[00:00:02]
SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE THAT SPEECH FOR ME.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
EVENING.IT IS NOW 5:34 PM AND WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
UH, WE ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THIS BEAUTIFUL METROPOLIS.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE HAVING THE MEETING AND YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING VIA TELEPHONIC OR EVEN VIDEO CONFERENCE MEDIUMS. HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 6 7 9 7 0 9 5 6 9 2 AND THE PASS CODE OF 7 7 7 3 5 6 AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
ALSO, IN THIS MEETING, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND IF THERE IS A NEED FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING TO MAKE THE REQUEST FOR THOSE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, AND HER OFFICE WOULD DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU HAVE ELECTRONIC DEVICES, WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SILENCE THOSE MUTED AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, AND WE WOULD WANT YOU TO JOIN US IN OUR OPENING, WHICH WOULD BE THE INVOCATION, THE PLEDGE, AND THEN A ROLL CALL.
SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AGAIN AS TO DO THE INVOCATION FOR US? TURN YOUR MIC ON, PLEASE, SIR.
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HOW IT BE THY.
OUR KINGDOM COME, LET THOU WILL BE DONE UPON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
MY REQUEST, LORD, IS THAT WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS IN AN ORDERLY FASHION SO ALL OF THE CITIZENS CAN BENEFIT IN JESUS NAME.
COUNCILMAN, LET US NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IN UNISON, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR ME? MAYOR VART, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TIMM ETT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A QUORUM MAYOR.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY AND AGAIN, WELCOME AGAIN TO EACH OF YOU TO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF CITY HALL HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET AND WE WOULD
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
BEGIN WITH PROCLAMATIONS.I DO HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION I SEE HERE, AND THIS PROCLAMATION IS FOR A MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH FOR ANYONE FROM A MOTORCYCLE GROUP HERE TO RECEIVE IT.
IF NOT, I WILL JUST READ THE ACTUAL PROCLAMATION.
THIS SAYS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, WHEREAS FREEDOM, EXCUSE ME, OF THE OPEN ROAD IS AN IMAGE THAT REFLECTS THE AMERICAN SPIRIT AND A FEW IMAGES PORTRAYED THE ESSENCE OF THAT SPIRIT BETTER THAN A MOTORCYCLE ON THE OPEN ROAD.
MOTORCYCLES HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MILITARY AND OUR POLICE FORCES FOR GENERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
MOTORCYCLES ARE A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND RECREATION FOR MANY, AND WHEREAS ALL DRIVERS CAN TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO IMPROVE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY, NAMELY ALLOW FOR GREATER HALLOWEEN DISTANCES WHEN BEHIND MOTORCYCLES, YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY WHEN APPROPRIATE, AND TAKE CAUTION AT INTERSECTIONS WHERE MOST MOTORCYCLE COLLISIONS OCCUR.
AND WHEREAS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL DRIVERS, THOSE IN VEHICLES AND THOSE ON MOTORCYCLES, ALL DRIVERS
[00:05:01]
SHOULD LOOK TWICE SHARE THE ROAD AND NOT DRIVE DISTRACTED.AND WHEREAS DURING MAY BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES COME TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS OF MOTORCYCLE SAFETY IN HOPES OF REDUCING MOTORCYCLE RELATED COLLISIONS AND FATALITIES.
NOW THEREFORE, I THURMAN BILL BCE, MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM IN RETROSPECT THE MONTH OF MAY, 2025 AS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AND AWARENESS MONTH.
AND IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I REMIND THE COMMUNITY THAT IN THAT, TO PROMOTE SAFE ROADS FOR ALL TRAVELERS, WE MUST SHARE THE ROAD OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS AND WATCH OUT FOR MOTORCYCLISTS.
IN WITNESS WHERE UP I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED THIS FOURTH DAY OF JUNE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF 2025 HERE IN OUR GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND IT SIGNED THURMAN BILL BCE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND I ASKED EARLIER IF THAT WAS SOMEONE FROM A MOTORCYCLE GROUP HERE, BUT MAYBE BECAUSE I DID NOT DO IT IN MAY, THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT IT WASN'T GIVEN TO ME IN MAY.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE PROCLAMATION HERE FOR THE MOTORCYCLIST AND CHIEF, WOULD YOU COME AND RECEIVE THIS, PLEASE? Y'ALL GET A CHIEF OF HAND? YOU CAN JUST WALK UP AND GET IT HERE, CHIEF.
YEAH, I KNOW CHIEF IS A MOTORCYCLIST, CORRECT? NO, YOUR HAND.
WITH THE PROCLAMATIONS BEING DONE AND I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
CITY SECRETARY, SO THERE AREN'T ANY OTHERS.
[III.A.(1) Selim Kiralp Of Pleasure Luxe, LLC Regarding Juneteenth & Father’s Day Festival ]
WE'D LIKE TO DO, UH, IS WE ARE READY FOR SPEAKERS.UH, WE HAVE MR.
IS MR. STONE HERE? OH, HE IS ON ZOOM.
I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU IN THE ROOM, MY HOUSE.
UH, VIRTUALLY WELCOME AND YOU MAY BEGIN, BUT JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THEN YOU CAN BEGIN.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, FELLOW RESIDENTS.
MY NAME IS JILLIAN CROW AND I'M REPRESENTING PLEASURE DUKE AT FOUR 10 PLEASURE BOULEVARD FOR TEXAS.
AND, UH, I'M TRULY HONORED TO SEND FOR YOU TONIGHT TO SHARE SOME WONDERFUL VIEWS AND EXTEND AN OPEN INVITATION TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AS SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, HAD CHAOTIC DISCUSSIONS WITH FRIENDS AND DEDICATED MEMBERS OF OUR CITY STAFF ABOUT THE EXACT CROSS CROSS TAX OR POST GRANT PORTAL OF JULY FESTIVAL AND OUR BELOVED PLEASURE ISLAND.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WE WILL HAVE A VERY NICE PORT OF JULY FESTIVAL THERE, AND IT WILL BE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, MY EAGERNESS TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF YOU AND TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY ENJOYING THE BEAUTY AND SPIRIT OF PLEASURE ISLAND IS FINALLY THE THING.
MY WAYS, BECAUSE I TRULY WANT US TO BE TOGETHER TO SHARE GOOD TIMES ON THE ISLAND, I DECIDED WE SHOULD KICK THINGS OFF EVEN SOONER.
THEREFORE, I'M ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING A SPECIAL JUNETEENTH AND PUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 15TH BETWEEN 1:00 PM AND 9:00 PM AT GLACIER ISLAND MARINA.
THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR EVERYONE, ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY INDIVIDUAL ARE WILLINGLY INVITED TO JOIN US FOR THIS, UH, SPECIAL LOCATION.
NOW, FOR THE TRANSPARENCY, IT HASN'T BEEN TOO LONG SINCE OUR COMPANY OFFICIALLY SIGNED THE CONTRACT, AND SANDRA COMPELLED ME TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A VAST AMOUNT OF TIME TO PREPARE
[00:10:01]
FOR THIS EVENT ON JUNE 15.WE CAN, WE CAN PREPARE IN THE TIME WE HAVE.
LET'S GO TO THE ISLAND ALTOGETHER AND LET'S CELEBRATE ALTOGETHER THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO CHATTER, TO SHARE, AND TO BE BEGIN MAKING NEW MEMORIES ON LEISURE ISLAND TO ENSURE THAT FESTIVAL AND ENJOYABLE ATMOSPHERE FOR EVERYONE.
WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF FOOD TRUCK AVAILABLE, A BOUNCE HOUSE FOR OUR YOUNGER RESIDENTS, WATERCRAFT REYNOLDS, FOR THOSE LOOKING TO ENJOY THE WATER AND A FANTASTIC ATMOSPHERE SET BY BOTH, UH, DJ AND THE DANCE GROUP OF OUR LOCAL MIDDLE ONES AND THE LIVE BAND.
I'M ALSO HEARING CROSS TO SHARE THAT EVERY RENDER PART PARTICIPATING IN THIS LAND IS LOCAL FROM FOR ARTHUR, SHOWCASING AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL TENANT, TE AND BUSINESSES.
THIS UNIT ON JUNE 15TH IS TION AS THE 1ST OF MAY, STARTING WITH THIS JUNETEENTH AND CELEBRATION AND CONTINUING WITH THE 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL, WE ARE DEDICATED TO CONSISTENTLY BRING MORE EVENTS AND GATHER PLEASURE ISLAND, REALIZING IT AS A WIDE AND TOP FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE
WE ARE INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO PLEASURE ISLAND MARINA ON JUNE 16TH, BETWEEN 1:00 PM AND 9:00 PM LET'S CELEBRATE.
LET'S, LET'S CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH, LET'S CELEBRATE AUGUST EIGHT, AND LET'S CELEBRATE BEING A STRONG UNITED COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU ALL STAFF AND OUR, UH, BEAUTIFUL PORT ARTHUR CEDAR RESIDENTS.
AND AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE ANY REMARKS FROM, UH, COUNCIL CONCERNING THIS, UH, FORTHCOMING JUNETEENTH SLASH FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATION? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU MR. OP, VERY MUCH FOR SENDING AN OPEN.
WE'RE OFFERING AN OPEN INVITATION TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THIS VERY, VERY EXCITING EVENT.
I AM SO EXCITED WHEN HE TOLD ME ABOUT IT.
WATER SPORTS, UM, BOUNCY HOUSES, DJ, LIVE BAND, FOOD TRUCKS.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, COME TOGETHER ON THE ISLAND AND EXPERIENCE ITS BEAUTY, UM, TOGETHER AS ONE FULL COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME HOUSEKEEPING THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS AWARE ABOUT.
EVERYONE MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH WATER SPORTS.
THAT'S A NEW THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT JUST BE ASSURED THAT THERE WILL BE, UM, NOT WATER SECURITY.
UM, LIFEGUARDS THERE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, THOSE WHO WANT TO ENGAGE IN WATER SPORTS.
SO SOMEONE WILL BE THERE, READY AND AVAILABLE TO HELP SUPPORT YOU.
AND I'VE, UH, WE'VE ALSO REQUESTED FOR THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME OUT TO BE ABLE TO TEACH WATERCRAFT AND WATER SAFETY.
SO PLEASE COME OUT, BRING YOUR FAMILIES.
AGAIN, I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE ARE CLEAR THAT EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
EVERY ONE, EVERY FAMILY IS WELCOME TO, UM, PARTICIPATE AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
ANY OTHERS? ANY, ANY OTHERS? ANY REMARKS FROM THE, UH, GALLERY? UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK AND I JUST, I JUST SAW THE, UH, GRAPHIC YOU ALL WILL HAVE, UH, WE'LL BE DISSEMINATING, UH, INFORMATION, I GUESS VIA, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND OTHER, UH, MEDIUMS TO, TO, YES, SIR.
AND, UH, WE, WE APPRECIATE THIS, UH, MR.
UH, ON, ON, UH, WELL FOR TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
I WOULD CALL IT, UH, JUNETEENTH AS YOU HAVE IT, AND FATHER'S DAY, UH, BEING A FATHER.
I SEE YOU PUT JUNETEENTH, I MEAN, FATHER'S DAY SMALLER,
[00:15:01]
UH, THAN, UH, JUNETEENTH, UH, FOR ALL THE FATHERS IN THE BUILDING.Y'ALL SEE HOW WE ARE TREATED, BUT AT LEAST WE, AT LEAST WE ARE INCLUDED.
SO I APPRECIATE WE AS, AS FATHER, I SPEAK FOR ALL THE FATHERS.
UH, EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE 36 FONT.
WE ARE DOWN IN 14, BUT, UH, WE AT LEAST WE ARE ON, WE WE ARE ON THE, ON THE HAND BILL.
AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING GOOD TO RECOGNIZE.
AND SO ALL FATHERS, YOU KNOW, I'M ASKING YOU TO BE OUT THERE AND, AND BRING YOUR, BRING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FAMILIES AND, UH, TELL 'EM IT'S ALL ON SLIM MAN.
Y'ALL COULD LAUGH AT THAT, HUH? YEAH.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT BRINGS COMMUNITY ALL, ALL OF THE ETHNIC GROUPS TOGETHER.
WELL, WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IS GET WITH THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSON WITH THE CITY SO THEY CAN SEND A, A RELEASE OF WHAT'S GONNA BE TAKING PLACE TO ALL OF THE CHURCHES IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I GUESS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THEY, THEY, UH, DO THAT WITH THE PIO, UH, TO BE SURE THAT THEY, THEY WOULD'VE A GRAPHIC THAT THEY CAN, UH, DISSEMINATE AS WELL.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE COUNCILWOMAN, EVER FEEL YOUR LIFE FELL ON? GO AHEAD.
UH, IF THAT IS IT FOR YOU COUNCIL, UH, CALL YOU COUNCIL, MR. LI
NOW, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PRESENTATIONS, UH, NEITHER DO WE HAVE CORRESPONDENCE.
AND WE DO HAVE A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING THAT HAS TO BEGIN IN ABOUT NINE MINUTES.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, AT
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24318 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Preferred Facilities Group – USA, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas For The Construction Of Location And Directional Wayfinding Signs For The Wayfinding Program For The City Of Port Arthur Through BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 728- 24 With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $642,753.76; Funding In Capital Improvement Fund Account: 307-25-067-8525-00-10-000, Project Number HO1025, Is Contingent Upon Approval Of Budget Amendment In Proposed Ordinance No. 7337]
THIS TIME, THERE IS AN ITEM ON PAGE SEVEN ON YOUR PRINTED AGENDA, ON PAGE, UH, SEVEN, ITEM NUMBER, UH, SIX.I'LL TELL YOU, WELL, LET, LET, LEMME BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE SIX ON PAGE SIX.
AND I WANT, WANT, I WANT TO JUST PULL THIS OUT OUT OF THE, UH, PRINTED ORDER.
UH, AND THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS ON THE NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO BRING IT UP RIGHT NOW.
IT IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, PR NUMBER, UH, PR NUMBER 2 4 3 18.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUP, U-S-A-L-L-C OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCATION AND DIRECTIONAL WAY.
FINDING SIGNS FOR THE WAY FINDING PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THROUGH BY BOARD COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 7 2 8 DASH 24 WITH THE PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $642,753 AND 76 CENTS.
FUNDING, UH, UH, IS IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 25 DASH SIX SEVEN DASH 85 25 DASH ZERO ZERO.
AND IT IS PROJECT NUMBER H OH 1 0 25.
AND IT, THIS IS CONTING UPON APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN A PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 73 37.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD? IT HAS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 18.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
IN REFERENCE TO THE FUNDING, DO YOU WANT WANNA SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS, UH, WHOEVER GOING TO ANSWER? OKAY.
YEAH, I LOOKED AT BOTH ACCOUNTS FOR THIS, UH, WAY FINDING BOTH OF THESE ACCOUNTS COMING FROM PARK AND RECREATION PLAN.
GLEN, IT SHOULD BE COMING FROM HOTEL.
[00:20:02]
IT'S, IT SHOULD BE COMING FROM THE HOTEL TAX.YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS.
OKAY, THIS IS, THE ACCOUNT IS 3 0 7 2 5 6 7.
THE, UM, THE ENTIRE WAY FINDING PROJECT IS HOTEL TAX AND ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT IT, THAT SHOULD ALSO SAY HOTEL TAX.
SIR, I AM LYNN BOSWELL, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS AN AMENDMENT TO APPROVE THE TRANSFER FROM THE HOTEL TAX INTO THIS 3 0 7 ACCOUNT FOR THIS WAY FINDING.
SO THERE SHOULD BE AN AMENDMENT ON BOTH SIDES, ON BOTH THE HOT, WHICH IS FUND 1 0 4 AND 3 0 7.
TECHNICALLY THE 3 0 7 IS WHERE THE EXPENSES ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF.
AND THE TRANSFERS COMING FROM THE HOTEL TAX.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, UH, BACKGROUND AND I CHECKED THE ACCOUNTS AND THE, UH, AMENDMENT, THE AMENDMENT GAVE THE ACCOUNTS, DID IT TELL US IT WAS COMING FROM HOTEL? YES, THERE SHOULD BE.
IT SHOULD BE TRANSFER 1 0 4 FOR THE 652.
SO IT SHOULD SAY 652 TWICE IN THE AMENDMENT.
UH, 642,000 TO INCREASE THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 3 0 7 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AND ALSO 642,000 TO INCREASE THE EXPENSE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON BOTH SIDES.
OKAY, MA'AM? MY, MY LAST QUESTION IS SIMPLY THIS.
WE, WE, WE TOOK MONEY FROM THE HOTEL TAX FOR THE FIRST PORTION OF THIS.
SO WHY ARE WE DOING IT AGAIN NOW? WE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR X AMOUNT, WE HOTEL TAX.
SO WHY CAN'T WE DO THESE IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET? WE WILL BE, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS IN, THAT WAS ON MY PART.
I INADVERTENTLY DID NOT INCLUDE THIS ONE WHEN IT WAS REQUESTED TO BE INCLUDED.
SO THAT'S ON, THAT'S ON ME AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN WE WERE DOING THAT THE WAY FINDING, BECAUSE THERE WERE SEVERAL WAY FINDING A ACCOUNTS I INADVERTENTLY MISSED PUTTING THAT INTO YOUR 25 BUDGET.
I'D JUST LIKE TO BRING OUT THESE POINTS.
'CAUSE WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEAR ALL THESE, WHAT WE FAIL TO DO WHEN WE DO A BUDGET, I'M INTO US SPENDING WHAT WE BUDGET FOR NOT CHANGING AMENDMENTS.
I KEEP CHANGING OUR BUDGET WHEN YOU BRING IT TO US AND WE APPROVE IT.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN I GO THROUGH THESE THINGS BEFORE I COME HERE, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
TO FIND OUT IF WE ARE SPENDING MONEY WITHIN THE BUDGET.
AND WHEN I DON'T SAY IT, THAT'S WHEN I HAVE THESE QUESTIONS.
REMEMBER THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP DOING BUSINESS LIKE THIS, WHAT WE BUDGET FOR.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO THAT YEAR WHEN WE FIND OUT WE WON'T DO MORE THE NEXT YEAR, WE BUDGET FOR, BUT WE NEED TO STAY WITHIN WHAT WE DO.
OKAY? AND WE NEED TO TAKE MORE TIME THAT WE DON'T FORGET THINGS, LYNN.
HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH FUNDING YOU, YOU HAVE LEFT IN THAT, IN THAT HOTEL MOTELS ACCOUNT.
WE WERE JUST, UH, DISCUSSING THAT ON MONDAY WITH LYNN AND MS. BOSWELL AND SHE WAS GOING TO GET US THAT UPDATED NUMBER.
IT, IT WAS CARRIED ON THE HOTEL TAX PAGE PREVIOUSLY AND THERE NO LONGER A POSTING THAT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO ADD PROBABLY 200,000 TO THE FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR.
I, I THINK IN MY HEAD IT'S 2.4 MILLION.
WELL, THE REASON I'M, WE'RE STILL, UH, NICKEL AND DIAMOND.
THE, UH, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.
WE ARE STILL NICKEL AND DIMEING THE, UH, UH, THE HISTORICAL BUILDING ON, ON, ON MEMORIAL.
WHY DON'T WE WORK ON GETTING A 1 0 8 LOAN OKAY.
GET THE MONEY, FIND OUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU ACTUALLY GOING TO NEED.
[00:25:01]
A 1 0 8 LOAN AND PAY PAY THE, THE, THE NOTE OUT OF THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX.THAT'S IT IS PERFECTLY ILLEGAL.
IF WE CAN GET THAT, GET IT DONE.
ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE SO THAT THAT MEASURE PASSES.
IT'S NOW SIX, UH, PM IT'S ACTUALLY 5 59 ACCORDING TO THE PARAMETER THAT'S HERE PRESENT.
[IV.(1) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments And To Consider The Following: Permit Request: Request For Permit To Drill An Oil And Gas Well In The 6700 Block Of South State Highway 87 (A.K.A. South Gulfway Drive), Sabine Pass, Jefferson County, Texas Approved By The Railroad Commission Of Texas, Oil & Gas Division, On April 17, 2025 Applicant: Geoterre Operating, LLC, 9141 Interline Avenue, Suite 3A, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809 Current Zoning: Heavy Industrial ("HI") 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.go]
WANT TO GO TO PAGE, UH, TWO, A PUBLIC HEARING.AND, UH, WE HAVE THE FIRST, WE HAVE ONLY ONE, ONE PUBLIC HEARING AND IT IS NOW 6:00 PM A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, AND TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING, PERMIT REQUEST, REQUEST FOR PERMIT TO DRILL AND OIL AND GAS WELL IN THE 6,700 BLOCK OF SOUTH STATE HIGHWAY 87, ALSO KNOWN AS SOUTH, UH, GOWAY DRIVE IN SABINE PASS, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
UH, THIS APPROVED BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS OIL AND GAS DIVISION ON APRIL 17TH, 2025.
THE APPLICANT WAS, UH, REE, AM I SAYING IT CORRECTLY, OPERATING LLC UH, 91 41 INTERLINE, EXCUSE ME, AVENUE, SUITE 30, UH, SUITE THREE EIGHT, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, 7 0 8 0 9.
AND THE CURRENT ZONING FOR THAT PARTICULAR ADDRESS IS HEAVY INDUSTRIAL.
HI, CITIZENS 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, UH, PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW DOT PORT ARTHUR TX DOB GOV.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MEMBERS OF THE DAY IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 66 OIL AND GAS.
ARTICLE ONE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
A PUBLIC HEARING IS BEING HELD TO CONSIDER A DRILLING PERMIT SUBMITTED BY GEO OPERATING LLC LOCATED AT 91 41 INTERLINE AVENUE, SUITE THREE A OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
THE APPLICATION WAS RECEIVED ON APRIL 21ST, 2025, ALONG WITH THE APP, UM, APPLICABLE APPLICATION FEE.
THE APPLICATION PERTAINS, PERTAINS TO DRILLING UNIT NUMBER ONE LOCATED ON AN 80 ACRE TRACT OF LAND IN THE JOHN MCGAFFEY LEAGUE SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 1 67, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTHWEST OF SABINE PASS WITHIN THE CORPORATE CITY LIMITS OF PORT ARTHUR.
THE PROPOSED WELL HAS A DEPTH OF 8,500 FEET AND WILL FOLLOW A-T-C-E-Q REGULATED CASING PROGRAM.
THE APPLICATION INCLUDES A CERTIFIED PLA PREPARED BY A LICENSED SURVEYOR, WHICH WAS SOUTH TEXT ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS, AND IDENTIFIED THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE DRILLING UNIT AND TRACKS THE PRECISE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED WELL DISTANCES TO THE EXTERIOR BOUNDARIES OF THE UNIT, DISTANCES TO ANY STRUCTURES WITHIN 700 FEET OF THE PROPOSED LOCATION.
THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION APPROVED PERMIT NUMBER 9 0 7 4 6 2 ON APRIL 25TH, 2025.
THE SITE INSPECTION AND DOCUMENT REVIEW HAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE ARE NO RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES WITHIN MILES OF THE DRILLING SITE.
THERE ARE NO INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN 500 FEET AND THERE ARE NO SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, HOSPITALS, CONVALESCENT HOMES, OR OTHER SENSITIVE USES IN PROXIMITY OF THIS SITE.
PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS, THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY CITY STAFF AND FOUND TO BE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 66.
BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED AND THE RAILROAD COMMISSION'S APPROVAL, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS DRILLING PERMIT.
THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THIS PERMIT WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AT ITS NEXT REG, REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH WILL BE ON THE 17TH.
AND SHOULD COUNSEL HAVE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS DRILLING SITE, THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES HERE PRESENT TODAY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO KINDLY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER,
[00:30:01]
RESPONSE.WOULD THERE BE ANY QUESTIONS OR DIALOGUE FROM THE UH, GALLERY? FROM THE GALLERY? FROM THE GALLERY? I GATHER THAT NO ONE HAS ANY REMARKS TO BE MADE AND AT THIS TIME WHAT I WILL DO IS DECLARE THIS PUBLIC NOTICE.
OKAY, IT IS NOW 6:04 PM WE WILL RETURN OR RESUME OUR NORMAL FLOW ON THE PRINTED AGENDA.
AND WE COMPLETED ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE SIX.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 24351 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing The Publication Of The Notice Of Intention To Issue City Of Port Arthur, Texas Combination Tax And Revenue Certificates Of Obligation In A Principal Amount Not To Exceed $18,000,000.00 For The Construction Of Public Works And Any Items Related Thereto And For The Payment Of Contractual Obligations For Professional Services; Authorizing The Distribution Of A Preliminary Official Statement Relating To Such Certificates; And Containing Other Provisions Relating Thereto]
LET'S GO TO PAGE SEVEN AND LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER, UH, SIX ON PAGE SEVEN.UH, YEAH, PAGE SEVEN, ITEM NUMBER SIX.
AND LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE SEVEN.
IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $18 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ANY ITEMS RELATED THERETO.
AND FOR THE PAYMENT OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AUTHORIZING THE DISTRIBUTION OF A PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT RELATING TO SUCH CERTIFICATES AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING THERE TO, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN BECKER? SO MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN HAMILTON? SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24, 2 53 AS PRESENTED.
THE WELL COUNCILWOMAN, UH, EVER FIELD.
I'M LOOKING AT MY NOTES AND MAKING SURE I HAD THE RIGHT, OKAY, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, THIS IS REGARDING THESE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
AND SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, HAS THERE ANY, ARE WE AWARE OF ANY LEGISLATION THAT HAS COME UP THROUGH THIS 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WOULD, THAT HAS CHANGED ANYTHING OR WOULD PREVENT ANYTHING FROM ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND HOW WE DO BUSINESS WITH, REGARDING CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION? WE, WE HAVE OUR, OUR IN-HOUSE EXPERTS HERE WHO WILL FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL, WELL I CALL HIM INHOUSE EXPERTS, BUT, UH, THE UH, CITY MANAGER CORRECTED ME ON YOUR TITLES.
YOU ALL ARE FINANCIAL ADVISOR ADVISOR? YES MA'AM.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MR. BURTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU AGAIN THIS EVENING.
WELL, COUNCILWOMAN WE ALL, UH, HAD A SIGH OF RELIEF ON JUNE 2ND.
ON MONDAY WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS OVER.
WHEN WE STARTED THIS SESSION, THERE WERE SEVERAL BILLS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DETRIMENTAL TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CITIES AND COUNTIES, WITH A VERY SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON LIMITING THE ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT, TO UM, TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT, TO LIMIT THE PURPOSES.
UH, THERE WERE, LIKE I SAID, THERE WERE VERY SIGNIFICANT ONES THAT NOT ONLY ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH LIKE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND TAX NOTES.
THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE EVEN GOING TO LIMIT GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT WERE VOTED.
AND SO AS WE WENT THROUGH, UM, THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, SEVERAL OF THEM WERE AMENDED.
THERE WERE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES ULTIMATELY ON JUNE 2ND.
NONE OF THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION WERE ADOPTED.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MY BELIEF AND, AND WE CAN ALSO VISIT WITH DEREK AS WELL AS YOUR BOND COUNCIL.
BUT MY BELIEF IS THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PREPARED FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED DURING THIS SESSION AND I THINK PERHAPS THE STRATEGY OR THE PROCESS THAT MAY BE IMPLEMENTED IN TWO YEARS COULD BE DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS SO POSITIVE ABOUT PORT ARTHUR IS YOUR CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS AND WHAT YOU UNDERTAKE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST MAYBE AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO THINK DELIBERATELY ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT CHOOSE TO DO THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR TO
[00:35:01]
POSITION THE CITY IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.BUT COUNCILWOMAN, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THIS YEAR AND THAT THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO DECIDE IF IT WANTS TO ISSUE DEBT IN THE MANNER IN WHICH IT DOES VERSUS HAVING THAT DECISION BEING LEGISLATIVELY DIRECTED.
AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS WITH US TAKING, UM, FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO SUBSIDIZE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? AND ALSO PLEASE ADVISE HOW THAT WILL AFFECT US FROM FUTURE BORROWING.
SO WHEN YOU ISSUE ANY KIND OF DEBT AND YOU HAVE ON THE AGENDA THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, FOR YOUR DISCUSSION, PART OF THAT PROCESS IS WE GO TO STANDARD AND POORS WHO RATES THE CITY, YOUR CURRENT RATING IS AN A PLUS AND IT'S A PART OF THE PROCESS.
INVESTORS LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT WHAT THE RATING AGENCIES DO RELATIVE TO ASSIGNING THEIR RATING.
AND THEY USE THAT TO ONE, MAKE THEIR DECISION WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO INVEST IN THE CITY CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, BUT THEN IT ALSO HAS AN IMPACT ON THE INTEREST RATE THAT THEY CHARGE.
AND IT IS A GOAL THAT THE ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS SHOULD TRULY BE SELF-SUPPORTING.
YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE AN ENTERPRISE, YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE A BUSINESS YOU LIKE TO HAVE IN PLACE, UH, UTILITY RATES AND CHARGES THAT ARE ENOUGH TO FUND THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO FUND THE DEBT SERVICE THAT IS NEEDED.
AND ALSO TO PERHAPS PUT SOME AWAY SO THAT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SMALLER EQUIPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT, MAINTENANCE THINGS CAN BE DONE ON A PAY GO BASIS.
AND THAT WAY YOU ONLY NEED TO BORROW MONEY WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND SO THAT IS REALLY FOR ALL ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS SHOULD BE A GOAL IN HOW THEY'RE OPERATED.
I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS TIME IS AS WE GO THROUGH THE RATING PROCESS, I BELIEVE THAT THE ANALYSTS, 'CAUSE THEY DRILL DOWN IN SIGNIFICANT DETAIL TO BUDGETS AND AUDITS, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND IDENTIFY THAT.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WHAT THE CITY IS GOING TO DO TO HELP THE UTILITY SYSTEM GET BACK ON A STANDING ON ITS OWN BASIS, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR OUR PROCESS.
YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS IS THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY OUR LEGISLATURE BUT OUR LEGISLATURE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION BECAUSE THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE UH, THEY DON'T REQUIRE VOTERS APPROVAL.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT A LOT OF CITIES USE CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION FOR A WAY OF TAKING CARE OF THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND STUFF IN REFERENCE TO AND TO INCLUDE WATER UTILITIES, WHICH CONSIDERED ENTERPRISE FUND.
BUT THAT'S ONE WAY OF FUNDING SOME OF THESE THINGS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND AVAILABLE IN THOSE FUNDS AND RATHER THAN USING YOUR GENERAL FUNDING.
SO IT'S UNDERSTANDING CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT LAWMAKERS HAVE A CONCERN WITH IS WHAT WE ARE USING IT FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE BECAUSE THEY'RE FINDING OUT ONE OF THE PROBLEM IS HOW WE USE IT.
WE GET IT FOR THIS, BUT HOW WE USE IT.
SO I THINK THAT IS NOT JUST WITH TAXES.
IF YOU READ IT, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE INCURRING AROUND THE NATIONS.
AND UH, IN OUR PARTICULAR CASE, WHEN I LOOK AT CITIES OUTSIDE AND STUFF, WE, WE PRETTY GOOD WHEN IT COME TO UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE.
THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE IS I DON'T THINK WE BROKE IT DOWN TO HOW WE WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY.
NORMALLY IF WE GOING TO DO THIS AND WE HAVE ONE PROJECT OR ONE THING, THEN IT'S OKAY TO SAY 18 MILLION 'CAUSE WE SPEND 18 MILLION ON THERE.
BUT WHEN WE SAY WE WANT TO SPEND 18 MILLION AND WE LIST WATER, UTILITIES STREETS AND WE START NAMING ALL THESE THINGS, THEN WHAT WE ARE ESTABLISHING IS A POT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND OUT OF.
I WOULD'VE LIKED TO, TO SEE WHAT WE GONNA DO IF WE GONNA DO 18 MILLION.
[00:40:01]
IF WE GONNA PUT TWO MILLIONS INTO STREET, IF WE GONNA PUT FOUR MILLIONS INTO WATER UTILITIES, I WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE GOING TO PUT THIS MONEY.BECAUSE WHEN IT START COMING BEFORE ME, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA CHECK.
BUT IF WE DON'T DO THAT, THEN THAT MEANS AS LONG AS IT'S COMING FROM THAT FUND AND THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, IT'S OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SAY HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA PUT IN THE STREETS, HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA PUT IN WATER UTILITIES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK OUR GREATEST NEED IS IN WATER, UTILITIES AND STREETS.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL GOTTA DISCUSS.
BUT I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE WE VOTE YES.
BECAUSE IF WE VOTE YES, WE VOTE FOR A POT OF MONEY AND WE ARE DOING MORE THAN ONE AREA WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MONEY INTO.
AND THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT ELIMINATE CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION FOR INSTEAD OF JUST ESTABLISHING IT TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS ARE NOT BEING SPECIFIC.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO THE VOTERS, IT'S GOTTA BE DETAILED AND SPECIFIC.
SO THEY FINDING OUT THAT A LOT OF CITIES IS NOW MAKING IT GENERAL.
AND THAT'S THE THING, YOU MAKE IT GENERAL.
SO YOU SPEND IT FOR, FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY RON, BASICALLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH OF THIS 18 MILLION YOU GONNA GOLD STREET, HOW MUCH OF THIS MONEY YOU GONNA SPEND FOR YOUR WATER UTILITIES.
AND IF I KNOW THAT, THEN GO RON OR ANYBODY JUST, JUST IF I MAY PLEASE COUNCILMAN ETTE.
THAT'S A VERY EXCELLENT POINT.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO THIS EVENING IS TO START THE PROCESS.
THERE IS NOTHING BINDING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE, THE ACTION YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE TODAY.
IT BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO PUT THE NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
THIS ALSO HAS TO GO ON YOUR WEBSITE IF YOU DECIDE TO PROCEED, WE WOULD NOT ACTUALLY PRICE THE BONDS UNTIL THUR, UH, TUESDAY, JULY 29TH.
AND SO, AND I DEFER TO MR. BURTON, BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 29TH, THE CITY WAS GOING TO UNDERTAKE A PROCESS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR WHERE THERE WAS MORE SPECIFICITY OKAY.
FOR EACH OF THE PROJECTS AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
AND YES, WE WOULD'VE ACTUALLY ENTERED INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WHERE WE'D ENGAGE THE COUNCIL AND HAVE INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL, THAT'S FINE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROVEN COS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING OUT FOR COS A LOT OF TIMES WE NEED TO EXPLAIN IN LAYMAN TERMS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT GETTING MONEY AND WE USING MULTIPLE AREAS IN WHICH WE WANT MONEY FOR, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DESIGNATE IT SO THAT THE MONEY NOW WE GETTING FOR A SPECIFIC, A SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR THIS, FOR THAT THIS.
SO THAT THAT'S WHAT WE USE THE MONEY FOR.
WE NEED TO PUT THE MONEY AND USE THE MONEY FOR WHAT WE PUT IT FOR.
NOT PUT THE, PUT IT IN A POT AND START SPINNING.
SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU, YOU, YOU ALREADY GOT IT WHEN WE YES.
WHEN IT COME BACK TO US TO APPROVE IT, IT'LL BE BROKEN DOWN TO, INTO ALLOCATIONS.
AND AND COUNCILMAN ONE MORE POINT.
THE, WHAT THE RESOLUTION ASK IS ASKING FOR A NOT TO EXCEED OF 18 MILLION.
SO WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BALANCE THE PARTICULAR LIST OF PROJECTS, THE PARTICULAR DOLLAR ALLOCATION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO WHAT IS YOUR CERTIFIED TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION AND WHAT IS THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INS TAX RATE REMAINS THE SAME TO DO THIS, THAT IT DOES NOT CAUSE YOUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE TO INCREASE.
SO THIS 18 MILLION IS A NOT TO EXCEED AND THAT NUMBER WILL BE FURTHER REFINED AS WE GET CLOSER WITH THE INFORMATION AND THE FEEDBACK ON THE PROJECT SIZING AS WELL AS THE CERTIFICATION OF YOUR TAXABLE ASSESS VALUATION AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE INTEREST RATE MARKETS.
YEAH, I I, I GOT ALL THAT WITH THE CO BUT LIKE I SAID, WHEN WE SET UP HERE AND WE APPROVE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION AND CITIZENS HERE, RIGHT.
THEY, THEY THINK THAT WE GET MONEY AND WE COULD SPEND IT ON THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT THE CLARIFICATION IS SIMPLY THAT IF WE GONNA SPEND IT MONEY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IT.
SO THEY KNOW HOW WE'RE SPENDING MONEY.
AND WE ALSO KNOW HOW WE GONNA SPEND MONEY.
AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST TO APPROVE YOU GOING AND SET IT ALL UP.
IT COMES BACK TO US AND AT THAT TIME, RON ANSWERED THE QUESTION I REALLY HAD, WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US IN THIS FORMALITY,
[00:45:01]
WE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH A AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.WHAT I NEED TO KNOW, UH, AND YOU MAY HAVE COVERED IT WHILE I WAS OUT, DON'T WE, GOING TO THE DEBT SERVICE ON THIS IS GONNA BE AN INTEREST IN SINKING FUND OR WE GONNA BE USING THE TAX BAKE RATE AS OUR COLLATERAL.
THE, UM, THE WAY THAT IT'S CURRENTLY ENVISIONED IS THAT YOU WOULD USE YOUR AVALOR TAXES TO PAY FOR THIS DEBT SERVICE AND IT WILL BE STRUCTURED IN A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INS TAX RATE, YOUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE REMAINS THE SAME.
IT WILL NOT INCREASE FOR THIS ISSUANCE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, IS, IS THERE A COVENANT GO ONCE WE COMMIT THIS, IS THERE A OBLIGATION BOND COVENANT GOES WITH IT? WE, WE STAY IN THESE PARAMETERS.
WE WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY DO SPEND THE MONEY ON WHAT WE NAME AND WHAT IS A PENALTY WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU VIOLATE A BOND COVENANT.
SO THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC BOND COVENANT COUNCILMAN.
BUT WHAT MR. BURTON SAID IS THAT BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 29TH, WHEN I'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU WITH A FORMAL PRESENTATION AND SPECIFIC INTEREST RATES TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE TO PROCEED OR NOT PROCEED.
THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, UH, MR. BURTON WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU AND THE COUNCIL AND WITH YOUR STAFF IN ORDER TO CREATE A MORE SPECIFIC LIST OF WHAT THIS WILL FUND IN THE PROJECTED DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND THAT'S NOT A COVENANT, BUT IT IS AN, IT IS, UH, TRANSPARENCY TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THE DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE PURPOSE I WOULD THINK THAT A BOND COVENANT FOR IS, IS SET UP.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON AWAY FROM CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION? YOU GONNA BE COMING BACK IN JULY, BUT CAN YOU COMMENT ON HOW VIOLATED A BOND COVENANT IMPACTS YOU? OKAY, JUST A MINUTE.
WE ARE AT QUESTION ON A MOTION THAT DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT.
IF YOU ANSWER SOMETHING THAT'S SPECIFIC TO OUR EITHER PASSING OR APPEAL THE MOTION COUNCILMAN IF WE, WE GONNA HAVE TO WITHDRAW THAT BECAUSE I NEED TO MOVE ON.
WELL, OKAY, MAYOR, BUT IT'S A MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE.
COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN? NOT ANY OF THOSE TERMS, PLEASE.
WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? SO THIS IS, UH, APPROVED PR NUMBER 24 3 5 1.
NOW WE ARE AGAIN GOING OUTSIDE THE ORDER OF THE PRINTED AGENDA AND WE WANT TO MOVE
[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 24356 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate A Contract With Environmental Industrial Services Group (EISG) Inc., Of Houston, Texas, For The Study, Design, Permitting, Construction, And Operation Of A Facility To Receive Waste Not Permitted Under The Current City Of Port Arthur Landfill Permit]
TO PAGE SIX IF YOU WILL AGAIN.AND ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE SIX.
ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE SIX IS P, P, EXCUSE ME.
UH, ON PAGE SIX, ITEM NUMBER NINE ON PAGE, NOT ON NINE.
ON PAGE SIX, UNDER ROMAN NUMERAL SEVEN THERE IS A NUMBER ITEM SIX OR NUMBER SIX, NUMBER SIX, EXCUSE ME.
AND A NINE, EXCUSE ME, SAYING SO MANY DIFFERENT NUMBERS ON PAGE SIX.
JUST DEALING WITH SO MANY, UH, NUMBERS AND BEING SURE THAT I DO IT CORRECTLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES GROUP.
UH, EISG INCORPORATED UP HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR THE STUDY.
DESIGNED PERMITTING, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION OF A FACILITY TO RECEIVE WASTE NOT PERMITTED UNDER THE CURRENT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR LANDFILL PERMIT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN EVER FIELD SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 5 6 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONING? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? THANK YOU.
UH, THIS IS REALLY JUST FOR, UM, INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES FOR THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I'M, I'M HOLDING THE DOCUMENT THAT IS THE BACKUP FOR THIS AND IT'S, IT'S ABOUT A HALF AN INCH THICK AND I'VE READ THROUGH IT AND I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT, WHAT I, BUT I WANNA BE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR.
UH, SINCE THIS IS WASTE THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY PERMITTED AT OUR CURRENT CITY LANDFILL, CAN WE JUST IN, IN VERY BASIC AND BRIEF LAYMAN'S TERMS, EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR AND WHAT THIS
[00:50:01]
NEW LANDFILL IS GOING TO CONTAIN? GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.THE CITY OPERATES A TYPE ONE MUNICIPAL, UH, SOLID WASTE FACILITY AT THIS TIME.
IT'S UNDER PERMIT 1815 A REGULATED BY THE TCEQ.
THIS PERMIT ALLOWS US BRIEFLY TO TAKE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WASTE.
CURRENTLY THERE'S A CLASS TWO NON-HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE, A CLASS THREE NON-HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE.
AND WE ALSO CAN TAKE SPECIAL WASTE THAT IS REGULATED SEPARATELY IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
WHAT WE ARE NEGOTIATING FOR THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT IS A TYPE ONE NON-HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE.
SO WE WILL STILL NOT ACCEPT ANY INDU UH, HAZARDOUS WASTE.
WE WILL TAKE ONLY NON-HAZARDOUS WASTE AND THE TYPE ONE CAN BE THINGS SUCH AS DIRT THAT IS CONTAMINATED WITH CHEMICALS THAT ARE NON-HAZARDOUS.
IT CAN BE ASBESTOS, IT CAN BE CERTAIN TYPES OF SLUDGE, BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO BE PROCESSED BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ARE DISPOSED OF.
AND THAT CLASS ONE IS A VERY STRINGENT REG STRINGENTLY, UH, STRINGENTLY REGULATED, UH, TYPE OF WASTE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET THE PERMIT AND THE WAY IT IS INSPECTED AND OPERATED AND MANAGED.
THAT'S AS BRIEFLY AS I CAN PUT IT IN A NUTSHELL.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OR IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IS THAT RIGHT NOW THE WAY IT IS MANAGED AND OPERATED THROUGH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, WE WILL MAKE IT VERY, VERY HARD TO CAUSE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OR ANY PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND WHERE WILL THIS NEW LANDFILL BE LOCATED? THE LAND, THAT SECTION IS GONNA BE ON THE EXISTING LANDFILL.
WE HAVEN'T DESIGNATED THE AREA YET, BUT IT IS GONNA BE ON THE EXISTING LANDFILL.
AND THE REASON WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE NEGOTIATIONS IS THERE IS AN EXTREME NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF WASTE IN THIS AREA.
THERE IS NO FACILITY UNTIL YOU GET TO HOUSTON OR LOUISIANA.
AND WE CAN INCREASE OUR REVENUE IN A WAY TOWARD, WE'LL FURTHER STABILIZE THIS FUND AND KEEP IT SELF-SUFFICIENT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
SO WE CAN BE TAKING IN THIS TYPE OF WASTE FROM OTHER AREAS, NOT JUST PORT ARTHUR, OTHER, OTHER INDUSTRY, EVEN IN OTHER COUNTIES THAT, THAT IS CORRECT.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPECIAL WASTE THAT WE TAKE, WHAT WE DID, WE CREATED TWO SEPARATE RATES.
IF IT IS COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMIT, THE RATE IS $28 PER CUBIC YARD.
IF IT'S A BUSINESS THAT IS IN THE CITY, WE CHARGE 'EM $13 FOR THE SPECIAL WASTE.
SO WE CAN ALSO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BUILD AND OPERATE IN THE CITY BECAUSE THE THAT, TO GET RID OF THAT WASTE, IT CAN BE VERY COSTLY.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY PROJECTIONS FOR WHAT TYPE OF REVENUE WE MIGHT SEE AS A RESULT OF THIS VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY REVENUE? THERE IS A NEED IN THE AREA BETWEEN 2.5 TO 5 MILLION A YEAR, BUT THIS IS VERY PRELIMINARY BASED ON INITIAL STUDIES OF WHAT THE INDUSTRY LOCALLY IS DOING AND WHERE IT IS TAKING ITS WASTE.
YOU ANSWERED, YOU ANSWERED MY FIRST QUESTION WHEN YOU SAID ABOUT THE REVENUE COST VERSUS WHAT WE FINN HAVE PUT OUT.
BUT MY OTHER QUESTION IS OUR LAND OUT THERE AT THE, UH, LANDFILL, YOU KNOW, WE GONNA TAKE A SECTION OF IT, BUT HOW MUCH LAND DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME? ARE WE LOOKING WE, WE, WE'VE PRETTY MUCH EXHAUSTED, RIGHT? NO SIR.
I BELIEVE THE LANDFILL CURRENTLY HAS AN, UH, LIFE EXPECTANCY OF OVER A HUNDRED YEARS RIGHT NOW.
OKAY THEN YOU HAVE WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME IN ROOM.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS WASTE AND THE WASTE WE TAKE NOW, THE WASTE WE TAKE NOW IS LARGE VOLUMES AT $6 50 PER CUBIC YARD.
THIS WASTE PER CUBIC YARD IS GONNA BE IN THE TENS OF DOLLARS.
I JUST WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE LAND AREA.
YEAH, WE HAVE ABOUT 240 ACRES OUT THERE OF LAND AND UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO CREATE A NEW AND SEPARATE CELL IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THIS.
YEAH, THERE IS UM, AND WE SHOULDN'T GO ON THIS, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING DEVELOPED BY AI UM, A RESPONSE BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAW
[00:55:01]
THE RFU BEING PUBLISHED AND UM, THE RESPONSE WAS OVER A PERIOD OF 40 YEARS, WHICH NONE OF US WILL BE HERE, WE SHOULD HAVE GENERATED CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE FOR THE CITY.BECAUSE IF YOU REALLY LISTEN TO IT, IT STATES THAT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND DEPTH HAS GONE INTO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, CONSIDERING THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER CELLS WITHIN A 40 TO 50 MILE RADIUS.
YEAH, MY NUMBERS ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE, VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE.
WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT MEAN A SERIOUS REVENUE GENERATOR FOR THE CITY.
MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THAT WE HAVE THE LAND WE DO 'CAUSE WE GOTTA MOVE SALES WHEN WE OPEN SALES AND STUFF.
SO WE DO, WE GOT WE GOT THE, I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
CONSTABLE LEWIS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES.
MOST OF THE SITES THAT ARE EXISTING, THEY ARE BASICALLY AT CAPACITY, THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN.
WHAT CREATED THE NEED FOR, FOR THIS, THIS FACILITY.
COUNCILMAN? WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD TODAY FOR ARTHUR IS SO THAT, THAT'S GENERATING A HUGE NEED.
WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS? I DON'T SEE ANY MORE LIKES.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSES AYES HAVE IT.
SO PR NUMBER 24 3 5 6 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7338 – An Ordinance By The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Authorizing The Issuance Of “City Of Port Arthur, Texas Tax Notes, Series 2025” In The Principal Amount Of $6,460,000.00; Levying A Continuing Direct Annual Ad Valorem Tax For The Payment Of The Notes; Prescribing The Form, Terms, Conditions, And Resolving Other Matters Incident And Related To The Issuance, Sale, And Delivery Of The Notes, Authorizing The Execution Of A Paying Agent/Registrar Agreement And A Purchase Contract; Awarding Such Sale To An Underwriting, Delegating The Authority To Certain City Officials And Staff To Establish Terms Of Sale Of The Notes And To Execute Certain Documents Relating To The Sale Thereof; Enacting Other Provisions Incident And Related To The Subject And Purpose Of This Ordinance; And Providing For An Effective Date]
WE WILL MOVE TO LOOK AT MY NOTES HERE ON, UH, PAGE NINE IF YOU WILL.AND I BELIEVE IT'S ITEM JUST, JUST A MINUTE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE NINE.
IT IS AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BY THE CITY COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TAX NOTES SERIES 2025 IN THE PRINCIPLE AMOUNT OF $6,460,000.
LEVYING A CONTINUING DIRECT ANNUAL ADV VALE TAX FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE NOTES, PRESCRIBING THE FORM TERMS CONDITION.
CONDITION, EXCUSE ME, AND RESOLVING OTHER MATTERS INCIDENT AND RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE NOTES AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PAYING AGENT REGISTRAR AGREEMENT AND A PURCHASE CONTRACT AWARD IN SUCH SALE TO AN UNDERWRITING, DELEGATING THE AUTHORITY TO CERTAIN CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF TO ESTABLISH TERMS OF SALE OF THE NOTES AND TO EXECUTE CERTAIN DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE SALE THEREOF IN ACTING OTHER PROVISIONS, PROVISIONS, INCIDENT AND RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THIS? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN EVER? PHIL, IT IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 73 38 AS PRESENTED.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO PO NUMBER 73 38 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED NOW WE WILL RETURN
[III.F.(1) A Discussion Regarding A Citizen’s Concerns With Pump Noise And Diesel Fumes (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Doucet)]
TO OUR NORMAL FLOW IN THE, EXCUSE ME, UH, PRINTED AGENDA.GOING TO PAGE TWO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH NUMBER ONE AND AS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITIZEN'S CONCERN WITH PUMP NOISE AND DIESEL FUMES.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY MAYOR PROM ETT, UH, MAYOR PRO.
SO COUNCILMAN? NO, UH, LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WE HAD, UH, A CONSTITUENT.
MR. JACKSON CAME BEFORE US AND HE HAD, UH, A PROBLEM WITH NOISE AND ALSO THE FUMES IMPACT ON HIM.
AND WHAT WE SAID WAS, WE WILL MEET OUT THERE, THE CITY AND
[01:00:01]
THE STAFF TO EVALUATE EXACTLY WHAT WAS HIS COMPLAINT VERSUS WHAT ACTUALLY WAS THERE.SO I WAS PRESENT AT THAT UH, MEETING.
AND AT THAT MEETING, UH, THE CONTRACTOR BASICALLY SAID THAT HE, HE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, UM, RESIDENT MAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT.
AND HE SAID HIS PROJECTED SCHEDULE TO HAVE THE PUMPS PROBABLY REMOVED WAS LIKE AUGUST.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINT OF THE RESIDENT RIGHT NEXT THERE, HE SAID THAT HE WILL LOOK AT SPEEDING UP HIS PROJECT THAT IMPACTS WITH THE PUMPS AND TRY TO GET THOSE PUMPS OUT OF THERE ANYWHERE AROUND THE MIDDLE TO THE END OF JUNE
WHILE WE WERE THERE, WE UH, OBSERVED THE PUMPS.
THE PUMPS CAME ON, IT RAN ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS, THEN SHUT OFF.
THE PUMPS ARE SET UP THAT IF IT'S A LOT OF RAIN THEN THEY WILL RUN LONGER, BUT BECAUSE THEY RUN LONGER, ONE PUMP WON'T RUN BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE OTHER PUMP WILL AUTOMATICALLY KICK ON.
SO YOU HAVE TWO PUMPS TAKING IT OUT.
OUR OUTFALL AND IT'S AN OUTFALL, SO THE ONLY TIME YOU GET A LOT OF WATER COMING IN THERE IS IF YOU HAVE SEVERE RAIN.
AND THAT'S TO KIND OF KEEP THE WATER OUT OF THE AREA SO THAT IT CAN CONTINUE TO WORK.
UH, THE CONTRACTOR HAS IT AS A PRIORITY TO GET THE PUMP OUT SOON.
SO THE PUMP RAN ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS AND WE WERE STANDING FROM THE PUMP PROBABLY FROM THE BACK WALL, MAYBE TO THIS WALL BACK HERE.
AND US, WE OUT THERE, WE DIDN'T SMELL ANY FUMES.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TO REPORT ON IT.
COUNCILMAN, AS OF MONDAY OUR PUMPS, THOSE PUMPS ARE GONE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUMPS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW AT THIS TIME.
UM, UH, HE WAS COMPLETE AND HE WAS, HE WAS TRYING TO COMPLETE HIS PROJECT BEFORE HE CAN MOVE THOSE PUMPS.
SO THEY ARE GONE AT THIS TIME.
SO WE, SO SO HE'S THROUGH WITH THEM.
HE'S NOT GONNA BRING IT BACK? NO, NO, HE IS NOT GONNA BRING IT BACK.
THE SMELL IS STILL THERE BUT HE'S NOT GONNA BRING IT BACK.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE TIME.
I WASN'T GONNA GET IN THERE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT THE PUMPS WERE NOT RIGHT.
WE COULD NOT SMELL THE PUMPS AND THAT WAS THE MAIN THING THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE DO THAT AND ALL, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT MR. JACKSON SAID AND WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE DID ALRIGHT.
BUT NOW I'M GLAD THAT HEADACHE IS GONE.
WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT AT FIRST? WE COULD.
I'M LET YOU GET YOUR STATEMENT OUT
UH, ALSO MR. FLOOD AND COUNCILMAN NEXT.
[III.F.(2) A Discussion Regarding Councilmembers Use Of Money Allocated For Travel To Austin During Legislative Sessions (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem DOucet)]
MOVE TO NUMBER TWO.IT IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBERS' USE OF MONEY ALLOCATED FOR TRAVEL TO AUSTIN DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN, UH, BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCIL.
WELL MAYOR APPROACH HIM, UH,
UH, I GOT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WAS DISCUSSING IT, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE COUNCIL INFORMATION, LET COUNCIL READ IT AND I'LL, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK AT A LATER TIME 'CAUSE I'M GONNA ASK FOR ACTIONS BY COUNCIL.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT, ONE IS THE TRAVEL ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY, THE TRAVEL ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY, AND PARTICULARLY A PORTION OF THE TRAVEL ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY GAVE TO ME AND HIGHLIGHTED.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PART THAT WE REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO IN OUR TRAVEL ORDINANCE IS EMERGENCY EXCEPTIONS FOR PRE-APPROVAL.
THAT MEANS GETTING APPROVAL BEFORE YOU GO IN EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR UNFORESEEN NEED TO TRAVEL.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN EMERGENCY OR UNFORESEEN NEED MAY INCLUDE LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY OR EMERGENCY REQUESTS OF STATE OR FEDERAL ENTITIES.
[01:05:01]
PART THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED.THE NEXT PART WAS THE PART THAT I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE PART THAT I TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE DID IT.
SO I WAS SURPRISED THAT WHEN WE GOT OUR RESOLUTION DONE THAT THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE IT.
THE SECOND PART OF THIS ORDINANCE SAYS, PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE MAYOR OR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MUST PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE NATURE OF THE EMERGENCY OR UNFORESEEN TRAVEL.
AND THE REASON I SAID THAT IS WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN DO THESE THINGS THAT WE AGREE TO AND APPROVE BY COUNCIL, BUT WHEN WE START TRAVELING, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT TRAVEL ON THEIR OWN REQUEST.
IF WE WANT TO TRAVEL ON OUR OWN, THEN WE SIMPLY USE OUR OWN MONEY.
BUT ANYTIME YOU LEAVE THE CITY AND YOU GO AND REPRESENT THIS CITY, THE COUNCIL SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING FOR, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT AND THAT, AND ENSURE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
AND THAT'S WHY IT SAYS WRITTEN JUSTIFICATION PRIOR TO TRAVEL BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE WHERE A COUNCIL MEMBER WALKS INTO THE MAYOR COUNCIL OFFICE OR THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND SAYS, I WANT TO GO HERE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THIS.
AND WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GO BACK AND REVISIT THIS, WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE TRAVEL.
ALL OUR TRAVEL IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, NOT CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER APPROVED.
ALL EMPLOYEES ARE SELF APPOINTEES AND COUNCIL.
SO WE COULD GET THINGS THAT WE WANT, BUT WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR TRAVEL ORDINANCE AND THE INTENT.
I TALK WITH THE ATTORNEY, SHE'S LIKE TO USE THE WORD INTENT.
THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE, THIS TRAVEL ORDINANCE, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIMIT TRAVEL TO WHAT'S NEEDED AND ALSO MAKE IT TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE OF OUR TRAVEL.
SO, UH, WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL COME BACK AND PUT THIS AT A LATER DATE IN WHICH WE COULD GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
'CAUSE THE RESOLUTION, IF NOT, IF I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION IS NO GOOD ANYMORE, RIGHT? UH, CITY ATTORNEY, THE RESOLUTION IS NO LONGER EFFECTIVE.
THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TRAVEL FOR LEGISLATIVE PER PRIORITIES AND THE PURSUIT WAS EFFECTIVE FOR NO, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND I THINK THE LEGISL WHAT I YESTERDAY SINCE THE 89TH IS OVER WITH, THEN THIS RESOLUTION IS, WE'LL HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ONE FOR THE NEXT SESSION, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO, GET A RESOLUTION THAT'S GONNA BE IN LINE WITH OUR CITY ORDINANCE FOR TRAVEL AND AT THE SAME TIME ACCOMPLISH COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO AUSTIN IN CASES.
AND ALSO WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR LOBBYISTS THAT WE PAY $7,200 A MONTH.
'CAUSE I READ THAT AGREEMENT AND THAT AGREEMENT SPECIFICALLY COVERS A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN WHAT I FIRST HEARD.
SO, BUT FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSE, I WOULD LIKE FOR COUNCIL, AND YOU DID INCLUDE THAT IN A MEMO TO EVERYBODY, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TRAVEL ORDINANCE, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE SAID IN RESOLUTION AND KEEP IN MIND HOW WE SHOULD DO BUSINESS.
AND THEN WHEN I BRING IT BACK, IT WON'T TAKE A LOT.
EVERYBODY BE PRETTY MUCH READ UP ON IT SO THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT ONE MAYOR.
THAT PORTION YOU READ, IS THAT RELATED TO, UH, REQUEST WRITTEN REQUESTS OR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION? THAT'S WHAT I JUST READ.
WHAT I JUST READ IS HOW TRAVEL IS CONDUCTED.
WE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IT AND IF YOU READ IT IN THERE, IT SAYS THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN THINGS THAT IS PRE-APPROVED THAT IS APPROVED WITHOUT COMING TO COUNCIL.
THOSE THINGS ARE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED.
AND THEN ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, IT SHOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
SO THAT MEAN IF IT'S NOT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT IS PRE-APPROVED, THAT MEAN THAT IT SHOULD BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL,
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WHICH MEAN IF THAT'S THE ORDINANCE, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE NO RESOLUTIONS APPROVED THAT VIOLATES THE ORDINANCE.SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND WHEN WE, WHEN I BRING IT BACK, THEN WE COULD GET INTO THE SCHEDULE.
WE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH IT, YOU KNOW? WELL, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND COUNSEL, UH, WHEN I HEARD THE, THE, UH, WRITTEN NOTIFICATION, WE HAD A PURPOSE OF DOING THAT, KEPT IT OUT OF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION, YOU HAVE A WRITTEN NOTIFICATION THAT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT TO TRAVEL SIMPLY BECAUSE WE HAD SOME COUNCIL MEMBER HOLMES WAS BROKEN INTO WHILE THEY WERE OUT OF TOWN.
SO THAT'S WHY WE STOPPED, UH, THE PUBLICLY DISCUSSING IT AND, AND SENT A WRITTEN NOTIFICATION.
WELL, WELL JUST, IT MAY NOT APPLY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION WE PUT IN THERE.
WHEN WE AMENDED THIS TRAVEL ORDINANCE, I WAS ON IT.
I KNOW WE SUPPOSED TO BE, WE DISCUSSING IT AND WE MIXING UP A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS FROM WHAT I'M HEARING.
SO, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND LEGISLATIVE, WAIT A MINUTE, BECAUSE THIS, WHAT I, WHAT I SAY, USE OF MONEY ALLOCATED FOR TRAVEL TO AUSTIN DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
SEE, WE PUTTING IN EVERY, I HEAR ALL THESE OTHER ELEMENTS BEING, UH, WHICH ARE NON-APPLICABLE FROM MY RECOLLECTION WHEN WE MADE THIS RESOLUTION THAT HE'S REFERRING TO, BECAUSE YOU MAY GET SOMETHING IF THEY WERE IN SESSION TONIGHT, AND YOU NEED TO BE TO AUSTIN.
YO, JUST A MINUTE, I'LL LET YOU TALK IN THE MORNING.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO COME BRING COUNSEL IN THE SESSION OR ANYTHING ELSE.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE WRITTEN AS YOU STATED, NOW YOU SAID WRITTEN AND EXPLANATION TO JUSTIFY YOUR TRAVEL, YOU CAN DO THAT.
IF YOU ARE GOING FOR WHAT WE SAY, WE GONNA HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ON NOW, IF WE ARE GOING TO PUT ALL OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS NOW THAT GO WITH CITY TRAVEL INTO THIS PARTICULAR LEGISLATIVE MOVEMENT, THEN I THINK WE'RE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE.
NOW, YOU ALL, AS A MATTER OF FACT, NOW, I'M NOT GONNA EVEN BE HERE.
THANK GOD THAT I WANNA BE HERE TO EVEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, OKAY? WE HAVE A COUNCIL PERSON WHO WENT TO AUSTIN TESTIFY AGAINST A BILL THAT WOULD HURT EVERY CITY, EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE GOING TO SPEND 30 MINUTES IN HERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE THAT PERSON HAD GONE AND WE WOULD STILL BE HERE.
THAT PERSON'S TESTIMONY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RECORDED.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT TESTIMONY FROM COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD HAD A BEARING WITH SOMEONE'S VOTE ON THAT BILL NOT PASSING.
NOW, IF WE WANT TO SIT HERE AND SPEND USELESS HOURS DISCUSSING A TRIVIAL TOPIC, GENTLEMEN, LADIES, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER'S TIME AND CAN WE MOVE ON TO ANOTHER DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW? NO.
MAKE YOUR COMMENT, MAYOR, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT TRAVEL, YOU COME UP WITH THE SAME THING OF WHAT WE SHOULD WELL, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I'M TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINANCE, OKAY? AND WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS IF WE WANT TO GO TO AUSTIN, WE NEED TO AT LEAST UNDERSTAND OUR ORDINANCE FOR TRAVEL.
OKAY? COUNSEL, I GOTTA STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
WE DID THIS BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF AN INDIVIDUAL HAVING TO GO TO AUSTIN WITH AN OVERNIGHT NOTICE.
WE DID THIS WITH THAT IN MIND.
NOW, FOR US TO NOW WANT TO, IN THE FUTURE, PUT IN TENANTS THAT WOULD PRECLUDE WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THAT WE ARE MAKING REFERENCE TO, I BELIEVE WE BEING COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
LIKE I SAID, I WON'T BE HERE, BUT EVEN AS YOU JUST STATED, YOU WOULD BRING IT BACK FOR A FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S MY AND, AND ALSO, AND IF WE WOULD REALLY JUST LOOK AT THE ANTI-ISIS ISSUE, YOU BROUGHT UP YOUR ANSWER.
LIKE YOU SAID, LEGISLATIVE, LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER, RIGHT? SO WE WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT UNLESS A SPECIAL SESSION IS CALLED.
AND IF A SPECIAL SESSION IS CALLED, THAT ACTUALLY COMES BACK INTO PLAY BECAUSE THAT $75,000 WAS BUDGETED, AND YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
[01:15:01]
WHAT'S BUDGETED AND NOT TO SPEND WHAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.CITY MANAGER CAN SIGN OFF ON THAT MONEY WITHOUT THAT ISSUE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY APPROVED BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF THE NEED FOR TRAVEL AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
SO I AM JUST STATING THAT WHAT I WOULD NOT WANT US TO DO IS TO MAKE RULES FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY'RE BEING MADE, THAT WOULD PRECLUDE THE EFFECTIVE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS ON THIS COUNCIL TO THESE BODIES, BE IT IN WASHINGTON, DC OR AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND SOMETIMES THESE COMMITTEES MEET IN DIFFERENT, UH, LOCATIONS.
AND IF A PERSON FROM THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO GO TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE POSITION OF A MUNICIPALITY SUCH AS PORT ARTHUR, I DON'T THINK COUNCILMAN MAYOR PRO TEM THAT WE SHOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO BE SURE NO ONE IS TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT A RULE ON TRAVEL.
BUT THAT'S WHY THAT PARTICULAR RESOLUTION WAS BROUGHT UP.
YOU VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AUTHORITY.
BUT AGAIN, YOU ALL CAN DISCUSS THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
OKAY, I'LL PUT IT ON FOR DISCUSSION.
GO AHEAD AND IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING AND ACT AND TELL HIM THAT, THAT'S WHY I DID.
WHAT? BECAUSE IT'S FOR A DISCUSSION.
OKAY, THEN WELL, LET ME DISCUSS IT.
FIRST OF ALL, NO COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD LEAVE THIS CITY AND GO AND TESTIFY AND DO ANYTHING AND REPRESENT THIS CITY WITHOUT THIS COUNCIL KNOWING ABOUT IT.
OKAY? THAT'S THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS FOR 11 YEARS.
NO, BUT I'M GONNA STOP YOU AGAIN.
NO, NO, NO, BECAUSE NO, THIS DISCUSSION, POINT OF ORDER, POINT OF ORDER.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT DURING THIS DISCUSSION.
LEMME JUST YOU, I'M NOT ARGUING.
Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT YOU WANT.
I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON OF, OF WATER.
WE ARE MAKING THESE ACCUSATIONS, IF YOU WILL, AGAINST THE COUNCIL PERSON WHO WAS EFFECT AND SOME TRAVEL POINT.
NOW YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA CALL IT LIKE IT IS.
OKAY, PA THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.
YOU INTERRUPTED MAYOR, YOUR POINT OF HONOR.
THIS IS NOT A PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION.
QUIT SAYING POINT OF ART AND TALK.
THAT'S NOT, NOBODY CAN'T HEAR ONE AT A TIME.
WHY YOU WELL, I, I'M GONNA BE FACETIOUS RIGHT NOW.
WELL, WHY YOU SPEAKING THEN? I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOUR POINT OF ORDER.
IF YOU DO YOUR JOB, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING.
LET'S GET ON THE BUSINESS HERE.
THE BO THE THING IS, I NEVER MENTIONED NO COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE YOU WERE INCLUDED IN IT.
SO IT WASN'T ABOUT PEOPLE, IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
AND AS I STATED, NO COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY TO GO AND TESTIFY OR DO ANYTHING THEY FEEL IS RIGHT WITHOUT THIS COUNCIL HAVING SOME TYPE SAY.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU SAYING, YOU TALK ABOUT GOING AND REPRESENTING THE WAY BILLS WORK.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE LISTED THESE, THEY SCHEDULE 'EM.
WE PAY A INDIVIDUAL $7,200 A MONTH TO BE UP THERE TO TALK TO THESE LEGISLATORS ON OUR BEHALF, ON EVERYTHING THAT WE SELECTED.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CALL THIS PERSON, THIS PERSON IS UP THERE.
THIS PERSON KNOWS PEOPLE HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP.
NOT ONLY, BUT THAT PERSON'S JOB IS, IF WE CALL THE PERSON AND SAY, LOOK, WE NEED YOU TO TALK TO THIS LEGISLATOR AND IN REFERENCE TO THIS, THAT PERSON WILL THEN GO TALK TO THAT LEGISLATOR.
AND IF WE WANT TO GO THIS PERSON ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT, WE'LL SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LEGISLATOR FOR US.
AND IF WE CHOOSE, WE'LL ACCOMP, WE'LL ACCOMPANY US ON IT.
SO WHEN YOU MAKE THIS SEEM LIKE THIS EMERGENCY, NO, THAT AIN'T HOW IT WORKS.
AND IF WE COULD GO AND TESTIFY MANY TIMES IF WE WANT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE GONNA DO
[01:20:01]
IT, THEN LET'S NOT PAY SOMEBODY 7,200 A MONTH.COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES RIGHT THERE.
THE AGAIN, THOUGH, OKAY, WELL, BUT AS YOU JUST SAID, WELL, BUT WHAT? YOUR TURN WHEN I'M THROUGH? WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOING FINISH I JUST BUS HEAD.
THAT'S NOT THE, COME ON, COME ON.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE GONNA PUT THIS OUT AND WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS IT WITH CITIZENS, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES.
SEE, BECAUSE WE SPENDING MONEY OR WANT TO SPEND MONEY FOR SOMETHING WE PAYING SOMEBODY TO DO.
SO MY CONTENTION IS IF WE COULD DO IT, THAT'S FINE, BUT NO ONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO JUST UP AND GO TO AUSTIN ON TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
BUT THIS IS DISCRETIONARY ALSO.
'CAUSE NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE MY DISCRETIONARY POSITION AND POINT.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT YOU, WELL, I'M GONNA JUST PASS THAT UP.
NOW YOU GONNA SAY THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID RIGHT HERE WITH THAT POINT IN MIND, COUNCILMAN AND MAYOR, I APPROACH HIM.
IT IS THAT YOU OKAY, WE HAD, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? I'M, I'M OKAY WITH COUNCIL.
OKAY, WELL, NO, BUT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR POSITION, UH, ATTORNEY.
WE JUST SAID THAT JUNE 2ND WAS THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION, TO MY KNOWLEDGE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, HAVE HE? SO IT'S, IT'S IF THEY, THEY ARE DONE FOR RIGHT NOW, OKAY? WITH THE ISSUE THAT BRINGS UP THIS CONCERN.
AND THE COUNCIL PERSON WENT AND TESTIFIED IT WAS EFFECTIVE, IT WAS AN EMERGENCY, IT WAS ALL OF THOSE.
AND COUNCILMAN, WE STILL NEED TO PAY THIS LADY BECAUSE SHE'S THERE 24 7 DEALING WITH ALL LEGISLATION.
OKAY? THAT POINT THAT I COULD BRING UP OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN CALLED BY MS. CANARD, THAT'S WHO HE'S REFERRING TO SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT LEGISLATION.
AND I MADE CALLS TO INDIVIDUALS WHOM I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH AND EXPRESSED WHAT A POSITION FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WOULD BE.
NOW, AT THAT TIME, COUNCILMAN, I DIDN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL TO ASK THE COUNCIL IF I COULD HAVE THEIR POSSESSION ON IT.
I KNEW IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO DO JUST THAT.
NOW, AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL DON'T WANT ME TO GO AROUND THE CORNER.
WELL, I'VE BEEN MAYOR, SO I CERTAINLY WASN'T GOING TO ASK FOR SOME FUNDS TO GO TO AUSTIN TO TESTIFY.
BUT MS. KENARD NEEDED ASSISTANCE FROM COUNCILPERSONS TO GET OVER TO THE LEGISLATORS, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WHO, AND, AND AT ONE TIME IT WAS EVEN IN THE STATE SENATE TO GET SOME CONSIDERATION FOR POSITIONS ON MATTERS.
AND IT WASN'T LIKE I NEEDED HER TO MAKE ME APPOINTMENTS WITH FOLK THAT I HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? SHE NEEDED ME TO TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE I COULD PICK UP A PHONE AND DO IT.
OKAY? AND AT THE TIME, MY PHYSICAL PRESENCE PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE.
WHAT I AM SAYING HERE RIGHT NOW, I DO NOT WANT US TO DIGRESS, TO PRACTICE RETRO AGGRESSION IN SOMETHING THAT HAS PROVED ITSELF TO BE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAID EARLIER, DISCRETION, YOUR POINT OF REFERENCE, YOUR DISCRETION ALLOWS YOU TO BE VEHEMENTLY IN OPPOSITION OF HOW IT'S BEING DONE.
MY BROTHER, I RESPECT YOUR DIALOGUE, I RESPECT YOUR BRINGING IT FORTH.
BUT IN NO WAY WILL I SIT HERE SILENTLY.
'CAUSE MY SILENCE WOULD SHOW MY AGREEMENT WITH THAT ONE.
AND I CANNOT AGREE WITH THAT WHILE I'M HERE, SINCE I'M HERE AND BECAUSE I'M HERE, I'M EXPRESSING WHAT I KNOW AND THE WAY IT SHOULD HAPPEN.
NOW, WHAT YOU DO IN TWO WEEKS, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THAT FIGHT, BUT TODAY I'M IN THE
[01:25:01]
KENNEL.AND I WOULD PRAY UPON YOU MAY APPROACH HIM TO THINK ABOUT SOFTENING YOUR POSITION ON THIS.
THERE, THERE IS ROOM, THERE IS ROOM FOR LATITUDE, SIR, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW YOURSELF TO PRACTICE THAT AND TO EVEN APPLY THAT RIGHT NOW.
NOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM FOR, UH, WE, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS LONG ENOUGH.
OKAY, WELL, OKAY, YOU WANTED TO TALK AGAIN.
I WAS ALL, NO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK.
NO, BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO TALKING ABOUT PLEASE.
I DON'T WANT ACCEPT YOUR, YOUR COMMENT.
NO, I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU.
I DIDN'T, I DON'T WANNA ACCEPT YOUR COMMENT COUNCILWOMAN, PLEASE, WHY NOT? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, THAT AIN'T FAIR.
BUT SOME THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN.
[III.F.(3) A Discussion Regarding Requesting Funds From The Texas Department Of Transportation, To Reconstruct Streets From 39th Street To 9th Avenue (Requested By Councilmember Lewis)]
THE NEXT ITEM.AND THE NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER THREE.
IT IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING REQUESTING FUNDS FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RECONSTRUCT STREETS FROM 39TH STREET TO NINTH AVENUE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
WHAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO THE, UH, THE, THE CITY OF, I MEAN THE STATE IS REPAIRING 73 AND, AND MEMORIAL OR HIGHWAY 69, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY COMPLETE THAT, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RECONSTRUCT 39TH STREET.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE FUNDS IN THERE BECAUSE 39TH STREET IS A BYPASS FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND THEY'RE TEARING IT UP.
SO I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BE GREEDY.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO, TO TWIN CITY, BUT MOST OF 'EM GOING
YEAH, THEY, THEY CUTTING THROUGH THERE AND GOING TO NINTH, NINTH STREET, NINTH AVENUE, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BYPASS.
SO I RECALL BOB BILES WAS ON THAT, ON THAT COMMITTEE, TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE HE HAS, UH, AN EQ YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT HE WOULD CATCH IT AND MAKE SURE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THERE ARE FUNDS IN THERE OR DO WE HAVE TO GET THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TOO? WELL, SHOULD BE FUNDS THERE AND WE HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE, UH, CITY MANAGER.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'D HAVE TO HAVE RIGHT OF WAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIVE ON 39TH AND, YOU KNOW, I TRAVELED IT, IT'S NEVER BEEN GOOD.
I KNOW IN THE PAST 15 YEARS IT HASN'T.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT A STREET THAT WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S ON THAT STREET.
BUT WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT PRIOR TO THEM DOING THE CONSTRUCTION.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT YOU GOT TO, WHAT YOU GOT TO REALIZE THAT, UH, WAS APPROVED IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
WELL, THEY BROUGHT IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND, AND TOLD US WHAT WE GONNA BE DOING IN THE FUTURE AND WHEN, WHEN IT'S GONNA BECOME A PRIORITY.
SO THEY DES THEY DESIGNED IT, THEY, THEY, THEY HAD TO DESIGN APPROVED NOW AND THEN THEY WENT AHEAD AND FUNDED IT.
BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE REVENUES IN THERE TO, TO RECONSTRUCT THEIR DAMAGE, RECONSTRUCT THAT STREET BECAUSE THEY'RE TEARING IT UP.
BUT GET 'EM TO FIX IT FROM MEMORIAL TO, TO 3 47 TO 25TH.
WELL THAT BE FINE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
BUT MINIMUM FROM NINTH AVENUE TO MEMORIAL.
WELL, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING IS THERE BY MY PLACE.
BUT ANYWAY, CITY MANAGER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I NEED? WHAT WAS NEEDED? YEAH.
I'LL MAKE THAT CALL TO THE AREA OF ENGINEER AND BE RIGHT IN THE DIALOGUE.
IF, IF THE MONEY IS NOT THERE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY PUT IT THERE BECAUSE THEY'LL, IT IS THERE EFFORT THAT'S TEARING THE THING UP? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN DO SAY, HEY RON.
UH, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED THIS PROJECT, THEY MENTIONED THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT THAT WOULD BE THE DETOUR, SPECIFICALLY WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS IS TALKING ABOUT.
AND IT, AND IT HAD BEEN DETOURED.
'CAUSE THEY, WHEN THEY CLOSED OFF THE RAMP TO GET FROM MEMORIAL 2 73, THEY ESTABLISHED THAT AS A DETOUR AND THAT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL DEAL.
SO I THINK HE HAS A GOOD POINT.
YOU COULD CHECK WITH, UH, TTO AND ASK HIM, YOU KNOW, HEY, WHEN YOU OPEN THIS UP, CAN YOU HELP US? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU'VE BEEN DETOURING EVERYTHING TOO.
AND WE AGREED TO, TO THAT DETOUR.
AND IF WE WOULDN'T AGREE, THEY'D HAVE HAD SOMEBODY TELL US WE WERE GOING TO AGREE.
SO LET'S, LET'S CHECK AND SEE.
[01:30:01]
FUNDING? I THINK HE HAS GOOD POINTS, GOOD DISCUSSION.I MEAN, THEY, THEY GONNA BE OUT THERE AT LEAST TWO MORE YEARS, SO.
UH, OKAY, NOW WE'VE COMPLETED EVERYTHING ON PAGE TWO.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
WOULD THERE BE ANY REPORTS OF, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, INTERESTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN EVER FIELD? THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR COMMUNITY INTEREST.I WANT TO, UM, REMIND THE COMMUNITY OF SOME AMAZING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT WILL BE FOR JUNE 15TH, THE JUNETEENTH AND FATHER'S DAY FESTIVAL FROM ONE TO NINE AT FOUR 10.
PLEASURE PIER ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
ON, UM, FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, THERE WILL BE A SENIOR PROM AT, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR RECREATION CENTER ON NINTH AVENUE.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL ADDRESS, BUT IT'S THE PORT ARTHUR RECREATION BUILDING ON, UH, NINTH AVENUE FROM 5:00 PM TO 9:00 PM AGAIN, THIS IS A SENIOR'S PROM, MEANING AGE 55 AND ABOVE PROM, NOT THOSE WHO JUST GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
UM, AND ALSO ON JUNE 12TH, THERE WILL BE THE JUNETEENTH FLAG RAISING AT 10:30 AM AT THE SUBCOUNTY COURTHOUSE NEXT DOOR HERE TO CITY HALL.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT FLAG GRAZING, THERE WILL BE A LIVE BAND AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN.
ON JUNE 19TH IS JUNETEENTH, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY CELEBRATED, UM, HOLIDAY.
AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZE IT HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
ON JUNE 19TH, WE WILL HAVE THE PARADE AND THE ANNUAL JUBILEE, WHICH IS THE CELEBRATION AT BARBARA JACKET PARK, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PARADE.
IT STARTS AT 5:00 PM AT PROCTOR AND STILLWELL BOULEVARD.
AND, UM, THEN AT BARBARA JACKET PARK, AFFECTIONATELY STILL KNOWN SOMETIMES AS GILLUM CIRCLE, THERE WILL BE ACTIVITIES, FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES, FOOD TRUCKS.
SO PLEASE COME OUT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND TO HAVE A GOOD, WHOLESOME, FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SOME POOR DR.
ISD STUDENTS THAT WERE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE PORT ARTHUR INDUSTRIAL GROUP.
UH, LAST WEEK THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER, UH, TALKING ABOUT THESE STUDENTS.
AND I'D, I'D LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR INDUSTRIAL GROUP AND THESE STUDENTS HERE SO THAT WE COULD FORMALLY RECOGNIZE THEM.
UM, I'VE GOT THE NAMES OF, I THINK SEVEN OF THE NINE STUDENTS.
THEY WERE GIVEN $10,000 SCHOLARSHIPS.
UH, THEY ARE ALL PORT ARTHUR ISD, HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS SEEKING DEGREES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH BUSINESS, OR CRAFT TRADES.
WE HAD TAVION CHAPMAN, DYLAN WYNN, DANIEL THOMAS, ABEL GARCIA, LOUISE REYES, PADILLA YI, BARAJAS, GABRIEL LE BONK.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE TWO OTHERS THAT WEREN'T PICTURED.
SO I DON'T HAVE THEIR NAMES, SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
AND I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET 'EM HERE IN PERSON SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM.
OKAY? WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL GROUP, UH, SCHOLARSHIPS.
ANY OTHERS? IF NOT, WE, WE'LL GO TO, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, SO WE'LL MOVE DOWN TO PAGE
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
FOUR, UH, TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY, EXCUSE ME, LEMME SEE WHAT, HOW MANY PAGES I HAVE FROM PAGE FOUR TO THE, UH, VERY TOP OF PAGE SIX.
UH, THESE, THESE ITEMS THAT HAVE, UH, BASICALLY WE, WE WOULD SAY THEY ARE ROUTINE IN NATURE.
UH, ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
THAT WOULD BE NUMBER NINE ON PAGE SIX, UH, WITH AND WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THAT ONE, WHAT WE HAVE, I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF WE HAVE, UH, ITEMS TO BE, UH, WITHDRAWN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE ON PAGE FOUR, MAYOR.
AND ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON PAGE SIX.
ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY, UH, WITHDRAWALS? IF NOT, WE'RE RID OF THE, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT.
APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCLUSION OF ITEMS NUMBER ONE, EIGHT, AND EVEN NINE, BECAUSE NINE HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THAT? COUNCILWOMAN BECKETT? YEAH, BECKHAM, I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY I CHANGED YOUR NAME.
[01:35:01]
MAYFIELD.AND A SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXTRUSION OF, UH, ITEMS, NUMBER ONE AND, UH, EIGHT.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTIONING? NO QUESTIONS.
READY TO, UH, VOTE ALL, UH, WHO APPROVE WOULD WANT APPROVAL? AYE.
UH, ANY, UH, UH, NEGATIVES ON THAT? OKAY.
WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH THE, UH, EXCLUSION OF THE STATED ITEMS. NOW TO, UH, GO THROUGH THOSE WITHDRAWN ITEMS, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER
[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 23708 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept Change Order No. 1 For An Increase In The Contract Amount By $10,094.47, For The Acceptance Of Close Out Documents And The Release Of Retainage In The Amount Of $17,598.25 For TrafTex, Inc., Of Houston, Texas, For The Traffic Signal Installation – Bluebonnet Avenue And Gulfway Drive. Funding Is Available In The Equipment Account No. 307-21-057-8522-00-10-000. Project No. CE0002]
ONE ON PAGE FOUR, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 23 7 8.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED THE CENTER MANAGER TO ACCEPT CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $10,094 AND 47 40 7 CENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF CLOSE OUT DOCUMENTS.
AND THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,598 AND 25 CENTS FOR, UH, 12 TAX INCORPORATED UP HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATION, UH, LOCATED ON BLUE BONNET AVENUE AND GULF WAY DRIVE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 0 5 7 DASH 8 5 2 2 0 0.
AND THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER CCE 0 0 0 2.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOTION? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN AFIELD SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED TO SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 23 7 0 8 AS APPROVED.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, RON? I, I WAS TRYING TO FIND THAT ACCOUNT NUMBER.
WHAT WAS THAT ACCOUNT NUMBER? UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS HIS UNDER THAT ACCOUNT NUMBER? 3 0 7 2 1 0 5 7 8 5 2 2.
WHAT IS IT ENTITLED, JEN? IT'S ENTITLED THE, UH, EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT.
THAT'S WHAT I PULLED OFF OF THE ORIGINAL.
RESOLUTION? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I LOOK FOR IT.
SO THE ACTUAL ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR THE DETAIN IS 2 0 5 0.
IT'S NOT 3 0 7 2 1 0 5 7 OH, OKAY.
THE RETAINAGE IS THE, ALRIGHT.
THE RETAINAGE IS IN A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT.
I DIDN'T FIND THIS ONE, SO THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE BE NONE, WE ARE READY TO VOTE.
SO P NUMBER 23 7 0 8 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VII.C.(8) P.R. No. 24355 – A Resolution Approving The Third Amendment To The Purchasing Manual For The City Of Port Arthur]
PAGE SIX, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UH, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 24 3 55.IT IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE PURCHASING MANUAL FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
MAY I GET A, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION APPROVE.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN EVER? FIELD SECOND IS REMOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE, EXCUSE ME.
PR NUMBER 24 3 55 AS PRESENTED, WE ARE READY FOR QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN ETT? YES, I JUST WANT TO ASK THE COUNCIL, GO, GO THROUGH THIS, UH, PERSON PURCHASING MANUAL THAT'S LISTED IN THE BACKGROUND, BECAUSE GONNA BE SOME QUESTIONS IN THE SUMMARY OF THE, UH, NON-CONSENT, INDIVIDUAL NON-CONSENT THAT'S GONNA COME UP REFERRING TO THIS MANUAL.
AND ALSO I WILL BE, UH, ADDRESSING OUR PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING IN THE DISCUSSION COMING UP.
SO IT'D BE GOOD IF EVERYBODY JUST GET FAMILIAR WITH THIS, UH, PURCHASING MANUAL.
SO WHEN THE DISCUSSION START, UH, QUESTIONS ASKED, YOU'D BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID AND DONE AS ALL MAYOR.
READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES OF PR? NUMBER 24 3 55 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24265 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate A Contract With The Solco Group, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas For On-Call Planning, Grants Research, Engineering And Program Management Services For The City Of Port Arthur; Funding Is Available In Transit’s Professional Services Account 401-70-500- 5470-00-60-000 And Fleet’s Professional Services Account 001-13- 037-5420-00-70-00]
TO, UH, EXCUSE ME, ROMAN NUMERAL, UH, EIGHT, WHICH IS ON PAGE SIX.AND, AND THIS WOULD BE IN THE NON-CONSENT, UH, PORTION OF THE, UH, AGENDA.
AND WE HAVE PR NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 24 2 6 5.
IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH THE SO COLD GROUP, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR ON CALL PLANNING, GRANTS,
[01:40:01]
RESEARCH ENGINEERING AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN TRANSIT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 1 DASH 7 554 70 DASH 0 6 0.
AND THE FLEETS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT 0 0 1 DASH THREE DASH 0 3 7 DASH 54 20 DASH ZERO DASH SEVEN ZERO DASH 0 0 0 I A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR COUNCILMAN ETT.
SO MOTION I THE SECOND COUNCILMAN BECKHAM SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 2 6 5 AS PRESENT.
YOU READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DSET? YES.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE CALLING FOR ON-CALL CONTRACT AND I'M LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN WHICH YOU WANT TO GIVE THE SERVICES.
THEN WE GO BACK TO OUR PURCHASING MANUAL THAT WE JUST APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO.
IT TALKS ABOUT US GOING FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
IT TALKS ABOUT US GOING OUT FOR CONTRACTS, PURCHASES, AND ALL OF THIS.
OUR ORDINANCE SAYS THAT A PROCESS, THE STATE LAW SAYS THE PROCESS, AND THE FEDERAL LAW SAYS THE PROCESS.
SO IF WE WANTED, AND I'LL JUST TAKE ONE OF THESE, IF YOU NEEDED SOMEBODY TO DO A STUDY FOR YOU, WHY DON'T WE GO OUT FOR REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS? WELL, THIS CO THIS COVERS THAT.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT, WHICH COVERS SEVERAL AREAS FOR ME.
SO ONCA PLANNING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNDER THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
THIS IS CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THIS TYPE OF CONTRACT.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ORDINANCE, WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT FOR RFPS FOR THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DON'T HAVE ANY READY TO VOTE.
OPRO NUMBER 24 2 6 5 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24301 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Interlocal Forfeiture Agreement Between The Port Arthur Police Department And The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office Regarding The Disposition Of Forfeited Property And Contraband Under Chapter 59 Of The Texas Code Of Criminal Procedure]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS PRO NUMBER 24 3 0 1 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AND ENTER LOCAL FORFEITURE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REGARDING THE DISPOSITION OF FORFEITED PROPERTY AND CONTRABAND UNDER CHAPTER 59 OF THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN EVER? FIELD SECOND IS MOVED.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 0 1 AS PRESENTED.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? OH, YOU WOULD LIKE FOR SEAL? OKAY.
ANY OPPOSES AYES? SO PR NUMBER 24 3 0 1 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24321 – A Resolution Authorizing The Re-Certification Of Tender Loving Care Center For Children, (TLCCC) D/B/A Legacy Community Development Corporation (Legacy CDC) Of Port Arthur, Texas, As A Community Housing Development Organization, (CHDO) And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Written Agreement With Tender Loving Care Center For Children D/B/A Legacy Community Development Corporation For Land Acquisition, Site Clearance, New Construction, Purchase/Rehabilitate/Sale, Or Rent Three (3) Housing Units Throughout The City. The Amount For Said Activities In A Total Amount Not To Exceed $255,000.00 From The Federal Home Program, Account Number 108-13-033-5470-00-40- 000, Project Number HE2401 And Home Program Income, Account Number 108-13-033-5470-00-40-000, Project Number HE2305, Contingent Upon Approval Of Budget Amendment Via Adoption Of Proposed Ordinance 7337]
SEVEN OR ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PRR NUMBER 24 3 21.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RE-CERTIFICATION OF TENDER LOVING CARE CENTER FOR CHILDREN, BETTER KNOWN AS T-L-C-C-C-D-B-A, DOING BUSINESS AS LEGACY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, LEGACY CDC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AS A COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION OR A CHILDREN.
AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A WRITTEN AGREEMENT WITH TENDER LOVING CARE CENTER FOR CHILDREN DBA LEGACY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR LAND ACQUISITION SITE CLEARANCE, NEW CONSTRUCTION PURCHASE, REHABILITATE SALE OR RENT, EXCUSE ME, I DID SAY THAT CORRECTLY.
RENT THREE HOUSING UNITS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF FOR ARTHUR.
THE AMOUNT FOR SAID ACTIVITIES IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $255,000 FROM THE ACTIVITIES IN A TOTAL AMOUNT OF, EXCUSE ME, I DID DO IT RIGHT FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 255,000 FROM THE FEDERAL HOME PROGRAM.
EXCUSE ME, NOW I'M BACK IN ORDER.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 0 8 DASH ONE THREE DASH 0 33 DASH 54 70 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH FOUR ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
[01:45:01]
AND THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER HE 24 0 1 AND HOME PROGRAM INCOME ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 0 8 DASH 13 DASH THREE THREE DASH 5 4 7 0 4 0.PROJECT NUMBER HE 23 0 5 CONTINGENT UPON APPROVAL OF BUDGET AMENDMENT, UH, VIA ADOPTION OF PROPO, UH, PROPOSED ORDINANCE, UH, 73 37, MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAKING A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM.
OKAY, REMOVE TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 21 AS PRESENTED.
UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO IN THE FUTURE BRING, UH, THE, ON THE MANAGER OF THIS CORPORATION TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND DISCUSS SOME, SOME OTHER OPTION AND IMPACT OF HAVING CHO THOSE.
YOU SAID YOU WANT HER TO COME NOW? NO, NO, I'M GONNA DO IT THE FUTURE.
COUNCILWOMAN BECK, WELL SPENT, OKAY.
YES, I KNOW VIVIAN'S HERE AND, AND YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, IS THERE, UH, I SEE THAT PART OF THIS IS LAND ACQUISITION.
I'M JUST INTERESTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SITES SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL LA UH, LOTS THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN HERE IN DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL LOTS WHERE WE'RE EXPANDING OUR TARGET AREA.
SO WE'VE ASKED BEVERLY TO MAKE THIS SORT OF GENERIC SO THAT WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE PROPERTIES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROSPECTS FOR OTHER LOTS IN, IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN? YES.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED OR, OR CAN YOU DISCLOSE THAT AT THIS POINT? I UNDERSTAND IF YOU CAN'T.
WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ALL WITHIN, UH, THIS AREA OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, THROUGH LAKE SHORE TO THOMAS BOULEVARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COSMAN LEWIS? WELL, SINCE YOU UP HERE, I'LL JUST ASK JUST BRIEFLY, UH, I WOULD LIKE, UM, THIS IS GONNA TAKE A LOOK.
WHAT I'LL DO, I'LL PUT YOU ON THE AGENDA IN THE FUTURE FOR DISCUSSION AND GIVE YOU MORE TIME.
AND, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR, TO LOOK INTO THE IMPACT OF, IF YOU GOT THE IMPACT OF, OF, UH, VOUCHERS.
Y'ALL USE THE VOUCHER SYSTEM TO BUILD HOMES.
THE THING TO MAKE THE CITIZENS AWARE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE, LIKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY CAN USE VOUCHERS TO ACTUALLY BUILD HOMES AND EXTEND IT OVER A 30 YEAR PERIOD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A LOT TO HAVE AN O CHOTO IN, IN, IN OUR CITY.
SO THEY CANNOT FUND, SEE, THE CITY CANNOT GET THE FUNDING, BUT THE FUNDING, BECAUSE WE GOT CHOLO, THE FUNDING, WE CAN GET THESE FUNDED, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE, THE, UH, VOUCHERS PROGRAM OR, UM, IT'S ALL BY BUILDING HOUSING.
AND ANOTHER THING, CITY MANAGER, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED, WE NEED TO PUT THAT PROGRAM BACK IN PLACE AND WE GOT UNTIL, IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN THE, IN IN NOVEMBER, WE HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO PUT IT ON A BALLOT NO LATER THAN AUGUST TO, TO REINSTATE THAT UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDING IS GONNA RUN OUT ON THE CITY'S PROGRAM.
THESE, THESE THREE HOUSES, THAT PROGRAM IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
AND SO WE NEED OTHER AVENUES AND GENERATING REVENUE AND FOR THE TAX BASE INCREASING THE TAX BASE PUT IN PLACE.
THANK, THANK, THANK YOU MS. BLUE.
OKAY, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? SO PR NUMBER 20, I'M ONLY RIGHT ONE, RIGHT? YEAH.
24 3 21 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24345 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase One (1) 2025 Hogzilla Tub Grinder TC-1564P For The Public Works Landfill Division From CW Mill Equipment Co. Of Sabetha, Kansas, For The Not-To-Exceed Amount Of $1,052,000.00. Funds Are Available In The FY24-25 Capital Reserve Fund Account, Account Number 403-50-320-8522-00-00-000]
UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE PR NUMBER 24 3 4 5.IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE 1 20 25 HOGZILLA TUB GRINDER.
UH, TC, UH, 1564 P FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS AND LANDFILL DIVISION FROM CW MILL AND EQUIPMENT COMPANY OF, UH, SBE KANSAS OR SAHA, I THINK.
OKAY, THAT MIGHT BE THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF IT.
UH, FOR THE, UH, NATURALLY EXCEED AMOUNT OF $1,000,052 FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.
[01:50:01]
YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO READ, MAKE MY EYES WORK WITHOUT GLASSES.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN.
AND WE WOULD, UH, APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 4 5 AS PRESENTED WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND COUNCILMAN STATEMENT.
UM, BAY LEWIS, THIS IS NOT A WILD PIG.
I, OH NO, I PROMISED AND I DELIVERED.
ANY OPPOSES? WELL, I HAVING, SO PR NUMBER 24 3 45 IS APPROVED AS READ NOW
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 24353 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase Approximately 3.80 Acres Of Vacant Land, Consisting Of Two Tracts Located Adjacent To The City's Parks And Recreation Department At 1308 9th Avenue, From The Port Arthur Housing Authority, In The Total Amount Of $240,500.00; Funding For This Purchase Is Available In The Following: $215,000.00 From Parks And Recreation Account No. 001-25-065-8511-00-20-000 And $25,500.00 From Capital Improvement Account No. 307-25-065- 8511-00-20-000]
WE'LL GO TO PAGE EIGHT.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN ON PAGE EIGHT, THE PR NUMBER 24 3 5 3, IT IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE APPROXIMATELY 3.9 ACRES OF, UH, WELL, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, THAT THREE POINT, UH, EIGHT OR IT COULD BE ROUNDED OFF TO FOUR ACRES OF, OF, UH, OF VACANT LAND CONSISTING OF TWO TRACKS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE CITY'S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AT 1308 NINTH AVENUE FROM THE PORT ARTHUR HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $240,500.
FUNDING FOR THIS PURCHASE IS AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING 215,000 FROM PARKS AND RECREATION.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH TWO FIVE DASH 0 6 5 DASH 8 5 1 1 0 2 0 0 AND $25,500 FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 2 5 6 5 8 5 1 0 2 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF COUNCILMAN ETT? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? SECOND.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PER NUMBER TWO.
WE READY FOR QUESTIONS? GOT QUESTION.
ACCOUNT NUMBER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNT FOR PARK AND RECREATION THAT ACCOUNT HAD, UH, FOR THAT 216,000 FOR LAND ACQUI LAND ACQUISITION.
THEN WHEN I GO TO PARK AND RECREATION FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, FUND, IT SAYS 216,000 FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IF BOTH OF THESE DEALING WITH LAND ACQUISITION FOR PARK AND RECREATION, WHY DIDN'T WE HAVE JUST ONE ACCOUNT PUT 422 THOU 32,000 IN IT? THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN JUST THE ONE THAT WAS IN THERE.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS LIKE TWO DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND THAT'S WHY ONE CAME FROM THE GENERAL, THERE WAS A SALE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESTRICTED FOR, AND IN THE SALE SALE YOU USUALLY PUT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE PORTION THAT IS THE TRANSFERS FROM THE EDC TOWARDS THE PARKS AND REC RECREATION, THOSE GO INTO 3 0 7 FUNDS.
SO THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAD FOR ONE WAS THE MAXIMUM WAS 215 IS ALL I COULD PUT IN THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE REMAINDER IS FROM THE OTHER ONE.
WELL I UNDERSTOOD THAT MUCH, BUT I JUST UNDERSTOOD WHY WE GOT THE SAME AMOUNT FOR BOTH ACCOUNTS.
BOTH ACCOUNTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN JUST THE ONE ACCOUNT.
NO, I'M SAYING OKAY, IF I LOOK AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNT ON THE CAPITAL, THEY RIGHT HERE, THE 85 11 FUND, 85 11, IT, ONE OF 'EM IS 216,000.
WE, WE CAN MAKE THAT A, WE CAN MAKE THAT AMENDMENT THOUGH BECAUSE THE SALE OF THE CAFETERIA PARK HAS TO GO TOWARDS THE, THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AS WELL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE CAVA TERRA PARK THAT WE SOLD ON THE
[01:55:01]
WEST SIDE.IT HAS TO GO TOWARDS PURCHASE ANY PURCHASE OF PROPERTY THAT WE WERE DOING FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT.
SO WE, WE WE, UH, PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT? UH, IS WELL ON THE 2020 5TH OF APRIL LAST YEAR, COUNCILOR GIVE ME, UM, AUTHORITY TO GO OUT, GO AHEAD AND NEGOTIATE FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE, UM, WHY PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT OUT THERE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S RESTRICTED USE ON THAT, ON THAT LAND, RIGHT? YEAH, BUT WE COULD LOOK AT IT, WE COULD LOOK AT WHETHER WE NEED REZONING AND UM, WE, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
WHAT I'M SAYING, I I WAS GONNA CANCEL MM-HMM
PART OF THAT AGREEMENT IS THAT THAT PROPERTY WILL STAY PERPETUAL FOR OUR PROPERTY.
THAT, THAT THAT PROPERTY THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OWNED, IF THAT'S A PROPERTY YOU PURCHASED MM-HMM
I'M SAYING WHERE CAR TERRA WAS THAT PROPERTY IS SUPPOSED TO STAY? NO, NO, NO, IT'S NOT ON THE WEST SIDE.
THEN WHY YOU SAYING I'M, I'M SAYING WE SOLD THE CAVATER PARK, THE PARK ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND THAT MONEY HAD TO GO TOWARDS PAT THAT MONEY? YEAH.
WAS THAT IN THE BUT WAS THAT IN THAT GROUND? I'VE BEEN, THAT WAS OURS.
ALSO THAT HOUSING, 'CAUSE I HEARD YOU SAY HOUSING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE? SO, SO THAT'S INTENTIONAL.
IT IS 216,000 IN BOTH ACCOUNTS FOR LAND PURCHASE? YES.
IF IT WAS IN THERE THAT WAY, IF THAT'S THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET WAS, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN INTENTIONAL.
AND UM, WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THE OTHER ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT IS BEING OWNED BY THE DOMINICAN SISTERS IN THE CORNER THERE.
TO, FOR, TO PURCHASE THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN ONE COMMENT AND I'LL LET THAT ONE GO TOO.
WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT WE GOING TO BUY AND WHAT WE GOING TO PURCHASE.
UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES UP THAT COULD NOT FORESEE.
BUT IF WE GOING TO PURCHASE PROPERTY, IF WE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET, THAT MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE BUYING.
WE DON'T JUST PUT IT IN SA LAND.
SO IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST PUT IT THERE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS.
I'VE BEEN, YOU FINALLY GOT IT.
THE LAST COUPLE OF CITY MANAGERS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THAT PROPERTY TO DEVELOP THE Y EXPAND THE Y SO YOU FINALLY, BUT ALSO NURSERY WAS THERE AND THEY WANTED THREE, $400,000 AT THAT TIME.
BUT SEE, YOU GOT, YOU GOT A BETTER DEAL.
AND, AND YOU CAN ALSO DO THE, FOR THE OLYMPICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THE SENIOR OLYMPICS, YOU CAN BRING REVENUE HERE,
I FIGURED OUT WE'RE GONNA NEED AN A SENIOR OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS AT SOME TIME.
SO I'M PLANNING, DON'T FORGET ABOUT PICKLEBALL.
WELL, WE ON A QUESTION 30 MINUTES, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T ASK YOU THIS IN THE OFFICE, WILL WE BE ABLE TO, YOU'LL NOT FORGET ABOUT PICKLEBALL, GET THE PROPERTY WHERE THOSE APARTMENTS ARE OR DO WE ALREADY HAVE THAT PROPERTY? NO, FOR THIS DAY JOB APARTMENTS ARE GOING TO STAY THERE.
SO BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE, THOSE THAT ARE OWNED BY THE SISTERS, THE DOMINICAN SISTERS.
YEAH, I KNOW BY THAT AND TWO OTHER LITTLE PROPERTIES AT THE FRONT.
WHERE YOU HAVE THE UM, I THINK THEY HAVE A, A LITTLE, UM, HOW YOU CALL IT A LITTLE STORE? YEAH, YEAH.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? IF NOT, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
EVAN OF PER NUMBER 24, UH, 3 5 3 IS APPROVED AS
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 24354 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Agreement With T-Mobile For Government, Of Bellevue, Washington, For Annual GPS Software Services For City Equipment And Vehicles For Various Departments At A Projected Estimated Annual Amount Of $114,447.12]
RED.NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER EIGHT PR NUMBER 24 3 54.
IT IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH T-MOBILE FOR GOVERNMENT OF BELVIEW WASHINGTON FOR ANNUAL GPS SOFTWARE SERVICES FOR CITY EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
AND A PROJECTED ESTIMATED ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $114,447 AND 12 CENTS MIGHT GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN? NEVER FEEL, THANK YOU.
YOU CAN MOVE TO SECOND THEN WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24.
WE READY FOR QUESTION THERE? ANY QUESTIONS? YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
UH, UH, UH, UH, ANY OPPOSES MATTER? IS THIS GONNA BE MONITORED IN HOUSE OR YOU GOING PAY OR YOU GONNA CONTRACT AGAIN? IT'S GONNA BE MONITORED INHOUSE.
[02:00:01]
UM, YES.THAT WAY YOU, THAT WAY YOU GET SOMETHING DONE.
WE KNOW WHO IS WHERE THE FIRST TIME WE HAD PAID THE FUND $75,000 AND THEY COULDN'T EVEN FIND ANY OF YOUR VEHICLES.
ANY OPPOSES ON THAT? THEY AREN'T.
THAT THAT, UH, P UH, UH, RESOLUTION IS APPROVED AS 24 3 5 4.
[VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 24358 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Increase Funding In The Law Department's Budget By An Additional $100,000.00 To Fund The Professional Legal Services Of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, For Litigation Services In Kirk Thomas V. City Of Port Arthur, Texas, And Flozelle Roberts, Civil Action No. 1:23-CV-282 In The U.S. Eastern District Of Texas; And Authorize The Transfer Of Funds From The City Manager's Office Contingency Account No. 001-01-005-5470-00-10-000 To The Law Department's Professional Services Account No. 001-05-013-5420-00-10-000]
IS ITEM NUMBER NINE, PR NUMBER 24 3 5 8 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO INCREASE FUNDING IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S.BUDGET FOR AN ADDITIONAL $100,000 TO FUND THE PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES OF BICKERSTAFF HEAT.
UH, UH, DELGADO ACOSTA, LLP FOR, UH, LITIGATION SERVICES IN, UH, LET, YEAH, LITIGATION SERVICES IN, UH, KIRK THOMAS VERSUS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND F ROBERTS.
UH, CIVIL ACTION NUMBER ONE, UH, DASH TWO THREE DASH CB DASH 2 82 IN THE US DISTRICT, UH, OF, UH, EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS AND AUTHORIZED TRANSFER FUNDS FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH ZERO ONE DASH 0 0 5 DASH 5 4 7 0 0 0 0 TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH 0 5 1 3 DASH 5 4 2 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN D UH, ETT.
MAY I GET A SECOND COUNCILMAN? UH, BECKHAM.
IT'S BEEN, UH, APPROVED OF MOTION AND A SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 5 8.
ANY QUESTION? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO PR NUMBER 24 3 5 8 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 24364 – A Resolution Expressing The Non-Support Of The City Of Port Arthur City Council Regarding The Proposed Closing Of The Jefferson County Tax Office Location In Port Arthur; Requesting Immediate Reconsideration And Reversal Thereof (Requested By Mayor Bartie)]
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 10, PR NUMBER 24 3 6 4 IS A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE NON-SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE PROPOSED CLOSING OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, TAX, UH, OFFICE LOCATION IN PORT ARTHUR IS REQUESTING IMMEDIATE RECONSIDERATION AND REVERSAL THEREOF.THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY YOURS TRULY.
MAYOR BARTY MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN BECKHAM? SECOND.
AND WE WOULD APPROVE PR NUMBER 24 3 6 4 AS PRESENTED, WE ARE READY FOR A QUESTION.
I'VE BEEN ASKED BY OUR TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR KATE CARROLL TO MAKE SOME STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS.
UM, I WAS INFORMED ABOUT THIS WHEN I RECEIVED MY AGENDA NOTEBOOK LATE LAST WEEK, AND, UH, CONTACTED HER OFFICE, UH, ALONG WITH OUR COUNTY JUDGE JEFF BRANNICK, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS WAS ON OUR AGENDA AND THIS WAS THE FIRST THAT THEY HAD BEEN, UH, NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS.
UH, KATE CARROLL IS AT A CONFERENCE IN GALVESTON AND SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO SHE ASKED ME TO, UH, MAKE SOME STATEMENTS AND SOME EXPLANATIONS ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPERATIVE FOR HER OFFICE.
SHE HAS EXPERIENCED COUNTYWIDE SOME ATTRITION IN HER OFFICE.
THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE RETIRED, THERE HAVE BEEN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE.
THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE LEFT AND TAKEN OTHER JOBS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND OTHER HIGHER PAYING JOBS IN OTHER LOCATIONS.
UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE MANPOWER TO STAFF HER OFFICES FULLY.
THERE ARE THREE OFFICES IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S THE MAIN ONE AT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
THERE'S THE SATELLITE OFFICE AT, UH, NEAR THE, NEAR THE AIRPORT.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S OF COURSE THE OFFICE HERE AT CITY HALL.
UH, THE OFFICE, OR I'M SORRY, AT THE SUB COURTHOUSE.
UH, SHE HAS MADE THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE OFFICE AT THE SUB COURTHOUSE TEMPORARILY.
SHE COULD REOPEN THE OFFICE SOONER THAN 90 DAYS.
THE PROBLEM SHE IS HAVING IS SHE'S GOT NEW EMPLOYEES THAT SHE HAS TO BRING IN AND TRAIN TO BE ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO FULFILL THEIR ROLES AS EMPLOYEES OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX OFFICE.
THESE ARE NOT ROLES THAT PEOPLE CAN GO INTO.
UH, IT'S NOT LIKE A ANSWERING THE PHONE KIND OF THING OR A SECRETARIAL JOB.
THEY ARE INTERFACING WITH COMPUTER SYSTEMS FROM OTHER AGENCIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO THEY HAVE TO BE ADEQUATELY TRAINED AND IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT 90 DAYS TO TRAIN A BRAND NEW EMPLOYEE.
NOT SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE TAX OFFICE, WHO'S MOVING TO ANOTHER POSITION, BUT SOMEONE WHO'S COMING IN FRESH TO BE ABLE TO BE FULLY TRAINED TO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE JOBS.
[02:05:01]
HAVE THE MANPOWER TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER TO HAVE THOSE OFFICES FULLY STAFFED, SHE'S MADE THE DECISION TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE THE OFFICE OF THE SUB COURTHOUSE.UM, SHE HAS ALSO GIVEN ME SOME INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE, MOST OF WHICH ARE ONLINE.
IF PEOPLE NEED TO PAY THEIR QUARTERLY TAXES, WHICH ARE DUE JULY 31ST, THEY CAN DO THAT ONLINE OR THEY CAN MAIL IT IN.
UH, THE ONLY SERVICE THAT THEY CANNOT DO IN PERSON OR, OR THAT THEY MUST DO IN PERSON IS A TITLE TRANSFER TO ANY TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE.
EVERYTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE ONLINE.
IF THEY NEED STICKERS FOR THEIR AUTOMOBILES, THAT CAN BE DONE AT HEB.
THAT CAN BE DONE AT KROGER OR IT COULD BE DONE AT THE OTHER OFFICES FOR THE TAX ASSESSORS, UH, OFFICE AT, UH, THE MID-COUNTY LOCATION AND AT THE BEAUMONT COURTHOUSE.
SO SHE WANTED ME TO ASSURE EVERYONE ON HER BEHALF THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY CLOSURE.
IT WILL REOPEN BY AUGUST 25TH AT THE LATEST.
SHE HOPES TO BE ABLE TO OPEN IT SOONER IF SHE CAN.
AND AGAIN, THIS HAS TO DO WITH MANPOWER ISSUES AND, UH, APPROPRIATE AND PROPER TRAINING FOR THE NEW EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COMING IN SO THAT SHE CAN BE FULLY STAFFED AND REOPEN THAT OFFICE AGAIN.
I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT YOUR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD REGARDING THE TIME SCHEDULE THAT THE OFFICES IN THE SUBCOUNTY COURTHOUSE ARE OPEN.
NOT JUST THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, BUT THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SEVERAL PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO AND HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS DURING THE LUNCH HOUR AND THE OFFICES ARE CLOSED.
THE TAX ASSESSOR, MS. CARROLL HAS HEARD THAT, UM, THAT CONCERN AND IS WELL AWARE AND WHEN THE OFFICE IS REOPENED, HOPES TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
ANOTHER ISSUE IS PEOPLE GET OFF WORK.
MOST PEOPLE GET OFF WORK AT FIVE O'CLOCK, THE OFFICE CLOSES AT FOUR 30.
SO IT DOES NOT GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO BECOME, TO HANDLE, HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS HERE IN SOUTH COUNTY.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD.
AND I ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MS. CARROLL AND SHE DID ASSURE ME THAT THE OFFICE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED.
THE KEY WORD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED.
THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION OVER THE, THE YEARS AND UM, IT WAS A VERY CANDID CONVERSATION.
THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION OVER THE YEARS BEFORE SHE EVEN TOOK OFFICE ABOUT WANTING THIS.
UM, THE OFFICE IS IN THE SUB-COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO BE CLOSED.
THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.
WE ARE NOT DOING A A CASE, WE'RE NOT A PART OF A CASE STUDY TO KNOW HOW MANY RESIDENTS WILL GO TO A DIFFERENT OFFICE OVER THIS NEXT 90 DAY PERIOD.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO BE REASSURED THAT THE COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS HAVE BEEN SHARED.
THEY HAVE BEEN HEARD AND ARE ATTEMPTED TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO GOD WILLING, THE OFFICE WILL NOT BE CLOSED FOR A FULL 90 DAY PERIOD, BUT IN, IN THE EVENT IT IS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO IMPROVEMENTS FOR SERVICE AND HOPEFULLY THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, UM, HOURS WILL BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
I READ THE COMMENTS THAT WERE COUNCILWOMAN BECK AND READ AND THEY WERE MADE BY THE TAX ASSESSOR.
I TOO HEARD THE COMMENTS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THIS LETTER THAT THE MAYOR'S REQUESTING HERE IS WHAT THE CITIZENS IN THE PORT ARTHUR WANTS TO KNOW AND WANTS TO HAPPEN.
JUST LIKE I UNDERSTAND BEING A ELECTED OFFICIAL, SOMETIMES WE MAKE DECISIONS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T AGREE WITH, BUT THAT'S WHAT BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IS ABOUT, MAKING HARD DECISIONS AND STANDING BY 'EM.
SO WHEN I READ HER COMMENTS ON WHY THIS OFFER WAS CLOSED, I TOOK THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
BUT I'M ASKING MYSELF, YOU MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT HOW MANY STATIONS YOU HAVE AT MID COUNTY AND YOU ONLY HAVE THESE IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO YOU'RE GONNA TRAIN SOME PEOPLE UP AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO GET TRAINED UP.
THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT MORE PEOPLE OVER, THEN WE'RE GOING TO REOPEN.
OKAY? SO MEANWHILE, ALL OF YOU ALL HERE, Y'ALL COME HERE.
WELL, THAT'S HER JOB TO MANAGE PEOPLE.
SHE COULD TAKE SOMEBODY FROM MID-COUNTY AND PUT IN THIS SUB COURTHOUSE UNTIL SHE GET PEOPLE AND
[02:10:02]
THEN THOSE LINES MAY BE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH.WHO GOES TO THAT ONE? OUR LINES MAY BE A LITTLE LONGER HERE THAN NORMALLY, HOWEVER IT WILL BE OPEN.
BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS ONLINE IS NOT CONVENIENT TO A LOT OF CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY ELDERS WHO DON'T EVEN MESS WITH A COMPUTER.
SO THE THINGS THAT I'M HERE ARE GOOD, BUT I STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE COULDN'T MOVE PEOPLE AROUND.
TEMPORARILY IS NOT A PERMANENT THING.
BUT WHEN YOU JUST SAY IT IS TEMPORARY CLOSED HERE, BUT I GOT ENOUGH PEOPLE OVER HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU ALL, WHY DON'T YOU MOVE SOMEONE OVER THERE, OVER HERE AND LET IT EVERYBODY FILL THE GRUNT OF MAYBE LONG LINES.
SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST THAT OUR FEELINGS BE SENT TO THE TAX ASSESSOR AND LET HER UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNCIL, WE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT IN LINE WITH THE CLOSING THIS AND EVEN TEMPORARILY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN MOVE PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU TELL ME YOU GOT SO MANY HERE THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THE PEOPLE THAT'S COMING FROM HERE TO THERE NOW TAKE SOME OF THEM AND PUT DOWN HERE.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY'S TAX ASSESSOR HAS HER WAY AND THAT'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT.
BUT OUR COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS ONE IS GONNA BE CLOSED TEMPORARILY.
I DIDN'T SEE A SUFFICIENT ENOUGH REASON TO GO WITH IT.
SO I SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S REQUEST AND THE LETTER BE SENT.
WE GOT TEMP TEMP, TEMP TEMP SERVICES.
THAT'S UP TO SPEED ON THESE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO AND FIND THEM.
HIRE THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAS THE TRAINING TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.
THEY HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE PRECINCT EIGHT, THE THE J'S OFFICE AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
OKAY? AND THEY HAVE TO, TO GET CONTROL OF IT.
THEY ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE LINES IN THE NEEDLE.
IT WAS CAUGHT AND THEY HAD TO PUT FROM BACK.
SO TO UNDERMINE TO ACTUALLY THINK THAT I'M GOING TO SIT HERE AFTER ALL THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THERE ARE SUBTLE WAYS OF DOING THINGS.
THE THE LONG RANGE, UH, IS TO CLOSE THE DOOR IN OFFICE.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE LONG RANGE PLAN.
THEY TRIED TO CLOSE PRECINCT EIGHT.
I WENT OVER THERE AND ALONG WITH THE OTHER CITIZEN AND TO SPEAK AGAINST IT.
IT'S, IT'S STILL THERE, BUT I'M NOT BUYING THAT.
YOU CAN'T TRANSPORT PEOPLE LIKE COUNCILMAN DE SAID AND FILL THESE VACANCIES.
YOU GOT A LOT OF TEMP SERVICES.
THEY'RE UP TO SPEED ON SO SOPHISTICATED THEY CAN GET THIS JOB DONE.
AND, AND THIS THING ABOUT, I I ATTENDED THE MEETING OVER AT, UH, PASTOR WASHINGTON'S CHURCH FOR THE COMMUNITY MEETING.
I HEARD THAT IT IS HER DECISION, HER HER DECISION TO MAKE, TO MAKE THESE CHANGES.
THAT IS MY, MY WHAT I'M, I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT HER DECISION.
SHE CAN REQUEST IT OR SUBMIT IT OR REQUEST IT IS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S BOARD DECISION.
THAT'S WHO, THAT'S WHO, UH, HANDLES HER BUDGET.
EVERYBODY'S BUDGET GOAL IS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
THEY CAN'T, THEY GONNA SIT THERE AND ALLOW THIS AND TRY TO UNDERMINE SOUTH COUNTY.
I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA TOLERATE IT.
YOU ASKED SOMEBODY ELSE COME FROM
UM, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF OUR OFFICE BEING CLOSED.
HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND OPERATIONS.
I DO UNDERSTAND BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND I HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
HOWEVER, I DID FORGET TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.
I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED.
I WAS INFORMED THAT THE POSITIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILLED AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN TRAINING.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY POSTINGS AND FLYERS UP ON THE, ON THE DOORS NOW THAT ACTUALLY SAY, UM, THAT STAFF IS CURRENTLY IN TRAINING.
SO, UM, I JUST WANT THE FACTS TO BE OUT.
[02:15:01]
WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED PREVIOUSLY.UM, ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT I ALSO WANT US TO KNOW ALL OF THE FACTS FROM THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL.
COUNCILMAN BECKHAM, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? THANKS.
AND JUST TO ADD TO WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN EVER FIELDS SAID, UH, IT, SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO, TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND BECAUSE SHE HAS LOST PEOPLE COUNTYWIDE.
SHE DOESN'T, SHE CAN'T TAKE PEOPLE FROM THE BEAUMONT COURTHOUSE AND PUT THEM IN THE COUNTY AND THEN TAKE THE COUNTY PEOPLE AND PUT THEM DOWN HERE.
SHE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER.
IT'S NOT THAT SHE'S LOST PEOPLE ONLY AT THE SUB COURTHOUSE LOCATION.
SO, UH, AND, AND I AGREE COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SOLUTION, BUT SHE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO DO THAT.
OKAY? UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE, YOUR LIGHT CAME BACK.
YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THESE THINGS AHEAD OF TIME PRIOR TO GETTING ELECTED TO THE OFFICE.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND YOU, THERE ARE TRAINED PEOPLE.
YOU CAN PUT TEMPORARY SERVICE CITY.
GOT TEMP TEMP POOL POOLS THAT FILLS THE FILLS, THE VACANCY AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
THEY GOT PEOPLE THAT'S ALREADY TRAINED THAT CAN STEP IN THERE AND, AND, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE JOB.
OKAY? WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE WHEN SHE TOOK THE OFFICE, SHE SHOULD HAVE CROSS TRAINED THE PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU DO.
IF YOU, IF YOU SEE HER SHOULDER, YOU CROSS, YOU START CROSS TRAIN TRAINING FOLKS, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.
SO I'M NOT BUYING THIS, THIS TEMPORARY CLOSURE AND IT IS A LONG RANGE PLAN TO CLOSE IT.
UH, AND I JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS, I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON IT.
I DID REQUEST THIS, UH, BASICALLY AFTER, UH, HAVING BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE OF WHAT, UH, WAS PROPOSED OR WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED, BEING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AND, UH, KNOWING THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT THIS COURTHOUSE PLAYS ON OUR EXISTENCE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND ALSO KNOWING HOW THE TAX OFFICE OPERATES.
NOT ALL OF THE INTRICACIES, BUT FROM OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IT IS A VIABLE OPERATION THAT MANY CITIZENS TAKE, UH, ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED THERE.
NOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE POPULATIONS OF THIS COUNTY, UH, PORT ARTHUR IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY, BASICALLY REALLY BETWEEN HOUSTON AND LAKE CHARLES.
BEAUMONT IS THE LARGEST CITY THEN IT'S PORT ARTHUR.
NOW, IF YOU TAKE A CITY THAT HAS ABOUT 57,000 INDIVIDUALS AND A FACILITY THAT SERVES THAT PARTICULAR CITY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE SUB COUNTY COURTHOUSE, AND YOU PUT ANOTHER SUBSTATION IN AN AREA THAT'S CALLED MID COUNTY THAT SERVES ROUGHLY 15 TO 17,000 PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK THAT THOSE STATISTICAL NUMBERS WOULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT CLOSURE OF THE PORT AUTHOR OFFICE.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT, UH, BOTH OF OUR YOUNG LADIES HERE HAVE SAID, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT MS. CARROLL IS NOT JUST GIVING ME A SMOKE SCREEN FOR CLOSURE.
UH, I BELIEVE BEING MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR THAT I SUPPORT AT THIS TIME, THE SENTIMENTS OF THE CITIZENRY IN THIS METROPOLIS THAT ACTUALLY SERVES AS A HOME FOR 57,000 PLUS INDIVIDUALS WHO UTILIZE THE SUB-COUNTY COURTHOUSE AT TIMES WHEN THEY NEED THOSE SERVICES.
NOW, WHEN YOU ALSO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I HAVE HEARD, AND I DID SEE THAT MAYBE ROUGHLY 9% OF THE AGGREGATE NUMBER OF THE PERCENTAGE OF WORK THAT COMES THROUGH THE TAX OFFICE, ONLY 9% ACTUALLY OCCURS IN PORT ARTHUR.
WELL, THAT NUMBER WILL DECREASE, HAS DECREASED, WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE WHEN YOU REMOVE SERVICES FROM THAT OFFICE WHEN THEY REMOVED CERTAIN SERVICES FROM THE OFFICE IN PORT ARTHUR MOVED THOSE SERVICES TO MID COUNTY.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS AGAIN AND YOU SEE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER NUMBER OF USAGE IN MID-COUNTY BECAUSE YOU'VE MOVED OR DISPLACED WHERE THOSE SERVICES ARE ACTUALLY BEING PROVIDED AND EXTENDED.
[02:20:01]
ALL OF THIS ACTUALLY SUPPORTS CLOSING THE PORT ARTHUR OFFICE, EVEN UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S DONE TEMPORARILY.NOW, ON AUGUST 25TH, YOU WILL HEAR A DIFFERENT STORY.
I WOULD HOPE THAT STORY WOULD BE THAT THE PLACE IS GOING TO BE OPEN.
THAT IS WHY I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD DO THIS TODAY AND NOT WAIT TILL AUGUST WHEN YOU THEN WOULD WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT WE ARE AGAINST THE CLOSURE.
BECAUSE YOU SEE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, UH, A DIABETIC PERSON HAVING, IT'S HIS OR HER LIMBS REMOVED.
THE DOCTOR WILL TAKE A TOLL, THEN HE TAKES THE FOOT, THEN HE COMES BACK AND HE GETS THE ENTIRE LEG, AND EVENTUALLY THAT PERSON IS DECEASED.
YOU CLOSE THAT ONE OFFICE THERE AND WE DO NOTHING AND SAY NOTHING.
YOU WILL LOOK AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
THEY WILL COME BACK AND REMOVE ANOTHER OFFICE IN THERE AND MOVE IT TO MID COUNTY.
WE'RE GONNA STILL HAVE THE LARGER POPULATION.
I WANT MS. CARROLL TO BE TELLING THE TRUTH.
I PRAY, GOD, AS I LISTEN TO MY COLLEAGUES, GIVE INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF WHAT SHE'S DOING, I SAT HERE PRAYING TO GOD THAT WHAT SHE HAS TOLD THEM IS THE TRUTH.
BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN 70 PLUS YEARS LIVING IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, MORE PARTICULARLY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THINGS ARE DONE AS A SMOKE SCREAM BECAUSE THEY OCCURRED IN A SMOKE FIELD ROOM.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO I WOULD ASK MY MEMBERS HERE TO SUPPORT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, WHO ARE VEHEMENTLY AGAINST THE CLOSURE OF THIS OFFICE TO ASK THAT RECONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE GIVEN BY MS. CARROLL, AND SHE WOULD REVERSE WHAT SHE HAS DECIDED OF CLOSURE, BECAUSE I THINK THE OFFICE ACTUALLY CLOSED MONDAY, BUT I BELIEVE A REVERSAL TO THAT SHOULD BE DONE EXPEDITIOUSLY.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M READY TO TAKE A VOTE.
JUST BRIEFLY, WHEN YOU MOVE PEOPLE AROUND, IT CHANGES THOSE AREAS.
NOW YOU REMEMBER THERE WAS PIECES AND PORTIONS OF LAND WHERE THAT PLACE IS LOCATED AT, OKAY? AND WE HAD A PARTIAL, WE, WE RELEASED IT.
UH, BEAUMONT HAD A PORTION, POOR NATION HAD A, THAT'S THE STRIP THEY TRYING TO DEVELOP.
SO INCREASING THE TR SHUTTING DOWN OFFICE HERE WILL SHIFT THE PATH THE TRAFFIC LIKE THEY'VE DONE WHEN THEY CLOSED ALL THESE OFFICES BACK HERE AND MOVED THEM INTO NEWTOWN.
IT ENHANCES REAL ESTATE OUT THERE, ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT WHO SUFFER, WHO HAVE TO PAY THE, HAVE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON TRAVEL? WHO HAS TO GO BUY A COMPUTER TO ENTER, TO ACCESS THE SYSTEM OR WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO PAY SOMEBODY TO TAKE 'EM? THERE IT, I THIS IS NOTHING NEW.
IT'S OLD AND, AND IT DOESN'T WORK IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
RIGHT? AND YOU HOLD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACCOUNTABLE, NOT THE PERSON THAT THAT'S GOING TO, SHE DON'T MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
YOU HOLD THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
EVERYBODY THAT YOU VOTE ON, YOU HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE.
SO IN THIS, WE ARE READY TO VOTE ON THIS ADAM, THIS ADAM, UH, PR NUMBER 24 3 6 4.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SINGLE VOICE.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7330 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Amending Chapter 62, Sections 62-108 And 62-109 Of The Code Of Ordinances Prohibiting A Registered Sex Offender From Residency Within 1,000 Feet Of Any School And/Or Park]
NOW WE WILL GO TO PAGE NINE, UH, PO NUMBER 7 3 3 0.AND IT IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 62, SECTION 62 DASH 1 0 8, AND, UH, SECTION 62 DASH 1 0 9 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES PROHIBITING A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER FROM RESIDENCY WITHIN 1000 FEET OF ANY SCHOOL AND OR PARK.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN? UH, ETT.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, UH, COUNCILMAN EVER FIELD SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 73 30.
WE READY FOR QUESTION? YOU HAVE A, UH, REMARK? COUNCILMAN EVER? UH, BECKHAM? YEAH, I JUST, I I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
UM, SO I SEE THAT WE'RE ADDING A DEFINITION OF SCHOOL AND I GET THAT, BUT I'M CONCERNED AS TO
[02:25:01]
WHY, WHY WE ARE REMOVING SOME SCHOOLS AND THEN THEY'RE NOT PUT BACK ON THE LIST.I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING AWAY, UH, OUR HIGH SCHOOL DOWN IN SABINE PASS, THE PORT ARTHUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, AND THEN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO WHY ARE THEY NOT, AM I MISSING SOMETHING? WHY ARE, ARE THEY NOT ON THIS LIST? CITY ATTORNEY, SOMEONE FROM STAFF OR, OR CITY, CITY ATTORNEY? I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN ANSWER IT.
I WAS PROVIDED A LIST BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON WHAT SHOULD BE REMOVED AND WHAT SHOULD BE ADDED.
WELL, WHY SHOULD OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS BE REMOVED FROM THIS? THAT'S WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THE APPROPRIATE QUESTION WOULD BE TO THE POLICE CHIEF.
IS HE STILL HERE? WELL, YEAH, THAT'S CHIEF.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW ORDINANCE, ABOUT THE SEX OFFENDERS NEAR THE SCHOOLS, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE REMOVED THAT ARE NO LONGER ON THE LIST.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING SABINE HIGH SCHOOL, PORT ARTHUR ALTERNATIVE.
AND THEN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE, TACO ACADEMY, BOB HOPE SCHOOLS, ST.
CATHERINE'S UNITED, CHRISTIAN RIDGEWOOD CHURCH SCHOOL.
WHY ARE THEY NO LONGER ON THE LIST? COULD BE AN OVERSIGHT.
I GUESS I NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE, YEAH, THEY SHOULD BE
WE'RE, UM, I MEAN I, I WENT THROUGH LOOKING AT THIS AND WELL, LIKE STEVEN JACKSON ACADEMY, IT'S WHEATLEY HEADSTART.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS LIST AGAIN BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME SCHOOLS REMOVED THAT REALLY DO NEED TO BE BACK ON THIS LIST.
UM, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, AND THIS THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, SOME OF THE SCHOOLS ARE NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE THOUGH.
WELL, I THINK KOA ACADEMY, BOB HOPE SCHOOL, HUON SCHOOL, ST.
CATHERINE SCHOOL, RIDGEWOOD SCHOOL, THOSE ARE ALL STILL IN EXISTENCE AND THEY'VE BEEN CROSSED OFF.
SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT ON THE LIST ANYMORE.
SO I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO, YEAH, WE NEED TO TABLE THIS UNTIL WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT CHIEF, WE'VE GOT ALL THE SCHOOLS ON THE LIST THAT NEED TO BE ON IT.
WHEN IT WAS SUBMITTED, I CALLED AND ASKED YOU, AM I SUPPOSED TO REMOVE THE ONES THAT WERE STRICKEN OUT? AND YOU SAID YES AND REPLACE WITH A NEW LIST AND YOU SAID YES.
SO THAT'S, I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW THE SCHOOLS MYSELF.
I TRUSTED THE INFORMATION PROVIDED.
WELL, ON THIS CHIEF, UH, AND, UH, COUNCIL BECKHAM, WE DIDN'T, UH, LEMME GET WELL, I, I'M, I'M NOT DONE BECAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, THERE'S A NEW PROVISION LETTER C THAT IT APPLIES TO ANY LOCATION DESIGNATED AS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SPACE, INCLUDING AREAS WITH PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WHERE CHILDREN COMMONLY GATHER AND ENGAGE IN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS BROAD ENOUGH TO INCLUDE THE LITTLE RECREATIONAL AREA AT CENTRAL MALL, INSIDE THE MALL.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS ANY FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE THE INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL IN LIKE NEDERLAND GROVES, BUT I WANNA BE SURE THAT THAT LANGUAGE IS BROAD ENOUGH TO ENCOMPASS ANY OF THOSE OTHER PLACES.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN YOUR, UH, LEGAL OPINION, BUT IT DOES SAY PUBLIC AND OR PRIVATE SPACE, INCLUDING AREAS WITH PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
DO YOU THINK IT NEEDS TO BE BROADER? WELL, THE AREA IN CENTRAL MALL ISN'T WHAT I WOULD CATEGORIZE AS TRADITIONAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT BECAUSE IT'S ALL, I MEAN, IT'S ALL ON THE GROUND AND IT'S LIKE LITTLE THINGS THEY CAN CLIMB ON AND STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
UM, BUT MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN CROSSED OUT THAT REALLY DO STILL NEED TO BE ON THE LIST.
AND WE'LL CHECK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ONCE AGAIN.
OKAY, WELL WE CAN, UH, I, I'M, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS AND OKAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET TO.
YEAH, WE GOING, WE, I GOT A MOTION.
I MAKE THE STATEMENT BEFORE YOU TABLE IT.
I HAVE A COMMENT TOO, TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT.
UM, WE PUT THAT TOGETHER AS A TEAM, THE, THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I GUESS WE'RE GOING DOWN AS A TEAM, BUT WE DIDN'T STRIKE THAT OUT.
THAT WAS TRICK BY SOMEONE ELSE.
WELL, THERE'S A RED LINE VERSION, BUT WE'RE A TEAM.
SO WHEN WE GO DOWN, WE ALL GO DOWN.
WHO DID WE, I MEAN, I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LIST.
I, I'LL JUST, OKAY, WELL LOOK, TELL YOU WHAT, LET, LET'S, LET'S
[02:30:01]
DO THIS.AND YOU ALL TAKE IT UP IN JULY.
MAY WE STILL HAVE SOME MORE COMMENTS YOU COULD HAVE.
I, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM BEFORE WE TABLE CAN, UH, PLEASE MAKE THE COMMENT, PARDON ME BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE, MAY I PLEASE HAVE MY COMMENT? OH, GO RIGHT IN.
SO, SO THERE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE BOTH DEPARTMENTS AWARE THAT THERE REALLY ARE TWO SEPARATE LISTS.
THE ONE ONLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS TO CO ELISTED, BUT THE RED LINE, UM, ONE DOESN'T.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE BOTH DEPARTMENTS ARE LOOKING AT THE SAME DOCUMENT.
AND THEN I ALSO MENTIONED, UM, NOTICED SOME OF THE, THE WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I'M, I'M, I WANNA KNOW WHAT, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.
I I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO THAT'S ONLINE, THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS? YES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT ONLINE THE BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OF THOSE LISTED, BUT THE ONES THAT WERE PRINTED IN THE BOOKLET ACTUALLY ARE REDLINED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THERE REALLY ARE TWO SEPARATE LISTS THAT WE'RE WORKING FROM.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM AND THE NEXT TIME WE GET IT BACK THAT BOTH DEPARTMENTS GET TOGETHER AND ENSURE THAT THE LIST IS CORRECT AND ACCURATE.
SECOND, UH, SECOND IS MOVE SECOND TO TABLE THIS ACTION.
UH, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OF TABLING? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? OKAY, THAT ITEM IS TABLED AND HERE FURTHER NOTICE.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7337 – 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 (001) By $41,102.00 And Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund (140) By $642,754.00, CDBG Grant Fund (105) By $1,030,589.00 And Home Grant Fund (108) By $555,103.00]
WE HAVE UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO ON UH, PAGE NINE, WHICH IS A PO SEVEN, UH, 73 37 AND APPROPRIATION ON ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.INCREASING GENERAL FUNDS 0 0 1 BY $41,102 AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND ONE 40 BY $642,754 CDB UH, G GRANT FUND 1 0 5 BY $1,030,589 AND HOME GRANT FUND 1 0 8 BY $555,103.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? SO MOVED.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN LEWIS? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND AND WE WOULD APPROVE THE, UH, ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUDGET PO NUMBER 73 37.
WE READY FOR QUESTION UNDER QUESTION? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
HAVE IT SO IT IS APPROVED AND AT THIS JUNCTURE, UH, ON MY DOCUMENT HERE, WE HAVE NO OTHER PRINTED AGENDA ITEMS, ATTORNEY, AM I CORRECT? OKAY.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS NOW DECLARE THIS BODY DULY, UH, ADJOIN AND WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT MEETING ON JI SHOULD SAY JANUARY, JUNE 17TH AT UH, 9:30 AM OKAY? THANK YOU ALSO KINDLY.