[00:00:01]
AGENDA.OKAY, SO WE ARE GOOD WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS JUNCTURE IS NOW 5 52, UH, AND OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, AGENDA, UH, MEETING.
LET ME, I'M, WE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE THE CITY SECRETARY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AI TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO RECALIBRATE, RE RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
SO CANDIDLY, UH, WITH THIS BEING SAID,
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ON THE FIFTH FLOOR HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.AND TODAY BEING FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025, THE TIME BEING EXACTLY 5:53 PM THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY BEGIN THIS MEETING.
UH, YOU MAY ALSO ATTEND THIS MEETING VIA TELEPHONIC, UH, VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS. HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 1 9 2 5 2 2 0 6 2 8, AND THE PASSCODE OF 4 9 1 2 8 3, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THIS MEETING.
IN THIS MEETING, WE'LL ALSO, UH, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND IF YOU WOULD HAVE A NEED FOR ANY SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU MUST FIRST DIAL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO THAT THE CITY, UH, THE CITY SECRETARIES, UH, STAFF CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE REQUESTED ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE MEETING.
WITH THAT IN MIND, IF YOU NOW HAVE ANY, UH, ELECTRONIC DEVICES, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SILENCE THOSE.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR NORMAL AND REGULAR OPENING, WHICH WOULD BE AN INVOCATION, A PLEDGE, AND THEN THE ROLL CALL.
WE DO HAVE GUEST HERE, AND I SEE, UH, REVEREND DR.
CHAIS MILO IS IN THE, UH, PRESENT.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO OFFER AN INVOCATION FOR US, PLEASE? YES.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND? SEE OUR FATHER AND OUR GOD, WE THANK YOU, AND WE PRAISE YOU, LORD.
FATHER, WE WORSHIP YOU AND WE ADORE YOU.
AND OUR FATHER, WE PUT YOU AT THE HYN OF THIS MEETING.
AND FATHER, WE ASK FOR EVERYTHING ON THE AGENDA TO BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER.
WE THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY.
AND FATHER, YOU SAID, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IN UNITY ON, ON ONE ACCORD, THAT YOU WILL COMMAND A BLESSING.
AND SO, FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE ASK YOU, LORD GOD, THAT YOU FULFILL EVERY PLAN, EVERY AGENDA, EVERY IDEA.
FATHER GOD BLESS THIS, UH, GATHERING.
BLESS THIS CITY, BLESS THIS COMMUNITY.
FATHER, CONTINUE TO PROTECT US AND KEEP US LORD, AND CONTINUE TO JUST LORD GOD, UPLIFT AND ELEVATE, LORD GOD, THIS CITY AND OUR LEADERS.
FATHER, WE COME AGAIN TO GIVE YOU HONOR, TO GIVE YOU GLORY, TO GIVE YOU PRAISE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT YOU, LORD GOD.
AND SO WE PUT IT ALL IN YOUR HANDS, AND WE THANK YOU, AND WE PRAISE YOU.
IF YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING OF OUR MEETING AT THIS JUNCTURE.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR US? PRESENT MAYOR PRO TIM BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
I WILL PRINT, UM, AGENDA CALLS FOR PROCLAMATIONS.
[00:05:01]
AND I HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, PRESENT.HOWEVER WE HAVE A TIME CONSTRAINT.
IF YOU WOULD TURN YOUR, UH, AGENDA TO PAGE.
I'M SORRY I A LOT OF BAD NUMBERS.
ON PAGE TWO, YOU CAN SEE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING IS TO BEGIN AT 6:00 PM WE ARE ABOUT, UH, TWO MINUTES FROM 6:00 PM RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT EXACTLY SIX O'CLOCK.
WE HAVE CITY STAFF, YOU MAY MOVE AND BE IN POSITION.
AND, UH, WE ARE GOING TO, UH, IS IT POSSIBLE CITY ATTORNEY THAT I COULD BEGIN TO READ WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW, TWO MINUTES PRIOR? I CAN DO THAT.
I JUST, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE WITH YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA KEEP YOU RIGHT.
SO WE NOW HAVE ONE MINUTE THAT WE ARE GOING TO WAIT.
AND MS. MILO, YOU ARE GONNA BE SO NICE AS TO WAIT WITH US, AREN'T YOU? YES, SIR.
AND KIND THAT YOU WOULD DO THAT.
MY PERSONAL ONE, THE WALL HERE, BUT THE CITY HAS NOW IT HAS 5 59.
BUT I WAS WAITING ON AN ATTORNEY, ALMOST, SIR.
AND EVEN WITH THAT ONE MINUTE, I'LL TAKE THE TIME, I SEE A FORMER COUNCIL PERSON IN HERE, UH, IN FORMER COUNCILMAN SCOTT.
SO I CAN USE THAT ONE MINUTE TO WELCOME YOU AND YOUR LOVELY WIFE IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE SESSION ON TONIGHT.
WITNESS US AND EACH OF YOU ARE OUR GUESTS TONIGHT, EVERYONE HERE.
IT'LL TAKE ME MORE THAN A MINUTE TO CALL ALL YOUR NAMES, SO I CAN'T DO THAT.
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING IN OUR MIDST HERE ON TONIGHT.
AND IT IS NOW 6:00 PM AND WE'LL BE GOING TO BEGIN
[IV.(1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments And To Discuss The Following: Proposed Change: A Zoning Map Amendment (Z24-09) To Change From Commercial General (CG) To Medium Density Residential (MDR) Legal Description: For 179.73 Acres Of Land Being Out Of LaFitte’s Landing 1 & 2 And D. Gahagen Subdivision, Jefferson County, Texas (North Of The Port Arthur Canal, South Of Sabine Lake, And West Of The Sabine Lake Causeway Bridge Citizens With Questions Regarding The Description Of This Property Can Contract The City Planning Department At (409) 983-8133. The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City’s Website At www.portarthurtx.gov ]
THIS PUBLIC HEARING, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND DISCUSSION AND, AND TO DISCUSS RATHER THE FOLLOWING, WHICH WOULD BE A PROPOSED CHANGE, A ZONING MAP, AMENDMENT Z 24 DASH ZERO NINE TO CHANGE FROM COMMERCIAL GENERAL CG TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL MDR.THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS FOR 1.79 OR ONE, NO, EXCUSE ME, 179.73 ACRES OF LAND BEING OUT OF LAE LANDING AND ONE AND TWO, AND THE GAHAGAN SUBDIVISION, I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.
UH, IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS NORTH OF THE PORT ARTHUR CANAL, SOUTH OF SABINE LAKE, AND WEST OF THE SABINE LAKE CAUSEWAY BRIDGE.
CITIZENS ARE WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROPERTY.
CAN CONTACT THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 3 3.
THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC THIS PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
MS. MALOW, ARE YOU READY? YES, SIR.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6.03 E OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUERTO ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE IN CHAPTER TWO 11 OF TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, ALSO REFERRED TO AS A ZONING CHANGE OR REZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 179 POINT 73 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF LAFITTE'S LANDING ONE AND TWO, AND DEGA HAGEN, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WEST OF THE CAUSEWAY BRIDGE AND EAST OF SOUTH LIVY ROAD.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM COMMERCIAL GENERAL TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY BY PRESERVING AND MAINTAINING THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY BY ASSURING THE COMPATIBILITY OF USES THAT THE COMPATIBILITY OF USES ALIGN.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION INITIATED A ZONE CHANGE FOR LAFITTE'S LANDING ONE AND TWO, AND THE DEGA HAGEN SUBDIVISION ACCORDING TO SECTION 6.03, A
[00:10:01]
APPENDIX A OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE.THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MAY ON ITS OWN MOTION OR ON REQUEST FROM THE CITY COUNCIL INSTITUTE, A STUDY AND PROPOSAL FOR CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
THIS ACTION STEMS FROM CONCERNS REGARDING THE CURRENT USE IN ZONING OF THE AREA WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS COMMERCIAL GENERAL UNDER THE CG ZONING, COMMERCIAL GENERAL RESIDENTIAL USES ARE NO LONGER PERMITTED.
THE ISSUE IS PARTICULARLY PRESSING AS THERE ARE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE AFFECTED AREAS.
CONTINUING WITH THE CURRENT ZONE, IT CREATES POTENTIAL RISK TO THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMISSION'S GOAL IN INITIATING THIS ZONE CHANGE IS TO REESTABLISH A ZONING DESIGNATION THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL USE, ENSURING THE PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.
ON AUGUST 22ND, 2024, A COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD BY STAFF IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CONFERENCE ROOM TO GATHER INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGE.
THE MEETING WAS WELL ATTENDED AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WAS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
THE MAJORITY OF ATTENDEES SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED CHANGE.
PROPERTY OWNERS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE TO TRANSITION THE ZONING DESIGNATION TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH PERMITS BOTH SINGLE FAMILY AND TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
A FEW PROPERTY OWNERS WITH LARGER PARCELS MEASURING TWO ACRES OR MORE EXPRESS A DESIRE TO RETAIN THE COMMERCIAL GENERAL ZONING DESIGNATION FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.
GIVEN THE SIZE AND UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR LOTS, THESE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT CURRENT COMMERCIAL ZONING DESIGNATION.
FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC MEETING AND THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WAS UPDATED ON THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT.
THE CONSENSUS WAS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE FOR PROPERTIES IN LAFE LANDING ONE AND TWO IN PORTIONS OF THE DEGA HAGEN SUBDIVISION.
A COMPLETED APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONE DIVISION ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 11TH, 2024, REQUESTING A ZONING CHANGE FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROPERTIES, THE ZONING CHANGE WOULD ALLOW FOR THE USE TYPE ASSOCIATED WITH ME MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AS A LEGALLY CONFORMING USE AT SAID LOCATION.
RESIDENTIAL PUBLIC NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE PROPOSED SITE ON NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024, AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2024, INVITING CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED FOUR ZERO.
RECOMMENDING THE REQUEST BE APPROVED ON JANUARY 7TH, 2025.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH 0 4 7, CALLING FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING.
THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE PUBLISHED A PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWS NEWSPAPER ON JANUARY 2ND, 2025, AS WELL AS PREPARE AND MAILED NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY IN A COMMERCIAL GENERAL DISTRICT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMERCIAL OF THE COMMERCIAL GENERAL DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE AN AREA FOR USES THAT REQUIRES SPECIAL CONSIDERATION BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF EQUIPMENT, AMOUNT OR TYPE OF TRAFFIC OR OTHER INTENSIVE ACTIVITIES.
THE PROPOSED ZONING IS A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE A VARIETY OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON SMALLER LOTS THAN THE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
AND IN A DENSE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, THIS DISTRICT CAN SERVE AS A TRANSITION DISTRICT BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
THE SITE LOCATION IS NORTH, IT'S OUT OF OUR JURISDICTION, COMMERCIAL GENERAL TO THE SOUTHEAST AND WEST.
AND THIS SLIDE ALSO DEPICTS WHAT THE ZONING IS IS CURRENTLY AND THE PROPOSED ZONING.
THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE ARE, ONE, THE COMPATIBILITY OF USES.
IT IS CRITICAL TO AVOID THE POTENTIAL FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO ENCROACH ON OUR ADVERSE OR ON OR ADVERSELY AFFECT EXISTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY COULD LEAD TO CONFLICTS THAT UNDERMINE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS.
AND NUMBER TWO, VULNERABILITY TO
[00:15:01]
NATURAL DISASTERS, WHICH WE KNOW OWE TOO WELL, GIVEN THAT PORT ARTHUR IS HIGHLY PRONE TO NATURAL DISASTERS, RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING.IF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WERE DESTROYED BY A NATURAL DISASTER, PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO REBUILD OR RECONSTRUCT THEIR HOMES.
UNDER THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL GENERAL ZONING.
THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT RENT RISK TO COMMUNITY, TO THE, TO COMMUNITY STABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A VIEW OF THE STREETS, UM, FRONTAGE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN QUESTION LA'S LANDING ONE AND TWO.
THIS IS UNDEVELOPED LAND IN LA'S LANDING ONE AND TWO, AND THE DEGA HAGEN SUBDIVISION AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
THE PICTURES ARE A LITTLE BLURRY, MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT, BUT, UM, IT'S COMMERCIAL GENERAL AND A LOT OF HEAVY WORK GOING ON OVER THERE IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS TWO 11.006 AND TWO 11.007.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DECEMBER 9TH, 2024, THE PLANNING IS ZONING OF COMMISSION.
THAT WAS NO WRITTEN OPPOSITION, NO VERBAL OPPOSITION, AND ZERO LETTERS RETURNED.
AND TODAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025 FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AS OF TODAY, THERE WAS ZERO WRITTEN OPPOSITION SO FAR, UM, NO VERBAL.
AND THERE WAS, THERE'S AN UPDATE.
THERE WAS ONE LETTER RETURNED.
SECTION TWO 11 DASH OH SIX F OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE OR DENY THE PROPOSED MATTER BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.
THEREFORE, A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE FOR THIS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE GALLERY REMARKS APPROACH, PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
SHE, I'M A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR 8 0 6 SOUTH WIND.
BEEN THERE FOR THIS PLACE FOR 31 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN PORT ARTHUR ALL OF MY LIFE, AND I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU HOW LONG THAT IS,
UM, I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVING THIS.
UH, WE HAPPEN TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHEN THOSE LOTS GOT SOLD AND WHEN THE LOTS GOT SOLD.
THERE WAS A, A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND COMMISSION TO THEN THEREFORE MOVE FORWARD TO, UM, IN DEVELOPING A LOT OF OTHER PUBLIC RECREATIONAL RV PARKS, PLAYGROUND AREAS, FISHING PIERS, UH, AND A LOT OF OTHER PUBLIC THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT LAND.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM A COLLEAGUE OF MINE THAT HIS CLIENT, HE'S AN ATTORNEY CLIENT, LIVED HERE AND SHE WANTED TO SELL HER HOUSE, AND THEN SHE FOUND OUT THAT SHE COULD ONLY SELL IT AND IT WOULD BE COMMERCIAL ONLY.
THEREFORE, PUTTING MOSTLY ALL THESE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UH, IN A BIND.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE TURNING IT BACK INTO THE RESIDENTIAL STATUS THAT I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE BEGINNING.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
ANY OTHER, UH, INPUT DISCUSSION FROM THE GALLERY? ANY OTHER INPUT OR DISCUSSION FROM THE GALLERY? ANY OTHER INPUT OR DISCUSSION FROM THE GALLERY? NOW WE HAVE INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WONDER, HAS THERE BEEN ANY INTEREST FROM A DEVELOPER OR A BUILDER FOR ANY OF THE, THE LOTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AT THIS POINT? NO, MA'AM.
UM, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE ZONING HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMERCIAL, BUT THE USE TYPE, UM, RESIDENTIAL HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF IT.
SO WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO SELL THESE PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PURCHASE THEM BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S COMMERCIAL.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME REALTORS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SELLING THE LOTS.
NOW, ONCE WE APPROVE THIS, AND IT GOES BACK TO RESIDENTIAL? YES, MA'AM.
ARE WE GONNA DO ANYTHING TO TRY TO MARKET THAT IN ANY WAY? UM, THE MAP WILL BE UPDATED TO RESIDENTIAL.
AND WE HAVE MADE PEOPLE AWARE, WE'VE POSTED IT IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
WE, WE'VE SENT OUT PUBLIC NOTICES, SO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ALREADY
[00:20:01]
KNOWS THAT THE CHANGE IS GETTING READY TO HAPPEN AGAIN.REALTORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CALLING, SO I'VE BEEN LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IT CHANGED.
IT WAS SO MANY ACRES, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TOOK OUR TIME WHEN WE DID THIS.
SO, BUT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT IT.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK? YES.
I, I THOUGHT THAT COUNCILMAN, UM, BECKHAM HAD A WONDERFUL IDEA.
I WAS THINKING MAYBE PERHAPS WE COULD BE PROACTIVE AND TAKE IT ANOTHER STEP, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, AND PERHAPS, UH, BEGIN TO WORK ALONG WITH THE REALTOR AND HAVE A CAMPAIGN FOR THESE LOTS SO THAT THEY, WE COULD BE PROGRESSIVE IN TRYING TO, UH, TO, UH, SELL THEM OR MARKET THEM.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THERE WAS CLARITY.
THE PROPERTIES LOCATED IN LAFE LANDING ONE AND TWO, AND DEGA HAGEN OR PRIVATELY OWNED LOTS, UM, THEY'RE NOT PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO THE REALTORS THAT HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE CITY ARE THOSE WHO REPRESENT THOSE PRIVATE, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR PRIVATE LOTS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
ON, ON THE HEELS OF THAT THOUGH, UM, WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT FOR THE FUTURE, SINCE WE ARE ON THE HEELS OF DEVELOPING A MASTER PLAN FOR PLEASURE ISLAND AND FOR THE NEED FOR COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW, WE INVOLVE, WELL, WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLEASURE ISLAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THAT WILL ASSIST US GREATLY IN, UM, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND IN PERSONS WHO OWN PROPERTY OUT THERE AS WELL, BUT JUST FOR THE FUTURE MM-HMM
WE WILL CONSIDER THAT TO ENCOURAGE MORE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MM-HMM
I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE THE HANDOUT, BUT, UH, HOW MANY LOTS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT? I WAS KIND OF TRYING TO LOOK RIGHT THERE.
WE, WE, WE HAVE AN IDEA HOW MANY LOTS THAT IS.
UM, IT IS QUITE A FEW
THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 84 LETTERS THAT WENT OUT AND THEY WENT TO EVERY PROPERTY OWNER, OWNER, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
EVERY PROPERTY OWNER THAT WAS ON THE JEFFERSON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT ROLL.
SO IN ACCORDANCE TO STATE LAW, WE DID SEND THEM OUT TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WHO OWNED PROPERTY ALONG THAT THOROUGHFARE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM, UH, COUNCIL? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY? IF THERE BE NO OTHER COMMENTS AT SIX 15, I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AS IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
WE'RE READY FOR QUESTION, THE HONOR.
ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR.
A ANY OPPOSERS? I AVERAGE THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AT 6:15 PM ON THIS 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF 2025.
NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE GOING TO NOW
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
MOVE TO PROCLAMATIONS AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH.AND EXCUSE ME, UH, I HAVE, CHRISTIE HAS NUMBER THERE FOR ME.
AND NOW WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS WE WANT TO FIRST BEGIN WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR, UH, MS. KATE WALKER AND MRS. KATE WALKER.
AND THIS PROCLAMATION IS BEING GIVEN TO MS. WALKER, WHO IF SHE WERE ALIVE, SHE WOULD BE A PART OF THE PALMS GROUP, I THINK, WHO ARE PRESENT HERE ON TODAY.
SO, PALMS, UH, LADIES, WHICH YOU, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO RECEIVE BECAUSE I AM SURE I I'M NOT SURE WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FAMILY MEMBER OF MS. WALKER.
SO WOULD YOU ALL COME, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
AND YOU ALL, I'M GOING TO DO THIS AND WE'LL PRESENT THE, UH, AND ALL, ALL OF YOU COULD JUST COME UP TO THE FRONT.
THERE, UH, AND ARE THESE LADIES BEAUTIFUL? THEY SERVED OUR COUNTRY AS MS. WALKER, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW VETERANS.
AND THIS IS FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR,
[00:25:01]
THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR.AND IT BEGINS WITH THE QUOTE THAT SAYS, I AM A WOMAN WHO SERVES HER COUNTRY UNCONDITIONALLY, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND SHATTERING STEREOTYPES.
AND THIS IS FROM GENERAL RORY J ROBINSON.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, WE ARE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THE LATE MRS. KATE L PATE WALKER.
WHEREAS KATE WALKER WAS BORN IN VITA, TEXAS ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 1922 TO THE LATE FRANK AND DORIS THOMPSON PATE, THE FAMILY MOVED TO SOUR LAKE, TEXAS WHERE SHE GRADUATED FROM BLACK SHERE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1940.
HE ALSO MOVED TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, THEN WHERE SHE MET AND MARRIED MR. GW WALKER.
AND SHE HAPPENED TO HAVE MET HIM AT THE ST.
WHEREAS KATE'S SERVICE IN THE US ARMY DURING WORLD WARI WAS UNIQUE AND INSPIRING.
SHE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS WAC, THE WOMEN'S BRANCH OF THE US ARMY.
MOREOVER, SHE SERVED IN THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT CENTRAL POSTAL, UH, DIRECTORY BATTALION KNOWN AS THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, OR MOSTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN BATTALION OF WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS OR WAC MEMBERS.
AND WHEREAS IN 1946, SHE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED, KATE RETURNED TO PORT ARTHUR, AND THEN SHE MARRIED MR. WALKER.
SHE WAS ACTIVE IN A CHURCH, HER COMMUNITY AND ALL OVER, WHEREAS ARE HONORED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION IN HER HONOR, AND WE ARE PROUD THAT SHE CALLED PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS HOME.
THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BARTY, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025 AS KATE WALKER DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, A REMARKABLE WOMAN WHO MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO HER COUNTRY AND TO HER COMMUNITY AND WITNESSED WHEREOF I HAVE HERE TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2025.
AND I HAVE THIS PROCLAMATION, I'M GOING TO MOVE DOWN AND PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO THE LADIES OF PALM, OUR PALM LADIES HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN HONOR OF THE LATE MS. KATE WALKER, WHOM I KNOW I HAPPEN TO HAVE PERSONALLY KNOWN MS. WALKER.
NEVER DID I KNOW SHE WAS A PART OF SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, BUT I DO KNOW THIS ONE THING.
KNOWING HER FROM MY VERY, VERY YOUNG FORMATIVE YEARS, MS. WALKER WAS ALWAYS A STRUCTURED PERSON AND I GREW UP WITH HER SONS AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTACT ANY OF THEM.
BUT, AND EVEN THE IN BEAUMONT A FEW WEEKS AGO, THEY WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ON VETERANS DAY.
I MEAN, FOR, FOR, FOR THE VETERANS THAT DAY THAT THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH SOME FOLK IN HER FAMILY.
SO I DID SEE MOST OF YOU AT THE STAND DOWN, AND I TOLD YOU ALL THAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEFITTED TO DO THIS FOR MS. WALKER BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT, WHEN I RECEIVED AN INQUIRIES ABOUT
[00:30:01]
HER FAMILY.SO I'M GOING TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT THIS WITH YOU ALL AND SERVICE IF, IF YOU WANT.
YOU KNOW WHAT, Y'ALL JUST SPLIT UP RIGHT HERE.
YOU STILL, AND I PRESENT A KEY ALSO FOR YOUR ARCHIVES IN HONOR OF MS. WALKER, OKAY.
THAT SOMEBODY WANNA HOLD THE KEY AND SOMEBODY AND WE DOING THIS BECAUSE SHE NEEDS PUT THIS ON.
AND ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.
WELL, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THIS AND WE ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF, WE ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE WALKER FAMILY.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, FOR EVEN CONSIDERING, UM, NOT ONLY HER, BUT EVEN THE WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY, WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.
AND, UH, FOR A WOMAN LIKE, UH, MS. WALKER, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ACCEPTING THIS, THAT WE REPRESENT HER WELL AND WE WILL TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE FAMILY.
AND AS COUNCILOR STANLEY, AND IF YOU WOULD HELP ME ACCEPT YOU.
NOW I DON'T THINK THAT'S, I ALREADY DOWN HERE TWO.
I DON'T NEED TO MESS THEM UP LIKE THAT.
SO NOW I HAVE ANOTHER GROUP WHO IS HERE.
SORRY, I HAVE ANOTHER GROUP THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
THIS IS A GROUP WHO ASSISTS, AN INDIVIDUAL WHOM I WANTED TO HONOR BECAUSE THIS IS MY LAST TERM AS MAYOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF MY TERMS. BUT EACH JANUARY, BESIDES I BELIEVE, UH, A YEAR FOR COVID, HE HAD ME INVOLVED IN SOMETHING WITH VETERANS THAT I HAD NEVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH BEFORE.
AND THAT IS MR. CHESTER JORDAN AND THOSE WHO HELPED WITH THE STAND DOWN.
I KNOW CHESTER IS, HE'S THE MAN AT THE TOP, BUT HE COULDN'T HAVE IT IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THESE FOLK HERE.
SO I WANT ALL Y'ALL TO COME ON UP ALL, ALL, ALL OF, MATTER OF FACT, IF, IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, COME STAND DOWN WITH ME IF YOU DON'T MIND.
IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY? I WANT EVERYBODY YEAH, IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, YEAH, WE A VETERAN.
I'M THE ONLY NON VETERAN DOWN HERE.
I'M JUST THE MAYOR, SO I GET TO STAND DOWN HERE.
BUT IF YOU ARE A VETERAN YEAH.
SO WHEN YOU ALL SEND THESE PICTURES TO JUSTICE TELL YOU HAD A LARGE GROUP.
I GUESS YOU, Y'ALL, Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME RIGHT? OKAY.
IT SAYS, FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND IT'S THE ACTUAL OFFICE OF THE MAYOR.
IT BEGINS EVEN THE SMALLEST ACT OF CARING FOR ANOTHER PERSON.
IT WILL MAKE RIPPLES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE POOL.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I AM DELIGHTED TO RECOGNIZE MR. CHESTER JORDAN.
WHEREAS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND DEEP EAST TEXAS, MR. JORDAN ASSIST THOSE IN NEED OF HELP.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR THE ASSISTANCE TO OUR VETERANS AND THEIR
[00:35:01]
FAMILIES FOR COUNTLESS YEARS, THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS STAND DOWN HAS BEEN A PROFOUND BLESSING TO OUR COMMUNITY.AND WHEREAS WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, TIRELESS WORK ETHIC, AND UNPARALLELED PASSION THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR SERVICE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BOYCE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025 AS CHESTER JORDAN DAY HERE IN THIS GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT HIM WITH THIS PROCLAMATION AND ALSO A KEY TO THE CITY IN WITNESS WHEREOF.
I HAVE HERE TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2025.
AND I HAVE SIGNED IT, AND I HAVE A GENTLEMAN HERE WHO HAS ACCEPTED IT FOR MR. JORDAN.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S SERVICE.
AND WE HAVE AT SOME POINT HAD SOME INTERACTIONS WITH MR. JORDAN.
AM I CORRECT? YEAH, I I KNOW PRIOR TO, UH, WHEN MY SERVICE, I KIND OF KNEW HIM FROM THE RED CROSS, BUT ONCE I BECAME MAYOR, MY INVOLVEMENT WITH HIM BECAME VERY, VERY, VERY INTRIGUED.
AND SO WE LET HIM KNOW, AND HE DIDN'T HAVE COMMUNICATE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO SOLICIT PRAYER FOR HIS DAD.
HE HAD TO TAKE HIS DAD FOR AN EXAMINATION TODAY IN HOUSTON.
HE MAY STILL BE THERE LATE, LATE AFTERNOON, I THINK EXAMINATION OR HIS FATHER.
AND SO HE CANNOT BE HERE, BUT WE ACCEPT THIS TIME TO DO THIS.
SO I THANK YOU ALL AND I KNOW IT WAS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WHENEVER I MADE THE DECISION, THAT WAS AN EXECUTIVE DECISION.
WHEN I TALKED WITH YOU ALL, WE WERE AT THE STAND DOWN AND I INVITED EVERYBODY HERE TONIGHT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND I THANK YOU AS I TOLD THE LADIES, OUR PALM LADIES, YOU SERVED.
SO I CAN STAND ON
ARE THERE ANY REMARKS FROM THE GALLERY OR FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HEAR THAT VERY OFTEN, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT IS A SINCERE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DID.
I SAW IN THE BACK OF YOUR HAT THAT YOU'RE A MP.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR SERVICE WAS, WE TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FAMILIES SERVE ALONG WITH YOU TOO.
SO THANK YOU TO YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE MILITARY VETERANS.
WE'VE GOT FOUR OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS UP HERE, DOUCETTE, WE'VE GOT KEN LAW, WE'VE GOT FRANK, WE'VE GOT LEWIS, AND THEN I SEE, UH, LINDSEY HARRIS FROM OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND I SEE MR. BROWN FROM THE, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT NOT BE HERE.
I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE AS WELL.
UH, ANNA BEVEL, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW FROM PORT ARTHUR THAT WE DO HAVE A LIEUTENANT COMMANDER.
HIS SON JUST MADE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER IN THE NAVY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS GONNA TALK, BRO.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS VETERANS FOR VETERANS.
HE TOLD US, UH, CHESTER IS PART OF THE, UH, STAND DOWN COMMITTEE AND WE PARTNER TOGETHER TO BRING THESE STAND DOWN EVENTS, NOT ONLY TO OUR VETERANS, TO HOMELESS
[00:40:01]
VETERANS, THE LESS FORTUNATE, BUT ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITIES.THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF US, AND WE ALL SERVE IN SOME WAY.
EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE DEPLOYED, OUR FAMILIES ARE STILL HERE, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STILL HERE.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND USE OUR COMMON SENSE AND OUR COMMONALITY AND SAY, HEY, HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS BETTER FOR EVERYONE? AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL YOU BEING HERE AND YOUR SUPPORT AND APPLAUSE FOR OUR VETERANS.
UH, IT WAS OUR HONOR TO SERVE AND WE ARE STILL SERVING TODAY, AND WE, WE APPRECIATE ANY SUPPORT.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE FURTHER TOWN HALLS AND STAND OUT EVENTS.
THIS ONE THAT JUST HAPPENED IN PORT ARTHUR, UH, A WEEK AGO, PAST FRIDAY.
THAT'S JUST THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
WE DO FIVE EACH YEAR AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO EVERY YEAR.
CHESTER IS A HUGE, HUGE PORTION OF THE, THE PORT ARTHUR STAND DOWN EVENT.
AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK HIM AND THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING A PART OF WHAT V FOUR V DOES AND STAND DOWN COMMITTEE AND BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
MAYOR, IT'S GRANDSON MICHAEL, THE NOT HIM.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Calvin Shepherd Jr. Of The Lionhearted Boxing Academy Of Port Arthur, Texas Regarding The Juneteenth Showdown In Port Town]
HAVE ONE MORE PROCLAMATION.AND THIS PROCLAMATION IS FOR LION HEARTED.
YOU ALL, Y'ALL WANT TO COME ON UP AND THIS THING? AND YOU, YOU ALL CAN STAND ON THAT SIDE BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA WANT TO TAKE PICTURES AND WE'LL, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU INVOLVED.
THIS SAYS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ON BEHALF OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I AM DELIGHTED TO EXTEND WARM WISHES TO LION HEARTED DAY.
WHEREAS LION HEARTED HAS OPERATED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SINCE FEBRUARY, 2005.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED AS LION HEARTED BOXING GYM BY THE LATE, MY FRIEND EDDIE RAY BROWN, WHO WAS THE HEAD COACH AND ALSO RATHER THE HEAD COACH, KENNETH SHEPHERD AND A FEW VOLUNTEER COACHES.
THE GOAL WAS TO BRING BOXING BACK TO THE CITY AND PROVIDE AND CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR YOUTH TO GROW AND DEVELOP.
AND WHEREAS YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE MENTORSHIP, OBSERVATIONS, AND EVALUATIONS RESULTED IN THE CLUB CHANGING ITS NAME TO LION HEARTED BOXING ACADEMY, AS THEIR SERVICES ALSO INCLUDED EDUCATION, BOXING, HEALTH, FITNESS, NUTRITION, COMMUNITY, REGION, AND THE FINANCIAL LITERACY, THE LION HEARTED EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL MODULE WAS CREATED TO BETTER ASSIST YOUTH.
AND WHEREAS COACH KENNETH SHEPHERD AND LION HEARTED HAVE MENTORED OVER 2000 YOUTH AND PARTICIPATED IN OVER 200 LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE, AND NATIONALLY SANCTIONED BOXING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, YOUTH MEMBERS HAVE RANKED NATIONALLY IN THE TOP 10 UNDER THE UNITED STATES, OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC CENTER, USA BOXING.
AND WHEREAS LION HEARTED HAS REMAINED AN INVALUABLE
[00:45:01]
ASSET TO THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR FOR 20 YEARS, COACH CALVIN SHEPHERD JR.HAS SERVED IN MANY IN EVERY POSITION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
HE HAS A LEVEL TWO USA BOXING OLYMPIC OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION AND SILVER LEVEL BOXING COACH CERTIFICATION.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, THANK YOU COACH SHEPHERD JR.
FOR CREATING A FAITH AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR YOUTH AND PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING HABITS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BCE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE FEBRUARY 4TH, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE DAY.
BUT YOU ALL HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ASK ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING LION HEARTED FOR THE 20 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT NOW IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HEAR UNTRUE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF FORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2025.
AND IT'S SIGNED THURMAN BILL BOYCE, COACH MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO DO THIS, IF YOU RECALL, AT OUR MEETING ON THE FIFTH.
BUT YOU ALL CALLED AND LET US KNOW, IS THIS THE YOUNG MAN Y'ALL HAD TO BRING? OH, OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE, I HAVE MY MEDAL AS WELL FROM LION HEARTED, BUT I ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT THAT THEY HAD THIS PAST, UH, JUNETEENTH.
GET I'M, GET IN THE MIDDLE IF YOU OKAY, THANK YOU ALL.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE GALLERY OR FROM COUNCIL? MAYOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING FROM THE GO RIGHT AHEAD, SIR.
MY NAME IS HILTON KELLY AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY EMPOWER AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
AND FOR 18 OR 16 OF THOSE YEARS, WE'VE SUPPORTED LION HEARTED BOXING GYM.
AND EDDIE WAS MY REALLY, REALLY GOOD FRIEND.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE AS HE, HE KNEW EVERYBODY IN HERE BASICALLY, BUT YET EDDIE WAS A GOOD MAN.
AND, UH, WE, UH, SHARED SOME MANY, MANY FUN TIMES TOGETHER.
AND EDDIE, UH, WE REALLY MISS HIM DEARLY.
BUT I LIKE TO SAY MR. SHEPHERD HAS REALLY STEPPED UP AND KEPT THE LEGACY GOING.
AND HE AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT NOT DROPPING THE BALL ON THE DREAM THAT HE HAD ABOUT GETTING YOUNG KIDS OFF OF THE STREET AND INTO SOME CONSTRUCTIVE POSITIVE ACTIVITIES TO KEEP 'EM OUT OF TROUBLE.
AND THEN IT LED TO NUTRITION AND LED TO SCHOOLING AND SO MANY OTHER, UH, IMPORTANT THINGS A YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN NEED TO GROW AND TO THRIVE.
SO, UH, MR. SHE, I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP UP THE WORK AND I DON'T WANNA, UH, LEAVE MR. EDDIE'S DAUGHTER OUT WHO'S HERE.
SHE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH PUSHING TO KEEP HER FATHER'S LEGACY ALIVE AS WELL.
AND I JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS AS ONE OF THE ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH THAT I KNOW MR. EDDIE HART IS HEAVY WITH THIS JOY FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT THIS YOUNG MAN IS, HAS, UH, UH, UH, UH, ACHIEVED WITHIN YOUR TRAINING.
SO THANK YOU, GOD, FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO KEEP YOUR TASK, UH, DREAM ALIVE.
DON'T LET IT GO BECAUSE OUR KIDS NEED US.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD, I, I WILL YIELD TILL SHE CAN SPEAK.
HI, I'M LACEY BROWN, EDDIE'S YOUNGEST DAUGHTER.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, FOR GIVING MY DAD HIS FLOWERS.
THANK YOU CALVIN, FOR CONTINUE TO KEEP IT GOING.
THIS IS SOMETHING OUR YOUTH REALLY NEED.
UM, IT IMPACTED MY LIFE IN A POSITIVE WAY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS.
[00:50:01]
THE GALLERY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.UH, BEEN IN PORT ARTHUR ALL MY LIFE.
HE JUST STARTED AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, UH, FOR THE CITY TO OPEN THEIR RESOURCES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE DON'T HAVE A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, AND HE GOT A NATIONAL TITLE.
HE JUST BROUGHT HOME WITHOUT A A BUILDING, SO MM-HMM
I WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY TO OPEN UP THEIR RESOURCES AND HELP 'EM.
WE JUST HAD TO GO TO ROSE HILL PARK ON MONDAY TO DO WORKOUTS, YOU KNOW, SO LET'S JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND TOO.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO SUPPORT THIS YOUNG MAN FOR KEEPING IT GOING FOR MR. EDDIE.
HE WAS A GREAT MAN MENTOR TO ME.
SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S JUST GET TO THE REAL OF THIS TOO, PLEASE.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE GALLERY? NOW? COUNCIL MEMBER? THAT WAS MY TURN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, IT WAS ALREADY SAID, SO I WON'T REPEAT WHAT, WHAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT LEGACY IS THE KEY WORD AND YOU ALL HAVE KEPT LEGACY, NOT JUST ONLY FOR, UM, MR. EDDIE, BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND THE, THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED IN THE TRAINING THAT YOU RECEIVED.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT THAT TO JUST BE OVERLOOKED 'CAUSE IT WAS SAID KIND OF QUICKLY.
BUT YOU HAVE OLYMPIC TRAINING THAT IS BEING OFFERED TO OUR, UM, NOT JUST YOUNG MEN, YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS, BUT TO MEN AND WOMEN.
UM, ALSO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO SHARE WHAT YOU WERE PLANNING FOR JUNETEENTH.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, CALVIN SHEPHERD.
UM, THANKS FOR THE RECOGNITION.
UM, IN SEPTEMBER, 2021, WE CAME BEFORE THE BOARD ASKING FOR, UH, PERMISSION TO USE THE, UM, PARKS AND RECS BUILDING A AMENS BUILDING FOR OUR JUNETEENTH FOR OUR SHOW.
UM, THE COUNCIL VOTED ON A RESOLUTION THAT DAY AND THAT EVENT HAS GROWN TO WHERE THE AMYS BUILDING JUST ISN'T ENOUGH SPACE.
SO AS WE PROCEED FORWARD, UM, WITH THIS YEAR'S EVENT, THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR OF JUNETEENTH SHOWDOWN IN POOR TOWN TEXAS AND LOUISIANA.
RIGHT? WHAT THAT MEANS, THERE'S TWO LBC AND TWO STATES.
UM, WE'RE BRINGING OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE TO PORT ARTHUR OVER THREE DAYS.
AND, UM, I, SO, UM, I I STARTED IN THIS PROGRAM.
I THOUGHT I HAD TO LEAVE THE CITY TO DO RIGHT? WENT TO VISIT A RECRUITER.
I MET SERGEANT FIRST CLASS KEN LAW.
HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT? I SAID, I JUST WANNA GET AWAY FROM IT FOR WHILE.
UM, 12 YEARS LATER FOR COMBAT TOURS, I RETURNED, UH, BECAME A VOLUNTEER, UM, TOOK OVER THE PROGRAM AND CONTINUE TO GROW.
IT CREATED THIS EVENT IN 2021 AND IT HAS EXPANDED FASTER THAN I THOUGHT, THOUGHT IT WOULD.
SO AS WE MOVING FORWARD, UM, WE CREATED A, UM, OVER 20 YEARS, WE CREATED A LINE HEARTED, A LINE HEARTED, UM, I CAN'T READ THAT FAR.
I GOT SECOND LINE HEARTED, UH, DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL.
AND WHAT IT IS, IS JUST INFORMATION OBTAINED OVER THE 20 YEARS AND IT, IT GIVES UP, GIVES US A PARAMETER OF WHERE THE KIDS SHOULD BE.
KIDS COME TO US AT DIFFERENT AGES IN THEIR LIFE.
UH, WE TAKE 'EM AS YOUNG AS SEVEN.
THEY CAN'T REGISTER THEIR EIGHT, EIGHT YEARS OLD WITH THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE.
UM, SOME OF 'EM COME UP TO US AS TEENAGERS.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE PARAMETER WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND WHERE SHOULD OUR TRAINING BE DIRECTED TO? UM, AS WE MOVING FORWARD TO THE JUNETEENTH EVENT, UM, I READ THE MISSION STATEMENT OF LINE HEARTED TO PROVIDE FREE AND AFFORDABLE SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME YOUTH WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
WE HAVE A LOCATION IN BEAUMONT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE TRAIN IN OTHER CITIES THAT COME TO PORT ARTHUR TO GET TRAINED WITH LION HEARTED.
THEY HEARD ABOUT US AND THEY COME LOOKING FOR US.
OKAY? EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO COMBAT THE NATION'S HIGHEST PERIOD OF ADOLESCENT OBESITY BY INTRODUCING HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLES THROUGH BOXING AND FITNESS AT OUR LOCAL GYMS THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON COUNTY, EXISTING IN LOW INCOME AREAS OF PORT ARTHUR AND BEAUMONT.
WE HAVE A PASSION FOR ASSISTING THOSE IN NEEDS.
OUR PROGRAM EXISTS IN LOW INCOME AREAS, BUT ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUTH REGARDLESS OF
[00:55:01]
FAMILY INCOME.IN THE EFFORT TO OFFER A REASONABLE COMMUTE FOR THOSE IN CRITICAL AREAS IN NEED.
UH, WE OPERATE YEAR ROUND ENSURING THAT THE YOUTH IN OUR PROGRAM HAVE ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
OUR BOARD MEMBERS CONSIST OF RETIRED MILITARY VETERANS AND EXPERIENCED COACHES.
AND WE HAVE A DIVERSE ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY THROUGH AN ALL VOLUNTEERED, UNPAID, UNPAID TEAM OF STAFF.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE NATIONALLY RANKED YOUTH THAT ARE REGISTERED AND COMPETE UNDER THE UNITED STATES AND PARALYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC CENTER.
USA AMATEUR BOXING, OKAY? SO PROBABLY CAN'T SEE IT ON A SCREEN, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN SEE IT ON MY SHIRT.
UM, SYMBOLISM IS, IS BIG FOR US.
EVERYTHING, EVEN WHEN WE DESIGNED THIS LOGO, UH, THAT WAS A RIDDLE AND THEY ASKED WAS THE FIRST THING YOU SEE EVERY DAY, AND EVERYONE HAD A DIFFERENT ANSWER.
HOW MANY TIMES ANYONE LOOKS AT THEIR NOSE IN THE RUN OF A DAY, IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE, RIGHT? SO WHEN I DESIGNED THIS LOGO, THE FIRST THING YOU SEE ON THAT LINE HEART, YOU SEE THAT NOSE IS A HEART, IS THE SHAPE OF A HEART, RIGHT? THAT MEANS SOMETHING, RIGHT? WHEN PEOPLE SEE US, THAT LOGO REPRESENTS YOU.
WELL, WELL, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TIM, I'M GONNA SPEAK WHILE YES.
WHILE YOU GET HIMSELF TOGETHER.
I MEAN, UH, EDDIE BROWN, UH, THAT'S SOME BIG SHOES, BUT, UH, IT'S GOD'S PLAN AND YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON.
YOU MAY NOT THINK IT, BUT GOD KNOWS THAT.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, KEEP PUSHING MAN.
THAT LOGO REPRESENTS PORT ARTHUR.
GROWING UP AS A YOUTH, IT WAS A TOUGH TIME, BUT I CONTINUED ON.
ALRIGHT, UM, I CREATED THIS EVENT.
UM, I TELL PEOPLE WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST KIDS IN THE NATION.
SOME OF 'EM LOOK AT ME LIKE, ARE YOU SERIOUS? I SAID, YEAH, YOU NEED TO COME SEE 'EM.
WE TRAVEL, WE'D BEEN IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, KANSAS, ARKANSAS WITHIN A SPAN OF THREE MONTHS SHOWCASING OUR TALENTS.
BUT THE ONE PLACE THAT THAT WAS MISSING WAS PORT ARTHUR.
SO I CREATED THIS EVENT SO THAT OUR KIDS COULD COMPETE FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE LOCAL PARENTS, FRIENDS, AND PEOPLE THAT KNOW 'EM.
THE WORLD HAS SEEN THEIR TALENT.
AND WE CREATED THIS EVENT SO THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE IT TOO, RIGHT? SO AT THIS EVENT, BEGIN TO GROW.
UM, AND UNDERSTAND THERE'S ONLY 52 WEEKENDS IN THE YEAR, I KNOW THAT.
AND WE BELONG TO THE GULF ASSOCIATION BASED IN HOUSTON.
SO THAT'S OVER 200 CLUBS THAT WANT TO GIVE A SHOW, BUT ONLY 52 CAN GET 'EM.
SO HOW CAN WE COMPETE WITH HOUSTON IN THESE BIG CITIES? WELL, ONE, THE SUPPORT THAT COACH EDDIE AND UNCLE COACH KEN AND MYSELF BUILT AND THE RELATIONSHIP WE BUILT WITH THE OTHER GYMS THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO COME TO PORT ARTHUR.
LEAVE HOUSTON, LEAVE DALLAS, NEW ORLEANS, ALL THESE BIG PLACES WITH, IT'S A TON OF THINGS TO DO.
THEY COME TO PORT ARTHUR FOR LION HEARTED AND SUPPORT OF US.
AND AT THE BENEFIT OF THAT, IT GIVES OUR KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN TO COMPETE IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY AT HOME.
UM, SO AS WE CONTINUED ON, SO THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, UM, THE REC CENTER WAS BIGGER, SO WE HAD TO MOVE TO A BIGGER VENUE.
PARKER LOVED IT THERE, IT WAS GREAT.
MOST OF OUR FUNDS ARE USED TO TRAVEL AND TO PROVIDE FREE EQUIPMENT TO THE KIDS.
SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE, UM, SPENDING THAT TYPE OF MONEY.
BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER LOCATION THIS YEAR.
IT'LL BE AT MAX BOWL OVER TWO DAYS.
UM, OUR ORIGINAL DATE WAS THE 14TH AND 15TH, CLOSER TO JUNETEENTH, BUT THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS TAKE PRESIDENTS ON OUR NATIONAL SCHEDULE.
SO AFTER TO RESCHEDULE IT TO THE 28TH, 29TH, IT'LL STILL BE FOR JUNETEENTH.
AND WE WILL BE COMPETING AT JUNIOR OLYMPICS THIS YEAR, BEING, UH, IT WILL, IT WILL BE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.
UM, WE, WE USUALLY HAVE CUSTOM T-SHIRTS, UM,
[01:00:01]
FOR OUR EVENT THAT THESE ARE USUALLY SOLD AS A FUNDRAISER FOR JUNIOR OLYMPICS.BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE YEAR WHERE OUR SHOW WILL BE AFTER THE TRAVEL.
SO THESE, THESE EVENT SHIRTS WILL STILL BE SOLD 'CAUSE IT GIVES PEOPLE, UH, SOMETHING TO REMEMBER WHEN THEY CAME TO PORT ARTHUR.
UM, I ALSO, UM, WE'LL BE HAVING A, A FREE CAMP.
LOT OF YOU FOLLOW BOXING BAND.
WILLS A TIME, UH, WORLD CHAMPION.
SHE'S PLAYED ARTEMIS IN THE MO, THE FIRST ONE TO WOMAN MOVIE.
SHE'S CURRENTLY IN LA RIGHT NOW CHECKING HER HOUSE AND SHE'S ALSO TRAINING ACTORS.
AND, UM, SHE WOULD DO ME THE HONOR, UM, AND PROVIDE A WEAK CLIN CLINIC AND IT'LL BE FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE YOUTH IN OUR, IN OUR PROGRAM.
AND, UH, SHE'LL HANG OUT AND SHE'LL BE A GUEST SPEAKER.
AND I THINK THAT EXPERIENCE WOULD BE GREAT FOR OUR KIDS IS THEIR, UM, THEIR GOALS TO ONE DAY, LIKE I SAID, RIGHT? WE, WE GOT NATIONAL IN FRONT OF CHAMPION ONE DAY WE WON'T WORK.
WON'T WANT TO SAY WORLD CHAMPION.
SO THIS IS WHY NOT HE'S A TWO TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION.
HE HAS OUR MEDAL FROM LAST YEAR.
ALRIGHT? AND HE'S, HE'S BEEN RANKED NUMBER ONE BY THE, UH, US OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC TWICE FROM THAT.
HE'S BEEN WITH US SINCE SIX YEARS OLD.
ALRIGHT, SO, ALRIGHT, SO YEAH, HE'S CURRENTLY WEARING OUR 2024, UM, JUNETEENTH SHOWDOWN IN PORT TOWN MEDAL, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, WITH HELP OF SPONSORS FROM, UM, THE FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND THE PUT OUT THE VISITOR BUREAU, UH, WE WILL PURCHASE THAT.
UM, WE, WE PLANNING ON 30 BOUTS EACH DAY, UH, 60 BOUTS.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE AGES WOULD RANGE FROM THE YEARS OF EIGHT YEARS OLD.
BOYS AND GIRLS ALL THE WAY UP TO MEN AND WOMEN WILL ALL COME COMPETE AND IT'LL BE A TWO STATE EVENT, TWO L BBCS.
AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU GOT HAVE MADE IT OUT TO OUR SHOWS, HOPEFULLY MORE CAN MAKE IT OUT.
BUT IF THE TIME PERMITS, THIS SHOW IS USUALLY ON FATHER'S DAY.
I KNOW THIS KIND OF HARD, BUT I THINK THAT THE CHANGE OF THE DATE IS GONNA HELP US A LOT THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, WELCOME TO THE CITY AND, UM, HOPE EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT OUT TO OUR EVENT THIS YEAR.
SO LEWIS, I THOUGHT YOU, I THOUGHT YOU ALL HAD FOUND YOU WAS GONNA EXCUSE MY VOICE.
I HAD IT BEFORE I CAME BACK TO, TO THE COUNCIL.
I LOST IT ON THE WAY DOWN HERE.
I I I SHOWED YOU A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I THOUGHT I SHOWED EM THE SHIP.
SO YOU'D STILL NEED A LOCATION, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
RIGHT NOW WE, WE, UH, WHAT I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU YES, SIR.
LET LET US KNOW WHAT SQUARE FOOTAGE, WHAT'S THE MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE, SIR? WE, WE, WE WORK IN SMALL SPACES.
WE, WE, WE CAN WORK IN SMALL SPACES.
WE JUST NEED, RIGHT NOW WE LIMITED OF RESOURCES.
SO RIGHT NOW I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 10 KIDS.
BEFORE WE CLOSE THE DOORS, WE HAD 70 TO 80 MM-HMM
SO WITH THE LIMITED SPACE RIGHT NOW, I HAVE 10% OF, BUT YOU'RE GROWING.
SEE, THAT'S WHY I WANT YOU TO SAY IT HERE.
WHAT YOU NEED UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THAT WAY YOU GOT PEOPLE HERE LISTENING.
SO IF YOU NEED, UH, X AMOUNT OF SQUARE, YOU SEE THE, A LOT OF METAL BUILDING THAT THEY'RE INEXPENSIVE.
UM, THE WISH A LINE HEARTED, WE CAN GET SOMETHING 5,000 SQUARE FOOT OR MORE.
WE GOT A, A RING DONATED TO US, UM, FROM THE JOE LEWIS SPORTS FOUNDATION AND, UM, SOME EQUIPMENT THAT'S SITTING IN THE STORAGE.
SO, UM, IT'LL BE ENOUGH ROOM TO SET UP THAT RING AND CONDUCT TRAINING IN THAT AREA SAFELY.
WHAT YOU NEED TO, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO GET WITH THE MAYOR, GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED.
LET HIM MAKE HIM AWARE OF IT AND WE'LL, WE'LL RESOURCE, WE'LL FIND SOME FUNDING FOR YOU, OKAY? YES, SIR.
I'LL HELP YOU FIND SOME FUNDING.
I HAVE A BUDGET AND EVERYTHING DRAWN UP.
YOU GOT A LOT OF, WE GOT A LOT OF INDUSTRY HERE, OKAY? YES, SIR.
AND THEY WILL HELP YOU IF YOU ASK THEM AND, AND, AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU NEED.
OKAY? THEY'RE NOT GONNA PUT MONEY IN A, IN A BLACK HOLE.
THEY GOT THE, GIVE IT ALL THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE GIVE IT THE MAYOR, MAKE THE MAYOR GOT A LIST OF ALL THE PUBLIC RELATIONS FOLKS IN, IN OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY.
[01:05:01]
IF IT'S EVEN A, A TEMPORARY PLACE FOR YOU TO LAND UNTIL WE CAN GET YOU A PERMANENT PLACE.SO GET WITH ME AFTER THE MEETING TODAY AND I I WANNA HELP YOU PARTNER WITH THEM.
THE YMCA DOESN'T ALLOW COMBAT SPORTS IN THEIR FACILITY.
WELL, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THAT.
SO WE WE'RE REGISTERED WITH THE, LET'S, LET'S SEE ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE THE LIABILITY INSURANCE, 5 MILLION.
ALL OUR KIDS ARE REGISTERED AND WE, I CONDUCT TRAINING UNDER OLYMPIC POLICY.
SO THERE IS NO RULES BEING BROKEN, BROKEN HERE.
SO I WANNA COMMEND YOU ALSO FOR THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS JUST ON THE NEWS RECENTLY.
TELL, TELL, TELL ME WHAT, WHAT IT WAS THAT YOU WANT.
2025 NATIONAL CIVIL GLOVES CHAMPION.
AND HE WAS, HE WAS FROM BEAUMONT, RIGHT? YES.
MAY MAY, MAY I ASK ONE QUESTION? I DON'T KNOW.
UH, I ATTENDED THE LAST SESSION.
I CAME BACK AND TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT IT.
CARL PARKER CENTER WAS PACKED.
NOW YOU GOING TO, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF MAX BOWL HAS A FACILITY, BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT 'EM TO DO IS, HEY Y'ALL, IT'S PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE UNITED STATES THERE, THE NATIONAL JOURNALISTS.
I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO COME TO PORT ARTHUR AND WE BE EMBARRASSED 'CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN A ROOM BY BIG AS THIS
THEY HAVE TO PACK ME IN, PUT ME IN THE RING.
BUT I MEAN, THERE'S A REAL PROFESSIONAL RING, YOU KNOW, AT, AT, AT, AT PROFESSIONAL.
AND THOSE FOUR TABLES AROUND ARE FILLED WITH NOT LOCAL PEOPLE, BUT NATIONAL INDIVIDUALS, OLYMPIANS AND ALL OF THIS.
SO NOW, UH, YOUR DATES, DID YOU CHECK WITH HIM ON TO SEE IF THOSE DATES WERE AVAILABLE TO YOU? IS ALL YOU GOT TO SAY YES OR NO? YOU DID.
HE SAID HE DIDN'T BECAUSE OF THE COST.
I KNOW IT WAS TOO CENTER CONSIDERED CIVIC CENTER.
CIVIC CENTER WAS BOOKED, WAS BOOKED TO 2026 WHEN I, UH, CALLED LAST YEAR.
THEY WERE BOOKED UP FOR THE SUMMER ALL THE WAY.
I COULDN'T GET LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR.
OH, OH, BECAUSE OF THE DATES THAT YOU HAVE, THE DATES.
WELL THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S HER EVEN WITH YOUR DATE CHANGING FOR THIS YEAR.
I, I DIDN'T CHECK, I DIDN'T CHECK AGAIN ONCE THE DATE CHANGED.
THE DATE JUST CHANGED LIKE LAST WEEK, MAN, WE JUST WAS COMING BACK FROM KANSAS, SO I'VE BEEN HAVING A SO YOU'LL TEXT ME TOMORROW AND LET ME KNOW BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA CALL THEM, RIGHT? YEAH.
CHECK AGAIN, CHECK AGAIN WITH ADAM SAUNDERS, SEE IF THAT DATE'S AVAILABLE.
YEAH, BECAUSE THIS YOU ALL GONE LAST WEEK.
YOU COULDN'T COME THEN WHENEVER YOU ALL WERE GOING AND THEN THEY GAVE YOU THE DATE THAT YOU COULD HAVE IT.
NOT A DATE THAT THEY JUST ARBITRARILY CONVICTED.
BUT I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GET TAMMY INVOLVED WITH THIS.
THOSE FOLK STAYED IN PORT ARTHUR FOR SOME, FOR THREE DAYS BECAUSE Y'ALL FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEY WERE THERE.
I WAS SUNDAY OUT TO CHURCH STILL HERE.
THEY WERE THERE AT SOME STAGE UNTIL MONDAY.
SO WE, WE NOW WE HAD MOVE ON, BUT, OKAY.
THANK YOU COACH CALVIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
PLEASE HAVE 1, 1, 1 QUICK SECOND.
I DON'T WANNA DOWNPLAY MS. ANNE WOLF.
YOU KIND OF RACED OVER THERE REAL QUICK.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A PART OF THIS AMAZING ADVERTISEMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG GIRLS.
AND SHE'S BEEN TO ARTHUR TWICE.
MAY I PRO TAB, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? YES.
I THINK WE'RE AT, UH, LETTER A SPEAKERS, MS. PATRICIA PARKER REGARDING CONDITIONS OF THE CITY.
AND I DON'T, I I JUST RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION FOR OUR NEXT, UH, PARTICIPANT.
SO SHE, I I DON'T THINK SHE CAN BE HERE TONIGHT.
SHE CONTACTED OUR OFFICE RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING, SIR.
OKAY, SO THEN WE, WE'LL NOW MOVE
[01:10:01]
TO PRESENTATIONS THEN WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY, UH, MAYOR, YOU HAD A RECORD THAT WAS, THAT WAS IT RIGHT THERE.NO, I, I I DIDN'T FINISH READING ALL THAT.
SO LOOK, WE ARE NOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, IF, IF, IF I CAN GET A MOTION FOR THIS.
THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT IS UH, ON PAGE SEVEN.
I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION TO MOVE THAT ONE UP AND WE CAN HEAR IT.
MAY I GET A MOTION TO MOVE NUMBER SEVEN UP TO, TO THIS COUNCILMAN UH, DOUCETTE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? SECOND.
AND WE WOULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
UP TO DISCUSSION NOW IT'S SEVEN OUT OF THE NON-CON NON-CONSENT.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? WE RATHER VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOVEMENT? ANY THE OPPOSES? AYE.
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 24149 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Industrial District Agreement With Cormorant Clean Energy, LLC, For The Development Of An Ultra-Low Carbon "Blue" Ammonia Production Facility ]
ON PAGE SEVEN.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THIS IS PR NUMBER 24 1 4 9 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT WITH CORAN CLEAN ENERGY LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRA LOW CARBON BLUE AMMONIA PRODUCTION FACILITY.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN KIN LAW SECOND.
IT'S REMOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR 24 1 4 9 AS PRESENTED.
UH, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO, PR NUMBER 24 1 49 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
NOW, UH, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THERE IS ONE OTHER ITEM AND I'VE GOTTA FIND IT.
UH, ON PAGE NINE THERE'S AN ITEM, AN ORDINANCE PO 7 3 1 16.
I CAN GET A MOTION TO, UH, MOVE THAT THIS, THIS ITEM TO, UH, UP AT THIS JUNCTURE.
IT, UH, IT'S AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER ONE 10 OF THE UTILITIES.
ARTICLE TWO OF WATER DIVISION THREE SERVICE, UH, CHANGES IN BILLING IN SECTIONS, UH, ONE 10 THROUGH NINE ONE, UH, OR 1 1 10 DASH 91 AND RATE SCHEDULE AND ONE 10 DASH 92.
AND, UH, CONSUMERS, UH, OUTSIDE CITY NOT HAVING SPECIAL CONTRACTS, UH, OF THE, UH, CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND AS IT PERTAINS TO, AND WE HAVE THIS, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE RATE INCREASE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND THE RATE INCREASE FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, UH, CUSTOMERS.
I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THAT.
MIGHT I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW.
WE BEEN MOVED AND SECOND SECONDARY, WE WERE MOVED.
THIS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, IN THE NON-CONSENT, UH, OF, OF ORDINANCES, UH, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR TO JUST JUST TO MOVE? YEAH, MOVE IT, MOVE IT SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT.
THE HOUSE HAVE, SO NOW WE WERE ALREADY, AND I JUST READ IT.
DO I NEED TO READ IT AGAIN? ATTORNEY? OKAY.
[VIII.B.(4) P.O. No. 7316 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 110 (Utilities), Article II (Water), Division 3 (Service Charges And Billing), Sections 110-91 (Rate Schedule) And 110-92 (Consumers Outside City Not Having Special Contracts) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, As It Pertains To_____% Rate Increase For Residential, And _____% Rate Increase For Commercial And Industrial Customers, And Providing For Publication ]
PO NUMBER 73 1 6 AND IT IS AN HONOROUS AMENDING CHAPTER ONE 10 UTILITIES ARTICLE TWO, WATER DIVISION THREE SERVICE CHANGES AND BILLINGS SECTIONS ONE 10 DASH 91 RATE SCHEDULE AND ONE 10 DASH 92.CONSUMER OUTSIDE CITY NOT HAVING SPECIAL CONTRACTS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AS IT PERTAINS TO A SPECIFIC, UH, RATE INCREASE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND A SPECIFIC RATE INCREASE FOR A COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM? UH, COUNCILMAN DI UH, ETT.
SO MAY I GET A SECOND? MAYOR POT SECOND.
AND WITH APPROVE PO NUMBER 73 16 AS PRESENTED.
WE ARE NOW READY FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS COUNCILWOMAN, UH, BECKHAM, WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH THIS TWICE BEFORE AND IT FAILED.
AND NOW WE'RE PRESENTED WITH FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
SO I WOULD LIKE SOME, SOME CLARITY ON THESE FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND WHY WE CAN'T DO AN OPTION THAT DOES NOT RAISE THE RATES FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
[01:15:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT RAISES THE RATES ONLY FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL IN PARTICULAR, AND NOT RESIDENTIAL.UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, WE PROVIDED YOU WITH A TABLE EARLIER THAT, UH, SHOWS SOME BREAKDOWNS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE REVENUES THAT COMES FROM THE COMMERCIAL, INCLUDING CHENIERE AS INDUSTRIAL, THAT REVENUE IS 11.7 MILLION, BUT THE REVENUE THAT COMES OUT OF THE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS IS 24 MILLION.
SO IN ORDER TO GENERATE THE REVENUE WE'RE TRYING TO GENERATE BY ONLY APPLYING THIS RATE INCREASE TO THE COMMERCIAL AND THE INDUSTRIAL ACCOUNTS, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE ABOUT FOUR TIMES, THREE TO FOUR TIMES MORE THAN WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE PROPOSING.
WE ARE TRYING TO GENERATE A REVENUE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS THAT IS AT LEAST AROUND 1.5 MILLION.
SO TO GET ABOUT 1.5 MILLION OUT OF THE 11 MILLION OVER ONLY A SIX MONTHS PERIOD IS GONNA CAUSE A VERY LARGE INCREASE JUST ON THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
THE, THE ISSUE IS ONLY 2.4 MILLION ROUGHLY COUNTS TO 2.5 MILLION IS FROM COMMERCIAL.
IF WE TAKE ACTION YEAR OUT OF THE EQUATION, THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL IS ONLY AROUND 2.5 MILLION.
THE NIE PAYING ACCOUNT PAYS THE MAJORITY OF THAT INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS IN THE 9 MILLION RANGE.
THAT ANSWER YOU MAY I
DO YOU YIELD AT THIS MOMENT? I YIELD.
UM, AND THEN I'M LOOKING AT, SORRY DOC, I'M LOOKING AT, UM, OPTION FOUR.
SO IF, IF WE DID PROPOSE 5.6%, WHY DO WE HAVE TO DECLINE ON THE COMMERCIAL RATE? WHY DOES IT HAVE TO GO DOWN? IS THAT A CERTAIN MA MATRIX OR WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU USING THE, THE SUB, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T THEY STAY AT 8.5? IF WE DO RESIDENTIAL AT 5.6? IS IT CERTAIN MATRIX THAT YOU ARE USING OR, I, I UNDERSTAND THIS DOLLARS IS TAKING PLACE IN HERE, BUT TELL ME WHY CAN'T THEY STAY AT 8.5 OR EVEN 9%? COUNCILMAN, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND WE BROUGHT THIS COUNCIL DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS WELL.
AND THIS COUNCIL CAN DECIDE TO MAKE IT 15% FOR COMMERCIAL AND 5.6 FOR RESIDENTIAL.
'CAUSE WE WERE TOLD THAT WE ARE NOT PROVIDING OPTIONS.
SO THE 5.6% BASICALLY IS ONLY THE COST OF LIVING TYPE, UH, INCREASE.
WELL, AND AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO THE BRUNT, THE, YOU ARE RIGHT, THE COST OF LIVING, I REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT MY THING IS THIS RESIDENTIAL, IF I'M GONNA EVEN CONSIDER, UH, RAISING RESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, I WANT THE BRUNT OF THIS TO BE TAKEN BY BY COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
UH, I THINK THAT THE RESIDENTIAL, UH, UH, PERCENTAGE WE, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TAXING, WE'VE BEEN HITTING THE RESIDENTIAL, UH, CITIZENS UP IN THE CITY.
SO I'M SAYING THAT FOR SO LONG NOW EVERYONE HAS TO PAY FOR THE BUCK.
AND WHY CAN'T WE JUST SAY, AND I, AND I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU GOT 7.1%, SO WHY CAN'T WE DO 9%? WHY CAN'T WHAT? THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT NEED TO BE PLAYED WITH THE MY COHORTS AND I.
SO WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN SOMEONE ASKS US WHY DID WE GO UP ON RATES, WE COULD TELL 'EM, ONE, WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT.
BUT IF WE GONNA DO THIS AND PROVIDE WATERS TO INDUSTRY AND, AND, AND, AND COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, LET'S LOOK AT A HIGHER RATE FOR THEM.
I MEAN, SO WE CAN JUSTIFY THE COST.
SO LET ME CLARIFY ONE THING REALLY QUICK ON THIS CHART THAT WE GAVE YOU ALL.
THE RATE INCREASES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING HERE ARE PURELY TO TRY TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET OR TO BRING THE NEGATIVE OR THE RED TO THE LOWEST POSSIBLE AMOUNT.
THESE RATE INCREASES AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE BUDGET STARTED, WILL NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CAPITAL LIKE WE WANTED TO DO, WILL NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR A SECOND PIPE BURSTING CREW.
THIS RATE INCREASE, WE'RE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT
[01:20:02]
ON THE UTILITIES FUND AND THE NUMBER OF DOLLARS OR THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IT'S GONNA HAVE TO GET FROM THE GENERAL FUND AT THE END OF THE YEAR.TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET, WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN $3.2 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT THAT TCEQ WAS REQUIRING US TO DO THAT YOU ALL APPROVED THE LAST MEETING PLUS SOME EMERGENCY WORK.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OVER $400,000 OF EMERGENCY WORK TAKING PLACE.
THAT'S ALSO GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE TODAY IS THIS RATE INCREASE IS GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED OVER ONLY SIX MONTHS OF THE BUDGET YEAR.
AND COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, IF WE ONLY PUT A RATE INCREASE ON INDUSTRY, IT'S A 43 COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY, IT'LL BE 43% OF THE CURRENT RATE IN ORDER TO GET THE FUNDING TO MATCH THIS CHART.
AND THAT'S WHY IF WE ONLY GO TO COMMERCIAL, IT'S GONNA BE A HUMONGOUS RATE INCREASE.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE NOT DOING CAPITAL, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET CLOSER TO AN END OF YEAR WITHOUT BEING TOO MUCH IN THE RED AND STILL WE ARE NOT BEING GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANY CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH THESE RATE INCREASES.
I'M GLAD WE GOT AN OPTION OTHER THAN WHAT WE HAD DENIED THREE TIMES.
I'M GLAD WE HAVE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE ARE HAVING.
I'M GLAD WE HAD THE COMMENTS WE HAVING.
UH, IT'S BEEN CLEAR TO US FROM THE LAST TIME WHEN WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE INFLATION AND THE PPI OF BEING 5.6, OKAY? WHEN THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO JUST TO STAY WITH THE INCREASE THAT IT WOULD COST FOR US TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS.
THE COMMERCIAL RATES, UH, WE LOOKED AT, AND WE HAVE COMMERCIAL RATES IN CONJUNCTION WITH IT.
LIKE IN THIS ONE SAYS 5.6 AND THE COMMERCIAL RATE WOULD BE 7.1.
UH, COUNCIL COMMENTS HAVE BEEN, UH, WELL, CAN WE INCREASE THE, UM, COMMERCIALS HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED TO 7.1? AND UH, I'VE LISTENED TO THAT AND YOUR COMMENT, LAST COMMENT WAS THAT WE HAVE THESE AS RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WHATEVER YOU ALL DECIDE, THAT'S WHAT, UH, WE'LL DO.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UH, BE ABLE TO BALANCE THIS.
I THINK IF WE'D HAVE HAD THIS TYPE OF DIALOGUE FROM DAY ONE, I THINK WE COULD HAVE RESOLVED IT THEN.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW, WE HAVE TO TRY TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, LESSEN THE DEFICIT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WE CAN'T GO AROUND IT.
I'M GLAD WE FINALLY DECIDE TO BRING IT IN THIS MANNER SO WE COULD GET SOMETHING DONE.
I ALWAYS SAID SOMETHING WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING AND UP TO THIS POINT IT WAS NOTHING.
SO WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, THE 5.6 IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IN ORDER TO COUNTER INFLATION AND, UH, WHAT IT GONNA COST US TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE AT THIS TIME.
THE 8.5 INSTEAD OF 7.1 WHERE YOU HAVE 7.1 FOR OPTION FOUR, I'M TALKING ABOUT OPTION FOUR COUNSEL.
INSTEAD OF THE 7.1, MAKING THAT 8.5 AND GONNA LESS THAN THAT AND WE GOING TO END UP IN THE RED AND WE GOT TO COVER IT, UH, NEXT YEAR.
WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AND WE NEED TO PROBABLY START BEFORE BUDGET TIME AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THESE THINGS RESOLVED AND WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT PROTECTING CITIZEN CITIZENS AS, UH, COUNCIL FOREMAN BECKON SAID.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S UH, UNDERSTANDING WE RAISE COMMERCIAL RATE, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE GOTTA LOOK AT OUR FUTURE AND KNOW THAT WE MAY BE STRUGGLING.
RIGHT NOW WHAT WE HAVE ANOTHER LNG COMING ONLINE, UH, THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US
[01:25:01]
THE TYPE REVENUE THAT, UH, CHENE IS BRINGING IN.IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN WHAT THE NORMAL COMPANIES DO.
SO IF WE COULD JUST TRY TO WORK TO TRY TO KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER UNTIL THEN, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK BRIGHTER IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK THIS 30 MILLION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WE'D BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND WE'D BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH EVERY YEAR HAVING OUR RATE INCREASES.
AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO CONVEY TO CITIZENS IS WE, WE WILL HAVE RATE INCREASE.
WE NEED COST OF LIVING, OR IN THIS CASE INFLATION RATES.
AND IF WE DO 'EM ANNUALLY, IT WILL COST, IT WILL COVER THE COST OF INCREASE.
SO IT BETTER TO DO IT WITH SMALL INCREMENTS LIKE THE GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S EXPECTED.
OKAY? SO I WILL BE IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THE 5.6 RESIDENTIAL 8.5 COMMERCIAL FOR THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO START WORKING ON THIS, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT THREE, FOUR MONTHS FOR OUR NEXT YEAR BUDGET SO THAT WE DO NOT GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
AND WHATEVER WE DECIDE WE WOULD DECIDE TO BE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
BECAUSE IF WE HAVE DONE THIS WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, WE WOULD'VE HAD SOME MONEY AND WE HAD REDUCED IT THIS FAR.
SO WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WE MUST COMPROMISE.
WE MUST COMPROMISE, WE MUST BE VERY OPEN WITH WHAT WE FEEL AND WHAT OUR STANCE ARE.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, THEN WE COMMUNIC BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
I DO BELIEVE THE 5.6 AND THE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO US OF WHAT THE INFLATION RATE WAS, I THINK THAT'S WHAT SWAYED ME FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW COST GOES UP EVERY YEAR, EVERYTHING.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST HAVE TO GET IN TERMS. BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT WE MANAGE WHAT WE DO AND WE PLAN AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WITH ALL THE MONEY WE RECEIVE FROM INDUSTRY AND THESE LNGS IN RETURNS ABOUT WATER, WHEN YOU COMPARE THE WATER RATES IN THIS, IN THIS AREA, WE SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO ONE DAY HAVING THE LOWEST RATES IN THE UNITED STATES.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE A BASE FOR WATER REVENUE BETTER THAN US.
SO BEFORE I LOOK THAT I KNOW WE GOTTA FIRST GET TO WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE NEED TO DO IT AND WE NEED TO DO IT IN THE FUTURE WITH AN UNDERSTANDING.
WE GOT TO FIND A MEDIUM AND WHEN WE GET THE MEDIUM WE NEED TO WORK ON IT.
AND WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON IT, KNOWING THAT THE FUTURE WE GONNA GET HELP AND DOING THAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO? SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE A 5.6 RESIDENTIAL 8.5 COMMERCIAL.
AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON THE IMPACT ON OUR GENERAL FUND AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO COVER THE, THE EMERGENCIES AND STUFF THAT WE MAY INCUR.
AND AT THE SAME TIME UNDERSTANDING WE SHOULD NOT USE THIS AS A EVERY YEAR THING.
WE SHOULD TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO IT, WE CAN KEEP THE CITIZENS, UH, IN MIND.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO WORK TO THE POINT WHEREBY OUR RACE REFLECT OUR REVENUE FROM WATER SOURCES AS OPPOSED TO COMPARING THEM WITH OTHER CITIES.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MA'AM.
UH, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS OPTION FOUR ALSO WITHOUT THE RATE INCREASE, THE PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT WOULD BE SAY $2.4 MILLION AND WITH THE RATE INCREASE, THE PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT WOULD BE SOMEONE LESS $1.3 MILLION.
WHEN I WANT TO BE MAKE IT CLEAR, CLEAR THAT THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL COUNCILMAN DUCES PROPOSAL, 5.6% ON THE RESIDENCE, 8.5 ON THE COMMERCIAL.
NOW I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE SENIOR CITIZENS GET THEIR DISCOUNT, ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT,
[01:30:01]
GET ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT, OKAY.SAME PERCENTAGE, NOT ADDITIONAL.
THEY, THEY WOULD CONTINUE THE CONTINUANCE OF WHAT I THINK COUNCILMAN OKAY.
HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, APPROVED IN ENACT THROUGH AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD STILL BE IN PLACE.
WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT LATER ON.
I MUST THAT ON THE TAPE, YES, THAT WOULD STILL BE IN PLACE, THAT STILL BE EFFECTIVE, THAT IT'LL BE HOWEVER YOU GOING RAISE REVENUE BY THOUSAND.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU WANNA SEE THAT.
SO IF, IF I MAY, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, I'VE RESPONDED TO COUNCILMAN ETTES COMMENTS LAST TIME, SO I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT MYSELF.
BUT, UH, ONE THING THAT WAS NOT SPOKEN ABOUT LAST TIME, THE NEW INDUSTRY THAT OIL IS COMING TO TOWN IS NOT USING THE SAME TURBINE SYSTEMS THAT SHANIE DOES, THAT REQUIRES THAT LARGE VOLUME OF WATER.
SO WE ARE NOT GONNA BE RECEIVING THE EIGHT, $9 MILLION PER ACCOUNT FROM THE NEW INDUSTRY, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO I WISH THAT IS THE CASE, BUT, BUT IT IS NOT.
AND PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT OPTION FOUR, IF WE GO TO OPTION FOUR, WHICHEVER OPTION YOU OUGHT TO CHOOSE, CHOOSE TO DO WITH AN 8.5% IN THE COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS ANOTHER 1.5% ON REVENUE, WILL STILL KEEP THE DEFICIT AT 1.3 MILLION BECAUSE 1.5% OF THE 11 MILLION IS, IS VERY LITTLE MONEY COUNCILMAN 50,000.
YEAH, BUT HOLD ON JUST, JUST A MINUTE Y'ALL.
WERE YOU THROUGH COS LEWIS? NO, I'M NOT THROUGH.
I I I'M GOING TO LET Y'ALL TALK IN A MINUTE.
SO I JUST WANT TO, THAT WE HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME, WE CAN DO THIS, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK, LOOK AT THE LONG TERM.
OKAY? NOW IN THE EDC, WE NEED TO GET WITH EDC TO SEE, SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME HELP FROM THEM.
PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT ON THE FOUR B PROJECT TO HELP WITH THIS IN, IN UPCOMING ELECTION AND CITY, CITY SECRETARY, WHEN, WHEN SHOULD THIS BE? WHEN IS EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON THE BALLOT, WHEN IS IT DUE TO GO ON THE BALLOT? WHAT DATE? FRIDAY.
FRIDAY STATUTORY DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY THE 14TH.
FRIDAY IS OUR LAST REGULAR MEETING.
IT HAS EVERYTHING THAT HAP THAT'S GOING TO GO ABOUT DECIDED TONIGHT.
JUST, JUST, JUST A MINUTE Y'ALL.
SO I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO MATH
SO, AND, AND I'M, I'M LEANING TOWARDS WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE IS SAYING ABOUT OPTION FOUR.
IF WE COULD RAISE THE COMMERCIAL RATE TO 8.5%, WHAT IF WE RAISED IT TO THE OPTION ONE RATE AT 11.5%? WHAT IS THE MATH PROBLEM? WILL THAT HELP US IF WE, IF WE KEEP THE RESIDENTIAL RATE AT 5.6% INCREASE? SO IF WE I AND RAISE THE COMMERCIAL RATE AN EXTRA 1.5% ON THE 11 MILLION THAT'S COMING FROM COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, THAT WILL GENERATE THE $177,000, THE 1.5%.
SO EACH 1.5% WILL GENERATE AN EXTRA 177,000 ROUGHLY FROM THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, RIGHT? SO IF YOU DO 3%, IT'S GONNA BRING IT TO 350,364,000.
SO IF WE COULD STICK WITH OPTION FOUR WITH A PROPOSED 5.6% ON RESIDENTIAL, WHICH BASICALLY RAISES THE WATER RATES LESS, LESS THAN $2 FOR RESIDENTIAL, BUT WE RAISE THE COMMERCIAL RATE TO 11.5%.
WOULD THAT HELP US WITH THE, WITH THE DEFICIT? UH, EVERY PENNY IS GONNA HELP COUNCILWOMAN.
SO THAT WILL BE HOW MUCH YOU SAID, SORRY, 10 IF WE DID 11.5% COMMERCIAL AND 5.6% RESIDENTIAL.
SO THAT WILL GIVE US ANOTHER 519,000.
SO THE 1.4 MILLION WILL BECOME 900,000 DEFICIT.
SAY IT RIGHT COUNCIL? YES, SIR.
I WAS JUST WANTED TO BE SURE I'M HEARING AND EVERYTHING.
COUNCILMAN UH, HAMILTON? THANK YOU MAYOR
UM, IT WAS STATED THAT THESE OPTIONS HAD NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO US BEFORE, BUT WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY PROVIDED TO US IN OCTOBER, WE WERE ASKED THE QUESTION IF WE COULD AMEND,
[01:35:01]
AMEND TO WHAT? AND YOU ALL WOULD MOVE FORWARD.HOWEVER, COUNCIL GAVE A DIRECTION TO, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHICHEVER COUNSELOR BROUGHT OR CITY MANAGER BROUGHT THIS BACK FOR US TO, TO DISCUSS AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND.
SO I AM ASKING FOR WHAT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSING, JUST CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS INITIALLY THAT 8.5%, WHICH WE SAID THAT WOULD BE AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $5 FOR RESIDENTIAL, UH, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS PER MONTH, APPROXIMATELY $5 PER MONTH.
WAS THAT THAT 8.5% ROUGHLY THAT THAT IS CORRECT AND APPLIED ON THE 12 MONTHS PERIOD.
IT WOULD'VE PROVIDED ENOUGH MONEY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND GENERATE AND BE ABLE TO GET SOME CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS TO DO CAPITAL.
WHAT'S SCALING US RIGHT NOW IS TIME WE DON'T HAVE CAPITAL FUNDING.
SO WHEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY ON SEWER, WE ARE HAVING TO GO TO THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR IT.
SO NOT HAVING THAT CAPITAL MONEY AVAILABLE IS, IS REALLY HURTING US.
AND, AND THESE NUMBERS I'M PROVIDING, LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR ONE MORE TIME.
THE NUMBERS YOU HAVE HERE IS AS OF FEBRUARY 10TH.
SO IF WE HAVE FOUR MORE EMERGENCIES FROM NOW TO THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL DEFICIT THAT IS GONNA BE ADDED TO THESE NUMBERS.
THESE ARE PROJECTIONS BASED ON REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE UP TO FEBRUARY 10 FOR THE EMERGENCIES.
DOESN'T INCLUDE CHANGE ORDERS ON ONGOING PROJECTS.
WE MIGHT HAVE A VERY ROUGH SUMMER TO WHERE WE HAVE WAR LINE BREAKS EVERYWHERE.
THAT'S GONNA COST US A LOT OF MONEY.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE WE, I DON'T WANNA COME BACK AND Y'ALL TELL ME YOU PROMISED US A $1 MILLION DEFICIT AND NOW IT'S 3 MILLION.
'CAUSE WE ARE HAVING TO USE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR EMERGENCIES AND CHANGE ORDERS.
OKAY? I AM ASKING THAT WE PLEASE CONSIDER THAT ORIGINAL 8.5% FOR THAT AVERAGE $5 INCREASE AND GO BACK IN BETWEEN THAT 10 AND 11.5% FOR OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
I ASK THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'RE THREE MONTHS BEHIND ALREADY, SO WE HAVE TO CATCH UP FOR TIME IN OCTOBER.
WE CAN REVISIT THIS AGAIN AND EITHER DECREASE IT OR GOD WILLING, WE WOULDN'T OR AT THAT TIME INCREASE AGAIN.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE STAND, EVEN IF WE DID THE 10% RESIDENTIAL AND 11.5% COMMERCIAL, WE'RE STILL AT, AT A DEFICIT, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN HELP OUR CUSHION.
SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO HELP PROVIDE US CUSHION DON'T EXIST AS OF RIGHT NOW.
GOD WILLING, THEY WILL COME BACK, BUT THEY DON'T EXIST AS COUNCILWOMAN.
I'M, I'M, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, COUNCILMAN FRANK SAID LAST MEETING, THE CALVARY AIN'T COMING.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO BE ABLE TO HELP OURSELVES.
AND FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE DESCRIBING THE FECES AND TOILET PAPER COMING INTO THEIR HOUSE OR IN THEIR YARD, THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO PAY $5 A MONTH INCREASE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR NEIGHBOR.
THEY'LL BE WILLING TO DO THAT EVEN IF IT ISN'T COMING IN THEIR YARD BUT HAPPENING TO THEIR NEIGHBOR.
SO AGAIN, THE 8.5 MAY NOT BE WHAT WE CHOOSE, BUT I AM ASKING THAT WE STOP FOR US TO STOP NICKEL AND DIAMOND OURSELVES AND GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HOW WE CAN BITE THIS BULLET AND REVISIT THIS AGAIN IN OCTOBER.
IT IS THE GAUNTLET HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.
TCEQ IS LOOKING AT US WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, NOT ONLY US, BUT OTHER CITIES AROUND US.
THEY HAVE BUILT THEIR TEAM AND WE ARE JUST SITTING IN THE WINGS WAITING FOR THAT PHONE CALL.
WE NEED TO MAN UP, WOMAN UP AND TAKE CARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE LACKED FOR SO MANY YEARS AND JUST ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE KNOW WE CAN HANDLE RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THAT FOR MAJORITY OF OUR CITIZENS THAT THREE TO $5 INCREASE IS NOT GOING
[01:40:01]
TO STOP THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR LIFE, BUT IT WILL STOP THE TRAJECTORY OF THE GROWTH OF OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IF WE DON'T DO IT.SO I AM ASKING THAT WE PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AT MINIMUM THAT 8.5% AND SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THAT 10 AND 11 AND A HALF FOR OUR COMMERCIAL, UM, FOR OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AND DR.
TOME TO YOU AND TO CALVIN AND TO JESS.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND THE WHOLE TEAM.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS EAT, SLEEP AND BREATHE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON CALLING YOU ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY ABOUT IT.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR EFFORT AND IT IS NOT UNNOTICED.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN HEARD, UM, ON THIS ISSUE ON LAST WEEK, I HAD A SOLILOQUY AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
UM, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT CAN BE SAID.
I KNOW THAT IT IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION, UH, FOR US AS COUNCIL PEOPLE.
I KNOW THAT WE DON'T, WE HAVE A, A, A HEART OF COMPASSION FOR, FOR EVERYONE IN OUR CITY.
AND YOU KNOW, I I UNDERSTAND THAT IN IN THE POSITION, UH, THAT I SEE IT.
I SEE ELDERLY PEOPLE AND I SEE PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE AND WHO $5 MEANS EVERYTHING TO THEM.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN AS COUNCIL COUNCILMEN AND COUNCILWOMEN, WE GOT TO TAKE TOUGH VOTES BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, MIGHT NOT REST WELL WITH OUR CITIZENS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOTTA BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES.
WE GOTTA BE HONEST WITH OUR CITIZENS.
WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT THE PROBLEM NOW.
BUT AS WELL, WE GOTTA LOOK DOWN THE ROAD.
WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT THEY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE WATER DOWN IN SABINE PASS AT ALL, RIGHT? DURING THE FREEZE, RIGHT? THEY HAD NO WATER AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT SAME ISSUE CAN HAPPEN TO EVERYONE IN OUR CITY.
WE ARE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED WITH THIS INCREASE OF, UM, 8.5 AND WHATEVER IT IS, WE WOULD CHOOSE TO RAISE A COMMERCIAL.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ADDING PIPE BURSTING CREWS.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AT, UM, MAYOR PRO TEMS, UM, IN HER, IN THE DISTRICT WHERE WE LIVE, THEY GOT PIPES BURST IN THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST ANY PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE CITY.
IT'S THE CITY IN ITS ENTIRETY.
AND TO, AND TO PUT UP TO THE, TO PUT A BANDAID ON A SHOTGUN WOUND IS NOT GOING.
WE, WE CAN'T JUST STICK OUR THUMB IN THE D**E.
THIS IS A GAPING HOLE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR CITY.
AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVEN GETTING READY FOR THE INDUSTRIES, WE GOT MAJOR INDUSTRIES COMING, HOW ARE WE GOING? WE CAN'T EVEN, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THEM? ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THEM? THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO ASK THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
WE'RE WE'RE GONNA RUN BUSINESSES AWAY.
YEAH, THEY'VE GOT EXCELLENT LANDMASS, THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING WORKFORCE, BUT THEY CAN'T GET WATER TO US.
THEY, IF THEY CAN'T GET WATER TO US, HOW ARE THEY, HOW ARE WE GONNA MANAGE OUR PLANT? HOW ARE WE GONNA DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO? HOW ARE WE GOING TO COOL CONDENSERS AND PIPES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND THAT PLANTS NEED.
WE GOTTA MAKE A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO THE GREATEST DEGREE THAT WE CAN.
AND WE'RE NOT, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING FIVE TO $7.
I, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THIS TIME IT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE, UM, THE 8.5 AND WE CAN REGISTER AND WE CAN, UM, RAISE THE COMMERCIAL RATE, UH, TO WHERE WE WANT TO AT 11.5.
SO IF I MAY CLARIFY SOMETHING, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA HELP YOU ALL WITH YOUR DECISION.
UH, IF WE DO 8.5 RESIDENTIAL AND 11.5 COMMERCIAL AT THIS POINT OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, WE WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $1.7 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
[01:45:01]
ACROSS THE BOARD, WE WILL GENERATE $1.57 MILLION.IF WE DO THE 5.6% ON RESIDENTIAL AND 11.5 ON COMMERCIAL, WE GENERATE 11.5 MILLION.
SO ALL THESE PERCENTAGES RIGHT NOW ARE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER COMPARED TO WHAT WE WILL GENERATE BETWEEN 1.5 TO 1.7 MILLION.
SO THAT 150 TO 200,000 IS, IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE ARE ONLY IMPLEMENTING THIS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
'CAUSE IT CANNOT START TILL APRIL 1ST.
SO, UH, WHATEVER THE COUNCIL CHOOSES AGAIN, IS WHICH WAY WE WANNA GO, BUT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE ON THAT.
OKAY? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH,
HANK, BECAUSE THIS WAS GOING RIGHT BACK TO WHERE IT WAS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAD WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T HAD BEFORE WE BROUGHT TO IT.
AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS, ALL OF THESE COMMENTS ABOUT IF WE DON'T DO THIS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT THIS POINT.
IF WE DONE A 20% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL AND A 20% INCREASE IN COMMERCIAL, THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST IN THIS CITY WILL NOT BE RESOLVED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO ALL OF THIS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T DO THIS, I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS AND EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND IF I'M, IF I'M INCORRECT, TELL ME.
SO WE GOING, THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE YEARS TODAY.
AND OF COURSE WE STARTING LATE, WE UNDERSTANDING, WE GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT RIGHT NOW WE TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO GET FROM A TO B.
BUT WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS SAYING, IF WE DO THE 8.5 AND 11, I'M HERE TO SAY IF I DID A 20% AND A 20%, IT AIN'T GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT WE CANNOT DO SOMETHING NOW AND CONTINUE DOING IT AND ADDRESSING IT.
AND UH, I THINK WE STARTED LATE.
SO THE POINT IS, ARE WE GONNA GET SOMEWHERE NOW AND MOVE? 'CAUSE WE ALREADY WASTED THREE, THREE MONTHS OF IT.
SO FROM WHAT I'M HEARING NOW, WE GOING BACK TO WHERE WE WAS.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I WAS READY TO CONSIDER BASED ON WHAT I WAS HAVING FROM THE HEARING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING, WE NOT GONNA FINISH THIS YEAR IN THE PLAQUE.
SO LET'S, LET'S EXPLAIN THAT 20% IN NUMBERS.
COUNCILMAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA DEBATE NO, BUT I MEAN THE NUMBERS, WE NEED TO TALK THE NUMBERS WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN.
NO, I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE WITH YOU.
I MADE, IT'S NOT A DEBATE, COUNSEL.
NO, I MADE A POINT THAT IF WE DID 20%, I'M SAYING WE WILL NOT RESOLVE OUR ISSUES IN THIS CITY.
WE CAN PULL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO, AND WE GOT AN OPTION FOR, WE KIND OF BUMPED UP, BUMPED UP THE COMMERCIAL AND IF THAT'S NOT GOOD, OKAY, SO BE IT.
I MEAN, WHATEVER THE COUNCIL DECIDE, I GAVE SOME NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GAVE NUMBERS.
SO I GUESS YOU GOTTA DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GONNA ON COUNCIL.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AMEND PO NUMBER 73 16 TO INCLUDE A PROPOSED 5.6% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL RATES AND AN 11.5% INCREASE IN COMMERCIAL RATES.
I SECOND IT IF WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR HAS BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND, UH, OF FIVE POINT, YOU HAVE SOMEONE 5.6 RESIDENTIAL AND 11.5% COMMERCIAL.
WE'RE READY FOR, UH, WE HAVE, WE GOT OTHER LIGHTS ON? YEAH, YOU SOMEONE SPEAK? YEAH, BUT I GOT, I'M CARRYING A MOTION.
DID YOU MISS IT? YOU DIDN'T SEE NOW
[01:50:01]
LEMME GET THE COURT.ARE TO THE CITIZEN THAT HAS QUESTIONS.
IF, IF YOU ALL WOULD JUST LET ME HANDLE THE MEETING.
NOW THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING YOU TO STATE SO WE WOULD KNOW WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT.
AUDIO TO THE, NOW WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, 5.6% RESIDENTIAL, 11.5%, RIGHT? COMMERCIAL YES.
NOW ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? THAT'S THE REMARKS, THAT'S THE TIME.
IF NOW MA'AM, YOU MAY STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN, AND THEN, THEN WE'LL CALL YOU.
I THINK SHE STARTED START TALKING FIRST.
UH, MA'AM, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? GLORIA SANCHEZ.
6 6 2 5 AVENUE FOR ARTHUR, TEXAS.
HOW MANY ARE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS WE HAVE, COULD YOU HEAR THAT? YEAH.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 19,000 ACCOUNTS.
APPROXIMATELY 17,000 OF THEM ARE RESIDENTIAL.
YOU'RE TELLING ME WITH 17 ACCOUNTS, $5 INCREASE THAT THEY
WELL WITH 5.6 IS SUPPOSED TO BE $2.
YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RAISE ALL THESE MONIES, ALL THESE MILLIONS.
THE THE $5 THAT WAS MENTIONED IS BASED ON THE USAGE ON AN AVERAGE CITIZEN WITH A HOUSEHOLD OF TWO PEOPLE.
AND THAT NUMBER GOES UP BASED ON YOUR USAGE.
SO IT'S NOT ACROSS THE BOARD ON ALL NINE 17,000 ACCOUNTS.
OKAY? THAT IS MY POINT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE $5 INCREASE CONSOLE.
YOU SOUND LIKE IT'S VERY EASY.
$5 A MONTH YOU CAN PAY YOURS AND YOUR NEIGHBOR'S BILL.
REMEMBER, IT'S JUST INCREASE AND THEY USE IT.
INCREASE THE WATER, THEY INCREASE THE SEWER, THEY INCREASE THE GARBAGE, AND THEY INCREASE THE TAXES.
REMEMBER TOO POOR ARTHUR IS A LOW INCOME CITY.
NOT EVERYBODY MAKE A LOT OF THOUSAND MONIES IN HERE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZEN STRUGGLE TO PAY THE BILL.
STOP SAYING THAT IT'S GONNA BE $5 BECAUSE THAT IS MISUNDERSTANDING.
IT IS NOT GONNA BE $5, IT IS NOT GONNA BE $2.
WE ALREADY GOT AN INCREASE TWO YEARS AGO AND IT WASN'T.
EVERYBODY INCREASED THE BILL, 30, 40, A HUNDRED OR MORE.
AND THEY CALL COMPLAIN ABOUT TRY TO FIX THE BILLS AND THEY COULDN'T GOTTA FIX IT.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
MR. TOMMY WAS HIRED TO FIX THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WHEN YOU HIRE HIM, THAT MEAN, PLEASE GIVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION TO CITIZENS.
DON'T SAVE $5 BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE $5.
AND TAKE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU COUNCIL WORK FOR THE CITIZENS OR COURT ACT.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE TO SAY.
OKAY? I REFER MRS. SANCHEZ TO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT BREAK DOWN THE PERCENTAGES PER GALLON.
AND THAT INFORMATION IS VERY ACCURATE.
OKAY, WE READY FOR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE AGAIN, BUT YOU, UH, QUESTION THE MIC FOR HIM PLEASE.
RUNNING SCOTT JUNIOR, 37 26 LAKE SHORE DRIVE.
UM, LISTENING TO THE DEBATES AND THE DISCUSSIONS GOING ON.
I HEAR THAT, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES.
FIRST OF ALL, THE CITIZENS SHOULD COME FIRST.
YOU KNOW, WE ASK THE CITIZENS TO VOTE FOR US AND WE GONNA BE THEIR VOICE.
WELL, THE VOICE IS ASKED FOR NOW, THE VOICES ASKED FOR.
NOW, YES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HARD CHOICES TO MAKE, BUT THE CHOICES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PUTTING THE CITIZEN FIRST.
I'VE HEARD COUNCIL PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE 5.6 RATE, WHICH WOULD, WOULD GENERATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY CAN STILL MOVE ON FURTHER UP AND FIND FUNDS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS WORK.
[01:55:01]
SAYING NO, START AT THE HIGH RATE.AND IF IT COMES OUT, IF YOU, IF WE WANT TO COME DOWN, WE COME DOWN.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU, YOU DON'T START HIRING, COME DOWN.
NOW WE TALKING ABOUT, YEAH, I GOT A LOT OF SENIOR MAJORITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN THIS AREA ARE SENIOR CITIZENS.
WHAT YOU WANNA SAY? WELL, I GOT A HARD CHARGE NOW.
IT'S NOT HARD AT ALL WHEN YOU PUT THE CITIZENS FIRST.
THIS IS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CITIZENS AND PUTTING THEM FIRST.
THEN WHEN WE GET UP HERE, WE SAY, NO, WE GONNA MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU.
NOW MAKE DECISIONS OF THE CITIZENS.
MAKE THE DECISIONS OF THE CITIZENS.
NOW, WE COULD START UP AT 5.6, THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE AND THE COUNCIL CAN WORK TOGETHER TO FIND AND RESOLVE, FIND THAT MONEY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S THERE.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU ALL HAVE TO DO IS TO FIND THE MONEY AS YOU GO ALONG THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS WORK.
WE GET A LOT OF MONEY FROM, UH, FROM REFINERIES, A LOT OF CUSHION, A LOT OF LOT OF MONEY.
BUT WE NOT USING THAT TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, PUT THE CITIZENS FIRST.
THAT'S A WAY TO FIND THAT GRAVY MONEY AND USE IT.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT CITIZENS FIRST.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HARD DECISIONS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HARD DECISIONS WHEN YOU DO THE RIGHTEOUS THING.
AND THAT'S PUTTING THE CITIZENS FIRST.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING UP HERE ON COUNCIL.
WHEN I HEAR CITIZENS TALKING, I HEAR CITIZENS SAYING, HEY MAN, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
I HEAR SENIOR CITIZENS SAYING, I CAN'T DO IT.
YEAH, YOU SITTING UP THERE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT THEY CAN'T DO IT.
AND I'M HEARING A LOT OF 'EM AND ALL PLACES THEY CAN'T DO IT.
I HEAR THE COUNCILMAN SAYING 5.6.
AND AS WE, AS WE GO ALONG, THERE IS WAYS TO MAKE THIS WORK.
IT'S UP FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE IT WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS BENEFIT ON THE DECISIONS Y'ALL MAKE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
UH, OH, WE HAVE, UH, MAYOR A QUESTION.
HILTON KELLY, UH, COMMUNITY AND POVERTY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION.
NINE 10 COLORADO AVENUE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M LISTENING TO ALL THIS, THIS JARGON ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF FUNDS WHEN IT COME TO OUR WATER SYSTEM.
BUT IF WE JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT WHERE CAN WE FIND THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM TO ASSIST WITH REBUILDING OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE MR. SCOTT JUST SAID.
AND WHAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME IS WE ARE OVERBURDENED IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH LARGE INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIES AND OIL AND GAS.
WE HAVE WHAT, THREE LNG FACILITIES.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST OIL REFINERY IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OF THE PLANET.
WE HAVE VALERO, CHEVRON CHEMICAL, OKE CALCINING WHO DUMP SULFUR DIOXIDE INTO THE AIR EVERY DAY WITH IMPUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY TAX DOLLARS OUT THERE.
AND IN LIEU OF TAXES, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HIRING LOCAL.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HIRING LOCAL, BUT WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT HIRING PRACTICE TAKING PLACE.
THERE'S NO ONE ACCOUNTING FOR HOW MANY CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OR BEING HIRED BY FOR, BY THESE INDUSTRIES.
BUT YET THEY GET HUGE TAX ABATEMENTS.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TAX ABATEMENTS AND THE MONEY WE ARE ALLOWING THESE MEGA INDUSTRIES TO KEEP AND LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN NEGOTIATE THOSE DOLLARS TO COME BACK TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BECAUSE WE ARE GOING THROUGH A SITUATION THAT REALLY, IN SOME WAYS THEY HELP TO CREATE BECAUSE THEY USE LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER TO RUN THEIR PROCEDURES.
AND IF WE ARE GONNA PUT THE CITIZENS FIRST, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH SOME OF THOSE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVING 'EM A MAJOR BREAK ON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS COULD COME TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
LET'S GET AN ADDITIONAL, AN ADDITIONAL MAYBE 20 TO 30% OF THOSE TAX DOLLARS COMING IN.
I BET YOU WE GET OUR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRED.
SO CAN ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS ON THE HOING FROM THE CALVARY? OKAY, IF NOT, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, HAMILTON HAVE YOUR LATER.
[02:00:02]
WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE LEFT BEFORE, UM, OCTOBER, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT SINCE IT WAS PUT OUT THERE? I ACTUALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW COULD WE ACTUALLY SUPPORT THAT 25 DO $25 MILLION CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE? HOW DO WE SUPPORT THAT PIPE BURSTING CREW THAT WE NEED FOR THINGS, FOR THE THINGS THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW? WHAT DO THOSE PERCENTAGES LOOK LIKE? I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO SO HAVE A PERCENTAGE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH AND GROW FROM, BUT WHAT ACTUALLY WILL BE A REASONABLE NUMBER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE FECES COMING IN PEOPLE'S HOUSE.SO LET'S SAY 20% SINCE IT WAS MENTIONED, A 20% INCREASE WILL CREATE $3.7 MILLION IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
TO BALANCE THE BUDGET YOU NEED TO 0.475 MILLION.
SO IT'LL HAVE A POSITIVE OF ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.
YOU CAN BORROW BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MILLION.
SO IF YOU WANNA ADJUST A BALANCE, THE OPTION NUMBER FIVE PROVIDES A BALANCE, WHICH IS OF ONE 22,000 IN THE PLUS.
AND IF YOU WANT THE EXTRA, IF YOU WANT THE PIPE BURSTING CREW AND EVERYTHING ELSE, JUST IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, IT'S GONNA BE 23 TO 25%.
SO, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO GET WHERE IF WE WANNA, WE DIS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY YES, MA'AM.
WHICH, WHICH IS NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME.
SO DEFINITELY NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME.
SO WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AND WE NEED TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO DO BY HOW MUCH YOU WANNA MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE.
BUT AGAIN, KEEP ON YOUR MIND THAT ANY EMERGENCIES THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR CHANGE ORDERS FROM NOW TILL THE END OF THE BUDGET YEAR IS GONNA BE AN INCREASE TO THIS DEFICIT, PROJECTED DEFICIT.
MAYOR, ONE MORE THING, PLEASE.
THE, THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION WAS FOR MS. LIN.
MS. LIN, HOW, HOW CAN WE BALANCE AND HAVE WE EARNED ANY CUSHION SINCE OCTOBER TO, TO HELP US? NO, MAYOR, COUNSEL.
UM, YOUR QUESTION ONE MORE TIME WAS SINCE OCTOBER YES, WE DISCUSSED ALL OF, WE DISCUSSED, LET ME NOT SAY ALL OPTIONS.
WE DISCUSSED IF WE HAD INCOME FROM GRANTS, IF WE HAD INCOME FROM, UM, DIFFERENT FORMS OF REVENUE, INCLUDING INCREASED RATES.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND OR INFORM US IF WE HAVE GAINED ANY OTHER REVENUE SINCE OCTOBER TILL NOW THAT CAN HELP US WITH THE EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE ALREADY COME UP THIS YEAR.
AND TO GIVE US CUSHION FOR THOSE THAT WE EXPECT TO COME.
NONE FROM THE ENTERPRISE OF WATER AND SEWER.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOW COLLECTION OF REVENUES AND WE REALLY NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF GETTING WHAT WE BILL AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.
TO FURTHER ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK CALVIN STATED IT, UM, VERY CLEARLY IN TERMS OF THE EMERGENCIES THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE THEN HAS WIPED OFF ALL OF THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDED, I STILL HAVE TWO EMERGENCY MEMOS THAT I JUST SIGNED FOR HIM FOR THE SITUATION OUT THERE IN SABINE PASS FOR $400,000.
THAT'S SITTING, IT'S SITTING ON MY DESK.
AND THEN HE HAS TO PAY THAT TO WHOEVER IS ADDRESSING THE, UM, THE EMERGENCY OUT THERE.
SO WE, AS HE INDICATED, WHAT YOU HAD WAS UP TO THE END OF FEBRUARY.
I STILL HAVEN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE EMERGENCIES THAT I HAVE FOR FEBRUARY AND THE EMERGENCIES THAT HAD TO COME.
BUT DOC, UM, UM, I THINK, UM, COUNCILMAN ETTE, PLEASE STAY CORRECT.
[02:05:02]
AS WE CONTINUE TO EAT THAT ELEPHANT, WE ARE NOT GOING TO EAT THAT ELEPHANT TONIGHT.OKAY? IT'S GONNA CHOKE YOU IF YOU TRY TO EAT IT TONIGHT.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THE 11.5 AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT 8.5, AND DR.
TOMI SHOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT CLARIFICATION IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 20, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 11.5 FOR INDUSTRY 11.5 FOR INDUSTRY.
AGAIN, THAT STILL DOES NOT BRING YOU AS TO WHERE YOU ARE IN THE BLACK, BUT IT PROVIDES, IT RAISES ABOUT, WHAT, $900,000? I DID A SMALL CALCULATION THERE.
THE 11.5% ON THE INDUSTRY APPLIES TO THE, UH, $11,782,000 ONLY.
IT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE ENTIRE NUMBER.
SO IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT $177,000 FOR THE 1.5%.
SO IF WE GO FROM THE FOUR 7.1 TO 11.5, IT'LL BE APPROXIMATELY 470,000.
BUT THAT DOES, BUT DOES THAT PUT US IN THE BLACK? NO, SIR.
IT STILL DOESN'T PUT US IN THE BLACK, BUT OPTIONS ONE THROUGH FOUR, NONE OF THEM WILL PUT US IN THE BLACK.
SO, BUT IT STILL ASSISTS WITH EMERGENCIES.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE EMERGENCY.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE EMERGENCY EMERGENCY.
NO, I STILL HAVE, AS I SAID, I STILL HAVE $400,000 IN BILLS.
THAT'S WE TO BE PAID FOR THE BREAK THAT WE HAD OUT THERE IN SABINE PASS THAT WE HAVE NOT PAID US YET FROM THE WATER POND.
THE ONLY ONE COUNCILWOMAN THAT PUTS US IN THE BLACK IS OPTION FIVE.
AND WE JUST PUT IT OUT THERE AS, AS THE MINIMUM OUT THERE.
WE KNEW THE QUESTION'S GONNA COME UP.
YEAH, BUT AGAIN, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO EAT THAT ELEPHANT TONIGHT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO EAT THAT ELEPHANT TONIGHT.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GONNA EAT THE ELEPHANT TONIGHT.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN DECIDE ON, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS.
IT'S THE QUESTION ON A MOTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ON.
I THINK THERE IS A CONSENSUS ON, ON, UM, ON 11.5 FOR INDUSTRY ON 5.6.
WHAT DO, HOW CLOSER DOES THAT BRING US? THAT WILL MAKE THE DEFICIT MAYBE AROUND 900,000 IN THAT RANGE, PLUS WHATEVER EMERGENCIES WE GET.
JUSTMAN COUNCIL COUNCILMAN LEWIS? RIGHT ON THEN.
YOU OKAY? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH.
I JUST WANT, WELL, COUNCILOR'S FULLY AWARE, OKAY.
THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE LISTENING AUDIENCE IS AWARE.
WE ARE A CITY OF SEVEN WITH OLD INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY FOR THE NEXT 2030.
COUNCIL DO SAY FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS, WE HAVE TO HAVE $25 MILLION FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS JUST TO GET, TO KEEP UP WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF.
RIGHT NOW WE JUST PIECEMEALING THIS THING.
WE KICKING THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
IT IS NOT GOING TO GO, WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING OPTION NOT TO DO, NOT TO DO ANYTHING.
OKAY? SO WE'RE KICKING A CAN DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL WE GET IN THE SHALLOW WATER.
OKAY? BUT WE WAS A CITY OF ONE TODAY.
WE ARE CITY OF SEVEN WITH OLD INFRASTRUCTURE GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY.
UH, NOW COUNCILMAN FRANK, JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THE CLARIFICATION IS I WANT TO SAY TO OUR CITIZENS, UH, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, THAT WE HAVE TAKEN YOU INTO CONSIDERATION AND THAT THERE IS, UM, A PLAN WHERE YOU AREN'T AFFECTED BY THE RATE INCREASE.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND THEN I WANT US TO BE AWARE AS WELL THAT THE, THE LONGER WE TAKE TO FIX THIS SITUATION, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE OUR BOND RATING TO PLUMMET.
SO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT, A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT, A HORRIBLE IMPACT.
WE'VE GOTTEN CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS TO DO SO MANY PROJECTS, BUT REMEMBER WE HAVE TO PAY THOSE AND IT AFFECTS OUR BOND RATING.
[02:10:01]
GOING TO DO BUSINESS, UH, IN NEW YORK AND ALL THE OTHER PLACES WITH BONDS.IT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY OUR BOND RATING WHEN YOU'RE LIVING OUT OF YOUR SAVINGS.
THAT'S WHAT TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND IS.
IT IS LIVING OUT OF YOUR SAVINGS.
I SAID IT LAST WEEK, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
IF YOU'RE LIVING OUTTA YOUR SAVINGS, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE.
THAT SEEMS FACETIOUS, BUT THAT'S THE FACT.
SO WE GAVE OUR SENIOR CITIZENS A DISCOUNT THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
AND IF WE HAVE TWO RATE INCREASES IN THE 7% RANGE, IT'LL TAKE THOSE TWO RATE INCREASES TO GET THE SENIOR CITIZENS TO PAY BACK WHAT THEY ARE PAYING BEFORE THE, THE DISCOUNT.
SO FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS WITH THE RATE INCREASES, THE SENIOR CITIZENS SHOULD NOT BE PAYING MORE.
UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, I CALL FOR A VOTE ON MY MOTION TO, UM, HAVE A PROPOSED 5.6% RESIDENTIAL INCREASE AND AN 11.5% COMMERCIAL INCREASE.
YOU SAID I DIDN'T HEAR THAT ALL.
THAT'S THE SAME MOTION, RIGHT? YES.
NO, WE WERE ON THE QUESTION ON IT, RIGHT? SHE CALLED, I CALLED.
I I'VE BEEN HEARING SO MANY THINGS.
AND, UH, YOUR LIGHT IS STILL ON COUNCILWOMAN, UH, EVER.
BUT YOU WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT IT? WHAT, WHAT WERE YOU SAYING? JUST NOW VOTE.
JUST, WELL, I JUST WANNA RESPECT EVERYBODY.
UH, WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE ON THIS.
HAVE IT? WE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE THIS.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S GO, LET'S GO.
WE GOT A WHOLE BOOK OF STUFF TO DO.
THAT WAS AN, THAT WAS THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
WE NEED A VOTE ON THE FINAL ITEM WITH THE AMENDMENT.
SAY IT AGAIN? YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THE FINAL ITEM WITH THE AMENDMENT ON THE PO NUMBER 7 3 1 16.
THAT WAS AMENDMENT THAT YOU JUST VOTED ON.
I THOUGHT WE SO WE NEED TO FILL IN THE BLANKS, MAYOR, WE JUST NEED TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.
THAT WAS A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT THAT I MADE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT THAT I MADE, WHICH WAS FOR A FIVE POINT CENT.
5.6% INCREASE ON RESIDENTIAL AND 11.5% COMMERCIAL.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST FOR THE SUBSIDIARY MOTION.
THAT WAS A SUBSIDIARY SUBSIDIARY MOTION.
IN THE POLL, WHAT AWARD YOU, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAID OF THE MOTION THAT THE ORIGINAL I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING, BUT THE ORIGINAL MOTION OR ORIGINALLY AM I, AND Y'ALL CAME ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S THE ADOPTION.
BUT WE GOT TO THIS ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO BEFORE I CALLED FOR A QUESTION, THERE WAS A MOTION TO ACCEPT AMEN.
OR, OKAY, WELL MAYBE I DID NOT HEAR THAT.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT THAT JUST A MINUTE.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT MOTION WAS TO ACCEPT 5.6 AND 11.5.
NOW THAT WAS THE WAY I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CONNOTATION AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I RECEIVED.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING READY TO VOTE FOR.
I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT.
BUT, UH, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT.
IF I'M, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND EVEN THE OTHERS, THEY WERE SPEAKERS SPEAKING EITHER IN, IN, IN FOR OR JOHNSON, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE WERE.
NOW I'M HEARING THAT WE HAD SOMETHING ELSE TRANSPIRED AND WHERE I'M MY HEARING AIDS, SO MAYBE IN HEAR.
I THINK THE CITY SECRETARY COULD HELP US.
SO NOW WE SAID WE WERE MAKING THE MOTION TO BRING THAT ON THE FLOOR.
SO NOW WE ARE VOTING ON WHAT I THOUGHT WE WERE VOTING FOR ORIGINALLY, WHICH IS TO AMEND WHATEVER THEY, THIS ORDINANCE.
MA, WE, WE ARE VOTING NOW, WAIT A MINUTE, I'M GONNA BE SURE WE'RE VOTING NOW TO AMEND THIS ORDINANCE.
MAYOR, IT PASSED TO AMEND TO 5.6 FOR RESIDENTIAL.
[02:15:01]
FOR COMMERCIAL.NOW YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE, YOU NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE WITH THE AMENDMENT INCLUDED.
GIMME A MOTION, PLEASE COME SECOND.
AND SECOND, WHATEVER SHE SAID WE GET READY TO VOTE ON.
ANY OPPOSES? MOSES? OKAY, NOW AM I RIGHT?
Y'ALL TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE ABOUT WHAT YOU, WHAT WE JUST DID? NO, MA'AM.
IT, IT WAS JUST, IT'S BEEN A WHOLE LOT NOW PAGE.
WHAT PAGE ARE WE ON? OKAY, UH, WE NOW WE'RE ON PAGE TWO.
NOW ON THESE DISCUSSIONS ITEMS, DO WE STILL NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON CLARIFICATION OF, UH, REGARDING THE WATER UTILITIES FUND COUNCIL? NO, SIR.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE ONE DISCUSSION ON PROBABLE ACTION TO ELIMINATE PAST DUE PAYMENTS? YES.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO, LET'S GO TO THAT.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion And Possible Action To Eliminate Past Due Payments (Requested By Councilmember Doucet)]
TWO, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE.ITEM NUMBER TWO, A DISCUSSION AND PROBABLE, UH, POSSIBLE ACTION TO ELIMINATE PAST DUE PAYMENTS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
THIS, THIS, I PUT THIS UP BASED ON THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT US HAVING AN ACCOUNT THAT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY, UH, DELINQUENT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO TELL ME, DO WE HAVE A PROCEDURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE SUBMIT AN INVOICE TO THE CITY THAT THIS INVOICE IS RECEIVED AND GOTTEN TO FINANCE? OKAY.
BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME I'VE HEARD US ENTERTAIN WHY A VOTE, WHY A BILL IS LATE, IS ALWAYS THAT INVOICE LATE IN GETTING TO FINANCE.
AND WE'VE HAD IT TOO MANY TIMES.
SO WE NEED TO ENSURE THIS MEETING THAT IF WE HAVE A PROCEDURE TO ENSURE THAT IT GETS TO FINANCE, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW.
AND, AND IF IT'S NOT FOLLOWED, ACTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN BECAUSE OUR REPUTATION IS ONLINE AND THERE'S NO REASON TO PAY A BILL LATE.
BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE SPEND MONEY, WE APPROVE IT.
THAT, AND WHEN WE APPROVE IT, WE APPROVING IT.
'CAUSE THE MONEY IS THERE, IT'S IN THE BUDGET, IT IS WAITING TO BE PAID.
SO I NEED, FIRST OF ALL TO GET A CLARIFICATION ON HOW WE DO THAT, TO SEE IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM THERE.
WOULD THAT COME FROM, UH, MR. MATTHEWS? OR, OR YEAH.
SO I THINK, UM, WHAT COMES MANDU SAID IS REFERRING TO IS THE SITUATION WHERE WE HAD, UM, MR. MATTHEWS REFERRING TO THE, UM, REPAIR OF THE WATER, THE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT IN PORT ACRES.
AND THEN WE HAD THE BILL THAT CAME IN IN NOVEMBER, BUT WE, IT TOOK ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS FOR US TO SETTLE.
AND YES, BUT I THINK AT THE CRUX OF THE MATTER WAS THERE WAS AN AMOUNT THAT WAS ANTICIPATED.
IS THERE A PROCEDURE IN PLACE? YES, THERE IS.
JUST TELL ME, LEMME JUST TELL YOU YES, YES.
BECAUSE I'M NOT, SO WE NOT GOING TO REHASH THAT.
WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT REFERRING TO THAT ONE.
I'M REFERRING TO THE ONE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE LANDFILL.
I I I'M REFERRING TO WHEN WE HAVING BILLS LATE.
SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS OUR PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
IF THE PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS ONE THAT SUPPOSED TO GET OUR BILLS PAID ON TIME, THEN THE NEXT THING I WILL ASK YOU IS, ARE WE TAKING ACTION WHEN SOMEBODY DON'T DO THAT? BECAUSE THIS IS THE CITY'S REPUTATION.
AND THE REPUTATION NOW IS WE DON'T PAY OUR BILLS ON TIME.
SO IF WE GOT A PROCEDURE IN PLACE, THAT IS BECAUSE SOME, SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK IT'S THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AT FAULT BECAUSE THE BILL IS NOT PAID ON TIME.
BUT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ALL THEY DO IS THEY JUST TELL THE DIRECTORS, YES, YOU GOT THE MONEY FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET SO YOU COULD SPEND IT.
[02:20:01]
GET THE CONTRACTS.WELL, AFTER THE CONTRACT IS DONE, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GIVE AN INVOICE.
WHO THEY GIVING AN INVOICE TO IT? IS THEY GIVING IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OR ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BRING IT DIRECTLY TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT? AND WHEN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT GETS IT, ARE THEY STAFFING AND SAY, OKAY, WE GOT THIS ON WEDNESDAY THE 15TH.
SO IF THEY GOT IT ON WEDNESDAY THE 15TH AND THEY HAD PLE ENOUGH TIME TO PAY THIS BILL, THEN WE COULD SAY IT'S FINANCED.
BUT IF IT IS, LIKE ONE TIME WHEN I HEARD THE LANDFILL, THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE VOUCHERS WERE.
OR IF YOU HOLDING THE VOUCHERS TO COMPLETE THE JOB, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WHEN WE GET A BILL WITHIN 30 DAYS, SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID.
AND WE'VE HAD TOO MANY INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE SAY THEY DID NOT GET PAID IN 30 DAYS.
THAT WAS THE POINT I PUT IT ON.
THERE IS A PROCEDURE IN PLACE.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND WITH DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE ARE STRICTLY FOLLOWED AND IT'S BEING AUGMENTED BY THE TAILOR, THE, THE TYLER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO WE ARE MAKING, WE ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS AS WE GO ALONG, WORKING VERY CLOSELY.
THE MAIN, THE KEY HERE IS COMMUNICATION.
TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE D FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE BILLS ON TIME, STREAMLINE IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE'S JUST ONE OR TWO AVENUES TO SEND THOSE BILLS.
BECAUSE WE JUST IMPLEMENTED THE TYLER SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
AND THERE ARE QUOTES THAT WE ARE WORKING OUT, WE ARE STILL WORKING IT OUT.
BUT YES, THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, THERE IS IN PLACE AND WE ARE REFINING IT AS WE MOVE ALONG.
AND YOU WILL SEE LESS AND LESS AND NONE OF THOSE HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S THE THING THAT I'VE PUT IT ON HERE FOR.
BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY WE GOING TO A NEW SYSTEM, OKAY, I SEE NO REASON TRANSFERRING A TYLER OR ANYTHING.
I SEE NO REASON WHY WITHIN 30 DAYS WE CAN'T PAY A BILL.
IF IT'S BROUGHT DOWN THERE, DO IT BY HAND.
DO CUT A CHECK, YOU GOT THE INVOICE, THE BILL SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT HERE, YOU KNOW, AND MY EXPERIENCE WHEN I ASKED WHY HAS ALWAYS BEEN BECAUSE SOMEBODY HELD ONTO THE VOUCHER, SOMEBODY COULDN'T FIND A VOUCHER.
IT HASN'T BEEN NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT TRANSITIONING TO ANOTHER SYSTEM IS AN ISSUE.
I THINK IT'S SOMEBODY UNDERSTANDING, YOU GET IT TODAY, YOU TURN IT IN AT LEAST THE NEXT DAY.
AND I'M QUITE SURE IF IT GOT TO FINANCE IN THE TIME I JUST DESCRIBED, I DON'T CARE WHAT SYSTEM OR WHAT WE TRANS TRANSITION, I'M QUITE SURE THEY, THEY GONNA GET IT OUT BECAUSE WE COULD SEND SOMETHING DOWN THERE TODAY AND THEY'LL CUT A CHECK IN MAYBE A COUPLE DAYS.
SO IF WE COULD CUT A CHECK IN A COUPLE DAYS, IF WE GET AN INVOICE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO CUT THAT CHECK FOR THAT INVOICE.
SO IT IS NOT ABOUT TYLER, IT'S ABOUT WHEN YOU GET THAT INVOICE, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
SO WHEN YOU TELL ME IT'S COMMUNICATIONS, I THINK THE COMMUNICATION IS DEFINITELY THERE, RON.
BUT I THINK THE COMMUNICATION IS THAT DEPARTMENT OF DIRECTORS NEED TO GO BACK AND READ THE CHARTER.
THE CHARTER SAYS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCOUNTING FOR MONEY IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
THEY, WHEN THEY GET OUT THERE AND GET SOMETHING DONE, THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THAT VOUCHER, WE MUST GET IT TO FINANCE.
WHY ARE YOU GONNA HOLD IT? WHAT YOU GOTTA DO, SEND IT TO FINANCE, THE POWER MANIAN FINANCE, THE COMMUNICATIONS NEED TO BE DIRECTORS UNDERSTANDING.
YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE, YOU GET IT TO FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
[02:25:01]
I UNDERSTAND THAT MUCH.YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT TOWER NO MORE.
IT'S ABOUT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS GONNA BE ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT IS NOT GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
AND THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU CAN'T FOLLOW, THERE'S SOME CONSEQUENCES AND IT'S GETTING LATE.
SO WE GOING TO, THAT'S ALL I GOT ON THAT NOW, I THINK.
BUT RON, I THINK, I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I, I DO.
OKAY, SIR, IN THE GALLERY, WOULD YOU COME UP, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND DURING THIS DISCUSSION.
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE.
MY NAME IS, UH, JARED COATES, TEN FIVE OH FIVE DOMINION RANCH, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
UH, MY ISSUE IS THAT EXACTLY, I'VE GOT TWO INVOICES HERE THAT ARE ROUGHLY $19,965 THAT WERE SENT FEBRUARY 26, 24 FOR THE TRANSIT STATION, THE BUILDING, THAT'S METAL BUILDING THAT'S SITTING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND AND BASICALLY JUST IGNORED AT THIS POINT.
CAN I GO COLLECT 20 GRAND OF THAT BUILDING AND TAKE IT BACK? I MEAN,
MR. COATS, UH, WITH DE CONSTRUCTION HAVE, HAVE, HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE CITY MANAGER CONCERNING THIS OR I I'M JUST, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, I WAS DEALING WITH FINANCE AND IVAN OVER AT THE TRANSIT, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR HERE.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS? UH, MS. LYNN MA.
MAYOR, LET ME INTERJECT YOUR GO RIGHT HERE.
MAYOR, THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS.
THE WHY WE JUST DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK.
UM, THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED IN THIS.
I CANNOT DISCUSS THAT WITH THIS.
WHAT ARE THE ILLEGAL, I I I'M, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND AND MAYBE I CAN SEE YOUR PASSION, BUT HE'S THE ONE WHO'S SPEAKING.
IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN SPEAK, BUT YOU GOTTA COME HERE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, RIGHT.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE MIC.
EDDIE DELL, DELL CONSTRUCTION.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PAPERWORK.
SIR, AFTER YOU SAY YOUR NAME, YOU SAY YOUR ADDRESS.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING SAYING THAT WE HAVE LEGALLY DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TRIED TO COLLECT ON A PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN COMPLETED WITH FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS FOR A TWO ISSUES THAT WERE NOT OUR PROBLEM.
THE, THE CITY HAD THEIR OWN INSPECTOR THAT THEY HIRED TO TAKE CARE OF INSPECTIONS AND DO ALL THAT.
BUT SEE, WHEN WE FINISH THE JOB, MAY I STOP YOU SEE IF, IF IT'S SOME LITIGATION AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE GIVING SOME INFORMATION.
AND YOU MIGHT BE GOOD, BUT IF IT'S LITIGATION, YOU AND I DON'T, IF YOU HAVEN'T RETAINED AN, AN ATTORNEY, YOU MAY WANT TO IF, IF, IF IT'S IN FACT THAT, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO TALK.
I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO MUFFLE YOU.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO TALK OUT OF TERM BEFORE YOU GET SOME LEGAL ADVICE SINCE THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT IT COULD BE, AND IT IS RATHER SOME LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS, IF I'M CORRECT, THAT'S INVOLVED WITH, WITH, WITH YOUR PARTICULAR INVOICE.
AND THIS WOULD NOT BE THE BEST SETTING FOR YOU TO JUST, TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
JUST TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IF IT IS SUCH, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO KEEP EVERYTHING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
YOU SEE, BECAUSE YOU JUST STARTED SAYING SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSTRUED A WHOLE LOT OF TYPE OF WAYS.
WELL, IT SHOULDN'T IN THE LEGAL, IN, IN THE LEGAL FIELD ALLEGATIONS PRIOR TO THIS DATE ON NEARLY A YEAR AFTER THE LAST INVOICE WAS SENT.
WELL, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, I HAVEN'T BEEN APPRISED OF THIS UNTIL YOU JUST SAID THIS.
THAT WAS THE FIRST I HEARD OF IT RIGHT THERE.
THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS TO GET, KEEP FROM GOING TO LITIGATION.
WELL, CAN, CAN WE DO THIS OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD STAY UNTIL THIS MEETING IS OVER, BUT, BUT, BUT AT, AT, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS SESSION, OF THIS MEETING, MAYBE YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WITH, WITH HIS STAFF, AND WE COULD BEGIN A WHOLE NEW PROCESS ON THIS.
WOULD THERE BE A POTENTIAL CHANCE TO SET A MEETING FOR YOU TOMORROW AT SOME POINT?
[02:30:01]
THAT WAY WE'RE NOT, I MEAN, IT'S PAST, PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK AT THIS POINT.UH, WE'LL CALL YOUR OFFICE IN THE MORNING AND JUST SET UP SOMETHING.
AND YOU HAVE SOME OF YOUR STAFF HERE WHO IN THE BACK, CAN THEY, CAN THEY SPEAK FOR YOU OR SET UP SOMETHING? NO, NO, NO, NO.
WHAT WITH THE STAFF THAT'S IN THE BACK.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
OKAY, NOW IT, IT, COUNCILMAN UH, KIM, LIKE YOU SAID YOU WERE, YEAH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
NO, I, I SAW YOU, UH, LOOKING AT YOUR BOX, I'M LOOKING AT LIGHT.
MY, MY THING WITH THE TYLER SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE HAD THIS INTEGRATION, IT WAS YEARS AGO, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG FOR EACH DEPARTMENT TO GET TRAINED UP ON THESE SYSTEMS? I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, INVOICES ARE, ARE BEING SENT TO THE CITY.
BUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? WE, THE CITY MANAGER STATED EARLIER THAT IT'S ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INTO THIS.
WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE HAD TO USE BEFORE AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GET THE PHONE CALLS AND SOME OF THE COHORTS HERE GET PHONE CALLS ABOUT, UH, NOT GETTING PAID INVOICES LIKE THAT.
THIS GENTLEMAN SAID HE, HE SENT IT IN IN FEBRUARY 24.
SO I MEAN, IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF LEGAL SOMETHING, SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO HIM TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT PAYING YOU BECAUSE OF THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS ALMOST EMBARRASSING THAT THE GUY HAS TO COME HERE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL AND SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENED IN 24 AND HAD NO IDEA THAT SOMETHING WAS AGAINST HIM TO WHERE HE WASN'T GETTING PAID.
AND WE HEAR THIS TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A COUNCIL.
SO IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER STORIES THAT WE HEAR CONSTANTLY AS A COUNCIL THAT THE REPUTATION THAT YOU STATED THAT MAYOR PRO TEM STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BAD REPUTATION NOT PAYING OUR BILLS.
AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THIS BRAND NEW SYSTEM THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE CITY THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER, THAT WAS GONNA BE THE BEST NEXT THING, THE SLICED BREAD.
AND WE CONSTANTLY HAVING SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE 30, 60, 90 DAYS WE CAN'T PAY OUT.
AND NOBODY COULD COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND TELL US EXACTLY WHY AND WHAT'S THE ISSUE OR WHY WE CAN'T PAY OUR BILLS ON TIME.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LISTENED TO EVERYONE AND I'M KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TICKED ABOUT THIS MAYOR.
UH, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE COULD POSSIBLY DO.
WHO ELSE WE POSSIBLY COULD TALK TO.
ALL I KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE DO A JOB, THEY EXPECT TO BE PAID.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID, THEN YOU NEED TO TELL 'EM WHY THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID, NOT BEFORE A COUNCIL MEETING.
SO MAYOR, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY WHATEVER RESOLUTION THAT GOES ON TOMORROW WITH THE MANAGER AND THIS MISS DE COMPANY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE OTHER SITUATIONS THAT ARE THE SIMILAR SAME WAY IN, IN, IN THIS TYPE OF, UH, ENVIRONMENT.
SO LET'S TRY TO DO BETTER ON THIS.
AND IF THE TYLER SYSTEM, NOT THE ONE THAT WAS SOLD TO THE COUNCIL, I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT AND I TOOK THE RECOMMENDATION.
BUT IF THIS IS NOT THE SYSTEM THAT WE NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO OR EITHER CHANGE THE SYSTEM.
I'VE BEEN HAVING HANDLING, BEEN HANDLING PROBLEM NOT PAYING THE BILLS ON TIME.
I HAVE GOTTEN FROM CORPORATE, FROM CONTRACTORS.
THEY SUBMITTED THEIR INVOICES AND LIKE NOW THEY CALLING ME IN AUGUST.
SO MY, NOT NOT YOU YOUNG LADY.
SO I CALLED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INVOICES, HAVE 'EM TO RESUBMIT THE INVOICES.
AND I, AND I CALLED THE CONTRACTOR BACK.
YOU ALL HAVE NOT SUBMITTED YOUR INVOICES.
THEY BROUGHT ME THE PROOF THAT THEY SUBMITTED INVOICE STAMP AND EVERYTHING.
SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, CITY MANAGER OMEGA FOR FINANCE DIRECTOR, HOW OFTEN ARE WE PAID ON OUR CITY ACCOUNTS? WELL, IS THE INTEREST PAID QUARTERLY OR DAILY OR WHAT? SO IT'S, IT, IT HAS THAT APPEARANCE WHEN YOU, WHEN THE CITY'S NOT STATE LAW, SAY 30 DAY TURNAROUND, YOU PAY YOUR BILLS.
OKAY? YOU GOT A LITTLE OLD LADY GOT CLEANING THE CLEANING THE CITY OF, UH, THE CITY HALL GOTTA GO BORROW MONEY TO MAKE UP TO MEET HER OBLIGATION BECAUSE SHE HASN'T GOT PAID.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW OFTEN DO WE, IS INTEREST PAID TO OUR ACCOUNTS? IT IT HAS THE APPEARANCE.
NOT TO, NOT NOW, BUT IT HAS THE APPEARANCE IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING TO, TO GET OUR INTEREST RATE, GET, GET THE INTEREST IN THE ACCOUNTANT, THEN WE PAY OUR BILL.
[02:35:01]
NOW I'VE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL STUFF, BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER MEETING.OKAY? BUT IT HAS THE APPEARANCE THAT WE COLLECT OUR, WE DON'T WANNA DISRUPT OUR INTEREST.
SO HOW, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
BUT LYNN, YOU WANNA COME, COME, JUST GIVE US A QUICK TWO SECONDS RESPONSE TO THAT.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE'RE NOT WAITING ON INTEREST TO PAY OUR BILLS.
WHEN I MADE, WHEN I MADE THE PHONE CALLS, IT WAS OTHER, OTHER, ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION.
OKAY? SO HOW OFTEN WE GET PAID INTEREST.
WE GET PAID INTEREST ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BUT NOT FROM OUR CHECKING ACCOUNT.
AND THAT HAS NO BEARING ON ANY OF THE BILLS THAT WE PAY.
AS SOON AS I GET THE MONEY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE AMOUNT IS, I MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO FUND THAT.
AND THAT'S ALL I CARE ABOUT IS GETTING THESE THINGS DONE AND DONE PROPERLY.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT I HAVE CA I HAVE CALLED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST, NOT YOU.
SO UPSTREAM, SOMEBODY'S HOLDING THE INVOICES, IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE AND I'VE CALLED PURCHASING.
THEY, EVERYTHING IS, IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.
BUT IT STILL, THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN PAID.
SO THE SUGGESTION IS HAVE THE, THAT THE INVOICE WAS SUBMITTED IN APRIL, HAVE THEM RESUBMIT THE INVOICE.
SO NOW THEY'RE GETTING PAID IN TWO INVOICE INSTEAD OF 30 DAYS, 90 DAYS LATER OR GREATER, YOU KNOW, ONCE COMPLETE THE INVOICES.
SO, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THE INMATES RUNNING THE ASYLUM AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN? COME ON BABE.
OKAY, SO HERE'S A MULTITUDE OF ANSWERS FOR ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, SO THE ANSWER DO SETS THE QUESTION FIRST.
THE PROCESS IS THERE'S SUPPOSED TO DO A PURCHASE ORDER OR WE HAVE A CONTRACT SET UP, DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY IT IS, WE GIVE IT TO THE VENDOR, THEY DO THE SERVICE OR SUBMIT THE ITEM.
IF THE ITEM'S SUBMITTED, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVING IT NEEDS TO RECEIVE IT IN THE SYSTEM.
SAY I GOT THE ITEM, THEN THE COMPANY'S SUPPOSED TO SEND THE INVOICE STRAIGHT TO FINANCE.
WHETHER THEY EMAIL IT OR SEND IT TO THE PO BOX TO ACCOUNTS PAYABLE ON THE INVOICE, THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT CONTRACT NUMBER OR PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER ON THERE.
SO A FINANCE WOULD KNOW WHO TO PAY, UH, ATTACH THAT PAYMENT TO.
SO IF ALL THAT IS DONE, IT GOES THROUGH SMOOTHLY.
THE ISSUE HAS BEEN ALL THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE VENDORS WHO SAY I NEVER GOT PAID, DON'T PUT A PO NUMBER OR THING.
SO YOU GOTTA TRACK IT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHO BOUGHT IT.
'CAUSE YOU GOTTA KNOW WHO TO CHARGE IT TO.
SO YOU JUST SEND AN INVOICE TO SAY, I BOUGHT SOME PAPER WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT BUYS PAPER WHO YOU CHARGING IT TO? THEY DON'T PUT THE PO NUMBER OR THEY PUT THE PO NUMBER FROM THREE YEARS AGO OR TWO YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ARE THE VENDORS, SOME OF IT'S SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE IT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE.
OR, OR SOMETIMES THE VENDORS DOUBLE INVOICE.
NOW I'M GONNA SAY HE BROUGHT UP THE LANDFILL, THE MATS, UH, THAT WAS WAY PAST DUE.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT ONE WAS THAT THEY WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO, ACCORDING TO THE PO DO $23,000 WORTH OF MATS, THEY DID 64,000, WHICH BROUGHT INTO A WHOLE KIND OF OTHER LEGAL ISSUES BECAUSE ANYTHING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BIDED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THAT BECAME ISSUES ON HOW TO PAY THIS FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.
SO SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT IS, FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS, UM, DOES IT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP? THE ANSWER YES.
I'M NOT GONNA SIT THERE AND LIE ABOUT, THERE'S SOME THINGS WE DO, BUT A LOT OF THESE VENDORS ARE SAME THING.
SOME OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN SENDING IT TO ACCOUNTING.
THEY'RE SENDING IT TO AN EMAIL FROM SOME VEN, UH, PERSON WHO NO LONGER WORK HERE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHO THEY SENT 'EM TO TWO YEARS AGO AND THEY'RE STILL SENDING IT THERE.
SO IT IS BEEN A BUNCH OF SITUATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE WE'VE BEEN CATCHING THINGS ON WHY.
SO ONCE WE CATCH THAT, WE ARE FORWARD THE EMAILS, HEY, IF YOU'RE GONNA EMAIL THE, EMAIL IT TO THE AP EMAIL NOW.
SO IT, IT IS A LOT OF SITUATIONS LIKE THAT OR REASONS.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS WE GET IT, WRITE A CHECK.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF REASONS.
UH, BUT, BUT IT CAN BE, LET, LET ME TELL YOU THIS DUPLICATE INVOICES THAT YOU'RE GETTING, YOU CAN TELL DEPARTMENT HEADS, WHOEVER THEY'RE SENDING IT TO, THEY SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA ACCEPT IT UNLESS IT GOES TO FINANCE.
YOU HAVEN'T DUPLICATE INVOICES AND SOMETIMES I THINK THAT YOU'RE MISSING.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE, IT'S TOO LATE, YOU ALMOST PAYING OUT TWO INVOICES.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN GETTING.
NUMBER TWO, IF YOU, I'M SORRY YOU HAVE APPROVAL OF, HUH? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WHAT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN GETTING, YOU SAID CALLS FROM VENDORS THAT YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN SENDING INVOICES BECAUSE THEY, YOU GUYS OR FINANCE DEPARTMENT CAN'T FIND THAT INVOICES AND THEN THEY HAVE TO
[02:40:01]
SEND UH, ANOTHER INVOICE.LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS STATED EARLIER, WE ALL GET THE SAME PHONE, PHONE CALLS.
UH, IF I, I WOULD ASSUME IT'S SOME TYPE OF APPROVAL THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU HAVE THE FINANCE GOTTA APPROVE IT OR THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WHEREVER.
I, I WOULD IMAGINE, I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS WELL, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S DIFFERENT LAYERS OF APPROVAL BEFORE YOU PAY SOMEBODY OUT.
WELL, THE AN ANSWER AND IF SOMEBODY THAT'S A DIRECTOR OR A SUPERVISOR, IT'S HOLDING UP THE PROCESS, THAT'S AN ISSUE.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING MAKE SURE, I'M NOT SAYING THEY HOLD, I'M SAYING THIS, YOU GET AN INVOICE FROM, LET'S JUST SAY CLIFF'S CARPET SENT IN, RIGHT? AN INVOICE AND ALL I HAVE IS CLIFF'S CARPET $2,000.
OKAY? AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S ON THE INVOICE.
AND IT GOES STRAIGHT TO FINANCE.
WELL THE FIRST THING IS FINANCE DOESN'T KNOW WHO TO CHARGE IT TO.
SO THERE'S GOTTA BE AN INVESTIGATION TO FIND OUT WHO IT'S FOR BECAUSE ANY BUILDING COULD HAVE DONE THE CARPET WORK, RIGHT? SO SOME OF THIS TAKES TIME.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAY, THERE'S NO PO NUMBER ON, IT'S NO CONTRACT.
SO YOU GOTTA RUN DOWN AND RESEARCH WHO THIS IS FOR, TO KNOW WHO TO CHARGE IT TO.
'CAUSE IF YOU, WE JUST CAN'T WILLY-NILLY CHARGE IT TO ANYBODY.
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU CALL THE, YOU CALL THE VENDOR AND ASK HIM WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT CALLING THE VENDOR THE NEXT DAY AND SAY, HEY CHRIS, UH, CLIFF CARPENTER.
HEY, WHO'D YOU DO THE WORK FOR? OH, I DID IT FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
OKAY, WE'LL CALL PUBLIC WORKS AND FIND OUT.
IN THAT CASE, I MEAN, YES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30 DAYS.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WHERE THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY SENT.
ALL THEY KNOW IS I HAD SUCH AND SUCH DO IT OVER HERE.
RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU COULD SAY I DID IT AT CITY HALL, BUT WHO WE CHARGING CITY HALL? ARE WE CHARGING THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT? IS IT PURCHASING? IS IT FINANCE? IS IT WATER? BUT IT DON'T, I HEAR YOU MAN.
I'M SAYING LISTEN, I REALLY HEAR YOU MAN, BUT I'M, I, LET ME CUT YOU OFF BEFORE BE, IF THAT WAS AN ISSUE AT THAT POINT, IT WOULD TAKE NO MORE, IT COULDN'T TAKE POSSIBLY 30 DAYS TO FIND OUT WHO THE VENDOR IS.
THIS GENTLEMAN JUST STATED HE SENT INVOICES SINCE THAT'S THE WHOLE STORY WITH HIM.
SO WE'RE NOT WELL, I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU WANT TO JUST PUT IT IN A SMALL CALL THE CARPET, CLIFF CARPET AND SAY, HEY, WHO'D YOU DO THE WORK FOR AND DO THE PROCESS, IT DON'T TAKE MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF INVOICES LIKE THAT, IT IT, IT TAKES TIME.
IF YOU GET A HUNDRED LIKE THAT.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE SCENARIO.
AND THAT, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING BECAUSE IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF, I GO, THAT'S ONE SCENARIO.
OTHER SCENARIOS ARE, SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
SO THE TYLER SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY NOT WORKING FOR US THAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WHEN WE FIRST INTEGRATED THIS.
WELL HERE'S THE, IF IT'S NOT, WE NEED TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WELL IT'S, IT'S NOT A TITLE, LIKE I SAY, IT'S A BUNCH OF SITUATIONS.
'CAUSE THE WAY THE TYLER SYSTEM IS, IS A BUNCH OF CHECKS AND BALANCES.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THINK.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST CHECK IS YOU DO THE PO FOR THIS AMOUNT, RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, IF I MAKE A PO FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN WHOEVER THE, THAT GETS IT AND THEY DECIDE THAT INSTEAD OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS, I NEED TO GET $75 MORE ITEMS, RIGHT? I GO THERE FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS A YARN, BUT I NEED LIKE ANOTHER 40 YARN, RIGHT? SO THE INVOICE COMES IN AT ONE 50 INSTEAD OF 100, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE THAT PO NUMBER ON THERE.
SO YOU GO TO PAY IT AND THEN YOU DO IT FOR THE, YOU CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE YOU GOTTA CHANGE IT TO THE ONE 50.
AND, AND LIKE I SAY, THIS IS ONE SCENARIO OF A BUNCH.
SO I'M NOT SAYING EVERYTHING'S LIKE THIS, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THESE ARE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
WELL, YOU ONLY HAD A HUNDRED DOLLARS LEFT FOR YOUR BUDGET.
SO THE PO WENT THROUGH, YOU DON'T HAVE $50 IN YOUR BUDGET NOW.
SO NOW YOU GOTTA DO BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS TO DO THE MONEY TO DO THAT.
IT TAKES TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PROOF THING AND IT'S JUST DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS EASY TO FIX.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING IT, BUT IT'S LIKE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT IT'S COMING.
UH, IT'S SIMPLE AS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, OH, I SENT THIS INVOICE TO ACCOUNT AND THEY DIDN'T PAY IT.
IT IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOT CONTRACTS AND SO LIKE I SAY, SOME OF 'EM LEGAL, LIKE WE HAVE A CONTRACT AND WE SAY NOT TO EXCEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY DO 110,000.
SO NOW WE GOTTA TALK LEGAL HOW WE, WHAT WE DO WITH THIS EXTRA $10,000 WORTH OF WORK.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST SCENARIO AFTER SCENARIO.
IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
OKAY, COUNSEL, MR. WILLIAMS ARE, YEAH, MR. WILLIAMS, ARE YOU AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT WE HAD WITH THE ASPHALT, WHICH WE WERE, WE WEREN'T, THE FACT THAT WE HADN'T PAID OUR, WE HADN'T PAID THE VENDORS FOR ASPHALT AND WE COULDN'T GET ASPHALT, UH, BECAUSE THEY CUT US OFF BECAUSE WE NOT PAID OUR BILL IN THERE.
HAD YOU, HAD YOU HEARD OF THAT? YEAH, THAT WAS, IF, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, THAT WAS THREE INVOICES HERE THAT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT OVERLOOKED.
UH, I CAN'T ANSWER ON THAT ONE.
[02:45:01]
THREE, IT WAS LIKE THREE INVOICES.NOW, GENERALLY, I'LL SAY THIS, THE ROAD BUILDING MATERIALS AND ASPHALT, EVERYTHING, UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN GOING MORE SMOOTHLY.
LIKE I SAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE THREE SLIPPED THROUGH AND I THINK THEY WERE LIKE 90 DAYS.
SO AS SOON AS THEY EMAILED US ABOUT IT, WE PAID THAT IMMEDIATELY.
UM, SO THAT ONE WAS JUST A SLIP IN THE CRACKS THAT, THAT ONE HONESTLY WASN'T ONE OF THESE SITUATIONS THAT, THAT WAS A SLIP IN THE CRACK.
NOW DID THE, DID IT GET LOST IN THE MAIL WHEN THEY MAILED THE INVOICE? DID THEY I CAN'T ANSWER OR IF THE DEPARTMENT GOT IN MISPLACED, I CAN'T SAY WHAT IT WAS ON THAT ONE.
UM, BUT I DO, I, I DO RECALL THAT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING EVERYTHING'S THE VENDOR'S FAULT AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S MULTIPLE SITUATIONS, WHETHER IT'S THE VENDORS, UH, OR DEPARTMENT FINANCE, PURCHASING, IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN IT'S A, IT'S A ROUND THE BOARD THING OR JUST VARIOUS LIKE WEIRD SITUATIONS.
LIKE I SAY SOME IT'S CONTRACTUAL, SOME IS THE POS THING.
SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS FORGOT TO RECEIVE IT.
SOME ARE DISPUTES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO AND THEY'RE CLAIMING THEY DID IT AND THEY DIDN'T GET PAID, BUT THEY DIDN'T DO THE WORK.
SO IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF SCENARIOS.
WELL, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION IF ONE MORE QUESTION PLEASE HAVE, HAS THERE BEEN AN INTERNAL, HAS THERE BEEN AN AUDIT OF THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT FROM THE, FROM NOT, NOT SO MUCH FROM A FIDUCIARY STANDPOINT, BUT FROM INTERNAL CONTROLS.
HAS THERE BEEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOUR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND, AND MADE SURE THAT THEY ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY, THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHECKS AND BA YOU KNOW, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M ASKING? I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION NOW.
HAVE WE PAID SOMEBODY TO COME AND AUDIT ANSWERS? NO.
UH, AS FAR AS THE CHECKS AND BALANCES, THEY'RE THERE.
UM, AS FAR AS IN THE SYSTEM, BUT THERE ARE IN THE ROUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED.
SO ANY KNOW, AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE IN ROUNDS THAT LIKE IT'S HARD FOR PURCHASING TO OVERSEE.
'CAUSE I'M NOT INVOLVED IN PAYMENTS.
I JUST LIKE DO THE POS ON THE, ON THE FRONT END TO SAY OR DO THE CONTRACT TO GO AND DO THIS WORK.
UM, IT'S UP TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO DO THE OTHER PARTS THAT SUCH AS RECEIVING AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL SAY THIS, LIKE WE HAVE GARAGE, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE IT'S THIS BIG MANDATE TO GET THINGS FIXED, RIGHT? UM, SO A LOT OF 'EM MOVE A LITTLE QUICK.
SO THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, IT IS SITUATIONS WHERE THEY SEND SOMETHING TO THE SHOP.
UM, 'CAUSE THIS IS ONE THAT GETS US A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH INVOICES.
THEY USUALLY COMPLAINT IS THEY'LL GO THERE AND SEND IT TO THE SHOP AND OF COURSE NOBODY KNOWS HOW MUCH THE REPAIRS GOING TO BE WHEN YOU FIRST DROP IT OFF.
SO WHEN IT'S TIME AND THEY FIX IT, THEY LOOK AT THE BILL, YOU KNOW, UM, SOMETIME YOU KNOW THE MONEY'S MORE THAN WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
SO SOME OF THIS STUFF HAS TO, YOU KNOW, GET BUDGET ADJUSTMENT THINGS.
SO IT TAKES A MINUTE TO PREPARE, YOU KNOW, A $10,000 REPAIR ON A BIG GARBAGE TRUCK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEIR INVOICES LIKE THAT, THAT ALSO IS A SITUATION THAT WE, WE COULDN'T FORESEE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T DO THE PO FOR THE MONTH 'CAUSE NOBODY KNEW HOW MUCH IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS, OF COURSE WE ALL WANT THE GARBAGE TRUCKS AND EVERYTHING FIXED REAL QUICK.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT IT GOING, BUT THEN IT WAS TIME TO GET PAID.
SO IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER NOW SHOULD IT TAKE 90 DAYS AND EIGHT MONTHS DANCE IS NO.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M JUST MAKING, I JUST WANNA MAKE COUNCIL WHERE THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF SITUATIONS THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S JUST SITTING THERE NOT PAYING IT.
THAT'S, AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF SCENARIOS ON FROM DIFFERENT REASONS.
YOU KNOW, IF I SAID THE REASONS, JUST A BUNCH OF WAYS.
UM, A LOT OF THIS WE ARE WORKING TO GET FIXED.
HONESTLY, IT IS GETTING BETTER, YOU KNOW, FROM A LOT OF THESE HORROR STORIES.
BUT YOU KNOW, FROM MONTHS PAST, THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS.
NOW, ONE THING I WOULD PUT OUT TO IS WE PROBABLY DO NEED TO GET A CENTRAL NUMBER THAT VENDORS CAN CALL AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S BEEN PACKED 30 DAYS, HEY, I HADN'T GOTTEN THIS INVOICE SO SOMEBODY CAN JUMP ON IT.
'CAUSE I'VE HAD VENDORS CALL LIKE A YEAR LATER AND ASK, HEY, I HADN'T GOTTEN PAID AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WAITED A YEAR LIKE TO CONTACT US.
UM, SO I I I THINK THAT UM, WE, WE ARE GETTING TOGETHER TO GET A PLAN ON, ON HOW WE CAN DO SOME THINGS TO WORK BETTER WITH THE VENDOR SO THEY CAN GET NOTIFIED.
THEY CAN NOTIFY US QUICKER IF THEY HADN'T GOT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAY, SOMETIMES THINGS DO GET OVERLOOKED.
IF THEY MAILED IT, THINGS GET LOST IN THE MAIL.
IT CAN BE A BUNCH OF REASONS, UM, FOR THE INVOICES.
SO IF THEY CONTACT US QUICKLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET IT PAID INSTEAD OF, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THEY CALL COUNCIL, A LOT OF TIMES THEY CALL EVERYBODY UP.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY ONES THAT CONTACT US THAT DON'T GET THE ANSWERS THEY WANT IS A INVOICE WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH FOR OTHER REASONS OTHER THAN WE JUST NOT PAYING IT.
[02:50:01]
THANK YOU MAYOR.IT IS BAFFLING THAT WE ARE A HUGE CORPORATION THAT IS STILL RECEIVING AN INVOICE FROM THROUGH AN EMAIL.
LIKE DEPENDING ON SOMEONE TO OPEN IT AND SUBMIT IT.
WE HAVE GOT TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M NOT SURE WITH THE, THE NEW PROGRAM THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE AND SOME SAY IT ISN'T EFFECTIVE.
BUT IS THERE A WAY TO WHERE WE CAN STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS? AND IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU PURCHASE PURPLE PAPERCLIPS OR A TRUCK, THAT THE INVOICE IS NOT UPLOADED INTO A CENTRALIZED LOCATION IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE IN THE OFFICE FALLS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
WE RUNNING A BUSINESS AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY OUR BILLS.
WE NEED A STREAMLINED PROCESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PO NUMBER ON THE INVOICE.
AND THE VENDOR SHOULDN'T EVEN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING WHAT THAT PO NUMBER IS.
'CAUSE THAT NUMBER MEANS NOTHING TO THEM.
IT ONLY MEANS SOMETHING TO US.
IT DOES MEAN SOMETHING TO 'EM.
UM, THE PO IS OUR AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
WE ARE GONNA DO SOMETHING FOR THAT PRICE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HOW IT'S TRACKED.
THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN TRACKING SYSTEM.
I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW WE TRACK.
SO IF I SEND YOU A PO SAYING YOU WE BUYING THESE 10 BOOTHS, THAT'S THE NUMBER YOU HAVE TO PUT ON THE INVOICE IN ORDER FOR IT TO GET PROCESSED.
AND THAT'S ANYWHERE, THAT'S JUST NOT JUST A CITY THING.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF THAT NUMBER IS ESSENTIAL FOR US TO BE PAID MM-HMM
THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO WHERE IT IS TRACKED FROM THE TIME THAT IT LEAVES US IT IS AND GETS BACK TO US.
BUT APPARENTLY THERE'S A GAP SOMEWHERE BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU, YOU SAID SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET A PO THAT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER ON IT.
WELL, THE VENDOR IS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE WE SEND THEM THE PO THE VENDOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THAT PO NUMBER ON THE INVOICE.
IF YOU GET AN INVOICE FROM A VENDOR, THERE'S A LINE THAT SAYS PO NUMBER.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT THAT PO NUMBER IN THERE.
SO WHEN THE INVOICE COMES TO US, OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PERSON WILL SEE THAT PO NUMBER AND INPUT IT AND THEN IT CAN BE PAID.
'CAUSE THEY'LL GO IN AND LOOK AND SEE IF IT'S GOT RECEIVED.
BUT IF THE VENDOR DOES LEAVE IT BLANK OR DOES NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THERE, THEN IT IS UP TO US TO DECIDE AND TRY TO FIND THIS PO AND DO, I'M SAYING THAT THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO SUBMIT IT TO US WITHOUT ONE.
SO IF IT'S UPLOADED INTO A SYSTEM, I AGREE, BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE NEXT STEP IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
BUT THEY SEND INVOICE, ITS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT MAKING IT WAY IT STREAMLINED PUT ON THERE.
SO I'M ASKING FOR A SYSTEM TO WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO USE YOUR TIME TO GO AND LOOK FOR WHO IT'S FOR.
WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF A SYSTEM CAN AUTOMATICALLY PUT THAT PO NUMBER FROM THE INVOICE THAT'S UP TO THE VENDOR.
I'M SAYING FOR THE VENDOR TO PUT IT INTO WHEN THEY'RE UPLOADING IT.
THEY NEED THAT NUMBER THAT YOU PROVIDED IN ORDER TO EVEN UPLOAD INTO THIS SYSTEM FOR YOU TO HAVE ACCESS TO RETRIEVE IT, TO EVEN PAY THEM.
UM, WE THERE GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I I DON'T KNOW IF, IF WE CAN DO THAT, BUT I MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.
BECAUSE THIS, THIS IS EMBARRASSING.
AND, AND TOO MUCH TIME FOR Y'ALL.
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE HUNTING DOWN SOMEBODY TO PAY 'EM FOR PAPERCLIPS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PUT A PO NUMBER ON THERE.
IF THEY WANNA GET PAID, THEY NEED TO GET THEIR STUFF TOGETHER TOO.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO GET OURS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AS WELL.
NOW I WILL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE USE THE EXAMPLE PAPERCLIP, JUST AN EXAMPLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, LIKE, I'LL BE HONEST, OFFICE SUPPLY STORES AND AMAZON AND PEOPLE USED TO DOING THAT, THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT PUTTING THAT.
SO THOSE USUALLY THE ONES WE DON'T HAVE THE ISSUES WITH.
UM, THE ISSUES MORE OF THE ONES WHO PROVIDE LIKE MORE SERVICES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY.
'CAUSE WE SENT 'EM A NEW PO AND THEY STILL PUTTING THE PO FROM THREE YEARS AGO AND I HAVE TO CALL 'EM AND EMAIL AND BE LIKE, UPDATE IT, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE 'CAUSE JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE DO A PO IN THE SYSTEM, THE PO AUTOMATICALLY EMAILS TO THAT VENDOR.
SO THEY GET A COPY WITH THE PO.
SO THEY SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY UPDATING IT.
SO MS. LIN, WITH ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE, MAYBE YOU CAN GO INTO YOUR CHEST AND HELP US FIGURE OUT SOME OTHER STREAMLINED WAYS TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
NOW THAT I'M DONE WITH YOUR THREE AUDITS AND I'M ON TIME, I'M ABLE TO DEDICATE SOME TIME AND WE HAVE BEEN STARTING TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS IN WHICH WE'RE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN BEING ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE GOAL THAT I HAVE SET OUT FOR THE CITY MANAGER IF I HAVEN'T MENTIONED BEFORE, IS I WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOICES PAID THE WEEK THAT WE GET THEM.
[02:55:01]
OKAY.AND THIS WAS A DISCUSSION ITEM, SO I THINK WE CAN BRING THAT DISCUSSION TO A CLOSE.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
WELL NOW I'LL MOVE TO REPORTS FOR OF, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST AND, AND, UH, ANY INFORMATION THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE.I HAVE TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US AT THIS JUNCTURE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, AND RECOGNIZE MR. KYLE ROBSHAW, UH, FOR HIS ACT OF HEROISM AND SAVING A LIFE OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHOSE SUV WENT INTO THE WATER NEAR THE NORTH LEVEE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE THAT THIS DID OCCURRED, BUT, UH, A CITIZEN BY THE NAME OF KYLE ROB SHARP.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO PAY, UH, HONOR TO HIM FOR SAVING A LIFE AND, UH, HELPING AN INDIVIDUAL OVER ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
ALSO, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, CONCERTED OUR UPCOMING STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
FOR ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
I THINK YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TODAY IN THE EMAIL OR EVEN A HARD COPY OF A LETTER, A STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025 FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 1:00 PM FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THE WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD IN THE PRESS BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN THE TRAINING ROOM.
AND, UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY LOCATED THERE.
PHYSICAL ADDRESS, 5 49 FOURTH STREET HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO THAT IS THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP WHERE WE WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF, FOR ARTHUR AND COUNCILPERSONS.
UH, WE ARE ALL ASKED TO BE PREPARED AND PRESENT ON, UH, THE 27TH FOR THAT WORKSHOP.
UH, WOULD THERE BE OTHERS? AND IF THERE ISN'T, WHAT WE WOULD DO NOW IS, UH, MOVE TO, UH, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND SO WE CAN
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
MOVE NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.AND, UH, THERE ARE, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE BASICALLY A ROUTINE IN NATURE AND ADMINIS, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE IN, IN, IN NATURE.
AND YOU'VE BEEN, UH, FURNISHED WITH THE BACKGROUND ON THOSE.
IF THERE WOULD BE ITEMS YOU WANT WITHDRAWN, LET ME KNOW THAT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER AND THE PAGE NUMBER, UH, FOR OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF THAT ITEM IN THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IT IS COMPRISED OF PAGE, WELL, WE HAVE THREE INTRODUCES IT ON PAGE, UH, FOUR AND FIVE PAGES.
OKAY, JUST LET ME GET YOU THERE.
ON FOUR, ITEM FOUR AND ITEM FIVE ON FIVE AND FIVE.
OKAY, IF THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY OTHERS, WE ARE READY FOR A MO A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS, AS A PRESENTED COUNCILMAN ELLO PLEASE.
SO MOVE MAYOR, UH, SECOND COUNCILMAN FRANK.
SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, ACCEPT THE CONSENT, CONSENT AGENDA AS IT IS PRESENTED.
AND, UH, COUNCILOR UC, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON IT? NO, NONE.
AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO WITHDRAWN ITEMS. NOW WE'LL HAVE AN ITEM THAT WAS WITHDRAWN ON PAGE FOUR PR NUMBER
[VII.(4) P.R. No. 24129 – A Resolution Authorizing The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation To Enter Into Contract With GrantWorks, Inc. Of Austin, Texas For The Purpose Of Identification Of Available Grants And Subsequent Application Preparation For The Purpose Of Expanding The Efficacy Of PAEDC's Impact On The Economy Of The City Of Port Arthur In An Annual Amount Not To Exceed $55,000.00; Funds Available In PAEDC Acct. No. 120-80-625-5420-00-00-000 (Professional Services) ]
24 1 29.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE PORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH GRANT WORKS INCORPORATED OF AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFICATION OF AVAILABLE GRANTS AND SUBSEQUENT APPLICATION PREPARATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING THE EFFICACY OF P PC'S.
IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $55,000 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN PAEC.
ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH 80 DASH 6 25 DASH 54 20 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 LABELED
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD MOVE TO SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 1 29 AS PRESENTED.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, MRS. STOKES? YES, SIR.
WHEN, WHEN I READ THROUGH THIS CONTRACT AND I WAS LOOKING AT HOW WE PAY, WELL YOU ALL PAY AND IT, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEY, THEY SET FEES, YOU KNOW, LIKE 120, UH, $5 AN HOUR FOR RESEARCH AND GRANT FUNDING AND, UH, 125 PER HOURS OF PROTECT HER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND THEN $5,000 UPON SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION.
SO I FIGURED ALL THIS MONEY THAT THEY PUT IN WHATEVER THEY TAKE TO WHATEVER THEY TAKE TO RESEARCH IT AND EVERYTHING, AND, AND AFTER THEY DO THAT AND THEY SUBMIT IT, IF THEY SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, UH, IT'S, IT SAYS THAT, UH, THEY GET PAID THE 5,000, WHETHER THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED OR NOT.
OKAY, SO MY QUESTION IS THE $5,000, THEY, THEY, THEY, UH, SAY THEY'RE GONNA CHARGE US IF THEY SUBMIT IT, BUT WHAT IF THEY SPEND HOURS, UH, RESEARCHING OR PUTTING A GRANT TOGETHER? AND, AND, AND HOW IS THAT GONNA BE? HOW IS THAT GONNA BE MONITORED? YOU KNOW, THEY, I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT HERE.
HOW DO WE KNOW THEY DIDN'T? HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'RE NOT BILLING YOU FOR FIVE HOURS? THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ONLY DOING IT ONE HOUR? VERY GOOD QUESTION, SIR.
UH, AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, THERE IS A CAP ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY CAN SPEND AND WE DO MONITOR THAT, UH, AS YOU, UH, ACCURATELY SAID, IF IN FACT THEY SUBMIT.
AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A CAP ON THE TIME.
IF WE ARE AWARDED, UH, LET'S SAY FOR AN EDA GRANT, UH, THE EDA TRADITIONALLY LOOKS AT WHAT WAS, UH, ACCUMULATED IN GETTING THE AWARD AND THEY ADD THAT INTO WHATEVER COMES BACK TO US.
HOWEVER, LIKE YOU SAY, IF IN FACT WE AREN'T AWARDED, THERE IS A CAP, A MAXIMUM THAT WE'VE ALREADY BUILT INTO THE OVERALL 55,000 SO THAT IT ISN'T JUST A RUNAWAY TRAIN, UH, I WOULD NEVER RUN INTO A CONTRACT THAT'S JUST THAT OPEN-ENDED.
'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAY, ACCURATELY, THEY COULD SPEND MONTHS AND MONTHS, UH, AND WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY KNOW.
AND IF IN FACT THEY GO BEYOND THAT, THEN WE JUST CUT IT OFF BECAUSE APPARENTLY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE WORTHWHILE IF YOU'VE GOTTA SPEND MONTHS AND MONTHS COLLECTING DATA, RESEARCHING SO FORTH AND SO ON.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO GO AFTER.
WELL, I HOPE YOU ALL MONITOR THAT BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE IT IN THE LAST QUESTION IS ONCE WE ARE AWARDED, I MEAN IF THE, IF YOU ARE AWARDED THE, THE CONTRACT, DO THEY GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE AWARD? THEY DO.
UH, BUT ALSO, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY, THE AWARDEE, THE, THE, THE FIRM THAT AWARDS ALSO FACTORS THAT INTO THE OVERALL AMOUNT THAT THE EDC WOULD GET BACK.
SO THEY TAKE A, THEY LOOK AT THE CONTRACT.
LET'S SAY THAT YOUR GRANT WORKS AGAINST 2%, OKAY, OF THE OVERALL AWARD.
TRADITIONALLY THAT 2% IS ADDED ON TOP.
STILL WANT THEM TO BE IN BUSINESS.
THERE ARE PRIVATE CONCERN, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THAT PENALTY.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE PENALTY, UH, OF THEM MAKING THAT PROFIT.
SO TRADITIONALLY, LIKE I SAY MOST NOTABLY THE EDA AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SIMPLY JUST TAX THAT IN SO THAT THE AWARDEE IS NOT PENALIZED FOR DOING BUSINESS WITH THIS, WITH THAT COMPANY OR ANY OTHER COMPANY.
WE'LL JUST MY HONOR, SEE, I THAT ONE GO.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, BECKER, THANK YOU.
MY QUESTION IS WHY, UH, WHY DO WE NEED TO CONTRACT WITH ANOTHER GRANT WRITER WHEN WE HAVE A GRANT WRITER FOR THE CITY OF FLORIDA? ARTHUR HILL, YOU BASICALLY JUST SAID YOU HAVE A GRANT WRITER FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND THAT GRANT WRITER BY DEFINITION HAS TO BE A JACK OF ALL TRADES.
GRANT WORKS ONLY SPECIALIZES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
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THEY ARE THE INDUSTRY LEADER FOCUSED ON GRANTS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THAT'S HOW THEY'VE MADE THEIR CLAIM FAME.SO YES, WE COULD USE A GENERIC JACK OF ALL TRADES, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AFIELD JUST SAID, YOU ALL ARE A VERY BIG BUSINESS AND SO THEREFORE THERE WOULD BE A HIGH VOLUME OF GRANTS THAT YOU WOULD BE GOING AFTER AND YOU SHOULD, BUT IN OUR PARTICULAR CASE, WE NEEDED SOMEONE THAT IS FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO SCHOOL ON THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING AFTER, THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT TRACK RECORD, THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT ROLODEX, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THE GRANT WRITER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS NOT ALREADY SCHOOLED IN THAT.
SO THAT SHE COULD DO THAT FOR US WITHOUT ADDIT AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE, BUT IN OUR PARTICULAR CASE, IF WE ARE THEN TAKING UP A HIGH VOLUME OF THEIR TIME, THEN THE PURPOSES OF BRINGING THEM IN IN THE FIRST PLACE IS NOW DIMINISHED BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THE PADC AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING AFTER A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GRANT MONEY, NOT JUST FEDERAL, BUT STATE, LOCAL AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS.
AND WHAT THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY WOULD END UP DOING IS SIMPLY WORKING FOR THE PADC.
SO YOU ALL WOULD BE BACK TO HIRING SOMEONE ELSE.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS, AND THIS MIGHT BE FOR THE CITY MANAGER, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THE AMOUNT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED $55,000 TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WAS NOT VOTED ON BY THE EDC.
UM, NO, THIS IS THE EXACT LANGUAGE THAT THAT CAME OUT OF THERE.
ALL WE DO IS JUST BASICALLY CUT AND PASTE THE, THE APPOINTEES, MY TWO APPOINTEES.
SO THE EVC TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT APPROVE AN EXACT AMOUNT FOR THIS.
SO CAN YOU VERIFY THAT? UH, YES MA'AM.
I WILL, I WILL LOOK INTO THAT.
UH, MIGHT BE A LANGUAGE ISSUE, BUT THIS IS ALL, I MEAN I COULD HAVE ALMOST SAID THIS VERBATIM FROM MEMORY.
UH, SO THIS IS SOMETHING MISUNDERSTANDING THE CITY MANAGER COULD CONFIRM.
PROTE, WE CAN LOOK AT THE RECORDED VIDEO.
UM, FROM THE EDC MEETING, UNLESS THERE WAS A DISCUSSION HELD THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN THEIR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT SHOULD BE, UM, VIDEOED AND RECORDED AND POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
AS WELL AS WE HAVE THE MINUTES.
UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS BEEN AWARDED NUMEROUS EDA GRANTS.
YOU ALL DO THOSE GRANTS IN HOUSE? YEP.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? AND SINCE WHEN THEY STARTED PAYING, PAYING OUT OF THE GRANT, A LOT OF FEDERAL, FEDERAL, THEY STOPPED ALL THIS YEAR.
IF YOU WANT A GRANT OR COMPETE FOR A GRANT, WELL YOU PAY OUTTA YOUR GENERAL FUND AND THAT, SO WHAT YOU, SO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING PLUS $5,000 AIN'T GOING TO BE ALSO AWARDED FEES BASED ON WHAT COULD COUNCIL FROM DO SUCH QUESTION.
YOU WILL ALSO BE AWARDED FEES ON FROM THE GRANT.
SO THE IDEA BEHIND IF YOU WANT A GRANT OR IF YOU, OR COMPETE FOR A GRANT WHEN YOU PAY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
NOW YOU, AM I HEARING CORRECTLY, THEY ARE ALLOWING THE WA TO PAYMENTS TO BE RE BE CITIES TO BE REIMBURSED FROM THE GRANT? THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
SO THAT MEANS LESS MONEY GONNA GO TOWARD THE PROJECT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, UH, WE ARE, THIS FIRM WILL BE GOING AFTER FAR MORE THAN JUST EDA GRANTS OR YOU MENTIONED EDA AND YOU SAID THIS IS AN EDA GRANT.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT THAT SAYS THAT THERE, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA BE GOING AFTER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AS WELL AS PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS GRANT.
SO IF WE GO AFTER A BILL AND MELINDA, UH, GATES GRANT, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE EDA.
UH, AS FAR AS THE FEES, WHAT I, AND I GUESS I JUST DIDN'T ARTICULATE IT VERY CORRECTLY.
MOST ENTITIES WILL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, IF YOU ARE AWARDED $50,000 AND 5,000 OF THAT WENT TO WHOEVER DID THE BODY OF WORK FOR YOU, THEN IN THEIR MACHINERY THEY MAKE IT $55,000 SO THAT WHATEVER THEY AWARDED THE END USER, THE AWARDEE IS WHAT IS EXACTLY RECEIVED SO THAT WE'RE NOT PENALIZED, AS YOU JUST ARTICULATED, WE WOULDN'T WANT IT TO BE ALL OF A SUDDEN $45,000.
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WE ARE PAYING A PENALTY SO THAT ENTITY STILL GETS COVERED.THEY STILL GET THEIR REVENUE, BUT WHATEVER WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED IS WHAT IS RECEIVED.
CAN YOU CALL FOR THE VOTE? JUST SAY IT PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE, SIR.
I'M SORRY, POINT OF WHAT? WE DIDN'T SEE HIS HAND UP WENT UP BEFORE I CALLED FOR THE VOTE.
BEFORE YOU DO GET POINT OF ORDER, SOMEONE IN THE GALLERY PUT HIS HAND.
I JUST HEARD, UH, COUNCILMAN BECKON ASK A QUESTION, WELL MAKE A STATEMENT.
AND THE STATEMENT WAS THE TWO PEOPLE ON THE EDC BOARD THAT SHE KNOW OF OR SHE, HER, HER, HER, HER PEOPLE ON THE EDC BOARD SAID THEY DID NOT VOTE ON THIS.
NOW I'M SITTING HERE AS A CITIZEN.
I ALSO WAS EXPERIENCED COUNCILMAN FOR NINE YEARS KNOWING THAT IF THE EDC BOARD DID NOT VOTE ON THIS, THIS DIRECTOR SHOULD KNOW IF THEY VOTED OR NOT STANDING HERE.
IT SHOULD BE NO OTHER ANSWER, BUT YES, I KNOW THEY VOTED ON IT.
I HEARD THE ASSISTANT MANAGER SAID THAT.
WELL, WE MIGHT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE MEETINGS AND LOOK AT THE, YOU CAN'T LOOK AT THE EXECUTIVE MEETING, BUT YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MEETINGS.
THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A A A A ANSWER THAT SHOULD BE BE, UH, WE SHOULD BE WONDERING ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S A PROCESS IN PLACE.
THESE THINGS GO TO THE EDC BOARD.
THEN HE BRINGS IT TO YOU ALL STATING THAT THE BOARD ITSELF VOTED ON THIS.
I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS IS REALLY MIND BALLING, BUT FOR CITIZENS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE.
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PROCESS IN PLACE.
IF YOU CAN HAVE A DIRECTOR STAND UP HERE AND SAY HE DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD VOTED ON, HOW DO YOU DON'T KNOW THE VOTE? THE, THE BOARD VOTED ON THIS.
HEY, THE BOARD WHO'S OVER YOU.
UH, CONSTABLE LEWIS, JUST BRIEFLY, THIS A PERIOD THAT THIS IS A COUNCIL INITIATION, IF THE BOARD HAS NOT VOTED ON IT, SO COUNCIL INITIATED IT, THE BOARD'S GONNA SEAL OUT THE VOTE ON THIS.
COUNCILMAN, UH, EVER FEEL, I'M TRYING TO FIND POINT OF CLARITY FOR THE 55,000, THIS ITEM WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT TO OUR AGENDA HAD IT NOT PASSED THE EDC BOARD'S AGENDA.
SO AM I MISUNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS? YOU ARE ARTICULATE CORRECTLY.
I'M NOT EVEN UP FOR YOU IF THE BOARD HAS NOT ALREADY TAKEN AN ACTION.
YOU ALL KNOW THAT IT IS NOT IN FRONT OF YOU UNLESS THE BOARD HAS TAKEN AN ACTION.
AND PLEASE, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, IF I MIS MISUNDERSTOOD YOU, I DID NOT HEAR YOU TO SAY THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE NOT VOTED ON THIS.
WHAT? I SAID HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT SOME, A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REPORTED TO YOU THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE INCORRECT.
SO THEN THE NEXT QUESTION WILL BE TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
IF THE BOARD, THE EDC BOARD, I WANT TO FIND CLARITY.
IF THE P-A-E-D-C BOARD HAD NOT VOTED ON THIS ITEM AS IT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US, WOULD IT HAVE MADE IT TO OUR AGENDA? SO YOU ACCURATE? YOU HAVE, SO LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I CAN PROVIDE SOME FACTS.
I LOOKED AT THE, THE PORT ARTHUR EDCS AGENDA THAT THEY POSTED FOR JANUARY THE 14TH.
AND ON THEIR AGENDA, THEY DO HAVE THE APPROVAL AND THE ACTION FOR THIS PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH GRANT WORKS.
BUT THEIR AGENDA LANGUAGE ISN'T AS SPECIFIC AS OURS.
SO IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY SAY THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT.
IT JUST SAYS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THEIR JANUARY 14TH MEETING MINUTES ARE NOT ONLINE YET.
SO I CAN'T SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL MOTION WAS.
WE COULD WATCH THE VIDEO, BUT THAT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T, WE CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE EDC HAS THEIR OWN BOARD ATTORNEY AND THEIR BOARD ATTORNEY HAS A SIGNATURE ON THE RESOLUTION ENSURING THAT THEIR PROCESSES AT THE EDC HAVE BEEN COMPLETED CORRECTLY.
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AND, AND THEN I LOOK AT THE FORM AND WHEN I FIND QUESTIONS, I DO PRESENT THE QUESTIONS.AND WHETHER OR NOT THE EDC WANTS TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS OR NOT PROVIDE THE ANSWERS IS NOT WITHIN MY DISCRETION, BUT I DO THE BEST I CAN TO, TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION.
UM, SO, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, DID THE BOARD APPROVE THIS CONTRACT FOR $55,000? THE LEGAL ANSWER IS I DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE THE MEETING MINUTES ARE NOT POSTED, BUT IT WAS LISTED ON THEIR AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON THE CONTRACT MOTION OF THE TABLE.
SO I DON'T HAVE, I'M STILL IN, IN MIDST OF MY QUESTION.
SO THE, SO THE, WHEN YOU SAID THE EDCS ATTORNEY SIGNED OFF ON IT, CAN YOU BE SPECIFIC ON WHAT WAS SIGNED OFF ON? YEAH, THEY'RE APPROVING THE AGENDA ITEM FROM THE BOARD TO BE SUBMITTED BY RESOLUTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO US.
UH, WE STILL DON'T QUESTION ON THIS.
MOTION TO TABLE? OKAY, WE GONNA GET A SECOND ON THAT.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSERS? NO.
IF FROM THE AUDIBLE VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT, THE AYES HAVE IT.
UH, ANOTHER ITEM TO BE HANDLED, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.
[VII.(5) P.R. No. 24130 – A Resolution Amending Resolution Number 24-460 As It Pertains To The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation (PAEDC) Entering Into A Revised Professional Services And Consulting Agreement With Retail Strategies, LLC For The Provision Of Implementation Support Services To Implement The Downtown Revitalization Component Of The City Of Port Arthur's Master Plan For An Amount Not To Exceed $45,000.00; Funds Available In PAEDC Account No. 120-80-625-5420-00-00-000 (Professional Services) ]
NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE FIVE.IT IS A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH FOUR 60 AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, P-A-E-D-C, ENTERING INTO A REVISED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES LLC FOR THE PROVISION OF IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, UH, COMPONENT OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S MASTER PLAN FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $45,000 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN P-A-E-D-C.
ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE 20 DASH 80 DASH 6 25 DASH 54 20 DASH 0 0 0.
AND THIS TWO IS IN THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KIM LAW MOVE? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN ETT SECOND.
AND SECOND, WE READY FOR A QUESTION? UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
I APOLOGIZE NOW, COUNCILMAN ETT? OKAY.
UH, IS THIS THE COMPANY THAT HAS A CONTRACT WITH US ALSO? I THINK YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT WE JUST, I THOUGHT WE DID ONE LIKE THIS.
SO WE HAVE THIS COMPANY, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM PROVIDING CONSULTING SERVICE FOR THE CITY? YES.
IT'S WITH THE EDC THROUGH THE EDC.
I'M JUST ASKING, DO WE ALSO HAVE THEM FOR THE CITY? NO.
WE HAVE NO CONTRACT WITH THEM.
SO I, WITH MY QUESTION NOW, MR. STOKES.
WHEN I, WHEN I WATCHED THE, UH, REDDIT, WE ARE AMENDING IT BECAUSE OF, UH, BASICALLY WE WANT TO PUT IN OPTION YEARS.
OPTION YEARS, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECT, IS THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR IT COMING BACK OKAY.
AS WELL AS A, SOME LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN ANY THE INDEN ADDENDUM OF CASE.
WELL, I READ THAT, BUT MOST OF IT STEMMED FROM THEY WANT TO EXTEND THIS, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T TOO FOND OF THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PLAN ALREADY DOWNTOWN AND PAYING SOMEBODY TO TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING OUR, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE COULD DO THAT.
FIND OUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IT.
BUT ALL IN ALL, SO WE PASSED IT SO THAT I'M PAST THAT.
BUT MY QUESTION HERE WITH THIS ONE WAS WHY DID WE WANT TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE AND GIVING THEM O OPTIONAL YEARS? UH, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD 'EM.
WHY, WHY, WHY DIDN'T WE JUST LEAVE THE THAT IN THE STANDARD CONTRACT AND AFTER ONE YEAR, THEN WE COULD HAVE, UH, RENEWED THE CONTRACT OR WE COULD HAVE GIVEN THEM ANOTHER CONTRACT IN WHICH WE THEN COULD HAVE, COULD HAVE PUT
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OPTIONAL YEARS, BECAUSE NOW WE KNOW WHAT TYPE OF, UH, WORK WE GETTING OUT OF 'EM AND IF WE GETTING OUR BANG FOR OUR BUCKS.YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THAT WHEN I READ CONTRACTS AND I SEE WHERE SOMEBODY SENDS SOMETHING BACK TO US AND WANT US TO CHANGE SOMETHING, BUT TO CHANGE ON THE BENEFITS THEM I'M, I MEAN, YOU, YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT AT FIRST AND THAT'S THE PART THAT I GOT REAL ALARMING.
UH, WE DONE A CONTRACT, THEY SIGNED IT, THEY READ IT, BUT THEN THEY GET THIS BACK TO US ABOUT THEIR LAWYERS LOOKED AT IT AND DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE TERM.
WE SHOULD HAVE WENT TO THEIR LAWYER BEFORE THEY SIGNED IT.
AND PUTTING IT, COMING BACK IN A MINUTE, JUST FOR WHAT I READ, WE COULD HAVE WENT OUT WITH THE CONTRACT.
THEY JUST WANT TO GET MORE OUT OF IT AFTER WE'VE DONE THE CONTRACT.
SO JUST TELL ME WHY WE DID THAT.
UH, THIS DOESN'T PROBABLY HAPPEN VERY FREQUENTLY, UH, IN, IN THE WORLD OF LAWYERS, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RARE TIMES WHERE UH, THE FIRM THAT'S DOING BUSINESS WITH US ACTUALLY CAUGHT SOMETHING THAT ROBERT DIDN'T CATCH AND CHANGED IT TO OUR BETTERMENT.
IF YOU LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT WAS APPROVED, IT WAS AUTOMATIC THAT IT WOULD GO TO YEARS TWO AND THEN AUTOMATIC THAT IT WOULD GO TO YEARS THREE, IT WOULD NOT HAVE COME BACK TO US, WOULD NOT HAVE COME BACK TO YOU.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY THEY NORMALLY WOULD DO BUSINESS.
AND THEY DIDN'T WANT IT TO BITE 'EM IN THE BEHIND LATER ON.
SO THEY BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTORNEY'S ATTENTION.
YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE US TO YEAR TWO.
IF YOU TOOK US TO YEAR TWO TO TAKE US TO YEAR THREE, THAT IS THE CHANGE, THE PRIMARY CHANGE THAT WAS MADE.
WELL, YEAH, BECAUSE I READ THE, UH, INITIAL CONTRACT AND WHEN WE HAVE CONTRACTS, I ALWAYS READ CONTRACTS AND I DON'T EVER WORRY ABOUT AUTOMATIC RENEWALS.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT OPTION TO REMOVE, RENEW.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY ALL CONTRACTS.
WE DO, THERE'S A CLAUSE, A CLAWBACK CLAUSE.
WHERE AT ANY TIME WE COULD GIVE THEM NOTIFICATION THAT WE WANT TO END THE CONTRACT ANY TIME, EVERY CONTRACT WE DO.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN JUST SAY, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANY LONGER.
WE HAVE TO GIVE A NOTIFICATION AND THAT'S IT.
SO I DON'T WORRY ABOUT, UH, THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I JUST WANT YOU TO THAT EXPLANATION SO I UNDERSTAND.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? IF THERE AREN'T ANY READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IT IS APPROVED PR NUMBER 24 1 30 AS UH, PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24105 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 7 Submitted By Texas Materials Group, Inc. – Gulf Coast Area Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Various Streets Roadway Improvements Project-Districts 2 & 3 Adding Las Palmas Drive, Pecos Avenue, Duff Drive And The Addition Of 195 Calendar Days For The Amount Of $1,210,169.60. Funding Is Available In The Street Program Capital Improvements Project Account 307-21-053 8517-00-10-000 ]
WE'LL MOVE TO THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA ON PAGE SIX.UH, AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE WOULD HAVE INDIVIDUALLY.
THE FIRST ITEM BEING, UH, OF RESOLUTION, UH, P NUMBER 24 1 0 5.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER.
NUMBER SEVEN, SUBMITTED BY TEXAS MATERIALS GROUP IN COOPERATED GULF COAST AREA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE VARIOUS STREETS.
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS, DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE, ADDING LAS PALMER DRIVE, PECOS DRIVE, DUFF DRIVE, AND THE ADDITION OF 195 CLEAR, I MEAN CALENDAR, UH, DAYS FOR THE AMOUNT OF $1,210,169 AND 60 CENTS.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREET PROGRAM.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ACCOUNT 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 53 DASH 85 7 0 0 0 0.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 1 0 5 AS READ.
WE'RE READY FOR, UH, WORSHIPS.
WE, ANY WORSHIPS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO PR NUMBER 24 1 0 5 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24122 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute One-Year Contracts With Hawkins, Inc., Of Roseville, Minnesota And Catalynt Solutions Of Edmonds, Washington For The Purchase Of Liquid Sodium Bisulfite For The Utilities Department With A Total Projected Budgetary Impact Amount Of $165,000.00. Funds Are Available In Water Utilities Account No. 410-40-225-5217 00-00-000, Treatment Chemicals]
WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, PR NUMBER 24 1 22.IT IS ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ONE YEAR CONTRACTS WITH HAWKINS INCORPORATED OF ROSSVILLE, UH, MINNESOTA AND, UH, CATLAN SOLUTIONS
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OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON FOR THE PURCHASE OF A LIQUID.YEAH, BI FIGHT THAT'S RIGHT FOR THE UH, UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WITH A TOTAL PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT.
AMOUNT OF $165,000 FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE WATER UTILITIES ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH 2 25 DASH 52 17 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL, PLEASE? COUNCILMAN? UH, FRANK, SO MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 54 1 22.
UH, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION.
ANY QUESTION? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR A.
AYE, ANY OPPOSES AYES AVERAGE.
SO PR NUMBER 24 1 22 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24144 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager’s Decision To Authorize The Payment With A Total Budgetary Amount Of $160,457.40 For The Texas Commission On Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Annual Water And Wastewater System Permit Fees For The City Of Port Arthur, Water Utilities Department, $60,858.00 From Account No. 410-40-210-5471-00-00-000, Water Regulation And $99,599.40 From Account No. 410-40-225-5471-00-00-000, Wastewater Regulatory]
NUMBER THREE P NUMBER 24, 1 44.IT IS A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE PAYMENT WITH A TOTAL BUDGETARY AMOUNT OF $160,457 AND 40 CENTS FOR THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TCEQ, ANNUAL WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM PERMIT FEE FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT $60,000 $858 FROM ACCOUNT, UH, NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH TWO 10 DASH 54 71 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 WATER, UH, REGULATION, UH, AND $99,599 AND 40 CENT FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH 40 DASH 2 25 DASH 54 71 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
AND THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE WASTEWATER REGULATORY ACCOUNTS.
UH, MEASURE A MOTION FOR APPROVE.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN? NEVER FIELD SECOND.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED A SECOND AT P NUMBER 24.
1 44 WOULD BE APPROVED AS READ.
WE ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO PR NUMBER 24 1 44 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24145 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept A Grant From Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), Through Its Keep Texas Recycling Program, Funded By H-E-B For The City Of Port Arthur To Establish A Centralized Cardboard Recycling Facility In The Amount Of $109,000.00 Shall Be Placed In In Account No. 307-13 037-8525-00-10-000 Equipment Service Capital Improvement ]
HAVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PR NUMBER 24 1 45.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE GRANT FROM KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL KTB THROUGH ITS KEEP TEXAS RECYCLING PROGRAM FUNDED BY A GB FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
TO ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED CASH BOARD RECYCLING FACILITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $109,000 SHALL BE PLACED IN AN ACCOUNT NUMBER IN THE ACCOUNT, EXCUSE ME.
NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 13 DASH THREE SEVEN DASH 8 5 2 5 0 0 DASH 0 0 0 EQUIPMENT SERVICE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN UH, FRANK.
SECOND MAYOR PRO, TIM IS MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THIS, UH, UH, RESOLUTION.
WE'RE READY FOR QUESTIONING UNDER THE QUESTION.
YOU READY FOR VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? AYES HAVE A PR NUMBER.
24 1 45 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24147 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 1 And No. 2 For The Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Allco, LLC Of Beaumont, Texas, Increasing The Contract Amount By $26,761.00 To A New Contract Total Of $553,618.00 For The Driveway Entrance Construction And Drainage Repairs At 101 H.O. Mills Boulevard; Funds Are Available In Account 307-13-037-8525-00-10-000 - Capital Improvement Fund (Equipment Services) Capital Outlay ]
HAVE PR NUMBER 24 DASH 1 4 7 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER.TWO, UH, EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO FOR THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND ALCO, LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $26,761 TO RENEW CONTRACT TOTAL OF $553,618 FOR THE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE CONSTRUCTION AND DRAINAGE REPAIR AT 1 0 1 HO MILLS BOULEVARD.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 13 DASH 0 37 DASH 8 5 2 5 DASH ZERO DASH 1 0 0 0.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND EQUIPMENT SERVICES, UH, CAPITAL OUTLAY.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE I IT A SECOND.
COUNCILMAN ETT SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 21 1 47 AS UH, PRESENTED.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION UNDER THE QUESTION? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[03:30:01]
OPPOSES? AYE.SO PR NUMBER 24 1 4 7 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 24148 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Kraftsman Commercial Playgrounds & Water Parks Of Spring, Texas Through BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Contract No 679-22 For Park Improvements To Roosevelt Park ($193,913.07), London Bridge Park ($205,823.80) And Babe Zaharias Park ($99,915.31), For A Total Amount Of $499,652.18. Funds Are Available In The Parks And Recreation Capital Improvement Account Number 307-25-067-8525-00-20-000 ]
SIX, UH, EXCUSE ME, PR NUMBER 24 1 48 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CRAFTSMEN, COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUNDS AND WATER PARKS OF SPRING, TEXAS THROUGH BY BOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 6 7 9 DASH 22 FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS TO ROOSEVELT PARK, $193,913 AND 7 CENTS, LONDON BRIDGE PARK, $205,823 AND 80 CENTS.AND BABES AREAS PARK, $99,915 AND 31 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $499,652 AND 18 CENTS.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 25 6 7 DASH 8 5 2 5 2 0.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? IT HAS BEEN MOVED.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR AND NUMBER 24 1 48 PRESENT.
ARE WE READY FOR QUESTION? YES, YOUR HONOR.
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNCILMAN DEUCE, YOU HAVE QUESTION? GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UH, I WAS TRYING TO FIND MY, UM, CITYWIDE PLAN MM-HMM
AND I COULDN'T PUT MY HAND ON IT LAST NIGHT.
SO I JUST WANT TO ASK, WITH THESE PARTICULAR, UH, PROJECTS, WERE THEY LISTED? YES.
SO WHAT THEY, WE WENT BY THE PLAN.
THESE WERE LISTED AS IN THE, IN THE BUDGET YOU APPROVE FOR $2 MILLION TO DO SOME PARK IMPROVEMENTS, MAINLY THE SAFETY ONES.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO BY THE PLAN WHICH WERE LISTED BY THOSE PARKS THAT WERE POOR.
THESE ARE THREE OF THE POOR PARKS.
SO THEY ARE LISTED UNDER PARK IMPROVEMENTS PARK UNDER YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.
SO YOU'RE TELLING ME IF I HAD FOUND IT, I WOULDN'T HAVE FOUND THESE PARTICULAR PARTS IDENTIFIED.
'CAUSE WE WERE GOING BY THE PLAN, THE MASTER PLAN FOR PARTS.
THEN HOW, OKAY THEN, SO HOW WE, I MEAN WE GOT THOSE THAT ARE LISTED AS POOR FROM THE PLAN.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE POOR? YES SIR.
THEN NOW SOME OF THEM WE HAVE SOME MORE THAT ARE POOR.
I JUST WANT, I'M LOOKING AT IT BECAUSE WHEN I SEE THE CITYWIDE PLAN AND I SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF POOR PARKS.
AND WHEN YOU START DOING PROGRAM, WHAT I EXPECT TO SEE IS THAT THE, THE PARKS ARE REFLECTED IN DURING THEM IN ALL DISTRICTS.
THAT'S THE TIME I WANTED TO FIND MY PLAN AND I DIDN'T FIND IT, BUT I'LL GO BACK AND CHECK THE PLAN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? THERE AREN'T ANY.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO, PR NUMBER 24 1 48 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
NOW WE WILL MOVE OVER TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT,
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 24152 – A Resolution Ratifying The City Manager's Decision To Authorize The Emergency Repair Of Sewer Blockage On 9th Avenue And Highway 73, For The Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $96,800.00 With Global Drilling, Inc. Of Winnie, Texas, Funding In Water Utilities Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00-000 Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of The Budget Amendment In Proposed Ordinance No. 7309]
PR NUMBER 24 1 52 IS A RESOLUTION RATIFYING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY REPAIR OF SEWER BLOCKAGE ON NINTH AVENUE AND HIGHWAY 73 FOR THE TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $96,800 WITH GLOBAL DRILLING INCORPORATED OF WINNIE, TEXAS FUNDING AND WATER UTILITIES.ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 4 0 0 8 5 16 0 0 0 0 0.
AND THIS IS HOWEVER, UH, CONTINGENT UPON THE APPROVE OF A BUDGET, UH, AMENDMENT IN A PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WE WILL GET TO LATER 73 0 9.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR THIS APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? UH, UH, FRANK, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN? UH, LEWIS SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 1 52.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCIL SAID YOU HAD A QUESTION ON IT? YES.
[03:35:01]
YES, I, OF COURSE.UH, ON 73 AND, AND NINTH AVENUE, THIS, THIS PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THE SEWERAGE BLOCKAGE.
COULD THAT HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF ALL THAT CONSTRUCTION THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE? NO, SIR.
THEN THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
ON ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? ARE ANY WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSES? SO, PR NUMBER 24 1 52, I THINK IT WAS, YEAH.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7309 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025, Increasing General Fund Contingency (001) By $96,800.00 And Transferring That Amount Thereby Increasing Water And Sewer Fund (410) By $96,800.00]
NOW TO ORDINANCES AND ITEM NUMBER ONE, UNDER B SECTION B OF ORDINANCES, WE HAVE THE ORDINANCE APPEAL NUMBER 73 0 9.AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
INCREASE IN GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY 0 0 1 BY $96,800 AND TRANSFERRING THE AMOUNT, UH, THEREBY INCREASING WATER AND SEWER FUND, UH, FOR 10 BY $96,800.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? AL LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 73 0 9 AS PRESENTED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON IT.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSERS AS HAVE IT? SO PO NUMBER 73 0 9 IS APPROVED.
AS READ ON PAGE EIGHT, WE HAVE,
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7311 – An Ordinance Providing For The Conduct Of A General Election On May 3, 2025 For The Purpose Of Electing A Mayor In The City Of Port Arthur, Texas; And Providing For A Joint Election With The Port Arthur Independent School District, The Sabine Pass School District, The Sabine Pass Port Authority And The Port Of Port Arthur Navigation District In Accordance With Chapter 271 Of The Texas Election Code, And Providing For The Publication Of The Election Notice]
UH, PO NUMBER 73 11.IT IS AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CONDUCT OF A GENERAL ELECTION ON MAY 3RD, 2025 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AND PROVIDED FOR A JOINT ELECTION WITH THE PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE, THE SABINE PASSED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SABINE PASSED PORT AUTHORITY AND THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 2 71 OF THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE ELECTION NOTICE.
WE HAVE THIS, UH, LISTED IN THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SO MOVE MA'AM.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN? OH, YOU DID.
I'M SORRY, MY, MY THROAT IS GOING.
AND SECOND, NOW WE'RE READY FOR, UH, UH, QUESTION.
YOU GOT A QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
UH, IN THIS RESOLUTION IS LISTED CORRECT AS A GENERAL ELECTION.
OKAY? IN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION I SAW ON THERE A SPECIAL ELECTION.
SO WHAT IS IT? IT'S A GENERAL, IT IS A GENERAL ELECTION OF SPECIAL ELECTION.
THIS ORDINANCE IS A GENERAL ELECTION.
THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO CLARIFICATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO PO NUMBER 73 11 IS APPROVED AS READ.
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7312 – An Ordinance Providing For The Conduct Of A Special Election On May 3, 2025 To Submit A Proposition For The Purpose Of Authorizing The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation To Undertake Categories Of Projects Authorized Under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 505 (Requested By Mayor Bartie)]
THREE PO NUMBER 73 12, AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CONDUCT OF A SPECIAL ELECTION ON MAY 3RD TO SUBMIT A PROPO, A PROPOSITION WITH, FOR THE, UH, PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TO UNDERTAKE CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS AUTHORIZED UNDER TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 0 5.AND IT, IT IS, HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, EVER FIELD SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE, UH, UH, PO NUMBER 73 12.
AND IF THAT HONOR ALSO HAS BEEN PRESENTED HERE ON THE AGENDA IN THE SPANISH LANGUAGE, UH, IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
WHY ARE WE CONDUCTING THIS SPECIAL ELECTION? WHY IS IT A SPEC SPECIAL ELECTION? NO.
WELL, IT WOULD IF IF IT'S APPROVED, IT WOULD BE PLACED ON THE GENERAL ELECTION.
IT WOULD BE PLACED ON THE GENERAL ELECTION.
'CAUSE IF WE'D APPROVED THIS, THEN WE WOULD BE PROVING THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO HERE'S MY QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT IT'S DEALING WITH THE A DC AND, UH, SALE AND USE TAXES.
SO IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH SALE AND USE TAXES FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,
[03:40:01]
IT'S BASICALLY FALLING INTO THE, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5 AS WE READ THAT ELECTION.IT HAS A PROPOSITION, OKAY? AND THE PROPOSITION STATES NO PROPOSITION.
A PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO UNDERTAKE ANY SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF PROJECTS AUTHORIZED UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 5 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO A EXPOSED SPORT.
THAT IS THE EXACT INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL FIND IN 5 0 4 REFERRING TO THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TYPE A.
THAT IS THE EXACT TERMINOLOGY.
SO I DON'T KNOW, WHY WOULD WE ASK THE VOTERS TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY A LAW ALL.
AND IN EVENT WE DID DO IT AND WE WERE TO HAVE A PROPOSITION.
THERE'S SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FROM 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5, WHICH ADDRESSES THE, UH, PROPOSITION.
IF WE DO IT UNDER THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, DEALING WITH, UH, A MUNICIPALITY CALLING FOR AN ELECTION, THEN IT STATES THAT, UH, IT MUST BE WHEREBY THE CITIZENS, THE PROPOSITION IS WRITTEN SO THE CITIZENS CAN DISCERN.
DEALING WITH PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSITION Y'ALL GOT.
BEAR WITH ME 'CAUSE I'VE GOT A VISION.
AND THEN IT GOES, GO THROUGH THERE.
I'M GONNA READ THIS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, BECAUSE HE HAD CATARACT SURGERY.
SECTION 5 0 4 0.152 ELECTION TO AUTHORIZE PROJECTS APPLICABLE TO TYPE B CORPORATION.
AN AUTHOR, AN AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITY MAY SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS OF THE MUNICIPALITY A BALLOT PROPOSITION THAT AUTHORIZES THE TYPE A CORPORATION TO USE THE SALES AND USE TAX IMPOSED UNDER THIS CHAPTER, INCLUDING ANY AMOUNT PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED AND COLLECTED FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR FOR A SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF PROJECTS THAT DO NOT QUALIFY UNDER THIS CHAPTER, BUT QUALIFY UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 5, INCLUDING A SPORTS VENUE AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
LETTER B, THE PROJECT OR CATEGORY OF PROJECTS DESCRIBED BY SUBSECTION A MUST BE CLEARLY DESCRIBED ON THE BALLOT SO THAT A VOTER IS ABLE TO DISCERN THE LIMITS OF THE SPECIFIC PROJECT OR CATEGORY OF PROJECTS AUTHORIZED BY THE PROPOSITION.
IF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING COSTS OF AN OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED FACILITY ARE TO BE PAID FROM THE SALES AND YOUTH TAX, THE BALLOT LANGUAGE MUST CLEARLY STATE THAT FACT.
AND THEN UNDER SUBSECTION C, NUMBER TWO, A SEPARATE ELECTION TO BE HELD ON A UNIFORM ELECTION DATE.
AND THEN SECTION 5 0 4 0.153 REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE AN ELECTION MAY BE HELD UNDER SECTION 5 0 4 0.152, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD IN THE AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITY TO INFORM THE, THE MUNICIPALITY'S RESIDENTS OF THE COST AND IMPACT OF THE PROJECT OR CATEGORY OF PROJECTS.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S THAT SAYING IS WHATEVER PROJECTS WE DECIDE, OR WHICHEVER PROJECT WE WANT, WE MUST FIRST BE ABLE TO FIND OUT HOW LONG WE WANT THIS MONEY TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THAT'S WHEN THIS, THAT'S WHEN IT REFERS TO LIMITS.
OKAY? THE SECOND ONE, WHEN IT SAYS IF WE GOING TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING, WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, AND THAT'S MADE IT COST.
[03:45:01]
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE LIMITS.SO WHEN WE GIVE IT TO THEM, WE KNOW.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS PORTION, A SPECIAL ELECTION IS A REPEAT OF 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5.
SO WHY WOULD WE WANT CITIZENS TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST LAW? ANYTHING THAT WE ASKING FOR IN WHAT I'VE READ FOR THE ELECTION IS ALREADY LAW.
SO ALL WE GOTTA DO IS IF IT'S A B PROJECT, WE SIMPLY PUT IT TO, TO THE VOTERS.
BUT IF WE PUT IT TO THE VOTERS, WE OUGHT TO HAVE WHAT THE PROJECT IS OR WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE, HOW LONG WE WANT TO USE THESE TYPES FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING AT THAT TIME, WE SUPPOSED TO ENSURE THAT CITIZENS KNOW HOW LONG WE GONNA USE THE TAXES AND WHAT IT'S GONNA BE, WHAT IT'S GONNA COST US.
NOW THAT'S JUST, WE JUST READ SO THAT THEREFORE I'M NOT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF.
COUNCILOR, UH, BECKER, THANK YOU.
UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER DEUCE IS SAYING AND, AND ALSO IT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EDC BOARD NEEDED TO CONSIDER THIS AND VOTE ON IT AND BRING IT TO COUNCIL.
THIS HAS NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO THE EDC.
IT HAS NOT BEEN BEEN PRESENTED TO COUNSEL.
AND IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS NOT THE ONE THAT AUTHORED THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
IS THAT CORRECT? CITY ATTORNEY ON THAT? ON THAT? MAY, MAY, MAY I, MAY I INTERJECT SOMETHING? WELL, I, I'D LIKE TO ASK WHO AUTHORED THIS ORDINANCE? IF, IF THAT'S WHAT I GOING ANSWER FOR YOU.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS NOT FOR YOU MAYOR.
THIS IS FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
THE EDC BOARD ATTORNEY CHARLES Z IS THE ONE WHO DRAFTED BALLOT LANGUAGE.
AND THIS IS THAT PROPER PROCEDURE.
IN YOUR OPINION AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY, AS A CITY ATTORNEY, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING DIRECTION FROM THE GOVERNING BODY AS AN ENTIRE UNIT.
AND YOU MAY AUTHORIZE ME AND FORM ME AND INSTRUCT ME TO PROPOSE AND PREPARE SOMETHING FOR YOU.
THE GOVERNING BODY DID NOT ASK ME TO PREPARE THIS ORDINANCE.
IT CAME, UM, FROM CHARLES ZECK AT THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
SO THIS WAS NOT DONE BY PROPER PROCEDURE, IS THAT CORRECT? CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK THERE'S MANY LAYERS TO THE PROPER PROCEDURE.
THE MAYOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT THIS ORDINANCE THAT WAS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL WAS NOT PREPARED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I IT SIR RAYMOND SCOTT, 37 26 LAKE SHORE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST TIME, BUT NOW I SEE EVIDENCE TO THIS BECAUSE THAT IS A PROCESS IN PLACE.
NOW, THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST MADE A STATEMENT, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE SHE'S AWARE OF THE PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE.
THE PROCESS IN PLACE IS THAT THIS EDC BOARD VOTES ON THIS AND THEY SEND THIS TO US.
THE EDC BOARD, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SHOWING THAT AGAIN.
THEN I HEARD THEM READ THE INFORMATION AND IT SAYS THAT IT HAS TO BE SPECIFIC, IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN SPECIFIC.
SO THEREFORE, THE CITY MAN, THE CITY ATTORNEY IS SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION SO SHE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S LEGALLY WRITTEN INCORRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S GONE ON THE BALLOT.
SO SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS AND UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU ALL INFORMATION THAT SHE READ IT, SHE WENT THROUGH IT AND SHE WROTE IT UP HERSELF.
NOW IT'S GOING BACK TO LIKE WHAT I HEARD AGAIN, THAT THIS THIS THING DEAL HERE DOESN'T STOP US FROM DOING BIG PROJECTS, BUT IT, THE WAY IT IS NOW, IT ALLOWS TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY TO THE CITIZENS WHO TAX DOLLARS.
THIS IS BECAUSE ONCE THEY COME TO US, OKAY? AND
[03:50:01]
IT GO THE CITIZENS HERE, THEY DECIDE WHEN THEY GO ON THE BALLOT, THEY DECIDE WHAT THEY WANNA DO, WHETHER, HOW THEY WANNA VOTE.WE'VE GIVEN THE CITIZENS A OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS AVAILABLE FOR US, BUT WE NOT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS, YOU'RE CUTTING OUT THE CITIZENS.
IT'S ALREADY WRITTEN IN, IN, IN THE ORDINANCE THAT BECAUSE WE A, DON'T MEAN WE CAN'T DO B, BUT THE PROCESS IN PLACE SEEMED LIKE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SKIP THE PROCESS BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, NOT WRITTEN BY AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL PERSON IS GIVEN FROM THE, FROM THE EDC BOARD TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SHE WRITES THE LANGUAGE AND WE WON'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF LANGUAGE.
IT'S NOT SAYING SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE TAX DOLLARS FROM THE EDC IS NOT SAYING ANYTHING.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH EDC FUNDS.
SOMEBODY BYPASSING THE PROCESS.
YOU CAN'T REPRESENT CITIZENS BY BYPASSING THE PROGRESS PROCESS AND THEN WANNA NOT BE TRANSPARENT TO WHAT YOU DOING WITH THEIR TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS.
SO WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND YOU PUT IT WHERE THE CITY ATTORNEY WROTE IT, AND IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BY THE CITIZENS, THEY CAN VOTE ON IT.
DON'T TAKE THEY RIGHT FOR VOTING ON THINGS.
ALL WE GOTTA DO IS MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS INVOLVED, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, LET 'EM AND THE LEGAL WAY BY GOING THROUGH OUR CITY ATTORNEY, SHE WRITING IT AND SHE PUT IN THE, THE RIGHT LANGUAGE AND PUT IN THE FORM THAT, HEY, WE WON'T, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING SAID.
UH, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE COUNCILMAN DO.
ON THIS, UH, FOR CLARITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT IT.
SO, UH, IF ANYONE WANTS TO INSINUATE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS DONE SOMETHING ILLEGAL, I I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD.
DID I ASK, DID I, DID I TRY TO STOP ANYBODY FROM TALKING? NO, YOU DIDN'T.
CHIEF, YOU WANNA REMOVE THESE FOLK WHO WANNA CONTINUE TO TALK AS I SPEAK.
I DIDN'T DISRESPECT EITHER OF THEM.
I'M GONNA, AND OKAY, WELL, I WANT YOU TO STOP.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK THE CHIEF TO ASK YOU TO TAKE YOU OUTSIDE.
WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
NOW, AS I WAS SAYING, IF ANYONE WANTS TO INSINUATE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS DONE SOMETHING INCORRECTLY, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT HE HAS NOT.
THIS HAS COME FROM THE WAY IT'S WORDED.
IF I'M CORRECT, MR. CHARLIE, I CALL HIM CHARLIE, THE ATTORNEY FOR THE EDC.
NOW, IF YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO REMEMBER A MEETING ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, AND CHARLIE WAS IN HERE AND HE SPOKE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN A AND B, AND I DID BRING TO HIM INFORMATION THAT I HAD GATHERED FROM TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY TRYING TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, KNOWING FOR SURE AND IN TEXAS HOW EDCS ARE OPERATING IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
THEY ARE DOING THE DUAL TYPES OF, UH, UH, TYPES OF EDC, UH, TYPE A AND A TYPE BI FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT BY SAYING ABOUT THE 5 0 4 AND WHY IT'S ALREADY BUSINESS.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE NOT SAYING, EACH TIME THE EDC WOULD MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO DO A TYPE B PROJECT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE VOTERS, THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND IT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD IF YOU BRING IT THERE, YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND WHAT THE FUNDING IS AND ALL, ALL OF THIS.
BUT IF THE EDC IS ACTUALLY ALLOWED BY THE VOTERS WHOM YOU SAY ALL THE TAXPAYERS AND WHICH THEY ARE, IF THEY ARE ALLOWED AT THIS JUNCTURE TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT AN A OR B OR JUST REMAIN IN A, WE NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT A TYPES EDCS BASICALLY DEAL WITH INDUSTRIAL TYPE OF TYPES OF FINANCING FOR
[03:55:01]
ENTITIES THAT ARE GOING TO DO INDUSTRIAL TYPE, UH, UH, INVESTMENTS AND UH, I GUESS JUST JOBS IN THEIR CITY AND NOT JOBS, BUT PROJECTS.WHAT YOU HAVE WITH THE BE YOU ARE ABLE TO DO WHAT THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND PORT ARTHUR ARE TAKING THESE BUSINESSES IN.
BECAUSE OUR EDC DOES NOT SUPPORT DOING OR FINANCING THOSE TYPES OF VENTURES, WHICH WOULD BE IN COMMON LANGUAGE, OTHER ARM AND POP TYPE OF VENTURE THAT MIGHT NEED SOME FINANCING TO HELP IT ACTUALLY REMAIN IN BUSINESS OR TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS.
THAT IS WHY I ASKED CHARLIE TO PREPARE SOMETHING FOR US.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT I JUMPED IN AND IT MAY WAS MAYBE IT WAS INSINUATED OR INFERRED THAT I HAD, I HAVE DONE SOMETHING OR I AM TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO THE VOTERS.
I WOULD BEG TO DIFFER WITH YOU ON THAT AS WELL.
THE REASON WHY, BECAUSE THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU ALL WANT TRANSPARENCY TO BE SHOWN AND ACTUALLY YOU WANT TRANSPARENCY FROM THIS COUNCIL.
I THINK IN MY DISCRETION, THE TRANSPARENCY WOULD BE ALLOWING THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT A A OR A B AND EXPLAIN TO THEM DURING THE PROCESS BEFORE THE ACTUAL VOTE WOULD TAKE PLACE IN MAY.
WHAT A TYPE A DOES WHAT A TYPE B DOES, WHAT A TYPE A AND B DOES.
AND THEN THEY MAKE THAT DECISION.
IF THEY MAKE THE DECISION IN THE NEGATIVE TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T WANT THIS, THEY WANT, THEY WANT WHAT IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, THEN WE GO WITH THAT.
IF THEY DECIDE WHO AND WHY ARE WE AFRAID TO DO AN A AND B, THAT'S THE POINT THAT I CANNOT UNDERSTAND.
WHY WOULD WE BE AFRAID TO EVEN PUT IT BEFORE THE VOTERS? SO THEY CAN, THEY CAN DECIDE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS, AND I'M GONNA CLOSE MY REMARKS.
I KNOW WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE, SEVERAL PERSONS WERE SAYING THAT FOLK ON THE CITY COUNCIL WANTED TO BE ON THE EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WELL, THAT WAS A MISNOMER ANYWAY.
AND IF THEY WERE REFERRING TO MYSELF, THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO DO RIGHT HERE.
SO I KNOW IF I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ON HERE AS WELL AS BE OVER THERE.
I KNOW I WOULD NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE ELSE UP HERE WOULD EVEN CHOOSE THAT.
BUT BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN THE THOUGHT PROCESS, NOT JUST IN PORT ARTHUR, BUT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN APPRISED OF IS THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS REMOVED THAT.
ANYWAY, AM I CORRECT ON THAT ATTORNEY? ARE YOU APPRISED OF THAT? SO EVEN IF WE WOULD BECOME AN A AND A B, WHAT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO CANNOT HAPPEN NOW BECAUSE THE LAWS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO THIS TYPE OF EDC HAVE CHANGED AND YOU WOULD, EDC WOULD STILL HAVE ITS OWN BOARD TO MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS.
AND I WAS NOT TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT ANYONE, NOT TRYING TO DISRESPECT THE EDC DIRECTOR OR DISRESPECT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BUT BECAUSE OF A CONVERSATION THAT WAS OPEN.
AND AS MS. PAM HAS SAID, IF YOU CAN GO BACK, I THINK WE, UH, AND WILL LISTEN TO WHATEVER THAT MEETING WAS.
AND WHAT, I CAN'T EVEN RECALL THE DATES.
THERE WAS CERTAIN QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED OF THE EDC ATTORNEY AND THE PROCESSES, AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, THE GIST OF WHAT HE SAID, AND MAYBE NOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH HIM, IS THAT YOU JUST PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE DONE NOT TO TRY, I'LL LET YOU SPEAK, NOT TO TRY TO CIRCUMVENT ANYTHING, NOT TO TRY TO, UH, IN ANY SHAPE, FORM OR FASHION DO SOMETHING OR CAUSE IT TO EVEN BE AN INFLUENCE THAT MY CITY ATTORNEY HAS DONE SOMETHING ILLEGAL OR IMPROPER.
NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN FOR THAT.
THIS IS ONLY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR US TO STOP LOSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES THAT WE COULD HAVE IN PORT ARTHUR.
BUT BECAUSE WE ONLY DO INDUSTRIAL TYPES OF FUNDING IN OUR EDC, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN DO A BEAT,
[04:00:01]
IT'S, IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG, A LONGER PROCESS.I'M JUST SAYING LIKE I'M TALKING TO YOU BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE GOING HOME, IT TAKES A LONGER TIME TO GET THAT DONE.
IF THEY ARE ALLOWED, THE BOARD IS GONNA STILL VOTE ON WHATEVER THEY DO.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT THEY SAY YOU DO A B AND WHOEVER COMES IN THERE WITHOUT A, A BUSINESS PLAN, WITHOUT A CREDIT RECORD, WITHOUT A A BANK STATEMENT AND JUST GET A LOAN.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS AND EVEN TO MAYBE COMPANIES WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS IN PORT ARTHUR TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE LAST THING YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA PREACH, I COULD CLOSE TWO OR THREE TIMES WHEN HE WAS READING THE 5 0 4.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE WOULD NOW, IF WE HAD A BEE AND WE HAVE FUNDS, HAVE THE EDC TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION IN CON WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IN DOING SOME SEWER REPLACEMENT.
IT COULD ALSO WORK WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WITH ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I WOULD HAVE IN MIND.
HOWEVER, I'LL BE GOING OUT OF THIS OFFICE BY THEN OF THE CREATION OF A WATER CONTROL SYSTEM OR A WATER PLANT FOR SABINE PASSED THAT WOULD RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURES THAT WE HAVE ON THE WATER PLANT THAT WE JUST BUILT MAYBE 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO HERE.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN THIS COMMUNITY, IF SABINE PASSED, CONTINUES TO GROW, SABINE PASSED NEEDS ITS OWN WATER SOURCE, IT NEEDS ITS OWN SEW SOURCE AS WELL AS ANOTHER WAY IN AND OUT OF THERE.
BUT AT THAT POINT, THE EDC WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM BECAUSE THE VOTERS HAVE GIVEN THEM THAT RIGHT TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON THE GROWTH OF THEIR CITY.
NOW, ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE AND MAYBE WANT TO INFER THAT SOMETHING ELSE AND SOME OTHER REASON, NO, YOU WOULD BE WRONG.
AND I'M NOT JUST, I SAID YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT STAYED.
SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT YOU TALKING.
UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I STAND HERE SAYING THAT I'M, I'M FOR A AND B ALSO.
THAT WASN'T THE, THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
I, I HAD, THE CONVERSATION I HAD WAS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
WAS IT DONE PROPERLY? I'M MISCONSTRUED.
LET ME TALK ABOUT, LIKE YOU SAID, LET ME TALK.
SO I STOOD UP HERE AND TALKED ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WAS IN PLACE.
THE, THE, THE, THE TRANSFERRING THE INFORMATION FROM EDC TO THE CITY OF THREAT.
I TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS IN PLACE.
I NEVER SAID I WAS AGAINST B BECAUSE LIKE I TOLD YOU IN THE BEGINNING, WE DO BE PROJECTS OKAY? BUT WE'D HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTES.
SO I'M FOR B PROJECTS BEING DONE, BUT I'M FOR IT FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PROCESS TO GET TO THE BALLOT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO YOU PREACHING TO THE CHOIR ABOUT A AND B ABOUT B UH, PROJECTS.
I UNDERSTAND B PROJECTS VERY WELL AND I'M FOR B PROJECTS, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESSES IN PLACE NOT BEING DONE PROPERLY.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE PROPERLY, I DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE MAYOR, JUST LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S THE CITIZEN VOTE, THEY GOING TO DECIDE WHETHER IT WON'T A AND BI UNDERSTAND THEY LET, ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE DECISION BY THE PROCESS BEING PUT IN PLACE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.
AND MAY, MAY NOW, MAY I ANSWER THAT, UH, MR. SCOTT? YES, SIR.
IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE FORM OF WAY, THE WAY YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, AS FAR AS THE PROCESS THAT WAS EMPLOYED FOR THIS TO EVEN BE HERE TODAY, I DISCUSSED IT WITH OUR ATTORNEY AFTER I HAD DISCUSSED IT WITH EDCS ATTORNEY AND NOT ONE, WAIT, JUST A MINUTE.
NOT ONE TIME WAS I TOLD THAT IT COULDN'T BE DONE LIKE THIS.
AND NOW THE ONLY, UH, OTHER UH, UH, ELEMENT THAT, THAT THAT WAS DISCUSSED, AND THAT'S NOT IN, IN FRUITION HERE TONIGHT.
I KNOW HE'S PROBABLY GLAD HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT.
HE'D HAVE TO STAY ALL NIGHT LONG, WAS THAT THAT ATTORNEY WOULD BE HERE.
THAT, BUT HE HAD OTHER COMMITMENTS BECAUSE HE WORKS FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT EDCS AND CITIES AROUND THE STATE.
SO HE COULD NOT PERSONALLY BE HERE ON, ON THIS EVENING FOR THIS.
AND LIKE I SAID, MY CONVERSATION WASN'T ABOUT YOU DOING NOTHING,
[04:05:01]
IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS IN PLACE, RIGHT.THE PROCESS THAT WE DID EMPLOY WAS THE RIGHT PROCESS.
WE COULD DO IT, IT COULD BE DONE THIS WAY, SIR.
WELL, IT COULD BE DONE IF YOU WANT TO DO IT WAY AND IT COULD BE DONE PROBABLY ANOTHER WAY.
BUT THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN ON YOU MEAN THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS IN PLACE, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IS IT IS NOT DONE THAT WAY.
IT GOES, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT.
SO LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS.
I EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT I'M FOR A AND B AND I I QUESTIONED THE PROCESS.
NOW YOU SAY THAT PROCESS, YOU SAID IT'S FINE, BUT I KNOW WHAT'S WRITTEN AND I KNOW BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR NINE YEARS.
I KNOW WHAT PROCESS WE USE WHEN WE COME FROM EDC AND IT GOES TO ATTORNEY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S WRITTEN PROPERLY.
'CAUSE THE ATTORNEY IS GOING TO STOP US FROM GETTING ANY KIND OF LEGAL TECHNICALITIES.
SO THAT'S THE WAY THE PROCESS GOES.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE CITY ATTORNEY SIT HERE AND SAID IT DIDN'T COME TO HER TO, YOU KNOW, SHE DIDN'T WRITE IT.
SO ALL I'M SAYING, AGAIN, I QUESTIONED THE PROCESS.
I DIDN'T QUESTION ABOUT A AND B PROJECTS.
BECAUSE BOTTOM LINE, THE CITIZENS IS GONNA VOTE FOR IT.
UH, COUNCILMAN
UM, CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT IS YOUR SUGGESTION ON HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD OR NOT MOVE FORWARD? WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR LEGAL ADVICE ON WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE FOR US TO TAKE REGARDING THIS MEASURE? THIS, THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS NOT INSTRUCTED BY THE GOVERNING BODY TO PREPARE THIS ORDINANCE.
AND SO I DID NOT CONDUCT THE FULL RESEARCH TO BE GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE ANSWER.
IT WAS DEPENDENT ON CHARLIE, ZACK BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE, OR HIS LAW FIRM BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.
BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE THUS FAR.
I WOULD SAY THIS, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROCESSING OF AGENDA ITEMS AND THE PROCESSING OF PLACING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT NORMALLY THE EDC, WHEN THEY VOTE ON SOMETHING, IT HAS TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
THE EDC DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO VOTE ON A BALLOT MEASURE.
I THINK POLITICALLY IT WOULD BE CORRECT TO INFORM THE EDC TO GET THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR ON WHAT PROJECTS THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE DOING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU MAYOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PLACE ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS WHAT HE DID.
HE USED HIS AUTHORITY AND TOLD ME THAT CHARLIE ZACK WOULD BE HANDLING THE AGENDA ITEM.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS TO MAYOR.
MAYOR, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE THIS ITEM GO THROUGH OUR TRADITIONAL NO MA'AM.
I COULD JUST STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
I'M READY FOR SOMEBODY, I SAY TO CALL FOR A VOTE AND WE CAN ALMOST GET READY TO GO HOME.
WE CANNOT, YOU KNOW, IF IT DOES, IF IT DOESN'T, IF IF IT'S VOTED DOWN, IF, IF IT IS VOTED FOR, WE WILL DO IT.
IF IT'S VOTED DOWN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH DISCUSSION ON IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT, UH, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T CUT IT OFF, OFF LIKE THAT.
YOU DON'T TO DO WHAT WE ARE, UH, TRYING TO DO.
IT'S JUST LIKE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANNA CALL IT A STALLING TACTIC OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW, IF, IF, IF, IF, UH, IF THE CITY ATTORNEY IS LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG OR ILLEGAL THAT'S RIGHT.
AND BEING THE MAYOR, I COULD GET IT PLACED ON THE BALLOT.
NOW, I MEAN, ON, ON, ON THE, UH, AGENDA.
AGENDA AND THE GOVERNING BODY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT BALLOT.
LIKE I JUST SAID, IF IT'S VOTED DOWN, MAYOR, WE KILL IT.
IF WE VOTED, IF WE VOTE IN AFFIRMATIVE, THEY, WE, WE'LL WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLY GOING TO BE WHETHER YOU WANT AN A AND A B OR JUST WHATEVER.
A SIR, WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK YOU THOUGH IS, ARE YOU, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ASK YOU IS, WOULD YOU BE OKAY TO TABLE SO THAT OUR ATTORNEY CAN ACTUALLY NO, MA'AM.
BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, IT HAS TO BE DONE BY FRIDAY.
LEMME NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, IT HAS TO BE DONE BY FRIDAY.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU TOOK IT THAT WAY, BUT I, I'VE LISTENED TO WHAT EVERYBODY SAID, AND YOU SHOULD, NOBODY NEVER SAID YOU MR. DID ANYTHING WRONG.
AND I'M, AND, AND WE NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WHAT I BROUGHT TO FACT WAS THAT THE WAY THE PROPOSITION IS WRITTEN IS JUST A REPEAT OF A LAW.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M HEARING
[04:10:01]
IS THIS WAS TO ASK CITIZENS IF THEY WANT TO TYPE B, THERE'S NOTHING THAT INDICATED THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED.THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT SAYS WE WANT TO ASK THEM TO VOTE FOR A TYPE B.
NOTHING SAYS THAT UNTIL YOU EXPLAIN IT.
THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY FOR THE EDC OKAY.
WRITING SOMETHING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME BEFORE US, OKAY? MM-HMM
AS FAR AS HE WORKS WITH THE EDC, HE GET WITH OUR ATTORNEY, BUT SHE'S GOING TO HELP US AND SHE'S GOING TO ADVISE US BECAUSE WHAT HE SAYS, THAT'S HIM.
HE SHOULD WRITE ANYTHING TO COME BEFORE US, RIGHT? NOTHING SHOULD COME BEFORE US.
WE'RE COMING FROM THE ATTORNEY.
SO I THINK WHERE THIS WENT SOUTH AND WHAT, AND THE REASON I'VE DONE ALL THIS RESEARCH IS FOR THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS NOTHING SAID.
THIS IS ASKING VOTERS TO, UH, VOTE FOR A BILL.
ALSO, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT, BUT WE NEVER SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
YOU, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE ACTIONS OF GOING THAT DIRECTION UNLESS YOU AT LEAST DISCUSSED WITH US.
SO THEN WE COULD HAVE ALL DECIDED WHETHER THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED OR NOT.
AND WHEN IT CAME OUT, WOULD'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR TO WHAT YOU WANTED WAS A BE.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOWN THE ROAD WE CAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GO, BUT I KNOW THAT EVEN IF WE DID HAVE A TYPE B, IT'D BE, IT'D BE, IT HAVE TO BE SOME CERTIFICATION BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYTHING.
SO THAT'S BE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? SO, SO, SO THE FIRST STEP AND ALL WOULD BE TO GO THROUGH IT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE NEVER DISCUSSED.
OKAY? AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT GOT MY QUESTIONS AND, AND EVERYTHING.
AND IF WE WANNA GO TO A B, WE NEED TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TALK IN LAYMAN TERMS SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WANTING TO GO TO A BEAT.
BECAUSE IF I WANT, I MEAN, IF I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA BE THE ISSUE, THEN I'D HAVE HAD MY, MY INFORMATION SENT AROUND COMMENTING ON THAT.
SO THE, I I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR.
I DIDN'T INSINUATE YOU DID ANYTHING WRONG.
I DIDN'T INSINUATE YOU COULD NOT PLACE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA AND I DIDN'T IMPLICATE THIS THAT, BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS A LOT OF LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
AND AS WE GO BACK TO WHAT WE SAID, THE PROCESS, WE GOTTA BE VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE ON WHAT WE DOING.
SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DOING THIS TYPE BI THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO DISCUSS.
AND WHEN WE DISCUSS AND DISCUSS IT IN AN OPEN MEETING SO THAT CITIZENS CAN HEAR ALL OUR COMMENTS AND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, NOT IN REFERENCE TO DOING TYPE B PROJECTS, BUT IN REFERENCE TO, DO WE WANT TO DO A B? BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONED, WE CAN DO THAT WITH A TYPE A.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO TIME, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE COULD, THE, THE EDC CAN HELP US WITH WATER, ALL THIS STUFF THAT YOU MENTIONED.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS GO AND ASK THEM TO LET US, EVEN IF WE HAD TO PAY SOME MONEY FOR A SPECIAL SELECTION, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO, UH, EVERYTHING YOU SAID, IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM DOING IT.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, WE AS A MUNICIPALITY WHEN DEALING WITH THE TYPE A CORPORATION, HAVE THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE SALES TAX SALE AND USE TAX THAT WE WENT TO THE VOTERS AND HAD THE VOTERS APPROVED, JUST LIKE WE COULD PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, I MEAN, ON THE BALLOT, AND ASK THE TAXPAYERS TO LET US REDUCE A PERCENTAGE, AND THEN WE COULD DEDICATE THAT PERCENTAGE TO THE WATER UTILITIES.
SO THERE'S MANY WAYS THAT WE COULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, BUT WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT, YOU KNOW, AND NOT JUST PUT IT INTO A VOTE.
UM, ONE OF THE, WE NEED TO HOLD UP ON THIS ITEM.
LET'S, LET'S NAME WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET SOME HELP TO THE SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE.
[04:15:01]
NEED LOANS.WE, AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE REFERENCED HERE, RECREATION, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE SEWAGE, WATER AND SEWAGE.
WE HAVE DONE ALL THESE THINGS ON THE FOUR B.
WE NEED TO LET THE, LET THE CITIZENS KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AND, AND THE WHEN.
AND WE GOT TIME TO, WELL, IT'S KIND OF TIGHT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT I'M CITY SECRETARY SAID.
IT HAS TO BE ON NO LATER THAN NO LATER THAN, UH, FRIDAY.
WE COULD, WE COULD, WE, WE WOULD DO THE, THE, THE SEWER, WATER AND SEWER HELP FOR THE WATER AND SEWER, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE COULD EVEN BOND THOSE THINGS.
UH, GRANTS FOR SMALL, SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, WE JUST, WE HAVE TO NAME THEM.
WE COULD GET THAT DONE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO CALL SPECIAL MEETING POST IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S, THOSE THINGS CAN BE DONE.
WELL, WHAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND, MAYOR, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH A A FOUR B PROJECT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING 'EM ALL ALONG, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS.
WE CAN WITH, WITH, UH, A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE COUNCIL, TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
WE CAN EXTEND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN EXTEND 'EM.
WE HAVE DONE, WE'VE DONE STREETS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PLACED IN THE STREET PROGRAM WITH A, WITH A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
TWO THIRDS VOTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WAS EXTENDED TO FOR EVERY THREE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, NOT 10 YEARS, BUT EVERY THREE YEARS.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE IT, YOU HAVE TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO SPEND THE MONEY, UH, CALLING AN ELECTION.
YOU MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL VOTE TO EXTEND IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT.
BUT, BUT YOU, BUT YOU JUMPED THE GUN.
I DID, BUT CITY MEANT, DID YOU HAVE, I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY FIRST, IF THAT'S OKAY, MA'AM.
OH, I, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND COUNSEL THAT, UM, ONE MEETING AGO, YOU REMA YOU, YOU AUTHORIZED ME TO GO AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND EVERYBODY KNOW BY NOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GOING TO DO A BOND ISSUE OF $300 MILLION IN THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS TO HOW WE ARE GOING TO PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE FUTURE.
OKAY? SO WHILST WE'RE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION, REMEMBER THAT WE PUT THAT FRONT AND CENTER, UM, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO ASK THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TO US, HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETING OF COUNCIL AS THEY CONTINUE TO MARKET THEIR 300 MILLION BOND ISSUE.
SO THERE MIGHT BE NEED FOR SOME FUNDING, YOU KNOW, FROM THE EDC IN PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SLASH UM, DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARENA THAT IS GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE 200 ACRES OF LAND THAT IS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THE COUNCIL TO, AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ALOUD, LET US CONTINUE TO PUT THAT, UM, FRONT AND CENTER, YOU KNOW, IN OUR CALCULATIONS AND IN OUR PLANNING AS WE MOVE AHEAD AS A GOVERNING BODY.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THE CONVERSATION ON THIS EVENING.
UM, OF THE, ABOUT 700 EDCS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, 500 OF THEM ARE, UH, TYPE B EDCS.
AND THE REASON WHY TYPE B EDCS ARE MORE DESIROUS FOR CITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE, WITH OUR, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, IS BECAUSE IT HELPS TO BRING ABOUT IN CITIES, UM, UH, MORE, UM, RECREATIONAL TYPE PROJECTS.
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, UM, PORT ARTHUR NEEDS, UH, A DAVE AND BUSTERS, PORT ARTHUR NEEDS A MAIN EVENT.
PORT ARTHUR, WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP, WE GOT DROPPED OFF AT THE SKATING RINK.
UH, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SO MANY PROJECTS, SO MANY THINGS THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO DO, UH, AND HAD.
AND SO NOW THE MAIN EVENT IS IN BEAUMONT, OTHER, OTHER PLACES, OTHER THINGS.
SO WE NEED TO DO PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE EFFECT, UH, THAT TYPE B EDCS BRING ABOUT THAT BRING INTO OUR CITY.
AND SO IT'S A, WE, IF WE, IF WE KEEP DOING THINGS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THEM, WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING, GETTING THE THINGS WE'VE ALWAYS GOT.
AND SO WHAT TYPE B PROJECTS HAVE WE HAD THAT HAVE HAD THAT KIND
[04:20:01]
OF, THAT KIND OF EFFECT ON OUR CITY WHERE WE HAVE A DAVE AND BUSTERS OR A MAIN EVENT, OR A, A SKATING RINK.HOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE CATALYST FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COME INTO OUR CITY WITH THOSE KINDS OF RECREATIONAL THINGS FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR CITY THAT INCREASES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY? AND SO, I I, NO ONE IS TRYING TO GET AROUND.
UM, NO ONE IS TRYING TO, IN ANY WAY EVADE OR GET AROUND, UM, UM, THE, THE, THE, UM, WHAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY? NOBODY'S TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE'RE SAYING LET THE CITIZENS VOTE.
WHY WOULD WE BE AFRAID TO LET THE CITIZENS VOTE ON THIS? WHY THEY'RE GOING TO THE BALLOT ANYWAY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO CALL ON ANYBODY TO DO IT.
THE CITIZENS WILL GET TO SAY YAY OR NAY OR OR NAY.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM WITH ALLOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT? YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PROPONENTS FOR IT, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE AGAINST IT.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE VOICE OF THE CITIZENS, THEN LET THE CITIZENS SPEAK.
WHY? WHY WOULD WE HINDER THE CITIZENS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, OR REGARD? OKAY, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ALL Y'ALL SPOKE.
IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY, WE CALL, WE CALL THIS A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
IF YOU LET THINGS START HAPPENING THAT ARE NOT DONE ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
IF YOU LET THINGS HAPPEN THAT ARE NOT ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS, THEN THAT JUST CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
WE NEED THINGS TO BE DONE THE RIGHT WAY ABOVE BOARD, ACCORDING TO PROCESS, ACCORDING TO ORDINANCES AND ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.
AND THIS WAS NOT DONE THAT WAY.
IT'S NOT AT THE POINT THAT IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN VOTED ON BY THE EDC BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, VOTED ON BY COUNCIL, AND THEN IT COULD BE PLACED INTO AN ORDINANCE THAT COULD BE PUT ON THE BALLOT.
MAY, MAY I SAY ONE, NO, NO, NO.
OUR CITY ATTORNEY DID NOT DRAFT THIS ORDINANCE.
THIS WENT AROUND HER, IT WENT AROUND THE EDC BOARD.
IT WENT AROUND COUNCIL, AND IT WENT AROUND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
IT WAS NOT DONE ACCORDING TO PROCEDURE.
IF WE ALLOW THIS, THIS TO HAPPEN POINT, IF WE, IF WE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, NO MA'AM.
CHIEF, WOULD YOU STEP HERE PLEASE? NO, MA'AM.
I'M, I'M GONNA DO WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, CHIEF.
I HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU GONNA GET YOURSELF SHOES IF WE JUST HELP ME OUT AND, AND ESCORT HER, TAKE HER, GET SOME WATER AND SHE COME BACK.
SHE'S A PART OF THE GOVERNMENT BALLOT.
YOU, YOU AIN'T, WELL, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO STAY THIS FARM.
NO, I'M GONNA STOP FOR BABE'S SAKE.
NO, I AIN'T GONNA LET HIM KILL HIMSELF UP HERE WITH THIS MAN.
SHE KNOW SHE WAS INSINUATING NO, SAID BABE, STOP.
I I GOT GO GET YOU SOME WATER, BABE.
NO, GO THE RESTROOM OR SOMETHING.
DON'T EVEN BE, AIN'T WORTH YOUR LIFE, MAN.
NO, I JUST WANTED HER TO STOP.
IF THEY WANT TO GO TAKE YOUR SEAT, MAN.
CAN SOMEBODY CALL FOR THE VOTE? PLEASE, MAN, COME ON.
AND THEN WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, SHE I ACTUALLY DIDN'T GET TO SAY MY POINT BECAUSE I
AND I ALREADY SAID, IF YOU GONNA VOTE IT UP, YOU GONNA VOTE IT UP, YOU GONNA VOTE DOWN, VOTE.
NOW WE GO TO SOMETHING ELSE, MAN.
BUT NOW I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYONE QUESTION IT AND SPEAK AND CCU,
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK AROUND LIKE, I'VE DONE SOMETHING TOTALLY ILLEGAL, LIKE I'VE DONE SOMETHING THAT, AND, AND TRY TO SAY IT IN A LITTLE DRESSED UP WAY.
DON'T DO THAT DUDE SAID, I KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
[04:25:01]
THAT'S WHY I'M STOPPING THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE CONVERSATION.NOW, IF WE WANNA MOVE TO A VOTE, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
AND THEN IF IT VOTED DOWN, I'M THROUGH WITH THAT MAN.
WE HAVE TO VOTE ON A POINT OF VOTING FIRST.
AND NOBODY SAID THEY CALL FOR ONE TOO.
BUT WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED SILENCE ON IT, SO I'M GOOD.
I, I, I RECEIVED WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
SO, MAYOR, MAY I PLEASE, I I YIELDED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
CAN I JUST ASK MY LAST QUESTION? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
THE CITY ATTORNEY, WAS ANYTHING DONE ILLEGALLY? NO.
FOR THE RECORD, NOTHING WAS DONE ILLEGAL.
BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEGALITY AND POLITICAL PROCEDURES, RIGHT? YES.
LEGAL PROCEDURES AND POLITICAL PROCEDURES.
THE GOVERNING BODY IS THE ONLY BODY AUTHORIZED TO PLACE SOMETHING ON A BALLOT.
THE MAYOR IS AUTHORIZED TO PLACE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
HE HAS PLACED IT ON THE AGENDA.
THE MAYOR INSTRUCTED ME THAT CHARLIE ZECK WAS THE ONE WHO PREPARED THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.
NOW, CHARLIE, ZACK UNFORTUNATELY HAD SOME MAJOR ISSUES HAPPEN WITH HIS LAW FIRM INVOLVING A COUPLE OF DEATHS.
I'M SURE THAT CHARLIE, ZACK WOULD'VE BEEN PRESENT IF HE COULD HAVE BEEN, BUT HE WAS NOT.
SO LET'S NOT CONFUSE LEGAL AND POLITICAL PROCESSING.
LEMME SAY THIS, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM IS AN ATTORNEY.
I GET THAT, BUT LET ME SAY THAT SHE'S AN ERROR FROM THE PARTICULAR STANDPOINT THAT THE PROJECT HAS TO COME FROM THE EDC UP INSTEAD OF FROM THE COUNCIL DOWN.
WE DON'T NEED THE EDC TO TELL US THAT WE WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
WE DON'T NEED THE EDC DIRECTING.
THE COUNCIL IS THE GOVERNING BODY.
AND SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THE PROCEDURE COME DOWN AS OPPOSED TO WAITING FOR THEM TO SEND IT UP TO US.
THAT THAT'S IN, THAT'S, THAT'S IN ERROR.
AND JUST BECAUSE YOU SAY A THING DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE.
THE COUNCIL HAS THE, THE COUNCIL IS THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY TO THE EDC.
MY NAME IS DEBORA ASBERRY SCOTT.
I LIVE AT 37 26 LAKE LAKESHORE DRIVE.
AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, I GUESS TO THE COUNCIL, TO THE, FOR THINGS THAT Y'ALL APPROVE, DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE PREPARED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY? IS THAT THE NORMAL WAY? IT, IT IS FOR THINGS THAT THEY VOTE ON? DO YOU NORMALLY REVIEW AND PREPARE, PREPARE THAT IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT ORIGINATE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL? YES.
IF ITEMS ORIGINATE WITH THE EDC, THE EDC ATTORNEY IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREPARATION.
AND SO FOR THE COUNCIL, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, DID THE COUNCIL KNOW THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA? MAYOR, OR, OR I KNOW YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT IT ON THERE.
WELL THEY DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE POSTED IT.
YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN WE POSTED IT AND YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF DAYS.
YEAH, IT WAS POSTED ON FRIDAY.
AND UH, HOWEVER, IT JUST HISTORY.
I HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH MR. UH, AND I, CHARLIE'S LAUGHING, I'M OH, I I HEARD YOU MAN, THAT ATTORNEY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ.
I HATE TO CALL HIM CHARLIE, LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
I BE DISRESPECT, I WAS JUST CURIOUS ON THE PROCESS.
BUT, BUT I WAS GONNA TELL YOU THE PROCESS THAT I AM EMPLOYED, CHARLIE AND I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT THIS REALLY FOR SOME MONTHS, OR DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU, YOU SAID THAT EARLIER THOUGH, MAYOR.
AND SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HE AND I SPOKE ABOUT.
AND, UH, THE, THE, THE REAL, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE DREAM WAS FOR HIM TO BE PRESENT WHEN IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
WE WORKED AT THAT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY.
AND I'M SAYING LOOKING AT THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE'S AWARE OF THAT, BUT LIFE HAPPENS.
HE COULDN'T, HIS CALENDAR LIFE HAPPENS.
UH, STILL GOT LIGHTS ON COUNCILMAN.
YOU, YOU ARE STILL ON COUNCILMAN.
JUST, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, COUNCILMAN FRANK MENTIONED ABOUT
[04:30:01]
THE MAJORITY OF THE EDCS AROUND THE TEXAS IS FOUR IS A FOUR B WELL, HE WAS NOT, WHAT HE'S NOT AWARE OF.WE, WE PUT TOGETHER A FOUR A CORPORATION WITH, WITH, WITH FOUR B PROJECTS CITIZENS.
10 YEARS LATER, VERY FEW CITIES HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY HAD, THEY WERE FIGHT STILL FIGHTING OVER A LB 10 YEARS LATER.
SO THE, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEM.
WE HAVE AN A CORPORATION WITH B PROJECTS TAKE IT TO THE CITIZEN, BUT IF YOU DO IT THE WAY YOU WANNA DO, MAYOR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE CITIZEN.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE ABUSE COME IN BECAUSE THE C THE MAKEUP OF THE COUNSELOR IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE AND IT'S GOING TO GET ABUSED.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATIONS, I'M GONNA READ THIS VERBATIM.
SECTION 5 0 4 0.004 CONTENTS, UH, CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION OF A TYPE A, THE CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION OF A TYPE A CORPORATION MUST STATE THAT THE CORPORATION IS GOVERNED BY THIS CHAPTER, NOT THE MUNICIPALITY.
THAT CORPORATION IS GOVERNED BY 5 0 4.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I WANT TO DISCUSS IT, I READ 5 0 4.
WE OVERSEE THE CORPORATION, WE ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THEY DO COMES THROUGH US AND WE APPROVE IT, BUT WE DO NOT GOVERN IT.
AND THE PART THAT WE CAN PLACE A PROPOSITION ON A BALLOT WITHOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION VOTING ON IT, THAT IS A FACT THAT WHEN, WHEN, WHEN HE MADE THAT STATEMENT, THAT IS A FACT.
WE CAN PUT, WE CAN PUT A PROPOSITION ON A BALLOT WITHOUT THE EDC BOARD APPROVING IT.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE JUST MAKE SURE WE TALK TO 'EM AND EVERYTHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE SAY THINGS ON THIS RECORD, THAT WE MAKE SURE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE SAYING.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? IF I'M RECALLING CORRECTLY, WE WERE ON A QUESTION, RIGHT? SO IF WE COULD VOTE, AM I CORRECT? WE, WE, OH, I, I LOST THE PAGE.
SO WE ARE AT A POSITION WHERE WE CAN VOTE.
WE'VE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
SO NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE VOTE.
SO AT THIS TIME ON PO NUMBER, THAT'S THE RIGHT ONE.
THOSE IN FAVOR WOULD, UH, SAY IT BY AYE.
SOUND FROM THE HONORABLE SOUNDS OF THE VOTES, THE MOTION DID NOT CARRY.
NOW AS FAR AS, AND I CAN PUT HIT THE G ON THAT AS, EXCUSE ME.
AS FAR AS THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE THAT THE PRINTED AGENDA HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, SIR.
THE PRINTED AGENDA HAS BE BEEN COMPLETED, SO I KNOW YOUR TIME IS WELL.
IT'S ABOUT 10:26 PM AND SO WE'RE GONNA DECLARE THIS MEETING, UH, DULY ADJOURNED.