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GOOD MORNING[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
AND WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, 2025 AT 9:30 AM YOU CAN CERTAINLY JOIN OUR MEETING BY TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE BY DIALING IN TO, UH, 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.YOU MAY MUST ENTER THE MEETING ID CODE OF 8 2 8 8 8 5 4 0 0 0 6 7 AND ENTERED THE PASS CODE 2 2 1 7 8 5.
WE LOVE TO ACCOMMODATE THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WILL MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PERSONS ATTENDING OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT YOU MUST DO SO 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, AND YOU MAY CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PRAYER AND VOCATION, OUR PLEDGE AND OUR ROLL CALL.
BUT I'M ASKING EVERYONE TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR CELL PHONES, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, SO THAT WE COULD AVOID ANY, UH, DISRUPTIONS WITHIN OUR MEETING.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW TO OPEN US UP IN PRAYER AND WE'LL HAVE OUR PLEDGE AND OUR CITY SECRETARY WILL DO OUR ROLL CALL.
WILL YOU STAND WITH ME? OH, HEAVENLY FATHER, ONCE AGAIN, WE COME TO LY IN PRAYER.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THIS GREAT CITY.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU FEEL FIT.
WE ACTUALLY ALSO BLESS THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
WE ASK ALL THESE BLESSINGS IN YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD.
AMEN TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER ROCK AND TO LIBERAL WITH LIBERTY.
JUSTICE CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL ESTABLISH A QUORUM, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, PROCLAMATIONS THIS MORNING.
[III.A.(1) Joe Tant, President/CEO Of The Greater Port Arthur Chamber Of Commerce Regarding The Chamber Update]
WE HAVE A SPEAKER.OUR FIRST SPEAKER, OUR ONLY SPEAKER THIS MORNING IS, UH, MR. JOE TANT FROM, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER PORT ARTHUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
REGARDING THE CHAMBER'S UPDATE, MR. TANT, YOU MAY COME FORWARD.
WE HAVE, UH, HAVE A VERY GOOD AND STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
MR. DOUCETTE AND I HAVE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT THE CHAMBER COMING AND TELLING YOU GUYS WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT DO WE HAVE WORKING, WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER.
SO WE PUT SOME THINGS TOGETHER FOR YOU IN YOUR BINDER.
UH, THIS BINDER REPRESENTS SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE HAD GOING ON THE LAST 90 DAYS AND INTO THE NEXT FUTURE 90 DAYS.
SO YOU HAVE A SIX MONTH SNAPSHOT OF KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SO SPEAK CLOSER INTO THAT MIC FOR ME.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE ARE TWO LETTERS, UH, FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM THAT WE SENT TO CONGRESSMAN RANDY WEBER ON BEHALF OF TRYING TO GET THAT MONEY FOR THE CITY AND SABINE PASS.
SO THERE'S TWO LETTERS IN THAT.
UH, WE FEEL LIKE CONGRESSMAN WEBER IS ON TOP OF THAT.
HE WILL BE HERE FOR A LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON, WHICH YOU ARE ALL, UH, INVITED TO COME TO ON AUGUST 26TH, AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH HIM AND HOPEFULLY YOUR CHAMBER CAN HELP PUSH THIS FORWARD AND GET THEM FUNDS THAT WE NEED FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR WATER.
WE KNOW THAT'S A, UH, UH, A CONCERN.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S ROCKING YOUR JOB FAIR.
OCTOBER 15TH, THE CITY, UH, SOME OF YOUR LOCAL ENTITIES LIKE A, B, C AND THE CHAMBER ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A TRUE JOB FAIR.
AND WE ARE GONNA BE ANNOUNCING THAT TOMORROW FOR OUR CONTRACTOR GROUP BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE
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FOLKS THAT NEED JOBS IN PORT ARTHUR AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE WORKFORCE, BUT WE'VE KIND OF TAKEN IT OVER A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR.WE WANT FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE CIVIC CENTER THAT ARE HIRING.
WE, WE LOVE FOLKS THAT ARE OFFERING TRAINING FOR GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE, AND IF YOU'RE NOT HIRING, THAT'LL BE A DIFFERENT EVENT.
WE WANT A HIRING EVENT FOR FOLKS FROM PORT ARTHUR TO GO TO WORK.
MY BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS ASKED ME TO PUT TOGETHER A DOCUMENT OVER WHAT JOE 10 HAS PERSONALLY DONE OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE CITY.
SO WE PUT AN EVERYTHING TOGETHER ON ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE HANDLED OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON ON AUGUST 26TH.
CONGRESSMAN BABIN WILL BE HERE AS WELL, 'CAUSE HE REPRESENTS A LITTLE BIT OF OUR AREA.
WE ALSO INVITED ALL OF OUR STATE REPS AND HOUSE DELEGATION.
WE DO NOT KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA MAKE IT.
THEY'RE IN EXTENDED, UH, SESSION.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GET OUT OF THAT IN TIME, BUT THEY'RE INVITED.
IF THEY SHOW UP, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY PUT THEM ON STAGE AND ASK WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW CAN WE HELP.
UM, THE BIG EVENT THAT I'M VERY EXCITED FOR IS A VETERAN AND FIRST RESPONDERS LUNCHEON.
AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT A BUNCH OF MY CITY COUNCIL FOLKS, UH, CAN BE THERE.
UH, WE WANNA HONOR OUR VETERANS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE'VE ALSO TEAMED UP WITH MULTIPLE CHAMBERS IN OUR AREA, UH, FROM LUMBERTON, JASPER VIER, ORANGE BRIDGE CITY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE HELPING OUT THE FLOW VICTIMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
YOUR CHAMBER SENT $10,000 TO THE KERRVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HELP THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT DEVASTATION BRINGS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE LOSS OF LIFE THAT THEY EXPERIENCE, BUT WE UNDERSTAND DEVASTATION.
SO YOUR CHAMBERS REACHED OUT TO TRY TO HELP WITH THAT.
WE'LL, ALSO THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS LUNCHEON, WE'LL GO TO THAT AREA AS WELL TO HELP SOME OF THOSE FOLKS.
WE WANT IT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GOING.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED A FEW FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
UM, COUPLE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF YOUR BINDER.
SOME SUPPORT LETTERS FOR YOUR PROJECT, LABRADOR, WHICH IS THE CHEVRON PROJECT.
SOME FOLKS REALLY WANNA EXPRESS HOW MUCH THEY LIKE TO HAVE THIS PROJECT, SO WE PUT THAT TOGETHER.
UM, AND THAT, THAT SUMMARIZES JUST NOT EVERYTHING WE HAVE GOING ON.
YOUR CHAMBER IS STILL LOOKING AT EXPANDING.
WE HAVE HIRED ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL TO HELP WITH OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE LANDLOCKED OVER AT THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN, WORKING WITH OUR EDC PARTNERS TO SEE IF WE CAN, UH, FIGURE SOMETHING OUT ON, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE.
UH, AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALLOWING ME TO COME UP AND, AND GIVE YOU GUYS, UH, A LITTLE UPDATE ON, ON KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CHAMBER.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I SEE ANY LIGHTS ON PERFECT.
FROM MCKEN LAW, BUT I MEAN, I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT THE CHAMBER AND THE WORK THAT IT'S DOING, AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, UM, LUNCHEON THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ON THE 26TH.
SO WE CAN HELP GET SOME PARTNERSHIP.
I WILL TELL YOU IN CLOSING, THERE ARE NOT MANY CHAMBERS AND CITIES THAT WORK THIS WELL TOGETHER.
IT'S VERY UNIQUE AND I WANNA CONTINUE DOING THAT.
IF YOU NEED ME HOLLER, YOU ALL SCREAM OR THROW SOMETHING HEAVY AT ME, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA HIT YOU, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL CALL YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK OH, HAS HIS LIGHT ON? YES, SIR.
JOE, DON'T FORGET, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE, UM, ABOUT THOSE BUS STOPS.
LET'S, LET'S GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF WE CAN COLLABORATE BETWEEN THE CHAMBER AND UM, UM, AND THE CITY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, OUR TRANSPORTATION, UM, DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING, UM, WHAT THEY CAN TO TRY TO PUT, UH, COVERED BUS STOPS.
BUT WE, YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE CHAMBER TO BE ABLE TO ADVERTISE AND HELP US TO PUT BUS STOPS, UH, HERE IN OUR, IN OUR CITY AS WELL, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE, UM, WITH THE CITY.
SO I'LL REACH OUT NEXT WEEK AND WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
GOT ONE MORE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH A LIGHT ON.
A WHILE BACK WE TALKED ABOUT THE INCUBATORS SPACE THAT'S IN THE, THIS IS AN EDC BUILDING.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUSINESSES THAT COME TO YOU THAT WERE INTERESTED IN,
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UM, BEING IN, IN HAVING AN INC AND PARTICIPATING WITH AN INCUBATOR.WHERE ARE WE WITH IT? SO WE HAVE, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A, A CHANGE OVER AT THE EDC AND LEADERSHIP.
I HAD A MEETING ON TUESDAY WITH MS. CRYSTAL, WHO IS THE INTERIM, UH, DIRECTOR.
AND SHE HAS A PLAN PUT IN PLACE FOR THE EDC TO FULFILL THAT.
SHE'S GONNA LET ME KNOW WHAT SPACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE SO WE CAN START ADVERTISING AND ANNOUNCING THAT, UM, AS SOON AS ONE COMES AVAILABLE, IF THE CHAMBER EVER DECIDES WE'RE GOING TO MOVE OR RELOCATE, UH, HERE, WE'RE STAYING IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IF WE EVER DECIDE WE'RE GONNA MOVE, WE WOULD ENSURE THAT OUR FACILITY OR OUR OFFICES WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO THOSE CONTAINERS AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE LIGHTS ON THIS MATTER.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Executive Director Vivian Ballou Of Legacy Community Development Corporation Regarding An Update On Affordable Housing]
TIME WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION.WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, NUMBER THREE PRESENTATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE OF PRESENTATION BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VIVIAN BALLOU OF LEGACY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REGARDING AN UPDATE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, AS SHE MENTIONED, MY NAME IS VIVIAN BALLOU AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEGACY CDC.
UH, LEGACY CDC IS THE HUD CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES BY BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES.
OUR MISSION IS TO HELP FAMILIES PORT ARTHUR BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.
UM, MANY OF MANY PEOPLE HERE THINK THAT LEGACY ONLY PROVIDES HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS, BUT OVER THE PAST YEARS, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME OF THE FOLLOWING.
IN THE PAST 15 YEARS, WE HAVE PROVIDED HOME BUYER CERTIFICATION TO OVER 2000 JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS.
UH, WE'VE RENOVATED OR CONSTRUCTED OVER 100 HOMES FOR HOME BUYERS AND TENANTS.
IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE PROVIDED, UH, FORECLOSURE, EVICTION AND, UM, FOR 150 TENANTS.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 45 TENANTS THROUGH OUR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
WE'VE HOUSED 15 FAMILIES WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV OR AGE THROUGH OUR HOPWA PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES TO OVER 400 FAMILIES.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A HOMELESS SHELTER THAT'S A REGIONAL SHELTER, UH, IN BEAUMONT THAT WILL HOUSE UP TO EIGHT FAMILIES AT A TIME.
WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY, UH, RENOVATING 90 HOMES FOR, UH, PEOPLE OR SENIORS WHO WERE IMPACTED BY HARVEY AND JEFFERSON COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT ANOTHER 20 TO GO WITH THAT PROJECT.
SO WE DO A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN JUST, UH, HOME OWNERSHIP.
IN 20 25, 26, OUR GOAL IS TO CONSTRUCT OVER 24 NEW HOMES IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AT OUR GIFFORD POND LOCATION.
UH, IT TOOK ON THE SCREEN, THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF MIXED INCOME FAMILIES, MODERN HOUSE PLANS, OPEN CONCEPT FLOOR PLANS, WATER VIEW, AND PARK.
THE SALES PRICES OF THESE HOMES WILL RANGE FROM 215,000 TO $350,000.
THESE HOMES WILL EXCEED THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF OUR CURRENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OFTEN AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF DESIGN MATERIALS AND OVERALL LIVING EXPERIENCE.
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE ARE SEEKING A DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR THE INSTALLATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS WATER, SEWER, DRAINAGE, AND STREETS.
AT THIS PROJECT, THE ESTIMATED COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS $850,000.
WE ARE SEEKING A STANDARD DEVELOPER'S PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY IN THE AMOUNT OF 255,000, WHICH IS 30% OF THE PROJECT.
UM, LEGACY'S INVESTMENT WILL BE $595,000 IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND OVER $6 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS 24 HOUSES, AND AN AVERAGE COST OF $250,000 EACH.
THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT, UH, PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE CREDIT AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING AT NO COST.
ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE HOME BUYER CERTIFICATION AT NO COST.
PARTICIPANTS MAY QUALIFY FOR UP TO $70,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS, UH, THEY WILL RECEIVE POST, POST PURCHASE COUNSELING, WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO RETAIN THE HOMES FOR THE LONG TERM.
UH, THIS PROJECT WILL ADD MUCH NEEDED HOUSING TO PORT ARTHUR, ADD TO OUR TAX ROLES, AND OVERALL IMPROVE THE CITY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT.
WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
HE HAS A LIGHT, HAS THAT LIGHT ON
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AT THIS TIME.UH, I SEE YOU AT, UH, THE OWNERS.
I'M A DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.
UH, HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR THAT? WELL, I HAVE REQUESTED, AND THIS PRESENTATION WAS PART OF THAT REQUEST.
'CAUSE I WAS GONNA SAY THAT'S, THAT'S A SIMPLE PROCESS THERE.
YOU SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK DEVELOPER MM-HMM
AND THEN THEY RUN IT THROUGH IT.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT.
DID YOU? GOOD MORNING, GRACIOUS.
WE FINALLY GOT IT ALL TOGETHER.
HUH? WE GOING TO HELP YOU FIVE YEARS LATER.
WE ARE NOT GONNA TREAT HER ANY DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE.
WE'RE TREATING OTHER DEVELOPERS.
WAIT, WE'RE NOT GONNA TREAT HER ANY DIFFERENT THAN WE TREATED OTHER DEVELOPERS.
WE'RE NEVER SELECTIVE IN DOING THAT.
I TELL YOU WHAT, SHE WAS HERE FOR THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, MAN.
SHE GOT US STARTED AND SHE, I'LL NEVER FORGET, I WAS LOOKING FOR MONEY FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SHE FOUND $500,000 SCATTERED THROUGH ALL LITTLE RESIDUAL ACCOUNTS.
ALRIGHT, VIVIAN, THAT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE HOMES IN PORT ARTHUR, 24 BEAUTIFUL HOMES.
UM, MY TERM ENDED WITH COUNCIL AND I'M GLAD WE'RE PICKING IT BACK UP AND GETTING IT STARTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
[III.B.(2) An Update By Human Resources Regarding The City’s Vacancy Report (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw And Mayor Pro Tem Doucet)]
AT THIS TIME, UM, NUMBER TWO, UNDER PRESENTATIONS, WE HAVE AN UPDATE BY HUMAN RESOURCES REGARDING THE CITY'S VACANCY REPORT.UM, THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEN LAW AND MAYOR PRO TEM ETT.
UM, STAFF WOULD COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT, HUH? I WAS HUNGRY.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A GIFT FROM HR COURTESY OF COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
MY FAVORITE IS GIVING AL THAT'S FUNNY.
WELL, SINCE WE'RE ALL GIVING FAVORS, MINE IS SNICKERS WITH ALMONDS
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
GOOD MORNING MANAGER, MADAM ATTORNEY.
WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS MORNING REGARDING STAFFING HERE AT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME INTRODUCE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW.
THIS IS MS. RA HINTON, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF AND IS HERE ASSISTING ME TODAY AS WE DO THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, WHICH IS CREATED BY CHARTER.
IN FACT, IT WAS COUNCILMAN LEWIS WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HAVING THE NAME CHANGE FROM DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL TO HUMAN RESOURCES.
THE CHARGE OF HUMAN RESOURCES IS VERY SIMPLE.
WE ARE DEALING WITH RECRUITING, RETAINING, AND SUPPORTING THE CITY'S MOST VALUABLE ASSET, THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE FACED SOME UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES IN KEY AREAS.
WE'VE LOST SOME EXPERIENCED STAFF IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
IN FACT, WE LOST VIRTUALLY HALF OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF, EITHER THROUGH THEM OBTAINING ANOTHER JOB OR DECIDING NOT TO RETURN TO WORK.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE FACING A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND HOT JOB MARKET IN MANY OF THE POSITIONS FOR WHICH WE ARE RECRUITING.
AS ANY OTHER EMPLOYER, WE ALWAYS WANT TO BRING ON THE MOST QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS.
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OKAY? OKAY.IN REGARD TO THE CITY VACANCIES, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CURRENTLY HAS 73 VACANCIES.
OF THESE 73 VACANCIES 16 ARE CURRENTLY IN THE INTERVIEW STAGE, WHICH LEADS US WITH 57 VACANCIES, WHICH WE ARE STILL ADDRESSING 12 OF THOSE.
WE ARE AWAITING THE, UH, PAPERWORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN THE RECRUITMENT OF THOSE VACANCIES.
10 VACANCIES, WHICH TEND TO BE MORE DIFFICULT TO FILL.
WE ARE OPPOSED TO CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THEY ARE FILLED.
OVERALL, THE CITY HAS AN APPROXIMATELY 9% VACANCY RATE.
THIS IS WELL WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF A LOT OF CITIES.
UH, CITIES ARE FACING A DIFFICULT TIME IN RECRUITING THE 9% RATE.
IT FLUCTUATES BECAUSE OF THE JOB MARKET.
WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND IN MANY FIELDS, WE KNOW GOVERNMENT CANNOT PAY THE SALARIES THAT PRIVATE SECTOR DOES.
SOME FIELDS HAVE A VERY SPECIAL DEMAND.
UH, IN FACT, IN A CONVERSATION WITH MR. MATTHEWS REGARDING UTILITY OPERATIONS, HE WAS TELLING ME FROM HIS SIDE THAT FOR EVERY FOUR PEOPLE IN THE FIELD THAT RETIRE, THEY'RE HIRING ONE.
AND WHEN I TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE IN HR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND ACROSS, UH, TEXAS, THEY ARE FACING THE SAME DEMAND PROBLEM.
SPECIFICALLY, THESE ARE FIELDS WHICH REQUIRE A SPECIFIC LICENSE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THAT LICENSE.
IN FACT, FOR A LOT OF THE TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR LICENSES, THE PASSAGE RATE IS 17%.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT ANOTHER EPIC IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S CYCLE WHERE WE ARE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF RETIREMENTS.
SOME OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF JOY FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE RETIRING.
IN FACT, WALKING IN THE BUILDING, I HAD TWO PEOPLE TELL ME THEY ARE PLANNING TO RETIRE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE RETIRING, AND WE ARE NOT ABLE NECESSARILY TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES QUICKLY.
WE ALSO HAVE PROMOTIONS AND CAREER MOVES.
THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO MOVE.
BUT WHEN THEY DO MOVE THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FILL, FINALLY, WE ARE ALSO DEALING WITH CANDIDATE DESIRES AND GOALS.
AND THAT BASICALLY DEALS WITH WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.
THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE DECISIONS THAT YOU ADDRESS.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE PORT ARTHUR AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO LIVE, THE QUESTION WAS ASKED IN REGARD TO TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, WHERE IS OUR STATUS THERE? WE HAVE 10 TEMPORARIES OF WHICH SIX ARE LIBRARY STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE 51 TEMPORARIES THROUGH THE AGENCY, WHICH ARE, UH, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THE SPECIFIC QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT POSITIONS WHICH HAD BEEN VACANT MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE TWO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE.
ONE IS THE WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE, SUPERVISING UTILITY OPERATIONS, WHICH IS AGAIN, A POSITION WHICH REQUIRES SPECIFIC LICENSURE AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALISTS.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH RECRUITMENT PROCESSES AND ATTEMPTS TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO NOW.
LIKE AMERICA'S TEAM, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WE NEED TO FIX
SO WE HAVE ACTIONS THAT ARE IN PLAY AT THE CITY MANAGERS HAVE PROVED ONE OF THOSE IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY FILLING VACANCIES IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO FULL STAFFING LEVELS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK, UH, WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON ADOPTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE UPDATED WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN.
AND I WANNA PAUSE AND SAY THAT THAT IS A PIVOTAL ELEMENT.
MAYOR MOSES WILL REMEMBER WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT A WAGE AND COMPENSATION IN PLA UH, PLAN IN PLACE.
AND IT IS ONE WHICH TOUCHES ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, UH, VERY CAREFULLY.
IT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT COMES WITH THE COST SO THAT WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE BUDGETARILY PREPARED FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
BUT THAT HAS BEEN A DIRECTIVE OF THE CITY MANAGERS.
SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, UH, OF HOPEFULLY PRESENTING TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THE PLAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN HR WITH THE STAFF TO BETTER UTILIZE THE TYLER MUNA SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH SEVERAL, UH, RECRUITING FIRMS TO FILL KEY POSITIONS.
UH, WE HAVE WORKED WITH SGR FOR INSTANCE.
WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN A SEARCH FOR A SENIOR ASSISTANCE ATTORNEY, UH, AS ONE OF THE PIVOTAL POSITIONS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FILL.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED OUR PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, WHICH MEANS OUR OUTREACH IS
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MULTIPLIED.WE ARE PLAN TO ACTIVELY, AGAIN, WORK WITH LOCAL AGENCIES.
WE'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE AND HOST JOB FAIRS AS WELL AS WORK CLOSER WITH TEXAS WORKFORCE CENTER.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO MODIFY SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP PARADIGMS. WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH OUR LEADERS TO WORK BETTER WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
IT DOESN'T DO US ANY GOOD TO RECRUIT EMPLOYEES IF WE DON'T RETAIN THEM.
AND RETAINING THEM IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON.
WE'RE GOING TO SPECIFICALLY EVALUATE SOME OF THE PROCESSES WE HAVE IN HR.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH ONBOARDING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
BUT WE ARE GONNA FOCUS ON THAT FURTHER.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA FOCUS ON HAVING A TEAM VIEW, OUR TEAM FOCUS, BOTH WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND WITHIN HR, SPECIFICALLY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET POSITIONS FILLED.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE, AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M READY.
THA WE HAVE THE FIRST LIGHT AS DR.
UH, I'M LOOKING AT THE ONLINE AS OF TODAY, UH, VACANCIES WITH THE CITY.
AND YOU STATED EARLIER THAT YOU HAD 57 VACANCIES, HOWEVER, YOU ONLY HAVE 28 THAT'S ON, ON THE WEBSITE.
SO I'VE BEEN ASKING WHY FOR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS.
WHY IS THAT? UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S 30 DO 30 DIFFERENT VACANCIES ARE NOT LISTED ON THE WEBSITE.
SO HOW ARE YOU PLAN? AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
HOW ARE, ARE YOU PLANNING ON FILLING THE VACANCIES? IF YOU HAVE 57 AND YOU ONLY HAVE 28 POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, HOW ARE YOU PLANNING ON GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE? WELL, COUNCILMAN, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND VERIFY THAT IF THERE'S A MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE ON THE WEBSITE AND WHAT WE ARE SEEKING, THEN WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE IN LINE.
AGAIN, AS I SAID, WE HAVE 73 OF WHICH 16 ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING.
SO THE 57 THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD BE THERE, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE POSTED CONTINUOUSLY.
SO I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE WE GET IT ALIGNED.
WELL, I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT'S STILL CONSISTENT FROM THREE YEARS AGO.
SO, UM, WE NEED TO FIX THAT NOW.
MY NEXT QUESTION, JOB VACANCIES.
YOU KNOW, I PULLED AND I ASKED THE FINANCIAL, UH, DIRECTOR TO SEND, UH, UH, SALARIES AND OVERTIME FROM THE LAST YEAR.
I HAD THE ONE IN 23, BUT AS YOU KNOW, I ASKED FOR IT LAST YEAR.
AND TO MY SURPRISE, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF NOT FILLING THE VACANCIES, WE'VE HAD EMPLOYEES MAKE ALMOST 200 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
DID YOU KNOW THAT? WELL, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OVERTIME.
SOME OF IT IS GONNA BE DUE TO VACANCIES.
AND IF IT'S THE DEPARTMENTS THAT I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE HAVE OVERTIME, IT'S SIMPLY DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE'VE HAD ON HAND.
UH, WE KNOW THAT IN UTILITY OPERATIONS WE EXPERIENCED UNPRECEDENTED SUMMER, WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF LINE BREAKS.
AND SIMPLY THAT WAS JUST A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
WELL, WOULDN'T YOU THINK IT WOULD BE EASY JUST TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO KILL THAT OVERTIME SO YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WORKING AND ADDRESSING THE SITUATIONS AND ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY? WELL, WE ARE WORKING TO, UH, ADDRESS THE OVERTIME ISSUE.
WE HAVE BROUGHT ON SOME SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT STAFF, UH, WHO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD HAS CHARGED WITH LOOKING INTO OVERTIME AND FINDING WAYS TO REDUCE OVERTIME.
AND ALSO AS WE WORK TO REPLACE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE HOPING TO SEE A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF BREAKS WE HAVE, WHICH SHOULD IMPACT OVERTIME.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THE 28 JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE ON THIS.
MOST OF THESE JOBS ARE PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSIT, MAINTENANCE, SUPERVISOR, WATER DISTRIBUTION, ESSENTIAL JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES WE NEED IN THE CITY.
THOSE ARE CRITICAL TO INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO MY GUESS, UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU, HOW ARE WE GONNA FILL THOSE JOBS IF YOU HAVE SO MANY ON THE JOB OPENING VACANCY LIST? I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO SUPPORT US RAISING TAX.
ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS WE ASK CITIZENS TO DO.
BUT ON OUR HAND AS HR AND YOU THE HR DIRECTOR TO FILL THESE POSITION GARBAGE, SOMETHING THAT WE GET BEAT UP ALL THE TIME EVERY DAY, GARBAGE AND TRASH.
WE CAN'T CON CONSISTENTLY HAVE A TRASH SCHEDULE A GARBAGE.
IT'S ALWAYS THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR, FIVE TIMES A YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD THESE TYPE OF ISSUES.
SO WHY CAN'T WE JUST FILL THIS? WHY CAN'T WE JUST POST ALL 57 JOBS? WHY CAN'T WE MOVE WHO WHOEVER'S HOLDING IT UP, DIRECTORS INTERVIEWS BACKGROUND, WE NEED TO START GETTING INDIVIDUALS BACK
[00:30:01]
EMPLOYED IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.SO THAT'S YOUR JOB TO DO, BUT IT'S MY JOB TO HIGHLIGHT IT AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE'RE GONNA DO DIFFERENTLY.
AND MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, SPEAKING EARLIER ABOUT OVERTIME COMPENSATION.
NOW, WHEN THOSE JOBS ARE THREE YEARS OR MORE THAT WE CAN'T FIELD, RIGHT? WHY CAN'T WE JUST PUT THE MONIES BACK IF WE CAN'T FILL THEM? I MEAN, WHY ARE WE CONSTANTLY PUTTING ON THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES OF JOB VACANCY LIST? AND ALSO, CAN THAT MONEY BE MOVED? CAN THAT MONEY, IF WE DON'T FILL THAT JOB IN A YEAR, CAN WE USE THAT MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T FILL THAT JOB FOR SOMETHING ELSE? THAT'S MY SECOND HALF OF THAT QUESTION.
WELL, I'LL START WITH THE FIRST QUESTION.
UH, COUNCILMAN, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO FILL THE JOB, DOESN'T ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE POSITION.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT'S NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET.
NOW, IN REGARD TO NORMAL PERSONNEL, CAUSE A LOT OF IT LIES WITHIN THE DI DIRECTOR FINANCES VIEWPOINT, GENERALLY, DIRECTORS FINANCE HAVE SAID ONCE YOU HAVE BUDGETED MONEY FOR PERSONNEL, IT IS NOT MOVED INTO ANY OTHER CATEGORY.
BUT I WOULD DOUBLE CHECK AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY AUDIT PROHIBITION TO THAT.
MAYOR, REAL QUICK, YOU DON'T MIND IF I ASK THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO OH NO.
I WANT, I WANNA KNOW THAT FOR RECORD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, NOON MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT THE MONEY IS MOVED.
IF THERE IS A VACANCY AND IT'S NOT BEING FILLED AND IT'S BEING FILLED BY A TEMPORARY AGENCY WITH PERMISSION OF CITY MANAGER, I DO MOVE THE LINE ITEMS SO THAT THAT CAN BE FILLED FOR THAT TEMPORARY POSITION.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I DO WITH THAT.
SO OTHER THAN WHAT YOU JUST STATED, DIRECTOR, CAN IT BE MOVED FOR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE COMPENSATION FOR ANOTHER POSITION OR A RAISE FOR ANOTHER POSITION, OR A BONUS FOR ANOTHER POSITION? CAN IT BE MOVED THAT WAY? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
IT'S JUST A LINE ITEM FOR REGULAR WAGES.
SO IF THAT IS THE CHOICE OF THE DIRECTOR OKAY.
WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY MANAGER, IT'S NOT MATTER OF MOVEMENT.
SO I MAY NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT.
UM, I WAS INITIALLY GOING TO SAY, UM, THE SAME THING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN KINLAW DID ABOUT THE WEBSITE.
I SAW A PRESENTATION THE OTHER NIGHT, UM, FOR THE EDC AND THE, THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS MAKING THE PRESENTATION, UM, WAS A, WAS A VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
UM, AND SHE WAS THERE, THERE ARE, THEY ARE, UH, SENDING OUT AN RFQ, UH, FOR A REVITALIZATION AND REFURBISHING, EXCUSE ME, OF THEIR WEBPAGE BECAUSE, UM, THE WEBPAGE IN THE, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE GLOBAL MARKET IN WHICH WE ARE IN NOW IS SO VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO, UH, DO BUSINESS AND WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN KINLAW BRINGS TO OUR ATTENTION IS CRITICAL AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING, TRYING TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.
AND THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'VE HAD SUCH GREAT DIFFICULTY IN FILLING THEM, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT AWARE OF THEM WHEN YOU HAVE 57 VACANCIES AND YOU'RE ONLY SHOWING 28.
UM, THE OTHER DAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE OPERATIONS CENTER.
I WAS GOING OUT THERE TO LOOK AT THE NEW, UM, UH, REFURBISHED AND, UH, AND FIXED UP OPERATIONS CENTER.
I'M SO GLAD FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT THEY HAVE AN UPDATED ENVIRONMENT.
BUT AS I WAS TALKING TO, WALKING AROUND, LOOKING AT THE MECHANICS, I WAS WATCHING, UH, THE GARBAGE TRUCKS, UH, AND, UM, WE HAD QUITE A FEW THAT WERE ON THE, UH, ON THE BLINK.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THAT'S AN ISSUE IN OUR CITY.
UM, AND I'M GONNA GET TO MY, UH, GET TO MY, UH, MY STATEMENT IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO WE KNOW THAT GARBAGE IS A, A, A CRITICAL ISSUE IN OUR CITY.
AND SO WE HAD GARBAGE TRUCKS THAT WERE ON THE BLINK.
I WENT, LOOKED AT 'EM, HAD THREE OF THEM LINED UP.
I WENT INTO THE SHOP, TALKED TO THE MECHANICS, I'VE TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IT IN THIS FORUM AS WELL, BECAUSE WE NEED MECHANICS.
AND SO WHEN WE NEED MECHANICS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT FIRST OF ALL, MECHANICS ARE PAID, UH, IN A WAY THAT WE CAN RECRUIT MECHANICS.
[00:35:01]
THINGS THAT CAME TO MY ATTENTION AS I WAS TALKING TO THEM WAS, IS THAT WE ARE, IS UNDER THE LICENSING.AND I LOOK, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE, THE JOB, THE WEBPAGE, AND LOOKING AT THE JOB OPENINGS AS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MECHANICS AND YOU'RE REQUIRING THAT MECHANICS HAVE A CDL LICENSE OR THE ABILITY TO OBTAIN ONE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF HIRE.
AND THAT'S, YOU'RE MAKING THAT A REQUIREMENT.
WHY IS THAT A REQUIREMENT FOR A MECHANIC TO HAVE A CDL LICENSE? AND AS I WAS TALKING TO THE MECHANICS THERE, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T USE THAT.
AND WE'RE PUTTING ANOTHER LEVEL OF QUALIFICATION THERE THAT WILL KEEP US FROM RECRUITING MECHANICS.
GENERALLY THE CDL REQUIREMENT IS BECAUSE ALL MECHANIC WORK OR MECHANIC ACTIVITY DOESN'T TAKE PLACE NECESSARILY AT THE SHOP.
SO THAT IF THEY HAD TO BRING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN THAT REQUIRES A CDL, THEY WOULD ALREADY HAVE A LICENSE AND BE ABLE TO DRIVE THAT EQUIPMENT.
WELL, WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T YOU GET A WORKER FROM THE GARBAGE DEPARTMENT OR SOMEONE WITH A CD? I MEAN, REQUIRING A MECHANIC TO HAVE THAT LICENSE TO BE HIRED.
THAT'S PUTTING A, THAT'S PUTTING A ROADBLOCK IN, IN GETTING MECHANICS, DON'T, ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING WHAT I'M SAYING? UH, QUITE WELL, COUNCILMAN.
AND AGAIN, AS WE SAID, WE, WE DID BUILD IN THE WAIVER AND SOME MECHANICS HAVE HAD THE WAIVER USED MULTIPLE TIMES AND BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THE CDL, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT REQUIREMENT.
IT IS ONE THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE UTILIZED.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN AND REVIEWING JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
AND IF WE DETERMINE THAT THERE IS NOT A NEED TO CONTINUE IT, WE WILL REMOVE IT.
I NEED A POINT OF CLARIFICATION TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT WATER TREATMENT.
LICENS LICENSURE PASS RATE AT 17%.
WHAT IS, WELL, IF, IF I COULD MAYOR, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. MATTHEWS TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT LICENSURE IN UTILITY OPERATIONS BECAUSE IT'S A FIGHT THAT HE AND I HAVE BOTH BEEN DEALING WITH FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
IS THAT THE, THE TWO, THE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE IN WATER? UM, IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT, THEY BOTH NEED THOSE TYPES OF LICENSURE.
UH, THE, IN, IN, IN THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UH, AT OUR SIZE, I THINK IT'S A B WE HAVE, WE HAVE AN A THAT RUNS OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND YOU NEED BS.
AND THEN CS A D IS JUST A TEMPORARY LICENSE.
IT'S JUST A BASIC LICENSE THAT I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THREE YEARS.
BUT YOU CAN'T RUN THE PLANT WITH A D.
YOU HAVE TO, YOU START WITH A C.
AND THE, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT'S VERY SIMILAR.
IT'S A WASTEWATER TREATMENT LICENSE.
WE HAVE, UH, FOUR AS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
TWO, I THINK IN WATER TREATMENT AND COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION.
THERE'S, UH, THE WATER DISTRIBUTION LICENSE MIRROR, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND, UH, A B IS KIND OF THE HIGHEST IN DISTRIBUTION.
YOU CAN GET AN A, BUT, UH, A IS REALLY GEARED WHOLLY AT TREATMENT.
UH, THE, THE, UH, B REQUIRES A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE OF TREATMENT.
THE COLLECTION, SEWER, SEWER COLLECTION LICENSE ARE ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
AND IT'S KINDA LIKE THE DCB IN THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
UH, THESE ARE GOVERNED BY TCEQ.
THEY HAVE TO TAKE TESTS AND PASS IT.
UH, I, WHAT I BELIEVE, AND, AND BY THE WAY, WE JUST YESTERDAY, I, UH, ON A MONDAY WE BROUGHT AN ASSISTANT MANAGER ON, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO BRING ON A, A GUY NAMED BARRY BARNES.
HE IS, UH, OVER, HE SET THE SERVICE CENTER.
SO HE'S DIRECTLY OVER THE DISTRIBUTION COLLECTION.
HE'S WELL KNOWN FOR BEING ABLE, HELPING PEOPLE GET THEIR LICENSE.
HE'S GOOD AT THE MATH, THE MATH THAT'S REQUIRED.
UH, AND IN BOTH A AND B, HE GREW UP FROM THE TRENCH UP.
SO HE'S, HE'S DONE PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT JOBS.
SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED THAT HE JOINED US.
HE CAME FROM ERLAND, UH, ORIGINALLY BEAUMONT AND DERLAND, AND NOW WITH US.
UH, BUT WE'RE, WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING LICENSE, UH, AND I THINK IT'S THE, JUST
[00:40:01]
FROM TALKING TO THE PEOPLE, IT'S THE MATH.AND BARRY'S VERY GOOD AT MATH.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE ABLE TO TRAIN.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A LADY THAT HAS HELPED BEAUMONT AND DERLAND WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, TUTORING IN THE MATHEMATICS PART.
WE'D BE LOOKING AT BRINGING HER ON TO, TO HELP TRAIN THESE, THE GUYS AND, AND GETTING THROUGH THE MATH.
'CAUSE THE MATH IS ABOUT 30% OF THE TEST.
SO IF YOU CAN'T DO THE MATH, YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE FAILED THE TEST.
THAT'S OUR, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY WITH BARRY, IS HOW WE'RE GONNA GET SOME OF THESE PEOPLE LICENSED AND GETTING PEOPLE LICENSED.
YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A LICENSED PERSON O OPERATE OVER THE CREW.
SO IF A CREW'S ON OVERTIME AND YOU DON'T HAVE A LICENSED PERSON RUNNING THAT CREW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY EITHER THERE OR FULL-TIME ON THE PHONE.
SO THAT, THAT IMPACTS OUR OVERTIME AND EVERYTHING.
WE GET SOME LICENSED PEOPLE AND THERE IS A SHORTAGE IN THE STATE.
SO THERE IS THE FEAR THAT ONCE YOU GET A LICENSE, IF THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND YOU, IT'S THE SURROUNDING CITIES.
AND I MEAN, LAST, LAST YEAR EVEN DALLAS WAS PAYING RELOCATION BONUSES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL ARE, BUT I MEAN, IT WAS PRETTY SERIOUS.
SO, AND IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.
SO FOR THESE TWO POSITIONS, SO IS IT NOW ONE POSITION LEFT SINCE YOU HAVE MR. BERRY? NO, WE STILL TWO.
WE HAVE, WE NEED THREE LICENSE WATER MAINTENANCE PEOPLE, UH, DISTRIBUTION.
WE NEED WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATORS.
WE HAVE THREE LICENSE, WELL, THREE OPERATORS.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO SUPERINTENDENTS AND A SUPERVISOR THAT ARE ALL A, AND WE'RE, WE HAVE, UH, THREE LICENSED OPERATORS AND WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX SHORT AND LICENSED OPERATOR IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS OR NOT.
UM, CAN WE USE A RECRUITING SERVICE? YES.
ACTUALLY I WAS GONNA GET WITH, IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE SINCE IT'S DEALING WITH SOMEONE THAT NEEDS A LICENSE, SIR, RIGHT? YES.
AND WE WERE TALKING WITH A COMPANY ABOUT A WEEK AGO THAT WE, I, THEY ACTUALLY CALLED US AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO DR.
THIGPEN ABOUT THIS, SO IT'S ON THE LIST TO GET WITH HIM.
THAT THEY ACTUALLY WILL DO RECRUITING SPECIFICALLY FOR LICENSED PEOPLE, UH, FOR MIN IN MUNICIPAL POSITIONS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED TO THEM A LITTLE BIT.
THEY, IT'S, IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT THEY GET PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SO IT WOULD REALLY BE AN, IT IS REALLY IN AN HR AREA.
THIGPEN TALKING TO THIS COMPANY AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK OUT.
BUT IT, WELL, I, I DO UNDERSTAND IT MAY NOT BE, UM, INEXPENSIVE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING ANYWAY.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR, FOR OVERTIME FOR THOSE THAT ARE, IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
SO WE CAN'T GET PAST THAT PART.
ALRIGHT, SO THE, UM, SO THAT WAS MY QUESTION FOR THE SENIOR LEVEL MANAGEMENT FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND THE LICENSURE PROCESS.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR YOU, DR.
SO PREVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT USING MARKETING STRATEGIES, WHICH IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS.
WE DO NOT DO A GOOD JOB WITH OUR, WITH MARKETING OURSELVES AND TELLING OUR OWN STORY AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE COULD.
AND SO I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, INCLUDING WHAT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE WITH THE WEBSITE.
BUT WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ORDER TO MARKET WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
EVEN IF WE PUT ON THE SIDE OF OUR BUSES OR ON BENCHES, WE ARE HIRING, GO TO WWW PORT ARTHUR TX.GOV.
SO WE, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND AS SIMPLE, BUT IT REALLY IS, WE NEED TO USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUILDINGS ACROSS THE CITY TO HAVE FLYERS, TO HAVE QR CODES.
UM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING, SO WHY NOT DO A COMMERCIAL? WE CAN DO AI COMMERCIALS.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE, BUT I'M, I'M MORE THAN SURE WE HAVE SOME GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, DO A COMMERCIAL FOR US.
WE CAN DO THAT WITHIN, WITHIN THE STAFF.
SO WE, I'M ASKING THAT WE PLEASE USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN WE
[00:45:01]
ARE, ESPECIALLY UPDATING, UM, THE USE OF OUR TECHNOLOGY TO RECRUIT THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED.COUNCIL MEMBER ETT DOC, HOW YOU DOING TODAY? GOOD MORNING, SIR.
I WANT TO PUT THIS ON THERE WITH COUNCILMAN KENARD.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT THE SAME.
I'M GONNA TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA DIRECT MY COMMENTS TO COUNCIL MOSTLY.
AND THERE'S A FEW THAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ANSWER SO I CAN HAVE CLARIFICATION WHEN I, UH, GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'VE HEARD ALL THESE THINGS WE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE HIRING.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND WE ALWAYS GUESS WE GONNA DO THIS.
HIRING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HR DEPARTMENT THAT WE PAY PEOPLE TO DO A JOB.
HOW? THAT'S WHY WE PAY THE PEOPLE TO FIND OUT HOW, WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE DOING.
AND WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LEAVING.
WHY DON'T WE DO EXIT SURVEYS? FIND OUT WHY THEY'RE LEAVING.
I'VE KNOWN A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE COME HERE AND LEAVE SHORTLY.
YOU RUN INTO 'EM, YOU START COMPLAINING ABOUT THINGS.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE IS TAKE TWO THINGS.
THE OTHER THING IS TO PUT 'EM IN A WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN RETAIN THEM.
MONEY IS NOT ALWAYS A DECIDING FACTOR WHEN WORKING.
IF A PERSON GET HIRED AND THEY, AND THEY ENJOY WORKING THERE, THEN THEY WILL STAY.
BUT WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE THESE ISSUES DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
THE NEXT PART OF THAT COUNCIL IS THE FUNDS.
EVERY YEAR WE SIT HERE AND WE APPROVE MONEY IN EVERY DEPARTMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY SAY THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE IN OUR CITY AND PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WE APPROVE IT.
IF YOU DON'T FILL THE VACANCIES, THE MONEY SHOULDN'T BE USED FOR NOTHING ELSE.
ALL THIS IF WE WANT TO MOVE IT, NO, THIS COUNCIL APPROVED MONEY SPECIFIC FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE'VE BEEN HAVING COUNCIL WITH FILLING POSITIONS OVER TIME.
WE HAVE NOT HELD MANAGER STAFF AND EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE APPROVE TO BE PAID TO EMPLOYEES THAT WORK.
WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AS A COUNCIL TO HELP NOT DO THE JOB, BUT TO HELP HR TO GET PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
WE GONNA ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE GET INVOLVED AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT MONEY THAT WE ARE PUTTING FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA USE THAT MONEY FOR AN EMPLOYEE AND A BENEFIT THAT YOU ASK US TO APPROVE YOU FOR, YOU LEAVE IT THERE OR YOU COME BACK TO US AND ASK US, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH IF WE DO THOSE TYPE THING, COUNSEL, YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT WE'LL PROBABLY GET POSITIONS FILLED.
YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND OUT WE WILL GET POSITION FILLED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO FILL THE POSITIONS BECAUSE THE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, YOU SAY 73 PRESENT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:50:01]
SOME THAT HAVE COME AND GONE AND SOME THAT YOU'VE HIRED PRESENTLY IS 73, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A LARGE NUMBER.AND WHERE DO THAT COME FROM? THAT'S COME FROM BEING INVOLVED WITH PERSONNEL, KNOWING WHO'S COMING UP FOR RETIREMENT, WHO'S POSSIBLY GONNA RETIRE, START GETTING, START ADVERTISING, GETTING PEOPLE QUALIFIED AND HAVING A LIST SO THAT WHEN THEY RETIRE YOU SAY, OKAY, THESE PEOPLE HERE, LEMME SEE IF THEY STILL AVAILABLE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO, BUT ONE THING WE CANNOT DO, WE CANNOT HAVE THESE PRESENTATIONS WHERE WE HAVE THESE LARGE NUMBER OF VACANCIES COMING AND TELLING US ABOUT ALL THESE CHALLENGES.
WHAT WE WANT IS TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES, NOT TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES, NOT COME AND TELL US THE SAME THING OVER TIME AND ABOVE ALL COUNSEL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD THAT MONEY ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE APPROVED.
MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS USED FOR ONLY THAT PURPOSE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE MANY VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THAT'S A LOT OF SALARY AND BENEFIT THAT WE APPROVED THAT DIDN'T GO TO EMPLOYEES.
WHERE DID IT GO? THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN WHENEVER WE HEAR PAST YEARS OF ACTUAL NUMBERS.
AND I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT IT, BY THE WAY, THIS TIME WHEN YOU, WE ARE, UH, APPROVE THIS AMOUNT AND WHEN YOU'RE PREDICTING YOU'RE GONNA SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT, BUT YOU HAD VACANCIES ALL YEAR, THAT'S GOT TO CEASE.
SO, UH, I PUT IT ON HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT IT IS TIME WE START UNDERSTANDING JOBS, VACANCIES, AND THE MONEY WE ARE PUTTING INTO THESE VACANCIES.
AND IF WE ARE USING IT, WE'RE NOT USING IT.
WE NEED TO START GETTING INVOLVED.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD MANAGER AND STAFF ACCOUNTABLE TO USE THAT MONEY EXACTLY AS WE APPROVED IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, LAST TURN, LAST TIME, MAYOR.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK AS COUNSEL WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS A WAGE AND COMPENSATION STUDY.
WHEN, WHEN, AND AND THE REASON WHY, AND I'M GONNA END IT HERE, IS THAT THIS WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR JOB THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE, IT HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 8 31 22.
AND THE SALARY IS BETWEEN 27,000, UH, 864 AND 34,000.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYBODY TO SUPERVISE ANYBODY FOR $34,000.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S LUDICROUS.
WE CAN'T, THAT JOB WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 2032.
IT IS NOT, IT'S NOT GOING, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
THAT'S A DREAM WHEN WE GONNA BE RIGHT HERE TALKING ABOUT JOBS NOT BEING FILLED.
IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO COMPENSATE INDIVIDUALS OR AT LEAST DOING WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON IS TALKING, UH, EVER FIELD IS TALKING ABOUT BEING CREATIVE AND GETTING PEOPLE HERE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO FILL THESE POSITIONS.
SO I YEAH, WE ARE, WE, WE, I I SEE THE PICTURE.
WE ARE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ADDRESSING YOU, BUT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FROM THIS SIDE OF THE DAYS AS WELL.
AND SO JUST KEEP BRINGING REESE'S CUPS.
'CAUSE
WE GONNA BE HERE, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE.
AND I KNOW MAYOR, WE GOTTA MOVE.
UH, AND, AND, AND THIS IS IT FOR ME, UH, DIRECTOR KEVIN WALK.
UH, HE CAME UP AND HE SPOKE ABOUT THE LICENSE AND HOW HARD IT IS.
AND THE MATHEMATIC, UH, ASPECT IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S KIND OF KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING THOSE JOBS OR THE LICENSES.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND SAY, WELL LOOK HERE, WE GOT MATHEMATICIAN TEACHERS THAT SAID MEMORIAL HOLD A CLASS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS ONCE A, A MONTH OR, OR TWICE A MONTH.
PAY 'EM CONTRACT TO TEACH THESE GUYS.
IF WE KNOW THAT'S THE CASE, LET'S DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOX TO TRY TO GET THESE PEOPLE HIRED ON.
COUNCILMAN AND, AND COUNCIL GENERAL, LET ME ADDRESS A FEW THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD NOT LEAVE THE DAY, LEAVE THE PODIUM.
WERE YOU THINKING WE'RE NOT HIRING FOLK?
[00:55:01]
NO.WE HIRE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE FILL A LOT OF POSITIONS.
WE HAVE DONE SOME OF THE MORE CREATIVE THINGS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TUTORS FROM SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO TRY TO ASSIST THEM IN GETTING PAST THE TEST BARRIER.
BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN ONLY TUTOR, YOU CAN'T GIVE PEOPLE THE ENERGY AND EMPHASIS TO REALLY TRY TO ACHIEVE.
BUT WE ARE CONTINUALLY DOING THINGS.
WE ARE BEING MORE CREATIVE AND WE ACCEPT THE CRITICISM AND THE SUGGESTIONS AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND WE'RE GONNA DO MORE.
SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION, WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET ON BOARD AND WE PLAN TO DO MORE.
BUT WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE CHARGE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WE ARE WORKING TO TRY TO REALLY MEET THAT GOAL.
BELIEVE ME, I HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE MANAGER AS OFTEN AS I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM YOU.
SO I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE CHARGE.
WELL DOC, AND I'M GONNA END ON THIS LAST TIME IT WAS 72 POSITIONS THAT WAS VACANT
SO I UNDERSTAND IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE CHARGE, IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE WAS HOLD ON POSITIONS.
HOLD DOC, IT WAS 70 SOMETHING LAST TIME YOU PRESENTED AND I, I BLEW A GASKET.
BUT THIS TIME CAN YOU, CAN WE AGREE TO DISAGREE? BUT ON THIS JOB VACANCIES, CAN WE POST ALL YES SIR.
ALL WHAT? 57 JOB VACANCIES ON THE WEBSITE? YES.
WE WILL GO BACK AND WE WILL FIX THAT.
UH, I, I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, BUT I'M GONNA WAIT.
UH, THEN I WILL, UM, LET, LEMME JUST REITERATE, UM, COUNCILMAN FRANK TOOK IT UP.
WE ARE PRETTY MUCH CLOSE AND REITERATE WHAT DOC SAID.
WE ARE PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO PRESENTING THE COUNCIL WITH THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE IAN COMPENSATION PLAN, WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY LOOK AT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THE RATES OF P IT WILL HAVE DOC AND I WAS JUST GOING TE TAPE WITH THAT ON FRIDAY.
AND WE WILL, IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT MONETARY INCREASE ON THE BUDGET.
IT WILL BECAUSE THE, THE, THE EVERGREEN COMPANY THAT WE HAVE SELECTED, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT UP THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT BASED ON THE RATES NATIONALLY THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
SO THERE ARE FREE TIERS THAT THEY'RE GIVING US.
WE ARE LOOKING AT IT AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PRESENT THE COUNCIL WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE.
AND LASTLY, I WANT MAYOR AND COUNSELOR, I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES, SUE HALE AND, AND IN, UH, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND ENGINEER.
THE ENGINEERING POSITION WAS OPEN.
I HAVE LOOKED AT IT WITH CREATIVITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN GO BACK TO THE MODEL THAT EXISTED WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND SUPERVISION FOR BOTH THE UTILITIES AND THE PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE USED THE POSITION OF ENGINEER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE MAXIMUM BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
AS FAR AS THIS IS CONCERNED, MR. HAY IS FROM THIS.
THE IS IS A MANAGING ENGINEER FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HE COMES WITH EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE IN PUBLIC BOOKS AND UTILITIES AND IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
UM, IT'S BEEN A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS, BUT I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, I HAVE EMPLOYED MR. HILL AS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF, UM, PUBLIC SERVICES.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME ABOARD.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES.
HUH? I'VE BEEN WANTING YOU TO FILL THAT PUBLIC SERVICE POSITION FOR YEARS.
THE LAST PERSON HELD THAT POSITION WAS DR.
SO NOW I GOT TWO GO-TO PEOPLE.
I GOT HIM AND THE DR. HANEY, WE GONNA GET THINGS DONE.
AND, AND THE NICE THING ABOUT IT IS IT RE IT PUTS THE STRUCTURE IN WHERE I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE REPORTING TO HIM.
NOW YOUR SHORTFALLS, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO CATCH UP NOW BECAUSE HE GONNA BE ABSORBING A LOT OF YOUR WORK.
OKAY? AND ONE, IN ADDITION TO THE EMPLOYMENT THING, I GET A CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, CITIZENS HAVE CALLED ME ABOUT EMPLOYMENT FOR THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET EMPLOYED FOR THE CITY.
I SAY, WHAT SKILLS DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE? UH, I SAID, DO YOU HAVE ANY LICENSE OR DO YOU HAVE A, DO YOU HAVE A CDL LICENSE? NO.
I SAID, WELL, GO TO LAMAR, TAKE THE CDL OF COURSE AND CALL ME BACK.
OKAY? THAT WILL MOVE YOU UP ON THE LIST.
OKAY? I WORKED OUT, I, I PUT 45 YEARS IN THE, IN THE, UH, OIL INDUSTRY.
OKAY? I HAVE NEVER, MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE FOUND ANYONE COME TO ME AND SAY, I CANNOT GET A A REFINERY JOB.
I CANNOT GET A JOB IN WHAT? NO SKILLED PERSON WITH SKILLS
[01:00:01]
HAVE COME TO ME UNEMPLOYED.THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO ME UNEMPLOYED, IT'S THE FOLKS THAT WITHOUT SKILLS, I SAY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING.
THESE COMPANIES WILL GIVE YOU CONSIDERATION.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY'LL HUNT YOU DOWN.
THEY'LL FIND YOU BRINGS, GET YOU SOME SKILLS.
NOW AM I TALKING ABOUT GO FINISH AT MOREHOUSE AND UH, AND GO TRY TO GET A INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN JOB THAT'S NOT, THAT DOG AIN'T GOING TO HUNT.
OKAY, LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
I'M GOING, MY LAST, I HAD A FIRST COUSIN SON FINISHED AT MOREHOUSE, TOP OF THE TOP OF THE CLASS, HONOR GRADUATE, PASSED ALL THE REFINERY JOBS AND EVERYTHING, BUT HE COULDN'T GET THE JOB.
I SAID, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BECAUSE GET YOU SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU CAN FIX SOMETHING.
I SAID, I GOTTA A DUAL CERTIFICATION INSTRUMENTATION AND PROCESS OPERATION.
HE TOOK THE COURSE, WENT RIGHT BACK TO THE COMPANIES THAT BEEN TURNING IT DOWN AND GOT HIRED AS A PROCESS OPERATOR.
BUT HE, HE TOOK AN INSTRUMENTATION INSTRUMENTATION COURSE, BUT WHEN INSTRUMENTATION, YOU GOT TWO CERTIFICATIONS, YOU GOT THE STUDY PROCESS AND YOU HAVE TO THIRD IN A MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
BUT HE'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS NOW.
WENT RIGHT BACK AND GOT THE COMPANY THAT BEEN REJECTED HIM WITH SKILLS, MARKETABLE SKILLS.
THIGPEN, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU TELL ME THE LAST TIME YOU ALL DID A, THE UPDATE ON THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN, AN UPDATE ON THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION WAS DONE APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEN THERE WAS ONE DONE THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.
DID THAT INCLUDE UPDATING THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY MATCHED THE WAGE PLAN? THAT WAS A MARKET STUDY DEALING WITH THE RATES THEMSELVES.
IT WASN'T A ANALYSIS OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
SO THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS LAST TIME WAS DONE WAS BACK IN THE NINETIES BASICALLY WHEN WE DID NO JOB.
DESCRIPTIONS ARE REVIEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND UPDATED.
SO MOST OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WE FOUND, UH, WE'VE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH.
IN FACT, WHENEVER WE DO RECRUITMENTS WITH, UH, SGR BAKER TILLY, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
SO WE HAVE UPDATED THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
UH, THE MAIN THING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS, SO IS THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS HAVE THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WAGES NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN, THIS TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE PLAN AS FAR AS ITS COMPARISON TO MARKET.
AND I DO, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH, UM, UM, EVERYONE ON THIS DESK.
I'VE BEEN ON THE, UH, THIS SIDE AND I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, SERVED 19 YEARS IN HR.
WE'VE GOTTA, WITH TIME, UM, MOVING AS SWIFTLY AS WE ARE, WE'VE GOTTA KEEP UP WITH HIRING FOLK AND, AND BEING OUR BEST ADVOCATES.
GETTING PEOPLE, THERE SHOULD BE A NEW WAY OF GETTING THINGS DONE QUICKER AND FASTER TO HIRE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OF VACANCIES.
THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE FOR A REPORT LIKE THIS WAS IN 22 AND WE HAD 70 SOMETHING POSITIONS AVAILABLE.
I STILL HAVE, UM, THE PRESENTATION, BUT WE, UM, AS AN HR DEPARTMENT, I KNOW THERE ARE CHANGES.
UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF WHAT YOU STATED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS GREAT, BUT WE'VE GOTTA FIND A WAY, AS COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI SAID, TO DO IT BETTER, TO DO IT FASTER AND TO DO IT WELL.
WE, UM, WE DON'T SEE 73 VACANCIES.
UM, AND, AND WE'VE GOTTA DO BETTER.
SO I'M, UM, HOPING THAT WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE IN THE, YOU'VE HEARD EVERYBODY WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
I DON'T NEED TO REITERATE IT, BUT FROM A PRODUCT, FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE, I SUPPORT HR A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME.
[III.B.(3) A Presentation On Ballot Proposition Language Submitted To Voters On The November 4, 2025 Special Election (Requested By Mayor Moses)]
HAVE A PRESENTATION.UM, UNDER NUMBER THREE, PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUED A PRESENTATION ON BALLOT ON A BALLOT PROPOSITION LANGUAGE SUBMITTED TO VOTERS ON THE, ON, ON THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 SPECIAL ELECTION REQUESTED BY, UM, MAYOR MOSES.
WE, UH, DID SOMETHING, UH, LAST, UH, WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING, I THINK ON THURSDAY, AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SHOW, UM, THE COMMUNITY, THE TRANSPARENCY OF WHAT OUR BALLOT LANGUAGE IS AND WHY, UH, WE DID, UM, WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATION, MAY PLEASE THIS GOVERNING BODY.
MY NAME IS ROXANNE BAO AND I AM YOUR CITY ATTORNEY.
AS MAYOR MOSES HAS SAID, OUR MAYOR HAS ASKED THAT I GIVE A PUBLIC PRESENTATION REGARDING, UH, A LEGAL ANALYSIS, IF YOU WILL, SOME LEGAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BALLOT LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING SUBMITTED TO OUR VOTERS IN THE CITY FOR NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, 2025 SPECIAL
[01:05:01]
ELECTION.SO OUR BALLOT LANGUAGE IS, UM, GONNA BE SHOWN TO THE CITY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE BALLOT LANGUAGE RELATES TO.
IT RELATES TO OUR PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A VERY RESOURCEFUL TOOL.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION GETS FUNDED BY SALES TAX THAT ARE SOLD ON PRODUCTS HERE IN OUR CITY.
I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS.
THERE'S A TYPE A AND A TYPE B AND A TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, USES ITS SALES AND USE TAX MONEY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS.
UM, I LIKE TO REFER TO THE TYPE A AS AN A PLUS JOB REG DESCRIPTION.
THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRY A TYPE B, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I LIKE TO THINK OF B AS BETTER.
IT'S ABOUT BETTERING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CAN SPEND MONEY ON QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS SUCH AS AFFORDABLE HOMES, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES, SPORT VENUE FACILITIES, CREATING AND RETAINING JOBS THAT ARE NOT JUST MANUFACTURER INDUSTRIAL, BUT ARE OTHER TYPES OF JOBS THAT ARE NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TYPE A AND A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
OUR PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THIS GOVERNING BODY HAS BEEN WONDERING HOW ARE WE GOING TO, HOW AND IF THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS A TYPE A, EDC, CAN THEY DO TYPE B PROJECTS? CAN THE TYPE A, EDC, DO TYPE B PROJECTS? WELL, THE ANSWER IS YES.
AND I WANTED YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAW THAT WE HAVE.
THERE ARE MANY CODES THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING.
ONE OF THEM IS THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE HERE IN MY HAND.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CODE THERE'S A CHAPTER 5 0 4 AND IT'S SECTION 5 0 4 DASH 1 52.
AND IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT AN AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITY, SUCH AS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, MAY SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS OF PORT ARTHUR A BALLOT PROPOSITION THAT AUTHORIZES A TYPE A CORPORATION, WHICH IS WHAT OUR PORT ARTHUR EDC IS TO USE THE SALES AND USE TAX IMPOSED UNDER THIS CHAPTER, INCLUDING ANY AMOUNT PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED AND COLLECTED FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR SPECIFIC CATEGORY PROJECTS THAT FALL UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 5.
WELL, 5 0 4 IS THE TYPE A EDC.
AND CHAPTER 5 0 5 IS A TYPE BEDC.
SO IT'S A LOT OF FANCY WORDS TO SAY A TYPE A CAN DO A TYPE B PROJECT IF THE VOTERS AUTHORIZE IT.
NOW I WANNA FOCUS IN ON THE WORDS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THERE IN RED UNDERLINE, RED SPECIFIC PROJECT OR A SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF PROJECTS.
SO IN OUR PAST, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS DONE A SPECIFIC TYPE B PROJECT.
IN FACT, WE DID SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
BEAUTIFUL HOMES THAT YOU GET TO SEE ON SIXTH STREETS AS WE COME INTO OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, AND I THINK MANY OF THOSE WERE BUILT BY THE VERY AGENCY THAT APPEARED THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOMES.
BUT WHEN WE DID THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT, WE LISTED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE USED, THE PROJECT AREA BOUNDARIES, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY HAD TO SPEND THE MONEY, AND, UH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PER YEAR.
OKAY? IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC AND IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC TO WHAT IT COULD BE USED FOR.
IT WAS FOR DOWN, UH, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE ON THE AFFORDABLE HOMES, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO.
WE CAN ASK THE VOTERS IF THEY WANT A SPECIFIC PROJECT LIKE THAT, OR WE CAN ALSO ASK THEM IF THEY WANT CATEGORY OF PROJECTS FOR THE TYPE A TO BE ABLE TO DO.
AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT DOES CATEGORY OF PROJECTS MEAN? WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
[01:10:01]
B CATEGORY OF PROJECTS ARE THINGS LIKE JOB TRAINING AND RECYCLING, RECREATIONAL OR COMMUNITY FACILITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES, AND WATER CONSERVATION PROJECTS, NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES THAT CREATE OR RETAIN PRIMARY JOBS, WHICH ARE JUST NOT MANUFACTURE AND INDUSTRIAL AIRPORT FACILITIES, SPORTS VENUE PROJECTS, STREETS, ROADS, SEWAGE AND SOLID WAGE FACILITIES AND DEMOLITION OF EXISTING STRUCTURES.THIS CITY HAS BEEN THINKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT ALLOWING THE TYPE A, EDC TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS.
IN FACT, I WENT BACK INTO OUR HISTORY VAULT AND FOUND VIDEO BACK IN DECEMBER 12TH, 2023.
THERE WAS A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND I ACTUALLY WANNA SHOW YOU A TWO MINUTE VIDEO.
THIS WAS BACK ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2023.
AND YOU ARE VERY MUCH ENGAGED.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE COUNCIL ON THE DAIS AS YOU ARE NOW, AND THE EDC MEMBERS ACTUALLY ON THE TABLE.
AND THE FIRST PERSON YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TALKING IS A MAN NAMED CHARLIE ZACK, AND CHARLIE Z WAS THE EDCS ATTORNEY AT THE TIME.
AND YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A TYPE A CAN DO TYPE B PROJECTS AND CAN THEY DO CURRENT BLOTCH OR DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC? SO I'M GONNA CALL THIS VIDEO THE CARTE BLANCHE VIDEO.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AND LISTEN IN.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR CHARLIE, ZACK FINISHED SPEAKING, YOU'RE THEN GOING TO HEAR THE EDC DIRECTOR MR. STOKES ASK A QUESTION.
I WANT YOU TO CLEARLY LISTEN TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S VERY PERTINENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO DO A SPECIFIC PROJECT, OR WE CAN GIVE CARTE BLANCHE ON THE TYPE B PROJECTS.
IT IS FULLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW AND THE GOVERNING BODY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
THIS BOARD DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO DICTATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU PUT THAT BEFORE THE BOARD, THE VOTERS.
AND IT WOULD NOT, IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY CREATE AN A.
AND I THINK THERE'S AUTHORITY UNDER STATE LAW TO AUTHORIZE A TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS.
WE JUST RECENTLY ACCOMPLISHED THAT IN THE CITY OF HITCHCOCK, UM, PLACE THE SUPPORT OF VOTERS IN THE CITY OF HITCHCOCK.
AND, UH, AND THE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED, GIVEN A TYPE THAT TYPE A CORPORATION, TYPE B PROJECT AUTHORITY.
AND YOU CAN DO THAT HERE AS WELL IF THIS BODY DETERMINES THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER, UH, I CAN ASSIST IF THE BOARD CHOOSES, IF THIS BODY CHOOSES TO DO THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST THE CITY ATTORNEY OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS TO PUT THAT BEFORE THE VOTERS IF THIS BODY CHOOSES TO DO SO.
BUT IT'S PURELY WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW.
UH, ANYONE ELSE BEFORE I COURT FOR HERE? YES, SIR.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT'S ONLY FOUR PER PROJECT BASIS OR IS IT? NO, WE, WE HAVE IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE PLACED ON A BALLOT TO GIVE TYPE A CORPORATIONS.
UM, AND THERE'S BEEN NO CHALLENGE TO IT TO GIVE TYPE A CORPORATIONS, UM, CARTE BLANCHE, ANY TYPE B PROJECT.
AND WE PLACED THAT ON THE BALLOT IN MULTIPLE CITIES AND IT'S BEEN ADOPTED.
DOES THAT NOT AFFECTIVELY MAKES THAT ORGANIZATION IN A TYPE B? NO, IT MAKES IT A TYPE A AND TYPE B POWER.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S POSSIBLE.
PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE TYPE A CAN DO A TYPE B, BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK BECAUSE JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER ON FEBRUARY 12TH, 2024, AGAIN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE EDC MEET, AND I'M GONNA CALL THIS THE DOUBLING DOWN BECAUSE WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE HEARD.
DO WE HAVE TO JUST DO A SPECIFIC PROJECT WITH SPECIFIC DETAILS, OR CAN WE GIVE THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE CAN DO ANY TYPE OF B PROJECT? SO AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THIS MEETING, IT'S THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE DAIS AND THE EDC IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR, UM, UH, VERY ASTUTE INFORMATION.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, COS YES, UH, I CHECKED ON THAT.
I DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THAT A AND B COMBINATION.
AND, UM, WHAT I FOUND FROM RESEARCHING, WHEN YOU HAVE AN A AND B COMBINATION, YOU STILL HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT
[01:15:02]
THE P PROJECT IS.OKAY? AND, UH, YOU STILL HAVE TO GET IT APPROVED.
SO I, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING, UH, THAT IT DID.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS FOR THE BEADS, BUT I FOUND OUT THAT CHARLIE WAKE UP.
OKAY? THEN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, 'CAUSE I CHECKED THEN THIS IS, AND I WANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT THEY, WHEN I LOOKED INTO, EVEN IF YOU ARE A AND B, IF YOU DO THE B, YOU STILL GOTTA HAVE A DETAIL, UH, OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, RIGHT? AND IT'S STILL, UH, WITH THE BOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A A AND B, A SO CALLED A B COMBINATION.
SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE PLACED ON THE, ON THE BALLOT? THE, THE, THE FORMATION OF THE, OF THE CORPORATION WOULD NOT CHANGE.
IT WOULD STILL BE A TYPE A CORPORATION.
BUT WHAT WOULD GO ON THE BALLOT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR THE TYPE A CORPORATION TO DO ANY TYPE B PROJECT.
WE'VE DONE THAT WITH TWO OTHER TYPE A CORPORATIONS IN THE PAST.
IT'S BEEN ADOPTED, HASN'T BEEN CHALLENGED BY ANYBODY, BUT IT WOULD, THEY WOULD STILL, IF THEY WANTED TO DO A TYPE B PROJECT, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK BEFORE THE VOTERS, DEPENDING ON HOW THE BALLOT PROPOSITION WAS DRAFTED.
UM, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK BEFORE THE VOTERS, BUT THERE WOULD, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS THAT A TYPE A PROJECT GOES THROUGH.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE VETTED BY THE BOARD.
THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
SO THAT PROCESS WOULD REMAIN, THIS WOULD REMAIN THE SAME.
SO AGAIN, WE HEARD, DO WE HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC OR CAN WE GIVE IT JUST ANY TYPE OF TYPE B PROJECT? AND WE HEARD, AGAIN, WE CAN DO ANY TYPE OF B PROJECT IF THE VOTER ALLOWS US TO, BUT IT STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE DETAILED PROCESS OF HEARINGS BEFORE THE EDC EDCS RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL BEFORE THE PROJECT EVEN BEGINS.
WELL, LATER ON THAT DAY, AND THERE'S STILL CONVERSATION ABOUT, ARE YOU SURE WE DON'T HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC, CAN WE REALLY GO TO THE VOTERS FOR ALL TYPE B PROJECTS? SO I'M GONNA CALL THIS VIDEO.
IT'S ANOTHER TWO MINUTE VIDEO, THE TRIFECTA.
LET'S LISTEN AGAIN, LET A QUICK ATTORNEY YOU HAVE, I JUST, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT LEGITIMATE COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER DO SAID, UH, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT CIRCUMVENTING THE VOTERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO THE VOTERS AND YOU'RE SAYING VOTES.
DO YOU TRUST CITY COUNCIL AND THIS TYPE, TYPE A CORPORATION TO MAKE THIS DECISION, THESE DECISIONS ON TYPE B TYPE OF PROJECTS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO YOU EVERY SINGLE TIME? YOU'RE ASKING THE VOTERS THAT QUESTION.
AND IF THE VOTERS SAY TO YOU, YES, WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, THEY WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR VALID PROPOSITION.
AND YOU CAN SAFELY SAY, WE HAVE VETTED THIS WITH THE VOTERS BECAUSE THEY, WE HAVE ASKED THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PROCESS, AND THEY HAVE TOLD US, YES, YES WE ARE.
AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT CHARLIE Z WAS TELLING US THE BEST LEGAL ADVICE HE COULD, WE CHECKED WITH ANOTHER HIGHLY ESTEEMED, REPUTABLE LAW FIRM BY THE NAME OF OLSON AND OLSON, AND THEY ALL TOO, ALSO TOO PROVIDED A WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION CONFIRMING WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE CAN DO THIS, THE VOTERS, OUR VOTERS HAVE TO MAKE A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION.
AND THIS IS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DECIDE ON.
ARE THEY GOING TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO USE THE SALES AND USE TAX IMPOSED UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 4 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, INCLUDING ANY AMOUNT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED AND COLLECTED FOR THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY PROJECTS THAT QUALIFY UNDER 5 0 5 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND OUR PROJECTS RELATED TO ONE RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES, TWO, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THREE WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. FOUR NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES THAT CREATE OR RETAIN PRIMARY JOBS, FIVE SPORTS VENUE AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
SIX, TO UNDERTAKE ANY MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING COST OF FACILITY WHEN LEGALLY REQUIRED.
AND THE VOTERS ARE GONNA TELL US WHETHER THEY'RE FOR THAT OR THEY ARE AGAINST THAT.
AND IF WE CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR WHAT OUR VOTERS SAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.
[01:20:01]
UM, ATTORNEY, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WILL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE AS, UM, TRANSPARENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS TIME.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON.
THE, THE ONLY MISSING INFORMATION OF THERE, WE GOT THE CATEGORIES.
THE ONLY MISSING INFORMATION IS MONEY.
HOW MUCH OF THIS HALF SINCE SALES SACK WE GONNA BE USING, ARE WE GONNA BE USING ONE EIGHTH OR ONE? THAT IS, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S MISSING.
UH, WELL POINT TAKEN, BUT ACTUALLY IT'S NOT MISSING.
THE LANGUAGE ACTUALLY SAYS ANY MONEY COLLECTED OR ANY PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN PORT ARTHUR, THE TYPE A GETS A HALF A PENNY FROM EVERY SALES TAX MM-HMM
AND IT GOES INTO THE POT OF FUND.
AND SO THAT POT OF FUND, THEY'RE THEN GOING TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW TO USE THAT MONEY FOR BOTH TYPE A AND TYPE B PROJECTS.
SO IT'S ALL MONEY IN THE BUDGET, OKAY? WE'RE NOT CHANGING, WE'RE NOT ADDING, NOR ARE WE TAKING AWAY THE MONEY THAT THEY COLLECT.
WE ARE SIMPLY GIVING THEM, UH, GIVING THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE TYPE A EDC AUTHORITY TO DO MORE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL RELATED, BUT MORE QUALITY OF LIFE.
COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM, THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, MY CONCERN IS EDUCATING THE VOTERS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS EXTREME VOTER APATHY IN PORT ARTHUR MIDYEAR ELECTIONS ARE EVEN WORSE THAN A GENERAL ELECTION, UH, OR OUR CITY ELECTIONS THAT ARE HELD IN MAY.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS TO EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ABOUT THIS.
WE CAN DEVELOP A PLAN, UH, AS COUNCIL AND WORKING WITH THE EDC TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M JUST ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S, UM, ADVERTISED PROPERLY THROUGH CHURCHES AND MEDIA WITH THIS TYPE OF, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, WITH THE GENERATION THAT WE'RE IN, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THIS WORD OUT, UM, ABOUT THE, WE DID IT WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE DID IT WITH STREETS, WE DID IT WITH, UM, DIFFERENT OTHER CATEGORIES.
I THINK WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN, UM, FROM THE COUNCIL FROM HERE AND US PROMOTING IT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT AND THAT WE START DOING IT NOW BECAUSE NOVEMBER IS REALLY CLOSE.
AND THERE'S ALREADY MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT WHAT THE UNDERLYING, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF UNDERHANDED UNDERLYING THING THAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE OF THIS.
AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOTERS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY.
AND IT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR THE CITY.
AND, AND WE NEED TO EDUCATE THEM EFFECTIVELY SO THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT, BUT THEY WILL CARRY THEMSELVES TO THE POLLS AND THEY'LL VOTE FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY THE TRANSPARENCY FOR, UM, WHAT WE HANDLED AND COUNCILOR MADU SAID ALSO OFTEN WE DON'T NEED TO HANDLE IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE, UM, OUR CITIZENS CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THIS PROCESS AND, UH, SEE WHAT, WHY OUR DECISION WAS MADE THE WAY IT WAS, AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THESE THINGS ON A BALLOT TO HELP PORT ARTHUR, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
I'M GLAD WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT OUT HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, THE, THE LANGUAGE OF THE BALLOT, THE LANGUAGE ON THE BALLOT IS WHY I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FROM DAY ONE.
AND, UH, I LISTENED TO AN ATTORNEY TELL US, UH, THAT THEY DO TYPE A AND B, UH, CITIES WHO HAVE TYPE A AND B DO THINGS AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CHALLENGED.
YOU KNOW, JUST SOMEBODY HAVE, AGAIN, CHALLENGED DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO ALONG WITH IT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT NOT BEING CHALLENGED.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU READ THE T MLS TEXT, MANIPULATIVE LEAGUE IS THE PERSON THAT PROVIDE TRAININGS THROUGH ALL OUR CONFERENCES, AND THEY'RE ALL THE ONES THAT WE PAY A FEE TO GET ADVICE FROM.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE A HANDBOOK AND CITIZENS COULD GO ONLINE AND THEY COULD SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT IT.
THEY TALK ABOUT THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEPLOYMENT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, CORPORATIONS.
AND THEY, WE USED TO, I HEARD THE WORD HYBRID KEPT COMING UP.
I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WE CAN HAVE AN A AND A B.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS AIN'T BUT TWO TYPE OF CORPORATIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, EITHER YOU ARE A OR YOU ARE B.
THERE ARE A HUNDRED AND I THINK 18, UH,
[01:25:01]
UH, 160 SOME OR 260 SOME.WHAT ARE MY NUMBERS? WELL, THEY GOT SO MANY CORPORATIONS, TRADE TEXAS ARE, ARE, UH, A TYPE A, I THINK IT'S LIKE 2 62, THEN THERE ARE 500 AND SOME THAT ARE TYPE B.
THEN THERE ARE 118 CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS A TYPE A AND A TYPE B CORPORATION.
AND THOSE EACH HAVE BOARDS AND AND SALE TAX ALLOCATED TO THESE, TO EACH CORPORATION.
AND WHY IS THAT THE REASON YOU CAN HAVE AN A OR B, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION.
'CAUSE YOU ONLY GONNA HAVE ONE TYPE, OR YOU GONNA HAVE BOTH TYPE.
BUT EACH ONE HAS GOTTA HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION AND THEY ARE GONNA BE GOVERNED BY TWO DIFFERENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.
A TYPE A WILL CAN ONLY BE GOVERNED BY 5 0 4 TYPE B ONLY BY 5 0 5.
SO THE WORDING IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE GO TO TAXPAYERS, WHEN WE HAVE A A, BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU GOT ON THERE, EVERYTHING THAT LISTED IS LISTED IN 5 0 4 SAYING YOU CAN DO A TYPE A CAN DO ANYTHING A TYPE B CAN DO.
SO PEOPLE WANT A B, YOU CAN HAVE A A, THE A STILL COULD DO EVERYTHING A B DOES.
BUT YOU BRINGING CITIZEN NOW, WORDING, AND I TALKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THIS IS WHERE WE COULDN'T AGREE ON, SO I'M GONNA READ IT VERBATIM TO CITIZENS AND COUNCIL.
OKAY? 5 0 4 SAYS THE PROJECT OR CATEGORIES OF PROJECT DESCRIBED BY SECTION A, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN, MUST BE CLEARLY DESCRIBED ON THE BALLOT SO THAT A VOTER IS ABLE TO DISCERN THE LIMITS OF THE SPECIFIC PROJECT OR CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS AUTHORIZED BY THE PROPOSITION.
SO YES, YOU COULD HAVE THE CATEGORIES LIKE WE WANT, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
BUT DO THE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY VOTE FOR THAT, THAT YOU COULD DO ANYTHING? DO THEY UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE AN OPTION ON THIS BALLOT WHEREBY INSTEAD OF DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE CAN ACTUALLY DO WALL UTILITIES.
NOW, DO THEY UNDERSTAND WE COULD DO STREETS? SO THE WORDING HAS GOT TO BE SO THAT THE CITIZENS CAN CLEARLY DISCERN FOR WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT.
BUT WHAT WE READ HERE THAT IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
SO WE ARE ASKING CITIZENS TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE WHAT A LAW HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED BY OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.
THAT IS WORD FOR WORD THAT IS NO DEVIATION.
SO HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE WHAT IS THE LIMITS? WHAT CAN THEY CLEARLY UNDERSTAND? THEY COULD READ THIS IN THE, UH, LAW ITSELF.
THE SAME IDENTICAL WORDS, NOT EVEN A DIFFERENCE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IT, I'M NOT GONNA, UH, PROLONG, I THINK, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, PRESENTED HER FINDINGS.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL UNDERSTAND WHEN MR. ZACK TALKED ABOUT WHAT CITIES HAS DONE, AND HE WAS VERY CLEAR WHEN HE SAID IT, THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN CHALLENGED.
AND, UH, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN A AND A B OR HYBRID IN THE CITY OF TEXAS.
YOU ONLY HAVE A TYPE A OR A TYPE B, AND I DON'T THINK THAT VALID.
IT COULD BE BETTER HOW MUCH SALE TAX WE CAN ACTUALLY ALLOCATE A PERCENTAGE.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS NOT SAID.
BUT CITIZEN, I, I DON'T THINK COUNSELING WE CAN ACTUALLY ALLOCATE A EIGHTH OR ANY AMOUNT OF SALE TAX TO DO THESE BS IN WHICH THAT MONEY WILL THEN BE PERMANENTLY IN THERE EVERY YEAR TO DO TYPE B STUFF.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE SAME MONEY OUT OF THE TYPE A,
[01:30:01]
I'M GOING TO CHECK ON THAT BECAUSE I NEVER SEEN WHEREBY YOU COULD USE TYPE A EVEN WITH TYPE B UNLESS YOU HAD IT WHERE YOU HAD LIMITED.SO I'M, I'M STILL NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT BROAD STATEMENT.
THAT'S NOT A LIMITED STATEMENT.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE OLSON AND OLSON OPINION? HAVE YOU EMAILED IT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THEY COULD HAVE IT AND READ IT? I'VE MADE COPIES FOR IT.
I THINK I EMAILED IT TO YOU, MAYOR.
I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE SURE, CAN MAKE SURE EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY ON THIS DIOCESE GET A COPY OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE WE'RE A, WE UNDERSTAND AND WE CAN DO B PROJECTS AND THEY'RE DELINEATED IN THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK, YOU'RE NEXT.
SO LET ME ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS UNDER THIS STATEMENT THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO SEND TO OUR VOTERS FOR APPROVAL UNDER THIS, WILL THE EDCA, WILL THE EDC BE ABLE TO USE, UM, UH, THIS, THIS TYPE OF EDC NOW, UM, TO, TO DO, TO, UH, AID IN OPENING UP PERHAPS, UH, AN ESTABLISHMENT LIKE A DAVE AND BUSTERS? CAN THEY USE, WOULD, WOULD THIS ALLOW THAT, IT WOULD ALLOW IT IF IT CREATES AND RETAINS SOME PRIMARY JOBS? SO THAT'S A YES.
WOULD IT BE ABLE TO OPEN UP A MAIN EVENT IF THE MAIN EVENT IS A SPORTS VENUE PROJECT OR A RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE? WOULD IT BE ABLE TO OPEN UP A SKATING RINK IF IT'S RELATED TO RECREATIONAL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES? SO ALL OF THOSE ARE YESES.
AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, THIS TYPE OF EDC AND THIS LANGUAGE IS CRITICAL TO OUR CITY.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TASKED WITH DOING AS A CITY COUNCIL IS, IS, IS HAVING AND CREATING A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY.
SO MANY OF INDIVIDUALS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEEP INDIVIDUALS FROM MOVING, UH, TO PORT ARTHUR OR STAYING IN PORT ARTHUR IS THE FACT THAT THAT, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY GO TO BEAUMONT TO MAIN EVENT OR THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTS NOW, WATERPARK ON THE ISLANDS.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE JET SKIING AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OPENING UP, BUT WE NEED MORE.
WE NEED MORE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO CREATE QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHAT THIS STATEMENT DOES, AND, AND THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE WE NEED THIS STATEMENT AND THE EDUCATION OF OUR CITIZENS, IS BECAUSE WE NEED WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO THEM, THAT INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, UH, PUTTING OURSELVES IN A BOX WHERE WE ONLY HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES A YEAR, MAYBE MAY OR NOVEMBER TO BRING AN ELECTION, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE DO AN ELECTION, THAT'S, THAT'S MONEY THAT'S COSTING THE CITY TO GO AND TO, AND TO HAVE AN ELECTION AND THEN A CAMPAIGN AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THIS CITY COUNCIL IS SAYING, TRUST THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR CITY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, UH, THE FIDUCIARY THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED AND NECESSARY.
WE JUST GOT A, WE JUST GOT A AUDIT AND AUDIT AND OUR, OUR AUDIT TEAM AND OUR FINANCES, WE'VE GOT AAA RATING.
WE'VE DONE WELL IN THAT REGARD.
AND WE'RE SAYING, LET'S PUT ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOL BELT FOR OUR EDC.
LET'S GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE FOR A DOWNTOWN LIKE NELAND HAS AND LIKE OTHER CITIES HAVE WHO HAVE REVITALIZED AND BROUGHT IT DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THEY HAD A TOOL IN THEIR TOOL BELT THAT WILL CAUSE BUSINESSES TO BE DEVELOPED IN YOUR CITY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE EDUCATE OUR CITIZENS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR CITY MANAGER WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR AT THE EDC TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS, IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT SO THAT OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO BRING OUR CITY INTO THE 21ST CENTURY THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO CREATE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR CITIZEN IN OUR CITY.
SO, UH, AND, AND IT CAN BE DONE IF THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THIS IS THAT COUNCILMAN DEUCE IS CORRECT.
YOU HAVE A TYPE A OR YOU HAVE A TYPE B.
IF WE DO A TYPE B, IT WOULD CAUSE FOR A REFORMATION OF THE, OF THE EDC THAT WE HAVE OF THE BOARD.
WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN, ONE
[01:35:01]
OF THE IDEAS THAT'S BEEN PROLIFERATED, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT THERE IS THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE THIS MASSIVE TAKEOVER THAT THE COUNCIL WAS IN SOME WAY TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE EDC.AND THAT IDEA HAS BEEN PROLIFERATED AND PUT OUT THERE THAT WE TRYING TO DO A COUP AND TAKE OVER THE EDC.
AND SO WE'VE CREATED A FEAR THAT THE COUNCIL WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING SHY, TY OR UNDERHANDED, OR, UH, CREATE A TAKEOVER.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO, AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE A-B-E-D-C ALLOWS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SELL, TO BE ON THAT, ON THAT BOARD, AND TO DO AWAY WITH THAT IDEA TO DO AWAY WITH THAT CONSPIRACY THEORY.
WE HAVE FOUND A WAY WHERE THIS, WHERE THIS A-E-E-D-C CAN DO THIS BY GOING TO THE VOTERS AND SAYING, TRUST US.
TRUST US THAT WE WANT TO GROW THE CITY, TRUST THE EDC BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT A DAVE AND BUSTER'S, A MAIN EVENT, A SKATING RINK OR WHATEVER RECREATIONAL, UH, FACILITY IS BEING DONE.
WE JUST HAD A DEVELOPER COME AND LUCAS PARK EXPANSION WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING THE SOFTBALL FIELDS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND THAT'S WHY THIS AFFORDS US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR I THINK OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE DISSOLVED TO BECOME A B, WE WOULD'VE TO HAVE DISSOLVED THE A THAT IS IN PLACE AND DISSOLVE THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE, THAT'S WHAT OUR LEGAL TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO DO, WAS DISSOLVE AN A TO BECOME A B TO DO THOSE PROJECTS.
SO INSTEAD OF US DOING THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO STAY, REMAIN AN A WITH EVERYTHING AND THE FORMATION STAYING IN PLACE WITH US BEING ABLE TO DO B PROJECTS.
SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO GET RID OF THE BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BE ON THE BOARD.
BUT THAT'S REALLY KEY FOR OUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND.
WE'RE NOT DISSOLVING THE A TO BECOME A B, WE'RE STAYING AT, WE'RE REMAINING AN A WITH ALL THE FORMATION IN PLACE AND DOING B PROJECTS.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A TYPE A AND A TYPE B CO-EXIST.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE PENNY.
AND LET ME GIVE ANOTHER MAYBE BROADER EXPLANATION.
IN TEXAS, IF YOU GO AND BUY A TAXABLE ITEM, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SALES TAX THAT YOU'LL BE CHARGED IS 8.25%, 6% OUT OF THE 8.25%.
I THINK YOU CAN THINK OF THAT AS 8.25 PENNIES.
OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR IS SELLS TAX OUT OF THE 8.25.
6.25 GOES DIRECTLY TO THE STATE OF TEXAS TO FUND THE STATE OF TEXAS PROJECTS.
ONLY 2% OR TWO PENNIES COMES TO THE CITY.
I WANTED YOU TO FOCUS IN ON THE TWO PENNIES.
OUT OF THE TWO PENNIES IN THAT TRANSACTION, ONE PENNY GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CITY FOR THE CITY TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE ITS CITY BUDGET.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE ONE, THE OTHER PENNY OF THE TWO PENNIES.
IS BROKEN INTO HALF
THE OTHER HALF OF THAT PENNY GOES TO THE COUNTY FOR COUNTY PROPERTY REDUCTION.
NOW, I HOPE THAT WASN'T TOO CONFUSING, BUT I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY THAT IF YOU WANTED TO CREATE A TYPE B AND HAVE BOTH A TYPE A AND A TYPE B, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM THE TYPE A.
RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY THAT HALF A PENNY.
AND SO YOU WOULD SPLIT THE MONEY BETWEEN THEM.
I BELIEVE THE, THE GOAL OF THE CITY IS TO ASK THE VOTERS, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE ANY MONEY AWAY FROM THE TYPE A, E, DC, WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF THE VOTERS WILL GIVE THE A EDC MORE POWERS TO DO B PROJECTS TO DO QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS.
IF THE VOTE, AND, AND I WANNA ADDRESS, UM, LIMITS IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, YOU CAN BE VERY SPECIFIC AND YOU CAN LIMIT AMOUNTS OF MONEY DEDICATED TO THESE PROJECTS.
SO THE MERIT PROAM IS CORRECT ABOUT THAT.
THE LIMITS ON THIS ONE IS ANY MONEY COLLECTED FOR THE SALES AND USE TAX CAN BE USED.
[01:40:01]
BUT IT'S THE LIMIT SO THAT HALF A PENNY CAN BE USED FOR TYPE A AND TYPE B PROJECTS THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT WE PUT THE POWER, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE PUT THE POWER BACK IN THE BOARD'S HAND.
SO AS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, IF YOU CAN GET IT APPROVED AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT FUNDING, THE RIGHT PAPERWORK IS DONE, THAT PROJECT WILL GET APPROVED.
IF IT'S NOT, AND OR WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING MONEY OUT.
SO YOU, YOU'RE GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE ON A CASE BY CASE, LOOKING AT NUMBERS, LOOKING AT THEIR, UM, WHAT THEIR, THEIR, UH, PROPOSED, THEIR PLANS OF, OF BUSINESS PLAN AND THE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO IT WILL NOT, WE HAVE TO TRUST THE BOARD THAT WILL BE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESE, THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO THAT WAY THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND DOING THE WORK IN THE EDC SIDE TO BEFORE THEY SEND IT TO US, WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA PROVE EVERYBODY.
BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE, UM, TO ME, UH, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT ON A CASE BY CASE, UH, PROJECT BY PROJECT THAT THEY WILL BE EITHER APPROVED OR DENIED.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, THANK YOU MAYOR, UM, FOR THE, LET'S START HERE.
I AM IN ABSOLUTE FAVOR OF US APPROVING THIS, UH, BALLOT ITEM AND HOPING THAT THE CITIZENS WILL SUPPORT IT.
AND I OH, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE LANGUAGE.
IT'S GOING TO THE SECRETARY STATE.
I'M SORRY, I SAID I WAS IN FAVOR.
I, I WAS JUST REITERATING THAT WAS IN FAVOR OF IT.
UM, WHAT I AM SUGGESTING WHEN WE DO OUR, IS IS THERE A POSSIBILITY FOR US TO HAVE ANY FUNDING? DO WE HAVE ANY FUNDING IN OUR COFFERS FOR MARKETING FOR, SO I'LL, I'LL CAUTION THE GOVERNING BODY THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE CITY RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSITION.
WE CAN EDUCATE THE VOTERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROPOSITION SAYS, BUT WE CAN'T USE RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND I SUGGEST WE HOLD TOWN HALLS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND MAKE SURE WE GET THE WORD OUT GENERALLY.
SO THAT IS THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE, IS TO ENCOURAGE US TO HOLD THOSE TOWN HALLS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR RECREATIONAL AND COMMUNITY FACILITY.
SO TELL 'EM WHAT A SKATING RING MEANS.
JUST GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES TO MAKE IT PLAIN AND KEEP IT SIMPLE SO THAT THE CITIZENS CAN CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS LANGUAGE MEANS.
YOU KNOW, I, I'VE LISTENED TO EVERYBODY'S SAYING, I, I AGREE.
EVERYBODY WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST.
EVERYBODY WANT TO DO MORE THINGS FOR THE CITIZENS AND I'M ALL FOR THAT.
I NEVER ONCE HAVE BEEN AGAINST EDC DOING TYPE B PROJECT.
I HAVEN'T SPOKEN AGAINST IT, I NEVER SAID ANYTHING.
BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT AND I SAY WE, 'CAUSE I USED TO SIT ON EDC, WE'VE BEEN DOING TYPE B SINCE I'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THIS CITY COUNCIL.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO THIS, TO THE CITY TO DO B PROJECTS.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THE WAY OF PARKS IMPROVEMENT.
THEY'VE BEEN IN A FORM OF STREETS.
AND ANYTHING THAT YOU TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS CDC CAN DO IT AND HAS BEEN DOING.
AND, UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I HEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW, AND, AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY I I GET OFF FROM EVERYBODY ELSE, IS I LIKE TO KEEP CITIZENS INVOLVED IN HAVING A SAY WHENEVER THERE'S NOT MANY TIMES CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHAT WE DO WITH THE MONEY, NOT VERY OFTEN.
AND ALL OF THESE THINGS WE TALKING ABOUT DOING FOR CITIZENS, EVEN IF IT'S BUILDING A COMPLEX OR IF IT'S A SPORTS ARENA, WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING ANYTHING ON THE SPUR OF MOMENT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A SPORTS VINEYARD, YOU STILL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE CITIZEN, THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE MONEY.
AND ASK THEM, DO YOU AGREE? A LOT OF TIMES CITIZENS ALWAYS APPROVE PROPOSITIONS.
YOU KNOW, CITIZENS DON'T LIKE TO READ 'EM, THEY LIKE TO APPROVE THEM 'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH READING THEM.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IF WE COULD LET THE CITIZEN BE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, WHY TAKE THEM OUT? IT, THAT'S, THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING WITH THIS.
WHY TAKE IT OUT OF, WE STILL COULD DO EVERYTHING EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT DOING HERE, EDUCATING THE CITIZENS THAT WE CAN DO IT.
[01:45:01]
STILL CAN DO IT.WE HAVE TO PUT IT ON BALLOT EVERY SIX MONTHS.
IT'S GONNA BE AN ELECTION EITHER NOVEMBER OR MAY.
WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THINGS ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT IF IT REQUIRES MONEY AND TAXPAYERS MONEY ANYWAY.
SO WE PLAN, WE ASK THE CITIZENS, THE CITIZEN SAYS YES.
WHAT IF THE CITIZENS SAYS NO? THAT JUST TOLD US THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY ON THAT.
SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A GREAT IDEA DIDN'T FLY, BUT THE WAY WE GONNA DO IT NOW, IF WE HAVE A GREAT IDEA AND CITIZENS DON'T WANT IT, WE JUST TAKING AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US DON'T DO THAT ONE.
COUNCILLOR LEWIS
IF THIS BOARD UNDER THE B PROJECT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF THAT BOARD, THE EXISTING BOARD PASSES A PROJECT THAT THE CITIZEN DO NOT LIKE THE CITIZENS STILL HAVE THE OPTION GETTING 1400 SIGNATURES, PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT AND SHUT IT DOWN.
AM I CORRECT? THEY CAN, THEY CAN PETITION IT TO BE STOPPED, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE COMMENTS TO BOTH THE EDC AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THERE ARE ALSO PETITION, UH, STATUTES THAT ALLOW FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC TO HOLD BACK THAT PROJECT.
I WOULD JUST NEED TO REFRESH MY MEMORY ON WHAT THOSE RULES WERE.
I'M NOT PREPARED TO TELL YOU WHAT THE PETITION STATES, LET MAKE SURE, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS, WHAT'S BEING SAID, ANYTIME THE CITIZENS ALWAYS HAVE A, IF THEY DON'T TRUST WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING, THEY CAN GET 1400 SIGNATURES AND PUT IT ON THE BALLOT TO GET IT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE NOW, THEY UP FRONT RIGHT NOW, THEY, I'M FOR THE PROJECT, THEY APPROVE, THEY'LL APPROVE THE PROJECT.
IT WON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTER, BUT IN THE CATEGORIES, IF IN THE FUTURE IF THAT BOARD PASSES, SPEND SOME MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS DON'T LACK, THEY STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF GETTING 1400 SIGNATURE AND SHUT IT DOWN.
UM, ALSO I THINK THAT IF WE GO BACK REALLY BRIEFLY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING.
BUT, UM, WE WERE TRYING TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FOR THE MAY ELECTION.
AND IT, WE DIDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME 'CAUSE THE BALLOT LANGUAGE WAS NOT CORRECT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE RUSHING INTO ANYTHING.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE AND GET IT ON FOR THE NOVEMBER 4TH BALLOT IN TIME.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
SO I THINK WE APPROVE THE LANGUAGE.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WE ASKED TO DO THIS, UM, PRESENTATION SO CL CITIZENS WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE APPROVED AND THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY WE APPROVE THIS.
AND SO NOW THE NEXT STEP IS THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
AND THEN WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP AFTER THAT? THE VOTERS GET TO VOTE.
UM, UM, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN INFORMATIVE FOR OUR CITY AND I APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING, WHICH IS
[III.C.(1) A Presentation By Entergy Texas, Inc. Regarding Entergy’s Power Through Program To Install A Generator At The Civic Center]
GONNA BE THE CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORT.AND THAT'S GONNA BE A PRESENTATION BY ENTERGY TEXAS INCORPORATED REGARDING ENTERGY'S POWER THROUGH A PROGRAM TO INSTALL A GENERATOR AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
ENTERGY PRESENTATION BY ENTERGY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? GIVE US YOUR NAME.
I WORK FOR ENTERGY'S POWER THROUGH PROGRAM, WHICH ESSENTIALLY IS, AS YOU SAID, A GENERATOR.
ENTERGY WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
THEY APPROVED THIS PROGRAM, UM, LATE LAST YEAR FOR TEXAS.
AND IT IS IN ALL FOUR JURISDICTIONS THAT ENTERGY SERVES TODAY, ALL FOUR STATES.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY IS, IS, UH, THE POTENTIAL OF INSTALLING OF 500 KW GENERATOR FOR THE CIVIC CENTER.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE DETAILS, THE BENEFITS, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, PLEASE ASK ME AT ANY TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, THIS DIAGRAM, IT'S A GOOD ILLUSTRA OVERALL ILLUSTRATION OF HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
IN THE TOP, TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER, THAT'S ENTERGY'S GRID, THAT'S THE POWER LINES ALONG THE ROAD.
AND THAT GOES INTO A TRANSFER SWITCH.
BELOW THE TRANSFER SWITCH YOU SEE A GENERATOR.
ALRIGHT, SO MORE OR LESS YOU WOULD GET POWER FROM THE GRID.
IF THE GRID GOES OUT, YOU WOULD GET POWER FROM THE GENERATOR, JUST LIKE NORMAL.
AND WITH THIS GENERATOR, WE HAVE A, A GATEWAY.
WE HAVE OUR VENDOR THAT MONITORS THE GENERATOR 24 7 365.
THEY KNOW IF OIL NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
[01:50:01]
ARE COMING UP, THEY CAN CALL IT AND RUN IT AT ANY TIME.SO IT'S AUTOMATED, BUT THEY CAN ALSO CALL UPON IT AND RUN IT.
SO FROM THE GENERATOR, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART.
AND I'LL ALSO MENTION IT'S A NATURAL GAS GENERATOR, WHICH WE THINK THAT'S A BETTER SOLUTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT ALSO, UH, IF YOU HAVE, UH, OTHER TYPES OF DIESEL GENERATOR, UH, AND IF IT'S A MAJOR EVENT, WHICH I KNOW YOU'VE EXPERIENCED, THE DIESEL HAS TO BE REPLENISHED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GET SOMEONE TO COME OUT.
AND THAT CAN BE AN ISSUE AT TIMES.
NATURAL GAS TYPICALLY CONTINUES TO FLOW, SO THAT'S A BIG POSITIVE.
ANOTHER BIG POSITIVE YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRANSFER SWITCH, AN AUTOMATED TRANSFER SWITCH IS YOUR METER.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING POWER FROM ENTERGY'S GRID OR FROM THE GENERATOR, THE METER KNOWS NO DIFFERENCE.
SO THE RATE THAT YOU PAY STAYS THE SAME, NO DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S A ANOTHER BIG BENEFIT OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, ENTERGY OWNS AND INSTALLS THE GENERATOR.
IT'S A TURNKEY PROJECT, SO THEY OWN AND INSTALL IT, AND YOU GET THE MOST IMPORTANT PART FOR YOU.
YOU GET FIRST PREFERENCE IF THERE'S A POWER OUTAGE ON THE GRID, YOU GET POWER FOR HOWEVER LONG YOU'RE OUT.
BUT ENTERGY, THE, THE PARTNERSHIP IS, WELL, ENTERGY CAN ALSO USE THE GENERATOR WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT, AND THEY CAN HELP WITH SYSTEM SUPPORT.
AND THAT CAN BE FROM ALL KINDS OF REASONS.
YOU KNOW, A GENERATOR SOMEWHERE GOES OFFLINE, THE VOLTAGE SAGS, WE CAN CALL ON ALL THESE UNITS TO HELP PROP IT UP, PROP UP THE SYSTEM.
OKAY, SO I ALREADY COVERED SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, I'M GONNA REPEAT THE IMPORTANT ONES.
SO IN THIS SITUATION, WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO YOU IS NO UPFRONT COSTS TO YOU.
UM, ENTERGY COVERS, I SAID IT'S A TURNKEY PROJECT.
ENTERGY COVERS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COSTS, AND THEN THERE'S A SPLIT, WHICH WE'LL GET INTO LATER.
UH, PARTNERSHIP A SPLIT, ALTHOUGH ENTERGY OWNS THE FACILITIES, MAINTAINS IT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF MAIN MAINTENANCE ON IT.
UM, WE HAVE, WE SHARE THE GENERATOR.
UM, O AND M COSTS ARE INCLUDED IN A MONTHLY RATE ON THE LINE ITEM.
AND YOUR BILL IS A, IT'S, UM, A LINE ITEM IS ADDED TO THE BILL FOR THE, THE PORTION THAT YOU, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH O AND M AND THE CAPITAL PORTION.
THE SIZES GENERATORS THAT WE CAN INSTALL ARE A HUNDRED KW TO 10 MEGAWATTS.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THE METER IS IN FRONT OF THE INTERCONNECT.
SO IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER GENERATOR'S RUNNING OR YOU'RE GETTING POWER FROM THE GRID.
IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO YOU.
UM, NATURAL GAS COSTS ARE INCLUDED.
SO IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN GENERATOR, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIESEL, YOU HAVE TO GET IT THERE.
BUT IN THIS SITUATION, THE NATURAL GAS COSTS ARE INCLUDED.
UH, IT'S JUST MIXED IN WITH ALL THE OTHER, UH, FUEL SOURCE COSTS IN OUR NORMAL RATES.
UH, AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED A MONTHLY PAYMENT IS ADDED TO YOUR BILL, AND THIS IS FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO THE WAY THIS WORKS IS THAT YOU SEE A PARTICIPATION COST ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
SO WHAT ENTERGY DOES IS IT, IT THERE'S A COST OF SOLUTION.
IT'S A TOTAL UPFRONT COST PLUS LIFETIME O AND M AND OVERHEADS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE GENERATOR AND MAINTENANCE AND, AND RUNNING IT.
AND THEN THERE WE, WE CALCULATED A SYSTEM VALUE, WHICH IS AVOIDED CAPACITY, VALUE.
AND THAT IS COST FOR ENTERGY TO BUILD NEW LARGE SCALE GENERATION PLANTS, A BIG, BIG UNIT.
SO WE'VE BROKEN IT DOWN TO WHAT IT COSTS ENTERGY ON A PER KW BASIS, AND THEN WE SUBTRACT IT TO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT, UH, YOUR PORTION ENDS UP BEING.
SO ENTERGY COVERS THE PORTION IT WOULD'VE COST TO BUILD A BIG UNIT, AND YOU HAVE THE PORTION THAT IT COSTS TO, TO, TO, UM, TO PUT, TO INSTALL THIS UNIT.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR COST COST SHARING COMES IN.
THE HISTORICAL PEAK AT THE CIVIC CENTER PEAK DEMAND WAS 361 KW.
WE'RE PROPOSING A 500 KW NATURAL GAS GENERATOR.
UH, THESE UNITS ARE PRETTY QUIET.
YOU CAN STAND BY THEM AND HAVE A NICE CONVERSATION.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAR FROM 'EM, YOU PRETTY MUCH CAN TALK WALK BY 'EM AND YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE RUNNING.
THEY HAVE SOUND ATTENUATION COVERS, UH, GAS COMPANIES, TEXAS GAS, A VENDOR THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN AND HAS PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR US AS ARCO.
UM, WE PUT AN 800 AMP A TS, WHICH IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH, SMART SWITCH.
UH, ONE IMPORTANT PART IS IF AN OUTAGE OCCURS FROM ENTERGY'S GRID TAKES ABOUT 10 SECONDS AND YOU CAN GET UP TO 70% OF YOUR LOAD ON WITHIN A MINUTE, YOU CAN GET A HUNDRED PERCENT ON.
SO THERE IS A SMALL BLINK OR SMALL 10 UP TO A TEN SECOND OUTAGE.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE A TS HAS TO MAKE SURE IT'S A TRUE OUTAGE.
YOU DON'T WANT IT TO JUMP IN AND SAY, HEY, LET ME PROVIDE POWER WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARY.
SO IT'S GOTTA VERIFY THAT THE OUTAGE IS THERE, IT'S GOTTA START TURNING THE, THE, UH, GENERATOR ON AND THEN IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE IN.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN THE GENERATOR ENGAGES,
[01:55:01]
YOU SEE UP TO 10 SECONDS WHENEVER IT COMES BACK OFF BECAUSE THE GRID HAS POWER AGAIN, IT'S SEAMLESS.YOU DON'T SEE AN OUTAGE AT THAT POINT, SO IT AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERS BACK AND THERE'S NO MORE OUTAGE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROJECT LEAD TIME IN THERE, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 55 WEEKS.
UH, WE ALWAYS TRY TO WORK ON THAT.
WE WORK WITH OUR VENDORS TO TRY TO SUPPLY GENERATORS.
AND THIS IS NOT A BIG GENERATOR, IT'S A, A FAIRLY SMALL GENERATOR.
SO WE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO CUT THAT 55 WEEKS DOWN.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE IMPORTANT PART, I HAVE TWO SLIDES, UH, AND I'LL EXPLAIN THOSE HIGH LEVEL, BUT THE GENERATOR SIZE IS A 500 KW UNIT.
THE PROJECT INSTALL COST IS, UH, NINE, UH, $957,000 IS THE ESTIMATED COST.
SO IT'S ABOUT A 50 50 SPLIT ENTERGY AND YOURSELF, UH, ON THE COST.
THE HOST CUSTOMER, WHICH YOU'RE THE HOST CUSTOMER, YOUR PORTION'S 484,000 AND UH, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT TERMS THAT YOU CAN DECIDE TO PAY YOUR PORTION BACK.
YOU CAN PAY FROM ONE TO 20 YEARS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, UP TO 20.
SO YOU PICK THE PORTION OR THE AMOUNT THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO, UH, THE NUMBER OF YEARS YOU WOULD WANT TO PAY YOUR PORTION BACK.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THREE EXAMPLES OF ONE YEAR TERM, 12 PAYMENTS, 10 YEAR AND 20 YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE THE PAY, THE PAYMENTS, EXCUSE ME, THAT YOU WOULD, THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO YOUR LINE ITEM.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE LAST NUMBER IS THE POST RECOVERY PERIOD.
ESSENTIALLY THAT'S THE MAINTENANCE COST.
SO THE MAINTENANCE COST OF 7 27 IS INCLUDED IN THE COSTS ABOVE.
SO LET'S SAY YOU CHOSE 10 YEARS TO PAY YOUR PORTION BACK AFTER THAT 10 YEARS IS UP, THAT MAINTENANCE COST WOULD STAY THE SAME.
IT WOULD STILL BE INCLUDED, UH, FOR THE, AND WE EXPECT A 20, A MINIMUM OF A 20 YEAR LIFE OUT OF THESE GENERATORS.
UM, ONE OTHER THING IS THESE COSTS.
ONCE WE, ONCE WE, UM, SIGN A CONTRACT, THESE ARE CONSISTENT COSTS.
THEY DON'T CHANGE, INCLUDING THE O AND M.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RECENTLY HAS COME UP IS YOU LIVE IN A, UH, AN AREA PRONE TO FLOODING.
SO ONE OF THE, AFTER I GAVE THE INITIAL PRESENTATION, UM, TO MR. BURTON'S GROUP, UH, I DID COME UP WITH, WE DID TALK ABOUT IT MAY, WE MAY NEED A PLATFORM, RIGHT? A RAISED PLATFORM FOR THE GENERATOR.
SO WE ARE AT ENTERGY'S COST RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE GETTING A, A, UH, A MORE OR LESS A FLOOD, A FLOOD CERTIFICATE GENERATED THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT LEVEL THAT THE GENERATOR HAS TO BE.
SO IF WE'RE LUCKY, WE CAN JUST PUT THE NORMAL CONCRETE PAD AND RAISE IT UP SIX INCHES OR SO, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
AND THE COST WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT I SHOWED YOU EARLIER.
IF IT HAS TO BE ON A RAISED PLATFORM, THEN THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL COST.
AND I DID GET A COST, UM, WHICH WE STILL HAVE TO WORK ON.
THE PLATFORM IS ABOUT 295,000 BUCKS, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT UNDERVALUED.
WE HAVE TO RE-ESTIMATE IT BECAUSE MY VENDOR DIDN'T GIVE ME THE COST FOR THE GENERATOR AND THE A TS HE GAVE ME JUST THE GENERATOR.
AND WE WOULD NEED TO RAISE THE A TS ALSO TO PROVIDE POWER SO THAT THAT'S IN FLUX A BIT.
UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THAT CAN BE MANAGED.
WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE COSTS FOR THE PLATFORM IN THE MONTHLY PAYMENT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU.
OR IF YOU HAD THE OPTION, YOU COULD INSTALL IT YOURSELF.
THE ENTITY WOULD INSTALL THE GENERATOR IN A TS AND THEN MAINTAIN IT AFTERWARD.
AND THAT WAY IT WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THESE COSTS FOR THE PERIOD THAT, UH, THAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO PAY IT BACK.
AND THIS IS, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF, UM, SLIDES.
I KNOW THEY'RE HARD TO READ, BUT IN GENERAL YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE EQUIPMENT WOULD BE LOCATED ASSOCIATED WITH THE CIVIC CENTER.
IT SHOULD BE A PRETTY EASY INSTALLATION.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC TODAY AND THIS IS THE FUTURE.
SO ONE THING I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I, FIRST QUESTION I HAD WAS TO ADAM WAS, IS THIS A TWO? IS, IS YOUR EQUIPMENT ON A SECOND? UH, IS IT RAISED? HE SAID NO, IT'S JUST ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
IT'S A, IT'S A RAISED, UH, FACILITY.
SO THAT MADE THINGS EASIER FOR ME.
UM, NEXT STEPS, UH, PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ASKING YOU TODAY IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS, TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY.
AND IF WE COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT, THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO YOU FOR A VOTE TO SEE IF YOU ARE, IF YOU WOULD WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INSTALLATION.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WAS HERE SIDEBAR WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU.
[02:00:01]
SIX INCHES ON A CONCRETE PAD THAT YOU WOULD ELEVATE THOSE, THAT, UH, GENERATOR.I, I THINK YOU PROBABLY WANT TO GO AT LEAST THREE FEET.
WELL, WE HAVE ONE THAT'S OUT HERE.
THAT'S WHAT, ABOUT FOUR FEET OUTSIDE HERE, RIGHT BY CITY HALL.
AND WITH THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES OF FLOODING IN THIS AREA, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GET THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT DAMAGE DUE TO FLOODING.
UM, SO I THINK WE PROBABLY WANT TO CONSIDER A LITTLE LOT.
THAT'S ME SPEAKING FROM THE AND AND NEXT, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I, YOU KNOW, I WAS DOING HARVEY, I WAS IN THE CIVIC CENTER AND, AND ALONG WITH SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS, BUT, UH, A, A QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ADAM KIND OF ANSWER YOUR, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD CO YOU POSSIBLY COULD FIT IN THAT, THAT CIVIC CENTER DO? AND THE REASON I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD BLINKING LIGHTS AND ALL THAT OLD GOOD STUFF AND IT WOULD BENEFIT BECAUSE THAT'S A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WILL GO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS.
SO IF YOU HAD TO PUT A GUESS HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAN BE WITH COTS IN THE CIVIC CENTER DURING HARVEY, WE HAD ABOUT 600 PEOPLE IN THERE AND THAT WAS PRETTY WELL THAT I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY FIT THAT AMOUNT.
YEAH, I MEAN THAT, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH FULL.
WE COULD PROBABLY PUT A FEW MORE.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DID WHEN WE HAD THE ARMY THERE.
UM, BUT IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THAT VICINITY.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF PUERTO ARTHUR HAVING THIS GENERATED.
YOU SAID THAT ESTIMATED COST IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 1,000,007 OR SOMETHING, CORRECT? 1,000,005, I BELIEVE.
HOW GOOD IS THAT? I MEAN, UH, HOW LONG IS THAT? 30 DAYS A MONTH, SIX MONTHS OR? UH, USUALLY IT IS ABOUT A 60 DAY GUARANTEE FROM OUR VENDOR, BUT, AND WE'LL GO BACK TO 'EM AND UNLESS SOMETHING'S REALLY CHANGED, THEY CAN USUALLY HELP THE PRICE.
THAT ESTIMATE'S GOOD FOR 60 DAYS, BUT THIS IS AN OLD ESTIMATE, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY DAYS ARE LEFT ON IT.
OH, BUT WE, WE TYPICALLY, WHENEVER WE GET AN ESTIMATE FROM OUR VENDOR, UH, THEY DON'T GO UP IF IT'S WITHIN A SIX MONTH TIME PERIOD, MANY TIMES THEY CAN HOLD THAT ESTIMATE.
COUNCILOR LEWIS? UH, CITY MANAGER? NO.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO (2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
YOUR PRESENTATION.AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, WE HAVE, UM, COMPLETED OUR PRESENTATIONS, THE MANAGER'S REPORTS, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.
PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE NONE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, COMMUNITY INTEREST OR SOME THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO SAY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, UH, PER COUNCIL MEMBER TO GO, UH, FORWARD AND SAY, UH, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
ANYBODY, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES.
NO, I JUST WANT TO OFFER CONDOLENCES.
UM, WE ARE, WE SUFFERED A TRAGIC LOSS, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, YDA GRIFFIN, UH, PAST, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND.
UH, HER MOTHER'S, UH, SAVANNAH GRIFFIN AND URIAH GRIFFIN ARE STAPLES, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE'RE PRAYING FOR THAT FAMILY.
AND OF COURSE RICHARD PERKINS PASSED THIS WEEK AS WELL.
AND SO A NOTED MUSICIAN WHO SUNG ALL OVER THE WORLD, UH, UH, AND A, A GREAT PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO JUST OFFER CONDOLENCES TO THOSE FAMILIES AND OUR PRAYERS AS WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK? UM, I THINK COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
YOU'RE OKAY? YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? HE'S OKAY.
LIKE TO SAY, UM, I DID ATTEND THE HEALTH FAIR THAT GULF COAST PUT ON ON SATURDAY.
THAT HEALTH FAIR WAS REALLY AMAZING IN ATTENDANCE AND A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST, UM, OUR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL, THE BACK BACK GIVEAWAY, BACKPACK GIVEAWAY WAS JUST REALLY, UM, AN AWESOME, UM, EVENT AND, UM, I WISH WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN.
UM, BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP THE CITY GIVES TO THE GULF COAST HEALTH CENTER FOR THAT PRO, FOR THAT PROGRAM AND THAT FESTIVAL.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM DOING THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO, UM, NUMBER FIVE REPORTS OF ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
IS THAT RIGHT? NO, THAT'S ALL.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH BRINGS US TO NUMBER SEVEN, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HOLD AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GET THEM SO I CAN HOLD THEM AND THEN I'LL GET A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA.
ANY ITEMS? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES.
[02:05:01]
THREE AND SIX.AND ON PAGE FIVE, ITEM EIGHT AND 11.
LET ME DOUBLE CHECK 'CAUSE I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE PULLED A COUPLE THAT I WANTED, SO I DON'T WANT TO DUPLICATE.
OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUM.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, PR NUMBER 2, 4 4 0.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, PR NUMBER 2, 4, 4, 5, 9.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PR NUMBER 2, 4 4, 6, 2.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, PR NUMBER 2, 4 4, 6 3.
AND ITEM NUMBER 11, PR NUMBER 2, 4 4, 6, 9.
MAY I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE AYES, UM, ANY NAYS? THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE CONSENT AGENDA AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH THOSE EXCEPTIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PAGE NUMBER
[VII.C.(3) P.R. No. 24440 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Establish A Monthly Liveaboard Surcharge Of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) Per Month For Vessels Moored At The Pleasure Island Marina]
FOUR AND MOVE WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO ESTABLISH A MONTHLY LIVERBOARD SURCHARGE OF $200 PER MONTH FOR VESSELS.
MO BOARD AT THE PLEASURE ISLAND MARINA.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE COST? UH, JUST TO LEAVE YOUR BOAT THERE WITHOUT STAYING ON IT? WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT, UM, AMOUNTS.
IF YOU HAVE A 30 FOOT SLIP, IT'S TWO 80 A MONTH.
IF YOU HAVE A 40 FOOT SLIP, IT'S THREE 15.
AND IF YOU HAVE A 50 FOOT, IT'S FOUR 60 A MONTH.
AND SOMEBODY GOING TO LIVE ON IT.
THAT IS THE ADDITIONAL COST NOW OF TWO.
AND, AND THE REASON THAT I'M ASKING FOR, UH, I READ, I READ IT SO I KNOW WHY YOU ARE ASKING.
SO NOW IF WE CHARGE THEM $200 AND ADDITIONAL TO THEM, ADDITIONAL TO, UH, WHATEVER THEIR, UH, RENTAL FEE IS, IF WE START CHARGING THAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO PROVIDE AS A LEASE OFFICER? WELL, CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PROVIDING THE ELECTRICITY, THE WATER, THE TRASH PICKUP, UM, OF COURSE CUTTING THE GRASS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THE MARINA, UM, SHOWERS, I THINK, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HERE IN COUNCIL.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THE EMAIL WHERE WE HAD TO GO AND, UM, LIKE RENOVATE THE SHOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FROM THE WEAR AND TEAR.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS SURCHARGE, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT'S USING ALL OF THIS STUFF.
AND THAT, AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT YES, SIR.
SOMEBODY THAT THEY LIVE THERE THAT THEY WOULDN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT WE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO AND DO NOTHING.
AND IT, AND IT'S JUST LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S ALL I NEED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCILOR BECK.
UM, THE WAY THAT THIS IS WORDED, THE RESOLUTION ITSELF ESTABLISHED A MONTHLY LIVE LIVERBOARD SURCHARGE OF $200 PER MONTH FOR VESSELS MOORED AT PLEASURE ISLAND MARINA.
BUT WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MORD VESSELS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VESSELS THAT ARE MOORED THAT SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY LIVING ON.
AND WHO DETERMINES IF SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY LIVING ABOARD A VESSEL? WELL, ONE THING THAT I DID DISCUSS WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS THAT, UM, WHAT WE HAVE FIRST IS, UM, AN APPLICATION BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW WHO'S GONNA STAY THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT THAT'S LIVING THERE.
AND I WANT TO, UM, OF COURSE CHARGE THEM FOR THE AMOUNT OF, WELL, EXCUSE ME, CHARGE THEM IN ADDITION TO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT DOESN'T LIVE ON THE, UM, BOAT TO BE PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT OF FEE WHEN SOMEONE IS USING MORE ELECTRICITY ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
THEY HAVE, THEY'RE RUNNING AIR CONDITIONS, THEY'RE, UM, PUTTING MORE TRASH IN THE CANS FOR MY GUYS TO PICK UP.
SO IT'LL BE AN APPLICATION PROCESS AS WELL AS THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL RULES FOR THE LIVERBOARDS.
[02:10:02]
THAT DOESN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION.WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? WHO IS DETERMINING IF SOMEONE LIVES ABOARD A VESSEL? I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I SAID BY THE APPLICATION.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR BOATS OUT THERE, THEY ENJOY IT, YOU KNOW, DURING THE WEEK THEY DON'T STAY THERE.
BUT THEN ON THE WEEKEND, MAYBE THEY SPEND FRIDAY NIGHT ON THEIR BOAT OR THEY SPEND THE WHOLE WEEKEND ON THEIR BOAT.
SO WHO IS MONITORING WHICH BOAT OWNERS ARE DOING IT OVER THE WEEKEND OR THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIVING THERE OVER THE, THE WEEK? I THINK MY CONVERSATION WITH LEGAL HAS BASICALLY BEEN KIND OF SIMILAR TO, UM, HOW THE, THE TEXAS, I THINK IT WAS APARTMENT ASSOCIATION DOES IT, IF IT'S MORE THAN FOUR, EIGHT HOURS, LIKE YOU'RE STATING IF IT'S A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THING OR EVEN LONGER THAN THAT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS EVERY MORNING WHEN I COME TO WORK, THEIR CARS ARE PARKED IN FRONT OF THEIR BOAT.
SO I PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHO'S LIVING THERE AND NOT WHO'S JUST COMING IN FOR A WEEKEND.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH AN INDIVIDUAL.
LIKE YOU'RE STATING IF YOU COME IN FOR THE WEEKEND IN TOWN OR WHATEVER, A NIGHT OR SO, THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S, THAT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA COLLECT THAT MUCH TRASH OR BURN THAT MUCH ELECTRICITY AND A DAY OR TWO.
BUT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S THERE SUNDAY TO SUNDAY, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ISSUE.
SO YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE GONNA MONITOR THE MARINA TO SEE WHOSE CARS ARE PARKED THERE? WHO'S STAYING THERE MORE THAN JUST NIGHT? WELL, WHAT WE'LL DO, BASICALLY WE ALREADY HAVE A DATABASE OF EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THE MARINA.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A NEW SET OF RULES FOR EVERYTHING.
AND JUST BE UPFRONT WITH 'EM AND ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GONNA BE LIVER BOYS, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO'S IN THERE.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S ON THE BACK OF ROW D ARE LIVER BOYS.
AND SO IF THEY ARE LIVING THERE, THEY'RE GONNA FILL OUT THE APPLICATION THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT WE HAD FOR THIS ITEM? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND WHICH, UM, I THINK THERE, UH, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT SAID THAT YOU, OH, HERE IT IS.
SEVERAL PURE MUNICIPALITIES IN TEXAS ACROSS THE GULF COAST AS ADOPTED LIVERBOARD SURCHARGES.
SO WHO DID YOU LOOK TO AS AN EXAMPLE? UH, FOR WHAT? AND THAT'S IN THAT ONE THAT I JUST GAVE YOU.
THERE'S, UH, AND, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER THING IN, IN RESEARCHING THIS, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO.
YOU CAN DO A SURCHARGE OR YOU CAN CHARGE BY THE INDIVIDUAL.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT IF YOU SAY HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ON A VOTE VERSUS A CHARGE.
WELL, BACK UP FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
WHO POINT TO ME IN WHAT YOU JUST HANDED OUT WHO IT IS THAT YOU LOOKED AT, WHAT OTHER, WHAT OTHER MUNICIPAL MARINAS DID YOU LOOK AT TO COME UP WITH THE APPLICATION THAT YOU HAVE FOR A LIVE ABOARD CLIENT? THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE I'VE LOOKED AT SOME, I'VE LOOKED AT ONE FROM CORPUS CHRISTI.
ON HERE I HAVE GALVESTON, I HAVE GALVESTON, PORT ARANSAS, LAKE TRAVIS.
WHERE IS THAT? IN THIS DOCUMENT? LIKE FOUR PAGES.
SO THE TOP OF THE PAGE, IT STARTS WITH, UH, OH, HERE WE GO.
CLEAR LAKE, LAKE TRAVIS, SOUTH SHORE.
IS THAT WHERE WE THAT'S YES MA'AM.
UM, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THE $200 WAS DETERMINED AFTER LOOKING AT THESE OTHER MARINAS, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WHICH, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO TELL YOU.
I I, I TRIED TO BASIC IT BASICALLY OFF OF, IT'S EASIER THAN CHARGING PER PERSON BECAUSE IT THEN IT BECOMES A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WHAT ABOUT INSPECTIONS FOR THE LIVERBOARDS INSPECTION? AS FAR AS, UH, AS FAR AS WHETHER THEY HAVE A PROPER GALLEY TO BE LIVING ON THEIR BOAT? ARE WE DOING ANY TYPE OF INSPECTIONS? THERE'S OTHER, OTHER MARINAS DO THAT.
IF THEY HAVE LIVERBOARD TENANTS, THEY DO INSPECTIONS THERE.
SO WHEN ARE WE GONNA START POLLING THE BOAT OWNERS? IS THAT ONGOING ALREADY? OR, I MEAN, DO YOU, YOU, YOU SAID YOU ALREADY THINK YOU KNOW WHO'S LIVING? NO, I, I KNOW WHO'S LIVING THERE.
SO IF THIS IS APPROVED TODAY, THEN WE'RE GONNA START ASKING EACH OF THEM.
IF THEY'RE LIVING FIRST, THEY'LL COME IN OFFICE MM-HMM
AND, AND GET ALL THE PAPERWORK STRAIGHT FOR US.
AND YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT WITH EVERY TENANT AT THE MARINA? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
JUST THE ONES THAT YOU SUSPECT ARE LIVING ABOARD? NO, EVERYBODY.
DO THE ELECTRICAL PEDESTALS AT THE MARINA HAVE GFI OR DO YOU KNOW? MOST OF 'EM DO.
AND IF THEY DON'T, AND IF SOMEONE CALLS THE OFFICE, WE GET OUR ELECTRICIAN OVER THERE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS CORRECT.
WELL, DON'T YOU THINK THEY SHOULD ALL HAVE GFI BECAUSE OF THE WATER HAZARD? YES, MA'AM.
BUT I THINK WE WILL HERE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING AND EXPLAIN, IT'S A LOT OF DAMAGE IN THE MARINA.
AND I DO HAVE A UPDATED, UM, THING THAT I COULD SEND TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU TOLD ME TO GET THAT, UM, FROM THE CONTRACTOR MM-HMM
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY BOATS THAT ARE MOWED AT ONE OF THE ELECTRICALS THAT DOES NOT HAVE
[02:15:01]
GFII? I MEAN THEY'D HAVE TO CONTACT ME.IT'S 65 VOTES IN THERE AND IF THEY CALL ME THEN WE GET IT FIXED.
UH, COUNSEL, I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ALMOST A YEAR AGO, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OFFERING A FAIR AND EQUITABLE SERVICE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, EVEN IN AN A APART IS THE, THE GUEST STAYING MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS.
EVEN FOR, UM, A LOT OF LEASE AGREEMENTS.
IT SAYS FOR GUESTS STAYING MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES A, UM, A FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THEN PEOPLE ARE USUALLY LEAVING SUNDAY TO GO BACK TO THEIR REGULAR WORK WEEK.
BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE, UM, YOU CAN STAY THREE NIGHTS A WEEK AND SKIP FOUR DAYS AND THEN COME BACK AGAIN AND YOU'RE STILL NOT RESPONSIBLE.
FOR THE, FOR PAYMENT OF THE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE USING.
SO I'M ACTUALLY ASKING THAT INSTEAD OF IT BE THREE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS, UM, WHEN YOU DO REVIEW THIS AGAIN WITH, UM, OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD ACTUALLY BE TWO CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS.
SO MOST OF THE TIME, IF PEOPLE ARE VACATIONING OR WEEKEND GETAWAY, IT'S USUALLY THREE DAYS, TWO NIGHTS.
AGAIN, THAT'S JUST TO BE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING FAIR AND WE DO WANT IT TO BE SAFE.
UM, THE OTHER CONCERNS I HAD WAS WITH THE, WHEN I DID RESEARCH THIS, IT SHOWED THE COST OF APPROXIMATELY 20 TO $30 PER FOOT, WHICH WAS A LOT LESS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT INCLUDED THE OTHER AREAS WITH CLEAR LAKE, LAKE TRAVIS, BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE, UM, LIKE WE WERE LOW BALLING OURSELVES.
BUT, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CHOSE THE 200.
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY MY, MY, IN ALL HONESTY, AS I STATED EARLIER, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO IT BY, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
'CAUSE WE, WE LITERALLY HAVE FAMILIES ON BOATS.
AND, UM, I CAN POINT OUT A FAMILY THAT HAS YOUNGER KIDS AND I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CHARGE PER PERSON WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A KID OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, IF YOU GO BY THE, THE FOOTAGE ON THE BOAT, YOU KNOW, IT GETS EXPENSIVE, UM, ON THAT NOTE.
AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE RESTROOMS CLEAN, UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE POT TO KEEP THE RESTROOMS CLEAN IF THEY NEED MORE REPAIRING, UM, AS SHE STATED AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR SOMETHING, UM, AT A PEDESTAL.
SO THOSE LITTLE MINOR THINGS, I THINK FOR THOSE SEVEN OR EIGHT INDIVIDUALS THAT'S, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THAT LIVERBOARD, UM, FUND, I THINK THAT'LL ASSIST US MUCH BETTER THAN TRYING TO, I DON'T WANT TO HIT SOMEBODY OVER THE HEAD AND SAY, 'CAUSE PEOPLE CHARGE AS MUCH AS A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO, IT'S LIKE WHAT WE ALWAYS DO, UM, COMPARED TO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO US.
WE'RE NOT A CHEMO, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THESE OTHER PLACES.
SO I ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP THE INDIVIDUAL IN MIND.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST, AND SO THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT PART FOR THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND NOT TRYING TO, TO GOUCHE.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS TO MAKE SURE WHETHER IT'S, UM, EVERY YEAR OR EVERY TWO YEARS THAT WE REVISIT THIS RIGHT.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FEES WE'RE CHARGING ARE KEEPING IN SYNC WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE WORKING TO DO ON MA'AM ISLAND.
AND CAN COUNCILOR HAMILTON, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES, SIR.
GEORGE, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD, SIR.
HOW YOU DOING? OH, THE QUESTION WAS, UH, THE POWER TO THE BOATS THAT'S SUPPLIED BY THE CITY? YES.
THE POWER WHERE THE POWER IS COMING FROM, LIKE THROUGH ENTITY.
THE QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT THE, THE GFI GROUND FAULT INDICATORS.
SO IF YOU, IF BOTH TO COME UP AND, AND, AND PLUG IN UHHUH AND GET POWER, MY POINT IS THOSE, WE, WE STILL FAN THE BILL.
THOSE GROUND FAULT INDICATORS, A CITY RESPONSIBILITY MM-HMM
SO, SO, WELL NO, THAT'S WHAT I, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
THE CITY IS NOT GONNA ALLOW IT TO BE OPERATED.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES RESOLUTION,
[VII.C.(6) P.R. No. 24459 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Submit A Grant Application To The Texas Water Development Board’s (TWDB) State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) For The Possible Grant Award Of $16,500,520.00 For The Water Line Replacement Project; Funding Appropriation Is Required Once This Application Is Selected For Award]
UM, PR NUMBER 2 4 4 5 9 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION[02:20:01]
THAT THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, TWDB STATE FISCAL YEAR SFY 2022, DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND D-W-S-R-F FOR THE POSSIBLE GRANT AWARD OF $16,500,520 FOR THE WATERLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT, FUNDING APPROPRIATION IS REQUIRED.ONCE THE APPLICATION IS SELECTED FOR AWARD.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION? YEAH.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, JUMPED UP AT ME THAT I, THAT WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
ONE IS THAT THIS PROJECT IS A 219 2000, 2019 PROJECT.
AND, UH, ARE WE SELLING BONDS, UM, TO REPAY THIS LOAN? SO THIS ONE, RIGHT NOW, 2019 IS ACTUALLY DESIGN PROCESS.
SO FOR 2022, WE COMPLETE EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO SUBMIT, UH, THIS DESIGN COMPLETION.
THEN 2022 ACTUALLY SUBMIT THE CONSTRUCTION FOUNDING.
SO THIS ONE IS JUST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND THE AFTER DESIGN COMPLETE, WE SUBMIT THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, GRANT.
SO THIS, THIS LOAN, THIS ACTUALLY LOAN, SO UP TO 30% OF FORGIVENESS AND THE REST OF THAT WILL BE LONG.
AND THAT WILL BE ALSO TWDB GONNA REVIEW ALL OUR DOCUMENTATION.
RIGHT NOW, WE JUST RECEIVED THE INTENT TO APPLY.
WE, WE QUALIFY TO APPLY THIS GRANT AND WE HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL THE DOCUMENT LIKE THE, THE FINANCIAL AUDIT, UH, INFORMATION AND THE POPULATION, HOW MUCH WATER AND HOW MUCH WATER WE USE THE METER USE THE REVENUE AND THE POPULATION, ALL EVERYTHING INFORMATION OVER THERE.
AND SO THIS IS JUST INTENT TO APPLY AFTER THEY APPROVE THEIR BOARDING.
I THINK END OF THIS YEAR, IF THEY AWARD US, THEN WE HAVE TO GET THE LOAN THROUGH TWDB AND THE LOAN WILL HAVE A LONG INTEREST RATE.
SO IF YOU SEE THE PRESENTATION ON THE PAGE, UH, ABOUT THE, THE, THE LAST ONE BEFORE IT, SO IT IS 2% OF ORIGINATION FEE, THAT'S DEFINITELY WE HAVE TO PAY.
AND THEN THE LOAN INTEREST RATE, THEY WILL PROVIDE US AND WE HAVE TO SHOW OUR GOOD, UH, FINANCIAL CONDITION, BE ABLE TO PAY BACK WITH 30 YEARS.
WELL, YOU KNOW YES, I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
AND, AND MY LAST QUESTION YES.
WAS, UH, THE PART WHERE THEY SAID, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE W WELL, THE TEXAS WATER BOARD RECORDS INDICATE THAT ONE OR MORE ISSUES OF DEATH CONVEYANCE, NON-COMPLIANCE PRESENTLY EXIST WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AND COULD AFFECT THE ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY, SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE THE FUNDING.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM THAT WE HAVE NOT? UH, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, FUNDING, THE MAIN BIG ONE IS THE MAIN WASTEWATER PLAN.
THAT ONE IS WE HAVE A LOAN WASTE LAND AND WE ARE CONTINUOUS PAYING BACK FOR, UH, 30 YEARS.
THE OTHER ONE I NOT SURE ABOUT THAT PART.
I PROBABLY NEED THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR TO RESPOND.
SOMEBODY NEED TO TELL ME WHAT IS WHAT, WHAT IS THE NONCOMPLIANCE ABOUT IT? I I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SAID THAT NON COMPLIANCE, LET ME READ IT.
IT IS JUST SAID THAT IF THERE IS A NONCOMPLIANCE, THEN THEY WILL AFFECT THE LOAN APPLICATION.
SO THEY HAVE TO REVIEW OR UH, AUDITION.
THE, THE FINANCIAL AUDIT INFORMATION NO.
AND THIS IS THE LETTER THAT WAS DATED 22 JUNE.
THIS STATES, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TEXAS WATER DEPARTMENT BOARD RECORDS INDICATE THAT ONE OR MORE ISSUES OF DEBT COMMONS NON-COMPLIANCE PRESENTLY EXISTS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AND COULD AFFECT THE ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR AND RECEIVED THE FUNDING.
WHAT IS THAT NON-COMPLIANCE THAT WE, THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
[02:25:01]
CAN WE HAVE A, A LINK TO RESPONSE TO THIS ONE? SURE.THE, UH, LETTER THAT WAS IN THE BACKGROUND.
THE LETTER THAT WAS IN THE PACKET.
NO, THAT'S THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION IN THE, ON THE AGENDA.
LYNN BOSWELL, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
UH, I'M NOT ACTUALLY AWARE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN VIOLATION OF PAYING BACK ANY OF THE DEBT.
WE HAVE BEEN ON TIME WITH EVERYTHING.
SO IF THERE'S A DEBT THAT IS IN THE PAST THAT I'M NOT DEALING WITH AT THIS TIME, UH, I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
HOWEVER, ALL OF THE PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN COMPLIANCE.
LIKE I, I'VE ALWAYS DONE AND THEY'VE BEEN MADE ON TIME.
AND I PROBABLY WOULD QUESTION IN WHAT REGARDS THEY ARE.
THEY ARE SAYING THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEBT.
IF IT IS A MATTER OF WHAT WE HAVE ON HAND, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT IT.
BUT WE HAVE COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN PAYING BACK OUR DEBT.
THEN WE TITLE, UM, GO AHEAD, RYAN.
SO FROM THE LETTER, FROM THE TEXT PRINCIPLE FORGIVENESS ELIGIBILITY, THAT'S WHAT IT, UH, CITY MANAGER PULL YOUR MIC DOWN.
IT'S ON THE PRINCIPLE FORGIVENESS ELIGIBILITY AND IT CONTINUES ON THE SECOND PAGE.
IT SAYS HERE, YOUR PROJECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ELIGIBLE FOR PRINCIPLE FORGIVENESS.
HOWEVER, PRINCIPLE FORGIVENESS IS SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
THE FINAL PRINCIPLE, FORGIVENESS ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED FOLLOWING A DETAILED REVIEW OF THE FULL APPLICATION BUDGET AND WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN A FUNDING DOC DETERMINATION LETTER PRIOR TO THE BOARD TAKING FORMAL ACTION ON THE FUNDING REQUEST.
PLEASE NOTE THAT TWDB RECORDS INDICATE THAT ONE OR MORE ISSUES OF DEATH COVENANT NON-COMPLIANCE PRESENTLY EXISTS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AND COULD AFFECT THE ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
SO IF LYNN, IF, IF LYNN DOESN'T KNOW, UH, AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO, TO STOP THIS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW, I CAN ASK.
WE WILL ASK, WE WILL ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
UM, WHEN WE GET, UM, AS SOON AS WE CAN.
BECAUSE THIS ONE HAVE A DUE DATE ON AUGUST 28TH.
SO WE HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL THE DOCUMENT BEFORE THAT.
AND EVERY THING THAT WHEN DURING THE REVIEW PERIOD TIME, THEY WILL LET US KNOW WHICH DOCUMENT WE NEED TO, UH, ADD ON OR WHICH INFORMATION IS NOT COMPLETE.
THEY WILL, WE, WE KEEP COM COMMUNICATE WITH TWDB WITH THIS APPLICATION.
MY CONCERNS, MY CONCERNS IS I'VE READ ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
I READ THE LETTER THAT THE MANAGERS HAVE JUST READ IS NOT HARD TO INTERPRET.
IT STATES THAT WE HAVE ONE ISSUE OR MORE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M READING FROM THEM.
SO IF YOU ALL DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR ME, THAT'S FINE.
YOU KNOW, JUST SAY YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE DOING? BECAUSE IF WE APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND STUFF, WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING WE APPLYING FOR GRANT, BUT YET NO, WE NOT COMPLYING TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS STATEMENT IS.
SUGAR SUGARCOATED AND ALL PLAIN ENGLISH, VERY EASY TO INTERPRET.
SO CALL THEM AND FIND OUT, SIR, WHAT IS THE NON-COMPLIANCE? YES SIR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MM-HMM
AND THEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING I FEEL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, I'LL PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE NOT COMPLIANT WITH? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO NUMBER EIGHT
[VII.C.(8) P.R. No. 24462 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Engage With Utility Companies Operating Within The City Of Port Arthur To Address The Condition, Maintenance, And Repair Of Utility Poles And Lines Within The City’s Jurisdiction]
ON PAGE NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS PR NUMBER 2 4 4 6 2 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENGAGE WITH UTILITY COMPANY OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF UTILITY POLLS AND LINES WITHIN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION.MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
[02:30:01]
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM IS THIS NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? SORRY.
WHY DID WE, WHY, WHY, WHY IS THIS ONE ON THE AGENDA? THAT WAS MY, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
I WAS GOING THROUGH THE NOTES.
I'M LIKE, WHY ARE WE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION OF MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF UTILITY POLES AND LINE WITHIN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? THAT'S HIS JOB.
UM, IF, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER REMEMBERS THERE WAS A PRESENTATION MADE BY THE DIRECTOR FOR TRANSIT A FEW, UM, MEETINGS AGO.
AND, UM, HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE REST OF HIS TEAM IN ENSURING THAT, UM, POLES AND LOW HANGING WIRES THAT CREATED ENVIRONMENTAL CLUTTER FOR THE CITY COULD HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME BY THE VARIOUS, UM, FRANCHISES.
AND SO AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, COUNCIL ASKED THAT WE PREPARE VERY STRONG RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY A LETTER BOTH FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY SENDING OUT TO THE VARIOUS FRANCHISES THAT WOULD WORK WITH US TO CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLUTTER THAT WE HAVE MAKING OUR CITY VERY UGLY.
WELL, I, I'M JUST HERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I, I SEEN POLES THAT'S, UH, THE UTILITIES, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THE POLES DOWN THAT ARE NO, NO LONGER OPERATIONAL LINES ARE HANGING LOW BELOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LACK.
WE DON'T NEED AN ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC HEIGHT.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ENERGY STARTS AT THE TOP, THEN COMES, UH, CABLE AT T AND THEN AFTER AT T THE NEXT LEVEL IS FOR, UH, CABLE.
SO WHEN THEY PUT THAT STUFF IN UP IN THE UTILITY, I MEAN IN THE EASEMENTS, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN THING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THEY KNOW IF THEY GOT A TELEPHONE POLE AND MESSED UP AND THAT SHOULD NEED US.
STAFF SHOULD CALL NOTIFY THEM.
THEY SHOULD TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY NOT COMPLYING AND NOT RESPONDING, I CAN SEE IT COMING TO COUNCIL.
BUT THAT'S ALL PART OF YOUR JOB.
I MEAN, WE COULD SAY YEAH, IF YOU WANT, BUT I DON'T SEE WHAT GOOD IT DO, YOU KNOW.
COUNCIL, YOU DONE? I THOUGHT IT.
COUNCIL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI.
I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO ENERGY WHILE THEY WERE HERE.
CAN WE PLEASE, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLES, ASK THEM TO CUT THEIR GRASS AND THE TREES OVERGROWN AROUND THEIR POLES.
WILL AND AND THOSE ARE THE POLES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE NOT PRESENTLY BEING USED BY THE VARIOUS FRANCHISES.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NOT THE POOLS THAT ARE IN USE, BUT THOSE POOLS THAT ARE NOT IN USE THAT CONTINUE TO LITTER THE CITY.
EVEN THE ONES THAT ARE IN USE, THEY STILL HAVE OVERGROWN TREES AND GRASS.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE POOLS THAT WELL, THIS RESOLUTION.
A THE AYES HAVE IT ANY NOS RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VII.C.(9) P.R. No. 24463 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Close Out Documents Submitted By Geofill Construction Of Schertz, Texas And To Approve The Release Of Retainage In The Amount Of $11,736.14 For The Completion Of The Renovation Of Both Sets Of Restrooms In Lakefront Park On Pleasure Island; Funding Is Available In Account Number 450-00-000-2050-00-00- 000]
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 6 3 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY JILL FIELD CONSTRUCTION OF SEARCH TEXAS, AND TO APPROVE THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE AND THE AMOUNT OF $11,736 AND 14 CENTS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE RENOVATION OF BOTH SETS OF RESTROOMS AND LAKEFRONT PARK ON PLEASURE ISLAND FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 5 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 25 0 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY.
UM, I SEEM TO RECALL SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RENOVATION ON THESE RESTROOMS THAT, UM, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT INSTALLING SOME SECURITY CAMERAS AND THAT WE WERE GONNA DO THAT BEFORE WE REOPEN THE RESTROOMS. SO I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
NUMBER ONE, WERE THE CAMERAS INSTALLED? AND NUMBER TWO, I DON'T SEE IT THAT THIS COMPANY ACTUALLY DID THAT.
SO WHO INSTALLED THE CAMERAS AND WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM? NO, WE HAVEN'T.
IT'S, IT WAS TAKEN IN THE, UH, BUDGET MEETING FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THERE'S NO CAMERAS INSTALLED ON THE RESTROOMS YET? NO.
AND THEY'RE NOT OPEN AND THE RESTROOMS ARE NOT OPEN.
SO ARE THEY NOT OPEN BECAUSE THERE'S NO CAMERAS OR ARE THEY NOT OPEN FOR SOME OTHER
[02:35:01]
REASON? THEY'RE NOT OPEN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CAMERAS.WE STILL HAVE LIKE A PORTA POTTY FOR PEOPLE TO USE UP FRONT.
SO OUR PLAN STILL IS GET THE BUDGET APPROVED.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION THOUGH.
AND THIS REALLY IS MORE OF A QUESTION FOR DR TO, AND I DON'T SEE 'EM HERE.
MAY CALVIN MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS.
I SAW SOME PICTURES OF THE RESTROOMS FROM JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND THERE'S A CONCRETE SOMETHING.
IT'S A BIG CONCRETE, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A, A, OH, THE WHOLE, LIKE A, A BUCKET OR SOMETHING AND THERE'S WATER UNDERNEATH THAT'S STANDING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE WATER.
THE, UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TOILET THAT'S CLOSEST TO WHERE YOU COME AROUND THE BRIDGE? THERE'S THE ONE, THIS IS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S A, IT'S BIG CON THERE'S, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A GARBAGE CAN MADE OUTTA CONCRETE.
THERE, THERE WAS A, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT FELL, BUT YEARS AGO, PREME, THERE WAS A PUMP STATION THERE THAT WAS BUILT INSIDE CONCRETE, REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPES.
AND THEY, IT STICKS OUT OF THE GROUND ABOUT THREE FEET, UH, FOUR FEET AND IT WAS ABANDONED.
SO WHEN THIS PROJECT CAME UP, WE DESIGNED A NEW PUMP STATION.
IT'S A PACKAGE PUMP STATION FIBERGLASS.
WE, WELL, AND IT SITS RIGHT BEHIND THE BUILDING.
THE, UH, THAT STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE DEMOLISHED, BUT TO DEMOLISH IT, WE NEED A VERY BIG PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ON THE ISLAND.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH NIE THAT WHOEVER HAS A, YOU KNOW, BIG PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, IT COSTS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $1,500 TO MOVE ANY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THERE AND MOVE IT BACK.
SO WHEN WE DO SOMETHING THAT HAS A, A TRACK OR, YOU KNOW, ON THE ISLAND, WE'RE GONNA DEMO IT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WATER STANDING THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S A, THAT'S PROBABLY A DRAINAGE ISSUE, BUT I'M SAYING IF THERE'S WATER PONDING THERE, IT'S PROBABLY A DRAINAGE ISSUE.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DRAINAGE AROUND IT.
ONCE WE DEMO THAT, WE'RE GONNA KNOCK IT, YOU KNOW, LIFT THE TOP OFF, HAUL IT OFF, AND THEN BACKFILL THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
IT'S, IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OVER TO THE ISLAND.
OKAY, CATHERINE, I'M GONNA JUST SAY I DIDN'T SEE A LIGHT, I'M SO SORRY.
WELL, NO, WAS NOT YOU GEORGE, I THINK THANK, THANK YOU.
I JUST HEARD SOMETHING THROUGH THE DISCUSSION THAT, THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THIS QUESTION.
THE, THE, THE THING THAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THE RESTROOMS ARE COMPLETE, BUT WE ARE NOT GONNA OPEN THE RESTROOM UNTIL WE GET THE CAMERAS.
NOW THE RESTROOM IS DEALING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AND THESE RESTROOMS AREN'T COMPLETED.
SO WE ARE NOT GONNA OPEN THEM UNTIL WE WAIT UNTIL WE PASS THE BUDGET TO GET THE CAMERA.
MY TWO QUESTIONS IS, YOU HAVE A FUND, YOU HAVE SEPARATE FUND, YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY REMAINING IN YOUR BUDGET TO PUT CAMERAS.
WELL, I, I, I SPOKE WITH CHIEF 'CAUSE CHIEF HAD JUST INFORMED ME ABOUT A, I THINK YOU GUYS PASSED SOMETHING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO WORK ON THAT NOW.
IF HE CAN GIVE ME A GOOD NUMBER WHERE IT'S IN MY BUDGET, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING IT.
I'M ASKING, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REMAINING IN THE PLEASURE ISLAND BUDGET TO PUT THOSE CAMERAS IN.
THE CAM FOR THE RESTROOMS. I, THE, THE PRICE THAT THEY GAVE ME, I THINK WAS OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I HAVE TO FIND, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE IT SET UP A LIKE THAT.
PUTTING A CAMERA IN A RESTROOM, A CAMERA IN NO, NO, NO.
NOT INSIDE THE RESTROOM AND A CAMERA OUT TO WATCH.
WELL, YOU CAN'T PUT CAMERAS INSIDE A RESTROOM, SO YEAH, WHY NOT?
TO PUT THE CAMERAS OUTSIDE LIKE WE DIDN'T.
EVERYBODY GOT, THEY LOVE, THEY GET BACK TO BED OUTSIDE, GEORGE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ON, ON THAT.
UM, LIKE WE DON'T HAVE EXTRA MONEY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EXTRA MONEY IN, IN OUR BUDGET.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
LET ME TELL YOU, I'M RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COME TO THEM, RESTROOMS BEING OPEN NOW
[02:40:02]
AND CITIZENS GOING IN THOSE RESTROOM AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO A PO POT.AND THIS IS, WE'LL FIND, AND, AND THIS IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE SAY EMERGENCY DEALING WITH HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SO RATHER THAN HAVE CITIZENS GOING INTO THE, UH, PORTA POT AND THESE RESTROOMS ARE, WE NEED TO OPEN THEM UP.
SO IF WE NEED TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF FUND BALANCE TO PUT A CAMERA, 'CAUSE I DON'T SEE THIS, THIS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TYPE CAMERA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM, BUT TRUST ME, IT DON'T, IT, IT AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS THAT TO PUT A CAMERA OUTSIDE TO MONITOR THAT AREA.
THAT IS JUST OUT OF, OUT IN LEFT FIELD.
AND THE OTHER THING IS I WOULD CHECK WITH, UH, THE, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS FUND BALANCE FOR THE PLEASURE ISLAND IS AT ZERO RIGHT NOW, OR NOT ENOUGH MONEY OR NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO, UH, PUT THAT CAMERA.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO PUT THE CAMERA AND WE NEED TO OPEN THE, THE RESTROOM.
AND WE DON'T WAIT TILL WE DO A BUDGET BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT KIND OF MONEY.
AND WE TALKING ABOUT CITIZENS PUBLIC HEALTH, WHAT WE WANT 'EM DO GO IN THE RESTROOM AS OPPOSED TO GO IN PORTA POTTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE NOT GONNA PROLONG THIS.
I'LL DO SOME CHECKING AND, AND, AND I'LL AND I'LL ASK WITH THING IF I NEED TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL SO WE APPROVE SOMETHING.
I DON'T MIND BRINGING IT TO COUNCIL 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON COUNCIL WILL NOT WANT US TO PUT A CAMERA IN THAT, OPEN THOSE RESTROOM INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR SISTERS GOING PORTA POTTY.
SO, UH, I WILL CHECK BACK INTO THAT AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW.
AND I, I THINK, UH, MY COHORT HAS SOME VALID POINTS, BUT GEORGE, I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO BE NICE, MAN.
UH, I, I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE PORTA-POTTIES.
WELL, YEAH, I DON'T, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANNA SAY IT, BUT I CAN.
I'M GOING TO YOU TRYING TO BE NICE, BUT I'M GONNA BE FRANK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SITUATIONS IN THE BATHROOMS, UH, DESTROYING THINGS, UH, SINKS ALL THOSE THINGS IN THE PAST.
DON'T WANNA SAY IT, BUT YOU'VE GOT WHAT THE POLICE CHIEF, IF YOU KIND OF GET A HINT WHAT HE'S SAYING.
HE'S BEEN WITH THE POLICE CHIEF GUYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO STOP WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE AREAS.
UH, I TALKED WITH CHIEF AS WELL.
THOSE TYPE OF THINGS DESERVE TO HAVE CAMERAS.
IF WE CAN INVEST THAT TYPE OF MONEY IN THAT RESTROOM AND IN THAT ISLAND, WE NEED TO HAVE CAMERAS BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON AFTER DARK YOU GUYS MAY NOT KNOW IS HAPPENING.
AND IT'S THE LIABILITY ASPECT THAT GEORGE IS TRYING TO BE SO NICE UP HERE.
WE'VE INVESTED CAMERAS IN THE PAST.
I LIKE TO BE OUT THERE FISHING.
BUT WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE LIABILITY OF THE CITY.
SO, GEORGE, STOP BEING SO NICE.
PLEASE GIVE THE POLICE CHIEF YES, SIR.
AND I KNOW WHY, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO YOU RIGHT.
I'VE TALKED WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND TO TRY TO GET SOME, SOME CLARITY OF WHAT WE COULD DO LEGALLY.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THOSE CAMERAS UP AND RUNNING.
BUT I WOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT OPENING THEM UP WITHOUT HAVING CAMERAS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, AND A POLICE CHIEF KNOWS.
OH NO, JUST HE'S ON THE DOLLAR.
WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THAT PART OF IT.
AND I KNOW, RIGHT? I KNOW, UM, GEORGE, THAT YOU, YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO BE VERY DISCREET, BUT SOMETIMES I THINK THE CITIZENS REALLY NEED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, THEY'RE WORD, THERE'S, THERE ARE WORDS YOU CAN PUT INTO PLACE AND TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE SUFFER SUFFERING THROUGH.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT WE'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT.
I GET WHAT BOTH OF 'EM SAYING.
HE'S SAYING GET THE CAMERAS AND HE'S SAYING WHY? SO WE GOOD? WE ALL GOOD? ALRIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO IN THE BATHROOMS. OKAY? THIS IS HOW IT'S HAPPENING.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT PORT ARTHUR NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT WE DEAL WITH AND WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT AND HOUSE WHEN WE TAKE THE CRITICISM.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T SAY WHAT'S BEING DONE.
BECAUSE IT'S EVEN, AND SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO, WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? AND PEOPLE STOP IN ADDITION TO THE CAMERAS.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE, UM, THE LOCKING MECHANISM THAT WE HAVE ON THE DOORS IN CITY HALLS.
'CAUSE JUST LIKE THE PARKS ARE OPEN, OPEN A CERTAIN TIME OF THE DAY, WE WANT THE LOCKS ON THE
[02:45:01]
DOORS TO STOP THE SAME THING OR TO DETER THE SAME THING.AND THE THING IS YOU SAYING THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, I, I I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT AGAIN, AT SOME POINT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE THING IS.
AND THEY KNOW THE AYES HAVE IT.
[VII.C.(11) P.R. No. 24469 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept A Donation From The Cheniere Foundation In The Amount Of $20,000.00 To Support The Repurposing Of The Palms At Pleasure Island Golf Course]
THANK YOU.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT A DONATION FROM THE SHERE FOUNDATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 TO SUPPORT THE REPURPOSING OF THE, OF THE POEMS AT PLEASURE ISLAND GOLF COURSE MO MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER ETT JOY, TODAY IS YOUR DAY, BUT YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS QUESTION NOT FOR YOU.
THIS GONNA GO WITH THE MANAGER NOW,
YEAH, SHE SAID THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, DONATIONS AND ACCEPTING DONATIONS, UH, I ASKED, WE HAVE DONATIONS WHERE WE ASKED IN REFINERIES TO GIVE DONATIONS FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
I'VE NOTICED THAT THE DONATIONS WE GOT, THE LAST ONE WE DEALT WITH, I THINK WAS 200 FOR THE PHOTO OP.
THIS ONE HERE IS WHAT I THINK 20,000.
BUT WE ARE ASKING REFINERIES TO MAKE THESE DONATIONS.
BUT ARE WE MAKING ASKING REFINERIES TO HELP US IN AREAS THAT ARE PRIORITIES? OR ARE WE ASKING REFINERIES TO HELP US? WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS NOT A PRIORITY.
AND THE, AND THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH DONATIONS IS WHENEVER WE HAVE A DONATION, THAT'S THE CITY IS SOLICITING.
NO REFINERY GONNA TELL US, HEY, I'M GONNA GIVE Y'ALL $5 TO DO THIS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE.
WELL, THEY KNOW WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD LIKE.
WHENEVER I SEE A DONATION LIKE THIS, IT WAS SOLICITED FROM REFINERIES.
OR THEY SAY, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? WELL, YOU COME TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE ACCEPTING THESE DONATIONS AND WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
BUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THINGS, BUT SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR 20, $30,000, UH, WE COULD FUND THAT.
WHAT I, WHAT I LIKE TO SEE US ASK FOR IS 50, 60,000 TO BUY PIPE BURSTING STUFF OR TO HELP WITH WATER LINES.
SO IF, IF WE GONNA APPROVE THESE, WHY DON'T THEY COME TO US AND THEY LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ASKING.
REFINERIES, UH, MR. D SAID AS FAR AS THESE, SO WHAT HAPPENS ON OUR END? WE DON'T, UM, LIKE I'M GONNA USE THE TWO EXAMPLES.
YOU SAID THE, UH, PHOTO OP AND I SIDE BY SIDE, WE DON'T ASK THEM FOR THESE, WE DON'T SOLICIT 'EM.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ON MEETINGS WITH US, SAY LIKE ON A ZOOM OR WHATEVER, WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND SO THEIR TEAM MAY COME BACK AND SAY, WELL HEY, UM, HOW DO Y'ALL GET AROUND WHENEVER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE OR WHATEVER.
AND SO, UM, CURRENTLY, BECAUSE THAT MOU IS WITH LAMAR, THEY HAVE ONE OF THOSE GOLF CARTS, SO TO SPEAK, SIDE BY SIDE.
AND SO THEN THEY'LL COME BACK AND JUST SAY, WELL, HEY, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, UM, VOLUNTEERS WILL BE GOING THROUGH THERE, BUT WE DON'T MIND DONATING MONEY TO PURCHASE A SIDE BY SIDE.
SO I NEVER ASKED, HEY, CAN WE GET A 20? 'CAUSE I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OR WHERE IT'S GOING.
BUT JUST TO PUT CLARITY ON IT, WE DON'T SOLICIT, LIKE EVEN FOR THE PHOTO OP THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE, UM, SHANIE CAME TO ME AND JUST ASKED, WHAT DO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN PLANS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR ON THE ISLAND? AND THEY SELECTED, HEY, WE WANT TO PUT MONEY TOWARD THE PHOTO OP.
SO IT WAS A NEVER, I NEVER ASKED THEM, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US MONEY TOWARD THE PHOTO APP, OTHER SIDE BY SIDE, THIS IS WHAT THEY CHOSE TO DO.
THEN IN, IN THAT, IN THAT CASE THEN, YOU KNOW, I, MY COMMENT WOULDN'T APPLY.
MY COMMENT IS BASICALLY IS IF WE GOING TO GO TO INDUSTRY, WE NEED TO GO TO INDUSTRY AND ASK FOR HELP BASED ON THE PRIORITIES AND THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
SO IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN THIS ONE, THEN I CAN UNDERSTAND.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
[02:50:01]
A SIDE BY SIDE ON THE, ON THE GOLF COURSE AROUND THE ISLAND, I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, GOLF CARTS, MULES, UH, UH, VAN, BUT A SIDE BY SIDE IT THREW ME FOR A LOOP.OKAY, THEN I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, MAYOR.
I WAS GONNA LET IT SLIDE, BUT SINCE IT WAS PULLED, UM, FIRST THINGS FIRST, THANK YOU SHANIA, FOR PROVIDING THIS DONATION TO US.
I WANT THAT FOR PUBLIC RECORD.
UM, THE NEXT THING IS PALM TREES ARE NOT INDIGENOUS TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE REPURPOSING SOME, BUT WHY DO WE KEEP PLANTING PLANTS THAT ULTIMATELY DO NOT DO WELL IN OUR ENVIRONMENT? YOU JUST ASKING IN GENERAL OR? YES.
I DON'T, I I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT FISH.
YEAH, THE QUESTION WAS ASKING, UH, DO WE SOLICIT INDUSTRIES TO GET HELP FOR OTHER PROJECTS? IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE INDUSTRY.
THE ALL COMPANIES, THEY WILL HELP YOU WITH PROJECTS BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA PUT MONEY IN A BLACK HOLE.
YOU GOT TO TELL 'EM WHAT YOU WANT DONE.
AND THAT GOES BACK AS FAR AS UH, STEVE
THEY SAID WE WILL NOT PUT MONEY IN A BLACK HOLE.
WHAT'S YOUR PROJECT? YOU NAME THE PROJECT AND WE'LL DECIDE WHAT WE CAN HELP YOU OR NOT.
AND THAT STILL STANDS TODAY? YES SIR.
THE UH, ANY NOS, THE AYES HAVE IT.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE OVER TO OUR NON-CONSENT AGENDA.
WE'RE GONNA HANDLE, UH, PROPOSED NUMBER ITEM ONE ON HERE.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 4 4 4 5 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF CURBSIDE UNIONS.
CORPORATIONS STOPS, ADAPTERS AND COUPLINGS FOR THE WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
WATER DISTRIBUTION DIVISION FROM COBURN SUPPLY COMPANY INCORPORATED OF NEW KE WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $200,000.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE ACCOUNT.
NUMBER FOUR 10 DASH FOUR ZERO DASH 2 1 15 DASH 5 3 15 0 0 0.
WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AMOUNT OF $30,000 FOR FY 25 AND $170,000 FOR FY 26 SUBJECT TO FY 26.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24448 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Final Change Order No. 3, Decreasing The Contract Amount By $11,800.00 To A New Contract Amount Of $800,900.00, Accept The Project Completion Documents For The Procter Street Extension Elevated Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project With M.K. Painting, Inc. Of Wyandotte, Michigan, And Authorize The Release Of Retainage In The Total Amount Of $40,045.00; Funding Is Available In Retainage Account No. 405-00-000-2050-00-00-000]
NUMBER 2 4 4 4 8 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FINAL CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, DECREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $11,800 TO A NEW CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $800,900 EXCEPT THAT THE PROJECT COMPLETION DOCUMENTS FOR THE PROCTOR STREET EXTENSION ELEVATION STORAGE TANK REHABILITATION PROJECT WITH MK PAINTING INCORPORATED OF W DO MICHIGAN AND AUTHORIZED THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE AND THEIR TOTAL AMOUNT OF $40,045 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE RETAINAGE ACCOUNT.NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 0.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT RESOLUTION PASSES.
WE ARE GONNA HOLD PR NUMBER 2 4 4 4 9 UNTIL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DO I HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THAT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION RIGHT HERE?
AND SECOND THAT WE MOVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 4 4 9 UNTIL AFTER.
ANY KNOWS THE AYES HAVE IT AND WE'LL RE COME BACK TO THAT AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24471 – A Resolution Rescinding Resolution 25-142 As It Pertains To The Contracts For Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions; Ratifying The Purchase Of Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions For The Projected Amount Of $3,682.75; And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A New Contract With Cleveland Asphalt Products, Inc. Of Shepherd, Texas, To Provide Asphalt, Oil, And Emulsions For The Not-To- Exceed Amount Of $700,000.00. Funding Is Available In The Streets Maintenance Account, 001-21-053-5316-00-70-000 ($200,000.00), And The Capital Improvement Fund Streets Program Account, 307- 21-053-8517-00-10-000, Various Projects ($500,000.00) Pending FY26 Budget Approval]
FOUR, MOVE TO THE NEXT RESOLUTION.PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 1 A RESOLUTION, RESCINDING RESOLUTION 25 DASH 1 42 AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CONTRACTS FOR ASPHALT OIL AND EMULSIONS, RATIFYING THE PURCHASE OF ASPHALT OIL AND EMULSIONS FOR THE PROJECTED AMOUNT OF $3,682 AND 75 CENTS.
AND AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER EXECUTE A NEW CONTRACT WITH CLEVELAND ASPHALT PRODUCTS INCORPORAT OF SHEPHERD, TEXAS TO PROVIDE ASPHALT OIL AND EMULSIONS FOR THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $700,000.
[02:55:02]
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE STREETS MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT 0 0 1 2 0 21 DASH 0 5 3 DASH 5 3 16 0 7 0 0 0 $200,000.AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND STREETS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 3 0 7 21 5 3 8 5 7 0 0 0 VARIOUS PROJECTS $500,000 PENDING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE AYES HAVE IT ANY I'M SORRY.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24475 – A Resolution Approving The Contract Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur And The Texas Health And Human Services Commission For The Primary Health Care Program In An Amount Not To Exceed $337,095.00 For The Contract Term Beginning September 1, 2025, And Ending August 31, 2030; Providing That No Cash Match Is Required]
WITH NUMBER FIVE, PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 5.A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $337,095 FOR THE CONTRACT TERM BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2030.
PROVIDING THAT NO CASH MATCH IS REQUIRED.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 24477 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 7 For The Main Wastewater Treatment (WWTP) Plant Improvement Project With Allco, LLC Of Beaumont, Texas, For An Increased Cost Of $357,699.02 For Various Modifications At The Main WWTP, Resulting In A New Total Contract Amount Of $70,121,806.57, And Extending The Contract Time By 45 Days; Funding From CIP Account No. 405-40-000-8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS0023, Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of The Budget Amendment In Proposed Ordinance No. 7360]
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 7 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EX EX EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER SEVEN FOR THE MAIN WASTEWATER TREATMENT WWTP PLANT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WITH ALCO LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS AND FOR AN INCREASED COST OF 357,006 99.02 FOR VARIOUS MODIFICATIONS AT THE MAIN WASTE WWTP WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RESULTING IN A NEW TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 70,121,806 POINT 50 50 50 7 CENTS AND EXTENDING THE CONTRACT TIME BY 45 DAYS.FUNDING FROM CIP ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 4 0 0 0 8 516 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER WS 0 0 2 3 IS CONTINGENT UPON THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 73 60.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION, QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN ETT? YES.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUND, UH, FUNDING HERE.
AND SO WE HAVE COUNCIL, SO WHO DO WE HAVE COMING UP? LYNN OR THE WARRIOR UTILITIES? LYNN, PROBABLY.
IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, THIS PROJECT WE FUNDED FOR 73.
WE APPROVED FOR 73 MILLION AND SOMETHING WHEN IT WAS APPROVED.
THE CURRENT ONE WHEN WE FIRST APPROVED THIS PROJECT, I'M NOT SURE YOU WERE HERE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, RIGHT? NO, SHE WASN'T HERE.
SO IT WAS APPROVED FOR 73 MILLION THEN WE HAD A CHANGE ORDER.
WE REDUCED IT, RIGHT? CORRECT SIR.
SO THEN AT THAT TIME WE REDUCED IT TO UH, 67.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER BUT RIGHT.
AND, AND FROM THEN ON WE JUST KEEP, UH, WE KEPT, GO AHEAD CALVIN.
UH, IT WAS QUITE A BIT OVER THE ESTIMATE.
WE TOOK ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAD IN FEMA FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE IT.
AND WE PUT IT IN THE ACCOUNT SO WE COULD AWARD THE CONTRACT.
'CAUSE WE HAD TO AWARD THE CONTRACT AT THE BID VALUE.
BEFORE WE DID THAT, WE DID A VALUE ENGINEERING STUDY WITH ALCO OF HOW WE COULD GET IT DOWN TO THE MONEY THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD AT THE TIME.
AND WE REDUCED IT, WE DELETED THE UPGRADES TO THE BUILDING.
WE, WE JUST DELETED EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD DELAY.
I MEAN IT WAS ALL STUFF THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, BUT WE HAD TO GET IT TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD IT AND WE WERE PUTTING IN, IN ANNUAL BUDGETS, ONE AND A HALF TO 2 MILLION TO FUND PUTTING THESE PIECES BACK IN AS WE BUILT IT.
'CAUSE IT WAS A FOUR TO FIVE YEAR JOB, UH, IN THIS LAST YEAR THAT CAPITAL BUDGET WAS CANCELED.
AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ONE
[03:00:01]
AND A HALF TO 2 MILLION THAT WAS IN THAT BUDGET, CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THESE ONGOING ADDITIONS BACK INTO THE PLANT.PLUS THERE'S BEEN THINGS THAT WE FOUND.
THIS IS AN OLD, VERY OLD OPERATING PLANT AND THINGS THAT AS WE DIG AND AS WE WORK, WE FIND THINGS THAT DON'T WORK.
PLUS THE DESIGN WAS SIX YEARS OLD.
SO ONE OF THE CHANGE ORDERS ON THIS CHANGE ORDER IS THE CHEMICAL BUILDING DETERIORATED DURING THAT SIX YEARS.
SO IT HAD TO HAVE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS FROM THE TIME THE DESIGN WAS DONE.
SO IT'S JUST AN ONGOING ROUND FILL REHAB.
BUT A LOT OF THIS WE KNEW WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
WE JUST HAD TO GET IT TO A POINT WHERE WE COULD AWARD IT.
'CAUSE THE PRICES WENT UP QUITE A BIT DURING THE SIX YEARS AND NOT AWARDING IT WOULD'VE COST US QUITE A BIT OF MONEY 'CAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER INCREASE.
I, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE START BRINGING THESE PROJECTS FOR APPROVAL AND STUFF, WE UNDERSTAND ALL THOSE THINGS AS A COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SEE THAT WE REDUCE THE COSTS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW THE UNDERLYING REASONS AND STUFF.
SO, UM, I FOLLOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING NOW, BUT READING EVERYTHING, NOTHING ADDED UP.
YOU KNOW, I RUN DOLLARS, I DON'T RUN THE TALK.
I TALK, I RUN THE DOLLARS AND IT WASN'T DOING RIGHT.
BUT I COULD SEE NOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
YOU ACTUALLY, HE WENT TO 67 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, GRANT, THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAD.
NO, THAT'S HOW MUCH FEMA GAVE US WAS 67 FEMA AND ARPA AND RIGHT.
SO THE FUNDING SOURCES THIS CONTRACTOR SAID WAS 73 MILLION AND SOMETHING.
HE SAY, OKAY THEN UH, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING.
SO ONCE YOU GOT TO 67, NOW WE GOT THE MONEY TO DO IT.
BUT THEN WHEN WE START DOING IT, NOW WE GO BACK TO DOING THESE THINGS WE TOOK OUT.
AND WE BRING IT BACK AND THEN WE GOTTA DO IT.
IT'S A CASH FLOW ISSUE BASICALLY.
IT, IT, IT IS SOME WILLING AND DEALING ISSUES.
AND I WATCHED CHANGE ORDERS IN A NUMBER OF DAYS.
I NOTICED THAT WE INCREASED IT 45 DAYS.
IS THAT DUE TO THE CHEMICAL, UH, BUILDING DOOR WATER, RE REHAB, CRANE REPAIRS.
THERE'S THE WHOLE LIST OF GAMUT THINGS I SEE RIGHT HERE WITH, UH, THE INCREASE OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER SEVEN $350,000.
I'M JUST READING THE BACKGROUND THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL.
SO YEAH, THE, IT'S, IT'S VARIED.
THERE'S FIVE DAYS FOR THE WATER LINE.
AND UH, THAT'S THE, THERE'S TWO WATER LINES THAT COME INTO THE PLANT.
THE, THE WATERLINE THAT ONE WATERLINE FEEDS THE, UH, CHLORINE SUPPLY SYSTEM AND THE OTHER ONE FEEDS THE BUILDING AND WASHED DOWN AND STUFF.
AND THAT, THAT'S THE LINE THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
AND SO WE HAD THEM REPLACE IT THERE.
THE ELECTRICAL MODIFICATIONS IS, IT'S A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS.
I MEAN, I, I COULD DIG IT ALL UP FOR YOU.
I'M LOOKING AT IT, BUT IT'S MAINLY TIED WITH ENERGY AND INCOMING POWER AND CHANGES THAT HAPPENED OVER THAT SIX YEARS.
ENERGY HAS REQUIRED A LOT MORE.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED ADDITIONAL WORK TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY AGREED UPON WITH THE, WITH THE CONTRACT.
BECAUSE Y YEAH, ALL OF THIS IS WORKED.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BECAUSE IF, IF THE 45 DAYS IS DUE TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE WANT TO BRING UP TO THE COUNCIL RAINY DAY TYPE.
THIS IS, THIS IS ADDITIONAL, THIS ADDITIONAL WORK WORK THAT IS GONNA BE PROVIDED BY TO INCREASE IT.
357,699 AND 2 CENTS WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF 70, 70 MIL.
WE WILL GO TO RESOLUTION NUMBER
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 24478 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Letter Of Engagement With Pattillo, Brown And Hill, LLP, As Independent Auditor For The City Of Port Arthur With A Projected Budgetary Impact Of $120,000.00 For The Year Ending September 30, 2025. Finance Department Account For Professional Services #001-07-015-5420-00-10-000]
PR 2 4 4 78 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LETTER OF ENGAGEMENT WITH PATILLO AND BROWN AND HILL LLP AS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WITH THE PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $120,000 FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.FINANCE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NUMBER OH 0 0 1 DASH ZERO SEVEN DASH 5 5 4 2 DASH ZERO.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
[03:05:02]
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR A.[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 24484 – A Resolution Appointing New Members To The Port Arthur Youth Advisory Council (YAC) (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
NUMBER 2 4 4 84 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING NEW MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.YAK REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON.
EVER FEEL MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
CAN I GET A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ANY GO? I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN.
HOUSE MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FEEL? YES MA'AM.
UM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STUDENT'S NAME, LYNN TRAN THAT WILL BE NOW INCLUDED INTO THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.
HER NAME IS ALREADY, UM, PRINTED ON THE RESOLUTION.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNSELORS TO PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR CURRENT APPOINTEES.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE, THE MESSAGE ALREADY, BUT WE ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTED IN READ THE LIST OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PARTICIPATING AND WE DON'T WANNA HOLD THOSE SEATS AND THOSE WHO ACTUALLY AREN'T PARTICIPATING AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO DO.
MAYBE THEY JUST HAD OTHER THINGS GOING ON, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SEATS AVAILABLE.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THAT LIST BECAUSE I'M ASK, ASKING FOR YOU TO SUBMIT NAMES.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE NAMES, WE HAVE A LIST OF STUDENTS THAT WE CAN REPLACE FOR YOU.
I'M SUBMITTING AND ATTACHING TO THIS ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI, TATIANA CRANE, AND PEYTON SAM.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, UM, UH, YAK IS PROPERLY FILLED SO THEY CAN BE ACTIVE AND DOING SOME THINGS WITHIN OUR CITY.
IT REALLY HELPS OUR CHILDREN TO GET INVOLVED WITH, UM, GOVERNMENT, WITH, UM, GOVERNMENT.
UM, OH, I HAVE ANOTHER, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER BECK.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE DATES ON THIS EXHIBIT A ARE THE DATES THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS TERM OUT.
BECAUSE IT, YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE A BUNCH OF US NEED TO REAPPOINT
YEAH, THAT'S WHY I WENT AHEAD AND SELECTED MINE TOO, SO I WOULDN'T HOLD UP ANYTHING AND WE CAN GET THEM STARTED.
SO IF WE GO ON THE NEXT AGENDA, IF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD SUBMIT THEIR NAMES, UH, EVEN FOR ANY OF YOUR POSITIONS THAT, UM, LOOK AT ALL OF YOUR POSITIONS AND ASK FOR AN UPDATE FROM OUR CITY SECRETARY, UM, OF, OF ALL APPOINTED POSITIONS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WOULD HELP US BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CORRECT CHOICES ON, ON, UM, AND GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES, I HAVE TWO MEMBERS.
EVIDENTLY THE TERM HAS EXPIRED ALREADY, SO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD, IF YOU HAVE TWO NAMES, PUT THE TWO NAMES.
SO, UH, CITY SECRETARY, ARE YOU READY? UH, YES.
I'M GONNA REAPPOINT KENNEDY LADAY AND AARON HILL.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7360 – An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2024 And Ending September 30, 2025. Increasing The General Fund (001) By $357,700.00 And Transferring That Amount Thereby Increasing Water And Sewer Capital Fund (405) By $357,700.00]
TO ORDINANCES PO NUMBER 7 3 6 0 AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
INCREASING THE GENERAL FUND 0 0 1 BY $357,700 AND TRANSFERRING THAT AMOUNT, THEREBY INCREASING WATER AND SOIL CAPITAL FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
LET'S GO TO PAGE NUMBER EIGHT.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7361 – An Ordinance Authorizing A Joint Election Agreement And Election Services Between The City Of Port Arthur And Jefferson County Pertaining To The Conduct Of The November 4, 2025 Special Election]
PO NUMBER 7 3 6 1.AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A JOINT ELECTION AGREEMENT AND ELECTION SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND JEFFERSON COUNTY PERTAINING TO CONDUCT OF A NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 SPECIAL ELECTION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? APPROVAL? IT IS BEEN MOVED.
THE AYES? ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE MOTION THE ORDINANCE PASSES.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO GO INTO A CLOSED MEETING TO HANDLE, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL.NOW WE GO INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, TO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 5, 5, 1, WHICH IS SECTION NUMBER 5 5 1 0 7 1.
LEGAL ADVICE RENAISSANCE AT LAKESHORE APARTMENTS.
NINE 20 PROCTOR STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
[03:10:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.LEGAL ADVICE AND SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 2.
1148 NINTH AVENUE, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO SECTION 5 5 1 0.076 DELIBERATING THE DEPLOYMENT OF SPECIFIC OCCASIONS FOR INFORMATION OF, OH NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
IS THAT RIGHT? OH 7 4 0 7 4, SORRY.
DELIBERATING APPOINTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION.
REASSESSMENT, REASSIGNMENT, I'M SORRY.
DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYEE OR TO HEAR A COMPLAINT OR CHARGE AGAINST AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE UNDER THE OFFICE, SIR OR OFF EMPLOYEE WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF THE DELIBERATION OR HEARING REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED SECTION SESSION.
SECRETARY, CAN YOU ESTABLISH A QUO PLEASE? I NEED A NEW MIC SYSTEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A COURT MAYOR.
WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE HAVE ONLY ONE THING COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
TWO, TWO THINGS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OUR FIRST, UM, WHO HAS THE MOTION TO READ? COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON.
THE, UH, NEGOTIATIONS COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE VIETNAMESE DOMINICAN SISTERS FOR THE PROPERTY SALE OF 1 1 4 8 NINTH AVENUE.
WE NEED A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS PR NUMBER 2 4 4 4 4 9.
WHICH, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE REMOVING FROM THE AGENDA.
ANY QUESTIONS? AND I'M SORRY, LET ME READ THE PR PR.
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 4 9 RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRE CHIEF DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS BEEN, UM, ASKED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.
MAY I GET A SECOND? ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THERE'S A NO COUNCILMAN KEN LAW SAYS NO.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, MOTION PASSES.
RESOLUTION 2, 4 4 9 WILL BE REMOVED FROM THIS AGENDA.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE AYES HAVE IT AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 1:48 PM.