Aug 07, 2025 Special City Council

WE HAVE NUMBER ONE, I PROPOSED RESOLUTION 2 4 4 2 7.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM TWO.

OUR ITEMS, UM, REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION.

IT'S GONNA BE RESOLUTIONS, AND

[II.A.(1) P.R. No. 24427 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager And City Attorney To Purchase A 0.0217 Acre (944 SF ROW) Portion Of Land Located At The Intersection Of Proctor Street And 9th Avenue In The Amount Of $11,500.00 For The Traffic Signal Installation Project By TXDOT. Funds Are Available In The Capital Project Account No. 307- 21-049-8511-00-10-000. Project No. CE0008]

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PURCHASE A 0 2 1 7 ACRE 944 SQUARE FEET ROW PORTION OF LAND LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF PROCTOR STREET AND NINTH AVENUE, AND THE AMOUNT OF $11,500 FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL IN INSTALLATION PROJECT BY T DOT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT.

ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 21 4 9 8 5 1 0 0 0.

PROJECT NUMBER CE 0 0 0 8.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.

JACK, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK, UM, ANYONE SPEAK TO THIS? I THINK PASTOR NICHOLS ASKED IF HE COULD SPEAK BRIEFLY.

I, UH, GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL.

UH, I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS CONCERNING FOR A PASTOR TO GET BEHIND A MICROPHONE.

I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.

UH, MAYOR AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I WANNA JUST THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY AND STAND HERE.

NOT ONLY AS A PASTOR, BUT A REPRESENTATIVE OF A CHURCH THAT DEEPLY LOVES THIS CITY, UH, AND HAS INVESTED IN ITS FUTURE.

UH, MY WIFE AND I COME, UH, 18 YEARS AGO, PURCHASED, UH, THE PROPERTY THERE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY.

UM, IT WAS A BLACK EYE IN A SORE SPOT IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THAT SIDE OF TOWN, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND NOW, 18 YEARS LATER, UH, A MILLION PLUS DOLLARS INVESTED.

IT IS, UH, A ABSOLUTE BEAUTIFUL PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, WE LIVE IN A TIME

[00:05:01]

WHERE CITIES ARE FACING MOUNTING PRESSURE.

FAMILIES ARE STRETCHED THIN.

CHILDREN LACK DIRECTION.

MANY ARE STRETCHED FOR, UH, STRETCHING FOR HOPE IN A PLACE THAT IS FULL OF NOISE AND CONFUSION.

IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS, WE MUST ASK, WHAT ROLE, UH, CAN THE CHURCH PLAY IN BEING, UH, PART OF A CITY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE, BUT YET POWERFUL.

A CHURCH IS NOT JUST A BUILDING THAT ON SUNDAY MORNINGS, UH, WE GATHER IT'S NOT, UH, JUST SIMPLY A LIFESTYLE.

IT IS, UH, BREAKING PORTIONS OF COMMUNITIES AND BRINGING LIFE BACK TO 'EM.

IT'S A PLACE OF HEALING.

IT'S A PLACE OF REFUGE.

IT'S A PLACE OF RESTORATION.

IT'S A PLACE OF EMPOWERMENT.

EVERY DAY IS NOT JUST SIMPLY, UH, A SUNDAY MORNING CHURCH SERVICE, BUT IT IS THAT CONSTANT QUIET FAITHFULNESS TO BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES WHEN A SINGLE MOTHER HAS NOWHERE TO CALL.

THE CHURCH SHOWS UP WHEN YOUNG MEN ARE TEMPTED BY THE STREETS, THE CHURCH STEPS IN AND A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AND SETS THEM IN THEIR PURPOSE.

WHEN MARRIAGES ARE FELL, FALL APART, WE PROVIDE COUNSELING AND SUPPORT A HOPE AND HEALING.

IF YOU UNDERSTAND MY TWO MINUTE SERMON TODAY, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE VALUE OF A CHURCH AND A COMMUNITY.

WHEN THE CITY GRIEVES RATHER IT BE THROUGH LOSS, VIOLENCE, OR DISASTER, THE CHURCH IS OFTEN THE FIRST TO RESPOND WITH COMFORT AND COMPASSION.

IN FACT, AFTER HARVEY BREATH OF LIFE MINISTRIES WAS THE VERY FIRST, UH, UH, PLACE OF REFUGE.

WE OFFERED HOUSING, FOOD.

WE SERVED 67,000 HOT MEALS OUT OF OUR PARKING LOT.

IN SIX WEEKS TIME, WE GAVE AWAY 84,000 PILLOWS AND 13 TRAILER LOADS OF SUPPLIES THAT WERE VERY MUCH NEEDED TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE FED THE HUNGRY, WE MENTOR THE YOUTH, WE HELP THE ADDICTED BREAK FREE AND INTO INTO FREEDOM.

WE PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS AND WE SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

WE WALK ALONGSIDE THE BROKEN UNTIL THEY BECOME WHOLE AGAIN.

THE CITY HAS POLICIES AND SCHOOLS HAVE CURRICULUM, BUT THE CHURCH CAN OFFER A TRANSFORMATION THAT STARTS IN THE HEART.

I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA GET NO AMENS TODAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE CITY AND A CHURCH CAN IMPACT A COMMUNITY LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

I WANNA BE CLEAR.

THE CHURCH IS NOT HERE BY ACCIDENT.

WE ARE ON ASSIGNMENT.

THE BOOK OF ACTS, THE EARLY CHURCH, IT CHANGED CITIES NOT THROUGH FORCE, BUT THROUGH FAITHFULNESS.

THEY PRAYED TOGETHER.

THEY SERVED TOGETHER.

THEY, THEIR IMPACT COULD NOT BE IGNORED.

WE BELIEVE THE SAME CAN HAPPEN HERE TODAY.

WHEN THE CHURCH STANDS STRONG, THE CITY THRIVES.

WHEN THE CHURCH SERVES, THE CITY IS STRENGTHENED.

WHEN THE CHURCH BELIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE.

WE ARE YOUR PARTNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR PERMISSION, BUT WE ARE OFFERING A PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER.

WE CAN MAKE PORT ARTHUR A BEACON OF HOPE, NOT JUST A POLITICAL PROGRESS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT IT TRANSFORMS AND SETS INTO THEIR PURPOSE.

I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH THIS TODAY.

REVIVAL DOESN'T BEGIN IN THE COURTHOUSE OR THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

IT BEGINS IN THE CHURCH HOUSE.

AND WHEN IT BEGINS THERE, IT SPILLS OUT INTO HOMES, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THE STREETS THAT WE ALL WALK ON EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO MANY MAY CONTINUE THEIR WORK TOGETHER, THE CITY LEADERSHIP, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATORS, AND YES, THE CHURCH.

BECAUSE WHEN GOD BREATHES ON A CHURCH, THAT CHURCH BREATHES LIFE INTO A CITY.

LET US BE KIND TO THE CHURCH.

A CHURCH THAT DOES NOT JUST GATHER, BUT IT GOES, THAT JUST DOES NOT SPEAK TRUTH, BUT IT LIVES IT THAT DOES NOT JUST SIMPLY EXIST, BUT TRANSFORMS EVERYTHING THAT IS AROUND IT ON NINTH AVENUE AND PROCTOR STREET.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THE CHURCH TO DO WHAT IT DOES BEST TO SERVE, TO LOVE, TO BRING HOPE TO A CITY, FOR ITS TO THRIVE.

GOD BLESS YOU.

GOD BLESS PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.

THANK YOU PASTOR MACK.

UH, PASTOR NICHOLS.

UM, ALL IN ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.

ALRIGHT, ITEM PASSES.

[II.A.(2) P.R. No. 24450 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Professional Services Agreement With Arceneaux, Wilson & Cole, LLC, Of Port Arthur, Texas, In The Total Amount Of $266,850.00 For Engineering And Construction Management Services Related To The Port Acres Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project; Funding Available In CDBG-DR Account No. 148-00-000-8515-00-10-000, Project No. DR1P03-ENG]

PR NUMBER 2 4 4 5 OH.

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ARSENAL WILSON AND COLE, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT

[00:10:01]

OF $266,850 FOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES RELATED TO THE PORT ACRE SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUNDING AVAILABLE IN C-D-B-G-D-R ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 48 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 8 5 15 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 10 DASH ZERO.

PROJECT NUMBER DR ONE P ZERO THREE ENG.

MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVED SECOND.

OH, YOU HAVE A QUE OH, I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T SEE MY LIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE YES.

A QUESTION.

I I LOOK FOR INFORMATION.

DO WE HAVE ANY BACKGROUND? I DIDN'T SEE ANY.

OKAY, THEN.

GOOD.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? SORRY, COUNCILMAN.

WHAT IS THIS? THE PORT ACRES DRAINAGE PROJECT.

UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CONTINUATION.

YOU NOW WE GOT, GO AHEAD.

SO WHEN THE PROJECT WAS AWARDED, UH, FEMA ONLY HAD 395 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE JOB.

WE KNEW AT THE TIME THAT IT CANNOT BE COMPLETED WITHIN THAT TIME, BUT THEY SAID, THIS IS THE TIME YOU HAVE TO USE.

THEN WE GIVE YOU AN ADJUSTMENT ON THE TIME LATER ON.

'CAUSE WE KNEW THAT'S A TWO AND A HALF TO THREE YEAR PROJECT TO COMPLETE.

SO THE CONTRACT ORIGINALLY WAS MADE AS A FULL-TIME CONSTRUCTION MANAGER ON SITE FOR THAT 395 DAYS.

TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE WE HAD A TIME EXTENSION FROM FEMA.

THE COUNCIL APPROVED FOR 455 DAYS TO FINISH THE JOB.

AND THIS IS THE CONTRACT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

BUT WE CUT THE TIME DOWN TO 20 HOURS A WEEK OF INSPECTOR ON SITE BECAUSE MR. FLOOD'S GONNA BE HANDLING THE BALANCE OF THAT TIME THROUGH USING CITY STAFF.

HMM.

SO THIS IS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT? YES, SIR.

IT DOES INCLUDE, UH, SOME REDESIGN AS WELL, BECAUSE WHEN WE WENT TO INSTALL THE BOXES ALONG HIGHWAY 365, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE ARE SOME, UH, PETROCHEMICAL PIPELINES THAT NOBODY KNEW THEY WERE THERE THAT WOULD REQUIRE ABATEMENT.

SO WE CAME TO COUNCIL.

WE GOT A CHANGE ORDER TO ABATE THESE PIPELINES.

SO WE PAID TO HAVE A DESIGN, WE PAID FOR A DESIGN MODEL, WAS CALLED FOR VESTER, BUT THEN WE GOT THIS MAJOR MONEY WHERE WE GOT NOW THESE MAJOR PROJECTS.

WHICH WAS IN THE $600,000 RANGE I REMEMBER.

BUT WE DETERMINED SINCE WE ARE GOING DOWN, UH, UH, 66TH STREET WITH THE BOXES, WE REROUTED THE FLOW TO THAT AREA AND UPSIZED THE BOXES, WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THAT COST.

AND THAT'S A CHANGE ORDER.

WE ARE GONNA BRING YOU IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THE COST OF ABATEMENT.

AND WE'LL BRING THIS PROJECT BACK TO A COST LOWER THAN WE ACTUALLY DID AFTER CHANGE ORDER ONE, WHICH IS VALUE ENGINEERING.

SO IT'S GONNA BRING THE PROJECT TO THE 13.2 MILLION BACK TO THE NUMBER WE ORIGINALLY AGREED UPON AFTER VALUE ENGINEERING.

WELL, I REALLY DON'T FOLLOW TOO MUCH ALL THIS BACK AND FORTH.

I HEAR, I HEAR, WE TALK ABOUT FEMA SAYS YOU CAN'T DO IT, YOU DO IT.

THEN WHEN YOU COME BACK, WE GIVE YOU MORE TIME.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I WANDER AND QUESTION ABOUT.

BUT WHEN I SEE THE DESIGNS, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGNS, UH, AND CHANGE ORDERS WE GET FROM SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, BECAUSE I'M GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WHEN WE START DOING A LOT OF CHANGE ORDERS AND WE START SAYING, WE HAD TO DO THIS AND DO THAT, IT GOES BACK TO DESIGN.

I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS THAT I FIND WILL KILL YOU.

I TAUGHT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NO ENGINEERING, BAD DESIGN LEADS TO A LOT OF CHANGES.

UH, THAT PORT ACRE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, WE PAID FOR A, A DESIGN TO DO THAT DRAINAGE ON 365 AND UP AROUND SIX, SEVEN AND STUFF.

WE DONE ALL OF THAT BEFORE WE EVEN APPROVED THIS FEMA PROJECT.

[00:15:02]

BUT THEN WE WENT BACK AND DO AND, AND DID DESIGNS.

AND WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO FOR DESIGN, I ALSO NOTICED THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE BEFORE.

SO WE GIVE IT TO A COMPANY HAD DONE A DESIGN, NOW THEY'RE GONNA DO IT UNDER ANOTHER PROJECT AND WE'RE GONNA DESIGN AGAIN.

I DON'T GET INTO THE LITTLE NITPICKY STUFF, BUT WHEN I START SEEING A LOT OF REPEAT AND I STARTED SEEING A LOT OF CHANGE ORDERS AND THINGS THAT ARE JUST NOT NORMAL FLOW, I REALLY DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SAME COMPANY.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT RESOLUTION.

SO I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY.

I'VE HEARD WHAT YOU SAID.

I'M GONNA BE LOOKING INTO THIS, THIS, UH, FEMA AND FIND OUT IF IT'S LIKE THAT.

I JUST, I DON'T SEE US, SOMEBODY LETTING US DO SOMETHING AND TELLING US, WELL, WE GONNA GIVE YOU MORE TIME LATER.

WE KNOW YOU CAN'T DO IT.

I DON'T, BUT I'M, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CHECK ON IT.

DR.

HANNEY.

YES, SIR.

BUT I JUST WANT TO LET COUNSEL KNOW THAT THIS IS GETTING A LOT OF WACKY WITH ME.

BUT I'LL DO SOMETHING.

IF I FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEN I'LL BRING IT BACK AT THAT TIME.

YES, SIR.

UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS.

AND AS FAR AS WHAT WAS ON 365 AND THE PIPELINES THAT WERE DISCOVERED, NOBODY IS EVEN CLAIMING THESE PIPELINES.

SO WHEN YOU CALL FOR LOCATES, NOBODY'S GO MARKING THEM.

THEY'RE FROM THE, LIKE 1930S, 1940S.

SO IT WASN'T A DESIGN ERROR.

THERE HAS BEEN FEW DESIGN ISSUES ON THIS PROJECT THAT MAINLY RELATE TO CROSSINGS OF WATER AND SEWER LINES THAT WE HAD TO, UH, ADJUST.

FORTUNATELY, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO STILL FINISH THIS JOB SO FAR, UNLESS SOMETHING ELSE POPS UP ON US UNDER THE NUMBER WE STARTED.

SO WE ARE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE IN THAT PART.

AND THIS WOULD'VE BEEN AN ACTUAL AMENDMENT, NOT A NEW CONTRACT FOR THE EXISTING CONTRACT.

BUT BECAUSE THE EXISTING CONTRACT EXPIRED, WE HAD TO ACTUALLY DO A NEW ONE.

BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE, THE REDESIGN WAS SOMETHING WE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO BRING THAT JOB BACK DOWN UNDER THE COST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON THAT ABATEMENT.

[II.A.(3) P.R. No. 24466 – A Resolution Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Designating The Officer Or Employee Responsible For Complying With Section 26.04 Of The Texas Tax Code]

RESOLUTION NUMBER, PR NUMBER 2 4 4 6 6, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, DESIGNATING THE OFFICER AND EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLIANT WITH SECTION 26.04 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.

AND THEN MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

I NEED TO, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY, ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT.

THE RESOLUTION PASSES

[II.A.(4) P.R. No. 24467 – A Resolution To Consider Establishing The Proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Tax Rate, Taking A Record Vote And Scheduling A Public Hearing To Receive Public Comment On The Proposed Tax Rate]

PR NUMBER 2 4 4 6 7.

A RESOLUTION TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 TAX RATE, TAKING A RECORD VOTE AND SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO FOUR FOUR SIX EIGHT.

THE ANY NOS THE AYES HAVE IT.

RESOLUTION PASSES.

[II.A.(5) P.R. No. 24468 – A Resolution To Call A Public Hearing To Receive Public Comment On The Proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget]

A RESOLUTION TO CALL A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26.

BUDGET.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO ORDINANCES NUMBER ONE IS PO NUMBER SEVEN.

ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT.

THE RESOLUTION PASSES.

[II.B.(1) P.O. No. 7355 – An Ordinance Approving The Appraisal Rolls For The Year 2025 And Receiving Determinations From The Tax Assessors Under Section 26.04 Of The Texas Tax Code]

3 5 5.

IT'S AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE APPRAISAL ROLES FOR THE YEAR 2025 AND RECEIVING DETERMINATIONS FROM THE TAX ASSESSORS UNDER SECTION 26.04 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.

GET A MO MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.

UM, ANY DISCUSSIONS? LET'S TAKE A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ARE THERE ANY NOS? EXCUSE ME, MAYOR.

WE A ROLL CALL THE RECORD VOTE, I BELIEVE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY CAN ADDRESS THIS SHOULD BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

ROLL CALL.

VOTE.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

WE'LL GO BACK TO, I'LL

[00:20:01]

DO THAT FOR YOU.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD? YES.

I DIDN'T LOOK UP MY BAD.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.

[III. WORKSHOP]

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GO TO ITEM, UH, THREE WORKSHOP.

IT'S GONNA BE A WORKSHOP REGARDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AMBULANCE SERVICES.

THIS TIME, UM, WHOEVER'S PRESENTING MAY COME TO THE PODIUM.

WERE YOU GONNA DO I COULD USE THIS.

IF YOU WANT ME TO START, I CAN JUST START.

UM, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL, HOW Y'ALL DOING? GOOD MORNING.

SO, UH, WE DO WANNA BRING SOME INFORMATION TO COUNCIL, UH, NOT TO BE COMBATIVE, NOT TO STATE OUR, UH, PERSONAL OPINIONS, BUT TO GIVE YOU JUST SOME INFORMATION OF HOW STUFF WORKS, UH, WITH OUR EMS OPERATIONS, WHICH IS A THIRD PARTY, UM, AS WELL AS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AGENT WITH BEING US HOLDING THAT.

AND WE'LL START TO PRESENT SECTION.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, MY NAME IS MERC SEWER.

I'M THE ASSIGNED, UH, EMS BATTALION CHIEF.

UM, FIGURE THIS OUT REAL QUICK.

AND TO THE TYPE OF CALLS THAT WE RESPOND TO.

SO THIS MORNING WE'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, BRIEF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE FUNCTIONS OF EMS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

GO AHEAD AND CLICK THAT.

UH, THEN WE'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE VALUE OF OUR FIRST RESPONDER ORGANIZATION.

UH, EXPLAIN THE CALL TAKING PROCESS.

GO AHEAD OF A 9 1 1 CALL, AND THEN EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO EMS SYSTEM EVALUATION.

ONE THAT WOULD CONSIDER PATIENT OUTCOME, UM, ONE THAT WOULD CONSIDER PATIENT OUTCOME, CONSIDER, UH, CLINICAL QUALITY AND, UH, SYSTEM SAFETY ALONGSIDE WITH THE TRADITIONAL RESPONSE TIME, UH, METRICS.

SO WHO ARE WE? SO WE ARE, UH, PORT ARTHUR IS A FULLY PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE CURRENTLY 115 POSITIONS FOR CERTIFIED EMS PERSONNEL.

OUR EMS SERVICES PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATION DAILY OPERATIONS.

ALL OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE CROSS TRAINED AND CERTIFIED AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF EMS, BASIC, ADVANCED EMT AND PARAMEDIC.

THIS ENABLES US TO RESPOND RAPIDLY TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.

IN ADDITION TO OUR FIRE AND RESCUE OPERATIONS.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATES AS A FIRST RESPONDER ORGANIZATION, MEANING WE OFTEN ARE THE FIRST ON SCENE DURING MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.

OUR PERSONNEL PROVIDE THAT INITIAL ASSESSMENT STABILIZATION AND THE LIFESAVING INTERVENTIONS EVEN BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF A TRANSPORTING EMS UNIT.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL IN TIME SENSITIVE CASES SUCH AS A CARDIAC ARREST, TRAUMA, OR RESPIRATORY DISP DISTRESS.

WHILE WE DO NOT TRANSPORT OUR PATIENTS, OUR EMS TRAINED PERSONNEL INITIATE CARE AND MAIN AND REMAIN INVOLVED UNTIL THE TRANSPORT AGENCY ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY.

IN DOING SO, WE HELP ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE AND IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOME.

OUR EMS DIVISION FUNCTIONS UNDER AN ESTABLISHED MEDICAL PROTOCOLS AND MAINTAINS UPDATED EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE HIGH QUALITY PRE-HOSPITAL CARE THAT WE PROVIDE.

IN MANY WAYS, WE BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE MOMENT NINE ONE CALL IS PLACED AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE TRANSPORTING EMS BY.

WE DO THAT BY DELIVERING RAPID SKILLED CARE WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS.

SO IT, WE RESPOND TO MANY TYPES OF CALLS AND IT WOULD NOT BE INCORRECT TO LABEL US OR CALL US IN ALL RESPONSE HAZARD OR ALL HAZARD RESPONDING ORGANIZATION

[00:25:02]

AND I'M SHOWING JUST A BRIEF EXAMPLE HERE.

FIRE RESCUE, EMS, HAZMAT SERVICE CALLS.

GOOD INTENT.

THAT WOULD BE WELFARE CHECKS AND OF COURSE, FARCE ALARMS. BUT I BRING THIS UP TO SHOW THAT OVER 50% OF THE CALLS THAT WE DO MAKE ON A MONTHLY BASIS ARE EMS RELATED.

AND I CAN SHOW THIS BETTER IN A CHART I'VE PROVIDED HERE.

THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

TOTAL RUNS ON THE FIRST LINE, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN JANUARY, TOTAL RUNS AMOUNT TO 1024.

NOW THAT IS ALL RUNS, BOTH FIRE, EMS, RESCUE, HAZMAT, AND ALL THAT.

BUT IF WE BROKE DOWN THAT 1024, YOU COULD SEE THAT OF THAT 1020 586 ARE EMS RELATED.

EVERYTHING OKAY? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

CONSIDER SOMETHING OTHER THAN RESPONSE TIME, WHAT IS RESPONSE TIME? AGAIN, IT'S THE PERIOD FROM THE MOMENT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION HAS BEEN GATHERED ABOUT AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF AN EMS UNIT.

IT'S OKAY.

SOMETHING JUST KIND OF FELL DOWN BEHIND US, BUT WE'RE GOOD.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, KEEP GOING.

SO, WITH THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR COMPLETED, YOU SEE THAT OUR TOTAL RUN CALL IS 6,247.

OF THOSE 6,000 TWO HUNDRED FORTY, THIRTY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ARE EMS, WHICH EQUATES TO 53.46% OF OUR RUN VOLUME IS EMS RELATED.

SO WHAT VALUE DOES THAT BRING TO US? AGAIN, IT'S IMMEDIATE LIFESAVING RESPONSE.

THE EARLY INTERVENTION SUCH AS CPR, DEFI, DEFIBRILLATION, AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, HEMORRHAGE CONTROL.

THESE CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

HAVING A HIGHLY TRAINED AND CONTINUOUS, CONTINUOUSLY EDUCATED WORKFORCE.

WE HAVE MADE A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION ADVANCEMENT.

WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH LIT AND LAMAR STATE COLLEGE ORANGE BY OFFERING A PATHWAY FOR OUR EMT BASICS TO BECOME ADVANCED EMTS AND THEN OUR ADVANCED TO BECOME PARAMEDIC.

THE CONTINUOUS PIPELINE OF INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT, IT NOT ONLY BUILDS A CAPABILITY, BUT ALSO RETAINS OUR TALENT AND ELEVATES THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE PUBLIC.

ADDITIONALLY, MONTHLY EMS TRAINING FROM LAMAR STATE COLLEGE ENSURES THAT OUR SKILLS ARE SHARP AND CURRENT WITH THE EVOLVING STANDARDS.

IN INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY, THE DEPARTMENT HAS PROACTIVELY INVESTED IN ADVANCED LIFESAVING TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS OUR NXT AUTO PULSE.

THIS IS A MECHANICAL CPR DEVICE THAT DELIVERS HIGH QUALITY, CONSISTENT COMPRESSIONS EVEN DURING TRANSPORT OR CHALLENGING EXTRICATIONS.

THIS ENHANCES OUR SURVIVABILITY, REDUCES FATIGUE ON THE RESPONDER, AND REINFORCES OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PATIENT OUTCOME AND RESPONDER SAFETY.

SO HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO THE FIRE OPERATIONS? SOMETHING SHOULD BE ON SLIDE FIRE EMS OPERATIONS.

SO HOW DOES THAT, UH, FIT INTO OPERATION? SO HOW WE ARE, WE ARE, WE HAVE AN IMPROPER, WE PERFECT, UH, PER, UH, FLAWED SYSTEM ACTUALLY, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN AND MAKE PEOPLE PERFECT WITHIN THAT SYSTEM.

SO, FIRST THINGS FIRST, HOW WE GET THE CALL IS THROUGH OUR PSAP.

THE CITY OF PARK OWNS THAT PSAP.

IT IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT BASED PSAP.

SO PD RECEIVES THE PHONE, THE CALL THAT STARTS THE PROCESS.

THAT'S WHEN OUR TIME START STARTS FOR ANY EMS CALL FOR US, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SIDE ONLY.

WITH THAT WE'RE, WE'RE UNDER AND HELD TO A CURRENT STANDARD, WHICH IS NFPA 1710.

THAT'S THE RESPONSE OBLIGATIONS FOR, UH, THAT'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, UM, THROUGH WHO GOVERNS US.

UM, IT'S ALSO THAT STANDARD ALSO LINES UP WITH OUR CD ORDINANCE AS WELL.

UH, THAT STANDARD NFPA 1710 I ALLOWS LIKE RESPONSE TIME AS WELL AS TURNOUT TIME.

UM, MINIMUM STANDARDS, MEMBER MINIMUM STANDARDS, AS WELL AS MEMBER, UH, STAFFING LEVELS AS WELL.

SO THIS IS HOW IT STARTS FOR US.

THE CALL COMES IN NINE ONE ONE.

OUR DISPATCH GETS THAT CALL.

WHEN THEY GET THAT CALL, IT TAKES THEM ABOUT 20 TO 30 SECONDS TO REALIZE WHAT THE CALL IS AND ASSIGN A PRIORITY TO THAT CALL FOR US.

THE EMS SIDE FIRE POLICE, OR JUST A RESCUE OPERATIONS, HAZMAT, WHATEVER THAT CALL IS.

IF THE CALL COMES IN AND IT'S AN EMS CALL, UH, IT'S TRANSFERRED OR ROLL OVER TO OUR, UH, EMS PROVIDER, WHICH CURRENTLY IS CITY EMS. NOW THE CLOCK HAS ALREADY STARTED FOR US.

WE'RE ALREADY ON THE CLOCK.

WE'RE ALREADY ROLLING.

[00:30:01]

DISPATCH.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY DISPATCHED.

WE'RE GOING MOST OF THE TIME.

C-D-E-M-S WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT CALL IS OUT.

SO THE NUMBERS YOU SEE, THE DATA WE SEE, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FLAWED BECAUSE OUR CLOCK HAS ALREADY STARTED AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN ROLLED THAT CALL TO THEM.

SO ONCE THAT CALL IS ROLLED TO THEM, THEY ARE THE EMD COMPANY.

THEY EMD, THE CALL SOMETIME WHEN THEY START EMD AND THE CALL FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY IN ROUTE AND SOMETIMES ON SCENE PRIOR TO THEM EM DING THE CALL JUST BECAUSE WE RECEIVED A CALL 30, 20 TO 30 SECONDS, SOMETIMES EVEN LONGER THAN THAT PRIOR TO THEM EVEN GETTING THE CALL.

SO ONCE, UH, E-M-S-E-M-D, THE CALL THAT SIDE OF IT, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT DATA.

THAT IS DATA THAT'S OWNED BY THE CDMS. BUT THEY EMD, THE CALL, THEY DISPATCH THEIR UNITS.

UM, YOU'LL SEE LATER ON IN THE GRAPH WE HAVE, WE HAVE OVER 150, WELL SOMETIMES A HUNDRED TO 150 CALLS THAT WE HAVE DISPLAYED THAT THEY MAY NOT SHOW.

NOTHING NEFARIOUS ABOUT THAT.

IT IS JUST THAT OUR CITY ORDINANCE DOES NOT MANDATE THEM TO REPORT ANY CALL THAT'S NON-EMERGENCY.

SO IF THEY DON'T DOWNGRADE OR WE DON'T DOWNGRADE AND WE ARRIVE ON SCENE, WE TAG THAT AS AN EMERGENCY CALL BECAUSE WE RAN AN EMERGENCY TO IT.

THEY MAY EMD THE CALL.

'CAUSE THEY ARE THE EMD AND THEY MAY NOT PUT THAT SAME PARTY THAT WE PUT ON IT, WHICH WILL DOWNGRADE THAT COST.

SO WE'LL STILL SHOW IT IN OUR PSAP, WHICH IS THE SYSTEM WE USE TO GET OUR DATA.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHOW THAT DATA.

NOTHING NEFARIOUS THERE.

NOTHING'S WRONG WITH THAT.

THAT IS OPERATING WITHIN OUR CD ORDINANCE.

IT'S JUST A FLAW WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

UM, ONCE OUR UNITS, ONCE EMS ARRIVED ON SCENE, THE TWO BIGGEST TIMES WE LOOK AT IN OUR CITY ORDINANCE IS TURNOUT TIME.

TURNOUT TIME IS FROM THE TIME.

SO WE, WE HAVE 60 SECONDS TO US TO CALL, TAKE WHAT IT IS.

THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER 60 SECONDS TO GET ON TRUCK AND GET EN ROUTE.

THAT'S WHAT WE EQUATE TO OUR TURNOUT TIME.

THEN THE RESPONSE TIME IS FROM THE TIME WE GET THE CALL TO A UNIT GOES EN ROUTE AND THE UNIT ARRIVES ON SCENE IS THE, IS THE RESPONSE TIME.

THOSE ARE THE TWO BIGGEST ONES WE LOOK UP IN OUR, UM, CITY ORDINANCE.

WE IDENTIFY THOSE DIFFERENT THAN OUR CURRENT PROVIDER SIMPLY BECAUSE WE GET THE CALL EARLIER THAN THEY DO AND REROLL CALLS TO THEM, UM, THAT TIME ENDS WHEN THEY GO EN ROUTE TO TRANSPORT, UH, TO WHATEVER FACILITY THEY TRANSPORT.

ANOTHER NUMBER, THEY MAY NOT BE, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY.

THEY ON THE WALL, WE CALL IT WALL TIME.

THAT WALL TIME COULD BE EXTENDED.

NO, NO TELLING HOW LONG.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE FACILITY THAT'S RECEIVING THAT PATIENT.

AND WALL TIME MEAN THEY MAY HAVE THE PERSON ON THEIR STRETCHER NOT ABLE TO GET OFF BECAUSE NO MEDICAL DIRECTOR OR NO DOCTOR HAS ASSUMED CARE OF THAT PATIENT.

SO THEY MAY SIT ON THE WALL TERM, HAVE WALL TIME, WHAT WE CALL IT.

AND LAST ONCE THEY ARRIVE, LIKE I SAID, AT THE WALL TIME.

SO, SO THIS IS THE, THIS IS, THIS IS THE NUMBERS.

I'LL SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS.

IT'S KINDA HARD TO SEE.

HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT BETTER ON YOUR END.

UM, THIS HERE IS OUR DATA.

THIS IS THE DATA THAT COMES THROUGH ALL PSAP.

WE CAN GO IN, RUN REPORTS ALL DIFFERENT KIND OF WAYS.

UM, SO YOU LOOK HERE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT THEY'RE NONCOMPLIANT.

AND THE REASON BEING IS WHAT I SAY WITHIN THAT FLAW SYSTEM, THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT WE HAVE THAT THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.

THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THE CALL EVEN EXISTS ON THEIR END.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMETHING THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF AT THE TIME.

UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL 9 1 1 CALLS COME THROUGH OUR DISPATCH CENTER, BUT THEY WILL GET WHAT THEY CALL A, UM, SOMEBODY CALLED THEM DIRECTLY AND THEY, THE TIME STARTS DIFFERENT AS WELL AS THAT.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING AT THIRD, THE TURNOUT TIME IS THIS 9.9% OVERALL.

WE GOTTA MAKE 69.6%.

YOU, RIGHT? YEAH.

69.61%.

THAT NUMBER IS A FLAWED NUMBER SIMPLY BECAUSE HOW THE PIECE A WORK, SIMPLY BECAUSE HOW THE INFORMATION IS GATHERED ON OUR END.

UM, CURRENTLY THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO FIX THAT.

THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT AND BE LIKE, OKAY, THE, THE TIME STARTS DIFFERENTLY FOR THEM.

SO THE NUMBERS, THEY, THEY REPORT TO YOU GUYS OR DUMB NUMBERS THEY GET WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GET THE CALL.

BUT 90 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME WHEN THEY GET THE CALL, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT CALL THROUGH OUR PSAP AND HAS TRANSFERRED THAT TO THEM.

THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS ARE SOLD FOR OFF.

IT'S NOT NOTHING THAT WE'RE DOING WRONG OR ANYTHING.

THE CITY'S DOING WRONG.

CITY MS IS DOING WRONG.

IT IS JUST THE WAY THE DATA IS JUST A FLAW ASSISTANCE'S, NO WAY TO FIX THAT PART OF IT.

UM, THEIR DATA IS, THESE ARE THEIR NUMBERS HERE.

THESE NUMBERS ARE REPORTED.

UH, THIS IS JUST FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

THEY DO REPORT THEIR NUMBERS TO US EVERY, UH, THE 15TH OF EVERY MONTH.

AND WE HAVE THAT OF THOSE NUMBERS AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST, I THINK FIVE, SIX MONTHS FOR YOU GUYS.

BUT IT'S KIND OF ALONG THE SAME SKILLS.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST AN IMPERFECT SYSTEM.

SO A WAY TO PERHAPS COMBAT THE NFPA TIMES WOULD BE TO RUN OUR OWN EMS DISPATCH, UM, IF WE WERE TO DO THAT.

BUT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT TIMES YOU HEAR TURNOUT TIME, TRAVEL TIME, TOTAL RESPONSE TIME.

AND WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT TO

[00:35:01]

NOW, WHY DO WE USE THAT? IT'S QU IT'S OBJECTIVE, IT'S QUANTIFIABLE AND IT'S EASY TO EXPLAIN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES.

AND IT'S WIDELY USED ACROSS THE NATION, ACTUALLY ACROSS THE GLOBE TO JUDGE EMS PERFORMANCE TO ACTUALLY EVALUATE EMS PERFORMANCE.

BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM WITH THAT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESPONSE TIME, TRAVEL TIME TOTAL, WHAT IS MISSING IN THAT EQUATION TO ME, AND MANY OF WOULD AGREE, IT'S THAT PATIENT OUTCOME.

THAT'S WHAT TRULY MATTERS.

LET'S NOT FORGET WHY EMS EVEN EXISTS TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOME.

THIS MEANS SAVING LIVES, REDUCING DISABILITY, MAINTAIN, UH, MINIMIZE SUFFERING, AND NOT JUST ARRIVE FAST.

AND YET, EMS, AGAIN, ACROSS THE GLOBE, ARE BEING JUDGED BY THIS EVALUATED AND SOMETIMES EVEN PENALIZED JUST BASED ON RESPONSE TIMES.

NOW, IF YOU'D LET ME EXPLAIN, THE OBSESSION WITH RESPONSE TIMES WAS GENERATED IN 1979 THROUGH A STUDY IN SEATTLE WHERE THEY FOUND THAT BETTER CARDIAC ARREST OUTCOMES RESULTED FROM EMS UNITS WERE ARRIVING WITHIN FOUR TO EIGHT MINUTES.

AND BACK THEN IT ACTUALLY, THAT MADE SENSE.

BUT TODAY, MEDICINE HAS CHANGED.

TODAY WE HAVE CPR AND DEFIBRILLATION, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY USED BY BYSTANDERS AND CHEST COMPRESSIONS ARE NOW ENFORCED MORE BY STRESSING MORE A AN AN INFLUENCING OR LOOKING AT JUST RESPONSE TIMES.

THERE ARE SOME DOWNSIDES.

YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS BOTH ON FIRE AND EMS, HIGHER STRESS, STRESS ON THE CREWS, AND UP RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY INSTEAD OF CHASING THE CLOCK.

WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT WE LOOK AT WHAT MAY BETTER HELP THE PATIENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD BE PROPER TRIAGE AND DISPATCH CREW COMPETENCY, WHICH WE OBTAIN BY CONTINUOUS EDUCATION WITH OUR PEOPLE, QUALITY OF CARE AT THE SCENE.

AND OF COURSE PATIENT SURVIVAL RATES, PATIENT SATISFACTION, PROTOCOL COMPLIANCE ON BOTH SIDES.

AND OF COURSE PATIENT COMPLAINT RATES.

THE TASK OF EVALUATING EMS AND PRE-HOSPITAL CARE IS VERY DIFFICULT.

AND DUE TO THE MULTITUDE AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE VARIABLES IN AN UNCONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, WE, WE WHERE WE ASK EMS TO, TO OPERATE.

I HOPE THAT THIS LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION HAS BROUGHT SOME AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT WHILE RESPONSE TIME CAN BE A USEFUL TO IS NOT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

ALSO TO GIVE A TIMELINE ON HOW THE EVENTS OCCURRED AND, UH, EVERYTHING WITH THE QR, UH, THE RFQ.

UM, DURING A COUNCIL MEETING IN 2024, I PRESENTED TO COUNCIL THE INTENDING, UH, DIRECTION.

GOING TO EMS AT THAT TIME WE DID TALK ABOUT MULTIPLE SERVICES AND WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR, AS, UM, HOW WE DIVIDED ALL THAT WOULD BE WAS ALL TALKED ABOUT.

NEVER ANY DIRECTION GOING FORWARD ABOUT, I HAVEN'T HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT SINCE.

SO NOVEMBER, 2024, UH, TOWARD THE END OF, UH, SENIOR EMS CONTRACT RUNNING OUT.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION.

UM, MYSELF AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLES ON THIS CALL, UH, TALKED TO MR. RUBY.

UM, AND WE UNDERSTOOD HIS COMPLAINTS.

WE UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD HIS CONCERNS ABOUT DOING A MONTH TO MONTH.

THE CITY WANTED TO DO MONTH TO MONTH.

UH, HE DIDN'T SEE IT FEASIBLE, FEASIBLE TO DO THAT.

AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT, THAT THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

SO HE DIDN'T SEE IT FEASIBLE GOING MONTH TO MONTH.

SO HE ASKED FOR 12 MONTHS THAT WAS GRANTED.

SO THAT'S WHAT BRINGS IT TO THE TIMELINE OF NOW.

UM, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, PREVIOUS CHIEF PUT IN, IN 2023, WE DID OUR FIRST ONE FOR EMS. PRIOR TO THAT, EMS WOULD JUST COME FILL APPLICATION OUT AND GO THROUGH A BETTING PROCESS, A BETTING PROCESS.

UM, THEN IT WAS UP TO THE CHIEF OR WHOEVER THAT WAS TO SAY YAY OR NA.

THAT WAS PRIOR TO MY TIME.

SO IT IS SAY YES OR NO OR THERE, UM, IN 2023 THERE WAS MORE FORMAL PROCESS AND THAT WAS WHAT WE DOING GOING FORWARD.

THAT FORMAL PROCESS.

UH, CURRENTLY THEIR UH, CONTRACT IS SET TO EXPIRE NOVEMBER THE 30TH.

SO HOW WE GET THERE, UM, IS TOTALLY UP TO THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

UH, THIS IS JUST A PAST STANDARD WE HAD FROM 2023 WAS THE LAST TIME WE WENT OUT FOR THAT.

AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS DONE FOR US TO EMS SIDE OF IT.

ANY QUESTIONS? YES, WE HAVE A FEW LIGHTS ON.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL MEMBER JOSETTE AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER

[00:40:01]

KEN LAW.

YES, I'VE LISTENED TO THE, UM, PRESENTATION.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'VE CONFUSED ON.

ONE, I LOOK AT RESPONSE TIME AND I LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO YOUR DEFINITION OF RESPONSE TIME.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE HOW ANYBODY CAN ESTABLISH A RESPONSE TIME IF I'M LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME CORRECTLY, BECAUSE WHAT I HEAR IS FROM THIS CALL TO THAT ALERT, TO THAT ALERT.

BUT THEN I HEAR IT IS FROM THE TIME YOU GET AT TELL A VEHICLE OR SOMEONE IS ON SITE THAT DOESN'T MEET THE COMMON SENSE TEST, THEY GOTTA DRIVE THROUGH TRAFFIC.

MM-HMM.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO BE TRAFFIC, HOW HEAVY THE TRAFFIC IS.

I SEEN INSTANCES WHERE THEY GET TO AN INTERSECTION, SOMETHING WHERE THEY GOTTA ACTUALLY TRY TO WAIT TO WEED THROUGH TO GET THROUGH.

THEY BE THREE, FOUR MINUTES JUST TRYING TO FIND A HOLE TO CREEP THROUGH.

OKAY? SO RIGHT THEN FOR ANYBODY TO TRY TO ESTABLISH A TIME THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, IT DOESN'T MEET THE COMMON SENSE TEST.

THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT I HAVE TO SAY.

THE NEXT THING IS WHEN WE SAY THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

AND THE REASON I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, WE ARE A HOME RULE CITY.

WE ARE ESTABLISHED, WE ARE ABLE TO ESTABLISH ORDINANCES TO RUN THIS CITY AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T VIOLATE WHAT STATE AND FEDERAL HAS SAYS.

SO WHAT'S FLAWED? WE DEPEND ON YOU ALL WITH YOUR EXPERTISE TO FIND OUT WHAT DO WE DO AS A CITY TO FIX IT AND BRING IT TO US AND DO LIKE YOU DID TODAY, EXPLAIN TO US HOW THIS IS GOING TO FIX IT.

THEN WE DO AN ORDINANCE AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE DONE IN HERE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS FLAWED.

WE CAN FIX IT.

YOU ALL NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO FIX IT SO THAT IT IS NOT FLAWED BECAUSE DATA SHOULD BE COLLECTED, THAT THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN DATA OR INTERPRETATION OF DATA.

YOU ALL HAVE TO DO THAT.

AND WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IT BECAUSE AS I STATED, NO ONE IS GOING TO TELL ME THAT.

THEY COULD TELL ME WHAT'S A GOOD TIME FOR AN AMBULANCE OR MS TO ARRIVE AT A SCENE, ESPECIALLY AROUND WORK TIME OR IF YOU TALKING ABOUT A SHIFT CHANGE WITH THESE REFINERIES, ALL THESE EXPANSIONS.

YOU TELL ME HOW YOU GOING TO TIME SOMEBODY GET THROUGH THIS TRAFFIC.

I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE THROUGH IT.

SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE REGULATION AND FROM MY STANDPOINT, I JUST THINK YOU GUYS HAVE TO GET WITH THE MS SERVICE PERSONNEL, YOU OUGHT TO SIT DOWN.

YOU ALL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS CITY AND OUR ROAD, OUR TRAFFIC AND HOW TO AND HOW WE NAVIGATE.

AND YOU ALL HAVE TO COME UP WITH REASONABLE STANDARD THAT YOU BOTH AGREE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN SO THAT WE CAN MEASURE WHETHER WE RESPONDED.

IF YOU ARE NOT, IF YOU'RE GETTING A CALL AND YOU'RE GETTING A CALL, UH, THAT YOU GOT A FIRETRUCK ALREADY ON SCENE WHEN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE GET THE CALL, WE GOTTA FIX THAT.

WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA FIND OUT WHEN YOU GET IT.

THEN MAYBE WE HAVE ANOTHER SYSTEM WHERE THEY GONNA SHOOT IT TO THEM WHILE YOU OBTAINING THE INFORMATION.

THEY COULD DO.

LIKE YOU, THEY COULD ROLL, THEY COULD START THEY TRUCK ROLLING WHILE THE PERSON'S STILL TALKING.

THEY COULD BE ROLLING TOO.

SO IT JUST TAKES SOME COLLABORATION.

'CAUSE I'VE LISTENED TO THIS AND I DON'T SEE NOTHING UP THERE THAT WE CAN'T FIX.

IF WE UNDERSTAND WE CAN, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AS LONG AS WE DON'T VIOLATE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS OR REQUIREMENTS, WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT.

WE WON'T, WE ESTABLISHED ORDINANCE IN THIS CITY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW, THEN COUNCILOR E UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AFIELD RIGHT AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.

THANK

[00:45:01]

YOU MAYOR.

UH, CHIEF, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY NOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE GET ALL THESE CRITICAL THINKING OPPORTUNITIES, RESEARCH, BUT FOR THE LAST SO MANY YEARS PRIOR TO THE CURRENT CARRIER, WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.

YOU, YOU RECALL COUNCILMAN KIM LAW WHEN THOSE SITUATIONS, SIR AND I STARTED GETTING INVESTIGATING? YES SIR.

FINDING OUT RESPONSE TIMES.

PEOPLE STARTED COMING TO THE PODIUM TALKING ABOUT HOW DISPLEASED THEY WERE WITH THE CURRENT, THE PREVIOUS, UH, EM SERVICE, UH, CARRIER, UH, HOW THAT, THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE.

SO THE COUNCIL TOOK UPON THEIR SELF AND SAID, LOOK, HERE, WE'RE GONNA RUN THE DIRECTIVES ON THIS.

WE'RE GONNA SAY, HEY, WE WANT TWO, THIS COUNCIL DELIBERATED.

AND WE TRIED TO FIND WAYS TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT WE WERE HAVING.

SO WE CAME WITH THAT.

WE HAD A PLAN.

WE HAD A, A ZONE B ZONE, ONE OR TWO ZONE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

NORTH OF 73.

SOUTH OF 73, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD IT ALL SCHEDULED OUT TO HELP THE CITIZENS ALWAYS KEEP THE CITIZENS FIRST.

WHEN IT WAS TIME TO ACTUALLY GET THIS STUFF SIGNED, ONE BACKED OUT AND SAID THEY WOULDN'T BE MAKING ANY MONEY.

THAT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THIS CITY.

AFTER HAVING IT FOR SO MANY YEARS PRIOR, IT WAS OKAY.

THE QUESTION BECAME HOW MANY DEDICATED UNITS CAN YOU PROVIDE? YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS WAS HERE, I REMEMBER, AND YOU WERE STANDING OUT THERE LISTENING BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE SITUATIONS AT NO TIME, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A BUS AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS AND NOBODY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ONCE TO ME, IT HAPPENED TWICE TO ME.

THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT.

SO THE COUNCIL SAY, HEY, LET'S DO IT.

LET'S TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE CITIZENS HAPPY BECAUSE THEY WERE COMING TO THE PODIUMS, BEING DISGRUNTLED, EMAILING, TEXTING, CALLING COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE TOOK THEIR CONSIDERATION.

OKAY, NOW COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE MADE A VALID POINT.

WE ARE A HOMEROOM HOME RULE, CITY POINT BLANK.

AND I WILL PROMISE YOU I WOULD FIGHT TO THE END FOR THE BEST SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.

NOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PSAP SYSTEM.

OBVIOUSLY YOU ABSOLUTELY CORRECT BECAUSE YOU GET THE PHONE CALLS FIRST PRIOR TO CITY OR WHATEVER AMBULANCE SERVICE GET THERE, YOU GET IT FIRST, IT GOES DIRECTLY.

9 1 1 GOES DIRECTLY TO YOUR DISPATCH.

CITY DISPATCH WHERE YOU DISPATCH YOU ROLLING ON THE SCENE.

HOWEVER, YOU 30 SECONDS, SIX 60 SECONDS, A MINUTE AND A HALF, YOU RELAY THE CALL TO THE EMS SERVICE TO GET THERE ON THE SCENE.

NOW, MY CONCERN THAT ALL CALLS REQUIRES FIRE EMS BECAUSE YOU GET THE CALLS FIRST.

AND MY OTHER QUESTION WILL BE WHO DETERMINES IF IT'S A FIRE EMERGENCY OR IF IT'S A EMS EMERGENCY OR IF IT'S A POLICE EMERGENCY, WHO DICTATES THAT? NOW I WANT THAT TO KIND OF JUST SINK IN YOUR HEAD.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE A FURTHER LINE QUESTION I'M ASKING YOU.

WE TALKED ABOUT ON SCENE MEDICAL SERVICE.

MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDER ON SCENE IS GONNA BE THE AMBULANCE SERVICE.

WE, WE AGREE TO THAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE MTBS ARE THERE JUST TO SERVICE THE PERSON UNTIL MEDICAL, SOMEBODY WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF MEDICAL CARE GETS ON THE SCENE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU GET ON THE SCENE.

YOU KNOW, I'M, I WAS IN, I WAS AN ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE OFFICER, I HAD EMTS WORK FOR ME, PAS NF, THEY WORKED FOR ME.

SO I KIND OF KNOW THE PROCESS.

ONCE YOU GET ON SCENE, WHO'S GONNA BE THE AUTHORITY FIGURE? 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT SOMEBODY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WORKING ON PEOPLE.

YOU, WE AGREE TO THAT.

UH UH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, ALL THE FIRE GUYS ARE TRAINED AS WELL.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.

THEY HAVE TBS, RIGHT? WE HAVE PARAMEDICS AS WELL.

YOU HAVE PARAMEDICS, BUT YOU ONLY HAVE ABOUT FOUR.

RIGHT? THREE OR FOUR.

UH, A A TOTAL AND ADVANCED GUYS AS WELL.

BUT MOST OF YOUR PEOPLE THAT GETS ON THE SCENE ARE MTBS OR ADVANCED OR ADVANCED INTERMEDIATES.

TO, TO HANDLE ALL SITUATIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

A MMT MS SERVICE BY PROVIDED BY THE CITY, IT COSTS TOO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO MY THING IS THIS, GUYS, LISTEN, I UNDERSTAND THE CARE THAT YOU PROVIDE.

I APPRECIATE IT, BUT WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

I TAKE THE DATA.

MY NEXT QUESTION, HAVE YOU, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU MET IN A YEAR WITH CITY AMBULANCE? WE HAVE A QA Q QA PROCESS ONCE A MONTH, MONTH WE DO QA.

YEAH, WE DO IT EVERY MONTH.

WE TALK, YES.

QQI, THE SWAT AND SWAT ANALYSIS, STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS.

WE DO THAT.

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER.

BUT MY THING, CHIEF, LISTEN, WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

WE, WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

AND I THINK THE CHIEF ALSO STATED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY HAVING

[00:50:01]

WE HAD A PERSON THAT WAS ON COUNCIL THAT RAN THE, THE, UH, MT SERVICE.

SHE SAID IT'S EXTREMELY HIGH.

WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE THINKING LIKE THAT WHEN WE, THIS WAS DONE LIKE FOUR, FOUR YEARS AGO.

I DON'T WANNA MENTION THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, NAME, BUT SHE RAN IT.

I, I, YOU KNOW, AFTER HAVING THAT SITUATION, I WANTED ALL OPTIONS TO BE GIVEN TO ME SO I CAN MAKE A QUALIFIED DECISION.

BUT WE CAN'T HAVE A STARTUP AND THINK ABOUT OPENING UP A EMT OR M EMERGENCY, UH, SERVICES FOR THE CITY.

THAT'S TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE GOT GOING ON IN THE CITY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING A STARTUP WITH EMS. NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

THAT'S ME, THAT'S MY PERSONAL AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THOUGHT THE SAME THING.

SO SINCE WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE DECIDED TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW.

SO I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

THAT'S WHY I, FOR A WORKSHOP, THAT'S WHY EXPEDIT DATA, THAT'S WHY HIS DATA IS PROVIDED.

UH, WE COULDN'T GET A COMMITMENT WITH THE PREVIOUS, UH, SERVICE ON DEDICATED SERVICE, UH, AMBULANCE SERVICES, UH, BUSES.

EXCUSE ME.

WE HAVE IT NOW.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE PLAN POLITICAL WHEN WE COULD JUST HAVE TO DO SERVICE TO CITIES.

WHEN THOSE PEOPLE WERE COMING IN BEFORE THE PO A PODIUM AND TALKED ABOUT HOW DISGRUNTLED IN THE SITUATIONS THEY'VE HAD, WHERE YOU GUYS WERE, WHERE WERE YOU GUYS THAT MONITOR THE EMS SERVICES? I MEAN, THOSE THINGS, WE WOULDN'T, WE NOT JUST, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I DON'T DO IT.

THE THE COUNCIL DON'T DO IT.

IT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS SOMEBODY SUPPOSED TO BE MONITORING THAT.

SO ALL I'M SAYING WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I'M ADAMANT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME, NOT ONCE, IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE.

I'M LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS EVERY MONTH ALONG WITH ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER ON SITTING RIGHT NOW.

COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE EVERY MONTH BECAUSE I DON'T WANT, I DON'T HAVE ANY LOYALTY.

I HAVE LOYALTY TO THE CITIZENS.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER.

EVER FAIL.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

MY QUESTION ONE IS ABOUT, WELL ONCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO SEPARATE THINGS.

ONE IS THE CONTRACT AND ONE IS THE ORIGIN TODAY.

ARE WE DISCUSSING BOTH OR ARE WE ONLY DISCUSSING THE CONTRACT? UH, HELLO.

SOMEBODY TEND TO WANNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVER FAIL HAD A QUESTION.

ARE WE IT'S A WORKSHOP.

IT A WORKSHOP WHERE DISCUSSING BOTH? I I ASSUME YES TO BOTH.

ALRIGHT, SO FOR THE, THE, UM, THE ORDINANCE IN THE ORDINANCE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TIME AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, OUTLOOK VERSUS MORE FOCUSED ON THE, THE TIME IT WAS MENTIONED THAT IT A FLAWED SYSTEM.

AND SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN STREAMLINE THE FIRE START TIME TO THE DROP OFF TIME OR THE START OF WALL TIME SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE ACCURATE, UM, MORE ACCURATE DATA.

SOME WAYS TO BE ABLE TO MERGE THE DATA, IF I'M ASKING IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, IS SHE'S ASKING A QUESTION.

SO, UM, CURRENTLY HOW IT, HOW IT'S SET UP, WE THE PSAP AND THERE'S A PRIVATE COMPANY, THERE'S NO WAY TO MERGE BOTH THOSE DATAS TOGETHER CURRENTLY.

NO, THERE'S NOT.

UM, WE WILL RECEIVE THAT NINE ONE ONE CALL AND THEN WE HAVE TO ROLL IT OVER TO THEM.

THAT'S A PROCESS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.

NOW, COULD WE FIX THAT? YES, BUT IT'S OTHER THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO FIX THAT.

THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO AGREE TO CERTAIN THINGS LETTING US DISPATCH THEIR AMBULANCES AND US.

IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT.

IT'S NOT SIMPLY JUST MERGING DATA.

SO, SO THAT FLAW.

SO THE OTHER, OH, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

NO, NO, GO AHEAD MAYOR, GO AHEAD.

I'M WITH YOU BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THE, WHEN YOU SAID THAT'S NOT A FLAW REALLY ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ANYBODY, IT'S JUST THE SYSTEM.

BUT WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND AN IT PER FIND SOMETHING TO THAT WE, THAT WE CAN CONNECT THE TWO AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE.

SO SOMEHOW, WHATEVER THAT IS IN THIS DATE AND TIME, WHEN YOU HAVE AI, THERE OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE THAT GAP.

OKAY, I'M JUST ANSWERING THAT FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN MERRIFIELD.

COUNCILMAN MERRIFIELD.

AND PLEASE PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE, MEASURABLE TIMELINE, THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON IT.

AND THEN SO, UM, SO YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

WE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

SO WE WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE OTHER THINGS AND UM, I'M ASKING FOR THAT TIMELINE TO BE MEASURABLE ON HOW WE ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.

WHETHER IT IS, CAN IT BE ADDRESSED IN 30 DAYS, CAN IT BE ADDRESSED IN 90 DAYS? CAN IT BE ADDRESSED IN IN SIX MONTHS? WHATEVER IT IS WE'RE ASKING FOR IT TO BE ADDRESSED.

[00:55:01]

AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, IS IT A REQUIREMENT? THIS IS REGARDING THE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS IN THE, THE ORDINANCE OR IF IT'S JUST IN THE CONTRACT.

IS IT REQUIRED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE ON SCENE FIRST BEFORE OUR EMS SERVICE BEGINS TO PROVIDE SERVICES? UH, NO MA'AM, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS OUT WITH THE CALL TAKING PROCESS.

IT JUST WORKS OUT THAT WAY.

NO, NO, WE WOULD LOVE TO ARRIVE AT THE SAME TIME.

AND WE'RE COLLABORATIVE WITH THAT.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL, THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE IS TO DO THAT, IS TO WORK COLLABORATIVE WITH THEM, NOT INDEPENDENT.

IT'S JUST HOW THE SYSTEM IS NOW, UH, WITHOUT ADDING AND GOING AND RESEARCHING AND SEEING HOW WE MERGE THAT DATA.

CURRENTLY HOW IT IS IS HOW IT WORKS OUT.

WHAT, WHAT, OKAY.

BUT THE QUESTION WAS, IS IT A REQUIREMENT FOR EMS SERVICES TO BEGIN TO START THEIR SERVICES? DOES THE FD HAVE TO BE, OR PD HAVE TO BE THERE FIRST? NO, NO MA'AM.

NO.

SO, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT TO BE REVIEWED WITH THE CURRENT CARRIER.

AND, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE, BUT IT HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

AND WE WERE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE EMS SERVICE DROVE BY.

AND WHEN WE ASKED, WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP? AND THEY SAID, WELL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS TO BE THERE FIRST.

SO THAT WAS A CONCERN.

AND I ACTUALLY, OR, OR THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE THERE FIRST.

SO I MADE A CALL.

I ACTUALLY CALLED 9 1 1 THEN FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO NEEDED SERVICES, HE WAS LITERALLY BLEEDING FROM HIS HEAD IN DISTRESS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER OUR EMS SERVICES, THAT THAT BE SOMETHING THAT IS IN WRITING, WHETHER IT'S IN THE ORGAN, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE TO BE IN THE ORDINANCE OR TO BE IN THE, IN THE CONTRACT.

AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING I HAVE IS ABOUT THE INSURED, UM, SERVICES.

SO PREVIOUSLY WE, UM, I ASKED A QUESTION LAST YEAR ABOUT WHAT CARRIERS DO THE EMS SERVICES PROVIDE.

I KNOW IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, UH, TO CONTROL.

IT'S PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND IT'S PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND THEY'RE ABLE, HOLD ON IT'S PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND, UM, THEY CAN CHOOSE WHICHEVER CARRIERS THEY WANT.

HOWEVER, I DID REQUEST SOME, UH, DATA AND REALIZED THAT THE PRIMARY SERVICE PROVIDER WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS IN BETWEEN MEDICAID, MEDICARE, OF COURSE.

AND THEN BLUE FEDERAL BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD CITIZENS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THOSE RATES.

THEIR, UM, COPAYS OR WHICHEVER THE CITIZENS' OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS, HAS INCREASED FROM ALMOST $800 TO $3,000.

SO AGAIN, I AM ASKING FOR US TO INCLUDE, I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT I AM ASKING FOR WHATEVER EMS SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, THAT THEY ACCEPT THE PRIMARY INSURANCE CARRIER IN OUR CITY TO BE IN NETWORK, PLEASE SO THAT IT ISN'T A FINANCIAL BURDEN TO OUR RESIDENTS.

THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS I HAVE.

WHO IS PROCESSING MAJORITY OF BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD CLAIMS RIGHT NOW.

UH, THANK YOU COUNCILLOR RAFEL, COUNCILOR MCKEN LAW, UM, HAS HIS LIGHT ON.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

UH, CHIEF, DO YOU MIND THE CURRENT CARRIER COME UP AND SPEAK AND ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE LIGHT FOR? ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? UH, IT'S TOTAL AS COUNCIL DECISION OR MAYOR, MAYOR DECISION.

UH, MR. RUBY, WOULD YOU COME UP AND ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND I'LL CALL HIM UP COUNSEL.

THANK YOU KEN LAW.

MR. ANDRE, WILL YOU COME UP AND SPEAK TO US? YES.

WELL, GOOD MORNING OR YES, STILL MORNING.

GOOD MORNING COUNSEL.

SO TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THOSE, UM, SO WE ACCEPT ALL INSURANCE.

IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE PRIVATE INSURANCE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT IS ACCEPTED.

NOW IF YOU'RE AN IN-NETWORK VERSUS OUT NETWORK THAT DEALS WITH YOUR COPAY.

NOW IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC CASES THAT ARE CONCERNS FORWARD, THOSE TO ME, UH, AND I WILL ADDRESS THEM.

UH, COUNCILMAN KINLAW CALLED ME MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT, UH, A BILL AND I ADDRESSED IT PRETTY PROMPTLY.

UM, HEALTHCARE, MOST EMS PROVIDERS ARE NOT IN NETWORK NOW TO UNDERSTAND BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE, ALL KIRA IS DOING ALL OF THEIR CLAIMS PROCESSING.

UM, SO IT, THEY ALSO HAVE A THIRD PARTY

[01:00:01]

UH, MAYOR MOSES, YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW HEALTHCARE IS AND KIND OF THE TRANSITION WHERE IT'S GOING THERE, GOING TO A THIRD PARTY SYSTEM FOR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD TO PROCESS ALL CLAIMS AMBULANCES DO COST MONEY.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.

UH, BUT IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC INSTANCES, UM, I I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON IN A HYPERBOLE MODE, I JUST WANT TO, IF THERE ARE ISSUES, BRING 'EM FORWARD TO ME.

THIS IS A FIRST TO ME HEARING ABOUT THAT.

THE SECOND, UH, CONCERN, WHAT, WHICH, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT WHETHER EMS CAN INITIATE CARE PRIOR OR AFTER IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, CURRENTLY THE FRO AGREEMENT, WE ARE THE PROVIDER FOR EMS. WE CAN START CARE AT ANY TIME.

NOW IF YOU CALL 9 1 1, THE NINE ONE ONE DISPATCHER WILL FORWARD YOU OVER TO US.

WE WILL THEN IMMEDIATELY DISPATCH AN AMBULANCE.

THERE'S A FEW POINTS I WANTED TO, TO ADDRESS 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS.

OUR TIME IN OUR CAD STARTS FROM THE MOMENT A CALL IS RECEIVED.

THERE IS NO WAY TO ALTER THAT TIME IN OUR CAD.

IT'S DOCUMENTED WHAT TIME THE CALL IS RECEIVED, WHEN IT COMES IN CONTROL E AND IT IMMEDIATELY TIMESTAMPS IT.

THERE IS NO WAY TO CHANGE THAT AT THAT POINT.

THAT IS WHEN OUR CLOCK STARTS.

UH, BECAUSE THAT IS NOW WHEN I AM OBLIGATED TO RESPOND, SPAWNED THEN MY TIME STOPS WHEN I ARRIVE ON SCENE.

WHEN AN AMBULANCE, NOT A SUPERVISOR VEHICLE, NOT A PARAMEDIC AND, AND A QRV, WHEN AN AMBULANCE WITH A TRAINED PARAMEDIC AND EMT IS ON BOARD, ARRIVES ON SCENE, THAT'S WHEN THE TIME STOPS.

THAT IS THE DATA IN WHICH WE SEND THEM.

IT IS LITERALLY EASY.

YOU GO INTO OUR CAD, YOU HIT A BUTTON AND IT KICKS OUT A REPORT.

THAT REPORT GOES TO THE CITY EVERY MONTH.

NOW WITH THAT, AND ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT REPORT IS THAT REPORT ALSO INCLUDES THE EXEMPTED AREAS, THE ETJ AREAS.

I DO NOT SEPARATE THOSE OUT FOR YOU GUYS.

THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE IT IS MY PHILOSOPHY THAT IF YOU ARE AT PORT ARTHUR, LNG OR GOLDEN PASS, OR YOU ARE SOMEWHERE WITHIN OUR RESPONSE AREA, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO BE COUNTED IN THAT PERCENTAGE.

I DO NOT TAKE EXCEPTIONS INTO OUR NUMBERS.

SO WHEN YOU SEE OUR NUMBERS, YOU GET RAW DATA.

SO IF YOU GUYS LOOKED, UH, I DON'T HIS, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON HIS PRESENTATION, BUT IF YOU LOOK, THERE WAS A FEW THAT WERE LIKE 20 TO 30 MINUTES.

I HAVE PERSONALLY LOOKED INTO EVERY ONE OF THOSE CALLS AND THEY ARE OUT IN SABINE PASS, WHICH IS AN EXEMPTION TO THE CONTRACT.

IT CAN TAKE US AN HOUR AND 48 MINUTES TO GET THERE, AND THE CONTRACT DOES NOT COVER THAT.

BUT I INCLUDE THAT IN THE, IN THE LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY.

NOW, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED IS HOW DO WE FIX THE ISSUE OF RESPONSE TIMES? I HAVE ALSO OFFERED TO DEDICATE UNITS THAT ARE UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE PEACE APP.

THAT IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.

I HAVE SAID FROM THE, FROM THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONTRACT THAT I WILL PUT AMBULANCES IN YOUR FIRE STATIONS AND YOUR DISPATCH CAN DISPATCH THEM.

I HAVE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR.

NOW WITH THAT, THAT OFFER HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN UP.

THAT WOULD GIVE YOU TOTAL CONTROL OF THOSE AMBULANCES.

AND IN TURN OF THAT, I'VE ALSO OFFERED TO ALSO WRAP AND BRAND THEM AS A PORT ARTHUR AMBULANCE.

SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ANECDOTALLY OR EVEN THERE ARE SOME VALID CONCERNS OR SOME AREAS TO IMPROVE.

BUT I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT WHEN WE CAME AS AN ORGANIZATION, I SAID, LET'S FIX WHAT WE CAN.

WHEN WE CAME IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.

AS YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, THERE WAS CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS.

AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO ANY OTHER COMPANIES.

UH, THAT IS NOT MY SPOT.

I WILL ONLY SPEAK FOR CITY.

BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS FROM DAY ONE, WE DEDICATED UNITS TODAY.

I FIND IT HARD WHEN I COME TO TOWN NOT TO SEE A CITY AMBULANCE ON THESE STREETS.

THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, UNEQUIVOCALLY COMMITTED TO MEETING THE RESPONSE TIMES.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT? THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES TODAY.

SO I WANNA ADDRESS THAT.

THE NATIONAL STANDARD IS ONE AMBULANCE PER 10,000 OF YOUR POPULATION.

RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO 60,000 RESIDENTS.

YOU GUYS HAVE A MINIMUM STAFFING OF SIX AMBULANCES IN YOUR STAFF, IN YOUR, UH,

[01:05:01]

CITY TO A MAXIMUM OF 10 WITH FIVE IN BEAUMONT, WHICH GET PULLED HERE QUITE FREQUENTLY.

TO ENTERTAIN OR TO DISCUSS RESPONSE TIMES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONTACTS AND YOU HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHY THOSE RESPONSE TIMES WERE WERE PUT INTO PLAY IN YOUR CITY.

MY UNDERSTANDING, LOOKING AT IT, IS THE FACT THAT WITHOUT DEDICATED UNITS, THERE WAS NO WAY TO MEET THOSE RESPONSES TIMES, AND THEREFORE IT WAS EASIER TO MEASURE THE FAILURE OR SUCCESS RATE.

CURRENTLY, I AM A PROPONENT FOR KEEPING RESPONSE TIMES, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE RESPONSE TIMES.

AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT DATA, AND I'VE BEEN AT MANY OF THESE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEETINGS, WHEN THIS COMES TO THE AGENDA, WE, WE TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE VERSUS NON-COMPLIANCE, HONESTLY AND TRUTHFULLY, THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE P APP DOESN'T TRANSFER THE CALL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

THAT IS MINUTES.

AND TO BE VERY HONEST AND OPEN WITH THE COUNSEL TODAY, THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE CALL DOESN'T GET TRANSFERRED.

AND WE SEND AN AMBULANCE BASED OFF RADIO TRAFFIC.

THAT IS THE HONEST TO GOD'S TRUTH.

THAT IS NOT THE FAULT OF ANY ONE PERSON.

THAT IS CALLED HUMAN ERROR.

AND SO IN THIS SYSTEM, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE HUMAN ERROR.

AND UNTIL MAYOR MOSES, UNTIL WE GO FULLY AI AND EVEN AI, WE'LL STILL HAVE ERRORS.

BUT AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE HUMAN FACTOR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ERRORS.

NOW, I DO WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE, I WANNA BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF HOW I SAY THIS, BUT WE, I HAVE BEEN IN THE TWO PROVIDER SYSTEM IN THIS CITY, AND IT WAS ATROCIOUS.

UH, IT WAS A LOT OF, OH, WELL, WE'RE, WE GOT A CONTRACT IN THIS REGION, WE'RE GONNA RUN HOT ACROSS HERE, WE'RE GONNA GO THERE.

AND IT BECAME A BIDDING WAR FOR EVERY CALL.

AND THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS.

THE DANGER, MOST DANGEROUS THING WE DO IN EMS IS NOT RESPONDING TO CALLS, UH, FOR CHEST PAINS.

IT'S NOT RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR ACCIDENTS.

IT'S THE DRIVING, IT'S GETTING THE AMBULANCE THERE IN A PRIORITY THREE RESPONSE.

NOW, THERE WAS ONE OTHER POINT MENTIONED, UH, IN RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE DON'T REPORT, UH, NON-EMERGENCY CALLS.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS ABOUT THAT.

THE ORDINANCE SAYS IF A CALL IS DEEMED EMERGENT, WHICH WOULD MEAN IN OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCHING SYSTEM, IT'S AN, IT'S A CHARLIE DELTA OR ECHO RESPONSE.

IT'S JUST HOW THEY, THEY, I CAN SHARE ALL THE LITERATURE WITH YOU.

OUR ALPHA AND BRAVO RESPONSES, WE DO NOT RUN LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO THEM.

THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE STUDIES DO NOT INDICATE THAT WE NEED TO.

IT'S ACTUALLY CREATES MORE RISK AND LIABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY THAN IT IS FOR US TO DOWNGRADE OUR UNITS AND GET THERE IN A SAFE MANNER.

IT EXTENDS.

THERE IS STILL A COMPLIANCE FACTOR TO PRIORITY TWO CALLS, BUT IT EXTENDS IT TO 16 MINUTES.

SO WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CITY ORDINANCE, AND, UH, AS THE COUNCIL, I THINK CITY MANAGER CAN SPEAK TO THIS, UH, I HAVE READ YOUR GUYS' CITY ORDINANCE THROUGH AND THROUGH.

UH, AND ONE THING I WILL TELL YOU IS I AM NOT A PROPONENT FOR GETTING AWAY FROM RESPONSE TIMES.

'CAUSE ONCE YOU GET AWAY FROM RESPONSE TIMES, NOW I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT COMPREHENSIVELY.

I DO AGREE WITH CHIEF MERCER ON THAT, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS IF YOU GET RID OF RESPONSE TIMES BEING A, A APPROACH THAT CAN BE PUNITIVE, WE WILL END UP IN THE STATE, WHICH WE WERE IN PRIOR, BECAUSE IT IS VERY EASY TO JUSTIFY CLINICAL OUTCOMES.

BUT IT IS VERY, VERY HARD TO JUSTIFY A MEASURABLE OUTCOME THAT IS NOT BEING MET, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

UM, SO I WILL DIGRESS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, MR. ANDRE AT THIS TIME.

ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK AT THE PODIUM? I HAVE A COUPLE OF LIGHTS.

COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.

OH, YOUR LIGHT WAS ON.

UM, CHIEF, UH, QUESTION FOR CHIEF.

YOU KNOW, IF WE WOULD GET, IF WE WERE GIVING A, A, A INVITE TO, TO HAVE, UH, ANALYSTS IN EACH STATION, WERE YOU AWARE OF THAT TO THAT WAS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS OFFERED TO THE LAST CHIEF? YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S, I THINK THE MAYOR HAD A CONCERN AND COUNCILMAN DE SAID TO CUT DOWN ON THAT RESPONSE TIME IF THEY WERE AT THE STATION, WHEN YOU GET THE CALL TRANSFER, THEY CAN ROLL OUT WITH

[01:10:01]

YOU GUYS.

SO WHY WOULDN'T, AND I GOT YOU CHIEF, THAT WAS PRIOR TO YOU.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING IF, IF WE ARE TRYING TO REALLY FIX THE PROBLEM, I THINK THAT'D BE THE ON RESPONSE TIME.

FIX THE RESPONSE TIME.

PROBLEM PSAP.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO IF THE COUNCIL HAS TO DO A, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR A LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THEM WHEN WE HAVE 'EM ON THE SITE WITH THE FIRE TEAM GOING OUT WITH TO WHATEVER, CAUSE THAT WERE SHORT TO TIME PERIOD.

SO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF HAVENS THOUGHT ABOUT THAT OR YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN COMBAT BECAUSE YOU STEPPED UP THERE FIVE MINUTES, TALKED ABOUT.

IT'S A FLAW ON RESPONSE TIME.

BUT THIS WILL BE A WAY TO STOP THAT FLAW.

UM, I CAN ONLY SPEAK, UH, ABOUT WHAT I KNOW ABOUT.

AND SO AS A COUNCILMAN, UM, THE CITIZENRY NEVER HAS A PROBLEM CALLING US OR CALLING ME OR CALLING THE MAYOR OR ANY OF US HERE WHEN THERE ARE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT, UH, AFFECT THEIR FAMILIES NEGATIVELY.

THE ONLY REASON THAT WE WENT OUT FOR, UM, UH, A NEW AMBULANCE SERVICE, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING SO MANY COMPLAINTS.

UM, AND THAT THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE REASON.

THAT WAS THE REASON THAT WE WENT OUT.

WHETHER INDIVIDUALS CAN HAVE OPINIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED ONE SERVICE OR YOU NEED TWO SERVICES, WE WANT THE JOB ACCOMPLISHED.

WE WANT THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

AND THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IS TO BE, UH, WHERE PEOPLE NEED OUR AMBULANCE SERVICES TO BE IN THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS TIME THAT THEY CAN GET THERE, TO SAVE LIVES, TO BRING COMFORT TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CITIZENS HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

AND I WANNA SAY PUBLICLY, THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO.

UM, YOU KNOW, WITH WHO I LIKE OR WHO I KNOW OR 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS.

BUT I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY, ANY COMPLAINTS FROM THE CURRENT AMBULANCE SERVICE.

I'VE NOT, I PASTOR A CHURCH HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.

WE HAD A SITUATION TWO SUNDAYS AGO WHERE THE MINISTER WAS PREACHING UP PREACHING AND WENT OUT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WE CALLED 9 1 1.

THEY WERE THERE.

THE, YOU ALL WERE THERE.

THE CITY AMBULANCE WAS THERE.

THEY GOT THERE IN, IN FIVE MINUTES, THEY WERE ON THE SPOT IN MY PULPIT MINISTERING TO, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF THE PERSON WHO NEEDED IT.

A A YOUNG MAN ON A BICYCLE ON THE CORNER BY MY CHURCH WENT DOWN.

THEY WERE THERE.

I, AND SO I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALLS NEGATIVELY ABOUT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE THAT WE ARE NOW PROVIDING IN OUR CITY.

WE'VE HAD TO NOW COME TO THIS POINT IN PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, UH, OUR ORDINANCE AND WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND, AND BE SURE THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT AND OPEN UP THIS PROCESS AND ALLOW ALL WHO WILL COME TO COME AND TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS, I'M SURE AS A COUNCIL THAT'S GOING TO GIVE THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO OUR CITY.

OUR EMPLOYEES TRY TO GIVE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN TO THIS CITY EVERY DAY.

WE FALL SHORT BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS.

BUT LET IT, LET IT, LET IT GO OUT TODAY, LET IT BE SAID.

WE ARE SEEKING TO DO THE BEST EVERY DAY WE CAN TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS.

AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT RESULTS.

IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT, ABOUT DOING THAT.

DO HAVE OUT OF NETWORK COVERAGE.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

EVER FAIL? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT THE, THE INSURANCE, I, I AM ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.

WHEN YOU MENTIONED MR. RUBY, THAT THERE WERE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. RUBY.

YES, GO AHEAD.

YOU, ME, YOU MENTIONED THAT MOST, UM, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.

IN YOUR MOUTH, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID.

TELL ME AGAIN ABOUT THE IN-NETWORK AND OUT NETWORK COVERAGES.

AND YOU SAID MAJORITY OF OF COMPANIES HAVE WHICH ONE? YEAH, SO MAJORITY

[01:15:01]

UH, WE ACCEPT ALL INSURANCE, WHETHER WE'RE IN THEIR NETWORK OR OUT OF THEIR NETWORK.

NOW, IF THEY ARE OUT OF NETWORK, THE COPAYS AND DEDUCTIBLES ARE GUIDED BY THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES, NOT BY NOT BY US.

SO IS IT A POSSIBILITY FOR THE EMS SERVICE THAT, UM, YOU PROVIDE FOR YOUR COMPANY TO HAVE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CITY EMPLOYEES BE IN NETWORK? IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY? SO IT IS A DISCUSSION POINT THAT WE ABSOLUTELY CAN HAVE.

UH, ONE THING I WILL TELL YOU, OUR LARGEST PRIVATE INSURANCE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION IS BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.

UH, SO I, I THINK IF IT WOULD BE RESPECTFUL TO HAVE A SIDEBAR CONVERSATION WITH YOU COUNSEL, UH, WOMAN EVER FIELD IN REGARDS TO THE PROCESS, UH, AND WITH ALL DUE TRANSPARENCY, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME PROPRIETARY INFORMATION THAT SHOULD NOT BE SHARED, UM, THAT I ABSOLUTELY WILL BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU ON.

UH, BUT IN THIS PUBLIC SETTING, IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME UNDERSTANDING THAT COMPETITION OR OR BUSINESS PRACTICES HAVE TO BE PROTECTED.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THAT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT, THAT SERVICE.

AND THE OTHER QUESTION WAS FOR THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, MR. RUBY SAYS THAT THEY HAVE OFFERED THOSE IN-HOUSE BUSES TO US.

WHAT IS HOLDING US BACK FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? I DO UNDERSTAND IT WAS OFFERED DURING THE REGIME OF THE PREVIOUS FIRE CHIEFS, BUT WHAT'S HOLDING THIS BACK NOW, COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD? WE ACTUALLY DONE, UM, A TRIAL PROGRAM.

I, I BELIEVE I LET THE COUNCIL KNOW.

UH, IT WAS PRIOR, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IT WAS STOPPED BY CITY ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE OF A LIABILITY ISSUE.

UH, I DID PROVIDE THAT DATA, UH, PRIOR, UH, TO THE PRIOR CHIEF.

IT WAS SHARED.

IT WAS STOPPED AT THAT TIME BY, UH, CITY ADMINISTRATION AT THAT POINT.

I DON'T WANNA PUT CHIEF, UH, MITCHELL UNDER THE, THE GUN FOR THAT, BUT THAT IS GO THERE.

LET ME LET CHIEF MITCHELL ANSWER THAT.

OKAY, MR. RUBY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS DONE IN ANOTHER PRIOR ADMINISTRATION.

UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT COUNCIL NEED TO LOOK AT OR WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND, UH, EXPLAIN TO COUNCIL FOR OUR INSURANCE HOW IT'S DONE.

IF SOMEBODY WALK INTO OUR STATION, SOMEBODY SLIPS AND FALLS.

RIGHT? WHO COVERS THAT? SO WE NEED A MORE, SO WE NEED TO, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLY JUST PUTTING A TRUCK THERE AND LET 'EM RUN.

NOW WE GOTTA DO LIABILITY, WOMEN, MEN, DIFFERENT, ALL THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS GOING ON.

IT'S NOT AS SIMPLY JUST PUTTING A TRUCK THERE AND RUNNING AND WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT.

PROBABLY NOT AN OPEN SESSION, BUT I THINK COULD, SO EVERYBODY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.

UM, Y'ALL, WE GONNA WRAP UP.

CAN WE PLEASE HAVE THAT ON OUR NEXT EXECUTIVE SESSION FIRST TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THAT? WE, WE DEFINITELY WILL.

UM, THANK YOU MA'AM.

PUT THAT ON AND MAKE NOTE OF IT.

WE'LL DO THAT.

WE TRYING TO WRAP UP OUR WORKSHOP GUYS.

UM, JUST ONE SECOND.

CITY MANAGER, LET ME, I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE AND COUNCIL CITY MANAGER.

IF YOU PUT THAT LIGHT ON FOR ME, I WON'T FORGET.

'CAUSE I'M, I'M OLD, SO, AND MY MEMORY'S NOT THAT GREAT.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER.

IT HAS TO BE TAILORED HOW WE PARK IN AN AMBULANCE AT A FIRE STATION.

I DON'T WANNA REPEAT ANYTHING ANYBODY SAY.

I JUST WANNA BRING OUR POINTS THAT YOU, THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND PORT ARTHUR.

THAT'S WHY WHEN I SPEAK, I SPEAK HOME RULE CITY, WE SET AN ORDINANCE FOR OUR CITY.

AS LONG AS WE DON'T VIOLATE STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.

OUR CITY IS VERY UNIQUE.

ALTHOUGH WE SAY PORT ARTHUR, OUR LAND AREA, , PASS HOLD ACRES, WE ARE SPREAD OUT.

SO WHEN WE SAY FOR YOU ALL TO GET TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE INTEND, THAT IS WHAT I WANT YOU ALL TO CONSIDER MAKING IT FOR THE BEST FOR PORT ARTHUR AND TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THIS AREA.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

THIS HAVE TO BE TAILORED, YOU KNOW,

[01:20:01]

IT AIN'T ABOUT LIABILITY.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT THIS COUNCIL DECIDES.

THIS COUNCIL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE SAYS WE GO OUT FOR OUR, IF NO THEY DON'T, THERE'S NO ORDINANCE MAKE US GO OUT.

WE GO OUT WHEN WE NEED THE ORDINANCE.

SAID THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN ORDER TO DO IT.

BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR US TO DO NO R LP EVERY YEAR.

WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THAT.

AM I CORRECT? IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, IT'S JUST THAT IF WE DID IT, IT TELLS US HOW TO DO IT.

AM I CORRECT? YES, SIR.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S JUST CLARIFICATION.

SEE, 'CAUSE I, I'M, I'M GETTING UNDERSTANDING.

PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

NO, WE DON'T.

BUT IF WE NEED TO GO OUT, THAT'S WHAT ORDINANCES DO.

SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO.

WE DON'T.

POINT OF ORDER.

POINT OF POINT OF INFORMATION.

UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WAIT AHEAD.

COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, HOLD ON.

I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POINT OF ORDER.

WHAT IS IT? NO POINT OF INFORMATION.

POINT OF INFORMATION.

WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF INFORMATION? MY POINT OF INFORMATION IS THAT WE DO, ACCORDING TO THE, ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GO OUT.

TO BE FAIR, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IF WE WANT TO, WE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO BY ORDINANCE.

UM, AND, AND I DO HAVE TO SAY FOR THE FAIRNESS OF THE PROCESS, I THINK THE FAIREST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO GO OUT AND, AND THE, AND THE PERSON WITH THE BEST CREDENTIALS, AS WITH ANYTHING ELSE, UM, IS GONNA BE, THEY'RE GONNA SHINE ON TOP.

SO, BUT, BUT TO BE FAIR TO THE CITIZENS AND OF PORT ARTHUR THAT WE WERE NOT PICKING AND CHOOSING AND THAT THE RIGHT CRITERIA WAS LAID OUT AND THE RIGHT, WHATEVER WE HAVE THE LAST SAY, THE COUNCIL HAS THE LAST SAY, BUT WHETHER, I MEAN BASED UPON WHAT HAPPENS, UM, BUT I THINK THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE THAT DECISION, UM, WHETHER WE HAVE TO OR NOT.

BUT IT, THE CHIPS WILL FALL AT THE TOP.

IF YOU'RE AT THE TOP, YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE AT THE TOP.

SO I THINK THE FAIR PROCESS IS RFQ, BUT, UM, OR RFP.

BUT ANYWAY, UM, I'M, I'M LOSING SOME PEOPLE HERE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK.

MAYOR, LET'S POINT OF ORDER.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF ORDER? OKAY.

I WAS SPEAKING MCKAY.

OH, OKAY.

AND I HAD A POINT OF ORDER, UH, POINT OF INFORMATION.

THE POINT OF ORDER.

SO WHAT'S YOUR POINT OF ORDER? OKAY.

A POINT OF INFORMATION DOES NOT INTERRUPT THE POINT OF ORDER.

OKAY? YES.

THE POINT OF ORDER DOES NOT.

IT DID, IT DOES.

WELL WE DID IT TODAY.

NO, BUT IT DOES ALL DEBATES CEASES.

ALRIGHT.

I'M NOT GONNA, OKAY, I'M JUST SAYING MA'AM, I UNDERSTAND.

COUNCIL ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

SAYS THAT WHENEVER THERE'S A POINT OF ORDER, ALL POINT OF INFORMATION AND I ACKNOWLEDGE IT ALL YOU THANK YOU, APPRECIATE.

AND I DID.

OKAY, NOW LET'S GO WITH THE NEXT POINT OF ORDER.

COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, I JUST WANT TO FINISH.

FINISH UP NOW MY QUESTION.

WE'RE DONE WITH HIS POINT OF INFORMATION.

MY QUESTIONS TO YOU CHIEF IS A SIMPLE ONE.

I ASK DOES AN ORDINANCE SAYS WE HAVE TO GO OUT EVERY YEAR? THAT'S MY QUESTION.

THE ORDINANCE.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS.

NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 30TH, MAYBE DECEMBER 1ST.

CITY OF STATE ATTORNEY.

'CAUSE I HEAR PEOPLE SAYING THINGS AND I KNOW, SO I'M NOT EVEN GONNA DEBATE.

THAT'S WHAT WHAT DOES IT SAY? YOU ASK THE QUESTION.

THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS A LIGHT ON CITY ATTORNEY.

THERE'S A CONTRACTUAL ISSUE.

MAYOR PROTO OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CURRENT PROVIDER ENDS, I BELIEVE DECEMBER THE FIRST.

I'M NOT WHAT? UM, SO WE NEED A NEW CONTRACT.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING OUT FOR RF QS.

ALRIGHT, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE ORDINANCE, IT'S THE CONTRACTUAL ISSUE.

THE CONTRACTUAL ISSUE.

AND THE REASON, AND THE REASON I SAID WAS IT IN THE ORDINANCE, I READ THE ORDINANCE TOO.

AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY ORDINANCE THAT TELLS US WE GO OUT, WE GO OUT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY ARE REQUIRED.

AND IT TELLS US HOW TO DO IT.

THAT'S THE FIRST THING I KNEW.

THAT'S WHY I MADE CLEAR TO EVERYBODY LISTENING.

IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO DO THIS YEAR.

NOW I'LL ADDRESS WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH WHAT YOU SPEAK WHEN THERE'S A CONTRACT OR QUESTION ABOUT THE CONTRACT.

JUST 'CAUSE THERE'S A QUESTION PERTAINING TO A CONTRACT IS NOT A REASON FOR US TO GO OUT FOR A RFP.

WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

SO THAT'S WHY WHEN COUNCILMAN KEN LAW STARTED QUESTIONING THE OTHER DAY, AND I LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY AND I LISTENED TO DISCUSSIONS THERE.

THIS IS ALL WRITTEN.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT

[01:25:01]

OPINIONS.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK OR WHAT I KNOW.

ONE, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT'S TELLING US TO GO OUT.

TWO, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS WITH CONTRACT, WE, WE ADDRESS THE CONTRACT.

BUT A CONTRACT WITH OUR CURRENT PROVIDER IS NOT A REASON FOR US TO DO OUR FBI.

AND THAT WAS MY WHOLE POINT THAT I BROUGHT OUT BASED ON WHAT IS WRITTEN AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE ASSUME OR WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.

AND THEN WE, YES.

UH, I JUST WANNA REMIND COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S BEING IMPLIED THAT ONE SERVICE IS SUFFICIENT.

BUT Y'ALL THINK BACK A COUPLE YEARS AGO, CITIZENS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDER CAME TO THE PODIUM AND ADDRESSED THEY WANT A MINIMUM OF TWO SERVICES.

THAT WAS HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, NURSES, DOCTORS, THEY SPOKE AND, AND REGULAR CITIZENS SAID THEY WANT TWO SERVICES.

ALRIGHT, COUNCIL, UH, I THINK CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON EARLIER.

DID YOU NEED TO SPEAK BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THIS WORKSHOP? UM, I DUNNO WHETHER IT SHOULD BE DONE HERE OR MAYBE IN CLOSED SESSION.

UH, I WOULD ASK THE CG ATTORNEY HOW DO WE EXTEND THE CONTRACT THAT EXPIRES? YEAH.

HOW, YEAH, WITHOUT, WITHOUT GOING OFF FOR RFQ WITHOUT GOING OUT.

I THINK THAT, SO WE CANNOT EXTEND THE CONTRACT.

NO, YOU CAN'T.

TO GO FURTHER THAN NOVEMBER THE 30TH WITHOUT GOING OFF FOR RQS.

NO, I THOUGHT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE MAN, THAT'S THE QUESTION FROM THE MANAGER.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE, THE QUESTION THAT I, THAT I, I THINK MOST COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AS WELL.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'RE GONNA CLOSE OUT THIS WORKSHOP.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, ALL WHO'S IN ATTENDANCE FOR

[IV. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]

THE WORKSHOP.

WE'RE GONNA NOW GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION AND THAT CLOSED SESSION CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HANDLE ITEM ONE SECTIONS 5 5 1 0 7 1, LEGAL ADVICE CHAPTER 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE IN ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 DASH 47 AT THIS TIME.

QUESTION? YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, I DO.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? YES.

MY QUESTION IS, WHY ARE WE GOING INTO A CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES? THE CITY ATTORNEY ASKED THAT WE WOULD GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS 5 5 1 0 7 1 LEGAL ADVICE BASED UPON CHAPTER 5 0 4.

5 0 5 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND ON DECEMBER OF 25 DASH 47 CITY ATTORNEY.

QUESTION TO THE, HAS REQUESTED US TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

WELL QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.

WHY ARE WE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO, TO DISCUSS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE? I'VE HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER ASK FOR FURTHER LEGAL INFORMATION THAT I THINK THE ENTIRE GOVERNING BODY SHOULD HEAR AS IT PERTAINS TO CHAPTER 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY PASSED BY THIS GOVERNING BODY.

THE, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO COURT.

MAYOR, MAYOR, DON'T INTERRUPT ME LIKE THAT, SIR.

WE HAVE THIS ON THE ME YOU CALL SECTION ME.

ON ME.

AND SHE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

NO, I'M NOT THROUGH.

LET ME, YOU SPEAK COUNCIL MEMBER DES OKAY.

ONCE AGAIN, WHAT'S 5 0 1? 5 0 4 AND 5 0 5 ARE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.

THERE'S NOTHING IS NOT A LEGAL ISSUE.

THEY ARE WRITTEN, THEY ARE LAW.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES THAT ARE WRITTEN? AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE DIS IT WENT THERE THE FIRST TIME.

THAT'S WHY WE AT THIS POINT NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN THE OPEN SESSION.

THEY ARE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.

THERE'S NO LEGAL ADVICE ABOUT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN APPROVED AND PASSED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I MEAN BY LEGISLATORS, STATE LEGISLATORS.

SO, TURN, SO WHY CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT IT UP HERE? IT'S LEGAL ADVICE BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL INTERPRETATION OF STATE STATUTE AND HOW TO APPLY IT TO OUR HOME RULE MUNICIPALITY.

CAN I TAKE A VOTE ON US GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION? CAN I TAKE A VOTE ON US GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME? SO COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE MAY NOT WANT TO GO, BUT, OKAY, WELL I HAVE A COMMENT.

CAN YOU TAKE A VOTE ON THAT? I HAVE A COMMENT BEFORE WE CITY ATTORNEY TAKE A VOTE PLEASE.

OKAY, WE CAN TAKE A VOTE.

MAYOR, JUST LET ME MAKE THE COMMENT AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE A VOTE.

GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

IN THE RECORD THAT COUNCILMAN DE MAYOR PROTE DE SAYS THAT DISCUSSION OF CHAPTERS 5 0 4 AND 5 0 4 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE DOES NOT REQUIRE US GOING IN CLOSED SESSION ACCORDING TO THE OPEN MEETING ACT.

CITY SECRETARY PLEASE PLACE

[01:30:01]

AND THE OPEN MEETING ACT SPECIFICALLY STATES, SPECIFICALLY STATES GENERAL DISCUSSION OF POLICIES UNRELATED TO LEGAL MATTERS IS NOT PERMITTED UNDER 5 5 1 0.017.

UH, UNDER THIS LANGUAGE, THIS EXCEPTION, MERELY BECAUSE AN ATTORNEY IS PRESENT, A GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, CONSULT IT WITH HIS ATTORNEY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT LEGAL ISSUES RAISED IN CONNECTIONS WITH AWARDING CONTRACTS.

BUT IT MAY NOT DISCUSS MERIT OF PROPOSED CONTRACT, FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION, OR OTHER NON-LEGAL MATTERS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION HELD UNDER THIS CHAPTER 5 5 1 0.01.

AND FOR THAT REASON, IF COUNCIL CHOOSE TO DO IT, I WILL NOT ATTEND BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND OF WHAT I JUST READ.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE TO GO INTO, YEAH.

SO WHEN YOU READ THAT MAY IT'S, IT'LL, IT'LL, IT'LL APPEAR THAT AS AN OPTION.

MAY IS AN OPTION YOU CAN DO OR NOT DO.

NO, IT DIDN'T SAY MAY.

YEAH, I JUST, I JUST HEARD YOU READ.

YEAH, IT SAID MAY.

WHICH ONE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT'S MAY, THE WORDS THAT YOU SAID MAY OKAY.

WE, WE ARE GONNA TRY TO WRAP THIS UP AND GO INTO IT JUST MADE, I HEARD IT.

THAT'S WHY I'M IT'S LEGAL ADVICE.

WE'RE GONNA JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO GO INTO LEGAL.

UM, WELL LET, LET, LET HIM SPEAK FOR THE RECORD.

HE DID.

IT'S IN THERE.

HE, I'VE ALREADY PUT IT, HE'S ALREADY SPOT.

SPEAK.

UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AS, UM, WE DIRECT ME ON THE ROLL CALL, VOTE FOR, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.

CAN WE GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? MAYOR? UH, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GO INTO, UH, CLOSED SESSION.

MOVE SECOND.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY.

LEMME DO A ROLL CALL.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER MOSES? YES.

THE MEASURE PASSES TO RECESS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE ARE GOING TO, UH, RECESS ASSESS, RECESS ASSESS.

WE GOTTA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'LL BE BACK.