[00:00:01]
GOOD MORNING[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
AND WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER THE 6TH AT 9:30 AM.WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYONE'S AWARE THAT YOU MAY JOIN OUR MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE AND OUR VIDEO CONFERENCE BY DIALING 877-853-5247 OR 888-788-0099.
ONCE YOU DIAL THOSE, UH, ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS, PLEASE ENTER OUR MEETING ID OF 83464472404 AND OUR PASSCODE OF 165209.
ALSO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
UM, IN ORDER TO DO SO, YOU HAVE TO CALL OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AT 409-983-8115.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO, UM, OUR AGENDA.
IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE MUTE YOUR CELL PHONES OR TURN THEM OFF.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR, UM, INVOCATION, OUR PLEDGE, AND OUR ROLL CALL.
I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL MEMBER JONES TO LEAD US IN PRAYER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR PLEDGE AND OUR ROLL CALL.
AND RIGHT AFTER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WILL BRIEF US ON, UM, OUR RULES OF DECORUM.
FATHER GOD IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY, A DAY WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
WE'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN TODAY, MONTH AND YEAR.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE IN OUR LIVES.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR THESE THY PEOPLE OF THIS CITY AND NEARBY CITIES, OUR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
FATHER, WE STRETCH OUR HANDS TO BE, NOR THE HELP WE KNOW.
IF THOU WITHDRAW USE FROM US, WHERE SHALL WE GO? WE KNOW YOU HAVE ALL POWER IN YOUR HAND, DEAR GOD.
YOU SPEAK AGAIN, MAN LAY DOWN AND DIE.
THANK YOU FOR OUR GREAT, GREAT MAYOR AND THESE COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT LOVE THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND LOVE THESE PEOPLE.
WE PRAY FOR YOUR STRENGTH AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE DAY, MONTH, YEAR, ETERNITY.
THESE IN ALL BLESSED ASKING THE DAUGHTER AND SON, JESUS NAME.
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, WE DO PRAY AMEN.
OUR PLEDGE, WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM PLEASE? MAYOR MOSES.
COULD YOU TRY AGAIN? COUNCILMEMBER GETWOOD.
[II. PROCLAMATIONS]
THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE, UH, PROCLAMATIONS.I HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS THIS MORNING THAT I WILL COME DOWN AND PRESENT.
STAFF HERE FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THEM FOR CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH.
IT SAYS, "WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PROTECT HEALTH, THE HEALTH, THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF CITIZENS THROUGH THE ENFORCEMENT OF LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCES ADDRESSING BUILDING, ZONING, HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, ANIMAL CONTROL, AND LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS.
AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PERFORM CHALLENGING AND DEMANDING WORK THAT IMPROVES THE LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, PREVENTS NEIGHBORHOOD DETERIORATION, ENHANCES PUBLIC SAFETY, AND HELPS PRESERVE PROPERTY VALUES, AND WHEREAS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE DEDICATED
[00:05:02]
AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE HIGHLY VISIBLE ROLES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, WORKING WITH RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, PROPERTY OWNERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE AND PROVIDE QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE." AND WHEREAS, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, ESTABLISHED IN 1988, TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EDUCATION AND SUPPORT THE, TO CODE ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE THESE PROFESSIONALS PLAY IN STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES, AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS DESIGNATED OCTOBER AS NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH, CALLING UPON MUNICIPALITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND CODE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS.NOW THEREFORE I, CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, MAYOR, PROCLAIMS THAT OCTOBER 26TH IS CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND THAT ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESS AN APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND CODE COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK DILIGENTLY TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEREIN TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED ON THIS SIXTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2026.
CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND WE PROUDLY PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, I'M SO PROUD OF OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
CAN YOU PLEASE ALL STAND? SO THESE, UM, PROFESSIONALS THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ARE, UM, MEDIATORS, LAWYERS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT WE, UH, FACE EVERY DAY, AND WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE DO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO.
OUR CLERICAL STAFF IS ALSO HERE.
THEY SEND OUT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LETTERS.
THEY TAKE HUNDREDS OF CALLS A MONTH.
AND SO WE'RE JUST VERY PROUD OF OUR TEAM.
AND I WANT TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAD SOME SHIFTS IN OUR, UH, STAFF, AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR, UM, NEW, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SUPERVISOR, CHRISTIAN SMITH.
AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, JAMES BROWN...
SO, UH, WE HAVE A, A LOT, UH, MORE GOING ON, UH, IN OUR COLLECTIVE TEAM IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT SO WE CAN, UH, SERVE OUR CITIZENS BETTER.
AND, UH, CHRISTIAN JUST HAS SOMETHING, UH, QUICKLY HE WANTS TO SAY, AND THEN WE WILL BE DONE.
YOU WANT ME TO PASS IT OUT? YES.
BEING THAT THIS IS, UH, NATIONAL CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH, WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE OF SORTS, UH, FOR CITIZENS, COUNCIL, AND EVERYBODY.
UH, IT WILL BE ON OCTOBER 23RD, UH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, UH, FROM 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME IN, UM, COME MEET FELLOW CODE OFFICERS, STAFF, AND EVERYONE ELSE, UH, JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE, ASK QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY, ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT PATROL IT.
SO BEING THAT THEY PATROL FROM HOUSTON AVENUE TO SAVANNAH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN HAVE THOSE KINDS OF, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UH, STAFF ON THOSE DAYS.
ADMIN WILL BE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AVAILABLE THAT DAY FROM 9:00 AM
COME BY, SAY HI, MEET YOUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
[00:10:13]
OKAY.WE CAN GET EVERYBODY UP AND, AND EVERYBODY COME UP, PLEASE.
WE CAN GET THE WHOLE ENTIRE, REALLY QUICKLY, THE WHOLE ENTIRE TEAM.
WE DON'T GET THIS, BUT ONCE A YEAR.
ARE WE OKAY WITH MOVING?
GO BACK AND TAKE ALL THAT HEAT FOR US.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM DOMESTIC AWARENESS MONTH? DOMESTIC AWARENESS MONTH.
IF NOT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, UM, FOR THE, UH, IN, FOR DOME- DOMESTIC AWARENESS MONTH.
LET'S CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF SAFETY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS VALUED AND HEARD, WHEREAS FAMILY SERVICES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND RECOGNITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AS WELL AS COMMEMORATION OF ONE YEAR AND THEIR NEW FACILITY.
AND WHEREAS, OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR FACILITY HAS PROVIDED SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES WITH A SAFE PLACE TO SEEK SUPPORT, HEALING, AND A PATH TOWARD LIVES FREE FROM VIOLENCE.
AND WHEREAS, THIS PROCLAMATION WOULD RAISE AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HONOR SURVIVORS, REMEMBER THOSE, UH, LO - WHOSE LOSS, UH, TO VIOLENCE, RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND REAFFIRM OUR COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO PREVENTION.
AND WHEREAS, AS WE, THE FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MARK THIS FIRST YEAR IN THIS FACILITY, WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS EXPANDED SPACE FOR SAFETY, FOR HOPE, AND EMPOWERMENT POSSIBLE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, MAYOR, PROCLAIM OCTOBER AS DOMESTIC AWARENESS MONTH IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND INVITE ALL LOCAL OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND CITIZENS TO JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS TO STAND TOGETHER AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO BE AFFIXED THIS SIXTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2026.
CHARLOTTE MARIE MOSES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE'LL HOLD ON TO, UM, FAMILY SERVICES PROCLAMATION UNTIL THEY PICK IT UP.
AND LET'S JUST GIVE THEM A HAND FOR THEIR SERVICES TO PORT ARTHUR.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE REST OF OUR AGENDA, CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU WOULD ADDRESS, UM, ON OUR CODE, UM, CODE, IN OUR CITY ORDINANCE, UM, OUR SPEAKING PROCEDURES FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE AT THE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY SECRETARY.
SHE HAS PREPARED THIS RULES OF DECORUM ONE PAGER THAT'S AT THE FRONT OF THE, UH, DOOR WHEN YOU WALK IN.
IT'S A QUICK BRIEF OVERVIEW ON OUR RULES OF DECORUM, UH, AND IT'S, IT'S VERY
[00:15:01]
HELPFUL, SO THANK YOU, CITY SECRETARY.I DO WANNA FOCUS IN JUST QUICKLY THOUGH ON SPEAKING TIMES IN A MEETING, OKAY? LET ME START OFF WITH GENERALLY SAYING THAT SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2019, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE PASSED AND ADOPTED HOUSE BILL 2840, AND THAT HOUSE BILL ACTUALLY GIVES THE PUBLIC THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT IS LISTED BEFORE THIS GOVERNING BODY FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND ANY PERSON IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK BEFORE OR DURING YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE ITEM.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE REASONABLE RULES THAT THE GOVERNING BODY MAY PUT INTO PLACE, AND THOSE REASONABLE RULES HAVE BEEN PLACED IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND IF YOU SPECIFICALLY WANNA LOOK FOR THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE, IT'S SECTION 2-75.
NOW, OUR ORDINANCE CAN SOMETIMES GET A LITTLE COMPLICATED, AND SO I WANNA DIVIDE UP THREE SECTIONS OF SPEAKERS, IF YOU WILL, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
UM, THE FIRST ONE I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS ACTUALLY, WE CALL THEM SPEAKERS.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO THE CITY SECRETARY IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, UM, USUALLY 5:00 PM THE TUESDAY BEFORE A COUNCIL MEETING AND SAYS, "I WANNA SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL." AND IF THEY SIGN UP IN ADVANCE, THEY GET FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT OUR ORDINANCE SAYS.
YOU GET FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
NOW I WANNA TALK ABOUT PRESENTERS, BECAUSE THEY SOUND LIKE THEY'RE THE SAME THING, BUT IN OUR ORDINANCE, PRESENTERS MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT'S SOMEONE WHO IS ASKED IN ADVANCE THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THOSE PRESENTATIONS ARE LIMITED TO 20 MINUTES.
BUT IF YOU REMEMBER, I ORIGINALLY TOLD YOU THAT ANY PERSON IN THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY AGENDA ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND SO WE HAVE ANOTHER RULE THAT LIMITS THOSE COMMENTS TO BASICALLY TWO MINUTES.
IT INCLUDES COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
UM, NOW I WILL SAY GENERALLY THAT THAT RULE IS, CAN BE ACCEPTED IF THE GOVERNING BODY MAKES THE MOTION AND SECONDS IT AND VOTES IN FAVOR TO EXTEND YOUR TIME.
SO WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN ADVANCE WHO SIGN UP FOR FIVE MINUTES.
WE HAVE PRESENTERS WHO SIGN UP IN ADVANCE FOR 20 MINUTES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE ROOM OR ON ZOOM WHO GET TO SPEAK.
THEY BASICALLY GET TWO MINUTES, BUT THE GOVERNING BODY CAN EXTEND YOUR TIME.
SO I HOPE THIS CLARIFIES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEAKERS, PRESENTERS, AND OUR GENERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAKING.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
THANK YOU, UM, CITY, UM, CITY ATTORNEY.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE AUDIENCE DOES HAVE A COPY OF THE RULES OF DECORUM FOR THE AUDIENCE, UH, UH, BEHIND THEIR AGENDA AS YOU STATED, AND THE DAIS DOES HAVE A COPY OF OURS, UH, BASED ON THE CHARTER.
[III.B.(1) A Presentation By Zach Turner From TEX-21 On Improving Multimodal Transportation Policy And Infrastructure At The Local, State, And Federal Levels.]
WE, UM, GONNA MOVE TO NUMBER THREE, PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.WE HAVE SPEAKERS, WE HAVE NONE FOR THE MORNING.
OUR FIRST PRESENTER IS, UM, MR. ZACH TURNER FROM TEX 21, UM, ON IMPROVING - OH, YOU'RE ON.
UM, ON IMPROVING MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
UM, ZACH, UM, YOU CAN START YOUR PRESENTATION WHEN YOU'RE READY.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR MOSES AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME JUST OKAY? YES, WE CAN.
UM, I'M GOING TO SHARE MY OWN PRESENTATION, IF THAT'S OKAY.
IT'S THE SAME ONE THAT THE CITY SECRETARY HAS.
WELL, UM, I'M PRIVILEGED TO, TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL THIS MORNING AND I'M, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, UM, ON TEX21.
TEXT 21, IT STANDS FOR TRANSPORTATION EXCELLENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
UH, A KEY DISTINCTION THERE, IT'S NOT TEXAS 21, IT'S, IT'S TEX21, TRANSPORTATION EXCELLENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
UH, TEX21 IS A MULTIMODAL COALITION OF CITIES AND COUNTIES, PORT AUTHORITIES, UH, TRANSIT AGENCIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, UNIVERSITIES, ET CETERA, UH, THAT FOCUS ON THE BETTERMENT OF, UM, MULTIMODAL PUBLIC POLICY.
[00:20:01]
ORGANIZATION.UM, IT'S A 30-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION.
IT WAS FORMED BACK IN 1997, UM, THROUGH THE, THE INTEREST OF COUNTY JUDGE, UH, LEE JACKSON IN DALLAS COUNTY, UH, BACK IN 1997.
UM, HE FOUNDED THIS GROUP BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BRING TOGETHER, UM, CITIES AND, AND COUNTIES AND OTHER ENTITIES, UM, TO ADVOCATE FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BACK IN THOSE DAYS, UH, TRANSPORTATION WAS VIEWED AS A ZERO-SUM GAME, SO IF YOU WANTED MORE FUNDING, YOU HAD TO GO AND COMPETE WITH OTHER CITIES, OTHER COUNTIES, OTHER ENTITIES.
UM, BUT JUDGE JACKSON'S IDEA WAS TO, UM, BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER IN A COALITION, LET'S LEAVE OUR KNIVES AND GUNS AT THE DOOR AND LET'S FOCUS ON A SELECT FEW ISSUES OR SEVERAL ISSUES, UM, STATEWIDE, MULTIMODAL THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER, UH, WITH A SINGULAR VOICE AND ADVOCATE FOR AT THE STATE, UH, LOCAL, FEDERAL, REGIONAL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE FOUNDING, UM, HEART BEHIND TEX21.
UH, ONE STATEMENT THAT SUMS THAT UP REALLY WELL IS, UM, A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL SHIPS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TEX21 TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, I WANNA SHOW Y'ALL BRIEFLY, UM, OUR MEMBERSHIP LIST.
UM, SO IF THAT WOULD BE UP ON THE SCREEN, UM, THESE ARE OUR VOTING MEMBERS OF TEX21.
YOU CAN SEE CITIES AND COUNTIES AND OTHER ENTITIES FROM AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE OUR OFFICERS THERE AT THE TOP.
UM, OUR CURRENT CHAIRMAN IS CHRIS BROWN.
HE'S A FORMER MAYOR, UM, IN SILVER SPRINGS, TEXAS.
THEN HE WAS THE COUNTY JUDGE IN HOPKINS COUNTY, UH, WHERE SULVER SPRINGS IS.
UM, AND THEN THEY, THEY MADE HIM THEIR, UM, COG DIRECTOR, THEIR COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS DIRECTOR AT UH, WHICH IS THE ONLY COUN- COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS THAT STRADDLES TWO STATE LINES, UM, TEXAS AND ARKANSAS.
UM, AND THEN WE MOVED BACK TO BE THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION DIRECTOR.
AND SO, UH, CHRIS BROWN'S BEEN OUR CHAIR FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE'RE BLESSED WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, YOU'LL SEE A FAMILIAR NAME ON THERE.
UM, COUNTY JUDGE JEFF BRANNICK IS A VICE CHAIR OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, HE'S BEEN A STRONG MEMBER FOR TEX21 FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM ON VARIOUS ISSUES, ESPECIALLY US 287, UM, AND OUR THIRD COAST INITIATIVE AS WELL, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL CITIES ON THIS LIST THAT YOU'LL SEE.
UM, THERE'S THE CITY OF GRANBURY, UH, CITY OF COMANCHE, CITY OF CAPELL, CRESCENT, ET CETERA.
UM, NOW, THIS IS OUR, THESE ARE OUR VOTING MEMBERS OF TEX21.
THESE ARE THE CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ARE MEMBERS.
UM, YOU CAN THINK OF TEX21 AS A COALITION OF SORTS, UM, UH, OF MULTIMODAL PUBLIC POLICY LYCEUM.
UM, BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, TEX21 IS NOT A LOBBYING GROUP.
UM, WE DO NOT LOBBY THE LODGE, THE LEGISLATURE AT EITHER THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND WE, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU ALL OUR LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS.
UM, THIS IS THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS, UH, FOR THE 89TH SESSION, LAST SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THIS IS AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF REPRESENTATION.
UH, YOU COULD GO TO ANY TRADE GROUP, YOU COULD GO TO ANY INTEREST GROUP, AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THIS BROAD OR, UM, DIVERSE, UH, REPRESENTATION AND RESPECT AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
THIS IS ABOUT 80% OF THE TEXAS HOUSE AND TEXAS SENATE THAT ARE MEMBERS OF TEXA21, UM, OF OUR LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE SOME FAMILIAR NAMES ON THIS LIST.
UM, THE LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS CHAIR RIGHT NOW IS, UH, STATE SENATOR TAN PARKER.
HE'S A SENATOR, UM, FROM NORTH TEXAS, FROM THE DENTON AREA, BUT HE'S ALSO, UH, WAS JUST RECENTLY NAMED THE CHAIR FOR THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
UM, LOOKING DOWN ON THE THIRD COLUMN ON THE RIGHT, UM, YOU'LL SEE DAVE PHELAN.
UM, HE'S A PREVIOUS SPEAKER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE, BUT HE'S ALSO ONE OF Y'ALL'S REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, HE'S BEEN A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF TEX21 OF OUR CAUCUS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, ON THE, THE FIRST COLUMN ON THE FAR LEFT, YOU'LL SEE DUSTIN BURROUGHS, THE CURRENT SPEAKER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE.
JUST BELOW HIM, YOU'LL SEE, UM, DAVID COOK, WHO WAS A CONTENDER FOR THE SPEAKERSHIP LAST SESSION.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE TOM CRAIG JUST BELOW THAT.
HE WAS THE FIRST REPUBLICAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN TEXAS.
UM, AND IF YOU WERE TO ROLL BACK THE YEARS ON OUR CAUCUS LIST, UM, YOU WOULD SEE THE LIEUTENANT, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, UM, ON OUR CAUCUS LIST WHENEVER HE WAS IN THE STATE SENATE.
UM, AND SO I, I MENTION ALL OF THIS, NOT TO BRAG, BUT, UM, JUST TO SHOW YOU THE, THE LONGEVITY AND RESPECT THAT TEX21 HAS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
UM, WE WORK WELL WITH OUR LEGISLATURES, LEGISLATIVE, UM,
[00:25:01]
OFFICIALS.UH, WE GO DOWN TO AUSTIN DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE SESSION TO BRING A COHORT OF MEMBERS TO GO AND, AND MEET WITH LEGISLATORS WITH TXDOT AS WELL, UM, AND VARIOUS OTHER STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR STATE LEVEL.
UM, I'LL BRIEFLY SHOW OUR CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS.
UM, THIS IS OUR CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, AT ONE POINT WHEN, UH, KATE BAILEY HUTCHESON WAS THE SENIOR SENATOR IN TEXAS SOME YEARS AGO, WE HAD AN AMAZING 100% OF THE TEXAS DELEGATION TO CONGRESS AS MEMBERS OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS.
UM, THAT'S AN AMAZING REPRESENTATION.
UM, AND LOOKING AT THIS LIST, YOU'LL SEE, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FAR LEFT POLITICALLY AND FROM THE FAR RIGHT POLITICALLY.
UM, THAT'S BECAUSE TEX21, UM, WE DO NOT THINK OF TRANSPORTATION POLICY AS A PARTISAN, UH, ARENA.
WE APPROACH MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION, UM, AS AN, AS NONPARTISAN, AS NONPOLITICAL.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED LONG AND HARD AND WE, WE'VE TRIED TO FIND A DEMOCRAT AIRPORT.
WE TRIED TO FIND A REPUBLICAN BUS STOP.
WE TRIED TO FIND A LIBERTARIAN SEAPORT AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT.
UM, THAT'S BECAUSE WE, WE BELIEVE THAT MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION SHOULD BE A, A NONPARTISAN ISSUE AND WE, WE CERTAINLY FUNCTION THAT WAY.
WE WORK WELL ACROSS THE AISLE.
UM, I WANNA JUMP INTO, UM, A, A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR YOU ALL IN THE CITY OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR.
UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR PROJECTS IN TEX-21.
IT'S, IT'S ONE OF OUR MAJOR INITIATIVES.
IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WE DO, UH, BUT IT IS, UH, ONE OF OUR FOREFRONT, UH, INITIATIVES.
AND THAT IS OUR US 287 CORRIDOR COALITION.
UM, SO TEX21 HAS HAD A FOCUS ON 287 FOR, UM, SEVERAL YEARS NOW, UM, WITH THE GOAL OF CONVERTING US 287 TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, UH, TO I-47 IS WHAT THE NUMBER WOULD BE.
UM, JUST A FEW BRIEF FACTS ABOUT 287.
I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW THE ROAD VERY WELL, UM, BUT THIS ROADWAY, IT STARTS IN YOUR CITY, OR IT ENDS IN YOUR CITY, DEPENDING ON WHAT WAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MAP.
UM, BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES TODAY, IT STARTS IN PORT ARTHUR, UM, AND IT RUNS 1800 MILES FROM Y'ALL'S, Y'ALL'S GREAT CITY, UM, NORTHEAST, OR NORTHWEST THROUGH TEXAS.
UM, IT EXITS TEXAS IN A SMALL TOWN CALLED ABOUT 754 MILES AWAY FROM PORT ARTHUR.
UH, AND THEN IT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY UP TO MONTANA TO A TOWN CALLED CHOTEAU, MONTANA.
IT RUNS THROUGH YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK IN WYOMING, AND IT RUNS, UM, TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK IN MONTANA.
UH, IT'S ABOUT 1800 MILES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A VITAL CORRIDOR.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR, AS Y'ALL KNOW.
UM, TEX21 BEGAN LOOKING AT THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, LIKE I SAID, UM, AT THE SUGGESTION OF ONE OF OUR MEMBERS FROM CROCKETT, TEXAS, JUST NORTH OF Y'ALL.
UM, THAT MEMBER SUGGESTED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A LOOK AT, AT 287, HE SAID THIS ROAD NEEDS SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION, UM, IN OUR AREA.
IT'S, IT'S NOT UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT, UM, THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, THE LOGGING INDUSTRY, THE FREIGHT INDUSTRY, AND OUR, OUR CITIZENS NEED IT TO BE.
UM, SO TEX21, WE DECIDED TO LOOK AT IT AND, UH, WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THIS IS, UM, THIS CORRIDOR HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
UM, I WANNA SHOW YOU, UH, A QUICK MAP.
THIS, THIS SHOWS THE, THE CORRIDOR, THE IMPACT CORRIDOR OF 287 IN TEXAS.
THE DARK RED IS WHERE THE ROAD RUNS THROUGH.
THE LIGHT RED IS, ARE THE COUNTIES THAT ARE IMPACTED ECONOMICALLY.
YOU'LL SEE JEFFERSON COUNTY THERE, UM, IN THE DARK RED COLOR AT THE BOTTOM.
AS WE BEGAN TO, TO LOOK AT, UH, US 287 AND DO SOME RESEARCH, WE ACTUALLY, WE CAME ACROSS, UH, THIS COIN ON SOME EBAY OPTIONS.
UM, THIS COIN, IT WAS MINTED BY THE NATIONAL US 287 HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOTTOM ON THE LEFT IMAGE, UM, YOU'LL SEE THE YEAR 1913.
THAT'S WHEN THIS ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED.
1913, THAT'S EVEN BEFORE THE US HIGHWAY SYSTEM WAS, UH, LAID OUT AND AUTHORIZED.
UM, THIS GROUP CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY HEARD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALLING OUT FOR PROPOSITIONS FOR, UM, US HIGHWAY ROUTES.
UM, AND THIS GROUP CONSISTED OF CITIES AND COUNTIES, UH, BUSINESSES ALL THE WAY FROM PORT ARTHUR TO CHOTEAU, MONTANA AT THE FAR NORTH END.
AND THESE CITIES AND COUNTIES CAME TOGETHER, THEY ADVOCATED, THEY PUT TOGETHER TRAVEL BROCHURES TO GET PEOPLE TO DRIVE ON THE ROADWAY, UM, TO BRING COMMER- COMMERCE TO THEIR CORRIDOR, AND THEY ADVOCATED WITH THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET US 287 DESIGNATED AS AN, AS A US HIGHWAY.
UM, WE WE WERE TOTALLY UNAWARE
[00:30:01]
OF THIS GROUP BEFORE WE STARTED DIGGING INTO IT, BUT AS WE FOUND IT, WE REALIZED, UM, TEX - 21'S QUARTER COALITION ON 287 REALLY TRULY STANDS ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.UM, WITHOUT THIS GROUP OF ADVOCATES, THIS COALITION COMING TOGETHER, UH, THERE WOULD NOT BE A US 287 AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.
AND THERE WOULD NOT BE A TX21 QUARTER COALITION ON US 287.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THE SECOND DATE, 1963, UH, THAT'S WHEN THIS GROUP MINTED THE COIN AND HUNG UP THEIR HATS AND SAID, "WE'RE DONE." UM, THEY DID THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET 287 ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY MAP BACK IN 1956 WHEN PRESIDENT EISENHOWER AUTHORIZED THE, UM, THE HIGHWAY, NATIONAL DEFENSE AND US HIGHWAY, INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ACT, UM, TO LAY OUT OUR INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS.
UH, THIS GROUP ADVOCATED TO GET 287 AS AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, A NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY IN TEXAS.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE ALL KNOW TODAY, THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, UM, BACK IN 1956.
SO THEY DECIDED WE HAD A GOOD LONG RUN, WE'RE GONNA HANG UP OUR HATS, AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE WILL PICK UP THAT MANTLE.
WELL, TEX21 HAS CAME ALONG, UM, SOME 30 YEARS LATER IN THE 1990S, AND THEN EVEN NOW, ALMOST 50, 60 YEARS LATER, UM, WITH OUR QUARTER COALITION.
AND WE HAVE TAKEN UP THAT MANTLE, UM, TO BRING THE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS TO 287 TO MAKE IT TO I-47.
UM, SO JUST MOVING ALONG QUICKLY, IN 2021, TEX21 AND ITS MEMBERS REQUESTED TXDOT, UM, TO DO A MILE BY MILE, UM, FEASIBILITY STUDY TO SEE IF US 287 MERITED CONVERSION TO INTERSTATE.
UH, THEY STARTED THIS STUDY IN 2021 AND THEY FINISHED IT IN 2025.
UH, BE- BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FINISHED IT, UM, WE WORKED WITH STATE SENATOR TAN PARKER, THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
HE WAS NOT YET THE CHAIR AT THAT, AT THIS TIME, BUT, UM, CHAIRMAN PARKER PASSED SENATE RESOLUTION 144 IN THE 8TH VOTE LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMMENDING TXDOT AND TEX21 BY NAME FOR THEIR WORK ON US 287 AND CONVERTING IT TO INTERSTATE SEVEN.
UM, BACK TO THE TXDOT STUDY, UM, SHORTLY AFTER THAT RESOLUTION, TXDOT COMPLETED THE STUDY IN 2025 AND FOUND THAT US 287 DID IN FACT MERIT CONVERSION TO INTERSTATE STATUS.
UM, THEY FOUND THAT, UM, WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE MADE, IF IT, UM, TO UPGRADE THIS TO INTERSTATE STATUS, IF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE AND THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE MADE, UH, BY 2050, THEN THERE WOULD BE A PROJECTED AND CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION OF 161% RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.
THAT'S A, AN ASTOUNDING NUMBER.
UM, AND NOT TO MENTION THE JOB CREATION, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS WOULD BE CREATED.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION JOBS, BUT ALSO JUST THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BENEFIT DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE CORRIDOR IN, UH, IN TEXAS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, STUDY, TEX21 BEGAN GOING TO WORK.
UM, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING A COALITION, UM, VIGOROUSLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE BEGAN TO WORK WITH, UM, US SENATOR JOHN CORNEN, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE.
UM, AND IN THE 119TH CONGRESS, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, BACK IN MAY, UM, HE PASSED SENATE BILL 4484, WHICH WOULD DESIGNATE US 287 AS A CONGRESSIONALLY DESIGNATED HIGH PRIORITY CORRIDOR.
UM, AND IT WOULD DESIGNATE IT AS FUTURE I47.
UM, JUST BRIEFLY, THE REASON IT'S I47, UH, IF I CAN GO BACK TO A MAP TO, TO DEMONSTRATE THIS, UM, TO THE, THE WEST OF US 287, YOU HAVE I45.
TO THE EAST OF 287 IN LOUISIANA, YOU HAVE I49.
AS YOU KNOW, INTERSTATES NORTH, SOUTH ARE ODD NUMBERED, UM, GOING FROM WEST TO EAST.
SO 47 AND, UH, 45 IN HOUSTON, 47 WOULD BE 287, AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, 49 IN LOUISIANA.
SO IT'S I47 SIMPLY BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT HIGHWAYS ARE NUMBERS, INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS ARE NUMBERED.
SO JOHN CORNYN PASSED THAT BILL, AND THEN JUST A, A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WORKED WITH, UH, BRIAN BABIN, Y'ALL'S US CONGRESSMAN FROM, FROM Y'ALL'S AREA, UH, TO PASS HOUSE RE - UH, HOUSE BILL 10241, DOING THE EXACT SAME THING THAT CORNYNSVILLE WOULD DO, DESIGNATING 287 AS A HIGH PRIORITY CORRIDOR, UM, AND DESIGNATING AS FUTURE I47.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT.
THE, THIS THING IS TAKING OFF.
UH, FRANKLY, THIS IS AN IDEA WHOSE TIME, WHOSE TIME HAS COME.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN, UM, AND THE DOTS FROM OKLAHOMA, FROM WYOMING, FROM COLORADO AND MONTANA.
WE'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL CONGRESS PEOPLE IN THOSE STATES.
[00:35:01]
AND EVERY TIME WE TALK TO THEM, THEY HEAR Y'ALL'S NAME.UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THEY THINK ABOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OR THEY, HOW OFTEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BEFORE, UH, 287 BECAME A BIG DEAL, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE 287 STARTS, UM, AND FUTURE I47 WOULD START.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, 287.
I WANTED TO SHOW Y'ALL THIS, UM, WHILE I'M MENTIONING WYOMING.
UM, IN COLORADO AND WYOMING, THEY CALL 287, UM, THE HIGHWAY OF DEATH.
THAT'S HOW THEY REFER TO IT BECAUSE IT'S A TWO LANE HIGHWAY, IT'S UNDIVIDED, UM, IT'S A MAJOR TOURIST ROUTE, MAJOR FREIGHT ROUTE, UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE DIED ALONG THIS CORRIDOR, AS THEY HAVE IN TEXAS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE DIFFERENCE ABOUT TEX21'S CON - UH, INITIATIVE WITH 287.
WE DON'T WANT THIS ROADWAY TO JUST BE A REGULAR INTERSTATE.
WE WANT IT TO BE THE SAFEST INTERSTATE.
WE WANT IT TO BE THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED INTERSTATE, THE MOST, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY ADAPTABLE AND FRIENDLY.
UM, WE WANT THIS TO BE DESIGNED AS A FEMA EVACUATION ROUTE, UM, FROM THE GET-GO.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN INTERSTATE THAT'S, HAS BEEN DESIGNED AS A FEMA EVACUATION ROUTE FROM CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE WANT THE LANES TO BE EASILY REVERSIBLE TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY IF A HURRICANE OR, UM, A REFINERY BLOWS UP, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, WE WANT 287, FUTURE I-47 TO BE THE BEST PROTOTYPICAL INTERSTATE, UM, THAT ALL FUTURE INTERSTATES WOULD BE BASED ON.
AND THAT'S OUR CONSISTENT MESSAGE, UM, TO THE US CONGRESS AND TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE.
UM, I WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT TWO OTHER PROJECTS, AND I KNOW I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES LEFT, SO I'M GONNA GO VERY QUICKLY AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT MEMBERSHIP.
UM, ONE OTHER INITIATIVE IS I369.
UH, TEX21'S GOAL IS TO CONTINUE THE DESIGNATION OF I369 SOUTH.
UM, IT'S A PART OF THE I69 SYSTEM.
WE WANNA CONTINUE IT FROM TEXARKANA TO BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR, UM, TO CONNECT STRATEGIC MILITARY PORT IN BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO A STRATEGIC MILITARY, UM, PLANT IN TEXARKANA, BUT ALSO TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HELP MOVE PEOPLE IN FAR EAST TEXAS.
ANOTHER INITIATIVE, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE MULTIMODAL, IS OUR THIRD COAST INITIATIVE.
UH, TEXAS CURRENTLY CANNOT ACCEPT THE PROTOTYPICAL SHIP, THE PROTOTYPICAL CONTAINER SHIP FOR THE WORLD FLEET.
UM, THIS IS THE POST PANAMAX, ULTRA LARGE POST PANAMAX CONTAINER SHIP, NSC BEATRICE CAR- CARRIES ABOUT 14,000 CONTAINERS.
NO PORT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS CAN LAND THE SHIP WITH THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO SHIP OUR GOODS FROM CALIFORNIA, FROM FLORIDA.
WE HAVE TO PUT THEM ON A RAIL OR A TRUCK, WHICH DRAMATICALLY INCREASES, UM, THE COST OF GOODS AND, AND THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE, THE COST THAT YOUR CONSUMERS PAY AT SHELF.
UM, SO TEX21 HAS BEEN A LONG TIME ADVOCATE, UM, FOR BRINGING THESE LARGE SHIPS FOR INVESTING IN OUR PORTS.
PORT ARTHUR, UM, BEING ONE, THE PORT OF HOUSTON JUST JOINED.
WE'D LOVE THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR TO, TO LOOK AT TEX21 AS WELL, AND WE WANT TO INVEST IN OUR SEAPORTS TO BRING, UM, THESE CONTAINER SHIPS TO OUR STATE SO THAT WE CAN GET GOODS HERE CHEAPER AND QUICKER FOR OUR PEOPLE.
UM, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF TEX21, AND JUST TO SUMMARIZE IN MY FINAL FEW MINUTES, UM, SO THE BENEFITS OF TEX21, UH, ONE, IT'S, IT'S ACCESS - IT IS.
TO OUR CAUCUSES, TO OTHER MEMBERS, OTHER CITIES, UH, TO OUR EXECUTIVE BRANCH PARTNERS.
UM, WE ARE NOT A LOBBYING GROUP, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO GO AND CREATE THOSE CONNECTIONS, BUT WE PROVIDE THE VENUE, THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE CONNECTIONS.
UM, ADVOCACY, WE'RE DOWN IN AUSTIN, LIKE YOU CAN SEE ON THIS 2027 SCHEDULED MEETING.
WE GO TO AUSTIN ON LEGISLATIVE MISSIONS ONCE A MONTH DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WE, LAST SESSION WE MET WITH LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE STATE SENATOR AND STATE HOUSE MEMBER.
WE BRING A LARGE COHORT OF TEXAS MEMBERS TO DO THIS.
UM, AND THEN COALITION BUILDING, WE'RE BUILDING A STRONG COALITION ON US 287, UM, TO, TO BRING ONE UNIFIED VOICE AND ASK TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE CITIES COMING WITH SEVERAL SEPARATE ASKS AND, AND INTERESTS, WE GROUP IT TOGETHER AND COME TOGETHER AS ONE VOICE, AND WE'VE BEEN FULL TIME AND TIME AGAIN BY FEDERAL LEGISLATORS AND STATE LEGISLATORS THAT THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
UM, FEMA EVACUATION ROUTE AND INTERCONNECTIVITY, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, FOR YOUR STUDENTS.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL PARTS OF 287.
JUST REAL BRIEFLY, UM, I WANNA COVER YOUR DUES PAYMENTS AND THEN I'LL BE DONE.
ZACH, ARE YOU - I'M SORRY, ZACH, YOUR TIME IS JUST ABOUT UP AND YOU'RE, UM, WRAPPING UP.
I NEED TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF MORE, UM, YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A, SOMETHING REMAINING?
[00:40:01]
YES, JUST, IF I COULD JUST HAVE ONE AND A HALF MORE MINUTES, I'LL COVER VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR Y'ALL.SO, UH, THE DUES FOR THE ORGANIZATION, THEY WERE SET IN 1997.
UM, THEY HAVEN'T INCREASED A PENNY SINCE.
UM, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S DUES WOULD BE SET AT $10,000 BASED ON THE LAST DECENNIAL CENSUS.
DUES ARE, UM, ASSESSED BASED ON THE LAST CENSUS.
SO EVERY 10 YEARS, THAT'S WHEN THE DUES ARE SET.
UM, THE PORT ARTHUR, PORT ARTHUR'S DUES WOULD NOT INCREASE UNTIL, UH, THE NEXT CENSUS COMES OUT IN ABOUT 2032.
UM, SO IT WOULD STAY AT THAT $10,000.
THAT $10,000, UM, IS YOUR FLAT RATE.
THERE'S NO HIDDEN FEES, THERE'S NO INCREMENTAL COSTS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, NO CAPITAL CALLS.
THAT GETS YOU A BOARD MEMBER, UM, GETS YOU TWO ALTERNATIVES, ALTERNATES, UM, FOR VOTING.
THERE'S NO PROPORTIONAL VOTING.
YOU GET THE SAME VOTE AS THE, AS TARRANT COUNTY WHO PAYS $25,000.
SO FOR $10,000, YOU GET THE SAME REPRESENTATION, SAME VOTE.
UM, IT'S A ONE-YEAR MEMBERSHIP.
IT'S NOT A 10-YEAR CONTRACT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF YOU DON'T SEE THE VALUE, IF IT'S NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED, YOU JUST DON'T RENEW AFTER THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE TRY TO KEEP COSTS FOR OUR MEETINGS LOW.
UM, OUR HOSTS FOR THESE MEETINGS, LIKE YOU'LL SEE THESE STATEWIDE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, THEY, THEY PICK UP THE COSTS FOR MEALS.
UM, WE DON'T REQUIRE YOU TO STAY AT AN EXPENSIVE HOTEL AT ALL.
UM, YOU'RE NEV - THERE'S NEVER ANY COST TO ATTEND.
ACTUALLY, YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY OF YOUR CITY OFFICIALS ATTEND OUR MEETINGS FOR NO EXTRA COSTS, NO COST AT ALL.
UM, SAME WITH OUR AUSTIN MISSIONS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO STAY AT A HOTEL FOR THE AUSTIN MISSIONS.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP THE COST FOR OUR IN-PERSON MEETINGS VERY, VERY REASONABLE, VERY, VERY LOW.
YOU'RE JUST COVERING YOUR TRAVEL COSTS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED AT THE PROSPECT OF, OF WORKING WITH THE CITY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK HAS HAD HIS LIGHT ON.
SO COUNCILMEMBER FRANK, UM, IF YOU WOULD.
ZACH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON DAYTELL DAVID AND NOAH HELLO FOR ME.
UM, I PUT THIS ON, MAYOR, UH, SO THAT WE MIGHT, UH, LOOK AT IT AND, UH, CONSIDER IT.
UH, IT IS ON OUR AGENDA UNDER PR25115 FOR OUR, OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A WAY, UH, TO, UH, TO, UH, FIX OUR SITUATION IN SABINE PASS, UH, THERE WITH THE ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
SO I HAVE BEEN, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, TXDOT, UH, CONTINUALLY TRYING TO FIND SOME SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND SO TEX, UM, TEX21, UH, AND THIS INITIATIVE TO DO WHAT, UH, IS BEING DONE TO HIGHWAY, UH, 287, UH, WOULD HELP US IN THAT SITUATION AND CIRCUMSTANCE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT US TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AS WE CONSIDER, UH, JOINING THIS ORGANIZATION IS THE FACT THAT WE NEED ACCESS, UH, WE NEED ADVOCACY AND WE NEED COALITION BUILDING, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE THAT OUR NEEDS ARE BEING HEARD.
YOU HEARD THAT OUR, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY, UH, JUDGE, JEFF BRANNOCK, A, A FRIEND, UH, OF OURS, UH, IS THERE, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE OUR OWN VOTE.
WE NEED TO HAVE OUR OWN VOICE, UH, AS WE CONSIDER INDUSTRIAL FREIGHT, AS WE CONSIDER OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WE CONSIDER OUR EVACUATION ROUTES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, AND SO WE NEED OUR OWN VOICE AND VOTE AT THE TABLE, UH, WITH THIS ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS COALITION BUILDING, UH, THAT IT WILL BRING.
SO, UH, I WANT US TO CONSIDER IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL, UM, THING, UH, PERHAPS NOT IN OUR LIFETIME, BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE CONSIDERATION AND VOICE AND VOTE, UH, IN THIS.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY, UH, I HAVE BROUGHT IT.
THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
UM, AND THANK YOU, ZACH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY, AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU, UM, I KNOW YOU OUTLINED IT, UM, BRIEFLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT IF YOU COULD SPECIFICALLY OUTLINE WHAT WOULD BE THE BENEFITS OF US, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, JOINING AS A MEMBER WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE REPRESENTATION THERE THROUGH OUR EDC AND OUR COUNTY JUDGE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF US JOINING? YES, I'M, UH, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
UM, SO THE SPECIFIC BENEFIT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK OUTLINED BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL HAVE ITS OWN VOICE, ITS OWN REPRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH YOUR COUNTY, YOU'RE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH
[00:45:01]
YOUR EDC, OF COURSE, BUT YOU DO HAVE DIFFERENT FOCUSES, DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, AND PERHAPS DIFFERENT INTERESTS AT TIMES.UM, AND FRANKLY, WE NEED THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS TEX21 TO BE MEMBERS, UM, WITH OUR 287 COALITION.
UM, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT TO, TO GET A US HIGHWAY DESIGNATED AS AN INTERSTATE, AND TO HAVE PORT ARTHUR ON BOARD, TO HAVE YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR INFLUENCE, UM, TO HAVE YOUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND, AND Y'ALL'S JUST INVOLVEMENT, ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION WOULD BE A MAJOR BENEFIT FOR TEX21, UM, BUT ALSO BE A MAJOR BENEFIT FOR Y'ALL TO HAVE A VOICE AND, AND SEAT AT THE TABLE, UM, AS, AS YOUR OWN CITY WITH TXDOT AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UH, LOOKING AT THESE IMPROVEMENTS, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, UH, TO 287.
AND THEN THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER, UM, INITIATIVES, LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR THIRD COAST INITIATIVE, I369, UM, ET CETERA.
THE, THE CITY, UM, WILL THRIVE IF, IF Y'ALL HAVE, AND Y'ALL DO HAVE YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS WITH LEGISLATORS FROM AROUND THE STATE, UM, TO HELP YOU ALL.
UM, AND FINAL ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, THE MORE, UM, REPRESENTATION WE HAVE FROM A CERTAIN AREA, THE MORE RESOURCES AND THE MORE FOCUS THAT WE CAN, AS TEX21, UM, CAN FOCUS OR ALLOCATE TO THAT AREA.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION, WE CAN'T FOCUS ON EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, SO WE FOCUS ON WHERE OUR MEMBERS ARE, UM, CONCENTRATED.
SO PORT ARTHUR, THE JEFFERS- JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE PORT OF PORT ARTHUR, THE EDC, IF THEY'RE, Y'ALL ARE ALL MEMBERS, UM, THEN OUR FOCUS BECOMES EVEN MORE DRASTICALLY HONED IN ON YOUR, YOUR REGION.
AND THEN MY, MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, UM, AS IT WAS MENTIONED, UM, BY COUNCILMEMBER FRANK, OF COURSE, WE, WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION WITH SABINE PASS WITH OUR, UM, ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT SITUATION.
UM, HOW, IN, IN WHAT WAY WOULD, WOULD THIS ORGANIZATION BE ABLE TO, TO BENEFIT US IN, IN REMEDYING THAT OR CREATING A DIFFERENT, UM, OPTION? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO I, I DO WANNA BE CLEAR, THE DESIGNATION OF US 287 DOES NOT GO DOWN, UM, TO, UH, TO THAT REGION.
HOWEVER, HAVING ANOTHER INTERSTATE, A MAJOR INTERSTATE WITH MORE ACCESS, UM, IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY, UH, FEMA EVACUATION ROUTE, AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UM, THAT WOULD PROVIDE A, A, BASICALLY A WIDER MOUTH TO THE FUNNEL TO GET PEOPLE OUT.
UM, BUT ALSO, AS TXDOT'S MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO 287 TO CONVERT IT TO INTERSTATE 47, UM, THIS PROVIDES THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH ITS STATE LEGISLATORS, UM, STATE SENATORS, STATE REPS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S TAKING, UM, THE, THE CURRENT SENATOR'S SEAT, UM, BUT ALSO WITH YOUR CONGRESSMAN, UH, BRIAN BABBIN AND RANDY WEBER.
UM, IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO, AS THERE'S ALREADY A FOCUS ON 287, TO APPROACH TXDOT AND SAY, "HEY, AS WE'RE IMPROVING 287, LET'S LOOK AT IMPROVING, UH, TEXAS 87 TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF, UH, SABINE PASS QUICKLY AND SAFELY." UM, SO FOR THOSE TWO REASONS, THERE'S ALREADY A FOCUS ON 287 NOW AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR LOCAL REPS, UM, CONGRESSMEN TO JUST BRING IN THEIR, THEIR LOCAL NEEDS ALONGSIDE AND, AND KIND OF PAIR IT WITH 287 AND I47.
COUNCILMEMBER GETWOOD, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON? YEAH, JUST ONE MORE THING, MAYOR.
BEAUMONT HAS JOINED, UM, THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION, AND SO THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, UH, AT THE TABLE.
AND SO THEIR MAYOR IS A, UH, A PART OF THIS COALITION.
AND SO I ALWAYS WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU ARE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU SOMETIMES CAN BE ON THE MENU.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE OUR OWN VOTE, OUR OWN VOICE, OUR OWN REPRESENTATION AT THE TABLE TO BE SURE THAT OUR INTERESTS ARE BEING HEARD AND THAT OUR INTERESTS ARE BEING SUPPORTED, UH, IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, ZACH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY, NO, UH, ANY MORE LIGHTS.
UM, EVERYBODY HAS SPOKEN TWICE.
[III.B.(2) A Presentation By Lydian Labs, Inc. Regarding Project Takeoff.]
IN OUR AGENDA, UM, TO NUMBER TWO, A PRESENTATION BY LYDIAN LABS INCORPORATED REGARDING PROJECT TAKEOFF.I'M AMANDA RITTER AND I WORK ON LYDIAN'S COMMERCIAL TEAM.
UH, MAYOR MOSES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
UH, WE'RE GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A COMPANY AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON
[00:50:01]
PROJECT TAKEOFF AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AND HOW WE PLAN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY.UM, SO QUICKLY BEFORE I ADVANCE, UH, WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE IS, UH, UH, THE PILOT THAT'S OPERATING IN OUR CURRENT BOSTON FACILITY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS, UH, QUITE, QUITE CONTAINED AND SMALL IN NATURE AND IN SIZE, AND WE MAKE SUSTAINABLE JET FUEL FROM THAT.
UH, WE MAKE SUSTAINABLE JET FUEL FROM JUST CO2 EMISSIONS, UH, HYDROGEN, AND, UH, ELECTRICITY.
SO IN ESSENCE, WE ARE MAKING JUST PURE CLEAN FUELS.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTRODUCTION TO LYDIAN.
UH, WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2021 IN THE BOSTON AREA TO UNIQUELY SOLVE FOR LOW COST, SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE FUELS.
WE HAVE A PILOT TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEEN OPERATING THAT YOU JUST SAW SINCE 2025 SAFELY IN OUR BOSTON FACILITY, AND WE ARE SCALING OUR TECHNOLOGY TO THE NEXT LEVEL, AND THAT IS OUR HOPE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
WE HAVE AN EXPERIENCED TEAM BUILT TO DELIVER, UH, WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEEP EXPERTISE FROM SHELL, FROM CHEVRON, FROM NASA'S JET PROPULSION LAB, LINDY, FORM ENERGY, UH, AND ELECTRIC HYDROGEN, TO NAME A FEW.
SO WE'RE A TEAM OF INNOVATORS, OPERATORS, UH, AND ENGINEERS LOOKING TO REALLY BUILD ON THE GROWING SUSTAINABLE FUELS MARKET.
AND THE PRODUCT THAT WE CREATE IS A DROP-IN CERTIFIED FUEL.
IT'S AN ASTM APPROVED FUEL, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH TODAY'S AIRCRAFT AND PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE WITH, WITH NO MODIFICATIONS NEEDED, BUT IT DOES REDUCE, UH, EMISSIONS BY UP TO 95%.
SO IT, IT IS A MEANINGFUL, UH, CARBON REDUCTION, UM, AND ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADAPTABLE WITH TODAY'S AIRCRAFT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'VE RECEIVED FINANCING FROM LEADING CLIMATE, UH, AND CLEAN FIRM, UH, CLEAN ENERGY FIRMS, INCLUDING BACKING FROM BILL GATES' BREAKTHROUGH ENERGY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS TECHNOLOGY WITH ITS PROMISES, AGAIN, ON THE, UH, CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTION AS WELL AS TO BRING, UH, UH, JOBS AND TO ONSHORE, UH, AMERICAN MANUFACTURING WHERE POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, YOGESH, WHO'S GONNA SHARE A BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS TO THE PORT ARTHUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR PROJECT, UH, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UH, WHAT WE ARE BUILDING HERE IS, UH, 150 BARREL, UH, CAPACITY PLANT OF A SUSTAINABLE JET FUEL.
UH, ANNUALLY, WE'LL BE MAKING ABOUT 7,000, UH, TONS OF THIS FUEL, AND WE WANNA SCALE FROM THE PILOT FACILITY, UH, TO A COMMERCIAL PLANT.
UH, AND WE, WE'VE SELECTED, UH, PORT ARTHUR AS A, AS A LOCATION, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE SECURED, UH, BOTH CARBON DIOXIDE AND, UH, HYDROGEN, WHICH ARE THE FEEDSTOCKS, UH, FOR OUR, UH, PRODUCTION OF THE SYNTHETIC FUELS.
UH, ALONG WITH THESE TWO, UH, GASES, WE USE ABOUT 2.5 MEGAWATTS OF POWER, UH, WHICH IS, UH, CONSIDERABLY LESS C- COMPARED TO ALL THE POWER NEEDS IN THE AREA.
UM, OUR, OUR PLANT WILL BE BUILT ON PREFABRICATED SKIDS AND ASSEMBLED HERE USING LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND, UH, ALL THE WIRING AND THE PIPING THAT GOES ON TO MAKE THIS PLANT WOULD BE DONE HERE IN PORT ARTHUR.
UM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A, A, A CLEAN, CONTAINED, AUTOMATED FACILITY.
AND A THING TO NOTE ABOUT THIS IS THERE'S NO OPEN COMBUSTION.
IT'S, IT'S A ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PLANT, UH, WITH NO COMBUSTION.
UH, THE SIZE OF THIS FACILITY IS AROUND, UH, UH, ONE, 120 FEET BY TWO OR 250 FEET.
IT'S A SMALL UNIT, AND IT, IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED IN THE GT OMNIPORT, UH, AREA, UM, ABOUT 1800 FEET FROM, UH, THE NEAREST RESIDENCE.
UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS, AS I MENTIONED, WE USE GASES AND ELECTRICITY TO CONVERT INTO, UM, WHAT WE CALL AS S- SAF, WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL.
WE MAKE S- SOME NAFTA IN THE PROCESS TOO, AND, UH, AND THE PROCESS, UH, IS, MAKES, UH, SAF THAT GOES INTO THE AIRPLANES, AS AMANDA MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, THE FEEDSTOCKS THEMSELVES HAVE NO CARB - UH, NITROGEN OR SULFUR, SO THERE'S NO EMISSION OF ANY FUMES FROM, FROM THESE GASES, AND HENCE THERE
[00:55:01]
IS NO, UH, POLLUTION FROM THE, FROM THESE GASES.TH- THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE APPROXIMATE SIZE.
IT'S, UH, ABOUT 28,000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE, UH, ON LESS THAN A FOOTBALL FIELD.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT DOES HAVE A REALLY SMALL FOOTPRINT.
UH, WHAT OUR PROCESS NEEDS, UH, IS, UH, UH, IT REALLY DOESN'T NEED, UH, WATER BECAUSE WE ARE A NET PRODUCER OF WATER.
WE MAKE ABOUT 60% OF WATER, UH, THAT'S VERY CLEAN AND, UH, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY MORE TREATMENT.
ABOUT 40% OF OUR WATER WHICH WE MAKE IS AN OILY WATER AND WE'LL BE SHIPPING IT OFFSITE AND WILL NOT BE CONSTRAINED ON THE CITY RESOURCES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO NOT MAKE ANY KNOCKS OR SOCKS.
WE HAVE A VERY CLEAN FUEL THAT WE MAKE AND A PROCESS AND, AND, UH, NO ODOR OR, UH, PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM OUR FACILITY.
THE FACILITY WILL BE DESIGNED TO CODE AND MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF NFPA, API AND OSHA STANDARDS, AND WILL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE TCQ EPA REQUIREMENTS.
OUR POWER REQUIREMENTS WILL ALSO BE PRETTY MINIMAL.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, ABOUT 2.5 MEGAWATTS, WHICH IS ABOUT, UH, UH, A SMALL, UH, A BLOCK OF RESIDENCE.
AND, UH, THE EQUIPMENT WE'LL BE MAKING IS, UH, WILL NOT HAVE, UH, A, A VERY HIGH SO- SOUND LIMITS.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE MAKING SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT WILL HAVE A COMPLAINT, WILL BE BELOW 85 DECIBELS IN POWER.
UH, WITH THAT, I, I GET, WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO AMANDA FOR THE, THE GAINS THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BRING TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, SO IN SPEAKING TO WHAT PORT ARTHUR GAINS, UH, WE'RE REALLY INVESTED IN GROWING IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND BRINGING JOBS, UH, INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 35 PLUS CONSTRUCTION JOBS FOR THE SIX MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION REQUIRED, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELP TO ESTABLISH LOCAL PIPELINES WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
WE'RE ALREADY STARTING THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO SEE WAYS WE CAN BUILD OUT PROGRAMS TO CREATE THOSE INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL ALSO BE FULL-TIME ROLES.
UM, A GROWING LOCAL TAX BASE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE WANNA BE MAKING THIS OUR HOME, SO CONTINUING TO HAVE TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE FULL-TIME, UM, AND CONTRIBUTING THROUGH THE, THE PROJECT THAT WE, OF COURSE, BUILD.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR PORT ARTHUR, UH, IN THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE.
UH, THERE AREN'T MANY E-FUELS OR, YOU KNOW, SYNTHETIC SUSTAINABLE FUELS OUT THERE YET, AND SO THIS WOULD BE A REALLY BIG MILESTONE IN TERMS OF THE BROADER INDUSTRY AS WE SCALE SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS.
I WILL ALSO CALL OUT FOR THOSE, UH, I BELIEVE EACH OF YOU HAS, UM, A ONE-PAGER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ONE-PAGERS IN THE BACK FOR ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT.
UH, SO JUST WANNA MAKE THAT MENTION, AND THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY WANNA BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S AN EMAIL THAT YOU CAN REACH US AT, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
UM, BUT HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I ALWAYS SAY IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW GOING ON IN INDUSTRY THAT'S, THAT'S MOVING TOWARDS A MORE CLEANER, UM, TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE.
UM, THE ONE QUESTION, TWO QUESTIONS THAT I DID HAVE WAS, UM, WANTED TO MAKE MENTION FOR THE, UM, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PIECE, NOT ONLY JUST SPEAKING TO LOCAL COLLEGES, BUT PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO - MM.
GRADUATE STUDENTS WITH, UM, SAID CERTIFICATIONS IN CTE FROM OUR CTE PROGRAM THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM AS WELL.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA ADD THEM TO THE LIST OF CONVERSATIONS TO SEE IF THERE'S A PIPELINE THERE.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, WHAT, WHAT WILL BE YOUR METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO INFORM THEM OF WHO YOU ARE, UM, THE, THE WORK THAT YOU PLAN ON DOING, SO THAT WAY THEY HAVE A, A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING AND SENSE OF CONNECTIVITY TO SUPPORT THIS SAID, UM, INITIATIVE? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S FANTASTIC, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THEM.
UM, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I, AS WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE WEEDS, I'D LOVE FOR US TO BE HOSTING SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY FORUM.
UM, OUR HOPE WOULD ALSO CERTAINLY BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY PORT ARTHUR RESIDENT TO MEET WITH US AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, THE EMAIL WILL BE AVAILABLE, AND, UH, IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF ENSURING WE'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, SO.
[01:00:01]
TO ANY OTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE.UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION ON ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF, UH, COUNCILMAN GETWOOD AND SAYING THAT, UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY NO STRANGER TO INDUSTRY.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A BIT MORE REFRESHING TO HEAR THAT, UM, SOMEONE IS APPROACHING THE CITY WITH THE, UH, THE THOUGHT OF, OF MORE CLEAN, UM, MORE CLEAN FUEL AND ENERGY PRODUCTION.
UM, BUT THAT STILL IS GONNA COME WITH SOME QUESTIONS FROM ME.
SO, UM, I WANNA SAY ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, UM, ATTENDED A SESSION WITH MR. BIRDWELL.
UM, AND SO HE KINDA GAVE, HE PRIMED US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF THAT FACILITY.
AND I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT'S MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT FOUR.
AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SITS JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THAT LAND IS THE LAKESIDE ADDITION, RIGHT? AND SO LAKESIDE, UM, IS A VERY STRONG, UM, A VERY STRONG CONT - CONSTITUENCY OF ENGAGED, UM, INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEY TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY THE LAKE.
THE LAKE IS USED FOR, UM, RECREATION, IS USED FOR FISHING, UM, AND IT IS ALSO A, UH, WATERWAY THAT CONNECTS US TO SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, GREATER ESTUARIES AND, AND BAYOUS, UM, RIGHT UP AGAINST THE GULF.
AND SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, MY PRIMARY QUESTION IS YOUR, UM, THIS ONE PAGER IS EXCELLENT AS WELL AS YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT COVERS, TO ME, ALL OF THE POSITIVES.
AND SO AS SOMEONE WHO IS A REALIST AND ALSO SOMEONE WHO USED TO, UM, WHO USED TO AUDIT CLEAN FUEL COMPANIES, I WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, I WANT THE CITIZENS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RISKS ARE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE POSITIVE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT COULD BRING, RIGHT? UM, 35 PLUS CONSTRUCTION JOBS, MAYBE SIX FULL-TIME JOBS.
UM, BUT WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS TO THE COMMUNITY? AND THEN, UM, GIVEN OUR HISTORY HERE OF, UM, KIND OF BEING AT THE, THE, THE, THE LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, OUR INTERACTION WITH INDUSTRY - OKAY.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE THOUGHTFULNESS.
UM, I'LL, I'LL QUICKLY FIRST ADDRESS YOUR, YOUR FIRST POINT AND THEN I'D LOVE FOR - SURE.
YOGESH TO, TO ALSO COMMENT ON THE MORE TECHNICAL PIECES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WATERWAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT HERE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO OUR PROJECT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND FROM OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE IS REALLY CRITICAL.
SO YOU HEAR IT FROM US AND YOU ALSO HAVE FACES THAT YOU CAN KIND OF ATTACH TO THE WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY RESOURCE.
SO WHILE, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER FORUMS IN THE PAST, I THINK THIS IS THE BEST ONE CERTAINLY TO GET IT FROM, FROM US, UH, DIRECTLY.
SO I'M GRATEFUL WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND I THINK IN TERMS OF THE BROADER, YOU KNOW, RISKS REALLY, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT RISKS ARE GENUINELY QUITE MINIMAL.
FOR US, IT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST SCALE UP OF THAT TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE ARE REALLY PERFECTING IT IN-HOUSE IN OUR R&D FACILITY IN BOSTON, BUT IT WILL BE THE LARGEST, YOU KNOW, REPEATING UNIT.
IT WILL BE THE NEXT SCALE UP FOR US AS A BUSINESS.
AND SO I WOULD SAY MORE OF THAT RISK IS ON US VERSUS THE CITY IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS WE'RE SEEING IT PERFORM IN OUR FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN OPERATING SAFELY FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS OR SO.
UM, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOGESH TO COMMENT ON THE WATER PIECE FOR SURE.
SO YEAH, SO WE, UH, NO PART OF ANY PROCESS WATER WILL, WILL GET INTO THE, INTO THE BAYOUS.
AND THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE ALL THE, THE EMISSIONS ARE, ARE STRICTLY MET BY WHATEVER ARE THE AIR DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.
AND, UH, SO WE ARE FORMULATING AND OUR DESIGNS ARE STILL COMING UP.
WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED OUR DESIGN AND IT'LL BE OUR, UH, AS WE PROC - UH, PROGRESS IN THOSE, WE WILL LET, UH, THE CITY KNOW AS TO HOW AND HOW, WHAT DESIGNS ARE GETTING IMPLEMENTED AND GETTING PERMITTED.
SO, BUT YEAH, OUR, OUR ENDEAVOR IS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO NOISE, THERE'S NO POLLUTION, AND, AND THERE'S NO PO- POLLUTION FROM WATER.
UM, SO TO KIND OF ADD TO THAT, UM, AND I LIKE THAT YOU SHARED THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN, SOUNDS LIKE KIND OF PILOTING IN A SENSE THIS TECHNOLOGY FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
SO IS IT, LIKE WHAT IS THE, CAN YOU GIVE US AN
[01:05:01]
IDEA IN LAYMAN'S TERMS OF THE SELF-CONTAINMENT THAT THIS PROCESS IS? UM, BECAUSE WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR, FOR THE, THE CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT IS GIVE THEM SOME LEVEL OF REASONABLE ASSURANCE THAT THIS IS NOT YET ANOTHER INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX ENCROACHING ON THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE CONTAMINATING THEIR SOIL, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE CONTAMINATING THEIR, UH, WATER, UH, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DISRUPTING THEIR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ALSO DISRUPTING JUST THEIR, THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEIR WAY, THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE LIVE UNDER THE THUMB OF INDUSTRY ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN AND IT IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN.ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS ACTUALLY OWNS THE LAKE AND THIS IS A VERY BIG CONCERN OF THEIRS.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
AS I SAID, UH, WE, UH, I, IN THE PAST, THESE, THESE WERE THE CONCERNS THAT, THAT WERE NOT ADDRESSED BY THE RIGHT, UH, FOLKS.
BUT, UH, UH, BEING AN ENGINEER AND, AND HAVING WORKED IN THIS FACILITY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'LL BE OUR ENDEAVOR TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE'S NO POLLUTION FROM THAT, UH, ANGLE.
I MEAN, ALL THE WATER, UH, UH, THAT FALLS ON THE FACILITY WILL ALL BE CONTAINED, WILL BE CHECKED, WILL GO THROUGH A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, UH, BEFORE IT'S DISCHARGED, AND ALL THE WATER THAT'S PRODUCED FROM THE, UH, FROM THE PROCESS, UH, WON'T, UH, GET DIRECTLY PUMPED INTO THE BAYOU.
SO THAT IS THAT ASSURANCE AND, UH, THE REQUIREMENT THAT, UH, THE TCQ HAS THAT, THAT OUR, OUR, UH, PROCESS IS REQUIRED TO MEET.
SO USING THAT, AND ALSO FOR THE POWER REQUIREMENTS AND THE POLLUTION FROM, UH, AIR, AS I MENTIONED, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THOSE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE UP THE FEEDSTOCK TO DO THE POLLUTION.
AND, UH, THERE'S NO, UH, NITROGEN ITSELF FOR, BECAUSE WE START FROM A VERY CLEAN FUEL STOCK, AND HENCE THERE'S NO POLLUTION THAT, UH, COMES OUT FROM THE PROCESS.
JUST TO JUMP IN HERE, MY NAME'S ASAN.
I'M ONE OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, UM, TEAM MEMBERS HERE.
UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF REGULATIONS, UM, FROM THE TCEQ THAT GO INTO THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR...
UM, SO, SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE DESIGN OF THE FACILITY, UH, WE'RE REALLY GONNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT IS UP TO SPEC AND TO CODE, UM, THAT THERE'S, UH, ANY, YOU KNOW, STORMWATER RUNOFF IS, IS ALL CONTAINED IN A SEPARATE HOLDING TANK THAT WE TEST AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYTHING IS, YOU KNOW, UH, MEETS THE, MEETS THE MINIMUM STANDARDS AND, AND SPECIFICATIONS.
UM, THERE'S NO LEAKS, UH, ON THE SITE.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE STATE-OF-THE-ART MONITORING EQUIPMENT, UM, AND YEAH, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL...
UM, YEAH, TO MAKE SURE THAT E- EVERYTHING IS BUILT, UM, WITH THE BEST EQUIPMENT AND, AND TECHNOLOGY.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION, IF I MAY, MAYOR.
IS THERE, IS THERE SUBSURFACE STORAGE? COUNCILMEMBER GABWOOD.
I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER JACOBS, I THINK WE HAD TWO QUE - TWO TIMES TO SPEAK.
I DON'T, I THINK WE'RE ON THAT SECOND TIME ALREADY.
SO IF SOMEBODY ELSE CAN PICK UP WITH YOUR QUESTION OR WE CAN - THAT'S FINE.
YEAH, I DON'T MIND GIVING HIM A MOTION TO HAVE MORE TIME.
UH, GIVE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, JACOB MORE TIME TO WRAP UP.
UM, SO IS THERE A SUBSURFACE STORAGE? NO, THERE IS NO SUBSU - SURFACE STORAGE.
ALL THE STORAGE, UH, WILL BE IN, UH, STEEL TANKS ABOVE, UH, GRADE.
IT'LL ALL BE IN A SECONDARY CONTAINMENT AND WE'LL HAVE A SPILL CONTAINMENT PLAN WHICH WILL GET THE APPROVAL FROM THE AGENCIES.
AND THEN ASIDE FROM THE SUBSURFACE STORAGE OF REFINED PRODUCTS, RIGHT, I THINK...
WE'RE, WE'RE USING CO2 WASTE, RIGHT? SO THAT...
SEQUESTRATION IS A HUGE TOPIC AROUND HERE - UH-HUH.
RIGHT NOW, AND WE, I THINK MANY OF US ARE AWARE THAT THAT IS STORED SUB- SUBSURFACE.
SO ARE YOU GONNA BE DEPENDENT UPON A LOCAL SOURCE OF CO2 THAT'S BEING STORED UNDERGROUND IN ONE OF THE DOMES - NO.
TO PRODUCE THIS? NO? SO THE, THE, BOTH CARBON DIOXIDE AND, UH, HYDROGEN ARE, ARE GOING TO BE FED BY A PIPELINES THAT ARE EXISTING IN THE AREA.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY SEQUESTRATION OR EXTRACTION FROM SUBSURFACE.
NEITHER ARE WE DEPENDENT ON ANY OF THOSE.
[01:10:01]
IN THE EXISTING PIPELINES AND WE'LL JUST BE TAKING IT FROM THE PIPELINES.THERE'S NO, UM, THERE IS NO INTENTION OR CONFIRMING.
I'M WANTING TO CONFIRM THAT THERE'S NO INTENTION TO BUILD ADDITIONAL PIPELINE TO TRANSPORT TO OR FROM THE FACILITY THAT YOU'RE CONSTRUCTING.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY INTENTION OF PIPELINES.
UH, I MEAN, UH, FOR THE WATER, WE MAY HAVE TO INSTALL SOME PIPELINE JUST TO GET AWAY FROM THE FACILITY, BUT, UH, WE'LL WORK WITH THE AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE, THE WATER IS DISCHARGED.
AND THAT'S FOR THE SEWER LINES AND THE FRESH WATER LINES.
UM, JUST WANTED TO ASK YOUR, YOUR GOAL FOR LONGEVITY FOR THIS PRO - FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, WHAT'S THE, THE ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THIS, THIS INITIATIVE? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
THIS IS OUR FIRST COMMERCIAL PLANT, AND SO WITH THE SUCCESS HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, THE HOPE IS CERTAINLY TO BE ABLE TO SCALE THAT TECHNOLOGY AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH POR - OUR PORT ARTHUR SITE AND CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN THAT, UM, POTENTIALLY TO GROW CAPACITY, WE'LL EVALUATE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK WHAT THE INTENTION OF THIS MEETING AND THIS PRESENTATION WAS REALLY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT DIRECT LINE OF COMMUNICATION OPEN SO THAT YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, CONNECT WITH US AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A NET BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UH, COUNCILMEMBER JACOBS, I ALSO WANNA NOTE, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, MAYBE OTHER PROJECTS HAVE NOT APPROACHED THIS IN THE WAY THAT HAS BEEN AS THOUGHTFUL TO THE COMMUNITY OR THE RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK FOR US, LIKE, A WIN FOR THE TECHNOLOGY AND A WIN FOR PORT ARTHUR ARE THE SAME THING.
AND SO WE REALLY WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THE CITY AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING EARLY AND OFTEN.
THE ONLY OTHER QUICKLY THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS, I KNOW AMANDA DID SAY THAT THIS WAS A NOVEL TECHNOLOGY.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORLD, THE ONLY OTHER FACILITY THAT COMES CLOSE TO THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SMALL IN SCALE, IT'S STILL VERY INNOVATIVE, UH, GLOBALLY.
SO THIS WILL BE A SCALE UP OF UP TO THREE TIMES WHAT EXISTS ANYWHERE ELSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT, UM, IS SUCCESSFUL AND EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, THEN IT COULD BE A MODEL FOR, UM, FOR WHAT THE FUTURE OF CLEAN FUELS COULD BE.
WE'VE ASKED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE, BEEN ASKED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH THIS MATTER.
THEY HAVE A PLANE TO CATCH AT TWO O'CLOCK OUT OF HOUSTON, AND SO I'M GONNA, UM, MOVE THAT WE GO INTO, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, TO HEAR THEM BRIEF.
OH, CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD A QUESTION? YES, MAYOR.
MAYOR, FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE PUBLIC, UM, LET US KNOW THAT, UM, THIS PROJECT LIES IN THE CITY'S ETJ AND NOT WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES.
AND SO THEY WILL HAVE TO GET INTO AN IDEA WITH US.
BUT IT'S NOT WITHIN THE CITY'S BOUNDARIES.
IT'S IN THE COUNTY, BUT WE ARE BENEFITING FROM IT.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE.
UM, WE HAVE A, A CITIZEN LIKE TO SPEAK TO, UM, THIS.
MY NAME IS GLORIA SANCHEZ, 6625 JADE AVENUE, PORT ARTOR, TEXAS.
I HAVE YOUR QUESTION AND I WANNA THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN KAYLA JACOBS.
YOU ASKED TWO OF MY QUESTIONS.
THAT MEAN I HAVE LESS QUESTION TO ASK RIGHT NOW.
UH, FIRST, CAN SOMEONE TELL ME THE EXACT ADDRESS FOR THIS, UH, BUSINESS? IT IS AN ADDRESS FOR THIS? THE, THE, THE PROJECT LIES IN THE CITY'S ETJ.
THE PROJECT DOES NOT LIE WITHIN THE CITY'S BOUNDARIES.
THE PROJECT LIES WITHIN THE CITY'S ETJ.
IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ADDRESS AS YET.
IT LIES WITHIN THE CITY'S ETG, THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.
SO, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP UP THERE - UH-HUH.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THE POND AND TO THE EAST OF THE POND TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAYOU.
SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO OFFICIAL ADDRESS YET, BUT, UH, THAT'S WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION, HOW MANY PERMANENT JOB ARE GONNA OFFER TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTUR? PERMANENT JOB.
NO TEMPORARY, NO CONSTRUCTION.
WE'LL HAVE FOUR OPERATORS, TWO TECHNICIANS.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) (Part 1 of 2)]
TO TAKE A BREAK AND MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 10, UM, 45 AM, CITY COU - UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET ON YOUR FLIGHT, GET TO HOUSTON AND GET ON
[01:15:01]
YOUR FLIGHT.SO AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE...
WE'RE JUST GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 10:45 AM.
MAYOR, WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTION NUMBER 551.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
CITY, CITY SECRETARY, WE SHOULD BE BACK IF YOU GUYS, UM, WE...
ARE WE STILL ONLINE OR WE NEED TO GET - WE'RE READY.
CHRIS, YOU, I'M SORRY, CITY SECRETARY, WILL YOU ESTABLISH A QUORUM, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED THE PRESENTATION BY LYDIAN LABS INCORPORATED REGARDING PROJECT TAKEOFF.
WE ARE NOW AT, UM, LETTER C UNDER PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORTS, WE HAVE NONE.
UM, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, WE HAVE NONE.
PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE NONE.
[V. REPORTS / ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING, MAYOR PRO TEMP, THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE OR GIVE ACCOLADE OR ACCOLADES TO, YOU MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME.YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME VERY EXCITING NEWS.
OUR VILLA WILL BE OPENING BACK UP.
UM, I SEE WE HAVE A COPY ON THE, ON THE, UP HERE TO INFORM US OF IT.
SO JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT, UM, ON, FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH.
SO WE GOT SOME TIME, BUT PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDARS.
THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY, VERY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CELEBRATE, COMMEMORATE.
ALSO, I'LL SEE SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL TO DISTRICT ONE BECAUSE HE PRESERVES THE HISTORY.
MR. TOM NEAL IS HERE WITH US, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO STOP BY A MUSEUM, PLEASE DO.
IT'S A LOT OF HISTORY THAT YOU WILL LEARN.
UM, I LEARN SO MUCH EACH AND EVERY TIME I GO, UM, TO THE MUSEUM, SO STOP BY AND SUPPORT OUR MUSEUM.
BUT ALSO TOO, WANTED TO LET, UM, MY CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT ONE KNOW, UM, THAT THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS I WILL BE AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
UM, SO I WON'T BE, UM, ACCESSIBLE BY PHONE, BUT YOU CAN STILL REACH ME BY EMAIL.
I WILL BE RESPONDING TO EMAIL.
SO I WANTED TO LET MY BOSSES KNOW, BECAUSE WE ALL GOT A BOSS.
I WANTED TO LET MY BOSSES KNOW, UM, THAT THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS I WILL BE, UM, AWAY VERY BRIEFLY, BUT I STILL WILL BE RESPONDING TO EMAIL.
SO IF YOU NEED TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ME, PLEASE DO SO BY EMAIL AND I WILL RESPOND AS SOON AS I CAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, SHED A LITTLE LIGHT ON SOME CELEBRATIONS GOING ON.
IT IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
UM, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH RUNS SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTU - OCTOBER 15TH OF, UM, OF EVERY CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE EXCITED AS YOU SEE ME IN MY TRADITIONAL GARB GIFTED TO ME, UH, BY A FRIEND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
I THINK THERE ARE CELEBRATIONS GOING ON ALL OVER THE CITY.
IN ADDITION TO OUR, UH, MEXICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY, UH, THE PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ALSO CELEBRATING TODAY WITH, UH, WITH A STUDENT, UH, PRESENTATION AND ART SHOW.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE, UH, ESPECIALLY ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS OF PORT ARTHUR A HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
AND IF WE COULD, UM, ALSO MAKE NOTE THAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S, UH, COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 29TH, THE THURSDAY NIGHT, 29TH? THURSDAY AT, UM, 5:30 PM.
AND WE'LL BE FEATURING SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT HAD NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SPEAK OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO, UM, THE PORT WILL GIVE AN UPDATE TO US AS WELL AND OUR CVB ABOUT MARDI GRAS AND GIVING US A COMMUNITY UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS UPCOMING LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR.
SO I INVITE EVERYONE TO COME TO LAMAR STATE COLLEGE.
WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE, UH, HEALTH SCIENCE, UH, CENTER, THE NEW HEALTH SCIENCE BUILDING.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
UH, I WANT Y'ALL TO KEEP THE ROSE CHASE ON FAMILY IN PRAYER.
SHE BUR - SHE BURIED HER SON LAST WEEK.
ON YESTERDAY, SHE LOST HER NIECE IN HOUSTON.
HER NIECE DIED YESTERDAY IN HOUSTON, ROSE CHASE ON HER FAMILY.
AND ALSO KEEP, UH, THE STOKES FAMILY, THE, THE FORMER EDC DIRECTOR, TERRY STOKES, YOU KNOW, HE PASSED THIS WEEK, SO KEEP THOSE FAMILIES IN PRAYER, PLEASE.
WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP THOSE FAMILIES IN PRAYER.
[01:20:01]
WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW, UH, DEATHS HERE THAT HAVE CAUGHT US - YEAH.I S - COUNCILMEMBER FRANK? YES.
I WANTED TO REMIND THOSE IN OUR CITY THAT THIS COMING THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, FROM 10:00 TO 2:00, THERE'S GONNA BE ON THE SPOT HIRING, UH, HERE IN OUR CITY, UH, AT THE, UM, BOB BOWERS, UH, CIVIC CENTER.
AND SO, UM, OPEN POSITIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS, WATER UTILITIES.
SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BRING A VALID FORM OF ID AND RESUME.
QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE INTERVIEWED ON SITE.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS LOOKING FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT, THE, THE PLACE TO BE WILL BE AT THE CIVIC CENTER THIS THURSDAY FROM 10:00 TO 2:00.
THANK YOU, UM, SO MUCH, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
UM, COUNCILMAN FRANK, WE APPRECIATE THOSE UPDATES.
AND PLEASE, CITIZENS, CHECK OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE UPCOMING AND, AND COMING, UH, ON BOARD.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS TO, UM, NOT MENTION THAT THIS YEAR, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, UM, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WE'LL HAVE OUR OWN PUMPKIN PATCH.
UM, THERE'S A VERY FEW THINGS I GET EXCITED OVER, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT, UM, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR WILL HAVE ITS OWN.
I, I'VE GONE TO DALLAS AND WAXAHACHIE AND OTHER CITIES AND SEEN IT, SEEN THEM IN ACTION, BUT NEVER EVER HAVE I, WE'VE HAD ONE IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO IT'D BE HELD RIGHT ACROSS OUR, FROM OUR PAVILION IN PEOPLE'S PARK.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE, UM, OUR PICTURE TAKING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR FALL, UM, WEATHER AND BEEN ABLE TO, OUR CHILDREN BEEN ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A GREAT TIME RIGHT HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
SO FOR TWO WEEKS, UM, THE PUMPKIN PATCH WILL BE UP AND RUNNING, SO JUST STOP BY AND DO A SELFIE OR DO SOMETHING.
WE'RE GONNA OPEN AND KICK IT OFF ON THE 10TH, UM, THIS SATURDAY AT 10:00 AM.
SO IF YOU'RE AROUND, JUST STOP BY AND SAY HI.
SO I'M EXCITED FOR OUR CHILDREN.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE ANNOUNCEMENTS WE HAVE ON TODAY.
NUMBER SIX, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UM, ROMAN NUMBER S - UH, SIX.
WE HAVE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND
[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]
OUR MAYOR PRO TEM WILL HANDLE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.UH, ARE YOU GONNA STEP OUT? YEAH.
NOW, THE NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, NUMBER SEVEN.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE ROUTINE AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND NA.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DIVVY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THE CHIEF WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT PER, UH, CITY MANAGER.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TONIGHT.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT TONIGHT OUT AT THE PAVILION.
YEAH, WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON? SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCES YOU, YOU HAVE THIS PLATFORM.
SO IT'S NATIONAL NIGHT OUT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS.
UH, THERE'S A BUNCH OF THEM GOING ON.
WE HAVE OUR OWN HERE, UH, AT THE PAVILION.
WE JUST KINDA COMMUNICATE WITH THE, UH, CITIZENS, LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, WE'LL BE SET UP, UH, HAVE A BOOTH SET UP AND GIVING OUT INFORMATION AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, NOTICE HAS BEEN, UH, GIVEN, UH, ON EACH ITEM AND IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT PREVIOUS MEETING.
ALL THE ITEMS WILL BE ACT UPON BY ONE VOTE WITHOUT BEING DISCUSSED SEPARATELY UNLESS REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A CITIZEN, IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEMS OR ITEMS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAWN FROM INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION IN ITS NUMBER SEQUENCE.
AFTER THE ITEMS IS NOT REQUIRED, SEPARATE DISCUSSION HAVE BEEN ACT UPON.
OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'RE NOW LOOKING AT THE COUN - UH, THE CONSENT AGENDAS.
IF ANY ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY DO SO.
I'D LIKE TO PULL, UM, CONSENT ITEMS NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEMS THREE AND FOUR ON PAGE FOUR.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRINTED? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THREE AND FOUR.
WE'RE GONNA GO - YOU READY? OKAY.
[VII.C.(3) P.R. No. 25136 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Contract With Preferred Facilities Group, Inc., Of Port Arthur, Texas, For The Construction Of A Generator Platform At The Port Arthur Civic Center In An Amount Not To Exceed $98,951.18; Authorizing The Expenditure Of Funds From Account No. 307-15- 043-8512-00-10-000, project No. CCGP01.CON.]
GONNA GO BACK TO NUMBER THREE, PR[01:25:01]
NUMBER 25136, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER ENTER, UH, INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUPS, INC.OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GENERATED PLATFORM AT THE PORT ARTHUR CIVIC CENTER IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 98,951.18 AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURES OF THE FUND FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER 307 - 15-043-8512 - 00-10-000, PROJECT NUMBER CCGP01.COM.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, BRING IT ON THE FLOOR.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN JACOBS? YES, SIR.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR PROTEM.
UM, SO MY QUESTIONS, I'M ASSUMING...
I'M, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE ENTERGY POWER THROUGH PROGRAM.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS IS, UM, AN AGREEMENT OR MAYBE A, A PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY HAS ENTERED INTO P- PERHAPS PRIOR TO, UM, MY JOINING THE COUNCIL.
BUT I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR AS IT PERTAINS TO THE INTENT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
UM, FIRSTLY, WHAT WILL THE, UM, WHAT IS THIS GENERATOR INTENDED TO POWER? THE ENTIRE CIVIC CENTER ITSELF OR JUST SOME OF THE KEY, UM, KIND OF MORE EMERGENCY ASPECTS OF THE FACILITY? IT'S TO FULLY RUN THE CIVIC CENTER.
AND THEN MY SECOND, UM, QUESTION IS, DO, DO YOU ALL RECALL THE, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR THE ACTUAL GENERATOR ITSELF? I KNOW THAT TYPICALLY THE WAY THIS, UM, THIS INITIATIVE IS STRUCTURED, THE, UH, THE ENTITY THAT'S PARTNERING WITH ENTERGY, UM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UM, SOMEWHERE TO THE TUNE OF, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 60%? I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE...
I MEAN, I HAVE IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT ON THE TOP, TOP OF MY HEAD.
BUT YEAH, WE ARE GONNA PAY FOR A PORTION OF THE GENERATOR.
IT'LL ACTUALLY BE OWNED AND OPERATED BY ENTERGY, BUT WE'LL HAVE FULL USE OF IT, UM, IN CASE OF A POWER OUTAGE.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, UH, BASED ON HOW THAT PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED, DO WE KNOW WHICH CITIZENS STAND TO BENEFIT FROM THE POWER THROUGH? 'CAUSE TO MY UNDERSTANDING, WE, UM, WE PURCHASE, WE, WE SUPPLEMENT THE PURCHASE OF THE ASSET.
UH, WE, WE HAVE PRIORITY FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE ASSET DURING EMERGENCY EVENTS, BUT DURING THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS, THERE'S LIKE AN INCREMENTAL BENEFIT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REALIZED BY THE, UH, THE CITIZENS.
DO WE KNOW WHICH CITIZENS STAND TO, TO RE- RECEIVE THAT BENEFIT? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY, THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE THESE, UH, THROUGHOUT AN AREA, AND THEN IT'LL HELP, UH, GENERATE INTO THE SYSTEM DURING NORMAL OPERATING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF MY QUESTION.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO, LIKE, WHAT LEVEL OF BENEFIT OR WHERE IT BENEFITS FROM.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
CITY MANAGER, IF WE CAN, CAN WE FIND THAT OUT? CAN WE FIND THAT OUT FROM INTERGY, WHO, WHICH, WHICH CUSTOMERS...
HOPEFULLY THEY'RE PORT ARTHURIANS.
BUT WHICH CUSTOMERS STAND TO BENEFIT FROM THE, UH, THE INCREMENTAL AND EXCESS THAT IS, UH, THAT COULD BE REALIZED FROM THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAVING, UH, PURCHASED THAT ASSET.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW, BECAUSE THIS ESSENTIALLY CAN BE VIEWED AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, IT WILL, UM, IT WILL BENEFIT SOLELY THE CIVIC CENTER, IF YOU WILL.
BUT IN TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT ENGAGED FOR EMERGENCIES, THE CITIZENS VERY LIKELY STAND TO BENEFIT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHO.
AND, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD PUBLISH IT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AS WELL.
WE'LL EXTRACT IT FROM THE AGREEMENT, OKAY? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO JT TO PUBLISH ON THE WEBSITE.
[VII.C.(4) P.R. No. 25142 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase Eight (8) Verkada PTZ Cameras And Related Accessories From Solid IT Networks, Inc., Through TIPS Contract #230105, In An Amount Not To Exceed $43,465.60, Utilizing Fiscal year 2025 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Grant Funds, Account Number 107-17-045-5240-00-30-000, Project Code SHSP25.GRE.CAM.POD-CAMERAS.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO NUMBER FOUR, PR NUMBER 25142, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE EIGHT VERKADA PTZ CAMERAS AND RELATED ACCESSORIES FROM SOLID IT NETWORKS INCORPORATED THROUGH TIPS, CONTRACT NUMBER 230105, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $43,465.60, UTILIZING FISCAL YEAR 2025 STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM, GRANT FUNDS, ACCOUNT NUMBER 107-17-045-5240-00-30-000.[01:30:09]
PROJECT CODE SHSP25.GRE.CAM.POD.CAMERAS.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVE, MAYOR.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I HAVE TWO GENERAL QUESTIONS.
ONE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE AT LIBERTY TO SHARE, BUT I'M, UM, CURIOUS ABOUT THE INTENDED LOCATION OF THE CAMERAS THAT WE ARE PURCHASING, THE INTENDED LOCATION OF THE INSTALLATIONS FOR THOSE CAMERAS, AND THEN ALSO, UM, WHAT NETWORK, UM, THAT THOSE CAMERAS WOULD BE TIED INTO.
CHIEF DURASO? HELLO, GOOD MORNING.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST QUESTION, COUNCILMAN? THE, UH, THE INTENDED LOCATIONS OR IF THEY ARE MOBILE UNITS AND KIND OF WHAT, LIKE WHAT IS OUR - BASICALLY, UM, WE HAVE A FEW LOCATIONS TARGETED.
WE'RE GONNA GET WITH THE COMMAND STAFF AND SEE WHAT THE BEST LOCATIONS ARE FOR OUR CAMERAS.
IT'S GONNA BE MORE LIKELY TO IN HIGH CRIME AREAS AROUND THE MALL, UM, WALMART AND SOME OF OUR OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS.
AND AS FAR AS THE NETWORK, YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO TALK TO IT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
NO, WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS IT A PURELY KIND OF A MUNICIPAL NETWORK OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING TIED INTO SOME OF THE OTHER LARGER NETWORKS THAT WE SEE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES KIND OF TIE INTO? YES, IT'S GONNA BE TIED INTO A LARGE NETWORK BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT I PUT IN PLACE WAS THE PORT AUTH INTELLIGENCE CENTER WHERE WE HAVE, UH, VOCADO CAMERAS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR HERE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, FLOCK CAMERAS, WHICH YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT NOW.
REALLY? UH, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE PORT ARTHUR SAFER.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE PORT ARTHUR INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO PEOPLE STAFFED RIGHT NOW AND ONE ACTUAL ADDITIONAL PERSON TO THE MAN THAT CENTER.
AND SINCE HE BROUGHT UP FLOCK CAMERAS, ABOUT HOW MANY OF THOSE DO WE HAVE IN THE CITY? I WANNA SAY 10 OR 12.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD MORE CAMERAS, UH, TO THE SYSTEM.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY QUESTIONS.
UH, CHIEF, REAL QUICK, UH, THOSE HIGH DUMPING AREAS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, UH, WOULD THESE CAMERAS BE ON THE POLES, TELEPHONE POLES, OR DO WE HAVE TO GET SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT TO HAVE CAMERAS ON THERE? OR WHAT'S THE PLAN TO CATCH SOME OF THOSE VIOLATORS THAT ARE DUMPING IN OUR CITY LIMITS WITH THESE TYPE OF CAMERAS? YEAH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT, UH, HAVE TO GET SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT FOR THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS MORE ON LIKE SOME OF OUR MAJOR CRIMES.
WE WON'T BE FOR, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING PER SE.
UH, BUT WE COULD ACTUALLY MOVE ONE OR TWO FROM TIME TO TIME.
THEY'RE GONNA BE CAMERAS THAT WE CAN TAKE FROM ONE LOCATION AND PUT AT ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND, AND THEY'RE CAMERAS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANY CAMERAS THAT ARE HIDDEN.
IT'S GONNA BE WHERE IF YOU'RE DRIVING BY, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY, "OH, THAT'S A CAMERA RIGHT THERE." IT'S A DETERRENT.
NOT ANY HIDDEN CAMERAS AT THIS POINT.
WELL, UH, I JUST HOPE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE WOULD, UH, CONSIDER THOSE HIDDEN CAMERAS BECAUSE OF THE DUMPING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY THAT WE WANNA TRY TO GET A HAND ON.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN DO THAT, SOME OF THOSE VIOLATORS, KNOWING THAT THOSE, THOSE DUMPING PENALTIES GONNA DETER THOSE.
BUT I DO AGREE WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING.
AND WE, WE ALSO HAVE A, A CAMERA THAT WE'RE GONNA, GONNA USE ONE, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOBILE CAMERA ALSO.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE HAVE IT IN, UH, ON, UH, HOUSTON AVENUE NOW.
WE WERE MONITORING THE HOUSTON AVENUE AREA.
AND THAT CAMERA, WE CAN MOVE AROUND FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
BUT WE CHECKED THE CRIME DATA AND THAT LOCATION WAS WHERE WE NEED TO INSTALL IT.
AT SOME POINT, WE CAN MOVE IT FROM THAT LOCATION TO THE AREAS OF DUMPING.
CHIEF, UH, THANK YOU, COUN - MAYOR PRO TEM.
CHIEF, WE, UH, UM, UM, I RIDE AROUND, I GUESS, AND LOOK AT THESE DUMPING AREAS.
IT'S VERY SERIOUS TO ME, UM, THAT WE, I, I'VE, I GUESS I'VE BEEN AS MAYOR A YEAR AND ALMOST A HALF AND I'VE ASKED, THERE'S SOMETHING ELIAS PARK AND, AND ALVESTA, UM, NEEDS A PARK, UH, NEEDS A CAMERA PERMANENT, NOT A MOVING CAM - I MEAN, NOT ONE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE FROM ONE AREA AND PUT THERE.
WE NEED A PERMANENT CAMERA THERE AND I REALLY WANT CAMERAS.
[01:35:01]
ONE, ANOTHER DUMPING SPOT RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE BY, UH, LADY GUADALUPE CHURCH, UM, THAT SIDE ROAD, UM, HEADED OUT.I'VE ASKED FOR A CAMERA TO BE PUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THE, I, I'M NOT GEOGRAPHICALLY, Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THAT, THAT WE NEED A CAMERA THERE, PERMANENT CAMERA.
PEOPLE ARE DUMPING THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE A CAMERA.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST, LIKE I SAID, 15 MONTHS AND WE NEED, I DON'T, I'VE TALKED, SPOKEN TO YOU AND I'VE SPOKEN TO DEMOLITION.
I REALLY DON'T WANNA GO BACK AND FORTH EVER AGAIN.
WE NEED CAMERAS, PERMANENT CAMERAS THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO OUR CITY AND THEY'RE DUMPING ON, FOR SURE THOSE TWO LOCATIONS.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OFF OF 12TH STREET, OFF OF MAIN.
UM, IF YOU GO DOWN MAIN STREET OFF OF PROCTOR, UM, STREET EXTENSION AND YOU HEAD DOWN, THEY'RE DUMPING THERE.
I MEAN, I HAVE PICTURES OF THOSE.
I DON'T KNOW, CITY MANAGER, WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR US TO GET THOSE CAMERAS IN THIS PLACE.
AS SOON AS WE MOVE THE TRASH, THEY COME BACK AND DUMP AGAIN.
YOU GO BACK TO STADIUM ROAD, RIGHT OFF STADIUM AND FOURTH STREET, THEY DUMP.
WE PICK IT UP, WE CALL THE CITY, WE GET IT PICKED UP.
AND TOMORROW, I PROMISE YOU, THERE'S A COUCH, THERE IS SOMETHING THERE.
HOW DO WE GET CAMERAS IN THESE LOCATIONS - ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WELL, WHAT, UH, THE COUNCIL VOTES ON FUNDING, BRING IT, BRING US THE FUNDING.
WHAT IS IT GONNA COST US TO PUT THE CAMERAS? IF IT'S FUNDING, IT SHOULD, WE, WE WANNA KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN.
IT'S ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES HERE IS TO KEEP TRASH AND DUMP PEOPLE FROM DUMPING.
ELIAS PARK, AS SOON AS WE SEND SOMEONE OVER THERE, THEY'RE DUMPING THE NEXT DAY, THE VERY NEXT DAY.
SO I CAN'T KEEP ASKING THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, "CAN YOU GO PICK THIS UP? CAN YOU GO PICK THIS UP?" AND THEY, I MEAN, THEY'RE COMING OFF OF THEIR ROUTINE TO COME AND HELP US OUT WITH KEEPING IT CLEAN FOR EVENTS.
WE'VE GOT TO PUT A CAMERA THERE.
I'VE ASKED DEMOLITION, UM, AND THEY TELL ME WE'VE TALKED TO THE CHIEF.
SO IF IT'S COST, IF YOU WOULD'VE TOLD ME THAT, I'D HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE COUNCIL BY NOW ON, OR, UH, HAD IT PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR WHATEVER COST.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY UP HERE WILL BE IN AGREEMENT TO GET THOSE CAMERAS THERE.
WITH, UM, WE'LL MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
IF YOU'RE SAYING THE FUNDING IS THERE, WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WELL, WE, WE WILL, WE'LL DO...
BUT MAYOR FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE COUNCIL TOO AND THE PUBLIC, WE PUT CAMERAS THERE, BUT AS LONG AS, AS SOON AS WE VERBALIZE IT, THEY TAKE LADDERS AND GO AND REMOVE THE CAMERAS AND THEY TAKE THEM AWAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE.
FIND A WAY TO HIDE IT, FIND A...
THERE'S, WE LIVE IN AI GENERATION.
BUT WE CAN FIND THOSE CAMERAS AND HIDE THEM SOMEWHERE AND PUT THEM THERE.
THERE, THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I, I, WE HAVE THE BEST POLICE FORCE AND CHIEF IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE SO SMART AND Y'ALL KNOW HOW TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
AND I DON'T DOUBT OUR DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T DOUBT OUR CITY STAFF IN FINDING A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE IDEAS YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.
WE'LL SEE YOU WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
MAYOR, I THINK WE'RE BEING A LITTLE, UH...
I THINK WE'RE BEING A LITTLE UNWISE RIGHT NOW, UH, DISCUSSING THIS HERE AT A, AT A OPEN SESSION ABOUT THE, WHERE THE CAMERA'S GONNA BE AT, WHERE THEY GOING.
IF WE TRYING TO CATCH VIOLATORS AND WE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW IN THE OPENING SESSION, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING THEM AT, WHERE WE'RE HIDING THEM AT, WELL, WE MIGHT WELL GO OUT AND PUT IN A BILLBOARD SOMEWHERE DOWNTOWN WHERE, WHERE THE CAMERAS ARE GONNA BE.
THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER GET TOGETHER WITH THE CHIEF, YOU KNOW, AND Y'ALL BRAINSTORM WHERE YOU WANT THESE CAMERAS AT, NOT OPEN SESSION.
WELL, COUNCILMEMBER JONES, UH, WE, I DIDN'T...
I TOLD YOU SOME SITES WHERE THEY'RE DUMPING.
BUT THE EXACT LOCATION HAS NOT BEEN DISCLOSED.
THEY COULD PUT THEM ON THE NEXT STREET OVER.
JUST WE NEED TO BE IN THE VICINITY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, HIM TALKING, HE GETS SOME PLACE TO PUT IT AT.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CAMERAS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
I THINK - I DIDN'T PUT A TIMER ON MYSELF.
YEAH, I WAS ABOUT TO CALL YOU THAT OUT OVER THERE TOO BY TWO MINUTES.
UM, I THINK THE ULTIMATE GOAL, OBVIOUSLY, IS JUST THE GOAL IS TO STOP THE DUMPING.
SO WHETHER THEY KNOW WHERE THE CAMERAS ARE LOCATED OR NOT, RIGHT, WE WANT TO STOP THE DUMPING.
UM, I THINK THAT ANOTHER MEASURE, SINCE WE'RE KIND OF
[01:40:01]
HAVING THIS DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW, IS JUST SOMETHING FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, BECAUSE IN MY DAY ROLE, DUMPING IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY AS WELL.AND I THINK IT IS A, IT'S A, IT'S A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE MET FROM ALL SIDES.
UM, AND IT NEEDS TO BE INITIATED BY OUR GOVERNING ENTITIES, BUT WE HAVE TO GET CITIZEN BUY-IN BECAUSE THE CITIZENS MANY TIMES ARE THE ONES DOING THE DUMPING AND THE LITTERING.
SOMETIMES IT'S VISITING PEOPLE, BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S OUR OWN.
AND SO SOME OF THIS IS A MINDSET SHIFT AND YOU GOTTA, YOU HAVE TO ENFORCE PENALTIES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST PERHAPS, UM, A HOTLINE OR A CAMPAIGN, EVEN IF IT'S EXISTED PREVIOUSLY, LET'S GET IT REIGNITED, UM, AN ILLEGAL DUMPING, UH, HOTLINE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CALL IN WHEN THEY WITNESS THOSE THINGS HAPPENING.
I KNOW I'VE DONE IT BEFORE, UM, BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT NOT TO LITTER BECAUSE TRASH DOESN'T DISAPPEAR.
IT JUST GETS PASSED DOWN THE BLOCK AND IT APPEARS SOMEONE ELSE, UH, SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO, UM, TH- THAT'S THE LAST CONTRIBUTION THAT I WANNA MAKE TO THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, ABOUT DUMPING AND THE AMOUNT OF LITTER AND TRASH THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY THAT WE ARE EFFORTING TO KEEP BEAUTIFUL AND TO MAKE MORE CLEAN AND MORE APPEALING FOR, UH, FOR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS INVESTORS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.
[VIII.A.(1) P.R. No. 24937 — A Resolution Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur And Central Mall Port Arthur, LLC]
NOW, WE'RE GONNA NOW MOVE TO OUR RESOLUTIONS NON-CONSENT, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE NUMBER ONE, PR NUMBER 24937, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CHAPTER 380 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND CENTRAL MALL.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(2) P.R. No. 24974 — A Resolution To Accept The Project Completion Documents For The Atlanta Water Line Improvement Project With Global Drilling, Inc. Of Winnie, Texas, And Authorize The Release Of Retainage In The Total Amount Of $148,377.50; Funding Is Available In Retainage Account No. 405-00-000-2050-00-00-000.]
PR NUMBER 24974, A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE PROJECT COMPLETION DOCUMENTS FOR THE ATLANTA WATERLINE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WITH GLOBAL DRILLING INCORPORATED OF WINNIE, TEXAS, AND AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF RETAINAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $148,377.50.FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN RETAINAGE ACCOUNT NUMBER 405-00-000-2050 - 00-00-000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(3) P.R. No. 25115 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur To Join Transportation Excellence For The 21st Century (TEX-21) As A Paying, Voting Board Member; Pay The $10,000.00 Annual Membership Fee; And Appoint One Board Representative And Two Alternate Board Representatives. Funding Is Available In Account No. 001-01-005-5470-0010-000. (Requested By Councilmember Frank)]
PR NUMBER 25115.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MAN - CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TO JOIN TRANSPORTATION EC - EXCELLENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY TEX21 AS A PAYING VOTING BOARD MEMBER.
PAY THE $10,000 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE AND APPOINT ONE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE AND TWO ALTERNATE BOARD REPRESENTATIVES.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 001 - 01-005-5470-0010-000 REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
YES, QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FRANK? YES.
UH, AS AN AMENDMENT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT, UM...
I'D LIKE TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT THAT THE MAYOR WOULD BE A, UM, WOULD BE A VOTING REPRESENTATIVE FOR THIS MEETING.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE AN ALTERNATE OR, UM, REPRESENTATIVE AS WELL.
WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR AS STATED BY COUNCILMEMBER FRANK.
UM, CAN I GET A SECOND, UM, TO THAT AMENDMENT? IT'S BEEN SECOND.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT? YES.
CITY SEC - CITY ATTORNEY? UH, TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE ASKING THAT THE, THE MAYOR SERVE AS THE MAIN BOARD MEMBER AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER, BUT WE NEED A SECOND ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER AS WELL.
WE NEED A SECOND ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER IN THAT AMENDMENT.
QUESTIONS? UM, I GOTTA GO BACK TO THE CORRECT THE AMENDMENT FIRST.
AN AMENDMENT IS FOR AS STATED.
SO I'D LIKE TO CORRECT MY AMENDMENT.
CORRECT MY AMENDMENT TO HAVE THE MAYOR AS THE VOTING REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN COUNCILMAN FRANK AND MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW AS ALTERNATES.
THAT'S THE AMENDMENT, THE CORRECTED AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR.
CAN I GET A SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT? OKAY.
IT'S BEEN SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I'LL, I'LL YIELD YOU.
ORDER IS COUNCILMEMBER GETWOOD, THEN COUNCILMAN JACOBS.
[01:45:01]
I, I JUST WANTED TO PUT ONTO THE TABLE.I THINK THIS TOPIC DESERVES MORE CONVERSATION, UM, FROM THE FULL COUNCIL AS, UH, TOGETHER IN THIS.
UH, WE JUST GOT THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
I'M WELL AWARE OF THE, OF, OF, UM, WHAT WE SAW, BUT I THINK WE ASK COUNCIL NEED TO HAVE A REAL DISCUSSION ON IT BEFORE WE JUST VOTE ON THIS TODAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO, TO USHER THOSE SENTIMENTS INTO THE, TO THE CONVERSATION.
COUNCILMEMBER JACOBS? UM, I SHARE A SIMILAR SENTIMENT, BUT ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A SECONDARY MOTION, BUT, UM, TO THE, THAT AMENDMENT, I THINK WE SHOULD TABLE THAT DISCUSSION ALSO FOR, UM, FOR A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION SIMILAR TO HOW WE ESTABLISH COMMITTEES.
UM, I THINK IT DESERVES THAT TYPE OF CONVERSATION AND DELIBERATION AMONGST THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FORMAL ACTION IS.
I- IF IT'S ME, UH, UH, PUTTING A SECONDARY, UM, MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND REQUESTING THAT WE, UH, STICK WITH THE MOTION, UH, OR STICK WITH THE, UM, THE RESOLUTION AS, AS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA AND TABLE THAT SECONDARY MOTION OR TABLE THE SECOND ITEM, UM, THAT ADDS THE, THE APPOINTMENT OF SAID VOTING MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES - POINT OF ORDER.
UM, FOR A SECOND CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ONE MOTION AT A TIME.
SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FIR - WITH THE MOTION, THE FIRST MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE, AND THEN WE CAN DEAL WITH THE MOTION.
YEAH, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.
AND IF IT FAILS, WE GO BACK TO THE SECOND, THEN WE DO THAT.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND VOTE NOW.
UM, WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS THERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AMENDMENT? I HAVE FRANK - COUNCILMEMBER FRANK, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
COUNCILMEMBER JACOBS' LIGHT IS ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER GETWOOD, YOUR LIGHT IS ON.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK, CAN, CAN WE DO ROLL CALL VOTE, MAYOR? SURE.
I'LL SAY ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT TO ADD THE MAYOR AS A VOTING MEMBER, THE AMENDMENT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK AS A MEMBER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KENLAW AS A MEMBER.
I NEED TO VOTE ON THAT ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PENA? COUNCIL MEMBER JONES? YES.
[VIII.A.(4) P.R. No. 25141 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Accept The Fiscal Year 2027 Body-Worn Camera Grant Funding In The Amount Of $99,286.20 With A 25% cash Match In The Amount Of $33,095.40. Cash Match Is Available In Account Number 001-17- 045-5470-00-30-000.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUM - UH, PAGE NUMBER EIGHT, ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION.WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO NUMBER FOUR, PR NUMBER 25141.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BODY-WORN CAMERA GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $99,286.20 WITH A 25% CASH MATCH IN THE AMOUNT OF $33,095.40.
CASH MATCH IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 001 - 17-045-5470-00-30-000.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(5) P.R. No. 25149 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A One-Year Contract With Signal Security Of SETX Of Port Arthur, Texas For Security Guard Services For City Hall And The Annex For The Total Projected Budgetary Impact Of $134,833.50. Funding Is Available In The Facilities Maintenance Other Contractual Service Account, 001-21-059-5470-00-70-000.]
WE'RE GONNA NOTE...GO TO NUMBER FIVE, PR NUMBER 25149.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SIGNAL SECURITY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR SECURITY GUARD SERVICES FOR CITY HALL AND THE ANNEX FOR A TOTAL PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $134,833.50.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE ACCOUNT 001 - 21-059-5470-00-70-000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER GETWOOD.
I KNOW AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, UM, WEIGHING AND ADDING IN A FACTOR FOR LOCAL.
UM, BUT I, I STILL HAVE YET TO SEE IT ON, ON, ON THIS IDEA.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS ONE THAT FELL THROUGH, UM, PRIOR TO THE CONVERSATION, BUT JUST WANTED TO SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT PROCESS TO INCORPORATE IT MOVING FORWARD.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ONE WAS ALREADY ADVERTISING PRIOR TO - OKAY.
SOME OF THAT DISCUSSION, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, MR. CLIFF AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, TO ACCOMMODATE
[01:50:01]
WITH PROPOSALS MOVING FORWARD.[VIII.A.(6) P.R. No. 25152 — A Resolution Authorizing The Third And Final Year (Second Renewal) Contracts Between The City Of Port Arthur And Gulf Coast Electric Company Of Beaumont, Texas And Jefferson Electric Company Of Beaumont, Texas For Electrical Repairs And Maintenance At Various Locations For A Combined Total Not To Exceed Amount Of $117,000.00, Funds Available In The Operational And Maintenance Accounts For The Various Departments.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO NUMBER SIX, PR NUMBER 25152, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THIRD AND FINAL YEAR SECOND RENEWAL CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND GULF COAST ELECTRIC COMPANY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AND JEFFERSON ELECTRIC COMPANY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FOR A COMBINED TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AN AMOUNT OF $117,000.FUNDS AVAILABLE IN OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS FOR THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, ANY NOS? THE AYES HAVE IT.
[VIII.A.(7) P.R. No. 25158— A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into A Professional Service Agreement With The LaBiche Architectural Group, Inc., Of Beaumont, Texas For The Development Of Professional Plans And Related Documentation For Phase V Restoration And Repair Work At Rosehill Manor, Including Submission Of The Plans To The Texas Historical Commission, And Coordination With The Commission Through Its Review And Approval Process, In The Amount Not To Exceed $253,678.00, Plus Reimbursables Expenses Not To Exceed $6,000.00; For A Total Authorization Not To Exceed $259,678.00; Funds Are Available In FY 2026-2027 Project string BU0014.ENG, Account NO. 307-15-043- 8512-00-10-000.]
TO NUMBER SEVEN, PR NUMBER 25158.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE LA BEACH ARCHITECTURAL GROUP INCORPORATED BEAUMONT, TEXAS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL PLANS AND RELATED DOCUMENTATION FOR PHASE FIVE RESTORATION AND REPAIR WORK AT THE ROSE HILL MANOR, INCLUDING SUBMISSION OF THE PLANS TO THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND COORDINATION WITH THE COMMISSION THROUGH ITS RE- REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $253,678 PLUS REIMBURSABLES AND EXPENSES NOT TO EXCEED $6,000 FOR A TOTAL AUTHORIZATION NOT TO EXCEED $259,678.
FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN FY2026, 2027, PROJECT STRINGBU014.ENG, ACCOUNT NUMBER 307 - 15-043 - 8512 - 00-10-000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER JONES? UH, CITY MANAGER, JUST THE...
THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE? JUST THE FINAL BILL.
JUST THE FINAL BILL, THAT'S IT.
ARE YOU COMING BACK WITH ANYMORE MONEY? THAT'S IT.
CITY MANAGER? NO, IT'S NOT THE, THE...
YES, IT'S THE FINAL BILL BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO US.
HE WILL BE OVERSEEING THE PROJECT, WHICH THE CONSTRUCTION COST WILL BE ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT HE'S WORKING WITH THE, UH, HISTORICAL COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS AS FAR AS THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS CONCERNED.
STATE AND LOCAL, STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.
TO COVER THE CONSTRUCTION - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
AND THE THREE MILLION DOLLAR CON - COST INCLUDES THIS FEE? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE THREE MILLION MORE COM - WE SHOULD HAVE...
NO, THE THREE MILLION IS THE TOTAL COST AND THAT INCLUDES THIS 253,000.
AND IT'S ALL COMING FROM HOP TAX MONEY, NOT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
OH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COUNCILMEMBER JACOBS, I'M SORRY.
UM, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW, MR. SAUNDERS OR, OR CITY MANAGER, UM, WHAT IS...
ONCE THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETE, RIGHT, ONCE ROSE HILL MANOR HAS BEEN, UM, RESTORED, WHAT IS THE INTENDED USE OF THE PROPERTY, AND WHO WILL IT BE ACCESSIBLE TO? THE INTENDED USE IS THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU WILL MOVE THEIR OFFICES THERE AND IT WILL BECOME THE OFFICIAL, UM, TOURIST, UH, INFORMATION CENTER FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
AND AN, AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M JUST A, A CHILD OF PORT ARTHUR AND I, I DID COWBOYCADE AND ALL THE THINGS, AND WE'D HAVE TEAS AND STUFF THERE.
SO WILL IT, WILL IT HAVE A SIMILAR FUNCTIONING CAPACITY IN ANY WAY? NOT REALLY.
UM, I MEAN, IT WILL BE AN OFFICE FOR THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
THERE MAY BE SOME FUNCTIONS THAT THEY DO, UM, ASIDE FROM THAT, THAT'S SIMILAR TO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ITS INTENT.
ITS INTENT IS TO BE AN OFFICE IN A TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER.
THE REAL IDEA IS TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE FOOT TRAFFIC - YES.
IT'LL IMPROVE THAT, BUT IT, IT, IT WON'T BE WHERE THEY RENT IT OUT FOR A CAVALCADE OR A WEDDING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO JUST FURTHER CLARIFY,
[01:55:01]
UM, THE POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE.SO MAY, IT MAY NOT BE RENTED OUT, BUT IT, IT'LL STILL HAVE ROOMS OR AREA.
WOULD, WILL, WILL IT HAVE AREA FOR, FOR EVENTS TO BE HOSTED THERE? GONNA LET TAMMY CUT TO THE CONVENTION OF ISRAEL ANSWER THAT.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCILMAN AND MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY.
THE MAIN LIVING ROOM ON THE LEFT IS GOING TO REMAIN A VACANT, UM, MEETING SPACE AND THINGS LIKE ART EXHIBITIONS, THAT TYPE OF THING THAT COULD BE DONE WITHIN EIGHT TO FIVE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS CAN BE DONE IN THAT MAIN LIVING ROOM.
ONE OF THE TWO, WHAT I WOULD CALL DINING ROOMS, THERE ARE TWO SORT OF SIDE BY SIDE.
ONE IS GOING TO BE A CONFERENCE ROOM WITH, UM, AN EXIS- EXISTING TABLE THAT'S BEING REFURBISHED THAT WILL SEAT ABOUT 14.
AND THEN, UH, THE KITCHEN IS NOT GOING TO BE AN ENTIRELY FUNCTIONING KITCHEN ANY LONGER.
IT'LL STILL BE A KITCHEN, BUT WON'T BE ABLE TO COOK IN IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO EVENTS COULD HAPPEN IN IT, BUT IT WON'T BE A RENTABLE SPACE.
IF THE, UM, LET'S SAY THE CAVALCADE DID WANNA HAVE, JUST AS A TRADITIONAL THING, THEY WANTED TO COME AND DO A THING IN THAT LIVING ROOM AS A HISTORICAL THING, THAT TYPE OF THING WOULD BE ALLOWED.
IT JUST WON'T BE RENTED OUT, LIKE, ON A SATURDAY TO A WEDDING - OKAY.
BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE OFFICES AND, UH, THE SPACE WON'T BE TOTALLY, UH, PRIVATE, SECURED.
AND, AND THE MAIN REASON WHY I WAS ASKING, UM, AND, AND THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW, UM, NOT ON THE RENTABLE SIDE, BUT THE, JUST TO ENSURE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF EVENTS TO BRING FOOT TRAFFIC THERE, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY HISTORIC BUILDING.
I, FOR ONE, HAVE NEVER BEEN INSIDE.
UM, I, I KNOW FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD WEDDINGS THERE, BUT I KNOW THE, THE, THE BEST WAY TO BRING TRAFFIC TO THE BUILDING OR TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE BUILDING IS TO BE ABLE TO HOST SOME TYPE OF EVENT, UM, THERE.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOUR, YOUR, UH, DEPARTMENT WILL BE CREATING AND CURATING EVENTS TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE BUILDING AND BRING TRAFFIC THERE.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SPEAKING WITH PARKS AND REC AS ROSE HILL PARK IS - YES.
SO WHILE THERE IS NOT, BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT MOVE IN TILL PROBABLY EARLY 2028, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING PLANS TOGETHER OF HOW WE CAN BRING PEOPLE.
AND LIKE WHETHER IT'S A BAND ON A, LIKE A LITTLE BAND ON A SA - UH, FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH SOME LEMONADE ON THE PORCH OF ROSE HILL, OR YOU KNOW HOW ALL THE WALKERS ARE ON THE SEA WALL AND THEY KIND OF COME DOWN RIGHT THERE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN IN, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
WE DO NOT HAVE A PLAN YET - OKAY.
OF HOW, BECAUSE IT'S STILL QUITE A WAYS OFF, BUT THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED BETWEEN ADAM AS THE OVERSEER OF MR. SANDERS OF THE OVERSEER WITH CHANDRA AND PARKS AND OUR OFFICE.
AND IT WILL BE A, THE OFFICIAL VISITOR CENTER, SO IT WILL ALSO HAVE THE TRAFFIC OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME IN, GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT WAS, UH, DISCUSSED AS BECOMING THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS IT CAN BE FUNDED.
THE RENOVATIONS CAN BE FUNDED BECAUSE IT IS BECOMING THE OFFICIAL VISITOR CENTER.
UH, THE FUNDING FOR HOTEL TAX HAS SOME VERY SPECIFIC, UH, USES, AND THAT WAS ONE WAY WE COULD GET THE HOME RENOVATED AND IN USE, SO SOMEONE IS IN THERE ALL OF THE TIME.
ABOUT, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE VISIT THE VISITOR CENTERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE? UM, I WOULD SAY NOT A LOT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE CANNOT FIND US.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, DURING BIRDING SEASON, WE GET A LOT OF BIRD WATCHERS THAT COME FIND US BECAUSE THEY WANNA FIND THE BIRDWATCHING MAPS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
WE GET A LOT OF THE FAMILY AND CLASS REUNIONS THAT WE'RE ASSISTING.
THEY COME AND MEET WITH, WITH US THERE.
BUT JUST THE TOURISTS COMING IN OFF THE ROAD, A LOT OF THEM WILL GET THEIR BROCHURES AND STUFF FROM THE HOTELS BECAUSE WE HAVE THEM STOCKED IN ALL THOSE AREAS.
SO HAVING A DESIGNATED TOURISM OFFICE OFFICIAL VISITOR CENTER IS HOW WE HAVE TO, UH, SAY IT FOR THE FUNDING USE.
AND BEING IN THE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR, BEING RIGHT THERE WHEN YOU COME INTO THE DOWNTOWN, I THINK WILL INCREASE VISITATION A LOT TO THE OFFICE.
COUNCILMEMBER JONES, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.
TAMMY, RIGHT QUICK, UH, I HEAR A LOT OF TALKING GOING ON, BUT I WANT YOU TO CLEAR MY HEAD OR SOMETHING.
IT USED TO BE WE, WE HAD WEDDING, YOU KNOW, AT THE ROSE HILL, WE HAD RECEPTIONS, UH, OTHER LITTLE FUNCTIONS GOING ON.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT WON'T BE GOING ON NOW, WON'T BE THE WEDDINGS AND RECEPTIONS? CORRECT.
THAT WILL - IT WON'T BE GOING ON? THE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WILL NOT...
THE RENTAL OF IT, THERE WAS...
THE FEDERATED WOMEN'S CLUB RAN ROSE HILL.
[02:00:01]
MADE THE MONEY OFF THE RENTALS.IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN RENTED IN ABOUT 10 YEARS, UH, ABOUT - I DON'T KNOW.
UH, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE INTERIOR, THAT TYPE OF THING.
THE SPACES WILL BE OFFICES AND THERE WILL BE SOME PUBLIC SPACE, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE WEDDING...
YOU KNOW, IF A BRIDE WANTS TO COME TAKE A PORCH AROUND THE STAIRS, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN STILL HAPPEN, THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT IT WON'T BE RENTABLE SPACE, NO.
WELL, CITY MANAGER, JUST CLEAR MY HEAD.
THAT, THAT'S GRANT MONEY WE'RE USING, CITY MONEY TO REMODEL.
IN THE PAST, WE HAD REPUTATION OF BEING THE PRIVILEGED FEW COULD ONLY USE THAT ROSE HERE.
ONLY THE PRIVILEGED FEW HAD ASSETS TO ROSE HILL AT ONE TIME.
THAT, THAT'S THE WORLD WITHOUT.
YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY HEARD IT TOO.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO GO IN THE SAME DIRECTION AGAIN.
IT'S GONNA BE AN OFFICE FOR THE CVB.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OFFICE THERE, COUNCILMAN.
I WAS MARRIED THERE 42 YEARS AGO, SO I MEAN, IT NEEDS TO BE...
SO IT WON'T BE THE SAME, BUT IT'S GONNA BE AN OFFICE, WHICH I THINK IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEED A PLACE FOR THE, UM, FOR THE CVB TO BE SEEN AND PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT US TO BE ABLE TO GO AND PICK UP BROCHURES.
YOU CAN GO HERE IN PORT ARTHUR, YOU CAN GO THERE IN PORT ARTHUR, AND, UM, PLEASURE ISLAND.
THERE'LL BE THE HUB WHERE ALL THE FLYERS, EVERYTHING SITS, AND ALMOST BRINGING TRAFFIC TO DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND LOOK AT THEIR OFFICE TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO THERE.
AND I THINK THE IDEA OF THE BANDS BEING THERE ON THE WEEKENDS AND ALL OF THAT IS JUST GOING TO BE, UH, RE- RENOVATED AND, UH, FOR THEM TO BE HOUSED DOWN THERE, I THINK IS GONNA BE A GREAT IDEA FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAD DOWNTOWN PORT ARTHUR TO SEE WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.
BUT THEIR OFFICES WILL BE THERE, WHICH IS GOOD.
IT BRINGS ABOUT THE CIVIC CENTER OUT OF HIDING, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW, NO ONE KNOWS YOU'RE THERE.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S AN OFFICE THING.
42 YEARS AGO WAS A WEDDING PLACE, BUT, UH, AND WE HAD NOWHERE TO, TO SIT.
COUNCILMEMBER, ANYONE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER GETWOOD SPOKE TWICE ALREADY.
IS THAT RIGHT, UM, CITY SECRETARY? I'M, I'M GOING BY MY TEXT MESSAGES.
[VIII.A.(8) P.R. No. 25160 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Change Order No. 2 To The Highway 365 Sewer Force Main Replacement Project (Project No. WS0012-CON) With Allco, LLC. Of Beaumont, Texas, Extending The Contract Time By 210 Days To The New Total Contract Time Of 683 Days, Thereby Shifting The Completion Date To April 16, 2027; Providing That Change Order No. 2 Has No Budgetary Impact.]
OKAY.WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO NUMBER EIGHT, PR NUMBER 25160, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO THE HIGHWAY...
TO THE HIGHWAY 365 SEWER FORCE MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
PROJECT NUMBER WS0012-CON WITH ALCOY, LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, EXTENDING THE CONTRACT TIME BY 210 DAYS TO THE NEW TOTAL CONTRACT TIME OF 683 DAYS, THEREBY SHIFTING THE COMPLE- COMPLETION DATE TO APRIL 16TH, 2027, PROVIDING THAT CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO HAS NO BUDGETARY IMPACT.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED IN SECOND.
QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.
UM, THANKFULLY THIS HAS NO BUDGETARY IMPACT, BUT 210 DAYS IS QUITE A LOT OF TIME.
THAT IS TWO THIRDS OF A CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, AND SO MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF ASSURANCE, UM, THAT THIS IS ADEQUATE TIME TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF WHAT WE RAN INTO THAT CAUSED, UH, THE, THE PROJECT TIMELINE TO GET BLOWN OUT, SOME OF THAT WAS...
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS ANTICIPATED, BUT IT WASN'T ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND I KNOW WE CAN'T ALWAYS GET AHEAD OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHAT THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS AROUND, UM, AROUND SIGNIFYING 210 DAYS AS BEING ADEQUATE AND HOW, HOW, HOW WE DETERMINE THAT IT IS ADEQUATE.
SO WE, WE JUST PASSED OUT A, UH, IT'S BASICALLY A MEMO AND IT HAS A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED AND IT'S GOT A TIMELINE.
UH, THE MAIN ISSUES ON THIS WERE WE HAD TO INITIALLY ISSUE THE CONTRACT EARLY BECAUSE OF TCQ.
I WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ON THAT.
I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
IT WAS BECAUSE OF A BIG SEWER SPILL AND, AND THIS WAS PART OF A
[02:05:01]
SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.SO WE STARTED THE CONTRACT, UH, BUT WE WERE FINISHING UP EASEMENTS, BUT YOU CANNOT GET ACCESS AGREEMENTS AND WORK AGREEMENTS WITHOUT A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD.
SO YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET THE CONTRACTOR BEFORE YOU CAN FINALIZE EVERYTHING.
WE RAN INTO, UH, SEVERAL ISSUES NEGOTIATING FINAL AGREEMENTS AND ANY EVEN EASEMENTS.
THERE WAS ONE CON - UH, PIPELINE IN PARTICULAR THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.
UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GET US THE EASEMENT THROUGH AN ACCESS AGREEMENT ACROSS THEIR PROPERTY.
WE, WE FOUND THAT WE COULD NOT ACCESS SOME OF THE PROPERTY ON ONE SECTION.
WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T STAY WITHIN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
WE, WE WERE FOLLOWING AN EXISTING, UH, RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE OWN.
THE WAY THE PIPE HAD BEEN INSTALLED YEARS AGO, YOU COULD NOT KEEP YOUR MACHINERY WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO INSTALL THE NEW PIPE.
IT WASN'T STRAIGHT WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WE HAD TO GO NEGOTIATE A TEMPORARY ACCESS EASEMENT.
THAT WAS A VERY TIME CONSUMING PROCESS WITH THE LANDOWNER.
AND WE RAN INTO PROBLEMS. ONCE WE FINALLY GOT IT, THE LANDOWNER WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO ACCESS IT FOR SOME OTHER PROBLEMS. I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
SO WE HAD THE, IN PARALLEL TO TRYING TO FINALIZE THAT, WE REDESIGNED THAT SECTION, MOVED IT BACK TO TXDOT.
THAT TOOK SOME TIME, BUT IT FINISHED BEFORE WE GOT FINALIZED WITH THE LANDOWNER, SO WE REDIRECTED THE PIPE AWAY FROM THAT PROPERTY.
UH, AND DURING ALL OF THESE DELAYS, THE RAILROAD PERMIT EXPIRED.
SO WHEN YOUR RAILROAD PERMIT EXPIRES, YOU LOSE YOUR...
IT'S, IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT FLAG.
YOU CANNOT WORK ON A RAILROAD PROPERTY WITHOUT THEIR FLAGGING COMPANY BEING THERE.
YOU HAVE TO SCHEDULE THAT WORK.
SO WHEN THE PERMIT EXPIRED, WE LOST OUR SCHEDULE.
IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET THEM TO EXTEND THE PERMIT FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND ONCE YOU GET THE NEW PERMIT, THEN YOU CAN START SCHEDULING YOUR FLAGGERS.
SO THAT WAS A, ANOTHER DELAY THAT WASN'T ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND YES, IT IS A, IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG JOB.
BUT ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT THIS PUMP STATION DOES.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAUSED A L...
WHEN JESS AND I GOT HERE, THE PROBLEMS WERE ALREADY STARTED.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE PROPERTY, NEITHER ONE OF US ARE FROM PORT ARTHUR.
AND THE BIGGEST DEVELOPABLE PROPERTY, UH, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S GONNA CREATE REVENUE IS SERVED BY THIS PUMP STATION.
IT'S THE AREA FROM 96 TO WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD, FROM JIMMY JOHNSON OR EVEN SOUTH OF JIMMY JOHNSON, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED OUT THERE IN THAT VACANT LAND.
SO JESS CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, LET'S DO A STUDY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO.
LET'S JUST DON'T REBUILD WHAT'S THERE.
AND WE FOUND OUT THAT THE PUMP STATION THERE IS WAY UNDERSIZED AND HAD WE JUST DONE WHAT WAS REALLY IN THE PLAN, THE CITY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
THE FORCE MAIN WENT FROM LIKE AN EIGHT, EIGHT INCH TO A 16 INCH.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF FLOW THAT WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THIS.
SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN A PAINFUL PROJECT, BUT IT REALLY OPENS UP THE CITY FOR POTENTIAL OF TAX REVENUE IN THAT AREA.
IT, IT, IT TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THAT WHOLE COLLECTION AREA AND OPENS IT UP FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO, BUT THAT'S NOT THE REASON IT WAS DELAYED, BUT IT DID TAKE A WHILE TO DO THE STUDY.
SO IT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS IT, IT...
THE BIG DELAY WAS GETTING THE CONT - GOING EARLY WITH, BEFORE WE FINISHED ALL THE EASEMENTS TO GET US WITHIN THE DEADLINE OF THE TCEQ AFTER A REALLY BIG SPILL AND FINALIZING THOSE EASEMENTS AND THEN GOING OUT AND DOING ACCESS AGREEMENTS.
AND SOME OF THEM WERE VERY DIFFICULT.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT DID A GREAT JOB.
I SAID THAT I THINK ALREADY, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT WITH SOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
AND I SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY GIVEN YOU ALL THIS EARLIER SO YOU COULD READ IT, BUT...
I MEAN, WE WERE GIVEN, WE WERE GIVEN, UH, TO AN EXTENT BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT THIS COMPREHENSIVE, BUT I, I DO APPRECIATE THIS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR EXPLANATION.
AND I WOULD JUST, UH, JUST ISSUE ONE WORD OF CAUTION.
THIS STUFF THAT I TELL MY PEOPLE AT WORK EVERY DAY, WHICH IS THE THINGS THAT WE CAN GET AHEAD OF ARE THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW, RIGHT? SO THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE PERMITS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES.
IN THIS INSTANCE, IT ENDED UP BEING
[02:10:01]
COSTLY, UM, MONEY-WISE AND TIME WISE.AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS WE ARE BEING BETTER STEWARDS OF OUR CONTRACTS, AS WE ARE BEING MORE DILIGENT IN OUR SCOPING PROCESSES, LET'S PLEASE TRY TO TAKE THESE TYPES OF THINGS INTO ACCOUNT SO IT CAN BE LESS PAINFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PAIN ENDURED BY YOU ALL AND THE STAFF OF THE CITY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THIS IS A, A GREAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT'S, THERE'S NO BUDGETARY IMPACTS - YEAH, RIGHT.
AND THIS WOULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION IF THERE WERE BUDGETARY IMPACTS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, LESSONS LEARNED AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL DID LEARN THE LESSONS, SO.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME DEALING WITH THIS MANY PIPELINES.
I HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GETWOOD.
UM, I, I ECHO THE SAME SENTIMENTS AS, UM, COUNCILWOMAN JACOBS.
I HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS AND AF - READING IT, UM, IT WASN'T AS COMPREHENSIVE AS THIS WAS, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
AND, UM, AS WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO NEED TO BE, BEAT A DEAD HORSE, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, OF LEARNING.
AND SO THE, THE ONE THING ABOUT PAIN IS ONCE YOU FEEL IT ONCE, YOU KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE IT.
AND TO, TO THE POINT OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE PROGRESS AND THE THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN ONCE THIS IS DONE, UH, WILL ALLOW US MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN SOME MORE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FROM THIS ONE.
SO LET'S KEEP THIS IN OUR BACK POCKET, UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR, BUT ALSO TO HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.
AND I'M GLAD, UH, AND GRATEFUL THAT THIS WASN'T A, A BUDGETARY IMPACT AND WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN A VERY INCREDIBLE LESSON FROM IT, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AS A CITY.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING.
[VIII.A.(9) P.R. No. 25165 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute One-Year Contracts, With The Option To Renew For Two (2) Additional One-Year Periods, With Amelia Lawn Care And Landscaping Of Groves, Texas (Groups A And C), Smith's Remodeling Of Port Arthur, Texas (Groups B, D, F And H) And K&D Affordable Lawn Service (Groups E And G) Of Port Arthur, Texas For Ground Maintenance Of City Properties At The Water Utilities Department Facilities, With An Annual Projected Budgetary Impact Of $146,664.00 For The Fiscal Year; Funding Is Available In Account No. 410-40-230-5470-00-00-000, other Contractual Services.]
IF YOU'LL TAKE NUMBER NINE, COUNCILMAN KENLOW.UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO NUMBER NINE, UH, PR NUMBER 25165, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH A, UH, OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR PERIODS WITH AMELIA LAWN CARE SERVICE, EXCUSE ME, LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPING OF GROVES, TEXAS, GROUP A AND C, SMIT REMODELING OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, GROUP B, D, F, AND H, AND K&D, AFFORDABLE LAWN SERVICE GROUP E AND G OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS FOR GROUND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTIES AT THE WATER UTILITY FACILITY WITH A ANNUAL PROJECTED BUDGETARY IMPACT OF $146,604 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 410-40-230-5470-00-00-000.
OTHER CONTRACTUAL, UH, SERVICES.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THAT ON FOLD? MOVE.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.
NUMBER 10, THE MAYOR, IS SHE STANDING BACK THERE? OKAY.
[VIII.A.(10) P.R. No. 25178 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase 3,510 Garbage Cans From Sierra Container Group Of Ocala, Florida, Under NCPA/Omnia Partners Cooperative Purchasing Contract NO. 160911, In The Amount Of $215,330.00. Funding Is Available In The Public Works Solid Waste Residential Garbage Division-Minor Equipment Account, Account Number 403-50-310- 5240-00-00-000.]
GONNA GO TO NUMBER 10, PR NUMBER 25178.A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE 3,510 GARBAGE CANS FROM SIERRA CONTAINER GROUP OF OCALA, FLORIDA UNDER NCPA OMNI PARTNERS COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT NUMBER 160911 IN AN AMOUNT OF $215,330.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS SOLID WASTE RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE DIVISION, MINOR EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT, ACCOUNT NUMBER 403-50-310-5240 - 00-00-000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE COUNCILMAN KINL - MAYOR PRO TEM KINLOW.
MR. BURTON, RON BURTON, I'M A...
I'M PROBABLY GONNA VOTE FOR THIS - FOR THESE - FOR THESE TRASH CANS, BUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE SAME ISSUES.
WE GOT PROBABLY A THOUSAND TRASH CANS FLOATING AROUND TOWN.
EMPTY HOUSES WITH TRASH CANS, TRASH CANS AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, AND SOME- SOME HOUSES HAVE THREE OR FOUR TRASH CANS ONLY PAYING FOR ONE.
SOME ONLY PAID IN RENT AND GOT
[02:15:01]
THREE OR FOUR TRASH CANS.I DON'T WANNA BE A BAD GUY, BUT MAN, WE GOT A LOT OF CANS JUST HANGING AROUND.
WE BUYING 3,000 OF THEM? 3,000? YEAH.
INS- INSTEAD OF WE'RE PURCHASING THEM FIVE TIMES A YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BUY IT ALL ONE TIME.
UM, JESSE, I FORGOT TO REMIND YOU WHEN YOU CAME THAT COUNCILMAN JONES IS THE CASH, THE- THE TRASH CAN GURU ON THE COUNCIL AND, UM, HE- HE ALWAYS - HE ALWAYS MENTIONS IT.
FROM ALL THE TIME, FROM THE TIME I'VE KNOWN HIM FIVE, 10 YEARS AGO, AND IT COMES UP ON THE AGENDA, I FORGOT TO- TO- TO SAY SO TO YOU.
HE'S GONNA LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURE AS FAR AS THE TRASH CAN.
BUT WHAT- WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS TIME, COUNCILMAN JONES, WE'RE BUYING IT IN BULK, INSTEAD OF DOING IT FOUR AND FIVE TIMES A YEAR.
BECAUSE THEY DISAPPEAR, THEY BREAK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DAMAGED, YOU KNOW, UM, AND- AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I- I TOLD, UM, THE NEW, UM, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR THAT WE GO OUT THERE, ALL THE- THE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, SLASHED FOR DEMOLITION, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GO TO THOSE BUILDINGS AND WE MAKE SURE WE RETRIEVE THE, UM, EXISTING TRASH CANS THAT ARE THERE AND PUT THEM BACK INTO THE STOCK.
SO TYPICALLY, WE'D NORMALLY COME WITH A- A REQUEST FOR 700.
THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT HOW MUCH WE COULD FIT IN OUR FACILITY ALL AT ONCE, BUT INSTEAD OF COMING EVERY COUPLE MONTHS, UH, WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER THAT DOES HANDLE A LOT OF THE REPLACEMENTS, AND HE'S ABLE TO GET QUITE A FEW OF THEM DONE, UH, THROUGH THE WEEK.
UM, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF GETTING MORE EFFICIENT FOR HIM, UH, KNOWING THAT HE IS JUST ONE PERSON.
WE HAVE A COUPLE INTERNS THAT HELP HIM FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON TRYING TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A RESOURCE PIECE WHERE YOU HAVE TO EITHER BUY MORE MATERIAL OR GET MORE STAFF TO HELP HIM OUT, SO...
BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THE PROCESS.
UM, MAY I APPROACH HIM? OH, WAIT.
UM, I- I JUST WANTED TO JUST ASK THE SAME QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, CAL, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME.
WHEN I SAY WE HAVE LOTS WITH NO HOMES, BUT I SEE GARBAGE CANS ALL OVER.
WANTED TO KNOW WHAT- WHAT- WHAT IS OUR...
WHAT'S THE CITY'S PROCESS ON ACCOUNTING FOR TRASH CANS? AND WHEN SOMEONE MOVES IN, HOW- HOW DO THEY, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? JUST INQUIRING, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE- WE'RE GETTING READY TO BUY IN BULK, BUT IF WE HAVE TRASH CANS THAT'S STILL SITTING THERE FLOATING AROUND, YOU KNOW, I- I- IT'S...
I DON'T WANNA SAY IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO BUY NEW TRASH CANS, BUT WHAT'S THE CITY'S WAY...
ACCOUNTABILITY WAY OF- OF ENSURING THAT TRASH CANS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AND PAID FOR? 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ALSO SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S HOMES THAT HAVE THREE TRASH CANS AND THEY'RE ONLY PAYING FOR ONE.
SO AS YOU - AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR- OUR STAFF.
AGAIN, IT'S A- A STAFF OF ONE THAT REALLY - OKAY.
HANDLES A LOT OF THESE REPLACEMENTS.
UH, BUT HE DOES TAKE NOTE OF THE, UM, PROPERTIES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE ONES, VERIFY THAT THEY'RE BEING BILLED ACCORDINGLY.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS- IS A CONSTANT PIECE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE, IF THEY HAVE THREE TRASH CANS, THEY'RE BEING BILLED FOR THREE TRASH CANS.
UH, SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH THAT WITH OUR STAFF, UM, FOR THE ONES THAT ARE IN VACANT LOTS.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE THEM, LET US KNOW.
WE HAVE A THIN STAFF THAT WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH THOSE PIECES AND- AND RETRIEVE THOSE CANS SO THAT WAY WE HAVE THEM BACK IN STOCK.
AND IF THEY'RE IN GOOD CONDITION, WE'D LIKE TO REUSE THEM.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE IN POOR CONDITION, WE DO WANNA GET THEM REPLACED.
AND- AND THAT- THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE KNOW A- A STAFF OF ONE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, BUT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF THOUSANDS, AND SO JUST WANTED TO SEE...
SO WHAT- WHAT NUMBER WOULD THEY HAVE TO CALL? WHO WOULD THEY GET IN CONTACT WITH IF A CITIZEN, UM, IS WANTING TO, UM, ADDRESS AN ISSUE WITH SUCH? UH, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF CAN GET THEM IN TOUCH WITH THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE TO, UH, GET THEM REPLACEMENTS OR GET ADDITIONAL CANS OR WHEN THEY FIRST MOVE IN AND THEY NEED A NEW TRASH CAN, THEY CAN REACH OUT AND WE'LL GET A, UH, A TOTE BROUGHT TO THEM RIGHT AWAY.
AND I- I BELIEVE MR. GLENN WHITE'S WITH THAT DEPARTMENT, CORRECT? HE'S THE SUPERINTENDENT, CORRECT.
YEAH, BECAUSE HE, UM, HE ACTUALLY CAME TO THE WEST SIDE, UM, THE NEW EDITION MEETING, AND HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE SOME- SOME GOOD...
SO THAT WOULD BE THE PERSON, A PERSON THAT WE COULD CONTACT.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WILL GET HIM INVOLVED IN WHATEVER WE NEED.
YEAH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
BEFORE JESSE GOT ON BOARD, ACTUALLY, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, STAFF PERFORMED A SURVEY OF ALL THE TRASH CANS THAT ARE AT THE RESIDENCES - UH-HUH.
[02:20:01]
AND CROSS-REFERENCED THAT WITH THE BILLING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE FOUR CANS, BUT YOU'RE ONLY PAYING FOR TWO, AND MADE A LOT OF THESE CORRECTIONS.THE ISSUE IS IT'S AN ONGOING BATTLE BECAUSE PEOPLE DO STEAL THESE CANS, THEY TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU FIND THEM ON EMPTY LOTS.
SO IT'S A DAILY BATTLE FOR THE STAFF, BUT THIS HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN- WHEN IN THE PAST WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO WE DO HAVE A RECENT COUNT WITH RECENT INFORMATION ON THE BILLING.
UM, MAYOR PRO TIM, DID YOU HAVE - HEY, DOC.
CITY MANAGER, DID YOU HAVE A...
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, DOC, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, UH, AND I'M, UH, YEAH, CAL DID ADDRESS THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, KINDA INQUISITIVE ABOUT IT TOO.
UH, WE HAVE STORAGE FOR ABOUT 700, THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, AND WE'RE BUYING 35.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT THE REST OF THOSE CANS AT? I'M SORRY? FIVE SEPARATE.
FIVE SEPARATE ORDERS THAT ARE GONNA COME IN.
AND THE ONES WE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, ABOUT USING THE ONES THAT WERE DEFICIENT.
WE CAN USE IT FOR PARTS, RIGHT? AND WE HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS WORKING ON THOSE CANS AS A PART PERSON, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT PERSON.
WHEN THOSE CANS WERE BREAK, THE TOP IS OFF, THE WHEELS STILL WORK, WE TAKE THE WHEELS OFF, USE THEM, AND WE TRY TO REBUILD.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RON AND I TALKED ABOUT MAYBE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, ABOUT HOW WE CAN REGENTIFY THOSE GARBAGE CANS.
ARE WE STILL DOING THAT? ARE WE JUST THROWING THEM AWAY? ARE WE JUST - WE'RE TRYING TO SALVAGE PIECES OFF THAT ARE SALVAGEABLE, LIKE LIDS AND SUCH LIKE THAT, UM, WHERE THE LID IS RE-SALVAGEABLE, WE'LL REUSE THE S, UH, THE LID.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY THIN STAFF, BUT WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS MANY ACCOMMODATIONS AS WE CAN TO - OKAY.
UH, KEEP THOSE RESOURCES IN, IN, IN VIABLE CONDITION AS WE CAN.
SECOND ROUND, LAST TIME, MAYOR.
UM, CITY, UM, UM, COUNCILMEMBER JONES? YEAH.
UH, JUST, YOU WEREN'T HERE, UH, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS DISCUSSING THIS TRASH CAN ISSUE, SO YOU, YOU GOTTA PASS.
HANDY, YOU WEREN'T, YOU WEREN'T ON BOARD HERE BACK THEN, BUT SO WE GOT FIVE, YOU SAID WE GOT FIVE OTHERS COMING, YOU SAID? FIVE, SIX, RIGHT? OKAY, SO WE'LL...
THE CITY OF PAPER, THREE OF THEM, THE OTHER TWO WERE IN THE PAPER, THE OTHER TWO ALL THAT WE GET.
WE'RE ON THE PAPER, THE OTHER TWO.
COUNCILMAN, THE SURVEY WE PERFORMED...
I GUESS YOU'RE OKAY WITH PAYING FOR THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO NUMBER 10.
[VIII.A.(11) P.R. No. 25179 — A Resolution Authorizing The Payment Of Quarterly Solid Waste Facility Permit Fees As Assessed By The Texas Commission On Environmental Quality For The City Of Port Arthur Landfill, With A Projected Annual Budgetary Impact Not To Exceed $190,000.00. Funding Is Available In Account NO. 403-50-320-5471- 00-00-000.]
WE JUST DID 10.UH, PR NUMBER 25179, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF QUARTERLY SOLID WASTE FACILITY PERMIT FEES AS ASSESSED BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TCEQ FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S LANDFILL WITH A PROJECTED ANNUAL BUDGETARY IMPACT NOT TO EXCEED $190,000.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 403-50-320-5471 - 00-00-000.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.A.(12) P.R. No. 25181 — A Resolution Approving A Contract Between The City Of Port Arthur, And The Port Arthur Historical Society For The Purpose Of Providing Funding To Support The Operation Of The Museum Of The Gulf Coast For Fiscal Year 2026-2027 In The Amount Of $296,336.00; Providing For Funding From The Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund, Account No. 140-15-600-5470-00-20-000, Project No. H07904.OTH.OCS.]
LET'S MOVE NOW TO NUMBER 12, PR NUMBER 25181, A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE PORT ARTHUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF THE MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 IN THE AMOUNT OF $296,336.PROVIDING FOR FUNDING FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, ACCOUNT NUMBER 140-15-600-5470-00-20-000, PROJECT NUMBER H07904.OTH.OCS.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST HAVE A- A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE ALLOCATED 2627 BUDGET THAT THIS AMOUNT IS.
UM, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE HOT TAX THAT THE CITY COLLECTS.
WHO COULD OR POTENTIALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION.THAT'S
[02:25:01]
A LYNN QUESTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER QUESTION, YEAH.I DON'T THINK - BETWEEN LYNN AND YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE THAT WE COULD SEND IT OUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S A- AN EXACT PERCENTAGE.
ALL OF THIS IS IN THE BUDGET WITH THE HOT TAX.
THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER FUNDING FOR THIS AT ALL.
SO IT'S COMING STRAIGHT FROM THE HOT TAX.
WHEN YOU SEE THE FUND 140, THAT'S STRICTLY HOT, AND THERE'S NO TRANSFERS, NO, NO OTHER GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT GOES INTO...
IT'S SIMPLY COMING FROM THE SALES TAX...
NO, THE HOTEL TAX THAT WE RECEIVE DURING THE YEAR, AND THAT'S FULLY BUDGETED IN THERE.
NO, MY QUESTION IS, UM, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE - THE PERCENTAGE.
YEAH, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THIS ANSWER TODAY OR AT THIS MOMENT, BUT A- AS A...
THE- THE WHOLE TOT - THE TOTAL, AND I'M LOOKING AT ITEM 12 AND 13 AT THIS POINT, BUT THE TOTAL OF HOT TAX THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR COLLECTS, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT PERCENTAGE OR ROUNDABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THIS ARE WE, UH, CURRENTLY ASKING TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE TEXAS HISTOR - OR PORT ARTHUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR THE, UH, THE MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST? SO WE BUDGETED 2.6, AND SO THIS WOULD REPRESENT JUST ABOUT 15%.
AND YOU SAY 2.6, THAT'S MILLION? 2.6 MILLION, I'M SORRY.
OH, I HAVE IT MEMORIZED IN MY HEAD.
AND THEN FOR THE OTHER ONE, SINCE WE'RE GETTING 2.6, THE - 42% FOR MINE.
UM, FOR THE COUNCIL'S PURPOSE, UM, THERE IS A CAP ON, UM, THE HOT TAX AS TO THE AMOUNTS THAT WE COULD PAY TO THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, THE AMOUNT THAT GOES TO THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE COULD USE FOR PROJECTS LIKE THE, UM, UM, UM, ROSE HILL.
THERE ARE VARIOUS CAPS IN LOW THAT WE CANNOT EXCEED AS FAR AS THOSE ARE CONCERNED.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COM - THANK YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GET CLARIFICATION.
SO THIS MONEY IS GOING TO THE PORT ARTHUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CURATING EVENTS, UM, TO BRING TRACTION TO THE MUSEUM, CORRECT? THANK YOU.
UH, THE MONIES ARE USED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE MUSEUM, WHICH IS A TOTAL PRO- PROCESS OF MUSEUM.
IT REPRESENTS 45% OF THE OPERATING MONEY OF THE MUSEUM.
MUSEUM, ACTUALLY, RARE DO Y'ALL, DO Y'ALL ASK...
SOMEBODY ASK YOU FOR MONEY AND THEY GIVE YOU SOMETHING BACK.
IN OUR CASE, WE'RE MEETING YOU AT 55% OF THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S USED TO OPERATE THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE, UH, OPERATION OF THE BUD - OF THE, UH, MUSEUM OF THE GULF COAST.
[VIII.A.(13) P.R. No. 25182 — A Resolution Approving An Amendment To The Agreement Between The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, And The Port Arthur Convention And Tourist Association, Which Manages And Operates The City's Convention/Visitors Bureau, To Establish The Association's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Hotel Occupancy Tax Funding Allocation In The Amount Of $1,109,000.00; Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Amendment; And Providing For Funding From The Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund, Account No. 140-15-600-5470-00-20-000, Project No. HO7912.OTH.OCS.]
PR NUMBER 25182, RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS AND THE PORT ARTHUR CONVENTION AND TOURIST ASSOCIATION, WHICH MANAGES AND OPERATES THE CITY'S CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU TO ESTABLISH THE ASSOCIATION'S FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING ALLOCATION AMOUNT OF $1,109,000.AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER EXECUTING THE AMENDMENT AND PROVIDING FOR FUNDING FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, ACCOUNT NUMBER 140-515-600-5470-00-20, UM, 000 PROJECT PROJECT NUMBER H07912.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW, UM, WHEN REVIEWING...
WHEN PERFORMING MY OWN AGENDA REVIEW.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT OUR CVB WAS TECHNICALLY OPERATED BY THE PORT ARTHUR CONVENTION AND TOURIST ASSOCIATION.
AND SO I GUESS I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW, UM...
I GUESS, HOW IS THE ASSOCIATION, UM, ITS, ITS FORM, RIGHT? IT'S FOR...
[02:30:01]
WITH THE CITY.CAN SOMEONE KIND OF GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE CITIZENS? BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM, UH, CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS JUST FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS TO HOW OUR CVB IS STRUCTURED AND WHO PERF - WHO PROVIDES THE OVERSIGHT OF THE CVB.
IN 1973 WHEN THE CITY FIRST STARTED COLLECT - LEGISLATIVELY APPROVED COLLECTING HOTEL TAX, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MECHANISM TO SPEND IT.
SO THE CITY OPTED AT THAT TIME TO PUT IT UNDER THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THREE YEARS.
IN 1976, THE CITY CREATED WITH THE HOTELIERS IN THE CITY A 501 THAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE PORT ARTHUR CONVENTION AND TOURIST ASSOCIATION.
IT IS STILL THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT IS STILL THE LEGAL NAME, BUT WE HAVE A DBA, WHICH IS THE CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU, UH, BECAUSE WE, UH, THAT IS JUST A NAME CHANGE, UH, DBA THAT OCCURRED IN THE '80S PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, JUST TO UPDATE THE NAME CONSISTENT WITH THE INDUSTRY.
SO IT IS STILL THE CONVENTION AND TOURIST ASSOCIATION DBA CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU.
IN 1980, WHEN THE CI - WHEN THE CIVIC CENTER WAS BUILT, THE OFFICES FOR THE CVB WERE BUILT INTO THE CIVIC CENTER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN OFFICE THERE SINCE 1980.
SO WE ARE A 501 THAT WAS CREATED BY THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY WITH THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION AT THE TIME TO USE THE HOTEL TAX TO BRING TOURISTS TO THE CITY FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM.
SO THAT IS WHEN IT WAS CREATED.
AND THEN IN TWO, WE WERE, UH, IN THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, IT WAS SIX SEVENTHS.
SO OF THE 7% HOTEL TAX, SIX SEVENTHS WENT TO THE CVB BY CONTRACT.
IN 2005, THAT AGREEMENT WAS CHANGED AND, AND IT REQUIRED AN ORDINANCE CHANGE.
AND IT BECAME WHERE WE COME EVERY YEAR TO THE CITY AND WE REQUEST AN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO NOW EVERY YEAR WE COME BEFORE THE, WE, DURING THE BUDGETING PROCESS, A RE - AN AMOUNT IS REQUESTED WITH A MEMO SAYING WHY THE CHANGES, ET CETERA.
AND SO THAT IS HOW IT'S FUNDED WITH HOTEL TAX.
THERE'S ONLY SEVEN LEGAL USES OF HOTEL TAX IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ONE BEING THE PROMOTION, WHICH IS THE CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU.
AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE LEGAL USES.
SO THAT IS HOW WE WERE ESTABLISHED, UM, FUNDED SOLELY WITH HOTEL TAX.
IT IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU IS THE HOTEL TAX.
UM, WE DO PROVIDE AN AUDIT PER THE CONTRACT EVERY YEAR.
YOU RECEIVE AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT, UH, OF OUR, UH, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, WE ALSO, IF WE'RE ASKED TO COME AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE UP TO, WE CERTAINLY DO THAT.
UM, WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT, OF COURSE, WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND OTHERS, BUT WE, UM, HAVE A GOVERNING BOARD.
WE ARE A SELF-ELECTING GOVERNING BOARD.
THAT'S HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP.
SO THEY ARE PORT ARTHUR CITIZENS OR PORT ARTHUR BUSINESS OWNERS, AND WE HAVE A BOARD OF NINE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ADVISORY.
AND WHERE COULD A CITIZEN LIKE, OR NO, I WOULDN'T SAY LIKE MYSELF, BUT WHERE COULD A CITIZEN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT GOVERNING BOARD? IS THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE OR IS IT REQUIRED TO BE AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? IT IS NOT AS A 501 REQUIRED.
UM, AND IT IS NOT, THERE, OUR BOARD MEMBERS AREN'T PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE COULD CERTAINLY ADD THAT TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR WEBSITE.
UM, OUR, SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE, UH, JUDGE DONALD FLOYD.
IT IS, UH, MIKE MA - MR. MIKE MASON.
UM, TRYING TO GO THROUGH MY LIST OF NINE REAL QUICK RIGHT HERE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE, I BELIEVE, ALL NINE.
THEY HAVE ATTENDED 50% OF THE MEETINGS.
SO THEY CAN SERVE A TOTAL OF SIX YEARS.
AND JUDGE FLOYD IS OUR CURRENT CHAIRMAN.
AND HOW ARE, ARE, ARE THOSE MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IN RELATE, IN RELATION TO THE BOARD, ARE THE MEETINGS, UM, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND HOW DOES ONE PERSON MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE OR KNOWN TO, UM, HAVE INTEREST IN SERVING ON SAID BOARD? UM, WE BASICALLY HAVE A, WE HAVE SOMEBODY ROLLING OFF THIS DECEMBER.
AND SO IT REALLY IS OUR BOARD THAT BRINGS THE NAMES FORWARD.
[02:35:01]
IN LIKE THE JULY, AUGUST MEETING, WE TALK ABOUT HOW MANY WE HAVE ROLLING OFF, IF ANY, AND THEN THEY BEGINNING, THEY BEGIN GATHERING NAMES FOR NOMINATIONS.A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL ALSO REACH OUT IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO OTHER BOARDS TO SEE WHO MIGHT WANT TO SERVE.
UH, THEY CAN CERTAINLY CALL OUR OFFICE.
WE DON'T PUT IT OUT NECESSARILY LIKE IN A FORMAL SEEKING BOARD MEMBER TYPE THING.
UM, THEY ARE A SELF-ELECTING, SO THEY KIND OF COME UP WITH THEIR LIST OF NAMES BASED ON WHO THEY KNOW AND WHO WANTS TO SERVE.
AND WHO HAS AN INTEREST? WE ALWAYS HAD TRIED TO KEEP A HOTELIER AND WE'VE HAD A TROUBLE KEEPING A HOTELIER ON OUR BOARD.
UM, THEY'RE BUSY AND THEY, UH, THEY HAVE DECLINED IN THE PAST.
WE HAD A HOTELIER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE.
[VIII.A.(14) P.R. No. 25185 — A Resolution Authorizing The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, To Pay Its 2026-2027 Allocation To The Jefferson Central Appraisal District In The Amount Of $269,144.38; Providing For Payment In Quarterly Installments; And Providing Funding From The General Fund, Finance Department, Account No. 001-07-015-5420-00-10-000.]
GO TO NUMBER 14, PR NUMBER 25185, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS TO PAY ITS 2026-2027 ALLOCATION TO THE JEFFERSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN THE AMOUNT OF $269,144.38, PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT AND QUARTERLY INSTALLMENTS AND PROVIDING FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND FINANCE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 001 - 07-015-5420 - 00-10-000.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN GETWOOD.
[VIII.A.(15) P.R. No. 25191 — A Resolution Appointing And/Or Reappointing A Director Or Directors To The Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation. (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Kinlaw)]
NUMBER 15, PR NUMBER 25191, A RESOLUTION APPOINTING AND REAPPOINTING A DIRECTOR OR DIRECTORS TO THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REQUESTED BY MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SECOND.
QUESTIONS MAYOR PRO TEM? UH, CHRISTIE, YOU HAVE THAT NAME RIGHT? INGRID WEST HOMES.
ARE WE APPOINTED? YES, INGRID HOLMES.
[VIII.A.(16) P.R. No. 25192 — A Resolution Appointing A Member To The Port Arthur Youth Advisory Council (YAC). (Requested By Mayor Pro Tem Kinlaw)]
NUMBER 16, PR NUMBER 25192, A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A MEMBER TO THE PORT ARTHUR YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, YAK, REQUEST BY MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW.MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I MOVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE A NAME, COUNCILMAN? MAYOR PRO TEM? CHASLYN JONES.
[VIII.B.(1) P.O. No. 7449 — An Ordinance Of The City Council Of The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Amending Appendix A - Zoning Of The City Of Port Arthur Code Of Ordinances, To Grant Specific Use Permit No. 264 To Allow For "Automobile Sales" In A Commercial Retail District On Approximately .9162 Acre Of Land Located At 6331 W Port Arthur Road, Legally Described Tract 11-A, Replat Of Lots 10 & 11, Block 5, Port Acres, City Of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas; (Violation Of Any Provision Of This Ordinance Shall Be Guilty Of A Misdemeanor And Shall Be Punished By A Fine Not Exceeding $2,000.00 As Provided In Chapter 1, Section 1-13 Of The Code Of Ordinances, And Each Day Which Violation Is Permitted To Exist Shall Constitute A Separate And Distinct Offense); And Providing For Publication In The Official Newspaper Of The City Of Port Arthur And Effective Immediately After Publication Date.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO ITEM EIGHT, CONTINUING.WE'RE GONNA GO TO OUR NON-CONSENT ORDINANCES.
NUMBER ONE, FIRST ORDINANCE, PO NUMBER 7449.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AMENDING APPENDIX A, ZONING OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR CODE OF ORDINANCES TO GRANT SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 264 TO ALLOW FOR AUTOMOBILE SALES IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT ON APPROXIMATELY 0.9162 ACRE OF LAND LOCATED AT 6331 WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD, LEGALLY DESCRIBED TRACT 11-A, REPLAT OF LOTS 10 AND 11, BLOCK FIVE, PORT ACRES, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.
VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 AS PROVIDED IN CHAPTER ONE, SECTION ONE THROUGH 13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND EACH DAY WHICH VIOLATIONS PERMITTED TO EXIST SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUBLICATION DATE.
Z26-09-ALPHA SOUTH SETX PROPERTY, LLC, SUP NUMBER 264.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[VIII.B.(2) P.O. No. 7454 — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 86 (Solid Waste), Article IV (Fees, Charges And Billing Procedures), Section 86-79 (Who May Collect And Dispose Of Refuse/Security Deposits) Of The Code Of Ordinances, City Of Port Arthur, Texas, By Amending Rates For The Disposal Of Refuse At The Municipal Landfill And Providing For Publication.]
TWO, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PO NUMBER 7454, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 86, SOLID WASTE ARTICLE FOUR, FEES, CHARGES AND BILLING PRO- PROCEDURES.WHO MAY COLLECT AND DISPOSE OF REFUGE SECURITY DEPOSITS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS BY AMENDING RATES FOR THE DISPOSAL OF REFU- REFUGE AT THE MUNICIPAL LANDFILL AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
[02:40:01]
SAY AYE.I'M GONNA MOVE NOW TO PAGE 11, NUMBER THREE,
[VIII.B.(3) P.O. No. 7455 — An Ordinance Amending The City Of Port Arthur, Texas, Code Of Ordinances, Chapter 94, Streets, Sidewalks And Other Public Places, Article VI, Section 94-381, Abandoning And Vacating City Streets, Alleys Or Easements; Administrative Charges Assessed; And Amending Section 94-453, Application; Fee, Excavation; Amending Chapter 98, Subdivisions, Section 98-94, Application For Variance; Amending Appendix A - Zoning, Section 1.10, Fees; Adopting A Comprehensive Planning And Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule; Authorizing Recovery Of Actual Third- Party Costs Incurred By The City; Providing A Savings And Severability Clause; Providing For Publication; And Providing An Effective Date.]
PO NUMBER 7455.AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 94, STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES.
ARTICLE, UM, SIX, SECTION 94381, ABANDONING AND VACATING CITY STREETS, ALLEYS OR EASEMENTS, ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES ASSESSED, AND AMENDING SECTION 94-453, APPLICATION, FEE, EXCAVATION, AMENDING CHAPTER 98, SUBDIVISIONS, SECTION 98-94, APPLICATION FOR VARIANCE, AMENDING A- APPENDIX A, ZONING SECTION 1.10, FEES, ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATIVE FEE SCHEDULE, AUTHORIZING RECOVERY OF ACTUAL THIRD PARTY COSTS INCURRED BY THE CITY, PROVIDING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? SO MOVED.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[IX. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) (Part 2 of 2)]
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO GO INTO OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HAND- HANDLE THE FOLLOWING AD - UH, ITEMS. UH, NUMBER ONE, WE'VE ALREADY HANDLED, UM, UH, SECTION 551087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TAKEOFF HAS ALREADY BEEN, UM, HANDLED.WE'RE GONNA GO TO NUMBER TWO, SECTION 551071, LITIGATION AND LEGAL ADVICE, CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION AND LEGAL ISSUES CONCERNING CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE MARCH 23RD, 2026 EXPLOSION AND THE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026 EMISSIONS EVENT AT THE VALERO PORT ARTHUR REFINERY AND POSSIBLE OTHERS REQUESTED BY MAYOR MOSES AND MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW.
NUMBER THREE, SECTION 551071, LEGAL ADVICE.
SECTION 551072, PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
AND SECTIONS 551087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH,.
1.004 ACRE TRACT OUT OF LOT SIX, BLOCK SEVEN, RANGE I OF PORT ARTHUR LAND COMPANY SURVEY.
UH, MAY I GET A MOTION TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? SECOND.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 12:45 PM.
UM, WE'RE BACK FROM, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN A MO - DO I HAVE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE OUT EXECUTIVE SESSION? I'D LIKE A MOTION TO CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
EXECUTIVE SESSION IS CLOSED AT 1:31 PM.
I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, WE'D LIKE TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING AT 1:32 PM.