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GOOD MORNING.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL ]
GOOD MORNING.WE ARE GOING TO, UH, BEGIN OUR MEETING.
IT'S 9:30 AM GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 AT 9:30 AM YOU MAY JOIN OUR MEETING BY TELEPHONIC AND OR BY VIDEO CONFERENCE BY CALLING IN TO 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 5 8 9 3 0 5 6 8 2 6 AND ENTER THE PASSCODE, 9 0 1 9 0 2.
YOU, YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ACCOMMODATING YOU.
YOU CAN DO THAT BY CALLING IN 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE ALL WOULD MUTE OUR CELL, UH, CELL PHONES OR ANY DEVICES, MOBILE DEVICES THAT WE MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR INVOCATION, OUR PLEDGE, AND OUR ROLL CALL.
I AM GOING TO ASK A COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
GOOD MORNING, LET US BOW ALL WISE IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YET AGAIN, GIVING US A WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE, GOD, THAT YOU'VE AWAKENED US AND ALLOWED US TO COME INTO THIS MEETING WHERE WE CAN MAKE, UH, DECISIONS BASED UPON YOUR WISE COUNSEL AND YOUR GRACIOUS KINDNESS AND MERCY.
WE PRAY BLESSINGS TODAY UPON ALL WHO ARE HERE AND UPON OUR CITY AND UPON OUR NATION AS WELL.
BLESSING KEEP US IS OUR PRAYER AND THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FROM WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
ALL CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CITY SECRETARY.
WE HAVE NO PROCLAMATIONS THIS MORNING.
[III.B.(1) Arnon Bazemore Of The US Army Corps Of Engineers – Galveston District, Regarding An Update Of The Port Arthur Project ]
ITEM THREE, PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS SPEAKERS.WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE, UM, PRESENTERS, UH, PRESENTATIONS, AND WE'D LIKE FOR, UH, ARANON BAYSMORE OF THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO COME FORTH AND PRESENT WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR MOSES, UH, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE PORT ARTHUR CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ARNE BASMORE AND I AM THE SABINE TO PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SABBE BAY TO GALVESTON PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.
WITH ME TODAY ARE OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS ENGINEERS.
UH, MS. TONY ADDISON, A MEGA PROJECTS DIVISION CHIEF, MR. CHARLES WHEELER, MEGA, UM, PROJECTS, DIVISION S TWO G PROJECT.
GALVESTON, SABINE TO GALVESTON, UM, PROJECT MANAGER.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, WHITNEY TODAY AS WELL.
MR. BOBBY PETTY, OUR OUTREACH SPECIALIST.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US OUR NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT, AND MR. UM, ALLEN SIMS, THE GENERAL MANAGER TODAY.
UM, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING A PORT ARTHUR PROJECT AND WE'LL FOLLOW THE AGENDA AS SUCH.
UM, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE'LL GO OVER A PROJECT OVERVIEW, THE PROJECT FUNDING, THE, UM, THE KEY FEATURES, THE SCHEDULE OVERVIEW, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW FOR THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.
WE LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE PUBLIC OPENING, WHICH, UH, PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE, WHICH HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY,
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NOVEMBER 20TH FROM 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM AT THE ST.UM, THE POINT OF DISCUSSION WILL BE THE PORT ARTHUR AND THE VICINITY CONTRACT, PAV OH FOUR.
THAT CAN, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION.
HONOR, JUST QUICK CLARIFICATION.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, UH, DON'T UNDERSTAND, PORT ARTHUR, PA V OH FOUR IS A CONTRACT FROM, UH, ROSE HILL ACRES TO LAKEVIEW PUMP STATION.
THE END OF PROCTOR STREET NORTH.
THE SABINE, THE SABINE PASSED.
THE GALVESTON PROJECT IS PART, IS WE ABBREVIATED AS S TWO G IS PART OF THE UPPER TEXAS COAST, UH, REGIONAL APPROACH.
THIS BEAN, THE BEAN THAT GOTTON BAY PROJECT IS COMPRISED OF TWO ELEMENTS, THE PORT ARTHUR ELEMENT AND THE ORANGE ELEMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, THOSE TWO PROJECTS, THE SA THE TE UPPER TEXAS REGIONAL APPROACH IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT ADDITIONAL PROJECTS SHOWN IN ORANGE.
IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER IS THE ORANGE PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE A NEW PROTECTED LEVEE SYSTEM SHOWN IN BLUE.
YOU HAVE THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT AND HIGHLIGHTED ENC CIRCLE.
IN RED IS THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT THAT'S FOLLOWED BY THE SABINA NATURES WATERWAY, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION.
THE MCFADDEN SOUGHT BY YOU DO DUNE STABILIZATION, THE COAST, THE TEXAS COASTAL PROJECT, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PROJECT AUTHORIZED WITH THE CORPS ENGINEERS TO DATE AT $34 BILLION.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL AS WELL AS THE, THE TEXAS CITY HURRICANE PROTECTION SYSTEM.
THE FOCUS FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL BE THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.
ALLOW ME TO, UH, REITERATE AS WELL.
THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE FOR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST IS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HUMAN LIFE, OF STORM SURGE, REDUCE ECONOMIC DAMAGES TO, UH, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES STRUCTURE, ENHANCE THE ENERGY SECURITY BY REDUCING THE STORM SURGE AND PROVIDING PROTECTION AROUND THE PETROCHEMICAL FACILITIES AND REDUCE THE, UH, ADVERSE PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF WATERWAYS FOR COMMERCIAL AND, AND, AND OUR RECREATIONAL USE TO COLLECTIVELY THESE PROJECTS ON THE UPPER TEXAS REGIONAL APPROACH PROVIDE THAT, UH, PROTECTION.
THE FOCUS FOR TODAY, THE FOCUS FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION WILL BE THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.
THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT IS IN EXISTING, UH, LEVEE SYSTEM THAT WAS BUILT FROM THE MID 1960S TO THE EARLY 1980S BY THE CORE OF ENGINEERS.
IT HAS SINCE BEEN TURNED OVER TO OUR NOW FEDERAL SPONSOR, DD SEVEN, WHO OPERATES AND MAINTAINS IT, UH, WHO'S BEEN OPERATED AND MAINTAINING IT EVER SINCE.
OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCY OF THIS SYSTEM BY PROVIDING A GREATER LEVEL OF PROTECTION IN WHAT THIS SYSTEM CURRENTLY DOES.
THE FOCUS OF THE POLAR ARTHUR PROJECT, THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT SYSTEM ARE 14.3 MILES OF EARTH AND LEVEE RAISES OF 14.3 MILES OF, OF EARTH AND LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS OF WHICH 10 WILL BE 10 MILES OF EARTH AND LEVEE RAISES, AND 4.3 MILES OF NEW EARTH AND LEVEE CONSTRUCTION.
THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO INCLUDE 6.2 MILES OF CONCRETE FLOOD WALL IMPROVEMENTS.
IE THEY WILL BE LIKELY REPLACING EXISTING IE UH, EYE WALLS WITH T WALLS, FINDING PROTECTION AT THE 11 EXISTING PUMP STATIONS IN PORT ARTHUR INSULATION OF 20 NEW ROAD AND RAILROAD CLOSURE GATES ALONG THE LEVEE SYSTEM.
INSULATION OF EROSION CONTROLS AT THE LEVEE FLOOD SIDES, AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PUMP STATION IN A ROLL GULLY, UH, LOCATION.
THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT IS COMPRISED OF THREE 11 CONTRACTS, 11 PORT ARTHUR, AND VICINITY CONTRACTS.
THE FOCUS OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE THE DISCUSSION OF THREE OF THOSE PAV OH ONE, WHICH IS COMPLETED, PAV OH THREE A, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, AND PAV OH FOUR, WHICH WAS RECENTLY AWARDED
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TO ACCOMPLISH THE DELIVERY OF THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT.WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT SEVEN, OUR NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR PARTNER.
THE PROJECT WAS APPROPRIATED APPROPRIATED IN THE BIPARTISAN ACT OF 20 20 20 18, EXCUSE ME, AND IT WAS FULLY FUNDED.
IT WAS FULLY FUNDED FOR $3.9 BILLION OF WHICH 863 MILLION WILL HAVE GONE AND BEEN ALLOCATED TO PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE SEEING SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES AND WE ARE WORKING TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTATION AND OBTAIN AN APPROVAL FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, COSTS.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND AND JEFFERSON COUNTY JOURNALIST DISTRICT SEVEN HAVE SIGNED A PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WHERE YOU SAY ARMY CORPS ENGINEERS FUND 65% OF THE PROJECT COSTS WITH D DD SEVEN ON NOW FEDERAL SPONSOR FUNDING THE REMAINING 35%.
THE KEY FEATURES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE EARTH AND LEVEES AND CONCRETE FLOOD WALLS.
THE SCOPE OF THE EARTH AND LEVEES WILL BE RAISING THE EXISTING EARTH AND EARTH AND LEVEES PROVIDED METAL PROTECTION, AND THEN INSTALLING, UM, NEW EARTH LEVEES PROGRESS, INSTALLING NEW EARTH AND LEVEES AT SEGMENTS AS WELL TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION REQUIRED.
HERE YOU'LL SEE TO THE LEFT IS THE EXISTING EYE WALL, AND TO THE RIGHT YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING TO BE REPLACING IT.
WE FOUND OUT THROUGH LESSONS LEARNED FROM PRIOR WEATHER EVENTS SUCH AS HURRICANE KATRINA, THAT OVER TIME THE STORM SURGE FROM STORM EVENTS WILL ALLOW FOR, UH, UH, WILL ALLOW FOR OVER TAPPING AND A ROLLING OF, UH, EYEBROW FOUNDATIONS.
AS SUCH, THE T WALL CONCRETE WALL PROVIDES A BETTER DESIGN WITH A MORE ROBUST FOUNDATION AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL BATTERY PILES TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL STABILITY.
WHAT'S THE CONCRETE REPLACE? THE CONCRETE FO REPLACEMENT WILL BE ANOTHER KEY FEATURE OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE THE FRONTING PROTECTION THAT WILL BE INSTALLED IN FRONT OF ALL THE, UM, EXISTING PUMP STATIONS.
THE FRONTING PROTECTION HELPS, HELPS MITIGATE STORM SURGE IMPACTS ON THE PUMP STATION ITSELF.
ALSO WITH THE PULL ARTHUR PROJECT INSTALLATION OF ROAD RAILROAD AND ROADWAY CLOSURE, GATES WERE BEING STORED WALLS AND ROADWAYS INTERSECT THE LEVEE SYSTEM PROVIDING MORE, UH, PROTECTION FROM STORM SURGE THROUGHOUT THE PORT ARTHUR AREA.
HERE IS THE PROJECT TIMELINE FOR THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT IN 2017.
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THIS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED 2018.
WE RECEIVED, UH, SRG RECEIVED THE AUTHORIZATION AND FUNDING FROM CONGRESS FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH ALLOWED US TO AWARD THE FIRST CONTRACT IN 2019 FOR A CONSTRUCTION START IN 2020.
WE ANTICIPATE FINAL DESIGN BEING COMPLETED 2032, AND WE ARE ALSO ANTICIPATING THE PROJECT ITSELF TO BE OVERALL COMPLETED IN 2036.
THE FIRST CONTRACT IN THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT IS PAVO ONE.
THIS PROJECT WAS AWARDED MARCH 30TH, 2020 AND WAS COMPLETED JULY 28TH, 2022.
THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, EXCUSE ME, FOR $25 MILLION CONTRACT VALUE, THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS A DEEP, DEEP SOIL MIX TO EARTH AND LEVY RAISED.
THE NEXT PROJECT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION, IS CONTRACT PAV OH THREE A.
THIS CONTRACT WAS AWARDED SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2023 FOR A CONTRACT VALUE OF $97 MILLION.
WE ANTICIPATE THE ESTIMATE DURATION FOR THE CONTRACT TO BE 5.5 YEARS.
KEY ELEMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS, CONCRETE FLOOD WALLS, FRONT END PROTECTION, AS WELL AS, UH, EROSION CONTROLS ON ON FLOOD SIDE OF LEVEES, WHICH CONTRACT THREE WILL FOCUS ON THREE CONTRACT.
[00:15:01]
A WILL FOCUS ON THREE ZONES, ZONE FIVE ALLIGATOR PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS, ZONE SIX LAKESIDE PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS, AND ZONE SEVEN PORT ACRES PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS.KEY ELEMENTS FOR THIS CONTRACT INCLUDE ROUGHLY IN ADDITION TO THE PUMPS, THE THE FRONT END PROTECTION AT THE PUMP STATION'S MENTIONED.
IN THESE THREE ZONES, WE'LL HAVE CONCRETE ROUGHLY 1200 MANUAL FEET OF CONCRETE FLOOD WALL IMPROVEMENTS, INSULATION OF THE T WALLS, TAKING OUT INSULATION OF T WALLS, REPLACING THE EXISTING EYEWALL 320 MILES OF EARTH AND LEVEE RAISES, AS WELL AS INSULATION OF THE SHEET PILE, COLOR WALLS AND BATTER PILES REQUIRED FOR THE INSTALLATION OF FOUNDATION FOR THE CONCRETE FLOOD WALLS.
THE NEXT SERIES OF PHOTOS WILL SHOW THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSION IN THE VARIOUS ZONES, ZONES FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.
BASICALLY, THE WORK, THE WORK IS GOING CONCURRENT AND IT'S FAIRLY SIMILAR IN PROCESS WHERE YOU HAVE THE INSTALLATION OF THE BATTER PILES, SHEET PILE CUTOFF WALLS IN PREPARATION FOR THE CONCRETE FLAT WORK FOR THE FOUNDATIONS.
THE T WALL FOUNDATIONS SEEN HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE ALLIGATOR PUMP STATIONS.
YOU HAVE THE T WALL WORK THAT IS IN PROGRESS AND PROBABLY, UH, WHAT'S UH, CRITICAL IS THE, UH, FOUNDATION SYSTEM, THE BATTERED PILES, WHICH ARE ANGLE PILES TO PROVIDE A STRUCTURAL STABILITY FOR THE CONCRETE T WALL ITSELF.
ZONE SIX IS THE LAKESIDE PUMP STATION SITE IMPROVEMENT WORK, WHICH IS FAIRLY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE ALLIGATOR PUMP STATION.
SHEEP, ALL CUTOFF WALLS AND PILES.
ZONE SEVEN IS THE LAKESIDE PUMP STATION AND SITE IMPROVE, UH, PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENT WORKS AS WELL.
SIMILAR SCOPE FOUNDATION INSTALLATION FOR T WALLS AND FRONT END PROTECTIONS.
THE LAST OF THE THREE CON, THE LAST OF THE THREE CONTRACTS DISCUSSED IN THE PORT ARTHUR PROJECT IS PV OH FOUR.
THE PRE OH FOUR CONTRACT WAS RECENTLY AWARDED APRIL OF THIS YEAR FOR A CONTRACT VALUE OF $404 MILLION WITH AN ESTIMATED CONTRACT, UH, COMPLETION, ESTIMATED CONTRACT DURATION OF 4.5 YEARS.
THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY AT 30 35% DESIGN STAGE AND IT IS A DESIGN BUILT CONTRACT, EXCUSE ME.
CURRENTLY, FIELD SURVEYS AND GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION START FOR CONTRACT FOUR TO BE LATE SUMMER OF 2026.
MAJOR ELEMENTS FOR THE PA OH FOUR CONTRACT INCLUDE ROUGHLY 11,000 LIMIT FEET OF NEW CONCRETE FLOOD WALL SHOWN IN RED.
THIS WILL BE WHERE WE ARE REPLACING THE EXISTING EYEWALL WITH THE MORE ROBUST T WALL FOUNDATION T WALL OF FLOOD WALL FOUNDATION, CONCRETE FLOOD WALL SYSTEM.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 2200 LINEAL FEET OF EARTH AND LEVEE RAISE RAISES SHOWN IN GREEN.
AND SIMILAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN CONTRACT THREE A, WE'LL HAVE FRONTING PROTECTION INSTALLED AT THE EXISTING THREE PUMP STATIONS.
LAKEVIEW STADIUM ROAD IN DELMAR.
OF NOTE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WILL LIKELY TAKE PLACE ON THE FLOOD SIDE ON, UH, ON THIS CONTRACT.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'LL BE, UM, CRITICAL CARE TAKEN TO PRESERVING ON WHAT'S OUT, WHAT'S OUT THERE, AND PROVIDING THE PROPER MEASURES TAKING PLACE, TFP, TEMPORARY FLOOD PROTECTION AND SO FORTH.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND FOR NOT JUST THE SG PORT ARTHUR PROJECT, BUT ALSO THE ORANGE PROJECT, THE TWO ELEMENTS THAT FORM THIS BEING THE GALVESTON BAY PROJECTS BY ACCESSING THESE QR CODES.
AND WE'LL TAKE YOU INTO THE STORYBOARD AND YOU CAN HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS TO UNDERSTANDING OF PROJECT HISTORY AS WELL AS ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH THIS.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LEAVE TIME TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, LET'S SEE IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I DON'T HAVE ANY LIGHTS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, LAST TIME I SAW THIS, IT WAS ABOUT 2019,
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OR I MEAN 2020.I WAS JUST THINKING, ALAN, THE, HE SAID 2036 UP.
MY, MY, I HEARD, I KNOW THE MIC.
I WAS LIKE, OOH, HOW OLD AM I GONNA BE IN 2036? THAT'S BEEN A COMMON QUESTION.
UM, I HAVE CITY MANAGER HAS HIS LIGHT ON MAYOR IN TERMS OF DISSEMINATING INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY TO THE RESIDENTS IN THE PROCTOR STREET AREA FOR THE PUBLIC, UM, HEARING TO BE HELD.
UM, IF ALAN, YOU COULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US SO THAT WE COULD POST IT ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
THE, UH, YES WE WOULD, THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE WILL BE NOVEMBER 20TH AT, UH, THE CHURCH.
WE WERE TALKING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOWN IN PROCTOR.
I WILL, UH, WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE THAT PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU FOR YOUR WEBSITE.
WE'LL ALSO GO OUT THE WEEK BEFORE AND HANG DOOR HANGERS ON ALL THE DOORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS.
UH, NORMALLY WE'VE HELD OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS LIKE THIS, LIKE AT BOB BOWERS, RIGHT DOWN HERE AT THE, UH, CARL PARKER CENTER.
BUT WE CHOSE TO DO THIS ONE AS CLOSE AS WE COULD.
THAT WAS THE LARGEST VENUE WE COULD FIND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WENT TO, UH, TALKED WITH THE, UH, CATHOLIC CHURCH IN, UH, PAST AND FATHER MCRIGHT, I THINKS THE GUY THAT'S DOWN THERE NOW, UH, I REMEMBER HIM WHEN HE WAS IN WINNIE WHEN I USED TO LIVE THERE, UH, BUT WENT AND MET WITH HIM AND UH, THEY WERE GONNA GIVE US THE BIG HALL THEY HAVE THERE SO WE CAN GET EVERYBODY.
AND LIKE I SAID, I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING CENTRALIZED FOR EVERYBODY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT GOES FROM ROSE HILL TO LAKEVIEW.
I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF CONCERNS RIGHT NOW.
THE INTENDED PLAN IS WE DO NOT PURCHASE ANY PROPERTY FROM ANY PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.
WE'LL BUILD ON WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY OR OUT TOWARDS THE NAVIGATION CHANNEL.
THERE'LL BE SOME WHO WILL MOVE ABOUT FIVE FEET OUT AND TOWARDS NAVIGATION OR SO.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE A WHOLE LOT.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST TO DO MINIMAL IMPACTS.
I GUARANTEE YOU THERE WILL BE SOME.
THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN BUILD THIS PROJECT WITHOUT SOME TRAFFIC AND SOME ISSUES IN THERE.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WE WANT AHEAD AND GO AHEAD AND GET THIS STARTED RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE A WHOLE LOT OF IMPACTS IN THAT AREA FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO NINE MONTHS.
I'D PROBABLY GONNA DO ANOTHER OPEN HOUSE AND PROBABLY SOMETIME MID-SUMMER, LATE SUMMER.
DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY START CONSTRUCTION.
WHEN YOU START SEEING TRUCKS RUNNING ON THE STREETS, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HAVE ANOTHER OPEN HOUSE.
I'M GONNA TRY TO PLAN, SET IT TO WHERE, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE DID IT THE WEEK BEFORE.
WE DO IT A MONTH AFTER THEY START SEEING TRUCKS AND EVERYBODY'S GONNA SHOW UP TO COMPLAINT AND THAT'S WHEN WE WANT TO HAVE IT.
UM, JUST BE HONEST WITH YOU GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP EVERYBODY INFORMED, YOU GUYS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, TRYING TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING Y'ALL NEED, IF YOU JUST LET US KNOW.
I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
I DIDN'T HAVE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION, BUT SINCE YOU TALK ABOUT THE HAVING MEETINGS YES, SIR.
YOU KNOW, I STAY ON CAMBRIDGE.
ALL THE TRUCKS NOT ONLY GO UP THERE, BUT THEY BE PARKED RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
I CAN'T EVEN GET OUT WITHOUT BEING CAREFUL 'CAUSE THEY ALL LINED UP THERE.
BUT THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S, IT WORKED.
OUR CONTRACTORS ARE PARKED NEAR YOUR HOUSE.
NO, I SAID IN THE, THE STREET IN FRONT MY HOME.
OUR CONTRACTORS ARE PARKED OVER THERE? NO, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CARRYING THE MATERIAL.
PEOPLE WHO ARE CARRYING THAT'S 18 WHEELERS.
LIKE FIVE OR SIX OF 'EM ALONG THE ROAD.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS OF THEM, THE POUNDING.
SO BASICALLY IT IS, WHEN IS THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED AND HOW FAR WE GOING WITH THAT? AND IF YOU'RE DOING IT, WE'RE ABOUT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF INTO A FIVE YEAR PROJECT THERE.
JUST IN THE, JUST FOR THE LAKESIDE PUMP STATION? WELL, IT'S ALL THREE OF 'EM TOGETHER.
UH, AND I, THEY'RE PROBABLY 25% COMPLETE.
THEY'RE ABOUT, SO THEY'RE PROBABLY GOT ANOTHER THREE YEARS WOULD BE MY GUESS ON THE LAKESIDE.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING.
WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT A CENTRAL LOCATION, ST.
BUT THEN AGAIN, WE DOING THAT ONE OUT THERE, AND WHEN I TELL YOU I COULD WALK OUT, I COULD STAND IN MY FRONT YARD AND THAT'S, THAT'S NO MORE THAN ABOUT THREE OR 400.
AND THEY DON'T WORK AT NIGHT, SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
IT'S ONLY DURING HOURS OF OPERATION, BUT IT SHOULD BE A GOOD IDEA ON KNOWING THAT THING GOING IN.
TELL YOU WHAT,
I'LL TAKE, I'LL OWN THAT COMPLETELY.
MY THOUGHTS WERE THOSE THREE PROJECTS WERE SO FAR ISOLATED.
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GOING TO IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MUCH.WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING.
IT PROBABLY, IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE US ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER.
MAYBE WE DO SOMETHING THERE IN THE PA IN THE, WHAT'S IT CALLED? PALOMAR LAKESIDE.
YOU KNOW WE HAVE HAVE COMMUNITY CENTER THERE.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN TO GO BACK THERE AT COUNTS DOWN CAMBRIDGE.
AND FOR THREE YEARS IT'S GONNA BE AND 18 WHEEL CARRYING SOME HEAVY STUFF.
SO THAT KIND OF, LET ME CHECK ON THAT ALSO, BECAUSE THAT WAS, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN AND OUT OF JADE THROUGH THE COUNTY YARD.
YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE TALKING, UH, THE, THE ROLL GA ROAD AIR GULLY.
YOU TALKING ABOUT ALL 365? NO, I'M TALKING WHERE THE, UH, PARKS AND WILDLIFE OFFICE IS AND THE COUNTY BARN, THE ROAD THAT COMES UP ON THE LEFT, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE USING THAT FOR ACCESS.
THEY WEREN'T TO, TO GO TO THE LAKESIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN UH, PARKS AND WILDLIFE, THERE'S A ROAD RIGHT.
THAT ACTUALLY GOES UP, LIKE WHERE PEOPLE GO OVER, LIKE THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE, UH, BOAT LAUNCH AT PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING UP THERE AND GOING DOWN THAT I WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO CAMBRIDGE.
WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT? CAMBRIDGE 18 WILLIS CARE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GOING THROUGH CAMBRIDGE.
THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN COMING DOWN CAMBRIDGE.
THEY'VE BEEN COMING DOWN CAMBRIDGE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
THEY BE PARKED FIVE OR SIX 18 WILLERS.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL ME ANYTIME.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION.
UH, AND ALSO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO START HOLDING MEETINGS ON THE WEST SIDE.
I GOT FROM SABINE PASS STADIUM TO STATE SOME PAUL STADIUM ROAD FROM 19TH STREET TO 19TH STREET TO INTER COASTAL CON.
NOW, WEST SIDE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY CONCERNED.
AND IF YOU, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE GONNA BE PUTTING OUT FLYERS AND WHAT HAVE THEY.
YOU GOT THE COMMUNITY ROOM OVER THERE WHERE YOU CAN MEET WITH 'EM AND EXPLAIN TO 'EM AHEAD OF TIME.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO GET THEM SOFTENED UP TO AND ACCEPTABLE TO AS TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SO MUCH THAT THEY CAN, UH, GET OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
SO LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
AND UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 20TH.
FOR THE COMMUNITY ROOM ON WEST SIDE.
ARE YOU ON PROCTOR? THE ONE PROCTOR? IT'S ST.
JOSEPH'S LIVE, RIGHT NEXT PROCTOR ST.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT WEST OF HOUSTON AVENUE.
THAT'S COMMUNITY ROOM OVER THERE.
AND I'D APPRECIATE IF Y'ALL SCHEDULE SOMETHING THERE.
SO KEEP ON THE WEST SIDE TO BE UP TO.
WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT TWO YEARS OUT FROM STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AREA.
SO, UH, I WAS GONNA WAIT TILL WE GOT CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION, BUT IF YOU THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SOONER, WE CAN DO THAT.
YEAH, WE'LL, I APPRECIATE YOU DO SOMETHING SOONER, OKAY? OKAY.
I MEAN, AROUND BUILDING AROUND YOUR SCHEDULE.
AND YOU'RE TWO YEARS OUT, SO YEAH.
WE'RE ABOUT TWO YEARS OUT FOR BEING OVER IN THAT AREA, DOING CONSTRUCTION.
SO I UNDERSTAND WE CAN, WE'LL DO SOMETHING.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
THIS TIME WE HAVE, UH, CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORTS.
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, WE HAVE NONE CORRESPONDENCE.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion And Take Possible Action Regarding Conduct Of A Forensic Audit (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Doucet)]
GONNA MOVE TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.UM, F DISCUSSIONS NUMBER ONE, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING CONDUCT OF A FORENSIC AUDIT.
AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ETT.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE FORENSIC AUDIT.
UH, SOME PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN IT AS, UH, WE DON'T NEED ONE BECAUSE WE HAD ONE ALMOST A DECADE AGO AND STUFF.
I ALSO REFERRED TO, UH, CODES AND ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWING IT MOST OF THE TIME.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE AT PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING.
IN FACT, I TALKED ABOUT 'EM, I READ 'EM VERBATIM WHEN THE TOPIC ACTUALLY CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL TAKE ACTION.
SO, ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, I TALKED WITH COUNCIL AND I LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT, UH, THESE ORDINANCE AND CODES AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE ONES THAT'S HERE TO ENSURE THAT THEY, UH, ARE UPHELD.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL.
I LEAVE MY OPINION OUTSIDE THE DOUGH, MY THOUGHTS OUTSIDE THE DOUGH.
AND WHEN WE DO NOT FOLLOW WHAT'S WRITTEN, WE HAVE ISSUES.
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IF WE RECOGNIZE 'EM, WE CAN FIX THEM.MY THEORY IS ALWAYS, FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO POLICE OURSELVES.
AND WE DON'T NEED NOBODY TO POLICE US.
BUT AFTER TWO YEARS, I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED SOMEONE TO COME IN, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND TELL US WHAT WE ARE DOING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING, AND HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER.
FORENSIC AUDIT, SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, UH, CRIMINAL, WELL FORENSIC AUDIT IS ONE THAT YOU ORDER.
WHEN YOU FEEL IT IS SOMETHING, IS WRONGDOING.
WRONGDOING MEAN YOU'RE NOT DOING WHAT'S RIGHT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S CRIMINAL.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE NEED TO DO THINGS AS WRITTEN.
AND AFTER TWO YEARS, US POLICING OURSELVES, I JUST DON'T FEEL, UH, IS GOING THAT WAY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE RESOLVED AND WE SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED.
BUT INSTEAD, WE, UH, DON'T DO IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE GONNA CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE WAY WE OPERATE AND WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE WAY WE OPERATE.
'CAUSE LOOK AT THE CITY AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I FEEL WE HAVE NOW FOLLOWED IS A RESULT OF THAT.
I'VE TALKED ENOUGH ABOUT 'EM, BUT IT'S ON THE, UH, AGENDA HERE TO LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
AND WHENEVER I SAY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE, I PUT EXAMPLES.
I WRITE DOWN THE CODE, THE ORDINANCE, I FEEL THAT WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING.
THEN I GIVE EXAMPLE WHAT WE DOING.
I DON'T TRY TO TELL CITIZENS WE NEED IT.
I THINK THAT WE GOT MORE INTELLIGENT CITIZENS THAN WE HAVE NON-INTELLIGENT, SO CITIZENS DECIDE.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S TRANSPARENT AND THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT.
AND IF WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT, WE'LL SPEND MONEY PROPERLY AND WE'LL BE TRANSPARENT.
AND THOSE ARE TWO THINGS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A BIG ISSUE WITH CITIZENS.
FORENSIC AUDIT WILL SAY, YOU'RE DOING THIS WRONG.
THIS IS WHAT WE RECOMMEND YOU DO IN ORDER TO FIX THIS.
IT'S BETTER TO FIX IT THAN TO LET IT CONTINUE THE WAY IT IS.
AND IT ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BOOKS WHERE WE DON'T GET TO LOOK AT IT
WE GET TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GIVING.
AND, UH, WHEN I SAY FORENSIC AUDIT AND STUFF, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I THROW THIS IN AT THE END.
OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, GOT HERE, I GUESS ABOUT A YEAR NOW, BUT I'VE BEEN WORKING AND TALKING WITH HER.
SHE HAS REALLY DONE THINGS THAT ARE AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, OUR, UH, AUDITS, ANNUAL AUDITS, WE ARE LIKE TWO YEARS BEHIND.
SHE CAME IN IN ONE YEAR, SHE DONE THOSE TWO PLUS HERS.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE NEED DONE, BUT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND FIX THIS NOT FOLLOWING ORDINANCE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.
SO AFTER, IF ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY COMMENTS, I'LL EVEN COMMENT.
IF NOT, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION.
UM, I'VE HEARD, UM, I DON'T STAND TO TALK OR, UM, HAVE MY LIGHT ON TO TALK, UH, UM, AGAINST, UH, AN AUDIT, UM, A FORENSIC AUDIT.
I'M SIMPLY, UH, RAISING, UH, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, HOW DO WE ARRIVE AT THE ISSUE OF, UH, A FORENSIC AUDIT.
I DON'T KNOW IN ANY SPECIFICITY EXACTLY WHAT, UM, THOSE CONCERNS ARE THAT HAVE DRIVEN US TO THIS POINTED PLACE WHERE WE HAVE, UM, THAT TYPE OF CONCERN, UH, FROM COUNCIL OR FROM OUR CITIZENS.
I HAVE NOT HEARD, UH, FROM CITIZENS.
I AM AN AT LARGE, UH, COUNCILMAN.
I DON'T REPRESENT ANY DISTRICTS, BUT I'VE NOT HEARD ANY COUNCIL.
I'VE NOT HEARD ANY CITIZENS COME TO ME, UH, AND RAISE ANY CONCERNS, UH, WITH ME ABOUT THE, UH, FINANCIAL, UH, DISCHARGE OF OUR DUTIES HERE ON COUNCIL THAT WOULD WARRANT, UM, UH, A FORENSIC AUDIT.
UM, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE HAS MADE THE COMMENT, UM, USED THE WORD WRONGDOINGS, UM, UH, AND HAS SAID
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THAT, UH, HE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO MALFEASANCE.THAT IS THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS OR EMBEZZLEMENT OR ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE AUDITED, UM, WITH OUR AUDIT.
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED, UH, GREAT AUDITS, UH, HERE, UH, TO FOUR.
UM, THEY'VE LOOKED AT OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS.
THEY'VE LOOKED AT THE WAY IN WHICH WE CARRY OUT OUR BUDGETS, THE WAY IN WHICH, UH, WE PAY OUR DEBTS.
UH, WE HAVE A, A CREDIT RATING OF A PLUS PLUS.
UM, OUR FINANCES ARE IN ORDER.
UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, AGAIN, AS I SAID, WITH SPECIFICITY, WHAT IS WARRANTING, UM, UH, THE CONCERN ABOUT A FINANCIAL AUDIT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT IS, IS THAT THE PAYMENT OF THE, UH, OF THIS AUDIT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EXPENDITURE OF ABOUT, OH, ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO $400,000.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A, A FORENSIC AUDIT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $200,000 PLUS.
SO WE'VE NOT, WE'VE NOT BUDGETED FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING AN AMENDMENT.
AND SO, AS THE COUNCILMAN'S TALKING ABOUT MAKING A MOTION, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THIS FORENSIC AUDIT IF WE'VE NOT BUDGETED FOR THIS FORENSIC AUDIT? AND THE COUNCILMAN IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT BUDGET, BUDGET.
WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF OUR BUDGET HEARING.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXPENDITURES.
WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND WE ALL RAISED OUR CONCERNS.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THIS, UH, FORENSIC AUDIT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS HE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY, WELL, WE CAN, WE'VE GOT MONEY IN THE FUND BALANCE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHEN WE AMEND THE BUDGET, UH, FOR SOMETHING OF AN EMERGENCY, IF YOU WILL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UH, AND SO, UH, THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UH, THIS IS ABOUT, UM, UH, A CONCERN, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL OR THE COUNCILMAN HAS, UH, CONCERNING OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS, I BELIEVE, OR WHETHER OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS COVERED BY THIS WORD, WRONG DOINGS.
UM, I, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND I LOOKED AND FOUND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A FORENSIC AUDIT, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU LOOK AT, SOME THINGS THAT YOU, UH, UNDERSTAND.
YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, A RESPONSE TO SU SUSPECTED FRAUD, OR YOU TALK ABOUT RESOLVING DISPUTES.
UH, YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN, UH, AS WE ADDRESS SOME CONFLICT OR, OR WHATEVER.
I THINK THAT WE CAN TRY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS WITHOUT MAKING THAT TYPE OF EXPENDITURE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE A, UH, IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN, UH, A FORENSIC AUDIT, LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT YEAR WHEN WE CAN BUDGET FOR IT.
UH, AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT KIND OF A WITHDRAWAL.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE, AND I'LL, I'LL YIELD TO OUR ATTORNEY AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE IN COUNCIL, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS ON TODAY, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, UH, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A METHOD OF FUNDING IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
UM, I'M, I'M KINDA LIKE IN THE GRAY AREA AS WELL.
UH, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, AND THE COUNCILMAN MADE SOME, UH, COMMENTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, FRAUD AND ABUSE AND ALSO WRONGFUL, UH, DOING POLICING OURSELVES.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S OUR JOB TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT THE CITIZENS AT ALL COSTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT.
OUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR COMPLETED THREE AUDITS THAT WOULD KIND OF GIVE US SOME BETTER DIRECTIONS ON OUR FINANCES AND HOW WE, UH, WE PAY OUR BILLS AND HOW WE ACCEPT, UH, PAYMENTS.
SO, UM, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WHEN HE BROUGHT IT UP LAST MEETING, TWO MEETINGS AGO, AND, UH, MADE REFERENCE TO POLICING OURSELVES.
SO I HAVE NO DIRECTIONS UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE HE'S GOING WITH, UH, WITH THIS, UM, WHAT DEPARTMENT, UH, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL, UH, UH, ABUSE, OF COURSE THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S UP HERE WOULD HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
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THAT TO HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.BUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT HAVING, UH, UH, A CLARITY ON WHAT DIRECTION, UH, WHAT DEPARTMENT, UH, WHO'S DOING IT, HOW MUCH ARE THEY DOING? I MEAN, HE MAY HAVE SOME INFORMATION I MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THAT I'M SURELY, UH, IS, UH, WANTING TO UNDERSTAND HIS POINT OF VIEW, BUT JUST TO DO THAT.
AND I'VE BEEN, UH, PRIVY TO BE ON A FORENSIC AUDIT BEFORE, AND IT'S, IT'S VERY TEDIOUS AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND THEY LOOK AT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, ALL YOUR FINANCIALS, ALL YOUR EXPENDITURES.
UH, THEY EVEN LOOK AT, UH, THE POLICY PROCEDURES THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO SUSTAIN THAT.
SO IT'S, IT IS A STRETCH FOR ME WITHOUT HAVING, UH, DETAIL OF WHERE HE WANTS TO GO OR WHERE THE FORENSIC AUDIT WANTS TO GO, UH, IN MY OPINION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING CLARITY ON WHAT DEPARTMENT WHO'S DOING IT, SURELY IT'S NOT COUNCIL.
UH, I MEAN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE FINANCES COMING FROM, UH, CITY MANAGER AND THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AND HOW WE DO OUR BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, I, I NEED MORE CLARITY ON HOW, WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW MUCH.
SO BEFORE I CAN GET ON BOARD WITH THIS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE HAVE ZERO FINDINGS, THE TAXPAYERS COUGHED UP ANYWHERE BETWEEN 200, $400,000 AND IS THAT FAIR TO THE TAX CITIZENS? NO, THAT'S NOT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE SOME EVIDENCE, UH, COUNCILMAN DO SAID TO SUSTAIN THAT, I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO UNDER THE, TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN OPEN EYE, OPEN EAR TO FIND OUT EXACTLY, UH, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS ARE.
BUT JUST TO, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST CAME OUTTA THE BLUE WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OR SO ABOUT HAVING A FORENSIC AUDIT.
SO IF YOU HAVE MORE DETAIL, I MEAN, PLEASE SHARE WHAT YOUR COHORTS AND LET ME KNOW PERSONALLY, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, BECAUSE JUST TO VOTE FOR THAT AND HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA, UH, THAT'S KIND OF A STRETCH FOR ME.
UM, COUNCILMAN MCKEN, LAW COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES.
UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FRANK AND COUNCILMAN KING, AND BOTH OF THEM WERE GOOD COMMENTS.
I AGREE WITH SOME OF WHAT YOU BOTH SAID IN REFERENCE TO FUNDING FOR COUNCILMAN FRANK'S, UH, ANSWER TO HIS CONCERNS.
UH, IF WE WERE TO DECIDE WE NEEDED A FORENSIC AUDIT THAT WOULD COME UNDER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS ALLOWED FOR AMENDMENT OF A BUDGET, OKAY? A LOT OF WHAT I'VE SAID AND WHAT I'M SAYING COUNT IN NOW IN RESPOND TO COUNCILMAN KINLAW.
I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'VE BEEN SAYING WE ARE VIOLATING THE STREETS PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN SAYING WE'RE VIOLATING, UH, SECTION TWO DASH 31, WHICH WE DO OFTEN, AND WHICH WE PUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, AND WE DO NOT HAVE IT FUNDED IN THE BUDGET, AND WE DON'T HAVE AN AMENDMENT AT THE MEETING.
I JUST THREW OUT A FEW OF THOSE THINGS AND SOME POSTING I HAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO ANSWER CITIZENS' QUESTIONS.
AND I CAN SIT HERE AND START GOING THROUGH A WHOLE, OUT A WHOLE LOT OF SPECIFICS, BUT EVERY SPECIFIC I WILL NAME, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT COUNCIL MEETING, I READ A ORDINANCE OR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT SAYS WHY WE SHOULD NOT DO IT.
AND WHEN I FINISHED, THE COUNCIL VOTED ANYWAY TO APPROVE IT, AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT FOUR MONTHS WITH COUNCIL, WITHOUT THIS BEING JUST THROWN OUT THERE.
TODAY, WHEN YOU DO A FORENSIC AUDIT, YOU DO NOT DO ALL DEPARTMENTS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.
A FORENSIC AUDIT IS A AUDIT THAT YOU HAVE SPECIFIC WHAT THEY WANT TO LOOK AT, WHERE THE AREA THAT YOU FEEL THERE'S WRONGDOINGS ARE THERE ARE ISSUES.
THE COST OF A FORENSIC AUDIT IS DETERMINED BY YOUR SCOPE, IS HOW MUCH YOU WANT THEM TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE THEY WILL DETERMINE HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY WILL NEED, HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE THEM.
THAT IS WHERE THE COST OF A FORENSIC AUDIT COMES FROM.
SO REALLY, YOU CAN'T DETERMINE A COST UNTIL WE DE DETERMINE THE SCOPE.
UH, AS FAR AS CITIZENS, NOT SAYING I'M TO THIS POINT, BECAUSE I HEAR CITIZENS ASK WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
I HEAR CITIZENS SAYS, LOOK AT THE STREETS, WHY WE DON'T HAVE THIS.
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AND I LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO YEARS AND FOR TWO YEARS WHEN I SAID, IT'S NOTHING DONE.AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT PERSON.
I'M NOT GONNA QUESTION COUNSEL.
IF COUNSEL DOESN'T WANT TO EITHER CONSIDER WHAT IS SAID.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE HAVE TO AT SOME POINT UNDERSTAND WHY WE IN THESE SEATS, WE TOOK A OATH TO BE IN THESE SEATS.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING WRITTEN, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S WRITTEN.
EVERYBODY SAY, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR TWO YEARS.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LISTEN OR YOU DON'T, OR YOU THINK IS MY WAY, GO AND CHECK.
IF YOU READ THE CODE AND YOU READ THE ORDINANCE, BE SPECIFIC.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS WE DOING, WE COULD STILL DO THOSE THINGS, BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN WAY WE NEED TO DO 'EM.
AND IT'S WRITTEN, WE DON'T DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE VOTES.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING.
SO, AND NO ONE CAN DENY THAT I DID NOT TALK ABOUT THIS WITH COUNSEL ARE MY CONCERNS ABOUT THESE ORDINANCE AND THESE CODES OF VIOLATIONS.
AND FOR TWO YEARS, I'VE, I'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNCIL, I'VE LEARNED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, BUT FOR THE TWO YEARS I'VE HEARD DOUCETTE WON'T DO IT HIS WAY.
DOUCETTE, BUT DOUCETTE READING IN BLACK AND WHITE.
SO IT IS NOT THAT IT IS ME, I READ IT IN BLACK AND WHITE.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S READ, DIDN'T ASK SOMEBODY WHO CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE I'M READING CITIZENS READ THE SAME THING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HERE TO FIGHT AND WORK AGAINST THIS COUNCIL, BUT LET'S LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND UNDERSTAND WHAT CITIZENS WANT.
WE HAVE AN APPROVAL RATING FROM THE PEOPLE WE PAID TO DO THIS PLAN THAT SAID, CITIZENS GOT APPROVAL RATING.
THAT'S 6% FOR THIS COUNCIL OF CONFIDENCE.
AND THE CITIZENS ARE SAYING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH OUR MONEY? YOU PUTTING IT IN YOUR POCKET, YOU PUTTING THE MONEY ON THIS AND IT, AND IT SHOULDN'T GO ON THAT.
IF CITIZENS ARE SAYING THIS AND WE ARE TRULY FOR CITIZENS, THEN WHERE DO WE GET THEM TO GET THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE? WE TALKING ABOUT $200,000, $300,000 THIS COUNCIL, AND THIS IS THE LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY, BECAUSE THIS COULD GO ON ALL DAY.
AND I, AND, AND I'VE DONE THIS FOR TWO YEARS, I'M NOT DOING IT, BUT THIS IS THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY.
SOMEONE'S TALKING ABOUT $200,000.
THIS COUNCIL APPROVED $395,000 FOR A DESIGN AND A STUDY OF AN EXTENSION OF A STREET, WHEREBY THE SAME COUNCIL WE SETTING UP HERE DISAPPROVE THAT PROJECT.
WE DISAPPROVED IT, IT'S IN THE RECORDS FOR $395,000 AND CAME RIGHT BACK AND APPROVED IT.
SO WE GOT THE SAME RESOLUTION IN THE BOOK, ONE APPROVED AND ONE DISAPPROVED.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE NEED TO FIX.
AND WE COULD HAVE FIXED THAT BY FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES.
AND THE PROCEDURE SAYS IF WE DISAPPROVED SOMETHING, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S FIVE YEARS LATER, WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK FOR RECONSIDERATION BECAUSE WE NEED TO TAKE THE ONE, WE DISAPPROVED OFF THE RECORDS AND NOW APPROVE ONE.
SO YOU ONE EXAMPLE, I COULD BE HERE ALL DAY.
DON'T, DON'T, DON'T GO THERE WITH ME.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR TWO YEARS.
TELL ME WHY YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE NOW.
WELL, AND Y'ALL STATED THAT AND I RESPECT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, LET'S BE MINDFUL WE HAVE TWO TIMES TO SPEAK ON A TOPIC.
YOU WILL HAVE 10 MINUTES EACH TIME.
TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ON EACH TIME YOU SPEAK.
SO RIGHT NOW, I HAVE LIGHTS THAT ARE
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TIFFANY, YOU HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MERRIFIELD, YOU MAY SPEAK NOW.COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK NEXT AND COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
BUT YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO DO THAT.
AND NO HOPE YOU'VE SPOKEN TWICE.
UM, MR. DOUCETTE, I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS REPEATEDLY MENTIONED THINGS THAT YOU DID NOT, UM, AGREE WITH.
AND OVER THOSE LAST TWO YEARS, THIS INFORMATION NOW IS, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MR. DU SAID, BUT NOW THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE CITIZENS.
I CAN'T SAY EVERY TIME 'CAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE ABSOLUTE.
BUT MOST OF THE TIME A LETTER HAS BEEN PROVIDED EITHER FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY, CONFIRMING WHAT ACTION WE TOOK WAS LEGAL AND THE TIMES THAT IT WAS OUT OF PLACE, THEN THOSE ARE THE TIMES THAT WE HAD TO MAKE CORRECTIONS.
BUT THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN A TIME THAT WE JUST PURPOSEFULLY, PURPOSEFULLY WENT OUT OF LINE ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITION OF A FORENSIC AUDIT.
AND SO IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC TIMES IN A SPECIFIC SCOPE, I WOULD ASK, HAS A SPECIFIC SCOPE BEEN PROPOSED THAT IS ASKING US TO USE A SPECIALIZED IN INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES, INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES TO UNCOVER FRAUD, EMBEZZLEMENT, CORRUPTION, OR OTHER FINANCIAL IRREGULAR IRREGULARITIES THAT OUR OFFICER HAS, NOT OUR FINANCIAL OFFICER HASN'T ALREADY HELPED US TO CORRECT.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN ORDER FROM OUR LEGAL AUTHORITIES.
COUNCILMAN MCKINLEY? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, UH, I ASKED A QUESTION, UH, FOR MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
UM, UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE ALLEGATIONS? HE MENTIONED ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, NOT FUNDED.
I WAS HERE WHEN WE STARTED THE STREET PROGRAM, UH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, I WAS ON A DISTRICT THREE.
AND AT THE TIME THAT, UH, WE DID THAT, UH, WE WANTED TO KIND OF TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF THE PLAY.
SO WE GOT A X-RAY MACHINE, WENT THROUGH THE CITY, SPENT ABOUT $90,000 ON THERE, AND, AND THEY GAVE US THE, THE REPORT THAT, UM, HOW STREETS, UH, THE CAPACITY STREETS LEVEL OF, UH, DAMAGE TO THOSE STREETS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE TIME, THE FOUR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT DATA AND WORK WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF AND COME UP WITH THE SOLUTION AND HOW WE WERE GONNA ATTACK THOSE STREETS.
AND THEN WE STARTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF DAMAGED, UH, STREETS AS WELL AS, UH, THE CAPACITY OF THE DISTRICT.
AND COUNCILMAN ETT AT THE TIME, ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, DISTRICT ONE, WERE THE TWO LARGEST AREAS THAT, UH, GOT THE LARGEST MONIES BY PERCENTAGES.
NOW SINCE THEN, COUNCILMAN ETT AND DISTRICT ONE, UH, UH, PERCENTAGES OF COMPLETION OF STREETS HAVE INCREASED.
NOW HE'S, THAT DISTRICT, DISTRICT FOUR IS AT THE BOTTOM.
SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FRAUD, ABUSE, TAKING MONEY OUTTA STREET PROGRAM.
AT NO TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, WE'VE STOPPED WORKING ON STREETS IN THE HISTORY OF PORT ARTHUR.
WE'VE, THIS COUNCIL, OR THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL HAS PUT MORE MONEY INTO STREETS, INTO HISTORY.
SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION OF IF, YOU KNOW, IF FRAUD OR ABUSE OR NEGLIGENCE IS HAPPENING BECAUSE WE CONTINUOUSLY WORK ON STREETS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS TO WORK ON MORE THAN ONE THING.
WE COULD DO MORE THAN ONE THING.
HOWEVER, HE, YOU KNOW, MY COUNCILMAN, MY COLLEAGUE, I RESPECT HIS OPINION, BUT I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW, HE HAD MORE STREETS DONE IN THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
SO HOW HAS IT BEEN ABUSE? SO MY QUESTION, YOU KNOW, NOW I'M AT A, AT LARGE, SO I LOOK OUT, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
EVERYONE UP HERE GETS THE PHONE CALLS ABOUT THEY NEED THEY STREET REPAIR.
SO WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE
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OF AUTO MERIT, BUT AT NO TIME, DON'T BE MIS MISGUIDED THAT THESE STREETS PROGRAMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY.THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IS FINDING CONTRACTORS TO COME AND DO THESE STREETS.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S HARD FOR CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY GOT MANY JOBS TO COME IN PORT ARTHUR AND TO WORK ON THE STREETS.
BUT WHEN WE GET THESE CONTRACTORS HERE AT CITY MANAGER, WE NEED TO HOLD 'EM DOWN.
WE HAVE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD THEM DOWN AND CONTINUE DOING THE PROJECTS THAT PORT ARTHUR HAS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO THINGS THAT I ASKED, I ASKED IT BLUNTLY.
I MEAN, WHAT IS YOUR DIRECTIONS? WHAT'S CLARIFICATION ON THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS CITY IS, UH, ACTUALLY DOING THAT WOULD CAUSE FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT? I NEED MORE CLARITY IN JUST THOSE THINGS BECAUSE STREETS PROGRAM, THAT'S AT THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATION, JUST LIKE WE STARTED IT IN THE BEGINNING.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST THOSE TWO AND THOSE THINGS THAT YOU SAID WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU SAID STREET PROGRAM.
AND THEN YOU ALSO STATED THAT ITEMS ON THE AGENDAS ON THE AGENDA NOT FUNDED.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING MORE THAN THAT, AND INSTEAD OF THE DEFINITION OF A FORENSIC AUDIT, I'D BE, YOU GOT MY EARS AND MY EYES OPEN.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.
UH, CAN, UH, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT IS OUR GOOD MORNING? WHAT IS OUR TOTAL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR? THE TOTAL BUDGET IS, IS OVER $400 MILLION.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO COUNCIL, WE HAD A BUDGET OF $100 MILLION.
NOW WE HAVE A BUDGET OF $400 MILLION.
AND EVERY CITY MANAGER I'VE BEEN TO CONFERENCES AND EVERYTHING, THEY ALWAYS SAY I TALK WITH A SPEND TIME WITH DIFFERENT CITY MANAGER.
THEY, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, WATCH THE MONEY.
WATCH YOUR MONEY, FIND OUT WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING.
$400 MILLION AND Y'ALL NITPICKING ABOUT A BROWN BAG SANDWICH OR, OR OH, 200 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS AND YOU GOT A $400 MILLION, YOU GOT A $400 MILLION BUDGET.
A 400 TAX BILL'S MONEY OF $400 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ALL BEEN, BUT THEY'LL, THEY'LL ACCUSE OF, WE GET ACCUSED EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME I TALK WITH I I GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
WHAT? AND, AND, AND ABOUT VIOLATIONS.
MOUTHFEEL, IF YOU VIOLATE A BOND, COVENANT IS MALFEASANCE.
HE TALKING YOU, YOU VIOLATE THOSE.
WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE MONEY THAT WE'LL SPEND $400 MILLION AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT NOT SPENDING 200 THOU, UH, LESS THAN $300,000 TO FIND OUT WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
WE ARE WE DOING AROUND, WE GOT A BASELINE, WE HAVE A BASELINE, WE HAVE A BASELINE.
THE PREVIOUS, THE PREVIOUS, UH, FORENSIC AUDIT.
THAT'S A REFERENCE, THAT'S A BASELINE.
LET'S FIND OUT HOW, HOW HAVE WE IMPROVED? WHAT HAVE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING BETTER? AND WE GONNA HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BUDGETING THE MONEY, UH, FOR, FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING.
AND I'VE HEARD, AND I'VE WITNESSED PLENTY OF MALFEASANCE, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK ONE WHO I FOLLOW AND SERVE, SAID THAT THERE'S A TENDENCY WE HAVE TO, UH, GAG AT A MAGGOT AND SWALLOW A CAMEL.
UM, SIMPLY SAID, I'VE SEEN THIS COUNCIL ARGUE OVER WHETHER OR NOT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A $15 LUNCH AS A COUNCIL.
AND SO NOW WAIT, HOLD UP, HOLD UP, HOLD UP.
WAIT, WE ARE NOT GONNA SLEEP AT TIME.
WE ARGUE OVER A $15 LUNCH RIGHT NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK IS SPEAKING AND WE ELSE, WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE ARGUED OVER A FIF WHETHER WE OUGHT TO HAVE A $15 LUNCH.
AND WE ACQUIESCE TO THOSE WISHES OF COUNCILMEN WHO FEEL AS THOUGH WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A $15 LUNCH.
BUT THEN WE COME RIGHT BACK AND SAY, IT'S OKAY TO HAVE $200,000 SPENT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, $200,000 SPENT.
[01:00:02]
I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC TRUST IS AND AS A, A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE, WHERE THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE BEING HELD OVER IDEOLOGY, WHERE THE, AND AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, WE SEE SOMETHING A DIFFERENT WAY.AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY, THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT THIS ABOUT.
WHAT BROUGHT THIS ABOUT WAS WHETHER OR NOT WE VIOLATED THE BOND COVENANT WHEN WE HAD THE PROJECT ON, UM, ON WOODWORTH BOULEVARD.
LET'S JUST BE, LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE.
LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT IT AND SAY IT.
WE HAD OUR BOND ATTORNEY COME, WE HAD PEOPLE COME, WE GOT AN OPINION FROM THE, UH, DA, WE GOT AN OPINION FROM TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAD OVER WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG AS A COUNCIL BY UTILIZING THOSE FUNDS.
WE CHECKED, WE LOOKED, WE ASKED, WE GOT, UM, WE GOT, UH, ALL OF THE THINGS NECESSARY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD VIOLATED.
AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS MALFEASANCE AND THERE WAS NOT, BUT DOGMATICALLY, IT WON'T BE LET GO.
BECAUSE YOU WON'T LET IT GO BECAUSE YOU, BECAUSE FOUR INDIVIDUALS ON THE COUNCIL VOTED AND ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN AND TRANSPIRE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT WE COULD WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.
AND THE PROJECT IS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT ON THE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S NOT COMPLETED, BUT IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
AND, AND INDIVIDUALS ON COUNCIL DARED TO BELIEVE THAT PORT ARTHUR OUGHT TO HAVE SOMETHING NICE, A GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
AND THE, THE BOND COVENANT IS IN PLACE.
AND I TALKED, AND I, I CALLED THE BOND, UH, AGENT FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S, THE PREVIOUS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH THE STAFF SITTING IN THERE AND HE CALLED IT A VIOLATION.
OH WAIT, HE, HE SAID, COUNCILMAN, I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS, BUT I'M WILLING TO HOLD MY NOSE.
THAT'S, I'M I I I'M, I'M IN THE MEETING.
I CALLED YOU AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS THERE.
I WILL GET, I WILL DETERMINE YOU WAS NOT THERE.
WHO GETS WHAT TIME TO TALK NOW? WE SAID TWO MINUTES.
I'VE LET EVERYBODY GO OVER THAT AND I'LL LET I TALKING.
I GOT A MOTION TO MAKE IF EVERYBODY SPOKEN, IF HE'S STILL SPEAKING AND YOU GOT PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'S ASKING TO SPEAK AS WELL, BUT ANYTIME, SO I'LL CALL IT UP THE MEETING ANYTIME AND I'LL SAY AGAIN, WHAT I NEED TO DO.
THAT BOND ISSUE WAS STRICTLY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT $7 MILLION FOR LANDSCAPING A BOULEVARD.
IT WAS FOR YOU CAN, YOU CAN FIX A, A WATER AND SEWER LINES IF IT'S, IF IT'S A PROBLEM.
THEY WENT DOWN THERE AND MOVED $14 MILLION TO MOVE $14 MILLION.
AND THEN, AND PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT WHAT ARE Y'ALL, I CAN LEAVE MY HOUSE AND GO IN ANY DIRECTION AND BLOW A TIRE, BUT Y'ALL SPENDING, I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LAND DOING WHAT? BUT YOU HAD TO BUDGET FOR THAT, UH, THE NEXT TIME AROUND.
YOU DON'T JUST TAKE IT OUT OF A $50 MILLION BUDGET.
WHEN YOU'RE VIOLATED AN ORDINANCE, IT IS, LOOK IT UP AND ALSO LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF MALE FEAS AND VIOLATING THE CITY ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN LEWIS.
I HAVE SOME PEOPLE FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
YOU'LL HAVE A, UM, THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING HIGHWAY OUT ON PLEASURE, HIGHLAND.
UM, TO ME, I DETECT FEAR IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
IT'S LIKE WE'RE DISCUSSING A FORENSIC AUDIT AND EVERYONE IS SHAPE-SHIFTING, UH, TRYING TO GET AWAY.
DOESN'T WANNA DISCUSS IT, IS DOING EVERYTHING TO AVOID IT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, YOU SAID THAT CITIZENS AREN'T CONCERNED AND IT'S JUST, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ONLINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS RIGHT NOW MAKING
[01:05:01]
COMMENTS ABOUT THIS.THIS HAS BEEN THE HOT TOPIC FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
IT WAS NOT EVEN STARTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DISETTE.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE AND IT, IT, THE BALL GOT ROLLING AND PEOPLE HAVE TONS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS GOING ON.
SO TO SAY THAT THE CITY IS NOT INTERESTED IN THIS IS REALLY A FALSE STATEMENT BECAUSE OKAY, I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT CITIZENS ARE NOT FULLY INTERESTED.
THOSE THAT IS WHO IS DRIVING THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW? UM, THERE'S HUNDREDS OF 'EM.
YOU KNOW, WE WASTE, I'M NOT SORRY, WE DON'T WASTE.
WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER FRIVOL FRIVOLOUS PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY.
UM, I'M GONNA REFER BACK TO THE SIGN ON PORT ARTHUR.
THIS AUDIT WILL COST AROUND THE SAME AMOUNT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING A LOOK AT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HOPEFULLY NOTHING HAPPENED TO.
BUT IF SOMEONE'S MISAPPROPRIATED, IT'S GONNA CERTAINLY PAY FOR THAT AUDIT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, COUNCILOR HAMILTON, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A FORENSIC AUDIT, NOTHING WAS DONE.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THIS TIME NOTHING WILL BE DONE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE PUSHING FOR IT NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT BEHIND IT.
AND FOR THE COST IT TAKES TO DO ONE, I THINK IT WOULD REALLY BENEFIT THE CITY.
AND MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THE CITIZENS I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE PROBABLY NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK I SAW ANOTHER HAND, GLORIA'S.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CONSUL.
GLORIA SANCHEZ, 6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE.
UH, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING MEETINGS FOR OVER 18 YEARS, ALL THE TIME.
I IN THE BUDGET EVERY TIME THAT THEY WANT TO.
LAST YEAR WE AMEND THE BUDGET TO DO, UM, BONUS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
THEY WASN'T ON THE ON, I'M SORRY, IT WASN'T ON, ON BUDGET.
AND WE DID IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO DO IT.
YOU CONCERNED ABOUT 200, $400, BUT I SEE YOU ASKING FOR $32 MILLION WEEK.
WE GONNA SPEND OVER 30 MILLION ON INTEREST.
IT'S LOST MONEY, MONEY THAT WE PAYING FOR.
BUT NOW YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT 200 OR $400.
I THINK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED AND BE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE 2017 FOR NZ AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOLLOWED AND FIX IT.
THAT WE NO HAVE ANY MORE LONGER EMPLOYEES BE SENDING LIKE A VENDORS, THE COUNCIL ARE DOING THE THINGS RIGHT.
THAT EVERY RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION.
I WAS HERE WHEN THE FORENSIC AUDIT WAS, UH, REPORTING TO COUNCIL AND THEY WAS VERY CLEAR AND SAID, WE ARE NOBODY TO DO ACCUSATION.
BUT YOU MUST FOLLOW THE RED FLAGS.
THE EXPLANATION, THE CONS GAVE IT TO ME WAS THE EMPLOYEES WHO DID THIS TO THE CITY ARE NO LONGER HERE.
SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEES ARE BACK, ARE BACK.
AND JUST TO BE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED 10 YEARS AGO IS NOT HAPPENING NOW, I THINK IT'S WORTH TO SPEND THIS MONEY ON IT.
AND JUST TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NO VIOLATED ANYTHING AND YOU ARE DOING THE THINGS RIGHT.
I THINK IT'S WORTH TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU AMEND THE BUDGET THREE, FOUR TIMES, FIVE TIMES A YEAR.
REALLY? GIVE ME SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT, PLEASE.
I SPEAK AS A CITIZEN, A PORT ARTHUR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I CAN'T GO ALONG WITH IT.
EVEN IN A TEAM OF FOUR, WHEN YOU ALL WERE VOTING, I JUST DON'T THINK IT WAS RIGHT WHEN YOU ALL WERE CARRYING ON BUSINESS.
Y'ALL HAD A TEAM OF FOUR THAT WAS DONE AND IT WASN'T LEGAL.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ALL THE WAY YOU VOTED TOOK TO GET WHAT YOU ALL WANTED.
AND HERE WE, 75 MILLION IS MISSING, UH, UNAPPROPRIATE.
AND HERE WE ASKED FOR TWO THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, OUR OWN PERSONAL MONEY.
AND YOU DO NOT GIVE US CREDIT TO USE IT, BUT YOU USE IT WHEN YOU WANNA USE IT, WHEN IT TO BENEFIT YOU, YOU'RE NOT
[01:10:01]
SUPPOSED TO BE.I MEAN, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU ALL BEING BENEFITED.
AND ALL WE ASK FOR IS THIS LITTLE, FEW DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE AND WORK TO PUT IT THERE AND BUILD OUR, UH, CITY.
AND YOU SAYS, NO, GIVE US SOME CREDIT, GIVE US SOME LEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE SINCE ENOUGH TOO COMMON SENSE, IF NOT BOOKS SAYS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE OUR MONEY THE WAY WE SEE FIT.
SOMETIMES JUST SOMETIME THE TRAVELING LAST YEAR WAS, WAS REAL OUTTA ORDER.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF TRAVELING.
AND THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST TIME.
IF IT HURT ANYBODY, IT'S GONNA HURT US.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOSETTE, YOU CALL IN FOR, WE NEED TO CALL FOR THEM AND IT, OH, I'M SORRY.
AND I SHOULD HAVE HAD EVERYBODY STATE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS AND I APOLOGIZE.
I LIVE AT 27 10 EVERGREEN DRIVE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS WHO ARE CONCERNED AND WOULD AGREE TO HAVING A FORENSIC AUDIT, HAVING BEEN A FORMER FORENSIC AUDITOR FOR THE GOVERNMENT, UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UM, HAVING BEEN AN INVESTOR IN A COMPANY CALLED LIFT TECH THAT SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WE WERE AWARDED BEFORE I MOVED HERE FROM CENTRAL TEXAS.
WE WERE ACTUALLY AWARDED TO BE ABLE TO REPAY PROCTOR.
AND THEN WHENEVER THEY GOT APPROVED BY TEXDOT TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE FORMULA THAT THEY CAME UP WITH, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WITH MANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
UM, JUST MAYBE WHAT, MAYBE THERE'S NO MALFEASANCE.
MAYBE IT'S JUST THE WAY IN WHICH THE FINANCIALS ARE WRITTEN.
MAYBE THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH GRANULAR DERI, UH, DESCRIPTION FOR WHERE THE MONEY HAS GONE.
BUT I SAY THAT WE DO THIS AUDIT, AND IF NOTHING'S GOING ON, THEN FANTASTIC.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, MS. MS? OH MY GOD, MS. LYNN, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION TO CITY MANAGER, ACTUALLY HOST A WORKSHOP ON THE AUDITS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE.
OUR AUDIT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION.
IT'S READILY AVAILABLE ON THIS CITY WEBSITE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS AND THEY DESERVE TO BE ANSWERED, BUT A FORENSIC AUDIT IS NOT THE ONLY WAY THAT THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED.
SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, AND WE, WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS.
MAYOR ADDED PUBLIC HEARINGS DURING OUR BUDGET, AND THEY WERE VERY EXTENSIVE.
WE HAD SOME THAT WERE IN THE MORNING, SOME WERE THAT WERE IN THE EVENING FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO COME AND ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE WE EVEN APPROVED OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS, BUT MAYBE THE, THE METHODS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY USED WERE NOT AS EFFECTIVE THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE FOR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD YOUR LIGHT ALL.
UM, WITH REFERENCE TO COUNCIL WOMEN'S EVER FILLED QUESTION, WE DO HAVE ALL THE AUDITS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
ALL THE CURRENT AUDITS BEING POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, I HAVE ASKED STAFF TO PREPARE A CHRONOLOGICAL REPORT OF THE PAST FORENSIC AUDITS.
UM, I'M PREPARED TO POST THIS ON THE WEBSITE AFTER IT HAS BEEN VETTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COMPILED IS VERY MUCH ACCURATE AND IT GOES BACK AS FAR AS 2005.
YOU KNOW, SO WITH ALL THE AUDITS AND ALL THE RESOLUTIONS AND ALL THE OUTCOMES AND ALL THE DISCUSSIONS AND ALL THE DATES, UM, VERY DETAILED AND I'LL BE VERY MUCH PREPARED TO PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE, UM, FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL, UM, WITH ONE OF THE, I THINK ONE OF THE LEARNER GENTLEMEN MADE THE, THE, THE COMMENT THAT WE HAVE USED CITY MONEY FOR SIGNS.
THE MONEY CAME FROM HOT TAX AND COUNCIL VOTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOTEL TAX OF PROVING THE HOT TAX FOR THE CITY SIGNS ALL OVER THE CITY, MAYOR.
SO THIS MONEY WAS APPROPRIATELY, IT WAS THE IT, THIS MONEY WAS APPROPRIATELY SPENT ACCORDING TO STATE AND, UM, STATE
[01:15:01]
LAW AND CITY ORDINANCES, ALL THE ORDINANCES, ALL THE SIGNS WHO FINANCE FROM HOG TAX.ALL THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ALPHA SIGNS.
ALL THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SIGNS THAT WAS DONATED.
THAT WAS MONEY THAT WAS DONATED, UM, FROM A COMPANY MONEY.
WAIT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ORDER IN HERE.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEAK FROM THE AUDIENCE, MA'AM, RIGHT NOW, YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN.
CITY MANAGER IS SPEAKING, AND SO, UM, CITY MANAGER WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH YES, I WILL MOVE FORWARD WEBSITE.
NO ONE ELSE IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
I'LL PROMISE YOU I WILL HAVE YOU REMOVED.
SO MAY, I WILL HAVE THE INFORMATION VETTED AND POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN THE MOTION AND WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE'LL PROVE THE CONDUCT OF A FORENSIC AUDIT.
SECOND, THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? I THINK THEY'VE ALL TAKEN PLACE.
WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL VOTE AT THIS TIME.
CITY SECRETARY COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HAVE NONE AT THE NUMBER ITEM NUMBER
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO ( 2) MINUTES PER COUNCILMEMBER)]
FIVE, REPORTS OF, UH, UH, ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF TWO MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY DO SO.
I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, FROM NINE TO 12 AT THE PORT ARTHUR PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, THERE WILL BE A WORKSHOP FOR CITIZENS WHO NEED HELP IN APPLYING FOR THE DISCOUNT FOR THE, UH, WATER BILL.
AND I'M PULLING UP THE FLYER RIGHT NOW SO THAT I CAN GIVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
UM, WATER, UTILITIES, AND THE LIBRARY WILL HOST A SENIOR WATER DISCOUNT WORKSHOP.
UH, IT'S ON MY COUNCIL MEMBER PAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IT'S ALSO BEEN POSTED BY, UH, THE LIBRARY AND ALSO BY THE CITY.
UH, AGAIN, IT WILL BE AT THE PORT ARTHUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 12.
UH, CITIZENS WHO ARE 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER THAT RESIDE WITHIN THE PORT ARTHUR CITY LIMITS AND A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE, UH, THAT HOLDS THE WATER SERVICE ACCOUNT IN THEIR OWN NAME AND HAVE A CURRENT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OR A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE PROPERTY ALSO IN YOUR NAME.
SO YOU'VE GOTTA BRING THOSE THINGS WITH YOU, UH, TO SHOW THAT YOU DO QUALIFY FOR THIS DISCOUNT.
THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION BY THE WATER DEPARTMENT, UH, QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD AND APPLICATION HELP.
UH, AND I WILL BE THERE TO ASSIST ALSO.
SO, UH, THIS IS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF YOU SEE IT, PLEASE SHARE IT AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT, UH, QUALIFY FOR THAT SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT ON THE WATER BILL.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS A YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, A CITY OF PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND ONE OF THE ANNUAL PROJECTS THAT YAK YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL HOST IS PROVIDING SUPPLIES SUCH AS TOILETRIES, UM, SOCKS, WHITE TOWELS, LARGE TOWELS, AND SMALL HAND TOWELS TO PORT CITY'S RESCUE MISSION TO SUPPORT THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
YOU'LL SEE BOXES IN CITY BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO PLACE THOSE ITEMS INTO THESE BOXES.
AND THE PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL DELIVER THEM, UM, ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
SO, AGAIN, THIS WILL BE THE, UM, THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE DOING THIS PROJECT, BUT IT WILL BE AN ANNUAL PROJECT.
AND PORT CITY'S RESCUE MISSION IS VERY GRATEFUL.
[01:20:01]
YOU KNOW, HOMELESS WILL BE WITH US ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE.AND SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR ANYONE THAT MAY WANT TO OFFER, UM, THOSE DONATIONS.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD THE ITEMS IN THE BOX.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO, UM, ITEM SIX, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA ]
GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO WITHHOLD, PLEASE PUT YOUR LIGHT ON AND I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE YOU SO THAT WE CAN HOLD THOSE ITEMS. COUNCIL MEMBER EVERFI.
ITEM NUMBER THREE ON PAGE FOUR.
OKAY, THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE FOUR.
MAYOR, I, I NEED TO CORRECT THAT.
IT'S ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE FOUR.
SO NOT ITEM THREE, RIGHT? NOT THREE.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSIONS? OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, I WANT TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF ITEM FOUR AND ITEM FIVE ON PAGE FOUR.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THOSE ITEMS BEING WITHHELD, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE FOUR.
[VII.C.(4) P.R. No. 24574 – A Resolution Approving A Technical Assistance Agreement Between The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation And The National Council For Community Development, Inc. DBA Grow America, For The Period Of One (1) Year Upon PAEDC's Execution Of The Agreement, In An Amount Not To Exceed $75,000.00; Funds Available In EDC Account Number 120-80-625-5420-00-00-000 (Professional Services)]
WILL NOW, UM, GO TO NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE FOUR, PR NUMBER 2, 4 5 7 4.A RESOLUTION APPROVING A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL, UH, FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED, DBA, UH, GROW AMERICA FOR THE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR UPON PR PA EDCS, EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,000 FUNDS AVAILABLE IN EDC.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 0 DASH 8 6 2 5 DASH 5 4 2 0 0 0 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
PROPOSITIONS ARE, ARE ON OUR MINDS.
THE EDC IS ON OUR MINDS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROPOSITION THAT IS, THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BALLOT AND IS ON THE BALLOT RIGHT NOW.
UH, BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING AS A COUNCIL FOR THE AUTHORITY, UH, TO DO PROJECTS, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY WITH A HYBRID A AND B, UH, EDC.
AND SO, UH, I WANT TO BE SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE, UH, TAKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD, UH, ON THAT PROPOSITION, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
UH, SO THAT WE CAN HELP OUR CITY GROW.
BUT I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION CONCERNING THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED YOU CAN COME PLEASE.
UH, YOU, BECAUSE WE DID APPROVE THIS, BECAUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ALWAYS ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS HERE IN THE CITY, UH, AS WE'RE WATCHING PROJECTS, UH, COME ABOUT.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON WITH THIS COMPANY? WHAT IS, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED, WHAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE? HOW IS IT PROGRESSING, AND WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IS NECESSARY THAT WE CONTINUE THIS CONTRACT? YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN THE FRUIT OF OUR EFFORTS WITH THIS CONTRACT? YES, COUNCILMAN? SO, UH, GROW AMERICA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, HAS BEEN OUR TECHNICAL ADVISOR FOR, UH, MORE THAN 10 YEARS, I'D SAY ANNUALLY.
WE COME TO YOU ALL TO RENEW THEIR CONTRACT, THEIR TECHNICAL SERVICES, UM, INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS, UM, FINANCIAL REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF OUR PROJECTS, AS WELL AS INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS OR INCENTIVE RECIPIENTS AND APPLICANTS.
THEY DO ALL OF THAT, THOSE NUMBER RUNNING FOR US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE INVEST IN.
[01:25:01]
MANAGE OUR GROW PORT ARTHUR FUND, WHICH IS AN SBA BACKED SMALL BUSINESS LOAN FOR, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES IN PORT ARTHUR.SO THEY ARE THE, THE, UH, ENTITY THAT MATCHES THAT FUND AND MANAGES IT FOR US AMONGST OTHER TECHNICAL ADVISORY ADVISING THAT THEY DO FOR US.
HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE, HAVE BEEN LOANED MONEY, SAY IN THE LAST YEAR OR, UM, IN THE LAST YEAR? IN, IN, IN OUR CITY, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY LOANS PROCESSED THROUGH GROVEPORT ARTHUR FUND.
UM, IN THE LAST YEAR, WE DO HAVE ONE CURRENT APPLICANT THAT IS GOING THROUGH, UH, THE APPLICATION PHASE RIGHT NOW.
HOW MANY HAVE WE SEEN OVER THE, OVER, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WOULD YOU SAY? I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO OPEN LOANS.
TWO OPEN LOANS OVER FIVE YEARS.
SO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS, SO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS CON I'M SORRY.
SO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS CONTRACT SHOULD CONTINUE AND THEN WE WE'RE GETTING BANGED FOR THE BUCK, UM, OUT OF THIS? YES, SIR.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY, UM, DO THEY MANAGE THAT GROVE PORT ARTHUR FUND FOR US, THEY PROVIDE TECHNICAL ADVISING FOR US THAT, UH, WE CAN'T DO IN-HOUSE.
SO THEY, THEY ARE A, A VERY NECESSARY RESOURCE FOR US.
I HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ETTES LIGHT ON.
FIRST ONE BEING WE DON'T HAVE A HYBRID.
THE STATE OF TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE HYBRID EDCS.
ALL EDCS IS GONNA BE A A OR B, NO HYBRID.
THE SECOND THING, NDC, I'VE SERVED ON E-E-D-C-N-D-C DUE THE FINANCIALS FOR THEM.
IF YOU APPLY FOR INCENTIVES FOR THE EDC, YOU APPLY FOR, UH, ASSISTANCE.
YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR FINANCIALS TO THE EDC, WHO IN TURNS PASS IT ON TO NDC.
NDC GOES THROUGH IT LIKE BANKS DO.
CAN'T THEY LET DDC KNOW, HEY, THAT'S A RISK.
THAT IS WHY THE A DC HAS SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO USE MONEY THAT WAS NOT WASTED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT SOMEBODY SAY THEY HAVE OR WHAT THEY BRING TO 'EM.
THEY ACTUALLY SEND IT TO THEM AND THEY DO THE SAME THING WHEN THEY RUN A FINANCIAL CHECK.
SO IT'S BEEN PROTECTED IN THE EDC FOR YEARS.
AND IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT TRACK RECORD, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND THAT THEY, UH, INVESTED OR THEY GAVE MONEY TO ANY CLIENTS WHERE IT WAS A WASTE OR IT WAS FUNDED.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THE 11 YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN UNDERSTANDING EDC AND EVERYTHING, I THINK, UH, THERE'S ONLY ONE PROJECT THAT I KNOW FOLDED UNDER THE WHOLE THING.
BUT WHEN THEY RAN THE FINANCIALS, IT WAS GOOD, BUT IT FOLDED.
BUT WHENEVER YOU DO SOMETHING OF THAT MAGNITUDE, YOU ARE PROTECTING CITIZENS TAX DOLLARS.
AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYBODY WORK THERE.
SO EVEN IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, WORK THERE AND THEY LIKE YOU, AND NOW IT STILL GOES TO N-D-C-N-D-C IS GONNA LOOK AT IT, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, RISK, HIGH RISK, NO RISK, OR WE THINK IT'S THE GOOD DEAL.
NOW DID I EXPLAIN THAT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS OVER THERE?
THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANTED TO ADD.
ED'S THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WHEN IT WAS IN PLACE, PUT IN PLACE IN 1996.
UP UNTIL NOW, HAVE THERE EVER BEEN ANY GRANTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES? WE PROVIDE INCENTIVES RATHER THAN GRANTS.
UM, AND SMALL BUSINESS, IT'LL DEPEND ON, ON HOW YOU, UH, CLASSIFY SMALL BUSINESS.
SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE DO, WE HAVE PROVIDED INCENTIVES FOR WHICH ARE INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS A SMALL BUSINESS.
OH, I'M SAYING HAVE, HAVE SMALL, HAVE HAVE THE EDC BOARD EVER DONE ANY GIVE THEY GIVE AWAY, THEY GIVE AWAY TONS OF MONEY SINCE 1996 OKAY.
FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHATEVER, HELPING, HELPING, UH, OTHER BUSINESSES.
BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN TO NOW, I'VE SENT 'EM TO THE EDC AND HOPING THAT BOARD MEMBERS WOULD DO SOMETHING, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, AND HE, COUNCILMAN DEUCE SAID, SAID HE SERVED TWICE DOWN THERE, NEVER DONE NOTHING.
ONCE THEY HAD THE, THE A CORPORATION SET UP, YOU NEVER HAD TO VOTED
[01:30:01]
IN PLACE.YOU KNOW, YOU QUALIFI THE BACKGROUNDS AND EVERYTHING, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO HELP A SMALL BUSINESS WITH A GRANT TO PUT A ROOF ON, ON THE HOUSE, ON, ON, ON THEIR BUSINESS.
ALL OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES I HAVE SENT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEY WANTED TO GIVE 'EM A LOAN.
SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT NEED A LOAN.
SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK.
ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES, 1996 HAVE BEEN GETTING GRANTS, NEVER PAY 'EM BACK.
BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN TO SMALL BUSINESSES, OH, WELL, THEY GOTTA PAY THE BACKGROUND CHECK.
AND ALL THIS SUPPOSE A SMALL GROVE, FOR EXAMPLE, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WAS REIMBURSED FOR PUTTING A ROOF ON THE, ON THE BUILDING OR FOR AN ADDING EXTENSION.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THE CITY, IT IS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF PORT ARTHUR NEWS.
THEY HELPED THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT PORT ARTHUR HAS NOT.
NOW WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE HYBRID.
AND THERE IS A HYBRID PROGRAM.
THE REGULATION TALKS ABOUT THE HYBRID 2023.
IT WAS THE HYBRID PROGRAM PASSED.
YOU COULD READ THE REGULATIONS.
UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HELP SMALL MEN.
I'M URGING EVERYBODY, WHEN YOU GO TO OPPOSE TODAY, BE SURE TO VOTE FOR THE PROPOSITION EIGHT.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT COUNCIL, LORD, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
SIR, YOU CANNOT DO THAT IN HERE.
WE CANNOT ENDORSE AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS OF A PROPOSITION.
I'M DONE WITH THAT CITY MANAGER.
MAYOR CRYSTAL, I HOPE I DID NOT MISS IT.
UM, YOU EXPLAINED THAT GROW AMERICA WAS FORMALLY THE NDC.
THEY'RE FORMERLY NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
AND, AND TECHNICALLY THEY STILL ARE THE NATIONAL RIGHT DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, BUT THEY'RE DOING BUSINESS NOW AS GROW AMERICA.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT IN RESPONSE TO, UM, COUNCILMAN FRANK'S QUESTION, ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS WITH THE EDC IS THE RENAISSANCE APARTMENTS.
SO, AND THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT BOTH FOR THE ED C AND FOR THE CITY.
SO THAT'S 30 ODD MILLION DOLLARS AT THE TIME WHEN WE DID IT.
SO IT HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT.
ARE WE DONE? I HAVE NO MORE COUNCILMAN YOU SAID? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, UH, THE REASON YOU CAN'T DO GRANTS AND STUFF FOR SMALL B, IT'S A TYPE A CORPORATION.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHO WE WANT TO HELP IS A TYPE A CORPORATION.
IT'S ALL WRITTEN IN THE REGULATIONS.
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE HAS TWO GOVERNMENT CODE THAT IDENTIFIED TYPES OF CORPORATIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU READ IS NOT WRITTEN AND APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
5 0 4 AND NOT 5 0 5 WAS APPROVED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
AND IF THERE'S ANY AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES TO THEM, THAT'S WHO WILL DO IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN MY SECOND TIME OF GOING AROUND, COUNCILMAN DEUCE IS CORRECT, BUT FIVE YEARS AGO I CAME ON THIS COUNCIL AND I BEGAN TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I'D GONE TO THE EDC, SAT DOWN WITH THE DIRECTOR AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE CONVERSION FROM A TYPE A TO A TYPE BEDC.
NEEDLING HAS A TYPE B, UH, ED, C.
MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE CITIES WITH OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND IN OUR STATE HAVE A TYPE B, ED, C, WHICH AFFORDS THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO TYPE A AND TYPE B PROJECTS WITHOUT GOING TO THE VOTERS EVERY TIME THAT THEY DO IT.
AND SO THERE WAS A, UM, THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS NO WILL, THERE WAS NO DESIRE, UH, TO CHANGE FROM A TYPE A, EDC TO GO TO A TYPE BEDC THAT WOULD HELP BUSINESSES BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONCERN, UM, BECAUSE OF A TYPE BEDC THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD SIT ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL OR WHATEVER.
WE WEREN'T TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE EDC AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
AND THAT WAS, UM, THE WHOLE, UM, THAT WAS THE WHOLE, UH, SCARE TACTIC
[01:35:01]
TO US MOVING TO A TYPE BEDC AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO TAKE OVER, UH, THE EDC.WE WERE SIMPLY TRYING TO DO WHAT COUNCILMAN LEWIS WAS SAYING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP, UM, THE ENGINE, UH, DRIVE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE COULD DO DOWNTOWN.
AND WE HAVE A TOUR ZONE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO HELP OUR CITY, UH, AS WELL, UH, TO BE REVITALIZED.
BUT WE NEED PROJECTS, UM, LIKE THE WATERPARK.
WE NEED PROJECTS THAT BRING A QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT PROPOSITION IS ALL ABOUT.
ON THE COUNCIL TODAY, CITY ATTORNEY'S ASKING TO SPEAK CITY ATTORNEY, IF WE COULD REDIRECT BACK TO THE AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING OFF SCOPE.
WE WE'RE GONNA BE BACK ON TASK.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, MOVE FOR OUR VOTE ON THE, UH, ITEM THAT'S HERE, WHICH IS APPROVING A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND NATIONAL COUNCIL OF, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, KNOWN BEFORE AS, UM, NDC, BUT NOW DOING BUSINESS AS GROW AMERICA FOR THE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
CAN I, UM, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
LET ME MAKE SURE WE HAVE NO ANYONE AGAINST THIS NOS.
[VII.C.(5) P.R. No. 24581 – A Resolution Authorizing The Contract Extension For The 25th Street Bridge Repair Project With Woolpert, Inc. Of Houston, Texas. There Is No Funding Impact For The Contract Extension]
GO TO PR NUMBER 2 4 5 8 1 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR THE 25TH STREET BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT WITH WOOL PERT INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.THERE IS NO FUNDING INTACT FOR THE CONTRACT EXTENSION.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
AND SECOND MOTIONED, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER ETT? YES.
WHEN LOOKING AT THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
IT SAID THAT THE DELAY WAS BE FROM DELIBERATING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I'VE ALWAYS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT I KEEP TALKING ABOUT IS WE DO NOT MOVES.
THERE ARE SOMETIMES THINGS CAN HAPPEN THAT WILL CAUSE A DELAY THAT IS UNFORESEEN AND YOU CAN'T HELP.
SO, MY QUESTION HERE, WHAT WAS THIS DELAY THAT STOPPED US FROM MOVING WHEN WE FIRST TOOK ACTION? ACTION.
WHAT WAS THE DELAY THERE? THERE WERE SEVERAL.
THE DELAY WAS, THE DELAY WAS, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION WHERE THE CITY MANAGER WAS SEEKING INFORMATION FROM MOTIVA AT THE TIME THAT WAS INTERESTED IN 25TH STREET.
AND, UM, WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO UNDERTAKE THE INVESTMENT OF REPAIRING THE BRIDGE AT THAT TIME.
AND, UM, THE MONIES AT THAT TIME WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET FOR US TO REPAIR THE STREET.
NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THE BRIDGE.
IT'S ONLY THIS YEAR THAT WE HAVE PLACED THE MONEY AND COUNSELOR APPROVED THE REPAIRS OF BOTH 25TH STREET AND NINTH AVENUE.
IN, IN SPITE OF THAT, WE ARE GOING TO GET THE REPORT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, WHICH IS THE DELAY IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THE, THE REPORTS WILL INDICATE TO US WHETHER, AS I'VE, IN MY DISCUSSION WITH MY CITY ENGINEER, THE CURRENT CITY ENGINEER, WHETHER IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE VALUABLE TO UNDERTAKE THE REPAIRS OR TO JUST REPLACE THE BRIDGE.
WE WILL GET AN IDEA, A MUCH MORE SOLID IDEA OF THAT WHEN WE DO, WHEN WE CONTINUE WITH THIS.
'CAUSE BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS REALLY, WE REALLY WASN'T MOVING INTO TALKING ABOUT DESIGN AND REPLACEMENT AT THE TIME.
IT JUST CAME TO US AND EVERYTHING.
BUT THEN INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT BRIDGE, WE WENT INTO LOOKING AT IT.
IF WE GOING TO GIVE UP THE BRIDGE, UH, IF WE GONNA GIVE UP THE STREET, SO THEN THAT'S WHAT YES.
SO YOU WENT FROM HERE TO HERE.
AND THEN NOW WE DECIDED TO COME BACK HERE.
AND THEN NOW, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION AND IN MY DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME WAS IF WE WERE TO DO ANYTHING, I WOULD'VE RATHER ATTEMPTED THE BRIDGE ON NINTH AVENUE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN CLOSE IT DURING THE SUMMER SEASON WHEN IT, YOU KNOW, IT IS BEEN LESS TRAVERSE, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
I JUST NEEDED TO KNOW BECAUSE WE, WE, WE SAY IT IN THE BACKGROUND, IT WAS DELIBERATION, BUT IT WASN'T NO EXPLANATION OF WHY WE DELIBERATING.
THAT'S A GOOD, I'LL ACCEPT THAT ONE.
[01:40:01]
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24519 – A Resolution Appointing A Member Or Members To The Construction Board Of Adjustments And Appeals]
PAGE NUMBER FIVE.WELL, UM, ITEM EIGHT ITEMS REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION, NON-CONSENT.
A NUMBER ONE, A P PR NUMBER 2 4 5 1 9.
A RESOLUTION OF APPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
EVER FEEL, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR NUMBER
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24547 – A Resolution Authorizing The Approval Of Quarterly Payments Of Solid Waste Permit Fees For The Landfill To The Texas Commission On Environmental Quality (TCEQ) With A Projected Budgetary Impact Amount Of $148,000.00. Funding Is Available In Account No. 403-50-320-5471-00-00-000]
2 4 5 4 7 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF THE QUARTERLY PAYMENTS OF SOLID WASTE PERMIT FEES FOR THE LANDFILL TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TCEQ WITH A PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT AMOUNT OF $148,000.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 3 5 0 3 2 0 5 4 7.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION APPROVAL.
IT'S BEEN MOTION FOR APPROVAL BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 24560 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing Member(s) To The Zoning Board Of Adjustment Pursuant To Appendix A: Zoning, Section 5.04 Of The City Of Port Arthur Code Of Ordinances]
PR NUMBER 2 4 5 6 0 A RESOLUTION, APPOINTING AND OR REAPPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PURSUANT TO APPENDIX A ZONING SECTION 5.04 OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY I.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS NUMBER THREE.
COUNCILMAN BECKHAM, YOU CAN SPEAK.
LEMME MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT ONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT FOR DISTRICT THREE.
ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS TO THIS BOARD OR DO YOU ALREADY HAVE THE NAMES? UM, LET ME ASK, HAVE WE GIVEN OUR CITY SECRETARY THE NAMES BY, BY PAM? BY WAY OF HOW MANY ON THAT BOARD? THERE ARE SOME NAMES ON IN THE RESOLUTION.
I WASN'T GIVEN THE NAMES TO CALL OUT.
YOU TAKE THE PODIUM FOR ME PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, AT ONE OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, YOU APPOINTED KAREEM, NELSON AND COUNCILWOMAN EVER FEEL APPOINTED, UM, OR REAPPOINTED? CHRIS LOPEZ MM-HMM
UM, BUT I AM STILL NEEDING AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE REMAINDER OF COUNCIL FOR THE ZONING BOARD.
AND SO MEMBER BECKHAM JUST MADE HERS, WHICH IS HOLLY HOFFER HOWARD.
SO ALL OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO APPOINT SOMEONE, THEIR TERMS EXPIRED OR CAN YOU? THEY ARE EXPIRED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, SEVEN MEMBERS.
HOW MANY IS ON THAT BOARD? SEVEN MEMBERS AN APPOINTMENT FROM EACH, UM, COUNCIL SEAT.
WHAT'S DISTRICT ONE'S APPOINTMENT? HAS IT EXPIRED? IT HAS ALL, UM, APPOINTMENTS HAVE EXPIRED.
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENT WAS LANGSTON ADAMS. WHO? LANGSTON ADAMS. LANGSTON ADAMS. YES SIR.
I I NEED CLARIFICATION, MAYOR.
WHICH ONE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
THE ZONING ADJUSTMENT, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IN THE FIELDS, RIGHT? YES SIR.
IS THAT ONE THAT WE EACH HAVE AN APPOINTEE OR IS THAT ONE WHERE WE HAD THE YES SIR.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS THE ONLY FIVE MEMBER BOARD THAT WE OVERSEE.
UM, BUT THE ZONING BOARD AND CONSTRUCTION BOARD HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS.
UM, THAT EACH COUNCIL GETS AN APPOINTMENT TO THAT BOARD, THOSE BOARDS.
THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, YOU HAVE
[01:45:01]
NO NAMES IN THAT.CAN'T WE, CAN'T WE GET TO A POINT WHEREBY THE CITY SECRETARY KEEPS RECORD, BUT WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF THESE BOARDS, RIGHT? YES SIR.
THE STAFF THAT OVERSEES ALL OUR BOARDS.
IF COUNCIL APPOINTS A MEMBER AND THAT MEMBER DOESN'T ATTEND MEETINGS OR THAT MEMBER'S, UH, COUNTER OBSTRUCTIVE OF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T THAT PERSON THAT'S OVERSEE THIS MM-HMM
GIVE THEM INFORMATION TO THE CITY SECRETARY.
THE CITY SECRETARY, WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF WE NEED TO REPLACE SOMEBODY, WHOEVER OVERSEE THE BOARD, NOTIFY THE CITY SECRETARY.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY BY SECRETARY NOTIFY US INDIVIDUALLY MM-HMM
TO SEEM LIKE WE KEEP TALKING THESE NAME, THESE NAMES AND STUFF.
BECAUSE ONCE WE GIVE THE NAME TO THE CITY SECRETARY, THEN WHEN WE GET THESE THINGS ON RESOLUTIONS, WE WON'T BE ASKING FOR NAMES.
'CAUSE I NOTICED WHEN WE DID IT THAT WAY BEFORE, WHENEVER WE HAD THIS ON THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA MM-HMM
SHE WOULD SAY, WELL, THE MAYOR READ THE THING, THEN THE CITY SECRETARY WOULD SAY, WE'D LIKE TO INCLUDE THIS NAME.
INSTEAD OF ASKING AND GOING THROUGH THIS, WHO GOT NAMES AND ALL THIS, WHY DON'T WE GO BACK TO DOING THAT? THAT WAY IT WAS PRETTY, THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
UM, I DO WANNA NOTE THAT COMMUNICATION WAS SENT TO COUNCIL PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING.
SO THE INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY SECRETARY.
I, I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION, I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION IN THE AGENDA WHEN I READ THE BACKGROUND.
YES, THERE WERE EMAILS AS WELL.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS SOMETIMES WE DOING THIS AND IT'S ONE MM-HMM
SO THAT'S WHY I SAID BEFORE IT WAS SIMPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT NOTIFIED INDIVIDUALLY THAT EITHER SOMEBODY WILL POINT NOT ATTENDING MEETINGS AND NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
SO THEN WE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION BACK TO HER.
THEN WHEN IT CAME TO THE RESOLUTION, INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR NAMES, WE READ THE RESOLUTION.
THE MAYOR SAID, OKAY, DO WE HAVE A NAME? SEE THE SECRETARY SAY YES, SO AND SO, YES SIR, WE WON'T.
AND SAID, WILL THE NAME, WHO'S IN IT NOW? THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING, WHY CAN'T WE GO BACK TO DOING IT THAT WAY? IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE.
UM, YOU SAID THESE TERMS EXPIRED, THESE ARE ALL, ALL OF OUR PERSON'S TERMS EXPIRED? THAT IS CORRECT.
YOU SEE, MAYOR, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE WE SHOULD NEVER BE IN THIS POINT IN OUR OLD SYSTEM.
BECAUSE WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED WAS, I THINK THAT, GO AHEAD COUNSEL.
WHAT JUST SAID, LET ME GO AHEAD.
WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THEY EXPIRED AND I'VE NEVER SEEN AN INCIDENT WHERE ALL OF THEM EXPIRED THE SAME TIME.
THAT NEVER, I AIN'T NEVER SEEN THIS PRO PROMOTE, I MEAN, PUT ANYBODY ON THE BOARD ALL AT ONE TIME.
EVIDENTLY, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE YEARS THAT THEY EXPIRED RIGHT.
SO, SO, SO WE REALLY BEHIND ON THAT ONE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE AT WHERE WE ARE.
AND THAT'S THE KINDA I ASK, YOU KNOW, IF THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THESE BOARD AND COMMITTEE THAT WE APPOINT PEOPLE TO WILL JUST GET ON IT MORE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING UP FOR AN EXPIRATION OR SOMEONE WHO'S NOT ATTENDING THE MEETINGS AND THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED.
BECAUSE I, FOR ONE, ONCE I APPOINT SOMEBODY, I DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH 'EM.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT BOARD OF COMMISSIONER OR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND THAT'S, I'LL APPOINT THEM TO WORK WITH THEM, NOT ME.
BUT IF THEY'RE NOT ATTENDING OR THEY'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING, THEN IF THE SEC SECRETARY SAYS, COUNCILMAN DE SAID YOU GOT THIS PERSON, I CALL 'EM UP, SAY, HEY, CAME A TO VI PUT SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT I THINK WE CAN, I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
SO WE STAYED ON TOP OF IT RATHER THAN FALLING BEHIND.
BUT I THINK THE CITY SECRETARY SHOULD BE TRACKING ALL OF OUR APPOINTMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
[01:50:01]
BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU.BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES, 'CAUSE I HAVE LIGHTS, BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK YES MA'AM.
UM, SHOULD, UM, SHOULD BE FOLLOWED THROUGH AND GIVEN US UPDATES WHEN A, AN AVAILABLE TIME.
THAT'S THE DUTY OF THE CITY SECRETARY.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, WE'VE MADE NEW APPOINTMENTS, WE NEED UPDATED SHEETS, UM, FROM COUNCIL ON ALL OF OUR BOARDS AS TO WHO NEEDS TO BE APPOINTED BECAUSE THERE ARE MEETINGS THAT ARE TRYING TO TAKE PLACE IN DIFFERENT, UH, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS THAT MY PERSON WASN'T REALLY SHOWING UP AND SO I HAD TO APPOINT SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT I, I ASKED FOR A LIST OF WHO ALL I NEEDED TO APPOINT FOR THE YEAR AND I GOT THAT.
NOW THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED SO THAT THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE IN ITS ENTIRETY WILL KNOW WHAT POSITIONS NEED TO BE UPDATED AND WHO THEY NEED TO REAPPOINT AND WHAT'S EXPIRING.
AND I THINK THAT'S CONTINGENT UPON OUR, THE OFFICE IN WHICH WE, UM, AND THAT'S THE CITY SECRETARY? YES, MA'AM.
WHEN YOU GOT AN UPDATE, WE, THAT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL THE COUNCIL, THE UPDATE THAT I GAVE YOU.
SO YOU EMAILED IT TO EVERYBODY MM-HMM
ON YOUR LIST, DO YOU HAVE WE, WE HAVE A, A RULE OVER THE YEARS, WE JUST ALLOWS CITIZENS TO SERVE ON INDIVIDUAL BOARDS, NOT MULTIPLE BOARDS.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY DUPLICATIONS? WOULD LIKE THIS KIND OF SPREAD? SPREAD, SPREAD? I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN WHICH WE OVERSEE.
UH, HAVE THE STATE LAW HAVE ANYTHING CHANGED FAR AS, UH, ADJUSTMENT BOARDS IN APPEAL? UM, THAT BOARD STILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERRULE THE COUNCIL.
UM, WELL, ITEMS THAT GO TO THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE QUASI JUDICIAL OR CHALLENGED IN DISTRICT COURT, IT'S NOT AN ITEM THAT COMES TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL.
SO THEY HAVE THE FINAL DECISION.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE THE FINAL DECISION BECAUSE I HAVE SENT, UH, PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO HAVE SOME, UH, HEALTH, HEALTH CONDITIONS WANT TO MOVE, UH, THE PARENTS IN ON THEIR PROPERTY TEMPORARILY UNTIL, AND, UH, THEY, THEY HAD THE AUTHORITY TO HOO IT.
BUT THERE IS SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT THEY MUST FOLLOW THAT THEY MUST FOLLOW THAT'S IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
BUT WE PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT CRITERIA.
COUNCILOR MCKEN LAW, UH, PAM? YES, SIR.
DID YOU ALSO, MAYBE I MISSED THIS.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING A QUORUM FOR THE BOARD? BECAUSE IF MY APPOINTEE, UH, UM, MR. ABT, I MEAN IS YOUR, THIS IS JUST A MATTER WHERE THE, UM, TERMS FOR THE BOARD HAD EXPIRED.
AGAIN, THERE'S SPECIFIC CRITERIA WHEN YOU BRING AN ITEM TO THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
SO THERE HAVE NOT BEEN A NEED.
UM, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE UP IN CURRENT, AND IT WAS BASED ON THE MAYOR'S INQUIRY, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE BOARD HAD THEIR TERMS HAD EXPIRED.
SO WE ARE JUST CLEANING EVERYTHING UP.
HEY, WELL IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, PAM, UH, SHERRY, UH, ANTHONY ALBERT? UH, YES, BUT HE WAS, UH, I HAD HIM, THAT WAS WHEN I WAS IN DISTRICT THREE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE HIM TO, UH, UH, POSITION AT LARGE FIVE.
I WANNA SUBMIT THE NAME OF ALICE WASHINGTON TO THE LIST.
UH, UH, I'M GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS LIST AND ANYBODY THAT, UH, I DO NOT HAVE A NAME.
I WILL SUBMIT IT TO THE SE SECRETARY YES SIR.
THIS WEEK AND I'LL GET THAT DONE.
ANYBODY THAT I HAVE SERVING ON ANY BOARDS OR COMMISSION THAT I'VE APPOINTED? YES, SIR.
IF THAT TERM COME UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT OR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, I DON'T EVER REMOVE ANYBODY.
SO IF IT'S DISTRICT FOUR YES, SIR.
AND YOU SEE THAT THE TERM IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE? YES SIR.
WHOEVER OVERSEES IT NEED TO JUST LET THE PERSON GO AND SEE THE CITY SECRETARY SO THAT SHE CAN UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GONNA BE IN IT.
AND WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
I, I GOT PRETTY UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE IT'S GOING NOW.
I THINK I CAN GET HER THE NAMES AND DO THAT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO PAGE NUMBER SIX.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 24561 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing Member(s) To The Historical Landmark Commission]
A RESOLUTION APPOINTING AND REAPPOINTING MEMBERS FOR THE HISTORICAL LANDMARK COMMISSION.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
SO'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN MCKEN LAW, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
UM, ANY DISCUSSIONS? DO WE HAVE NA DO WE NEED NAMES HERE MAAM? I DO HAVE NAMES FOR THOSE.
[01:55:01]
HAVE NAMES FOR THOSE? OKAY.UM, SO MY APPOINTEE TERM OUT IN AUGUST OF 2025, SHERRY, UM, DO YOU HAVE HER NAME AS REAPPOINTED FOR DISTRICT THREE? PAT HOLMES? YES.
I HAVE THE MAYOR ZULEMA ESCOBIDO.
MM-HMM
THAT'S THE NAMES THAT WE WERE GIVEN IN HONOR.
I DIDN'T GET ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
CAN I, CAN I GET Y'ALL'S? AYE.
AND HE KNOWS THE AYES HAVE IT.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 24563 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Contract With SCS Engineers Of Houston, Texas, For Groundwater, Landfill Gas, And Air Quality Monitoring At The Landfill From November 2025 To August 2026 For $171,500.00. Funds Are Available In Public Works Department Landfill Division – Professional Services Account Number 403-50-320-5420-00-00-000]
NUMBER 2, 4, 5, 6 3 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTRACT WITH SCS ENGINEERS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR GROUNDWATER, LANDFILL GAS AND AIR QUALITY MONITORING AT THE LANDFILL FROM NOVEMBER, 2025 TO AUGUST, 2026 FOR $171,500.FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
LANDFILL DIVISION, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 3 DASH FIVE ZERO DASH 3 2 0 DASH 5 4 0 0 0.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN, UH, MOVED AND SECOND MOVED BY COUNCILMAN KINLAW AND SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN.
EVER FEEL, UH, ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 24564 – A Resolution Granting Consent To The Assignment Of The Industrial District Agreement (IDA), Between The City Of Port Arthur And BASF Corporation (2018-2027), Approved By Resolution No. 17-351, To BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC ]
PR NUMBER 2, 4 5, 6 4 RESOLUTION GRANTING CONSENT TO THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENT IDA BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND BASF CORPORATION 2018 TO 2027 APPROVED BY RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE SEVEN DASH 3 51 TO BASF AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS U-S-L-L-C.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
MY COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE AND MAYOR PRO TEM ETT.
AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? YES.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON? YES.
UH, THIS BASF, HOW THE EMPLOYMENT, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WHAT, WHAT STANDING ARE THEY? ARE THEY SUPPORTING OUR PORT ALTO RESIDENTS? ARE THEY IN COMPLIANCE OR OUTTA COMPLIANCE OR WHAT? I WOULD HAVE CITY MANAGER.
I WOULD'VE TO CHECK THE REPORTS.
THEY'RE STILL SUBMITTING REPORTS, UM, TO US.
THEY'RE STILL SUPPORT SUBMITTING THE REPORTS BASED ON THE REQUIREMENTS? YES, THEY STILL DO.
I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH HUEY, OUR COMPLIANCE GUY.
UM, I COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THAT.
WHERE IS HUEY? OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICE? HUH? WAIT, I WAS HOPING HE'D BE HERE WHEN I SAW THAT.
DID CITY MANAGER, ARE YOU DONE? NO, I'M DONE.
COULD YOU GET HUG? COULD WE SKIP THIS AND GET HUG UP HERE? OKAY.
THIS, THIS IS A CONSENT TO JUST REASSIGN IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING UNDER ANOTHER NAME.
THIS CONTRACT IS NOT BEING ALTERED AND IS NOT UP TO AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW.
IT JUST, I UNDERSTAND BEING REASSIGNED.
OKAY, SO I'M, BUT I WANT TO FIND OUT IF THEY IN COMPLIANCE IT WELL WE COULD DO THAT LATER ON SINCE IT'S NOT RIGHT.
I WANNA FIND OUT IF THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION.
SAID HE SAID HE COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION LATER.
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 24584 – A Resolution Authorizing The Purchase Of Twelve (12) Portable Radios And Ten (10) Mobile Radios With Accessories For The Fire Department From Motorola Solutions Of Houston, Texas Through HGAC Contract 17724-HGAC (TX) RA05-21, In The Amount Of $142,845.24; Funding Is Available In Equipment Account Number 625-19-047-8522-00-10-000]
PR NUMBER 2 4 5 8 4 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF 12 PORTABLE RADIOS AND 10 MOBILE RADIOS WITH ACCESSORIES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR MOTOROLA, SOLUTIONS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS THROUGH HGAC CONTRACT 1 7 7 2 4 DASH HGAC TX RA OH FIVE DASH 21 AND THE AMOUNT OF 142,845.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 6 2 5 1 9 4 7 DASH 8 5 22 DASH 0 0 0.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 24585 – A Resolution Authorizing The Port Arthur Fire Department To Purchase Eleven (11) Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) From Casco Industries, Inc. Of Laporte, Texas Under BuyBoard Contract No. 698-23, With A Projected Capital Budgetary Impact Of $106,095.00; Funding Is Available In Account No. 626-19-047-8522-00-30-000]
PR NUMBER[02:00:01]
2 4 5 85 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE 11 SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS, SCBA FROM CASCO INDUSTRIES OF LAPORTE, TEXAS UNDER BY BOARD CONTRACT NUMBER 6 9 8 DASH TWO THREE WITH A PROJECTED CAPITAL BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $106,095.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 6 2 6 DASH NINE DASH 0 4 7 DASH 8 5 2 2 DASH 3 0 0.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER WOMAN COUNCILMAN.
EVER FEEL ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 24589 – A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 24-455 In Response To The Office Of The Governor’s Request For Additional Language Affirming The City Of Port Arthur’s Obligations Under Its Acceptance Of The Fiscal Year 2025 Body-Worn Camera Grant From The Office Of The Governor – Public Safety Division, In The Amount Of $132,381.60]
NINE, PR NUMBER 2 4 5 8 9 A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO FOUR DASH 4 55 AND THE RESPONSE TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR'S REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE AFFIRMING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S OBLIGATIONS UNDER ITS ACCEPTANCE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BODY-WORN CAMERA GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION IN THE AMOUNT OF $132,381 AND 60 CENTS.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM AND COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM AND SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN.
EVER FEEL ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR, I'M SORRY.
[VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 24597 – A Resolution Casting Votes For The Board Of Directors Of The Jefferson Central Appraisal District For The 2026- 2029 Term]
PAGE SEVEN.A RESOLUTION CASTING VOTES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE JEFFERSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE 20 26 29 TERM.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S MOVED SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS AT THIS TIME? WE HAVE TO SAY, I THINK STATE WHERE WE'RE CASTING OUR VOTES AND WE HAVE, UM, OUR, UH, OWN COUNCIL MEMBER, DONALD FRANK, WHO'S ON THE BALLOT.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, I'M MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR THAT THOSE VOTES WILL BE CAST, UH, UH, UH, THE COUNCIL'S IN AGREEMENT TO CAST THOSE VOTES FOR OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
OR DO WE HAVE FIVE NAMES ON THE BALLOT? SO, OKAY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE TO HAVE TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
SO WE ARE VOTING, UM, OUR VOTES.
IT'S ALREADY A MOTION IN HERE.
UM, AS OUR, UM, OUR VOTES WILL GO, ALL OF OUR VOTES WILL GO TOWARD COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK FOR THIS JEFFERSON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
A ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VIII.A.(11) P.R. No. 24601 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase One (1) Aljon ADV500 Compactor From Aljon By C&C Manufacturing, Of Ottumwa, Iowa, To Compact And Spread Waste In The Landfill In Compliance With State Regulations Through The Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Cooperative Purchasing Program, Contract Number PW10-25, With A Projected Amount Of $950,000.00. Funds Are Available In The Capital Improvement Program Account, Account Number 403-50-320-8523-00-00-000]
NUMBER 2 4 6 0 1 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE ONE.ALAN ALLON, A DV 500 COMPACTOR FROM AL JOHN BY C AND C MANUFACTURING OF OTTAWAY, IOWA TO COMPACT AND SPREAD WASTE IN THE LANDFILL.
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE REGULATIONS THROUGH THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, HGAC COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAM.
CONTRACT NUMBER PW 10 DASH 25 WITH A PROJECTED AMOUNT OF $950,000 FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
ACCOUNT ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 0 3 DASH 5 0 3 2 8 5 2 3 DASH 0 0 0 DASH ZERO ZERO.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
AND SECOND MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(12) P.R. No. 24603 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur And Freese And Nichols, Inc., For The Review, Analysis, And Revision Of Chapter 98 – Subdivision Of The City Of Port Arthur Code Of Ordinances In An Amount Not To Exceed $164,800.00; Funding Available In The Planning Professional Services Account Number: 001-13-031-5420- 00-10-000]
NUMBER 2 4 6 0 3.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND FREEZE AND NICHOLS INCORPORATED FOR THE REVIEW, ANALYSIS AND REVISION OF CHAPTER 98.
SUBDIVISION OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $164,800 FUNDING AVAILABLE IN PLANNING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 DASH ONE THREE DASH 0 3 1 DASH 5 4 2 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0.
CAN WE GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? IT'S SO MOVED.
MOST OF OUR CODE AND ORDINANCE HERE IN THE CITY ARE DIRECT IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE
[02:05:01]
ORDINANCE AND STUFF.AND THEN WE GET INTO OUR UNIQUENESS HERE IN THE CITY.
BEING A HOME RULE, WE HAVE HERE $164,800 FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN ONE REVIEW THIS CHAPTER TWO ANALYSIS AND THREE REVISION OF THE CHAPTER.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING, WE'VE BEEN GETTING THESE CONTRACTS FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DO THAT.
MOST OF OUR CODES AND STUFF WE HAVE TO CONFORM WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
DO WE HAVE, WE LOOKED AT CHAPTER 98 AND WE CANNOT LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO REVISE FOR OUR CITY.
I MEAN, LET'S LOOK AT THE CHAPTER.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
IF IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT, SHOULD WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE IN OUR CITY INSTEAD OF PAYING SOMEBODY $165,000? I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHY WE GOTTA PAY SOMEBODY FOR THIS.
I MEAN, WHAT DOES THIS THIS ENTAIL THAT WE CAN'T DO THIS? YES.
IS HE THROUGH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? I'M SORRY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION IS A VERY, CHAPTER 60 IS A VERY TECHNICAL DOCUMENT THAT HAS AND, AND, AND I'M, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THE ABILITY OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY HERE OR ANY MEMBER OF THE, UM, THE, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S A HIGHLY TECHNICAL DOCUMENT THAT NEEDS INPUT FROM BOTH ENGINEERING AND PLANNING PROFESSIONALS IN ORDER TO PUT THE DOCUMENT TOGETHER.
THE SUBDIVISION RE REGULATION IS ALSO AN ARM OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, FREEZER NICHOLS YEARS AGO PROVIDED US, UM, UM, AFTER SOME 25 YEARS WITH THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF PO ARTHUR DETECT THE, THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION HAS TO READ ARM IN ARM WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND SO PART OF THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION ARE HIGHLY DESIGNED SKETCHES, WHICH I'M SURE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICER, NO MEMBER OF STAFF HAS THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE AS WELL.
THE AB THE, THE, THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IS JUST NOT IN-HOUSE.
WHAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF CITIES THAT I'VE EVER WORKED WITH AS A PLANNER HAS ALWAYS WORKED WITH AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE AT ALL TIMES.
BECAUSE YOU PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO DEVELOPERS WHO COME HERE AND THAT INFORMATION HAS TO BE VERY MUCH ACCURATE AND CONCISE BOTH IN ITS PRESENTATION AND IN AND IN ITS DESIGN.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDE TO OUR DEVELOPERS IS VERY ACCURATELY DONE AND VERY PROFESSIONALLY DONE AS WELL.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE HAD THE ASSISTANT TO THE MANAGER AND THE PLANNING STAFF TO GO OUT THERE AND TO SEE WHICH ORGANIZATION OR WHICH VENDOR CAN PROVIDE US WITH THE BEST TAILORED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD WORK IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE GOING OUT, UM, UM, FOR, UM, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND WE HAVE AWARDED A, THE, THE CON WE HAVE WORKED WITH FRIES NICHOLS AND AWARDED THAT TO THEM.
IN A NUTSHELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY CONCERN TOO BECAUSE SEEMS, SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND WE, DURING CONSULTING CONTRACT FOR REVIEW AND IT'S FREEZER, NICHOLS OR SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAY TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL.
YOU KEEP SAYING TO, I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND IT SHOULD BE DONE.
BUT WHEN YOU START SAYING, OUR ENGINEER OR OUR ATTORNEY AIN'T KNOWLEDGEABLE OR NOT, THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE OTHERS PLACES WE COULD GO TO FIND
[02:10:01]
OUT AND ASK QUESTIONS TO HELP US TO DO IT.YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE, THEY GOT OTHER TYPE OF SUBDIVISION PLANS IN OTHER CITIES, A LOT OF TIMES THEY COMPETENT ENOUGH TO GET WITH OTHER CITIES AND LOOK AT THEIR PLAN AND SEE IF THEIR PLAN FIT, OUR PLAN TO FIT INTO OUR MA UH, MASTER PLAN OR OUR
SO THEY MAY NOT KNOW, BUT YOU COULD REACH OUT TO CITIES WHO HAVE ONE THAT PROBABLY COULD FIT INTO YOURS.
THESE CONTRACTS IS MY BIG QUESTION.
WHY AREN'T WE DOING IT? AND NOT THAT, BUT I THINK OUR STAFF WILL GET KNOWLEDGEABLE AND MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE, UH, UH, TRYING TO GO OUT WITH THIS.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, JUST LIKE YOU KEEP SAYING TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I LOOK AT WHAT I WANT, 165,000 IT SAYS TO REVIEW.
OUR STAFF MAY NOT BE TECHNICAL, BUT THEY SURE COULD LOOK AT IT, ANALYZE, THEY COULD SEE WHAT WE HAVE REVISE.
SO REALLY THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT, THEY'RE NOT STARTING IT FOR US.
WELL, WE COULD GO OUT AND SEEK INFORMATION FROM OTHER CITIES AND STUFF BEFORE WE JUST GIVE $165,000 AND STUFF.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN YOU SAID YOU HAVE TURNED TO THEM FOR I I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS.
I'VE SEEN US HAVE THEM TO REDO A CODE, A CODE OF ORDINANCE.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT WHAT WAS CHANGED, VERY FEW THINGS WERE CHANGED.
LET, LET ME ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THE, UM, COUNCILMAN, WHEN I WAS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICE, I DID A DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS OF THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS.
THEY COULD, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT I DID IT IN HOUSE, REMEMBER? REMEMBER THAT PAM? AND THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR DOING THIS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS MUCH, WHICH CAME OUT MUCH CHEAPER.
SO WE, WE GAVE THEM THAT DOCUMENT THAT THEY COULD WORK AS A TEMPLATE FROM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION HAVEN'T BEEN RE-REVIEWED IN WHAT, 30 YEARS? LONGER OR LONGER THAN THAT.
AND THEN IN ORDER TO ASSIST US TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WELL, WELL IT HAD TO BE REVIEWED 'CAUSE YOU SAID YOU REVIEWED IT AND YOU WORKED ON IT, SO YEAH.
SO YOU NEED TO GIMME THAT TIME FROM WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, PAM, WHAT'LL BE THE TURNAROUND TIME ON GETTING THIS DONE? THE, UM, CONSULTANT, UM, HAS ESTIMATED A TIMEFRAME OF 12 MONTHS.
UM, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS WITH THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, UM, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, AS PART OF THE CONTRACT, EXTENDED IT TO INSURE.
SO WHAT YOU, SO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, IF IT WAS DONE IN HOUSE, IT WOULD, ALONG WITH YOUR REGULAR WORK.
OH, IT WOULD TAKE MUCH LONGER.
HUH? IT WOULD TAKE MUCH LONGER.
SO, SO NOW YOU'RE SHORTENING THIS SPAN OF TIME BY GETTING THE CONSULTANTS IN HERE.
THAT TURNAROUND TIME SO WE CAN GET THIS PLAN IMPLEMENTED.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, TURNAROUND TIME IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
I'M OH, YOU WANNA CALL FOR QUESTION? OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA CALL FOR QUESTION.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE THAT THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VIII.A.(13) P.R. No. 24615 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Member(s) To The Port Arthur Youth Advisory Council (YAC) (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
TO ITEM NUMBER, UM, 13 PR NUMBER 2 4 6 1 5 A RESOLUTION APPOINTED AND ARE REAPPOINTED A MEMBER OF MEMBERS OR MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.YAK REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON EVER FIELD.
I AM ADDING, CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? I'M SORRY GUYS.
I ALREADY FEEL LIKE IT'S A LONG DAY.
UM, FOR, I NEED TO REPLACE AN APPOINTMENT.
UH, CITY SECRETARY, I WILL EMAIL YOU THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT FOR THE RECORD, IT WOULD BE REPLACING MS. ESTELLA TORRES.
SHE HAS, UH, NOT PARTICIPATED, SO I'M REPLACING HER WITH KAYLYN GARDNER JR.
[02:15:01]
AND I'M ALSO ASKING FOR, UM, MR. LEWIS, FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT, CAN WE PLEASE GET UPDATED CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THEM SO WE CAN REACH OUT TO REACH OUT TO THEM AGAIN TO OKAY, WE, OKAY.WE NEED THEIR, THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, FOR COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR, UM, CUT BIRTH ASHER CUT BIRTH.
THAT THE WHAT INFORMATION? PHONE NUMBERS FOR ACTUALLY FOR ALL THREE PHONE NUMBERS.
BUT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU HAD PROVIDED IT BEFORE, BUT THEY DIDN'T, UM, THEY HADN'T RESPONDED.
SO IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
AND FOR, UM, KINLAW, I DID REACH OUT TO MICKEY ABOUT KENNEDY AND SHE DID SAY THAT SHE STILL WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.
I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE, THE ACTIVITY OF THE APPOINTMENTS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON.
YES, I'M TRYING TO GET THE CHIEF'S ATTENTION, BUT ANYWAY, I THINK MY APPOINTEE'S, UH, TERM HAVE EXPIRED TRAINER AND, UH, MRS. JONES.
AND I NEED TO GO AHEAD WITH TRAIN FOR THE POLICE.
WHERE, WHERE ON FOR THE POLICE? OH, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, WE'RE ON THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.
[VIII.A.(14) P.R. No. 24616 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Port Arthur Police Chief Advisory Committee (Requested By Mayor Moses)]
PR NUMBER 2 4 6 1 6 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING AND A REAPPOINTING A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE PORT ARTHUR POLICE CHIEF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.THIS, UM, CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? THIS WAS REQUESTED BY MAYOR MOSES.
I WANTED TO REAPPOINT MY TWO PEOPLE.
PERSONS FOR, UM, THEIR TERMS WILL EXPIRE NOVEMBER 28TH.
SO YOU HAVE, UH, MRS. SPARKS, MARY SPARKS, AND MR. ALFRED CUOMO JR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NAMES? COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS? YES, I WANT, I GOT TWO APPOINTMENTS.
I THINK THEY BOTH HAVE EXPIRED, UH, TRAINER AND MRS. JONES, BUT I GOT THE HOLD UP ON MS. JONES.
SHE HASN'T GIVEN ME A, GIVEN ME A, AN ANSWER YET BECAUSE SHE WAS KIND OF HEDGING.
SHE DONE DISAPPEARED WHEN I NEED HER.
BUT GO AHEAD WITH TRAINER FOR NOW.
UH, SHE, YOU HAVE MY NAMES RIGHT? UH, THERE'S THOSE GONNA BE REAPPOINTMENTS ADAMS IN.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE? YES, I'M, I'M MS. SAME REAPPOINTMENT.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR NUMBER
[VIII.A.(15) P.R. No. 24617 – A Resolution Casting Votes For The Board Of Directors Of The Orange County Appraisal District For The 2026- 2029 Term]
2 4 6 1 7 A RESOLUTION CASTING VOTES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE 20 26 20 29 TERM.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND, UM, ANY DISCUSSIONS IN THE DISCUSSIONS? I THINK, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVER HAD PRESENTED A NAME TO US A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IN SEPTEMBER.
AND IS THAT MARQUETA? LEGETTE? YES, MA'AM.
AND SO, UH, WE, AT THIS POINT, WE CAN ALL VOTE WITH THE NAME THAT SHE'S GIVEN US AS WE DID WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK, AND MOVE FROM THERE.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF GIVING ALL OF OUR VOTES TOWARD MARQUETA LADETTE FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
ANY NOS THE AYES HAVE AT THE RESOLUTION PASSES, WE'RE GONNA
[VIII.A.(16) P.R. No. 24620 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate And Execute A Contract, Or Contracts, With The Most Qualified Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Provider(s) Identified Through The City’s Request For Qualifications (RFQ) Process, To Ensure Continued Provision Of Emergency Medical And Ambulance Services Upon Expiration Of The Current Agreement On November 30, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)]
GO TO NUMBER 16, A RESOLUTION, UH, PR NUMBER 2 4 6 2 0 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT, UH, CONTRACTS WITH THE MOST QUALIFIED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE EMS PROVIDER OR PROVIDERS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CITY'S REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS RFQ PROCESS TO ENSURE CONTINUED PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AMBULANCE SERVICES UPON EXPIRATION OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM.
MAYOR, I, I'M GONNA ASK MY COHORTS, UH, CAN WE HOLD THIS UNTIL WE GO TO EXECUTIVE AND THEN BRING IT BACK UP AFTER, UH, A LITTLE BRIEF DISCUSSION.
IS THAT OKAY? ARE WE, ARE WE GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
DO I NEED A MOTION TO HOLD? NO, NO.
WE'RE GONNA HOLD THIS UNTIL AFTER
[02:20:01]
EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK WITH, UM, AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.JUST TO CLARIFY, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER KIMMEL, ARE YOU ASKING FOR THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE? YES, MA'AM.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, SO WHEN WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IF YOU CAN LIST THAT UNDER 5 5 1 0.0 7 1 5 5 1 0.071.
LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T FORGET THAT.
IT'S ALREADY, WE HAVE SOMETHING THERE ALREADY.
[VIII.A.(17) P.R. No. 24621 – A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Member Or Members To The Citizen's Pipeline Advisory Committee (Requested By Councilmember Hamilton Everfield)]
NUMBER 17, PR NUMBER 2 4 6 2 1 A RESOLUTION, APPOINTING AND OR REAPPOINTED A MEMBER OR MEMBERS TO THE CITIZENS PIPELINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON.
EVER FEEL, UM, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? THE NAMES OR THE NAMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED? YES, MA'AM.
MAYOR PRO TIM, IT'S GOING DOWNSTAIRS.
WE'LL BE GOING DOWNSTAIRS, OKAY? MM-HMM
BUT WE GONNA GO TO ORDINANCES.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7371 – 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 .481 Acre Of Land Consisting Of Lots 15-20, Block 23, Rosemont Addition, Jefferson County, Texas, From Planned Development District – 30 (PD-30) To Medium Density Residential District (MDR) To Allow Residential Development; (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. Z25- 04 – Kode Properties, LLC]
NON-CONSENT NUMBER ONE, PO NUMBER 7 3 7 1.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 0.4181 ACRE OF LAND CONSISTING OF LOT 15 DASH 20 BLOCK 23 ROSEMONT EDITION, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS FROM PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 30, PD 30 TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT MDR TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILT OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FIVE, NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE.
SECTION ONE THROUGH ONE 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES IN 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 Z TWO FIVE DASH OH FOUR DASH CODE PROPERTIES.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED, MAYOR, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY NOS I NEED? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE ORDINANCE PASSES AT THIS TIME,
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.UM, LISTEN, HAVE THE FOLLOWING THING ITEMS. SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1.
BRIAN JOHNSON VERSUS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR JOHN DO AND CALVIN MATTHEWS.
MATTHEWS IN THE INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, CIVIL ACTION NUMBER ONE, UH, DASH TWO FIVE DASH CV DASH 0 0 4 2 1 IN THE US DISTRICT COURT OF EASTERN DISTRICT OF OF TEXAS BEAUMONT DIVISION.
LITIGATION, BON BON, UH, BONITA BROWN VERSUS CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
CALLS NUMBER 8 2 1 1 1 4 9 AND 58.
DISTRICT COURT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
LEGAL ADVICE PROVISIONS AUTHORIZING DELIBERATIONS AND CLOSED MEETING REQUESTED BY MAYOR MOSES.
I'M GONNA GET A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IF YOU WOULD ALSO CALL UNDER SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE 0.071 PR NUMBER 2 4 6 2 0.
I ALSO, WE WILL, UM, GET LEGAL ADVICE ON PR NUMBER 2 4 6 2 0 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT OR CONTRACTS WITH THE MOST QUALIFIED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE EMS PROVIDERS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CITY'S REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS RFQ PROCESS TO ENSURE CONTINUED PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AMBULANCE SERVICES UPON EXPIRATION OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025.
I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CAN I GET A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSIONS? IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO BE HELD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? OKAY.
HOW ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED SESSION AT 11:55 AM THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO THE SECRETARY, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM PLEASE? RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
[02:25:02]
I'M SORRY.COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK ON HIS WAY? YEAH.
THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO, UH, WE'RE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION AND IT IS 1:39 PM I WILL, SORRY, SORRY.
OKAY, SO WE'LL JUST CLOSE OUT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FIRST AND THEN GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.
WE HAVE AN ITEM COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE AN ITEM COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE NEED TO, UM, CONSIDER.
[VIII.A.(16) P.R. No. 24620 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate And Execute A Contract, Or Contracts, With The Most Qualified Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Provider(s) Identified Through The City’s Request For Qualifications (RFQ) Process, To Ensure Continued Provision Of Emergency Medical And Ambulance Services Upon Expiration Of The Current Agreement On November 30, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)]
BACK TO PR NUMBER 2 4 6 2 0 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT OR CONTRACTS WITH THE MOST QUALIFIED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES EMS PROVIDERS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CITY'S REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS RFQ PROCESS TO ENSURE CONTINUED PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AMBULANCE SERVICES UPON EXPIRATION OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, EVER FEEL ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? WE'RE GOING, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON? MM-HMM
I DO, UM, MY QUESTION, WELL NOT QUESTION, BUT COMMENTS ABOUT THIS, UM, THIS PROPOSED RESOLUTION IS TO OUR DEPUTY CHIEF, HE WAS LOOKING UP SOME INFORMATION FOR ME REGARDING THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
SO MY, MY CONS, MY QUESTION AND A CONCERN IS FOR, UM, ANY OF THE PROVIDERS, IT DOESN'T, UM, I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT AS TO WHICH ONE, BUT IN ONE OF, IN SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED IS THAT, UM, THAT THE, IN OUR ORDINANCE IS THAT THE PROVIDER WE CHOOSE IS REQUIRED TO BE, UM, TO HAVE THE DISPATCH CENTER IN THE CITY OF, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, THE COG.
SO I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT IF ALL OF THE PROVIDERS THAT WERE THAT SUBMITTED, UM, PROPOSALS ARE ALL OF THEM IN THE COG.
SO IF YOU'RE SAYING LOCATED IN THE COG YES, MA'AM.
UH, FOR HAVING A DISTRICT, LEMME BE CLEAR.
DISPATCH DISPATCH CENTER WITHIN THE CALL.
WHICH IS A PART OF OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, THAT IS PART OF OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE, UM, TWO OF THE PROVIDERS DO HAVE DISPATCH CENTERS IN ALL CALL.
AND, UM, FAR AS I'M AWARE OF ONLY ONE DOES NOT.
AND THE ONE THAT DOES NOT, WHY DO THEY NOT? AND WILL THEY, UH, THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THEM.
UM, I DON'T MIND REACHING OUT TO THEM ASKING 'EM THAT QUESTION, BUT THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THEM ON WHY THEY DON'T HAVE ONE.
UM, AND IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT OR COME UP TO THAT STANDARD, UH, THAT WOULD ALSO BE A QUESTION FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, AS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE TO UM, TO MY COHORTS THAT IN, FOR WHATEVER COMPANY THAT WE CHOOSE AS A PROVIDER, WE NEED TO HOLD OUR PROVIDERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR FOLLOWING OUR ORDINANCES.
OR IF WE WANT SOME THINGS TO CHANGE AND SOME THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE, BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE CHANGING OUR ORDINANCES TO MEET THE NEED OF A CERTAIN PROVIDER, OUR PROVIDERS SHOULD BE MEETING THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE SET IN PLACE FOR, FOR OUR ORDINANCES.
SO AGAIN, CITY MANAGER, HOW WILL WE HOLD, WHAT WILL WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, MAJORITY RULES.
SO WHICHEVER MY COHORTS CHOOSE, UM, FOR OR WE CHOOSE FOR A PROVIDER, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE GONNA CHOOSE A PROVIDER WHO ALREADY IS NOT MEETING THE STANDARDS OF THE ORDINANCES, THE LAWS THAT WE SET IN PLACE? UM, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, YOU, SHE'S ASKING THAT QUESTION.
CITY MANAGER, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF LIGHTS.
UM, BUT SHE'S, I SPEAK TO SPEAKER
[02:30:01]
BEFORE I ASK.NOT WE HAD GOT THAT ANY REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THAT'S THE FIRE CHIEF OR THE DEPUTY, WHOEVER GIVEN THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, CHECK COMPLIANCE OF OUR ORDINANCE WITH ANY EMS THAT HAVE CONTRACTED FOR US.
THAT'S HOW WE GET TO ENSURE THAT IT'S BEING DONE.
SO IF SOMEONE FIND OUT IT IS NOT DONE, THEN IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE AND THAT PERSON THERE WILL ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE COME IN LINE.
THAT'S WHAT ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
SO THAT'S HOW WE ASSURE EVERYTHING BY HAVING THEM TO COME TO US AND TELL US WHEN SOMEBODY'S NOT IN COMPLIANCE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY THING IS JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT MAY BE A SITUATION, BUT I LOOK AT RESPONSE TIME AND LOOK AT EXACTLY WHAT, UH, WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED TO US IN THE PREVIOUS, UH, UH, COMPANY.
SO, UH, I'LL WAIT TO MAKE MY MOTION OR READ MY MOTION AFTER ALL THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS OF GI SEE WE GOT LIGHTS OVER THERE, MAYOR.
SO, UH, I, I JUST READ THE MOTION AFTER, UH, YEAH, WE, WE, WE, YEAH, WE GOT THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.
ARE YOU, YOU THE GOING TO BE THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER OR ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE? UM, I WOULD BE MONITORING, BUT, UM, HOW THE CITY ORDINANCE SET UP IS JUST THE FIRE CHIEF.
THE FIRE CHIEF IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, UH, ACTION.
BUT I WILL BE AGAINST, UH, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
SO WHEN SOMEONE IS OUT, WHEN, WHEN THE COMPANY IS OUTTA COMPLIANCE, YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WAIT UNTIL THEY COME IN AND COME COMPLY.
YOU'RE GONNA NOTIFY US RIGHT AWAY THAT YOU ARE NOTIFY THEM THAT THEY OUTTA COMPLIANCE.
WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT AND SEE IF THEY'RE GONNA COMPLY.
I I'LL BRING THAT TO COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.
SO, UM, MY ADVICE IS THAT WE FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE.
IF THE ORDINANCE CLEARLY STATES THAT THE, UH, THE FIRE CHIEF IS THE ONE THAT PROVIDES THE DIRECTION, HE'S THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER.
AND IF WE TEND TO DEFER FROM THAT OR MOVE AWAY FROM THAT, THEN WE NEED TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE MM-HMM
SO THAT WE DON'T GET INTO TROUBLE.
YOU KNOW, LET'S, YEAH, LET'S JUST STICK WITH THE ORDINANCE.
THAT'S THE SAFEST THING TO DO.
UM, WE ARE READY TO GO TO A VOTE.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE, UH, COUNCIL IS TO MOVE TO GO WITH ONE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
UM, CITY AMBULANCE AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA, UH, GET A MOTION.
LET THE RECORD STATE WE HAVE ONE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES FOR CITY AMBULANCE.
YOU DIDN'T VOTE, YOU DIDN'T VOTE ON THE VENDOR.
YOU VOTED ON WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS GONNA BE ONE PROVIDER.
IT'S, WELL THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.
I READ THE ORDINANCE THAT STATED ONE PROVIDER.
BUT IN THE MOTION LANGUAGE, DID YOU SAY CITY AMBULANCE? YES, I DID.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.
WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT AM I MISSING? IT'S SAYING ONE PROVIDER.
THAT PROVIDER TO BE CITY OR I MEAN CITY AMBULANCE.
THAT WAS AND WE, THEY ALL VOTED.
AM I CORRECT THE RECORD SPEAK? I LET THE RECORD SPEAK.
YOU DID SAY CITY AMBULANCE AND I SAID CITY AMBULANCE ONE.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE BECAUSE THE, UM, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, ASKED US TO BRING UP SOMETHING FOR RECONSIDERATION AND THAT IS THE MOTION TO HAVE A FORENSIC AUDIT.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE AT, UH, 1 48 TO CLOSE THIS MEETING.
DID I DO THAT RIGHT? I NEED A MOTION, Y'ALL.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 1 47.
ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 1:48 PM HAVE A GREAT DAY.