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RECORDING IN PROGRESS.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
UM, OPEN UP OUR MEETING, OUR CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING FOR TUESDAY OCT AUGUST THE 25TH, 2026 AT 5:30 PM YOU MAY JOIN US ONLY BY TELEPHONIC VIDEO CONFERENCE IS NOT AVAILABLE ON TONIGHT, AND YOU MAY DO SO BY CALLING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.ENTER THE MEETING ID 8 2 5 5 6 1 0 1 3 1 2.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
IN ORDER TO DO SO, YOU HAVE TO CALL INTO OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
AT THIS TIME, WE ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE MUTE OR TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE DEVICES SO THEY WILL NOT INTERRUPT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY DR. LEE FIELDS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR PLEDGE AND OUR ROLL CALL.
DR. FIELDS, IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT WITH ALLING.
AND WHILE DR. FIELDS IS COMING, I WANNA THANK HIM.
HE'S THE PASTOR OF EAST MOUNT OLIVE, UH, BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
FIRST ALL I DID
LORD ALLOWED THE DECISION TO BE MADE WITH THE BEST INTEREST AND WELFARE OF US ALL UPON I THANK YOU.
THE BUILDING DOWNTOWN AREA, LORD, ALLOW OUR CITY TO ATTRACT.
A PLEDGE, A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF 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, ESTABLISH A QUORUM AGAIN, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, PRESENT.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GONNA MOVE THROUGH OUR AGENDA.
WE HAVE NO PROCLAMATIONS ON NUMBER THREE.
[III.A.(1) Joan Jones Regarding Parking In Yard, On Concrete, Or On The Street. ]
WE HAVE PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE, UM, ONE SPEAKER, OUR FIRST SPEAKER, JOANNE JONES, REGARDING PARKING AND YARD ON CONCRETE OR ON THE STREET.
MS. JOANNE, IF YOU WILL, COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
IT'S JOANNE JONES, SIX 40 EAST 10TH STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I'M HERE CONCERNING ABOUT THE CODE EXITS OF PARKING FOR MY HOMEOWNERS AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, YOU HAVE, UH, THE CODE ACTORS IS NO, UH, ROCKS OR DIRT IN, IN YOUR YARD.
AND YOU ASK FOR A CEMENT TO BE PULLED FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE COMMENCE, READ THEM THE COMMENTS, AND THEN YOU ANSWER, UH, DISCUSS IT.
YOUR STREETS HAVE HOLES IN IT.
THE STREETS ARE TOO NARROW WITH NO CONVERTS.
WHEN WE DODGE HOLES POSSIBLE HITS THE CAR THAT'S ALREADY PARKED.
WHEN WE PAY MORTGAGES AND TAX, WHEN CAN WE SAY WE OWN OUR PROPERTY? IF THE, IF THE NEIGHBORS WOULD NOT COMPLAIN, WHY SHOULD YOU, OKAY.
WHO ARE YOU TO SAY WE, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE? AND WE CAN AFFORD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, POUR THE,
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AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE CAN AFFORD? YOUR CODE INFORMATION GOES TO A, GOES TO A HOUSE WITH POLICE.WHEN THEY EVER, YOU CALL PEOPLE GO, UH, PEOPLE GO OUT TO A HOUSE WITH TOO MANY CARS ON YOUR, ON THE LAND, YOU GO IN WITH THE POLICE.
WHEN PEOPLE SEE POLICE, THEY DO NOT, THEY DO NOT CALL, ARE DRINKING AND THEY'RE SMOKING.
THIS IS ENDANGERING THE OFFICERS.
UH, A FIRE TRUCK CANNOT EVEN PASS THROUGH TWO CARS PARKED ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO NARROW.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, ASK FOR YOU TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND, UH, BY US PAYING TAX AND MORTGAGES, WHEN CAN WE SAY WE DICTATE, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO WITH, WITH OUR OWN PROPERTY? I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, UH, I NOTICED HERE, UH, IN YOUR EXECUTIVE MEETING, YOU SAID, NO PARKING ON UNAPPROVED SURFACE REQUESTED BY MAYOR MOSES.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? OH, WE DISCUSSED IT IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WELL, THE, THE COMMUNITY CAN'T KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
HUH? WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON SOMEONE HAS A DISCUSSION ON FOR IT.
SO WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IN JUST A MINUTE.
UH, SO I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS, AND MAYBE THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE ARE TO THE POINT.
WE OWN HOUSES, PAY MORTGAGES AND TAXES, AND YOU ALL ARE TELLING US JUST WHAT TO DO WITH, WITH OUR OWN PROPERTY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT GONE FAR ENOUGH AND WHICH, AND THE STREETS OUT GOT HOLES IN.
SO WHEN YOU DODGE IN THE HOLES, YOU'RE POSSIBLY GOING HIT A CAR, YOU KNOW? AND WHEN PEOPLE IS, UH, PARTYING, SMOKING, AND YOU SHOW UP WITH OFFICERS THAT THEY DIDN'T CALL, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT THE HOUSES.
SO YOU ARE ENDANGERING YOUR OFFICERS TOO.
SO WHENEVER YOU ALL DO COLD ENFORCEMENT AND THINGS, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO IT AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY BEFORE YOU PUT CODES ON WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AND WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK INTO IT.
I HOPE YOU ALL CONSIDER WHAT I SAID.
[III.A.(2) Harold Doucet Regarding The Delay Of The Forensic Audit. ]
THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION BY MR. UM, HAROLD DOUCETTE REGARDING THE DELAY OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT.HAROLD DOUCETTE, 15 51 80 CAMBRIDGE STREET.
UH, THIS IS BASICALLY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CITIZENS HAVE AND ALSO MYSELF.
WE, UH, APPROVED THE COUNCIL APPROVED A FORENSIC GUARDIAN IN NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.
UH, DURING MY TIME ON COUNCIL, EACH TIME WE DISCUSSED, IT'S BEEN BECAUSE I HAD PLACED IT ON THE AGENDA TO GET AN AUDIT, YOU KNOW, WE MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURE.
IF COUNCIL APPROVES IT, THEN IT IS UP TO THE MANAGING STAFF TO GO ABOUT MAKING IT HAPPEN OR FINDING OUT IF COUNCIL NEED TO GIVE ANY MORE DIRECTIVES.
BUT NORMALLY WHAT IT ENTAILS IS ESTABLISHING A BASIS SCOPE.
ADVERTISING ADVERTISING IS 30 DAYS, AND, UH, I WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD ADVERTISED FOR IT IN PROBABLY ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF, UH, JULY.
I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE TELL CITIZENS OR HOW MUCH IT GONNA COST OR WHAT YOU'RE GONNA COST.
WELL, UNTIL YOU HAVE A PHASE ONE OF A FORENSIC ART IN WHICH YOU GET EXPLICIT WITH WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO LOOK AT, THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU GET A, A COST.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE NEED TO GO IN ON, HAVE THE FORENSIC GUARDIAN DONE FOR TWO REASONS.
ONE, CITIZENS KEEP ASKING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO IT? TWO, THEIR COMMENTS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PUTTING MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS.
I HEARD IT WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL.
THESE ARE THE TYPE, THIS IS ONE THING THAT CITIZENS CAN FIND OUT.
ARE WE PROPERLY APPROPRIATING THEIR MONEY? ARE WE MANAGING THEIR MONEY? SO THIS IS MAINLY FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROCESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
IN FACT, WE SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAD IT DONE AND COMPLETED BY NOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S THE DELAY WHO CALLS THEM TO DELAY, BUT THIS IS NOT NOTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS TIME THAT A FIRM HAS NOT BEEN SELECTED.
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SOMEBODY HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE.YOU ALL NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UH, DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE? UH, CITY MANAGER THAT WE'RE GOING? YES.
YOU, YOU, WE, WE CAN ONLY HAVE A TIMELINE FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT WHEN IT'S BUDGETED FOR MM-HMM
A FORENSIC AUDIT HAVE NEVER BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE ALWAYS SAID THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY YOU CAN AMEND THE BUDGET.
AND IT'S FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
YOU DON'T AMEND THE BUDGET FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT? WE ARE, WE HAVE PLACED MONEY IN THE NEW BUDGET FOR FORENSIC AUDIT.
WHEN THE BUDGET IS APPROVED, THE FORENSIC AUDIT WILL BE CONDUCTED.
AND THAT IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DONE.
YOU CAN ONLY AMEND THE BUDGET FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
THE FORENSIC AUDIT HAS BEEN BUDGETED IN THE NEW BUDGET.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
THEY HAVE COME IN, THEY HAVE SEVERAL FIRMS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR CREDENTIALS TO BE CONSIDERED.
IT'LL GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCUREMENT PROCESS AS IS OUTLINED BY THE STATE AND BY THE CITY.
AND A FORENSIC AUDIT WILL BE CONDUCTED WHEN THAT IS TRUE.
WE WERE GIVEN, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE TIMELINE THAT WE WERE GIVEN ON THIS, UM, FORENSIC AUDIT TIMELINE JUST FOR THE CITIZENS, THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE, UH, WHAT THIS TIMELINE LOOKED LIKE.
UM, AND DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY CAN PRESENT THAT TIMELINE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT UP ON THE TELEMONITOR JUST SO THAT, UM, THAT THEY CAN, THE CITIZENS CAN SEE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN, UM, DELAY ON THE CITY'S PART.
WHAT I COULD DO, I COULD ASK THE, UM, OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UM, DIRECTOR TO POST IT THIS EVENING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN IT RIGHT NOW? YES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTION I CAN GO THROUGH.
SO, CITIZENS, UH, AND IF WE COULD, WE CAN MAKE A COPY.
SO OCTOBER 21ST, UM, WAS A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE FORENSIC AUDIT.
NOVEMBER THE FOURTH WAS A DISCUSSION, 2025 OF THE DIS OF A DISCUSSION, A DISCUSSION AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION.
AND DECEMBER, DECEMBER 2ND, UM, THAT WAS THE THIRD.
WE HAD ANOTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SCOPE OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT THAT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, DECEMBER THE 16TH, 2025.
WE HAD ANOTHER DISCUSSION, RECONSIDERATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CONDUCTIVE OF FORENSIC AUDIT.
ALL THE ORDINANCE, ALL OF THESE RESOLUTIONS WERE, UH, AND DISCUSSIONS ARE NOTED ON HERE.
FEBRUARY THE 10TH, 2026, THERE WAS DISCUSSION REGARDING A FORENSIC AUDIT REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM DOUCETTE, APRIL THE 15TH WAS A WORKSHOP THAT WE HELD, UH, REGARDING THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR FORENSIC AUDIT MAY THE FIFTH, 2026 WAS A VOTE FOR RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AUTHORIZED A FORENSIC AUDIT TO BE CONDUCTED JULY THE SECOND SOLICITATIONS, ONCE THAT SCOPE WAS DEVELOPED AND THE, THE DEPARTMENTS WERE NAMED, THAT NEEDED TO BE IN, OUTSOURCED INTO THAT, UM, AREA OF, OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT.
THE EIGHTH THING THAT WE DID JULY 2ND, 2026.
UM, WE WENT OUT FOR BIDS FOR THE FORENSIC AUDIT.
THE BIDS WERE RECEIVED JULY 29TH, BID, CLOSING, AND READING WE'RE AUGUST 10TH FOR A DISCUSSION.
SO THAT'S BEEN THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE SCOPE OF HAVING A FORENSIC AUDIT.
WE'LL HAVE THIS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE SO THAT ALL CITIZENS CAN HAVE A COPY.
THERE'S BEEN NO INTENTIONAL HOLDUP, AND THERE'S BEEN NO ONE DELIBERATELY TRYING TO HOLD UP A FORENSIC AUDIT HERE AT THE CITY.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS A COPY OF THIS.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Joyce James of Joyce James Consulting And Shari Pulliam of Texas Family Care Network Regarding Answering The Call For Children And Families.]
ONE PRESENTATION WILL BE BY MRS. JOYCE JAMES OF JOYCE JAMES CONSULTING, AND SHERRY PULLUM OF TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK REGARDING ANSWERING THE CALL FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.UM, IF YOU, UH, WILL COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND START YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY ADDRESS IS 24 0 1 SILENT BOOK TRAIL.
I LIVE IN ROUND ROCK, TEXAS, BUT I'M HERE AS A CONSULTANT WITH TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK.
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CARE PROVIDER FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PORT ARTHUR SINCE BIRTH.
I NOW LIVE IN GROSS TEXAS, BUT I WENT TO THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM THERE.
JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I'M COMMITTED TO THIS COMMUNITY EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN GROSS TEXAS.
WE WON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU.
SO WE WANNA JUST REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
AND TONIGHT WE WANT TO JUST SPEAK ABOUT, UH, A SLOGAN THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH THAT WE WANT TO BE MUCH MORE THAN A SLOGAN, UH, ANSWERING THE CALL, UH, FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, UH, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
IT'S ABOUT ALL CHILDREN, IT'S ABOUT ALL FAMILIES, AND IT'S ABOUT ALL COMMUNITIES.
AND IT IS ALSO ABOUT WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
AND SO TONIGHT WE WANNA MOVE THAT PHRASE FROM A SLOGAN TO A STRATEGY.
UH, BECAUSE IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WHATEVER IT TAKES, WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LOOK BEYOND THE SERVICE, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A, THE PICTURE, I THINK THE NEXT PICTURE UP THERE MIGHT BE OF, OF PORT ARTHUR.
I WANNA FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PORT ARTHUR IS A COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTANDS RESILIENCE.
AND THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT HAS FACED A LOT HURRICANES, RIGHT? UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES, UH, ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.
AND YET THE PEOPLE IN PORT ARTHUR CAN CONTINUE TO SHOW UP.
SO THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT ABOUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH PORT ARTHUR, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING ON THE STRENGTHS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
SO AGAIN, WHATEVER IT TAKES CANNOT SIMPLY DESCRIBE OUR INTENTIONS.
IT HAS TO DESCRIBE HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES AND HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES, AND HOW WE COLLABORATE AND HOW WE'LL RESPOND BEFORE FAMILIES REACH CRISISES.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF FOR ARTHUR BUILT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES BEFORE CHILDREN ENTER THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM? AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WORK REQUIRES A PARTNERSHIP.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THEY GET INVOLVED MUCH LATER THAN WHAT COULD HAPPEN FOR FAMILIES.
AND SO, I JUST BRIEFLY, I DON'T WANT TO TALK A LOT, UH, ABOUT MYSELF, BUT I'M A CONSULTANT.
I HAVE PROPERTY HERE, AND I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS IN PORT ARTHUR AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHAT WE SEE WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN PORT ARTHUR IS NOT UNIQUE TO PORT ARTHUR.
WE SEE THE SAME OUTCOMES FOR THE SAME FAMILIES, FOR THE SAME CHILDREN, FOR THE SAME COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND SO MY WORK IS BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING WHY DISPARITIES EXIST AND WHY THEY PERSIST AND WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY.
AND A CENTRAL PRINCIPLE OF THE WORK IS THAT EQUAL TREATMENT DOES NOT LEAD TO EQUITY.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS AND THE CONDITIONS THAT PRODUCE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE SEE.
AND SO WE BRING THAT LENS TO PORT ARTHUR AGAIN, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS, BUT IT'S TO HELP US TO BETTER ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING.
AND SO I'LL HAVE SHERRY JUST BRIEFLY MENTION TO YOU, TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK, AND HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR ROLE IS IN WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK IS THE NETWORK WHO TOOK OVER FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION FROM CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, OR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES THREE YEARS AGO.
SO ONCE A CHILD IS REMOVED FROM THEIR HOME BY CPS, A JUDGE LEGALLY HAS SIGNED AN ORDER THAT THAT CHILD NEEDS TO BE PLACED IN FOSTER CARE.
THAT'S WHERE TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK TAKES OVER.
WE TAKE OVER, TAKE OVER ALL CASE MANAGEMENT FROM THEN TO, UH, EITHER WHEN THE CHILD HOPEFULLY GOES HOME AND IS REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILY, UH, GOES TO LIVE WITH A KINSHIP FAMILY, OR, UM, IS ADOPTED OUT OF THE SYSTEM TO THEIR FOREVER FAMILY.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 700 CHILDREN IN THE 15 COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE IN FOSTER CARE.
RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 200 OF THOSE CHILDREN, UM, ARE RIGHT HERE FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY.
OKAY? SO THAT'S TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK.
I DON'T, I WANT YOU TO JUST GO BACK FOR A MINUTE, UH, TO PROJECT HOPE, BECAUSE PORT ARTHUR HAS A HISTORY OF DOING EXACTLY THE KIND
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OF WORK THAT WE ARE PROPOSING THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD ALL DO IN PARTNERSHIP AGAIN.AND IT WAS DONE THROUGH PROJECT HOPE.
AND IT USED TO BE, UH, RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF SEVENTH AND, UH, RANSOM, REVEREND RANSOM HOWARD.
AND IT WAS PARTNERS COMING TOGETHER, MULTIPLE STATE AGENCIES, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, THE COURTS, UH, THE CITY GAVE US THE BUILDING WHEN WE FIRST STARTED PROJECT HOPE.
AND THE IDEA WAS TO BRING THE SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE WOULD REMOVE THE BARRIERS TO FAMILIES RECEIVING SERVICES.
UH, FAMILY, UH, CASEY FAMILY PROGRAM DOCUMENTED THE HOPE MODEL.
AND AT ONE POINT IT WAS USED AS A MODEL FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS IN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE DOCUMENT ON HOW TO REPLICATE IT.
SO PORT ARTHUR HAS A HISTORY AND THE WORK AROUND ENGAGING IN CROSS SYSTEMS ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY.
SO THE MISSION IS STATE FORWARD.
EVERY CHILD IN EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES THEY DESERVE WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
AND THIS BRINGS US TO THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE CHILDREN FROM PORT ARTHUR WHO ENTER THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE TELLS US ABOUT THE LARGER SYSTEM.
AND SO THE NUMBERS, IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO THE NUMBERS, SHERRY, THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY GIVE US AN IMPORTANT STARTING POINT.
UH, APPROXIMATELY 48 TO 56 YOUTH ARE BEING REMOVED FROM PORT ARTHUR, AND THEY SPEND AN AVERAGE TIME IN CARE OF 2.2 YEARS.
SOME AS MANY AS 15 YEARS OUT OF THEIR HOMES, AWAY FROM THEIR HOME SCHOOLS, AWAY FROM THEIR FRIENDS, AND AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY.
AND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF A CHILD'S LIFE, RIGHT? AND SO OUR QUESTIONS CAN'T SIMPLY BE HOW DO WE MANAGE CHILDREN ONCE THEY'RE IN CARE? WE HAVE TO ASK, WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT BRING FAMILIES TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN NO LONGER RAISE THEIR CHILDREN? AND SO THIS NEXT SLIDE JUST KINDA GIVES US A CLOSER LOOK AT WHO THE CHILDREN ARE.
AND THE DATA SHOWS US THE DIFFERENCES BY RACE, BY AGE, AND BY GENDER.
AND I DON'T WANT US TO JUST LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS SIMPLY AS STATISTICS, BECAUSE BEHIND EVERY PERCENTAGE IS A CHILD IS A PARENT AND IS A FAMILY.
AND IT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE HAD IN A COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT TELLS US WHAT HAPPENS AFTER REMOVAL.
YOU CAN SEE THAT 50% OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE REMOVED ARE BLACK CHILDREN, 19% HISPANIC, 19% WHITE CHILDREN, AND 13%, UH, BIRACIAL.
AND THE LARGEST GROUP IS ZERO TO FIVE YEARS OLD.
SO WHY ARE CHILDREN ZERO TO FIVE BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES? AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, UH, ABOUT THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND REMOVALS, AND JUST FOR, UH, A POINT OF INTEREST, I WAS THE FIRST BLACK TO LEAD THE STATE OF TEXAS'S CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM.
AND I KNOW THAT CHILDREN ARE NOT REMOVED, UH, MOST OFTEN FOR SERIOUS PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE.
AND A LOT OF NEGLECT IS GROUNDED IN POVERTY.
AND SO WE HAVE TO GO TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF UNDERSTANDING THESE ISSUES.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT TELLS US WHAT HAPPENED.
AND FOR A CHILD, TWO YEARS IS NOT SIMPLY A NUMBER, RIGHT? IT REPRESENTS A LARGE PART OF THEIR CHILDHOOD.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I KEEP RETURNING TO THE PHRASE, WHATEVER IT TAKES IS NOT A SLOGAN, IT'S A PROMISE.
AND THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF PORT ARTHUR ARE COUNTING ON WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO BUILD TOGETHER.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE THIS GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS ACTUALLY COMES INTO PLAY.
IMAGINE THAT THERE'S A LAKE WHERE FISH REPEATEDLY GET SICK.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO CONTINUE TO EXAMINE THE FISH OR SHOULD WE LOOK AT THE LAKE THAT THEY'RE SWIMMING IN? AND THAT'S OFTEN WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE.
WE HAVE NOT GONE TO THE GROUNDWATER LEVEL TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT IS IN THE WATER.
UH, THE FISH REPRESENT THE INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND THE LAKE REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITIES AND THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN.
AND THE GROUNDWATER REPRESENTS THE SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS THAT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT FAMILIES CAN THRIVE.
SO THE QUESTION IS NOT ONLY WHY DID THIS FAMILY EXPERIENCE A A CRISIS,
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THE DEEPER QUESTION IS WHAT CONDITIONS ARE SURROUNDING FAMILIES THAT MAKES THE CRISIS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GROUNDWATER, WE SEE THAT CHILD WELFARE DOES NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION.THE SAME COMMUNITIES MAY EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES INVOLVING HOUSING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, INCARCERATION, JUVENILE JUSTICE, POLICING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
SO THESE SYSTEMS INTERSECT AND THEY SERVE AS A COLLECTIVE IMPACT ON THE SAME FAMILIES AND THE SAME CHILDREN, AND THE SAME COMMUNITIES.
AND SO, FAMILIES EXPERIENCE THE TOTALITY OF THESE CONDITIONS, NOT EACH SYSTEM SEPARATELY, WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE TO THESE ISSUES, RIGHT? AND SO THE GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS SEEKS TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL THINGS.
THE RACIAL INEQUITIES LOOKS THE SAME ACROSS ALL SYSTEMS, ACROSS EVERY STATE IN THIS COUNTRY, BLACK CHILDREN, BLACK FAMILIES, HAVE THE WORST OUTCOMES ACROSS ALL HELPING SYSTEMS NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE.
AND IF WE ONLY SAW THAT IN A FEW PLACES, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ASK WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE PEOPLE.
BUT BECAUSE WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE, WE MUST BECOME CRITICAL LOVERS OF OUR SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS AND TURN THE MIRROR INWARD AND ASK, WHAT IS IT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE GROUNDWATER OF OUR SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTION THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD WE WORK, NO MATTER HOW WELL INTENTIONED WE ARE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE WANT TO HELP, WE ARE NOT ACHIEVING THE GOALS THAT WE WANT.
AND SO THE SLIDE REALLY ILLUSTRATES WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.
IT IDENTIFIES SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES EVEN IN HEALTH.
WELL, YOU LOOK AT, THIS IS ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT COMMUNITIES FACE.
THIS IS THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT OF SYSTEMS. OUR BABIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE.
OUR MOTHERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE DURING PREGNANCY.
YOUNG MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IN JUVENILE JUSTICE.
ADULT MALES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER FACTORS, INCLUDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE IN THE GROUNDWATER.
OKAY, MS. JAMES, YOU HAVE ABOUT FIVE MORE MINUTES.
SHERRY, GO THROUGH A FEW MORE.
SO JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CHILD WELFARE.
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT FAMILIES LIVE IN IN PORT ARTHUR AND IN MANY OTHER AREAS ACROSS THE STATE? WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CANCER MORTALITY RATE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE A 69% HIGHER, UH, CANCER MORTALITY RATE THAN THE AVERAGE TEXAN, RIGHT? THAT WOMEN IN PORT ARTHUR FACE FIVE TIMES THE BREAST CANCER RISK DUE TO COMPOUNDING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS.
THAT PORT ARTHUR HAS A 29% POVERTY RATE, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
AND THAT THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS ALSO LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS TWO TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
THERE'S LOW EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, AND THE 28% OF THE POPULATION LACKS HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND SO, UM, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE GROUNDWATER THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CONDITIONS THAT FAMILIES FIND THEMSELVES IN.
AND I'M NOT MAKING ANY EXCUSES AT ALL FOR FAMILIES ABUSING OR NEGLECTING THEIR CHILDREN.
BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT THERE MUST BE MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU'RE LOSING YOUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES.
WE DON'T HAVE FOSTER HOMES IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE DON'T HAVE ADOPTED FAMILIES IN PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO WHEN THEY ARE, WHEN THEY'RE REMOVED AND NOT RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES, YOU LOSE CITIZENS.
AND SO IT'S VERY, IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND JUST QUICKLY, THE WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED.
YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN IN A MEETING WITH US.
WE'VE HAD SOME FAITH LEADERS IN THE MEETING.
WE HAD A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE IN THE MEETING.
WE HAD TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK LEADERS.
AND WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING THAT'S GONNA BE CALLED BY REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, CHRISTIAN MANUEL IS GONNA CO-HOST THAT MEETING ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN GETWOOD.
AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE A MEETING WHERE WE BRING SYSTEMS, COMMUNITY, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THESE EXPERIENCES TO THE TABLE.
UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR MCG, GETWOOD HAS HIS LIGHT ON, AND, UH, HE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, MS. MS. JOYCE.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PORT ARTHUR AND GIVING THIS PRESENTATION.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU, UM, BEFORE, AND IT WAS VERY EYE-OPENING INFORMATION.
IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE VERY QUICKLY AND VERY BRIEF, I'LL BE BRIEF TO MY REMARKS.
[00:30:01]
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN, UH, THAT LEAVE OUR AREA.I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS ARE AWARE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE TRUE TO PORT ARTHUR.
AND I TAKE IT PERSONAL TO PERSONAL NOTE, 'CAUSE MANY MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT I, MYSELF AND MY BROTHER WERE TAKEN BY CPS.
AND HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR MY GRANDFATHER, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE IN PORT ARTHUR RIGHT NOW MYSELF.
AND HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE HOPE CENTER THAT WAS RIGHT THERE ON THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE, I REMEMBER VISITING THERE FREQUENTLY, GOING VISIT MISS, UM, TRISHA ARMSTEAD, WHO WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TIME, WHO MADE SURE THAT MY GRANDFATHER HAD ALL THE RESOURCES THAT HE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF MY BROTHER AND I.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WORDS THAT YOU ECHOED ABOUT US LOSING CITIZENS, I THINK ABOUT HOW TRUE AND IMPERATIVE THIS IS TO OUR CITY.
BECAUSE HAD THOSE RESOURCES NOT BEEN THERE FOR ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD AT THREE YEARS OLD, I WOULD NOT BE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOR WOULD I HAVE BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, NOR WOULD I HAVE BEEN IN PORT ARTHUR, ISDI WOULD'VE BEEN SOMEWHERE ELSE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WITH A WHOLE DIFFERENT MINDSET.
PROBABLY NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT I'M DOING NOW.
AND SO, IT IS WITHIN OUR BEST INTEREST AS A CITY TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN IN WHATEVER WAY THAT WE CAN TO TEAM UP WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP, TO ENSURE THAT OUR BABIES, OUR FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR FUTURE MAYORS, OUR FUTURE CITY MANAGERS, OUR FUTURE POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FUTURE FIREFIGHTERS, OUR FUTURE RESIDENTS, HAVE A VIABLE FUTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN THEY'RE TAKEN AWAY, THEY VERY, THEY VERY SELDOM, AS YOU JUST SEE, COME BACK TO THE SAME HOMES THEY WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, MS. JOYCE, FOR PUTTING THIS ON OUR MINDS, FOR ALLOWING US TO SEE, UM, OF COURSE, THE TRUE NUMBERS THAT REALLY MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE I THINK SO OFTEN, SO MUCH IS GOING ON, WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING, UM, NOT THE, THE MISHAPS, BUT ALSO THE TRUTH OF WHAT WE ENDURE AS A CITY, UM, JUST NATURALLY WHERE WE, WHERE WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY ON ANSWERING THE CALL, BUILDING MORE FOSTER FAMILIES HERE, BE ABLE TO READ TO FIND MORE CHILDREN WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL FAMILIES, AND KEEPING THEM RIGHT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AS WELL.
GREAT PRESENTATION, GREAT REMARKS.
[III.B.(2) A Presentation By Graylin Gant Regarding The Ferry System Out of Sabine Pass. ]
A PRESENTATION BY GRAYLAND GANTT REGARDING THE FERRY SYSTEM OUT OF SABINE PASS.UH, MY ADDRESS IS 24 85 SOUTH NINTH STREET.
UH, ALSO I'M A CAPTAIN, UM, FROM THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.
UH, ATTENDED LAMAR UNIVERSITY, UH, OBTAINED TWO DEGREES FROM THEM ALSO IN THE PAST YEARS.
UH, AND I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN.
UH, WELL, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE 20 MINUTES.
TRY NOT TO BORE YOU GUYS TOO LONG THEN.
'CAUSE UH, YOU MENTIONED YOU WANNA GET OUTTA HERE EARLIER, SO LET THE EXECUTIVE THING YELL, CANCEL OUT THEN.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, UH, AS FAR AS THAT, UH, UH, I'M GONNA GO AND GET YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF.
I'M ALSO ALSO THE FOUNDER OF NORTHWEST GULF FEDERAL POLICY AND GULF NORTHWEST MARINE TRANSPORTATION.
IN THIS CASE, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT GULF NORTHWEST MARINE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS INCORPORATED RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND, UM, ALSO WHAT I WANTED TO GO IN AND, AND, UH, TRY TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS IS HOPING THAT I COULD SET UP A MEETING BECAUSE JUST TO PRESENT A PROPOSAL TO YOU GUYS HERE IN THIS FORUM RIGHT NOW, IT'S GONNA BE MORE DETAILS REGARDING THIS WHOLE INFORMATION DEALING WITH THE FERRY SYSTEM PROPOSAL, DEALING WITH THE FERRY SYSTEM.
I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN SABINE PASS AND PORT ARTHUR.
AND THERE'S LIKE SOME, A LOT OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN THERE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
YOU GUYS PRETTY MUCH KNOW THE STORY BEHIND THAT.
UH, LEMME GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND HERE.
MY, I DID MODIFY MY CORPORATION RIGHT NOW IS GONNA BE CONSIDERED MORE OF A PRIVATE UTILITY COMPANY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IN OTHER WORDS, I COULD WORK WITH STATE, CITY OR MUNICIPAL AND ALSO WITH, UH, SAY LIKE THE COUNTY ALSO AS FAR AS, UH, PARTNERING, PARTNERING WITH ALL THE STATE ORGANIZATIONS AS A PRIVATE FIRM.
BUT IT'S ALSO TO HELP YOU GUYS OBTAIN REVENUES.
AND THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOU GUYS.
IF YOU WANT, IF, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MARINE TRANSPORTATION, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE BUSES, YOU CAN ALSO INCLUDE, SAY LIKE A TRANSIT SYSTEM AS FAR AS MARINE TRANSPORTATION.
SO IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE A FERRY SYSTEM THAT WOULD TRANSPORT PEOPLE, SAY LIKE FROM, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
UH, IF YOU WANNA BEGIN, UH, I DID A MEASUREMENT BETWEEN SAB BEAN PASS AND AT THE FARTHEST, SAY THIS RAINBOW BRIDGE THAT'S ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES USING THE RIVER.
SO IF, LET'S JUST SAY FOR INSTANCE, YOU WANT TO GO AND TRANSPORT PEOPLE FROM SABINE PASS PORT AUTHORITY AREA, YOU CAN TRANSPORT, SAY FROM THERE SABINE PASS TO SAY THE, LET'S GIVE YOU A GOOD REFERENCE.
SAY THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES.
WHERE IF YOU HAD A VESSEL, A BOAT THAT CAN GO AND TRAVERSE THAT DISTANCE AND EVERYTHING, SAY WITHIN 10 MILES AT A SPEED OF 20 KNOTS, YOU CAN TRAVEL THREE, SAY THREE MINUTES TO A MILE.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY THREE 30 MINUTES.
[00:35:01]
KNOTS.SO OF THESE VESSELS CAN TRAVEL 30, I'M SORRY, 30 KNOTS, WHICH IS TWO MINUTES A MILES.
SO, WHICH IS WHAT MEASURE MEASURED IT TWO TIMES, WHAT, 10 MILES, THAT'S 20 MINUTES.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THESE VESSELS WOULD BE, IT'LL, IT IS PRETTY COSTLY AND EVERYTHING.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME, UM, SOME GRANT MONEY THAT'S ALSO AVAILABLE.
AND I HAVE A, SOME RESOURCES ABOUT HOW YOU CAN OBTAIN THAT TOO.
UH, AND AS FAR AS THAT GOES, LIKE I SAID, I WANT, I THINK RECENTLY YOU GUYS HAD, UH, THE EXPLOSION, I THINK AT VALERO PLANT.
WHICH BACK HAD A BACK, UH, BACKUP OF TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING, UH, OUT OF SABINE PASS.
AND I THINK THAT THEY HAD SOME STUDENTS WHO WERE LOOKING TO, UH, I THINK THEY WERE STUCK AT SABINE PASS, I THINK GOT HEARD ON, ON THE NEWS.
AND I, I THINK ONE OF THE REMEDIES THAT THEY USED WAS TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, WORK WITH THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT TO TRANSPORT.
NOW, THIS IS FROM HEARSAY, BUT I THINK I'VE HEARD THIS ON NEWS TOO.
AND, UM, SO, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH A SYSTEM OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU GOT ONE WAY 80 AND ONE WAY OUT, YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THESE VESSELS I'M TALKING ABOUT TO TRANSPORT.
MATTER OF FACT, YOU PROBABLY COULD USE IT AS A SCHOOL BUS IN A WAY, IT JUST DEPEND ON YOU GUYS.
BUT IF YOU JUST WANTED TO DO THIS, SAY TEMPORARILY, OR IF YOU WANNA DO THIS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION OR MAKE IT PERMANENT, IT IS OBTAINABLE OR IT'S DOABLE.
NOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT I COULD WORK WITH, WITH THE STATE WITH, WHICH WOULD BE SABINE PASSPORT AUTHORITY.
NOW, IF ANYTHING, THEY WOULD GIVE YOU A REFERENCE ABOUT ME AS A CAPTAIN ON SHIPS.
I'VE BEEN ALSO A FEDERAL PILOT, A PILOT SHIPS MY TERRITORIES IS RIGHT THERE IN GALVESTON, NOT IN THIS AREA, BUT GALVESTON, THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL, UH, CALSUS SHIP CHANNEL, WHICH IS OUTTA CAMERON.
AND, UM, SO I HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE OF, YOU KNOW, OPERATING VESSEL SHIPS, UH, YOU NAME IT.
ANY VESSEL ON THIS PLANET RIGHT NOW, I'M UNLIMITED.
SECOND OF ALL, I'LL SAY, UH, I ALSO, I GOT MY DEGREE IN, UH, AS A DIESELS MECHANIC.
SO WITH SABINE PASSPORT AUTHORITY, I WORK FLEXIBLE TIMES WHEN I WORK WITH MY HANDS.
AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAD YACHTS THAT BREAK DOWN, COME TO SABINE PASSPORT AUTHORITY.
AND SO WHAT THEY DO IS, UH, THEY MAY CALL, THEY DON'T HAVE A TECHNICIAN TO WORK ON THESE VESSELS, THESE BIG YACHTS.
SO THAT HELPED THEM TO WHERE THEY CALLED ME AND A COUPLE OTHER GUYS THAT WORKED WITH ME TO COME OVER AND LOOK AT THESE VESSELS.
INSTEAD OF CALLING THESE, UH, THESE TECHNICIANS OUTTA CHEMO, CHEMO CHARGES A LOT, THEY DON'T LIKE TO COME TO S BEING PASSED.
AND THEY CHARGE MAYBE FOUR OR $500 JUST TO COME DOWN TO DO, YOU KNOW, ANALYSIS ON YOUR VESSEL.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE CAN DO ALL THE SAME THING AND DO THE, UH, THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE THAT.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I'M PRETTY WELL-ROUNDED, SKILLED IN MANY WAYS TO DO THIS.
AND AGAIN, SABINE PASSPORT AUTHORITY, IF YOU GUYS ARE EVER IN TOUCH WITH HIM, I THINK YOU'RE FAMILIAR.
I THINK I TALKED TO SOME OF YOU GUYS FAMILIAR WITH MARK VIA TO, HE PASSED ON, SO HE WOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER GOOD REFERENCE, BUT HE HAVEN'T BEEN THERE THAT LONG.
AND PRIOR TO HIM, THERE WAS ANOTHER, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH INE PASSPORT AUTHORITY, I THINK IS, UH, M**K COLLEGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF YOU GUYS THAT'S BEEN HERE A WHILE KNOW ABOUT M**K.
SO HE ALSO RETIRED, BUT HE WAS THERE BEFORE, UH, MARK MM-HMM
SO, BUT M**K WOULD HAVE MORE HISTORY ABOUT MYSELF AND THE THINGS THAT I DO, AND OPERATING THESE VESSELS AND SHIPS AND EVERYTHING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I HAVE A PASSION FOR.
BUT AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE REVENUE DEVELOPED FOR YOU GUYS.
NOW, BRIEFLY, LET ME JUST READ SOMETHING HERE.
THIS IS PART OF MY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, SO THAT WAY I WON'T, I COULD BE LONG-WINDED AT TIMES AND I DON'T WANNA DO THAT TO YOU GUYS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE THIS, UH, I WAS GONNA READ THIS TO YOU BECAUSE IT, IT, IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT SAYS, GULF NORTHWEST MARINE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED IS A PRIVATELY OWNED TRANSPORTATION.
AND I CAN SEE THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
ANYWAY, UM, ANYWAY, THERE, THIS IS A PROBABLY OWNED TRANSPORTATION UTILITY COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, FORMERLY SEEKING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHOR, PORT AUTHORITY BOARD, AND THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO ESTABLISH A LICENSED SCHEDULED AND PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE MARINE PASSENGER AND CARGO FERRY SERVICE ALONG THE SABINE NATURE'S WATERWAY CORRIDOR.
AND I'M GONNA SKIP PAST THIS HERE, BUT I WANNA GET TO THE MAIN POINTS HERE.
IT SAYS, SOUTHEAST TEXAS SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST PRODUCTIVE PETROCHEMICAL MARITIME INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES.
THE PORT ARTHUR BEAUMONT ORANGE TRIANGLE GENERATES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TONS OF CARGO MOVEMENT, UH, ANNUALLY THROUGH THE INE NATURES WATERWAY.
YET THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY THAT WORK, LIVE AND DEPEND ON THIS CORRIDOR, HAVE NO ORGANIZED MARINE PASSENGER TRANSIT, NO SCHEDULE VEHICLE FERRY SERVICE, AND NO WATERBORNE EMERGENCY LOGISTICS NETWORK TO SPEAK OF.
NOW ON HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE, WE, UH, THIS IS CHIEFLY THE RAINBOW BRIDGE, HIGHWAY 87, AND THE CONGESTED PORT ARTHUR SHIP CHANNEL CROSSINGS REMAINS THE SOLE TRANSIT OPTION FOR THOUSANDS OF DAILY COMMUTERS, REFINERY WORKERS, PORT EMPLOYEES, AND RECREATIONAL USERS.
GULF NORTHWEST MARINE TRANSPORTATION IN PROPOSES TO CHANGE THAT BY ESTABLISHING A STRUCTURED, REGULATED MARINE FAIR UTILITY AND COMPLIMENTS EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, REDUCES SURFACE ROAD CONGESTION, ENHANCES REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVENESS, AND DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES EMERGENCY RESILIENCE FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES, UH, VULNERABLE TO HURRICANE EVACUATION SCENARIOS.
AND, UM, AND IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU, BUT THE OTHER PART IS THAT IS, IS DEALING WITH THE, THE, THE RESOURCE.
I TOLD YOU, THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT HELP PROVIDE THE, THE FUNDING GRANT MONEY, UH, LOANS.
AND I, I'M, I WOULD BE A PART OF THAT
[00:40:01]
TO HELP YOU GUYS ESTABLISH REVENUES IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT.SO I ASK THAT IF, IF A MEETING IS POSSIBLE WITH YOU GUYS TO SET, GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SITUATION.
UM, THANK YOU MR. GANT FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
RECENTLY WE JUST DEVELOPED A, UM, EVACUATION PLAN FOR SABINE PASSED.
UM, WHAT I FOUND OUT IN THAT MEETING IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE WATER HERE AT THE CITY.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF MAKES THAT, THE COUNTY DOES THE COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF MAKES THAT DECISION AND THAT CALL.
UM, AND OUR CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MR. JEREMY HOUSTON, HELPED LEAD US THROUGH THAT EVACUATION PLAN BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.
AND SO WE MET AND DEVELOPED AN EVACUATION PLAN FOR, UM, SABINE PASSED SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, AND THE, THE MAYOR WAS ABLE TO, UM, PUT TOGETHER A COALITION OF PEOPLE.
AND SO WE JUST MET RECENTLY ADOPTED THAT EVACUATION PLAN, UM, ABOUT MAYBE AND, AND ENACTED IT ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
AND SO WE MET FOR ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY ON HOW TO MOVE SABINE PASSED AND THEM KNOWING HOW TO COME OUT OF SABINE PASSED SINCE THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN ONE WAY OUT.
AND IN THAT MEETING, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, AND HER STAFF WOULD BE THE ONES TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION ON THE WATERWAY.
THE CITY HAS NO JURISDICTION OVER THE WATERWAY.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE, I'D BE GLAD TO BE IN A MEETING WITH YOU, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THEY WOULD BE THE ONES TO DEVELOP.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND AFTER THAT MEETING WITH OUR, UM, THE, UH, EIGHT PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, AND WERE THERE A HURRICANE COMING, THE SHERIFF WOULD CALL AND MAKE THAT CALL.
AND THERE ARE A FERRY BOATS ALREADY IN SABINE PASS THERE THAT CARRIES A HOLE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH TO GET THEM OUT QUICKLY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD, UH, COMING OUT OF THAT.
AND WE ADOPTED, UM, THAT EVACUATION PLAN IN THE, UH, LATE JULY, WELL, THERE'S SOME EARLY MASTER PLANS.
THIS IS BY THE, UH, MARK VITO RIGHT HERE.
THIS WAS DONE IN AUGUST, 2024.
HE'S GIVEN ME A TOUR SINCE HE'S BEEN THERE.
ALL THE PROGRESS THAT THEY MADE, THE LAND THAT THEY BOUGHT.
AND, UM, I'M HOPING TO MAYBE ALSO SUPPORT THAT.
AND ALSO THERE WAS ANOTHER MASTER PLAN THAT HE HAD GIVEN ME ALSO SINCE 2023.
AND THAT'S THE TEXAS PORT MISSION PLAN.
BUT IT DOES MENTION THERE'S A CHANCE THAT IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED, THAT THE COUNTY, I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, BUT GET WITH THEM AND THEN THE STATE AND SEE IF THAT IT IS DOABLE.
AND I THINK THEY WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK THEY WANT THAT RESPONSIBILITY, SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS.
UH, YOU GUYS HAVE A, A WITH REPRESENTATIVE, THE COUNTY, I THINK IT IS MR. SENEGAL, I THINK I MENTIONED THAT TO YEAH.
UM, BUT, UH, HE ALSO, THIS IS SOME YEARS AGO, MR. COUNCILMAN FRANK HAS HIS LIGHT ON.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
BUT WE, WE'LL BE GLAD TO TALK AND GET OUR NUMBERS AND WE'LL GET WITH, UM, THE SHERIFF AND, UM, OUR CHIEF, UM, OUR, UM, CHIEF JEREMY HOUSTON, WHO IS OVER OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR HERE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR, I'M SORRY, HE'S THE EMERGENCY MANAGER COORDINATOR.
BUT WE CAN GET WITH HIM AND HE CAN CONNECT US WITH THE SHERIFF AND, AND LET'S LOOK AT WHAT YOU, WE CAN HELP THEM TO NAVIGATE WAY.
SO THAT'D BE THE FIRST PLACE TO START WITH THE GUY, THE SHERIFF, UH, TO GET TO BRING HIS PROPOSAL TO THE COUNTY, WHICH IS THE COUNTY JUDGE CHIEF.
LET ME, LET ME CALL CHIEF NEWTON AND GET HIM YOUR NUMBER AND THEN WE CAN SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND HAVE A COURT, I CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU GUYS ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[III.B.(3) A Presentation By Dr. Hani Tohme Regarding A Summary Of The Pavement Rehabilitation And Related Appurtenances On Redbird From The Dead-End To Hwy 347. ]
MOVE NOW TO NUMBER THREE, CONTINUE COMMUNICATIONS.UM, WE NEED A, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY DR. HANEY TOME REGARDING A SUMMARY OF THE PAVEMENT, REHABILITATION AND RELATED, UH, OPPORTUNE ON REDBIRD FOR THE DEAD END TO HIGHWAY 3 47.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? WE'RE GOOD.
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, UH, STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THIS CHAMBERS REGARDING REDBIRD STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE SUCH AS THERE HAS BEEN MISALLOCATION OF FUNDS ON REDBIRD BY REPLACING A WATER LINE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE DITCH.
STATEMENTS WERE MADE THAT STAFF IS PAYING FOR WORK THAT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED UP TO $18,000.
I'M A BIT EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS SUBJECT BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, PROFESSIONALLY I CONSIDER MYSELF AN EMPLOYEE ADVOCATE.
AND SUCH STATEMENTS ARE A STAB AT THE EMPLOYEES.
SECONDLY, AS A CITIZEN, I HAVE SEEN HOW HARD
[00:45:01]
THIS COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING TO RESTORE THE PUBLIC TRUST IN THIS GOVERNING BODY.AND YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON MANY, MANY LEVELS, BUT STATEMENTS LIKE THAT CAN STAB AT THE HEART OF THIS WORK AND THEY NEED TO BE CLARIFIED.
SO TONIGHT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE STAFF PERSPECTIVE, AND I'M GONNA LET YOU DECIDE IF MONEY HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED OR WORK THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE, WAS PAID FOR.
SO WHAT WE ARE GONNA COVER IS, FIRST OF ALL, WHY RED BIRD? WHY DID WE DO RED BIRD? THE SCOPE OF WORK AND DEFINITIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION, PICTURES BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES.
THE STAFF TESTIMONIALS A CONCLUSION AND WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
BEFORE I START THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE MONITORING ALL THESE PROJECTS AS THEY GET BUILT AND AFTER THEY ARE BUILT.
AND WE DID THE THREE MONTHS INSPECTION ON REDBIRD AND WE HAVE OBSERVED SOME FAILURES THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND WE DID REACH OUT TO THE CONTRACTOR AND HE'S GONNA CORRECT EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
SO IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND YOU'VE SEEN SOME FAILURES, IT IS ON THE CONTRACTOR'S SIDE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ADDRESSED.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WHY REDBIRD? THERE WE GO.
SO LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS INFORMED STAFF THAT WHEN THE STREET PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED, IT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR A CERTAIN PURPOSE IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED.
WE FOUND IN THE BUDGET THE LIST OF STREETS THAT THE COUNCIL HAVE VOTED TO DO.
AND WE DISCOVERED OF ALL THE STREETS, REDBIRD WAS NOT DONE FROM JEFFERSON TO THE DEAD END AT GREEN AVENUE.
SO WE DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE COUNCIL'S VOTE AND SEE IF THIS STREET NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART IN THE 20 18 20 19, BUDGET IS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW.
SO WE STARTED LOOKING AROUND TO SEE THE CONDITION OF THE STREET.
AND ON THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE WATER LINE IS.
IT'S NOT IN THE DITCH, THE WATER LINE IS UNDER THE PAVEMENT.
AND THE COUNCIL HAD MADE THE DECISION THAT IF WE ARE DOING STREETS THAT ARE WAR LINES, AND I USED, THE WORD USED AT THE TIME IS CROSSING THE STREET, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IF IT'S IN BAD CONDITION.
A YEAR DOWN THE ROAD, THE WAR LINE BLOWS OUT THE STREET HAS TO BE REDONE.
CROSSING THE STREET DOES NOT MEAN ONLY AT AN INTERSECTION CROSSING THE STREET CAN BE FROM THE BLOCK TO BLOCK CROSSING THE STREET CAN BE A SERVICE LINE, AND EVERY HOUSE ON THAT STREET HAS A SERVICE LINE.
SO IT MAKES NO SENSE NOT TO REPLACE THESE WATER LINES THAT ARE UNDER PAVEMENT, WHICH THIS ONE WAS, AND ALL THE SERVICE LINE THAT CROSSES THE STREET ON THE LONG SIDE SERVICE.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE CONDITIONS.
SO FROM THAT, WE ESTABLISHED A SCOPE OF WORK AND CREATED A BIT TABLE BASED ON TEXT DOTS, STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS.
SO THIS IS THE BIT TABLE WHERE THE BLUE ARROW IS.
IT SAYS CLEANING AND RESHAPING DITCHES.
WE DID NOT BID GRADING DITCHES.
THERE WAS NO BID ITEM IN THIS PROJECT THAT SAYS GO GRADE THE DITCH.
THE BID ITEM SAID CLEANING AND RESHAPING DITCHES.
ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST ITEM, IT SAYS REPLACE EXISTING SIX INCH POLY WATERLINE.
SO THE WATERLINE REPLACEMENT WAS IN THIS BID TABLE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO COUNCIL WITH THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE PAVEMENT OF THE STREET.
SO HOW COULD STAFF HAVE MISALLOCATE FUNDS? HOW COULD STAFF HAVE SPENT ANYTHING WITHOUT COUNCIL'S APPROVAL? COUNCIL APPROVED THIS PROJECT, THEY APPROVE THIS BIT TABLE AND THEY APPROVE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATERLINE.
MOVING ON, ON THE DEFINITION OF D DOTS, DEFINITION FOR CLEANING AND RESHAPING DITCHES, EXCAVATE
[00:50:01]
AND REMOVE EXCESS MATERIAL FROM THE DITCHES AND FROM AROUND FIXTURES WITH THE LIMITS OF THE EXCAVATION OR RESHAPE BY CLEANING SILT FROM THE DITCH AND SPREADING ON BACK SLOPE AS APPROVED.IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK IS.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE BID ITEM SAYS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.
RESHAPED DITCHES IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE LINES, GRADES, AND TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS SHOWN ON THE PLANS.
WE DID NOT PROVIDE CROSS SECTIONS ON THE PLANS.
SO THAT DOES NOT APPLY OR AS DIRECTED, WHICH WAS TO GET RID OF THE SILT ON THE BOTTOM, RESHAPE THE DITCH, AND MOVE ON AND GET PAID FOR THAT ITEM THEM.
SO GRADING DID NOT, WAS NOT PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THE CONTRACTOR COMPLETED THE SCOPE OF WORK AS PER THE BID ITEM.
AND AS PER THE DEFINITION IN TEXT, DOTS MANUAL DURING CONSTRUCTION PICTURES, AS YOU CAN SEE, DO YOU SEE A DITCH THAT HAS BEEN CLEANED AND RESHAPED? DO YOU SEE A DITCH THAT HAS BEEN CLEANED AND RESHAPED? SO THE CONTRACTOR FULFILLED THE DUTIES OF THIS CONTRACT FOR CLEANING AND RESHAPING THE DITCHES, AND HE GOT PAID FOR IT.
NOW WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES.
AND THESE AFTER PICTURES WERE TAKEN THREE MONTHS LATER FROM AFTER THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION WAS UH, ISSUED.
SEE THE BEFORE DITCH, YOU SEE THE AFTER DITCH.
THREE MONTHS LATER, THAT DITCH HAS BEEN CLEANED AND RESHAPED.
YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE? THIS, THIS LOOKS MORE LIKE GRADING.
SO ALTHOUGH THE CONTRACTOR DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT, HE ACTUALLY DID, BUT HE GOT ONLY PAID TO CLEAN A RESHAPE.
THIS IS WHAT THAT DITCH LOOKED LIKE.
THOSE PICTURES WERE TAKEN BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
WELL, A FEW DAYS AGO, OVER THE WEEKENDS WHEN I TOOK THESE NEW PICTURES.
ANOTHER ONE, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE ARE HAVING AS YOU SEE IN SOME OF THESE PICTURES IS SOME OF THE HOUSES ON REDBIRD, ACTUALLY THEIR ENTRANCE IS ON THE OTHER STREET.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY ARE A BLOCK DEEP.
SO THEIR BACK FENCES ARE ON REDBIRD AND THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINING THE DITCHES ON REDBIRD.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE DITCHES ARE WELL MAINTAINED.
THEY'RE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE, THEY LOOK GREAT.
BUT SOME OF THE DITCHES ON THE NORTH SIDE ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED FOR STAFF TESTIMONIALS.
THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TO CLOSE THE PROJECT.
AND I BELIEVE ADAM, THE PROJECT MANAGER, TOLD Y'ALL THAT THIS WORK HAS BEEN DONE TWICE.
AND I BELIEVE MR. KWA INSPECTED THE PROJECT AS WELL AND TOLD YOU ALL THAT THIS WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS PER THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, AS PER THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THE CONTRACTOR WAS PAID APPROPRIATELY.
IN CONCLUSION, THE WATERLINE WAS UNDER THE PAVEMENT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ITS DETERIORATED CONDITION.
THE REPLACEMENT OF UTILITIES UNDER THE PAVEMENT WAS DIRECTED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL WHEN THEY VOTED TO AWARD THIS PROJECT.
AND WHEN THEY HAD A DISCUSSION AND DECIDED WE NEED TO REPLACE THESE WATER LINES.
SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT REPLACING WATER LINES AND STREET MONEY IS NOT KOSHER.
YOU ALL HAD THE EXPERT CAN STAND WHERE I'M STANDING AT ONE POINT ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND TELL YOU ALL RIGHT AWAY TO RIGHT AWAY.
THE CITY HAS TRIED TO DO WHATEVER IT WANTS WITH ITS CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS.
IF IT DECIDES TO PUT A BENCH, THEY CAN PUT A BENCH.
SO THERE'S NOTHING UN KOSHER ABOUT REPLACING WATER LINES USING THE CERTIFICATES OBLIGATIONS FOR STREET REHAB.
TWO, THE DITCHES WERE CLEANED AND RESHAPED AS PER THE BID ITEM AND TEXT DOTS DEFINITION GRADING OF THE DITCHES WAS NOT PART OF THE SCOPE.
AND THREE, THE CONTRACTOR WAS NOT PAID FOR WORK.
ACTUALLY, THE CONTRACTOR DID THE WORK TWICE AND WAS PAID FOR IT ONLY ONCE.
[00:55:04]
AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.UH, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ARE GONNA MOVE DOWN TO NUMBER TWO C.
CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORTS, NONE.
EMPLOYEES RECOGNITION, NONE, CORRESPONDENCE, NONE.
[III.F.(1) A Discussion And Possible Action Regarding “No Parking On Unapproved Surfaces” Pursuant To Ordinance No. 26-13. (Requested By Councilmember Getwood)]
F DISCUSSIONS NUMBER ONE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING NO PARKING ON UNAPPROVED SERVICES PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 26 DASH 13.AND THIS IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GETWOOD.
UM, I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR AT OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY DISCUSS SOME POSSIBLE, UM, AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICY AS IT RELATES TO PARKING FOR RESIDENTS, UM, WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE HOMES ON THOSE TYPE OF STRUCTURES THAT IS OUTLINED.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO, I ALSO THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY ALSO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN PLACE AND ALSO THE NEW ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED IN MARCH, UM, THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON MARCH 10TH, 2026.
UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE VERY, UM, CRUCIAL THAT WE DO THAT, ESPECIALLY SO RESIDENTS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT HAS BEEN UPDATED, WHY IT WAS UPDATED, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO GIVE THAT RELIEF, UM, TO SOME AREAS THAT I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS ON, UM, MAKING SIMPLE AND EASIER FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, SO JUST LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO ITEM FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[V. REPORTS/ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY REPORTS OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, UM, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER TO DO SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON.COUNCILOR MAYOR PRO, TIM KINLAW.
HEY, I'M, I'M GUYS, I'M, I'M JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS, I'M SO EXCITED THAT, UH, FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE.
UH, MEMORIAL WE PLAY, UH, P AND G, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND IT'S A RED OUT, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, RIGHT? UH, RED OUT.
SO SEVEN O'CLOCK MEMORIAL STADIUM.
UH, WE PLAY P AND G AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS VICTORY.
SO IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, UH, BE THERE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AND I WANNA SEE ALL YOU GUYS OUT THERE SUPPORTING OUR KIDS.
COUNCILMAN RICK GETWOOD? YES, MA'AM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT DAY IN DISTRICT ONE.
I, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I AM REALLY TRULY EXCITED ABOUT REPRESENTING THAT DISTRICT BECAUSE IN DISTRICT ONE WE ARE ONE FOR SURE.
BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED ON YESTERDAY.
WE HAD AN AMAZING, AN AMAZING, UM, FIRST MEETING, WELL MEET AND GREET, BUT ALSO TOWN HALL, UM, THAT I WAS ABLE TO HOST.
IT WAS A LET'S LEARN TOGETHER WHERE WE ALLOWED RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND LEARN WITH ME, UM, AS I AM REPRESENTING THEM IN THIS, IN THIS SEAT AND CAPACITY.
I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR SHOWING UP OUR CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL FOR BEING THERE.
BUT I DEFINITELY WANNA GIVE A BIG OUTSTANDING THANK YOU TO, UM, DR.
LINDA BOSWELL AND HER TEAM FOR CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION THAT REALLY BROKE DOWN HOW THE CITY BUDGET WORKS.
IT GAVE RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY WHO HAD NEVER SEEN A BUDGET BEFORE TO LEAVE, UNDERSTANDING HOW MUNICIPAL BUDGETS WORK AND HOW WE AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO SIT IN THE DIFFICULT SEAT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE MAKE CHANGES, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
AND, UM, LYNN IN HER PRESENTATION, GAVE OUR RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN OUR SEAT, IN HER SEAT FOR A SECOND AND THEY GOT A CHANCE TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THOSE THINGS PLAY OUT AND EXACTLY WHY THE CITY MAKES THAT DECISION.
AND ALSO TOO, WE HAD THE WATER METER COMPANY COME OUT AND SHARE SOME UPDATES AS WELL.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE EVERY RESIDENT WHO ATTENDED, UM, LEFT WITH ANSWERS AND THEY LEFT WITH TRANSPARENCY, BUT THEY MOST IMPORTANTLY LEFT WITH EDUCATION, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA BRAG ON MY DISTRICT BECAUSE DISTRICT ONE HAS SOME TWO FIRE FOOD PLACES THAT ARE COMING TO IT.
WE GOT FRENCHIES CHICKEN THAT IS COMING TO DISTRICT ONE.
WE GOT FRENCHES IN OUR DISTRICT.
HUH? AND THEN ALSO TWO, WE HAVE THE GRAND OPENING OF CHEF, CHEF TEAS, UM, CREOLE KITCHEN STIRRED UP BISTRO THAT IS RIGHT THERE IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT ONE.
SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO GO AND TASTE SOME OF THAT GOOD FOOD, PLEASE DO LET 'EM KNOW THAT COUNCIL WILL GET WHAT SENT YOU THERE.
THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU FOR REAL
BUT NO, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT YOU A DISCOUNT.
I WANTED TO HIGH YOU YOUR NAME.
YOU DON'T GET A DISCOUNT WHEN YOU SAY MY NAME.
YOU'LL GET A, YOU'LL GET A DISTRICT ONE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
HIGH FIVE WHEN YOU SAY MY NAME.
BUT NO, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO BUSINESSES MAINLY BECAUSE THEY'RE PEOPLE FROM PORT ARTHUR WHO DONE GREAT THINGS OUTSIDE OF PORT ARTHUR AND CAME BACK TO PUT BUSINESSES HERE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOME GOOD FOOD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO FRENCHIES BEING HERE 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO GO TO WORK TO GET IT.
I CAN GET IT RIGHT ON MY WAY DOWN GUFF WAY, UM, TO GET SOME FRENCHIES.
WHEN IS IT OPEN? UM, I BELIEVE IT'S GONNA OPEN ON THE 28TH.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA DO A, A GRAND OPENING THERE.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN PLEASE COME OUT, GET YOU SOME OF THE, SOME OF THAT GOOD CHICKEN.
UM, AND LET'S SUPPORT, UM, OUR PORT AUTHORS AS THEY'RE REVITALIZING
[01:00:01]
DIFFERENT AREAS, UM, THAT WERE DILAPIDATED AND BRINGING NEW THINGS THAT CAN BRING BENEFIT TO OUR, TO OUR CITY.AND OF COURSE THE DISTRICT ONE WHERE WE ARE ONE.
THAT GRAND OPENING'S GONNA BE ON THE 29TH.
AND SO THAT WAS GONNA BE A DAY EARLY AND IT'S GONNA GO WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
AND WE HAVE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA TO PROVE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS DONE.
AND SOME PERFORMANCES FROM WHAT I HEAR TOO, ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
IT, IT'S GONNA BE A SHOW STUFF ALL DOWN GULF WAY DRIVE.
SO BE THERE ALL UM, COUNCILMAN FRANK? YES, MAYOR.
I WANT TO, UM, GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND A CONGRATULATION.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER DOES, AND I COMMEND HIM FOR IT ALWAYS, IS THAT HE SUPPORTS HIS STAFF AND HE ALWAYS MAKES SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING, UH, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
HAVING SAID THAT, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, DR. LYNN BOSWELL.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY CONGRATULATED HER.
SHE HAS RECEIVED HER DOCTORATE AND SHE IS HANDLING OUR CITY FINANCES IN AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET, AND I WANT TO ASK THE CITY TO DO SO, IF YOU'VE NOT WATCHED OUR BUDGET HEARING, UH, AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET, UH, FORMATTING AND, AND PLANNING, UH, IF YOU WILL WATCH IT ONLINE.
UH, THE MEETING THAT WE HAD, IT WAS A MASTER CLASS, AND SO WE ARE SO APPRECIATED OF WHAT SHE'S DONE AND HOW SHE'S HANDLING THAT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE.
WE WANTED TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE.
EVIE, UH, FUSA, UH, ALL OF ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE DOING THAT AS WELL.
PAST, UM, OUR COMMUNITY INTEREST, WE'RE GONNA GO TO NUMBER SIX, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE'RE GONNA NOW MOVE TO NUMBER SEVEN, CONSENT AGENDA.IF YOU HAVE ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE, UM, HELD FOR INDIVIDUAL VOTE, PLEASE PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON.
I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AT THAT TIME.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? UH, YES, MA'AM.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PULL ITEMS NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER FIVE, AND THEN I WILL, UM, UM, ABSTAIN FROM NUMBERS SEVEN AND 12.
YOU SAID SEVEN, BUT YOU'RE NOT PULLING THOSE, YOU JUST HAVE TO ABSTAIN FROM NO, I HAVE ABS, AB THOSE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA ASK, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A VOTE TO, UM, ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, WITHHOLDING ONE AND FIVE.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, WHEN WE GET, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO GET YEAH, NO, NO, NO.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO APPROVE THE WHOLE AGENDA.
I THINK SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO STEP AWAY NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
WITHHOLDING ITEM NUMBER ONE AND ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE IS HAVE IT, THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES WITH US WITHHOLDING ITEM NUMBER ONE AND ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
[VII.C.(1) P.R. No. 24829 – A Resolution Authorizing The Ceremonial Dedication Of The Port Arthur Business Park Located On Spur 93 To Floyd Batiste In Honor Of Former Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer Floyd J. Batiste.]
COME BACK NOW TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CEREMONIAL DEDICATION OF THE PORT ARTHUR BUSINESS PARK, LOCATED ON SPUR 93 TO FLOYD BATIS, AND OWNER OF FORMER PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FLOYD J BATIS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE UDC THAT CAN, YES.
SO, UH, MY QUESTION IS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO THE CONVERSATION, THE DISCUSSION SURROUNDING THIS AND ALSO, UM, THE SUPPORT OR WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE, UH, EDC BOARD AS A WHOLE FOR THIS? YES, MA'AM.
SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTED BY A, UM, EDC BOARD OF DIRECTOR.
UH, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS PRESENTED THIS.
[01:05:01]
PASSED.I, I COULD NOT TELL YOU WHETHER IT WAS UNANIMOUS, UNANIMOUS AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THOSE MINUTES IN FRONT OF ME, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW THE VOTE WENT, BUT IT DID PASS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD APPROVING IT.
UM, I JUST, I HAVE SOME COMMENTARY ON THIS AND IT, IT REMINDS ME OF, UM, COMMENTARY AND, AND, UM, DISCUSSION, UM, THAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA DIS DISCUSS A LITTLE LATER TODAY.
THAT WAS AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, WE GIVE HONOR WHERE IT'S DUE, RIGHT? AND WE HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE LED DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, IN THE CITY TO, UH, GREATER HEIGHTS.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYONE'S PERCEPTION IS NOT THE SAME.
AND THIS IS ME ADDRESSING MY, UH, COUNTERPARTS HERE ON THE DAYS.
EVERYONE'S PERCEPTIONS ARE NOT THE SAME.
I THINK THERE ARE, UM, WAYS TO HONOR LEGACIES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY INVOLVE THE, UM, THE MONEY PERHAPS OF CHANGING THE NAME.
UM, I HAVE, AS MS. MUELLER KNOWS, RECENTLY, UH, RECENT, UM, RECENTLY MIGRATED OVER FROM THE EDC BOARD TO THE, UH, TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT THE BUSINESS PARK IS THAT, UM, HAVING FIRST NAVIGATED BY BICYCLE, UM, WORKING OUT AND THEN BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT OVERSAW THAT PROPERTY AND BEING ABLE TO RIDE DOWN THOSE STREETS AND SEE THE NAMES OF THE, UH, FOUNDING MEMBERS OR, OR THE MEMBERS OF THE EDC BOARD WHO WERE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THAT BUSINESS PARK, UM, DEFINITELY INSPIRING.
AND I THINK THAT HAVING THEIR NAMES ON THOSE STREETS IS DEFINITELY, UM, IT HIGHLIGHTS THEIR LEGACIES IN THE WORK THAT THEY DID, NOT ONLY FOR THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BUT ALSO FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND SO, UM, I GUESS I AM RENDERING PERHAPS AN OPTION THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL RECONSIDERED THE FULL NAMING OF THAT PARK AND CONSIDER AN OPTION SUCH AS NAMING A STREET OR EVEN, UM, HAVING SOMETHING ELSE DONE IN THE PARK IN HONOR OF MR. FLOYD BATISTE INSTEAD OF NAMING THE ENTIRE PARK IN HIS HONOR.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR HIS LEGACY AND THE WORK THAT HE DID AT THE EDC OVER A DECADE.
UM, BEING THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS ANY MORE LIGHTS? I DO NOTICE THAT WE HAVE A HAND IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I DO HAVE TO LET HIM, UH, LET MR. UM, DOUCETTE COME FORTH AND SPEAK ANY OTHER LIGHTS? I DO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COME ON UP, MR. DOUCETTE.
AND THEN MR. COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND SPEAK THAT HAROLD DISETTE, 51 80 CAMBRIDGE STREET.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA COMMENT ON THIS, BUT IT'S MORE THAN JUST, UH, NAMING THE STREET FOR MR. BATIS AS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN JACOB DESCRIBED.
THOSE ARE STREET NAME AFTER SOME OF THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE SERVED ON THE EDC AND ESTABLISHING, UH, THE BUSINESS PARK AND STUFF.
BUT MR. BATIS DONE A LOT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
MAYBE SOME WHO MAY NOT KNOW MAY QUESTION THIS NAME OF THE PARK, BUT JUST SINCE THE TIME I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AND KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN PAVILION PAVILION, IT LOOKS THE WAY IT LOOKED, BECAUSE HE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH GIVING THE CITY MONEY TO DO IT.
THE, UH, BUILDING ITSELF ACROSS THE STREET, THAT BUSINESS PART, THE GROWTH OF IT.
HE INITIALLY STARTED, HE PURCHASED MORE LAND TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A WATER SPRAY UP HERE ON THE STREET.
AND ABOVE ALL, HE TOOK A ECONOMIC DEVELOPED CORPORATION FROM HAVING HARDLY NO FUNDS AND A LOT OF, UH, PROBLEMS, LEGAL PROBLEMS. AND HE BUILT IT BACK UP WHERE IT BECAME, UH, SELF-SUFFICIENT, ALWAYS HAD A BIG FUND BALANCE, AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS DONE SOMETHING EVERY YEAR TO HELP THIS CITY PROVIDE, UH, PARKS AND FIXED TREES WITH MONEY.
SO, MR. BATIS WAS ALSO KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY.
HE WAS ONE OF THE PERSON THAT WAS CHOSEN TO SPEND, TO TEACH AT CONFERENCES ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BECAUSE HE WAS QUALIFIED.
SO HE WAS NOT JUST KNOWN IN PORT ARTHUR FOR WHAT HE DO WITH A DC,
[01:10:01]
HE'S ALSO KNOWN WITHIN THAT ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT THE STREET OR ONE THING HE'D DONE AS MANY THINGS HE'S DONE, IF ANYONE KNOW WHAT HE'D DONE.
WHILE I CONCUR WITH OUR, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN JACOBS, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT PERCEPTION IS REALITY AND THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN OUR CITY, UH, TO, UH, NOT AGREE ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OR ABOUT THE IMPACT OF AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, IN OUR CITY.
AND SO, EVEN AS THIS, UH, IS COMING FORTH ON TODAY, UM, I DID, UH, INITIALLY BRING THIS TO COUNCIL AND TALK TO COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.
AND THEN WE MADE SURE THAT WE GO BACK TO THE EDC AND ALLOW THE EC TO VOTE ON IT AND TO GET THEIR SUPPORT FOR IT.
BUT I WOULD SAY AS WELL, THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE FEEL, OR NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS OR TRANSPIRES, THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF SOMEONE WHO WAS THE FIRST, HE WAS THE INITIATOR.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO BEGAN, UH, THE WORK.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO STARTED IT.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT IMPACT OF, OF BEGINNING IT, UM, DOING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID TO BRING IT FORWARD, UH, AND TO, UH, ULTIMATELY HAVE IT, HAVE THE KINDS OF SUCCESS, UH, THAT IT HAS HAD, WHETHER IT IS THE FORMULATION OF THE EDC BUILDING, WE SEE THE PRESS BUILDING, UH, AND THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL PART.
I THINK THAT, UH, HIS NAME, UH, CAN BE PLACED UP ON THAT CEREMONIALLY.
UH, AND, UH, EVEN AS THERE ARE OTHER NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, HE WAS THE PERSON WHO WAS THE LEADER.
HE WAS THE PERSON WE DIDN'T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE.
BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS IMPACT HAS BEEN FELT AND IT IS CONTINUALLY BEING FELT.
AND I, I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS ACTUALLY ON, UM, I WAS AN EMPLOYEE AND THEN A, ACTUALLY AFTERWARDS, A PART OF THE EDC FROM 2012 TO 2014 BEFORE, UH, GETTING ON, WE WOULDN'T HAVE A BUSINESS PARK IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR FLOYD BATISTE.
AND SO, UM, WITH NOT ONE BUSINESS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE PRESS BUILDING, UM, THAT WE HAVE HERE.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR STREETS.
THE FIRST MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE GOT CAME FROM THE EDC.
I CANNOT IMAGINE NOT NAMING THAT BUSINESS PARK AFTER FLOYD BATES.
ANY MANAGER, MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SHARE AS WELL.
FLOYD AND I WORKED VERY INTIMATELY TOGETHER.
FORMER COSMAN DOUCETTE FLOYD WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AS ONE OF THE FEW PORT OFFERINGS WHO HAVE MADE A GLOBAL IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, A GLOBAL IMPACT.
MANY A TIMES WE HAVE SAT IN HIS OFFICE.
BUT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, I WAS PRIVY TO THEIR CONVERSATIONS ON HOW FLOYD SAW THINGS, HOW HE LECTURED AT SEMINARS, AND HOW HE BROUGHT HOME THE BEEF FOR THE CITY OF PO.
ARTHUR FLOYD UNDERSTOOD THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVEN SCHOLARS, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT INTRICATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN WE MET EVERY DAY FOR LUNCH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS DISCUSSED IS HOW CAN WE MERGE THE TWO TOGETHER IN ORDER TO BRING PORT ARTHUR WHERE IT IS, WE HAVE A DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT WAS FUNDED FOR CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE OF FLOYD BAPTISTE.
WE GOT THE MONEY FROM MARDI GRAS WHEN THEY COULDN'T USE IT, THEN $750,000.
FLOYD KNEW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WATERS TO GO THERE, TO PINPOINT THE MONEY, TO GET IT, TO USE IT.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE WON THE NUMBER ONE AWARD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE NUMBER ONE AWARD, FIVE PLANS WITHIN ONE PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THE STATE OF PORT ARTHUR, THE PLANNING ASSOCIATION FOR THE STATE OF PORT ARTHUR SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.
[01:15:01]
IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE VISION OF FLOYD BAPTIST.UM, COUNSEL, WE READY TO GO TO A VOTE? ARE WE, UH, MATILDA, UM, MS. BOATMAN, I KNOW YOU'RE HIS SISTER.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE WE VOTE.
UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, YOU WELCOME TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
THIS IS MY EMOTIONAL, I WANT TO THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING HER, HIM ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS.
I THINK EVERYONE KNOW MY BROTHER, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR PORT ARTHUR.
AND THE PURPOSE FOR PUTTING THAT PARK WAS HIS FIRST, FIRST TIME FIRST.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ARE ASKING HIM TO BE NAMED AFTER THAT.
I THINK EACH ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR YOUR VOTE.
WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL VOTE OR WE CAN VOTE.
[VII.C.(5) P.R. No. 25078 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With PaveCon, Ltd., Of Houston, Texas, BuyBoard Cooperative Contract No. 800-26, For The 25th Street Bridge Repair Project – Phase 2 For The Amount Of $72,949.46. Funds Are Available In Account No. 307-21-053-8517-00-10-000. Project No. BR0002.CON.]
GO TO NUMBER FIVE.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH PAVE CON LTD OF HOUSTON, TEXAS BY BOARD COOPERATIVE CONTRACT NUMBER 800 DASH 26 FOR THE 25TH STREET BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT, PHASE TWO FOR THE AMOUNT OF $72,949 AND 46 CENTS.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 3 0 7 DASH 21 DASH 0 53 DASH 8 5 7 DASH 0 0 0 0.
PROJECT NUMBER BR TWO, I'M SORRY, BR 0 0 0 2 CO.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I MOVE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS PROBABLY MORE SO FOR A CITY MANAGER, UM, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY, SINCE I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THE DAYS APPROVED SEVERAL, UM, PROJECTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR.
AND ALSO GIVEN SOME OF THE, UH, CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD AT THE MOST RECENT COUNCIL MEETING IN REGARDS TO THE STREETS AND WARRANTY BONDING.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF ANY OF THOSE, UH, SPECS OR UH, SCOPE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO ENTER INTO SEE
YOU, YOU ARE ASKING IS CLIFF HERE? GO AHEAD.
IS CLIFF HERE? CLIFF, CLIFF, CLIFF, COME HERE, COME, COME HERE.
I THINK THE, THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE NEW, UM, REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AS FAR AS OUR PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES.
UM, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, NO, IT, THE BONDING WASN'T PUT AS FAR AS THAT BOND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
THIS PROJECT WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY BY THE TIME WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, AND THEN MARTIN COULD PROBABLY GO INTO BETTER, BUT THIS IS BY BEING A BRIDGE REPAIR, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE STREET THING.
SO I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE GUARDRAILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT WAS, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE STREET BEING WOW.
LIKE WE WAS HAVING IN THAT CONVERSATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I AGREE THAT A, A STREET AND A BRIDGE IS DIFFERENT.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT IT'S THE SAME VENDOR, UM, SOMETIMES WE CAN EXPECT THE SAME TYPE OF WORK PRODUCT.
AND SO AGAIN, WITH ON MY SOAPBOX OF ADMONISHING US TO HAVE VERY TIGHT, UM, CONTRACT CONTROLS AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, UM, I DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE, UM, EXCLUSIONS THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE, UH, IN THE CONTRACT OR EXCLUDED FROM THE CONTRACT, IF YOU WILL.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE COULD STAND TO REVISIT HOW WE ARE APPROACHING, UM, CO-OP TYPE CONTRACTS FOR THINGS SUCH AS STREETS AND BRIDGES.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT VENDOR NAME REALLY POPPED OUT TO ME IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE, UM, OF THE, THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING AS OF RECENT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
UM, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, JACOBS FOR PULLING THAT ITEM.
I HAD THE SAME, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS
[01:20:01]
ON IT AS WELL.SO JUST TO, FOR A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
WHEN WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT PIECE OF TERMINOLOGY TO BE INCLUDED AND INCORPORATED? UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CO2 AND WITH THE, UM, PRO PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
MAKE SURE WE GET IT EXPEDITED.
JUST TYPICALLY, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO RUSH THE PROCESS, BUT TYPICALLY, WHAT, WHAT'S AN ESTIMATED TIMELINE THAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE THAT, THAT TERMINOLOGY BE LISTED IN ALL OF THE, THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS? OH, HOPEFULLY, UM, WE HAVE A, IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO, ANYTHING THAT'S COMING ON NEW, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ASK FOR THOSE.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE ASK THAT THEY BE PROTECTED.
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT AGENDA.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING BECAUSE I, I MEAN, IF, IF, IF WE DON'T KNOW THE DATE, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL WHICH NEW CONTRACTS IS GOING TO GET THE TERMINOLOGY.
YOU GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT AN ATTORNEY? NO, I HAVE, WELL, I GOT A LOT OF LIGHTS.
AND I NEED TO, I THOUGHT ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LIGHTS CITY.
SO ARE YOU, I I THOUGHT YOU WAS GETTING READY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SO, CITY MANAGER, ARE YOU DONE? I'LL SPEAK AFTERWARDS.
I'M GLAD YOU YOU STANDING RIGHT THERE.
UH, I REMEMBER IF YOU GUYS, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR BRIDGE AND, AND CROSSOVER TRAFFIC.
YOU'RE GONNA SHARE THAT WITH, BECAUSE THAT WAS A MAJOR CONCERN AND I DID READ THE BACKGROUND, SO I WANTED, IF SOMEONE CAN ADDRESS IT.
JUST TO ADD TO MR. BURTON'S COMMENTS LAST TIME YOU, LEMME TURN YOUR MIC ON.
OH, IS IT? WE HAVE ANOTHER MIC, GUYS, THAT MIC SEEMS TO BE, I HEARD SOMETHING.
OH, THAT WAS, IT'S STILL, CAN YOU HIT IT ON IT'S GREEN? UH, JUST KIND OF PULL IT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THIS MICS UPDATED.
UM, THIS IS ABOUT THE, HOW ABOUT NOW? THERE WE GO.
SO JUST TO ADD TO MR. BURTON'S COMMENT, LAST TIME WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS AT COUNCIL AND, UH, COUNCILMAN PENA REQUESTED TO LOOK AT MORE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY PERIODS.
I DID CONTACT ONE OF OUR STREET, UH, VENDORS, TEXAS MATERIALS AND I REQUESTED THEM TO, 'CAUSE THEY JUST DID A JOB WITH US.
SO I TOLD THEM IF THIS SAME JOB IS TO HAVE A THREE YEAR WARRANTY OR A FIVE YEAR WARRANTY, I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PRICE DIFFERENCE IS.
SO WHEN WE BRING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU, YOU WOULD KNOW A THREE YEARS GONNA THIS BE THIS MUCH MORE AND AT FIVE YEARS THIS MUCH MORE.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THIS INFORMATION WITHIN THE TWO WEEKS AND PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL.
UH, LET ME SAY MANAGER, I CUT HIM OFF.
SO SENIOR MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? UM, AND THEN THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD REMEMBER THIS WAS A MATTER THAT WAS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UM, WHERE WE HAD, UM, A STAFF MEMBER BEING BROUGHT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS, TO PROVIDE US WITH A REPORT ON THE CONDITION ANALYSIS OF THAT SAID BRIDGE MM-HMM
AND, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT THAT BRIDGE WAS GOING TO COST US OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND, UM, ALL THAT SURROUNDED IT ABOUT HOMELAND SECURITY AND ALL THAT STUFF.
HOWEVER, WHEN MY NEW DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES, SUE HILL CAME IN, I TOLD HIM I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRICE OF THE BRIDGE.
AND SO WE VISITED THE BRIDGE AND SUE HA ASKED FOR, HE MADE CERTAIN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE BRIDGE AND HE BROUGHT IN CERTAIN EXPERTISE AND LOOKED AT THE BRIDGE RESULTING IN THE COST THAT WE CAN PAY $72,000 TO REPAIR THE BRIDGE AND NOT GO BACK ON THE INFORMATION THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL GIVE US IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NO ONE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL NO LONGER WORKS FOR THE CITY OF PO ARTHUR.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE A MILLION DOLLARS.
[01:25:01]
THE BRIDGE, ALL THAT HAD TO BE DONE WAS THE WEEP HOLES IN THE BRIDGE HAD TO BE VACUUMED OFF SO THAT THE FOUNDATION IS NOT ERODED MORE.AND THEY WERE PREPARED TO TELL US THAT WE HAD TO PAY.
WE GOT AN ENGINEER, REMEMBER AN ENGINEERING FIRM CAME BY ZOOM.
AND PROVIDED US REFERRAL REPORT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS, UM, THANK YOU.
CITY MANAGER AND THANK YOU, UH, DR. HANEY.
UM, I, I THINK A GOOD PRACTICE, IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU SAID, THAT COMPARISON BETWEEN THE WARRANTIES OF THREE YEARS AND FIVE YEARS.
I WANNA SAY IN THAT DISCUSSION WE HAD AT THAT LAST MEETING WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER PENA INQUIRED, THERE WAS A LOT OF REFERENCE TO A ONE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PURSUE THOSE.
AND I GUESS THAT'S ALSO ME TALKING TO YOU AS WELL.
CITY ATTORNEY IS PROBABLY IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO NOT PURSUE THOSE ONE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW WHAT THAT COMPARISON IS.
A ONE YEAR, THE COST OF A ONE YEAR WARRANTY, A THREE YEAR AND A FIVE YEAR.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS ONCE IT REACHES COUNSEL, CAN MAKE, UM, DECISIONS BASED ON THAT INFORMATION.
UH, BUT THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY FOR UH, FOR KIND OF HEADING THAT UP FOR US.
HAROLD IS SAID 51 80 CAMBRIDGE.
THIS IS THE SAME VENDOR, OR SHALL I SAY, A FIRM COMPANY THAT DONE A JOB THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, I QUESTIONED BECAUSE WE DID NOT GO THROUGH THE PURCHASE, THE BID PROCESS REQUESTING BIDS ON IT.
THEN IT CAME BACK WITH THE SAME, UH, JOB, ANOTHER CONTRACT THAT WAS REDBIRD.
NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT WE'RE NOT RAISING FOR THE BID.
SO THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE TO MAKE TO, I'M SORRY, I WANNA MAKE TO COUNCIL AND CITIZEN SAYS, ANY RESOLUTION YOU SEE, THEY REFER TO CHAPTER 1 71 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE DEALING.
I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THAT, MIKE.
IT'S LIKE THE BATTERY WENT OUT.
WE GOTTA CHANGE THE, IT'S DEAD.
IS THAT A D CELL BATTERY OR AA? OKAY.
JUST CAN WE GIVE HIM A MIC FROM UH, WHAT ABOUT THE MICS? WE WHAT ABOUT THE MICS THAT WE USE FOR OUR WORKSHOP, PLEASE? WE COULD.
I JUST WANT TO REFER TO ONE REFERENCE CHAPTER 2 52 THAT GOVERNED PURCHASING, MUNICIPAL PURCHASING.
AND WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THIS COMPETITIVE.
WE SUPPOSED TO SEND OUT FOR BIDS 1 71 AND THE BY BOARD.
IT'S A METHOD THAT HAS BEEN PROVED BY THE STATE, BUT WE SHOULD BE BIDDING THAT WAY.
ALL THIS SELECTING SOMEBODY AND GIVING THE CONTRACT AND COME BACK AND TELL US, OH, NOBODY COULDN'T DO IT FOR CHEAPER.
HOW YOU NOW DON'T TELL ME NOBODY COULD DO IT CHEAPER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE AS COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR.
BUT IF WE SERVE CITIZENS, NO, WHERE IS THE PAPER? SHOW ME WHAT EVERYBODY BIDED AND THEN I KNOW THAT'S THE BEST BID.
SO WHAT IT IS, THAT'S THE BEST DOLLARS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO USE 2 52 'CAUSE IT STATES WE SHOULD BE GETTING THE BEST VALUE FOR OUR DOLLARS.
EVERYBODY STATED, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AMPLE ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE, DEVELOP A SCOPE AND SENT OUT FOR A BID AND LET'S GO FOR THE BEST BID STAFF SHOULDN'T BE SELECTING NOBODY BY BOARD IS A WAY OF GOING AROUND COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
[01:30:01]
COMPETITIVE BIDDING.WE SHOULD BE USING IT BY BOARD IS A METHOD AND IS APPROVED.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT'S NOT, BUT WHY AREN'T WE BIDDING IT? THANK YOU ALL.
UM, AS I STATED AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING BY BOARD AND SIMILAR OTHER COOPERATIVE, UM, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS OR CONTRACTS ARE STATE APPROVED LEGAL MEANS BY WHICH MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS OTHER, UM, GOVERNING BODIES CAN PROCURE CONTRACTS.
THESE CONTRACTS ARE COMPETITIVELY BID, HOWEVER, THE VENDORS BID DIRECTLY WITH THE COOPERATIVES.
AND THEN BECAUSE THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE THEN CLEARED BY THAT GOVERNING BODY, PEOPLE LIKE, OR ENTITIES SUCH AS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, CAN THEN GO TO THEM AND STREAMLINE OUR ENTIRE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THERE IS NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT USING A COOPERATIVE FOR PROCUREMENT.
IN FACT, MOST OF OUR LOCAL ENTITIES USE THE SAME COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF ALL TYPES AND SIZES.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS OF FORT ARTHUR, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE IN THIS DAUS TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT FAIR TO THE, UH, PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT OF THIS CITY, THE CITY MANAGER NOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS DAUS TO HAVE INFORMATION MISREPRESENTED IN THAT MANNER.
AND, UM, TO ADD TO THAT, WE USED THAT BY BOARD TO GET PROJECTS DONE FASTER BECAUSE WE WERE PUSHING CITIZEN, WE WERE PUSHING AT THE ASK OF CITIZENS.
WE'RE NOT MOVING PAST ENOUGH ON GETTING STREETS DONE.
AND THIS BODY WITH THAT PARTICULAR, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DOUCETTE, UH, VOTED TO USE THIS PROCESS BY WHICH WE COULD GET THINGS DONE QUICKER.
SO, UM, I JUST, ANYWAY, SORRY, IF I MIGHT MAY ADD ONE MORE THING.
WE ARE NOT JUST GIVING THESE CONTRACTS BASED ON NUMBERS.
SO WE ALREADY BID A $5 MILLION STREETS PROJECT AND THE LOWEST BIDDER WAS THE ONLY COMPANY IN THIS AREA THAT SELLS MATERIALS AND NOBODY CAN BEAT THEM.
SO WHEN WE GET PRICES FROM BUYBOARD COMPANIES, WE WILL TAKE THESE PRICES AND WE COMPARE THEM TO THE LOWEST PRICE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO OVER BIDDING.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON ONE STREET JOB THAT WE'RE DOING NOW THROUGH BUYBOARD, THEY CAME IN WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE COST ON UTILITIES THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE.
WE STRUCK IT DOWN AND WE BROUGHT THE PRICE DOWN TO THE LOWEST BID ITEM THAT WE HAD ON THAT CONTRACT, WE ACTUALLY BID.
SO WE ARE NOT JUST OPENLY GIVING THESE FOLKS ALL THE MONEY THEY WANT, WE MONITOR THEIR PRICE, WE COMPARE IT TO ACTUAL BIDS BEFORE WE AWARD THEM THE JOBS.
UH, ALL RIGHT, WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24828 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Close-Out Documentation Submitted By Brystar Contracting, LLC, Of Beaumont, Texas, For The Stonegate Drainage Improvement Project And Authorizing The City Manager To Release The Retainage In The Amount Of $901,680.81. Account Nos. 307- 00-000-2050-00-00-000 ($43,184.04), 148-00-000-2050-00-00-000 ($520,542.12), 154-00-000-2050-00-00-000 ($337,954.64). Project No. DR1P04. ]
MOVE NOW TO OUR, UH, ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION, NON-CONSENT NUMBER A ONE, PR NUMBER 2 4 8 2 8, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE CLOSEOUT DOCUMENTS.DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED BY BROAD STAR CONTRACTING, LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE STONEGATE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO RELEASE THE RETAINAGE AND THE AMOUNT OF $901 $680 AND 81 CENTS.
ACCOUNT NUMBER IS 3 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 40 $3,184 AND 4 CENTS.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 48 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 2 0 5 0 0 0 DASH ZERO ZERO DASH 0 0 0 $520,542 AND 12 CENTS.
ACCOUNT NUMBER ONE FIVE FOUR ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO TWO ZERO FIVE ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY $7,954 AND 64 CENTS.
PROJECT NUMBER DR ONE P ZERO FOUR.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 25065 – A Resolution Authorizing The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation To Enter Into A Professional Services Agreement With Future Force Inc. To Provide The Future Force Workforce Readiness Program To Eligible Port Arthur Residents In An Amount Not To Exceed $300,000.00 Over A Two (2) Year Term (FY 2026 - $50,000.00; FY 2027 - $175,000.00; FY 2028 - $75,000.00), Subject To Annual Appropriation And Approval Of The Budget. FY 2026 Funds Are Available In PAEDC Account No. 120-80 625-5475-00-00-000. (Job Training Programs) ]
[01:35:01]
DOWN TO PAGE NUMBER SEVEN.NUMBER TWO, PR NUMBER 2 5 0 6 5.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH FUTURE FORCE INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE FUTURE FORCE WORKFORCE READINESS PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS IN AN, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000 OVER A TWO YEAR TERM FY 2026 $50,000 FY 2027 $175,000 FY 2028 $75,000.
THIS IS SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATION AND APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET.
AND PA EDC ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 0 8 0 6 2 5 DASH 5 4 7 5.
JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? GETWOOD? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
UM, THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY GREAT INITIATIVE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THE EDC IS BRINGING THIS FORWARD FOR COLLABORATION.
THIS IS REALLY GONNA HELP A LOT OF RESIDENTS, UM, GET PREPARED FOR A JOB, BUT ALSO HELP THEM OBTAIN THE JOB BY HAVING THE SKILLS PRIOR TO THEM APP APPLYING FOR THE SET JOB.
SO THANK YOU TO THE EDC FOR THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN ON BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND I'M GLAD THAT EDC ACTUALLY APPROVED IT AND NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO.
GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
IT LOOKS LIKE MR. GRANGER HAS SOMETHING HE WANTS TO SHARE WITH US, SO.
WELL, CAN CAN YOU SHARE SOMETHING WITH US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM PLEASE, FOR EVERYONE HERE TO LEARN AND KNOW
B UH, SEAN GRANDER, UH, PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WORKFORCE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
UH, THIS IS AN INITIATIVE, UH, AND WE DO HAVE FUTURE FORCE HERE WITH US.
DORA PATTON, UH, AS WELL AS CAMILLA.
UH, THIS IS A INITIATIVE THAT, UH, I THINK ALL OF US HOLD DEAR TO OUR HEART.
UH, WE OFTENTIMES WONDER WHY PORT ARTHUR, THE RESIDENTS AREN'T GETTING HIRED.
AND AS I TOOK OVER THIS POSITION TWO YEARS AGO, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A COMMON, UH, CHOIR THAT WAS SINGING PRETTY MUCH SAYING THAT WE DON'T, UH, WE LACK THE SKILLS.
WE DON'T HAVE, UH, WE DON'T CALL OUT, WE DON'T DEESCALATE.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE GOOD HYGIENE.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR RESUMES TOGETHER.
UH, AND SO THIS IS A, AN INTENTIONAL PROGRAM IN ORDER FOR PORT ARTHUR, THE RESIDENTS TO GET TRAINED.
IT'S A, IT'S A MONTH LONG COHORT.
WE'RE WORKING ALONG WITH INDUSTRY, UH, TO CERTIFY A BADGE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT ONCE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THIS TRAINING, IT'S BEEN INTENTIONAL.
YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO PERFORM ON THE JOB, HOW TO, UH, YOU KNOW, CARRY YOURSELF ON THE JOB AND HOW TO, YOU KNOW, BE PREPARED.
AND SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROGRAM THAT'S GONNA ALSO CHANNEL INTO THE REST OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE APPROVED THIS YEAR.
UH, AS FAR AS THE NURSING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, THE CDL PROGRAMS, UH, AS WELL AS UH, OUR OSHA 10 PROGRAMS WITH KIWI, UH, THIS IS, UH, A OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET OFF THE COUCH BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN BEEN SEEING IS, IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE, UM, WHEN THEY GIVE US THE NUMBERS EACH MONTH, WE NOTICE THAT PORT ARTHUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT APPLYING FOR JOBS.
UH, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF ANY TYPE OF EXCUSES THAT PEOPLE HAVE AS TO WHY THEY CAN'T GET INTO THE WORKFORCE.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
UH, AND WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE ALL THOSE THINGS THAT INDUSTRY IS TELLING US WHY THEY'RE NOT HIRING PORT AUTHOR CITIZENS.
UM, THE A'S HAVE IT, THE RESOLUTION PASSES
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 25067 – A Resolution Approving An Economic Development Conditional Grant Agreement Between The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation And PARC Enterprises, Inc. D/B/A Script Care Pharmacy Of Texas For An Amount Not To Exceed $157,130.00; Funds Available In EDC Account No. 120-80-625-5478-00-00-000.]
NUMBER THREE, PR NUMBER 2 5 0 6 7.A RESOLUTION OF PROVEN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONAL GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND PARC ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED.
DBA SCRIPT CARE PHARMACY OF TEXAS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $157,130.
FUNDS AVAILABLE IN EDC ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 8 6 5 5 4 7 8 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 25085 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase (11) Rotork Electric Actuators Including Installation From Sole Source Provider Environmental Improvements, Inc. Of Houston, Texas, In The Amount Of $124,423.00, Account No. 410-40-210 5318-00-00-000. (Equipment Maintenance)]
NUMBER FOUR, PR NUMBER 2 5 0 8 5.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE 11 ROAD TORQUE ELECTRIC ACTUATOR ACTUATORS INCLUDING INSTALLATION FROM SOLE SOURCE PROVIDER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS INCORPORATED OF HOUSTON, UH, TEXAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $124,423.
ACCOUNTS NUMBER 4 1 0 4 2 5 3 8 0 0 0.
EQUIPMENT SERVICE, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[01:40:01]
NUMBER[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 25088 – A Resolution Authorizing Ratifying The City Manager's Decision To Authorize The Emergency Repairs To The 46th Street Lift Station With Allco, LLC, Of Beaumont, Texas In The Total Amount Of $193,657.06; Funds Are Available In CIP Account No. 405-00-000-8516-00-00-000, Project No. WS0032. ]
FIVE, PR NUMBER 2 5 0 8 8 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION TO AUTHORIZE THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THE 46TH STREET LIFT STATION WITH ALCO LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $193,657 AND 6 CENTS FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CIP ACCOUNT.NUMBER 4 0 5 DASH 0 0 8 5 16 DASH 0 0 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO WHO SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY NOS THE AYES HAVE AT THE RESOLUTION.
[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 25092 – A Resolution Approving Awarding Of A Bid By The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation And Authorizing The Execution Of A Construction Contract For The Rehabilitation Of The Detention Ponds At The Spur 93 Business Park To TW Dirt, LLC Of Gilmer, Texas In The Amount Of $513,340.00; Funding Is Contingent Upon The Approval Of The FY26/27 Budget And Appropriation Of Funding. Once Approved, Funding Will Be Available In The PAEDC Account Number. 120-80-625-8511-00-00-000. (Land) ]
SIX.A RESOLUTION APPROVING A AWARDING OF A BID BY THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A CON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE DETENTION PONDS AT THE SPUR 93 BUSINESS PARK TO TW DIRT LLC OF GLIMMER TEXAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $513,340.
FUNDING IS CONTINGENT UPON THE APPROVAL OF THE FY 26 27 BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION OF FUNDING ONCE APPROVED FUNDING WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE PORT ARTHUR EDC ACCOUNT NUMBER 1 2 0 8 0 6 2 5 DASH 8 5 1 LAND.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE SECOND.
BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO PAGE NUMBER EIGHT, NUMBER SEVEN,
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 25101 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Contracts For The Purchase Of HDPE Pipe For The Water Utilities Department With Consolidated Pipe And Supply Of Houston, Texas And Act Pipe & Supply Of Beaumont, Texas With A Total Projected Budgetary Impact Of $150,000.00 With Funding Allocated From Water Utilities Account No. 410-40-220-5313-00-00-000, Sewer System Maintenance For FY27, Subject To City Council's Annual Appropriation And Approval Of The FY27 Budget.]
PR NUMBER 2 5 1 0 1 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF HDPE PIPE FOR THE WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WITH CONSOLIDATED PIPE AND SUPPLY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND ACT PIPE AND SUPPLY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS WITH THE TOTAL BUDGETARY BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $150,000 WITH FUNDING ALLOCATED FROM WATER UTILITIES.ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 1 0 DASH 4 0 20 25 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 SEWER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE FOUR FY 27 SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL'S ANNUAL APPROPRIATION AND APPROVAL OF THE FY 26 27 BUDGET.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVED SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 25102 – A Resolution Approving A Five-Year Contract Agreement With The Texas Health And Human Services Commission For The Continuation And Operation Of The Nurse-Family Partnership Program; Authorizing The Director Of Health Services Through The City Manager To Execute The Agreement In An Amount Not To Exceed $5,531,289.00 For The Term September 1, 2026, Through August 31, 2031; Providing That Funding And Expenditures Are Subject To The Adoption And Appropriation Of The City's A]
EIGHT, PR NUMBER 2 5 1 0 2.A RESOLUTION APPROVING A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FOR THE CONTINUATION AND OPERATION OF THE NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
AUTHORIZING A DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,531,289 FOR THE TERM SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2031.
PROVIDING THAT FUNDING AND EXPENDITURES ARE SUBJECT TO THE ADOPTION APPROPRIATION OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGETS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2026.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTION PASSES PR NUMBER
[VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 25105 – A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Establishing That The Frenchy's Chicken Grand Opening Celebration, To Be Held On Saturday, August 29, 2026, Serves A Public Purpose; Authorizing The Temporary Closure Of Gulfway Drive Between Bluebonnet Avenue And Orange Avenue From 11:00 A.M. To 11:00 P.M.; Authorizing The City Manager Or His Designee To Execute An Agreement For The Temporary Closure Of State Right Of Way With The State Of Texas, Acting By And Through The Texas Department Of Transportation.]
2 5 1 0 5.A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ESTABLISHING THAT THE FRENCHES CHICKEN GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2026 SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE AUTHORIZING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF GOWAY DRIVE BETWEEN BLUE BOND AVENUE AND ORANGE AVENUE FROM 11:00 AM TO 11:00 PM AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF STATE RIGHT OF WAY WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? MEMBER GETWOOD.
NOT A QUESTION, JUST WANT TO TAKE ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE THE WIFE OF MR. MR. WILSON HERE.
UM, WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT TASTING THAT FRENCH'S CHICKEN.
AND THAT'S ALSO IN DISTRICT ONE, BY THE WAY.
WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION, MARY THEN.
I DIDN'T KNOW SOMEONE WAS HERE REPRESENTING.
I HAD COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS FIRST.
I LOVE NEW THINGS COMING TO PORT ARTHUR, ESPECIALLY FOOD
I'M REALLY ALSO VERY MUCH EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE PERFORMERS THAT ARE BE GONNA BE COMING DOWN, UM, FROM THE HOUSTON AREA.
[01:45:01]
LOT OF EXCITEMENT.I DO HAVE A LOGISTICAL QUESTION, HOWEVER, UM, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO TO POSE THIS TO, BUT IS THERE AN ESTABLISHED, UM, DETOUR ROUTE PERHAPS? AND IS THERE, UH, KIND OF A AREA WHERE THEY WOULD, WHERE, UH, THE HOST WOULD PREFER FOR, UH, VISITORS AND PATRONS TO PARK? I THINK THEY'VE ANSWERED, UM, ALL THOSE QUESTIONS WITH THE TEAM.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN ALL THE ROUTE.
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PLANNED DOWN.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, POLICE AS WELL, THE FIRE MARSHAL AND THE EVENT ORGANIZER TO KIND OF IDENTIFY A SAFE WAY TO NAVIGATE HAVING THIS AREA CLOSED AND UH, GET FOLKS IN AND OUT OF THAT AREA.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING THAT AREA OUTSIDE OF, UH, ORANGE AND BLUEBONNET IS GONNA BE WHERE OUR CLOSURE IS.
UM, WE HAVE SOME OTHER STREETS THAT ARE BETTER HANDLED, UH, FOR LARGER VOLUME OF TRAFFIC LIKE STILLWELL AND THOMAS AND DEQUEEN.
UH, THOSE ARE ROUTES THAT WILL BE PREPARED TO HAVE SIGNAGES AS NEEDED.
UH, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FRENCH'S.
UH, YOU WANT TO OUT OF MAYOR, IS IT OKAY FOR HER TO COME ON UP? ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S MY TIRE? WELL YOU GOT A FRENCHY SHIRT ON SO YOU GOOD? I WAS WORKING TODAY SO I WAS IN THE RESTAURANT.
UM, MY HUSBAND IS FROM PORT ARTHUR.
WE ARE ELATED TO BE ABLE TO BRING BUSINESS TAX DOLLARS TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UM, WE LOVE THIS CITY AND WE ARE HOPING OTHER BUSINESSES WILL FOLLOW THE PLAN THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE HERE.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD, SAFE, UM, EVENT ON SATURDAY.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND WORK WITH ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING.
SO WE LOVE THE CITY AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT SATURDAY AND WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR HELPING US GET, GET TO WHERE WE ARE.
WELL MAKE SURE WE GET SOME CHICKEN NOW.
MAKE TIME TO COME BY AND GET US GET SOME CHICKEN FROM FRENCHY.
I LIKE THOSE STRONG A'S GOT TO THAT'S
[VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 25121 – A Resolution Establishing Frenchy's Grand Opening Block Party On August 29, 2026, From 11:00 A.M. To 11:00 P.M, As A Special Event; Designating Gulfway Drive Between Bluebonnet Avenue And Orange Avenue As The Event Location And Entertainment Area; Designating F. Wilson Investments, LLC As The Exclusive Concessionaire For The Event; And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With F. Wilson Investments, LLC Pursuant To Chapter 90 (Special Events) Of The City Of Port Arthur Code Of Ordinances.]
GO NUMBER 10.Y'ALL GOT A BODY CHICKEN
LLC AS AN EXCLUSIVE CONS CONCESSIONAIRE FOR THE EVENT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH F WILSON INVESTMENTS.
PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 90, SPECIAL EVENTS OF THE CITY OF PUERTO ARTHUR CODE OF ORDINANCE, I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(11) P.R. No. 25109 – A Resolution Appointing A Member And / Or Members To The Charter Advisory Committee. (Requested By Councilmember Getwood)]
PR NUMBER 11, PR NUMBER 2 5 1 0 9 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A MEMBER AND OUR MEMBER TO THE CHARTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUR GETWOOD, YOU GOTTA GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.I'VE GOT A MOVEMENT IN A SECOND.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
DO WE HAVE A NAME? DEVON SHAAR.
[VIII.A.(12) P.R. No. 25111 – A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Amend The Contract With Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C. ("Lloyd Gosselink") For Legal Services Related To The Study, Design, Permit, Construction, Operation Of A Cell At The City's Landfill, Increasing Contract Funding By An Additional $20,000.00 For A New Total Contract Amount Not To Exceed $120,000.00; Funding Is Available In The Law Department's Professional Services - Account No. 001-05-013-5420-00-10-000]
12.PR NUMBER 2 5 1 1 1 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH LLOYD GOSLIN, ROCHELLE AND TOWN PC LORD GOSLIN FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO THE STUDY DESIGN PERMIT CONSTRUCTION OPERATION OF A SALE AT THE CITY'S LANDFILL.
INCREASING CONTRACT FUNDING FROM AN ADDITIONAL BY AN ADDITIONAL $20,000 FOR A NEW TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 120,000 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
ACCOUNT NUMBER 0 0 1 0 5 DASH THREE DASH 5 4 2 0 0 0.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND TO MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY NOS? THE AYE HAVE THAT THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
[VIII.A.(13) P.R. No. 25116 – A Resolution Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas To Enter Into An Agreement Between The City of Port Arthur, Texas And Environmental Industrial Services Group, Inc. (“EISG”) For Industrial Waste Operations At The Port Arthur Landfill Located at 4732 Highway 73 West, Port Arthur, Texas. (Requested By Councilmember Frank)]
13.A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
SO I HAVE TO READ THE ENTIRE THING STATEMENT.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN
[01:50:01]
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICE GROUP, UH, INCORPORATED, EISG FOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE OPERATIONS AT THE PORT ARTHUR LANDFILL.LOCATED AT 47 32 HIGHWAY 73 WEST PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE.
BASED UPON CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD IN CLOSED SESSION, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO TABLE SECOND.
MAYOR, WE HAVE A, UM, MOVE THE TABLE AND A SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? FRANK, YOUR LIGHT STILL ON? DID YOU NEED TO SPEAK? OKAY.
[VIII.A.(14) P.R. No. 25108 – A Resolution Authorizing The Ceremonial Street Renaming Of Austin Avenue From State Highway 87 (A.K.A. Gulfway Drive) To Thomas Boulevard As “Rev. Dr. Luther B. Wade Way” In Honor Of The Late Rev. Dr. Luther B. Wade; Providing That The Ceremonial Designation Shall Not Change The Official Street Name Or Addresses Of Adjacent Residences Or Businesses; And Providing For The Installation Of Ceremonial Street Name Signs.]
14 PR NUMBER 2 5 1 0 8.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CEREMONIAL STREET RENAMING OF AUSTIN AVENUE FROM STATE HIGHWAY 87 AKA GOWAY DRIVE TO THOMAS BOULEVARD AS REVEREND DR.
LUTHER B WADE WAY IN HONOR OF THE LATE REVEREND DR.
WE WE NEED TO JUST KINDA WAIT UNTIL WE, UM, FINISH.
OF AUSTIN FROM STATE HIGHWAY 87 AKA GUFFY DRIVE TO THOMAS BOULEVARD AS REVEREND DR.
LUTHER B WADE WAY IN HONOR OF THE LATE REVEREND DR.
LUTHER B WADE, PROVIDING THAT THE CEREMONIAL DESIGNATION SHALL NOT CHANGE THE OFFICIAL STREET NAME OF ADDRESSES OF ADJACENT RESIDENCES OR BUSINESSES AND PROVIDING FOR THE INSULATION OF CEREMONIAL STREET NAME SIGNS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE SECOND.
IT'S GOT A MOVE AND A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN GETWOOD? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION, AND MAYBE THIS IS A LITTLE UNORTHODOX.
JUST LET ME KNOW IF IT, IF IT COULD BE CONSIDERED OR NOT.
UM, BUT AS IT RELATES TO, UM, DEALING WITH RENAMING OF THE STREETS, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO RENAME THE WHOLE ENTIRE STREET? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A, WAS A A WELL, THE, THE, THE ENTIRE PATH LINE HERE, I KNOW IT WAS A, A A, A FEW PEOPLE HAD CONCERNS ON RENAMING, UM, THE ACTUAL STREET BECAUSE OF THE, UM, ALL THAT GOES INTO IT WITH HAVING TO PAY TO REPLACE EVERYTHING.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DO IT WHERE IT IS PERMANENTLY CHANGED JUST WHERE THE STREET BY THE CHURCH IS AT? IS THAT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO? HALF AND HALF.
THE, THE BLOCK OF WHERE THE CHURCH IS AT, I KNOW THERE WAS A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT IF WE DO IT, IT'S GONNA EXTEND DOWNTOWN TO INTERFERE WITH OF COURSE OUR, UM, OTHER ENTITIES THAT WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR NAME.
HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, AFTER HEARING OR SUPPORT OF THE NAME BEING CHANGED, UM, FROM NOT CEREMONY, BUT PERMANENTLY, THAT OF COURSE HE HAD A LOT OF FOUNDATION NEXT TO HIS CHURCH.
SO SEEING IF WE CAN POSSIBLY DO THAT PORTION OF WHERE THE, THE BLOCK IS OF HIS CHURCH PERMANENTLY AND THE REST LY.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE'S WHY I'M ASKING.
WELL, WE'D HAVE TO GET THAT FROM OUR, FROM OUR PROFESSIONALS.
THAT'S A WHOLE, YEAH, IT'S A WHOLE NEW PROCESS BECAUSE IT, IT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE BASICALLY, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AGAIN, YOU'D HAVE TO THROW THIS OUT INTO THE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IT PERMANENTLY.
BECAUSE WE'RE VOTING RIGHT NOW IN CEREMONY.
DO THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE AUSTIN ADDRESS CEREMONY YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE NAME WOULD BE ABOVE RIGHT, AUSTIN.
AND THAT PART, THAT PART I, I HAVE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD, 'CAUSE I DO KNOW IT WAS WITHIN THE FAMILY'S WISHES TO HAVE IT PERMANENTLY, BUT TO, I I MAYBE IT WAS TOO LATE TO ASK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE DONE HALF AND HALF WHERE WE HAVE IT PERMANENTLY, WHERE THE CHURCH IS AT AND THE REST COULD BE CEREMONIALLY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE, UH, THE AGENDA SAYS FROM STATE HIGHWAY 87 A K GOWAY DRIVE TO THOMAS BOULEVARD.
THAT'S THE, THAT FROM GULF WAY, BUT THAT'S CEREMONIAL.
I NAMED A LOT OF PREACH CEREMONIES IN PORT ARTHUR ALREADY.
SO IT'S, LET'S GO BY THE AGENDA.
LET'S PROVE IT UP OR DOWN BY WHAT THE AGENDA SAYS.
HE, HE WAS ACTUALLY, UM, I THINK THE LIST OF, FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, COUNCILOR MCG, MIGUEL WAS ASKING FOR A PERMANENT RENAMING OF ONE BLOCK NOW.
UM, BUT WE DON'T, WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE NOTHER HEARING PROCESS.
[01:55:01]
NOTHER PROCESS TO DO THAT.AND I WAS JUST, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ON, WE PUT BOTH THINGS ON THE AGENDA TO DO CEREMONIAL.
AND, UM, AND SO WE ARE AT THE CEREMONIAL.
WE CAN EITHER PASS IT AND OR MOVE FROM THAT AND, AND GO TO THE, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CHANGE IT PERMANENTLY.
AND I DON'T THINK THE SUPPORT FOR PERMANENTLY IS HERE.
AND I, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
YOU GOTTA, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DEALING WITH THE RENAMING OF A STREET AND I I WAS ABLE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF BOTH PARTIES, THOSE IN OPPOSITION AND THOSE THAT WERE FOREIGN SUPPORT.
AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT WE COULD FIND A MIDDLE GROUND THAT WOULD NOT APPEASE BOTH SIDES, BUT MAKE IT, MAKE IT MORE ADVERTISING FOR BOTH PEOPLE.
BOTH, BOTH COMMUNITIES, WELL, BOTH ASPECTS.
FOR AND AGAINST TO BE APPEASED, UM, IN THIS MATTER.
AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORIC MEANING BEHIND IT, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF RENAMING IT PERMANENTLY.
AND I THINK FROM WHAT, UH, WHO WAS EXPLAINED.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN COME ON TO THE PODIUM.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? UM, I'M REVEREND WADE'S DAUGHTER.
UM, MY ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS FOR PERMANENTLY.
AND I, UH, THAT'S WHY WHEN I TALKED TO THE YOUNG, THE MS LANCEFORD, I WAS ASKING HER, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO REQUIRE? WHAT ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS? AND WE WENT THROUGH 'EM AND ALL OF 'EM WERE FILLED.
SO THAT'S WHY I ORIGINALLY WENT FOR PERMANENTLY.
UM, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT CEREMONIAL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE STRUCTURES AND EVERYTHING, WHAT THE GUY WAS JUST SAYING, BUT WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CEREMONIAL, I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHY Y'ALL SAYING THAT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UH, YOU GOTTA CHANGE THE STREET SIGNS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GOES INTO EFFECT.
BUT WHEN MY DAD, UH, WHEN HE, HE, WHEN HE MINISTERS, HE DIDN'T MINISTER TO A SECTION.
HE DIDN'T MINISTER TO A SECTION IN FRONT OF HIS CHURCH.
HE WENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, HE WENT ON THE STREETS AND HE GOT PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
HE GOT 'EM OFF THE STREETS AND HE BROUGHT 'EM IN, INTO THE CHURCH.
PROBABLY SOME OF Y'ALL MOMS, DADS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS, WHATEVER.
AND HE BROUGHT 'EM INTO THE CHURCH.
FIRST LADIES, UH, MINISTERS, CHOIR DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, I'M SAYING.
AND THROUGH HIS LEGACY, ME AS HIS DAUGHTER, I'M, I'M INTO CHURCH.
MY DAUGHTER SEEING, THEY MINISTER TO THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHEN I WENT FOR PERMANENT, I, I PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT AND I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE GUY THAT JUST LEFT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE REASONING HE'S SAYING IT COULDN'T BE PERMANENT? NO, HE, HE SAID HE COULD NOT BE PERMANENT FOR A BLOCK BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO BACK, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE ON HERE THAT WE CAN VOTE ON FOR THE WHOLE STREET TO BE, UH, VOTED ON, UM, PERMANENTLY MM-HMM
AND, UM, WE CAN, WHAT WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE THE ORDINANCE FOR HERE.
UM, BUT I JUST DID NOT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN PULL IT UP AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
YEAH, WE, WE PUT BOTH SO THAT IF ONE WAS VOTED DOWN, YOU WOULD GET ONE OF THE RIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HELP.
AND AGAIN, MAYOR, I'M SORRY THAT THAT WAS IN PART ON MY END TRYING TO GAIN CLARIFICATION.
AND I, I DO WANNA ALSO CLARIFY AS WELL IN ME SAYING THAT AND STATING THAT I WAS NOT LIMITING YOUR FATHER'S LEGACY TO JUST ONE BLOCK.
BUT I WAS IN, IN ESSENCE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WHERE WE COULD APPEASE BOTH BECAUSE AS WE WERE INFORMED AT THE LAST MEETING OF ALL THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO ENCOMPASS, AND OF COURSE ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE AS WELL.
WHICH I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME COMMON GROUND THAT WE CAN FIND AT THIS TIME THAT WILL BE APPEALING TO BOTH, OF COURSE, YOUR FAMILY IN HONORING YOUR FATHER'S LEGACY, AND ALSO TO APPEALING TO THE, THOSE WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY THAT CHANGE AS WELL.
SO I, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OH, NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR, BUT, UM, THEY SENT A LETTER AND, UM, IN SUPPORT OF IT, THEY SAID THEY SENT IT TO THE, I HAVE IT ALSO, BUT IT WAS SENT TO ME, MOSES AND, UH, ROAN BURTON CITY MANAGER.
DID Y'ALL RECEIVE THAT? UH, I'VE BEEN IN MEETINGS ALL AFTERNOON.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING BECAUSE HE, THEY SENT IT TODAY AND I WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY RECEIVED IT OR NOT.
SO IT, IT IS SOME SUPPORT OUT THERE BESIDES JUST THE CHURCH AND US AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS A CEREMONIAL, UH, OH, SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, THE LIGHT BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
ONE MORE QUESTION THEN BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENT.
UM, CITY MANAGER OR THE ATTORNEY ON DATE, WERE WE IN RECEIPT OF A, A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE, FROM THE, UM, PORT? THE PORT? I'M LOOKING THROUGH MY PHONE RIGHT
[02:00:01]
NOW.I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE IF Y'ALL NEED TO.
YOU SENT MAYOR MOSES? YES, MA'AM.
I GOT ALL MY EMAILS RIGHT HERE.
YOU DID? AND IT WAS IN SUPPORT.
DID DID IT COME TO ME? I I, I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THAT IT CAME TO TWO MA'AM.
AND THAT'S FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? NO, THAT'S FROM THE WHO IS IT? IT'S FROM THE PORT MAN MANAGER.
I WAS TRYING TO GET IT, HOLD ON.
WE COUNSEL, WE HAVE TWO THINGS.
SO WE CAN, UH, GO TO THE PERMANENT AND VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE FOR THAT.
'CAUSE IT, IT IS HERE IN MY OFFICE.
UM, OR AT THIS POINT WE'VE GOT ON THE FLOOR, I HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO HOLD.
WELL, I'M THIS, WELL, I, I'M CLEAR POINT OF WELL POINT OF INFORMATION.
POINT OF INFORMATION FOR THE, UM, FROM THE PORT POINT OF INFORMATION.
SO, AND THE, DO WE, IF WE VOTE FOR 14, WE NEGATE 15, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO THAT'S WHY WE, TO GET, I HAVE A COPY OF LETTER INFORMATION AND THE LETTER STATE, THE LETTER DOESN'T STATE WHETHER IT'S EITHER IN SUPPORT OF PERMANENT OR CEREMONIAL.
IT'S A VERY GENERIC, WELL, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS AS A SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY OWNER ALONG AUSTIN AVENUE, THE PORT PROVIDES A LETTER OF NON OBJECTION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL NAME CHANGE FOR THE LOCAL STREET, ACKNOWLEDGING THE EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY-WIDE CONTRIBUTION AND LOCAL CITIZENS.
AND WE DO HOWEVER, ASK FOR CONSISTENCY IN THE NAMING CONVENTION, RECOGNIZING PAST PRACTICE THAT WOULD APPLY TO FUTURE RENAMING OF PORT ARTHUR STREETS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S FOR OR NOT, NOT, HE DIDN'T SAY THAT WITH THAT'S WHAT BEFORE.
SO HE DOESN'T REALLY GIVE A, TAKING A STANCE ON EITHER.
'CAUSE HE, THEY SENT IT TO ME AND SAID THEY WERE IN SUPPORT.
YEAH, BUT THAT'S THE LETTER I'M READING.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL LETTER RIGHT HERE.
HE DOESN'T GIVE CLARITY ON WHETHER HE'S FULLY FORWARDED OR NOT FOR IT.
SO MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SO YES, UM, MAYOR PRO TIM.
SO IF WE HANDLE 14, WE WOULDN'T LIKE COUNCILMAN FRANK, IF WE DO IT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO ADDRESS 15.
IT SHIFTS OVER WHEN IT'S PERMANENT.
SO NOW IT'S AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF ALL THE ACQUIRED GPS AND ALL OF THE, THE NOTIFICATIONS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT CHANGES THE WHOLE THING.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO AT LEAST HAVE IT CEREMONY WITH HIS NAME ABOVE AUSTIN AVENUE WITH LIKE ALL THE OTHER STREETS HAVE BEEN DONE.
AND THEN THIS, UH, OR EITHER, AND WE CAN, WE GOT A MOTION AND, AND A SECOND IT'S UNDER QUESTIONS.
WE GOT AN AMENDMENT TO HOLD IT OR WE GOTTA, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO GO TO THE ORDINANCE.
AM I RIGHT? CITY ATTORNEY? SEE WE CAN, UM, WE CAN HOLD THIS AND THEN AMEND IT.
I MEAN HOLD IT AND THEN GO TO THE ORDINANCE AND VOTE ON IT.
AND IF IT PASSES OR NOT, WE CAN COME BACK TO, BASED ON IF THE ORDINANCE PASSES, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE CEREMONIAL.
SO IF ONE FAILS, THE OTHER ONE CAN GO FORWARD.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
I NEED A MOTION TO HOLD, I GUESS.
CAN I HOLD IT OR WHAT DO WE DO WE GOT, WELL, NO.
I WANTED TO MAKE A, OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, AS A FRIEND OF, UH, EASTERN STAR BAPTIST CHURCH AND HAVING BEEN THERE AND FELT THE IMPACT OF YOUR FATHER, UM, AS A MINISTER MYSELF, I DO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT MINISTERS HAVE ON GENERATIONS THAT ARE YET UNBORN.
IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL, UM, A VERY EMOTIONAL DECISION.
UM, AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL'S HAD TO VOTE ON THESE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE AND, AND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU FEEL, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR FATHER.
BUT LET ME SAY AS WELL SITTING HERE ON THE DAY, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US RIGHT, TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT IT HAS ON NOT JUST THE EASTERN STAR CHURCH, BUT ALL OF THE CITIZENS WHO LIVE ON THAT STREET.
WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE, THE UM, GIS YOU START TALKING ABOUT, UH, MOTIVA WHO WILL BE ON THAT STREET AS WELL, WHO WILL HAVE TO CHANGE LETTERHEAD AND CHANGE THE DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE THERE.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPACTED WHEN YOU DO A PERMANENT CHANGE TO A STREET IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO IT DOESN'T JUST IMPACT EASTERN STAR, IT IMPACTS
[02:05:01]
ALL OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? IT IMPACTS ALL OF THE HOMES AND ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK, UH, WHO HAVE TO SHOW THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, THEY HAVE TO GIVE A, THEY HAVE TO GO GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE CHANGED TO GET THEIR ADDRESS CHANGED ON THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE TO GO APPLY FOR A JOB.SO THERE'S A LOT TO THAT, RIGHT? AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR A CEREMONIAL CHANGE AND I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHY I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR A CEREMONIAL CHANGE.
NOT BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL THE IMPACT OF YOUR FATHER'S MINISTRY.
NOT BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE WAS INFLUENTIAL AND TOUCHED THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.
I JUST HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION BASED UPON THE ENTIRETY OF A CITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, I NEED SOMEONE TO, I HAVE A QUESTION.
WE HAVE TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
SO WE CAN'T ADDRESS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
UH, YOU CAN'T ADDRESS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE TO COME TO THE PODIUM TO ADDRESS US.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? NO, I WAS JUST MAKING AN OBSERVATION.
UH, SO LIKE I SAID, I WAS DEALING WHEN WAYNE WAS THERE ALSO.
WELL, I MEAN I WAS LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, FROM GUFF WAY TO ALL THE WAY TO WHERE MOTIVA STUFF IS.
IT'S LIKE THREE RESIDENTS THAT'S ACTUALLY FACING THAT STREET.
AND THEN, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUSINESS PART OF, UH, MOTIVA.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO FOR THE ADDRESS.
'CAUSE THEY STILL IN CONSTRUCTION, SO IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF ADDRESS CHANGES BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY ACTUALLY FACING THAT STREET IN THAT AREA.
BUT THREE LITTLE SHOTGUN LOOKING HOUSES BESIDES MOTIVA.
SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT, I, I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU ARE SAYING.
I'M FAR EITHER ONE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO JUST, IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT COMPARED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S ACTUALLY FACING AUSTIN IN THAT LITTLE, THAT AREA THERE.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, UH, WE HAVE NUMBER ITEM, UH, NUMBER 14, A RESOLUTION ON THE TABLE.
UM, SO WE NEED TO DO A MOTION TO HOLD THIS AND, UM, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO HOLD IT UNTIL WE GO TO THE ORDINANCE AND ADDRESS THE ORDINANCE FOR PERMANENT.
WE ALL VOTE ON IT WITH A ROLL CALL VOTE.
AND THEN WE COME BACK TO THIS IF WE HAVE TO OR HOWEVER THE VOTE COMES OUT.
WELL THERE'S A MOTION TO HOLD ANY NOS.
WE'RE GONNA HOLD PR NUMBER 2 5 1 0 8 UNTIL WE GO OVER NOW TO,
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7440 – An Ordinance Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Renaming Austin Avenue, Generally Extending From The 300 Block Through The 2000 Block, To “Rev. Dr. Luther B. Wade Avenue”; Making Findings That The Request Complies With The City Of Port Arthur Street Renaming Policy Adopted By Resolution No. 87-220; Accepting And Incorporating The Staff Impact Report; Directing The City Manager To Implement The Street Renaming; Providing For The Replacement And Installation Of Street Name Signs; Providing For The Updating Of Official City Records, Addressing Systems, Maps, And Geographic Information Systems; Providing For Notification To Affected Governmental Agencies, Utilities, Service Providers, And Property Owners; Providing For Severability; Providing For Publication; And Providing An Effective Date.]
UH, UM, ITEM PAGE 10.NUMBER ONE, IT'S AN ORDINANCE.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, RENAMING AUSTIN AVENUE, GENERALLY EXTENDING FROM THE 300 BLOCK THROUGH THE 2000 BLOCK TO THE REVEREND DR.
LUTHER B WADE AVENUE, MAKING FINDINGS THAT THE REQUEST COMPLIES WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR STREET RENAMING POLICY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION NUMBER EIGHT SEVEN DASH 2020.
ACCEPTING AND INCORPORATING THE STAFF IMPACT REPORT, DIRECTING THE CITY MAN TO IMPLEMENT THE STREET RENAMING, PROVIDING FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND INSTALLATION OF STREET NAME SIGNS, PROVIDING FOR THE UPDATING OF OFFICIAL CITY RECORDS, ADDRESSING SYSTEMS, MAPS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROVIDING FOR NOTIFICATION TO AFFECTED GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UTILITIES, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS PROVIDING FOR SEVER, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBERS? I'M GONNA ASK FOR A ROLL CALL.
MAYOR, WHAT ARE WE SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
EXPLAIN YOU'RE GONNA, WE HAVE TO VOTE.
THIS IS THE ORDINANCE TO VOTE FOR THE PERMANENT RENAMING OF THE STREET.
I DON'T, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE, WHY DID WE TABLE THE OTHER ONE TO VOTE FOR THIS ONE FIRST TO GO BACK TO THE OTHER ONE AND VOTE FOR IT.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND NOT CONSIDER IT BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S ASKING FOR THE PERMANENT, SHE WANTS THE US TO VOTE UP OR DOWN THE PERMANENT RENAMING.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO VOTE THE ORDINANCE UP OR DOWN.
AM I CORRECT CITY ATTORNEY OR AM I IF I'M OUT OF ORDER, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
WE, NO, THE WAY THAT YOU'RE DOING IT AND, AND THE WAY YOU WERE DOING IT BEFORE ARE BOTH APPROPRIATE.
I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST OF THE CITIZEN THAT'S SEEKING THE APPLICANT CHANGE.
SO WE HAVE TO VOTE 'CAUSE SHE'S ASKING FOR THE PERMANENT RENAMING AND IT HAVE TO, IT HAS TO BE DONE BY ORDINANCE AND SO WE HAVE TO VOTE IT DOWN BEFORE WE CAN VOTE IT UP.
I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, OKAY, SO MAYOR, ALRIGHT.
UH, YOUNG LADY HAS A POINT ABOUT AUSTIN STREET.
[02:10:01]
ONLY THREE HOUSES IN THE WHOLE STREET.I MEAN, HOW CAN'T WE, WE, IF WE VOTED A PERMANENT, HOW CAN IT AFFECT ANYTHING? THERE'S THREE PEOPLE GOTTA CHANGE ADDRESS.
WELL I JUST READ EVERYTHING THAT IT AFFECTS AND THAT THAT'S WHY WE IN THE ORDINANCE, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE, I MEAN MOTIVA DON'T NO PROPERTY BELONG TO THE REPORT.
THE REPORT DON'T HAVE NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
THE MOTIVA DOES OWN AUSTIN AVENUE.
A PROPERTY, A BUS PARKING ON IT.
I MEAN THAT'S NOT, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
I NAMED EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN THE ORDINANCE.
PROVIDING FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND INSTALLATION OF A STREET NAME SIGN, PROVIDING FOR THE UPDATING OF OFFICIAL CITY RECORDS, ADDRESSING SYSTEMS MAPS, GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS. THAT'S THE GGPS PROVIDING FOR NOTIFICATION TO AFFECTED GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UTILITIES, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DAY.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT AFFECTED WITH THE PERMANENT STREET RENAMING.
WE HAVE TO VOTE IT UP OR DOWN FOR PERMANENT RENAMING BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS IT'S NOT, I DIDN'T WRITE IT AS IT'S JUST THIS BY THE I'M MISSING PROBABLY D I'M MISSING SOMETHING.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT JUST A THE THREE HOMES, IT'S MORE YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.
AND THAT WAS A QUESTION I HAD AS WELL.
'CAUSE WHEN WE, WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC HEARING IT, I, I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING THAT.
IT WAS JUST THREE HOUSES ON THAT BLOCK.
WELL, THREE HOUSES THAT WAS AFFECTED BY IT.
OTHER BUSINESSES AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY NAMED IN THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M TRYING TO ANSWER EVERYBODY.
FRANK, YOUR LIGHT'S STILL ON? NO MA'AM.
BUT MAYOR, FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THE ORDINANCE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE FREE HOUSES, THERE'S PLOTTED PROPERTY UP THERE, WHICH ONE DAY WILL BE DEVELOPED THAT'S BEEN OWNED BY THE PORT THAT'S BEEN OWNED BY SEVERAL PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THAT AREA.
SO THERE'S NO DEVELOP, THERE'S NO STRUCTURES OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT MEANS THAT WHOEVER OWNS THE PROPERTY HAS TO GO AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE OF THAT HAS TO INCUR THAT THE ORDINANCE INFORMS YOU THAT YOU WILL BEAR THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF MAKING THE CHANGES THAT IS NECESSARY.
THE ORDINANCE WARNS YOU ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE AT A ROLL CALL VOTE Y'ALL.
WE ARE GONNA GO TO VOTING RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK HIM ONE QUESTION, SO I'M SORRY.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO RESPOND TO WHAT HE, I WOULD WANNA TO ASK HIM.
SO WHEN YOU SAID MA'AM, COME ON TO THE MIC BECAUSE WE YES MA'AM.
WHEN YOU SAID FOR FUTURE NO, NO.
WAIT TILL YOU GET, COME ON TO THE MIC.
WHEN YOU SAID FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOUSES, WELL WOULDN'T THAT BE IN THE FUTURE? IT WOULD BE, THEY'D ALREADY HAVE THAT ADDRESS.
I MEAN, WE'D ALREADY HAVE THAT NAME.
NO, IT MEANS THAT THE NAME THAT THE CURRENT ADDRESS OWNS IT MEANS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO CHANGE IT.
BUT YOU SAID YOU GIVE THAT BOTH LEGAL AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE IT RIGHT.
TO THE NEW ADDRESS, TO THE NEW NAME THAT'S BEING GIVEN.
BUT WOULDN'T YOU HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAY IF YOU PURCHASING IT? NOPE.
YEAH, BUT HE WAS JUST FOR CLARIFY 'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALL CLEAR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IT'S ALREADY OWNED EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOTHING THERE YET.
THAT'S, I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
LET'S, LET'S GO TO VOTE PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER JONES? YEAH, I'M JUST CLARIFICATION YOU SAID IS, UH, UH, IF MOTIVA DEVELOP ANYTHING DOWN THERE.
SO YOU GOTTA USE WAY NAME ANYWAY.
IT COMES THAT IT COMES ALL THE WAY TO PROCTOR STREET.
IT'S ALL PROCTOR FROM THOMAS BOULEVARD TOO.
ITS, IT'S, UM, AUSTIN AVENUE TO THOMAS FROM GULF.
IT'S ALL THE WAY UP TO THROUGH TO 300.
2000 BLOCK FROM 300 BLOCK THROUGH THE 2000 BLOCK.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH PROCTOR STREET.
[02:15:01]
NO, THE MAYOR PES.OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK NOW TO THE CEREMONIAL NAMING OF THE STREET.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CEREMONIAL STREET RENAMING OF AUSTIN AVENUE FROM STATE HIGHWAY 87 AKA GOWAY DRIVE TO THOMAS BOULEVARD AS REVEREND DR.
WADE WAY IN HONOR OF THE LAKE REVEREND DR.
PROVIDING THAT THE CEREMONIAL DESIGNATIONS SHALL NOT CHANGE THE OFFICIAL STREET NAME OF ADDRESSES OR OF ADJACENT RESIDENCES OR BUSINESSES AND PROVIDING FOR THE INSULATION OF CEREMONY.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I'LL DO IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I DO A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK PROUD? YES.
OKAY, I'M GOING TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, UM, ADJOURNMENT.
CAN I GET A SECOND? WELL, HELLO.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.