[00:00:01]
PROGRESS.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
AND WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 26TH AT 5:30 PM AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY JOIN OUR MEETING BY TELEPHONIC AND OR VIDEO CONFERENCE.YOU CAN CALL AND JOIN IN OUR MEETING BY DARLENE, 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD THEN PUT IN OUR MEETING ID, WHICH IS 8 6 7 9 9 9 2 7 9 2 5, AND THEN ENTERING THE PASS CODE OF 7 5 2 9 5 3.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND SO YOU CAN DO THAT BY CALLING IN 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE FOR OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR CELL PHONES, UM, OUT OF RESPECT OF OUR MEETING.
AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI OUR PLEDGE, AND THEN OUR ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER, EVER FEEL PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS.
FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
WE ASK THAT YOU WILL PLEASE GOD OUR HEARTS, GOD, OUR TONGUES, GOD OUR MINDS TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON WHAT YOUR WILL IS FOR THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
I ASK THAT WE WILL BE RESPECTFUL, THAT WE WILL OFFER OUR SERVICE IN HUMILITY AND WITH HONOR.
I PLEDGE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A ROLL CALL A QUORUM, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
YOU HAVE A COMPLETE QUORUM, MAYOR.
THIS TIME WE DON'T, WE ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA.
[III.A.(1) Davon Chargois Of Lamar University Regarding An Update On Resolution Number 24-212, Repurposing The Palms At The Pleasure Island Golf Course]
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATION.WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS, AND AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA ASK MR. DEVON JAGUAR OF LAMAR UNIVERSITY REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH TWO, REPURPOSING THE PALMS AT THE PLEASURE ISLAND GOLF COURSE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR US.
2 4 3 1 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
BUT I'M HERE TO REPRESENT LAMAR UNIVERSITY, UH, CENTER FOR ADVANCES IN WATER AND AIR QUALITY.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH, UH, RESOLUTION 2 4 2 1 2.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GAVE YOU GUYS A THOROUGH, UH, PRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BASED ON THE MOU THAT WE CREATED UNDER THAT, UNDER THAT RESOLUTION.
SO HERE WE ARE, AND IT'S ABOUT REPURPOSING UPON THAT PLEASURE ISLAND AND GOLF COURSE.
OKAY, SO WHERE DO WE START? WE STARTED WITH GETTING A TEAM TOGETHER, RIGHT? EVERY, EVERY PROJECT NEEDS A GOOD TEAM, AND I FEEL LIKE WE PUT TOGETHER ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING TEAMS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION FROM THE ACTUAL CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, GEORGE OUT THE PLEASURE ISLAND HAS BEEN A GREAT HOST FOR US ON THIS PROJECT.
UH, HIM AND HIS STAFF WORKING WITH US.
WE, WE SEND A LOT OF PEOPLE HIS WAY, AND HE, HE'S BEEN VERY WELCOMING IN HELPING, SO I WANT TO THANK HIM.
AND, UH, SO HERE'S WHAT WE CAME UP WITH IN THE, UH, MOU TO REPURPOSE NINE HOLES OF THE FORMER GOLF COURSE, UH, INTO ACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACE WITH, UH, INTEGRATING AREAS FOR HIKING, PICNICKING, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WHILE REVAMPING THE ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE INTO A VIBRANT HABITAT FOR NATIVE AND MIGRATING BIRDS.
AND I'LL GET INTO WHY WE, UH, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PART, BUT WE KNOW THAT DOING THIS, WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE SOME GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UH, PROTECTION FROM WATER RUNOFF AND, UH, FLOODING FOR SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENTS FUTURE AND CURRENT.
SO WHY REPURPOSE THE GOLF COURSE? THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE THE MAIN QUESTION, RIGHT? AND JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO IT, RIGHT? REPETITIVE STORM DAMAGE.
AND WE CAN ASSUME THAT PLEASURE ISLAND HASN'T SEEN ITS LAST STORM.
[00:05:01]
I DON'T LIKE USING H WORD, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE, UH, THOSE EVENTS OVER TIME, DATING BACK TO, I THINK, UH, THE 1950S.SO AFTER HURRICANE IKE, WE KIND OF LOST A GOLF COURSE, WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE WE REALIZE NOW THAT THAT CREATED A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
I, AND SO WE LOOKED AT THE KEY RESOURCES HERE.
WHAT DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE A CITY OWNED PROPERTY, SO WE CAN USE IT FOR PUBLIC USE, WHICH IS GOOD.
IT'S THE EXISTING GOLF COURSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE PATHWAYS ARE STILL IN GREAT CONDITION.
UH, THE PUMP STATION, NOT SO MUCH, BUT WE'LL GET INTO THAT.
UH, THE EXISTING ECOLOGY, WHAT'S THERE NOW? WHAT'S, WHAT HAS GROWN OVER TIME? WE CAN USE THE TOP BENEFIT AND THE, UH, EVENTS, CENTER PLANS, UH, JUST WORKING WITH THE TEAM, WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO USE THAT, UH, CLUBHOUSE AS AN EVENT CENTER, WHICH GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TO.
BUT ANOTHER ONE IS THE ON ONSITE BURDEN, UH, BIRD BLIND THAT WAS CREATED BY THE, UH, GOLDEN TRIANGLE AUTO BOND SOCIETY.
SO WE WAS LIKE, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT, WE SAY, HMM, I WONDER WHY THAT'S THERE, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE TALKED TO MISS TAMMY OVER AT THE PORT ARTHUR VISITORS BUREAU, WE REALIZED THAT PORT ARTHUR GENERATES ABOUT $6.1 MILLION A YEAR ON BURDEN, UH, FROM TOURISM AND TOURISM DEFINED BY VISITORS OVER 50 MILES AWAY.
AND THEN WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND WE COMPILED IT, RIGHT? AND THEN WE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, ON AUGUST 9TH, 2004, 24, A TEAM FROM, UH, A CLASS ACTUALLY FROM TEXAS A AND M.
UH, THE PLANNING 6 6 1 CLASS CAME DOWN AND THEY WERE STATIONED AT SEVEN LOCATIONS ACROSS PORT ARTHUR THE COURTHOUSE, THE EMPOWERMENT CHURCH FOOD PANTRY ON, UH, MEMORIAL, UH, CENTRAL MALL, WOODROW WILSON EARLY COLLEGE, THE YMCA, THE GULF COAST HEALTH CENTER AND CITY HALL BUILDING.
AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE ASKED THAT CLASS TO DO, WHAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY THERE FOR WAS THE TECH, UH, SOUTHEAST TEXAS URBAN INTEGRATED FIELD LAB.
SO THEY WERE GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT ON FLOODING AND, UH, POLLUTION.
BUT WE THREW IN TWO QUESTIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND WE ASKED THEM, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES OF PLEASURE ISLAND? AND MOST PEOPLE LOOK BACK ON IT AS A LOCATION FOR FUN GATHERINGS WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
THEN WE ASKED THEM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MOST ON PLEASURE ISLAND? AND MOST RESPONDENTS, UH, HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR REVITALIZED RECREATIONAL SPACES, SUCH AS UPDATED PARKS, EXPANDING WATER ACTIVITIES, AND RESTORING PLEASURE ISLAND AS A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ALL WANT TO SEE.
SO WE SEE THAT OUR MAIN INPUT WAS TO INCREASE RECREATION AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE LOOK AT THAT GOLF COURSE AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO HERE? SO WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND, UH, NEXT STEPS FOR THIS PLAN THAT WE, UH, PUT TOGETHER, WE WILL NEED TO HYDRO X.
ACTUALLY, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
I GAVE YOU GUYS, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE FROM ME IS THE ACTUAL DRAFT PLAN THAT WE WORKED ON.
UH, IT WAS LAST UPDATED ON THE 18TH.
SO A LOT OF IT SAYS TO BE DETERMINED BECAUSE I DID HAVE A AERIAL, UH, DRONE VIDEO.
BUT ALL THE WEEDS AND CHINESE TALO, THEY'RE SO INVASIVE AND SO PLENTIFUL THERE THAT IT IS HARD TO GET ANY REAL IDEA OF A, OF ANY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OR ELEVATION THERE, BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE CUT DOWN TO GET FURTHER THAN WHERE WE ARE.
SO WE HAD A, A STANDPOINT THERE.
AND NEXT IS WHAT WE PLAN TO DO.
WE WANNA, BASED ON WHAT'S GOING ON, WE CHANGED THE ROUTE FOR THE GOLF, UH, FOR THE PATHWAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT DOESN'T GO TOWARDS THE, UH, CLUBHOUSE BECAUSE WE WANNA CREATE A BUFFERS ON THERE.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE USING THE CLUBHOUSE AS AN EVENT CENTER, THEY'RE NOT INTERRUPTED BY PEOPLE USING THE MULTI-USE GREEN SPACE.
UH, WE CREATED SOME CONNECTIVITY TO SHORTEN IT, THAT WAY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WALK A FULL TWO AND A HALF, THREE MILES.
UH, THEY CAN TAKE A SHORTCUT IF THEY WANT.
WE WANT TO ADD A RESTROOM AND UPDATE THE PONDS, UH, PUMP STATION BECAUSE WE NEED THE WATER TO FLOW, TO PREVENT MOSQUITOES, UH, AND JUST TO BEAUTIFY IT.
'CAUSE IT'S ALL ALGAE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE THE TEAM TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE MAIN THING IS.
[00:10:01]
WE, WE ARE GENERATING THESE IDEAS AND WE COM WE'RE COMPILING THEM AND WE GETTING TO WORK TOGETHER.WE HAVE ALL THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE ROOM, AND WE KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP HAVE DONE PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
THEY KNOW WHERE TO GET THE FUNDING.
SO WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SUPPORT GEORGE AND HIS STAFF TO GET THIS THING TO FRUITION.
UH, OF COURSE WE KNOW I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, UH, ADD THE, THE, UM, INTERCOSTAL WATERWAY DEEP IN WIDEN FELL.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT WAS SOMETHING I COULD SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING ON.
AND THERE'S, THAT'S WHY THAT, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE WATERWAY SIDE IS MORE STRAIGHT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE A CUT OUTTA THERE.
BUT THAT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME BOUQUET RIGHT AGAINST THE WATER.
SO YOU HAVE THE BEST VIEWS, ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC MULTI-USE GREEN SPACES.
AND WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR TREE PLAN PROGRAM.
WE WANNA PUT, WHEN WE REMOVE ALL THAT INVASIVE STUFF, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF CLEAR SPACE TO ADD SOME NATURAL, NATURAL NATIVE TREES FOR, FOR FOOD AND HABITAT, FOR THE BIRDS AND FOR BEAUTY, RIGHT? SOME GARDENS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THE PROJECT IMPACTS PROVIDES A RECREATIONAL SPACE AND HAS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
CREATE OUTLETS FOR YOUTH ACTIVITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED OUT HERE.
OFFICE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE WILDLIFE BURDEN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFER SPACE FOR CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, ENCOURAGES PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, REDUCES STRESS AND OFFICE OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR RELAXATION.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROTECTS WILDLIFE HABITAT, PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY, GIVES US A BETTER TREE CANOPY, WHICH HELPS WITH POLLUTION, PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM POLLUTANTS LIKE FLOODING.
AND HEAT ISLAND EFFECT PROVIDES PERFECTION, UH, PROTECTION FROM STORM SEW AND COASTAL EROSION AND ECONOMICS.
RIGHT? THE MONEY WILL BOOST ECO, UH, ECONOMY THROUGH TOURISM, UH, UH, CREATE OPPORTUNITY ZONES FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, GREEN SPACE IS RULE, UH, URBAN PLANNING.
SO A GREEN SPACE IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR A AREA, UH, ATTRACTS BUSINESSES AND EVENTS, INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES AND PROTECTS THE ISLAND'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THIS IS JUST SOME, UH, PICTURE COLLAGE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE THINGS TO DO, MORE SCENIC, A LOT OF GOOD VIEWS, INTERACTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL.
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO LEARN AND BE ENGAGED IN LEARNING AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROFITABLE.
EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU CAN MAKE MONEY FROM IT OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T, UM, HA WELL, I DO
WE REALLY, TRULY APPRECIATE THAT AND I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UH, THIS GOLF COURSE AND ALL OF WHAT YOU'VE, UH, PRESENTED TO US, UH, IN ACTION.
A COUNCIL MEMBER EVER FEEL, UM, IF THERE'S AN EXPRESSION, YOU KNOW, JUMPING OUTTA YOUR SKIN WITH EXCITEMENT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD FEEL.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE VISION AND EVERY COUNSELOR ON THIS DIOCESE HAS A VISION FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR PLEASURE ISLAND.
AND SOME OF THE PICTURES AND ACTIVITIES THAT YOU LISTED, EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS BEEN SPOKEN BY SOMEONE UP HERE.
SO WE WANNA BE, I WANNA BE ENGAGED.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT I WANT TO BE ENGAGED.
I WANNA BE INVOLVED WITH THIS GROWTH PLAN.
I THINK THAT YOU ALL HAVE STARTED SOMETHING GOOD, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IT'S A LOCAL UNIVERSITY THAT'S TAKEN UP THIS PROJECT.
I GET CALLS FROM DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE ACTUALLY HAD ONE OTHER THAN LAMAR STATE COLLEGE.
OF COURSE, BEING INVOLVED WITH ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT GETTING DOWN TO THE SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS OF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT IS HUGE.
A HUGE TYPE OF PRO, UM, ENDEAVOR FOR, UM, COLLEGE STUDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WOULD EVEN TAKE IT FURTHER AND SOMEBODY USE IT AS A PART OF THEIR DISSERTATION, IF THAT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK IF YOU HAVE SOME GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
I DIDN'T MENTION, UH, THAT PLANNING, THAT PLANNING CLASS WAS JUST ONE OF THE CLASSES THAT CAME DOWN.
WE HAD A PLANNING, UH, GRAD THAT WAS A GRADUATE CLASS, UH, LEVEL CLASS FROM, UH, TEXAS A AND M.
AND THEY ALSO BROUGHT DOWN A LAND DESIGN CLASS, AND THEY DID SOME CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS FOR THE WHOLE ISLAND.
AND I CAN GET THOSE TO GEORGE TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.
IT WAS, IT WAS JUST, UH, BASED OFF THE FEEDBACK FROM
[00:15:01]
THE PLANNING CLASS.THE LAND DESIGN CLASS JUST DREW SOME WHOLE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS FOR THE WHOLE ISLAND, HOW YOU CAN USE CERTAIN AREAS THERE.
AND THEN OUR SENIOR, UH, CIVIC ENGINEERING, SENIOR DESIGN CLASS, THEY DID THE BATHROOM THAT WE, UH, WANT FOR THE, UH, GOLF COURSE PROJECT.
SO, WELL, THIS IS, UM, WE HAVE OUR HANDS ON THIS.
THIS IS A AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING THE RESEARCH AND STARTING THE, THE FOOTWORK AND WANT TO BE INVOLVED TO BE ABLE TO PUT MEAT ON THESE BONES THAT Y'ALL ARE, ARE, UM, ASSEMBLING.
AND OUR CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE TWO CITY MANAGERS.
WE HAVE THREE, I SEE THREE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WITH THE PMP MM-HMM
THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP YOU WITH THAT PLANNING PART.
STAFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED FOR THE LONG, FOR THE LONGEST.
THIGPEN, PAM, WE'VE BEEN, THEY HELPED US GET HERE.
UH, THEY, WE, IF WE CALL, THEY NEED, IF WE NEED SOMETHING, WE CAN JUST CONTACT THEM.
THEY, THEY'RE PRETTY HELPFUL, SO.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL WILL, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'LL BE SPANNED OVER YEARS.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL WILL GRADUATE, YOU'LL FINISH THESE COURSES, BUT ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FILL IN AND START GROOMING PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP FILL THOSE SPACES AS THE GROUP CONTINUES TO GROW TOO.
WELL, UH, PROJECT GROUP, YOU KNOW, JUST AS EXCITED AS YOU ARE BECAUSE THERE'S ALL LOCAL GROUPS AND LOCAL ENTITIES.
WE ALL, I'M NOT A STUDENT THERE.
SO WE GONNA BE HERE FOR THE LONG RUN.
WE GONNA MAKE SURE IT GET DONE.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY MORE LIGHTS AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AND YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND YOURSELF.
UM, ARE GONNA DO, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
[III.A.(2) Joann Jones Regarding Exercise Tracks For Local Parks ]
MORE SPEAKER, MRS. JOANNE JONES REGARDING EXERCISE TRACKS FOR LOCAL PARKS.YOU GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS, MS. JONES, FOR YOU.
AND UH, IT'S, UH, WHEN YOU RIDE THROUGH THE TOWN, IT'S, IT JUST UPLIFT YOU.
THE BARBER JACKET PARK, THE WALKING AREA, WHICH I, I WANT LIKE A EXERCISE AREA WHERE, UH, AROUND THE PARK WHERE YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, THE ELDERS COULD EXERCISE, WALK, MAKE A TRAIL.
A TRACK MORE OR LESS, WHATEVER NAME YOU WANNA LIKE A WALK TRAIL, WALKING TRAIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO USE CONCRETE OR EITHER.
UM, THIS BLACK, UH, WHAT'S STUFF? TAR.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED OR ARE CONCRETE, BUT, AND IT SHOULD BE WIDE ENOUGH WHERE TWO PEOPLE COULD PASS EACH OTHER.
AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING, LOOKING AT THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE AND I JUST KNOW THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH WISE FOR THE, UH, ELDER PEOPLE WHILE THE CHILDREN PLAY IN THE MILL.
WE CAN OFTEN GET UP EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LAY THE LIGHTS OUT THERE.
EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE A TRACK BECAUSE IT'S GETTING KIND OF BAD TO GO ON THE SEA WALL.
SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, HAVE ANY LIGHTS? COUNCIL MEMBER ETT? YES.
UH, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK DOWN STREETS, UH, AT VARIOUS TIMES POINT IN AN EVENING.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE WALKING, UH, TRACKS AROUND THE CITY, BUT NOT SO MUCH OF LOCAL.
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE STRATEGICALLY PLACED.
MOST CITIES YOU GO TO WHEN THEY HAVE THESE TYPE TRACKS AND STUFF AROUND THEIR CITIES, THEY'RE STRATEGIC PLACE WHEREBY A CITIZEN DOESN'T HAVE TO DRIVE A LONG WAY TO GET TO A PARK THAT THEY COULD WALK FOR AN EXAMPLE, ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, ONE IN, UH, VESTER, ONE IN, UH, PORT ACRES, UH, ONE OVER IN STONEGATE, ONE FARTHER ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY, UH, LIKE ROSE HILL.
BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT ALL LOCAL PARTS, WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT STRATEGICALLY,
[00:20:01]
HOW CAN WE GET WALKING TRACKS WITHIN PARKS SO THAT CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE TO DRIVE AN EXTRAORDINARY DISTANCE OR GO A EXTRAORDINARY DISTANCE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HOPE WE TAKE A STRONG LOOK AT.
BUT THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHERE YOUR CITIZENS WOULD BE IN LIKE BARBARA JACKET, UH, PARK.
IS IT, IT'S WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS USED MOST THAT I SEE ANYBODY ELSE OBSERVE IT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PARKS ARE USED THE MOST.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAY AND PUT THE CORRECT, I DON'T KNOW, I ASKED, UM, TO, FOR IT TO BE LOOKED INTO WHAT WE SHOULD USE, WHERE TWO PEOPLE COULD PASS EACH OTHER.
THE STUFF AT BARBER JACKET, RIGHT NOW, THE TREE STUMP IS RAISING THE CEMENT UP, WHICH IS KIND OF A DANGER THERE.
AND, UH, BECAUSE THE TREE STUMP HAVE, HAVE GROWN UNDER THE CEMENT AND YOU COULD ONLY WALK ONE PERSON ON THAT.
BEEN THERE LONGER THAN ME, MAYBE.
AND SO THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AND FOR HEALTH WISE, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND US AND THE LIGHTS IS OUT THERE, THE PARKS ARE LOOKING REAL GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT, IT BRINGS OUT THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE COULD RIDE DOWN AND SEE THE COMMUNITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS FOR THE KIDS AND, AND CLEAN AND KEEP THE COMMUNITY CLEAN.
IT JUST, IT, IT WOULD, IT'S A, IT'D MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER IF YOU LOOK GOOD, YOU FEEL BETTER.
UH, ONE OF THE, MY PET PROJECTS WAS, UH, LINING UP THE SEA WALL WHERE PEOPLE COULD WALK AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK DURING THE, THE HOT, THE HOT PART OF THE DAY.
BUT THAT'S BEEN PLACED ON HOLD.
I, I WORKED, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DD SEVEN THAT'S BEEN PUT ON HOLD BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO ELEVATE THE, THE SEA WALL, SO ON.
BUT I WANTED MOTION DETECTIVES SOLAR PLACE, YOU KNOW, SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE LIGHT, LIGHT DOWN THERE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S UNFORTUNATE PROGRESS.
WE NEED TO ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FROM THE STORM SURGES.
SO AFTER THEY PUT, AFTER THEY COMPLETE THAT, THEN I'LL, I'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, LIGHTING UP THE SEAWALL AGAIN.
IF WE, YOU KNOW, I, I'M LOOKING AT THE MONEY TOO.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE BENEFIT WOULD BE.
UH, I MEAN, PEOPLE WOULD COME TO BARBER JACKET PARK, UH, MORE THAN THEY WOULD ON THAT SEA WALL, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE IN AGE.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANNA KEEP IN MIND, MONEY IS NOT AN ISSUE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THOSE THINGS.
OKAY? OKAY, THEN THAT'S NOT, MONEY IS NOT AN ISSUE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS THE WAY WE BE FIGHTING OVER
I WANNA KNOW WHAT BANK YOU GOT.
BUT ANYWAY,
MONEY IS NOT AN ISSUE, IS ALL MONEY.
NO, WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS AND, UH, WE HAVE
[III.C.(1) A Progress Report By Staff Regarding The Animal Shelter]
A CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORT.UM, HERE WE DO HAVE NONE, UH, PROGRESS REPORT BY STAFF REGARDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER IF YOU COME AT THIS TIME.
I'M SUPERVISOR CITY, PORT ARTHUR ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UPDATE ON COUNCIL ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE SHELTER.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, WE HAVE SOME, UH, VIDEO PHOTOS OF, UH, A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT ARE IN CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS OUR OVERALL WHERE WE WANT TO BE AFTER IT'S COMPLETED.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE SHOOTING FOR.
UM, THIS IS A FRONTAL VIEW OF THE, UH, SHELTER.
UH, LOOKING AT IT IN THE FRONT.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE THE ENTRANCEWAY TO THE RIGHT WILL BE LIKE, UH, OFFICE AREAS AND WHATEVER.
UH, THIS IS ANOTHER AREA IN THE FRONT, UM, OF THE SHELTER.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF IT'S CLOSED IN.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THE INSIDE, A LOT OF THE FRAMING.
UM, THE WORKERS ARE INSTALLING A LOT OF PLUMBING AND, AND ELECTRICAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:25:01]
VIEW FROM THE FRONT.THEY'RE, UH, INSTALLING TOP PANELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, GETTING READY FOR A LOT OF THE PAVEMENT IN THE FRONT.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF, UM, DIRT MOVING TO GET READY FOR, UM, THE, UH, PARKING LOT AREA.
THIS IS LIKE THE SALLY PORT AREA TO THE, UH, WEST END OF THE SHELTER.
THAT'S THE, UM, SALLY PORT ENTRANCE DOORS.
AND THAT'S JUST ABOUT CLOSED IN.
THEY'RE JUST WAITING ON, UM, DOORS TO COMPLETE THAT, THAT AREA.
UH, THIS IS A LITTLE AREA VIEW OF THE FRONT.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE LIKE A LOT OF THE ROOFING HAS BEEN, UH, COMPLETE.
UH, THIS IS THE AREA VIEW FROM THE, UH, I GUESS YOU'D SAY THE EAST SIDE.
LOOKING DOWN ON TOP OF THE, UM, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE OFFICE AREA SLASH UH, TRAINING ROOM.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE ROOFING IS JUST ABOUT, UH, BOXED IN.
THIS WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE WEST END OF THE SHELTER.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE KENNEL AREAS ARE INTACT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE KENNELS IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLETE WITH THE MASONRY.
UH, THIS IS ANOTHER AREA OF THAT SAME AREA.
AND THAT'S AN AREA VIEW OF THE TOTAL SHELTER.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW ALL OF THE, UM, ROOFING IS INTACT AND THERE'S SOME INS AND OUT CAPPING, UM, INSULATION AND THINGS THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT AREA.
AND COMING SOON, LIKE I SAID, THE WINDOWS AND DOORS THAT WOULD COMPLETE TO SEAL IN EVERYTHING.
UH, PARKING SHEET ROCK, UH, I THINK THERE'S AN, UM, SHEET ROCK IS COMING IN, UH, NEXT MONTH AND THEY'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING SHEET ROCK ON THE INTERIOR PART OF THE BUILDING.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVE YOU AN AREA WHAT YOU LOOKING AT IF YOU HADN'T BEEN BY THE SHELTER.
UM, DRIVEN BY TO SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND PROGRESS THAT THE, UH, WHERE WE AT WITH IT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL IN 2011, I STARTED COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT ANIMAL SHELTER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE TALKED ABOUT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED EVERY TIME.
I NEVER SAW A NEED TO, BUT NEVER IN MY WILDEST IMAGINATION THAT WHEN WE GOT ONE, IT WOULD BE OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS, YOU KNOW, IF IF AL GOT PUT OUT MY HOUSE, I WOULD WANT TO GO AND WORK OVER THERE WITH Y'ALL.
THAT, THAT IS THE TYPE THAT IS THE DOG HOUSE, RIGHT.
THAT WE WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN.
I EVEN MENTIONED IT, SOMEBODY MENTIONED IT TO ME ABOUT, OH, THIS ANIMAL SHELTER CAN COST THAT MUCH AND IT'S THAT BIG.
AND I SAID, AND IT'S AIR CONDITION.
YOU KNOW, SO ONCE AGAIN, IT IS FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW, UH, I NEVER WOULD'VE EXPECT IT, BUT WE NEEDED A SHELTER.
AND IF YOU'RE GONNA DO ONE NOW, WE'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CITY FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND THE FUTURE WON'T, PEOPLE WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH DOWN THERE.
SO YEAH, I GUESS THAT WE GOING TO DO IT.
WE NEED TO DO IT FOR NOW AND ALSO THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S A OUTSTANDING PROJECT.
UH, THANK YOU SUPERVISOR DARLENE.
DON'T, DON'T YOU GET KUDOS TO, UH, SHE'S BACK THERE BEING MODEST AND ALL THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL TO AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE MM-HMM
WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUT OF VIOLATIONS WITH HAVING THAT SMALL ANIMAL SHELTER.
WE HAD ACTIVISTS COME HERE BEFORE THE COUNCIL TALKING ABOUT HOW THE ANIMALS, ANIMALS WERE BEING TREATED BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS.
AND WE HAD IT ALL IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ANIMAL, SHELTERED STATED A BETWEEN PORT ARTHUR AND HOUSTON.
AND WE ARE ACCOMMODATING OUR COMMUNITY, SHOWING OUR
[00:30:01]
COMMUNITY.WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SPENDING WISELY MM-HMM
IN GETTING STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES BUILT.
AND I'M JUST TESTIFYING TO BE ON THIS COUNCIL WHERE WE, AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
TO SHOW THE PEOPLE WHAT PORT ARTHUR IS DOING.
BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS YET TO COME.
THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, I HAVE IT, IT IS EXCITING WHEN YOU SEE THOSE TRUCKS AND THE CRANES, UM MM-HMM.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LAST PRESENTATION.
IT WAS SOME UNDERGROUND PIPING OR MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WAS FOUND THAT DID NOT ALLOW A PART OF THE EXCAVATION OF THE PROPERTY.
HAS THAT ALL BEEN COMPLETE? I THINK IT WAS CONCRETE.
MAYBE FOUND UNDER GROUND WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AT THE TIME.
I'M NOT A, UM, YEAH, I'M GONNA LET MS. DARLENE SPEAK ON THAT.
THAT WAS, UH, ALLEVIATED SINCE LAST YEAR.
SO EVERYTHING IS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND I WANTED TO TELL Y'ALL THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR FIRST TENT.
WE HAD A DOG TO BREAK INTO THE SHELTER
SO EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE INVOLVED.
THEY'RE FIGHTING TO, TO GET IN.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BREAK TO GET IN.
SO, UM, UH, THANK YOU MR. DARLENE FOR GIVING US THAT UPDATE TO SHOW THAT YES.
PROGRESS AND WHATEVER BARRIERS WE MAY HAVE, UM, HAD BEFORE HAVE ALREADY BEEN OVERCOME.
YOU MENTIONED A TRAINING ROOM.
SO IS THAT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STAFF WOULD TRAIN MM-HMM
BUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, OKAY, LET ME JUST ASK MY, MAKE MY REQUEST PREPARE PROGRAMMING RIGHT IN ADVANCE SO THAT WHEN THE SHELTER IS OPEN, UM, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE FLYERS HAVE, UM, SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION OF WHAT IS TO COME IN THE, THE MONTHS OR YEARS TO COME, THE TYPE OF TRAINING OR WHATEVER TYPE OF PROGRAM WE CAN OFFER? YES.
A LOT OF TIMES THE STATE, THEY REACH OUT TO US.
SO LOCAL SHELTERS CAN HOLD CE HOURS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO NOW WE WOULD HAVE A TRAINING ROOM.
THEY WOULD BRING THE CURRICULUM DOWN AND TEACH THE CLASS.
SO WE CAN NOW HOST IN AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ANIMAL SHELTERS OFFICERS CAN COME TO OUR TRAINING FACILITY AND RECEIVE CE HOURS WITH DIFFERENT AREAS OF, UH, UM, CHEMICAL CAPTURE, GOOD EUTHANASIA, THOSE THINGS.
AND WE CAN HOST THOSE, THOSE, UM, THOSE CLASSES LIKE THAT.
ALSO, ALSO NOW WE HAVE HAVE AN AREA TO, TO HOST.
I'M ALSO TALKING ABOUT FOR, UM, US I'M SAYING THE CITY, OR MAYBE AS A STATE, SOMEONE ELSE CAN COME IN TO TEACH CITIZENS HOW TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN AND MAINTAIN THEIR ANIMALS.
WE PLAN TO HAVE, UH, EDUCATION CLASSES FOR PET OWNERSHIP.
BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, SO MANY ANIMALS IN THIS AREA.
SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU OWN A PET, THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES.
AND, UH, TO TEACH THEM HOW TO, UM, MAINTAIN THAT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE READY FOR A PET BEFORE THEY, UH, TAKE IT IN.
SO WE PLAN TO EXPAND SERVICES AND ALSO OFFER CLASSES.
SOME SHELTERS HOST LIKE BIRTHDAY PARTIES WHERE PEOPLE, KIDS, THAT'S RIGHT.
REALLY WANNA HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE SHELTER MM-HMM
SO WE PLAN TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT JUST AN ANIMAL SHELTER, IT'S THE ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER WHERE WE WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE DO THERE.
SO WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON OUR WEBPAGE.
AND THAT JUST BRINGS OUR, OUR MINDS AND HEARTS TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.
YOU'RE THINKING OF ANIMALS BEING CAGED AND TRAPPED.
SO THE, AGAIN, TELLING OUR OWN STORY.
HAVE ONE MORE LIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK.
I WANT TO JOIN IN AND APPLAUDING APPRECIATIVELY ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I REMEMBER WHEN I CAME ON, UM, THE, THE OLD ANIMAL SHELTER WHEN WE WENT OVER THERE, IT WAS LIKE A GARAGE.
UH, BUT MAN, THIS IS WONDERFUL NOW.
UH, I SAW OVER THE WEEKEND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, WAS THAT THERE WAS A PET ADOPTION WEEKEND.
AND THAT THERE WAS OTHER CITIES HAD JOINED IN, IN DOING PET ADOPTIONS.
GET INVOLVED IN THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.
TO, TO SOME DEGREE WHERE WE CAN, UH, JOIN IN AS WELL AND HAVE DAYS WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN COME IN TO OUR SHELTER AND GET A PET, UH, ADOPT A PET, BRING HOME A PET.
I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT, UH, IN UTILIZING THE SERVICES THAT WE'LL BE, UH, HAVING GOING FORWARD.
THERE ARE CLEAR THE SHELTER EVENTS EVERY YEAR
[00:35:01]
THAT, UM, LOCAL SHELTERS GIVE DURING, UH, A PERIOD OF TIME.AND WE DEFINITELY WANNA STAY INVOLVED WITH THAT.
WE, WE DID HAVE A FEW, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THOSE.
NOW I FEEL MORE EXCITED WITH THE NEW SHELTER BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE MORE INVITING AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MORE, A LOT MORE ANIMALS SPACED OUT.
AND THEN THEY, WE'LL HAVE ROOMS WHERE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, ADOPTION ROOMS WHERE THEY CAN, UM, INTERMINGLE WITH THE PET AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BRING THEIR PET AND SEE IF IT'S GONNA WORK OUT.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY REACHING OUT TO, UM, THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS WHERE WE CAN HAVE ADOPT A WEEK, WE CAN GET A HOLD OF, UM, SOME OF THE NEWS STATIONS AND LIKE, UH, THIS PET IS ON.
CAN YOU REMIND US HOW MANY PET PATRONS WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE? OH, UH, LET'S SEE.
WE GOT 38 CAGES, BUT I MEAN, RIGHT NOW I'M FULL.
SO OVER THERE I'M GONNA BE LIKE, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 70 PLUS SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
SO WE DID DOUBLE OUR CAP MORE THAN DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY.
UH, SO IT IS GOING TO, UM, WE'LL HAVE MORE ROOM AND WE DO PLAN, WE HAVE ADOPTION ROOMS, SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TRY THE PET WITH THEIR CHILDREN OR THEIR FAMILY TO SEE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO OR IF THEY'RE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM.
UM, AND SO THIS TIME WE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN, UM, CLEAR THE SHELTERS BECAUSE THE RESCUE THAT AN, THAT ANTHONY DEALS WITH, THEY TRANSPORT PETS.
THEY HAD COME IN AND TAKEN LIKE 20 PUPPIES AND THEN THE, THE, I THINK A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE THEY TOOK LIKE 30 DOGS.
SO WE WERE EMPTY
SO WE REALLY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STOCK.
BUT WE DO PLAN TO PARTICIPATE EVERY YEAR AND WE HAD BEEN PARTICIPATING.
AND I, I SEE THAT YOU SAID 54%, THAT'S COMPLETED.
SO WHEN IS THE COMPLETION DATE? TURNKEY DATE OF THE
YEAH, IT'S ON THE, UH, POWERPOINT, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD THE 27TH.
WE'RE PLANNING A BIG GRAND OPENING, BUT AS IT GET CLOSER, WE'RE GONNA LET PEOPLE KNOW.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, WENT TO, UM, A HOUSTON DOG SHOW AND MET WITH 30, WAS IT 35? 35 RESCUE GROUPS.
AND ANTHONY DOES REACH OUT TO SO MANY OF THEM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH SOME NEWER ONES.
SO THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE, UH, HELPFUL TO US WHEN WE DO GET INTO THE NEW FACILITY.
I MIGHT JUST GET ME A PUT OH YEAH, I FORGOT.
EVERYBODY COME AND ADOPT A PET.
MAYOR, GET PERMISSION FROM MY HUSBAND.
BUT ANYWAY, MAYOR, WHAT, WHAT, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, JUST, JUST, UM, I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE SHOWING UP AT THE SHELTER AT THE ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER MM-HMM
ON THANKSGIVING DAY, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THE YES SIR.
THAT THAT'S THE OH, THAT'S COMPLETION.
EXPECTED TIMELINE, BUT WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THAT TIME.
JUST TO HELP SET EXPECTATIONS.
ON THAT ADOPTIVE PET THAT INCLUDE THE CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT REPORT.
UM, OUR NEXT THING, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, NONE CORRESPONDENCE, NONE DISCUSSIONS.
[III.F.(1) Discussion And Possible Action Regarding Parliamentary Procedures (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Doucet) ]
HAVE ONE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ETT.
UH, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL FOR THE SECOND TIME, UH, WE DISCUSSED PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.
AT THAT TIME, I HAD RAISED THE OPTIONS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LOOK INTO US GETTING A PARLIAMENTARIAN, WHICH IS A PERSON WHO, UH, AS THEY SAY IS AN EXPERT IN RULES.
BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING.
BUT THE REASON I MADE THAT SUGGESTION, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIME WE GETTING HUNG UP WITH PARLIAMENT PROCEDURES AND NOT UNDERSTANDING ROB RULES OF ORDER, WHICH IS CAUSING THE MEETING TO GO ALONG.
AND IN SOME CASES IT CREATE CA CHAOS AND, UH, DISPUTES, TO PUT IT MILDLY.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE TO FOLLOW
[00:40:01]
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES AND ROBERT RULES OF ORDER.WE WANT OUR MEETINGS TO BE CONDUCTED IN AN ORDERLY FASHION AND IN THE SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE.
ROBERT RULES OF ORDER IS NOT VERY HARD FOR US TO USE BECAUSE IN OUR MEETINGS THERE ARE BASICALLY STANDARDS.
SO THERE'S NOT TOO MANY RULES THAT WE USE THAT APPLY.
AND IN MOST CASES IT IS PRESTIGIOUS, SIMPLE.
THAT'S POINTS OF ORDER, WHICH SEEM TO BE A ISSUE WHEREBY WE ALWAYS END UP WITH TWO PEOPLE TALKING.
WHEN IS A SIMPLE PROCESS, WHENEVER SOMEONE HAS A POINT OF ORDER, WE SIMPLY STOP SPEAKING TO EVERYBODY.
THE PRESIDING PERSON IS THE ONE THAT QUESTIONS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS THE POINT THAT INDIVIDUAL STATES THE POINT, AND THEN PRESIDING PERSON RENDER A RULING.
IF THE PERSON DOES NOT ACCEPT THE RULING OF THE PRESIDING PERSON, THEN THAT PERSON'S NEXT RESPONSE IS TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL.
AT WHICH TIME THE PERSON WILL STATE THE POINT AND IS ENTERTAINED TAM BY THE PRESIDING PERSON THAT PASSED ON TO THE COUNCIL, DO AN INDIVIDUAL VOTE, AND THEN WE MOVE ON.
IN CASES WHERE THERE'S CONFLICT IN A ROBERT RULES OF ORDERS, THEN THE PARLIAMENTARY WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD SAY, OKAY, THIS ONE IS WHAT WE, THIS IS THE RULING AND WE MOVE ON.
BUT I'M GETTING CONCERNED BECAUSE WHEN WE USE ROBERT RULES OF ORDERS AND WE FIND TWO PEOPLE TALKING AT ONE TIME, OR WHEN WE FIND SOMEBODY DENIED THE RIGHT TO TALK, NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES, THEN THAT CREATE CHAOS.
IT CREATE DISSENT DISSENSION FOR A SIMPLE REASON.
BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE POINTS ARE.
AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT TO ATTENTION, BECAUSE WE HAD ONE THE LAST MEETING AND STUFF IN WHICH WE WERE DISCUSSING POINTS OF ORDER AND POINTS, AND THAT WAS CLEAR MISUNDERSTANDING.
BUT, UH, ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA ASK THE COUNCIL THINK ABOUT IT.
I'LL PUT IT BACK ON AGENDA FOR ACTIONS.
BUT THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND I PRESENTED THIS COUNCIL, SOME MEMBER OF COUNCIL DECIDE TO NOMINATE ME.
I ACCEPT IT, BUT THAT WASN'T MY POINT.
BUT IF YOU VOTED AND YOU SAY, I'M A PARLIAMENTARIAN, IF I MAKE A RULING, THEN IT SHOULD BE
SO I'VE GOTTEN THE IMPRESSION THAT OVER THE TIME SINCE WE VOTED THIS, THAT COUNCIL MADE AN APPROVE, AN ACTION, BUT IT HAS NO INTENTION OF FORCING, ENFORCING IT.
SO WHETHER I'M THE PARLIAMENTARIAN OR NOT, WHEN I BRING IT BACK, I WOULD LIKE FOR COUNSEL TO HAVE A CLEAR POINT OF VIEW TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTIONS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE MUST FOLLOW THE RULES.
THE RULES ARE NOT MADE BY THE PERSON PRESIDING AND NEITHER ARE THEY MADE BY US.
OUR CHARTER SAYS THE BASIS FOR THE CONDUCT OF THESE MEETINGS ARE ROBERT RULES OF ORDERS, LATEST EDITION, WHICH IS 12TH, AND ALSO RULES OF DECORUM, WHICH IS PLACED IN ALL OUR AGENDAS.
SO THAT'S MY DISCUSSION ON IT.
AND AS FOR ACTIONS, I'LL BRING IT BACK AGAIN.
SO AT THAT TIME, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE WOULD'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT MY COMMENTS AND MY DISCUSSION AND BE READY TO COMMENT ON IT.
AND WE REACH A DECISION THAT ONCE WE DO, WE MUST ALL ABIDE BY OUR MEETINGS MUST BECOME MORE ORDERLY.
AT THIS TIME, UM, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA ITEM FOUR, PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HAVE, UH, ANY REPORTS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS OF ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
IF YOU HAVE ANY, YOU CAN SPEAK NOW OR PUT YOUR LIGHT ON.
IF WE DON'T, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CONSENT.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
AGENDA WE HAVE AT THIS.IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO WITHHOLD COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE,
[00:45:01]
UH, DO SO AT THIS TIME.COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, PAGE THREE.
OKAY, AND PAGE THREE, ITEM TWO.
AND WITH THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
JUST SAID IS ASKING, OH, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH WITHHOLDING ITEMS NUMBER ONE AND TWO AT THIS TIME.
ALL LIKE TO HAVE, UM, ANY DISCUSSION? NO, I'M SORRY.
ALL IN FAVOR? THE AYES HAVE IT ANY NO.
THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN WITHHELD.
[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 24486 – A Resolution Ratifying The Action Of The City Manager In Submitting An Application For The Fiscal Year 2025 Port Security Grant Program Administered By The U.S. Department Of Homeland Security In The Amount Of $173,013.99, And Approving A 25 Percent Cash Match In The Amount Of $43,253.49]
BEING PR NUMBER 2, 4 4 8 6 A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE ACTION OF THE CITY MANAGER AND SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $173,013 AND 99 CENTS.AND APPRO A 25% CASH MATCH IN THE AMOUNT OF 40 3002 53, 250 $3 AND 49 CENTS.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A, A MO UH, APPROVAL AND A SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL ETT? YES.
CHIEF ALREADY TALKED WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS? THE QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE RATIFYING A GRANT? ALSO, IT INVOLVES WHERE WE HAVE A MATCHING REQUIREMENT OF 25%.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT THIS GRANT, AT MOST GRANT, IN FACT WHEN I WENT AND LOOKED IT UP, THEY EVEN TALKS ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME IN WHICH WE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.
THEY ALSO TELL YOU THE TIMEFRAME IN WHICH THEY WILL START AWARDING THEM.
AND THAT HAPPENS WITH MOST GRANTS.
BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT APPEARS REGULAR.
WE ARE WAITING TILL THE LAST MINUTE OR WE ARE NOT READY TO DO THE PROJECT.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN THE MONEY IS ABOUT READY TO BE TAKEN BACK FROM US, WE SAY, WELL, WE NEED TO GET IT DONE.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE GOING TO LOSE.
I I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THAT CHIEF.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW DID WE GET TO A POSITION WHEREBY WE COULD NOT APPROVE THIS GRANT AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN I KNOW YOU ALL HAD INFORMATION ON THAT, THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION PRIOR TO THAT MEETING.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
CITY ATTORNEY, ASSISTANT MANAGER.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, AFTER TALKING WITH THE TEAM THAT HELPED ME PUT THIS TOGETHER, WE WERE NOTIFIED A WEEK BEFORE IT WAS DUE, WHICH WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF, UH, A COUNCIL SESSION.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT ON THAT PARTICULAR COUNCIL SESSION.
SO WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THIS COUNCIL SESSION TO GET IT SUBMITTED.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED THAT WE WERE AWARDED A GRANT OR A WEEK BEFORE THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION BEING SUBMITTED.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? NO, SIR.
SAY IT AGAIN THEN I MISSED IT.
WE'RE SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT AND WE, WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION LIKE A WEEK PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE.
SO THIS IS JUST THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN AWARDED THE GRANT.
SO WE JUST APPLYING FOR THE GRANT.
SO WHEN DID WE APPLY? YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULD, UH, OKAY, SO THEY CALLED YOU ALL AND SAID, HEY, WE GOT THIS GRANT.
YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE APPLICATION IN BY YOU'RE SAYING A WEEK LATER, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? THAT'S WHAT TRANSPIRED, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WE FOUND OUT A WEEK WITH A WEEK LEFT.
THEN I JUST, I I, I, I'LL GET WITH YOU PERSONALLY ON THAT BECAUSE I, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH GRANTS AND, AND I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT IF WE REALLY ARE TRACKING, IF SOMEONE IS REALLY TRACKING AND STAYING ON TOP OF THESE, SO WE WON'T PROLONG THE MEETING.
CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR YES, SIR.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE WE'RE DOING WELL WITH GRANT, UH, REQUESTS AND WE SAVING THE TAXPAYER A LOT OF DOLLARS.
CHIEF, WE COULD LOSE SO TOO IF WE DON'T DO IT IN A TIMELY
[00:50:01]
MANNER.I JUST WANT, UH, CITY MANAGER.
DO WE HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING GRANTS THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED THAT WE HAVEN'T DRAWN DOWN ON YET? THAT'S PENDING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS TO EXPIRE ON US.
COUNCILMAN, IF YOU GIVE US A MOMENT, WHAT WE'LL DO, WE'LL GET A REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL ON THAT.
NEXT, OH, DID WE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VII.C.(2) P.R. No. 24488 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur Ratifying The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation’s Acceptance Of A Proposal From Industrial And Commercial Maintenance (ICM) Of Beaumont, Texas To Furnish And Install 2 Circuits, 2 Compressors, Compressor Contactors, And 2 Fan Contactors For The HVAC Unit At 501 Procter Street, At A Cost Not To Exceed $21,903.09, Funds Available 120-80-625-5318-00-00-000 (Equipment Maintenance)]
IS PR NUMBER 2 4 4 8 8.A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR RATIFYING, THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S ACCEPTANCE OF A PROPOSAL FROM INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE, ICM OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS TO FURNISH AND INSTALL TWO CIRCUITS, TWO COMPRESSORS, COMPRESSOR CON CONTRACTORS AND TWO FAN CONTRACTORS FOR THE HVAC HVAC UNIT AT 5 0 1 PROCTOR STREET AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $21,903 AND 9 CENTS.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 0 8 0 6 2 5 DASH 5 3 8 0 0 0 0.
EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE MEAM MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
I HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KINLAW AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN ETT.
MAYOR, DID I SAY PAGE THREE? ITEM THREE.
OKAY, SO IF I SAID PAGE THREE, ITEM THREE, I MEAN ITEM TWO, THEN THAT WAS THE WRONG ONE.
WE ALREADY APPROVED IT SO I CAN'T GO BACK TO IT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO OUR NON-CON, I'M SORRY.
OH, ALL IN, SINCE IT'S ALL IN FAVOR, A ANY NOS THE AYES HAVE IT.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24288 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With The Solco Group, LLC. Of Port Arthur, Texas To Complete Port Arthur Transit's (PAT) Pedestrian Access To Transit Planning Study In The Amount Not To Exceed $250,000.00. Funding Is Available In Transit Capital Account 401-70-500-5470-00-60-000, Other Contractual Services With An 80% Federal ($200,000.00) And 20% Local Match ($50,000.00), Subject To FY26 Budget Approval]
NOW TO OUR NON-CONSENT AGENDA WITH RESOLUTION BEGINNING WITH RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 4 2 8 8, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN A CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE SOCO GROUP, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO COMPLETE PORT ARTHUR TRANSIT.PAT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO TRANSIT PLANNING STUDY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE TRANSIT CAPITAL ACCOUNT.
4 0 1 7 0 500 DASH 5 4 7 0 0 6 0 0.
OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WITHIN AN 80% FEDERAL, UH, $200,000 AND 20% LOCAL MATCH, $50,000 SUBJECT TO FY 26 BUDGET APPROVAL.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVE SECOND MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
AND SECOND, UM, WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION? COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES.
UH, CAN I HAVE A THANK YOU IVAN? YES.
HOW YOU DOING, IVAN? HELLO? I'M DOING WELL.
CAN I GET A, A COPY OF THOSE TWO PROPOSALS AND THE, AND THE, UM, AND THE SCORING PLEASE.
ANYTIME YOU GET A CHANCE TO GET TO IT, IT'S NOTHING YOU HAVE TO DO.
SO YOU WANT A COPY OF THE TWO PROPOSALS THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE DIFFERENT, THE TWO PROPOSALS IS SUBMITTED AND THEY'RE SCORING BY THE, THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU HAD? MM-HMM
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24473 – A Resolution Nominating A Member And/Or Members To The Board Of Directors Of The Orange County Appraisal District For The 2026 – 2029 Term]
IS PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 3 A RESOLUTION NOMINATING A MEMBER AND OR MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ORANGE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE 20 26 20 29 TERM.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE KNOW WHO WE ARE? WHO'S THE BOARD? WHO ARE WE NOMINATING? YOU? HAVE YOU HAVE A LIST? DID SOMEBODY WELL, WHO PUT THIS ON? I, I HAVE A QUESTION THEN.
HOW DID IT GET ON THE AGENDA THEN? I NEED TO KNOW.
WE'RE VOTING ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE.
YEAH, I BELIEVE IT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT IT WAS ON.
I'M SORRY, I DO NOT HAVE A LIST OF THE LIST.
CITY ATTORNEY YOU HAVE NOMINATE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE BALLOT YET.
[00:55:01]
NOMINATING A MEMBER AND OUR MEMBERS TO A BOARD OF DIRECTORS BECAUSE MAYOR, IF YOU RECALL, WE, WE, WE KINDA GET THAT LIST AND THEN WE HAVE SO MANY VOTES THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN RIGHT.SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT LIST, HOW WOULD WE KNOW WHO WE ARE NOMINATED? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS IN THE BACKGROUND.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT GO AHEAD.
COUNT, UH, CITY ATTORNEY HELP US.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, IT TELLS YOU THAT KAREN FISHER AND PHILIP WELCH ARE THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY'RE UP FOR REELECTION OR REPLACEMENT.
UM, AND THE CITY'S ENTITLED TO ACTUALLY SUBMIT A NAME OR NAMES FOR NOMINATION TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD.
AND THE GOVERNING BODY ACTUALLY HAS TO SUBMIT THOSE NAMES WITH THE CHIEF APPRAISER PRIOR TO OCTOBER 15TH, 2025.
UM, AND THEN BEFORE OCTOBER 30TH, WE SUBMIT OUR VOTES FOR WHICH NOMINEES WE'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING THAT ALLOW YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT NAMES, OR NAMES FOR NOMINATIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO THE ORANGE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SO I NEED TO GO IN AND MAKE AN, UH, NO, I DO A SUPPLEMENT.
WE WE'RE STILL CONVERSATION THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH, WE'RE STILL, I'M SORRY YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ON.
I'M SORRY, I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF.
SO IF, UM, I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE NOMINATIONS OR WE CAN RENOMINATE MS. KAREN FISHER AND MR. PHILLIP WELSH, THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION AS WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DO ETT AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, I HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE.
WELL, LET, LET ME LET, LEMME SOME DISCUSSION IN DISCUSSION.
UM, THE RE UH, THE MAYOR, THE FORMER MAYOR, MAYOR BART BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE, EVEN THOUGH SHE READ, UM, OUR, UH, CITY SECRETARY READ THE NAMES.
WE CAST OUR VOTES FOR MR. WAYNE SPARROW.
UH, HE WAS THE NAME THAT WAS BROUGHT FORTH.
AND SO ON THE LAST OCCASION, UH, WE BROUGHT FORTH OUR NAME.
UM, UH, WE BROUGHT FORTH, UH, MR. WAYNE SPARROW AND, AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT NAME FORWARD AGAIN.
BUT HE'S NOT UP FOR REELECTION.
HE'S, BUT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, SO IT SAYS NOMINATION, UH, RESOLUTION, NOMINATING A MEMBER AND OR MEMBERS TO THE BOARD.
SO FOR THE, I DON'T THINK MR. OKAY, IT MAY BE CONFUSED, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE REASON BACKGROUND INFORMATION, MR. SPARROW IS NOT UP FOR REELECTION AND THEY'RE JUST LISTING KAREN AND PHILLIP AS THE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE UP FOR REELECTION.
I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO HOLD THIS ITEM UNTIL WE GET MORE INFORMATION ON IT.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCE, IF YOU'LL MAKE YOUR MOTION.
ANY MORE DISCUSSIONS? I THINK WE'RE OUTTA DISCUSS.
I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS, UH, PR NUMBER 2, 4 4 7 3 UNTIL THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN NOT, UH, MOVED.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? UM, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE FLOOR, WHICH IS, UM, TO HOLD TABLE, THIS ITEM 2, 4 4 7, 3.
THIS ITEM WILL BE TABLED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24474 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Contract With The Solco Group, LLC Of Port Arthur, Texas For Engineering And Design Services For The City Of Port Arthur's Phase IV Reconstruction And Drainage Repairs At 101 H.O. Mills Boulevard In The Amount Of $137,732.60; Funding Is Available In Account No. 307-13-037-8525-00-10-000, Project BU0010]
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 4 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED AND CITY MANAGER EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE SOCO GROUP, LLC OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S PHASE FOUR RECONSTRUCTION AND DRAINAGE REPAIRS AT 1 0 1 HO MILLS BOULEVARD IN THE AMOUNT OF 137,007 $3,732 AND 60 CENTS.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 8 0 DASH ZERO PROJECT BU 0 0 1 0.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION? COUNCIL MEMBER? DOUCETTE.
COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE HAD A QUESTION? PLEASE COMMENT.
I'S FRANK, DO YOU HAVE OKAY, IVAN? YES, IVAN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PROJECT AND IS ALSO GOING TO PROBABLY GO ALONG IN LINE WITH OTHER
[01:00:01]
DEPARTMENTS TOO, THAT CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING AND DESIGNING MM-HMMYOU KNOW, ENGINEERING, DESIGNING.
MOST OF THE TIME YOUR DESIGN IS BASED ON YES.
AND ALSO ON THE COMPLEXITY OF PROJECTS.
BUT I NOTICED WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING TO APPROVE AN AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT BASED ON, UH, A PRICE GIVEN TO US AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THE CONSIDERATION ARE, WHAT THE ESTIMATED 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL YOU EVER GET WITH THOSE, AN ESTIMATED COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHO IS REVIEWING THIS OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND, AND APPROXIMATE COST BEFORE WE GO OUT FOR DIVINE OR ENGINEERING? HOW DO WE KNOW? SO JUST, I'M JUST MAKE SURE I ANSWER YOU CORRECTLY.
SO YOUR QUESTION IS, HOW ARE WE REVIEWING ONCE THE ENGINEER GIVES US THEIR COST, HOW ARE WE REVIEWING THOSE COSTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD COST? IS THAT WHAT THE QUESTION IS? WELL, WHEN I READ ABOUT CONTRACTING MM-HMM
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THEY EVEN STATE OF TEXAS, THEY HAS A GUIDELINE MM-HMM
ON WHAT PERCENTAGE OF A FEE YOU SHOULD PAY.
ENGINEERING AND IS ALWAYS BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COST AND COMPLEXITY OF THE PROJECT.
BUT I KEEP SAYING US GIVING A WARNING, UH, DESIGNS IN FEES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAVE NO ESTIMATE ON WHAT THE COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION IS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE KIND, WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH OUR PROJECTS BECAUSE WE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND SEND OUR REQUESTS, AND THEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY DESIGN SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL AND GREAT, BUT THEY'RE DESIGNING SOMETHING TO GET THE MOST MONEY OUT OF IT BECAUSE THEIR FEE'S GONNA BE A PERCENTAGE OF ESTIMATED COST AND THEY PROBABLY GOT GOT TO THAT.
SO, AND, UH, AND I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY WE DO THAT.
SO, SO WITH THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, I, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ON HOW OTHERS HAVE DONE THEIRS, BUT IN THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, UM, ONCE WE SELECTED THE ENGINEER, WE SAT DOWN AND WE WORKED OUT A SCOPE OF WORK.
SO WE LET THEM KNOW WE WANT, UM, DRAINAGES INVOLVED, THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES AT HO MILLS, THERE'S SOME INLET ISSUES WHERE THE INLETS ARE CAVING IN, UM, CURBS.
SO WE, WE WORKED OUT A SCOPE OF WORK FOR WHAT THE CITY WANTED COMPLETED.
SO WE JUST DIDN'T LET THEM COME TO US AND SAY, WE WANNA DESIGN ALL THIS STUFF.
WE TOLD THEM SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
BASED ON THAT THEY DO THEIR ESTIMATES BEHIND THE SCENES, AND THAT'S HOW WE THEN GET THE COST, UM, THAT THEY GIVE US FOR WHAT'S IS GONNA COST THEM TO DESIGN FOR WHAT THE CITY WANTS.
SO WE, WE DO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENGINEER, UM, PRIOR TO JUST ACCEPTING IT.
AND WE ACTUALLY, UM, IN THIS CASE, I WILL SAY I, I DID HAVE THEM REMOVE SOME ITEMS BECAUSE I, I THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, MAYBE A LITTLE TOO MUCH WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
SO SOME STUFF, SO THE, THE, ACTUALLY THE COST WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
WE WORKED WITH THEM TO GET IT DOWN TO WHERE WE THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
NOW I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT PORTION OF OUR, BECAUSE THAT'S MY CONCERNS.
LIKE I SAID, NOT ONLY WITH TRANSIT, BUT I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE MM-HMM
BECAUSE I SEE US GO OUT FOR DESIGNS AND I SEE SOME DESIGNS COMING IN HERE WITH A LOT OF FLUFF.
BUT WE DYING FOR MONEY TO DO OTHER THINGS.
WE DON'T NEED TO FLUFF, WE NEED IT JUST TO BE DONE AND DONE AND PROPERLY.
SO, SO YOU DID GET WITH 'EM AND YEAH.
AND, AND, AND THEN, AND THEN JUST SO YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, THIS ISN'T SPECIFICALLY TRANSIT, THIS IS, THIS IS A GENERAL FUND, BUT FOR TRANSIT PROJECTS, WHEN I'M USING FEDERAL DOLLARS, I AM REQUIRED TO DO WHAT THEY CALL A, UM, THEY CALL THE ICE AN INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATE.
SO I HAVE TO GO BACK BY THEM AND I HAVE TO GET COMPARABLE PROJECTS AND WORK WITH THE, IF I BELIEVE THAT IT DOESN'T MATCH UP, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO WHEN IT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN ICE.
AND THAT DOES GO AS PART OF MY AUDIT PACKAGES.
THEY DO WHEN THEY AUDIT THE PROJECT.
WELL, I SURE WISH WE DID ICE FOR THE REST OF THESE DEPARTMENTS,
AND, AND, UH, JUST TWO THINGS, UH, TO NOTE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS, HERE HAS A NOTE.
I MEAN, ONE WAS RECOMMENDING MINIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT.
WHAT, WHAT'S THAT ABOUT? MINIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT? I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
[01:05:03]
OKAY.BECAUSE IT, IT COMES OUT TO THE 1 37, BUT WE HAVE THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
UH, AND THIS ONE HERE SAYS IS RECOMMENDED CONTRACT AMOUNT, ADDITIONAL FEES FOR UH, SULO GROUP MAY BE ADDED IF NECESSARY, AT RATE TO BE TURNING BE DETERMINED.
WHAT'S THAT NOTE ABOUT? ADDITIONAL FEES? SO MY, MY THOUGHT ON THAT IS, UM, LET'S SAY THEY GET OUT THERE, THEY START DOING THE DESIGN AND LET'S SAY WE, WE FIND SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THE GROUND, UM, OR THINGS HAPPEN, RIGHT? UM, THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST TO THE CITY.
SO WE WOULD COME BACK, WE WOULD NEGOTIATE, WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH THEM.
AND I, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT THAT IS REFERRING TO WHEN, WHEN STUFF HAPPENS.
YEAH, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY.
UH, THOSE WHEN THE DESIGNS ARE COMPLETE AND THE COST ESTIMATORS, THEN HOW IS, HOW, HOW LONG IS THAT VALUE? 30 DAYS.
COUPLE OF MONTHS OR WHAT, HOW LONG IS THE YEAH, THE, THE COST.
COST AND MATERIAL AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IS IT GOOD FOR HOW LONG IS IT IS GOOD? IS IT GOOD FOR ONE MONTH OR 32 MONTHS? YOU, YOU, I GUESS WHAT THE MARKET, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
SO I MEAN, TOMORROW THEY COULD DO ANOTHER 50% TARIFFS TO THE CANADIANS AND GUESS WHAT PRICES ARE GONNA SHOOT UP.
SO, I MEAN, THEY, THEY GIVE YOU THE ESTIMATE BASED UPON, UM, THE CURRENT MARKET RATES.
BUT I DON'T, SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OUT IN THE MARKET IF THAT, THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME, RIGHT? OKAY.
I, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, IVAN.
THE MOTION, THE RESOLUTION PASSES
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24479 – A Resolution Awarding A Bid And Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into An Agreement With PaveCon Ltd, Of Houston, Texas, Through BuyBoard Cooperative Contract Number 700-23 For The Rehabilitation Of Redbird Street, Extending From Green Avenue To Jefferson Drive For An Amount Not To Exceed $678,349.66. Funds Are Available In Capital Improvements Project Account 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000]
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 7 9 A RESOLUTION, AWARDING A BID AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH PCON, LTD OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, THROUGH BY BOARD COOPERATIVE CONTRACT NUMBER 700 DASH 23 FOR THE REHABILITATION OF REDBIRD STREET, EXTENDING FROM GREEN AVENUE TO JEFFERSON DRIVE FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $678,349 AND 66 CENTS.FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ACCOUNT.
3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 0 5 3 8 5 1 7 DASH 0 0 0 MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION? COUNCIL ETT? YES, THIS IS THE SECOND CONTRACT WE DONE ONE LAST MONTH FROM BY BOARD DEALING WITH STREETS.
WE HAVE AN ADOPTED STREET PROGRAM IN WHICH WE CONTRACT STREETS THAT NEED TO BE CON RECONSTRUCTED BY CONTRACTORS AND STREETS THAT JUST NEED OVERLAY OR RESURFACING.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ASSEMBLE PACKAGES OR STREETS IN WHICH WE'VE SENT BEDS OUT.
AND, UH, I, THE EARLY PART OF THE, UH, MEETING, THE BUDGET MEETING, I WASN'T ABLE TO COMMENT, BUT COUNCILMAN FRANK BROUGHT UP THE POINT WAS A VERY GOOD ONE ABOUT THE STAFF WANTING TO DO A STREET THAT WERE NEAR WHERE THEY WERE MOBILIZING AND HE WAS THERE, HE COULD HAVE DONE IT AND WE COULD HAVE GOT THE STREET DONE.
WELL THE ADOPTED PROGRAM SAYS THAT WE APPROVED THESE STREETS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET YEAR AND THOSE ARE THE STREETS THAT THERE GO OUT IN CONTRACT.
SO THE BIDS THAT GO OUT ARE BASED ON FUNDS THAT ARE APPROVED AND THE WORK BEING DONE ON THOSE STREETS.
I'VE BEEN ASKING, I'VE ALSO BEEN ASKING TO SELECT STREETS.
I'M A DISTRICT COUNCILMAN AND FOR TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN ASKING TO SELECT STREETS AND I GOT YET TO GET TO THAT POINT.
[01:10:01]
BUT YET, THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WELL THE LAST MONTH IN THIS MONTH I SEE US WANTING TO APPROVE THE LAST ONE WE APPROVED A STREET BEING DONE BY BOY BY BALL, BOY BY BOY.I'M ALSO GONNA READ THE LAST STREET WAS SIMILAR TO IT, BUT THIS STREET HERE IS TWO BLOCKS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO'S BRINGING THESE BY BOARDS.
TWO BLOCKS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
OUR CREW COULD GO OUT AND DO TWO.
NOW I DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY DRIVE THIS STREET, BUT THE LAST ONE I WENT AND DROVE IT.
THE BASE WAS SOLID ON THE STREET.
BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT WHAT THE BED THAT BY THAT BIBLE, WHOEVER DONE THE LAST ONE GAVE THE CITY THEY HAD ON THEIR STORM SWORDS, UH, SHUT OFF VALVES, DITCHES.
AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS NOT THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN STREET FUNDS TO DO THIS.
WHAT WE HAVE APPROVED TO DO IN THE WAY OF WAR UTILITIES IS IF A STREET WE ARE GOING TO REPAIR HAS A WATER LINE THAT GOES UNDERNEATH IT OR SEWER LINE, WE SAID WE COULD CUT THOSE AND REPLACE THOSE SO THAT IF YOU HAVE TO TIE INTO 'EM, YOU TIE INTO 'EM.
BUT HERE'S WHAT THIS CONTRACT COSTS FOR.
ASPHALT, SUBGRADE, STABILIZATION, STABILIZATION, ASPHALT, ASPHALT, ASPHALT, ASPHALT.
AND IT'S DEALING WITH THE LENGTH.
THE LENGTH OF THE STREET IS PROBABLY ABOUT 2,637 SQUARES.
UH, LINEAR FEAST MAYBE, BUT TWO BLOCKS.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE ACTUAL COST WITH DEALING WITH JUST THE STREET ALONE, IT'S 230,000.
BUT THIS CONTRACT COST FOR THEM TO DO AN INTEL GREAT ADJUSTMENT, WHICH IS UTILITY DRAINAGE.
THEY GOING TO CLEAN AND RESHAPE DITCHES 2,260 LINEAR FEET AT A COST OF $18,464.
IF THE DITCH NEED TO BE CUT, WE JUST LIST IT TO BE CUT ALSO, UTILITIES REPLACE EXISTING THREE INCH POLY WATERLINE WITH SIX INCH PCVC 90 OF 1,150 FEET.
INSTALLED A T IN ISOLATION VALVES INSTALLED 26 SERVICE TAPS TO THE RESIDENT METERS GAS CONCRETE ALLOWANCE.
GENERAL, ALL OF THIS IS DEALING WITH WATER UTILITIES NOW, WHO IS GOING TO TAKE MONEY FROM STREETS AND DO WATER UTILITY.
AND WE WONDER WHY PEOPLE AT OUR HEADS 'CAUSE THEY BUSTING TIES AND RIMS. THERE'S A, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATER UTILITY AND STREETS.
MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED FOR STREETS OR FOR STREETS, NOT DRAINAGE OR WATER UTILITY PROJECTS UNDER DISGUISE OF STREETS.
'CAUSE THESE FUNDS ARE TAKEN FROM STREETS AND THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN THEM FROM STREETS.
THE LAST ONE WAS TAKEN THEM FROM STREETS.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T MAKE A BIG ISSUE LAST TIME, BUT WHO, WHO MAKING THE DECISION TO TAKE MONEY FROM STREETS? ASK US TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR DOING THE STREET.
BUT YOU HAVE WATER UTILITY PROJECTS ON IT.
HOW DID THIS GET TO US? WHO DID IT? WHOEVER DID IT DID THE LAST ONE.
'CAUSE THE LAST ONE WAS TWO BLOCKS TOO.
SO WE HAVE FOUR BLOCKS OF CITY STREET THAT'S GONNA COST US 7,000,
[01:15:01]
700,694.$1.3 MILLION OVER $1.3 MILLION TO DO FOUR BLOCKS OF STREET THAT ACTUALLY DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE RECONSTRUCTIVE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS WHY YOU UTILITY STREETS? CAN WE HAVE SOMEONE COME UP AND GIVE US SOME CLARITY? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GUYS.
SO I'LL START IT OFF AND I'LL LET THEM GET INTO MORE TECHNICAL.
SO WHEN COUNCIL WAS ASKING TO GET ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS TO TRY TO GET MORE STREETS DONE, SO THAT'S WHY I RAN TO THE CO-OP TO, UM, DO THAT.
SO ONCE I FOUND, UM, THESE PARTICULAR CO-OP VENDORS, THEN I WENT TO STREETS WITH ENGINEERING TO GET A LIST OF STREETS THAT'S ON THE PROGRAM TO SUBMIT TO THE CONTRACTOR TO GET DONE.
SO THE STREETS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN TO ME WERE LIKE THE REMAINING STREETS FROM THE PREVIOUS LIST DONE BACK IN 2020 THINGS.
SO IN TALKING WITH THEM ABOUT THE STREET, UM, THEY SAID THE PROGRAM, WHEN I DISCUSSED WITH HANEY AND EVERYBODY ON THE PROGRAM THAT A LOT OF THESE STREET THEY'RE DOING NOW, THAT THE UTILITIES WERE NEEDING TO BE DONE.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HAVING COMPLETE THE STREET AND THERE'S ISSUES WITH UTILITIES UNDERGROUND.
THEN WE GO BACK AND DIG UP THE STREET AGAIN THAT WE JUST PAVED.
SO WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT, THEY LOOKED AT THE CONDITION OF THE UTILITIES UNDERGROUND AND DETERMINED IF THEY NEEDED TO BE DONE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE LAST TWO STREETS.
NOW, AS FAR AS THIS PARTICULAR FROM REDBIRD THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME, WAS THAT DUE TO THE GAS LINES AND EVERYTHING? THERE IS, IT'S MORE TECHNICAL.
THEY HAVE TO GET INTO IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT AS LOW AS THEY SHOULD BE.
SO IT IS A MORE CONVOLUTED JOB TO DO OVER THERE, WHICH MADE THIS ONE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE.
WE HAVE, UH, COUNT, UM, ANYONE ELSE, UM, THAT WANNA SPEAK.
MR. MATTHEWS, CAN YOU I I DO NOT DO STREET DESIGN, BUT WE WERE TOLD IF IT IMPACTS, THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DON'T GET ON THE STREET SIDE.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THAT, THE STREETS WERE TOLD IF THE U WATER UTILITIES IMPACT THE STREET THAT THERE TO BE REPLACED.
LIKE THE, THERE'S WATER LINES ON WOODWAY RIGHT NOW THAT THE TOPS OF THE EXISTING PIPES ARE IN THE CONCRETE.
YOU'RE TOUCHING THE CONCRETE, YOU CAN'T REBUILD THE STREET.
SO THEY'RE BEING LOWERED AND REPLACED.
UH, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THESE DRAWINGS, BUT THEY, UH, THE WATER LINE IS RIGHT ADJACENT OR RIGHT UNDER THE PAVEMENT.
THE REASON IT HAS UTIL HOUSE TAPS AND VALVES AND ALL THAT, WHEN YOU REPLACE A WATER LINE, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE.
BUT, AND MOST OF THESE PIPES ARE AC PIPE, WHICH IS VERY BRITTLE.
SO IF YOU START COMPACTING THE BASE ON A SHALLOW PIPE, IT'S GONNA FAIL WHILE YOU'RE REBUILDING THE STREET AND YOU'RE GONNA SHUT THE STREET JOB DOWN.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, SHE, UM, HAD A LIGHT ON COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON.
UM, I'M OPEN TO HEARING THE, THE LETTING THEM FINISH WHAT THEY WERE, THEIR RESPONSE WAS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, WITHIN OUR PROJECTS, WE, UH, DITCHES WILL BE INCLUDED AND HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PAST.
AND THIS IS A REPETITIVE ASSIGNMENT AND A REPETITIVE DESIGN THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED.
SO THEREFORE WE'RE JUST CONTINUING TO DO WHAT THE CITY NEEDS, SUCH AS FOR DRAINAGE.
SO THIS ROAD THAT WAS MENTIONED, UH, THE DITCHES ARE VERY SHALLOW, THE CULVERTS ARE CLOGGED, SO THEREFORE THE DITCHES NEED TO BE CLEANED.
THE CULVERTS ON, ON THE PROJECT THAT WAS MENTIONED, UM, THERE'S A CULVERT ALONG, I GUESS SABINE PASS SABINE, AND IT'S FULLY CLOGGED.
SO THEREFORE, UM, THOSE PIPES NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, WHEN I REACHED OUT FOR A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROJECT, WHEN PREPARING FOR THIS, UM, COUNCIL MEETING, WHAT THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE SHARED IS WHAT CITY MANAGER ALSO SHARED WITH ME.
THESE UNDERGROUND, THE UNDERGROUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
[01:20:01]
IS GERMANE TO THE STREETS PROJECT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S COMING FROM THAT SAME BUDGET.SO WE CANNOT, AGAIN, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO REPAIR STREETS THAT WILL IMPLODE WITH FAILING UNDERGROUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO BECAUSE THESE PROJECTS ARE GERMANE, WHICH IS WHY IS THEY QUALIFIED UNDER THAT SAME POOL OF MONEY? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, UH, YES, I, I THINK COUNCILMAN DEUCE FOR THE RECOGNITION OF WHAT I SAID, BUT WE DID IN THE BUDGET HEARING, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE WATCHED IT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID SAY WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO EXPEDITE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIXING OF STREETS.
AND SO, UM, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN FIXING THESE STREETS.
BUT THIS WHOLE TALK ABOUT THIS, UM, CALVIN, HELP US FULLY UNDERSTAND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SIX INCH POLY WATERLINE PVC FOR $237,000.
MAYBE THE ENGINEER, THE, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MINIMUM WATER LINE THAT WE USE NOWADAYS IS SIX INCH.
SO IF IT'S LIKE AN EL VISTA, THERE'S A LOT OF TWO INCH CAST IRON THAT WATER BARELY GOES THROUGH.
UH, AND THIS YOU SAID IS A THREE INCH SIX.
THE SIX INCH POLY WATERLINE WITH A SIX INCH PVC 900 POLY 1,930 LINEAR FEET UNIT PRICE, $210 A FOOT, I GUESS.
THE, THE THIS AS, UH, CLIFF MENTIONED EARLIER, THE, DURING THE WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR, I MEAN THIS IS A BY BOARD, BUT THIS WAS DESIGNED AND THERE WERE A LOT OF GOING BACK AND FORTH.
I, I WASN'T DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH IT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF GAS LINES AND UTILITIES IN THE WAY IT MAKES THIS WATERLINE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE PRICE YOU'RE SEEING IS REFLECTING THAT, UH, THAT DIFFICULTY WORKING WITH TEXAS GAS AND NEXT TO TEXAS GAS.
SO, UH, IT, IT, IT IS, IF BASED ON HOW THOSE GAS LINES ARE RUNNING, IT'LL BE VERY DIFFICULT.
AND IT, THE, THE NEW LINE WILL BE C 900, UH, WHICH IS PVC.
IT'S A LOT THICKER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT YOU WOULD USE IN SAY YOUR HOUSE.
SO IT'S, YEAH, TWO I I I USED TO, IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY OLD HOUSE.
I EVER OWNED, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THIS IS AT.
SO I KNOW REDBIRD WELL IN THE TWO BLOCKS FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM REDBIRD DOWN, RAISED MY KIDS THERE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE $678,000 FOR TWO BLOCKS.
WELL, IS IS, I MEAN REALLY HANEY NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED AMOUNT.
THE QUESTION ON THAT, BUT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ABOUT IT, THE ISSUE IS NOT JUST PUTTING THE WATER LINE DOWN.
AND BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE PRICE, OUR GOT WIDE TOO.
SO WHEN I SAT IN THAT ONE MEETING WITH HANEY AND THE CONTRACTOR, UM, WITH A SUB THAT'S DOING THE WATER LINE PART TO THE CONTRACTOR, THE ISSUE IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SHALLOWNESS OF IT AND THE GAS LINES, THEY CAN'T RUN THE LINE.
LIKE, SO THEY GOTTA DO A LOT OF MANUAL MANEUVERING.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THE ISSUE OVER THERE IS IT IS THOSE GAS LINES, AND I THINK IT'S SOME OTHER UTILITY LINES THERE THAT ARE ALL RUNNING ADJACENT, THAT THEY'RE SO CLOSE AND PACKED THAT THE WAY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MANEUVER IT IS GOING TO, IT TAKES A LOT OF MANUAL LABOR THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE THE ISSUE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE A LOT OF OTHER JOBS WHERE IF IT WAS SPACE, LIKE IT SHOULD AND THEY JUST CAN RUN THE LINE.
THEY HAVE TO DO A LOT OF CIRCUMVENTING AROUND.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THE ISSUE.
AND THOSE, THOSE TAP, THOSE TAPS, THOSE 26 TAPS FOR RESIDENT METERS? YES SIR.
SO IT'S BASICALLY ONE TAP PER HOUSE.
ALONGSIDE BEING IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
COUNCIL MEMBER GISETTE, I, I AM KEEP TALKING ABOUT STREETS AND FINDING AND WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WAS ADOPTED AND WHEN I ASK
[01:25:02]
WHO DECIDES IT, I ALWAYS GET THESE EXPLANATIONS.AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ALL HAVE OUR SAY, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO GET INTO DEBATE.
I'M GONNA BRING THIS BACK LIKE I DID WITH THE STREET PROGRAM AND I'M GOING TO PUT BEFORE CITIZENS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHEN I SAY MONEY, I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE LONGEST MONEY IS DIVIDED AMONG DISTRICTS THAT STREET THAT MONEY.
WHEN I LOOK AT WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM, I SEE STREETS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, STREET FUND.
EVERY TIME I SEE THAT, THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM.
AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ALLOW $600,000 TO BE PLACED ON A STREET IN THEIR DISTRICT, I'M NOT GONNA SIT THERE AND QUESTION THAT COUNCIL PERSON.
BUT WHEN I KNOW THAT YOU PUTTING IT, YOU TAKING IT OUT OF FUNDS AND IT'S NOT BEING TASKED THERE, I HAVE A PROBLEM.
'CAUSE I KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IF YOU TAKING OUTTA STREET FUNDS, IT'S COMING OUTTA MY FUNDS.
I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR TWO YEARS.
EVERY TIME I BRING IT UP, I HEAR IT.
EVERYBODY TELL ME, WELL WE'VE DONE THIS, WE'VE DONE THIS.
THAT STREET WE APPROVED LAST MEETING THAT I SPOKE OF EARLIER FOR 600 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS CAME FROM THIS BIBLE BOY.
IT HAD THE SAME THING DEALING WITH A LOT OF STEWARDS AND WATER AND DITCHES.
THE MONEY WE HAVE IS TO RECONSTRUCT AND CONSTRUCT THE STREETS.
WHAT YOU ARE TALKING HERE IS TWO BLOCKS.
THE LAST ONE WE APPROVED, IT WASN'T 13TH STREET, IT WAS TWO BLOCKS.
I DROVE THAT STREET ON 13TH STREET.
THAT STREET IS IN A LOT BETTER CONDITION THAN A WHOLE BUNCH OF STREETS IN MY DISTRICT.
THIS STREET TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL DRIVE ON THIS STREET, YOU GOING TO FIND THIS STREET IS NOT A BAD STREET COMPARED TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING US TO THAT.
THEY'RE BREAKING RIMS, BUSTING TIRES.
IF YOU DRIVE THAT STREET, REDBIRD THEM TWO BLOCKS, YOU AND I GONNA BUST A RIM OR TIRE AND ALL OF THIS WATER UTILITIES, THAT'S A SELECTION.
SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS SELECT IT, I HAVE IT FINE.
BUT IF YOU GONNA SELECT IT AND IT IS IN DISTRICT TWO, YOU NEED TO SHOW ME WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM.
DISTRICT TWO, I'VE BEEN SAYING IT THE NEXT TIME I'M GONNA PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I'M GONNA DO A PRESENTATION BECAUSE I'M GONNA SHOW WHERE THIS $70 MILLION HAS GONE IN THIS CITY.
WE HAD $70 MILLION THAT HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF STREETS, 70 MILLION CERTIFICATES, STATE AND STREET AND RECONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION, NOT WATER, UTILITIES.
AND THEN I'M GONNA HAVE HOW MUCH WAS SPENT IN EACH DISTRICT.
I'M GONNA BRING THIS BACK, BUT WHEN I BRING IT BACK, I WANT COUNCIL UNDERSTAND, MY POINT IS, IT'S NOT ABOUT Y'ALL METHOD.
Y'ALL DECISIONS Y'ALL ARE MAKING ARE IMPACTING ON MY DISTRICT.
AND FOR TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN SAYING IT IS ON DEAF EARS.
I'M GONNA GET THE NUMBERS, I'M GONNA BRING IT BEFORE COUNCIL.
I'M GOING TO SHOW WHY WE GOT SO MANY STREETS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FIXED, BUT SO MUCH MONEY BEEN SPENT.
I WANT THE INFORMATION FINANCE DIRECTOR, YOU ALL START GATHERING MY INFORMATION BECAUSE THE NEXT MEETING PRIOR TO WE LEAVING THIS, THIS BUDGET, I WANT ALL THAT INFORMATION OUT.
'CAUSE WE ARE NOT GONNA KEEP DOING BUSINESS LIKE THIS.
DISTRICT FOUR HAS THE MOST STREETS
[01:30:01]
THE LIST.BUT I'M GOING TO SHOW EVERYBODY WHERE ALL OF THE MONEY HAS WENT AND I'M GONNA SHOW 'EM HOW MUCH IT WENT ON STREETS AND HOW MUCH ARE GOING TO WATER UTILITY PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO DO SEPARATE.
WE GIVING THIS GUY $18,000 TO CUT DIGITS.
WHY DON'T WE SEND THE GRADE ALL DOWN THERE WITHOUT DRINK, WITHOUT, WITHOUT PEOPLE.
IF WE WANT TO FIX STREETS, WE NEED TO MANAGE THE MONEY PROPERLY AND HOW IT WAS APPROVED.
I'M GONNA DO LIKE I DID THE LAST TIME.
I'M GONNA BRING SOME SLIDES HERE AND LET EVERYBODY SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, I DO UNDERSTAND AND I I I GET IT AND I UNDERSTAND IT, RIGHT ON FIFTH STREET, UM, A FEW, UM, WEEKS AGO, UH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE CHURCH, BUT THE STREET, THE STREET LITERALLY CAVED IN.
IT'S A STEEL WELL AND FIFTH STREET STEEL.
WELL, AND FIFTH STREET WENT DOWN THERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A SINKHOLE OF ENORMOUS MAGNITUDE.
THANK GOD SOMEBODY WASN'T DRIVING DOWN THAT STREET AT THAT TIME OR DRIVING DOWN THAT STREET AT NIGHT.
I MEAN, IT WOULD'VE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.
BUT WE LIVE IN A, WE LIVE IN A CITY, WE LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS, IS IS HORRIBLE.
AND WHERE IT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF FOR ELONGATED PERIODS OF TIME.
SO WHEN YOU DIG UP A STREET, I GET IT, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DIG THROUGH SOME PIPING THAT'S BEEN DOWN THERE SINCE 19 34, 35 CLAY PIPE.
AND SO WHEN YOU GO TO FIX THE STREET, YOU UNDERSTAND AS WELL, AND I GET IT, I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, I'M LOOKING AT $237,000.
THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT AT THE O ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE, YOU, IF YOU DON'T FIX, YOU CAN FIX THE STREET.
BUT IF YOU DON'T FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH, IT'S LIKE PUTTING A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE ON A 25 CENTS SLAB.
YOU GONNA HAVE PROBLEMS. SO YOU GOTTA FIX THE, YOU GOTTA FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THAT MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM SOMEWHERE TO FIX IT.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT THE DISTRICTS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AS WE'RE GETTING ALONG, THESE ARE THE STREETS OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND YOU CAN'T JUST GO THAT I DIDN'T GET THIS STREET FIXED IN MY DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THIS.
IT HAS TO BE A TEAM EFFORT AND WE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT AND ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.
YOU GOTTA FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU GONNA FIX THE STREET AND THEN IT'S GONNA CAVE IN, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER SINKHOLE PROBLEM.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, THERE ARE STREETS FAR WORSE THAN REDBIRD.
I GET THAT WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF BEING SELECTIVE ABOUT THE STREETS.
BUT IF THERE'S A REASON WHY REDBIRD HAD, CAN BE FIXED TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES.
'CAUSE THERE'S A PROJECT CLOSE TO IT OR WHATEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF WE CAN JUSTIFY IT, THEN WE'VE GOT TO DO FIX THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
IT'S GONNA COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A VOTE, PLEASE.
WE ARE GONNA, UH, POINT OF ORDER.
THE ONLY ONE CALL FOR THE QUESTION IS THE PERSON WHO MADE THE MOTION.
I'M, AND THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILOR KINLOCK.
WELL, UM, MAYOR, I THINK WE ARE KIND OF GETTING A LITTLE ALONG WITH THIS.
SO I, I AGREE THAT WE CAN JUST CALL FOR THE VOTE AND JUST GET IT OVER AND IF, UH, ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO BRING THIS BACK UP AT A LATER TIME OF DAY, WE JUST COME BRING IT BACK UP.
UH, BUT NOW I THINK I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, EVERFI.
WE SHOULD CALL FOR A VOTE AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, LET ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24481 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Report That, In Accordance With the Homebuyer’s Program Guidelines, Six (6) Homebuyers Were Qualified To Receive Down Payment Assistance As A Direct Benefit To Assist With Principal Buy Down, Gap Financing, And Closing Fees, Which Allowed Them To Achieve The American Dream Of Homeownership And Purchase New Construction And Existing Homes ]
NEXT I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MAYOR PRO TEMPT TO HANDLE, I'M GONNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM NUMBER FIVE,[01:35:01]
PR NUMBER 2 4 4 8 1.AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP.
UH, OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PR NUMBER 2 4 4 8 1.
I'D RATHER LOSE A RESOLUTION, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO REPORT THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HOMEOWNERS PROGRAM GUIDELINES, SIX HOME BUYERS WERE QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AS A DIRECT BENEFIT TO ASSIST WITH PRINCIPAL BUY DOWN GAP FINANCING AND CLOSING FEES, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP AND PURCHASE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND EXISTING HOMES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MAYOR, MAYOR, IS IT A SECOND? HAS IT BEEN MOVED? AND SECOND QUESTIONS? YES.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, MY, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE CONFLICT? WHAT IS THE COUNCILMAN'S COUNCILPERSON CONFLICT? UH, RECU, WHAT'S THE REASONABLE RECUSAL? WELL, SHE, SHE, SHE JUST, IT'S CONFLICT OF, IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU CAN FILL OUT A FORM OR YOU CAN RECLUSE YOURSELF FROM ANY DISCUSSION THAT YOU MAY FEEL THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO BY HER RECUSING HERSELF, SHE'S NO LONGER A PART OF THE DISCUSSION, NEITHER THE ITEM.
WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW IT IS THAT SHE'S NOT HERE.
SO IT, NO ONE CAN SAY IT WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
WHY ARE WE VOTING ON THIS? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHY ARE WE VOTING ON THIS? OKAY.
DO YOU WANT ME THAT? OH, SURE.
UM, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE NSP PROGRAM THAT THESE HOMEOWNERS WERE RECEIVING THE FUNDS FOR HAS EXPIRED.
AND SO WE'LL NEED TO BRING IT BACK IN ORDER JUST TO RESET IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THESE BENEFITS.
CITY MANAGER, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG, MS. FREEMAN'S HERE AND SHE CAN COME UP AND GIVE US THE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY WE NEED TO READ, WHY WE NEED TO HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS.
SO, UM, ACCORDING TO THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES THAT WERE AUTHORIZED, UM, IT'S IN THE BINDER.
IT'S ON FILE FOR REVIEW IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
WE WERE AUTHORIZED BY RESOLUTION TO APPROVE, UM, FOR THE CLIENTS TO RECEIVE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE BECAUSE CLOSING ON THE HOMES IS SUCH A TIMELY AND, UH, SPORADIC PROCESS.
SO WE INCLUDED ALL OF THE, UH, WRITTEN AGREEMENTS AND THE DEED OF TRUST AS A PART OF THE RESOLUTION, WHICH AUTHORIZED THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
AND WE ARE WITH CITY MANAGERS AUTHORIZED TO APPROVE THOSE DOCUMENTS TO HELP THE CLIENTS CLOSE ON THE PROPERTIES.
OKAY? AND THEN, UM, AFTER THAT WE COME BACK AND REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL WHAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY.
SO DO I UNDERSTAND YOU SAYING THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY ALL THESE BEEN CLOSED? YES, SIR.
'CAUSE I READ THE RESOLUTION AND THE RESOLUTION SAYS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGERS TO REPORT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
BUT THEN I READ IN THE BACKGROUND WHERE WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, GIVING HIM THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.
SO IF WE GAVE HIM THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS AND HE SIGNED THEM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAD TO, IT HAD TO COME BACK TO US.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF REPORTING AGAIN TO CITY COUNCIL WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
BUT IF WE REPORT, THEN YOU COULD REPORT TO US.
BUT TO ASK US TO APPROVE AN ACTION, THAT'S HOW I, THAT'S WHY I GOT CONFUSED.
I READ THE RESOLUTION, BUT WHEN I READ THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION MM-HMM
AND IT SAID THE CITY MANAGER WAS GIVEN AUTHORIZATION MM-HMM
WELL, IF HE'S GIVEN AUTHORIZATION AND HE DOES WHAT WE AUTHORIZED.
NOW, IF HE'S SUPPOSED TO REPORT BACK TO US ON THE THING, THEN ALL IT TAKES IS A REPORT.
BECAUSE I DON'T SEE US COMMIT DOING AN ACTION ON THIS ONE UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE SEES IT.
UH, MY, MY THING, UH, MAYOR PROTO, I READ THE SAME THING AND I, IT WAS NO NEED TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
[01:40:01]
ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING AT WHEN I READ THE BACKGROUND.SO IF, UH, COUNCILWOMAN EVER FEEL HAS SOME OTHER DETAILS THAT IT'S GONNA EXPIRE, I CAN UNDERSTAND.
AND IF WE HAD TO COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY MAKE A, A, A DECISION ON IT.
BUT IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE AND IT WOULD JUST GIVE AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS, I DON'T THINK HE CAN ACTUALLY DO A REPORT AND JUST LET THE COUNCIL KNOW.
SO IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING, THE CITY ATTORNEY OR CITY MANAGER, UH, A CITY MANAGER.
SO DOCUMENTATION IS ALWAYS A REALLY GOOD THING.
AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT TO YOU AND THIS RESOLUTION WHO'S RECEIVED THOSE PROGRAMS? I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AUDITS OF WHETHER OR NOT THESE WERE PROPERLY DONE AND COUNCIL WAS PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU DOT YOUR I ALRIGHT? AND IT'S COMPLETED.
SO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S GONNA RECOMMEND THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH THESE FUNDS.
I I HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND PAPERWORK, I UNDERSTAND ACTION ITEMS. BUT IF THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES AND GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER, THEN THE CITY MANAGER THEN HAS THAT AUTHORITY TO ACT.
IF THE CITY MANAGER ACTS IN THAT AUTHORITY, IF THERE'S SOME OTHER REQUIREMENT THAT REQUIRES THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT BACK TO US, THAT'S NOT OUR REQUIREMENT.
IT IS A REQUIREMENT FROM THE HOME BUYERS ASSISTANCE, WHATEVER THE BACKGROUND, WHICHEVER LAW OR POLICY FROM HUD THAT REQUIRED HIM TO REPORT BACK, HE HAS TO FULFILL THAT.
THEY'RE REQUIRING HIM TO DO IT.
THEY ASK US TO GIVE HIM THE AUTHORITY.
THE NEXT STEP IS THEY SAY, WELL, WE WANT YOU TO REPORT BACK TO YOUR COUNCIL.
WHENEVER THINGS ARE DONE, WE REPORT BACK.
BUT WHY SHOULD WE GIVE AUTHORITY? DO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE? I JUST DON'T GET IT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE'S AN ACTION.
WELL, WHATEVER WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO, HUD GIVES US THE REGULATIONS.
AND THEN WE ARE, WE DESIGN THE PROGRAM.
CITY MANAGER DESIGNED THE PROGRAM.
HOWEVER HE SO CHOOSE WITHIN THOSE REGULATIONS, OKAY? EVERYTHING IS IN LINE WITH THE REGULATIONS.
IF, UH, CITY COUNCIL, SO CHOOSE, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FROM A LEGAL NO, WE DON'T CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE DECISION BASED ON YOUR INFORMATION THAT'S BROUGHT TO US.
OKAY? IF SOMEONE TELLS COUNCILMAN ETT THAT THERE'S THIS PROGRAM AND POLICY THAT REQUIRES THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, THEN I UNDERSTAND THAT HE REPORTS BACK TO US, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE HIM THAT AUTHORITY BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN GIVEN.
OKAY? IT'S BEEN DIRECTED THAT HE MUST DO THAT.
WE NOT, WE CAN'T DIRECT IT TO DO IT UNLESS WE CHOOSE, BUT FROM WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING, THE PROGRAM THAT HE SET UP AND THAT YOU ALL DONE REQUIRES HIM TO REPORT TO US.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M KIND OF CONFUSED.
WHY WAS, WHY WOULD WE BE ASKED, ASK TO APPROVE SOMETHING THAT WE NOT MANDATING.
SO, BUT UH, THIS ONE HERE WE COULD TAKE FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I I, HOLD ON.
THIS, THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, WE, THE AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN TO THE CITY MANAGER.
OKAY? NOW THE CITY MANAGER ARE PUTTING IT BACK ON THE AGENDA TO BE, UH, APPROVED.
NOW IT'S NOT BEING PUT BACK ON THE AGENDA TO APPROVE, IT'S BEING BACK ON THE AGENDA TO REPORT WHAT WAS DONE.
I HEARD THAT THAT'S THE WORD THAT'S USED IN THE RESOLUTION.
IT'S AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT TO YOU WHAT HE DID,
[01:45:01]
BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING OH YEAH.WITH THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES, IT'S ONLY DOCUMENTS.
LIKE A DEED OF TRUST AND IT'S JUST A, A TEMPLATE AND WRITTEN AGREEMENTS NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO A PARTICULAR HOME BUYER.
SO WE WANTED TO JUST REPORT WHAT'S BEEN DONE.
UM, I HAD SOME OF THE SAME QUESTIONS, MR. DOUCETTE, AND I'M SURE SEVERAL OF US CALLED AND WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY, UM, OUR A CM, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE REASON THIS IS PLACED ME ON THE, ON THE AGENDA IS BECAUSE WE, LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, CROSSING OUR T'S AND DOTTING OUR, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BACKING OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE AND THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, AND IT'S ON RECORD THAT WE APPROVED THEM.
SO IT'S JUST US WORKING AS A TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO US AND THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO THE HOME BUYER.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE PLEASE TAKE THE, UM, THE EXPLANATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US BY THE, THE DIRECTOR, OUR A CM AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WHEN WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE OUR VOTE.
COUNCIL COUNCILMAN LU LIKE THAT.
JUST BRIEFLY, I KEEP HEARING THIS THING ABOUT A TEAM.
WE ALL SEPARATE ELECTED OFFICIAL.
IF IT'S A TEAM, THEN WHO IS, WHO'S HEADING IT? WHO IS THE COACH? WE'RE NOT A TEAM.
WE'RE ELECTED BY INDIVIDUALS COUNCILMEN.
THE TEAM MEMBER I'M REFERRING TO IS THIS COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON.
THE TEAM WORKS ON CORPORATE WORLDS.
THAT'S SOMEBODY IN CHARGE, BUT THE COUNCIL, IT'S A DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I, OKAY.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE LAST COMMENT AND IT'S A REFERENCE IN ONLINE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS SAID.
WHEN STAFF PROVIDE COUNCIL INFORMATION, IT'S UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER TO EITHER ACCEPT OR NOT.
AND WHEN WE VOTE, WE VOTE FOR OR AGAINST, BUT I'M QUITE SURE THAT EVERY SITUATION, I'M NOT GONNA JUST ACCEPT WHAT STAFF PRESENT TO ME WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION AND SUPPORTED.
AND I'M NOT GONNA ACCEPT IT WHEN I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT I FEEL SUPPORT ME, NOT SUPPORT IT.
SO IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
I GUESS I CAN YOU JUST IN TIME, MAYOR, SAVE MY VOICE.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7346 – An Ordinance Rescinding Ordinance No. 25-37 In Its Entirety, Which Authorized A Special Warranty Deed For Conveyance Of A City-Owned Vacant Tract Of Land To An Eligible Homeowner Participating In The City Of Port Arthur's Side Lot Disposition Program ]
TO THE NEXT, UH, ORDINANCES.AND WE'RE GONNA DO ON NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS PO NUMBER 7 3 46, AN ORDINANCE RESCINDING ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO FIVE DASH 37 IN ITS ENTIRETY, WHICH AUTHORIZE A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED FOR CONVEYANCE OF A CITY OWNED VACANT TRACT OF LAND TO AN ELIGIBLE HOMEOWNER PARTICIPATING IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S SIDE LOT DISPOSITION PROGRAM.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7353 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Amending Chapter 2 – Administration, Section 2-73 – Agenda, And Section 2-74 – Methods Of Addressing Council In Order To Comply With The 89th Texas Legislature House Bill 1522, Effective September 1, 2025, And To Provide For Timely And Complete Preparation Of City Council Agenda Items ]
PO NUMBER 7 3 5 3.AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AMENDING CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION, SECTION TWO DASH SEVEN THREE DASH AGENDA AND SECTION TWO DASH 74 METHODS OF ADDRESSING COUNSEL AND ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE, LEGISLATURE, HOUSE BILL 1522, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025.
AND TO PROVIDE FOR TIMELY AND COMPLETE PREPARATION OF CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR? UM, CITY SECRETARY? YES.
THERE WAS AN UNINTENTIONAL ERROR IN YOUR EXHIBIT ON PAGE TWO OF SECTION 2 74 C.
I'M GONNA NEED AN AMENDMENT TO REMOVE THE LAST SENTENCE.
[01:50:01]
IF WITH PERMISSION TO THE COUNSEL, I WOULD BRIEFLY LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TIMELINE SO THAT WE CAN INFORM THE PUBLIC AS WE HAVE A CHANCE.THE, UH, TIMELINE HAS CHANGED OUR, THE HOUSE BILL HAS CHANGED OUR POSTING REQUIREMENTS.
WE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO POST OUR AGENDA FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
YOU DO NOT, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CALCULATE THE POSTING DATE OR THE MEETING DATE IN THAT.
SO THIS HAS ACTUALLY MOVED OUR AGENDA PROCESS UP ON AN AVERAGE OF FIVE BUSINESS DAYS FROM WHAT WE OPERATE FROM.
NOW THIS GOES INTO EFFECT, WHICH WE DID OUR TRIAL RUN FOR.
THIS MEETING GOES INTO EFFECT, UH, SEPTEMBER THE FIRST.
AND IT'S PUTTING US ON A STRICT 10 DAY, TWO WEEK TIMELINE FOR EVERY AGENDA THAT WE POST TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
UM, MR. HARRIS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PULLING UP, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY'S PAGE.
THIS IS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAYOR, TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THE, THERE WILL BE A FORTHCOMING DOCUMENT TO THE COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT AN INTERNAL POLICY FOR THIS AGENDA TIMELINE THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED TO THE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO, ON OUR CITY SECRETARY PAGE, WE HAVE OUR SPEAKER REQUEST FORM.
THIS IMPACTS THE DEADLINE FOR YOUR SPEAKER REQUEST FORMS. THIS DOES NOT ADDRESS WHEN YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE AGENDA ITEM.
HOWEVER, IT'S YOUR SPEAKER REQUEST WHEN YOU COME UP AND WANNA SPEAK.
THAT DEADLINE IS INCLUDED ON THE SPEAKER REQUEST FORM BY THE DATE THAT YOU WANT TO SPEAK.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE PUBLIC HAS TO CALCULATE OR FIGURE OUT.
IT'S, UH, AND ALSO, UM, JUST AS AN FYI, WE ARE DOING A FORM FOR COUNSEL AS WELL.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA, YOU WON'T HAVE TO CALCULATE ALL OF THIS COMPLICATED TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST MONTH.
SO THE DAY AFTER THIS WAS PASSED, MR. HARRIS STARTED CHANGING ALL THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBPAGE AND OUR SPEAKER REQUEST FORM.
SO THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN OUT THERE AND HOPEFULLY, OF COURSE, IF THE PUBLIC HAS ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE.
BUT IF YOU GO TO OUR PAGE, YOU CAN FIND THE FORM AND ALL OF THIS WILL BE EXPLAINED HOW IT IMPACTS THE PUBLIC.
UM, ON PAGE TWO, LIKE I SAID, OF THE, YOUR EXHIBIT SECTION 24 DASH 74, I NEED A MOTION TO AMEND THIS ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE LAST SENTENCE THAT SAYS THE CITY SECRETARY SHALL PRESENT SAID, REQUEST TO THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE GOVERNING BODY FOR APPROVAL BEFORE PLACING IT ON THE MEETING AGENDA.
THIS DOES NOT REFER TO SPEAKER REQUEST.
IT GOES UNDER WHEN A PERSON WANTS TO SPEAK TO AN AGENDA ITEM.
SO I NEED INADVERTENTLY PUT IT IN THE WRONG PLACE.
IF I COULD GET THAT MOTION, I'LL CLEAR THAT UP.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JU SAID IF YOU'LL MAKE THAT MOTION, UH, I MAKE A MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THAT SECTION AS DESCRIBED AND STATED BY THE CITY SECRETARY.
ANY NOS? WE HAVE NO NOSE THE EYES, UH, HAVE IT.
AND THE MO THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7362 – An Ordinance Authorizing The Sale And Conveyance Of City-Owned Vacant Tracts Of Land Located On Freeman Avenue (Formerly Texas Avenue), Identified As Parcel Nos. 95636, 95641, 95642, 95643, And 95644, To The Port Of Port Arthur Navigation District For The Total Fair Market Value Of $26,100.00 To Support The Port's Expansion Efforts]
TO, UH, PO NUMBER 7 3 6 2.AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A CELL AND CONVEYANCE OF CITY OWNED VACANT TRACKS OF LAND LOCATED ON FREEMAN AVENUE, FORMERLY TEXAS AVENUE, IDENTIFIED AS PARTIAL NUMBERS 9 5 6 3 6 9 5 6 4 1 9 5 6 4 2 9 5 6 4 3 AND 9 5 6 4 4 TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR NAVIGATION DISTRICT FOR THE TOTAL FAIR MARKET VALUE OF $26,100 TO SUPPORT THE PORT'S EXPANSION EFFORTS.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
I LOOKED AT THE, UH, LETTER FROM THE, UH, PORT IN REFERENCE TO THIS, TO THE MANAGER AND IT STATES, UH, AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, UH, THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR IS INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL REAL ESTATE PROPERTY IN ORDER TO FACILITATE AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN WAS THIS DISCUSSED? I MISSED, DID I MISS A MEETING?
[01:55:04]
WHEN WAS THIS, WHEN WAS IT DISCUSSED? ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HEARING OF IT.
THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, WE CONDUCTED THE APPRAISAL.
WAS THE APPRAISAL ALSO ADDED TO THE APPRAISED VALUE THAT WE HAD GOTTEN FOR THE SALE? OKAY.
WE NEED, WE NEED SOMEONE TO ANSWER.
THE REASON I BROUGHT THOSE TWO QUESTIONS TO MIND WHEN I READ THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
IF THE PORT WANT TO, IF THE PORT WANT TO OBTAIN PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE COMING BEFORE CANCEL.
UH, WE HAVE A PROCESS IN WHICH WE SELL PROPERTY ANYWAY.
THE APPRAISED VALUE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE, THEY HAVE VALUES LISTED HERE AND THEY SAY THE APPRAISED VALUE PERFORMED BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THESE DOLLARS ARE LISTED AS, SO I'M, I ASSUME THAT THAT IS THE PRICE THAT THE APPRAISAL THAT WE HAD DONE SAID EACH PROPERTY WAS WORTH.
AM I CORRECT IF I ASSUME THAT? YEAH.
SO IF WE GONNA SELL IT, IF WE GONNA SELL IT AT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE THE APPRAISED COST PLUS THE COST FOR US DOING APPRAISAL FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
NO ONE BUY PROPERTY AND PAY FOR THE APPRAISED VALUE OF IT.
YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU GO BUY IT, ANYBODY BUY IT, WHENEVER YOU GET READY TO CLOSE, YOU CHARGE FOR THE APPRAISAL.
THE APPRAISAL, ALTHOUGH YOU MAY PAY IT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE SELLING IT.
SO THE PROPERTY IS WORTH $4,200 AND IT COST US, UH, I'M GONNA BE REALISTIC.
IT COST US, UH, SAY $800 TO HAVE THAT PROPERTY IN PLACE.
THEN WE SHOULD BE SELLING FOR 5,000.
WE SHOULDN'T PAY FOR APPRAISAL AND SELL IT.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT.
BUT WHEN I READ THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS AND THIS WAS DISCUSSED AND THEN I GET IT HERE FOR ME TO SUPPORT IT AND VOTE FOR IT.
YEAH, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO THE DISCUSSION, WHAT'S WITH, AND I DON'T KNOW, HOW DID WE GET THAT FAR? IS TO GO AND PAY FOR APPRAISAL WITHOUT COUNSEL APPROVING FOR THE APPRAISAL.
THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS.
I'LL DO THE CITY SOLICIT APPRAISAL PROPERTY TO SELL TO ANYONE WITH A COUNCIL APPROVAL.
YOU'RE STILL, I HAVE A FEW LIGHTS ON.
UM, I DON'T, WHEN IT SAID THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, I AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF PROPERTY DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ONE WAS PAID FOR BY THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE OTHER WAS PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UM, TO JUST PULL THIS UNTIL THE, ALL THE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD? I THINK THAT'S A MAYOR.
THE LETTER'S ACTUALLY ADDRESSED TO RON BURTON AS THE CITY MANAGER.
AND SO IT'S SIGNED BY THE PORT DIRECTOR LARRY.
AND SO, AS HE SAYS, AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, THE WAY I READ IT, IT WAS A DISCUSSION BETWEEN HIM AND THE CITY MANAGER.
AND SO SINCE OUR CITY MANAGER IS NOT HERE TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION, THEN I SUGGEST WE GO AHEAD AND TABLE IT UNTIL HE CAN PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION IS TRANSPARENCY IN ITSELF.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THEN AS YOUR CITY ATTORNEY, I'LL PLACE IT ON EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA.
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE, I WAS READY TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE VOTES AND
[02:00:01]
THE SUPPORT TO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE.SO IF ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, IF OTHERS HAVE QUESTIONS, THEN YOU KNOW, LET'S DO THAT.
WAIT, LET ME, I HAD LIGHTS ON AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KEN LAW.
AND, AND JUST FOR I THINK CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY, I THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DISCUSSED, WE'VE HAD THEM COME BEFORE THE PODIUM BEFORE.
BUT AS FAR AS IN DETAIL ABOUT THIS LAND PURCHASE IN THESE FIVE DIFFERENT TRACKS THAT I SEE THAT I'M ASKED TODAY TO APPROVE, I THINK UNTIL WE TALK WITH THE MANAGER, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANNA PUT THE ACMS ON NOTICE ABOUT THIS, BUT HE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY PROBABLY BE THE BEST PERSON TO GET THIS INFORMATION.
SO THIS COUNCIL CAN MAKE A VALID DECISION ON THIS.
UM, WITH, UM, THAT WE ARE GONNA, UM, I NEED TO GET A MOTION, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO HOLD THIS ITEM OKAY.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HOLD THE ITEM TO TABLE THE ITEM UNTIL NEXT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TABLING? ALRIGHT.
WE WILL, UH, VOTE AT THIS TIME ON TABLING THIS ITEM, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
THE MO THE ORDINANCE IS TABLED UNTIL OUR NEXT FURTHER, UH, MEETING FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME,
[VIII.B.(4) P.O. No. 7363 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Authorizing The Suspension Of The Effective Date For An Additional Ninety (90) Days Beyond The Effective Date Proposed By Texas Gas Service Company, A Division Of One Gas, Inc. In Connection With Its Statement Of Intent To Increase Gas Rates, Filed On June 30, 2025; Authorizing The Hiring Of Lawyers And Rate Experts; Authorizing The City's Participation To The Full Extent Permitted By Law At The Railroad Commission Of Texas; Requiring Reimbursement Of Municipal Rate Case Expenses; Finding That The Meeting Complies With The Open Meetings Act; Making Other Findings And Provisions Related To The Subject; And Declaring An Effective Date ]
WE HAVE ONE LAST ITEM, ANOTHER ORDINANCE, UM, PO NUMBER 7 3 6 3.IT'S AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZED IN THE SUSPENSION OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR AN ADDITIONAL KNOWN 90 DAYS BEYOND THE EFFECTIVE DAY PROPOSED BY TEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANY, A DIVISION OF ONE GAS INCORPORATED IN CONNECTION WITH THE STATEMENT OF INTENT TO INCREASE GAS RATES FILED ON JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AUTHORIZING THE HIRING OF LAWYERS AND RATE EXPERTS AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AT THE RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS, REQUIRING REIMBURSEMENT OF MUNICIPAL RATE CASE EXPENSES, FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, MAY HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY NOS I'LL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY NOS? THE MOTION, THE ORDINANCE PASSES.
AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE OUR MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
MS. MEETING IS NOW CONCLUDED, 7:35 PM.