[00:00:02]
HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. RECORDING IN PROGRESS. THANK YOU. CITY
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL ]
SECRETARY. GOOD MORNING. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24TH, 2026 AT 10:30 A.M. YOU MAY JOIN US BY TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE.YOU MAY JOIN US BY CALLING (877) 853-5247. AND ONCE YOU CALL THAT NUMBER, YOU MAY ENTER OUR MEETING ID, WHICH IS 817493084856, AND OUR PASSCODE OF 372558. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHERE WE WILL CANVASS OUR VOTES AND HAVE OUR SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOU MAY ALSO JOIN THIS MEETING IF YOU. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND YOU MAY JOIN OUR MEETING 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE BY CALLING (409) 983-8115. TO OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR CELL PHONES, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE OFF JUST LIKE THAT. RIGHT ON POINT. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY PASTOR DONALD RAY. FRANK, WE'LL HAVE OUR PLEDGE AND OUR ROLL CALL, AND THEN I'LL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA AS PRINTED. DO A BOW FOR PRAYER. LET US BOW ALL WISE AND ETERNAL GOD OUR FATHER, HOW WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. FATHER, WE GIVE YOU GLORY, PRAISE, AND HONOR FOR THE LIVES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. AND SO AS WE ASSEMBLE THIS MORNING, WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, LORD, AS WE AS WE PREPARE NOW, GOD, FOR THE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AND FOR THE THINKING OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL, GOD, THAT YOUR WORD TEACHES AND TELLS US THAT YOU APPOINT LEADERS EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE PLACED IN THE WOMBS OF THEIR MOTHER, THAT GOD YOU HAVE ASSIGNED THEM FOR THIS PURPOSE AND FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WILL NOW FACE. SO GOD, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM, FOR YOUR COUNSEL, FOR YOUR MERCY, AND FOR YOUR GRACE. IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS, THE RISEN AND RESURRECTED CHRIST, WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THIS TIME, OUR PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM, PLEASE? MAYOR MOSES HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. BECKHAM HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DOUCETTE HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. FRANK HERE. YOU HAVE A QUORUM. MAYOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS. PLEASE EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, WOULD Y'ALL. HE'S HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH
[II. ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION ]
REQUIRE ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION AT THIS TIME. PO NUMBER 7433. AN ORDINANCE CANVASING THE RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE RUNOFF ELECTION HELD ON JUNE 13TH, 2026, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR DISTRICT ONE. DISTRICT TWO.DISTRICT THREE. OH, I DID NOT SAY THAT. RIGHT. DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT THREE AND FOUR IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 271 OF THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED. SECOND, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I, I THE AYES HAVE IT. THE ORDINANCE PASSES. CITY
[III. SWEARING IN OF COUNCILMEMBERS ]
SECRETARY WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM THREE SWEARING IN OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.[00:05:15]
I SAY YOUR NAME. I, TAYLOR GATEWOOD, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I HAVE NOT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, PAID, OFFERED, OFFERED. PROMISE TO PAY, PROMISE TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED, CONTRIBUTED, OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE. OUR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY, ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISE TO ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR PROMISE ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING, OR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, AT THE ELECTION, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE OR AS A OR AS AN AWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT, MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE. SO HELP ME GOD, SO HELP ME GOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND I WILL HAVE YOUR OATH OF OFFICE. OKAY? IN THE NAME, IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, I. I SAY YOUR NAME, TAYLOR GATEWOOD, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM. AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY.THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER. DISTRICT ONE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DISTRICT ONE, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION. DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES. SO HELP ME GOD, SO HELP ME GOD. IF I COULD JUST HAVE YOUR SIGNATURE. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. MR. PENA, PLEASE.
I STATE YOUR NAME. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM.
AFFIRM THAT I HAVE NOT, THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAY PAID, OFFERED, OFFERED. PROMISE TO PAY, PROMISE TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED, CONTRIBUTED, OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE OR PROMISE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY, ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE OR THING OF VALUE OR PROMISE OR PROMISED. ANY PUBLIC OFFICE, ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING, FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE. OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION, AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, OR AS A REWARD OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT, TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER MAY BE, WHICHEVER MAY BE. SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD. IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, I, WARREN PENA, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY. THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES. EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER. DISTRICT THREE OF COUNCILMAN. DISTRICT THREE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WE'LL DO THE BEST AND WILL DO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, MY ABILITY. PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD, SO HELP ME GOD. OKAY, IF I CAN JUST GET YOUR SIGNATURE. HERE. OKAY. THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANK
[00:10:07]
YOU. MISS JACOBS.I SAY YOUR NAME. I, KAYLA JACOBS, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I HAVE NOT, THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, PAID, OFFERED, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY, ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE OR THING OF VALUE, OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING, FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE, OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION, AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, OR AS A REWARD OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT, TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT OR CONFIRMATION OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE. SO HELP ME GOD, SO HELP ME GOD. IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, I, KAYLA JACOBS, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY. THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES, EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT FOUR OF THE. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I'M SORRY. OF THE OFFICE OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT FOUR OF COUNCIL MEMBER. DISTRICT FOUR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL AND WILL TO THE BEST, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, OF MY ABILITY. PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD, SO HELP ME GOD. JESUS.
SO AT THIS TIME, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS ALLOW THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE A WORD IF THEY'LL PUT THEIR LIGHTS ON. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM TO HAVE A WORD THAT I WANT TO INVITE ALL THREE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS UP AT THE SAME TIME. SO IF Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY YES, OKAY, COUNCIL. LEWIS. WELL, YES, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT ONE FOR FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF ME OVER THE YEARS AND KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A LOT OF LEGACIES, THE LEGACY OF WHAT'S TO BE, WHAT'S TO BE DONE THAT'S IN PLACE. ALL, ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO DO IS TO TWEAK IT TO, TO MAKE IT MAKE IT BETTER, AND ALSO TO APPROVE IT AND, AND MAINTAIN IT BECAUSE THE LEGACY IS IN PLACE, THE STREETS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT THERE'S A FEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. ONE OF THE THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY, A HIGH PRIORITY. WE NEED TO APPROVE THE FORENSIC AUDIT. WHEN I GOT HERE AS A HIGH PRIORITY, THE FORENSIC AUDIT HIRING. WE NEED THAT. I HAVE A LAW FIRM THAT'S IN PLACE THAT HAS THE DOCUMENTATION TO TURN OVER TO THE FORENSIC AUDITOR AT NO COST. MONEY THAT THE THE NAVIGATIONAL DISTRICT AND OTHER ENTITIES. OLDEST CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY'VE BEEN UNAUTHORIZED. THEY'VE BEEN USING OUR LAND, LEASING OUR LAND OUT AND KEEPING THE MONEY.
[00:15:07]
THAT NAVIGATIONAL DISTRICT AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS. THE CONTRACT EXPIRED. THE 50 YEAR CONTRACT AGREEMENT EXPIRED IN 2017. WE OWN THE LAND. IT'S PATENT TO US. BUT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, WE NEED, THEY'VE BEEN DUMPING AND LEASING OUR LAND OUT FOR NINE YEARS WITHOUT WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION. SECOND PRIORITY. REINSTATEMENT OF LICENSED GENTLEMEN'S FOR RESIDENTIAL WOMEN AND THE. AND ALSO THE GENTLEMEN'S. WHAT WE CAN DO.THE CITY, THE STATE, THE CITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS GIVEN ALL CITIES THE RIGHT TO ALLOW THEIR ELECTRICIANS GENTLEMEN'S. AND ALSO RESIDENTIAL TO PULL PERMITS. THAT SAVES A LOT OF MONEY FOR FOR FOR HOUSES THAT HAS TO BE REWIRED. THINGS THAT ARE PENDING THAT NEED TO BE DONE. WEST SEVENTH STREET NEED TO BE RECONSTRUCTED WITH A, WITH A CONSTRUCTIVE. WITH AN INDUSTRIAL BASE. WEST 1819. GRAVITY FLOW IS FOR THAT DRAINAGE IS IN PLACE. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE CORRECTLY. GET GET SOME IDEA OF HOW THAT 19TH STREET DRAINAGE IS GOING TO LOOK. IT'S BASICALLY IT'S GOING TO BE GRAVITY FLOW. ANY POWER FAILURES DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING. AND IT'S BASICALLY IT'S AN UNDERGROUND WATER SLIDE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE INITIATED THAT HAVE BENEFITED THIS COMMUNITY TREMENDOUSLY SAVE JOBS, CAUSED INDUSTRY TO EXPAND. I INITIATED TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. MY IDEA BEHIND THAT RETAIL WAS LEAVING THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND I PUT IN, GOT THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE IT, GOT PUT IT IN PLACE FOR FOR CORPORATE AMERICA TO FINANCE, LOCATE, START LOCATING DOWNTOWN. THEY FINALLY STARTED AFTER 25 YEARS. THEY FINALLY. CORPORATE AMERICA IS LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND WHAT'S NICE ABOUT IT. AND I GOT THEM TO AGREE. WE GOT THEM TO AGREE TO PUT THEIR PROCUREMENT OFFICE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA INSIDE THE CITY.
WHAT THAT MEANS ALL SALES TAX. WELL, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY BUY STUFF, ALL THE SALES TAX, WE WILL GET ADDITIONAL SALES TAX. I INITIATED RETURNING PLEASURE ISLAND TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. THE REASON I NEVER COULD GET THE BEACH DEVELOPED.
THAT GREEN SPACE EAST OF THE MARINA IS ONE AND A HALF MILES. IT'S IN DISTRICT TWO NOW. I NEED TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT. IT'S ONE AND A HALF MILES LONG AND IT'S 300FT WIDE. THAT WILL MAKE A PERFECT BEACH. OKAY, IT'S BEHIND THE CONCRETE STEPS AND IT WILL NEVER WASH AWAY.
AND I HAD PLANNED TO PUT WHITE SAND. TEXAS HAS WHITE SAND ALL OVER. WE CAN BRING THE WHITE SAND HERE. WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAPPENED? WAS THAT WHAT CAUSED IT SHOULD. THIS SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE 25, 30 YEARS AGO. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY TOOK THE ISLAND FROM US. THE ISLAND STAYED GONE 15 YEARS, AND I INITIATED BRINGING THE ISLAND BACK AND PUT IT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT NOW. AND ONE OF THE THINGS, CARL, I NEED TO GET WITH YOU ON AND GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT THE THE REASON I GOT A WETLAND PROBLEM. NOW, THE REASON THAT THEY TOOK THE LAND AND THE FIRST THING THEY DID, THEY TOLD JIMMY DIKES TO STOP CUTTING THE GRASS. SO IT'LL GO INTO WETLAND. SO GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER, GET A HYDRO AX AND CLEAN ALL THAT OUT. CLEAN IT ALL OUT. OKAY. THAT WAY WE CAN DEVELOP IT. IT CAN BE DEVELOPED. OKAY. SABINE, PASS. THAT'S. I NEED TO TELL. I NEED TO GET WITH YOU ON THAT.
THERE'S A NATURALLY FORMED BEACH, LOTS OF FISHING, KAYAKING. YOU JUST CANNOT GET ON FIRST STREET. IT'S CALLED CHICKEN CROSSING FOR 8/10 OF A MILE OF THE CITY OWNS THAT ROAD.
THE CITY MANAGER IS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A APPLY FOR A GRANT, AND COUNCILMAN COMMISSIONER SYNDERGAARD HAS AGREED. WHEN WE GET THE MONEY, WHEN YOU GET THE MONEY.
COUNCILMAN SYNDERGAARD HAS AGREED TO BUILD THE ROAD TO STANDARDS. ONCE THEY BUILD THAT ROAD TO STANDARDS, IT'LL GET DESTROYED. IN THE FUTURE. FEMA CAN REPLACE IT. OKAY. YOU KNOW.
THE NAVIGATIONAL DISTRICT HAS BEEN MAKING OVER $32 BILLION SINCE 2000 ANNUAL 20 TO $30 BILLION ANNUALLY. AND THEY ARE DUMPING SPOILS EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE DUMPING SPOILS IN SABINE PASS. THE NAVIGATIONAL DISTRICT HAS ENOUGH MONEY, HAS MADE ENOUGH PROFIT, AND HAS
[00:20:06]
CREATED TWO GOT TWO MOSQUITOES, THE MARSH MOSQUITOES AND THE FRESHWATER MOSQUITOES, CREATING ALL KINDS OF DISEASES. THEY CAN PUT IN A ROAD FOR. THE PEOPLE OF SABINE PASS CAN HAVE ANOTHER EXIT OR SAY FOR SAFETY. IF YOU DON'T GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THAT ROAD, IT'S GOING TO COST LIVES. ANOTHER THING THAT I INITIATED, WE USED TO SPEND HOURS FIGHTING OVER THE MAYOR.THE THE MAYOR PRO TEM POSITION. THEY KEPT PASSING. WE WERE THREE NEW THREE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS. THEY KEPT PASSING UP. THEY FINALLY PASSED UP WALTER MOSLEY AND VANESSA BATISTE. AND I TOLD HIM IF HE EVER PASSED ME UP, YOU'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN. AND THEY DID. THEY PASSED ME UP, BUT THEY NEVER DID IT AGAIN. I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE I GOT A PETITION, WENT TO THE PEOPLE. THEY SIGNED THE PETITION, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. THE CITIZENS WROTE, SAID, WE WANT THE MAYOR PRO TEM POSITION ROTATED. WE USED TO SPEND HOURS ARGUING ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO SERVE AS MAYOR PRO TEM. WE ROTATED IT AND WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THAT ISSUE SINCE. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY. THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE POSITION. I APPOINTED WALTER MOSLEY THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE POSITION, AND HE SUBMITTED A PLAN FOR PUT IN A BLACK JUSTICE OF THE PEACE. AND WHAT HAPPENS TEN YEARS LATER? THEY ADOPTED IT SOME. THE ORIGINAL COMMITTEE WANTED TO BUILD A NEW COURTHOUSE. NO WALTER MOSLEY PLAN. THEY FINALLY ACCEPTED IT.
THEY SPLIT THE COURTHOUSE, PUT PRECINCT EIGHT ON THIS END, AND PRECINCT TWO ON THE OTHER END.
SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. WELL, I THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE. I SPENT 17 YEARS AWAY FROM THE COUNCIL, BUT I NEVER STOPPED WORKING. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND HELP.
OKAY. AND WHEREVER Y'ALL NEED ME SOME SOME INFORMATION OR DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, JUST CALL ME. I'LL BE AVAILABLE. AND WHEN MY MY CONSTITUENT WAS NEVER QUIT CALLING ME. I'M NOT GOING TO SIT. I'LL JUST HELP THEM. THEN I'LL CALL WHOEVER THE COUNCIL PERSON IS IN PLACE AND TELL THEM WHAT HAS BEEN WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. BUT I THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE FOR YEARS OF SERVICE. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD, BUT THERE'S A LOT STILL NEED TO BE DONE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER BECKHAM. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WROTE MY COMMENTS DOWN SO I WOULDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING OR ANYBODY OUT, BUT I'LL TRY TO BE A LITTLE BIT BRIEFER THAN COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS. I MADE A LIST OF GOALS WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, AND THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. AND ONE OF THE MANY THINGS I WROTE DOWN WAS TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY IN AN ELECTED POSITION. IT ONLY TOOK ME 40 YEARS TO CROSS THAT OFF THE LIST, BUT I DID IT WITH GOD'S HELP. SO FIRST, I SAY THANKS TO GOD, MY FAMILY, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE ALL SUPPORTED ME. WHEN I TOOK THIS SEAT, I CONSIDERED IT TO BE MY JOB TO SERVE MY CONSTITUENTS. I HAD JUST RETIRED FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I KNEW I WOULD HAVE THE TIME, BUT IT WAS MORE OF A FULL TIME JOB THAN I HAD EXPECTED. BUT I SERVED WITH INTEGRITY AND HONESTY AND FULFILLED MY PROMISE TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TO KEEP MY CONSTITUENTS FULLY INFORMED. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WERE SO RECEPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE MANY PHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS THAT I SENT ON ALMOST A DAILY BASIS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, YOU CAN EXPECT TO STILL HEAR FROM ME BECAUSE I HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES ALL SAVED, AND YOU'LL LIKELY SEE ME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PODIUM AS A CITIZEN AND AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, STILL ADVOCATING FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHEN WARRANTED. TO OUR CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS HAVING A LISTENING EAR AND AN OPEN DOOR FOR ME. EVEN UP THROUGH THIS MORNING, YOU HAVE BEEN 100% RESPONSIVE TO EVERY REQUEST I'VE MADE, AND FOR THAT I THANK YOU. I ALSO THANK YOU FOR BEING A TRUSTED NEIGHBOR, COLLEAGUE, AND FRIEND THESE LAST THREE YEARS. TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME TO BE YOUR SOUNDING BOARD AND FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP. YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN READY TO WORK ON ANY REQUESTS THAT I'VE SENT TO YOU, RESEARCHING SOME TOPIC, OR LOOKING INTO LEGAL ISSUES AND ORDINANCES THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DEALT WITH THAT WE COULD BENEFIT FROM AS WELL HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WITHOUT RECREATING THE WHEEL. WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT TOGETHER, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE AND THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE STARTED THAT ARE STILL COMING TO FRUITION. YOUR STAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROFESSIONAL AND HELPFUL. THANK YOU FOR BEING A TRUSTED COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND. I VALUE YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND TRUST THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO. CALVIN MATTHEWS I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE
[00:25:01]
SURE THAT HE GETS THIS MESSAGE TO CALVIN AND EVERYONE AT THE WATER DEPARTMENT. WE STARTED OFF MY TERM IN 2023 WITH A BANG. AS SOON AS I TOOK OFFICE, WITH MASSIVE SEWER PROBLEMS IN STONEGATE, YOUR DEPARTMENT WAS SWIFT TO ACT AND VERY COMPASSIONATE AND PROFESSIONAL WITH ALL OF THE HOMEOWNERS WE HAD TO DEAL WITH. WHEN FENCES AND DRIVEWAYS AND YARDS WERE TORN UP. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE AT MY BECK AND CALL. I'VE PROBABLY COMMUNICATED WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS THAN ANY OTHER, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO RESPONSIVE TO ME AND TO THE CITIZENS, TO PUBLIC WORKS, STREETS AND SOLID WASTE. YOU GUYS WERE ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL IN EVERYTHING FROM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN IS OUR HEAVY TRASH BEING PICKED UP AND WHEN IS GARBAGE GOING TO BE PICKED UP TO? CALLS FOR PEOPLE MISSING, BROKEN WITH MISSING AND BROKEN TRASH CANS, POTHOLES THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, AND STORM DRAINS THAT WERE CLOGGED. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I MADE A CALL FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, AND BY THAT AFTERNOON THE ISSUE HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND PROFESSIONALISM. I'M NOT SURE IF DARLENE IS HERE TO DARLENE, THOMAS, PIERRE AND YOUR CREW AT BOTH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND ANIMAL CONTROL.I KNOW I WORE YOU GUYS OUT, BUT YOU WERE ALWAYS VERY RESPONSIVE AND HELPFUL IN TRYING TO GET SOME OF THE WORST PROBLEMS DEALT WITH AS QUICKLY AS THE LAW WOULD ALLOW US TO. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING RESPONSIVE TO MY REQUESTS AND THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY. TO SEOLHYUN, DOCTOR TOMMY AND THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. YOU GUYS WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THE STONE GATE DRAINAGE PROJECT, AND YOU CONTINUE AND THE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BAY GOLF COURSE. WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO COMPLETE AND SOME ISSUES TO CORRECT, BUT THE WORK ETHIC OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND OVERSEEING THE CONTRACTORS WAS AWESOME. YOUR RESPONSES TO ME, WHEN WE NEEDED TRAFFIC BARRICADES SET UP THAT HAD BEEN KNOCKED OVER, DIRECTIONAL ARROWS, ARROWS AND LIGHT PLANTS AT NIGHT. THE CUT THROUGH AT GREENWAY POINT DRIVE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE RESIDENTS ON THAT SIDE OF THE GOLF COURSE. EVERY REQUEST THAT I MADE, YOUR DEPARTMENT WAS SWIFT TO HANDLE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. AND I KNOW THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT THREE DO AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, CHIEF DUROUSSEAU. I'VE PROBABLY BURNED YOUR PHONE UP MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE. YOU'VE BEEN A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE OF MINE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM. THESE THREE YEARS THAT I'VE SERVED ON COUNCIL. YOU CAN STILL EXPECT TO SEE MY NAME COME UP IN YOUR PHONE. EVERYONE AT THE LIBRARY, THE CIVIC CENTER, WATER BUILDING DEPARTMENT, WATER EMERGENCY DISPATCH, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, PARKS AND REC, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CITY SECRETARY, AND ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS I'VE LEFT OUT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY AND FOR ME WHILE I WAS ON COUNCIL. YOUR WORK DEFINITELY DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. I PRAY THAT THIS COUNCIL, GOING INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE MANY THINGS PENDING ON THE HORIZON THAT AFFECT ALL OF US, AND AS COUNCIL, WE SERVE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AND NEED TO LISTEN TO THEIR OPINIONS AND CONSIDER THEM WHEN CASTING VOTES.
SERVING OURSELVES OR SPECIAL INTERESTS IS NOT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TASKED WITH. WE SERVE THE CITIZENS. WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LIVE AND SERVE IN SUCH A WAY HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE YOU. I WILL FOLLOW GOD'S LEAD INTO THE FUTURE AS HIS WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN MINE, AND I TRUST HIM ABOVE ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER DOUCETTE. YES. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. AND. I THOUGHT I KNEW A LOT ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. THE ORDINANCES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES, AND HOW TO RUN THE CITY. BUT THIS LAST TERM HERE, WHEN I GOT ELECTED, YOU KNOW, THE WORD GOT TO ME THAT HE'S THE ONLY ONE VOTE AND ONE VOICE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I SAID, OKAY, I'M GOING TO WORK HARDER AND I'M GOING TO LEARN MORE. SO I READ MORE. AND WHEN I THE MORE I READ, THE MORE I LEARNED. SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS GOVERNMENT RUN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO AND OPERATE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WE NEED NEW IDEAS. WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE. WE NEED PEOPLE WITH VISION. WE NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE, KNOW WHAT WE NEED IS WE NEED PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE GOVERNMENT RUN THE RIGHT WAY TO RUN IT.
AND UNDERSTAND AND TAKE THAT POSITION THAT YOU WILL NOT WAVER FROM IT. WE ARE SERVANTS.
WE ARE THE LORD'S PEOPLE WITHIN THIS CITY BECAUSE EVERYBODY COME TO US. WE HAVE TO SERVE.
WE'RE NOT SPECIAL. WE'RE NOT VIPS. WE ARE SERVANTS. AND YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IN
[00:30:05]
UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT MEAN THAT WE NEED TO WORK REAL HARD. I DIDN'T RUN FOR REELECTION BECAUSE I GOT TIRED OF MY LIFE BEING CENTERED AROUND THIS SEAT. AND NINE AND A HALF YEARS, I MISSED ABOUT FIVE MEETINGS IN WHICH I WAS ON ZOOM, WHICH I WAS PRESENT, AND ONLY ONE PHYSICALLY NOT SITTING IN HIS SEAT. I HAD SURGERIES AND STILLS HERE. THAT WAS ALL BECAUSE I CENTERED AROUND MY LIFE, AROUND THIS SEAT AND DURING. SO THAT WAS MY FAMILY AND EVERYBODY I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SPEND WITH. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS CITY IS ABOUT. IT'S YOUR SEAT. THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FOUR ALLOW ME TO SIT IN IT. AND FOR THAT, I WAS APPRECIATIVE. AND THAT'S WHY I PUT MY LIFE ON HOLD TO SERVE THEM. BECAUSE WHEN I ASKED THEM TO VOTE FOR ME, I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO DO IT. SO TO TAKE THIS SEAT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SACRIFICE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S ABOUT. I ALWAYS SAY, NO, NO TWO PEOPLE AGREE ON EVERYTHING. IF YOU DO, ONE OF YOU ARE GIVING IN TO THE OTHER. BUT THE KEY TO EVERYBODY IS TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL, NOT YOURSELF. IT'S SELFLESS SERVICE. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO HELP ALL. AND IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT, THIS IS NOT THE SEAT TO BE IN. AND IF YOU WANT THIS CITY TO MOVE, WE NEED TO MOVE IT WITH THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT. MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT RIGHT. AND IF WE'RE SITTING IN YOU ALL SEATS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY, RIGHT. AND IF WE DO THAT, WE'LL BE FINE. AND TO THE NEW ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HAVE ONE THING TO SAY. THAT OATH YOU TOOK. THINK ABOUT IT. THINK ABOUT. YOU SWORE TO. IF YOU KEEP THAT OATH IN MIND, THEN NOBODY CAN ALLOW YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS WRONG. YOU WILL ALWAYS UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I WELCOME KAYLA TO TAKE THIS SEAT. I'M QUITE SURE THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FOUR WILL SUPPORT YOU IF THEY HAVE THROUGH THE YEARS WITH ME. THEY MUST REALLY LOVE ME IN DISTRICT FOUR BECAUSE I GET OFF. I GET MAD BECAUSE THINGS NOT GOING THE WAY I WANT AND I RUN AGAIN. AND HE PUT ME IN HERE. I GET, I GET ENOUGH, I GET OFF, I RUN AGAIN, THEY PUT ME IN HERE. EVIDENTLY I WAS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. KAYLA. THAT'S THE WAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE WITH YOU. IF YOU DO THAT, THEY'LL LET YOU SERVE THEM AS LONG AS YOU'RE HERE. BUT DON'T GO ALONG TO GET ALONG. SERVE THE PEOPLE WITH THAT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER DOUCET. COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I WOULD LIKE THE MIC AGAIN. I'M VERY HESITANT. BUT I WILL, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE I HAVE THE GAVEL. COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, GO TO THE PODIUM AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR LAST WORD. OKAY. WILL IT BE LEWIS? DON'T MAKE ME PUT THE TIMER ON YOU. 2301 LAKESHORE DRIVE. I'M GOING TO MISS YOU ALL, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO MISS THE MEETINGS, OKAY? OKAY. NO. AND MY FAMILY. THANKS FOR ME.THEY ARE HAPPY I'M BACK HOME. YEAH. THEY HATED THIS. THEY. THEY SAID, DADDY, YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH. YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH. THEY DON'T CARE. SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST MAKE US RICHER? OKAY? OKAY. YOUR TWO POINTS, TWO MINUTES. OKAY. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF. THAT'S.
THAT'S MY ORIGINAL REASONING. THANK THE STAFF, DOCTOR HANEY AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT, ALL THOSE GUYS AND PLANNING AND ZONING, EVERYBODY. THAT MADE MY JOB EASIER. I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU ALL. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY. THANK YOU. WOW. OKAY. BEFORE WE
[00:35:09]
CLOSE OUT OUR MEETING AND GO INTO THE RECEPTION, WE WANT TO SAY WELCOME TO OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE. IF YOU GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND. AND TO THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SERVED, IF YOU WOULD JUST KIND OF GIVE THEM AN APPLAUSE AND THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY. THERE ARE TWO THINGS I'M REMINDED TO DO PRIOR TO US CLOSING OUT, AND THAT IS OUR TIANA WITH OUR MARKETING DEPARTMENT. WAVE YOUR HAND FOR ME. SHE WOULD LIKE TO GET A PICTURE OF THE OUTGOING AND NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TOGETHER, SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET IT POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. AND ALSO, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO A GIFT OF LIFE TO ANNOUNCE TO EVERYONE HERE THERE'S A FREE MEN'S HEALTH CARE SCREENING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE THIS AND PASS IT TO YOUR FAMILIES. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST HEALTH SCREENINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY THE 28TH, I'M SORRY, SATURDAY THE 27TH, AND IT'S GOING TO BE HELD AT PORT ARTHUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STOP BY COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE STOP BY.WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE AS WELL. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, CITY SECRETARY. OH, I WAS NOT GOING TO I WAS I'M GOING TO DO THAT. I THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER.
NEW INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AND WE'LL START WITH DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, TAYLOR GATEWOOD. HEY, PRAISE GOD. I DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE REVERENCE TO GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST, BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. AND WITHOUT HIM, NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE. THIS WAS DEFINITELY A GOD THING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. BEFORE I EVEN PUT MY NAME IN THE HAT, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I PRAYED ON BECAUSE IT WASN'T AN EASY DECISION. AND OF COURSE, IT WASN'T AN EASY BATTLE COMING IN AT 23 YEARS OLD. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BEING YOUNG AND TENACIOUS IS ONE THING, BUT HAVING A HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY IS ANOTHER. AND YOU JUST NEVER KNOW HOW ELECTIONS TURNS OUT.
BUT I HAVE TO GIVE REVERENCE TO GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND THEN, OF COURSE, TO MY FAMILY, BOTH BLOOD AND EXTENDED FAMILY. I HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE DRIVEN NEAR AND FAR. SO WAVE YOUR HANDS. I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CALL YOU OUT BY NUMBER, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU. MY CAMPAIGN TEAM, THE WE ARE ONE CAMPAIGN TEAM. WE DEFINITELY DID OUR JOB WITH STAYING TRUE TO THE MISSION, WHICH WAS MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST, WHICH WAS ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE RAN A RACE OF INTEGRITY THAT WAS CLEAN, THAT WAS FAIR, BUT A RACE THAT WE COULD BE PROUD OF. AND WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS AND THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR. SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIRELESS NIGHTS AND DAYS THAT WE PUT IN COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER AND ALSO INDIVIDUALLY. BUT I ALSO HAVE TO GIVE REVERENCE TO THE LEGEND WHO SERVED IN THIS SEAT BEFORE ME, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE WHO I AM WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING WHERE WE HAVE BEEN. AND SO TO COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, MR. LEWIS, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY IN SUCH A WAY THAT ONLY YOU COULD DO, AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR PASSING THE TORCH, AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE. IT'S NOT ABOUT AGE, IT'S ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS. AND TOGETHER WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE.
AND I HAD A QUOTE ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL THAT GENERATIONAL GAPS ARE NOT COMPETING FORCES. THEY ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF PROGRESS. AND I WOULD NOT BE A GREAT COUNCILMEMBER WITHOUT WORKING WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED BEFORE ME, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND TO MY COLLEAGUES. IT IS MOST DEFINITELY A PRIVILEGE AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME WITH OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OF COURSE, THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN SERVING AND WITH OUR STAFF. BUT TO DISTRICT ONE, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO SERVE AS YOUR REPRESENTATION BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING ONWARD AND UPWARD.
AND MY ONLY GOAL AND TASK AS I SERVE THESE THREE YEARS IN THIS SEAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I LEAVE THIS SEAT BETTER THAN WHAT I FOUND IT, AND LEAVE IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WHOMEVER COMES BEHIND ME WILL BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE TORCH AND RUN WITH IT. THERE IS A REASON WHY THE COMPASS WAS INVENTED BEFORE THE CLOCK, BECAUSE IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO GET THERE. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND I THINK THAT TOGETHER, COLLECTIVELY, EVEN THOUGH WE RANGE FROM DIFFERENT AGES AND THOUGHT PROCESSES AND BACKGROUNDS, TOGETHER, WE CAN SERVE THE CITY IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE WILL ALL LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK THAT WILL MAKE NOT ONLY OUR COLLEAGUES AND CONSTITUENTS PROUD, BUT MAKE US PROUD. I WANT TO BE JEALOUS OF THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER THAT SITS IN THIS SEAT, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE INHERITED A DIFFERENT SEAT THAN WHAT I DID. AND SO TO YOU ALL, I THANK YOU FOR VOTING THOSE WHO DID NOT VOTE. IT'S MY HOPE THAT YOU WILL GET OUT AND VOTE.
HOPEFULLY YOU SEE WHAT VOTING CAN DO. AND SO I'M READY TO WORK FORWARD AND TOGETHER AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IN DISTRICT ONE, WE ARE ONE. COUNCIL MEMBER. PENA. GOOD MORNING. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR BEING HERE. AND SECOND, I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY
[00:40:05]
THAT'S SITTING IN THE FIRST ROW. THEY'VE BEEN THE BACKBONE OF MY CAMPAIGN, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR CAMPAIGNING WITH ME EVERY DAY. WE WENT THROUGH EARLY MORNINGS, LATE NIGHTS CALLING PEOPLE, AND I WANT TO SINGLE OUT MY WIFE JENNY, AND MY SISTER ZULIMA ESCOBIDO. I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SEAT IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM. AND ALSO OSMOND SWATI SITTING IN THE BACK. I COULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR OSMOND. HE WAS A HUGE ASSET TO OUR TEAM. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MISS BECKHAM IN THE VERY BACK. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DONE. SHE HAS DONE MANY THINGS AND YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING SHE HAS DONE FOR DISTRICT THREE. AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN ME. AND AND I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO DELIVER FOR THEM. I'M BRINGING A NEW PERSPECTIVE, A NEW MINDSET, AND AND I'M READY TO DELIVER, DELIVER THOSE RESULTS. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. IS IT MORNING STILL? SO FIRST, AND JUST ECHOING THE SENTIMENTS OF THE TWO WHO SPOKE BEFORE ME, GIVING ALL THANKS AND HONOR TO GOD, MY PROTECTOR, MY PROVIDER, MY STRONG COVERING, MY HEAVENLY STRONG COVERING, MY STRONG COVERING ON EARTH IS MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER. I THANK YOU BOTH. PART OF MY REASONING FOR WANTING TO STEP INTO THIS TYPE OF SPACE IS JUST THE WAY THAT YOU RAISED ME AND MY SIBLINGS, THE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD AND THE WAY THAT WE LEARNED HOW TO CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. AND SO I THANK YOU. I THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME YOU AS PARENTS, FOR INSTILLING THAT FOUNDATION IN ME, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES OR OBSTACLES I FACE, I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT THROUGH AND TO DO WHAT GOD EXPECTS ME TO DO. THANK YOU TO MY EXTENDED FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, MY SORORITY SISTERS, MY COLLEAGUES. I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL HERE TODAY, BUT I WAS EVEN MORE HAPPY TO SEE YOU WITH ME AND IN SUPPORT OF ME ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. I DON'T WANT TO GET OFF INTO NAMING NAMES, BUT JUST KNOW THAT YOU MEAN A LOT TO ME AND THAT YOUR SUPPORT, EVEN THE SMALL WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, MEAN THE WORLD TO ME ON THIS PATH. THERE WERE A LOT OF DAYS WHERE, YOU KNOW YOU'RE TIRED AND EVEN REACHING DESPERATION AND DISCOURAGED AND, YOU KNOW, GOING FROM ONE JOB TO THE NEXT AND SOMETIMES OVERLAP AND WHATNOT. AND SO I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WAYS THAT YOU SUPPORTED ME. YOU POURED INTO ME AND YOU JUST HELD ME UP.I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES ALONG THE TRAIL, BUT THIS IS NOT FOR ME. AND I'M SO GLAD THAT THAT MY PREDECESSOR AND I SEE THIS THE SAME WAY. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S SEAT. AND I TAKE IT VERY, VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY THAT YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED ME TO SIT IN THIS SEAT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU, ADVOCATE ON YOUR BEHALF. I THANK GOD THAT I GREW UP IN DISTRICT FOUR, AND THAT I NOW AM A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT FOUR. BECAUSE I'M VESTED, I AM VESTED. I LIVED ELSEWHERE, I LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS AND I'VE BEEN ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. I LOVE PORT ARTHUR SO DEARLY. I AGREE, AND I JUST I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL. BUT I THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SERVING AND HAVE SERVED BEFORE ME, AND I THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCET, FOR JUST YOUR WARM WELCOME. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCET, AND WHEN I TELL YOU IT WAS JUST HIM POURING ENCOURAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP SO THAT I CAN BE SIMILAR TO HIM. I WANT TO SIT UP HERE AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND BE ABLE TO REPEAT IT TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF PORT ARTHUR DESERVE THAT. THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES THAT. AND I THINK WITH THE COLLECTIVE, JUST THE COLLECTIVE CONTRIBUTION OF THIS ENTIRE DAY IS WE WILL CONTINUE MOVING PORT ARTHUR FORWARD WHERE IT SHOULD BE. SO I THANK YOU ALL, AND I AM PLEASED TO BE IN THIS SEAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING. AWESOME. COUNCIL MEMBERS. HAVE ANY OTHER LIGHTS OR ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING. MAYOR. AND I'M SORRY, CAN I HAVE A WORD? OH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER JONES, GOOD MORNING. I'M THE
[00:45:06]
SENIOR COUNCILMAN NOW. I'M THE OLD MAN. BAILEY'S GONE. I'M THE OLD MAN NOW, AND I'M PROUD OF IT. BUT I WANT TO SAY ONE THING. COUNCILMAN LEWIS AND DOUCET GAVE A LOT TO THIS CITY. I THOUGHT YOU KNEW ABOUT IT. I KNOW ABOUT IT. MAYOR BARTIE. LEWIS FOUGHT. WHEN THE FIGHT NEEDS TO BE DONE. LITTLE FOUGHT FOR US. IF WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I MEAN, WE REALLY FOUGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE. KNOW THAT HE REALLY FOUGHT. AND LIKE TILLER SAID, IT'S NOT THE AGE, IT'S EFFECTIVENESS. YOU KNOW, OLD NEW BROOM ALWAYS SCRAPED CLEAN. HE'S A NEW BROOM, MAN.YOU KNOW, HE SWEPT CLEAN RIGHT NOW. TIME CATCH UP WITH ALL OF US. BUT LEWIS AND DOUCET FOR A LOT TO THE TABLE, A LOT TO THE COUNCIL. THEY DID GOOD WORK. AND AT THE END, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S STILL MEANT WELL. BUT TIMES CHANGE. PEOPLE CHANGE. SO I WANT TO WISH THEM BOTH GOOD LUCK. YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY A BIG FACTOR IN THIS CITY. AND I FOLLOW THEIR LEAD FOR A LONG TIME. AND NOW I'M THE OLD MAN OF THE CREW NOW. SO YOU YOUNG PEOPLE, Y'ALL KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME. I'M TEACHING YOU SOMETHING. THANK. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JONES. COUNCILMEMBER FRANK. YES.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE OUTGOING COUNCILMEN, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. COUNCILWOMAN BECKHAM, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN DOUCET. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN LEWIS AS WELL FOR ALLOWING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO GROW AND TO LEARN FROM THEM. INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND THEY PROVIDED SO MUCH OF THAT AS I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST AND GET GET THE LEARNING CURVE UNDER MY BELT. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM. AND THEN I WANT TO THANK THE ONCOMING COUNCIL PERSONS AS THEY'RE COMING ON. NOW, WE WELCOME YOUR TENACITY. AS YOU SAID, WE WELCOME YOUR IDEAS. WE WELCOME YOU TO COME IN AND TO SHARE AND TO BE A PART OF THIS. COUNCILMAN LEWIS USED TO SAY, AND I DID NOT AGREE WITH HIM, BUT HE SAID THAT THE TEAM HAD TO HAVE A CAPTAIN. I DON'T PARTICULARLY SUBSCRIBE TO THAT. THERE IS NO I IN TEAM. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, COLLECTIVELY, AND WE HAVE TO WORK TO BRING ABOUT THAT KIND OF CONSISTENCY THAT OUR CITY CAN EXPECT. AND SO PORT ARTHUR IS A GREAT CITY.
KAYLA, YOU ARE CORRECT. I TRAVEL THE WORLD AS WELL AND CAME HOME TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND BECAUSE GOD PLACED ME HERE. AND SO I WANT TO SEE THE DREAM COME TO PASS FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. AND I THANK GOD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO SO. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER FRANK. MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW. THANK YOU MAYOR. HEY, GUYS, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TO YOU. YOU ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE. WE DEAL WITH A $400 MILLION BUDGET EVERY YEAR, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. AND YOU DO WANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT INDIVIDUALS IN PLACE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO GIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO COUNCILMAN LEWIS. WE CALL HIM UNCLE BEY UP HERE, AND IT'S A REASON WHY WE DO THAT. HE HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. HE GOES BACK YEARS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU PERSONALLY TO ME. SOMETIMES WE KNOCKED HEADS, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS ABOUT. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO AGREE WITH EACH OTHER. AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE DID NOT AGREE, WE WERE ABLE TO MEND IT OUT AT THE END.
SO THANK YOU, UNCLE BEY. COUNCILMAN DOUCET, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TO YOU, MAN. YOU ARE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. YOU ALWAYS CHALLENGE ME WHEN I HAD SOME QUESTIONS. RESEARCH. YOU ALREADY KNOW. I'M A NUMBERS GUY. I PLAY BY THE NUMBERS AND YOU DO TOO. WE ARE BOTH RETIRED MILITARY, SO THAT'S JUST THE GAME THAT WE PLAY. WE MAKE SURE THAT NUMBERS MATCH UP. AND THANK YOU FOR CHALLENGING ME. ALL THOSE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR KUDOS WHILE YOU'RE HERE. COUNCILMAN DOUCET AND THEN COUNCILMAN BECKHAM. THANK YOU. WHEN I WAS DISTRICT THREE, COUNCILMAN, YOU ALWAYS HAD YOUR DOOR. YOUR PHONE ALWAYS OPEN TO ME. YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE PROGRESSION OF DISTRICT THREE.
SO I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO BE A COUNCILMAN SITTING ON THIS SIDE OF THE BENCH. SO THANK YOU. AND FOR THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU GOT A TASK AHEAD. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD. WE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT DISPOSITION IS ABOUT. MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE TAKE THE CITIZENS AND WE DO THE BEST THINGS FOR OUR CITIZENS, THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THANK YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I GUESS CLOSING WORDS WILL BE
[00:50:03]
UPON ME. AND SO I GET TO SPEAK LAST. AND I WANT TO SAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS, THANK YOU.I'VE SERVED WITH YOU IN 2015 ON COUNCIL. WHEN I CAME IN AS A FRESH, FRESH COUNCIL PERSON.
AND I KNEW YOU PRIOR TO THAT BECAUSE WE RAN ELECTIONS TOGETHER. WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY 20 AND 20 AND 1988. AND SO WE RAN SOME CAMPAIGNS TOGETHER. IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME TIME JUST WATCHING YOU WORK AND SEEING THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY. EVEN AS AN EMPLOYEE, ME SERVING FROM 1988 TO 2007 AS AN EMPLOYEE HERE AT THE CITY, I'VE LEARNED, I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU IN HR AND HUMAN RESOURCES, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU AS A COUNCIL PERSON ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR WISDOM THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND TO THIS CITY COUNCIL. I LEARNED WHAT TO DO AND I LEARNED WHAT NOT TO DO WATCHING YOU. BUT THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU, COUNCILMEMBER DOUCET. WOW. MY PARTNER, HE I'M MY ELBOW NOW WILL BE OKAY BECAUSE I GET HIT ALL THE TIME ON THIS SIDE OVER HERE. SO HOPEFULLY KAYLA WON'T PICK UP THAT HABIT AND GET HIT OVER HERE. BUT COUNCILMEMBER DOUCET HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION. I JUST WATCHING HIM TO GO THROUGH A AN AGENDA. IT'S FASCINATING TO SEE HIM UNDERSTAND AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT IS ENLIGHTENING. AND OF COURSE, IT'S EDUCATIONAL FOR ME, EVEN WORKING HERE AND THEN SERVING ON COUNCIL FROM 2015 TO 2023 WAS JUST MY THINKING THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW A LITTLE BIT AND THOUGHT I KNEW A LOT, BUT HE'S TAUGHT ME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH AT ALL. AND SO I THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE. AND THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO SIT BY YOU AND LEARN FROM YOU EVEN MORE. I'M GOING TO MISS YOU A WHOLE LOT, SO I APPRECIATE IT AND SERVING WITH YOU. AND WELL, COME ON TO THE PODIUM. I'LL BE GLAD AND I'LL BE, OH, LET'S NOT GO THERE. BUT ANYWAY, COUNCILMEMBER BECKHAM, THANK YOU. I MET YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN I IN 2023 AND YOU COMING ON BOARD AS A COUNCIL MEMBER BACK THEN. I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, YOUR ATTENTION TO MATTERS AND DETAILS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I THANK YOU FOR IS THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL KURT GILLESPIE FOR MARDI GRAS, AND THAT WE HAVE MARDI GRAS BACK IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. BUT THAT PHONE NUMBER ORIGINATED FROM YOU. THANK YOU FOR GIVING IT TO ME. AND THANK YOU THAT I MADE THE PHONE CALL. AND NOW HERE WE ARE WITH MARDI GRAS 2027 ON ITS WAY. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. AND SERVING WITH YOU HAS BEEN A BLESSING. SO I AM GOING TO MISS YOU ALL AND I WELCOME OUR NEW COUNCIL. I'M EXCITED. I'M GOING TO THE GYM JUST TO KEEP UP WITH Y'ALL. SO I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH EACH ONE OF YOU. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME IN PORT ARTHUR.
I'M SO EXCITED AND READY TO GO TO WORK. LET'S GET IT ALL DONE. IT'S TIME TO GET, GET IT, GET IT GOING. SO I'M EXCITED TO EVERYONE HERE. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE SOME REFRESHMENTS IN THE BACK AGAIN. IF WE COULD GET A PICTURE OF THE COUNCIL HERE AND THEN THE PLEASE OUR OLD COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE OUR OLD COUNCIL MEMBERS. I MEAN OUR OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF YOU WILL STAY FOR A PICTURE, A PHOTOGRAPH, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT AS WELL. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING. SO MOVED. SECOND, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I. AND HE KNOWS THE AYES HAVE IT. WE HAVE NOW ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 11:23 A.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.