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CITY SECRETARY RECORDING IN PROGRESS.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.WE ARE GATHERED HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR OUR, UH, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, UH, 2025 COUNCIL MEETING.
AND NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO BEGIN OUR SPECIAL EXECUTIVE MEETING, AND IT IS NOW 4:09 PM AND, UH, UH, YOU MAY ATTEND THIS MEETING VIA, UH, TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS, HOWEVER YOU MUST FIRST DIAL, UH, 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9, AND YOU WOULD ENTER THE PAST CALL, EXCUSE ME, THE MEETING ID OF 8 8 6 5 5 2 7 9 5 2 9, AND THE PASSCODE OF 8 1 0 8 4 3 AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DISABILITIES OR AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, EXCUSE ME, HERE AT OUR MEETINGS.
AND IF YOU HAVE NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HOWEVER, 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND SHE AND HER EFFICIENT STAFF WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUEST.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCILMAN KEN LAW TO TURN HIS PHONE OFF.
I LOVE IT 'CAUSE IT WASN'T MINE.
AND WE WOULD TURN OFF OUR, UH, PHONES AND, UH, MUTE ALL OF THESE, UH, MOBILE DEVICES AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH A, A PRAYER PLEDGE AND OUR ROLL CALL.
AND WE HAVE IN OUR MIDST TODAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, BAY, WILLIE BAY LEWIS OF DISTRICT ONE.
COUNCILMAN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO THE ORDERS OF DURING THE PRAYER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO GOD COULD HEAR, OH YEAH, OUR FATHER DIDN'T HAVE A HONOR.
OUR KINGDOM THEM COME LET THAT WILL BE DONE UPON ORDER AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
LORD, MY REQUEST TODAY THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE, OF THE CITIZENS.
TREAT THEM ALL FAIRLY LEVEL, ALL THE PLAYING FIELDS.
HANDLE ALL OF THE CITY BUSINESS ABOVE BOARD ALL THESE REQUESTS.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY COUNCILMAN, JOIN US NOW PLEASE.
IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR REGULAR OPENING FOR OUR MEETINGS.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH THE QUORUM FOR MAYOR BARTEE PRESENT MAYOR PRO, TIM BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A QUORUM MAYOR.
AND WE ARE GATHERED HERE NOW AT 4:12 PM IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
[II. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
WE ARE PREPARING NOW TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, UH, IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 5 5, 1 0.1 OF THE CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OPEN MEETINGS LAWS OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY, EXCUSE ME, ARTICLE 62 52 DASH SEVEN, SECTION TWO SUBSECTION A PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE MEETING MIGHT BE IN THE PRESIDING OFFICER SHOULD MAKE THIS FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT.UH, A CLOSED MEETING OF EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD IN PURSUIT IN PURSUANT BROTHER TO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 5 5 1 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
IN THE CLOSED MEETING, WE WILL COVER SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 TO DISCUSS THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EVALUATIONS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY SECRETARY.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR BARTY.
SECONDLY, WE WE'RE COVERED 5 5 1 0.071, UH, OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT TO MEET WITH OUR ATTORNEY TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE COUNCIL
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UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BOARD OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT RELATING TO A GROUND LEASE BY DILIGENCE.OFFSHORE SERVICES LLC FROM THE CITY FOR CERTAIN TRACKS CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 13.79 ACRES, UH, 600 ACRES AND 1300, UH, 60.5 ACRES LOCATED ON PLEASURE ISLAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION FACILITIES.
UH, SECONDLY, WE WILL DEAL WITH CO UH, COMRAN, UH, CLEAN ENERGY.
LLC WILL ALSO DEAL WITH, UH, INFORMATION, UH, FROM ENTERGY.
WE WILL ALSO DEAL WITH, UH, INFORMATION FROM PROJECT LABRADOR AND WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE ASSOCIATION AND HOWEVER RENEWING THE, UH, DOWNTOWN HOUSING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THEN WE WILL MOVE TO NUMBER THREE, WHICH WOULD BE SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE A GROUND LEASE BY DILIGENCE OFFICER SHORE, UH, SERVICES LLC FROM THE CITY, UH, FOR CERTAIN TRACKS CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 13.79 ACRES, 600 ACRES AND 1360.5, UH, 0.5 ACRES LOCATED ON PLEASURE ISLAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF WIND AND SOLAR, UH, ENERGY GENERATION, UH, FACILITIES.
AND ALSO IN THIS CLOSED SESSION, WE WILL AGAIN DISCUSS, UH, CORAN AND THEIR AND THE CLEAN ENERGY LLC AND ENTERGY.
AND THESE, UH, ITEMS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IF THERE BE A NEED FOR ACTION ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS, IT WILL BE ACTED UPON IN WHEN WE RETURN TO OUR OPEN SESSION.
SO AT THIS TIME, WHAT WE WILL DO IS RECESS NOW TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR TO BEGIN OUR EXECUTIVE CLOSE SESSION, AND WE WILL RETURN WHEN WE COMPLETE THAT SESSION.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, WE ARE READY TO RECONVENE OUR SPECIAL EXECUTIVE, UH, MEETING.
WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SO KIND AS TO, UH, REESTABLISH.
MAYOR TIF, PRESENT, MAYOR PROTON BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
UH, WE HAD, UH, RETALIATE TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM DOWNSTAIRS ON THE FOURTH FLOOR TO HAVE OUR SPECIAL EXECUTIVE SESSION.
HOWEVER, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF PRESENTATIONS THAT WE WERE, UH, ACTUALLY RECEIVING, UH, IN THE SESSION.
THEREFORE, WE ARE HERE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY NOW.
SO WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS COMING OUT OF THAT SESSION, DO WE? THAT'S CORRECT, YOUR HONOR.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION ITEMS COMING OUT OF THAT MEETING.
AND NOW IT IS, UH, 5 51 AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO WITH 5 51 IS USE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND DECLARE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION DULY CLOSED AND ADJOINT RIGHT RECESS.
SO WE, WE, WE CLOSED THAT MEETING.
AM I CORRECT? ARE YOU RECESSING EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA TO RETURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION? OH, YES MA'AM.
BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO RETURN THAT.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS FROM MY HEART, NOT MY HEAD.
THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FROM YOU TODAY.
EVERY RECESS, UH, WE COMPLETE THE PRINTED AGENDA.
OKAY, MAYOR, MAYOR, YOU RECESSED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEAH.
YEAH, BUT YEAH, BUT I NEED TO, WE NEED ME TO CLOSE EVERYTH.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE DON'T NEED, WE CAN POSTPONE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM FOR ANOTHER DAY, BUT I DO NEED FOR YOU TO GO BACK AND CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GONNA GO DOWNSTAIRS AND COME BACK UPSTAIRS OR WHATEVER.
SO WE STILL WOULD HAVE TO GO DOWN TO NO SIR.
SO WE, IF WE POSTPONE EXECUTIVE SESSION,
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UH, NOW IF I'M RECALLING CORRECTLY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO START AGAIN IN THE MORNING, RIGHT? NINE O'CLOCK OR SOMETHING.WE ASKED, I ASKED WHERE TO BE NOW I'LL PLACE, I'LL PLACE ANY OTHER, UM, INFORMATION ON THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
I HAVE NO A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE GOVERNING BODY APPROVES THEN YOU CAN JUST CLOSE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I WANT THE GROUP TO AGREE ON IT.
IT'LL BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA NOW, BUT I STAY UP ALL NIGHT SO I CAN, Y'ALL, Y'ALL NEED TO STAY HERE WITH ME.
IF WE CLOSED THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, SECOND, OUR AGENDA ITEMS BE PLACED ON THE NEXT EXECUTIVE.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THIS, THIS, THIS, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE AND OUR ITEMS THAT WILL BE PLACED OF CITY ATTORNEY ON THE NEXT AGENDA.