ORGANIZATION ACHIEVE GREATER HEIGHTS. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE MOST REGENT GRADUATES TO COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. IT IS A PEN THAT WAS DESIGNED BY OUR VERY OWN MS. LANGFORD, WHICH RECOGNIZED THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER PROGRAM. FIRST, WE HAVE MS. IKA WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. YOU WANT ME TO SAY SOMETHING ? NO. I JUST THANK THE CITY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, GO THROUGH THIS COURSE AND OBTAIN THIS CERTIFICATE. I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. TURN THIS WHITE. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT, MR. GEORGE DAVIS, DIRECTOR OF PLEASURE ISLAND. WOO. YOU NOTICE THEY ARE BRINGING THEIR CERTIFICATES, WHICH ARE AWARDED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. LIKE MS. WILLIAMS SAID, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, THE CITY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE SUPPORT, AND ESPECIALLY MR. BURTON. 'CAUSE YEARS AGO, YOU AND I WERE WALKING FROM CITY HALL TO EDC WHEN I WAS STILL OVER THERE AND YOU WERE ENCOURAGING ME TO GET IN THIS PROGRAM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. LARRY BADONE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGER. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD TO HAVE A SPEECH HERE, BUT, UH, I THANK MYSELF 'CAUSE I DID IT MYSELF. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING. , I WANNA THANK, I WANNA THANK Y ALL Y'ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME UP HERE AND, AND, AND, AND GO THROUGH THE WHOLE YEAR'S PROCESS. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO. COUNCIL MEMBER KINLOCK. YEAH. LARRY TURNER WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE. GOTCHA. LARRY. OKAY. HOW LONG IS THE COURSE AND WHAT TYPE OF, UH, COURSE WORK YOU HAD TO ACTUALLY DO? 'CAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CPM. OKAY. UH, 14 WEEKS. IT'S 14 WEEKS. 14 WEEKS. WOW. IT'S, UH, TWO, UH, A THURSDAY AND A FRIDAY EVERY MONTH. ONCE A MONTH. SO YOU HAVE TO DRIVE ON SITE. YES. SO WE STARTED IN, UH, LAST, LAST, LAST SEPTEMBER, AND WE JUST ENDED IT THROUGH THIS, UH, GRADUATION. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, [00:50:01] HUH? OH, OKAY. UH, WE HAD TO DO A, A CAPSTONE PROJECT, WHICH WAS TO WRITE A PAPER. UH, IT, UH, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 11 PAGES LONG AND WE HAD TO ALSO GIVE A 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION ON IT ALSO. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I SPOKE MORE THAN I WANTED TO . MR. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. WE TREND COMPLIANCE OFFICER, LAW DEPARTMENT. YES. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL. UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M TRULY HONORED AND HUMBLE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS, BE GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM. AND I WAS INITIALLY VOL TOLD TO GO, I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT , BUT I'M GLAD I DID. SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I JUST WANT TO BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PUERTO ARTHUR. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU. YES, MA'AM. UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW, BUT WHO HE WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS AT LAMAR, PORT ARTHUR IN THE PARALEGAL PROGRAM. MM-HMM . HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST STUDENTS I EVER HAD GO THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. . WOW. AND HE, YOU JUST CONTINUE TO LEARN. YEAH. WHICH IS GREAT. MM-HMM . I MEAN, HE'S GOT MULTIPLE COURSEWORK AND MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES, AND I'M JUST, I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU. YOU DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND I KNOW YOU'LL KEEP DOING IT INTO THE FUTURE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU GUYS. OUR NEXT RECOGNITION GOES TO ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FELLOW STAFF MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE TEXAS WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR THE 2024 SESSION. MS. FLO ROBERTS WAS PART OF THE SEQUOIA CLASS, WHICH INCLUDED FIVE SESSIONS OVER A 10 MONTH PERIOD DESIGNED TO PREPARE WOMEN LEADERS TO BECOME CITY MANAGERS. IN OUR GREAT STATE, MS. FLO ROBERTS, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC . THANK YOU . UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TEXAS WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. IT WAS GENUINELY AN HONOR AND I HOPE TO USE WHATEVER I LEARNED IN THE PROGRAM, UM, TO BETTER THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, . CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE EARNED ACADEMIC DEGREES, DEMONSTRATING DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK WHILE BALANCING THEIR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. SOME OF THEM WERE ABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY, AND WE'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THEM IF THEY ARE IN THE CHAMBERS. WE BEGIN WITH MR. HARRIS VALIER, RECREATION TECHNICIAN, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, WHO RECEIVED AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND KINESIOLOGY FROM THE MARS STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR TO TEXAS. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU'ALL FOR SUPPORT. I WANT TO, UM, ESPECIALLY SAY THANK YOU TO MY BOSSES. I DON'T SEE HIM HERE, BUT MS. ALPORT AND MR. BROWN. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR THE SUPPORT. CORRECT? YEAH. MS. FABIOLA RAYNA RUBIO FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT EARNED AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN ACADEMIC STUDIES FROM THE MARSH STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. MS. GRACIE MATTHEWS HEALTH DEPARTMENT EARNED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING FROM THE MOORE UNIVERSITY, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MS. JOANNA QUIRE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT EARNED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES FROM LAMAR UNIVERSITY, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MR. ANTONIO MITCHELL FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EARNED A MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITH AN EMPHASIS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY, HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS. [00:55:02] THAT'S MR. MITCHELL IN THE BACKGROUND. WHO'S GONNA COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? . UM, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, . HEY, Y'ALL PUT THIS IN THE BACK OF HIS PICTURE, PLEASE. I SAW HE WHEN HE GRADUATED SATURDAY. YEAH. AND OUR LAST ACADEMIC ACHIEVER, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, MS. DARLENE PIERRE, DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EARNED A BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND IS ALSO DESIGNATED AS A RONALD E MCNAIR BACCALAUREATE ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM SCHOLAR AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, SUPPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL IN EDUCATING ITS EMPLOYEES BECAUSE A BETTER EDUCATED EMPLOYEE IS A MORE INFORMED EMPLOYEE WHO CAN DO, UH, GREAT THINGS FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU. MS. PIERRE IS ALSO A PREVIOUS GRADUATE OF THE CPM PROGRAM. YES. SO WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF HER. WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES. WE KNOW THAT WORK LIFE BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. SO WHILE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK VERY HARD IN THE ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEIR CAREERS, WE ALSO HAVE THOSE WHO ARE EQUALLY INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MR. GLENN WHITE, WHO IS OUR SOLID WEIGHT SUPERINTENDENT, WHO'S BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE 2024 MINOR LEAGUE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BECAUSE OF HIS DEDICATION TO THE SPORT. WELL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES. UH, MR. MANAGER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH. UM, MR. GLEN WHITE HAD TO TRAVEL TO LAS VEGAS TO BE INDUCTED IN THE HALL OF FAME LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS A GREAT HONOR, UM, FOR HIM TO DO THAT. BUT FROM THE TIME I TOOK UP THE POSITION AS CITY MANAGER IN 2018, 2019, ONE OF MY GOALS WAS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO, IS TO BETTER EQUIP THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF PO ARTHUR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE NOT ONLY THE SKILLS KNOWLEDGE AND NOT THE LONGEVITY OF SERVICE, BUT THE ABILITY TO MOVE ON, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY AS AN INDIVIDUAL TO BUILD THEM UP. AND SO WHEN I GOT, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDED ME WITH THAT FIRST OPPORTUNITY AND MADE IT A REQUIREMENT THAT I BECAME A CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER IN SIX MONTHS, I MADE SURE THAT PAM FOLLOWED AS WELL. AND I SENT THREE OTHER INDIVIDUALS. AND I THINK WE ARE UP TO ABOUT 10 OR 15 INDIVIDUALS, AND IT'LL BE MY MISSION AS LONG AS I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY HEAD OF DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER, THUS UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A CITY AND THE CITY, THE, THE, THE THROUGH QUALA AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHOM I'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY DEVELOP A VERY ROBUST, UM, ITINERARY, UH, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THE SMATTERING OF THOSE THINGS, UM, ONTO THE EMPLOYEES WHO ATTEND. AND IT, IT'S NOT A FREE RIDE THAT THEY GO THERE FOR TWO DAYS, BUT THEY HAVE TO PRESENT PAPERS AT THE END OF IT. WE HAD TO AT THE TIME TOO. MM-HMM . SO I, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM. YES, I DID TELL HUI HE HAD TO GO, WHETHER HE WAS GOING KICKING AND SCREAMING , BECAUSE HUI IS AN IMPORTANT ASSET TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THIS KID HAS A LOT OF SKILLS THAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE. AND SO I WANT TO BUILD EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE WHO SHOWS LEADERSHIP ACUMEN, YOU KNOW, TO BUILD ON IT, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT ONLY BETTER CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY BECOME BETTER CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. MM-HMM . MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR ACADEMIC, THEIR PROFESSIONAL, AND THEIR COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS. THANK YOU. Y'ALL HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. UH, COUNCILMAN [01:00:01] LEWIS? YES. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL EFFORTS AND EVERYTHING, AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD FOR, TO ENHANCE YOURSELF. UH, CONTINUOUSLY LEARNING. WHEN I FIRST CAME BACK ON COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS I, I'M, I'M MENTIONING IT TO YOU ALL, MR. LANGFORD, AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, YOU ALL NEED TO GET YOUR CERTIFICATION IN IN CITY MANAGERS. UH, YOU KNOW, AND SHE, WELL, THEY, THEY INFORMED ME THAT, UH, THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALREADY ENCOURAGED THEM TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATIONS. THAT GOES A LONG WAYS. CERTIFICATION GOES A LONG WAYS AND CONTINUOUS EDUCATION GOES A LONG WAYS. APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL EFFORTS AND EVERYTHING. OKAY. IF YOU NEED ANY MORE STUDENTS, UH, SOME MORE MONEY FOR THE HELP YOU OUT WITH YOUR EDUCATION. UH, SEE THE CITY MANAGER GENERAL 'EM BUDGETED NEXT YEAR. . OKAY. COUNCILMAN FRANK. JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE AND APPLAUD EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAVE GONE ON AND GOTTEN MORE TRAINING, MORE EDUCATION. UH, I COME FROM A TRAINING AND FROM A TRADITION THAT SAYS THAT, UM, THE EDUCATION IS THE ONE THING THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN, UH, FROM YOU AND THAT YOU CAN USE IT FOR THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR LIFE. SO I SIMPLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, UH, AS WELL AS COMMEND YOU, UH, FOR YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU BRING, UH, TO OUR CITY AND THE VALUE THAT YOU HOLD. THANK YOU. THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS. YES. ONE OF 'EM, UH, RETIREE APPROACHED ME, UH, YEARS AGO AND HE SAID I WAS ENCOURAGING THEM THE ONES THAT WANTED TO LEARN, THAT WANTED PROMOTION TO GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND GET INTO THOSE PROGRAMS. AND HE TOLD, YOU KNOW WHAT HE TOLD ME, HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. HE SAID, BECAUSE OF YOU, COUNCILMAN LEWIS ENCOURAGING ME, MY PENSION IS $300 A MONTH MORE. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. WELL, I, A FINAL REMARK. UH, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING A CULTURAL CHARACTERISTIC OF AN ORGANIZATION ACTUALLY HAS THE CHARACTER OF THE, OF ITS LEADERSHIP. I, UH, AM AMAZED AND ALSO NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS INSTILLED IN OUR ORGANIZATION A CULTURE OF ACHIEVEMENT, A CULTURE OF EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS, YOU KNOW, A CULTURE THAT WOULD ALLOW ITS EMPLOYEES TO PURSUE EDUCATION, TO PURSUE FURTHER TRAINING, TO PURSUE ALL OF THESE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITHOUT REPRISAL. SO I COMMEND EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN NAMED HERE THIS MORNING, TODAY FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT. I WOULD EVEN IMPLORE THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND WHO MAY BE EVEN JOINING IN VIRTUALLY WHO ARE CONSIDERING DOING SUCH TO SAY, DITTO TO COUNCILMAN LEWIS. THE CITY MANAGER HAS SOME FUNDS SOMEWHERE TO EVEN ASSIST YOU AS YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT PURSUING THIS. BUT I AM OVERJOYED THAT EVEN DURING MY ADMINISTRATION, THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS ORGANIZATION. AND I WOULD HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS CULTURAL ASPECT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION, OF PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION WOULD REMAIN A PART OF THE CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU. AND, UH, MAYOR PROTE. I HAVE SOME FORMER STUDENTS FROM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE A PART OF THIS. GEORGE, MR. ALPO, RIGHT? AM I CORRECT Y'ALL STAND? SHE, SHE TALKS ABOUT HER STUDENT. Y'ALL STAND UP, MAN. THAT WAS MY STUDENTS AT THE LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AT THE BEEHIVE AND SOME OTHERS. YEAH, I MEAN, IT GOES BACK THAT DEEP BECAUSE IF YOU TRAIN UP A CHILD, REVEREND YEAH. IN THE WAY THAT HE OR SHE SHOULD GO, THEY WON'T DEPART. AND THEY WERE TRAINED IN THE BEEHIVE BEFORE THEY EVEN RECEIVED HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS THAT THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO DO GREAT THINGS. PAM, YOU WERE IN FIRST SIXTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. . NO, I'M JUST GOING TO, I'M JUST GOING TO TELL IT LIKE IT GOES. TRAINED ONE OF OUR CHILDREN FROM THE SUNSHINE BAND. I DON'T THINK SHE SINGS IN THE CHOIR ANYMORE NOW, BUT THIS IS WHAT ACHIEVEMENT IS ABOUT. AND I TAKE THIS TIME AND WE TAKE THIS TIME AS A COUNCIL TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE CELEBRATE YOU ALL ON THE DAY. OKAY. THANK [01:05:01] YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. OKAY, NOW WE'LL [V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER) ] MOVE TO THE ITEM, UH, FIVE FIVE. WOULD THERE BE ANY REPORTS, UH, FROM COUNCIL PERSONS CONCERNING ANY, UH, MATTERS THAT WOULD, UH, REGARD ANY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OR COMMUNITY INTEREST FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? IF THERE ISN'T, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO, UH, PARTICIPATED ON THIS PAST SATURDAY IN OUR CHRISTMAS PARADE. UH, PARADE WAS A VERY LARGE PARADE. NO, MY GRANDSON WAS WITH ME, AND HE WOULD, HE SAID, WELL, IS THAT ANOTHER PARADE? BECAUSE HE DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PARADE, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WERE 40 OR 50 ENTRIES, UH, UH, OF, UH, DIFFERENT YEAH. IN, IN THE PARADE. SO TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO ACTUALLY HANDLED THIS, TO, UH, EACH OF YOU, THE COUNCIL, THANKS YOU AND, AND, AND FROM THE MAYOR, I APPLAUD YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING A TRADITION FOR OUR PARTICULAR CITY, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TO BE CARRIED ON AND CARRIED THROUGH. AND I STRAIGHTENED MY TIES. I SEE MYSELF HERE ON THIS, UH, WAS A SELF TIE, BUT IT, I'M STILL SANTA. OKAY, NOW MAYOR, GO RIGHT AHEAD, SIR. YES. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY. THERE WAS A CELEBRATION ON SATURDAY, UM, FOR, UH, THE REVEREND MS. UM, THOMASINE, UH, VERE. AND THERE WAS A, UH, PROCLAMATION SENT FROM YOU. YEAH. UH, THAT WAS READ AT THE, UH, BIRTHDAY PARTY. UH, SHE CELEBRATED HER 90TH BIRTHDAY. RIGHT. UH, AND SO AT THAT CELEBRATION, SO WE WANTED TO WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UH, AND THANK GOD FOR HER LIFE AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. OKAY. WILL THERE BE ENOUGH? IF THERE AREN'T, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS. AND I [VI.(1) 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)] BELIEVE, UH, THAT WOULD BE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. AM I CORRECT? UH, ATTORNEY. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO PAGE THREE. EXCUSE ME, FOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THERE IS ONE ITEM. THERE IT IS PR NUMBER 24 0 55. THERE'S A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ADOPTING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE 89TH, UH, SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2025. AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD. AND, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THIS? SO MOVED. MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS, UH, RESOLUTION. NOW WE READY FOR QUESTION. UH, MAYOR , YOUR LIGHT IS ON. YES, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. UH, WE'D HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS MATTER BY PHONE A WEEK OR SO AGO. UM, AND MY QUESTION WAS, UM, WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES WERE BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE? UH, THERE'S SOME LEGISLATION PENDING THAT MOST, I THINK EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL PROBABLY KNOWS ABOUT THAT WOULD ERADICATE PROPERTY TAXES. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WOULD ERADICATE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH BUSINESS OWNERS. UM, AND THEN MY QUESTION WAS, FIRST OF ALL, DOES ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES, ARE THEY BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THAT? AND FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, WE NEED TO KNOW, OR THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO OUR CITY FUNDING FROM THE STATE IF WE NO LONGER HAD PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR HOMESTEADS OR IF THERE WERE NO PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, UH, GATHERED FROM BUSINESS OWNERS. SO, COULD, COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. MAYOR PROAM, I DO RECALL US ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION. I DID REFER THE QUESTIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER SO THAT HE COULD PROVIDE AN ANSWER REGARDING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY RELIES ON FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, ON PROPERTY TAX, AND THE ELIMINATION OF THOSE, HOW THEY WOULD IMPACT THE CITY BUDGET. OKAY. DID THAT ANSWER YOU WELL, IF THE CITY ANSWER COULD RESPOND THEN INTO THE QUESTION YES. UM, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY INDICATED, WE DID HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THOSE BILLS WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE STATUS'S BUDGET. AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE PREPARE THE STATUS' BUDGET, AND THERE ARE ONLY THREE SOURCES OF FUNDING. ONE, WE GET THE FUNDING FROM THE IDS AND THE OTHERS COME FROM [01:10:01] PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX AND, UM, OR THE FEES THAT WE COLLECT FOR THE VARIOUS SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO, UM, OUR CITIZENS, UH, AT, AT LARGE. AND SO, YES, IF WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE ELIMINATION OF ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FOR THE CITY OF POFA, THAT WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE CITY'S BUDGET. WHEN YOU LOOK FOR THE LAST THREE BUDGET THAT WE PREPARED, WE HAVE NOT REALLY, WE HAVE NOT INCREASED THE TAXES THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED FROM OUR RESIDENTS WHO OWN PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. WE HAVE ALWAYS GONE BY AND ADOPTED WITHOUT HAVING THAT PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS REQUIRED TO SO DO. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BASED ON THE TAXES THAT WE COLLECT. ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT IS DEBT SERVICING. WE DO RELY ON THAT, AND IT'S BY LAW, IT'S BY STATE LAW. WE DO RELY ON THE COLLECTION OF THOSE PROPERTY TAXES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUALLY HAVE A FIVE VIEW, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, NOT FOR THE ENTERPRISE PROJECTS, BUT FOR PROJECTS, FOR PARKS AND RECREATIONS, FOR STREETS AND OTHER PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN UNDERTAKE THOSE PROJECTS IN THE INTEREST OF OUR CITIZENS. AND SO IF THOSE TAXES WERE TO GO AWAY, YES, IT WOULD HAVE A VERY DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THAT. AND THIRDLY, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT VERY CLOSELY THE 700 EMPLOYEES THAT WE EMPLOY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND REDUCE THAT CONSIDERABLY, THEREBY IN IMPACTING AGAIN, THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR RECEIVE. AND SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND WE NEED TO DEVELOP A PLAN SO THAT WE COULD GO UP THERE AND, UM, ADVOCATE ON OUR BEHALF OR TO SEEK WHATEVER SUPPORT REGIONALLY THAT WE CAN FROM OTHER, UM, ADJOINING MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS' VOICES ARE HEARD VERY LOUDLY AND OUR PRIORITIES ARE UNDERSTOOD AT THAT LEVEL. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, JUST, JUST A BRIEF FOLLOW UP. SO I, I WANT TO BE SURE, UM, AS, AS A COUNCIL, THAT WE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO LEGISLATION THAT WOULD DO AWAY WITH PROPERTY TAXES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX. AND I BELIEVE ONE OF THE BULLET POINTS UNDER LOCAL GOVERNANCE WOULD COVER THAT. UM, THE SECOND ONE OPPOSED LEGISLATION WHICH ELIMINATES THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO, NO, I'M SORRY. OH, WHICH ONE? OH, THE THIRD ONE. OPPOSED LEGISLATION THAT RESULTS IN THE CITY'S LOSS OF REVENUE OR NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THEIR AUTHORITY TO GENERATE REVENUE. SO DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THAT, THAT ISSUE FOR US AS YOUR CITY ATTORNEY? I DO, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO ALSO MAKE IT MORE SPECIFIC, WE MAY, THE LIST OF PRIORITIES THAT ARE MENTIONED IN THE RESOLUTION GENERALLY COVER TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS. YOU'RE LOOKING TO TO RECEIVE SOME STATE APPROPRIATIONS SO THAT YOU CAN INCREASE FUNDS FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, HAVE A NEW HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION FROM PORT ARTHUR TO SPEAN PASS, LOOKING FOR LOCAL PARK GRANT PROGRAMS, UM, SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION SUCH AS LAMAR STATE COLLEGE FUNDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE HOMELESS. BUT THE NEXT SECTION IS LOCAL GOVERNANCE, AND THAT IS THE EROSION OF A HOME RULE, MUNICIPALITY'S AUTHORITY. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT TOPICS BY WHICH THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN ERODING HOME RULE MUNICIPALITY. AND SO WE WROTE THIS LANGUAGE TO BE GENERALLY INCLUSIVE, TO MAINTAIN YOUR AUTHORITY SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN LOCAL ORDINANCES FOR YOUR OWN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS NOT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO LUBBOCK, TEXAS. UM, SO YES, IT DOES COVER IT. THE RESOLUTION ALSO MENTIONS THAT, UM, WE'RE GIVING AUTHORITY TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE CITY AND MANAGER TO DISTRIBUTE THESE PRIORITIES TO ANYONE IN THE LEGISLATURE OR ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS THE LEGISLATION. OUR LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY ACTIVE THIS YEAR. OF COURSE, OUR TEXAS LEGISLATURE MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS. UM, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THEY'LL BEGIN IN CONVENING ON JANUARY 14TH, 2025, BUT THEY HAVE A PRE-FILING PERIOD BY WHICH THEY CAN FILE BILLS IN ADVANCE TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING. AND TO GIVE YOU A, A CONCEPT, THERE WAS ABOUT 1500 BILLS THAT WERE FILED ON DAY ONE OF FILING. THAT WAS NOVEMBER 12TH, 1500. TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ON THE FIRST DAY, THERE WAS 900 BILLS. SO WE'VE GONE FROM 900 TO 1500 ON DAY ONE. UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BILLS THAT WILL BE IMPACTING THE CITY. LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WAS ABOUT 3000 BILLS THAT IMPACTED A CITY [01:15:01] IN THE SESSION. SO WE WILL HAVE AN ACTIVE, UM, INVOLVEMENT, AND WE WANT OUR LEGISLATURES TO UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR PRIORITIES. AND SO THIS COUNCIL HAS HAD A WORKSHOP AND WILL BEGIN TO GET MORE INVOLVED. UH, YOU WILL NEED TO GET MORE INVOLVED. AND I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE PAST FEW LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS TRIED TO PASS A BILL TO PROHIBIT CITIES FROM HIRING LOBBY LOBBYISTS OR OTHERS ORGANIZATIONS TO REPRESENT THE CITIES IN AUSTIN. SO IF THAT HAPPENS, YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE REPRESENTATION IN AUSTIN ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT FOR YOUR ACTIONS THAT LET THAT BILL ALMOST PASSED, IT FAILED BY JUST A FEW VOTES. THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT IT'LL PASS THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO TO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU NOW ARE GONNA BECOME A FUTURE LOBBYIST AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE SURE YOUR CITY GETS WHAT IT NEEDS AND DESERVES. THE, UH, RESOLUTION ALSO PROVIDES THAT THIS COUNCIL AND GOVERNING BODY MAY CHANGE ITS PRIORITIES, AMEND OR DELETE ITS PRIORITIES. SO THIS IS A LIVE FLUID DOCUMENT, BUT IT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR YOU TO BEGIN, BEGAN IMMEDIATELY. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES. UH, CITY ATTORNEY WHO SPONSORED THAT BILL TO, UH, BUT NOT THE CITY, NOT TO BE ABLE TO HIRE LOBBYISTS. WHO SPONSORED THAT? DO YOU KNOW? THERE WERE SEVERAL, SEVERAL LEGISLATURES WHO SPONSORED IT. UM, I DON'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE B, BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE NAME. I'LL GET WITH YOU LATER ON THAT. YES, SIR. THAT'S THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE NEED TO TARGET. OKAY. COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ON, UH, TWO OF THE SECTIONS. FIRST SECTION IS SECTION FIVE. JUST THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER ARE SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TO SIGN ANY AND ALL LETTERS, PETITION, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE FOR TENDER. WHY DID WE INCLUDE THAT IN, UH, EVERYTHING THAT, UH, WE DO IS COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE IT, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE IS SIGNED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND ALSO THE MAYOR. SO WHY IS THAT SECTION IN THERE? THANK YOU. IT'S BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE MOVES QUICKLY, SO THEY MEET FOR 140 DAYS. RIGHT. AND AS YOU GET TOWARDS THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THINGS HAPPEN VERY QUICK. UM, AND WHEN I SAY QUICK, LITERALLY IN BLINKS OF EYES, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME FOR THE GOVERNING BODY TO POST A 72 HOUR MEETING TO MAKE A DECISION TO ALLOW THE MAYOR OR THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN SOMETHING. SO THIS, UH, YOU CAN GIVE, YOU WANT AUTHORITY TO SIGN SOMETHING OR TO REPRESENT SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. UM, UH, UH, I JUST, I TOOK IT FROM VARIOUS CITIES, AND THIS IS NORMALLY THEY NARROWED DOWN THE SIGNING SIGNATURE TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. OKAY. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE TAKING IT FOR VARIOUS CITIES THAT I COULD LOOK IN HOURS AND IT STATES, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW WE WORK AND ALL DECISIONS AND STUFF. ALL POWERS ARE VESTED IN THE COUNCIL. YES, SIR. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT OUR, OUR ORDINANCE SAYS. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO AUSTIN MM-HMM . THAT THE COUNCIL IS NOT AWARE OF OR DOES NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT INPUT ON, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEYOND, LET ME BE MORE SPECIFIC, SIR. THE, THEY CAN ONLY SIGN BASED ON THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND AGENDA AND THE RESOLUTION LISTS OUT THE PRIORITIES AND AGENDAS. SO THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE COUNCIL'S ALREADY APPROVED. OKAY, THEN I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE IN THAT CASE, I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. NOW, WHAT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS THAT I'M READING SAYS WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GIVING THEM AUTHORITY TO SIGN. YES, SIR. EVERYTHING IS GENERAL HERE. EVERYTHING IS GENERAL IN NATURE. YES, SIR. SO WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT. YOU KNOW, YOU, UH, SOMETIME WE START PUTTING THINGS IN AND IT GOES OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE WANT. TRANSPARENCY. TRANSPARENCY IS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE ASKING, WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE ARE DOING. YES. IT GOES FAST, FAST, FAST AT THIS GAME, BUT NOT THAT FAST THAT WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE FIGHTING FOR, WHAT WE DOING AND NOT HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE INPUT. LET'S GET REAL ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, [01:20:01] TO SAY WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS FROM THE COUNCIL. THE, UH, WELL, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION. WELL, I WOULD BE THE LEAST TO EVER TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE GOVERNING BODY. THE GOVERNING BODY WAS SETTING THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, WHICH ARE THE EXHIBIT. AND SO YOU'RE JUST GIVING THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER IF YOU WANNA GIVE AN ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AUTHORITY OR YOU WANNA COME BACK TO THE GOVERNING BODY BEFORE ANY LETTERS OR DOCUMENTS OR SIGNED NO, NO, NO. WE MAY DO SO. NO, IT'S LIKE I SAID, IF, IF, IF WE ARE GONNA SAY SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, UH, YES. WE, WE GOT, LET'S SAY FOR ONE THING, LET'S JUST TAKE ONE OF 'EM. OKAY. UH, FUNDS TO SUPPORT INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION, INCLUDING LAMAR STATE OF PORT ARTHUR COLLEGE. THAT'S ONE. UH, AND AND THE REASON I PULLED THAT ONE IS BECAUSE I WANTED TO FIND OUT, NOW I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM GOING TO AUSTIN AND LOBBYING FOR LAMONT STATE COLLEGE FOR DAWN, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I WAS EXPLAINED BY OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT THE TIME THAT SPECIFICALLY THE REASON THEY HAD TO GO TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND GET THIS CHANGE, THEY HAD TO CHANGE A LAW FOR DO THAT. BECAUSE THERE'S A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE IN US GETTING INVOLVED WITH USING TAXPAYERS MONEY FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. OKAY. THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES FALL UNDER THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S LIKE HOW WE NOT ALLOWED TO USE TAXPAYERS MONEY FOR NONE OF THESE COLLEGE OR OTHER UNIVERSITY. SO WE WAS ABLE TO HELP THE DORM, BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAD TO CHANGE THE LAW, AND THEY DIDN'T CHANGE IT. THEY JUST AMENDED IT FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT. THEN IT CAME BACK, REVERTED BACK TO WHAT IT WAS. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE IF I, IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING, SO WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY DO HERE? SO WE NEED TO, NOW, NOW, UH, DO ANYBODY CAN JUST TELL ME, YOU KNOW, UH, IN IN WHAT FASHION? JUST GIMME SOMETHING. SO WHEN I APPROVE THIS, I KNOW WHAT I'M APPROVING. MAY, MAY I, MAY I SPEAK ON THAT? UH, JUST, UH, FROM WHAT YOU SAID, I, AND, AND WHAT THE ATTORNEY IS SAYING, AND FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, HAD EVEN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH DEALING WITH THE LEGISLATURE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SOMETIMES THESE, IN THESE BILLS MAY COME OUT OF A SUBCOMMITTEE OR A CERTAIN PORTION OR ARTICLE IN A BILL COULD BE GOING TO BE DIS DISCUSSED AT A CERTAIN TIME. I THINK THAT THE, THE TIMING DOESN'T GIVE, AND I BELIEVE, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M CORRECT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. SHE WANTS THIS GROUP TO HAVE A LATITUDE. IF THEY CALL AND SAY, LOOK, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN ER, WE NEED YOU TO GO TO AUSTIN IN THE MORNING BECAUSE, AND IT MIGHT JUST BE FOR A TWO MINUTE APPEARANCE BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE, EVEN IF IT'S DEALING WITH EDUCATION, AS YOU SAID, AND LIKE, WE AREN'T MISUSING OR ABUSING THE PORT ARTHUR TAXPAYER'S FUNDS BY SENDING HIM THERE UNDER THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR OR ASSUMED SITUATION. BECAUSE IF IT'S TO HELP LAMAR, UNIVERSITY OF LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR LAMAR STATE COLLEGE IN PORT ARTHUR IS GOING TO ENHANCE THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN THE LONG RUN. NOW WE ARE, I DON'T BELIEVE, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, HOW THE FINANCING ACTUALLY HAPPENS UNDER THE STATE AND, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE ACTUALLY HANDLES ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT THE, THE, UH, DECISIONS AS TO HOW THEY WOULD BE FINANCED AND WHAT WILL BE FINANCED IN THOSE PARTICULAR INSTITUTIONS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME LOCAL INPUT. IF I'M, IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG, LET ME KNOW. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF LOCAL INPUT SO THAT THAT ENTIRE COLLECTIVE BODY THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, THE PERSON, THE PEOPLE IN PORT ARTHUR SUPPORT THIS, OR THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL IN PORT ARTHUR SUPPORTS THIS. THEY, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR TIME TO COME HERE AND LET US KNOW NOW IF THEY COULD ALLOW US TO SCHEDULE IT NOW TO KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE IS GONNA MEET ON FEBRUARY THE 10TH, YOU KNOW, BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I READ ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THE PROPOSAL, THAT IT WOULD GIVE THIS GROUP THE LATITUDE. AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE, UH, IN, UH, WOULD ABUSE IT, SO TO SPEAK. I DON'T THINK THAT YOU EVEN MAKE REFERENCE TO ABUSE, BUT SOMEONE OH, THANK YOU. COULD BE LISTENING, THINKING OF THAT. UH, [01:25:01] NO ONE, NO ONE WOULD ABUSE THIS. NO ONE WOULD, WOULD, WOULD, UH, DO ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF REPRESENTING OUR CITY IN AUSTIN AT TIMES THAT THE NECESSITY ARISES THAT WE WILL BE THERE. BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING TO BE DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CALL THEM AND ASK THEM IF THEY COULD GO, OR IF THEY COULD SIT IN ON A ZOOM THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULE IS, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY AND TO THE CITIZENS AND WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN, THEN WE MAKE THAT DECISION TO, YOU KNOW, ACQUIESCE THAT REQUEST AND ATTEND THAT MEETING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE ABUSING, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT NOW, IN THE LONG RUN, I WILL GOING TO SUPPORT, AND I'M USING AN EXAMPLE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, GOING TO SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AN ENHANCEMENT FOR LAMAR STATE COLLEGE PORT ARTHUR. NO MATTER HOW OUR FUNDING COMES, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS GOING TO BENEFIT. 'CAUSE THE PROGRAM WOULD BE SITUATED IN PORT ARTHUR. OKAY. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. I'M, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT OUT BECAUSE YOU ARE ENTIRELY CORRECT. I DID NOT INSINUATE THAT ANYBODY WOULD ABUSE THIS. YEAH. I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I VOTE FOR THIS, I UNDERSTAND THOROUGHLY WHAT IT SAYS. AND THESE ARE THINGS, I HAD A QUESTION. UH, MY QUESTION FOR THE EDUCATION PART WAS BASED ON, NOT INTERPRETATION, BUT ACTUALLY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF HAVING TO GO TO AUSTIN AND PREPARE TO TESTIFY. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TESTIFY, BUT WE WOULD, THAT MEETING WAS SCHEDULED AND WE WOULD GIVE NOTIFICATION ON WHEN THEY WAS HAVING IT. AND ONE THING I CAN AGREE WITH, WHEN WE GOT THE WORD, IT WASN'T LIKE TWO, THREE WEEKS FOR US TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING. RIGHT. SO AS LONG AS WHAT I'M HEARING IS AN INTENT, AND LIKE YOU SAID, I DIDN'T ACCUSE AND I'M DIDN'T INSINUATE WE WE'RE GONNA ABUSE IT. BUT WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL. AND IF WE DON'T, THEN THE COUNCIL WILL BE EXPECTING WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED AND WHY WE DIDN'T. OKAY. SO I HAVE ANY QUESTION AT THE OTHER, UH, SECTION. SO THAT SECTION, I GOT CLARIFICATION. THE OTHER SECTION I HAVE IS, UH, SECTION NUMBER SEVEN. IT SAYS, WHEN TESTIMONY BEFORE VARIOUS COMMITTEES OR SUBCOMMITTEES IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE A BILL, THE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY MANAGER, A AND R CITY MANAGER DESIGNEE, AUTHORIZED TO, TO TESTIFY AS LONG AS TESTIMONY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE APPROVED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND THE AGENDA IS THE TRAVEL IS COORDINATED THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER. OKAY? TRAVEL, ALL OUR TRAVEL SHOULD BE COORDINATED, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRAVEL POLICY. SO I DIDN'T SEE THE NEED FOR THAT ONE BECAUSE AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE ALSO HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AND AGREED TO, BUT WE NEVER, UH, HAD ANY CHANGES TO IT. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE SAY THERE MAY BE AN EMERGENCY WHERE SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE CAPITOL WHERE THE MA, WHERE THE, UH, MAYOR HAVE TO GO. UH, IN FACT IT WAS ADDRESSED BECAUSE OF THE MAYOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DISASTER AND STUFF. HE DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH GETTING APPROVAL AND ALL STUFF. SO ALL THAT STUFF IS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR CASES OF EMERGENCIES. OKAY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME THROUGH COUNSEL AND GET A PRE-APPROVAL FOR NOTHING OF EMERGENCY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS COVERED AND VALID IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. IF WE GOING TO APPROVE THIS DOCUMENT, THEN THAT MEAN THAT ANY TIME WE GET THE WORD AND SOMEONE HAS TO GO, ALL THEY DO IS GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCEDURE THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD WITH PRE-APPROVED. BECAUSE IF WE APPROVE THE DOCUMENT, THEN THAT'S APPROVING THE TRAVEL. SO I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR NUMBER SEVEN. WE COULD JUST FOLLOW THE TRAVEL PROCEDURE. 'CAUSE ALL WE'VE DONE IS OBTAIN THE MONEY AND WE ALREADY SAYING THAT IF WE APPROVE THIS, BE GIVEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS, COUNCILS AND EVERYBODY THE AUTHORITY TO GO. SO WE JUST FOLLOW THE TRAVEL POLICY . SO I THINK IT'S GOOD. AND I UNDERSTAND [01:30:01] THE TWO QUESTIONS I HAD, EXCEPT NUMBER SEVEN. I DON'T THINK WE REALLY NEED TO PUT SEVEN IN THERE. SEVEN IS AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE REST OF THE STUFF. ANYBODY THAT'S DESIGNATED OR HAVE TO APPEAL, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND STUFF AND TRAVEL. OR IF THEY PAY THEIR OWN EXPENSE, THEY WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? NOW WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? A, ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT SO THAT PR NUMBER 24 0 55 GETS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO [VII. CONSENT AGENDA ] OUR CONSENT AGENDA. CONSENT AGENDA ACTUALLY BEGINS ON PAGE THREE AND IT GOES THROUGH PAGE, UH, I THINK EIGHT. AM I CORRECT? UH, YEAH, YEAH. PAGE THREE THROUGH, UH, THE FIRST HALF OF PAGE EIGHT. AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEMS WE WANT TO HAVE EXCLUDED, WOULD YOU, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE PAGE NUMBER AND THE ITEM? UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES, MAYOR. UH, ITEM ONE ON FOUR. OKAY. ITEM FOUR ON FOUR. ITEM 10 ON FIVE, 18 ON SIX AND 23 ON SEVEN. AND WHEW, LET'S DO 25 ON, ON, UH, EIGHT. MAYOR, IS THAT 25 ON EIGHT, PLEASE? NOT, NOT, NOT 23, NO. YES. 23, 2 TALK. AND 25 ON EIGHT. YES. YES. OKAY. 25 ON EIGHT, MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. COUNCILMAN LEWIS. UH, ITEM ONE ON PAGE FOUR. OKAY. WE ALREADY HAVE THAT ONE. ALREADY GOT THERE. HE'S ALREADY ASKED FOR. OKAY. YEP. NO OTHERS? OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, KINLOCK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, LET'S SEE. I THINK THAT'S 16 ON PAGE SIX. 16. 16. OKAY, WAIT A MINUTE. OKAY, ON PAGE WHAT? SIX 16TH ON PAGE SIX. OKAY. IS THAT IT? IS IT, YES, SIR. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN FRANK? TWO AND THREE ON FOUR. OKAY. WAIT A MINUTE. HOLD UP. YOU'RE TOO FAST. YOU SAID TWO ON PAGE THREE. TWO AND THREE. TELL IT AGAIN. BOY, I, NO, YOU'RE TALKING TO MIKE IF YOU DON'T MIND. I'M SORRY. YEP. NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE ON PAGE FOUR. OKAY. THAT'S IT, SIR. YES, SIR. OKAY. UH, MAYOR, I PULL THEM ITEM 13 ON PAGE SIX, NUMBER 13. OKAY. OKAY. AND, UH, SHOW ME YOUR LICENSE STILL ON. IS THAT ALL? YES. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, THAT'S GOOD. ALRIGHT. UH, WE'LL NOW SEEKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 13, 16, 18, 23 AND 25. I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE UNSTATED ITEMS. UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR REPORT TEMP SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED TO SECOND AND WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT JUST CALLED OUT. UH, WE WERE READY FOR VOTING. WELL, WE READY? ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OR THAT APPROVE? AYE. OKAY. ANY, UH, UH, UH, OPPOSES? THERE AREN'T ANY. OKAY. SO THE, THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE INCLUDED ITEMS ARE APPROVED WOULD BE APPROVED. NOW, THE EXCLUDED ITEMS WOULD [VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 23846 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With EJES, Inc. Of Port Arthur, Texas, To Provide Design Plans For The W. 19th Street Area Drainage Improvement Project In The Amount Of $245,172.08. Funds Are Available In Account No. 169-07-015-5420-00-40-000; Project No. ARP006.GRE.ENG] BE BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, EXCUSE ME. UH, PR NUMBER 23 8 46. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH EJES INCORPORATED OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO PROVIDE DESIGN PLANS FOR THE WEST 19TH STREET AREA DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT [01:35:01] IN THE AMOUNT OF 245,000 HUNDRED. SE $172 AND 8 CENTS. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 6 9 DASH 0 7 0 1 5 DASH 5 4 2 0 4 0 0. AND PROJECT NUMBER A RP 0 0 6 POINT GRE DASH ENGINEERING ENG. UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILOR KINLOCK? SO, MAYOR, I GET A SECOND, COUNCILMAN FRANK. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN THE SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 8 46 AS PRESENTED. WE ARE READY, UH, FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN ETT? YES. MY QUESTION IS, WHO DETERMINES WHETHER A RESOLUTION GOES UNDER CONSENT OR NON INDIVIDUAL CONSENT WHEN WE DO THE AGENDA? YOU ASKING ATTORNEY WHOMEVER GONNA RESPOND TO THAT? OKAY. UH, ATTORNEY, ARE YOU PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT OR CITY SECRETARY? UH, GO AHEAD. CITY MANAGER. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PRACTICE BETWEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY MANAGER OFFICE HAVING VERY LITTLE, UM, UM, IN TERMS OF OBJECTIONS AS TO WHERE, WHAT GOES, YOU KNOW, I NORMALLY RELY ON THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THIS FORMER CITY ATTORNEY, TO GUIDE THE CITY MANAGERS TO THE IMPORTANCE AND WEIGHT OF THE MATTER AND AS TO WHERE IT REALLY FALLS, WHETHER IT FALLS UNDER CONSENT OR NON-CONSENT. YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK, UM, REALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE IS WHETHER THE MATTER IS GOING TO BE, WHETHER THERE ARE GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, WHICH THE CITY MANAGER IS ALWAYS PREPARED AND THE CITY OF ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ALWAYS PREPARED TO ANSWER IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY. OKAY. DID THAT ANSWER OKAY? NO, NO. THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS I'VE NOTICED IN THE LAST MEETINGS WE GETTING ALL OF THESE CONSENTS. OKAY? AND THEN UNDER NON INDIVIDUAL CONSENT, THERE'S VERY FEW ITEMS, BUT I LISTENED TO THE MANAGER EXPLANATION. LET ME, LET ME, LET ME READ THIS. THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, THE ITEMS ARE OF A ROUTINE OR ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE. THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN FURNISHED WITH THE BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT MATERIAL ON EACH ITEM AND OR IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING. ALL ITEMS WILL BE ACTED UPON BY ONE VOTE WITHOUT BEING DISCUSSED SEPARATELY, UNLESS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR A CITIZEN IN WHICH THE EVENT, THE ITEM OR ITEMS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION IN THE NORMAL SEQUENCE AFTER THE ITEM'S NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION. AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS IF WE GO BACK TO OUR ORDINANCE, AND I, AND I BROUGHT THAT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S ATTENTION PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND I KIND OF LAID BACK INTO SEE HOW THIS IS GONNA CONTINUE. ROUTINE IS, IS ACTUALLY DEFINED IN ORDINANCE. ROUTINE SAYS ITEMS AND CONTRACTS, 50,000 OR LESS IS ROUTINE. IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT ITEMS OVER 50,000. SO THAT ARE NON-ROUTINE. THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS. IT SAYS NON-ROUTINE ITEMS IS OVER 50,000. ROUTINE ITEMS ARE 50,000 AND LESS. SO IF THE ITEMS IN CONSENT AS WE READ TO THE PUBLIC A ROUTINE AND THE ORDINANCE DEFINED ROUTINE, THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD STICK WITH 'EM, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE END UP WITH THIS LONG LAUNDRY LIST OF PULLING ITEMS AND STUFF. BECAUSE IF IT WAS $50,000 OR LESS, 50,000, I'M SORRY OR LESS, AND, UH, ROUTINE IN NATURE, THEN PROBABLY WE WOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY OF THESE ITEMS. BECAUSE THIS ITEM I PULL, I ONLY PULL IT FOR THIS POINT, THE COST OF THAT ITEM, THE COST WE TALKING ABOUT IS TWO HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY TWO THOUSAND EIGHT CENTS IS TALKING ABOUT A DRAINAGE PROJECT. IT'S NOT ROUTINE IN NATURE, [01:40:01] IT'S NOT ROUTINE IN NATURE. IT'S A BE ITEM THAT IS NON INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN $50,000. AND ONCE IT'S READ, IF ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT, THAT'S WHEN WE COME IN, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE CONSENT ITEMS ARE GETTING LOST. NOW WE READ TO THE CITIZEN WHAT IT IS. SO WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FROM IN THE FUTURE. ALL WE NEED TO CHANGE WHAT WE SAY THE OILINESS NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IF WE NOT GONNA FOLLOW IT. OKAY. IT'S 50,000 OR LESS IS IS CONSIDERED ROUTINE. MORE THAN 50,000 IS NON-ROUTINE. NOW THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THAT ONE. MA? YES, SIR. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS, CITY MANAGER. WHAT IS GOING TO, UH, UH, THE, THE TURNAROUND TIME ON THIS DESIGN FOR THIS 19TH STREET PROJECT? ANYBODY SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS PROJECT FOREVER? SAY THAT AGAIN. REPEAT THAT. REPEAT THAT. COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? REPEAT THAT? COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? UH, WHAT IS THE TURNAROUND TIME ON DESIGN FOR THIS, THIS PROJECT, CITY MANAGER, WE, WE HAVE ENGINEER KENNY YA BEFORE, GO RIGHT AHEAD. JUST STATE WILL STATE YOUR NAME AND MY NAME IS EDWIN JONES. I'M THE, UH, PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE OF EJS. OKAY. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT INCLUDING, UH, SURVEYING, UH, ONE YEAR DESIGN PERIOD. AND IT COULD GO FASTER, UH, BASED ON THE SURVEY WE GET BACK AND GEOTECHNICAL. OKAY. YOU'RE SAYING POSSIBLY A ONE YEAR? YEAH, IT'S, IT WON'T GO PAST ONE YEAR. WE, WE, IF WE CAN GET GEOTECHNICAL SURVEYING, IT CAN GO FASTER. OKAY. BECAUSE I'M CONSTANTLY GETTING HAMMERED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW? YES. I TELL 'EM IT'S, IT IS, IT IS GOING THROUGH THE DESIGN. IT'S ON THE AGENDA, BUT I JUST NEEDED TO KNOW IT. YES, WE CAN. WHAT CAN I TELL THEM? LESS THAN ONE YEAR? THEN IT'LL BE GOING TO A CONTRACT. YEAH. THEN IT'D GO TO CONSTRUCTION. YEAH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. YES. OKAY. UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK. UM, I WANTED TO COMMENT. UM, I, I AGREE WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, DOUCETTE FROM THE PARTICULAR STANDPOINT THAT ROUTINE IS DEFINED, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT, UM, ITEMS BEING PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE PLACED THERE TO HELP US, UH, EXPEDITE OUR MEETINGS. UH, IT IS SIMPLY A TOOL THAT WE CAN UTILIZE, UH, TO HELP US, UM, UM, NOT PROLONG OUR MEETINGS. UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT AND I, UH, HAVE TALKED, UM, UH, REPEATEDLY, UH, AND CONTINUALLY ABOUT INFORMATION AND GIVING INFORMATION, UH, TO THE PUBLIC. AND SO, UM, UM, AND SO WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO BE TIMELY, UH, IN OUR MEETINGS. AND SO, UH, THAT IS WHY, UH, WE PULL ITEMS, UH, FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND BE TRANSPARENT. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY, UH, ABOUT THE PROJECT, UH, IN, UH, ITS PARTICULARITY, UH, IS THAT I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THIS, UH, COME TO PASS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, FOR THE, SINCE I BECAME A COUNCIL, UH, MEMBER. AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, WORKING, WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS ON THE WEST SIDE, UH, AT THE NEW ST. JOHN CHURCH. UH, WE'VE MET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, WE'VE MET WITH DD SEVEN. WE'VE DONE, UH, OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND NOW WE ARE SEEING IT COME TO PASS, UH, AND FRUITION TO TRY AND ALLEVIATE THIS FLOODING, UH, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PERPETUALLY, UH, HAPPENING, UH, AND TRANSPIRING, UH, ON, ON 1718, UH, AND 19TH STREET THERE, UH, AFTER HEAVY RAIN. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS FINALLY COMING TO PASS, UH, AND, UH, UH, GETTING STARTED, UH, IN THIS WAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER, WELL, OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, THE LIGHT WAS YOU GOSPEL WHAT YOU SAID. GO AHEAD. YES, I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE TIME. AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THIS ONE WAS OVER $50,000. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. BUT MY PROBLEM IS WHEN WE START GETTING 20 SOMETHING ITEMS, AND A LOT OF THESE ITEMS ARE A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 200,000, 300,000. SO THAT IS MY CONCERN, BUT EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. I UNDERSTAND, BUT I, WE, WE NEED TO TALK ON THE QUESTIONS. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE GENERALITY, BUT MORE SPECIFIC IS THIS PARTICULAR ITEM I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT LET'S JUST STICK WITH THE ITEM. I'M THE, THAT, THAT, THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH MAYOR FIRST. I'M THE ONE PULL ITEM. AND THAT'S WHAT THE, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. IT WAS RIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, AND I THINK THAT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PARTICULAR DRAINAGE. [01:45:01] SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO AS FAR AS MAYOR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES CODE, I JUST WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO ME. I LISTEN TO YOU, AND THIS IS FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. LET'S STICK TO THE POINTS OF THE QUESTION ON THIS MOTION. THE SPECIFICS, WE KNOW IT IS $247,000, THAT IS ALMOST $200,000 MORE. AND SO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND I THINK WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO BEAT THAT ON US ANYMORE, MAYOR. MAYOR. OKAY. LET'S PLEASE, MAYOR, IF I'M JUST ASKING YOU, MAYOR, STICK TO STICK TO, TO POINTS ON THE MOTION, PLEASE, MAYOR, GO RIGHT AHEAD. DO WHAT YOU WANT. BUT THE RECORDS WILL SHOW THAT I HAVE REQUESTED THAT YOU AND ANYONE ELSE WHO SPEAK, FOLLOWING YOU ON ANYTHING FOLLOWING EVEN THIS ITEM THAT THEY WOULD SPEAK ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE PARTICULAR ITEM THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. GO RIGHT AHEAD. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS I WAS SAYING, I'M NOT ON THE 50, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD TRANSPARENCY. AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS SPEAKING OF WHEN I PULLED IT. YOU KNOW, I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS ITEMS AND PUT ITEMS WHERE THEY BELONG. AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING. SO EVEN IF WE PUT IT IN THE, UH, CONSENT OR NON-CONSENT, WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS SOMETIME. WE GONNA HAVE TO BE LONG, SOMETIME IT BE SHORT. SO AM I LOOKING FOR $50,000? ANYTHING OVER $50,000 ON SCREEN COMES, RIGHT? NO, BUT IF I LOOK AROUND, WE TALKING HUNDREDS AND THOUSAND IN ITEMS REPEATEDLY. YES. WE NEED TO BE TO THE POINT WHEREBY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THOSE. SO LET'S READ THEM, GO OVER 'EM AND NOBODY GOT TIME AND WE CAN MOVE ON. SO TIME WILL PASS. SO IT WASN'T MEANT TO NOT CONSIDER TIME. OKAY. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT LET'S, LET'S CHANGE THE ORDINANCE AND UNDERSTAND WHY THE ORDINANCE IS THERE AND LET'S WORK WITH THE TRANSPARENCY. THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT. THANK, THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES, I AGREE WITH HIM. EACH, IF IT'S THE ORDINANCE IS IN CONFLICT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE NEED TO CHANGE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. ITEM IS APPROVED. NEXT ITEM [VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 23890 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Evergreen Solutions, LLC Of Tallahassee, Florida To Conduct A Comprehensive Classification And Compensation Study For The City Of Port Arthur For An Amount Not To Exceed $64,500.00 (Human Resources Professional Services FY 24-25 Account 001-11-025-5420-00-10-000)] IS ITEM NUMBER TWO, PR NUMBER 2 3 8 9 0. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER, ENTER A CONTRACT WITH EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS, LLC OF TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $64,500 HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, FISCAL YEAR 24 25. ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 1 2 5 DASH 5 2 5 4 2 0 0 DASH 0 0 0. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVE OF COUNCILMAN ETT? SO MOVED. MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, MAYOR PRO SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PRO NUMBER 23 8 9 0 AS APPROVED. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES. UH, YES, MAYOR. UM, UH, I MADE SOME INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS, UM, THIS RESOLUTION, UH, AS I DO, UH, AS I GO THROUGH MY, UH, BOOKLET AND, UH, GET INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS ARISE. AND I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER WHEN I WAS, UH, GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, UH, WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE, SOME OF THE SALARIES AND PAY SCALES WERE OUT OF LINE. UH, AND HE INFORMED ME, UH, THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE ADDRESSED ON THE NEXT BUDGET. SO I GOT AN ANSWER ABOUT THAT. BUT THE ONE THING, THE REASON WHY I PULLED THIS IS BECAUSE AFTER CONFERRING WITH THE ATTORNEY, UH, UNDER THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ADD IN ADDENDUM TO, UH, THE CONTRACT THAT WE WERE HAVING, UH, 1.6 UNDER THE SCOPE OF SERVICES SAYS THAT A PRESENTATION AND EXPLANATION OF THE COMPLETE FINDINGS OF ANY STUDY MAY REQUIRE A PRESENTATION TO ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MAY ALSO REQUIRE ONE PUBLIC PRESENTATION TO ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE DIRECTOR OF DHR. SO I SIMPLY WANTED TO AMEND THAT, UH, TO SAY THAT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER OR, UM, UN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER UPON THE REQUEST OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SO THAT'S ALL THAT I WANTED TO DO AND MAKE THAT AN AMENDMENT TO, UH, THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, [01:50:02] COUNCILMAN ETT? YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, TO MAKE, I I HAVE A QUESTION. WE'RE DOING A SURVEY AND, UH, WE, WE, UH, WAS TOLD THAT COUNCILMAN FRANK MADE A COMMENT THAT, THAT, UH, ONCE WE DO THIS STUDY AND STUFF, THEN THESE SALARIES WILL BE ADDRESSED. UH, I MEAN THAT, UH, MANAGER WILL ADDRESS THESE SALARIES WHEN WE DO THE BONUS. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THESE SALARIES AND RANGES, RIGHT? NOT A BONUS. I DIDN'T SAY A BONUS. I DIDN'T EITHER YOU DID. I SAID BONUS. YES, SIR. OKAY, THEN. MISS BONUS, DON'T WANNA TALK BONUS SALARIES. I, I'M WAITING FOR BONUS. OKAY. OKAY. THIS IS LOCKED IN MY MIND. I'M IN SALARIES, SO THIS IS CORRECTED, BUT SALARIES, OKAY. YOUR SALARIES AND PAID SCALES AND RANGE DOWN THERE THAT IS ESTABLISHED THE DIFFERENT RANGES IN AGREE. YES, SIR. THOSE ARE ALL APPROVED BY COUNCIL, RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY. ANY CHANGE TO THOSE, RIGHT? MM-HMM . SHOULDN'T THEY BE APPROVED BY COUNSEL? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT, BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, RANGERS AND PAGE CHANGE SINCE THE LAST TIME I LEFT AND CAME BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT I NEVER SAW A RESOLUTION WHERE COUNCIL APPROVED THE NEW RANGING RATES, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE APPLIED AND PLACED IN THE BUDGET. MM-HMM . OKAY. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE PROCESS WHEN I REACHED IT, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, IT SAID ALL RANGES AND RATE OF THAT PAY SCALE IS APPROVED BY COUNSEL. MM-HMM . RIGHT. AND THE MANAGER HAS THE DISCRETION TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT HE FEELS UNNECESSARY AS WELL. OKAY. SO NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THE MANAGER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE PAY OR PAY RANGE THAT COUNSEL HAS APPROVED WITHOUT COUNSEL. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME? NO, HE CAN'T DO THAT. IT HAS NO, WAIT A MINUTE, I'M JUST ASKING CLARIFICATION. IT HAS, IT HAS HAPPENED. OKAY. I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION. I JUST ASKED THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION WAS THAT IF THE PAY SCALES AND THE RANGES THAT WERE ALREADY APPROVED AND IN THERE, IF THEY WERE CHANGED, MY INITIAL QUESTION WAS, DO COUNCIL HAVE TO APPROVE THEM BEFORE THEY'RE CHANGE? YES. THE QUESTION WAS, THE ANSWER YOU GAVE ME WAS YES. YES. BUT THEN YOU TOLD ME MM-HMM . IN THE NEXT STATEMENT THAT THE MANAGERS CAN MAKE CHANGES. THAT'S WHAT I WANT A CLARIFICATION ON. OKAY. SO YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT THE MANAGER CAN CHANGE WHAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED. THAT'S, THAT'S A, I MEAN, I'M, HE'S THE MANAGER. I'M GIVEN A DIRECTIVE AND I'M, I FOLLOW IT. IF SOMETHING HAS BEEN APPROVED BY, UH, COUNCIL AS FAR AS SALARIES AND RANGES AND THINGS, AND THEY HAVE TO BE CHANGED, I'M ASSUMING IT HAS TO BE. WELL, ABSOLUTELY. IT HAS TO GO THROUGH YOU ALL TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. OKAY. YOU, YOU, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, BUT NOW YOU'RE NOT SAYING SO, UH, DOC RAN UP THERE 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND IT, SO YOU TELL ME. I I, I I DID NOT, UH, WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION STRUCTURE IS INHERENT IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, UH, UNDER HIS AUTHORITY, BOTH OF WHICH WERE APPROVED BY, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL. AND THAT AUTHORITY WAS DELEGATED TO HIM BY THE CITY COUNCIL. OKAY. SO ONCE AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE. ONCE WE APPROVE THESE RATE AND SCALES THEN IS APPLIED, IF ANY OF THOSE RATE AND SCALES CHANGES, IF THE CITY MAN DECIDE TO CHANGE THIS RATE AND SCALE, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. YES, SIR. IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? NOT IF IT'S ACCORDING TO THE, UH, WAY THAT IT IS LAID OUT IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY. OKAY. THAT'S A DELEGATED AUTHORITY. OKAY. CAN I GET A COPY OF THAT? YEAH, ME TOO. AFTER THE MEETING. RIGHT. AND, AND YOU AGAIN, OF COURSE WILL SEE THAT WITH THE NEW BUDGET, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN BUDGET. MM-HMM. RIGHT NOW I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE CHANGING PAY SCALES OR RANKS. CORRECT. COLLEGE. SO JUST, JUST PROVIDE THAT AND LETS, AND, AND WE'LL MOVE ON. I WON'T HOLD UP THIS MEETING FOR THAT, BUT I WANNA SEE THAT ONE. YES, SIR. OKAY. COUNCILOR KLOCK. YEAH. UH, THANK YOU. AND, AND, AND [01:55:01] I'VE BEEN ON THIS, UH, HR AND RANGE STEP INCREASE FOR A WHILE. I'VE TALKED WITH YOU, I'VE TALKED WITH THE DIRECTOR BEFORE. THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DOES THE COUNCIL APPROVE THESE RATES AND STEP INCREASES? AND THEN IF THE MANAGER HAS AN AUTHORITY TO GO BEHIND US AND, UH, INCREASE PAY OR GIVE A TITLE OR GIVE A JOB OR WHATEVER HIS DISCRETION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I WANNA SEE THAT TOO IN WRITING BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MY THING IS THIS, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON, ON TASK AND FIGURING OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HIRE PEOPLE, STEP INCREASES, RANGES, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ALL THOSE THINGS WERE TOLD TO ME. THAT'S HOW YOU JUSTIFY THE PAY OF SOMEONE THAT'S WORKING FOR THE CITY. YOU GUYS TOLD ME A HUNDRED TIMES. SO NOW I WANT TO KNOW IN WRITING WHAT YOU SAID, DOC MM-HMM . ON RECORD THAT YOU SAID THE MANAGER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO GO BEHIND THE COUNCIL AND CHANGE IT AFTER WE APPROVE IT BASED UPON HIS AUTHORITY GIVEN BY THE COUNCIL AND IT'S IN WRITING. YES. SO I WANNA SEE THAT TODAY. OKAY. BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED, AND THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL, WE DISCUSS THINGS AND WE BASE OUR, OUR VOTES ON, UH, UH, THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THE JOB DUTIES. THE SAME THING YOU GUYS WERE TELLING US FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A YEAR AND A HALF. MM-HMM . THAT'S HOW YOU JUSTIFY PAYING SOMEONE. ALRIGHT? AND YOU HAVE, KEEP IN MIND, COUNCILMAN, THAT THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GIVEN POSITION OR CLASSIFICATION CAN CHANGE. AND SO CHANGING THE RATE, THE COMPENSATION FOR THAT WILL AFFORD THAT WITH THOSE CHANGES. YEAH. WELL, I, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I MEAN MM-HMM . YOU KNOW, JUST HIRING SOMEONE TO CUT GRASS AND THAT NEED CDLS. YOU KNOW, I NEVER WAS A FAN OF THAT. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE DISCUSSED WITH YOU. WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE EMPLOYED AND HIRED ON. BUT SINCE YOU SAID IT'S IN WRITING, I'M NOT GONNA PROLONG IT ANYWHERE. SO WOULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE IT TO ME AND MY COHORTS, RIGHT? YES, SIR. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER S WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? I HAVE SO ON, SIR, I SEE YOU WERE ON OR YOU ON FOR ANY KIND OF EXPLANATION OR ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ITEM WITH, UH, UH, EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS? IS THAT WHY YOU, YOU ON? YES, SIR. WHATEVER. YEAH, JUST, JUST AVAILABLE IF THE MARY COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. WELL, YOU GO HAVE A GOOD DAY. YOU JUST GRATEFUL TO BE WITH YOU. YOU, WELL, LISTEN TO ME FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVING YOU. GOODBYE. THANK YOU. THAT WHAT HE WAS THERE FOR, RIGHT? EVERGREEN? YES. YEAH. SO, GOODBYE. HAVE A GOOD DAY. HOPE THE WEATHER IS NICE AND FLAWED DAYS. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. [VII.C.(3) P.R. No. 24022 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Request For Proposal Response Of Aquila Golf, Inc. And To Execute A Contract With Aquila Golf, Inc. For The Operation And Maintenance Of The Babe Didrickson Zaharias Municipal Golf Course ] OKAY. UH, NEXT WE HAVE OUR NEXT, UH, ITEM IS PR NUMBER 24 0 2 2. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, EXCUSE ME, TO ACCEPT THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RESPONSE OF, UH, AQUILA, UH, I THINK I PRONOUNCED IT CORRECTLY, UH, INCORPORATED AND TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH AQUILA GOLF INCORPORATED FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BABE DICKON ARIUS, UH, MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR PRO HIM SECOND IS REMOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 OR 2 40 22. UH, AS PRESENTED, WE ARE READY FOR, UH, QUESTION. EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN FRANK. AS I PERUSE THE CONTRACT, UH, LOOKING THROUGH IT, EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY AND I DID TALK TO COLLEAGUES ABOUT, UM, THIS CONTRACT. I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARKING LOT AT THE, UM, AT THE GOLF COURSE. OKAY. ANSWER IS, IS MR. ALPO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SEE MR. AS SHE COME? NO, I'M, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M GONNA WAIT FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK. GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU CLARIFY IN REGARDS TO WHAT? TO THE PARKING LOT? WELL, ALL OF THE, THE CONTRACT OUT, UM, THE, THE, THE CONTRACT LAYS OUT ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE CITY HAS AND THE, AND, AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE AQUILA GOLF, UH, TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND I'M TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASPHALTING THE PARKING LOT, STRIPING IT, OR WHETHER OR NOT AQUILA WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. THAT WOULD BE FOR US. THAT WILL BE FOR US. ALRIGHT. THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS QUESTIONING MIGHT NOT BE POPULAR, BUT WE WE'RE, UM, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE CONTRACT, UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC GOLF COURSE, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO, OR HAS ANYONE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT US, UH, CHARGING A MINIMAL [02:00:01] FEE FOR PARKING? I HAVEN'T, I DON'T THINK IT WAS. AND UNDER MY TENURE IT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED. I'M NOT SURE IF UNDER DR. TH PENN HAS HAVE, HAS THAT EVER BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT DR. ? NO, SIR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONSIDER. IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER IF INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE A MEMBERSHIP OR HAVING IT INCLUDED IN THE MEMBERSHIP TO OFFSET, UH, THE PRICE OF THAT WE HAVE TO INCUR, UH, TO MAINTAIN THAT PARKING LOT. OKAY. SO IF THERE ARE SOME COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TOWARD THAT YAY OR NAY, SOME THOUGHTS, I THINK THEY, THAT THEY WOULD BE, UM, WARRANTED AT THIS TIME. IT'S JUST A MINUTE. COUNCILMAN FRANK. I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. BUT THAT LAST STATEMENT, UH, I, I'M, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE MOTION AND YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT PERIOD. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO ANOTHER TYPE OF DISCUSSION. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DEALING WITH APPROVING THE CONTRACT. WELL, IT WOULD BE AN ADDENDUM TO THE CONTRACT. IT'D BE SOMETHING. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. WE MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH A WHOLE OTHER MOTION. YOU KNOW, YOU MADE A REQUEST FOR OTHER SITTING. WELL, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION, BUT THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, WELL, I WAS IN THE PROPER PARLIAMENTARY UH, UH, PROCEDURE ASPECT OF IT. I UNDERSTAND IF YOU WOULD. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU ALL. UH, COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? UH, OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR, DIRECTOR, UH, DOC AGAIN. UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FRANK AND, AND, UH, BECKHAM. AND WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CONTRACT. I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE SHORTENED THE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS CONTRACT. UH, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT, UH, IT'S A NEED FOR A GOLF COURSE TO BE HERE LOCALLY. WE'VE, WE HAVE THE BEST GOLF COURSE FOR WHAT I'M HEARING IN THE WHOLE REGION AS FAR AS, UH, DRAINAGE AND, AND APPEARANCE. SO, UH, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE FINALLY GETTING SOMETHING BACK OF WHAT WE ARE INVESTING. BECAUSE YOU GUYS KNOW, I'M KIND OF CRITICAL ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO INVEST IN DISTRICT THREE ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE. UH, MY THING IS THIS, YOU KNOW, THE BANG FOR THE BUCK. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A HAPPY MEDIUM BETWEEN WHAT WE, WHAT TAXPAYERS PAY AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING USED ON THE GOLF COURSE. NOW I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A, UH, A SYSTEM, THAT IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT'S COST OVER A HUNDRED SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS. UH, WE DID THE TWO BRIDGES. WE'RE POSSIBLY GONNA HAVE A, A JUNCTION BOX THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I'VE BEEN OUT THERE. SO, UH, UH, DRAINAGE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE ON THE GOLF COURSE, WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING TO TAXPAYER MONEY OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. SO WHAT'S THE RECALL? WHAT'S THE GIVE BACK? YOU KNOW, DOES IT WEIGH THE SAME? SO HOPEFULLY, AND I'M SEEING THE CHANGES. I'M LOOKING FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR FIVE OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO KIND OF OFFSET SOME OF THAT. JUST BE MINDFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GOLF COURSE, UH, WE NEED TO INTRODUCE THIS TO OUR YOUNGER CROWDS SO IT CAN BENEFIT THE CITY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST A REGION LIKE WE ARE SAYING A REGION. IT BENEFITS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE TAXPAYERS OF PORT ARTHUR, OF PAYING THE BRUNT OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN MNOS ON THE GOLF COURSE. AND YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS. PLEASE. JUST 'CAUSE WE GET THESE QUESTIONS. BECKHAM AND I, FRANK AND I, WE GET THESE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME. WELL, HOW DOES IT BENEFIT PORT ARTHUR? JUST BLUNTLY ABOUT IT. AND WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DEFEND THE STANCE OF STAFF MANAGEMENT OR WHY, HOW IT BENEFITS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. OKAY. ALRIGHT GUYS. OKAY. BUT BEFORE WE MOVE FURTHER, I UNDERLINE, UH, QUESTION. ARE WE READY FOR A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, I'M NOT TRYING, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I AM HEARING AS CHAIR OF THIS GROUP AND, UH, ATTORNEY, YOU TELL ME HOW TO DO IT. WE HAVE A MOTION, WE RESEND A MOTION, GO BACK AND DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE THE CONTRACT AMENABLE TO, AS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR, THE DEALING WITH THE PARKING SITUATION. AND, AND, AND I KNOW I LOOKED AT IT SORT OF FIVE YEARS 'CAUSE WHAT WE CAN DO, IT NOW IS GOOD FOR FIVE YEARS. BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHEN I CAME ON, IT WAS A CONTRACT THAT WAS JUST APPROVED YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IT REALLY WASN'T, AND IT HASN'T EVER BEEN IN THE FAVOR OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY, OF PORT ARTHUR THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FAVOR OF I THIS THE SAME COMPANY, THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY. SO I HEAR, AND MAYBE I'M WRONG, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MY CONNOTATION OF WHAT THE DELIVERY IN THIS, UH, [02:05:01] DIALOGUE IS, IS, IS, IS INCORRECT. IS THAT, ARE WE READY FOR A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT TAKE US ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OR SOMETHING TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY, BECAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF UNREADINESS AT THIS JUNCTURE. OKAY. UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKER, I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AS TO OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE. AND THAT YES, WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT, THAT WE WENT THROUGH IN THE GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS WITH, UH, PARKS AND REC TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE CONTRACT SO THAT IT DOES BENEFIT THE CITY. EXACTLY. SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON AS TO WHY WE HAVE THESE TERMS IN THE CONTRACT THAT YES, IT DOES BENEFIT THE CITY, BUT THIS IS THE CITY'S GOLF COURSE. SO WE'RE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T PLAY GOLF AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW THE CITY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF ITS ASSETS. THE GOLF COURSE IS ONE OF OUR ASSETS. SO I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE TWO OF YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR OFFICE FOR THE LEGWORK THAT YOU GUYS DID BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. BECAUSE AFTER WE HAD THE, YOU KNOW, THE GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WE HAD MADE PLANS TO GO AND SEE THE GOLF COURSES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER BIDDING COMPANY HAD, AND ALL OF THAT FELL THROUGH. YOU GUYS REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND GETTING THE INFORMATION TO US THAT WE NEEDED AS, AS A COMMITTEE TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE THINK THIS IS THE MOST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO, UH, FOR THE GOLF COURSE AND FOR THE CITY. SO I, I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DID TO GET US TO THIS POINT. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. OKAY. UH, CONSTABLE DOUCETTE, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, THE TOPIC, IT IS THE CONTRACT, BUT THE QUESTIONS AND THE THING AND THE COMMENTS ARE BEING MADE, ARE BEING MADE BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO ASK TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO APPROVE IT OR NOT. SO ANY ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCILMEN ASK, WE'LL ASK. WE ARE ASKING THEM TO GET CLARIFICATION. SO WHEN WE VOTE, WE ENSURE THAT WE, WE VOTE EITHER YES OR NO, YOU KNOW. AND, UH, THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN LEGITIMATE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY, YOU KNOW, OR ASKING IF WE DO THIS CONTRACT, UH, OH, WHY ARE WE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? CAN WE DO THIS? YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO. AND IT'S ALL DEPENDENT ON THE CONTRACT. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN FRANK. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO, UH, IN THE, IN THE EFFORT OF TRANSPARENCY IS TO SAY, UH, TO OUR CITIZENS AND TO THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING, IS THAT THERE IS FINALLY SOMETHING ADDED TO THE CONTRACT THAT ALLOWS US TO GET SOME RESOURCES BACK FROM, UH, OUR INPUT AND OUR ENDEAVOR. AND SO I'M EXCITED, UH, ABOUT THAT, THAT THERE ARE, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR, $10,000 SECOND YEAR, $12,500 OR 1% OF THE NET INCOME, AND THEN IT INCREASES OVER THE, THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD. SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND I, I DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE FACT THAT, UH, THAT KIND OF CONTRACT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THAT COUNCIL. MC . YEAH, MAYOR, AND I'M, I'M GONNA END THIS. I, I, I THINK AQUILA GO IS DOING A MAGNIFICENT JOB. MITCH DUNCAN, GEORGE BROWN, UH, THEY ARE, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFITS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. ANYTIME MEMORIAL HAS SOMETHING, ANY SCHOOL HAS SOMETHING, THEY'RE WILLING TO STEP UP AND HELP OUT SHOWING, UH, THE KIDS OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY GOLF. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M TRYING TO JUST, UH, CARRY OUT YOU GUYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START YOUNG WITH THESE KIDS. WE HAVE A GOLF COURSE AS, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM STATED EARLIER, THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE CITY. LET'S THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND GIVE THESE KIDS OPPORTUNITY TO, OTHER THAN BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL, THE MONEY ISN'T GOLF, ACTUALLY THE DEAL'S BEING MADE IN GOLF. SO THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I THINK THAT THEY'RE DOING A MAGNIFICENT JOB AND I'M THANK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR FOR THIS CHANGE OF THE CONTRACT. AND FINALLY GET SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GIVE BACK TO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. DR. DAVE HERE. MAYOR , YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? I DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, AND THIS IS, UH, OFF OF COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW'S STATEMENT ABOUT GETTING THE, THE KIDS INVOLVED. WE HAD TALKED AT OUR LAST, UH, GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE MEETING WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO KIND OF RETOOL THE CONTRACT A LITTLE BIT. UM, THE, UH, THE GOLF PRO OUT THERE NOW ALREADY HAS A HOMESCHOOL GOLF TEAM. UH, AND I KIND OF SAID THAT I WOULD TAKE THE, TAKE THE LEAD ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ALL OF THE GOLF TEAMS FROM THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS INVOLVED. UH, INSTEAD OF THEM TAKING THEM TO ANOTHER GOLF COURSE, BRING 'EM TO BRING 'EM TO THE BAY. SO I'M GONNA TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT VISIT WITH MANAGEMENT AND WITH THE GOLF PRO, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND EVEN TO, YOU KNOW, THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. [02:10:01] AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE GETTING FIRST TEE TO COME BACK. YES. UH, AND I'M GONNA LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR, FOR THE LITTLE ONES TO GET THEM INVOLVED. UM, AND SO I'M, I'M GONNA RUN WITH THAT, SO THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE ON ANY OTHERS? UH, AND I GUESS YOU ALL WANT TO MOVE ON. THERE'S RIGHT, IT'S A GOOD CONTRACT FOR FIVE YEARS. AM I CORRECT? YES, SIR. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL, YOU RECOMMENDED? YES, SIR. I'M GONNA PUT IT ON Y'ALL. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. I'M GOOD. ALL IN FAVOR? A. ANY OPPOSED? SO, UH, THIS IS PR NUMBER 22. 40 22 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. [VII.C.(4) P.R. No. 24034 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Amend The Home Investment Partnerships – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Allocation Plan. The Plan Will Be Submitted To The Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD)] NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 2 40 34. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED CITY MANAGER TO AMEND THE HOME INVESTMENT, UH, PARTNERSHIP, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, HOME, UH, OR UH, ALLOCATION PLAN. THE PLAN WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, BETTER KNOWN AS HOOD. MAY I GET A, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCIL, KINLOCK. SO MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK. THANK IT. BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 40, 34 AS RED. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA DO BOTH OF THEM. SO WE KILL TWO BIRDS, FOUR AND 10. MAYOR, THEY'RE BOTH RELATED TO THE SAME THING. WHICH, WHICH ONE? FOUR AND 10. OH, OKAY. OKAY. SO THIS, THIS COULD TAKE CARE OF BOTH OF THOSE. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO IT THEN. ALRIGHT. UH, CITY MANDY, JUST EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT, UH, THE AMENDMENT IS. BECAUSE I LOOKED AT THE BACK, I SAW SOMETHING WAS HIGHLIGHTED, I SAW THINGS HIGHLIGHTED, BUT I WAS READING WHAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED. I DIDN'T, I COULDN'T COMPARE IT TO WHAT IT WAS. AND WHAT YOU'RE CHANGING AS, AS WE MOVE FROM U TO U WHERE UM, WE CONSTANTLY GET FUNDING FOR THOSE, FOR OUR CDBG PROJECT, THERE ARE RULES AS IT IIN FROM HERS THAT CHANGE FROM U TO U. AND SO, MARY, JUST GO AHEAD AND INFORM THE COUNCIL AS TO WHAT THE SPECIFIC READY FOR COUNCIL, WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE. AND LEMME SAY, LEMME JUST SAY MARY. OKAY. YES SIR. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A PRESENTATION. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE CHANGE? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE I JUST READ THE HIGHLIGHT. RIGHT. JUST, JUST TELL ME, OH, IT WAS THIS, BUT NOW WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW. I WANNA UNDERSTAND. YES, SIR. UH, I DID HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES IN YELLOW, BUT THE PRIMARY THING IS JUST MOVING THE ALLOCATION AMOUNT. WE WERE ALLOCATED $1,000,453 AND WE JUST ADJUSTING SOME OF THE NEEDS. THERE'S A NEED RIGHT NOW FOR TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE. SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF MOVING THE MONEY AROUND. UM, AND WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT IT TO HUD. SO IT'S NO, NO MONEY, NO CHANGE OF MONEY, EVERYTHING SAY AT THE SAME AMOUNT. IT'S JUST THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE GONNA DO. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. AND THE SECOND ONE? NO MA'AM. YOU GOOD? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. YOU GOTTA WATCH, YOU GOTTA WATCH THE BODY LANGUAGE. I'M SORRY. YOU GOOD? YEAH. OKAY. COUNCIL MCKEN. YEAH. NO, YOU TELLING ME IT'S GOOD? YOU KEEP TALKING? YEAH. YEAH. TALKING ABOUT IT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? NO. HOLD ON. OH, OH, OH, OH. OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU SAYING OKAY. OH, BILL. ALRIGHT. UH UH, MS. ESIC OUR CITY MANAGER, WHO'S THE OFFICIAL GRANT WRITER THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. I KNEW THAT ONE TIME WE WERE HIRED FOR A GRANT WRITER IN THE CITY. WHO'S THAT PERSON? AND I KNOW IT'S NOT TO YOU, BUT NO, IT'S, WHO'S THE OFFICIAL GRANT WRITER? HER NAME IS CHRISTINA GUTIERREZ GUCCI. AND OUR OFFICE IS IN, UM, SHE'S LOCATED IN MY OFFICE AND SHE'S JUST SOLELY GRANT WRITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. ANY OTHER, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER, LIKE, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. WHAT? WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH Y'ALL? OH, I, I'M OKAY. I'M SORRY. YOU CAUGHT ME SLIP. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. IT OPPOSED, I DIDN'T WANNA SAY THAT. DID YOU SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE IT. WE'RE GOOD. UH, PR NUMBER 22 43 4 IS APPROVED. AND LET'S DO PR NUMBER. GO OVER PAGE FIVE. [VII.C.(10) P.R. No. 24054 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Amend The 2021 Home Investment Partnerships – Policies And Procedures Guidelines ] LET'S DO PR TWO 40. UH, 54. GET A MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CENTER MANAGER TO AMEND THE 2021 HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES. UH, COUNCIL KINLOCK. MAYOR, I GET A SECOND. COUNCILMAN FRANK IS MOVE TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 20, I MEAN, 2 40, 54 AS APPROVED. WE ARE READY, UH, FOR QUESTION. AND COUNCILMAN DO THAT. WE, WE ANSWERED. WE HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? AYE. HAVE IT. AND SO PR 2 40 54 IS APPROVED. THAT'S READ [VII.C.(13) P.R. No. 24064 – A Resolution Authorizing The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation To Enter Into Contract With Costar Group, Inc., Washington, DC For The Purpose Of Identifying Available Real Estate For Site Selection In An Amount Not To Exceed $6,804.00, Funds Available In PAEDC FY 24-25 Acct. No. 120-80-625-5420-00- 00-000 (Professional Services)] NOW OVER TO PAGE SIX PR, UH, 2 40 64. [02:15:02] IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH COSTAR OR COSTA, EXCUSE ME, COSTA GROUP INCORPORATED, UH, WASHINGTON, DC FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING AVAILABLE REAL ESTATE FOR SITE SELECTION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,804. THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE EDC UH, FISCAL YEAR ACCOUNT 24 25. ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH 80 DASH 6 25 DASH 54 20 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO, WHICH IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT. I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I GET A SECOND. COUNCILMAN ETT. SECOND. IT IS REMOVED. AND SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER 2 40 64. WE'RE NOW READY FOR QUESTIONING COUNCILWOMAN BECKER. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HIRING A COMPANY OUTTA WASHINGTON, DC TO DO SOMETHING THAT, IN MY OPINION AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE BY A LOCAL REALTOR. SO WHY ARE WE HIRING SOMEBODY OUTTA WASHINGTON DC TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? WE ARE HIRING THIS COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL REALTORS BETTER. SO THIS COMPANY DOES RESEARCH FOR US. THE, THE REALTORS THAT ARE IN THIS AREA, THEY DO RESEARCH AND THEY'RE ABLE TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR LISTINGS. THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TELL US ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S LISTINGS. AND TO BE ABLE TO GET EVERY SINGLE REALTOR IN THE AREA LINED UP TO, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE FLUIDLY, THAT'S NOT A GOAL THAT I FEEL IS VERY ACHIEVABLE. COSTAR ALLOWS US TO SEE ALL OF THE PROPERTIES, AND THEN WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE AN RFI THAT COMES TO US, THEY COME WITH VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS. COSTAR CAN LOOK AT WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AND THEN SPIT OUT WHAT PROPERTIES FIT THOSE NEEDS. BECAUSE RFIS KID, YOU NOT LIKE I, I'VE HAD TO HAVE THEM TURNED AROUND IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF DAYS. USUALLY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE US THREE OR FOUR WEEKS. THAT'S NOT MY EXPERIENCE. I TYPICALLY HAVE ONE WEEK TO, TO TURN THESE THINGS AROUND. SO HAVING TO DIG THROUGH AND TALK TO MO MULTIPLE PEOPLE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU ARE ON SUCH A TIME CRUNCH. SO COSTAR ALLOWS ME TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND GET THE RESULTS THAT I NEED VERY QUICKLY. THEN I CAN GO AND SPEAK TO A REALTOR THAT HAS THAT PROPERTY, THAT IT GIVES ME MORE ACCESS TO THE REALTORS INSTEAD OF EXCLUDING THEM. OKAY. IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE. AND SO, ARE WE USING A POOL OF REALTORS IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? WHICHEVER PROPERTY HAS THE RIGHT SPECIFICATIONS, THEN WE WOULD GO AND ACCESS THAT REALTOR. SO THEY WOULD, IT WOULD BE WHOMEVER IS REPRESENTING THAT PROPERTY. OKAY. I GOT YOU. OKAY. SO THE, THE FEE THAT WE'RE PAYING IS BASICALLY, BASICALLY FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE SERVICE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND THE, AND THE RESEARCH SERVICES. SO ANYTIME THAT, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT COSTAR IS THAT IT GIVES US SUCH COMPREHENSIVE DATA. IT GIVES ME, UH, ACCURATE OWNER INFORMATION. IT GIVES ME DEMOGRAPHICS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR AREA. AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING MISSING THAT I NEED, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CALL OUR PERSONAL DEDICATED RESEARCHER. SHE GETS ON IT AND SHE WORKS WITH 1500 OTHER RESEARCHERS TO BE ABLE TO SPIT OUT THE DATA AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. PERFECT. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. MM-HMM . OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS, HOW LONG WOULD THIS AGREEMENT, THIS CONTRACT IS ONE TIME PAYMENT ANNUALLY OR WHAT? WE HAVE THE, THE BOARD DECIDED TO GO WITH A ONE YEAR CONTRACT TO SEE IF THE SERVICES MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS. OKAY. SO IT'S A ONE YEAR CONTRACT? YES, SIR. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHERS? WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT. PR NUMBER 2 40 64 IS APPROVED. APPROVED AS PRESENTED. [VII.C.(16) P.R. No. 24068 – A Resolution Approving Water And Sewer Adjustments To Certain Utility Accounts Due To Leaks And/Or Equipment Malfunction] NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER 2 40 68. IT IS THE RESOLUTION APPROVING WATER AND SEWER ADJUSTMENT, ADJUSTMENTS TO CERTAIN UTILITY ACCOUNTS DUE TO LEAKS AND OR EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION. MIGHT GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE. SO MOVED. MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 40 68 AS PRESENTED. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? UH, YES. UH, THANK YOU'ALL. [02:20:05] JUST WHILE, WHILE YOU GUYS COMING UP HERE, YOU KNOW, I, I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENTS. UH, MS. RHONDA, YOU'VE BEEN MAGNIFICENT OVER THE YEARS EXPLAINING TO ME WHY, HOW YES, SIR. AND WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION? I'LL TALK WITH, UH, THE DIRECTOR KEVIN MATTHEWS YESTERDAY MM-HMM . BUT I REALLY GOTTA STICKER FOR THIS. AND THOSE GUYS KNOW MATTHEWS, DR. HANEY, THEY KNOW IT. I'M GONNA ASK DR TO COME UP SHORTLY. BUT WHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION THAT HAPPENED, LIKE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW YES, SIR. I DON'T LIKE THAT. I DON'T LIKE WHERE APARTMENT COMPLEX OR ANY OTHER BUSINESS, UH, RUN UP A TAB PROMISE TO PAY US SLOW BALL US SLOW ROLL US, AND THEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO PAY, SOMETHING HAPPENS WHERE THAT WE ARE STUCK WITH THE TAB. NOW I'M GONNA SUGGEST THIS TO MY COUNCIL. MM-HMM. UH, ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO NOT GET A DEFICIT. BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA PUT, I DON'T WANNA THROW OUT AMOUNTS OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA LOOK BAD. YES. AND PEOPLE COULD TAKE IT AND RUN THE WAY THAT, BUT WE ARE DOING WHAT THE BEST INTEREST FOR OUR CITY. WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. MM-HMM . BUT IS ANY TYPE OF, UH, UM, BREAKS THAT WE CAN USE TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE GONNA STOP THIS MADNESS FROM GOING ON AND CONTINUE GOING ON? BECAUSE WHAT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CITY IS ALWAYS THE ONE THAT, THAT'S TAKING THE, THE BANG FOR THIS. MM-HMM . WHAT, WHAT KIND OF, WHAT KIND OF MECHANISM WE CAN USE TO STOP THIS? WHAT CAN WE DO, YOU KNOW, TO GET THIS LARGE MAYBE, BUT TO, TO SHORTEN THE DISTANCE. AND I I NEED SOME HELP GUYS. I NEED DR. HANEY AND KEVIN MATTHEW. SOMEBODY NEED TO TELL ME, BECAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T WANNA DO WHAT WE SAID, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TURNING OFF WATER. WE CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT CONTINUE DOING THESE TYPE OF THINGS AND THE CITY HAVE TO ENDURE THE COST AT THE END OF THE DAY? I'M, I'M SORRY TO BE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, BUT I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH Y'ALL ABOUT, AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT ABOUT TELLING ME, EXPRESS COUNCILMAN MCKINNA, LOOK, WE CAN'T DO IT. THESE PEOPLE ARE PAYING. IT'S THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. WE WE'RE MAKING PAYMENT PLANS WITH IT. THEY'RE PROMISED WHEN WE THREATEN TO PUT A, YOU KNOW, CUT OFF, THEY COME THROUGH. YES. BUT AT THE STILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY STILL HAVE A BILL THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT. IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, WE KNOW WE PROBABLY WON'T GET THE MONEY BACK. SO CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME OUT, EXPLAIN IT TO ME ONCE AGAIN ON THE RECORD FOR RECORD THAT WE COULD TRY TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THIS MADNESS? MM-HMM . YOU GONNA DO IT? YEAH. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YEAH. AS FAR AS STAFF IS CONCERNED, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE. AND THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE IN TERMS OF WHO YOU TURN OFF WHEN THAT BILL IS NOT PAID. THE ORDINANCE IS VERY CLEAR. WE HAVE 10 DAYS NOTICE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEARING WITH STAFF TO SEE IF WE CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND THEN TERMINATE THE SERVICE UNTIL A PAYMENT IS MADE. STAFF IS ALWAYS STRUGGLING WITH THAT BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, IT BECOMES A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. LIKE YOU SAID, THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE, SOME OF THEM ARE ELDERLY, SOME OF THEM ARE LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY OR PAYING THE BILL FOR THE RENT, OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE EVICTED. BUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGERS ARE NOT PAYING THEIR WATER BILLS. AND THE DIRECTIVE WE HAVE SLASH WRITTEN UNWRITTEN POLICY IS WE DON'T WANNA SHUT OFF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE CUSTOMER'S FAULT. SO THESE FOLKS HAVE ALREADY GOT A GOOD IDEA THAT, HEY, THEY THREATEN US, THEY SEND US LETTERS, THEY SHOW UP, THEY SAY WE'RE GONNA TURN THE METER OFF. MM-HMM . BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT. AND THOSE SLACKERS KNOW THAT THEY'RE EITHER IN FINANCIAL DEFICIT THEMSELVES. SO IT'S EITHER THE PARTS CAN BE FORECLOSED ON OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE IT IN FEW YEARS. SO THEY KEEP THAT MONEY, THEY DON'T PAY IT TO THE CITY. AND THEN WE FACE A SITUATION LIKE WE FACED THIS WEEK, THE PROPERTY GOT FORECLOSED ON, WE CAN'T COLLECT OUR FUNDS, AND NOW WE PAID THEIR BILL. SO, AND, AND I CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE FOR THE CITIZENS WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE COMPLEXES, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEM PAY. AND WE WERE DISCUSSING IT THE OTHER DAY, AND CALVIN HAD A GOOD IDEA. INSTEAD OF TURNING THE WATER OFF, TURN THE VALVE DOWN, REDUCE THE PRESSURE. BUT WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE LEGALITY OF THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN DO IT OR NOT. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU DOC . SO, BUT, BUT YOU, YOU ALL TELL US WE NEED TO COLLECT [02:25:01] THE MONEY. WE STICK TO THE ORDINANCE, WE SHUT THEM OFF, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME PAY. I I REMEMBER TALKING WITH THE MAYOR PROBABLY ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. WE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS GET STUCK WITH THE BILL. AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO RON IN TWO OR THREE YEARS ABOUT IT. UH, CALVIN, THANK YOU. BUT IT'S, IT'S TOUGH LOVE. OKAY? WE SHUT THEM OFF AND THE, THEIR CLIENTS PAID THE BILL. THEY'RE CREATING LAWSUITS ON THEMSELVES THROUGH THE CLIENTS WHO ARE LIVING THERE. WE, WE GOTTA SET THE STANDARD AND THE EXAMPLE SOMEWHERE. AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS BY TURNING THEM OFF. WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER AUTHORITY OTHER THAN TURNING THEM OFF AND LET THEIR CLIENTS GO AFTER THEM. AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA LEARN TO PAY THEIR WATER BILLS LEGALLY LEGAL. I MEAN, ROXANNE, HELP ME OUT. CAN WE DO SOMETHING LEGALLY ABOUT THOSE THINGS? YES, OF COURSE. UM, THANK YOU FOR ASKING. IN FACT, I AM APPOINTED ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO BE WORKING WITH RHONDA. WE ARE SETTING UP A PROCESS SO THAT THERE'S OPEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT REGARDING NON-PAYMENT. AND WE WILL HAVE OUR OWN STRATEGIC, UM, LEGAL SERVICES TO TRIGGER LEGAL INVOLVEMENT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS. AND I DON'T WANNA GIVE THAT OUT YET 'CAUSE IT'S A LEGAL STRATEGY, BUT WE ARE THERE, THERE, WE CAN'T WAIT FOR A NON-PAYMENT TO GET TO HALF A MILLION DOLLARS BEFORE THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVED. WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVED MUCH SOONER. SO WE CAN FILE LIENS, WE CAN FILE COLLECTION SUITS, WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO. NOW FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE. NOW, IF THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES WE'RE GENERALLY JUST SPEAKING ABOUT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, RIGHT? AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, WE'RE NOT GONNA NOT TURN WATER OFF IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING YOUR BILL, THAT YOU'RE GONNA PROBABLY GET YOUR WATER TURNED OFF. THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WHO COLLECTS THE WATER PAYMENT DIRECTLY FROM THEIR TENANTS AND THEN DOESN'T PAY THE CITY THE WATER. SO THAT CLEARLY IS A RED SIGN THAT THIS IS A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT PROFITABLE AND NOT CONDUCTING IN BEST PRACTICES. RIGHT. AND WE'VE GOT TO GET ON TOP OF THAT. NOW, MORE THAN LIKELY THEY'RE GONNA END UP BEING FORECLOSED ON BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEIR WATER BILL. THEY'RE NOT PAYING OTHER BILLS AS WELL. AND SO THEY'LL BE FORECLOSED ON, AND THEN THE LIENS WILL TAKE A PRIORITY ORDER. AND USUALLY THE FIRST ONE IS THE MORTGAGE. RIGHT? AND, AND IN MANY, MANY CASES FOR THESE LOW INCOME PROPERTIES, IT'S FANNIE MAE. AND SO WHEN FANNIE MAE TAKES OVER AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, THERE ARE DIFFERENT METHODS BY WHICH THEY CAN DO IT. AND ONE OF THE MOST RECENT METHODS THAT I'VE SEEN FANNIE MAE, IS THEY'LL USE WHAT THEY CALL A SPECIAL VEHICLE PURPOSE BY WHICH FANNIE MAE TAKES OVER THE PROPERTY AND HIRE FANNIE MAE HIRES ITS OWN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO TAKE OVER THE, THE PROPERTY AND, AND FANNIE MAE AND THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY BRING THE PROPERTY UP INTO A MORE VIABLE CONDITION, AND THEN THEY'LL SELL IT TO A THIRD PARTY. SO WITH THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US, THE NEXT COMMUNICATION LEVEL NEEDS TO BE WITH THE MORTGAGE ORDER. RIGHT? SO THE LAW DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTING FANNIE MAE BACK WHEN WE WERE HAVING THESE ORIGINAL PROBLEMS TO PUT THEM ON ALERT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE LAWYERS WHO REPRESENT ONE OF THE MOST RECENT APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH. AND SO I'VE ESTABLISHED THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND SO IT'S ABOUT CONTINUING TO NURTURE AND EDUCATE AND COMMUNICATE. RIGHT? AND SO WE ARE BEGINNING TO DO THAT IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE, THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THAT WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS. SIR, I HOPE THAT'S A GOOD ENOUGH ANSWER TO TELL YOU. WE WE'RE DEVELOPING THE LEGAL STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS IT. AND, AND IF I MAY, I MAY ADD, COUNCILMAN, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DIVISION MANAGER DID BRING THESE ISSUES OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO LEGAL PREVIOUSLY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE BRING IT TO LEGAL WHEN THEY OWE US $700,000. IT'S, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED WITH LEGAL OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THE DIRECTIVE WAS DON'T SHUT THEM OFF. I THINK, I THINK THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY MAY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE FORMER CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I'M TALKING ABOUT AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP INVOLVING ALL ACCOUNTS AND WHEN SOMETHING'S TRIGGERED. YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, ROXANNE IS DEFINITELY GONNA BE HELPFUL, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BEFORE INVOLVED IN ONE PARTICULAR APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAD 148 UNITS ON IT AND IT BECAME A PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY DIRE NEED. UM, BUT THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX, THIS HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN OVER BY FANNIE MAE. THE FANNIE MAE'S REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY HAS FILED FOR AN APPLICATION SO FOR WATER. SO THE WATER WILL NOW [02:30:01] BE PUT IN FANNIE MAE'S NAME AND WE WILL NOW GET PAID FOR WATER SERVICES USED. OKAY. UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT. UH, THERE WERE OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WERE, UH, BROUGHT TO, UH, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. AND THOSE WERE GOT RESOLVED. AND THOSE GOT RESOLVED, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW UP TO LOCK THE, THIS PARTICULAR COMPLEX. AND, UH, ONCE THEY FOUND OUT OWNERSHIP FOUND OUT, THEY CAME UP AND ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH US AND GOT THINGS TAKEN CARE OF. MR. BURTON MAY REMEMBER THAT, BUT YES. SO WE HAVE, UH, IN THE PAST BROUGHT, UH, SITUATIONS LIKE THIS TO LEGAL AND YES, THEY DID GET RESOLVED. WE HAVE, OKAY, COUNCILMAN ETT, WE HAVE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. QUESTION IS, WHAT DO COUNCIL DO? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE APPROVE AND ESTABLISHED POLICIES. THIS IS A PROBLEM. YOU ALMOST COME TO US AND RECOMMEND WHAT COUNCIL NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN COUNCIL MAKES A DECISION. IT IS NOT WHAT COUNCIL WANTS. YOU NEED TO BRING TO US A RECOMMENDATION. WE'RE NOT GOING TO TURN WATER OFF AN APARTMENTS THAT'S BEEN SAID BY THIS COUNCIL. HOW DO YOU FIX IT? YOU IDENTIFY A PROBLEM BEFORE YOU GET A SOLUTION. THE PROBLEM IS, WHY DO WE WAIT SO LONG? SO THE BILL, SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS NOT PAYING A BILL THAT OCCURS ALL THE TIME. THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM. WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. THE QUESTION ABOUT A COLLEAGUE IS, WHY DID WE WAIT SO LONG? SO YOU ALL HAVE TO GO BACK, TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROCESS YOU HAVE IN PLACE THAT'S WRITTEN. IF WE DON'T DO IT BY WRITTEN POLICY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. WHOEVER MAKING DECISIONS, GONNA MAKE DECISIONS. AND YOU'LL HAVE IT ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO YOU ALL DETERMINES THIS IS THE TIME WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THESE OWNERS OF THESE APARTMENTS TO GO WITHOUT PAYING, WORKING WITH US. IF THEY DON'T WORK WITH US, WHAT'S OUR NEXT STEP? IF THE NEXT STEP IS GO TO LEGAL, THEN THE NEXT STEP GOES TO LEGAL. ANYTIME IT GOES TO LEGAL, THEN IT SHOULD BE COMING TO US. SO LEGAL COULD GET A DIRECTIVE FROM US ON HOW TO PROCEED. AND THEN WE ARE DONE. THOSE STEPS, AS I JUST IDENTIFIED, WE WON'T COME UP HERE WITH SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN GONE ON AND ON AND ON BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD EVERYBODY COMMENT. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU ALL NEED TO GIVE, ESTABLISH A TIMEFRAME ESTABLISHED ON. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS AT THIS TIME, WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP? WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP? YOU SHOULD HAVE IN THE, IN THE POLICY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING TO THIS COUNCIL FOR US TO APPROVE? 'CAUSE ONCE WE APPROVE IT, ONCE WE APPROVE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT NO MORE. BECAUSE WE SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA DO TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME AND SAY, HOW DO YOU FIX THE PROBLEM? YES SIR. AND I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, SAYING WHAT YOU'VE SAID. AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THROUGH ON THOSE THINGS AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T WAIT AS LONG. HOWEVER, UH, A LOT OF THOSE INSTANCES HAVE INVOLVED THESE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAVE LOTS OF LEAKS. AND SO ACTUALLY THE TRUE BALANCE OF WHAT THEY OWE IS REALLY NOT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS ACTUALLY OWED. SO THEN WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM TIME TO ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES BEFORE WE CAN EVEN PUT THEM ON A PAYMENT PLAN. NOW MIND YOU, A LOT OF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES HAVE BEEN ON PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CITY. WE PUT 'EM ON PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, THEY HAVE OTHER LEAKS. MAKES THE BALANCE GO UP. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A TRUE BALANCE A LOT OF THE TIMES WHEN WE'RE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES. BUT WE'LL DO BETTER. LET, LET ME SAY THIS. WHEN I SAY TAKE ALL THESE THINGS CONSIDERATION, IF WE KNOW APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE DIFFERENT THAN DEALING WITH RESIDENTIAL, [02:35:02] I JUST SAY DO A POLICY THAT WILL ADDRESS APARTMENT COMPLEX. WHY ARE WE DOING ADJUSTMENT FOR WATER LEAKS FOR APARTMENT COMPLEX IS NOT A RESIDENT. THIS IS A BUSINESS. THEY GOT A LEAK, THEY PAY THE BILL, THEY HAVE TO FIX IT. SO YOU ALL NEED TO ESTABLISH A POLICY THAT PERTAINS ONLY FOR APARTMENT, APARTMENT COMPLEX. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LEAKS. WE DETERMINE THAT IT'S NOT ON OUR SIDE, IT'S ON THEIR SIDE. THEY ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING. AND BILL, WHY DO WE SAY THAT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE A RESIDENT. WE TALKING A HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER. SO YOU CAN'T TREAT IT LIKE A RESIDENT. YOU CAN'T APPLY POLICIES WE HAVE FOR RESIDENTS TO APARTMENTS. YOU ALL HAVE TO GO BACK, TAKE A LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT. AND OUR CONCERN IS YOU ALL ALLOWED THIS TO GO TOO LONG, THAT THE SUM GOT TOO BIG. SO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. YOU ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR POLICY FOR CUTOFF AND EVERYTHING THAT APPLIES TO EVERYBODY. NO, I'M SAYING LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A SEPARATE POLICY. CALVIN, I'VE GOTTA ASK HER A QUESTION. YEAH, CALVIN, PLEASE. OKAY. JUST WAIT TILL I FINISH AND THEN YOU CAN, SIR, THEN JUST TAKE A LOOK AT, ESTABLISH THE POLICY FOR, UH, APARTMENTS. 'CAUSE YOU ALL TELLING US IS THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES? SO LET'S DO A DIFFERENT POLICY. YES SIR. LET'S DO THAT. YES SIR. WE APPROVE ALL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN THIS CITY, THIS COUNCIL. SO IF WE GOTTA SET TWO DIFFERENT POLICIES, LET'S DO TWO SEPARATE POLICIES. YES SIR. AND OF COURSE WE ARE FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE AS FAR AS ADJUSTMENTS GO FOR, UH, THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND COMMERCIAL. UH, BUT YES SIR. IF IF THEY DIFFERENT YES. YOU'RE TELLING ME MM-HMM . THE PROBLEM. THE DIFF SO WHY DON'T WE HAVE A SEPARATE ORDINANCE? WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ONE ORDINANCE. OH, THAT'S PERFECT. WE, WE WOULD LOVE A SEPARATE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE THAT WOULD BE PERFECT. WE WOULD LOVE THAT. I'M SAYING MM-HMM . THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU ALL. BRING THIS TO US, SAYS, LOOK, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM. YES. THEY FALL IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT CATEGORY AND WE CAN'T CATCH 'EM UNDER THIS ESTABLISH ONE FOR THEM SO THAT WE BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT. AND IT'S GOING TO BE BOW OUR ORDINANCE. SO EVERY STEP WE DO IS FILE AN AUDIT. I LISTEN TO EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING. YES. IT'S HARD TO IMPLEMENT A RESIDENTIAL TO THIS APARTMENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY PAYING THE OWNER. RIGHT. BUT THE OWNER POCKET THE MONEY. MM-HMM . THE RESIDENCE IS NOT LIKE THAT. SO WE GOT ONE FOR THEM THAT WORKED FOR THEM. MM-HMM . BUT THE ONE WE GOT FOR THEM AIN'T WORKING FOR THEM. SO GUESS WHAT? DO ONE FOR THEM AND BRING IT TO US AND THEN WE GOOD TO GO. YES SIR. THAT'S HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. YOU TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO. MM-HMM . TO HELP YOU. YES SIR. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYTHING MR. MR. MATTHEWS. SO FOR CLARITY, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA SHUT THEM DOWN, BUT WE BRING AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS THE APARTMENTS AND HOW WE DEAL WITH CO THEM IN TERMS OF LEAKS AND COMMERCIAL. HOW ABOUT COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES? ARE THOSE SEPARATE OR WE INCLUDE THEM WITH THIS SECTION. IF THEY, IF, IF, IF THEY ARE, IF YOU ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING THEM WITH OUR RESIDENTIAL, YOU NEED TO BRING, IF, IF WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ADDRESS AND APARTMENTS, SOME ADDRESS AND COMMERCIAL, SOME ADDRESS AND RESIDENTIAL. 'CAUSE ALL WE HAVE NOW IF I UNDERSTAND, IS RESIDENTIAL. RIGHT? IT'S ONE ORDINANCE. ONE. YES. SO GUESS WHAT WE JUST FOUND OUT? ONE ORDINANCE IS WHY WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WE IN, WE ARE IN LIMBO. SO LET'S MAKE DIFFERENT ORDINANCE. SO FOR THE ORDINANCE, FOR THOSE WHO ARE GIVING US A HARD TIME, SHOULD WE PUT IN THERE A CUTOFF IF THEY DON'T PAY? OR SHOULD WE NOT DO A CUTOFF? NO, NO, NO, NO. FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S WHY I SAID WE HAVE TO HAVE A TIMEFRAME FOR THOSE. WHEN YOU NEGOTIATE AND YOU WORKING WITH THEM, YOU HAVE TO BE FIRM ON HOW YOU WORK. AND YOUR POLICY WILL SAY THAT NOT HOW MS. STANSBERRY FEELS ABOUT IT. OUR POLICY SHOULD SAY WHAT SHE SHOULD DO AND SHE SHOULD ALLOW THEM TWO WEEKS IN ORDER TO CATCH UP OR 30 DAYS OR WHATEVER. BUT WHATEVER SHE SAYS, NEGOTIATION, THAT'S [02:40:01] HER LEVEL. WHEN THEY DO NOT COMPLY WITH WHAT SHE SAYS, THEN WE NEED TO GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD THEN SAY, COUNSEL, WE HAVING NO PROBLEM DOWN THERE. WATER UTIL IS COLLECTING MONEY. WHAT DO YOU WANT? WE HAVE ALWAYS GAVE THE SAME REPLY, TAKE LEGAL ACTIONS, WHATEVER IT TAKES. YOU KNOW, YOU THE LEGAL, YOU TAKE THE LEGAL ACTION. SO NOW SHE'S IN IT. BUT THIS THING IS STEADY GOING AND IT'S NO LONGER A PROBLEM OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT. OKAY? 'CAUSE IT'S NO PROBLEM FOR US NO MORE EITHER. 'CAUSE SHE GONNA HANDLE IT LEGALLY. IF WE LOSE WATER, WE LOSE WATER DURING OUR PROCESS, BUT OUR PROCESS PUT US IN A POSITION, WE CAN'T HELP IT. WE'LL LOSE MONEY. BUT THE PROCESS IS FOLLOWERS, WE'RE NOT SITTING ON IT. AND IF IT GOES HIGH, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'LL PUT A LIEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME. AND EVEN IF WE DON'T GET NOTHING, WE AT LEAST GOING THROUGH A PROJECT, IT AIN'T A HEADACHE FOR YOU. IT'S NOT A HEADACHE FOR US. EVERYBODY'S COVERED. BREAK THE PROCESS DOWN. JUST, JUST FIX THEM TO PUT EVERYBODY WHERE YOU CAN CONTROL THEM. YOU YES SIR. THE DEPARTMENT. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, UH, FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER. I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, I I DO WANNA ADDRESS THE LENGTH OF TIME SOMETIMES. AND, AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA FIX THAT. WE'RE GONNA FIX IT. UM, BUT A LOT OF THE TIMES, LIKE WE MAY HAVE A, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT OWES US X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. THEY COME IN, THEY ARE ON A PAYMENT PLAN. SO WE DO START THEM. WE MONITOR THEM PAYING THEIR REGULAR BILL PLUS THEIR PAYMENT PLAN, AND THEN MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS GO BY AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DEFAULT. WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THAT WHEN WE WENT TO TYLER MUNI. UH, SO A LOT OF THE TIMEFRAME WENT INTO THAT AS WELL BECAUSE OUR FOCUS WAS TRYING TO FIX BILLS. AND SO A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE ACTUALLY PAYING THEIR PAYMENT PLAN, THEY DEFAULTED AND THEY WERE THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, THEY JUST STOPPED PAYING IT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE PAYING THEIR REGULAR. SO THEN BY THE TIME WE GOT TO IT AFTER ADDRESSING ALL THE OTHER ISSUES, THEN YES SIR, THAT HAPPENED. BUT WE WILL DO BETTER. AND THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS, BEAR WITH ME. OH, I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE ONE, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT. ONE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OWE US $500,000. I I'M NOT SAYING 4 96 500. IT'S A LOT CLOSED FOR 500,000. COUNCILWOMAN BECKON HANDLE THAT. I I I WAS ABSENT. YOU ALL HAVE DONE EVERYTHING YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT PARTICULAR APARTMENT COMPLEX. YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO, YOU NOTIFY YOU, YOU NOT, YOU SEND 'EM A, A DISCONNECT. YOU NOTIFIED, UH, THE LIEN HOLDERS. THEY C THEY THEY MET WITH ME. THEY, THEY CALLED FOR ME. I WENT OUT THERE AND MET WITH 'EM. I, I KEPT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM INFORMED AND EVERYTHING. THE PROBLEM IS, AND THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO CONTROL THIS, IF YOU DON'T, DO YOU HAVE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR, UH, ORDINANCE ON APARTMENT COMPLEX. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE ONE MASTER METER PUT INDIVIDUAL METERS ON ALL THE APARTMENTS. THESE PEOPLE ARE PAYING THEIR, THEY PAID THEIR BILL. SO THEY, THIS CORPORATION, THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA SYMPATHIZE WITH THE FOLKS THAT DONE PAID THE BILL. SO WHAT YOU DO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. YOU ALL SENT 'EM A DISCONNECT. NOTICE THE PREVIOUS CITY ATTORNEYS STOP YOU ALL FROM, FROM, FROM LOCKING THEM OUT. OKAY. SO WHAT I DID, I CONTACTED WHEN YOU WANNA LOCK SOMEBODY OUT AND YOU ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO LOCK 'EM OUT, I CONTACTED LONE STAR LEGAL SERVICES, LONE STAR LEGAL SERVICE ADVOCATES FOR THESE PEOPLE. YEAH. BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO ADVOCATE LONE STAR LEGAL SERVICE. I CALLED THEM MA MADE THEM AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THEY SAID WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE CITY CUT 'EM OFF. HE SAID ONCE THE CITY CUT 'EM OFF, THEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CORPORATION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAVE PAID THAT BILL. AND THE QUICKEST SOLUTION, THE NEXT APARTMENT COMPLEX, YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL COM UH, INDIVIDUAL METER BECAUSE THEY GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY HOLD THIS WHOLE HOSTAGE. UH, SO THE CITY, UNTIL THE CITY LOCK 'EM OUT, THERE'S NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I FOUND THEY WANTED ME TO, TO HELP THEM WITH A PAYMENT PLAN. I CHECKED THEIR HISTORY. THEY HAVE HAD PAYMENT PLANS. [02:45:01] OKAY, THEY HAVE FOUR ACCOUNTS. AND I SAY, Y'ALL DEFAULTING ON 'EM, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I CAN WORK WITH YOU ALL IF YOU ALL DO A GOOD FAITH EFFORT. THEY WENT AND PAID FOUR $14,000 ON AN OUTSTANDING ACCOUNT THAT THEY HADN'T PAID ANYTHING THAT WHOLE YEAR. THE LAST TIME THEY PAID SOMETHING WAS IN JULY, THEY PAID A 14,000 ON THREE ACCOUNTS. AND IN OCTOBER THEY PAID ANOTHER 12, $14,000. BUT WHEN I ASKED FOR A GOOD FAITH EFFORT, THEY CAME IN AND PAID ON THAT FOURTH ACCOUNT. THEY HADN'T PAID ANYTHING THE WHOLE YEAR. THEY PUT FOUR 12 TO $14,000. SO THAT'S WHERE WE AT NOW. AND YOU STILL HAVE, AND THEY STILL OWE YOU SEE, HERE, HERE, HERE'S THE PROBLEM. WE GOT A, THE CITY HAS A, AND I I INSTRUCTED THEM. THE CITY HAS A 10% LATE FEE. THAT 30 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THEY PAID DID NOT MOVE. THAT, THAT PRINCIPLE, NOT ONE. IT STILL OWE $500,000 UNTIL WE CUT 'EM OFF. UNTIL WE LOCK 'EM OUT. BUT I'M, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WITH THAT PARTICULAR PLACE SO I CAN CALL LONE STAR A, A LEGAL SERVICE SO THEY CAN GO INTO ACTION. THE COMPANY IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY ARE ALLOWING THIS, THEY'RE PULLING OUT THE PROFIT. I ASKED THE, I ASKED THE THE MANAGER HOW MUCH, I SAID, YOU GOT TO HAVE AT LEAST 60% TO OPERATE. AND HE SAID, THAT'S, I SAID, HOW MUCH YOU OPERATING WITH 40%. YOU GOING, I SAID, YOU GONNA ALWAYS HAVE A PROBLEM? I SAID, UNTIL THE CITY GOING TO HAVE TO GO A STEP FURTHER. AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. YOU HAVE TO CUT 'EM OFF. YOU GOT TO CUT 'EM OFF. I HAVE IN THE PAST HAD 50, 60, $80,000 APARTMENT COMPLEXES. AND I WENT TO THE, NOT THIS CITY, MAN. I WENT TO THE CITY, MAN, I TOLD THE CITY MANAGERS CUT 'EM OFF AND ONE DAY I GOT 50,000 FOR ONE APARTMENT. I GOT 80 FROM THE OTHER ONE. YOU CUT 'EM OFF, BUT YOU, BUT YOU ADVOCATE FOR THEM. YOU GET LONE STAR LEGAL SERVICE LINED UP TO STEP IN UNTIL WE PUT 'EM ON INDIVIDUAL METERS. YOU'RE GONNA ALWAYS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. AND, AND I'M JUST ADDRESSING JUST ONE AS WAS 500,000 AND DON'T TELL HOW MANY OF 'EM OUT THERE. AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, I'M GONNA TELL Y'ALL YOU'RE NOT, THE CITY IS NOT YOUR BANKER. THE CITY IS NOT YOUR BANKER. YOU NEED TO PAY YOUR BILLS. AND THAT'S WHY I LEFT THEM. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF 'EM NOW? HAVE THEY, HAVE THEY PAID THE 500,000? NO SIR. NO. CALL 'EM OFF. THEY'LL PAY. YEAH, THEY'LL PAY. WE WILL LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL METERS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. CONSTRUCTION COUNCILMEN. MAYOR. MAYOR. YES. YEAH. OKAY. I THINK THE, WE HAVE CLEARLY HEARD THE MAYOR WHAT THE, THE, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO BE DONE AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER WILL BOOK ON IT. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR, JUST, JUST, JUST A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE. COUNCILWOMAN UH, HAMILTON, AFTER CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS, I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT WOULD A LEGAL QUESTION. WILL WE BE ABLE TO TAKE RACHEL ACTION ON THIS CURRENT SITUATION AFTER A NEW ORDINANCE IS IMPLEMENTED? MM-HMM. SO HOW MM-HMM . WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE HOLD UP? OKAY, COUNSEL, YOU, YOU WERE ASKING MR. TER FOR, OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, WHEN THE CITY IT GO, LET 'EM KNOW. WE'RE GONNA CUT 'EM OFF. EAST TEXAS LEGAL SERVICE WAS GONNA GET AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE CITY TO STOP IT FROM CUTTING IT OFF. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THEN THAT, THAT DOMINOES. THEY GOT THE MONEY. OKAY. UH, ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? I ACTUALLY FORGOT WHERE WE WERE. HOWEVER, WE FROM MOVE RIGHT [VII.C.(18) P.R. No. 24071 – A Resolution Authorizing The Third Year (Second And Final Renewal) Of The Contract With TRP Construction Group (Formerly Barricades Unlimited) Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Annual Street Striping Of Streets In The Amount Of $750,000.00. Funding Is Available In Capital Improvement Funds Streets Account, Account Number 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000, And In Public Works – Traffic Division’s Street Maintenance Account, Account Number 001-21-057-5316-00-70-000] ALONG. NOW WE'LL GO TO NUMBER 18. UH, PR NUMBER 24 0 7 1. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THIRD YEAR, SECOND AND FINAL RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT WITH TRP CONSTRUCTION GROUP. FORMERLY, UH, BARRICADES UNLIMITED OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE [02:50:01] ANNUAL STREETS. UH, STRIPING OF STREETS IN THE AMOUNT OF $750,000. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS. STREETS ACCOUNT ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH FIVE THREE DASH 85 7 0 0 0 AND EXCUSE ME, IN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, TRAFFIC DIVISION'S MAINTENANCE, UH, UH, STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 21 DASH FIVE SEVEN DASH 5 3 6 0 7 0. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KIM LAW? SO MAYOR MAY GET A SECOND. COUNCILMAN FRANK. SECOND, IT'S REMOVED THIS SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 24 0 71 AS PRESENTED. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS. COUNCILMAN DEUCE. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS, WE SAY THIS IS COMING OUT OF THE, UH, STREET FUND, 3 7 2 1. WHICH ONE IS THAT? WHICH FUND IS THAT? AND WELL, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER. LET'S ASK, UM, LYNN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL AFTERNOON. THESE ARE COMING OUT OF THE STREET MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT. THEY'RE MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS BOTH IN GENERAL FUND AND THERE'S ALSO A MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND. 3 0 7. OKAY. WHERE IS, WHERE IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT? YOU SAY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STREET FUND? YES. THERE'S DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE STREET. OF THE STREET PART. THERE'S THE RECONSTRUCTION AND THERE'S ALSO A MAINTENANCE PIECE OF IT. AND THIS IS THE MAINTENANCE PART FOR STRIPING? NO, OUR, OUR MAINTENANCE, OUR STREET PROGRAM FOR CAL EQUIPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND CON AND CONSTRUCTION, THE STREETS. OKAY. UH, STRIPING, REPAIRING, REPLACING IS SUPPOSED TO BE STREET MAINTENANCE. THAT IS CORRECT. AND THAT IS CORRECT. AND SEE MY PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THIS TIME HAS ALWAYS BEEN EVERYTHING THAT'S A, THAT LOOK LIKE STREET IS COMING OUT. CAPITAL. WHEN YOU SAY CAPITAL, I HAVE PROBLEM WITH IT BECAUSE CAPITAL STREET PROGRAM WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AND IT SAYS THAT EACH YEAR YOU PUT X AMOUNT OF MONEY IN EACH DISTRICT AND FOR THESE STREETS AND THEM OUT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO DETAILS BECAUSE I'M GOING TO COME BACK AND DO A STREET PRESENTATION BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER WE KEEP PUTTING STREET, WE KEEP PUTTING MONEY, WE KEEP SPENDING MONEY. I'M GONNA SHOW WHERE WE JUST SAYING STREET CAPITAL STREET FUND BECAUSE IT SAYS STREET. BUT WHEN WE OBTAIN MONEY OR WE PLACE MONEY, WE PLACE MONEY IN A TWO DIFFERENT PLACE. EITHER WE PUT MONEY INTO THE STREET FUND, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE IN OUR GENERAL FUND, OR WE DESIGNATE MONEY FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN STREETS. IF WE, IF WE ALLOCATE OR APPROPRIATE THAT MONEY FOR STREETS IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, THE PROJECT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LISTED. WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PUTTING MONEY INTO THAT WITHOUT A PARTICULAR PROJECT FAR TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MONEY. AND THEN WE PUT THE MONEY IN THERE, BUT THEN WE SPEND THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE. I'M GONNA GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION. I'LL DO A PRESENTATION WHERE I SAY WHAT I NAME, BUT ONE THING THAT I KEEP ASKING IS THAT TWO THINGS. WHEN WHENEVER WE DO THESE TO PUT THE, THE NUMBER, GIVE ME A COPY OF THE BUDGET WHERE I COULD ACTUALLY SEE THAT WHEN I'M DOING MY AGENDA. YOU SAID YOU WOULD I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT. IF I LOOK AT THE BUDGET, I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO THAT LINE ITEM AND ENSURE [02:55:02] THAT THAT'S WHERE IT GOES AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING FROM. AND IF THEY GOT THAT MONEY, I CAN DO THAT TOO. BUT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE BUDGET AND DO THAT. OKAY. SO I NEED THAT INFORMATION. OKAY. UH, BECAUSE I'M CHECKING. I CAN'T FIND IT. I ASKED FOR IT. IT'S TOO SIMPLE. I LIKE TO HAVE IT. UH, IS OUR CURRENT BUDGET POSTED ONLINE? NO, IT IS NOT. THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S ANOTHER APARTMENT THAT'S, THAT'S ON ME WITH THE CHANGES. AND IT SHOULD BE, WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH THAT CURRENTLY AS WE SPEAK. I'M, I'M NOT, UH, I'M NOT, UH, INTO ALL THAT. I KNOW THAT WE SHOULD HAVE POSTED THAT BUDGET WHEN WE APPROVE THAT BUDGET. JUST LIKE THAT. IT'S NOT, IF WE WON'T, IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT WE POSTED SOMEWHERE WHERE CITIZENS COULD GET TO IT. AGREED. OKAY. YES. SO WE NEED TO DO THAT. ALRIGHT, NOW WE ARE TAKING IT FROM TWO DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS. HOW MUCH ARE YOU TAKING FROM THIS ACCOUNT? HOW MUCH OF THAT ACCOUNT FROM FUND? 0 0 1. IT'S 150,000. AND FROM, FROM FUND 3 0 7 IT IS 600,000. WHY IS THAT IN HERE? I THOUGHT I HAD PUT THAT IN THERE INITIALLY. IT DID HAVE THE 150 TIED TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT THIS WAS JUST MY OVERSIGHT WHEN THINGS WERE GETTING FINALIZED FOR THE AGENDA. OKAY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVERSIGHT, BUT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THINGS RIGHT. OKAY. WE DO NOT APPROVE MONIES THAT WE DON'T KNOW. OKAY. AGREED. IF YOU TELL ME AGREED, TELL ME YOU TAKE IT FROM THIS ACCOUNT. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REMOVED. I COULD TRACK IT MYSELF ALSO. CITIZENS CAN. IT'S WHAT WE CALL GENERAL ACCEPTABLE ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, CORRECT? YES. AM I CORRECT? YES. OKAY. SO LET'S DO THAT LYNN, LET'S, UH, PUT THAT SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT WE ARE APPROVING. WE'RE NOT APPROVING JUST THE MONEY AS A WHOLE. YES SIR. WE APPRO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. WOULD YOU PLEASE DO THAT FOR ME? YES, SIR. WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A LIST OF THESE, UH, NUMBERS? YES, SIR. IN MY BUDGET, SIR. SO WHEN I GO TO THAT, I DON'T HAVE TO CALL YOU UP HERE? YES, SIR. AND ASK YOU, I DON'T HAVE TO DELAY THESE MEETINGS. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE THAT'S GOING TO BE POSTED ONLINE HOPEFULLY VERY, VERY SOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH THEN. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON THIS? IF NOT, WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSES? A SO IT IS, UH, APPROVED PR NUMBER 2 40 71. NEXT WE HAVE PR NUMBER [VII.C.(23) P.R. No. 24079 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Memorandum Of Understanding With The Public Works Department For The 9th Avenue Southbound Reconstruction Project By Committing $607,968.05 In City Street Funds; Available In Capital Account: 307-21-053-8517-00-10-00, And $990,000.00 Will Be Paid By The 2019 Hud Infrastructure Grant] 2 40 79 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR THE NINTH AVENUE SOUTHBOUND RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT BY COMMITTING $607,968 AND 5 CENTS IN STREET FUNDS, UH, IN CITY STREET FUNDS AVAILABLE IN CAPITAL ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH FIVE THREE DASH 85 7 0 0 AND 990,000 WILL BE PAID BY THE 2019 HUD INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCIL KINLOCK? SO MOVED. MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE NUMBER 2 40 79 AS PRESENTED. WE'RE READY FOR A QUESTION. COUNCILMAN ETT? YES. THIS FIRST TIME I EVER SEEN SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE, CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY ARE WE HAVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WHEN OUR CITY MANAGER IS IN CHARGE OF ALL DEPARTMENTS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY? SO WHY DO THERE NEED TO BE ANY MOUS BETWEEN HIM AND ANY EMPLOYEE DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY IN THIS CITY? YES SIR. THE, UM, TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE HAS MADE A REQUEST FOR THIS MOU. UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE MOU FOR THE MOST PART IS REALLY FOR COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDING SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. UM, THAT IS A, UM, OF COURSE AN ACTION THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN BY CITY COUNCIL. UM, THEY REQUESTED THAT THESE FUNDS [03:00:01] BE OBLIGATED BEFORE THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT READY TO MOVE FORWARD IN CON UM, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THE CITY OBLIGATING THE FUNDS TO ITSELF. OKAY. MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING HERE. THIS COUNCIL IS THE ONE THAT APPROVE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS? YES SIR. WE DO THAT MM-HMM . SO THE, THE, THE, THE, THE STATE OF TEXAS TOLD US THAT WE HAVE TO DO A MOU IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE FUNDS OR APPROPRIATE FUNDS. ALL THAT, ALL THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE CITY, ANY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS THAT SOMEBODY BRING THIS TO THE BODY AND THE BODY APPROVES IT. ONCE THE BODY APPROVES IT, THEN THAT FUNDS IT APPROPRIATED. YES SIR. SO IF WE TALKING ABOUT APPROPRIATING, IF, IF WE MUST APPROPRIATE 690,000 OR APPROVE IT, WHY DON'T IT COME TO THE COUNCIL, WE APPROVE IT, THEN YOU NOTIFY THE STATE OF TEXAS THE MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED. WHY I REALLY, PAM, AM I CORRECT? BECAUSE I NEED TO CHECK THAT OUT. YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS TOLD US THAT WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH A MOU BETWEEN OUR CITY MANAGER AND A DEPARTMENT THAT COMES UNDER HIM IN ORDER TO DO THAT. THE TEMPLATE THAT'S BEING USED FOR THIS MOU IS THE, THE SAME TEMPLATE THAT IS BEING USED FOR THE, UM, FEDERAL FUNDING THAT YOU'LL SEE UNDER THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA. UM, THE STATE OF TEXAS DID, UM, STATE THAT THEY DID WANT AN MOU. WE JUST USED A, THE SIMILAR TEMPLATE, UM, AS WE HAD NEVER DONE AN MOU WITH GLO BEFORE. UM, BUT THE INTENT, IT'S THE SAME AS IT WILL BE WITH THE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE UNDER THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA. AND IT'S TO APPROPRIATE WELL OBLIGATE THOSE FUNDS FOR THESE SPECIFIC PROJECTS. OKAY, THEN I WANT, I I WON'T, I WON'T PROLONG THIS DISCUSSION. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A COPY OF THAT THOUGH, PAM? YES, SIR. OKAY THEN. ALRIGHT. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? UH, PR NUMBER 2 40 79 AS APPROVED AS READ. NEXT WE HAVE [VII.C.(25) P.R. No. 24088 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing 4 Film Co.’s Use Of City Property In Connection With The Production Of A Motion Picture, Notwithstanding The Company’s Failure To Obtain A Filming Permit Prior To Commencement Of Filming; And Providing An Effective Date (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)] PR NUMBER 2 40 88. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING FOUR FILM COMPANIES USE OF CITY PROPERTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRODUCTION OF A MOTION PICTURE. NOTWITHSTANDING THE COMPANY'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A FILMING PERMIT PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF FILMING AND PROVIDED AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON EVER APPEAL? MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN ETT. SO MOVED. I GET A, UH, A SECOND MAYOR PRO TEMP SECOND. IT MOVED IN SECOND. THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PRIORITY NUMBER 2 48 0, I MEAN 2 40 88. UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN. UH, ETT? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT WAS IT? WHAT WHAT ARE WE APPROVING? I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT ARE WE APPROVING? UH, WHO WOULD ANSWER THAT? ATTORNEY OR, UH, 'CAUSE I READ THE BACKGROUND AND I READ EVERYTHING. I SEE THE REQUEST IS COME FROM COUNCILWOMAN, UH, EVER FIELD. WOULD WOULD YOU BE IN A POSITION TO EXPLAIN IT? COUNCILWOMAN? GO RIGHT IN. OKAY. THANK YOU MA'AM. THE, UM, THIS REQUEST I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TABLED TO THE NEXT MEETING. THE APPLICATION PROCESS HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED, SO WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO DISCUSS IT. OKAY. OH, GO, GO RIGHT IN, SIR. GO. RIGHT. I THINK THE CO THE COUNCILMAN ASK A QUESTION AND BASICALLY IT WAS THE CITY'S LOGO AND A POLICE CAR IN THE BACKGROUND. I CAN, I CAN GO AHEAD AND GIVE MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION. UM, THERE'S A MOVIE THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY LOCAL, UH, STUDENTS HERE AND LOCAL TALENT IN THE, FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. AND JUST ON GOOD MERIT WHILE THEY WERE FILMING, A POLICE OFFICER PULLED UP AND ON ONE OF THE SITES AND ONE OF THE SCENES SHOWS THIS, UH, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S LOGO. OKAY. AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW, THEY WERE NOT AWARE THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO U HAVE PERMISSION IN ORDER TO USE IT IN THEIR FILM. AND THEY DID ASK THE OFFICER AND THE OFFICER, YOU KNOW, JUST SAID, YES, NO PROBLEM OUT OF SUPPORT. HOWEVER, UM, [03:05:01] WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WITH DECENCY IN ORDER AND HAVE IT COVERED AS THEY NEED TO. OH, OKAY. THAT'S, I'M, I'M GLAD I UNDERSTAND IT NOW. 'CAUSE THAT LEADS ME TO THE POINT IS THIS IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL FILMING IF THIS IS A COMMERCIAL FILM. A MOVIE. WELL, COMMERCIAL IS BASICALLY ACCOMPANIED PRODUCING. 'CAUSE I, I WENT BACK AND I READ THE, UH, THE, UH, ORDINANCE. IF SOMEONE DECIDES TO GO OUT THERE AND START FILMING THINGS IN THE CITY 'CAUSE THEY WANT TO SUBMIT IT FOR APPROVAL OR FOR SOMEBODY TO EDIT, THAT'S ONE THING. BUT WHEN I READ THE COMMERCIAL, THE ONE THAT REQUIRES THE APPLICATION, EVEN THE APPLICATION TELLS EVERYTHING THEY WANT. WHEN YOU'RE DOING A COMMERCIAL, YOU ACTUALLY GONNA NOW GET EX WHAT EXCLUSIVE USE OF A FACILITY OF STREETS AND, UH, MAYBE PARKS. UH, BUT THAT MEANS THAT WE GONNA SHUT THAT DOWN FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. CITY MAN, YOU FOLLOW ME IN CASE I SAY SOMETHING WRONG. OKAY, SO THAT'S FOR COMMERCIAL. THAT'S COMMERCIAL. COMMERCIAL MEANS WHEN WE COME IN INTO FILM, WE GOING TO TAKE THIS, WE WANT TO USE THIS BUILDING, WE WANT TO USE THIS FACILITY. HEY, WE WANT TO CLOSE OFF THESE ROAD. SO NOBODY COME TO INTERRUPT THAT COMMERCIAL, UH, UH, FILMING. IF SOMEBODY JUST WANT TO COME IN HERE AND DO A DOCUMENTARY, THEY WANT TO GO AROUND TAKING PICTURES OF OUR PARKS. THEY WANT TO GO INTO THIS BUILDING AND FILM. AS LONG AS THEY DON'T INTERRUPT PRO PROCESS OR THEY WANT TO CLOSE OFF A STREET, IT'S PUBLIC. IT IS PUBLIC. UH, WE CAN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM FILMING. WE CAN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM DOING SOME TYPE OF FILMING AND THEY GET THE, OUR INSIGNIA OF A POLICE VEHICLE. WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T STOP THAT. THAT WASN'T THE ONLY, UH, THING MR. DISETTE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT IT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND IT WAS UNDER HER ADVICE AND HER RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FOLLOWED THIS PROCESS. OKAY THEN. SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO. OKAY? THANK YOU JUDGE. YES, SIR. OKAY. CITY ATTORNEY. I READ THE, THE FILM. SO IF THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING THAT THE CITY GIVE THEM ANYTHING OR FULL AND EXCLUSIVE ACCESS, WHY DO THEY NEED TO DO AN APPLICATION? IT WAS ALREADY DONE. OKAY. WAIT, LEMME ASK THE CITY MANAGER, THE POLICE, I MEAN, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. IT'S THE USE, IT'S THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY. THE CITY PROPERTY INVOLVES THE POLICE VEHICLE. THE POLICE OFFICER PERHAPS, I'M NOT SURE IF HE WAS IDENTIFIED IN HIS UNIFORM, BUT IT'S THE USE OF THE, HE WAS NOT E FILM. I DIDN'T GET TO WATCH THE FILM, SIR. HE, HE, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THEY USED CITY PROPERTY IN FILMING. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ABOUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, BUT I'M ASKING YOU. THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE SPECIFIC USE OF CITY PROPERTY LOGO, THE POLICE VEHICLE. NO, THAT'S ALSO CITY EQUIPMENT AND CITY PROPERTY. BUT IF I GO OUT THERE NOW AND FILM IT, I COULD FILM HIM IN THE STREETS. I COULD COME IN, I COULD COME IN THE CITY HALL AND FILM EACH PROCEEDING. IF I WANTED TO GO AND, AND PUBLISH IT, I CAN. AM I RIGHT OR WRONG? SO, UH, WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE'S NO ACTIONS TO THIS ITEM AND SHE WANTS TO PULL THIS. SO I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S NOT WASTE ANY AMOUNT TIME. I COULD ALWAYS GET BACK WITH, UH, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING COUNCILMAN EVER FEEL. AND I ALSO COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK ON YOU. WE AIN'T GONNA HOLD THIS UP FOR THAT ONE. OKAY? I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTION, MA'AM. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN, YOU STILL WANT TO REMOVE MY REQUEST IS STILL TO YES, PLEASE. TABLE BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WAS NOT SUBMITTED. OKAY. WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE. WE JUST TABLE IT. YEP. IT JUST COME BACK A AUTOMATICALLY CITY THE SECRETARY. I SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU MAYOR. ALL IN FAVOR OF TABLING A. ANY OPPOSES. OKAY, THAT, UH, ITEM IS TABLED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING. UH, NEXT WE [VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 23779 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 2 To The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Brystar Contracting, Inc. Of Beaumont, Texas For The Stonegate Drainage Improvement Project For Resolving Electrical Conflict On Oakmont Drive, Install Weir At Pond 3 On The Golf Course, Reroute Irrigation Line, Add HDPE Pipe, Install Valves On Transit Lines, Paving Median To Convert To A Turning Lane, And Add 154 Calendar Days For The Amount Of $315,047.10. Funds Are Available In The Drainage Account 307-21-055-8515-00-10-000 Pending Approval Of Budget Amendment PO 7300. Project No. DR1P04] HAVE, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA. PR NUMBER 2 3 7 79. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER [03:10:01] TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND BRIGHTSTAR, UH, CONTRACT INCORPORATED OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE STONE GATE DRAINAGE, UH, IMPROVEMENT, UH, PROJECT FOR RESOLVING ELECTRICAL CONFLICT ON OAKMONT. UH, DRIVE, UH, INSTALLED WIRE. ASSUME THAT'S WHAT IT IS AT POND. UH, THREE. IS THAT, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AT REAL WIRE. YEAH, I, I, YEAH. UH, YEAH, YEAH. UH, I MAYBE MISSED THAT CLASS ON THAT DAY. THEY WERE TEACHING THAT PHONETIC SOUND. INSTALL WHATEVER THAT IS AT PA THREE ON THE GOLF COURSE OR ROUTY IRRIGATION LINE OR, AND HDP PIPE INSTALL VALVES AND TRANSIT LINES, UH, PAVING MEDIAN TO, UH, CONVERT A TURN IN LANE AND ADD 154 CALENDAR DAYS FOR THE AMOUNT OF 315,000. $47 AND 10 CENTS FOR ARE AVAILABLE IN THE DRAINAGE ACCOUNT. NUMBER 3 0 7 21 DASH 55 85 15 DASH 0 0 0 0 PENDING APPROVAL OF BUDGET. UH, AMENDMENT NUMBER PO 7,300 AND THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER DR ONE P ZERO FOUR. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO MOVED. MAYOR. UH, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? IT IS BEEN MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 7 9 AS APPROVED. UH, I MEAN AS READ, UH, MATTER BETTER THE QUESTION, UH, COUNCILMAN DO SET YOUR LIGHT IS ON? YES. ONCE AGAIN, I SEE THE SAME, UH, ACCOUNT NUMBER, IS THAT OUT STREET MAINTENANCE OR IS THAT OUT OF, SUPPOSED TO BE OUT STREET CAPITAL FUNDS? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. THAT PARTICULAR ITEM IS SPECIFIC TO DRAINAGE. OKAY. THEN IT DOES NOT SAY STREETS ON THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM. OKAY, SO THIS NUMBER IS, IS FOR DRAINAGE IT THE 85 15, THE LAST FOUR, RIGHT? YES. THE ONE YOU HAD BEFORE WAS 85 17 FOR THE STREETS AND 85 15 FOR THE DRAINAGE. OKAY. THEY ALL COME OUT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND. OKAY. FOR THE, UH, SO THIS ONE HERE IS LIKE, SO, UH, WE GONNA DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS. OKAY? SO THAT IS CORRECT. I LOOKED AT THE AMENDMENT AND WE TAKEN IT FROM THE CAPITAL THING. SO, UH, HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT ON HOW MUCH WE'VE PUT AND HOW MANY WE GOING, HOW MUCH WE GOING TO END UP? IT JUST IMPACTS THE FUND BALANCE. IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE AMOUNT THAT'S GOING IN. SO YOU'RE TAKING FROM FUND BALANCE, WHICH WOULD BE A PRIOR YEAR OR THE AMOUNT THAT HAD NOT BEEN APPROPRIATED. SEE, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HAVE CLARIFICATION WHEN WE DO THESE TYPE OF AMENDMENTS. THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO REALLY, THAT THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM FUND BALANCE IN THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE. UHHUH , THERE IS COMMENT ON THERE WHERE IT DOES SAY FUND BALANCE UHHUH ON THE 3 0 7. YEAH, I SAW THAT. OKAY. THAT'S WHY I PULLED IT, MAN. OKAY. I, I PULLED IT BECAUSE I SAW THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE WHEN I SEE US START TAKING MONEY OUT FUND BALANCE, OKAY, YOU'RE TAKING MONEY OUTTA FUND BALANCE, BUT YOU'RE NOT TELLING US HOW IT IMPACT OUR FUND BALANCE. OKAY. YOU KNOW, IF, UH, WE KEEP TAKING MONEY OUTTA FUND BALANCE, THEN WE SHOULD KNOW HOW IT'S IMPACTED ON THE FUND BALANCE. BECAUSE THIS IS A CAPITAL ACCOUNT. IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS GENERAL FUND OR ENTERPRISE FOR REQUIRING A CERTAIN AMOUNT. MUCH OF THAT 3 0 7, ANYTHING THAT IS IN FUND BALANCE IS ALREADY, I WOULD SAY RESTRICTED FOR THE USE IN CAPITAL ONLY. WHAT IF IT'S IN RESTRICTED? IT'S A RESTRICTED USE. THAT MEANS IT'S JUST FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. OKAY. SO BUT WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM? THE, THE MONEY HAS COME FROM THE YEARS THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT ALL OF WHAT WAS BUDGETED AND THE TRANSFERS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING IN ALL OF THOSE YEARS. SO THERE IS SOME AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE THAT IS STILL AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE THAT WAS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE AUDIT THAT WAS PRESENTED THE LAST MEETING. OH, I'LL COVER THIS IN THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS GETTING TOO COMPLICATED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO WASTE TIME WITH THIS. LET'S MOVE. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, ANY OTHER UNDER READINESS? NA, WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES? EVERY PR NUMBER 23 7 7 9 [03:15:01] IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NEXT WE HAVE [VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24003 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Revise The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Project Categories Which Were Previously Approved ] A PR NUMBER 24 0 0 3, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED CENTER MANAGER TO REVISE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, ARPA PROJECTS CATEGORY, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PERIOD NUMBER 24 0 0 3 AS PRESENTED. WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN ETT? YES. YOU KNOW, THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT, EVERY TIME I SEE THAT ON ONE OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS, I ALWAYS GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT BECAUSE WE, WE WERE GIVEN THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND AT THE TIME WE SPECIFICALLY BROKE IT DOWN ON HOW WE WANTED TO SPEND IT. AND, UH, IT'S BEEN YEARS NOW AND WE WERE REQUESTED THIS IS HOW WE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY. SO IF WE APPROVED HOW WE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY, AND WE ARE ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW THAT WE'VE HAD IT, WHAT IT WAS 2021 CITY, 2000. OKAY. SO ON 22 YEARS. YEAH. SO, UH, WE'VE ALREADY SAID BACK THEN WHAT WE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY ON, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE THOSE THINGS AND THE MONEY'S THERE. SO NOW WE GO BACK AND RE WE WANT TO NOW TAKE IT FROM WHAT WE APPROVED THAT MONEY WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT FOR IT TO SAY WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AND WE SAVE TIME, CHANGE, UH, UH, AND PRIORITIES CHANGE. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO IT IS GOOD TO CHANGE SOMETIMES, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN OVER $2 MILLION IN INTEREST MM-HMM . BECAUSE THIS MONEY HAS BEEN SITTING THERE. SO WITHOUT PROLONGING THIS, AND I'M GONNA MAKE IT A POINT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT ACTIONS, UH, WHAT'S TAKEN AND WHAT WE DONE WHEN WE FIRST APPROVED THIS BREAKDOWN OF THIS MONEY TO ALLOW US TO HAVE TO HAVE MONEY IN THERE WHERE WE DRAWING $2 MILLION INTEREST ON MONEY WE GOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FIX THINGS IN THIS CITY. SO IF WE CAN AFFORD TO WAIT THREE YEARS LATER AND I LOOK AT THE CITY WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH IT, I'M GONNA JUST ASK THEM THE THING. SO I GET WITH THE MANAGER AND I GET WITH THE, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND, UH, TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE FIRST LIST WE DID AND WHY WE HERE AND WHY THIS MONEY BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SO LONG WHEN WE GOT THINGS WE NEED TO FIX. MM-HMM . OKAY. THAT'S MY COMMENTS FOR THAT ONE. MAYOR, THEN MAYOR, LET ME, YEAH, LET ME JUST, UM, GIVE A, A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF IT. WE DID RECEIVE $26 MILLION. UM, ABOUT $18 MILLION HAVE BEEN EXPENDED OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME THIS, THE MONEY HAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE CITY'S ACCOUNT. SO NATURALLY WE HAVE ACCUMULATED INTEREST OVER A PERIOD OF TIME ON THE UNSPENT BALANCE. AND SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING COUNCIL TO DO, BECAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT CONGRESS SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT ALL THE MONEY BY DECEMBER 31ST THIS YEAR, ALL THE MONEY MUST BE APPROPRIATED. SO WHAT WE'RE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL TO DO, INCLUDING THE UNSPENT BALANCES, EIE, WE HAD SOME OF THAT MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR, UM, UM, THE LANDFILL FOR STABILIZATION OUT THERE. WE HAVE USED IT, BUT THERE IS A BALANCE. BUT YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO RE-APPROPRIATE THAT MONEY BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO MONEY LEFT ON THE TABLE TO SEND BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YEAH. SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. YEAH. USE EVERY PENNY OF IT, RIGHT? INCLUDING THE INTEREST. YEAH, I READ THAT. SEE THE MATTER, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA CHECK ON THIS BECAUSE I'M SAYING WE SHOULD NOT WAIT. I MEAN, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THIS FAR. I THINK WE COULD HAVE SPENT THE MONEY. OKAY, THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT. BUT BEFORE I SAY THIS, I WANT TO GO BACK AND I WANT TO CHECK, OKAY? BECAUSE ALL THIS WE GOT TO SPEND AT THE LAST MOMENT. NOW WE, WHEN WE GET IT, WE COULD SPEND IT AND IF WE KEEP SETTING ON IT AND WE GET TO THE POINT WITH SPY TELLING US IT'S THE DEADLINE. SO THE DEADLINE, WE START DOING THINGS TO ME, THE DEADLINE. SO RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMENT ON. THAT'S WHY I SAID I'M GOING TO CHECK AND THEN I'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. OKAY. TO HELP YOU OUT, COUNCILMAN, UH, IN MY MAYORAL VISITS THAT I'VE BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY, ALSO WITH THE US CONFERENCING MAYOR AND WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, ZOOM MEETINGS, UH, FROM DECEMBER 1ST. I DID SPEAK WITH THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK AND THE CITY MANAGER CONCERNING THIS. WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT'S DOING A MOVE LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW. SO THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO GO ANYBODY'S SUPPORT OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. AND ALL OF [03:20:01] THE MAYORS IN CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE FULL WARNING TO BE SURE THAT THESE TYPE THINGS HAPPEN TO CITY MANAGER. AND I TALKED ABOUT 'EM. SO, I MEAN, YOU COULD CHECK ON IT, BUT YOU COULD BE SURE THAT IF YOU DON'T MOVE ON IT, YOU GOING TO OWE THE MONEY BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT. SO WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT. SO THIS ORDERED PR NUMBER 24 0 0 3 IS APPROVED AS READ ON PAGE NINE. [VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24045 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 4 To The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Allco, LLC, Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Port Acres Drainage Improvement Project, To Relocate Water Lines, Add A Fire Hydrant, Add Corrugated Pipes, Reduction In Linear Footage Of Reinforced Concrete Boxes (RCB), Relocate Sanitary Sewer Service, Add A Storm Conflict Structure, And Add Fifteen (15) Calendar Days, For The Amount Of $55,790.42 Resulting In A New Contract Amount Of $33,565,895.19. Funding In The Drainage System Account No. 307-21-055-8515-00-10-000, Project No. DR1P03A Is Contingent Upon Approval Of A Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance No. 7300] NOW, PR NUMBER 20, I MEAN 2 40 45 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FOUR TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ALCO, LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE PORT ACRES DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO RELOCATE WATER LINES AND A FIRE HYDRANT AND, UH, UH, CORRUGATED PIPES. REDUCTION IN LINEAR FOOTAGE OF, UH, REINFORCED CONCRETE BOXES, WHICH IS ARE CALLED RCB, RELOCATE SANITARY SEWER SERVICE. ADD A STORM CONFLICT STRUCTURE AND ADD 15 CALENDAR DAYS FOR THE AMOUNT OF $55,790 FOUR 2 CENTS, RESULTING IN A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $33,565,895 19 CENTS FUNDED IN THIS DRAIN. SISTER, I'M GOING FAST. Y'ALL KNOW WHY? UH, 3 0 7 21 0 5. 5 85 5 0 0 0 0 0. PROJECT NUMBER D ONE P OH THREE A CONTINGENT UPON APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT VIA ADOPTION OF PROPOSED ORDER. THIS NUMBER 7,300. I'M GOING REAL QUICK. Y'ALL KNOW WHY CAN'T YOU? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? NO, I CAN GET A MOTION. I'M SORRY. GIVE, GET YOUR MOTION. COME ON. GIMME FAST. FAST. THANKS. HURRY. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? LET'S GET HURRY. LET'S GO TO NEXT. MAYOR. ALRIGHT, FOR THE RECORD, I NEED TO KNOW WHO MADE THE MOTION IN THE SECOND PLEASE? THEM TWO RIGHT HERE. ANYBODY? ANYBODY? YOU WRITE ANYBODY? NO, SIR. I NEED IT FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. I'M SORRY. IT'S RIGHT. ANYBODY? THE SECRETARY HAMILTON EVER FIELD MADE THE MOTION AND KEN LAW MADE THE SECOND? YEAH. ANYBODY? ANYBODY? ANYBODY YOU WANT TO PICK? MALE. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO. YES SIR. YOU NEED TO LEAVE THAT MB BOMBING FLUID ALONE. NO, I GOT SOMEBODY I NEED TO PUT HERE. ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S COACH, DON'T MAKE ME SAY THAT BABY. LEAVE ME ALONE. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO [VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24059 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Burditt Consultants, LLC Of Conroe, Texas For Engineering Services, Construction Documents And Construction Management For The Rose Hill Park Project With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $482,192.00. Funding Available In Account Number 307-25-065-8525-00-10-00] PR NUMBER 2 40 59. OKAY. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH BIRDED CONSULTANTS, LLC, CONROE, TEXAS FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR THE ROADS HERE, PROJECT WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $482,192. FUNDING AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 2 5 DASH OH SIX FIVE DASH 8 5 2 5 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ONE ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO. COME ON. SO MOVED. GOOD. WE GOT IT. ALL IN FAVOR? YEAH. AYE. ANY OPPOSES? CITY SECRETARY HAMILTON AND KEN LAW? YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT ONE. PR R NUMBER WHEW. PR NUMBER 2 40 73. [VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24073 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Memorandum Of Understanding Obligating Funding Under The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) For The Construction Of Drainage Improvements Associated With West 17th Street Through West 19th Street In An Amount Not To Exceed $2,000,000.00; Funding Available In The ARPA Program Account: 169-07-015-8515-00-40- 000, Project No. ARP006] A RESOLUTION. OH, HERE HE COME BACK. ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA GO SOON. ALRIGHT. POPULAR MAN IN THE HOUSE. ALRIGHT, 2 47 3. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGERS TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OBLIGATING FUNDING UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OR BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH WEST 17TH, UH, STREET THROUGH WEST 19TH STREET IN THE AMOUNT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED OF $2 MILLION. FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THE PROGRAM ACCOUNT. 1 6 9 DASH SEVEN DASH 5 8 5 15 DASH DASH FOUR ZERO. AND IT'S PROJECT NUMBER, UH, A OR R 0 0 6. I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. SO MOVED. I SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE THIS, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF 2 40 73. WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION. NO QUESTIONS WHETHER VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE IT. SO IS ORDER PR NUMBER 2 40 73 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NEXT WE HAVE [VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 24078 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With Global Drilling, Inc. Of Winnie, Texas, For The Sabine Pass Sewer Pipe Bursting Phase IV Project At Tremont Street Across Broadway Street To And Continued Through Greenwhich Street, With A Total Projected Budgetary Impact Of $452,888.00; Funds Are Available In ARPA Account No. 169-07-015- 8516-00-40-000, Project No. ARPA015] ITEM SIX PR NUMBER 2, 40 78. IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GLOBAL DRILLING INCORPORATED OF WINNIE, TEXAS FOR THE SABINE PASS PIPE BURST IN PHASE FOUR PROJECT AND, UH, TREMONT STREET, ACROSS BROADWAY STREET TO AND CONTINUED THROUGH GREENWICH, UH, STREET. OKAY, WITH A TOTAL PROJECTED BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF 4 52 450 $2,888. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN OFFER ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 6 9 DASH 0 7 5 8 5 16 0 4 0 0. [03:25:09] AND THIS IS, UH, OUR PROJECT NUMBER A UH, 0 1 5. UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL. SOME MOVED A SECOND. IT'S MOVED IN SECOND. AND WE WOULD APPROVE P NUMBER 2 40 78 AS PRESENTED. WE READY FOR QUESTIONING? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS. YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT. SO PR NUMBER 2 40 78 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED ON TO PAGE 10, [VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 24081 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Memorandum Of Understanding Obligating Funding Under The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) For The Acquisition Of A Side-Load Residential Garbage Truck And Grapple Trash Truck In Accordance With ARPA Guidelines In An Amount Not To Exceed $1,000,000.00; Funding Available In The ARPA Program Account: 169-00-000-4510- 00-00-000 ($852,332.00) And ARPA Interest Account: 169-00-000- 4610-00-00-000 ($147,668.00)] ITEM NUMBER SEVEN PR NUMBER 2 40 81. IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FUNDING UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE, UH, PLANT ACT OR BEFORE THE ACQUISITION OF A SIDE LOAD RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE TRUCK AND GRAPPLE TRASH TRUCK IN ACCORDANCE WITH A R UH, ARPA GUIDELINES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1 MILLION FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THE ARPA PROGRAM. ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 6 9 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0. IN THAT ACCOUNT, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE $852,332. AND OFFER INTEREST ACCOUNT, UH, NUMBER 1 6 9 0 0 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 46 10 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 0. AND FROM THAT ACCOUNT, $147,668. WE ARE READY FOR MOTION. SO MOVED A SECOND. SECOND. IT HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 40 81 AS PRESENTED. WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONING THE QUESTIONS. YEAH, GO. GO AHEAD. CITY MANAGER. IS THIS RELATED TO EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR THE HARVEST STORM? IS THIS RELATED? IT IS NOT. NO, WE HIT THE MIC. WE ARE GENERALLY REPLACING EQUIPMENT TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OUT THERE IN GARBAGE COLLECTION. GARBAGE AND TRASH PICKUP. OKAY, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT. WE, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DON'T HAVE ANY. WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE WILL RESULT OF PR NUMBER 24 0 8 1 IS APPROVED AS READ. PR NUMBER 24 8 0 8 2 HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. SO WE MOVE TO NUMBER NINE [VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 24084 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) For The Purchase And Installation Of Irrigation Pumps At The Babe Zaharias Golf Course, Utilizing Funding From The Federal American Rescue Plan Act ("ARPA"), In A Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $116,000.00; Funding Available In ARPA Interest Account: 169-00-000-4610-00-00-000] PR NUMBER 24 8 4, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND MOU FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF IRRIGATION PUMPS AT THE BABE Z UH, BABES AREAS GOLF COURSE. UTILIZING FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLANT ACT A IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $116,000 FUNDING AVAILABLE IN A ENTRANCE ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 6 9 DASH 0 0 0 DASH 46 10 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO. MOTION FOR APPROVAL PLEASE MOVED. SO MOVED. SECOND IF MOVED AND SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 2 40 84 AS PRESENTED. WE READY FOR QUESTION UNDER THE QUESTIONS? READ? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION. WELL, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN A QUESTION. UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC. UM, THE, THE PUMPS AT THE GOLF COURSE WERE IN NEED OF REPAIR ANYWAY, BUT NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE DRAINAGE PROJECT AND THE RETENTION PONDS ARE MUCH LARGER, UH, IT'S IMPERATIVE NOW THAT THESE PUMPS BE REPLACED. SO I JUST WANT THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A, ANOTHER FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THING THAT WE'RE DOING. AND IT'S ALSO, UH, FOR THE DRAINAGE PROJECT SO THAT THE PUMPS CAN ADEQUATELY PUMP OUT NOW THAT THOSE PONDS ARE MUCH, MUCH LARGER THAN THEY USED TO BE. UM, AND SO THIS IS FOR, FOR EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT IN AND AROUND THE GOLF COURSE. UH, THE STONE GATE DRAINAGE PROJECT, LAKE ARTHUR, UH, NEWPORT HEIGHTS, WHERE I AM. SO JUST SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING TO DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. ANY OTHER QUESTION ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AYES AVERAGE OF PR NUMBER 20, I MEAN 2 40 84 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 10 [VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 24087 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Gas Rights Agreement With VBM Port Arthur, LLC For The Property Lease And Development Of A Project To Convert Landfill Gas Into Energy (Part 1 of 2)] PO NUMBER 2 40 87. MAYOR CITY ATTORNEY'S ASKING FOR YOU, SIR. OH, EXCUSE ME. CAN WE TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH CERTAINLY MAY. THANK YOU. NO PROBLEM. LET'S MOVE NOW [VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7299 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 14, Article XXIII (Police Chief Advisory Committee), Section 14-691 (Created) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur] TO OR AND INSIST, UH, NUMBER ONE, PO NUMBER 72 99 AN OUS AMENDING CHAPTER 14 ARTICLE. IS IT 23 POLICE CHIEF ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SECTION 14 DASH 6 91 CREATED, UH, OF THE CODE OF ARTEMIS OF THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR AND A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. A SECOND. SECOND. IF BEEN MOVED TO SECOND, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 99 [03:30:01] AS PRESENTED, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION AND THE QUESTION IS READY TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR A AYE, ANY OPPOSERS AYES HAVE SO IS ON PO NUMBER 7 2 9 9 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. AND ON PAGE 11 WE HAVE PO NUMBER 7,300 [VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7300 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025, Increasing Capital Reserve Fund By $734,261.00 And Capital Improvement By $879,606.00] AND APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. INCREASING CAPITAL RESERVE FUND BY $734,261 AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BY $879,606. MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO VOTE A SECOND. IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 7,300 AS PRESENTED. WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSES AS HAVE PO NUMBER 7,300 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. AND FINALLY WE HAVE [VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7301 – An Ordinance As It Pertains To Providing For Holiday Pay For Fiscal Year 2024/2025.] PEO NUMBER 73 0 1. IT IS AN ORDINANCE AS IT PERTAINS TO PROVIDING FOR A HOLIDAY PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND 2025. I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. SO MOVED. MAY I GET A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 73 0 1 AS APPROVED. WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION. COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES, THIS IS PERTAINING TO THE CHRISTMAS BONUSES THAT WE GIVE, UH, EMPLOYEES. WE GIVE IT TO 'EM IN 2022. WE GAVE IT TO 'EM LAST YEAR ALSO. AND WE ARE GOING TO, AND THIS IS TO GIVE IT TO 'EM THIS YEAR. AND, UH, 2022 AS A CITIZEN, I WASN'T YET ON COUNCIL. AGAIN, I CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS THAT WHEN WE GIVE CHRISTMAS BONUSES, WE SHOULD BUDGET IT FOR IT. SO IT JUST PUT IT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, OKAY. I WAS ON COUNCIL LAST YEAR AND THEY WAITED TILL DECEMBER CAME UP WITH THE SAME RESOLUTION. LIKE TODAY. GIVE THIS, GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A BONUS. OKAY? IT'S ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. IT'S ABOUT DOING BUSINESS RIGHTS. PEOPLE MAY SAY NO, I DO SAY IT AGAINST THE BONUS CITY SECRETARY. MAKE A RECORD OF THIS. I HAVE NEVER VOTED AGAINST EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION RAISES. I HAVE NEVER VOTED AGAINST BONUSES AND I NEVER WILL. BUT WE AS A CITY HAVE TO DO AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS RIGHT NOW I ASK THAT THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY CHECK ON THIS FOR ME WITH, UH, TML AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE RESPONSE. SO I'LL BRING IT BACK AGAIN. BUT I'LL READ IT TO THE CITIZENS, THE EMPLOYEES AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESENT AND SEE WHAT YOU INTERPRET CITY. THE QUESTION. AND THIS IS TML BY THE WAY, THAT'S WHO WE PAID TO, UH, GIVE US ADVICE IS A CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED TO GIVE EMPLOYEES A BONUS. CITIES ARE PROHIBITED FROM GRANTING EXTRA COMPENSATION TO EMPLOYEES AFTER EMPLOYEES SERIES HAVE BEEN RENTED OR THAT IS NOT AGREED BEFORE. HOWEVER, IF THE CITY GIVE IT FOR THE LONGEVITY PAY IS ALL ALLOWED. IF IT'S THREE REQUIREMENTS. AND WHAT THEY SAY IS, IN ORDER TO NOT VIOLATE THIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION, A CITY MUST PROVIDE FOR THE HOLIDAY BONUS ONE IN ITS BUDGET, IN ITS PERSONNEL POLICY AND OFFER IT BEFORE THE WORK IS PERFORMED IS DEFINITELY BEEN OFFERED BEFORE THE WORK BEFORE, BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING CONTINUOUSLY. WE DEFINITELY HAVE IT IN PERSONNEL POLICY. SO THE ONLY THING LEFT TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE PLACE IT IN THE BUDGET. WE DONE THE BUDGET THREE MONTHS AGO. THREE MONTHS AGO. ALL WE'D DO THEN WAS PUT THE AMOUNT IN THE, IN THE BUDGET AND WE WOULD'VE COMPLIED TO THIS AND NO EFFORT. SO, UH, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE AGAINST [03:35:02] EMPLOYEES BONUSES, BUT I WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS AGAIN FOR THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW WE SHOULD PERFORM AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO AS A CITY. AND IT WAS CLEAR HERE, BUT I'LL GO BACK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. AND THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO COMMENT ON WAS OUR BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION. THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION SAID THAT IT IS THE, IT WAS THE DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL THAT THIS BONUS BE APPROVED. IT NEVER CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL. WE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, I'M ON THE COUNCIL AND I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BONUS WHEN I READ THE AGENDA. SO IF IT SAYS IT IS THE DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL, WHY WASN'T IT DISCUSSED? AND WE ALL KNOW ABOUT IT. I'LL TAKE I'LL TAKE BLAME FOR THAT. I'LL TAKE BLAME FOR THAT. OKAY? OKAY. ALRIGHT. OKAY. WELL, BECAUSE I ASK THEM TO PUT HIM IN, BUT I'LL TAKE BLAME FOR THAT. WELL, WELL, WELL, I'LL TAKE BLAME FOR THAT. OKAY, WELL IT'S ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO SAY I'M AGAINST BANK. OKAY? BUT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW AND ALL THIS COUNCIL HAS TO DO TO GIVE A BONUS EVERY YEAR WE DO A BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER, THAT WAS THREE MONTHS AGO. ALL WE HAD TO DO IS PUT IT, THE LAST THING IS WE DO NOT APPROVE A BONUS. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH MONEY. WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO APPRO APPROVE MONEY UNLESS WE KNOW, IF WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SUPPOSED TO SAY IN A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT. OKAY? THAT MEANS WE ARE NOW LIMITED TO WHAT WE APPROVE AND NOBODY COULD SPEND MORE THAN WHAT WE APPROVE. I I I'LL TAKE BRAIN FOR THAT ALSO. BOARD MAYOR TAKING ALL THE HEAT. YO, I HAVE TO BECAUSE I I ASK THEM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYOR, THE AMOUNT IS LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE. I I ACTUALLY MAKE IT OUT. HEY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE AMOUNT IS LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT AMOUNT THE ORDINANCE? YEAH, SHE SAID IT IS IN THE ORDINANCE. WHEN, WHEN, WHEN DID IT, WHEN DID IT GO IN? WHAT, WHAT'S THE, HOW MUCH IS IT? THE AMOUNT THAT'S, HOW MUCH IS IT? THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS IN THE ORDINANCE. HOW MUCH IS $300 IN HOLIDAY PAY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE? THAT IS NOT THE AMOUNT CITY ATTORNEY THAT IS HOW MUCH IS COMING? ABOUT 300 EACH IN THE VEHICLE. 700 SOMETHING. BUT IT WAS THREE FACT, COME ON, WE GO TO CALL FOR SCHOOL GO FACTOR. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES YOU GOT? TIMES THREE. OKAY, BUT I'M JUST SAYING AM AM I CORRECT ON? I KNOW. HOLD ON. LEMME COME ON ON. DON'T THIS, COME ON. OKAY. THIS IS SERIOUS. OKAY. FOR WHAT? LIKE I SAID, WHEN WE APPROVE THAT, WE SHOULD BE APPROVING THE AMOUNT. IF WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN APP AMOUNT IN WHICH WE APPROVE NOT TO EXCEED. OKAY? SO, UH, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE AGAINST, BUT I CAN TELL COUNCIL WE NEED TO STOP DOING. THIS IS NOT TRANSPARENT WHEN I'M SITTING ON COUNCIL AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL I COME HERE. WE DON'T DO BUSINESS THAT WAY. BLAME THE MAYOR. BLAME THE MAYOR. NO, NO. MAYOR, YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT. WE CAN'T BE BLAMING YOU. WE GOTTA DO IT RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU FINNA LEAVE. 'CAUSE WE GONNA DO THIS NEXT YEAR. I'M DOING IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU GONNA BE GONE NEXT. NO, I'M HERE NEXT YEAR. WELL, AFTER THAT DAY AIN'T GOING FOR YOU NO MORE. LOOK AFTER THAT. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. I ASKED THEM TO MAKE IT OUT, BUT I WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I DON'T WANT YOU TO BEAT UP ONE OF THEM, BUT NO, NO, THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. I'M NOT BEATING NOBODY UP. I'M ADDRESSING, I'M ADDRESSING PROBLEM. I I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DOING IT. OKAY. OKAY, OKAY. OH, WE, YOU AND I GOOD. I'M ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WELL THE FACT IS NOBODY WANT TO HEAR BECAUSE WHOEVER KNOW ABOUT IT AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO IT OUGHT UNDERSTAND. BUT I'M GONNA BLAME YOU. WHAT WE DOING? YOU SHOULDA TOLD US TO PUT IT IN THE BUDGET. YOU SAID YOU HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT THREE YEARS AGO. YOU KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO IT 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN FOR IT AND YOU LET US APPROVE THE BUDGET THE OTHER DAY AND YOU THE SMART MAN UP HERE AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US. SO I BLAME YOU NOW BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, I BLAME YOU NOW. NO, NO. LET ME TELL YOU THAT. WELL, WELL ME TALKING ABOUT THEN JUST LET ME TALK AND YOU AND, AND WE WON'T BE THIS LONG. OKAY? ONE 30 NOW I'LL CUT OFF THAT. HOW MUCH MORE YOU GONNA TALK? 1 31. NOW MAYOR, THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU BEING COMICAL ABOUT THIS [03:40:02] BECAUSE I'M GONNA, NO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME. YOU KEEP SAYING I'M AT FAULT, BUT THE CITY TELLING NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE PAPER, THE INFORMATION I GAVE HER FROM TML, THE FIRST THING THAT THEY GIVE WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF A CITY THAT WAS SUED BECAUSE THEY DID IT. YEAH. BUT NOW EVEN ON THAT COUNCILMAN, I GOTTA SAY THAT'S TML, THAT IS NOT THE CODE THAT THE LAW CODE THAT WE GO BY, WE GO BY THE LAW CODE, RIGHT? TML IS AN ADVISORY, UH, IN, IN THE ADVISORY CAPACITY. NOW, COME ON, WE GOTTA DO IT RIGHT? WE GOTTA DO IT RIGHT? GO AHEAD, LOOK HERE. THANK EVERYBODY ELSE TO VOTE. YEAH, EVERYBODY WANNA VOTE? SAY AYE. EVERYBODY WANT. AYE. NOW YOU WANNA VOTE. AYE AYE. OKAY, NOW WHAT ABOUT, AYE, ON THIS PROPOSAL, HEY, YOU GOT A LIGHT? QUIT DOING THIS. MY LIGHTS ON. I SEE LIGHTS, MAN. I SEE LIGHTS. THEY HAD LIGHTS ON ME THAT ABOUT LIGHT. COME ON, PROSPER LEWIS. UH, I'M JUST KEEPING THE ROOM LIGHT, MAN. TALK ABOUT SOMETHING. HEY MAYOR, GO AHEAD. THE, THE, UH, HOLIDAY PAY CAME UP. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON THAT AND I THINK THE, THE FINANCIAL RECORD SAID SHE HAD TO REVIEW SOME THINGS OR SOMETHING TO SEE WHAT, WHERE IT WAS GONNA ACTUALLY COME FROM. BUT WE DID DISCUSS THIS ABOUT THE HOLIDAY PAY. OKAY. AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU . MAYOR, THAT'S ALL. GO AHEAD. GO, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. THE MANAGER. WHAT'S THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE 700. I KNOW IT'S SEVEN. I KNOW. OKAY, SO FOR TRANSPARENCY, THAT'S ABOUT $210,000 VER SCHOOL. SO JUST FOR THE RECORD TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S ABOUT $210,000 IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HOLIDAY PAY FOR OUR STAFF. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO MAKE THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY RUN AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE. AND MERRY C AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. OKAY? YOU GUYS HAVE COUNCILMAN DO THAT? OKAY. GOT Y'ALL IN A HURRY TO GO SOMEWHERE. MAY I CALL FOR A VOTE PLEASE? MAYOR BEG PARDON? MAY I CALL FOR A VOTE PLEASE? A, A, A VOTE? WE, WE WERE ALL OKAY, WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. CITY SECRETARY, IT'S ALREADY VOTE SECRETARY. OKAY NOW. ALRIGHT, AND I JUST DO THAT TO KEEP THE ROOM LIGHT. Y'ALL, WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE NINE 30. YOU BOWL SERIES AND PEOPLE ARE ON THE FUNERAL. OKAY, NOW THE [IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) ] NEXT THING IS WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION. IN THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WERE, UH, WE WERE REQUIRED BY SECTION 5 5 1 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER OF 5 5 1 OPEN MEETINGS LAW OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY ARTICLE 62 52 DASH ONE SEVEN, SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION EIGHT. AND IN THAT SECTION IT SAYS, PRIOR TO GOING INTO THIS MEETING AND MY BEING THE PRESIDER OF THIS AUGUST BODY, I MUST MAKE THIS FOLLOWING STATEMENT THAT IN THIS CLOSED SESSION, WE WILL NOW BE HELD PURSUANT TO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF 5 5 1 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. IN THE CLOSED MEETING, WE DISCUSS THE FIRST ITEM, SECTION 5 5 1 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT MEETING ACT TO MEET WITH ITS ATTORNEY TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY AND THE AWE OF THE ATTORNEY. THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACTS AS IT RELATES TO THIS FIRST ITEM, DAMAGE TO GOLF COURT, UH, PATHWAY AT THE BAY DICKSON SAHARA'S, UH, MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE. THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN BECKHAM. SECOND ITEM, GAS RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH VBM, PORT ARTHUR, LLC, THIRD ISLAND, OR C HOMELAND SECURITY DATA ARE REGARDING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OFF, UH, SYSTEM BRIDGE PRIORITY LEVELS ONE AND TWO. FOURTH ITEM, WIND TURBINE TURBINE OF A SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE LEASE ON PLEASURE ISLAND. UH, ITEM NUMBER, I GUESS FIVE OUTSTANDING DEBT COLLECTIONS OF THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE CADET TRAINING, UH, AGREEMENTS. AND THEN SECTION TWO, WHICH WOULD BE 5 5 1 0.089 OF GOVERNMENT CODE DELIBERATIONS REGARDING SECURITY DEVICES OR SECURITY, UH, AUDITS. AND THIS WOULD BE THE HARM OF SECURITY DATA REGARDING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. OFF SYSTEM BRIDGES, PRIORITY LEVELS ONE AND TWO, AND ALSO SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS DEALING WITH WIND [03:45:01] TURBINE, SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE LEASE ON PLEASURE ISLAND AND ALSO A, UH, CORAN, I BELIEVE IT IS CLEAN EN UH, ENERGY LLC. AND BE THERE ANY OF THESE ITEMS WITH ACTIONS ATTACHED TO THEM. FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSIONS IN CLOSED SESSION, WE WILL RETURN HERE TO CHAMBERS AND IN OPEN SESSION, MAKE THE APPROPRIATE MOTION AND VOTE ON THESE ITEMS AT THIS JUNCTURE AT 1:36 PM WE WILL RECESS DOWN TO THE CONFERENCE AREA AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE VIRTUALLY WITH US, WE WILL RETURN. I CANNOT TELL YOU WHEN, BUT WE SHALL RETURN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE REESTABLISH A QUORUM? THANK YOU. MAYOR PROTE. MAYOR TI MAYOR PROTE BECKHAM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS. COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DEE. COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE YOU HAVE A COURT. MAY PRO TIM. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO. TIM, WILL YOU LET THE RECORD REFLECT WITH THE CITY SECRETARY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS HAS ENTERED THE ROOM? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CITY ATTORNEY . ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE SOME BUSINESS THAT CAME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN ITEM THAT WAS TABLED DURING OUR OPEN SESSION THAT WE NEED TO RECALL. THAT'S UH, [VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 24087 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Gas Rights Agreement With VBM Port Arthur, LLC For The Property Lease And Development Of A Project To Convert Landfill Gas Into Energy (Part 2 of 2)] ON PAGE 10. ITEM NUMBER 10. COULD I GET A MOTION FOR, UH, PR NUMBER 2 4 0 8 7. SO MOVED SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. AND THE MOTION, WE HAVE SOME FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS ONE. UH, THE MOTION THAT I HAVE, MAYOR PRO TIM, IS TO ENTER IN INTO A GAS RIGHT AGREEMENT WITH VBM, PORT ARTHUR, LLC. IS THAT IT? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. NOW I NEED TO SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR A AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NOW OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. LET'S SEE. THE CITY ATTORNEY SEEKS ACTION FROM THE COUNCIL REGARDING CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION. ITEM NUMBER ONE, E INVOLVING OUTSTANDING DEBT COLLECTIONS ON PORT ARTHUR POLICE CADET TRAINING AGREEMENTS. AND DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THAT ITEM? I HAVE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO USE ANY LEGAL MEANS NECESSARY TO COLLECT ON OUTSTANDING DEBT OWED TO THE CITY RELATED TO PORT ARTHUR POLICE CADET TRAINING AGREEMENTS. COULD I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND I BELIEVE, DO WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION OR IS THAT IT? THAT WAS IT. COMPLETE YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ACTION ITEMS. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM. ALL RIGHT THEN. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.