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[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BEAUMONT CITY COUNCIL.TODAY IS FRIDAY, MARCH 24TH, AND TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR WANDA JOHNSON OF LOVE AND COMPASSION MINISTRIES.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME FORWARD.
PASTOR JOHNSON, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR PLEDGE.
EVERYONE, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES.
CAN WE BOW HEADS PLEASE? FATHER, I COME WITH THE HEART OF THANKSGIVING, OF GRATITUDE AND TO HONOR YOU, GOD, FOR WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE LIKE YOU.
GOD, I THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OVER THIS CITY, FOR KEEPING IT FATHER, BECAUSE YOUR WORD SAYS, ACCEPT THE LORD.
KEEP THE CITY, THE WATCHMAN WAKES IN VAIN.
GOD, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFINITE WISDOM, YOUR UNDERSTANDING, AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
AND I PRAY, FATHER, THAT YOU WOULD GRACE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS', FATHER, WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY CALLED THEM TO DO.
FATHER, GRACE THEM WITH HUMILITY, GOD, TO GOVERN THIS CITY.
AND FATHER, AS YOU INSTRUCT THEM, GOD, LET THEM FOLLOW YOU TO THE T FATHER SO THAT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS CITY, IT CAN COME TO PASS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THE SOON COMING KING.
PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLACE TO OUR NATION'S FLAG.
I 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.
PASTOR WANDA JOHNSON, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND IN KEEPING WITH WOMEN'S MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO GIVE THAT PRAYER.
MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR MINTON.
PRESENT MAYOR PRO, TIM DIO, PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER GETZ PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHAW PRESENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER NEAL PRESENT.
THERE WILL NOT BE ANY PRESENTATIONS OR PROCLAMATIONS ON TODAY, BUT NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE FILL OUT THE GREEN SLIP TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM HANDED TO THE CLERK TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, AND SHE WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S TIME TO SPEAK.
THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR THREE MINUTES.
THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
MAY I HAVE A READING OF OUR AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE? MR. CITY MANAGER.OKAY, MAYOR, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.
A APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET LINE ITEMS OF THE CONSOLIDATED GRANT PROGRAM.
2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN TO INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTAL HOME ARP AMERICA RESCUE PLAN FUNDING.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK MR. CHRIS BOONE TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IF IT PLEASES THE MAYOR.
UM, SO JUST A, AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING TODAY.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS IS THE HOME ARP, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING, UH, THAT WAS ALLOCATED BY CONGRESS BACK IN 2021.
UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING COUNSEL TO DO IS TO AMEND THE 2021, UH, C D B G ACTION PLAN, UH, IN ORDER TO INCLUDE THE HOME ARP FUNDING.
AND THE REASON WHY IT'S 2021 IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN CONGRESS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED THESE FUNDS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING BACK TO 2021, IS TO AMEND THAT BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE HOME ART FUNDS, UH, ARE, ARE TO ES ESSENTIALLY, UH, ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO, AGAIN, IS TO AMEND THE 2021 ACTION PLAN TO INCLUDE, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S ALLOCATION OF $1,865,394.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR COUNCIL AGENDA, UH, MEMO, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO ALLOCATE 1,572,124, DO $24 FOR ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON CONGREGATE SHELTER UNITS.
UH, ALLOCATE 200,000 FOR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THEN 93,270 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
AND SO IN TERMS OF THE NEXT STEPS, IF APPROVED TODAY, WE WILL SUBMIT OUR REQUEST TO HUD.
WE EXPECT TO, UH, AND HOPE TO HAVE THAT APPROVED BY HUD IN THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS.
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WE WILL DO IS WE WILL OPEN, UM, THE PROGRAM UP FOR FORMAL APPLICATIONS, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PROGRAM.AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE WILL TAKE THE APPLICATION STAFF WILL REVIEW THEM, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHAT'S PROPOSED IS ELIGIBLE, AND THEN WHEN WE PRESENT THOSE TO THE, UH, C D A C COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND THEN AT THAT POINT, UH, WE WOULD BRING THEM BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DECISION ON HOW THE FUNDS ARE TO BE ALLOCATED.
YOU'VE HEARD THE READING AND EXPLANATION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? PLEASE MOVE TO APPROVE.
I HAVE A MOTION AND THE SECOND ON THE FLOOR AS THEIR DISCUSSION.
MAYOR PRO TIM DIO, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE, UH, NON-CON SHELTER UNIONS? SO NON CONGREGATE SHELTER UNITS ARE ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT A TRADITIONAL SHELTER, IT'S GROUP QUARTERS, UH, WITH, WITH PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SAME, UH, SPACE.
IN THE CASE OF NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, UM, EACH INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY HAS TO HAVE THEIR OWN ROOM.
UM, AND THERE IS SOME OTHER RULES.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN'T REQUIRE A LEASE, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT, IT'S, SO YOU DON'T HAVE GROUP SHELTER IN A SINGLE SPACE.
AND HOW MANY UNITS WILL IT BE? IT'S GONNA DEPEND.
SO THIS IS THE FUND, THIS IS THE FUNDING WE HAVE.
SO ONCE WE GET THE APPLICATIONS IN AND REVIEW THEM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL PRESENT THOSE PLANS TO COUNSEL AS TO WHAT IS PROPOSED IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF UNITS AT DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SO THIS IS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AND OR FAMILIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAW, UH, CHRIS, UH, ON THE $200,000 FOR RENTAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE BASING OR WE'RE BASING THAT OFF OF PAST EXPERIENCE? IT IT IS.
SO WE ORIGINALLY WE WERE PROPOSING TO ALLOCATE THE FULL AMOUNT FOR SHELTER, NON CONGREGATE SHELTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE IS SUCH A NEED HERE.
THE OTHER THING IS, AS PART OF THE, AND AGAIN, FUNDING FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN CAME DOWN TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE STATE THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO BACK THEN WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND WE, WE PARTNERED WITH HABITAT AND I KNOW THE COUNTY PARTNERED WITH THE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND, AND SO IN THE, BASICALLY IN THE, IN THE KIND OF THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE, WE HAD A PROGRAM AND UH, UH, MY RECOLLECTION IS ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF, UH, DOLLARS.
AND SO WE, WE'VE KIND OF HAD THAT PROGRAM.
WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO USE THESE FUNDS MORE SO FOR THE NON-CON NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, WHICH WE KNOW WE'VE HAD.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT IS A MINIMAL AMOUNT.
UM, BUT I SHOULD POINT OUT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE AT LEAST HAVING A MINIMAL AMOUNT IS BECAUSE PART OF THE RULES FOR THIS IS, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER ALL THE, UH, WHAT THEY CALL QUALIFYING POPULATIONS.
AND THIS WOULD MAKE THAT ELIGIBLE.
WE, WE CAN'T SIMPLY ALLOCATE IT ALL TO, UM, HOME INDIVIDUAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER, UH, I NOTICED WITH ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING OF HOME MAP GRANTS, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, I SEE $93,270.
CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE AS I MEAN, WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ARE AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU, WHAT THOSE FUNDS CAN BE ALLOCATED FOR? RIGHT.
SO ANYTIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET FEDERAL DOLLARS, THERE IS A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TIME AND COSTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT IN TERMS OF COMPLIANCE.
SO THERE'S THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPLICATION.
THERE IS ONGOING MONITORING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE SPENT ACCORDINGLY, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE, TO THE REGULATIONS AND THE GUIDELINES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, REALLY IT'LL TAKE YEARS ACTUALLY FOR, UH, MON MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE REVIEW AND FEDERAL AUDITS.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF STAFF TIME, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE, WE PROPERLY COMPLY WITH THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THE PROGRAM ALLOWS UP TO 15% ADMINISTRATIVE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THAT BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED THAT MUCH.
AND CHRIS, WHEN WE SAY STAFF TIME, CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO, I KNOW WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING A SALARY STUDY TO KIND OF COMPARE OURSELF TO OTHER LIKES LIKE SIZE CITIES.
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UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT WE, WE KIND OF HAVE A CORE STAFF, WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR, UH, STAFF PEOPLE.UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE AT ABOUT THREE.
UM, WE TRY TO COVER MOST OF THE COSTS OF THE CDBG AND HOME FUNDS STAFF WITH CDBG AND HOME FUNDS.
UH, THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT TO SOME DEGREE FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP THAT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT AS NEW FUNDING COMES ALONG, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK BACK TO THE STIMULUS, YOU THINK BACK TO SOME OF THE HURRICANE RECOVERIES, LIKE AFTER RITA AND IKE, I THINK WE MAY HAVE HAD UP CLOSE TO MORE LIKE 10 FOLKS IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO IT, IT DOES FLUCTUATE, BUT WE ALWAYS KEEP A CORE OF CITY STAFF AND, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THREE.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT MAY GO UP, UM, IT JUST DEPENDS, BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, TRY TO KEEP IT LEVEL.
CHRIS, CHRIS, I'M GUESSING THAT THERE'S SOME TIME SENSITIVITY NECESSARY THAT NECESSITATED US HAVING A FRIDAY MEETING ON THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO THIS CONSOLIDATED BLOG GRANT FORM, WILL THESE ORGANIZATIONS STILL FALL WITHIN THIS MONEY? SO IN YOUR, IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM, THAT'S THE 2021 CONSOLIDATED BLOCK, NONE OF THOSE, THAT'S BACK WHAT WE ALLOCATED BACK IN 2021.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE AMENDING THAT.
SO NONE OF THESE ALLOCATIONS WOULD BE AFFECTED.
WE'RE SIMPLY ADDING TO THAT THE HOME ART MONEY.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY ANY OR CHANGING ANY OF THOSE ALLOCATIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR BUSINESS FOR TODAY.
[COMMENTS]
THIS TIME, I WILL ASK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENT AND I WILL START WITH MAYOR PRO.COUNCIL MEMBER GETZ? NO COMMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER? NO COMMENT.
WOW, THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL, THE CITY MANAGER.
JUST A NOTE THAT YOUR, UH, REPORT ON THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT THAT COMES OUT MONTHLY WILL, IS COMING OUT TODAY.
SO REALLY GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IT'S A GOOD, GOOD DIRECTORY OF INFORMATION ON EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN'T GET TO US.
SOMETIMES YOU, IT'S USUALLY IN THERE YOU CAN GET AN ANSWER.
WELL, QUICKLY I'D LIKE TO THANK JESS PRINCE AND THE OTHER CDBG STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS, UH, THIS ITEM.
AND MR. ELLIS, MR. CITY ATTORNEY
WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
WE WILL NOT HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, A COUNCIL MEETING THIS TUESDAY.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AGAIN AND GO OUT AND SPREAD THE LOVE.