Jun 28, 2022 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MOMENT CITY COUNCIL TODAY IS TUESDAY, JUNE 28TH AND GIVEN OUR INVOCATION TODAY WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR TERROR. THOMPSON OF ST ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. IF YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD, EVERYONE, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. FOR OUR NATION'S FLAG. THANK YOU. LET US PRAY. ALMIGHTY GOD, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH . WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO DO THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO US. SOMETIMES THIS WORK SEEMS TEDIOUS, OTHER TIMES DAUNTING AND OTHER TIMES IT GIVES US JOY REGARDLESS OF THE WORK THAT IS BEFORE US AND HOW WE MIGHT FEEL ABOUT IT, LORD, IT IS ALL HOLY WORK. SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE US IN OUR DECISIONS AND IN OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WOULD MAKE CHOICES, WHICH ARE PLEASING TO YOU, WHICH ARE HONORING TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE ARE ENTRUSTED TO CARE FOR. WE FIND OURSELVES ON THIS 28TH DAY OF JUNE, SITUATED BETWEEN TWO CELEBRATIONS OF FREEDOM, JUNETEENTH AND THE FOURTH OF JULY LORD, WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY. FOR THE LIBERTIES THAT WE GET TO CELEBRATE. BUT EVEN IN OUR GRATITUDE, LORD, WE ALSO NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND THOSE WHO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY DON'T ENJOY THE SAME FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE. WE ARE MINDFUL OF PAUL'S WORD TO THE CHURCH THAT WE ARE TO USE OUR FREEDOM TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER , SO MADE THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AND THE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US THIS DAY, MAY THEY BE GUIDED BY A SPIRIT OF SERVICE FOR ONE ANOTHER. I PRAY ALL OF THIS IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. AMEN AMEN. THANK YOU. THE NATION'S FLAG. ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR MARTIN PRESENT PRO TIM SAMUEL, PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER DORIO COUNCIL MEMBER GETS COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHAW, PRESIDENT I'M SORRY. COUNCILMAN RETIREMENT PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER, NEIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS, NO PROCLAMATIONS AND NO RECOGNITIONS TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO READ AT THE CLOSE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY, THE COUNCIL WILL HOLD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER POSITION. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.74. OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE PERSONNEL MATTERS. CLOSING MEETING OF CHRIS AS BOO LIONEL D LINES, CANADA ARE WILLIAMS TO DISCUSS AND DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.87 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TO WITH SPECIFICALLY PROJECT DEEP BLUE AND PROJECT MERCURY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO PLEASE FILL OUT THE GREEN SLIPPED TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM. HANDED TO THE CLERK TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM. SHE WILL CALL YOUR NAME IN THE ORDER IN WHICH SHE HAS RECEIVED IT. ON UM, CONSENT

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS FUNDING AGREEMENT, AND THAT WAS REDUCED TO TWO. BECAUSE OF SOME. ISSUES THAT TEXT DOT HAD WITH THE WAY THE CITY WAS GOING TO GO ABOUT THAT. BAR COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT CONCERNS TEXT DOT HAD? AND UH, WHAT, WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO TRY TO GET THIS GET ALL FOR LOCATIONS BACK. WE PLANNED AND SUBMITTED THE FUNDING ORIGINALLY WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE HSI PEER HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH

[00:05:03]

THROUGH AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH THE TEXT DOT UH, DISTRICT OFFICE. THEY'VE SINCE ADVISED US THAT WE NEED TO HAVE CONTRACTORS INSTALL BOTH PURCHASE AND INSTALL THE EQUIPMENT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WANT US TO LET THE PROJECT OUT. FOR THE COMPLETE PURCHASING INSTALLED BY AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY. UM AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE SCALED THIS BACK TO, UM, JUST FOURTH AND GLADYS RATHER THAN FOURTH. GLADYS HIGHLAND AND FEELING SO OBVIOUSLY IF WE BRING IN CONTRACTORS INSTEAD OF USING CITY FORCES THAT'S GOING TO ADD TO THE OVERALL PRICE TAG. UM AND I RECOGNIZE THAT SO ARE REACHED OUT. TO TEXT DOT AND, UH, ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD SOMEHOW CONSIDER ALLOWING US TO DO THIS OR WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR US TO USE CONTRACTORS BECAUSE IN THIS DAY AND TIME WE WANT OUR DOLLARS TO STRETCH. JUST AS FAR AS I POSSIBLY CAN. AND MR GONZALES, UH, THE LOCAL ENGINEER FROM TECH STOP, UH, HAS AGREED TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND AH, YOU KNOW, AND CHRIS AND WHOEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN IT, BUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE REVISITING THIS. I DON'T WANT TO. JEOPARDIZE GETTING THIS, BUT I DO WANT US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS OFFER TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO WORK THROUGH THIS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE OUR TAX DOLLARS TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK THAT WE CAN. IF WE COULD DO, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY'D REVERSE THEIR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TELLING US AND LET US DO THE ORIGINAL PLAN. WE'RE STILL WILLING TO DO SO. UM, TODAY'S ITEM WOULD GIVE MR BOONE, THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE A NEW EFA. IF THAT'S REQUIRED IF IT'S NOT REQUIRED, AND THEY LET US GO ON THE ORIGINAL A F A. THEN WE'RE ALL GOOD. THAT WAS PASSED WHEN IT FIRST CAME TO COUNT. WELL THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE THAN I'D SAY WE NEED TO CONSIDER. BUT IF IT'S NOT TIME SENSITIVE, MAYBE WE SHOULD TABLE IT, BUT THEY'RE SAYING IT IS TIME SENSITIVE AND WE DON'T HAVE THIS AF A YET. SO WE CAN JUST SIMPLY NOT SIGN THIS ONE. UM AND GO WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENTIONALLY WORDED IT THE WAY WE DID SO THAT THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT IN THE EVENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ADD MORE TO IT. WE CAN DO THAT. SO THE APPROVAL TODAY WOULDN'T PROHIBIT US FROM GOING BACK AND GOING BACK TO THE FLOOR, BUT IT WOULD ALSO LET THEM MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING THE TWO DONE TODAY.

SO IF IT WAS APPROVED, AND IT'S THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL FOR US TO REVISIT IT TO TRY TO GET THE CORE, WE CAN STILL DO THAT AND NOTHING. ABOUT YOUR APPROVING, AS IT'S WRITTEN TODAY WITH PROHIBIT YOU FROM DOING THAT, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LAST FOREVER. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. AND I THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF WE CAN BRING MR GONZALEZ INTO CITY HALL. MR BOONE YOURSELF. MAYBE WE CAN GET THIS STRAIGHTENED BACK OUT THAT BE GREAT TO PUT HIM ON THE SPOT. BUT KENNETH Y MERS IS HERE WITH TEXT DOT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, IF NOT, THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SET UP SET UP A MEETING WITH Y'ALL LATER. SO THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME OUT. CHRIS WAS HERE. JUST ANSWER QUESTIONS. UM, MY NAME IS KENNETH SWIMMERS. THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS FOR THE TEXTILE BEAUMONT DISTRICT. AND A CONSTITUENT OF MR GATZ. ST REALLY DO WANT TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD. IT WILL REALLY HELP MOVE CONGESTION. DOWN THESE TWO ROADS. AND REDUCE CRASHES. WHICH IS THE BIG PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT. IT WAS A HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. BIG KUDOS TO THE CITY FOR GOING THROUGH THE EFFORT OF SCOPING IT. ESTIMATING IT AND WORKING THROUGH THIS AS ONE OF OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE THE CITY STREETS THROUGH THIS FEDERAL FUNDED PROJECT. IT'S NOT A GRANT. IT WAS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS IN THIS PROJECT SCORED WELL ENOUGH TO GET THIS FUNDING. SO REALLY APPRECIATE IT BARK HELPING JUMP THROUGH THE HOOPS ON OUR FIRST ROUND TO TRY TO GET ALL FOUR REDID THOSE PROPOSALS TO GET US THIS FUNDING FOR THE TWO AS PART OF GETTING THAT FUNDING. THE INTENT OF THE OF THE THIS PROJECT. IS FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO BUY THE MATERIALS AND INSTALLING AND SO WE WANT TO HONOR THE INTENT OF THIS FEDERAL PROGRAM. TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AS A STEP ONE. YES. WE CAN'T GET THAT WHICH RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT ESTIMATE SHOWS THAT WE CAN HAVE THE CONTRACTOR BY IT AND INSTALL IT FOR THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN GRANTED. YEAH, DEFINITELY. WE WILL. TALK AND FIND WAYS TO STILL DELIVER THIS

[00:10:05]

[1. Consider authorizing the Interim City Manager to award a contract to LD Construction for the Street Preservation City Wide-Phase I Project]

[00:15:01]

[2. Consider authorizing the submission of an application to the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Funding and authorize the Mayor and/or the Interim City Manager to act as the City's Executive Officer(s) and authorized representative in all matters pertaining to the City's participation in the HMGP]

AND AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE AND ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE MGP GRAND CITY OF BEAUMONT DESIRES TO INCREASE RESILIENCE TO DISASTERS AND REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE LONG TERM RISK OF LOSS OF LIFE INJURY, DAMAGE TO AND LOSS OF PROPERTY. AND SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP BY LESSENING THE IMPACT OF FUTURE DISASTERS. THE CITY DESIRES OF VIABLE COMMUNITY INCLUDING DECENT HOUSING AND SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT. AND EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES . IT'S THE NECESSARY AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT PH MGP APPLICATION. BE AUTHORIZED TO BE FILED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WITH TDM. FOR THE MITIGATION EFFORTS UNDER D R. THAT DISASTER RESPONSE 44 85 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. THE PROJECT'S DETAIL WITHIN THE APPLICATION WILL ADDRESS MAJOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED AS A RISK DUE TO HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IN THE PAST. TOTAL PROJECT COST WOULD BE 47,102,00, ENGINEERING AND ACQUISITION AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES. THE CDBG EMMETT APPLICATION REQUEST AMOUNT WILL BE 90% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS. THE APPLICATION WILL REQUIRE A MATCH OF 10% IN THE IN THE AMOUNT OF 4.7 MILLION DOLLARS COMMITTED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT GENERAL FUND.

ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION. CHRIS I NEED TO SAY ONE THING WE INADVERTENTLY MENTIONED CDBG IN THE SIDE OF THAT IT SHOULD BE HMD H MGP ONLY NOT CDBG.

CORRECTION. THANK YOU, BART. THANK YOU. YOU'VE HEARD THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO MAY HAPPEN MOTION. SOMEONE. OF EMOTION. IN A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER GETSE CITY AUTHORIZED AND RECEIVED A VERY COMPREHENSIVE FLOODING. PROGRAM THAT DETAILED. PROBABLY 20 OR SO PROJECTS LARGE PRICE TAG. WILL THIS IF THIS GRANT IS A WATER WILL THIS BE A PART OF SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THERE WERE THREE AREAS THREE PROJECT AREAS DEFINED IN THAT STUDY.

THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY GRABS FROM THREE OF THOSE PROJECT AREAS. SO UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR MAIN OUTFALLS FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT OR THE NATURE'S RIVER AND THE HILDEBRANDT BAYOU. SO WE'RE KIND OF RESTRICTED IN GETTING THE WATER OUT IN A LOT OF WAYS. WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES IS DO THE LIFTING TO GET AN ADDITIONAL OUT FALL OVER TO THE NATURE'S RIVER. SO IT PUTS 2 10 BY 10 BOXES DOWN FLORIDA IT GOES THE REASON IT'S SO EXPENSIVE AS IT GOES UNDER A PIPELINE CORRIDOR. IT GOES UNDER L. N B, A RAW WATER PIPELINE, A RAILROAD AND MLK. BUT IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO THEN LATER BUILD ON THIS PROJECT AND FINISH OUT THE REMAINDER OF THOSE THREE DEFINED PROJECTS IN THE FLOOD STUDY, SO IT DOESN'T DO ALL OF THEM. BUT IT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK TO DO THEM ALL DOWN THE ROAD IN THE FUTURE AND HOW WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE TO DO THIS? SHOULD WE BE AWARDED THIS GROUND? I'M NOT SURE THE EXACT TIMELINE ON THIS ONE. IF WE GOT IT AWARDED, THEN WE COULD LINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALSO BOARD. THIS IS A $43 MILLION GRANT. AND WE'RE ONLY PAYING 4.7 MILLION OF THE 47 MILLION, RIGHT? 10% THANK YOU. OKAY WE HAVE A MOTION IN

[00:20:13]

[3. Consider approving a contract with Public Management of Cleveland, Texas for Professional Administration Services related to the Texas General Land Office (GLO), Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program]

THE PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATOR WILL DEVELOP PROJECT SCOPE AND COMPLETE THE CDB GDR APPLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2019. DISASTER D R 4466 TROPICAL STORM IMELDA. THE CITY IS CONSIDERING APPLYING FOR SUCH FUNDING FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, MITIGATION CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES, PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATOR WILL HELP WITH THE G L O TO FULFILL STATE AND FEDERAL CDB GDR STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO RECOVERY. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTER. AND ASSISTED JAGIELLO AND OR GRANT RECIPIENTS AND COMPLETION OF CDBG OUR PROJECT. THREE RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED. THIS WORK AND EVALUATED BY CITY STAFF. THE CRITERION SCORES ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR AGENDA ITEM. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF AWARD TO PUBLIC MANAGEMENT OF CLEVELAND, TEXAS. THANK YOU. YOU'VE HEARD THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE. MAY I HAVE EMOTION, PLEASE? SECOND THE MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. ANY DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL MANAGER. WE'VE USED PUBLIC MANAGEMENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. YES SIR. UH, WHAT KIND OF MONEY HAS THIS COMPANY BOUGHT INTO THE CITY OVER THE YEARS? I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY PAID HIM ANYTHING YET BECAUSE THE UNDER THE HARVEY PROGRAM UM, THEY GOT 4% I BELIEVE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN OF ANY PROJECT AWARDS, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T GET ANY OF THOSE AWARDS WE HAD PUT IN FOR THAT SAME SOUTH PARK DRAINAGE THAT WE JUST ARE PUTTING IN AGAIN AND WE PUT IN FOR UM, THE WATER WEST END WATER PLANT, WHICH WE DIDN'T GET EITHER. UM THIS AS WELL WOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON AN AWARD UNDER THE IMELDA PROGRAM. SO WE WOULDN'T PAY HIM A DIME UNLESS WE GET A GRAND AWARD. SO HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE USED PUBLIC MANAGEMENT? BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR 43 OR FOUR YEARS, PROBABLY, AND THEY'VE NEVER SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT ANYTHING TO BOMB ON IT. NOT THROUGH THEIR OWN FAULT. WE HAD A GREAT APPLICATION DURING HARVEY AND IT WAS JUST MISS SCORED. OF COURSE, FROM WHAT WE BELIEVE. WE'RE HAPPY WITH HIM AND AGAIN, AS BART MENTIONED, IT'S THE GRANT. THEIR THEIR PAY IS CONTINGENT UPON AWARDS. SO IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE $95,000. BUT OF COURSE, IT COULD BE CONTINGENT UPON CERTAIN AWARD. WE KNOW WHAT THE SUCCESS RATE OR FOR THESE OTHER FIRMS ARE COMPARED TO PUBLIC MANAGEMENT. BUT THERE. PUBLIC MANAGEMENT WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF CITIES DURING THE HARVEY PROJECT AND GOT AWARD FUNDING. WE DID NOT NEITHER DID ANYONE WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND I WILL SAY WE WORKED WITH PUBLIC MANAGEMENT GOING BACK TO HURRICANES IKE. AND WE THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING US MANAGE MANAGE THOSE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY ALL IN FAVOR. THE PROVEN ITEM NUMBER THREE. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, ALRIGHT, POSE. WE'RE NOT POSITION. THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. MR CITY

[PUBLIC HEARING]

[00:25:08]

[DISCUSSION ITEMS]

THAT'S A BIG ENOUGH GAP TO PUT THE TOTAL DEVIATION ABOVE. WHAT IS THE PERMISSIBLE AMOUNT OF 10.

THAT THIRD OR FOURTH COLUMN THERE DV AT SANDS FOR DEVIATION , AND THAT JUST IS THE CALCULATION BETWEEN EACH OF THE DISTRICT NUMBERS AND WHAT THE TARGET IDEAL SIZE FOR EACH DISTRICT OR EACH WARD SHOULD BE. SO THAT IDEAL WARD SIZES 28,807. THOSE DEVIATIONS ARE, UH.

SHOWING OF HOW MUCH ABOVE OR BELOW THAT 28,000 THAT THAT WARD IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT. SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. BASICALLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME REARRANGING OF THE DISTRICTS TO GET US BACK INTO SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL POPULATIONS. AS THE LAW REQUIRES . YOUR CURRENT TOTAL DEVIATION IS 29.23% WHICH IS WELL ABOVE THAT 10. AND AS I SAID, BEFORE, WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE LARGEST AND SMALLEST WARDS NOW AWARD ONE IS ALSO GOING TO NEED TO, UH, RECEIVE SOME CHANGES OR RE BALANCING. BECAUSE IT'S SO CLOSE TO THAT 10% MAXIMUM ANYWAYS, IF WE WERE TO JUST CHANGE THOSE TWO DISTRICTS WAR TO AN AWARD FOUR, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DEVIATION THAT WARD ONE IS PRODUCING. SO JUST A QUICK LOOK AT THE CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARIES OF EACH OF THE WARDS AND KIND OF GET A SNAPSHOT OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS CONTAINED IN EACH OF THE WARDS. SEE HERE, WARD ONE. THAT'S ONE OF THE WARDS THAT'S GOING TO BE CHANGING SLIGHTLY, AND OUR DRAFT MAP PLAN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF IS THE CHANGES ON EACH OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFICALLY THE MINORITY

[00:30:01]

YOU'RE ABLE TO NOTICE THAT IT STILL MAINTAINS THE BLACK MAJORITY, BOTH IN THE TOTAL POPULATION IN VOTING AGE POPULATION. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE USE AS A TOOL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT RETROGRESSIVE OR GOING TO FOUL OF ANY OF THOSE VOTING RIGHTS PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH. LOOKING AT. HERE IS, UH, JUST ZOOMED IN. KIND OF DETAILED. LOOK AT EXACTLY WHERE THE CHANGES ARE. SO ON YOUR LEFT , YOU HAVE DRAFT MAP A, WHICH IS THE PLAN THAT WE'VE PROPOSED, AND THEN ON YOUR RIGHT IS THE EXISTING BOUNDARIES MATTER.

WHICH IS CURRENTLY HOW BEAUMONT IS MADE UP RIGHT NOW. IMMEDIATELY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING CHANGE IS VOTING DISTRICT SEVEN. THAT WAS IN WARD ONE. THAT IS NOW BECOMING A PART OF WARD FOUR. THEN YOU SEE OVER HERE ON THE LEFT SIDE. YOU SEE, UH, VOTING DISTRICT FIVE IS NOW BECOMING A PART OF WARD FOUR. SO JUST THAT LITTLE CHANGE, THOUGH IT SEEMS VERY MINOR. IT ACTUALLY ALLOWED US TO GET INTO BALANCE. IT KEPT THOSE RATIOS THE DEMOGRAPHICS AT THE PERCENTAGES THAT WE NEEDED, AND IT PRESENTED THE MOST, UH UNPROBLEMATIC MAP PLAN THAT WE COULD HAVE PUT TOGETHER. AS I SAID, WE COULD HAVE WENT IN AND GONE AT A CENSUS BLOCK LEVEL AND TRY TO CHANGE MORE STREETS OR BLOCKS ACUTELY. BUT TO COME FROM THIS LEVEL ALLOWS FOR VOTERS IN THOSE

[00:35:03]

WAR. THREE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY CHANGES AS IT IS CURRENTLY. AT A SPOT WHERE IT'S ACCEPTABLE AND NO CHANGES WERE NEEDED. DISTRICT ONE WILL LOSE 2544 PEOPLE UNDER THIS MAP PLAN. DISTRICT TWO WILL ALSO LOSE 2569 PEOPLE. UNDER THIS PLAN, DISTRICT THREE REMAIN THE SAME, AND DISTRICT FOUR WOULD PICK UP THE SUM OF THOSE TWO NUMBERS AT THE TOP, WHICH IS 5113 PEOPLE TO BRING THIS INTO A EQUAL POPULATION. AS I SAID, OUR FIRM HAS GONE THROUGH TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO SUBSTANTIAL RETROGRESSION IN THE MINORITY VOTING POWER AND WE BELIEVE AS PUT TOGETHER. THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER PLANS THAT WE COULD HAVE MADE. WE DID HAVE OBVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED WITH OTHER CLIENTS, SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS THIS EASY, BUT THIS PLAN WAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW. IT CAME TOGETHER WELL, AND WE THINK IT IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES THAT WE COULD HAVE DRAWN UP FOR THIS PROCESS. NOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT? IN THE NEXT MEETING? WE HAVE PLANNED FOR JULY. 12TH WE INTEND TO HOST A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE GIVE THE CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. ON THE MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THUS FAR, BUT BETWEEN HERE AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ANOTHER OPTION OR CREATE ANOTHER MAP IF THAT IS THE DESIRE OR WELL OF THE COUNCIL. WE DO THAT AS A PART OF OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE ITS CITIZENS ARE AWARE OF THOSE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING AND TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ENGAGED.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AS MUCH A PART OF THEIR PROCESS AS IT IS, EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE SITTING ON A DIET. LASTLY I BELIEVE WE'VE PLANNED TO WRAP THIS UP BY JULY 19TH AND THAT WILL OCCUR WITH AN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE THAT ADOPTS WHATEVER PLAN THE COUNCIL DESIRES AS THE NEW BOUNDARY. FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. THEN, LASTLY, TO WRAP UP THIS PROCESS WITH THE BOAT. WE GIVE YOU A FINAL REPORT THAT CONTAINS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS TO THE END, INCLUDING ALL THE AGENDAS, THE NOTICES THAT WERE SENT OUT THE PRESENTATIONS. EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT OR DEFEND. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY CHALLENGES TO THIS MAP PLAN? HERE IS JUST A PROPOSED TIMELINE THAT'S BEEN UPDATED WITH THE RELEVANT DATES FOR THE COUNCIL'S ELECTIONS. YOU GUYS HAVE ELECTIONS IN MAY. WE HAVE OUR FIRST PROPOSED HEARING HERE IN JULY, 12TH. COMING AFTER THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY. OUR RECOMMENDED LATEST DATE IS TO ADOPT BY JULY 19TH. BUT THAT CAN ALSO BE VERY FLEXIBLE. WE CAN WORK WITH WHATEVER THE COUNCIL DESIRES. FIRST DATA FILE FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS THAT'S GOING TO BE JULY 23RD FOR MAY ELECTIONS THAT'S GONNA BE JANUARY 18TH OF NEXT YEAR. AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE THE CORRESPONDING DATES FOR WHEN THOSE PLANS HAVE TO BE IN PLACE THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION DAY IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE. SO YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY I SAVE YOU GUYS SOME TIME. I DIDN'T WANT TO COME UP HERE AND BE LONG WINDED. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE PLAN THAT WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE. AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UH, BUT I'M GONNA YIELD TO THE COUNCIL AND ALLOW THEM TO QUESTION FIRST ANYONE.

QUESTIONNAIRE. COUNCIL MEMBER, NEIL THANK YOU, MISTER. MANAGER. CAN WE GET THIS POWER POINT IN THIS MAP PUT ON OUR WEBSITE. YES IF IT'S NOT ALREADY I THINK THE INTENTION IS TO PUT IT ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A PAPER COPY OVER HERE IF THE PUBLIC WANTS TO LOOK AT IT AFTER. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES I'D JUST LIKE TO TELL MR PULLMAN THANK YOU FOR VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION. AND THANK YOU FOR THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN. THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH THAT COMMENT TO WELL DONE. I CAN SEE THE BALANCE IN IT AND IT IS IT'S A WELL BALANCED MAN.

AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD JUST LOVE FOR YOU TO STATE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD NO INPUT. WHAT

[00:40:01]

[00:45:07]

[00:50:06]

IT'S GONNA NEED NEW ELECTRICAL PLUMBING. THE ROOF IS GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED. UM BUT IT IS A GREAT CANVAS TO WORK ON AND THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE FINISHED, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY TOGGLE BACK AND FORTH A COUPLE TIMES JUST TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THAT. BUT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE STANDING IN THE FARMER'S MARKET AND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS THE EDUCATIONAL CORRIDOR IN THE BACK IS THE PRODUCTION SITE. THAT'S WHERE HYDROPONICS AND AQUAPONICS WOULD BE. YOU CAN SEE THE STAIRCASE TO A MEZZANINE LEVEL AND ALL THE WAY UP TO THE VEGETATED ROOF. AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THIS IMAGE. BUT TO THE RIGHT WOULD BE THE DEMONSTRATION, KITCHEN COMMISSARY AND CLASSROOMS. SO THIS IS AN OVERALL SITE PLAN THAT YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM HERE FROM THE ENTRANCE THE OUTDOOR TERRACE OF FARMERS MARKET. THE DEMONSTRATION, KITCHEN AND COMMISSARY AND STRUCTURAL CLASSROOMS. RESTROOMS THE STAIRCASE TO THE MEZZANINE AND EDUCATIONAL CORRIDOR. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN FEATURE IS THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT SPACE WOULD BE DEDICATED TO FOOD PRODUCTION. BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT ROOM HERE FOR STORAGE PROCESSING FOOD PREP RAINWATER, HARVESTING TANKS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT AROUND THE BACK. THIS IS ANOTHER IMAGE OF THE SITE, AS DEVELOPED WITH ALL THOSE ELEMENTS INCLUDED . GO AHEAD AND HAPPY TO PROVIDE THIS UP. WHY DID WE CHOOSE THIS PROGRAM? DESIGN OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO ON THIS SPACE? OUR POLICY OBJECTIVES WERE BASED ON FEEDBACK AND EXPERTISE FROM THE CEOS OF MULTIPLE MAJOR FOOD BANKS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES WITH ICE PERSONALLY SPOKE TO AN INTERVIEW ABOUT THIS UM, CHILDREN'S RIGHTS POLICY EXPERTISE FROM UNICEF PROFESSORS OF ARCHITECTURE CEO S OF AG TECH COMPANIES. I INTERVIEWED A FEW OF THOSE PROFESSIONAL NONPROFIT GRANT WRITERS AT FOOD NGOS THAT BOTH OF US HAVE SPOKEN WITH. RESTORATION CONTRACTORS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS. THEY'VE LOOKED AT THOSE BLUEPRINTS AND THE SITE THESE PEOPLE BUILD AND REPAIR DAMAGED STRUCTURES, UM, AS WELL AS THOUGHT. LEADERS IN SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY LEADERS THAT AT A NUMBER OF LEVELS SO NOW WE DO WANT YOUR FEEDBACK AND THE CHANCE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE HISTORICAL CONTEXT FROM THIS SITE AND I WILL MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE GREEN AREA WAS THE OLD SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAIL YARD. AND THAT'S WHY THAT BUILDING IS BUILT RIGHT UP TO THE LOT LINES. IT WAS LOADING FREIGHT RIGHT AFTER THE RAIL YARD. BUT SINCE THEN THIS SITE HAS DEVELOPED QUITE A BIT OF THE CITIES HAD SOME MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL ADVANCEMENTS. IN THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THIS BEAUMONT REVITALIZATION. THEY KNEW EVENT CENTER IN THE LAKE DISTRICT. AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR PROPOSAL HERE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OVERALL AESTHETIC OBJECTIVES ON LAND USE OBJECTIVES OF THE CITY DOWNTOWN. SO THIS IS MORE ANALYSIS OF THE SITE JUST TO SHOW YOU. WE'VE WE'VE DONE OUR ANALYSIS. THESE ARE THE LOCAL STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN THE VICINITY. THIS IS SOME SOCIO ECONOMIC ANALYSIS. THE NEXT FEW SLIDES THOSE AREAS THAT ARE BLOCKED OUT IN BLACK ARE TECHNICALLY FOOD DESERTS. UH AND SO THE ORANGE SQUARE NEXT TO DOWNTOWN THAT'S THE 1 25 MAGNOLIA SITE. VANCE THIS THIS IS AN INCOME RANGE. UH INTERESTING. JUXTAPOSING THIS AFTER THE LAST, UH, PRESENTATION ON REDISTRICTING, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE STRUCTURAL PARALLELS. AND THEN THESE BLOCKS HERE ARE THE SCHOOLS, SO THERE'S 17,000 STUDENTS IN THIS AREA, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE SITE THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING IS PRETTY MUCH IN THE CENTER OF THE ACTION, AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF OUR MAIN USES HERE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE I S D. OR THE FIELD TRIPS FROM THE SCHOOLS TO THIS SITE.

SO THIS IS THE LOT LINE AND AERIAL VIEW. YOU CAN SEE THE EVENT CENTER RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE STREET. UM HISTORICAL WISE PARK TO THE NORTH. NOW THE LINE RIGHT ABOVE THERE'S CITY EASEMENT. RIGHT OF WAY. I THINK IT IS RIGHT ABOVE THE SITE SO WE COULD ACTUALLY WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY AND ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAXIMIZE THE UTILITY OF THIS SITE. WE COULD GET DELIVERY TRUCKS BACK THERE. UM WASTE MANAGEMENT OUT THE BACK SO THAT IT'S NOT WHERE THE FOOD CONSUMPTION AND WHERE THE ENTRANCES BUT USING THE LOCAL

[00:55:01]

IT'S ANOTHER CROSS SECTION OF THE BUILDING. THERE'S YOUR EDUCATIONAL ZONE CROSS SECTION

[01:00:02]

[01:05:04]

COUNCILOR MEMBER NEIL. THANK YOU SO OR YOU'LL WANT THIS BUILDING FOR FREE OR YOU'RE WANTING TO PURCHASE IT FROM THE CITY. WELL ACCORDING TO THE APPRAISAL REPORT. IT'S OF NO ECONOMIC VALUE SO WE'D BE ASKING FOR IT FOR FREE. IT WOULD BE APPRAISAL. THE CITY MANAGER MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT WAS BISHOP. OF SEVERAL YEARS BACK. IT'S STILL HAS LAND VALUE. CORRECT? YEAH WE DID THE APPRAISAL OR NOT TOO LONG AFTER WE ACQUIRED IT ACQUIRED THE BUILDING, BUT, YEAH, DEFINITELY HAS LAND VALUE. SOAK IN THE CITY. JUST GIVE PROPERTY AWAY. AND THAT'S I THINK THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE THE QUESTION AND LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BRIEFLY SOME HISTORY ON THE BUILDING. WE ACQUIRED IT THAT RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE DOING THE LAKE DISTRICT DOWNTOWN. I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A PURPOSE FOR IT. BUT WE KNEW THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE WERE INVESTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT PROPERTY SO WE DID ACQUIRE IT.

SINCE THEN. WE HAVEN'T REALLY USED IT FOR MUCH. WE'VE USED IT FOR SOME STAGING AND STORAGE DURING HURRICANES, UM AND DISASTERS. WE ACTUALLY. I THINK WE PUT THE BUILDING OUT FOR BID FOR AN RFP SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TRYING BEFORE THE CITY HAD ANY LOCAL BREW PUBS OR BREWERIES. WE WERE CONSIDERING THAT AS A CONCEPT TO TRY TO GET A BREWERY. FOR THE CITY BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT ON THAT IN RECENT YEARS, AND THAT RFP WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF HAS CONTINUED TO SIT SO CLEARLY WE DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE USE FOR THE BUILDING. UM BUT WE FEEL LIKE WITH WHERE IT'S LOCATED. IT CERTAINLY HAS VALUE AGAIN. WE APPRECIATE JOHN AND BROOKE SEE APPROACHING US RECENTLY. UM ANDS PUT INTO THIS PROJECT. AND, OF COURSE, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENTS PUT A LOT OF A LOT OF CREATIVITY INTO THIS PROJECT. SO WHERE WE'RE AT NOW IS REALLY YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET A CONSENSUS FROM COUNCIL AND IF THERE IS A CONSENSUS TO TRY TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS THAT'S GONNA BE THE TRICK IS TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT. WHEREBY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO LEASE THE BUILDING. FOR A LONG TERM PERIOD, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM SOME CONTROL TO DO FUNDRAISING. HIT CERTAIN BENCHMARKS. AND IF THEY WERE ABLE TO HIT THE BENCHMARKS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK WE WOULD ASK. JOHN MENTIONED WE WOULD BE WILLING TO KIND OF EXTEND THAT DEADLINE. BUT THE FLIP SIDE IS, IF NOT MUCH, YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE CASE THAT THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD STILL RETAIN SOME CONTROL SO THAT YOU KNOW KIND OF THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT, BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TODAY IS SOME CONSENSUS TO KIND OF START THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE AGREEMENT LIKE MIGHT LOOK LIKE. AND TO BE CLEAR IT WOULDN'T BE GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE. BE GIVING IT AWAY AND CONSIDERATION FOR ABOUT $10 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT INTO DOWNTOWN. WHEN I SAY FREE. I MEAN, IT'S AN EXCHANGE OF REAL PROPERTY, SO I MEAN IT WOULD BE THAT THERE'S NOT DIRECT MONEY COMING BACK FOR THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY FOR OUR CHARTER. I JUST DIDN'T SEE HOW WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT , IF IT'S FOR SALE WOULD BE HAPPY TO BUY IT FOR THE APPRAISED VALUE. COUNTING MEMBER DURIO, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER, TURNER. HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU PLAN ON EMPLOYING IF YOU GET THIS PROJECT GOING, I THINK IF IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE 20 TO 30 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES FROM THE FRONT OFFICE, CURATING THE TOURS AND THEN ALSO HARVESTING AND HANDLING THE ACTUAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. ALSO IS THERE A PROJECT LIKE THIS THAT'S CURRENTLY EXISTING IN EXISTENCE THAT WE COULD MAYBE TAKE A LOOK AT? YES AND FACT WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO A FIELD TRIP. THERE'S A FEW HYDROPONIC FACILITIES IN HOUSTON. A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN PIONEERED IN NEW ENGLAND, WHERE YOU'VE GOT SUCH URBAN DENSITY THE FOOD NEED IS IMPORTANT TO CUT DOWN ON THE FOOD MODELS IS IMPORTANT. SO WE HAVE, UM, ADVISORS THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND PROVEN THIS OUT AND NEW ENGLAND.

UM AND WE HAVE IN THE REGION HYDROPONIC OPERATIONS, THE DIFFERENCES. THOSE ARE ALL FOR PROFIT OPERATIONS. AND SO THEY'RE ONLY GROWING THE HIGHEST PROFIT MARGIN PRODUCE INSTEAD OF WHAT IS THE NEED AND WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT COULD BE DONE THERE, AND WE'RE OPTIMIZING IT FOR THAT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH THE NON PROFIT ON THIS. ALSO IF THIS WERE TO GO THROUGH, AND YOU WOULD ACTUALLY GET THIS PROJECT GOING UP AND RUNNING WITH A PAID PROPERTY TAX ON THAT PROPERTY. DON'T BE ON THE CITY'S TAX ROLLS. YES THEY WOULD, AS A AS A NONPROFIT. I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THERE ARE OPERATING AS A NON PROFIT THEY MADE AND THE OTHER THING IS IN THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE POTENTIAL ABILITY TO WAIVE PERMIT FEES AND OTHER FEES. SO THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER INCENTIVES AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER, MR MANAGER. DO WE KNOW THE ACTUAL

[01:10:04]

THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION AS TO HOW LONG OUT A CITY CAN GO WITH THE LEAST BEFORE IT STARTS LOOKING LIKE A SALE. BUT YEAH, YOU TYPICALLY HEAR 10 30 40 50 YEAR LEASES, BUT IT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE THE IDEA SO THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS TO THE TIMEFRAME AND YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE SOME PLACES IN HOUSTON THAT ARE DOING THIS. WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED TO US TODAY IS VERY IMPRESSIVE. AND IT'S NEW FOR ME . I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. BUT IN HOUSTON, THERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS LIKE THIS AT THIS SCALE. YES IN FACT LARGER LARGER THAN THIS, BUT THEY'RE JUST DOING BIBB LETTUCE. THEY KEEP IT SIMPLE AND THEY'RE DOING IT FOR PROFIT. SO THEY'RE JUST SELLING THE EASIEST THINGS TO HARVEST AND THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HARVESTS PER GROWING SEASON AND THEY'RE SELLING THOSE TWO RESTAURANTS THAT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, SO WE WOULD BE GROWING A MUCH MORE DIVERSE ARRAY OF FOOD CROPS. THIS IS BEING DONE AT THIS SCALE AND EVEN GREATER YES.

WOW PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES. IMPRESSIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, JOHN.

THANK YOU, BROOKE. SEE, THIS IS TRULY AMAZING AND CAN BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR OUR CITY.

THE VISION, THE CHIEF SHOWN AND I WAS THERE WHEN THE STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S FOR MAKING THEIR PRESENTATION TO YOU, AND I WATCHED THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND YOU KNOW THIS? THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT KIND OF THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX THAT BEAUMONT HAS NEEDED FOR A LONG TIME. I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU, MR BOON FOR YOUR CONTINUING DIALOGUE WITH ECONOMICS ON THIS . I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH AGAIN I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND UM, ENTHUSIASTICALLY LOOKING TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST SIMPLY LIKE TO ECHO. THE COMMENTS HAS BEEN STATED THUS FAR. THIS IS THE TYPE OF COOPERATION THAT'S NEEDED ACROSS THE CITY WITH THE I S D AND ALL OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE HERE. I THINK WE'VE SEEN, UH WE HAVE SEVERAL LONG TERM CONTRACT. THAT HAVE WORKED FOR US AND I SEE NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKING THIS THIS PROJECT, ONE EXEMPLARY THAT OTHERS WILL ATTEMPT TO DO AND REPLICATE ACROSS OUR CITY. THANI MET WITH YOU. REAL EARLY ON ABOUT THIS AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION, AND, UH, WHEN WE SPOKE, AND YOU VISITED BELMONT WITH THE STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON THEY WERE VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN TENSED. ON WHAT IT COULD BECOME. AND. IT WAS JUST A CONVERSATION AT THAT TIME. IT WAS A CONVERSATION OVER SOME SANDWICHES. AND IT HAS TRULY TRULY EVOLVED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WAS. IN HOUSTON AT THE HILTON THIS WEEKEND AT THE HILTON AMERICAS AND THE CHEF HAS UNIT NEAR THE RESTAURANT. WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE, UM HYDRO, AND THERE ARE THESE LITTLE CUPS, AND THESE. LIKE VAPOR CHAMBERS, WHETHER HE'S GROWING HERBS IN THE HOTEL AND IT WAS IT WAS SIX OF THEM. AND YOU KNOW. WHERE ANYONE COMING INTO THE HOTEL COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. AND THEY HAD CAPTIONS IN BETWEEN EACH CONTAINER STATING WHAT THEY'RE GROWING. AND HOW THEY'RE GROWING IT SO I GOT TO SEE IT FIRST HAND THIS WEEKEND, AND I THOUGHT IT

[01:15:10]

ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, HAS ANYONE ELSE SHOWN INTEREST IN THAT PROPERTY? OUR INQUIRED OF IT. YES MA'AM. A FEW YEARS AGO, WE DID HAVE, UM WE WERE APPROACHED ABOUT ACQUIRING THE BUILDING. UM HOWEVER, AT THE TIME WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A USE THAT MAY NOT BE COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO DOWN THERE IN TERMS OF INVESTING IN IN PUBLIC AMENITIES, AND SO THE DECISION I THINK WAS TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. OKAY JUST TO PICK IT BACK ON THAT. I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE WE WOULD NOT PASS AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO PUT ANOTHER WAREHOUSE BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS THE YOU KNOW THE INQUIRY WAS TO JUST USE IT AS A WAREHOUSE DOWN THERE. THE WHOLE REVITALIZATION OF THAT AREA WITH THE LAKESIDE CENTER, THE EVENTS CENTER, THE GREAT LAW. THE SKATE PARK. ALL OF THAT IN THE LAKE DISTRICT, UH, CRIES OUT FOR SOMETHING MORE IMAGINATIVE THAN A, UH, WAREHOUSE. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER AND CHRIS. HOW LONG HAVE WE OWN AND CONTROL THIS PROPERTY ? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I JOTTED IT DOWN IN MY NOTES. I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK. AND LOOK, IT SEEMS LIKE ABOUT 10 YEARS. SEEMS ABOUT OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANNOUNCED THE TIME FOR

[COMMENTS]

[01:20:06]

HOWEVER I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS A PROPER PLACE FOR THIS ENCAMPMENT. I WISH THEY HAD THAT. LEGAL FIRM THAT YOU KNOW WHEN THEY DID THEIR PRESENTATION ON PRESENTING THIS OPTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU KNOW ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SECURING THIS SITUATION. THEY HAVE CHURCHES PUT THEM ON YOUR CHURCH GROUND. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE YARDS PUT THEM OVER NEAR YOUR HOUSE. BUT THIS IS NOT WELCOME. I MEAN, IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS WERE WELCOMING THE SITUATION AND IT'S NOT A WELCOME, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BARBARA. UM LATASHA DIG ALS. I DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS FOR HER BY MY TEXAS. I'M SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM MICHAEL, FUNNEL, NO ADDRESS. BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

BE HERE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE HERE, BUT I HAVE TO DO IT. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA START. WITH A QUOTE. NEVER EVER BE AFRAID TO MAKE SOME NOISE AND GET INTO GOOD TROUBLE. NECESSARY TROUBLE. WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION AND A MISSION. A MANDATE TO GO OUT AND SEEK JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE CAN DO IT. WE MUST DO. JOHN LEWIS. IF A MAT TO WORK DAILY AND EARN A LIVING FREE OF RACISM, FREE OF DISCRIMINATION. BE IT RACE, GENDER AGE OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE? WHO ARE WE? AS A NATION? EXXON MOBIL AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT NIGHT. IN THIS CASE, MY CASE HAS BEEN THE JUDGE, THE JURY AND THE PROSECUTOR. TO EXXON MOBIL AND THE JUDGES. I WILL NOT COMPLY WITH YOUR CHEATING RULES. THAT VIOLATES THE PUBLIC TRUST, MAKING RULES ONLY ENFORCEABLE

[01:25:02]

AMENDMENTS. CHANGES. DOCKET ISSUES. THE TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE. WHEN THE OPPOSITION OF BAD FAITH ACTORS YOU HAVE TO REACT ACCORDINGLY. WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME IS NOT UNIQUE.

IT'S A METHOD OF SHEDDING UP THOSE TRYING TO GET JUSTICE. BUT WHAT EXXON DID TO ME? INSIDE AND OUT THE FACILITIES WAS CRIMINAL. AND WILL BE ADDRESSED AS SUCH. WE WILL PETITION THEN WE WILL PETITION THIS NATIONALLY AS A HATE CRIME. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT INVOLVES. EXTREMISTS AND SUPREMACY. EXXON MOBIL WAS A PLACE WHERE BLACK WOMEN WAS CALLED MONKEY UNTIL THEY CRY.

EXXON MOBIL WAS A PLACE WHERE BLACK WOMAN REPORTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SHE LOST HER EMPLOYMENT. EXXON MOBIL WAS A PLACE WHERE A WOMAN TALKED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES, AND SHE WAS FIVE.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE. UNLESS I TOLD YOU BEFORE IT WOULD BECOME OUT LATER. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN ILLUSTRATION. THIS IS WAS ON MY UNIT. WHAT TRUMP WAS SPRAY PAINTED, WRITTEN AND GRAFFITI ALL OVER THE AREA. I DID NOT WANT TO BRING ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION BECAUSE IT'S JUST IT'S JUST DISGUSTING. WE'LL HAVE BLACK MOLD FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS ALL AROUND ME AND WHEN I ASKED MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION, TOO. MITIGATE THE ISSUE. I WAS FACED WITH THIS RESPONSE. DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'RE NOT FROM THE HOOD, YOU SPOOK. I WAS SENT THIS. MY PEOPLE OVER THE NATION, IT SAYS WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR SALE. WITH THE CHILDREN THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA ON THE BACK. MM. THANK YOU, MR FENNELL. AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS INFORMATION COMES OUT. I UNDERSTAND THIS INFORMATION COMING OUT, MR PENNELL, LETTING YOU KNOW YOUR TIME IS UP ON THE CLOCK FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY SAFE. GRACE MATH IS 1 50 NORTH SEVENTH STREET BY MY TEXAS. OKAY? HELLO, COUNCIL AND MAYOR. I AM A BORN AND RAISED RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT. I LIVE IN OLD TOWN AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I AM HERE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT. UM ON SIXTH STREET. I LIVE ABOUT A BLOCK OR TWO FROM THAT ENCAMPMENT. I WANTED TO GIVE ESSENTIALLY EXPAND THE INFORMATION A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM THE UNHAPPIEST POPULATION AND THE PROBLEM WITH HOMELESSNESS IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS US ALL THAT MANY OF US CARE DEEPLY ABOUT. I'M FRIENDS WITH BARBARA , AND I APPRECIATE WHAT SHE DOES AS A RESIDENT OF BEAUMONT AS A LEVER OF THE ARTS AND A BUSINESS OWNER AND ALSO SOMEONE WHO, UM, INTERACTS WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION AND CARES ABOUT THEM DEEPLY. I AGREE WITH THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SPOKEN EARLIER THAT, UM, HAVING AN ENCAMPMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT, UM IS NOT THE BEST SOLUTION FOR ANYONE INVOLVED THE HOMELESS WHO LIVED THERE AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND UM, I WANT TO REMIND US OF SOMETHING THAT MAHATMA GANDHI SAID. THAT THE MEASURE OF A SOCIETY IS HOW THEY TREAT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. AND THAT, OF COURSE, INCLUDES THE UNHAPPIEST POPULATION. SO AS THOSE WHO MAKE THE DECISIONS I ASK YOU TO, UM, DO YOU AS THE PEOPLE IN THIS, UM ECONOMICS GROUP. HAVE UM, CREATED A COMMUNITY PLAN DRAWING ON ALL RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN WE PROVIDE SOLUTIONS AND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE SUCH AS THIS, UM PEOPLE SUCH AS THIS MAN, BRIAN, I'LL SAY HIS NAME IS I WENT AND I DROPPED OFF FOOD. AT THE TENT ENCAMPMENT. I SPOKE TO HIM. HE HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF WORK AT THE CAR WASH ON CALDER. AND HE TOLD ME THAT WHOEVER THIS IS, I DIDN'T GET A NAME THAT IS ESSENTIALLY KIND OF COORDINATING THIS TENT ENCAMPMENT. HELPS HIM WITH SOCIAL SECURITY. UM HE SAID, THIS IS A TRANSITION PLACE. WE DON'T WANT TO BE HERE FOREVER. THEY HELP US FIND A PLACE TO LIVE. HELP US WITH GETTING ON OUR FEET. SO AGAIN, HOPEFULLY AS A COMMUNITY, UM, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BRING TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WHEN YOU GO TO

[01:30:06]

THANK YOU. VERNON DURDEN 16436 WESTBURY ROAD BY MY TEXAS. TOP THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AH AND CITY COUNCIL. TO DO? YES VERTU. VERY GOOD PRESENTATIONS AND THE COMMON THING FROM THIS PRESENTATION. THEY CAME FROM YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG MAN. YOUNG LADY IN A YOUNG ATTORNEY. VERY GOOD PRESENTATIONS. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH BOTH OF WANT TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE LAST ONE. BUT ITS FOOD DESERT. PROBLEM WE DO HAVE A FOOD DESERT FOOD SHORTAGES IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. AND IN THE WORLD. THEIR PRESENTATION THAT HE GAVE ABOUT THE. WAY THAT FOOD HAS GROWN.

THERE'S A WHOLE MARKET. BEING GROWN THAT WAY. IT'S ILLEGAL MARKET IN MOST PLACES, BUT IN COLORADO YUP. BIG MARKET. I THOUGHT SOMEONE WOULD CATCH THAT SO GROWING FOOD GROWING STUFF THAT WAY IS REAL. IT WORKED. DON'T DON'T LAUGH, OR MM HMM. BUT THAT WORKS. AND IT IS AND IT IS COMING OF THE FUTURE THERE. THEIR WHOLE FARMS, UH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES, GROWING CROPS THAT WAY. SO THAT WORKS. PLEASE LOOK AT THAT VERY CLOSELY . I'M A PAST PRESIDENT. HEY TINA IN THE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE FOOD BANK, AND WE ARE DOING LOTS OF STUFF NOW TO TRY TO HELP. FOOD DESERTS , AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT GREAT PROJECT FOR WALMART, TEXAS , SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING THAT PLACE IN JASPER NOW. BECAUSE OF THAT. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO HELP? REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. THAN TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WAS STUDENTS. YOUNG AND OLD. FARMERS MARKETS B I S D. CAN COME AND LEARN. AND, UH, NO, THE WORLD THE FUTURE. THAT IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. THEY'RE NOT MAKING THEM MORE LAND. YOU GOT BETTER UTILIZE IT, SO PLEASE LOOK AT THAT VERY CLOSELY SUPPORT THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN HERE.

THANK YOU. ANNOUNCED THE, UM. TIME FOR COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. AND I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. SYRIA. THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO PULL FASTER OVER THERE. UM. I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS. WE HAD OUR CHARTER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING THIS PAST THURSDAY. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE GOTTEN TOGETHER SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. WENT VERY WELL. UM. THE QUEEN AND NOBLES CAME FROM YOSI AND DID A HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PRESENTATION OF TOMORROW CAME AND DID THE, UH, CRIME STATS. SO WE'RE GETTING THAT KICKED OFF? YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA GET A FEW MORE. WE HAVE SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE WORK . THEY ARE GETTING READY TO START OFF IN WAR FOR ALSO ALSO THIS PAST SATURDAY, UM, I WAS ABLE TO AND WENT TO A LUNCHEON AND PRESENTED A LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO FELICIA RONALD'S . SHE RETIRED AFTER 24 YEARS OF AS A PRINCIPLE OF SAINT ANTHONY'S CATHEDRAL SCHOOL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HER. AND ALSO I WENT OUT TO THE AMATEUR RADIO RELAY LEAGUE, YOU KNOW, PRESENTED, UH, PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. I DON'T KNOW OF A CHILD THEIR BASIC CALLED HAM. RADIO OPERATORS AND THEY WE WORKED WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES WHEN OUR PHONES ARE OUT OR ELECTRICITY IS OUT. BUT THERE IS STILL RUNNING AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND THEY HELP OUT A LOT. AND WE DID A PRESENTATION OF THE GLADYS CITY AND, UH, THAT WENT PRETTY NICE. ALSO. AND JUST REMIND EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE IN HURRICANE SEASON. SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE READY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN HERE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEMBER DURING YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER GETS THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF BEAUMONT EMPLOYEES

[01:35:02]

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS. THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST AND WE'VE GONE OVER THAT BEFORE IN IN COUNCIL. AH MARK WHAT YOU SUGGESTED. WHAT WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? I'M GONNA DRESS WHAT YOU SUGGESTED, COMES WITHIN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT GAMBIT. IT'S WITH FACT THAT THERE IS A HISTORIC OVERLAY DISTRICT. AND THAT MIGHT BE AN AVENUE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FURTHER TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THOSE LAWS. THOSE RULES THAT WOULD PROHIBIT CAMPING WITHIN THAT DISTRICT. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING UP. LOOKED AT IN PARTICULAR. IT'S NOT THE WAR THAT I SERVED, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PAY SOME ATTENTION TO AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD ASK. YOU SHOULD WRITE A MAYBE SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IN SOME MANNER. AND SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MEMBER TURNER. YES IF POSSIBLE. I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK WE COULD TAKE A MORE SERIOUS APPROACH ON YOU KNOW, MAYBE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM THAT THE CITIZENS CAME, SPOKE ABOUT TODAY AND IT HISTORIC DISTRICT AREA AND JUST OTHER AREAS OF BEAUMONT IN GENERAL, SEE IF WE CAN KIND OF TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH. AH I DO WANT TO. ESPECIALLY THANK STAFF FOR JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WAS VERY HUGE SUCCESS. I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND EVERYBODY, CHRIS, YOU WORKED PRETTY HARD ON IT. I WANNA LET YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE YOU PUBLICLY. SO JUNETEENTH WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT IT WAS DIRECT, VERY DIVERSE, AND EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT TIME. BUT GUESS WHAT? FOURTH OF JULY IS AROUND THE CORNER, SO WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE THAT AS WELL. SO I DO THINK THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DOES A GREAT JOB WITH QUALITY OF LIFE EVENTS FOR THE CITIZENS, AND IT'S APPRECIATED. THE NEXT THING PARA ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING CHRIS DOHERTY. I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU, MY BROTHER. I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOU. IT WAS A GOOD LOOK, YOU HAD A GOOD TURNOUT, AND I THINK THAT'S GOOD. WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR WARD. AND LASTLY , WITH STAFF, I DO WANT TO SAY I NOTICED A LOT OF GRANTS THAT WE WENT AFTER EARLIER IN THE MEETING. I WANT TO PIGGYBACK AND SAY, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK GRANTS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAS BEEN UNDERUTILIZED AND I'M STARTING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO IT. SO YOU KNOW IT'S FREE MONEY OUT THERE.

WE'RE GOING AFTER THE AGGRESSIVELY AND I REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT BEING STRATEGIC, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH THAT AND ALL THE PRESENTATIONS WERE GREAT TODAY.

THANK YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHAW. YES JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARIFICATION WITH OUR CITIZENS . UH IT'S THE COMMENTS BEING MADE THAT WITH EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND PROJECTS LIKE DEEP BLUE AND PROJECT MERCURY. WHY YOU GUYS NAMING THESE THINGS IN

[01:40:06]

UH, I KNOW THE FOURTH OF JULY WILL BE A SUCCESS. BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THINGS DOWNTOWN. NORTH END SOUTH END AS WELL AS EAST AND WEST, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER, AND WE NEED THAT SUPPORT OF ALL THE CITIZENS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK THE STAFF FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, NEIL. THANK YOU, MAYOR ALSO LIKE TO ECHO THAT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING AND TALKING TODAY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR ATTORNEY AND MANAGER'S OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT STRATEGIES TO HELP MAKE THIS, UH WORK FOR EVERYBODY. UM BUT BACK TO THE HOMELESS SITUATION. YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A TOUCHY SUBJECT THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, THE LAST TIME WE WERE GRANTED A BUNCH OF MONEY TO SALVATION ARMY AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A FIX, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SALVATION ARMY HOUSES NOT EVEN FEELING UP EVERY NIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, I'VE RECEIVE PROBABLY MORE THAN MY FAIR ISSUE ON THE PHONE CALLS FROM MARK MCDONALD AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA ADMIT I WOULD BE MAD AS HELL. AND I KNOW EVERY SINGLE PERSON UP HERE WOULD BE TOO IF THAT WAS TAKING PLACE NEXT TO YOURS HOUSES. UM AND I CHALLENGE STAFF TO HELP US FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UH, TAKE THIS THE NEXT STEP BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WORKING. THANK YOU. CITY ATTORNEY THREE. YES MA'AM. SO FIRST I WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR. AND, UH, INTER MANAGER BOONE AND ALL OF THE CITY STAFF FOR YOUR CONDOLENCES AND KIND WORDS AND PATIENCE WITH ME AND MY FAMILY IS BURIED. MY GRANDMOTHER LAST SATURDAY WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO ME, BUT YOUR YOUR COURTESY AND GIVING ME SOME LEEWAY, NOT MEAN IS RESPONSIVE AS I USUALLY AM TO YOUR EMAILS AND CALLS IS VERY GRACIOUS. UM BUT I'M BACK AND WE'RE READY TO WORK. BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. AS RELATES TO THE HOMELESS . I HEAR YOU WE ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THAT PROBLEM. UM THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU SAID TODAY THAT WE MAYVING D TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM AND GETTING THEM. UM, BUT ONE THING IS IT'S INTERESTING WHEN DEALING WITH THAT, AND HOUSE OR HOMELESS IS THAT SOME OF THEM ARE CHOOSING AND AREN'T AS AS WILLING, BUT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KIND OF COME TO A SOLUTION. THAT'S BOTH, YOU KNOW, APPEASING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL. THANK YOU AND CITY MANAGER URBAN NOTHING, MAJOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BART. OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, I HAVE A LIST HERE AND FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU, JOHN AND BROOKE C FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM. IT IS TOTALLY THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

IT'S SOMETHING NEW. IT'S SOMETHING INNOVATIVE IS SOMETHING THAT OUR FUTURE IS GOING TO. AND I WOULD CHILDREN WILL NEED IT IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

ALSO FOR THE AH, MAP REASSIGNMENT. HE'S LEFT. UM, I THINK LOOKING AT IT. YOU GOTTA A FULL VIEW OF THE MAKEUP OF OUR CITY AND THE WAY IT'S DIVIDED. AND NOW I SEE THAT, UM IT WILL BE EQUALLY DIVIDED WITH THE NEW PRESENTATION OF THE MAP. ALSO UH TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. UM I

[01:45:01]

UM A NEW PORTS PRESIDENT WAS INSTALLED ON TO CONGRATULATE MR PAT ANDERSON. UH HE WILL BE THE NEW PURPORT, PRESIDENT OF THE COURT OF BEAUMONT. BUT I WANT TO ALSO, UM CONGRATULATE AND THANK , UM PORTS, GEORGINE GUILLORY. SHE WAS THE PAST PRESIDENT WHO PASSED THE GAVEL ON YESTERDAY MORNING. AND, UH, SHE SHE WAS A HISTORY MAKING PRESIDENT. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE THE PRESIDENT. OF THE COURT OF BEAUMONT AND ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN. UH FEMALE TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE PORTS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT GEORGE JEAN GUILLORY, OUTGOING PRESIDENT AND NEW PRESIDENT, PAT ANDERSON. I WANT TO ALSO SAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO, THANK YOU FOR THE TO, UM. PROCLAMATIONS THAT YOU READ FOR ME. THIS WEEKEND, I WAS OUT. I'M ON THE BOARD OF TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE , AND WE HAD A BOARD MEETING IN HOUSTON. AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT TO SEE. UM THE DISPLAY AT THE HILTON HOTEL LEFT THE HERBS GROWING IN THE LOBBY, BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT, UM, I WORK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO. AND SETTING OF THE WARD FOR HURRICANE READINESS. UH, PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE ARE IN FULL SWING OF HURRICANE SEASON RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S HARD AS IT IS. DEAR GOD, I AM PRAYING WE WILL NOT HAVE A HURRICANE. UM A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL OUT OF THEIR HOUSES. HOUSES ARE STILL BEING BUILT FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF HURRICANE IMELDA. AND SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS SEASON. WITHOUT ONE, UH, IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY HARD AND THE HEAT HAS BEEN IN TRIPLE DIGITS AND. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. THAT WILL HOPEFULLY COOL THE HEAT DOWN. BUT I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT, UM IT'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE LIGHT AT WASHINGTON AND THE 11TH STREET.

I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE RAILROAD. AND THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS WORKING IN OUR AREA, AND WE CAN SAY THAT AND THE LIGHT SHOULD BE WORKING. REAL SEUIN CORRECT, BART. WELL, WE'RE COMING TO GOT AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT IF WE CAN CONNECT THE NEW SIGNAL BOX TO THEIR OLD EQUIPMENT AND GET IT WORKING WITH THE OLD PREEMPTION THAT THEY'LL ALLOW US TO TURN IT BACK ON. UNFORTUNATELY THE WIRING BETWEEN THE TWO WAS DESTROYED DURING THE ROAD PROJECT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THEIR TECHNICIAN OUT AND HAVE US RUN NEW WIRE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ACTIVELY WITH THEM TO TRY TO GET THAT BACK ON. ABSOLUTELY WE ARE WORKING AND I GET AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GOTTA CALL SATURDAY AND HOUSTON ABOUT IT AND UM, IT HAS NOT BEEN IGNORED. UM, AS, UH PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR MARCO V. I JUST SAID ALL OF THE WIRING WAS DESTROYED AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET THE PART AND TURN IT BACK ON? IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AT THAT INTERSECTION, SO WE WANT IT BACK ON AS MUCH AS EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE IT BACK ON. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TO A SOLUTION TO GET THAT FIXED. AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A REPORT ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. ALSO, UM. THERE ARE A LOT OF FIREFIGHTERS HERE IN THE CITY. THEY CHOSE BEAUMONT FOR THEIR NATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS TRAINING, AND ON SUNDAY MORNING I WAS OVER AT FORD PARK TO GIVE A PROCLAMATION AND WELCOME TO

[01:50:01]

INTO THE WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL STAFF WHO SET THAT UP. UM. IT'S AMAZING THAT IT WAS HELLING ON GLADYS STREET AND STORMING. AND IT WAS STORMING IN THE PEAR ORCHARD OF BEAUMONT. WE DID NOT GET A DROP OF RAIN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. ALL WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON WE UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO DELAY SOME OF THE PERFORMANCES, BUT AH! WE DIDN'T GET A DROP OF RAIN. WE HAD LIGHTNING AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO DO THE DELAY. AND PEOPLE KEPT SAYING, WHEN IS THE ACT GONNA START? WELL YOU CAN'T DO AND ACT WITH LIGHTNING. SO BUT THE FOOD WAS PHENOMENAL. UM THE CAR SHOW WENT OFF, AND, UM EVERYONE WAS OUT CELEBRATING. AND WHEN YOU LOOKED ACROSS, UM THE FIELD. IT WAS A MULTITUDE. OF NATIONALITIES AND RACE OF PEOPLE , AND IT WAS VERY, VERY PEACEFUL. AH, VERY BEAUTIFUL OCCASION. AND IT WAS SO HOT. UM I REALLY I GOT HEAT EXHAUSTION.

I HAD TO SIT DOWN AND COOL DOWN. IT WAS VERY, VERY HOT BUT AGAIN. A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM JUNETEENTH. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, THE STAFF WHO SUPPORTED THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION. UM THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT THEY WERE INVOLVED. UM IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND VITAL. FOR US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE EVENTS THAT COME TO OUR CITY. WE WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY. SO UM, IT WAS ALSO FATHER'S DAY, SO I WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO COUNCIL MEMBER, TURNER COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING, UH, THE EVENT. OF JUNETEENTH WHILE DEMONSTRATING THEIR LEADERSHIP AND BEING OUT THERE TO SUPPORT THE EVENT. WE ALSO HAVE FOURTH OF JULY COMING UP. ACTS, EVERYONE THE POLICE COME OUT. SUPPORT FOURTH OF JULY . THE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON FIREWORKS AND THE FESTIVITIES. UM AND SO WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE COME OUT. AND SUPPORT FOURTH OF JULY AS THEY DID JUNETEENTH. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR ITS SAFE AND, UH, FESTIVE FOURTH OF JULY AND AGAIN IF YOU HAVE FIREWORKS AT YOUR HOUSE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE, UH LIGHTING AND POPPING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LEGAL WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY DRY. SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL DURING YOUR REPORT OF JULY HOLIDAY WEEKEND,

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]