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CHAIR UP.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
ALRIGHT.AND WELCOME TO OUR RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN TO EVERYONE HERE THIS MORNING TO OUR CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER THE SEVENTH AT 9:30 AM WE WANNA BE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEY CAN JOIN OUR MEETING, UH, BY TELEPHONIC AND OR VIDEO CONFERENCE, UM, IN, IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE.
AND YOU MAY DO SO BY CALLING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU MAY ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 4 2 0 5 4 3 1 2 3 1, AND ENTER THE PASSCODE 0 8 6 2 5 5.
ALSO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UM, AND YOU CAN REQUEST THAT BY CALLING 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT EVERYONE WOULD MUTE THEIR CELL PHONES, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, INTERRUPTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR MEETING.
WE WILL NOW HAVE OUR INVOCATION, OUR PLEDGE, AND OUR ROLL CALL.
UM, COUNCILMAN KINLAW, IF YOU WOULD LEAD US IN PRAYER, AND YES MA'AM, AFTERWARDS WE'D HAVE THE PLEDGE.
UH, WILL YOU STAND WITH ME? OH, HEAVEN.
ANY FATHER, ONCE AGAIN, WE ACT, COME LY ASK YOU IN PRAYER TO GIVE US THE BLESSINGS TO ASSIGNMENT OF RUNNING THE CITY AND GIVING INPUT FROM ALL THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT CITY.
WE ACTUALLY CONTINUE BLESSING US AND THE BLESSINGS AND THE DECISIONS WE MAKE FOR THIS GREAT CITY.
WE, I ONCE AGAIN ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING AND YOUR SON JESUS NAME.
AND TWO REPUBLICS FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER MAYOR MOSES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HERE YOU HAVE A COURT MAYOR.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
HAVE PROCLAMATIONS.I'M GOING TO, UM, PRESENT THEM IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.
THE FIRST ONE WE'LL HAVE IS, UM, FOR, UM, THE WMB.
UM, AND WE'LL, I'LL DO THAT ONE FIRST AT THE PODIUM, AND THEN I WILL NEXT THE NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH, I'LL DO, UM, THAT, UH, RES PROCLAMATION AND THEN OUR GIFT OF LIFE PROCLAMATION IN THAT ORDER.
THIS, UH, PROCLAMATION IS FOR THE, UH, WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, UM, ASK THOSE, OH, Y'ALL ARE ALREADY HERE.
IF Y'ALL ARE COMING TO THE PODIUM, WE CAN STAND.
AND THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS MIGRATORY BIRDS ARE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND EASILY OBSERVED THAT SHARE OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS MANY CITIZENS RECOGNIZE AND WELCOME MIGRATORY SONGBIRDS AS SYMBOLIC OF SPRING AND FALL, AND WHEREAS MIGRATORY BIRDS AND THEIR HABITANTS ARE DECLINING THROUGHOUT THE AMERICA'S GROWING NUMBER OF THREATS ON THEIR MIGRATION ROUTES AND IN BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC AWARENESS AND CONCERN ARE CRUCIAL COMPONENTS OF MIGRATORY CONSERVATION.
AND WHEREAS CITIZENS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BIRDS, INFORMED ABOUT THE THREATS THEY FACE HELP ADDRESS THOSE THREATS CAN DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO MAINTAINING HEALTHY.
AND WHEREAS IN 1993, WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY, WMBD HAS BECOME A PRIMARY FOCUSING PUBLIC, FOCUSING ON PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THE NEARLY 350 SPECIES THAT TRAVEL BETWEEN NESTING AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND THEIR WINTERING
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GROUNDS IN SOUTH CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN, AND THE SOUTHERN US.AND WHEREAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL OBSERVE WMBD GATHERING IN TOWN COMMUNITY CENTERS, SCHOOLS, PARKS, NATURE CENTERS, AND WILDLIFE REFUGE, UH, REF REFUGES TO LEARN ABOUT ACTION, TO CONSERVE THEM AND SIMPLY TO HAVE FUN.
AND WHEREAS WHILE WMBD OFFICIALLY IS HELD EACH YEAR ON THE SECOND SATURDAY IN MAY, AND ALSO IN THE FALL, ITS OBSERVANCE IS NOT LIMITED TO A SINGLE DAY.
AND PLANNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SCHEDULE ACTIVITIES ON THE DATES BEST SUITED TO THE PRESENCE OF BOTH MIGRANTS AND CELEBRANTS.
AND WHEREAS WMBD IS NOT ONLY A DAY TO FOSTER APPRECIATION FOR WILD BIRDS AND TO CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION, BUT ALSO A CALL TO ACTION NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLOTTE AND MOSES MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 7TH, 2025 AS INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE THIS OBSERVATION AND TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE MIGRATORY BIRDS AND THEIR HABITANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
AND WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HERE TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THE SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2025 CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES.
AND WE'RE GONNA ASK YOUR PROCLAMATION THAT YOU GUYS WILL HAVE SOME WORDS.
THANK YOU MARIN COUNSEL, UM, DE CASTILLO FROM OUR OFFICE IS KIND OF OUR BIRD EXPERT.
SO IF Y'ALL EVER HAVE A BIRDING QUESTION, SHE'S KIND OF IN CHARGE OF OUR WHOLE BIRDING PROGRAM.
BIRDING IS A HUGE TOURISM THING FOR PORT ARTHUR.
UM, OUR OFFICE HAS GEOFENCE TO ALL OF THE BIRDING SITES.
SO IN 2024, WE HAD 13, I'M GONNA GET THE NUMBER RIGHT.
13,345 BIRDERS FROM OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES AT OUR BIRDING SITES, AND FOR AN AVERAGE STAY OF 2.3 DAYS.
SO 26,806 DAYS THEY WERE HERE.
AND A TYPICAL BIRDER SPENDS $238 IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM OUR RESEARCH.
UM, SO BIRDING IS A BIG THING.
IT'S GETTING BIGGER ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
UM, GEORGE AND DARA WERE RESPO, UH, MR. DAVIS AND DARA JUST HAD THE MASTER NATURALIST DO A, UM, A GARDEN AT THE BIRDING SITE ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
SABINE WOODS IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE BIRDING SITES IN THE WORLD BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST STOP ON THE MIGRATION PATHWAY.
AND THEN SEA RIM STATE PARK IS ALSO AN INCREDIBLE BIRD WATCHING SITE AS WELL AS OUR NATIONAL REFUGES.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR TOURISM AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND IN GENERAL, JUST IMPORTANT, UH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND IF Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME SEE DARREN, OUR OFFICE IN THE CIVIC CENTER.
WE HAVE ONE BACK THERE AND BROCHURES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND MAYOR, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND THANKING AND FOR WHAT THEY DO.
COUNCIL MEMBER JUST SAID YES, WE HAVE ONE NIGHT.
WE HAVE ONE NIGHT, LEWIS, WHEN I RETURNED TO COUNCIL IN I THINK 2015, I REPAIRED, I GOT SHANE SYNAGOGUE TO REPAIR FIRST STREET CHICKEN CROSS, REMEMBER? YES.
I SAID, WELL, RARE BIRD SHOWED UP OUT THERE, OUT THERE WITHIN ONE HOUR, OVER 200 SPECTATORS WITHIN ONE HOUR.
IT HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR TOURISM.
THERE IS A THING CALLED EBIRD ALERT AND BIRD WATCHERS TRACK IT ON THEIR PHONES.
SO WHEN A RARE BIRD SHOWS UP, THAT IS NOT TYPICALLY SEEN.
PLEASURE ISLAND HAD WHEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND, UM, 460 SHOWED UP WITHIN THAT 24 HOUR PERIOD TO SEE THE BIRD ON PLEASURE ISLAND.
SO THEY'RE ALL TRACKING THIS ON THEIR PHONES NOW.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO REPAIR THAT, UH, CHICKEN CROSSING ROAD, THAT ROAD BACK THERE.
AND, UH, IT'S A $45 MILLION GRANT.
SO ONCE WE GET THAT ROAD REPAIRED, OH, RECONSTRUCTED.
SO IT'LL QUALIFY IN THE FEMUR.
IT'LL BE, THEY'LL HAVE PLENTY OF ACCESS BACK THERE.
I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING PEOPLE
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INTO THE CITY AND HELPING US TELL OUR STORY IN A POSITIVE WAY.SO I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE, UM, TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND I ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY WE WERE ON A KABODA OUT THERE AND THE POND WAS DRY.
AND SO I ASKED, SO DO WE LITERALLY BRING WATER? AND I HEARD THAT YOU WALKED OUT THERE.
PLEASE BE SAFE,
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE TO HELP US WITH THAT.
THE, THE BOX, THE SHADOW BOXES OUT THERE.
CAN WE GET MOSQUITO JOE OUT THERE TO HELP TOO? BECAUSE IT'S A, A BEAUTIFUL SPOT.
BUT MOSQUITOES WILL BITE YOU IN YOUR EYEBALLS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS, IT IS TOUGH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT, UM, FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
WELL, THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING TOURISM COUNCILMAN KEN LAW.
HEY, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO AGAIN.
UH, I'M A AVID, UH, FISHERMAN AND WHEN I GO OUT THERE AND SOMETIMES I SEE THE GUYS WITH THE BINOCULARS, WITH THE VESTS, WITH THE, WITH THE HAT.
AND IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE BECAUSE WE HAVE A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO ON THE ISLAND TO BRING ATTRACTION.
CONTINUE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I SEE BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS COMING IN THE FUTURE.
WELL, THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH.
I THINK ALL OF OUR CODE, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD IS HERE WITH HER STAFF.
YOU COME FORWARD, MS. DARLENE PIERRE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH OF PROCLAMATION, WHICH STATES, WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PROVIDE FOR SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE ENFORCEMENT OF LOCAL CODES OR ORDINANCES, FACING VARIOUS ISSUES OF BUILDING, ZONING, HOUSING, ANIMAL CONTROL, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND LIFE SAFETY.
AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OFTEN HAVE A CHALLENGING AND DEMANDING ROLE, AND OFTEN DO NOT RECEIVE RECOGNITION FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DO IN PROVIDING LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE ROLE OF MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAS EXPANDED IN RECENT YEARS WITH THE INCREASED NUMBER OF FORECLOSED AND ABANDONED HOMES AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED ECONOMICALLY.
AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE DEDICATED ON HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO SHARE THE GOALS OF PREVENTING NEIGHBORHOOD DETERIORATION, ENHANCING AND ENSURING SAFETY AND PRESERVING PROPERTY VALUES THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND APPLICATION OF HOUSING, ZONING AND NUANCES, CODES, AND ORDINANCES.
AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OFTEN HAVE A HIGHLY VISIBLE ROLE IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND REGULARLY INTERACT WITH A VARIETY OF STATE OFFICIALS, COUNTY OFFICIALS, FIRST RESPONDERS, LEGISLATIVE, UM, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AGENCIES AND BODIES.
AND WHEREAS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE CALLED UPON TO PROVIDE QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE TO THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY SERVE.
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT RECOGNIZES AND HONORS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONALS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OF TO THE COMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING ONGOING TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATED THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AS NATIONAL CODE AND COMPLIANCE MONTH, AND CALLED UP ON MUNICIPALITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE BY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS.
NOW, I, CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 25 AS CODE ENFORCEMENT COMPLIANCE MONTH.
AND I CALL UPON ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATION AND THE SERVICE BY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE AS OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT
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OFFICERS IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HERE TO UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER AND THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2025 CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES.AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD, MS. DARLENE PIERRE, GIVE US SOME WORDS TO HER STAFF AND TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, HAVE MY STAFF TO STAND, PLEASE.
SO WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL AND WE HAVE THE DEMOLITION DIVISION.
AND BETWEEN THESE, UM, EMPLOYEES, WE, UM, PERFORM OVER 50,000 INSPECTIONS PER YEAR.
UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OFTEN, UH, ARE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
WE DEAL WITH ALL KINDS OF, UM, PEOPLE.
SOMETIMES WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST, UM, A CODE ENFORCEMENT JOB IS ALSO A COUNSELING JOB, IS ALSO, UM, A PROBLEM SOLVING JOB.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME ACUMEN TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND SO I'M VERY PROUD OF, UH, THIS CREW AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FINE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND I WANTED TO, UH, ALSO THANK OUR DIRECTOR PAMELA LANGFORD, UM, AS WE OPERATE UNDER HER DIRECTORSHIP.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, WE DID, UH, TWO CLEANUP EFFORTS IN THE PAST, UH, 12 MONTHS.
WE ACTUALLY REMOVED TONS OF ACTUAL TONS OF DEBRIS, UH, FROM TWO AREAS IN THE CITY.
AND SO, UH, SOME OF US VOLUNTEERED OUR TIME FOR THOSE EFFORTS.
AND I JUST WANNA, UM, SAY THAT, UH, WE DON'T ALWAYS, UM, GET THE ACCOLADES, BUT WE'RE OUT THERE WORKING EVERY DAY.
BURNOUT IS A REAL THING IN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND A LOT OF, UM, UH, AREAS.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT THEY ARE, UH, PROBLEM SOLVERS.
AND SO WE WANT TO CLEAN UP THE CITY AND WE WANT, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO PARTNER WITH US TO MAKE PORT ARTHUR THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU, ALL YOUR, YOUR RESPONSE TIME THAT I, WHEN I CALL YOU, GET A GOOD RESPONSE.
UH, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE CITY ATTORNEY AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL CLEARING SOME OF THESE HURDLES THAT WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THE PAST.
SO CONGRATULATIONS WITH RECOGNITION AND YOU ALL, UH, KEEP THE GOOD WORK UP COUNCILWOMAN EVER FEEL.
I AM SO GRATEFUL SHE TAKEN HER PHOTO OUT.
SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT SHE ALWAYS ANSWERS MY PHONE CALLS WHEN CITIZENS CALL US.
SOMETIMES IT'S A POINT I FOUND MYSELF IN A DITCH PULLING SOMETHING OUT OF A, OUT OF A, A CULVERT JUST SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO CALL Y'ALL.
BUT SOMETIMES IT'S MORE THAN A NOTION.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE TIMES THAT JBS ACTUALLY TOOK ME AROUND DRIVING TO TEACH ME WHY THIS IS THE WAY IT IS AND THE HURDLES THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO CROSS TO, UM, TO GET SOME THINGS DONE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU A HUNDRED TIMES.
YOU GUYS ARE THE FIRST, UH, LINE OF ENGAGEMENT TO CAUSING OUR CITY TO BE WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE.
AND SO WHEN WE CALL YOU GUYS ANSWER WHETHER IT IS LOOKING AT DIRT THAT'S BEEN PUT IN THE WRONG PLACE, OR WHETHER IT'S GRASS THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT, OR CHICKENS RUNNING AROUND IT, IT JUST COVERS THE BEVY OF IT.
BUT YOU DO IT, UH, AT, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR OWN RISK AND EVEN RIDICULE.
SO MAN, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO, UH, TO HELP LOW, UH, LIGHTEN THE LOAD, UH, JUST LET US KNOW.
UM, ONE MORE THING, BUT MAY I, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE
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OUR ADMIN STAFF, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SUPPORT STAFF AND THEY SEND OUT, Y'ALL CAN STAND UP ADMIN STAFF, THEY SEND OUT ALL THE NOTICES, THEY TAKE ALL THE ANGRY PHONE CALLS.AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOUR ADMIN STAFF BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE GONNA CLEAN THE CITY UP.
UH, A LOT OF THEIR, YOUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, OFFICERS I CALL, UH, AND THEY'RE THERE.
YOU CAN TELL WITHIN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS THE CLEAN UP EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE GUYS BEEN DOING, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE CARS.
THOSE CARS HAS BEEN PARKED IN MECHANIC SHOPS.
AND I, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU GUYS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS JOBS IS A HARD JOB AND WE ARE HERE AS A COUNSELOR TO SUPPORT YOU, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND ALMOST INSTANTLY WE SHOULD LISTEN TO WHAT YOU GUYS TELL US BECAUSE YOU'RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY SEEING WHAT WE NEED TO CLEAN UP ALONG WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
SO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND FROM ME THAT, UH, JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING.
ONCE AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE OUTSTANDING JOB Y'ALL DO.
WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS, I DIS DISLIKED IT WITH THE CITY.
I COULD DRIVE AROUND, I COULD DRIVE AROUND GILLUM CIRCLE, I COULD SEE COMPLETELY ACROSS, AND I SAID, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
THE REST OF THE CITY GET RID OF THEM UNDER BRUSHES SO PEOPLE CAN FEEL SAFE.
IF YOU HEAR SOME NOISE OUTSIDE, YOU CAN LOOK OUTSIDE AND SEE ALL THE WAY TO THE NEXT BLOCK.
AND YOU ALL, YOU'RE ABOUT 90%.
YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GO, BUT, WELL, WE CAN'T TOUCH EVERYTHING EVERY DAY.
BUT WE DO, DO, WE, UH, DO WHAT OUR BUDGET ALLOWS.
I MEAN, I COULD JUST SEE COMPLETELY ACROSS THE TWO OR THREE BLOCKS, YOU KNOW, NO MORE UNDERBRUSH AND I, I FEEL SAFE, YOU KNOW, JUST DRIVING THROUGH THE AREAS.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, KEEP THE GOOD WORK UP, YOU KNOW, AND THEN DON'T TURN YOUR PHONE OFF.
THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND THE LABOR THAT YOU PUT IN.
WE, WE DO NOTICE IT AND WE SEE, I DIDN'T GET RECOGNIZED BY THE PREMIER PRO, BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK ANYWAY.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND, UM, CONTINUE TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING 'CAUSE YOU'RE DOING A FABULOUS JOB.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO ASK, I GUESS GIFT OF LIFE TO COME UP.
WE ARE GOING TO, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FROM THEM, RECOGNIZING NATIONAL OVARIAN AND BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTHS AND CELEBRATING THE LIFESAVING MISSION OF GIFT OF LIFE IN PORT PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND WE ALL WORE PINK IN ORDER TO SUPPORT, UM, GIFT OF LIFE TODAY AND SUPPORT.
OKAY? WHEREAS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER ARE RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL OVARIAN AND BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTHS, UNITING COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK AND SYMPTOMS OF THESE DISEASES, CHA WHILE CHAMPIONING EDUCATION PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION.
AND WHEREAS BREAST CANCER IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY DIAGNOSED CANCER AMONG AMERICAN WOMEN, ASIDE FROM SKIN CANCERS, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE IN EIGHT WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WILL FACE A DIAGNOSIS DURING HER LIFETIME.
AND WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, THE JULIE ROGERS GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM HAS SERVED SOUTHEAST TEXAS BY PROVIDING THOUSANDS OF FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENINGS, DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAMS, ULTRASOUNDS, AND BIOPSIES, ALONG WITH COMPASSIONATE NAVIGATION INTO TREATMENT FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED WOMEN.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH THESE SERVICES, GIFT OF LIFE HAS HELPED DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCERS IN 25 SOUTHEAST TEXAS WOMEN AND LESS THAN TWO YEARS AND MORE THAN 315 WOMEN SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
AND WHEREAS THE JULIE RICHARDSON PROCTOR OVARIAN CANCER EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM RAISES AWARENESS OF OVARIAN CANCER, OFTEN CALLED A SILENT DISEASE, WHICH TRAGICALLY STANDS AS THE FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER RELATED DEATHS AMONG WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS THE GIFT OF LIFE WILL HOST THE 15TH ANNUAL JULIE RICHARDSON PROCTOR 5K RIBBON RUN MONSTER DASH IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, TO FURTHER AWARENESS OF BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER
[00:25:01]
THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST TEXAS, WHILE ALSO GENERATING SUPPORT FOR PREVENTION AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.AND NOW, THEREFORE, I CHARLOTTE M MOSES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 25TH AT OCTOBER, 2025 AS BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, AS A GIFT OF LIFE BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS DAY IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND I ALSO CALL UPON CITIZENS TO HONOR THESE MONTHS BY CELEBRATING SURVIVORS PRACTICING PROACTIVE HEALTH MEASURES AND JOINING GIFT OF LIFE IN ITS MISSION TO SAVE LIVES IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE, UH, HERETO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2025 CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, WE PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY AND CITY COUNCIL TO THE GIFT OF LIFE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
ON BEHALF OF THE GIFT OF LIFE, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.
WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF SUPPORT LIKE YOURS TO DIAGNOSE OVER 300 WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER DURING THE PER UH, EXTENSION OF OUR PROGRAM.
LAST YEAR ALONE, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE DIAGNOSED 25 WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER.
AND THIS YEAR ALONE, WE HAVE SEVEN WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED.
OUR MESSAGE IS EARLY DETECTION.
OUR HOPE IS THAT EVERYONE HEARS AND UNDERSTANDS.
IF YOU NOTICE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, CHECK IT OUT, GO TO THE DOCTOR.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS AND SURVIVORS WHO HAVE JOINED ME THIS MORNING, WHO MAKE GIFT OF LIFE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND TO EACH OF YOU, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR RIBBON RUN ON OCTOBER THE 25TH.
AS PART OF THAT, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE WELLNESS VILLAGE TO PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION NOT ONLY ABOUT BREAST CANCER, BUT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND TO WOMEN AND TO INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR.
AND THAT'S CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.
PLEASE COME OUT, JOIN US AT OUR EVENT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU CALL AND REGISTER.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THE GIFT OF LIFE CAN DO IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH MD ANDERSON.
IT'S CALLED ACTIVE LIVING AFTER CANCER.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO IS ALLOWING US TO TEACH ONE OF THOSE CLASSES AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR CURRENT AND PAST FACILITATORS WHO HELP US TO CARRY THAT PROGRAM.
I WANNA SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU'RE A SURVIVOR OR IF YOU ARE A CARETAKER OF SURVI, OF A SURVIVOR, CALL US.
THE PROGRAM IS ABSOLUTELY FREE AND IT'S HERE FOR THE CITIZENS, UH, OF, OF ALL OF THE AREAS THAT WE SERVE.
AND IT'S AN MD ANDERSON CURRICULUM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING US AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M GONNA GET A QUICK PHOTO BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE CAN GET A QUICK PHOTO OF SOMEONE.
[IV.(1) Notice Is Hereby Given In Accordance With Chapter 504, Section 504. 153 Of The Texas Local Government Code That The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Will Hold A Public Hearing On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, At 10: 00 A. M. ( CST) In The Port Arthur City Hall Council Chambers, 444 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, To Inform The Municipality' s Residents Of The Cost And Impact Of The Category Of Projects Listed Below: Proposition Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation To Use The Sales And Use Tax Imposed Under Chapter 504 Of The Texas Local Government Code, Including Any Amount Previously Authorized And Collected For The Following Specific Category Of Projects That Qualify Under Chapter 505 Of The Texas Local Government Code And Are Projects Related To: ( 1) Recreational Or Community Facilities; ( 2) Affordable Housing; ( 3) Water Supply Facilities And Water Conservation Programs; ( 4) New Or Expanded Business Enterprises That Create Or Retain Primary Jobs; ( 5) Sports Venue And Related Infrastructure; And ( 6) To Undertake Any Maintenance And Operating Costs Of A Facility When Legally Allowed]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.IT SAYS, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 5 0 4,
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SECTION 5 0 4 0.153 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AT 10:00 AM AND THE PORT ARTHUR CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 4 4 4 FOURTH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO INFORM THE MUNICIPALITY'S RESIDENTS OF THE COAST AND IMPACT OF THE CATEGORY OF THE PROJECT LISTED BELOW THE PROPOSITION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CITY OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO USE THE SALES AND USE TAX IMPOSED UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 4, THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF PROJECTS THAT QUALIFY UNDER CHAPTER 5 0 5 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.AND ARE PROJECTS RELATED TO NUMBER ONE, RECREATIONAL OR COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
NUMBER TWO, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NUMBER THREE, WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. UH, NUMBER FOUR, NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES THAT CREATE OR RETAIN PRIMARY JOBS.
AND NUMBER FIVE, SPORTS VENUE AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND NUMBER SIX, TO UNDERTAKE ANY MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING COSTS OF A FACILITY WHEN LEGALLY ALLOWED AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU HAVE, AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK TO, UM, THE AUDIENCE OR TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, YOU MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME AT THIS, YOU MAY, UM, COUPLE OF MORE TIMES.
ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
OH, MY LIGHT'S NOT WORKING COUNT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS IN REFERENCE TO THIS PROPOSITION.
I STATED IT WHEN WE FIRST DISCUSSED IT BEFORE WE APPROVED IT.
SO ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I ASK THAT THE CITIZENS, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PRIOR TO VOTING, THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AND YOU READ LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 0 4 SECTIONS 2 56, 2 57, 2 60 AND 3 52.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN THAT SECTION OF THAT GOVERNMENT CODE WILL BE THE BALLOT, THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.
IT WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE YOU SHOULD HAVE IN A PROPOSITION, UH, WHEN YOU WANT TO DO TYPE B PROJECTS.
I'VE SERVED BOTH ON COUNCIL AND ALSO ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD.
WHEN WE HAVE DONE TYPE B PROJECTS AS A TYPE A CORPORATIONS, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.
UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISED, UH, ABOUT DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
UH, LIFE QUALITY OF LIFE TYPE PROJECTS, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING STREETS AND PARKS FOR YEARS.
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IT IS THAT, UH, YOU ASK THAT COUNT THAT, UH, VOTERS APPROVE IT.
AND THE KEY TO THAT IS ALWAYS BEEN WHEN THE VOTERS APPROVED USING THAT TAX USE, THEY ALWAYS APPROVED EXACTLY WHAT THEY KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO USE.
AND, UH, YOU'LL FIND OUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT TYPE B CORPORATION SALE AND USE TAX.
AND THERE'S TYPE A, TYPE A CORPORATIONS.
IT'S A SALE TAX THAT THE COUNCIL AND CITIZENS APPROVE TO BE SPENT ON TYPE A.
THAT'S WHY IF YOU'RE GONNA USE TYPE B FUNDS, YOU MUST SET SOME TYPE OF LIMITS THAT LIMIT BEING HOW MUCH OF THESE A SELL TAXES YOU'RE GONNA USE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO, UH, TELL CITIZENS, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PASS THIS.
WHAT I LIKE TO TELL CITIZENS IS READ IT.
WHEN YOU READ IT, IT'S VERY UNDERSTANDABLE AND YOU'LL FIND OUT THAT THERE'S KEY WORDS THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THAT BALLOT.
IF YOU READ THOSE SECTION AND KEEP IN MIND AND LOOK FOR THE WORD LIMITS, LOOK FOR THE KEY WORD LIMITS.
IF YOU READ THAT, IT WILL SAY, YOU MUST CLEARLY DESCRIBE THE LIMITS.
TILL THIS DAY, THIS PROPOSITION DOES NOT HAVE LIMITS.
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AND SINCE WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT AND MANY TIMES BEFORE, I DON'T SEE WHY WE DIDN'T JUST USE AN EXAMPLE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BECAUSE ALL OF THEM IN THE PAST, YOU WILL FIND YOU GONNA FIND LIMITS.THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU HOW MUCH, HOW LONG.
UH, WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT CITIZENS AND TIMING.
I'VE HEARD THAT COME UP IN THE CONVERSATION.
THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH TIMING BECAUSE WE HOLD ELECTIONS IN MAY AND WE DO A BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE AMPLE ENOUGH TIME FOR VOTERS TO VOTE AND APPROVE WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO PUT IT IN YOUR BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
SO TIME HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE DURING ANY TIME WE DID TYPE B TYPE PROJECT.
BUT DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN'T DO B PROJECTS.
NO, YOU CAN DO ALL B PROJECTS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANOTHER PROPOSITION.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED AND TRANSPIRED, UH, WHEN I CAME ON CITY COUNCIL, I WAS LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES, UH, DESOTO, UM, ERLAND, OTHER CITIES THAT ARE AROUND US, OTHER CITIES WITH OUR SAME GRAPHIC, UH, OTHER CITIES WITH OUR SAME DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND I NOTICED THAT THEY, UH, HAD A TOOL, UH, IN THEIR BAG, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE DID NOT HAVE.
AND IT WAS A TYPE BEDC, THE ABILITY TO DO RECREATIONAL PROJECTS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT BRING BUSINESSES LIKE DAVE AND BUSTERS, UM, BUSINESSES LIKE MAIN EVENT, THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BRING THE KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR CITIZENS TO NOT FEEL AS THOUGH THEY HAD TO GO TO HOUSTON WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND TAKE THEIR TAX DOLLARS AWAY BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING TO DO IN OUR CITY.
SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS, AS I'VE TALKED TO THEM, HAVE FELT THAT WAY.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE FOR SO MANY YEARS WE WERE ONLY CATERING TO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE INDUSTRY.
AND WE WEREN'T ALLOWING, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN INCUBATOR FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OR FOR THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES, A JUMP ZONE.
AND I FLY THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES THAT BRING QUALITY OF LIFE TO OUR CITY.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH EDC DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, UH, AND UM, IT WAS NOT FELT AS THOUGH THOSE MONIES NEEDED TO BE SPENT, UH, IN, IN THAT WAY.
EVEN AS CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY WE'RE CLAMORING, WANTING THOSE KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES AND BRING THAT PORT ARTHUR NEEDS A SKATING RINK.
PORT ARTHUR NEEDS THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES TO BRING QUALITY OF LIFE.
MR. DUCES SAYS, UM, THAT, UM, UH, THAT TIMING DOESN'T MATTER.
AND ALL THAT WE ARE DOING IN THIS PROPOSITION IS ASKING, UH, OUR CITIZENS TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO DELAY AND PUT OFF TO THE TIMING WHERE WE'LL HAVE AN ELECTION.
BUT TO SAY TO THEM THAT WE NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BUSINESS AS IT AVAILS ITSELF.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU GOTTA PULL THAT TRIGGER.
YOU GOTTA DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WE WANT TO SEE DONE IN OUR CITY.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT WE ARE ASKING.
WE FOUND THIS HYBRID NOW, UH, A TYPE A AND, UH, A HYBRID B THAT AFFORDS US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE'RE ASKING OUR CITIZENS, UM, IF THEY WILL ALLOW US TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WILL REFURBISH OUR DOWNTOWN AND BRING THOSE KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR CITY.
UM, ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS'S LIGHT IS ON.
SO BEFORE WE CAN, UH, IMPLEMENT ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS UNDER, UNDER THE HYBRID PROGRAM, WE CAN ALSO REQUIRE AT LEAST TWO TO THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THE MONIES.
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LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY ONE MORE THING.COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK COUNTERCURRENT TO ANYTHING THAT ANYONE MIGHT FEEL.
I WANT TO SAY THAT CLEARLY PUBLICLY, THIS IS NOT A BLANK CHECK TO RUN RAMPANT AND DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, UM, COUNCILMAN LEWIS FOR, FOR SAYING WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
UH, THAT INPUT IS STILL GOING TO COME FOR MY CITY.
INDIVIDUALS WILL STILL BE HEARD.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT AS WELL.
AND YEAH, IN, IN ADDITION, UH, NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE WITH THE MAKEUP OF THE EDC BOARD.
NOTHING, NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE.
UH, IT'S GONNA STAY THE SAME, BUT, AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS NEW LAW, THIS IS PASSED IN 2023, I THINK IT WAS, UH, NO COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SERVE IT.
THAT TO ME, IT ALWAYS WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
YOU GO SERVE ON THE EDC BOARD AND, AND THEN YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT YOU GOING TO BE VOTING ON.
THAT'S A, THAT WAS A STRONG CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T GO FOR IT IN THE, IN THE PAST.
BUT TODAY WE GOT A DIFFERENT MAKEUP AND WE CAN MAKE, HAVE THE CITIZEN THOROUGHLY INFORM AS MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE CAN PLACE SOME DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO COME TO CITY HALL.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE THE MEETINGS RIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER FACILITY.
AND, UH, SO THEY CAN AS MANY AS NEEDED.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO RUN OVER FOLKS ANYMORE.
WE ARE GOING TO, UH, MOVE THAT THIS, UM, PUBLIC, UM, UM, HEARING BE CLOSED.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
[IV.(2) A Public Hearing For The Purpose Of Receiving Public Comments And To Consider The Following: PROPOSED CHANGE: A Zoning Map Amendment ( Z25- 04) To Consider A Zone Change From A Planned Development 30 District To Medium Density Residential For Residential Development SITE LOCATION: 3537 39th Street LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lots 15- 20, Block 23, Rosemont Addition, City of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas Citizens With Questions Regarding The Description Of This Property Can Contract The City Planning Department At ( 409) 983- 8133. The Public Will Also Be Able To View The Public Hearing Via The City' s Website At www. portarthurtx. gov]
THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.THAT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED, CHANGE A ZONING MAP, AMENDMENT Z TWO FIVE DASH OH FOUR, TO CONSIDER A ZONE CHANGE FROM A PLAN DEVELOPMENT 30 DISTRICT TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SITE LOCATION 3 5 3 7 30 NINTH STREET.
15 DASH 20 BLOCK, 23 ROSEMONT EDITION, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
CITIZENS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROPERTY, CAN CONTACT THE PLANNING CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 3 3.
AT THIS TIME, OUR, UM, CITY STAFF.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6.03 E OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ZONING ORDINANCE IN CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, ALSO REFERRED TO AS A ZONING CHANGE OR REZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.4814 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF A LOTS 15 DASH THROUGH 20 BLOCKS.
23 ROSEMONT EDITION, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 35 30 SEVENTH, 39TH STREET.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
A COMPLETED APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON OR AROUND MAY 1ST, 2025, REQUESTING A ZONING MAP CHANGE FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROPERTY, THE ZONING CHANGE WILL ALLOW THE PROPOSED USES TO LEGALLY CONFORM ITS SAID LOCATIONS.
PUBLIC NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE PROPOSED SITES ON JULY 16TH, 2025, AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR, THE NEWSPAPER ON JULY 16TH, 2025.
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WAS HELD ON AUGUST 4TH, 2025, INVITING CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF THE REQUEST.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED THREE TO ZERO, RECOMMENDING THAT THE REQUEST BE APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 25 DASH 360 9, CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON TODAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2025, AT 10:00 AM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE PUBLISHED THE PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2025, AND PREPARED IN MAILED NOTIFICATIONS TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS OF THE SUBJECT SITE ON OR AROUND SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
THIS DISTRICT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATION AND PROJECTS.
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IT ALLOWS FOR A, FOR SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OR MODIF MODIFY REGULATIONS TO THE BASE ZONING DISTRICT, PLUS A LIST OF REQUESTED EXEMPTIONS FROM OR MODIFICATIONS TO APPLICABLE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.THE PROPOSED ZONING IS A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE A VARIETY OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON SMALLER LOTS THAN THE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
AND IN A DENSE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, THIS DISTRICT CAN SERVE AS A TRANSITION DISTRICT BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
THE SITE IS ADJACENT TO THE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
THIS IS AN AREA VIEW OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND ALSO WE HAVE THE, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS MAP AS WELL.
SO ALL OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS DID RECEIVE NOTIFICATION.
THIS LAST SHOWS A STREET VIEW, UM, OF THE PROPERTY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED LAND.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ALL SURROUNDED BY MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AS WELL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS TWO 11.006 AND TWO 11.007.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ON AUGUST 4TH, THE PLANNING IS ON THE COMMISSION.
THERE WERE ZERO LETTERS OF WRITTEN OPPOSITION, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITION, AND FIVE LETTERS RETURNED.
AND ON TODAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2025, THERE WAS ZERO WRITTEN OPPOSITION SO FAR, ZERO VERBAL OPPOSITION, AND ONLY TWO LETTERS RETURNED.
THIS SLIDE REFERS TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION TWO 11 DASH OH SIX F OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE STATES THAT A CITY COUNCIL MAY APPROVE OR DENY THE PROPOSED MATTER BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.
IN THE EVENT THAT A PROPOSED CHANGE TO A REGULATION OR BOUNDARY IS DENIED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, THEN THE PROPOSED CHANGE MUST BE APPROVED BY AT LEAST THREE FOURTHS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO VOTE.
THEREFORE, A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNSEL? ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY LIGHTS HERE FROM THE DIOCESE.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TOWARD THIS PUBLIC HEARING? IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TOWARD THIS PUBLIC HEARING LAST TIME? ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TOWARD THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND ZONING CHANGE? IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
I GOT A, UM, UM, WE GOT A FIRM A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO OUR, UM, REGULAR SCHEDULED AGENDA.
ITEM THREE, PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS PRESENTATIONS.
[III.B.(1) A Human Resources Presentation By Dr. Albert Thigpen, Assistant City Manager, Regarding An Update on Job Vacancies, Job Listings On The City' s Web Page And Filling Positions ( Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw)]
WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY HUMAN RESOURCES PRESENTATION BY DR. ALBERT THIGPEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER REGARDING AN UPDATE ON JOB VACANCIES, JOB LISTINGS ON THE CITY'S WEBPAGE, AND FILLING POSITIONS.AGAIN, THIS IS SEQUESTERED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
GOOD MORNING MANAGER, MADAM ATTORNEY, MADAM SECRETARY.
UH, GLAD TO BE BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING.
NOW WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO GEEK OUT WITH DR.
KINLAW AND TALK ABOUT FACTORIAL ANALYSIS AND KAI SQUARE AND SOME OTHER THINGS, THIS PRESENTATION IS QUALITATIVE AND IT ANSWERS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE POSED AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU IN AUGUST.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, JUST A REMINDER OF WHERE WE CAME FROM, THAT WE ARE A CHARTER CREATED DEPARTMENT.
BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
ONE, WE ARE STILL FACING A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE JOB MARKET AS IT RELATES TO SEVERAL OTHER POSITIONS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FILL THAT QUALITY OF LIFE CHOICES, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, DO IMPACT DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO WORK.
WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT CLIMATE,
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LIFESTYLE, OR LOCATION.AND THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, AS ANY OTHER EMPLOYER, ALWAYS SEEKS THE MOST QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FOR THE POSITIONS WE ARE TRYING TO FILL.
SO, WHAT'S CHANGED? WELL, HR STAFFING LEVELS ARE NOW NEAR FULL.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN FOLLOWING AN EXHAUSTIVE STUDY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE AROUND 1985, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS ADOPTED ITS FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, WHICH ADDED 34.3 POSITIONS TO OUR WORKFORCE.
AND THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT HAS ALIGNED CLASSIFICATION, SALARIES AND UTILITY OPERATIONS PRIOR TO THAT STUDY TO MAKE, UH, RECRUITMENT IN UTILITY OPERATIONS MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND MAKE US MORE COMPETITIVE.
THE CITY HAS GONE OUT AND WE HAVE FIELD KEY ROLES.
WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND CITY ENGINEER, AND WE HAVE A UTILITY OPERATIONS ASSISTANT MANAGER, ALL OF WHICH ARE KEY ROLES WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
THE CITY HAS A BUDGETED WORKFORCE OF 855 POSITIONS, WHICH INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF 34.3 THAT WERE ADDED.
AS I SAID EARLIER, FOR A NET GAIN OF 29, THERE'S A NET GAIN BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT LOST POSITIONS SUCH AS HEALTH, EDC.
SO THE NET GAIN WAS 29 POSITIONS.
SO ACCORDINGLY, THE CITY HAS AN 121 UNFILLED BUDGETED POSITIONS OF THAT 1 21.
WE KNOW THAT SOME ARE AWAITING REQUISITIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS TO INITIATE THE PROCESS.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
WE HAVE SOME WHERE WE ARE IN PRE-EMPLOYMENT.
AND WE JUST MAKE A NOTE THAT SOME OF THESE POSITIONS ARE CIVIL SERVICE, WHICH WHILE IT DOES INVOLVE RECRUITMENT, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS WHICH APPLY TO OUR CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS.
SO WHEN WE PRESENTED IN AUGUST, WE TOLD YOU THERE WAS SOME APPROVED ACTION WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL HAD EMPOWERED US TO DO, AND THAT THESE THINGS WERE IN PLACE.
SO WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
WE WERE WORKING TO FIELD DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES VACANCIES.
WE NOW ONLY HAVE ONE VACANCY IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE NEAR FULL STAFFING LEVELS.
WE, UH, HAD A CLEAR FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING A WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WE ARE NOW ON THE WAY TO IMPLEMENTATION WITH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN TAKING PLACE ON JANUARY 1ST, WE TALKED ABOUT ARRANGING TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF ON MUNIS AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH MUNIS OPERATIONS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE DOING TRAINING WITHIN THE MODULE WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE WORKED EFFECTIVELY WITH SOME OF THE RECRUITING FIRMS IN ORDER TO FILL SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR TEXAS WORKFORCE CENTER AND TO WORK WITH, UH, LAMAR STATE COLLEGE PORT AUTHOR TO FIGURE OUT WAYS AND PATHWAYS TO GET POSITIONS FILLED.
AND WE ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR, UH, SOME OF OUR SUPERVISORS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO HAVE GOOD LEADERSHIP NOW AND GOOD LEADERSHIP IN THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IN WHICH WE WERE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF WAS WORKING THROUGH THE JOB FAIR METHOD.
NOW HERE I'VE LISTED SOME OF THE JOB FAIRS AND RELATED ITEMS THAT WE PLAN TO ATTEND, BUT WE ALSO ARE STILL PLANNING TO HOST OUR OWN JOB FAIR, WHERE WE WILL HIGHLIGHT POSITIONS FROM THE CITY.
BUT WE ARE PLANNING TO BE AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH IS TONIGHT OCTOBER 7TH.
WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ANNUAL FALL JOB FAIR, WHICH TAKES PLACE ON OCTOBER 15TH.
WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE HIRING RED, WHITE AND U JOB FAIR, WHICH IS A JOB FAIR, WHICH FOCUSES ON OUR VETERANS ON NOVEMBER 6TH.
AS I SAID, WE'RE CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE FOR ENHANCED RECRUITMENT AND WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH LAMAR UNIVERSITY AND LAMAR PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY'S WEBSITE, DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER, AND OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFER TO EXTEND OUR REACH, THE MODES AND THE IMPACT OF OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
WE'RE WORKING MORE IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA DOMAINS, ET CETERA, IN ORDER TO ENSURE
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THAT OUR REACH IS AS FAR AS IT CAN GO.AS FAR AS UPDATING THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WE'VE REORGANIZED OUR VACANCY LISTING FOR BETTER FLOW AND BETTER APPEAL AS ORGANIZED UNDER THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ARE LISTING BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL JOBS, AS THE COUNSELOR HAS REQUESTED.
WE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT ALTHOUGH THESE JOBS ARE LISTED, THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS TO FILL 'EM, BUT WE HAVE 'EM ALL OUT THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
NOW, THIS IS KIND OF A, A SCREEN GRAB OF SHOWING WHAT THE JOBS LOOK LIKE ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT WE ARE WORKING EVEN TO MAKE THAT BETTER.
OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER AND DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER ARE WORKING TO MAKE THE WEBSITE ITSELF MORE APPEALING AND TO HELP ATTRACT PEOPLE TO IT.
AS I SAID, WE ARE TRAINING THE HR STAFF RELATIVE TO THE NEW WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN.
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULED IN MUNI BECAUSE LITERALLY WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS THAT THE NEARLY 500 EMPLOYEES WHO ARE COVERED BY THE WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN HAVE TO BE MOVED FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THEY WILL BE IN THE NEW PLAN.
ALONG WITH NEW TITLING CONVENTIONS, WE ARE DOING INTERNAL TRAINING USING TILE IMMUNE MODULE.
UH, MS. WILLIAMS IS HELPING OUT BY HELPING US UNDERSTAND HOW THE MUNIS MODULE WORKS AND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.
UH, WE HAVE A PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND WE'LL BE ROLLING THAT OUT VERY SHORTLY.
BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
AND AFTER WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO RECRUIT FOR THE 19 NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE INTRODUCED IN SOLID WASTE, WE ARE USING A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDIA.
AND WHAT YOU SEE LISTED THERE IS HOW THOSE POSITIONS ARE SHOWN ON THE TML WEBSITE.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? WE ARE GOING TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE NEW WAGE AND COMPENSATION PLAN, WHICH HAS VERY DIFFERENT MARKS AS WAS EXPLAINED DURING THE PRESENTATION BY MR. WILLIAMSON.
BUT IT DOES INCLUDE ANNUAL STEP MOVEMENT, WHICH MEANS EMPLOYEES WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT THE STANDARD THREE YEARS TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT DOES INCLUDE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES, UH, FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES STEP MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THEM BEING BROUGHT INTO THE PLAN.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE A MULTI-FRONT RECRUITMENT EFFORT FOR ALL CITY VACANCIES.
THAT MEANS USING RECRUITMENT FIRMS, USING SOCIAL MEDIA, USING LINKEDIN AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE OPPOSITIONS ARE VISIBLE AND THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE ARE SEEKING THESE POSITIONS.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE A STRATEGIC AND FOCUSED RECRUITMENT FOR THE NEW SOLID WASTE POSITIONS.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE AS MANY OF THOSE POSITIONS FILLED AND HOPEFULLY TO ALIGN WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE EQUIPMENT IN DECEMBER.
WE WILL BE PROVIDING ONGOING UPDATES TO THE CITY MANAGER ON OUR PROGRESS SO THE CITY MANAGER CAN KEEP THE COUNCIL ABREAST OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT COUNCILMAN MCKENZIE.
I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE WE CAN'T GET TO FACTORIAL ANALYSIS AND ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS TODAY, BUT WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO GEEK OUT ON DATA ANALYTICS LATER.
UH, DOC, MAN, YOU, YOU HIT ON EVERY CYLINDER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MAYOR.
IT'S JUST NOT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA BUDGET AND WE'RE THE COUNCIL AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUDGET, UH, WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE POSITIONS AND, AND VACANCIES OPEN THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR.
LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE 121 BUDGETED POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AT THIS TIME WITH THE WORKFORCE, ABOUT 855.
THAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT WE NEED.
AND, YOU KNOW, ANALYTICS AND HOW WE COMPUTE OUR NUMBERS.
SO YOU HIT ON ABOUT THREE OR FOUR CRITICAL POINTS FOR ME, UH, THE CITY WEBSITE, UPDATING EXTERNAL INTERNAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ALLOCATING THOSE, ENSURING THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED CAN HAVE THE CHANCE TO APPLY FOR THOSE JOBS.
NOW, THE ONE KEY COMPONENT, AND I'M GONNA TALK WITH YOU, UH, DIRECTOR AND MISS, UH, DIRECTOR, I MEAN, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MS. UH, WILLIAMS, ABOUT IS THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT ZONE.
ONCE THEY GET THERE, THAT'S WHERE I THINK THAT WE ARE HAVING THE PROBLEMS AT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EITHER TRANSFERS COMING FROM ONE DEPARTMENT FROM ANOTHER, UH, THIS PERSON IS, UH, WAITING ON SOME TYPE OF URINALYSIS OR SOME TYPE OF INTERVIEW TO BE CONDUCTED, CONDUCTED OR GETTING THE PAPERWORK BACK TO HR DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE CRUCIAL PART
[01:00:01]
FOR ME, UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROCESS OF HOW WE EMPLOY, UH, UH, CITIZENS OR, OR POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.SO I, I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT ASPECT BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT I'M HEARING, WHAT MY COHORT IS HEARING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, ONCE SOMEONE APPLIED FOR A JOB, IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE WAITING WEEKS TO GET SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION TO SAY, EITHER I'M GONNA HIRE YOU, I'M NOT GONNA HIRE YOU.
YOU'RE IN THIS PROCESS, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO GO TAKE THIS NEXT WEEK.
OR IT'S NOT A NEXT WEEK THING FOR THEM.
SO GUESS WHAT? THEY, THEY'RE TIRED OF WAITING UNTIL THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND WE LOSE A POTENTIAL APPLICANT BASED UPON BEING IN THIS PRE-EMPLOYMENT ZONE.
I, I'D CALL IT PRE-EMPLOYMENT ZONE AREA.
BUT I HOPE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE THAT, THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT, WE WANT TO ENSURE KEEPING SOME TYPE OF DATA BANK ON POTENTIAL, UH, APPLICANTS SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THEM IF THE JOB COMES UP IN THE FUTURE, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO WITH THE WHOLE GAMUT AGAIN AND TRY TO HIRE THAT PERSON, KEEP SOME TYPE OF BANK ON DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, JOBS, INTERESTS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I, THE LAST YEAR, I'VE SENT 16 POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.
BUT THIS YOUR GUYS, THE MANAGER'S JOB TO DECIDE ON WHO THEY WANT TO HIRE.
DEGREES ALL THE WAY FROM DEGREES, MASTER'S DEGREES, ALL THE WAY DOWN.
AND THE THING THAT, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION ON WHY THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE GONNA BE CONSIDERED, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE NEXT STEP.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROCESS, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND HIRE QUALIFIED PEOPLE, LIKE YOU SAID, THREE TIMES UP AT THAT PODIUM.
HOW HIRE QUALIFIED PEOPLE FOR THE JOB THAT WE NEED IN THE CITY OF PUERTO ARTHUR.
AND I THINK THIS PRESENTATION, YOU ON POINT WITH IT, YOU'RE TRACKING WHAT I'M WANT TO DO AND, AND I'M GONNA BE TRACKING IT.
LIKE I TOLD YOU, I'M ON THE WEB, THE WEBSITE, I JUST GOT OFF THE WEBSITE TO SEE HOW MANY VACANCIES WERE ON THERE.
HOWEVER, I NEED A GOOD FAITH EFFORT FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE MANAGER TO SHOW THAT INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL, IT'D BE ON THE WEBSITE BECAUSE IT'S STILL A JOB THAT'S VACANT UNTIL IT'S FILLED AND IT'S FILLED UNTIL SOME PERSON ACCEPT A RANGE AND STEP INCREASE AND THEY SIGN OFF.
YOU, YOU GOT WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT.
AND WE TALKED, WE BRIEFLY TALKED AT WALGREEN.
WE KIND OF CHEATED GUYS AND HE KINDA UNDERSTAND WHERE I WANT TO GO WITH IT.
AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU HITTING THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME, DOC, AND WE'LL WORK TOGETHER AND GETTING THIS TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE BUDGET FOR POSITION.
WHY ARE WE BUDGETING FOR POSITIONS THAT WE CAN'T FILL? THAT'S, THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE TURNING THIS SHIP AROUND FOR A WAY THAT WE CAN HIRE QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO FILL THESE VACANCIES AND POSITIONS.
AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL MEMBER AFIELD.
MORNING FOR, UM, THE P FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND THANK YOU FOR HEARING US.
AND SO I HAVE NOTICED, AND I HAVE RECOGNIZED THE EMAILS THAT MS. WILLIAMS HAS SENT TO US TO SAY THIS IS THE UPDATE FOR THE WEBSITE, BUT I, I AM CONFUSED AS TO IF WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED JOBS OSI, UM, OPEN, WHAT IS, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THEM LISTED ALL ON THE WEBSITE? WELL, WE'RE WORKING TO GET THEM ALL ON THE WEBSITE.
AND OF COURSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WEBSITE, IF THERE ARE MULTIPLES OF THE SAME TYPE, YOU'LL SEE, SEE NUMBERS OUT TO THE SIDE.
SO, UH, WE, WE ARE GETTING THEM ALL THERE.
UH, UH, IT JUST, WE'RE WORKING.
SO IT'S, SO I, I WANNA BE CLEAR.
'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME WHEN I'LL SAY, HEY, WE'RE HIRING.
AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL, I DON'T SEE, YOU SAID LIKE HUNDREDS OF JOBS AVAILABLE, BUT I DON'T SEE THEM.
SO AS MY RESPONSE IS A FAIR RESPONSE, UM, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, TYPING THEM, CONFIRMING THEM, AND THEN THEY'LL BE UPLOADED.
WELL, THE, THE ACTUAL THING IS JUST THE LISTING OF THE JOBS.
FOR MOST OF THE JOBS THAT WE HAVE OPEN.
WE HAVE A JOB DESCRIPTION THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WE ADDED SOME IN THAT, UH, NET, THAT 34.3 THAT WERE LITERALLY NEW POSITIONS THAT WE HAD NEVER HAD BEFORE, SUCH AS INTELLIGENCE SPECIALISTS, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
OKAY? SO WE HAVE JOBS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND ONCE THOSE ARE APPROVED, THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE.
BUT ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THE ACTUAL RECRUITMENT.
BUT FOR MOST OF THE JOBS WE HAVE, WE HAVE A JOB DEV JOB DESCRIPTION, AND THEY ARE THERE READY TO BE FILLED.
BUT I DON'T SEE THOSE, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I I SEE APPROXIMATELY 30, BUT WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED.
SO EVEN IF THERE COULD BE 10 OF THE SAME JOB AVAILABLE, I SEE ONE OF THEM THAT SAYS LIKE, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR FOR TRASH, THERE'S NINE AVAILABLE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THAT'S WHAT THE, THE, THE NUMBER IN PARENTHESES MEANS.
FOR THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, AND THEN THERE'S ABOUT 21 ON THE TML WEBSITE.
SO WE, WE HAVE SUCH DISCREPANCIES OF WHERE THEY'RE
[01:05:01]
LISTED AND SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR SOME CONSISTENCY ON WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AVAILABLE.THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IT ON OUR WEBSITE ON TML, ON, UM, EVEN IF WE HAD A BUS WRAPPED TO SAY WE ARE HIRING THAT.
IT'S, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED INTO SOME OF THE, THE ADVERTISING.
WE ARE ALSO, UH, HAVE MADE SOME REQUESTS FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT ABOUT SOME TECHNIQUES THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE AND WE GET THOSE APPROVED.
THE TML WEBSITE, WE FOCUSED JUST ON SOLID WASTE AT THAT POINT.
WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE GOT THAT OUT THERE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
THAT'S WHY YOU ONLY SEE THOSE 19 POSITIONS AND THE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TRY AND RECRUIT FOR THOSE.
SO LATER, CAN YOU ANSWERED THE WHY 'CAUSE IT'S STILL NOT MAKING SENSE AS TO, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION DOC AS ALWAYS.
I THINK YOU'VE ADDRESSED THE ISSUES.
I'VE HEARD COMMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ONE, UH, ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS WAS THAT, UH, YOU ALL BE WAITING FOR DEPARTMENTS TO GIVE Y'ALL THE INFORMATION THAT Y'ALL NEED FROM THEM.
MR. DELAY IN THE, UH, PROCESS OF HIRING HR SHOULD BE THE ENGINE FOR HIRING IN THIS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THEY HAVE THE VACANCIES, IT'S HR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET PEOPLE HIRED TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
SO IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH A DEPARTMENT, GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT IS NECESSARY TO HR FOR THEM TO EXECUTE THAT OR DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, THAT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REFERRED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THE CITY MANAGER NEEDS TO TALK WITH HIS DIRECTOR.
BUT THE JOB TO GET THAT POSITION FILLED SHOULD BE HRRS.
THAT'S WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS HERE FOR.
IT'S THEIR JOB, YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU ALL NEED TO OVERSEE THIS INTERVIEWING PROCESS, OKAY? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO HIRE PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO CALL US.
WE DON'T LET PEOPLE HIRE WHO THEY WANT.
SOMETIME YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT MAKE DECISION FEEL FIELD, WELL I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THIS PERSON SAID THIS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO.
WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT WHAT ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THESE JOBS.
THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, LET'S GET 'EM WORKING.
IF THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS ARE DRAGGING THEY FEET WITH GIVING YOU THE NECESSARY INFORMATION BACK FOR YOU TO KEEP THE PROCESS GOING, YOU NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE CITY MANAGER IMMEDIATELY.
CITY MANAGER NEED TO GET INVOLVED AND WE NEED TO GET THE WORK GOING.
BUT NOBODY'S GONNA SIT AROUND IF THEY DON'T LEISURE ANYMORE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT, TEXAS WORKFORCE, OKAY, CAN YOU ENTER TEXAS WORKFORCE DATABASE? CAN THE HR DEPARTMENT ENTER INTO THEIR DATABASE? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE CANNOT.
WE CAN REQUEST THEM TO SEGMENT THEIR, WORK, THEIR DATABASE FOR US AND GIVE US CERTAIN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, BUT WE CAN'T DIRECTLY ENTER THEIR DATABASE AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, BECAUSE IF THE EDC COULD HAVE COORDINATED WITH TEXAS WORKFORCE, THAT THEY COULD ENTER INTO THEIR DATABASE AND LOOK AT SPECIFIC JOBS.
IF TEXAS WORKFORCE GAVE EDC THAT TYPE AUTHOR AUTHORITY, I'M QUITE SURE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, THEY MORE, THEY BE MORE OUR SECURITY AND EVERYTHING IS, IS ON THAT LEVEL.
AND IT'S ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP.
BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE PEOPLE APPLYING FOR JOBS THROUGH TEXAS WORKFORCE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO FILL POSITIONED FOR.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT.
WE'LL GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE EDC HAS ACCESS AND IF VDC CAN HAVE ACCESS, I'M QUITE SURE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS.
THAT'S THE ONE OF, THAT'S THE ENTITY WITHIN OUR CITY.
THOSE AREN'T TWO QUESTIONS I HAD.
[01:10:01]
OKAY.THE, THE, UH, WAGE INCREASE FOR, FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEE.
HIGH THEM UP AGAINST THE COST OF LIVING.
THAT IS THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR, UH, EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR.
SO THEY'RE GETTING A, THEY'RE GETTING A COLA THAT'S, YES.
UH, ARE WE, FOR THE, FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES, THE CONTINUOUS EDUCATION, ARE WE STILL THAT'S STILL IN LINE.
WE STILL PAYING FOR THAT? YES, WE ARE.
REGARDLESS IF IT'S IN RELATED TO THEIR JOB OR NOT, IF THAT, NO, WE STILL REQUIRE THERE BE SOME RELATION TO THE JOB THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
OR PROOF THAT IT IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE CI CITIZEN SUPPORT AUTHOR IN ORDER FOR THE CITY TO PAY FOR IT.
WE DO REQUIRE THAT THE EMPLOYEES SHOW EITHER HOW THE PARTICULAR COURSE THEY'RE GONNA TAKE IS GONNA BENEFIT THEM IN THE JOB THEY HAVE OR HOW THAT PARTICULAR TRAINING IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR.
WELL, I'VE ALWAYS USED AN EXAMPLE.
THAT YOUNG LADY, SHE'S IN FINANCE DEPARTMENT NOW.
SHE STARTED OUT IN METER READING CITY, PAID FOR FOR THAT AND PAID FOR A MASTER'S.
I THINK SHE WORKING ON A PHD NOW.
HOW IS THAT RELATED FOR METER READING TO WHERE SHE'S AT NOW? I DON'T LIKE THOSE IMPEDANCE.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE, IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR, IMPROVE YOURSELF, REGARDLESS IF IT'S RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR NOT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN INCENTIVE, UH, FOR CITIZENS TO COME TO COME AND WORK FOR THE CITY.
NOW, IF THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT CREATES A VACANCY FOR, WE ARE IMPROVING OUR CITIZENS BASELINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE.
AND IF THEY MOVE ON, NO PROBLEM.
AND ANOTHER THING, ARE WE STILL UP TO DATE? ARE WE STILL TAKING THE EXIT POLL AS TO WHY WE ARE LEAVING AND HOW IN THE PAST YEAR, HOW MANY, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WE LOST? I, I'D HAVE TO GET A NUMBER FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN.
BUT YES, WE DO HAVE THE PROCESS OF DOING EXIT POLLS.
BUT, BUT THE, THE RIGHT, YOU'RE DOING THE EXIT POLLS.
HEY AL, UH, THIS VACANCY THAT YOU HAVE IN RED HERE IS THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE PROPOSED.
THAT'S YOUR, UH, VACANCY POOL IN RED RIGHT HERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER PUTTING ON THE WEBSITE? JUST LIKE THIS? THE, THAT, JUST FROM THE WEBSITE.
OH, JUST LIKE THIS SCREENSHOT? YEAH.
SO WHEN YOU SEE, WHEN YOU SEE CITY SECRETARY THAT ACTUALLY SAY YOU HAVE A VACANCY OR NOTHING UNDER THERE, MEANING NO VACANCY, YOU JUST GOT THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAIN NO, THAT THE CITY, CITY SECRETARY IS THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE VACANCY IS THE ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY.
AND THEN, UH, NEXT, IF WE DON'T FILL, IF WE DON'T FILL A VACANCY THROUGHOUT A BUDGET YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY THAT'S IN THAT DEPARTMENT FOR THAT JOB VACANCY.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU DO? CAN YOU MOVE THAT? CAN YOU USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE? AND MAYBE THAT'S A, A LEAN QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE WHAT, 18 MORE POSITIONS? 19 MORE POSITIONS THAT WE ARE, UH, RECRUITING IN SOLID WASTE.
SO IF WE DO NOT IN A BUDGET YEAR, HIRE WHATEVER AMOUNT, 20 PEOPLE OR FIVE PEOPLE IN ONE DEPARTMENT, WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THAT MONEY IN THAT DEPARTMENT? WHAT, CAN YOU UTILIZE IT? DOES IT GO BACK TO GENERAL FUND OR DOES IT JUST, IT'S SOMETHING THAT RE THE, THE COUNSELOR HAD TO, HAS TO VOTE AGAIN OR, YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO, I NEED TO GIVE CLARIFICATION.
I GIVE YOU A TWO PART ANSWER, BUT I'LL DEFER TO, I'LL DIRECT THE FINANCE, BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AT THE END OF THE BUDGET YEAR, ALL MONIES THAT ARE NOT SPENT GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WHEN THE COUNCIL IMPLEMENTS A NEW BUDGET, THE MONEY IS REAPPROPRIATED TO THE VARIOUS USES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED.
SO HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT MONEY? SO IF YOU GOT 3 MILLION GOING BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, WHEN DO YOU REPORT THAT TO COUNCIL? BASED UPON VACANCIES ONLY.
HOW DID, HOW IS THAT REPORTED? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S ACTUALLY SEGMENTED.
NO DIFFERENT THAN, SAY THE MONEY YOU HAVE IN ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, CATEGORIES, OFFICE SUPPLIES, ET CETERA.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL THE MONEY GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL REAPPROPRIATE IT, REAPPROPRIATE IT FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
AND YOU, AND YOU MAKE MY POINT, LIKE OFFICE SUPPLIES OR WHATEVER, UNIFORMS, UH, VACANCIES.
WHO ACCOUNTS FOR THAT MONEY OR HOW DO YOU REPORT THAT FINDING BACK TO COUNCIL? SO WE CAN SAY, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T SPEND IT THIS YEAR.
SO HOW IS THAT REPORTED? CAN SOMEONE, I THINK LYNN CAN COME UP AND KIND OF GIVE US A, AND, AND, AND YOU CAN JUST SPEAK ON VACANCY.
[01:15:01]
LYNN.I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO HAVE AN IDEA.
IF WE DON'T UTILIZE ALL THE FUNDING ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, ITEMIZED ITEM, BUT I'M JUST SPEAKING ON VACANCIES.
SO IF WE HAVE SO MANY VACANCIES THIS YEAR OR THIS PAST BUDGET YEAR, WE HAD 42 I THINK WHEN WE ENDED UP, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY AND HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR REPORTING BACK TO THE COUNCIL THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THE QUESTION, WHEN IT COMES TO VACANCIES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE'S A COUPLE OF MECHANISMS THAT WE USE.
AND THAT IS, IF WE NEED TO HAVE TEMPORARY PEOPLE AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING, OR WE DON'T HAVE A TEMPORARY LINE ITEM FOR TEMPORARY AGENCIES THAT WE MAY WANT TO USE TO FILL THOSE, UNTIL WE CAN GET THOSE FILLED, WE CAN MAKE THOSE LINE TRANSFERS.
THE WAY THAT IT'S REPORTED BACK TO YOU IS THROUGH OUR AUDITS WHEN WE HAVE ACTUALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY FINALIZED AND FINISHED.
AND ALSO, THE OTHER WAY THAT IT'S ALSO REPORTED TO YOU IS IN YOUR NEXT NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, YOU WILL HAVE THE ACTUALS FOR 2025 THAT YOU CAN SEE.
AND YOU CAN BUMP THAT AGAINST ANY OF THE BUDGETS THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
IT IS TRUE THAT IT ALL GOES BACK.
AT THE SAME TOKEN, IN THAT REPORTING, IN THE AUDIT REPORTING, IT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE MAY THINK ABOUT IT, THIS IS A DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, I DON'T KNOW, DID I RECEIVE ALL OF THE REVENUE THAT I HAD PROJECTED, OR WAS I LESS THAN THAT WHEN I COME BACK TO YOU OR WHEN THE CITY MANAGER COMES BACK TO YOU FOR THE BUDGET, I COME BACK WITH YOU.
ALRIGHT, HERE'S YOUR FUND BALANCE.
HERE'S MY LIMITATION, AND HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE NEXT APPROPRIATION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YOU KIND OF HALFWAY DID LYNN HALFWAY.
I JUST WANT TO BE ASSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TEMPS OR HIRING ANYONE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT IF WE DON'T HIRE ANYONE FOR THAT BUDGET YEAR, THAT BUDGET YEAR NOT PUTTING OR SPENDING ANYTHING, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY? DOES IT BE REPORTED BY DEPARTMENT TO YOU AND THE MANAGER REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL? OR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUALS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, OF THE BUDGET YEAR THAT'S BEING REPORTED.
AND SEE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IT'S DILUTED TO ME WHEN I PLAY WITH NUMBERS.
YOU DIDN'T HIRE SOMEBODY FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
11 MONTHS, 10 MONTHS, 12 MONTHS.
OKAY, WHAT HAPPENED? THAT'S FIVE POSITIONS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY? IT GOES BACK TO THE GF.
THEN IT GOES BACK TO THE GF HIRES.
IT REPORTED TO THE COUNCIL THAT BY DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY VACANCIES, WE'RE NOT HIRING THE PEOPLE.
SO YES, I WANNA KNOW, BECAUSE WE BUDGET FOR SALARIES, BENEFITS, ALL THOSE UNIFORMS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT COMES WITH THE JOB, THEY'RE CATEGORIZED IN ONE WAY, JUST IN THE AUDIT.
HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID, YOU BRING UP A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO YOU.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BRING BACK UP AGAIN.
NOW THAT I'M ALL CAUGHT UP, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU.
I DON'T BREAK IT DOWN BY NECESSARILY THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
I BREAK IT DOWN BY THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF.
SO YOU CAN SEE THIS IS WHERE THE BUDGET IS.
THIS IS WHERE THEIR ACTUAL IS.
THIS IS THE PERCENTAGE THAT IS SPENT AND HERE'S THE RECOMMENDATION WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY MECHANISM.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC, I'M VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THEY CAN, HE CAN GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
I HAVE NO PROBLEMS OR ISSUES BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU IN, IN AT ANY TIME.
SALARIES ARE SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO REPORT TO YOU.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ACTUAL, SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES IF WE'RE BEHIND, IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING, BUT THE SALARIES AND THE BENEFITS, THAT PORTION RIGHT THERE ARE USUALLY SPOT ON AND ACCURATE BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALWAYS RECORDED ACCURATELY.
THIGPEN, UH, TEMPORARY INDIVIDUALS TEMPS WHO ARE WORKING FOR THE CITY.
UH, ONE TIME THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS TRANSITIONING TO PERMANENT JOBS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD TO BE RECOMMENDED AND ALL THAT.
HAS THAT BEEN ADDRESSED? UH, YES SIR.
IT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE SENSE THAT ONE, OF COURSE, ANY OPEN VACANCY THAT IS FULLY EXTERNAL, UH, TEMPORARY CAN BE IT.
IF YOU'RE, UH, SPEAKING OF, UM, AGENCY, TEMPORARY, UH, THEY, UH, ANY OPEN VACANCY, OF COURSE IF IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, EVERYBODY CAN APPLY FOR THAT VACANCY.
HOWEVER, WHAT THE COUNCIL ENACTED A FEW MEETINGS AGO WAS THE ABILITY FOR, UH, TEMPORARIES WHO WORKED FOR AN AGENCY WHO'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO BID AND BE CONSIDERED PART OF THAT INTERNAL PROCESS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE INVESTMENT AND TRAINING THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND HAVE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, WE FOUND A WAY TO, UM, WORK ALONGSIDE, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE TEMP AGENCIES THAT WE USE HAS BEEN IN HOUSTON.
[01:20:01]
UH, FOUND A WAY TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL TEMP AGENCIES HERE, UH, IN PORT ARTHUR OR IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS WELL? WE, WE DO HAVE ONE OTHER AGENCY THAT'S LOCATED, I BELIEVE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.I'D HAVE TO GET THE NAME FROM, UH, MS. WILLIAMS. HOWEVER, UH, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A CONTRACT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT USING AGENCY FOR WHICH THE CITY HAS NOT YET CONTRACTED.
NOW WE DO OPEN THE RFP PROCESS TO ALL THE AGENCIES AND ASK THEM TO BE IT ACCORDINGLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES, BILL DON.
DO, UH, DO WE HAVE INSTRUMENT TECHS OR ANALYZE THE TECHNICIANS ON STAFF OR, OR WE CONTRACT LIKE THE WATER TREATING PLANT, THOSE PROCESSES THERE, THOSE FLOWS.
UH, YOU KNOW, ANALYZERS KEEP AN EYE ON STUFF.
ARE WE OUTSOURCING THAT OR DO WE HAVE, UH, INSTRUMENT TECHS ON STAFF? OR DO WE HAVE ANALYZE TECHNICIANS IN, IN HOUSE? I'M NOT SURE WHETHER ANALYZING TECHNICIAN PUT ANOTHER IN SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THAT POSITION.
NOW, I DO KNOW, THEN I'LL DEFER TO, UH, MR. MATTHEWS.
BUT AT THE TREATMENT PLANT, THE TREATMENT PLANT OPERATORS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANT OPERATIONS AND FOR HANDLING THE EQUIPMENT THAT, UH, DOES THE PROCESSING OF BOTH WASTEWATER AND WATER TREATMENT.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, DO YOU HAVE INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN ON, ON STAFFORD? YOU, YOU OUTSOURCING THAT OR YOU JUST PULLING 'EM AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE? WHO CALIBRATE THIS THOUGH? THE INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN, I, I KNOW FROM YOUR REFINERY IS A VERY SPECIFIC CATEGORY, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT CLASSIFICATION.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN ON STAFF NAR AN ELECTRICIAN GROUP ON OUR STAFF.
WE TYPICALLY USE, UH, ELECTRICAL SPECIALTIES OR OTHER FOR INSTRUMENTATION AT THE WATER PLANT.
WE HAVE VERY MINIMAL INSTRUMENTATION IN THE WASTEWATER PLANTS.
NOW WITH THE NEW WASTEWATER PLANT COMING ONLINE, IT WILL BE HIGHLY INSTRUMENTED.
WE WILL EITHER HAVE TO CONTRACT THIS OUT OR IF, IF WE FIND THE NEED JUSTIFIES IT, WE CAN BRING IN THE THAT LEVEL.
BUT MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, IT'S A VERY HIGH PAID POSITION.
AND IN MOST WASTEWATER OPERATIONS AND WATER OPERATIONS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WE OUTSOURCE IT.
SO WE, AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO OUTSOURCE IT, IT'S JUST A VERY HIGH PAID POSITION.
AND IT DOESN'T FIT INTO MANY MUNICIPAL PAY SCALES.
SO, UH, I EXPECT IT TO SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, CONTRACTING AND OUT IS CHEAPER.
CON OUTSOURCE IS CONTRACTED OUT.
IS THAT CHEAPER? I WOULDN'T, YEAH.
IF YOU'RE NOT USING 'EM FULL TIME, 40 HOURS A WEEK.
SO AT THE MOMENT IT'S, WE DON'T REALLY NEED 'EM 40 HOURS A WEEK AT THE WATER PLANT.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW IT WORKS.
AS WE, WE HAVE TO PUT IN MORE AND MORE SCADA.
SO AT SOME POINT WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER IT.
YEAH, WE ARE GONNA GO BACK TO COUNCILMAN ARDS QUESTION ABOUT REPORTING, UH, THE BUDGET.
THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GONNA BE I TALKING ABOUT LATER.
THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS IF WE APPROVE MONEY FOR SALARIES, THEN THAT MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR SALARIES IN THAT LINE ITEM.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMENT MADE BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ABOUT TEMPORARY HIRES.
EVEN IF YOU HIRE TEMPORARY PEOPLE, YOU SHOULD HAVE A FUNDING THAT YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.
THAT'S THE AUDIT THAT YOU SPEAK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
WHEN WE GOT TWO, THREE YEARS BEHIND, THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
HOW WE BEEN DOING BUDGET IS IN THE, FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
HOW CAN YOU DO A BUDGET IF YOU DIDN'T DO YOUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT? ALSO, THAT IS GOVERNED WITH USING THE GENERAL, THE GOVERNMENT GENERAL ACCEPTABLE ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
OKAY? ALL MONIES IS SUPPOSED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR EVERY LINE ITEM.
IF WE APPROVE A BUDGET AND WE SAY THIS IS FOR SALARY, THAT MONEY'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR SALARY, WE CAN'T TRANSFER, WE CAN'T DO THINGS WITH MONEY.
[01:25:01]
BUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS WHERE WE SHOW WHERE WE SPENT THE MONEY.SEE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A TENDENCY TO USE TRANSFER, BUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU REPORTING IT WHERE IT WAS APPROVED TO BE SPENT AND IT WASN'T SPENT THERE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
UH, AND THE CITY FINANCE CORRECTOR CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
WE ARE REQUIRED ART BY GOVERNMENT AND LAW WITHIN 180 DAYS AFTER WE CLOSED OUT THE BUDGET.
WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE COMPLETED THE A FCR TO INCLUDE TURNING IN THE RE THE RESULTS AND THE LETTER TO THE STATE CONTROLLER WITHIN 180 DAYS.
SO WHEN WE GET TWO YEAR BEHIND AND ALL THAT, THERE'S ALSO, WE COULD BE PENALIZED IF WE DON'T TURN THE REPORT IN WITH THE LETTER WITHIN 180 DAYS.
SO IF YOU USED ANY MONEY FOR TEMPORARY SOMEWHERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED ON A SPECIAL PURPOSE FUND.
AND THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID IT WAS SPENT THERE.
WHEN I GO TO THE ACTUAL COLUMN OF SALARY, WHEN I GO TO THE AMENDED COLUMN, I SHOULD BE A REDUCTION FROM WHAT WAS APPROVED.
WE WE USE FIVE IN TRANS AMENDED COLUMN.
SHOULD READ $5 BUDGETED INSTEAD OF 10.
THAT IS THE WAY REPORTING IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITH FINANCE.
THAT ACTUAL LIST IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOW THAT MONEY WAS SPENT.
SO YES, EVERYTHING IS JUST LIKE SHE DESCRIBED.
IF YOU DON'T SPEND THE MONEY FOR WHAT WE APPROVED IT FOR AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S STILL IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR NEXT BUDGET.
THAT'S CONSIDERED THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THAT'S THE MONEY THAT IS NOW SPENT.
AFTER YOU DO YOUR A CF AURA, WE WILL NOW FIND OUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT THAT PREVIOUS YEAR AND HOW WE SPEND IT IN EACH COLUMN.
AND I FINALLY, DIRECTOR, IF I SAID ANYTHING, LYNN, PLEASE COME UP AND CORRECT YOU 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT CITIZENS TO GET THE WRONG INFORMATION.
BUT IF YOU READ ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATE, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW WITHIN 180 DAYS WHERE ALL THE MONEY WENT AND WHAT WE SPENT IT ON.
SO YES, COUNCILMAN KEN LAW, THAT MONEY'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR SALARIES AND IF IT DON'T USE SALARY, SALARY GOES DOWN.
AND IF IT, IF THEY TAKE ANY MONEY OTHER THAN THAT, THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN WE GET THIS ANNUAL CFR UNDER THE ADJUSTMENT, WE SUPPOSED TO SEE THAT IS LESS MONEY FOR SALARY.
BUT OVER HERE FOR, UH, EXTRA HELP.
BUT THEY TELL YOU OUR ORDINANCE PREVENT US FROM DOING IT.
'CAUSE ORDINANCE TWO DASH 31 E SAYS, IF IT'S NOT ON THE BUDGET, IF IT'S NOT APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, IT SAYS WE DON'T PUT IT ON THE AGENDA UNLESS WE HAVE A ORDINANCE AT THAT MEETING PLACING THE FUNDING INTO THAT LINE ITEM.
THAT'S AN ORDINANCE ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVER FAIL.
I JUST WANT TO STATE FOR PUBLIC RECORD THAT WE ARE CAUGHT UP ON OUR AUDITS.
THANKS TO MS. LYNN AND ALL THE HARD WORK FROM HER TEAM AND THE THE CITY MANAGERS TEAM.
WE ARE CAUGHT UP ON OUR AUDITS.
WE DID APPROVE A BALANCED BUDGET ON THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST.
SO MOVING FORWARD, THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, WE CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE ACTIONS, UM, MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON TRACK.
BUT MR. PAXTON, WE ARE IN ORDER.
I DON'T WANT ANY FLASHING LIGHTS TOWARDS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
[01:30:01]
THAT YOU, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH.I THINK THAT ALL OF, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND WE HAD 72 VACANCIES FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS KIN LAW'S REPORT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE.
I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOUR STAFF ON, UH, AND SHORT BEING SHORT STAFFED AND NOW TRYING TO GET A FULL STAFF YOU GUYS HAVE IN, IN 90 DAYS OR, UH, LESS.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN AT LEAST BRINGING US UP TO DATE.
SO, UM, A LOT OF, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING TOWARD AND I SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, HAVE MENTIONED, BUT WE ARE ON A PLA A PATH TO STARTING THOSE JOB FAIRS ARE IMPORTANT TO GET TO AND TO UNDER AND GET OUT THERE THAT WE ARE HIRING.
UM, ALL THOSE IDEAS YOU GUYS HAVE USED, SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU'RE GETTING THE WEBSITE UPDATED.
EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ASKED TO DO IN THE LAST 60 DAYS.
I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB GETTING IT DONE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT MORE TO DO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THE EXTRA HELP AND ALL THE BUDGETS.
I THINK I'LL LEAVE THAT TO LYNN AND THE FINANCE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN A JOB ISN'T FILLED, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCKINLEY, YOU KNOW THAT THEY, THAT MONEY, THEY MAY FILL IT WITH EXTRA HELP AND IT MAY, YOU KNOW, BE IN A BUDGET.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I KNOW HOW THOSE LINE ITEMS WORK.
BUT ANYWAY, YEAH,
AND SO SOMEHOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PERSON TO HIRE ON A PERMANENT BASIS, YOU ARE ABLE TO HIRE THEM, UH, ON A TEMPORARY BASIS UNTIL THAT POSITION IS FILLED.
AND SO THAT MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE AND TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR.
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE MAKING AND THE HARD WORK YOU'RE PUTTING IN TO GETTING ALL OF THESE VACANCIES FILLED.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE JOBS FILLED IN OUR, UM, WITH OUR TRASH AND GARBAGE AND ALL OF THOSE 19 EMPLOYEES COMING ON TO MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.
YOU GUYS ARE WORKING HARD AND WE'RE GONNA BE BEHIND YOU 100% IN GETTING ALL THESE JOBS FILLED BECAUSE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS HIRING.
AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS AND OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE ARE HIRING.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GET THIS DONE AND, AND HAVE IT WHERE WE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO
WHO, UM, I'M SORRY, WAIT A MINUTE.
I DIDN'T SEE YOUR, YOUR LIGHT ON.
LET ME LET THE MAYOR, UH, CITY MANAGER SPEAK AND THEN MS. JONES, YOU CAN SPEAK YEAH.
I THINK THERE TWO, ONE KEY TO THAT, UM, CONTINUES TO EVADE US AND LYNN MENTIONED IT FOUR TIMES.
WHENEVER WE PREPARE A BUDGET EACH, EACH DEPARTMENT IS BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE THE ACTUALS FOR PERSONNEL AND EVENING THE DRAFT BUDGET BEFORE WE APPROVE IT.
THE ACTUALS ARE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED UNDER THE LINE ITEM OF PERSONNEL.
SO THE FIGURES ARE ALWAYS PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED UNDER THE ACTUAL PART OF IT TO SHOW TO DATE WHAT WE HAVE EXPENDED UNDER EVERY LINE ITEM.
NOT ONLY INCLUDING PERSONNEL BEFORE IT'S BEEN SENT FOR THE A HUNDRED AND ETS THAT COUNCILMAN ETT IS REFERRED TO.
SO THE ACTUALS LET US PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE ACTUALS IN THE, IN, IN THE DRAFT BUDGET BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE INFORMATION IS.
YOU CANNOT HIDE IT, YOU KNOW, UM, IT CANNOT BE EVADED.
OKAY, MS. JOANNE, JOHN, UH, JOANNE JONES.
SIX FOUR EAST 10TH STREET FOR MA'AM TEXAS.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UH, AT WHAT AGE THEY, UH, STOP HIRING.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY WANTED TO HIRE SOME PEOPLE, PEOPLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY WOULD LOVE HAVE A SECOND JOB.
I THINK WE, WE CAN'T DISCRIMINATE AGE.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE A AGE DISCRIMINATION, UH, POLICY.
UH, WE, WE CAN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST AGE.
AM I RIGHT? CITY ATTORNEY? I MEAN WE CAN, YEAH.
AND, ALRIGHT, WHAT ABOUT, UM, DO THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL MA'AM? DO THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL LICENSE? ARE Y'ALL STILL STRICTLY COMMERCIAL LICENSE TO BE HIRED? THERE ARE SOME JOBS THAT DO REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE, ESPECIALLY THOSE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR ONES, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TWO, SOME MAINTENANCE WORKERS.
UM, MAY HAVE TO REQUIRE THEM, BUT I DO KNOW THE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS HAVE TO HAVE A CDL.
UH, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A JOB, BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN'T COME TO THE CITY BECAUSE, UH, THE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, WELL THEY CAN ACTION THE, THE LICENSE LICENSE, BUT THEY HAVE TRAINING EVEN AT LAMAR.
UM, AND, AND THROUGH THE EDC FOR
[01:35:01]
FREE TO GET THOSE LICENSE.SO THERE, THERE ARE WAYS TO GET IT DONE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT, IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR, YOU, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO THROUGH OUR EDC DEPARTMENT TO GET HIRED THROUGH OUR, UH, FOR FREE TO GET THAT CDL LICENSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAMAR STATE COLLEGE, PORT ARTHUR.
I GUESS YOU THINK I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB TOO? YEAH, THAT'S YOU.
I WAS GONNA SAY THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO START.
[III.C.(1) A Presentation By Staff Regarding The Solid Waste Master Plan]
WE ARE BACK, UM, ON OUR PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS NUMBER C CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORTS.AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STAFF REPORT REGARDING THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN.
UH, WE'LL START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE TOPICS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AS YOU SEE HERE.
WE'LL START WITH HOW, DISCUSSING HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT ON THE, UH, DEVELOPING THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN, UM, THE INSTITUTION OF OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR CONSULTANT, UH, THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES THAT OUR CONSULTANT IS TAKING TO UNDERGO, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, THE, UH, MASTER PLAN AND WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE.
SO WE'LL START WITH AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT STAFF FACES ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS.
SO ALTHOUGH WE DON'T SEE, FORTUNATELY, WE DON'T SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVERY DAY, WE SEE IT ALL TOO OFTEN.
UM, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, TO LET YOU KNOW, STAFF WAS UNABLE TO PICK SOMETHING LIKE THIS UP BECAUSE IT CONTAINS DEMOLITION AND AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, DEMOLITION WILL DAMAGE OUR EQUIPMENT.
BUT WE DID WORK, UH, VERY DILIGENTLY WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THE HOMEOWNER, THE PROPERTY OWNER TO, TO PICK UP THIS TRASH AND, AND REMOVE IT.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS SOMETHING MORE OR LESS LIKE WE SEE ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, THIS IS OFF GULF WAY DRIVE NEAR THE OLD CHURCHES, THIS LOCATION.
UM, WE HAD A 30 YARD TRUCK THAT PICKED UP ALL OF THIS TRASH.
UM, THE LAST, THE LAST PHOTO THAT YOU SEE IS, IS THE RESULT OF THAT PICKUP.
IT TOOK THAT 30 YARD TRUCK, TWO LOADS, UM, TO PICK UP AND GO TO THE LANDFILL AND DUMP AND ABOUT TWO HOURS.
SO IF WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO DO IT NOW, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE, WE ARE DELAYED IN PICKING UP TRASH AND WE WILL COME.
UM, OUR SCHEDULE IS A LITTLE OFF KILTER.
SO SITES LIKE THIS WILL LEAD US TO DELAYS, LIKE I SAID, DELAYS, DELAYS.
AND WE END UP SEEING ARTICLES LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE, UM, THE, UM, THAT THAT'LL, THAT'LL SHOWCASE UNFORTUNATELY OUR DELAYS IN OUR PICKUPS.
SO THIS IS WHY WE HAVE MOVED TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF A SOLID WASTE, UH, MASTER PLAN CONSULTANT.
SO WE BEGAN, UM, WORKING ON THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN IN THE WINTER OF 2022 THROUGH THE RESEARCH OF, OF WHAT COULD BE DONE, UH, TO, TO HELP RESOLVE THESE ISSUES.
AND BY THE SPRING OF 2023, WE STARTED SPEAKING WITH, UH, DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
[01:40:01]
SERVICES ARE OFFERED, UH, TO HELP US TO ALLEVIATE THESE ISSUES.BY NOVEMBER, 2024, YOU ALL APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH NEW GEN STRATEGIES, UH, TO ASSIST US IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN.
AND THEY, THEY HAVE SO FAR BEEN GREAT.
THESE ARE THEIR GOALS TO DEFINE AND ANALYZE THE CITY'S CURRENT, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS, TO IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES IN OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS AND TO, UH, COME UP WITH VARIOUS SOLUTIONS.
SO ONE OF THEIR FIRST EFFORTS IS TO DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND TO ASSIST WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND ALSO WITH, UH, TIANA JOHNSON AND THE IT DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN PORTION OF THE, UH, WEBSITE.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE SCREENSHOTS OF THAT, OF THAT WEBPAGE.
TO THE LEFT IS, UH, THE SCREENSHOT THAT SHOWS WHERE WE ARE.
SO MONTH BY MONTH, IT'LL SHOW WHERE, WHERE WE ARE IN OUR, OUR DEVELOPMENT STEPS.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES OUR CONSULTANT IS TAKING.
THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT PROCESSES, WHICH IS A BASELINE UNDERSTANDING, UH, I TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CHANGES, EVALUATE POTENTIAL CHANGES, IDENTIFY BEST OPTIONS.
AND THE FIFTH IS DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING THE, UH, MASTER PLAN'S WEBPAGE AS PART OF THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, OUR CONSULTANT IS ALSO WORKING WITH US IN THE FORMULATION OF A SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN JUST A MINUTE.
THE FIRST STEP, THE, THAT, THE, UH, OUR CONSULTANT DID WAS TO GAIN A BASELINE UNDERSTANDING.
SO IN ORDER BEFORE THEY CAN RECOMMEND ANY TYPES OF CHANGES, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND, UH, OUR SYSTEM, OUR OPERATIONS.
SO IN APRIL, THEY CAME OUT, THEY TRAILED EVERY, EVERY, UM, ROUTE THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT WAS GARBAGE, TRASH, OR COMMERCIAL.
UH, THEY WENT OUT WITH ALL OF OUR STAFF.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE, UH, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS, THIS SLIDE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES THAT OUR CONSULTANT, UH, TOOK SHOWING WHAT WE SEE.
UM, ON THE LEFT, YOU SEE THAT NOT EVERYONE PUTS THEIR TRASH IN THE DUMPSTERS.
AND ON THE RIGHT, AS WE SAW EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, PEOPLE WILL, WILL, WILL PLACE TRASH ALMOST FOR A FULL BLOCK AND EXPECT ALL OF THAT TO BE PICKED UP WITHIN A TIMELY MANNER.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR CONSULTANT, UH, IS IN THE FINAL STAGE, STAGE OF COMPLETING ITS COLLECTION, COLLECTION ASSESSMENT, EXCUSE ME.
AND IT'S ALSO IN THE FINAL STAGE OF COMPLETING ITS BASELINE OF OUR COST OF SERVICE.
SO AS I STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE, UH, OUR SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR PROVIDING NAMES, UH, FOR THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, WITH EACH OF YOUR NOMINEES.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING ANY TYPES OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO OUR CONSULTANT WILL ONCE, ONCE THEIR, UH, PLANS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND PRESENTED TO STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER, WE'LL MEET WITH YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT OUR CONSULTANTS' FINDINGS ARE.
WE WILL ASK THEM FOR THEIR OPINIONS, FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, OUR CONSULTANT WILL THEN MODIFY THEIR PLANS BASED ON, ON THAT, ON THAT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY, UH, YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL, THE COMMITTEE WILL CONSIST OF SEVEN COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, AND TWO NON-VOTING CITY EMPLOYEES.
UH, THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET THREE TO FIVE TIMES, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR CONSULTANTS CONTRACT PERIOD FOR UP TO TWO HOURS EACH TIME.
ONCE, ONCE, UH, THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETE, THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE DISMANTLED.
AND ALSO A SOLID WASTE BACKGROUND IS NOT REQUIRED AND OPINION IS REQUIRED.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, OUR CONSULTANT IS, LIKE I SAID, COMPLETING ITS ASSESSMENTS.
UM, AT THIS POINT THEY'RE, THEY'VE COMPLETED ALL BUT OUR COST
[01:45:01]
OF SERVICE MEMO.WE ARE CONFIRMING, UM, SOME INTERNAL COSTS WITH OUR CONSULTANT.
AND ONCE THAT CONFIRMATION IS COMPLETE, THEN UH, WE WILL BEGIN CONVENING THE SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO WE, WE EXPECT TO CONVENE THAT COMMITTEE REALLY SOON.
UH, FROM THERE WE WILL IDENTIFY POTENTIAL OPTIONS, CONDUCT A CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY AND EV EVALUATE POTENTIAL OPTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE OF LIGHTS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, ARE YOU, ARE YOU UP, ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED ON YOUR TRUCKING, ON YOUR EQUIPMENT? UM, WE, WE HAVE A FEW VACANCIES.
THE LAST I CHECKED, WE HAD THREE VACANCIES.
THAT'S, THAT WAS EXCLUDING THE NEW, UH, POSITIONS THAT WERE JUST APPROVED IN THE, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
WELL, UH, WELL, I WASN'T REALLY TALKING ABOUT FAR AS THE EQUIPMENT ARE YOU, HOW, HOW MANY TRUCKS YOU HAVE.
UM, WELL THAT VARIES DAY BY DAY.
ARE YOU, YOU TALKING ABOUT ARE YOU, ARE YOU UP TO, DO YOU HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED TO, TO DO YOUR JOB? THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE ARE, WE HAVE ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING A LITTLE SHORTHANDED WITH THE EQUIPMENT.
OH, THAT'S A, THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION FOR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
FOR THE, UM, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE NOMINEES THAT WE CREATE THAT SUBMITTED MM-HMM
WHEN WILL THEY BE CONTACTED? OR HAVE THEY ALREADY BEEN CONTACTED? THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN CONTACTED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED TO BE SWORN IN AND, AND WHATNOT.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE'RE ALSO, UH, WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT FOR THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR, THEIR EVALUATION AND PLANS MM-HMM
AND ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, WE'LL START MEETING WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO TELL ME, WHAT IS A REASONABLE RESPONSE TO THE PHONE CALLS THAT I KNOW ALL OF US RECEIVE OF MY TRASH HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP IN APPROXIMATELY A MONTH.
I KNOW IN, IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE, THERE'S BEEN ABOUT THAT AMOUNT OF TIME MM-HMM
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRUCKS, UM, FOR TRASH PICKUP, UM, ARE LIMITED.
BUT IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY, AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THE WEBSITE TO UPDATE THAT LIST SO THAT CITIZENS WILL KNOW, OH, THANK GOD MY STREET IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE ADDRESSED NEXT WEEK.
SO EVEN IF, UM, YOU DO HAVE LIKE THE, THE PICTURE ON 17TH STREET THAT YOU SHOWED US, IF THAT TAKES TWO HOURS OUT OF THE DAY, GOD FORBID YOU COME UP ON TWO, YOU KNOW OF THEM OR THREE OUT OF THE DAY, THAT'S YOUR WHOLE WORK DAY.
AND, UM, THAT WILL HINDER OUR ABILITY TO PICK UP IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT MESSAGE TO THE CITIZENS SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE, UM, BE ABLE TO SET EXPECTATIONS A LITTLE BETTER AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THEM SET EXPECTATIONS BETTER? SO ON THE WEBSITE, AND I, I, I'LL ENSURE THAT THE, UM, PIO, UM, HAS THE UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, BUT ON THE WEBSITE WE HAVE BEEN UPDATING, UH, THE LOCATIONS FOR GARBAGE AND TRASH ON A DAILY BASIS OF WHERE YOU BE, I'M TALKING ABOUT, OF WHERE WE'RE BEING.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE EXPECTED TO GO.
AND MAYOR COUNCIL, ONE OF THE KEY WAYS OF ADDRESSING THAT AS WELL IS THROUGH EDUCATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PILES THAT WERE THERE, IT'S ALMOST, THE TREE WAS CAUGHT IN TWO AND PLACED IN THE DRAIN.
THE, THE ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY STATES HOW YOU, IT SHOULD BE BUNDLED.
SO I THINK A LOT OF IT IS THROUGH EDUCATION AS WELL.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO EMPHASIZE IT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE TO OUR CITIZENS AS WELL AS EDUCATION.
THAT YOU CANNOT PLACE ALL THAT TRASH IN THE DRAIN BECAUSE IT CAUSES TWO THINGS.
IT CAUSES FLOODING AND THE INABILITY OF THE TRUCK TRYING TO GET TO THE TRASH ON THE GROUND.
IT'S EDUCATION AND, AND, AND, AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE.
[01:50:01]
WHEN WE COME THERE, WE SEE IT LIKE THAT.WE HOLD THE PROPERTY OWNER RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, OF NOT PROPERLY DISPOSING OF THE TRASH OR THE GARBAGE.
AND MAYBE WE CAN CREATE A VIDEO BY WHICH YOU CAN PLAY ON THE WEBSITE, UM, THAT SHOWS HOW TO COMPILE YOUR TRASH AND GIVE SOME, UH, EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO PUT OUT AND WHAT NOT TO PUT OUT.
SO THE, UH, A VIDEO ON THE WEBSITE WOULD REALLY, AND SOCIAL MEDIA WOULD BE, UM, A GOOD, A GOOD THING TO DO SO THAT CITIZENS CAN DO THAT.
ELLE, UH, I HAVE A COMMENT, UH, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT YOU ALL WERE SAYING, UH, TIANA IS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH, UM, WORKING WITH US AND THE CONSULTANT TO PRESENT A DOS AND DON'TS OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
THIS SAME PROBLEM, THOSE SAME PICTURES.
WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL IN 2011, WE ADDRESSED THIS.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IN THE WAY WE GOT TO THE TRASH AT THAT TIME, THE TRUCKS WERE PICKING UP THE TRASH EVERY TWO WEEKS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PICKING UP A TRUCK, BUT THE WAY WE GOT TO THIS IS WHEN THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE LANDFILL LOSING MONEY.
SAY WE TALKED ABOUT PICKING UP TRASH AND ALL THIS, BUT THIS IS ALL WITH RUNNING THE CITY.
WE HAVE ORDINANCE ON WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO AND CITE EVERYBODY, HEY, YOU DID THIS.
HERE'S A TICKET THE MAN IS TALKING ABOUT.
EDUCATING EDUCATION COMES FROM US.
ENFORCING, WHEN YOU'RE A DRIVER, GETS TO A RESIDENT WHERE THERE'S MORE TRASH THAN IS ALLOWED.
WE SHOULD HAVE WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THIS, THAT DRIVER SHOULD NOTIFY CODE ENFORCEMENT OF THAT ADDRESS.
CODE ENFORCEMENT SHOULD GO OUT THERE, CONTRACT THAT PERSON, LET THAT PERSON UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DONE IS VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE GIVEN THIS PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE TO COME AND REMOVE IT OR WE WILL REMOVE IT.
BUT IF WE WILL REMOVE IT, WE WILL CHARGE YOU.
THAT'S ENFORCEMENTS, THAT IS EDUCATING.
BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP ALL OF THIS TRASH AT THAT LOCATION AND TAKE IT TO THE LANDFILL, WE ARE LOSING MONEY BECAUSE WE ARE PICKING UP MORE THAN SHOULD BE GOING IN THESE CELLS.
I SEE PEOPLE CUT TREES DOWN, NOT JUST ALL OVER THIS CITY, PEOPLE CUTTING TREES DOWN OR HIRING SOMEBODY TO CUT A TREE DOWN.
THEY CUT THE TREE DOWN AND PLACE IT IN THE DITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
WELL, THAT PERSON CUTTING THE TREE DOWN, PROBABLY CHARGED THEM FOR TAKING THE TREE AWAY.
AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW HIM BACK.
THEY SAY, WELL, THE CITY WILL PICK IT UP.
WELL, WHEN WE WENT PICK IT UP, WHAT WE DID, WE DONE JUST WHAT YOU IDENTIFIED.
WE PROBABLY TOOK TWO TRUCKLOADS TO TAKE IT ALL OUT TO THE DUMP.
SO WE WASTED TIME, WE WASTING FUEL, WE PUT WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLE MM-HMM
AND NOW WE GOING TO PUT IT IN THE CELL.
WE PUTTING SOMETHING IN THE CELL FOR FREE THAT WE ACTUALLY SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY FOR.
SO ALL OF THESE PILES OF STUFF YOU SEE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT WE ARE GETTING, WE ARE MAKING TWO TRIPS FOR.
WE ARE LOSING ON THE BACK END BECAUSE WE, NOBODY'S PAYING FOR THAT SERVICE, BUT WE HAVE TO GET THIS TOGETHER.
OUR PROBLEM, WE PAY PEOPLE TO COME IN HERE AND DO THIS STUDY, THAT STUDY, TELL US HOW TO DO THIS AND DO THAT IS WRITTEN IN OUR ORDINANCE.
WE NEED TO RUN THIS CITY AND DO WHAT WE'VE GOT WRITTEN.
AND IF WE DO THAT, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY PEOPLE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL WORK OUT.
THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO KEEP PUTTING TREES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THEY UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT ALLOWED IN THE CITY.
AND OUR CODING FOREMAN DO NOT HAVE TO GO OUT THERE JUST HAMMERING PEOPLE, TICKING PEOPLE RIGHT OFF.
BUT THEY MUST GO OUT AND LET 'EM KNOW IT IS WRONG.
[01:55:01]
YOU HAVE THIS AMOUNT OF TIME TO CORRECT IT.IF YOU DON'T CORRECT IT, WE ARE GONNA FIT, WE'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT YOU'RE GONNA PAY.
SO NOW THAT MONEY IS BEING COLLECTED FOR THE LANDFILL, YOU PICK IT UP, YOU'RE TAKING, YOU ARE LOSING MONEY FROM THE LANDFILL.
WE LOSING TIME, WE LOSING GAS.
AND WHY DO WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT NEED TO COME IN HERE AND, AND DO A STUDY? WE GOT STUDIES FOR EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS A GOOD BRIEFING BY THE WAY.
I, UH, EVIDENTLY THIS GROUP IS REALLY DOING SOMETHING, BUT I THINK THE ROOT CAUSE IS NOT THIS.
WELL DIRECTOR, YOU, YOU WORKING IT, YOU WORKING IT.
I, I KNOW YOU HAVE A HARD JOB, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES MM-HMM
BUT I'M ON A LITTLE DIFFERENT NOTE, UM, THAN, UH, MAYBE MOST OF MY COHORTS.
UH, I THINK THE TIME HAS COME THAT WE REALLY NEED TO START ENFORCING.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOUR LANE, BUT TO IDENTIFY THOSE INDIVIDUALS LEAVING GARBAGE CANS OUT, CUTTING GRASS, LEAVING THEM, BLOWING 'EM INTO THE DRAINS AND ALL THOSE STUFF.
AND I KNOW YOU UP AGAINST THAT PICTURE.
YOU JUST, YOU SHOWED THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW.
A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
BUT IF WE ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE DOING IT, AND LIKE YOU SAID, TAKING A A TRUCK OUTTA SERVICE FOR TWO, TWO HOURS, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE WE GONNA SAY EDUCATION? I UNDERSTAND EDUCATION AND, AND GIVING KNOWLEDGE TO PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT KNOW, BUT THE ONES THAT KNOW AND DO IT ANYWAY, THAT PUTS YOUR JOB AT A DISADVANTAGE FOR ME UNDERSTANDING BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AS MANY TIMES I'VE ROW BY GUYS RIDE, UH, ON RIDING LAWNMOWERS, BLOWING THE GRASS INTO THE DRAINS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT GRASS GET HARD.
AND IT'S A VERY, VERY RESTRICTIVE AREA WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET WATER IN THAT DRAIN.
AND THEN THEY CALL AND SAY THE CITY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRAINAGE.
OR, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW YOUR JOB IS HARD.
SO WHAT, YOU KNOW MY QUESTION, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? I THINK YOU ARE ON TRACK WITH THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT OF, ALONG WITH WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, OTHER DEPARTMENTS, CODE ENFORCEMENT TO FIGURE OUT, LOOK, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A TOUGH STANCE ON HOW WE CLEAN THIS CITY UP.
AND IT START BY THE CITY, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL GIVING YOU GUYS THE EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST.
AND I, I KNOW IT'S HARD BECAUSE I'M RIDING, MOST OF MY COHORTS ARE RIDING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS CITY LOOK BETTER, CLEAN THE CITY UP, AND AT THE SAME TIME BE FAIR ABOUT IT.
SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE SHIP AROUND.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, YOUR LIGHT STILL ON OR ARE YOU JUST BY THE STATE? BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER EVER FEEL HAS A YES.
UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS DO WE HAVE THE POP TOWER SERVICE DOWN ON MEMORIAL BOULEVARD? I'M STILL PICKING UP ROOFING TAX.
WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? THE PRIVATIZED SERVICE.
I, I I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.
WELL, I CHECK WITH POP TIRE SERVICE.
OH, POP TIRE SERVICE FIXING FLATS ON BLUE BOND AND THEN MEMORIAL.
AND I ASK HIM WHAT'S THE PROBLEM ON IT? HE SAID, ROOFING TAX.
HE SAID, WE MAKING PLENTY MONEY OFF OF ROOFING TAX.
SO DO WE STILL HAVE THE MAGNET THAT WE NORMALLY RUN DOWN THE STREET AND PICK UP, PICK UP THOSE KIND OF THINGS? UH, ON THE SWEEPERS? YES, SIR.
I KNOW YOU GOT 'EM ON, ON THE EQUIPMENT, BUT THE SEPARATE, IT PULLS BEHIND A A, A TRAILER.
RIGHT? WE HAVE, WE BOUGHT, WE PURCHASED THEM FOR THE SWEEPERS.
NOW, WHEN YOU GO TO THE LANDFILL, WHAT IS ONE OF MY PET PEEVES? WHEN YOU GO TO THE LANDFILL AND THE TRUCK'S DUMPING, ARE THEY DRIVING INTO THE LANDFILL? YES, SIR.
NOW THEY ARE, THEY HAD BEEN BACKING INTO THE LANDFILL BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTRUCTING THE ROADWAY.
SO THE, SO THE, ALL OF THE TRUCKS COULD GO AROUND, MAKE A CIRCLE.
SO YOUR COST, YOUR TIRES, YOU, YOU, YOU GETTING A LOT OF FLATS AND A LOT OF TIRE DAMAGE.
IT DEPENDS ON THE, THE, THE EQUIPMENT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WELL, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT LOCATION NOW? NO.
YEAH, LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF A LITTLE BETTER.
[02:00:01]
OKAY.WHEN I LOOKED IN THE BUDGET AND IT, WE, THIS, THE, UH, THE TIRE REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS HAD JUMPED UP OH, $400,000.
I DON'T AIN'T TELL WHERE IT'S THAT NOW, BUT WHAT, WHAT THEY SAID, THE PROBLEM IS THE TRUCKS ARE DRIVING INTO THE LANDFILL AND THAT'S WHAT IS DAMAGING ALL TIRES.
DON'T WE JUST PULL A SLAB AND THEY DUMP THE TRASH ON THE SLAB AND LET THE, AND LET THE, UH, THE, UH, TRACK, TRACK VEHICLES PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT INTO THE LANDFILL.
THAT WILL CUT OUR COSTS ON RETIRE REPLACEMENT TIRE REPAIR.
SO MY QUESTION AGAIN, DO, DO YOU HAVE A SLAB THERE WHERE YOU PICK UP THE TRASH AND DUMP IT ON THE SLAB AND THEN THE, THE TRACK VEHICLES COME PICK, PICK IT UP AND, AND PUT IT IN THE CELLS? NO, SIR.
THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY TRANSFER LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE NO TRANSFER STATIONS MANAGER, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THIS.
THAT'S A DIRECT INCREASE ON YOUR COSTS, ON YOUR TIRE, ON NEW TIRES AND TIRE REPAIR COUNCIL MEMBER EVER FELT.
HOW HAVE THE CONTRACTORS BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE, UM, TRASH THAT THEY LEAVE IN FRONT OF RESIDENTS HOMES? SEVERAL TIME.
AND THIS IS THE EDUCATION PIECE THAT, UM, RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THE CONTRACTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY.
IF THE CONTRACTOR DID THE WORK TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS AND BRING IT TO THE LANDFILL, SEVERAL TIMES I'VE SHARED THAT WITH RESIDENTS AND THEY'LL SAY, OH, WELL HE DIDN'T CHARGE ME A LOT, OR SHE DIDN'T CHARGE ME A LOT.
SO THAT'S WHY, UM, THEY DIDN'T BRING IT TO THE LANDFILL.
SO OFTEN THEY KNOW, BUT THE EXPECT, THEY'RE STILL EXPECTING FOR US TO COME AND PICK IT UP.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IS THERE A WAY WE NEED TO STRATEGIZE ON A WAY THAT WE CAN HOLD THESE CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR, UM, FOR PURPOSEFULLY LEAVING THE DEBRIS IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENT'S HOME? I PERSONALLY SAW, UM, A CONTRACTOR DUMPING THE JUMPING TRASH IN A DITCH.
AND, UM, I ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM? AND HE SAID, I'M NOT FROM AROUND HERE.
LOOK HOW THE REST OF THIS CITY LOOKS.
AND SO I ASKED, DO YOU DO THAT AT YOUR HOUSE? SO I TOOK, I ACTUALLY FACETIMED THE CITY MANAGER THAT TIME SO WE CAN HAVE IT ON FILM WITH THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
AND I LITERALLY STOOD THERE UNTIL HE GOT EVERY SINGLE TREE BRANCH OUT OF THAT DITCH BACK ON HIS TRAILER.
BUT IT IS A SHAME OF HOW CONTRACTORS WHO ARE NOT FROM HERE WILL DUMP INTO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA HAVE TO PAY THE FEE.
OFTEN THE RESIDENTS DO NOT KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY IN ORDER TO HOLD THESE CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND, AND ONE THING, UM, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SUPERVISORS DO IS IF THEY SEE ALL, ALL THESE TREES, UH, TREE BRANCHES, TREE TRUNKS, AND THE DITCHES ARE THE SIDE OF THE, UH, ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET, THEY WILL STOP AND SPEAK WITH THE RESIDENT.
IF SOMEONE'S HOME, THEY, THEY TALK TO THEM.
YOU NEED TO GET SOMEONE TO REMOVE THIS, THIS FROM THIS LOCATION.
UM, THEY'LL GIVE THEM A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, MAYBE A COUPLE OF DAYS TOPS, AND THEY'LL LET THEM KNOW IF YOU DON'T, WE'RE CONTACTING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE TAKING ACTION AGAINST YOU, BUT THEY'LL AT LEAST RECEIVE A WARNING.
IF NOT, IF, IF THEY CAN'T CATCH ANYONE AT HOME.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE HANG TAGS THAT WE PUT, WE CAN PUT ON RESIDENCE DOORS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE LIGHTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, MS. SANCHEZ, YOU CAN GO TO THE MIC.
GLORIA SANCHEZ, 6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE.
I HAVE A HOUSE ON THE QUEEN BOULEVARD AND I HAS BEEN MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS WITH A PROBLEM ON THE QUEEN BOULEVARD.
AND HE'S A CONTRACTOR LOCAL CONTRACT.
HE CUT TREE FROM NEITHER RUN GROSS, WHATEVER, BRING IT TO HIS HOUSE.
A HUSBAND REQUEST, BAY LEWIS, COUNCILMAN
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO STOP IT.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS KNOW EVERYBODY TRIED TO WORK ON IT, BUT HE KEEP BRINGING IT UNTIL TODAY BUSINESS THAT HE'S DOING IT AND HE BRING IT WITH HIS TRAILER, PUT IT ON HIS HOUSE, AND THE CITY OF PUERTO GO AND PICK IT UP FROM THERE.
HOW CAN REALLY STOP IT? I THINK IT HAS BEEN SO LONG
[02:05:01]
AND IT, HE, I THINK THEY HUSBAND TOLD ME THEY HAS BEEN GOING TO COURT, BUT HE KEEP DOING IT.WHATEVER THEY DOING IS NOT ENOUGH.
SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, JUST LET ME REPEAT THIS.
SO YOU HAVE, THERE'S A CONTRACT THAT LIVES IN A HOUSE UNDER QUEEN AND HE BRINGING, I HAVE THE ADDRESS, YOU NEED IT? I CAN GIMME WELL, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU PASS THAT ON TO MRS. UH, FLO.
AND, UM, SO THIS CONTRACTOR IS BRINGING TRASH IN ON A TRAILER.
AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS PICKING UP THAT TRASH.
HE CUT TREES, HE CUTS TREES, CUTTING TREES, AND HE BRINGS IT TO THAT HOUSE.
AND I HAVE BEEN SENT VIDEOS WITH HIM TAKING EVERYTHING WITH HIS TRUCK, LIKE PUT IT ON HIS HOUSE.
I HAVE BEEN SENDING VIDEOS TO REPORT THIS ISSUE OVER AND OVER.
AND I REALLY THINK 10 YEARS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.
AND WHAT'S THE ADDRESS? 1 3, 2 0.
AND I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL SPEAKING ABOUT THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S AT THE QUEEN BOULEVARD AND LOOKS VERY BAD.
AND ONLY THAT IT'S A MAN HOLE IN THE CORNER.
AND NOBODY HAS BEEN DONE ANYTHING.
AND I SAID I HAVE BEEN, I SPEAK WITH CITY MANAGERS BEFORE TOO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT INFORMATION.
COUNCILMAN KINLAW HAS HIS, OH, HE DOESN'T, SO WE'LL CHECK INTO THAT AND WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.
UH, NO OTHER LIGHTS AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
[III.C.(2) A Progress Report By Staff Regarding Fire Station Number 3]
GONNA HAVE A PROGRESS REPORT BY STAFF ON THE FIRE STATION.NUMBER THREE, STAFF THINK, OH, HE'S ON HIS WAY.
SO, UM, THE, UH, FIRE STATION NUMBER THREE, UH, LOCATED, OR IS GONNA BE RELOCATED TO THE CORNER OF 61ST STREET AND RAY.
UM, IT'S BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW SINCE I BELIEVE THE END OF APRIL.
UM, WE, WE, MY STAFF WAS HAVING AN UPDATE MEETING WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND ARCHITECTS THIS MORNING AT 10 O'CLOCK ON SITE.
WE MEET MONTHLY, UH, WITH THEM TO DO THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE, WE CRUISE PAST AND, AND SPEAK WITH THE CONTRACTORS ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS, ALMOST A WEEKLY BASIS.
THE, UM, THE STATION ITSELF, THAT'S THE RENDERING OF WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S FINISHED.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE A THREE BAY, UH, UH, FACILITY.
THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A OUTBUILDING BEHIND IT WHERE WE CAN STORE ADDITIONAL APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT.
UM, THE STATION THAT IT'S REPLACING WAS BUILT ALMOST RIGHT AT 60 YEARS AGO.
OKAY? THE, THE, THE STATION IS DEFINITELY, UH, SEEN, SEEN IT, SHARE, SHARE TIME.
UM, THE, UH, IT'S ROUGHLY GONNA BE ABOUT 16,000 SQUARE, UH, SQUARE FEET.
THE, UM, WE, WE DESIGNED IT WITH THE THOUGHT OF THAT OVER THE YEARS, UM, WE'RE GONNA WIND UP, THE DEPARTMENT'S GONNA GROW THERE, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY THINGS ARE ARE MOVING AROUND THAT.
AND WE'VE GOT EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE A HARD TIME, UH, KEEPING STORED WHERE IT'S, UH, OUT OF THE ELEMENTS.
THAT'S WHY THIS STATION AND STATION TWO WERE BOTH DESIGNED WITH THAT IN MIND, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR, UM, EQUIPMENT.
UM, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, UH, COMPLETED, UH, IN DECEMBER.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING HARD ON THAT.
UH, THEY'VE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FLOOR PLAN.
THE, UM, THESE ARE A FEW PICTURES.
THAT'S FROM THE BEAM SIGNING CEREMONY THAT WE HAD A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND THAT WAS THE, UM, WHERE THEY WERE AT IN CONSTRUCTION AS OF, UH, THIS PAST MONTH.
UM, FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO IS PRETTY MUCH GONNA BE THE EXACT SAME DESIGN.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE RENDERING.
THE, THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO STATIONS HONESTLY IS GONNA BE THE INTERIOR COLORS, OKAY.
[02:10:01]
STATION AND PORT ACRES.WE KIND OF DID A BLUE, GRAY, BLUE SILVER COLOR SCHEME.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MURAL ON THE WALL, UM, OF THE, UH, THE OLD, UM, SFA WAR EAGLE AND STATION TWO.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PURPLE AND GOLD, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE BUMBLEBEE.
OKAY? SO THAT'S, WE, WE, WE WERE TRYING, WE, WE TRY AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH OUR APPARATUS AND OUR STATIONS TO IDENTIFY WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE HOUSED IN, THAT THEY SERVE PRIMARILY.
AND, UH, ME BEING AN OLD, UH, PORT ARTHUR BOY, YOU KNOW, I MISSED THE DAYS WHEN WE HAD THREE HIGH SCHOOLS HERE AND EVERYBODY IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED, UH, WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THESE TWO RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE ARE RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS NUMBER TWO GOES, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING SOME LAND.
WE'VE GOT, WE GOT LIKE FOUR FIFTHS OF THE PROPERTY THAT, THAT WE WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, UH, SECURED, SECURE, SECURED.
WE GOT ONE STRIP THAT LEGAL AND, UH, MS. LANGFORD IS, UH, WORKING ON TRYING TO, UH, SECURE.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT DONE, UH, QUICKLY.
THE, UM, AS SOON AS WE GET ALL THE LAND TOGETHER, WE CAN START DOING THE, THE, THE SOIL, SOIL STUDIES AND, UH, START ALL THE PRE PRE-CONSTRUCTION WORK, ALL THE DESIGN PHASE AND EVERYTHING FOR NUMBER TWO, HAS ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH NUMBER THREE.
IT'S, THEY'RE GONNA BE MIRROR IMAGES OF EACH OTHER, WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE STATION TWO AND STATION THREE, RIGHT NOW, THEY, THEY'RE ALMOST MIRROR IMAGE OF EACH OTHER.
AND THEY WERE BUILT ALMOST 10 YEARS APART, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS.
SO, UM, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M, I'M HERE TO ANSWER COUNCILLOR MCKEN LAW.
SO, UH, ONCE WE SECURED THAT, THAT FOR THAT PROPERTY, THAT OTHER PROPERTY, UH, HOW LONG, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT'S TAKING US SO LONG TO DO THAT? BECAUSE ARE THEY GONNA WAIT UNTIL COMPLETION OF THREE? OR DO YOU WANT TO START GETTING THOSE SOIL SAMPLES AND PLOTTINGS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WELL, THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH OKAY.
BUT, UH, THE BIG PROBLEM IS THAT THAT LITTLE STRIP OF LAND WAS OWNED BY A, UM, UH, 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION AND THERE WAS SOME PROBLEMS GETTING THE DOCUMENTATION ON THAT.
AND LEGAL IS, UH, IS WORKING ON, UH, SECURING THAT.
BUT ONCE THAT GETS DONE, WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE NOT, I MEAN, WE WOULD'VE START, STARTED WORKING ON THEM BY NOW IF, UH, IF WE HAD EVERYTHING SECURED.
WELL, WELL, MANAGER IMMINENT DOMAIN.
CAN WE GET THAT? CAN WE GET, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S, BUT I KNOW THE PROPERTY.
BUT IF WE ARE USING IT FOR THE GREATER GOOD FOR THAT COMMUNITY OF STATION TWO WEST SIDE, CUT DOWN ON, UH, RESPONSE TIME FOR FIRES THAT POSSIBLY COULD HAPPEN OUT THERE, AND WE NEED TO GET IT BUILT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I MEAN, CAN WE SPEED IT UP A LITTLE BIT? WE ARE, WE ARE.
I JUST MET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS YESTERDAY OF THE 5 0 1 C3.
THERE'S A LITTLE DISCREPANCY IN HOW THEY FORM A LODGE, AND THE CURRENT LODGE WAS BEING REGISTERED WITH THE GRAND LODGE.
UM, SO WE AT, UH, RIGHT DOWN THE SPOT, WE MADE A CALL.
THE MEMBERS OF THE LODGE, THE SENIOR MADE A CALL TO WISCONSIN.
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS WE SHOULD GET SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD MOVE AWAY.
THE CITY, UM, ATTORNEY WAS PRESENT AND ASKED THEM FOR COPY OF THE BYLAWS TO SEE HOW WE COULD FACILITATE THAT AND MOVE AHEAD REAL QUICK WITH IT.
THAT WAS, SO WE ARE WORKING ON IT REAL QUICK.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON.
I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE, THE BUMMER BEES AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SIDNEY, AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS GRADUATED FROM LINCOLN HIGH.
WE WERE STILL AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL YEARS AGO.
THEY CAME TO ME AND THEY WANTED ALL OF THE, THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
WE WAS GETTING READY TO PAINT THE TOWER.
WE WAS GETTING READY TO PAINT THE TOWER ON THOMAS BOULEVARD.
AND, UH, YOU PROBABLY WAS HERE TO PAINT THE TOWER ON THOMAS BOULEVARD AND, AND, AND HOUSTON AVENUE.
THEY WANTED ALL OF THE LINCOLNS BUBLE BEACH CHAMPIONSHIP UP THERE, YOU KNOW, THE LOGOS AND EVERYTHING.
AND I, I SAID, WELL, LOOK, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME YOU HAVE TO EARN SOMETHING.
I SAID, COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND ASK THEM TO DO IT.
AND I, THE KIDS WENT OVER, I SAID, GO OVER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
EVERYBODY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WANTED, BUT ONE PERSON KILLED IT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIME PEOPLE LOOK LIKE YOU AND,
[02:15:01]
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY YOU.THE ONE PERSON THAT KILLED IT WAS THE BLACK PERSON ON THE COUNSELOR.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S TO COME.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
THIS TIME, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, UM, TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.WELL, NUMBER FIVE, IF YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS OF INTEREST THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT OR ANY UPCOMING, UM, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, CONDOLENCES EXPRESSION OF THANKS.
WE'D LIKE TO, WE DO WANT TO KEEP COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM'S HUSBAND.
I SEE SHE POSTED ON FACEBOOK THAT HE, UM, HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL AND SO WE'D LIKE TO KEEP HIM IN PRAYER, UH, THIS MORNING.
HE'S IN SURGERY RIGHT NOW, SO, AND SHE DID POST THAT ON HER, HER PAGE, COUNCIL MEMBER HAM EVER FELT.
UM, I JUST WANTED A REMINDER OF THE JOB FAIRS THAT WERE DISCUSSED DURING THE PRESENTATION EARLIER TODAY.
UM, ONE IS THIS EVENING DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND ANOTHER IS OH, ON THE 15TH.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT, THE, I'M SORRY, ON THE 15TH.
THE TIME IS FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT THE PORT ARTHUR CIVIC CENTER.
THE, UM, ANNUAL JOB FAIR FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT COMING UP AT THE DOWNTOWN PAVILION ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, STARTING AT 7 45.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING YOUR OWN LAWN CHAIRS, SO PLEASE COME OUT FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY, UH, FUN EVENT.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE CITY STAFF AND, UM, THE CONTRACTORS FOR THEIR EXTREME HARD WORK WITH, UH, SUPPORTING OUR WATER SYSTEM.
WE HAD A LOT GOING ON AND THEY WORKED TIRELESSLY, UM, THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET BACK ON TRACK SOONER THAN LATER.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY STAFF AND THE CONTRACTORS THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN.
YES, I, UM, DID, TOLD THAT, UM, MAN, THAT WAS SOMETHING TO EXPERIENCE RIGHT AFTER OUR COUNCIL MEETING THE DAY BEFORE AND THEN TO SEE, UH, OUR, UM, THE ISSUE WITH THE WATERLINE BREAKS TO HAPPEN ON THE, UH, EVE, OR I GUESS ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE RITA.
THANK GOD WE DIDN'T HAVE A HURRICANE, BUT THE, THAT WATER SPROUTING UP LIKE THAT, UM, WAS, WAS SOMETHING FOR US TO WITNESS, BUT THANK GOD OUR STAFF GOT TO IT AND THEY WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK TIRELESSLY TO GET IT, UM, TO GET IT DONE.
SO WE ARE APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF OUR, UM, OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER STAFF AND WATER DEPARTMENT IN, IN ITS ENTIRETY.
AND, UM, WELCOME ABOARD MR. SOWELL
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO HAVE TO ENCOUNTER, UH, IN YOUR START OF YOUR DAYS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HOLD ANY ITEM, PLEASE GIVE ME THE NUMBER NOW, IF NOT FOREVER, HOLD YOUR PEACE BECAUSE WE'LL MOVE ON THROUGH THIS, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, UM, IN ITS ENTIRETY.
AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING, UH, YOU'D LIKE TO WITHHOLD, YOU CAN DO SO AT THIS TIME.
IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH A MOTION TO ACCEPT OUR CONSENT AGENDA AS PR.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, WE SKIPPED THE DISCUSSION.
OH, EVER FEEL WE SKIPPED THE DISCUSSION? EVER'S DISCUSSION ON FOR OH, THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
OH, DID I MISS? OH LORD, I'M SO SORRY BECAUSE WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, LET'S GO BACK, LET'S BACKTRACK.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion Regarding Road Construction Safety And Contractor Requirements ( Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
HAVE A DISCUSSION REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FEEL A DISCUSSION REGARDING ROAD CONSTRUCTION SAFETY AND CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS? THANK YOU.SO, UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, MR. AL AND CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY, I DID EMAIL JUST THIS MORNING THOUGH, UM, OF A LIST OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION SAFETY, UM, CONCERNS THAT I HAVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER SIGNAGE, THE PROPER LEAD INS, THE PROPER LIGHTING, AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT MUNICIPALITIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OSHA REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE CAN USE THEM AS A BASELINE TO HELP US TO BUILD, UM, RESPONSIBLE, UM, WARNING SIGNS AND YES.
OR REFINE THEM TO, TO BUILD A MORE RESPONSIBLE ORDINANCE.
AND I'M ASKING FOR THAT, FOR THESE REQUIREMENTS TO GIVE US, UM, MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, MORE STRUCTURE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SAFETY FOR OUR STAFF, OUR CITIZENS AND THE CONTRACTORS.
AND SO EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, UM,
[02:20:01]
ONE EXAMPLE IS ON NINTH AVENUE MM-HMMAND, AND IT IS, IT'S ALMOST SCARY AND ABOUT 1500 FEET IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE LEAD INS.
AND SO THAT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE JUST FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OVER A QUARTER OF A MILE.
BUT WITH THESE SIGNS, IT IS STILL CONFUSING ONCE YOU'RE APPROACHING AND IT, IT'S DANGEROUS AND CAUSING, UM, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY, COULD DEFINITELY CAUSE ACCIDENTS.
SO I AM REQUESTING THAT WE PLACE IN OUR BID PACKAGE, BE PROACTIVE IN THIS SITUATION, PLACE IN OUR BID PACKAGE, UM, THESE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR CONTRACTORS IN ADDITION TO HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION THAT THE CITY MANAGES AS WELL.
AND SO SOME OF THEM, LIKE I MENTIONED, WOULD BE THE LIGHTING, WOULD BE THE SIGNAGE THAT'S AT LEAST THAT QUARTER OF A MILE OR 1500 FEET BASELINE, UM, OUT SO THAT CITIZENS WILL KNOW CONSTRUCTION IS COMING UP, THE, THE SIZE OF THE SIGNS, UM, THE COLOR OF THE SIGNS.
ORANGE OR, UM, WHITE OR YELLOW, WHICH THEY, THEY ARE.
BUT UM, ALSO STRONGER BARRIERS.
AND THE LEAD-INS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE LEAD-INS ARE THE CONES OR THE, UM, BARRICADES THAT ARE LEADING UP TO THE, THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION ZONE, WHICH AGAIN KEEPS OUR STAFF SAFE AND KEEPS OUR CONTRACTORS SAFE.
AND OF COURSE THE CITIZENS THAT ARE DRIVING THROUGH, I HAVE BEEN TO DIFFERENT CITIES THAT HAVE THE SIGNS THAT WILL SAY ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMING SOON AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE TWO WEEKS OUT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW AND BE ABLE TO PLAN THEIR ROUTES IF THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THROUGH THIS CONSTRUCTION.
THEY HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO PLAN AN ADDITIONAL ROUTE.
THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SIGN THAT WILL SAY, UM, COMPANY BLUE GREEN CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE THEIR, THE DATES THAT THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO RUN IN ADDITION TO A PHONE NUMBER.
SO THAT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, THEN CITIZENS, OR WELL YOU ALL WILL KNOW WHO THE CONTRACTORS ARE, BUT OUR PHONE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE BLOWING UP BECAUSE OF, OF WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE SITE THAT WE ARE USING A CONTRACTOR FOR.
SO THEY CAN CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY TO BE ABLE TO ASK SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL HELP THEM TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE LESS, UM, CHANGE ORDERS AND KEEPING THE PROJECT ON TRACK SO IT CAN BE A, A STRONG PART OF OUR, UM, OF OUR PMP PLAN.
AND, UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER, ONE OTHER THING, JUST MAKING SURE THAT IT IS IN THE ACTUAL SCOPE OF WORK.
SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING AFTER THE FACT.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU JUST JUMPED ON BOARD LAST WEEK, A LOT WAS GOING ON, BUT I AM ASKING FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, SPREADING ALL OF THAT STRONG BRAIN SPACE THAT YOU HAVE ACROSS THE BOARD TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE THINGS TO KEEP US SAFE AND KEEP OUR, OUR, UM, STAFF SAFE.
THESE ARE ALL GREAT SUGGESTIONS AND GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT OUR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE AND OUR CITIZENS AND OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTORS TO BE SAFE.
SO I HAVE NOT SEEN THE SPECS YET FOR THE NEW PROJECTS, BUT WE DO FOLLOW TECHSTAR SPECIFICATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO CONSTRUCTION SAFETY.
I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO PULL JEREMY HERE, HE'S SITTING HERE.
HE'S ONE OF OUR ENGINEERS IF YOU WANNA JOIN JEREMY.
UH, SO LIKE HE DOES DESIGN WORK, PUT TOGETHER BITS FOR SOME OF THE PROJECTS, NOT ALL OF THEM.
SO HE CAN, HE CAN ADD HIS COMMENTS IF HE WISHES.
BUT OVERALL WE DO TRY TO FOLLOW ALL THE SAFETY STANDARDS DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT LOCATION SCOPE.
UH, IT CAN BE, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FULL FLEDGE SAFETY, UH, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT OUT THERE.
UM, BUT WE DEFINITELY, I CAN SEE WE NEED TO IMPROVE.
I AGREE WITH THAT, THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME THE EMAIL.
AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I SHARE THAT WITH OUR ENGINEERS, CONSULTANTS AND OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPLEMENT AS MUCH WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, I'LL SEND THESE NOTES AND COMMENTS, UM, FROM TODAY AS WELL SO WE CAN HAVE THAT, UM, WORKING CONVERSATION.
[02:25:01]
LIKE I SAID, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THAT, I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS A LOT NUMBER.WANNA SAY IT WAS C FFR 29 AND I MIGHT BE WRONG.
SO, UM, BUT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF WHAT WE WANT IN A PLAN, BUT IF NO ONE IS IMPLEMENTING IT OR HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, THEN THAT CHANGES THE GAME.
SO, YOU KNOW, OFTEN WE WILL EVEN FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ROAD CONSTRUCTION THAT CITIZENS WILL OFTEN THINK IS OURS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE STATE.
BUT AGAIN, I'VE EVEN NOTICED WHERE THE STATE CAME IN AND THEY WERE NOT COMPLIANT WITH OWN, YOU KNOW, RULES.
SO I, IF IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR HOUSE, IN OUR CITY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HOLDING THAT PART ACCOUNTABLE FOR SAFETY.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE BACK TO THE CONSENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOEL WILL THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR UH, ITEM,
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, SEVEN CONSENT AGENDA.WE ARE, UM, YOU'VE ALREADY, I GUESS BEEN ASKED IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WITHHOLD ANYTHING.
IF NOT COUNCIL MEMBERS WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA
[VIII.A.(1) P. R. No. 24392 — A Resolution Authorizing The 2025- 2026 Jefferson Central Appraisal District Funding Allocation In An Amount Of 278, 335. 00 From General Fund Finance Department' s Account No. 001- 07- 015- 5420- 00- 10- 000]
GO TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH WILL BE ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION, NON-CONSENT.WE'RE GONNA GO NUMBER ONE, PR NUMBER 2 4 3 9 2 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE 20 25 20 26 JEFFERSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT FUNDING ALLOCATION AND THE AMOUNT OF $278,335 FROM GENERAL FUND FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 0 7 0 1 5 5 4 2 0 0 0 0.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND BEEN MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR NUMBER 2 4 3 9 9
[VIII.A.(2) P. R. No. 24399 — A Resolution Authorizing The 2025- 2026 Orange County Appraisal District Funding Allocation In The Total Amount Of 58, 833. 00 From General Fund Finance Department' s Account No. 001- 07- 015- 5420- 00- 10- 000]
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE 20 25 20 26 ORANGE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT FUNDING ALLOCATION AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF 58,800 $333 FROM GENERAL FUND FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S.ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 0 7 0 1 5 5 4 2 0 0 0 1 0 DASH ZERO ZERO.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(3) P. R. No. 24525 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase Eight (8) 2026 Ford E- 450 Paratransit Vehicles From Creative Bus Sales Of Irving, Texas, Through The State Of Oklahoma Comptroller' s Contract No. SW079C, For Use In Port Arthur Transit' s Paratransit Service, In An Amount Not To Exceed $ 1, 325, 280. 00; Funding To Consist Of An Eighty- Five Percent ( 85%) Federal Transit Administration Grant Matched With Fifteen Percent ( 15%) Transportation Development Credits; Funds Available In Account 401- 70- 530- 8523- 00- 60- 000, Project CAP. MOT, Transit Capital Motor Vehicles]
COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI, IF YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON, IS THAT FOR, FOR NUMBER THREE WHEN YOU FINISH.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE 8 20 26 FORD E FOUR 50 PARATRANSIT VEHICLES FROM THE CREATIVE BUS SALES OF IRVING, TEXAS THROUGH THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
COMPTROLLER'S CONTRACT NUMBER SW 0 7 9 C FOR USE IN PORT ARTHUR'S TRANSIT PARATRANSIT SERVICE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,325,280 FUNDING TO CONSIST OF AN 85% FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANT MATCHED WITH 15% TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS.
FUNDS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT 4 0 1 7 0 5 3 0 8 5 2 3 DASH 0 6 0 0 0 PROJECT.
C-A-P-T-M-O-T, TRANSIT CAPITAL MOTOR VEHICLES.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? APPROVAL? I'VE GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, CAN YOU GET A SECOND? SECOND? I GET A SECOND.
EVER FEEL OKAY? THANK YOU MAYOR.
I AM WANTING CLARIFICATION AS TO ANY FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO, IT'S THE ONE POINT I WANNA CONFIRM.
THE 1.3 APPROXIMATE IS WHAT THE CITY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING OUT AND THEN WE WILL BE REIMBURSED.
SO WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT US PUTTING OUT $1.3 MILLION WHEN WE ARE TIGHT ON OUR CASH FLOW.
I WOULD ASK THAT THIS TYPE OF ITEM IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HOLD UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS BEEN LIFTED SO THAT WE ACTUALLY, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE STAFF IN PLACE FOR US TO,
[02:30:01]
UM, TO SUBMIT OUR DOCUMENTATION TO SO WE CAN GET OUR MONEY BACK.'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT AND I'LL BE VERY STRATEGIC WITH THAT.
YEAH, SO DO WE WANT, SO HOW WOULD WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
SO HOW, HOW WOULD MANAGER WOULD YOU SAY IF WE MOVE FORWARD? UM, I, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS IN SUBMITTING OUR PAPERWORK.
UM, BEARING IN MIND THAT THERE'S A SHUTDOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PERSONS ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE VERY MUCH RESPONSIVE WHEN THAT TIME COMES AS WELL.
WELL, SIR, THEY AREN'T THERE NOW, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO SUBMIT PAPERWORK TO.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING RIGHT NOW.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ASKING FOR US TO APPROVE US ACTUALLY DOING THIS, BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW THAT THAT'S RIGHT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING THE FUNDS RIGHT NOW'S THAT'S RIGHT.
WE NEED TO BE SHOVEL READY ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO INFORM, GONNA BE UNPACKING THE, THE, THE, THE REQUESTS THAT BEEN BY THE BLIND THAT'S BEEN COMING BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
WILL THIS HELP THEM? WE WILL, WE WILL BE SHOVEL READY? WE ARE.
YEAH, WE, WE NEED TO BE SHOVEL READY AND GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND WAIT ON, THEY'LL GOING AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT BUDGET, THAT SHUTDOWN.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE OURSELF IN THE PIPELINE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES NUMBER FOUR,
[VIII.A.(4) P. R. No. 24537 — A Resolution Authorizing The Third Year ( Final Renewal) Of The Dyed Diesel Fuel Contracts With Suncoast Resources, Inc. Of Houston, Texas And Tri- Con, Inc. Of Beaumont, Texas For The Combined Total Not To Exceed Amount Of 900, 000. 00. Funding Is Available In 001- 21- 055- 5230- 00- 70- 000 Drainage), 403- 50- 320- 5230- 00- 00- 000 ( Landfill), 450- 60- 410- 5230- 00- 00- 000 ( Pleasure Island), 410- 40- 210- 5230- 00- 00- 000, 410-40- 215- 5230- 00- 00- 000, 410- 40- 220- 5230- 00- 00- 000, 410- 40- 225- 5230- 00- 00- 000 ( Utility Services)]
PR NUMBER 2 4 5 3 7 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THIRD YEAR FINAL RENEWAL.WE NEED TO TURN OUR CELL PHONES OFF.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THIRD YEAR FINAL RENEWAL OF THE DI UM, DIE DIESEL FUEL CONTRACTS WITH SUNCOAST RESOURCES INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND TRICON INCORPORATED OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $900,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT.
0 0 1 DASH 21 DASH 5 5 2 3 0 7 0.
DRAINAGE 4 0 3 5 3 2 5 2 3 0 DASH 0 0 0 LANDFILL.
PLEASURE ISLAND 4 1 0 DASH FOUR FOUR OH.
DASH TWO OH DASH 5 2 3 0 0 0 4 1 4 0 2 15.
UTILITY UTILITY SERVICES MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION BEEN MOVED.
AND THEN I THINK CITY MANAGER.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DIE? WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DIE? WE, WE PURCHASE DI IS EVERY YEAR COME, COME CLIFF.
UH, THE DI DIESEL FUEL FUEL IS USED FOR OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
LIKE BIG EXCAVATORS THINGS THAT'S NOT NORMALLY TRAVEL THE ROAD SO THEY CAN'T SO THEY CAN'T USE IT FOR NOTHING ELSE.
NO, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S ALL IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR AS OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
WELL, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE DYE? WHY DYE TO KEEP IS, ARE THERE ARTISTS OR INSPECTORS THAT COME BY AND CHECK THE REST OF THE CITY EQUIPMENT? SEE IF THEY'RE USING THAT FUEL IN, IN, IN THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE IF IT, IF THEY DO, IT'LL LEAVE.
I GREW UP ON A FARM THAT'S, NO, I GOT, I I CAN'T ANSWER THAT PART.
I JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S TIED TO VEHICLES THAT DON'T TRAVEL ON HIGHWAYS LIKE EXCAVATORS AND BIG LARGE EQUIPMENT.
SO, UH, LIKE THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND LANDFILL, THAT'S WHY THOSE PARTICULAR ACCOUNT NUMBERS OF PUBLIC WORKS ARE THE ONES THAT USE IT.
IT'S FOR THOSE OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
IT'S NOT USED FOR OUR PICKUP TRUCKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
[02:35:01]
NO PROBLEM.THEY WOULD COME IN AND CHECK ALL YOUR, UH, YOUR EQUIPMENT TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY STAINS OR DIE.
[VIII.A.(5) P. R. No. 24545 — A Resolution Authorizing The Second Year ( First Renewal) Contracts With Gulf Coast Electric Company Of Beaumont, Texas And Jefferson Electric Company Of Beaumont, Texas, For Electrical Repairs And Maintenance At Various Locations For A Combined Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $ 117, 000. 00; Funds Available In Operational & Maintenance Accounts For Various Departments]
FIVE, PR NUMBER TWO.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE SECOND YEAR.
FIRST RENEWAL CONTRACTS WITH GULF COAST ELECTRIC COMPANY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS AND JEFFERSON ELECTRIC COMPANY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FOR A COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AN AMOUNT OF $117,000 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? APPROVAL? SECOND, BEEN MOTIONED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR NUMBER
[VIII.A.(6) P. R. No. 24551 — A Resolution Appointing And/ Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Beautification Commission ( Requested By Mayor Moses, Councilmembers Kinlaw, Everfield And Beckcom)]
2 4 5 5 1 A RESOLUTION, APPOINTING AND OR REAPPOINTED MEMBERS TO, UH, MEMBERS OR MEMBERS OF THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION REQUESTED BY MAYOR MOSES.COUNCIL MEMBERS, KINLAW, EVERFI AND BECKHAM.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOTIONED.
UM, AND THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
ANY UM, ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT.
[VIII.B.(1) P. O. No. 7368 — An Ordinance Amending Appendix A — Zoning, Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, By Granting A Zoning Map Amendment For Approximately 31. 27 Acres Of Land Consisting Of Tract 3, Part Of Lot 4, Block 2; Tract 5, Part Of Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7, Block 2; & Lot 5, Tract 2, Block 2, Range E, Port Arthur Land Company Subdivision, Jefferson County, Texas, From Low Density Residential ( LDR) To Planned Development District — 47 ( PD47) To Allow Single Family, 2 Family, And Recreational, Outdoor Uses; Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding 2, 000. 00, As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1- 13 Of The Code Of Ordinances And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date. ( East Of Lewis Foster Drive & South Of]
CONTINUE WITH ITEM EIGHT AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION.UH, ORDINANCES NUMBER ONE, PO NUMBER 7 360 8.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX.
A ZONING OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS BY GRANTING A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 1 31 0.27 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF TRACK THREE, PART OF LOT FOUR, BLOCK TWO, TRACK FIVE, PART OF LOT, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, AND SEVEN.
BLOCK TWO AND LOT FIVE, TRACK TWO, BLOCK TWO RANGE.
E PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY SUBDIVISION, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 47.
PD 47 TO ALLOW SINGLE FAMILY, UM, TWO FAMILY AND RECREATIONAL OUTDOOR USES.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE.
SECTION ONE, UH, ONE THROUGH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND EACH DAY, WHICH VIOLATIONS PERMITTED TO EXIST SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE EAST OF LEWIS FOSTER DRIVE AND SOUTH OF MAIN AVENUE Z TWO FIVE DASH OH FIVE.
QUEST TRUST COMPANY FBO MAMIE L GREEN.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE ORDINANCE PASSES AT THIS TIME
[VIII.B.(2) P. O. No. 7373 — An Appropriation Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2025 And Ending September 30, 2026, Increasing The Water And Sewer Capital Fund ( 405) By $ 10, 000, 000. 00 And CDBG- DR Fund ( 148) By 1, 118, 000. 00]
WE'RE GOING TO, UH, ASK, IT'S BEEN ASKED THAT WE WOULD, UH, TABLE, UM, NUMBER TWO, PO NUMBER 7 3 7 3.AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.
INCREASING THE WATER AND SEWER CAPITAL FUND.
4 0 5 BY $10 MILLION AND C-D-B-G-G-D-R FUND 1 48 BY $1,118,000.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO TABLE THIS, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER TABLE? THANK WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN MOVED AND THERE'S BEEN PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS FOR PURPOSE? PURPOSE OF THE TABLE THEN I JUST GOT A MEMO.
THE TABLE IS NOT GOVERNMENT SHUT.
I JUST GOT A, A MOTION TO TABLE.
THEY, WHAT? YOU SAID THEY WEREN'T READY.
IT JUST, I JUST GOT A MEMO TO TABLE.
THEY WERE NOT READY TO PRESENT THIS GOOD MORNING.
YOU REQUESTED A TABLE? YES, BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE 21ST AND NOT FOR THIS MEETING.
SO I JUST JUMPED THE GUN ON THAT ONE.
THE ORDINANCE WILL BE TABLED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING AT THIS TIME.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING ( EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
MEMBERS, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, TO HANDLE, UH, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1.[02:40:01]
REINVESTMENT ZONES REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD AND COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK NUMBER TWO, SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1.LEGAL ADVICE, UH, SOMETHING BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
AND ARE WE, UH, GOING WITH NUMBER THREE, UH, SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1.
LEGAL ADVICE, CITY PERSONNEL POLICY AND REQUEST FOR TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION ON OPEN RECORDS REQUEST WITH THE OUTSIDE ATTORNEY ALEX ELLI.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, GO INTO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1213 AND WE WILL BE BACK.
WE WOULD NO FURTHER BUSINESS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE NOW READY TO CLOSE OUR MEETING.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
ANY NOS MEETING IS CLOSED AT 1 43.